UPSC Key: The 47th US President, Undocking of a satellite and Buddhism in India

‘Golden Age of America begins now’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

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

What’s the ongoing story: In his inaugural speech marking the start of his second term, Donald Trump declared, “The golden age of America begins right now.” Acknowledging fellow presidents and dignitaries, including former Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Joe Biden, Trump set the tone for his vision for the future.

Key Points to Ponder:

• The 47th US President and his inaugural Speech-what exactly he said and why it is important?

• “The golden age of America begins right now.”-Decode the quote

• How Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President will influence U.S. foreign policy and its global impact?

• Examine the Trump administration’s impact on global trade dynamics, focusing on tariff wars

• What will be the impact of Donald Trump’s presidency on U.S.-India relations?

• Discuss the Trump administration’s approach to immigration policies

Key Takeaways:

• Donald Trump has promised that his first day back as the 47th US President will make “heads spin,” with a flurry of executive orders expected within hours of his inauguration.

• America first: Trump laid out his vision by emphasising, “From this day forward, our country will flourish and be respected. I will very simply put America first.” He outlined key priorities for his administration, focusing on the restoration of sovereignty, safety, and justice. He pledged to end the “vicious, violent, and unfair weaponization” of the US Justice Department.

• A proud, prosperous nation: Trump aims to create a nation that is “proud, prosperous, and free.” He declared, “America will soon be greater, stronger, and far more exceptional than ever before.” He added, “this is the start of a thrilling new era of national success.”

• National security and border control: Addressing national security, Trump declared a state of emergency on the southern borders. His administration’s commitment to securing the nation’s borders was a key focus during the speech.

• Energy independence: ‘We will drill, baby, drill’: Trump also made bold statements about America’s energy future, declaring, “America is going to be the largest reserve of energy, oil, and gas. We will drill, baby, drill,” referring to energy as “liquid gold under our feet” and promising, “We will be a rich nation again.”

• Social and political views: Trump made a controversial statement regarding gender, asserting, “There are only two genders, male and female.”

• American dream: Trump said, “I was saved by God to make America great again,” and emphasised that the American Dream “will soon be back and thriving like never before.”

Do You Know:

• The inauguration of the 47th President will marked a remarkable moment in American history, and one of the most extraordinary comebacks in modern politics anywhere

• Trump is also only the second President in the 230-plus years of American democracy to have come to power, lost the re-election, and then returned to the White House. The other leader to have served non-consecutive presidential terms was Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th President in the 1880s and 1890s.

• Presidential inauguration ceremonies have historically followed a set of rules that have evolved through tradition. Following an amendment to the US Constitution in 1933, the ceremony has been held every four years on January 20 – or January 21 if the 20th is a Sunday.
The oath of office is administered to the President and Vice President at noon, with a series of official engagements scheduled before and after.

• That the inauguration takes place more than two months after Election Day allows for the peculiar, long drawn-out process of officially declaring the election result followed in the US. It also gives the outgoing administration time to wind down, and the incoming one to put in place personnel and agenda to ensure a seamless transition.

• The presidential election is held in November and the outcome is “called” by prominent media organisations soon afterward. Within a few days, the President invites the President-elect to the White House to congratulate him and to discuss the transition process.

• The formal process of election continues alongside. Technically, it is not the American voters but the members of a body known as the Electoral College who elect the President. Electors from each state officially convey the choice of the voters in their state in December. In January, Congress meets in joint session to officially count the votes and certify the election of the President and Vice President.

• 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.

• Despite attempts to diversify exports, India’s dependence on the US has grown over the past decade. According to official 2022-23 data, the US accounts for 18% of India’s exports, compared to 10% in 2010-11. India’s export basket to the US is well-diversified, benefiting industries ranging from textiles to electronics and engineering.

• However, Trump’s promised tariffs may primarily target China, given the far larger trade imbalance. A fresh round of US-China trade wars could benefit India by taking investments and manufacturing away from China.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Trade to immigration, energy to gender, Trump 2.0 ushers in major policy shifts

📍Delhi’s challenge: Trump will play hardball, change rules of the game

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. The President of the United States takes the oath of office as per the U.S. Constitution. Under which Article of the U.S. Constitution is the Presidential Oath mentioned?
(a) Article I
(b) Article II
(c) Article III
(d) Article IV

EXPRESS NETWORK

ISRO likely to attempt undocking of satellites today; will conduct docking experiment again

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

What’s the ongoing story: India is likely to attempt undocking — or separation of two satellites — for the first time on Monday, according to officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). After separating the satellites, ISRO will re-attempt docking to improve precision.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Undocking of a satellite?

