Prelims Nuggets

Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Context: Renowned Malayalam actor Mohanlal is set to receive the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2023. It will be presented during the 71^th National Film Awards ceremony and he will be the 55^th recipient of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

About Dadasaheb Phalke Award

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted in 1969 in honour of Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, the pioneer of Indian cinema, by the Government of India.
It is India's highest award in the field of cinema.
It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals, an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The Directorate of Film Festivals in India, established in 1973, is responsible for organizing major film events such as the International Film Festival of India, the National Film Awards, and the Indian Panorama.
Based in New Delhi, the organization operates under the works as part of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The recipient is honoured for their ‘great and outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’ and is selected by a committee consisting of eminent personalities from the Indian film industry.
The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs. 10 Lakh.
The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani (widely acknowledged as the First Lady of Indian cinema), who was honoured at the 17th National Film Awards.

About Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (April 1870 – 16 February 1944):

He was widely known as Dadasaheb Phalke and is referred to as ‘the Father of Indian cinema.’
He directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra, which was released in 1913, marking a significant milestone in the history of Indian cinema.
Over his 19-year career, from 1913 to 1937, Phalke produced and directed a total of 95 feature films and 27 short films.
Some of his most acclaimed works include Mohini Bhasmasur (1913), Satyavan Savitri (1914), Lanka Dahan (1917), Shri Krishna Janma (1918), and Kaliya Mardan (1919).

Why was Indonesia rocked by Protests?

Context: Recently, Indonesia witnessed violent protests against a range of cost-of-living issues. The protests have generally been seen as an incitement of anger against the elites by the middle class.

Relevance of the Topic : Prelims: India and its neighbourhood: Indonesia

Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest democracy and economy, was rocked by one of its most intense waves of protests in recent years. Protestors attacked public buildings, burned down and looted houses of public officials.

Causes of the Protests in Indonesia

Public resentment against elite privileges: Members of Parliament in Indonesia receive a monthly housing allowance of 50 million rupiah (about $3000) which is almost ten times the national minimum wage.
Austerity measures introduced by the government: President Prabowo’s government announced budget cuts worth 306 trillion rupiah (approximately $18.8 billion) to fund the flagship school meals programme. This led to steep budgetary reductions in vital sectors such as public works, economic affairs, investment, and higher education.
Tax hikes by regional governments: To offset the impact of reduced central funding, regional authorities imposed heavy tax increases. E.g., 250% hike in property tax in Pati, Central Java.
Income inequality: While the Gini coefficient of Indonesia has been declining, the country still registers one of the highest levels of inequality in the Southeast Asian region. As per an Oxfam report, Indonesia ranks sixth among countries with the greatest wealth inequality.
Additional issues include low wages and job insecurity. Education also remains underfunded, with various barriers restricting higher education.

Also Read: India-Indonesia Bilateral Relations

At the regional and global level, Indonesia’s political stability is crucial for ASEAN and for global supply chains that depend on Southeast Asia’s largest economy. Continued unrest could therefore affect not just Indonesia but the wider region.

Issues with Sikh Marriage Registration

Context: The Supreme Court has directed 17 States and 8 Union Territories to frame rules for the registration of Sikh marriages under the Anand Marriage Act, 1909, within four months.

Till then, Sikh couples can register their marriages under existing laws. This ensures legal recognition of Anand Karaj marriages, but it does not solve deeper problems with the Act.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Anand Marriage Act.

What is Anand Karaj?

Anand Karaj, literally “blissful union”, is the prescribed form of marriage in the Sikh faith.
The ceremony is conducted in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of the Sikhs.

Anand Marriage Act 1909:

In the early 20th century, efforts by the Sikh community for legal recognition of their distinct marriage ceremony (specifically to differentiate it from Hindu rituals) led to the enactment of the Anand Marriage Act in 1909.
The Act legally sanctifies all marriages solemnised through the Anand Karaj ceremony. However, the original Act did not include provisions for the registration of these marriages. This gap was addressed over a century later with the Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012.

