Prelims Nuggets

Mandatory ‘Country of Origin’ Filter on E-commerce Platforms

Context: The Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MoCA) has proposed the Draft Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) (Second Amendment) Rules, 2025, introducing a mandatory “Country of Origin” filter on e-commerce platforms.
This aims to enhance consumer transparency and empower buyers to make informed decisions before purchasing any packaged product online.

Key Provisions of the Draft Amendment

  • E-commerce platforms will need to include a searchable and sortable filter displaying the country of origin for each packaged product.
  • This provision will be added under Rule 6(10) of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011.
  • It ensures buyers can distinguish between domestic and imported goods prior to purchase.
  • Applies to all listed items, including those under private or foreign labels.

Rationale

  1. Consumer Empowerment: Enables transparency in digital marketplaces, strengthening the Right to Information for consumers.
  2. Fair Competition: Supports local producers and artisans amid global tariff hikes (for instance, the US doubling import tariffs on select Indian goods in 2025).
  3. Policy Alignment: Reinforces India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and “Make in India” vision.
  4. Global Norms: Brings India’s e-commerce labelling standards closer to international consumer protection practices.

About the Legal Metrology Framework

  • The Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, under the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, regulate labelling, packaging, and disclosure norms for pre-packed goods.
  • The rules mandate clear information on manufacturer details, quantity, price, and expiry.
  • Dual MRP for the same product is prohibited.
  • Enforcement lies with State Legal Metrology Departments and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Impact

  • For Consumers: Greater clarity and ethical choice in online shopping.
  • For Businesses: May increase compliance cost but enhances brand credibility.
  • For Governance: Bridges regulatory gaps between traditional retail and digital platforms.
  • For the Economy: Encourages domestic manufacturing and boosts consumer trust in “Made in India” products.

Conclusion

The move represents a forward-looking step in India’s evolving digital consumer protection regime. By mandating transparency at the point of purchase, the government ensures that consumers remain active participants in market fairness and sustainability.

SC Affirms Arrest Must Be Communicated in a Language Understood by the Arrestee

Context: The Supreme Court of India has ruled that an arrest will be deemed illegal if the written grounds of arrest are not provided in a language understood by the person being arrested.
This extends the earlier protection — which applied only to arrests under special laws like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) — to all arrests, including those made under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) or the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Background and Constitutional Basis

The judgment draws upon the fundamental rights enshrined in:

  • Article 22(1): Requires that any person arrested must be informed “as soon as may be” of the grounds for arrest and has the right to consult a legal practitioner of their choice.
  • Article 21: Protects life and personal liberty, implying that liberty cannot be curtailed except through a fair, just, and reasonable procedure established by law.

The Court clarified that these provisions must be read together to ensure meaningful protection of the arrestee’s rights.

Supreme Court’s Key Observations

  1. Right to Know: The person being arrested has a constitutional right to be informed of the specific reasons and charges against them.
  2. Language of Communication: Merely reading out the grounds or handing over documents in an unfamiliar language does not satisfy the constitutional mandate.
  3. Written Clarity: The grounds must be given in writing and in a language the person can read or comprehend, enabling them to seek legal counsel or apply for bail effectively.
  4. Procedural Fairness: Failure to comply renders the arrest illegal and liable to be struck down.

Significance of the Ruling

  • Uniform Safeguard: Extends protection to all types of arrests, ensuring parity between special and general laws.
  • Empowerment of Citizens: Safeguards linguistic and educationally disadvantaged groups.
  • Administrative Accountability: Compels police and investigating agencies to adhere to due process, reducing arbitrary arrests.
  • Reinforcement of Rule of Law: Emphasises that liberty can only be curtailed through transparent and comprehensible procedure.

Implications

  • Police manuals and arrest procedures across states will require updating.
  • Translations and local-language templates of arrest memos will need to be developed.
  • Judicial scrutiny of arrest documentation is likely to increase, strengthening the procedural integrity of criminal justice.

Conclusion

This ruling deepens the meaning of “due process” under Articles 21 and 22, reaffirming that the right to liberty is not merely a legal formality but a substantive, communicative right.

By ensuring that every citizen — regardless of language or literacy — understands the reason for their arrest, the Supreme Court has reinforced constitutional morality and inclusivity in the justice system.

