Archives
(PRELIMS Focus)
Wassenaar Arrangement
Category: INTERNATIONAL
Context: Wassenaar Arrangement in governing modern digital technologies and argues for reforming export control regimes to address challenges posed by cloud services, AI, and surveillance tools.
Modern Internet dependence: Cloud infrastructure, dominated by few companies like Microsoft, is crucial for states but can also aid repression (e.g., in Palestine).
Export control regimes: Agreements like the Wassenaar Arrangement aim to regulate export of sensitive goods and dual-use technologies to prevent misuse.
Limitations of current framework:
Focused mainly on physical exports (devices, chips, hardware).
Struggles to regulate cloud services, APIs, and remotely accessed technologies.
Leaves loopholes for “intrusion software” and surveillance misuse.
India’s role: Joined in 2017, regularly updates control lists but faces challenges in ensuring compliance.
Reform needs:
Expand definitions to cover remote access, cloud exports, and digital surveillance.
Introduce binding global treaties with clearer licensing and oversight.
Create domain-specific controls for AI and high-risk digital tools.
Global implications:
Divergent national licensing can create loopholes.
Stronger coordination needed to prevent misuse across borders.
Possible measures:
Tighter export scrutiny for cloud services.
Binding international commitments.
Technical expert committees to guide regulation.
Conclusion: Existing arrangements are outdated; comprehensive reforms are essential to regulate 21st-century technologies without stifling innovation.
Learning Corner:
Wassenaar Arrangement (WA)
Nature: A multilateral export control regime for conventional arms and dual-use goods and technologies.
Established: 1996, in Wassenaar, Netherlands.
Objective:
To promote transparency and responsibility in transfers of arms and sensitive technologies.
To prevent destabilising accumulations of weapons and technologies that could aid in proliferation or repression.
Membership: 42 participating states (as of 2025), including India, the U.S., most EU states, Japan, etc.
India’s membership: Joined in December 2017.
Mechanism:
States exchange information on transfers/denials of items listed in WA control lists.
It is non-binding; decisions on licensing remain at the discretion of each state.
Scope:
Covers conventional arms.
Covers dual-use goods and technologies (civilian use but potential military/security application).
In 2013, scope expanded to include “intrusion software” and surveillance technologies.
Challenges:
Primarily designed for physical goods, struggles to regulate cloud services, AI, and remote-access technologies.
Implementation uneven across members; often influenced by political and commercial interests.
Source: THE HINDU
India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
Category: ECONOMICS
Context : India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew by 4.0% in August 2025, showing broad-based recovery in industrial activity.
IIP growth accelerated from 3.5% in July 2025 to 4.0% in August.
Mining output rose sharply by 6.0%, rebounding from contraction.
Manufacturing grew 3.8%, led by basic metals (12.2%), motor vehicles (9.8%), and petroleum products (5.4%).
Electricity generation increased by 4.1%.
Use-based growth:
Infrastructure/Construction Goods: +10.6% (highest).
Primary Goods: +5.2%, Intermediate Goods: +5.0%, Capital Goods: +4.4%.
Consumer Durables: +3.5%; Consumer Non-durables: –6.3% (weak demand).
Growth driven by post-monsoon mining recovery, strong demand in metals, vehicles, and construction activity.
Learning Corner:
Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
Definition:
The IIP measures the volume of production of a basket of industrial products in the economy.
It serves as a short-term indicator of industrial growth.
Base Year:
Current base year: 2011–12 (revised periodically to reflect structural changes).
Released by:
National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
Released monthly with a time lag of about six weeks.
Coverage:
Divided into 3 major sectors:
Mining (14.4% weight)
Manufacturing (77.6% weight – largest share)
Electricity (8.0% weight)
Further classified into Use-based categories: Primary Goods, Capital Goods, Intermediate Goods, Infrastructure/Construction Goods, Consumer Durables, and Consumer Non-durables.
Significance:
Acts as a proxy for industrial activity and short-term economic performance.
Influences monetary policy (RBI monitors it for inflation and growth signals).
Used by businesses, analysts, and policymakers for planning and forecasting.
Limitations:
Provisional data, often revised later.
Limited coverage compared to GDP or GVA.
Heavily manufacturing-driven, may not fully capture services-led growth in India’s economy.
Core Industries
Definition:
The Core Industries are the eight key industries of India that form the backbone of the economy and have a high impact on overall industrial growth.
They have a combined weight of 40.27% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
The Eight Core Industries (with weights in IIP):
Coal – 10.33%
Crude Oil – 8.98%
Natural Gas – 6.88%
Refinery Products – 28.04% (highest weight)
Fertilizers – 2.63%
Steel – 17.92%
Cement – 5.37%
Electricity – 19.85%
Released by:
Office of Economic Adviser (OEA), Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Released monthly, usually at the end of the following month.