Anand Marriage (Amendment) Act, 2012:

The Amendment introduced Section 6, which directed state governments to create rules for the registration of Anand Karaj marriages.
Once registered under the Act, a couple would not need to register their marriage under any other law.

Issues with Anand Marriage Act

The Act only provides for recognition and registration of marriages but does not cover divorce, custody, or other matrimonial disputes.
Sikh couples seeking divorce must still rely on the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, which undermines the distinct identity of Sikh personal law.
Most States and Union Territories have still not framed rules for the registration of Anand Karaj marriages, despite the 2012 amendment.
The failure to notify rules has denied Sikh couples a statutory facility and created uneven access to their legal rights.
Without a marriage certificate, Sikh couples face hurdles in matters of residence, maintenance, inheritance, and succession.
This inaction has effectively disenfranchised a large section of the Sikh community from the benefits of a central law.

The SC recently addressed this gap and issued a comprehensive set of directions to all States and Union Territories to frame rules for registration of Anand Karaj marriages within four months and held that no application can be refused in the meantime.

Limitations of Supreme Court recent directions:

The order only addresses the problem of registration and does not resolve deeper legal gaps such as provisions for divorce, custody, or other matrimonial disputes.

As a result, Sikh couples must still rely on the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 for matters beyond registration, leaving the larger demand for a comprehensive Sikh Marriage Code unaddressed.

The problem with Low Inflation

Context: Inflation in India has fallen sharply in recent months. CPI inflation was at just 2.07% in August 2025 and WPI inflation at 0.52%. While this trend is positive for consumers, it poses challenges for the Union Government’s fiscal arithmetic and Budget management.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Concept of Inflation; Low Inflation: Issues and Implications.

Inflation refers to the sustained rise in the general price level of goods and services. While high inflation erodes purchasing power, moderate inflation is considered desirable as it supports growth and helps maintain fiscal balance.

However, persistently low inflation, as seen in India in 2025 with CPI inflation at 2.07% and WPI inflation at 0.52%, poses distinct challenges for the economy and government finances.

Issues with Low Inflation

Slower Nominal GDP Growth: The government’s fiscal calculations depend on nominal GDP, which includes both real growth and inflation. With prices barely rising (stagnant) due to lower inflation, nominal GDP growth has slowed falling below the 10.1% assumed in the Union Budget 2025-26.
Weaker Tax Revenues: Tax collections are directly linked to nominal GDP growth. Lower inflation means slower growth in the value of goods and services i.e., weak GST and excise revenues. In April-July 2025, gross tax revenue grew by only 1% year-on-year, while net tax revenue declined by 7.5%.
Fiscal Deficit Ratios Under Strain: The fiscal deficit and debt are measured as a share of nominal GDP. With a lower GDP base, deficit and debt ratios look worse even if the government’s borrowing remains constant. This risks India’s FRBM targets (3% fiscal deficit in the medium term, 60% debt-GDP ceiling).

Implications of Persistently Low Inflation:

Budgetary Stress: Lower tax revenues make it harder for the government to meet Budget targets and maintain fiscal discipline. Budget credibility is undermined if revenue projections repeatedly fall short.
Borrowing vs. Spending Cuts: The government may struggle to meet its revenue targets, which could force either higher borrowing or cuts in planned spending.
Weak Demand and Employment: Persistently low inflation often reflects weak demand, which can delay job creation and wage growth.
Discouraged Private Investment: Weak demand discourages private investment despite high corporate profits.

Vicious Cycle Risk: In the long run, prolonged low inflation can create a vicious cycle of weak demand, lower revenues, and constrained fiscal space.
Monetary Policy Challenge: RBI has an inflation targeting mandate (4% ±2%). Too-low inflation limits its ability to cut rates (real interest rates rise when inflation falls).
Agricultural distress: India’s CPI is food-heavy (~45%). Weak food inflation reflects rural distress and falling farm incomes.

Is Low Inflation always Bad?

Low inflation is not always harmful. If it is driven by productivity gains, technological innovation or supply-side efficiencies, it benefits consumers by reducing costs without damaging fiscal health.
If caused by weak demand and poor investment sentiment or agricultural distress, it signals structural weakness, reduces revenues, squeezes fiscal space, and slows down both growth and revenues.

For sustainable growth, India requires moderate inflation driven by healthy demand and productivity improvements.

Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project

Context: The stalled Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project is under renewed consideration. The Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Environment Ministry is set to review its clearance amidst the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) being in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP).

Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP):

Sawalkote HEP is located on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir.
It has a planned installed capacity of 1865 MW (1406 MW in Stage I and 450 MW in Stage II).
The project involves a 192.5-metre-high concrete gravity dam with a reservoir capacity of 530 MCM spread over 1,159 hectares.
It is officially termed a run-of-river scheme, but experts contest this due to its large reservoir.

Delays surrounding the Project:

Originally conceived in 1984, the project has faced delays due to Centre-State disagreements and restrictions imposed by the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) that limited India’s use of western rivers.
In 2017, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) recommended environmental clearance, but final approval was withheld due to pending forest clearance.
After the suspension of the IWT in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, the project was revived as a strategic priority for India.

The government views it as critical for strengthening energy security in Jammu & Kashmir and for enhancing India’s strategic leverage over the Chenab River.

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement

Context: Recently, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement which formalised the defence and security partnership between the countries.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: Key provisions of the pact; Implications for India’s strategic interests.

The pact comes in the aftermath of Israel’s strike in Qatar and amid growing regional instability in West Asia, including threats from Iran, Yemen’s Houthis, and Israel’s assertiveness.

Key Feature of the Defence Pact

Mutual Defence Clause: Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.
Strategic Objectives:
- To enhance defence cooperation, joint training, and military exchanges.
- To strengthen joint deterrence against regional adversaries.

Pakistan has announced that its nuclear programme will be made available to Saudi Arabia, if needed, under the new defence pact.

Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Partnership:

The partnership has deep historical roots shaped by shared security concerns and sustained military cooperation since the 1960s.

Historical Background of Defence Cooperation:

1960s: Pakistani troops were stationed in Saudi Arabia to bolster internal and regional security.
1979: Pakistan’s special forces assisted during the Grand Mosque seizure in Mecca.
1982: A Bilateral Security Cooperation Agreement institutionalised defence ties, enabling training, advisory roles, and Pakistani arms supply to Saudi Arabia.

Historically, the Saudi-Pakistan defence equation, underpinned by religious commonality, has been defined by Saudi economic support and Pakistani military assistance. Pakistani military personnel have trained Saudi forces, while Riyadh has provided crucial financial and energy support.

Implications of the Saudi Arabia-Pakistan Defence Pact:

For Saudi Arabia:

Strategic Security: Strengthens deterrence against Iran and its proxies like Houthis, militias in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon.
Regional Balancing: It demonstrates Riyadh’s strategic autonomy, diversifying its defence alignments beyond exclusive reliance on the United States.

For Pakistan:

Military Benefits: Access to advanced weaponry (possibly via Saudi financing of the US arms purchases).
Economic Relief: Strengthens Pakistan’s bargaining power for financial aid and investments from Riyadh.
Geopolitical Leverage: Reinforces Pakistan’s role in Muslim world security architecture.
Domestic Prestige: Enhances the political capital of Pakistan’s civilian and military leadership.

India’s Position and Concerns:

India is aware of the long-standing arrangement and will study its implications for national security and regional stability. The strategic concerns include:

Saudi financing may indirectly bolster Pakistan’s military capabilities altering the regional balance of power to India’s disadvantage.
The pact’s mutual defence clause could embolden Pakistan, complicating India’s security calculus in South Asia.

For Saudi Arabia, its partnership with India continues to offer greater economic and strategic value. A core characteristic of India’s strategic autonomy has been to develop its own relationship with Saudi Arabia (and other countries) with a focus on leveraging India’s economic heft.

Also Read: India-Saudi Arabia Relations

Why did India condemn the Doha Strike?

