UPSC Key: Artemis II, Maternal mortality goals, and Gig workers law

— Know about the various lunar missions

— What are India’s lunar missions?

— What is the significance of the Artemis II mission?

— What are Artemis Accords?

— Know about India’s next lunar mission – Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission

Key Takeaways:

— The Artemis II mission will not land on the Moon but circle it and return to Earth after a 10-day journey. A successor mission, planned for 2028, is scheduled to make a Moon landing with another set of four astronauts.

— The Artemis II mission will take three to four days to reach the Moon’s neighbourhood — roughly the same time the Apollo missions took to land on the lunar surface. Many other recent uncrewed lunar missions, including India’s Chandrayaan-3, took much longer, between a few weeks and a few months, to get to the Moon.

— Longer routes are more fuel-efficient and economical, while quicker routes require more powerful rockets. The SLS (Space Launch System) rockets being used for the Artemis missions are the most powerful launch vehicles available to NASA right now. The Apollo missions used Saturn V rockets, which are the most powerful rockets ever built.

— Both the SLS rocket and the Orion spacecraft being used for this mission are relatively new. The two had debuted on the Artemis I mission in 2022, which was uncrewed but followed roughly the same path to the Moon and back, though it stayed in space for a longer duration, about 25 days, to carry out tests. This is the first time that the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft are being used to carry astronauts.

— The Artemis II Mission will make two rounds of the Earth before embarking on its journey towards the Moon. Once there, it will go around the Moon before starting the return journey to Earth. While moving around the Moon, the Orion spacecraft will travel to a distance of about 6,500 km from the far side of the Moon. This will be the farthest that humans have ever ventured into space.

— Artemis II is sort of a test-ride mission, meant to test and validate all systems before astronauts finally make the landing on the Moon in 2028.

Do You Know:

— When the first human landing on the Moon (Apollo 11) happened in 1969, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) did not even exist. It was set up within a month of that epoch-making event. Now, when NASA is working to take humans again to the Moon, ISRO is not just a collaborator but also a competitor, with its own plans of landing humans on the Moon.

— The Chinese have been planning a human landing on the Moon by 2030, whereas India’s plans are for 2040. India is a signatory to the Artemis Accords, a set of non-binding, bilateral principles that guides sustainable, peaceful civil space exploration led by NASA, particularly for the Moon and Mars. This signalled India’s strategic alignment with the US space programme and possible opportunities for ISRO to collaborate closely with NASA on lunar exploration.

— The two agencies already have a deep engagement, with the recent NISAR earth-observation joint mission underlining that relationship. NASA’s announcement said its lunar plans would have important contributions from private industry, academic institutions, and international partners. ISRO could have first-hand experience from these missions as it prepares to fulfil its own dreams over the next two decades.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Artemis 2 launch: How NASA’s Moon missions aim to prepare the ground for deeper space exploration

📍NASA Artemis 2 countdown begins: Crew prepares for historic moon mission launch

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016)

The Mangalyaan launched by ISRO

1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission

2. made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after USA

3. made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft orbit the Mars in its very first attempt

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Iran war: Agrochemicals, stress, and inflation worry

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

What’s the ongoing story: In 2020, when Covid struck, India had sufficient stocks of wheat and rice in government godowns. Farmers also harvested a bumper rabi (winter-spring) crop in March-May and followed it with good production during the subsequent two seasons over 2020 and 2021.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are rabi and kharif crops?

— Know about the crops, sowing and harvesting patterns

— What are western disturbances?

— What is inflation?

— How did war lead to food inflation? Any instances from history?

— Why is the fertilizer sector impacted due to war in West Asia?

— How can India reduce its dependence on fertilizers and agrochemicals?

— Know about the impact of India’s agricultural export

Key Takeaways:

— Agriculture was a source of respite then. The situation seems somewhat similar this time too.

— On March 1, the day after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, the Food Corporation of India and state government agencies had 23.6 million tonnes (mt) of wheat in their warehouses, compared to 13.4 mt and 9.7 mt on the same day for the preceding two years. Milled rice stocks were even higher at 36.5 mt (see chart).

— The production prospects from the rabi crops, now in various stages of harvesting, also look good. The driver for it has been the surplus monsoon rainfall in 2025, leading farmers to plant more area under wheat, mustard, maize, chana (chickpea), masoor (red lentil) and even potato and onion. The higher acreages have been combined with reasonably favourable weather conditions.

