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.

Why in News?

Recently, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet approved the State’s Space Industrial Policy to boost development and attract investments in the space sector, following the example of Karnataka and Gujarat.

The policy focuses on areas such as satellite manufacturing, launch services, and satellite-based applications. This move aligns with the Indian Space Policy 2023 introduced by the Union government to strengthen the national space ecosystem.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Indian Space Policy 2023 – Key Points
• Tamil Nadu's Strategic Role in India's Space Sector
• Drivers Behind Tamil Nadu's Space Industrial Policy
• Objectives and Key Provisions of Tamil Nadu’s Space Industrial Policy

Indian Space Policy 2023 – Key Points

• Goal: Provide a comprehensive framework to enable private participation and strengthen the space ecosystem.
• Key Features
  • IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center)
    • Acts as a single-window agency for authorizing space activities by non-government entities.
  • ISRO's Role
    • To focus on R&D, new technologies, and capacity building.
    • Operational activities (like satellite launches and commercial use) to be increasingly shifted to private sector.
  • Private Sector Involvement
    • Encourages participation in end-to-end activities — from design and manufacturing to launch and data services.
  • Department of Space
    • Retains overall policy direction and regulatory functions.

Tamil Nadu's Strategic Role in India's Space Sector

• Presence of Key ISRO Facilities
  • ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri (Tirunelveli):
    • Specializes in testing earth-storable and cryogenic engines, and undertakes R&D and technology development for launch vehicles.
  • Upcoming Spaceport at Kulasekarapattinam (Thoothukudi):
    • Set to become India’s second spaceport, aimed at expanding the country's satellite launch capacity.
• Growing Ecosystem of Space Startups
  • The State hosts multiple space tech startups engaged in:
    • Launch vehicle development
    • Reusable launch technologies
    • In-space refueling and manufacturing
    • Advanced satellite data fusion
• Academic and Incubation Support
  • Space Technology Incubation Centre (STIC) at NIT Tiruchi: Acts as a regional hub for ISRO-led innovation, fostering student and faculty-driven space technology projects.

Drivers Behind Tamil Nadu's Space Industrial Policy

• Recommendation from IN-SPACe
  • IN-SPACe under the Department of Space, advised the Tamil Nadu government to formulate a dedicated space policy.
  • This is to promote and regulate Non-Government Entities (NGEs) in the sector.
• Foundation in Existing Policy Framework
  • Tamil Nadu had already launched an Aerospace and Defence (A&D) Industrial Policy three years ago, which identified space technology as a priority area for development and investment.
• Strong Vendor Ecosystem
  • The State has a well-established vendor base of over 250 suppliers catering to ISRO’s needs, indicating a mature and capable supply chain for space-related components and services.
• Strategic Collaboration with IN-SPACe
  • TIDCO (Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation) signed an MoU with IN-SPACe to facilitate:
    • Manufacturing and service activities
    • Design and R&D efforts
    • Strategic electronics manufacturing
    • Development of space-grade components

Objectives and Key Provisions of Tamil Nadu’s Space Industrial Policy

• Investment and Employment Goals
  • The policy aims to attract ₹10,000 crore in investments over the next five years.
  • It is expected to generate direct and indirect employment for nearly 10,000 people during this period.
• Leveraging State Strengths
  • The policy is designed to capitalize on Tamil Nadu’s strengths in electronics, precision manufacturing, and allied sectors.
  • It also promotes the integration of space technologies in governance to improve public services across sectors such as:
    • Disaster management
    • Agriculture and fisheries
    • Transport and revenue
    • Health and municipal administration
• Financial Incentives and Support
  • Payroll Subsidy: Offered to companies involved in R&D or those setting up Global Capability Centres in the space sector.
  • Space Bays: Selected regions will be notified as Space Bays, where firms investing below ₹300 crore can avail structured incentive packages.
  • Industrial Housing Incentive: Developers of space industrial parks can avail 10% subsidy on the cost of residential facilities, capped at ₹10 crore over 10 years.
  • Green Initiatives Support: Projects adopting green and sustainable practices will receive a 25% capital subsidy, capped at ₹5 crore.

Why in News?

Recently, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was arrested in Haryana over social media posts related to Operation Sindoor—India’s military action against terrorist bases in Pakistan and PoK. However, the Court refused to halt the ongoing investigation.

The case now depends on whether the SIT can prove that the professor’s posts justify the serious charges against him. More significantly, it raises a key constitutional question: can unpopular or seemingly unpatriotic social media posts be denied protection under Article 19(1)(a), which guarantees freedom of speech?

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Criminal Charges Invoked Against Professor Mahmudabad
• Supreme Court’s Conditional Relief to Professor Mahmudabad
• ‘Unpatriotic’ Speech Is Constitutionally Protected
• Inconsistent Judicial Approach to Free Speech Cases

Criminal Charges Invoked Against Professor Mahmudabad

• Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad faces serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, following two FIRs.
• Charges Under the First FIR
  • Section 152: Penalises acts endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. This provision resembles the repealed sedition law under the IPC. (Punishment: Up to 7 years imprisonment)
  • Section 196(1)(b): Targets actions disturbing communal harmony and public tranquillity.
  • Section 197(1)(c): Covers imputations or assertions prejudicial to national integration.
  • Section 299: Criminalises deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings.
• Charges Under the Second FIR
  • Section 79: Penalises acts, words, or gestures intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
  • Section 353: Covers statements that conduce to public mischief.
    • Both sections carry a maximum penalty of 3 years imprisonment.
• Key Highlight
  • Among all the charges, Section 152 is the most severe, with a potential prison term of up to seven years.
  • The others are punishable with imprisonment of up to three years.

