Dec 04 – PM IAS – UPSC Current Affairs – Plover Minds Institute LLP

India-Russia 23rd Annual Summit: Navigating Sanctions and Deepening Ties

Syllabus

GS-2: International Relations: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interest¹s.

Context

Russian President Vladimir Putin visited New Delhi for the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit on December 4, 2025. This visit, his first since the start of the Ukraine conflict, underscored the enduring nature of the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’.
The summit focused on resilience in the face of complex geopolitical pressures and a shared commitment to a multipolar world order. Discussions centred on diversifying the relationship beyond the traditional pillars of defence and nuclear energy into new domains like energy, trade, and logistics, while also addressing the significant challenge of establishing a stable, non-dollar payment mechanism.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Geopolitical and Strategic Dimensions

Strategic Autonomy: For India, the summit was crucial for affirming its policy of strategic autonomy. Sustaining the relationship with Russia, a primary source of India’s defence equipment, ensures that India is not solely dependent on Western powers for security, a necessity given the regional security environment.
Multipolarity: Both nations share a vision of a global order where power is dispersed, advocating for the reform of global governance institutions, particularly the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), with Russia consistently backing India’s bid for permanent membership.
Balancing the West: India uses its strong ties with Russia to balance its growing strategic alignment with the US and the QUAD. The successful conduct of the summit, despite Western disapproval of Russia, sends a strong signal about India’s independent foreign policy choices.
Evolving Defence Partnership: The relationship is shifting from a simple buyer-seller model to one of co-development and co-production (e.g., BrahMos, AK-203 rifles). Future cooperation involves maintenance, spares, and transfer of next-generation defence technology, ensuring long-term operational readiness of Russian-origin platforms.

Economic and Financial Dimensions

The Trade Imbalance Challenge: Bilateral trade soared to record highs (around $68.7 billion in FY 2024–25), primarily driven by discounted Russian crude oil imports. This has created a massive trade deficit heavily favoring Russia, leading to an accumulation of large Indian Rupee (INR) balances in Russian banks that cannot be fully utilised for payments to Russia.
De-dollarization Efforts: Both nations reaffirmed their commitment to increasing the use of national currencies (Rupee-Rouble) for trade settlements. However, the lack of full rupee convertibility and Russia’s limited global avenues for spending the accumulated rupees remain the primary obstacle to a sustainable payment mechanism.
Energy Security: The assured, long-term supply of discounted Russian crude and resources like coking coal and LNG is crucial for India’s energy security and managing inflationary pressures, significantly benefiting the Indian economy.

New Avenues of Cooperation (Beyond Defence)

Arctic and Far East: Cooperation is intensifying in the Russian Far East and the Arctic, particularly for resource exploration (hydrocarbons, rare minerals) and leveraging the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for international trade, which offers significant transit time savings.
Connectivity: INSTC: Both leaders stressed the urgency of fast-tracking the development and operationalisation of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multi-modal network aimed at linking India with Russia and Eurasia via Iran, which circumvents traditional, often Western-controlled, maritime routes.
People-to-People Ties: New agreements were signed on the mobility of the Indian workforce (skilled workers) and curbing illegal immigration, demonstrating a shift towards fostering human capital and facilitating easier travel and work permits for professionals.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	Vision SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region): Russia’s cooperation in the Arctic and IOR indirectly supports this. Make in India in Defence: Russia is a key partner in this, with joint production of missiles and rifles. Rupee-Rouble Trade Mechanism: Government effort to create a stable, non-dollar payment system.
Positives of the Partnership	Strategic Depth: Ensures uninterrupted supply of defence spares and high-tech platforms (S-400). Energy Affordability: Secures discounted crude oil supplies, aiding economic stability. Global Influence: Strengthens India’s voice in multilateral forums (BRICS, SCO, UNSC).
Negatives/Challenges	Trade Imbalance: The current deficit is unsustainable without a stable payment mechanism. Secondary Sanctions Risk: Indian entities dealing with Russia face the constant threat of US secondary sanctions (CAATSA). Over-dependence: Despite diversification efforts, a high degree of reliance on Russian military hardware persists.

Examples

Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant: Russia is the only foreign partner actively building nuclear power reactors in India, demonstrating deep civilian nuclear cooperation.
Labour Mobility Pact: The newly signed pact to ease the movement of Indian professionals to Russia is a concrete example of diversifying the relationship into the human resource domain.
BrahMos Missile: The successful joint venture is a model of advanced co-development, with the latest discussions focusing on new variants and exports to third countries.

Way Forward

Permanent Payment Mechanism: India must work with Russia to formalise a sustainable, long-term payment system, possibly leveraging a third currency (like the UAE Dirham) or exploring mechanisms like trade settlement bonds to recycle the accumulated Rupee reserves.
Prioritize INSTC Funding and Infrastructure: Dedicate high-level inter-ministerial focus and capital investment to complete the physical infrastructure components of the INSTC, especially in the Iranian leg, to unlock its full potential.
Reciprocal Market Access: Russia needs to facilitate easier market access for Indian goods (pharmaceuticals, agriculture, textiles) to help balance the trade deficit and increase the domestic usability of the Rupee in Russia.
Focus on New Technology: Intensify cooperation in cutting-edge, non-sanctioned technologies like cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and civilian space applications to future-proof the partnership.

