Erosion of Multilateralism & India’s Foreign Policy Reset

Why in News?

While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister acknowledged the reality of a shifting world order, emphasising that the real task ahead is to formulate a new national identity and approach to international relations.

How has multilateralism eroded globally so far?

• Foundation of Strategic Autonomy – India’s leadership of the Global South at the United Nations General Assembly was the foundation of its long-standing foreign policy of ‘strategic autonomy’.
• Global rules & colonial legacy – The global rules established at the UN by former colonial powers, led by the U.S., served their interests in the post-colonial world.
• India’s diplomatic leadership – India’s Oxbridge-educated diplomats played a central role in drafting UN principles and rules, effectively shielding poorer nations from external pressures.
• Climate negotiations – By 1992, the Global South had entrusted climate negotiations to India almost entirely, reflecting its intellectual and diplomatic leadership.
• China’s rise & shift in global leadership – Around 2010, China’s rise, through the creation of alternative funding, economic and security institutions, impacted the intellectual leadership position of India and also changed the UN irreversibly.
• China heads four principal UN agencies, and its aid volumes exceed those of the West.
• U.S. withdrawal from multilateral institutions – The U.S., now unable to manage the UN process, has withdrawn from 31 UN institutions, reflecting a broader decline in its commitment to multilateralism.
• Trade negotiations & WTO – In 1986, the U.S. launched the Uruguay Round of trade negotiations, leading to the establishment of the WTO in 1995, where developing countries’ interests became more differentiated, and India struggled to secure its interests.
• Collapse of WTO Dispute Settlement – In a more equal world, since 2019, the U.S. has rejected the dispute settlement mechanism of the WTO, making it dysfunctional and reverting to unilateral tariffs.
• China’s trade diversification – China, in contrast, has diversified its exports away from the U.S. and is now the largest trading partner of 120 countries.
• India’s challenge beyond China’s rise – The problem India faces is not from the rise of China.
• Recognition of multilateral collapse – While the EU and Canada acknowledge the collapse of the multilateral structures, developing countries are wondering how to revive them.
• India’s position in a transactional world – With the potential to become the world’s third-largest economy, India is particularly impacted in the U.S.-dominated world of transactional relationships, even willing to discard NATO.

In what ways has the evolution of strategic autonomy transformed India’s status?

• India’s diminished voice in multilateral institutions – Leadership of the Global South gave India outsized influence, and now, where do you speak for developing countries when international institutions and law have withered away?
• The U.S. and China are competing for technological dominance, not votes in the UN.
• Strategic Autonomy – ‘Strategic autonomy’ applied to the Cold War when India led the Non-Aligned Movement.
• It lost relevance after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and gradually became a self-declared identity used to rationalise foreign policy choices.
• India joined the U.S.-led rejuvenated Quad in 2017 and then chose the Russian S-400 missile system over the U.S. Patriot system in 2018.
• Russia as a trusted partner – The reality is that India gravitated towards the Soviet Union after its 1951 veto prevented discussion of Kashmir in the UN Security Council.
• Russia remains India’s only long-trusted partner, giving cutting-edge military technology, which the U.S. is chipping away at, testing India’s resolve to remain a third pole in a multipolar world.
• “Swing State” in U.S. Strategy – With China’s rise, U.S. analysts began describing India not as strategically autonomous but as a “swing state.” The current U.S. military strategy rejects containment of China.

What are the global power politics that happened around India?

• From Multilateralism to asymmetric relations – The major scope of international relations, outside of alliances, was within multilateral institutions, which have now returned to asymmetric relations.
• U.S. Tariff Policy & “America First” – Reciprocity in tariffs is redefined as “America first”, implying others are in a subordinate relationship.
• Under the India-U.S. Framework Agreement, India has agreed to double imports, largely industrial products, while the U.S. continues an 18% tariff, unilaterally deciding reductions clearly after further concessions.
• EU’s trade approach – The EU trade agreement eliminated 70% tariff lines with phased reciprocal reductions.
• India’s strategic dilemma – The real question for India is why it was targeted by the U.S. tariffs and how to grow in a world marked by flux.
• The U.S. is determined to prevent the rise of another China, and India alone has the potential to surpass the U.S. economically.
• Lessons from China’s rise – China exploited multilateral rules to become a fiercely independent global manufacturing power, and that opportunity no longer exists.
• U.S. Policy toward India, Russia, and China – The long-term U.S. policy of keeping India apart from Russia and China has now gained greater force and blunting it will test Indian diplomacy.

How should India reframe its foreign policy?

