UPSC Key: India-US relations, Infant mortality rate, and Special Intensive Revision

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

What’s the ongoing story: Since the India-US bilateral chill set in on August 6, when US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25% tariff as a penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil, the first tentative sign of a possible thaw came — exactly a month to date.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the history of India-US relations?

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

— Read about the imposition of 50% tariff by US on India. 

— What are India’s import and export trends with regard to the US?

— What are the key developments in India-US relations in the various sectors?

— Read about the 21st edition of Yudh Abhyas. 

Key Takeaways:

— In a turn that has, of late, come to characterise the policy see-saw in the White House, Trump said Friday in the Oval Office that India and the US have a “special relationship” and “there is nothing to worry about.”

— Hours later on Saturday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he “deeply” appreciated and “fully” reciprocated “President Trump’s sentiments and positive assessment of bilateral ties.”

— Modi’s statement is his first direct response on the issue since Trump announced his global tariff regime and 25 per cent on Indian goods in April, and added an extra 25 per cent last month over India purchasing Russian oil.

From the Economy Page “ New US tariff orders impact Indian exports worth $15 million”

— President Donald Trump’s latest executive order on tariffs exemption covers just $15 million of Indian exports to the US, according to a study by Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

— The order issued on Friday added to the list of products exempted from reciprocal tariffs 44 new products. These include industrial exports such as nickel, gold and other metals, as well as pharmaceutical compounds and chemicals. 

— India’s shipments in these newly exempt items totalled just $15.2 million in 2024-a negligible share of its overall exports to the US, founder of GTRI Ajay Srivastava said.

—  With these additions, the value of India’s exports to the US that are tariff-exempt rises to $28.4 billion, or 31.3 per cent of total exports of $91.2 billion in 2024, GTRI said. GTRI notes that the changes highlight Washington’s use of tariffs as a trade and security tool but confirm that, for India, the commercial implications remain minimal given the very limited volumes of the newly exempt products.

Do You Know:

— The US is India’s largest trade partner, with bilateral trade reaching almost $120 billion in FY24 — slightly higher than India’s China trade. However, unlike China, India’s trade relationship with the US is favourable, which makes the US a vital source of foreign exchange.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Jaishankar hits out at US tariff, says talks on, ‘lines not cut’

Previous year UPSC Mains Questions 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)

Near Corbett, another tiger success story plays out: 29 more big cats since 2022

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: A special annual survey undertaken by the forest department of Uttarakhand to estimate the number of tigers in the Ramnagar division, adjoining Corbett Tiger Reserve, has shown a sharp jump over three years, The Indian Express has learnt. 

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the status of Tigers in India?

— How do tigers function as an umbrella species and why is their conservation critical for biodiversity?

— Know about the All India Tiger Estimation.

— What is Project Tiger?

— Read about the Corbett Tiger Reserve. 

— What is the role and function of the National Tiger Conservation Authority?

— What are the major tiger reserves in India?

— What is the conservation status of Tiger?

— What is the International Big Cat Alliance?

Key Takeaways:

— According to a report based on the survey, undertaken by the department’s Ramnagar division along with the World Wide Fund for Nature, the number of tigers grew from 67 (as per the All India Tiger Estimation in 2022) to 96 (as of July 2025). The survey report has been submitted to the department, it is learnt.

— The survey used 1,059 camera trap pictures to arrive at this number. The survey, as part of phase 4 ahead of the All India Tiger Estimate, which will start in October, was undertaken by the division. Usually, it is undertaken only by tiger reserves, an official said. Ramnagar shares boundaries with Corbett and is a buffer zone.

— The survey was done to assess the results of the Forest Landscape Restoration implemented over the last three years. Ramnagar Division has areas where villagers are dependent on the forest for their day-to-day needs. The increase is seen as a success by the department, as it indicates a successful restoration of the landscape.

— The source said that though this is a manifestation of the successful implementation of the Project Tiger, officials are aware of the challenges it poses when it comes to human-wildlife conflict in the region.

