Content
- India reasserts stand on Kashmir after U.S. claims
- Payment firms must reveal client info in crime cases: HC
- A death that spotlights irrigation problems
- The right to repair movement in India
- Issue of duplication of EPIC numbers resolved, says Election Commission
- India notifies WTO of plan to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports
India reasserts stand on Kashmir after U.S. claims
India’s Official Stand
- India reaffirmed that Jammu & Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the matter must be resolved within the framework of bilateral ties, without third-party mediation.
- India emphasized that there is no change in its “long-standing national position” on Kashmir.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations),GS 3(Internal Security)
Focus on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)
- MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that India’s only concern is the vacation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
- India considers PoK as illegally occupied Indian territory.
Context: Operation Sindoor
- The remarks come in the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, conducted on May 7, where India targeted nine terror locations in Pakistan and PoK.
- Operation Sindoor is part of India’s efforts to counter cross-border terrorism.
U.S. Remarks on Mediation
- U.S. President Donald Trump claimed involvement in reducing hostilities between India and Pakistan.
- He reiterated this in a speech in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, suggesting a behind-the-scenes role.
Clarification on Trade Talks
- India clarified that trade issues were not discussed in recent India-U.S. conversations.
- This was to counter speculation about U.S. pressure linking strategic and trade ties with regional peace moves.
Strategic Implications
- India’s statement aims to reject third-party interference, especially from global powers like the U.S.
- It underlines India’s assertion of sovereignty and territorial integrity over J&K.
Summary Point
- India seeks to maintain bilateral diplomatic primacy over the Kashmir issue while countering both terrorism and external narratives that could internationalize the matter.
Payment firms must reveal client info in crime cases: HC
Context : Court Ruling
- The Karnataka High Court ruled that digital payment intermediaries, such as PhonePe, must disclose user transaction details to police during criminal investigations.
- The court emphasized that confidentiality must coexist with accountability, and privacy protection must yield to the public interest when it intersects with criminal investigations.
Relevance : GS 2 (Governance ),GS 3(Indian Economy)
Legal Context
- The court dismissed PhonePe’s claim that it had immunity from disclosing information, citing the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act, 2007 and the Bankers Books Evidence (BBE) Act.
- PhonePe argued that digital payment firms could not disclose user data to anyone except under court orders.
Duty to Cooperate in Criminal Investigations
- The court held that investigating officers are considered statutory authorities with the legal power to demand information under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
- The protection of consumer privacy does not supersede the lawful imperative of aiding criminal investigations and securing evidence.
Implication for Digital Payment Firms
- The court clarified that while privacy protection is important, it does not provide absolute immunity to digital payment firms in criminal cases.
- Payment intermediaries must cooperate with law enforcement if the disclosure is legally justified.
PhonePe’s Stance
- PhonePe had previously argued that disclosing information violated the confidentiality clause of the digital payment system, claiming immunity unless a court order is issued.
Case Details
- The case involved a complaint by a consumer who lost money in 2022 while using several digital payment gateways, leading to an investigation by the CEN police station, Bengaluru Rural district.
- The police summoned PhonePe for transaction data, which the company initially refused to provide.
Broader Implications
- The ruling may set a precedent for data disclosure in cases involving digital payments, possibly affecting other payment firms in future legal scenarios.
- Consumer data protection may have to be reconsidered in light of law enforcement needs and investigative priorities.
A death that spotlights irrigation problems
Trigger Incident
- Kailash Arjun Nagare, a Young Farmer Awardee from Maharashtra, died by suicide on March 13, 2025, due to unaddressed irrigation demands.
- His death highlights the crisis of inequitable access to irrigation and broader systemic issues in water governance in Indian agriculture.
Relevance: GS 2(Governance ) ,GS 3(Agriculture ,Irrigation)
Water Usage in Agriculture
- India uses 80% of its water for agriculture — around 688 billion cubic metres annually, the highest globally.
- Despite this, many farmers lack equitable access to irrigation water due to socio-economic and regional disparities.
Unsustainable Irrigation Expansion
- India accounted for 36% of global unsustainable irrigation expansion (2000–2015).
- Water-intensive crops (rice, wheat, sugarcane) dominate in water-scarce regions like the northwest.
- Environmental and socio-economic impacts are severe due to this unsustainable growth.
Inequity in Access
- Groundwater is the main source of irrigation; access is shaped by land ownership, energy pricing, and water markets.
- Tube well irrigation has increased inequality, especially harming marginalised communities and women.
- Climate change is worsening this divide through declining water tables.
Environmental and Financial Costs
- 17% of groundwater units are over-exploited, and 3.9% are in a critical state.
- Groundwater pumping is responsible for 45.3–62.3 MMT of annual carbon emissions (≈8–11% of India’s total).
- Leads to high energy use, GHG emissions, and environmental degradation.
Efficiency and Productivity Concerns
- India’s irrigation efficiency is just 38%, compared to 55% in developed countries.
- Irrigation Water Productivity (IWP) is low even in high-productivity states:
- Punjab: high rice output, low IWP.
- Tamil Nadu: high sugarcane yield, low IWP.
- Non-optimal practices like continuous flooding in paddy increase emissions.
Way Forward: Technological & Policy Reforms
- Promote water-saving technologies like:
- Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) in paddy.
- Drip irrigation for crops like sugarcane.
- Improve conveyance and application efficiency of irrigation systems.
- Encourage solar-powered irrigation, but regulate use to avoid further groundwater depletion (e.g., grid-connected incentives).
