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Current Edge Daily Brief 27th October 2025
Quote of the Day
“Proclaim the truth and do not be silent through fear.” – ST. CATHERINE OF SIENA
What the Others Say
“Mr Trump should not profit from his presidency. He should pay a political price for his brazen corruption. Instead, he is telling American taxpayers to pay a price, directly to him.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
Table of Contents
THE BIG PICTURE
- IE Opinion: US sanctions on Russia’s Rosneft and Lukoil pose a tough question for India: How far will it go in resisting pressure? (Soumya Bhowmick)
- IE Opinion: Ashok Gulati and Ritika Juneja write: Make the farm atmanirbhar
- IE Explained: CO2 levels at an unprecedented high: Why this matters (Anjali Marar, Amitabh Sinha)
- TH Text & Context: Why has IUCN red-flagged the Western Ghats? (Divya Gandhi)
NEWS IN SHORT
- India-ASEAN ties making steady progress: PM
The Big Picture
IE Opinion: US sanctions on Russia’s Rosneft and Lukoil pose a tough question for India: How far will it go in resisting pressure?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – International Relations
Why in News?
US imposed sanctions on Russian oil majors Rosneft & Lukoil → threatens India’s discounted oil imports & tests its strategic autonomy amid rising US pressure.
Impact on Global Energy & Russia
- Scale of Sanctions → Rosneft (3.7 mn bpd ≈ 3.3% global supply) + Lukoil (1.6 mn bpd) → nearly ½ of Russia’s oil output affected.
- US Action → Freeze of US assets + ban on American firms’ dealings → full effect post–Nov 21.
- Market Reaction → Brent/WTI ↑ ~5% post-announcement → fears of supply crunch.
- Russia’s Response → Push for de-dollarisation → ↑ trade in ₹/₽ & ¥/₽ → energy trade decoupling from West.
India’s Energy Dilemma
- Dependency → Russia = India’s largest seaborne crude supplier; heavy reliance by Nayara Energy (Rosneft 49% stake, 400k bpd refinery, Gujarat).
- Risk → Secondary sanctions threat to Indian refiners/banks dealing with Russian firms.
- Choices →
→ Continue Russian oil → risk US penalties.
→ Shift supply → ↑ costs, import from Gulf/US/Africa. - Past Precedent → 2019 Iran oil ban → India swiftly diversified to US & W. Africa sources.
Economic & Strategic Implications
- Energy Security → Russian discounts (~$10–15/bbl) cushioned India’s inflation; loss → ↑ import bill, CAD pressure.
- Trade Talks with US → Ongoing Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) → scope for LNG & renewables cooperation.
- Strategic Balance → Need to balance ties:
✦ Russia → defence & discounted energy
✦ US → tech, investment, trade access - Payment Systems Shift → Expansion of rupee-rouble trade → gradual challenge to US$ dominance.
Global Geoeconomic Trends
- Oil Market Fragmentation → Multipolar order emerging → non-Western payment blocs (India–China–Russia axis).
- Western Leverage ↓ → Sanctions push Global South to alternate systems.
- India’s Role → Swing consumer shaping next phase of global energy governance.
Core Question
→ How far will India resist US pressure to protect cheap energy vs align with Western sanctions regime?
Test Your Knowledge 01
Q. Which of the following can weaken the dominance of the US dollar in global trade?
- Growth of BRICS payment systems.
- Increasing use of local-currency settlements.
- Expansion of IMF’s SDR allocations.
Select the correct answer:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: All three reduce reliance on the US dollar for international payments → promote currency diversification
IE Opinion: Ashok Gulati and Ritika Juneja write: Make the farm atmanirbhar
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Agriculture
Why in News?
Govt launched ₹11,440 cr “Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses” (2025–31) → target 350 lakh tonnes → aim: nutritional security + regenerative agriculture + soil-water-air restoration.
Agri Crisis – Global
Agri Crisis – Global- Population pressure ↑ → 8.2 bn (2025) vs 1 bn (1804) → 8× in 200 yrs → strain on finite resources.
- Land use → Only 29% Earth = land; just 10.7% farmed → overuse → soil erosion, fertility ↓.
