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GS Paper: GS2

  • Cybercrime and a global governance crisis

    Why in the news?

    The UN adopted the Convention against Cybercrime (December 2024), the first global cybercrime treaty in over two decades. However, India, the U.S., Japan, and Canada have not signed it, exposing deep divisions in global cyber governance. The Convention highlights a growing principles-practice gap, geopolitical mistrust, and a shift towards polycentric global governance.

    Why is the UN Cybercrime Convention considered a milestone?

    1. Institutional First: Establishes the first UN-led multilateral criminal justice instrument on cybercrime in two decades.
    2. Negotiation Scale: Reflects extensive multilateral engagement involving UN member states, civil society, and private sector actors.
    3. Global Scope: Seeks universal applicability beyond regional instruments like the Budapest Convention.
    4. Symbolic Consensus: Secured General Assembly adoption in December 2024 with support from 72 states.

    How does the Convention expose fractures in global cyber governance?

    1. Non-Participation by Major Democracies: India, the U.S., Japan, and Canada declined to sign, signalling legitimacy concerns.
    2. Governance Divide: Highlights divergence between European cyber norms and alternative governance visions advanced by Russia and China.
    3. Legal Uncertainty: Reveals gaps between international legal principles and domestic implementation capacity.
    4. Polycentrism Risk: Signals movement away from universal frameworks towards fragmented governance centres.

    What are the concerns regarding criminal definitions and civil liberties?

    1. Broad Crime Definitions: Expands criminalisation in ways that allow discretionary interpretation.
    2. Rights Implications: Raises risk of misuse against journalists, activists, and political opponents.
    3. Procedural Safeguards: Anchors protections like judicial review to domestic frameworks rather than uniform standards.
    4. Principles-Practice Rift: Consensus on principles masks divergence in enforcement practices.

    Why does India’s reluctance carry strategic significance?

    1. Institutional Autonomy: India resists surrendering control over data governance and lawmaking.
    2. Negotiation Disengagement: Unlike the Budapest Convention, India did not actively shape the UN Convention’s final contours.
    3. Regulatory Trade-offs: Proposals retained greater state control over citizen data, limiting flexibility.
    4. Eroded Influence: Reflects diminished agenda-setting power in global lawmaking over two decades.

    How does AI governance illustrate implementation challenges?

    1. Watermarking Example: India’s push to watermark AI-generated content highlights regulatory innovation.
    2. Platform Mandates: Draft rules require social media platforms to label AI content beyond body-corporate thresholds.
    3. Prescriptive Risk: Over-specification may constrain innovation and compliance feasibility.
    4. Governance Gap: Demonstrates difficulty in operationalising agreed principles.

    What does the Convention reveal about the global order?

    1. Weakened Multilateralism: Declining U.S. financial support to the UN undermines institutional effectiveness.
    2. Security Council Paralysis: Inability to act decisively in Ukraine and Gaza reflects governance fatigue.
    3. WTO Breakdown: Dispute settlement mechanism non-functional since 2019.
    4. Shift to Minilaterals: Reliance on smaller groupings such as Quad and Five Eyes for functional coordination.

    Why is cybercrime governance central to future global cooperation?

    1. Cross-Border Data Flows: Cybercrime enforcement depends on interoperable data-sharing mechanisms.
    2. Trust Deficit: Near-universal recognition of trusted data corridors without operational consensus.
    3. Capacity Constraints: States lack technical and regulatory infrastructure for implementation.
    4. Autonomy Trade-off: Global cooperation increasingly challenges domestic sovereignty.

    Conclusion

    The UN Convention against Cybercrime underscores the limits of consensus-based global governance in a fragmented geopolitical environment. While it symbolises multilateral intent, its effectiveness will depend on bridging institutional capacity gaps, reconciling sovereignty concerns, and aligning legal principles with enforceable safeguards. The future of cyber governance will be shaped less by universal treaties and more by adaptive, trust-based cooperation frameworks.

    Convention against Cybercrime

    1. The UN General Assembly adopted the Convention against Cybercrime in December 2024, marking the first legally binding UN instrument to combat cybercrime through international cooperation. 
    2. Designed to address issues like ransomware, child sexual abuse material, and online scams, it allows for cross-border evidence sharing and capacity building.
    3. The treaty, which opened for signature in 2025, requires 40 ratifications to enter into force. The treaty is scheduled to remain open for signature until December 31, 2026, and will come into effect 90 days after the 40th nation ratifies it.
    4. Adoption & Scope: The treaty was finalized in 2024 to create a global framework for investigating and prosecuting digital crimes, offering a universal approach rather than just regional (like the Budapest Convention).
    5. Controversies: The treaty has faced criticism regarding:
      1. potential misuse of surveillance powers 
      2. insufficient human rights safeguards
      3. could be used by governments to suppress online freedom.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security. Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC).