Supreme Court’s Conditional Relief to Professor Mahmudabad

• The defence lawyer argued that Professor Mahmudabad had no criminal intent and that his social media posts reflected patriotism.
• Court’s Observations
  • Justice Surya Kant noted that some of the professor’s words had a “dual meaning” and questioned his motives, accusing him of seeking “cheap popularity” during a time of national crisis.
  • The Bench emphasized that free speech must not be used in a way that causes harm to others.
• Court’s Directions
  • Investigation Participation: The professor must fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
  • No Further FIRs: The court directed that no additional FIRs be filed concerning the two contentious posts.
  • Formation of SIT: A three-member SIT comprising senior IPS officers from outside Haryana and Delhi will be formed to assess the true intent and meaning of the posts.
  • Conditional Bail: Interim bail was granted with the following conditions:
    • Surrender his passport.
    • Avoid commenting on or writing about the two posts under investigation.
    • Refrain from expressing views on the Pahalgam terror attack or Operation Sindoor.

‘Unpatriotic’ Speech Is Constitutionally Protected

• Limits on Restrictions under Article 19(2)
  • The Constitution allows restrictions on free speech only on eight specific grounds under Article 19(2), such as incitement to violence or threat to public order.
  • The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that no restrictions beyond these are permissible.
• Key Judicial Precedents
  • Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015)
    • The Court struck down Section 66A of the IT Act, ruling that vague terms like “annoyance” or “hatred” cannot justify criminalising speech.
    • It affirmed that speech which offends or disturbs is still protected under Article 19(1)(a).
  • Kaushal Kishore v. State of Uttar Pradesh (2023)
    • A Constitution Bench reaffirmed that Article 19(2) is exhaustive.
    • No additional restrictions, however well-intentioned, can be introduced.
    • It emphasized that people cannot be penalized merely for holding non-conforming opinions.

Inconsistent Judicial Approach to Free Speech Cases

• Supreme Court’s Recent Precedent (March 2025)
  • While hearing MP Imran Pratapgarhi’s case, the SC set clear standards for registering FIRs under Sections 196, 197(1), and 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
  • The court stated that speech must be evaluated from the perspective of reasonable, strong-minded, firm and courageous individuals, not from overly sensitive or insecure viewpoints.
• Strong Defence of Free Expression
  • The court emphasized that even speech which discomforts the judiciary is constitutionally protected.
• Criticism of Judicial Inconsistency
  • Analysts have criticized the growing trend of ignoring precedents set by coordinate benches.
  • They noted a rising tendency among judges to be influenced by personal biases or public sentiment, undermining genuine constitutional protections while maintaining only a superficial appearance of neutrality.

Why in the News?

Researchers at IIT Bombay have developed a high efficiency tandem solar cell with power conversion efficiency of approximately 30 per cent compared with around 20 per cent now.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About the Innovation (Background, Tandem Solar Cell Tech, Potential Impact, Strategic Importance, etc.)

Introduction

• In a landmark development for India’s renewable energy landscape, IIT Bombay has unveiled a next-generation solar cell technology that offers a substantial leap in both efficiency and affordability.
• The innovation, developed at the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research & Education (NCPRE), employs a tandem structure combining perovskite and silicon materials to create a solar cell that could significantly boost India’s clean energy capacity.
  • Perovskite materials are a diverse class of compounds, characterized by a specific crystal structure similar to the mineral calcium titanate (CaTiO3).
  • This structure, often represented by the formula ABX3, is responsible for their unique properties and applications in various fields, particularly in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.
• With efficiency rates projected at nearly 30%, compared to the existing 20% in conventional silicon cells, this innovation may reduce the cost of solar power to as low as ₹1 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), making solar energy more accessible and sustainable.

Tandem Solar Cell Technology: A Game-Changer

• The newly developed technology is based on a four-terminal (4T) tandem solar cell design.
• In this architecture, a semi-transparent halide perovskite-based top cell is layered over a silicon-based bottom cell, allowing both to function independently.
• This configuration enhances power conversion efficiency and operational stability.
  • Perovskite Advantage: Halide perovskites are recognized for their exceptional light absorption and low manufacturing cost.
    • IIT Bombay's breakthrough also addresses perovskite’s major drawback, its short lifespan, by extending its durability to around 10 years.
  • Operational Durability: The tandem cell remains stable under heat and low-light conditions, improving its viability across diverse Indian climates.
• The research team explained that this solution not only improves energy output but also enables better land-use efficiency, which is critical for a densely populated country like India.

