GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India and Nigeria reaffirmed their strategic partnership during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s historic visit to Abuja. The high-level talks between PM Modi and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu focused on strengthening cooperation in critical areas such as defence, trade, energy, and agriculture. This visit marks the first by an Indian prime minister to Nigeria in 17 years.

More on News

• Nigeria also conferred its national award - the "Grand Commander of the Order of Niger" (GCON), on Modi for his statesmanship and stellar contribution to fostering bilateral ties, making him the second foreign dignitary to receive the distinction.
• Queen Elizabeth is the only foreign dignitary who was awarded GCON in 1969.
• The award adds to a growing list of international honors for PM Modi, with Nigeria becoming the 17th country to recognise him for his contributions on the global stage.
• MoU: Three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed following the talks, covering cultural exchange, customs cooperation, and survey collaboration. PM Modi also highlighted the contribution of the Indian diaspora in Nigeria, describing the 60,000-strong community as a “key pillar” of bilateral relations.
  • A significant theme of the discussions was the shared vision of India and Nigeria to champion the interests of the Global South.

India-Nigeria Relations

• India and Nigeria have been strategic partners since 2007 with growing economic, energy and defence collaboration.
• India established its diplomatic mission in Lagos in 1958, two years before Nigeria gained independence.
• Today, more than 200 Indian companies operate in Nigeria, investing approximately $27 billion across various sectors, making them the second-largest employers after the Nigerian federal government.
• Trade: India is a major trading partner for Nigeria, with Indian products accounting for over 70% of the pharmaceutical market in Nigeria. Bilateral trade reached USD 7.89 billion in 2023-24, despite fluctuations in recent years.
  • Nigeria is the 2nd largest trading partner of India in the African region, with a bilateral trade worth $11.8 billion in 2022-23.
  • In the year 2023-24, the bilateral trade stood at $7.89 billion. Over 200 Indian companies are currently operating in Nigeria, with investments totalling around $27 billion across various sectors, including pharmaceuticals, power, and construction.
• Defence Cooperation: India’s growing relationship with Africa, especially Nigeria, has a strong defence component. India is involved in four main areas of military cooperation with African nations:
  • UN Peacekeeping: India sends soldiers for peacekeeping missions under the United Nations (UN).
  • Training African Officers: India trains military personnel from African countries, including Nigeria.
  • Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean: India’s naval forces play an active role in maintaining security in the Indian Ocean region, which is crucial for global maritime trade.
  • Defence Industry: India’s defence industry is actively engaging in Africa, supplying military hardware like helicopters and fighter jets.
• Moreover, India’s Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) program offers Nigerian defence personnel 150 training slots every year. This cooperation also extends to military hardware procurement, with Nigeria exploring the purchase of helicopters and fighter jets from Indian manufacturers like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• Space and Cybersecurity Cooperation:
  • Space Cooperation: An MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed to boost space collaboration, with training programs for Nigeria’s National Space Agency starting in January 2025. The focus is on remote sensing, mapping, and satellite development.
  • Cybersecurity: India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has partnered with Nigeria’s CERT-NG to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation, ensuring better protection from cyber threats.
• Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Cooperation: India’s pharmaceutical industry plays a major role in Nigeria’s healthcare sector. Indian medicines account for over 70% of Nigeria’s pharmaceutical market. India is referred to as the "Pharmacy of the World" in Nigeria due to its affordable and high-quality medicines. Key developments include:
  • Healthcare Schemes: India is also assisting Nigeria in implementing its healthcare programs, such as the COWIN vaccine platform and the Ayushman Bharat health scheme.
• Agriculture and Food Security: Agriculture employs about 70% of Nigeria's population, but only 44% of Nigeria's arable land is currently cultivated. Indian companies are already involved in edible oil plantations and are interested in grain farming in Nigeria.
• Oil, Gas, and Economic Cooperation: Nigeria is a major oil producer, and India depends on it for a large portion of its oil imports. Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves are crucial for India’s energy security.
  • India imports about 6 million barrels of oil per day, and disruptions in oil supply from the Middle East could hurt India’s economy.
• Modi’s visit to Nigeria marks a new chapter in bilateral ties, which were elevated to a strategic partnership in 2007.

