Current Affairs 03 May 2025

Content :

1. Port economy will drive India’s growth, says PM
2. Listing of castes will be the first challenge in Census, say experts
3. Can ethics keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI?
4. Ministers stress need for inclusive global discourse
5. Global trafficking of pangolin scales, elephant ivory plummets post-pandemic

 Port economy will drive India’s growth, says PM

Context

• PM Modi inaugurated Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala.
• It is India’s first dedicated container transshipment port.
• Developed by Adani Ports under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the Kerala government.
• Project cost: ₹8,800 crore.

Relevance : GS 3(Infrastructure )

• Strategic Location:
  • Located close to major global shipping lanes.
  • Natural deep draft of ~20 metres—suitable for large container ships.
  • Reduces India’s dependence on foreign ports (like Colombo, Singapore) for transshipment.

• Economic Significance:
  • PM highlighted ports and port cities as future growth centres for a “developed India”.
  • Promotes port-led development and coastal economic zones.
  • Enhances logistics efficiency and reduces turnaround time for cargo.

• Policy Backing:
  • Aligns with Sagarmala Project and PM Gati Shakti for integrated transport infrastructure.
  • Emphasis on ease of doing business and infrastructure development.
  • PPP model promoted as a catalyst for rapid modernization of port infrastructure.

Strategic and Global Trade Implications

• Positions India as a hub for maritime logistics and transshipment.
• Potential to compete with regional transshipment hubs in Sri Lanka and UAE.
• Boosts India’s export competitiveness and supports Make in India.

Challenges Ahead

• Need to ensure connectivity with hinterland through rail and road.
• Environmental sustainability and local community concerns.
• Security infrastructure and customs digitization must match global standards.

Geopolitical and Strategic Angle

• Blue Economy Push: Vizhinjam aligns with India’s vision for sustainable use of ocean resources.
• Strategic Depth: Enhances India’s maritime posture in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), countering China’s port diplomacy (e.g., Hambantota).
• Indo-Pacific Strategy: Strengthens India’s role in Indo-Pacific supply chains and maritime security frameworks like QUAD.

Way Forward

• Replicate the Vizhinjam model in other coastal states.
• Promote multi-modal logistics parks near major ports.
• Invest in green port technologies and maritime skill development.
• Ensure coordinated governance between Centre, States, and private players.

Listing of castes will be the first challenge in Census, say experts

Core Issue

• Primary Challenge: Creating a definitive, agreed-upon list of castes and communities for enumeration.
• No Comprehensive Database: Existing official lists are fragmented — limited to SC, ST, and OBC lists without full community coverage.

Relevance : GS 2(Governance , Social Issues)

Historical Context

• Last Caste Census: Conducted in 1931, recorded 4,147 castes/sub-castes across religions.
• Methodological Limits: 1931 Census excluded many religious groups from compulsory caste disclosure but recorded voluntary entries.

Lessons from SECC 2011

• Data Explosion: Over 46 lakh caste entries due to people entering surnames or clan names — inflated and unusable.
• No Final Public Release: Lack of scientific caste classification led to data being withheld for policy use.

Major Operational Challenges

• Linguistic Variations: Same caste may be known by different names across regions.
• Dynamic Identities: New caste identities and coalitions (e.g., Yadavs from dairy communities) have emerged post-1931.
• State-wise Variation: A community may be SC in one State and OBC or General in another.

Expert Recommendations

• Consultative Approach: Involve scholars, caste associations, and public feedback in list creation.
• Pre-Census Public Notification: As done in 1931, public display of lists to invite suggestions and corrections.

Classification Complexity

• Multiple Identities: One group may fall under tribe, caste, or race depending on geography and sociological lens.
• Need for Region-Specific Lists: A centrally imposed list may not reflect regional social realities.

Policy and Governance Implications

• Caste Enumeration ≠ Caste Classification: Enumeration must precede and remain distinct from classification into SC/ST/OBC.
• Legal Sensitivities: Classification impacts reservation entitlements and must be based on rigorous criteria.

Way Forward

• Scientific and Transparent Process: Establish a central framework for regional disaggregation and categorization.
• Leverage State Models: Use recent caste surveys (e.g., Bihar) as templates for methodological design.

Can ethics keep pace with the rapid evolution of AI?

Context : AI Capabilities and Ethical Dilemmas

• Advanced AI Functions: Individuals can now create facial recognition tools that scrape public data without consent — raising serious privacy and consent issues.
• Ethics as a Restraint: Currently, large AI companies impose ethical limits on their tools (e.g., not enabling facial recognition or deepfake generation) — but this may not persist with decentralised, unregulated AI development.

Relevance : GS 3(Technology) ,GS 4(Ethics and Technology)

Areas of Ethical Concern

• Surveillance: AI’s use in mass surveillance could violate individual freedoms.
• Deepfakes & Disinformation: Easily fabricated content can distort truth and democratic processes.
• Bias in Hiring: AI may automate existing human biases — subtly affecting outcomes with minor parameter changes.
• Transparency in Human-AI Interaction: People have a right to know if they’re interacting with a machine — especially in sensitive areas like education, literature, or counselling.

Psychological and Social Implications

• Comfort vs. Deception: People may accept AI-designed services if informed, but feel deceived if it’s hidden — e.g., reading an AI-generated novel without disclosure.
• Need for Disclosure: Raises moral questions around transparency and informed consent.