    Linkage: It is highly important for GS-II (UN, global governance) and GS-III (cyber security, internal security) due to rising non-traditional security challenges. Just as UPSC asked about the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC), it can similarly ask about the UN Convention against Cybercrime, since both deal with transnational security threats and weak UN enforcement mechanisms.

  • SAARG Committee for NPS Investment Framework

    Why in the News?

    The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority has constituted a Committee of Investment Experts for Strategic Asset Allocation and Risk Governance (SAARG) to review and modernise the National Pension System investment framework.

    What is SAARG?

    • A high level expert committee constituted by PFRDA
    • Mandate: Review, recommend and strengthen the investment architecture of NPS
    • Objective: Support long term retirement wealth creation, diversification, risk management and subscriber choice
    • Tenure: The Committee to submit its report within 9 months to PFRDA

    Core Objectives of SAARG

    • Strengthen NPS investment framework in line with
      • Global pension best practices
      • Indian investment ecosystem
    • Improve Portfolio diversification, Risk governance, Liquidity management and Subscriber outcomes

    Significance

    • Enhances resilience and credibility of NPS
    • Aligns pension investments with
      • Long term demographic needs
      • Global best practices
    • Supports retirement security for a growing subscriber base

    Prelims Pointers

    • SAARG is an expert committee, not a statutory body
    • NPS is regulated by PFRDA, not RBI or SEBI
    • Focus on strategic asset allocation and risk governance
    • Sustainability and climate risk integration included in pension investments
    [2017] Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)? 

    (a) Resident Indian citizens only 

    (b) Persons of age from 21 to 55 only 

    (c) All State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments 

    (d) All Central Governments Employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April, 2004

  • [24th January 2026] The Hindu OpED: India and the EU- a fit partnership in a divided world

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2021] “The foreign policy of India has changed from ‘non-alignment’ to ‘multi-alignment’ in recent times.”Examine.

    Linkage: India’s deepening engagement with diverse partners such as the EU alongside the U.S., Russia, and groupings like QUAD reflects a shift from ideological non-alignment to pragmatic multi-alignment driven by strategic autonomy.

    Mentor’s Comment

    As global alliances weaken due to geopolitical tensions, the India–European Union relationship is reaching a crucial turning point. With the highest EU leadership visiting India for the first time together, the partnership is being repositioned from episodic engagement to strategic alignment. This article analyses why the moment is consequential, what is at stake in trade, defence, and climate negotiations, and how the India-EU partnership could shape a new template for strategic autonomy in a polarised world.

    Why in the News

    The President of the European Commission and the President of the European Council are jointly visiting India for India’s 77th Republic Day and co-chairing the 16th India-EU Summit. The opportunity is large, as talks on a long-pending Free Trade Agreement, defence cooperation, and climate-related trade rules are reaching a critical stage.

    Why has the India-EU partnership gained urgency now?

    1. Geopolitical fragmentation: Undermines reliability of traditional alliances and compels diversification of strategic partnerships.
    2. U.S. unpredictability: Creates uncertainty for both India and Europe amid tariff pressures and transactional diplomacy.
    3. China’s assertiveness: Forces recalibration of economic and security dependencies across Eurasia.
    4. Strategic autonomy: Aligns India’s non-aligned pragmatism with Europe’s reassessment of over-dependence on major powers.

    What makes this engagement different from earlier India-EU summits?

    1. Leadership convergence: Joint presence of EU’s top executive and political leadership signals institutional commitment.
    2. Summit co-chairing: Reflects intent to move beyond symbolism towards outcome-driven engagement.
    3. Timing: Coincides with stalled global governance mechanisms and weakened multilateral trust.
    4. Intent alignment: Demonstrates mutual recognition that episodic engagement is no longer sufficient.

    What is at stake in the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA)?

