Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NATO
Mains level: NATO expansion, and its implications
Central Idea
- The induction of Finland into NATO is a significant setback for Russia and President Vladimir Putin, as it has long been neutral in Moscow’s conflict with the West. The move has doubled Finland’s frontier with Russia and has implications for global governance of the Arctic region.
- The recent induction of Finland into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a significant development that has strategic implications for Russia and the Arctic region.
- Finland has traditionally been neutral in the prolonged conflict between Moscow and the West.
- Its inclusion in NATO is seen as a major setback for Russia and President Vladimir Putin, who has cited NATO’s expansion closer to Russia’s borders as a justification for aggression against Ukraine.
What is the North Atlantic Treaty?
- North Atlantic Treaty, often referred to as the Washington Treaty, states the parties to the treaty seek to promote stability and well-being in the North Atlantic area.
- The signatories affirm their faith in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and express their desire to live in peace with all people and governments, the treaty states.
Background
- Finlandisation: Finland’s neutrality during the Cold War made Finlandisation a part of the global diplomatic lexicon, referring to a small nation’s political deference to its larger neighbor.
- Russia’s policies in the neighbourhood: Many of Finland’s small European neighbors have been at the receiving end of Russia’s muscular regional policies over the past decade.
- Ukraine invasion: The Ukraine invasion has confirmed their worst fears, and they are seeking protection from the US and NATO.
Russia’s Response
- Countermeasures: Unsurprisingly, Moscow has responded to Finland’s inclusion in NATO by promising countermeasures.
- Encroachment on national interest: Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesman, called NATO’s inclusion of Finland an encroachment on our security and on Russia’s national interests.
- Monitoring: Moscow will be watching for any NATO military deployments in Finland.
Why does Russia fume over NATO?
- NATO’s expansion: Russia views NATO’s expansion into Eastern Europe as a threat to its security and influence in the region. The alliance’s decision to accept former Soviet republics and Warsaw Pact members as members is seen by Russia as a direct challenge to its strategic interests.
- Military exercises: Russia has also expressed concern over NATO military exercises in the region, which it sees as a provocation and a show of force. NATO’s decision to station troops and equipment in Eastern Europe has also been criticized by Russia.
- Missile defense system: Russia has been particularly critical of NATO’s missile defense system, which it sees as a threat to its own nuclear deterrence capabilities. Russia argues that the system is designed to neutralize its strategic weapons and that it undermines global strategic stability.
- Ukraine and Georgia: Russia has accused NATO of interfering in the affairs of Ukraine and Georgia, two former Soviet republics that are seeking closer ties with the West. Russia sees NATO’s support for these countries as an attempt to encircle and contain Russia.
Implications for India and the Arctic region
- Real punch to the Western alliance in the Nordic region: Finland has maintained a small but capable armed force that is well-trained and resilient, and its inclusion in NATO adds real punch to the Western alliance in the Nordic region.
- High north is commercial attraction: As the Arctic ice cap melts amidst global warming, the high north has become attractive commercially and contested geopolitically.
- India is an observer of the Arctic Council: India is an observer of the Arctic Council that seeks to promote wide-ranging cooperation in the polar north.
- China raising profile in the Arctic: The militarisation of the high north appears inevitable as Finland and Sweden turn from neutrals to Western allies and China raises its profile in the Arctic in partnership with Russia.
- Global governance: This might make global governance of the Arctic region increasingly problematic
Conclusion
- The induction of Finland into NATO is a significant development in the ongoing conflict between Russia and the West. The move has implications for the Arctic region, which is attracting global attention due to the melting of the Arctic ice cap. As a stakeholder in the region, India must closely monitor developments and prepare for any geopolitical consequences.
Mains Question
Q. In light of Finland’s recent inclusion in NATO, discuss the strategic implications for the Arctic region and India. India as a stakeholder in the region and what steps can India take to prepare for potential geopolitical consequences?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Police Excesses, Factors, challenges and solutions
Central Idea
- The recent case of human rights violation against an IPS officer in Ambasamudram highlights the need for humane policing in India. The history of police brutality across the globe, including in the US, reveals the need for change in the policing system. The pressure to produce results, coupled with corruption and lack of ethics training, contributes to police excesses, which must be curbed.
History of Policing Excesses
- Policing Excesses in U.S: The history of policing in many countries is pockmarked by episodes of excesses, and the U.S. is one such country which has had far too many instances of police torture.
- For example: The Rodney King incident of 1991 in Los Angeles and the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 are some examples of police brutality.
Factors Contributing to Police Excesses in India
- Corruption among public servants: Corruption is rampant in India and is a major factor contributing to police excesses. Bribery and corruption make it easy for criminals to escape the law and for police officers to use violence and coercion to extract money and other benefits.
- The pressure to produce results: Police officers are often under tremendous pressure to produce results and show that they are making progress in solving cases. This pressure can lead to an overzealous approach to policing, with officers resorting to torture and other illegal methods to extract information and solve cases quickly.
- Lack of ethics training: Police officers in India are not given sufficient training in ethics and human rights. This lack of training makes it easier for officers to resort to violence and abuse of power, as they do not understand the consequences of their actions.
- Political interference: In some cases, politicians and other powerful people may interfere in police investigations or use their influence to protect criminals. This interference can undermine the rule of law and make it more difficult for police officers to do their job effectively and without fear or favor.
- Poor working conditions: Police officers in India often work long hours in difficult and dangerous conditions. This can lead to stress and fatigue, which can in turn lead to a higher incidence of police excesses.
- Lack of accountability: There is often little accountability for police officers who commit excesses. In many cases, officers who are found guilty of human rights violations are simply transferred to another location, rather than being punished or dismissed from the force. This lack of accountability sends a message to other officers that they can get away with abuse of power and violence.
Role of Technology and Ethics in Policing
- Both technology and ethics are necessary for effective policing: While technology can help solve crimes and improve policing efficiency, ethics and a commitment to human rights are necessary to ensure that police officers act within the law and respect the rights of all citizens.
- Technology alone is not enough: The technology has played a significant role in improving policing in India, with many officers now trained in the use of modern tools and techniques to solve crimes. However, technology alone is not enough, and that ethics must also be prioritized in policing.
- Training in ethics must be prioritized at all levels of the police force: Many police officers in India lack sufficient training in ethics and human rights, which makes it easier for them to resort to violence and abuse of power. Training in ethics must be prioritized at all levels of the police force, from the highest-ranking officers to those on the front lines.
- Police leaders are crucial players: The police leaders, such as DGPs and IGPs, have a crucial role to play in indoctrinating young recruits on the value of sticking to the law and civilised behaviour.
What is mean by humane policing?
- Humane policing refers to a style of law enforcement that places a greater emphasis on preserving the human rights and dignity of individuals.
- Humane policing recognizes that police officers are entrusted with great power and authority and that they have a duty to exercise this power with respect, compassion, and professionalism.
- It prioritizes building trust and positive relationships between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
- Humane policing It seeks to avoid the use of excessive force, unnecessary aggression, or intimidation in policing activities.
- It recognizes the importance of accountability and transparency in law enforcement.
- It also recognizes the importance of training and education for police officers in areas such as cultural competence, mental health awareness, and conflict resolution.
Conclusion
- It is sad and equally true that many in the political firmament subscribe to the philosophy that without physical force on misbehaving citizens, the quality of policing cannot improve and law and order cannot be maintained. This perception has to be changed. India needs a human policing. Moreover, the authorities must take swift action against offending officials to send a strong message that no illegal physical treatment of crime suspects will be tolerated.
Mains Question
Q. Rising cases of police excesses reveals the need for change in the policing system. In this backdrop highlight the factors behind Policing Excesses in India and what steps can be taken to promote humane policing?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: UN Water Action Conference
Mains level: Water agenda, voluntary commitments and challenges
Central Idea
- The International Water Action Conference held by the United Nations in March 2023, which resulted in over 670 commitments from various governments, multilateral institutions, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to address water security issues. There are implications of these commitments which needs to be examined the challenges associated with achieving universal, safe, affordable, and equitable access to water in line with SDG 6.
- First UN conference on freshwater: The Water Action Conference held in March 2023 was the first UN conference on freshwater in almost 50 years.
- Aims to advance water agenda and achieve SDG 6: The conference aimed to review the Water Action Decade 2018-2028, which aims to advance the water agenda and achieve SDG 6, sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Themes of the conference
The Conference has five themes that support the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework:
- Water for Health: Access to ‘WASH’ (Global Water, Sanitation, & Hygiene) including the Human Rights to Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation
- Water for Sustainable Development: Valuing water, the water-energy-food nexus and sustainable economic and urban development.
- Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to sea, biodiversity, climate, resilience and disaster risk reduction.
- Water for Cooperation: Transboundary and international water cooperation, cross sectoral cooperation and water across the 2030 Agenda.
- Water Action Decade: Accelerating the implementation of the objectives of the Decade for Action, including through the UN Secretary-General’s Action Plan.
What is Water Action Decade (2018–2028)?
- In December 2016, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution International Decade (2018–2028) for Action Water for Sustainable Development to help put a greater focus on water during ten years.
