Why in the News?

The Union Ministry of Education (MoE) has asked multiple States to take “remedial steps” to reverse the trend of students choosing private schools over government schools.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Enrolment Decline (Introduction, Statistics, Govt’s Concerns, Response, Way Forward, etc.)

Introduction

• The Union Ministry of Education has flagged a concerning trend in several Indian states where students are increasingly opting for private schools over government-run institutions.
• This shift, highlighted during recent Project Approval Board (PAB) meetings for the Samagra Shiksha scheme (2025-26), has prompted the Centre to urge states to identify the root causes and implement corrective measures.
• The issue underscores a growing challenge in India's public education system, where aspirations for quality learning environments are prompting a move away from government institutions.

The Enrolment Decline: States and Figures

• According to UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) 2023-24 data, the enrolment gap between government and private schools has widened across numerous states.
• Telangana:
  • Out of 42,901 schools, 70% are government schools, but they account for only 38.11% of enrolments, compared to 60.75% in private schools.
• Uttarakhand:
  • While 71.84% of schools are government-run, only 36.68% of students are enrolled in them, with unaided schools accounting for 54.39%.
• Andhra Pradesh:
  • The state has 73.32% government schools but only 46.33% enrolment in them. Private schools, with just 24.82% of the institutions, attract over 52% of the enrolment.
• Tamil Nadu:
  • Government schools comprise 64% of all schools but see only 37% enrolment. Private schools, despite being 21% of the total, account for 46% of student enrolment.
• Kerala and Maharashtra:
  • Both states reported declining enrolments in government and aided schools.
  • Maharashtra’s enrolment dropped from 1.63 crore in 2018-19 to 1.50 crore in 2023-24, while Kerala saw a drop from 46.37 lakh in 2022-23 to 45.50 lakh in 2023-24.
• Other Territories:
  • Similar patterns were observed in Delhi, Ladakh, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu.

Government’s Concerns and Response

• The Ministry of Education termed the trend “disturbing,” especially in light of the significant financial investment made in government schools.
• It emphasized that such enrolment shifts are occurring despite substantial expenditure under schemes like Samagra Shiksha and PM POSHAN.
• The ministry urged states to conduct a sincere and data-driven analysis to understand the reasons behind the exodus from government schools. Suggestions included:
• Identifying Structural Gaps:
  • Many government schools lack competitive infrastructure, digital resources, and sufficient teaching staff, pushing parents toward private alternatives.
• Improving Public Perception:
  • States were advised to focus on “government school branding” to enhance public trust and reverse enrolment trends.
• Using Data Smartly:
  • While Kerala and Maharashtra defended their numbers by citing verification-led clean-ups, the Ministry wants better distinction between technical data corrections and actual educational shifts.
• Junior Class Enrolment Dip:
  • The preference for private schools is particularly strong in early education stages, signalling the need for improving foundational literacy in government schools.

A Bigger Picture: Education Aspirations and Private School Surge

• The growing popularity of private schools highlights broader societal aspirations.
• Many families, even from low-income groups, believe private schools offer better English instruction, discipline, and exam preparedness.
• According to UDISE+ data, private school enrolment rose to over 9 crore (36%) of India’s total 24.80 crore student population in 2023-24, up from 33% in 2022-23.
• Even though the pandemic disrupted traditional schooling, the preference for private education has bounced back.
• In fact, the share of private school enrolment in the pre-pandemic year 2019-20 was 37%, showing that the trend is not new but now gaining sharper momentum.

Way Forward: Recommendations for States

• To counter the drift toward private education and restore faith in public schooling, the following steps are being emphasized:
• Upgrading Infrastructure: Providing basic facilities such as clean toilets, digital classrooms, and safe campuses.
• Teacher Training and Recruitment: Investing in quality teacher education and reducing pupil-teacher ratios.
• Outreach and Awareness Campaigns: Building a positive narrative around government schools and highlighting success stories.
• Leveraging Technology and Data: Using tools like APAAR IDs for better tracking of student movement and ensuring accurate enrolment figures.
• Community Participation: Encouraging school management committees (SMCs) to engage more with parents and local bodies for holistic development.

Context:

• The 2025 Union Budget has laid a strong foundation for India's shipbuilding sector.
• Key announcements include Rs 25,000-crore Maritime Development Fund, establishment of mega shipbuilding clusters, customs duty exemptions for shipbuilding inputs, infrastructure status for large vessels, etc.
• Strategic global partnerships and private investments aim to position India among the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. However, to truly lead, India must build what powers the ship - an engine.

The Engine Gap - A Strategic Vulnerability:

• Current scenario:
  • Over 90% of marine engines (above 6 MW) on Indian ships are imported.
  • This import is dominated by five global manufacturers: MAN Energy Solutions (Germany), Wärtsilä (Finland), Rolls-Royce (UK), Caterpillar-MaK (US/Germany), and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Japan).
• Strategic risks:
  • Dependence on proprietary electronic control units (ECUs), software, and IP-bound components.
  • Export control regulations (EU Dual-Use, US EAR, Japan METI) can block supplies citing national security concerns - creating technological chokepoints.

Indigenous Efforts:

• Initial step: Indian Navy’s Rs 270-crore deal with Kirloskar Oil Engines Ltd to develop a 6 MW marine diesel engine.
• Vision: Development of 30 MW class engines for larger vessels and warships.

Challenges to Indigenous Marine Engine Development:

• Lack of modern engine design capabilities:
  • Marine engine design is a critical determinant of propulsion efficiency, thermal performance, emissions compliance, structural durability, and system integration in large vessels.
  • These designs must optimize key parameters to meet International Maritime Organization Tier III emission standards and enable integration with hybrid propulsion, waste heat recovery.
• India’s dependence on foreign OEMs: Restricts its ability to modify engines for military profiles, optimize for local climatic and operational conditions, or transition to fuel-flexible, autonomous maritime systems.
• Metallurgical deficiency:
  • It is India’s most significant and foundational hurdle that cuts across materials science, manufacturing precision, and component durability under extreme thermal and mechanical conditions.
  • Materials like high-chromium steels, nickel-based superalloys, and thermally stable composites are essential, but India lacks capability to produce these at required scale and quality.
• Tribology (science of wear, lubrication, and friction) and precision manufacturing bottlenecks:
  • High-efficiency marine engines demand components with tailored surface properties to reduce wear and frictional losses over thousands of operating hours.
  • This necessitates advanced coatings like thermal barrier ceramics, diamond-like carbon and plasma-sprayed composites, which require both sophisticated application techniques and precision control.
  • India’s ecosystem lacks scalable industrial integration.
• Outdated training and skill development:
  • Training institutes use obsolete models.
  • Potential solution: Decommissioned modern engines from Alang (world’s largest) ship-breaking yard for training purposes.

Strategic Way Forward:

• Startup-led innovation: Leverage startups for agility, cross-disciplinary innovation, and risk-taking ability.
• Government role:
  • Promote innovation missions, design-linked incentives, and dedicated marine propulsion R&D.
  • Start-ups must be supported not only with capital, but also through access to testbeds, IP support, and public procurement guarantees.
  • Need for access to:
    • 3D modeling software.
    • Thermodynamic and combustion simulation tools.
    • Structural/thermal stress analysis systems.
    • Embedded system development platforms.
• Institutional support: IIT Madras and others can serve as anchor nodes, supporting venture creation with lab-to-market pipelines.

Conclusion - Engine of Independence:

• While India is advancing in ship construction, engine production remains a critical gap.
• Indigenous marine engine development is vital for strategic autonomy, similar to the jet engine challenge in aviation (e.g., Tejas fighter jet).
• Without domestic engines, India risks maritime dependency even in indigenously built ships.

Context

• As the admission season unfolds across India, colleges and universities display banners advertising knowledge, transformation, and research excellence.
• The growing enrolment in undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes signals a vibrant academic ecosystem.
• However, this apparent progress masks a troubling reality: the number of degrees being awarded is outpacing the creation of meaningful job opportunities.
• This mismatch between education and employment poses a critical challenge to India’s socio-economic development.

The Paradox of Higher Education and Rising Unemployment

• Data from the Ministry of Statistics presents a paradox, unemployment rates in India rise with higher levels of education.
• This suggests a fundamental disconnect between academic attainment and employability.
• The situation is especially acute in non-elite institutions located in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities.
• These colleges, which cater to the majority of India’s student population, often lack adequate resources, industry linkages, and updated curricula.
• While elite institutions occasionally attract attention for placement woes, the steady decline in employability among graduates of everyday colleges frequently goes unnoticed.
• Instruction in many of these institutions remains overwhelmingly theoretical.
• A student of English literature might explore Shakespearean tragedies but graduate without the ability to draft a professional email.
• Likewise, economics graduates may master complex theories while being unfamiliar with everyday tools like Microsoft Excel.
• This academic-practical divide results in a large population of young, educated Indians who struggle to convert their qualifications into career opportunities.

The Cultural and Structural Roots of the Problem

• This crisis is rooted not only in institutional shortcomings but also in India’s entrenched academic culture, which often glorifies abstract scholarship over practical skills.
• Within academic circles, including prestigious universities, intellectual pursuits are prized, while immediate employability is sometimes dismissed as a lesser goal.
• As a result, many students pursue postgraduate degrees and PhDs as an escape from the job market, eventually entering academia themselves and perpetuating a cycle that prioritises credentials over capability.
• Recognising this systemic issue, various government initiatives such as Skill India, Start-Up India, and the National Education Policy have sought to promote vocational training, skill development, and entrepreneurship.
• While these policies mark important steps forward, their implementation has been uneven.
• Many academic programmes continue to rely on rote learning, and while trendy courses in artificial intelligence or entrepreneurship may be introduced, they often lack substance and integration into the broader curriculum.

Vocational Stigma, the Societal Lens and A Path Toward Reform

• Vocational Stigma and the Societal Lens
  • The Indian education system also faces a societal dilemma: while degrees are revered as symbols of upward mobility, they increasingly fail to deliver on that promise.
  • In contrast, countries like China and Japan have strategically positioned vocational and technical education at the heart of their economic planning.
  • In India, however, such training is often viewed as a fallback for those who are academically unsuccessful.
  • This stigma undermines the viability and attractiveness of skill-based education, limiting its transformative potential.
  • This is not an argument against liberal or abstract education. Such education plays a crucial role in nurturing critical thinking and creativity.
  • However, the system must also deliver tangible economic outcomes.
  • For students, particularly from under-resourced institutions and smaller towns, degrees must serve as gateways to agency, opportunity, and dignity.
• A Path Toward Reform
  • A meaningful solution requires integrating practical skill modules into the core structure of general degree programmes.
  • Modules on communication, digital literacy, data analysis, budgeting, and other applied skills should not be optional add-ons but essential components.
  • Doctoral education, too, must evolve to prepare graduates for a wide array of careers, in policy-making, industry, consulting, development, and beyond, rather than confining them to academia alone.
  • Furthermore, the widespread aspiration among graduates for government jobs reflects a narrow perception of viable employment.
  • While public sector roles remain significant, expanding opportunities in the private sector and entrepreneurial domains is essential.
  • Strengthening employability will reduce the overdependence on competitive exams and diversify career options for the youth.

Conclusion

• India’s demographic dividend will only be realised if its education system evolves to bridge the gap between learning and livelihood.
• This requires a fundamental shift in how education is conceived, not merely as a means of personal enrichment, but as a social contract that ensures economic empowerment and professional agency.
• By aligning academic curricula with practical needs and breaking down the divide between degrees and skills, India can build a future where education truly equips its youth for the opportunities of tomorrow.

Context

• The brief yet intense conflict between India and Pakistan in early May has reignited enduring concerns about regional stability, geopolitical alignments, and the evolving nature of warfare in South Asia.
• As India contemplates its historical identity and strategic aspirations, it remains tethered to a recurring pattern of hostility with Pakistan, a state persistently driven by military dominance and religious nationalism.
• Amid these developments, it is important to explore the political and military dimensions of the India-Pakistan conflict, the role of external powers, the impact of technology on modern warfare, and the implications for India's strategic preparedness in a volatile, multipolar world.

Historical Rivalry and Ideological Divide

• India’s civilisational richness and commitment to democratic secularism stand in stark contrast to Pakistan’s military-dominated governance and ideological orientation.
• Despite suffering repeated setbacks in wars and skirmishes with India, Pakistan continues to provoke conflict under the banner of ‘bleeding India by a thousand cuts.’
• This hostile posture stems from a deep-rooted aversion to India’s secular success and its ascent as a global power.
• Pakistan’s current state of internal turmoil, marked by political instability and the military's unchallenged control, makes it a volatile neighbour.
• Field Marshal Asim Munir’s public declaration of Pakistan as a religious state distinct from India not only underscores this ideological chasm but also signals a continuation of aggressive posturing, especially regarding Kashmir, which remains a flashpoint in bilateral tensions.

The Geopolitical Context and Western Interests

• The global response to conflicts reveals a stark inconsistency in moral standards.
• While the West has heavily invested diplomatic resources in the Ukraine conflict, the silence on crises like Gaza highlights a racialized hierarchy in international responses.
• This inconsistency is evident in the way the West hastily moved to de-escalate the India-Pakistan conflict once it became clear that Pakistan was losing.
• More intriguingly, geopolitics and resource diplomacy play an increasingly central role.
• Speculations that the U.S. intervened in South Asia due to its interest in Pakistan’s critical minerals, such as lithium and rare earth elements, suggest that mineral wealth is becoming a strategic bargaining chip, much like Ukraine’s mineral diplomacy.
• These dynamic highlights the transactional nature of modern diplomacy, where resources often override values or justice.

Military Dominance and Political Dysfunction in Pakistan

• The erosion of democratic processes in Pakistan is now overt.
• Civilian leadership exists merely in name, with the military shaping both domestic policies and foreign engagements.
• Imran Khan’s political sidelining, and the symbolic premiership of Shehbaz Sharif, reflect a system where electoral democracy is subjugated to military hegemony.
• This political reality has serious ramifications for peace in South Asia, as military regimes are historically more prone to conflict escalation than civilian governments.
• The military's framing of Pakistan as the successor to the Islamic polity of Medina reinforces a religious nationalism that not only alienates India but destabilises regional peace.
• This ideological framework promotes a permanent state of confrontation, especially regarding territorial disputes like Kashmir.

Technological Shifts in Warfare, Future of Warfare and Strategic Gaps

• Technological Shifts in Warfare
  • One of the most revealing aspects of the recent conflict is the integration of advanced military technologies.
  • The India-Pakistan engagement served as a live demonstration platform for foreign defence suppliers.
  • With India deploying Rafale jets and kamikaze drones, and Pakistan relying on Chinese J-10Cs and Turkish drones, the subcontinent has become a proxy theatre for competing military technologies.
  • This technological showdown highlighted several key trends:
    • The importance of escalation dominance: the ability to control the pace and scale of a conflict.
    • The centrality of drones and electronic warfare in modern engagements.
    • The increasing role of multi-layered air defence systems.
  • Although propaganda from China and Pakistan touts integrated radar-missile operations, there is no confirmed evidence of such successful coordination.
  • What is certain, however, is India’s superior air defence capabilities, strengthened by systems like the Aakash, S-400, and Barak, which provided effective protection.
  • India did not even need to employ the BrahMos missile, underscoring its military restraint and preparedness.
• Future of Warfare and Strategic Gaps
  • The conflict serves as a clarion call that future wars will be fought through speed, technology, and system integration.
  • India’s current advantage in escalation capabilities may not last indefinitely.
  • The erosion of international arms control norms and the narrowing nuclear threshold increase the risk of catastrophic outcomes in future conflicts.
  • A significant strategic vulnerability lies in India’s underdeveloped space-based warfare capabilities.
  • In the event of a two-front war involving China and Pakistan, satellite surveillance, communication, and early warning systems will be essential.
  • Modern warfare depends on space assets as much as it does on land, sea, and air forces.
  • India must urgently address these gaps to secure its sovereignty and maintain strategic deterrence.