    1. Negotiation maturity: Talks in final stages after repeated stalling since 2007.
    2. Textiles and apparel: Enables tariff reductions to boost India’s exports to Europe.
    3. Pharmaceuticals and chemicals: Leverages India’s competitive manufacturing advantage.
    4. Automobiles and machinery: Expands European access to India’s growing market.
    5. IT and digital services: Facilitates gains through regulatory harmonisation for India’s IT sector.
    6. Economic insurance: Acts as a hedge against trade disruptions and geopolitical shocks.

    How does climate policy complicate trade cooperation?

    1. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM): Imposes effective 20-35% carbon charges on Indian exports such as steel, aluminium, cement, and fertilisers.
    2. Non-tariff barrier risk: Erodes potential gains from the FTA if left unaddressed.
    3. Climate equity: Raises concerns over fairness for developing economies with lower historical emissions.
    4. Policy balance: Requires Europe to provide transitional relief while retaining climate ambition.

    Why is defence cooperation emerging as a critical pillar?

    1. Security and Defence Partnership: Proposed by EU leadership to expand strategic engagement.
    2. Market access: Opens European defence markets to Indian manufacturers.
    3. Co-production: Aligns with India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative for defence manufacturing.
    4. Technology transfer: Enhances India’s access to advanced European defence technologies.
    5. Maritime coordination: Supports joint exercises and cooperation in the Indian Ocean.

    How does this partnership offer a model for global order?

    1. Respect for sovereignty: Rejects dominance by Beijing, Moscow, or Washington over strategic choices.
    2. Strategic autonomy: Emphasises flexibility and reduced over-dependence on single partners.
    3. Domestic sensitivities: Balances global cooperation with internal political realities.
    4. Multilateral renewal: Positions India and the EU to shape credible alternatives in global governance.

    Conclusion

    The India-EU partnership is at a critical juncture. Shared concerns over global instability and strategic dependence have created momentum for deeper cooperation. Sustaining progress on trade, climate, and defence could turn intent into outcomes; failure would repeat past stagnation.

  • The antibiotic pipeline is running dangerously dry

    Why in the News?

    Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a serious global public health threat as the development of new antibiotics has not kept pace with the rapid rise in drug resistance. Unlike earlier decades, when ineffective antibiotics were regularly replaced by new ones, no truly new antibiotic classes have emerged in recent years. India is among the worst affected, with very high antibiotic use and an estimated 2.74 lakh deaths linked to AMR in 2019.

    Why is antimicrobial resistance a growing public health crisis?

    1. Rising mortality burden: AMR-attributable deaths in India were estimated at 2.74 lakh in 2019, reflecting a large and growing health burden.
    2. Treatment failure: Common infections are increasingly difficult to treat, increasing complications, hospital stays, and mortality.
    3. Systemic impact: AMR undermines surgery, chemotherapy, organ transplants, and neonatal care by increasing infection risk.
    4. Global spread: Resistant pathogens spread rapidly through travel, trade, food chains, and the environment.

    Why is India disproportionately affected by AMR?

    1. High infectious disease load: India continues to face a high burden of communicable diseases requiring antibiotic use.
    2. Extensive antibiotic consumption: India is among the world’s largest consumers of antibiotics, both in human and animal health.
    3. Healthcare pressures: Overcrowded hospitals and limited diagnostic capacity encourage empirical and broad-spectrum antibiotic use.
    4. Survival advantage of pathogens: Drug-resistant bacteria survive treatment and transmit resistance genes to other bacteria.

    How does antibiotic misuse accelerate resistance?

    1. Inappropriate prescribing: Antibiotics are frequently used for viral infections such as colds, coughs, and diarrhoea.
    2. Empirical treatment: Lack of timely diagnostics leads to blind antibiotic use without pathogen identification.
    3. Prophylactic use: Antibiotics are prescribed preventively, even where clinical benefit is uncertain.
    4. Seasonal misuse: Antibiotics are used for seasonal viral illnesses due to patient demand and prescribing habits.

    What is happening to the global antibiotic pipeline?

    1. Limited innovation: Very few new antibiotic classes have been developed in the past three decades.
    2. R&D stagnation: Most recent approvals involve modifications of existing drugs rather than new mechanisms of action.
    3. Commercial disincentives: Antibiotics offer low returns compared to chronic disease drugs, discouraging private investment.
    4. Effectiveness erosion: Even newly introduced antibiotics lose effectiveness rapidly due to resistance.

    Why is antibiotic stewardship more effective than blanket bans?

