Content:
- End custodial brutality, begin criminal justice reform
- Minding the minerals gap
End custodial brutality, begin criminal justice reform
Source : TH
Context : Custodial Deaths Persist Despite Safeguards
Between 2020 and 2023, India reported 462 custodial deaths (NHRC data). Tamil Nadu ranks among the top five states in reported incidents, highlighting systemic issues despite constitutional and legal protections (e.g., Article 21, D.K. Basu Guidelines).
Relevance : GS 2(Social Justice , Governance, Constitution )
Practice Question : Despite judicial directives and constitutional safeguards, custodial violence remains pervasive in India. Examine the structural and cultural causes behind this persistence. Suggest institutional and legislative reforms to ensure accountability and prevent custodial deaths.(250 Words)
Recent Shocking Cases in Tamil Nadu
- Ajith Kumar (2025): 44 wounds, cigarette burns, and forced narcotics—suggestive of extreme torture.
- Vignesh (2022): Autopsy revealed multiple injuries.
- Raja (2024): Dalit man died after being accused of theft.
- These are not aberrations but indicators of a pattern of impunity and normalisation of excessive force.
Budgetary Skew in Police Modernisation
Tamil Nadu allocated over ₹9,300 crore for police in FY 2024–25. However, <1% goes to mental health, training, or ethics reform. Majority is spent on vehicles, surveillance, and weapons—a deterrence-heavy model with little investment in human-centric policing.
Mental Health Crisis in Policing
Indian police work under extreme stress: low officer–population ratio (152/1 lakh people vs. UN norm of 222), long hours, and constant exposure to violence. Yet, India lacks institutionalised mental health support, leading to burnout and brutality.
Lack of Accountability and Oversight
In 2022–23, out of hundreds of custodial deaths, only 3 resulted in convictions (NCRB). Post-incident suspensions or transfers rarely lead to justice. There’s an urgent need for legally binding accountability mechanisms, not ad-hoc administrative action.
Non-functional CCTV Cameras Undermine Reforms
Despite Supreme Court orders (Paramvir Singh Saini v. Union of India, 2020), CCTV coverage in police custody areas remains patchy, with poor auditing and high camera downtime, undermining transparency.
Outdated Police Training Curriculum
Current training focuses on law and order, with little emphasis on ethics, trauma-informed investigation, community policing, or human rights jurisprudence. Modernising the syllabus is essential to align policing with democratic values.
Need for a Comprehensive Anti-Custodial Torture Law
India is not a signatory to the UN Convention Against Torture, and custodial violence remains under-legislated. A proposed law must include:
- Time-bound magisterial probe,
- Mandatory video recording of interrogations,
- Civilian oversight boards,
- Strict compensation and penal provisions.
Structural Discrimination and Marginalisation
Dalits, Adivasis, and poor working-class youth form a disproportionate share of custodial torture victims, reflecting embedded social hierarchies in law enforcement.
Justice Must Be Preventive, Not Post-Mortem
Ajith Kumar’s last words — “I didn’t steal” — underscore the moral failure of the State. Reform must go beyond symbolism: invest in counselling, real-time monitoring, legislative overhaul, and empathy-driven policing.
Data Points on Custodial Violence in India (2025)
Conviction Rate
Between 2001 and 2020, 1,888 custodial deaths were reported. Only 893 cases were registered against police personnel, and merely 26 resulted in convictions — a conviction rate of just 2.9%.
Source: Indian Express, NCRB, Ministry of Home Affairs RTI Data
High Incidence in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu reported 109 custodial deaths in FY 2021–22, a sharp rise from previous years, making it one of the highest in the country.
Source: NCRB Prison Statistics 2022
Police-Population Ratio Deficit
India’s police-to-population ratio is 152 per lakh population, significantly below the UN-recommended 222 per lakh.
Source: Bureau of Police Research & Development, 2023
Skewed Budget Allocation
Less than 1% of Tamil Nadu’s ₹9,385 crore police budget is allocated to mental health, ethics training, or officer welfare. Most funds are spent on hardware like vehicles and surveillance.
Source: Tamil Nadu Budget Documents 2024–25
Marginalised Communities Overrepresented
41% of custodial violence victims in 2022 were from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or OBC communities.
Source: NCRB Disaggregated Data 2022
Underreporting of Violence
In 2023, NHRC registered only 33 cases of custodial violence, whereas independent civil society estimates suggest the actual numbers are much higher.
Source: NHRC, Status of Policing in India Report 2025
CCTV Monitoring Still Weak
More than 40% of police stations across India lack functional CCTV systems with real-time recording and secure storage, despite Supreme Court directives (Paramvir Singh Saini vs Union of India, 2020).
Source: SC Compliance Reports, 2024
Legal Vacuum on Torture
India has not ratified the UN Convention Against Torture (UNCAT) and lacks a standalone anti-torture law, despite repeated recommendations by the Law Commission (2017) and NHRC.
Source: Law Commission Report No. 273 (2017)
Police Culture and Attitude Issues
According to the Status of Policing Report 2025, 20% of officers justify custodial violence as “very important,” and 27% condone mob justice in emotionally charged cases.
Source: Common Cause & Lokniti-CSDS Survey
Non-Compliance with DK Basu Guidelines
Core guidelines on arrest memo countersigning, 48-hour medical examination, and timely magistrate intimation are inconsistently followed across many states.
Source: NHRC Reviews, SC Orders (D.K. Basu vs State of West Bengal, 1997
Minding the minerals gap
Source : IE
Geostrategic Imperative: Avoiding Overdependence
- India’s rapid clean energy transition (EVs, solar, wind, semiconductors) demands uninterrupted access to lithium, cobalt, nickel, rare earths, and graphite.
