UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025
Kartavya Desk Staff
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles
InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background.
Table of Contents
GS Paper 1 : (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November (2025)
• Strategic Vulnerabilities of Global Critical Mineral Supply Chains
Strategic Vulnerabilities of Global Critical Mineral Supply Chains
GS Paper 3:
• Precision Biotherapeutics
Precision Biotherapeutics
Content for Mains Enrichment (CME):
• Operation Midas
Operation Midas
Facts for Prelims (FFP):
• e-Jagriti Platform
e-Jagriti Platform
• 10 years of AMRIT Pharmacy
10 years of AMRIT Pharmacy
• Adam Chini Rice Variety
Adam Chini Rice Variety
• Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2)
Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2)
• Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT)
Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT)
• GNSS Spoofing
GNSS Spoofing
Mapping:
• Siliguri Corridor
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025
#### GS Paper 1:
Strategic Vulnerabilities of Global Critical Mineral Supply Chains
Source: WEF
Subject: Strategic Minerals
Context: Recent supply disruptions—especially China’s export restrictions on antimony, a key input for semiconductors and defence systems—have highlighted the strategic vulnerabilities of global critical mineral supply chains.
About Strategic Vulnerabilities of Global Critical Mineral Supply Chains:
What are Critical Minerals?
• Critical minerals are strategic, non-fuel mineral resources essential for high-tech manufacturing, clean energy, semiconductors, defence systems, and advanced electronics, whose supply chains face high risk of disruption.
• They include lithium, cobalt, nickel, antimony, rare earth elements, graphite, gallium, etc., and are vital for national security, green transition and advanced technology industries.
Why Critical Minerals are Important?
• Energy Transition: Required for solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, EVs, wind turbines and hydrogen technologies.
• National Security: Crucial for missiles, jet systems, radar, telecom, semiconductors and high-energy defence systems.
• Economic Competitiveness: Countries controlling mineral supply chains dominate future industries (AI, robotics, clean tech, electronics).
• Strategic Autonomy: Reduces dependence on single suppliers like China, enhancing national and industrial resilience.
Trends in Critical Mineral Geopolitics:
• Export Controls Rising: China restricted exports of antimony, gallium and germanium; Russia tightened control of palladium; Indonesia banned nickel ore exports.
• Surging Demand: EV and renewable energy boom has pushed global demand for critical minerals up by over 300% in a decade (IEA 2024).
• Price Volatility: Antimony prices surged nearly 10x after China’s 2024 restrictions, revealing fragile supply chains.
• Allied Coordination: U.S.–Australia, EU–Canada and Quad are forming mineral alliances for secure supply.
• Shift to Mineral-specific Strategies: Countries increasingly mapping each mineral’s supply bottlenecks (DARPA-supported Critical Minerals Forum).
Challenges to Critical Mineral Security:
• Geopolitical Concentration: China, Russia, Tajikistan and DRC dominate mining and processing of many minerals, creating single-supplier dependence.
• Underinvestment in Mining: Low prices for decades discouraged exploration and production; mining capacity lags behind rising demand.
• Environmental & Social Risks: Mining often causes pollution, land conflict and ecosystem damage, making expansion politically sensitive.
• Opaque Supply Chains: Hidden subsidies, unregulated artisanal mining, and monopolistic price manipulation distort markets.
• Slow Permitting Processes: U.S. and EU mining approvals take 7–10 years, delaying domestic production.
• Refining–Mining Mismatch: Refining capacity exists, but raw ore supply (mining) is the bottleneck for minerals like antimony.
Initiatives Taken:
• Global:
• U.S. Executive Order on Mineral Security: Faster permitting, stockpiling, and domestic mining support. UK Critical Minerals Strategy: Mapping vulnerabilities and supply partnerships. Allied Frameworks: U.S.–Australia, EU–Canada, Japan–EU, Quad collaboration on rare earths and battery minerals.
• U.S. Executive Order on Mineral Security: Faster permitting, stockpiling, and domestic mining support.
• UK Critical Minerals Strategy: Mapping vulnerabilities and supply partnerships.
• Allied Frameworks: U.S.–Australia, EU–Canada, Japan–EU, Quad collaboration on rare earths and battery minerals.
• India:
• Critical Minerals List (2023): Identified 30 minerals essential for strategic sectors. National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET): Boosting exploration funding. KABIL Joint Venture: Securing mineral assets abroad (Argentina, Australia, Chile). PLI Schemes: Supporting battery manufacturing, solar PV, and EV ecosystem to reduce import dependence.
