UPSC DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS (13th May,2025)

US & China have Agreed to Temporarily Slash Tariffs

Syllabus: GS3/Economy/Trade

Context

• The U.S. and China agreed to suspend most tariffs on each other’s goods.

Background

Why were Tariffs Levied?

• Trade Imbalance: The U.S. Trade Representative pointed to a $1.2 trillion trade deficit with the rest of the world as justification for tariffs.
  • The Trump administration viewed this as the U.S. being “ripped off” by trading partners who protected and subsidized their own industries while benefiting from open U.S. markets.
• Strategic Protectionism: The administration believed that talking had not helped change global trade behavior, so high tariffs were seen as a tool to force other countries to open their markets.

Revised Tariffs After Geneva Talks

• Both have reached an agreement on a 90-day pause and substantially move down the tariff levels. 
• The deal means “reciprocal” tariffs between both countries will be cut from 125% to 10%. 
• The U.S.′ 20% duties on Chinese imports relating to fentanyl will remain in place, meaning total tariffs on China stand at 30%.

Why Was There a Truce?

• China’s Retaliation: Unlike other countries, China responded with its own counter-tariffs and non-tariff barriers escalating the trade conflict.
• Economic Concerns in the U.S.: At peak levels (U.S.: 145%, China: 125%), tariffs became prohibitively expensive for consumers and businesses.
  • Example: A $100 Chinese product became $245 in the U.S.
  • The U.S. economy began contracting in Q1 2025 — even before the full impact of the tariffs had hit.
  • Economists predicted a recession and possibly stagflation (a rare combo of economic stagnation and inflation).
• Consumer Pressure: U.S. consumers faced rising prices and shrinking product availability, especially at major retailers like Walmart.
  • Public and political pressure mounted as economic conditions worsened.
• China’s Economic Resilience: While China’s exports to the U.S. dropped 21%, its overall exports rose 8%, and GDP grew 5.4% in the same quarter.
  • China’s global trade surplus increased, indicating that it had managed to diversify and offset the U.S. losses.

Way Ahead

• The current agreement is a truce, not a full trade deal.
• Market reactions have been positive — stocks and the dollar rose, while gold and bonds fell, indicating reduced risk perception.
• However, the talks that follow will be complex, and no guarantees exist for a comprehensive trade deal.

Psychological Warfare

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Pakistan is indulging in psychological warfare with the spread of misinformation across social media platforms aimed at misrepresenting India’s military actions and preparedness.
  • And, the PIB fact-check unit reviewed widely circulated fake videos and claims, allegedly originating from Pakistani social media handles.

Psychological Warfare

• Psychological warfare involves the planned use of propaganda and other psychological operations to influence the opinions, emotions, attitudes, and behavior of opposition groups.
• Propaganda: Spreading biased or misleading information to shape public opinion or sow confusion.
  • Often used to glorify one side and demonize the enemy.
• Fear and Intimidation: Threats, displays of overwhelming force, or rumors to instill fear and undermine morale.
• Misinformation and Deception: Providing false information to mislead opponents about intentions, strength, or location.
• Disruption of Decision-Making: Psychological operations (PSYOPs) that confuse leadership or disrupt the chain of command.

Tactics and Tools

• Leaflets and Broadcasts: Used to spread propaganda in enemy territory.
• Cyber PSYOPs: Social media manipulation, fake news, or hacking to cause panic or division.
• Rumors and Whispers: Undermining trust through subtle, hard-to-trace disinformation.
• False Flag Operations: Conducting actions meant to appear as though they were carried out by another group.

Historical Examples

• World War II: The Allies dropped leaflets over Germany to lower troop morale.
• Cold War: The U.S. and USSR used extensive propaganda campaigns to influence global perception.

Modern Applications Beyond the Battlefield

• Business: Aggressive marketing or corporate misinformation to undermine competitors.
• Politics: Discrediting opponents, manipulation of public opinion through media.
• Interpersonal: Gaslighting or emotional manipulation in toxic relationships.

