💥Join UPSC 2027,2028 Mentorship (July Batch) + XFactor Notes & Microthemes PDF
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Distribution: yearly

  • Home Ministry begins process to sell Enemy Properties

    enemy
    MA Jinnah’s house in Mumbai

    The home ministry has begun the process to sell enemy properties, immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship in Pakistan and China after wars with these countries.

    What one means by Enemy Property?

    • Enemy property refers to the assets and properties of individuals or entities that have been declared as “enemies” by the Indian government.
    • This can include individuals or entities who are citizens of a country that is at war with India, or who have engaged in hostilities or acted against the interests of India.

    Why was such a concept initiated?

    • In the wake of the India-Pakistan wars of 1965 and 1971, there was the migration of people from India to Pakistan.
    • Under the Defence of India Rules framed under The Defence of India Act, 1962, the Government of India took over the properties and companies of those who took Pakistani nationality.
    • These “enemy properties” were vested by the central government in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India.
    • The same was done for property left behind by those who went to China after the 1962 Sino-Indian war.
    • The Tashkent Declaration of January 10, 1966 included a clause that said India and Pakistan would discuss the return of the property and assets taken over by either side in connection with the conflict.
    • However, the Government of Pakistan disposed of all such properties in their country in the year 1971 itself.

    Dealing with enemy property

    • The Enemy Property Act, enacted in 1968, provided for the continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) under the Home Ministry.
    • The central government, through the Custodian, is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country.
    • Some movable properties too, are categorised as enemy properties.
    • In 2017, Parliament passed The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amended The Enemy Property Act, 1968, and The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.

    Total such properties in India

    enemy

    • There are 12,611 enemy properties in India estimated to be worth over ₹1 lakh crore.
    • The government has earned over ₹3,400 crore from disposal of enemy properties, mostly movable assets like shares and gold.
    • None of the immovable enemy properties has been sold so far.
    • Out of the 12,611 properties vested with the CEPI, 12,485 were related to Pakistani nationals and 126 to Chinese citizens.
    • Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of enemy properties (6,255), followed by West Bengal, Delhi, Goa, Maharashtra, Telangana, Gujarat, Tripura, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana.
    • Kerala, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu, Meghalaya, Assam, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Daman and Diu, and Andhra Pradesh have enemy properties as well.

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • World’s 1st Sand Battery developed in Finland

    sand

    Finland has successfully installed the world’s first sand battery that can store heat from various energy sources for months.

    What is the Sand Battery System?

    • The battery is a massive steel silo, 7 m tall and 4 m wide with 100 tonnes of sand, and was installed in Finland’s Kankaanpaa town in June 2022.
    • It is connected to the town’s centralised heating network that keeps buildings and public water systems warm.
    • The storage system has three main components:
    1. Sand silo,
    2. Electrical air heater, and
    3. Air-to-water heat exchanger

    Working principle

    • For charging the sand silo, air is heated to 600°C in the electrical air heater.
    • The hot air is then circulated inside the silo using a heat-exchange pipe and blowers to raise the temperature of the sand at the silo’s core to 600°C.
    • When the storage enters the discharging stage, the blowers are used to pump air into the pipe inside the sand silo.
    • Once the air reaches 200°C, it is transferred to the air-to-water heat exchanger, where it is used to boil water.
    • It is then sent to the heating network.

    Electricity Requirements and Capacity of the Battery

    • The storage system requires electricity at all times to charge the battery, monitor the temperature during standby, and run the blowers when the battery is used.
    • The installed battery can store 8 megawatt-hours (MWh) of energy and release heat at 0.1 MW, which is enough to provide heating and hot water for about 100 homes and a public swimming pool.

    Advantages of Sand as a Heat Storage Material

    • The Finnish researchers replaced water with sand in the battery system because of its advantages.
    • Sand can be heated up to 600 degrees Celsius (°C), whereas water starts to boil at 100°C.
    • It also has low heat conductivity, which reduces energy loss.