— “The rains triggered by successive western disturbances this month has brought down temperatures. It has been beneficial for wheat, as the crop gets more time for grain-filling. It translates into higher grain size and weight, and ultimately yields,” said Rajbir Yadav, principal scientist at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. 

— The big picture is that India has entered this crisis from the Iran War – just as with the pandemic six years ago – with plentiful food stocks and a bumper rabi harvest in the offing. Even in sugar, where closing stocks for 2025-26 (October-September) are projected lower (see table), both all-India average ex-factory and modal (most-quoted) retail prices are virtually unchanged at Rs 38.5 and Rs 45 per kg respectively relative to a year ago.

— Simply put, there are no food supply or inflation pressures – for now.

— In fertilisers, too, the stocks of urea and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), at 6.1 mt and 2.4 mt respectively on March 19 as per government data, were higher than their corresponding year-ago levels of 5.5 mt and 1.2 mt.

— The problem, though, is in their availability for the upcoming kharif (monsoon) planting season from June. The war has disrupted imports from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries that are the largest suppliers of urea and DAP as well as inputs – especially liquid natural gas, ammonia and sulphur – for manufacture of fertilisers in India.

— Since the war broke out, landed prices of ammonia imported into India have shot up from $450-470 to $725-750 per tonne. Sulphur prices have, over the last one year, soared from below $200 to $700-plus per tonne, and from $640-650 to about $825 for imported DAP.

— The focus should be to maximise domestic production of complex fertilisers and SSP, and push farmers to apply more of these instead of urea and DAP. 

— Crops need fertilisers to deliver nutrients for growth. They also require chemicals – insecticides, fungicides and herbicides – to protect against pests, diseases and weeds that cause yield losses.

— Crop protection chemicals are no less exposed to the raw material supply chain disruptions from the war. Some 55% of the global supply of naphtha – a primary feedstock for agrochemicals – originates from crude petroleum oil refineries in West Asia or passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

— Naphtha is both “cracked” into ethylene, propylene and butadiene and “reformed” into benzene, toluene and xylene. These, in turn, are the building blocks for intermediate chemicals used in the manufacture of active ingredients and also their emulsifiers and solvents for various crop protection formulations. For instance, the herbicide glyphosate is formulated using isopropylamine that is derived from isopropanol and which further comes from propylene.

— “When naphtha and propylene supplies from Middle East are hit, Chinese manufacturers raise their prices of isopropylamine. It, then, increases our production cost of glyphosate formulation,” explained Sohit Satyawali, chief business officer at the New Delhi-based Crystal Crop Protection Ltd.

— Base chemicals apart – these also include sulphur and methanol – there has been an escalation in the cost of packaging materials, be it HDPE and PET bottles, flexible pouches, master carton boxes or even labels. “Packaging material costs itself are up 30-40%. It’s all linked to petrochemicals and the war,” he pointed out.

Do You Know:

— Domestic urea plants run on natural gas as feedstock. The fertiliser sector accounts for close to 29% of India’s total natural gas consumption. Just over half of India’s natural gas consumption requirement is met by imports. India imported 27 mt of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024-25, out of which 11.2 mt came from Qatar, 3.5 mt from UAE and 1.8 mt from Oman. During April-December 2025, the 19.9 mt of imports included 9 mt from Qatar, 2.1 mt from UAE and 1.2 mt from Oman.

— It’s worse with DAP, MOP and complex fertilisers. India hardly has any mineable rock phosphate (for P), potash (K) or elemental sulphur (S) reserves. The merchant ammonia providing ‘N’ for DAP and complex fertilisers is imported. Out of the 2.5 mt ammonia imports in 2024-25 (2 mt in April-December 2025), almost 1 mt (0.8 mt) was from Oman, 0.9 mt (0.7 mt) from Saudi Arabia and 0.2 mt (0.06 mt) from Qatar.

