GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar emphasized the need to invest more efforts and resources into improving connectivity with Central Asia. The remarks were made during the India–Central Asia Business Council meeting ahead of the 4th India–Central Asia Dialogue (2025). Key focus areas included Chabahar Port, the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), and the use of national currencies for trade settlement.

India–Central Asia Connectivity: Strategic Imperatives and Challenges

• Geopolitical Relevance: Central Asia lies at the intersection of Russia, China, Iran, and South Asia—vital for regional balance and energy security.
• Energy and Resources: Rich in hydrocarbons, uranium, and minerals; key to India's energy diversification strategy.
• Connectivity Corridor: Acts as a bridge between South Asia and Eurasia via Iran (Chabahar) and Afghanistan.

• Chabahar Port
  • Gateway to Afghanistan and Central Asia bypassing Pakistan.
  • India is developing the Shahid Beheshti terminal.
  • Forms a key link to the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
• International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)
  • A 7,200 km multi-modal network linking Mumbai–Chabahar–Iran–Caspian Sea–Russia–Europe.
  • Reduces freight time and cost compared to traditional Suez route.

• India–Central Asia Dialogue (4th edition in 2025).
• India–Central Asia Summit held in virtual mode (January 2022).
• Engagement through SCO, Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) dialogues.
• Recent progress: Rupee Vostro Accounts opened by Central Asian banks in India.

• Trade volume: $2 billion (2024) – not reflective of potential.
• Push for:
  • Mutual settlement in national currencies
  • Use of Unified Payment Interface (UPI)
  • Expansion of Special Rupee Vostro Accounts
  • Closer ties between banking sectors of both regions.

• Regional developments such as India’s Operation Sindoor and outreach to the Taliban in Afghanistan shape the security architecture.
• Common challenges include:
  • Terrorism and extremism
  • Narcotics trafficking
  • Chinese strategic expansion through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

Challenges:

• Lack of direct land access to Central Asia due to Pakistan’s obstruction.
• Slow progress on multimodal corridors like INSTC.
• Geopolitical instability in Afghanistan post-2021.
• Competition from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• Inadequate logistics, banking, and regulatory harmonization.

Way Forward:

• Fast-track Infrastructure Projects:
  • Operationalize all INSTC links with support from Russia, Iran, and Central Asian republics.
  • Speed up completion of missing Chabahar railway links.
• Institutional and Financial Reforms:
  • Operationalize UPI and Rupee trading mechanisms with all Central Asian states.
  • Establish a regional development bank or special fund for India–Central Asia projects.
• Security and Political Coordination:
  • Collaborate on intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism with Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
  • Re-engage Afghanistan through regional formats involving Iran, Russia, and CARs.
• People-to-People & Educational Engagements:
  • Scholarship and capacity building programs under ICCR and ITEC
  • Promote cultural diplomacy and soft power
• Leadership Summit Institutionalization:
  • Convene a regular India–Central Asia Leadership Summit to set strategic agenda.

As of early 2025, more than eight years since the implementation of the IBC (2016), India has seen a total recovery of ?3.89 lakh crore with a recovery rate of 32.8% under the framework. However, recent judicial interventions like in the Bhushan Power and Steel case and rising concerns over delays and implementation challenges have renewed debates on the efficacy and predictability of the Code.

IBC 2.0: Consolidation or Crisis in India’s Corporate Resolution Framework?

• Purpose of Enactment (2016):
  • Consolidated fragmented bankruptcy laws (SARFAESI, RDDBFI, Companies Act provisions).
  • Introduced a time-bound resolution mechanism (maximum 330 days including litigation delays).
  • Shifted control from debtors to creditors through the Committee of Creditors (CoC).
  • Aimed to enhance India’s Ease of Doing Business ranking (improved from 136 in 2016 to 63 in 2020).