Conclusion

The 23rd India-Russia Summit reaffirmed the partnership’s time-tested strategic foundations, yet highlighted the urgency of its evolution. For the relationship to thrive amidst global flux, it must successfully navigate the financial labyrinth created by sanctions and transition from a focus on defence supply to robust, diversified, and sustainable economic and connectivity cooperation, reinforcing India’s role as a major pole in the emerging multipolar world.

Mains Practice Questions

“The India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership is being tested by geopolitical headwinds, demanding diversification beyond the defence sector.” Critically analyse the outcomes of the 23rd Annual Summit in this context, focusing on the challenges of trade and payment mechanisms. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
How significant is the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) in ensuring the long-term economic and strategic resilience of the India-Russia relationship? (10 Marks, 150 Words)

2. Widening Trade Deficit and Rupee Volatility (INR Breaches 90/USD)

Syllabus

GS-3: Indian Economy: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Foreign exchange rate.

Context

On December 4, 2025, the Indian Rupee (INR) breached the psychological mark of 90 to the US Dollar (USD), a significant event signaling increased pressure on the currency and the Indian economy.
This depreciation was primarily linked to the widening merchandise trade deficit, driven by cooling global demand for Indian exports and strong domestic demand for imports, exacerbated by a spike in gold imports.
The situation required immediate analysis of the underlying structural economic issues and the strategy of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in managing exchange rate volatility.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic and Fiscal Dimensions

The Widening Trade Gap: The merchandise trade deficit widened significantly (e.g., to over $30 billion in recent months) due to two major factors: Weak Export Competitiveness (softening demand in key markets like the US and EU, higher US tariffs, and slowing global growth) and High Import Demand (driven by strong domestic consumption, capital goods imports for infrastructure, and high gold imports).
Current Account Deficit (CAD) Pressure: The widening trade deficit exerts severe pressure on the Current Account Deficit (CAD), despite robust earnings from services exports and remittances. A high CAD requires increased foreign capital inflow to maintain balance, making the economy vulnerable to global capital flight.
Inflationary Impact: A weakening rupee makes imports, especially crude oil (India imports over 85% of its crude), more expensive in rupee terms. This directly feeds into higher domestic prices for fuel and essential goods, increasing imported inflation and undermining the RBI’s efforts to maintain price stability.

Financial and Capital Account Dimensions

Foreign Portfolio Investor (FPI) Outflows: Despite strong domestic macro indicators (robust GDP growth, moderate inflation), FPIs have been net sellers in the Indian equity and debt markets. This withdrawal is often driven by the attractiveness of higher interest rates in developed economies (like the US) and heightened global risk aversion, directly reducing the dollar supply and weakening the rupee.
Behavioral Factors: The market sentiment often drives currency trading. Importers rush to buy dollars, while exporters hold back dollar earnings in anticipation of further rupee depreciation, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of volatility.
RBI’s Strategy: The RBI has adopted a “soft-touch” strategy, intervening primarily to prevent disorderly volatility rather than defending a specific rupee level. This conserves the foreign exchange (forex) reserves but signals market acceptance of a gradually weaker rupee as a function of the trade deficit.

Structural and Policy Dimensions

Structural Export Weakness: India faces long-standing structural issues in exports, including high logistics costs, low product diversification, and difficulty in integrating into high-value global supply chains, limiting its ability to leverage global trade opportunities fully.
Gold Imports: The strong cultural and economic demand for gold contributes significantly to the import bill. This non-productive import acts as a perennial drag on the trade balance.
Trade Policy: Slow progress on key Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and high tariffs on certain inputs may inhibit export growth, underscoring the need for aggressive trade diplomacy.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme: Aims to boost domestic manufacturing and exports by integrating India into global supply chains, thereby reducing import dependence. Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP): Provides refunds of non-creditable taxes to exporters to increase competitiveness. National Logistics Policy: Aims to bring down logistics costs from over 14% to single digits, a key factor in export competitiveness.
Positives of Moderate Depreciation	Export Competitiveness: A moderately weaker rupee makes Indian exports cheaper and more attractive to international buyers. Incentive for Remittances: Encourages Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to remit more money, which boosts the services account and overall CAD position.
Negatives/Challenges	Imported Inflation: Directly raises the cost of crucial imports like oil and electronics. External Debt Burden: Increases the rupee cost of servicing dollar-denominated external debt for both the government and corporations. Investor Confidence: Extreme volatility can signal economic instability, deterring long-term foreign direct investment (FDI).

Examples

Gold Import Spike: A significant recent factor in the widening deficit was the sharp increase in gold imports, driven by festival demand and market uncertainty.
US Interest Rates: The continued high interest rates maintained by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) are a ‘pull factor,’ attracting FPI capital away from emerging markets like India.
Forex Reserves: Despite the rupee slide, the RBI’s forex reserves remain robust (e.g., over $600 billion), giving it sufficient buffer to intervene if the depreciation becomes disorderly.

Way Forward

Fiscal Prudence and Gold Policy: Introduce measures to moderate non-essential imports, particularly gold, through higher duties or innovative financial instruments (Gold Monetisation Scheme). Maintain strict fiscal discipline to reduce the government’s borrowing needs.
Structural Export Reform: Focus PLI and other incentive schemes on high-value, technology-intensive manufacturing (electronics, semiconductors) to increase the sophistication and value addition of India’s export basket.
Diversify Trade Payments: Aggressively pursue bilateral trade agreements using local currencies (e.g., with Russia, UAE) to reduce demand for dollars and insulate a portion of trade from global currency fluctuations.
RBI Strategy: Maintain the current intervention strategy, using forex reserves judiciously to smoothen volatility, while addressing the root cause of the deficit through structural policy changes.

