Editorial Analysis of the Day

Donald Trump shakes up the global nuclear order

Prelims and Mains Specific News Articles

Pakistan’s New Constitutional Amendment: A Shift in Power

Pakistan’s Parliament has approved the 27th Constitutional Amendment, a move that significantly reshapes the country’s political and military balance.

Passed with a two-thirds majority, the amendment strengthens the military establishment while reducing democratic and judicial oversight.

Lifetime Immunity for the President and Top Military Leaders

A central provision of the amendment grants lifetime immunity to the President and the current Army Chief, General Asim Munir.

This protection now extends to any officer promoted to field marshal, marshal of the Air Force, or admiral of the fleet.

These officers will retain their rank, privileges, and uniform for life and will be shielded from criminal proceedings.

Consolidation of Military Authority

The amendment introduces a new position, the Chief of Defence Forces, giving a single authority command over the Army, Air Force, and Navy.

This amounts to a major consolidation of military power, strengthening the institutional influence of the armed forces over governance.

Establishment of a Federal Constitutional Court

The amendment also creates a Federal Constitutional Court.

Critics fear this new body may weaken the role of Pakistan’s existing judiciary and reduce effective judicial scrutiny of executive and military actions.

Concerns Over Democratic Backsliding

Opponents argue that the amendment accelerates Pakistan’s drift toward authoritarianism.

They warn that expanded immunity and centralized military power will limit accountability and erode what remains of Pakistan’s democratic framework.

India and Nepal Update Transit Treaty to Boost Rail-Based Cargo Movement

India and Nepal have amended their Treaty of Transit to make rail-based freight movement smoother and more efficient, particularly between Jogbani in India and Biratnagar in Nepal.

The change also allows the movement of bulk cargo along this route, which was earlier restricted.

Centre Introduces Fresh Draft of the Seeds Bill After Earlier Attempts Failed

The Union government has introduced a new draft Seeds Bill.

Once enacted, it will replace the Seeds Act of 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order of 1983, modernising India’s seed regulation framework.

Key Purpose of the New Legislation

The Bill aims to bring stricter oversight over the seed sector to ensure quality, transparency, and accountability.

It focuses on regulating the sale, certification, and trade of seeds so that farmers receive reliable and high-quality planting material.

Major Features of the Draft Seeds Bill

• Mandatory Registration for Seed Dealers:

  
  

  Every seed dealer must obtain registration from the State government before selling, storing, exporting, importing, or supplying seeds.

  
  

• Quality Standards for Seed Varieties:

  
  

  Seeds sold in the market must meet specified minimum standards of germination, genetic purity, physical purity, seed health, and other quality parameters under the Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standards.

  
  

• Regulation of Sale and Distribution:

  
  

  The Bill empowers authorities to regulate the sale of seeds to ensure farmers are not misled by substandard or falsely labelled varieties.

  
  

• Replacement of Old Laws:

  
  

  The new Bill will repeal the Seeds Act, 1966 and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983, updating the legal framework to meet modern agricultural requirements.

  
  

• Focus on Transparency and Farmer Protection:

  
  

  By enforcing stricter certification and registration norms, the Bill seeks to protect farmers from low-quality or unreliable seed varieties.

Supreme Court Orders Protection of Jharkhand’s Saranda Forest

The Supreme Court has directed the Jharkhand government to declare 31,468.25 hectares of the Saranda forest as a wildlife sanctuary, stressing the State’s duty to safeguard this ecologically rich region.

Why Saranda Matters

• One of the world’s most pristine sal forests.

• Habitat for critically endangered species such as the sal forest tortoise and four-horned antelope.

• Home to Adivasi communities including Ho, Munda, and Uraon, whose livelihood depends on forest produce.

• Holds about 26 percent of India’s iron ore reserves, supplying major steel plants like SAIL and Tata.

  
  

Court’s Key Observations

• The State cannot avoid declaring the identified area as a sanctuary.

• Conservation must be balanced with sustainable mining, not overridden by it.

• Concerns raised that full sanctuary status could halt mining and affect employment, but ecological obligations remain paramount.

Directive Principles of State Policy on Protection of the Environment

Article 48A is the key DPSP dealing with environmental protection.

Article 48A: Protection and Improvement of Environment

• Added by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976).

• Directs the State to protect and improve the environment.

• Mandates safeguarding forests and wildlife of the country.

• Forms the constitutional basis for environmental laws, forest conservation policies, pollution control, and wildlife protection measures.

India’s Carbon Emissions Rise Slowly in 2025

According to the Global Carbon Project, India’s carbon emissions in 2025 are expected to increase by 1.4%, a much slower rise compared to the 4% growth recorded in 2024.

Favourable monsoon conditions lowered cooling demand, and stronger renewable energy generation reduced dependence on coal.

Global Emission Trends

• Global emissions (2025): projected to reach 38 billion tonnes, rising by 1.1%.

• China: emissions expected to rise by 0.4%, slowed by rapid renewable energy expansion.

• United States: projected increase of 1.9%.

• European Union: expected rise of 0.4%.

India’s Position in Global Emissions

• India is the third-largest emitter, releasing about 3.2 billion tonnes of CO2 annually (2024).

• China remains the largest emitter (12 billion tonnes), followed by the U.S. (4.9 billion tonnes).