— The intermediates for manufacturing DAP, India’s second most-consumed fertiliser after urea, are phosphoric acid and ammonia. Phosphoric acid is primarily sourced from Jordan, Senegal, Morocco, China and Tunisia. Thankfully, not all (save Jordan) are involved in the ongoing Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How agriculture evolves and adapts to current challenges

📍Why fertilisers could be the war’s soft underbelly victim for India

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Why does the Government of India promote the use of ‘Neem-coated Urea’ in agriculture? (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) Release of Neem oil in the soil increases nitrogen fixation by the soil microorganisms

(b) Neem coating slows down the rate of dissolution of urea in the soil

(c) Nitrous oxide, which is a greenhouse gas, is not at all released into atmosphere by crop fields

(d) It is a combination of a weedicide and a fertilizer for particular crops

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers? (UPSC CSE 2017)

Telangana’s gig workers law: The legislation, and how other states have fared

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: On Monday, the Telangana state Assembly passed the Telangana Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration, Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2026. The legislation, which seeks to regulate gig and platform work and ensure protection of such gig workers, is similar to those passed by four other states: Karnataka, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Bihar. Here’s what to know.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Who are gig workers?

— What distinguishes gig work from traditional employment in terms of labour rights and protections?

— What is the gig economy?

— What is the significance of the gig economy?

— What are the provisions related to gig workers in the New Labour Code?

— What are the concerns related to the “10-minute delivery”?

— What are the challenges faced by the gig workers?

— What are the various initiatives related to gig workers?

Key Takeaways:

— As per the Bill, platform companies will have to submit details regularly and file electronic returns of transactions made by customers every three months. The government will recover a 1-2% levy on these transactions. Strict penalties have been prescribed for non-compliance: Rs 50,000 for the first violation, Rs 1 lakh for the second, Rs 1.5 lakh for the third, and up to five times the arrears thereafter.

— A special welfare board will be constituted for gig workers using the corpus created by the government levy, which will provide for insurance, pension and maternity benefits. Every registered gig worker will be given a unique ID. A maximum of 5% of the fund can be used for the board’s operating expenses.

— The Bill also mandates transparent policies: platforms must clearly disclose salary and deduction details, and there can be no arbitrary use of algorithms that affect workers.

— The Bill is expected to benefit over 4 lakhs of delivery riders, cab drivers, and other platform workers across the state. Venkataswamy said that the framework is to ensure that gig workers are not denied social security, insurance, and proper working conditions.

— The legislation for gig workers in all five states focus on registration of workers, providing social security, health insurance, and welfare benefits.

— Of the Bills passed by Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Karnataka, only Jharkhand has been able to implement it as the others are stuck in negotiations and discussions.

Do You Know:

— The gig economy, as defined by the World Economic Forum (WEF), involves the exchange of labour for money between individuals or companies via digital platforms that actively connect providers with customers on a short-term and payment-by-task basis. 

— Rajasthan was the first state to pass the Rajasthan Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Act on July 24, 2023. The law mandates registration of gig workers, setting up of a welfare board, with one-third of its members to be women. It also levies a fee on aggregators for a welfare fund meant to provide, among other things, health insurance and accident coverage, and imposes penalties of up to Rs 5 lakh for a first offence and up to Rs 50 lakh for subsequent violations.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍How gig workers struggle between flexibility and insecurity

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) With reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2021)

1. All casual workers are entitled for Employees Provident Fund coverage.

2. All casual workers are entitled for regular working hours and overtime payment.

3. The government can by a notification specify that an establishment or industry shall pay wages only through its bank account.

Which of the above statements are correct? 

(a) 1 and 2 only  

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only  

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (UPSC CSE 2021)

 

NATION

India faces challenge in meeting 2030 maternal mortality goals, shows study

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, Social development.

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Population and associated issues, Social empowerment, Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health. 

What’s the ongoing story: A recent study in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, and Women’s Health journal shows the challenge before India in meeting the Sustainable Development Goal of bringing down the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to below 70 deaths per 1 lakh live births by 2030.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)?

— What are the main causes of maternal deaths?

— What are the regional disparities in maternal mortality in India? 

— What is the significance of reducing maternal mortality?

— What are the challenges faced by India in achieving the MMR target of below 70 by 2030? 

— What measures should be taken to reduce maternal mortality in India?

Key Takeaways:

— While the country has successfully brought down maternal mortality numbers from 1.19 lakh in 1990 to 36,900 in 2015 and 24,700 in 2023, the progress has slowed. As per the study, ‘Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors’, while the MMR in India stood at 508 in 1990, it was down to 116 deaths per lakh live births in 2023.