- It aims to advance the water agenda by energizing existing programs and projects and inspiring water action to achieve the 2030 Agenda, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), which envisions the sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
- The initiative focuses on promoting action-oriented partnerships to improve water resources management, water-use efficiency, and access to safe drinking water and sanitation services. The Decade aims to create a platform for sharing knowledge and experiences, promoting innovation, and building capacity for sustainable water management.
The International Water Action Agenda and commitments made
- International Water Action Agenda: The conference resulted in the international Water Action Agenda, to which over 670 commitments were made by governments, multilateral institutions, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to address water security issues.
- Commitments are voluntary: Nearly 164 governments and 75 multilateral organizations made commitments, but these commitments are voluntary and legally non-binding.
Implications of commitments made
- The commitments embodied in the Water Action Agenda must be scrutinized to see whether they will yield universal, safe, affordable, and equitable access to water that is consistent with SDG 6.
- Meeting this target by 2030 will require capital expenditures of $114 billion per year.
- The recurring operations and maintenance for basic water and sanitation service (WASH) costs are estimated to rise from about $4 billion to over $30 billion per year by 2030.
Challenges associated with achieving SDG 6
- Funding: Funding from regional, national, and international sources prioritizes new water infrastructure rather than water maintenance services, resulting in decreased service for water customers.
- Investment: The investment required would require valuing water, which in turn requires robust water measurement and accounting.
- Limitations: There are serious limitations in our knowledge about the volume, flux and quality of water in lakes, rivers, soils and aquifers. There are huge gaps in water usage data.
India’s commitments and challenges
- India made two significant commitments at the conference:
- An investment of $240 billion in the water sector and
- Efforts to restore groundwater levels.
- However, groundwater extraction in India increased from 58% to 63% between 2004-17, further exacerbated by climate change resulting in intermittent rainfall, which further undermines the recharge potential.
- The revised Groundwater Bill 2017 vests State groundwater boards with creating laws, managing water allocation and other relevant issues.
- The State boards are understaffed, and lack in expertise and prioritizing socio-political conflicts over groundwater resources.
Facts for prelims
| Initiative |
Objective |
| Jal Shakti Abhiyan, 2019 |
Ensure water conservation and management in 255 water-stressed districts across India |
| Atal Bhujal Yojana, 2019 |
Improve groundwater management and promote community-based groundwater management |
| Namami Gange Project, 2014 |
Clean and rejuvenate the Ganges river and address pollution through treatment of sewage and industrial effluents |
| Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, 2014 |
Improve sanitation and cleanliness across the country and promote hygiene practices |
| Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. 2015 |
Improve irrigation efficiency and increase water use efficiency in agriculture |
| National Water Mission, 2011 |
Ensure sustainable water management and water security in the country and improve water use efficiency |
| National Aquifer Mapping and Management Programme (NAQUIM), 2012 |
Map the aquifers across the country and develop a groundwater management plan |
| Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP), 2009 |
Enhance soil and water conservation practices in rainfed areas and promote the development of rainwater harvesting structures to enhance groundwater recharge |
Conclusion
- The international Water Action Conference resulted in over 670 commitments to address water security issues. These commitments are voluntary and legally non-binding, but they are expected to inspire collective political will to address the many water challenges.
Mains Question
Q. What is Water action decade? Discuss the challenges associated with achieving universal, safe, affordable, and equitable access to water in line with SDG 6.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Foreign trade policy, 2023
Mains level: Foreign trade policy, 2023, problems and solutions
Central Idea
- The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 (FTP 2023) has been recently introduced, but it falls short of addressing the challenges that Indian exporters are likely to face in the global market. India needs to adopt 21st-century trade policy instruments such as product and process standards to improve the quality and efficiency of products.
- The policy is dynamic and open-ended to accommodate the emerging needs of the time.
- It aims to promote India’s overall exports, which has already crossed US$ 750 Billion.
- The key approach to the policy is based on these 4 pillars:
- Incentive to Remission,
- Export promotion through collaboration – Exporters, States, Districts, Indian Missions,
- Ease of doing business, reduction in transaction cost and e-initiatives and
- Emerging Areas – E-Commerce Developing Districts as Export Hubs and streamlining SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies) Policy
FTP 2023’s inadequate focus on 21st-century trade policy instruments
- 20th-century mindset: The FTP 2023’s primary focus is on regulating, prohibiting, and restricting trade, which is a 20th-century mindset. In contrast, most countries today rely on improving product quality and production efficiencies by rapidly infusing technology to expand their presence in global markets.
- Focus on upgrading the current standards: India needs to focus on upgrading institutions, production facilities, and promoting the development and facilitation of trade to meet the current standards.
Rejigging of export promotion schemes
- Export promotion schemes: Export promotion schemes were modified after a WTO dispute settlement panel ruled against India in 2019, which found that these schemes provide export subsidies that are not allowed under WTO rules.
- Remission of Duties: The Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products (RoDTEP) Scheme was launched in 2021 to neutralize the effect of taxes and duties included in exported goods. The Rajya Sabha’s Standing Committee on Commerce found several weaknesses in the scheme, and FTP 2023 should have responded to the recommendations.
Developing districts as export hubs
- FTP 2023 introduces the novel idea of developing districts as export hubs, which could help achieve the objective of balanced regional development.
- However, the policy only speaks of setting up export promotion committees at the district and state/UT levels, with no mention of supporting efficient infrastructure.
E-commerce and India’s readiness to engage in the WTO
- E-commerce is a focus area of FTP 2023, but India has opposed discussions on extending the rules of the WTO in this area.
- Moreover, advanced countries have been seeking data portability, which India has refused to accept.
- It remains unclear whether the mention of e-commerce in FTP 2023 implies that India is ready to engage in the WTO on this matter.
Conclusion
- FTP 2023 falls short of addressing the challenges that Indian exporters are likely to face in the global market. It needs to focus on upgrading institutions, production facilities, and promoting the development and facilitation of trade, which requires the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to coordinate with all the standard-setting agencies of the government and relevant institutions in the private sector. Developing districts as export hubs could help achieve the objective of balanced regional development, but supporting efficient infrastructure is critical for the programme’s success.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Overview of various pension schemes
Mains level: Issues with OPS and NPS
Central Idea
- The New Pension Scheme (NPS) implemented by the NDA government in 2003-04 was a far-sighted reform that moved towards a sustainable contributory pension system. However, some state governments have reversed the pension reform and returned to the financially burdensome and fiscally non-viable Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
What is pension?
- A pension is a retirement plan that provides a stream of income to individuals after they retire from their job or profession. It can be funded by employers, government agencies, or unions and is designed to ensure a steady income during retirement.
What is OPS?
- The OPS, also known as the Defined Benefit Pension System, is a pension plan provided by the government for its employees in India.
- Under the OPS, retired government employees receive a fixed monthly pension based on their last drawn salary and years of service.
- This pension is funded by the government and paid out of its current revenues, leading to increased pension liabilities.
- NPS is a market-linked, defined contribution pension system introduced in India in 2004 as a replacement for the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
- NPS is designed to provide retirement income to all Indian citizens, including government employees, private sector workers, and self-employed individuals.
Negative impacts of the reversal to OPS
- The reversal to OPS would have negative impacts, especially on the poor and vulnerable population, including women and children. Here are some potential impacts:
- Reallocation of resources: The reversal to OPS would lead to a reallocation of resources away from the state’s development expenditure, which benefits the poor, and towards a much smaller group of people who have benefited from a secured and privileged job throughout their working life. It could worsen inequality and lower economic growth in the states.
- Reduction in productivity: Going back to OPS would reduce the productivity of the poor, further diminishing their future economic prospects. Economic services such as infrastructure and rural and urban development would be affected more severely than social services.
- Fiscal burden: The old pension scheme (OPS) was financially burdensome and fiscally non-viable. As public employees’ life expectancy increased, the state’s fiscal burden under the OPS began to rise exponentially, necessitating pension reforms. Reversing to OPS would put the fiscal burden back on the government, which could have negative impacts on the state’s finances.
- Tradeoff between pensions and development expenditure: Pension reforms were a watershed moment for the states, and reversing to OPS would result in a tradeoff between pension and development expenditure of the states. The pension reforms aimed to finance the increased non-development expenditure related to pensions through taxes or borrowing. However, our analysis revealed that from 1990 to 2004, the states’ revenues did not match the state’s increased expenditure, resulting in a higher fiscal deficit.
Facts for prelims: NPS vs OPS
| Parameter |
National Pension System (NPS) |
Old Pension Scheme (OPS) |
| Type of System |
Defined Contribution System |
Defined Benefit System |
| Funding |
Contributions from employee and employer |
Government-funded |
| Investment |
Market-linked investments in various asset classes |
No direct investment involved |
| Returns |
Subject to market risks |
Predetermined and not market-linked |
| Pension Amount |
Depends on accumulated corpus and investment returns |
Based on last drawn salary and years of service |
| Annuity & Lump-sum Withdrawal |
Minimum 40% corpus used to purchase annuity, remaining can be withdrawn as lump-sum |
Fixed monthly pension, no annuity or lump-sum withdrawal |
| Portability |
Portable across jobs and sectors |
Limited to government employees |
| Flexibility |
Choice of investment options, fund managers, and asset allocation |
No flexibility, pension determined by predefined formula |
Conclusion
- The state governments should not ignore the impact of the OPS on the poor and vulnerable, particularly women and children. The reversal will deprive them of essential services such as health and education and prevent them from participating in growth opportunities. Therefore, state governments should not reverse the far-sighted pension reform and should continue to focus on development expenditure that benefits the poor.
