Why in news?

Cyclone Arnab, the first cyclone of 2026 in the North Indian Ocean basin, made landfall on India’s east coast, crossing the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam (Puducherry) coasts.

The “very severe” cyclonic storm has since weakened into a “severe” cyclonic storm. It uprooted trees and power poles, triggered widespread power outages, and forced the evacuation of over 1,80,000 people across Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

This raises a key question: what role did El Niño — the abnormal warming of Pacific Ocean surface waters — play in intensifying Arnab?

What’s in Today’s Article?

• How Cyclone Arnab Formed and Intensified?
• An Unusual Pattern: Sustained Intensity After Landfall
• The El Niño Connection
• The Science of Cyclone Fuel
• Arnab’s Continuing Path and Impact

How Cyclone Arnab Formed and Intensified?

• Began as a low-pressure system in the southeast Bay of Bengal on October 23.
• Intensified into Cyclone Arnab by October 26.
• Rapidly escalated into a “severe” and then a “very severe” cyclone — with wind speeds of 125-135 kmph.
• Faster-than-forecast movement: The IMD advanced its landfall prediction from forenoon to early hours of Oct 28.
• Landfall began around 1 am Oct 28, crossing between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam with wind speeds of 125-135 kmph, gusting to 140 kmph — cyclones cause maximum damage at the point of landfall, when the storm’s “eye” crosses from sea to land.

An Unusual Pattern: Sustained Intensity After Landfall

• Normally, cyclones lose strength upon hitting land due to friction and obstacles.
• Arnab defied this pattern — it maintained intensity for at least six hours after landfall before weakening to a “severe” storm.
• As per IMD, Arnab remained stationary near Narsapur (Andhra Pradesh) and Yanam (Puducherry) since 4 am, slowing the landfall process (normally completed within ~6 hours, depending on cyclone speed/size).
• Heavy rainfall recorded: Visakhapatnam (217mm), Kalingapatam (147mm), Tuni (123mm), Kakinada (118mm), Machilipatnam (115mm), Gopalpur (94mm).

The El Niño Connection

• 2026’s El Niño is forecast to be among the strongest since records began; the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned of its potential impact on Asian cyclones.
• Normal Pattern: Odisha and West Bengal coasts are most prone to Bay of Bengal cyclones.
• During El Niño Years: Cyclones instead tend to affect Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu — linked to where cyclones form and the paths they take.
• Mechanism: El Niño causes abnormal warming in the equatorial and central Pacific, altering rainfall patterns, temperatures, and global wind patterns — including unusual warming in the North Indian Ocean.
• As the southwest monsoon weakens, the monsoon trough (a shifting low-pressure band) moves southwards; El Niño further alters wind patterns and air pressure near the equator.
• Key Effect: During El Niño years, tropical cyclones form closer to the equator, making them more likely to move toward Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu rather than Odisha/West Bengal.
• Historical Precedent: 2014 — another El Niño year — saw Cyclone Hudhud strike the Andhra Pradesh coast.
• Net Effect: Cyclones forming under these conditions tend to intensify rapidly and move faster, as seen with Arnab.

The Science of Cyclone Fuel

• From July to September 2026, sea surface temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region (used to measure El Niño intensity) were 2 to 2.8°C above normal — indicating significantly warmer oceans.
• Cyclone-Favourable Conditions: Ocean temperatures of 26°C or above, at depths of 50-100 metres.
• Tropical cyclones are fuelled by ocean heat — warmer oceans directly contribute to rapid intensification.
• Arnab reached peak “very severe” intensity within a single day — though cyclone intensification is a highly complex process, influenced by multiple factors: boundary layers, wind shear, convection, upper ocean circulation, and air-sea interaction.

Arnab’s Continuing Path and Impact

• Heavy rainfall (64-115mm/24hrs) will continue to batter northern Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coastal districts through Oct 29.
• Alert status: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on ‘red’ alert; Chhattisgarh on ‘orange’ alert.
• As Arnab recurves northward, its weakening remnants are expected to bring very heavy rainfall (115-204mm/24hrs) over Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, eastern Madhya Pradesh, and eastern Uttar Pradesh over the next two days.

Conclusion

Cyclone Arnab exemplifies how large-scale climate phenomena like El Niño can reshape not just where cyclones strike, but how intensely and how quickly they do so.

