INDIA’S ENERGY SECURITY AND PATH TO SOVEREIGNTY
TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY: INDIAN EXPRESS
Why in News?
Russia has recently become India’s largest crude oil supplier, contributing nearly 35–40% of total imports in 2024–25, a steep jump from just 2% before the Ukraine conflict. This dependence has renewed concerns about energy vulnerability and diversification.
About Energy
- Energy is the lifeblood of modern economies. For India, a fast-growing economy with rising demand, the challenge lies in ensuring affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy while reducing strategic vulnerabilities.
- Over-dependence on any single supplier or technology can expose the economy to external shocks, currency pressures, and geopolitical risks.
- Hence, energy security today is inseparable from economic stability and national sovereignty.
India’s Energy Dependence – Key Concerns
- High import dependence – Over 85% of crude oil and 50% of natural gas are imported.
- Forex outflow – In FY 2023–24, crude oil and natural gas imports alone cost India nearly $170 billion, about 25% of total imports.
- Geopolitical exposure – Discounted Russian oil provides relief, but over-reliance on one partner creates strategic risk.
- Fragile supply lines – Events like the Israel–Iran tensions (2025) could threaten 20 million barrels/day of global supply, pushing Brent crude beyond $100/barrel.
Global Lessons in Energy Security
- 1973 Oil Embargo – Showed dangers of excessive dependence on OPEC; led to strategic reserves and diversification.
- Fukushima Disaster (2011) – Raised doubts about nuclear energy, but climate concerns are reviving its importance.
- Texas Freeze (2021) – Highlighted need for infrastructure built for resilience, not just cost-efficiency.
- Russia–Ukraine War (2022) – Europe’s gas crisis proved that no nation is energy sovereign if single-sourced.
- Iberian Blackout (2025) – Over-reliance on renewables without backup caused grid collapse, stressing the need for balanced energy mixes.
Present Global Energy Landscape
- Fossil fuel dominance – Still over 80% of global primary energy.
- Transport dependence – Over 90% of vehicles run on hydrocarbons.
- Renewables rising – Solar and wind growing but under 10% share globally.
- Investment squeeze – Falling oil and gas exploration spending despite high demand makes markets prone to shocks.
Way Forward
- Coal Gasification
- India’s 150+ billion tonnes of coal can be converted into syngas, methanol, hydrogen, and fertilizers.
- New technologies and carbon capture can overcome the ash challenge.
- Biofuels Revolution
- Ethanol blending has already saved foreign exchange and boosted farmers’ income by ₹92,000 crore.
- SATAT scheme is promoting compressed biogas plants that also restore soil fertility in North India.
- Nuclear Energy
- Current capacity (8.8 GW) is stagnant.
- Reviving the thorium roadmap, localising Small Modular Reactors, and securing uranium are critical.
- Green Hydrogen
- India targets 5 MMT by 2030.
- Needs domestic electrolyser production, catalyst R&D, and safe storage systems for “sovereign hydrogen.”
- Pumped Hydro Storage
- Provides grid stability, complements renewables, and ensures energy resilience.
- India’s topography is suitable for expanding storage capacity.
Conclusion
India’s energy pathway must be rooted in realism and sovereignty, not just affordability. Overdependence on any single source or partner is a recipe for vulnerability. The five-pillar approach — coal gasification, biofuels, nuclear, hydrogen, and pumped hydro — offers India a resilient backbone. In a turbulent global energy market, diversification and self-reliance are the true currencies of national strength.
TOBACCO USE IN INDIA
TOPIC: (GS2) POLITY: INDIAN EXPRESS
Why in News?
Recent data shows a sharp rise in the economic burden of tobacco consumption in India, alongside an increase in premature deaths linked to tobacco-related diseases.
Introduction
- Tobacco continues to be one of the leading preventable causes of death worldwide. India, home to a vast population of tobacco users, faces both public health and economic challenges due to its consumption.
- Despite strong legislation like the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003, enforcement gaps, weak taxation, and emerging new products have complicated control efforts.
- Thus, tobacco control has become not only a health imperative but also an economic necessity for India.
Tobacco Products – Types and Trends
- Smoked forms – Cigarettes, bidis, cigars, pipes, and hookahs.
- Smokeless forms – Chewing tobacco, snuff, khaini, gutkha, and tobacco pouches; culturally accepted and widely consumed in India.
- Newer products – Heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine-only devices, marketed as less harmful alternatives, but equally addictive.
Economic Burden of Tobacco
- In 2017, India’s annual economic cost of tobacco use among those aged 35+ was ₹1.77 trillion (1.04% of GDP).
- Second-hand smoke alone caused healthcare costs of ₹566 billion (0.33% of GDP).
- Costs include direct medical expenses, productivity losses from illness, and premature mortality.