Conclusion

• The recent India-Pakistan conflict is a microcosm of larger trends in international relations, where ideology, technology, and geopolitics intersect.
• While India’s democratic ethos and strategic maturity position it well for leadership, persistent threats from an unstable and ideologically-driven Pakistan cannot be ignored.
• The technological transformation of warfare and the shifting global order demand that India recalibrate its defence strategy, especially in space and cyber domains.
• Only with comprehensive preparedness across all arenas of conflict can India ensure lasting peace and stability in the region.

Why in News?

A new survey by the Ministry of Statistics reveals a sharp rise in rural women using online banking, with 30% able to conduct transactions in early 2025—up from 17.1% in 2022-23.

The growth is especially significant among young women, driven by increased digital access and UPI usage.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Gender Gap in UPI Adoption
• Key Highlights of the Survey
• Online Banking Adoption Rises Across India, Led by UPI: NSS Survey

Gender Gap in UPI Adoption

• Despite UPI’s tremendous growth and potential to enhance digital financial inclusion, a disparity remains in its usage between men and women.
• Low UPI Adoption Among Women
  • Gender-disaggregated data on UPI usage is not publicly available.
  • Estimates suggest less than 30% of UPI users are women.
  • The gender gap is narrower in large cities.
    • In smaller towns and rural areas, women's digital payment usage remains limited.
  • Usage is especially low in rural and semi-urban areas.
  • Factors include:
    • Lack of smartphones
    • Poor internet connectivity
    • Limited digital skills and financial literacy
    • Restricted financial autonomy
• UPI for Her’ Initiative
  • Launched by NPCI and Women’s World Banking in August 2024.
  • Identified a potential market of 200 million women users.
  • Recommends:
    • Phygital (physical+ digital) onboarding
    • Targeted marketing for building confidence
    • Inclusive and gender-intentional design
    • Gender-based user acquisition strategies
    • Digital and financial skills training
• Path Forward
• Improve access to smartphones and connectivity for women.
• Enhance financial and digital literacy through training and outreach.
• Foster women’s financial independence to enable greater engagement with digital tools.
• Conclusion
  • Bridging the UPI gender gap is essential to ensure women’s full participation in India’s digital economy. Digital financial inclusion is not just a tech goal—it’s a gender equality imperative.

Key Highlights of the Survey

• A recent survey by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation highlights a significant rise in the number of rural Indians able to conduct online banking transactions, with young women showing the most notable improvement.
• The survey results are based on self-assessments, with no independent verification of digital banking skills.
• Key Highlights
  • Rural Women See Major Jump: In the first quarter of 2025, 30% of rural women reported the ability to use online banking, up from 17.1% in 2022-23.
  • Youth Leading the Shift: Among females aged 15–24, the figure jumped to 51.4%, more than double the 19.6% recorded in 2022-23.
  • Young Men Ahead: In the same age group, 73.3% of rural men reported being able to bank online, compared to 40.2% in 2022-23.

Online Banking Adoption Rises Across India, Led by UPI: NSS Survey

• The 80th round of the National Sample Survey (NSS), conducted in early 2025, reveals significant growth in online banking across India, with rural areas showing remarkable progress.
• The survey covered 1.42 lakh individuals from 34,950 households nationwide.
• Urban Growth Steady, Rural Surge Sharp
  • In urban areas, 62.4% of people aged 15+ reported using online banking, up from 50.6% in 2022-23.
  • Nationally, online banking usage among those aged 15+ rose to 48.9%, from 37.8% in 2022-23.
• UPI Dominates Digital Transactions
  • UPI emerged as the preferred platform, with 86.7% of rural users and 74.4% of urban users relying solely on it.
  • Only 18% of users combined UPI, internet banking, and other channels.
• Government and RBI Efforts Pay Off
  • The surge in digital banking is seen as a win for ongoing government and RBI-led financial inclusion initiatives.
  • The RBI will conduct a dedicated survey on digital payments in FY 2025 to guide future policy.
• Mobile Phones Power the Digital Shift
  • Mobile Usage: 85.7% of individuals aged 15+ used a mobile phone in the past 3 months.
  • Ownership: 70.2% owned a mobile phone—higher in urban areas (81.2%) than rural (64.6%).
  • Gender Gap:
    • 83.9% of males owned a mobile phone vs. 56.2% of females.
    • 79.9% of mobile owners used smartphones.
• Youth Lead Smartphone Penetration
• Over 90% of individuals under 29 years in both rural and urban areas owned a smartphone.
• Rising Internet Use
  • Increased Connectivity:
    • Rural females using the internet rose to 57.6% (from 42.6% in 2022-23).
    • Rural males rose to 72.1% (from 59.5%).
  • Daily Usage: 93% of users accessed the internet daily, primarily through mobile phones.

Why in News?

A new study conducted over Kolkata has revealed that the toxicity of PM2.5 air pollutants significantly increases after a certain concentration threshold is crossed, highlighting a sharper health hazard linked to rising pollution levels in Indian cities.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About the Study
• Key Findings of the Study
• Why Toxicity Rises Sharply Beyond a Threshold
• Current Air Quality Standards: Concentration-Based
• Need for Toxicity-Based Air Quality Standards

About the Study

• Title: Contrasting features of winter-time PM2.5 pollution and PM2.5-toxicity based on oxidative potential: A long-term (2016–2023) study over Kolkata megacity at eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain
• Published in: Science of the Total Environment, December 2024
• Significance
  • First-of-its-Kind in India: This is the first study to assess how PM2.5 toxicity varies with concentration levels in an Indian city.
  • Public Health Implications: The findings call for urgent pollution control measures, especially in winter when PM2.5 levels peak.
  • Policy Insight: Could guide threshold-based interventions and health advisories in Indian cities facing high air pollution.

Key Findings of the Study

• Threshold Level Identified: The study found that PM2.5 toxicity sharply increases once the concentration exceeds 70 µg/m³.
• Peak Toxicity Range: The toxicity continues to rise until the concentration hits 130 µg/m³, after which it stabilises.
• No Safe Limit: Even at concentrations below 70 µg/m³, PM2.5 poses health risks, though less severe compared to higher levels.
• Variation Expected: Thresholds for a sharp rise in toxicity are likely to differ across cities.
  • This is because pollution sources vary — for example, vehicular emissions might dominate in one city, while biomass burning could be a bigger factor in another.

Why Toxicity Rises Sharply Beyond a Threshold

• At lower PM2.5 concentrations, the human body can manage the adverse effects of pollutants more effectively.
• However, beyond a certain threshold (~70 µg/m³ for Kolkata), the body’s natural defence mechanisms become overwhelmed, leading to significantly greater cellular damage, especially in the respiratory system.
• Role of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)
  • Immune Response: When pollutants are inhaled, the immune system releases ROS to combat foreign particles.
  • Double-Edged Sword: ROS can also harm healthy cells in the body.
  • Antioxidants as Defenders: To counteract ROS, the body generates antioxidants, which neutralize ROS and protect cells.
  • Oxidative Stress: When pollutant levels are high, ROS production exceeds the body’s antioxidant capacity, leading to oxidative stress, which damages internal cells.
• Understanding Oxidative Stress and PM2.5
  • The sharp rise in oxidative stress at PM2.5 levels beyond 70 µg/m³ is mainly due to chemical components from biomass or solid waste burning.
  • Vehicular emissions also contribute, but to a lesser extent compared to biomass burning.
• Need for Oxidative Stress-Based Standards
  • While India has set air quality standards for PM2.5 and PM10, there are no benchmarks for toxicity or oxidative stress.
  • This study aims to establish toxicity-based threshold values, helping cities adopt more health-focused pollution control policies.

Current Air Quality Standards: Concentration-Based

• In India, air quality standards for PM2.5 are based only on concentration levels, not on how toxic the air is.
• Safe Limits
  • Annual average: 40 µg/m³
  • Daily average: 60 µg/m³
• Limitations of Concentration-Based Standards
  • Health risks depend not just on how much PM2.5 is present, but also on its chemical composition and toxicity.
  • The same concentration may be more harmful in one city than another, depending on the pollutant source (e.g., biomass burning vs. vehicular emissions).
• Why Toxicity Matters More
  • In Kolkata, PM2.5 levels of 50–60 µg/m³ may not be significantly more harmful than 30–40 µg/m³.
  • But toxicity spikes sharply after 70 µg/m³, indicating a real health emergency.

Need for Toxicity-Based Air Quality Standards

• This study strengthens the case for incorporating toxicity thresholds into air quality norms.
• City-specific thresholds should be developed, reflecting local pollutant profiles.
• Such standards could help trigger early warnings or emergency actions when toxicity crosses a critical level, even if concentrations seem “moderate.”

Why in News?

A U.S. court ruled that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority by imposing tariffs on various countries under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).

The Court of International Trade stated that Trump's April 2 tariffs, announced on what he called "Liberation Day," were not justified under the emergency law.

The ruling also struck down earlier tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, concluding that the government misused the IEEPA to justify the trade measures.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• U.S. Court of International Trade (USCIT): Role and Standing
• Challenge to Trump's Tariffs under Emergency Law
• Court Ruling on Trump’s Tariffs under IEEPA

U.S. Court of International Trade (USCIT): Role and Standing

• The USCIT provides a dedicated judicial forum for civil cases related to import transactions and international trade.
• It ensures consistent and uniform interpretation of trade laws across the country.
• Jurisdiction and Authority
  • Under the Customs Courts Act of 1980, the USCIT holds exclusive jurisdiction over civil actions against the United States, its officers, or agencies, arising from laws governing international trade.
  • It can hear cases from any part of the country.
• Historical Evolution
  • The court traces its roots to 1890, when Congress authorized the appointment of nine general appraisers to oversee merchandise valuation at key ports.
  • Initially administrative, their role evolved over time into a judicial one, with progressively broader powers.
• Structure and Appointments
  • The USCIT consists of nine judges, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
  • These judges serve lifetime tenures, reflecting the court’s status as an Article III federal court.

Challenge to Trump's Tariffs under Emergency Law

• Twelve US states (including New York, New Mexico, Connecticut and Arizona) challenged the tariffs, as did five small businesses. The court combined the two cases.
• Arguments by the States:
  • Tariffs financially burdened state governments.
  • Tariffs did not specifically target drug cartels, despite this being a stated justification.
• Core Legal Issue:
  • Whether the President's use of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose tariffs exceeded the legal limits of emergency economic powers.
• Court’s Focus:
  • Determining the scope of presidential authority under the IEEPA.
  • Assessing if the tariffs aligned with the intended use of emergency powers.

Court Ruling on Trump’s Tariffs under IEEPA

• The U.S. Court of International Trade examined whether the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) of 1977 grants the President unlimited authority to impose tariffs on goods from nearly every country.
• 
• Court’s Ruling
  • The court held that IEEPA does not confer such unbounded authority, and therefore struck down the challenged tariffs.
  • It concluded that Trump’s actions exceeded the scope of authority delegated under the Act.
• IEEPA’s Limitations and Historical Context
  • The court noted that while the President’s economic powers expanded during the World Wars and the Great Depression, IEEPA was enacted in 1977 to limit such powers.
  • Under IEEPA, presidential powers can be exercised only to address “unusual and extraordinary threats” declared under a national emergency.
• Trump’s Justification and Court’s Rebuttal
  • January 20 Emergency Declaration:
    • Trump declared a national emergency under IEEPA citing threats from international cartels linked to drugs, gangs, and violence in the Western Hemisphere.
    • Tariffs Imposed: 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada; 20% on goods from China.
    • Court’s Response: The court found that these tariffs did not directly address the declared threats, and thus, were unjustified under IEEPA.
  • April 2 “Liberation Day” Tariffs:
    • Trump announced: A flat 10% baseline tariff on all countries; Retaliatory tariffs against specific trade partners.
      • These were justified on grounds like trade imbalances, lack of reciprocity, and suppressed domestic wages.
    • Court’s Response: The court ruled these tariffs were also beyond the President’s emergency powers, as they addressed broad economic concerns, not specific national emergencies as required under IEEPA.
• Legal Reference to Trade Act of 1974
• The court highlighted that Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 allows limited tariffs to address balance-of-payment issues.
• This shows that tariffs must be imposed under narrower, clearly defined laws, not unconditionally under emergency powers.
• Next Steps Ordered by the Court
  • The Trump administration must issue new orders reflecting the court’s decision within 10 days.
  • The administration has paused retaliatory tariffs for 90 days, but the 10% baseline tariff remains active.
• Appeal and Political Response
  • The White House has appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
  • It may ultimately reach the Supreme Court.

Why in News?

Launched in early May as retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor marked the first direct drone-led military conflict between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan. Over four days, both nations shifted to a new mode of engagement centered on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)—including armed drones, loitering munitions, and electronic decoys—operating below the threshold of full-scale war.

Prior to the operation, Israeli Heron MK-II and indigenous TAPAS-BH-201 (Rustom-II) UAVs conducted deep surveillance into Pakistani airspace.

From May 7, India struck nine targets, and both sides deployed a wide range of drones for real-time ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and precision strikes.

Tactics included the use of decoy drones to spoof enemy radars and drain interceptor stocks. The conflict de-escalated by May 10 following a ceasefire, setting a precedent for drone-centric warfare in South Asia.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India’s Use of Aerial Systems in Operation Sindoor
• India’s Multi-Layered Air Defence System During Operation Sindoor
• A New Kind of War – The Technological Evolution of Operation Sindoor

India’s Use of Aerial Systems in Operation Sindoor

• India used a varied fleet of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), including:
  • Indigenous loitering munitions like Nagastra-1
  • Israeli-origin Harop drones (capable of autonomous radar targeting)
  • Swarm drones developed by DRDO and private firms for radar saturation
• Tactical Strategy: Sequenced Drone Strikes
  • Initial waves included decoy drones and EW (electronic warfare) payloads to confuse radar and exhaust SAM (Surface-to-Air Missile) defences.
  • Followed by precision loitering munitions and armed UAVs guided by Heron MK II and TAPAS-BH-201 drones.
  • Quadcopters and micro-UAVs supplied real-time ISR feeds via the Integrated Battle Management System (IBMS) for dynamic target acquisition.
• Notable Impacts and Strikes
  • Reports claimed a cricket match in Rawalpindi was disrupted due to Indian drone strikes.
  • A Chinese-supplied HQ-9 SAM system near Lahore was reportedly destroyed by an Indian Harop drone.
• Strategic Implications
  • The operation showcased India’s growing capability in autonomous warfare, executing precise, risk-free cross-border strikes.
  • Analysts highlighted this as a new model of deterrence in South Asia, signaling a shift in regional aerial power dynamics in India’s favor.