— India accounted for one-tenth of all maternal mortality numbers in 2023, the study says, putting the total deaths globally at 2.4 lakh.

— The study also shows that 100 of the 204 countries and territories covered had reached the 2030 SDG target of below-70 MMR by 2023. Of the 104 not yet meeting the target, 15 had MMR in the range of 70 to 100, 16 between 100 and 140 (including India), and 73 MMR greater than 140.

— Apart from India, the countries struggling to meet the SDG 2030 target include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Pakistan.

— Given the low starting point, India, however, remains among countries to have seen the most substantial improvement in MMR since 1990, along with Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Morocco, Nepal and Rwanda.

— Dr Anjali Radkar, a demographer and former Professor and Head, Centre for the Study of Social Inclusion, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, says that within India, while the South and some states are on course to achieving the SDG target by 2030, the overall MMR is being pulled down by states such as Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

— As per the Sample Registration System (SRS), which is the major source of fertility and mortality rates in India, while India’s MMR declined from 122 per one lakh live births in 2015-17 to 88 in 2021-2023, MMR in Assam came down from 215 to 110 in the same period, and in UP, from 197 to 141, Radkar pointed out.

— The demographer advised targeted action, including by strengthening primary healthcare systems, with a focus on maternal and child health. “When child mortality declines, fertility rates tend to decrease as well. Lower fertility in turn, contributes to a reduction in maternal mortality… This integrated approach can play a key role in reducing MMR,” she said, adding that unless maternal mortality was reduced, the global SDG goals for maternal health would also remain out of reach.

— As per the Lancet study, haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders – easily preventable – accounted for nearly half (above 40%) of the maternal deaths in 2023. Setbacks to general healthcare during Covid are believed to have played a role in the slide seen in 2020-21.

Do You Know:

— Maternal mortality is defined as deaths due to obstetric complications or comorbid disorders exacerbated by pregnancy, up to 1 year after the end of the pregnancy, irrespective of the method by which pregnancy ended.

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Which of the following can contribute to reduction in maternal mortality?

1. Strengthening primary healthcare

2. Decrease in fertility rate

3. Reduction in child mortality

Select the correct answer using the code below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

How Naxal deadline was met with a two-pronged approach

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism.

What’s the ongoing story: M.P. Nathanael writes: With the deadline of March 31 met, Union Home Minister Amit Shah was exuberant in declaring in the Lok Sabha on March 30 that “Naxalism has been more or less wiped out from Bastar” and with that, from the country, too.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know the history of Naxalism in India from origin to its spread and decline

— What is the link between development and spread of extremism?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to curb naxalism?

— Understand the difference between Naxalism, Maoism, and Left-wing Extremism (LWE)?

— What is the SAMADHAN Framework?

— How socio-economic issues contribute to LWE?

— What are Red corridors?

Key Takeaways:

— Meeting the deadline was made possible not only by acceding to the logistical and infrastructural demands of the security forces to counter the Maoists but also by focusing simultaneously on the development of the region.

— What appeared to be an insurmountable task was the road connectivity in Abujhmarh area, which was a bastion of the Maoists where their writ ran large. Efforts to construct roads were thwarted by the Maoists as it would facilitate the forces to rush anywhere in the region in a short time.

— The onerous task of constructing roads was initially entrusted to the Border Roads Organisation under the security umbrella of the CRPF as private contractors feared to tread in the area. Once the construction of roads began, the private contractors came forward.

— With more than 5,000 mobile towers installed in Abujhmarh and neighbouring areas and thousands of mobile sets given to the villagers, access to the outside world was wide open. 

— Hard intelligence began to flow while the Maoists were cut off from the villagers. The combination of human intelligence and technical intelligence led to the security forces gaining an upper hand, with relentless operations yielding the desired results.

— The 21-day operations conducted by the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and the Central Reserve Police Force in the Karregutta hills on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in May last year proved to be a turning point. Over 31 Maoists were killed while others escaped by dispersing in small groups into Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

— Left rudderless, those who are still wandering in jungles may soon join the mainstream to enjoy the alluring rehabilitation schemes being implemented by the affected states.

— Rather than stating that Naxalism has been completely wiped out, the Home Minister chose to say that it has “been more or less wiped out” as two top leaders — Mupalla Lakshmana Rao (Ganapathy) and Misir Besra (Sagar) — are yet to surrender. Their surrender would mark the end of Naxalism in India.