• How do rockets avoid hitting satellites?

• Examine the importance of autonomous docking and undocking technology for India’s future space collaborations and international partnerships in space exploration.

• How ISRO’s success in space docking experiments can enhance India’s geopolitical positioning in the field of space technology.

• Analyse the challenges and technical complexities involved in developing docking technology for spacecraft.

• Highlight the role of docking technology in supporting long-duration space missions and space station assembly.

Key Takeaways:

• ISRO had to postpone the docking experiment at least twice — on January 7 to carry out more simulations on the ground and on January 9 when the satellites drifted more than expected during one of the manoeuvres.

• India required docking capability for its planned Chandrayaan-4 missions that will bring back lunar samples, its own Bharatiya Antariksh Station, and a mission to take an Indian to the Moon by 2040. Take for example, the Bharatiya Antariksh Station, which is planned to be constructed by bringing together five modules, the first of which is scheduled to be launched in 2028.

• The Chandrayaan-4 mission will also see samples being brought from the Moon in a transfer module which will dock with the re-entry module waiting for it in Earth orbit. The re-entry module would be designed to withstand the heat when the spacecraft enters Earth’s atmosphere.

Do You Know:

• On January 16, India became the fourth country in the world — after the United States, Russia and China — to successfully dock two satellites in space. Isro had to postpone the docking experiment at least twice — on January 7 to carry out more simulations on the ground and on January 9 when the satellites drifted more than expected during one of the manoeuvres.

• Docking is a process by which two fast-moving satellites or spacecrafts are brought together and joined in orbit. It is essential for missions that require big payloads that cannot be carried to the orbit in a single launch.

• During the feat, two small 220-kg satellites were brought within a distance of 3 metres of each other in orbit, their extended rings were joined with each other, retracted, and locked in space. The space agency also demonstrated sending commands to both the satellites as one composite spacecraft.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍ISRO Docks SpaDeX Satellites in Space: What was done and how – and why does it matter?
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
2. What is the primary objective of ISRO’s SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment)?
(a) Launching heavier satellites into geostationary orbits
(b) Testing autonomous docking and undocking capabilities in space
(c) Enhancing navigation capabilities of the GAGAN system
(d) Studying solar radiation effects on spacecraft

Centre allows 10 LMT sugar exports for current season

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Main Examination: General Studies III: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices

What’s the ongoing story: The Centre on Monday allowed the export of 10 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of sugar during the 2024-25 season (October-September). Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi said the measure “will benefit 50 million farmer families and 500,000 workers”.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Sugar Industry in India

• India recently allowed sugar exports after a two-year hiatus. What is the permissible export quantity for the 2023-24 season?

• Sugarcane Cultivation in India-Know the Geographical Conditions of Growth

• Sugar production and Sugar Cane Policy in India-Know in detail

• Till 2017-18, India hardly exported any raw sugar-Why?

• Raw sugar and finished sugar-compare and contrast

• What is the role of government policies in balancing domestic food security and export opportunities in the sugar sector?

• How does this impact India’s global trade relations?

• Discuss the challenges posed by fluctuating global demand and domestic production constraints.

Key Takeaways:

• India’s sugar production in the current sugar season is estimated to be 27 million tonnes in 2024-25, a decline from 32 million tonnes last year.

• Prices have been stable over the past few months: According to data with the Department of Consumer Affairs, the all-India retail price of sugar was Rs 44.67 per kg, almost similar a month ago and a year ago.

• The retail inflation too has come down in recent months, with the Consumer Price Index-based retail inflation recorded at -0.40 per cent in December 2024.

• In June 2022, the Centre took measures to restrict sugar exports in order to ensure sufficient availability for domestic consumption at a reasonable price. However, the export of sugar to the EU and the US under the CXL Concessions and the Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) were unaffected.

Do You Know:

• In the 2021-22 sugar season, before the restrictions to ensure domestic availability were imposed, India ranked number two in sugar exports, shipping 110 LMT of the sweetener to several countries including Indonesia, Bangladesh and the UAE.