Australia’s AI Copyright Policy: Balancing Innovation and Creator Rights

Context: Australia’s Attorney-General has rejected a policy proposal from a think tank that sought to grant technology companies unrestricted access to copyrighted material for training Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems. The government instead reaffirmed that technological innovation must not come at the cost of creators’ rights.

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This move places Australia among a small group of nations emphasizing ethical and consent-based AI development, diverging from the U.S. “fair use” approach and China’s “data-first” model.

Australia’s AI Copyright Policy

1. Government’s Stand:
The Australian government maintains that technology should not advance “at the expense of creators.” It argues that unrestricted scraping of copyrighted works by AI models undermines artistic and journalistic integrity, threatening creative industries.

2. Formation of CAIRG:
The Copyright and AI Reference Group (CAIRG) was established to design balanced, rights-based policies. CAIRG comprises representatives from the tech sector, creative industry, academia, and legal bodies. Its mandate is to develop national guidelines for ethical AI training and data use.

3. Proposed Legal Reform:
Australia is considering introducing a mandatory paid licensing framework under the Copyright Act.
This would:

  • Require AI developers to obtain permission before using copyrighted material.
  • Ensure fair compensation and consent for creators.
  • Establish transparency mechanisms for datasets used in AI training.

Comparative Perspective

  • United States: Allows AI developers to use copyrighted material under the “fair use” doctrine, subject to certain limits.
  • European Union: Mandates “opt-out” consent, giving creators the right to restrict their works from AI datasets.
  • China: Promotes open data access for AI under state supervision to accelerate innovation.
    Australia’s approach, by contrast, emphasizes creator consent as a non-negotiable principle.

Significance of the Policy

  • Upholding Creator Rights: Ensures AI development respects intellectual property, in line with UNESCO’s AI Ethics Framework (2021).
  • Human-Centric Innovation: Demonstrates that technological and cultural goals can coexist, reinforcing public trust in AI.
  • Global Leadership: Positions Australia as a thought leader in rights-respecting AI governance, influencing debates in other democracies.
  • Cultural Integrity: Protects artists, writers, and content producers from data exploitation by large tech firms, ensuring sustainable creative economies.

Conclusion

Australia’s AI Copyright Policy exemplifies a human-centric and ethically grounded approach to digital innovation.

By prioritizing consent, compensation, and creator control, the country seeks to balance AI’s transformative potential with fairness and accountability — setting a precedent for democracies striving to regulate artificial intelligence responsibly.

India Secures Six-Month U.S. Waiver for Chabahar Port Operations

Context: The United States has granted India a six-month sanctions waiver for the operation and development of Iran’s Chabahar Port, effective October 29, 2025.
This move allows India to continue strategic work at the port without facing penalties under U.S. sanctions laws.

Background: U.S. Sanctions on Iran

The sanctions originate from the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA), Section 1244, targeting entities engaged in Iran’s energy, shipping, shipbuilding, and port sectors.
Violations could result in asset freezes, exclusion from the U.S. financial system, and business restrictions.

The U.S. employs these sanctions to maintain “maximum economic pressure” on Iran—aiming to halt nuclear proliferation, curb Tehran’s support to regional militias, and push for a stricter nuclear accord.

In 2018, the U.S. granted India a waiver recognizing Chabahar’s role in Afghanistan’s post-war reconstruction and as a humanitarian trade hub. However, following the Taliban takeover in 2021 and shifting geopolitical priorities, the exemption was revoked in September 2025—until this recent six-month reinstatement.

Chabahar Port: India’s Strategic Gateway

Located in Iran’s Sistan-Balochistan province, Chabahar sits on the Gulf of Oman, only 170 km west of Pakistan’s Gwadar Port (operated by China under CPEC).
It is Iran’s only oceanic port and provides India direct access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe, bypassing Pakistan.

Key Terminals:

  1. Shahid Kalantari Terminal:
    Developed in the 1980s for conventional cargo operations, reducing Iran’s dependence on the congested Strait of Hormuz.
  2. Shahid Beheshti Terminal:
    Operated by India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), it forms the backbone of India’s connectivity projects—enabling cargo movement to Afghanistan and Central Asia via the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

Strategic Importance for India

  • Connectivity & Trade: Strengthens India’s trade links to Eurasia, offering a secure supply chain alternative amidst global disruptions.
  • Regional Balancing: Counters China’s Gwadar influence and enhances India’s maritime and logistical presence in the region.
  • Energy & Security: Serves as a logistical node for energy imports and humanitarian outreach to landlocked neighbors.
  • Geopolitical Significance: Reflects India’s ability to maintain strategic autonomy while managing ties with both Washington and Tehran.

