UPSC Key: Lipulekh pass, European Union Blocking Statute and Drishti

• Map Work-Lipulekh pass, Nathula Pass, Lake Manasarovar, Mahakali River, Mount Kailash Limpiadhura, Kalapani, Indian states bordering Nepal, China-Nepal border.

• What is the importance of Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra?

• Know the cultural, economic, and strategic implications of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

• Treaty of Sugauli, 1816-what you know about the same?

• How much land did Nepal lose in the Sugauli Treaty?

• Why is the Treaty of Sugauli important?

• Lipulekh pass-Why dispute exists?

• India-Nepal Bilateral relations-know the historical background

• What is the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1950?

• India-Nepal Bilateral relations-What is the present situation?

• India-Nepal Border Dispute-Know in details

• India and Nepal have border disputes over what areas?

• Why has this border dispute become so politically charged in Nepal?

• China, India and Nepal-Connect the dots

• Is China’s political influence in Nepal harming Indian interests?

• Why is Nepal so important?

• India-Nepal Bilateral Relations and Shared Heritage-Know in detail

• What is India’s Neighbourhood First Policy?

• India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and Nepal-Connect the dots

Key Takeaways:

• India said that such claims are “neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence”, and it remains open to “constructive interaction with Nepal”. The Lipulekh pass has been a “contested” territory and Nepal has often questioned moves by India and China to conduct trade and pilgrimages through the pass.

• The Nepalese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday, “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has drawn the attention of various media outlets to the questions and concerns raised regarding the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which is said to be conducted between India and China via Nepali territory, Lipulekh.”

• “The Government of Nepal is completely clear and steadfast in the fact that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani east of the Mahakali River are integral parts of Nepal since the Sugauli Treaty of 1816,” it said.

• The ministry asserted that the Government of Nepal has “conveyed its clear stance and concerns to both India and China through diplomatic channels regarding the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.”

• “Even before this, the Government of Nepal has been continuously urging the Government of India not to undertake any activities such as road construction or expansion, border trade and pilgrimage in the area,” it said.

• Responding to the Nepalese statement, the Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Sunday: “India’s position in this regard had been consistent and clear. Lipulekh pass has been a long standing route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra since 1954 and the Yatra through this route has been going on for decades. This is not a new development.”

• “As regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable. India remains open to a constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues in the bilateral relationship, including on resolving agreed outstanding boundary issues through dialogue and diplomacy,” the MEA spokesperson said.

Do You Know:

• On April 30, India annou¬nced that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to take place from June to August this year. Nepal’s objection to Lipulekh pass being used for the yatra and India challenging Kathmandu’s premise sets a road¬block that needs to be removed before the pilgrims begin their journey.

• The Nepalese Foreign Ministry was referring to India and China resuming trade through the Lipulekh pass in August 2025, before the GenZ protests toppled the government in September 2025.

• Lipulekh pass became a point of discord between India and Nepal in 2020, when the Oli government had objected to India building infrastructure and a road there. This had led to Nepal publishing its own map, claiming Lipulekh. India rejected such claims in May 2020, as well as in August 2025 when Kathmandu objected to Delhi’s plans to start trade with China through the pass.

• Treaty of Sugauli, 1816— Signed on March 4, 1816, to end the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–1816), the Treaty of Sugauli established the western boundary of Nepal along the Kali River (Mahakali/Sarada). It forced Nepal to surrender territories like Garhwal, Kumaon, and the Tarai to the British East India Company. The treaty remains the basis for ongoing Kalapani border disputes.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Mapping the history of Kalapani dispute between India and Nepal

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC: (UPSC CSE, 2025)
I. It is a regional organization consisting of seven member States till January 2025.
II. It came into existence with the signing of the Dhaka Declaration, 1999.
III. Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Nepal are founding member States of BIMSTEC.
IV. In BIMSTEC, the subsector of ‘tourism’ is being led by India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I and II
(b) II and III
(c) I and IV
(d) I only

Govt explores EU-like law to safeguard firms against third countries’ sanctions

Syllabus:

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

What’s the ongoing story: TO SAFEGUARD against disruption of critical services by foreign companies citing sanctions in other jurisdictions, New Delhi is studying the European Union Blocking Statute, an anti-sanction law that EU countries take recourse to. Introduced by Brussels in 1996, it acts as a potential ‘shield’ for European companies against sanctions by third countries.

