News Summary · 2 minutes read
Stay ahead in your UPSC CSE preparation with our daily News Summary. Designed to save time, it highlights key national and international events from leading newspapers and government websites.
India’s Pharma Sector
- Drug and pharmaceutical exports: Touched a record $30 billion in FY25 ⇒ 9.39% higher than FY24.
- Drug formulations and biologicals lead the exports followed by Bulk drugs and drug intermediates.
- Top destinations (countries): U.S. (one third) > U.K > Brazil > France > South Africa.
- Top destinations (regions): NAFTA (36.60%) > Europe > Africa > LAC ⇒ Together account for 76% of India’s pharma exports.
India’s First Prototype Fast-Breeder Reactor (PFBR)
- Being developed in Kalpakkam by BHAVINI ⇒ First-of-its-kind nuclear reactor (500 MW) to use plutonium-based mixed oxide as fuel and liquid sodium as coolant.
- It will also utilise the spent fuel of Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR).
- To be commissioned by September 2026 ⇒ Will mark the 2nd stage of India’s 3-stage nuclear programme.
- Spent fuel from PFBR will be used to power the thorium-based reactors that form the third stage of the closed fuel cycle.
- India’s current nuclear power capacity: 8.18 GW ⇒ Target : 100 GW by 2047.
Sarkhej Roza
- A Sufi mosque and tomb complex located in Ahmedabad.
- Built by Muhammad Shah II in honour of mid-15th century Sufi saint Shaikh Ahmad Ganj Baksh Khattu.
- Architecture: Blends Hindu, Jain, and Islamic elements.
NISAR mission
- NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR): A joint project between NASA and ISRO to co-develop and launch a dual-frequency synthetic aperture radar on an Earth observation satellite in 2025 ⇒ Expected to be launched in June 2025.
- It will be the first radar imaging satellite to use dual frequencies ⇒ Will use remote sensing to observe natural processes such as the retreat of glaciers, changes in vegetation, and movements during earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Quick Picks
- Ras Isa oil port: Red Sea ⇒ in Yemen.
- Karnataka is conducting a village-level survey to document antiquities ⇒ First-of-its-kind initiative in India.
- BRICS Land Restoration Partnership: Launched at the 15th meeting of BRICS Agriculture Ministers at Brasilia.
- Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): Functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Sansad Khel Mahakumbh: Inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Lucknow.
Categories: Current Affairs, UPSC News Summary
Explore: News Summary ↗️
Subscribe: Telegram Channel ↗️
Join: Telegram Group ↗️