• Improved Credit Culture:
  • As per IBBI, over 30,000 cases were resolved before admission due to the credible threat of IBC.
  • SC remarked: “The defaulter’s paradise is lost.”
• Dominant Recovery Channel:
  • RBI (2024) reports IBC accounted for 48% of all bank recoveries in FY24.
  • Recovery under IBC: ?3.89 lakh crore; average realization at 170.1% of liquidation value.
• Macro-Impact:
  • GNPA ratio declined from 11.2% (March 2018) to 2.8% (March 2024).
  • Cost of debt for distressed firms reduced by 3%, as per IIM-Bangalore study.

• Judicial Bottlenecks:
  • NCLT delays in admitting cases and approving resolutions lead to reduced asset value.
  • 2758 companies have gone into liquidation vs. 10 resolved.
• Post-resolution Uncertainties:
  • The Bhushan Steel verdict challenged post-resolution commercial certainty, affecting investor confidence.
  • Threat of reversal of approved plans discourages genuine bidders.
• Inadequate Tribunal Infrastructure:
  • Shortage of technical members, insufficient benches across India.
• Ambiguities in Code:
  • Lack of clarity on issues like IP rights, treatment of employee dues, and tech asset valuation.

• Tribunal Reforms: Expansion of NCLT benches and appointment of domain experts.
• Jurisprudential Clarity: Codify sanctity of CoC-approved plans and limit post-approval judicial interventions.
• Pre-Packaged Insolvency: Promote pre-packs especially for MSMEs for faster resolution.
• Future-Proofing the Code: Address resolution frameworks for startups, tech firms, and entities with complex IP portfolios.

Way Forward

• IBC must balance judicial scrutiny with commercial pragmatism.
• There is an urgent need to build legal certainty around resolution outcomes to sustain investor trust.
• Establishing time-bound appeals mechanism, incentivizing early distress reporting, and integrating alternate dispute resolution tools can ensure long-term resilience.
• As India eyes a $5 trillion economy, a predictable insolvency framework is crucial to uphold financial stability and attract capital.

Two Chinese nationals have been accused by U.S. authorities of smuggling Fusarium graminearum, a potent plant pathogen, into the U.S. without authorization. This has reignited global concerns over agro-terrorism, biosecurity, and the role of state-sponsored scientific espionage—particularly amid deteriorating U.S.-China relations.

Agro-Terrorism and Biosecurity Threats: Strategic Dimensions of the Fusarium graminearum Incident

• Deliberate use of biological agents (pathogens, pests, viruses) to attack a country’s agriculture.
• Targets food systems to cause economic loss, disrupt food security, and spread public panic.
• Low-cost, hard to detect, and capable of devastating ripple effects.

• Causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) in cereals like wheat, maize, barley, and rice.
• Produces vomitoxin (deoxynivalenol)—a toxin harmful to both livestock and humans.
• Estimated to cause over $1 billion in annual crop losses in the U.S..
• Smuggling foreign strains raises risk of more virulent or pesticide-resistant variants.

• S. prosecutors flagged the smuggling as a biosecurity and national security threat.
• FBI warns that modified strains could overwhelm current agricultural defenses.
• Reflects concerns about state-sponsored agro-terrorism and exploitation of research networks.

• Incident occurs amidst U.S.-China tensions, failed trade talks, and visa crackdowns on Chinese students.
• Illustrates how science and agriculture are emerging domains in geopolitical conflicts.

• India’s agricultural vulnerability: With over 50% of its workforce in agriculture, any biological attack could trigger mass livelihood loss and social unrest.
• Lack of agricultural biosecurity infrastructure: India lacks comprehensive protocols and trained personnel to detect and respond to bioterrorism threats in agriculture.
• Open trade and porous borders: Increase susceptibility to agro-terrorism via smuggling of infected materials.
• Food security implications: Any successful attack can disrupt the Public Distribution System (PDS) and inflate food inflation, threatening the poor.

