October 16, 2025

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India-Myanmar ties

Context

  • The military takeover in Myanmar last February, just days before the newly elected democratic government was to be sworn in, stymied the country’s tenuous transition to democracy, for which a beginning had been made in 2015.
  • The purported reason for the coup d’état was that the elections were rigged, in which the National League for Democracy, under the stewardship of Aung San Suu Kyi had secured a majority for another term.

India’s policy

Notwithstanding the unfortunate developments since the military took over, India should implement an unbiased and proactive “Neighbourhood First” strategy that facilitates the Act East policy crucial for India’s long-term security and economic interests.

  • A recalibration exercise for developing a robust relationship with Naypyidaw is the need of the hour.
  • India, in all its wisdom, should find ways to support Naypyidaw for its critical requirements of systems and platforms like UAVs, surveillance systems and communication equipment.
  • In addition, there is a need for dynamic economic engagement with Myanmar, to expedite the completion of the earlier agreement on the operationalisation of the Sittwe port, the establishment of an oil refinery and joint vaccine production facilities at a cost of $6 billion.
  • Myanmar — regardless of who governs its polity — is a decisive lynchpin for India’s Act East policy and critical for the economic development and security of India’s Northeast. The latter aspect has become even more imperative as earlier operations that were conducted against Indian insurgent groups (IIGs) have experienced a reversal, with many valley-based insurgent groups of Manipur forging an agreement with the Myanmar army.
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As a major boost to Centre and State collaboration in promoting products under the One District One Product (ODOP) Initiative – a State Conference was held recently by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

About the scheme

  • One District One Product One District One Product (ODOP) scheme was launched by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  • The objective is to convert each District of the country into an Export Hub by
    • Identifying products with export potential in the District,
    • Addressing bottlenecks for exporting these products,
    • Supporting local exporters/manufacturers to scale up manufacturing, and
    • Find potential buyers outside India with the aim of promoting exports,
    • Promoting the manufacturing & services industry in the District and generating employment in the District.
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Context

The Joint Committee of Parliament has recently presented its recommendations on the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019. The Bill principally seeks to regulate the use of our data and to foster a privacy protection framework in the country.

Background

  • The prime minister has recently said that “innovation, aspiration and application of technology” will fuel the country to become a $5-trillion economy.
  • The government’s stated goal is to grow the technology and electronics manufacturing sector to $300 billion by 2025.

Concerns

There are several areas of concern-

  • First, the framework under the Bill is premised on a centralised Data Protection Authority with a wide discretionary remit to formulate regulation.
  • Second, the Bill has broad-based restrictions on the transfer of data overseas that are likely to splinter our market from the global digital economy.
  • Third, it seeks to impose onerous compliance obligations that have little to do with data protection.
  • Fourth, it sets forth an inflexible framework that is bereft of any formal consultative rule-making process.
  • Lastly, substantial portions of the Bill are out of sync with international data protection practices, which could blunt India’s competitive advantage as a digital market. These aspects of the Bill require substantial changes for it to not only achieve its objective of privacy protection, but to also avoid stunting the growth of our digital economy.
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Context

As India draws closer to being a $5 trillion economy, the government’s strategic initiatives to encourage the infrastructure sector is providing a boost to collective growth of the Indian economy.

Developing infrastructure

  • The upgradation of real estate and infrastructure development to assist the allied industries is necessary to achieve the required momentum of economic growth in these difficult times.
  • These industries play a significant role in enhancing the employment generation along with upliftment of the small and medium businesses.
  • However, delays in large-scale infrastructure projects due to multiple waves of COVID-19, coupled with a nationwide lockdown, have hindered the infrastructure projects
  • The vulnerability of infrastructure projects to market volatility arises from the industry’s normal protracted gestation period.
  • Governments are today partnering with private players to ensure a robust approach and seamless execution of some of the marquee infrastructure projects across the country.
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A national border guard, reporting to the army, will enhance border security.

  • In recent times, along with usurping its neighbours’ territories, starting with Doklam and followed by the Galwan crisis, China has escalated armed activities resulting in enhanced cross-border infiltration and armed intrusions. Similarly, the continued Pakistan-backed infiltration of terrorists poses fresh challenges to India.

Recent developments

  • Two recent developments initiated by China have made our borders more vulnerable.
    • China’s Land Border Law (LBL) will enhance Beijing’s aggressive posture and is aimed at resolving border disputes on its terms.
    • Also the move to build 628 “Xiaokang model border defence villages” along the 3,488 km Line of Actual Control (LAC), is conceived as a tactic to consolidate Chinese claims over disputed areas and garner local support. Additionally, these villages are capable of acting as forward assembly and administrative areas during hostilities. Two villages have already come up in the disputed area across Arunachal Pradesh.

These developments warrant a comprehensive review of border management to ensure the all-weather security of our borders.