    Importance of Heat Energy

    • Heat accounts for half of the world’s energy use, followed by transport (30 per cent) and electricity (20 per cent), as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).
    • Currently, 80 per cent of the world’s energy comes from dirty fossil fuels.

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • What is Generative AI?

    generative ai

    Central idea: Google and Microsoft have added generative AI to their search engines and browsers, as well as to consumer products such as Gmail, Docs, Copilot 365, Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and more.

    What is Generative AI?

    • Like other forms of artificial intelligence, generative AI learns how to take actions from past data.
    • It creates brand new content – a text, an image, even computer code – based on that training, instead of simply categorizing or identifying data like other AI.
    • The most famous generative AI application is ChatGPT, a chatbot that Microsoft-backed OpenAI released late last year.
    • The AI powering it is known as a large language model because it takes in a text prompt and from that writes a human-like response.

    Generative AI products offered by Google and Microsoft

    generative ai

    • Google and Microsoft have added generative AI to their search engines and browsers, as well as to consumer products such as Gmail, Docs, Copilot 365, Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and more.
    • In Google’s Gmail and Docs, generative AI can help users write documents automatically, such as a welcome email for employees.
    • Copilot 365, a feature of Microsoft 365 apps, can generate spreadsheets on command or even write an entire article on Word, depending on the topic.
    • Both companies are making generative AI platforms and models a part of their cloud offerings, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud.

    What are Google and Microsoft offering?

    • In Google’s Gmail and Docs, generative AI will help users write documents automatically.
    • For instance, an HR executive can simply ask the AI app to write a welcome email for employees, instead of typing out the document.
    • Similarly, Microsoft has ‘Copilot 365’ for its Microsoft 365 apps, which includes Teams, Outlook, Word and Excel.
    • Here, AI could generate a spreadsheet on command, or even write down an entire article on Word (depending on the topic).
    • Copilot can also match entries on Calendar with emails, and generate quick, helpful pointers that a person should focus on in their meetings.

    How can these developments impact human workforce?

    • The technology is currently not very accurate and often provides incorrect responses, despite being popular.
    • During the initial demonstrations of these products, Google and Microsoft were found to give inaccurate responses.
    • While these products may have utility, they are not yet capable of replacing humans in the workplace.
    • Humans are better suited to check information generated by AI.

    Various challenges posed

    • Bias: The data that is used to train generative AI systems can be biased, leading to biased outputs.
    • Misinformation: Since generative AI systems learn from the internet or training data which itself may have been inaccurate, they could increase the spread of misinformation online.
    • Security: Generative AI systems could be used to create deepfakes or other forms of digital manipulation that could be used to spread disinformation or commit fraud.
    • Ethics: There are ethical concerns around the use of generative AI, particularly when it comes to issues like privacy, accountability, and transparency.
    • Regulation: There is a need for regulatory frameworks to ensure that generative AI is used responsibly and ethically, and that it does not have any negative impacts on society.

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • Finmin lifts bar on CPSUs issuing Letters of Comfort

    comfort

    Central idea: The Finance Ministry has allowed central public sector firms (CPSUs) to issue letters of comfort with a condition that they should clearly state that the Government of India will not be liable for any consequences arising from such letters.

    What is a Letter of Comfort?

    • A letter of comfort is a support document issued to a borrower that adds some strength to the transaction when giving loans.
    • Letter of comforts are usually issued by a third party or a stakeholder in the transaction.
    • For instance, a holding company can give a letter of comfort on behalf of its subsidiary or a government can issue a letter of comfort for public sector enterprises.
    • The letter of comfort can also be issued by banks, NBFCs and auditors.

    Obligation status of LoCs

    • The letter of comfort is not legally binding or an obligation by the holding company to repay the loans.
    • It is just an assurance to the lender that the holding company is aware of the transaction, the policies of the subsidiary and its intentions in seeking a loan.
    • This provides some comfort to the financial institution to lend money for short term or long term.
    • One can say that the letter of comfort could become a moral obligation and not a legal one.

