Why in news?

Recent allegations of theft of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya have brought public attention to how India's major shrines handle the vast offerings they receive.

Temples like Tirupati, Jagannath, Vaishno Devi, Siddhivinayak, and Kashi Vishwanath collect hundreds of crores in cash each year, besides tonnes of gold, silver, and jewellery.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• The Common Chain: From Hundi to Bank
• How the Major Temples Do It?
• Where the Ram Temple Stands Apart?

The Common Chain: From Hundi to Bank

• Across India's biggest temples, the broad donation journey is remarkably similar. Offerings placed in hundis (donation boxes) are:
  • Removed by authorised personnel
  • Shifted to counting centres
  • Segregated into cash, coins, and valuables
  • Counted and recorded
  • Deposited into designated bank accounts
• The entire process runs under CCTV surveillance.
• The crucial insight: temples do not differ in the journey of the donation, but in the institutions governing it — who supervises each stage, who appoints the handlers, and what legal and administrative safeguards ensure accountability.

How the Major Temples Do It?

• Ayodhya (Ram Temple)
  • A trust-led system. Around 35 hundis are opened by trust officials and an SBI representative, and taken to a counting hall in the Pilgrim Facilitation Centre.
  • Staff outsourced by SBI and trust employees count cash and jewellery under a retired banker's supervision, with overall responsibility resting on a trust member.
  • Verified collections go into the trust's SBI account.
• Tirupati
  • Scale backed by institutional depth.
  • Its famed Parakamani system involves permanent TTD finance staff, nationalised bank representatives, and vetted volunteers (mostly serving/retired government and bank employees), all under an extensive CCTV network monitored by the temple's vigilance wing.
  • Personnel wear pocketless clothes, are frisked entering and leaving, cash moves in armoured transport, and access is segregated across roles.
• Jagannath (Puri)
  • Procedure written into law. The emphasis is on codified procedure.
  • Hundis are opened under the Temple Administrator or a gazetted officer, with a Managing Committee member as independent witness.
  • Each hundi is sealed before and after opening, entries go into statutory forms, and CCTV monitors handling. It has also expanded digital donation channels.
• Vaishno Devi
  • A corporate-style model. Donation boxes are opened by committees of accounts officers, area managers, and security personnel rather than individual trustees.
  • Finance, security, and operations run through specialised departments under the Shrine Board, with dedicated transport (including helicopters) for the mountainous terrain.
• Siddhivinayak (Mumbai)
  • Oversight at the counting table. The main hundi is opened every Thursday in the presence of an executive officer, a trustee, a bank representative, and an auditor under CCTV — ensuring multiple independent stakeholders witness every stage.
• Kashi Vishwanath
  • Government inside the process. The district administration is part of the chain.
  • The 56 donation boxes are opened under a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, counting happens before bank officials and a retired gazetted officer, deposit receipts create an audit trail, and jewellery is valued by government-approved appraisers.

Where the Ram Temple Stands Apart?

• This is the analytical heart of the piece. The key difference lies in the governing framework.
• Statute vs. trust deed
  • Most older major temples are run under dedicated state legislation:
    • Tirupati (TTD) - AP Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Act
    • Jagannath - Shri Jagannath Temple Act
    • Vaishno Devi - J&K Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Act
    • Siddhivinayak - Maharashtra trust law
    • Kashi Vishwanath - UP Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act
  • These laws create governing bodies, define administrators' powers, prescribe financial procedures, and provide for government oversight and statutory audits.
  • The Ram Temple is different: the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra functions through a trust deed, not a dedicated statute.
  • Day-to-day management, appointments, and finances rest entirely with the trust.
• Composition of management
  • In older temples, key financial processes involve executive officers, statutory administrators, government nominees, magistrates, and auditors whose duties are defined by law.
  • At the Ram Temple, several key office-bearers involved in donation management have long associations with the RSS or its affiliates, and responsibility is concentrated within the trust structure rather than distributed across a broader statutory framework.
• A flagged internal weakness
  • This distinction matters because a private internal audit (November 2020), commissioned by the trust itself, described the management structure as "highly unprofessional".
  • It found no systematic financial reporting, and recommended standard operating procedures, a clear hierarchy, stronger maker-checker controls, formal HR processes, jewellery inventory registers, and tighter accounting/IT oversight.
• No mandatory public audit
  • Unlike many temple boards, the Ram Temple trust is not subject to mandatory financial audits by the state or central government.
  • Questions about public audit and oversight have reached the courts, and the trust has not publicly disclosed whether the 2020 audit's recommendations were fully implemented.

