03 June | Daily Current Affairs : Centre will allow import of EVs at 15% to promote domestic manufacturing And More

GS PAPER 1

Indian Economy : Infrastructure

The Government of India has notified the Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India, which permits foreign EV manufacturers to import up to 8,000 electric cars per year at a reduced customs duty of 15%, down from the prevailing 70–100%, if they commit to invest ₹4,150 crore in domestic EV production. This step aligns with the government’s goal of fostering domestic manufacturing while also boosting EV adoption.

Key Highlights:

• Duty Concession: The policy slashes the import duty on EVs to 15% for manufacturers investing significantly in local production.
• Investment Clause: Companies must invest ₹4,150 crore and begin operations within 3 years of receiving approval.
• Localisation Norms: They must adhere to phased manufacturing and domestic value addition norms.
• Brownfield Investment Allowed: The revised policy now includes brownfield investments, following opposition from domestic players who feared unfair competition from foreign EV makers like Tesla.
• Tesla’s Reluctance: Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy stated Tesla is not inclined to manufacture in India but rather open showrooms, raising concerns about genuine investment intentions.

Analysis:

• Balancing Act: The policy is a fine balance between encouraging foreign direct investment (FDI) and protecting domestic industries. By enforcing investment and localisation commitments, the scheme discourages mere market access without local economic contribution.
• Push to EV Ecosystem: The move could jumpstart India’s EV ecosystem by attracting global players, bringing in advanced technology, supply chains, and employment. However, it could also test the competitiveness of Indian firms already in the sector.
• Brownfield Inclusion: Allowing brownfield investment can accelerate the development of the EV sector by leveraging existing infrastructure, but it may also give foreign players a quicker entry route than greenfield projects.
• Strategic Caution: The policy includes a cap on import volumes (8,000 units/year), ensuring that the domestic market is not flooded with cheaper imports that could undermine local players.

Conclusion:

This EV import and manufacturing policy reflects India’s pragmatic approach to industrial growth, green mobility, and strategic foreign investment. While it opens doors for global giants, it also ensures commitment to Make in India. The challenge lies in enforcing localisation norms, nurturing domestic players, and preventing India from becoming a mere consumer market for foreign brands.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Ques : Discuss the implications of India’s recent policy to allow concessional import of electric vehicles on domestic manufacturing and foreign investment. How can the policy strike a balance between attracting global players and supporting domestic industries?(250 words)

GS PAPER 2

Environment and Ecology : Climate Change

A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that industrial pollution, particularly anthropogenic iron emissions, is altering the marine nutrient cycle. The findings indicate that iron pollution, especially from East Asia, is enhancing phytoplankton blooms in spring, but at the cost of rapid nutrient depletion—threatening long-term ocean productivity and marine ecosystems.

Key Points of the Study:

• Iron as a Double-Edged Sword: Iron is a critical micronutrient for phytoplankton, and increased iron input from pollution boosts their growth. However, this leads to overconsumption of nitrates, a key macronutrient, especially in the North Pacific Ocean.
• Data & Methods: The research used field data (2016–2019), satellite imaging (chlorophyll-a), and gene expression studies to track iron’s effects on phytoplankton and nutrient depletion.
• Anthropogenic Iron: Nearly 39% of surface iron during spring is attributed to human-induced pollution, mainly carried by East Asian aerosols through westerly winds.
• Ecological Impact: Phytoplankton form the base of the marine food chain. Their altered distribution affects all marine life, potentially leading to ecosystem collapse in certain regions.
• Widening Nutrient-Poor Zones: Continuous iron pollution, combined with climate change-driven warming and ocean stratification, is expanding nitrogen-limited zones, making them biologically less productive.

Analysis:

• Anthropogenic Intervention in Natural Cycles: This study underscores how human emissions can disrupt delicate ecological balances, causing unintended consequences even when they temporarily enhance productivity.
• Climate Change Synergy: The impact of iron pollution is compounded by global warming, which reduces vertical mixing in oceans (stratification), making nutrient replenishment harder and intensifying nitrogen scarcity.
• Threat to Marine Biodiversity & Economy: Marine biodiversity, including fish populations vital for food and livelihood, is at risk. Ecosystem shifts can severely affect fisheries, coastal economies, and global food security.
• Scientific Tools & Collaboration: The use of satellite data, isotopic tracking, and molecular biology showcases how interdisciplinary science is crucial for understanding large-scale environmental changes.

Conclusion:

• The study offers critical insights into how airborne industrial pollution is accelerating the transformation of ocean ecosystems. While iron boosts short-term phytoplankton growth, it leads to long-term nutrient exhaustion, endangering marine biodiversity and ecological balance. It calls for urgent global regulation of atmospheric emissions and integrated ocean-climate policy frameworks.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Ques: Anthropogenic activities are increasingly altering natural nutrient cycles in the ocean. Discuss the ecological consequences of such disruptions, with reference to recent research on iron-induced phytoplankton blooms.(250 Words)

GS PAPER 3

Disaster Management

The southwest monsoon has brought severe flooding, landslides, and destruction across the northeastern States of India, especially Assam, Tripura, and Sikkim, with significant loss of lives, displacement, and infrastructure damage. Despite forecasts of below-normal rainfall, the base level of precipitation in the region remains high, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of Northeast India to monsoon-related disasters.

