1. Ladakh Protests: Demand for Statehood and Sixth Schedule Inclusion
Syllabus
- GS-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances. Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of the vulnerable sections (Tribal/ST).
Context
- Intensified protests and unfortunate violence recently flared up in Leh, Ladakh, highlighting the prolonged agitation led by the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA).
- The primary demands are: Statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
- The unrest stems from concerns over the loss of democratic rights, fear of land alienation, and economic anxieties (unemployment) since Ladakh was made a Union Territory (UT) without a legislature in October 2019.
A. Constitutional and Political Dimension
- Legislative Deficit: The current UT status under a Lieutenant Governor (LG) means a lack of an elected legislative assembly, leading to policy-making being centralized and local voices being bypassed.
- Article 244(2) and Sixth Schedule: The demand is for the Sixth Schedule, which grants significant administrative, legislative, and judicial autonomy to Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) to protect tribal rights over land, forest, and resources.
- Statehood Demand: A separate state with its own legislature would empower locals to formulate laws suited to Ladakh’s unique ecological and social needs, ensuring democratic accountability.
- Federalism Strain: The protest challenges the Centre’s handling of UTs, raising questions about the balance of administrative control versus local self-governance in strategically sensitive areas.
B. Socio-Economic Dimension
- Tribal Identity Protection (97% ST Population): The tribal identity (Bhoti, Purgi, Balti communities) is perceived to be at risk of dilution from unrestricted migration and land-buying by non-locals, which inclusion in the Sixth Schedule would prevent.
- Economic Anxiety and Unemployment: Ladakh has a high graduate unemployment rate (estimated at over 26%). Protesters demand a separate Public Service Commission (PSC) and exclusive reservation for locals (95%) in government jobs and education to address joblessness.
- Resource Control: Locals want control over the exploitation of natural resources (like land and minerals) and management of the environment, fearing unchecked infrastructure development under the current UT administration.
C. Environmental and Security Dimension
- Fragile Ecology: Ladakh is a cold, high-altitude desert susceptible to climate change and environmental degradation. ADCs under the Sixth Schedule would enable local bodies to enact laws for effective water, forest, and land conservation.
- Border Region Sensitivity: Being a critical border area with China and Pakistan, prolonged internal unrest poses a significant challenge to internal stability and could affect military logistics and security preparedness.
- Local Cooperation: Proponents argue that an empowered and satisfied local population is the best guarantor of border security, fostering trust and cooperation with the defense forces.
Facts or Relevant Government Schemes
- Constitutional Basis: UTs without legislature (like Ladakh) are governed under Article 239 and the President can make regulations for their peace and good governance under Article 240.
- Sixth Schedule: Currently applicable to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram (AMTM) only.
- Government Measures (Response): Centre formed a High-Powered Committee (HPC) for dialogue. ST reservation for locals in LAHDC (Leh and Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Councils) has been significantly increased.
| Aspect | Positives of Sixth Schedule/Statehood | Negatives/Challenges |
| Governance | Ensures self-governance and democratic participation for tribal communities. | Security Risk: Complicates seamless deployment and infrastructure development for defense forces in a border area. |
| Socio-Cultural | Provides constitutional firewall to protect indigenous land, culture, and demographic structure. | Administrative Complexity: Potential for friction between ADCs/State Government and the Central security apparatus. |
| Economic | Promotes resource management aligned with local needs and secures local jobs. | Fiscal Challenge: Statehood requires significant fiscal transfers and capacity building in a resource-scarce region. |
Way Forward
- Phased Autonomy: Instead of immediate statehood, the Centre should grant enhanced financial and legislative powers to the existing LAHDCs (on the lines of the Sixth Schedule) but keep critical areas like defense and external affairs under Central purview.
- Fast-track Employment: Immediately establish a separate Ladakh Public Service Commission (LPSC) and expedite recruitment for vacant posts to address youth alienation.
- Dialogue and Trust-Building: The High-Powered Committee must engage in time-bound, transparent negotiations with LAB and KDA, focusing on legally enforceable guarantees rather than mere administrative assurances.
- Ecological Governance: Transfer authority over environment-sensitive sectors like tourism and local land use to the LAHDCs.
Conclusion
The Ladakh crisis is a litmus test for India’s commitment to protecting the rights of its tribal population within a federal structure, particularly in a sensitive border zone. A balanced, constitutional solution that addresses the democratic deficit and protects the region’s unique ethno-ecology is crucial for securing the long-term peace and integrated development of the region.