In November 2023, the ruling coalition government in Germany collapsed. The coalition, formed in 2021, included three parties: the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens, and the Free Democrats (FDP).

Reasons for Collapse

• The immediate cause of the collapse was the firing of the Finance Minister from the FDP by the Chancellor, who is from the SPD. This led to a breakdown in cooperation between the coalition partners, as disagreements over key policy issues intensified.
• Key Disagreements:
  • Debt and Spending: The core disagreement between the SPD/Greens and the FDP was over government spending. The SPD and Greens wanted to increase state spending, particularly in areas like climate initiatives and defense, which would require borrowing. In contrast, the FDP insisted on strict adherence to Germany’s "debt brake" rule, which limits borrowing.
  • Debt Brake Rule: Germany’s debt brake rule, enshrined in its Constitution, restricts government borrowing to just 35% of GDP. This rule was introduced after the 2008 financial crisis to prevent excessive borrowing. The FDP, supporting fiscal discipline, resisted proposals for more borrowing, while the SPD and Greens pushed for higher spending.
  • Tax Cuts and Austerity: The FDP also advocated for tax cuts for the wealthy and austerity measures, which were opposed by the SPD and Greens.

Constitutional Crisis and Budget Issues:

• To work around the debt brake, Germany uses special off-budget funds for urgent financial needs, such as the climate transformation fund and the defense fund. However, the coalition’s use of these funds faced legal challenges.
• In November 2023, Germany's constitutional court ruled that transferring unused pandemic-era debt into these funds was unconstitutional. This ruling further complicated the government’s budget and deepened the conflict within the coalition.

Snap Elections and Political Instability:

• As the coalition became increasingly dysfunctional, the Chancellor agreed to hold snap elections on February 23, 2025, well ahead of the original elections scheduled for September 2025.
• A no-confidence motion is set to be introduced on December 16, 2023, which the government is likely to lose due to the lack of support from the FDP.

Key Issues Facing Germany:

• The immediate future of Germany’s political landscape is uncertain, with the rise of far-right politics and a fractured ruling coalition.
• The country faces significant challenges, including dealing with an energy crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and managing rising public dissatisfaction with political instability.
• Germany’s economy was expected to shrink by 0.2% this year. This is a downgrade from the 0.3% growth that was expected in April 2024, making Germany the only G-7 country to contract in 2024. This follows the predictions from major economic institutions in Germany.

India has successfully tested a domestically developed long-range hypersonic missile, attaining a key milestone in military development that puts it in a small group of nations possessing the advanced technology.

About the Indian missile:

• Developed by: The Indian missile is developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation and industry partners.
• It is designed to carry payloads for ranges exceeding 1,500 km (930 miles) for the armed forces.
• Generally, the hypersonic missiles, capable of carrying conventional explosives or nuclear warheads, can fly in the range of five times the speed of sound (Mach 5 which is roughly 6,174 km) per hour at sea level.
• However, some advanced versions of hypersonic missiles can even fly at the speed of over 15 mach.
• Global race:
  • At present, Russia and China are way ahead in developing hypersonic missiles while the US is in the process of developing a range of such weapons under an ambitious programme.
  • Several other countries, including France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran, and Israel, are also pursuing projects to develop hypersonic missile systems. 

What are Hypersonic Missiles?