Conclusion

The Rupee’s breach of the 90/USD mark is a wake-up call, primarily reflecting the structural vulnerability arising from India’s persistent trade deficit. While the RBI can manage volatility, the long-term stability of the rupee rests on the government’s ability to boost export competitiveness, curb non-essential imports, and solidify the country’s position in global value chains, transforming the trade balance from a perpetual drag into a source of strength.

Mains Practice Questions

“A widening trade deficit, rather than FPI outflows, is the primary driver of the Rupee’s sustained depreciation.” Analyse the structural factors contributing to India’s widening trade deficit and suggest policy reforms to stabilize the Indian Rupee. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
Discuss the dilemma faced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in managing the exchange rate volatility in the current global economic scenario. What are the inflationary implications of a weakening rupee for the Indian economy? (10 Marks, 150 Words)

3. Judiciary Flags Lapses in Aid for Acid Attack Survivors

Syllabus

GS-2: Governance: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections.

Context

On December 4, 2025, the Supreme Court of India flagged serious lapses and continued non-compliance by states and private hospitals in providing free treatment and timely compensation to acid attack survivors, despite multiple landmark judicial orders spanning over a decade.
The Court noted that survivors often face procedural delays, denial of essential free medical care, and insufficient rehabilitation, underscoring a significant gap between legislative intent/judicial direction and grass-root implementation.
This issue highlights the systemic failures in governance mechanisms meant for the protection and welfare of one of the most vulnerable sections of society.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal and Judicial Dimensions

Landmark Directions: The Supreme Court, in cases like Laxmi vs. Union of India (2006 onwards), issued several mandatory directives:
- Minimum Compensation: lakh compensation for survivors, with an initial lakh disbursed within 15 days of the incident.
- Free Treatment: Mandating all hospitals, public and private, to provide immediate, free, and comprehensive medical treatment, including medicines, plastic surgery, and rehabilitation.
- Regulation of Acid Sale: Banning the over-the-counter sale of acid.
Implementation Gap: Despite these clear orders, the Court noted that states, including Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, have failed to ensure full and timely payment of compensation, often delaying funds for months or years. Private hospitals frequently deny free specialized care, citing policy ambiguities or financial constraints.
Criminal Justice System: The issue extends to the criminal justice system, where police often fail to investigate the source of the acid used, undermining the effectiveness of the acid sale ban. Slow trials and low conviction rates further exacerbate the victims’ trauma.

Social and Rehabilitation Dimensions

Socio-Economic Exclusion: Survivors, predominantly women, suffer severe physical disfigurement, leading to social stigma, loss of employment, and isolation. The lack of timely compensation and rehabilitation (vocational training, education support) traps them in cycles of poverty and dependence.
Psychological Trauma: The mental and psychological scars often exceed the physical ones. The government’s failure to provide adequate, long-term psychological counselling and trauma support compounds their inability to reintegrate into society.
Lack of Formal Recognition: A parallel plea sought formal recognition of acid attack survivors as persons with specified disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. This recognition is vital for securing benefits in employment, education, and housing.

Administrative and Governance Dimensions

District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Failure: The DLSA, designated as the criminal injuries compensation board, often fails to streamline and fast-track the compensation claims, burdening survivors with bureaucratic delays and paperwork.
Inter-Departmental Coordination: Effective aid requires seamless coordination between the Police (for investigation), the Health Department (for treatment), the Social Welfare Department (for compensation and rehabilitation), and the Judiciary/DLSA (for oversight). This coordination is often absent or fragmented.
Accountability: The lack of a clear mechanism to hold defaulting private hospitals and government officials accountable for non-compliance with Supreme Court orders fosters a culture of impunity and inaction.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	Victim Compensation Scheme (VCS): Mandates compensation for victims of crime, including acid attacks. Ujjawala Scheme: Aims to prevent trafficking and rescue, rehabilitate, and reintegrate victims of commercial sexual exploitation (can apply to gender-based violence). Mahila Shakti Kendra (MSK): Provides a mechanism for support and empowerment of women, often lacking specialised services for acid attack survivors.
Positives of Judicial Intervention	Established Precedent: Court orders provide a clear legal mandate for the rights and compensation of survivors. Accountability: The Supreme Court’s direct oversight forces the executive and private sector to acknowledge their obligations. Awareness: High-profile cases generate public and political awareness.
Negatives/Challenges	Non-Compliance: Systemic resistance to judicial directives at the state and local levels. Funding Gap: State governments often plead a lack of resources for compensation and rehabilitation funds. Holistic Care: The focus remains on financial compensation and surgery, neglecting long-term psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation.

Examples

Laxmi vs. Union of India: The foundational case that led to the landmark guidelines on compensation and free treatment.
DLSA’s Role: Cases where survivors had to repeatedly visit DLSA offices over years to secure the full mandated compensation, draining their limited resources and energy.
The RPwD Act Demand: The ongoing demand to classify acid attack injuries as a “specified disability” under the 2016 Act would unlock quotas and benefits, a concrete step towards inclusion.