Practice Mains Questions
- “The demands for statehood and Sixth Schedule status in Ladakh reflect a confluence of socio-cultural anxiety, economic frustration, and a democratic deficit.” Analyze the multi-dimensional challenges posed by this agitation and suggest a viable constitutional framework. (250 words)
2. Revitalization of India’s Shipbuilding Sector: The 4-Pillar Approach
Syllabus
- GS-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Infrastructure: Ports, Roads, etc. Science and Technology (Indigenization).
Context
- The Union Cabinet recently approved a comprehensive ₹69,725 crore package aimed at revitalizing India’s shipbuilding and maritime sector over the next decade.
- The package is anchored on a ‘4-Pillar Approach’ encompassing finance, capacity building, technology, and reforms.
- The move is designed to boost ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in the maritime sector, secure the nation’s supply chains, and position India as a global shipbuilding and repair hub.
A. Economic and Industrial Dimension
- Market Share Gap: India currently holds less than 1% of the global shipbuilding market, despite having a 7,500+ km coastline. The package aims to expand domestic shipbuilding capacity to 4.5 million Gross Tonnage (GT).
- Job Creation: The mission is expected to create an estimated 30 lakh jobs (direct and indirect) and attract significant private investment (estimated at ₹4.5 lakh crore).
- Backward Linkages: The sector supports multiple ancillary industries (steel, electronics, engineering) thus fostering broader industrial growth.
- Fiscal Incentives: The policy provides long-term financial assistance, addressing the primary hurdle of high interest rates and the long gestation period of shipyard projects.
B. Strategic and Security Dimension
- Maritime Security: A strong domestic shipbuilding base is essential for the Indian Navy and Coast Guard to maintain strategic deterrence and secure Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs).
- Energy and Food Security: A resilient shipping fleet ensures the timely import of critical energy supplies (oil/gas) and the export/import of food grains, safeguarding national interests against geopolitical disruptions.
- Indigenization and Technology: The push for domestic manufacturing will reduce reliance on foreign shipyards, advancing indigenization efforts, especially for complex naval vessels.
C. Financial and Policy Dimension
- Long-term Financing (Pillar 2 – Maritime Development Fund – MDF): A corpus of ₹25,000 crore for long-term project financing through a Maritime Investment Fund and Interest Incentivization Fund, mitigating high debt costs for shipyards.
- Direct Incentive (Pillar 1 – SBFAS Extension): Extension of the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) till 2036 with a ₹24,736 crore corpus, incentivizing the construction of specified vessels in Indian yards.
- Focus on Ship Repair/Recycling: Inclusion of Shipbreaking Credit Note (₹4,001 crore) aims to leverage the global ship recycling market and promote sustainable practices.
D. Technology and Skill Dimension
- Skill Development (Pillar 3 – SbDS): Establishment of the India Ship Technology Centre to foster R&D, innovation, and indigenous design capabilities.
- Mega Clusters: Support for the establishment of mega clusters/shipbuilding parks along the coast to achieve economies of scale and promote the concentration of ancillary industries.
- Ease of Doing Business: Focus on legal and policy reforms (Pillar 4 – National Shipbuilding Mission) to streamline clearances, reduce taxation burdens, and improve the overall business environment.
Facts or Relevant Government Schemes
- Mission Goal: Position India among the top 10 global shipbuilding nations by 2030 and a global maritime hub by 2047.
- 4-Pillars:
- Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS)
- Maritime Development Fund (MDF)
- Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS)
- National Shipbuilding Mission & Reforms
- Related Initiatives: Sagarmala Programme (for port modernization), Maritime India Vision 2030.
| Aspect | Positives (Potential Benefits) | Negatives/Challenges |
| Global Competitiveness | Addresses high domestic financing costs, making Indian yards price-competitive with global rivals (China, Korea). | Subsidy War: Incentives must be compliant with WTO regulations and not lead to an unfair global ‘subsidy war’. |
| ‘Make in India’ | Boosts the local ecosystem, creates a reliable domestic source for defense, and promotes R&D. | Technology Lag: Indian shipyards lag in high-end design/technology (e.g., LNG carriers, specialized vessels); requires massive tech transfer/R&D. |
| Sustainability | Focus on green technology and the Shipbreaking Credit Note promotes environmental compliance. | Slow Execution: Infrastructure and skill development projects often face delays, hindering the timely realization of targets. |
Way Forward
- Time-Bound Implementation: Establish a monitoring framework under the National Shipbuilding Mission to ensure the timely deployment of funds and execution of cluster development.
