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Labour, Jobs and Employment – Harmonization of labour laws, gender gap, unemployment, etc.

[12th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Exploited workers, a labour policy’s empty promises

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Effects Of Liberalization On The Economy, Changes In Industrial Policy and their effects on Industrial Growth

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Discuss the merits and demerits of the four ‘Labour Codes’ in the context of labour market reforms in India. What has been the progress so far in this regard?

Linkage: Building directly on the same reform trajectory, the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 extends the labour codes’ framework of ease of doing business over worker protection. This highlights continued informalisation and weak enforcement.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 arrives at a critical juncture, when over 90% of India’s workforce is informal, and 11 million people endure modern slavery-like conditions. While the government calls it a “rights-driven, future-ready” labour vision grounded in “ancient Indian ethos”, the policy remains mired in contradictions. Behind its digital optimism and flexibility rhetoric lie deep structural issues, casualisation, exclusion of women, erosion of unions, and poor enforcement of safety norms. This article analyses how the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 attempts reform but risks widening inequality instead of bridging it.

Introduction

India’s labour force, the world’s largest after China, is undergoing unprecedented informalisation. A majority of workers remain without contracts, benefits, or occupational safety, particularly in construction, seafood, textiles, and stone quarrying. Against this backdrop, the government has unveiled the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025, the first comprehensive labour and employment policy in independent India, aimed at aligning with India@2047 goals. Yet, its “future-ready” tone contrasts sharply with the daily struggles of India’s informal workers. The draft blends cultural nostalgia with digital platforms and flexible labour regimes, but experts warn that without strong safeguards, it may formalise exploitation under a new vocabulary of efficiency and empowerment.

Why is the draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 significant?

  1. First comprehensive labour policy: India has never had a single overarching labour and employment policy before; this is the first draft of its kind.
  2. Presented as “rights-driven” and “future-ready”: The draft positions itself as a framework for inclusive, dignified employment by 2047.
  3. Ground reality contrast: It appears while millions remain in debt bondage or unsafe informal work, revealing a sharp policy-practice gap.
  4. Cultural framing: It draws legitimacy from “ancient Indian ethos” and texts like Manusmriti, a move critics call regressive in a modern labour context.

Does the draft empower workers or employers?

  1. Contractual and casual labour domination: In several sectors (textiles, seafood, stone quarries), workers are hired by middlemen without contracts, paid daily wages, and denied ESI or PF benefits.
  2. Employer-biased flexibility: The draft promotes “ease of doing business” but underplays enforcement of worker rights, effectively institutionalising job insecurity.
  3. Constitutional dilution: The framework overlooks Articles 14, 16 and 21, which guarantee equality, opportunity, and dignity, replacing them with moral and cultural justifications.
  4. ILO mismatch: The policy ignores obligations under ILO Conventions 42, 155, and 156, especially concerning maternity protection, safety, and gender equity.

Can digital optimism bridge the informal-formal divide?

  1. Digital skilling and employment matching: The draft relies heavily on AI-driven National Career Service (NCS) and Skill India digital platforms, promising to reduce mismatches.
  2. Reality check: Digital literacy in India remains at 38%, and most informal workers, particularly women and the elderly, remain excluded from such systems.
  3. eSHRAM limitations: Despite over 30 crore registrations, payouts remain minimal and inconsistent, with large data gaps for unorganised workers.
  4. Algorithmic exclusion: Tech-based hiring may amplify caste and gender bias, lacking oversight on fairness, grievance redress, or algorithmic accountability.

Does the draft align with constitutional and global standards?

  1. Constitutional inconsistency: Ignores equality provisions (Articles 14-16) and fails to guarantee dignity (Article 21) by sidelining unionisation and inspectorate powers.
  2. ILO and OECD compliance gap: India risks non-alignment with ILO Conventions 87 and 98 (freedom of association and collective bargaining) and OECD recommendations on equitable labour transitions.
  3. Rights to collective action: Tripartite bodies (state, employer, worker) are mentioned but not institutionally strengthened, weakening labour representation.

What are the draft policy’s main areas of concern?

  1. Inspectorate dilution: Reduction in on-ground inspections under the garb of self-certification leads to unchecked safety violations.
  2. Gendered impact: While women’s participation is targeted to rise to 35% by 2047, no clear mechanism ensures safe, accessible, or equitable workplaces.
  3. Wage inequality and gig exclusion: Wage Code 2019 is silent on platform workers’ benefits, leaving gig labourers outside social protection systems.
  4. Union erosion: By promoting individual “digital dashboards” over collective negotiations, the draft undermines trade union power and collective action.

What should guide India’s final labour framework?

  1. Universal social protection floor: Extend ESI, EPFO, and health coverage to informal and gig workers.
  2. Reinstate labour inspectorates: Institutionalise independent audits for occupational safety and minimum wage compliance.
  3. Gender-responsive budgeting: Make gender equity measurable through labour audits, wage reporting, and leadership representation.
  4. Digital inclusion safeguards: Ensure data privacy, algorithmic fairness, and accessibility for low-literacy workers.
  5. Constitutional morality over cultural ethos: Replace rhetoric with enforceable rights, ensuring compliance with Articles 14, 19, 21, and 23 (prohibition of forced labour).

Conclusion

The draft Shram Shakti Niti 2025 aspires to modernise India’s labour market, but its moral overtones and digital bias risk leaving the poorest behind. Without strong enforcement, union empowerment, and gender-sensitive safeguards, this “future-ready” vision may perpetuate rather than resolve inequality. India’s final policy must reflect constitutional morality, not cultural nostalgia, ensuring labour dignity remains the cornerstone of economic growth.

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Foreign Policy Watch: India-ASEAN

[11th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A celebration of India-Bhutan ties

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Discuss the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of Maldives for India with a focus on global trade and energy flows. Further, also discuss how this relationship affects India’s maritime security and regional stability amidst international competition.

Linkage: This PYQ reflects the same strategic framework as India-Bhutan relations; where geography, stability, and mutual trust drive India’s Neighbourhood First and Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) vision.

Mentor’s Comment

The 70th birth anniversary of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth King of Bhutan, serves as a moment to celebrate not just a monarch’s life but the enduring India-Bhutan partnership that he helped shape. His leadership modernised Bhutan and deepened one of South Asia’s most stable and mutually respectful bilateral relationships built on trust, hydropower diplomacy, and shared values of sustainable development and cultural harmony.

Introduction

The former King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, turned 70 on November 11, 2025. Revered by his people as a Bodhisattva King, he ruled Bhutan from 1972 until his abdication in 2006 in favour of his son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Known for introducing the concept of Gross National Happiness (GNH) and steering Bhutan into the modern era, his legacy also symbolizes the deep and evolving friendship between India and Bhutan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Thimphu for the celebrations marks the continuation of this historic bond. This underlines India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and commitment to strengthening Himalayan partnerships.

The Legacy of a Sage King

  1. Modernisation of Bhutan: King Jigme Singye Wangchuck guided Bhutan into the 21st century with policies balancing economic progress, environmental sustainability, and cultural preservation.
  2. Buddhist Leadership Ethos: Revered almost like a Buddha, he was loved for his humility and focus on inner happiness, embodied in the philosophy of Gross National Happiness.
  3. Abdication for Reform: His voluntary abdication in 2006 for his son represented a rare act of democratic foresight, leading Bhutan towards constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy.

India-Bhutan Relations: A Model of Neighbourhood Diplomacy

  1. Neighbourhood First Priority: Bhutan was the first foreign country visited by PM Modi in 2014 after assuming office, highlighting Bhutan’s symbolic and strategic importance.
  2. Mutual Cultural Affinity: The relationship is grounded in shared civilizational ethos, Buddhism, and trust, rather than transactional diplomacy.
  3. Joint Celebrations: Modi’s participation in the birthday celebrations reflects India’s continued recognition of Bhutan as a trusted Himalayan partner.

Hydropower Diplomacy: The Cornerstone of Economic Partnership

  1. Strategic Energy Partnership: India and Bhutan have developed one of South Asia’s most successful hydropower cooperation models, with electricity from Bhutan’s rivers exported to India.
  2. Economic Impact: Projects like the Punasangchhu-I and Punasangchhu-II hydropower projects contribute significantly to Bhutan’s GDP and India’s clean energy imports.
  3. Job Creation and Development: Revenue from hydropower has raised Bhutan’s per capita income, reflecting a sustainable model of bilateral interdependence.
  4. Private Sector Expansion: Future projects are likely to be developed by private Indian companies in collaboration with Bhutanese partners, expanding beyond state-led initiatives.

Issues of National Security and Strategic Alignment

  1. Advisory Role of the King: Former King Jigme Singye Wangchuck continues to play a strategic advisory role (K4) on national security and foreign policy.
  2. Security Cooperation: India’s Royal Bhutan Army (RBA) works closely with Indian defence forces to secure borders and enhance counter-insurgency cooperation.
  3. Operation All Clear (2003): Bhutan’s successful military operation, supported by India, removed insurgent groups from its territory; a hallmark of trust-based defence partnership.
  4. Geopolitical Balance: Bhutan continues to balance relations with India while cautiously managing ties with China, guided by India’s support in maintaining sovereignty and stability.

India’s Continued Developmental Support

  1. Hydropower Assistance: India remains Bhutan’s largest partner in hydropower development, ensuring energy security for both nations.
  2. Community Development Projects: Support extends to education, healthcare, and monastic infrastructure, reinforcing India’s soft power in the region.
  3. Trade and Connectivity: India’s assistance in roads, border management, and trade routes enhances regional connectivity under the BBIN framework.

Conclusion

The celebration of King Jigme Singye Wangchuck’s 70th birthday is more than an homage to a revered monarch, it is a testament to the unbroken trust, shared development, and mutual respect between India and Bhutan. The hydropower-driven partnership continues to set an example of how small states and large neighbours can coexist through equality, respect, and common vision. As India continues to invest in Bhutan’s progress, this Himalayan partnership stands as a model of enduring regional cooperation and spiritual kinship.

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Electoral Reforms In India

[10th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Burden of proof: On electoral integrity

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2019] In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?

Linkage: This PYQ highlights the core issue of electoral credibility and public trust, mirroring the current allegations of fake voters and data opacity. It reinforces the need for transparency, verifiable mechanisms, and institutional accountability within the Election Commission.

Mentor’s Comment

The article “Burden of Proof” brings to light the intensifying debate over the integrity of India’s electoral rolls following allegations by the Leader of the Opposition regarding fake or duplicate voters in Haryana’s 2024 Assembly election. This issue, though political on the surface, raises deep institutional and constitutional concerns about electoral transparency, systemic accountability, and public trust in the Election Commission of India (ECI). For UPSC aspirants, the piece is vital as it interlinks GS Paper 2 (Election Commission, Electoral Reforms, Transparency) and GS Paper 4 (Ethics in Public Institutions).

Introduction

Elections lie at the heart of Indian democracy, yet their credibility depends on the robustness of electoral rolls and the transparency of electoral processes. The recent allegations made by Rahul Gandhi regarding the 2024 Haryana Assembly elections, where he claimed over 25 lakh fake voters in the rolls, have reignited discussions around systemic lapses, procedural opacity, and institutional accountability within the Election Commission of India (ECI). The editorial underscores that while the secrecy of the vote is sacrosanct, the process of voting and verification must remain transparent and auditable to uphold electoral faith.

What are the Allegations and Why Do They Matter?