Significance:
Acts as a lead indicator of industrial performance and overall GDP trends.
Closely tracked by policymakers, RBI, and businesses to gauge economic health.
Growth or slowdown in these industries directly affects related sectors (e.g., steel impacts construction, coal impacts power generation).
Source: PIB
Siphon Principle
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Context: IISc has developed a siphon-powered desalination technology that converts saltwater into clean drinking water more efficiently than conventional solar stills.
Uses a fabric wick with a grooved metal surface to create a siphon, moving salty water onto a heated surface.
Continuous flushing prevents salt crystallization, avoiding blockages common in older designs.
Water evaporates as a thin film and condenses just 2 mm away, enhancing efficiency.
Modular design allows stacking multiple units, recycling heat for higher output.
Produces over six liters of potable water per sq. meter per hour, much higher than standard solar stills.
Handles high salinity (up to 20% salt) without clogging.
Built with low-cost materials like aluminum and fabric; powered by solar or waste heat.
Suitable for off-grid villages, disaster zones, and arid coastal areas.
Represents a scalable, sustainable, and affordable solution for global water security.
Learning Corner:
Siphon Principle
Definition:
A siphon is a device that allows liquid to flow from a higher level to a lower level through a tube, even if the tube rises above the surface of the liquid in the higher container.
Working Principle:
Relies on gravity and the difference in liquid pressure at the two ends of the tube.
Once the tube is filled, the liquid continues to flow because the pressure at the lower outlet is less than at the higher source.
The liquid column in the descending limb (heavier) pulls the liquid up the ascending limb.
Key Conditions:
Outlet must be below the liquid surface of the source container.
The tube must be primed (filled with liquid) initially.
Works only until the source liquid level drops below the inlet end.
Applications:
Emptying tanks, aquariums, and fuel tanks.
Irrigation and drainage systems.
Some modern technologies (like IISc’s desalination system) use siphon action for fluid movement.
Source: PIB
PM VIKAS
Category: POLITY
Context The “Convergence for Viksit Bharat 2047: Industry Conclave on Skilling & Employment” was organized by the Ministry of Minority Affairs under the PM VIKAS scheme in New Delhi to boost inclusive development.
Organized with support from Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee and State Institute of Hotel Management, Tripura.
Union MoS for Minority Affairs, George Kurian, attended the conclave.
Industry participation from 11 sectors including healthcare, aviation, electronics, tourism, and hospitality.
Two MoUs signed:
Ministry of Minority Affairs + DSGMC + Wadhwani Foundation
DSGMC + SIHM Tripura
Focus on convergence of government schemes, industry needs, and emerging technologies in skilling.
Panel discussion stressed industry-ready, globally mobile workforce, apprenticeships, and new job roles.
PM VIKAS scheme: blends modern skills with traditional expertise; 41 projects in 30 States/UTs, benefiting 1.34 lakh youth and artisans.
Conclave urged industry’s role in curriculum design, apprenticeships, and placements.
Part of Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to achieve a developed, competitive India by centenary of independence.
Learning Corner:
PM VIKAS (Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan)
Ministry: Implemented by the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Launch: Announced in 2022–23 Union Budget as an umbrella scheme.
Objective:
To integrate modern skill training with India’s traditional expertise.
Provide end-to-end support for education, skilling, entrepreneurship, and credit linkages to minority and marginalized communities.
Key Features:
Combines skill development with preservation of artisanal crafts and heritage trades.
Offers credit assistance, training, market linkages, and digital empowerment.
Focus on youth, women, and artisans from minority communities.
Impact (till 2025):
41 projects rolled out across 30 States/UTs.
Benefited 1.34 lakh youths and artisans through transparent and efficient processes.
Significance:
Enhances employability and self-reliance of minority youth.
Supports the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, aligning skilling with livelihoods and dignified employment.
Source: PIB
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Context The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has sanctioned ₹82 lakh to the Andhra Pradesh Biodiversity Board for conserving the endangered Red Sanders tree under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.
Objective: Raise 1 lakh Red Sanders saplings for farmers under the Trees Outside Forests (ToF) program.
ABS Mechanism: Funded through benefit-sharing contributions from enterprises using Red Sanders.
Community Involvement: Local and tribal communities, Biodiversity Management Committees, and stakeholders engaged in nursery, plantation, and care.
Geographic Focus: Native to Southern Eastern Ghats (Anantapur, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool).
Protection Status: Endangered, threatened by smuggling; protected under Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and listed under CITES.