- China currently dominates over 85% of global rare earth refining and 70% of battery mineral processing.
- India must avoid falling into strategic dependence on either China’s mineral dominance or Western critical mineral cartels.
- Policy Need: Build autonomous and diversified supply networks without entrenching asymmetrical dependencies.
Relevance : GS 3(Mineral Security ), GS 2(International Relations)
Practice Question : ”India’s critical mineral strategy must strike a balance between strategic autonomy, global collaboration, and equitable development.”Critically examine India’s evolving approach to securing critical mineral supply chains in the context of global energy transition and geoeconomic shifts. (250 words)
Upgrading from Refining Hub to Value Chain Leader
- There’s a structural risk of India becoming just a midstream processor (e.g., refining lithium or cobalt) while raw extraction and high-end manufacturing remain offshored.
- Extractive activities (e.g., in Africa or Latin America) might remain outside Indian control, limiting strategic leverage.
- Strategic Response: Invest in vertical integration — from geological surveying → mining → refining → component production → end-product manufacturing (e.g., battery packs, turbines).
Critical Mineral Diplomacy & the MSP Platform
- India is a member of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) alongside the US, Japan, Australia, Canada, etc.
- The MSP enables joint exploration, investment, and ESG-compliant mining in third countries.
- Leverage Point: India should use MSP access to:
- Build secure bilateral mineral corridors
- Finance joint ventures in Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America
- Negotiate long-term offtake agreements ensuring raw material inflow
Domestic Capability Building: R&D, Tech Transfer & IP
- India lags in rare earth metallurgy, purification technologies, and battery chemistry.
- Current domestic R&D in mineral sciences is fragmented, with minimal industry-academia collaboration.
Policy Gap: There is no large-scale national mission for critical mineral R&D comparable to Semicon India. - Solution: Launch a National Critical Minerals Mission with:
- Public-private partnerships for refining technology
- Patent incentives
- Strategic raw material reserves
- Greenfield pilot plants for mineral separation
Diaspora & Historical Linkages as Levers
- India has influential diaspora networks in mineral-rich regions (e.g., East Africa, Southeast Asia, Caribbean).
- Unlike China’s state-led model, India can use diaspora-led development models that are less extractive and more politically acceptable.
- Diplomatic Opportunity:
- Forge B2B and G2B linkages for mining rights, tech collaboration
- Use trilateral cooperation (e.g., India-Japan-Africa) for clean mineral supply chains
Strategic Geography: Island & Oceanic Assets
- Island territories (e.g., Chhabha Island) have been identified as having rare earth potential.
- Maritime presence enables India to tap deep-sea mineral resources and develop trans-shipment hubs.
- Geoeconomic Advantage:
- Create coastal Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for critical mineral processing
- Establish Indian-controlled rare earth refining and export facilities
Green and Ethical Supply Chains as USP
- Western markets are moving towards ESG-compliant sourcing norms (e.g., US Inflation Reduction Act, EU CBAM).
- Countries with poor mining records face trade barriers.
- Strategic Differentiator: India can brand itself as a “responsible supplier” of clean-tech minerals by:
- Ensuring traceability
- Avoiding child labour and ecological harm
- Promoting circular economy models
Bridging Industry & Foreign Policy
- Critical minerals policy is currently fragmented across ministries: Mines, Commerce, External Affairs, Heavy Industries.
- Coordination with private sector is ad hoc.
- Institutional Fix:
- Create a National Critical Minerals Authority or inter-ministerial task force
- Develop a sovereign critical mineral fund to invest in overseas assets
- Integrate trade, technology, and defence planning around supply chain security
Conclusion: Securing Strategic Sovereignty
India’s long-term autonomy in clean energy, electronics, and strategic technologies hinges on how well it controls and integrates critical mineral supply chains. The roadmap must go beyond imports or refining to focus on:
- Exploration partnerships
- IP creation
- ESG compliance
- Regional leadership in the Global South
- Failure to act decisively now risks replacing oil dependence with mineral dependency, undermining India’s 2047 vision of strategic and economic sovereignty.
Relevant data and facts:
- 100% Import Dependence: India relies entirely on imports for key minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite—critical for EVs, solar, and electronics.
- Lithium Reserves Found: Geological Survey of India confirmed 5.9 million tonnes of lithium in Reasi, Jammu & Kashmir (2023)—making India the 7th largest holder globally.
- Rare Earths Strength: India has 6.9 million tonnes of rare earth reserves (3rd largest globally), but only a small fraction is mined or processed domestically.
- National Critical Minerals Mission (2025): Aims to explore 1,200 new blocks, set up 4 mineral parks, and 3 centres of excellence, and reduce import dependency through R&D and processing.
- Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): India joined MSP with the US, Japan, Australia, and others to build secure, ESG-compliant supply chains and co-invest in mining projects abroad.
- Argentina Lithium Deal (2024): India’s KABIL signed agreements to explore 15,703 hectares of lithium blocks—first such overseas strategic mineral acquisition.
- Strategic Risk – Processing Trap: India may end up as just a refining hub, while extraction remains offshore and high-value tech manufacturing happens in developed countries.
- Incentives for Rare Earths: Government plans ₹5,000 crore PLI scheme to boost magnet production capacity and reduce overdependence on China (which controls 90% of global supply).
- Domestic Capability Gap: Institutions like IREL produced only 2,900 tonnes of rare earths in FY2024; India still lacks large-scale magnet, battery, and refining technology.
- Geoeconomic Leverage: India is tapping diaspora links, historical ties, and MSP partnerships to build long-term access to mineral assets while ensuring fair, non-extractive diplomacy with the Global South.
