Biostimulants | Current Affairs | Vision IAS
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Posted 03 Oct 2025

9 min read

Biostimulants

Centre withdraws approval for animal protein-based biostimulants over ‘religious, dietary’ concerns.

About Biostimulant

  • A biostimulant is a substance, microorganism, or mixture that promotes plant growth by stimulating natural physiological processes, improving nutrient uptake and efficiency, and enhancing tolerance to abiotic stresses like drought or heat. 
  • E.g., Humic acids, seaweed extracts, liquid manure composting and beneficial bacteria and fungi.
  • Biostimulant are officially treated as distinct from fertilisers and insecticides. 
  • Tags :
  • Biostimulant

Sir Creek

Map showing the location of Sir Creek at the India–Pakistan border near the Arabian Sea, with major cities like Karachi, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Islamabad marked along with rivers Indus and Ganges.

India criticizes Pakistan over military infrastructure developments along the Sir Creek area.

About Sir Creek

  • It is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch and Pakistan. It separates Pakistan’s Sindh province from Gujarat’s Kutch region.
  • It is named after a British representative and extends into the Arabian Sea
  • Dispute:
    • India’s Position: Since 1947, India has sought Sir Creek’s boundary based on the Thalweg Principle, which sets boundaries along the midline of the navigable channel.
    • Pakistan’s Position: Pakistan contends that Sir Creek is not navigable, so the Thalweg Principle does not apply.
  • Tags :
  • Pakistan
  • Sir Creek
  • Gujarat’s Kutch region

Biomedical Research Career Programme

Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of the Biomedical Research Career Programme, Phase-III (2025-26 to 2030-2031).

About Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP)

  • Objective: To nurture top-tier scientific talent for cutting-edge biomedical research and promote interdisciplinary research for translational innovation.
    • It will also strengthen systems supporting high-quality research, and reduce regional disparities in scientific capacity, to create world-class biomedical research capacity with global impact.
  • Implementation: In partnership between the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and the Wellcome Trust (WT), United Kingdom and the SPV, India Alliance for Phase III.
  • Tags :
  • Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
  • Biomedical Research Career Programme (BRCP)

Exercise Pacific Reach

India participated in Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 (XPR-25).

About XPR-25

  • It is biennial multinational submarine rescue exercise featuring participation from over 40 nations. 
  • Host: Singapore
  • Tags :
  • Exercise Pacific Reach 2025
  • XPR-25

Urban Flood Risk Management Programme

A High-Level Committee, under the Chairmanship of Union Home Minister, approved Urban Flood Risk Management Programme Phase-II for 11 cities.

About Urban Flood Risk Management Programme

  • Funding pattern: On cost-sharing between the Centre and State as per NDMF guidelines i.e 90% from Centre and 10% from State.
  • Cities included: Bhopal, Bhubhaneshwar, Guwahati, Jaipur, Kanpur, Patna, Raipur, Trivandrum, Vishakhapatnam, Indore and Lucknow.
  • Activities involved for Urban Flood risk mitigation project include: 
    • structural measures of Interlinking of water bodies to Stormwater Management, Construction of flood protection wall, Erosion Control and Soil Stabilisation using Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) ,etc.
    • non-structural measures such as Flood Early Warning System and Data Acquisition System and capacity building, etc.
  • Tags :
  • Urban Flood Risk Management Programme

Snow Leopards

Himachal Pradesh's snow leopard population has risen by 62%, from 51 in 2021 to 83 in 2025.

About Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia)

  • Range: They are elusive cats found in 12 range countries in Asia (including India).
  • Referred to as the “ghost of the mountains” due to their white-gray coat acting as a natural camouflage in the mountains.
  • Conservation Status:
    • IUCN: Vulnerable, 
    • CITES: Appendix I, 
    • Wildlife protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.
  • Project Snow Leopard: It was launched in 2009 in India to conserve the animal and its habitat.
  • Tags :
  • Himachal Pradesh
  • Urban Flood Risk Management Programme

Foreign Portfolio Investors

As per National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL), Foreign Portfolio Investors have sold cash shares worth ₹2.02 trillion in the calendar year through October 01.

About Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)

  • FPIs can hold a maximum of 10% of an Indian company’s total paid-up equity capital (amount of money that a company receives from shareholders in exchange for shares).
  • Exceeding this 10% cap, FPIs can: 
    • divest (selling off) the surplus shares; or 
    • reclassify themselves as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
  • RBI and SEBI framework on reclassification of FPI to FDI issued in 2024 made following provisions:
    • reclassification shall not be permitted in sectors prohibited for FDI. E.g., Chit funds, gambling, etc.
    • FPI investment requires government approvals are required, especially from land-bordering countries, and need Indian Investee Company’s concurrence.
  • Tags :
  • Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs)
  • National Securities Depository Ltd (NSDL)

H125 Helicopters

India’s first helicopter Final Assembly Line from the private sector in kolar (Karnataka) to roll out Indian-made H125 helicopters in 2027. 

  • Airbus has partnered with Tata Advanced Systems to manufacture the H125 in India.

About H125 Helicopter

  • The H125 is a versatile, single-engine helicopter.
  • A light multi-role helicopter, and can operate in high-and-hot and extreme environments.
  • Tags :
  • H125 Helicopter

Amazon’s Flying Rivers

A study warns about the negative impact of deforestation on Amazon’s ‘flying rivers’ worsening droughts across southwestern Amazon.

About Amazon’s Flying Rivers

  • It is a natural phenomenon of aerial moisture transport and recycling where massive areas of water vapour flow across the Amazon basin.
  • This water vapour is generated by evaporation from the Atlantic Ocean and the ‘Evapotranspiration’ from the Amazon forest.
    • Evapotranspiration is the sum of all processes by which water moves from the land surface to the atmosphere via evaporation (soil etc.) and transpiration (plants).
  • It is carried by steady inland trade winds, blowing west along the equator.
  • Significance: Regulation of rainfall in the Amazon region especially near the Andes in northwestern South America.
  • Tags :
  • Amazon’s Flying Rivers
  • Evapotranspiration
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