Conclusion

• Despite all the procedures, no major temple has escaped controversy. The key lesson: institutional safeguards are rarely built overnight.
• Many systems that now appear routine — layered oversight, codified procedures, independent verification, statutory accountability — were strengthened only after earlier controversies exposed weaknesses.
• Whether the current investigation pushes Ayodhya towards the same kind of institutional reform that older temples adopted after their own crises may prove its most lasting consequence.

Why in news?

The Centre is working on an expansive legal framework to regulate Virtual Private Network (VPN) providers. The proposed rules could require VPN companies to establish a local presence in India and appoint compliance officers to liaise with the government.

The primary concern driving this: VPNs are increasingly being used to bypass the government's blocking of apps and online content.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What Is a VPN and Why Does It Worry the Government
• What the New Framework Could Require
• The Backstory: The 2022 Cert-In Directive
• The Industry's Response: Servers Moved Out
• The Underlying Tension: Security vs. Privacy

What Is a VPN and Why Does It Worry the Government?

• A VPN lets users mask their IP address and route their internet traffic through servers located elsewhere, making it appear as if the traffic originates from another country while hiding the user's real location.
• This creates two features the government finds problematic:
  • Bypassing censorship: India's blocking orders require companies to geo-block content within India's jurisdiction. But by connecting through a VPN server in, say, the US, a user can still access content blocked in India.
  • Anonymity: VPNs allow anonymous browsing and are widely regarded as privacy-enhancing tools.
• The scale of the tension is clear from India's expanding censorship: over 24,000 blocking orders in 2025, up from over 12,000 in 2024.
• When the Centre temporarily blocked Telegram before the NEET-UG retest, Proton VPN reported daily sign-ups from India jumping over 120% — illustrating exactly why VPNs "defeat the purpose" of blocking, in the government's view.

What the New Framework Could Require?

• According to senior officials, the proposed rules could require VPN operators to:
  • Establish offices in India.
  • Hire compliance officers to address government grievances.
  • Face penal consequences, including possible jail terms for local employees, in case of non-compliance.
• These requirements mirror obligations already imposed on large social media companies under India's Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021.
• The core goal is to have a local point of contact the government can direct to block access to prohibited content.

The Backstory: The 2022 Cert-In Directive

• This is not the first attempt to regulate VPNs.
• In 2022, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert-In) issued a controversial directive requiring VPN providers (along with data centres and cloud service providers) to store extensive customer data — names, email IDs, contact numbers, and IP addresses — for a period of five years.
• Why a new law is now felt necessary: There is an implicit acknowledgement that the 2022 directive did not yield satisfactory results.
• As per analysts, VPN companies "simply refused to comply," so a full-fledged law is being considered.

The Industry's Response: Servers Moved Out

• The 2022 directive backfired in a telling way. Rather than comply, major VPN operators — Proton VPN, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark — removed their physical servers from India and began routing Indian traffic through Singapore.
• Proton VPN was blunt at the time, calling it an "invasive mass surveillance law" and saying it had no choice but to pull its servers out of Indian jurisdiction.
• This episode highlights the core enforcement challenge: because VPN companies can operate entirely from outside India, forcing compliance is difficult — which is precisely why the government now wants a mandatory local presence.

The Underlying Tension: Security vs. Privacy

• The story sits at the intersection of two competing concerns:
  • The government's position: VPNs undermine lawful content-blocking and enable circumvention of orders issued on security and other grounds; a local, accountable presence is needed for enforcement.
  • The privacy concern: VPNs are legitimate privacy-enhancing tools, and data-retention or localisation mandates raise fears of mass surveillance and erosion of user anonymity.