Context: India’s condemnation of Israel’s strike in Qatar as a “violation of sovereignty” marks a rare departure from its otherwise muted responses to Israeli operations in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and elsewhere.

Relevance of the Topic: Mains: India - Qatar Relations.

Israel targets Hamas leadership in Qatar strike

Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) carried out an airstrike in Doha, Qatar, targeting a house where senior Hamas leaders were meeting to discuss a U.S. backed ceasefire proposal.
At the UN Human Rights Council, India has stated that the attacks threaten peace, stability and security and condemned the attacks as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. India invoked the UN Charter and international law emphasising that escalation must be avoided.

Traditionally, India has reacted with caution or silence to Israeli strikes across West Asia, often limiting itself to expressions of “concern.” Even when Israeli actions affected Indian interests in Iran, India’s response was inconsistent, initially distancing itself from an SCO statement condemning Israeli strikes before later joining a similar declaration.

Why is Qatar Treated Differently?

Qatar’s importance for India stems from multiple factors :

Qatar hosts a large Indian diaspora of over 7.5 lakh people whose welfare and remittances are vital for India.
Qatar is a key supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) making it crucial for India’s energy security.
Strong personal and leadership-level ties exist between the Indian Prime Minister and the Qatari Emir adding weight to the bilateral relationship.
The Israeli strike in Doha directly threatens the security architecture of the Gulf where the U.S. bases are located, raising concerns for India’s broader regional interests.

While New Delhi’s partnership with Israel in defence and technology remains strong, its silence on Gaza amid heavy civilian casualties has strained goodwill in the Arab world. India’s condemnation of Israel’s strike in Doha coupled with India’s recent UNGA vote for a two-state solution, suggests a balancing effort to reassure Arab partners while maintaining ties with Israel.

Also Read: India Qatar elevate ties to Strategic Partnership

This recalibration becomes even more significant in the backdrop of the Saudi-Pakistan Mutual Defence Pact and the Gulf Cooperation Council’s push for a joint defence mechanism.

Sarnath: India’s UNESCO Nomination for 2025-26

Context: India has officially nominated Sarnath for the UNESCO World Heritage List (2025-26 cycle) ending its 27-year wait on the tentative list.

Ahead of a UNESCO team’s visit, the ASI will install a corrected plaque crediting Babu Jagat Singh (1787-88) a local ruler, instead of the British, for the rediscovery of the site.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about Sarnath.

Historical and Religious Significance

Sarnath is a major Buddhist pilgrimage site where the Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon around 528 BCE.
Located about 10 km from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
It is also the place where the Buddhist sangha (community) was first formed.
Ancient texts refer to the place as Mrigadava (Deer Park) or Rishipatana.
Emperor Ashoka (268-232 BCE) erected the famous Lion Capital Pillar at Sarnath, now the national emblem of India. He commissioned monastic structures including the Dhamek Stupa, which marks the spot of the first sermon.
Later dynasties, including the Kushanas (1st-4th century CE) and the Guptas (3rd-6th century CE) continued to patronise and expand the site.

Decline and Destruction:

Sarnath flourished as a monastic centre until the 12th century CE, after which it was destroyed and abandoned.
Historical accounts attribute this decline to invasions by Qutb-ud-din Aibak (1193 CE) during Muhammad Ghor’s campaign, when temples and monasteries were sacked.
By the 13th century, Sarnath was in ruins coinciding with the decline of Buddhism in India.

Rediscovery and Modern Excavations:

The site was rediscovered in 1787-88 when workers of Jagat Singh, Diwan of Raja Chait Singh of Benares, unearthed Buddhist relics while digging for construction materials.
In 1799, the site drew wider attention when Jonathan Duncan, a prominent indologist and founder of the Sanskrit College at Varanasi, described the discoveries in his writings. His account spurred interest among British scholars and laid the foundation for systematic excavations.
Alexander Cunningham (1835-36), founder of the Archaeological survey of India (ASI), carried out excavations and confirmed Sarnath as the site of the Buddha’s first sermon.
The most significant excavations, however, were carried out in 1904-05. They unearthed over 470 relics and 41 inscriptions giving the site its current archaeological identity.