  1. Mass duplication and fake entries: Rahul Gandhi alleged 25 lakh fake or duplicate voters, including 22 instances of the same woman’s photo used across different booths.
  2. Institutional manipulation: He claimed the manipulation benefited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and undermined the Opposition.
  3. Systemic failure: These charges indicate structural lapses rather than isolated incidents, raising doubts over ECI’s data integrity.

How Has the Election Commission Responded?

  1. Technical defense: The ECI has relied on procedural arguments, stating that complaints must be raised within stipulated timelines or through election petitions.
  2. Opaque communication: Its defensive posture and tendency to veil electoral data under “voter privacy” have eroded public confidence.
  3. Avoidance of transparency: Despite being procedural sound, such a stance fails to address the perception of bias or inefficiency.

Why is Transparency the Core Issue?

  1. Public trust: The ECI’s reluctance to release video footage or electoral roll details fuels suspicions of manipulation.
  2. Privacy vs. accountability: While vote choice must remain secret, voting activity and verification records should be open to scrutiny.
  3. Opacity breeds doubt: By invoking secrecy, the ECI restricts necessary transparency that could restore faith.

What are the Larger Implications for Democracy?

  1. Erosion of institutional faith: Repeated controversies diminish the moral authority of the ECI.
  2. Systemic trust deficit: Procedural correctness without public communication and transparency undermines democracy’s ethical base.
  3. Global significance: As the world’s largest democracy, India’s electoral credibility carries symbolic importance for democratic legitimacy worldwide.

Way Forward

  1. Release verifiable data: Publish booth-wise video recordings to prove that alleged duplicate voters did not actually vote multiple times.
  2. Differentiate between secrecy and verification: The act of voting should be private, but records of who voted (not how) can remain public.
  3. Independent scrutiny: A Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can strengthen the credibility of electoral rolls through third-party verification.

Conclusion

The editorial’s core argument is that democracy depends not merely on free voting but on verifiable fairness. While the vote’s secrecy is inviolable, the process’s secrecy is dangerous. Rebuilding trust in the Election Commission demands procedural transparency, data openness, and independent auditing mechanisms. Only through public access to verifiable information can the faith of the voter be restored in India’s electoral democracy.

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Electoral Reforms In India

[8th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A wider SIR has momentum but it is still a test case

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to the “One Nation-One Election” principle.

Linkage: The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) ensures clean, verified, and inclusive voter rolls, a prerequisite for implementing “One Nation-One Election”. Both aim to reduce electoral fragmentation and enhance institutional credibility in India’s democracy.

Mentor’s Comment

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has initiated the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across multiple States and Union Territories, the first such nationwide exercise after 21 years. This is a technical yet politically sensitive process, central to the integrity of India’s democratic machinery. The SIR’s rollout tests administrative preparedness, inclusivity, and transparency ahead of major elections, including those in Bihar. This article decodes the why, what, and how of the SIR, examining its implications for governance, political participation, and electoral legitimacy, all crucial themes for UPSC GS Paper II (Polity & Governance).

Why in the News

The Election Commission of India launched the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) on November 4, 2025, across nine States and three Union Territories, following its implementation in Bihar. This is the first SIR in 21 years and only the ninth in India’s 75-year electoral history.

It marks a significant institutional reform aimed at updating 51 crore voter records of nearly half of India’s electorate across 321 constituencies and 1,843 Assembly segments. Given that the Bihar SIR was a test case plagued by logistical, legal, and political complexities, the pan-India rollout serves as a stress test for India’s electoral infrastructure and citizen inclusion mechanisms.

Introduction

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) represents the most comprehensive voter list update since the early 2000s. It aims to eliminate duplications, include new electors, and ensure clean, verified rolls before upcoming elections. However, the process faces challenges related to citizenship verification, migration, and state-level customisation, revealing both the strengths and vulnerabilities of India’s electoral architecture.

What is the Special Intensive Revision (SIR)?

  1. Definition: A systematic, state-wise verification and revision of electoral rolls conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
  2. Objective: To ensure accuracy, transparency, and inclusivity in voter registration, enabling free and fair elections.
  3. Scale: Covers 51 crore electors across 321 constituencies involving 5.33 lakh polling stations and 7.64 lakh booth-level agents.
  4. Timeline: Draft roll on December 9, 2025; final roll on February 7, 2026.
  5. Precedent: First SIR in 21 years, after the last comprehensive revision in 2004.

Why Was a Nationwide SIR Needed?

  1. Electoral Gaps: Regular annual updates failed to address mass migration, duplication, and exclusion errors.
  2. Bihar Experience: The Bihar SIR revealed outdated rolls, multiple entries, and dead voters, pushing ECI to extend the process nationwide.
  3. Inclusivity Goals: To bring marginalised and mobile populations (e.g., migrants, first-time voters) into the democratic fold.
  4. Supreme Court Concerns: Emphasised the need for ‘clean and transparent’ electoral rolls as foundational to electoral legitimacy.

How is the SIR Different from Regular Roll Revision?

  1. Depth of Verification: Involves door-to-door enumeration and mandatory document verification.
  2. Decentralised Accountability: Booth Level Officers (BLOs) given fixed time frames for inclusion/exclusion decisions.
  3. Transparency Mandate: The term ‘document’ must be entered for each elector to ensure traceability.
  4. Technological Integration: ECI uses data analytics and cross-verification to detect duplication or absence.
  5. Flexibility: Though standardised nationally, procedures vary by State due to differing local challenges and citizenship laws (e.g., Assam).

How Does the SIR Strengthen Electoral Legitimacy?

  1. Authenticity of Rolls: Builds a citizen-owned voter base, verified through both local and digital checks.
  2. Political Party Engagement: Booth-level agents of political parties ensure collective scrutiny and confidence in the system.
  3. Institutional Collaboration: States are required to provide dedicated staff and avoid officer transfers during the process.
  4. Error Minimisation: Reduction in ‘zero appeals’ cases, i.e., disputes over wrongful exclusions/inclusions.
  5. Legal Sanction: Backed by Supreme Court validation, strengthening constitutional trust in the ECI.

What Are the Remaining Challenges?

  1. State-Specific Complexities: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and West Bengal express concerns over exclusion of eligible voters.
  2. Administrative Burden: Requires massive coordination across 21,000+ officers and State governments.
  3. Social Sensitivities: Citizenship verification in Assam and border districts remains politically charged.
  4. Public Trust Deficit: Needs sustained communication to avoid alienation of first-time or marginalised voters.
  5. Past Precedent: The Bihar experience showed that data errors and delayed grievance redress erode legitimacy.

Conclusion

The Special Intensive Revision marks a transformative shift in India’s electoral administration. While it reflects institutional momentum and transparency, its success depends on ground-level execution, inter-state coordination, and public confidence. The SIR is both a logistical challenge and a democratic opportunity, a crucial test for the ECI’s credibility in ensuring a clean, inclusive, and verifiable electoral base.

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[7th November 2025] The Hindu Oped: Redraw welfare architecture, place a UBI in the centre

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Inclusive Growth & Issues

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2015] In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.

Linkage: The shift from price subsidies to Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) improved efficiency and targeting in welfare delivery. Universal Basic Income (UBI) is the next step in this evolution, moving from targeted transfers to universal, unconditional income support that ensures inclusion and economic stability.

Mentor’s Comment

As automation, artificial intelligence, and widening inequality reshape global economies, India faces an urgent need to rethink its welfare model. Universal Basic Income (UBI) , once dismissed as utopian, is emerging as a viable economic tool to balance growth with inclusion, stabilize consumption, and future-proof citizens against technology-driven disruptions.

Introduction and Why in the News

India’s wealth gap is at a 75-year high, and technological transformation is outpacing job creation. The article argues that a Universal Basic Income could act as a stabilizer for an economy characterized by automation-led job loss, consumption inequality, and welfare fragmentation. UBI thus represents both an economic necessity and moral evolution, a reform that can ensure social security while sustaining demand in an AI-driven economy.

Understanding UBI in the Economic Context

  1. Concept: A periodic, unconditional cash transfer to all citizens, regardless of income or employment.
  2. Economic Foundation: Acts as a floor for consumption and stabilizer of demand during economic downturns.
  3. Rationale in India: Addresses inefficiencies, leakages, and exclusions in existing welfare subsidies and improves fiscal targeting through direct transfers.
  4. Global Relevance: Countries like Finland, Kenya, and Iran have experimented with variants of basic income to address automation shocks and inequality.

Why India Needs a New Welfare Model

  • Automation and Jobless Growth:
    1. India’s labour-intensive sectors are losing relevance as AI and robotics replace routine work.
    2. A 2023 McKinsey Report estimates 40-45% of Indian jobs risk automation by 2030.
    3. Consumption Inequality: The top 10% hold over 40% of total income, weakening demand from lower strata, a key factor behind India’s K-shaped recovery post-COVID.
  • Fragmented Welfare Spending:
    1. Over 950 central schemes exist; only 20% reach intended beneficiaries (NITI Aayog, 2022).
    2. Rationalizing and merging subsidies could free 1-2% of GDP, enough to fund a phased UBI.

Fiscal Feasibility and Implementation Models

  1. Budgetary Realignment: A UBI costing ₹7,500 per person annually = ~1% of GDP, fiscally manageable by pruning inefficient subsidies.
  2. Digital Readiness: India’s JAM Trinity (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) enables transparent Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) to 450+ million beneficiaries.
  3. Phased Approach:
    • Start with vulnerable groups (elderly, women, informal workers) and expand gradually.
    • Link with automation tax or digital economy levy to ensure sustainability.
  4. Behavioral Economics View: Unconditional transfers improve human capital investment (nutrition, education) without creating disincentive to work, proven in Madhya Pradesh SEWA UBI Pilot, 2013.

UBI as an Economic Stabilizer

  1. Counter-Cyclical Tool: Maintains aggregate demand in economic slowdowns; ensures liquidity among lower-income households.
  2. Productivity Boost: Financial security allows workers to upskill and pursue entrepreneurial ventures instead of insecure subsistence jobs.
  3. Gender Dividend: Recognizes unpaid care work and enhances female labour participation, a major economic multiplier.
  4. Rural Resilience: Ensures income continuity against climate shocks, agrarian distress, and market failures.

Challenges in Adopting UBI

  1. Fiscal Trade-offs: High recurring costs could strain the fiscal deficit if not balanced by rationalization of subsidies.
  2. Inflationary Pressure: Sudden increase in liquidity may spike prices unless accompanied by supply-side reforms.
  3. Exclusion Risks via Aadhaar/DBT: Digital divide and authentication errors can replicate old exclusion patterns.
  4. Political Economy Resistance: Targeted benefits create patronage networks; universalization dilutes control, making reform politically sensitive.

Global Insights for India

Country Nature of UBI Trial Lessons
Finland (2017-18) €560/month for unemployed Improved well-being, not joblessness
Kenya Cash transfer for 12 years Increased small business formation
Iran (2010) Universal transfer replacing subsidies Reduced poverty without fiscal collapse
Brazil (Bolsa Família) Conditional transfer, near-universal Boosted literacy, health, consumption

India can blend these experiences into a hybrid model: quasi-universal, fiscally prudent, and tech-enabled.

Conclusion

A Universal Basic Income is no longer a moral luxury, it is an economic inevitability in a future where automation, inequality, and climate shocks converge. By realigning subsidies and leveraging digital infrastructure, India can embed economic dignity into fiscal policy. UBI is not about welfare dependency, it is about stabilizing markets through empowered citizens.

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Electoral Reforms In India

[6th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The malleable Code of Conduct

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Representation Of People's Act

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2022] Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in the light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct.

Linkage: It explores how the Election Commission’s authority evolved through the MCC. It assesses the effectiveness in upholding electoral fairness amid growing political violations.