    1. Behavioural regulation: Stewardship programs guide rational prescribing rather than eliminating access.
    2. Evidence from India: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) launched a national antibiotic stewardship programme in 2015.
    3. Measured impact: Prescription awareness improved, but full behavioural internalisation remains limited.
    4. Sustainability challenge: Stewardship requires continuous monitoring, training, and institutional commitment.

    How do livestock and agriculture worsen the AMR problem?

    1. Non-therapeutic use: Antibiotics are used in animals for growth promotion and disease prevention.
    2. Shared drug classes: Many antibiotics critical for humans are also used in animals.
    3. Environmental spread: Antibiotic residues enter soil and water through animal waste and food chains.
    4. Resistance transfer: Resistance genes move between human, animal, and environmental bacteria.

    Why is data collection on AMR inadequate?

    1. Limited surveillance: ICMR’s AMR surveillance network covers only 25 tertiary hospitals.
    2. Urban bias: Most data originates from large hospitals, missing community-level resistance patterns.
    3. Underestimation risk: Resistance prevalence is likely higher than reported due to incomplete coverage.
    4. Policy constraint: Inadequate data limits targeted interventions and resource allocation.

    Why can’t new antibiotics alone solve AMR?

    1. Rapid resistance development: Resistance emerges even against newly introduced drugs.
    2. Finite effectiveness window: Antibiotics lose usefulness within a few years of widespread use.
    3. Overreliance risk: Dependence on drug discovery ignores behavioural and systemic drivers.
    4. Adjunct necessity: Stewardship, infection prevention, and diagnostics remain central.

    Conclusion

    The antibiotic pipeline crisis reflects a structural mismatch between rising resistance and declining innovation. India’s experience demonstrates that stewardship, surveillance, and behavioural regulation are as critical as drug discovery. Without systemic correction, modern medicine risks returning to a pre-antibiotic era.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] Can overuse and free availability of antibiotics without Doctor’s prescription, be contributors to the emergence of drug-resistant diseases in India? What are the available mechanisms for monitoring and control? Critically discuss the various issues involved.

    Linkage: This question directly maps to GS Paper III (Science & Technology-Public Health), aligning with UPSC’s repeated focus on antimicrobial resistance as a governance and regulatory challenge. It links with PYQs on antibiotic overuse, emerging health challenges, and technology-policy gaps, reflecting UPSC’s trend of testing systemic failures rather than medical details.

  • Delimitataion after 2027, redrawing power in India

    Why in the News?

    India is approaching its first inter-State Lok Sabha seat redistribution since 1976, following the end of the constitutional freeze after Census 2027. Representation is still based on the 1971 population despite India crossing 1.47 billion, creating a major imbalance. Uneven population growth could allow Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to hold over 25% of Lok Sabha seats, reshaping coalition politics and federal balance.

    What is Delimitation?

    1. It is a constitutional requirement following every Census to ensure equality of representation under Article 82. 
    2. However, India suspended inter-State redistribution of Lok Sabha seats for nearly half a century to avoid penalising States that implemented population control. 
    3. This freeze, reaffirmed by the 84th Constitutional Amendment (2001), effectively ends after Census 2027.
    4. The upcoming exercise will simultaneously reallocate seats, redraw all constituencies, and operationalise 33% women’s reservation, making it a structural reset of India’s representative system.

    Why is delimitation after 2027 fundamentally different from earlier exercises?

    1. Frozen Representation: Maintains 1971 population ratios despite a tripling of population, undermining equal suffrage.
    2. First Inter-State Redistribution Since 1976: Previous exercises only redrew internal boundaries without reallocating seats.
    3. Expanded Mandate: Includes full constituency redraw, inter-State seat reallocation, and women’s reservation implementation.
    4. Time Compression: Census data likely released in 2028; completion before 2031-32 is administratively improbable.

    How have demographic divergences created a representation paradox?

    1. Fertility Divergence: Southern and western States achieved below-replacement fertility through education and health investments.Governance Penalty: States that controlled population risk losing relative political influence.
    2. Population Arithmetic: If seats are allocated purely by population in an expanded House of ~888 members:
      1. Uttar Pradesh: 80 to 151 seats
      2. Bihar: 40 to 82 seats
      3. Combined Share: ~26% of Lok Sabha
      4. Tamil Nadu: 39 to 53 seats; share declines from 7.2% to ~6%
      5. Kerala: 20 to 23 seats; share declines from 3.7% to ~2.6%

    Why does expanding the Lok Sabha not resolve southern States’ concerns?

