About Mozambique:

• Location: It is a country in Southern Africa and is located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth.
• Bordering countries: Zimbabwe (west), Eswatini and South Africa (south and southwest), Zambia, Malawi (north west), and Tanzania (North). 
• Water Bodies: It has a coastline on the Indian Ocean to the east.
• The island countries and territories of Madagascar, Comoros, and Mayotte are separated from Mozambique by the Mozambique Channel.
• Capital City: Maputo
• Geographical Features of Mozambique:
  • Climate: The climate in most of Mozambique is tropical and warm.
  • Rivers: The River Zambezi being the largest and other rivers are Limpopo, Licungo, Lurio, Rovuma etc.
  • Major Lakes: Lake Malawi (Nyasa) is the country’s major lake. 
  • Highest Peak: Mount Binga
  • Natural Resources: The country’s principal natural resources are natural gas, coal, mineral, sand, hydropower, and most likely oil.

About Asteroid 2024 YR4:

• It is classified as an Apollo-type asteroid, meaning its orbit crosses Earth's orbit but spends most of its time beyond it.
• Origin: The study reveals YR4 is a solid, stony type that likely originated from an asteroid family in the central Main Belt between Mars and Jupiter,
• It was discovered in 2024, by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile.
  • The Y in the asteroid’s name indicates that it was discovered in the last half of December.
  • The R4 indicates that it was the 117th asteroid found in that period.

About INS Trikand:

• It is a Talwar-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy.
• It is the third and final ship of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy.
• It was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2013 at Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet and operates under the Western Naval Command headquartered at Mumbai.
• Features of INS Trikand:
  • Armory: It carries a supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced surface-to-air missiles Shtil, an upgraded A190 medium-range gun, electro-optical 30 mm close-in weapon system, anti-submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets, and an advanced electronic warfare system.
  • The weapons and sensors are integrated through a Combat Management System ‘Trebovanie-M’, which enables the ship to simultaneously neutralise multiple surface, sub-surface, and air threats. 
  • It is powered by four gas turbines.
  • It is capable of speeds more than 30 knots and is configured to carry a Kamov 31 helicopter.

About Fiscal Health Index:

• It was introduced by NITI Aayog. It provides a systematic framework to evaluate the fiscal performance of 18 major Indian states, 10 North-Eastern and Himalayan states.
• It provides a comprehensive and comparable assessment of the fiscal performance of Indian states.
• The Index has been designed as a data-driven framework to evaluate fiscal soundness, guide reforms, and promote evidence-based fiscal policymaking across states.
• It is built on five key pillars of fiscal health: Quality of Expenditure, Revenue Mobilisation, Fiscal Prudence, Debt Index, and Debt Sustainability.
• The index classifies states into four tiers.
  • Achievers: These are states with strong fiscal discipline, high own-tax revenues, low deficits, and manageable debt;
  • Front Runners: These states maintain broadly sound finances but fall short of the top tier on one or more indicators;
  • Performers: They occupy the middle ground, with mixed results across the five pillars.
  • Aspirational: These states are those facing the most significant fiscal stress, characterised by persistent deficits, high debt, and limited revenue capacity. 

Key Highlights of Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2026

• Odisha, Goa and Jharkhand have been categorised as achievers. 
• Karnataka and Telangana moved from front runner to performer, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu slipped further to the aspirational group.
• Among northeastern and Himalayan states, Arunachal Pradesh has topped in the index, followed by Uttarakhand, Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Mizoram.

Why in news?

India is facing an LPG supply shortage as the country significantly expanded LPG consumption—especially among poorer households—primarily through increased imports without building adequate long-term storage reserves.

With over 85% of LPG imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz, disruptions have quickly affected supply due to limited backup storage.

