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Current Edge Daily Brief 3rd November 2025
Quote of the Day
“Quality is everyone’s responsibility.” – W EDWARDS DEMING
What the Others Say
“The king has acted in an attempt to stop the slow haemorrhaging of support and credibility that his brother’s behaviour has caused. Yet this saga may not be over yet… Recent events point to the need for a wider reset of Britain’s relationship with its royal family.” – THE GUARDIAN
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- IE Explained: Why India might be staring at a urea scarcity (Harish Damodaran)
- IE Explained: Delhi air pollution: Why cloud seeding in winter has a specially low chance of success, according to science (Gufran Beig)
- IE Sports: At the stroke of midnight hour, India gets its tryst with destiny (Shankar Narayan)
NEWS IN SHORT
- ISRO launches GSAT-7R: Heaviest Indigenous Naval Communication Satellite
The Big Picture
IE Explained: Why India might be staring at a urea scarcity
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Economy & Agriculture
Why in News?
→ India faces looming urea scarcity 
due to rising demand (~40 mt in 2025–26) outpacing stagnant domestic output (~30 mt).
Rising Consumption Trend
- Urea sales ↑ sharply → 38.8 mt (2024–25) → likely 40 mt (2025–26).
- Growth drivers → Good monsoon
+ ↑ Rabi acreage (wheat, mustard, potato). - Historical rise → 14 mt (1990–91) → 28.1 mt (2010–11) → 35 mt + (2020–21).
- Projected → may hit 45 mt by 2030 end.
+ ↑ Rabi acreage (wheat, mustard, potato).
Price Distortion → Excess Demand
- MRP static since 2012 → ₹ 5,628 / t (neem-coated) vs ₹ 11k–38k / t for other fertilisers.
- Price gap → huge incentive for overuse + diversion (non-farm uses: plywood, cattle feed etc.).
- Low price → inelastic demand → even doubling MRP → no major fall in use.
Supply Constraints
- Domestic production peaked 31.4 mt (2023–24) → ↓ 30.6 mt (2024–25).
- New plants (6, 2019–22) → added ~7.8 mt capacity (Gadepan III, Ramagundam, Panagarh, Gorakhpur, Barauni, Sindri).
- Two closures → Nagarjuna (1.2 mt) & Kanpur (0.7 mt) ↓ supply.
- Plants under-utilised → older IFFCO, NFL units running at full capacity.
- Imports → ~10 mt needed to bridge gap.
Ineffective Demand-side Reforms
- Neem coating (2015) → aim: better N-use efficiency + diversion check ✦ impact limited.
- 45-kg bags (2018) & Nano Urea (2021) → adoption low, no consumption reduction.
- Nutrient imbalance → ↑ N use vs P & K fertilisers → soil degradation risk.
Looming Shortages
- Opening stock (Oct 2025) → 3.7 mt vs 6.3 mt (2024) ↓ 40%.
- Reports → farmers queuing for hours in kharif & rabi seasons.
- Risk → supply mismatch in key states (U.P., Bihar, M.P.).
Way Forward → Managing Demand & Supply
Demand control →
- Rationalise MRP (gradual ↑ to curb overuse).
- Ration → ≤ 25 bags / farmer limit.
- Add urease + nitrification inhibitors → ↑ N efficiency.
Supply augmentation →
- Add ~5 mt capacity (4 new plants × 1.3 mt each).
- Optimise existing plants → full utilisation.
- LNG terminals + pipeline network → “import gas, make urea” model (economical for N/C/E India).
Import strategy → direct urea imports only for W/S markets near ports.
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q. With reference to urea in India, consider the following statements:
- The maximum retail price (MRP) of urea has remained unchanged for over a decade.
- The MRP of urea is lower than that of any other major fertiliser used in India.
- The government directly transfers subsidy to farmers’ bank accounts under the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) scheme.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: Urea MRP unchanged since 2012; it is the cheapest fertiliser. Subsidy is paid to manufacturers, not directly to farmers
IE Explained: Delhi air pollution: Why cloud seeding in winter has a specially low chance of success, according to science
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Environment, Science & Tech
Why in News?
→ Delhi’s Oct 28 cloud seeding trial for pollution control sparks debate; experts cite very low winter success probability.