Conclusion

The proposed VPN framework is the government's second, tougher attempt to bring a hard-to-regulate technology under its control. Where the 2022 Cert-In data-retention directive largely failed — pushing providers to simply relocate their servers abroad — the new approach borrows the IT Rules playbook: mandate a local office, a compliance officer, and personal liability for employees.

The move underscores India's expanding content-blocking regime, but it also reopens a fundamental debate.

VPNs are both a tool for evading censorship and a legitimate shield for privacy. How the eventual law balances enforcement against the surveillance concerns raised by providers and civil society will be its real test.

Why in the News?

• The government has notified the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 2026 and the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 2026, replacing the older frameworks and bringing them under the Code on Social Security, 2020.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• EPF & EPS (Meaning, Major Changes Under EPF Scheme, Digitisation, New Withdrawal Structure, Overall Significance, etc.)

EPF and EPS in India

• The Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) is one of India’s most important social security and retirement savings mechanisms for organised sector workers. It is managed by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
• Under the EPF system:

• Employees contribute a fixed share of their wages every month
• Employers make a matching contribution
• The savings earn annual interest declared by EPFO
• Workers can make partial withdrawals for specified purposes and receive the accumulated amount at retirement or exit

• Alongside EPF operates the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), which provides monthly pension benefits after retirement, subject to service conditions. Together, EPF and EPS form the backbone of formal sector retirement security in India.
• The new EPF Scheme, 2026 replaces the old Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, while the EPS 2026 replaces the earlier Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 and the Employees’ Family Pension Scheme, 1971.

Employees’ Provident Fund Scheme, 2026

• The biggest change is legal and administrative, not structural. The provident fund framework has now formally moved from the old 1952 law to the Code on Social Security, 2020.
• For existing subscribers:

• PF balances remain unchanged
• Universal Account Numbers (UANs) continue
• Past contributions remain valid
• Existing benefits continue without interruption
• Greater Digitalisation
• One of the major shifts under the 2026 scheme is the formal recognition of the digital systems that EPFO has gradually built over time. These include:
• Online filing of employer returns
• Electronic maintenance of records
• Digital member accounts
• Online claim processing
• Electronic annual statements
• Digital inspections
• This means PF administration will increasingly rely on digital compliance and online service delivery.

• New Withdrawal Structure Incorporated
• Changes that EPFO had already announced in 2025 have now been formally incorporated. Withdrawal categories have been streamlined from 13 to 3 broad heads:
• Essential needs such as illness, education, and marriage
• Housing needs
• Special circumstances

• Under the new scheme:

• For illness of self or family members, members can withdraw up to 100% of eligible member balance after 12 months of membership. Since 25% must remain as minimum balance, this effectively allows withdrawal of 75% of total funds. The full amount can be withdrawn after one year of unemployment.
• For education of self and family members, withdrawal is allowed after 12 months of total membership, up to 10 times during membership.
• For marriage of self or family members, members may withdraw up to 100% of eligible member balance, with such withdrawals limited to 5 times during membership.
• For housing purposes, purchase, construction, repayment of home loan, or renovation, members can withdraw up to 75% of total funds after 12 months of membership, with withdrawals limited to 5 times.
• Contract Workers and Principal Employer
• For the first time, the scheme explicitly introduces the concept of the principal employer for contract workers. Where workers are employed through contractors who are not independently registered, the employer must initially pay both:
• The employer’s contribution
• The employee’s contribution
• Along with applicable administrative charges, within 15 days of the close of every month.
• Even where a contractor makes the PF payment, the ultimate responsibility remains with the principal employer.
• Flexibility in Voluntary Contributions
• The new scheme expressly provides that employees may:
• Contribute on wages above the statutory wage ceiling
• Contribute at a rate higher than 12% through Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF)
• Employers may also choose to make matching contributions. These additional voluntary contributions may later be reduced or discontinued, providing more flexibility to employees and employers.
• What Remains Unchanged in EPF?
• For most subscribers, the core features remain the same:
• Employee contribution remains 12% of wages
• Employer contribution remains equal
• Certain notified establishments may continue with 10% contribution
• Interest rate framework remains unchanged
• Tax treatment remains unchanged
• Nomination rules remain unchanged
• Transfer of PF balance remains unchanged
• So, the new scheme does not alter the basic retirement savings structure for salaried employees.

