Context

• From the degrading ridges of the Aravalli range to the hazardous smog of the National Capital Region and the alarming spread of groundwater contamination across northern states, a web of interconnected ecological emergencies is unfolding.
• While each of these developments may appear geographically and thematically distinct, together they paint a picture of systematic neglect and exploitation of the nation’s ecological foundations.
• Together, these developments reveal a pattern of regulatory dilution extractive policymaking that threatens both the environment and public health.

The Aravalli Crisis: A Symbol of Systemic Exploitation

• The Aravalli range, stretching from Gujarat to Haryana, has served for millennia as a natural barrier against desertification, a cradle of biodiversity, and a foundation of cultural history.
• Yet illegal mining has already stripped large sections of these ancient hills.
• The recent decision to exclude elevations below 100 metres from mining protections effectively provides a licence to destroy nearly 90% of the range, inviting further degradation.
• This move prioritises short-term commercial extraction over long-term ecological stability, threatening to accelerate desertification and undermine regional climate resilience.

Air Pollution and Public Health: A Slow-Motion Emergency

• Northern India continues to face one of the world’s most severe air-quality crises, with Delhi entering its annual smog season marked by dense clouds of particulate matter, dust, and toxic emissions.
• This recurrent haze has evolved into a full-scale public health emergency, with estimates of up to 34,000 pollution-related deaths annually in just ten major cities.
• Despite this, air-quality initiatives remain underfunded, inconsistently implemented, and administratively fragmented, reflecting a failure to treat air pollution as the urgent national crisis that it is.

Groundwater Contamination: An Emerging Catastrophe

• Groundwater assessments have revealed dangerously high uranium levels in significant portions of Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana’s water supplies.
• Chronic exposure to uranium can cause serious kidney damage, developmental issues, and long-term cancer risks.
• The presence of such contaminants signals deep failures in water monitoring, aquifer protection, and environmental oversight.
• This is not an isolated concern but part of a widening pattern of soil degradation, unchecked borewell drilling, and regulatory inertia.

Policy Dilution and Regulatory Weakening

• A decade of legislative and executive decisions has contributed to the erosion of India’s environmental safeguards.
• Key examples include:
  • The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023, which created expansive exemptions from forest clearances.
  • The Draft EIA Notification 2020, which sought to reduce public scrutiny, expand exemptions, and weaken compliance requirements.
  • The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018, which relaxed construction restrictions in sensitive coastal ecosystems.
• These measures collectively represent a sustained weakening of transparency, accountability, and precaution, enabling large-scale diversion of natural resources.
• Parallel to this regulatory dilution, political funding patterns have raised concerns about environmental policymaking being influenced by corporate interests, further undermining public trust.

Marginalising Communities: A Counterproductive Approach

• Local and indigenous communities, historically central to ecological stewardship, have increasingly been portrayed as obstacles to conservation.
• Authorities have attributed forest loss to the implementation of community rights, despite evidence that forests managed by indigenous groups are often more resilient.
• Proposals such as the eviction of 65,000 families from tiger reserves contradict the principle that relocations must be voluntary and mutually beneficial.
• This adversarial approach weakens conservation outcomes while eroding the rights and knowledge systems of forest-dependent communities.

The Way Forward: Toward a New Environmental Compact

• A sustainable path forward requires a comprehensive reorientation of environmental governance.
• First, India must resolve to halt ongoing ecological destruction.
  • This includes stopping large-scale deforestation in Great Nicobar, Hasdeo Aranya, and the Himalayan belt, and launching strong crackdowns on illegal mining and unregulated development in eco-sensitive regions.
• Second, environmental laws weakened in recent years must be reviewed and, where necessary, reversed.
  • Post-facto environmental clearances should be discontinued, and institutions like the National Green Tribunal must be restored to full capacity and independence.
• Third, environmental management must operate through cooperative federalism, particularly on issues such as air pollution and groundwater contamination that cross state boundaries.

Conclusion

• India’s deepening environmental crises arise not from natural inevitabilities but from policy choices that undervalue ecological security.
• Protecting the nation's future requires an environmental philosophy grounded in the rule of law, partnership with local communities, and recognition of the inextricable link between ecological health and human development.
• Only through such a transformative approach can India build a safer, more resilient, and more equitable future.

Context

• The convening of the 7th National Security Advisor–level summit of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) on November 20, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in the security landscape of the Indian Ocean.
• Hosted by India and chaired by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, the summit gathered senior representatives from Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh, Seychelles, and Malaysia.
• The meeting underscored the CSC’s growing relevance as a regional security forum committed to cooperative approaches within a strategically vital maritime space.