Potential Impact on Solar Energy Ecosystem

• Enhanced Efficiency & Cost Reduction
  • Boosts power conversion efficiency by 25-30% over conventional technologies.
  • Expected to bring down the cost of solar electricity to nearly ₹1 per kWh, a steep drop from the current ₹2.5-4 per unit.
• Reduced Import Dependence
  • Currently, India heavily relies on China for solar-grade raw materials. Perovskite materials, which can be synthesized using locally available chemicals, will help reduce this dependency.
• Support for Green Hydrogen Initiatives
  • The Maharashtra government and IIT Bombay are collaborating on a clean energy hub in Uran, with a focus on green hydrogen production using this new solar technology.
  • High-efficiency tandem cells are vital for the photoelectrochemical splitting of water to produce hydrogen sustainably.

Commercialization and Industrial Collaboration

• The technology is being scaled up through ART-PV India Pvt. Ltd., a start-up incubated at IIT Bombay’s Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE).
• It aims to provide a commercial wafer-size solution for tandem cells by December 2027 using indigenous manufacturing tools.
• Public Sector Engagement: The state government has directed MAHAGENCO, its power generation utility, to evaluate deployment and commercialization opportunities for the technology.

Strategic Importance for India’s Energy Future

• This development aligns with India’s long-term goals under the National Solar Mission and its Net Zero 2070
• As land scarcity and material imports continue to challenge India’s renewable energy goals, high-efficiency indigenous solutions like this are critical to scaling up solar energy without proportionate increases in land or capital costs.
• Additionally, the ability to integrate these cells into rooftops, vehicles (Vehicle-integrated photovoltaics (VIPV)), and buildings (BIPV) enhances their application versatility, pushing India closer to a decentralized and resilient energy grid.

Context:

• Amid global economic uncertainties and domestic policy challenges, there is the need to examine India’s trade performance in the fiscal year 2024-25 (FY25).
• The article highlights the growth in overall exports, rising trade deficit, and the complex dynamics of agricultural trade, stressing the need for sustainable strategies and consistent trade policies.

Overview of India’s Trade Performance in FY25:

• Recent developments:
  • The Donald Trump administration’s shifting tariffs and global geopolitical tensions.
  • The India-UK Free Trade Agreement has been successfully concluded.
  • The government is negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US.
• Export-import performance:
  • Total exports: $820.93 billion (marking an increase of 6.5% over FY24)
    • Merchandise: $437.42 billion (53%).
    • Services: $383.51 billion (47%) – led by IT, finance, and business services.
  • Total Imports: $915.19 billion (marking an increase of 6.85%)
    • Merchandise: $720.24 billion (79%)
    • Services: $194.95 billion (21%)
  • Trade deficit: $94.26 billion (increased from $78.39 billion in FY24)
  • Trade-to-GDP ratio: With the IMF estimating India’s nominal GDP at $4.19 trillion in FY25, the trade-to-GDP ratio stands at a robust 41.4% — this reflects a deeper link with global markets.

Agricultural Trade - A Mixed Picture:

• Agri-export trends:
  • FY25 agri-exports: $52 billion (marking an increase of 6.3% from $48.9 billion in FY24).
  • 2030 target: $100 billion - this means that current growth is inadequate.
  • Comparative growth:
    • FY05–FY14: 20% annual growth.
    • FY15–FY25: Slowed to 2.3% per annum.
    • Agri-trade surplus: Shrunk from $27.7 billion (FY14) to $13.8 billion (FY25).
• Constraints on growth:
  • External factors: Global price fluctuations.
  • Domestic policy issues: Frequent bans or curbs on key items like rice, wheat, sugar, and onions.

Case Study - Rice Exports in FY25:

• Performance:
  • Volume exported: 20.2 MMT
  • Value: $12.5 billion (~25% of agri-exports)
• Lessons from past:
  • The government’s rice export controls in 2022-23 offer useful lessons.
  • As India restricted broken rice exports, slapped duties on parboiled rice, and introduced a minimum export price (MEP) for Basmati, global rice prices spiked.
• Impact:
  • Although the volume of exports fell by 27% (from 22.3 MMT in FY23 to 16.3 MMT in FY24), the export value dropped by only 6%.
  • Once most restrictions on rice exports were lifted in late 2024 (except for broken rice), rice exports bounced back to 20.2 MMT, bringing in $12.5 billion in FY25.
• Critical insight: India’s dominance in global rice trade — about one-third of the 61.4 MMT market in FY25 — gives it the power to influence global prices.
• Policy suggestion: As over-exporting depresses these prices (yielding lower marginal revenue), India should impose an export duty of ~10 to 15% to ensure that marginal revenue from exports does not decline.

Sustainability Challenge in Rice Production:

• Resource intensity:
  • Water use: 3,000–5,000 litres/kg.
  • Water export estimate: ~40 billion cubic metres via rice exports.
• Subsidy concerns: Much of India’s global competitiveness stems from heavy subsidies on water, electricity, and fertilisers used in its production.
• Strategic shift required:
  • India’s agri-export strategy must focus on improving productivity across the board.
  • This means greater investment in R&D, better seed technology, expanded irrigation, judicious use of fertilisers, and wider adoption of resource-efficient farming practices such as precision agriculture and fertigation.
  • By doing so, India can lower its per-unit cost of production, enhance its global competitiveness, increase export earnings, boost farmer incomes, and promote environmental sustainability.