Mains Question
Q. What is the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and how does it differ from Old Pension Scheme (OPS) Now states are reversing to OPS as a populist measure, discuss its the negative impacts.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Indian economy challenges
Central Idea
- The current paradigm of economics in India is inadequate in providing solutions to the three major economic challenges the country is facing. The economists need to break out of their self-referential silo and examine the science of complex self-adaptive systems.
The Poly-crisis faced by India
- The Indian government is grappling with three economic challenges at the same time:
- Management of inflation,
- Trade agreements, and
- Employment
- Economists do not have a systemic solution for this poly-crisis. Consensus among them has broken down even about solutions to its separate parts.
Lessons from China and Vietnam
- Foreign investment in China: China and India opened their economies to global trade around the same time, some 35 years ago. Since then, China attracted foreign investment that was many times more than in India, and the incomes of its citizens increased five times faster.
- Vietnam emerging as more attractive destination: To attract investors, India must compete with other countries. Vietnam is often cited as a country that is proving to be more attractive than India to western and Japanese investors. However, when looking into Vietnam, they rediscover what was learned from China.
- High levels of human development: When both countries opened to foreign investors China before Vietnam, they had already attained high levels of human development, with universal education and good public health systems.
The Problem with the Current Paradigm
- There are some fundamental flaws in the current paradigm of economics.
- Economists often cite Tinbergen’s theory, which states that the number of policy instruments must equal the number of policy goals. This is a mechanical and linear view of how a complex system works.
- In complex organic systems, root causes contribute to many outcomes. The behaviour of the system cannot be explained by linear causes and effects. The causes interact with each other, and effects also become causes.
Facts for prelims: What is Tinbergen’s theory?
- Tinbergen’s theory states that the number of policy instruments (P) must be equal to the number of policy goals (G), in order to achieve the desired outcome.
- In other words: P = G
- This means that for each policy goal, there should be at least one policy instrument to achieve it.
- For example, if the policy goal is to reduce inflation, then there should be a policy instrument such as interest rate changes to achieve that goal. Similarly, if the policy goal is to promote employment, then there should be a policy instrument such as job creation programs to achieve that goal. Tinbergen’s theory emphasizes the importance of having a clear and consistent policy framework to achieve desired outcomes
Crises and the Inadequacy of the System
- Policies that fit one country may not fit the needs of others: Macro-economists search for global solutions, but trade and monetary policies that fit one country may not fit the needs of others. Their needs have emerged from their own histories.
- Emphasis on data trends: Economists arrive at solutions by comparing data trends of different countries, and in their models, people are numbers. Economists do not listen to real people, whereas politicians try to at least.
- For instance: The inadequacy of the current paradigm was revealed by several crises in this millennium, the 2008 global financial crisis, inequitable management of the global COVID-19 pandemic, and the looming global climate crisis.
Conclusion
- A new economics is required to solve the poly-crisis faced by India. A movement to change the paradigm of economics’ science to bring perspectives from the sciences of complex self-adaptive systems has begun even in the West. India’s economists must step forward and lead the change towards a new economics paradigm based on the sciences of complex self-adaptive systems. India’s policymakers will have to find a way to strengthen the roots of the economic tree while harvesting its fruits at the same time, and the current paradigm of economics cannot provide solutions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Same-sex marriage, Read the attached article
Central Idea
- The Centre’s opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriages based on cultural and societal concepts of marriage and family is examined and critiqued.
The Centre’s Argument
- The Centre argues that same-sex marriages are not recognized in Indian traditions, ethos, culture, and societal concepts of marriage.
- The Parliament, and not the Court, should decide on legalizing same-sex marriages.
Societal Conceptualization of Marriage
- Marriage is a social institution, and the Centre’s stance finds backing in four interrelated sub-arguments.
- Same-sex marriages demand nuanced alteration of the conventional understanding of marriage.
- The current legislative framework promotes the conventional understanding of marriage.
- Religious and societal morality still conceptualizes intercourse as a procreative activity.
- Conventional conceptualisations of family and marriage are facing evolutionary challenges.
- Same-sex marriage is the legal recognition of a marriage between two individuals of the same sex.
- It grants same-sex couples the same legal and social recognition, rights, and privileges that are traditionally associated with marriage, including property rights, inheritance rights, and the ability to make decisions for each other in medical emergencies.
- The recognition of same-sex marriage varies around the world, with some countries legalizing it while others do not.
- The issue has been the subject of much debate and controversy, with arguments for and against same-sex marriage based on religious, cultural, social, and legal considerations.
The Language of Rights
- The Court must evaluate the Centre’s argument on its own merits.
- While addressing the violations of fundamental rights resulting from non-recognition of same-sex marriages, the question of same-sex marriages is about the rights of a society to conserve traditions and an individual’s constitutional freedoms.
Back to Basics: Special Marriage Act?
- The Special Marriage Act is a law in India that allows individuals of different religions or nationalities to marry each other.
- It was enacted in 1954 and came into effect from 1955.
- The Special Marriage Act allows for inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, and couples who register under this act are not required to change their religion or follow any religious rites or rituals.
- The act also provides for divorce on certain grounds and maintenance to the spouse and children.
Conclusion
- While the rights issues concerning same-sex couples are substantial, the implications of recognizing same-sex unions as a couple require a broader debate in society and the legislature. The push to formalize the institution of same-sex unions must come from representative bodies such as Parliament.
Mains Question
Q. Provide a detailed analysis including relevant legal, social, cultural, and ethical considerations of same sex marriage in India along with a way ahead
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Related facts
Mains level: Sodium Intake, and burden of Hypertension and cardio vascular diseases
Central Idea
- The WHO recently published the ‘Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction’ which sheds light on the progress of its 194 member states towards reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025. Regrettably, progress has been lethargic, with only a few countries making considerable headway towards the objective. Consequently, there is a proposal to extend the deadline to 2030.
The target of reducing population sodium intake
- The target of reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2025 was set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in 2013.
- The plan aims to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, by 25% by 2025, and to achieve a 30% reduction in the mean population intake of salt/sodium.
- The target of reducing population sodium intake is aimed at reducing the burden of hypertension, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Why reducing sodium intake is essential for India?
- Reduced sodium intake and decreased blood pressure: There is a strong correlation between reduced sodium intake and decreased blood pressure, leading to a decrease in stroke and myocardial infarction incidence. Lowering sodium intake by 1 gram per day leads to a 5 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, as per a study in The BMJ.
- Cardiovascular disease: Elevated BP is a critical risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of mortality worldwide. It contributed to 54% of strokes and 47% of coronary heart diseases globally in 2001.
- Economic impact of cardiovascular disease on LMICs: Cardiovascular disease has a staggering economic impact on LMICs, estimated at $3.7 trillion between 2011 and 2025 due to premature mortality and disability. This represents 2% of the GDP of LMICs. The Indian economy alone faces losses surpassing $2 trillion between 2012 and 2030 due to cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for effective interventions to mitigate the economic and health consequences of the disease in LMICs.
How cardiovascular disease and hypertension pose significant challenges in India?
- Cardiovascular diseases as primary cause of mortality and morbidity:
- As per data from the Registrar General of India, WHO, and the Global Burden of Disease Study, cardiovascular diseases have emerged as the primary cause of mortality and morbidity. Data from the Registrar General of India, WHO, and the Global Burden of Disease Study
- Age-adjusted cardiovascular disease mortality rate increased by 31% in the last 25 years
- Hypertension as leading risk factor for such diseases in India
- Prevalence of hypertension in India:
- More prevalent among men aged 15 and above compared to women
- More common in southern states, particularly Kerala, while Punjab and Uttarakhand in the north also report high incidence rates
- Pre-hypertensive population in India
- Defined by systolic blood pressure levels of 120-139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure levels of 80-89 mmHg
- 5% of women and 49.2% of men at the national level
- Significant risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and premature mortality for Indians with BP readings between 130 and 139/80-89 mmHg
- Many Indians classified as pre-hypertensive are now included in the newly defined stage-I hypertension by the American guidelines.
- Circulatory system diseases: The 2020 Report on Medical Certification of the Cause of Death shows that circulatory system diseases account for 32.1% of all documented deaths, with hypertension being a major risk factor.
Global Efforts to Reduce Sodium Intake
- The WHO aims to reduce population sodium intake by 30% by 2025
- Only a few countries have made considerable progress towards the objective
- India’s score of 2 on the WHO sodium score signifies the need for more rigorous efforts to address the health concern
Government Initiatives
- Voluntary programmes: The Union government has initiated several voluntary programmes aimed at encouraging Indians to decrease their sodium consumption
- Eat Right India: The FSSAI has implemented the Eat Right India movement, which strives to transform the nation’s food system to ensure secure, healthy, and sustainable nutrition for all citizens
- Aaj Se Thoda Kam: FSSAI launched a social media campaign called Aaj Se Thoda Kam.
