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Exam Year: 2025

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    “Your right is to work only, but never to its fruits.” – Bhagavad Gita

    The statement reflects the idea of Karma-Yoga – that sincere devotion to one’s duty leads to both moral excellence and inner fulfilment. For a civil servant, devotion to duty converts power into service.

    Devotion to Duty leading to Sense of Responsibility

    For a civil servant, duty is not just a job description, it is a moral contract with the sovereign the people. (Trusteeship principle)

    Devotion ensures that the officer is upholding Constitutional Morality even under political pressure.

    Professional Integrity- It manifests as doing the right thing when no one is watching. Eg- Satyendra Dubey

    Accountability to the “Last Person”- A devoted officer views themselves as answerable to the most marginalized. Eg- Dr. Rajendra Bharud (IAS) – oxygen plants in tribal Nandurbar district.

    Impartiality in Crisis- Devotion prevents personal biases from clouding administrative judgment.

    Resource Stewardship- Eg- E. Sreedharan completed Metro projects under budget and ahead of time.

    Compassionate Regulation- Balancing the “letter of the law” with the “spirit of justice.” Eg- delaying the demolition of encroachment until finalization of the rehabilitation plan.

    Crisis Leadership- Eg- Krishna Teja (IAS) coordinated evacuation of over 2.5 lakh people during Kerala floods

    Acts as a Internal moral compass ensuring accountability to conscience. Eg – Satish Dhawan taking responsibility for ISRO failure.

    Devotion to Duty leading to Personal Fulfilment

    Personal fulfilment in civil service comes from the alignment of one’s “inner conscience” with “outer action.”

    Self-Actualization- Finding the highest version of oneself through service.

    Emotional Intelligence- Developing a sense of “Wholeness” by connecting with the suffering and joy of the public.

    The “Flow” State- Becoming so absorbed in problem-solving that work stops being stressful and becomes meditative.

    Legacy Building- S.R. Sankaran – “an ideal people’s IAS officer” remained unmarried for service of nation

    Inner Peace- knowing there is no gap between what you believe and what you do.

    Resilience- Devotion provides the “buffer” against the frustrations of transfers or political interference.

    A Clear Conscience- The ability to sleep peacefully, knowing one has not been a party to injustice

    Transcendence- Moving beyond the “ego” (the I, Me, Mine) to a larger identity (The State, The People).

    Institution building by prioritizing long-term public interest over short-term gain. Eg- Verghese Kurien building AMUL.

    Devotion to Duty leading to Highest Perfection

    “Highest Perfection” is the state where the administrator becomes an “Ethical Titan”

    Sense of responsibility and fulfillment leads to unity of thought, word, and deed – a state of perfection. Eg- Mahatma Gandhi

    Achieves Equanimity (Samatvam)- Remaining calm in both praise and blame, success and failure

    Becoming a “Living Institution”- When the individual’s name becomes synonymous with the values of the office.

    “To find yourself, lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

    Devotion to duty is the “alchemy” that turns a bureaucrat into a public servant.

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    Resource stewardship is the hallmark of good governance and is essential for translating fiscal resources into social welfare. Its poor utilisation violates the “trusteeship” principle (Locke)

    Reasons for Under-Utilization

    Late fund release lead to “March Rush”

    Capacity Constraints- Local bodies lack technical staff to draft Detailed Project Reports (DPRs).

    One-size-fits-all guidelines limits flexibility. Eg- CSS

    Land acquisition delays stalls major infrastructure projects.

    Low accountability- lack of real-time tracking of funds

    Fear of the “3 Cs”(CBI, CVC, CAG) causes bureaucratic paralysis

    Reasons for Mis-Utilization

    Corruption through ghost beneficiaries. Eg- over 10 lakh fake accounts in Ayushman Bharat (CAG)

    Political populism – Diverting long-term developmental funds into short-term electoral “gifts”.

    Poor accountability mechanisms. Eg- lack of social audits

    Absence of Outcome Budgeting- Focus on “outlays” rather than “impact” (lives changed).

