Daily Current Affairs and News Analysis 24-01-2025

Solicitor General’s Opposition: The Solicitor General opposes halal certification for non-meat products like cement, iron bars, wheat flour, and gram flour. Why: Questions the necessity and scope of halal certification beyond food items.

Unfair Competition Allegations: Halal certification for non-meat products is alleged to disadvantage businesses not adhering to halal standards, creating unfair market competition. Why: Claims that the certification system gives certified products an undue advantage.

Forged Certificates and Misuse: Accusations that companies are issuing forged halal certificates and exploiting religious sentiments to increase sales. Why: Undermines the integrity of the certification process and fosters social division.

Lack of National System: India lacks a unified national halal certification system. Why: Leads to inconsistencies and potential for fraudulent certifications.

i-CAS for Meat Products: The i-CAS (Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme) is being implemented to streamline halal certification specifically for meat products for export. Why: Aims to create a standardized and regulated system for meat product certification.

Definition of Halal: Halal, meaning “permissible” in Arabic, signifies adherence to Islamic law in food preparation and production. Why: Establishes the context and religious basis for halal certification.

The U.S. military recently relocated its Typhon missile launchers within the Philippines. This enhances mobility and survivability, amid rising tensions with China and Russia.

Typhon (Mid-Range Capability – MRC) is a versatile, mobile, ground-launched surface-to-surface missile system. It enhances the U.S. Army’s long-range strike capabilities.

Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, its modular design allows it to fire various missile types, primarily the SM-6 and Tomahawk.

SM-6 has a range of 500 km with surface-to-air and surface target strike capabilities.

Tomahawk cruise missile has a range of 2,500 km traditionally used for land attacks but increasingly capable of anti-ship missions.

A Typhon battery includes four launchers, a command post, reload, and support vehicles on trailers.

FDA Ban Reinforced: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reinforced its ban on Rhodamine B in all food-related applications.

Carcinogenic Concerns: This ban is due to increasing evidence showing that Rhodamine B possesses carcinogenic properties.

What is Rhodamine B: It’s a synthetic dye with a bright pink color, commonly used in textiles, paper, and leather industries, and in scientific research for its fluorescent properties.

Health Risks: Rhodamine B poses significant health risks when consumed, including potential DNA damage, mutations, and cancerous growths, as indicated by animal studies showing tumor development.

Allergic Reactions: Sensitive individuals may experience allergic reactions like itching, redness, and skin thickening. Long-term exposure can lead to chronic allergies and permanent skin pigmentation changes.

Toxicity: The chemical is toxic to humans and can cause oxidative stress on cells and tissues if ingested.

Food Usage: It’s used as a colorant in some foods like chili powder and chili oil, which can be very harmful.

Recent Outbreak: Around 59 people in Pune have been recently affected with Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). This highlights a current area of concern.

What is GBS?: A rare neurological disorder where the body’s immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord). This attack affects muscle control, pain, and sensory perception.

Cause: The exact cause is unknown, but GBS often follows a viral or bacterial infection, vaccination, or surgery. These events can trigger an overactive immune response.

Symptoms: Initial symptoms may include fever, followed by weakness and nervous system issues. Weakness can rapidly worsen, leading to paralysis in severe cases. Severity varies greatly, from mild weakness to life-threatening paralysis.

Treatment: There is no cure. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is a common treatment. IVIG helps to dampen the immune system’s attack on the nerves.

Key Facts: There’s no known cure and one common risk factor is infection with the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni. GBS is a neurological disorder which affects peripheral nervous system.New treatment strategies for GBS are mostly immunotherapies, including treatment against antibodies, complement pathways, immune cells and cytokines.

Statehood Day: Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya observe their Statehood Day on January 21st.

Why in News: The Prime Minister greeted the states on this occasion.

Historical Context – Manipur:

• Princely state merged with India in 1949 after the Maharaja signed the Instrument of Accession, followed by the Merger Agreement.
• Became a Part C state, then a Union Territory.
• Achieved full statehood on January 21, 1972, through the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organization) Act, 1971.

Historical Context – Tripura:

• Princely state merged with India in 1949.
• Became a Part C state, then a Union Territory.
• Achieved full statehood on January 21, 1972, through the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organization) Act, 1971.

Historical Context – Meghalaya:

• Demand for autonomy from Assam to protect indigenous cultures.
• Established as an autonomous state within Assam in 1969.
• Granted full statehood on January 21, 1972, through the North-Eastern Areas (Re-organization) Act, 1971. Became India’s 21st state.

India Joins as Observer: India has become an observer state in the Eurodrone program. This signifies India’s interest in the project and potential future collaboration.

European Sovereignty: Eurodrone is a “European Programme for European Sovereignty,” aiming to reduce reliance on US and Israeli drone technology. This highlights Europe’s push for self-sufficiency in defense.

