UPSC Key: India-US interim trade deal, ISM 2.0, and Minister without a House seat

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the evolution of India-US relations.

— What are the major agreements signed between India and the US?

— Know the key highlights of the India-US Interim deal.

— What is the significance of the India-US trade deal? How important is it for India?

— What was the impact of US reciprocal tariffs on India?

— What is the status of India’s oil import from Russia?

— Know the profile of India’s oil import and how it has shifted in the recent years.

— What is a tax holiday?

— Read about the GM (genetically modified) food products and concerns associated with it. 

 — What are the concerns of the agricultural sector with the India-US trade deal?

Key Takeaways:

— At a media briefing, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal underlined that the government has safeguarded sensitive sectors, keeping in mind the interests of domestic farmers and milk producers. “This will open a $30 trillion market for Indian exporters, especially MSMEs, farmers and fishermen. The increase in exports will create lakhs of new job opportunities for our women and youth,” he said.

— As the joint statement on the framework reaffirmed the commitment of the two countries to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, US President Donald Trump, through a separate executive order, removed the additional 25 per cent tariff imposed on Indian goods over Russian oil purchases saying India was “committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil”. US officials will monitor and recommend reinstating the tariff if India resumes oil imports from Russia.

— While the US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent, India will eliminate or cut down import duties on all US industrial goods and a range of American food and agricultural products. The first phase of the pact is expected to be signed by mid-March.

— India has secured concessions on certain aircraft and aircraft parts, tariff rate quota for automotive parts and generic pharmaceuticals and has eliminated duty on bike, automobiles, industrial goods, as well as “wide range” of US food and agricultural products, including soybean oil, tree nuts and fresh and processed fruit among others.

— Commerce Minister Goyal told reporters that Indian products such as tea, coffee, vegetable oil, cashew nut, banana, mango and papaya will enter the US at zero duty. US had in November itself exempted food items from reciprocal tariffs following pushback from American consumers.

— He said India has safeguarded sensitive sectors and has not extended any duty concessions on meat, poultry, all dairy products, GM (genetically modified) food products, soy meal, maize, cereals, millets like jowar, bajra, ragi, kodo, amaranth, fruits like banana, strawberries, cherries, and citrus fruits.

— He clarified that India has not got concessions on Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminium and copper, saying India will not lose competitiveness on these items as the Section 232 tariffs are the same for all countries.

— The joint statement said India “intends” to purchase $500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next five years. “In the event of any changes to the agreed-upon tariffs of either country, the United States and India agree that the other country may modify its commitments,” it stated.

— Government officials said India has given market access to American bikes and automobiles, agreeing to zero-duty access to US motorcycle manufacturers for bikes with engine capacities of 800-1,600 cc that would help the entry of Harley-Davidson, addressing one of Trump’s chief concerns in the run-up to the trade deal.

— As India announced a tax holiday for data centres, the joint statement said the two countries will “significantly increase trade in technology products”, including Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and other goods used in data centres, and expand joint technology cooperation.

From the Front Page- “25 per cent penalty is off, monitoring of Russian oil imports in”

— Six months after it imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on India over its purchase of Russian oil, the Trump administration Saturday issued an executive order lifting the penalty.

— It said India has “committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil”, that “it will purchase United States energy products from the United States, and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defense cooperation over the next 10 years”.

— The Trump administration has put in place a mechanism to “monitor whether India resumes directly or indirectly” import of Russian oil. The three elements – stopping Russian oil imports, buying energy from the US and boosting defence cooperation – are part of the larger strategic deal between India and the US.

— There was no immediate response from Delhi on the announcement about Russian oil. But on February 5, in first remarks since Trump’s statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “agreed to stop buying Russian oil” and “to buy much more from the US and, potentially, Venezuela”, and that “this will help end the war in Ukraine”, the Ministry of External Affairs said India was “diversifying energy sourcing” in keeping with “objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics”.

— This step puts India in a diplomatically difficult position. After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India had increased oil imports since Moscow was offering discounted rates. Delhi’s rationale was that its decision was guided by commercial interests since it wanted to cushion the inflationary impact of crude price hikes, and so it was buying from the lowest rate-offering countries, and Russia was the most competitive in that area. India also said that the government was not involved in the process of buying oil, and it was the companies that made the decisions.

— This worked well until Trump assumed office last year. Failing to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine despite attempts over six months, he began squeezing the biggest buyers of Russian energy. India, as a result, faced the heat – and the 25 per cent tariff penalty for buying Russian oil.