• Hypersonic missiles are a class of advanced weapon systems that travel at speeds greater than Mach 5, which is five times the speed of sound (around 6,200 km/h or 3,853 mph).
• These missiles are designed to fly much faster and with more agility than traditional ballistic missiles, which makes them a highly effective and difficult-to-intercept weapon in modern defense systems.
• Key Features of Hypersonic Missiles
  • Speed: Hypersonic missiles travel at speeds greater than Mach 5 (5 times the speed of sound), allowing them to reach their targets in a fraction of the time it would take traditional missiles. This speed gives them a significant advantage in evading interception by current missile defense systems.
  • Maneuverability: Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, which follow a predictable, parabolic trajectory, hypersonic missiles use aerodynamic lift to maneuver within the atmosphere. This means they can change course mid-flight, making them much harder to track or intercept. Ballistic missiles, once launched, follow a fixed path and can only change course after re-entry. Hypersonic weapons, on the other hand, can perform evasive maneuvers throughout their flight.
  • Boost-Glide Technology: Most hypersonic missiles utilize boost-glide These missiles are initially launched by a rocket booster, which carries them into the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. After reaching a certain altitude, the missile uses aerodynamic lift to glide toward its target. This glide phase allows the missile to alter its course during flight, further complicating interception efforts.
  • Long Range: Hypersonic missiles can travel distances of thousands of kilometers, which is similar to the range of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). This makes them capable of striking distant targets with high precision and speed.
  • Missile Types: There are two main types of hypersonic weapons:
    • Hypersonic glide vehicles (HGV) are launched using a rocket. After separating from the rocket, the glide vehicle travels at speeds of Mach 5 or more towards its target.
    • Hypersonic cruise missiles (HCM) use scramjet engines. Scramjets are air-breathing engines designed for speeds above Mach 5 (over 6,100 km/h or 3,800 mph). They compress incoming air and combust fuel at supersonic speeds (faster than the speed of sound, or Mach 1), allowing for high-speed, long-range flight. These missiles are fast, maneuverable, and difficult to intercept. 

Significance of Hypersonic Missiles

• Evasion of Defense Systems: Traditional missile defense systems are designed to track and intercept ballistic missiles, which follow predictable high-altitude trajectories. However, the maneuverability and speed of hypersonic missiles make them difficult to track and intercept. The ability of these weapons to change course in mid-flight makes them a serious challenge for existing missile defense technologies.
• Enhanced Offensive Capabilities: For countries with nuclear arsenals, hypersonic missiles are seen as an effective way to ensure the credibility of their nuclear deterrent. By enabling missiles to evade interception, these systems make it much harder for an adversary to neutralize a nuclear strike.
• Strategic Advantage: The ability to travel at hypersonic speeds and maneuver mid-flight makes hypersonic missiles a strategic asset, capable of overwhelming or bypassing defense systems. They add a layer of security for nations, ensuring that even the most advanced defense systems cannot guarantee complete protection.

Challenges in Development

• Heat Resistance: Hypersonic missiles generate extreme heat due to friction with the atmosphere as they travel at such high speeds. This requires advanced materials that can withstand temperatures of over 2,000°C (3,632°F). Materials like carbon-carbon composites and heat-resistant alloys are used to protect the missile.
• Precision Guidance: To maintain their high speed and maneuverability, hypersonic missiles require advanced guidance systems. These systems need to be extremely precise, often relying on inertial navigation and artificial intelligence to adjust the missile’s course in real time.
• Propulsion Systems: The scramjet engines used in some hypersonic missiles operate by scooping in air at hypersonic speeds and compressing it for combustion. This allows the missile to maintain its speed without relying on rocket boosters throughout its flight. However, designing efficient scramjet engines that can operate at these speeds presents a major engineering challenge.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a global UN agency that sets rules for international air transport, has increased the liability limits for airlines under the Montreal Convention. This change, effective from December 28, will have an impact on Indian exporters and those involved in air freight.

