India’s role amid declining credibility and perceived bias of Western-led Global Institutions

Of late, major global bodies in the economic, cultural, and political spheres, once seen as impartial, are increasingly aligning with a specific, interventionist strand of the US foreign policy, eroding their credibility and creating a "legitimacy gap" on the world stage.

Erosion of Western Institutional legitimacy

• Institutional biases and double standards: Swift and severe actions taken against Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine with the continued normal engagement with Israel despite the civilian death toll in Gaza.
• E.g., Exclusion of Russia and Belarus from Paris Olympics 2024, disconnection of Russian financial institutions from SWIFT, etc.
• Dysfunctional institutions: e.g., WTO Appellate Body remains dysfunctional since 2019 as the US has blocked appointment of new members leaving the body without quorum.
• Non-representative institutions: UN Security Council with its P5 members does not represent the contemporary geopolitics and the shifting Balance of Power.

Potential Strategic Implications

• Increased Global Instability: Politicized actions by global bodies can exacerbate geopolitical tensions.
• Reduced International Trade: The use of financial networks like SWIFT as a foreign policy tool disrupts global commerce.
• Spurring Energy Prices: Instability and sanctions regimes can lead to volatility in global energy markets.

US-China ‘G2’ Revival

• The U.S. President recently announced the revival of the “G2” concept, a proposed US-China power partnership to shape global economic governance.

Why G2 is Back on the Table?

• After the 2008 global financial crisis, China emerged as a key economic stabiliser, helping to rescue global markets through massive stimulus.
• A recent shift in US-China dynamics saw China resisting US-led trade wars and retaliating effectively, forcing Washington to move from a strategy of “decoupling” to “derisking.”
• Trump’s return signals a pragmatic acceptance of China’s economic weight, paving the way for renewed cooperation through a G2-style engagement.
• Implications: G2 signals that the US and China may resolve tensions bilaterally, reducing space for third countries.
• Unlike previous US support for India as a strategic counterweight to China, Washington may now prioritise economic cooperation with Beijing.

Way Forward for India

• Deepen ties with ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran and West Asian partners to strengthen Asia-centred diplomacy and bargaining power.
• Use G20, BRICS+, IPEF & QUAD more actively as multilateral platforms to balance a G2-dominated order.
• India must preserve strategic autonomy, avoid taking sides between the US and China, and maintain independent engagements with Russia (energy, defence) and Europe (technology, investment).
• Strengthen India’s economic power to support its diplomacy, speed up manufacturing, make exports more competitive, and reduce reliance on imports (especially from China).

India-Israel Joint Working Group Meeting

• Recently, India and Israel held the 17^th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on defence cooperation.

• Key Outcomes: An MoU on Defence Cooperation was signed to provide a unified framework and long-term strategic direction for the partnership.
• Both countries called for a global zero-tolerance approach to terrorism, stating that both nations face common security threats.

India – United Kingdom Science & Technology Partnership

• The Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) of India and the National Technology Adviser of the UK jointly launched the pilot India–UK Science and Technology Partnership (IN-UK-STP) Dashboard.
• The dashboard is designed to monitor and analyse bilateral science and technology cooperation, serving as an evidence-based policy tool.
• Development: Jointly developed by the Office of the PSA and the British High Commission in India.
• Key Feature: It maps projects since 2018 by funding, institutions, and domains, aligning them with India–UK Science and Innovation Council (SIC) goals and the SDGs.
• Significance: The dashboard allows both governments to conduct data-driven evaluation and planning, facilitating future joint research programs and technology missions.

Specialty Steel Incentive Scheme (PLI 1.2)

Union Minister of Steel launched the Third Round (PLI 1.2) of Specialty Steel Incentive Scheme. 

PLI Scheme

• Approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2021 to encourage production of high-value, high-grade steels used in sectors like defence, aerospace, energy, automobiles, and infrastructure.
• Key Highlights of Third Round PLI 1.2
• Scope: Covers 22 product sub-categories across five broad target segments including strategic steel grades, etc. 
• Incentives: Range from 4% to 15% of incremental sales with revised base year of 2024-25.
• Incentive Period: Maximum of 5 years starting from FY 2025–26. 

India-Romania Bilateral Meeting

• India and Romania held a bilateral meeting in Bucharest to strengthen trade, investment, and supply-chain partnership within the broader India-EU economic framework.
• India-EU FTA: Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to conclude a fair and mutually beneficial India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) within the year.
• Supply-Chain: They agreed to deepen collaboration in standards, testing, and investment facilitation to build resilient and diversified supply chains.