India’s Multi-Layered Air Defence System During Operation Sindoor

• Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS) is India’s core air defence nerve centre.
• It fuses inputs from ground-based radars, AWACS, satellites, and other sensors.
• It also enables real-time tracking and interception of low-altitude threats like drones via integration with SAMs and fighter jets.
• It is designed with redundancy — damage to nodes doesn't disrupt overall operations due to alternate data links and mobile radars.
• Pakistan’s Attempted Disruption
  • Pakistan tried to overload IACCS by varying drone altitude, timing, and routes to: Disrupt communication nodes; Confuse command loops; Find vulnerabilities for follow-up drone/missile strikes.
  • All attacks were unsuccessful; any disruptions were swiftly mitigated.
• Advanced Features and Failover Capabilities
  • IACCS’s ‘mesh’ architecture allows:
    • Seamless failover when nodes are hit.
    • Sustained situational awareness using satellite uplinks and mobile platforms.
  • Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs): Employed high-powered lasers/microwaves to neutralise drones quickly.
• Tactical Support: Akashteer System
  • Akashteer developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for Army Air Defence units. Digitised command layer ensures:
    • Real-time coordination between sensors and weapons.
    • Effective handling of low-level threats like UAVs, even under EW/communication stress.
• Layered Architecture of the Air Defence Shield
  • India used a multi-layer defence combining:
    • Retrofitted Cold War-era systems.
    • Modern missile platforms.
  • Low-Level Air Defence (LLAD) Network
    • Composed of legacy systems upgraded with radar-directed fire and electro-optical sights.
    • Even Army and BSF snipers contributed by shooting down drones in frontline areas.
  • Modern Additions
    • Israeli SPYDER missile system with Python-5 and Derby missiles: Used for point defence against UAVs, cruise missiles, and aircraft.

A New Kind of War – The Technological Evolution of Operation Sindoor

• Advanced Missile Systems for Layered Defence
  • Akash & Akash-NG: Provided medium-range air defence against aerial threats.
  • Barak-8: India-Israel joint development offering long-range protection of high-value strategic assets from aircraft, drones, and missiles.
  • S-400 'Triumf' (Sudarshan Chakra): Russia-made cutting-edge long-range air defence system; India has received 3 out of 5 units ordered.
• Centralised Integration through IACCS
  • All missile systems were seamlessly integrated via the Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS).
  • Enabled coordinated, real-time responses to a full spectrum of aerial threats.
• Dawn of Algorithmic, Autonomous Warfare
  • Operation Sindoor marked a paradigm shift:
    • From conventional to autonomous, algorithm-driven warfare.
    • Deterrence mechanisms are now shaped by data, drones, and digital precision rather than brute force.
    • Future conflicts may begin not with human mobilization but with the silent launch of autonomous drones — a shift in both strategy and psychology of warfare.

Why in the News?

According to RBI’s Annual Report, bank frauds reduced in FY25 but the amount involved went up almost three-fold and most cases occurred in digital payments.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Bank Frauds (Nature & Sectoral Distribution of Frauds, Public vs Private Sector Trends, Legal Developments, etc.)
• Measures Taken (RBI’s Measures, Govt’s Measures, etc.)

Significant Rise in Bank Fraud Amounts Amid Fewer Cases

• In a surprising trend, data from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revealed that even as the number of reported bank fraud cases fell by over 34% in FY25, the monetary value involved surged nearly threefold.
• According to the RBI’s Annual Report 2024-25, the total amount involved in banking frauds rose from Rs. 12,230 crore in FY24 to Rs. 36,014 crore in FY25, an increase of 194%.
• The number of frauds dropped from 36,060 to 23,953 cases, suggesting enhanced detection or better internal control measures.
• However, this decrease in frequency was overshadowed by the steep rise in value, which exposed critical gaps in large-value transactions, especially in loan portfolios.

Nature and Sectoral Distribution of Frauds

• Of the Rs. 36,014 crore frauds reported in FY25, nearly Rs. 33,148 crore, over 92%, were related to advances, indicating persistent vulnerabilities in banks’ lending practices.
• These loan-related frauds often involve diversion of funds, overvaluation of collateral, and misrepresentation of financial statements by borrowers.
• In terms of number, the majority of cases were digital payment frauds involving cards and internet banking, totalling 13,516 cases.
• However, these only accounted for Rs. 520 crore of the total amount, indicating that although digital payment frauds are frequent, their value remains comparatively small.

Public vs. Private Sector Bank Trends

• Private sector banks accounted for the majority (59.4%) of the total fraud cases, reporting 14,233 incidents.
• However, the maximum value of frauds was reported by public sector banks (PSBs), which accounted for Rs. 25,667 crore, or more than 71% of the total amount.
• This indicates that while private banks experience more frequent small-value frauds (mainly digital), PSBs continue to struggle with large-ticket loan frauds.
• The RBI observed that 122 old cases involving Rs. 18,674 crore were reclassified and reported afresh in FY25 after a Supreme Court judgment in March 2023 mandated stricter procedural compliance, leading to this statistical spike.

Fraud Reporting Nuances and Legal Developments

• According to the RBI, frauds reported in a given year might have occurred in earlier years.
• The reported amounts do not necessarily represent final losses, as some sums may be recovered later.
• Moreover, a staggering Rs. 112,911 crore worth of 783 fraud cases were withdrawn by banks as of March 31, 2025, due to non-compliance with the principles of natural justice, as laid out by the Supreme Court.
• This legal correction emphasizes the necessity of procedural diligence and has implications for how fraud is reported and classified in banking.

RBI’s Strategic Measures to Mitigate Fraud

• Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the RBI has proposed multiple regulatory and supervisory interventions to mitigate fraud risks and improve operational resilience in the banking sector.
• Enhanced Supervisory Framework
  • RBI plans to strengthen supervision of private banks and small finance banks. Special attention will be given to operational resilience, especially for digital services, to ensure they remain robust under stress.
• Liquidity Stress Testing
  • To avert systemic crises, RBI is developing new cash-flow-based stress testing frameworks to assess the liquidity position of banks under extreme but plausible conditions.
  • These tests aim to ensure that banks maintain adequate buffers and can meet obligations during crises.
• Digital Forensic Readiness and Monitoring
  • RBI is working on a framework to monitor the uptime and resilience of digital banking services in near real time.
  • A dynamic online dashboard for customers will be rolled out in phases, offering analytics and transparency on service quality.
• Fraud Risk Governance
  • RBI is expected to tighten reporting mechanisms, requiring banks to adopt more robust internal controls, automated red flags for large advances, and regular audits for high-risk accounts.

Government’s Complementary Initiatives

• Alongside RBI, the Government of India has also taken steps to curb bank fraud:
  • Central Fraud Registry (CFR): The CFR, a searchable online database, helps banks track fraud history across financial institutions before sanctioning new loans.
  • Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018: This allows for confiscation of assets of absconding defaulters like Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya.
  • Strengthening SFIO and ED: The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are actively pursuing high-value fraud investigations.
  • PSB Reforms: Governance reforms and improved accountability mechanisms have been implemented across public sector banks to improve due diligence.

Why in News?

As India gears up for the 16th Finance Commission cycle (from 1st April 2026 to 31st March 2031), the Union Government has mandated third-party evaluation as a precondition for the continuation of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and Central Sector Schemes (CS) beyond March 31, 2026.

There are 54 CSSs and 260 CSs which have their terminal date of approval till 31.03.2026 and are likely to be submitted for re-appraisal.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Current Evaluation Process
• Key Directives from the Ministry of Finance
• Timeline for Ministries
• Financial Allocations for 16th Finance Cycle
• About CSS and CS
• Conclusion 

Current Evaluation Process:

• NITI Aayog, the government’s top think tank, is currently conducting evaluation of the CSSs.
• This exercise is to be completed shortly and the draft reports will be shared with the respective ministries and departments.

Key Directives from the Ministry of Finance:

• No CSS or CS scheme will be appraised for continuation without third-party evaluation.
• Evaluation must reflect positive outcomes, justification of mandate, and performance-based necessity.
• Such exercise in the past had allowed the Central Government to enhance its capital expenditure substantially which now stands at Rs. 11.21 lakh crore for FY 2025-26 (BE).

Timeline for Ministries:

• The ministries and departments have been asked to conduct evaluation studies of their schemes by the end of July this year.
• Get approval for continuation of schemes beyond March 31, 2026 from the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) before the start of the budget making process.

Financial Allocations for 16th Finance Cycle:

• Allocation formula: Ministries will get allocations 5.5 times their average actual expenditure during 2021-22 to 2025-26.
• Requests for increased allocation:
  • For example, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare sought more funds for vaccination programs.
  • Cabinet Secretary cautioned ministries against inflated projections, urging realistic budgeting.

About CSS and CS:

• CSSs are programs funded mostly by the Union Government and implemented by State Governments. Examples: PM Poshan Scheme, PM Awas Yojana (Gramin).
• CSs, on the other hand, are fully funded and implemented by the Union Government. This means, they are executed directly through central ministries/departments. Examples: National Digital Health Mission, PLI Scheme.
• These schemes cover a wide gamut, from social sectors like health, women and child development, school and higher education, tribal welfare to agriculture sector, urban and rural infrastructure, environment, scientific research etc.
• While in case of CSs, the government of India bears 100% of the cost, in case of CSSs, the scheme expenditure is shared in a predefined ratio between the central and the state governments (60:40/75:25/90:10).

Conclusion:

The Government’s insistence on rigorous third-party evaluations before the continuation of CSS and CS schemes marks a shift toward evidence-based policy and fiscal prudence.

With the 16th Finance Commission's recommendations looming, ministries must align their priorities with realistic and performance-driven outcomes, making this a crucial development in India's public finance architecture.

Context

• Nobel Laureate Professor James Heckman once remarked, ‘Some kids win the lottery at birth; far too many don’t, and most people struggle to catch up.’
• This profound observation highlights the inequality of opportunity that begins at birth and continues throughout life.
• In India, this disparity is sharply evident, where a child has a one-in-five chance of being born into poverty.
• Such early disadvantages affect not only health and nutrition but also learning outcomes and long-term earning potential.

The Power of Early Investment

• The Heckman Curve illustrates the significant return on investment that early childhood development offers.
• Every dollar spent on early childhood education (ECE) can yield returns of $7 to $12.
• Children who benefit from quality ECE are more likely to achieve higher earnings and improved life outcomes.
• By the age of five, many cognitive, emotional, and motivational gaps become apparent, making it essential to intervene before formal schooling begins.
• Unfortunately, this critical window of development is often missed, especially among disadvantaged populations.

Challenges Facing India’s ECE System

• Inadequate Instructional Time and Poor Learning Outcomes
  • One of the most pressing issues is the lack of sufficient instructional time in pre-primary education.
  • Although approximately 5.5 crore children between the ages of 3 and 6 are enrolled across 14 lakh Anganwadis and 56,000 government pre-primary schools, the quality and quantity of learning remain alarmingly low.
  • Anganwadi workers dedicate just 38 minutes per day to preschool instruction, less than one-third of the prescribed two hours.
  • This limited engagement severely restricts cognitive development during the critical early years.
• Resource Constraints and Underutilisation
  • The second major challenge is the inefficient allocation and underutilization of resources in ECE.
  • Despite its critical importance, government spending on early childhood education is disproportionately low, just ₹1,263 per child annually, compared to ₹37,000 per student in the school education system.
  • This funding gap reflects a systemic undervaluing of early education and directly impacts the availability of materials, infrastructure, and trained personnel.
• Lack of Parental Engagement and Awareness
  • A third and often overlooked challenge lies in engaging parents in their children’s early learning journey.
  • While most parents deeply care about their children's education, many lack the knowledge, tools, or confidence to contribute meaningfully to early learning at home.
  • This is especially true in low-income and rural households, where educational levels of parents are low, and time and resources are constrained.

Promising State-Level Initiatives

• Despite systemic challenges, some Indian states are pioneering innovative solutions.
• Uttar Pradesh is leading with its recruitment of nearly 11,000 ECE educators for Balavatikas and conducting rigorous training programs for master trainers.
• Odisha, on the other hand, is establishing Shishu Vatikas in government schools to ensure school readiness for five- and six-year-olds.
• These initiatives are not just policy experiments; they are tangible steps toward transforming the nation’s educational landscape from the ground up.

Looking Ahead: India’s Demographic Dividend

• As India approaches its centenary of independence in 2047, more than a billion Indians are expected to join the global workforce.
• This presents a historic opportunity to shape the country's economic future. Investing in ECE today means equipping tomorrow’s citizens with the skills and capacities necessary to lead.
• By empowering children through quality early education and involving parents meaningfully, India can help 200 million people escape the constraints of their birth and fulfil their potential.

Conclusion

• Reversing the consequences of the ‘lottery of birth’ is not a pipe dream, it is a feasible goal with the right investments and strategies.
• Quality early childhood education, supported by robust state programs and active parental involvement, can provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning and social mobility.
• As India aspires to become a Vishwa Guru, a global leader, its journey must begin in the classrooms and homes of its youngest citizens.
• By prioritizing ECE, India is not merely educating children; it is shaping its future.

Context

• The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, resulting in the formation of Telangana, left the former in a state of deep financial distress.
• This fiscal imbalance continues to haunt the State, as it grapples with structural handicaps and political decisions that have eroded its revenue base.
• The pressing question is whether the Centre, particularly through the Finance Commission, should extend a special financial dispensation to Andhra Pradesh to rectify this imbalance.
• Therefore, it is important to explore the historical context of the bifurcation, the ineffectiveness of current policy responses, and the rationale for a more objective, formula-based solution to restore fiscal equity.

Historical Background and the Demand for Special Category Status

• The genesis of Andhra Pradesh's fiscal distress lies in the 2014 bifurcation, which separated Telangana, and with it, Hyderabad, the economic powerhouse of the undivided State.
• This division stripped Andhra Pradesh of a significant portion of its tax base.
• In recognition of this structural loss, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh assured Parliament that Andhra Pradesh would be granted ‘special category’ status.
• However, this assurance was not codified in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, leaving the State without any formal backing for its demand.
• When the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) assumed power in 2014, Andhra Pradesh’s plea for special status was repeatedly rebuffed.
• The NDA cited the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, which advocated discontinuation of the special category designation in favour of a more equitable distribution mechanism across all States.
• Thus, the critical promise made in Parliament remained unfulfilled.

Current Fiscal Challenges and The Problem with Special Category Status Today

• Current Fiscal Challenges
  • Now, in 2024, with Chandrababu Naidu returning as Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh finds itself confronting depleted coffers.
  • Years of populist welfare schemes and competitive electoral promises have compounded the fiscal burden.
  • While the Centre is not obliged to fund state-level political choices, it does bear responsibility for the structural imbalances created by bifurcation.
  • Without significant external support, Andhra Pradesh risks fiscal stagnation, compromising its ability to deliver basic services and pursue development goals.
• The Problem with Special Category Status Today
  • While reinstating the special category status might appear to be a straightforward solution, this option no longer carries the benefits it once did.
  • In earlier decades, such status came with substantial central assistance through Plan funds.
  • ‘Today, it merely offers access to slightly concessional external loans, rendering the designation more symbolic than substantive.
  • For Andhra Pradesh, a weakened special category status would offer little financial relief while failing to address the root cause of its fiscal woes.

