UPSC Key: India-Brazil Relations, Delhi declaration on AI Impact, and Trump raises tariffs

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the history of India-Brazil bilateral relations.

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Brazil?

— What do you understand by the term “Global South”?

— What are critical minerals and rare earth?

— What are the recent agreements signed between India and Brazil?

— Know about the Global Biofuel Alliance and Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure.

— What are the multilateral organisations in which both countries are members?

— Read about the Mercosur.

— What are the potential areas where both nations can cooperate?

Key Takeaways:

— This was the most pointed reference to the rising trade and tariff tensions between the US and China. Incidentally, Brazil and India were two countries hit with 50 per cent tariffs last year by US President Donald Trump.

— Meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi for bilateral talks a day after the US Supreme Court struck down the Trump tariffs, Modi and Lula agreed to work together and voice the concerns of the Global South.

— The two countries firmed up an agreement on critical minerals and rare earth, a joint declaration on digital partnership and signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) for cooperation in the areas of mining, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), healthcare and traditional knowledge system.

— “President Lula’s visit has enhanced the historic AI Impact Summit and given new energy to our strategic partnership,” Modi said.

— Pointing out that this was his sixth visit to India, Lula said, “The meeting between India and Brazil is a meeting of superlatives. We are not just the two biggest democracies of the Global South. This is a meeting of the world’s pharmacy with the world’s barn, and a digital superpower with a renewable energy superpower. We are both mega-diverse countries and hubs of cultural industry, and we both defend multilateralism and peace. The invitation by Prime Minister Modi for this State visit and also to attend the AI Impact Summit shows the mutual trust that binds us together.”

— Modi said, “Our cooperation in technology and innovation is important for both countries, as well as for the entire Global South. I am pleased that we are working on establishing a Centre of Excellence for Digital Public Infrastructure in Brazil. We are also prioritising our cooperation in areas such as artificial intelligence, supercomputers, semiconductors, and blockchain. We both believe that technology must be inclusive and become a bridge for shared progress.”

— On the pact on critical minerals, Modi said, “The agreement reached on critical minerals and rare earths is a major step towards building resilient supply chains. Our cooperation in the defence sector is also steadily growing. This is a great example of mutual trust and strategic synergy. We will continue to strengthen this win-win partnership.”

— Underlining that Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in Latin America, Modi said, “We are committed to taking bilateral trade beyond $20 billion in the next five years. Our trade is not just a figure, it’s a reflection of trust. The large business delegation accompanying the President reflects this confidence. The expansion of the India-Mercosur trade agreement will further strengthen our economic cooperation.”

— On energy ties, Modi said, “Energy cooperation has been a strong pillar of our relationship. In addition to hydrocarbons, we are also accelerating cooperation in several areas including renewable energy, ethanol blending, and sustainable aviation fuel. Brazil’s active participation in the ‘Global Biofuel Alliance’ reflects our shared commitment to a green future.”

— Brazil has also proposed co-chairing the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, and Modi said he congratulated Lula for this initiative and that “Brazil’s extensive experience in this field will significantly contribute to further strengthening the CDRI”.

Do You Know:

— India and Brazil share a warm, close and multi-faceted Strategic Partnership, rooted in shared democratic values, close people-to-people ties and expanding cooperation across key sectors. 

— Modern-day diplomatic ties between India and Brazil were established in 1948, soon after India gained independence in 1947. In 1961, Brazil opposed India’s ‘Operation Vijay’ that liberated Goa from Portuguese rule, and Indo-Brazil relations did not flourish for many decades.

— However, in the 1990s, both India and Brazil undertook economic reforms, following which, the trade relations between the two countries expanded. According to the MEA, in 2024-25, bilateral trade reached $12.20 billion, with Indian exports to Brazil amounting to $6.77 billion and imports from Brazil totalling $5.43 billion.