Contemporary Significance:

Today, Sarnath is recognised as one of the four holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites, along with Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, and Kushinagara.
In 2024-25, over 8.43 lakh visitors visited the site, according to ASI data.
Its nomination to the UNESCO World Heritage List underscores India’s efforts to preserve and promote its Buddhist heritage globally.

Advanced Air Defence Radars

Context: The Indian Army has initiated the procurement of a new range of advanced Air Defence (AD) radars to strengthen its surveillance and strike capabilities along the Northern and Western borders.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: About radar and its working.

This step comes in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor (May 2025) during which some Pakistani drones intruded into Indian airspace which exposed serious gaps in India’s air defence coverage.

What is Radar?

Radar is the acronym for RAdio Detection And Ranging.
It is a specialised electronic system that uses radio waves to determine the direction, distance, and velocity of target objects.
Air Defence radars are used by the military to search, detect, identify, and help destroy aerial threats.

How Radar Works?

A radar comprises two basic components: Transmitter and Receiver.
A transmitter sends out radio signals, and a receiver collects any reflected signals from the target.
The angular direction of a target is determined based on the direction from which the reflected signals are received. The measurement of the location of a target at successive moments helps calculate its trajectory.

There are primarily two kinds of Air Defence Radars: Surveillance radars and Fire control radars.

Surveillance Radars: These constantly scan the skies to detect aerial objects. They provide early warning but are not directly linked to weapon systems.
Fire Control Radars: These provide precise tracking data to guide surface-to-air guns and missile systems for neutralising threats.

Current Air Defence Radar Capabilities in India:

Both the Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) operate surveillance and fire control radars. The IAF manages most High Power Radars (HPRs) and Medium Power Radars (MPRs).
- They can detect and track aerial threats several hundred kilometres away, especially at higher altitudes.
- These radars are essential against high-value threats such as fighter jets, enemy transport aircraft, and Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS).
Both the IAF and Army also operate Low Level Light Weight Radars (LLLRs), which are designed to detect smaller aerial objects flying at low altitudes.
For fire control, the IAF uses the 3D Central Acquisition Radar and the Rajendra Radar, while the Army primarily employs Flycatchers (indigenously upgraded Super Fledermaus) and the Air Defence Tactical Control Radar.

Issues with the Existing Infrastructure:

Many of the Army’s radars are aging and inadequate for detecting low-RCS drones and UAV swarms.
- The Radar Cross Section (RCS) is a measure of how detectable an object is to radar, usually expressed in square metres. A lower RCS makes an object harder to detect.
During Operation Sindoor (2025), Pakistan used hundreds of drones, including decoys and attack UAVs, to breach Indian airspace and expose system vulnerabilities.

Experiences from conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza show that traditional air defence systems are easily overwhelmed by swarms of drones and stealthy aerial objects, underscoring the urgent need for modernised detection and response systems in India.

The Army has sought to procure up to 45 Low Level Light Weight Radars (Enhanced), up to 48 Air Defence Fire Control Radar-Drone Detectors (ADFCR-DD), and 10 Low Level Light Weight Radars (Improved).

Significance:

These systems will specifically address challenges posed by small, low-flying, and low- Radar Cross Section (RCS drones) which older radars struggle to detect.
Enhanced LLLRs will provide accurate detection and transmit target data to weapons up to 10 km away.
ADFCR-DDs will allow identification, classification, and engagement of even the smallest drones, thereby making counter-drone operations more effective.

The procurement of advanced AD radars enhances India’s preparedness against emerging aerial threats and supports the creation of a seamless multi-layered defence shield envisioned under Mission Sudarshan Chakra.

Mars Rover Perseverance discovers Potential Biosignature in Mars

Context: NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance (exploring the Martian surface since 2021) has found the strongest signs yet that some form of life may have existed on Mars in the past.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: NASA’s Mars rover Perseverance findings; NASA’s Perseverance Mission.