The Precedent of Fiscal Disparities in State Bifurcations and A Better Alternative

• The Precedent of Fiscal Disparities in State Bifurcations
  • The case for such a package is not without precedent.
  • Historical data from state bifurcations post-2000 show that newly formed States, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Telangana, have consistently fared better in terms of per capita own revenue compared to their parent States.
  • The fiscal impact on the rump States, however, has been uneven.
  • While Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh weathered the split with minimal revenue losses, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh experienced significant declines in fiscal capacity.
  • 
  • This suggests a rational basis for compensatory packages: when a State’s own revenue declines by more than 10% as a direct result of bifurcation, it should qualify for targeted assistance over a fixed period.
  • By this metric, both Bihar and Andhra Pradesh are eligible for special financial consideration.
• A Better Alternative: Special Assistance through the Finance Commission
  • A more effective and equitable solution lies in crafting a tailored financial assistance package through the Finance Commission.
  • Unlike politically motivated, one-off packages, such as those given to regions like Bundelkhand or Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput, a Finance Commission-recommended package would enjoy constitutional legitimacy and be grounded in objective analysis.
  • This approach would help preserve the integrity of India’s federal structure.
  • It would also offer Andhra Pradesh meaningful relief without setting a dangerous precedent of ad hoc central interventions driven by electoral calculations.

Conclusion

• The fiscal plight of Andhra Pradesh is a direct outcome of a structural division over which the State had limited control.
• While political decisions and local governance also play roles in exacerbating the situation, the underlying imbalance created by the bifurcation must be acknowledged and addressed.
• The Finance Commission, as a constitutionally empowered and politically neutral body, is best positioned to deliver an apolitical, formula-driven solution that restores fiscal equity and strengthens India’s federal fabric.
• Ensuring that States like Andhra Pradesh are not left to fend for themselves is not just a matter of policy, it is a matter of national integrity and constitutional responsibility.

Why in News?

The Deputy Speaker's post has remained vacant for six years, raising concerns about constitutional compliance and democratic strength. In a parliamentary democracy, this role is not merely ceremonial but crucial for ensuring accountability, smooth functioning, and balanced power-sharing between the ruling party and the Opposition.

The prolonged vacancy, reportedly due to the ruling government's reluctance to offer the position to an Opposition member, undermines the principle of power-sharing and democratic conventions, which hold significance even in the absence of explicit legal provisions.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Election and Tenure of the Deputy Speaker
• Powers, Functions, and Privileges of the Deputy Speaker
• Prolonged Vacancy of the Deputy Speaker
• Constitutional Implications of the Deputy Speaker's Vacancy

Election and Tenure of the Deputy Speaker

• Under Article 93 of the Constitution, the Lok Sabha must elect a Speaker and Deputy Speaker from among its members “as soon as may be,” though no specific timeline is given.
• Article 94 ensures that the Deputy Speaker remains in office until resignation, removal, or disqualification, underlining the role's continuity.
• Election Process
  • The date of the Deputy Speaker’s election is fixed by the Speaker and communicated to members through a parliamentary bulletin.
  • The election is conducted via a ballot paper vote.
• Tenure and Removal
  • The Deputy Speaker remains in office until the dissolution of the Lok Sabha, unless removed earlier by a resolution passed by a majority of members.
  • The position is also vacated if the Deputy Speaker ceases to be a Member of Parliament.
  • If the Deputy Speaker’s seat falls vacant, the members of the House may elect a new Deputy Speaker.
• Position in Order of Precedence
  • In the official hierarchy, the Deputy Speaker ranks tenth, alongside the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Union Ministers of State, and members of the Planning Commission.

Powers, Functions, and Privileges of the Deputy Speaker

• The Deputy Speaker assists the Speaker in managing the functioning of the Lok Sabha.
• In the Speaker's absence or when the post is vacant, the Deputy Speaker presides over proceedings and performs all associated duties.
• If nominated to any legislative committee, the Deputy Speaker automatically assumes the role of its chairman.
• Participation in Debates and Voting
  • Unlike the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker can participate in debates and vote on matters as an ordinary member when the Speaker is presiding.
  • When presiding over the House, the Deputy Speaker may only cast a vote in the event of a tie.
• Conventions and Financial Independence
  • By convention, the Deputy Speaker, like the Speaker, does not sponsor Bills or resolutions, nor does he raise questions.
  • His salary is drawn from the Consolidated Fund of India and is not subject to parliamentary approval.
• Constitutional Authority under Articles 95 and 96
  • Article 95 empowers the Deputy Speaker to maintain order, discipline, and adjourn proceedings in the Speaker’s absence.
  • Under Article 96, when a motion to remove the Deputy Speaker is under debate (with a 14-day advance notice), he cannot preside but is allowed to vote—though not to cast the deciding vote in case of a tie.
• Parliamentary Convention
  • While the Speaker is traditionally from the ruling party, the Deputy Speaker's post has conventionally been offered to a member of the Opposition.
  • This informal practice aims to foster cooperation and maintain balance in the parliamentary process.

Prolonged Vacancy of the Deputy Speaker

• Absence in Successive Lok Sabhas
  • The Government did not appoint a Deputy Speaker during the 17th Lok Sabha (2019–2024), and indications suggest a similar approach for the 18th Lok Sabha.
  • This ongoing vacancy reflects a failure to reach consensus between the ruling party and the Opposition, reportedly due to the government's reluctance to offer the post to the Opposition.
• Constitutional and Procedural Violations
  • The prolonged vacancy undermines several constitutional provisions—Articles 93, 94, and 180.
  • Additionally, it violates Rule 8 of the Lok Sabha’s Rules of Procedure (1952), which states that the election shall be held on a date fixed by the Speaker following a formal motion.

Constitutional Implications of the Deputy Speaker's Vacancy

• Misinterpretation of Article 93
  • Although Article 93 mandates the election of a Deputy Speaker “as soon as may be,” the absence of a fixed timeline has led to prolonged delays.
  • This undermines the constitutional intent and risks creating a constitutional vacuum.
• Erosion of Democratic Balance
  • The Deputy Speaker’s post is conventionally allotted to the Opposition to ensure power-sharing and uphold democratic values.
  • Its continued vacancy centralizes authority in the Speaker—typically from the ruling party—thus disrupting the intended balance between the government and the Opposition.
• Threat to Parliamentary Stability
  • The Indian parliamentary system, modeled on the Westminster tradition, depends on structured debates and mutual accountability.
  • Without a Deputy Speaker, the resilience of this system is compromised, especially in scenarios such as the resignation or incapacitation of the Speaker, which could lead to a constitutional crisis.
• Undermining Consensus-Driven Politics
  • By ignoring the convention of offering the Deputy Speaker’s role to the Opposition, the spirit of cooperative and consensus-based governance is weakened, eroding the core values of parliamentary democracy.

Why in News?

NITI Aayog CEO BVR Subrahmanyam recently claimed that India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy, citing IMF data. This claim was met with both celebration and skepticism, with some insisting IMF data still places India fifth.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• India's Economic Ranking – Data, Debate, and Context
• Understanding Economic Rankings Through Nominal GDP and Purchasing Power
• Understanding Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
• The Politics Behind GDP Rankings
• The Limits of Aggregate GDP Rankings – Why Per Capita Matters

India's Economic Ranking – Data, Debate, and Context

• NITI Aayog CEO recently claimed India is now the fourth-largest economy, overtaking Japan.
• A More Surprising Claim: India Is Third
  • Based on IMF data, another claim emerges — India has actually been the third-largest economy in the world since 2009, when it overtook Japan, during the govt under PM Manmohan Singh.
• Evidence
  • 
  • The above figure displays India’s GDP trajectory (dark green line) clearly separating from others in 2009.
  • It also marks another pivotal shift in 2016, when China overtook the US to become the largest economy.

Understanding Economic Rankings Through Nominal GDP and Purchasing Power

• Cost of Living vs. Nominal Income
  • Two individuals earning similar salaries may not enjoy the same quality of life if one lives in a high-cost city like Mumbai and the other in a lower-cost city like Patna.
  • This difference is due to the cost of living, which affects purchasing power and not just nominal income.
• Nominal GDP
  • Nominal GDP is the total market value of all goods and services produced in a country, measured using current prices and converted into US dollars.
  • This is the metric currently being used to claim India has overtaken Japan.
• Problems with Nominal GDP Comparisons
  • Exchange Rate Sensitivity: Changes in the rupee-dollar or yen-dollar exchange rate can alter rankings without actual changes in economic output.
  • Data Revisions: India's GDP figures often undergo revisions, making real-time comparisons less reliable.
  • Lack of Cost Context: Nominal GDP ignores purchasing power and cost of living, which are essential for assessing real economic well-being.
• India’s Current Position
  • As per IMF data, India overtook the UK post-COVID in nominal GDP.
  • However, it is still behind Japan and Germany as of the end of 2024. IMF projections show India overtaking both soon.
• Why Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) Matters
  • Unlike nominal GDP, GDP by Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) adjusts for cost-of-living differences across countries.
  • It provides a more accurate comparison of what people can actually buy with their incomes — making it a more meaningful metric of economic strength.
  • While nominal GDP rankings create headlines, PPP-based GDP offers a more realistic picture of a nation’s economic capacity and the standard of living of its citizens.

Understanding Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)

• PPP is a method used to compare the economic productivity and standards of living between countries by accounting for the relative cost of living and inflation rates.
• It tells us how much actual goods and services one can buy in a country with its income, instead of relying on exchange rates alone.
• India’s Global Ranking by PPP
  • According to PPP-based GDP estimates, India became the third-largest economy in the world as early as 2009, not just recently — a fact often overlooked in public discussions.
  • PPP gives a truer picture of a country’s economic strength by adjusting for what money can actually buy. In PPP terms, India has been among the top economies for over a decade.

The Politics Behind GDP Rankings

• India has made significant progress in nominal GDP terms, growing at an average rate of 6% to 7% since 2004.
• This growth has helped India surpass major global economies in dollar-based rankings.
• Why Governments Prefer Nominal Rankings
  • Governments often highlight nominal GDP milestones because:
    • They’re easier to communicate.
    • They show recent progress.
    • They help claim political credit.
• Why PPP-Based Rankings Are Ignored
  • Even though India became the third-largest economy by PPP in 2009, this ranking has remained unchanged.
  • Since the relative position hasn’t shifted, PPP metrics offer no fresh political advantage.
  • Hence, they are rarely mentioned in political discourse, despite offering a truer economic picture.

The Limits of Aggregate GDP Rankings – Why Per Capita Matters

• Since 2021, India’s nominal GDP has been higher than the UK’s in total terms. This is often used to highlight India’s economic rise on the global stage.
• Per Capita GDP Tells a Different Story
  • Despite India’s higher total GDP:
    • In 2021, UK’s per capita GDP was $46,115 vs. India’s $2,250.
    • By 2025, UK’s per capita GDP will be $54,949, while India’s will only be $2,879.
    • UK’s per capita GDP remains nearly 19 times higher than India’s.
• Why Per Capita Metrics Matter More
  • While aggregate GDP rankings can fuel national pride, they hide the reality of low average incomes and purchasing power.
  • Such rankings often divert attention from core challenges such as Poverty; Low productivity and Unequal development.

Why in the News?

• A research team at the Bengaluru-based Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) has developed a super-fast charging sodium-ion (Na-ion) battery that can charge up to 80 per cent in just six minutes.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Sodium-Ion Batteries (Introduction, Strategic Rationale, Innovation, Advantages, Disadvantages, Future Applications, etc.)

Introduction

• With global concerns mounting over the limited availability and rising cost of lithium, India is taking bold strides toward developing sodium-ion battery (Na-ion)
• These efforts are part of a broader strategy to reduce reliance on lithium-ion batteries, an area where China commands a dominant position.
• Recent innovations from Indian institutions like the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) and IIT Bombay are propelling sodium-ion technology into the spotlight as a feasible and scalable alternative.

Strategic Rationale for Sodium-Ion Batteries

• Lithium-ion batteries have long been the backbone of energy storage in electric vehicles (EVs), portable electronics, and renewable energy grids.
• However, lithium’s global supply chain is heavily concentrated and geopolitically sensitive, with China leading in both battery manufacturing and lithium refining.
• Given China's growing dominance, India’s pivot to sodium-ion chemistry reflects both a strategic and technological imperative.
• Sodium, on the other hand, is more abundant and widely distributed. It can be extracted from seawater and poses fewer environmental hazards during storage and transportation.
• These characteristics make sodium a viable alternative to lithium, especially in a country like India with ambitions for energy security and technological self-reliance.

Breakthrough Innovation by Indian Scientists

• In a major development, a team at Bengaluru-based JNCASR has developed a NASICON-type sodium-ion battery with significantly enhanced charging performance and lifespan.
• Unlike conventional Na-ion batteries that suffer from slow charge rates and shorter life cycles, this innovation enables up to 80% charge in just six minutes and supports over 3,000 charge cycles.
• The researchers achieved this performance by making critical modifications to the battery's anode material:
  • Nanoparticle Engineering: Reducing particle size to the nanoscale.
  • Carbon Wrapping: Encasing the particles in a thin carbon layer.
  • Aluminum Doping: Incorporating small amounts of aluminum to enhance conductivity and ion mobility.
• These improvements not only accelerate the charging process but also reduce degradation risks, offering a safer and more reliable battery.

Advantages and Limitations of Sodium-Ion Batteries

• Advantages:

• Resource Abundance: Sodium is far more available than lithium and can be extracted more sustainably.
• Cost-Effective Materials: Na-ion batteries use aluminium instead of copper, reducing production costs.
• Safety: Can be transported at zero volt, lowering fire hazards.
• Thermal Stability: Operate safely at a wider range of temperatures.

• Limitations:

• Lower Energy Density: Sodium-ion batteries currently offer less energy storage per unit weight compared to lithium-ion batteries.
• Design Rigidity: Cannot be moulded into various shapes like prismatic or cylindrical forms.
• Shorter Cycle Life: While improving, they still lag behind the 8,000+ cycles of lithium iron phosphate batteries.
• High Initial Costs: Limited commercial presence results in higher production costs at present.

Future Applications and Outlook

• Despite current limitations, sodium-ion batteries hold immense promise for a wide range of applications, from electric two-wheelers and drones to solar-powered rural electrification systems.
• Their lower cost and safer handling characteristics make them particularly suitable for mass deployment in developing regions.
• The technology has already undergone validation using high-end electrochemical tests and quantum simulations.
• As efforts to scale up continue, India’s bet on Na-ion batteries could position it as a leader in alternative battery chemistries, especially at a time when the world seeks safer, cleaner, and more equitable energy storage solutions.

Context:

• The Household Consumption Expenditure Surveys (HCES) for 2022–23 and 2023–24 by the National Statistical Office (NSO) provide updated insights into poverty and inequality trends in India.
• There is the need to explore trends in head count ratio, the depth of poverty and trends in inequality from 2011-12 to 2023-24.

Defining Poverty - Based on the Rangarajan Committee Methodology:

• Rural poverty lines (monthly per capita consumption expenditure - MPCE):
  • 2011–12: ₹972
  • 2022–23: ₹1,837
  • 2023–24: ₹1,940
• Urban poverty lines (MPCE):
  • 2011–12: ₹1,407
  • 2022–23: ₹2,603
  • 2023–24: ₹2,736 (For a family of five: ₹13,680).

