India Last Week #17
A round-up of research & reportage on India across climate, energy, foreign policy, politics & more over the last week
Climate, Energy & Environment -
“Nowhere in the world have markets ensured a higher income for farmers. In the major economies, either the subsidy fills the income gap (China has emerged at the top in providing agricultural subsidies) or agriculture is conveniently left at the mercy of market forces, like in India. The result, as some studies have shown, is not only that Indian farmers are at the bottom of the pyramid but also that they have been incurring losses year after year for nearly 25 years now. The only plausible way to pull the farmers out of perpetual poverty is by ensuring a legally binding framework for guaranteeing farm prices." Read more: Devinder Sharma, The Tribune
“A push by India to make more corn-based ethanol has turned Asia's top corn exporter into a net importer for the first time in decades, squeezing local poultry producers and scrambling global supply chains. The jump in import demand comes after India in January hiked the procurement price of ethanol made from corn to drive a shift away from sugarcane-based ethanol for blending in gasoline.” Read more: Business Standard
“In the eastern state of West Bengal in India, a unique initiative is underway to clean the air. The state administration is providing 12 million students with bicycles to encourage cleaner modes of transport. Neighboring country Bangladesh has a brick-kiln tracker, which uses remote sensing technology to track emissions and guide targeted action against highly polluting and illegal kilns… While national targets and action plans are being rolled out, there is also a stronger consensus that the countries or states cannot succeed working in isolation. Cooperation and coordination across borders, and among multiple agencies and jurisdictions are essential.” Read more: World Bank Group
“In India, demand for transformers has been skyrocketing since the 2010s, following huge investment surges in data centers, electric vehicles, housing construction and, most importantly, renewable energy projects. Within just the last year, renewables generated more than 70 percent of the 26 gigawatts of new power produced in the country. At the heart of most transformers is an electrical steel called Cold Rolled Grain Oriented (CRGO) steel, known for its distinct magnetic properties that help minimize energy loss as electricity moves throughout the power grid. Globally, 15 steelmakers in China, Japan, Europe and the United States possess the technical know-how to produce specialized electrical steel like CRGO, but thus far they have been unwilling to share the patented technology with other markets, including India. India has only two domestic CRGO steel producers, both owned and operated by the Indian subsidiaries of foreign companies. Four China-based steel mills supplied close to half of the 300,000 tons of CRGO steel India needs annually until April 2024.” Read more: Anuradha Varanasi, Cipher
Economy -
“Progress on MII [Make in India] has been patchy to date, and the implementation of state subsidies for specific projects has been questionable. MII has been a qualified failure. There are sound, fundamental reasons why India should continue to seek to build an advanced industrial base, but its government should pursue a cohesive approach to aligning the program with higher education and technical training… The country’s success in services and in driving financial inclusion through the India Stack, which uses digital identity as the foundation for providing financial access to the poor, is world-beating. In attempting to achieve the same level of excellence in manufacturing, India will have to level the industrial playing eld, roll back privileges to favored domestic business groups, and set an even bolder ambition to increase manufacturing’s share of GDP.” Read more: Vasuki Shastry, Hinrich Foundation
“In 2020, capital-intensive sectors accounted for 70 percent of manufacturing GVA and 50 percent of formal manufacturing jobs in India. In contrast, labor-intensive sectors, such as apparel and textiles, which account for less than 20 percent of formal manufacturing GVA, were responsible for over 40 percent of formal manufacturing jobs. These labor- intensive activities present vast opportunities for job growth, particularly for women (33 percent of workers in the apparel and textile sectors are female, compared to only 15 percent in non-textile and non-apparel manufacturing). Increased textile and apparel exports played a key role in creating approximately 800,000 formal jobs between 1999 and 2011.” Read more: Ran Li and Dhruv Sharma, World Bank Group
“39,990 graduates and 6,112 postgraduates have applied for contractual post of sweeper through Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam Limited (HKRN), the state govt's agency for outsourcing jobs… In addition to these applicants, 1.2 lakh undergraduates — people who have studied up to Class XII —have applied for jobs which require one to sweep and clean offices in govt departments, boards, corporations and civic bodies. The sweepers will get a monthly salary of Rs 15,000 each.” Read more: Times of India