    Institutionalized Rent-Seeking- The presence of middlemen in every stage of fund dispersal.

    Politician-bureaucrat-corporate nexus (Vohra committee) – leads to culture of impunity

    Measures needed

    Performance-Linked Promotions- Incorporate “Fund Utilization Efficiency” as a key metric in the Annual Confidential Reports (ACR) of IAS and IPS officers.

    Implement a financial incentive and protection program for whistleblowers. (US Model)

    Ensuring the independence and resource-sufficiency of bodies like Lokpal, Lokayukta and CVC

    Adoption of the “Hong Kong Model” (ICAC) to tackle corruption – three-pronged strategy of Investigation, Prevention, and Community Education

    E-Governance to reduce human discretion and the “gatekeeper” effect. Eg- GeM

    Citizens’ Charters- Mandating clear timelines for service delivery. Eg- SAKALA (Karnataka Guarantee of Services Act)

    Moving beyond a “Rule-based” conduct code (what not to do) to a “Value-based” code of ethics (what to strive for) (2nd ARC).

    Competency-linked training under Mission Karmayogi to ensure civil servants are not only skilled but also ethically grounded.

    Legal backing to Social Audits. (Meghalaya Act)

    Real-time Public Dashboards- Eg- “Jan Soochna” portals to track spending and report misuse.

    Ensuring transparency in electoral funding to prevent the “quid-pro-quo” culture at top.

    Efficiency in spending is as important as expansion of spending for Viksit Bharat @2047.

    Contribution of moral thinkers

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    Over 6 Billion people worldwide and 491 million people in India use social media. However, this expansion of social media has acted as a double-edged sword.

    Social Media Revolutionizing Communication and Interaction

    Elimination of Geographical Barriers- Platforms like WhatsApp and Zoom have turned the world into a “Global Village”.

    Shift from Passive to Active Participation- allows users to be “Prosumers” (consumers and creators of content)

    Democratization of Voice- Eg- #BlackLivesMatter or #MeToo movements

    The rise of Emojis, GIFs, and Memes has created a new universal “digital dialect” that conveys emotion more quickly than text.

    Civic and Political Engagement- Eg- leaders using X for communication

    Ethical Issues and Challenges

    Privacy and Surveillance challenge- Eg- the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

    Algorithmic Echo Chambers creating polarized “digital silos”. (India Hate Lab report)

    Cognitive Warfare- Eg- “Bot-farms” to build anti-India narratives

    Cyber Stalking and Harassment – Eg- Women targeted through doxxing and revenge porn.

    Digital Addiction- Eg- “Infinite Scroll” syndrome

    Post Truth world- Eg- Deepfakes make it difficult to distinguish between reality and fabrication.

    Key ethical dilemmas in social media

    Freedom of Speech vs. Content Moderation- Balancing an individual’s right to speak against the community’s right to be protected from hate speech.

    Privacy vs. Profit- The tension between protecting user data and the platform’s need for targeted advertising revenue.

    Connectivity vs. Isolation- The paradox of being “connected” to thousands online while feeling deeply isolated in the physical world.

    Accountability vs. Anonymity- Anonymity protects whistleblowers but also shields those who commit harassment without consequence. Eg- rise of “Deepfake Extortion”

    Authenticity vs. Curation- The pressure to present an “idealized self” online versus the ethical value of being true to one’s real-life identity.

    Information Accessibility vs. Intellectual Property- The ease of sharing leads to dilemmas regarding “Plagiarism” and the loss of revenue for original creators.

    Democratization vs. Polarization- While everyone has a voice, algorithms often push people into “Filter Bubbles” and “Echo Chambers”.

    Algorithmic Bias vs. Social Justice – Eg- recruitment algorithms on major professional networking sites were less likely to show high-paying technical job ads to women

    Accuracy vs. Speed (The Viral Trap) – In the “attention economy,” being the first to break a story is rewarded with “reach,” while slow fact-checking is penalized by the algorithm.