• India’s demographic advantage – India’s comparative strength lies in its youthful population; nearly half of Silicon Valley’s workforce has Indian roots.
• By spreading AI across security, manufacturing, and services, India can secure its developmental space.
• Replacing strategic autonomy – To achieve this, India needs good economic and technological relations with the U.S., Russia, and China, Free Trade Agreements (FTA), and, importantly foreign policy replacing ‘strategic autonomy’ with ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
• Biding time and building endogenous capabilities – India should follow the example of China and the U.S. in the early 1900s by keeping a low international profile.
• By focusing on building its own strengths, and adopting a diplomatic stance that supports the Asian Century, while staying less active in other regions.
• Trade diplomacy & Export diversification – India should focus on trade diplomacy by reducing dependence on U.S. markets and diversifying exports.
• With openness to industrial imports, India should push for FTAs with Asia—soon to hold two-thirds of global wealth—and Africa, the fastest-growing continent.
• Technological & Strategic partnerships – India should create new technological, cyber and space relations with Russia, its steadfast and tested partner, now more an Asian than European power.
• It should also enable China to invest in infrastructure and partner manufacturing, with safeguards, to take advantage of trade opportunities and accelerate growth.
• Reframing relations with Pakistan – India should treat relations with Pakistan as a foreign policy issue rather than a security challenge.
• A new water-sharing arrangement incorporating the needs of the Kashmir Valley, revival of the Iran-Pakistan-India Peace Pipeline with Pakistan benefiting from transit fees, and even a trade agreement could create economic incentives.
• Repositioning BRICS – As the BRICS chair, India can reshape its foreign policy by building consensus to reposition BRICS as an economic cooperation forum rather than a political body.
• Linking official digital currencies to make cross-border trade, repatriation and tourism payments smoother will be a good first step.

Reference

The Hindu | As multilateralism erodes, India must reframe its foreign policy

Substantive Motion in the Parliament

Why in News?

With MP Nishikant Dubey giving notice to move a substantive motion against the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) of the Lok Sabha for misleading the House, all eyes are on what the crucial instrument of a substantive motion means.

What is Substantive Motion?

• Substantive Motion – It is an independent proposal placed before the Lok Sabha seeking a clear and binding decision of the House.
• It is complete in itself and is not linked to any other business under discussion.
• When adopted, it represents the formal opinion or will of the House on a specific matter.
• Admission – Under the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, such a motion can be admitted only with the approval of the Speaker.
• Discretion – The Speaker has full discretion to accept or reject the notice and to decide how it should be taken up.
• Debate & Vote – If admitted, it can be debated in the House and put to a vote.
• Committee Referral – In certain circumstances, it may also be referred to a specially constituted committee to examine the allegations and report back.
• Distinction – Unlike routine interventions that are part of daily debate, a substantive motion compels the House to directly consider the issue raised and take a position on it.
• Notice requirement – A substantive motion requires notice to be given and can be moved only by the member who has given the notice.
• Exception – If the motion stands in the name of a Minister, it may be moved by another Minister, but the mover has to mention that he is moving it on behalf of the other Minister.
• Types – Includes no-confidence/confidence motions, motions for the removal of high officials, policy-based resolutions, and so on.

Why do the Substantive motions matter?

• Substantive motions are not commonly invoked in routine political disputes.
• Their use marks an escalation, shifting the contest from rhetoric to procedure.
• If the motion is admitted, the Lok Sabha would be required to formally debate and decide on the matter.
• Current Context – At present, the next step depends entirely on Speaker Om Birla. He may admit the motion, decline it, or determine another course under the rules.

Difference between Substantive Motion, Substitute Motion, and Subsidiary Motion?

What are the various motions in the Parliament?

What is the parliamentary system of governance in India?

• Definition – It is a democratic form of government in which the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature or parliament.
• As a result, it is also known as a responsible government.
• Key Features
• Prime Minister – Usually the head of government and the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in Parliament.
• Fusion of powers – The parliamentary system closely intertwines the executive and the legislature.
• Collective responsibility – The Council of Ministers, headed by the PM, is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha; the entire government must resign if it loses the vote of confidence.
• Alternative government – If the ruling party loses the confidence of the lower house, the opposition party is prepared to take over, ensuring continuity and stability in governance.
• Advantages
  • Responsiveness, which allows for the swift replacement of the government if it loses parliamentary confidence;
  • Flexibility, which enables quick decision-making and adaptation; and
  • The power of the executive, which allows majority governments to implement policies effectively.
• Disadvantages
  • The concentration of power in the hands of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and
  • Lack of checks and balances on the executive, potentially leading to the misuse of power and
  • Instability, particularly in coalition governments.