    How is it different from letter of guarantee?

    • A letter of comfort is different from a letter of guarantee.
    • As spelled out in the name, the letter of guarantee acts as a commitment to the lender that the issuing company is taking responsibility for the repayment.
    • It is also legally binding and the transaction becomes an obligation for the guarantor.
    • Holding companies usually give letters of comfort when they are unable or unwilling to give letters of guarantees.

    Try this MCQ-

    Q. Which of the following statements is true about a Letter of Comfort?

    A) It is a legally binding document that obligates the holding company to repay the loan.

    B) It is issued only by banks and NBFCs.

    C) It is an assurance provided by a third party to the lender that adds strength to the transaction when giving loans.

    D) It is the same as a Letter of Guarantee in terms of its legal obligations.

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”dk1ep8p8k6″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)

    vienna

    Central idea: The Indian government lodged a strong protest against the UK government and reminded obligations of the host nation under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations amid the vandalism incident that occurred at the Indian High Commission in London.

    What is the Vienna Convention?

    • The treaty being referred to by the MEA in this instance is the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961).
    • It provides a complete framework for the establishment, maintenance and termination of diplomatic relations on a basis of consent between independent sovereign States.

    FYI: Vienna Convention

    Vienna, the capital city of Austria, has a long history of hosting international conventions and conferences.

    There are several conventions that are named as “Vienna Convention”. Here is a list of some of the most well-known Vienna Conventions:

    1. Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961)
    2. Vienna Convention on Consular Relations (1963)
    3. Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969)
    4. Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage (1977)
    5. Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties (1978)
    6. Vienna Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (1987)
    7. Vienna Convention on the Protection of the Ozone Layer (1985)
    8. Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Stratospheric Ozone Layer (1985)

    Note that there may be other treaties or agreements that have been signed in Vienna that may also be referred to as Vienna Conventions, but the above are some of the most commonly recognized ones.

     

    Obligations of a “receiving State” under the Vienna Convention

    • As per the Vienna Convention, a “receiving State” refers to the host nation where a diplomatic mission is located.
    • Article 22 of the Convention deals with obligations with regards to the premises of the Mission.
    • Part 2 of this article states that “The receiving State is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity”.

    Did the UK not fulfil its obligations in this instance?

    • The fact that protestors were able to climb the walls of the High Commission premises indicates a breach.
    • India finds the UK government’s indifference to the security of Indian diplomatic premises and personnel in the UK unacceptable.
    • UK has condemned the event and promised to take the security of the Indian High Commission in London seriously.

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • Return of the Net Neutrality debate in India

    net neutrality

    Since November 2022, India’s Cellular Operators Association (COAI) has been requesting that platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp pay a share of revenue to offset network costs, reigniting the net neutrality debate.

    What is Net Neutrality?

    • Net Neutrality is the concept that all traffic on the internet should be treated equally, without discrimination or preference given to certain types of content, websites, or users.
    • This means that internet service providers (ISPs) should not be allowed to block, slow down, or prioritize traffic based on the source, destination, or content of that traffic.
    • Net Neutrality is considered important for ensuring a level playing field for all internet users and promoting innovation, competition, and freedom of expression online.
    • It has been a subject of debate and regulatory action in many countries, including India, the United States, and the European Union.

    Features of Net Neutrality

    The following are some of the features of net neutrality:

    • Non-discrimination: All data should be treated equally, and internet service providers (ISPs) should not discriminate or prioritize any type of content, application, service, or device based on its source, destination, or ownership.
    • Transparency: ISPs should provide customers with clear and accurate information about their internet services, including their network management practices, terms of service, and fees.
    • No blocking: ISPs should not block or censor lawful content, applications, services, or devices that customers want to access, use, send, receive, or offer on the internet.
    • No throttling: ISPs should not intentionally slow down or degrade the quality of any lawful content, application, service, or device that customers want to access, use, send, receive, or offer on the internet.
    • No paid prioritization: ISPs should not offer faster or better access to any content, application, service, or device in exchange for payment or other consideration from content providers, developers, or users.
    • Competition: Net neutrality promotes competition among ISPs by preventing them from using their control over access to the internet to favor their own content, applications, services, or devices or those of their partners, affiliates, or subsidiaries over those of their competitors.

