Daily Current Affairs – 07-06-2025

Tamil Nadu

South Asia’s Largest Battery Energy Storage System Inaugurated in Delhi

® A 20-MW Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the largest in South Asia, was inaugurated at Kilokari, New Delhi. ® It is also India’s first commercially approved utility-scale energy storage system. ® The system uses Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) technology, known for its safety, thermal stability, and long life. ® In LiFePO₄ batteries, lithium metal phosphate is used as the cathode, replacing conventional lithium metal oxide.

Kochi Shipwreck Declared State-Specific Disaster by Kerala Government

® The Kerala government has declared the wreckage of the Liberian-flagged cargo ship MSC ELSA-3 (IMO: 9123221) as a State-specific disaster. ® The ship sank off the Kerala coast, carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide. ® Indian Coast Guard (ICG) initiated an immediate response, deploying ships Vikram, Saksham, Samarth, and pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari. ® ICG’s MRSC Kochi coordinated the operation; Dornier aircraft conducted aerial surveillance. ® INCOIS, Hyderabad activated the Search and Rescue Aid Tool (SARAT) to track drifting containers. ® Oil Spill Dispersants (OSD) and infrared cameras were used to assess and contain the oil spill. ® The Mercantile Marine Department, Kochi, issued a pollution liability warning to vessel owners under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958.

DRDO Inaugurates Quantum Technology Research Centre (QTRC) in Delhi

® The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has inaugurated the Quantum Technology Research Centre (QTRC) in Delhi to enhance India’s indigenous quantum technology capabilities. ® The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art experimental infrastructure to support R&D in critical quantum domains, including quantum computing, communication, and sensing. ® The QTRC aims to bolster strategic defence applications and reduce reliance on foreign technologies in emerging quantum fields.

India’s First Potash Mine Allotted to Hindustan Zinc Ltd in Rajasthan

® Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) has secured India’s first-ever potash and halite block in Rajasthan, along with a rare earth elements (REE) block in Uttar Pradesh. ® Coal India was allotted a graphite and vanadium mineral block, marking strategic diversification in critical minerals. ® Potash, essential for NPK fertiliser production, is 100% imported currently — from Canada, Belarus, Jordan, and South Korea. ® HZL is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, holds 77% of India’s primary zinc market, and is among the top five silver producers globally. ® The move aligns with India’s goal of self-reliance in critical mineral resources.