• As per the order, mills can export either directly or through merchant exporters until September 30. They have the option to surrender quotas by March 31 or exchange them with domestic quotas to reduce transportation costs. The policy also allows mills to swap export quotas with domestic monthly release quantities through mutual agreements, subject to the Food Ministry’s approval.

• The statutory minimum price (SMP) is announced by the central government based on the cost of cultivation estimated by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). This is the basic price which the sugar mills must pay sugarcane growers.

• Unlike the MSP for wheat or paddy announced by the Centre, where the government procures a commodity from farmers directly in case market prices go below the MSP, the government never procures sugarcane from farmers directly. It is only sugar mills or khandsari units that buy it from farmers at the prices which shouldn’t fall below that determined by the government (SMP or SAP).

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Cabinet clears 8% increase in sugarcane FRP

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3. The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane is approved by the (UPSC GS1, 2015)
(a) Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(b) Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices
(c) Directorate of Marketing and Inspection, Ministry of Agriculture
(d) Agricultural Produce Market Committee

Non-meat products certified as halal: UP raises issue in SC

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: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta representing the Uttar Pradesh government told the Supreme Court on Monday that he was “shocked” to see products other than meat certified as halal, attesting that the products meet requirements of Islamic law.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What does ‘halal’ mean?

• When is meat halal?

• Can non-meat products also be halal?

• What are halal certificates? Who issues them?

• How does Halal certification influence the trade and regulatory practices of India?

• Analyse the economic implications of Halal certification on the Indian food and non-food industries.

Key Takeaways:

• Responding to petitions challenging the ban imposed by UP on halal-certified products within the state, Mehta told a bench of Justices B R Gavai and A G Masih that while halal meat certification is not objectionable, the certification of products like water bottles and cement is not so.

• Senior Advocate M R Shamshad appearing for the petitioners, said halal is defined elaborately in the Centre’s policy is not only about non-vegetarian food.

• Mehta also submitted that Halal certification is driving up prices and said the court might have to consider the question why those who do not subscribe to halal should be forced to consume the higher priced items.

• The petitioners however said consumption of halal-certified products is a matter of choice.

• On January 5, the SC, issued notice to the state on petitions filed by the Halal India Pvt Limited and Jamiat Ulama Maharashtra, challenging the Constitutional validity of the notification issued by the Food Safety and Drug Administration, UP, “prohibiting the manufacturing, storage, sale, and distribution of food products with halal certification within the state…”.

Do You Know:

• Halal is an Arabic word that loosely translates to ‘permissible’ in English. In the Quran, the term ‘halal’ is contrasted with the term ‘haram’ — meaning ‘forbidden’ — and is used to designate the categories of lawful (and allowed) and unlawful (and forbidden).

• The term is particularly associated with Islamic dietary laws to refer to food that is procured, processed, and traded in compliance with Islamic belief. It is similarly to the ‘kashrut’ dietary rules followed by orthodox Jews, who only consume food that is ‘kosher’, i.e. permitted in Jewish law.

• The two items of food that are most commonly considered haram (non-halal) are pork (pig meat) and intoxicants (alcohol). Even meats that are not pork must satisfy specific requirements relating to their source, the way the animal was killed, and how it was processed, to qualify as halal.

• In the Indian context, halal is mostly used to refer to the slaughtering technique used by Muslims.

• Despite the popular usage mentioned above, halal simply means ‘permissible’ in Islamic law — this does not have to do with meat at all. So vegetarian food would be generally considered permissible or ‘halal’, unless it contains alcohol. So would fish and shellfish.

• The meaning can also go beyond food, and technically, any consumable item can be deemed halal or haram, depending on whether they are produced in accordance with Islamic law. For instance, medicines often use animal byproducts to create casings or capsules. The halal/haram consideration would be important in such a situation, as Muslims do not want to consume capsules containing pig-fat gelatin.

• Similarly, the term may also be used in the context of personal care products, packaging materials, animal feed, etc.

• Halal certificates simply tell a consumer whether a product meets the requirements for being considered halal or not. They do not indicate the presence of meat, or in and of themselves, have nothing to do with meat.

