Content
- India inks £350-mn deal with U.K. to buy missiles of global stability
- Are women deciding Assembly elections?
- What are the various electoral forms?
- Why we need to change the way we talk about antibiotic resistance
- Prioritising mental health during emergencies is essential: experts
- Red List initiative
India inks £350-mn deal with U.K. to buy missiles of global stability’
Why in News ?
India and the U.K. have signed a £350-million defence deal for missiles, marking a strategic milestone in India-U.K. defence cooperation. The agreement includes procurement of Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) for the Indian Army and collaboration on electric-powered naval engines. This follows high-level discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.K. PM Keir Starmer in Mumbai, highlighting expanding bilateral ties across defence, technology, and education.
Relevance
- GS II – International Relations:
- Bilateral defence and technology partnership with the U.K.
- Strategic cooperation in education and research sectors.
- GS III – Defence & Economy:
- Modernisation of armed forces and advanced weapons acquisition.
- Boost to defence manufacturing, Make in India, and technology transfers.
- Economic diplomacy via investment flows and educational partnerships.
Context and Background
- Part of broader India-U.K. strategic partnership, described as an “important pillar of global stability.”
- Defence deal aligns with India’s modernisation of armed forces and push for domestic and international collaboration.
- U.K. universities (Lancaster & Surrey) approved to open campuses in India, reflecting increasing education and technology cooperation.
- 64 Indian companies committed £1.3 billion (~₹15,430 crore) investment in the U.K., showing strengthened economic ties post trade deal.
Details of the Defence Deal
- Value: £350 million (missiles) + £250 million for electric-powered naval engines.
- Procurement: Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM) manufactured in Belfast.
- Purpose:
- Strengthen Indian Army’s missile capabilities.
- Broaden defence partnership towards “complex weapons collaboration.”
- Boost bilateral defence R&D and industrial linkages.
- Strategic Objective:
- Enhance interoperability and technology exchange.
- Support Make in India by leveraging foreign technology and investment.
Strategic and Geopolitical Significance
- Global Stability: Strengthens India-U.K. defence alignment amid turbulent global scenario.
- Regional Security: Enhances India’s deterrence posture in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Technology Collaboration: Paves way for joint development of advanced missile systems and naval technology.
- Defence Industry Boost: Encourages investments, technology transfer, and R&D in India’s defence sector.
Economic and Industrial Implications
- Indian firms invest £1.3 billion in U.K., enhancing bilateral trade confidence.
- Defence procurement fosters indigenous supply chains via Make in India initiative.
- Joint ventures in defence manufacturing can create jobs and skill development opportunities.
- Electric naval engine collaboration supports green technology adoption in defence.
Conclusion
The defence deal enhances India-U.K. strategic and technological cooperation while modernising India’s armed forces. It also strengthens regional security and boosts Make in India through joint R&D and industrial linkages.
Are women deciding Assembly elections?
Why in News ?
In the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, direct cash transfer schemes like the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana have targeted women voters. This has revived the debate on whether women are becoming a decisive electoral force, reflecting increasing political focus on gender as an identity in voting behaviour.
Relevance
- GS II – Governance & Social Justice:
- Gender-responsive policy formulation and evaluation.
- Electoral inclusion and institutional mechanisms for women’s political participation.
- Intersectionality in policy design.
- GS II/III – Polity & Economy:
- Welfare schemes and direct benefit transfers as tools of social empowerment.
- Clientelism vs. inclusive policy delivery.
- Socio-economic empowerment of women as a driver of development.
Context and Background
- Bihar CM Nitish Kumar transferred ₹10,000 to 25 lakh women (Oct 3, 2025) under Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana.
- PM Modi announced ₹7,500 crore transfer to 75 lakh women under the same scheme (Sept 26, 2025).
- Women increasingly treated as a “vote bank,” similar to caste or religious groups.
- Share of women voters rising; women voters outnumber men in several constituencies in recent elections.
Key Insights from the Article
- Agency over freebies:
- Women seek empowerment, dignity, and autonomy, not just cash schemes.
- Political parties must internalise women’s aspirations rather than assume them as monolithic beneficiaries (“labharthis”).
- Intersectionality:
- Women’s voting preferences are shaped by caste, class, religion, region, and other social identities.
- Treating women as a homogeneous group risks marginalising their agency and reinforces clientelist politics.
- Electoral Inclusion and Disadvantages:
- Documentation issues in exercises like SIR (Bihar) and NRC (Assam) disproportionately affect women.
- Despite being celebrated as voters, systemic barriers limit women’s political participation.
- Impact of Welfare Schemes:
- Schemes like Ladli Behna, Ladki Bahin, and Mahila Rojgar Yojana provide direct cash transfers.
