India Last Week #19
A round-up of research & reportage on India across climate, energy, foreign policy, politics & more over the last week
Climate, Energy & Environment -
“Maharashtra and Rajasthan have in quick succession issued tenders calling for power producers who could supply electricity for 25 years. A key criterion in both the tenders was that the producer should have the capability to supply power generated from both solar and thermal power plants together. By introducing the bid specification that only power producers who can generate mammoth thermal and solar capacity in tandem can compete, the state governments whittled down the competition for Adani Group. Maharashtra put out a bid for 6,600 MW, with 5,000 MW of that coming from solar and the rest from coal. Next, Rajasthan put out a bid for 11,200 MW, with 8,000 MW being generated from solar and the rest from coal. Besides Adani Group, only a few companies operate at that scale in both solar and thermal power generation.” Read more: Shreegireesh Jalihal, The Reporters’ Collective
“The peaceful rural landscape of Kallamundkuru village in Moodabidri taluk, located in Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, became a hive of activity after large-scale mining of laterite soil commenced. The extraction process, which has reached feverish pitch, has drawn the attention of environmental activists and local residents due to its potential impact on the region’s ecology and livelihoods… According to officials from the mines and geology department, the soil is rich in bauxite and other minerals and the mined material transported to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu… Environmentalists have voiced concerns over potential degradation of soil and water resources due to large-scale laterite extraction. They warned that soil removal could lead to erosion, loss of biodiversity and disruption of natural water flow patterns, all vital for local agriculture, alongside threats to life and property should a situation similar to Wayanad emerge in the future.” Read more: M. Raghuram, Down To Earth
“India's coal imports during the April-July period of the current fiscal (FY25) increased 0.9% to reach 90.51 million tonnes (mt) compared with 89.68mt in same period last fiscal, the coal ministry said on Wednesday. The growth comes amid a surge in power and a 10.18% growth in coal-based power generation in the first four months of this fiscal. "Increase in coal import for power sector is attributed to the substantial quantity of coal import by imported coal-based power plants i.e. 17.69mt during this period, up from 10.12mt in the corresponding timeframe last year," the statement said… The ministry, however, noted that despite a notable growth of 10.18% in coal-based power generation from April 2024 to July 2024 compared to the same period last year, imports for blending purposes decreased by 8.2% during the same period… Noting that the dynamics of coal imports present certain challenges, the statement said that the Union government’s strategic focus on increasing coal production and curbing coal import reflects a positive outlook for the country’s energy future.” Read more: Rituraj Baruah, Mint
Economy -
“ India’s main sources of money laundering originate from within India, from illegal activities committed within the country. These proceeds may be laundered within India, laundered abroad, or laundered abroad and returned to India for reintegration into the licit economy… Indian authorities have demonstrated a good understanding of both current and emerging TF threats and risks in different theaters of risk in the country, and investigations are broadly conducted in line with the risks identified… However, statistics and case studies also reflect significant delays in prosecutions both at the NIA and State level, resulting in a high number of pending cases and accused persons in judicial custody waiting for cases to be tried and concluded. Based on the number of open cases, it could not be concluded that TF offenders were being successfully convicted during the evaluated period. ” Read more: Financial Action Task Force
“Even as the Narendra Modi government celebrates 10 years of the “Make in India” initiative, an analysis of the country’s manufacturing and export performance shows the push to the sector has not increased its share in the GDP, in employment, or in global exports… The government’s own data, however, shows the manufacturing sector has remained flat over the last decade in its contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP). Further, the sector’s share in total employment in the country has marginally declined over this period… Data from the Economic Survey showed India’s share in global exports has grown much slower over the last decade or so as compared to the 2005-15 period. In 2005-06, India contributed 1 percent to global exports. By 2015-16, this had grown to 1.6 percent. However, by 2022-23, it stood at just 1.8 percent — a significantly lower increase.” Read more: TCA Sharad Raghavan, ThePrint