    Social media is an ethically “grey” space. A robust framework of “Digital Ethics”is needed to cultivate “Digital Mindfulness.”

    Environmental Ethics

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    India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015) reflect the principles of climate justice and CBDR-RC, balancing developmental needs with global climate responsibility.

    India’s Climate Commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015)

    Reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% from 2005 levels by 2030.

    Achieve 40% cumulative electric power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. Eg – Solar, wind, hydro, nuclear.

    Create an additional 2.5-3 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent carbon sink through afforestation and tree cover.

    Strengthen climate-resilient agriculture, disaster management and low-carbon infrastructure, while mobilising domestic and international finance.

    Strengthening Its Commitments at COP-26 (Glasgow, 2021) – India announced the Panchamrit:

    The mantra of LIFE- Lifestyle for Environment as a mass movement for Environment Conscious Lifestyles was also launched.

    Review on India’s climate commitments

    Key Achievements by 2024-25

    Emission intensity of GDP declined by 33% from 2005 levels – on track to meet the 2030 target by 2026.

    51% of total installed capacity is non-fossil (surpassed 50% NDC goal).

    Carbon Sequestration: 522 MtCO₂ sequestered through forests and land use practices (BUR-4, 2024).

    Policy Innovations:

    Green Credit Programme launched in 2023 for afforestation incentives.

    MISHTI mangrove restoration scheme covering 3,000+ hectares.

    Launch of “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign for mass tree plantation.

    Gap Between Climate Ambition and Implementation

    Overdependence on Fossil Fuels

    Fossil fuels still account for ~73% of electricity generation (CEA, 2023).

    Fossil fuel subsidies are 8x higher than renewable subsidies

    Shortfall in Carbon Sink – Forest and tree cover 25.1% (SoFR 2023), short of the 33% goal

    India’s emissions intensity target is rated “Insufficient” by Climate Action Tracker report

    Delayed Data Reporting – India’s latest Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) covered data only up to 2020 and was submitted in late 2024.

    Delayed Implementation of Net-Zero Roadmap – sector-wise decarbonization targets are not clearly defined or enforced.

    Way Forward

    Localized Climate Risk Mapping and Micro-Zonation using GIS, satellite data, and AI.

    Nature-Based Solutions – Eg- mangrove restoration under MISHTI

    Strengthen the Green Energy Corridor for better grid integration of renewables.

    Promoting Circular Economy Eg- Enforce mandatory use of 30% recycled material in construction projects.

    Climate-Resilient Agriculture

    Scale up organic through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

    Develop agroforestry to improve soil health, reduce emissions.

    Expanding Electric Mobility Ecosystem – Strengthen charging infrastructure across highways and cities (EV-charging at petrol pumps/dhabas).

    With climate risks threatening a staggering 24.7 % GDP loss by 2070, resilient development is no longer just an option-it is an economic imperative to achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’

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    India’s groundwater is under severe stress due to rising demand and supply mismatch, threatening food security, rural livelihoods, and urban water supply. India is world’s largest groundwater extractor (25%).

    According to a CSIR-NGRI study, north India has been experiencing rapid groundwater depletion exceeding 1.5 cm per year, resulting in net loss of 450 km³ between 2002 and 2021.

    Factors Responsible for Depleting Groundwater in India

    Fertilizer and Pesticide Runoff from agriculture – 56% of India’s districts have nitrates beyond the safe limit of 45 mg/L in their groundwater.

    Energy Subsidies encouraging excess pumping and inefficient irrigation. Eg- in Punjab and Haryana

    Unplanned urbanisation – Concrete surfaces prevent percolation and increase run-off. Eg – Chennai has lost 85% of its wetlands (WWF)

    Population Growth – Between 2016 and 2023, India’s population increased from 1.29 billion to 1.45 billion – increase demand

    Climate change and erratic monsoons reduce natural recharge of aquifers. IMD data shows a 10% long-term decline in monsoon rainfall in northwest India.

