This article argues that India's compliance with U.S. unilateral sanctions has negatively impacted its economy, energy sourcing, and foreign policy, leading to increased demands from the U.S. It highlights that India's decision to ignore certain sanctions, such as for the Russian S-400 systems, proved beneficial. The author advocates for India to unequivocally denounce U.S. unilateral sanctions to safeguard its strategic autonomy and achieve energy independence. The piece also criticizes the U.S. for its extensive use of sanctions compared to other global powers and international bodies.
U.S. unilateral sanctions have adversely affected India's economic growth, energy sourcing, and foreign policy objectives.
India's past compliance with U.S. sanctions has not curbed U.S. demands, instead leading to additional pressures for conformity.
Ignoring U.S. sanctions, such as for the S-400 air defence systems, has proven beneficial for India without incurring penalties.
Exam Points
The U.S. has imposed 365 sanctions in the present century, while the European Union imposed 133.
The UN Security Council has only about 15 active sanction regimes.
CAATSA (Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) was mentioned regarding India's purchase of Russian S-400 systems.
India faces a severe energy crisis, marked by 88.6% crude oil import dependence and volatile LNG prices, exacerbated by the 2026 LPG shortages. Existing LNG infrastructure is underutilized due to pipeline constraints, and LPG supply chains are fragile. The article advocates for a structural shift towards domestic energy sources, particularly Compressed Biogas (CBG), which offers energy security, environmental sustainability, and rural economic growth. It calls for decisive actions in feedstock security, regulatory streamlining, and financial support to scale up CBG production from its current minimal output.
India's high crude oil import dependence and volatile LNG prices highlight a critical energy insecurity challenge.
The current energy crisis necessitates a structural shift towards domestic and resilient energy systems.
Compressed Biogas (CBG) is presented as a viable solution for enhancing energy security, promoting environmental sustainability, and fostering rural economic growth.
Exam Points
India's crude oil import dependence is 88.6%.
LNG imports are projected to hit 28-29 million metric tonnes (MMT) this year.
India has an estimated potential of 62 MMT of CBG annually from agricultural residues, animal waste, and municipal solid waste.
The article criticizes the U.S.'s approach to lunar governance, particularly the Artemis Accords, viewing them as a unilateral mechanism to control lunar resources and potentially create exclusion zones. It contrasts this with recent U.S. actions on human rights and international law, which undermine confidence in its global leadership. The author advocates for a multilateral framework, such as the 1979 Moon Agreement, to ensure equitable access and prevent confrontation in space. The piece argues against allowing any single power to unilaterally set rules for a domain that belongs to all humankind.
The U.S.'s Artemis Accords are viewed critically as a mechanism for unilateral control over lunar resources, potentially creating exclusion zones.
Recent U.S. actions regarding human rights and international law are cited as undermining confidence in its space governance framework.
A multilateral approach, exemplified by the 1979 Moon Agreement, is advocated for equitable exploitation of lunar resources.
Exam Points
NASA Apollo 8 mission and NASA Artemis II mission are mentioned.
The International Emergency Economic Powers Act is cited regarding U.S. tariffs.
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Appellate Body's blocking by the U.S. is noted.
This analysis compares the economic costs incurred by the U.S., U.K., and India in controlling inflation between 2022-2023. The U.S. Federal Reserve managed to curb inflation with minimal economic damage, achieving a near-zero sacrifice ratio. In contrast, the U.K.'s Bank of England's efforts led to a recession and still missed its inflation target. India avoided a downturn but now faces currency pressure due to the rupee's depreciation, which makes imports more expensive. The article highlights India's unique inflation dynamics, where food prices significantly influence the consumer price basket, limiting the direct impact of RBI's interest rate changes.
The U.S. successfully controlled inflation with minimal economic cost, demonstrating a near-zero sacrifice ratio.
The U.K. experienced a recession and failed to meet its inflation target despite aggressive interest rate hikes.
India avoided an economic downturn but now faces significant currency pressure, with the rupee hitting record lows.
Exam Points
U.S. inflation peaked at 9.1% in June 2022.
U.K. inflation peaked at 11.1% in October 2022, the highest since 1981.
India's retail inflation touched 7.8% in April 2022, breaching the 2%-6% target band.
Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal submitted a privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Lok Sabha Speaker. The notice alleges that PM Modi, in a televised address, made "direct reflections" and "imputed motives" to Opposition MPs for voting against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026. This Bill sought to link delimitation and expansion of Lok Sabha seats with women's reservation. Venugopal argued that questioning elected representatives' voting behavior constitutes a "gross breach of privilege and contempt of the House," violating parliamentary conventions.
A privilege notice was filed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi by Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal.
The notice alleges that PM Modi imputed motives to Opposition MPs for their vote against the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed to link delimitation and Lok Sabha seat expansion with women's reservation.
Exam Points
K. C. Venugopal is the Congress General Secretary.
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, required a two-thirds majority under Article 368.
The privilege notice was submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.
The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is scheduled for May-end 2026, marking its return after more than a decade. The summit will prioritize development initiatives, education, capacity building, diplomatic expansion, and defence cooperation. It holds significant importance amidst global supply chain disruptions, particularly following the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran. India aims to enhance the implementation rate of its commitments to African nations and encourages Foreign Direct Investment from Indian businesses, shifting focus from small and medium enterprises to larger investments from Global South leaders.
The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) in 2026 will focus on development initiatives, education, capacity building, and defence cooperation.
The summit is strategically significant given the current global supply chain disruptions.
India aims to improve the implementation of its commitments to African countries.
Exam Points
The Fourth India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) is scheduled for May-end 2026.
The third IAFS was held in October 2015.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will present plans for the summit.
The Supreme Court has directed a high-powered committee, chaired by Justice S. Ravindra Bhat (retd), to expand its mandate and formulate a comprehensive plan for making prisons disabled-friendly across the country. This plan must ensure the provision of appropriate assistive devices, mobility aids, and necessary support equipment for prisoners with disabilities, upholding their fundamental rights to equal treatment and dignified life. The directive follows a petition highlighting inhumane prison conditions, citing the cases of activists G. Saibaba and Stan Swamy, and reinforces the penalization of authorities who abuse disabled prisoners under the RPwD Act.
The Supreme Court has mandated a high-powered committee to develop a comprehensive plan for disabled-friendly prisons.
The plan must ensure the provision of appropriate assistive devices and support equipment for prisoners with disabilities.
The directive emphasizes upholding the fundamental rights of prisoners with disabilities, including the right to equal treatment and dignified life.
Exam Points
The committee is chaired by Justice S. Ravindra Bhat (retd).
Articles 14 (right to equal treatment) and 21 (right to dignified life) of the Constitution are cited.
The Right to Persons with Disabilities Act (RPwD) Act is mentioned.
The resignation of Justice Yashwant Varma has reignited the debate on whether a statutory inquiry against a judge should cease upon their resignation. Drawing on past cases like Justices P.D. Dinakaran and Soumitra Sen, the article argues that such inquiries, being statutory procedures for establishing facts and guilt, should continue irrespective of the judge's tenure. It asserts that allowing inquiries to terminate with resignation undermines accountability, enables judges to unilaterally abort proceedings, and prevents formal findings, contrary to constitutional provisions and Supreme Court observations on the investigative stage being judicial in character.
The resignation of Justice Yashwant Varma raises questions about the continuation of statutory inquiries against judges.
Past precedents regarding judicial resignations during inquiries have been inconsistent and lack clear resolution.
The Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, and Supreme Court rulings suggest that the investigative stage of an inquiry is statutory and should not collapse with resignation.
Exam Points
Justice Yashwant Varma's resignation is the central case discussed.
Previous cases of Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice Soumitra Sen are cited as precedents.
Article 124(5) of the Constitution pertains to laws regulating investigation and removal of judges.
India's informal urban workforce, comprising about 90% of total employment, faces extreme precariousness due to the transformation of urban production systems. Cities have shifted from industrial hubs to centers of social reproduction, leading to fragmented labor and precarious living conditions. Key challenges include land tenure insecurity, high cost of living, and limited access to formal banking, exacerbated by the privatization of essential services and gentrification, influenced by the Washington Consensus. The article calls for building strong intersectionalities between organized trade unions and informal sector workers to address these systemic vulnerabilities.
India's informal urban workforce, constituting 90% of total employment, faces extreme precariousness.
The shift in urban production systems from industrial to social reproduction has led to fragmented labor and precarious living conditions.
Informal workers suffer from land tenure insecurity, high cost of living, and limited access to formal financial services.
Exam Points
The informal workforce constitutes around 90% of India's total employment.
According to Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), regular wage or salaried employment remains low in urban areas.
Around 40% of India's urban poor live in slums.
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