UPSC Key: Saudi-Pakistan defence pact, Opioid Fentanyl, and Bonnard standard

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: With Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signing a formal mutual defence pact which states that “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”, India said Thursday it will “study the implications” of this development for its “national security as well as for regional and global stability”, and is committed to “protecting India’s national interests”.

Key Points to Ponder:

— “Any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both.” What do you understand by this statement?

— What is the significance of Saudi Arabia for India?

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia?

— Why is India cautious about this defence deal?

— Know about the Delhi declaration and Riyadh Declaration in respect of the India-Saudi relationship

— What is the name of the Saudi-India military exercise?

Key Takeaways:

— Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, embraced after signing the agreement. Pakistan’s powerful army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, was also present.

— While not many details about the pact are out yet, a key clause has made headlines around the world: “any aggression against either country shall be considered an aggression against both”.

— The agreement had been in the works for a while, but was signed in the aftermath of Israel’s strike in Qatar recently. Amid Israel’s increased belligerence, and the US defence promise looking shakier than ever, this is the first major defence pact an Arab nation has signed, with a nuclear-armed nation.

— The defence pact is being read in Delhi as a response to Washington’s retrenchment from the region as a security provider, and Israel’s attack on Hamas leaders in Qatar’s capital Doha and the geopolitical ramifications across the region.

— Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have maintained military cooperation for decades.

— Pakistani troops went to Saudi Arabia in the late 1960s amid concerns about Egypt’s war in Yemen at the time. The military cooperation deepened after the 1979 Grand Mosque seizure in Mecca, when Pakistan’s special forces helped Saudi troops.

— Sources pointed out that Saudi Arabia has been one of the major hubs for re-employment of former Pakistan Army officers — the most famous example was the appointment in 2017 of former Pakistan Army chief General Raheel Sharif as the lead commander of the Saudi-led forces against terror.

— Wednesday’s signing represents Pakistan’s most consequential formal defence commitment in decades, offering both strategic and economic benefits. It secures vital Saudi investment and funding at a time of fiscal strain, while shoring up Islamabad’s claim of being a pan-Islamic security provider.

Do You Know:

— Saudi Arabia has for long invested in a political, strategic and economic relationship with India.

— India is the second largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia, whereas the kingdom is the fifth largest trading partner of India. In FY 2023-24, bilateral trade stood at USD 42.98 billion, with Indian exports at USD 11.56 billion and imports at USD 31.42 billion.

— The historic visit of King Abdullah to India in January 2006 was a watershed moment that resulted in the signing of the Delhi Declaration. It was followed by the Riyadh Declaration in 2010 during the visit of then PM Manmohan Singh to the Kingdom, which elevated the bilateral ties to a Strategic Partnership.

— In the last decade or so, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who invested in the relationship, gave it a huge fillip by visiting Riyadh in April 2016, followed by the visit of Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, to India in February 2019. The visits continued with Modi in 2019 and MBS in 2023 for the G20 leaders summit and a bilateral visit.

— Bilateral trade ties have steadily grown over the years. India is the second largest trade partner of Saudi Arabia whereas Saudi Arabia is the fifth largest trading partner of India.

— In FY 2023-24, bilateral trade stood at USD 42.98 billion, with Indian exports at USD 11.56 billion and imports at USD 31.42 billion.

— Indian investments in Saudi Arabia have also increased in recent years, reaching a cumulative figure of approximately USD 3 billion in August 2023. The Saudi investment in India including that of PIF, other Saudi companies and Saudi backed Vision Fund, has been about USD 10 billion.

— The inaugural Saudi-India military exercise SADA-TANSEEQ was held from January 29 to February 10 2024 in Rajasthan where a Saudi contingent had participated in the exercise with the Indian Army.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defence pact: What it means for the two countries

📍The importance of Saudi Arabia to India

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Which of the following is not a member of ‘Gulf Cooperation Council’? (UPSC CSE 2016)

(a) Iran

(b) Saudi Arabia

(c) Oman

(d) Kuwait

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

📍The question of India’s Energy Security constitutes the most important part of India’s economic progress. Analyse India’s energy policy cooperation with West Asian countries. (UPSC CSE 2017)

 

EXPRESS NETWORK

US revoked visas of Indian business executives over link to fentanyl trade: Embassy

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

What’s the ongoing story: The US embassy in Delhi said on Thursday that it has revoked and denied visas to some “business executives and corporate leadership” based on their alleged involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors. It did not name the individuals or the companies involved.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is fentanyl?

— What are opioids?

— Why is illegal drug trafficking a concern for national security?

— What is the role of fentanyl in drug addiction?

— What are threats from Death (Golden) Crescent and threats from Death (Golden) Triangle?

— What are the steps taken by the Indian government to control drug addiction?