Mentor’s Comment

The Model Code of Conduct (MCC) represents India’s democratic conscience. It is a self-imposed ethical framework ensuring that elections are fought on fairness, not power misuse. Yet, the political ingenuity in bypassing it reflects a deeper erosion of moral restraint in governance. With recent welfare disbursements in Bihar triggering debate, the MCC stands at a crossroads between relevance and redundancy.

Introduction

The Model Code of Conduct is an ethical framework evolved through consensus among political parties to ensure level competition during elections. It prevents the misuse of official machinery, state resources, and authority to influence voters. However, repeated violations especially by governments announcing pre-poll cash transfers or populist projects show that while the MCC binds in letter, its spirit is increasingly compromised.

Why in the News

The Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana (MMRY) launched in Bihar in August 2025 has reignited the debate over MCC violations. Cash disbursements continued into late October and early November, overlapping with the election schedule. Though legally permissible, the scheme’s timing tilted public perception toward favouring the ruling party, raising serious concerns about the sanctity of the electoral process. The controversy marks another instance where governments use public funds to gain electoral mileage, undermining the spirit of the MCC.

Genesis and Purpose of the MCC

  1. Origin and Evolution: The MCC was first used during the 1960 Assembly elections in Kerala, and later adopted nationwide by the Election Commission of India (ECI) during the 1962 general elections.
  2. Consensus Document: It was not enacted by Parliament but evolved through agreement among political parties.
  3. Formal Enforcement: The Model Code of Conduct was first issued by the Election Commission of India under the title of ‘Minimum Code of Conduct’ on September 26, 1968 during the Mid-Term Elections 1968-69. The code was further revised in 1979, 1982, 1991 and 2013
  4. Core Purpose: Ensures free, fair, and peaceful elections by preventing misuse of government machinery and undue influence over voters.

When It Is Applicable and Who Enforces It

  1. Trigger Point: The MCC comes into effect immediately from the date the Election Commission announces the election schedule.
  2. Duration: It remains in force until the declaration of election results.
  3. Enforcing Authority: The Election Commission of India is the sole authority for its enforcement and interpretation.
  4. Withdrawal: The MCC automatically ceases once the results are officially declared by the ECI.

What Gets Suspended Under the MCC

  1. Policy Announcements: Ministers and authorities cannot announce new projects, financial grants, or inaugurate schemes that may influence voters.
  2. Public Advertisements: No use of government funds for publicity of achievements or campaigns during this period.
  3. Transfers and Appointments: Major administrative transfers or appointments in departments are prohibited unless approved by the EC.
  4. Use of Official Machinery: Government vehicles, buildings, and personnel cannot be used for electioneering.
  5. Foundation Stones or Inaugurations: These are disallowed if they could project partisan benefit.

What Is Permitted During MCC

  1. Ongoing Projects: Continuing existing schemes and projects (initiated before MCC enforcement) is allowed if there’s no modification or new announcement.
  2. Routine Governance: Day-to-day administration and delivery of essential services can continue.
  3. Emergency Actions: Governments can act during natural disasters or emergencies with EC approval.
  4. Election Campaigning: Political parties are free to campaign, release manifestos, and address voters, provided they follow EC guidelines on ethics and expenditure.

The Challenge of “Violations in Spirit”

Despite the clarity of rules, violations persist:

  1. Cash Schemes: Governments frequently announce last-minute transfers to favourable groups.
  2. Symbolic Launches: Old projects are rebranded as new initiatives to gain media traction.
  3. Moral Erosion: Such acts violate the spirit of fairness, reducing elections to a contest of resource deployment rather than ideas.
  4. Quote Insight: As Shakespeare’s Hamlet said, the MCC is often “more honoured in the breach than in the observance.”

Legal Status and Enforcement Issues

  1. Voluntary Nature: The MCC is a moral code, not a legal statute.
  2. Legal Overlap: Specific violations may be prosecuted under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, or Indian Penal Code (IPC).
  3. 2013 Standing Committee View: Recommended making MCC legally binding, but EC preferred flexibility due to the short election window.
  4. Judicial Constraints: Courts find it difficult to act swiftly during elections, leaving real-time violations unchecked.

Impact on Democratic Integrity

  1. Erosion of Level Playing Field: Pre-poll welfare schemes distort voter perception.
  2. Loss of Trust: Frequent violations weaken public confidence in EC neutrality.
  3. Ethical Degradation: Turning elections into transactional exercises undermines constitutional morality.
  4. Institutional Burden: Constant MCC imposition hampers governance continuity, hence the push for simultaneous elections.

Way Forward

  1. Legal Backing with Flexibility: Grant partial statutory status to the MCC to enhance enforceability while retaining EC’s discretion for quick decisions during elections.
  2. Swift Adjudication Mechanism: Establish fast-track EC tribunals for resolving MCC violation complaints within days, not weeks.
  3. Transparent Public Disclosure: Mandate real-time publication of EC orders and violations to ensure accountability and deter misconduct.
  4. Institutional Empowerment: Strengthen EC’s independence by insulating it from executive interference in appointments and funding.
  5. Ethical Political Culture: Political parties should adopt internal codes of ethics and conduct public pledges to uphold MCC principles.
  6. Simultaneous Elections Debate: Explore synchronizing elections to reduce frequent MCC enforcement disruptions and policy paralysis.
  7. Civic Awareness: Promote voter education campaigns to build public pressure against MCC violations and ethical breaches.

Conclusion

The Model Code of Conduct is not just an election rulebook, it is a mirror reflecting the ethical health of Indian democracy. When leaders manipulate it, they erode not just electoral fairness but the foundational trust between citizen and state. The MCC must therefore be strengthened, through legal clarity, swift EC action, and moral political leadership, so that it remains a living instrument of democracy, not a symbolic ritual.

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Forest Conservation Efforts – NFP, Western Ghats, etc.

[5th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: India’s forests hold the future

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Environmental pollution is a major environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard.

Linkage: Even though no direct linking PYQ is found. But here forest restoration and carbon sink creation are key mitigation measures in controlling pollution and ensuring ecosystem resilience.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s revised Green India Mission (GIM) signals a decisive shift in the nation’s ecological vision from expanding forest area to restoring ecosystem resilience. The article examines the ambitious plan to restore 25 million hectares by 2030, challenges in afforestation design, and how India can convert green cover into genuine carbon and community assets.

Introduction

India stands at the crossroads of economic growth and ecological sustainability. The recent revision of the Green India Mission (GIM) underscores the goal of restoring 25 million hectares of degraded forest and non-forest land by 2030, directly linked to India’s climate pledge of creating a carbon sink of 3.39 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. The central question now is not just how much land India restores, but how well it does so.

Why in the News

The release of the revised Green India Mission blueprint (2025) marks a crucial development in India’s environmental policy. For the first time, the emphasis shifts from mere tree planting to ecological restoration and community participation. With India’s forests showing a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency (IIT Kharagpur-BITS Pilani, 2025), the focus on quality over quantity becomes imperative. The GIM’s success or failure will significantly impact India’s climate commitments and rural livelihoods dependent on forests.

Afforestation in India: From Quantity to Quality

  1. New Scientific Evidence: A 2025 IIT Kharagpur study found a 12% decline in photosynthetic efficiency of dense forests due to rising temperatures and soil drying.
  2. Beyond Canopy Cover: The discovery challenges the old assumption that “more trees mean more carbon sinks” and instead emphasizes ecological resilience.
  3. Shift in Mission Focus: Between 2015-2021, ₹575 crore was disbursed for afforestation; forest and tree cover rose from 21.16% to 25.17% by 2023 yet qualitative degradation persists.

What Are the Core Gaps in India’s Afforestation Strategy?

  1. Community Participation: Despite the Forest Rights Act (2006) empowering local communities, many plantation drives bypass their consent, eroding trust and legitimacy.
  2. Ecological Design: Monoculture plantations of eucalyptus and acacia reduce biodiversity, leaving forests vulnerable to drought and pests.
  3. Financing and Implementation: The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) holds ₹95,000 crore, but fund utilization remains inconsistent. Delhi, for instance, used only 23% of funds between 2019-2024.

What Are the Emerging Success Stories?

  1. Odisha: Joint Forest Management Committees are now part of revenue-sharing and planning processes.
  2. Chhattisgarh: Forest departments are experimenting with biodiversity-sensitive plantations and promoting village carbon markets.
  3. Himachal Pradesh: Launched biochar programmes to reduce fire risk and generate carbon credits.
  4. Tamil Nadu: Nearly doubled mangrove cover in three years, advancing coastal carbon storage.

How Can India Finance and Implement Effective Restoration?

  1. Utilizing CAMPA Funds: Efficient allocation and transparent dashboards can ensure accountability.
  2. Innovative Tools: Integration of carbon markets, adaptive management, and public dashboards can align national and state-level efforts.
  3. Technical Training: Expanding institutes like IIFM Bhopal or the upcoming Byrnihat Ecological Institute to train field staff in ecological design.
  4. Public-Community Collaboration: Linking local monitoring with national reporting systems will enhance ground-level legitimacy and data reliability.

What Lies Ahead for India’s Forest Future?

  1. Smarter Restoration: Focus must shift from planting to ecological engineering using native species and local hydrology.
  2. Inclusive Climate Action: Empowering communities ensures climate justice and sustainable forest governance.
  3. National Movement Approach: Collaboration between civil society, research institutions, and local communities can transform GIM from a government scheme to a people’s mission.

Conclusion

India’s forests are more than carbon sinks, they are the nation’s ecological infrastructure. The revised Green India Mission represents a shift from greenwashing metrics to resilient ecosystems. With rigorous monitoring, community inclusion, and scientific restoration, India can make its forests not only a tool for carbon sequestration but a foundation for climate-resilient growth.

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Renewable Energy – Wind, Tidal, Geothermal, etc.

[4th November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The case for energy efficiency

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2022] Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective? Explain.

Linkage: The question relates to India’s renewable energy transition and the feasibility of meeting its 2030 targets. The article links by emphasizing that without efficiency and subsidy realignment, rising renewable capacity alone cannot ensure a cleaner grid.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s clean energy transition faces a paradox: even as renewable capacity doubles, the electricity flowing into homes is becoming dirtier. The rise in India’s grid emission factor despite record renewable expansion reveals deep systemic challenges, capacity-generation mismatch, demand peaks, and underutilization of renewables. This editorial decodes why energy efficiency, the “first fuel”, must become central to India’s decarbonisation strategy.

Introduction

India’s non-fossil fuel sources now account for about 50% of total installed capacity, yet its grid emission factor (GEF) has worsened from 0.703 tCO₂/MWh in 2020-21 to 0.727 tCO₂/MWh in 2023-24 (Central Electricity Authority). This anomaly highlights that while renewable capacity has expanded, fossil-fuel-based generation still dominates. To make India’s grid cleaner and more reliable, scaling up energy efficiency and flexibility is essential.

Why Is India’s Grid Getting Dirtier Despite More Renewables?

  1. Grid Emission Factor (GEF): This measure of carbon intensity has increased instead of falling, reflecting rising dependence on coal during peak demand hours.
  2. Installed capacity doesn’t always equate to generation: Renewables deliver less electricity annually compared to thermal or nuclear sources.
  3. Coal’s dominance: Fossil fuels continue to meet the marginal demand, making India’s grid more emission-intensive even with rising renewable capacity.

What Explains the Capacity-Generation Mismatch?