— The phenomenon of tigers outside tiger reserves was explained in a recent paper in the Science Journal, indicating how tigers in India occupied 30 per cent more area between 2006 and 2018, along with sharing space with about 6 crore people in 45% of tiger-occupied habitats. 

— With nearly 30% of the country’s over 3,600 tigers outside tiger reserves, these tigers often prey on cattle and herbivores near human settlements, increasing chances of human interface and conflict. Being territorial, they also push out co-predators like leopards to areas outside forests, thus adding to the conflict risk. Data showed that 382 people were killed in conflict with tigers between 2020 and 2024. Ramnagar division has seen 13 human deaths by tiger between January 2022 and 2025.

— The funding in these areas is disproportionate, as many tiger reserves in the country, while enjoying ample resources, do not have as many big cats. A Tiger Reserve receives funds from the Project Tiger, apart from tourism revenue and funding from the Tiger Conservation Foundation. However, there is a lack of funds for divisions neighbouring these reserves, even if the number of tigers is higher than in the reserves.

Do You Know:

— India has 58 tiger reserves with the latest addition of Madhya Pradesh’s Madhav National Park.

— A tiger reserve in India is a designated area established under the Project Tiger initiative to ensure the conservation of tigers and their habitats. These reserves are part of the government’s efforts to protect the tiger population, maintain biodiversity, and restore ecological balance.

— The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change constituted under enabling provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, for strengthening tiger conservation, as per powers and functions assigned to it under the said Act.

— The NTCA conducts the All India Tiger Estimation to track the big cat numbers, usually in cycles of four years. As per the 5th cycle summary report of 2022, India has a minimum of 3,167 tigers and is home to more than 70% of the world’s wild tiger population.

— The IUCN status of the tiger is endangered, and it is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | Why Tigers Matter: Environmental, cultural, and economic significance of India’s apex predator

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”? (UPSC CSE 2020)

(a) Corbett

(b) Ranthambore

(c) Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam

(d) Sundarbans

(2) The term ‘M-STrIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of (UPSC CSE 2017)

(a) Captive breeding of Wild Fauna

(b) Maintenance of Tiger Reserves

(c) Indigenous Satellite Navigation System

(d) Security of National Highways

Pan-India SIR: EC to meet CEOs, seeks inputs on other eligibility papers

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution. 

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act, Constitution of India — features, significant provisions and basic structure

What’s the ongoing story: In a step towards conducting a nationwide Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the Election Commission is set to hold a conference of Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of all states and Union Territories on September 10 to review preparedness, The Indian Express has learnt.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Special Intensive Revision?

— What is the purpose of conducting the Special Intensive Revision?

— How is it different from the National Register of Citizens (NRC)?

— What is the constitutional backing for conducting SIR?

— What are the concerns related to SIR?

— Read about the Election Commission of India, its powers and functions. 

Key Takeaways:

— Significantly, the EC is learnt to have sought suggestions from CEOs on additional documents that can be submitted by electors to prove their eligibility, including citizenship. For the ongoing SIR in Bihar, the EC had given an indicative list of 11 documents which included passport, birth certificate and caste certificate, but left out Aadhaar, ration card and the EC’s own Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC).

— The EC’s SIR order has been challenged through a batch of petitions in the Supreme Court, where the next hearing is scheduled for September 8. Apart from challenging the EC’s authority to conduct a check of citizenship, the petitioners have also questioned the rationale behind exclusion of these commonly-held documents.

— According to sources, the EC is likely to order the SIR for the rest of the country with January 1, 2026 set as the qualifying date — those who are 18 years old by January 1 next year can apply. In its June 24 order, the EC had said it would conduct the SIR for the entire country, but rolled out the exercise for Bihar first as Assembly elections are due in the state. For the remaining states and UTs, it had said orders would be issued in due course.

— In its June order, the EC had said that an intensive revision of electoral rolls was last conducted in 2003 and that due to urbanisation and migration, there was a possibility of repeated entries in the electoral rolls. “Thus, the situation warrants an intensive verification drive to verify each person before enrolment as an elector,” it had said.