Unlike crude oil, where India maintains strategic reserves covering about two months of consumption, the LPG system is designed mainly for continuous operational flow rather than stockpiling, which the International Energy Agency (IEA) has identified as a major infrastructure weakness.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Rising LPG Imports in India
• Inadequate Strategic Reserves
• Underground Caverns as a Storage Solution
• Conclusion

Rising LPG Imports in India

• India’s LPG imports have increased threefold, rising to about 20 million tonnes between 2011–12 and 2024–25, with imports now meeting around 60% of domestic demand.
• Import dependency has increased from 47% in 2015 to current levels.
• India consumes about 3 million tonnes of LPG per month, making it the second-largest LPG consumer globally.
• However, existing storage facilities can meet less than half of the monthly requirement, with most storage located in import terminal tanks such as Ennore.

Inadequate Strategic Reserves

• India has only two underground LPG storage caverns at Mangaluru and Visakhapatnam, with a combined capacity of 1.4 lakh tonnes, equivalent to less than two days of national consumption.
• The Mangaluru cavern, with 80,000 tonnes capacity, equals roughly one day’s consumption.
• Growth in Domestic LPG Consumption
  • India’s daily LPG consumption is about 80,000 tonnes, with over 85% used by households.
  • The country has 33 crore domestic LPG connections, including around 10 crore added since 2017 under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
• Role of the Ujjwala Scheme
  • The PMUY scheme expanded LPG access to poor households by providing deposit-free connections and subsidies, helping shift from traditional fuels like firewood and kerosene.
  • However, it also contributed to the rapid increase in LPG consumption and import dependence.
• Import Diversification Efforts
  • India has signed an agreement with the United States to import 2.2 million tonnes of LPG annually.
  • However, shipments from the U.S. take about 45 days to arrive, compared to much faster supplies from the Persian Gulf region.

Underground Caverns as a Storage Solution

• Expanding underground gas storage caverns is considered a potential solution to India’s LPG supply vulnerability.
• Such facilities allow countries to store large volumes of gas and ensure supply security during disruptions.
• Global Practices in Gas Storage
  • In Europe, underground gas storage plays a major role in energy security.
  • The region can store about 25% of its annual gas consumption, and its underground storage capacity equals around 150% of annual LNG import volumes.
  • Following the Ukraine war in 2022, the European Union mandated that storage facilities should reach 90% filling levels before winter to avoid supply shortages.

Geological Zones Suitable for Storage in India

• The Peninsular Shield, covering much of southern India, is the most suitable geological zone for underground storage.
• It consists of stable granite and gneiss formations, which already host the LPG caverns at Visakhapatnam and Mangaluru.
• These caverns use proven engineering techniques and demonstrate that the rock formations are suitable for storage.
• Deccan Traps
  • The Deccan Traps, a large basalt plateau across western and central India, present more engineering challenges for cavern construction.
  • Projects designed by Engineers India Limited (EIL) have faced difficulties due to geological conditions.
• Salt Caverns in Rajasthan
  • The Bikaner–Barmer salt formations in Rajasthan offer another promising option. Salt caverns are cheaper, quicker to build, naturally impermeable, and allow rapid gas injection and withdrawal.
  • EIL has partnered with Germany’s DEEP to develop technology for such storage.
• Depleted Gas Reservoirs
  • Another potential option under study is the use of depleted gas reservoirs in the Krishna–Godavari, Cambay, and Mumbai offshore basins for underground gas storage.

Conclusion

• Developing underground storage caverns across suitable geological zones could significantly strengthen India’s LPG storage capacity and improve energy security against supply disruptions.

Why in news?

The Supreme Court permitted the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment for Harish Rana, a 32-year-old man who has been in a vegetative state since 2013 after a severe head injury.

This marks the first Indian court order approving passive euthanasia in such a case.

A bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Vishwanathan allowed the withdrawal of medical treatment, including clinically assisted nutrition, being provided to Rana. The Court directed AIIMS to implement a palliative end-of-life care plan, ensuring that his final stage is managed with comfort and dignity.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background of the Case
• Legal Position on Euthanasia in India
• Supreme Court’s Rulings on Euthanasia in India

Background of the Case

• Harish Rana has been in a vegetative state since 2013 following a fall that caused severe head injuries.
• In 2024, his father approached the Delhi High Court seeking permission to withdraw life-sustaining treatment.
• The High Court rejected the plea, stating that Rana was not terminally ill.
• The family subsequently approached the Supreme Court, which reconsidered the case based on medical assessments.
• In 2025, the Supreme Court constituted primary and secondary medical boards to assess Rana’s condition.
• Both boards concluded that his condition was irreversible with negligible chances of recovery, supporting the decision to withdraw treatment.
• Court’s Ethical Perspective
  • The Supreme Court emphasised that the decision was not about ending life but about avoiding the artificial prolongation of life without hope of recovery.
  • It described the case as lying at the intersection of love, loss, medicine, and compassion, stressing that dignity must guide end-of-life decisions.

Legal Position on Euthanasia in India

• India distinguishes between assisted dying (active euthanasia) and withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (passive euthanasia), with different legal implications.
• Assisted Dying and Criminal Liability
  • Assisted dying involves intentionally causing death through methods such as a lethal injection.
  • In India, this is illegal and may amount to culpable homicide under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
  • If a doctor assists a patient in ending their life, it may also attract criminal liability for abetment to suicide.
  • Attempted suicide remains an offence, although courts have emphasised the need for care and support rather than punishment.
• Passive Euthanasia and the Right to Dignity
  • Passive euthanasia refers to withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment, allowing the illness or injury to take its natural course.
  • The Supreme Court has treated this differently because it does not actively cause death but ends medical intervention that artificially prolongs life.
• Constitutional Basis
  • The legal framework stems from Article 21 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to life.
  • The Supreme Court has interpreted this right to include the right to live with dignity, which also extends to dignity in end-of-life decisions.
  • For terminally ill patients or those in a persistent vegetative state, the Court has recognised the right to refuse invasive or futile medical treatment, allowing them to avoid unnecessary suffering when recovery is unlikely.

Supreme Court’s Rulings on Euthanasia in India

• The Supreme Court’s decision permitting the withdrawal of treatment for Harish Rana marks the first practical application of India’s passive euthanasia framework, which has largely evolved through judicial rulings on end-of-life decisions.
• Aruna Shanbaug Case (2011): Foundation of Passive Euthanasia
  • In Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011), the Supreme Court laid down the initial framework for passive euthanasia.
  • The Court reaffirmed its earlier ruling in Gian Kaur v. State of Punjab (1996) that Article 21 does not recognise a general “right to die.”
  • Active euthanasia or assisted dying remained illegal.
  • However, the Court recognised that the right to live with dignity may, in certain situations, include the right to die with dignity, particularly for patients in a terminal condition or persistent vegetative state.
• Distinction Between Active and Passive Euthanasia
  • The Court clarified an important distinction:
    • Active euthanasia (assisted dying): Actively causing death; remains illegal.
    • Passive euthanasia: Withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment; may be permitted in limited circumstances.
• Guidelines Laid Down in the Shanbaug Case
• Since no law existed on euthanasia at the time, the Court created interim guidelines:
  • The request for withdrawal of treatment could be made by family members, doctors, or a “next friend” acting in the patient’s best interest.
  • Approval from the High Court was required.
  • A two-judge bench would decide the case after consulting a committee of three doctors.
• Despite setting guidelines, the Court did not allow withdrawal of treatment in Shanbaug’s case, noting that she still showed signs of life and the hospital staff caring for her opposed the request.
• Common Cause Case (2018): Recognition of Right to Die with Dignity
  • In Common Cause v. Union of India (2018), a Constitution Bench expanded the legal framework.
  • Key rulings included:
    • The right to die with dignity is part of Article 21 (Right to Life).
    • Withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatment is permissible because it allows the natural process of death to occur.
    • The Court recognised Advance Medical Directives (living wills), allowing individuals to specify in advance whether they want life-prolonging treatment.
• Practical Difficulties in Implementation
• The 2018 framework had complex safeguards, including:
  • Advance directives signed by two witnesses and countersigned by a judicial magistrate.
  • Multiple approvals from medical boards and authorities.
• These procedures made implementation difficult.
• Simplification of the Process in 2023
  • In 2023, the Supreme Court simplified the process for passive euthanasia.
  • Key changes included:
    • Advance Directives can now be attested before a notary or gazetted officer.
    • They can be stored in digital health records.
    • Hospitals must form two medical boards (primary and secondary) with experienced doctors.
    • The Collector’s role and mandatory magistrate visits were removed, though hospitals must still inform the magistrate before withdrawing treatment.
  • As of March 2026, the Parliament of India has not enacted a comprehensive, dedicated law governing euthanasia or end-of-life care, relying instead on evolving guidelines established by the Supreme Court of India.