Urgent Need for a Comprehensive National Strategy
- Despite of awareness efforts, the average Indian’s sodium intake remains alarmingly high. Evidence shows an average daily consumption of approximately 11 grams.
- India needs a comprehensive national strategy to curb salt consumption
- Collaboration between State and Union governments is essential to combat hypertension, often caused by excessive sodium intake
Conclusion
- The excessive consumption of salt can lead to severe health consequences, and India has a pressing need to reduce its sodium intake. While the government has initiated several voluntary programs, these have fallen short of the goal. India needs a comprehensive national strategy, engaging consumers, industry, and the government, to curb salt consumption. Collaboration between State and Union governments is essential to combat hypertension, often caused by excessive sodium intake.
Mains Question
Q. Reducing population sodium intake is a critical step towards preventing and controlling non- cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Comment.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GHG's, carbon tax,
Mains level: Carbon pricing mechanism, global efforts
Central Idea
- Environmental destruction has been a consequence of boosting GDP growth in every country due to the absence of a price for natural resources like air and forests. To combat this, the biggest economies of the G-20 must agree on valuing nature, including by pricing carbon effluents. As president of the G-20 this year, India can take the lead in carbon pricing, which will open unexpected avenues of decarbonization.
Pricing Carbon at present
- Three ways of pricing carbon: carbon tax, emissions trading system (ETS), and import tariff on the carbon content
- GHG emission: 46 countries price carbon, covering only 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
- IMF’s proposed price: International Monetary Fund (IMF) proposed price floors of $75, $50, and $25 a ton of carbon for the United States, China, and India, respectively
- Benefits: Economy-wide benefits of carbon pricing in terms of damages avoided generally outweighed the cost it imposed on individual industries in EU, British Columbia, Canada, and Sweden
- Boost to renewables: Carbon pricing makes investment in renewable energy such as solar and wind more attractive.
Facts for prelims
| Carbon Pricing Method |
Description |
| Carbon Tax |
A domestic tax imposed on carbon emissions, directly discouraging the use of fossil fuels and raising revenue for investment in cleaner sources of energy or protection of vulnerable consumers. Example: Korea and Singapore. |
| Emissions Trading System (ETS) |
A system that allows entities with excess emissions allowances to sell them to those that are emitting more than their allotted limit. Example: European Union and China. |
| Import Tariff on Carbon Content |
A tax on imported goods based on the amount of carbon emissions produced during their manufacturing process, designed to discourage importing high-emissions products. Example: Proposed by the European Union. |
| Carbon Offsets |
A voluntary mechanism in which companies or individuals pay for projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These projects may include reforestation, renewable energy, or energy efficiency initiatives. The amount of emissions reduced by the project can then be used to offset the emissions of the buyer. |
- Among the three ways of pricing, India could find a carbon tax appealing as it can directly discourage fossil fuels, while raising revenues which can be invested in cleaner sources of energy or used to protect vulnerable consumers
- IMF proposed $25 a ton as a starting point for India
- The main obstacle is the argument by industrial firms about losing their competitive advantage to exporters from countries with a lower carbon price
- All high, middle, and low-income countries should set the same rate within each bracket
Way ahead: Need for Global Carbon Pricing
- The first movers will be the most competitive: High enough carbon tax across China, the US, India, Russia, and Japan alone (more than 60% of global effluents), with complementary actions, could have a notable effect on global effluents and warming. The first movers will be the most competitive
- India’s leadership: India can play a lead role by tabling global carbon pricing in the existential fight against climate change as president of the G-20 summit this September
- Communication is important: Any type of carbon pricing faces stiff political opposition therefore communicating the idea of wins at the societal level is vital.
Back to Basics: GHG’s
|
Greenhouse Gas
|
Properties |
Major Sources |
Impact
|
| Carbon Dioxide (CO2) |
-Long-lived in atmosphere.
-Traps heat from the sun |
– Burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas)
-Deforestation |
– Accounts for 76% of global GHG emissions – Primary cause of climate change |
| Methane (CH4) |
– Short-lived in atmosphere
– Traps more heat than CO2 |
– Agriculture (livestock digestion, manure management)
– Energy production
– Landfills |
– Accounts for 16% of global GHG emissions – Contributes to both climate change and air pollution |
| Nitrous Oxide (N2O) |
– Long-lived in atmosphere
– Traps more heat than CO2 |
– Agriculture (fertilizer use, manure management)
– Industrial processes
– Combustion of fossil fuels |
– Accounts for 6% of global GHG emissions
– Contributes to both climate change and air pollution |
| Fluorinated Gases (HFCs, PFCs, SF6) |
– Can have high global warming potential |
– Industrial processes (refrigeration, air conditioning)
– Semiconductors
– Electrical transmission equipment |
– Accounts for less than 3% of global GHG emissions
– Can have very high global warming potential |
| Ozone (O3) |
– Not a GHG, but plays a role in climate change |
– Human-made chemicals that release ozone into the atmosphere |
– Contributes to climate change by trapping heat |
| Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) |
– Human-made chemicals that destroy ozone in the atmosphere |
– Used in refrigeration, air conditioning, and aerosol sprays |
– Contributes to climate change by destroying ozone, which leads to greater heat-trapping |
Conclusion
- India can take the lead in carbon pricing as president of the G-20 this year. By pricing carbon effluents, India can promote investment in renewable energy, protect vulnerable consumers, and contribute to the global fight against climate change. However, there is a need for effective communication to ensure that the idea of carbon pricing is understood at the societal level, and any type of carbon pricing faces stiff political opposition.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mission Karmayogi
Mains level: Citizen-Centric Governance, initiatives and Citizen participation
Central idea
- Citizen-centric governance is an evolving concept, and to put it into action requires clarity in the actions that civil servants perform and how citizens engage with the state. Citizen engagement is about collaborative partnerships and dialogue and must involve all stakeholders to ensure the overall development of a community or a nation.
Citizen-Centric Governance
- Paradigm shift in traditional governance: Citizen-centric governance refers to a paradigm shift in the traditional governance structures where the focus is shifted from the power holders to the citizens.
- Access to information and services to citizens: Traditionally, governance structures hold the power to make decisions that affect the lives of citizens. But citizen-centric governance focuses on providing citizens with access to information, services, and resources and on engaging them in the policy-making process.
- Increased citizen participation: The objective of citizen-centric governance is to increase citizen participation in decision-making processes
Mission Karmayogi
- Capacity building of civil servants: Mission Karmayogi, the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building has been strategically working to build the capacities of civil servants through various innovative interventions to sensitise and reframe the fabric of citizen participation.
- karmachari to karmayogi: Today, thousands of railway employees, Gramin Dak Sevaks, police personnel in the UTs and employees of BSNL are all going through an outcome-based capacity-building programme that is shifting them from thinking like a karmachari to acting like a karmayogi.
Citizen Engagement
- Citizen engagement refers to how citizens participate in the political, social and economic aspects of their community or society.
- Citizen engagement is highly embedded in the nature of the political and governance context and existing power relations.
- It needs to be understood as a core component of any governance system, and in democracies, citizen engagement is a basic principle because it is understood that governments derive their authority and power from the people.
What the multi-stakeholder engagement requires?
- Constructive dialogue: Development by the people and for the people is indeed possible. Citizen engagement towards democratising the process of development necessarily involves a constructive dialogue between and amongst all stakeholders.
- Mutual trust and respect: Meaningful dialogue among the stakeholders the state, citizenry, private sector, media, civil society and academia can sustain only when there is mutual trust. The relationship between these multiple stakeholders needs to be driven by mutual respect and an appreciation of interdependence and reciprocity.
- Redrawing boundaries of engagement: However, this may involve redrawing boundaries of engagement and roles that stakeholders have traditionally assumed for themselves.
- Partnership approach: The multi-stakeholder engagement would require the adoption of the partnership approach by all parties involved.
Conclusion
- Citizen-centric governance and citizen engagement are important aspects of development in any democracy. By adopting a partnership approach and mutual respect for each other’s roles, stakeholders can work together to ensure the overall development of a community and nation at large. The Indian government’s program, Mission Karmayogi, is a right step towards building the capacities of civil servants and sensitizing them to citizen participation.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Autism
Mains level: Autism spectrum disorders, Prevalence in India and way ahead
Central Idea
- In India, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a widely debated issue due to a lack of systematic estimates. Most estimates have been derived from studies based on school children, revealing that over one crore Indians may be on the autism spectrum. However, there are notable cultural differences in diagnosing autism between countries, which highlights the need to assess the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders specifically in the Indian context.
What is Autism?
- Spectrum disorder: Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behaviour. It is called a spectrum disorder because the symptoms and severity can vary widely between individuals.
- Common symptoms: Some common symptoms of autism include difficulty with social interactions, such as maintaining eye contact or understanding nonverbal cues, delayed speech and language development, repetitive behaviors, and sensory sensitivities.
- Cause: Autism is believed to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, but the exact cause is not yet fully understood.
- Cure: There is currently no cure for autism, but early interventions and therapies can help individuals with autism lead fulfilling and independent lives.