- Soil degradation → 33% of world soils degraded (FAO) → nutrient loss, GHG↑.
- Water stress → 70% freshwater used in farming → irrigation inefficiency → aquifer depletion.
- Climate link → Agri emits ~1/3 global GHGs (FAO 2023) → feedback on yield ↓ & food insecurity ↑.
Agri Crisis – India
Agri Crisis – India- Resource stress → 52% land arable; 46% workforce in agri → but soil, water, biodiversity ↓.
- Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) <0.3% vs ideal 1% → esp. Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan → fertility ↓.
- Nutrient imbalance → N:P:K ratio ~7:3:1 vs ideal 4:2:1 → due to subsidised urea → pollution↑, GHG↑.
- Groundwater depletion → 60% districts in “critical” zone (CGWB) → over-irrigation (rice-wheat belt).
- Nutritional gap → Pulses per capita availability ~20g/day vs WHO norm 50g/day → imports↑ (India = world’s largest importer).
Steps Taken – Global
Steps Taken – Global- FAO 80 yrs (2025) → theme “Hand in Hand for Better Food & Better Future” → focus: regenerative systems.
- Innovations → HYV crops (Borlaug, Khush) + Haber-Bosch fertiliser → Green Revolution averted famine.
- Current shift → “Regenerative Agriculture” → restore soil carbon, biodiversity, resilience.
- Private push → Global AgXelerate (2025) → connects agri-innovators globally (AgVaya–BioSTL–ICRIER).
Steps Taken – India
- Green Revolution legacy → Self-sufficiency in cereals; but soil-water imbalance created.
- Policy reforms → AIM & ANRF to foster agri-innovation (still evolving).
- Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (₹11,440 cr) → 2025–31 → target 350 lakh tonnes.
- Oilseed focus → National Mission on Edible Oils – Oil Palm (NMEO-OP, 2021) → ↓ import dependence (currently 60%+).
- Collaborations → ICRIER + AgVaya + BioSTL seminar (Oct 2025) → “Innovations for Regenerative Agriculture.”
Way Forward
Way Forward- Crop-neutral incentives → Equal MSP/procurement for pulses & oilseeds → shift from rice-wheat bias.
- R&D investment ↑ → Breeding for drought tolerance, high-protein, pest-resilient varieties.
- Soil health mission → SOC restoration → organic inputs, crop rotation, legume inclusion.
- Water-smart practices → Micro-irrigation, rainwater harvesting, millet promotion.
- Market linkages → FPOs + digital platforms → better price discovery.
- Regenerative focus → Heal soils, conserve groundwater, cut GHGs, ↑ biodiversity, ensure nutritional security.
Test Your Knowledge 02
Q. In the context of India’s agricultural policies, what does the term “crop-neutral incentive” refer to?
(a) Equalising subsidies across all crops irrespective of yield.
(b) Providing equal policy support (MSP, procurement, R&D) to all major crops to avoid bias.
(c) Promoting only rainfed crops to save groundwater.
(d) Linking crop choice strictly to nutritional value.
Hint: Current MSP & procurement policies favour rice–wheat; crop-neutral incentives aim to give equal support (price, R&D, procurement) to pulses & oilseeds too.
IE Explained: CO2 levels at an unprecedented high: Why this matters
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Environment
Why in News?
WMO data: CO₂ levels ↑ by record 3.5 ppm (2023→2024) → Reached 423.9 ppm, highest since 1957 records began.
CO₂ Concentration Trends
- 2024 avg → 423.9 ppm → ↑3.5 ppm YoY (record rise)
- 2011–20 avg rise → 2.4 ppm/yr, 1960s → 0.8 ppm/yr
- Now 152% > pre-industrial (278.3 ppm)
- No decline in 40 yrs → continuous accumulation
- 2024 → Warmest yr ever, +1.55°C vs pre-industrial → 1.5°C threshold breached
Causes → Anthropogenic + Natural Factors
Man-made sources → Fossil fuel burning, deforestation, industry
Natural sinks weakening →
- Oceans ↓ CO₂ absorption → ↑temp → ↓solubility
- Land sinks ↓ → droughts, forest fires, vegetation stress
Natural emissions ↑ → record wildfires, ocean releases
→ Feedback loop: Warming → weaker sinks → more CO₂ retained.