- Implement rainwater harvesting and tailwater storage as supplementary sources.
The right to repair movement in India
Repairability Index (RI): What is it?
- RI assigns a score to consumer electronics and appliances based on ease of repair.
- Evaluation criteria include:
- Availability of spare parts
- Cost of repair
- Access to software updates
- Availability of repair information
Planned Obsolescence and Manufacturing Trends
- Older appliances were more durable than modern ones.
- Planned obsolescence implies manufacturers intentionally reduce product lifespan to push newer models.
- Another key reason: cost-cutting in manufacturing due to:
- Increased metal prices (e.g., copper)
- India’s dependence on metal imports
- Leads to leaner engineering, making devices less repair-friendly.
Larger Context: Circular Economy & Durable Wealth
- Promoting repairability supports:
- E-waste reduction
- Circular economy: parts re-used in the value chain
- Reduced dependency on virgin (newly mined) metals
- Older appliances are viewed as “durable wealth” (last longer, cost-effective over time).
- With slower improvements in computing power, longer-lasting devices make more ecological and economic sense.
Right to Repair: Global vs Indian Context
- Global Meaning: Empowers consumers to repair via:
- Third-party services
- Access to repair parts and manuals
- India’s Approach:
- Non-confrontational
- DoCA’s Right to Repair Portal lists authorised repair centres and repair manuals
- Aligns more with manufacturers’ interests than consumer empowerment
- U.S. Approach:
- Stronger consumer activism
- Pushback against monopolies on repair (e.g., Apple, Taylor Co.)
Tensions Between Consumers and Manufacturers
- Manufacturers resist right to repair due to:
- Repair revenue becoming a major income stream
- Fears of losing control over repair ecosystems
- Example: McDonald’s ice cream machines can only be repaired by Taylor Co.
- Indian RI committee mostly included industry representatives, raising concerns over bias
- However, inclusion of advocates like Pushpa Girimaji signals some consumer representation
Way Forward & Implications
- Government aims to implement RI without stifling innovation or ease of doing business
- RI may pressure brands to:
- Design more repairable and durable products
- Increase transparency for consumers
- A step towards bridging the gap between consumer rights and corporate interests
Issue of duplication of EPIC numbers resolved, says Election Commission
What is the EPIC Number?
- EPIC = Elector Photo Identity Card, issued by the Election Commission of India.
- A 10-digit alphanumeric code, meant to be unique for each registered voter.
- Intended to prevent impersonation and electoral fraud.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance , Elections)
The Problem: Duplication of EPIC Numbers
- Allegations of multiple voters having the same EPIC number:
- Raised by opposite parties
- Particularly flagged in West Bengal.
- On average, 1 voter in 4 polling stations (~25%) was found to have a duplicate EPIC number.
- With ~1,000 voters per polling station, the problem was widespread.
Verification and Resolution
- EC undertook a massive database verification:
- Covered 99 crore+ electors, all 36 States/UTs, 4,123 Assembly constituencies, and 10.5 lakh polling stations.
- Findings:
- Duplicate numbers were held by genuine voters, but from different constituencies.
- Action Taken:
- All such voters were issued new EPICs with fresh numbers.
- Duplication issue now officially resolved, says EC.
- EC’s clarification (Feb 29):
- Voter can vote only once, in their designated constituency.
- Same EPIC number across different constituencies does not enable multiple voting.
EC’s Final Position
- Duplicate EPICs had no impact on election outcomes:
- Because voting is location-specific, not EPIC number-specific.
- Every voter is registered in only one polling station, based on residency.
- Emphasized that the issue was administrative, not fraudulent.
India notifies WTO of plan to impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports
Background of the Dispute
- The U.S. imposed 25% import duties on steel and aluminium:
- First announced by President Trump in 2018.
- Reimposed in February 2025, removing earlier country-specific exemptions.
- The U.S. claims the measures are for national security, not “safeguards”.
- India disagrees, calling them safeguard measures under WTO rules.
Relevance: GS 2(International Relations)
India’s Response
- On May 9, 2025, India notified the WTO of its plan to impose retaliatory tariffs on $7.6 billion worth of U.S. imports.
- Citing:
- Violation of GATT 1994 and Agreement on Safeguards (AoS).
- Absence of mandatory consultations under Article 12.3 of AoS.
Legal and Trade Implications
- India invoked its WTO rights:
- To suspend concessions or other obligations toward the U.S.
- To impose equivalent tariffs to offset $1.91 billion of duty impact.
- India will notify both:
- The Council for Trade in Goods, and
- The Committee on Safeguards, of its next steps.
Timeline
- Retaliatory tariffs may begin 30 days after May 9, i.e., from June 8, 2025.
- India will apply them to selected U.S. products, details to be announced.
Not a First-Time Move
- In June 2019, India imposed tariffs on 28 U.S. products in retaliation for:
- U.S. removing India from the GSP.
- Continued U.S. steel and aluminium duties.
- These duties (worth $240 million) were withdrawn in September 2023 after diplomatic engagement during PM Modi’s U.S. visit.
Current Trade Tensions Despite Talks
- This retaliation comes even as India–U.S. trade deal talks are ongoing.
- U.S. refused India’s April 2025 request for dialogue, citing national security grounds.
WTO Relevance
- India emphasized that U.S. measures were not notified to the WTO.
- India aims to uphold multilateral trade norms through WTO dispute mechanisms.
