Daily Current Affairs - May 17th, 2025
Akash missile system has proved to be robust, effective
Akash Missile System: Overview
The Akash Missile System is an indigenously developed, short-to-medium range, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. Its primary purpose is to defend vulnerable points and assets from aerial attacks, including fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and helicopters.
- Developer: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- Manufacturers: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
- Induction: Indian Air Force (2014), Indian Army (2015)
Technical Specifications
Feature | Akash Mk-1 / Mk-1S | Akash Prime | Akash-NG (Next Generation) |
Range | 25–30 km | 25–30 km | 70–80 km |
Altitude | 100 m – 18–20 km | 100 m – 18–20 km | Up to 20 km |
Speed | Mach 2.5–3.5 (up to 4200 km/h) | Similar | Higher, Mach 3+ |
Warhead | 55–60 kg HE, pre-fragmented | Similar | Improved |
Guidance | Command guidance, PESA radar | Indigenous RF seeker | Active radar seeker |
Radar | Rajendra 3D PESA (80 km) | Improved | Improved, low signature |
Mobility | Wheeled/tracked mobile platforms | Same | Enhanced mobility |
ECCM | Yes | Enhanced | Advanced |
Multi-target engagement | Track 64, engage up to 12 | Similar | Improved |
- Launcher: Each launcher carries 3 missiles; a battery has 4 launchers.
- Radar: Rajendra radar tracks up to 64 targets, guides up to 12 missiles simultaneously.
- Kill Probability: 88% (single missile), up to 99% (salvo of two )
System Components
- Missile: Solid-fuel, ramjet-propelled, high-manoeuvrability, equipped with proximity fuse for warhead detonation.
- Radar: Rajendra PESA 3D radar (range: 80 km), Central Acquisition Radar (CAR, range: 120–150 km), Battery Surveillance Radar (BSR, 100 km).
- Command & Control: Fully automated, integrates radar, launchers, and mobile command centers for real-time coordination.
- Mobility: All components are mounted on mobile platforms for rapid deployment and redeployment
Variants
- Akash Mk-1/Mk-1S: Baseline, in service with Army and Air Force.
- Akash Prime: Improved for high-altitude, cold conditions; features indigenous RF seeker; better reliability and accuracy.
- Akash-NG: Next-generation, extended range (up to 70–80 km), improved seeker, high-manoeuvrability target engagement, low radar signature
Strategic and Operational Significance
- Multi-layered Air Defence: Forms a critical layer in India’s integrated air defence network, protecting vital installations and assets.
- Operational Success: Demonstrated effectiveness during Operation Sindoor against Pakistan’s aerial threats.
- Electronic Warfare: Built-in ECCM features provide resilience against jamming and electronic attacks.
- Mobility: System can protect moving convoys and static assets; rapid deployment capability enhances battlefield flexibility.
- Indigenization: Over 96% indigenous content; more than 250 Indian industries involved; significant forex savings (₹34,500 crore)
- Export Potential: Armenia became the first foreign customer; offered to UAE and other countries.
Developmental Journey
- Initiation: Began in the 1980s under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
- Induction: IAF (2014), Army (2015).
- Continuous Upgrades: Feedback from armed forces led to Akash Prime and Akash-NG for enhanced performance in diverse environments
UPSC Mains Pointers
Science & Technology / Security:
- Indigenization: Akash exemplifies India’s drive for self-reliance in defense technology, reducing dependence on imports and saving foreign exchange.
- Strategic Value: Enhances India’s layered air defense, vital for national security, especially against modern aerial threats (drones, cruise missiles, aircraft).
- Operational Flexibility: Mobile, quick to deploy, suitable for diverse terrains (including high altitude), and can protect both static and moving assets.
- Technological Evolution: Continuous improvements (Akash Prime, Akash-NG) reflect adaptability to changing threat environments and user feedback.
- Export and Diplomacy: Boosts India’s defense exports, strengthens international partnerships, and projects India as a defense technology provider.
Challenges:
- Keeping pace with rapidly advancing aerial threats (stealth, hypersonic, swarm drones).
- Ensuring seamless integration with other layers of India’s air defense network.