Perseverance’s Finding:

NASA's Perseverance rover discovered leopard spots on a reddish rock nicknamed “Cheyava Falls” in Mars' Jezero Crater in 2024.
The rock was found to contain clay and silt, which are known on Earth to preserve microbial life effectively.
The analysis also revealed the presence of organic carbon, sulphur, oxidised iron (rust), and phosphorus.
These minerals could have formed through biological activity but may also have resulted from purely chemical, non-biological processes.
The rock sample has been described as containing a “potential biosignature”, but not yet confirmed as evidence of life.

What are Biosignatures?

Biosignatures are objects, structures, or chemical compositions that may have a biological origin. They indicate the possible presence or activity of living organisms, either in the past or present.
A biosignature is any substance such as an element, isotope, or molecule or phenomenon that provides scientific evidence of past or present life.

Significance of the Finding

This is the closest NASA has ever come to detecting signs of life on Mars.
The discovery has the potential to revolutionise our understanding of Mars’s history and its capacity to host life.
The clay-rich nature of the sample is particularly important, as clay is known to be an excellent preserver of microbial signatures on Earth.

However, the finding does not conclusively prove the existence of life on Mars. The structures and chemical compositions detected could also be explained by non-living (abiotic) processes.

NASA’s Perseverance Mission (Mars 2020 Mission)

Launched: 2020. Landed in Mars: Feb 2021
Rover: NASA’s 4th generation Mars Rover. It is the most advanced, most expensive & most sophisticated mobile laboratory sent to Mars till date. It is different from previous missions as it can drill & collect core samples of most promising rocks & soils. The rover landed at Jezero Crater - an ancient river delta that has rocks and minerals that could only form in water.
Ingenuity Helicopter: Autonomous helicopter that operated on Mars till January 2024. Travelled to Mars attached to the belly of the Perseverance rover and was deployed to the surface after landing in Jezero Crater. First aircraft to conduct a powered and controlled extra-terrestrial flight on a planet after Earth.
Objectives:
- To look for biosignatures in either the chemical measurements or morphological observations, in the dried-up lakebed at Jezero Crater.
- To demonstrate technology for future robotic and human exploration. Perseverance will produce oxygen on the Martian surface for the first time, using atmospheric CO2 from the Martian atmosphere.
Perseverance will drill and collect rock samples that will be returned to Earth by a subsequent European Space Agency/NASA mission in 2030s. Perseverance carries the Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment (RIMFAX). RIMFAX will provide high resolution mapping of the subsurface structure at the landing site.
Power source: It has a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) which converts heat from the natural radioactive decay of plutonium (Plutonium Dioxide) into electricity.

Why does India not import corn from the US?

Context: The US Commerce Secretary has questioned India for not opening up its market to American Corn. Differences over agricultural trade is at the heart of the trade dispute between India and the US.

Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: India-US Trade dispute: Agriculture Sector

Why does India not import corn from the US?

There are three reasons why India does not buy American Corn:

Self-sufficiency in Corn production: India produces around 34-36 million tonnes of corn annually, making it the world’s fifth-largest producer of corn.
Concerns over GM Corn: The US grows more than 90% of its corn from GM seeds. However, India does not permit the cultivation or import of genetically modified food or feed (with the exception of GM cotton).
Protect farmers’ interest:
- India needs to protect its fragile agricultural sector that employs 500 million people against imports from countries that heavily subsidise their agriculture. Allowing cheaper GM imports would undercut Indian farmers.
- Smallholders (backbone of India’s agricultural economy) fear that allowing GM corn would open the gates to multinational corporations controlling seed markets. Dependence on patented seed technology could erode centuries-old practices like seed saving, while also raising questions of consumer safety and environmental impact.

Reasons the US is exploring alternate markets:

China has been a major buyer of US corn, taking nearly a third of America’s exports. After the recent US-China trade war, China has begun to buy corn and soyabeans from Brazil, throwing the US agriculture sector into a crisis.
With India’s rising corn consumption (particularly for ethanol-blended petrol programme), the US sees an enormous opportunity to export corn to India.