• India does not have an official regulator for the certification of halal products. Rather, there are various halal certifying agencies that provide companies, products, or food establishments halal certifications. Their legitimacy lies in their name-recognition among Muslim consumers as well as recognition from regulators in Islamic countries.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
📍What is ‘halal’, and who certifies a product as being so?
UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4. In the Indian context, Halal certification primarily affects which of the following export markets?
(a) North America
(b) Middle East and Southeast Asia
(c) European Union
(d) Africa

EXPRESS NETWORK

ASI excavations in Ratnagiri spotlights ancient Buddhist site, its SE Asia links

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

What’s the ongoing story: In December, when Archaeological Survey of India’s superintending archaeologist D B Garnayak and his team took up excavations at the 5th-13th Century Buddhist complex in Ratnagiri, in Odisha’s Jajpur district, after a gap of 60 years, their aim was two-fold – to uncover more of the complex and to find material evidence of the state’s link to the larger Southeast Asian culture.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Rise of Buddhism in India and Gautam Buddha or Siddharth-Know in detail

• Discuss the significance of the recent discovery of the colossal Buddha head and giant palm at Ratnagiri?

• Examine the role of Odisha as a significant hub of Buddhist art, culture, and philosophy during ancient times. How do the recent findings reinforce this historical legacy?

• Know in detail about Doctrines of Buddhism, the Four noble truths, The Five Precepts and Eight-fold Path

• What are the special features of Buddhism and why it spread rapidly and widely?

• When, where and under which King’s Patronage the first, Second, Third and fourth Buddhist Council held?

• Know about the two main schools of Buddhism-Mahayana and Hinayana

• Rajgriha, Vaishali Patliputra, Kundalvana-Know the Importance of these place in Buddhism

• Map work-Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India

• Account for the decline of Buddhism in India

• Map work-Mark Important Buddhist Sites in India including Ratnagiri

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-Powers, Functions, Role and Mandate

• Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-Significance

Key Takeaways:

• So far, the mission has been partially successful – they have unearthed a colossal Buddha head, a massive palm, an ancient wall and inscribed Buddhist relics, all of which are estimated to date back 8th and 9th Century AD.

• “The Buddha head was 3-4 feet tall and the palm was 5 feet,” says Sunil Patnaik, a Buddhist researcher and secretary of Odisha Institute of Maritime and South East Asian Studies who is part of the excavation team. “You can imagine the richness of the area from just this.”

• According to Garnayak, the latest excavation aims at unearthing the partially visible structures and sculptures “and to find out if any shrine complex/chaitya complex — a sacred Buddhist assembly or prayer hall — as noticed in the neighbouring sites and to know the ceramic assemblage (a collection of pottery found at an archaeological site) of the site, which has not been addressed in the earlier excavations”.

• The discoveries are significant, especially given Odisha’s historical relationship with Buddhism beginning with Mauryan Emperor Ashoka (304-232 BCE), one of Buddhism’s greatest patrons whose invasion of the kingdom of Kalinga – the ancient name for Odisha – led to him embracing the religion.

• Located 100 km northeast of Bhubaneswar and part of the famous Diamond Triangle of Odisha along with Udaygiri and Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri – translated as the ‘Hills of Jewels’ – was first documented as a historical site in 1905. The site stands on a hill between Birupa and Brahmani rivers and is Odisha’s most famous — and the most excavated – Buddhist site.

• The last excavations were carried out between 1958 and 1961, led by archaeologist Debala Mitra, who eventually became ASI’s director general. The efforts led to the discovery of many remains — including a brick stupa, three monastic complexes and over hundreds of votive and commemorative stupas.

Do You Know:

• Odisha has long enjoyed maritime and trade links with Southeast Asian countries: according to historians, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, silk, camphor, gold, and jewellery were popular items of trade between the ancient kingdom of Kalinga and Southeast Asia.

• The state also annually holds Baliyatra, literally ‘voyage to Bali’ – a seven-day festival to commemorate the 2,000-year-old maritime and cultural links between Kalinga and Bali and other South and Southeast Asian regions such as Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Burma (Myanmar) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

• Even though there was no evidence of Buddha visiting Odisha during his lifetime, Kalinga played a great role in popularising Buddhism, especially in Southeast Asia, because of its trade link with the region: experts believe that Tapassu and Bhallika, the two merchant brothers who became the first disciples of Lord Buddha, having their origins from Utkala, another ancient name of Odisha.

• Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is believed to have invaded Kalinga in 261 BC but, deeply moved by the bloodshed in the war, he eventually embraced Buddhism, which he eventually helped spread not only to his own empire but also to Sri Lanka, and Central and Southeast Asia.

• In Odisha, Buddhism is stated to have particularly flourished under the Bhaumakara dynasty, which ruled parts of the state in between the 8th and 10th Century.

• Experts date Ratnagiri to the 5th and 13th Century, although the peak period of construction is dated between the 7th and 10th centuries. According to Thomas Donaldson, a former professor at Cleveland University who is a scholar in iconography and an expert in Odisha’s art and Buddhist sites, Ratnagiri rivalled Nalanda as a learning centre, with even some of the Tibetan texts even seen at the place where the Mahayana and Tantrayana (also known as Vajrayana that involves mystical practices and concepts) sects of Buddhism originated.

• It was Garnayak who was instrumental in bringing the focus back to the site. This, he said, was because “several of the structures at the site were partially visible and merited excavation”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Amaravathi: The rise and fall of one of the greatest Buddhist sites in India

UPSC Previous Year mains Question Covering similar theme:

📍Safeguarding the Indian Art Heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss. (2018)

📍Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss. (2020)

EXPLAINED

Mitigating, aggravating circumstances in death penalty cases

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity

What’s the ongoing story: RG Kar rape case verdict: A sessions court in Kolkata sentenced Sanjoy Roy, convicted of the rape and murder of a doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, to life imprisonment on 20^th Jan 2025

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is ‘Rarest of rare’ in Indian law?

• What judgment is delivered by the Court in RG Kar rape case?

• What is Capital Punishment?

• What annual statistics report ‘death penalty in India’ published by NLU says on Capital Punishment?

• What does National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says on capital punishment in India?

• Know the Important Supreme Court Judgements Related To Capital Punishments in detail

• What was the Supreme Court of India’s verdict in Jagmohan Singh v state of Uttar Pradesh in 1972?

• Bachan Singh v state of Punjab in 1980 and ‘rarest of rare cases’-What Supreme Court said about rarest of rare cases?

• Machhi Singh v state of Punjab in 1983 and broadening the categories of rarest of the rare cases by Supreme Court of India-Know in detail

• Kehar Singh v union of India,1989 and pardoning power of executive is subject to judicial review-Know in detail

• What are the arguments for Capital Punishment in India?

• What are the arguments against Capital Punishment in India?

• “Capital Punishment is a form of retribution”- What do you understand by this statement?

• Objective of justice should be reformative and not retributive- What do you understand by this statement?

• What Law commission of India says about death penalty?

Key Takeaways:

• The CBI had argued strongly for the death penalty in the case that shook West Bengal and triggered several weeks of protests and strikes by doctors. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had demanded death for the murderer.

• The Supreme Court has held that a sentence of death should be passed only in the “rarest of rare” cases, after the court has considered possible “aggravating” and “mitigating” circumstances (Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab, 1980).

• The understanding of mitigating and aggravating circumstances has evolved over the years, and new factors have been added to the list through several decisions. These include:
—AGE OF ACCUSED: In several cases including Ramnaresh and Ors v. State of Chhattisgarh (2012) and Ramesh v. State of Rajasthan (2011), the Supreme Court considered the young age of the accused persons (below 30 in these cases) as an indication that they could be reformed.
—NATURE OF OFFENCE: In Shankar Khade, the SC said courts should compare the case before them with a pool of cases concerning similar offences before determining the punishment.
—POSSIBILITY OF REFORM: In Bachan Singh, the SC held that the government must prove there is no possibility of reform, and that the presumption would be against such a penalty. In Santosh Bariyar v. State of Maharashtra (2009), the SC said “the court will have to provide clear evidence as to why the convict is not fit for any kind of reformatory and rehabilitation scheme”.

Do You Know:

• In Bachan Singh, the SC considered a challenge to the constitutionality of the death penalty. It upheld the death penalty, but said it should be imposed only in the “rarest of rare” cases where there is no possibility of reformation.