• Critical Minerals List (2023): Identified 30 minerals essential for strategic sectors.
• National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET): Boosting exploration funding.
• KABIL Joint Venture: Securing mineral assets abroad (Argentina, Australia, Chile).
• PLI Schemes: Supporting battery manufacturing, solar PV, and EV ecosystem to reduce import dependence.
Way Forward (Recommendations):
• Mineral-Specific Strategies: Avoid one-size-fits-all; customise policy by mineral (antimony, lithium, gallium, etc.).
• Long-term Offtake Agreements: Provide price stability to producers and reduce dependence on volatile spot markets.
• Allied Supply Chains: India, U.S., EU, Japan, Australia must build “trusted mineral corridors” and joint reserves.
• Expanding Ethical Mining: Strengthen standards, improve transparency and support ESG-compliant mining.
• Accelerate Domestic Exploration: Fast-track permits, use AI/remote sensing, and incentivise private-sector mining.
• Invest in Refining & Recycling: Boost processing capacity and develop circular economy systems for lithium, cobalt and rare earths.
• Strategic Stockpiles: Build national reserves of key minerals like germanium, gallium, antimony, cobalt and nickel.
Conclusion:
Critical minerals are now at the heart of geopolitical competition, industrial competitiveness and national security. Countries that secure reliable mineral supply chains will lead the clean-tech and defence industries of the future. India must adopt a proactive, diversified and cooperative strategy to avoid future vulnerabilities and ensure economic and strategic resilience.
While global competition for critical minerals intensifies, India has lagged in developing a resilient supply chain. Analyze the role of National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in strengthening India’s critical mineral security.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025 GS Paper 3:
Precision Biotherapeutics
Source: TH
Subject: Bio – technology
Context: The rise of next-generation precision biotherapeutics—driven by breakthroughs in genomics, CRISPR, and personalised medicine—has positioned India to transform treatment for genetic, metabolic, and cancer disorders.
About Precision Biotherapeutics:
What are Precision Biotherapeutics?
• Precision biotherapeutics are medical interventions—drugs, biologics, or gene-based therapies—designed specifically around an individual’s genetic, molecular, or cellular profile instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Key Features:
• Tailor-made therapies based on genomics, proteomics, and molecular diagnostics.
• Uses tools like CRISPR gene editing, mRNA therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, and CAR-T therapy.
• Focus on cause correction rather than symptomatic relief.
• AI and big-data analytics enable high-precision drug design and response prediction.
How Precision Biotherapeutics Work?
• Genomic Profiling: Sequencing a patient’s DNA/RNA reveals specific mutations or biomarkers that drive the disease, enabling clinicians to pinpoint its exact biological origin for targeted intervention.
• Molecular Target Identification: Advanced molecular biology identifies the faulty pathways, proteins, or genes responsible for the condition, helping scientists design therapies that precisely hit the disease mechanism.
• Therapeutic Design: Using CRISPR, mRNA constructs, or targeted biologics, researchers create therapies that correct, silence, or modify the malfunctioning gene or molecular pathway causing the illness.
• Personalised Dosing & Delivery: AI and computational models analyse patient data to optimise dosage, predict drug interactions, and customise delivery systems for the safest and most effective therapeutic response.
• Feedback Loop: Real-time clinical and genomic data from the patient feed back into the system, refining treatment plans and making the therapy adaptive, predictive, and continuously personalised.
Applications of Precision Biotherapeutics:
• Cancer Care: Genomic tumour profiling, CAR-T cell engineering, and tailor-made monoclonal antibodies enable highly targeted cancer therapies with greater efficacy and fewer systemic side effects.
• Genetic Disorders: CRISPR and gene-replacement techniques allow correction of faulty genes in conditions like thalassemia or SMA, offering the possibility of long-term, near-curative outcomes.
• Cardio-metabolic Diseases: RNA-based drugs and molecular diagnostics personalise treatment for diabetes, lipid disorders, and hypertension by addressing the patient’s unique biological risk patterns.
• Rare Diseases: Customised gene, enzyme-replacement, and RNA therapies offer treatment options for ultra-rare disorders, where conventional pharmaceuticals often fail to produce meaningful outcomes.
• Infectious Diseases: mRNA platforms rapidly generate vaccines matched to emerging viral strains, improving outbreak response and enabling patient-specific immunological protection.
Challenges in Precision Biotherapeutics:
• Regulatory Gaps: India lacks an integrated regulatory pathway for gene, cell, and nucleic-acid therapies, resulting in uncertainty that slows clinical translation and investment.