Way Ahead

• The Press Information Bureau’s fact-checking team, PIB Fact Check, has stepped in to identify and verify misleading content being circulated across social and mainstream platforms.
• The government has advised the public to rely only on official notices, helpline numbers, and confirmed relief updates. 
• People have also been asked not to forward unverified posts as false claims continue to flood social media.

India’s Rising E-Waste and the Need to Recast Its Management

Syllabus: GS3/ Economy; Environment

Context

• India, now among the top global generators of electronic waste (e-waste), faces a critical challenge in managing the growing volume of obsolete electronic devices.

E-Waste in India

• E-waste refers to the discarded electronic and electrical devices that have reached the end of their lifespan or become obsolete due to rapid technological changes, including computers, phones, TVs, and other equipment.
• India ranks as the third-largest producer of electronic waste globally, following China and the United States. 
• Growth: India’s e-waste increased by 151.03% over six years, from 7.08 lakh metric tonnes in 2017-18 to 17.78 lakh metric tonnes in 2023-24.

Impact of Improper E-Waste Management

• Environmental Degradation:
  • Water Pollution: Toxic discharge from cyanide and sulphuric acid affects water bodies.
  • Air Pollution: Emissions from lead fumes and plastic burning are severe.
  • Soil Contamination: Hazardous substances leach into the soil, damaging agriculture and biodiversity.
• Social Costs:
  • Informal Sector Dominance: 95% of e-waste is recycled informally, involving mostly women and children.
  • Health Hazards: Average lifespan in informal e-waste workers is under 27 years due to toxic exposure.
• Economic Loss: 
  • India is estimated to forfeit over ₹80,000 crore worth of critical metals each year, which could have been recovered and re-used in manufacturing.
  • It is estimated that India loses at least $20 billion annually in potential tax revenue due to the absence of formal accounting and regulatory oversight in the e-waste recycling sector.

Challenges in E-Waste Management

• Lack of Consumer Incentives: Consumers lack economic or logistical incentives to dispose of e-waste responsibly.
• Sparse Collection Infrastructure: There is a dearth of authorised collection centres, especially in Tier-II and Tier-III cities.
  • Informal scrap dealers remain the primary point of contact for most consumers.
• Unsafe Recycling Practices: Over 90–95% of e-waste is handled by the informal sector, which uses crude methods such as acid leaching, open burning, and manual dismantling without protective gear.
• Grey Channel Imports: Used electronic goods often enter India under the guise of “donations” or “refurbished items,” which eventually become waste.

E-Waste Management Framework

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Producers, importers, and brand owners are made responsible for managing their product’s end-of-life waste.
  • An online EPR E-Waste portal has been developed by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) where entities such as producers, manufacturers, recyclers, and refurbishers of the e-waste are required to be registered.
• The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has comprehensively revised the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016 and notified the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
• India’s first e-waste clinic was inaugurated in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. 
  • It’s a facility for segregating, processing, and disposing of e-waste from both households and commercial units.

Concluding remarks

• India’s e-waste challenge reflects a broader conflict between technological advancement and environmental sustainability. 
• As the country climbs the digital ladder, it must not let toxic waste undermine its economic and ecological foundation.
• The goal should not merely be to manage e-waste, but to extract value, protect health, and foster green economic growth—all of which are essential to India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat.

Geotubing: A Breakthrough in Coastal Erosion Control

Syllabus: GS3/Environment; Climate Change

Context

• A recent study has found that geotubing technology deployed at Poonthura, Kerala, has been highly effective in controlling coastal erosion.

Geo-Tubing Technology for Coastal Erosion

• Geotubes are large fabric containers filled with sand or slurry, placed strategically along the coast.
• They act as wave barriers, diminishing the force of incoming waves and preventing shoreline erosion.
• The multi-layered geotube system ensures long-term stability, even under intense sea motion.

Coastal Erosion in India

• India’s coastline is facing severe erosion, with 33.6% of its shoreline classified as vulnerable.

• The Indian mainland coast includes 9 coastal states and 2 Union Territories (UTs) having 66 coastal districts.