Do You Know:

— While often conflated, Maoism, Naxalism, and Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) have distinct origins. Maoism is based on Mao Zedong’s doctrine of agrarian revolution and guerrilla warfare. Its Indian variant emerged with the 1967 Naxalbari uprising, leading to the broader Naxalite movement. 

— Over decades, this transformed itself into factions, with the CPI (Maoist) becoming the dominant group in 2004 through the merger of the People’s War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC). LWE is the term used by the Indian state to categorise such insurgencies within a national security framework. 

— Emerging from the Naxalbari uprising of 1967, early Naxalite groups framed India as a “semi-feudal, semi-colonial” society in which only armed peasant war could deliver land and dignity. 

— Over decades, they spread across what became known as the “Red Corridor”—from forests of Andhra and Telangana to tribal belts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha—by embedding themselves among landless peasants, Dalits and Adivasis for whom the formal state was distant, predatory or violently absent.

— Studies of LWE consistently flag structural drivers: skewed land relations and failed land reforms; bonded labour and caste-based oppression; displacement without rehabilitation due to dams, mines and industry; corruption and brutality in forest and police bureaucracies; and exclusion of Adivasi communities from decisions over land and forests. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍‘IPS – Not for Power, but Purpose’: The man who built the C-60 and faced 26/11 reveals the 1 question in UPSC interview that defined his career

📍How did India’s Maoist insurgency collapse, and can it rise again?

📍What lies ahead as Centre mounts offensive against Maoists

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

📍Naxalism is a social, economic and developmental issue manifesting as a violent internal security threat. In this context, discuss the emerging issues and suggest a multilayered strategy to tackle the menace of Naxalism. (UPSC CSE 2022)

📍Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) has been declared as the biggest internal security threat to India. Examine the role of governance and development in countering LWE in affected regions. (UPSC CSE 2022)

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

India has rare opportunity to re-imagine neighbourhood policy. Trade is key

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. 

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations. 

What’s the ongoing story: C. Raja Mohan writes- “Barely a few months ago, it was all gloom and doom about India’s neighbourhood policy. Delhi was consumed by hand-wringing about why and how India “lost” the Subcontinent. The downturn in relations with Dhaka after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina sharpened that acute sense of loss. The question now is different. Can India seize the opportunities for a reboot of regional policy triggered by new political developments across the neighbourhood?”

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Neighbourhood First policy?

— What is the status of India’s relationship with the neighbouring countries? 

— What is the Gujral doctrine?

— How do domestic affairs shape the foreign policy of a nation?

— What are the significance and challenges of India’s neighbourhood-first policy?

— What are the challenges in India’s trade policy with neighbouring countries?

— What steps need to be taken to strengthen the cooperation between India and its neighbouring countries? 

— Map work: India and its neighbouring countries and bordering states.

Key Takeaways:

— “In Bangladesh, the elections in February handed Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party a massive mandate. Rahman’s emphasis on “Bangladesh First” opens the door for a mature, unsentimental, interest-based relationship with Dhaka. Over the last decade, Bangladesh has emerged as India’s most important neighbourhood partner. The deep economic interdependence built over this period appears to have survived the political toxicity of the last 20 months, but the relationship now needs fresh political impetus.”

— “Nepal’s transition has been equally striking. The sweeping victory of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the rise of Balendra Shah mark a generational political shift, one that offers an opportunity to move beyond the old cycle of distrust. India must shed the rhetoric of a “special relationship” in favour of one grounded in equality and genuine respect for Nepal’s sovereignty.”

— “Sri Lanka had, in fact, begun the positive evolution of the region. Colombo, too, has a new generation in charge since the 2024 elections. It has been moving toward pragmatic engagement with Delhi and breaking free from the historical political animosity that long coloured the ruling party’s relationship with India.”

— “Taken together, these transitions present India with a rare opportunity to reimagine its regional policy. The biggest possibilities are in trade.”

— “For decades, India’s regional trade policy has been hobbled by self-defeating protectionism. It has taken a peculiarly perverse trade policy in Delhi to defeat India’s natural advantages of geography and economic history. Despite the 4,000-kilometre border with Bangladesh and a narrow Palk Strait separating peninsular India from Sri Lanka, the West remains the main destination for their exports while China is the dominant source of imports.”