Key Takeaways:

— Fentanyl is a potent opioid drug that is blamed for widespread drug addiction in the US. The Donald Trump administration has initiated a crackdown on the illegal import of fentanyl and also linked it with tariff adjustments in the case of some countries.

— In its statement, the US embassy said, “In furtherance to the Trump Administration’s efforts to keep Americans safe from dangerous synthetic narcotics, the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has revoked and subsequently denied visas for certain business executives and corporate leadership based on involvement in trafficking fentanyl precursors.”

— “These actions are taken pursuant to section 221(i), section 212(a)(2)(C), and 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. As a result of this decision, these individuals and close family members may be ineligible for travel to the United States.”

— The statement said that the embassy remains steadfast in its commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking.

— Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids remain the most lethal drugs trafficked into the United States, causing more than 52,000 US deaths in a 12-month period ending in October 2024, a US intelligence report had said earlier this year.

— On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump had named India, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan among 23 major drug transit or major illicit drug-producing countries, saying that by manufacturing and trafficking illicit drugs and precursor chemicals, these nations were threatening the safety of the US and its citizens.

Do You Know:

— The ‘2025 Annual Threat Assessment (ATA)’—a coordinated evaluation of global threats to US interests- stated that fentanyl and other synthetic opioids remain the deadliest drugs trafficked into the US, responsible for over 52,000 deaths in the 12-month period ending October 2024.

— Opioids are a class of drugs that “derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant”, according to the website of the US-based Johns Hopkins Medicine. Some common opioids include oxycodone, morphine, codeine, heroin, and fentanyl. It is used for the management of severe pain in cancer patients or those who have undergone various surgeries.

— The issue with fentanyl is that it can be 30 to 100 times more potent than heroin or morphine and is fast-acting, leading to a rapid and high number of overdose deaths. Fentanyl-related overdoses resulted in more than 69 per cent of the total overdose deaths in the US.

— According to a 2019 survey conducted by the AIIMS National Drug Dependence and Treatment Centre in India, heroin and its derivatives like smack continue to be the most common opioids leading to addiction. An estimated 63 lakh people are addicted to heroin as compared to 25 lakh to pharmaceutical opioids.

— According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), two significant regions of drug production and drug trafficking are the “Golden Crescent” and “Golden Triangle”. Golden Crescent includes illicit opium production areas in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan; and the “Golden Triangle” covers Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Knowledge Nugget: What must you know about Opioid Fentanyl for UPSC?

UPSC Prelims practise Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Consider the following countries:

1. India

2. Laos

3. Myanmar

Which of the following countries forms part of the Death (Golden) triangle?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Prior restraint: How gag order in Adani case flies in face of what SC has ruled

Syllabus:

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

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

What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court’s prescription for granting pre-trial interim injunctions in defamation cases against journalists is the Bonnard standard, established in the 1891 English case Bonnard vs Perryman.

Key Points to Ponder:

— How have Indian laws defined defamation?

— What do you understand by pre-trial interim injunctions?

— This “prior restraint” has been held as an unconstitutional restriction on the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. What do you understand from this statement?

— What is Article 19 of the Indian Constitution?

Key Takeaways:

— Bonnard standard states that a court can grant an injunction only when it is satisfied that the defendant may not be able to justify the defamation, and not merely when it suspects defamation.

— In a 2024 decision, the Supreme Court reiterated the Bonnard principle while overturning an ex parte ad interim injunction that had ordered Bloomberg to take down an article about Zee Entertainment.

— The blanket gag order by a Delhi court on September 6 against journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and other journalists and entities, restraining them from publishing alleged defamatory content on Adani Enterprises Limited (AEL), flies in the face of the threshold set by the top court.

— On Thursday (September 18), a district court set aside the September 6 order following a challenge by four journalists, Ravi Nair, Abir Dasgupta, Ayaskanta Das and Ayush Joshi. Another district judge, hearing a separate appeal filed by Guha Thakurta, has now posted the matter to September 22.

— The lower court’s order also restrains Guha Thakurta and other journalists from publishing or distributing any “unverified, unsubstantiated and ex facie defamatory reports” about the plaintiff. — This “prior restraint”, which prevents publication before a full trial can determine whether the content is actually defamatory, has been held as an unconstitutional restriction on the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.

— Restrictions on free speech have to be found under Article 19(2) of the Constitution which lists out the “reasonable restrictions” that include interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation, and incitement to an offence.

— Legislations that impose a prior restraint on speech usually have a heavy burden to show that the reason for such restraint can be found under Article 19(2).

— The SC, in the Bloomberg decision, had also established a high threshold for granting ex parte injunctions in free speech cases, criticising the trial court for granting such orders without proper justification.