• The five-judge Constitution Bench did not specify the standards to determine whether the death penalty should be imposed, but laid down non-exhaustive lists of “aggravating” and “mitigating” circumstances for courts to consider while making the decision.

• AGGRAVATING CIRCUMSTANCES, which could tilt the court’s decision towards the death penalty:
—If the murder is pre-planned, calculated, and involves extreme brutality;
—If the murder involves “exceptional depravity”;
—If the accused has been found guilty of murdering a public servant, police officer or a member of the armed forces while on duty, or because of anything they may have lawfully done while discharging their duty.

• MITIGATING CIRCUMSTANCES, which could tilt a case away from the death penalty:
—Whether the accused was “under the influence of extreme mental or emotional disturbance” at the time of the offence;
—Age of the accused; they would not be given death if they are very young or very old;
—Probability of the accused posing a continued threat to society;
—Probability of reforming the accused;
—If the accused was acting on the directions of another person;
—If the accused believed their actions were morally justified;
—If the accused suffers mentally and is unable to appreciate the criminality of their actions.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Life sentence for RG Kar convict as Kolkata court denies it is ‘rarest of the rare’ crime

Redefining obesity

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: The Lancet medical journal’s Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission last week proposed a new definition and method for diagnosing obesity, beyond simply looking at a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI), the ratio of one’s weight and height.

Key Points to Ponder:

• How has obesity been measured thus far?

• ‘The Lancet medical journal’s Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission last week proposed a new definition and method for diagnosing obesity’-Know in detail

• What is the Lancet Commission’s new proposed definition of obesity?

• What does ‘pre-clinical obesity’ mean under the new definition?

• How is body size calculated for this evaluation?

• What is different about the new definition for Indians?

• How is obesity to be treated?

Key Takeaways:

• This comes after years of research, and the piling up of a significant body of evidence suggesting that BMI alone is an inadequate measure for diagnosing, and treating people for obesity.

• An associated publication also proposed a new definition of obesity specifically for Indians, on the lines of the broader recommendations made by The Lancet.

• This major development comes at a time when doctors have in their arsenal new, highly effective medicines, specifically GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic, to deal with clinical obesity.

•The commission also suggests direct body fat assessments, like DEXA scans, for a more accurate measurement, especially when BMI is not used. For people with an extremely high BMI (for instance above 40 kg/m²), it can be assumed they have excess body fat without additional testing, the commission has recommended.

• A BMI of over 30 Kg/m2 is considered as an indicator of obesity for people of European descent. However, different, country-specific BMI cutoffs are also used to account for ethnic variability of obesity-related risk.

• The Commission has also introduced two new diagnostic categories of obesity — clinical and preclinical obesity — to enable clinicians to differentiate between health and illness at the individual level.

Do You Know:

• The standard method of determining obesity across the world has thus far employed BMI cut-offs as the sole determinant.

• A person with a BMI of less than 18.5 is considered to be underweight, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered to be normal, those with BMI between 25 and 29.9 are considered to be overweight, while those with BMI over 30 are considered to be obese.

• BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s body mass (weight) in kilograms by the square of their height measured in metres. For instance, a person weighing 70 kg and having a height of 1.75 cm (roughly 5 feet 9 inches) has a BMI of 22.86, which falls in the healthy range, according to the definition followed thus far.

• Relying solely on BMI cut-offs leads to both over- and under-diagnosis of obesity.

• People with excess body fat may not always have a BMI of more than 30. They may nonetheless suffer the health consequences of obesity. On the other hand, people with high muscle mass may have a BMI of more than 30 while being extremely healthy, and in no need of any intervention.

• Then there are many people who do have excess body fat, but still maintain normal organ function. They too require minimal, if any, medical intervention.

• In India, for instance, many seemingly lean people with a BMI of less than 30 have abdominal fat that can affect the functioning of various organs.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Obese? Top expert panel looks beyond BMI, proposes wider approach for diagnosis

Bail under PMLA: interpretation by SC, HCs of law on exception for women

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Money-laundering and its prevention

What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court criticised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) last week for arguing that the rigorous bail conditions in money laundering cases will apply to women even though the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) provides an exception to this standard.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is Section 45 (1) of the PMLA?

• What are the Bail Conditions defined under Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA)?

• “There is an exception to this bail standard, which applies to minors, women, and sick people”-What are those exceptions given?