  1. Low capacity utilisation: Solar and wind plants run at only 15-25% utilisation, versus 65-90% for coal and nuclear.
  2. Temporal mismatch: Solar peaks during afternoon hours, while demand peaks at night, requiring fossil backup.
  3. System inflexibility: Lack of energy storage, flexible grids, and responsive pricing structures forces reliance on coal during non-solar hours.
  4. Data point: In 2023-24, renewables (including hydro) supplied only 22% of total electricity; the rest came from fossil fuels.

How Can Energy Efficiency Bridge the Gap?

  1. First fuel approach: Efficiency reduces demand before generation, lowering peak load, reducing reliance on coal during evening peaks.
  2. Economic benefit: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) reports savings of 200 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) between FY2017-FY2023. This is equivalent to 1.29 GT of CO₂ and savings of ₹76,000 crore.
  3. Enabler of renewables: Efficiency flattens demand peaks, preventing renewable curtailment and enhancing integration of solar and wind.
  4. Preventing lock-in: Replacing old, inefficient technologies avoids long-term carbon lock-ins.

What Policy and Structural Changes Are Needed?

  1. Battery integration: Enabling homes and offices to connect storage systems for balancing demand.
  2. Appliance efficiency: Transition to 4-star and 5-star appliances with updated standards.
  3. Market mechanisms: Incentives for consumers to shift electricity usage to periods of high renewable availability.
  4. Scrappage policy: Phasing out inefficient fans, motors, and air conditioners through targeted rebates.
  5. RTC renewable procurement: Promote Round-the-Clock (RTC) renewable electricity, currently costing less than ₹5/kWh, to replace coal power.

Why Energy Efficiency Must Be at the Core of Decarbonisation Strategy

  1. Invisible yet indispensable: Efficiency is distributed and diffuse, but without it, India’s energy transition remains incomplete.
  2. Global comparison: Nations like France, Norway, and Sweden have achieved GEFs of 0.1-0.2 tCO₂/MWh via high efficiency and nuclear-hydro mix.
  3. India’s targets: National Electricity Plan (2023) projects India’s GEF to fall to 0.548 by 2026-27 and 0.430 by 2031-32.
  4. Integrated approach: A balance of renewable expansion, storage, and efficiency measures is key to achieving India’s Net Zero by 2070 target.

Conclusion

India’s clean energy paradox underscores that generation capacity alone cannot drive decarbonisation. Efficiency, flexibility, and policy coherence must shape the next phase of transition. Making energy efficiency the “first fuel” and embedding it across homes, industries, and infrastructure will determine how India powers its future while keeping its grid truly green.

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Port Infrastructure and Shipping Industry – Sagarmala Project, SDC, CEZ, etc.

[3rd November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Cruising ahead, India’s shipping sector needs help from the government to thrive

op-ed snap | Economics | Mains Paper 3: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways Etc.

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] Investment in infrastructure is essential for more rapid and inclusive economic growth. Discuss in the light of India’s experience.

Linkage: This question assesses the role of infrastructure investment in driving inclusive and sustainable economic growth, a core theme under GS Paper III. It directly links to the article’s discussion on India’s renewed focus on port-led development and maritime self-reliance as catalysts for national growth and strategic autonomy.

Mentor’s Comment

The article highlights India’s renewed focus on its maritime and shipping sector, a domain long overshadowed by globalisation-led neglect and privatisation. As the government signals intent to revive indigenous shipping strength, the discussion becomes crucial for UPSC aspirants studying issues of economic infrastructure, logistics, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and India’s maritime strategy under GS Paper 3 (Infrastructure: Transport and Shipping).

Introduction & Why in the News

At the India Maritime Week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined that shipping is not merely a business but a strategic national asset. This marks a policy shift, after decades of liberalisation and privatisation which weakened India’s domestic fleet and shipbuilding capacity. With the pandemic exposing India’s dependence on foreign-owned ships, the government has now initiated fresh investments, port reforms, and fleet strengthening measures to make Indian shipping globally competitive once again.

Reclaiming India’s Maritime Strength

  1. Decline under Liberalisation: Over two decades of globalisation and privatisation led to weakened domestic shipping, with the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) losing state backing and market share.
  2. Loss of Strategic Autonomy: Reliance on foreign ships reduced India’s ability to secure trade routes and logistics during crises.
  3. Pandemic Wake-up Call: COVID-19 disruptions exposed this overdependence, renewing calls for self-reliance and fleet revival.

How Government Policies Shaped the Sector’s Decline

  1. Privatisation and Reduced Support: The ideological shift toward liberalisation led to reduced state ownership and limited investment in domestic capacity.
  2. Withdrawal of Favourable Policies: Earlier advantages like first rights to transport India’s oil were withdrawn, eroding SCI’s competitiveness.
  3. Diluted Strategic Intent: Shipping became treated as a commercial, not strategic, enterprise unlike in major maritime nations such as China or South Korea.

The Post-Pandemic Realisation: Shipping as Strategic Infrastructure

  1. Strategic Leverage: Post-COVID, the government realised that control over shipping fleets = control over supply chains, a critical factor during disruptions or wars.
  2. National Interests and Protectionism: As Western nations turned protectionist, India reoriented towards building indigenous capacity to ensure secure maritime logistics.
  3. New Investments Announced: Major port-related projects and transshipment hubs like Chennai and Kolkata were revived to strengthen domestic capabilities.

Reforms and Initiatives: Building Self-Reliant Maritime Power

  1. Port-Led Development: Under the landlord model, India’s ports now share revenue with private players, encouraging efficiency and foreign participation.
  2. Transshipment Hubs: Development of Chennai and Kolkata projects reflects India’s ambition to capture cargo movement currently routed via Colombo or Singapore.
  3. Shipbuilding Incentives: Moves toward strengthening shipbuilding and ship repair capacity ensure domestic employment and reduce outflow of forex.
  4. Indian Seafarer Training: Focus on education and skill development enables Indian crew to compete internationally and serve domestic fleet expansion needs.

Private Sector Role and Strategic Leverage

  1. Private Shipping Companies: Encouraged to register ships in India and operate via local subsidiaries to enhance fleet size.
  2. Financial Autonomy: SCI’s balance sheet strengthening and port reforms attract new investors.
  3. Insurance and Ancillary Services: Government aims to extend support to marine insurance, finance, and logistics for creating a complete maritime ecosystem.

Conclusion

India’s renewed emphasis on shipping marks a strategic reassertion of maritime sovereignty. As the government invests in ports, fleet expansion, and seafarer training, the focus must remain on integrating private capacity with national goals. True maritime power will come not from tonnage alone, but from strategic control over logistics, shipbuilding, and manpower. With sustained policy backing, India can transform from a cargo-dependent nation to a maritime leader.

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India’s Bid to a Permanent Seat at United Nations

[1st November 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The case for a board of peace and sustainable security

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India

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 BPSS proposal aligns with the recurring UPSC theme of UN reform and institutional effectiveness. It can serve as an additional point in answers evaluating the effectiveness of the UNSC and its bodies like the CTC.

Mentor’s Comment

The United Nations, despite its founding vision to preserve peace, faces a persistent structural crisis, peace agreements fail, transitions stall, and conflicts reignite. In this context, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao’s proposal for a “Board of Peace and Sustainable Security (BPSS)” marks a profound call for institutional reform. This article dissects the argument, structure, and implications of this proposed board through a UPSC-relevant analytical framework.

Introduction

The UN Security Council (UNSC), envisioned to prevent conflict and sustain global peace, continues to struggle with institutional paralysis and outdated structures. Across continents, peace efforts collapse because international systems abandon political engagement too early.
A new institutional vision, a Board of Peace and Sustainable Security (BPSS), is proposed to infuse continuity, coordination, and political strategy into global peace efforts.

Why in the news?

As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, its credibility is under intense scrutiny. While conflicts proliferate, peace agreements remain fragile and transitional mechanisms fail. The UNSC’s structural limitations, lack of political continuity, and inability to sustain long-term engagement make reform urgent. The proposed Board of Peace and Sustainable Security aims to fill this vacuum by institutionalising sustained political engagement before, during, and after conflict. This is significant because it represents one of the first major reform ideas that seeks to integrate peacekeeping with political strategy and regional cooperation, without challenging UNSC authority.

A clearly defined institutional purpose

  1. Institutional void: The UNSC lacks sustained political engagement capacity. The BPSS would institutionalize political accompaniment beyond peace agreements.
  2. Complementary role: It would not replace or challenge the UNSC or Secretary-General but reinforce implementation and coordination.
  3. Mandate: Ensures continuity in peace efforts by reinforcing national and regional ownership of peace processes and reducing relapse into conflict.
  4. Scope: Works on reinforcing national capacities, coordinating peacekeeping with regional organizations, and ensuring peace agreements translate into durable political outcomes.

Why is reform of the UN system urgent?

  1. Loss of continuity: Peacebuilding institutions within the UN lose momentum due to ad-hoc missions. BPSS seeks to sustain political engagement beyond immediate crises.
  2. Structural inertia: Waiting for comprehensive UNSC reform delays urgent action; thus, pragmatic institutional innovation is required within existing frameworks.
  3. Authority for change: Under Article 22, the UN General Assembly already holds power to create subsidiary bodies like BPSS without requiring Charter amendments.
  4. Reform from within: Instead of replacing the UNSC, BPSS enhances coordination, ensuring peace agreements transition into stable governance systems.

What will make the Board credible and representative

  1. Rotational membership: Around two dozen member states, elected for fixed terms, representing all regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Caribbean, West Asia).
  2. Avoiding elite capture: The body should represent inclusivity, not hierarchy, ensuring small and middle powers have a say.
  3. Regional linkages: Works with regional hubs (Addis Ababa, Jakarta, Brasilia, New York) to ensure peace processes reflect local ownership.
  4. Consultative participation: Civil society and regional organizations will have a structured role in deliberations, enhancing legitimacy and field coordination.

How will the BPSS function in practice?

  1. Style of functioning: Not another bureaucratic forum, but a continuing engagement body ensuring follow-through once UN missions end.
  2. Operational continuity: Prevents premature withdrawal of peacekeeping efforts; sustains political engagement through periodic review and coordination.
  3. Integration: Works in coordination with the Secretary-General, Peacebuilding Commission, and UNSC to align peacekeeping with political strategies.
  4. Focus on youth and fragile states: Ensures peace presence remains where political institutions are nascent.
  5. Conflict prevention: Reduces relapse risk by merging early-warning with long-term political strategies and governance support.

How will the BPSS strengthen sustainable security?

  1. Beyond short-term peacekeeping: Moves from reactive missions to proactive stability frameworks.
  2. Sustainable security concept: Integrates security, governance, and development rather than treating them in silos.
  3. Inclusive approach: Aligns local, regional, and global stakeholders, reflecting the interconnected nature of modern conflicts.
  4. Institutional learning: Retains experience from past missions to inform future interventions.
  5. Principled reform: Sustains political momentum, not episodic intervention, ensuring peace is treated as an ongoing political project.

Conclusion

The proposed Board of Peace and Sustainable Security reimagines peace not as an event but as a process requiring sustained political accompaniment. It seeks to anchor peacekeeping within a strategy of governance, development, and institutional resilience. This reform is not just administrative, it represents a return to the original ideals of the UN Charter, adapting them for a multipolar and conflict-prone world. Sustainable peace demands political continuity, inclusivity, and long-term commitment, principles the BPSS embodies.

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) Breakthrough

[31st October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: AI’s rewriting the rule of education

op-ed snap | Science Tech | Mains Paper 3: Awareness in various sc and tech fields

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2023] Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does AI help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in the healthcare?