• What is European Union Blocking Statute?

• Why New Delhi is studying the European Union Blocking Statute?

• What actually raised concerns in the Government of India?

• Why Microsoft suspended IT services of Indo-Russian oil refining and marketing company Nayara Energy?

• How much Indian companies are dependent on crucial digital infrastructure services offered by foreign companies?

• India’s digital ecosystem-what is present situation?

• Why India needs push in digital infrastructure services?

• What are the issues and challenges with India’s digital infrastructure?

• What are the schemes/programs/policies for digital Infrastructure?

Key Takeaways:

• A key trigger that raised concerns in the government was a sudden move by Microsoft last July to suspend IT services of Indo-Russian oil refining and marketing company Nayara Energy. There have also been discussions among concerned ministries about the dependence of Indian companies on vital digital infrastructure services provided by foreign companies.

• Regulation No 2271/96 of this EU statute considers the extra-territorial application of measures such as sanctions imposed by a third country to be in breach of international law.

• According to officials, after Nayara Energy made representations to the government, the Finance Ministry pointed to the EU statute example and proposes a similar domestic law or regulation. It can be insisted upon that Indian companies that are customers of global service providers, should sign service contracts or procure products only from a subsidiary of a global company in India, the ministry is learnt to have suggested.

• In July 2025, the European Union had announced it was sanctioning Nayara Energy, in which Russian oil giant Rosneft holds over 49% stake, as part of its slew of actions to force the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine. The sanctions meant that Nayara Energy would not be able to export petroleum fuels and products to Europe, and potentially hit its dealings with European companies.

• Just days later, Microsoft suspended its tech support to Nayara Energy affecting its employees’ Outlook and Teams accounts. This resulted in Microsoft effectively blocking Nayara Energy’s access to its own data, proprietary tools, and products—despite these being acquired under fully paid-up licenses. Shortly thereafter, Nayara Energy sued Microsoft in the Delhi High Court, following which it restored services to the oil refiner.

Do You Know:

• The European Union Blocking Statute (Regulation 2271/96) is an anti-sanction law designed to protect EU businesses from the extraterritorial application of third-country sanctions, primarily from the United States. It prohibits compliance with listed foreign sanctions, voids foreign court rulings based on them, and allows EU firms to recover damages.

• The EU ‘blocking statute’ attempts to shield its people and companies from the extra-territorial application of third-country laws and measures in three broad ways:
i) prohibiting compliance with those third-country sanctions
ii) nullifying the effect in the EU of any non-EU court ruling or administrative decision based on them, and
iii) allowing EU-based companies or individuals to recover in court damages caused by them

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Govt keen firms in critical sectors use ‘Made in India’ cloud systems

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2) Which one of the following is the context in which the term “qubit” is mentioned? (UPSC CSE, 2022)
(a) Cloud Services
(b) Quantum Computing
(c) Visible Light Communication Technologies
(d) Wireless Communication Technologies
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
📍Has digital illiteracy, particularly in rural areas, coupled with lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility hindered socio-economic development? Examine with justification. (2021)

NATION

Eyes in space: Indian Startup launches a first-of-its-kind satellite via SpaceX rocket

Syllabus:

Main Examination:  General Studies III: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life and Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

What’s the ongoing story: An Indian start-up, GalaxEye, rode on a SpaceX rocket this morning to launch a first of its kind satellite that is meant to fill a long-standing gap in space imaging. The satellite, aptly called Drishti, is equipped to take optical images, very much like a normal camera, as well as radar-generated images of the same place at the same time, something that has not been tried before.

• What is ‘Drishti’?

• The private participation in India’s space sector-what you know about the same?

• Do you think that the private entities like SpaceX and Blue Origin can help in shaping the future of space exploration?

• The launch of a private Indian satellite on a foreign rocket reflects which trend in India’s space policy?

• What is the primary advantage of using private launch providers like SpaceX for Indian startups?

Key Takeaways:

• The optical images ensure clarity and intuitiveness, while radar images, through a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), brings all-weather reliability. For this reason, the company is describing its innovation as Opto-SAR technology.

• “Imaging satellites are generally equipped to take multi-spectral or hyper-spectral (optical) images, or they use SAR. Both of these kinds of satellite data are used extensively. But very often they need to be fused together to get correct information because each one of them has limitations. Multi-spectral images are clear and easy to understand, but they are not effective during cloudy weather or night time, for instance. SAR signals can penetrate clouds and take continuous images, but they are not intuitive. Like X-ray images, they need experts to glean the information. The uniqueness of Drishti is that it has both the sensors that will enable simultaneous imaging,” GalaxEye founder Suyash Singh had told The Indian Express in an earlier interview.

