Why in news?

The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau’s (AAIB) preliminary report on June 12 crash of Air India highlights that both engine fuel control switches moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF’ just after take-off, possibly causing the disaster.

Cockpit recordings reveal one pilot questioning the other about cutting off fuel, which was denied. Both pilots had sufficient flying experience. Investigators are now analyzing flight and voice recorder data to determine how and why the switches were turned off.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Fuel Control Switches: Critical Engine Safeguards
• Why and How Pilots Use Fuel Switches Mid-Flight
• Honeywell Switches Under Scrutiny, Previously Flagged by FAA

Fuel Control Switches: Critical Engine Safeguards

• 
• Fuel control switches regulate engine fuel flow and require deliberate manual action to move between ‘RUN’ and ‘CUTOFF’.
• Located below the thrust levers on Boeing 787s, these spring-loaded switches require deliberate lifting and shifting between two modes: 'RUN' and 'CUTOFF'.
• Protected by brackets and a stop-lock mechanism, they’re typically operated only on the ground—during engine start-up or shutdown.
• In-flight use occurs only during engine failure or serious damage. Accidental activation is considered nearly impossible.
• Fuel Control Switches: Function, Safety, and Crash Relevance
  • Fuel control switches have two positions:
    • RUN: Feeds fuel to the engine for normal operation.
    • CUTOFF: Cuts off fuel, shutting the engine down.
  • Changing positions requires deliberate crew action via a safety mechanism.
  • Experts stress these switches are not meant to be moved in-flight except during emergencies.

Why and How Pilots Use Fuel Switches Mid-Flight?

• Pilots move a fuel control switch mid-flight only if an engine fails or is severely damaged. This shuts off fuel to that engine, cutting thrust instantly.
• Normally, only one switch is moved, as modern aircraft can fly with one engine. Shutting down both engines is highly unusual and dangerous.
• Experts stress this is a deliberate, checklist-driven process involving both pilots.
• In AI 171’s crash, both switches moved to 'CUTOFF' shortly after takeoff, starving both engines of fuel.
• Investigators are examining if this was due to human error, mechanical fault, or system failure. The switches are protected against accidental movement with electronic gates and physical brackets.
• Experts Question Possibility of Accidental Fuel Switch-Off
  • Aviation experts emphasize it’s nearly impossible for pilots to unintentionally shut off both fuel switches mid-flight, especially during climb.
  • While the final cause is still under investigation, the preliminary findings raise concerns over cockpit procedures, safety checks, and potential technical faults.

Honeywell Switches Under Scrutiny, Previously Flagged by FAA

• The fuel control switches (part number 4TL837-3D) are made by Honeywell.
• A 2018 US FAA advisory noted possible locking mechanism faults, but inspections were not mandatory. Air India did not carry out these checks.
  • The 2018 advisory flagged potential disengagement of the fuel control switch locking feature on some Boeing aircraft.
• According to the FAA, disengaged locking could let switches move unintentionally, potentially causing in-flight engine shutdown.
• The AI-171 cockpit recording suggests neither pilot knowingly moved the switches.

Why in news?

President Trump has threatened 10% tariffs on BRICS nations after their Rio summit 2025, continuing his pattern of trade-related warnings.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Trump Sees BRICS as a Threat
• Tariff Threats Targeting BRICS
• BRICS Denies De-Dollarisation Threat
• India Distances Itself from BRICS De-Dollarisation Push
• BRICS: Diverse Members, Common Frustration

Trump Sees BRICS as a Threat

• Donald Trump views BRICS as “anti-American” due to its push for a BRICS common currency and cross-border payment systems that bypass the US dollar.
• He has repeatedly threatened high tariffs to deter such moves, especially after BRICS expanded and promoted local currency trade following Western sanctions on Russia.

Tariff Threats Targeting BRICS

• As BRICS leaders met recently in Rio for the 17th BRICS summit, President Trump warned of an additional 10% tariff on any country aligning with BRICS, calling it a penalty specifically for BRICS membership.
• Though earlier he had threatened 100% tariffs, it's unclear if or when these measures will be enforced.
• Trump's irritation is largely driven by BRICS efforts to bypass the U.S. dollar in global trade.
• Alongside this, his administration has imposed 50% tariffs on Brazil, citing political bias against former President Bolsonaro, and 30% tariffs on South Africa over trade disputes and concerns about Afrikaner rights.
• Trump is also pushing for the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, proposing 500% tariffs on Russian oil and sanctioned products — a move that could directly affect India and China, two major Russian oil importers.

BRICS Denies De-Dollarisation Threat

• BRICS members have rejected Mr. Trump’s concerns about de-dollarisation, clarifying that using national currencies within BRICS isn't aimed at replacing the U.S. dollar globally.
  • De-dollarisation is the effort to reduce dependence on the US dollar as a reserve currency, medium of exchange, and unit of account.
  • This push intensified after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which led to sanctions and exclusion from dollar-based systems like SWIFT.
  • Countries viewed this as the U.S. weaponizing the dollar. Additionally, overreliance on the dollar creates global financial vulnerabilities.
  • Emerging economies, gaining economic strength, now seek a more balanced and diversified financial system.
• The 2025 BRICS Rio Declaration avoids direct challenges to the dollar, focusing instead on improving cross-border payment system interoperability.
• While some leaders' rhetoric has been anti-U.S., official BRICS statements only express general concerns over unilateral trade measures without naming the U.S.