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): Actively promote FDI and technology transfer from global leaders (South Korea, Japan, Germany) to bridge the technological gap in specialized vessel construction.
- Skill Development Focus: Launch specialized training programs (ITI/Polytechnic level) for core shipbuilding skills (welding, design, fabrication) aligned with industry needs.
- Streamlined Procurement: Ensure that all government and PSU agencies prioritize procuring ships from domestic yards to provide a predictable order book and strengthen the ‘buy Indian’ policy.
Conclusion
The ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding Revitalization Package is a transformative step towards unlocking India’s ‘Blue Economy’ potential. By addressing the critical barriers of financing and technology, the policy aims to turn India’s extensive coastline from a geographical feature into a major economic and strategic asset, accelerating the journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Practice Mains Questions
- “A comprehensive maritime sector development is key to India’s strategic and economic aspirations.” Discuss the significance of the recently approved Shipbuilding Revitalization Package and analyze its potential to create a ‘Blue Economy’ ecosystem in India. (250 words)
3. India’s Muted Voice on the Israel-Palestine Conflict: A Question of Strategic Autonomy vs. Ethical Legacy
| Parameter | Details |
| Syllabus | GS-2: International Relations: India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. |
| Context | The article critically analyzes India’s perceived silence or highly cautious stance on the ongoing, severe humanitarian crisis in the Israel-Palestine conflict, specifically in the context of mass civilian casualties. The core argument is that this ‘muted voice’ represents a departure from India’s traditional foreign policy of ethical clarity and moral leadership, challenging its claim to be a leading voice of the Global South. |
1. Historical and Ethical Dimension (India’s Legacy)
Historically, India has been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause, viewing it through the lens of its own anti-colonial struggle. Leaders like Nehru firmly advocated for self-determination. This support was rooted in India’s foundational foreign policy principle of non-alignment and the fight against imperialism. The current silence is seen as a betrayal of this moral legacy, where a commitment to human rights and opposing mass violence is sacrificed for realpolitik. The Palestinian struggle for sovereignty is often analogized to India’s own fight against colonial dispossession, making the moral imperative for support even stronger. India’s past principled stands against apartheid, colonialism, and genocide are now contrasted with its present, highly reserved position.
2. Geopolitical and Strategic Dimension (Realpolitik)
The shift to a muted voice reflects the prioritization of contemporary strategic calculations.
- Relationship with Israel: India’s relations with Israel have become a crucial pillar of its foreign policy, spanning defence technology, intelligence cooperation, agriculture, and water management. Taking a strong stance against Israel could jeopardize these vital partnerships, particularly in the defence sector where India relies heavily on Israeli imports.
- Relationship with the US and Western World: A vocal condemnation of Israel could strain ties with the United States, a key strategic partner in countering China’s growing influence. India’s aspirations for a permanent UNSC seat and its participation in groupings like the Quad necessitate a careful balancing act with Western powers.
- Relationship with Gulf States: Paradoxically, while supporting Palestine would please Gulf countries (key energy and trade partners), New Delhi has successfully compartmentalized its relationships, suggesting that the benefits of strategic neutrality outweigh the risks of taking a definitive side. The focus is on securing economic and energy interests.
3. Economic and Diaspora Dimension
India’s economic interests, particularly the large Indian diaspora in the Gulf region, mandate a non-antagonistic foreign policy towards major regional players. Any instability that threatens the safety or employment of the nearly 8 million Indians in the Gulf could have severe economic and social repercussions. Furthermore, the burgeoning India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC), involving strategic partners, demands regional stability and a neutral posture.
4. International Law and Humanitarian Dimension
The article argues that even while pursuing strategic interests, India has a duty under international norms to uphold humanitarian principles. The scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, marked by infrastructure destruction, famine, and civilian deaths, demands a clear and firm voice. By remaining silent, India risks being perceived as complicit or failing its responsibility as a rising global power and a historical leader of the Global South. A robust position on humanitarian aid and upholding International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is essential.
Facts or Relevant Government Schemes
- Historical Context: India was the first non-Arab state to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in 1974.