Challenges:

• Strategic Vulnerabilities
  • Agro-terrorism represents a non-conventional hybrid threat at the intersection of biotechnology, international relations, and internal security.
  • In countries like India and the U.S., which are dependent on stable agricultural output, even isolated outbreaks can have cascading effects on food supply chains, export earnings, and health systems.
• Biosecurity Deficiencies
  • India lacks a National Agro-Biosecurity Strategy.
  • Laboratories and research institutions are often not equipped with biosafety level protocols for plant pathogens.
  • Absence of an integrated early warning and surveillance system across agricultural zones.
• International Legal and Institutional Gaps
  • No global convention exclusively deals with agro-terrorism.
  • Existing frameworks like the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) lack enforcement power.
  • Need for India to push for global cooperation on agricultural bio-threats through platforms like G-20 and BRICS.
• Policy and Legal Measures for India
  • National Policy on Agro-Biosecurity: To include monitoring, emergency response protocols, capacity-building for state governments, and integration with national disaster response frameworks.
  • Training of personnel in customs, ports, and labs to detect bio-threats at entry points.
  • Public-private partnerships with agritech startups for pathogen surveillance.
  • Incorporate agro-terrorism under India’s counter-terrorism and cyber-espionage strategies.

Way Forward:

• Legislation: Enact a dedicated Agricultural Biosecurity Act.
• Research Security: Monitor international collaborations in agro-biotech and set ethical, regulatory boundaries.
• Surveillance: Strengthen plant health monitoring via AI and satellite tools.
• Strategic Diplomacy: Use platforms like QUAD and SCO to create cooperative mechanisms on biosecurity.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the integration of a new automated voter turnout reporting feature in its unified mobile application ECINET, to be launched before the Bihar Assembly Elections in November 2025. This move follows criticism regarding delayed and inconsistent voter turnout data during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, raising concerns over transparency and electoral integrity.

Background Context:

• During the 2024 General Elections, the ECI faced political and public criticism over the delay and subsequent revision in voter turnout figures released for the first and second phases.
• Turnout data released 11 days post-polling showed discrepancies of 5–6 percentage points over initial data, which led to allegations of opacity.

Current Process of Voter Turnout Collection:

• At present, Presiding Officers report turnout manually to Sector Officers and Returning Officers (ROs) via phone/text.
• Data is then compiled and uploaded to the Voter Turnout App manually every two hours.

Reform Announced:

• ECINET, a unified application consolidating 40+ existing ECI apps (e.g., electoral rolls, affidavits, turnout), will enable direct digital entry of turnout data by each Presiding Officer every 2 hours.
• Turnout figures will be automatically aggregated and made publicly viewable, ensuring real-time transparency and minimizing delay.

Legal Framework:

• Form 17C under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961 mandates booth-wise voter turnout disclosure to candidates’ polling agents.
• Statutory completion of polling formalities takes precedence over real-time updates, especially in remote constituencies, according to the ECI’s clarification.

The Government of India launched the ‘Ayush Nivesh Saarthi’ portal during the Ayush Stakeholder/Industry Interaction Meet held at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi. Developed by the Ministry of Ayush in collaboration with Invest India, the portal aims to attract domestic and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the traditional medicine sector, aligning with India’s goal to become a global hub for holistic healthcare and wellness.

About the Portal:

• The ‘Ayush Nivesh Saarthi’ is an investor-centric digital platform.
• It integrates:
  • Policy frameworks
  • Incentive structures
  • Investment-ready projects
  • Real-time facilitation for domestic and global investors.
• Developed by Ministry of Ayush + Invest India.

FDI in Ayush Sector:

• 100% FDI is permitted through the automatic route in the Ayush sector.
• The platform is intended to facilitate smooth and transparent investor engagement.

Economic Significance:

• The Ayush sector contributes significantly to India’s $13 billion Medical Value Travel (MVT)
• The sector saw a 17% annual growth rate (2014–2020).
• India hosts over 8,000 species of medicinal plants, giving it a natural advantage in the global wellness market.