References

1. Indian Express | The substantive motion moved against Rahul Gandhi
2. NDTV | The 'Substantive Motion' BJP Moved Against Rahul Gandhi
3. PRS | Various types of Motion
4. Digital Sansad | Important Parliamentary Terms

Substantive Motion in the Parliament

Why in News?

With MP Nishikant Dubey giving notice to move a substantive motion against the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) of the Lok Sabha for misleading the House, all eyes are on what the crucial instrument of a substantive motion means.

What is Substantive Motion?

• Substantive Motion – It is an independent proposal placed before the Lok Sabha seeking a clear and binding decision of the House.
• It is complete in itself and is not linked to any other business under discussion.
• When adopted, it represents the formal opinion or will of the House on a specific matter.
• Admission – Under the Rules of Procedure of the Lok Sabha, such a motion can be admitted only with the approval of the Speaker.
• Discretion – The Speaker has full discretion to accept or reject the notice and to decide how it should be taken up.
• Debate & Vote – If admitted, it can be debated in the House and put to a vote.
• Committee Referral – In certain circumstances, it may also be referred to a specially constituted committee to examine the allegations and report back.
• Distinction – Unlike routine interventions that are part of daily debate, a substantive motion compels the House to directly consider the issue raised and take a position on it.
• Notice requirement – A substantive motion requires notice to be given and can be moved only by the member who has given the notice.
• Exception – If the motion stands in the name of a Minister, it may be moved by another Minister, but the mover has to mention that he is moving it on behalf of the other Minister.
• Types – Includes no-confidence/confidence motions, motions for the removal of high officials, policy-based resolutions, and so on.

Why do the Substantive motions matter?

• Substantive motions are not commonly invoked in routine political disputes.
• Their use marks an escalation, shifting the contest from rhetoric to procedure.
• If the motion is admitted, the Lok Sabha would be required to formally debate and decide on the matter.
• Current Context – At present, the next step depends entirely on Speaker Om Birla. He may admit the motion, decline it, or determine another course under the rules.

Difference between Substantive Motion, Substitute Motion, and Subsidiary Motion?

What are the various motions in the Parliament?

What is the parliamentary system of governance in India?

• Definition – It is a democratic form of government in which the executive branch derives its legitimacy from and is accountable to the legislature or parliament.
• As a result, it is also known as a responsible government.
• Key Features
• Prime Minister – Usually the head of government and the leader of the party or coalition with the majority of seats in Parliament.
• Fusion of powers – The parliamentary system closely intertwines the executive and the legislature.
• Collective responsibility – The Council of Ministers, headed by the PM, is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha; the entire government must resign if it loses the vote of confidence.
• Alternative government – If the ruling party loses the confidence of the lower house, the opposition party is prepared to take over, ensuring continuity and stability in governance.
• Advantages
  • Responsiveness, which allows for the swift replacement of the government if it loses parliamentary confidence;
  • Flexibility, which enables quick decision-making and adaptation; and
  • The power of the executive, which allows majority governments to implement policies effectively.
• Disadvantages
  • The concentration of power in the hands of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, and
  • Lack of checks and balances on the executive, potentially leading to the misuse of power and
  • Instability, particularly in coalition governments.

References

1. Indian Express | The substantive motion moved against Rahul Gandhi
2. NDTV | The 'Substantive Motion' BJP Moved Against Rahul Gandhi
3. PRS | Various types of Motion
4. Digital Sansad | Important Parliamentary Terms

Hair-crested Drongo

Why in News?

Recently, a hair-crested drongo was sighted for the first time at the foothills of Manjamalai near Palamedu in Madurai district, Tamil Nadu.