- Success varies with timing, implementation, conditional clauses (e.g., school education).
- Evidence shows schemes do not automatically translate into votes for any party; women increasingly exercise independent choice.
- Evolution of Political Attention to Women:
- Modern political manifestos include women-centric measures (e.g., free cycles, toilets, cash transfers).
- These initiatives signal recognition of women’s role, but risks of tokenism and essentialisation remain.
Overview
- Women voters are influential but not decisive:
- Their importance lies in parity with other voting blocs rather than a monolithic swing factor.
- Empowerment vs. Clientelism:
- Schemes can empower women financially and socially if implemented effectively.
- Pre-election cash transfers risk being perceived as vote-buying rather than empowerment.
- Policy Design Lessons:
- Gender-responsive policies must consider intersectional identities.
- Effective delivery, awareness, and support for independent use of benefits are critical.
Conclusion
Women’s growing electoral presence highlights their increasing political agency, though they are not a monolithic vote bank. Effective gender-responsive policies and empowerment measures, rather than pre-election cash transfers, can strengthen meaningful participation.
What are the various electoral forms?
Why in News ?
The Election Commission (EC) recently concluded the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar ahead of Assembly elections and plans a phased rollout across other States. The process has sparked debate over voter inclusion, documentation requirements, and electoral fairness.
Relevance
- GS II – Polity & Governance:
- Role of EC in preparation and revision of electoral rolls.
- Right to vote, voter inclusion, and clean elections.
- Judicial oversight in election administration.
- GS II – Democracy & Accountability:
- Citizen participation in electoral processes.
- Challenges in electoral inclusion for marginalized groups.
Context & Background
- Legal Basis:
- Section 21 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 (RP Act) allows preparation and revision of electoral rolls.
- EC can carry out a summary revision before elections and a special revision at any time.
- SIR in Bihar:
- EC order dated June 24, 2025 initiated SIR nationwide, starting with Bihar.
- Bihar Assembly elections due in November 2025; July 1 fixed as qualifying date.
- Process Steps:
- Submission of enumeration forms by registered voters.
- Submission of eligible documents proving citizenship (for voters registered post-2003).
- Publication of draft electoral rolls.
- Period for filing claims and objections.
- Verification and disposal of claims by Electoral Registration Officers (ERO).
- Publication of final electoral roll (Bihar roll released on Sept 30, 2025).
- Judicial Intervention:
- SIR process challenged in the Supreme Court.
- Court directed EC to accept Aadhaar as proof of identity along with enumeration forms.
Forms & Citizen Participation
- Relevant Forms:
- Defined in Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 (RER).
- Include forms for new voter registration, migration, objections, corrections, deletions, etc.
- Citizens should fill out the relevant forms based on their status.
- Citizen Responsibility:
- Verify published draft rolls.
- Submit forms if new voters or migrated.
- Seek assistance from political parties, civil society, or EROs, especially for marginalized groups.
Significance
- Clean electoral rolls are vital for free and fair elections.
- Ensures every eligible citizen can exercise their right to vote without compromise.
- Phased rollout in other States aims to improve efficiency and inclusivity.
Challenges & Concerns
- Short timelines may disadvantage marginalized groups, particularly women, migrants, and those with weak documentation.
- Political debates about SIR often highlight fears of exclusion or voter manipulation, though EC maintains neutrality.
- Need for adequate public awareness and facilitation to avoid disenfranchisement.
Way Forward
- Extended timelines for SIR to allow hassle-free participation.
- Ensure Aadhaar and other accepted documents are widely communicated.
- Political parties and civil society must assist vulnerable populations in verifying and updating rolls.
- Phased nationwide SIR can improve the accuracy of rolls for upcoming Assembly elections.
Conclusion
Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and other electoral processes ensure inclusive and accurate voter registration. Robust citizen participation, timely awareness, and facilitation are essential to maintain free and fair elections.
Why we need to change the way we talk about antibiotic resistance
Why in News
- Context: Renewed focus on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) due to stagnation in public awareness despite increasing medical risk.
- Catalyst: NDM (New Delhi Metallo-beta-lactamase) first reported in 2010, highlighting India as a hotspot for antibiotic resistance.
- Current Concern: Communication fatigue and public desensitization to alarming AMR statistics; need for a personalized, biology-centered narrative.
Relevance
- GS III – Science & Technology / Health:
- Antimicrobial resistance, NDM-1, antibiotic stewardship.
- Public health policies, microbiome science, personalized medicine.
- GS II – Governance / Policy:
- Chennai Declaration, G20/G7 AMR policies, India’s national health response.