    1. Absolute vs Relative Power: Parliamentary influence depends on proportion, not absolute numbers.
    2. Coalition Arithmetic: Two States exceeding one-fourth of seats alters government formation dynamics.
    3. Diminished Bargaining Power: Smaller and demographically stable States lose leverage despite formal seat retention.
    4. Moral Paradox: Rewards demographic growth over governance outcomes.

    How to manage redistribution risks?

    1. Extended Freeze: Delays redistribution beyond 2026 to allow fertility convergence; risks Article 14 challenges due to unequal suffrage.
    2. House Expansion: Raises Lok Sabha size to 750-888 seats; mitigates seat loss but not proportional imbalance.
    3. Weighted Formula: Assigns 80% weight to population and 20% to governance indicators (literacy, health, fertility control), analogous to Finance Commission devolution.
    4. Rajya Sabha Rebalancing: Strengthens federal moderation through domicile restoration and restructured State tiers.
    5. State Reorganisation: Proposes dividing Uttar Pradesh into 3-4 States (~38 seats each) to neutralise excessive dominance.
    6. Phased Redistribution: Implements seat reallocation over two election cycles (2034 and 2039) to reduce political shock.

    Why does procedure matter as much as formula in delimitation?

    1. Institutional Design: Requires experts in demography, constitutional law, and federal studies.
    2. State Participation: Meaningful State representation critical for legitimacy.
    3. Transparency: Public hearings and disclosure essential to prevent distrust.
    4. Reservation Sensitivity: SC/ST constituency placement involves Commission discretion and potential manipulation risks.

    How could delimitation reshape India’s federal and political landscape?

    1. Coalition Reconfiguration: Alters role of regional parties in government formation.
    2. Federal Trust Deficit: Perceived injustice risks deepening Centre-State tensions.
    3. Electoral Geography Reset: Administrative convenience, geography, and social composition gain renewed relevance.
    4. Democratic Renewal or Erosion: Outcomes depend on whether equity and transparency guide the process.

    Conclusion

    Delimitation after Census 2027 is not merely a technical exercise but a constitutional moment that will redefine representation, federal balance, and democratic fairness. Its legitimacy will depend on whether the process balances population equality with federal equity, ensuring that States are not politically disadvantaged for achieving governance and demographic stability.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to build trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism.

    Linkage: Post-2027 delimitation may alter Centre-State relations by shifting political power among States based on population growth. Trust can be strengthened through a transparent, phased process that protects federal balance and rewards responsible governance.

  • Pax Silica and Global Tech Supply Chains

    Why in the News?

    On 12 December 2025, the United States convened the inaugural Pax Silica Summit to secure Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and strengthen semiconductor and AI supply chains amid rising geopolitical competition.

    What is Pax Silica?

    • A strategic initiative to secure supply chains for semiconductors, AI, and critical minerals
    • Pax means peace and Silica refers to a key material in chip manufacturing
    • Aims to promote peace, prosperity, and trusted digital infrastructure

    Current Status of India

    • India not invited to inaugural summit
    • US Ambassador Sergio Gor announced India will be invited soon

    Why did the U.S. launch Pax Silica amid changing geopolitical realities?

    • Strategic Dependence: The U.S. sought to reduce over reliance on China for Rare Earth Elements and critical inputs essential for advanced technologies and defence. Eg China suspended REE exports to the U.S. during tariff escalations, revealing supply chain vulnerabilities.
    • Weaponisation of Trade: Critical minerals and technologies are increasingly used as tools of geopolitical coercion rather than neutral market goods. Eg China imposed strict licensing and end use restrictions on rare earth magnet exports to India, including bans on defence use.
    • Tech National Security: Semiconductors and AI are now core to economic strength, military capability, and strategic dominance. Eg Shortages of advanced chips during the COVID period disrupted U.S. defence production and AI driven industries.
    • Supply Chain Resilience: The U.S. aims to shift from cost efficiency driven globalisation to resilience driven and trusted supply chains. Eg Pax Silica links Australia’s lithium resources, Japan’s manufacturing strength, and the Netherlands’ lithography technology.

    What value can India add to Pax Silica despite ecosystem gaps?