Conclusion

The temporary U.S. waiver reaffirms Chabahar’s role as a strategic lifeline for India’s regional outreach. While the exemption offers short-term relief, long-term success will depend on sustained diplomatic engagement with both the U.S. and Iran, ensuring the port’s full integration into India’s connectivity vision under INSTC and Viksit Bharat 2047.

Civil War in Sudan and India’s Rising Household Debt

1. Civil War in Sudan

Context: El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur in Sudan, witnessed a large-scale massacre after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The incident marks a grim escalation in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

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Infographic Disclaimer: Map not to scale.

Background:

Sudan, located in Northeast Africa and bordered by the Red Sea, is the continent’s third-largest nation and the world’s leading producer of gum arabic. Since April 2023, the country has been engulfed in a brutal conflict between the SAF and the RSF — paramilitary forces that once fought together during the ouster of long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019.

Nature of Conflict:

  • Rivalry for Power: The war stems from a leadership struggle between SAF chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”) over control of the state and military integration.
  • Territorial Split: The RSF controls much of western and central Sudan, including Darfur and Kordofan, while the SAF holds the north and east, operating from Port Sudan.
  • El Fasher Capture (Oct 2025): RSF’s capture of the North Darfur capital resulted in mass killings and ethnic cleansing, effectively partitioning Sudan.
  • Proxy Involvement: Regional powers have turned the conflict into a proxy war — with the UAE reportedly backing the RSF, and Egypt and Iran supporting the SAF.

Consequences:

  • Humanitarian Crisis: Over 24 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity; famine conditions persist in Darfur and Kordofan.
  • Mass Displacement: More than 14 million people have been displaced, creating the world’s largest internal displacement crisis.
  • State Disintegration: The central government has collapsed, halting Sudan’s fragile post-2019 democratic transition.
  • Regional Fallout: Refugee influxes and arms trafficking have destabilised neighbouring nations such as Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt.

2. Indian Household Debt Rising Faster than Assets

Context: According to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Indian households are accumulating debt faster than they are generating assets, as per comparative data between FY 2019–20 and FY 2024–25.

Key Findings:

  • Debt–Asset Gap: Financial liabilities have risen 102% since 2019–20, while asset creation has increased by only 48%.
  • GDP Share: Household financial assets declined from 12% to 10.8% of GDP, while liabilities increased from 3.9% to 4.7%.
  • Net Savings: India’s household savings have touched a five-decade low, reflecting growing reliance on debt-driven consumption.
  • Portfolio Trends:
    • Mutual Fund Investments: Increased from 2.6% to 13.1% of household portfolios.
    • Currency Holdings: Declined from 11.7% to 5.9%, indicating digital and market-linked preference.
    • Bank Deposits: Slightly increased to 33.3% of total assets.

Implications:

  • Rising financial stress due to increasing dependence on credit.
  • Weakening long-term financial resilience and retirement preparedness.
  • Broader macroeconomic concerns — reduced savings mean lower domestic investment capital and higher systemic credit risk.

Way Forward:

Sudan’s civil conflict underscores the fragility of post-revolution states and the danger of militarised governance. Simultaneously, India’s rising household debt highlights the need for stronger financial literacy, savings incentives, and responsible lending policies to sustain inclusive growth.

Govt to Map Highway Black Spots

Context: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) is set to release updated black spot data for 2023–2024. This marks India’s first real-time mapping of accident-prone zones, leveraging the Electronic Detailed Accident Report (e-DAR) and Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) platforms.

Previously, MoRTH’s Transport Research Wing (TRW) collected black spot data manually through state submissions and field verification. This process delayed policy response and left the national database outdated beyond 2022.

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About Black Spots

A black spot is defined as a 500-metre stretch on a National Highway (NH) with a high frequency of accidents.
A location qualifies as a black spot if, over a three-year period, it records:

  • Five or more accidents involving deaths or grievous injuries, or
  • Ten or more fatalities.

Between 2016 and 2022, India identified 13,795 black spots, of which 5,036 have already been rectified through long-term engineering interventions.

New Approach: Data-Driven Road Safety

The 2023–24 black spot list will be derived from real-time e-DAR and iRAD systems, ensuring faster identification and rectification.
These platforms integrate data from police FIRs, hospitals, and road engineering authorities to pinpoint exact accident locations and causes.

