Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 21-01-2025

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Slowdown

  • Slowdown in GDP Growth: India’s real GDP growth for FY25 is projected to be 6.4%, the lowest in four years.
  • Government Blame: The government attributes the slowdown to the RBI’s monetary policy and rupee value interference, though deeper structural issues exist.
  • Services Exports-Driven Growth: Post-pandemic growth was fueled by services exports, especially Global Capability Centres (GCCs), which primarily benefitted highly skilled workers, leading to an unequal distribution of wealth and limited consumer demand growth.
  • Reduced Upward Mobility: The Indian economy struggles to generate productive employment for the majority, which is impacting consumption.
  • Car Market as Indicator: The declining share of the sub-Rs 10 lakh car segment indicates shrinking purchasing
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    power among first-time buyers and those upgrading from two-wheelers, demonstrating a fall in overall demand.
  • Labor Market Issues: There’s a lack of productive employment opportunities, with more people self-employed or working in informal sectors. Formal employment growth is driven by low-skill sectors.
  • Rising Debt: Increased household debt, at 43% by June 2024, has not significantly boosted consumption.
  • Subdued Investment: Low demand visibility and policy uncertainty have slowed down new project announcements, hindering investment.

Trust Funding Rises

  • Funding Shift: After the Supreme Court banned electoral bonds, donations to political parties increased significantly through electoral trusts.

  • Electoral Trusts’ Role: Electoral Trusts are non-profit organizations that collect contributions from individuals, companies, and institutions to distribute them to registered political parties.

  • Transparency Measures: Electoral Trusts must file annual contribution reports with the Election Commission of India (ECI), detailing donors and recipient parties. Audited accounts are also required.

  • Legal Framework: Governed under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 and “The Electoral Trusts Scheme, 2013”, which sets guidelines for registration and operations.

  • Distribution Mandate: Trusts must distribute up to 95% of contributions to eligible political parties, with the remaining 5% used for managing the trust’s affairs.

  • Tax Benefits: Donors to electoral trusts receive tax benefits under Section 80GGB and Section 80GGC of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Electoral trusts themselves are exempt from income tax.

  • Prudent Electoral Trust: The Prudent Electoral Trust saw nearly three-fourths of its donations come after the Supreme Court’s electoral bond ban, highlighting the shift in funding channels.

Inequality Ascendant

  • Rising Global Inequality: Oxfam report highlights that billionaires’ wealth is rapidly increasing while poverty remains stagnant, with colonialism exacerbating the divide.

  • Billionaire Wealth Growth: Billionaire wealth increased by USD 2 trillion in 2024.

  • Widening Gap: The richest 1% own 45% of global wealth. 3.6 billion people live on less than USD 6.85 per day.

  • Colonial Legacy: Colonialism continues to shape global inequality, with the Global North benefiting from exploitation and the Global South facing ongoing consequences.

  • Power Imbalances: Global institutions like the IMF and World Bank are dominated by the Global North.

  • Inheritance: Inheritance is a major driver of wealth, with nearly 60% of billionaire wealth stemming from it.

  • Global Inequality Defined: It is the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and power globally, exacerbating poverty.

  • Drivers of Inequality: Factors include social factors like gender and race, uneven economic growth, and climate change.

  • Impact: Inequality impacts life expectancy, education, and basic services, limiting human rights and fueling conflict.

  • India’s Inequality: India’s Gini coefficient is high, with the top 10% holding 77% of the wealth.

  • Factors in India: The COVID-19 pandemic, regressive tax system, and lack of access to education contribute to inequality.

  • Recommendations: Promote South-South cooperation, progressive taxation, and financial reparations.

Kho Kho Crowned!

  • India Wins Inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025: India secured both men’s and women’s titles, defeating Nepal in the finals. This marks a significant milestone for the sport.

  • Tournament Format: The Kho Kho World Cup 2025, backed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), featured group stages and knockouts for both divisions. This structured competition format elevated the event’s importance.

  • Historical Roots: Kho Kho’s origins trace back to ancient India, possibly evolving from military tactics. This rich history adds cultural significance to the sport.

  • Modernization: The modern version of Kho Kho took shape in 1914, with formalized rules established by Pune’s Deccan Gymkhana Club. This standardization was crucial for its wider adoption.