• Morphology of the Coast:
  • It consists of 43% sandy beach, 11% rocky coast, 36% of muddy flats, 10% of marshy coast, 97 major estuaries and 34 lagoons.
• The National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR)(an attached office of the Ministry of Earth Sciences) has been monitoring shoreline changes since 1990, using remote sensing and GIS mapping techniques. According to the NCCR:
  • 33.6% of India’s coastline is eroding, impacting coastal communities and infrastructure.
  • 26.9% of the coastline is experiencing accretion, meaning land is expanding due to sediment deposition.
  • 39.6% of the coastline remains stable, showing minimal changes in shoreline position.
  • West Bengal (60.5%), Kerala  (46.4%), and Tamil Nadu (42.7%) are among the most affected Indian states.

Causes of Coastal Erosion

• Climate Change and Rising Sea Levels: Melting glaciers and thermal expansion contribute to higher sea levels, intensifying coastal erosion.
• Extreme Weather Events: Cyclones, storm surges, and monsoonal variations accelerate shoreline retreat.
• Human Activities: Unregulated coastal development, sand mining, and port construction disrupt natural sediment flow.
• Loss of Natural Barriers: Mangrove deforestation and coral reef degradation reduce coastal resilience against erosion.

Government Initiatives and Mitigation Measures

• Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project (ICZMP): It is a World Bank-assisted project aimed to protect and conserve coastal and marine environments through sustainable practices, implemented in Gujarat, Odisha, and West Bengal.
• Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification (2019): It aims to conserve and protect coastal stretches, ensuring livelihood security for fisher and local communities while permitting erosion control measures.
  • It provides for No Development Zones (NDZ) along various categories of coastal areas to protect India’s coastline from encroachment and erosion.
  • It includes the Shoreline Management Plan and Coastal Zone Management Plan.
• Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI): The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has developed the CVI to assess and map the vulnerability of different coastal regions based on various parameters.
• Shoreline Protection Measures: The National Assessment of Shoreline Changes provides erosion control guidelines.
• 15th Finance Commission Allocation: ₹2,500 crore earmarked for resettlement of displaced communities and erosion mitigation measures.

Innovative Engineering Solutions

• Geo-Tube Installation: In areas like Pentha Village in Odisha, and recently in Poonthura, Kerala, geo-tubes have been installed to create artificial barriers that protect the coast from erosion.
• Artificial Reefs: Constructing artificial reefs can dissipate wave energy and protect the shoreline.
• Eco-friendly Breakwaters: Using materials that blend with the natural environment can provide effective protection without harming marine ecosystems.
• Mangrove and Shelterbelt Plantations: Planting mangroves and other vegetation along the coast helps stabilize the shoreline and reduce the impact of waves and storm surges.

Centre Approves Additional FCI Rice for Ethanol Production

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In Context

• The Union Government approved an additional 2.8 million tonnes of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) stock for ethanol production, raising the total allocation for the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2024–25 to 5.2 million tonnes.

About

• The decision, under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, aims to accelerate biofuel use, but has reignited concerns over the diversion of food grains from food security to fuel needs.

What is Ethanol and the EBP Programme?

• Ethanol is an alcohol-based biofuel made through the fermentation of sugar, starch, or cellulose derived from crops like sugarcane, maize, and rice. When blended with petrol, it helps reduce vehicular emissions and dependence on fossil fuels.
• The Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme was launched in 2003 and accelerated since 2014. It mandates the blending of ethanol with petrol. 
• India has achieved its E20 target — 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025 — and now aims to reach 30% blending by 2030.

Significance of the Move

• Energy Security: Helps reduce India’s import dependence on crude oil and promotes energy self-reliance.
• Climate Benefits: Ethanol is a cleaner fuel that emits fewer greenhouse gases compared to pure petrol.
• Rural Economy Boost: Creates demand for surplus agricultural produce, potentially benefiting farmers through better prices.
• Policy Push for Green Energy: Aligns with India’s commitment under the Paris Agreement and targets for renewable energy use.

Concerns Regarding the Move

• Food Security Risk: Diverting 5.2 million tonnes of rice from central buffer stocks could strain the Public Distribution System (PDS), especially during drought years or inflationary periods.
• Price Distortion: Cheap supply of FCI rice (₹22.50/kg) to distilleries may affect open market prices and hurt the poor.
• Ecological Unsustainability: Rice is a water-intensive crop, and its use for ethanol raises concerns in water-stressed regions.
• Inefficient Use of Resources: Critics argue that ethanol from food grains is not the most efficient or ethical route, especially when alternatives like second-generation (2G) ethanol from waste biomass exist.
• Distortion of Agricultural Priorities: Over-reliance on a few ethanol feedstocks (rice, sugarcane, maize) may affect crop diversification and soil health.