This transition from manual to digital reporting enhances accuracy, transparency, and accountability in road safety management.

Institutional Framework

  • Nodal Body: Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
  • Data Source: e-DAR & iRAD digital platforms
  • Verification & Monitoring: State Public Works Departments (PWDs) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI)
  • Policy Oversight: National Road Safety Council (NRSC), constituted under Section 215 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, chaired by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways.

The NRSC includes State Transport Ministers, senior officers from the Centre and States, and other key stakeholders to coordinate national-level safety interventions.

Significance

  • Evidence-Based Policy: Enables targeted engineering corrections and enforcement measures.
  • Faster Rectification: Digital mapping accelerates mitigation of black spots.
  • Enhanced Transparency: Real-time public dashboards expected under MoRTH’s data reforms.
  • Progressive Reduction in Fatalities: Aligned with India’s goal of reducing road deaths by 50% by 2030 (UN Decade of Action for Road Safety).

Conclusion

The new black spot mapping initiative signals a critical shift towards technology-driven road safety governance in India. With real-time data and institutional coordination, it strengthens accountability, minimizes delays, and supports the vision of “Zero Fatality Corridors” across national highways.

India’s Technological Future: Towards Deeptech Sovereignty

Context: Union Minister Piyush Goyal recently emphasised that India must transition from digital adoption to technological creation — aiming for deeptech-led sovereignty and reducing reliance on foreign technologies.

What is Technological Sovereignty?

Technological Sovereignty refers to a nation’s ability to develop and deploy its own technologies using indigenous infrastructure, ensuring autonomy in data, innovation, and strategic capabilities — a cornerstone of national sovereignty in the digital age.

India’s Dependence on Foreign Technology

  • Electronics: Over 65% of chips and 80% of high-end components are imported (MeitY, 2024).
  • Defence: About 60% of defence equipment depends on foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (SIPRI, 2023).
  • Renewables & EVs: 90% of solar wafers and 70% of lithium-ion cells come from China.
  • Pharma Inputs: 68% of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) are still imported despite PLI efforts.

Consequences of Technological Dependence

  • Economic Drain: High import bills widen the current account deficit — electronics imports exceeded $70 billion in 2024.
  • Innovation Deficit: India holds less than 1% of global AI patents, reflecting limited indigenous innovation.
  • Employment Loss: Deeptech manufacturing employs less than 2% of India’s tech workforce (NASSCOM, 2023).
  • Digital Sovereignty Risks: Over 75% of India’s cloud infrastructure is managed by foreign firms (IDC, 2024), raising concerns over data autonomy and national security.

The Way Forward

1. Deeptech Push

Strengthen innovation in AI, quantum computing, space tech, and semiconductors.

  • The ₹1 lakh crore Anusandhan Fund (2025) will accelerate deeptech R&D.

2. R&D Incentives

Raise national R&D expenditure (currently <1% of GDP) and provide tax benefits to private research.

  • Learn from Israel’s Innovation Authority, which co-funds up to 50% of R&D costs.

3. Chip Independence

Expand the India Semiconductor Mission (2021) with $10 billion incentives for chip design, fabrication, and assembly units.

4. Building a Skilled Pipeline

Develop high-end skills in STEM, retain researchers, and strengthen global scientific collaboration.

  • Initiatives like the VAIBHAV Summit and SERB Overseas Fellowships connect diaspora scientists with Indian research institutions.

5. Nurturing Deeptech Startups

Scale up Startup Fund of Funds 2.0 to support early-stage ventures focusing on AI, robotics, and clean tech through risk capital and mentorship.

Conclusion

India’s next leap lies not in importing innovation but in inventing the future. Achieving technological sovereignty will determine India’s strategic independence, global competitiveness, and its role as a deeptech leader of the 21st century.

Stubble Burning in Punjab – A Persistent Challenge

Context (TH, 2025): With the paddy harvesting season underway in Punjab, stubble burning has re-emerged as a significant environmental and public health concern. Despite a visible decline in the number of recorded fire incidents, the total burnt area remains largely unchanged, reflecting the deep-rooted structural and economic issues behind the practice.

Why Do Farmers Continue to Burn Stubble?