Linkage: The PYQ highlights AI’s role in improving efficiency while raising privacy concerns. This theme directly relates to ethical and responsible use of AI in education.

Mentor’s Comment

India’s education system is witnessing a paradigm shift. The government’s decision to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) into school curricula from as early as Class 3 (2026-27) marks a decisive break from conventional learning. It signals not just a content shift, but a pedagogical revolution, from rote learning to personalised, data-driven education. The move holds immense promise but also raises profound questions on inclusivity, teacher readiness, and ethical adaptation.

Introduction

India’s AI-enabled education initiative, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, seeks to embed AI learning across the entire K-12 spectrum. The objective is to build a tech-savvy, future-ready workforce capable of thriving in a knowledge-driven global economy. However, as India gears up for this transformation, the focus extends beyond hardware and software, it includes teacher capacity-building, curriculum redesign, and equitable access to technology.

Why in the News

India will become one of the first major education systems globally to introduce AI at the school level. This move marks a sharp contrast to traditional “one-size-fits-all” models, where uniform pedagogy dominated classrooms.

The Ministry of Education’s pilot programs have already trained over 10,000 teachers since 2019, in collaboration with Intel, IBM, and premier national institutes. Yet, the scale of reform, covering over 9 million educators, poses a massive challenge. AI’s integration represents not only an educational reform but also a socio-economic turning point, redefining teacher roles, learning processes, and workforce readiness.

How is AI Transforming Teaching and Learning?

  1. Personalised Learning: AI-powered platforms analyse student behaviour, learning speed, and comprehension to design custom lessons, ensuring each learner’s unique needs are addressed.
  2. Enhanced Engagement: Adaptive systems use gamified interfaces and feedback loops to sustain learner attention and motivation.
  3. Human-AI Synergy: AI acts as an assistant, not a replacement, to educators, allowing teachers to focus on empathy, creativity, and conceptual depth.
  4. Real-Time Feedback: Automated assessment tools provide instant analytics on student performance, aiding teachers in timely interventions.

How Are Teachers Being Equipped for AI Education?

  1. Teacher Upskilling: Over 10,000 educators trained under pilot projects since 2019 by MoE in collaboration with Intel and IBM.
  2. Curriculum Integration: AI modules embedded within existing NEP frameworks from kindergarten to Class 12.
  3. Pedagogical Shift: Teachers transition from content delivery to concept facilitation, focusing on AI-driven planning, analytics, and adaptive mentoring.
  4. Challenge of Scale: India’s 9 million teachers require reskilling; success depends on effective outreach and digital readiness.

What Are the Opportunities and Disruptions Ahead?

  1. Employment Generation: AI adoption projected to create four million new jobs by 2030, with rising demand for digital adaptability.
  2. Skill Realignment: Emphasis on critical thinking, empathy, and creativity, complementing AI’s automation capabilities.
  3. Workforce Transition: AI-enabled education aims to prepare students for jobs that do not yet exist, requiring continuous learning.
  4. Economic Implication: According to NITI Aayog, AI could add up to two million jobs in India’s tech sector in the next decade

Does AI Ensure Inclusivity and Accessibility

  1. Breaking Barriers: AI tools help overcome language, disability, and learning challenges, enabling wider access.
  2. Customised Content: AI-powered language processing supports non-native speakers and visually impaired learners.
  3. Digital Divide Concern: Equal access to AI resources remains uneven, demanding policy interventions for infrastructure parity.
  4. Diversity Support: In a multilingual India, AI can act as a bridge between learners of different socio-linguistic backgrounds.

Could AI Become the Great Equaliser in Education?

  1. Equitable Opportunities: AI democratises learning by offering universal access to quality resources.
  2. Smart Governance: Data-driven insights help design evidence-based educational policies.
  3. Social Equity Impact: Reduces dependence on geography or school infrastructure, aligning with SDG 4 (Quality Education).
  4. Ethical Imperatives: Algorithmic fairness, data protection, and bias elimination remain essential for sustainable AI deployment.

Conclusion

AI’s integration into education represents a transformative leap rather than a linear reform. The focus must remain on teacher empowerment, inclusive infrastructure, and ethical governance to ensure the AI revolution benefits all. India’s model, if executed successfully, could emerge as a global benchmark for equitable, adaptive learning in the 21st century.

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Climate Change Negotiations – UNFCCC, COP, Other Conventions and Protocols

[30th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A decade after Paris Accord, an unstoppable transition

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2024] Write a review on India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015) and mention how these have been further strengthened in COP26 (2021). In this direction, how has the first Nationally Determined Contribution intended by India been updated in 2022? (Answer in 250 words)

Linkage: The question builds directly on the Paris Agreement’s decade-long progress and India’s evolving role from commitment at Paris (2015) to enhanced ambition at COP26 and updated NDCs in 2022. This reflects the ongoing Paris to post-Paris transition architecture discussed in the article.

Mentor’s Comment

Ten years after the Paris Agreement, the world stands at a pivotal juncture. Despite unprecedented challenges, rising global temperatures, extreme weather, and persistent dependence on fossil fuels, the Paris framework has redefined multilateral climate cooperation. This article examines how the Paris Agreement has evolved into a transformative global instrument, its tangible outcomes, India’s role, and the emerging roadmap for climate justice and transition.

Introduction

Adopted at COP21 in 2015, the Paris Agreement marked a watershed in global climate diplomacy. It sought to limit global warming well below 2°C and ideally to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. A decade later, while emissions continue to rise and devastating consequences are visible, from floods in Uttarakhand and Punjab to glacial melt in Jammu & Kashmir. The Agreement has managed to bend the trajectory of warming from a catastrophic 4°C-5°C to approximately 2°C-3°C by the century’s end. This course correction, though insufficient, underscores that collective climate action works, and that multilateralism remains the only viable path to sustainable futures.

Why in the News

The year 2025 marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, a milestone being commemorated at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where nations are reviewing global progress toward climate neutrality by 2050.

What makes the Paris Agreement a Turning Point?

  1. Low Carbon Transition Catalyst: The Agreement has been instrumental in shifting the global economy from fossil fuels to renewable and efficient energy systems.
    • Example: Solar, wind, and hydroelectricity now anchor new job creation and green industries worldwide.
  2. End of Fossil Dominance: Ten years ago, fossil fuel use dominated energy production. Today, clean energy is mainstream, driven by technological and policy innovation.
  3. Global Policy Integration: The Paris framework integrates differentiated responsibilities, ensuring fairness for developing countries while enabling ambition from industrialised economies.

How Has International Collaboration Strengthened Climate Action?

  1. International Solar Alliance (ISA): A joint initiative by India and France, launched at COP21, represents a symbol of cooperative multilateralism in climate governance.
    • Impact: Expanded to 120+ member countries, delivering results through capacity building, training, and renewable energy transitions.
    • Example: The 8th Assembly of the ISA in 2025 reaffirmed its mission of universal solar access and climate resilience.
  2. France-India Climate Partnership: Reinforced at the COP30 session, this partnership embodies shared leadership in sustainable energy and adaptation.

How Has Climate Finance Evolved in the Last Decade?

  1. Predictable and Inclusive Finance: France and other EU members advocate for innovative, predictable climate finance through instruments like the Green Climate Fund and Loss and Damage Fund.
    • Example: One-third of France’s climate finance supports adaptation and early warning systems (CREWS).
  2. Global Solidarity Vision: At COP30, France emphasized “Global Solidarity Levers” ahead of 2030, urging equity in climate transition financing.
  3. Bridging the North-South Divide: The Paris framework institutionalized common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), making financial and technological flows more equitable.

What Are the Emerging Priorities in the Climate Transition?

  1. Natural Carbon Sinks: Ecosystems like forests, mangroves, and oceans, from the Amazon to the Sundarbans, are recognized as vital allies in carbon sequestration.
    • Policy Implication: Strengthening biodiversity conservation underpins adaptation and mitigation goals.
  2. Empowerment of Non-State Actors: Climate progress now depends on the collective efforts of local governments, businesses, and citizens to translate ambition into implementation.
    • Example: Broad-based agreements post-COP21 enable tangible, community-level results.
  3. Science and Disinformation: The IPCC’s evidence-based advocacy remains central to the fight against climate misinformation, ensuring that policy aligns with scientific truth.

What Lies Ahead?

  • Irreversibility of the Transition: The Paris transition cannot be reversed, it is now a necessity, not a choice.
  • Challenges Ahead: While adaptation and mitigation face obstacles, technological innovation, renewable investment, and inclusive policy frameworks are defining the next decade.
  • Global Cooperation Imperative: The next phase must focus on accelerating collective ambition, ensuring climate justice, and empowering vulnerable communities.

Conclusion

The Paris Agreement, despite its limitations, symbolizes the enduring power of collective resolve. The decade-long experience affirms that sustained multilateral action, grounded in fairness and scientific integrity, can bend the arc of climate destiny. The transition is not just unstoppable, it is the blueprint for humanity’s survival in the Anthropocene.

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Global Geological And Climatic Events

[29th October 2025] The Hindu OpED: Relief, Rehabilitation: India’s east coast and cyclones

op-ed snap | Geography | Mains Paper 1: Geographical Features & Their Location

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2014] Tropical cyclones are largely confined to the South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?

Linkage: Cyclones are a recurring topic in GS Paper 1 (Geography) and GS Paper 3 (Disaster Management) due to their climatic, socio-economic, and governance relevance. The PYQ links directly to this theme as it explains the geophysical reasons behind the east coast’s high cyclone frequency and sets the context for India’s preparedness and rehabilitation strategies.

Mentor’s Comment

The recurring cyclones on India’s eastern coast highlight not only the country’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events but also the evolution of its disaster management framework. The recent Cyclone Montha once again tested India’s readiness, reflecting both commendable progress and continuing challenges in disaster response, livelihood security, and post-disaster rehabilitation.

Why in the News

Cyclone Montha, which began intensifying into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal on October 27-28, 2025, has revived memories of devastating cyclones such as the 1977 Andhra cyclone and the 1999 Odisha super cyclone, each claiming nearly 10,000 lives. Although Montha was not as intense, it tested disaster preparedness mechanisms across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The event underlines both improved resilience and the persisting socio-economic costs of cyclones in India’s coastal belt, a region that historically faces the brunt of Bay of Bengal storms during October-November.

Introduction

India’s eastern coastline, especially Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, has long been vulnerable to tropical cyclones. Historically, the Bay of Bengal has produced some of the world’s deadliest cyclonic events. While the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have strengthened forecasting and evacuation systems, the scale of livelihood disruption, property damage, and rural distress continues to make post-cyclone rehabilitation a critical governance concern.

Why is India’s East Coast So Vulnerable to Cyclones?

  1. Geographical Exposure: The Bay of Bengal’s funnel shape and warm waters create conditions for cyclogenesis, making the east coast more cyclone-prone than the west.
  2. Seasonal Concentration: Historically, October-November are peak months, with nine of twelve major cyclones (18th-20th century) recorded during this period.
  3. High Human Impact: The 1977 Andhra and 1999 Odisha cyclones each caused ~10,000 deaths, highlighting the historic vulnerability.

How Prepared Are India’s Coastal States Today?

  1. Institutional Mechanisms: Strengthened Union and State disaster management authorities and IMD’s early warning systems have made large-scale loss of life “a thing of the past.”
  2. Evacuation Efficiency: Nearly 10,000 people evacuated from Andhra’s Kakinada and Konaseema during Cyclone Montha.
  3. Red Alert Response: Prompt deployment of NDRF teams and coordinated district-level action in red-alert zones of southern Odisha.