- GS III – Economics:
- Economic burden of AMR, healthcare cost escalation, productivity loss.
Understanding AMR & NDM
- AMR: Occurs when microorganisms evolve to survive exposure to antibiotics. Leads to infections that are harder to treat, increasing morbidity and mortality.
- NDM-1:
- A gene producing an enzyme that makes bacteria resistant to nearly all antibiotics, including last-resort drugs.
- First identified in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 2010.
- Sparked political controversy over naming, highlighting global attention to India’s AMR problem.
- Impact of AMR:
- Health: Increased treatment failures, prolonged hospital stays, higher mortality.
- Economy: Predicted $100 trillion global economic loss by 2050 (Lord Jim O’Neill report).
- Social: Poses a global public health threat, affecting low- and middle-income countries disproportionately.
Evolution of Awareness & Policy Initiatives
- Chennai Declaration (2012): Indian consensus framework to tackle AMR.
- Global Recognition: G7 and G20 included AMR in their agendas; AMR recognized as a medical, economic, and political issue.
- Problem: Over time, repeated alarmist messaging led to psychic numbing—public and policymakers became desensitized to statistics.
Communication Crisis
- Traditional messaging relies on large-scale catastrophic forecasts, e.g., 10 million deaths by 2050.
- Habituation: Repeated exposure to statistics dulls public and policymaker response.
- Need for personalized storytelling connecting AMR to everyday health impacts.
Making AMR Personal
- Microbiome Concept: Human body hosts trillions of beneficial microbes, essential for digestion, immunity, metabolism, skin health, and even mood regulation.
- Antibiotics Effects:
- Disrupt gut microbiome for months; sometimes permanent changes.
- Linked to anxiety, depression, obesity, diabetes, asthma, eczema.
- Impacts are present-day, not just future predictions.
- Positive framing:
- Microbes are not only harmful; they create individuality, influence experiences (e.g., how perfume smells on different people).
- Protecting beneficial microbes is a personal responsibility with immediate health consequences.
Shift in Messaging
- From distant catastrophe → personal impact.
- From fear → responsibility.
- From statistics → biology.
- From bad bugs → good bugs.
- Goal: Sustainable public engagement, keeping AMR on the policy and individual action agenda.
Significance & Policy Implications
- Healthcare: Need for judicious antibiotic use, stewardship programs, and infection control.
- Education & Awareness: Shift from abstract warnings to practical, relatable impacts on individual health.
- Research: Encourage studies on microbiome preservation and AMR mitigation.
- Global Health: India’s AMR crisis is part of a global threat, requiring coordinated national and international response.
Conclusion
AMR communication must shift from abstract catastrophic statistics to personalized, biology-focused messaging to drive responsible antibiotic use. This approach improves public engagement, policymaking, and sustainable health outcomes.
Prioritising mental health during emergencies is essential: experts
Why in News
- Event: World Mental Health Day 2025 (October 10)
- Theme: “Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies”
- Relevance: Highlights urgent need for accessible mental health services during disasters, conflicts, climate-induced crises, and pandemics.
- Context in India: Recurring natural disasters (tsunamis, cyclones), COVID-19 pandemic, and humanitarian emergencies have exposed gaps in mental health response.
Relevance
- GS II – Governance / Social Justice:
- Mental health policy, integration in disaster management, child and adolescent protection.
- GS III – Health / Disaster Management:
- Psychological first aid, crisis mental health services, impact of emergencies on health systems.
- GS II/III – International Cooperation:
- WHO guidelines, Inter-Agency Standing Committee recommendations, global frameworks for disaster mental health.
Understanding Mental Health in Emergencies
- Definition: Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being; crucial for coping with stress and disasters.
- Crisis Impact: WHO estimates ~1 in 5 individuals experience mental health conditions during disasters/conflicts.
- Common Conditions: Depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia.
- Historical Lessons in India:
- 2004 Tsunami: Recognized need for psychological first-aid alongside physical relief.
- COVID-19 Pandemic: Highlighted widespread stress, isolation, and anxiety affecting both infected and uninfected individuals.
- Cyclones & Natural Disasters: e.g., 2018 Gaja cyclone – mental health teams intervened for grief and trauma.
Challenges in Mental Health Response
- Underestimation of Need: Mental health often seen as secondary to physical and economic recovery in emergencies.
- Accessibility: Services concentrated in urban centers; rural and remote populations underserved.
- Stigma: Social barriers prevent individuals from seeking care, especially in disaster-affected areas.
- Long-term Impact: Children and adolescents exposed to trauma face lasting psychological effects.
- Reactive Approach: Often addressed post-disaster instead of being integrated into initial emergency planning.