Agri-Imports - Rising Concerns:

• FY25 data:
  • Total agri-imports: $38.2 billion (an increase of 16.5% from $32.8 billion in FY24).
  • Edible oils: $17.3 billion (16.4 MMT) primarily palm oil, followed by soybean and sunflower, constituting 45.4% of agri-imports, which is excessive and unsustainable.
• Edible oil strategy and challenges:
  • India must pursue a targeted, pragmatic policy focused on domestic oil palm
  • Oil palm yields up to four tonnes of oil per hectare, 10 times more than mustard.
  • However, it takes four to six years to mature, during which smallholders face income loss.
• Policy recommendations:
  • Government support, equivalent to the opportunity cost of their land (that forgone income from crops), is essential during this gestation phase.
  • Incentives should also promote higher oil recovery rates through improved processing.
  • A regulated plantation model involving corporate leasing under oversight and collaboration with farmer producer organisations (FPO) could unlock private investment while safeguarding farmer interests.

Conclusion - Strategic Roadmap Ahead:

• Agriculture trade policy must be consistent and transparent, balanced between domestic needs and export goals.
• Long-term focus areas should be productivity enhancement, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
• Broader vision should be to harness trade as a lever for rural growth, farmer welfare, and global leadership in sustainable agriculture.

Context

• Africa Day, celebrated on May 25, marks the founding of the Organisation of African Unity in 1963 and represents the continent’s enduring journey toward unity, independence, and sustainable development.
• In the 21st century, this journey is increasingly defined by digital transformation.
• The African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030) reflects this shift, prioritising technology as a central pillar for socio-economic advancement.
• Against this backdrop, India has emerged as a key development partner, recalibrating its diplomacy to engage more deeply with Africa through digital cooperation.

India’s Evolving Development Diplomacy in Africa

• Historically, India’s engagement with Africa has blended state-led financial instruments with socially embedded development models.
• This has included a range of initiatives from technical training and education to concessional credit-backed infrastructure projects.
• In recent years, India has expanded this approach to include low-cost, high-impact solutions pioneered by social enterprises.
• This evolving model reflects a commitment to inclusivity, adaptability, and partnership-oriented development, principles that are now finding renewed expression in digital diplomacy.

The Emergence of a Digital Partnership

• India’s development cooperation is transitioning into a new phase, defined by integrated, technology-driven partnerships.
• Early efforts, such as the Pan-African e-Network launched in 2009, laid the groundwork by providing telemedicine and tele-education services across the continent via satellite and fibre-optic infrastructure.
• More recently, India is leveraging its robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems, such as Aadhaar (digital ID), UPI (digital payments), CoWIN (vaccination management), and DIKSHA (education platform), to co-create and share digital solutions tailored to governance and public service delivery in African nations.
• This transition is timely, as many African countries are actively pursuing national and regional digital agendas.
• Initiatives such as the Policy and Regulatory Initiative for Digital Africa and the Smart Africa Alliance exemplify this momentum toward inclusive and sustainable digital growth.
• India’s DPI model, characterised by scalability, affordability, and public-oriented design, aligns well with these aspirations.

Concrete Collaborations: Case Studies of Digital Diplomacy

• Togo partnered with IIIT-Bangalore in 2021 to implement the Modular Open-Source Identification Platform for its national digital ID system.
• Zambia signed an MoU in 2023 with the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure at IIIT-B to support its Smart Zambia Initiative.
• Namibia’s central bank partnered with the National Payments Corporation of India in 2024 to develop a UPI-like instant payment system.
• Ghana is linking its digital payment infrastructure to India’s UPI for more efficient financial transactions.
• These collaborations signify a growing recognition of India’s DPI not just as a technological export, but as a model for building digital public goods.

Key Features of Indian Digital Diplomacy in Africa

• Navigating a Competitive Digital Landscape
  • India’s digital diplomacy in Africa operates in a competitive geopolitical environment.
  • As noted by scholar Folashadé Soulé, African governments are pragmatic in their choice of digital partners, prioritising effectiveness over ideology.
  • China remains a dominant player, offering attractive financial terms and infrastructure-heavy support.
  • The European Union and the United States also vie for influence in this space.
  • What distinguishes India is its commitment to open-source, interoperable systems that view digital infrastructure as a public good rather than a commercial asset.
  • This non-extractive model has the potential to build more equitable, locally adapted digital ecosystems.
• Capacity Building Through Education and Innovation
  • The establishment of the first overseas campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in Zanzibar reflects India’s strategic push to link digital capacity-building with socio-economic development.
  • Offering advanced programs in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, and supported by private-sector scholarships, this initiative exemplifies how academic cooperation can strengthen digital infrastructure while nurturing local talent.

Existing Challenges and The Way Ahead

• Despite promising developments, significant challenges remain.
• Africa continues to experience the world’s largest digital divide, exacerbated by high data and device costs, limited rural connectivity, and a pronounced gender gap in digital literacy.
• In addition, expanding digital infrastructure requires a stable and sufficient energy supply, something many African nations currently lack.
• Bridging these gaps demands coordinated investment in renewable energy and power grid expansion to support the growing digital ecosystem.