    • Human Capital: India contributes a large, skilled workforce, strong STEM education base, and growing AI and semiconductor talent, which can support scaling of advanced technologies. Eg Return of U.S. trained Indian engineers due to visa constraints is strengthening India’s domestic AI and chip ecosystem.
    • Market Scale: India offers a fast growing digital economy, large consumer base, and rising AI adoption, making it a critical demand centre for next generation technologies.  
    • Trusted Partnerships: India has proven technology collaboration capacity, supply chain integration experience, and status as a strategic partner rather than a coercive actor. Eg Micron’s semiconductor investment in India and Tata Group’s entry into chip manufacturing demonstrate trusted industrial cooperation.

    How might Pax Silica affect India’s strategic autonomy and policy space?

    • Strategic Autonomy: Joining Pax Silica may increase pressure on India to align more closely with U.S. and its allies, even when India prefers to take independent positions. Eg India may choose not to fully support strict security or sanction policies that do not suit its national interests.
    • Policy Freedom: India will want to keep the freedom to support its own industries through subsidies and government support, which some Pax Silica countries may question. Eg India may continue giving financial support to local chip companies under the Semiconductor Mission, even if partners prefer open markets.
    • Regulatory Control: Common rules under Pax Silica could limit India’s flexibility to work with other countries outside the group.

    Way forward:

    • Calibrated Engagement: India should participate selectively and pragmatically, focusing on technology access and supply chain resilience while avoiding rigid security commitments.
    • Protect Policy Space: India must clearly defend its right to support domestic industries through subsidies, procurement, and phased localisation. Eg Continue incentives under the India Semiconductor Mission while aligning gradually with global standards.
    • Leverage Multi Alignment: India should use Pax Silica to diversify supply chains, not replace existing partnerships, maintaining strategic balance.
    [2012] Recently there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called rare earth metals. Why? 

    1. China, which is the largest producer of these elements, has imposed some restrictions on their export. 

    2. Other than China, Australia, Canada, Chile, these elements are not found in any country. 

    3. Rare earth metals are essential for the manufacture of various kinds of electronic items and there is growing demand for these elements. 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • US Exit from World Health Organization

    Why in the News?

    On 23 January 2026, the United States formally withdrew from the World Health Organization after Donald Trump restarted the exit process at the beginning of his second term.

    Background

    • US announced withdrawal on Day 1 of Trump’s second term in 2025 through an executive order
    • Decision based on allegations that WHO failed in handling COVID 19
    • US confirmed it will not rejoin or participate even as an observer

    Financial Dimension

    • US was WHO’s largest single contributor
    • Outstanding unpaid dues around 260 million dollars
    • All US funding to WHO has been stopped
    • Under US law, one year notice is required, but payment obligation is legally disputed

    WHO’s Response

    • WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the US to reconsider
    • Warned of global public health fallout
    • WHO may cut up to 25 percent of its workforce due to funding gap
    [2022] In the context of WHO Air Quality Guidelines, Consider the following statements: 

    1. The 24-hour mean of PM 2.5 should not exceed 15 μg/m³ and annual mean of PM 2.5 should not exceed 5 μg/m³

    2. In a year, the highest levels of ozone pollution occur during the periods of inclement weather

    3. PM 10 can penetrate the long barrier and enter the bloodstream

    4. Excessive ozone in the air can trigger asthma

    Which of the statements given above are correct? 

    (a) 1, 3 and 4 (b) 1 and 4 only (c) 2, 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2 only

  • National Legislative Index (NLI)

    Why in the News?

    At the 86th All India Presiding Officers Conference, Om Birla, Speaker of Lok Sabha, announced the initiation of the National Legislative Index (NLI).

    What is National Legislative Index (NLI)?

    • Proposed performance evaluation framework
    • Objectively measures and compares the functioning of Parliament of India and State Legislatures
    • Uses predefined indicators and data driven metrics

    Examples of Predefined Indicators for NLI

    Legislative functioning: Number of sittings held, Duration of sittings, Percentage utilisation of House time and Adjournments and disruption.