Do You Know:

• Drishti is the first satellite of GalaxEye, a company started by alumni of IIT Madras. It rode on a Falcon 9 rocket by SpaceX from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, as one of the 45 payloads on the CAS500-2 mission. The launch happened at 1230
pm India time.

• Drishti, a built-in-India satellite, seeks to solve a familiar problem in space imaging. Users need clear and intuitive images from space that is available at all times. As of now, they often have to use data from multiple satellites, optical data for clarity, and SAR data for continuity and all-weather availability. While the super-imposition of these two datasets often does the needful, it is not without challenges. The two satellites are not watching the same place at the same time, and the angles at which they are watching over a place on Earth can be very different.

• GalaxEye is one among several Indian space start-ups that are beginning to make their presence felt. Agnikul Cosmos, another start-up from IIT Madras, has built the world’s first 3-D printed rocket engine, while Skyroot has tested India’s first privately built rocket. Companies like Pixxel, Dhruva Space and Bellatrix have been demonstrating impressing innovations in satellite technologies.

• GalaxEye had to make important technological innovations to ensure that both the imaging sensors are put on the same satellite and operate in sync with each other to produce simultaneous imaging of the same place.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Space tech start-ups need more government nurturing, resources

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3) Consider the following space missions: (UPSC CSE, 2025)
I. Axiom-4
II. SpaDeX
III. Gaganyaan
How many of the space missions given above encourage and support microgravity research?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
📍What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme? (2019)

EXPLAINED

Why benchmark oil prices don’t show the full picture

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story: The West Asia war has driven oil prices into a highly volatile phase due to the effective halt in vessel movements through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most critical maritime chokepoints for global energy flows.

• Why benchmark oil prices may not reflect real-time supply shortages during crises?

• What is the benchmark for oil prices?

• What are the different benchmarks of crude oil?

• How does the distinction between the paper market and physical market influence oil price perception?

• Why refiners may pay significantly higher prices than quoted benchmark prices during disruptions?

• The divergence between benchmark and actual oil prices during crises is primarily due to which factor?

• What is “backwardation” in oil markets?

• How does a supply shock like closure of Strait of Hormuz affect the physical oil market differently from the futures market?

Key Takeaways:

• While the conflict and the resultant blockade of the crucial waterway is significant, this price surge appears far muted compared to the surge in oil benchmarks triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022. But that’s not the complete and true picture by any count.

• Since the war began, the highest Brent crude—one of the oil benchmarks—has traded at about $119 per barrel. It ended last week at about $105 per barrel. But in reality, refiners in various parts of the world have likely been paying a lot more for the oil they need to keep their refineries operational in the immediate future. Reports suggest that barrels have changed hands at even $150 per barrel, significantly higher than the exchange-traded benchmarks.

• The difference between the paper market and the physical market is largely defined by the timing of delivery and the actual intent to actually buy and use the oil. The paper market consists of financial front-month futures contracts, which are essentially promises to buy oil at a future date. These contracts usually for about one-two months hence. And these are the prices quoted most often as benchmark prices.

• But are these the prices at which refiners are striking deals today to get oil to feed their refineries over the next few weeks? Absolutely not. The price they actually pay is based on the supply situation in the physical market, where oil is actually bought and sold for refinery operations, not just for trading.

• In effect, the two markets price different things—paper market prices the future expectation, while the physical market prices the immediate demand-supply realities. When all’s well with oil supplies globally, the prices in the two markets are usually well-aligned. But in times of supply crises—like the unprecedented closure of the Strait of Hormuz—the divergence can be yawning.

Do You Know:

• The Strait’s effective closure has taken millions of barrels of oil a day off the market, marking the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Strait of Hormuz accounted for about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) flows. Refiners cannot rely on the paper market, and in times of supply disruptions, move to procure oil even at exorbitant prices as supply security takes precedence over price considerations.