— In the last few months, India’s Russian oil imports have declined steadily to a three-year low, as per tanker data. This followed US sanctions against Russia’s top oil producers and exporters Rosneft and Lukoil. 

From the Front Page- “Farm give and take: Cheaper livestock feed, challenge on soyabean”

— India has not opened up its market to imports of soyabean, corn (maize), fuel ethanol, cotton or dairy and poultry products from the United States, going by the joint statement on an “interim” bilateral trade agreement released by the two countries on Friday.

— What India has agreed upon, instead, is to grant greater market access through elimination or reduction of tariffs for other American farm produce: Distiller’s Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), soyabean oil, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, wine and spirits, and “additional products”.

— These, on the face of it, don’t represent significant threats to Indian farmers, given their limited domestic acreage or production. But it may not be as simple. To start with, the “additional products” are not specified.

— Then take DDGS, which is basically a byproduct of ethanol manufactured from corn and other cereal grains. After ethanol is produced from fermentation of the starch in corn or rice and separated through distillation, the wet grain mash that remains is further dried. The resultant so-called DDGS is a protein-rich material that is a relatively low-cost alternative livestock feed ingredient.

— The protein source that Indian poultry, cattle and aqua feed makers normally use is the residual de-oiled cake (DOC or meal) obtained after extraction of oil from soyabean, cottonseed, groundnut, mustardseed or rice bran. These are much costlier than DDGS.

— To put things into perspective, the US is the world’s largest producer and exporter of corn as well as ethanol and DDGS derived from this feed grain. While India has shut itself to imports of American corn and ethanol for fuel use (i.e. blending in petrol and diesel), it has agreed to open up to DDGS from the US. 

— The Indian poultry, dairy and aqua industry will benefit from the increased availability of cheaper and probably better-quality DDGS from the US. That the DDGS is derived from genetically modified (GM) corn is another matter though.

— India’s livestock sector could also gain from reduced or zero duty imports of red sorghum (jowar) for animal feed. The US is the world’s biggest producer and exporter of sorghum.

— The main loser in the bargain would be Indian soyabean farmers and processing industry, apart from local ethanol grain-based distilleries that sell DDGS from maize and rice as a byproduct. 

From the Front Page- Why closing the deal marks a decisive break in Delhi-DC dynamic

— C Raja Mohan writes- “India’s interim trade deal with the United States marks a clear inflection point in New Delhi’s engagement with Washington. It decisively breaks from the defensive instincts that long shaped India’s negotiations with America and positions it well to navigate the emerging geo-economic contestations of the world with greater confidence.”

— “Moving beyond the old anxieties that framed every engagement with the US as a threat to sovereignty or strategic autonomy, the agreement reflects a more assured India, willing to operate in a complex global economic order on the basis of mutual benefit. India’s negotiating culture is finally catching up with its growing economic weight and geopolitical salience.

— As the political class and commentariat pore over the details, the most striking feature of the debate is that it is not really about the merits of the agreement. Instead, it is about India’s evolving relationship with the United States itself.”

— “That an accord with Washington attracts far more scrutiny than similar deals with the UK or Europe is hardly surprising. Had Delhi concluded a comparable agreement with Moscow—imagining for a moment that Russia had a large economy—or with a Beijing willing to grant meaningful market access, and wrapped it in the rhetoric of multipolarity, the domestic response would likely have been uncritical applause, with little interest in the fine print.”

— “Yet, neither Russia nor China offers a serious alternative to economic engagement with the US and Europe. India exports barely $5 billion worth of goods to Russia and around $15 billion to China, compared to nearly $80 billion each to the US and Europe.”

— “Still, elite discomfort persists — not with the terms of the agreement, but with the identity of India’s partner. Fear of American arm-twisting, deeply embedded in India’s postcolonial political culture, had begun to ebb as bilateral ties expanded over the last two decades. That progress was interrupted amid US President Donald Trump’s rough-and-ready approach to trade talks with India.”

— “The White House’s approval of a balanced deal, whose broad outlines had been on Trump’s desk for months, signals a more pragmatic turn in Washington’s approach. As economic benefits begin to accrue, India’s own exaggerated anxieties about doing business with the US are likely to diminish.”

From India-US Interim Deal Page- No major change in pharma, better access likely for medical devices

— Despite several rounds of tariffs imposed by the United States (US), India’s generic pharmaceutical industry has largely remained unscathed. And, there is unlikely to be any change in the sector after the interim India-US trade deal. Experts, however, have called for reciprocal regulatory ease, considering it is much harder for Indian companies to get approvals in the US.

