India’s quasi-federal structure faces challenges straining Centre-State relations

Institutions like the GST Council and NITI Aayog continue to provide platforms for dialogue, reinforcing the foundational principle of "self-rule with shared-rule" that underpins India''s democratic success.

India’s Constitutional Framework: A Balance of Powers

• Federal Features:

• Written Constitution:A foundational document with well-defined procedure for amendment.
• Dual Polity:A system of government at both the Union and State levels.
• Bicameralism:Council of States (Rajya Sabha) representing the interests and aspirations of the states. It also acts as a check on potential majoritarianism in the Lok Sabha.
• Division of Powers:Legislative powers between Union and States through three lists in the under the Schedule VII.

• Unitary Features

• Strong Centre:Division of powers is tilted in favor of the central government. E.g., Primacy to Parliamentary legislations on subjects listed under Concurrent List.
• Single Constitution and Citizenship:Uniform laws and rights apply to all citizens across the country.
• Parliamentary Authority over States:Article 3 empowers Parliament to change the territories, areas, and boundaries of states by law, without requiring the states'' consent.
• Others: Integrated Judiciary, All India Services, Emergency powers, Parliament can make laws to meet obligations arising from international treaties, etc.

Contemporary Challenges to the Federal Structure

• Fiscal Centralisation: e.g., Implementation of GST impacting financial autonomy of States.
• Administrative and Political Centralisation: e.g., use of the Disaster Management Act during the COVID-19 pandemic to impose nationwide lockdowns with ‘minimal state consultation’.
• Others: Reservation of Bill by Governors for Presidential Assent, devolution of taxes and revenues by Finance Commission, etc.

Institutions such as NITI Aayog embodying the ‘Team India’ spirit, bringing together the Centre and States as equal partners in nation-building, can help address emerging developmental challenges by evolving as a dynamic balance between unity and regional autonomy.

Exercise Trishul

India launched Exercise Trishul, a major tri-Service drill along western border with Pakistan across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

• Objective: To comprehend joint operational capability and strategic preparedness of the Indian Army, Navy, and the Air Force.
• The exercise will serve as a platform to demonstrate how indigenous defense systems are being integrated into India’s operational framework.

Arya Samaj, 150

• Founded:  In 1875 by Swami Dayanand Saraswati in Bombay.

• Religious Reforms: Denounced idolatry and ritualistic worship, preached respect and reverence for other human beings.
• Believed in infallible authority of Vedas and Swami Dayanand Saraswati gave slogan of ‘Back to Vedas’.
• Social Reforms: Opposed caste as hereditary, untouchability and advocated Vedic education for all castes; against child marriage, forced widowhood and campaigned for women’s education.
• Educational Reforms: E.g. Dayanand Anglo Vedic (DAV) Trust and Management in 1886 to impart scientific and modern education.
• Freedom Movement: Prominent members included freedom fighters such as Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Ram Prasad Bismil, Madan Lal Dhingra, Swami Shraddhanand, Sachindra Nath Sanyal, etc.

Core Principles and Practices

Rejection of Later Accretions

• Arya Samaj rejects practices like idol worship, animal sacrifices, rituals for ancestors, and caste-based discrimination by birth.
• It opposes social evils like child marriage, untouchability, and priestly dominance.
• It encourages merit-based caste systems, aligning with the varna principles described in the Vedas.

Social Reform Efforts

• Actively promotes female education and inter-caste marriages.
• Establishes institutions such as schools, colleges, orphanages, and widow homes.
• Engages in famine relief, medical work, and other humanitarian initiatives.

Doctrinal Beliefs

• Upholds karma (moral causation) and samsara (cycle of rebirth).
• Believes in the sanctity of the cow and efficacy of Vedic rituals like oblations to the fire.
• Emphasizes the samskaras — rituals marking life’s significant stages.
• Legacy: Arya Samaj has contributed significantly to education, cultural revival, and social progress both in India and among Indian diaspora communities globally.
• Institutions established under its banner have been instrumental in spreading rational Vedic teachings, fostering equality, and improving social welfare.

 Contemporary Relevance of Arya Samaj Principles

• Social Equality: Its opposition to casteism and untouchability echoes India’s constitutional values of equality and justice.
• Gender Empowerment: Advocacy of women’s education and rights aligns with schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
• Education & Rationalism: DAV institutions continue its legacy of scientific and moral education; supports scientific temper under Article 51A (h).
• Other: Ethical living over rituals, aiding interfaith harmony; living in harmony with nature, etc.