• According to Investopedia, benchmark crude oil is a valuable tool for investors and industry stakeholders. A benchmark provides a starting point and standard of comparison for evaluating the many different varieties of crude oil. According to World Crude Oil Data (the most recent figures as of March 2021), more than 200 varieties of crude oil are actively traded in the market.
—Benchmark crude oil establishes an initial price reference. Investors use the benchmark as a baseline when evaluating and trading individual crude oil varieties.
—The industry practice of relying on benchmarks helps provide more stability to the market as a whole. This process also promotes and enables liquidity in the market.

• According to Investopedia, Crude oil is a naturally occurring liquid made from hydrocarbons and organic materials, formed from ancient plants and animals. These organisms were covered by layers of sand, silt, and rock, subject to heat and pressure, and eventually turned into a type of fossil fuel that is refined into usable products, including gasoline, diesel, liquefied petroleum gases, and feedstock for the petrochemical industry.
—Crude oil is a non-renewable resource, which means that it can’t be replaced naturally at the rate we consume it and is, therefore, a limited resource.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: Why global fuel prices are up, how India is impacted

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4) Consider the following activities: (UPSC CSE, 2025)
I. Production of crude oil
II. Refining, storage, and distribution of petroleum
III. Marketing and sale of petroleum products
IV. Production of natural gas
How many of the above activities are regulated by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) in India?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four

5) The term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of (UPSC CSE, 2020)
(a) Crude oil
(b) Bullion
(c) Rare earth elements
(d) Uranium

Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme:
📍Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications. (2017)

How India’s new emergency messaging system works

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Disaster and disaster management.

What’s the ongoing story: At around 11.40 am on Saturday, many smartphones across India suddenly played a sharp beeping sound, accompanied by vibrations. A pop-up message flashed on screens in English, Hindi and other languages with the headline ‘extremely severe alert’.

• What is Cell Broadcast technology?

• Why Cell Broadcast technology is more effective than SMS during emergencies?

• What is the key difference between Cell Broadcast and point-to-point SMS systems?

• The Cell Broadcast system transmits alerts based on what?

• How does Cell Broadcast technology ensure location-specific targeting of alerts?

• What are the advantage of Cell Broadcast in disaster management?

• What is the concept of “mass notification system” in disaster governance?

• Which countries have deployed this system?

• Where does India stand?

Key Takeaways:

• While many may have been taken aback by the sudden vibrations and sound, this was essentially a pan-India test of a mass broadcast system — called cell broadcast — to alert people during natural or manmade disasters.

• Currently, the government already issues disaster alerts through SMS. But unlike SMS alerts, which may be missed by many, the cell broadcast technology used on Saturday is unmissable.

• As part of day-to-day network functionality, cell towers communicate with phones within their reach, providing information such as the network it is connected to, according to the GSM Association, a global body that represents network operators. This information is usually invisible to the user. Its only purpose is to help the network function as it should. The communication of information from cell towers to handsets, and the technology that enables it, are known broadly as cell broadcast, says the industry body.

Do You Know:

• Cell Broadcast is a method of simultaneously sending short messages to multiple mobile phones within a defined geographic area.

• It can reach a very large number of devices at once, or, in case of hazards that affect only a small area, be sent to just a limited number of handsets, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a UN agency. The system overrides any network congestion, allowing messages to be delivered instantaneously.

• It was developed in the early 1990s by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, with inputs from telecom operators and equipment makers across Europe.
First demonstrated in 1997 in Paris, it was later adopted by several countries to simultaneously warn people within a certain area about natural disasters (tsunamis, earthquakes and lightning strikes) or human-made ones (such as gas leaks or chemical hazards).
The technology is considered an international best practice and is now used by more than 30 countries for emergency warning communications. The alerts are also adaptable to specific requirements, such as a user’s language.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍India launches new emergency messaging system for citizens: How does SACHET work?

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). (2024)

Why India’s new helicopter-launched naval missile ‘hits different’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

What’s the ongoing story: Earlier this week, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Navy successfully test-launched a salvo of short-range anti-ship missiles from a helicopter off the Odisha coast. These indigenously developed missiles, called the Naval Anti-Ship Missile Short Range (NASM-SR), are meant to be deployed from ship-borne helicopters.

• What is an anti-ship missile system?

• What is Naval Anti-Ship Missile Short Range (NASM-SR)?

• What’s the role of helicopter-launched missiles?

• Why was the need for a new missile felt?

• What is ‘Man-in-loop’ features and ‘waterline hit’ features?