— Major Indian exports to Brazil include processed petroleum products (diesel), agrochemicals (insecticides, fungicides), chemicals, pharmaceuticals, engineering products, textured filament yarn, and unwrought aluminium. Brazilian exports to India included crude oil, soya oil, gold (non-monetary), raw sugar, cotton, gum, wood and turpentine oils, chemicals (carboxylic acids) and iron ore and concentrates.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍3 things to know about India’s ties with Brazil 

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following statements:

1. Brazil is India’s largest trade partner in Latin America.

2. Diplomatic ties between India and Brazil were established in 1948.

3. Brazil opposed India’s ‘Operation Vijay’ in 1961.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

US & China among 88 signatories to Delhi declaration on AI Impact

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate; Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

What’s the ongoing story: From a charter on “democratic diffusion” of artificial intelligence (AI) to pool shared resources, to a voluntary network of scientific institutions to connect those researching on AI around the world, 88 countries and international organisations, including the United States, China, France, Australia and the UK, signed the ‘New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact’ — the key outcome document of the five-day India AI Impact Summit — on Friday.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application?

— Know the key highlights of the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact.

— What are open-source AI services? Why is India promoting it?

— What do you understand from sovereign AI?

— What are the challenges faced by the developing countries as the world is embracing the impact of AI?

— What are the steps needed to be taken for democratising Al?

— What are the opportunities and challenges posed by AI?

— What are the initiatives taken by India to integrate AI?

Key Takeaways:

— This marks a diplomatic victory for India, as it managed to convince a wide range of countries to endorse the declaration. At the AI Action Summit in Paris last year, the US and the UK had declined to sign the declaration, with the former flagging Europe’s regulatory approach towards AI as an issue. The Indian Express had reported on the contours of the declaration on February 18.

— Through the declaration, India has maintained the focus on its key pitch ahead of the AI Summit — “democratising” AI, while respecting the sovereignty of countries — a move which government officials say will counter the general direction of AI development in the West, where the technology is concentrated in the hands of a few companies and individuals. However, the next step — getting all the signatories to actually implement the commitments in the declaration — would be the real challenge, given that all the endorsements are voluntary in nature.

— The declaration sets a number of voluntary frameworks and platforms that countries have said they will participate in, to share AI resources, use cases, and expertise, among other things. For instance, it states that the signatories have agreed to a “Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI”, under which they will “promote access to foundational AI resources, support locally relevant innovation, and strengthen resilient AI ecosystems while respecting national laws”.

— Similarly, signatories have also taken note of the “Global AI Impact Commons” as a voluntary initiative that provides a practical platform to encourage and enable the adoption, replication, and scale-up of successful AI use cases across regions.

— Recognising the importance of security in AI systems, industry-led voluntary measures, and the adoption of technical solutions and appropriate policy frameworks that enable innovation while promoting public interest throughout the AI’s lifecycle, the signatories have endorsed a “Trusted AI Commons”, a collaborative platform consolidating technical resources, tools, benchmarks and best practices that can access and adapt to their contexts.

— With an aim to remove structural barriers and increase the availability of AI research infrastructure to promote its use in scientific research and development across countries, the declaration has endorsed the creation of an “International Network of AI for Science Institutions”, as a platform to connect scientific communities and pool AI research capabilities across regions among participating institutions, in order to accelerate the impactful adoption of AI.

— Recognising the need for people to upskill and reskill, the signatories have also endorsed voluntary guiding principles for reskilling in the age of AI and the playbook on AI workforce development, which would support participants in preparation for a future AI driven economy. For creating AI systems that are resilient, the declaration also noted “Voluntary Guiding Principles on Resilient, Innovative, and Efficient Artificial Intelligence”.

Do You Know:

— Artificial Intelligence is the ability of machines, especially computers, to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include things like understanding language, recognising patterns, solving problems, and making decisions. 

— Essentially, AI enables machines to think and learn from experience, just like humans do, but often at a much faster pace with access to vast amounts of data.

— AI can be classified into two types: Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) also known as weak AI and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) also referred to as strong AI. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Fortune and future in AI, not fear… it’s for global good: PM

📍India pitch: Democratising AI, respecting sovereignty

📍Knowledge Nugget | AI Impact Summit 2026 and beyond: What are the must-know AI-related initiatives of India?