India’s Maritime Vision

• India’s maritime sector is undergoing a transformative journey under the Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) and the ambitious Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030

• Maritime India Vision (MIV) is a comprehensive national strategy to place India among the top 10 maritime nations by 2030.
• Investment Plan: Launched in 2021, it includes over 150 initiatives across ports, shipping, and inland waterways, requiring ₹3-3.5 lakh crore investments by 2030.
• Guiding Principles: The vision is anchored on six principles: (a) challenge analysis, (b) innovation, (c) time-bound action, (d) global benchmarking, (e) human capital, and (f) “Waste to Wealth.”
• Policy Continuity: MIV 2030 complements the Sagarmala Project and acts as the foundation for Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.

Institutional and Financial Mechanisms

• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) leads the implementation.
• Financial Mechanism: The Maritime Development Fund (MDF) provides long-term financing for port infrastructure, while the Financial Assistance Scheme supports domestic shipbuilding capacity.
• Digital Governance: The Sagarmanthan Portal enables real-time monitoring, and the National Logistics Portal (Marine) integrates all logistics services under one digital system.

Key Focus Areas

• Thematic Pillars: Ten focus areas include Shipbuilding, Inland Waterways, Cruise Tourism, Port Modernisation, and Maritime Safety.
• Inland Waterways: Twenty-three National Waterways are prioritized to expand affordable and sustainable cargo transport.
• Maritime Heritage: The National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat, celebrates and preserves India’s rich maritime legacy.

Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047

• The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 is a national roadmap to position India as a leading global maritime power by 2047.
• Investment Scope: Launched in 2023 at the Global Maritime India Summit, it outlines over 300 initiatives with an estimated investment of ₹80 lakh crore.
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) oversees the implementation.
• Capacity Target: It seeks to increase India’s total port capacity to 10,000 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), generate over 1.5 crore jobs, and place India among the top five shipbuilding nations.
• Core Pillars: It is built on four pillars: (a) Port-led Development, (b) Shipping and Shipbuilding, (c) Seamless Logistics, and (d) Maritime Skill Development.
• Thematic Areas: The plan covers 11 key themes, including green shipping, modal share enhancement, maritime clusters, and professional maritime services.

Trump''s move to restart nuclear tests, ending a 33-year halt

• Donald Trump''s openness to resuming U.S. nuclear weapons testing has sparked global concern, potentially reigniting an arms race and undermining decades of non-proliferation efforts. He emphasized the need for the U.S. to maintain a credible deterrent against adversaries like China and Russia.

Strategic Implications

• Undermining the CTBT: The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), though not ratified by the U.S., has been a cornerstone of global non-proliferation norms. Trump''s ambiguity threatens to erode its legitimacy, encouraging other powers to reconsider their commitments.
• Arms Race Revival: The announcement comes amid heightened U.S.-China tensions. Trump''s remarks suggest a competitive posture, potentially triggering a new arms race, especially if China accelerates its nuclear modernization.
• Impact on India: India, a non-signatory to the CTBT, maintains a voluntary moratorium on testing. Renewed U.S. testing could pressure India to reassess its strategic posture, especially vis-à-vis China and Pakistan.

Diplomatic Fallout

• Global Reaction: Allies and adversaries alike may view this as destabilizing. NATO members, traditionally aligned with U.S. non-proliferation goals, could face internal dissent over renewed testing.
• India’s Role: As a responsible nuclear power, India may need to reinforce its commitment to restraint and advocate for renewed global dialogue on disarmament.

Ethical and Environmental Dimensions

• Legacy of Testing: Underground tests have historically caused long-term environmental damage and health hazards. Reopening this chapter raises ethical concerns about intergenerational justice.
• Governance and Transparency: The decision-making process—announced via social media during a diplomatic trip—raises questions about executive accountability in matters of global consequence.

Implications for India

Strategic

• Pressure to Reassess Doctrine: India maintains a "no first use" nuclear policy and a voluntary moratorium on testing. If the U.S. resumes testing, it could prompt China and Pakistan to follow suit, pressuring India to revisit its own nuclear posture.
• Deterrence Dynamics: Renewed testing by major powers may alter the credibility of existing arsenals. India may face questions about the reliability of its aging warheads, especially in comparison to modernized U.S. and Chinese systems.
• Technological Catch-Up: India relies on subcritical tests and simulations. A global shift toward active testing could widen the technological gap unless India invests more in advanced validation techniques.