By warming the North Indian Ocean and shifting cyclone formation closer to the equator, this year’s unusually strong El Niño redirected Arnab toward Andhra Pradesh rather than the traditionally more vulnerable Odisha-West Bengal coast, while also fuelling its rapid intensification and unusually sustained strength post-landfall.

As El Niño events are projected to grow more frequent and intense amid climate change, India’s disaster preparedness strategy will need to account for this shifting cyclone geography — treating states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as increasingly high-risk zones during El Niño years, rather than relying solely on historical vulnerability patterns.

Why in news?

In under 14 months, India has moved from legislative intent to a formal regulatory framework, setting the stage for establishing Mineral Exchanges — an electronic platform designed to bring India’s fragmented mineral market onto a single, transparent marketplace.

The goal: let representative prices reflect actual demand and supply, rather than relying on fragmented negotiations and auctions, addressing long-standing issues of price opacity, market fragmentation, and information asymmetry in India’s mining sector.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why India Needs This Reform?
• The Legal and Regulatory Architecture
• What Will Actually Be Traded?
• Challenges Ahead
• Key Priorities for Success
• Global and Strategic Significance

Why India Needs This Reform?

• Small and medium miners often have limited bargaining power compared to large buyers.
• Key Benefits Expected
  • Market-driven mineral prices, improving cost planning for industries like steel, aluminium, cement, and renewable energy equipment manufacturing.
  • Greater visibility on transaction volumes, quality specifications, and prevailing prices — reducing information disadvantages for smaller miners.
  • Encouraging exploration investment by improving visibility of future demand and pricing.
  • This is an area where, as per NITI Aayog, India has struggled despite its significant mineral resources, due to gaps in exploration, geological data, logistics, and investment conditions.
• This reform arrives as minerals become increasingly critical to India’s economic security, amid growing focus on infrastructure, renewable energy, EVs, defence equipment, advanced manufacturing, and clean energy.

The Legal and Regulatory Architecture

• Legal bedrock: Amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act paved the way, marking a shift from the traditional one-to-many sales model to a competitive many-to-many trading platform.
  • Section 18B, MMDR Act provides for promoting mineral markets, including trading via mineral exchanges.
  • The Ministry of Mines subsequently framed the Mineral Exchange Rules, 2026.
• Regulatory Authority: The Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM), under the Ministry of Mines, has been designated to register and regulate mineral exchanges for minerals other than coal, lignite, and atomic minerals.
• Industry Moves
  • PTC India’s board approved a ₹65 crore investment to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary for a mineral exchange.
  • MCX (Multi Commodity Exchange of India) has established MCX Mineral Exchange of India Limited as its subsidiary.

What Will Actually Be Traded?

• Exchanges will initially focus on physical mineral ores (spot, delivery-based contracts), starting with bulk minerals: iron ore, bauxite, limestone, and manganese ore.
• Importantly, trading will begin with ores (raw mine output), not processed metals — distinguishing this from existing commodity bourses, which mostly trade processed products.
• Iron ore is the strongest contender for the first major contract, combining scale, liquidity, and industrial importance.
• India’s iron ore production jumped from 152 million tonnes (2013-14) to over 300 million tonnes recently, driven by robust steel demand.
• Currently, steel producers rely on negotiated contracts, captive mines, auctions, and benchmark prices — an exchange could create a more visible domestic reference price.
• Future phases may include critical minerals: lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements, supporting India’s push to reduce import dependence via critical mineral block auctions, for EVs, batteries, renewables, and defence technologies.

Challenges Ahead

• Exchanges will operate as an electronic, delivery-based physical marketplace — trading actual mineral quantities, not just financial contracts.
• Success hinges on liquidity, requiring sufficient participation from buyers and sellers.
• Unlike financial assets, physical minerals involve supply-chain complexities — quality variation, transportation, storage, and delivery — making standardisation of mineral grades
• Risk of Market Concentration: Given existing logistical and regional disparities, a small number of large producers or buyers could dominate trading, weakening competition.
• The new system should complement existing mining regulations, not add fresh compliance burdens.

Key Priorities for Success

• Standardise Mineral Grades and Testing — consistent specifications and independent assaying are essential for comparing offers.
• Ensure Price Transparency — publish sufficient data on traded prices, quantities, and grades to build meaningful benchmarks.
• Monitor Dominant Participants — watch for unusual trading and coordinated bidding to prevent market concentration and manipulation.
• Make Participation Commercially Viable — ease access for smaller miners and regional buyers, while maintaining robust delivery and settlement safeguards.