Employees’ Pension Scheme, 2026

• The new EPS 2026 has also been notified under the Social Security Code.
• What Stays the Same?
  • The pension calculation formula remains unchanged:
    • Monthly pension = Pensionable Salary × Pensionable Service / 70

• Pensionable salary will continue to be based on the average monthly salary of the last 60 months
• Employer contribution to EPS remains 8.33% of wages, subject to the wage ceiling
• Government contribution remains 1.16% of wages, subject to the wage ceiling
• The minimum pension remains Rs 1,000 per month, subject to existing conditions.

• Eligibility rules also remain unchanged:

• At least 10 years of eligible service is required for a pension
• Early pension can be taken from the age 50
• Pension is reduced by 4% for every year before the normal retirement age
• Members with less than 10 years of service can either withdraw benefits or obtain a scheme certificate
• Faster Pension Claim Settlement
  • A notable operational reform is the introduction of a timeline for pension claim settlement. EPFO must now either:
    • Settle a complete pension claim within 20 days, or
    • Inform the applicant about deficiencies within the same period
  • If a complete claim is delayed without a valid reason, 12% annual interest will be payable on the benefit amount, and it will be recovered from the salary of the responsible EPFO official.

• Higher Pension Provision Incorporated
  • For employees who opted for a higher pension following the Supreme Court ruling, the additional contribution provisions have now been formally incorporated into the scheme.

Overall Significance

• The EPF Scheme 2026 and EPS 2026 are best understood as part of a broader administrative modernisation exercise under the Code on Social Security, 2020.The key changes are:

• Shift to the new labour code framework
• Greater digital compliance
• Clearer rules for contract labour and exempted trusts
• More structured withdrawal categories
• Faster pension settlement timelines
• Better compliance and accountability

• At the same time, the basic savings and pension architecture remains largely intact, which means there is no immediate disruption for subscribers.

Why in News?

• The Indian PM and his Japanese counterpart (Sanae Takaichi) held the 16th India–Japan Annual Summit (in New Delhi), elevating bilateral ties through a comprehensive package of agreements.
• The summit assumes significance amid growing geopolitical uncertainties in the Indo-Pacific, intensifying great-power competition, and the need for resilient global supply chains.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Why the Summit is Significant?
• Key Outcomes of the Summit
• Sector-wise Agreements
• Geostrategic Importance of the Summit
• India-Japan Relations
• Conclusion

Why the Summit is Significant?

• This marks PM Sanae Takaichi's first visit to India.
• Reinforces the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership at a time of increasing geopolitical instability.
• Aligns with Japan's evolving Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy and India's vision for a free, open, inclusive and rules-based Indo-Pacific.
• Deepens cooperation in emerging technologies, defence manufacturing and economic resilience.

Key Outcomes of the Summit:

• Economic security becomes the new pillar of partnership:
  • India and Japan issued a Joint Declaration on Economic Security, providing a roadmap for project-based collaboration in semiconductors, critical minerals, AI, ICT, etc.
  • The initiative aims to reduce vulnerabilities arising from geopolitical disruptions and overdependence on concentrated supply chains.
• Strong push for AI cooperation:
  • Both countries elevated their AI partnership into a strategic R&D partnership.
  • Major initiatives include: Joint roadmap covering the entire AI technology stack.
  • Collaboration between:
    • IndiaAI Mission and Japan's GENIAC initiative.
    • IIT Bombay, BharatGen and Japan's National Institute of Informatics on Large Language Models (LLMs).
    • SarvamAI and Preferred Networks for foundation models.
  • Focus on: Safe, secure and trustworthy AI; computing infrastructure; joint research; and business-to-business collaboration.
  • Significance: Combines Japan's precision manufacturing with India's software and digital capabilities, strengthening global AI innovation.
• Defence cooperation enters a new phase:
  • The summit witnessed the first India–Japan defence co-development project.
  • Key development: Joint development of the Naval Radio Antenna "UNICORN", strengthening defence technology collaboration, maritime security, etc.
  • Japan's recent relaxation of defence export restrictions also creates opportunities for greater defence collaboration with India.
• Major economic commitments:
  • Japan announced an investment of 10 trillion yen in India over the next decade.
  • Plan to double the number of Japanese companies operating in India.
  • The summit also operationalised the Next Generation Mobility Partnership (NGMP) covering railways, automobiles, aviation, shipbuilding, ports, logistics, and urban development.
  • This supports India's vision of "Make in India for the World."