  1. Short Cropping Window:
    Farmers have only 20–25 days between paddy harvest (late October) and wheat sowing (mid-November). This limited time forces them to resort to burning for rapid field clearing. (Punjab Agricultural University, 2024)
  2. Labour Shortage:
    Mechanisation and rural migration have reduced the agricultural workforce by ~45% over the past decade. (NITI Aayog, 2023)
  3. High Machinery Cost:
    Machines like the Happy Seeder and Super Straw Management System (SMS) cost between ₹1.5–2 lakh, which remains unaffordable for smallholders even after 50–80% subsidy.
  4. Fragmented Landholdings:
    Small and fragmented farms (average size 1.9 ha in Punjab, 1.4 ha in Haryana) make residue management uneconomical. (Agricultural Census, 2021)
  5. Weak Enforcement:
    While penalties are prescribed under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, enforcement is lax due to socio-political sensitivities at the local level.

Environmental and Health Impacts

  • Stubble burning contributes up to 35–45% of Delhi-NCR’s winter PM2.5 levels.
  • Releases CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O, aggravating climate change.
  • Causes smog, respiratory illness, and soil nutrient depletion.

Way Forward

In-situ Management:
Promote Happy Seeder and Super SMS through Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) under ICAR’s Crop Residue Management Scheme.

Ex-situ Utilisation:
Divert paddy straw to biogas, paper, and biomass power plants. Under the SATAT Scheme, India aims to set up 5000 Compressed Biogas plants.

Direct Incentives:
Provide ₹2000–₹3000 per acre to farmers avoiding residue burning. Pilot programs in Sangrur and Patiala reduced fire incidents by 60%.

Behavioural Change:
Campaigns like “No Burn November” and school-based awareness drives are essential to shift community behaviour.

Digital Monitoring:
Integrate MODIS, VIIRS, and Sentinel-2 satellite data with on-ground verification for real-time fire mapping. (PGIMER Chandigarh, 2025)

Conclusion:

While policy interventions have made progress, long-term sustainability requires a blend of economic incentives, decentralised residue utilisation, and behavioural change, making stubble management a collective environmental responsibility.

Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM)

Context: The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihood Mission (DAY-NRLM), implemented by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), stands among the world’s largest poverty alleviation and women-led livelihood programmes. It focuses on empowering rural households, particularly women, through collective organisation, financial inclusion, and sustainable livelihoods.

Background and Evolution

Launched in 2011, the mission was restructured from the earlier Swarnajayanti Gram Swarozgar Yojana (SGSY). In 2016, it was renamed to honour Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya’s Antyodaya philosophy — uplifting the poorest of the poor.

It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with a funding ratio of 75:25 between the Centre and States, and 90:10 for North Eastern and Special Category States.

Objectives of DAY-NRLM

  1. Social Mobilisation and Inclusion: Organising rural poor into Self Help Groups (SHGs) and federations.
  2. Financial Inclusion: Facilitating access to affordable credit and digital banking.
  3. Sustainable Livelihoods: Promoting diversification in agriculture, livestock, and microenterprises.
  4. Skill Development: Enhancing youth employability through training and placement.
  5. Empowerment and Convergence: Strengthening women’s leadership and linking SHGs to government programmes and markets.

Achievements and Impact (as of 2025)

Focus AreaAchievements
Mass MobilisationOver 10 crore rural women organised into 90 lakh SHGs across India.
Financial EmpowermentSHGs accessed ₹11 lakh crore in collateral-free loans with >98% repayment rate (MoRD, 2025).
Community Workforce3.5 lakh Krishi/Pashu Sakhis and 48,000 Bank Sakhis offering doorstep financial and livelihood services.
Livelihood Diversification4.62 crore Mahila Kisans trained in sustainable agriculture; 3.7 lakh microenterprises supported through SVEP.
Skill Development17.5 lakh youth trained and 11.48 lakh placed via DDU-GKY; 40.99 lakh youth settled in self-employment via RSETIs.
Market IntegrationSHG products promoted through SARAS Aajeevika Melas, branding, and e-commerce partnerships.

Significance

  • Women-Led Development: Over 90% of SHG members are women, making DAY-NRLM a cornerstone of gender-inclusive growth.
  • Financial Resilience: SHGs have emerged as micro-banking hubs, improving credit access in rural areas.
  • Local Entrepreneurship: Encourages village-level enterprises in food processing, handicrafts, and services, promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat in rural India.
  • Skill Ecosystem: Integration with DDU-GKY and RSETIs ensures rural youth employability and entrepreneurship.