Origins and Reinvigoration of the CSC

• Formed in 2011 as a trilateral grouping between India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, the CSC initially struggled to sustain momentum due to political changes and limited convergence on security priorities.
• Its revival in 2020 represented a turning point, expanding its scope across maritime security, counterterrorism, trafficking and organised crime, and cybersecurity.
• Subsequent membership growth, Mauritius in 2022, Bangladesh in 2024, and Seychelles in 2025, reflected increasing regional confidence in the Conclave’s purpose.
• This expansion has gradually transformed the CSC into one of the most active security-focused mechanisms in the Indian Ocean.

A Region in Flux: The Geopolitical Backdrop

• The 2025 summit occurred amid significant shifts in the Indo-Pacific’s maritime and security frameworks, marked by fragmented institutions and intensifying great-power competition.
• In this context, the CSC stands out as a regionally anchored platform capable of addressing shared vulnerabilities.
• For India, the Conclave serves as an essential tool to stabilise its maritime neighbourhood and enhance coordination at a time when the geopolitical balance is being reshaped by increased Chinese activity in the Indian Ocean.
• The CSC’s focus on non-traditional security challenges, including illegal fishing, drug trafficking, and maritime terrorism, positions it as a uniquely adaptive body suited to the region’s emerging needs.

The Development–Security Nexus

• For many littoral states, security concerns are inseparable from developmental priorities.
• Dependence on the ocean for trade, fisheries, and economic growth means that maritime threats directly affect national resilience.
• Issues such as trafficking networks, marine environmental degradation, and climate-driven disruptions carry heavy developmental consequences.
• Strengthening maritime surveillance, enhancing domain awareness, and improving emergency response capabilities allow CSC members to pursue security and development goals simultaneously.
• This dual focus strengthens the rationale for deeper cooperation and helps smaller states translate security gains into economic opportunities.

Key Outcomes and Strategic Significance of the 2025 Summit

• First, the accession of Seychelles as a full member signalled deepening regional commitment to the CSC’s mandate.
• Second, India leveraged the summit to consolidate ties with maritime neighbours amid heightened geostrategic uncertainty.
• Third, the meeting demonstrated that security cooperation is emerging as a central pillar of regional integration, particularly for addressing transnational maritime challenges.
• Finally, Malaysia’s participation as a guest opened possibilities for future expansion, suggesting that the CSC may evolve into a broader Indian Ocean security platform.

Enduring Challenges: Divergent Perceptions and Institutional Weakness

• Despite these gains, the CSC faces key challenges. The most prominent relates to divergent perceptions of China.
• India views China’s expanding presence as a strategic concern, whereas many CSC members rely on Beijing as a vital economic partner and therefore do not frame China as a security threat.
• Managing this divergence will be essential for maintaining a cohesive agenda.
• A second challenge stems from the Conclave’s limited institutional structure.
• Operating primarily at the National Security Adviser level, the CSC lacks dedicated permanent bodies capable of ensuring continuity, policy alignment, and systematic implementation.
• Institutionalising working groups, standard procedures, and long-term cooperation mechanisms will be critical for sustained effectiveness.
• A third concern arises from domestic uncertainties in member-states, particularly Bangladesh. Political volatility could affect policy consistency and weaken the group’s resilience.

Conclusion

• The CSC has emerged as a promising and increasingly influential forum for enhancing security cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
• Its expanding membership, focus on non-traditional threats, and growing strategic relevance highlight its potential to address shared regional challenges.
• Its future success, however, depends on achieving greater cohesion, institutional resilience, and balanced threat perceptions.
• With sustained commitment, the CSC can evolve into a foundational pillar of security cooperation in an Indo-Pacific region undergoing rapid transformation.

About Heron Mk II:

• It is a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV).
• It was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
• Features:
  • It offers an endurance of 45 hours and a top speed of 150 knots.
  • It can reach altitudes up to 35,000 ft and has an operating range of more than 1,000 km.
  • It can carry long-range radars and observation sensors, such as electro-optical/infra-red (EO/IR) systems for detection and tracking of targets.
  • The Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Communications Intelligence (COMINT) systems will be installed on board to detect, analyse, geolocate, and gather electronic and communication radio signals for actionable intelligence at long-range stand-off distances.
  • It is able to gather intelligence from tens of kilometers away without crossing borders.

About Sanchar Saathi:

• It is a security and awareness platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
• It is available both as an app and a web portal.
• Purpose: To help mobile users manage their digital identity, report suspicious activity, and safeguard their devices.
• The platform also provides educational material on telecom safety and cyber risks, making it a combined service-and-awareness system.
• Features:
  • ‘Chakshu' feature: It lets users report suspicious calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, such as fake KYC alerts, impersonation scams, or phishing links. It helps authorities spot fraud patterns.
  • Report spam and unwanted commercial calls: Users can report spam calls and messages that break TRAI rules. Complaints made within seven days can lead to action against the sender.
  • Report malicious links and apps: Allows reporting of phishing links, unsafe APKs, and fraudulent websites.
  • Checking mobile connections linked to your identity: Shows how many mobile numbers are registered using your identity. Helps identify SIM cards taken without your knowledge.
  • Blocking lost or stolen phones: Allows users to block the IMEI of a lost or stolen device so it can't be used. Phones can be unblocked if recovered.
  • Verifying the authenticity of a device: Allows users to check if a phone is genuine by validating its IMEI. It is useful when buying second-hand phones.
  • Reporting international calls that appear as Indian numbers: Some scammers use illegal telecom setups to make international calls appear as regular +91 calls. Sanchar Saathi enables users to report such cases.
  • Finding your local Internet Service Provider: The app also includes a feature that lets users check which wired internet service providers are available in their area by entering a PIN code, address, or provider name.
  • Verifying trusted contacts and helpline numbers: Provides a directory to confirm genuine customer-care numbers, emails, and websites of banks and other major institutions.