Sector-wise Agreements:

• Energy security and resilience: Cooperation in strategic petroleum reserves, maritime energy transport, and joint investments in energy supply chain resilience.
• Critical minerals and batteries: MoUs signed on critical mineral exploration, battery technologies, and sustainable battery supply chains for EVs, renewable energy and semiconductor manufacturing.
• Healthcare:
  • Partnership expanded to pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biotechnology, APIs (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients), and Key Starting Materials (KSMs).
  • Objective: Strengthen trusted pharmaceutical supply chains and contribute to global health security.
• Bioenergy:
  • Launch of the India–Japan Cooperative Biogas for Growth (CBG) Initiative, with a target to establish 1,000 biogas and organic fertiliser plants across India using dairy cooperative networks.
  • Supports circular economy, waste-to-wealth, clean energy, and sustainable agriculture.
• Research and innovation: Institutional partnerships include: C-CAMP–RIKEN and NCBS–RIKEN, with focus on life sciences, biotechnology, neuroscience, healthcare, agriculture, environment, and deep-tech innovation.
• Digital infrastructure: Cooperation between the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Japan Network Information Center (JPNIC) to focus on IPv6 adoption, internet governance, cybersecurity, etc.
• Financial cooperation: Framework established between the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) and the Japan Financial Services Agency (JFSA). Focus: FinTech, RegTech, and financial market regulation.

Geostrategic Importance of the Summit:

• Japan's Indo-Pacific strategy:
  • Japan's outreach is driven by growing Chinese military assertiveness, economic coercion, and perceived reduction in US regional engagement.
  • Its updated FOIP strategy prioritises economic infrastructure for the AI era, supply chain resilience, security cooperation, rule-based regional order, etc.
  • India occupies a central position in this strategy.
• Japan's internal balancing:
  • Japan is simultaneously strengthening domestic capabilities through:
    • Record defence spending (targeting 2% of GDP)
    • Relaxation of arms export restrictions
    • Expanded Official Security Assistance (OSA)
    • Cybersecurity and intelligence reforms
  • These measures complement its growing strategic engagement with Indo-Pacific partners.

India–Japan Relations:

• Overview:
  • Ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations (in 1952), the two countries have enjoyed cordial relations. For example, the Indian PM referred to the Japanese PM as ‘younger sister’ at the 16th annual summit.
  • Evolution of relations: "Global Partnership between Japan and India" (2000), "Global and Strategic Partnership"(2006), and “Special Strategic and Global Partnership” (2014).
  • Since 2005, Japan-India annual summit meetings have been held in respective capitals.
  • The two nations conduct regular military drills (e.g., Malabar and Dharma Guardian), engage in regular 2+2 Ministerial Dialogues, and are core members of the Quad alliance.
  • Japan is among India's largest investors, with a bilateral trade volume exceeding $27.5 billion.
  • India remains the largest recipient of Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA), which funds key metro, railway, and connectivity projects across India.
  • Challenges:
    • The most prominent issue is a trade imbalance heavily skewed in Japan’s favor.
    • Divergent strategic priorities—such as India's adherence to strategic autonomy and differing regional security concerns—sometimes limit seamless alignment on global issues like Russia sanctions.
• Strategic significance for India:
  • Strengthens resilient supply chains under the China+1 strategy.
  • Supports Atmanirbhar Bharat and advanced manufacturing.
  • Enhances semiconductor ecosystem and critical technology capabilities.
  • Boosts defence indigenisation through co-development.
  • Improves maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
  • Expands cooperation in clean energy, biotechnology and digital governance.
  • Reinforces a rules-based international order through convergence of democratic values.