- Policy Stance: India maintains a policy of ‘De-hyphenation’, maintaining independent, good relations with both Israel and Palestine, advocating for a Two-State Solution.
- Humanitarian Aid: India regularly contributes to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
- Global South/Multilateral Forums: India often uses forums like the G20 and SCO to call for multilateral solutions, but its specific stance on Palestine has been carefully worded to avoid direct conflict.
Positives and Negatives
| Aspect | Positives of Muted Voice | Negatives of Muted Voice |
| Strategic | Preserves crucial defence and tech ties with Israel and maintains goodwill with the US. Avoids entanglement in a volatile regional conflict. | Loss of moral authority and reputation as a champion of the Global South. Undermines its image as a ‘Vishwaguru’ (World Teacher). |
| Economic | Protects the stability of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf and shields multi-billion dollar economic and energy interests. | Betrayal of a historical legacy, potentially alienating developing nations that look to India for moral leadership. |
| Diplomatic | Allows India to function as a potential mediator in the future, as it has not burned bridges with either side. | Perceived as opportunistic and prioritizing short-term gains over long-term ethical commitments, especially in UN bodies. |
Way Forward
- Reassert Ethical Continuity: India must find a way to unequivocally condemn the violation of international humanitarian law and the indiscriminate killing of civilians without sacrificing its strategic interests. This requires a “principled strategic autonomy.”
- Lead Humanitarian Efforts: India should leverage its strong position to become a leading provider of humanitarian aid to Gaza, using its diplomatic channels to ensure its safe delivery.
- Active Diplomacy for Two-State Solution: Move beyond verbal support to actively engage in diplomatic initiatives within multilateral forums (like the UN) to push for a viable, time-bound framework for the Two-State Solution.
- Engage the Global South: Actively coordinate with other key countries of the Global South, like Brazil and South Africa, to present a unified, human-centric voice that calls for an immediate cessation of violence and adherence to international law.
- Focus on De-escalation: Use its influence in international groupings to promote de-escalation and a long-term peaceful resolution, ensuring its foreign policy is both principled and pragmatic.
Conclusion
India’s current detachment from the Palestine issue, while strategically understandable in the short term due to its defence and economic compulsions, represents a significant diplomatic cost. The silence jeopardizes its historical role as a moral leader and its credibility as a voice for the Global South. For India to truly establish itself as a responsible great power, its foreign policy must be anchored in a blend of strategic calculation and ethical clarity, re-affirming its foundational commitment to justice, humanity, and international law.
Practice Mains Question
Q. “India’s foreign policy on the Israel-Palestine conflict is an exercise in ‘principled strategic autonomy’ that risks sacrificing its moral legacy for geopolitical expediency.” Critically analyze the statement in the context of recent developments and suggest a framework for India to re-assert its ethical continuity. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
4. Just a Pinch Can Reduce an Indian’s Salt Overload: Tackling the Hidden Public Health Crisis
| Parameter | Details |
| Syllabus | GS-2: Governance, Health: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. |
| Context | The article highlights the critical, yet often neglected, public health issue of excessive salt consumption in India. The average Indian consumes nearly double the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limit of 5 grams per day, making it a key driver of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly hypertension and cardiovascular disease, which are now the leading causes of death in the country. |
1. Public Health and Disease Burden Dimension
Excess salt (sodium chloride) intake is directly correlated with high blood pressure (hypertension), which is a major risk factor for strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease. The article points out that hypertension is a rapidly growing epidemic in India, affecting even the young.
- Burden: High sodium intake is responsible for a significant proportion of premature mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). The financial burden on the public healthcare system due to treating salt-induced NCDs is enormous, far outweighing the cost of preventive measures.
- WHO Recommendation: The WHO recommends a maximum daily intake of 5g of salt (equivalent to 2g of sodium). India’s average intake is currently estimated to be close to 10g or more.
2. Food Industry and Regulatory Dimension
A significant portion of salt intake comes not just from household cooking but from High in Fat, Sugar, and Salt (HFSS) or ultra-processed foods.
- Processed Foods: Packaged snacks, instant noodles, sauces, and ready-to-eat meals contain hidden, high levels of sodium for taste and preservation.
- Regulatory Gap: Unlike some Western and Latin American countries, India lacks comprehensive, mandatory regulations on setting salt ceilings in different categories of processed foods. The voluntary nature of existing guidelines has proven largely ineffective.