  • Gameplay: A Kho Kho team comprises 9 active players and 3 substitutes, engaging in alternating roles of chasing, defending, and tagging. The dynamic gameplay makes it an engaging sport.

  • Past Demonstrations: Kho Kho was showcased at the Berlin 1936 Olympics. This shows the sport’s earlier ambitions for wider recognition.

  • Growing Global Reach: Kho Kho’s international presence has expanded significantly, from 6 countries in 2020 to 55 in 2025. This growth demonstrates its rising popularity worldwide.

  • Olympic Aspiration: The International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) aims to reach 90 countries and targets inclusion in the Olympics by 2036. This highlights the sport’s ambition for the highest level of recognition.

FEMA Rules Eased

  • RBI Liberalized FEMA Rules: RBI eased norms under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) of 1999.
  • Promotes INR Use: Aims to encourage the use of the Indian Rupee (INR) in cross-border transactions.
  • Stabilizes INR: Intended to stabilize the INR, especially during depreciation.
  • INR Accounts for Non-Residents: Overseas branches of Authorized Dealer banks can open INR accounts for non-residents. This facilitates INR settlement of transactions.
  • Repatriable INR Transactions: Non-residents can settle transactions with other non-residents using balances in SNRR and SRVA accounts.
  • Foreign Investment by NRIs: NRIs can use INR account balances for foreign investments, including FDI in non-debt instruments, boosting INR’s role in global investments.
  • Foreign Currency Accounts for Exporters: Indian exporters can open foreign currency accounts overseas to settle trade, use export proceeds for imports.

Olive Ridley

  • Context: Numerous dead Olive Ridley turtles have washed ashore in Tamil Nadu, specifically Chennai, raising concerns.

  • Why it matters: The high number of deaths early in the nesting period (November-March) is unusual and signals a potential threat to the species.

  • Species Overview: Olive Ridley Sea Turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) are one of the smallest and most abundant sea turtles.

  • Key Characteristics: Small size (60-70cm, 35-50kg), olive-colored heart-shaped shell, found in warm oceans (Pacific, Atlantic, Indian), omnivorous diet (algae, fish, etc.), and a lifespan of 50-60 years.

  • Nesting Behavior: Known for “arribadas” – mass nesting events where thousands nest on the same beach. Key nesting sites include India, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

  • Indian Context: Nesting occurs across multiple Indian coastal states, with mass nesting primarily in Odisha, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

  • Conservation Status: Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN Red List, highlighting their conservation significance.

Surgical Tele-Robotics

  • First Indigenous System: SSI Mantra, developed by SSI Ltd, is India’s first surgical tele-robotic system.

  • Regulatory Approval: Approved by CDSCO (India) under Class B and C surgical devices, confirming safety and efficacy.

  • Complex Procedures: Facilitates complex surgeries like Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB).

  • Advantages: Reduced operation time, improved precision, minimal trauma (smaller incisions, less blood loss), faster recovery, and lower infection risk.

  • Challenges: Latency, reliable connectivity, preparedness for technical/medical issues, and higher costs.

  • Accessibility: Primarily available in metro and tier-1 cities due to cost factors.

  • Tele-Surgery Definition: Telesurgery utilizes wireless networking and robotics to connect surgeons and patients at different locations.

Why in News:

The development and regulatory approval of the SSI Mantra mark a significant advancement in indigenous medical technology, offering potential benefits for patients and surgeons, while also highlighting the challenges of cost and accessibility. It also highlights an emerging surgical system utilizing wireless networking and robotic technology to connect surgeons and patients who are distantly located from one another.

The NBWL: An Overview

  • Statutory Body: The NBWL is a statutory body established by the Central Government under Section 5A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA).
  • Top Advisory Body: It is India’s highest-level advisory body to the government on wildlife conservation matters, especially within Protected Areas (PAs).
  • Guiding Decisions & Approvals: The NBWL guides government decisions on wildlife conservation and issues approvals for projects within PAs.
  • Mandatory Approval: The WLPA requires NBWL approval for activities like constructing tourist lodges, altering PA boundaries, habitat destruction, and de-notification of Tiger Reserves.
  • Structure: A 47-member committee is headed by the Prime Minister, with the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change as vice chairperson. Includes officials, conservationists, and environmentalists.
  • Standing Committee: An independent body under NBWL, chaired by the Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. It focuses on project clearances, while NBWL handles policy decisions.
  • Replacement: The NBWL replaced the Indian Board for Wildlife, which was formed in 1952.

