Current Affairs 31 July 2025

Content

1. Trump’s 25% Tariff, ‘Penalty’ to Hit India from Tomorrow
2. India Launches NISAR Satellite
3. Boost the Capacity of Legal Aid Systems
4. Restoring Mangroves Can Turn the Tide on India’s Coastal Security
5. Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake

Trump’s 25% tariff, ‘penalty’ to hit India from tomorrow

Announcement by U.S. President Trump (Wednesday):

• 25% tariff on all Indian imports starting August 1.
• Includes an additional penalty (not yet specified).

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)

Reasons Cited by Trump:

• India’s high tariffs and non-monetary trade barriers.
• India’s continued purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia.
• Criticism of India’s role as a major buyer from Russia during the Ukraine war.

India’s Response (Ministry of Commerce):

• “Studying implications” of U.S. announcement.
• Will take all necessary steps to protect national interest.

Trade Negotiations Status:

• India–U.S. Bilateral Trade Agreement expected by Fall 2025 (still under negotiation).
• A smaller “mini-deal” to reduce retaliatory tariffs has likely failed.

Past Context:

• Trump had earlier threatened 26% tariffs on India.
• Current move slightly lower at 25%, but penalty adds uncertainty.

U.S. Position (as per Trump on Truth Social):

• India is a “friend,” but trade has been low due to high Indian tariffs.
• Accused India of having the “most strenuous and obnoxious” trade barriers.

India launches NISAR satellite

Key Points

• Launched on: July 30, 2025
• Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh
• Rocket used: GSLV-F16 (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)

Relevance : GS 3(Space , Science and Technology)

What is NISAR?

• Full Form: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar
• Type: Earth Observation Satellite
• Weight: 2,392 kg
• Orbit: Sun-synchronous orbit
• Mission Life: 5 years
• Launch Milestone: First time GSLV launched a satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit

Joint Venture

• Agencies Involved:
  • NASA (USA): Built L-band SAR, radar boom, reflector, and payload
  • ISRO (India): Developed S-band SAR, satellite bus (I3K), solar panels, and launched the mission

Technical Highlights

• Radar Type: Dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)
  • NASA’s L-band + ISRO’s S-band

• Unique Feature:
  • Uses NASA’s 12-metre unfurlable mesh reflector antenna
  • Scans Earth every 12 days, in all weather and day-night conditions
  • Swath: 242 km, with high spatial resolution
  • Tech: SweepSAR, detects tiny surface changes

Applications

• Monitoring ground deformation, ice movement, vegetation dynamics
• Mapping soil moisture, surface water, farmlands
• Assisting disaster response (earthquakes, floods, landslides)
• Tracking sea ice, ships, shorelines, storms

Mission Phases

1. Launch Phase – Completed by GSLV-F16
2. Deployment Phase – Begins Day 10 post-launch; 12-metre antenna to unfold
3. Commissioning Phase – Tests and calibrations
4. Science Phase – Full operation begins

Boost the capacity of legal aid systems

Context

Legal Services Institutions, under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, aim to provide free legal aid to ~80% of India’s population, but reach remains modest — only 15.5 lakh people benefited between April 2023 and March 2024 (a 28% increase from the previous year).

Relevance : GS 2(Judiciary – Reforms)

Infrastructure

• Front offices attached to courts, prisons, and juvenile justice boards provide legal help via empanelled lawyers.
• Legal aid clinics operate in rural areas — 1 clinic for every 163 villages (India Justice Report 2025).

Funding Constraints

• Legal aid budget is <1% of the total justice budget (includes police, prisons, judiciary).
• Total allocation (2017-18 to 2022-23):
  • States’ share rose from ₹394 cr to ₹866 cr
  • NALSA’s share fell from ₹207 cr to ₹169 cr
  • Utilisation of NALSA funds dropped from 75% to 59%
• NALSA guidelines (2023) restricted fund usage without prior approval — e.g., staff hiring, victim compensation, equipment.

Per Capita Legal Aid Spending (2022–23)

• India average: ₹6
• Highest: Haryana ₹16
• Lowest: WB ₹2, Bihar ₹3, UP ₹4

Shrinking Frontline Workforce

• Para-legal volunteers (PLVs):
  • Create awareness and resolve disputes.
  • Drop by 38% (2019–2024) – now only 3.1 PLVs/lakh (WB & UP: 1 PLV/lakh).
  • Poor honorariums: Kerala highest (₹750/day), most States pay ₹500 or less.