Global and Strategic Significance

• Asia is already the world’s largest regional market for critical-mineral trade — in 2024, it accounted for ~$757 billion in critical-mineral exports and nearly $1.37 trillion in imports (as per UN Trade and Development).
• If successful, India’s Mineral Exchanges could become more than a domestic trading platform — potentially serving as a common reference point for mineral prices across Asia, amid intensifying global competition for mineral security.

Conclusion

India’s Mineral Exchanges represent a structurally sound attempt to replace fragmented, opaque price discovery with a transparent, market-driven system — potentially benefiting smaller miners, improving industrial cost planning, and attracting much-needed exploration investment.

With the regulatory and legal architecture now in place, the real test lies ahead: whether the exchanges can attract sufficient liquidity, enforce credible grade standardisation, and prevent dominance by a few large players.

If these conditions are met, India’s Mineral Exchanges could evolve from a domestic reform into a genuine regional benchmark, reinforcing the country’s position in the intensifying global contest for mineral security.

Context

• India’s development over the past decade has focused on highways, metro networks, electrification and digital platforms.
• However, the care economy remains an overlooked foundation of economic and social progress.
• Childcare, eldercare and support for persons with disabilities are essential for human well-being, gender equality and economic participation.
• As India pursues Viksit Bharat 2047, care must become an integral part of its development strategy.

The Importance of the Care Economy

• Care as a Foundation of Economic Development
  • Care is a universal need that influences individuals’ opportunities and participation in society.
  • When formal services are unavailable, families, particularly women, bear the burden of unpaid care work, sacrificing employment, education and personal development.
  • Recognising care as social infrastructure would support productivity, employment and inclusive growth.
• Women's Employment and Unpaid Care Work
  • According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2025, 44.4% of women outside the labour force cited childcare and homemaking as their primary reason for not working.
  • The Time Use Survey 2024 found that 41% of women aged 15–59 provided unpaid care, spending an average of 140 minutes daily.
  • Affordable care services can improve women's economic empowerment, increase workforce participation and strengthen household incomes.
• The Growing Need for Care Services
  • Population ageing, urbanisation and changing family structures are increasing demand for organised care.
  • India needs accessible services for children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities, alongside support for families and caregivers.

India's Existing Care Framework

• Government Programmes and Institutional Support
  • The Anganwadi network, Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 support early childhood development and nutrition.
  • Palna, under Mission Shakti, supports crèches, while Mission Vatsalya addresses child protection.
  • Social security provisions also support older persons and persons with disabilities.
• Fragmentation Across Ministries
  • Care programmes operate across multiple Ministries without adequate coordination.
  • This creates service gaps, such as childcare facilities closing before factory shifts end.
  • India needs coordinated governance to connect existing initiatives and improve service delivery.

Four Major Gaps in India's Care Economy

• Fragmentation of Policies and Programmes
  • Dispersed responsibilities create overlapping initiatives and inadequate coverage.
  • A unified framework should establish common standards, clarify institutional responsibilities and strengthen coordination between Union, State and local governments.
• Inadequate Coverage of Care Services
  • The UNDP estimates that 9-10 million women in low-income urban households need childcare.
  • Additionally, 24% of older persons face limitations in daily activities.
  • Better data collection, service mapping and targeted investment are necessary to reach underserved communities.
• Weak Recognition and Protection of Care Workers
  • Anganwadi workers, home-based caregivers and domestic workers frequently face inadequate remuneration and limited employment security.
  • Professional certification, decent working conditions, social protection and career pathways can recognise care as skilled work and improve service quality.
• Insufficient Financing and Traditional Gender Norms
  • Care is often treated as welfare expenditure rather than productive investment.
  • The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) has recommended statutory paid paternity leave in the private sector.
  • Shared caregiving responsibilities and adequate financing can strengthen gender equality.

International Experiences and Lessons for India

• Colombia's 2025 National Care Policy coordinates 34 government entities.
• Brazil's national care policy and plan establish inter-Ministerial mechanisms, while Nepal uses care mapping to develop pilot projects.
• These examples demonstrate the importance of integrated governance, evidence-based planning and adequate financing.