Australopithecus Explained

  • Australopithecus: Closest Relatives: Extinct primate genus found in Africa, considered the closest known relatives to the Homo genus (our genus).

  • Time Period: Lived between 4.4 million and 1.4 million years ago (Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs).

  • “Southern Ape”: Name refers to the initial South African fossil discoveries.

  • “Lucy”: Famous 3.2 million-year-old Australopithecus skeleton found in Ethiopia. Significant because of remarkable preservation, providing key insights.

  • Mixed Traits: Possessed a combination of ape-like (face proportions, small brain, strong arms for climbing) and human-like traits (small canines, bipedalism). This is crucial for understanding the evolutionary transition.

  • Physical Characteristics: 1.2-1.5m tall, 30-50kg weight, significant sexual dimorphism (males much larger than females). These size and weight estimates provide a picture of their lifestyle.

  • Diet: Primarily plant-based. The insights into diet allow us to understand what ecological niche they occupied.

  • **Mankind’s Age: ** Homo sapiens evolved around 300,000 years ago based on fossil and DNA evidence. Behavioral modernity – complex technology and culture – appeared more recently, approximately 50,000-65,000 years ago.

NASAMS Explained

  • What it is: NASAMS is a medium-range, ground-based air defense system.

  • Developed by: Jointly developed by Raytheon (US) and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (Norway).

  • Operational since: 1994.

  • Widely used: In service in 13 countries, including Norway, Spain, US, Finland, Hungary, Netherlands, Australia, Indonesia, Qatar, Oman, Lithuania, and an undisclosed nation.

  • What it defends against: Aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and UAVs, protecting high-value assets and population centers.

  • US Defense: Integrated into the US National Capital Region’s air defense since 2005.

  • Key features: Networked; integrates with other air defense systems; X-Band radar with 75km range.

  • Missiles: Uses AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, modified for ground launch, with ~30km range.

  • Engagement Capacity: Can engage 72 targets simultaneously.

  • Open Architecture: Increased survivability against electronic countermeasures.

NASAMS Explained

SVAMITVA: Land Rights

  • Key Point: The SVAMITVA scheme, aims to unlock economic activity worth over Rs 100 lakh crore by providing property cards to all villages.

  • Why: Property cards empower villagers to use their property as financial assets for loans and other financial benefits. This increases land parcel liquidity and financial credit availability.

  • Key Point: The scheme provides “record of rights” to rural property owners and issues property cards.

  • Why: The cards enable accurate land records for rural planning, helps with property tax determination, and assists Gram Panchayats in taxation, construction permits, and encroachment removal.

  • Key Point: SVAMITVA (Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas) uses drones for property surveys and creates GIS-based maps.

  • Why: Accurate land records are crucial for village development, efficient land management, and resolving property disputes.

Mount Ibu Erupts

  • Frequent Eruptions: Mount Ibu in Indonesia erupted 1,079 times in January 2025. This highlights the volcano’s heightened activity and potential danger.

  • Significant Ash Columns: The eruptions produced ash columns ranging from 0.3 km to 4 km. These ash clouds pose hazards to air travel and can impact local air quality and visibility.

  • Stratovolcano Type: Mount Ibu is a stratovolcano (or composite volcano), known for explosive eruptions due to its structure of alternating layers of lava, ash, and debris. This type of volcano often leads to significant ashfall during its erruption.

  • Location on Halmahera: Situated on Halmahera Island in North Maluku province, Indonesia, the eruptions directly impact the surrounding communities.

  • Indonesia’s Volcanic Activity: Indonesia’s location on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it highly susceptible to volcanic eruptions. This eruption is another example of the country’s ongoing volcanic risks.

  • Other Recent Eruptions: Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki and Mount Ruang also experienced eruptions, prompting mass evacuations. These incidents highlight the broader trend of increased volcanic activity in Indonesia.

Contract Farming

  • Contract Farming Definition: An agreement where farmers and buyers pre-agree on terms for production and marketing of farm products, including price, quantity, quality, and delivery date. Sometimes includes input provision and production methods.