Revised Liability Limits

• The updated limits are measured in Special Drawing Rights (SDR), a currency unit used by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The conversion rate for 1 SDR is roughly ?111.66. The changes are as follows:
  • Passenger death/injury: The compensation limit increases from SDR 1,28,821 to SDR 1,51,880.
  • Delay in passenger/baggage/cargo transport: The limit increases from SDR 5,346 to SDR 6,303.
  • Loss or damage to checked baggage: The limit increases from SDR 1,288 to SDR 1,519.
  • Loss or damage to cargo: The limit increases from SDR 22 per kg of gross weight to SDR 26 per kg.
• This means that if Indian cargo is lost or damaged, the airline will now be liable to pay compensation of about ?2,900 per kg of cargo (compared to ?2,600 earlier).

Why This Matters for India?

• Benefit to Indian Exporters: The higher liability limits will help Indian exporters negotiate better insurance premiums for air shipments.
• In simple terms, if something goes wrong (like cargo getting lost or damaged), the airline will now have to compensate more, which in turn helps underwriters (insurance companies) recover more from the airline, reducing costs for shippers.
• Impact on Exporters and Insurers: For exporters, this higher compensation means they may negotiate lower premiums for marine insurance (the insurance that covers cargo during transport). If something goes wrong with the shipment, insurers can recover a larger amount from the airline, meaning less financial burden for the exporter.
• How Does This Help Shippers?
• Insurance: If the shipment gets lost or damaged, shippers (exporters) can now claim higher compensation from the airline. This also means that exporters can pay lower premiums for insurance, as the airlines' liability is higher.
• Improved Coverage for Cargo: For example, if a shipment of 1 kg of goods is lost or damaged, the airline would be liable to pay about ?2,900 (increased from ?2,600). Exporters can also seek additional liability limits by paying a higher valuation charge.

In 2023-24, India’s tuna fish exports increased by 31.83%. This growth has prompted the government to explore new areas for sourcing tuna, with a particular focus on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The global market for tuna is valued at USD 41.94 billion, and the Indian Ocean is the second-largest tuna-producing region in the world, responsible for 21% of global tuna production. 

Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Potential Tuna Hub:

• The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are being targeted as a potential hub for tuna fishing and export. The Union Fisheries Department sees the region as having a lot of untapped potential.
• According to the department, the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around the islands has a variety of tuna species. The estimated potential yield is 64,500 tonnes of tuna annually from these waters.
• Expected Tuna Species and Quantities: The department expects the following tuna species to be available for export annually from the region:
  • Yellowfin tuna: 24,000 tonnes
  • Skipjack tuna: 22,000 tonnes
  • Bigeye tuna: 500 tonnes
  • Neritic tuna: 18,000 tonnes
• India’s Current Tuna Export Statistics: In the 2023-24 period, India exported 51,626 tonnes of tuna, valued at USD 87.96 million.
• Challenges in Tuna Fishing in Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Despite the high demand for tuna, the tuna fishing sector in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is underdeveloped and underutilized.
  • Lack of modern fishing technologies,
  • Inadequate infrastructure for fishing, processing, and storage,
  • Limited access to fish processing
• Significance: Tuna fishing, processing, and exports are expected to generate significant employment for local communities, especially in: Fishing jobs, Processing unit workers, and Entrepreneurs in related sectors like storage, transport, and distribution.
• Tuna is also a crucial source of protein for local island communities, many of whom have limited access to other food sources.

The issue of declining populations of insect pollinators, particularly bees, has gained attention recently due to growing concerns about their impact on global food security. A significant portion of the world’s agricultural productivity depends on insects to pollinate over 75% of food crops, fruits, and flowering plants. However, the health of pollinators is under threat from a variety of factors, including pesticides, pollution, climate change, and habitat loss.