Context:

• India’s development narrative is shifting from women’s development to women-led development, where women are seen not merely as beneficiaries of welfare schemes but as active leaders shaping the nation’s progress.
• Women’s empowerment, or Nari Shakti, is increasingly driving India’s growth, particularly in knowledge-based sectors such as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), which are crucial for achieving the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
• This article highlights India’s transition from women’s development to women-led development, focusing on the growing participation of women in education, STEM fields, research, and innovation as key drivers of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Strengthening Girls’ Education in STEM

• India has strengthened the foundation for women in science through greater access to education and improved school participation.
• The Gender Parity Index has reached 1.0 at foundational, preparatory and middle levels, and 1.1 at the secondary level, indicating equal or higher participation of girls compared to boys.
• Declining dropout rates show better student retention.
• Initiatives such as early skill development programmes and Atal Tinkering Labs provide practical exposure to technology and innovation, encouraging girls to pursue STEM fields from an early stage.

Rising Female Participation in Higher Education

• India’s higher education sector has expanded significantly, with institutions increasing from 51,534 to over 60,000 and enrolment rising from 3.42 crore to 4.46 crore since 2014–15.
• Women have played a key role in this growth, with female enrolment increasing from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore and the Female Gross Enrolment Ratio rising from 22.9 to 30.2, indicating steady progress in women’s access to higher education.

Growing Participation of Women in STEM

• Women’s participation in STEM education in India has increased significantly, accounting for 43% of total enrolment in higher education, one of the highest shares globally.
• However, women represent 18.6% of the national R&D workforce, highlighting the need to strengthen the transition from education to research careers.
• Policy initiatives such as supernumerary seats for women in IITs and NITs have improved their representation from below 10% a decade ago to over 20% in recent years.

Rising Participation of Women in Research

• Women’s involvement in academic research in India has increased significantly.
• Postgraduate enrolment rose from 19.8 lakh in 2014–15 to 32 lakh in 2022–23, while doctoral enrolment increased from about 47,000 to over 1.12 lakh, reflecting a growth of more than 135%.
• Increasing Representation in STEM Research
  • Women accounted for over 53% of STEM fellows under the UGC NET–Junior Research Fellowship in 2024–25, with 7,293 of the 13,727 recipients pursuing doctoral research.
  • This indicates growing female participation in advanced research fields.
• Women in the National R&D Ecosystem
  • Within India’s research and development ecosystem, about 45.87% of women researchers work in government institutions, 27.62% in higher education, and 26.51% in industry, showing their expanding presence across sectors.

Policy Support and Fellowships

• Government initiatives have strengthened women’s participation in research.
• The Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship has supported over 3,500 scholars, including 35% women, and aims to fund 10,000 fellowships in the next five years.
• The Anusandhan National Research Foundation further supports the expansion of India’s research ecosystem.
• Government initiatives, including the Union Budget 2026 proposal to establish safe and affordable hostels for girls pursuing STEM education, aim to encourage more women to build careers in science.
• As emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and data science grow, women’s participation will be crucial for strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.

Women at the Core of the Viksit Bharat Vision

• As India moves towards becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, women are expected to play a leading role in this transformation.
• With increasing participation across sectors and emerging technologies, Nari Shakti will drive India’s knowledge economy and development journey.