📍Artificial intelligence’s larger promise—together, let’s keep it

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(2) With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units

2. Create meaningful short stories and songs

3. Disease diagnosis

4. Text-to-Speech Conversion

5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does AI help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in healthcare? (UPSC CSE 2023)

Trashing US top court, Trump raises new tariff to 15% from 10%

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

What’s the ongoing story: A day after the US Supreme Court struck down his sweeping tariffs, President Donald Trump slammed the ruling, calling it “ridiculous, poorly written and extraordinarily anti-American”, and announced a blanket 15 per cent levy for 150 days on goods imported into the US from around the world.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)? 

— What is Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974?

— What was the rationale behind imposing reciprocal tariffs by the Trump administration?

— What tariffs did the US Supreme Court strike down?

— What is the difference between sanctions and tariffs?

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and the USA?

— How does Trump’s tariff impact the Indian economy?

— What is fentanyl?

— What is the significance of the interim trade deal signed between India and the USA?

— What is the status of the India-US bilateral trade?

Key Takeaways:

— He raised it to 15 per cent Saturday after announcing a 10 per cent levy following the verdict on Friday. This means that India now faces a tariff rate of 15 per cent, down from 18 per cent. Earlier in the day, the Commerce Ministry, in a statement, said it was “studying” the implications of the US announcement.

— In a proclamation titled ‘Imposing a Temporary Import Surcharge to Address Fundamental International Payments Problems’, Trump said he was imposing, for a period of 150 days, a “temporary import surcharge of 10 per cent ad valorem” on articles imported into the US, effective February 24. He later increased the tariff to 15%.

— The 15 per cent rate will be applicable to goods from across the world, including India. The White House said Trump was invoking his authority under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which “empowers the President to address certain fundamental international payment problems through surcharges and other special import restrictions”.

— The fact sheet noted that some goods will not be subject to the temporary import duty because of the needs of the US economy or in order to ensure the duty more effectively addresses the fundamental international payments problems facing the US.

— The goods include certain critical minerals, metals used in currency and bullion, energy, and energy products; natural resources and fertilizers that cannot be grown, mined, or otherwise produced in the US or grown, mined, or otherwise produced in sufficient quantities to meet domestic demand; certain agricultural products, including beef, tomatoes, and oranges; pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, etc.

— With the US Supreme Court invalidating Trump’s imposition of reciprocal tariffs, the dynamics of the India-US trade deal are set to change. Both countries are yet to legally sign the agreement, which has been nearly a year in the making. While Washington had already decided to lower the tariffs on India to 18%, US Customs was yet to lower the tariffs on Indian goods – it will now come down to 15%.

— Switzerland-based think tank Global Trade Alert (GTA) said the removal of IEEPA  (International Emergency Economic Powers Act) tariffs would have reduced the trade-weighted average US tariff rate from 15.3% to 8.3%.

— Since IEEPA tariffs varied considerably across trading partners, their removal had the potential to significantly reshape competitive conditions facing exporters to the US, the GTA said.

From the Economy Page- “Trump hikes tariffs from 10% to 15%: What’s next for the world”

Hours after the US Supreme Court struck down Donald Trump’s signature economic policy, the American President signed a proclamation using an alternative law — Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 — to impose a new 10% temporary tariff on goods from all countries. 

—.The court essentially took a battering ram to Trump’s tariff wall erected using the IEEPA — a law no previous President has used to impose tariffs.

— The conservative-majority court effectively restored the US Congress’s primacy in trade policy. It invalidated Trump’s country-specific reciprocal tariffs and fentanyl-linked duties imposed on imports from major trading partners.

— The ruling significantly constrained the US President’s ability to weaponise tariffs, forcing the federal administration to find other ways to go about implementing his trade agenda. To be clear, the ruling specifically affects Trump’s IEEPA tariffs. Tariffs on key goods such as steel and aluminium under other provisions are not affected.

— The three major implications

— First, the new tariffs put most countries on an even keel, at least for now, instead of the differential tariffs that Trump had slapped on each country using the now illegally-applied 1977 law, the IEEPA. 

— This could undermine America’s recent trade deals with the UK, Japan, EU, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the one under negotiation with India. Now, all countries — Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and India — will face a 15% tariff rate. The earlier 10% rate initially announced by Trump on Friday was baseline tariff under IEEPA, irrespective of a deal.

