China’s share in India’s industrial goods imports jump to 30% from 21% in last 15 years: GTRI

• According to a survey by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), China’s proportion in India’s imports of industrial goods has increased from 21% to 30% over the past 15 years, with the country’s imports surpassing $101 billion in 2023–24 from roughly $70 billion in 2018–19.
• According to the data, this has led to a trade deficit that has exceeded $387 billion over the last five years, which is concerning for the Indian government.

India’s Industrial Imports from China:

• Electronics and Telecom Sector: China contributed $26.1 billion to India’s import value of electronics, telecom, and electrical equipment between April 2023 and January 2024, totaling $67.8 billion. (or 38.4% of all imports)
• China accounted for 39.6% of India’s imports in the machinery sector. This emphasizes how crucial China is to India’s machinery supply chain.
• Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sector: China accounted for $15.8 billion (29.2%) of India’s $54.1 billion in imports of chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
• MSMEs sector: Indian MSMEs import goods like data processing units and mobile phones. These imports may be locally produced, exposing weaknesses in India’s manufacturing capacity.

Current Trade Observations concerning China and other countries:

• Growing Trade Deficit with China: Between 2019 and 2024, India’s exports to China remained relatively stable at $16 billion yearly, while China’s imports increased significantly, from $70.3 billion in 2018–19 to over $101 billion in 2023–2024.
• Growth Rate of Imports: Over the past 15 years, China’s imports of industrial products into India have climbed from 21% to 30%. India’s imports from all other nations combined grew 2.3 times slower than China’s exports to India.
• Imports of a Variety of Products: As more Chinese companies join the Indian market, the import of industrial goods from China is anticipated to increase. India imports a wide range of products, from high-tech to low-tech, including electronics, cellphones, electric cars, and solar energy.

Way Forward:

• Diversification of the supply chain: India has to concentrate on this in order to lessen its reliance on imports from a single nation, particularly from geopolitical rivals like China.
• Increasing R&D Invest more in electronics, semiconductor, and machinery R&D to promote innovation and strengthen local manufacturing capacity.
• Encouraging Production: To promote local producers of electronics, DSPs, and semiconductor devices and lessen reliance on imports, offer tax breaks, grants, and subsidies to these companies.

China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’, In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbor. (2017)

The controversy over eucalyptus planting in Kerala

For budgetary concerns, Kerala Forest Development Corporation (KFDC) was given permission by the Kerala state government to grow eucalyptus in 2024–2025. Environmentalists protested, pointing to possible conflicts between humans and animals and the impact on forests.

Reasons for Allowing KFDC to Plant Eucalyptus Trees:

• Financial Sustenance: In order to maintain its financial stability, KFDC was granted permission to plant eucalyptus trees.
• Current Plantations: KFDC generates income from the management of about 7,000 hectares of plantations, which include eucalyptus.
• Rotation Age: To ensure a constant cycle of income creation, plantations, such as those growing eucalyptus, have specified rotation ages for harvesting.

Why were environmentalists and social activists against the order?

• Ecological Impact: The detrimental impacts of eucalyptus plantations on natural forests and ecosystems have drawn the attention of environmentalists.
• Human-Animal Conflicts: As a result of habitat degradation, animals have been known to enter human environments in search of food, leading to a rise in human-wildlife conflicts. One such species that has proliferated in this way is eucalyptus.
• Opponents contended that allowing eucalyptus plantations went against the state’s eco-restoration policy, which sought to phase out invasive species by 2024 and replace them with natural forests.
• Invasive Species Management: It was believed that the order would hinder attempts to get rid of invasive species and lessen the harm they cause to ecosystems and natural environments.

The debate over planting eucalyptus in Kerala illustrates how to strike a compromise between ecological concerns and financial sustainability. Although eucalyptus is beneficial economically, it also presents ecological dangers and hinders conservation efforts.

Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate change. (2020)

Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

In Antigua and Barbuda, the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS-4) is in progress.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS): What are they?

• SIDS, which face particular social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities, are made up of 39 States and 18 Associate Members of regional commissions of the United Nations.

SIDS are located in three different regions:

• the South China Sea (AIS), the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Caribbean, and Pacific.
• At the Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, their unique concerns were addressed.

Challenges That SIDS Face:

• High import/export expenses are caused by remote locations and a reliance on outside markets as a result of limited resource bases.
• The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is far bigger than landmasses, offers essential resources but presents difficulties due to its expensive transportation and susceptibility to shocks to the economy.

Biodiversity and Economic Significance:

• Important sectors like tourism and fishing, which frequently account for more than half of the GDP of SIDS, are supported by biodiversity.
• Beyond its financial advantages, biodiversity has aesthetic and spiritual significance in addition to offering vital functions like disaster relief, erosion control, and food provision.

Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) launches PRAGATI-2024

“PRAGATI-2024” is being held by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi with the aim of fostering research possibilities and collaboration between CCRAS and the Ayurvedic medicinal sector.

About Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS) 

• The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) of the Government of India oversees the CCRAS as an independent entity.
• It was founded in 1978 with the goal of formulating, coordinating, developing, and advancing scientific research on Ayurvedic and Sowa-Rigpa medicine.

Primary Objectives:

• Research: To undertake research to scientifically establish the efficacy of Ayurvedic practices.
• Development: To develop and promote Ayurveda science through research and education.
• Integration: To integrate traditional Ayurvedic methods with modern medicine for more comprehensive healthcare.

Functions of CCRAS

• Research Studies: Conducting various types of research studies like drug research, fundamental research, clinical research, literary research, and medicinal plant research.
• Publication: Publishing scientific journals, research papers, and other documentation to disseminate knowledge.
• Medicinal Plant Development: Focusing on the cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants used in Ayurveda.
• Public Health Initiatives: Implementing public health programs and providing training to practitioners.

Achievements of CCRAS:

• Creation of Ayurvedic Formulations: CCRAS has created a number of noteworthy, patent-protected, and commercially successful Ayurvedic formulations and technologies.
• National Ayurvedic Morbidity Codes: To standardize Ayurvedic practice, CCRAS has created morbidity codes and standard terminology.
• AYUSH Research Portal: An extensive repository of Ayurvedic research, with details on medications, case studies, and clinical trials.

Notable Projects:

• The Golden Triangle Partnership is an initiative to improve the scientific validation of Ayurveda that is being carried out in conjunction with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
• Program for Tribal Health Care Research: Designed to record

How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies? (2019)