Increased demand for corn in India:

Traditionally, corn is consumed into poultry feed, starch, and processed foods.
In recent years, a growing share has been diverted toward ethanol production. In the latest cycle, India used 3.5 million tonnes of corn to produce around 1.35 billion litres of ethanol.
With the government pushing for 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025-26, annual corn demand for biofuel alone could rise to 6-7 million tonnes.
In 2024-25, India imported 0.97 million tonnes of corn (most of which came from Myanmar and Ukraine which export non-GM corn that meets Indian standards). The imports from the US were miniscule (just 1100 tonnes). Thus, there is some scope for corn imports from the US for use in producing ethanol.

However, importing GM corn even for ethanol production has been firmly rejected, with sugar mills and farmer unions warning it could marginalise sugarcane and disrupt the ethanol-blended petrol programme.

Also Read: US’s Tariffs: Nature, Impacts, and Lessons for India

The dispute reflects not just trade imbalances but a deeper clash over farming practices, food security, and agricultural sovereignty. 

India gets licence to explore Indian Ocean for Polymetallic Sulphides

Context: India has bagged a 15-year contract for exploration of polymetallic sulphides in the northwest Indian Ocean from the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

Relevance of the Topic:Prelims: Key facts about Polymetallic Sulphides; International Seabed Authority; Carlsberg Ridge.

Licence to explore Indian Ocean for Polymetallic Sulphides:

This is the first licence granted globally for exploring polymetallic sulphur nodules in the Carlsberg Ridge.
The contract area covers 10,000 sq. km. in parts of the Carlsberg Ridge in the Indian Ocean.

Polymetallic Sulphides Nodules:

PMS nodules are hydrothermal mineral deposits or concentrations of rock found in the deep ocean (mid-ocean ridges and hydrothermal vents).
They form when hot, mineral-rich fluids from the Earth's mantle mix with cold ocean water, resulting in the precipitation of metal sulphides.
These metalliferous muds contain large amounts of copper, zinc, lead, iron, silver and gold.

Carlsberg Ridge:

The Carlsberg Ridge is 3,00,000 sq. km. stretch that lies in the Indian Ocean, specifically in the Arabian Sea and northwest Indian Ocean.
It forms the boundary between the Indian and Arabian tectonic plates.
The ridge separates the Arabian Sea to the northeast from the Somali Basin to the southwest.

Key facts about Exploration Process:

For exploration in areas part of the ‘high seas’ or part of the ocean not part of their territories, countries must obtain permission from the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
These rights are specifically designated for regions within the open ocean defined as marine expanses encompassing the air above, surface, and seabed; where no nation holds sovereignty claims.
- Countries have exclusive rights extending up to 200 nautical miles from their borders, including the underlying seabed.
- Countries can claim up to 350 nautical miles from their coasts as their continental shelf. Countries in the Bay of Bengal can claim up to 500 nautical miles as per the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).
If the claim is approved, the country gains priority to explore and potentially exploit both living and non-living resources in the designated region.

About International Seabed Authority:

Autonomous international organisation established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
It is the organisation through which States Parties to UNCLOS organise and control all mineral-resources-related activities in ‘the Area’ for the benefit of humankind as a whole.
The international seabed area represents around 50% of the total area of the world’s oceans.
ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed-related activities.
All States Parties to UNCLOS are members of ISA (including India).
Headquarters: Kingston, Jamaica

India’s third exploration contract with ISA:

The contract is India’s third exploration contract with the ISA and is its second for PMS.
- India had exploratory rights from the ISA in the Central Indian Ocean Basin (till 2027).
- India had obtained exploratory rights for polymetallic sulphides in the Indian Ocean Ridge (2031).
India has become the first ISA Member State to hold two contracts for PMS exploration and to have the largest area allocated in the international seabed area.

India continues to conduct its exploration activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction strictly within the framework of the UNCLOS and under the mandate of ISA.