“Samsung Electronics workers at a factory in India's Tamil Nadu state are paid almost twice as much as employees in nearby companies, the South Korean group said on Tuesday, as a strike at the plant enters its third week. More than 1,000 workers have disrupted operations and protested in a makeshift tent close to Samsung's home appliances factory near the city of Chennai since Sept. 9. They are demanding higher wages and union recognition at the plant, which contributes roughly a third of Samsung's annual revenue in India of $12 billion. Commenting on wages for the first time, Samsung said in a statement: “The average monthly salary of our full-time manufacturing workers at the Chennai plant is 1.8 times the average salary of similar workers employed at other companies in the region.” The Samsung protests cast a shadow over Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's drive for more foreign investors to "Make in India" and to triple electronics production to $500 billion in six years. It is the biggest such strike in India in recent years.” Read more: Aditya Kalra and Praveen Paramasivam, Reuters
“I think India would like public stock holding (PSH) handled first while some other developing countries would like to see other issues handled first, like domestic support. The issue is about sequencing. We have not had a breakthrough. But what I am hearing more and more is how can we handle things concurrently… India is a leader. But those India is leading want India to listen to what they want. It has to defend its national interest, which is normal. But it has to also see how it can help the others if it wants to lead. At MC 12, India showed great leadership. We need India to continue to doing so by making the right compromises.” Read more: Amiti Sen, Hindu Businessline
People & Politics -
“Mumbai’s real estate sector has always been the golden goose for many, including the city administration. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is the country’s most lucrative area of operations in the real estate business. Although the city’s real estate market went through a slowdown from 2016 to 2022, there has been a rebound in the past two years. It recorded 11,443 property registrations in June alone, marking a 12-year record in stamp duty collection at Rs.986 crore. Now that the party has started, powerful lobbies are eyeing the market to make a killing at the public’s expense. The proposed Dharavi redevelopment project is the biggest example of this plan… Land grab in the name of Dharavi rehabilitation is not the only heist that is taking place. The State government is also clearing proposals to give plots on lease to various organisations. Almost every day there are reports of preferential allotment of plots. In March, it cleared a proposal to give land occupied by Wilson College Gymkhana to Jain International Organisation (JIO) on a 30-year lease. The alumni of Wilson College opposed it, and the matter is now pending with the Bombay High Court. Again, in August, the State government decided to allot a 30,000 sq m plot in Colaba to the same JIO.” Read more: Amey Tirodkar, Frontline
“The Greater Chennai Corporation has recently instructed 29 sanitary workers and staff nurses from 13 of the city's short-staffed Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHCs) to skip their regular duty and instead work in shifts at the homes of two senior IAS officers. While one officer is a Principal Secretary, who has served as Commissioner of the GCC in the past, the other has served in four departments under the present state government. TNIE has independently verified that at least one worker reported for work at the former's address located on the ground floor of a two-storey apartment in Anna Nagar F Block… TNIE visited the Anna Nagar address and found the principal secretary’s name board at the entrance of the house. The service expected from the workers primarily involved providing care to an elderly woman residing there. It is, however, unclear whether the IAS officer himself resides in the house. While one of the GCC staff went to the house for work on Monday, the work has since been put on hold after stiff resistance from the workers.” Read more: Nirupama Viswanathan and Praveena S A, New Indian Express
“In the summer of 2023, California legislators approved a bill banning discrimination on the grounds of caste. Defined in the bill as “an individual’s perceived position in a system of social stratification on the basis of inherited status,” caste is a central feature of life for hundreds of millions of people in India and beyond. The measure had been championed by California’s Dalit community… Along with Patel, the Hindu American PAC has this year endorsed not only a host of Democrats running for congressional and state offices, but also Republicans, such as the Georgia congressman Rich McCormick, hailed by the group for his stand on “Hinduphobia and Pakistan-supported terrorism against Indians in Kashmir.”... Had there ever been doubts about the significance of the Hindu community in American politics, they have surely been allayed by the tumultuous events of this year’s election cycle; overall, the political effort of this lobby’s influence is bipartisan. Vivek Ramaswamy, scion of an upper-caste immigrant family from Kerala, vied for the Republican nomination.” Read more: Andrew Cockburn, Harper’s Magazine
“Kashmiri politician Iltija Mufti launched a fresh attack on Islamophobic reporting in the media on Sunday by refusing to accept a microphone from the news agency Asian News International (ANI) during a poll rally. She stated, “Godi media not allowed,” expressing her disapproval of what she views as biased reporting… In a video she shared on social media, Mufti’s rejection of the ANI mic quickly attracted attention. While posting the video on X, she wrote, “Waise ANI ka mic pakadna mujhe acha naheen lagega…Godi media not allowed.” Smita Prakash, the editor of ANI, responded to her tweet with the word “Cheap.” In her reply, Mufti elaborated on her concerns, saying, “‘Cheap’ is how ANI wilfully vilifies & demonises Muslims. Adds fuel to the fire by conveniently omitting & distorting news thereby encouraging Islamophobia. Nothing against reporters who have to work but what ANI does is criminal & must be called out.”... In the past, the ANI has been accused of Islamaphobic reporting and “dissemination of pro-Hindu nationalist government propaganda” by civil rights organisations.” Read more: Maktoob Media