Way Forward

Streamline Compensation: Mandate a single-window, digitised compensation system that automatically disburses the full amount within a strict 30-day period, overseen by a high-level official.
Enforce Free Treatment: Imposing heavy penalties and sanctions (including withdrawal of licenses/empanelment) on private hospitals that refuse to comply with the free treatment mandate, and establishing clear guidelines for the reimbursement of private hospitals by the state.
Holistic Rehabilitation Centres: Establish specialised, state-funded Rehabilitation-cum-Vocational Training Centres for acid attack survivors in every major city, offering integrated medical, psychological, and skill-development support.
Strengthen Regulation: Strict enforcement of the ban on over-the-counter acid sales, making accountability for the source of the acid a mandatory step in police investigation protocols.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s intervention on December 4, 2025, serves as a necessary rebuke to the systemic apathy that undermines the dignity of acid attack survivors. Justice goes beyond merely passing orders; it requires vigilant and accountable implementation by the executive and health systems. The focus must shift from bureaucratic delay to human-centric, prompt, and comprehensive rehabilitation to ensure survivors can reclaim their lives with dignity and security.

Mains Practice Questions

“Judicial activism, while setting legal precedents, often fails to bridge the implementation gap in social justice issues like acid attack compensation.” Critically analyse the Supreme Court’s observations on the non-compliance of its directives by states and private hospitals. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
Discuss the multi-dimensional impact (social, economic, psychological) of acid attacks on survivors. How can the existing government schemes be reformed to ensure holistic rehabilitation? (10 Marks, 150 Words)

4. Urban Dynamism: Correcting Blind Spots in India’s Census 2027

Syllabus

GS-1: Indian Society: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
GS-3: Environment: Environmental pollution and degradation; Disaster Management.

Context

The upcoming Census 2027 provides a crucial opportunity to redefine and more accurately map India’s urban landscape. Current definitions, largely based on the 1961 criteria, fail to capture the complex, rapid, and often unplanned growth occurring in peri-urban and transitional areas.
The Census is expected to address the long-standing issue of Census Towns (CTs) and the environmental/infrastructural strain caused by de facto urbanisation that is not de jure (legally recognized) and consequently lacks proper governance.
Accurate urban metrics are essential for effective policy formulation, resource allocation, and addressing the severe climate change impacts disproportionately faced by densely populated areas.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Conceptual and Statistical Dimensions

Defining Urban Areas (Current Criteria): The criteria for a Statutory Town (ST) or an official urban area include: (1) Minimum population of 5,000; (2) Population density of at least 400 persons per sq. km; and (3) At least 75% of the male working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits.
The Census Town (CT) Challenge: Census Towns meet the population criteria but are still governed by rural local bodies (Gram Panchayats). This classification mismatch leads to a gap between economic reality (urban) and governance structure (rural), resulting in poor sanitation, unregulated development, and failure to apply urban planning laws.
Urban Sprawl and Peri-Urban Areas: The Census 2027 must develop metrics to accurately map the Urban Agglomerations (UAs) and the surrounding peri-urban zones. These transitional areas often house the poorest populations and are the least prepared for climate shocks due to unplanned growth.

Governance and Policy Dimensions

Local Governance Failure: CTs contribute to the nation’s GDP but lack urban infrastructure funding (e.g., sewage, urban roads, public transport) because they are treated as rural units. This places a huge financial and administrative burden on Gram Panchayats that are ill-equipped for urban management.
Resource Allocation: Central government schemes, like the Smart Cities Mission and AMRUT, allocate funds based on official urban population data. The undercounting of the real urban population (including CT residents) leads to a substantial under-allocation of resources to areas that need them most.
Environmental Regulation: The rapid, unmonitored development in peri-urban zones results in the destruction of wetlands, floodplains, and green cover, drastically increasing vulnerability to floods and heatwaves. Applying rigorous urban environmental metrics in the Census can compel better local regulation.

Socio-Economic Dimensions

Poverty and Inequality: The inability to accurately map urban poverty (which is distinct from rural poverty) hinders targeted social schemes like the Public Distribution System (PDS) and affordable housing (PMAY-U).
Migration Patterns: The new Census data will provide granular detail on rural-to-urban and intra-urban migration, enabling better planning for social services, schools, and healthcare facilities in high-growth corridors.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	AMRUT (Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation): Aims to provide basic urban infrastructure (water supply, sewage). Smart Cities Mission: Focuses on leveraging technology and data for sustainable urban governance. Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban): Success depends on accurate population and waste generation data from urban and semi-urban clusters.
Positives of Urban Metrics Reform	Accurate Funding: Correct urban classification leads to higher tax collection and targeted urban local body (ULB) funding. Better Planning: Enables scientifically sound city master plans and infrastructure projects. Enhanced Climate Resilience: Helps identify vulnerable areas and integrate disaster management into urban policy.
Negatives/Challenges	Political Resistance: State governments and local politicians may resist reclassification, as rural status grants control over land and a simpler tax structure. Data Complexity: Developing and applying consistent, new metrics across diverse geographical terrains is complex. Implementation Lag: The delay in conducting the Census itself delays subsequent data-driven policy changes.