Conclusion:

• The 16th India–Japan Annual Summit marks a decisive shift from a traditional economic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
• As geopolitical competition intensifies in the Indo-Pacific, the two countries are positioning themselves as trusted partners committed to a rules-based international order.

Context

• India bears nearly a quarter of the global cervical cancer burden, recording over 1.2 lakh new cases and 80,000 deaths annually.
• As almost 95% of cases are caused by high-risk HPV, vaccination offers one of the most effective forms of preventive healthcare.
• To address this challenge, the Government of India launched a nationwide HPV vaccination campaign targeting girls aged 14–15 years.
• The experience of Mandsaur district of MP demonstrates how data-driven governance, behavioural insights, and community participation can transform a public health programme into a successful mass movement.

Initial Challenges and Strengths of the Mandsaur District HPV Vaccination Campaign

• Vaccine Hesitancy
  • Despite the availability of an effective vaccine, vaccine hesitancy, misinformation, social stigma, and gender-related taboos remained major obstacles.
  • The experience of Savita from the Banchhada community highlights how cultural beliefs and economic realities often shape health decisions.
  • Concerns about the vaccine affecting future livelihoods reflected a lack of awareness rather than outright opposition, underlining the importance of culturally sensitive communication.
• Inclusive Identification of Beneficiaries
  • A major strength of the campaign was its inclusive and data-driven planning.
  • Instead of relying solely on school enrolment records, the administration integrated databases such as RBSK, SAMAGRA MP, and Ladli Laxmi Yojana, along with door-to-door surveys, to identify eligible girls.
  • Village-level Master Line Lists ensured that girls from nomadic tribes, urban slums, school dropouts, and other vulnerable groups were included, reducing data invisibility and improving last-mile delivery.
• Behavioural Interventions
  • The campaign effectively applied the Nudge Approach, making vaccination the default option rather than an active choice.
  • Families were informed that their daughters were due for vaccination, repeated counselling addressed concerns, transportation support reduced logistical barriers, and digital reminders improved monitoring.
  • Public recognition of vaccinated families and peer champions further encouraged participation through positive social influence.
• Communication and Community Engagement
  • To counter myths regarding infertility and vaccine safety, the administration launched targeted awareness campaigns involving doctors, students, athletes, religious leaders, youth influencers, and media personalities.
  • Counselling sessions and the experiences of cervical cancer survivors strengthened public trust by replacing fear with informed dialogue.
• Integration with Existing Healthcare Services
  • The HPV campaign was integrated with routine immunisation, antenatal care, and the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan.
  • This convergence improved outreach, optimised existing healthcare infrastructure, reduced implementation costs, and encouraged greater acceptance of vaccination among families already accessing healthcare services.

Outcomes and Impact

• The campaign achieved 100% vaccination coverage within 40 days, conducting hundreds of vaccination sessions across rural and urban areas.
• Beyond numerical success, it demonstrated the value of inclusive governance, behavioural innovation, community trust, and evidence-based planning.
• The initiative successfully bridged the gap between policy formulation and grassroots implementation, ensuring that vulnerable populations were not left behind.

Conclusion

• The Mandsaur HPV vaccination campaign offers a replicable model for strengthening public health governance in India.
• Its success illustrates that effective healthcare delivery requires accurate data, behavioural change, cultural sensitivity, and active community participation alongside sound policy design.
• By combining technology, grassroots engagement, and administrative innovation, the district transformed a vaccination programme into a movement for social inclusion, equitable healthcare, and long-term disease prevention.
• The campaign demonstrates that when implementation is both evidence-based and people-centred, a simple vaccine can become a powerful instrument for improving public health and ensuring every child receives a fair opportunity for a healthier future.