- Rising affordability due to weak tax hikes worsens the burden.
Gaps in Existing Law and Regulation
- Weak enforcement of COTPA (2003)
- Implementation varies across states; many provisions remain ineffective.
- Surrogate advertising loopholes
- Tobacco brands use similar packaging for non-tobacco products (e.g., mouth fresheners) to retain brand recall.
- Influence of media
- OTT platforms, movies, and social media indirectly glamorize tobacco, influencing youth.
- Taxation issues
- Bidis taxed at only 22%, cigarettes at ~50%, both far below the WHO benchmark of 75%.
- Smokeless tobacco largely untaxed due to production in the unorganized sector.
- Institutional weaknesses
- ToFEI (Tobacco Free Education Institute) lacks scientific rigor, teacher training, parental involvement, and monitoring.
- E-cigarette challenge
- Despite the PECA ban (2019), e-cigarettes are easily available online, exposing adolescents to nicotine addiction.
What Needs to be Done?
- Holistic approach
- Move beyond awareness to address social and commercial drivers of tobacco use.
- Strengthen taxation
- Adopt WHO’s 75% tax benchmark, especially for bidis and SLT.
- School-based interventions
- Comprehensive tobacco-free policies, teacher training, family participation, and continuous evaluation.
- Learn from CDC (USA) school-based strategy models.
- Improved awareness campaigns
- Packaging should provide scientific, varied, and relatable health warnings.
- Inter-ministerial coordination
- Ministries of Health, Education, Finance, Commerce, Consumer Affairs, and I&B must work in sync.
- Data-driven policy
- Regular research and updated databases to track consumption patterns, health impacts, and intervention outcomes.
- Independent oversight body
- Monitor industry interference, enforce laws, and evaluate effectiveness of programmes.
- Collaborative efforts
- Active partnership between policymakers, researchers, civil society, and schools to achieve long-term tobacco control.
Conclusion
Tobacco consumption in India is not just a public health crisis but also an economic liability. Weak taxation, poor enforcement, and new product trends have undermined control measures. A multi-pronged, evidence-based approach, rooted in taxation, awareness, regulation, and institutional strengthening, is essential. Only then can India move closer to the vision of a tobacco-free future.
ISSUE OF RESTORATION OF STATEHOOD TO JAMMU AND KASHMIR
TOPIC: (GS2) POLITY: INDIAN EXPRESS
Why in News?
The Supreme Court has recently asked the Union Government to submit a detailed plan regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, following its earlier directions in the 2023 judgment.
Introduction
- The reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 marked a turning point in India’s federal history.
- The abrogation of Article 370 and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 divided the state into two Union Territories — Jammu & Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without a legislature).
- While the Supreme Court upheld the move in 2023, it also emphasised that statehood must eventually be restored, raising crucial debates around federalism, democracy, and constitutional morality.
Constitutional Framework for State Formation
- Article 3 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to create, alter, or rename states.
- Admission – Entry of a political unit into India, e.g., Jammu and Kashmir’s accession in 1947.
- Establishment – Addition of new territories, e.g., Goa and Sikkim.
- Formation – Reorganisation of existing states, as done in 1956.
- Importantly, Article 3 does not authorise the permanent conversion of a state into a Union Territory. Prolonged UT status for Jammu & Kashmir undermines federal principles.
Implications of Non-Restoration
- Democratic Deficit – UTs vest overriding authority in the Lieutenant Governor, reducing the powers of elected representatives.
- Dilution of Federalism – Risks setting a precedent where states may be downgraded at the Centre’s discretion.
- Alienation of Citizens – Prolonged central control may deepen mistrust among local communities.
- Erosion of Rights – Limits the citizens’ right to self-rule and participation in decision-making.
- Precedent for Over-Centralisation – Could weaken cooperative federalism and disturb the federal balance envisaged in the Constitution.
Why Restoration of Statehood is Essential
- Federalism as a Basic Structure – As upheld in Kesavananda Bharati (1973), statehood is crucial to preserve the basic framework of the Constitution.
- Cooperative Federalism – Ensures fair representation of states in the Rajya Sabha, strengthening national decision-making.
- Empowerment of Elected Government – Restores accountability and trust between people and administration.
- Compliance with Judicial Directions – Aligns with the Supreme Court’s order for timely restoration.
- National Unity with Balance – Security concerns may justify temporary UT status, but prolonged central rule erodes trust and weakens integration.
Conclusion
Restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is not merely a political choice but a constitutional obligation. It is essential to protect federalism, democracy, and the spirit of self-governance. A timely return to statehood will strengthen both national unity and constitutional morality.
APK SCAM: HOW FAKE APPS ARE USED FOR FINANCIAL FRAUD
TOPIC: (GS3) SECURITY: INDIAN EXPRESS
Why in News?
The APK scam has emerged as one of the fastest-growing cyber frauds in India, exploiting Android users through fake applications. In 2025 alone, more than 12 lakh such cases have been reported on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Introduction
- The digitalisation of financial services has improved convenience but has also widened the scope of cyber threats.
- Among them, Android Package Kit (APK) scams have become a major menace. By using sophisticated social engineering and malware-infected apps, fraudsters trick users into sharing personal and financial information.
- These scams highlight the urgent need for cyber awareness, strict regulation, and robust technological safeguards.
What is an APK Scam?
- APK (Android Package Kit) files are the format used to install apps on Android devices.
- Fraudsters create fake apps that mimic official portals such as banks, government schemes, or tax refund websites.
- These apps carry hidden spyware or malware that can steal data, access OTPs, and compromise banking credentials.
How the APK Scam Works
- APK files function similar to .exe files on Windows, making them vulnerable to misuse.
- Circulation channels – Scam APKs are spread through social media, SMS links, or emails with urgent messages like KYC updates, subsidy benefits, or electricity bill payments.
- Permission abuse – Once installed, the app requests access to contacts, messages, microphone, notifications, and even location.
- Data theft – The app transmits encrypted user data to fraudster-controlled servers, which is later decoded to extract sensitive information.
Rising Threat Landscape
- Between 2021 and 2025, cybercrimes linked to APKs surged by 900%.
- Fraudsters frequently modify names, logos, and URLs to bypass detection even after earlier versions are flagged.
- Use of advanced encryption and dormant malware makes it difficult for antivirus tools and app stores to detect these malicious files.
Key Challenges
- Weak scrutiny of apps – Not every app uploaded online undergoes security checks.
- Mule accounts – Fraudsters use fake identities for hosting and transactions.
- Rapid mutation – Minor tweaks allow the same malicious APK to re-enter the system.
- User vulnerability – Low digital literacy and blind trust in official-looking apps make users easy targets.
Conclusion
The APK scam represents a critical cyber security challenge in India’s digital economy. Tackling it requires multi-layered strategies including stronger regulation, enhanced detection tools, and improved public awareness. Unless addressed urgently, such scams will continue to erode financial trust, user security, and digital governance.
AIR QUALITY LIFE INDEX (AQLI) 2025
TOPIC: (GS3) ENVIRONMENT: THE HINDU
Why in News?
The Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) released the latest Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) 2025, highlighting how air pollution continues to reduce global and Indian life expectancy.
About AQLI
- Prepared by – University of Chicago’s Energy Policy Institute.
- Objective – Quantifies the impact of long-term exposure to air pollution (PM2.5) on life expectancy.
- Findings (2023 data) – Global PM2.5 levels rose by 1.5% compared to 2022 and are nearly five times higher than WHO guidelines (5 µg/m³).
Global Trends
- North America – Highest pollution rise due to wildfires in USA & Canada.
- Latin America – Bolivia entered world’s top-10 polluted nations.
- Africa – Slight reduction in some regions, but Cameroon & DRC remain severely affected.
- South Asia – Still the most polluted region; Bangladesh remains the worst-affected country.
India’s Status
- Most polluted country among large populations; all 1.4 billion citizens live above WHO limits.
- Life expectancy loss – 3.5 years nationally.
- Delhi-NCR worst hit with 8.2 years lost, followed by Bihar (5.6), Haryana (5.3), and UP (5).
ADI VAANI
TOPIC: (GS2) POLITY: HINDUSTHAN TIMES
Why in News?
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has unveiled the Beta Version of Adi Vaani, the country’s first AI-based translator for tribal languages, aiming to bridge communication gaps and preserve indigenous heritage.
About Adi Vaani
- Developed by – A consortium led by IIT Delhi with BITS Pilani, IIIT Hyderabad, IIIT Naya Raipur, and Tribal Research Institutes.
- Initiative under – Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh.
- Technology base – Uses advanced AI models like NLLB (No Language Left Behind) and IndicTrans2 to support low-resource tribal languages.
Key Features
- Real-time speech and text translation between Hindi/English and tribal languages.
- Offers interactive learning tools for students and new learners.
- Digitally records folklore, oral traditions, and cultural heritage.
- Enhances digital literacy, healthcare communication, and access to government schemes.
- Initially supports Santali, Bhili, Mundari, and Gondi; Kui and Garo to follow.
Significance
- Promotes linguistic equity and strengthens cultural diversity.
- Preserves tribal knowledge systems through digital archiving.
- Facilitates inclusive governance by improving communication in civic and welfare delivery.
