Study analyses intake of ultra-processed foods among South Asian countries
Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK, the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation in Chennai, and institutes in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka looked at the relation between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors of participants.
The findings, published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, also show that 41 per cent of participants from south India and Pakistan reported having consumed ultra-processed foods in the 24 hours prior to being surveyed.
These foods involve extensive industrial processing and additives such as added sugars, and are known to heighten risk of obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular conditions.
Data of over 60,700 adults living in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India were analysed.
The participants were recruited for the South Asia Biobank, a UK-based long-term study designed to understand reasons contributing to the high risk of life threatening conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity among South Asians.
Across the four regions studied, ultra-processed foods were found to account for 13-17 per cent of one's total energy intake, with biscuits being a common source.
Other commonly consumed foods included sweetened beverages in Pakistan, packaged salty snacks in south India, and breakfast cereals in Bangladesh, the study found.
Further, younger age was a factor linked with consuming ultra-processed foods in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and older age in Bangladesh and north India -- and women across most regions were more likely to consume these foods.
Consumption also was found to be lower among married people or those living together across the regions studied, compared to those who were single.
The researchers said a 2023 study that examined the link between consuming ultra-processed foods and sociodemographic factors analysed data from 32 countries, but "revealed a significant evidence gap with no studies conducted in South Asian countries".
"This is the first study to assess the sociodemographic correlates of (ultra-processed foods) consumption in South Asia, using individual-level dietary recall data in a large population-based study of South Asian adults," according to the study. "In Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and North India, (nearly) 75 per cent of participants reported consuming (ultra-processed foods) during the previous day, versus 41 per cent in south India and Pakistan," it said.
They added that the study's results provide valuable insights for developing targeted interventions.
The South Asia Biobank is based at Imperial College London and funded by the UK's National Institute for Health Research.
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UPSC Key: United Nations Watercourses Convention, Presidential Reference and New Education Policy
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 29, 2025. If you missed the July 28, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here GOVT & POLITICS India's 1st private test facility for heavy water upgrade opens Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. What's the ongoing story: In a small but significant step towards speeding up the operationalisation of nuclear power plants, India's nuclear establishment has, for the first time, roped in private players to carry out a key process that was so far handled entirely in-house. Key Points to Ponder: • 'India's nuclear establishment has, for the first time, roped in private players to carry out a key process'-what is significant here? • What is TEMA India? • What is depleted heavy water? • What is a pressurized heavy water reactor? • What is TEMA India entrusted with? • What technology allowed TEMA India to build the facility? • How does private participation like TEMA India alter the nuclear supply chain? • How the technology transfer from BARC to TEMA India under NPCIL reflects government's strategy for public-private synergy in strategic sectors? • How private sector engagement in nuclear infrastructure aligns with government's Atma-Nirbhar Bharat initiative? Key Takeaways: • Mumbai-based TEMA India has been entrusted with testing the equipment required for upgrading of depleted heavy water, a crucial requirement at all Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors in India. Until now, the testing was done by the country's main nuclear research, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). • TEMA India inaugurated its test facility two days ago at Achchad in Palghar district, about 100 km north of Mumbai, where it will manufacture equipment such as distillation columns and integrate and test them before sending them to reactor sites for installation. • The Department of Atomic Energy said the facility was designed and built by TEMA India's nuclear vertical under technology transfer from BARC and a 'purchase order' from Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL). • At the inauguration ceremony Saturday, TEMA India also dispatched the first batch of tested distillation column sections for deployment at Unit 8 of the Rawatbhata Nuclear Power Plant (RAPP-8) in Rajasthan, which is scheduled to go critical by December this year. Do You Know: • Heavy water (D2O) is a form of water (H2O) with deuterium, a heavier isotope of hydrogen, instead of regular hydrogen, and is used as a coolant as well as moderator for slowing down fast-moving neutrons during a chain reaction, essential for sustaining the nuclear fission process. • D2O needs to be 99.9% pure for working efficiently. But with time, it gets contaminated with light or regular water, requiring the depleted D2O to be upgraded back to 99.9% using a distillation process. TEMA India will not only manufacture the components required for the distillation process, but will also test them to ensure they produce the right results. • India has set its eyes at achieving 100 GW of installed nuclear energy capacity by 2047. There are 24 nuclear reactors operational in India, with an installed capacity of 8,780 MW. The government had approved construction of 10 more nuclear reactors in 2015, of which one has come onboard, while the rest — with a combined capacity of 13.6 GW — are under construction. The immediate target is to achieve 22.4 GW of installed capacity by 2032. The government has also launched a `20,000-crore Nuclear Energy Mission to develop Small Modular Reactors. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Nuclear energy push needs to be accompanied by human capital surge Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (2018) THE EDITORIAL PAGE Two nations and a river Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighbourhood- relations What's the ongoing story: Ashok K Kantha Writes: China has leveraged its advantage as a predominantly upper riparian vis-à-vis its neighbours and has mostly withheld meaningful cooperation with downstream countries. Key Points to Ponder: • Map Work-Origin of Brahmaputra River, name of entry point in India, mark the place where river becomes Jamuna and then Meghna. • What is the meaning of riparian? • What is upper riparian and lower riparian? • 'This massive project is being constructed without prior consultation with lower riparian India'-which project and why India is concerned? • As a lower riparian, what rights does India have in international law? • What is the Helsinki water Convention? • What is the United Nations Watercourses Convention? • Is India part of the UN Watercourses Convention? • What is Harmon Doctrine? • Regarding the Brahmaputra River, does the Harmon Doctrine apply to China and India? • Know the history of India-China relations. • What are the areas of conflict and cooperation between India and China? Key Takeaways: Ashok K Kantha Writes: • On July 19, Chinese Premier Li Qiang travelled to Nyingchi in Tibet to launch the construction of a 1.2 trillion yuan ($167.8 billion) mega hydropower project on the Yarlung Tsangpo River. This massive project is being constructed without prior consultation with lower riparian India, though its likely location in Medog County is barely 30 km from the place the river enters India and becomes the Siang, the main channel of the Brahmaputra River system. • While the project details have not been made public by China, except its cost and that it will involve five cascade hydropower plants, Chinese media reports suggest that it will generate nearly 300 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, more than thrice the designed capacity (88.2 billion kWh) of the Three Gorges Dam in China, currently the largest in the world. It would involve drilling four to six 20-km tunnels and diversion of half of the river's flow. • India ought to be deeply concerned about the downstream impact, which will manifest in many ways. First, a project of this magnitude will inevitably interfere with the flow of waters in the Brahmaputra. The contribution of glacier melt, snow melt and precipitation in Tibet to the waters in the Siang could range from 25 per cent to 35 per cent. There will be significant impact downstream of any diversion or pounding of water in Tibet, particularly in the lean season. The construction of five massive hydropower plants in cascade is likely to involve reservoir-like structures, even though it is claimed to be a run-of-the-river project. Altering natural river flows will harm aquatic ecosystems, fisheries, sedimentation, and biodiversity hotspots. • Second, even more worrying is the risk of flooding. While reservoirs can regulate floods, unannounced or sudden releases of water during heavy rainfall, or in a natural disaster like an earthquake, to protect the structure, can exacerbate downstream flooding, causing immense damage to life and property. • Third, this massive project involving tunnelling through fragile and young mountains is being undertaken in an area classified as Seismic Zone V (very high risk), which has seen major deep and shallow earthquakes in the past. Medog County lies within the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis, a highly seismic region influenced by the Himalayan Frontal Thrust and local faults like the Medog Fault. • Challenges such as reservoir-induced seismicity, tunnelling, geological miscalculations, and previous Chinese lapses in construction quality (for instance, in the Neelum-Jhelum project in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir) leave zero margin for engineering error — post-construction, there will be an ever-present danger of disasters. • Fourth, China has leveraged its advantage as a predominantly upper riparian vis-à-vis its neighbours and has mostly withheld meaningful cooperation with downstream countries. • Fifth, China's track record of cooperation under three MoUs with India over the past two decades has been unsatisfactory. China has suspended the supply of wet-season hydrographic data for the Brahmaputra and the Sutlej from time to time. • Neither China nor India is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (1997). However, two key principles of the Convention, 'equitable and reasonable utilisation' of shared waters and the 'obligation not to cause significant harm' to downstream states, are a part of customary international law. India has been a responsible co-riparian state, including with Pakistan, even after the Indus Waters Treaty was put in abeyance after the Pahalgam terrorist outrage. The same cannot be said of China. Do You Know: • The Yarlung Tsangpo is the largest river on the Tibetan plateau, originating from a glacier near Mount Kailash. 'Tsangpo' means river in Tibetan. According to academic Costanza Rampini in the Political Economy of Hydropower in Southwest China and Beyond (2021), the basin spreads over more than 500,000 sq km of land in China, India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh, 'though 80% of it lies in China and India.' It runs 2,057 km in Tibet before flowing into India. One fascinating feature of the river is the sharp 'U' turn that it takes, known as the Great Bend, at the proximity of Mount Namcha Barwa near the Indian border. • In India, the Yarlung Tsangpo enters Arunachal Pradesh as Siang. The Siang then gathers more streams and flows down towards Assam where it is joined by the Lohit and Dibang rivers. Further downstream, it is known as the Brahmaputra, which in turn flows through Assam before entering Bangladesh. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍As Beijing prepares to build world's biggest hydropower dam, a look at the Yarlung Tsangpo River Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China's larger 'One Belt One Road' initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (UPSC CSE 2018) THE IDEAS PAGE A compass, not a verdict Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: • General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate. • General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. What's the ongoing story: Syed Akbaruddin Writes: India must navigate litigation risks, enforcement gaps, and fossil fuel dilemmas; align duty with dignity. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the case here? • Why the case was initiated by Vanuatu? • How the ICJ's characterisation of climate change as an 'existential threat' represents a shift in international law and state responsibility? • What exactly the International Court of Justice (ICJ), has ruled? • What are the legal significance of the ICJ's advisory opinion on climate obligations? • What is the concept of 'internationally wrongful act' in the context of climate change? • How declaring a healthy environment a human right could influence domestic climate litigation and policy-making? • How can the ICJ opinion reshape geopolitics of climate finance, liability, and responsibility in forums like COP30? • What is International Court of Justice? • Does the International Court of Justice have the power to prosecute Israel? • International Criminal Court and International Court of Justice-Compare and Contrast Key Takeaways: Syed Akbaruddin Writes: • For once, a ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague is making waves in Hyderabad. In a rare instance of policy resonance, the advisory opinion on climate change delivered by the 15-judge panel of the ICJ on July 23 has sparked conversation far beyond decision-makers in India. • The case was initiated by Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation with a population of just 3,00,000. In March 2023, it led a coalition of small island states to secure consensual approval from the United Nations General Assembly to ask the ICJ two questions: What are states legally required to do to address climate change, and what are the consequences if they do not fulfil these duties? • Over 130 countries joined as co-sponsors. India did not join, but it did not oppose it either. This cautious posture reflects India's complex position in global climate diplomacy. • India's hesitation did not stem from disinterest. Rather, it reflected clear-eyed realism. As a developing nation still working to ensure universal access to electricity, healthcare, and employment, India undertakes a difficult balancing act. Unlike industrialised countries, India has not benefited from centuries of fossil fuel-powered growth. • Despite these constraints, India has taken ambitious climate actions. By 2030, it aims for half its electricity to come from renewables. Emissions intensity has declined, afforestation has expanded, and electric buses now run in several Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. • India leads the International Solar Alliance and the Mission LiFE campaign promoting sustainable consumption. During its G20 presidency, it ensured that climate finance remained in the global spotlight. Do You Know: • The case results from a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) at the initiative of Vanuatu, a small country in the Pacific Ocean located about 2,000 km northeast of Australia. Like several other small island states, Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries, with its existence threatened by rising sea levels. • Vanuatu moved a proposal seeking an advisory opinion of the ICJ on climate change in September, 2021. It received support from a large number of countries, and eventually the UNGA, in March last year, adopted the resolution that was co-sponsored by 132 countries. • The resolution seeks answers to two specific questions. One, what are the obligations of the countries under international laws to protect the climate system. Two, what are the legal consequences under these obligations for countries that have caused harm to this climate system. • Although the 1994 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 2015 Paris Agreement are the two international laws that deal exclusively with climate change, there are several other legal instruments which are relevant to the issue. These include the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention to Combat Desertification, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Charter itself. The UNGA resolution has sought the ICJ opinion on the climate obligations of countries in light of these, and other related, international laws. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The Hague: Countries obliged to take climate action, liable for compensation if they don't Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (2021) A just equilibrium Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies II: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein What's the ongoing story: Dr Ashwani Kumar Writes: The nation trusts the sagacity of the highest court to configure a just constitutional equilibrium of power so that the country's democratic order is not held hostage to the unfettered impulses of any single branch of the Indian state Key Points to Ponder: • Under which Article of the Constitution may the President refer questions to the Supreme Court for its opinion? • A Presidential Reference under Article 143(1) can be made on what? • What you know about the Tamil Nadu Governor judgment's rationale, especially the Court's use of implicit constitutional obligations on Governors? • Why President Droupadi Murmu had invoked the Supreme Court's advisory jurisdiction? • What is the advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court • What is article 143(1) of the Constitution? • Under Article 143(1) of the Constitution, the President may refer a 'question of law or fact' to the Supreme Court for its opinion—is the opinion given by the Supreme Court of India is binding? • Can the SC decline to answer a presidential reference? • Can the SC overturn its April 8 decision through the presidential reference? • What was the April 8 decision given by the Supreme Court? • In the Tamil Nadu v. Governor case, what specifically has the Supreme Court said about the president's power? • What is Article 142 of the Constitution? • Why Supreme Court invoked Article 142 in this case? • Do you think that Supreme Court can undermined the President's powers? • What is Judicial encroachment and Judicial overreach? • Judicial encroachment and Judicial overreach—Compare and Contrast • 'The recent Supreme Court orders involving the Tamil Nadu Governor is an example of Judicial encroachment'—How far you agree? Key Takeaways: Dr Ashwani Kumar Writes: • The upcoming hearing in the Supreme Court of the Presidential Reference arising from the Court's judgment in The State of Tamil Nadu vs The Governor of Tamil Nadu (2025) is of seminal constitutional significance. • The Court's advisory opinion, though not binding, will have significant persuasive value for the exercise of sovereign power by the states and the central government in the future. • In its adjudicatory decision, the Court has indicted the Tamil Nadu Governor for withholding assent for an unreasonably long time to bills passed by the Legislative Assembly. It held that his conduct was unconstitutional and it was permissible for the Court to read into the silences of the Constitution an implicit obligation on the Governor's part to exercise constitutional discretion reasonably and impartially. Relying on government circulars, the Court held that decisions by the Governor and the President concerning assent to bills are required to be taken within three months of the date of receipt of the government's recommendation for assent. • The judgment is unexceptionable for its constitutional logic as far as the Governor's conduct is concerned. However, the extension of the Court's reasoning to the exercise of presidential prerogatives and its suggestion to the President to seek the Court's advisory opinion 'when deciding on bills reserved by the Governor' is fraught and open to interrogation for judicial overreach. • Judicial intervention in policy choices of the government/Parliament and in the exercise of sovereign power, unless palpably malafide, has raised questions about the balance of constitutional power. The necessity of restraint in the exercise of judicial power has been reiterated by the Court in the Tamil Nadu case itself, holding that [in] 'the exercise of self-imposed restraint… courts do not venture into areas of governance in which the Constitution gives a prerogative solely to the executive.' Chief Justice B R Gavai, in his recent address at the Oxford Union, is reported to have endorsed a balanced exercise of judicial power. Do You Know: • On April 8, the Supreme Court had set a timeline for Governors to act on pending Bills, and for the first time, prescribed that the President should take a decision on the Bills reserved for consideration by the Governor within three months from the date on which such reference is received. Under Article 201 of the Constitution, no timeframe has been set for a Presidential decision. • Under Article 143(1) of the Constitution, the President may refer a 'question of law or fact' to the Supreme Court for its opinion. The opinion, unlike a ruling, is not binding. • The Constitution extended the provision in the Government of India Act, 1935 to seek the opinion of the Federal Court on questions of law to questions of fact as well, including certain hypotheticals. • A question under Article 143 may be referred if it 'has arisen, or is likely to arise', and 'which is of such a nature and of such public importance that it is expedient to obtain the opinion of the Supreme Court'. • Article 145(3) requires any such reference to be heard by five judges, after which the SC returns the reference to the President with the majority opinion. • Under the Constitution, the President acts on the aid and advice of the Cabinet. The advisory jurisdiction allows her the means to seek independent advice to act on certain constitutional matters. It is a power that the President has invoked on at least 15 occasions since 1950. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍The President's reference 📍Before Murmu, other Presidents and their references to SC Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: 1. Consider the following statements: (2010) 1. In appellate jurisdiction, the Supreme Court has exclusive power to adjudicate upon disputes involving elections of the President and the Vice President. 2. In advisory jurisdiction, the President has the power to seek an opinion from the apex court under Article 143 of the Constitution 3. In original jurisdiction, the Supreme Court hears appeals from lower courts. Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 2 and 3 only EXPLAINED Five years of NEP: Taking stock of the transition Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Main Examination: General Studies II: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education What's the ongoing story: It is five years since the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 — the country's third such policy since Independence — was cleared by the Union Cabinet. The NEP promised a sweeping reset of both school and higher education. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the salient features of New Education Policy 2020? • What has worked? • What's in progress? • What's stuck and why? • With five years of the 2020 National Education Policy, what has changed for schools? • How National Policy on Education (NEP) 2020 and Sustainable development goals are linked? • What is the role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in influencing the decision to scrap the no-detention policy? Key Takeaways: • The 10+2 system has been replaced with a new structure — foundational (pre-primary to class 2), preparatory (classes 3-5), middle (6-8), and secondary (9-12). In 2023, the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) laid out the learning outcomes and competencies for each stage. • NCERT has produced new textbooks for classes 1-8 based on this framework. Social science, for example, is now taught as a single book covering history, geography, political science, and economics, replacing separate textbooks for each subject. New books for classes 9-12 are expected next. • The NEP aims to make pre-primary learning universal by 2030. NCERT's Jaadui Pitara learning kits are already in use, and the Women and Child Development Ministry has issued a national ECCE curriculum. • Delhi, Karnataka, and Kerala will soon enforce the minimum age of six for class 1 entry. 2023-24 data show a fall in class 1 enrolments to 1.87 crore from the 2.16 crore of previous year, likely due to this age cutoff. About 73% of those enrolled had attended some form of preschool. The big hurdles are better training for Anganwadi workers, and improving infrastructure and teaching quality in early education centres. • The NEP suggested the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). This, and a National Credit Framework (NCrF) have been developed. UGC rules published in 2021 allowed students to earn and store credits digitally, even across institutions, making it possible to move between courses or exit and re-enter. The system allows students to earn a certificate after one year, a diploma after two, or complete a four-year multidisciplinary degree. Do You Know: • An NEP is a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in the country. The need for a policy was first felt in 1964 when Congress MP Siddheshwar Prasad criticised the then government for lacking a vision and philosophy for education. The same year, a 17-member Education Commission, headed by then UGC Chairperson D S Kothari, was constituted to draft a national and coordinated policy on education. Based on the suggestions of this Commission, Parliament passed the first education policy in 1968. • The NEP proposes sweeping changes including opening up of Indian higher education to foreign universities, dismantling of the UGC and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), introduction of a four-year multidisciplinary undergraduate programme with multiple exit options, and discontinuation of the M Phil programme. In school education, the policy focuses on overhauling the curriculum, 'easier' Board exams, a reduction in the syllabus to retain 'core essentials' and thrust on 'experiential learning and critical thinking'. • In a significant shift from the 1986 policy, which pushed for a 10+2 structure of school education, the new NEP pitches for a '5+3+3+4' design corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11 (preparatory), 11-14 (middle), and 14-18 (secondary). This brings early childhood education (also known as pre-school education for children of ages 3 to 5) under the ambit of formal schooling. The mid-day meal programme will be extended to pre-school children. The NEP says students until Class 5 should be taught in their mother tongue or regional language. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Explained: India's National Education Policy, 2020 Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (2021) Truce is called, cultural tussle remains: behind Thailand-Cambodia hostility Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: After days of deadly fighting, Cambodia and Thailand on Monday agreed to an 'immediate and unconditional ceasefire'. The ceasefire was negotiated by Prime Ministers Hun Manet of Cambodia and Phumtham Wechayachai of Thailand at a meeting hosted by Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur. Key Points to Ponder: • Map Work-Thailand and Cambodia • What is the conflict between Cambodia and Thailand? • What triggered the recent escalation between Thailand and Cambodia recently? • What is Theravada-Buddhism? • 'At the centre of the border dispute is the Preah Vihear temple'-Know about temple's location, history and reason for dispute • How nationalism and cultural heritage rivalry played significant role in shaping foreign policy and conflict dynamics between Cambodia and Thailand? • What are the geopolitical implications of the conflict for regional stability in Southeast Asia and India's strategic interests? Key Takeaways: • Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand had been simmering since May, when they skirmished at a contested area of the border, leading to the death of a Cambodian soldier. • Nationalist rhetoric in both countries and a series of tit-for-tat actions followed. Cambodia banned the import of Thai fruits and broadcast of Thai films and soap operas; Thailand closed all land crossings. • Recently, Thailand withdrew its ambassador from Cambodia and expelled the Cambodian envoy after a Thai soldier lost a leg in a land mine blast. Thailand claimed the mine was laid by Cambodian troops in Thai territory. • Cambodia responded by downgrading diplomatic relations and recalling all Cambodian staff from its embassy in Bangkok. Clashes broke out at half a dozen places along the border between the Thai provinces of Surin and Sisaket, and Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear. • Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodian military sites, and Cambodia responded with rocket and artillery fire. Exchanges of artillery and machine gun fire followed, in which at least 35 people were killed and more than 2.6 lakh civilians were displaced on both sides of the border, Reuters reported. Do You Know: • The 817-km land border between Cambodia and Thailand was drawn in 1907 by France, then the colonial power in Cambodia. Like many other borders drawn by colonial administrators, this too has long been disputed. • The two predominantly Theravada-Buddhist neighbours are more alike than any other country in the region, sharing ethnic and linguistic ties, social norms, culinary traditions, and cultural activities. But both claim to be the 'original' owners of their heritage. This is what drives the animosity between them. • The competing claims of cultural ownership are rooted in contesting readings of history, which, scholars say, are purposely propped up by governing elites of the two countries to strengthen their domestic positions. 