Role of Pollinators:

• A significant portion of the world’s agricultural productivity depends on small insect pollinators like bees, wasps, beetles, flies, moths, and butterflies. These insects are essential for the successful pollination of over 75% of food crops, fruits, and flowering plants.
• Threats to Pollinators:
  • Pollinators face several threats, including pesticides, pollution, climate change, habitat loss.
  • A new emerging threat is infectious diseases, which have worsened due to the loss of natural habitats for these insects.
    • Research has shown that pathogens (diseases) can be transmitted between managed honey bees and wild pollinators, a process known as pathogen spillover.
    • The western honey bee can carry diseases, acting as a reservoir that infects wild pollinators. This poses a threat to the wider pollinator population.
    • Wild pollinators, like bees and hoverflies, had 10 times higher levels of pathogens in areas where they shared floral resources with western honey bees. This shows that habitat overlap increases the risk of disease transmission between managed and wild bees.
  • Role of Habitat Diversity: The researchers suggest that diverse habitats with abundant floral resources can reduce the chances of disease transmission between honey bees and wild pollinators. However, habitat loss forces pollinators into smaller areas, increasing the risk of disease spread.

The king cobra found in Karnataka's Western Ghats, locally known as ‘Kalinga Sarpa’, is being formally recognized and named in the scientific world. The Western Ghats' king cobra lineage, which had been previously grouped under a single species name Ophiophagus hannah, has now been scientifically identified as a separate species, Ophiophagus Kaalinga.

About the Species

• Ophiophagus Kaalinga is found in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot in South India, specifically in regions like Agumbe, Karnataka.
  • The Western Ghats is known for its rich variety of flora and fauna and is considered one of the world's eight "hottest hotspots" of biological diversity.
• This species has fewer than 40 bands on its body.
• Species Differentiation: Historically, all king cobras were classified under a single species Ophiophagus hannah. However, after extensive genetic research, it was found that there are four different lineages of king cobras across Asia, each living in different regions:
  1. Western Ghats lineage (now identified as Ophiophagus Kaalinga)
  2. Indo-Chinese lineage
  3. Indo-Malaysian lineage
  4. Luzon Island lineage (from the Philippines, named Ophiophagus Salvatana)
• Significance:
  • The formal naming of this species is not just a taxonomic achievement, but it also has ecological and medical implications. For example, there is currently no specific anti-venom for king cobra bites in India. The identification of distinct species like Ophiophagus Kaalinga could lead to the development of targeted anti-venoms and better medical treatments for bites.
  • King cobra venom, though not the most potent in terms of toxicity, is still highly dangerous due to the large amount of venom they can deliver in a single bite. Their venom acts as a neurotoxin, affecting the respiratory system and leading to respiratory failure and cardiac arrest.
• Behavior:
  • The king cobra is unique in that it is the only snake species in the world known to build nests. Female king cobras guard their nests, which can measure 4 feet by 3 feet, and lay 23-43 eggs. After laying the eggs, the mother leaves the nest, and the hatchlings emerge on their own.
  • King cobras are territorial and aggressive when threatened, but they are also highly revered in local cultures due to their powerful and majestic presence.
• Conservation status: king cobra is presently categorised:
  • 'Vulnerable' on Red List of Threatened Species by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
  • Appendix II of Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (Cites)

The recent installation of a six-foot white statue of an open-eyed Justitia at the Supreme Court of India has sparked public debate. The statue, commissioned by the then Chief Justice of India (CJI) D.Y. Chandrachud in October 2024, features Justitia without a blindfold, holding scales in her right hand and the Constitution of India in her left hand. The installation aims to signify that "Law is not blind; it sees everyone equally," but this interpretation challenges historical and cultural precedents, including the existing open-eyed Justitia statue at the Bombay High Court.

Historical Background of Justitia's Iconography

• Roman and Ancient Imagery: Allegorical depictions of Justitia in ancient Roman, Greek, and Egyptian cultures often portrayed her with open eyes, symbolizing the ability to discern and weigh cases based on merit, as evidenced by early Roman coins.
• Transformation of Blindfolded Justice in Europe: By the late 15th century, the blindfold over Justitia’s eyes emerged as a symbol of impartiality and equality before the law, transforming from a satirical emblem of helplessness to a positive symbol of neutrality, as seen in European artwork.
• Modern Interpretations of Justice: The open-eyed representation of Justitia at the Supreme Court contrasts with the traditional blindfolded icon, raising questions about the symbolism of "seeing" justice, especially in relation to contemporary issues like caste, gender, and religion.