Strategic Goals:

• To position India as a leading global destination for investment in traditional medicine.
• To modernize the Ayush sector while retaining its heritage-based authenticity.
• To contribute to the broader goal of enhancing public health, creating entrepreneurial opportunities, and driving economic growth through wellness.

Institutional Framework:

• Supported by DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade).
• Implemented under the vision of Union Ministries of Ayush and Commerce & Industry.

The Tamil Nadu government has launched multiple biodiversity and conservation initiatives, including the establishment of the Greater Flamingo Sanctuary at Dhanushkodi on World Environment Day 2025. These efforts aim to protect migratory bird habitats, promote ecotourism, restore native ecosystems, and enhance environmental standards across the state.

Greater Flamingo Sanctuary at Dhanushkodi

• Established by Tamil Nadu government, coinciding with World Environment Day 2025.
• Area: 7 hectares.
• Part of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
• Includes diverse ecosystems: mangroves, mudflats, supporting marine life and nesting birds.
• Aims to protect migratory bird habitats and enhance regional biodiversity.

Ecological Importance of Dhanushkodi

• Located on the Central Asian Flyway, a major migratory bird route between Eurasia and the Indian subcontinent.
• Recent bird surveys: over 10,700 wetland birds, representing 128 species.
• Key species: Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, herons, sandpipers.
• Mangroves serve as:
  • Natural coastal erosion barriers.
  • Breeding grounds for wildlife.

Government Initiatives for Biodiversity Conservation

• Issued a Government Order (GO) underscoring the sanctuary’s ecological value.
• Launched the Raptors Research Foundation to protect birds of prey like eagles and vultures.
• The foundation’s role:
  • Conservation measures.
  • Community awareness and education.

Promotion of Ecotourism and Employment

• Sanctuary to foster responsible ecotourism.
• Ecotourism benefits:
  • Generates local employment.
  • Raises public awareness on wetland and bird conservation.
• Objective: To balance ecological preservation with community development.

The Assam Cabinet approved the sixth expansion of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve by adding 47,306.33 hectares to enhance biodiversity conservation and sustainable tourism. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, currently spans 1,302 sq. km. and hosts over 2,600 one-horned rhinos and a high tiger density

Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve:

• Located in Assam, Kaziranga is globally renowned for its population of the Indian one-horned rhinoceros, the highest in the world (~2,613 rhinos).
• It also has a high density of Bengal tigers — estimated at 32.64 tigers per 100 sq. km, one of the highest tiger densities worldwide.
• The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its rich biodiversity and successful conservation efforts.

Expansion Details:

• Area expanded by 47,306.33 hectares as the sixth addition.
• Total area post-expansion would increase significantly beyond the existing 1,302 sq. km.
• Expansion aims to strengthen conservation of endangered species and their habitats and boost sustainable ecotourism.

Exclusion of Villages:

• To balance conservation with local interests, 10 villages (Baligaon, Biswanath Ghat, Gakhirkhaite, Gonaitapu, Gopal Jarani, Hatimura, Jobre, Silghat, Thute Chapori, and Umatamoni) have been excluded from the expansion zone.
• This decision addresses human-wildlife conflict and social impact issues.

The article critiques increasing institutional and regulatory control over freedom of expression, particularly within Indian universities, amidst ongoing court cases addressing restrictions on speech. It argues for a reaffirmation of constitutional values in light of India’s declining press freedom and rising censorship trends in academia.

Reasserting Constitutional Morality in an Era of Institutional Overreach

Historical and Constitutional Underpinnings of Free Speech

• Areopagitica and Opposition to Licensing: John Milton’s Areopagitica (1644) opposed the licensing system (imprimatur), which required prior government approval for publications in England—analogous to current debates over institutional restrictions in India.
• Freedom of Press as a Democratic Imperative: The U.S. First Amendment (1791) explicitly protects freedom of speech and the press, recognizing it as vital for informed public choice and democratic governance.
• India’s Constitutional Position: Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, while Article 19(2) permits only reasonable restrictions based on sovereignty, public order, morality, etc., codified by the 1951 and 1963 constitutional amendments.

Institutional Controls and Judicial Safeguards

• Judicial Doctrine of Proportionality: In Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020), the Supreme Court mandated that any restriction on free speech must be legitimate, necessary, and least intrusive, with the burden of proof on the State.
• Private Institutions as 'State' Under Constitution: The judgment in Janet Jeyapaul v. SRM University (2015) ruled that private universities performing public functions fall within the ambit of ‘State’ under Article 12, hence subject to Article 14 (Right to Equality).
• Limitations on Executive Restrictions: No government authority can impose speech restrictions via executive orders alone—legislative backing is necessary. Internal university codes or regulatory controls are not grounds for curbing constitutionally protected expression.

Ethical, Academic, and Policy Implications

• Suppression Undermines Academic Excellence: Overregulation leads to intellectual suffocation, reducing the capacity for path-breaking research. Free intellectual environments, as in ancient Indian gurukuls, historically fostered thinkers like Aryabhata and Charaka.
• Expression as a Path to Truth and Social Good: Citing Milton and Holmes Jr., the article underscores that open expression enables public discernment of truth—critical in the age of disinformation and fake news.
• India’s Vishwaguru Aspiration vs. Global Rankings: India’s rank of 151 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index undermines its ethical claim to global leadership; robust academic freedom is essential for sustaining democratic credibility.

Practice Question

Q. "In a constitutional democracy, the right to freedom of speech is not just a legal entitlement but a foundational pillar of human dignity and public accountability." Critically examine the statement in the context of increasing institutional restrictions on academic expression in India.

India’s decadal population census, originally scheduled for 2021 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is now expected to conclude by March 2027. It will be the first digital census, and its data will serve as the foundation for the next delimitation of Lok Sabha and State Assembly constituencies, which is constitutionally mandated to occur after 2026.

Census 2027: A Demographic Pivot with Political, Social, and Governance Implications

Digital Transformation and Governance Outcomes

• First-Ever Digital Census in India: The 2027 census will be conducted digitally for the first time, allowing for faster data collection, real-time validation, and efficient analysis. This digital shift is intended to make demographic data more dynamic and accessible.
• Implications for Social Security Delivery: Absence of updated population data since 2011 has hampered implementation of welfare schemes, especially for vulnerable groups. The upcoming census data is critical for programs like NFSA, PM-JAY, and MGNREGA which rely on accurate demographic mapping.
• Rising Concerns Over Data Security and Transparency: While digitalization increases efficiency, it also brings data privacy and cyber-security risks. The government must ensure end-to-end encryption, transparent protocols, and independent oversight to build public trust in the process.

Caste Enumeration and Development Planning

• First Caste Enumeration Since 1931: The 2027 Census will, for the first time in nearly a century, enumerate caste categories, offering granular insights into the socio-economic status of historically marginalised communities.
• Data-Driven Social Justice, But With Risks: Caste-based data can inform targeted welfare planning and equitable resource allocation. However, it also raises concerns of political fragmentation and reinforcement of social divisions if misused for electoral mobilization.
• Balancing Accuracy with Sensitivity: Ensuring methodological rigor and confidentiality in caste enumeration will be essential. The data must be anonymised and shielded from misuse to avoid exacerbating caste-based tensions.

Census-Linked Delimitation and Federal Concerns

• Linkage with Post-2026 Delimitation Mandate: As per Article 82 and 170 of the Constitution, delimitation is to be based on the first Census after 2026. With the reference date now fixed at March 1, 2027, the path is clear for a comprehensive redrawing of electoral boundaries.
• Representation Imbalance and Regional Dissent: Southern states with low population growth (e.g., Kerala, Tamil Nadu) fear loss of parliamentary seats, while high-growth states (mainly in the Hindi heartland) may gain representation. This raises equity concerns in federal representation.
• Need for Political Consensus on Delimitation: Given the political sensitivity of delimitation, especially with accusations of demographic gerrymandering, the Centre must engage stakeholders in transparent dialogue to prevent regional alienation and uphold cooperative federalism.

Practice Question:

Q. Discuss the multifaceted implications of India’s delayed but digital 2027 Census, with special reference to its impact on governance, caste-based welfare planning, and the upcoming delimitation of constituencies.

The newly elected UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has signed a cooperation agreement with the European Union, re-establishing collaboration on food safety, fisheries, defence, and border management post-Brexit. This diplomatic reset, while regional in appearance, carries strategic implications for India’s export systems, geopolitical alignments, and diaspora mobility.

Implications of the UK-EU Reset for India’s Trade, Strategy, and Mobility

Trade Corridors and Export Ecosystem

• Unified Regulatory Regime Boosts Indian Exports: Post-Brexit, Indian exporters faced dual regulatory burdens in EU and UK markets. A harmonised compliance framework could streamline trade, especially in pharmaceuticals, textiles, agro-products, and seafood. India’s pharma sector, supplying over 25% of UK’s generic drugs, will benefit from faster approvals and lower costs.
• Impact on High-Value Seafood and Agri Trade: India exported seafood worth ?60,523.89 crore ($7.38 billion) in FY24. If food standards align between the UK and EU, Indian marine exporters may face reduced duplication in inspections. However, MSMEs may struggle to meet elevated benchmarks unless supported by schemes like RoDTEP and PLI.
• Strategic Trade Realignment Required: In FY24, India’s exports to the EU stood at $86 billion, while to the UK at $12 billion, making both crucial partners. India must recalibrate its trade strategy by investing in compliance infrastructure and sector-specific capacity building to remain competitive in a re-integrated UK-EU market.

Strategic and Geopolitical Realignments

• Leverage Bilateral Frameworks for Trilateral Gains: India’s engagement under the EU-India Strategic Partnership: Roadmap 2025 and renewed UK-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2022) on cyber, climate, and maritime security can converge under a coordinated UK-EU foreign policy. This creates scope for deeper alignment in multilateral forums.
• Defence Cooperation and Technological Synergies: India-France trade touched $15.1 billion in 2024-25, while defence pacts with Germany and the UK focus on joint development. A harmonised UK-EU defence doctrine may facilitate trilateral Indo-Pacific engagement, reinforcing India's naval modernization and counterbalancing China’s assertiveness.
• Global South Advocacy through a Unified West: India’s G-20 presidency in 2023 elevated its Global South leadership. A stable UK-EU axis can be a springboard to advocate climate finance, WTO reforms, and global digital infrastructure, aligning with India’s broader strategic interests on multilateral platforms like UN and G-20.

Mobility, Diaspora, and Knowledge Economy

• Semi-Integrated Talent Corridor Emerging: The UK issued over 1,10,000 student visas to Indians in 2024, affirming India as a key talent source. Renewed UK-EU border collaboration may unlock partial mobility, easing cross-border employment and academic engagement for Indian professionals and researchers.
• Diaspora Diplomacy through Bilateral and Regional Pacts: Migration agreements with Germany, France, and Portugal can be embedded in a broader UK-EU framework. This would facilitate smoother talent movement while supporting India’s Skill India and Videsh Bhavan initiatives for structured labour export.
• Need for Domestic Reforms to Capitalise: India must upgrade its export infrastructure, legal frameworks for data and migration, and deepen institutional links with European academia to fully utilise this strategic moment. A proactive foreign economic policy will determine India’s gains from the West’s reintegration.

Practice Question:

Q. Post-Brexit, the UK-EU diplomatic reset presents both opportunities and challenges for India in trade, geopolitics, and mobility. Critically analyse the implications of this reset on India’s strategic positioning in the global order.