India’s borders

  • India shares land borders with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, which stretch approximately 15,106 km.
  • In addition, we have an approximately 3,323 km-long LoC with Pakistan, which further extends to the rechristened 110 km stretch of “Actual Ground Position Line” (AGPL) dividing the Siachen glacier region.
  • Further east, we have the 3,488 km LAC with China.
  • We share maritime boundaries with Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar and Indonesia; we have a 7,683 km coastline and an approximately 2 million sq km exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
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Electoral Bond Scheme

If a democracy is to thrive, the role of money in influencing politics ought to be limited. In many advanced countries, elections are funded publicly so as to guarantee a somewhat level playing field.

About the scheme 

  • An electoral bond is like a promissory note that can be bought by any Indian citizen or company incorporated in India from select branches of State Bank of India.
    • The citizen or corporate can then donate the same to any eligible political party of his/her choice.
    • The bonds are similar to bank notes that are payable to the bearer on demand and are free of interest.
    • An individual or party will be allowed to purchase these bonds digitally or through cheque.
  • A bearer instrument does not carry any information about the buyer or payee and the holder of the instrument (which is the political party) is presumed to be its owner.
  • The electoral bonds were introduced with the Finance Bill (2017).
    • The bonds are issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 100,000 and Rs 1 crore (the range of a bond is between Rs 1,000 to Rs 1 crore). These would be available at some branches of SBI.
  • These can be purchased by individuals and companies who have to disclose their identity through know your customer (KYC) norms to SBI, while political parties can encash these bonds within 15 days only in their specified bank accounts.
  • Only those parties, which have got 1% of all votes polled in the last Lok Sabha or state assembly polls, are eligible for funding through these bonds.
    • This makes it possible to give political contributions through a legitimate channel with tax-paid funds, while who gave how much to which party remains anonymous.
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Context

Impact on school education by the pandemic and induced lockdowns needs urgent attention.

More on the news 

A recovery in the classroom also needs critical attention.

  • India has seen one of the longest school closures in the world. The pivot to digital learning has locked vast numbers of underprivileged schoolchildren out of the classroom
  • Online classes have struggled to replace the experience and quality of teaching in a physical classroom.

This is adding up to a grave learning crisis.

  • A study carried out in January 2021 in five states by a research group from Azim Premji University found not only clear evidence of learning loss, but an alarming regression in children’s foundational abilities — to read, to understand what they are reading or do simple sums.
  • A report in this newspaper has pointed to more evidence — over a third of Class X students in Gujarat needed grace marks to be promoted to the next class. Worryingly, this suggests that the deficit is not restricted to primary school, but is also showing up in higher classes.
  • A field assessment carried out by Pratham-ASER in Karnataka in March 2021 had revealed, for instance, that only 66.4 per cent of Class VIII students could read a Class III textbook, compared to 70 per cent three years ago. If not arrested, the slide in learning, at this scale, has grim consequences for the young, and is likely to push them out of education entirely and stunt their future income opportunities significantly.
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Federalism

The Republic Day is a reminder of the spirit of federalism – and why it is under strain.

  • On January 26, 1950 when the Indian Constitution came into force, it was a big step for the nation that had longed to achieve the ideals of justice, equality, liberty and fraternity.
  • Our Constitution tried to give a definite shape to the aspirations of the people for a sovereign, socialist, secular democratic republic through provisions like fundamental rights of all citizens. In a country of subcontinental proportions, it is necessary that the ideals mentioned in the Preamble to the Constitution should extend to all levels of governance. The overall emphasis on equality in the Constitution is visible in all arrangements made around the federal spirit and ideas.

Constitutional provisions and other institutions for federalism

Conscious of the differential needs of the populations of different states, the drafters of the Constitution made provisions for an equitable share of powers and responsibilities among different levels of governments.

  • The lists in the 7th Schedule of the Constitution — Union, state and concurrent — are an example of this division, wherein each level of government has its own sphere, enabling context-sensitive decision-making.
  • Also, institutions for local self government were added through the 73rd and 74th amendments, which strengthened grass roots democracy.
  • Article 246 and Article 243 G provide for this division of responsibilities.
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  • The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Raising Day was marked on January 19. The NDRF was formed on this day in 2006.

About NDRF

  • The National Disaster Response Force is a specialised, multi-skilled, humanitarian force in India, which has been playing a crucial role in the country’s disaster management and community awareness for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

Formation

  • The successive natural calamities from 1990 to 2004 led to the enactment of the Disaster Management Act on December 26, 2005. The result was the formation of the National Disaster Response Force. This was set up to lay down the plans, policies, and guidelines for disaster management.
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Context

  • The union cabinet has approved the extension of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) for three years with effect from April 1, 2022.

About NCSK

  • The National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) was established in 1993 as per the provisions of the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis Act, 1993, initially for the period upto March 31,1997. Later the validity of the Act was extended for five years and then again for two years i.e up to February 29, 2004.
  • After that it was lapsed and the tenure of the commission was extended as a non-statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. The tenure of the Commission was being extended from time to time through government resolutions. The present tenure is valid upto March 31, 2022.
  • The major beneficiaries under the commission are the Safai Karamcharis and identified manual scavengers in the country. According to the government data, there were 58,098 manual scavengers identitied in the country as on December 31, 2021.
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