Way Forward

• Focus should shift towards 2G ethanol (from agricultural waste and non-food biomass).
• Establish clear guidelines balancing food security with biofuel goals.
• Improve ethanol production efficiency from non-edible sources.
• Ensure transparent audits on the use of diverted grains and their impact on PDS stocks.

News In Facts 13-05-2025

Yala Glacier

Syllabus: GS1/ Geography, GS3/ Environment

Context

• Glaciologists and local communities mourned the loss of Nepal’s Yala glacier, believed to be the first Nepalese glacier to be declared “dead”.

About

• Location: It is situated in Langtang National Park, in Nepal’s Himalayan region.
• Altitude: It lies at an elevation of about 5,000 meters above sea level.
• Type: It is a small plateau glacier often used as a training site for glaciological studies and mountaineering.
• Size: It has shrunk by 66% and retreated 784 meters since the 1970s. It is expected to vanish completely by 2040.

Glaciers Lost Earlier

• Lemthang Glacier, Bhutan: Vanished after a glacial lake outburst flood in 2017.
• OK Glacier in Iceland (2019): First glacier in the world to be declared “dead.”
• Pizol Glacier, Switzerland (2019):  The glacier had lost more than 80% of its volume since 2006.
• Ayoloco Glacier, Mexico, 2021
• Basòdino Glacier, Switzerland, 2021.

Most Favoured Nation

Syllabus: GS3/Economy

Context

• The United States President signed an executive order to lower the prices of prescription drugs describing the move as the “most favored nation’s policy.

Most Favoured Status (MFN)

• Aim: The MFN principle was designed to prevent countries from giving different treatment to one partner over the other.
  • Each member treats all the other members equally as “most-favoured” trading partners. 
  • If a country improves the benefits that it gives to one trading partner, it has to give the same “best” treatment to all the other World Trade Organization (WTO) members so that they all remain “most-favoured”.
• Principle: It seeks to replace the frictions and distortions of power-based (bilateral) policies with the guarantees of a rules-based framework where trading rights do not depend on the individual participants’ economic or political clout.
• Countries outside the WTO: Countries such as Russia, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Belarus are not a part of WTO & WTO members can impose whatever trade measures they wish without flouting global trading rules.
• Exceptions: There can be exceptions to allow for preferential treatment of developing countries, regional free trade areas and customs unions.

Removal of MFN status

• There is no formal procedure for suspending MFN treatment, it does formally allow the members to increase import tariffs or impose quotas on goods, or even ban them.
• In 2019 India suspended Pakistan’s MFN status following Pakistan’s terror attack on Pulwama in Jammu & Kashmir.

What does losing MFN status mean?

• Revoking MFN status sends a strong signal that the member countries do not consider the losing country an economic partner.
• Members can increase import tariffs or impose quotas on goods, or even ban them, and to restrict services out of the country. 

Quantum Key Distribution Technology

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), under Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Quantum India Private Limited.

About

• Objective: The MoU aims to formalize cooperation between C-DOT and Synergy Quantum in the development of Drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems.
• Partnership Structure: A blend of public sector R&D strength (C-DOT) and private sector innovation (Synergy Quantum).
• Strategic Alignment: Supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) mission, specifically in the emerging quantum communication and secure telecom domain.
• Deployment Focus: Emphasis on drone-based platforms, enabling flexible and rapid deployment for secure communications, especially in critical or remote environments.

Significance

• Quantum-Safe Communications: Classical encryption methods are at risk from quantum computing, which could break traditional cryptographic schemes.
  • QKD offers a future-proof method of secure key exchange, using principles of quantum mechanics to ensure tamper-proof communication.
• Strategic Use-Cases: Applicable to defence, emergency response, critical infrastructure, and government communications — areas where data security is paramount.
  • Drones as QKD platforms offer mobility, speed of deployment, and line-of-sight communication advantages.
• Global Relevance: Countries like China, the US, and the EU are investing heavily in quantum communication technologies.
  • This move positions India to join the ranks of leading nations in quantum R&D, with a potential focus on exporting indigenous solutions.