Need for Regulation vs. Ethical Codes

• Call for Industry Standards: The situation demands unified ethical standards, but their creation and enforcement remain a challenge.
• Limits of Ethics Alone: Ethics is subjective, context-dependent, and lacks enforcement power.
• Law as Formalised Ethics: Ethics gains enforcement only when converted into laws and regulations, which introduces state control — something businesses may resist.

Dilemma of Self-regulation

• Corporate Reluctance: Companies may hesitate to codify ethical practices fearing legal scrutiny or regulatory burdens.
• Moral Posturing vs. Action: Without legal backing, ethical declarations may be performative rather than genuinely transformative.

The Central Question

• Future Unknowns: Ethics is based on known scenarios — but AI is creating unprecedented realities faster than ethical frameworks can adapt.
• Who decides the rules for technologies and situations not yet imagined?

Debate Platform

• The issue will be discussed at The Hindu Huddle, bringing together researchers and strategists in AI ethics to address whether AI can be democratised and governed ethically.

Ministers stress need for inclusive global discourse

Context : Purpose and Vision of the Global Media Dialogue

• Platform Goal: The Global Media Dialogue 2025, part of the WAVES Summit, aims to build a pluralistic, inclusive, and tech-driven global media ecosystem.
• Guiding Principles: Anchored in creativity, culture, and collaboration, with emphasis on cross-cultural understanding and responsible content.

Relevance : GS 3(Creative Economy)

India’s Diplomatic and Cultural Advocacy

• S. Jaishankar’s Address:
  • Stressed the need to move beyond colonial and power-centric global structures.
  • Advocated for assertion of political, economic, and cultural independence in international discourse.
  • Highlighted revival of pluralism and indigenous traditions in a democratised global system.

• Ashwini Vaishnaw’s Address:
  • Focused on the emotional and visionary value of the media sector, beyond its $3 trillion market size.
  • Emphasised promotion of local storytelling, IP protection, and cultural preservation.
  • Called for collaborative frameworks to enable cultural and creative growth.

The WAVES Declaration (Key Outcomes)

• Adoption by Over 60 Nations: The declaration reflects collective commitment to:
  • Cultural diversity and heritage preservation.
  • Responsible use of AI and emerging technologies.
  • Reducing bias and democratising media content creation.
  • Bridging the digital divide and promoting inclusive, ethical media practices.
  • Strengthening fair, innovative, and open media markets.

Media Integrity and Combating Disinformation

• Concern Raised: Proliferation of misinformation/disinformation is a global challenge.
• Declaration’s Response:
  • Advocacy for responsible journalism and fact-based reporting.
  • Call for ethical standards in advertising and content verification.
  • Need for collaborative global action to ensure media credibility.

Media as a Tool for Global Peace and Dialogue

• Soft Power and Diplomacy: Recognised the media sector as vital for fostering harmony, innovation, and intercultural empathy.
• Governments’ Role: States urged to enable peace-building and cross-border collaboration through supportive policy frameworks.

Global trafficking of pangolin scales, elephant ivory plummets post-pandemic

Context :Key Findings from WJC Report (2015–2024)

• Sharp Decline Since 2020:
  • Pangolin scale seizures dropped 84%.
  • Elephant ivory seizures dropped 74% compared to 2019 levels.
  • Triggered largely by COVID-19 disruptions, enforcement measures, and regulatory shifts.

Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)

Magnitude of Wildlife Trafficking

• Pangolin Scales:
  • Over 370 tonnes seized (2015–2024) → Represents 100,000 to 1 million pangolins.
  • 2019: Record high of 100+ tonnes.

• Elephant Ivory:
  • Over 193 tonnes seized → Estimated 19,300 elephants.
  • 2019: Peaked at 50 tonnes.

Notable Seizures and Events

• April 2020: Two 25-tonne pangolin scale seizures in Singapore.
• Parallel ivory seizures reported in Vietnam, Singapore, and China.
• Signaled industrial-scale smuggling backed by organised crime and corruption.

Shift in Trafficking Patterns

• Pre-2020:
  • Larger shipments via air cargo.
• Post-2020:
  • Move to sea freight and smaller consignments.
  • Growing use of encrypted communications, social media, concealed images, and voice notes.

Drivers of Decline

• Pandemic-related logistics disruption.
• Increased global enforcement and surveillance.
• China’s 2017 ivory trade ban.
• Falling commodity prices for illegal wildlife products.
• Higher risks and costs for traffickers.
• Disruption of criminal supply chains.

Adaptation by Traffickers

• Modus operandi evolved: More discreet operations.
• Emerging maritime routes for ivory post-2021.
• Land-based and stockpile seizures rising for pangolins in Asia and Africa since 2023.

Data Insights and Gaps

• Law enforcement capacity remained stable post-pandemic (2020–2024).
• Intelligence gaps could be obscuring true scale of trafficking.
• No reliable wild pangolin population data — supply scarcity cannot yet be confirmed.

Conservation and Policy Implications

• Continued need for:
  • International cooperation and intelligence sharing.
  • Monitoring of emerging smuggling tactics.
  • Community engagement and demand-side reduction, especially in regions using pangolin scales in traditional medicine.