  • Advantages for Farmers:

    • Easier access to inputs, services, and credit, leading to financial support.
    • Improved production and management skills.
    • Secure market access and reduced price-related risks.
    • More stable income and better planning.
    • Introduction of new technologies.

  • Concerns for Farmers:

    • Loss of flexibility to sell to other buyers if prices rise.
    • Potential delays in payments and input deliveries.
    • Risk of debt from buyer-provided loans.
    • Environmental risks from monoculture.
    • Unequal bargaining power with buyers.

  • First Recognition in India: Officially recognized in India in 2003 through the APMC Act, aiming to create specialized markets for farmers to sell their produce.

ARCs

  • Definition: Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) are specialized financial institutions that acquire bad loans (Non-Performing Assets – NPAs) from banks and financial institutions.

  • Purpose: They aim to recover or restructure these bad loans, allowing banks to clean up their balance sheets and concentrate on lending.

  • Regulation: Governed by the SARFAESI Act, 2002 and regulated by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

  • Key Powers (under SARFAESI): ARCs can take possession of secured assets of defaulters without court intervention and manage/recover loans through sale, lease, or restructuring.

  • Objectives: To resolve stressed assets, improve financial stability by reducing NPAs in the banking sector, and allow banks to focus on lending.

  • Functions: Acquire NPAs at a discount, restructure debt or recover dues through measures such as asset liquidation or settlement, and issue Security Receipts (SRs) to qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) to fund operations.

Kalaripayattu at 38th Games

  • Kalaripayattu Downgraded: The Indian Kalaripayattu Federation is protesting the Indian Olympics Association’s (IOA) decision to relegate Kalaripayattu to a demonstration event at the 38th National Games.

    • Why: Demonstration sports are for promotion and don’t contribute to the official medal tally, which is a step down from its competitive status in the previous National Games.

  • Kalaripayattu Background: It is an ancient martial art from Kerala emphasizing mind-body coordination, with fighting techniques inspired by animals.

    • Why: The sport’s rich history and prior inclusion as a competitive event in the 37th National Games make its demotion controversial.

  • National Games 2025: The 38th edition will be held in Uttarakhand from January 28th to February 14th, 2025.

    • Why: Kalaripayattu, Yogasana, Mallakhambh, and Rafting will be demonstration sports, not competitive. The mascot is ‘Mouli’ (Monal bird), and the tagline is “Sankalp Se Shikhar Tak”.

  • Past Performance: Kalaripayattu athletes secured 22 medals (19 gold) at the 2023 National Games when it was a competitive sport.

    • Why: This highlights the sport’s potential and success, making its demotion seem unwarranted.

Entity Locker

  • Secure Cloud-Based Platform: Entity Locker is a secure, cloud-based solution for storing, sharing, and verifying documents.

  • Target Audience: Caters to a wide range of entities including large organisations, corporations, MSMEs, trusts, startups and societies.

  • Digital India Initiative: Critical component of India’s Digital Public Infrastructure, aligning with Union Budget 2024-25 for enhanced digital governance.

  • Key Features: Offers real-time document access and verification via government database integration, consent-based sharing, Aadhaar-authenticated access management, and 10 GB of encrypted storage.

  • Benefits: Streamlines document sharing, simplifies regulatory compliance, ensures accountability via activity tracking, reduces administrative overhead, and minimizes document processing times.

  • Seamless Integration: Integrates with government systems like MCA, GSTN, and DGFT for instant access to critical documents.

  • Use Cases: Supports vendor verification (procurement, GSTN, tendering), expedited MSME loan applications, FSSAI compliance, and corporate annual filings.

  • Why it Matters: Enhances ease of doing business by simplifying document management and verification processes, reducing bottlenecks and promoting efficiency.