Comparative GHGs Data
| Gas | 2024 Conc. | Avg Rise (2010s) | Potency vs CO₂ | Lifetime | Warming Share |
| CO₂ | 423.9 ppm | +2.4 ppm/yr → +3.5 ppm (2024) | 1× | 100–1000 yrs | 66% (since 1850), 79% (last decade) |
| CH₄ | 1,942 ppb | +10.6 ppb/yr → +8 ppb (2024) | 25× | 12–14 yrs | 16% |
| N₂O | 338 ppb | +1.07 ppb/yr → +1 ppb (2024) | 270× | 100–120 yrs | 6% |
Climate Governance Failure
- Paris Agreement (2015) → Aim: limit <1.5°C → missed in 2024
- Emission cuts lagging → Global emissions ↑ despite pledges
- Natural feedbacks worsening → beyond direct human control
- 2030 targets → “Almost certain to be missed” per WMO
Implications
- CO₂ longevity → Cumulative irreversible warming
- Ecosystem destabilization → Oceans, forests as carbon sinks failing
- Higher warming trajectory → Irreversible tipping points risk ↑
- Urgent need → Net-zero acceleration + sink restoration.
Test Your Knowledge 03
Q. Consider the following gases:
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂)
- Methane (CH₄)
- Nitrous oxide (N₂O)
Arrange them in increasing order of global warming potential (GWP).
(a) N₂O < CH₄ < CO₂
(b) CH₄ < CO₂ < N₂O
(c) CO₂ < CH₄ < N₂O
(d) CO₂ < N₂O < CH₄
Hint: CO₂ (1×) < CH₄ (~25×) < N₂O (~270×).
Q. Which of the following statements regarding natural carbon sinks is/are correct?
- Higher ocean temperatures reduce CO₂ solubility, lowering oceanic absorption.
- Droughts and wildfires enhance the land’s CO₂ absorption capacity.
- Around half of anthropogenic CO₂ emissions are reabsorbed by natural sinks.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint:
(1) Warm oceans absorb less CO₂;
(2) Droughts/wildfires reduce absorption;
(3) ~50% absorbed by sinks.
TH Text & Context: Why has IUCN red-flagged the Western Ghats?
Syllabus: Pre/Mains – Environment
Why in News?
IUCN’s World Heritage Outlook 4 (2025) has downgraded the Western Ghats, Manas NP, and Sundarbans NP to “significant concern” status due to worsening habitat and species loss in South Asia.
IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 → Key Findings
- 4th assessment cycle since 2014 → covers 228 sites (natural/mixed).
- ↓ Positive outlook sites → 63% (2020) → 57% (2025).
- Categories → Good / Good with some concerns / Significant concern / Critical.
- South Asia threats ↑ → Climate change, Tourism, Invasive species, Roads.
- New major threat → Roads & railroads (entered top 5 for 1st time).
- Other pressures → Forest fires, hunting, waste, encroachment, illegal logging.
Western Ghats → Status & Significance
- “Significant concern” → sharp ↓ in conservation outlook.
- UNESCO heritage → older than Himalayas; mosaic of forests + grasslands.
- Biodiversity hotspot → ~325 globally threatened spp. (flora, fauna, amphibians, reptiles, fishes).
- Endemics → Nilgiri tahr, Malabar civet, lion-tailed macaque, endemic birds (Nilgiri flycatcher).
Western Ghats → Key Threats
- Hydropower projects → eg. ₹5,843 cr Sillahalla (Nilgiris) → dams on Sillahalla & Kundah rivers → 1,000 MW generation.
- Tourism pressure → garbage ingestion by elephants → ↑ human–wildlife conflict.
- Plantation expansion → tea, coffee, eucalyptus, acacia → replace native ecosystems.
- Climate change → species migration ↑ from low → high altitudes (e.g., flycatchers).
- Invasive exotics → eucalyptus, acacia colonizing forests → ↓ native biodiversity.
Sundarbans Mangroves → Threat Factors
- ↑ Salinity & heavy metal contamination.
- Unsustainable resource extraction (fishing, fuelwood).
- Sea-level rise + storm surges → ↓ mangrove biodiversity.