Prevalence of Autism in India
- Lack of systematic estimates: Autism is a global issue and affects individuals of all cultures, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. However, there is a lack of systematic estimates of autism prevalence in India.
- Methos failed: Researchers have attempted to estimate prevalence through government hospitals, but this method failed due to the absence of central medical registries.
- Conservative estimates: As a result, prevalence was estimated through school-based assessments. According to conservative estimates, well over one crore Indians are on the autism spectrum. This highlights the need for further research and attention to address the prevalence of ASD in India.
- Cultural Differences and Diagnosis of Autism:
- Notable cultural differences exist in the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. In the US and UK, the majority of children with autism spectrum diagnosis are verbal, with average or higher IQ, and attending mainstream schools.
- However, in India, a significant majority of children with a clinical diagnosis of autism also have intellectual disability and limited verbal ability. This difference is driven by sociological factors, such as access to appropriate clinical expertise, provisions for inclusion in mainstream schools, and availability of medical insurance coverage.
Challenges in Assessing Autism
- Assessment tools: Assessment of autism spectrum disorder is primarily behavioral, and most widely used autism assessment tools are not available in Indian languages.
- Indigenous autism assessment tools challenges: There has been a rise in the development of indigenous autism assessment tools. Despite the development of these tools, it can be challenging to compare across different assessment measures.
Demand and Supply in India
- Shortage of mental health professionals: Most autism assessment tools need to be administered by specialist mental health professionals. However, there is a significant shortage of mental health professionals in India, with less than 10,000 psychiatrists, a majority of whom are concentrated in big cities.
- Delay is costly: Delay in interventions can be costly for neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism.
- Demand and supply gap need to be met: This gap between demand and supply cannot be met directly by specialists alone, and parallel efforts to widen the reach of diagnostic and intervention services through involving non-specialists is required. Emerging evidence suggests the feasibility of involving non-specialists in autism identification and intervention through digital technology and training programs.
Way ahead: Need for an All-India Program
- National program on autism: The need of the hour is to develop a national program on autism in India that links researchers, clinicians, service providers to the end-users in the autism community.
- Essential components: This program needs to have three essential components that are joined up: assessment, intervention, and awareness.
- Assessment: Research is needed to develop appropriate assessments and design efficient implementation pathways.
- Intervention: Clinical and support service workforce needs to be expanded by training non-specialists such that a stepped-care model can be rolled out effectively across the nation.
- Awareness: Large-scale initiatives need to be launched to build public awareness that can reduce the stigma associated with autism and related conditions.
Conclusion
- There are challenges in diagnosing and assessing autism in India which highlights the need for a comprehensive and coordinated effort to address them. By expanding the clinical and support service workforce, training non-specialists, and developing appropriate assessments and interventions, India can improve outcomes for those on the autism spectrum and reduce the stigma associated with the condition. This national program needs to be informed by consultation with different stakeholders, with a primary focus on end-users within the Indian autism community.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Semiconductor and its apllications
Mains level: India's semiconductor policy
Central Idea
- India’s semiconductor policy should shift focus from attracting global giants like Intel to leveraging existing facilities and developing domestic solutions for electronics markets.
Background
- The US Department of Commerce and India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry recently signed a memorandum of understanding to ensure subsidies do not hinder India’s semiconductor ambitions.
- However, the likelihood of Intel investing in a greenfield 300mm wafer fabrication plant in India remains low due to its focus on fabs in the US.
Facts for prelims: Semiconductors
- Semiconductors are materials that have properties that are in between those of conductors (such as copper) and insulators (such as rubber).
- They have the ability to conduct electricity under certain conditions, but not under others.
- The conductivity of semiconductors can be manipulated through the introduction of impurities or doping with other materials. This process alters the electronic properties of the material and creates regions of excess or deficit of electrons, called p-type and n-type regions respectively. The interface between these regions is known as a p-n junction, which is a fundamental building block of many semiconductor devices.
Applications
- Semiconductors are a fundamental component of modern technology and have significant importance in many areas of our daily lives.
- Electronics industry: Semiconductors are a crucial component in the electronics industry, which is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. Semiconductors are used in a wide range of electronic devices, from smartphones and computers to medical equipment and home appliances.
- Miniaturization: The ability to miniaturize electronic components using semiconductors has led to the development of smaller, more powerful, and more energy-efficient devices. This has enabled the development of portable devices, such as smartphones and laptops, which have become an essential part of our daily lives.
- Energy efficiency: Semiconductors have enabled the development of energy-efficient devices, which are crucial in the context of climate change and global warming. Energy-efficient lighting, for example, uses semiconductor materials such as LEDs, which consume far less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Renewable energy: Semiconductors are also essential in the development of renewable energy technologies such as solar cells and wind turbines. Solar cells, for example, use semiconductor materials to convert sunlight into electrical energy.
- Medical applications: Semiconductors are also used in a wide range of medical applications, from imaging devices to implantable medical devices. In particular, semiconductor-based biosensors are becoming increasingly important for disease diagnosis and monitoring.
All you need to know about India’s semiconductor policy
- India has launched a new semiconductor policy called the National Policy on Electronics (NPE) in 2019, with the aim of creating a globally competitive electronics manufacturing industry in the country.
- The policy aims to attract investment in semiconductor fabrication units, also known as fabs, and encourage the development of a domestic ecosystem for semiconductor design and manufacturing.
The key objectives of the policy
- Attracting investment: The policy aims to attract global semiconductor companies to set up manufacturing units in India by providing them with incentives such as financial support, tax incentives, and land at subsidized rates.
- Promoting domestic manufacturing: The policy aims to promote domestic manufacturing of semiconductor components by providing incentives such as production-linked incentives, subsidies, and preferential market access to products made in India.
- Developing human resources: The policy aims to develop a skilled workforce in the semiconductor sector by providing training and education programs in collaboration with leading academic institutions.
- Encouraging research and development: The policy aims to encourage research and development in the semiconductor sector by providing financial support to research institutions and startups.
- India’s Semiconductor History
- The Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) was established in Mohali in 1983 to create an electronics ecosystem.
- Market liberalization in 1991 and a fire in 1989 derailed these plans, but the facility still has the potential to support India’s semiconductor ecosystem.
- Shifting Focus:
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeITy) has been trying to attract Intel to India, but their efforts may not be fruitful.
- A better approach would be to leverage SCL’s existing assets and focus on the More than Moore segment of semiconductors (>180 nm node) for automotive electronics, PV-Inverters, 5G infrastructure, and railway electronics.
- Incentives and Subsidies:
- Subsidies should target fabless design houses with proven designs willing to fabricate at the SCL in the 180nm+ node.
- Incentives should also be provided to global design companies with products aimed at India-specific markets.
- The existing DLI/PLI schemes do not provide such incentives, and a course correction is needed.
- Leveraging Existing Infrastructure:
- Efforts to open up subsidies to global small and medium-sized enterprises in the upstream supply chain are welcome.
- However, coupling these efforts with the defined incentives and targeted upgrades is essential for success.
- Leadership and Execution: To achieve this vision in the next five years, the SCL needs a full-time director with prior “More than Moore” foundry experience, as opposed to a career scientist from the Department of Space.
Conclusion
- India’s semiconductor policy should shift focus from attracting global giants like Intel to leveraging existing facilities and developing domestic solutions for electronics markets. This will require a strategic shift in focus, targeted incentives, and strong leadership. Failure to act may result in India missing out on the semiconductor fabrication bus once again.
Mains Question
Q. Semiconductors are a fundamental component of modern technology. In this light analyze India’s semiconductor policy.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Recent Free Trade Agreements
Mains level: Foreign Trade Policy 2023
Central Idea
- Foreign Trade Policy 2023 focuses on shifting from an incentive to a tax remission-based regime, improving the ease of doing business, promoting exports through collaborations, and targeting emerging areas. It aims to achieve $2 trillion in export of goods and services by 2030, up from the previous $900 billion target.
Foreign Trade Policy 2023
- Reducing Friction Points:
- Automatic approvals for various permissions will streamline processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for businesses.
- Reduced processing times for revalidation of authorizations (expected to be brought down to one day), extension of export obligation periods, advance authorizations, and EPCG issuances will expedite export activities.
- Lowered application fees for MSMEs will provide financial relief and encourage more small businesses to participate in global trade.
- Supporting Export Growth:
- Facilitating e-commerce exports will enable Indian businesses to tap into the growing global e-commerce market, estimated to reach $6.07 trillion by 2024.
- Widening the basket covered under RODTEP will ensure more exporters benefit from tax remission, increasing competitiveness.
- Boosting manufacturing, particularly in labor-intensive sectors, will create more jobs and enhance the export potential.
- Rationalizing thresholds for exporter recognition will make it easier for businesses to be acknowledged and incentivized for their export performance.
- Merchanting trade reform will promote services exports and reduce transaction costs.
- Promoting the use of the rupee in international trade can help reduce exchange rate risks and increase trade with countries facing currency restrictions.
- One-time Amnesty Scheme: The amnesty scheme aims at faster resolution of trade disputes, clearing pending cases, and improving the overall trade environment.