About Bioremediation

• Bioremediation literally means “restoring life through biology.”
• It is the use of living organisms, primarily microorganisms, to degrade environmental contaminants into less toxic forms.
• It is used to clean up contaminated soil, air, and water.
• It harnesses microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants to sequester or transform toxic substances such as oil, pesticides, plastics, or heavy metals.
• These organisms metabolise these pollutants as food, breaking them down into harmless by-products such as water, carbon dioxide, or organic acids.
• In some cases, they can convert toxic metals into less dangerous forms that no longer leach into the soil or groundwater.
• Two Broad Types of Bioremediation:
  • In situ bioremediation, where treatment happens directly at the contaminated site, such as when oil-eating bacteria is sprayed on an ocean spill;
  • Ex situ bioremediation, where contaminated soil or water is removed, treated in a controlled facility, and returned once cleaned.
• Advantages:
  • It cleans up the environment naturally without the use of toxic chemicals. So, it is an environmentally friendly
  • It is cost-effective, as extensive equipment and labor are not needed.
  • It is a recommended method for removing oil stains.
• Disadvantages:
  • It is limited to the compounds which are degradable.
  • It is not able to remove all kinds of impurities from the contaminated site. Like, some kind of inorganic contaminants cannot be treated with this bioremediation method.
  • Some heavy metals cannot be completely broken down, resulting in toxic by-products.

About Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)

• It is a legally binding international treaty that bans the use of biological and toxin weapons and prohibits all development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, or transfer of such weapons.
• The treaty also bans any equipment or means of delivery that is designed to use biological agents or toxins for hostile purposes or armed conflict.
• It requires signatories to destroy biological weapons, agents, and production facilities within nine months of the treaty’s entry into force.
• It opened for signature in 1972 and entered into force in 1975.
• It was the first multilateral treaty categorically banning a class of weapon.
• Membership:
  • It currently has 187 states-parties, including Palestine, and four signatories (Egypt, Haiti, Somalia, and Syria).
  • Ten states have neither signed nor ratified the BWC (Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Israel, Kiribati, Micronesia, Namibia, South Sudan, and Tuvalu).
  • India signed and ratified the BWC in 1974.
• The convention stipulates that states shall cooperate bilaterally or multilaterally to solve compliance issues.
• States may also submit complaints to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should they believe another state is violating the treaty.
• However, there is no implementation body of the BWC.
• There is a review conference every five years to review the convention’s implementation, and establish confidence-building measures.

What Are Biological Weapons?

• Biological weapons disseminate disease-causing organisms or toxins to harm or kill humans, animals, or plants.
• They generally consist of two parts – a weaponized agent and a delivery mechanism.
• Almost any disease-causing organism (such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or rickettsiae) or toxin (poisons derived from animals, plants, or microorganisms, or similar substances produced synthetically) can be used in biological weapons.

About Masala Bonds

• They are rupee-denominated bonds issued outside India by Indian entities.
• The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank, issued the first masala bonds in 2013 as part of its $2 billion dollar offshore rupee programme.
• They are debt instruments which help to raise money in local currency from foreign investors.
• That means the currency risk, if exchange rates change, is on the investor, not the issuer. This helps Indian companies manage their risks better.
• To offset the risk of exchange rate fluctuations, bonds typically offer attractive interest rates that are frequently greater than those offered in the investors’ home countries.
• Both the government and private entities can issue these bonds.

Who Can Invest?

• Investors outside India
• Any resident of a country which is member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
• That includes individuals, institutions, and even financial organisations from countries that follow international standards for fair and secure investing, like those under International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
• It also covers multilateral and regional financial institutions of which India is a member.

Maturity Period

• It depends on the size of the bond.
• For bonds up to USD 50 million, the maturity is usually 3 years.
• For larger amounts, it can go up to 5 years, giving investors more flexibility based on their goals.

What Can The Money Be Used For?

• The funds raised through Masala bonds are generally earmarked for productive and regulated purposes.
• The proceeds can fund affordable housing, infrastructure, refinance rupee loans, or meet corporate working capital requirements.
• Activities like buying land, investing in the stock market, or funding real estate projects are off-limits, unless they’ve received specific government approvals.