Diplomatic and Global Standing

• CTBT and Non-Proliferation: India is not a signatory to the CTBT but has respected its spirit. U.S. testing could weaken the treaty’s relevance, giving India diplomatic space to argue for a more equitable global nuclear order.
• UN and Multilateral Forums: India may need to take a more vocal stance in forums like the UN, advocating for restraint and renewed dialogue on disarmament.
• Strategic Autonomy: India’s foreign policy emphasizes strategic autonomy. Navigating between U.S. assertiveness and Chinese expansionism will test India’s diplomatic finesse.

Ethical and Environmental Considerations

• Global Norms: India has long positioned itself as a responsible nuclear power. U.S. testing could dilute this norm, forcing India to choose between restraint and strategic necessity.
• Environmental Legacy: India must weigh the long-term environmental costs of testing, especially given its dense population and ecological vulnerabilities.

Baltic Sea

Poland Intercepts another Russian Plane over the Baltic Sea.

• Situated in Northern Europe.
• Bordering countries: Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
• Kiel Canal connects the North Sea to the Baltic Sea.
• Connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits.
• Often cited as the world’s largest brackish inland water body
• As its water salinity levels are lower than that of the World Oceans due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and the sea’s shallowness.

Minor Property Protection Case

• The Supreme Court ruled that a person, on attaining majority, can repudiate a property sale made by their guardian without court approval.

More About the SC Ruling on Minor Property Protection

• A minor, after attaining majority, can reject a guardian’s voidable sale either by filing a formal suit or by showing clear and unequivocal conduct, e.g. reselling the property.
• Such repudiation through conduct within three years of attaining majority is legally sufficient; no separate lawsuit is mandatory.
• Once repudiated, the guardian’s sale is treated as void ab initio (invalid from the beginning), and the buyer acquires no valid title.
• A Power of Attorney holder cannot testify about facts that are within the personal knowledge of the principal; only the person themselves can depose in such cases.
• Confirms that conduct-based repudiation is as valid as a formal suit under Section 8(3) of the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956.
• Reinforces a century-old legal principle and aligns with the Limitation Act (1963), allowing three years post-majority for repudiation.

MoSPI’s New CPI Framework for Inclusive Price Indexing

• The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has proposed major changes to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) methodology to make the housing index more representative.

• In the existing CPI, housing is weighed at 21.67% in urban areas and 10.07% at the all-India level.
• However, the current index considers only urban housing data and, in many cases, uses government employees’ House Rent Allowance (HRA) as a proxy for rent.
• Economists have long argued that this system fails to reflect real rental market conditions, especially in smaller towns and rural areas.

Key Proposed Changes

Inclusion of Rural Housing Data

• The revised CPI will now compile housing inflation for both rural and urban sectors, a shift from the current series, which only includes urban data.
• This is based on the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2023-24, which captures rent data for rural areas, including imputed rent for owner-occupied homes.

Exclusion of Employer-Provided Dwellings

• Rents for government or employer-provided accommodation will be excluded as they distort real rental trends.
• In such cases, HRA is based on pay grade, not market value, leading to non-representative inflation readings.

Monthly Rent Data Collection

• Monthly data collection will replace the current six-monthly cycle, improving accuracy and responsiveness to price changes.
• Rent data will now be gathered from all selected dwellings each month, instead of only one-sixth of the sample.

Expanded Sample and IMF Consultation

• Methodological improvements follow technical advice from IMF experts, recommending broader panel-based rent tracking.
• The new approach will ensure consistent month-to-month comparability and minimise biases in price change calculations.

India–Australia on Counter Terrorism

• The 15^th India–Australia JWG on Counter Terrorism was held in Canberra to enhance cooperation against global terrorism.

Key Outcomes of the Meeting

• Broad Cooperation: Both sides discussed the domestic, regional, and international terrorism landscape, focusing on law enforcement, judicial coordination, and maritime security.
• Technology & Radicalisation: Agreed to counter the misuse of new and emerging technologies by terror outfits and strengthen joint strategies against radicalisation and violent extremism.
• Information Sharing & Maritime Security: Reaffirmed the importance of timely intelligence exchange and coordination between maritime security agencies, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Multilateral Engagement: Both sides committed to cooperation in the UN, GCTF, FATF, IORA and with QUAD partners for combating terrorism and terror financing.