Examples

NCR Region: The rapid growth of NCR (National Capital Region) cities and the surrounding peripheral areas exemplifies the CT issue, where housing and industry boom without commensurate public services like water and sewage.
Mumbai MMRDA: Similar challenges exist in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) periphery, where semi-urban settlements lack municipal capacity to manage dense populations.
Census Town Conversion: Successful conversion of CTs into Statutory Towns (e.g., in Kerala) has shown the positive impact on infrastructure provision and quality of life.

Way Forward

Revamp Urban Definition: The Census should adopt a modern, multi-criteria definition that incorporates factors like functional classification (non-agricultural workforce percentage) and infrastructural metrics (paved roads, piped water) alongside population and density.
Mandatory CT Conversion: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) must work with states to establish a mandatory, phased mechanism for converting qualified Census Towns into Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities) to ensure governance matches reality.
Integrated Planning: Utilise the new data to enforce integrated planning across Urban Agglomerations (UAs) that includes the periphery, ensuring that infrastructure like regional transport and water supply networks cover the entire functional urban footprint.
Data-driven Climate Policy: Integrate climate vulnerability indices (based on the new urban metrics) into the planning and approval process for all new urban development projects.

Conclusion

The Census 2027 is a crucial moment for India to shed its outdated notion of urbanisation. By adopting modern, holistic urban metrics, the government can correct the spatial and financial injustices faced by millions in Census Towns and peri-urban areas, leading to more equitable, climate-resilient, and sustainably governed cities that are engines of national growth.

5. Dismantling the Base of Environmental Regulation: The Legal Challenge

Syllabus

GS-3: Environment: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
GS-2: Governance: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

Context

A recent Supreme Court ruling (e.g., CREDAI vs Vanashakti, November 2025) has significantly altered the landscape of India’s environmental jurisprudence, raising concerns that the core structures of environmental regulation are being dismantled or diluted in favour of development.
Critics argue that the ruling, particularly by reducing the scope or necessity of public consultation and judicial oversight, risks normalising pollution and weakening the already fragile institutional mechanisms intended to protect natural resources.
This development comes at a time when India faces escalating threats from climate change, severe air/water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Legal and Jurisprudence Dimensions

Dilution of Environmental Review: The ruling reportedly limits the grounds on which a project clearance can be challenged or reviewed, often favouring the concept of “ease of doing business” over the “polluter pays principle” and the precautionary principle.
Role of the National Green Tribunal (NGT): Weakening the scope of environmental review and appeal limits the crucial oversight function of the NGT, the specialist environmental judicial body established for swift and effective justice delivery in environmental matters.
Erosion of Public Trust: Judicial rulings that appear to compromise environmental safeguards erode public trust in the institutions responsible for environmental governance and may encourage industries to see environmental compliance as a negotiable cost rather than a legal necessity.

Governance and Institutional Dimensions

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process: The ruling’s interpretation could further dilute the effectiveness of the EIA process, a foundational tool for assessing the potential environmental consequences of proposed projects. Weakening public hearing requirements (a key part of EIA) reduces democratic input and transparency.

Centralization of Power: Recent amendments or policies, often supported by such rulings, tend to centralize power in the hands of the Union government or its appointed committees, potentially weakening the oversight of State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and local authorities.
Accountability: The primary risk is the loss of institutional accountability. If the legal framework allows for easier project clearances without robust scrutiny, it becomes harder to hold government bodies (like the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change – MoEF&CC) or project proponents accountable for future environmental damage.

Ecological and Climate Dimensions

Escalating Climate Risk: India is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Diluting environmental regulations for infrastructure projects in ecologically fragile zones (e.g., coastal areas, Himalayan regions) exponentially increases the risk of disasters like floods and landslides.
Biodiversity Loss: Unregulated construction, mining, and industrial expansion into forests and protected areas, made easier by relaxed laws, will accelerate habitat destruction and biodiversity loss, undermining national conservation goals.
Normalising Pollution: The shift from stringent penalties to fines (e.g., in certain amendments to the Water Act, 2024, as noted in the news) risks normalizing pollution as a mere “cost of doing business,” rather than a violation of law, fundamentally changing industrial behaviour.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	National Clean Air Programme (NCAP): Aims for city-specific plans to reduce air pollution, which requires strict regulation of industries. Namami Gange Programme: Depends on stringent oversight of industrial effluents by state regulatory bodies. National Afforestation Programme (NAP): Protection of existing forests is key to this, which can be undermined by lax clearance processes.
Positives (Government View)	Ease of Doing Business: Expedites project clearances and reduces bureaucratic hurdles, attracting investment and boosting economic growth. Infrastructure Push: Enables faster execution of large-scale public and private infrastructure projects.
Negatives/Challenges	Ecological Catastrophe: Increased risk of large-scale, irreversible environmental damage. Social Justice Issue: Marginalised communities dependent on natural resources are often the first victims of environmental degradation. International Image: Undermines India’s credibility at global climate change negotiations (e.g., UNFCCC, Paris Agreement commitments).

Examples

Wetland Destruction: Project clearances in urban areas leading to the destruction of wetlands for construction, resulting in severe waterlogging and flooding during monsoons (e.g., in Chennai or Mumbai).
Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Violations: Erosion of regulations in CRZ areas to facilitate tourism and construction, increasing vulnerability to cyclones and sea-level rise.