    Why in news?   

    Ans. BIF responds to COAI’s demands

    • The Broadband India Forum (BIF), which represents Internet firms such as Meta and Google, responded to the COAI’s demands by refuting them.
    • The COAI’s argument that the current demand has nothing to do with Net neutrality was contested by the BIF.
    • The COAI argued that Net neutrality pertains to the non-discriminatory treatment of content that has no nexus to the usage fee issue.

    Arguments for and against the usage fee

    • Net neutrality activists and content providers argue that imposing a usage fee, even on a limited number of large players, would be a distortion of the Internet’s architecture.
    • They contend that content providers and telecom operators enjoy a symbiotic relationship without charging each other.
    • On the other hand, the COAI argues that a network fee is not related to Net neutrality and suggests that the government reduce spectrum fees and support telecom companies with the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
    • Worldwide, telecom operators in the European Union are also demanding similar usage fees from content providers.

    TRAI ruling and the Unified License

    • In 2016, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) ruled in favour of Net neutrality, which requires that all traffic on an Internet network be treated equally.
    • In 2018, the Department of Telecommunications embedded the net neutrality concept into the Unified License, which binds all telecom operators and Internet providers.

     

     

  • What is India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP)?

    pipeline

    Prime Minister and his Bangladeshi counterpart inaugurated a 131.5-kilometre-long India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP) from Siliguri in North Bengal to Parbatipur in Banglaesh’s Dinajpur province.

    India-Bangladesh Friendship Pipeline (IBFP)

    • IBFP is a cross-border energy pipeline that connects Siliguri in West Bengal, India to Parbatipur in Dinajpur district of Bangladesh.
    • It has a capacity of transporting 1 Million Metric Ton Per Annum (MMTPA) of High-Speed Diesel (HSD) from India to Bangladesh.
    • The pipeline is aimed at enhancing energy cooperation between India and Bangladesh and strengthening people-to-people linkages between the two countries.
    • The construction of the pipeline was started in September 2018.

    Importance of IBFPL to Bangladesh

    Ans. Looming energy crisis

    • Bangladesh is facing a significant energy crisis that threatens to impede its growth.
    • The country has frequent power cuts, even in the capital, Dhaka, which has had a negative impact on key export industries such as the ready-made garments sector.
    • To address this problem, the Indian government has initiated several projects to help Bangladesh meet its growing energy demands.
    • The IBFPL is one such project that will play a vital role in addressing the country’s energy deficit.
    • The pipeline will transport diesel quickly into Bangladesh, thus ending the country’s reliance on importing petroleum product in oil tankers by road and rail from India.

    Other projects to meet Bangladesh’s energy demands

    • Maitree project: The US $2 billion worth project is being built under a concessional financing scheme offered by India to Bangladesh. The first unit of the Maitree Super Thermal Power Production in Bangladesh’s Khulna province is already supplying 660 MW to the country’s national grid.
    • Power import: Bangladesh is also awaiting power from the Adani Group’s 1600 Megawatt thermal power station at Godda in Jharkhand. Talks are currently underway to import at least 600 MW of power from this plant to meet Bangladesh’s peak summer demand.
    • BIFPCL: The two countries set up the Bangladesh India Friendship Power Company Limited (BIFPCL), a 50:50 joint venture between India’s National Thermal Power Corporation and Bangladesh Power Development Board. Once completed, this will be Bangladesh’s largest power plant.

    Why is India helping Bangladesh?