— When it comes to medical devices, the joint statement said: “India agrees to address long-standing barriers to the trade in US medical devices.” The lowered tariff of 18 per cent is likely to aid India’s growing medical devices sector. “India’s medical device exports to the US have grown from $714.30 million in FY2024 to $782.57 million in FY2025, registering a healthy 9.55 per cent year-on-year growth, underscoring both scale and momentum. This agreement further provides a significantly larger opportunity for Indian medical device manufacturers to accelerate their growth in the US market,” said Himanshu Baid, Managing Director, Poly Medicure.

— Non-tariff barriers such as approval processes in the United States have been a significant challenge for Indian manufacturers, with the new deal giving hope to manufacturers that these would be addressed. 

— The United States accounted for 34.5 per cent of India’s total pharmaceutical export in FY2025, valued at $10.5 billion. To compare, the next biggest buyer was the United Kingdom that accounted for 3 per cent of the country’s total pharmaceutical export, valued at just $913.9 million, according to data from Pharmexcil. For the US, India continues to be important as it supplies 47 per cent of all generic medicines prescribed in the US.

From the Economy Page- ‘Greater GPU access, more investment in data centres’

— As part of their interim trade agreement, India and the United States have announced that they will “significantly increase trade in technology products, including Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and other goods used in data centers, and expand joint technology cooperation”.

— This comes as India has announced a tax holiday for foreign companies setting up data centres in India, slashed by half the budgetary allowance for its flagship AI mission under which it looked to subsidise compute costs for the country’s startups, and its iPhone exports are booming.

— Since India does not have a local GPU production capacity, with American companies like Nvidia leading the race globally, it is understood that New Delhi will import these commodities to meet the ever-growing compute needs of its startups building AI models and applications.

— Under the recently announced Union Budget, the allocation for the IndiaAI Mission to Rs 1,000 crore in 2026-27 from Rs 2,000 crore this fiscal year, raising concerns over the country’s AI push. India’s Rs 10,370 crore IndiaAI Mission subsidises GPU access for startups and researchers developing AI models.

— Under the Mission, about 40,000 GPUs have been installed so far, which is widely considered as not enough computing capacity for companies, especially given that individual American companies leading the AI race have access to significantly more computing capacity.

— However, the agreement between New Delhi and Washington to increase trade in GPUs is a different approach than what was adopted under the former US President Joe Biden. Ahead of leaving office last year, the Biden administration released an expansive regulatory framework on the export of GPUs, and placed restrictions on India on how many GPUs it can import from the country, as part of a broader national security push. Soon after President Trump took charge, the measure was set aside.

— From that perspective, India has managed to sign favourable terms under the interim trade agreement and has done well to escape any kind of export control measure on GPUs, like the one that the US has imposed on China, which prohibits Beijing from directly importing the most cutting edge technology on offer – though the measure has seen dilution in recent weeks.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Tree nuts, soyabean oil, fresh fruit imports from US set to go up

📍India agreed to ‘stop’ Russian oil import, raise US energy buys, says Trump order

📍India–US interim trade deal framework: 10 key takeaways

📍Easing of tariffs is good news, but engagement with US now comes with statutory warning

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) In the context of global oil prices, “Brent crude oil” is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply? (UPSC CSE 2011)

1. It is a major classification of crude oil.

2. It is sourced from the North Sea.

3. It does not contain sulfur.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 2 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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)

 

POLITICS

Trust has become India’s strongest currency: Modi

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.

What’s the ongoing story: India has seen a “massive transformation” in the last decade and is now seen as a “trusted partner for growth”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Malaysia Saturday, citing recent trade deals with various countries including the UK and the US.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the history of India-Malaysia relations?

— What are the areas of cooperation between both countries?

— What is a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership?

— What is India’s Act East Policy?

— Read about the deals recently signed by India with various countries. 

— What is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its member countries?

— Read about Thiruvalluvar. 

— Map work: Locate Malaysia and other ASEAN member countries on a map.

Key Takeaways:

— “Whether it is the UK, UAE, Australia, New Zealand, Oman, the EU or USA, countries have trade deals with India. Trust has become India’s strongest currency,” Modi said at an Indian community event in Kuala Lumpur hours after arriving on a two-day official visit. He was received at the airport by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim. Modi’s comments came on a day India and the US announced the framework for the interim trade deal.