• Scientific name – Dicrurus hottentottus
• Family – Dicruridae (Drongos)
• Habitat – It is a terrestrial landbird that inhabits broadleaf evergreen and moist deciduous forests.
• It also exhibits forest edges, secondary growth, thick scrub, degraded forests and plantations.
• Distribution – Very large range across India, South & Southeast Asia, such as India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, China, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Brunei.
  • Indian Range – Peninsular India (Western & Eastern Ghats, northern Tamil Nadu), Himalayan foothills, Northeast India.
• Characteristics – Colour – Glossy black body with metallic blue/green spangles.
• Tail – Unlike other drongos, its tail is rectangular/lyre-shaped with upward curls, rather than deeply forked.
• Diet – Omnivorous; primarily feeds on insects (often caught in flight) and nectar.
• Conservation Status –
  • IUCN Red List – Least Concern.
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 – Schedule II
• Behaviour – It is partially migratory within India.
• Known for being highly vocal and a brilliant mimic.
• They often move in small flocks or follow other species to catch insects disturbed by them.
• Uniqueness – Hair-like crest feathers on the forehead and deeply forked tail make it easily distinguishable.
• Threats – Forest loss due to logging, agriculture, mining and road construction, habitat degradation, and trapping for the songbird trade.
• Ecological Significance – Pollinator – Visits flowers for nectar, aiding in pollination.
• Biological pest controller – Feeds on insects, helping control agricultural and forest pests naturally.

References

1. TH | Hair-crested Drongo
2. BirdLife Data Zone | Hair-crested Drongo

Unusual Particle-to-Wave Phonon Heat Transport in Solids

Why in News?

Recently, Indian researchers discovered a rare particle-to-wave-like phonon heat transport mechanism in Tl₂AgI₃.

• Tl₂AgI₃ – It is a zero-dimensional inorganic metal halide crystalline material with discrete cluster-like building blocks.
  • i.e., A crystal made of tiny isolated groups of atoms.
• Developed by – Researchers at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru.
• Nodal Authority – Department of Science and Technology (DST).
• Components – Tl₂AgI₃ is composed of Thallium (Tl), Silver (Ag), and Iodine (I) atoms.
• Discrete cluster of subunits include (Tl₆I)⁵⁺ and (Ag₃I₈)⁵⁻ in the crystal structure.
• Working Principle – Atomic Repulsion and Distortion – Pauling’s third rule–driven cation–cation repulsion causes local structural distortions and anharmonicity.
  • i.e., Positive atoms pushed too close move out of place, creating a shaky structure that blocks heat flow.
• Phonon Trapping – This leads to phonon localization and breakdown of the phonon-gas model.
  • i.e., Heat vibrations get trapped instead of flowing normally through the material.
• Wave-like Heat Tunnelling – With rising temperature, heat transport shifts from particle-like scattering to wave-like coherent tunnelling, analysed using the linearized Wigner transport equation (LWTE).
  • i.e., At higher temperatures, heat moves like waves tunnelling through obstacles rather than flowing smoothly.
• Key Features – Ultralow heat flow – The material blocks heat so effectively that it performs ultralow thermal conductivity.
• Heat-proof stability – Once the material reaches a certain warmth, its ability to block heat stays constant regardless of how much hotter it gets, unlike most materials that change.
• Applications –
  • Thermal insulators.
  • Thermoelectric materials.
  • Advanced thermal management technologies.
• Benefits – Provides a new design strategy to suppress heat transport using structural confinement and local disorder.
• Enhances understanding of phonon physics in low-dimensional solids.
• Significance – Challenges the classical phonon-gas model of heat conduction in crystals.
• Establishes a mixed phononic regime (particle + wave) in crystalline solids.
• Positions India as a leader in fundamental materials research with technological relevance.

Reference

PIB | Unusual Particle-to-Wave Phonon Heat Transport in Solids

Off-Season Tulip Bloom in Kashmir

Why in News?

Recently, for the first time in Kashmir, tulips were induced to bloom in December, around four months before their natural spring season

• Tulips – It is a spring-blooming perennial plant.
  • They die back after flowering and persist as an underground storage bulb.
• Genus – Tulipa
• Family – About 100 species of bulbous herbs in the lily family.
• Native to – Central Asia and Turkey
• Climatic condition – Cultivated in cool, temperate climates with long, cool springs and dry summers.

Breakthrough in Tulip Floriculture

• Developed by – Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Srinagar, through successful scientific demonstration of bulb programming and forcing techniques.
• Key Techniques – Bulb Programming – Controlling temperature, light, planting schedule, and growth stages to time flowering.
• Forcing Technique – Manipulating environmental and chemical factors to induce off-season flowering.

Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden is the largest tulip garden in Asia, spread over 30 acres in Srinagar.

• Significance – Tourism – Give a renewed push to Kashmir’s floral tourism, which attracts visitors in the off-season.
• Market Demand – Aligns blooms with peak festive demand (Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s Day).
• Agriculture – Enables year-round flower production.
• Seasonality – Reduces dependence on the spring-only flowering season.
• Related Developments – SKUAST started a Centre of Excellence for tulip bulb propagation to reduce dependence on Dutch imports.
• Similar off-season chrysanthemum blooms were earlier developed to boost tourism in the grey season.