MALE RPAS: The Eurodrone is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS). This indicates its primary function: long-duration missions at moderate altitudes.

Key Features: It boasts a 2.3-tonne payload, up to 40-hour endurance, and a twin-engine configuration for diverse environments. These features demonstrate its superior capabilities.

Versatile Uses: It’s designed for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR), maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and airborne early warning. This emphasizes its multi-role capability.

Safe Airspace Integration: Eurodrone is designed for safe and reliable flight in non-segregated airspace. This feature is crucial for operating in civilian-controlled airspace.

Development Stage: The initiative began in 2022 and passed its preliminary design review (PDR) in 2024, with an expected service entry by 2030. It indicates the project is still under development.

Member Nations: Germany, France, Italy, and Spain are the core members of the Eurodrone program. These countries are the primary drivers of the project.

Cost: Each Eurodrone unit is estimated to cost $143 million. This figure provides insight into the financial investment of the program.

INCOIS Wins 2025 Award: The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2025 in the Institutional Category.

Purpose of the Award: Recognizes and honors invaluable contributions and selfless service in disaster management in India.

Award Announcement Date: Announced annually on January

Eligibility: Open to Indian nationals and Indian institutions.

Qualifying Work: Contributions in areas like prevention, mitigation, preparedness, rescue, response, relief, rehabilitation, research/innovations, or early warning related to disaster management in India.

Selection Process: A Screening Committee constituted by NDMA screens applications.

Prize for Institutions: A certificate and ₹51 lakhs, to be used for disaster management activities.

Prize for Individuals: A certificate and ₹5.00 lakhs.

INCOIS Details: INCOIS was established in 1999 as an autonomous body under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and is a unit of the Earth System Science Organization (ESSO).

Subhash Chandra Bose: Considered a highly influential freedom fighter with extraordinary leadership skills.

Birthright Citizenship: US policy shift potentially impacts Indian H-1B visa holders and Green Card applicants. Their US-born children may lose automatic citizenship. Could discourage Indian skilled workers from long-term migration to the US, with some opting for countries like Canada, UK, and Australia instead.

Paris Agreement Withdrawal: US withdrawal reduces international climate finance for developing nations, including India, hindering renewable energy projects. Could result in increased emissions.

WHO Withdrawal: US exit creates a funding gap in WHO, potentially slowing down India’s health programs (HIV, tuberculosis). However, India can emerge as a leader in global health governance.

Global Corporate Minimum Tax (GCMT) Rejection: US rejection sets back international consensus on global tax rules, no immediate impact for India as India has refrained from introducing domestic legislation related to the GloBE rules.

India’s Response:

• Use diplomacy to protect Indian immigrants’ rights.
• Strengthen Quad alliance for regional stability.
• Accelerate renewable energy targets to show climate leadership.
• Fill WHO leadership gaps with Indian professionals.
• Partner with affected countries for collective action.

• Includes hazard assessment, alert issuance, and action planning based on threat levels.
• Installation of 126 sirens with strobe lights (red, yellow, orange) on tall structures, broadcasting warnings up to 1,200 meters.
• Sirens provide pre-recorded voice messages and audio alerts.
• Integrates all early warning systems for knowledge dissemination, warning issuance, crisis monitoring, and response coordination.

Supreme Court Ruling on Section 69: The Supreme Court has reaffirmed the mandatory nature of Section 69 of the Indian Partnership Act, 1932. This means unregistered firms and their partners cannot enforce contractual rights against each other. This emphasizes the importance of registration for legal enforceability.

Definition of Partnership: The Act defines partnership as the relationship between individuals who have agreed to share the profits of a business carried on by all or any of them acting for all. This clarifies the core element of a partnership.

Partnership Deed Importance: The partnership deed is crucial for determining partners’ rights and obligations within the firm. This highlights the need for a well-drafted agreement.

Maximum Number of Partners: The Companies Act 2013 (section 464) sets the maximum number of partners in a partnership firm at 100.

Section 69 Explained: Section 69 deals with the consequences of not registering a partnership firm, specifically limiting the firm’s ability to enforce contractual rights. This highlights the legal disabilities of unregistered firms.

Types of Partnerships: The Act covers various partnership types, including General, Limited, Limited Liability Partnerships (LLP), and Limited Liability Limited Partnerships.

Active Partner Defined: An active partner is one who is invested and involved in the daily operations of the partnership.

Commitment to Open Indo-Pacific: The Quad (Australia, India, Japan, and the US) reaffirmed their dedication to a free and open Indo-Pacific. This signifies a shared vision for the region’s future.

Opposition to Unilateral Actions: Quad countries oppose attempts to change the status quo in the Indo-Pacific through force or coercion. This is a direct reference to actions by other nations.

Reaffirmation of Values: The Quad emphasizes adherence to international law, democratic values, and the territorial integrity of Indo-Pacific nations.