— Modi also made a strong cultural pitch for the three million-strong Indian diaspora in Malaysia, with a huge section tracing their roots to Tamil Nadu. “The Tamil diaspora has been here for many centuries. Inspired by this history, we are proud to have established the Thiruvalluvar Chair in the University of Malaya. We will now set up a Thiruvalluvar Centre to further strengthen our shared heritage,” he said. 

Malaysia is home to nearly three million people of Indian descent — the second-largest Indian diaspora globally — with an overwhelming majority of Tamil origin. (PTI Photo)

— The Thiruvalluvar Chair of Indian Studies at University of Malaya is aimed at promoting academic and cultural exchange between Malaysia and India, focusing on Indian studies.

— Speaking at the event, Malaysian PM Ibrahim recalled the ancient ties between the two nations “long before embassies and trade agreements” came in vogue. “I am personally excited to have a great friend from India joining us in Malaysia,” he said.

— “India or Bharat is among Malaysia’s top trading partners. It is not only goods that move between us, but in 2025, over 1.5 million Indian visitors came to Malaysia,” Ibrahim said.

— Both prime ministers are scheduled to hold bilateral talks on Sunday. New Delhi is looking at opportunities for collaboration with Kuala Lumpur in the defence sector, with the sale of Dornier aircraft, and maintenance of Scorpene submarines and SU-30 aircraft, the Ministry of External Affairs has said.

— This is PM Modi’s third visit to Malaysia, and the first since the two countries elevated their bilateral relations to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’ in August 2024.

— Malaysia is an important partner for India in the ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region, and a key pillar in India’s Act East Policy. Last year, PM Modi had met PM Ibrahim on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. PM Modi participated virtually in the 22nd ASEAN-India Summit convened in Kuala Lumpur in October 2025.

Do You Know:

— Malaysia has a 2.9 million-strong Indian diaspora, the third-largest in the world, and the second-largest PIO community (2.75 million).

— The ‘Look East’ policy of India was formulated in 1992. The stated aim of the ‘Look East’ policy was to improve the level of relations between India and the countries in Southeast Asia and project India as a counterweight to China since many of the Southeast Asian countries perceived China as a threat to their security. The thrust of the ‘Look East’ policy initially was mainly economic relations and trade. However, due to the rise of China, a strategic dimension was added to it. 

— Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s ‘Act East’ policy in 2014. The ‘Act East’ policy can be explained as a diplomatic initiative to promote India’s economic, strategic and cultural relations with the Asia-Pacific region.

— It is the evolution of India’s ‘Look East’ policy towards the Asia-Pacific region. The ‘Act East’ policy allowed India to deepen its relations with the countries in the region which had concerns regarding China’s growing economic and military might.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍PM Modi embarks on 2-day visit to Malaysia, aims to deepen defence, economic ties

📍Knowledge Nugget | ASEAN in Focus: Expansion, India ties and key takeaways for the UPSC Exam

📍India’s evolving engagement with Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post-Cold War international scenario. (UPSC CSE 2016)

Wildlife committee clears irrigation project in core of Durgavati reserve

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and development.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: The standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) has recommended approval for the diversion of about 272 hectares of forest for the Kopra medium irrigation project in the core area of the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, which was notified in 2023 to compensate for the loss of over 100 sq km of tiger habitat due to the Ken Betwa river-linking project.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is a Tiger Reserve?

— What is the Ken Betwa river-linking project?

— What are the concerns related to the Ken-Betwa river-linking project?

— How do irrigation and river-linking projects affect tiger reserves and wildlife corridors?

— Why is compensatory afforestation provided for forest diversion?

— Read about the National Board for Wildlife and National Tiger Conservation Authority.

— Map work: Locate Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary, and other tiger reserves in Madhya Pradesh on map.

Key Takeaways:

— As part of the project, irrigation reservoirs will be constructed within the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, along the Byarma River and the Kopra River. It aims to provide irrigation for domestic use and 9,900 hectares under Rabi crops in Sagar district, and 13 villages will be submerged. In lieu of the diversion of 272 hectares of forest land, 310 hectares of revenue land within the tiger reserve will be reserved for compensatory afforestation.

— The tiger reserve serves as habitat for tigers within its boundaries and for those dispersing through the landscape. Their movements may be affected by the proposed development, as the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) noted in its comments on the proposal, according to official documents.