    Poor water governance (Mihir Shah Committee report) – Eg – CGWB reports show over-exploited blocks increasing from 802 (2004) to >1,000 (2023).

    Outdated legal framework – Eg- colonial-era Indian Easements Act of 1882 grants landowners the natural right to extract unlimited groundwater beneath their property.

    Unregulated industrial discharges and untreated urban wastewater – Eg- chromium and mercury contamination in Kanpur’s industrial areas

    Unsustainable Mining Activities lead to heavy metal contamination and aquifer depletion. Eg- Uranium and fluoride seepage in Rajasthan and Karnataka

    Saline water intrusion into coastal aquifers due to over-pumping and rising sea levels.

    Jal Shakti Abhiyan (Catch the Rain) – focuses on rainwater harvesting and water conservation through the convergence of various schemes.

    AMRUT 2.0: supports rainwater harvesting in urban areas through ‘Aquifer Management Plans.’

    Atal Bhujal Yojana (2020): targets water-stressed Gram Panchayats in 80 districts across 7 states.

    Bureau of Water Use Efficiency – promotes water use efficiency in irrigation, drinking water supply, power generation, and industries.

    National Aquifer Mapping by the Central Ground Water Board for conservation planning.

    Watershed Development Component of PMKSY : focuses on rainfed and degraded lands, integrating activities like soil conservation, rainwater harvesting, and livelihoods development.

    PMKSY – Per Drop More Crop – Promotion of micro-irrigation (drip/sprinkler) with subsidies to improve water-use efficiency in agriculture.

    Way Forward

    Demand-Side Management – Use financial incentives to promote efficient water use. Eg – Punjab’s Paani Bachao, Paisa Kamao

    Supply-Side Augmentation by combining traditional and modern methods.

    RWH mandatory under Model Building Bye Laws 2016

    Khadins, check dams, percolation tanks, injection wells.

    Integrated Water Management – Strengthen community-led, data-driven groundwater governance.

    Use of technology – Eg- Biochar for Aquifer Recharge

    Adopting global best practices

    Tokyo’s Industrial Water Law and Building Water Law

    China’s irrigation quotas

    Adopting One Water Approach through National Water Commission (NWC) is essential to achieve a water-secure economy.

    Pollution

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    In 2022-23, fruits and vegetables accounted for 28.3% of the Gross Value Output, surpassing cereals for the first time, and the horticulture sector contributed about 33% to the agriculture GVA.

    Factors Influencing the Selection of High-Value Crops by Farmers in India

    Policy & Institutional Factors

    Government Incentives – Schemes like MIDH, PMKSY, Operation Greens, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture.

    Export Promotion Policies- APEDA support, agri-export zones, GI tagging

    Economic Factors

    Higher Profitability- Fruits, spices, floriculture and plantation crops offer greater income per hectare than cereals.

    Availability of Credit & Insurance – Eg-

    Agro-Climatic Factors

    Agro-Climatic Suitability – Eg- grapes in Maharashtra, apples in Himachal.

    Availability of Irrigation- Eg- Sugarcane in western UP and Maharashtra

    Technological Factors

    Availability of HYV Seeds – Eg- GM Seeds, precision farming, tissue culture

    Extension services – e-NAM price signals, Krishi Vigyan Kendras guide crop selection.

    Storage, Processing, and Value Chains – Eg- Mango pulp processing in Andhra Pradesh

    Social Factors

    Agriculture Startups – Educated rural youth adopt commercial high-value crops. Eg- Agroponics near Urban Centers

    Rising urbanisation and changing diets. Eg- organic food market growing @ CAGR 20%

    Environmental & Sustainability Factors

    Climate Resilience- Shift towards drought-resistant crops like millets, medicinal plants.

    Soil Health Consideration – Crop diversification is adopted to restore nutrient balance and reduce dependency on fertilisers.