Key Recommendations & Best Practices
- Decentralization:
- Ensure mental health services are available in all districts affected by disasters.
- Create mobile mental health units in rural or conflict-affected zones.
- Integration into Emergency Response:
- Mental health support should be part of initial disaster relief planning along with food, shelter, and medical care.
- Teams should assess acute stress, grief, and trauma immediately.
- Child & Adolescent Focus:
- Prioritize psychosocial support for children exposed to violence, displacement, or loss.
- Capacity Building:
- Train first responders, medical staff, and volunteers in psychological first aid.
- Leverage WHO and Inter-Agency Standing Committee guidelines for mental health in emergencies.
- Awareness & De-stigmatization:
- Promote discussions about mental health across all sectors.
- Encourage community participation to normalize seeking psychological support.
- Sustainability:
- Mental health support should not be reactive, but pre-planned, structured, and continuous.
- Follow-up and long-term care should be incorporated post-crisis.
Significance
- Public Health: Early mental health intervention reduces long-term psychiatric morbidity.
- Social Stability: Reduces post-disaster social tensions, substance abuse, and domestic violence.
- Disaster Resilience: Mentally healthy populations are better able to adapt and recover from catastrophes.
- Global Commitments: Aligns with WHO, Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and well-being) and disaster preparedness frameworks.
Conclusion
Integrating mental health into disaster response reduces long-term psychological impact and strengthens societal resilience. Decentralized, pre-planned, and continuous care is crucial for effective emergency management.
Red List initiative
Why in News ?
- India is preparing a national-level ‘Red List’ of species for the first time, assessing 11,000 species (7,000 flora + 4,000 fauna).
- Announcement made by Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh on the first day of the World Congress of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Abu Dhabi.
- Initiative aligns with India’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF).
Relevance
- GS III – Environment & Biodiversity:
- Biodiversity conservation, Red List, endangered species, endemic species.
- Role of government and international organizations (IUCN, CBD).
- GS III – Disaster & Ecology Linkages:
- Understanding species risk contributes to ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction.
Understanding the Red List
- IUCN Red List: Global standard for assessing extinction risk of species.
- Categories of Assessment: Extinct, Extinct in the Wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern, Data Deficient, Not Evaluated.
- Purpose: Helps policymakers and wildlife biologists prioritize conservation actions, allocate resources, and plan recovery for species at risk.
- Scope in India:
- 55,726 species recorded.
- Currently, IUCN assessed only 7,516 species (13.4% are threatened).
- 1,012 species threatened; 289 near threatened; 13.8% data deficient.
- High endemism in amphibians (79%) and reptiles (54.9%) among threatened species.
Objectives of the National Red List
- Assess extinction risk for 11,000 species across India.
- Establish a participatory, nationally coordinated, and upgradable Red Listing system.
- Reflect the true conservation status of India’s biodiversity.
- Track progress of biodiversity protection targets under KM-GBF and SDGs.
- Integrate expert inputs from taxonomists, conservation biologists, and non-profit organizations.
- Create a framework for future conservation recovery plans.
Key Stakeholders
- Government Agencies:
- Union Environment Ministry
- Botanical Survey of India
- Zoological Survey of India
- Non-governmental & Research Organisations:
- Wildlife Institute of India
- Taxonomists and conservation biologists across India
- Global Alignment: Coordinated with IUCN global standards.
Significance of the Initiative
- Biodiversity Conservation: Enables scientific, evidence-based conservation planning.
- Policy Impact: Helps identify priority species and habitats needing immediate protection.
- Global Commitment: Strengthens India’s role in CBD and KM-GBF goals.
- Endemism Protection: Highlights species unique to India, crucial for ecosystem balance and ecological resilience.
- Awareness & Engagement: Promotes participation of civil society, researchers, and local communities in biodiversity monitoring.
Challenges
- Data Deficiency: Many species lack sufficient information, potentially underestimating threats.
- Scale: India has ~55,726 documented species, making assessment resource-intensive.
- Coordination: Requires collaboration across government, academia, NGOs, and international frameworks.
- Implementation: Translating Red List data into actionable conservation policies and field interventions.
Why It Matters Now ?
- Global Biodiversity Targets: India committed to stop biodiversity loss by 2030 under KM-GBF.
- Climate Change & Habitat Loss: Rapid environmental change is increasing extinction risk.
- Awareness & Policy: With this initiative, India strengthens national conservation policies and international credibility.
Conclusion
India’s National Red List provides evidence-based prioritization for species conservation, aligning with global biodiversity commitments. It enables targeted policies, protects endemic species, and promotes scientific and community engagement in biodiversity preservation.
