MEGHAYAN-25

Context: The third edition of the Indian Navy’s Meteorological and Oceanological Symposium, MEGHAYAN-25 was held on April 14, 2025, at Nausena Bhawan in Delhi.

About the MEGHAYAN-25

• The symposium was organized to commemorate the formation of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and celebrate WMO Day 2025. 
  • WMO Day takes place every year on 23 March, commemorating the date in 1950 when the Convention establishing the WMO came into force
• WMO Day 2025 Theme 2025: “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together.”
• The symposium brought together experts from various meteorological, oceanographic, and maritime organizations.

Key events of MEGHAYAN-25

• MOSDAC-IN (Meteorological and Oceanographic Satellite Data Archival Centre – Indian Navy) web services was launched during the event.
• “Sagarmanthan,” the professional Meteorological and Oceanological journal, was released after a 10-year gap.

Exoplanet K2-18b

Context: A team led by Indian-origin astrophysicist Dr. Nikku Madhusudhan (University of Cambridge) has found potential signs of life on exoplanet K2-18b.

• The discovery was made using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Key Discoveries

• The research team, using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) detected carbon-rich molecules such as methane and carbon dioxide in the exoplanet’s atmosphere.

About Exoplanet K2-18b

• It is an exoplanet (a planet outside our solar system) located over 120 light-years away in the Leo constellation.
• Host Star: It orbits a cool red dwarf star named K2-18.
• Position in the Habitable Zone: The planet lies in the habitable zone, where temperatures might allow liquid water to exist.
• Classification: K2-18b is considered a sub-Neptune i.e a type of planet not found in our solar system.
• Potential as a Hycean World: K2-18b is a strong candidate for a Hycean world. 
  • It is a term coined for planets with hydrogen-dominated atmospheres and ocean-covered surfaces — conditions that could be favourable to life.

Global Trade Outlook and Statistics Report-WTO

Context: The World Trade Organization in its Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report has forecasted global merchandise trade to fall 0.2% amid tariff tensions. 

Key Highlights of the Report

• Global Merchandise Trade Volume Growth 2025: It is forecasted to decline by 0.2% because of U.S. tariff developments.
  • FY 2024: The year 2024 witnessed the volume of world merchandise trade grow by 2.9%.
• Reasons: 
  • Reciprocal Tariffs by USA risk reducing global merchandise trade volume growth by 0.6 percentage points this year.
  • Spreading Trade Policy uncertainty could wipe out another 0.8 percentage points.
  • Trade Diversion: The disruption in US-China trade will  trigger significant trade diversion and increase the chinese competition for 3rd party countries.
• Global Services Trade: The global volume of commercial services trade is also forecasted to slow down to 4.0%
• Consequence: 
  • Recession: The global trade slowdown will cause subdued demand, trade policy shocks, financial turbulence and systemic uncertainties intensifying  pressures.
  • Rising trade tensions and slowing growth can result in economic fragmentation and geo-economic confrontation

Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage

Context: The annual Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage has been suspended since 2019 due to COVID-19 and border tensions.

About Kailash Mansarovar Pilgrimage

• It is a spiritual journey to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake, both located in Tibet.
• Nodal Agency: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India
• The yatra is open to Indian citizens holding valid Indian passports.
• Routes for the Yatra
  • The yatra is conducted through two routes:
    • Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand)
    • Nathu La Pass (Sikkim)
• Geographical Location
  • Mount Kailash is part of the Kailash Range in the Transhimalaya, located in Tibet.
  • Mansarovar Lake is a freshwater lake situated near Mount Kailash.
  • The region is located on the Tibetan Plateau.
  • Four major rivers originate from the Kailash-Mansarovar region: Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Indus, and Karnali (also known as Kamali)

Religious Significance

• Home to all lord: Kailash is believed to be the home of all gods of all religions like Hindu, buddhists, Jains, and Bon religion. 
  • For Hindus: Home of Lord Shiva, Mansarovar Lake is one of the shaktipeeths.  
  • For Buddhists:  Home of Buddha Demchok, associated with Jambhala. 
  • For Jains: known as Ashtapada. Nirvana site of Rishabhanatha, 
  • For Bon Religion (Indigenous to Tibet): considered the spiritual center of the universe.

Silkyara Tunnel

Context: Uttarakhand’s Silkyara tunnel has reached an excavation breakthrough ( ie. the meeting of the two ends of a tunnel being excavated from both sides) recently.

• The tunnel would be renamed after Baba Baukhnag (a local deity) 

About the Silkyara Tunnel

• The tunnel is shaped in the form of a modified horseshoe
• Location: The Silkyara Tunnel is Uttarakhand’s longest Tunnel situated on the Yamunotri highway connecting the Char Dham Yatra route
• Length: The tunnel is 4.53-km long with two lanes for bidirectional traffic.
• Implementing Agency: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL)
• Connectivity: The tunnel is expected to reduce the distance between Gangotri and Yamunotri Dhams by 25 km
  • It will also cut down the travel time by about an hour between Dharasu and Yamunotri
• Significance: 
  • The tunnel upon completion will save 1 hour of travel time, ensure seamless Gangotri–Yamunotri connectivity as it will provide all-weather connectivity.

Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

Context: The Ministry of Ayush has conducted a session of the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme to  enhance the service orientation and professional skills of its employees. 

About the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

• The Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme is a capacity-building initiative under the Mission Karmayogi framework.
• It is aimed at enhancing the professional skills, service orientation, and efficiency of government employees.
• It is organized by various ministries from time to time, in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission.

Mission Karmayogi

• Mission Karmayogi is the Government of India’s national programme for civil services capacity building.
• Its goal is to transform the Indian bureaucracy into a future-ready, citizen-centric, and competent workforce.