Poverty Reduction Trends:

• Declining poverty ratios:
  • Total poverty ratio (rural + urban) -
    • 2011–12: 29.5%
    • 2022–23: 9.5%
    • 2023–24: 4.9%
  • Poverty declined significantly between 2011-12 and 2023-24 (2.05 percentage points per annum), though the rate of decline was slightly less compared to the period 2004-05 to 2011-12 (2.2 percentage points per annum).
• Global comparison – World Bank insights:
  • In India, extreme poverty (living on less than $2.15 per day in purchasing power parity terms) -
    • 2011–12: 16.2%
    • 2022–23: 2.3% - more than 170 million were lifted above conditions of extreme poverty in this period.
  • The number of people below the poverty line criteria for lower-middle-income countries — $3.65 per day — fell from 61.8% to 28.1%.

Possible Drivers of 2023–24 Poverty Reduction:

• Key macroeconomic factors:
  • GDP growth: GDP growth increased from 7.6% in 2022-23 to 9.2% in 2023-24 — an increase of 1.6 percentage points in one year.
  • CPI inflation: The consumer price index (CPI) declined from 6.7% in 2022-23 to 5.4% in 2023-24 — a decline of 1.3 percentage points.
  • Food Inflation: However, food inflation increased from 6.6% to 7.5% during the same period.
• Observation:
  • As there are no major changes in welfare schemes, GDP growth appears as the most plausible reason for poverty reduction in 2023–24.
  • However, caution is advised — trends must be validated by future data.

Depth of Poverty - Beyond the Headcount Ratio:

• Headcount ratio vs poverty depth: The headcount ratio measures the percentage of the population living below the poverty line, while poverty depth (also known as the poverty gap) measures the average distance between the poor and the poverty line.
• Observation: It can be concluded that many non-poor lie just above the poverty line (115–125% of PL). This means that most people are clustered around the poverty threshold.

Inequality Trends - Consumption Expenditure:

• Gini coefficient:
  • The Gini coefficient is a statistical measure designed to quantify the level of income inequality within a population.
  • It is a numerical value between 0 and 1, where 0 represents perfect equality (everyone has the same income) and 1 represents perfect inequality (one person has all the income).
• Observation:
  • The decline in inequality was higher for urban areas.
  • The inequality in consumption (Rural + Urban) declined significantly in one year — the Gini coefficient fell from 0.282 in 2022-23 to 0.253 points — a decline of 0.029 points.
  • On the other hand, the decline during the 11-year period 2011-12 to 2022-23 is almost similar.

Conclusion:

• Poverty in India is now in single digits, and inequality has declined moderately.
• The significant one-year drop in poverty (2022–23 to 2023–24) may be driven by GDP growth but requires more data to confirm if it's a lasting trend.
• The concentration of the poor near the poverty line indicates better prospects for targeted policy interventions.

Context

• India’s financial sector stands at a critical juncture, where incremental reforms have yielded limited results in the face of deep-seated structural inefficiencies.
• Despite efforts by the government and regulators, the financial ecosystem, spanning banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), continues to grapple with fundamental frictions that deter savings, discourage investment, and delay economic growth.
• To unlock its full potential, India needs not just more reform, but smarter, systemic restructuring focused on transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity.

Key Areas Requiring Urgent Attention

• Inconsistent Nomination Frameworks: Legal Ambiguity and Public Inconvenience
  • One of the most glaring inefficiencies in India’s financial architecture lies in the disjointed and confusing nomination rules across the BFSI domain.
  • A single citizen encounters different nomination regimes for bank accounts, mutual funds, and insurance policies, ranging from singular to multiple nominees with varying rights and legal standings.
  • This inconsistency not only bewilders consumers but also fuels legal disputes and facilitates exploitation through litigation.
  • The absence of a harmonised nomination framework results in significant ambiguity regarding the nominee’s legal authority versus the rights of legal heirs.
  • There is little justification for maintaining three separate systems, and unless the government can present compelling evidence to support such a setup, the status quo appears to serve no public interest.
  • A unified, transparent framework that clarifies these roles would reduce legal confusion and enhance consumer protection.
• India’s Shallow Corporate Bond Market: A Missed Economic Opportunity
  • India’s corporate bond market remains underdeveloped, illiquid, and opaque despite numerous policy initiatives over the years.
  • This shortfall is economically significant. A robust bond market would lower the cost of capital by 2% to 3%, making businesses more viable and spurring job creation.
  • However, efforts to build this market, such as the Reserve Bank of India’s directive to the National Stock Exchange (NSE) to develop a secondary bond platform, have seen minimal follow-through, largely due to a preference for more lucrative equity trading practices, often enabled by algorithmic strategies.
  • The opacity of these operations undermines financial integrity and accountability.
  • When journalists exposed malpractices at the NSE, the institution responded with a defamation suit rather than corrective action, a response later criticized by the High Court.
  • Such episodes highlight the need for greater regulatory transparency and accountability in capital markets, particularly in light of India’s global obligations as a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
• Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) Disclosure: Loopholes and Regulatory Evasion
  • A key concern in capital market transparency is the inadequate disclosure of Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO).
  • Although India adheres to FATF norms, current thresholds, 10% for companies and 15% for partnerships, allow entities to structure investments just below these levels, thereby skirting disclosure requirements.
  • This loophole was evident in the case of two Mauritius-based foreign portfolio investors, Elara India Opportunities Fund and Vespera Fund, who resisted multiple regulatory requests for shareholder data.
  • Opaque ownership structures hinder effective regulatory oversight and threaten the long-term integrity of India’s markets.
  • Without accurate and accessible UBO data, regulators are unable to determine who truly controls or benefits from specific financial transactions.
  • To restore trust and attract sustainable investment, India must tighten disclosure norms and enhance enforcement capabilities.

Some Other Areas of Concern

• Retirement Planning: A High-Cost System in Need of Innovation
  • India’s current approach to retirement planning disproportionately relies on annuity-based products offered by insurance companies, which are expensive due to intermediation costs.
  • These fees, although seemingly small (typically around 2%), accumulate significantly over time, eroding returns for savers.
  • A compelling alternative lies in long-dated, zero-coupon government securities, low-cost, sovereign-backed instruments already supported by existing technology.
  • These products eliminate the need for costly intermediation and provide a straightforward solution for long-term savings.
  • Despite the clear advantages, both the government and the RBI have been slow to act.
  • By overlooking these instruments, India is missing a crucial opportunity to build a sustainable, efficient retirement ecosystem for its growing working population.
• Shadow Banking: An Unseen Threat to Financial Stability
  • The most urgent and potentially dangerous blind spot in India’s financial system is the unregulated growth of shadow banking.
  • Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), margin lenders, and brokers often provide bank-like services without being subject to equivalent regulatory scrutiny.
  • This segment is no longer fringe, it is systemic, and it poses a real threat to financial stability.
  • A prime example is the margin funding mechanism used by brokers, where retail investors are offered disguised loans with effective interest rates exceeding 20%.
  • Investors unknowingly become entangled in high-risk, high-cost credit arrangements that mimic traditional banking practices without the safeguards.
  • This type of opaque financial engineering was a major contributor to the 2008 global financial crisis, and experts warn that history may repeat itself if such activities are not checked.
  • The European Union has already taken steps to collect comprehensive data on shadow banking, and India must follow suit.

Conclusion

• The issues of inconsistent nominations, a fragile bond market, ineffective retirement instruments, and opaque shadow banking practices cannot be resolved in isolation.
• What is required is a coherent, forward-looking regulatory blueprint that harmonises rules, prioritises transparency, leverages technological innovation, and ensures financial inclusion.
• In an era of rapid economic change and global interdependence, India must act decisively to transform its financial sector from a maze of legacy inefficiencies into a dynamic, resilient ecosystem.
• Only then can it support the country’s aspirations for inclusive growth, global investment leadership, and long-term financial security.

Context

• The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a significant reform in India's education sector.
• It aims to align academic pursuits with real-world needs, enhance global competitiveness, and cultivate a robust ecosystem of innovation and sustainable employment.
• As a strategic, long-term overhaul, the NEP is designed to develop originality, empower students with practical skills, and integrate Indian education into the global landscape.

Transformative Goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

• Reimagining Employability through Education
  • One of the most transformative goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 is to fundamentally reimagine how Indian education prepares students for the workforce.
  • In an era where traditional degrees no longer guarantee meaningful employment, the NEP aims to align academic curricula with the evolving demands of the labour market.
  • It does this by embedding flexibility, vocational relevance, and industry integration into the core of the education system.
• Flexible Learning Pathways
  • At the heart of this transformation is the introduction of a four-year undergraduate programme with multiple entry and exit options.
  • This flexible structure allows students to earn a certificate after one year, a diploma after two, or a degree after three or four years, depending on when they choose to exit.
  • Crucially, students can rejoin the system later to complete or upgrade their qualifications.
  • This ensures that those who need to leave education temporarily, due to financial, personal, or professional reasons, are not penalised or left behind.
  • This modular approach recognises the diverse life circumstances of learners and replaces the rigid, one-size-fits-all model with a system that supports continuous and lifelong learning.
  • It offers a pragmatic solution to high dropout rates, enabling students to accumulate meaningful credentials and re-enter education or employment more smoothly.
• Strengthening the Link Between Academia and Industry
  • Another cornerstone of the NEP is its emphasis on closing the gap between academic learning and real-world skills.
  • Traditionally, Indian education has been criticised for focusing too heavily on rote learning and theoretical knowledge, with limited applicability in the job market.
  • The NEP addresses this by promoting the vocationalisation of education, integrating skill-based courses, hands-on projects, and industry-relevant training into curricula across disciplines.
  • Internships and apprenticeships have been mainstreamed within higher education institutions, creating opportunities for students to gain on-the-job experience.
• Building Multi-Dimensional Career Readiness
  • Employability in the 21st century demands more than domain knowledge.
  • Employers increasingly value a combination of cognitive, technical, and soft skills, such as communication, adaptability, problem-solving, and digital literacy.
  • The NEP recognises this by promoting a multidisciplinary approach to education. Students are encouraged to study across disciplines, engineering students can take humanities courses, and vice versa, helping them develop broader perspectives and more versatile skill sets.

Some Other Notable Aspects of NEP 2020

• Strengthening Global Competitiveness
  • One of the notable impacts of the NEP is its contribution to the global standing of Indian education.
  • The number of Indian universities listed in international rankings, such as the QS 500 and QS Asia Rankings, has seen a significant rise.
  • Institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have featured prominently in subject-specific global rankings, reflecting the improved quality of education and research.
  • The rise in patents filed, from 7,405 in 2021–22 to 19,155 in 2022–23, underscores India’s strengthening research landscape.
  • Furthermore, India's climb from 76th to 39th in the Global Innovation Index demonstrates a maturing innovation ecosystem, sustained by reforms and targeted policy interventions.
• Focus on R&D
  • Several national initiatives have played a role in these improvements.
  • The Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), AICTE’s IDEA Labs, and the Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) exemplify the institutional commitment to nurturing research.
  • SPARC, for instance, facilitates international research collaborations with institutions from over 28 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and Australia.
  • This global academic integration positions India as a credible contributor to international knowledge systems.
• Prioritisation of Indigenous Knowledge
  • NEP 2020 also prioritises indigenous knowledge through the Indian Knowledge System (IKS), aiming to imbue students with traditional wisdom alongside modern scientific understanding.
  • Initiatives like the Smart India Hackathon have further encouraged grassroots innovation, engaging millions of students and creating a culture of problem-solving from an early stage.
• Sustainable and Decent Employment
  • While employability is multi-dimensional and influenced by various socio-economic factors, the data post-NEP implementation signals positive trends.
  • Employment rates among educated youth and women have rebounded to levels last seen in 2004–05, and overall employment rates have increased steadily since 2017–18.
  • Importantly, there has been a qualitative shift in employment patterns.
  • The proportion of regular workers has grown, especially among men, while casual labour has declined significantly, particularly among women.
  • These changes suggest a movement away from unstable, informal jobs toward more structured, sustainable employment.
  • The increase in decent jobs correlates with the NEP’s emphasis on industry-relevant education.
  • Practical, pragmatic, and innovation-driven learning is directly contributing to improved job quality, better economic outcomes, and enhanced well-being for workers.

Conclusion

• The NEP 2020 represents a visionary blueprint for the transformation of Indian education and employment.
• By developing industry-academia linkages, promoting research and innovation, and aligning educational outcomes with market demands, it lays the foundation for a competitive, inclusive, and forward-looking academic system.
• The resulting improvements in global rankings, research output, and employment patterns underscore the policy’s effectiveness.
• As implementation continues, the NEP holds the promise of positioning India as a global educational hub and a leader in innovation-driven economic growth.

Why in News?

Between 2013-14 and 2024-25, India’s agricultural exports grew modestly by just over 20%, rising from $43.3 billion to $51.9 billion. In contrast, agricultural imports surged by 148% during the same period, from $15.5 billion to a record $38.5 billion. This sharp rise in imports has led to India’s farm trade surplus shrinking significantly—from $27.7 billion to $13.4 billion.

Notably, in 2024-25 alone, agri-exports rose 6.4%, outpacing the flat overall export growth, while farm imports jumped 17.2%, far above the 6.2% rise in total merchandise imports.

These trends unfold as India negotiates FTAs with the US and EU, both of which are pushing for lower tariffs and greater access to Indian markets for their agricultural products.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Export Drivers
• Export Setbacks
• Interesting Case of Spices
• Major Agricultural Imports
• Trade Agreements and Future Implications

Key Export Drivers

• Marine Products
  • It is India’s top farm export, but earnings declined from $8.1 billion in 2022–23 to $7.4 billion in the next two years.
  • Major markets include the US (35%), China (20%), and EU (15%).
  • Concern: US tariffs (17.7%) on frozen shrimp could rise further, affecting competitiveness.
• Rice Exports at Record Highs
  • Combined basmati (6.1 mt) and non-basmati (14.1 mt) rice exports hit $12.5 billion in 2024–25.
  • Markets: Basmati to West Asia; non-basmati to Africa.
• Growth in Other Segments
  • Record-high exports of:
    • Spices: Especially chilli, cumin, turmeric, mint, etc.
    • Tobacco: Boosted by crop failures in Brazil and Zimbabwe.
    • Coffee: Higher demand due to global shortage; India mainly exports robusta beans and powder.
    • Fruits & Vegetables: Both fresh and processed saw growth.

Export Setbacks

• Wheat and Sugar
  • Exports peaked recently but are now restricted due to domestic shortages.
  • Wheat peaked at $2.1 billion (2021–22).
  • Sugar peaked at $5.8 billion (2022–23), with only white sugar exports continuing—processed from imported raw sugar.
• Cotton Collapse
  • India was once a major cotton exporter (over $4.3 billion in 2011–12), but exports have collapsed, turning India into a net importer.
• Buffalo Meat
  • Recovered to $4 billion in 2024–25 but still below the 2013–15 levels of $4.4–4.8 billion.

Interesting Case of Spices

• In 2024–25, India witnessed record highs in both spice exports and imports.
• While it remains a leading exporter of non-traditional spices like chilli, cumin, turmeric, mint products, oleoresins, and curry powders, it has become a net importer of traditional plantation spices—pepper and cardamom.