- Habitat fragmentation → ↑ tiger–human conflict risk.
South Asian Conservation Context
- Indian sites “Good with some concerns” → Great Himalayan NP, Kaziranga, Keoladeo, Nanda Devi–Valley of Flowers.
- “Good” status → Khangchendzonga NP (Sikkim).
- Protected area degradation → rapid due to encroachment & infrastructure expansion.
Global Perspective & Way Forward
- Natural World Heritage sites → <1% Earth’s area but host >20% species richness (75k plants, 30k vertebrates).
- Positive examples → 7 China sites rated “best protected”.
- IUCN urges → align with Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) → halt biodiversity loss.
- Call for → stronger eco-restoration, management, climate adaptation, & waste control measures.
Conclusion
Western Ghats & Sundarbans face escalating multi-dimensional stress (hydro projects, tourism, invasives, climate change). IUCN flags urgent action to reverse declining conservation outlook across South Asia.
Test Your Knowledge 04
Q. With reference to the IUCN World Heritage Outlook 4 Report (2025), consider the following statements:
- It assesses only natural World Heritage Sites and not mixed sites.
- It has categorized the Western Ghats as a site of “significant concern”.
- Climate change, invasive species, tourism, and road expansion are the four key threats identified for South Asia.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Hint: The report assesses both natural and mixed sites (228 total). Western Ghats = “significant concern”. Four key threats correctly stated.
Q. The Sillahalla Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project recently mentioned in context of the Western Ghats is located in:
(a) Kerala
(b) Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Goa
Hint: Located in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu — proposed ₹5,843 crore project across Sillahalla & Kundah rivers.
News in Short
India-ASEAN ties making steady progress: PM
Why in News?
At 22nd India–ASEAN Summit (Kuala Lumpur), PM Modi reaffirmed steady partnership progress & announced 2026 = ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation.
Strategic & Economic Cooperation
- Partnership resilient → Despite Ukraine crisis, Gaza conflict, China tensions → trade ↑ to $131.6 bn (2022–23).
- India+ASEAN → ~1.9 bn ppl (~25% world pop); combined GDP ≈ $6.4 tn.
- AITIGA review (to finish by 2025) → ↓ tariffs, ↑ supply-chain integration.
- ASEAN–India Plan of Action 2026–30 → trade, investment, edu, food, tech, climate.
- FDI → ASEAN contributes ~17% of India’s inflows (2023).
Maritime & Security Cooperation
- 2026: Year of Maritime Cooperation → joint naval drills, info-sharing, anti-piracy.
- ASEAN–India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023, Singapore) → 9 navies, 1st full-scale sea phase.
- Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) → ASEAN priority partner.
- HADR cooperation → India’s “SAGAR” doctrine; aid in cyclones (Philippines, Myanmar).
- Counterterrorism → ASEAN–India Network of Think Tanks (AINOTT) policy dialogue.
Digital & Developmental Links
- Digital inclusion → India offers UPI, CoWIN tech sharing; ASEAN digital economy target $1 tn by 2030.
- Supply chain resilience → “Act East + Indo-Pacific” → focus on semiconductors, pharma, EVs.
- Food security → Joint agri-research; rice & palm oil trade diversification.
- Global South → Joint voice in G20, AIIB, BRICS+ frameworks.
Cultural & People Connectivity
- “Cultural partners” → Shared Indic-Buddhist heritage; Nalanda–ASEAN network revival.
- Education & tourism → 2 lakh ASEAN students in India (2024); air links ↑ to 900+ weekly flights.
- Health & green energy → India’s Vaccine Maitri & solar alliances extended to ASEAN.
- Timor-Leste welcomed → 11th ASEAN member; India supported entry bid since 2021.
Diplomatic Context
- EAM Jaishankar led delegation; Modi virtual due to domestic schedule.
- Recent high-level visits → Indonesia (Jan’24), Philippines (Aug’24), Singapore (Sep’24).
- Malaysia PM Anwar Ibrahim → “Friendship, trust, shared interest” focus.
Conclusion
India–ASEAN → expanding from trade to tech–maritime–digital synergy; cornerstone for Indo-Pacific stability & Global South growth.