Key Takeaways:

• During the test on Wednesday (April 29), two such missiles were launched in quick succession from the same chopper, marking the platform’s first successful salvo test. While the Navy already has helicopter-launched missiles, the NASM-SR offers a potential upgrade over them. They also have two unique features —”man-in-loop” and “waterline hit”.

• A helicopter-launched system, such as NASM-SR, allows a navy to engage hostile vessels and ships from a safe distance — that is, without exposing their own ships to direct danger.

• This is an important factor during naval warfare, anti-surface operations and sea control missions. The Indian Navy already possesses the British-origin Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, which it has equipped its Sea King 42B helicopters with.

• Simply put, these helicopters, which are stationed on ships, can take off, strike a target from a relatively close range, and then return to the ship. This capability is, therefore, especially useful in highly contested maritime environments.

Do You Know:

• The Sea Eagles are 1980s-era missiles, lacking many modern capabilities. One of its key issues was its weight. A single missile weighs around 580 kg. So, in the early 2010s, the DRDO began the development process of a lighter, modern and homegrown missile that could be carried in higher numbers in helicopters. Also part of the development process were premier DRDO labs such as the Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat and Defence Research and Development Laboratory, Pune’s High Energy Materials Research Laboratory and Chandigarh’s Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory. The NASM-SR’s first successful flight test was conducted in May 2022. Wednesday’s launches were a salvo test — multiple launches in quick succession.

• The NASM-SR missiles are currently being produced by private sector partners with the help of MSMEs, start-ups and others.

• The NASM-SR uses a solid propulsion booster rocket that gives the missile its first thrust and a long-burn sustainer engine that keeps it flying for longer.
One of its key subsystems include the seeker — a sensor that detects and tracks the target. It also has a radio altimeter device that measures height from the ground or sea. Another critical component is a high-bandwidth two-way data link system that allows real-time communication between the missile and operator sitting in the helicopter, the DRDO said.

• A single NASM-SR missile weighs around 380 kg — 200 kg lighter than the Sea Eagle. This means more of them can be carried in helicopters. Its 55-km range, however, is lower than the Sea Eagle’s 110 km. When the NASM-SR missile is within a certain distance of its target, a radio proximity fuse detonates its explosive device.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍DRDO, Navy conduct first salvo launch of helicopter-launched anti-ship missile

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
6) What is the common characteristic of the chemical substances generally known as CL-20, HMX and LLM-105, which are sometimes talked about in media? (UPSC CSE, 2025)
(a) These are alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants
(b) These are explosives in military weapons
(c) These are high-energy fuels for cruise missiles
(d) These are fuels for rocket propulsion

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

After Hormuz disruption, Asia should build an energy security alliance

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Vikram S Mehta Writes-India should lead a call for the petroleum-importing countries of Asia to create an institution with a broad three-fold purpose.

• Why India should lead a call for the petroleum-importing countries of Asia?

• What is Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)?

• Map Work-Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC)

• How OAPEC is different from OPEC?

• How does excessive dependence on a single maritime route increase energy vulnerability for Asian economies?

• According to the author, what is the rationale behind an Asian energy security alliance?

• The idea of an energy alliance among Asian countries reflects which broader geopolitical trend?

Key Takeaways:
Vikram S Mehta Writes-

• Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), said last month that “we are facing the biggest energy security threat in history”, worse than the aggregate impact of the crises sparked by the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict that began in 2022.

• He should know, as the organisation he heads was established as a result of the Yom Kippur War. The latter triggered the quadrupling of crude oil prices ($2.90/bbl in October 1973 to $11.90 in January 1974) and a global recession. In its aftermath in January 1974, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger invited the leaders of the Western world to a conference in Washington, DC. Kissinger’s objective was to create a mechanism by which Western countries could counter the cartel of the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) and manage and mitigate future supply disruptions. The IEA was the outcome of this conference.

• Fifty-two years on, in the wake of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, India should lead a call for the petroleum-importing countries of Asia to create a similar institution, but with a broader threefold purpose.

• The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had a dual impact on Asian oil-import-dependent countries. It has led to an energy shortage and highlighted the risks of exposure to maritime chokepoints. The closure has trapped 13 million barrels of petroleum (and its derivatives) in the straits.

• The bulk of this quantity (approximately 85 per cent) is destined for the Asian markets. As a result, a number of Asian countries are currently facing an energy-supply crisis. The Philippines has declared a national energy emergency; Japan has cut back on ferry and bus services, and India has rationed the supply of LPG to commercial establishments.