Cloud Seeding: The Technique
- Artificial weather engineering → inject AgI/NaCl into clouds → act as condensation/ice nuclei → trigger rainfall
- Works only in hygroscopic (warm-rain) clouds → abundant liquid water → quick response
- Ineffective in cold/mixed clouds → resist external nuclei
Meteorological Limitation
- Warm rain clouds rare in winter → form mainly pre- & monsoon seasons
- Prob. of suitable clouds → ~51% (pre/post monsoon) ↓ to 5–10% (winter)
- Global seeding success → ~50% if right clouds exist → winter success <5%
- Need alignment: ideal clouds + high AQI days → extremely low odds
Limited Pollution Impact
- Oct 28 trial → AQI shift: “Very Poor” → “Poor” in few pockets → minor, short-lived relief
- PM2.5 → main pollutant → remains >> national standards even post drizzle
- Light drizzle + cool air → ↑ secondary aerosol formation → PM rebound
- Real cleansing → needs heavy rain; drizzle can worsen pollution
- Past cases (Delhi winters, 2021–24) show similar rebound patterns
Scientific & Operational Concerns
- Insufficient moisture in target clouds → flawed pre-assessment
- Unclear role of expert meteorological input
- High financial & logistical cost vs. minimal efficacy
- Comparable to 2021 smoke tower experiment → initial hype → limited utility
Broader Pollution Context
- Major contributors → vehicular (≈40% PM2.5), fossil fuels, systemic urban emissions
- Seasonal factors (stubble, fireworks) → short episodic impact
- Need airshed-based, not city-centric approach → pollutants transboundary
- NARFI (NIAS–GoI) promotes coordinated airshed management
Way Forward
- Year-round emission cuts → EV adoption, fossil fuel phase-out
- Multi-city, regional coordination → avoid cross-boundary pollution traps
- Cloud seeding → scientific experiment, not policy tool for AQI
- Stop normalising toxic air → long-term systemic mitigation essential.
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q. With reference to cloud seeding, consider the following statements:
- It involves dispersing chemicals like silver iodide or sodium chloride into clouds to induce rainfall.
- It is effective mainly in hygroscopic or warm-rain clouds.
- The probability of occurrence of such clouds in North India is highest during the winter season.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: Works only in warm-rain clouds; their occurrence ↓ to 5–10% in winter
IE Sports: At the stroke of midnight hour, India gets its tryst with destiny
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Miscellaneous
Why in News?
→ India clinches its maiden Women’s ODI World Cup (2025), defeating South Africa by 52 runs — historic first for Indian women’s cricket.
🏆 Historic Triumph: India’s First Women’s World Cup
- Victory margin → 52 runs vs South Africa (final, Navi Mumbai)
- Final hero → Deepti Sharma (5 wickets + 50) ✦ all-round brilliance
- Key partnership → Shafali Verma (87 off 78) + Mandhana (104-run opening stand)
- Decisive catch → Harmanpreet Kaur sealed win off Nadine de Klerk
- Emotional moment → 15 players in tears, joy, disbelief — “tryst with destiny” moment
⚔️ Journey to Glory
- Early setbacks → 3 consecutive losses in league stage
- Near eliminations → Escaped brink vs Australia & South Africa
- Semi-final heroics → Jemimah Rodrigues’ “knock for the ages”
- Shafali’s comeback → Recalled for injured Rawal → 87 runs + 2 wkts
- Turning point → Wolvaardt’s dismissal (41st over, RR ~9) → belief ignited
👭 Spirit & Symbolism
- Triumph of collectivism → If one failed, another rose ✦ team > individual
- Sisterhood forged → Shared struggle, fear, faith, & redemption
- Represented India’s breadth → Rohru→Kadapa, Ghuwara→Golaghat, Siliguri→Moga united in pride
- Women’s sport uplift → Breaks long drought of “gold moments” in national women’s sports
⚡ Parallels with 1983 Men’s World Cup
| Aspect | 1983 (Men) | 2025 (Women) |
| Tournament | Men’s ODI WC | Women’s ODI WC |
| Miracle Knock | Kapil Dev | Jemimah Rodrigues |
| Final Hero | Mohinder Amarnath | Deepti Sharma |
| Common Theme | Underdogs’ rise → Historic first | |
| National Impact | Transformed Indian cricket psyche → Women’s 2025 repeat |
🌍 Broader Impact
- Potential unlock → Encourages grassroots women’s cricket
- Cultural shift → Women’s sport enters mainstream celebration
- Symbol of progress → From limited success → to global champions
- Media & public response → Countrywide celebrations, social media euphoria
News in Short
ISRO launches GSAT-7R: Heaviest Indigenous Naval Communication Satellite
Why in News?
→ ISRO successfully launched GSAT-7R, India’s heaviest (≈4,400 kg) indigenously-built communication satellite for the Indian Navy via LVM3-M5 from Sriharikota.
GSAT-7R: Key Highlights
- Heaviest Indian-built comm. satellite → 4,400 kg → Launched to GTO by LVM3 (M5).
- Successor to GSAT-7 & 7A → Strengthens naval comm. & maritime domain awareness.
- Indigenous design → ✦ Boosts Aatmanirbhar Bharat & defence-space synergy.
Technical & Operational Features
- Advanced payload → Multi-band transponders (voice + data + video).
- Coverage → Indian Ocean Region (IOR) → Ships, subs, aircraft, MOCs.
- Orbit raising → Onboard propulsion from GTO → GEO circularisation.
Strategic Significance
- ↑ Secure, high-capacity naval comm. → Real-time ops & situational awareness.
- ↓ Dependence on foreign launchers → LVM3 proven for >4 t class satellites.
- Supports Gaganyaan readiness → Demonstrates heavy-lift reliability.
- Enhances India’s maritime & space-based deterrence posture.