Major Agricultural Imports

• Vegetable Oils & Pulses Dominate Imports:
  • India’s top farm imports remain edible oils and pulses.
  • Pulses imports reached a record $5.5 billion in 2024–25.
  • Low yields and absence of MSP-backed procurement have deterred domestic expansion.
  • Oilseed exports (mainly groundnut and sesame) and residual meal provide only partial offset.
• Rising Imports Due to Domestic Production Challenges
  • Cotton
    • Production has declined from 398 lakh bales (2013–14) to 291 lakh bales (2024–25), owing to stagnant yields and lack of innovation post-GM Bt hybrids.
  • Natural Rubber
    • Annual production averaged 8.5 lakh tonnes in recent years, down from 9–9.1 lakh tonnes a decade ago, while consumption has surged to 15 lakh tonnes.
  • Other Notable Imports
    • Fruits and Dry Fruits - Includes almonds, pistachios, walnuts, apples, dates, figs, and raisins.
    • Spices - Mainly pepper and cardamom, which India now imports more of despite being a major spice exporter.
    • Alcoholic Beverages - Imports of wines and spirits continue to grow, with potential for further rise under new trade deals.

Trade Agreements and Future Implications

• The signing of trade agreements with the US, EU, and UK is expected to increase India’s imports of dry fruits, wines, and spirits.
• Additionally, the US may push for lower import duties and relaxed non-tariff barriers on genetically modified (GM) crops like maize, soybean, and cotton.
• These changes could significantly impact India’s agricultural trade balance, potentially reducing the current surplus.

Why in News?

On May 25, a Liberian-flagged cargo ship carrying 640 containers — including 13 with hazardous materials — capsized and sank off the Kerala coast. All crew members were safely rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and Navy.

The incident raised concerns about a possible oil spill. The Indian Coast Guard deployed Saksham, a ship with pollution response equipment, to handle any spill risks.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Cause of Capsizing
• Oil Spill
• International Framework Dealing with Oil Spill: MARPOL Convention
• Methods of Oil Spill Cleanup
• Challenges in Cleanup
• Advisory for Local Population Following Shipwreck Near Kerala Coast

Cause of Capsizing

• The cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 capsized rapidly in the early hours of May 25 due to flooding in one of its cargo holds, as confirmed by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
  • A hold refers to a below-deck compartment used for storing cargo.
• The ship had departed from Vizhinjam port and was headed to Kochi at the time of the incident.
• Cargo and Fuel Details
  • The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including:
    • 13 with hazardous cargo
    • 12 with calcium carbide
    • 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel
    • 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil
• Oil Spill Monitoring
  • ICG deployed aircraft with advanced oil spill mapping technology to monitor the situation. As of now, no oil spill has been reported.

Oil Spill

• An oil spill occurs when oil accidentally enters oceans, seas, or rivers due to natural disasters, human error, or equipment failure.
• It spreads quickly and forms a layer on the water surface because of its lighter density.
• Environmental Impact
  • The oil layer blocks sunlight, affecting photosynthesis in marine plants and phytoplankton, which are crucial for oxygen production and food chains.
• Harm to Marine Life
  • Birds lose insulation as oil coats their feathers, leading to hypothermia and drowning.
  • Fish and invertebrates may suffer reproductive and growth issues, as noted by the US EPA.
• Severity Factors
  • The impact depends on:
    • Type and volume of oil
    • Weather conditions
    • Proximity to sensitive ecosystems
• Long-Term Consequences
  • Severe spills can have decades-long impacts.
  • For instance, the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster released over 4 million barrels of oil over 87 days into the Gulf of Mexico, killing thousands of wildlife.

International Framework Dealing with Oil Spill: MARPOL Convention

• Oil spill prevention is governed by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).
  • Originated after major oil spill disasters in the 1970s.
  • The key protocol was issued in 1978.
  • India is a signatory to MARPOL.
• Scope of MARPOL
  • MARPOL includes six annexes, covering pollution from:
    • Oil
    • Noxious liquid substances
    • Dangerous goods in packaged form
    • Sewage
    • Garbage
    • Air pollution from ships
• Domestic Implementation in India
• Enforced through the Merchant Shipping Act.
• Includes provisions for civil liability and pollution prevention certificates.
• Indian ships and foreign ships in Indian waters must comply.
• Preparedness and Enforcement
  • Ports must have oil spill contingency plans.
  • The Indian Coast Guard is the nodal agency for oil spill response and enforcement.

Methods of Oil Spill Cleanup

• Skimming
  • Involves removing oil from the sea surface before it reaches the coast.
  • Most effective in calm seas.
• In Situ Burning
  • Involves burning concentrated patches of oil directly on the water.
  • Quick but may produce toxic fumes.
• Chemical Dispersants
  • Break down oil into smaller droplets.
  • Helps microbes degrade oil into less harmful substances.
  • Can be harmful to marine ecosystems.

Challenges in Cleanup

• Rapid Spread of Oil - Oil disperses quickly across water surfaces.
• Weather Conditions - Rough seas and strong currents hinder cleanup.
• Variation in Oil Types - Some oils sink or mix with water (emulsify), making removal harder.
• Environmental Trade-offs - Dispersants may impact marine life. Manual cleanup is slow, labour-intensive, and less effective in remote areas.

Advisory for Local Population Following Shipwreck Near Kerala Coast

• Public Safety Warning
  • The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has warned locals not to touch any cargo containers or oil that may wash ashore.
• Reporting Protocol
  • Residents are urged to immediately inform the police if they see containers or oil along the shore.
• Risk of Oil Contamination
  • Oil films may appear on the sea surface near the coast.
  • According to INCOIS, oil pollutants may reach Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Arattupuzha, and Karunagappally within 36–48 hours.
  • These areas are at risk of environmental contamination and need urgent monitoring and response.

Why in the News?

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft Programme.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About AMCA (Background, Features, Capabilities, Significance, Global Comparison, Challenges, etc.)

Indigenous Fifth-Generation Fighter Project Gets Green Light

• In a strategic boost to India’s self-reliant defence vision, the Ministry of Defence has approved the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)
• This decision marks a defining moment in India’s efforts to develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet capable of meeting future warfare requirements and matching global standards in air combat technology.
• The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), in collaboration with private industry partners, will spearhead the development of AMCA, a stealth-heavy, multi-role aircraft.
• The plan is to produce five prototypes under a budget exceeding 15,000 crore.
• The Cabinet Committee on Security, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the full-scale engineering development in 2024, with a projected delivery target of 2035.

Features and Capabilities of AMCA

• The AMCA is envisioned as a twin-engine, 25-tonne aircraft equipped with advanced stealth characteristics, including internal weapons bays, sensor fusion, and super cruise capability.
• These features are designed to significantly reduce radar visibility, allowing the aircraft to engage in deep-penetration missions and precision strikes with minimal detection.
• Key technological highlights of the AMCA include:
  • Internal Fuel Capacity: 6.5 tonnes
  • Electronic Pilot: AI-assisted decision-making system
  • Integrated Vehicle Health Management: Predictive maintenance for reduced downtime
  • Net-centric Warfare Suite: Real-time combat coordination, including seamless integration with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
  • Weapon Load: Internal bay capable of carrying 1,500 kg, including four long-range air-to-air missiles and precision-guided munitions
• The AMCA's features put it in the same league as advanced fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 Lightning II (USA), Sukhoi Su-57 (Russia), and Chengdu J-20 (China).
• These aircraft emphasize stealth, multi-role capabilities, and network-enabled warfare.

Strategic Significance and Global Comparison

• The AMCA project aligns with India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, aimed at strengthening indigenous defence production.
• By developing a fifth-generation stealth platform, India joins an elite group of nations with cutting-edge aerial combat capabilities.
• Unlike fourth-generation fighters or India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) variants, AMCA will possess:
  • Low Electromagnetic Signature
  • High Stealth Index
  • Enhanced Avionics and Situational Awareness
• Comparative platforms like the F-35 offer stealth and combat capabilities with internal fuel capacities exceeding 18,000 pounds and payloads of up to 18,000 pounds, while Russia’s Su-57 boasts supersonic speeds and high manoeuvrability.
• The AMCA, though smaller in payload and size, promises comparable stealth and digital integration tailored to Indian defence needs.

Challenges Ahead: Engine Development and Timeline

• A critical challenge in the AMCA programme lies in developing an appropriate engine.
• The current plan involves a joint venture with a foreign Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to develop a next-gen engine that meets thrust, efficiency, and stealth requirements.
• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has committed to delivering the first operational AMCA unit by 2035, which marks a ten-year development cycle starting from its sanction in 2024.
• India’s ambitious aerospace roadmap also includes other key indigenous defence systems, such as:
  • LCA Mk II
  • Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORAD)
  • Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)

Generational Leap in Air Warfare Capability

• The AMCA programme represents a transformative leap for India’s air power.
• The shift from legacy 3rd and 4th generation platforms, like the MiG-21, Mirage 2000, and even the Tejas Mk1, towards a fifth-generation stealth fighter embodies the evolution of India’s defence doctrine into one that prioritizes technology superiority, survivability, and force multiplication.
• Each successive generation of fighter jets, from basic jet propulsion in Gen-1 to radar integration in Gen-2, multi-role capabilities in Gen-3, and sensor fusion in Gen-5, reflects the changing nature of aerial warfare.
• AMCA’s induction will elevate India’s operational readiness across multiple theatres, including both land and maritime domains.

Context:

• A major geopolitical and technological development is underway involving cryptocurrency diplomacy between Pakistan and World Liberty Financial Inc (WLFI) — a firm associated with the Trump family.
• This comes amid Trump’s second administration’s renewed engagement with Pakistan and aggressive push for US crypto leadership.

 Pakistan-WLFI Crypto Collaboration:

• MoU and strategic goals:
  • MoU signed between WLFI and the newly formed Pakistan Crypto Council.
  • Key stakeholders involved: PM Shehbaz Sharif, Army Chief Asim Munir, and WLFI delegation.
• Objectives of the MoU:
  • Use blockchain for financial inclusion.
  • Monetise untapped national assets like rare earth minerals.
  • Introduce stablecoins for trade and remittances.
  • Position Pakistan as a regional crypto hub.
• Concerns and viability:
  • Pakistan’s fragile economy raises questions about execution.
  • Potential misuse of cryptocurrencies for terror financing and money laundering remains a concern, particularly for India.

Trump’s Second Term Crypto Agenda:

• Shift in US policy:
  • Trump reversed earlier crypto scepticism (and promised to dismantle the Biden-era hostility toward the sector) and gained industry support.
  • Within days of re-election:
    • Executive order 1:
      • Established National Blockchain Innovation Strategy.
      • Banned CBDC (Central Bank Digital Currency).
      • Formed President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, led by David Sacks (White House’s “AI and crypto czar”).
    • Executive order 2:
      • Created Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and US Digital Asset Stockpile.
      • Consolidated seized assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana.
      • Aimed to preserve US dollar dominance through stablecoins.
• Key appointments and market response:
  • Notable pro-crypto appointments: Elon Musk, David Sacks.
  • Regulatory rollback: Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) paused lawsuits, Justice department disbanded crypto team.
  • Market impact: Bitcoin surged beyond $100,000 recently (from $74,000 in March 2025).
  • Trump launched the meme coin "$TRUMP", making himself a direct stakeholder.

Pakistan’s Crypto U-turn:

• Rise of domestic ecosystem:
  • Until 2024, Pakistan had banned or restricted crypto use.
  • In 2025:
    • Appointed Bilal bin Saqib to lead Pakistan Crypto Council.
    • Saqib became Special Adviser to PM to build crypto regulations.
    • Pakistan may have up to 25 million crypto users and a market worth $2 billion.
• Leveraging diaspora influence:
  • Diaspora strategy modeled on India’s Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
  • Aims to connect with Pakistani-American tech entrepreneurs.
  • Diaspora convention used to reaffirm Pakistan’s ideological and strategic identity.

Strategic Implications for India:

• Security and technological threats:
  • Analogous to India’s past underestimation of Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions.
  • Risks of terror financing, cross-border laundering via crypto remain high.
• India’s policy vacuum:
  • India has over 100 million crypto users, and a $7 billion crypto market.
  • Yet, there is no clear regulatory or strategic framework.
  • Supreme Court intervention in Shailesh Bhatt case highlighted:
    • Taxing crypto without regulation is legally inconsistent.
    • Warned of economic and national security risks.

Conclusion - India’s Strategic Imperative:

• The rise of Trump’s crypto diplomacy and Pakistan’s digital realignment demand urgent Indian policy introspection.
• India must develop a comprehensive national crypto strategy; evaluate security, economic, and geopolitical dimensions; and avoid repeating the mistakes of strategic neglect.

Context

• In 2025, India and Germany commemorate a milestone, 25 years of strategic partnership marked by mutual respect, shared goals, and comprehensive cooperation.
• This long-standing relationship, grounded in trust and common values, continues to evolve with the dynamic challenges of the modern world.
• The partnership is deeply rooted in four fundamental pillars: peace, prosperity, people-to-people ties, and sustainable development.
• As the two nations celebrate this momentous occasion, it is clear that their collaboration is not only thriving but also poised for deeper engagement in the years ahead.

Key Aspects of Indo-German Strategic Partnership

• A Shared Vision for Peace and Stability
  • Peace and stability remain central to the Indo-German relationship.
  • Both countries share a commitment to a rules-based international order and collaborate through a unique political framework, the Intergovernmental Consultations.
  • This institutionalised dialogue develops a high degree of political trust and policy coordination.
  • Strategic cooperation in the defence sector has flourished, exemplified by joint military exercises such as Tarang Shakti 2024 and naval port calls.
  • These engagements not only strengthen operational coordination but also embed the Indo-Pacific more firmly in Germany’s geostrategic consciousness.
  • The future promises even closer collaboration in defence industries, highlighting a maturing and dependable bilateral relationship.
• Prosperity Beyond Economics
  • Economic cooperation forms a significant aspect of the Indo-German relationship, yet their concept of prosperity transcends mere growth figures.
  • Prosperity, as defined in this partnership, means creating meaningful employment, improving quality of life, and enabling human potential.
  • Approximately 2,000 German companies operate in India, collectively providing employment to over 750,000 Indians.
  • Initiatives like the Delhi-Meerut Rapid Rail, operated by Deutsche Bahn, symbolise high-tech collaboration and trust in shared capabilities.
  • Furthermore, as global trade faces uncertainty, the resilience and integration of Indo-German supply chains underscore their mutual economic reliability.
  • The prospect of an India-European Union Free Trade Agreement offers an exciting opportunity to elevate this cooperation.
  • Joint research initiatives and technological collaboration further enrich this prosperity narrative, particularly in addressing environmental issues through innovation and entrepreneurial solutions.

The Soul of the Indo-German Partnership: People-to-People Bonds

• Beyond formal ties, the human dimension of Indo-German relations breathes life into the partnership.
• The growing Indian diaspora in Germany, including over 50,000 students, now the largest group of foreign learners in the country, represents a vibrant bridge between the two nations.
• These students and professionals bring with them stories of adaptation, success, and cultural fusion, which deepen the bilateral relationship at a grassroots level.
• This human capital exchange is not one-sided. There is a growing need for more Germans to engage with India, to live, study, and work in the country.
• Enhancing mutual linguistic understanding is key to this effort.
• While Indians are increasingly learning German, efforts must also be made to encourage Germans to immerse themselves in India's diverse cultures and languages.
• Investments in future generations on both sides will ensure that the strategic partnership is sustained and strengthened over the next quarter-century.