'Countries fabricate history to celebrate their past, using nationalism as a political tool in the manipulation of public opinion… It is evident that contemporary Thai-Cambodian relations have become a casualty of the remade past,' wrote Charnvit Kasetsiri, Pou Sothirak and Pavin Chachavalpongpun in Preah Vihear: A Guide to the Thai-Cambodian Conflict and Its Solutions (2013). • At the centre of the border dispute is the Preah Vihear temple, which is called Phra Viharn in Thai. 'The temple has meaning — both as a cultural symbol and a religious place of worship — to people on both sides of the border,' John D Ciorciari, a professor of international politics at Indiana University, wrote in his 2009 paper 'Thailand and Cambodia: The Battle for Preah Vihear'. • Preah Vihear temple is the most famous of many disputed sites at the Cambodia-Thailand border which hold cultural significance for both countries. Another such temple, called Prasat Ta Moan Thom by the Cambodians and Prasat Ta Muen Thom by the Thai, witnessed fighting during the recent hostilities. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Thailand, Cambodia agrees on ceasefire deal after five days of battle Power of rebasing: How Nigeria's GDP jumped from No. 58 to No. 55 in a day Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests. What's the ongoing story: Until July 20, Nigeria was the 58th largest economy in the world. A day later, it rose three spots to the 55th rank, overtaking Ukraine, Qatar, and Hungary in the process as it added more than $50 billion, or roughly 30 per cent of its GDP, in 2024. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the concept of GDP rebasing? • What is the GDP base year? • Why GDP base year is rebased? • How can changing the base year impact nominal GDP figures? • What are the pros and cons of GDP rebasing exercises? • What is the base year for the GDP, IIP and CPI? • What are the considerations for the new base year? • How is a base year chosen? Key Takeaways: • On July 21, Nigeria's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) published the results of its GDP rebasing exercise, which saw the base year of the indicator being updated to 2019 from 2010, among other changes. The result? Nigeria's GDP in 2024 is now estimated at $243 billion in nominal terms, up from $187 billion forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). • A new base year – which essentially means measurement of GDP, or the final value of goods and services in any particular year, with respect to the prices prevailing in that year – does not automatically lead to a larger economy. However, Nigeria's base-year revision exercise included other more meaningful changes in the manner in which the African nation calculates the GDP. • This included increasing the scope of its methodology to include previously undercounted sectors such as digital services, pension fund operations, and e-commerce activities, among others, in what the NBS has called 'by far the most comprehensive rebasing' it has ever carried out. As the NBS said, technological development, structural changes, and changes in production and consumption patterns mean 'the methods and data used in estimating GDP must change with the times to reflect current economic realities'. • This is not the first time Nigeria has seen such a huge increase in its GDP due to the base year revision. More than a decade ago, change in the base year from 1990 to 2010 had helped propel Nigeria to the position of Africa's largest economy thanks to an even-larger 89 per cent increase in the GDP to $510 billion in 2014. Do You Know: • While the rebasing brings Nigeria $50 billion closer to achieving the government's target of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030, the objective is well-nigh impossible after the Nigerian currency, the naira, was devalued sharply in 2023 and 2024. The result was that the naira fell by 49 per cent against the US dollar in 2023 and another 41 per cent in 2024. • The GDP rebasing also brought into spotlight changes in the Nigerian economy that will not make for happy reading. One, the share of agriculture in the country's GDP had increased to almost 26 per cent in 2019 from 22 per cent estimated earlier, while that of industry declined sharply to 21 per cent from 27.65 per cent. Two, the contribution of the informal sector to the GDP has increased to 42.5 per cent from 41.4 per cent. • India, of course, is no stranger to GDP revisions; in fact, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is currently in the process of updating the GDP base year to 2022-23 from 2011-12. The rebased GDP numbers will be released in February 2026. • The last time India's key macroeconomic indicator underwent a major revision was in 2015, when questions were raised about the accuracy of the numbers even by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) after the GDP growth rate for 2013-14 was initially revised upwards to 6.9 per cent from 4.7 per cent, prompting Raghuram Rajan – then the governor – to comment that the Indian central bank found it 'hard to see the economy as rollicking in 2013-2014'. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why govts revise GDP base year and methodology, why the proposed 2026 revision matters for India's global standing Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍Explain the difference between computing methodology of India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015. (2021) ECONOMY EU trade talks: India to offer regulatory certainty in manufacturing to woo FDI Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: In the first such offer made during trade deal negotiations, India is working on a 'new chapter' aimed at extending long-term regulatory certainty in the domestic manufacturing sector to attract investment from the European Union (EU), The Indian Express has learnt. Key Points to Ponder: • Define 'regulatory certainty' in the context of FDI. • Why offering 'regulatory certainty' in manufacturing can help India attract EU investments? • Know the rationale behind India and the EU sharing concerns about China's manufacturing overcapacity. • What constraints or conditions is India proposing along with 100% FDI in manufacturing sectors under the EU deal? • How India's 2016 termination of its BITs impacted investor confidence? • Know the strategic significance of including non-services (manufacturing) investment chapter in the India EU FTA. Key Takeaways: • This comes in the backdrop of shared concerns between India and the EU over Chinese overcapacity, which is viewed as a threat to domestic manufacturing of critical products such as pharmaceuticals, electronics and defence requirements, among others. • 'In the EU deal, one of the new chapters that has come in is about investment in non-services, which is a new element where they (EU) are looking at certainty on the commitments for FDI in non-services sectors — basically the manufacturing sector,' a senior government official said. 'There are two parts to it. One is deciding on sectors where India will allow 100 per cent FDI. • Second, there are a number of conditions on things such as 'local employment', 'local value addition', 'use of local raw materials' and conditions around whether there will be local partners and joint ventures or not,' the official said. • This comes as India has begun seeking to attract investments from Western countries in exchange for lowering tariffs on key sectors. For instance, India has allowed 100 per cent FDI in telecom for the UK under the trade deal. In the insurance sector, the FDI ceiling has been kept at 74 per cent, providing investment certainty for UK insurers. A similar strategy was followed in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) deal. Do You Know: • India and the four-nation EFTA — an intergovernmental grouping comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland — signed a trade pact in March 2024, under which EFTA countries have committed to investing $100 billion in India over a 15-year period. However, officials indicated that the investment chapter in the EU deal would be far more extensive and legally robust. • India and the EU have both been facing several challenges, particularly in the renewable energy sector. Another government official told The Indian Express that the Indian industry has been encountering pricing challenges, especially while trying to scale up the solar energy sector, and that India will have to work with 'Western countries' to achieve competitiveness and tackle the China challenge. • According to a parliamentary report released last year, the EU is concerned about China's dominance in critical technologies, as China holds a leading global manufacturing position in several areas, exposing the EU to potential risks. The EU has said these sectors include raw or processed materials for robotics, as well as clean technologies including solar PV wafers, EV batteries and wind turbine blades. • An EU trade deal status report earlier this month stated that India and the EU had made substantial progress on the text dealing with 'services and investment', marking a significant step forward towards concluding the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that both sides aim to sign by the end of the year. • The EU report also noted that negotiators had made substantial progress on the investment text, and that they had also made very good progress on rules for state-to-state mediation. Progress on dispute settlement is significant, as it suggests a breakthrough on long-standing EU concerns regarding investment protection in India. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India, EU look to seal trade deal this year, Trump keeps markets reeling Previous year UPSC Main Question Covering similar theme: 📍The expansion and strengthening of NATO and a stronger US-Europe strategic partnership works well for India. What is your opinion about this statement? Give reasons and examples to support your answer. (2023) PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1.(b) For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. Priya Kumari Shukla is a Senior Copy Editor in the Indian Express (digital). She contributes to the UPSC Section of Indian Express (digital) and started niche initiatives such as UPSC Key, UPSC Ethics Simplified, and The 360° UPSC Debate. The UPSC Key aims to assist students and aspirants in their preparation for the Civil Services and other competitive examinations. It provides valuable guidance on effective strategies for reading and comprehending newspaper content. The 360° UPSC Debate tackles a topic from all perspectives after sorting through various publications. The chosen framework for the discussion is structured in a manner that encompasses both the arguments in favour and against the topic, ensuring comprehensive coverage of many perspectives. Prior to her involvement with the Indian Express, she had affiliations with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as several coaching and edutech enterprises. In her prior professional experience, she was responsible for creating and refining material in various domains, including article composition and voiceover video production. She has written in-house books on many subjects, including modern India, ancient Indian history, internal security, international relations, and the Indian economy. She has more than eight years of expertise in the field of content writing. Priya holds a Master's degree in Electronic Science from the University of Pune as well as an Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from the esteemed Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, widely recognised as one of the most prestigious business schools in India. She is also an alumni of Jamia Milia Islamia University Residential Coaching Academy (RCA). Priya has made diligent efforts to engage in research endeavours, acquiring the necessary skills to effectively examine and synthesise facts and empirical evidence prior to presenting their perspective. Priya demonstrates a strong passion for reading, particularly in the genres of classical Hindi, English, Maithili, and Marathi novels and novellas. Additionally, she possessed the distinction of being a cricket player at the national level. Qualification, Degrees / other achievements: Master's degree in Electronic Science from University of Pune and Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management (EPPPM) from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ... Read More