• China has also put the brakes on domestic consumption, although the impact has been buffered by substitute supplies from Russia and a drawdown of stocks from its strategic reserves.

• Beyond this physical constraint, the closure has alerted countries to their vulnerability to other nautical chokepoints. Aside from the Strait of Hormuz, their energy supplies have to cross the Strait of Malacca and, further east, the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea.

Do You Know:

• The Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) was founded on the basis of the agreement in Beirut, Lebanon on 9 January 1968 between the three governments of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the State of Kuwait and the (then) Kingdom of Libya.

• The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed in Baghdad in 1960, with 12 member petroleum producing members including Arab and non-Arab countries. OPEC’s objective is to coordinate and unify petroleum policies among its member countries, and to identify best approaches to protect their individual and collective interests. The Organization seeks the optimal message to secure price stability in global market, so as to eliminate address and unnecessary volatility.
—Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC) From the list of current OAPEC members 6 are members of OPEC: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Libya, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, and Algeria .

• OAPEC Headquarters is located in the State of Kuwait.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍OAPEC’s ESTABLISHMENT

ECONOMY

DAE, Power Ministry at odds over civil nuclear projects’ supervision

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

What’s the ongoing story: As India moves to expand the civil nuclear power sector by allowing private participation through the recently passed SHANTI Act, there are two divergent views within the top levels of the government over the jurisdictional administration of this strategic sector.

• The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Act-know the key highlights and features

• Which Ministry is the nodal authority for nuclear energy in India?

• Which of the reactor technologies is most likely to remain under DAE supervision?

• The institutional conflict between the Department of Atomic Energy and the Ministry of Power in the context of recent nuclear sector reforms-know in detail

• Know the significance of the SHANTI Act in transforming India’s nuclear energy governance.

• What is the role of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board in ensuring nuclear safety in India?

• Compare India’s nuclear governance structure with global best practices in nuclear regulation and safety.

Key Takeaways:

• The question is this: whether to continue with the Department of Atomic Energy’s (DAE) overall control over the nuclear sector or tangentially allow the Ministry of Power the authority to supervise certain types of new civil nuclear projects.

• Currently, the DAE, under the Prime Minister’s Office, is the administrative authority for matters that are related to nuclear power. However, there is an emerging view that new civil nuclear projects developed by private players should be brought within the ambit of the Ministry of Power, even as legacy nuclear power projects will continue to remain under the administrative control of DAE, The Indian Express has learnt.

• The view to entrust administration of private nuclear power projects to a separate ministry emerged from rising concern over potential conflict of interest due to DAE’s full control over the entire nuclear power supply chain — from research and development to fuel supply and spent fuel management.

• Even the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), responsible for carrying out all regulatory functions, was dependent on DAE for its budget and administration until it was accorded a statutory status under the SHANTI Act.

• In 2012, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had also pointed out a conflict of responsibilities and interest as the chairperson of AERB was subordinated to the chairperson of the Atomic Energy Commission, who is also the secretary of the DAE.

Do You Know:

• The SHANTI Act repealed both the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010.

• In India, nuclear energy accounts for only 3 per cent of the overall power generation today. The country has set a short-term goal to increase its nuclear power capacity to 22.5 GW by 2032, and a long-term target to reach 100 GW by 2047.

• The new law allows public and private companies to set up nuclear power plants and undertake activities related to the transport, storage, import and export of nuclear fuel, technology, equipment and minerals. Until now, these activities were restricted to public sector entities only.

• All entities involved in the nuclear energy activities will be required to obtain safety authorisation from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB); such authorisation is also mandatory for the manufacture, possession, use, transport, import, export or disposal of radioactive substances and radiation-generating equipment, as well as for establishing, operating or decommissioning radiation facilities.

• The law also retains exclusive central government control over certain critical and sensitive activities. These include the enrichment and isotopic separation of radioactive substances, the management and reprocessing of spent fuel and high-level radioactive waste, and the production and upgradation of heavy water, among others.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Shanti law in, us nuclear ‘mission’ on its way to tap new tie-ups

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7) In India, why are some nuclear reactors kept under “IAEA safeguards” while others are not? (UPSC CSE, 2020)
(a) Some use uranium and others use thorium
(b) Some use imported uranium and others use domestic supplies
(c) Some are operated by foreign enterprises and others are operated by domestic enterprises
(d) Some are State-owned and others are privately-owned

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