Supplemental Measures
- Boost to domestic manufacturing: Lowering import tariffs will make raw materials and intermediate goods more affordable, boosting domestic manufacturing and export competitiveness.
- Competitive Indian goods and services: Ensuring a competitive exchange rate will enhance the affordability of Indian goods and services in global markets.
- FTA’s: Signing broader and deeper free trade agreements can open new markets for Indian exporters and attract foreign investments.
Conclusion
- The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 comes at a time of global uncertainty, but with India’s small share in global trade (around 1.8% in merchandise exports and roughly 4% in services), there is significant room for improvement. The new policy, along with additional measures, can enhance the country’s trade performance and achieve the ambitious $2 trillion export target by 2030. However, it is crucial to monitor the policy’s implementation and address potential challenges for businesses to fully reap the benefits.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Taiwan-China conflict and India's role
Central Idea
- India needs to proactively consider its military, diplomatic, and economic responses to a potential cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan.
Background
- PLA’s frequent military exercises near Taiwan: The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is conducting frequent military exercises near Taiwan, increasing the risk of escalation in the Taiwan Strait.
- Forceful reunification: Some analysts believe that China, under President Xi Jinping, is preparing for a forceful reunification campaign by 2027.
The impact of a cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan on India
- Disruption of trade: India’s trade through the South China Sea (SCS) accounts for nearly 55% of its total trade with the Indo-Pacific region. A conflict in the Taiwan Strait could severely disrupt this trade, affecting India’s economy. Additionally, trade with Taiwan, China (India’s second-largest trading partner), East Asia, and some Southeast Asian countries would also be severely impacted.
- Strategic implications: As a member of the Quad, India would face serious strategic consequences in the event of a cross-strait conflict. New Delhi would be expected to respond in support of its partners, particularly the United States, which may lead to a significant shift in the regional balance of power and India’s international commitments.
- Escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC): India’s involvement in a conflict over Taiwan may prompt China to escalate tensions along the LAC, leading to an increased risk of military confrontation between India and China. This would put additional pressure on India’s military and resources, as it would have to prepare for a potential two-front conflict.
- Diplomatic challenges: India’s involvement in a conflict over Taiwan would strain its diplomatic relations with China and complicate its foreign policy priorities in the region. New Delhi would have to balance its commitments to its allies and partners with the need to maintain a stable relationship with Beijing.
- Economic costs: The economic fallout from a cross-strait conflict could be considerable for India, with potential disruptions to supply chains, investment flows, and regional economic integration efforts. This could hinder India’s economic growth and development objectives in the short to medium term.
- Security concerns: A cross-strait conflict could lead to increased military deployments, escalations, and proxy conflicts in the region, raising security concerns for India. This would necessitate greater vigilance and preparedness from the Indian military and intelligence agencies to address potential threats.
- Humanitarian consequences: In the event of a large-scale conflict, India may face the challenge of responding to humanitarian crises resulting from displaced populations, refugees, and the disruption of essential services in the region. This could put additional strain on India’s resources and infrastructure.
- Military response: India could assist partner countries, including the US, by sharing experience and intelligence on dealing with the PLA. It could also offer its mainland for refuelling aircraft and access to its Andaman and Nicobar Island bases.
- Diplomatic response: India could participate in a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Chinese aggression.
- Economic response: India is unlikely to impose targeted sanctions on China due to the negative trade balance between the two countries.
India’s proactive measures
- Information sharing: India can establish a secure communication channel with Taiwan to exchange vital intelligence and real-time information on Chinese military movements and strategies. This would help Taiwan to better anticipate potential threats and improve its defensive capabilities.
- Training Taiwanese armed forces personnel: India can secretly collaborate with Taiwan to train its armed forces personnel in specific operations and tactics. This may include joint exercises and training programs in areas like counterinsurgency, mountain warfare, and special operations, which could enhance Taiwan’s military preparedness.
- Consultative mechanisms: India can set up consultative mechanisms with Taipei, Tokyo, and Washington to discuss and coordinate their strategic approaches towards deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan. This collaboration can lead to the development of joint strategies, contingency plans, and a coordinated response in case of a conflict.
- Strengthening defense ties: India can explore options to strengthen defense ties with Taiwan by providing it with military equipment, technology, and logistical support. This could help Taiwan build a more robust defense system and deter potential Chinese aggression.
- Economic diversification for Taiwan: India can play a significant role in helping Taiwan diversify its trade and economic dependencies away from China. By increasing bilateral trade, investment, and technological cooperation, India can provide Taiwan with the scale it needs to reduce its overdependence on Beijing.
- Soft power diplomacy: India can leverage its soft power and cultural ties to build stronger relationships with Taiwan, promoting people-to-people exchanges, educational collaborations, and cultural events. This would not only strengthen the bond between the two countries but also raise awareness and support for Taiwan’s cause on the international stage.
- Encouraging international support: India can work with its allies and partners in the Quad, as well as other regional and global forums, to build a broader coalition supporting Taiwan’s sovereignty and security. By advocating for Taiwan’s inclusion in international organizations and platforms, India can help raise its global profile and encourage other countries to support Taiwan in the event of a conflict.
Conclusion
- While India would face challenges in the event of a cross-strait conflict, it is crucial for New Delhi to plan for the inevitable and proactively consider its military, diplomatic, and economic responses to such a crisis.
Mains Question
Q. There are signs of potential cross-strait conflict between China and Taiwan. In this backdrop discuss its impact on India
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Climate change negotiations
Mains level: Climate change negotiations, Climate Justice
Central Idea
- The UN General Assembly has asked the International Court of Justice to weigh in on whether countries can be sued under international law for failing to avert climate emergencies, reflecting the frustration of the international community with global climate agencies and the need for more effective climate action.
Background
- Resolution by Vanuatu: The resolution, sponsored by the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, was adopted unanimously, indicating global consensus on the climate crisis.
- Delay climate action: Frustration with the procedures of global climate agencies, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), stems from their deliberations often ending in compromises that delay climate action.
- ICJ’s decision carries moral weight: The Hague-based court’s opinion will not be binding but carries moral weight, potentially setting the stage for countries to incorporate climate justice in their legal frameworks.
- Contentious: Contentious jurisdiction refers to the ICJ’s authority to resolve legal disputes between consenting states. Decisions made under contentious jurisdiction are binding
- Advisory:
- Advisory jurisdiction allows the UN General Assembly (UNGA), the Security Council (SC), and other specialized bodies of the organization to request the ICJ’s opinion on a legal question.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinions are non-binding. However, they hold significant normative weight and serve to clarify international law on relevant issues.
- The ICJ’s advisory opinion on climate change can be useful in climate-related litigation at the national level.
Previous attempts to address climate change in non-environmental forums
- Global warming on agenda: Global warming has been part of the UN Security Council’s agenda since 2007, with the UNSC attempting to frame the issue from a security standpoint, rather than solely from developmental or environmental perspectives.
- Securitization of climate change: Developing countries, including India and China, have rightly resisted the securitization of climate change, arguing that it could lead to the imposition of sanctions and other coercive measures.
- Rights and justice: The use of rights and justice vocabulary has given the Vanuatu-sponsored proposal more traction and global support.
Rights and justice vocabulary and recent developments
- Climate justice: The Vanuatu-sponsored proposal emphasizes the importance of climate justice in addressing the issue.
- Right to reparations: Countries have started asserting their right to reparations after climate emergencies, such as Pakistan after the devastating floods in 2020 and the recent discussions on loss and damage during the COP26 conference in Glasgow.
- Rising climate litigation cases worldwide: The rise of climate litigation cases worldwide, where citizens and organizations sue governments and corporations for their failure to act on climate change, highlights the growing demand for climate justice.
Challenges in holding countries accountable
- Holding individual accountable: Holding individual countries or governments accountable for their climate inaction has been a major stumbling block at several climate meets.
- Compensation issue: The Paris Agreement contains a clause specifying that the pact does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation, inserted under pressure from US diplomats.
- Adamant stance: American support for the UNGA resolution was reportedly reluctant, indicating that powerful countries might resist being held accountable for their climate inaction.
Conclusion
- The UNGA’s intervention should not detract from the task of reforming the UNFCCC. Institutions of the umbrella climate agency need to be more equity-sensitive and justice-oriented. Engaging with the ICJ could push it in that direction, but wealthier members of the UNFCCC must show more initiative. The growing demand for climate justice and the increasing number of climate litigation cases highlight the importance of addressing the issue in a just and equitable manner.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Vaikom Satyagraha
Mains level: Vaikom Movement, Periyar's significant role and legacy of the movement
Central Idea
- Vaikom is a town in Kerala, India, that became a symbol of social justice due to the temple entry movement launched in 1924, aiming to end the prohibition imposed on backward communities in using the roads around the Vaikom Mahadeva temple. The Kerala government has organized various cultural events to commemorate the movement and its significance in the state’s history. Tamil Nadu also observes the occasion, as announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, recognizing the role of Tamil leaders like Periyar E.V. Ramasamy in the movement’s success.
All you need to know about Vaikom Satyagraha
- Objective:
- The primary goal was to end the prohibition on backward communities from using the roads surrounding the Vaikom Mahadeva temple, which symbolized the caste-based discrimination prevalent in society.