— The electoral rolls are summarily revised every year and before each election, with additions and deletions made to the existing rolls. This time, the EC is preparing the rolls afresh. 

— For the SIR exercise in the rest of the country, the exact timelines, documents and cut-off dates will be known when the EC issues an order. For the annual Special Summary Revision, which also has the qualifying date of January 1, the EC starts preparing in August every year. 

Do You Know:

— Article 324(1) of the Constitution gives the ECI the power of “superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of the electoral rolls for, and the conduct of” elections to Parliament and state legislatures.

— Under Section 21(3) of The Representation of the People Act, 1950, the ECI “may at any time…  direct a special revision of the electoral roll for any constituency or part of a constituency in such manner as it may think fit”.

— The Registration of Electors’ Rules, 1960, says the revision of rolls can be carried out “either intensively or summarily or partly intensively and partly summarily, as the [ECI] may direct”. In an intensive revision, the electoral roll is prepared afresh; in a summary revision, the roll is amended.

— Special summary revisions take place every year, and the electoral roll is updated before each Lok Sabha and state Assembly election. Intensive revisions have been carried out in 1952-56, 1957, 1961, 1965, 1966, 1983-84, 1987-89, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2002, 2003 and 2004.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Yogendra Yadav writes on Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls: An attack on the right to vote

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. The Election Commission of India is a five-member body.

2. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs decides the election schedule for the conduct of both general elections and bye-elections.

3. Election Commission resolves the disputes relating to splits/mergers of recognised political parties.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful? (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

OPINION

On Nehru’s China trip, a shared concern: The US

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: Rishika Singh writes- “Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Tianjin, China, in what was his first trip to the country in seven years. Several commentators viewed the uncertainties brought on by the Donald Trump administration as having pushed the two nations to deepen their relationship. While not the only factor, the global political context becomes difficult to ignore when countries deal with one another, even when they are neighbours.” 

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the history of India-China relations?

— What are the areas of cooperation and conflict between India and China?

— India-China Border Dispute- Know the background

— Read about the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

— What was the Panchsheel Treaty?

Key Takeaways:

— “This was witnessed even in the first official visit by an Indian Prime Minister to China, where the Communists had come to power in 1949. Amid the emergence of Cold War rivalries, India was the first non-Communist nation to accord diplomatic recognition to China in 1950.”

— “It was perhaps natural, then, for Jawaharlal Nehru to visit Mao Zedong in China in 1954, becoming the first non-Communist foreign leader to do so. The New York Times then quoted Nehru as saying that he regarded the trip “as the most important foreign mission of his life”.

—”Nehru arrived in China on October 19. In his book, Nehru’s Bandung, author Andrea Benvenuti wrote that Indira Gandhi also accompanied her father.”

— “Mao and Nehru engaged in wide-ranging discussions about colonial rule (Britain in India, and China witnessing unequal European trade treaties and Japanese rule), Asian politics, the United States, and more.”

— “On October 19, their first meeting was held at the Zhongnanhai, a complex in Beijing that houses government offices. Mao began by underlining their commonalities: “China was bullied by Western imperialist powers for over 100 years. Your country was bullied even longer, for more than 300 years… In spite of differences in our ideologies and social systems, we have an overriding common point, that is, all of us have to cope with imperialism.”

— “He noted that several problems were yet to be addressed: “Taiwan is still in the hands of the US” and “the level of our industrial development is lower than that of India…”. Nehru concurred on the subject of colonisation and reiterated the need to follow the Five Principles (Panchsheel) on mutual respect for sovereignty and non-aggression. The agreement had been signed just a few months before their meeting, and was also invoked in Tianjin recently.”

— “While he had a more positive view of Europe than Mao, Nehru shared his critical assessment of the US…Nehru said, “The US is not mature. It is very difficult for the US to understand the many things that it dislikes and, at the same time, are happening in the world.”

— “In the meeting on October 23, another point of divergence emerged on the question of future global wars, which Mao viewed according to Communist principles: “If another war is fought, the bulk or whole of West Asia and Africa and the whole of Latin America will shake off imperialism.”