SCOT: Operation Unveiled

  • Mission SCOT Success: Indian startup Digantara’s Mission SCOT, the world’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellite, has been successfully launched. The Prime Minister of India lauded it.
  • SSA Significance: Mission SCOT enhances Space Situational Awareness by tracking and characterizing space objects and their orbits.
  • Object Tracking Capability: It can track Resident Space Objects (RSOs) as small as 5 cm in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This improves the ability to monitor smaller, potentially hazardous space debris.
  • Transporter-12 Mission: It was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission, which provides cost-effective access to space.
  • Financial Backing: Mission SCOT is backed by Aditya Birla Ventures and SIDBI, highlighting private sector investment in the Indian space industry.
  • India’s SSA Efforts: ISRO already performs collision avoidance maneuvers and utilizes the Multi Object Tracking Radar, but it has a limited range.
  • IS4OM & ISSAR: The ISRO System for Safe and Sustainable Operations Management (IS4OM) generates the annual Indian Space Situational Assessment Report (ISSAR).
  • NETRA Project: ISRO’s NETRA project is establishing a Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) network with advanced radars and optical telescopes. This will strengthen India’s capability to protect its space assets.
  • Why it matters: Mission SCOT improves India’s space security and ability to track objects in space. It signifies the rise of Indian space startups and their contributions to SSA. It promotes sustainability in space. It also reduces ISRO’s burden.

Kalari

  • Ancient Martial Art: Kalaripayattu is one of the oldest and most scientific martial art forms globally.

  • Origin: It originated and is widely practiced in Kerala, India.

  • Kalari: The term “Kalari” refers to the traditional gymnasium where Kalaripayattu is taught.

  • Founder (Mythology): The warrior sage Parasurama is credited with establishing Kalaripayattu.

  • Four Stages: The art consists of four stages: Maippayattu (body conditioning), Kolthari (wooden weapons), Angathari (metal weapons), and Verumkai (bare-hand fighting).

  • Verumkai Focus: The bare-hand fighting stage (Verumkai) involves knowledge of body anatomy for strategic strikes.

  • Regional Styles: Three main ethnic styles exist in northern Kerala: Vattenthirippu, Arappukkai, and Pillathangi.

  • Shaolin Temple Connection: Legend says Kalaripayattu influenced martial arts at the Shaolin Temple in China via Bodhidharma in the 5th century AD. Bodhidharma was originally from Thanjavore, a cultural center that was part of Kerala but is now in Tamil Nadu.

Midges: Tiny Bites

  • Midges (Culicoides genus) are tiny, blood-sucking insects related to mosquitoes, locally known as bhusi flies.
  • Five species of midges transmit the bluetongue virus to livestock.
  • Bluetongue disease symptoms include blue tongue, fever, facial swelling, and excessive salivation, potentially leading to death in livestock.
  • A recent study (2022-2023) identified 17 midge species that bite humans, but no human disease transmission has been reported yet.
  • Thirteen new midge species have been recorded in India: C. barnetti, C. gouldi, C. flaviscutellaris, C. flavipunctatus, C. hui, C. histrio, C. guttifer, C. perornatus, C. okinawensis, C. quatei, C. obscurus, C. coronalis, and C. kusaiensis.
  • India now has 93 known Culicoides species, many of which are vectors of animal pathogens.
  • Culicoides have a cosmopolitan distribution, excluding New Zealand and Antarctica.
  • Midges are vectors for approximately 60 viruses, 40 protozoans, and 24 filarial nematodes, impacting livestock, wildlife, and potentially humans.
  • Bluetongue virus causes a severe hemorrhagic disease (bluetongue) in ruminants like cattle, sheep, goats, buffalo, deer, antelope, and camels.

Nigeria in BRICS

  • Nigeria named a BRICS “partner country” by Brazil, which will hold the BRICS presidency in 2025. This signifies a closer relationship without full membership.

  • Nigeria is the 9th nation to become a BRICS partner, alongside Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. This allows for participation in summits and meetings.

  • Partner country status involves attending BRICS events and participating in joint ventures, but without formal decision-making power or membership rights.

  • Nigeria’s significance stems from having the world’s 6th largest population, Africa’s largest population, and being Africa’s 4th largest economy, solidifying its “Giant of Africa” status and influence.

  • BRICS aims to be a counterweight to the G7, representing a shift in global power dynamics, with Nigeria’s inclusion indicating a recognition of its growing importance on the world stage.

  • BRICS is expanding; countries like Indonesia have officially joined as members, while others such as Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia have applied for membership, reflecting the group’s growing influence.

ARCs Explained

  • Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) buy bad debts (Non-Performing Assets or NPAs) from banks at an agreed value. This helps banks clean up their balance sheets.

  • ARCs try to recover these debts themselves, often through restructuring, enforcement of security interests, or selling the assets.

  • ARCs are registered with the RBI and are governed by the SARFAESI Act, 2002, functioning under RBI supervision.