India-Romania Relations

• Bilateral Relations: India and Romania elevated their relationship to an ‘Extended Partnership‘ in 2013 and marked 75 years of diplomatic ties in 2023.
• Trade Relations: Bilateral trade stood at USD 2.98 billion in FY 2023-24, with India’s exports exceeding USD 1.03 billion in FY 2024-25.
• Priority Sectors: Petroleum, engineering goods, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, and glassware.
• Labour Mobility: Romania will employ around 30,000 skilled Indian professionals annually to meet labour demands in construction and allied sectors.
• Defence Agreement: The 2023 Defence Cooperation Agreement provides a legal framework for collaboration in R&D, cyber defence, and co-production.

India’s Information Technology Industry

• Once the crown jewel of India’s economy, the IT sector, contributing nearly 7% of GDP and employing around 6 million professionals, is undergoing major structural change.

Key Changes in India’s IT Industry

• Recent large-scale layoffs by firms like TCS and other leaders indicate a deeper, long-term shift rather than a temporary downturn.
• Industry estimates suggest over 50,000 IT jobs may be lost by the end of FY26.
• Instead of large-scale firings, firms are adopting “quiet layoffs”, performance-linked exits, delayed promotions, and voluntary resignations.

Structural Transformation in the IT Industry

• AI-Driven Disruption: Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation is redefining the very nature of IT work.
• Routine tasks such as data entry, coordination, and basic coding are now managed by algorithms and AI agents, significantly reducing manpower needs.
• Changing Global Dynamics: Tighter U.S. immigration norms and rising H-1B visa fees have pushed Indian firms to localise operations abroad.
• Economic uncertainties in Western markets have led to budget cuts in IT spending, forcing companies to optimise costs and focus on specialised expertise rather than scale.
• Assembly Line Model: India’s earlier IT model, mass recruitment, basic training, and deployment for global clients, has lost its edge.
• Clients now demand cloud-native, AI-integrated, and cybersecurity-driven solutions, not armies of coders. Also, Mid-career professionals find their skills outdated in this era.
• Demand for AI Talent: AI hiring is surging globally; India leads with 33% growth.
• Corporate investment in AI reached US$252.3 billion in 2024, nearly 13 times the level a decade earlier.

Reinventing India’s IT Ecosystem

• Companies like TCS have already trained lakhs of employees in AI. Thus, engineering curricula need an overhaul, from basic coding to AI and product thinking.
• Workers with AI skills earn about 56% more on average, reflecting higher value addition.
• India’s IT growth now depends on product-led innovation, not just services; hence, government and industry must support continuous reskilling to match fast-paced automation.

Chhattisgarh Train Accident draws attention towards Rail Safety in India

Though there is a decline in Consequential Train Accidents from 135 in 2014-15 to 31 in 2024-25, yet accidents including derailments, collisions, etc., continue to occur due to multiple reasons. 

• Consequential train accidents are the ones with serious repercussions, including injuries, loss of life, disruption of rail traffic and damage to railway property. 

Key Reasons for Rail Accidents in India

• Derailments: Track defects and poor maintenance (Bikaner–Guwahati Express 2022).
• Signalling Errors: E.g., Kanchanjunga Express Train Accident (2024). 
• Operational Mistakes: Incorrect manual signalling and switching errors (Odisha Coromandel Express Accident, 2023).
• Other: Level-crossing incidents, Weather factors, human errors including driver fatigue, fire accidents, etc. 

Initiatives taken to Ensure Railway Safety

• Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK): Introduced in 2017-18 for replacement/renewal/ upgradation of critical safety assets. 
• Commission of Railway Safety: Under Ministry of Civil Aviation dealing with matters on safety of rail travel and train operation with inspectorial, investigatory and advisory functions. 
• Electrical/Electronic Interlocking Systems:  With centralized operation of points and signals to reduce accident due to human failure.
• KAVACH: Indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system developed by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO). 
• Others: GPS based Fog Safety Device (FSD); Ultrasonic Flaw Detection (USFD), etc. 

While the railways has moved well in adopting different technologies for its safety, there is a need for harmonisation amongst them along with focusing on human skill development and training to avoid human errors. 

Quantum Gravity

A Study has proposed that black hole ‘morsels’ could offer insights into  quantum gravity.