The Way Ahead: A Greener Future Together

• One of the most forward-looking aspects of the Indo-German partnership is their cooperation on environmental sustainability.
• Recognising the urgency of ecological preservation, Germany pledged €10 billion through the Indo-German Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) in 2022.
• This cooperation spans renewable energy, biodiversity, and smart urban infrastructure.
• Notably, private sector involvement, such as the German technology used in Gujarat’s expansive wind and solar projects, adds momentum to India’s green transition.
• Germany's participation in India’s clean energy ambitions is both strategic and symbolic, reflecting a shared responsibility for the planet’s future.

Conclusion

• The Indo-German strategic partnership stands as a testament to what sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and shared values can achieve.
• Over the past 25 years, this relationship has grown in scope and depth, adapting to new global realities while holding firm to foundational principles.
• With robust cooperation across defence, economy, education, culture, and sustainability, the partnership is well-positioned to address the challenges of the 21st century.
• As India and Germany look ahead, their bilateral ties serve not just as a model of diplomacy, but as a powerful force for global peace, prosperity, and planetary well-being.

Context

• While historically battling undernutrition and infectious diseases, India is now facing a silent but severe epidemic, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) driven by lifestyle-related factors.
• Recent data from Hyderabad’s IT sector, where 84% of employees were found to have Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD), underscores the rapid and alarming rise of NCDs, particularly among urban working populations.
• Therefore, it is important to explore the multifaceted dimensions of India’s nutrition-related health crisis, its socioeconomic and occupational drivers, and the urgent need for comprehensive regulatory reform.

The Paradox of Malnutrition in India

• India is experiencing a paradoxical nutritional landscape, where undernutrition and overnutrition coexist.
• While significant parts of the country still battle hunger and nutrient deficiencies, urban centres are witnessing a surge in obesity and related metabolic disorders.
• According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs accounted for 74% of global deaths in 2019, with a disproportionate burden falling on low- and middle-income countries like India.
• In 2021, India ranked second globally in obesity prevalence, reflecting a troubling shift in public health trends.
• This dual burden is starkly evident in the Global Hunger Index, where India’s low ranking reveals that economic growth has not translated into equitable nutritional outcomes.
• Particularly in technology-driven metropolitan areas such as Hyderabad and Bengaluru, professionals are increasingly tethered to sedentary routines, high-stress environments, and diets dominated by ultra-processed, nutritionally poor foods.

Multifaceted Dimensions of India’s Nutrition-Related Health Crisis

• Urbanisation, Occupational Hazards, and Lifestyle Shifts
  • The transformation of urban India into a global technological hub has come with unintended health consequences.
  • The IT industry, emblematic of India’s economic rise, exemplifies this shift.
  • Employees are often subject to irregular work hours, insufficient sleep, and easy access to calorie-rich, nutrient-poor food in office kiosks, contributing to the high prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders.
  • This occupational hazard is not limited to IT professionals. National-level surveys indicate that the prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with both age and income.
  • Among men aged 40 to 49, the obesity rate rises to 32%, and among the wealthiest quintile, to 37%.
  • These trends extend across gender and urban-rural divides, with higher NCD prevalence reported in urban areas, particularly among those aged 18 to 59, the most economically productive age group.
• Public Health Indicators and the Failure of Preventive Care
  • Despite some improvements in healthcare access and diagnosis, preventive and treatment outcomes for NCDs remain dismal.
  • The STEPS Survey (2023–24) from Tamil Nadu, one of India’s more developed states, paints a grim picture.
  • While workplace interventions like the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam programme have screened hundreds of thousands, actual disease control remains poor.
  • Among hypertensive individuals, only 16% have controlled blood pressure; among young diabetics, fewer than 10% achieve glycaemic control.
  • Poor dietary habits and physical inactivity are widespread.
  • Over 94% of Tamil Nadu respondents reported inadequate fruit and vegetable intake, while nearly one-fourth lacked sufficient physical activity.
  • The availability of unhealthy food options and the proliferation of fast-food outlets in cities further exacerbate these trends.
• Regulatory Shortfalls and Consumer Awareness
  • Although consumer awareness around nutrition is growing, it remains insufficient to combat an obesogenic environment shaped by aggressive marketing and inadequate food regulation.
  • The Eat Right India movement, spearheaded by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has made strides through certification programmes, hygiene ratings, and public awareness campaigns like Aaj Se Thoda Kam.
  • However, these efforts lack enforcement strength and fail to reshape the food landscape meaningfully.
  • Efforts to introduce tools such as the Health Star Rating (HSR) for packaged foods have met with criticism from medical and nutrition experts who question their effectiveness and scientific basis.
  • Further complicating reform is the resistance from powerful food industry lobbies, which continue to prioritize profit over public health.

The Way Forward

• Global Lessons: The Saudi Arabian Model
  • India can learn from international best practices in tackling NCDs. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative provides a compelling model.
  • By integrating regulatory reform with civic engagement, the kingdom has implemented strong measures such as calorie labelling in restaurants, excise taxes on sugary beverages and energy drinks, and sodium limits in processed foods.
  • These policies have earned Saudi Arabia WHO recognition for best practices in sodium reduction and the elimination of trans fats.
  • The success lies in coherent, cross-sectoral coordination, something India has yet to achieve.
• Need for Structural Reform
  • The solution to India’s NCD crisis lies not in fragmented awareness campaigns, but in systemic regulatory transformation.
  • First, taxation on foods high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, akin to sin taxes on tobacco and alcohol, should be implemented.
  • These taxes can disincentivise unhealthy food production and generate revenue for health promotion.
  • Second, food labelling norms must be made mandatory, standardised, and easily understandable.
  • Clearer front-of-pack labelling and public education campaigns should go hand in hand.
• Promotion of Healthier Lifestyles
  • Urban planning and workplace policies must promote healthier lifestyles, encouraging walking, physical activity, and better access to nutritious food.
  • Lastly, India's regulatory bodies must work in tandem with health ministries, urban development authorities, and the private sector to design environments that make healthy choices easier.

Conclusion

• India’s urban health crisis, driven by poor nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and weak regulatory oversight, is a ticking time bomb.
• The data emerging from the IT corridors of Hyderabad and beyond is not merely alarming, it is a call to action.
• With projections estimating up to 450 million overweight or obese Indians by 2050 and childhood obesity growing at an unprecedented rate, the time for half-measures is over.
• India must embrace a multisectoral, prevention-focused strategy, rooted in robust regulation, health equity, and economic foresight.

Why in News?

Mumbai experienced an unusually early and intense monsoon, arriving two weeks ahead of schedule and disrupting daily life with waterlogging, traffic jams, and delayed trains.

According to IMD records since 1950, this is the earliest monsoon onset ever recorded in the city, breaking the previous record of May 29. The normal onset date is June 11.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)
• Factors Behind Mumbai's Earliest Monsoon Onset

Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)

• MJO is an equatorial, eastward-moving system of anomalous rainfall and atmospheric circulation.
• It is planetary in scale and consists of alternating wet and dry phases, each lasting 30 to 60 days.
• It travels across the Indian and Pacific Oceans, sometimes reaching the Atlantic and re-entering the Indian Ocean.
• 
• Behavior and Mechanism
  • The MJO features enhanced convection and suppressed rainfall zones that move eastward at about 5 m/s (11 mph).
  • It affects surface winds, upper-level divergence, and ocean-atmosphere interactions.
  • The active phase is monitored using outgoing longwave radiation—lower values indicate stronger convection (thunderstorms).
• Phases of the MJO
  • The MJO has two main phases:
    • Enhanced Rainfall (Convective) Phase
      • Surface Winds Converge: Air is drawn in at the surface and rises.
      • Rising Air Cools and Condenses: This leads to cloud formation and increased rainfall.
      • Upper-Level Wind Divergence: Winds reverse direction at the top of the atmosphere.
    • Suppressed Rainfall Phase
      • Upper-Level Winds Converge: Air descends from higher altitudes.
      • Descending Air Warms and Dries: Leads to dry conditions and reduced rainfall.
      • Surface Winds Diverge: Air spreads out at the surface, inhibiting convection.
• Dipole Nature of MJO
  • Strong MJO activity often divides the globe into two contrasting halves:
    • One under enhanced convection and rainfall
    • The other under suppressed convection and rainfall
  • This dipole system moves eastward across the tropics, marking the progression of MJO.
• Criteria for Active MJO
  • To be classified as active, the dipole must be:
    • Clearly defined
    • Propagating eastward over time
• Impact on Indian Monsoon
• The MJO significantly influences the timing, intensity, and breaks in the Indian monsoon.
• Stronger rainfall often occurs in India 5–10 days after warming of sea surface temperatures linked to the MJO.
• The break in monsoon, especially in July, is often caused when the MJO's active phase moves eastward away from the region.
• Impact on Tropical Cyclones
  • MJO plays a role in tropical cyclogenesis by creating favorable or unfavorable large-scale conditions.
    • Ascending motion enhances storm formation.
    • Descending motion suppresses cyclone activity.
  • The preferred cyclone region shifts from Western Pacific → Central Pacific → Atlantic as the MJO progresses.
  • There's an inverse cyclone activity pattern between the North Pacific and North Atlantic, influenced by opposite MJO phases.

Factors Behind Mumbai's Earliest Monsoon Onset

• Early Onset in Kerala
  • The monsoon arrived in Kerala on May 24 — the earliest since 2009 — setting the stage for its rapid advancement.
  • Typically, Mumbai receives monsoon around June 11, nearly 10 days after Kerala.
• Rapid Progression
  • Unusually, the southwest monsoon travelled from Kerala to Maharashtra within just 24 hours, reaching Mumbai by May 27.
• Favourable Weather Conditions
  • According to IMD, very favourable atmospheric conditions supported both the early onset and fast progression of the monsoon.
• Active Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO):
  • A highly active MJO — a global system of wind and pressure patterns — was in Phase 4 with high amplitude, creating ideal conditions for enhanced rainfall and storm activity over India.
    • MJO phase 4 represents a period of enhanced rainfall over the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, with a slight increase in rainfall over the southwest quarter of the globe, while other regions experience slightly below normal rainfall. 
• Strong Cross-Equatorial Flow
• This flow, which transports moisture across the equator, was particularly strong, bringing in significant humidity needed to fuel monsoon clouds.
• Low Pressure in Arabian Sea
  • A low-pressure area, formed due to cyclonic circulation, not only contributed to heavy pre-monsoon showers in Mumbai but also accelerated the monsoon’s arrival.

Why in News?

The IMD declared monsoon onset over Kerala on May 24, eight days earlier than the normal June 1 schedule. This onset signals the start of the June–September southwest monsoon, which delivers over 70% of India's annual rainfall, making it vital for agriculture and the economy.

The last time the monsoon arrived this early was in 2009, on May 23.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Monsoon Onset Declaration: Criteria and Process
• Factors Behind Early Monsoon Onset in India

Monsoon Onset Declaration: Criteria and Process

• The IMD attempts to declare the schedule for southwest monsoon onset any time after May 10. To do so, certain essential criteria are considered.
• Key Criteria for Onset
  • Rainfall
    • At least 60% of 14 designated southern meteorological stations (including Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Mangalore, etc.) must report ≥2.5 mm rainfall for two consecutive days.
  • Wind Field
    • Westerly winds must dominate up to 600 hPa pressure level.
    • Wind speed at 925 hPa must range between 15–20 knots (27–37 km/h).
  • Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR)
    • The Earth absorbs and reflects solar energy, affecting global temperature and climate.
    • Aerosol particles in the atmosphere can absorb sunlight, contributing to atmospheric warming.
    • The absorbed energy is re-emitted as longwave infrared radiation (OLR).
    • OLR mainly originates from the warmed upper atmosphere, with some from the Earth's surface.
    • This radiation helps warm the lower atmosphere, which in turn warms the Earth’s surface.
    • OLR values must be below 200 W/m², indicating favorable atmospheric conditions for monsoon onset.
• IMD Declaration
• The monsoon onset is declared on the second day after all above conditions are met.
• This Year’s Onset
  • A simultaneous onset occurred over Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mahe (Puducherry), parts of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and southern Karnataka and Mizoram.

Factors Behind Early Monsoon Onset in India

• The early onset of the southwest monsoon was driven by favourable atmospheric and oceanic conditions.
• A low-pressure area over the Arabian Sea and a trough over Vidarbha enhanced moisture inflow and atmospheric convection, accelerating the monsoon’s advance.
• Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO):
  • MJO is a significant and complex ocean-atmosphere phenomenon that originates in the Indian Ocean and plays a crucial role in influencing the Indian monsoon.
  • It involves disturbances in clouds, winds, and pressure that move eastward at a speed of 4–8 metres per second.
  • These disturbances, known as MJO wind bands, can circle the globe within 30 to 60 days and lead to major weather changes along their path.
  • When the MJO is in a favourable phase, it can enhance rainfall over India during the monsoon season.
• Mascarene High
  • The IMD describes the Mascarene High as a high-pressure area found around the Mascarene Islands (in the south Indian Ocean) during the monsoon period.
  • The variation in the intensity of high pressure is responsible for heavy rains along India’s west coast.
• Convection and Rainfall
  • An increase in convective activity—vertical movement of heat and moisture in the atmosphere—can lead to rainfall.
  • For example, a convective system over Haryana recently moved southeastward and caused rain in the Delhi region.
• Somali Jet and Monsoon Strength
  • The Somali jet is a low-level, cross-equatorial wind system originating near Mauritius and north Madagascar.
  • By May, it crosses the east coast of Africa and reaches the Arabian Sea and the west coast of India.
  • A strong Somali jet enhances the monsoon winds, contributing to a robust monsoon.
• Heat-Low and Moisture Inflow
  • With the Sun’s shift to the northern hemisphere during summer, a low-pressure zone forms over the Arabian Sea.
  • A heat-low over Pakistan and nearby regions acts like a suction pump, drawing moist air into the monsoon trough and intensifying monsoon rainfall.
• Monsoon Trough
  • The monsoon trough is an elongated low-pressure area stretching from the heat low over northwest India to the north Bay of Bengal.
  • Its north-south oscillation brings rainfall across the core monsoon zone during June to September.
  • Additionally, the pressure gradient and the monsoon onset vortex—a cyclonic system in the Arabian Sea—contribute to the timely and strong onset of the monsoon.

Why in the News?

The NITI Aayog, government's policy think tank, has recommended the introduction of a dedicated financing scheme to allow medium enterprises to avail loans at concessional rates.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• MSME Ecosystem (Introduction, Significance of Medium Enterprises, Credit Challenges, etc.)
• NITI Aayog’s Report (Recommendations, Structural Issues, Suggested Reforms, Policy Outlook)

Introduction

• Medium enterprises (MEs) represent a crucial but often overlooked segment of India’s economic fabric.
• Despite contributing significantly to exports and employment, they face persistent challenges in accessing affordable credit.
• In response, NITI Aayog has released a comprehensive report recommending policy interventions to ease financial constraints and strengthen the sector’s growth trajectory.

Significance of Medium Enterprises in the MSME Ecosystem

• India’s MSME sector, comprising Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, contributes about 29% to the country’s GDP and employs over 60% of its workforce.
• While micro enterprises make up 97% and small enterprises 2.7% of registered MSMEs, medium enterprises form only 0.3%.
• However, this small segment is responsible for nearly 40% of MSME exports, underlining its strategic importance in driving India’s industrial competitiveness and export performance.