— The Kopra River is a tributary of the Sonar River and contributes to the region’s wetland and riparian ecosystem, NTCA said. 

— Notified in 2023 and spread over 2,339.12 sq km, the Durgavati tiger reserve was carved out of the Nauradehi wildlife sanctuary, and is home to tigers, leopards, hyena, sambar, sloth bear, among other species.

— The project was approved in the SC-NBWL’s January 19 meeting, on the recommendation of a site inspection. The inspection was carried out by representatives from the NTCA, the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, the Wildlife Institute of India, the regional Bhopal office of the Union Environment Ministry, and the Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Division last September.

— When the Ken-Betwa river-linking project was recommended in August 2016, the National Tiger Conservation Authority flagged concerns about the loss of over 100 sq km of tiger habitat due to forest diversion and submergence caused by the project’s dam. In light of this loss, it recommended integrating the Nauradehi, Rani Durgavati, and Ranipur wildlife sanctuaries in Uttar Pradesh into the Panna Tiger Reserve. The Veerangana Durgavati and Ranipur tiger reserves were notified in 2023 and 2022, respectively, in compliance with these conditions.

— While approving the project, the SC-NBWL directed the Madhya Pradesh Water Resources Division to ensure that there is no damage to forests, wildlife, or their habitats, the minutes of the meeting show. According to the project details, the irrigation reservoirs will submerge 1,044.52 hectares, of which 716.62 hectares is private land, 59.90 hectares is government land, and 272 hectares is forest land within the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve.

Do You Know:

— 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.

— Tiger reserves consist of extensive areas of land that include both a core zone and a buffer zone. The core area is designated as a national park or sanctuary, providing strict protections for wildlife. In contrast, the buffer zone is a mix of forested and non-forested land that serves various uses. These buffer zones act as transitional areas that support wildlife movement and habitat.

— The state government identifies a suitable area for a tiger reserve based on the presence of a viable tiger population and appropriate habitat. Ecological assessments are conducted, which include studies on the prey base, vegetation, and the area’s potential to support tigers.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge nugget of the day: India’s tiger reserves

UPSC Prelims Previous Year and Practice Questions Covering similar theme:

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

(a) Corbett

(b) Ranthambore

(c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam

(d) Sunderbans

(3) With reference to the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, consider the following statements:

1. It is situated along the Byarma River and the Kopra River.

2. This tiger reserve was carved out of the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary.

3. This tiger reserve was notified in 2025.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1 only

 

OPINION

A chief minister without a House seat: How SC settled the law

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance and Polity.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Constitution of India —historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

What’s the ongoing story: Shyamlal Yadav writes- “Last week, a Wardha-based lawyer, Harshvardhan Shobha Babarao Godghate, wrote to Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, questioning the legality of NCP leader Sunetra Pawar taking oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister since she is neither an elected Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (MLA) nor a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). She was not even a Cabinet minister when the oath was administered to her, he wrote.”

Key Points to Ponder:

— Who is considered a member of the legislature in India? 

— What are powers and functions of members of the legislature?

— What are the constitutional qualifications for becoming a member of the legislature?

— What provisions are provided in the Constitution of India regarding the appointment of ministers who are not members of the legislature?

— Differentiate between elected and nominated members of the legislature?

— What happens if a minister fails to become a member of the legislature within the prescribed time?

Key Takeaways:

— “This discomfort with unelected executives has a long history in India, shaped by the political instability of the late 1960s. However, the legal question was settled long ago — first by Article 164(4) of the Constitution, which permits such appointments for a limited period, and later by a 1971 Supreme Court verdict that upheld the appointment of a Uttar Pradesh chief minister on this basis.”

— “Article 164(4) of the Constitution, allows a person to be appointed as a minister for up to six months without being a member of the legislature, provided they secure membership within that period.”

— “But it wasn’t until the late 1960s — a period marked by a weakening of the Congress and the resultant fractured mandates — that Article 164(4) was tested in political practice, first in Bihar and then in Uttar Pradesh, before the Supreme Court stepped in to settle the legal position.”

— “After the 1967 elections, Bihar produced its first non-Congress government under the Samyukta Vidhayak Dal (SVD), a loose coalition of socialists, Jana Sangh members, and other anti-Congress forces. Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, an MLA of the Jan Kranti Dal, became the Chief Minister. But amid disagreements within and a split in the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP), the SVD government fell, with Bindeshwari Prasad Mandal, a prominent OBC leader, who had formed a separate Shoshit Dal, forming the government with Congress support.”