The 1,200-page chargesheet in the spurious drugs supply case, submitted by rural police on September 20, has revealed startling facts. The antibiotics distributed to the govt hospitals were nothing but talcum powder mixed with starch, made in a Haridwar-based laboratory of veterinary medicines… The case was taken up for special probe by Rural SP Harssh A Poddar, who handed investigation over to IPS officer Anil Mhaske, posted as SDPO Saoner. After Nagpur rural police investigation started revealing shocking facts, similar cases were registered at Wardha, Nanded, Thane, and elsewhere in Maharashtra against the racketeers.” Read more: Soumitra Bose, Times of India
Foreign Policy & Security -
“National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval stayed back in India to deal with the security situation arising from the ongoing Jammu and Kashmir election and other “domestic issues”, officials said. The officials dismissed speculation that Mr. Doval dropped out of the visit due to a summons issued by a New York court, even as the Khalistan issue and allegations from Sikh groups against the government appeared to loom over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day U.S. visit… The government has not commented thus far on the introduction of a bipartisan Bill called the ‘Transnational Repression Reporting Act’ in the U.S. Congress on September 19 by Democrat Congressman Adam Schiff that says ‘Transnational Repression’ or the targeting of diaspora members was on “the rise”, particularly from “India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China”. The text of the Act specifically details the preliminary investigation results of the Pannun case that accuse Indian intelligence of the plot, charges which have yet to be proven in court, and calls for mandatory briefing by the government on such cases.” Read more: Suhasini Haidar, The Hindu
“India and China are learnt to have made “significant progress” in narrowing their gap on pending issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This includes exploring the contours of a possible solution that factors in their respective pre-April 2020 positions while agreeing to address existing issues in Arunachal Pradesh, The Indian Express has learnt. Sources said this might imply that Indian troops, whose access to certain patrolling points along the LAC were blocked either by Chinese troops or due to the implementation of the buffer zones created in the backdrop of disengagement at specific friction points, might be close to accessing them again… Officials aware of the latest developments said that plans to raise an additional division for Ladakh is already on with at least a brigade partially moving to the location… Irrespective of any deployment change that may be in the offing, officials said the border infrastructure development along the entire LAC will continue as per plans to be better prepared for any contingency.” Read more: Amrita Nayak Dutta, Indian Express
“The Army on Sunday (September 22, 2024), through a social media post, sought information from Manipur security adviser Kuldiep Singh to provide details on intelligence regarding the alleged entry of 900 Kuki militants from Myanmar on September 28. The post on X was later deleted. The post on X by Spear Corps, Indian Army said, “These inputs have very serious security implications and the office of Security Adviser has been requested to share the details so that appropriate necessary action can be taken at the earliest.” A defence source said the inputs were yet to be shared with the Army… Assam Rifles (AR), which is under the operational control of the Army, is the primary border guarding force deployed along Myanmar. There are around 60,000 security personnel deployed in Manipur currently which includes, Army, AR, Manipur Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF). Meitei groups have often accused AR of partisan conduct and demanded their removal from the State. Meitei civil society groups and legislators have alleged that in many “sensitive areas”, Assam Rifles are not responsive and remain mute spectators when unarmed civilians are indiscriminately fired upon frequently. The Kuki-Zo groups on the other hand accuse the Manipur police and the State administration of inaction when they are attacked.” Read more: Vijaita Singh, The Hindu
“For the first time since the economic crisis and the ‘aragalaya’ protest that ousted the Gotabaya Rajapaksa presidency, Sri Lankans went to the polls last Saturday. In the results declared on Sunday, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-National People’s Power (NPP)’s Dissanayake won 42.31% of the vote, with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)’s Sajith Premadasa coming a distant third at 32.76%. The incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe, who ran as an independent, obtained 17.3%... While AKD attracted support from urban, educated professionals, Premadasa struggled to gain traction despite being the leader of the main opposition at a time when disillusionment with the establishment was widespread across all classes… I’d say the NPP might be better understood as one of those modern Western centre-left parties, like the Democrats, Labour or the SPD in Germany [Social Democratic Party of Germany], because if you look at their constituency, it’s not poor people anymore. In our polling data, Sajith actually did better among poor people. So these are middle-income, upper-middle-income, educated, often professional, urban Sinhalese.” Read more: Devirupa Mitra, The Wire
