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Current Edge Daily Brief 11th September 2025
Quote of the Day
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” – GEORGE SANTAYANA
What the Others Say
“Today, we stand at the threshold of a new Nepal. A Nepal where transparency must replace corruption, where accountability must silence impunity and where the sacrifices and murder of 19 young martyrs must never be forgotten.” – THE HIMALAYAN TIMES
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- IE Explained: Why France’s govt collapsed, again
- IE Explained: India gets its first indigenous microprocessor: What are semiconductor chips and why are they significant? (Alind Chauhan)
NEWS IN SHORT
- Exercise ZAPAD 2025
The Big Picture
IE Explained: Why France’s govt collapsed, again
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
France’s government collapsed after Prime Minister François Bayrou’s minority administration was ousted in a confidence vote, following rejection of his €44 billion deficit-cutting budget plan.
Immediate Cause of Collapse
- Proposed €44 billion austerity plan for 2026
- Included freezing welfare spending and scrapping two public holidays
- Faced overwhelming parliamentary opposition (vote: 364 against, 194 in favour)
- Bayrou gambled on a confidence vote to force acceptance—backfired
Structural and Political Context
- Hung parliament since 2024 snap legislative election; no majority for Macron’s coalition
- Government in minority rule, reliant on cooperation from left and far-right blocs—fragile alliances
- Fiscal pressure: deficit ≈ 5.8% of GDP (well above EU’s 3% limit), debt ≈ 114% of GDP
Broader Instability Trends
- Fourth prime minister in 20 months (fifth likely soon)—chronic instability
- Similar patterns before: Barnier government collapsed in December 2024 over budget dispute
- Growing public discontent, protests, and strikes fueling political uncertainty
Consequences and Stakes Ahead
- President Macron must appoint new prime minister (likely fifth in under two years)
- Urgent need to pass 2026 budget amid divided parliament
- Investor nervousness—rising bond yields and credit-rating concerns
- Calls increasing for snap elections; Macron currently resisting that option
IE Explained: India gets its first indigenous microprocessor: What are semiconductor chips and why are they significant?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Science & Tech
Why in News?
India unveiled its first fully indigenous microprocessor “Vikram 3201”, developed by ISRO’s Semiconductor Laboratory, presented to PM at Semicon India 2025.
What are Semiconductors?
- Materials with properties between conductors and insulators
- Conduct weakly in pure form, conductivity altered by doping (e.g., silicon + phosphorus)
- Enable control of electric current → foundation of modern electronics
Significance of Semiconductors
- Building block of computation: power smartphones, data centres, supercomputers
- Strategic use: defence systems, missiles, satellites, AI, quantum computing
- Everyday use: electric vehicles, consumer electronics, healthcare devices
- National importance: supply chain resilience, digital sovereignty, economic security
Evolution of Chips
- Vacuum tubes (1940s): bulky, inefficient, prone to failure (e.g., ENIAC with 18,000 tubes)
- Transistor (1947): compact, efficient, enabled binary storage & processing
- Integrated Circuit (1958): Jack Kilby’s innovation → multiple transistors on one silicon slab
- Robert Noyce (1959): scalable IC design → mass production → Intel
- Microprocessor (1971): Intel 4004 as first “computer on a chip” → computing revolution
Structure of Modern Chips
- Layers of transistors, diodes, capacitors, resistors
- Built on circular silicon wafer, “chipped” into dies
- Billions of transistors in a few centimetres (Moore’s Law scaling)
Manufacturing of Chips
- Wafer fabrication process: slicing silicon → polishing → circuit design → layering
- Clean rooms: sterile, particle-free environments
- Steps: up to 1,500 involving lithography, etching, doping, deposition
- Foundries: highly capital-intensive (costs in billions, requiring precision tech)
- Global supply chain: design (US), fabrication (Taiwan, South Korea), materials (Japan), packaging (ASEAN/India emerging)
Why Important for India?
- Strategic autonomy: reduces dependence on global supply chain disruptions (e.g., US-China chip war)
- Economic growth: semiconductor market projected to cross $100 bn in India by 2030
- Technology leadership: supports AI, 5G/6G, defence, space, EV ecosystem
- Employment & skill boost: fab ecosystem generates high-value R&D and manufacturing jobs
- Geopolitical leverage: positions India as a trusted chip hub in Indo-Pacific supply chain realignment
News in Short
Exercise ZAPAD 2025
Why in News?
An Indian Armed Forces contingent of 65 personnel departed for Russia to participate in the multilateral joint military exercise ZAPAD 2025, scheduled from September 10-16, 2025.
Key Points
- What it is? A multilateral joint military exercise hosted by Russia at Mulino Training Ground, Nizhniy, with participation from over 20 countries including India, Bangladesh, Iran, Mali, Niger, and Tajikistan
- Indian Participation: 65-member contingent comprising 57 Army personnel (led by Kumaon Regiment), 7 Air Force personnel, and 1 Navy personnel
Objectives:
- Enhance military cooperation and interoperability between participating nations
- Exchange tactics, techniques and procedures in conventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations
- Integrate emerging technologies in multinational combat environment
Geopolitical Context: The exercise has raised concerns among NATO allies and European nations, as the previous Zapad 2021 exercise was followed months later by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022
Significance for India: Strengthens India-Russia defense cooperation and provides opportunity to operate alongside multiple nations in joint military scenarios