Cultural and Theological Significance

• Mural Inspiration and Symbolism: The statue's design appears to draw from a mural in the Supreme Court's CJI's courtroom, depicting a sari-clad goddess of justice. This representation blends the iconography of Justitia with elements of Hindu goddesses, a potent cultural reference that might influence interpretations of justice in India.
• Interpretations of the Goddess and Constitution: The mural, which includes a book near the goddess, has been interpreted as symbolizing the Indian Constitution, contrasting with the historical idea of the Dharma Shastra, which historically restricted knowledge to certain caste and gender groups.
• Controversial Public Interpretations: The open-eyed Justitia statue has sparked interpretations on social media, with some seeing it as a sign of justice considering caste, religion, and political identities. This reflects growing public desire for greater inclusivity and accessibility in India’s higher judiciary.

Implications for Justice Representation and Inclusivity

• Need for Inclusive Representation in Justice Iconography: The installation of the Justitia statue, alongside other statues like R. Ambedkar's, suggests a broader effort to represent inclusivity in the judiciary, but also raises questions about the potential for reinforcing or challenging existing social hierarchies.
• Challenging Judicial Norms through Art and Aesthetics: There is a growing debate about whether justice should be re-envisioned through art as a symbol of struggle, protest, or lived experience, representing values such as feminism, anti-caste ideology, secularism, and judicial independence.
• Avoiding New Forms of Discrimination: While the intent behind such symbols may be to promote equality, there is a cautionary reminder that the decolonization of justice should not inadvertently reproduce new forms of social discrimination or state violence.

Practice Question

Q. The open-eyed Justitia statue at the Supreme Court of India has sparked debates on justice representation in India. In light of the historical evolution of Justitia's iconography and contemporary challenges, critically examine the implications of such symbols in promoting equality, inclusivity, and judicial independence in India.

The shift in U.S. political leadership, with the Republicans taking control and President-elect Donald Trump’s stance on climate change, has raised significant concerns about the future of U.S. climate policy. Trump's dismissal of climate change as a “hoax” and his administration’s plans, particularly through Project 2025, threaten to undo years of progress in addressing the climate crisis. These changes are likely to have profound implications for both domestic and global climate action, with the U.S. potentially withdrawing from the Paris Agreement (PA) and scaling back environmental protections.

The Consequences of Project 2025

• Cutbacks in Climate Science and Environmental Oversight: Project 2025, a proposal backed by The Heritage Foundation, outlines drastic reductions in federal climate science programs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would face political interference, with new “science advisers” likely to reduce independent oversight. This plan also calls for the dismantling of the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding, which currently supports legal frameworks for climate regulation by identifying greenhouse gases (GHGs) as public health risks.
• Targeting the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): Although Project 2025 targets the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the most ambitious U.S. climate legislation to date, the act may survive due to its widespread economic benefits, especially in Republican districts where clean energy investments have spurred job creation. This highlights the growing economic importance of the clean energy sector even among conservative states, which may provide a buffer against total climate policy rollback.
• Fossil Fuel Industry Gains and Setbacks in Clean Energy Research: The fossil fuel industry stands to gain from reduced regulatory oversight, while funding for clean energy research, particularly in renewable energy and battery storage, faces severe cuts. The U.S. risks falling behind in the global clean energy race, weakening its competitive edge in a rapidly growing sector and undermining long-term climate goals.

