UPSC Mains Current Affairs for 18 December 2025

MH-60R Seahawk Helicopters: How the New Squadron Boosts Indian Navy Power

December 18, 2025

MH-60R Seahawk Latest News

The Indian Navy has commissioned its second MH-60R Seahawk helicopter squadron, INAS 335, at INS Hansa in Goa.
Nicknamed the “Ospreys,” the squadron operates US-origin MH-60R helicopters, the maritime variant of the Black Hawk.
These helicopters will significantly enhance the Navy’s anti-submarine warfare, maritime surveillance, and blue-water operational capabilities, strengthening India’s overall naval defence posture.

MH-60R Seahawks Fully Integrated into Naval Operations

With the induction of INAS 335, the Indian Navy has now fully operationalised its MH-60R Seahawk fleet.
The first squadron, INAS 334, was commissioned at INS Garuda, Kochi, in March 2024, enabling seamless integration across the Navy’s air and sea-based platforms.
The MH-60R helicopters can operate from shore bases, aircraft carriers, and major warships.
These are designed for diverse roles including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), surveillance, search and rescue (SAR), medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), and vertical replenishment (VERTREP).
Rigorously tested under Indian Reference Atmosphere (IRA) conditions, the 24 US-acquired helicopters are replacing the ageing Sea King fleet.
Their induction in 2025 also marks 75 years since the approval of the Indian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm, underscoring a major milestone in naval aviation capability.

Key Features of the MH-60R Seahawk Helicopter

The MH-60R Seahawk is a highly advanced maritime helicopter developed by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, to US Navy specifications.
A variant of the Black Hawk platform, it has also been used in high-profile missions such as Operation Neptune Spear in 2011.
Equipped with a state-of-the-art digital sensor suite, the MH-60R features multi-mode radar, electronic support measures, infrared cameras, advanced datalinks, aircraft survivability systems, and dipping sonars.
Its onboard mission system integrates sensor data to generate a comprehensive picture of surface and sub-surface threats.
This enhanced situational awareness allows precise detection, tracking, and targeting of enemy ships and submarines.
The helicopter can be armed with torpedoes, air-to-ground missiles, rockets, and onboard guns, making it a powerful platform for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare.

MH-60R: Strengthening India’s Response to Conventional and Asymmetric Maritime Threats

The Indian Navy has described the MH-60R Seahawk as a highly agile and versatile platform capable of addressing both traditional and non-conventional maritime threats.
On the conventional front, its core role is anti-submarine warfare, using dipping sonar, sonobuoys and torpedoes to detect, track and neutralise hostile submarines.
It can also engage enemy surface ships, conduct mine-related reconnaissance, support sea-denial missions and extend the strike range of warships during blue-water operations in the deep sea.
Equally significant is its role in countering asymmetric threats such as maritime terrorism, piracy, smuggling, sea-borne infiltration, sabotage of ports and offshore infrastructure, and disruptions by non-state actors.
The helicopter is also suited to detecting unmanned threats like drones and hostile activity concealed within civilian or fishing vessels.
As Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi has noted, modern maritime power is increasingly shaped by asymmetric capabilities deployed by both state and non-state actors.
In this evolving security environment, the induction of the MH-60R substantially enhances India’s maritime surveillance, deterrence and response capabilities.

Five-Year Sustainment Support to Boost MH-60R Operational Readiness

The Ministry of Defence has signed agreements with the United States to provide five years of sustainment support for the Indian Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk fleet.
This comprehensive package includes spare parts, support equipment, training, technical assistance, repair and replenishment of components, and the establishment of intermediate-level repair and periodic maintenance facilities in India.
According to the MoD, the support will significantly improve the helicopters’ operational availability and maintainability, enabling all-weather operations from ships and dispersed locations, and ensuring optimal performance across their full range of missions.

Source: IE

MH-60R Seahawk FAQs

Q1: What are MH-60R Seahawk helicopters?

Ans: MH-60R Seahawk helicopters are advanced maritime helicopters designed for anti-submarine warfare, surveillance, and multi-role naval operations.

Q2: Why is the second MH-60R squadron important for the Indian Navy?

Ans: The second squadron enables full fleet integration, improving persistent anti-submarine coverage, maritime surveillance, and operational readiness across India’s naval platforms.

Q3: What missions can MH-60R Seahawk helicopters perform?