Way Forward

Reaffirm Judicial Principles: The Supreme Court must clearly and consistently reaffirm the non-negotiable principles of sustainable development, the precautionary principle, and the polluter pays principle in all environmental judgments.
Strengthen EIA and Public Consultation: Mandate more rigorous and participatory EIA processes, ensuring that public hearing outcomes are genuinely integrated into project clearance decisions.
Empower State Regulators: Empower and adequately fund State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) with independent authority, human capital, and technology to conduct rigorous and surprise inspections, moving away from a command-and-control model to a compliance-oriented one.
Clear Accountability Framework: Establish a clear legal framework to hold government officials and project proponents personally accountable for non-compliance and environmental damage, backed by stringent penalties.

Conclusion

The foundation of India’s environmental protection is its regulatory framework. Any perceived dismantling or dilution of this base, whether through legislative amendment or judicial interpretation, poses an existential threat to the nation’s ecological and public health. A sustainable future requires robust environmental law and governance that treats the protection of natural capital as a prerequisite for, not an obstacle to, economic development.

6. A Missing Link in India’s Mineral Mission: The Processing Gap

Syllabus

GS-3: Indian Economy: Investment models; Infrastructure (Energy, Ports, etc.).
GS-3: Science and Technology: Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Context

India’s ambitious push toward green transition (EVs, solar, energy storage) and strategic self-reliance (defence, electronics) requires a massive supply of Critical Minerals (e.g., Lithium, Cobalt, Rare Earth Elements – REE).
While India has stepped up its efforts to secure these minerals through aggressive mineral diplomacy (e.g., agreements with Australia, Chile) and auctioning of domestic blocks, the missing link is the lack of domestic refining, processing, and manufacturing capacity.
The core challenge is that value and geopolitical leverage lie not in extraction, but in the midstream and downstream value chains, which India has yet to fully develop.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Economic and Value Chain Dimensions

The Value Creation Trap: Extracting the raw ore of a critical mineral (the upstream segment) provides minimal economic value. The majority of the profit and technological expertise resides in refining, converting, and manufacturing the finished component (the midstream and downstream), such as battery-grade lithium or rare earth magnets.
Refining Deficit: India currently lacks sufficient commercially scalable refining and processing capacity for several key minerals, including Lithium, Graphite, and Rare Earths (REs), despite having domestic reserves of some of them. This forces India to export raw material and import high-value finished components, perpetuating dependence.
Geopolitical Leverage: The country that controls the processing (e.g., China currently dominates 80-90% of global REE processing) controls the supply chain. Building domestic processing capacity is an essential component of India’s economic security and geopolitical leverage in the high-tech economy.

Technological and Investment Dimensions

Technology Gap: Processing critical minerals is a highly complex, capital-intensive, and often environmentally challenging process. India needs major investments in advanced metallurgy and chemical engineering to bridge the existing technological gap.
High Investment Risk: The private sector is hesitant to invest in these midstream processing units due to high setup costs, uncertain long-term supply agreements, and the time lag before commercial viability. Government support in de-risking the investment is essential.
Resource Recovery: A key component of modern mineral strategy is recovering critical minerals from secondary resources (e.g., electronic waste, fly ash). India needs to scale up pilot projects in urban mining and embed recovery units in proposed Critical Mineral Processing Parks.

Policy and Diplomatic Dimensions

Mineral Diplomacy Linkage: India’s foreign policy efforts (e.g., joining the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) and bilateral deals) must explicitly link the sourcing of raw ore to the requirement of domestic processing capacity in India, securing long-term supply for its own refineries.
Policy Consistency: The success of the ₹7,280-crore Rare-Earth Magnet Scheme depends on a stable policy environment and guaranteed domestic demand assurance from manufacturers (e.g., in EVs and electronics) to encourage processors to set up shop.
Skilled Workforce: There is a need for a dedicated, specialised workforce trained in advanced chemical processing, metallurgy, and recycling technologies to manage these highly complex industrial operations.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes: Can be explicitly extended to critical mineral processing and magnet/battery manufacturing to bridge the midstream gap. National Mineral Policy, 2019: Emphasises sustainable development and resource efficiency. Critical Minerals Auctions: The auctioning of Lithium and REE blocks to private players is the first step toward upstream development.
Positives of Domestic Processing	Economic Security: Reduces dependence on volatile global supply chains dominated by a single country. Value Addition: Captures the highest share of the value chain domestically, boosting GDP. Job Creation: Creates high-skill jobs in technology and metallurgy.
Negatives/Challenges	Environmental Cost: Processing is highly polluting (e.g., rare earth processing generates significant hazardous waste). High Capital Outlay: Requires billions of dollars in initial investment for refineries and converters. Time Lag: It takes several years to build and certify a processing plant to meet international standards.

Examples

Rare Earth Magnets: The government’s scheme targets boosting domestic manufacturing of these magnets, which requires a stable supply of refined rare earth oxides (a midstream product).
Battery Gigafactories: The planned establishment of Lithium-ion battery gigafactories creates a massive, assured downstream demand for battery-grade lithium and cobalt, providing a crucial incentive for midstream processors.