Key Issues Highlighted:

• Multiple Rivers in Spate: In Assam, over 10 rivers breached danger levels, affecting 3 lakh+ people across 19 districts.
• Loss of Life and Property: Over 50 deaths have been reported across the region due to floods, landslides, and lightning by the end of May.
• Infrastructure Collapse: Key roads have been blocked, especially in North Sikkim, isolating tourists and locals.
• Geographic & Climatic Vulnerability: The Bay of Bengal branch of the monsoon strikes the Northeast early, often causing flash floods and soil erosion.
• Chronic Underdevelopment: Poor infrastructure and delayed disaster response are compounded by inadequate long-term planning.
• Dual Monsoon Exposure: The region experiences a second monsoon (Oct-Dec), increasing year-long flood risk.

Analysis:

• Recurring Pattern of Neglect: Despite facing annual devastation, disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure investment in the Northeast remain insufficient.
• Ecological Fragility: The region’s hilly terrain, high rainfall, deforestation, and loose soils contribute to landslides and flash floods, which require localized mitigation strategies.
• Need for Integrated Planning: A long-term climate-adaptive development strategy involving the Centre, State governments, IMD, NDMA, and ecological experts is essential.
• Focus on Resilience: Infrastructure such as early warning systems, embankments, climate-resilient roads, and river management projects must be prioritised.
• Balancing Development with Ecology: Any push for connectivity and infrastructure must be ecologically sustainable to avoid exacerbating disaster risks.

Conclusion:

• The monsoon floods in the Northeast are not just natural events but predictable annual crises. They demand more than reactive measures — they require a forward-looking, climate-resilient, and region-specific disaster management strategy. Without this, the region will continue to face rising human and economic costs every year.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Ques: The Northeast region of India is highly vulnerable to monsoon-related disasters. Examine the underlying causes and suggest long-term measures for building climate and disaster resilience in the region.(250 Words)

GS PAPER 4

International Relations

In a compelling opinion piece, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao argues for a strategic shift in India’s foreign policy narrative, urging that India must move beyond the historical India-Pakistan dyad and instead embrace its Indo-Pacific identity, treating Pakistan as a tactical irritant, not a strategic peer. The article underlines the need to reframe India’s geopolitical posture by prioritizing multilateral partnerships and regional stability, especially in light of the China-Pakistan axis.

Key Strategic Insights:

• De-hyphenation of Pakistan: India should avoid letting Pakistan define its regional posture. Engagement should be transactional, minimal, and without equivalence.
• Reframing the Triangle: The India-China-Pakistan triangle must be recalibrated — with India and China as stabilizers, and Pakistan managed as a destabilizing outlier.
• China-Pakistan Axis: This alliance is transactional, not strategic. India must expose its asymmetry, particularly through platforms highlighting China’s neo-colonial role in Pakistan (e.g., CPEC).
• Narrative Warfare: India should shape the discourse globally — portraying itself as a responsible stakeholder, institution-builder, and guardian of Indo-Pacific autonomy.
• Strategic Triangles: India must invest in alternative alliances (e.g., India–France–UAE, India–US–Japan) to dilute Pakistan’s centrality and project itself as a global player.
• Two-Front Challenge: India must be prepared for multi-domain warfare, maintain flexible deterrence, and avoid being trapped into simultaneous conflicts with China and Pakistan.

Analysis:

• Strategic Clarity: The article reinforces the idea that strategic maturity lies in restraint, composure, and a focus on long-term national interests, not reactive rivalry with Pakistan.
• Relevance to India’s Great Power Ambitions: As India aspires for a greater global role, its foreign policy must shed the baggage of legacy conflicts and demonstrate regional leadership and global responsibility.
• Managing Risks, Not Rivalries: Pakistan must be contained, not elevated, in Indian strategic thought. This prevents resource diversion and keeps India focused on larger regional dynamics, especially vis-à-vis China.
• Strategic Narrative as Diplomacy: Soft power and narrative-building are as important as military deterrence — a vital lesson in an era of information warfare and perception diplomacy.

Conclusion:

• India’s rise as a major power in the Indo-Pacific cannot be tied down by the historical baggage of its rivalry with Pakistan. Instead, it must craft a forward-looking strategic arc, grounded in maritime partnerships, institutional leadership, and strategic composure. Pakistan should remain a manageable risk, not a core focus, and India must step into its role as a regional stabiliser and global player with clarity and confidence.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Ques: India’s strategic future lies in the Indo-Pacific, not in the legacy rivalry with Pakistan. Critically examine this statement in the context of evolving regional geopolitics and India’s foreign policy priorities.(250 words)

GS PAPER 5

Indian Polity

Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 2025 due to worsening law and order and political instability. A delegation of MLAs recently urged the Governor to facilitate government formation. This has revived debates on the constitutional provisions, past misuse, and judicial scrutiny of Article 356, which allows for President’s Rule in states.