“Analysing nationally representative data sets from the World Bank Enterprise Surveys, women’s ownership and participation in top management of registered private firms in India are examined. It is seen that both the parameters have drastically decreased, from a low to a meagre level between 2014 and 2022, despite sustained gross domestic product growth and the launch of several government programmes to promote entrepreneurship. The pattern of decline is consistent across sectors (manufacturing and services) and size groups (small, medium, and large) of firms, barring some variations. This is true regardless of the measure of women’s ownership considered and is not due to the entry and exit of firms.” Read more: Rozi Kumari and Rupayan Pal, Economic & Political Weekly
Foreign Policy & Security -
“Intelligence agencies have flagged the use of Chinese components, including electrical, in drones purchased by the Indian armed forces from domestic private players, most of which are deployed in border areas in the northern and eastern sector…According to senior Army officers, the force along with the defence ministry are now formulating an “appropriate methodology” to ensure Chinese components do not make their way into military drones. They said that there was a significant risk associated with Chinese components, especially electronics, pertaining to transfer of data… Sources added that one of the main lacunae was that while defence procurement rules prohibit Chinese components, the force was relying on self-certification by drone makers claiming their products were free of Chinese components.” Read more: Snehesh Alex Philip, The Print
“Indian criticism of China’s policy was implicated, not openly expressed. First, while the statement made explicit reference to China having invited India to the BRI Forum, it expressed no direct criticism of China or the BRI, flouting the maxim of quantity, since insufficient information on the target of the statement was provided… Signalling implicated communality towards the US and other like-minded partners (by using the underspecified, quality-flouting term ‘the international community’), India appealed to the normative and ordering logics of a US vision of the Indo-Pacific.” Read more: Raphaelle Khan and Kate Sullivan de Estrada, British Journal of Politics and International Relations
“The defence ministry on Tuesday gave the preliminary approval for 10 military modernisation projects worth over Rs 1.4 lakh crore, including 1,770 futuristic tanks for the Army and seven advanced multi-role stealth frigates for the Navy in the long-term, with the ever-expanding threat from China figuring high on the radar. The Rajnath Singh-led Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC) also approved four "amendments" to the over Rs 50,000-crore deal for 26 Rafale-Marine fighters currently being negotiated with France… The main DAC takeaways were the grant of the "acceptance of necessity (AoN)" to the Rs 72,000 crore project to construct seven frigates, with advanced stealth features as well as the latest weapons and sensors, and the Rs 57,000 crore programme for the future ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) or tanks.” Read more: Rajat Pandit, Times of India
“Reports about the government's plan to tweak the rules of Agnipath, the short-service Commission plan in the armed forces, have drawn a sharp reaction from the Congress. In a social media post today, the party said the government "will have to stop the Agnipath scheme also". "If they don't do this, we will stop it. There is news that changes will be made in the Agnipath scheme due to pressure from the opposition. It is possible that after four years of service, the number of Agniveers getting permanent jobs will increase from 25% to 50%. But... This is not enough," read a post from the Congress on X, formerly Twitter. The report it referred to was one that said the government may retain 50 percent, instead of 25 percent Agniveers after their four-year commission is over, quoting unnamed sources. There could also be a hike in payments, added the report, which came ahead of the assembly election in Haryana, one of the states that sends a chunk of recruits to the armed forces.” Read more: Vasudha Venugopal, NDTV
People & Politics -
“The 19-year-old boy from Badbel village under Mudulipada panchayat of Govindapalli block in Malkangiri district has become the first person from the primitive vulnerable tribal group to clear the prestigious medical exam. Mangala Muduli, the talented student from the Bonda tribe has not only achieved this milestone but also has secured admission to the prestigious MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur.” Read more: Cassian Baliarsingh, OdishaTV
“Modi’s message is rather meant for insiders, especially PM hopefuls and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He knows how personal ambitions of leaders in key positions and their rivalries influenced ticket distribution, campaigning, and organisational cohesion during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. It wasn’t a planned sabotage. The leaders’ haste to position themselves for 2029 and their conflicting ambitions created a sabotage-like impact on the results. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath may be the most talked about prime ministerial contenders, but there are many others—like Union Minister Nitin Gadkari—waiting in the wings.” Read more: D. K. Singh, The Print