Conclusion

• Despite these challenges, the digital governance landscape in Africa is evolving rapidly.
• With 85% of African countries possessing digital-capable national ID systems and 70% collecting biometric data, there exists a solid foundation for building interoperable digital platforms.
• A future India-Africa digital compact, rooted in co-development, mutual respect, and enduring institutional partnerships, could offer a replicable model for inclusive digital transformation.
• As both regions move forward, their shared commitment to people-centric innovation may well redefine the contours of South-South cooperation in the digital age.

Context

• India's national security strategy has undergone a gradual yet profound transformation since its independence.
• From initially regarding military force as an unfortunate necessity, India has increasingly embraced a more assertive posture in asserting its national power.
• This evolution, particularly marked by recent developments such as Operation Sindoor, signals a strategic pivot from traditional land-based doctrines to a more integrated, multi-domain approach where air power is emerging as a critical enabler of national security.

Historical Context and the Continental Mindset

• Post-independence Indian military thought was heavily influenced by a continental mindset.
• The challenges of long and contested land borders with both Pakistan and China, coupled with frequent internal armed conflicts, led to an overwhelming emphasis on ground forces.
• Land operations became synonymous with military effectiveness, while sea and air domains were relatively neglected.
• The focus on attrition warfare and territorial control shaped India’s national security calculus for decades.
• However, this approach increasingly appeared limited, particularly in the face of asymmetric threats such as cross-border terrorism and the strategic realities of a two-front scenario involving China and Pakistan.
• The growing complexity of regional geopolitics necessitated a re-evaluation of India’s military instruments.

The Emergence of a New Strategic Paradigm

• Operation Sindoor (May 7–10) marks a turning point in India’s security strategy. At its core lies a shift towards a more proactive and assertive doctrine that emphasizes prevention, pre-emption, and punishment.
• While maintaining the guiding principles of responsibility and restraint, the Indian state now appears more willing to utilize offensive capabilities to deter and respond to emerging threats, particularly from Pakistan.
• This shift is not merely tactical but conceptual.
• It acknowledges the need to recalibrate military thinking in the face of contemporary threats, moving away from a rigid, land-centric posture to a multi-domain operational model, where maritime and especially air power play co-equal roles.

Air Power: From Peripheral Role to Strategic Centrepiece

• Traditionally seen as escalatory and thus restrained, offensive air power in India was long underutilised.
• Although the Indian Air Force (IAF) had developed considerable non-kinetic capabilities, particularly in airlift and humanitarian operations, it struggled to convince policymakers of its strategic offensive potential.
• This began to change with the Balakot air strikes in 2019, which marked the first significant use of air power in a counter-terrorism context.
• However, it was Operation Sindoor that definitively positioned the IAF as a legitimate and effective first responder in limited conflicts.
• The operation demonstrated not only the IAF’s doctrinal maturity but also its operational readiness to deliver strategic outcomes without the risks associated with deploying ground forces.
• Moreover, the operation reinforced the IAF’s argument that air power can serve as a powerful tool in non-contact warfare, offering rapid, precise, and high-impact responses with reduced political and human costs.

Challenges, Institutional Competition and the Road Ahead

• Challenges and Institutional Competition
  • Despite its operational successes, the IAF faces significant institutional and financial challenges.
  • The fierce competition among the three services for limited defence budgets has led to inter-service rivalries and hindered the development of a coherent, integrated military strategy.
  • The current capital allocation for the IAF remains insufficient to counter the collusive threats posed by China and Pakistan.
  • The impending induction of advanced fifth-generation fighter aircraft (such as the J-35 by China into the Pakistan Air Force) underscores the urgency of modernising India’s air capabilities.
  • Bridging this technological and capability gap will require sustained political support and strategic clarity.
• The Road Ahead: Integration, Not Supremacy
  • As India navigates this strategic transition, it is imperative that the discourse does not become a contest between air, land, and naval power.
  • Instead, the focus must be on integrated operations, where each domain contributes its unique strengths to produce decisive outcomes.
  • The evolving doctrine should leverage air power not as a replacement but as a force multiplier that can enhance the effectiveness of ground and maritime operations.
  • The future of Indian statecraft will depend on its ability to craft a multi-domain, agile, and technologically advanced military force that can operate across the full spectrum of conflict.
  • Operation Sindoor has laid the groundwork for such a transformation, but capitalising on this momentum will require institutional reform, doctrinal clarity, and adequate resource allocation.

Conclusion

• India’s journey from strategic restraint to strategic assertiveness reflects both a changing security environment and a maturing national security outlook.
• Air power, once relegated to the periphery of India’s defence planning, is now central to its operational doctrine.
• Operation Sindoor has shown what is possible when capabilities, doctrine, and political will align.
• The task now is to institutionalise this change, ensuring that India’s military power remains credible, integrated, and future-ready.

Why in News?

India is finalising a new Space Activities Bill, aimed at establishing a legal framework for private participation in the space sector and granting statutory authority to IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre).

The bill reflects evolving needs in the wake of increasing private sector involvement and international obligations. 

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Background and Need for the Bill
• Purpose and Key Objectives of the Draft Bill
• Provisions and Changes in the Draft Bill
• Economic Goals and Projections
• Consultation and Approval Process
• State-Level Initiatives and Space Manufacturing Hubs
• Conclusion

Background and Need for the Bill:

• Previous attempts and policy evolution:
  • First draft in 2017: Circulated for public comments but not finalised or introduced in Parliament.
  • IN-SPACe: Established in 2020 to promote private participation.
  • Indian Space Policy 2023: Outlines roles and responsibilities of different entities in the Indian space sector.
• Current developments: The new draft bill, which is now ready for circulation among stakeholder ministries, integrates past suggestions and addresses the growing complexity of private space activities.