Key Constitutional and Political Issues:

• Article 356 Provisions:
  • Invoked when the State government cannot be run in accordance with the Constitution.
  • Based on the Governor’s report or Union’s own assessment.
  • Must be ratified by Parliament within two months, and renewed every six months, up to three years.
• Misuse in History:
  • Though Dr. B.R. Ambedkar hoped Article 356 would remain a “dead letter”, it was misused, especially to dismiss opposition-ruled State governments.
  • Dismissals often occurred not due to constitutional breakdown, but due to political motivations, such as losses in Lok Sabha elections.
• Inconsistent Practices by Governors:
  • Some dissolved assemblies even when majority claims were uncertain (e.g., Kerala 1970, Punjab 1971), while others tried to install alternative governments (e.g., UP 1968, MP 1969).
• Judicial Check – S.R. Bommai Case (1994):
  • A landmark ruling that:
    • Restricted arbitrary use of Article 356.
    • Asserted that breakdown of constitutional machinery, not just law and order, is the threshold.
    • President’s Rule is subject to judicial review.
    • The Legislative Assembly must remain suspended (not dissolved) until Parliament approval is obtained.
  • Since then, courts have struck down invalid impositions, e.g., Bihar (2005), Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh (2016).
• Current Manipur Situation:
  • Assembly kept under suspended animation (term ends in March 2027).
  • Constitutional prudence requires forming a government with legislative and social legitimacy, rather than continuing President’s Rule indefinitely.

Analysis:

• Constitutional Morality & Federalism: Article 356 remains a powerful but dangerous tool. While it ensures continuity of governance, its misuse can erode federal trust and democratic processes.
• Role of Governor: The Governor’s discretion must be exercised with constitutional neutrality, not partisan bias, especially when deciding on dissolving or keeping assemblies.
• Judiciary as Guardian: Post-Bommai jurisprudence is a vital safeguard against Executive overreach. However, vigilant application of the doctrine remains necessary.
• Revival of Elected Government: In the case of Manipur, efforts must be made to restore a representative government, especially since significant time remains in the current Assembly’s term.

Conclusion:

• The use of Article 356 should be governed by constitutional propriety, not political expediency. The experience since the Bommai judgment shows how judicial oversight, transparent governance, and federal ethics can prevent misuse. In Manipur’s case, democratic restoration must take precedence over prolonged central rule.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Ques: Discuss the constitutional safeguards and judicial interventions related to the imposition of President’s Rule under Article 356. In light of recent developments, evaluate the relevance of the S.R. Bommai judgment in protecting India’s federal structure.(250 words)

GS PAPER 6

Editorial Analysis

Context :

As U.S.-India strategic and technological ties deepen under frameworks like iCET and TRUST, subsea cable infrastructure has emerged as a critical area for bilateral cooperation. Subsea cables carry over 95% of global internet traffic and are vital for digital connectivity, cybersecurity, and economic growth. India’s geographical advantage in the Indo-Pacific gives it immense potential to become a regional connectivity hub, but infrastructure limitations and regulatory hurdles remain.

Key Strategic and Technological Issues:

• Geopolitical Significance:
  • Subsea cables are increasingly seen as strategic assets amid the global digital rivalry, especially with China’s expansion through its Digital Silk Road.
  • The U.S. aims to counter Chinese influence by partnering with India on trusted digital infrastructure.
• India’s Missed Potential:
  • Despite a long coastline and strategic location, India hosts only 17 cable landing stations, with heavy congestion in Mumbai.
  • Compared to smaller countries like Singapore (26 cables), India underutilizes its connectivity potential.
• Need for Diversification:
  • Current cable infrastructure is geographically concentrated, making it vulnerable to disruptions (e.g., natural disasters, sabotage).
  • Redundancy through dispersed landing stations is essential for resilient digital infrastructure.
• Infrastructure & Regulatory Gaps:
  • India faces high entry barriers, with 50+ clearances required to lay cables.
  • Repair capability is weak due to reliance on foreign-flagged repair ships, leading to delays in restoring connectivity.
• Strategic Investment and U.S. Role:
  • The U.S. can support India via technical assistance, concessional finance, and by encouraging private sector participation (e.g., Meta’s upcoming 50,000-km undersea cable).
  • The TRUST framework should support a domestic cable repair ecosystem in India.

Mians Analysis:

• Subsea cables are the ‘invisible arteries’ of the digital economy and national security. In the Indo-Pacific context, they are geostrategic infrastructure, not just commercial assets.
• A stronger U.S.-India collaboration will not only de-risk critical supply chains, but also reinforce digital sovereignty and regional stability.
• India must act swiftly to reduce its regulatory burden, incentivize private players, and build a repair and maintenance ecosystem domestically.
• This sector ties together foreign policy, cyber strategy, and digital economy – making it a key test case for 21st-century strategic cooperation.

Conclusion:

• Subsea cables offer a tangible opportunity for India-U.S. strategic convergence in the Indo-Pacific. With China expanding its digital footprint, it is imperative for India to strengthen its undersea infrastructure, backed by policy reform, private investment, and international cooperation. Enhancing digital resilience through subsea cable expansion is not only about connectivity, but also about geopolitical leverage and long-term digital security.