Challenges in Global Climate Action

• S. Climate Inaction and Global Impact: With the U.S. being responsible for around a quarter of global GHG emissions, any retreat from climate action under the Trump administration would have significant consequences. The U.S. may shift blame to domestic political constraints, but its role in global negotiations will be crucial in determining the success of climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement (PA).
• The State of Global Emissions and NDCs: Current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are insufficient to meet global climate targets, with projected emissions for 2030 falling far short of what is necessary to limit warming to 1.5°C or 2°C. The IPCC reports that full implementation of existing NDCs would still lead to a temperature increase of up to 2.8°C, far beyond safe limits. This makes the urgency for enhanced global cooperation even more critical.
• Diplomatic and Financial Setbacks at COP29: As the U.S. continues its diplomatic retreat, the Biden administration may be reluctant to make new commitments on climate finance at COP29. U.S. negotiators may shift responsibility to other major economies, further stalling climate justice and limiting progress on crucial global finance mechanisms that would support developing countries’ efforts to address climate change.

Practice Question

Q. With the U.S. under the Trump administration retreating from climate commitments, analyze the potential impact of such a shift on global climate negotiations and the role of developed countries in addressing climate justice. What strategies can be employed to mitigate the risks of stalled global climate action?

The global diabetes crisis has escalated dramatically in recent decades. A recent report from The Lancet revealed that the number of people living with diabetes worldwide has surged from 200 million in 1990 to over 800 million in 2022, with global prevalence in adults rising from 7% to 14% in the same period. India, with 212 million people affected, now has the highest number of diabetes cases in the world, highlighting a growing public health crisis.

Growing Prevalence of Diabetes

• Global Diabetes Surge: The global number of people with diabetes quadrupled from 200 million in 1990 to over 800 million by 2022. This represents a staggering rise in diabetes prevalence, reflecting a global health emergency that needs comprehensive intervention.
• India’s Diabetic Population: India has emerged as the country with the highest number of people living with diabetes, reaching 212 million. This number far exceeds that of China, which has 148 million cases. Additionally, India leads the world in the number of undiagnosed cases, with 133 million individuals over 30 years old unaware of their condition.
• Revised Data Methodology: The increase in reported diabetes cases is also partly due to changes in data collection methods. The inclusion of individuals with elevated HbA1c levels alongside those with elevated fasting plasma glucose has led to a more accurate assessment, capturing more people at risk, especially in regions like South Asia.

Risk Factors for Diabetes: A Closer Look

• Unhealthy Diet and Sedentary Lifestyle: The primary controllable risk factors for diabetes include unhealthy diets, rich in processed carbohydrates and saturated fats, alongside sedentary lifestyles. These factors contribute significantly to obesity, a key driver of diabetes onset, particularly in urban settings.
• Tobacco Use and Diabetes: While diet and inactivity are well-known risk factors, tobacco use, especially cigarette smoking, has not been sufficiently highlighted. Studies show that nicotine increases the risk of developing diabetes by 30%-40% by impairing insulin production and inducing insulin resistance, thus directly contributing to the onset of type 2 diabetes.
• Gestational Diabetes: A Critical Concern The management of gestational diabetes is crucial in preventing long-term diabetes risk for both mothers and children. Poor management of gestational diabetes increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes later in life, underlining the need for better prenatal care and postnatal monitoring.

Urgent Need for Diagnosis and Control

• Undiagnosed Diabetic Population: In India, a significant portion of the diabetic population remains undiagnosed, with an estimated 133 million individuals over 30 years of age unaware of their condition. This underscores a critical gap in healthcare services and the need for widespread diabetes screening programs.
• WHO 2030 Target for Diabetes: The WHO has set a target for 2030: 80% of people with diabetes should be diagnosed, and 80% of those diagnosed should have good control over their glycaemic levels. Achieving this target requires urgent scaling up of healthcare infrastructure, diagnostic tools, and public health campaigns.
• The Importance of Tobacco Cessation: Avoiding tobacco use is essential not only for reducing diabetes risk but also for improving overall cardiovascular health, especially among people already living with diabetes. The ethical responsibility lies in providing education, support, and resources to encourage tobacco cessation on a larger scale.

Practice Question:

Q. Discuss the key factors contributing to the global rise in diabetes, with a specific focus on the Indian context. What ethical considerations should guide public health responses to this crisis?