Content

1. Exploring Extremes: A Landmark Year of Discoveries by India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences
2. Intergenerational Bonds

Exploring Extremes: A Landmark Year of Discoveries by India’s Ministry of Earth Sciences

Why is it in News?

• Year-End Review 2025 of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) highlights a landmark year of scientific ‘firsts’ with direct socio-economic impact.
• Achievements span deep-ocean exploration, weather forecasting, disaster resilience, polar science, desalination, supercomputing, and urban climate services, aligned with India’s Vision 2047.

Relevance:

• GS III (Science & Tech, Disaster Management, Environment): Deep-sea mining, HPC-based forecasting, tsunami warning systems.
• GS II (Governance): Science-to-society delivery, inter-institutional coordination (MoES–NDMA–States).

Science with Measurable Human Impact

• Cost–Benefit Breakthrough (Third-party Audit):
  • Investment: ~₹1,000 crore (Monsoon Mission + HPC).
  • Economic Returns: ~₹50,000 crore (50:1 return).
  • Beneficiaries: ~11 million BPL families—small farmers & fisherfolk using daily weather/ocean advisories.
• One of India’s first quantified ROI audits of scientific public spending.

Breaking Records: Deep & Dark Oceans

• Deep-Sea Mining Trial:
  • Successful test at 5,270 m depth—deepest such test globally.
  • Strategic relevance: critical minerals, Atmanirbhar Bharat, UNCLOS-linked seabed exploration.
• Samudrayaan Mission:
  • MATSYA human submersible cleared comfort & stability tests.
  • Indian scientists reached 5,002 m depth in the Atlantic (international collaboration) → new benchmark for Indian oceanography.

Coasts, Islands & Blue Economy

• Lakshadweep Water Security:
  • 3 eco-friendly desalination plants commissioned.
  • Flagship: 1.5 lakh litre/day LTTD plant at Chetlat (NIOT).
• Make in India – Ocean Research Fleet:
  • Indigenous vessels Sagar Tara & Sagar Anveshika deployed for ocean health monitoring.
• Disaster Readiness:
  • Tsunami Early Warning Centre monitored 32 major earthquakes in 2025—zero missed threats to Indian shores.

Weather, Climate & Computing Power

• Mission Mausam & IMD Vision 2047: Launched 14 Jan 2025 to future-proof weather–climate services.
• Supercomputing Leap:
  • HPC capacity enhanced to ~21 PFlops → high-resolution coupled weather–climate models among the world’s best.
• Forecast Infrastructure:
  • Doppler Weather Radars inaugurated at Raipur & Mangalore (27 Nov 2025).
• Urban Climate Services:
  • UES25 platform (NSM-funded) integrates weather, air quality, urban flood intelligence for municipalities & disaster managers.

Polar, Ocean & Earth System Science Push

• NCPOR Infrastructure (22 May 2025):
  • Polar Bhavan (11,378 sqm; ₹55 cr): advanced labs + Science on Sphere (South Asia’s first Polar & Ocean Museum—Phase I).
  • Sagar Bhavan (1,772 sqm; ₹13 cr): ice labs & cleanrooms.
• Polar Science Leadership:
  • 4th National Conference on Polar Science (Sept 2025): 265 participants; 160 young researchers.
• ESSO Review (Shillong | 19 Dec 2025):
  • Roadmap alignment with Vision 2047 across weather, climate, ocean, Earth systems.

Technology, Labs & Capacity Building

• Underwater Acoustics: Acoustic Test Facility designated as national laboratory (12 Apr 2025).
• Ocean Sensors: India’s first conductivity & temperature sensor calibration facility at NIOT (11 Feb 2025).
• Advanced Geochemistry: Q-ICP-MS Lab at NCESS (30 Oct 2025).
• AI in Aquaculture:
  • 10 m submerged open-sea cage with AI/ML-based fish biomass estimation deployed in Andaman (17 Apr 2025).

Governance, Safety & Global Engagement

• Heat Action Plans: Co-developed with NDMA + States to reduce heat mortality.
• SAHAV Platform: Released at UN Ocean Conference-3 as a global model for tech-enabled ocean governance.
• Extended Continental Shelf:
  • Multi-channel seismic surveys via ONGC to strengthen India’s ECS submissions under UNCLOS.
• Atmospheric Electricity & Extremes:
  • 9th National Lightning Conference focused on resilience to lightning–extreme weather linkages.

Strategic Takeaways

• Science-to-Society Model: Weather & ocean science delivering quantified welfare gains.
• Blue Economy + Security: Deep ocean capability + tsunami vigilance enhance economic & strategic autonomy.
• Data-Driven Governance: HPC, AI, and integrated platforms (UES25) mainstream predictive governance.
• Vision 2047 Alignment: Institutions, infrastructure, and talent pipelines positioned for long-term resilience.

Conclusion

• 2025 establishes MoES as a global-standard Earth System Science ministry—where frontier research, indigenous technology, and public welfare converge with measurable returns.

Intergenerational Bonds

Why is it in News? 

• The Department of Social Justice & Empowerment organised “Celebration of Intergenerational Bonds” on 22 December 2025 at Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh, reinforcing India’s policy push on active, dignified ageing and social cohesion.

Relevance  

• GS II – Governance & Social Justice:
  • Senior citizen welfare, inclusive policies, community participation.
• GS I – Society:
  • Family structure changes, ageing population, value transmission.

Policy Context: Why Intergenerational Bonds Matter ?

• Demographic Transition:
  • India’s elderly (60+) population projected to rise from ~10% (2021) to ~20% by 2050 (UN estimates).
• Social Challenge:
  • Urbanisation, nuclear families, and migration are weakening traditional family-based elder support.
• Governance Imperative:
  • Shift from welfare-only to participatory ageing—elders as contributors, not dependents.

Key Government Interventions Highlighted 

1. Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY)

• Objective: Assistive devices for mobility, vision, hearing to promote independent living.
• Coverage: 7.28 lakh+ senior citizens benefited nationwide.
• Governance Insight: Links health, dignity, and productivity of elders.

2. Elderline 14567

• Function: 24×7 toll-free support—guidance, distress response, emergency assistance.
• Utilisation: 27 lakh+ calls received.
• Significance: First structured national-level grievance & support ecosystem for elders.

3. Community & School-Based Outreach

• Grandparents’ Day in Schools:
  • Institutionalises intergenerational value transmission at early ages.
• Cultural & Community Programmes:
  • Reduce loneliness, improve mental health, and strengthen social capital.

Conceptual Framework

• Active Ageing (WHO):
  • Optimising health, participation, and security to enhance quality of life as people age.
• Intergenerational Solidarity:
  • Mutual exchange of experience (elders) and energy/innovation (youth) → balanced social development.
• Social Capital Theory (Putnam):
  • Strong community bonds → higher trust, cooperation, and governance outcomes.

Outcomes & Significance

• Social: Reduced generational divide; improved empathy and mutual respect.
• Psychological: Tackles elder loneliness; enhances youth social sensitivity.
• Institutional: Demonstrates soft-governance tools beyond cash transfers.
• Normative: Reinforces elders as mentors, custodians of values, and nation-builders.

Critical Takeaway

• India’s elder-care strategy is evolving from assistance-based welfare to engagement-based governance.
• Programmes like Celebration of Intergenerational Bonds operationalise constitutional values of dignity, fraternity, and inclusiveness, making ageing a shared societal responsibility, not a private burden.

Conclusion:

• Intergenerational harmony is no longer a cultural ideal alone—it is emerging as a core pillar of India’s social policy architecture under Viksit Bharat@2047.