• High Costs: Precision drugs require complex development and manufacturing, making them prohibitively expensive for most patients and widening existing healthcare inequities.
• Limited Biomanufacturing: India has insufficient GMP-compliant facilities for biologics, vectors, and cell therapies, restricting domestic production and increasing dependence on imports.
• Data Privacy Risks: Genomic information is highly sensitive, and without strong legal frameworks, it risks misuse for discrimination, surveillance, or unethical commercial exploitation.
• Low Clinical Trial Capacity: Advanced trials involving genomics, cell engineering, or molecular profiling remain limited, reducing India’s ability to evaluate and scale next-generation therapies.
Way Ahead:
• National Regulatory Pathway: A CDSCO-led, specialised framework for evaluating gene, cell, and mRNA therapies will provide clarity, accelerate approvals, and build trust for innovators and clinicians.
• Biobanking & Genomic Data Law: A dedicated legal framework is essential to protect genomic privacy, standardise consent, and enable ethical, high-quality biobanking for research and clinical use.
• Expand Biomanufacturing Hubs: Public-private GMP clusters for biologics, viral vectors, and mRNA platforms will reduce costs, build domestic capacity, and ensure uninterrupted supply of advanced therapies.
• Integrate into Public Health: Inclusion of precision therapies for cancer and rare diseases under Ayushman Bharat can improve equity while supporting early adoption until production costs fall.
• National Bioethics Commission: A central authority is needed to oversee ethical issues around gene editing, consent, data use, equity, and patient safety in this rapidly advancing domain.
Conclusion:
Precision biotherapeutics mark a paradigm shift from generalised treatments to deeply personalised, genetics-driven healthcare. For India, they offer the dual promise of better health outcomes and global leadership in affordable biotech. With the right regulation, bioethics, and investment, India can democratise precision medicine for millions.
How can biotechnology contribute to economic development in India? Discuss in light of the recently launched BioE3 policy.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)
Operation Midas
Context: Ukraine has launched Operation Midas, a major anti-corruption probe exposing a large-scale bribery and money-laundering scheme involving Energoatom officials and influential businessmen.
About Operation Midas:
What is Operation ‘Midas’?
• A 15-month undercover anti-corruption investigation led by NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau) and SAPO (Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office) into graft inside Ukraine’s state nuclear company Energoatom.
• Named after King Midas, symbolising how officials illegally “turned contracts into gold.”
Key Features of the Operation:
• Exposed a bribery network demanding 10–15% cuts from Energoatom contractors.
• Nearly $100 million laundered through backdoor companies run by politically connected actors.
• Involves 1,000 hours of audio recordings, ~70 raids, and charges against eight senior officials.
Implications of the Operation:
• Political Fallout: Potentially the biggest corruption scandal since the Russia invasion; threatens Zelenskyy’s anti-corruption
• Governance Shake-Up: Forced resignations of Energy Ministers and triggered a nationwide audit of all state-owned enterprises.
• International Impact: Could influence EU accession talks, IMF support, and Western military aid tied to governance reforms.
• Security Risks: Corruption in Energoatom—critical for power infrastructure during wartime—raises concerns about national resilience.
Relevance to UPSC Exam:
GS-II: International Relations
• Shows how corruption impacts geopolitical trust, foreign aid, EU accession, and global governance commitments.
• Reflects how internal governance stability affects wartime international alliances.
GS-III: Internal Security
• Links corruption with national vulnerability, especially in strategic sectors such as nuclear power and energy security.
GS-IV: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
• Case study on conflict of interest, abuse of office, whistle-blower protection, and public accountability.
• Highlights ethical leadership deficits and the importance of institutional autonomy.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025 Facts for Prelims (FFP)
e-Jagriti Platform
Source: PIB
Subject: Government Scheme
Context: The e-Jagriti platform has crossed 2.75 lakh users, including 1,388 NRIs, and delivered record disposal efficiency in 2025, surpassing 2024 benchmarks.
About e-Jagriti Platform:
What it is?
• e-Jagriti is a unified, AI-enabled digital grievance-redressal platform of the Department of Consumer Affairs, designed to integrate all consumer dispute-resolution systems into one seamless portal.
Organisation Involved: Developed and operated by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India.
Aim: To ensure faster, transparent, accessible, and paperless consumer justice across India and abroad, especially empowering MSME consumers, households, and NRIs with real-time, tech-enabled grievance redressal.