— “The SVD split forced CM Sinha to resign in January 1968 and the Congress backed Mandal for the CM post. However, there was a hurdle: Mandal was not a member of either House of the Bihar legislature. Aided by the Congress, an ingenious workaround was arrived at.

— “On January 28, 1968, Mandal’s associate Satish Prasad Singh, then 37, was sworn in as Chief Minister. Singh, who had been elected from Parbatta Assembly seat on an SSP ticket in 1967, thus became Bihar’s first OBC Chief Minister. However, two days later, the new CM facilitated Mandal to be nominated to the Legislative Council, after which he resigned. Singh was therefore CM for a deliberately short stint of five days.”

— “Given that Article 164(4) was already in place, there was no bar, at least in constitutional terms, on Mandal taking over as CM, but the provision had never been tested. At least not until a few years later, in Uttar Pradesh.”

— “On March 16, 1971, the Supreme Court relied on Article 164(4) and ruled that a person can be appointed Chief Minister without being an MLA or MLC; that Article 164(4) applies to Chief Ministers; and that such an appointment is valid for up to six months.”

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(4) Consider the following statements:

1. A person who is not a member of the Legislature can be appointed as a Minister.

2. Such a person must become a member of the Legislature within six months.

3. This provision applies only to Ministers and not to the Chief Minister.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1  only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

 

ECONOMY

Vaishnaw: ISM 2.0 to focus on chip design, partners and talent

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

What’s the ongoing story: The India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 (ISM 2.0) will prioritise indigenous chip design, their productisation, attracting ecosystem partners and development of talents, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are semiconductors and their significance?

— What are the characteristics of semiconductors?

— What is the India Semiconductor Mission?

— Why ISM 2.0 ?

—  What is the significance of the indigenisation of the semiconductor ecosystem?

(Thought process: Highlight the significance of indigenisation of the semiconductor ecosystem through connecting it with economy-import bills-India’s mission to atmanirbhar Bharat–look at the semiconductor materials imported from other countries.)

— What are the challenges associated with the manufacturing of semiconductors in India?

— What do you understand about the plug-and-play infrastructure model?

— What is the role of international collaboration in the development of the semiconductor industry in India?

Key Takeaways:

— The minister said the government will continue to work on setting up semiconductor manufacturing plants and target to produce chips as small as 2 nanometer node size.

— “In Semicon 2.0, the topmost priority will be design companies. Design companies, design startups who can design a product, take it to the market, become the next Qualcomm from India, hopefully get that huge innovation, that entire energy which is there in our startups into deep tech. That will be a focus area,” Vaishnaw said.

— The minister said the government will focus on getting the entire ecosystem in the country under ISM 2.0. In Budget 2026-27, the finance minister announced that the centre will come with a second edition of ISM.

Do You Know:

— To sustain India’s semiconductor manufacturing push, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has announced the India Semiconductor Mission 2.0 to produce equipment and materials, design full-stack Indian IP and fortify supply chains. The second iteration of the scheme will also have a focus on industry-led research and training centres to develop technology and skilled workforce in the country.

— The first iteration of the flagship scheme was announced in December 2021 with an outlay of around $10 billion.

— Under the first phase of the India Semiconductor Mission, the Centre extensively focused on setting up the physical infrastructure that can manufacture chips — from a fabrication plant being set up by the Tata Group, to assembly, testing and packaging plants by the likes of Micron Technology, the Tatas, CG power and Kaynes Semicon, among others. However, internally, the government was looking at supporting the broader chip ecosystem, while considering whether sops available for chip packaging — currently at 50% — should be reduced.

— ISM 2.0 allows the government to now have an expanded focus beyond fabs — covering semiconductor equipment, materials, chemicals, design tools, R&D and training and supply-chain resilience.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍FM Sitharaman announces chip manufacturing scheme 2.0, but will it go beyond fabs? 

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India’s Semiconductor Push: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:

(5) The application of semiconductor covers:

1. Integrated circuit (IC) design

2. Packaging and testing

3. Raw material production

4. Wafer fabrication

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 3 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

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Meghalaya: Rat-hole mine blast toll rises to 27, crackdown ordered	The East Jaintia Hills district administration has ordered a crackdown on illegal mining activities in the Thangkso area, where the number of workers killed after an explosion in an illegal rat-hole mine has risen to 27 with the recovery of two more bodies by rescuers Saturday. Read more about the ‘Rat-hole’ mining here.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

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

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