Legal Aid Defence Counsel Scheme (LADC)

• Started in 2022 — dedicated legal aid to accused persons only, modeled on the public defender system.
• Operational in 610 of 670 districts.
• ₹200 cr allocation in 2023–24 (fully used), but dropped to ₹147.9 cr in 2024–25.
• Early potential noted, but too soon to assess long-term success.

Key Challenges

• Underfunding, underutilization, and manpower shortage.
• Low trust, inconsistent service quality, and lack of accountability persist.
• Without resource investment, legal aid falls short of the constitutional promise of justice for all.

Restoring mangroves can turn the tide on India’s coastal security

Background: What Are Mangroves?

• Definition: Mangroves are salt-tolerant, forested wetlands found in tropical and subtropical coastal zones.
• Unique Feature: Survive in saline, intertidal zones with low oxygen levels through specialized roots (e.g., pneumatophores).
• Global Context: Mangroves are part of “blue carbon ecosystems” — sequester CO₂ in soil, roots, and biomass.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Ecological & Social Significance of Mangroves in India

• Disaster Risk Reduction:
  • Act as natural shields during cyclones, storm surges, and tsunamis.
  • Example: 2004 Tsunami — areas with mangrove cover had reduced damage and mortality.

• Biodiversity Hotspots:
  • Habitat for fish, crustaceans, molluscs, insects, and migratory birds.
  • Support local food chains and aquatic biodiversity.

• Carbon Sequestration:
  • Store blue carbon—far more per unit area than terrestrial forests.
  • Key tool in India’s climate mitigation efforts under the Paris Agreement.

• Livelihoods & Culture:
  • Source of livelihoods for coastal communities — e.g., honey gathering (Sundarbans), fishing, and eco-tourism.
  • Integral to indigenous knowledge and traditional resource use.

Key Threats to Mangroves

• Urban Expansion: Coastal infrastructure, ports, and real estate projects (e.g., Mumbai, Chennai).
• Aquaculture: Shrimp farming and commercial fisheries degrade soil, alter salinity.
• Pollution: Plastic, sewage, and industrial effluents reduce regeneration capacity.
• Climate Change:
  • Rising sea levels → prolonged submergence.
  • Changing rainfall and salinity disrupt growth cycles.
• IUCN Warning: Over 50% of global mangroves may collapse by 2050 without urgent action.

 India’s Mangrove Landscape

• Total Area: ~4,900 sq. km (India State of Forest Report 2021).
• Major States: West Bengal (Sundarbans), Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra.
• Highest Coverage: Gujarat (23.6% of India’s mangrove area).

State-Level Success Stories

Tamil Nadu

• Problem: Degradation due to shrimp farming, pollution, disrupted hydrology.
• Progress:
  • Mangrove cover doubled from 4,500 to 9,000 hectares (2021–2024).
  • Green Tamil Nadu Mission: Focused restoration in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Cuddalore.
• Notable Projects:
  • Muthupettai Estuary (2017): 115 ha restored by MSSRF + local committees.
    • 19 canals dug, 4.3 lakh Avicennia seeds, 6,000 Rhizophora propagules planted.
  • Chennai (Kazhipattur, 2024):
    • 12,500 seedlings from 5 species planted.
    • Invasive Prosopis juliflora removed to restore native vegetation.

Maharashtra (Mumbai)

• Project: 2025 Amazon–BMC–Hasten Regeneration collaboration on Thane Creek.
• Funding: $1.2 million (₹10.3 crore).
• Features:
  • 3.75 lakh mangroves planted, targeting flamingo habitat.
  • Plastic cleanup: Trash booms to intercept 150 tonnes of waste.
  • Livelihood Support: Women employed in plantation and maintenance.

Gujarat

• Programme: Central government’s MISHTI (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats & Tangible Incomes).
• Achievements:
  • 19,000+ hectares planted (2023–2025).
  • Exceeded 5-year national target early.
• Focus Areas: Coastal Kutch and Saurashtra.
• Goals: Enhance climate resilience, ecotourism, and blue carbon goals.

Policy and Institutional Support

• Green Tamil Nadu Mission: State-led restoration with scientific collaboration.
• MISHTI (2023):
  • Central initiative for large-scale mangrove plantation.
  • Emphasis on livelihood-linked restoration.
• Corporate Partnerships:
  • Example: Amazon’s “Right Now Climate Fund” supports climate-smart restoration with social co-benefits.
• Role of Research Institutions:
  • M.S. Swaminathan Foundation, ATREE, and other NGOs play a vital role in site assessment, community engagement, and ecological planning.