Key Features of e-Jagriti:
• Unified, Paperless Consumer Courts: Integrates all legacy systems into one portal, enabling e-filing, digital scrutiny, electronic notices, virtual hearings, secure documents, and role-based dashboards for judges, advocates, and litigants.
• Global Accessibility for NRIs: Allows Indian citizens abroad to file, track, and participate in hearings remotely through secure OTP login, encrypted document exchange, virtual courts, and integrated payment gateways.
• AI-Powered, Multilingual Interface: Provides chatbot assistance, voice-to-text tools, real-time tracking, smart case routing, and accessibility support for elderly and visually impaired users.
• High Disposal Efficiency: In 2025, disposal exceeded filing in many states (e.g., 27,545 cases disposed vs. 27,080 filed in July–August), demonstrating backlog reduction and faster turnaround time.
• Integrated Communication System: Over 2 lakh SMS alerts and 12 lakh emails auto-sent for case updates, notice issuance, OTP verification, and deadlines to ensure procedural transparency.
• Secure Fee Payments: Supports PayGov and Bharat Kosh, ensuring safe, traceable, and convenient online payments.
Significance of e-Jagriti:
• Democratizing Consumer Justice: Breaks barriers of distance, paperwork, and physical presence, enabling even rural and NRI users to access justice with equal ease.
• Faster Case Resolution: Digital workflows, automated notices, and virtual courts significantly reduce pendency and improve efficiency, addressing long-standing delays in consumer courts.
• Inclusion & Accessibility: Multilingual interface, voice support, and simplified design make grievance redressal accessible to elderly, differently abled, and low-digital-literacy users.
10 years of AMRIT Pharmacy
Source: DD News
Subject: Government Initiative
Context: AMRIT Pharmacy marked its 10th anniversary, with Union Health Minister announcing nationwide expansion and unveiling new digital upgrades.
About 10 years of AMRIT Pharmacy:
What it is?
• AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) Pharmacy is a government initiative providing life-saving medicines, implants, and medical consumables at 50–90% discounted rates.
Launched in: 2015, under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to expand affordable access to critical medicines across India.
Organisation Involved: Implemented nationwide by HLL Lifecare Limited, a Central Public Sector Enterprise under MoHFW.
Aim: To ensure that quality branded and branded-generic medicines, surgical implants, and critical care products are accessible and affordable, especially for low-income and high-burden patients.
Key Features:
• Pan-India Network: Over 255 operational outlets, now expanding to 500—targeted for every medical college and district hospital.
• Deep Discounts: Offers 50–90% reduction on essential medicines, oncology drugs, cardiac implants, and surgical consumables.
• Massive Patient Savings: Medicines worth ₹17,000 crore (MRP) dispensed at discounted rates, generating ₹8,400 crore in savings for patients.
• High Reach: Benefited 85 crore patients in 10 years, cutting catastrophic health expenditure.
• Digital Upgradation: Launch of AMRIT ITes Eco-Green Version 2.0 to improve transparency, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
• Enhanced Services: Mobile Pharmacy Van for rural outreach 24×7 National Contact Centre My Stamp release & Coffee Table Book Integration of Ayurvedic medicines in multi-disciplinary institute.
• Mobile Pharmacy Van for rural outreach
• 24×7 National Contact Centre
• My Stamp release & Coffee Table Book
• Integration of Ayurvedic medicines in multi-disciplinary institute.
• Skilled Workforce: Employs certified pharmacy professionals (D.Pharm, B.Pharm).
Significance:
• Affordable Healthcare Access: Reduces out-of-pocket expenditure—critical for diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disorders.
• Strengthens UHC Goal: Supports India’s mission of Accessible, Affordable, Equitable Healthcare under Ayushman Bharat.
• Supports Tertiary Care: Ensures all essential drugs and implants are available in AIIMS and major medical colleges.
Adam Chini Rice Variety
Source: NIE
Subject: Miscellaneous
Context: BHU researchers have successfully revived and improved the traditional aromatic black rice variety Adam Chini using mutagenesis, making it shorter, faster-maturing, and higher-yielding without losing its signature aroma.
About Adam Chini Rice Variety:
What it is?
• Adam Chini (also called Adamchini Chawal) is a traditional, short-grained, aromatic black rice variety from Eastern Uttar Pradesh, known for its sugar crystal–like grains, strong fragrance, and superior cooking quality.
Region Grown In: Primarily cultivated in Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, and Sonbhadra districts—forming part of the Vindhya foothill agro-ecosystem.
GI Tag:
• Received Geographical Indication (GI) status on 22 February 2023 (valid till November 2030).