What Are the Persisting Gaps and Challenges?

  1. Property and Livelihood Loss: Even with reduced fatalities, damage to homes, livestock, and agriculture remains high, affecting underprivileged sections.
  2. Economic Vulnerability: Cyclones disrupt milch animals, draught animals, and poultry, impacting rural incomes and food security.
  3. Infrastructure Fragility: Despite improvements, coastal roads, electricity grids, and communication lines remain highly exposed to storm surges and floods.

What Has Been Learnt from Past Disasters?

  1. Adaptive Governance: Following disasters like Cyclone Gaja (2018), governments have adopted structural and non-structural mitigation measures, including cyclone shelters, embankments, and mangrove restoration.
  2. Skill Enhancement: Continuous upgrading of disaster management knowledge and coordination among states such as Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.
  3. Community Engagement: Enhanced public awareness and local volunteer networks contribute to faster evacuations.

What Should Be the Way Forward for Relief and Rehabilitation?

  1. Holistic Recovery Approach: Combine immediate relief with long-term livelihood restoration and climate-resilient infrastructure.
  2. Inclusive Policy Execution: Focus on the most vulnerable coastal communities, particularly fishers and small farmers.
  3. Leadership Accountability: Political and administrative leadership must ensure effective implementation of rehabilitation and reconstruction measures post-disaster.

Conclusion

India’s eastern coastline remains a climatic frontier where human resilience is tested year after year. The evolution from reactive relief to proactive risk reduction marks a significant policy success. Yet, the persistence of livelihood loss and infrastructure fragility calls for stronger implementation, community engagement, and leadership accountability. Relief and rehabilitation must now evolve into a model of climate-adaptive, inclusive coastal development.

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Climate Change Impact on India and World – International Reports, Key Observations, etc.

[28th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: A start for North-South carbon market cooperation

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2014] Should the pursuit of carbon credit and Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) set up under UNFCCC be maintained even though there has been a massive slide in the value of carbon credit? Discuss with respect to India’s energy needs for economic growth.

Linkage: The CBAM-ICM linkage revives the same carbon market logic envisioned under the UNFCCC’s CDM. It aligns India’s emission pricing with global trade, ensuring growth and decarbonisation move together.

Mentor’s Comment

The EU-India partnership is entering a decisive phase with the linking of the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) to the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), a move that could redefine global climate cooperation. For the first time, carbon prices in India will be recognized at the EU border, preventing Indian exporters from facing double penalties and paving the way for North-South market integration. However, operational hurdles, technical mismatches, and sovereignty concerns remain significant.

Why in the News

Recently, the European Union (EU) and India announced a new comprehensive strategic agenda that includes linking the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). This is the first ever initiative to integrate a developing country’s carbon pricing mechanism with a developed region’s border carbon tax system. It marks a potential breakthrough in addressing carbon leakage, ensuring fair trade, and advancing global decarbonisation. But the success of this partnership depends on overcoming institutional, technical, and political challenges.

Introduction

India’s carbon market is still evolving, while the EU’s Emissions Trading System (ETS) is among the most advanced in the world. The decision to explore a linkage between India’s system and the EU’s CBAM represents a strategic step toward equitable carbon trade. This enables exporters to receive recognition for domestic carbon prices. However, the process involves complex alignment in regulatory design, pricing structures, and compliance verification. This makes this both a historic opportunity and a significant challenge for India’s climate diplomacy.

What is the Current Status of India’s Carbon Market?

  1. Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS): India’s carbon market, under the CCTS, is still in its early stages of evolution.
  2. Institutional Framework: Built around robust auction structure, cap-setting processes, and independent verification, yet lacks full fledged coverage of sectors.
  3. Implementation Issues: Current credits often stem from project-based emissions reductions rather than comprehensive, economy wide mechanisms.
  4. Price Gap: The absence of a clear carbon price per tonne makes integration with CBAM technically difficult.
  5. Penalty Gaps: Without strong enforcement and penalties for non-compliance, credibility remains low.

Why is Linking CBAM with ICM a Big Deal?

  1. Breakthrough for Indian Exporters: Linking ensures Indian exporters are not penalised twice, once through domestic carbon pricing and again at EU borders.
  2. Incentive for Early Decarbonisation: It rewards early climate compliance, encouraging Indian industries to adopt clean technologies.
  3. Global Policy Recognition: The move signals India’s emergence as a serious carbon market player. This gives legitimacy to its domestic emissions trading framework.
  4. Bridge between North and South: The linkage promotes North–South cooperation on climate action, addressing long-standing inequities in global carbon governance.

What are the Major Challenges in Linking CBAM and ICM?

  1. Regulatory Equivalence: The EU will only deduct Indian carbon prices if market integrity and environmental standards match its ETS standards.
  2. Technical Alignment: Requires mirroring compliance-grade features of the EU ETS, a complex task for India’s bureaucratic and regulatory machinery.
  3. Carbon Price Disparity: The EU carbon price (currently €60-€80 per tonne) far exceeds India’s expected initial range (€5-€10 per tonne).
  4. Double Burden Risk: Exporters may face both EU CBAM costs and domestic compliance costs, raising fears of competitiveness loss.
  5. Political Sensitivity: Recognising EU’s CBAM could be seen as legitimising an external mechanism that India has formally resisted at WTO and COP negotiations.

What are the Broader Strategic and Economic Implications?

  1. Trade and Diplomacy: Successful integration could make India a model developing economy for carbon-trade compatibility.
  2. Industrial Decarbonisation: Linking CBAM with ICM will push industries toward clean technologies, supporting India’s Net Zero 2070 target.
  3. Geopolitical Leverage: Creates space for climate diplomacy and green technology investments from Europe.
  4. Risk of Trade Disruptions: Failure to align standards could result in EU refusing deductions, escalating trade disputes.
  5. WTO Dimension: Any misalignment could destabilise trade flows, creating tension between climate goals and trade rules.

What are the Possible Ways Forward?

  1. Institutional Strengthening: Develop a transparent, compliance-grade Indian carbon market mirroring the EU ETS structure.
  2. Pricing Reform: Establish comparable carbon price ranges and market stability mechanisms.
  3. Verification and Integrity: Set up independent verification systems recognized by EU regulators.
  4. Political Engagement: Maintain diplomatic negotiation channels to balance sovereignty with cooperation.
  5. Domestic Industry Support: Provide financial backing to exporters during transition to avoid competitiveness loss.

Conclusion

The EU-India carbon market linkage represents a defining experiment in global carbon governance. Its success will depend on institutional credibility, pricing comparability, and political balance. If executed effectively, it could become a template for future North–South cooperation, ensuring that climate responsibility is shared equitably and not imposed asymmetrically.

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[27th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: The contours of constitutional morality

op-ed snap | Polity | Mains Paper 2: Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2021] Constitutional Morality’ is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of ‘Constitutional Morality’ with the help of relevant judicial decisions.

Linkage: This topic is highly significant for UPSC Mains, especially in GS Paper II (Polity & Governance) and GS Paper IV (Ethics), as it tests the understanding of how ethical governance aligns with constitutional principles.

Mentor’s Comment

Constitutional morality lies at the heart of India’s democratic ethos, acting as the invisible moral compass that guides law, governance, and justice. The article, written by Justice K. Anand Venkatesh, explores how morality is embedded within constitutional functioning. It is not embedded as a sentimental ideal, but as a living principle that upholds the dignity of institutions and individuals alike. In a time when popular morality often clashes with constitutional values, this debate assumes renewed urgency.

Introduction

The Supreme Court of India has repeatedly reaffirmed the link between law and morality, from P. Rathinam v. Union of India (1994) to the Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala (2018). The concept of constitutional morality, originally discussed by Greek historian George Grote in 1846, has resurfaced as a vital restraint against arbitrary governance and populist impulses. It demands adherence to constitutional values, equality, liberty, justice, and fraternity, by all organs of the State and its citizens.

Why in the News

Recent judicial pronouncements have revived debates around constitutional morality as a guiding force for both lawmakers and administrators. Justice Venkatesh’s commentary highlights that democracy without moral discipline risks degenerating into majoritarian rule, where transient popular sentiments override fundamental rights. The renewed emphasis on cultivating constitutional morality reflects India’s struggle to reconcile ethical governance with political pragmatism.

Evolution and Context of Constitutional Morality

  1. Historical Roots: Greek historian George Grote coined “constitutional morality” to describe citizens’ disciplined adherence to constitutional norms ensuring liberty and restraint in governance.
  2. Indian Adoption: The term entered Indian discourse through Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who viewed it as essential for the successful working of democracy in a diverse society.
  3. Judicial Recognition: The Supreme Court acknowledged the interlinkage of law and morality in P. Rathinam (1994). It emphasized the law’s moral purpose , “to conserve not only the safety and order but also the moral welfare of the State.”
  4. Hart-Devlin Debate: In the 1960s, the famous Hart-Devlin debate discussed whether the law should enforce moral standards. This is an idea that continues to influence Indian jurisprudence.

What Distinguishes Constitutional Morality from Popular Morality

  1. Constitutional Morality: Reflects adherence to constitutional principles such as rule of law, equality before law, and institutional propriety.
  2. Popular Morality: Represents transient societal opinions or majoritarian values, often inconsistent with constitutional ethics.
  3. Judicial Balancing: Courts have often upheld constitutional morality against majoritarian pressures, as seen in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018), where decriminalization of homosexuality was justified on constitutional grounds rather than social acceptance.
  4. Outcome: Promotes stability, fairness, and inclusivity in democratic functioning.

Judicial Approach and Key Judgments

  1. S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994): Reinforced secularism as a constitutional principle forming part of basic structure.
  2. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973): Introduced the “basic structure doctrine,” embedding constitutional morality as a restraint on legislative excess.
  3. Indian Young Lawyers Association v. State of Kerala (2018): Stressed that constitutional morality must prevail over religious or social morality, allowing women’s entry into Sabarimala Temple.
  4. Navtej Singh Johar (2018): Affirmed that constitutional morality demands protection of individual autonomy and dignity, even if social morality disagrees.
  5. State (NCT of Delhi) v. Union of India (2018): Asserted that constitutional functionaries must act within “constitutional morality,” not political expediency.

Challenges in Practising Constitutional Morality

  1. Institutional Erosion: Weakening of legislative debate and executive accountability dilutes constitutional culture.
  2. Majoritarian Pressures: Electoral populism often overrides institutional restraint and judicial independence.
  3. Moral Ambiguity: Absence of a codified moral code makes enforcement of constitutional morality subjective.
  4. Public Awareness: Limited civic understanding of constitutional ethics hampers its internalization at citizen level.

Way Forward

  1. Cultivation of Ethical Citizenship: Strengthens democratic maturity through civic education and moral training.
  2. Institutional Accountability: Ensures public functionaries act within constitutional boundaries through transparent checks.
  3. Judicial Vigilance: Maintains the moral compass of the State through continued emphasis on rights-based interpretation.
  4. Political Restraint: Encourages lawmakers to prioritize constitutional conscience over populist demand.

Conclusion

Constitutional morality ensures that democracy functions not merely through elections but through adherence to constitutional ethics. It provides a moral foundation for governance, ensuring that justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity are lived realities, not abstract ideals. In an era of polarization, it acts as the Republic’s moral compass, binding the State and its citizens to the spirit of the Constitution.

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Mother and Child Health – Immunization Program, BPBB, PMJSY, PMMSY, etc.

[25th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Respect the health rights of India’s children

op-ed snap | Social Justice | Mains Paper 2: Health & Education

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2020] In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.