Key Takeaways for Policy

• Mangroves = Natural Infrastructure:
  • Should be prioritized in National Adaptation Plans and State Action Plans on Climate Change (SAPCCs).
• Community-led Conservation:
  • Success hinges on involving local communities, Panchayats, and women’s groups.
• Nature-Based Solutions (NbS):
  • Restoration with co-benefits for biodiversity, carbon, and livelihoods is emerging as a key approach.
• India’s Global Role:
  • As a megadiverse nation, India’s success in mangrove conservation enhances its voice in UNFCCC, CBD, and blue economy platforms.

Kamchatka Peninsula Earthquake

Core Event Overview

• A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s far-east on July 30, 2025.
• Epicenter: Approximately 500 km east of Moscow, affecting northern Pacific Ocean regions.
• It triggered a tsunami alert across several countries, including those on both sides of the Pacific Ocean.
• Tsunami waves were recorded (up to 3 meters) in some places such as:
  • Alaska Peninsula
  • Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in Russia
  • Hokkaido in Japan
• Minor flooding was reported but no significant damage or loss of life was initially confirmed.

Relevance : GS 1(Geography)

Seismic Context: Ring of Fire

• The epicenter lies on the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, famously known as the “Ring of Fire”:
  • A horseshoe-shaped seismic belt encircling the Pacific Ocean.
  • Accounts for ~80% of the world’s strongest earthquakes.

• This region experiences frequent and violent tectonic activity due to:
  • Presence of multiple subduction zones.
  • Convergent plate boundaries where oceanic plates sink beneath continental or other oceanic plates.

Global Comparison: Top Earthquakes (Past 20 Years)

• The Kamchatka quake ties for 2nd place (8.8 magnitude) among the top 10 earthquakes since 2005:
  • Strongest: Tohoku, Japan (2011) – 9.1
  • Other notable 8.8 quakes: Chile (2010), Sumatra (2005), Kamchatka (2025)
• Pattern: Most quakes in the top 10 have occurred within the Ring of Fire.

Why So Active: Tectonic Process in Kamchatka

• Kamchatka Peninsula is one of the most active geological zones due to:
  • Subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Okhotsk Plate.
  • This tectonic movement causes:
    • Build-up of seismic stress
    • Sudden release of energy as earthquakes
• This region has recorded over 130 significant quakes of >7.5 magnitude since 1900.
  • Notable event: 1952 earthquake of magnitude 9.0 in the same region.

Mechanism of Subduction Quakes

• Process:
  • Two plates collide, and one subducts under the other.
  • This builds up immense stress until sudden rupture and energy release occurs.

• Subduction-zone quakes are:
  • Longer in duration
  • Often followed by tsunamis
  • Deep-focus in nature, affecting a wider area

Scientific and Risk Implications

• Earthquake in Kamchatka serves as a case study for:
  • Seismic hazard preparedness.
  • Plate tectonics and deep-focus earthquakes.
• Scientists warn of ripple effects across other Ring of Fire zones.
  • Particularly vulnerable zones: Japan, Alaska, Indonesia, Chile
• Modern data collection helps predict aftershocks and assess tsunami risks.

Human & Policy Implications

• Kamchatka is sparsely populated: ~362,000 residents, mostly in Petropavlovsk.
  • Hence, damage and casualties were relatively low despite the quake’s strength.
• Had a similar magnitude quake occurred in a densely populated area (e.g., Nepal 2015), the human toll could be much higher.
• Underscores the need for:
  • Seismic early warning systems
  • Disaster readiness even in less populated but seismically active areas

Geopolitical and Global Preparedness Lessons

• Events like this:
  • Highlight the interconnected nature of seismic risks in the Pacific.
  • Stress the importance of transnational cooperation on early warnings and mitigation.
• India, although not in the Ring of Fire, can learn from:
  • Japan’s model of community drills, building codes, and real-time alerts.

Conclusion: Key Takeaways

• The Kamchatka quake is among the top three strongest quakes of the century so far.
• It reaffirms that seismic unpredictability remains high in the Ring of Fire.
• Preparedness, awareness, and advances in tectonic science are critical to minimizing human impact.
• Russia’s quake is a warning signal for all nations vulnerable to tectonic movements—especially those along subduction zones.