    Aim

    • Healthy competition among legislatures
    • Improved efficiency and accountability
    • Better quality of legislative deliberation
    • People centric and outcome oriented law making

    Key Features

    • Objective performance metrics: Number of sittings, legislative output, committee work, utilisation of House time
    • Comparative and competitive framework: Cross comparison of Parliament and State Legislatures. Best practice sharing
    • Transparency and accountability focus: Public scrutiny, discipline, quality debate, citizen centric legislation

    Significance

    • Discourages disruptions and frequent adjournments
    • Improves deliberative quality of legislatures
    • Reinforces legislatures as core pillars of constitutional democracy
    • Aligns institutional performance with long term national development goals
    • Promotes efficient and outcome oriented governance
    [2017] The Parliament of India exercises control over the functions of the Council of Ministers through: 

    1. Adjournment motion 

    2. Question hour 

    3. Supplementary questions 

    Select the correct answer using the code given below: 

    (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3

  • Ocean Governance – UNCLOS, ISA, High Seas Teaty, etc.

  • Trump launches Board of Peace

    Why in the news?

    The United States has launched a new Board of Peace initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos, projecting it as a global peace-making body that could rival or even replace the United Nations in the long term.The move is significant because many traditional U.S. allies declined participation, revealing skepticism about its mandate and legitimacy.

    What is the Board of Peace?

    Origin and Initial Mandate

    1. Conceptualisation: Conceived by Donald Trump as part of the second phase of a U.S.-brokered 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan announced in September.
    2. Original Scope: Oversight of demilitarisation, reconstruction, and governance of the Gaza Strip, following devastation caused by Israel’s two-year war.
    3. International Backing: Received formal legitimacy when the United Nations Security Council endorsed the ceasefire plan in November.

    Mandate Expansion and Charter Design

    1. Mandate Expansion: Expanded from a Gaza-specific reconstruction body to a global institution addressing conflicts worldwide.
    2. Charter Language: Defines the Board as an “international organization” promoting stability, peace, and governance in areas affected or threatened by conflict.
    3. Notable Omission: The draft charter circulated with invitations does not reference Gaza, despite Gaza being the original trigger.

    Leadership and Governance Structure

    1. Chairmanship: Trump designated as indefinite chairman, potentially extending beyond his second presidential term.
    2. Institutional Hierarchy: Board positioned above a Founding Executive Board.
    3. Executive Composition: Includes Jared Kushner, Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, andTony Blair, indicating executive-driven rather than multilateral governance.

    Membership Model and Access Rules

    1. Term Structure: Standard membership for three-year terms.
    2. Permanent Seats: Available upon payment of USD 1 billion to a peace-building fund.
    3. Governance Implication: Introduces a financial criterion for institutional permanence, distinct from norm-based multilateral systems.

    Why is participation in the Board of Peace contested?

    1. Limited Attendance: Heads of state or senior officials from only 19 countries, plus the U.S., were physically present.
    2. Ally Skepticism: Several close U.S. allies opted out due to uncertainty over mandate, authority, and overlap with existing institutions.
    3. Legislative Constraints: Some countries indicated interest but require parliamentary approval before formal participation.

    How does the Board of Peace relate to the United Nations?

    1. Institutional Overlap: The Board’s functions closely resemble UN peacekeeping and mediation roles.
    2. U.S. Positioning: The President indicated cooperation with the UN while simultaneously questioning its effectiveness.
    3. Long-term Implication: The Board was described as potentially making the UN obsolete, signaling a challenge to the post-1945 multilateral order.

    What role does the Gaza conflict play in this initiative?

    1. Ceasefire Focus: The Board was presented as a mechanism to manage and sustain ceasefires, with Gaza cited as a test case.
    2. Border Opening: Announcement that the Rafah crossing would reopen in both directions after Israeli approval.
    3. Governance Proposal: Oversight of Gaza by a Palestinian committee under U.S. supervision was mentioned as part of post-conflict planning.

    How have major global powers responded?

    1. Russia’s Position: Indicated ongoing consultations and refrained from immediate commitment.
    2. Engagement with Palestine: Russia hosted Palestinian leadership, highlighting parallel diplomatic tracks.
    3. Global Fragmentation: Divergent responses reflect declining consensus on U.S.-led peace initiatives.

    Conclusion

    The launch of the Board of Peace reflects dissatisfaction with existing global peace mechanisms and highlights the limits of unilateral institution-building. The gap between claimed support and actual participation raises questions about its legitimacy and effectiveness, even as ongoing conflicts like Gaza underline the urgency of peace efforts.

    PYQ Relevance

    [UPSC 2024] Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security’. Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level.

    Linkage: The question tests how far UN bodies like the Security Council and its counter-terrorism mechanisms have been effective in maintaining global peace and security. The Board of Peace has been launched because existing UN mechanisms are seen as slow and ineffective.