Conclusion

The DAY-NRLM reflects India’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and women-driven rural transformation. By combining collective action, skill development, and digital inclusion, it continues to serve as a model for community-led poverty eradication and self-reliance.

Makhana: Bihar’s Superfood Economy and the Push for Value Addition

Context: Bihar, which produces nearly 90% of India’s makhana (foxnut), has recently become central to the government’s agricultural and rural development strategy. With rising global demand and growing recognition of makhana as a superfood, the crop holds unique economic and cultural significance, especially in the Mithilanchal region of Bihar.

Economic Significance

Makhana (botanical name: Euryale ferox) is primarily cultivated in the districts of Darbhanga, Madhubani, Purnea, and Katihar, which together contribute around 80% of Bihar’s production. Traditionally consumed during fasting and Ayurvedic diets, makhana has now gained mainstream popularity due to its high protein, low fat, and antioxidant-rich profile.

The global makhana market, valued at USD 43.56 million in 2023, is projected to double to USD 100 million by 2033, driven by rising health-consciousness and snack industry diversification. This positions makhana as a high-value export crop that can generate employment and entrepreneurship in rural Bihar.

Challenges in the Sector

Despite its potential, several structural issues limit farmer incomes and market development:

  1. Processing and Infrastructure Gaps: Bihar lacks sufficient food processing units (FPUs), cold-chain facilities, and export-oriented packaging centres. Large quantities of raw makhana are sold to processors in Punjab and Assam, where value addition and branding occur — leaving Bihar farmers with a low share of final profits.
  2. Weak Market Organisation: Small farmers depend on middlemen due to a lack of producer cooperatives or direct market access. The demand for Minimum Support Price (MSP) remains unresolved, emerging as a critical farmer welfare concern.
  3. Labour-Intensive and Costly Cultivation: Harvesting involves manual pond diving, shelling, and hand-roasting, making the process both time-consuming and expensive.
  4. Low Productivity Levels: Traditional cultivation methods yield only 1.7–1.9 tonnes/hectare, whereas improved varieties such as Swarna Vaidehi and Sabour Makhana-1 can increase yields to 3–3.5 tonnes/hectare with scientific practices.

Read also: Foxnuts (makhana) are in demand as a ‘super snack’

National Makhana Board

On 15th September, the Prime Minister launched the National Makhana Board in Purnea, Bihar, with a budget of ₹100 crore.
The Board aims to:

  • Enhance production through scientific farming and seed improvement
  • Strengthen processing, storage, and export infrastructure
  • Facilitate training and capacity building for farmers and self-help groups
  • Improve market linkages and reduce intermediaries

A planned Food Processing Institute in the region is expected to serve as a hub for innovation, skilling, entrepreneurship, and the development of makhana-based product lines such as snacks, health mixes, and nutraceuticals.

Conclusion

Makhana represents a strategic opportunity to link traditional livelihoods with modern value chains. With institutional support, improved production technologies, and stronger processing networks, Bihar can emerge as a global hub for high-quality makhana, boosting both farmer incomes and regional economic development.

Policy Framework on Relocation of Forest-Dwellers from Tiger Reserves

Context: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has submitted a policy brief titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights” to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC). The brief proposes a structured Policy Framework for ensuring humane, rights-based relocation and coexistence of forest-dwelling communities within India’s Tiger Reserves.

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Background

India’s tiger conservation success—with tiger numbers rising to over 3,000 (as per the 2022 census)—owes much to strong legal frameworks such as the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA).

However, conflicts arise when conservation goals lead to forced or poorly managed relocations of indigenous and forest-dependent communities.
The proposed framework seeks to balance ecological integrity with social justice, ensuring both tiger habitats and human rights are protected.

Key Recommendations from the Policy Framework

1. National Governance and Oversight

  • National Framework: Jointly developed by MoTA and MoEFCC to standardise relocation procedures, establish timelines, and ensure accountability.
  • Public Database: A National Database on Conservation–Community Interface will track relocation cases, compensation details, and post-relocation outcomes.
  • Independent Audits: Accredited agencies will conduct annual compliance audits under FRA 2006, WLPA 1972, and human rights norms.