Credit Challenges Faced by Medium Enterprises

• According to the NITI Aayog report titled “Designing Policy for Medium Enterprises”, the sector faces a credit gap of $10 billion (as of 2024), primarily due to structural and institutional barriers.
• Medium enterprises typically receive fewer priority sector loans than micro units and face borrowing costs that are approximately 4% higher than large corporations.
• Moreover, only 8 of the 18 MSME government schemes cater to medium enterprises, and just 17.81% of total funds are allocated to them.
• This has exacerbated funding constraints, leaving MEs without sufficient working capital support.

NITI Aayog’s Recommendations

• Dedicated Working Capital Financing Scheme
  • NITI Aayog has suggested a sector-wise financing scheme based on enterprise turnover, with loans capped at ₹25 crore, and a maximum of ₹5 crore per individual request.
  • The scheme would be managed by the Ministry of MSME and aim to provide timely and flexible funding for manufacturing and services units.
• Medium Enterprise Credit Card
  • To address urgent liquidity needs such as payroll, inventory purchases, and equipment repair, a medium enterprise credit card facility with a ₹5 crore limit has been proposed.
  • The interest rates would align with market norms but include a grace period for repayment.
• Faster Fund Disbursal Through Retail Banks
  • The report advocates the involvement of retail banks for quicker fund distribution, under the supervision of the MSME ministry.
  • This would cut bureaucratic delays and ensure timely credit access.

Broader Structural Issues Identified

• Apart from financial constraints, medium enterprises struggle with several non-financial challenges:
  • Low adoption of advanced technologies
  • Inadequate R&D support
  • Lack of sector-specific testing infrastructure
  • Mismatch between training programmes and actual enterprise needs
• These factors hinder scalability and innovation potential within the segment.

Suggested Digital and Skilling Reforms

• To improve access to government resources, NITI Aayog recommends developing a dedicated sub-portal under the existing Udyam platform. This portal would include:
  • Scheme discovery tools
  • Compliance support
  • AI-driven navigation assistance for enterprises
• Additionally, it calls for the integration of medium enterprise-specific modules into skilling and entrepreneurship training, aligned with regional and sectoral demands.

Policy Outlook: Building a Supportive Ecosystem

• The report underscores that unlocking the potential of medium enterprises demands an inclusive and coordinated policy framework.
• Strategic interventions in financing, skilling, digital access, and infrastructure are essential to harness the segment’s full capabilities.
• By enabling greater ease of doing business and removing systemic credit bottlenecks, India can position its medium enterprises as powerful drivers of export growth, employment, and self-reliance in the global economy.

Why in News?

A nine-month-old boy, Kyle “KJ” Muldoon Jr., became the first known human to be successfully treated using custom base editing therapy, a precise form of gene editing.

KJ suffers from CPS1 deficiency, a rare genetic disorder causing toxic ammonia buildup in blood.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Gene Editing Breakthrough
• CRISPR and its Mechanism
• Working of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing
• Base Editing - The Next-Gen CRISPR
• Ethical, Economic and Regulatory Challenges
• Conclusion - Hope Amidst Challenges

Gene Editing Breakthrough:

• What is the CPS1 deficiency?
  • Carbamoyl Phosphate Synthetase I (CPS1) deficiency prevents the breakdown of nitrogen in the body, and leads to hyperammonemia, a potentially fatal condition.
• Treatment innovation:
  • Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia used base editing, an advanced technique derived from CRISPR-Cas9.

CRISPR and its Mechanism:

• What is CRISPR?
  • Stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR), it is an immune system found in microbes such as bacteria which fights invading viruses.
  • When a virus infects a bacterial cell, CRISPR helps to establish a memory (a genetic one, not in the form of antibodies like in humans).
  • When a virus enters a bacterial cell, the bacterium takes a piece of the virus’s genome and inserts the DNA into its own genome.
  • CRISPR then produces a new “guide” RNA, which directs an enzyme (a type of protein) called Cas9 to act like “molecular scissors” to cut and eliminate the virus DNA.
• Development of CRISPR-Cas9 technology: Pioneered in 2012 by Jennifer Doudna and Emmanuelle Charpentier, which earned them the Nobel Prize for Chemistry (2020).

Working of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing:

• The first task for the gene-editing tool is to identify the abnormal DNA sequence behind a patient’s ailment.
• Once the bad DNA is located, scientists create a guide RNA attached to a Cas9 enzyme, which is then introduced to the target cells of the patient.
• The guide RNA recognises the bad DNA sequence, then the Cas9 enzyme cuts the DNA at the specified location in a process called a “double-strand break” (since the cut is made on both strands of the DNA).
• To prevent the regrowth of bad sequence, scientists also supply the correct DNA sequence after the “cutting” process which is meant to attach itself to the broken strands of DNA.

Base Editing - The Next-Gen CRISPR:

• Key features:
  • Base editing and CRISPR-Cas9 differ significantly in how they modify DNA.
  • Unlike CRISPR-Cas9, base editing does not make a double-strand break.
  • Rather, it enables targeted single-base conversions with the help of a Cas9 enzyme fused to a base-modifying enzyme.
  • This allows scientists to fix mispairing of the bases by changing one specific base.
• Application in KJ’s case: Specific mispaired base responsible for CPS1 was corrected.
• Advantages:
  • Base editing system works like a pencil and eraser, unlike the scissors and glue of CRISPR, and doesn’t require foreign DNA insertion.
  • Precision, compact delivery, and fewer components.
  • Easier to transport in viral vectors or other delivery systems.

Ethical, Economic and Regulatory Challenges:

• Accessibility and cost: Prohibitively expensive - likely in hundreds of thousands of dollars. KJ’s treatment is funded by research institutes and biotechnology firms.
• Scalability issues:
  • Treatment was personalised; not applicable to other patients.
  • Commercial disincentive for pharmaceutical companies due to high cost and customisation needs.
• Regulatory bottlenecks: Complex approval mechanisms, especially in countries like India. Need for reform in bioethics, policy, and governance

Conclusion - Hope Amidst Challenges:

KJ’s case marks a milestone in personalised medicine. Despite its potential to revolutionise treatment of rare genetic diseases, base editing remains constrained by cost, customisation, and policy hurdles.

Future success will depend on efforts to make advanced biotechnologies affordable, scalable, and ethically regulated.

Context

• The national conference India 2047: Building a Climate-Resilient Future showcased an urgent truth: climate change is not a distant threat; it is a present and intensifying health crisis.
• Bringing together diverse voices, from garment workers to climate modellers, paediatricians to architects, the event highlighted the necessity of interdisciplinary collaboration.
• If India is to safeguard its population from the worsening impacts of extreme heat, the health system must evolve from its current reactive model to one that is proactive, preventive, and rooted in equity.

The Hidden Toll of Heat on Public Health

• Despite the early onset of the monsoon, India has already endured another brutal summer.
• Rising temperatures exert immense strain on public health, exacerbating dehydration, heatstroke, and chronic illnesses.
• The current health response, however, is skewed toward crisis management, hospital admissions, IV fluids, and emergency care, rather than anticipation and prevention.
• This reactive model is both unsustainable and insufficient in the face of recurring heatwaves.

Challenges and Prospective Solutions

• Primary Care as the First Line of Defence
  • To combat heat-related health issues effectively, India's primary health-care system must be fortified and climate-proofed.
  • Community health workers such as ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) are strategically positioned to become champions of heat safety.
  • With the right training and protocols, they can deliver early warnings, educate communities, and provide vital interventions, from hydration advice to checking on vulnerable individuals.
  • The integration of meteorological early warning systems with local health networks can further enable swift, community-level action.
  • For example, a forecast of extreme heat could trigger door-to-door visits, WhatsApp alerts, and distribution of hydration kits, simple yet impactful measures that have already shown success in urban centres like Ahmedabad.
  • Importantly, prevention must also be integrated into chronic disease management.
  • Patients with diabetes, heart disease, or kidney issues are particularly susceptible to heat stress, and their treatment must adapt accordingly during summer months.
• Updating Clinical Protocols for Heat Readiness
  • Despite the rising frequency of heatwaves, clinical awareness remains alarmingly low.
  • Many health-care providers fail to screen for heat exposure, and cases of heatstroke are frequently misdiagnosed or missed entirely.
  • There is an urgent need to establish clear, standardised clinical protocols for identifying and managing heat-related illnesses.
  • Simple measures, such as conducting summer readiness drills in hospitals, creating dedicated ‘heat corners’ in emergency departments, and pre-stocking cooling kits, can greatly enhance the capacity of health facilities to deal with the heat crisis.
  • These steps reflect a shift from treating symptoms to proactively preventing illness.

The Way Forward

• Beyond Medicine: The Role of Interdisciplinary Action
  • Preventing the health impacts of extreme heat requires more than a medical response. It demands systemic, cross-sectoral collaboration.
  • Urban planners must redesign housing and public spaces to reduce heat exposure. Water departments must ensure reliable access during peak summers.
  • Labour regulations must protect outdoor workers with mandated rest periods and shaded spaces. Crucially, climate scientists must work closely with health officials to ensure that interventions are data-driven and targeted.
  • India must move away from isolated ‘centres of excellence’ and towards networks of excellence, interdisciplinary teams that combine public health, urban development, labour rights, and grassroots knowledge to create context-specific, scalable solutions.
  • These might include misting shelters in informal settlements or cool roofing in community centres and Anganwadi facilities.
• Equity at the Core of Climate Resilience
  • Extreme heat is not just an environmental hazard; it is a force multiplier of social injustice.
  • The brunt of rising temperatures is borne by society’s most vulnerable: street vendors, schoolchildren, the elderly in poorly ventilated homes, and daily wage workers under tin roofs.
  • For them, stay indoors is not practical guidance but a stark reminder of systemic neglect.
  • Therefore, equity must be at the heart of climate resilience.
  • Mapping social vulnerabilities, such as occupation, housing, and access to resources, is as critical as tracking temperature trends.
  • Responsive measures such as early morning health checks during heat alerts, mobile hydration stations in low-income areas, and subsidised cool shelters are not just humane but necessary.
  • Protecting the most exposed is both a scientific imperative and a moral duty.

Conclusion

• The window for meaningful action is rapidly closing. As climate extremes become the norm, India must act with vision and urgency.
• Embedding heat resilience into public health is not optional it is essential.
• This requires a decisive shift toward proactive care, cross-sector collaboration, and, most importantly, equity-driven solutions that protect those most at risk.

Context

• Over the past decade, India has undergone a remarkable transformation across economic, technological, and strategic spheres.
• Central to this metamorphosis is the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has championed the vision of India not just as a participant in the global economy but as a leader in innovation, manufacturing, and strategic technologies.
• This period has seen the emergence of India as a globally engaged, self-reliant, and resilient nation.

India’s Industrial Resurgence and Manufacturing Drive

• Make in India Campaign
  • The launch of the ‘Make in India’ initiative in 2014 marked a watershed moment in India’s industrial policy.
  • It signalled a shift from being a passive player in global manufacturing to aspiring to become a manufacturing powerhouse.
  • The initiative introduced sweeping reforms to enhance the ease of doing business, streamline regulatory approvals, and attract both domestic and foreign direct investment.
  • These reforms sparked renewed interest in sectors such as electronics, defence, and automobiles.
• PLI Schemes to Strengthen Atmanirbhar Bharat
  • To strengthen these efforts, the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes were introduced, further increasing India’s competitiveness as a manufacturing destination.
  • In 2020, the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India Mission) intensified this momentum by emphasizing the need for modern, globally integrated manufacturing value chains.
  • This initiative aimed not only to boost economic growth but also to ensure national security by reducing dependence on critical imports.
  • Strategic sectors like defence manufacturing, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and critical minerals became focal points.
  • These sectors are pivotal not just for economic growth but also for enhancing India’s strategic autonomy.

Some Other Remarkable Transformation Towards a Self-Reliant Powerhouse

• Rise of a Global Innovation Leader
  • Parallel to its industrial push, India has rapidly emerged as a global innovation hub.
  • With the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, Indian startups are making global waves across domains including fintech, agritech, health tech, and edtech.
  • Beyond commercial success, startups are now contributing strategically in fields like defence technology, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and space exploration.
  • India's innovation prowess is reinforced through strategic international partnerships.
  • Programs like the U.S.-India TRUST initiative and the India-France road map have developed collaborations in cutting-edge areas such as AI, quantum computing, and defence technologies.
• Defence Indigenisation and Strategic Capability
  • India’s increasing focus on indigenous defence manufacturing was vividly illustrated by Operation Sindoor, a successful mission that deployed domestically developed defence technologies.
  • This operation demonstrated the effectiveness and precision of Indian-made equipment and symbolized the country’s transition from an arms importer to a credible defence exporter.
  • As a result of these initiatives, India’s defence exports rose to ₹23,622 crore in FY25, with projections to reach ₹50,000 crore by 2029.
  • The private sector played a crucial role in this success, contributing over ₹15,000 crore.
  • Much of the technology used in Operation Sindoor was a product of the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives, making it a milestone validation of the country’s decade-long focus on self-reliance and technological resilience.
• Technological Leadership and Future Readiness
  • In an era where technological prowess defines national power, India has recognized the strategic imperative of investing in future-critical technologies.
  • Government-led missions such as the National Quantum Mission and the India Semiconductor Mission are establishing India as a hub for advanced research and development.
  • The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), with achievements like the Chandrayaan and Gaganyaan missions, has showcased India’s growing capabilities in space technology.
  • However, sustainable technological leadership cannot rest on government efforts alone; it must be a collective national enterprise involving industry, academia, and startups.

Industry’s Role in India’s Technological Journey and a Defining Moment for India

• Industry’s Role in India’s Technological Journey
  • The Indian private sector is playing a pivotal role in building India’s high-tech capabilities across semiconductors, clean tech, next-generation mobility, defence, and electronics.
  • In space, industry has contributed critical components for satellites and launch vehicles.
  • In defence, it is developing advanced technologies and participating in joint ventures for drones, combat platforms, and missiles.
  • In the realm of AI, industry is actively involved in projects like Bhashini, an AI-powered language translation initiative, and FutureSkills Prime, a program for upskilling India’s workforce in emerging technologies.
  • Looking ahead, the private sector must increase investments in R&D, proactively forge international technology partnerships, and lead collaborative ventures with academia and public research institutions.
  • These collaborations are essential not just for innovation, but also for generating a robust talent pipeline of engineers, scientists, and technicians who will drive India’s future growth.
• A Defining Moment for India
  • India stands today at a pivotal juncture. With a foundation built on economic resilience, industrial strength, innovation, and a forward-looking strategic posture, the country is no longer catching up, it is leading.
  • The purposeful march toward Viksit Bharat (Developed India) calls for intensified efforts from all sectors, particularly industry, to embrace a larger role in shaping India’s destiny.
  • Prime Minister Modi's declaration that Self-reliance has not only become India’s policy, but it has also become our passion, encapsulates the national ethos of the last decade.
  • The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and other stakeholders now aim to fuel this passion further and elevate India into the league of nations that are defining the future of global innovation and security.

Conclusion

• India’s decade-long transformation underlines a strategic pivot towards self-reliance, technological leadership, and global influence.
• By leveraging its industrial base, nurturing innovation, and fostering strategic collaborations, India is steadily positioning itself as a beacon of growth and resilience.
• The journey to becoming a strong, secure, and globally respected nation is well underway, and it demands continued commitment from government, industry, and society alike.