 Trump–Xi Bonhomie

• The 2025 Busan summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and China’s Xi Jinping revived the idea of a “G-2” condominium.

• Their tariff truce and rare-earth cooperation suggest renewed U.S.–China accommodation, a shift that could reshape India’s strategic space and the Quad’s Indo-Pacific coherence.

Implications for India

• Tariff Disadvantage: India remains at the highest 50% tariff slab post-Busan deal. E.g. U.S.-China duties eased to 47%, isolating India commercially.
• Strategic Marginalisation: G-2 talks risk sidelining India’s balancing role.
• Regional Realignment: G-2 may carve Asia into competing influence zones.
• Technology Access: Bilateral U.S.–China easing may limit India’s tech inflow. E.g. No relaxation in chip export controls for India.

Implications for Quad

• Agenda Dilution: U.S.–China truce may weaken Quad’s security focus.
• Leadership Uncertainty: U.S. absence reduces collective coherence. E.g. Trump prioritising G-2 over Quad meet signals downgrading.
• Strategic Vacuum: India, Japan, and Australia may shoulder extra responsibility.

India–US 10-Year Defence Framework Agreement

• India and the United States signed a landmark 10-year Defence Framework Agreement in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• Objective: It aims to strengthen defence cooperation and provide a long-term policy direction for the India–US partnership.
• Focus Areas: Includes military exercises and defence-industrial cooperation to enhance domestic production through joint projects like F414 jet engine manufacturing in India.
• Significance: The agreement boosts diplomatic relations and reaffirms both nations’ commitment to regional stability, maritime security, and a rules-based Indo-Pacific order.

Gogabeel Lake Designated as Ramsar Site

• Gogabeel Lake in Katihar district, Bihar, has been declared as India’s latest Ramsar site. It is India’s 94^th and Bihar’s 6^th Ramsar site.

Gogabeel Lake

• Gogabeel Lake is an 86.63-hectare permanent oxbow lake, formed by the old channels of the Kankhar and Mahananda rivers.
• Hydrology: It is fed by floodwaters from the Mahananda, Ganga, and Khankhar rivers.
• Community Reserve: Gogabeel was declared Bihar’s first Community Reserve in 2019 and is recognised as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.
• Avian Habitat: The lake is home to migratory and resident birds such as the Lesser Adjutant Stork, Pallas’s Fish Eagle, and Black-necked Stork.

Policy Framework on Relocation of Forest-Dwellers from Tiger Reserves

• The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) sent a policy brief titled “Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights” to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

• It proposed a policy framework for the relocation and coexistence of forest-dwelling communities within India’s tiger reserves.

Key Recommendations from the Policy Framework

National Governance and Oversight

• National Framework: MoTA and MoEFCC will standardise procedures, timelines, and accountability measures through a National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation.
• Public Database: A National Database on Conservation-Community Interface will transparently document relocation cases, compensation paid, and post-relocation results.
• Independent Audits: Annual audits by accredited, independent agencies will verify compliance with FRA 2006, WLPA 1972, and human rights norms.

Relocations as an Exceptional Measure

• Voluntary Basis: Relocation from tiger reserves must be a last resort, voluntary, and grounded in verifiable ecological and social evidence.
• Right Completion: All Individual and Community Forest Rights under the FRA 2006 must be verified at the Gram Sabha level before initiating relocation.
• Consent Safeguard: Free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) must be obtained transparently and monitored by accredited civil society organisations.

Co-existence as the Preferred Option

• Right to Remain: Communities must be permitted to stay within traditional forest habitats while exercising rights recognised by the FRA 2006.
• In-Situ Development: Authorities must offer on-site facilities (e.g., healthcare, education, water, housing) to ensure that staying remains a feasible option.
• Shared Governance: Gram Sabha representatives shall participate in Tiger Conservation Foundations and Eco-Development Committees for inclusive management.