— Second, Section 122 allows the temporary imposition of 15% tariffs for up to 150 days in response to “fundamental international payments problems”. While the use of these tariffs will buy some time for the Trump administration, the problem for them is that the provision has never been used and, like IEEPA, will face legal challenges. Also, what happens after 150 days is unclear. At that point, the administration would have to go to the US Congress, which means this solution is temporary.

— Third, Trump and his administration would now have to painstakingly put his tariff wall back together, brick by brick. The blanket use of IEEPA is not an option now. While the use of Section 122 is temporary, the use of Section 232 and Section 301 offers much less flexibility and warrant formal investigations before they are levied. 

— That would dent Trump’s method of using tariff threats and forcing negotiations with affected trading partners at gunpoint. But the need for investigations and findings can make levies harder to challenge once they are in place, but would take time to run its course. Given that tariffs remain Trump’s signature policy, he will resort to all possible means to route back his tariff wall, in whatever limited manner, a government official said.

From the Front Page – “IEEPA not lone arrow in the quiver: Trump’s options, limitations”

— With the US Supreme Court striking down his imposition of reciprocal tariffs through the use of the IEEPA, US President Donald Trump has indicated that his administration will continue with its tariff policy using other legislation at its disposal.

— Experts said a fresh investigation could result in tariffs higher than those imposed under the IEEPA. Since the other legislations also have limitations, the Trump administration used the IEEPA.

— Last year, arguing before a court in an IEEPA case, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick had flagged the limitations of other legal tools available to the administration to tackle rising trade deficits, particularly with countries like China.

— Lutnick told the Court of International Trade that the alternatives – such as Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 – are not designed for national emergencies, are procedurally time-consuming, and do not permit immediate action.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Despite US tariffs hike to 15%, most countries better off: Where India, others stand

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India-US Interim Trade Deal: Backdrop, key highlights, gains, and concerns

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Consider the following statements:

1. India’s agricultural export to the United States has consistently increased from 2020 to 2025.

2. India maintained a trade surplus in agricultural exports to the United States in the last decade.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable examples. (UPSC CSE 2019)

Bangladesh set to resume full visa ops for Indian nationals

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: Over a month after Bangladesh put in place a “technical pause” on issuing visas to Indians for non-essential travel, Dhaka is learnt to be in the process of resuming full visa operations.

Key Points to Ponder:

— How was the India-Bangladesh relationship in the past under Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) rule?

— Evaluate the India-Bangladesh bilateral relations of the past 2 years.

— Know the history of the India-Bangladesh relations.

— What are the areas of cooperation between both countries?

— What is the issue related to Sheikh Hasina in the India-Bangladesh relationship?

— What is the significance of Bangladesh for India?

— What is the Neighbourhood First policy of India?

— Suggest measures that India can take in order to overcome the challenges in the India-Bangladesh relationship?

Key Takeaways:

— While there is no official announcement or notification yet, sources said that with the Bangladesh elections having been held peacefully and a new BNP government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in place, visa services are in “restart mode”.

— While some in Delhi view this as an outreach by the new government, sources played down the development, saying resumption of visa services was to take place on a routine basis.

— According to the sources, India is expected to reciprocate and normalise visa services, but a final call will be taken later.

— Bangladesh had put in place a “technical pause” on visas for non-essential travel in early January, in view of the sensitive situation in the run-up to the February 12 elections. However, it continued to grant visas to Indians who had to travel for urgent work or emergency or humanitarian grounds.

— Earlier, India had imposed restrictions on visas for Bangladeshi nationals after August 5, 2024, when the then Sheikh Hasina government was ousted. On December 23 last year, consular and visa services at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi were temporarily suspended because of “unavoidable circumstances”, according to a notice issued by the mission.

— Following the election of the Tarique Rahman government, India has reached out to Dhaka — from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone call and congratulatory message to the BNP chief on his victory, to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attending the swearing-in ceremony.

— Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who also went for the swearing-in ceremony, met Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafique Rahman, too. The Jamaat has emerged as the second largest party in Parliament.

— Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met Rahman on December 31, and expressed confidence that Khaleda Zia’s “vision and values” would “guide the development of the partnership”. All these are seen as positive outreach towards Dhaka, and Rahman reciprocated by not making any anti-India statements during his election campaign.