- Sustaining indigenous R&D and manufacturing capabilities.
Supreme Court Ruling on Retrospective Environmental Clearances
Introduction:
The Supreme Court determined that retrospective Environmental Clearances (ECs) are unlawful and contravene principles of environmental law. It annulled the 2017 notification and the 2021 Office Memorandum (OM), thereby prohibiting the legitimization of unauthorized constructions. This ruling emphasizes the necessity of obtaining prior ECs before commencing any project to ensure the preservation of environmental sustainability.
Body Part:
Violation of Environmental Jurisprudence:
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Prior Approval:
- Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) serve as an essential mechanism for evaluating possible ecological harm prior to the initiation of a project.
- In contrast, retrospective environmental clearances pose a significant threat to the precautionary principle, permitting projects to advance without undergoing necessary preliminary evaluations.
Undermining Regulatory Safeguards:
- Ex post facto approvals serve to validate infractions by providing authorization subsequent to the commencement of operations.
- This practice undermines environmental regulations and fosters a culture among project developers that disregards adherence to legal requirements.
Supreme Court’s Stand against Retrospective ECs
Judicial Scrutiny of Government Policies:
- The notifications issued in 2017 and the Office Memorandum from 2021 sought to legitimize ex post facto Environmental Clearances (ECs).
- However, the Supreme Court invalidated these regulations, emphasizing the necessity for obtaining approvals in advance.
Significance of Common Cause (2017) Judgment:
- The Supreme Court previously determined that post-facto environmental clearances are not permissible, thereby rendering the government’s notification from 2017 inconsistent with established legal standards.
- The latest ruling has reinforced the principle that environmental legislation requires prior environmental clearances to be obtained before the commencement of any project.
Government’s Role in Environmental Protection
Criticism of Retrospective Clearances:
- The court observed that the government employed deceptive language in its drafting to protect those who violate the law.
- Granting retrospective approvals effectively grants immunity to individuals who disregard regulations, thereby weakening the enforcement of legal standards.
Constitutional Duty to Protect Natural Resources:
- Article 48A of the Indian Constitution imposes an obligation on the State to safeguard and enhance the environment.
- Furthermore, the judiciary emphasized the duty of the Union government in maintaining and promoting environmental protection.
Impact on Illegal Constructions
Legalization of Unapproved Projects:
- The implementation of ex post facto environmental clearances has effectively legitimized previously illegal constructions, thereby granting a form of validation to activities that were initially unlawful.
- This situation establishes a perilous precedent, as it permits industries to commence operations without prior authorization, with the assurance that they may later obtain the necessary clearances retroactively.
Immediate Action against Violators:
- The Supreme Court mandated the cessation of all ongoing illegal construction activities.
- Nevertheless, it did not revoke previously granted Environmental Clearances, thereby safeguarding the status of past projects from any adverse effects.
Development vs. Environmental Conservation
Balancing Infrastructure Growth and Sustainability:
- The decision raised concerns about the feasibility of advancing development initiatives while simultaneously safeguarding environmental integrity.
- It emphasizes that sustainable development necessitates a comprehensive approach to ecological planning, thereby averting disorganized industrial expansion.
Encouraging Responsible Economic Growth:
- The ruling of the court reinforces the necessity for economic initiatives to adhere to established legal environmental protections.
- It advocates for a holistic strategy that guarantees development is in harmony with conservation endeavors.
Conclusion:
This significant judicial decision enhances the framework of environmental governance by mandating that all projects undergo prior assessments. It is imperative for governments to emphasize sustainable development rather than resorting to temporary approvals that could jeopardize ecosystems. Maintaining rigorous environmental regulations is crucial for achieving lasting ecological stability.
The Ingredient to Turn Around Nutrition Outcomes
Introduction
India’s extensive free foodgrain programme, benefiting over 800 million people, underscores the persistent issues of hunger and malnutrition. However, women and girls remain the most vulnerable, despite numerous welfare initiatives like POSHAN Abhiyaan, which aimed for a malnutrition-free India by 2022. Structural and social barriers have hindered significant progress.
Structural Failures
Key Statistics:
- NFHS-5 reports 57% of women aged 15-49 are anaemic, compared to 26% of men.