- Marketing: Aggressive and often misleading marketing of salty snacks to children exacerbates the problem, creating lifelong unhealthy dietary habits.
3. Socio-Cultural and Behavioral Dimension
Salt is a deeply ingrained component of Indian cuisine and dietary habits. Changing this requires massive behavioral intervention.
- Cultural Habits: The habit of adding extra salt to cooked food, using salt shakers, and the popularity of salty street foods are cultural challenges.
- Misconceptions: Many people are unaware of the link between high salt intake and hypertension, often operating under the misconception that ‘more salt equals more energy’ or simply better taste.
- Community Interventions: The role of homemakers, local cooks, and community leaders is crucial. Practical, low-cost interventions at the family level, such as auditing HFSS purchases and removing salt shakers, can have a major impact.
4. Policy and Government Programme Dimension
Government-run nutrition and food security programs inadvertently contribute to the problem if salt usage is unregulated.
- Public Food Programs: Schemes like the Mid-Day Meal Scheme (PM-POSHAN), meals provided at Anganwadi Centres (under ICDS), and hospital food need to incorporate strict salt regulation, train cooks on healthier recipes, and implement procurement standards for low-sodium ingredients.
- Expanding Nutritional Boards: The current boards for sugar and oil could be expanded into a unified HFSS Board to collectively regulate and monitor foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, placing salt reduction as a central objective.
Facts or Relevant Government Schemes
- WHO ‘Best Buy’: Salt reduction is identified by WHO as a ‘Best Buy’ public health intervention, yielding an estimated $12 return for every $1 invested.
- FSSAI’s Role: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published draft regulations for Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL), which includes thresholds for salt/sodium content. The implementation of mandatory, visible warning labels (like Chile’s black octagons) for high-salt foods is a key pending reform.
- Ayushman Bharat: The scheme focuses on comprehensive primary healthcare through Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs), which are crucial platforms for screening, early diagnosis, and counselling on hypertension and dietary habits.
- Fit India Movement: Can be used as a platform to promote healthy eating, including reduced salt intake.
Positives and Negatives
| Aspect | Positives of Salt Reduction | Negatives/Challenges in Implementation |
| Health Impact | Significant reduction in the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) like hypertension, stroke, and heart attacks, leading to increased productivity. | Industry Lobbying: Food manufacturers resist mandatory salt ceilings and warning labels, citing taste and cost concerns. |
| Economic | Massive savings on public healthcare expenditure by shifting from curative care to preventive health. Lower premature mortality. | Cultural Resistance: Deeply embedded regional and cultural preferences for salty tastes; difficulty in enforcing behavioral change at the household level. |
| Policy | Strengthens India’s commitment to achieving SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and aligns with WHO global targets for NCD reduction. | Enforcement and Monitoring: Challenging to monitor and enforce salt content across the vast, largely unorganized food sector (street vendors, local eateries). |
Way Forward
- Mandatory Front-of-Pack Labelling (FoPL): Immediately implement mandatory, simple, and easy-to-understand warning labels (e.g., high-salt warnings) on all packaged foods, as pioneered by countries like Chile.
- Regulatory Salt Ceilings: Implement mandatory, time-bound targets for the food industry to gradually reformulate products to reduce sodium content across various categories (e.g., 10% reduction over 3 years).
- Public Awareness Campaigns: Launch targeted, high-visibility behavioral change campaigns (like the ‘Eat Right’ campaign) emphasizing the hidden dangers of high salt and promoting alternatives like herbs and spices.
- Reform Public Food Programmes: Mandatorily introduce salt regulations in all government-run food programs (Mid-Day Meals, Anganwadi meals) to instill healthy eating habits from childhood.
- Community-Level Innovation: Empower local health workers (ASHAs, ANMs) to champion low-salt diets and monitor household consumption patterns, making it a community movement.
Conclusion
The excessive salt intake in India is a silent, yet major, public health crisis threatening the nation’s human capital. Addressing this requires a multi-sectoral and multi-pronged approach that moves beyond simple awareness to mandatory regulation of the food industry, reform of public food programs, and sustained behavioral change. By prioritizing salt reduction as a ‘Best Buy’ intervention, India can significantly lighten its NCD burden and truly safeguard the health of its populace, ensuring a healthier and more productive demographic dividend.