DARUMA DOLL
TOPIC: (GS1) ART AND CULTURE: INDIAN EXPRESS
During his recent visit to Japan, the Indian Prime Minister was presented a Daruma Doll by the chief priest of the Shorinzan Daruma-Ji Temple, highlighting Indo-Japanese cultural linkages.
About Daruma Doll
- Origin – First crafted in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, and closely linked to Shorinzan Daruma-ji Temple, the cultural hub of Daruma worship.
- Material & Shape – Traditionally made of papier-mâché, round, hollow, and weighted at the base, without limbs.
- Colours & Meanings –
- Red – Prosperity & good luck
- White – Love & harmony
- Gold – Wealth & success
- Green – Health & vitality
Symbolism
- Embodies the Japanese proverb – “Nana korobi ya oki” (fall seven times, rise eight), signifying resilience and determination.
- Represents perseverance in the face of adversity.
- Inspired by Bodhidharma, the Indian monk from Kancheepuram, founder of Zen Buddhism, revered in Japan as Daruma Daishi.
Cultural Practices
- Used as a goal-setting talisman: one eye is filled when a goal is set, the other after its achievement.
- Widely placed in homes, offices, and temples as a charm for success.
Conclusion
The Daruma Doll stands as a symbol of Indo-Japanese spiritual ties, reflecting resilience, perseverance, and hope. It continues to inspire individuals and communities worldwide as a cultural emblem of determination.
GLANDERS AND REVISED NATIONAL ACTION PLAN
TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY: THE HINDU
Why in News?
The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying has released a revised National Action Plan on Glanders, aiming to improve surveillance and control measures.
About Glanders
- Nature of Disease – A contagious and often fatal bacterial infection of equines (horses, donkeys, mules).
- Causative Agent – Burkholderia mallei.
- Transmission – Through ingestion of contaminated food/water, or contact with body fluids of infected animals.
- Human Infection – Occurs via cuts, abrasions, or mucosal surfaces (eyes, nose).
- Clinical Signs in Animals – Nodules and ulcers in the respiratory tract, skin nodules with swollen lymph vessels (farcy).
- Symptoms in Humans – Fever, chills, chest pain, muscle tightness, nasal discharge, headache, and eye sensitivity.
- Global Presence – Sporadic cases in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
Legal & Policy Framework
- Domestic Law – Recognized as a notifiable disease under the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals (PCICDA) Act, 2009.
- International Classification – Listed in the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) terrestrial animal health code.
Revised National Action Plan on Glanders (2025)
- Zoning Adjustments – Infected zone reduced from 5 km → 2 km; surveillance area changed from 5–25 km → 2–10 km.
- Targeted Restrictions – Controls now apply only up to 10 km radius.
- Enhanced Monitoring – Strengthened surveillance, reporting, and quarantine mechanisms.
- Rapid Response Teams – For immediate containment of outbreaks.
- Capacity Building – Training of veterinary staff and laboratories.
- Public Awareness – Engagement with stakeholders and communities for prevention.
- Research Support – Focus on diagnostics and resistance management (e.g., TMP-SMX, piperacillin-tazobactam).
Conclusion
The revised plan for Glanders control seeks to balance disease containment with reduced disruption to animal owners. It strengthens surveillance, awareness, and veterinary response, making India’s strategy more scientifically robust and globally aligned.
KANI TRIBE AND AROGYAPACHA
TOPIC: (GS1) SOCIETY: THE HINDU
Why in News?
Kuttimathan Kani, a forest elder of the Kani tribe who revealed the medicinal plant Arogyapacha to researchers, has recently passed away in poverty, highlighting the neglect of tribal knowledge holders.
About the Kani Tribe
- Identity – Also called Kanikkar, Kanikarans, Velanmars, Malainrasans, the community now lives in small hamlets (Kanikudiyiruppu).
- Habitat – Primarily in the Agasthyamalai hills of the Western Ghats, spanning Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram) and Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari).
- Leadership Structure – Community led by:
- Mootukani (headman)
- Vilikani (convenor)
- Pilathi (priest-physician)
- All posts are hereditary.
- Language – A Dravidian dialect, close to Malayalam; uses Tamil and Malayalam scripts.
Culture and Beliefs
- Spiritual Worldview – Belief in benevolent and malevolent spirits.
- Rituals – Chattu performed by the Pilathi; songs called Chattupattu accompanied by Kokkara, their only musical instrument.
- Knowledge System – Rich ethno-medicinal expertise, with Pilathi central to health practices.
Occupation and Traditional Knowledge
- Traditionally engaged in handicrafts, forest produce collection (honey, beeswax), and cultivation of tapioca, banana, millets, and cash crops.
- Arogyapacha (Trichopus zeylanicus) – A vital medicinal plant, source of the herbal drug ‘Jeevani’, known for its rejuvenating properties.