Context

• Modern warfare is increasingly shaped by advanced missiles, enabling states to achieve strategic objectives with greater speed, precision, and lower costs.
• Conventional missiles have become instruments of political coercion, capable of disrupting critical infrastructure, military assets, and decision-making without immediately escalating into nuclear conflict.
• China's expanding missile arsenal poses a significant challenge to India's security, making it necessary to strengthen conventional deterrence through doctrinal, organisational, and technological reforms.

China's Missile Capabilities

• China possesses a substantial missile advantage through systems such as DF-15B, DF-16, DF-21C, DF-26, and DF-100.
• While short- and medium-range missiles can strike military installations along the border, the DF-26 and hypersonic missiles can target strategic assets deep inside India with minimal warning.
• This capability reduces the strategic protection traditionally offered by the Himalayas and allows China to combine border operations with long-range missile strikes.
• Since the DF-26 is a dual-role missile, it also increases the risk of conflict escalation.

India's Strategic Vulnerabilities

• India's missile capability is still evolving. Systems such as Agni, BrahMos, Nirbhay, and the Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LR-LACM) have not yet been fully integrated into a unified strike architecture.
• Additional weaknesses include limited real-time targeting, finite missile stockpiles, and the absence of an operational Rocket Force.
• Without a dedicated missile command, India may be forced to absorb a large-scale missile attack before responding effectively, weakening deterrence and increasing strategic vulnerability.

The Way Forward

• Need for a Dedicated Rocket Force
  • A unified Rocket Force should function under the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and operate through a single command structure.
  • It must achieve three objectives: hold the Western Theatre Command and key military facilities in Tibet and Xinjiang at risk, degrade enemy logistics such as roads, railways, and airbases, and support battlefield commanders by targeting troop concentrations, artillery positions, and ammunition depots.
  • Such a force would establish mutual vulnerability, raising the costs of any conventional missile campaign against India.
• Doctrinal and Technological Reform
  • India's military doctrine should incorporate counter-value strikes alongside counter-force operations to strengthen conventional deterrence.
  • A unified target list, pre-designated strike plans, and delegated launch authority would enable rapid responses during the opening phase of a conflict.
  • Technological modernisation is equally important. Greater participation by the private sector, alongside DRDO, can accelerate missile production and innovation.
  • Increased investment in research and development, hypersonic technology, semiconductors, advanced propulsion systems, and indigenous manufacturing would reduce dependence on foreign suppliers while enhancing strategic self-reliance.
• Interim Defence Measures
  • Since establishing a Rocket Force will require time, immediate measures are essential.
  • India should disperse Indian Air Force assets, harden airbases, strengthen air defence, improve satellite surveillance, and expand long-range conventional strike capabilities.
  • These measures would reduce vulnerability, complicate enemy targeting, and improve the ability to detect and neutralize mobile missile launchers.

Conclusion

• The growing importance of conventional missiles has transformed the character of modern warfare.
• China's expanding missile capabilities challenge India's existing defence posture and demand a comprehensive response.
• Building a credible conventional rocket force, modernising military doctrine, strengthening indigenous defence production, and implementing immediate defensive measures would enhance India's ability to deter coercion, maintain strategic stability, and respond effectively to future missile conflicts below the nuclear threshold.

About Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar in Odisha.
• It represents the northeastern limits of the Eastern Ghats.
• It was declared primarily to preserve wild elephants and elephant habitats.
• The Kumarkhunti reservoir is the only water reservoir inside the sanctuary that sustains wildlife during the summer.
• Vegetation: Flora is moderately diverse with an intimate mixture of evergreen and deciduous elements.
• Flora: Main tree species are Kochila, Kalicha, Belo, Kangada, Giringa, Sunari, Sal, Kumbhi, Jamu, Karanja, Teak, and Sidha.
• Fauna:
  • Elephants, Chital, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Rhesus Monkey, Pangolin, Sloth Bear, Indian Wolf, Hyena, and other mammals.
  • A variety of snakes, like the Python and the monitor lizard, can also be sighted there.
  • Prominent birds of the sanctuary are peafowl, red junglefowl, crested serpent eagle, great horned owl, black headed oriole, paradise flycatcher, coucal and stone curlew.