The Way Forward

• Establishing a National Caregiving Council
  • NITI Aayog's Reimagining Care: Strategies for Empowering Caregivers in Viksit Bharat@2047 proposes a National Caregiving Council to coordinate policies, establish standards and monitor implementation.
• Developing a National Care Economy Mission
  • A proposed National Care Economy Mission, discussed at a national workshop in May 2026, could align financing, shared data and inter-Ministerial governance.
• Preparing State-Level Care Roadmaps
  • States should map demographic trends, existing services and local needs.
  • Costed care roadmaps with clear responsibilities and measurable targets can address gaps in childcare, eldercare and disability support.
• Strengthening Partnerships, Skills and Innovation
  • Government, civil society and businesses should collaborate to expand services, train care workers and support women-led childcare enterprises.
  • Digital information systems and professional training can improve accessibility and accountability.

Conclusion

• India has several care-related programmes but needs a coherent, adequately financed and accountable care system.
• Treating care as essential economic infrastructure can increase women's employment, create dignified jobs and improve household well-being.
• Giving care the same importance as transport, electricity and digital connectivity is vital for inclusive growth, gender equality and sustainable development under Viksit Bharat 2047.

Context

• In 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made history by climbing Mount Everest, demonstrating the power of cooperation, trust and determination.
• Today, the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offers a similar opportunity to strengthen bilateral relations and achieve economic progress.
• The two countries share cordial diplomatic relations, a passion for cricket, cultural connections and strong people-to-people ties.
• The Indian diaspora in New Zealand further strengthens cooperation in business, education and cultural exchange.
• The FTA can transform these longstanding connections into a stronger economic partnership and enhance India's engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

High Potential for Trade Expansion

• Addressing the Existing Trade Gap
  • India–New Zealand merchandise trade stands at approximately $1.2 billion, considerably below its potential.
  • India supplies only 1.9% of New Zealand's merchandise imports, valued at $47.5 billion, while China accounts for over 22%.
  • Several competing countries enjoy preferential market access through existing trade agreements, placing Indian exporters at a disadvantage.
  • The FTA provides duty-free access across covered tariff lines, improving Indian products' price competitiveness and creating opportunities for export diversification.
• Opportunities in Labour-Intensive Industries
  • New Zealand imported nearly $1.2 billion worth of apparel in 2025, but India's share was only around 4%.
  • Eliminating average apparel tariffs of approximately 10% creates opportunities for Indian manufacturers to expand exports.
  • Sectors such as apparel, leather, footwear, home textiles and carpets could benefit significantly.
  • Increased exports can strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises, encourage manufacturing investment and generate employment opportunities.
• Expanding Higher-Value Manufacturing
  • New Zealand imports nearly $7 billion worth of machinery and $5.2 billion worth of vehicles and automotive components annually.
  • India's market share in these categories remains around 1% or lower.
  • The agreement creates opportunities for Indian engineering and automotive industries to expand their presence.
  • Greater market access can encourage manufacturers to improve product quality, strengthen supply chains and meet international standards.

Greater Market Access

• Facilitating Pharmaceutical Exports
  • Indian pharmaceuticals already enjoy zero-duty access to New Zealand, where India's market share is approximately 5.5%.
  • The FTA facilitates the use of regulatory evaluation and inspection reports from recognised regulators, reducing duplicative compliance requirements and improving market access.
  • These measures can lower administrative costs and strengthen India's position as a reliable supplier of affordable medicines.
• Expanding Services Trade
  • New Zealand's services imports reached $24.2 billion in 2024, while India's share remained below 3%.
  • The agreement establishes commitments across 118 services sectors, including IT, healthcare, education, professional services and financial services.
  • Dedicated pathways provide 5,000 visas at any given time, allowing skilled professionals to stay for up to three years.
  • These provisions can improve professional mobility, facilitate knowledge exchange and strengthen business relationships.
• Strengthening Educational and Professional Linkages
  • Enhanced student mobility and post-study work opportunities can expand educational exchange and international employment prospects.
  • Cooperation between educational institutions and industries can also promote research, innovation and skill development.
• Promoting Foreign Direct Investment
  • New Zealand will facilitate $20 billion in foreign direct investment into India over 15 years.
  • India's expanding market and manufacturing capabilities complement New Zealand's capital and technological expertise.
  • Promising sectors include renewable energy, agritech, food processing, digital technologies, infrastructure and high-value manufacturing.
  • Investment in these areas can encourage technology transfer, strengthen productive capacity and generate employment.