• GI tag proposed by Ishani Agro Producer Company Ltd. and Human Welfare Association of Uttar Pradesh.
• Protects the variety against illegal marketing and ensures premium identity as Vindhya Black Rice.
Characteristics:
• Short, scented, bold grains with a strong natural aroma.
• Drought-tolerant and disease-resistant, well-suited to Eastern UP’s semi-arid agro-climate.
• Intermediate amylose content—resulting in soft, flavourful cooked rice.
• Traditionally tall (165 cm), long-duration (155 days), and low-yielding (20–23 q/ha).
Improved Features by BHU:
• Height reduced to ~105 cm (mutant-14) and lodging resistance improved.
• Maturity shortened to ~120 days (mutant-19).
• Yield increased to 30–35 q/ha.
• Retains signature aroma and grain quality—often compared as superior even to Basmati.
Significance:
• Enhances farmer income by meeting high export demand from Australia, New Zealand, and niche health-food markets.
• Converts a heritage rice into a commercially viable, climate-resilient crop.
• Strengthens Eastern UP’s agro-cultural identity under the GI umbrella.
Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2)
Source: TOI
Subject: Defence
Context: India is set to boost its counter-drone warfare capabilities as the Army and IAF prepare to procure 16 indigenous Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2) units.
About Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark-2):
What it is?
• An advanced indigenous counter-drone warfare platform designed to detect, track and neutralise hostile unmanned aerial systems using a combination of sensors, jammers and high-energy laser weapons.
Developed by: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), led by its lab CHESS – Centre for High Energy Systems & Sciences, in collaboration with the Armed Forces.
Aim: To provide India with a rapid-response, precise and high-energy counter-drone system capable of neutralising surveillance drones, weaponised UAVs and swarm attacks across sensitive borders, military bases and critical infrastructure.
Key Features:
• 10 kW Laser Neutralisation: Engages and destroys enemy drones at up to 2 km, doubling the range of the earlier Mark-1 system.
• Multi-Sensor Detection Suite: Radar, EO/IR sensors, RF detectors and AI-enabled algorithms for real-time drone detection and classification.
• Hard-Kill + Soft-Kill Capability: Disables drones using both laser beams (hard kill) and RF jamming/GNSS spoofing (soft kill).
• Vehicle-Mounted & Rapidly Deployable: Mobile platform suited for border areas, forward bases, airports and urban protection zones.
• Next-Gen Integration: Built to integrate with future 30 kW high-energy laser systems capable of strikes up to 5 km.
Significance:
• Strengthens Drone Warfare Preparedness: Meets urgent national security needs amid rising drone threats from Pakistan and in global conflicts (Ukraine, Middle East).
• Indigenous Laser Weapon Capability: Positions India among a select group of nations (US, China, Russia) with demonstrated directed-energy weapons.
• Protects Critical Infrastructure: Enhances defence of borders, ammunition depots, nuclear sites, VVIP events and airports against both single drones and swarm attacks.
Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT)
Source: DTE
Subject: Environment
Context: The COP30 Presidency has formally launched the Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT), creating the first permanent global platform dedicated to navigating rising tensions between trade policies and climate action.
About Integrated Forum on Climate Change and Trade (IFCCT):
What it is?
• A politically supported, non-negotiating global platform designed to facilitate structured dialogue on the complex, rapidly evolving intersection of climate policies and international trade.
Launched In: Formally launched at COP30, Belém (Brazil), on 15 November 2025.
• To create a sustained, inclusive space where countries can debate, coordinate, and address frictions arising from climate-linked trade measures—such as carbon border adjustments, supply-chain disruptions, subsidies, and industrial policy—without the pressure of formal negotiations.
Key Features:
• Non-negotiating dialogue platform: Allows candid discussions without binding commitments.
• Open-ended consultation process (2025–26): Countries can shape agenda, jurisdiction, and priority themes.
• Focus on climate–trade coherence: Addresses unilateral climate trade measures, decarbonisation pathways, and developing-country concerns.
• High-level, politically supported engagement: Participation from ministers, WTO leadership, climate experts, and industry bodies.
• Geneva-based consultation: Integrates climate-trade debate within the global trade governance ecosystem.
Significance:
• Bridges a major policy gap: Trade measures like EU’s CBAM, green subsidies, and industrial policies increasingly affect climate commitments.
• Supports developing countries: Helps them understand, adapt to, and influence fast-evolving climate-related trade rules.
• Reduces global trade friction: Creates “interoperability” and predictability amid proliferating unilateral measures.