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
A sci-fi universe built using AI: Shekhar Kapur announces new series ‘Warlord'. Check plot and other details
Sci-Fi, Romance, and Fantasy in a New-Age Universe New Model of Shared IP and Open-Source Creation AI as an Equalizing Tool in Storytelling Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has announced his latest venture, a science fiction series titled Warlord, created entirely using generative AI. The project, developed in collaboration with Mumbai-based AI filmmaking company Studio Blo, signals a bold step into the future of digital who will take on the roles of writer, director, and producer, has described Warlord as a blend of sci-fi, fantasy, and romance. At the heart of the series lies a central question: 'Can love exist across dimensions?' The teaser released for the series offers a glimpse into this narrative with surreal imagery, including a jellyfish-like spaceship hovering over an alien world, a luminous woman dissolving into energy, and a mysterious figure watching events to a media statement, beyond its storyline, the project is also being positioned as the cornerstone of a much larger initiative. Kapur revealed that Warlord is the starting point of a shared cinematic universe, or what he refers to as a "living universe." The intention is to open up this universe to creators globally, encouraging them to contribute and build upon an unconventional move, Kapur and Studio Blo plan to make production designs and character assets from the series publicly accessible. Creators from across the world will be allowed to incorporate these elements into their own stories and projects, provided they pay a nominal fee of one cent per use and agree to release their adaptations as open-source content. This initiative aims to democratize access to high-quality production assets while fostering a culture of collaborative a media statement, Dipankar Mukherjee, Co-Founder and CEO of Studio Blo, highlighted how Kapur's vision pushed their boundaries. According to him, the proposal involved multiple technical and creative challenges, from building an entire series using generative AI to implementing a decentralized intellectual property model. He said it led the team to reevaluate not just their tools but also their storytelling emphasized that artificial intelligence in filmmaking can level the playing field for independent creators, enabling them to compete with big-budget studios. He sees Warlord not just as a show, but as a platform where creators worldwide can collaborate, remix, and contribute to an evolving narrative world unrestricted by traditional production filmmaker, who has directed acclaimed films such as Masoom, Mr. India, Bandit Queen, Elizabeth, and The Four Feathers, is currently serving as the festival director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). His venture into AI-led storytelling marks a new chapter in his career, showcasing his willingness to embrace innovation while encouraging a more open and inclusive creative Warlord teaser, jointly released by Kapur and Studio Blo, offers only a brief look at what's to come.
New Indian Express
40 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Spellbinding stripes
Surgeon with tiger tattoos It was the call of the tigers that made Dr Krishnakumar Mechoor, an orthopaedic surgeon, fall in love with the wild. His fascination with the enigmatic cat began after watching Nat Geo documentaries. 'And I bought my first camera just to photograph tigers,' he says. It was after completing his studies and starting work that Krishnakumar first ventured into Bandipur to see a tiger for real. 'They are really shy, solitary beings. That's why spotting a tiger in the wild — even from a distance — gives such a high,' says Dr Krishnakumar. 'Tiger is the apex predator. The entire forest comes alive when a tiger is on the prowl. Birds and monkeys start warning calls, other animals flee as soon as possible. Even the trees and wind seem to react.' Photographs are secondary to him, says the Thrissur-based doctor. 'It's that moment of seeing a tiger with bare eyes that gives me a kick,' he adds. Dr Krishnakumar recalls seeing a tigress, Maya, the dominant female from Tadoba Tiger Reserve. 'She was training her cubs. I got to just sit and watch her cubs hunt a piglet. I will never forget that moment,' he says. Jim Corbett remains his favourite wildlife sanctuary. 'You can see tigers crossing the Ram Ganga River. In winter, they grow a fur coat, which makes them appear even larger. It's where Parwali and Pedwali rule,' he smiles. Interestingly, the surgeon has tattoos of Parwali and her paw print on his arm. Their lives are very difficult, he says. 'Territorial wars and attacks from other tigers make it hard for them to nurture their cubs,' he says. According to him, Parwali has had four litters, but only one cub, Pedwali, has made it to adulthood. 'Only by watching them can you understand the challenges they face. Tourism both helps and harms. While it promotes tiger conservation, it also disturbs their natural habitat, especially during hunting,' says Dr Krishnakumar. That's one reason why Kerala isn't ideal for tiger sightings. 'Only 15 percent of our forests are open to the public. Tigers rarely appear there. Otherwise, you must travel with researchers,' he says Dr Krishnakumar says Wayanad, like Bandipur and Kabini, should have been a tiger reserve. 'The lack of it is why we see so many conflicts. A good chunk of forest has been encroached upon by humans,' he laments.