— Granting interim injunctions, before the trial commences, in a cavalier manner results in the stifling of public debate. In other words, courts should not grant ex parte injunctions except in exceptional cases where the defence advanced by the respondent would undoubtedly fail at trial

Do You Know:

— Article 19 is a part of the Fundamental Rights (Part III) of the Indian Constitution.

— Article 19  which guarantees freedom of speech and expression is a right invoked against the state. Some fundamental rights such as those prohibiting untouchability, trafficking and bonded labour are explicitly against both the state and other individuals.

— It is available only to citizens and not to foreigners.

Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech etc

(1) All citizens shall have the right

(a) to freedom of speech and expression;

(b) to assemble peaceably and without arms;

(c) to form associations or unions;

(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India;

(e) to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India; and

(f) omitted

(g) to practise any profession, or to carry on any occupation, trade or business

Note: Originally, Article 19 (1) (f) and article 31 contained the right to property, i.e. to acquire, hold and dispose of property subject to the right of State to compulsory acquisition for public purposes by authority of law.

— However, right to property ceased to be a fundamental right when the Constitution (44th Amendment) Act, 1978 omitted sub-clause(f) of Article 19 (1) and Article 31 from the Constitution.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Order asking journalists to take down content against Adani firm set aside

📍SC’s ruling on Article 19

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) ‘Right to Privacy’ is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India? (UPSC CSE 2021)

(a) Article 15

(b) Article 19

(c) Article 21

(d) Article 29

 

GOVT & POLITICS

US decides to revoke waiver on sanctions for Chabahar port

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: The US administration led by President Donald Trump has said it is withdrawing the sanctions waiver granted to the Chabahar port in Iran, which is being developed by India, thereby ending the waiver from 2018 during Trump 1.0. The sanctions regime on the strategically-located port will come into effect from September 29, about 10 days from now.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about the location of the Chabahar port

— What is the significance of Chabahar Port for India?

— What is the purpose of the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA)?

— What is the importance of Chabahar port in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)?

— What are the challenges in realising the potential of Chabahar port?

Key Takeaways:

— While this move is targeted towards Iran, it will adversely impact India — which has been developing the port (Shahid Beheshti Terminal, Chabahar Port) along with Iran — in accessing Afghanistan and Central Asia.

— Sources said that this is a major setback for India’s plans to develop the strategically-located port, close to the Chinese-developed Gwadar port in Pakistan.

— The USA has revoked the sanctions exception issued in 2018 under the Iran Freedom and Counter-Proliferation Act (IFCA) for Afghanistan reconstruction assistance and economic development.

—  Once the revocation is effective, persons who operate the Chabahar Port or engage in other activities described in IFCA may expose themselves to sanctions under IFCA.

— Chabahar is a deep water port located in the Sistan-Baluchistan province of Iran.  It is the closest Iranian port to India, and is located in the open sea, providing easy and secure access for large cargo ships.

— During a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2016, a Trilateral Agreement to establish the International Transport and Transit Corridor (Chabahar Agreement) was signed by India, Iran and Afghanistan.

— India has so far supplied six Mobile Harbour Cranes (two 140 tonne and four 100 tonne capacity) and other equipment worth USD 25 Million.

Learn through image: The strategic and economic importance of Iran’s Chabahar port will be greatly enhanced by its integration with the planned INSTC corridor (in red).

— The Indian company, India Ports Global Limited (IPGL), through its wholly owned subsidiary, India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ), took over the operations of the Chabahar Port in December 24, 2018.

— Since then, it has handled more than 90,000 TEUs of Container traffic and more than 8.4 MMT of Bulk and General Cargo. The port has also facilitated the supply of humanitarian assistance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Do You Know:

— According to the US’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, IFCA was signed into law on January 2, 2013, as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, and provides for several new sanctions related to Iran.

— IFCA authorizes broad sanctions on: certain activities related to Iran’s energy, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors; the sale, supply, or transfer to or from Iran of precious and certain other metals; financial transactions involving sanctioned Iranian individuals and entities; and persons involved in the diversion of goods intended for the Iranian people.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍What are India’s stakes in Iran’s Chabahar port?

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) What is the importance of developing Chabahar Port by India? (UPSC CSE 2017)

(a) India’s trade with African countries will enormously increase.

(b) India’s relations with oil-producing Arab countries will be strengthened.

(c) India will not depend on Pakistan for access to Afghanistan and Central Asia.

(d) Pakistan will facilitate and protect the installation of a gas pipeline between Iraq and India.

 

THE IDEAS PAGE

PM Modi has made innovation India’s greatest equaliser 

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation

What’s the ongoing story: Ashwini Vaishnaw writes: Remember when getting a government document was a whole saga? Multiple trips, long queues, random fees? Now it’s literally in your phone. This transformation didn’t happen by accident. Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned technology into India’s greatest equalizer.  