Legal Safeguards and Grievance Redressal

• Compliance Officer: Each tiger reserve must appoint a compliance officer to ensure adherence to the FRA and WLPA during relocations.
• Grievance System: A three-tier system (district, state, national) will enable communities to report violations or compensation disputes.
• Legal Recourse: The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, shall apply to cases involving coercion, unlawful eviction, or rights denial.

Challenges Related to Relocating Forest Dwellers

• Livelihood Collapse: Relocation severs communities from forest-based economies and pushes them into unfamiliar cash markets without the assets or skills needed.
• A 2019 study on Sahariya Adivasis displaced from Kuno NP (MP) showed over 90% trapped in debt after losing income from non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
• Compensation Deficit: The one-time ₹15 lakh compensation under NTCA guidelines bypasses the Land Acquisition (LARR) Act, 2013, and denies fair compensation and social impact assessments.
• The LARR Act mandates payments up to four times the market value.
• FRA Coercion: Authorities often circumvent the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, by withholding Community Forest Rights (CFR).
• In the Achanakmar TR (Chhattisgarh), the Baigas were relocated without being granted CFR.
• Health Decline: The shift from diverse forest-based diets to limited PDS rations reduces nutrition levels and weakens health resilience.
• Studies on Baiga families relocated from Kanha TR (MP) reveal rising malnutrition and the disappearance of 150 traditional food sources.
• Conflict Shifting: Relocating villages from core to buffer zones merely transfers human-wildlife conflict to already populated, ecologically fragile areas.
• In Tadoba-Andhari TR (Maharashtra), over 40% of conflict incidents occur in buffer zones where people are resettled.

Negative Effects of Antibiotic Combination Therapy

• A recent study highlighted how combining antibiotics, rather than enhancing treatment, can sometimes reduce effectiveness and accelerate antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Key Findings of the Study

• While combining antibiotics may seem like a way to fight resistant bacteria, such combinations can sometimes result in “antagonism,” where drugs interfere with each other’s effects.
• Different Mechanisms:
• Bacteriostatic antibiotics (like tetracycline) stop bacterial growth.
• Bactericidal antibiotics (like ciprofloxacin) kill actively dividing bacteria.
• When used together, the bacteriostatic drug halts bacterial division, preventing the bactericidal one from working effectively.
• Study Findings: Researchers found that tetracycline slowed bacterial metabolism in E. coli, reducing ciprofloxacin’s ability to destroy bacterial cells, leading to higher bacterial survival.
• Resistance Risk: Using unnecessary or poorly designed combinations can accelerate the emergence of “superbugs,” which are bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics.

Iberian Lynx

World’s first-ever white Iberian Lynx was spotted in Spain.

• IUCN status: Vulnerable
• IUCN Green Status of Species: Largely Depleted.
• CITES: Appendix I 
• Habitat: Mosaic of dense scrub for shelter and open pasture for hunting.
• Rabbit abundance is the essential component of Iberian lynx habitat.
• Behaviour: Mainly crepuscular (generally sleep during day) and nocturnal but can also be active at daytime.
• Major Threats: Rabbit population collapses, habitat loss and fragmentation, disease transmission, low genetic diversity, poaching etc.

Poseidon Underwater Drone

• Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) Poseidon.
• Objective: It is designed to deliver conventional or nuclear payloads and trigger radioactive tsunamis near enemy coastlines
• Nuclear Propulsion: Poseidon uses a compact nuclear reactor that offers nearly unlimited range and enables long-duration missions without surfacing.
• Operational Depth: The drone can reach depths exceeding 1,000 meters and speeds of up to 100 knots (~185 km/h).
• Advantage: The extreme depth and high speed make it immune to existing sonar systems and anti-submarine weapons.

Lucknow as the Creative City of Gastronomy 

The 43rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference named Lucknow as the Creative City of Gastronomy as part of its UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

• Second Indian city in this category after Hyderabad.
• Other Indian cities include: Gwalior (Music), Jaipur (Crafts & Folk Art), Chennai (Music), etc.

UCCN

• Origin: Created in 2004 to strengthen cooperation with and among cities that have recognized creativity as a strategic factor of sustainable development.
• Covers 7 creative fields: Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts. 

India – US sign 10 Year framework for Major Defense Partnership

The framework, signed on the sidelines of the 12^th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, intends to provide a unified vision and policy direction to deepen defence cooperation.

• Previously, similar defense frameworks were signed for 2005-15 and 2015-25 periods.