Linkage: Just as maternal and geriatric health require targeted policies, this article highlights the urgent need for child specific pharmaceutical regulation, reinforcing that inclusive social development demands age-segmented health care frameworks addressing the unique vulnerabilities of each group.

Mentor’s Comment

The tragic deaths of 25 children in Madhya Pradesh due to contaminated cough syrup have reignited a critical debate on India’s regulatory failure in child health and pharmaceutical safety. The incident exposes deep gaps in monitoring, quality control, and the larger question of how India safeguards its youngest citizens’ right to health. For UPSC aspirants, this issue links to public health governance (GS-2), ethical administration (GS-4), and inclusive growth (GS-3), all central to understanding India’s social contract with its people.

Why in the News?

Twenty five children lost their lives after consuming contaminated cough syrup, a tragedy that shocked the nation. The pediatrician involved reportedly received a ₹2.54 lakh commission for prescribing the syrup, raising questions about medical ethics, accountability, and the systemic failure of regulation. This is not an isolated case, since 2022, contaminated syrups from India have caused deaths in Gambia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, and Cameroon, denting India’s image as the “pharmacy of the Global South.” The issue marks a repeated failure of quality control and enforcement, despite India having one of the largest pharmaceutical industries in the world.

Where the Focus Needs to Be

  1. Regulatory framework: The emphasis must shift from blame to building robust regulatory architecture for the distribution of pediatric medicines.
  2. Child health protection: India must uphold its constitutional commitment under Article 39(f), ensuring children’s right to health and development.
  3. Legal ecosystem: Existing laws, such as the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act and National Policy for Children 2013, must evolve to cover medicine safety for children.

How Inadequate Oversight Endangers Children

  1. Weak pharmacovigilance: Insufficient clinical data and lack of dedicated pediatric testing result in drugs for adults being extrapolated for children.
  2. Dosage disparity: Absence of age-specific dosage guidelines often leads to overmedication and severe side effects.
  3. Special needs ignored: Pediatric pharmacology demands unique formulations, but most drugs are designed with adults as the reference.
  4. Ethical breach: The commission based medical practice further erodes trust, especially when children’s lives are at stake.

What the Global Framework Teaches India

  1. Regulatory precedents: The European Union’s Paediatric Use Marketing Authorisation and the U.S. Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA) mandate pediatric testing for all drugs.
  2. Holistic approach: These frameworks ensure drug safety through clinical data collection, financial incentives for manufacturers, and legal enforcement.
  3. Indian gap: India lacks such comprehensive laws; existing rules focus only on general health safety, not pediatric-specific provisions.

Why Pediatric Medicines Need Special Policy Attention

  1. Essential medicine concept: The WHO defines essential medicines as those meeting priority health needs. Pediatric formulations should be an integral part of this.
  2. Affordability: Without public support, many families cannot afford safe alternatives, forcing them to buy untested drugs.
  3. Domestic R&D: India’s dependency on adult-tested formulations highlights the absence of child focused pharmaceutical innovation.
  4. Education and regulation: Pharmacists and caregivers need training to ensure proper dosage and drug choice.

How India Can Reform Pediatric Drug Policy

  1. Zero tolerance on contamination: Strong penalties and criminal accountability for substandard and spurious drugs.
  2. Independent regulator: A separate Pediatric Drug Safety Division within CDSCO (Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation).
  3. Integrated surveillance: Real time data monitoring for adverse pediatric drug reactions through digital reporting.
  4. International benchmarking: Alignment of India’s pediatric drug policy with WHO and OECD standards.
  5. Public awareness: Dissemination of safety information to parents, caregivers, and schools.

Need for India Data

  1. Evidence based policy: India must base its pediatric drug policy on domestic child health data rather than extrapolations from adult studies or foreign datasets.
  2. Malnutrition link: Toxicity of contaminated syrups is worsened by underlying malnutrition, emphasizing a multi sectoral child health approach.

Conclusion

India’s children represent 39% of its population, yet policy neglect leaves them vulnerable to unsafe drugs and unethical practices. The current crisis is not just about regulatory lapses but about violating the fundamental right to health and life under Article 21. India must institutionalize a child-specific pharmaceutical policy, backed by strict monitoring, ethical medical practices, and international standard oversight. Ensuring safe, affordable, and regulated pediatric medicines is not merely a policy choice, it is a moral obligation and constitutional duty.

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Foreign Policy Watch: United Nations

[24th October 2025] The Hindu Oped: The UN matters, as a symbol of possibility

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Important International Institutions

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2025] The reform process in the United Nations remains unaccomplished because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance. Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard.

Linkage: UN is an important and recurring UPSC theme, often asked through its agencies and reform debates. This question is crucial as it probes the East–West power imbalance that hinders UN reform, echoing the article’s call for a more representative global order.

Mentor’s Comment

The article reviews the United Nations (UN) at 80 years, analysing its evolution, global role, and urgent need for institutional reform. It explores India’s position on UNSC restructuring, challenges of multilateralism, and the UN’s normative impact on global governance. For UPSC aspirants, the theme directly links with GS Paper II, international institutions, global order, and India’s diplomacy.

Introduction

Formed after World War II to preserve peace and promote human dignity, the UN evolved from a Cold War arena to a forum for cooperative problem-solving. The institution remains indispensable but requires deep reform to stay relevant in a multipolar and interconnected world.

Reforming the UN: Adapting to a Shifting Global Order

  1. Foundational Context: Established in 1945 as a peace mechanism ensuring collective security, equality of states, and global legal order
  2. Changing Landscape: Transitioned from bipolarity (US–USSR) to unipolarity and now multipolarity marked by fragmented alliances and transnational threats such as climate change and cyber warfare.
  3. Institutional Lag: UNSC composition reflects post-1945 power hierarchy. Exclusion of emerging powers, India, Japan, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, undermines legitimacy and efficiency.
  4. Legitimacy and Representation: Outdated representation erodes the Council’s credibility, weakening enforcement capacity and consensus-building.

UN’s Humanitarian and Normative Relevance

  1. Humanitarian Operations: UNHCR, WFP, and UNICEF deliver critical relief during conflicts and disasters, providing food, shelter, and protection.
  2. Peacekeeping Mandate: Blue Helmets ensure limited stability in fragile regions, sustaining fragile ceasefires and aiding post-conflict recovery.
  3. Norm Creation: UN conventions and declarations define global standards for human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development.
    The SDGs (2015) frame a universal agenda for inclusive and sustainable growth.
  4. Symbolic Value: Represents a global forum for dialogue, ensuring that multilateralism remains the default mechanism for peace and justice.

Institutional Weaknesses and Reform Imperatives

  1. Erosion of Liberal Multilateralism: Rising nationalism and protectionism weaken commitment to collective decision-making.
  2. Structural Constraints: Permanent members’ veto power perpetuates paralysis in humanitarian crises.
  3. Financial Fragility: Budgetary shortfalls from delayed dues (notably by major contributors) constrain operational capacity and staffing.
  4. Operational Agility: Requires digitisation, decentralised response mechanisms, and enhanced decision-making authority at field levels.

India’s Strategic Position in Global Governance

  1. India’s Credentials: World’s largest democracy, major troop-contributor to peacekeeping missions, and growing economic power.
  2. UNSC Reform Advocacy: Demands structural reform ensuring equitable and inclusive representation of developing nations.
  3. Strategic Autonomy: Follows independent policy avoiding bloc alignment while protecting regional and developmental interests.
  4. Vision for Reform: Supports dignity-based multilateralism ensuring sovereignty, cooperation, and equity among nations.

Mandate for Renewal and Reform

  1. Council Reconfiguration: Expands permanent and non-permanent seats to reflect current geopolitical realities.
  2. Institutional Agility: Enhances crisis responsiveness through digital integration, rapid funding, and empowered missions.
  3. Moral Authority: Restores credibility by reaffirming adherence to international law and ethical neutrality in decision-making.
  4. Member-State Commitment: Ensures predictable funding and sustained political backing from member nations to strengthen UN institutions.

Conclusion

The UN remains a vital, evolving institution balancing ideals with realpolitik. Its effectiveness depends on reform, representation, and renewed moral purpose. Relevance in the 21st century rests on its ability to become more inclusive, responsive, and legitimate.

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US policy wise : Visa, Free Trade and WTO

[23rd October 2025] The Hindu Oped: Immigration and the politics of fear

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: Effect Of Policies & Politics Of World On India'S Interests

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2020] Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries.” Comment with examples.

Linkage: This article explores how anti-immigration politics in the West, particularly in the UK and US, are reshaping narratives around migrants and minorities, directly affecting the Indian diaspora’s political influence, integration, and image abroad. It also relates to how domestic nativism in developed nations influences India’s soft power and global engagement strategy.

Mentor’s Comment

The debate on immigration has taken a darker turn across the Western world, shifting from managing illegal immigration to rejecting legal migrants on cultural or racial grounds. This piece examines the rise of fear-driven politics in the United Kingdom and the United States, where populist leaders exploit insecurities about identity and belonging. It connects these global trends to India’s own discourse on “infiltrators,” highlighting how such politics corrodes the moral and spiritual foundation of nationhood. For UPSC aspirants, this article is a rich resource for themes under GS Paper 2 (Polity & Governance, International Relations) and GS Paper 4 (Ethics & Society).

Introduction: The New Politics of Immigration

Immigration has always been an emotionally charged issue, balancing national security, cultural identity, and humanitarian values. But the tone of the conversation has changed drastically. Once focused on border control and illegal entry, the global discourse, led by figures like Donald Trump and echoed by British leaders, is now turning against legal migrants themselves. The recent developments in the United Kingdom, coupled with populist rhetoric in the U.S., mark a disturbing shift from policy debates to identity-based fear-mongering. It signals a new era where politics thrives on division, and where the very definition of nationhood is under siege.

Why in the News?

At the UN General Assembly, U.S. President Donald Trump openly urged Europe to “end the failed experiment of open borders,” marking the first time an American leader exported his anti-immigrant ideology so aggressively to other nations. The U.K. soon reflected similar sentiments, not just against illegal immigrants but against those living legally under Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The political shift shows how nativist populism has evolved from fringe rhetoric to mainstream governance, posing moral and democratic questions for societies that once celebrated diversity.

How Has Immigration Politics Shifted in the UK?

  1. Shift from legality to identity: The focus has moved from illegal immigration control to questioning legal migrants’ right to belong.
  2. Historic continuity: Britain has witnessed recurring anti-immigrant waves, from Enoch Powell’s 1968 “Rivers of Blood” speech to Brexit’s “Take Back Control” slogan.
  3. Turning point: Trump’s UN speech and UK’s Reform Party rhetoric signify a pivot, from economic capability to cultural exclusion.

What Recent Events Sparked the Debate?

  1. Mass rallies: Far-right leader Tommy Robinson led a 1,50,000-strong “Unite the Kingdom” rally, posing as a free speech movement but fuelled by anti-immigration anger.
  2. Imported ideology: French politician Eric Zemmour warned of the “great replacement”, the idea that European people are being replaced by immigrants from Muslim-majority regions.
  3. Policy proposal: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party proposed scrapping Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) and replacing it with stricter five-year visas.
  4. Consequences: Even current ILR holders and retirees would face uncertainty, eroding the social contract between the state and its residents.

How Has the Labour Government Responded?

  1. Raising the bar: New Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood extended ILR eligibility from 5 to 10 years, with higher English proficiency, employment verification, and volunteering requirements.
  2. Moral hierarchy: This creates a two-tier society, citizens who live freely and migrants forced to constantly prove their worth.
  3. Political motive: Labour’s move reflects a competitive hardline stance to match Reform UK’s popularity and counter populist fear politics.