The Way Forward: Effective Utilisation Is the Key

• Strengthening Business Preparedness
  • The benefits of an FTA depend on effective implementation.
  • Indian businesses need market intelligence, distribution networks, regulatory preparedness and commercial partnerships to expand their presence in New Zealand.
  • Government agencies and industry associations should help exporters understand the agreement, comply with quality standards and identify profitable opportunities, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises.
• Ensuring Investment and Institutional Cooperation
  • Sustained engagement with New Zealand investors is essential to develop commercially viable projects.
  • Both governments should simplify investment procedures and encourage partnerships among businesses, research institutions and technology providers.
  • Coordinated efforts by governments, industry associations and enterprises could help achieve the objective of doubling bilateral trade by 2030.

Conclusion

• The India–New Zealand FTA provides a framework for expanding trade, attracting investment, improving professional mobility and strengthening economic cooperation.
• However, its success depends on effective implementation and utilisation, rather than commitments alone.
• By improving competitiveness, developing commercial networks and facilitating investment, both countries can generate employment, increase exports and promote technological advancement.
• Like the historic ascent of Mount Everest, this partnership requires mutual trust, shared determination and coordinated effort to achieve sustained economic growth and strengthen India's position in the Indo-Pacific.

Why in the News?

• The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) invoked Stage I of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) as Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI) entered the ‘Poor’ category, renewing debate over the effectiveness of emergency pollution-control measures.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• GRAP (Basics, Evolution, Stages of GRAP, etc.)
• Delhi Pollution (Factors, Effectiveness of GRAP, Additional Restrictions, Way Forward)

Understanding the Graded Response Action Plan

• The Graded Response Action Plan is a set of short-term emergency measures designed to reduce air pollution when air quality deteriorates.
• First notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in January 2017, it was introduced following Supreme Court directions.
• GRAP operates through four stages, with increasingly stringent restrictions corresponding to worsening air quality. The CAQM announces the applicable stages based on recorded pollution levels or forecasts.
• Its directions cover Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) districts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. State governments implement the measures through their respective orders and are legally bound to comply with CAQM directions.

Institutional Evolution

• Initially, GRAP was implemented by the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA), established in 1998. However, concerns about its limited statutory powers weakened its ability to enforce compliance.
• In 2021, the Commission for Air Quality Management replaced the EPCA and assumed responsibility for implementing GRAP. The plan has since undergone multiple revisions to strengthen pollution-control measures.

Four Stages of GRAP

• The restrictions become progressively more stringent as Delhi’s AQI rises.
• 

• Under Stage III, restrictions apply to BS-III petrol and BS-IV or older diesel light motor vehicles in Delhi and specified high-vehicle-density districts.
• Stage IV further restricts construction activities and truck entry, with exemptions for specified cleaner-fuel and BS-VI vehicles.
• Although GRAP can be imposed throughout the year, its higher stages are predominantly activated during winter, when meteorological conditions worsen pollution.

Factors Behind Delhi-NCR’s Winter Pollution

• Winter air pollution results from a combination of emissions and atmospheric conditions.
  • Meteorological conditions: Lower wind speeds and falling temperatures hinder the dispersion of pollutants.
  • Vehicular emissions: Road transport contributes to the concentration of pollutants in the region.
  • Construction and road dust: Dust-generating activities add particulate matter to the atmosphere.
  • Stubble burning: Agricultural residue burning during October and November contributes to seasonal pollution.
  • Firecrackers: Festive-season emissions can further worsen air quality.
• These interacting factors demonstrate why temporary restrictions may reduce pollution without eliminating its underlying causes.

Effectiveness of GRAP

• GRAP aims to reduce pollution sources during episodes of extremely poor air quality. However, its short-term and emergency-oriented nature limits its ability to deliver sustained improvements without complementary long-term policies.
• An analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), cited in October 2026, found no consistent improvement in Delhi’s winter air quality over the preceding four years.
  • [Image Caption: Mean/Median AQI in Delhi]

• The figures show fluctuations rather than a consistent downward trend. Both the mean and median AQI in 2025-26 were higher than in 2022-23.
• These findings indicate that the existence of emergency restrictions alone does not guarantee sustained improvement in winter air quality. They do not, by themselves, establish that GRAP has no effect during individual pollution episodes.

