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Current Affairs for the date of 25 August 2023

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    Current Affairs Wala
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Introduction

The hindu analysis for the day of 25 August 2023 for the UPSC CSE WBPCS preparation.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

INDIA AND THE NORTHERN SEA ROUTE

Northern Sea Route - Current Affairs Wala

Murmansk port which is about 2,000 km northwest of Moscow, popularly called as the capital of the Arctic Sea region and the begging point of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), is witnessing rising of India’s cargo traffic in the first seven months of 2023 India got the lion share of eight million ton of cargo handled.

WHY THE ARCTIC REGION IS SIGNIFICANT TO INDIA?

The melting of the Arctic Sea region due to global warming will have an impact on India in terms of economic security, water security and ecological sustainability. This region is suspected to have the largest share of hydrocarbons, zinc, natural gas, petroleum. It is estimated that this region may hold over 40% of the current global reserves of Oil and Gas. This sea route is important for India’s cargo trafficking and global trading.

WHAT IS NORTHERN SEA ROUTE (NSR)?

NSR is the shortest trade route for freight transportation between Europe and the countries of the Asia Pacific Region. An article published in 2011 states that the distance savings along NSR is near 50% as compared to the present sea trade route. The blockage of the Suez Canal in 2021 put more attention towards an alternative sea trade route like NSR.

HOW RUSSIA IS MAKING THE NSR NAVIGABLE?

As the Arctic Ocean remains frozen for most of the tomes in the year, Russia is the only country in the world with Nuclear Icebreaker Fleet according to the Rosatom State Nuclear Energy Cooperation operating in this region to ensure safe navigation in this NSR.

In December 1959 world’s first ice breaker was put into operation for breaking of the ice sheets. After ‘Lenin’, FSUE Atomflot, a subsidiary of Rosatom acts as the fleet operator for the nuclear icebreaker.

WHAT ARE THE DRIVING FACTORS FOR INDIA TO PARTICIPATE IN THE NSR DEVELOPMENT?

  • The current growth of the cargo traffic along the NSR during 2018-2022 the growth rate was around 73%. Rosatom says that the record supply of oil and energy resources to India are possible due to such reliable and safe transport like NSR.
  • The Chennai Vladivostok Maritime Corridor (CVMC) project is an outcome of signing a memorandum of intent between these two countries in 2019 is being examined as a linking with another organise international container transit through the NSR.
  • The CVMC transport corridor passing through the sea of Japan, South China Sea, Malacca Strait will bring down transport time by 12 days compared to the present sea route.
  • BRICS NOW A NON-WESTERN GROUPING WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SIX MORE MEMBER NATIONS.

SCIENCE AND TECH

UPCOMING LUNAR MISSIONS

There are four more lined up for this year.

  • The Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLIPS) initiative of NASA will allow the rapid acquisition of payloads on the lunar surface by the U.S. that will help the rapid advancement of science and exploration and commercial development for future prospectus on the Moon.
  • Lunar Trailblazer from the U.S. it is an orbiter.
  • China’s lunar communication and navigation satellite constellation and Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) which is also an orbiter.
  • As of July, there are six active lunar orbiters currently, the only operating rover is China’s Yutu2 rover released by Chang’e 4 operating on the far side.

NATIONAL AWARDS

National Awards - Current Affairs Wala
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