From the Opinion Page-In Bangladesh, strains from the past shape its present

— Sumit Ganguly writes- “The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has won a clear-cut victory, securing 212 of the 299 parliamentary seats. Tarique Rahman, the son of former BNP leader and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who was in exile since 2008 is now officially the PM. However, the BNP’s principal opposition, the Awami League, was not allowed to participate in the polls.”

— “Several questions immediately come to mind. How will the BNP govern the country, riven by political turmoil since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina? How are relations with India, its principal neighbour, likely to evolve? How will Dhaka handle its recently strengthened ties with Pakistan? Will it continue to maintain warm relations with the People’s Republic of China? It is too early to offer definitive answers to these questions. It is, however, possible to make some tentative, educated guesses about the likely policy directions and choices of this nascent government.”

— “Proffering initial answers requires delving into the history and evolution of the BNP since its inception in 1978 under General Ziaur Rahman. Zia, of course, had come to power in 1977 following the sanguinary aftermath of the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975. Zia, while ruthlessly suppressing opposition and surviving multiple assassination attempts, held a largely free and fair election in 1979, in which his newly formed party won a parliamentary majority. His tenure in office, however, proved to be short-lived. Amid the country’s tumultuous politics, he too was assassinated in 1981 during another successful military coup. This coup brought General Hussain Muhammad Ershad to office.”

— “During General Zia’s tenure, the country shed some of its secular orientation. In an ironic twist, given that Zia had fought for the country’s liberation in 1971, he sought to improve relations with Pakistan. Quite unsurprisingly, these moves did not endear him or his regime to New Delhi. A decade later, his widow, Khaleda Zia, assumed power as military rule in Bangladesh came to a close.”

— “In the interim, especially under General Ershad, Bangladesh had increasingly moved away from its original secular foundations. Instead, religion was progressively enshrined in the country’s politics, with Islam being declared the state religion in 1988. It was hardly surprising that Begum Zia, upon assuming office, continued this drift.”

— “Given that the country’s politics are riven along these lines and given the right-of-centre orientation of the BNP, it will bear watching how it proceeds to deal with the country’s steadily dwindling minority Hindu population, which has declined from about 12 per cent in 1981 to around 8 per cent today. Even though the BNP, with a firm majority in parliament, is not dependent on Jamaat-e-Islami, it will nevertheless be inclined to nod towards the growing religiosity that has come to characterise the country’s politics in recent decades.”

— “How it negotiates these shoals will, inevitably, affect its relations with New Delhi. Additionally, given its historic pro-Pakistani orientation, its diplomatic overtures towards Islamabad will be of interest to India. Already, under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh had, among other measures, granted preferential access to its ports to Pakistan and strengthened defence ties. Given the BNP’s ideological leanings and its long-standing scepticism of India, the outreach towards Islamabad may continue under the new political dispensation.”

— “Finally, even before the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, China had made diplomatic and military inroads into Bangladesh. It is all but certain that the new government will do little to stem those trends, especially as it can utilise that relationship to reduce its dependence on India for trade and investment.”

— “In effect, the BNP’s win will, in all likelihood, accelerate several currents that have come to characterise Bangladesh’s domestic and foreign policies in recent years, especially under Yunus’s interim government. Under these circumstances, policymakers in New Delhi will face significant challenges. Addressing them and managing bilateral ties will require skill, patience and imagination. Even as Bangladesh’s election is worthy of celebration, several fraught issues loom on the horizon, both in terms of its domestic and foreign policy.”

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Bangladesh Crisis and India: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

📍Modi first to reach out, but Delhi-Dhaka ties not simple

📍BNP landslide gives India a chance for a reset in ties

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.

2. River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.

3. River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Critically examine the compulsions which prompted India to play a decisive role in the emergence of Bangladesh. (UPSC CSE 2013)

 

ECONOMY

Why French President Macron urged India to ‘join the club’ and ban social media for kids

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. 

Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II, III: Effects of globalisation on Indian society, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Awareness in the fields of IT. 