Additional Restrictions Introduced by Delhi

• The Delhi government introduced additional restrictions through a notification dated June 23, 2026. Unlike GRAP, these measures apply during specified periods regardless of the prevailing AQI.
  • Vehicle restrictions: From November 1 to January 31, non-Delhi-registered motor vehicles below BS-VI emission standards are prohibited from operating in Delhi, subject to exemptions for electric, CNG, emergency and sovereign-duty vehicles.
  • Higher parking charges: Parking charges at authorised sites are doubled from November 1 to February 28 to discourage private vehicle use. Parking spaces owned and managed by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation are exempt.
  • Priority of GRAP: In case of conflict between these restrictions and GRAP directions, GRAP takes precedence.
• These measures represent an attempt to reduce vehicle-related emissions through preventive action rather than relying exclusively on emergency responses after air quality deteriorates.

Way Forward

• A more effective approach to air pollution requires emergency measures to operate alongside sustained emissions reduction.
• Year-round pollution control: Strengthen enforcement against vehicular emissions, construction dust and industrial pollution rather than concentrating action primarily in winter.
• Regional coordination: Improve cooperation among Delhi and neighbouring states to address pollution sources across administrative boundaries.
• Cleaner transport: Encourage public transport and cleaner vehicles while reducing dependence on private motor vehicles.
• Agricultural solutions: Strengthen practical alternatives to stubble burning and support farmers in adopting them.
• Monitoring and accountability: Improve pollution-source monitoring and assess the effectiveness of individual interventions.
• Long-term planning: Combine emergency restrictions with sustained measures addressing the sources and causes of pollution.

Context:

• The World Bank’s upward reclassification of Jordan, Micronesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam into the upper-middle-income category highlights the importance of sustained economic transformation.
• Vietnam took 16 years to move from lower-middle-income to upper-middle-income status, while China took 13 years.

Case of India:

• India entered the lower-middle-income category in 2007 but remains there.
• If its income grows at 8.5% annually in US dollar terms, compared with 5.4% over the previous decade, it could reach the current upper-middle-income threshold in approximately six years.
• However, economic growth alone does not guarantee broad-based prosperity. Five indicators reveal the structural challenges facing the Indian economy.

Rising Employment, but Low Labour Productivity:

• India’s labour force has expanded by over 100 million in less than a decade, while the unemployment rate has generally declined.
• However, employment does not necessarily imply productive employment, as many workers accept low-paying or insecure work due to limited alternatives.
• Women account for roughly two-thirds of the increase in the labour force, with many engaged in self-employment and agriculture.
• Around 43% of India’s workforce remains employed in agriculture, while 79% of the non-agricultural workforce is engaged in informal enterprises, constraining earnings, social security and economic mobility.

Expansion of Factories Without Manufacturing-Led Employment:

• The number of registered factories doubled from 1.3 lakh in 2004–05 to 2.6 lakh in 2024–25.
• Despite this expansion, manufacturing’s share in GDP and employment has not increased significantly.
• Between 2020–21 and 2024–25, formal manufacturing reportedly generated fewer jobs than the gig economy.
• Although value added per worker has increased, wages have grown more slowly than profits.
• This is due to -
  • Capital-intensive production: Greater reliance on machinery and automation can limit employment generation.
  • Weak labour bargaining power: Workers may receive a smaller share of the value they produce.
  • Rising inequality: Unequal distribution of productivity gains concentrates economic benefits among capital owners.

Public Infrastructure Investment Without Sufficient Private Investment:

• The government has invested heavily in highways, airports, ports and dedicated freight corridors, improving logistics efficiency and industrial competitiveness.
• However, the expected crowding-in of private investment has remained limited.
• For example,
  • Companies have repaired their balance sheets but have often preferred shareholder returns and selective investment over large-scale capacity expansion.
  • Public investment alone cannot sustain long-term growth without complementary private capital formation.

Renewable Energy Growth Outpacing Grid and Storage Capacity:

• India has substantially expanded renewable energy, particularly solar power.
• However, inadequate transmission infrastructure and energy storage have created operational challenges.
• During periods of high solar generation, electricity output may need to be curtailed because of surplus daytime supply and insufficient capacity to transmit or store the power.
• Why does it matter?
  • Manufacturing requires reliable and affordable electricity.
  • Data centres and AI infrastructure need large, dependable power supplies.
  • Renewable energy intermittency can affect grid stability and industrial competitiveness.