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the philosophy of antyodaya?

— What is the digital revolution?

— What are the main pillars of the digital revolution in India?

— What is JAM trinity?

— What is the significance of the Direct Benefit transfer?

— How has the digitalisation of the economy led to the democratization?

— What are the various challenges in the path of digital India?

— What is Digital Public Infrastructure?

— What are the various schemes and initiatives launched by the government for the same?

Key Takeaways:

— As Chief Minister, PM Modi transformed Gujarat through the use of technology and innovation. The Jyotigram scheme, launched in 2003, used feeder separation technology. Rural industries revived with 24×7 power while groundwater depletion slowed through scheduled farm electricity.

— In 2014, he brought the experience and learning of Gujarat to Delhi. But the scale was different.

— Under his leadership, India Stack, the world’s most inclusive digital public infrastructure, began to take shape. The JAM trinity formed its foundation.

— Jan Dhan accounts brought more than 53 crore people into the banking system. This brought the hitherto financially excluded into the formal economy for the first time.

— Street vendors, daily wage workers, and rural families who lived entirely in cash now have bank accounts. This enabled them to save securely, receive government benefits directly, and access credit.

— Aadhaar gave the citizens a digital identity with 142 crore registrations done so far. Accessing government services became easier, instead of requiring multiple document verifications.

— Direct Benefit Transfer eliminated middlemen and reduced leakages. The savings from the usage of DBT has been over Rs 4.3 lakh crore so far. The savings are used for building more schools, hospitals, and infrastructure projects.

— Today, India handles half the world’s real-time digital payments. A decade ago, India was largely cash-dependent. Prime Minister Modi’s vision gave the final shape to JAM trinity and UPI infrastructure.

— PRAGATI transformed governance accountability. The platform brings the Prime Minister directly into project monitoring through monthly video conferences. When officials know the Prime Minister will review their work on live video, accountability becomes automatic.

— Technology transformed agriculture and healthcare fundamentally. Take Jagdev Singh, a farmer in Haryana who now uses AI apps to make crop decisions. He receives real-time weather updates and soil health data on his phone.

— The PM-KISAN scheme delivers direct income support to 11 crore farmers digitally.

— DigiLocker now has over 57 crore users with 967 crore documents stored digitally. Your driving license, degree certificates, Aadhaar, and other official documents live securely in your phone.

— Under the Prime Minister’s vision, our strong base in electronics production is now enabling the leap into advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

— India has long been a hub for design talent, with over 20 per cent of global chip designers based here. India now has design capabilities for advanced 2nm, 3nm, and 7nm chips. These are being designed in India for the world.

— The PM Gati Shakti portal uses GIS technology on an unprecedented scale. Every infrastructure project gets mapped digitally. Roads, railways, airports, and ports are planned together. No more working in silos. No more delays due to poor coordination.

— Through the IndiaAI Mission, over 38,000 GPUs are available at one-third global cost. This has given startups, researchers, and students Silicon Valley-level computing at an average rate of Rs 67 per hour.

— The AIKosh platform hosts 2,000-plus datasets, ranging from weather to soil health. These can power indigenous LLMs developed for India’s languages, laws, health systems, and finance.

— PM Modi understands technology, but he understands people even better. His vision of antyodaya drives every digital initiative. UPI works in multiple languages. The poorest farmer has the same digital identity as the richest industrialist.

— Countries from Singapore to France are integrated with UPI. The G20 endorsed Digital Public Infrastructure as essential for inclusive growth. Japan has granted a patent for this. What started as India’s solution became the world’s template for digital democracy.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍PM Modi on 10 years of Digital India: ‘It has become a people’s movement’

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) Which of the following is/are the aim/aims of “Digital India” Plan of the Government of India? (UPSC CSE 2018)

1. Formation of India’s own Internet companies like China did.

2. Establish a policy framework to encourage overseas multinational corporations that collect Big Data to build their large data centres within our national geographical boundaries.

3. Connect many of our villages to the Internet and bring Wi-Fi to many of our schools, public places and major tourist centres.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

📍“The emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Digital Revolution) has initiated e-Governance as an integral part of government”. Discuss. (UPSC CSE 2020)

ALSO IN NEWS

Centre agrees to declare Punjab ‘severely flooded’, enhanced funds on the cards

The Centre on Thursday approved a proposal by the Punjab government to declare the state “severely flooded”, it has been learnt. This came on a day Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and Jitin Prasada visited flood-hit areas in Pathankot and Gurdaspur, and assessed the damage due to the floods. With Centre agreeing to declare Punjab “severely flooded”, the border state, which is recovering from the worst floods since 1988, is expecting a higher allocation of funds for compensation.

 

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

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

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