- The movement sought to create a more inclusive society where people from all castes could access public spaces and religious sites without discrimination.
- Leaders:
- Kerala:K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, and George Joseph were prominent leaders from Kerala who initiated and guided the movement.
- Tamilnadu: Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, then president of the Tamil Nadu Congress, played a crucial role in sustaining the movement and leading it to success.
- Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi advised the movement leaders and helped in negotiating between the government, protesters, and orthodox Hindus.
- Significance:
- Social equality and justice: The Vaikom Satyagraha was a groundbreaking non-violent protest that fought for social equality and justice, challenging the caste system in India.
- Temple entry: The movement’s success paved the way for the temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936, which granted lower caste individuals the right to enter temples.
- Fight against caste barriers: The Vaikom Satyagraha remains a symbol of the fight against caste barriers in India and the struggle for social justice.
- Challenges and Hurdles:
- The movement faced repressive action from the government and the administration, with many protesters and leaders arrested during the course of the protest.
- Orthodox Hindu traditionalists organized counter rallies marked by violence, aiming to suppress the movement and maintain the status quo.
- Outcome and Legacy:
- The movement spanned 603 days, witnessing many significant events.
- The Travancore princely state government eventually granted access to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple, signaling the end of the protest.
- The Vaikom Satyagraha continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice in India, serving as a reminder of the importance of challenging caste-based discrimination.
- Periyar E.V. Ramasamy played a significant role in leading the protest, earning him the title Vaikom Veerar (Hero of Vaikom).
- The movement was marked by day-to-day protests, arrests, inquiries, jail terms, and agitations.
- People from various communities participated in the movement, including the Akalis from Punjab, who traveled to Vaikom to supply food to the protesters.
Facts for prelims: Vaikom Satyagraha
| Aspect |
Details |
| Time Period |
March 30, 1924 – November 23, 1925 |
| Objective |
End caste-based discrimination; Allow backward communities access to roads around Vaikom Mahadeva temple |
| Key Leaders |
T.K. Madhavan, K.P. Kesava Menon, George Joseph, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, Mahatma Gandhi |
| Significance |
Paved the way for temple entry proclamation of Kerala in 1936; Symbol of fight against caste barriers |
| Challenges and Hurdles |
Repressive action from government and administration; Opposition from orthodox Hindu traditionalists |
| Outcome and Legacy |
Access granted to three of the four streets around the Vaikom temple; Inspired continued fight for equality |
| Commemoration |
Cultural events organized by the Kerala government; Observations in Tamil Nadu to recognize Tamil leaders’ role |
Conclusion
- Vaikom is not just a name of a town but a symbol of social justice and the eradication of caste barriers. It is a significant part of the history of the social justice movement in India and continues to inspire the fight for equality and justice.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: GPT and other such models, Go through the table
Mains level: AI generative models, advantages and concerns
Central Idea
- OpenAI’s GPT-4, the latest AI model, is creating shock waves around the world. It has incredible capabilities, but also raises ethical questions and concerns about its potential misuse.
Capabilities of GPT-4
- Enhanced abilities: GPT-4 is a considerable improvement over its predecessor, GPT-3.5, with enhanced conversational and creative abilities that allow it to understand and produce more meaningful and engaging content.
- Accept both text and image input: It can accept both text and image input simultaneously, which enables it to consider multiple inputs while generating responses, such as suggesting recipes based on an image of ingredients.
- Diverse potential: GPT-4’s impressive performance in various tests designed for humans, such as simulated bar examinations and advanced courses in multiple subjects, demonstrates its potential applications in diverse fields.
- Simple definition: ChatGPT is a chatbot built on a large-scale transformer-based language model that is trained on a diverse dataset of text and is capable of generating human-like responses to prompts.
- A human like language model: It is based on GPT-3.5, a language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text.
- It is more engaging with details: However, while the older GPT-3 model only took text prompts and tried to continue on that with its own generated text, ChatGPT is more engaging. It’s much better at generating detailed text and can even come up with poems.
- Keeps the memory of the conversations: Another unique characteristic is memory. The bot can remember earlier comments in a conversation and recount them to the user.
- Human- like resemblance: A conversation with ChatGPT is like talking to a computer, a smart one, which appears to have some semblance of human-like intelligence.
Facts for Prelims: Other AI models
| Model Name |
Developer |
Key Features/Description |
| BERT |
Google |
Transformer-based, bidirectional, excels in question-answering, sentiment analysis, and NER |
| XLNet |
Google/CMU |
Combines BERT and autoregressive language modeling, improved performance in NLP benchmarks |
| T5 |
Google |
Transformer-based, multi-task learning framework, strong performance across NLP tasks |
| RoBERTa |
Facebook AI |
Optimized version of BERT, improved training strategies, top performance on NLP benchmarks |
| Megatron |
NVIDIA |
Designed for large-scale training, used for training GPT-like models with billions of parameters |
| CLIP |
OpenAI |
Learns from text and image data, bridges NLP and computer vision, zero-shot image classification |
Limitations and Concerns of GPT-4
- Factual inaccuracies: GPT-4, like its predecessor, is prone to factual inaccuracies, known as hallucinations, which can result in the generation of misleading or incorrect information.
- Not transparent: OpenAI has not been transparent about GPT-4’s inner workings, including its architecture, hardware, and training methods, citing safety and competitive reasons, which prevents critical scrutiny of the model.
- Biased data: The model has been trained on biased data from the internet, containing harmful biases and stereotypes, which may lead to harmful outputs that perpetuate these biases.
Potential Misuse
- Undermining human skills and knowledge in education: GPT-4’s capabilities pose a threat to examination systems as students may use the AI-generated text to complete their essays and assignments, undermining the assessment of their skills and knowledge.
- Potential to be misused as a propaganda and disinformation engine: The powerful language model has the potential to be misused as a propaganda and disinformation engine, spreading false or misleading information that can have far-reaching consequences.
Ethical and Environmental Implications
- Ethical use: The development of large language models like GPT-4 raises concerns about the ethical implications of their use, especially with regard to biases and the potential for misuse.
- Energy consumption: The environmental costs associated with training these models, such as energy consumption and carbon emissions, contribute to the ongoing debate about the sustainability of AI development.
Conclusion
- GPT-4 offers incredible advancements in AI, but it also raises important questions about the ethical implications and potential misuse of such powerful technology. Society must carefully weigh the benefits and drawbacks of building models that test the limits of what is possible and prioritize the development of responsible AI systems.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: TPDS Schemes, SMART-PDS
Mains level: TPDS, Challenges and Initiatives
Central Idea
- India’s National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA) governs the largest beneficiary-centric program, the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), providing food security to 81.35 crore persons every month. The government is now implementing the Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS). This initiative generates vast amounts of data, which can be leveraged to improve the delivery of other central schemes and welfare programs.
Existing challenges for TPDS
- Leakage and diversion of food grains: One of the most pressing issues in the TPDS is the leakage and diversion of food grains meant for beneficiaries, leading to corruption and losses in the system. This problem is primarily due to poor monitoring, lack of transparency, and weak enforcement mechanisms.
- Inaccurate targeting of beneficiaries: The TPDS often suffers from errors in identifying eligible beneficiaries, resulting in the exclusion of deserving households and the inclusion of ineligible ones. This misidentification can be attributed to outdated data, lack of verification mechanisms, and manipulation of records.
- Inefficient supply chain management: TPDS faces logistical challenges in transporting, storing, and distributing food grains across the vast country. Inadequate storage facilities, poor transportation infrastructure, and delays in procurement and distribution contribute to wastage and inefficiencies in the system.
- Limited portability of benefits: Until recently, the TPDS lacked portability, which meant that beneficiaries could only access their food grains from designated Fair Price Shops (FPS) in their home states. This restriction made it difficult for migrant workers and their families to access their entitled benefits.
- Lack of transparency and accountability: Corruption, fraud, and manipulation of records are pervasive issues in the TPDS, partly due to the lack of transparency and accountability in the system. The absence of real-time monitoring and the reliance on manual record-keeping exacerbate these problems.
- Technological constraints: Many states and union territories in India face technological constraints in implementing IT-based solutions for TPDS operations. Limited access to IT hardware, software, and technical manpower can hinder the adoption of technology-driven reforms, such as electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices and biometric authentication systems
- SMART-PDS (Scheme for Modernisation and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System) is an initiative by the Indian government aimed at improving the efficiency, transparency, and accountability of the country’s Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
The key objectives of the SMART-PDS initiative
- Preventing leakage of food grains: By leveraging technology, SMART-PDS aims to reduce diversion and pilferage of food grains, ensuring that the intended beneficiaries receive their due share of food subsidies.
- Enhancing efficiency in the distribution chain: The initiative focuses on streamlining the supply chain from procurement to distribution by incorporating technology-driven solutions, such as electronic Point of Sale (ePoS) devices, real-time monitoring, and tracking systems.
- Data-driven decision-making: Data Analytics on the TPDS ecosystem generates critical information about beneficiaries, food security needs, and migration patterns, addressing the long-standing challenge of credible and dynamic data for efficient delivery of central welfare schemes to vulnerable sections of society.