— “Nehru argued, “Sometimes the result of a war is good, such as leading to people’s liberation and testing people’s capacities for endurance. But it can also cause human beings to become more brutal and thus downgraded. Therefore, on every count, war has to be avoided by every possible effort.”

— “Finally, Mao said, “There is no tension between China and India. Our two countries do not wage psychological warfare…”.

— “It was not to last. An uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet led to the 14th Dalai Lama fleeing and seeking refuge in India in 1959, emboldening Chinese suspicions of India attempting to influence Tibet. The 1962 war further dealt a major blow, with Nehru criticised for not anticipating the threat from China. After 1954, the next visit by an Indian PM to China would only happen more than three decades later, with Nehru’s grandson Rajiv Gandhi.”

Do You Know:

— The Panchsheel Agreement, formally titled The Agreement on Trade and Intercourse with the Tibet Region, was signed on April 29, 1954, by N. Raghavan, India’s Ambassador to China, and Zhang Han-Fu, China’s Foreign Minister.

— The agreement’s preamble laid down five guiding principles, known as the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence:

1. Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty

2. Mutual non-aggression

3. Mutual non-interference in internal affairs

4. Equality and mutual benefit

5. Peaceful coexistence

— The aim was to boost trade and cooperation between India and China. It included:

• Establishment of trade centres in key cities of both countries

• A clear framework for bilateral trade

• Provisions for religious pilgrimages, including designated routes and passes for pilgrims

— Significantly, India formally recognized Tibet as the Tibet Region of China for the first time under this agreement.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍China’s ‘Five Principles’ of foreign policy: how it started, where it stands now

📍Explained: China-India state of play

📍A reconnection in Tianjin 

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) “Belt and Road Initiative” is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of : (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) African Union

(b) Brazil

(c) European Union

(d) China

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’, In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbour. (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

GOVT & POLITICS

Kerala Infant mortality rate down to 5, lower than US, says minister

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

What’s the ongoing story: Kerala’s infant mortality rate is down to 5 per 1,000 live births, according to the Sample Registration System (SRS) Statistical Report-2023.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)?

— What are the trends in India’s IMR in the last decade as per the SRS, 2023?

— What is the significance of the Sample Registration Survey data in evaluating child health outcomes in India? 

— What are the factors behind the reduction in infant mortality in India?

— Why are there interstate differences in IMR in India?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to reduce the IMR?

Key Takeaways:

— The report, released earlier this week, says that the national average is 25 per 1000 live births. Citing the report, Kerala health minister Veena George said that the state’s infant mortality rate is lower than that of the US, which has a rate of 5.6 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2022. She said Kerala’s infant mortality rate is the lowest in the country.

— Over the years, Kerala’s infant mortality rate has gone down due to the sustained efforts in the health sector.

— According to the state economic and statistics department, Kerala’s infant mortality rate was 7.42 in 2010. The figure had gone up to 8.2 in 2012, since then it has been brought down over the years.

— The state vital statistics of 2023 shows that most of the child births in both the rural and urban areas are institutional deliveries. As many as 96.16 per cent of deliveries out of total deliveries in rural sector and 99.88 per cent of deliveries out of total deliveries in urban sector are reported as institutional births during 2023.

Do You Know:

— Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka have reduced their infant mortality rate (IMR) by more than half over the last decade, registering the biggest gains on a vital indicator of child health on which consistent progress has been made across the country.

— The latest data from the 2023 Sample Registration Survey shows that India’s IMR dropped more than 37 per cent in the last decade, from 40 deaths per 1,000 births in 2013 to 25 in 2023.

India’s IMR fell below the world average around 2021, and has been showing a faster decline than the global rate. But it still compares unfavourably to the average for Asia, where the IMR is around 17.4.

— The IMR for the country has improved by one point from the previous year, but over the last five years, the average improvement has been 1.4 points.

— Kerala remains the only big state with a single-digit IMR. It saw the death of just five infants below the age of one per 1,000 births, a rate comparable to most developed countries. But the state happens to have the largest difference in the IMRs of boys and girls — nine compared to two.

