UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on India’s indigenous satellite navigation system and deep sea mining (Week 96)

QUESTION 1

Discuss the strategic importance of India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, NavIC, in the context of national security and technological self-reliance.

​QUESTION 2

What is deep sea mining? Critically analyse the potential benefits and environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

QUESTION 1: Discuss the strategic importance of India’s indigenous satellite navigation system, NavIC, in the context of national security and technological self-reliance.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— To satisfy the positioning, navigation, and timing needs, ISRO has built a regional navigation satellite system known as Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC). NavIC was previously known as the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

— NavIC is designed with a 7-satellite constellation and a network of ground stations that operate around the clock. The constellation’s three satellites are in geostationary orbit, while the remaining four are in inclined geosynchronous orbit.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

— The IRNSS was conceived in 1999, following the Kargil War, when India’s military was unable to use the American Global Positioning System (GPS) in the battle zone.

— An indigenous seven-satellite constellation servicing both defence and civilian needs was intended to be operational by 2016, with the first satellite, IRNSS 1A, launching on July 1, 2013.

— IRNSS-1A was introduced in 2013, followed by IRNSS-1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, 1J, and 1K between April 4, 2014 and January 29, 2025. On April 28, 2016, ISRO announced the successful launch of IRNSS-1G, the seventh satellite in the series, marking the completion of the IRNSS constellation.

— Since mid-2016, there have been allegations of rubidium atomic clock failures in multiple navigation satellites, including ISRO’s IRNSS and the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Each IRNSS satellite is equipped with three atomic clocks.

— It is anticipated that only four IRNSS satellites are currently operational: 1B, 1F, 1I (the replacement for 1A after the launch of 1H, the original replacement, failed), and 1J (the replacement for the partially failed 1G).

Strategic importance of NavIC

— The NavIC satellites provide two types of services – Standard Positioning Service which is for general and commercial use, and Restricted Service which is meant for the defence forces – over the Indian landmass and neighbouring regions.

— The indigenous system provides positioning data “at all times with position accuracy better than 20 metres during all weather conditions, anywhere within India and a region extending about 1,500 km around India on dual frequencies in L5 and S band”.

— A primary reason to develop an indigenous satellite navigation system like the IRNSS despite the existence of global systems such as the GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (Europe), Beidou (China), and QZSS (Japan), is the reliability that it offers in defence use.

Conclusion:

— NavIC provides two services: Standard Position Service (SPS) for civilians and Restricted Service (RS) for strategic users. NavIC signals are intended to provide user position accuracy greater than 20 meters.

— For NavIC to become widely used in the Indian subcontinent, ISRO will need to offer its capabilities to general positioning service providers such as mobile phone and automobile manufacturers.

(Source: Story of NavIC: crucial indigenous SatNav system, a few hurdles in development path, http://www.isro.gov.in)

Points to Ponder

Read about applications of NavIC

What is the difference between geostationary orbit and geosynchronous orbit?

Related Previous Year Questions

What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier mission? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre which contributed to the successful launch from Sriharikota. (2023)

India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space mission. What are the main obstacles to launching a manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Examine critically. (2017)

QUESTION 2: What is deep sea mining? Critically analyse the potential benefits and environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining.

Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.

Introduction:

— Deep sea mining is extracting mineral resources and metals from the ocean’s seafloor. There are three types of such mining: extracting deposit-rich polymetallic nodules from the ocean floor, mining enormous seabed sulphide deposits, and removing cobalt crusts from rock.

— These nodules, deposits, and crusts include minerals such as nickel, rare earths, cobalt, and others that are required for batteries and other materials used in renewable energy harvesting, as well as for everyday electronics such as smartphones and computers.

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:

Potential benefits and environmental risks associated with deep-sea mining

— The study, titled ‘Long-term effects and biological recovery in a deep-sea mining track’, was published in Nature on March 26. It was carried out by a group of experts lead by Britain’s National Oceanography Centre.

— The study looked at the effects of a small-scale mining experiment on a section of the Pacific Ocean bottom. The experiment was carried out in 1979 and involved the removal of polymetallic nodules from the seafloor. During an expedition in 2023, the scientists examined an 8-meter strip.

— They discovered that the experiment had caused long-term alterations in the area’s sediment, as well as a decrease in the population of species that live there.

— Previous research has found that mining below 200 metres can produce detrimental noise, vibration, sediment plumes, and light pollution.

— The most direct impact of deep-sea mining would be species extinction, as well as fragmentation or loss of ecosystem structure and functionality.

— Deep-sea mining would also contribute to rising sea levels. Overfishing, climate change, and pollution are placing the oceans and all marine life at risk of extinction.

— The machinery’s loudness would disturb wildlife, the scraping of the bottom would kill creatures and plants, and the sediment plumes would smother and damage marine life throughout the ocean.

Conclusion:

— Matsya-6000, the submersible vehicle that will transport three Indians to the deep sea in 2026, has successfully completed wet tests and enabled repeated manned dives in the Bay of Bengal.

— Samudrayaan, like the human space project Gaganyaan, is India’s manned deep-ocean mission aimed at mineral exploration. The vehicle will be dropped down 6,000 meters below sea.

— NIOT, Chennai, designed and developed the Matsya-6000 under the Samudrayaan project. This submersible will be outfitted with cutting-edge instrumentation, oceanographic sensors, and technology required for the search of rare earth minerals, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and a variety of other undersea minerals off the Indian shores.

(Source: What a new study found about the long-term impact of deep sea mining, Samudrayaan: Matsya-6000 performs manned dives, wet tests off Chennai)

Read more: Knowledge Nugget: Samudrayaan and Matsya-6000 – What you must know for UPSC Exam?

Points to Ponder

Read about India’s deep sea mission

Read more about Matsya 6000

Related Previous Year Question

What are the impediments disposing of the huge quantities of discarded solid waste which are continuously being generated? How do we safely remove the toxic wastes that have been accumulated in our habitable environment? (2018)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 94)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 95)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 94)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 95)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 95)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 94)

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