2. Relocations as an Exceptional Measure

  • Voluntary and Last Resort: Relocation must only occur with verified ecological necessity and community consent.
  • Rights Verification: All Individual and Community Forest Rights (CFRs) must be recognised at the Gram Sabha level before relocation.
  • Consent Safeguards: Implementation of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) with oversight by civil society observers.

3. Co-existence as the Preferred Option

  • Right to Remain: Communities can continue living inside traditional forest areas while exercising rights under FRA 2006.
  • In-situ Development: Provision of essential services—healthcare, education, housing, and water—to make coexistence sustainable.
  • Shared Governance: Gram Sabha members to be included in Tiger Conservation Foundations and Eco-Development Committees.

4. Legal Safeguards and Grievance Redressal

  • Compliance Officer: Every tiger reserve must appoint one to monitor FRA and WLPA compliance.
  • Grievance System: A three-tier redressal mechanism (district–state–national) will address rights violations or compensation disputes.
  • Legal Recourse: The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 will apply in cases of coercion, forced eviction, or denial of rights.

Challenges in Relocating Forest Dwellers

  1. Livelihood Collapse: Forest-based economies are replaced by insecure, debt-prone livelihoods.
    • Example: 2019 study on Sahariya Adivasis (Kuno NP, MP) – over 90% fell into debt post-relocation.
  2. Compensation Deficit: The ₹15 lakh NTCA package ignores provisions of the LARR Act, 2013, which ensures higher and fairer compensation.
  3. FRA Coercion: Cases like Baiga communities of Achanakmar TR show relocation without granting Community Forest Rights.
  4. Health Decline: Post-relocation diets rely on PDS food, reducing nutrition diversity and increasing malnutrition (e.g., Kanha TR, MP).
  5. Conflict Shifting: Moves from core to buffer zones increase human–wildlife conflicts, as seen in Tadoba-Andhari TR, Maharashtra.

Way Forward

A people-centric conservation model must integrate ecological sustainability with human dignity. The proposed framework emphasizes voluntariness, transparency, and shared governance, aligning conservation with constitutional principles of justice and inclusivity.

India - Australia Cooperation on Counter-Terrorism

Context: The 15th India–Australia Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism was held in Canberra to enhance cooperation in tackling global terrorism and violent extremism. The dialogue, co-chaired by senior officials from both countries, reaffirmed mutual commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

Key Outcomes of the Meeting

  • Broad Cooperation: Both sides reviewed domestic, regional, and global terrorism threats and discussed mechanisms for coordination between law enforcement, judicial bodies, and maritime security agencies.
  • Technology & Radicalisation: They resolved to counter the misuse of emerging technologies—such as encrypted communications, social media, and cryptocurrencies—by terrorist networks, while reinforcing efforts against radicalisation and violent extremism.
  • Information Sharing: Reaffirmed the importance of timely intelligence exchange and operational coordination, especially to curb terrorism in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
  • Multilateral Engagement: Both nations agreed to deepen cooperation through UN, FATF, GCTF, IORA, and QUAD mechanisms to combat terror financing and cross-border terror networks.

India–Australia Strategic Partnership

  • Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP), 2020: The relationship was elevated to a CSP, establishing annual leaders’ summits and 2+2 ministerial dialogues, strengthening institutional cooperation in security and trade.
  • Defence & Security Cooperation: Joint military engagements such as AUSINDEX (naval exercises), Malabar drills, and logistics support agreements boost maritime domain awareness and regional security.
  • Economic Cooperation: The India–Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA, 2022)—India’s first trade deal with a developed nation in a decade—reduced tariffs on over 85% of goods, enhancing trade diversification.
  • Critical Minerals Partnership: Both nations are collaborating on securing supply chains for lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements, supporting India’s green energy and EV manufacturing goals.
  • Education & Migration: The Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement (MMPA, 2023) facilitates smoother movement of students, researchers, and professionals, reinforcing people-to-people ties.

Significance

This enhanced counter-terrorism cooperation aligns with India’s strategic objective of strengthening maritime security and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. It also reinforces Australia’s role as a trusted partner in maintaining rules-based order and ensuring peace in the region.

Way Forward

  • Institutionalise real-time intelligence exchange frameworks.
  • Enhance capacity-building and training programmes for counter-terrorism forces.
  • Expand cooperation in cyber and financial crime tracking.
  • Promote collaboration in multilateral counter-terror forums to set global norms on terror financing and tech misuse.

Source: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Government of India; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia.

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