Ans: MH-60R Seahawk helicopters can conduct ASW, ASuW, SAR, MEDEVAC, VERTREP, mine reconnaissance, and blue-water strike support missions.

Q4: How do MH-60R helicopters counter asymmetric maritime threats?

Ans: They detect piracy, maritime terrorism, smuggling, sea-borne infiltration, drones, and hostile activity disguised within civilian or fishing vessels.

Q5: What sustainment support has India secured for MH-60R helicopters?

Ans: India has signed a five-year sustainment package covering spares, training, repairs, and maintenance facilities to ensure high operational availability.

China Wireless Freight Trains: How Virtual Coupling Boosts Rail Capacity

December 18, 2025

Wireless Freight Trains Latest News

China recently demonstrated a major advance in rail technology by successfully operating seven fully loaded freight trains as a single coordinated unit without physical coupling.
Using a wireless control system, each train—carrying about 5,000 tonnes—ran at much closer intervals than normally possible.
This innovation allows for safer, synchronised movement, effectively increasing freight capacity and efficiency.

The technology could significantly strengthen China’s already dominant rail freight network by enabling faster transport of larger cargo volumes without expanding physical infrastructure.

Wireless Control System Behind China’s Multi-Train Run

China’s seven-train freight operation was enabled by a wireless control system deployed on the Baoshen Railway in Inner Mongolia.
Instead of using traditional mechanical couplings, the trains were synchronised through a wireless network that coordinated their movement as a single unit.
The system was developed by China Shenhua Energy, a subsidiary of the state-owned CHN Energy group, overcoming the key challenge of linking multiple heavy freight trains without physically joining them.

Technology Behind China’s Wireless Train Convoy

China’s wireless freight convoy is powered by a “two-dimensional control mode” developed by China Shenhua Energy and domestic partners.
The system combines relative speed control with absolute distance monitoring, using continuous communication between trains and ground systems.
This virtual coupling allows trains to adjust dynamically to speed changes, shorten braking distances, and safely operate at closer intervals without physical connections.

Safe Spacing Through Wireless Synchronisation

Despite operating closely on the same track, the seven freight trains maintained safe distances during the trial.
CHN Energy said each train ran about 1,091 metres apart at a speed of 60 kmph.
Using wireless communication and precise control, the system synchronised acceleration and braking across all trains without mechanical couplers.
According to China Central Television (CCTV) report, the operation was completed without any collision or separation, demonstrating that wireless coordination can ensure both safety and efficiency in multi-train freight movement.

Implications for China’s Rail Freight Capacity

The successful wireless multi-train operation could significantly boost China’s freight capacity—by up to 50%—without requiring new rail infrastructure.
The breakthrough aligns with China’s strategy of using advanced technology to increase loading efficiency.
CHN Energy noted that since 2022, the project has been tested across multiple heavy-haul scenarios, offering a scalable model for rail systems worldwide.

Why Wireless Multi-Train Control Matters for China

China’s rail freight volumes continue to surge, with over 3 billion tonnes moved in the first nine months of the year.
Expanding capacity by building new lines is expensive, making efficiency-enhancing technologies more attractive. Wireless group train control allows longer trains, shorter intervals, and denser convoys without new infrastructure.
The system can also raise station “throat capacity,” enabling more trains to enter and exit efficiently.
As China expands international services like China Railway Express across Europe and Asia, mastering such technology strengthens its freight competitiveness and positions it as a global leader in heavy-haul rail operations.

Source: IE | BS

Wireless Freight Trains FAQs

Q1: What are China wireless freight trains?

Ans: China wireless freight trains are multiple heavy trains digitally synchronised through wireless control, allowing them to operate as a single convoy without physical coupling.

Q2: How does virtual coupling work in China’s rail system?

Ans: Virtual coupling uses wireless communication, relative-speed control and absolute-distance monitoring to synchronise braking and acceleration among trains running close together.

Q3: How was safety ensured during the wireless train trial?

Ans: The trains maintained about 1,091 metres distance at 60 kmph, with fully synchronised acceleration and braking, ensuring no collision or separation occurred.

Q4: Why is this technology important for China’s rail freight capacity?

Ans: China wireless freight trains can raise cargo capacity by up to 50% without building new tracks, making freight expansion cheaper and faster.

Q5: What global significance does this railway technology hold?