Tech -
“After the third judge's decision, the Bombay High Court on Thursday formally struck down the amended Information Technology Rules aimed at identifying and regulating fake and false content on social media against the government, and termed them as "unconstitutional". On September 20, a single bench of Justice A S Chandurkar held that the amended rules being vague and broad had the potential of causing a chilling effect not only on an individual, but also on the social media intermediary. Justice Chandurkar had served as the tie-breaker judge after a division bench issued a split verdict on the matter earlier this year… Central to the controversy was the establishment of a Fact Checking Unit (FCU), which was designed to flag online content deemed misleading or false concerning the government. The court agreed with the petitioners' claim that the Rules had a chilling effect on fundamental rights.” Read more: The New Indian Express
“The subscription-based video on demand (SVoD) market in India is projected to reach a revenue of $2.02 billion by 2024… Left largely unregulated until 2020, the Indian Over The Top services (including SVoD and advertising-based VoD platforms) have facilitated diverse opportunities of story-telling and production capabilities. However, the introduction of the ‘Information Technology Rules 2021’, and the draft ‘Broadcast Bill, 2023’ by the Bhartiya Janata Party (hereafter, BJP), the current ruling party, have raised concern as to the freedom to create, express and represent a multiplicity of identities and viewpoints that befits a multicultural society such as India… We argue that India’s recent approach utilises non-governmental actors to advocate for censorship measures, and legitimise them to the Indian and global public. The state’s mediation in controlling the freedom of expression is presented as a ‘nation building’ project that will alleviate the concerns of its ‘digital nagriks’ (citizens). We propose that the state does this by adopting an interventionist approach.” Read more: Smith N. Mehta and Eedan R. Amit-Danhi, International Journal of Cultural Policy
“Dr Samir V Kamat, Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), highlighted India's technological lag in traditional technologies by 10-15 years compared to other nations. He stressed the importance of capacity-building in engineering institutions to address this gap… Kamat pointed out that while India produces a remarkable number of engineers, many lack the practical skills necessary for research and development (R&D). He called for improvements in engineering education, urging colleges to provide hands-on experience with advanced equipment and allow graduates to engage in cutting-edge research. He also highlighted the need for better infrastructure and improved compensation for professors… Kamat further discussed India’s growing willingness to take risks in defence technology, with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) approving the Technology Development Fund (TDP) to support high-risk projects. He drew a parallel with the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which funds projects even with a high probability of failure. However, Kamat pointed out that India’s defence R&D spending, currently at 0.65% of GDP, lags behind that of the US (2.83%) and China (2.14%). He called for increased investment in R&D to drive technological advancement.” Read more: Abhijeet V. Singh, TechGig
Bonus -
“Competitive sport, as it is understood now, was uncommon in 19th century India. Wrestling was the only sport that was popular along the length and breadth of India. Lavishly patronised by the innumerable royal courts of India, champion wrestlers were icons who were revered and idolised by the common man… The upper classes preferred sedentary forms of recreation. India has a long tradition of such games, mainly games of chance. They were variously known as chaupat, songatya and pachisi in different parts of the country. They were played on boards which were embroidered on cloth or carved on wood. Sometimes, they were worked into the flooring itself. They involved a throw of dice, generally made of ivory or bone… The first book on chess to be published in Bombay was Essays on Chess, adapted to the European method of play. It was an English translation of a Sanskrit book, Vilas Muni Munjuri or “Diamond Flower Bud of Amusement” written by Trevangadacharya Shastree. Printed at the Bombay Gazette Press in 1814 by MD Cruz, the book owes its publication to a few high-ranking officials of the Bombay Government who were interested in chess.” Read more: Murali Ranganathan, Scroll
Watch/Listen -
India, Asia and the World - Indian Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar | Conversation with Dr. Jaishankar at the Asia Society Policy Institute
JPMorgan's Gori on China Stimulus, India Expansion | JPMorgan EMEA CEO and Co-Head of Global Banking Filippo Gori speaks on the sidelines of the JPMorgan India Investor Summit on Bloomberg