How Is Race Re-entering the Immigration Discourse?

  1. Racial undertones: Conservative politician Robert Jenrick’s remark about “not seeing another white face” reveals how immigration rhetoric is slipping into racial anxiety.
  2. From migrants to race: The debate is no longer about work permits or visas; it’s now about who belongs and who looks British.
  3. American parallels: Trump’s attempt to revoke birthright citizenship and the spectacle of deporting Indian immigrants in shackles echo the same moral crisis, dehumanisation of the “other.”

What Lessons Does This Hold for India?

  1. Mirroring patterns: In India too, discourse on “infiltrators” and “termites” has been used for populist mobilisation.
  2. Ernest Renan’s vision: The 19th-century philosopher described a nation as a “spiritual principle”, based on shared memories and mutual consent, not race or religion.
  3. Moral erosion: When “present consent”, the will to live together, is weakened, nations lose their moral foundation.
  4. Performative cruelty: Treating migration as a threat rather than a socio-economic phenomenon serves political ends, not human progress.

Conclusion

The politics of fear around immigration reflects a deeper crisis, of identity, belonging, and moral leadership. When democratic societies redefine “worthiness” in racial or cultural terms, they betray the inclusive principles that built them. In both the West and India, the challenge is not just managing immigration but reaffirming what it means to be a nation. As Renan reminded us, a nation exists not by blood or border, but by the desire to live together. Upholding that desire, amid fear and division, is the true test of our times.

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Air Pollution

[22nd October 2025 ] The Hindu Op-ed: Unreliable air and noise data, real-time deception

op-ed snap | Enviro & Biodiversity | Mains Paper 3: Conservation, Environmental Pollution & Degradation, Eia

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2023] Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the WHO. How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve these revised standards?

Linkage: This PYQ directly links to the article’s focus on unreliable air quality data and weak monitoring under NCAP. Since pollution is a recurring UPSC theme, it highlights how aligning India’s policies with updated WHO standards demands scientific integrity and credible data.

Mentor’s Comment

When truth itself is blurred by flawed data, governance becomes an illusion. India’s air and noise monitoring systems, meant to be the foundation of environmental policy, are now under scrutiny for misleading the nation with inaccurate data. This is not just a story about malfunctioning sensors but about the collapse of scientific integrity, accountability, and public trust. The issue is no longer technical; it is constitutional, affecting citizens’ Right to Health and Life.

Why in the News

Two major failures in India’s environmental monitoring systems, Delhi’s Real-Time Air Pollution Network and Lucknow’s National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network, have exposed disturbing lapses in data integrity and governance. For the first time, even raw government data is being accused of misleading the public by understating pollution levels. Sensors placed in less polluted areas, faulty installations under tree cover, and outdated noise regulations have collectively raised alarm. This is significant because policy credibility, public health, and India’s global environmental reputation now stand compromised.

Introduction

Environmental governance in India has entered a critical phase. Despite massive investments and advanced technology, monitoring systems for air and noise pollution have failed to inspire confidence. When environmental data is unreliable, policies derived from it lose direction. As Delhi continues to suffocate under toxic smog and Lucknow’s soundscape exceeds permissible decibel levels, the larger question emerges — can real-time governance be meaningful when real-time data is deceptive?

Policy Built on Sand: When Data Loses Credibility

  1. Flawed Sensors: Multiple audits, including the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, reveal that several air-quality sensors in Delhi are placed behind walls or under tree cover, leading to inaccurate readings.
  2. Misleading Reports: Delhi’s official Air Quality Index (AQI) often shows “moderate” levels even as citizens gasp through toxic smog, undermining public trust.
  3. Governance Crisis: When data itself is unreliable, policy decisions on stubble burning, vehicular restrictions, and industrial emissions lose legitimacy.
  4. International Impact: Weak monitoring erodes India’s credibility under the Paris Agreement and WHO Air Quality Standards.

Sound of Silence: Noise Monitoring Failure in Lucknow

  1. Defective Network: Lucknow’s National Ambient Noise Monitoring Network fails to record accurate decibel levels; sensors are either malfunctioning or poorly calibrated.
  2. Outdated Regulation: India continues to rely on the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, which are inadequate and below WHO standards.
  3. Weak Enforcement: Penalties are minor, compliance is poor, and urban noise remains unregulated, especially around airports and religious places.
  4. Constitutional Concern: The Supreme Court recently transferred pleas on noise around Delhi Airport to the NGT, acknowledging that noise is a public health and fundamental rights issue under Articles 19 and 21.

Science or Spectacle: Technology Without Transparency

  1. Spectacle over Substance: Governments deploy shiny monitoring hardware but ignore scientific calibration and audits.
  2. Opacity in Data: Citizens are misled when real-time pollution data is selectively downplayed to show moderate levels.
  3. Public Deception: Misleading indices delay judicial intervention and suppress citizen voices demanding clean air.
  4. Democratic Erosion: Governance becomes a contest between citizens and industries, with flawed numbers protecting inaction.

The Human Cost: Health and Life Expectancy

  1. Health Impact: Exposure to NO₂ and PM2.5 not only weakens lungs but also accelerates myopia and aggravates asthma in children.
  2. Data from Reports: The Air Quality Life Index (Energy Policy Institute) shows that if Delhi met WHO air standards, life expectancy would rise by 8.2 years.
  3. National Toll: Across India, air pollution cuts life expectancy by nearly 5 years, making this a silent epidemic.
  4. Flawed Data = Lost Lives: When monitoring fails, policies fail, and citizens continue to breathe poison unknowingly.

Restoring Credibility: Science as the Foundation

  1. Independent Oversight: India lacks an independent audit panel for environmental monitoring, unlike global norms.
  2. Enforcement Gaps: Though CPCB has clear guidelines on sensor location and calibration, implementation remains lax.
  3. Need for Citizen Oversight: Making raw data publicly accessible and encouraging third-party audits will restore trust.
  4. Beyond Bureaucracy: Environmental monitoring should be treated not as a formality, but as a scientific and ethical duty.

Conclusion

India’s real-time air and noise monitoring crisis is a wake-up call. The credibility of environmental governance rests not on political optics but on scientific truth. Without transparent data and independent audits, policies lose legitimacy and citizens lose trust. The real cost is borne not in GDP but in children’s lungs and sleepless nights. Science, integrity, and public accountability must anchor India’s environmental data revolution, else we risk turning real-time monitoring into real-time deception.

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Foreign Policy Watch: India-China

[18th October 2025] The Hindu Op-ed: Better global governance led by China and India

op-ed snap | International Relations | Mains Paper 2: India & Its Neighborhood - Relations

PYQ Relevance

[UPSC 2023] Virus of Conflict is affecting the functioning of the SCO.” In the light of the above statement, point out the role of India in mitigating problems.

Linkage: This PYQ is important as it tests India’s diplomatic balance within the SCO, amid regional rivalries. The article connects by showing how the Xi–Modi meeting and Global Governance Initiative reflect India’s role in restoring trust and strengthening multilateralism within the SCO framework.

Mentor’s Comment

As the world enters a phase of geopolitical churn and institutional fatigue, the call for a reformed, people-centric global governance system grows louder. The 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic ties and the 80th year of the UN offer a historical moment: two Asian giants, once colonised, now rising powers, can redefine global order. For UPSC aspirants, this theme bridges multilateral diplomacy, global reforms, and India’s evolving foreign policy—key areas across GS Paper 2 and IR essays.

Introduction

The year 2025 marks a milestone in both bilateral and global history. India and China, home to over 2.8 billion people, commemorate 75 years of diplomatic relations, even as the United Nations celebrates its 80th anniversary. Against the backdrop of unilateralism and weakening multilateralism, the Global Governance Initiative (GGI) proposed by China, with India’s cooperation, offers a blueprint for a more equitable international order. As Asia’s two leading powers move from rivalry to partnership, their convergence could transform the world’s governance architecture, symbolising a decisive shift toward multipolarity and shared prosperity.

Why is the India-China cooperation in 2025 a landmark moment?

  1. Historical Context: The two leaders, Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi, have met 18 times since 2014, an unprecedented frequency symbolising sustained engagement despite border tensions.
  2. Symbolic Restoration: The bilateral meeting at the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan (2024) and now at the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin (2025) reflects a conscious reset in relations.
  3. Global Expectation: Their 19th meeting during the Tianjin Summit is being seen globally as a moment to restore balance to multilateral decision-making, especially amid Western dominance fatigue.
  4. Public Diplomacy: Both sides emphasise “partners, not rivals,” signaling a shift from competition to cooperation.

What is changing in the global governance discourse?

  1. Erosion of Trust: The early 21st century witnessed rising unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism, eroding faith in international institutions.
  2. UN at 80: The UN system, though foundational, now faces criticism for its limited representation of developing nations and sluggish response to global crises.
  3. Reform Imperative: The question before humanity is not just “who governs” but “how governance is shared.” The article highlights the need for reform without rupture, evolving existing systems rather than replacing them.
  4. Asia’s Moment: The decline of Western dominance and the rise of Asia and Eurasia are redefining the rules of the game, with India and China at the center.

What is the Global Governance Initiative (GGI)?

  1. New Vision: The GGI, announced by President Xi at the Tianjin SCO Summit, aims to correct the deficit in global governance by promoting a fair, inclusive order.
  • Five Core Principles:
    1. Sovereign Equality: Respect for all nations’ independence and dignity; greater democracy in international relations.
    2. Rule of Law: Equal application of international law and rejection of double standards.
    3. Multilateralism: Strengthening the UN as the core platform for global decision-making.
    4. People-Centric Approach: Governance should prioritise well-being, safety, and fulfillment of citizens globally.
    5. Real Results Orientation: Developed nations must shoulder more responsibility, while developing nations must cooperate for shared solutions.
    6. Essence: The GGI is not about creating parallel institutions but reforming and improving existing ones to respond effectively to modern challenges.

How can India-China cooperation strengthen multilateralism?

  1. Shared Responsibilities: Both countries, as major developing economies and SCO/BRICS members, bear the responsibility to defend international fairness and justice.
  2. Strategic Coordination: The leaders’ dialogue stresses communication on major international and regional issues to bridge divides in the Global South.

Complementary Visions:

  1. China’s “community of shared future for mankind”
  2. India’s “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (One Earth, One Family, One Future)
  3. Together, they embody the moral and developmental leadership needed for a post-Western global order.
  4. Practical Gains: Resumption of direct flights, maintenance of border stability, and enhanced trade cooperation show concrete steps toward normalisation.

What challenges lie ahead for India-China collaboration?

  1. Trust Deficit: Lingering border disputes and differing political models may slow strategic trust-building.
  2. Competing Ambitions: While both aspire to leadership in the Global South, perception management and narrative balance will be crucial.
  3. Western Reaction: The West may perceive India-China cooperation as a counterweight to transatlantic power, potentially complicating India’s strategic autonomy.
  4. Need for Institutionalisation: Long-term progress demands institutional mechanisms, track-II dialogues, multilateral coordination cells, and joint UN reform working groups.

Conclusion

The India-China partnership in 2025 signals more than a diplomatic milestone, it represents a potential rebalancing of world order. As the UN turns 80, the call for shared leadership between emerging powers grows urgent. If pursued with mutual trust and strategic maturity, the GGI-led collaboration can make the 21st century truly an Asian century rooted in equity, inclusivity, and sustainability. In a fractured world, cooperation, not competition, may be the only path to survival and progress.

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