    Ans. To offset Bangladesh’s dependence on China

    • India’s assistance to Bangladesh in meeting its energy needs is also aimed at offsetting that country’s dependence on China.
    • Chinese investments in Bangladesh’s energy sector stand at US $8.31 billion.
    • Beijing has also offered to help Bangladesh transition to renewable sources.
    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left

  • Tamil Nadu’s TN-KET initiative results in reduced TB deaths

    tb

    Tamil Nadu has pioneered an initiative across the State to reduce the mortality rate among people with tuberculosis named: TN-KET (Tamil Nadu Kasanoi Erappila Thittam) meaning TB death-free project.

    What is TN-KET?

    • TN-KET aims to reduce the mortality rate among people with tuberculosis.
    • This initiative, which began in April 2022, has already achieved significant reduction in the number of early TB deaths.

    Unique features

    • Differentiated TB Care: This is at the heart of the initiative, which aims at assessing whether people with TB need ambulatory care or admission in a health facility to manage severe illness at the time of diagnosis.
    • Radiological assessment: The guidelines require comprehensive assessment of 16 clinical, laboratory and radiological parameters.
    • Triage of assessment: The preliminary assessment of patients based on just three conditions — very severe undernutrition, respiratory insufficiency, and inability to stand without support — was found to be feasible for quick identification at diagnosis.

    Outcome: Significant reduction in early TB deaths

    • Above features vastly cut down the delay and increasing the chances of saving lives.
    • The initiative has achieved the initial target of 80% triaging of patients, 80% referral, comprehensive assessment and confirmation of severe illness, and 80% admission among confirmed.
    • The State’s target is to achieve 90%-90%-90% at each district.

    Key challenges

    • The challenge is to increase the duration of admission, especially for people with very severe undernutrition, which comprises 50% of the admitted patients.

     

    Tap to read more about the topic-

    TB mukt India

     

     

  • Background Radiation high in Kerala: Study

    Central idea: The article discusses a pan-India study conducted by scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) which found that background radiation levels in parts of Kerala are nearly three times more than what’s been assumed.

    What is Background Radiation?

    • Background radiation is a measure of the level of ionizing radiation present in the environment at a particular location which is not due to deliberate introduction of radiation sources.
    • Background radiation originates from a variety of sources, both natural and artificial.

    Nuclear Radiation and its Types

    radiation

    There are three main types of nuclear radiation: alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays.

    1.      Alpha particles are made up of two protons and two neutrons and are essentially helium nuclei. They have a positive charge and are relatively large and heavy, which means they can be stopped by a piece of paper or the outer layer of skin.

    2.      Beta particles are high-energy electrons that are emitted from the nucleus of an atom. They have a negative charge and are much smaller than alpha particles, which means they can penetrate through the skin and into the body.

    3.      Gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation, similar to X-rays. They are emitted from the nucleus of an atom and have no charge. They are extremely penetrating and can travel long distances through air and most materials, including the human body.

     

    How is it measured?

    • The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) specifies maximum radiation exposure levels and this has also been adopted by India’s atomic energy establishment.
    • Public exposure shouldn’t exceed 1 milli-Sievert every year, those who work in plants or are by virtue of their occupation shouldn’t be exposed to over 30 milli-Sievert every year.
    • Generally it is measured in nanogray per second. A (nGy/s) is a decimal fraction of the SI-derived unit of ionizing radiation absorbed dose rate.

    Natural sources-

    1. Cosmic radiation
    2. Environmental radioactivity from naturally occurring radioactive materials (such as radon and radium)

    Man-made sources-

    1. Medical X-rays,
    2. Fallout from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear accidents.

    Factors affecting such radiation

    • Natural background radiation is all around us.
    • Background radiation varies from place to place and over time, depending on the amount of naturally occurring radioactive elements in soil, water and air.
    • Weather conditions also affect radiation levels, as snow cover may shield these elements, and radioactive particulates can wash out of the air during rain storms.
    • Cosmic radiation from the sun, our galaxy, and beyond is constantly around us and contributes to natural background radiation.
    • Altitude and latitude can also influence the level of background radiation at any one site.

    How threatening is it?