Practice Mains Question
Q. Highlighting the dual challenge of high salt consumption in both processed and traditional foods, discuss the multi-pronged regulatory and behavioral interventions necessary to curb the ‘hidden salt crisis’ in India. (10 Marks, 150 Words)
5.AI’s Growing Environmental Footprint: The Energy-Water Paradox
Syllabus
GS-3: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Context
The rapid global expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), particularly Generative AI (GenAI) models like ChatGPT and Gemini, is driving a surge in the energy and water consumption of hyperscale data centers. This growing, yet largely opaque, environmental footprint threatens to derail global and national climate goals by significantly increasing electricity demand and putting pressure on local water resources.
1. The Energy Consumption Challenge
- Training vs. Inference: While training large models (LLMs) consumes immense energy (e.g., training GPT-3 consumed over 1,200 MWh), the primary long-term issue is Inference—the energy used to process real-time user queries. This inference energy is projected to account for up to 60% of AI’s total power draw by 2030 as user adoption accelerates.
- Grid Strain: The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that global data center energy use could more than double to nearly 1,000 TWh by 2030. In regions with power bottlenecks, utilities have reportedly resorted to restarting retired coal plants to meet this sudden load, directly undermining local climate commitments.
2. The Water Footprint
- Cooling Requirement: Data centers rely heavily on massive amounts of fresh water for cooling their servers to maintain optimal temperature and efficiency. This process is known as evaporative cooling.
- Staggering Consumption: Estimates suggest that a single AI query (e.g., a short text response) can indirectly consume up to half a litre of fresh water through data center cooling. This dependence is critical, especially since many data centers are located in areas already facing water stress (e.g., parts of the US and India).
3. Lack of Transparency and Reporting
- Opaque Metrics: Companies often use outdated efficiency metrics like Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which only provides a coarse snapshot. Crucially, they often mask their carbon footprint by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), allowing them to claim ‘carbon neutrality’ even when their local power consumption comes from the grid’s fossil-fuel mix.
- E-Waste: The rapid obsolescence of specialized AI hardware (GPUs/TPUs) contributes to a growing problem of e-waste, much of which ends up in landfills, leading to soil and water contamination.
Facts or Relevant Government Schemes
- IEA Projection: Data center energy use could double to 945 TWh by 2030 (as per recent IEA forecasts).
- Indian Context: India’s push for digital public infrastructure and AI adoption (e.g., IndiaAI Mission) must integrate with the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and the Energy Conservation Act.
- International Efforts: Recent US Executive Orders have started pushing for mandated reporting requirements for AI data centers covering their entire lifecycle, from embodied carbon to operational water use.
Positives and Negatives
| Aspect | Positives (AI for Sustainability) | Negatives (AI’s Footprint) |
| Climate Action | AI can optimize smart grids, improve weather forecasting, and accelerate material science research (e.g., for batteries). | Massive energy demand (Inference) risks increasing reliance on fossil fuels, sabotaging net-zero goals. |
| Efficiency | AI can be used to optimize the cooling and operational efficiency of the data centers themselves. | Water consumption for cooling strains local water tables, impacting human and agricultural needs in stressed regions. |
| Economics | Drives productivity gains and technological advancement. | The high capital cost and resource demand creates a severe resource inequality gap between AI developers. |
Way Forward
- Mandatory Transparency: Governments should mandate granular and auditable reporting of energy sources, water usage (by source and purpose), and operational carbon emissions (using market-based and location-based accounting) for all hyperscale data centers.
- Sustainable Hardware and Location: Incentivize the development of more energy-efficient chips and cooling technologies (e.g., liquid immersion cooling). Future data centers should be located near 24×7 clean energy sources (like nuclear or hydropower) or in regions with abundant water.
- Policy Alignment: The IndiaAI Mission must include a mandatory Sustainability Protocol that aligns AI deployment targets with India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Conclusion
The exponential growth of AI presents a profound moral and environmental trade-off. While it holds the potential to be a powerful tool in combating the climate crisis, its own unchecked consumption of energy and water is turning it into a significant environmental threat. A successful and ethical AI future requires a global policy framework that prioritizes efficiency, radical transparency, and mandatory reliance on clean energy over sheer computational power, ensuring that technological progress does not come at the cost of planetary health.
Practice Mains Question
Q. The expansion of Generative AI has exposed a paradox where the technology offering solutions to climate change is itself becoming a significant environmental threat. Discuss the environmental footprint of AI and recommend policy interventions to make AI development sustainable in India. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