Opposition to Territorial Claims: The Quad opposes any unilateral actions, particularly China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea and East China Sea.

India’s Leadership Role: India will host the 7th Quad Leaders Summit in 2025, showcasing its central role in the grouping.

Quad’s Purpose: The Quad is focused on stability, prosperity, and openness in the Indo-Pacific region.

Evolution of the Quad: Formed after the 2004 tsunami, the Quad evolved from humanitarian aid to formal meetings. Its format involves Quad-plus meetings, including countries like South Korea, New Zealand, and Vietnam, thus broadening its influence.

Rare Melanistic Tiger Hunting: Four poachers from the Lodha tribe were arrested for illegally hunting a rare melanistic tiger in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), Odisha.

• Why: Highlights the threat to endangered species from poaching.

Melanistic Tigers: The hunted tiger was a sub-adult from a group of only around 20 such tigers globally.

• Why: Emphasizes the rarity and vulnerability of this specific tiger population.

Melanism Defined: Melanism is a genetic condition causing increased melanin production, resulting in darker pigmentation.

• Why: Provides context to understand the unique appearance of melanistic tigers.

Similipal’s Pseudo-Melanistic Tigers: STR’s Royal Bengal Tigers have a unique genetic trait causing higher melanin and “pseudo-melanistic” patterns.

• Why: Showcases a unique genetic variation specific to this region, making it crucial for conservation.

STR Tiger Population: The 2023-24 AOTE estimates 27 tigers in STR, including 13 adult pseudo-melanistic tigers.

• Why: Gives a sense of the population size and the significance of melanistic tigers within it.

Other Tiger Color Variations: Mentions white and golden tigers as variations due to leucism and recessive genes, respectively.

• Why: Puts melanism in the context of other, better-known color variations in tigers.

Lodha Tribe Involvement: Members of the Lodha tribe are implicated in the tiger poaching.

• Why: Raises questions about the socio-economic factors that might drive some members of indigenous communities towards illegal activities.

Hydrographic Survey Completion: The Indian Navy’s INS Sarvekshak concluded a hydrographic survey of Mauritius, covering over 25,000 square nautical miles.

Island Nation: Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.

Size: It occupies 2,040 sq. km, making it one of the world’s smallest countries.

Geography: Consists of the main island and several outlying islands; volcanic origin (formed 8 million years ago). Mount Piton is the highest point.

Climate: Maritime subtropical with fairly uniform temperatures.

Languages: English (national), Creole, and French are spoken.

Government: Parliamentary Republic, independent from the UK since 1968. The president is head of state and the prime minister is head of government. Member of COMESA and SADC.

International Presence: Headquarters for the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Indian Ocean Commission are located in Mauritius.

Population: Approximately two-thirds of Indo-Pakistani origin. One-fourth Creole, with smaller Chinese and Franco-Mauritian communities.

“Mini India”: Called “Mini India” due to its large Indian-origin population.

Geographic Location: Geographically considered part of Africa.

Visa-Free for Indians: No visa is required for Indian ordinary passport holders.

Distance from India: Approximately 4,700 kilometers (2,920 miles) from India.

Neutral Expert’s Competence: The World Bank-appointed Neutral Expert (NE) is deemed “competent” to adjudicate disputes regarding the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu & Kashmir. This supports India’s preference for NE involvement over the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

Key Disputes:

• Kishanganga Project: Pakistan objects to water diversion for the project, claiming it violates the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
• Ratle Project: Pakistan worries about the dam’s design, particularly spillway gates, giving India excessive control over water flow.
• Dispute Resolution: Pakistan initially sought NE resolution but later pursued PCA arbitration. India opposed PCA involvement, emphasizing the IWT’s prioritized role of NE.

Indus Waters Treaty (IWT):

• Water Sharing: Signed in 1960, it divides the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. India has unrestricted use of eastern rivers (Beas, Ravi, Sutlej), while Pakistan gets the western rivers (Chenab, Indus, Jhelum) with limited Indian use allowed.
• Permanent Indus Commission (PIC): Established for treaty implementation, the PIC requires yearly meetings to ensure the smooth implementation of the treaty.
• Dispute Resolution: IWT outlines a 3-tier dispute resolution process i.e Resolution by PIC, Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration

Challenges with the IWT:

• Outdated Provisions: Does not address climate change impacts on water availability in the Indus basin.
• Lack of Flexibility: Rigid water allocation limits adaptive water management strategies.
• Geopolitical Tensions: Mistrust between India and Pakistan complicates cooperation.

Way Forward:

• Renegotiation: Revisiting the IWT is needed to incorporate climate resilience and sustainable water management.
• Enhanced Dialogue: Prioritize dialogue and trust-building.
• Third-Party Mediation: The World Bank can facilitate negotiations.
• Technical Solutions: Emphasize data sharing and joint studies to resolve disputes over projects.