Purpose and Key Objectives of the Draft Bill:

• Statutory empowerment of IN-SPACe:
  • Currently, IN-SPACe operates without statutory authority.
  • The bill will provide legal backing for authorisation and regulation of private space companies.
• Regulatory necessity:
  • India, being party to international treaties (like the Outer Space Treaty, 1967), is accountable for all space activities under its jurisdiction.
  • Proliferation of private players necessitates legislation to regulate space activities.

Provisions and Changes in the Draft Bill:

• Revised from 2017 version:
  • Earlier provisions have been amended based on industry feedback.
  • These include -
    • 3-year imprisonment and Rs 1 crore fine for offences such as carrying out a space activity without a license, furnishing false information, or polluting the outer space.
    • Any intellectual property right created in outer space would belong to the government.
  • The bill now reflects a more enabling, industry-friendly framework.
• Insurance for space assets:
  • Currently, the cost of insuring space assets and space activities is very high, making them unaffordable for upcoming start-ups.
  • The bill aims to include provisions for accessible and affordable insurance, critical for start-ups and new entrants.

Economic Goals and Projections:

• India’s space economy targets:
  • Current space economy: $8.4 billion (2022).
  • Target for 2033: $44 billion, with $11 billion from exports.
• Significance of the bill: It is seen as a catalyst for growth and investment in the space sector.

Consultation and Approval Process:

• After the internal consultation with the stakeholder ministries, the draft bill will be sent for a wider consultation to different ministries and then shared with the general public.
• The final draft will go to the minister in-charge, which is the Prime Minister (PM) in this case.
• Once it is approved, it will go to the cabinet and then the parliament

State-Level Initiatives:

• Decentralised space manufacturing: Aim is to set up 4-5 manufacturing hubs initially, with IN-SPACe’s guidance.
• State policies and specialisation:
  • Three states have released their own space policies - Tamil Nadu (focus on launch vehicles), Gujarat (focus on satellites and payload), and Karnataka (general hub due to the existing ecosystem in Bengaluru).
  • IN-SPACe is also in talks with Maharashtra and possibly other states to set up such manufacturing hubs.

Conclusion:

The new draft Space Activities Bill represents a crucial legislative advancement towards modernising India’s space governance, unlocking private sector potential, and meeting global responsibilities.

It promises to make India a major player in the global space economy by fostering innovation, investment, and regulatory clarity.

Why in the News?

The 10th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was recently held in New Delhi.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• About NITI Aayog (Objective, Functions, Governing Council, etc.)
• PM’s Speech (Key Highlights, Strategic Recommendations, State-level Inputs)

About NITI Aayog

• The NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) is the premier policy think tank of the Government of India, established in 2015 to replace the Planning Commission.
• Its primary mandate is to promote cooperative federalism, facilitate evidence-based policymaking, and guide India’s long-term developmental strategy toward achieving Viksit Bharat @2047.
• Functions of NITI Aayog
  • Formulating strategic and long-term policy frameworks.
  • Coordinating between the Centre and states.
  • Encouraging innovation, technology-driven governance, and sustainable development.
  • Monitoring implementation of key national programmes.

Governing Council of NITI Aayog

• The Governing Council is the apex decision-making body of NITI Aayog. It is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and comprises:
  • Chief Ministers of all states and Union Territories with legislatures.
  • Lieutenant Governors of other UTs.
  • Union Ministers for key portfolios.
  • Vice-Chairperson and senior officials of NITI Aayog.
• This council meets annually to discuss key policy issues, align Centre-state priorities, and foster a collaborative approach to India's growth and development.
• It plays a crucial role in strengthening “Team India” spirit across different levels of government. 

Highlights of PM Narendra Modi’s Address

• Focus on Viksit Bharat @2047
  • PM Modi began by emphasizing the shared goal of making India a “Viksit Bharat” (developed nation) by 2047.
  • He encouraged each state to align its developmental agenda accordingly, ensuring that every state, city, municipal body, and village transforms into a 'Viksit' unit.
• Team India Approach
  • The Prime Minister underscored the importance of Centre-state collaboration. “If the Centre and states work together like Team India, no goal is impossible,” he stated.
  • He advocated for coordinated planning across sectors such as infrastructure, services, governance, and innovation.
• Modernising Civil Preparedness
  • Reflecting on Operation Sindoor and national security concerns, PM Modi emphasized that such efforts should not be one-time responses.
  • He urged states to institutionalize civil defence mechanisms and enhance disaster resilience capabilities.

Strategic Recommendations by the PM

• Leverage Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
  • PM Modi advised states to strategically use India’s new FTAs to boost local manufacturing and exports. He called for an investor-friendly regulatory environment and proposed removing outdated laws to attract global investments.
• Tourism Development
  • PM Modi proposed the “One State, One Global Destination”
  • Each state should develop at least one world-class tourist hub with comprehensive infrastructure.
  • This would catalyse both direct tourism revenue and the development of nearby cities.
• Urban and Workforce Reforms
  • In response to rapid urbanisation, the Prime Minister stressed the need for future-ready cities built on principles of sustainability, innovation, and resilience.
  • He also called for reforms to integrate more women into the workforce, urging states to craft gender-sensitive laws and policies.