• What was the key highlight in the amendment of Section 45 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002?

• ‘Section 45 is a drastic provision which turns on its head the presumption of innocence which is fundamental to a person accused of any offence’-Decode the quote

• Name all the statutory provisions in India that provide special considerations for women in bail proceedings.

• What are the challenges in balancing the rigorous application of laws like PMLA with constitutional guarantees of equality and justice?

• Directorate of Enforcement (ED)-Role and Function

• Directorate of Enforcement (ED) comes under which Ministry or Organisation?

Key Takeaways:

• In 2023, Delhi High Court granted bail to Preeti Chandra, wife of Sanjay Chandra, who was the Director of M/s Unitech Group, underlining the exception for women. The HC rejected the ED’s argument that the accused was not entitled to the benefit of the exception because she was not a “household lady”.

• In April 2024, however, a trial court in Delhi denied interim bail to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha in the Delhi excise scam case, observing that it was not “obligatory” or “mandatory” for the court to follow the exception.

• Judge Kaveri Baweja observed that Kavitha was “well-educated” and a “well-placed woman in the society”, and could not be considered a “vulnerable” woman for the purposes of the exception under the PMLA.

• The ED is investigating alleged fraud by Shine City Group and its promoter Rasheed Naseem, who, according to a May 2024 release by the agency, “collected huge amount of money (approximately Rs 800-1000 Crore) from the public…and promised huge returns on such investment”.
—“However, no such returns were given to the investors and they were cheated by the accused by way of committing fraud,” the ED said.
—Shashi Bala is one of several individuals accused of assisting Naseem in money laundering and concealing the proceeds of crime. The ED has alleged that she was Naseem’s main confidant, and received more than Rs 36 lakh as a part of the money laundering exercise.

Do You Know:

• Section 45 of the PMLA, which provides for bail, puts the onus on the accused seeking bail to prove that there is no prima facie case against them. This is similar to the stringent bail standard under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA).

• Section 45(1) reads: “No person…shall be released on bail or on his own bond unless (i) the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity to oppose the application…; and (ii) where the Public Prosecutor opposes the application, the Court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence and that he is not likely to commit any offence while on bail.”
—However, there is an exception to this bail standard, which applies to minors, women, and sick people:
—“Provided that a person, who is under the age of sixteen years or is a woman or is sick or infirm, may be released on bail, if the Special Court so directs.”
—This exception is similar to exemptions under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) for women and minors.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍PMLA: SC pulls up ED for saying rigours of bail apply to women

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

FIELDS OF VIKSIT BHARAT

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

What’s the ongoing story: Akshita Agarwal Writes: India stands at a crossroads in modernising its agricultural practices. To act on these imperatives will require a strategic mix of investments, policy reforms and grassroots engagement

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the key factors for building a developed agricultural economy in India by 2047?

• What is a critical challenge to achieving a developed agricultural economy in India by 2047?

• Which state in India is considered a leader in implementing water-efficient agricultural practices?

• Examine the socio-economic implications of achieving a developed agricultural economy in India by 2047

• Discuss the role of government policies in enabling sustainable agricultural growth in India.

• Highlight the importance of public-private partnerships in developing agricultural economy in India by 2047.

Key Takeaways:
Akshita Agarwal Writes:

• Indian agriculture is at a critical juncture, balancing the need for food security, rural livelihoods, and sustainability amid global and domestic challenges.

• India stands at a crossroads in modernising its agricultural practices. By embracing innovation and fostering public-private collaborations, it can become a global leader in sustainable and technologically advanced farming.

• The idea is not to copy-paste solutions that have worked elsewhere in the world, but rather to customise and adapt farming practices based on the Indian agri context.

• To act on these imperatives will require a strategic mix of investments, policy reforms, and grassroots engagement to ensure that smallholder farmers are not left behind in Viksit Bharat.