Reference

IE | Scientific Induction of Off-Season Tulip Blooming in Kashmir

NUDGE Campaign

Why in News?

Recently, the Income Tax Department’s data-driven NUDGE campaign has improved tax compliance, leading to Rs. 8,800 crores in additional tax.

• Aim – To encourage voluntary tax compliance through behavioural nudges using data analytics and digital communication instead of enforcement.
• NUDGE stands for Non-intrusive Usage of Data to Guide and Encourage.
• Launched in – NUDGE 1.0 – 2024
  • Focus – General compliance
• NUDGE 2.0 – 2025
  • Focus – Foreign assets and foreign income disclosure.
• Organised by – Income Tax Department under the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), Ministry of Finance.
• Key Highlights – Digital Nudges – Uses targeted emails, SMS, and e-verification.
• Target – Focus on high-risk ‘A category’ taxpayers with income above ₹12 lakh.
• Preventive Approach – Uses data analytics and behavioural insights to prompt voluntary compliance before enforcement action.
• SAKSHAM Framework – Structured tax nudging process. It includes,
  • S – Sankalan (Compilation of Data),
  • A – Anusandhan (Research and analytics),
  • K – Kriyanvyan (Identifying whom to nudge),
  • S – Sampark (Communicating to create awareness and guide behaviour),
  • H – Hastak (Handholding and facilitation, such as through FAQs),
  • A – Adhikaar (Allowing revision of returns to foster trust),
  • M – Mulyankan (Assessment).
• Significance – Generated crores of additional tax in two years.
• Outcome – 60% of 1.11 crore respondents were non-filers, showing behavioural impact.
• Error Reduction – Rs. 1,750 crore refund claims reduced.
• Trust Building – Promotes a collaborative, non-adversarial tax system.
  • Reduces the burden of mass scrutiny.

Reference

IE | NUDGE Campaign

mRNA

Why in News?

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to review Moderna’s new mRNA influenza vaccine (mRNA-1010).

• mRNA – They are messenger RNA that acts as a blueprint for creating proteins essential for body functions.
  • mRNA copies instructions from Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and serves as a template for cells to produce specific proteins.
• Temporary Role - Cells use mRNA to produce the protein and then degrade it once the job is done.
• Limitation – Errors in DNA can affect mRNA instructions, potentially causing diseases.
• mRNA Vaccines – These vaccines use a copy of mRNA to produce an immune response.
• It encodes a viral protein, usually the spike protein, without exposing individuals to the virus itself.
• Mechanism – The mRNA is delivered into immune cells, which produce the protein, triggering an adaptive immune response.
  • It teaches the body to recognise and destroy the virus.
• Features – Easy and fast to design with lower production cost.
• Can be updated quickly for emerging viral strains.
• Induce both cellular (T Cells) and humoral (B Cells) immunity.
• Does not alter genomic DNA.
• Challenges – Require ultra-cold storage (-90°C to -50°C).
• May cause adverse reactions in individuals prone to autoimmune responses.
• Long-term effects are still unknown.
• Difference from Traditional Vaccines – Rapid development – mRNA vaccines can be designed in days to weeks once the viral genetic code is known, unlike traditional vaccines that may take years.
• Traditional Vaccines – Introduce viral proteins or a weakened/inactivated virus into the body.
• Stimulate the immune system to recognize and fight the real virus.
• Viral Vector Vaccines – Use a harmless virus to deliver DNA coding for a viral protein.
• The body’s cells produce the viral protein, which triggers immunity.
• mRNA Vaccines – Deliver mRNA instructions wrapped in lipid molecules for stability.
• Cells use the mRNA to produce the viral protein themselves, stimulating an adaptive immune response.

FDA’s Refusal

• mRNA-1010 – It is an mRNA-based seasonal influenza vaccine targeting seasonal influenza A and B strains.
• Core Issue – Moderna compared the mRNA-1010 vaccine to a standard-dose flu shot.
• FDA stance – Adults who are 65 and above require high-dose or adjuvanted vaccines as the preferred standard.
• Using a weaker comparator made the trial “inadequate and not well-controlled” for review.
• Future Implications – Delayed Access – While mRNA-1010 has been accepted for review in the EU, Canada, and Australia, its availability in the U.S. is now delayed indefinitely.
• Combo Vaccine Impact – This refusal also stalls Moderna's combination flu/COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1083).
• Industry Precedent – FDA sets a higher bar requiring the strongest available comparator for future vaccines.

Reference

TH | mRNA