Impact: Generates rural employment, skills, and sustainable livelihoods while strengthening conservation.
Past Efforts: NBA has already provided ₹31.55 crore to Andhra Pradesh’s forest department for enforcement and protection.
Significance: Supports India’s biodiversity targets and global commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Learning Corner:
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)
Establishment:
Set up in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Headquarters:
Located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Nature:
A statutory autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Functions:
Regulates access to biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.
Ensures fair and equitable benefit-sharing (ABS) arising from the use of biological resources.
Issues approvals for research, commercial use, IPRs, and technology transfer involving India’s biodiversity.
Advises the Central and State Governments on matters related to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use.
Supports State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at local levels.
Key Role in Conservation:
Implements provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) at the national level.
Promotes People’s Biodiversity Registers (PBRs) to document local biological resources and knowledge.
Facilitates community participation in conservation and livelihood generation.
Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus)
Description:
A rare and highly valued endemic tree species known for its distinctive red-colored heartwood.
Belongs to the family Fabaceae.
Geographic Range:
Found mainly in the Southern Eastern Ghats, particularly in the districts of Chittoor, Kadapa, Anantapur, and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh.
Uses & Value:
Heartwood is used in fine furniture, medicinal preparations, musical instruments, and as a dye.
High international demand makes it one of the most smuggled tree species from India.
Threats:
Over-exploitation and smuggling due to high market value.
Habitat loss and degradation.
Protection Status:
IUCN Red List: Endangered.
CITES: Appendix II (international trade regulated).
Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Listed under Schedule IV.
Conservation Efforts:
National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) funds conservation under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism.
Plantation programs and community participation promoted under Trees Outside Forests (ToF) initiatives.
Enforcement measures by Andhra Pradesh Forest Department to curb illegal felling and smuggling.
Source: PIB
(MAINS Focus)
Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (GS paper III – Economy, GS Paper III - environment)
Introduction (Context)
The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW), observed on September 29, highlights the silent crisis of food loss and waste that threatens both food security and climate stability.
Globally, nearly one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted every year. For India—one of the world’s largest food producers this challenge translates into massive economic losses, environmental degradation, and climate impacts.
Data
A study in 2022 by NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) showed that such losses remain alarmingly high throughout the agricultural spectrum.
India suffers ₹1.5 trillion in annual post-harvest losses about 3.7% of agricultural GDP.
Fruits and vegetables face 10–15% losses, while staples like paddy (4.8%) and wheat (4.2%) also experience significant wastage.
Losses of livestock products are equally damaging because of their heavy resource footprint.
Food loss from major crops and livestock products generates 33 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually.
Paddy alone contributes 10 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions because of its methane intensity
In India, most losses occur early in the supply chain (handling, processing, distribution), unlike high-income countries where consumer waste dominates.
Government initiatives
The Government of India has conducted three rounds of nationwide post-harvest surveys across more than 50 crops, generating valuable insights into value-chain losses at a global scale.
India has integrated SDG 12.3.1 (Global Food Loss and Waste) into its National Indicator Framework, ensuring systematic tracking of food loss and climate impact.
Way Forward
Strengthen cold chains from pre-cooling to refrigerated transport and modern storage for perishables like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat.
Expand and modernise food logistics through programmes like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY).
Promote affordable technologies such as solar cold storage, low-cost cooling chambers, crates for perishables, and moisture-proof silos for grains.
Leverage digital tools like IoT sensors and AI-driven forecasting to improve storage, transport, and distribution.
Utilise apps like FAO Food Loss App (FLAPP) to track losses across the value chain.
Redirect surplus food to food banks and community kitchens; convert unavoidable waste into compost, animal feed, or bioenergy.
Ensure strong policy support through subsidies, credit guarantees, and low-interest loans.
Encourage shared responsibility across the supply chain: government, businesses, civil society, academia, and consumers.
Conclusion
Food loss spans the entire supply chain, demanding shared responsibility. Governments must integrate loss reduction into climate strategies and invest in resilient infrastructure, while businesses adopt circular models and scale innovations. Civil society and academia can drive research and awareness, and consumers can cut waste through mindful choices and support for redistribution.
Mains Practice Question
Q Food loss is as much a climate challenge as it is a food security issue. Examine (250 words, 15 marks)
Source: What an empty plate of food should symbolise – The Hindu
Reimagining green economy through landscapes (GS paper III – Economy)
Introduction (Context)
India stands at a critical juncture where traditional growth models must evolve into a green, resilient economic pathway to address climate risks, ensure competitiveness, and sustain livelihoods. This has given rise to the new concept of bioeconomy.