Do You Know:

• To build a viksit agri economy by 2047, here are seven imperatives for the Indian agri industry.
—First, use of AI in agriculture. India is starting to deploy AI for critical use cases such as weather forecasting, pest detection and control, and crop yield optimisation. However, penetration is limited to a small subset of tech-savvy farmers.
—Second, India has started in pockets with regenerative farming practices such as organic farming and zero-budget natural farming. However, monoculture practices and excessive chemicals and fertiliser use dominates most farming systems, leading to soil degradation and biodiversity loss.
—Third, robotics adoption in India is limited due to high costs and a large labour force in rural areas. Basic automation tools like seeders and sprayers are more common, but advanced technologies such as robotic harvesters are inaccessible to most farmers.
—Fourth, India’s alternative protein market is in its infancy, driven by startups. Affordability and scalability remain major barriers to adoption. The EU leads in alternative proteins with government-backed initiatives and cutting-edge R&D.
—Fifth, digital twins are limited in Indian agriculture. Field trials are manual and time-consuming, increasing costs and delaying the deployment of new crop technologies. The US employs digital twin technology at-scale to model field trials virtually, reducing costs and speeding up the launch of agri-inputs.
—Sixth, blockchain is still at an experimental stage in India, with pilot projects in food traceability. Wider adoption is hindered by lack of infrastructure and farmer awareness. China has integrated blockchain across multiple agricultural supply chains, ensuring transparency, reducing fraud and improving market access.
—Seventh, climate-smart farming techniques. While programmes like PM-KUSUM promote renewable energy for irrigation, large-scale climate-smart initiatives are limited. India needs to scale up micro-irrigation technologies, invest in climate-resilient seed varieties and bio-based crop protection products, and leverage AI to develop localised climate advisory systems.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍A 2025 wishlist for farms and farmers

THE IDEAS PAGE

A virus in perspective

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: Anxieties about respiratory disease outbreaks like HMPV are understandable in the wake of the Covid19 pandemic. Hence, science-based communication and response become even more critical for all sections of society.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Discuss the socio-economic challenges posed by emerging respiratory viruses like HMPV, particularly on vulnerable populations.

• Analyse the role of public health surveillance systems in detecting and managing outbreaks of respiratory viruses such as HMPV.

• Suggest ways to strengthen India’s health infrastructure in this regard.

• Examine the importance of scientific research in understanding emerging viruses like HMPV.

• HMPV is not considered a pandemic threat but poses risks to certain groups.

Key Takeaways:

Soumya Swaminathan, Harkabir Singh Jandu Writes:

• First detected in 2001, HMPV (Human metapneumovirus) is a virus from the family called Pneumoviridae and has been in circulation even earlier in human populations.

• Hence HMPV is well known to the medical community in terms of its characteristics, illness caused, prevention, detection and management.

• HMPV usually spreads from infected people through droplets, infected surfaces, and contact such as handshakes. The typical period between infection and appearance of symptoms is three to six days.

• HMPV can be prevented by following the usual precautions of the flu season. These include wearing masks, avoiding touching the face, frequently washing hands, avoiding crowded places, especially by the very young and the elderly. In fact, routinely wearing masks could help reduce many high-burden diseases in India including seasonal flu, pneumonia, and tuberculosis.

• The health system in India is fully equipped to deal with HMPV. The virus can be detected through a routine RT-PCR test of the kind used for detecting the Covid19 virus, though this is not needed for most cases.

• India’s Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has taken prompt action during this flu season, keeping in mind the sensitivities around HMPV. Learning from the Covid19 pandemic, ICMR and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are closely monitoring surveillance data across the country. The national and state governments are also communicating proactively.

Do You Know:

• Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, director, Pulmonology at Fortis Hospital Faridabad, tells indianexpress.com, “HMPV belongs to the same family as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which typically circulates during the winter months. It’s not limited to China but is prevalent across most Asian countries.”
Dr Shivakumar K, MD Respiratory Medicine and chief consultant pulmonologist at Kauvery Hospital, Marathahalli, Bengaluru, adds, “HMPV is an RNA virus with a genome encoding nine proteins, including F (fusion) and G (glycoprotein) proteins. These are critical for viral entry into host cells and immune response evasion.”

• The Niti Aayog published its framework report on future pandemic preparedness and emergency response in August 2024. The recommendations of this report should be implemented on priority along with increased investments in R&D for vaccines and counter measures against pathogens of concern, which have been identified by the World Health Organisation. This will help India to be fully prepared for future outbreaks, epidemics from known and emerging infections.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍HMPV Virus Symptoms: Know human metapneumovirus virus symptoms, and how it is transmitted

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b)  2. (b) 3. (a) 4. (b)

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