Way Forward

Targeted PLI for Processing: Launch a specific, high-outlay PLI Scheme for Critical Mineral Processing (Midstream), offering guaranteed subsidies or tax breaks for establishing refining and conversion units.
Government-Led De-Risking: Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) or government-backed special purpose vehicles should initially invest in a few strategic processing facilities to de-risk the technology and supply chain before private players take over.
Regulatory Sandbox for Recycling: Create a simplified and supportive regulatory framework (sandbox) for e-waste recycling and urban mining, incentivising the recovery of critical minerals from secondary sources.
International Collaboration: Actively seek technology transfer and joint ventures with allies like the US, Japan, and Australia, who are also keen to diversify the global processing base away from current dominant players.

Conclusion

India’s aspiration to become a global leader in the green economy is fundamentally tied to its mastery of the entire critical mineral value chain. Securing the raw material is merely the first step; the true measure of success will be the establishment of a robust domestic processing ecosystem. This requires strategic state intervention, significant capital infusion, and a clear policy commitment to link upstream supply with midstream refining capacity, turning mineral assets into economic and strategic power.

7. Rajya Sabha Passes Resolution Extending Water Act to Manipur

Syllabus

GS-2: Polity: Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
GS-2: Federalism: Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

Context

On December 4, 2025, the Rajya Sabha passed a statutory resolution to extend the application of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, to the state of Manipur.
This was necessitated because Manipur was, at the time, under President’s Rule (Article 356), having been placed under central administration since February 2025 due to a breakdown of law and order.
The constitutional provision governing such an action is Article 357(1)(a), which empowers Parliament to confer power on the President (or any authority nominated by him) to make laws for the state.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Constitutional and Federal Dimensions

Article 356 and 357: President’s Rule under Article 356 suspends the state legislative assembly, and all legislative powers transfer to the Union Parliament. Article 357(1)(a) is the mechanism by which Parliament makes the laws for the state, typically through a statutory resolution approving the application of a Central Act.
Parliamentary Accountability: The process ensures that even when a state legislature is suspended, the principle of parliamentary accountability is maintained, as the Union Parliament acts as the legislative body for the state.
Federal Principle: While necessary during a constitutional breakdown, the imposition of President’s Rule and subsequent central law-making for a state often raises concerns regarding the erosion of state autonomy and the spirit of federalism.

The Water Act and Environmental Dimensions

Significance of the Amendment Act, 2024: The Water Act amendment (like similar amendments to the Air Act) aimed to decriminalise minor procedural lapses by replacing imprisonment penalties with fines, ostensibly to promote the ease of doing business and reduce harassment of industries.
Concerns over Dilution: Environmentalists have heavily criticised the trend of replacing imprisonment with fines, arguing that it risks normalising pollution as a cost of doing doing business, thereby weakening the deterrent effect of environmental law.
State Pollution Control Board (SPCB) Authority: The extension of the Central Act often influences the structure and appointments within the SPCB (e.g., requiring higher officer ranks), which can be seen as an imposition on the state’s institutional structure.

Contextual (Manipur) and Governance Dimensions

Restoring Governance: The move underscores the challenges in administering essential functions, like environmental regulation, in a state facing prolonged civil unrest. Applying the Central Act is intended to ensure some continuity and standardization of regulatory norms.
Need for Green Governance: Given the ecological sensitivity of Manipur (which includes major river systems and unique biodiversity), the effective and un-diluted implementation of the Water Act is crucial for protecting its limited water resources.
Executive Action vs. Legislative Debate: The passage of the law through a Statutory Resolution in the Rajya Sabha, while constitutionally valid, bypasses the rigorous legislative debate and committee scrutiny that a normal state assembly would provide, raising questions about local democratic input.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	National Green Tribunal (NGT): The adjudicating body for appeals under the Water Act. Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM): Ensures access to clean water, which is dependent on the strict enforcement of the Water Act against polluters. Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM): Addresses wastewater management, which falls under the purview of the Water Act.
Positives of the Resolution	Legal Continuity: Ensures a vital regulatory framework (the Water Act) remains operational despite the suspension of the state legislature. Standardisation: Brings Manipur’s environmental standards in line with the uniform Central Act. Ease of Compliance: Facilitates smoother industrial compliance by simplifying penalties for minor breaches.
Negatives/Challenges	Federal Overreach: Seen as an imposition of central will, even if constitutionally permissible. Weakened Deterrence: Replacing jail terms with fines for polluters may lead to increased environmental violations. Democratic Deficit: Law is passed without the active participation of the elected representatives of the state.

Examples

Past President’s Rules: Similar statutory resolutions were passed for states like Jammu and Kashmir during President’s Rule to apply Central Acts, setting a precedent.
Environmental Enforcement: Failure to enforce the Water Act strictly often leads to the unchecked discharge of industrial and municipal sewage, severely damaging water bodies, as seen in many polluted rivers nationwide.

Way Forward

Time-Bound Review: The law passed by Parliament for Manipur should have a clear sunset clause or be subjected to a comprehensive review by the state assembly immediately upon the restoration of the democratic government.
Localised Application: The Centre should ensure that the implementation of the Act, despite the central legislation, is sensitive to the unique environmental challenges and socio-economic context of Manipur.
NGT Empowerment: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) must be empowered to rigorously monitor the implementation of the Water Act in Manipur and ensure that the replacement of imprisonment with fines does not translate into pollution impunity.
Financial and Technical Support: Simultaneously provide the Manipur SPCB with the necessary financial and technical resources to effectively monitor and enforce the Act, irrespective of the political situation.