    Water Efficiency – Crops with lower water requirement and higher value (Eg-, spices, horticulture) are preferred in water-stressed areas.

    Shift to high-value crops can be a key driver of doubling farmers’ income and sustainable agriculture.

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    The Fiscal Health Index (FHI) initiative by NITI Aayog evaluates the fiscal health of eighteen major states through a composite index using data from the CAG, covering the Financial Year 2022-23.

    FHI as a tool to assess fiscal performance of states

    FHI uses uniform metrics-Tax Buoyancy, Debt-to-GSDP, Fiscal Deficit, Capex Share-allowing objective comparison across states.

    Multi-dimensional Evaluation – Covers five pillars and reveal structural strengths and weakness

    Measures states’ ability to mobilise resources through Own Tax Revenue (OTR) and Own Non-tax Revenue (ONTR). Eg – Higher OTR-to-GSDP ratio reflects stronger fiscal autonomy.

    Measures Quality of Expenditure – FHI differentiates between capital expenditure and revenue expenditure. Eg – States like Gujarat and Karnataka show higher capex ratios.

    Tracks Debt Sustainability – Assesses Debt-GSDP ratio, interest payment burden, and future liabilities. Eg – FHI flags high-debt states such as Punjab, Kerala, Rajasthan, and West Bengal.

    Monitors Fiscal Deficit and Compliance with FRBM Limits – Shows whether states adhere to 3% fiscal deficit glide path.

    Identifies Risk from Off-Budget Borrowings – Captures liabilities from power sector guarantees, state PSUs, and special purpose vehicles.

    Highlights Best Practices – Eg- Top states-Odisha (67.8 score), Chhattisgarh, Goa-show strong non-tax revenue, low fiscal deficits, and high capital outlays

    Role of FHI in Encouraging prudent and sustainable fiscal policies

    Promotes Fiscal Discipline – Poor rankings push states to reduce deficits and unsustainable borrowing.

    Incentivises Capital Spending – Encourages a shift from populist revenue expenditure towards productive capital outlay.

    Supports Long-Term Planning – Aligns state finances with sustainable development goals and resilience-building.

    Revenue Reforms-Stimulates states to improve tax buoyancy, and non-tax revenue mobilisation

    Drives Structural Reforms like subsidy rationalization, reduction in revenue leakages etc.

    Transparency & Accountability – Public scrutiny builds pressure on governments for fiscal prudence

    Encourages Inter-State Competition – Rankings foster a competitive spirit to achieve stronger fiscal performance.

    Strengthens Cooperative Federalism – Helps in Centre-State dialogue on shared fiscal risks and sustainability.

    Boosts Investor Confidence – Strong fiscal performance signals creditworthiness, attracting investment.

    Promotes Sustainable Borrowing Practices and enhances creditworthiness as better FHI improves a state’s credit rating.

    Challenges

    Data Gaps – CAG data of Financial Year 2022-23 used

    Off-budget borrowings not fully captured in FHI.

    Miss qualitative aspects such as governance quality, efficiency of welfare delivery etc.

    Inter-State Structural Variations are not fully captured – Eg- Resource-rich states (Odisha, Chhattisgarh) naturally perform better in non-tax revenues

    Competitive Populism reduces focus on fiscal discipline. Eg- farm loan waivers

    Weak Enforcement – FHI rankings have no binding effect on policy behaviour.

    By encouraging disciplined, sustainable, and quality spending, FHI can help realise the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047

    Industrial Policy

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    Semiconductors are the “oil of the 21st century.” With global chip shortages and geopolitical realignments, India aims to position itself as a semiconductor manufacturing hub through India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).

    Challenges Faced by India’s Semiconductor Industry

    High Capital Intensity – A state-of-the-art fab requires $8-12 billion.

    Complex Supply Chains – Semiconductors involve 300+ inputs, ultra-pure chemicals, specialised gases, and precision tools.

    Skill Gap – Eg-shortage of semiconductor engineers, chip designers, and clean-room technicians

    Insufficient Ecosystem – Lack of component suppliers, semiconductor-grade wafers, lithography equipment, etc.