Rising Wealth Without a Broad-Based Middle Class:

• India has approximately 94 lakh people who are millionaires in US dollars. This growing concentration of wealth has several implications -
  • Premiumisation: Demand shifts towards premium goods and services.
  • Foreign exchange demand: Overseas education, travel and investments increase demand for foreign currency.
  • Tax revenue potential: Affluent households can contribute significantly to direct taxation.
  • Unequal prosperity: The growth of affluent households does not necessarily indicate the emergence of a large, economically secure middle class.
• The central concern is that wealth creation is not translating sufficiently into widespread improvements in incomes and living standards.

The Way Forward - Converting Growth into Broad-Based Prosperity:

• Employment-oriented growth: Prioritise labour-intensive manufacturing, MSMEs, textiles, food processing, tourism and other employment-generating sectors.
• Formalisation of the economy: Expand access to social security, credit, skills and formal markets for informal workers and enterprises.
• Balanced distribution of productivity gains: Strengthen worker skills, wages and bargaining capacity while improving enterprise productivity.
• Crowd in private investment: Complement public infrastructure spending with a conducive investment environment and predictable regulations.
• Reliable and affordable energy: Integrate renewable energy expansion with storage, transmission and grid modernisation.
• Inclusive wealth creation: Strengthen access to quality education, healthcare, housing and productive livelihood opportunities.

Conclusion:

• India’s transition to upper-middle-income status depends not merely on faster GDP growth but on structural transformation, productive employment and wider distribution of economic gains.
• A combination of globally competitive manufacturing, private investment, modern infrastructure and reliable energy can help convert economic expansion into sustained and inclusive prosperity.

About Angioplasty:

• It is a minimally invasive procedure used to widen a narrowed or blocked blood vessel, often using a balloon catheter and, when indicated, a stent.
• It most commonly treats atherosclerosis (a collection of plaque made of fat and cholesterol) in arteries.
• Angioplasties are often necessary to try to prevent serious complications of atherosclerosis, like heart attack and stroke.
• Types of angioplasty: The two most common include:
  • Coronary artery angioplasty
  • Peripheral artery angioplasty
• Different angioplasty techniques include:
  • Balloon angioplasty
  • Angioplasty with or without stenting
  • Excimer Laser Coronary Angioplasty (ELCA)

About Emerging Science, Technology, and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC):

• It is India's premier STI platform, bringing together ministries, innovators, and global visionaries.
• A flagship annual event, ESTIC fosters collaboration, showcases disruptive innovation, and drives forward the vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047."
• It will showcase cutting-edge research, deep-tech breakthroughs, and thought-provoking discussions with Nobel Laureates, global experts, policymakers, and emerging leaders - igniting a new era of scientific leadership.
• ESTIC 2026:
  • Theme: “Creative Minds, Catalysing Science, Empowering Technologies.” 
  • It is organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the guidance of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

About Macrophages:

• Macrophages are specialised white blood cells (WBCs) that play an important role in the body's immune system by engulfing and destroying pathogens, dead cells, and cellular debris.
• Most macrophages develop from monocytes, a type of WBC produced in the bone marrow. Some tissue-resident macrophages originate from embryonic cells.
• Macrophages do not travel through the blood. Instead, they remain in one part of the body, within specific tissues.
• Types:
  • Macrophages have two modes (phenotypes):
    • M1, or inflammatory mode: M1 macrophages destroy germs and cancer cells and alert immune cells to infections.
    • M2, or anti-inflammatory mode: M2 macrophages help with wound healing, clearing out dead cells, and tissue repair.
• Macrophages are known for their ability to destroy foreign substances that get into the body. They also help in:
  • Activating B cells and T cells, which helps them target pathogens.
  • Removing dead and damaged cells.
  • Releasing proteins like cytokines that alert other immune cells to infections.
  • Repairing tissue, healing wounds, and reducing inflammation.
  • Breaking down old red blood cells and recycling the iron.
  • Regulating fetal tissue development.
  • Regulating organ function and maintaining homeostasis.
• How do they work?
  • Macrophages have receptors on the outside that they use like antennae. These antennae get signals from substances in the environment around them.
  • If a macrophage detects something it should get rid of, it swallows or “eats” it (a process called phagocytosis, or “cell eating”).