— Smaller states such as Manipur, Sikkim and Goa also have single-digit IMRs, as do nearly all Union Territories.

— Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, with IMRs of 37 each, have the worst rate in the country, followed by Odisha and Assam (30 each).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Further drop in infant mortality, big gains for Himachal & Delhi

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(5) With reference to the infant mortality rate from the latest data of the 2023 Sample Registration Survey, consider the following statements:

1. India’s IMR has increased in the last decade.

2. Kerala remains the only state with a single-digit IMR.

3. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have the worst rate in the country, last with IMRs of 37 each.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

J&K RS Polls: Why EC pitched for a presidential order for its seats 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues.

Mains Examination: : General Studies-II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure.

What’s the ongoing story: Last month, the Union Law and Justice Ministry turned down the Election Commission (EC)’s request for a presidential order to stagger the terms of Jammu and Kashmir’s four Rajya Sabha seats, which run concurrently. 

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are the constitutional provisions related to the Rajya Sabha?

— What is the composition of Rajya Sabha?

— Read about the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

— Who forms the electoral college for Rajya Sabha elections in a state/UT?

— What does Article 83 of the Constitution say about the Rajya Sabha’s continuity?

— What is the role of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, in regulating the tenure of Rajya Sabha members? 

— Compare Rajya Sabha’s power with the Lok Sabha.

— Which Union Territories have representation in the Rajya Sabha?

Key Takeaways:

— The EC asked for the presidential order to ensure that the four seats do not become vacant at the same time and the Union Territory remains continuously represented in the Upper House. The Law and Justice Ministry, however, said there was no provision in law for such an order.

— The four Rajya Sabha seats of J&K have been vacant since 2021 as the terms of the MPs at the time ended while the UT was under President’s rule. While the J&K Assembly elections took place in September-October 2024, the EC has yet to hold the elections for the Rajya Sabha seats from the UT, leading to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah questioning the delay. The electoral college for the Rajya Sabha elections is made up of the MLAs of the State or UT.

— The Commission first wrote to the Legislative Department of the Law Ministry earlier this year, asking for a presidential order to curtail the terms of some of the Rajya Sabha seats of J&K so that they do not end at the same time.

— A similar presidential order was issued after the first-ever Rajya Sabha election in 1952 to stagger the terms of the seats so that all of them did not end after the stipulated six-year term.

— Under Article 83 of the Constitution, one-third of Rajya Sabha members retire every second year. It is a permanent House as opposed to the Lok Sabha that has a fixed five-year term.

— While all Rajya Sabha seats began with such a staggered approach, the terms of some seats in certain states have become concurrent due to the imposition of Emergency and President’s Rule over the years. In the case of J&K, the cycle has been disturbed since the 1990s.

— Section 154 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 says that the term of office of the member of the Council of States would be of six years. But, in order to make it a continuous House, presidential orders were issued twice.

— It adds in sub-section 2: “Upon the first constitution of the Council of States the President shall, after consultation with the Election Commission, make by order such provision as he thinks fit for curtailing the term of office of some of the members then chosen in order that, as nearly as may be, one-third of the members holding seats of each class shall retire in every second year thereafter.”

— Further, it says that “one-third of the members may retire on the second day of April, 1958”. On the expiration of every second year thereafter, the President shall, “as soon as may be after the commencement of the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, after consultation with the Election Commission, make by order such provisions as he thinks fit in regard to the terms of office of the members elected…”

— This means that the R P Act only allowed for a presidential order after the constitution of the first Rajya Sabha in 1952 and then again as per a Constitutional amendment in 1956.

— Any presidential order to curtail the term of some Rajya Sabha seats now would require an amendment to the R P Act and would have to be for all such states and UTs affected, not just J&K.

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(6) Rajya Sabha has equal powers with Lok Sabha in: (UPSC CSE 2020)

(a) the matter of creating new All India Services

(b) amending the Constitution

(c) the removal of the government

(d) making cut motion

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