- Convergence and integration with AI: The national leadership’s push for trans-ministerial convergence and AI integration can be a game-changer for both people and governments, bringing accountability across all programs.
- Technology-led PDS reforms: The Centre plans to use data analytics, BI platforms, and ICT tools to standardize PDS operations through technology integration with FCI, CWC, transport supply chain, Ministry of Education, Women and Child Development, and UIDAI. This is expected to overcome state-level technological limitations in PDS operations and institutionalize an integrated central system for all PDS-related operations across states/UTs.
- Aadhaar authentication and ePoS devices: With 100% digitization of ration cards and the installation of ePoS devices, nearly 93% of the total monthly allocated foodgrains are distributed through Aadhaar authentication mode.
Integrated Management of Public Distribution System (IM-PDS)
- The government has launched the IM-PDS to implement One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC), create a national-level data repository, and integrate data infrastructure/systems across ration card management, foodgrain supply chain, and FPS automation.
- The ONORC plan has recorded over 100 crore portability transactions since its inception in 2019.
SMART-PDS benefits beyond ration distribution
- The data generated by SMART-PDS has become a tool for central ministries and state governments, benefiting initiatives like e-Shram Portal, Ayushman Bharat, and PM-SVANidhi Yojana.
- The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoAFW) plans to use ONORC/ration card data to map beneficiaries, and seamless tracking of nutrition from ICDS centers to PM Poshan will become a reality with Aadhaar numbers for the newly born.
Conclusion
- The transformative potential of SMART-PDS goes beyond food security, enabling data-driven decision-making, convergence, and integration with AI for improved delivery of central schemes and welfare programs across India.
Mains Question
Q. Despite several efforts taken by the government the Targeted Public Distribution System still faces various challenges. In this backdrop discuss the new initiative of SMART-PDS and its key features
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: NA
Mains level: Public Policy Education and its significance and suggestions
Central Idea
- Government policies play a crucial role in determining the future of a country. They not only impact economic growth and public welfare but also improve the ease of living for citizens. Unfortunately, there is a lack of interest in public policy education in India, with only a small percentage of policymakers having formal education in public policy and administration.
Public policy education
- Public policy education refers to the study and teaching of the principles, theories, and methods involved in the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that address societal issues.
- This field of education aims to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to analyze, create, and manage public policies effectively.
How the government policies, economic growth, and public welfare are closely interconnected?
- Government policies: Governments create and implement policies to guide economic activities, maintain social order, and promote the welfare of their citizens. These policies cover a wide range of areas, such as fiscal and monetary policy, trade policy, education, healthcare, social security, and infrastructure development. The effectiveness of these policies can have a direct impact on economic growth and public welfare.
- Economic growth: Economic growth is the increase in a country’s output of goods and services over time, usually measured by the growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP). A growing economy typically leads to higher employment, increased income, and improved living standards for citizens. Government policies play a crucial role in stimulating or hindering economic growth by influencing factors such as investment, consumption, trade, and innovation.
- Public welfare: Public welfare refers to the overall well-being of a society, encompassing aspects such as income distribution, access to essential services, health, education, and environmental quality. Government policies can significantly impact public welfare by determining the allocation of resources, setting priorities, and providing social safety nets.
Paucity of Programs
- As per the All-India Council for Technical Education, there are 3,182 institutions with an approved intake of 4.22 lakh in business management programs, but only about 130 universities that offer public administration programs and only 29 institutes that offer public policy programs.
- The batch size of public policy courses is 20-60, and there are few jobs available for people pursuing such courses, which disincentivizes educational institutions and students from choosing public management courses.
Lack of Exposure to Public Management
- Most civil servants undergo departmental induction training programs that focus on the role they play in their department and not much on how to make good public policies.
- Consequently, very few civil servants have exposure to public management before joining service, which is critical for developing effective policies.
Suggestions to boost public policy education in India
- Public Management as a Compulsory Subject in UPSC:
- Public management should be a compulsory subject for the UPSC civil service examination, either as a substitute for one optional subject or an additional paper. This will incentivize universities and private institutions to offer public policy education, research, and case studies at the graduate or post-graduate level, leading to a major boost in public policy education.
- Additionally, civil servants who join government would have formal education in public management before they enter service, and even those who do not make it to government jobs would develop better understanding and sensitivity towards complexities involved in public management, making them better citizens and effective private sector managers.
- Larger Component of Public Policy in Induction Training: Existing training institutions of the government should have a larger component of public policy as part of their induction training. Moreover, a case study bank for training should also be established.
- Specialized Positions of Public Policy Analysts: The government can create certain specialized positions of public policy analysts to be picked up from the market directly, thereby creating new job avenues for the graduates of public policy programs.
Conclusion
- The lack of formal education in public management has led to governance lagging behind private sector management in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Public policy education is essential for developing effective policies that spur economic growth, public welfare, and improve ease of living for citizens.
Mains Question
Q. What is public policy education, and why is it important for policymakers in India to have formal education in public policy and administration? Suggest measures to boost public policy education in India.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Other digital initiatives
Mains level: India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Remarkable success and way ahead
Central Idea
- India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) is a unique marvel of our times that has brought together the government, regulators, private sector, volunteers, startups, and academia to create a superstructure that delivers consistent, affordable, and across-the-board value to citizens, government, and corporate sector alike.
What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)
- India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) refers to the collection of technological systems, platforms, and services that enable the Indian government, businesses, and citizens to interact digitally.
- The DPI is often referred to as the India Stack, which was built through a unique partnership between the government, regulators, the private sector, selfless volunteers, startups, and academia/think tanks.
- India Stack includes a number of building blocks such as Aadhaar (a biometric identification system), e-KYC (electronic know your customer), UPI (Unified Payments Interface), and DigiLocker (a cloud-based document storage system).
DPI in India
- India, first country to develop all three foundational DPIs: India through India Stack became the first country to develop all three foundational DPIs digital identity (Aadhar), real-time fast payment (UPI) and a platform to safely share personal data without compromising privacy (Account Aggregator built on the Data Empowerment Protection Architecture or DEPA)
- Techno-legal regulatory frameworks in India: Techno-legal regulatory frameworks are used to achieve policy objectives through public-technology design.
- For example: India’s DEPA offers technological tools for people to invoke the rights made available to them under applicable privacy laws. Framed differently, this techno-legal governance regime embeds data protection principles into a public-technology stack.
- DPI most feasible model: DPI has emerged as the most feasible model due to its low cost, interoperability and scalable design, and because of its safeguards against monopolies and digital colonisation.
Aadhaar and the private sector
- Rebirth of Aadhaar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision enabled Aadhaar to become the rocket ship for launching good governance in India. Currently, over 1,700 Union and State government schemes use Aadhaar.
- Aadhaar and the private sector: After the Supreme Court’s affirmation of privacy rights, Aadhaar is gradually being opened to the private sector. Aadhaar holders can voluntarily use their Aadhaar for private sector purposes, and regulated entities can store Aadhaar numbers using secure vaults. These changes are leading to the next leapfrogging of India Stack.
- Three changes: The next leapfrogging of the India Stack, with a dynamic political executive and inspired volunteers, will happen with three changes, voluntary usage of Aadhaar for private sector purposes, sharing of Aadhaar data between government departments, and the creation of a new private sector-friendly UIDAI.
DigiYatra and DigiLocker
- India Stack’s greenfield market innovation potential can unlock various services such as DigiYatra, which offers a free biometric-enabled seamless travel experience through facial recognition systems, and DigiLocker, which has 150 million users and six billion stored documents.
- Plans are afoot to expand DigiLocker to many countries around the world.
Facts for prelims
| Initiative |
Description |
Launched by |
| DigiLocker |
Cloud-based document storage platform for citizens |
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| DigiYatra |
Digital travel experience initiative for air travellers |
Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| DigiSeva |
Digital service delivery platform for government services |
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| DigiGaon |
Digital village initiative to provide digital infrastructure |
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| DigiShala |
Digital classroom initiative to promote digital education |
Ministry of Human Resource Development |
| DigiPay |
Digital payments platform for government services |
National Payments Corporation of India |
| DigiSaksham |
Digital literacy initiative to empower citizens |
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| DigiDhan |
Digital payments and financial inclusion initiative |
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology |
| DigiSangrah |
Digital repository of cultural resources for citizens |
Ministry of Culture |
| DigiMuseums |
Digital initiative to showcase Indian museums online |
Ministry of Culture |
- The unified payment interface UPI which is breaking records under the visionary leadership at the National Payments Corporation of India
- UPI has now crossed eight billion transactions per month and transacts a value of $180 billion a month, or about a staggering 65% of India’s GDP per annum.
Conclusion
- India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can be seen as India’s second war for independence, this time for economic freedom from the daily struggles of transactions and bureaucracy. DPI has emerged as the new backbone of India’s economy, propelling it towards the goal of achieving a $25 trillion economy by the 100th year of India’s political independence. With the convergence of ChatGPT and India Stack, we can only imagine the tremendous progress and innovations that could spark a new era of economic growth and development, much like the Cambrian explosion in evolutionary history.
Mains question
Q. What is India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI)? Explain the building blocks of the India Stack and their significance.
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