• Black hole morsels are hypothetical micro-black holes, far smaller than their parent black holes, comparable in mass to asteroids and therefore much hotter. 
• Field of theoretical physics that seeks to describe gravity according to the principles of quantum mechanics. 
• Hence, it seeks to reconcile two theories of physics — quantum mechanics (dealing with particles on small scales) — and gravity (for large scales, based on Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity). 
• Significance: Understand the physics within black holes, quantum entanglement, condensed matter physics, etc. 

Reimagining Agriculture Roadmap by NITI Aayog

• NITI Aayog launched its strategic report “Reimagining Agriculture: A Roadmap for Frontier Technology-Led Transformation” in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
• The Report leveraging frontier technologies was developed with inputs from Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Google, and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

 Agriculture Roadmap by NITI Aayog

• Core Objective: To transform Indian agriculture through frontier technologies integrating AI, precision farming, remote sensing and smart mechanisation for sustainability and income enhancement.
• Digital Agriculture Mission 2.0: Three-Pillar Framework, Data Ecosystems for last-mile integration, Innovation Systems for R&D and Policy Convergence to align industry expertise with scalable reforms.
• Farmer-Centric Framework: Introduces a three-tier segmentation model Aspiring (70–80%), Transitioning (15–20%), and Advanced (1–2%) groups to offer customized intervention,
• State Leadership: Gujarat cited as a model state, leveraging Digital Crop Survey and i-Khedut portal for farm digitisation and subsidy transparency.
• Institutional Backing: Spearheaded by NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub, integrating private sector expertise with public innovation.
• Empowering Vision: Aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047, aiming to strengthen farmer autonomy, data-driven decision-making, and market linkage.

Current Agriculture Status in India

• Economic Share: Agriculture contributes around 18% to India’s GDP (Economic Survey 2024).
• Employment: It employs nearly 43% of India’s workforce (PLFS 2023).
• Landholding Pattern: About 86% of farmers are small and marginal, holding less than 2 hectares (Agriculture Census 2021).
• Productivity Gap: India’s crop productivity remains 30–40% lower than global averages due to fragmented holdings and input inefficiencies (FAO 2024).
• Climate Stress: Around 50% of net sown area is rainfed, making agriculture highly vulnerable to climate variability and water scarcity (ICAR Report 2024).
• Agri-Tech Growth: Over 3,000 Agri-tech startups are now operational, driving innovation in precision farming and supply chain efficiency (NASSCOM 2025).

India’s Rising Urea Demand

• India’s urea consumption is projected to touch 40 million tonnes (MT) in FY 2025-26, the highest ever, driven by strong agricultural demand and unchanged low retail pricing.
• The gap between rising consumption and stagnant domestic production is creating concerns of supply stress.

Key Drivers of Rising Urea Demand

• Record consumption: Sales in 2024-25 rose to 38.8 MT, the highest ever; rabi 2025 sowing trends indicate further rise to nearly 40 MT.
• Price distortion: Urea’s MRP has remained almost unchanged since 2012 (₹5,360/tonne; ₹5,628 after neem coating).
• Other fertilisers cost 2-7 times higher, pushing farmers to overuse urea.
• Government Interventions: It did not curb excess use,
• Neem-coating (2015) to prevent diversion and slow nitrogen release.
• 45-kg bags replaced 50-kg bags (2018), and Nano Urea was launched in 2021. Yet consumption rose from 29.9 MT (2017-18) to 35+ MT by 2020-21 and continues growing.

Supply Side Constraints

• Domestic output peaked at 31.4 MT in 2023-24 but fell to 30.6 MT in 2024-25, signalling a production plateau.
• Six new plants (2019-22) expanded nominal capacity, yet several run below full utilisation.
• Permanent closures of two units (Kakinada and Panki) have trimmed effective domestic capacity.
• India aims to cap imports at around 10 MT, but rising demand may increase import dependence.

Way Forward

• Rationalise Pricing: Gradually increase urea MRP to reduce overuse and move toward balanced fertiliser application.
• Demand-Side Regulation: Restrict subsidised urea bags per farmer (for example, a maximum of 25 bags per farmer per season).
• Nutrient Efficiency: Promote urease and nitrification inhibitors to reduce nitrogen loss.
• Capacity Expansion: Add at least 4 new plants (1.3 MT each) to meet rising demand sustainably.
• Import Gas, Not Urea: Economically viable to import LNG to inland urea plants rather than ship finished urea to faraway consumption centres.

Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS)

Union Government is considering mandating Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) in all new models of trucks and buses, including school buses.