  • ARCs raise funds from Qualified Buyers (Financial Institutions, Banks, Insurance companies etc) to purchase bad debts and are prohibited from accepting public deposits.

  • ARCs must have a minimum net owned fund (NOF) of Rs 300 crore and maintain a capital adequacy ratio of 15%.

  • RBI’s New Rules: Aim to ensure transparency and accountability in how ARCs settle dues with borrowers.

  • Board-Approved Policy: Each ARC needs a policy governing settlement of dues.

  • Independent Advisory Committee (IAC): Required for settlements over Rs 1 crore; comprised of experts to assess borrower’s financial position and recovery prospects.

  • Board Oversight: Board must deliberate IAC recommendations and document decision-making.

  • Stringent Procedures: Apply to settlements involving willful defaulters or fraud cases, regardless of the settlement amount.

  • Settlements < 1 cr: Approvals cant be done by officials who were involved in the financial asset acqusition.

  • Reporting Requirements: Regular analysis of settled accounts is mandatory.

  • Asset Reconstruction vs. Securitization: Asset reconstruction involves acquiring rights in existing loans to recover funds. Securitization is acquiring financial assets through security receipts.

Buddhist Footprint

  • Odisha Discoveries: Archaeological Survey of India finds Buddha head, palm, wall, and relics in Ratnagiri, Odisha, dating back to 8th-9th centuries AD, indicating the spread of Buddhism to Southeast Asia through Odisha.

  • Odisha’s Buddhist Influence: Buddha’s disciples and Emperor Ashoka played key roles in spreading Buddhism. Hiuen Tsang’s visit to Odisha provided insights into the region.

  • Ratnagiri Significance: A key Buddhist learning center from the 7th-10th centuries, rivaling Nalanda, showcasing Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Unique Buddha sculptures with distinctive hairstyles.

  • Maritime Trade’s Role: Odisha’s trade with regions like Bali, Java, Sumatra, and Sri Lanka facilitated the spread of Buddhism to Southeast Asia. Baliyatra festival commemorates maritime ties.

  • Southeast Asia Adoption: Southeast Asian rulers adopted Buddhism to strengthen authority. Buddhism blended with local beliefs and Hinduism (e.g., Angkor Wat, Borobudur).

  • Global Spread: Buddhism spread to Myanmar and Thailand by the 5th century CE, becoming Theravada Buddhism. By the 7th century CE, Buddhism had significantly influenced Chinese culture, Korean and Japan.

  • Key Buddhist Sites in India: Bodh Gaya (enlightenment), Sarnath (first sermon), Kushinagar (Parinirvana), Nalanda University (ancient learning center), Dharamshala (Tibetan Buddhism), Ellora & Ajanta Caves (rock-cut temples).

  • Conclusion: Odisha’s heritage and India’s role in spreading Buddhism across Asia reflect its global influence and profound contributions.

Uncharted Territory

  • India’s Robotic Surgery Advancement: India successfully conducted two heart surgeries using its first indigenous surgical tele-robotic system, the SSI Mantra, demonstrating a breakthrough in remote surgical capabilities.

  • SSI Mantra Details: Developed by SS Innovations, SSI Mantra is approved for telesurgery and remote surgical training. Its features include ultra-low latency (35-40 milliseconds) and high precision, enabling complex procedures like Totally Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass (TECAB).

  • Significance: The system facilitates access to expert surgical care in remote regions, overcoming geographical barriers and improving patient outcomes through minimally invasive techniques.

  • Robotics Applications Beyond Healthcare: Robots are utilized across various sectors, including industry, defense, agriculture, disaster management, and space exploration.

  • Challenges in Healthcare Robotics Adoption:

    • High initial costs of robotic systems.
    • Training and skill gaps for surgeons and medical staff.
    • Ethical concerns regarding accountability and patient safety in telesurgery.
    • Patient trust issues with remote surgeries.
    • Potential job displacement due to automation.
    • Cybersecurity risks associated with increased connectivity.

  • Way Forward:

    • Cost-effective solutions through government support and private sector collaboration.
    • Bridging skill gaps via integrating robotic surgery training into medical curricula.
    • Managing ethical concerns
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      through clear regulations and backup systems.
    • Mitigating job loss with upskilling programs and human-robot collaboration.
    • Addressing cybersecurity risks through encryption and standardized frameworks.