Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR
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- Context: The second edition of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR has been launched recently as part of India’s maritime outreach efforts.
- It is led by the Indian Navy to tackle shared maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), including piracy and illegal fishing.
- Naval personnel from 16 countries are taking part under the framework of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).
- India has deployed INS Sunayna, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, for conducting the initiative.
- The initiative enhances maritime cooperation, coordination, and interoperability among participating nations, aligning with India’s SAGAR and MAHASAGAR visions.
INS Taragiri
- Context: The indigenously built stealth warship, INS Taragiri, is scheduled to be commissioned into the Indian Navy on April 3rd.
- INS Taragiri the fourth vessel in the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) series of warships was delivered to the Navy on November 28th of last year.
- It was constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. The ship weighs approximately 6,670 tons.
- It incorporates modern technologies such as a stealth (low-observability) design, high speed, automated systems, and multi-role naval operational capabilities.
Furthermore, the ship is equipped with:
- Supersonic missiles capable of striking surface targets
- Medium-range missiles designed to engage aerial targets
- Specialized systems for countering submarines.
Current Facts
- The Dinesh Goswami Committee on electoral reforms, set up in 1990, did not favour compulsory voting, citing practical difficulties in implementation. Instead, it recommended improving voter participation through awareness campaigns.
- India was placed 102nd in the 2025 Global Hunger Index (GHI). Although the Public Distribution System (PDS) reaches more than 80 crore people, the rate of child wasting remains high at 18.7%, making it the second-highest in the world.
- Chapchar Kut is Mizoram’s biggest spring festival and is widely known as the Mizo ‘festival of joy’.
- Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition in which the body overheats due to high temperatures, humidity, or prolonged physical exertion resulting in a body temperature exceeding 40°C (104°F), accompanied by seizures or a coma.
- Reason for EV battery fires
- A common cause of EV battery fires is thermal runaway.
- A lithium-ion battery packs thousands of cells tightly together, each generating heat as it charges and discharges.
- Normally, an onboard computer called the battery management system keeps the temperature within a safe range.
- But if something goes wrong, one cell can overheat, causing neighbouring cells to overheat in a chain reaction that can outpace the cooling system.
- This process releases a toxic cocktail of gases, including hydrogen fluoride, in a flammable vapour that eases the ‘path’ to a fire.
- Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)
- LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), consisting mainly of propane and butane, is separated from crude oil primarily through a process called Fractional Distillation.
- It is stored in liquid form inside pressurized cylinders and is commonly used for cooking in households.
- Although India produces a portion of its LPG needs domestically, it still relies on imports to satisfy overall demand.
- The government has increased LPG availability through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, which offers subsidized connections to economically weaker households.
Current Facts
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)
- Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a cleaner automotive fuel mainly consisting of methane, typically making up about 80–90% of its composition.
- It is stored at high pressure, around 200–250 kg/cm², which allows a significant volume of gas to be contained in relatively small tanks in vehicles.
- Unlike LPG, which is kept in liquid form, CNG is stored as a gas.
- It is commonly used to help lower greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles and reduce air pollution in cities.
- Piped Natural Gas (PNG)
- Piped Natural Gas (PNG) mainly consists of methane (CH₄), along with small quantities of other hydrocarbons.
- It is delivered directly to homes, businesses, and industries through a network of pipelines.
- Since methane has the lowest carbon-to-hydrogen ratio among fossil fuels, PNG burns more cleanly and produces fewer emissions.
- It removes the need for gas cylinders and provides a continuous and reliable fuel supply.
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is natural gas, mainly composed of methane, that is cooled to about –160°C to turn it into a liquid state.
- It is shipped using specially designed cryogenic tankers and kept in insulated storage tanks at port terminals.
- Around half of India’s LNG imports come from Qatar through long-term agreements, while other major suppliers include the United States, Australia, and Russia.
- Before use, the imported LNG is converted back into gas and then transported via pipelines for applications such as power generation, fertilizer manufacturing, city gas networks, and various industrial activities.
- Compared to regions like Europe, India has relatively limited LNG storage capacity, making it more susceptible to supply interruptions.
Current Facts
- Strait of Hormuz
- The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow and strategically vital waterway situated between Iran to the north and the Arabian Peninsula (primarily the United Arab Emirates and the Musandam region of Oman) to the south.
- It is the sole maritime route connecting the oil-rich Persian Gulf (to the west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (to the southeast).
- Approximately 30 percent of the world’s liquefied gas and 25 percent of its oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The United Arab Emirates and Oman also ship Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) through this route, and both nations contribute to India’s imported LNG supply.
- Overall, the closure of this strait could impact more than 60% of India’s imported LNG.
- Anti-Defection Law
- Objective: It aims to prevent politicians from switching parties for personal gain.
- Applicability: This law applies to both the Parliament and the State Legislative Assemblies.
- 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003: Through this Act, the Anti-Defection Law was further strengthened.
- Consequently, the provision regarding a party “Split” (i.e., one-third of the members breaking away) was removed.
- Currently, only the provision regarding a “Merger” remains in force.