Conclusion

The Rajya Sabha’s resolution is a constitutional necessity in the context of President’s Rule, ensuring the continuity of environmental governance in Manipur. However, it underscores the need for caution. The Union must use its legislative power responsibly, ensuring that the new environmental law does not inadvertently weaken ecological safeguards and that the state’s democratic and federal principles are fully restored at the earliest.

8. Parliament Trapped in a Cycle of Disruption: The Democratic Cost

Syllabus

GS-2: Polity: Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

Context

The recent Winter Session of Parliament, including the day of December 4, 2025, was again marked by frequent and organised disruptions, leading to the passage of key bills with minimal debate and an overall decline in the number of effective working days.
This phenomenon reflects a continuous trend where Parliament is trapped in a cycle of confrontation between the Treasury Benches and the Opposition, where disruption is increasingly viewed as a legitimate tactic, rather than a last resort.
This decline in functioning imposes a heavy democratic cost by eroding the quality of legislation, undermining executive accountability, and diminishing public trust in democratic institutions.

Main Body in Multi-Dimensional Analysis

Trends and Functional Dimensions

Fewer Sittings and Lost Time: Data shows a continuous decline in the number of annual sitting days (from 120-130 days in early Lok Sabhas to an average of 55-70 days recently). Disruptions lead to the loss of millions of hours of legislative and oversight time.
Dilution of Oversight: The time allocated for Question Hour (which holds the executive accountable) and debates on important issues is severely curtailed. This diminishes Parliament’s core function of executive oversight.
Rubber Stamp Legislation: The most damaging trend is the passage of crucial bills with little or no committee scrutiny or debate. The practice of “guillotine” (rushing through financial business) and passing complex laws by voice vote undermines the quality and effectiveness of governance.

Political and Behavioural Dimensions

The Opposition’s Dilemma: The Opposition often resorts to disruption when they feel the Government is using its majority to “bulldoze” legislation, denying them adequate time or means to raise critical public issues through formal mechanisms (like Adjournment Motions or Rule 267 notices).
Government’s Role: The Government’s reluctance to allow the Opposition to raise contentious issues, combined with limited pre-session consultation on legislative agendas, fuels the confrontation. A majoritarian approach, where numbers trump dialogue, perpetuates the cycle.
Erosion of Trust and Conventions: The long-standing informal conventions of mutual respect, trust, and ensuring space for dissent have severely eroded, replaced by a confrontational, win-or-lose political dynamic.

Impact on Democracy and Governance

Poor Legislative Quality: Bills passed without rigorous committee scrutiny often contain ambiguities, drafting errors, and loopholes, leading to subsequent judicial challenges or implementation issues.
Public Perception: Constant scenes of chaos and disruption diminish the dignity of the House and lower public respect for the democratic process, fostering political cynicism.
Financial Cost: Every hour of Parliament sitting costs crores of rupees. Disruptions represent a massive financial waste of taxpayer money.

Government Schemes, Positives, Negatives

Feature	Description
Government Schemes/Initiatives	Code of Conduct: The rules and conventions that govern the proceedings, which are often violated during disruptions. Parliamentary Standing Committees: Designed for mandatory pre-legislative scrutiny, a function that is frequently bypassed.
Positives of Structured Debate	Executive Accountability: Ensures Ministers are answerable for their decisions and policies. Quality Legislation: Allows for expert and stakeholder input, improving the quality of laws. Representation: Provides a forum for diverse views and regional concerns to be articulated and addressed.
Negatives of Disruption	Loss of Time: Reduces the number of hours dedicated to law-making and discussion. Bypassing Scrutiny: Key bills are often passed without essential examination by Parliamentary Committees. Loss of Legitimacy: Undermines the credibility of the entire legislative process in the eyes of the public.

Examples

Committee Scrutiny Drop: The percentage of Bills referred to Parliamentary Standing Committees has drastically dropped in recent Lok Sabhas, accelerating the trend of passing complex laws hastily.
Question Hour Losses: Frequent adjournments lead to the near-total loss of the Question Hour, where Ministers are required to answer questions from members, a key mechanism of accountability.

Way Forward

Code of Conduct and Enforcement: Formulate and rigorously enforce a cross-party code of conduct for all members. Empower the Presiding Officers (Speaker/Chairman) to use disciplinary measures against habitual disruptors judiciously but firmly.
Guaranteed Space for Opposition: The Government must formally allocate guaranteed time for the Opposition to raise urgent matters through discussions under rules that entail voting, restoring their faith in the system’s ability to address their concerns.
Minimum Sitting Days: Legislate a minimum number of sitting days for Parliament, ideally mirroring the practice of early Parliaments (over 100 days), making it structurally difficult to waste time.
Mandatory Committee Referral: Make it mandatory for all major bills, especially those involving complex policy or financial implications, to be referred to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committee for a time-bound review.
Pre-Legislative Consultation: Ensure robust pre-legislative consultation with Opposition parties and civil society before introducing major bills to build consensus and trust.

Conclusion

The cycle of disruption in Parliament is a serious ailment affecting the health of India’s democracy. It is not merely a question of discipline but a failure of political will and dialogue. To restore Parliament as a functioning deliberative body, both the Government and the Opposition must prioritize cooperation over confrontation, ensuring that the nation’s supreme legislature serves its constitutional purpose of accountability and quality law-making.