• India’s per capita emissions stand at 2.2 tonnes, one of the lowest among the world’s 20 major economies.

• Coal remains the primary driver of India’s emissions.

Rethinking Vaccine Priorities: Should Hepatitis A Enter India’s UIP Before Typhoid?

As India considers adding the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) to its Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP), public-health experts argue that Hepatitis A may deserve even higher priority.

India already has a safe, effective, long-lasting indigenous Hepatitis A vaccine, but the policy decision to include it is still pending.

India’s Changing Immunisation Needs

• The UIP has achieved major successes such as eliminating polio and reducing measles deaths.

• While India bears a high typhoid burden, evidence suggests that Hepatitis A is becoming a more urgent threat.

  
  

Why Hepatitis A Is Emerging as a Priority

• Historically, early-childhood exposure gave most Indians natural immunity.

• Improved sanitation has reduced early exposure, leaving adolescents and adults unprotected.

• Disease severity increases significantly in older age groups.

• Recent outbreaks in Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi show rising incidence.

Public Health Concerns

• Multiple hospitals have reported clusters of acute liver failure and deaths due to Hepatitis A.

  
  

• There is no specific treatment for severe cases; patients rely on supportive care.

  
  

• Seroprevalence studies show protective antibodies declining from over 90% to under 60% in many urban areas, creating a large vulnerable population.

  
  

Vaccine Availability and Effectiveness

• Hepatitis A is fully preventable with available vaccines.

  
  

• Both live-attenuated and inactivated vaccines offer 90–95% protection, with immunity lasting 15–20 years or longer.

  
  

• India has a proven indigenous vaccine: Biological E’s Biovac-A, in use for over two decades with excellent safety and efficacy.

India’s Alarming AMR Burden: What the WHO’s GLASS 2025 Reveals

The WHO’s Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025 (GLASS) confirms what public-health experts have long feared:

India has some of the highest antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates in the world.

What the WHO Report Highlights About India

• One in three bacterial infections in India (2023) was resistant to commonly used antibiotics.

  
  

• India mirrors severe resistance trends seen across South-East Asia.

  
  

• By contrast, globally one in six infections was resistant — showing India’s disproportionate burden.

  
  

• Key drivers: high infectious disease load, easy access to antibiotics, self-medication, poor regulation, and environmental contamination from pharma waste and hospitals.

  
  

• High resistance noted in E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus — especially in ICU settings.

  
  

Gaps in India’s Surveillance System

• India joined GLASS in 2017, but most data comes from tertiary hospitals, not community or rural settings.

  
  

• This creates an overestimation bias, as tertiary hospitals treat the most complex cases with high antibiotic exposure.

  
  

• Experts warn this does not reflect the true national picture.

Why AMR Is Rising: Structural Failures

• Over-the-counter antibiotic availability.

• Incomplete or incorrect antibiotic courses.

• Environmental contamination from pharmaceutical and hospital waste.

• Weak enforcement of existing regulations.

• Slow implementation of India’s National Action Plan on AMR (2017).

Kerala: A Rare Model of Progress

Kerala stands out as the only State making substantial headway.

Key initiatives

• Kerala AMR Strategic Action Plan (2018) with One Health coordination.

  
  

• AMRITH (2024) — crackdown on OTC antibiotic sales.

  
  

• Latest antibiograms show a slight dip in resistance levels.

  
  

• Ambitious target: make Kerala “antibiotic-literate” by 2025.

  
  

Kerala’s experience demonstrates that coordinated State action can yield results.

All About LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)

What is LNG?

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is natural gas cooled to –162°C, which turns it into a clear, non-toxic liquid.

Cooling reduces its volume to1/600thof its gaseous state, making storage and transport much easier.

What LNG Contains

LNG is mainly:

• Methane (CH₄) – around 90–95%

• Small amounts of:

  • Ethane

  • Propane

  • Nitrogen

It contains no sulphur, very little CO₂, and burns cleaner than oil or coal.

Why Liquefy Natural Gas?

Because gas pipelines cannot reach every country. Liquefaction allows:

• Transport across oceans in specialised LNG carriers

• Storage in large insulated tanks

• Delivery to countries lacking pipeline networks

LNG Supply Chain (How LNG Reaches Consumers)

Extraction

Natural gas is extracted from underground or offshore fields.

Liquefaction

At LNG liquefaction plants, impurities are removed and gas is cooled to –162°C.

Shipping

LNG is loaded into cryogenic LNG tankers.

Regasification

At the importing country, LNG is reheated and converted back into gas.

Distribution

Regasified natural gas is sent through pipelines for:

• Power generation

• Industrial use

• City gas networks (CNG, PNG)

Uses of LNG

LNG is used for:

• Power generation

• Industrial fuel (steel, cement, fertilizers)

• Transport sector (LNG-powered trucks, ships)

• Residential use (cooking, heating) after regasification

• Reducing emissions in energy systems

Advantages of LNG

• Cleaner fuel

  • 45–50% fewer CO₂ emissions vs. coal

  • Negligible SO₂, particulate matter, and NOx levels

• Energy security

  
  

  Countries can diversify gas supply beyond pipelines.

• High energy density

  
  

  Useful where pipelines cannot reach.

• Flexible transport

  
  

  Ships can reroute based on market demand.