Key State-Level Inputs and Demands

• Tamil Nadu’s Tax Revenue Demand
  • Chief Minister M.K. Stalin demanded that states receive a 50% share in central taxes, up from the current 33.16%.
  • He also urged for:
    • A dedicated urban transformation mission like AMRUT 2.0.
    • A Clean-Ganga-style river rejuvenation mission for Tamil Nadu rivers such as Cauvery and Vaigai.
• Andhra Pradesh’s Sub-Group Proposal
  • CM N. Chandrababu Naidu proposed forming three sub-groups of states to work with the Centre:
    • GDP Growth and Investments
    • Population Management
    • Technology-Driven Governance (using AI, drones, digital platforms)
• Chhattisgarh’s 3T Model
  • CM Vishnu Deo Sai proposed a 3T (Technology, Transparency, Transformation) development model under the “Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision Document”.
  • It targets:
    • Tenfold increase in per capita income.
    • Doubling GSDP in five years.
    • Naxal-free Chhattisgarh by March 2026.
• Punjab’s Concerns on Water and Borders
  • CM Bhagwant Mann raised Punjab’s claim over Yamuna river waters and demanded:
    • Inclusion of border villages in the Vibrant Villages Programme.
    • More funds for anti-drug initiatives and border security.
    • Reversal of perceived “step-motherly treatment” by the Centre.

Why in News?

The RBI’s Central Board announced a record surplus transfer of ₹2.69 lakh crore to the Central government for 2024-25, marking a 27% increase over the previous year’s ₹2.11 lakh crore.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Higher-than-Expected RBI Transfer
• Understanding the Nature of RBI’s Surplus
• The RBI’s Safety Net: Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB)
• Historical Tensions Over Surplus Transfers

Higher-than-Expected RBI Transfer

• The ₹2.69 lakh crore surplus transferred by the RBI exceeds the government’s budgeted estimate of ₹2.56 lakh crore from the RBI, public sector banks, and insurance firms combined.
• This implies that actual collections from this category will significantly surpass expectations.
• Unusually High Transfers in 2024–25
  • The record surplus transfer of ₹2.69 lakh crore was driven by increased foreign exchange sales, higher earnings from forex assets, and gains from liquidity management operations.
• Sustainability in Question
  • According to experts, such high levels of foreign exchange sales may not continue next year, potentially reducing profits.
• Room for Flexibility in Future Transfers
  • With the RBI widening the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) range to 4.5–7.5%, it has greater flexibility.
  • If it opts for a lower buffer (e.g., 4.5%) next year, it could still transfer a substantial surplus to the government—even if revenues decline.

Understanding the Nature of RBI’s Surplus

• The RBI is not a company and has no shareholders, so it doesn’t pay dividends.
• Instead, it transfers surplus earnings to the Central government as mandated by the RBI Act, 1934.
  • As per the RBI Act, once expenses and required provisions for contingencies are met, the remaining profit is transferred to the Central government.
• Sources of RBI’s Revenue
  • Seigniorage: The RBI earns seigniorage — the difference between the face value of currency and its production cost — when commercial banks purchase currency notes at face value.
  • Lending Operations: The RBI lends to the Central and State governments, as well as commercial banks, and earns interest on these loans.
  • Foreign Investments: The RBI invests in foreign bonds, earning interest and sometimes gaining from currency exchange rate fluctuations.
• RBI’s Core Role: Economic Stability, Not Profit
  • RBI exists to maintain economic stability — keeping inflation in check, ensuring stable interest and exchange rates, managing currency, and serving as the banker to the government — not to earn profits.
  • While the RBI works for public good, its market operations can generate income.
    • These earnings, such as seigniorage and interest, arise as natural byproducts of fulfilling its mandate.
  • As the economy expands, the RBI’s operations and potential income also grow, reflecting its broader role in stabilizing financial systems.

The RBI’s Safety Net: Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB)

• The RBI maintains a CRB as a safeguard against potential financial stability crises.
• This buffer is part of the broader Economic Capital Framework (ECF).
• Jalan Committee Recommendations
  • In 2018, the Bimal Jalan committee recommended that the CRB should be maintained within a range of 5.5–6.5% of the RBI’s balance sheet.
  • This was adopted in 2019, along with a recommendation to review the ECF every five years.
• Recent Changes to the CRB Range
  • Following the latest review in 2024-25, the RBI’s Central Board widened the CRB range to 4.5–7.5%.
  • The buffer was gradually increased from 5.5% (2018–22) to 6% (2022–23), then 6.5% (2023–24), and now stands at 7.5%, the new upper limit.
• Record Surplus Despite Higher Buffer
  • Even after allocating a record-high 7.5% of its balance sheet to the CRB, the RBI still managed to transfer a record ₹2.69 lakh crore surplus to the Central government for 2024–25, reflecting robust profitability.