What’s the ongoing story: During his keynote address at the India-AI Impact Summit Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron called on India to consider banning social media for children, an appeal which is bound to cause tremors among companies such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat.

Key Points to Ponder:

— How is social media impacting different sections of the society?

— How does it typically impact the children?

— How is social media a double-edged sword?

— What is the regulatory framework for social media in India?

— What are the criticisms related to the ban?

— Social media exposes under 16 to cyberbullying, stalking, grooming, and harmful and hateful content. What needs to be done to address this in India?

Key Takeaways:

— Since Australia banned use of the platforms for those under the age of 16 last year, it was widely anticipated that many countries around the world could join the bandwagon, amid heightened concerns over the impact that social media can have on children’s mental health.

— Addressing the AI Impact Summit, Macron said France, as the current G7 chair, will work towards ensuring the protection of children against AI and digital abuse. “This is why in France we are embarking on a process to ban social networks for children aged under 15 years,” he said, adding that Spain and several other European countries are going to take a similar step and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “join the club”.

— Though India is yet to make up its regulatory mind on the issue, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw recently said the Centre was discussing age-based restrictions with social media companies. As such, calls for such a move have been gaining traction in India.

— At least two Indian states — Andhra Pradesh and Goa — are eyeing a social media ban for children. India’s data protection framework states that tech companies offering services to those under 18 years will have to seek consent from parents.

— India’s framework also bars behavioural tracking and targeted advertising to children. It has been notified but is yet to come into effect.

— Last month, the Economic Survey 2025-26 also called on the government to implement age-based limits for social media usage for children and digital ads targeted at them. The Survey’s recommendation stemmed from larger concerns surrounding “digital addiction” among young users.

— It also stated that simpler devices, such as basic phones or education-only tablets, should be promoted among children along with enforced usage limits and content filters. This could reduce their exposure to harmful material, including violent, sexual, or gambling-related content, the Survey said.

Do you Know:

— Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to enforce a minimum age for social media use, requiring platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Snap to block over a million accounts of users below the age of 16. The Australian law, which has drawn criticism from tech companies but support from parents, is likely to set a template for a broader global push to tighten regulation of young users’ online safety.

— Under Australia’s Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, age-restricted platforms will be expected to take “reasonable” steps to find existing accounts held by under-16s, and deactivate or remove those accounts, prevent them from opening new accounts, including prohibiting any workarounds that may allow them to bypass the restrictions. Platforms must also have processes to correct errors if someone is mistakenly missed by or included in the curbs, so that no one’s account is removed unfairly.

— According to the Australian government, the restrictions aim to protect young people from “pressures and risks” that users can be exposed to while logged in to social media accounts. These come from design features that encourage them to spend more time on screen, while also serving up content that can harm their health and wellbeing. Earlier, the country’s eSafety Commissioner had in a survey found that over 50% of young Australians have faced cyberbullying on social media platforms.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Economic Survey calls for social media age limit: How this will this tackle digital addiction

📍In Australia’s social media ban, template for the world

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Social Media, the double-edged sword: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. Service providers

2. Data centres

3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Questions Covering similar theme:

Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. (UPSC CSE 2023)

Social media is triggering ‘Fear of Missing Out’ amongst the youth, precipitating depression and loneliness. (UPSC CSE 2024)

Despite late inclusion, why Pax Silica matters for India’s AI, tech hopes

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests, Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian Economy.

What’s the ongoing story: India on Friday (February 20) signed the Pax Silica declaration on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, formally entering the American-led strategic initiative to counter China’s dominance in artificial intelligence and technology supply chains.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is Pax Silica and its member countries?

— How is India’s joining of Pax Silica significant?

— What is the use of silicon?

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and the USA?

— Read about the India-US trade deal.

Key Takeaways:

— The Donald Trump administration had launched the grouping on December 12, but left India out of its first list.

— It was only a month later that the new US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, announced that India would be invited to join the initiative, striking a conciliatory note amid the trade tensions that were prevailing between the two countries, before the agreement on a trade deal framework was struck.

— Pax Silica is a US-led initiative to counter China’s dominance in new age sectors such as critical minerals that has created a wide gap in the price points of Chinese products and those produced elsewhere. 