“If local projects like road construction or retrofitting schools can make local headlines, why can’t MPs work in Parliament? Most public information in India about legislative proceedings and parliamentary reportage is ridden with jargon, so bridging the gap between constituents and Parliament was key… At the end of every parliament session, we would compile all activities undertaken into a simple report card format — which, on circulating online, received positive feedback from local party workers who could now understand and advocate their party leader’s work better, as well as from lay voters who now knew what the person they had voted (or not voted) for was doing on their behalf.” Read more: Evita Rodrigues, Medium
“Eleven men who had been sentenced to life imprisonment for the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and multiple murders of her family members were set free. They received a heroes’ welcome. Their victim during the Gujarat riots of 2002 had been 19 years old and five months pregnant when the atrocity occurred. Fourteen members of her family were killed by her assailants, including her three-year-old daughter whose head was smashed. Modi’s government approved their release. The authorisation was signed by his closest associate, Union home minister Amit Shah.” Read more: James Manor, The Wire
Tech -
“In a bid to strengthen India’s semiconductor industry, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of a new semiconductor manufacturing unit by Kaynes Semicon Pvt Ltd. The plant will be set up in Sanand, Gujarat, with an investment of Rs 3,300 crore… This approval is part of a larger government initiative to boost India’s semiconductor ecosystem. The Programme for Development of Semiconductors and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem in India, launched in December 2021, has a budget of ₹76,000 crore.” Read more: Danny D’Cruze, Business Today
“On Wednesday, Modi and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong visited Singaporean semiconductor and electronics company AEM, signaling their intent to increase cooperation in chips. Increased collaboration can also help both nations overcome “common challenges” such as climate change, aging populations and public health, Heng highlighted…. The country is India’s sixth largest trading partner, with 3.2% share of India’s overall trade. Imports from Singapore in financial year 2024 amounted to $21.2 billion, while exports totaled $14.4 billion… The city-state accounts for 10% of chips produced worldwide and around 20% of global semiconductor manufacturing equipment production, according to Singapore’s Economic Development Board.” Read more: Charmaine Jacob, CNBC
“The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has selected Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as the successful bidder for the global tender for production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for 10 GWh advanced chemistry cell (ACC) manufacturing. With this, the company will be eligible for the maximum budgetary outlay off INR 3,620 Cr. For the uninitiated, ACCs are used in electric vehicles (EVs). They can store electric energy either as electrochemical or as chemical energy… To win the bid, the company was competing against six other bidders – ACME Cleantech Solutions Pvt Ltd, Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Pvt Ltd, Anvi Power Industries Pvt Ltd, JSW Neo Energy Ltd, Lucas TVS Ltd, and Waaree Energies.” Read more: Akshit Pushkarna, Inc42
Bonus -
“In the video for Big Dawgs, 31-year-old Sooraj Cherukat, also known as Hanumankind, exudes boundless energy. Shot inside a maut ka kuan (well of death) - a jaw-dropping show where drivers perform gravity-defying stunts inside a giant wooden barrel-like structure - he stomps around the pit as a group of motorists zip past him. The song, a collaboration with producer Kalmi Reddy and director Bijoy Shetty, has earned over 132 million streams on Spotify and 83 million views on YouTube since its July release, catapulting Cherukat to global fame… The rapper has faced a barrage of racist comments online for his unique style. Some international listeners struggle to accept that he is from India because he doesn't "look or sound" like their expectations. Meanwhile, his Indian audience pillories him for the same reasons, wishing he conformed more to their image of Indian identity. But it is this exact placelessness of his work that fans have come to love so much.” Read more: Zoya Mateen, BBC
“Sexism in Indian textbooks has been a recurring political issue for decades. An analysis of Hindi and English textbooks (Kalia 1979) revealed the widespread promotion of sexist attitudes, which the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) – the government agency responsible for producing national textbooks – denounced as sensationalist. Another study of NCERT textbooks in 2017 documented similarly sexist content, prompting the Indian Minister for Education to call for “appropriate action”. Our analysis of NCERT books published between 2020 and 2022 suggests that progress towards this goal has been limited. We find that just 34% of gendered words (such as ‘he’ or ‘she’) in NCERT books are female, and 66% are male.” Read more: Lee Crawfurd, Theodore Mitchell, Radhika Nagesh, Christelle Saintis-Miller, and Rory Todd, Ideas for India
Watch/Listen -
The Future of Indian Democracy | John Harriss, Christophe Jaffrelot, and Rahul Mukherji discuss the future of Indian democracy in the aftermath of the 2024 national elections with Harsh Mander at Heidelberg University (by Scroll)
"The government led by BJP is corrupt and must be ousted from power to restore integrity and accountability in governance."