— “India remains Nepal’s largest trading partner — but barely. Delhi has systematically neutralised the extraordinary legacy of an open border through poor infrastructure and countless non-tariff barriers. The Indian trade negotiators who rail against Western protectionism become its staunchest defenders when it comes to neighbours. Despite ambitious rhetoric on regional cooperation and neighbourhood-first, Delhi’s trade policy towards the region has remained hidebound and out of step with India’s own national interests.”

— “India objects to its massive trade deficit with China yet runs substantial surpluses with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Delhi finds it difficult to offer its neighbours the very market access it demands from Beijing. The answer is not for India to export less but to import more — and to do so through stronger investment ties, trade facilitation, and modernised border infrastructure.”

— “A genuine transformation of connectivity between India, Bangladesh, and Nepal would provide a major boost to South Asia’s poorest parts in the eastern Subcontinent. This transformation will require both unilateral steps by Delhi and negotiated give-and-take. It will involve guardrails, for example, on rules of origin. Trade policy cannot rest on generosity; it must rest on the recognition of shared benefits and political ownership.”

— “The new governments in Dhaka, Kathmandu, and Colombo represent electorates that have rejected old forms of dependency and clientelism. They are not looking for patrons; they are looking for partners. Agreements must produce visible, measurable benefits on both sides. Connectivity must improve, markets must open, and economic cooperation must translate into jobs, exports, and growth — for India’s neighbours and for itself.”

Do You Know:

— Neighbourhood First policy guides India’s relations with countries in its immediate neighbourhood. It focuses on creating mutually beneficial, people-oriented, regional frameworks for stability and prosperity through the building of physical, digital and people-to-people connectivity.

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) Consider the following pairs: (UPSC CSE 2016)

	Community sometimes mentioned in the news	In the affairs of
1.	Kurd	Bangladesh
2.	Madhesi	Nepal
3.	Rohingya	Myanmar

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 and 2

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

ALSO IN NEWS
RBI extends export realisation timeline amid persistent global disruptions, supply chain risks	In a response to the persistent geopolitical uncertainties and supply chain disruptions in West Asia, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday announced the continuation and expansion of key relief measures aimed at supporting exporters struggling to meet payment realisation deadlines. The central bank said it has been receiving multiple representations from stakeholders highlighting difficulties in adhering to prescribed timelines for the realisation of export proceeds. These challenges are largely attributed to the ongoing logistical bottlenecks and uncertainties arising from the West Asia crisis.
India may get first Iran crude since 2019 after tanker signals Gujarat port as its destination	An oil tanker carrying Iranian crude is signaling India as its destination, marking the first potential delivery of Tehran’s crude to India since May 2019. Amid the raging West Asia war, the US on March 21 suspended for a month the sanctions on Iranian crude already loaded on tankers in a bid to allow as many barrels of oil as possible to flow into the international market to improve the global oil supply situation and curb spiraling crude oil prices. The waiver from Washington was similar to the one issued for Russian oil earlier in March.
Problems and precedent in the US seizing Kharg	Amid repeated assertions by US President Donald Trump that he may send American troops to seize control of Iran’s key oil export terminal at Kharg Island, experts are divided about whether this military manoeuvre would indeed work out, especially given the defiance and doggedness of the Iranian regime. There is a precedent. And that ended in disaster. Kharg — a small 8-km-long coral outcrop in the Persian Gulf around 50 km off the Iranian mainland — is strategic, given that it is arguably Iran’s most sensitive economic target through which most of Iran’s oil exports flow. On an average, around 1.5 million barrels of oil pass through Kharg every day, though Iran had sharply ramped up volumes to 3 million barrels a day since mid-February in anticipation of a US-led attack. A further 18 million barrels are stored on Kharg as a backup, JP Morgan said in a note. There are three problems in Trump’s plans to cut off Kharg. One, capturing the site would likely trigger a sustained increase to already surging oil prices, as this would amount to neutralising almost all of Iran’s daily crude exports. Two, for America to utilise the infrastructure on the island for its own benefit, oil has to flow from the Iranian mainland to Kharg. Tehran can simply turn the valves off, rendering the entire operation into an exercise in futility. Third, just like the Russian struggled to hold on to Snake Island, the Americans could find it difficult to hold on to it, given that troops could take fire from the Iranian mainland, or from Iranian vessels in the Gulf.

 

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