— According to the US, Pax Silica is aimed at bringing “friendly and trusted” countries together to reduce “coercive dependencies”, protect materials and capabilities “foundational to artificial intelligence”, and “ensure aligned nations can develop and deploy transformative technologies at scale”. 

— The fine print issued by the US State Department after the initiative was launched in December says the move aims to build a “secure, prosperous, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain” to secure access across the AI stack, from minerals and chips to security and logistics.

— Measures under Pax Silica include pursuing new joint ventures and strategic co-investment opportunities, protecting sensitive technologies and critical infrastructure from undue access or control by countries and building trusted technology ecosystems, including Information and Communication Technology (ICT) systems, fibre-optic cables, data centres, foundational models and applications. India, for instance, has had concerns over China’s involvement in critical infrastructure, such as telecom.

— While India has concerns over China’s involvement in India’s critical infrastructure, such as telecom, the West has worries over extreme dependence on China. The US has been engaged in a trade war with China to decouple due to the widening trade gap, and India has been positioning itself to get a share of the manufacturing supply chain shift.

— The US initiative intends to sideline China and India naturally sees itself in being part of such an initiative. But the lack of processing capacity and expertise is the primary reason why India did not make the cut right at the outset. 

— It was seen as lacking the critical edge technologies or access to resources that Pax Silica is targeting, and is not a major repository of critical minerals.

— That is not the case with the list of eight countries that Pax Silica brought together, each of which have some sort of a lead in AI or semiconductor supply chains — Japan, Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the UAE and Australia.

— Pax Silica aims to build secure supply chains — ranging from critical minerals and energy inputs to advanced manufacturing and semiconductors. All of these are areas of concern for India.

— It is significant because it signals the manner in which the next global tech order could take shape as countries regroup in strategic sectors involving a Chinese presence. Grouping such as Pax Silica could cohesively work to address supply chain chokepoints next.

— India’s presence in Pax Silica could help New Delhi’s growth in technology-heavy sectors, which it currently lacks, deepening its import dependency. Overall, this is expected to power India’s late-start and growth in the semiconductor mission and the AI race. 

Do You Know:

— In June 2023, India was inducted into the MSP, a US-led collaboration of these 14 countries that aimed to catalyse public and private investment in critical mineral supply chains globally.

— A joint India-US statement issued on June 23, 2023, had then reiterated the intention of the two governments “to work together to ensure that our respective markets are well-supplied with the essential critical minerals” and reaffirming a pledge by the two sides “to hasten bilateral collaboration to secure resilient critical minerals supply chains”, welcomed India into the grouping.

— MSP partners include Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (represented by the European Commission).

— The MSP grouping is focused on the supply chains of minerals such as Cobalt, Nickel, Lithium, and also the 17 ‘rare earth’ minerals. The alliance is seen as primarily focused on evolving an alternative to China, which has created processing infrastructure in rare earth minerals and has acquired mines in Africa for elements such as Cobalt.

— In January 2025, India launched a National Critical Mineral Mission to help achieve self-reliance in the critical mineral sector. In 2023, the Centre also identified 30 critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin and copper, which are essential for the country’s economic development and national security.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍After a month on the sidelines, US brings India into Pax Silica: What changed, why does it matter?

📍India enters Pax Silica: Despite late inclusion, why the US-led grouping still matters for New Delhi

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(6) Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called ‘rare earth metals’. Why? (UPSC CSE 2012)

1. China, which is the largest producer of these elements, has imposed some restrictions on their export.

2. Other than China, Australia, Canada, and Chile, these elements are not found in any country.

3. Rare earth metals are essential for the manufacture of various kinds of electronic items and there is a growing demand for these elements.

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

ALSO IN NEWS

Centre asks states to wrap up household survey by April-end

The centre  has urged the states to complete by April-end the first-of-its-kind household survey of particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), which has been planned to capture last-mile data on delivery of an array of central and state schemes, The Indian Express has learnt. The survey also comes at a time when the Tribal Affairs Ministry has asked the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India to consider including PVTGs in the upcoming national census exercise.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (d)  2. (b)  3. (b)   4. (b)  5. (d)  6.(c)

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