GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

Recent reports from UN-Water and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reveal alarming trends in the degradation of freshwater ecosystems. The findings underscore the urgent need for enhanced water management strategies and increased global commitment to protect and restore freshwater resources.

Current State of Freshwater Ecosystems

• The reports highlight that freshwater ecosystems—including rivers, lakes, and aquifers—are severely degraded across half of the world’s countries.
• Factors such as reduced river flows, shrinking surface water bodies, increased pollution, and inadequate water management are contributing to this crisis.
  • River Flow Decrease: River flow has significantly decreased in 402 basins globally, a fivefold increase since 2000. This reduction is driven by climate change and land use alterations, impacting water availability for communities and ecosystems.
  • Lake and Surface Water Loss: Lakes and other surface water bodies are diminishing in 364 basins worldwide. Persistent nutrient pollution, largely due to land clearance and urbanization, is causing harmful algal blooms and low-oxygen conditions in many large lakes.
  • Mangrove Deforestation: Loss of mangroves, crucial for water filtration and carbon sequestration, continues, especially in Southeast Asia. While deforestation rates have stabilized in the past decade, the decline in mangrove cover poses significant risks to coastal communities and biodiversity.

Water Quality Monitoring Deficits

• A significant gap in water quality monitoring persists, with the poorest half of the world contributing less than 3% of global water quality data. Out of nearly 250,000 lake quality measurements, only 4,500 come from these regions. This data scarcity threatens the ability to manage water resources effectively, address droughts, floods, and pollution, and make informed decisions about water management.
• The reports call for enhanced monitoring efforts, including government-funded programs, citizen science contributions, and satellite-based Earth observation technologies. Such measures are critical to bridging the data gap and improving the quality and management of freshwater resources.

Inadequate Progress on Integrated Water Resources Management

The effective management of water resources requires an integrated approach that balances societal and economic needs. However, progress towards Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is insufficient:

• Current Status: Out of 183 countries assessed, 47 have nearly achieved or fully implemented IWRM. Meanwhile, 63 countries need to accelerate their efforts, and 73 countries exhibit only limited capacity for IWRM. At the current pace, sustainable water management will not be achieved until 2049, potentially affecting 3.3 billion people by 2030.
• Recommendations: To address these challenges, the reports recommend unlocking finance through innovative revenue and cost-recovery mechanisms, investing in infrastructure and management, and enhancing institutional capacity. Coordinated action and improved monitoring networks are also essential for effective water management.

Bangladesh is experiencing severe floods due to continuous monsoon rains and overflowing rivers. The country has partly attributed the flooding to the opening of the Farakka Barrage gates in West Bengal, India. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs has denied any link between the Farakka Barrage and the floods in Bangladesh.

About Farakka Barrage

• The Farakka Barrage is situated on the Ganga River in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. It is located approximately 18 km from the border with Bangladesh.
• The barrage officially commenced operations on April 21, 1975.
• Purpose: to merely divert 40,000 cusecs of water into the Farakka canal and is carefully done using a system of gates on the main Ganga river, while the balance water flows into the main river which then flows to Bangladesh in its natural course.
• The Farakka Barrage Agreement, 1977 And The Ganga Water Treaty, 1996
  • The Ganga river flows from India into Bangladesh, where its primary distributary is known as the Padma river. The river ultimately drains into Bay of Bengal after a confluence with the river
  • The reason for India to establish the Farakka barrage was to flush out the silt of Bhagirathi Hooglyriver to ensure smooth operation of Kolkata port. Bangladesh said that Ganga is an international river, so the water from it must be regulated as per a mutual agreement.
  • The two nations, in 1972, established a Joint River Commission (JRC) to negotiate terms of the water settlement.
  • In 1977, both countries signed an agreement to resolve the Farrakka issue.
  • In 1996, Bangladesh signed a fresh treaty with India - known as The Ganga Water Treaty, 1996. The agreement was to share the surface waters at the Farakka Barrage near the India-Bangladesh border.

India and the US have signed a Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers.

About the Agreements

• Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA):Under SOSA, the US and India will provide reciprocal priority support to each other for goods and services that promote national defence.
  • It will “enable both countries to acquire the industrial resources they need from one another to resolve unanticipated supply chain disruptions to meet national security needs.
  • SOSA are an important mechanism to strengthen interoperability with US defence trade partners.
  • India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US. SOSA is legally non-binding.
• MOU ON LIAISON OFFICERS: The Memorandum of Agreement regarding the Assignment of Liaison Officers is a progression on a decision taken earlier to increase information-sharing between India and the US, and to post Indian armed forces officers in key strategic US Commands. India will deploy the first Liaison Officer to the US Special Operations Command headquarters in Florida.

The 9th India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) took place in Delhi, marking a significant moment in the bilateral relations between the two countries. The meeting highlighted the mutual support given during each other’s G20 presidencies and set the stage for discussions on various cooperative areas.

Key Highlights

• Expanded Strategic Partnership: The strategic partnership between India and Brazil, established in 2006, now covers a broad range of areas including defence, space, security, trade, biofuels, and more.
• Discussion Topics: The meeting addressed issues such as bilateral trade challenges, energy cooperation, biofuels, and cultural exchanges. It also touched upon multilateral cooperation in forums like the G20, BRICS, and the UN.
• Both countries had committed to promoting a high-level dialogue between the three IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) partners and highlighted the strategic importance of the forum – which was created in 2003 – in protecting and advancing the interests of the Global South.
• India-Brazil Relations/Partnership
• Defence and Security: The partnership includes cooperation in defence, space, and security, with joint initiatives in technology and cyber security.
• Economic Cooperation: There is substantial bilateral trade, focusing on energy, particularly biofuels, and other sectors like agriculture, health, and food processing. Brazil’s lithium industry, which has seen significant investments and advancements, offers India a reliable source of lithium. 

The Supreme Court has stayed the central government's decision to omit Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945 from the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. This rule pertained to the prohibition of misleading advertisements for Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs. The stay was granted because the court found that the Ministry of AYUSH's decision to omit the rule was in violation of an earlier court order regarding misleading advertisements by Patanjali.

What is Rule 170?

• The Government of India regulates Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) medicines under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 
• Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945was a regulation that prohibited misleading advertisements for Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs. It aimed to prevent false claims about the efficacy and safety of these traditional medicines.

What Are Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani Drugs?

Government Policies

• Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940: This Act regulates the import, manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs and cosmetics in India. It includes rules for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of medicines.
• Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945: These rules were framed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and provide detailed regulations for the classification and control of drugs and cosmetics.
• Ministry of AYUSH: Responsible for the development and regulation of traditional medicine systems in India, including Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.

Due to the effects of climate change and past extinctions, bald ibis, a bird species), no longer instinctively know their migratory routes. Conservationists have been using innovative methods (microlight aircraft) to teach these birds how and where to fly to ensure their survival and to re-establish migratory patterns.

About the Species: Northern Bald Ibis

• Scientific Name: Geronticuseremita
• Physical Characteristics:
  • Appearance: The northern bald ibis is notable for its black and iridescent green plumage, a bald red head, and a long curved beak.
  • Size: Medium-sized with a wingspan of about 1.2 meters (4 feet).
• Historically, the northern bald ibis migrated across North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and parts of Europe, including southern Germany’s Bavaria.
• The birds lack knowledge of their migration routes and require human guidance to learn them. Early reintroduction attempts failed as the birds flew in incorrect directions and died.
• Extinction and Conservation Efforts:
  • By the 17th century, hunting and habitat loss had led to the bird's near extinction in Europe. However, a few populations survived in other regions.
  • However, conservation efforts have increased the population from zero to nearly 300, shifting their status from "critically endangered" to "endangered."

Hyderabad-based vaccine maker Indian Immunologicals Limited (IIL) has developed a live-attenuated needle-free intra-nasal booster vaccine against Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19, amid the rising number of cases of the virulent across the world.

About the vaccine

• Needle-free injection systems are novel ways to introduce various medicines into patients without piercing the skin with a conventional needle.
• IIL’s intranasal vaccine, named CDO-7N-1, is a live attenuated vaccine designed to be given through the nose. It could trigger both mucosal and systemic immunity with just a single dose
• The vaccine is made using codon deoptimisation technology.
  • Codon deoptimization involves decreasing the frequency of underrepresented codon pairs (genetic determinant for amino acids) without changing amino acid sequences.
  • It is a highly efficient virus attenuation strategy that utilizes suboptimal codon pairs to achieve attenuation of recoded viruses
  • The technology weakens viruses by using less common genetic codes while keeping the protein the same. 
  • Codon deoptimisation is considered highly efficient as a virus attenuation strategy and is also considered safe and less time-consuming than the conventional way which usually takes several years.
• Live-attenuated vaccines are known for their ability to induce strong, long-lasting immunity, often requiring just one dose.
• Unlike other vaccines that use a single antigen, live-attenuated vaccines incorporate the entire virus, providing broader immunity.

India has recently developed its own indigenous RT-PCR testing kit for Mpox, known as the IMDX Mpox Detection RT-PCR Assay. This significant advancement in diagnostic technology has received manufacturing approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

About RT-PCR Testing Kit for Mpox

• The IMDX Mpox Detection RT-PCR Assay is a newly developed diagnostic tool designed to detect Mpox virus infections.
• This kit will be manufactured at Siemens Healthineers' molecular diagnostics unit in Vadodara, India, which has a production capacity of one million reactions per year.
• The assay is engineered to detect two distinct regions in the Mpox viral genome, covering both Clade I and Clade II variants, ensuring comprehensive and accurate detection across different viral strains.
• Its platform-agnostic design means it integrates seamlessly with existing PCR setups, eliminating the need for new instruments.
• The assay provides results in just 40 minutes, significantly faster than traditional methods that take 1-2 hours.
• It has been clinically validated by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, with 100% sensitivity and specificity, adhering to both Indian and international standards.
• Technology Used
  • The IMDX Mpox Detection RT-PCR Assay utilizes RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology, which amplifies and detects specific genetic material from the Mpox virus. The process involves converting RNA into DNA through reverse transcription, followed by amplification to detectable levels.
  • The assay's platform-agnostic design allows it to work with standard PCR equipment, making it compatible with existing diagnostic infrastructure.

In a strategic move to bolster its air defense capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to prioritize the integration of its indigenous Astra MkI and MkII missiles over the Israeli I-Derby ER Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAMs). This decision will affect the IAF’s fleet of Su-30MKI, TejasMkIA, and TejasMkIIs, marking a significant shift towards enhancing domestic defense technology.

Astra Missiles: India's Indigenous Advancements

• Astra MkI:Operational since 2019, the Astra MkI is a testament to India's growing missile technology prowess. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it features a range of 110 km and has been successfully integrated into the IAF’s Su-30MKI and Tejas fighters.
  • The missile is equipped with an active radar homing seeker, ensuring high-precision targeting in the terminal phase.
  • Its deployment marks a significant enhancement in India’s air-to-air combat capabilities.
• Astra MkII:Building on the success of the MkI, the Astra MkII is in advanced testing stages and promises to further extend India’s air defense reach.
  • With a range of 160 km, achieved through a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, the Astra MkII represents a substantial leap in missile technology.
  • Its development underscores a commitment to producing cost-effective and adaptable solutions for modern aerial combat, reinforcing its strategic value for the IAF.
• I-Derby ER: Israel’s Advanced BVRAAM
• The I-Derby ER, developed by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, is a leading contender in the BVRAAM category.
• With a range of 100 km, it features a 'fire-and-forget' capability, which allows pilots to engage targets beyond visual range, thus significantly enhancing operational effectiveness.

India’s female labour force participation rate (FLFPR) stands at 37%, significantly below the global average of 47.8%. A significant portion of this participation is comprised of unpaid work, highlighting gender disparities in economic participation. Efforts are being made to address this issue through improved childcare services and a more supportive care ecosystem.

Childcare Support Initiatives

• Increased Budget Allocation: The 2024-25 Budget includes a 3% increase for the SakshamAnganwadi and Poshan 2.0 scheme, aiming to bolster integrated childcare and nutrition programs.
• Community-Based Models: Various states have implemented community-based creches and childcare models, which need to be evaluated for replicability, financial sustainability, and scalability.
• Network Expansion Needed: There is a need for a broader and more context-specific network of creches in rural, tribal, and urban areas to enhance female workforce participation.

Broader Care Responsibilities

• Beyond Childcare: Women are primary caregivers across various life stages, and addressing this requires a holistic approach beyond just childcare.
• Demand for Hired Caregivers: Rising demand for external caregivers in urban areas highlights the lack of standardized processes and protections for domestic workers.
• Lack of Standards: Current care workers often lack training, minimum wages, safety measures, and quality standards, impacting the effectiveness of care services.

Policy and Ecosystem Development

• Need for Policy Intervention: There is a critical need for comprehensive policy intervention to address gaps in training, skilling, and certification of care workers.
• Care Economy Perspectives: The care economy should be viewed from perspectives of economic productivity, business investment, and human rights, emphasizing gender equality and disability inclusion.
• Comprehensive Framework: A life course perspective on care, led by a multi-ministerial committee, is necessary to develop a robust care ecosystem.

Practice Question

What are the factors contributing to India’s low female labour force participation rate? Evaluate the effectiveness of current policy measures addressing childcare and care responsibilities.

On August 1, 2024, China celebrated the 97th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with significant events and changes in military leadership. General Wu Yanan and General Huang Ming were appointed as new commanders of the Southern and Northern Theaters, respectively. These changes are part of a broader trend of replacements within the PLA, raising questions about the reasons and implications for these adjustments.

Reasons for Leadership Changes

• Southern Theater Command: General Wang Xiubin’s replacement may be due to perceived inefficiencies in handling regional skirmishes and internal issues within the Theater Command.
• Internal Politics and Performance: Recent issues such as poor performance in joint training exercises and internal discord among military officers could have contributed to his dismissal.
• Political and Reform Objectives: The changes reflect ongoing efforts to align the PLA more closely with the Chinese Communist Party’s strategic and reform goals.

Role of New Leadership

• General Wu Yanan’s Experience: Wu’s appointment is significant due to his extensive experience with the Central Military Commission (CMC) and his role in previous critical national security issues.
• Focus on Efficiency: Wu is expected to enhance joint operations and combat readiness in the Southern Theater, including testing maritime and aerial capabilities in contested areas like the South China Sea.
• Political Cohesion: His leadership may also emphasize improving political alignment and operational effectiveness within the PLA’s Southern Theater.

Broader Implications and Lessons for India

• Ongoing PLA Reforms: The leadership changes highlight that the PLA’s reforms, aimed at creating a “world-class” military, are still incomplete and face challenges such as corruption and inefficiencies.
• Importance of Loyalty: The appointment process underscores the significance of political loyalty and alignment with the CCP’s priorities in military leadership decisions.
• Strategic Monitoring: India should closely monitor these developments to understand the PLA’s doctrinal and leadership changes, given its strategic rivalry with China.

Practice Question

Analyze the recent changes in the leadership of the PLA’s Southern Theater and their implications for China’s military strategy. How should India respond to these developments in terms of its own military strategy and preparedness?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox (formerly monkeypox) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its spread to several other African countries. This declaration is notable as it is the first PHEIC under the revised International Health Regulations (IHR) that incorporate equity as a core principle. Concurrently, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (AfricaCDC) has declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) for the same outbreak.

Response to the Outbreak

• PHEIC Declaration: The declaration aims to foster international cooperation, prompting countries, organizations, and NGOs to collaborate, share information, and mobilize resources.
• Resource Mobilization: The declaration should lead to the rapid allocation of financial and technical resources, including emergency funding and medical supplies.
• Precedent of COVID-19: This approach mirrors the COVID-19 response, highlighting the need for a coordinated global effort.

Vaccine Production and Availability

• Existing Vaccine: The MVA-BN vaccine, already approved and in production by Bavarian Nordic, offers a key advantage over the COVID-19 pandemic, with an available vaccine for mpox.
• Production Capacity: Bavarian Nordic can produce up to 10 million doses by the end of 2025, but current availability is limited, underscoring the need for increased production.
• Role of India: Indian manufacturers, with their experience and infrastructure, are well-positioned to scale up production and reduce vaccine costs.

Technology Transfer and Equity

• Need for Technology Transfer: Effective response requires comprehensive technology transfers, including sharing biological resources, know-how, and patents.
• Global Cooperation: The Indian government should work with international bodies and manufacturers to negotiate technology transfers and support equitable vaccine access.
• Regulatory Changes: India's recent waiver of clinical trial requirements for approved drugs could expedite the availability of critical vaccines like MVA-BN.

Practice Question

Discuss the implications of the World Health Organization’s declaration of mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in the context of global health governance. How can technology transfer and international cooperation enhance the response to such outbreaks?