India Distances Itself from BRICS De-Dollarisation Push

• India has firmly rejected U.S. claims that BRICS is "anti-American."
• The government clarified in Parliament that Russia's report on alternative currencies was merely noted, not endorsed by all BRICS members.
• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed there is no Indian policy to replace the U.S. dollar, highlighting differences within BRICS on this matter.

BRICS: Diverse Members, Common Frustration

• Founded in 2009 after the U.S. financial crisis, BRICS now includes 10 countries.
  • BRICS has expanded beyond its original five members to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the UAE, with more countries seeking to join.
• Despite political and ideological differences, members agree global power favours the U.S. too heavily. Still, nations like India caution against giving BRICS an “anti-West” image.
• During the Rio summit 2025, BRICS leaders condemned unilateral tariffs, indirectly criticising U.S. trade policy.
• They also expressed concern over attacks on Iran’s civilian infrastructure, without directly naming Israel or the U.S., showing diplomatic restraint.

About Blood Money:

• Under the Islamic Sharia law, blood money, or 'diya', means that the accused provides financial compensation to the family of the victim in serious crimes such as murder.
• It is followed in countries that incorporate these laws in their legislation.
• The custom is practised predominantly in cases involving unintentional murder and culpable homicide.
• It is also invoked in murder cases wherein the victim’s kin choose not to retaliate through ‘qisas’ (a way of retribution under the Sharia).
• The end-goal, as the law says, is not to put a price tag on human life but to alleviate the plight and suffering of the affected family and their potential loss of income.
• However, it is to be noted that even if the concerned parties reconcile through ‘blood money’, the community and the state will retain the right to impose a deterrent punishment, including penalties.
• In its contemporary applications, ‘blood money’ is upheld in several Islamic countries with factors such as gender, religion, and nationality of the victim coming into play.
  • In Saudi Arabia, for instance, the traffic regulations specifically mandate payment of ‘blood money’ to heirs of the victims who die in road accident In addition, the perpetrator shall be liable to a prison term.
• The system of blood money leaves the fate of the offender in the hands of the victim's family.
• The Sharia law does not state a fixed amount for 'diya'. However, it can be negotiated by the victim's family.

What’s India’s stand on ‘diya’?

• Provisions for the grant or receiving of ‘blood money’ do not find a place in India’s formal legal system.
• However, the system does provide a way for the accused to negotiate with the prosecution through ‘plea bargaining’.
• Though the concept cannot be directly equated with ‘blood money’, the scheme lays out a procedure whereby the defendant agrees to plead guilty for a particular offence perpetrated by the accused in return for a concession from the prosecutor.
• Introduced through the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005, plea bargaining comes with an array of limitations, unlike ‘blood money’, which has a broader purview.
• For instance, plea bargaining can be taken up only for offences that are penalised with imprisonment of less than seven years.
• It cannot be invoked if the accused has been previously convicted for a similar offence.
• Besides, the provision is not available for crimes against women or children aged below 14; heinous crimes such as murder or rape; and offences involving socio-economic conditions, including civil rights.
• Moreover, the accused has to voluntarily come forward to plead guilty, and must not be coerced.
• However, on the lines of ‘blood money’, plea bargaining may also allow for the victim to receive compensation.

About National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX):

• NHCX is developed under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) by the National Health Authority (NHA) in consultation with the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
• NHCX aims to streamline and standardize health insurance claim processing, enhancing efficiency in the insurance industry and improving the patient experience.
• NHCX serves as a gateway for exchanging health claim information among insurers, third-party auditors, healthcare providers, beneficiaries, and other relevant entities and ensures interoperability, machine-readability, auditability, and verifiability, making the information exchange accurate and trustworthy.
• Features of NHCX:
  • Checking Coverage Eligibility: Providers can verify if a treatment is covered by insurance to avoid unexpected costs.
  • Pre-Auth Request Submission: Hospitals can request approval from insurers before starting treatment.
  • Predetermination Request Submission: Providers can ask for an estimate of benefits for a treatment before it begins.
  • Claim Submission: Hospitals submit claims in a standard format for easier processing by insurers.
  • Payment Status: Hospitals can check the payment status of submitted claims, ensuring everyone stays informed.
  • Communication Request: Providers can send questions or requests for more information through NHCX.
  • Reprocess Request: If a claim has issues, providers can request a review for a solution.

About Mount Rainier:

• It is the highest mountain (4,392 metres) in the state of Washington, United States.
• Covering 260 sq.km, Rainier is surrounded by the largest single-mountain glacier system in the United States outside Alaska.
• The mountain is geologically young, formed by successive lava flows from eruptions that began about one million years ago.
• It is an active stratovolcano. The volcano last erupted about 150 years ago.
• It is considered among the most dangerous volcanoes in the world due to its proximity to the densely populated urban area of Seattle.
• Rainier is one of just 16 volcanoes in the world to be on the “Decade Volcanoes” list, a classification created by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) to highlight volcanoes worthy of close monitoring because of the catastrophic effects of their potential eruption.
• Some two dozen named glaciers and a number of smaller patches of permanent ice and snow radiate from the broad summit, including Nisqually Glacier, whose retreat and advance over the last 150 years has helped scientists determine patterns in Earth’s climate.
• The mountain has three major peaks: Liberty Cap, Point Success, and Columbia Crest (the latter is the summit, located on the rim of the caldera).
• Rainier is noted for dense stands of coniferous trees on its lower slopes, scenic subalpine and alpine meadows—with a profusion of wildflowers during the warmer months—waterfalls and lakes, and an abundance of wildlife.