    • All rocks and soils contain some trace amount of natural radioactivity and can sometimes be ingested or inhaled if disturbed.
    • Radon is a gas that can concentrate indoors and be inhaled, along with its decay products.
    • We can also ingest radioactivity from the food we eat and the water we drink.
    • A number of factors determine the annual dose you and your family receive from background radiation.
    • Typically, Gamma rays are a type of such radiation that can pass through matter unobstructed, and are harmless in small doses, but can be dangerous in concentrated bursts.

    Findings of the BARC Study

    • The study found that the average natural background levels of gamma radiation in India was 94 nGy/hr (nano Gray per hour) (or roughly 0.8 millisievert/year).
    • The last study conducted in 1986 computed such radiation to be 89 nGy/hr.
    • The study found that the levels in Kollam district, Kerala were 9,562 nGy/hr, or about three times more than what was assumed.
    • This computes to about 70 milliGray a year, or a little more than what a worker in a nuclear plant is exposed to.
    • This however does not necessarily mean that those at Kollam are being exposed to dangerous levels of radiation, as past studies have not found any higher rates of cancer or mortality.

    Reasons for Higher Radiation Levels in Kerala

    • The higher radiation levels in Kollam are attributed to monazite sands that are high in thorium, which is part of India’s long-term plan to sustainably produce nuclear fuel.
    • Southern India has higher levels of radiation due to the presence of granite and basaltic, volcanic rock, which contains uranium deposits.

     

     

  • How India’s Sugar Exports to the world are surging?

    sugar

    Central idea:  India’s success story in sugar exports

    • India’s sugar exports have soared from $810.9 million in 2017-18 to $4.6 billion in 2021-22, and could cross $5.5 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31.
    • The increase is significant in quantity terms too, with India’s shipments increasing from a mere 0.46 lakh tonnes in 2016-17 to 110 lakh tonnes in 2021-22.
    • India has gone from being a marginal player in sugar exports five years ago to No. 2 in the world currently, behind only Brazil.

    Favourite destinations

    • The biggest importers of Indian raw sugar were Indonesia (16.73 lt), Bangladesh (12.10 lt), Saudi Arabia (6.83 lt), Iraq (4.78 lt) and Malaysia (4.15 lt).
    • The country also exported 53.71 lt of white/ refined sugar, the leading destinations for which included Afghanistan (7.54 lt), Somalia (5.17 lt), Djibouti (4.90 lt), Sri Lanka (4.27 lt), China (2.58 lt), and Sudan (1.08 lt).
    • The highest decline in exports has been registered by the European Union (which produces sugar from beet, unlike India and Brazil that only crush cane): from 39.74 lt in 2017-18 to 8.02 lt in 2021-22.

    Which grades of sugar does India export?

    • Raw sugar is what mills produce after the first crystallization of juice obtained from crushing of cane.
    • This sugar is rough and brownish in color, with an ICUMSA value of 600-1,200 or higher.
    • ICUMSA is a measure of the purity of sugar based on color.
    • This raw sugar is processed in refineries for removal of impurities and de-colorization.
    • The end product is refined white cane sugar having a standard ICUMSA value of 45.
    • Till 2017-18, India mainly shipped plantation white sugar with 100-150 ICUMSA value, also known as low-quality whites or LQW in international markets.

    Reasons behind India’s surge in sugar exports

    • Indian raw sugar is free of dextran, unlike Brazilian raws.
    • Indian mills can supply raws with a very high polarization of 98.5-99.5%, which is higher than the polarization of raws from Brazil, Thailand, and Australia.
    • Indian raws today fetch a 4% premium over the global benchmark (New York No. 11 futures contract) price, while LQW sells at a $40/tonne discount to the world price (London No. 5 futures) for 45 ICUMSA whites.
    • Indonesia agreed to tweak its norms in December 2019 to enable imports from India, which further boosted India’s efforts to push exports of raws.

     

    Are you an IAS Worthy Aspirant? Get a reality check with the All India Smash UPSC Scholarship Test

    Get upto 100% Scholarship | 900 Registration till now | Only 100 Slots Left