India-US Defence Cooperation

• Institutional & Foundational Framework
  • Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA): Signed in 2016, enabling mutual logistics support.
  • Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA): Signed in 2018, allowing India to acquire secure communication equipment.
  • Industrial Security Agreement (ISA): Signed in 2019.
  • Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA): Signed in 2020, facilitating the exchange of geospatial information.
• Apex Dialogue: 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
• Foundational Pacts: 
• Strategic and Policy Pillars
• Status: US designated as a Major Defence Partnership (MDP) in 2016.
• Trade Facilitation: US granted India Strategic Trade Authorization (STA Tier-1) status in 2018.
• Defence Industry and Technology
  • India''s inventory includes significant US-origin defense items like C-130J, C-17, P-8I aircraft, and Apache, Chinook, and Seahawk helicopters.
• Trade Volume: Defence procurement exceeds US$20 billion.
• Technology Push: Defence Industrial Cooperation Roadmap (2023) to fast-track technology and co-production.
• Innovation Ecosystem: Launched INDUS X (Defense Acceleration Ecosystem) to link start-ups and industry.
• New Initiatives Announced:  Autonomous Systems Industry Alliance (ASIA) to increase industry partnerships and production of autonomous systems in the Indo-Pacific region.
• Operational Interoperability:
• Bilateral Exercises: Yudh Abhyas (Army), Vajra Prahar (Special Forces), Cope India (Air Force).
• Multilateral Exercises: Malabar (navies of India, USA, Japan, Australia).

World’s First $5 Trillion Company

• Nvidia, the AI chipmaker, has become the world’s first company with a market capitalisation of $5 trillion.

• It is a leading designer of graphics processing units (GPUs), which are essential for Large language models (LLMs) and data centres.
• Nvidia is partnering with Nokia on AI 5G–6G networks and with the US government to build seven AI supercomputers, reflecting the growing global reliance on AI-driven computing.

Savings Rate

Chairperson to the EAC-PM says that India’s investment rate needs to rise to 34-35% to get 7% growth, which is largely financed through savings and foreign investment.

• It is the amount of GDP that is saved by households, businesses, and the government.
• Calculated as the difference between disposable income and final consumption expenditure.
• In 2024, India’s savings rate was 30.2% (as a percentage of GDP).

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - 150th Birth Anniversary (1875 – 1950)

Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, to a humble Patidar farmer family. Patel emerged from humble origins to serve as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of independent India (1947–1950). Nicknamed as the “Iron Man of India” for his unshakeable courage and strategic wisdom, Patel’s service ranged from the freedom movement, national integration, to administrative reforms.

His legacy is the epitome of unity in diversity, and he remains a recurring subject in UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) – factual information for Prelims (e.g., dates of important movements) and analytical information for Mains (e.g., contribution to federalism and secularism under GS-I History and GS-II Polity).

Birth: October 31, 1875 (Nadiad, Gujarat); Death: December 15, 1950 (Mumbai); Title: “Sardar” awarded post-Bardoli Satyagraha (1928); Bharat Ratna: 1991 (posthumous).

Early Life and Education:

Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, the fourth of six children, grew up in a rural setting where self-reliance was key. His father, Jhaverbhai Patel, a farmer and veteran of the 1857 Revolt, instilled values of discipline and patriotism. Patel completed his matriculation at 22, self-studying while managing family responsibilities. He pursued law through correspondence, borrowing books and working as a pleader in Godhra and Borsad.

In 1910, Patel went to England when he was 36 years old, passing the bar exams at the Middle Temple Inn within two years (1913), an achievement which underscored his intellectual abilities. Back in Ahmedabad, he established a profitable law practice, leading a Western lifestyle of elegant suits and games of bridge. But loss of his wife Jhaverben in 1909 and interactions with Gandhi changed him. Patel replaced his European clothes with khadi by 1917 and adopted simplicity and public service.

Entry into Politics and Role in Freedom Struggle:

Patel’s political development started at the hands of Gandhi. In 1917, as a secretary of the Gujarat Sabha (subsequently Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee), he organized relief during the plague and famine in Gujarat, collecting volunteers and funds.
Key Movements and Leadership

Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Peasants, during famine and plague, were subjected to heavy revenue demands. Patel, along with Gandhi, organized a no-tax movement of 3,000 villages. By petitions, boycotts, and arrest (Patel being imprisoned), the British yielded, suspending the collection and freeing the prisoners. Thus, Patel came into the limelight as a mass leader.

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922): Patel enlisted more than 300,000 members in Gujarat, collected Rs 1.5 million, and espoused swadeshi by incinerating foreign garments. He gave up his legal practice, which was an act of sacrifice.

Bardoli Satyagraha (1928): In response to a 30% tax increase when crops had failed, Patel mobilized 87,000 peasants in a non-violent campaign. Villages mass-resigned from government offices; the British, after a standoff of several weeks, rolled back the increase to 6.03%. Women called him “Sardar,” and the win stimulated Congress morale across the country.

Civil Disobedience Movement (1930): In defense of Gandhi’s Salt March, Patel was pre-emptively arrested but instigated mass defiance.

Quit India Movement (1942): Detained at Ahmednagar Fort along with other leaders, Patel’s pre-detention speech at Gowalia Tank Maidan called for “do or die.” Although quashed, the movement hastened independence.

Congress President (Karachi Session, 1931), Patel moved resolutions on basic rights, economic policy, and minority welfare, previewing the Constitution. He led the Congress Parliamentary Sub-Committee, planning for 1934/1937 elections, resulting in 8 provinces of Congress governments.

Patel’s satyagrahas underlined Gandhian non-violence’s effectiveness in rural mobilization, setting the movements apart from urban-centric movements. His organizational capabilities made Congress a mass party strong enough for post-independence consolidation (GS-I: Post-Independence Consolidation).

Integration of Princely States

With 565 princely states (40% of India’s territory), Patel, Home Minister, integrated them through diplomacy, persuasion, and force. With the help of V.P. Menon, he granted privy purses and privileges.

• Junagadh (1947): Nawab acceded to Pakistan; Patel organized a plebiscite, which saw 99% choose India.
• Hyderabad (1948): Nizam’s armed resistance resulted in Operation Polo; Hyderabad was integrated after a 5-day police action.
• Kashmir (1947–1948): Patel enabled accession after Pakistani invasion, sending troops to capture Srinagar.

By 1949, all but Sikkim had been integrated, forming a unified India.

Administrative and Social Reforms

• All India Services: Formed IAS/IPS as the “steel frame” for unbiased administration.
• Partition Relief: Assisted refugee influx (14 million), restoring order in Punjab/Delhi during communal riots.
• Social Initiatives: Established dairy cooperatives (e.g., Kaira Union, leading to Amul); promoted Somnath Temple reconstruction (1950), encouraging cultural revival.
• Secularism and Unity: RSS was banned briefly after Gandhi’s assassination (1948) but repealed after assurances; stressed national unity.

Patel’s integration prevented balkanization, setting the stage for federalism (Article 370 context). His practical secularism sought balance between unity and diversity, as against Nehru’s idealism – a major contention in GS-II (Polity) and GS-I (History).

Legacy and Contemporary Relevance

Patel’s death on December 15, 1950, from a heart attack marked the end of an era. Honored with Bharat Ratna (1991), his birthday is Rashtriya Ekta Diwas since 2014. The Statue of Unity (2018, Gujarat) – world’s tallest at 182m – symbolizes his vision.

The Statue of Unity in Gujarat, the world’s tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Patel, commemorating his role in national integration.

Patel’s legacy is relevant to leadership in independence (GS-I), federal nature (GS-II), and economic policy (e.g., cooperative model in GS-III). His focus on “Ek Bharat” chimes in with regionalism and separatism.

“Every Indian should forget that he is a Rajput, a Sikh or a Jat.” (on unity); Comparisons: Bismarck of India. In 2025, with the world in turmoil, Patel’s ideals of discipline and integration guide India’s pursuit of Viksit Bharat.

Alfven Waves

A recent study revealing distinct Red and Blue Doppler shifts confirms the presence of the Alfven waves in the Sun’s Corona. They are magnetic waves that travel along the Sun’s magnetic field lines, causing the plasma to oscillate sideways.

• It occurs in a plasma state (or conducting fluid), resulting from the interaction of the magnetic fields and electric currents within it.
• They are believed to carry energy from the Sun’s surface into the corona, contributing to its extremely high temperatures.
• Significance:  Coronal heating, Solar Wind Acceleration, Improved Space Weather Forecasting etc.