    Infrastructure Deficits – Fabs require uninterrupted power, and nearly 10 million litres/day of ultra-pure water.

    Global Competition – Taiwan, South Korea, USA, EU offer 40-70% capital subsidies

    Long Gestation Periods (7-10 years) – deter private investment

    Dependence on Imports – India imports 90-95% of its semiconductor needs.

    Salient Features of the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)

    to build a complete semiconductor and display ecosystem.

    Key Schemes under ISM:

    Display Fabs Scheme: Up to 50% financial assistance

    Compound Semiconductors & ATMP/OSAT Scheme: Up to 50% support

    Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme – Incentives up to .

    Creation of Semiconductor Research Centres – including advanced R&D, talent development, and industry-academia collaboration.

    Development of semiconductor clusters in Gujarat (Dholera), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh.

    Single-window facilitation mechanism for all approvals, policy support, and coordination with global leaders.

    Support for compound semiconductors (GaN, SiC), ATMP/OSAT units to build packaging capabilities.

    Focus on trusted supply chains and strategic national security applications.

    Way Forward

    Establish specialised training programs to address projected 350,000 talent shortfall by 2027.

    Boost R&D and Indigenous IP Creation – increase spending to 2.5% of GDP

    Ensure timely incentive disbursal, ease of land acquisition, and high-quality utility infrastructure (power, water, logistics).

    “chip diplomacy”—with partners like the US, Japan, Taiwan, EU, and South Korea.

    Leverage global supply-chain realignments and US-China strategic tensions to attract firms seeking “China+1” diversification.

    India’s ambition to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub is strategically significant for economic resilience, technology sovereignty and future readiness.

    Infrastructure

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    Nanotechnology refers to the science and application of materials at the nanoscale (1-100 nm), where particles exhibit unique physical, chemical, and biological properties. In agriculture, these nano-sized materials make farming more productive and sustainable.

    Nanotechnology offering significant advancements in agriculture

    Nano-fertilisers improve nutrient-use efficiency to 90-100% – boosts yields. Eg- Nano-urea and nano-DAP introduced by IFFCO.

    Controlled-release nano-pesticides reduce chemical load, minimise residue on crops, and improve efficacy against pests. Eg- nano-Silver

    Bridging micronutrient deficiency – Eg- Nano Zinc and Nano Copper liquids.

    Enables nanoscale gene delivery – quickly and safely transport DNA into plant cells – Improves crop breeding

    Soil health improvement – Nano-clays and nano-zeolites enhance soil moisture retention and restore degraded soils in dry regions.

    Crop Protection – Applying silica nanoparticles to leaves shield plants from high temperatures.

    Precision agriculture – Nanosensors monitor soil moisture, nutrient levels, and plant health.

    Post-harvest protection – Nano-coatings on fruits and vegetables extend shelf life by 2-3 times.

    Irrigation efficiency – Nanomaterials remove contaminants and improve water quality for irrigation.

    Seed quality enhancement – Nanopriming improves seed vigour and early germination.

    Nano-Biosensors can identify plant diseases at an early stage through biomarker detection

    Food Packaging – Eg- use of nanocomposites in making antimicrobial and oxygen-barrier coatings – reduce spoilage and food waste.

    Role of nanotechnology in uplifting the socio-economic status of farmers

    Reduced input costs – Nano-fertilisers cut fertilizer usage by 50%

    Higher yields and productivity due to improved nutrient uptake by crops

    Nano-coatings and nanosensors reduce post-harvest losses (currently 15-20%).

    Improved climate resilience – nano-enabled seed treatments help stabilise production during droughts, heatwaves, and soil degradation

    Access to premium markets – Residue-free nano-pesticides help farmers sell to export markets with strict safety standards.

    Local production of nano-inputs, nano-coatings, and sensor devices can generate rural micro-enterprises and FPO-led businesses.