PM Unveils India’s New Security Doctrine

Syllabus: GS3/ Internal Security

Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a new anti-terror doctrine, redefining India’s national security approach.
  • He emphasized that while India is peace-loving, it would now follow a path of “peace through strength.”

India’s New Doctrines

• Decisive retaliation on India’s terms: India will take strict action at every place from where the roots of terrorism emerge.
• No tolerance for nuclear blackmail: The doctrine dismisses the long-standing strategy of Pakistan’s “nuclear shield” as a deterrent against Indian action.
  • India signaled that it can and will respond even under the shadow of nuclear threats, relying on precision weaponry and credible deterrence.
• No distinction between terrorists and their sponsors: India will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism.

National Defence Fund (NDF)

Syllabus: GS3/ Defence

In News

• The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative (CAMPCO) Ltd. has contributed ₹5 crore to the National Defence Fund (NDF).

About National Defence Fund (NDF)

• Established: 1962
• Objective: To utilize voluntary donations for the welfare of armed forces personnel and their families.   
• Administration: The fund is managed by an Executive Committee, with the Prime Minister as the Chairperson. Other members include the Defence Minister, the Home Minister, and the Finance Minister, who also serves as the Treasurer.
• Funding: The NDF relies entirely on voluntary contributions from the public and receives no budgetary support from the government.   
• Tax Exemption: All contributions made to the NDF are exempt from Income Tax under Section 80(G) of the Income Tax Act.   

BrahMos

Syllabus: GS3/Defence

Context

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated a BrahMos Integration & Testing Facility in Lucknow, boosting India’s missile production capability.

About BrahMos Missile

• Joint Venture: Between DRDO (India) and NPO Mashinostroyeniya (Russia).
• Name Origin: Blend of Brahmaputra (India) and Moskva (Russia) rivers.
• First Test: The first successful test of the missile was conducted on June 12, 2001.
  • Induction Timeline: Navy (2005), Army (2007) and IAF (2017).
• Capability: It’s a ‘fire and forget’ missile — land, sea, or air — any time, any weather. And nearly impossible to intercept.
  • The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile was likely used for the first time in a combat situation during Operation Sindoor.
• Speed: Current: Mach 2.8 (Supersonic)
  • Future: Mach 5+ (Hypersonic in development)
• Range: Originally capped at 290 km (MTCR limit)
  • Now extended to 400 km
  • Under development: 600+ km
• Stages: BrahMos is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine.
  • Its first stage brings the missile to supersonic speed and then gets separated. 
  • The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to three times the speed of sound in the cruise phase.
• Export Potential:  The Philippines is the first nation to sign an agreement with India to import BrahMos. However, other countries, including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, UAE, Chile, and South Africa, have also shown interest in acquiring the missile.

Cross River Gorilla, Tapanuli Orangutan among 25 most endangered primates: Report

Syllabus: GS3/Species in News

Context

• The Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) and the Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis) are among the 25 most endangered primates in the world.

About

• The 2023-2025 list of the world’s 25 most endangered primates has six species from Africa, four from Madagascar, nine from Asia, and six from the Neotropics (South America).

Cross River Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli)

• Cross River gorillas is a subspecies of the western lowland gorilla. 
• They tend to have redder or greyer fur than eastern gorillas.
• It is the rarest subspecies of gorilla, with only a few hundred individuals remaining in highly fragmented forest patches.
• Region: Border region of Cameroon and Nigeria in Central Africa.
• Threats:
  • Poaching.
  • Habitat fragmentation due to agriculture and infrastructure.
  • Limited genetic diversity due to small population size.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.

Tapanuli Orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis)

• It is the most endangered species of great ape; only discovered as a distinct species in 2017.
• Region: North Sumatra, Indonesia
• Threats:
  • Habitat destruction from hydropower development and agriculture.
  • Small and isolated population.
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered.