General Studies Paper-3

Context: Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Amul, and Rich Plus have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote organic farming in India.

More About the News

• Launch of Organic Farming Card: A co-branded Organic Farming Card has been introduced for account holders of IOB who are engaged in organic farming.
• This card will enable farmers to access discounted organic agricultural inputs through Amul’s certified retail outlets.
• IOB has announced a dedicated credit scheme named “Harit Kranti”, specifically designed to address the financial needs of organic farmers.
• Richplus will play a key role in offering technical expertise and training to farmers on organic farming practices.

What is Organic farming?

• Organic farming is a sustainable agriculture system that excludes synthetic inputs like chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
• It relies on natural resources like crop residues, farmyard manure, and compost to maintain soil health and manage pests and diseases.

Organic farming in India

• India ranks at 4th place in terms of certified area globally as per the report published by International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) Statistics 2022.
• Madhya Pradesh has the largest area under organic certification followed by Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka.
• Sikkim is India’s first fully organic state, with implementing organic practices on around 75,000 hectares of agricultural land.
• India ranks first globally in terms of number of farmers practicing organic farming.
• The exports of India’s organic products stood at $708 million in 2022-23 and considering the global market size of around $138 billion, there is a tremendous scope to increase the organic exports in the near future.

Advantages of Organic farming

• Healthier Food Products: Organic farming results in food products that are free from harmful chemical residues with higher levels of essential nutrients.
• Enhanced Soil Health: Organic farming methods focus on building and maintaining soil health by increasing organic matter content, microbial activity, and nutrient cycling.
• Economic Opportunities: Organic farming provides economic benefits to farmers through premium prices for organic products, access to niche markets, and reduced input costs over the long term.
• Climate Change Mitigation: Organic farming practices such as composting and organic soil management contribute to carbon sequestration in the soil, helping to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Biodiversity Conservation: Organic farming practices support biodiversity by creating habitats for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Organic certifications systems in India

• National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP): It is under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry for development of the export market.
  • It is a third party certification programme where the production and handling of activities at all stages such as production, processing, trading and export requirements for organic products is covered.
• Participatory Guarantee System (PGS-India): PGS-India under Ministry of Agriculture and farmers Welfare involves stakeholders (including farmers/ producers) in decision making about the operation of the PGS-India certification by assessing, inspecting and verifying the production practices of each other.
  • Food Safety Regulation has made it mandatory for organic products to be certified under NPOP or PGS for being sold in the domestic market under the Jaivik Bharat logo.

Government Initiatives for Organic Farming

• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): The schemes stress on end-to-end support to farmers engaged in organic farming i.e. from production to processing, certification and marketing and post-harvest management.
  • Training and Capacity Building are integral parts of the scheme.
• Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER): The scheme is being implemented exclusively in the NE States to support farmers engaged in organic farming.
  • Jaivik Kheti portal is a one stop solution for facilitating organic farmers to sell their organic produce and promoting organic farming and its benefits. This portal caters various stakeholders like local groups, individual farmers, buyers and input suppliers.

Way Ahead

• Enhance Market Access: Expand procurement, branding, and retailing of organic produce through platforms like Amul and Jaivik Kheti.
• Promote Awareness and Training: Ensure that farmers receive technical guidance and training to meet certification norms and market expectations.
• Expand Certification Infrastructure: Simplify certification processes and increase availability of local certification bodies.

General Studies Paper-2

Context: The position of the Deputy Speaker has been lying vacant for the last six years raising questions on constitutional adherence and democratic resilience.

Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

• The Deputy Speaker serves as the Second-in-Command Presiding Officer of the Lower House of Parliament of India – the Lok Sabha.
• According to Article 95(1), the Deputy Speaker performs the duties of the Speaker if the post is vacant.
• The Deputy Speaker acts as the Speaker when the latter is absent from the sitting of the House.
• The Deputy Speaker presides over joint sittings of both Houses of Parliament in case the Speaker is absent from such a sitting.

Election of Deputy Speaker

• The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is elected by the Lok Sabha itself from amongst its members.
• Article 93 states that “The House of the People shall, as soon as may be, choose two members of the House to be respectively Speaker and Deputy Speaker”.
• The election of Deputy Speaker is governed by Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha. According to Rule 8, the election “shall be held on such date as the Speaker may fix”.
• Usually, the Speaker is chosen from the ruling party or ruling alliance, while the Deputy Speaker is selected from the opposition party or opposition alliance.
  • However, there have been exceptions to this convention.
  • The first four Deputy Speakers, from 1952 to 1969, were from the ruling party.
  • There was no Deputy Speaker for the entire duration of the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24).

Powers and Privileges

• While performing the duties of or acting as the Speaker of Lok Sabha (i.e. while presiding over the sitting of Lok Sabha or a Joint Sitting of both the Houses), he/she assumes all the powers of the Speaker of Lok Sabha.
  • Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker cannot vote in the first instance, rather he/she can only exercise a Casting Vote in case of a tie.
• When the Speaker presides over the House, the Deputy Speaker is like any other Ordinary Member of the House.
  • Thus, in such times, the Deputy Speaker can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings, and vote in the first instance on any question before the House.
  • He/she has one special privilege -Whenever the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha is appointed as a member of a Parliamentary Committee, he/she automatically becomes its chairman.

Removal of Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha

• The Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can be removed by a resolution passed by the Lok Sabha by an Effective Majority (i.e. a majority of the total membership of the House excluding the vacant seats).
• A motion of removal of the Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice to the Speaker.
• When a resolution for removal of the Deputy Speaker is under consideration, he/she cannot preside at the sitting of the house, though he may be present.

Concerns Over Prolonged Vacancy

• The absence of the Deputy Speaker contradicts the intent of constitutional norms and undermines the concept of an inclusive and pluralist parliamentary democracy.
• It dilutes the representational balance between government and Opposition.
• In the event of the Speaker’s resignation or incapacity, legislative functioning may stall, leading to institutional paralysis.

Concluding remarks

• The office of the Deputy Speaker is a constitutional necessity, not a political choice. Its prolonged vacancy violates the spirit of the Constitution and undermines democratic norms.
• The issue calls for urgent correction to restore institutional balance and ensure the proper functioning of the Lok Sabha in accordance with constitutional values.

General Studies Paper-3

Context: The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has released the ‘Global Annual to Decadal Climate Update (2025-2029)’.

Key Temperature Projections:

• 2024: The year 2024 was not only the hottest year on record but also the first year to breach 1.5°C above the 1850–1900 baseline.
• 2025–2029: There is a 70% chance that the average global temperature for the 2025-2029 period will exceed pre industrial levels by more than 1.5°C.
  • 80% chance of at least one of the next 5 years surpassing 2024 temperature.
  • 86% chance that at least one year will cross the 1.5°C threshold.
  • global temperature predicted to be between 1.2°C and 1.9°C higher than avg. for 1850-1900.
  • Predicted precipitation patterns for May-Sep 2025-2029 to be wetter than average.
  • 1% chance of at least one year exceeding 2°C of warming in the next five years .

Regional Climate Outlook

• South Asia: Expected to continue with wetter-than-usual years (except 2023), and this trend is expected to continue between 2025 and 2029, although some seasons might still be dry.
  • Arctic: Projected warming of ~2.4°C over winters—3.5x faster than global average over the next five winters (November to March).
  • Sea ice is likely to shrink even more between 2025 and 2029 in parts of the Arctic like the Barents Sea, Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk.
• Regional anomalies (2025–2029):
  • Wetter: Sahel, Northern Europe, Alaska, Northern Siberia.
  • Drier: Amazon region.
• India: India received above-normal rainfall during the monsoon season in four of the past five years.

IMD predicts above-normal monsoon rainfall in 2025.

General Studies Paper-1

Context: Madhya Pradesh is marking the 300th birth anniversary of Maratha queen Devi Ahilyabai Holkar with a major state-led campaign.

Ahilyabai Holkar

• Early Life: She was the Holkar Queen of the Maratha-ruled Malwa kingdom in India.
  • She was Born in Chaundi village, Maharashtra, to Mankoji Rao Shinde.
  • She received an education from her father despite the norms against women’s education at the time.
• Personal Tragedies: Ahilyabai Holkar’s husband, Khanderao, died in the Battle of Kumbher in 1754. Twelve years later, her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, also passed away.
  • Her son Malerao, who was mentally ill, died in 1767.
• Role as a queen :   In 1767, she became the queen of the Malwa kingdom.
  • She moved the capital to Maheshwar south of Indore on the Narmada River.
  • She defended her kingdom from invaders, led armies herself, and appointed Tukojirao Holkar as Chief of Army.
  • She broke another tradition when she married her daughter to Yashwantrao, a brave but poor man after he succeeded in defeating the dacoits.
• Contributions : In the 18th century, she was instrumental in spreading the message of dharma and propagating industrialization. She was a devout ruler known for her charitable works.
  • She built hundreds of Hindu temples and rest houses (Dharmashalas) across India.
  • One of her most notable contributions was the renovation of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in 1780.
  • She also established a textile industry in Maheshwar, which today is very famous for its Maheshwari sarees.
  • She held daily public audiences to address people’s issues and engaged in extensive philanthropic work, including building temples, ghats, wells, tanks, and rest-houses across India.
• Legacy: She was known as the ‘Philosopher Queen,’ she passed away on 13 August 1795 at the age of 70.
  • Her reign is remembered as a period of peace, prosperity, and religious tolerance.
  • She was a capable and respected ruler, and after her death, she was revered as a saint by the people.
  • Her legacy endures through the many public works she commissioned.

General Studies Paper-1

Context: The early onset of the southwest monsoon over Kerala this year has caught the attention of meteorologists.

• According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) played a significant role in this development.

What is Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)

• The MJO is a moving system of winds, clouds, and pressure that brings rain as it circles around the equator.
• It was discovered in 1971 by Roland Madden and Paul Julian.
• The system travels eastward at 4–8 m/s and circles the globe typically every 30–60 days, though it can take up to 90 days.
• As it moves, strong MJO activity often splits the planet into two parts — one in which the MJO is in active phase and brings rainfall, and the other in which it suppresses rainfall.

Geographical Influence

• The effect of the MJO is witnessed mainly in the tropical region, in the band between 30 degrees North and 30 degrees South of the equator, even though the mid-latitude regions in both hemispheres also feel its impact.
• It also includes India, making it a crucial player in the South Asian monsoon system.
• During an active MJO phase, regions within its influence experience above-average rainfall, often due to increased cloud formation, convection, and cyclonic activity.

Contribution of MJO to the Early Monsoon

• This year, the MJO was observed in Phase 4 with an amplitude greater than 1 around May 22, originating in the Indian Ocean.
• Phase 4 with strong amplitude is indicative of intense rainfall and storm systems, conducive for monsoon initiation.
• This setup contributed to frequent cyclonic activity and cloud build-up over the Bay of Bengal, helping trigger the early arrival of the monsoon over Kerala.

Other reasons for Early Monsoon

• Transition to La Niña: In early 2025, global climate models indicated El Niño weakening and possible La Niña development — a pattern historically associated with stronger and earlier monsoon seasons in India.
• Stronger-than-usual cross-equatorial winds: During May, winds from the southern hemisphere begin to blow across the equator and enter the Arabian Sea.
• When these winds are stronger and more organised, they push moisture-laden air toward the Indian coast more quickly, hastening the monsoon’s arrival.
• Above-normal sea surface temperatures: Warmer-than-usual waters in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal fuel intense convection, which helps develop cloud bands and low-pressure systems needed for monsoon formation.
• In 2025, sea surface temperatures in the region were higher than average, aiding early cloud development.

Concluding remarks

• While the early onset of the monsoon offers critical advantages for agriculture and water resource management, it also intensifies climate-related vulnerabilities.
• As monsoon patterns become increasingly erratic under climate change, strengthening early warning systems and forecasting models remains essential for safeguarding lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems.

General Studies Paper -3

Context: India’s agriculture sector is evolving rapidly, linking from biofuels and food processing to agri-tech and organic farming that demands a systems-level approach rooted in farmer-centric policy, innovation, and technology.

Need of Agricultural Transformation in India

• Rising Demand for Food Security: Sustainable farming practices and technological advancements are crucial to meeting future demand.
• Climate Change and Environmental Concerns: Erratic weather patterns, soil degradation, and water scarcity threaten agricultural output.
• Soil degradation affects nearly 30% of India’s land, jeopardizing productivity and long-term food security.
• Economic Growth and Farmer Welfare: Transforming the sector through better market access, financial inclusion, and value-added processing can improve livelihoods.
• Technological Advancements: Digital tools, AI-driven precision farming, and smart irrigation systems can optimize yields and reduce losses.
  • The adoption of modern technology is key to making Indian agriculture more efficient.
• Global Competitiveness: India is a major food producer, but enhancing agricultural exports and ensuring quality standards will strengthen its global position.
• Policy reforms and infrastructure development are essential for this.

Challenges in Agricultural Transformation

• Land Fragmentation: Shrinking farm sizes and lack of accurate land records make it difficult for farmers to generate sufficient income.
  • 82% of farmers in India are small or marginal.
• Infrastructure and Market Access: Limited storage facilities, transportation bottlenecks, and market volatility affect profitability.
• Policy and Regulatory Framework: While government initiatives like PM-KISAN and e-NAM support farmers, regulatory uncertainties and subsidy inefficiencies remain challenges.
• Climate and Resource Constraints: Water scarcity and excessive fertilizer use impact soil health and long-term sustainability.

India’s Agricultural Transformation

• Soil Health:
  • Balanced fertilizer use — including micronutrients and organics — is essential.
  • Soil Health Card initiative, covering over 140 million farmers, provides a critical data-driven baseline.
  • Union Budget (2025) prioritizes subsidy diversification and promotes organic inputs.
• Global Competition:
  • Encouraging indigenous crops like millets and makhana aligns India with the global push for clean, nutritious food.
  • Achieving edible oil self-reliance through oilseed R&D and infrastructure could reduce the $18 billion import bill.
• Role of Technology:
  • Precision agriculture is no longer aspirational—it’s imperative. Technologies like AI, drones, IoT, and satellites are reshaping farming:
  • AI can increase yields by 20% and cut input costs by 15% (National Academy of Agricultural Sciences).
  • Platforms such as AgriStack, Kisan e-Mitra, and UFSP are making digital agriculture inclusive.
  • The IndiaAI Mission needs to focus on localization, global benchmarking, and civil society collaboration.
• Sustainable Energy: Greening Agri-Supply Chains:
  • India’s goal of 500 GW of solar capacity by 2030 offers a bold roadmap.
  • Innovations like floating solar farms, AI-based wind mapping, and rural grid integration can transform agriculture into a net contributor to clean energy.
• Climate Resilience Agriculture: Climate extremes — droughts, floods, heatwaves — are now structural risks in Indian agriculture. Building resilience is essential:
  • Adoption of stress-tolerant seeds, smart irrigation, and agroforestry must scale.
  • Over 10 million hectares now use micro-irrigation; over 1 million farmers practice agroforestry.

Way Forward: Farmer Empowerment

• The Union Budget (2025) allocates $2 billion in agricultural credit.
• Agri-extension networks need to expand, driven by both public and private actors.
• Allied sectors like dairy, poultry, and fisheries, already supporting 70 million households, are crucial for income diversification and stability.
• The future of Indian agriculture cannot rest on policy alone. It demands strategic collaboration between Government, Industry, Academia, Civil society, and Farmers.
• The shift must be from fragmented interventions to long-term partnerships. India must aim not only to feed its population but to lead in sustainable, inclusive, and high-value agriculture.

General Studies Paper -2

Context: Former Supreme Court Judge, Justice A.S. Oka, emphasized in a more democratic and institutionalised manner rather than being heavily centered around the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

The Need for Reform

• Master of the Roster Doctrine: As reaffirmed in Shanti Bhushan vs. Supreme Court of India (2018), the CJI alone decides;
  • Which bench hears which case,
  • Which judges are assigned to benches,
  • When the case is listed for hearing.
• Constitution Bench Control: Although Constitution Bench cases must consist of at least five judges, it is often the CJI who;
  • Decides when such benches are constituted, and
  • Frequently presides over them.
• Control Over Court Administration: According to State of Rajasthan v. Prakash Chand (1998), while the Chief Justice is ‘first among equals’ in judicial matters, in administrative functions he occupies a unique, dominant role. This includes;
  • Control over court registry,
  • Determination of work allocation, and
  • Implementation of administrative decisions without formal consultation.
• Strengthening the Lower Judiciary: Justice Oka also emphasised the need to empower the district judiciary, often termed the “backbone” of India’s justice delivery system.

Challenges emerging from this structure

• Lack of Transparency: Litigants and even fellow judges remain unaware of how cases are allocated or delayed.
• Delay in Justice: Cases of constitutional or national importance have faced inordinate delays due to the discretionary power of the CJI in constituting benches.
• Weakened Collegiality: The current structure undermines judicial equality and collective responsibility within the apex court.

Steps taken for Increased Transparency

• In 2018, a public roster system was introduced by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to improve transparency in the allocation of sensitive cases to judges.
• CJI’s Office Under RTI (2019): In Subhash Chandra Agarwal v. Supreme Court, a Constitution Bench held that the office of the CJI falls under the purview of the Right to Information Act — a landmark step for judicial transparency.
• The Supreme Court uploaded details of the appointment process for judges to High Courts and the apex court, enhancing public understanding of judicial selections.

Reforms Needed

• Committee-Based Decision-Making: Establishing internal committees for Bench composition, Case listing, and Administrative matters can decentralise power and bring in broader institutional input.
• Transparent Listing Mechanism: Technology must be used to automate the listing of cases through an algorithm-based system with minimal human discretion.
• Collegiality in Constitution Bench Assignments: A panel of senior judges could collectively decide on the composition of Constitution Benches and the timing of their hearings, rather than relying on the sole discretion of the CJI.

Concluding remarks

• As the ultimate guardian of constitutional rights, the Supreme Court must ensure that it remains not only independent but also institutionally robust, inclusive, and transparent.
• Moving away from a CJI-centric model towards a more committee-based, democratic structure would strengthen judicial credibility, promote equal responsibility among judges, and reinforce the principle of justice for all.

General Studies Paper -3

Context: Recently, NITI Aayog CEO B.V.R. Subrahmanyam informed that India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy (nominal GDP), and poised to displace Germany in the next 2.5 to 3 years.

India’s Economic Growth

• India’s nominal GDP has now reached $4.19 trillion, overtaking Japan’s estimated $4.18 trillion.
• The IMF’s World Economic Outlook report predicts that India aims to continue to be the fastest-growing major economy, with a projected growth rate of 6.2% in 2025 and 6.3% in 2026.
• Over the past decade, India has doubled its GDP from $2.1 trillion in 2015 to its current level.

Becoming the Third-Largest Economy

• The IMF projects that India will become the third-largest economy by 2028, with an expected GDP of $5.5 trillion by overtaking Germany.
• Germany’s projected GDP growth: 0% (2025), and 0.9% (2026) (due to ongoing global trade tensions).

Key Determinants of India’s Economic Growth

• Expanding Domestic Consumption: India’s economic growth is largely fueled by private consumption, particularly in rural areas.
  • Also, the urbanization and lifestyle shifts have led to an increase in consumption-led growth. India’s urban population is expected to touch 600 million by 2030.
  • The demographic dividend is a unique edge—India’s median age is just 29 years, offering a productive workforce for the coming decades.
• Infrastructure Development & Digital Transformation: India has invested heavily in modernizing infrastructure, including transportation, energy, and digital connectivity.
  • For example: India’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), emergence of India as a global startup hub & boost in the IT sector enhancing innovative driven growth.
• Manufacturing & Services Sector Growth: India’s manufacturing sector has seen significant growth due to initiatives like Make in India and Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes.
  • Additionally, the services sector, particularly IT and financial services, continues to be a major contributor to GDP.
• External and Global Realignment: Strategic initiatives like “China Plus One” and Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) are leading to increased FDI inflows into India.
  • Global firms are diversifying their manufacturing bases, turning to India as an alternative to China amid geopolitical tensions For example: Apple has investors in India for manufacturing units.
• Reform-Driven Growth: Introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has created a unified domestic market, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) has improved the ease of doing business, Corporate tax cuts & initiatives like PM Gati Shakti, National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), and Atmanirbhar Bharat are boosting capital formation.

Challenges and Concerns

• Global Geopolitical Uncertainty: India’s economy is deeply connected to global trade, and geopolitical tensions — including conflicts, trade restrictions, and supply chain disruptions — pose risks to its growth.
  • The Economic Survey 2025 highlights that ongoing conflicts and trade policy risks could create vulnerabilities for India’s economic stability.
• Inflation and Price Volatility: While inflationary pressures have eased, services inflation remains persistent.
  • The rising cost of essential commodities, including fuel and food, continues to be a concern for policymakers.
• Employment and Workforce Challenges: India’s workforce faces disruptions due to automation and AI.
  • The need for upskilling and reskilling is critical to ensure that workers remain competitive in a rapidly evolving job market.
• Trade Deficit and Export Challenges: India’s current account deficit has been reduced to 1% of GDP, but weak global demand has impacted exports.
  • The government is focusing on diversifying trade partnerships to mitigate risks associated with declining exports.
• Infrastructure and Investment Needs: India’s Capital Expenditure (Capex) to GDP ratio has surged to 3.3%, reflecting strong investment in infrastructure.
  • However, sustained investment is required to modernize transportation, energy, and digital connectivity.

Way Forward

• Diversify its trade partnerships to reduce dependency on volatile global markets.
• Strengthen domestic manufacturing through various initiatives and schemes.
• Invest in digital transformation to enhance financial inclusion and governance.
• Focus on sustainable economic policies that balance growth with environmental concerns.

General Studies Paper -2

Context: Maldivian Foreign Minister has arrived in New Delhi to lead the Maldivian delegation at the 2nd High Level Core Group (HLCG) meeting.

About

• Both foreign ministers will review the progress of the India–Maldives comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership.
• The India-Maldives vision document on a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership was adopted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President last year.

Key Highlights of the Vision Document

• Bilateral Commitment and Financial Support: India reaffirmed its commitment under ‘Neighbourhood First’ and Vision SAGAR.
  • India extended emergency financial assistance (rollover of $100 million in T-bills and currency swap worth $400 million + ₹30 billion).
• Framework for a Comprehensive Partnership: A new strategic framework is established for a Comprehensive Economic and Maritime Security Partnership, intended to be people-centric and future-oriented.
  • Serve as a stabilizing force in the Indian Ocean Region.
• Development Cooperation: Enhanced infrastructure projects such as ports, airports, housing, schools, roads, hospitals.
• Trade and Economic Cooperation: Explore a Bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
  • Enable local currency trade settlement to reduce dollar dependence.
  • Boost investments and ease of doing business.
  • Support Maldivian economic diversification (blue economy, fisheries, oceanography).
• Collaboration on Digital Public Infrastructure: UPI, Digital ID, Gati Shakti.
  • Expansion of RuPay and digital payment infrastructure.
  • Shared expertise in fintech and digital governance.
• Energy Cooperation: Focus on renewables (solar power), energy efficiency.
  • Participation in One Sun One World One Grid initiative.
  • Institutional cooperation through joint research, training, and investment.
• Health Cooperation: Access to affordable Indian healthcare and generic medicines (Jan Aushadhi Kendras).
  • Recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia in Maldives.
• Regional and Multilateral Cooperation: Work together in the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) and other multilateral fora.
  • Emphasis on maritime safety, regional peace, and mutual representation.
• Implementation Mechanism: A High-Level Core Group (HLCG) has been formed to monitor and oversee the implementation of all cooperation initiatives.
  • The group will include senior representatives from both governments.

Significance

• Regional Stability: This partnership is crucial for stability in the Indian Ocean amidst growing Chinese presence in the region.
• Diplomatic Maturity: Shows both sides’ willingness to move past tensions and focus on long-term shared interests.
• People-Centric Focus: Heavy emphasis on health, education, housing, and livelihood is notable.
• Economic Sovereignty for Maldives: Local currency trade and support for diversification give Maldives more economic autonomy.
• Security Balance: India remains a key security partner, but through cooperation tailored to Maldivian preferences.

Way Ahead

• Maldives is India’s key maritime neighbour and an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and vision MAHASAGAR which is Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
• By acknowledging and addressing the challenges, India and the Maldives can navigate the complexities of their relationship and build a stronger, more resilient, and mutually beneficial partnership for the future.

General Studies Paper-2

Context: India and Russia are enhancing strategic cooperation in nuclear energy, cyber defence, and advanced technologies amid shifting global geopolitics and domestic policy changes.

Developments in Indo-Russian Cooperation

• Nuclear Energy Expansion: India is amending its Nuclear liability laws to encourage greater foreign investment and collaboration.
  • Russian state-owned nuclear firm Rosatom, builder of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (NPP), signed an MoU with Maharashtra for thorium-based Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).
• Cybersecurity and Digital Infrastructure: India and Russia are exploring co-development of cyber defence mechanisms, sector-specific firewalls, and cybersecurity products for the global market.
  • Russia-based foundation Cyberus has identified India’s growth in fintech, e-governance, and smart cities as a strong case for deeper cyber cooperation.
• Science and Technology Cooperation: Innopraktika, a Moscow-based NGO, plans to set up an Indo-Russian Technology Association and Engineering Centre with bases in both countries.
  • Agreements have been signed between University of Delhi and Russia’s Higher School of Economics to create a “mirror laboratory” for research in data storage, processing, and space systems.
• Other Key Areas Identified for Collaboration: Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, Space Technology, Critical Minerals and BrahMos-like co-development models for knowledge-based innovation and joint product development.

Strategic Significance

• Energy Security: SMRs offer a safer, more flexible, and scalable nuclear option, crucial for India’s low-carbon energy transition.
• Technological Sovereignty: Joint ventures in AI, semiconductors, and cyber defence will reduce dependency on Western technologies.
• Geopolitical Realignment: Strengthening ties with Russia offers India a hedge amid evolving tensions in Asia and disruptions in the multilateral order.
• Economic Diversification: In November 2024, a Russian Business Center was inaugurated in New Delhi to boost trade and high-tech cooperation between India and Russia.

Concluding remarks

• India-Russia collaboration is deepening beyond traditional defence ties into futuristic domains like nuclear SMRs, cyber defence, and digital innovation.
• With timely policy reforms and structured engagement, this partnership can not only enhance strategic autonomy for both nations but also contribute to shaping a multipolar technological order.