ADAS

• It is a built-in suite of coordinated technologies that help drivers operate their vehicles more safely and avoid human errors.
• In ADAS, sensors such as Lidar, Radar, and cameras work together to inform features such as pedestrian detection, and lane departure warning.
• It includes a range of features including Adaptive Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Detection, Cross-Traffic Alert, Parking Assistance, Traffic Sign Recognition, among others.

CITES Verification Mission Report on India

• A recent CITES report warned against misclassification of wild-caught animals and recommended that India suspend imports of endangered species until stronger verification is in place.

CITES Report

• Report Overview: The report was published by the CITES Secretariat after an official verification mission conducted in India in 2025.
• Investigation Reason: The investigation began following global concerns over large-scale imports of CITES-listed species by two Jamnagar-based facilities:
1. Green Zoological Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre (GZRRC) and
2. Radha Krishna Temple Elephant Welfare Trust (RKTEWT).
• Mission Focus: The mission examined whether India’s wildlife import approvals complied with CITES rules and upheld their non-commercial character.

Key Findings of the Report

• Facility Standards: The Jamnagar facilities maintained high animal welfare standards, proper documentation, and valid CITES permits for their imported species.
• Verification Gaps: Indian authorities accepted import permits without verifying the animal origins or cross-checking with source countries.
• Permit Irregularities: The report identified contradictory records, misuse of CITES purpose codes, and cases of forged permits.

Recommendations for India

• Import Suspension: India should stop importing Appendix-I species until stronger verification and control systems are implemented.
• Stronger Checks: Authorities must verify animal origins and captive-bred claims through a transparent, risk-based system before granting import approval.
• Past Review: India should review previous imports from source countries (e.g., Germany, Iraq, Guyana) and take corrective action if violations are found.

Heavy Metals in Cauvery Fish

• A recent study found high levels of heavy metals in fish from the Cauvery River, warning of serious human health risks from prolonged consumption.
• Study Scope: Researchers tested sediments from 18 sites and fish from 10 sites for key heavy metals: chromium, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc.
• Method: The Geoaccumulation Index and Ecological Risk indices with multivariate statistical analysis identified both natural and human sources of pollution.

Key Findings of the Study

• Contaminant Risk: Cadmium and lead were the major pollutants; their high concentrations made fish unsafe for regular human consumption.
• Tissue Variation: Liver and gill tissues accumulated more metals than muscles, though muscle tissues also showed values above safe limits.
• Pollution Sources: Industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage were the primary human sources of heavy metal pollution.
• Natural Input: Mineral-rich zones in the upper Cauvery basin contributed small metal traces, primarily iron.
• Recommendations: The study calls for limited fish intake, strict effluent control, continuous monitoring, and greater public awareness.

National Company Law Appellate Tribunal

Recently, National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) lifted the ban WhatsApp from sharing data with Meta platforms for advertising purposes for five years.

NCLAT

• Constituted under: Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013.
• Jurisdiction: It hears appeals against orders passed by –
• National Company Law Tribunal(s) (NCLT);
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India under Section 202 and Section 211 of IBC;
• Competition Commission of India (CCI) under Section 410 of the Companies Act, 2013;
• National Financial Reporting Authority under the Companies Act, 2013.

Amul and IFFCO ranked World’s Top Two Cooperatives

Rankings were given in the World Cooperative Monitor 2025, produced by International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). 

Cooperatives in India

• Meaning: It is an autonomous association of persons, united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs through jointly owned and democratically member-controlled enterprise.
• Genesis: Cooperative Credit Societies Act, 1904.
• Constitutional Recognition: ‘Cooperative societies’ is a state subject under the Seventh Schedule. 
• 97th Amendment Act, 2011 granted citizens the fundamental right to form cooperative societies and included Article 43B in the Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Above Amendment also inserted Part IXB containing Articles 243ZH to 243ZT to the Constitution. [However, Supreme Court in Union of India V. Rajendra N Shah (2021) held Part IXB to be operative only for Multi State Cooperative Societies and not for Single State ones].
• Legal Framework: Cooperative societies functioning in more than one state/UT are governed by Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 (amended in 2023). 
• While those in a single state are governed by the respective state/UT acts. 
• Status: India has more than one-fourth of the world''s cooperatives  (over 8.44 lakhs). 
• Top States: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka. 

Key Initiatives to Strengthen Cooperatives in India

• Establishment of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in 1963. 
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) in 1982 
• Establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation in 2021. 
• National Cooperation Policy 2025. 