    Health and environmental benefits – Reduced chemical use lowers health expenditures, improves soil fertility, and supports sustainable long-term income.

    Challenges of Nanotechnology in Agriculture

    High cost and limited awareness of nano-inputs limit large scale adoption.

    Nanophytotoxicity can hinder plant growth, reduce photosynthesis, and affect seed germination.

    Bioaccumulation concerns – Nanoparticles may accumulate in vital organs through food chains, with unclear long-term health effects.

    Groundwater contamination risk due to leaving of Mobile nanoparticles into aquifers.

    Toxicity to pollinators – Continuous exposure to nanoparticles through pollen can harm bees.

    Lack of regulatory standards – India lacks clear biosafety guidelines and permissible limits

    Pollution risks as Non-biodegradable nanoparticles may remain in ecosystems.

    When science meets scale, when innovation becomes inclusive, when technology drives transformation, the foundation for great achievements is laid – PM Modi

    Food Processing

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    The N-E region comprising eight states and connected to the Indian mainland by a small Silghuri Corridor (Chicken Neck – 23 km width) has been facing the problems of insurgency for over 5 decades.

    Major challenges to internal security and peace process in North-Eastern states

    Cross-Border Dynamics– Porous Indo-Myanmar borders enable arms, insurgent movement, and illegal trade.

    “Tyranny of distance” – Policy attention from New Delhi remains inadequate due to geographic remoteness and low political representation of the region.

    Ethnic divisions – Eg- deepening Meitei-Kuki-Zo divide post-2023 riots in Manipur

    Weak peace processes – Talks with 30+ insurgent groups in Manipur and Nagaland continue without breakthroughs

    Protracted insurgencies and splintering of groups reduce prospects for a single comprehensive settlement. Eg- NSCN splits (IM/NK/R).

    Poor governance and developmental deficit sustain grievance and provide recruitment ground.

    Drug trafficking, illegal timber/mineral extraction and extortion fund insurgents and fuel local conflict. Eg- proximity to Golden Traingle

    Demographic stress – Large-scale illegal Bangladesh-origin immigration create social tensions and political mistrust. Eg- in Assam

    High Violence– In 2024, NE India experienced 266 insurgency-related incidents, causing 258 deaths and displacing 60,000 people.

    External factors

    China – Territorial claims in Arunachal Pradesh and support to insurgent groups

    Bangladesh – Anti-India shift post coup and growing Pakistan-China influence

    Myanmar – destabilised border post ‘Spring Revolution’

    Map of major peace accords

    2015 – Naga Framework Agreement for an “inclusive political solution” within the Indian Union (framework terms still being negotiated).

    2019 – Tripura NLFT (SD) Memorandum of Settlement – surrender of cadres and rehabilitation package to end insurgency.

    2020 – Bru-Reang Agreement (Tripura-Mizoram) – Repatriation and rehabilitation of Bru refugees with security and development assurances.

    2020 – Bodo Peace Accord (Phase-II) – Expansion of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) powers, and development funds.

    2021 – Karbi Anglong Agreement (Assam)

    2022 – Assam-Meghalaya Boundary Agreement – land demarcation to resolve long-standing boundary disputes.

    2022 – Adivasi (Assam) Peace Accord (2022) – Settlement package including rehabilitation and development measures.

    2023 – Dimasa accords – Ceasefire, surrender/rehab and local development commitments.

    2023 – ULFA Accord – bringing a major faction of ULFA into a political process in Assam

    2024 – NLFT and ATTF Agreements (Tripura) – Memoranda of Settlement leading to cadre surrender and integration

    Other supporting measures (2015-2024) –

    Extension of ceasefires with various Naga factions, multiple SoO (Suspension of Operations) agreements, and targeted MoUs with smaller groups

    AFSPA withdrawal from Tripura and MEghalaya

    Peace in the North-East requires a multipronged approach involving negotiated settlements backed by credible security, sustained development, rights protection and wide stakeholder inclusion

    Terrorism

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