Historical Tensions Over Surplus Transfers

• Surplus transfers from the RBI to the government have often been a point of contention between the central bank and the Ministry of Finance.
• 2018 Flashpoint: Autonomy Under Strain
  • In 2018, then RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharya strongly criticized the erosion of the RBI’s independence, hinting that government pressure for larger surplus transfers was a major cause of friction.
• Political Pressure and Resignations
  • Former Finance Secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, in his book We Also Make Policy, revealed that PM Modi likened RBI Governor Urjit Patel to a “snake sitting over a hoard of money” during a 2018 meeting, referring to the RBI’s reserves.
  • Soon after, both Patel and Acharya resigned due to ongoing disagreements.
• Cooling of Tensions Post-Jalan Formula
  • The conflict eventually subsided with the adoption of the Jalan Committee’s Economic Capital Framework, which formalized the process for determining surplus transfers and buffer levels.

Why in News?

Recently, India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade ordered the closure of all land ports with Bangladesh for the export of apparel and certain goods via northeastern ports.

The move is seen as a consequence of deteriorating India-Bangladesh relations following the fall of the Hasina government, with both countries yet to rebuild a functional diplomatic rapport.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Key Highlights of the May Trade Order on Bangladesh
• Reasons Behind India’s Trade Restrictions on Bangladesh
• India’s Justification for the Trade Restrictions
• Impact on Bangladesh’s Trade with Nepal and Bhutan
• Wider Geopolitical Undercurrents Behind India’s Land Port Closure

Key Highlights of the May Trade Order on Bangladesh

• Import Restrictions via Land Ports
  • India has halted the import of readymade garments from Bangladesh through all land ports.
  • Imports are now only permitted via Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports.
• Export Bans to Bangladesh through the Northeast
  • Exports of specific goods have been banned through the land ports of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.
  • These include fruits, fruit-flavoured drinks, processed food items (like baked goods, chips, and confectionery), cotton and cotton yarn waste, finished plastic and PVC goods (excluding pigments, dyes, plasticisers, and granules), and wooden furniture.
• Additional Land Routes Affected
  • The same export restrictions apply at the Changrabandha and Fulbari land customs stations in West Bengal.
• Exemptions from the Ban
  • Imports of fish, LPG, edible oil, and crushed stone from Bangladesh remain unaffected by the order.

Reasons Behind India’s Trade Restrictions on Bangladesh

• Call for Reciprocity in Trade
  • India cited the need to ensure reciprocal trade relations after Bangladesh took unilateral steps affecting Indian exports.
• Bangladesh's Restrictions Triggered Response
  • On April 13, Bangladesh’s National Board of Revenue banned the import of cotton yarn from India via land ports.
  • It also halted Indian rice exports through the Hili land port in West Bengal.
• Rising Friction at Border Crossings
  • Indian officials reported that Bangladeshi authorities had been conducting aggressive inspections of Indian trucks for several months, leading to delays and trade disruptions.
• Scale of Border Trade Affected
  • India and Bangladesh share 24 operational land ports, with several more under development, making these restrictions significant in scope and impact.

India’s Justification for the Trade Restrictions

• Immediate Implementation with Scope for Review
  • The restrictions, effective from May 17, are subject to regular review.
  • Even seaport trade with Bangladesh will face increased scrutiny and periodic assessments.
• Allegations of Trade Imbalance and Market Manipulation
  • Indian officials accused Bangladesh of “cherry-picking” trade issues and attempting to treat the northeast region of India as a “captive market” for its goods, without offering fair access or transit for Indian products.
• Strategic Importance of the Northeast Region
  • Citing Prime Minister Modi’s remarks, officials emphasized that the northeast is central to India’s BIMSTEC vision and economic strategy.
  • The move is aimed at encouraging domestic manufacturing and entrepreneurship in the region, in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

Impact on Bangladesh’s Trade with Nepal and Bhutan

• India’s Assurances on Third-Country Trade
  • India has stated that its order will not affect Bangladesh’s trade with Nepal and Bhutan.
  • Despite India’s claims, the overland trade restrictions are expected to cause logistical hurdles, leading to delays and disruptions in shipments from Bangladesh to Nepal.
• Ripple Effect on Investment Climate
  • The sudden order has created uncertainty, prompting investment planners to adopt a cautious approach towards entering or expanding operations in Bangladesh.

Wider Geopolitical Undercurrents Behind India’s Land Port Closure

• A Diplomatic Message to Bangladesh
  • Indian officials have described the land port restrictions as a calculated signal to Bangladesh, particularly in response to remarks made by interim government chief Mohammed Yunus during his visit to China in March.
• Concerns Over Northeast Region References
  • Prof. Yunus referred to India’s northeast as “landlocked” and promoted Bangladesh as a strategic route for Chinese access to the region, positioning Bangladesh as a “guardian of the ocean.”
  • India found these remarks unacceptable.
• Apprehensions About Bangladesh-Pakistan Ties
  • Indian officials also cited growing warmth between Bangladesh’s interim government and Pakistan—an actor India holds responsible for cross-border terrorism—as part of the backdrop to the decision.
• Economic and Symbolic Impact
  • While the ban on readymade garments affects only a $700 million slice of Bangladesh’s $50 billion exports, India believes it is significant enough to convey its geopolitical concerns to both Bangladesh and the global community.