Ans: The system offers a scalable model for heavy-haul railways worldwide, especially where infrastructure expansion is costly or geographically constrained.

Protecting the Aravalli Range – Explained

December 18, 2025

Aravalli Range Latest News

The Supreme Court has settled a uniform definition of the Aravalli hills and ranges and paused fresh mining leases across Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, while issuing directions for sustainable mining and ecological restoration of the region.

Aravalli Mountain Range: Geographic and Ecological Significance

The Aravalli Mountain Range is one of the oldest mountain systems in the world, estimated to be nearly two billion years old.
Stretching over 650 km from Delhi to Gujarat, the range passes through Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, forming a critical ecological spine in north-western India.
Ecologically, the Aravalli’s act as a natural barrier against desertification, preventing the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert into the fertile Indo-Gangetic plains.
They play a vital role in climate regulation, groundwater recharge, and biodiversity conservation.
Several important rivers, such as the Chambal, Sabarmati, and Luni, originate from or are supported by the Aravalli system.
The region is rich in minerals like limestone, marble, sandstone, copper, zinc, and tungsten, which have historically made it a mining hub.
However, excessive quarrying over recent decades has severely degraded forests, reduced groundwater levels, and worsened air quality, especially in the National Capital Region (NCR).

Mining and Environmental Degradation

Since the early 1990s, the Environment Ministry has issued regulations restricting mining to sanctioned projects.
Despite this, widespread illegal and unregulated mining continued, particularly in parts of Haryana and Rajasthan.
In 2009, the Supreme Court imposed a blanket ban on mining in Faridabad, Gurugram, and Mewat districts of Haryana. However, enforcement challenges persisted.
Recognising the long-term ecological risks and India’s commitments under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Court revisited the issue in recent years to adopt a more comprehensive and sustainable approach.

Supreme Court Intervention and Uniform Definition

A major issue in protecting the Aravalli’s was the absence of a uniform definition.
Different States and agencies used inconsistent criteria to identify Aravalli formations, leading to regulatory loopholes.
To address this, the Supreme Court constituted a committee comprising representatives from the Environment Ministry, Forest Survey of India (FSI), Geological Survey of India, State Forest Departments, and the Central Empowered Committee (CEC).
In 2025, the Court accepted the committee’s recommendation that hills above 100 metres in height would be considered part of the Aravalli range.
While concerns were raised that this definition might exclude smaller formations, the Court held that it was more inclusive and workable than earlier slope-based or buffer-based definitions, which risked excluding large areas altogether.

Central Empowered Committee Recommendations

The Central Empowered Committee proposed a science-based, multi-layered strategy for protecting the Aravalli’s. Key recommendations included:
- Comprehensive scientific mapping of the Aravalli range across all States
- Macro-level environmental impact assessment of mining activities
- Strict prohibition of mining in ecologically sensitive zones such as wildlife corridors, aquifer recharge areas, water bodies, and protected habitats
- No new mining leases or renewals until proper mapping and assessments are completed
- Tight regulation of stone-crushing units contributing to air pollution
These recommendations were accepted by the Supreme Court in its November 2025 order.

Sustainable Mining and the Green Wall Initiative

Instead of imposing a complete ban, the Supreme Court adopted a calibrated approach.
It allowed existing legal mining to continue under strict regulation while pausing fresh approvals. The Court noted that total bans often fuel illegal mining mafias and unregulated extraction.
Complementing judicial action, the Centre launched the Aravalli Green Wall Project in June 2025.
The initiative aims to increase green cover in a five-kilometre buffer zone across 29 districts in Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi.
The project targets the restoration of 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030, strengthening India’s land degradation neutrality goals.

Source: TH | IE

Aravalli Range FAQs

Q1: Why is the Aravalli range ecologically important?

Ans: It prevents desertification, supports groundwater recharge, and regulates climate in north-western India.

Q2: Why did the Supreme Court define the Aravalli hills uniformly?

Ans: To prevent regulatory loopholes caused by inconsistent definitions across States.

Q3: Has mining been completely banned in the Aravallis?

Ans: No, fresh mining is paused, while existing legal mining continues under strict regulation.

Q4: What is the Aravalli Green Wall Project?

Ans: A government initiative to expand green cover in a five-km buffer around the Aravallis.

Q5: How does the Aravalli issue relate to India’s global commitments?

Ans: India is obligated under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification to protect vulnerable ecosystems like the Aravallis.