GNSS Spoofing
Source: TH
Subject: Science & Technology
Context: Aircraft flying near Delhi reported multiple cases of GNSS spoofing in early November 2025, triggering false cockpit alerts and misleading terrain warnings.
About GNSS Spoofing:
What is GNSS Spoofing?
• GNSS spoofing is the intentional transmission of fake satellite navigation signals to mislead receivers such as aircraft, drones, ships or vehicles into calculating an incorrect position, time or velocity.
Types of GNSS Interference:
• GNSS Spoofing (Deception): Fake signals are injected to mislead the aircraft about its location, altitude or direction. This is the most dangerous form.
• GNSS Jamming (Blocking): High-power noise disrupts genuine satellite signals, making the receiver unable to compute a location.
• Meaconing (Signal Re-broadcasting): Original signals are captured and rebroadcast with a delay, tricking receivers subtly without generating obvious alarms.
How GNSS Spoofing Works?
• A transmitter near the target emits counterfeit GNSS signals with slightly stronger power than genuine satellite signals.
• The aircraft receiver unintentionally locks onto the fake signal believing it to be legitimate.
• Gradually, the spoofer drifts the false signals to pull the computed aircraft position away from reality, creating false navigation, terrain, or proximity alerts.
• Weapon systems and drones can be misdirected, diverted or disabled using the same technique.
Characteristics of GNSS Spoofing:
• Covert and Hard to Detect: Signals mimic genuine GNSS codes, making cockpit warnings ambiguous.
• Localized in Range: Typically affects aircraft within a radius of a few kilometres from the source.
• Gradual Drift: Spoofing attempts often shift position slowly to avoid abrupt discrepancies.
• Can Trigger False Cockpit Alerts: E.g., fake terrain warnings, incorrect runway alignment, wrong altitude/position calculation.
• Bypasses Basic Anti-Jamming Measures: Because the receiver sees it as a “valid” signal—not just noise.
Threats from GNSS Spoofing:
• Loss of Navigation Accuracy: Aircraft may display incorrect position, wrong flight path, or misleading headings—forcing pilots to rely on manual navigation.
• False Terrain & Collision Warnings: Spoofed signals can trigger false terrain warnings, runway misalignment alerts or obstacle proximity alerts, distracting pilots during critical phases like takeoff/landing.
• Pilot Workload Spike & Situational Confusion: Crew workload increases sharply as they cross-check instruments, verify backup systems, and coordinate with ATC.
• Dependence on Backup Systems: Aircraft must switch to Inertial Reference Systems—safe for several hours—but not ideal for long stretches or high-traffic zones.
#### UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 17 November 2025 Mapping:
Siliguri Corridor
Source: TH
Subject:
Context: The Indian Army has established three new garrisons near the Siliguri Corridor—at Dhubri (Assam), Kishanganj (Bihar) and Chopra (West Bengal)—to strengthen surveillance and operational readiness.
About Siliguri Corridor:
What is the Siliguri Corridor?
• The Siliguri Corridor—popularly called the “Chicken’s Neck”—is a narrow land strip in northern West Bengal that connects mainland India to the eight Northeastern States.
Location:
• Situated near Siliguri city in northern West Bengal.
• Flanked by Nepal (west), Bangladesh (south), Bhutan (north), and close to the Chumbi Valley (China–Bhutan–India tri-junction).
• Narrowest width: 20–22 km, making it one of the world’s most sensitive strategic bottlenecks.
Historical Background:
• Formed after the Partition of India (1947–48), when East Bengal became East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
• Strategic relevance increased after Sikkim’s merger with India in 1975, giving India greater hold over the northern Himalayan approaches.
• Vulnerability became evident during the 1962 Sino-Indian War and again during the 2017 Doklam standoff.
Key Features:
• Major railway, road, and air links to the Northeast pass through this strip.
• Houses military facilities, supply lines, and critical civilian infrastructure.
• Includes Bagdogra Airport, a key IAF base and civilian aviation hub.
• Forms a transit point connecting Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sikkim, and Northeast India.
• Defended by the Tri-Shakti Corps, BrahMos regiments, and Rafale squadrons at Hasimara.
Strategic Importance:
• A potential target in geopolitical crises—any blockade could isolate the entire region.
• Close to the Doklam Plateau, where China has rapidly built border infrastructure.
• Increasing influence of China in Bangladesh and Nepal has heightened security sensitivities.
• Acts as India’s eastern military buffer, enabling rapid troop movement towards LAC in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
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