ICMR Invites EoI for Nipah Antibody Development

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from Indian manufacturers to develop monoclonal antibodies against the Nipah virus.

ICMR

• ICMR is India’s apex autonomous body for the formulation, coordination, and promotion of biomedical research. It functions under the Department of Health Research, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• Origin: Established in 1911 as the Indian Research Fund Association, it was renamed ICMR in 1949.
• Mandate: To address national health priorities and translate research into actions for improved public health outcomes.
• Governance: The Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare chairs the ICMR’s Governing Body, while the Scientific Advisory Board oversees scientific and technical matters.

Nipah Virus

• Nipah virus (NiV) is a single-stranded RNA virus that causes serious respiratory and neurological diseases in humans.
• It is a zoonotic pathogen transmitted from animals to humans and sometimes between humans.
• Hosts: Fruit bats, also known as flying foxes, are the main natural hosts of the virus.
• Transmission Routes: Through direct contact with infected animals, consumption of contaminated food, or contact with bodily fluids of infected individuals.

VAIshwik BHArtiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV)

Union Minister recently interacted with the VAIshwik BHArtiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV) Fellows from across the world.

VAIBHAV

• Ministry: Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
• Launched in: 2023
• It envisages collaboration between scientists of the Indian Diaspora with Indian Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), Universities and/ or public funded Scientific Institutions. 
• VAIBHAV Fellow can choose an Indian institution to work with and can spend up to 2 months each year there, for up to 3 years.

Avalanche in Nepal

• An avalanche struck Mount Yalung Ri base camp in Nepal, killing several climbers.

Mount Yalung Ri

• It is a 5,630-meter-high peak in the Himalayan range, located in the remote Rolwaling Valley of northeastern Nepal.
• The Valley contains the large Tsho Rolpa glacial lake, which poses a high risk of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF).
• Mount Yalung Ri is situated in the Gaurishankar Conservation Area near the Nepal–Tibet border.

Avalanches

• An avalanche is a quick, sudden slide of snow, ice, and debris down a mountain slope.
• It usually occurs on slopes steeper than 30 degrees when the weight of accumulated snow exceeds the snowpack’s capacity to support it.
• Triggers: Avalanches can be caused by natural factors like heavy snowfall, rapid warming, earthquakes, and rain-on-snow events, or by human activities like skiing, snowboarding, and construction.

QS Asia University Rankings 2026

• The QS Asia University Rankings 2026 have been published, featuring over 1,500 institutions, making it the largest edition to date.

• The University of Hong Kong ranked first, with institutions from Hong Kong, China, and Singapore leading the rankings.

Key Highlights for India

• Representation: India is Asia’s 2^nd most represented higher education system after Mainland China.
• Top Performers: Seven Indian universities ranked among the top 100 — IIT Delhi, IISc Bangalore, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, and the University of Delhi.
• Leading Institution: IIT Delhi is India’s highest-ranked institution, positioned 59^th in Asia. It has held the top national position for five consecutive years.
• Performance Indicators: Indian institutions excelled in Papers per Faculty and Staff with PhD metrics but lagged in faculty–student ratio and international student participation.

Zohran Mamdani

• Zohran Mamdani of the Democratic Party has been elected as New York City’s mayor, becoming the city’s first Muslim and first South Asian-origin mayor.

Emission Gap Report 2025: Off Target

Recently “Emission Gap Report 2025: Off Target” was released by UN Environment Program (UNEP).

Key Highlights of the Report

• Even the updated Nationally Determined Contribution pledges under the Paris Agreement, could lead to global temperature rise by 2.3-2.5 ⁰C by this century.
• This falls short of Paris agreement''s goal of limiting warming to well below 2 °C, while pursuing efforts to cap it at 1.5 °C.
• GHGs emissions rose 2.3% in 2024, reaching 57.7 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
• To align with 1.5 °C target, emissions would need to fall by 55% by 2035.
• Highest absolute increase in total GHG emissions was observed in India and China. However, per capita GHG emission for India remained below the world average.

Umngot River

Meghalaya’s Umngot river (also known as Dawki River), known for its greenish blue crystal-clear water is turning murky.

• Origin:  Originates from the Eastern part of Shillong Peak.
• Flow:  Southwards through Dawki, a small town in East Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya (near the Indo-Bangladesh border) and finally enters Bangladesh.
• Acts as the gateway to Bangladesh. 
• Key Features: Forms Natural boundary between Ri Pnar (Jaintia Hills) and Hima Khyrim (Khasi Hills).