- Nearly one in five women is underweight, making them more malnourished than men.
Funding and Utilization:
- ₹24,000 crore allocated for Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 (2022-23), but only 69% of funds were utilized.
- Despite spending, anaemia prevalence among women increased, showing inefficiencies in addressing core issues.
Core Issue:
- Merely increasing resources for nutrition initiatives without addressing structural problems like cultural biases and lack of awareness fails to deliver results.
Social Barriers to Nutrition
Gender Inequality in Nutrition:
- Entrenched cultural norms result in women and girls receiving the least nutrition in food-scarce households.
Economic Dependency:
- 49% of women lack decision-making power over their earnings, leading to compromised nutrition for themselves and their families.
Socio-Economic Link:
- Malnutrition is not just a health or food-supply issue; it is a social justice problem driven by financial and decision-making disparities.
Empowerment: A Key to Nutrition
Financial Independence:
- Studies indicate that women with control over income prioritize spending on nutrition and well-being.
- Nobel laureate Esther Duflo highlights that even modest earnings significantly reduce undernutrition when women control spending.
Challenges in Women’s Employment:
- Female labour force participation rose from 23% (2017-18) to 33% (2021-22).
- However, most women are employed in insecure, low-paying jobs, with only 5% holding regular salaried positions (Periodic Labour Force Survey, 2021-22).
Result:
- Economic vulnerability persists, limiting women’s ability to address their nutritional needs despite employment.
Way Forward: Integrated Solutions
To achieve the goals of POSHAN 2.0 and eliminate malnutrition, a convergent approach is required:
Economic Empowerment
- Set measurable targets to reduce malnutrition and increase women’s independent incomes and decision-making power.
Breaking Silos
- Nutrition, health, and livelihood departments must work in coordination, particularly in high-malnutrition districts.
Role of Anganwadi Centres
Transform Anganwadi centres into multi-service hubs offering:
- Skill training
- Welfare schemes (e.g., meals, antenatal care)
- Financial literacy workshops
Conclusion
Malnutrition cannot be tackled by awareness campaigns alone. Sustainable outcomes demand holistic efforts that address the root causes of gender-based inequalities, empower women financially and socially, and ensure equitable access to nutrition and healthcare resources. Only then can India turn the tide against malnutrition and achieve its developmental goals.
The Missing Link in India’s Nutrition Battle: Women’s Empowerment
Introduction:
Despite India’s progress in economic growth and social welfare schemes, malnutrition continues to plague large sections of the population, particularly women and girls. The launch of the POSHAN Abhiyaan in 2018 aimed to make India malnutrition-free by 2022, but NFHS-5 data reveals persisting disparities. With 57% of women aged 15–49 anaemic and one in five underweight, it is clear that nutritional inequality is deeply gendered. This calls for a shift in approach—from a food-security lens to one that addresses structural and gender-based deprivation.
Body:
The failure to translate high spending into improved outcomes under schemes like Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 points to systemic issues. In FY 2022–23, despite an allocation of ₹24,000 crore, only 69% of funds were utilised, while anaemia prevalence rose. These statistics underscore that nutrition is not just a health issue, but a question of social justice.
At the core lies the economic and social disempowerment of women. Cultural norms often lead to women eating last in food-scarce households. Nearly 49% of women lack financial decision-making power, directly impacting their nutritional intake. Studies—including those by Esther Duflo—affirm that women’s control over income significantly improves nutritional and child welfare outcomes.
Although female labour force participation rose to 33% in 2021–22, job quality remains poor, with only 5% in regular salaried jobs and a large portion earning less than male counterparts. Employment without empowerment fails to improve nutrition.
To address this, POSHAN 2.0 must adopt an integrated, multi-sectoral strategy:
- Set measurable targetsfor women’s income and autonomy.
- Ensure convergencebetween nutrition, health, and livelihood departments.
- Transform Anganwadisinto centres for nutrition, skill development, and credit access.
Conclusion:
India cannot win the fight against malnutrition without empowering women economically and socially. They must be seen not as passive recipients of food-based interventions but as active agents of change. A malnutrition-free India is achievable only when women have the right, resources, and recognition to care for themselves and their families.