What is bioeconomy?
Bioeconomy is an economic system that uses renewable biological resources—like plants, animals, forests, and microorganisms—to produce food, materials, chemicals, and energy, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting sustainability.
It combines biotechnology, biomass utilization, and circular economy principles to create eco-friendly goods and services.
Examples: Biofuels, Bioplastics, etc
Data on bioeconomy
India’s bioeconomy expanded from $10 billion in 2014 to $165.7 billion in 2024, a 16-fold increase in 10 years.
It contributes 4.25% of India’s GDP.
The growth is supported by over 10,000 bio-economy start-ups.
The industrial bioeconomy (biofuels and bioplastics) accounts for 47% of the sector’s value.
Pharmaceuticals contribute around 35%, while research, IT, clinical trials, and bioinformatics are rapidly emerging.
India has achieved 20% ethanol blending in petrol.
The country is the third-largest pharmaceutical producer by volume globally.
The bioeconomy is expected to create 35 million jobs by 2030.
Rural per capita spending grew at 9.2% from August 2023 to July 2024, outpacing urban growth of 8.3%.
The green economy is becoming inevitable and imminent for job creation, environmental returns, competitiveness, and climate resilience.
Challenges and Disparities
Rural region
Climate disruptions impact inflation, worsening the rural bioeconomy context, especially pressures from losses in agriculture, fluctuations in energy demand, and disrupted supply chains.
Regional Inequities
Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh account for two-thirds of bioeconomy value, while eastern and northeastern states together contribute less than 6% despite rich agricultural and forest resources.
States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, and Jharkhand have untapped potential in ethanol, biomass power, agri-waste, and non-timber forest products.
Gender Gaps
Women hold only 11% of jobs in rooftop solar. Women’s representation in key roles remains particularly low: 1% in operations and maintenance, and 3% in construction and commissioning
Urban-Rural Divide
Urban areas dominate green investments, EV infrastructure, and solar rooftops, while rural regions lag in clean energy access, water-saving irrigation, and sustainable livelihoods.
Digital divide limits rural participation in smart grids, carbon markets, and green tech solutions.
Policy & Regulatory Bottlenecks
The BioE3 policy was rolled out in 2024 to promote the bioeconomy, but regulatory frameworks remain fragmented, and it remains a very urban-centric, industrial-scale economy.
Green Transition and Rural Challenges
A rapid green shift can disproportionately impact rural areas, coal workers, MSMEs, and small-scale manufacturers dependent on traditional energy sources.
Trade offs
Road transport dominates freight movement, with food miles contributing nearly 3 gigatonnes of CO₂ annually, creating a trade-off between emissions and food security.
Biodiversity supports over 200 million livelihoods, but policies and markets often promote monocropping of wheat and paddy over crop diversification.
India’s push for ethanol blending creates a trade-off in the maize supply chain, affecting animal feed availability.
Hence a just transition requires targeted skill-building, reskilling, and local bioeconomic diversification to prevent social and environmental harm. This can be achieved using landscape approach.
Landscape Approach
Green growth needs a model that integrates sustainability, climate action, and social inclusion while addressing regional disparities and unlocking potential in less-developed states.
Landscapes should be treated as interconnected systems of landforms, water resources, biodiversity, markets, and local institutions to assess ecological and human benefits.
A shared landscape understanding enables improvement of air and water quality, climate regulation, habitat support, food and water security, and livelihoods.
Transition requires participatory pathways from village (nano) to wider landscape (macro) levels for effective planning and monitoring.
Way Forward
Leverage 2.5 lakh PRIs, 12 million women-led institutions, and local authorities in planning, execution, and monitoring of green transitions.
Promote circular economy, green energy, and bioeconomy with gender-inclusive policies for leadership and technical roles.
Encourage local entrepreneurship, such as small-scale oil extraction or biomass-based enterprises, to enhance local production and consumption.
Integrate ecosystem valuation into economic strategies and policies for better resource management.
Adopt measures like green budgeting, targeted fiscal incentives, green government procurement, and active involvement of gram panchayats and community-based organisations.
Strengthen waste management, create financing and O&M support for decentralised renewables, coordinate policies across departments, and increase R&D spending for green innovations.
Conclusion
A landscape-driven growth model can balance ecological regeneration, economic resilience, and social equity. Such an approach will help India achieve its climate goals, sustainable development targets, and new engines of green growth, ensuring wellbeing for both people and ecosystems.
Mains Practice Question
Q.1) Discuss how adopting a landscape approach can accelerate India’s transition towards a green economy. (250 words, 15 marks)
Source: Reimagining green economy through landscapes – The Hindu