Rahul Gandhi says 'Modi will meekly bow to Trump tariff deadline', mocks Piyush Goyal's remarks
Goyal reiterates India's firm trade negotiation stance
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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi , on Saturday took a swipe at the government over its handling of trade negotiations with the United States, claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would "meekly bow" to Washington's tariff deadlines.His comments came a day after Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal declared that India does not enter into trade agreements under time pressure or external deadlines.Quoting a media report on the ongoing India-US trade discussions, Gandhi posted on X: 'Piyush Goyal can beat his chest all he wants, mark my words, Modi will meekly bow to the Trump tariff deadline .'Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had on Friday stated that India's trade policy is rooted in national interest and guided by the principle of mutual benefit."It should be a win-win agreement, and only when India's interests are safeguarded — national interest will always be supreme — and keeping that in mind, if a good deal is formed, India is always ready to engage with developed countries," Goyal said on the sidelines of the 16th Toy Biz B2B Expo in New Delhi.Reiterating India's consistent approach to trade talks, Goyal added, 'India never enters into trade deals based on deadlines or time pressure. A deal is accepted only when it is fully matured, well-negotiated, and in the national interest.'The minister confirmed that India is in discussions with several countries including the United States, the European Union, New Zealand, Oman, Chile, and Peru. However, he maintained that the mere number of negotiations underway does not imply haste."A Free Trade Agreement is only possible when there is mutual benefit," he said.Addressing the Toy Biz Expo , Goyal also praised the progress of India's toy manufacturing industry . He said, 'I am sure with the high quality goods I am seeing here, they will all be finding good market with the whole Gulf region, all the six countries of the Middle East, as they are today finding in nearly 153 countries in the world.'He added that the government is planning more support for the sector: 'We will soon be coming out also with the support program and incentive scheme to support the toy industry.'Highlighting India's domestic demand, Goyal said, 'Considering that we have a market of 1.4 billion Indians who would like to use toys. At every age, there is a demand of toys.'He called the toy sector 'a growing sector which have eyes on the world,' underlining both its export and domestic potential.
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The Print
25 minutes ago
- The Print
74% Indians ‘satisfied' with democracy, 2nd-highest among 23 countries surveyed, finds Pew survey
However, public dissatisfaction with democracy continues to outweigh satisfaction across 12 high-income countries that Pew Research Center has surveyed consistently since 2017. Apart from India, where only 23 percent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with democracy, Sweden recorded a low dissatisfaction level of 25 percent, followed by Indonesia at 33 percent. New Delhi: India ranks among the countries with the highest levels of satisfaction with democracy, with 74 percent of Indians surveyed approving of it, while Japan recorded the lowest satisfaction levels at just 24 percent, according to the latest Pew Research Center report released earlier this week. The survey, conducted in the spring of 2025 in 23 countries, found that Greece, with 81 percent, followed by Japan with 76 percent and South Korea at 71 percent, reported the highest level of dissatisfaction with democracy. Of the 12 countries (Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Japan, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, the UK, and the US), a median of 64 percent of adults surveyed said they were dissatisfied with the way their democracy was functioning while 35 percent said they were satisfied, according to the Pew Survey. Overall, across the 23 countries surveyed, a median of 58 percent of adults were dissatisfied with the way their democracies are working. Pew said that in the eight years of the survey, people's overall satisfaction with the functioning of democracy has dropped. In 2017, a median of 49 percent of adults across these countries were satisfied with how their democracy was working, while an identical 49 percent were not. 'Satisfaction returned to this level during the COVID-19 pandemic but has declined further in the years since,' read the report published Monday. 'This doesn't necessarily mean people are turning away from democratic values. Our research has shown that people around the globe think representative democracy is a good system of government. At the same time, many are frustrated with political elites or feel their views are not truly represented in government,' it added. Economic perception was a key factor in determining satisfaction with democracy. Countries such as India, Indonesia, Mexico, the Netherlands and Sweden are satisfied with both democracy and economy. In contrast, France, Greece, Italy, Japan and South Korea expressed discontent with both. The report also highlighted the connection between satisfaction with democracy and elections. Since 2024, satisfaction with democracy has increased in five countries (Canada, Germany, South Africa, the UK and the US) all of which, except Canada, witnessed a general or presidential election during this period. Canada went to the polls after the completion of the 2025 survey fieldwork. Here, six out of 10 people, or 60 percent of adults surveyed, expressed satisfaction. Weeks after the survey, Canada's Liberal Party secured a fourth consecutive victory in national elections. Australia, Poland and South Korea also went through national elections after the 2025 survey fieldwork was completed. Among them, Poland and South Korea were among the countries where satisfaction with democracy declined between 2024 and 2025. Dissatisfaction stood at 54 percent in Poland and 74 percent in South Korea. In Australia, where the Labor Party returned to power, six out of 10 adults surveyed were satisfied. Riju Chanda is an intern with ThePrint (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: 'Nones' were 3rd largest group globally after Christians, Muslims in 2010-2020, finds Pew survey
Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- Indian Express
UPSC Key: CARICOM, Ham radio communications, and Ramleela in Trinidad
Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 5, 2025. If you missed the July 4, 2025, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism. What's the ongoing story: Terming terrorism as the enemy of humanity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said the global community must stand united to deny it any shelter or space. Key Points to Ponder: • Know about the historical and cultural linkages between India and Trinidad and Tobago. • What is CARICOM? • What is the significance of the UPI system, and which countries have accepted it? • Learn about the India-CARICOM Summit and its significance • What is the significance of CARICOM for India? • What are the areas of cooperation between India and CARICOM? Key Takeaways: • Addressing the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, PM Modi said, 'Our two countries may differ in size and geography, but we are deeply aligned in our values. We are proud democracies. We believe in dialogue, sovereignty, multilateralism and human dignity. In these times of conflicts, we must remain true to these values.' • 'Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. This very Red House has itself witnessed the wounds of terror and the loss of innocent blood. We must stand united to deny terrorism any shelter or space. We thank the people and the government of this country for standing with us in our fight against terrorism,' he said. • Modi was conferred with 'The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago', becoming the first foreign leader to receive the Caribbean country's highest civilian honour. • The two sides signed pacts on the pharmaceutical sector, Indian aid for projects, cultural exchanges, sports, diplomat training and Indian studies chair at University of West Indies. • She expressed willingness to adopt India's UPI system and collaborate on India stack tools such as Aadhaar and Digi locker. • This is Modi's first visit to the country as prime minister and the first Indian bilateral visit at the prime ministerial level to Trinidad and Tobago since 1999. • PM Modi underlined that these special ties were based on shared history and cultural heritage forged by Indians who arrived in the country 180 years ago. He affirmed his commitment to further deepening the bilateral partnership between India and Trinidad & Tobago. • Modi said Trinidad and Tobago is not only a CARICOM partner for India but also an important partner globally. 'Our cooperation is significant for the entire Global South,' he added. • CARICOM, the Caribbean Community, is a regional political and economic union of 15 states and five associated members. • Modi said India is actively working on creating a comprehensive database of the Girmitiya community. The community comprised indentured labourers sent from British India to work on plantations in South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius and the Caribbean islands. Do You Know: • The Second India-CARICOM Summit was held on November 20, 2024, in Georgetown, Guyana, marking a significant milestone in the relationship between India and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). This summit was the first of its kind to be hosted in a CARICOM member country, underscoring the deepening ties between the two regions. • CARICOM relations, encapsulated in seven key pillars: —Capacity Building —Agriculture and Food Security —Renewable Energy and Climate Change —Innovation, Technology, and Trade —Cricket and Culture —Ocean Economy —Medicine and Healthcare Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Who was Sewdass Sadhu, mentioned by PM Modi in Trinidad & Tobago speech? Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (1) Consider the following statements about CARICOM: 1. It consists of 27 countries 2. It was founded in 1973 by the Treaty of Chaguaramas 3. Trinidad and Tobago is the founding member Which of the following statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention. What's the ongoing story: In first official remarks accusing China of complicity in Pakistani military strikes against India in the wake of Operation Sindoor, Lt General Rahul R Singh, Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Capability Development and Sustenance), said Friday that Beijing provided 'live inputs' to Pakistan on Indian operational deployment even when talks were underway between the Indian and Pakistani Directors General of Military Operations regarding cessation of hostilities. Key Points to Ponder: • Know about India's security concerns with China and Pakistan • What is the C4ISR? • What is electronic warfare? • Wars are becoming increasingly intense and complex due to evolving geopolitical dynamics and rapid technological advancements.— What does it mean? • How the modern warfare changed? • How the modern warfare redefining conflicts and wars? • How has Operation Sindoor redefined India's fight against terrorism? • What do you understand by integrated military Theatre Commands? Key Takeaways: • Naming Pakistan, China and Turkey as the 'three adversaries' India faced on its 'one border' in the north, Lt Gen Singh said China was providing 'all possible support', treating the northern border as a 'live lab' to test its weapons supplied to Pakistan, and was following its '36 stratagems', hoping to kill the adversary with 'a borrowed knife', and to 'use the neighbour to cause pain'. • He said Pakistan was 'the front face' and the Chinese provided 'all possible support' which was 'no surprise' because statistics in the last five years have revealed that 81 percent of the military hardware procured by Pakistan is Chinese. • The next lesson, he said, is the importance of C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and civil-military fusion, and there is still a lot to be done in this domain. • Speaking on electronic warfare and the need for a robust air defence system, Lt Gen Singh underlined the need to protect India's population centres. While the population centres were not addressed during Operation Sindoor, there is a need to be prepared for that. • At the event, Lt Gen Amardeep Singh Aujla, the Army's Master General Sustenance, said wars are becoming increasingly intense and complex due to evolving geopolitical dynamics and rapid technological advancements, which are transforming war-fighting practices. • 'Op Sindoor has underscored the value and importance of these new war-fighting practices that are currently in vogue, whether it is related to precision or speed. • 'The better part in this entire thing is a fine convergence between the kinetic and non-kinetic means. And this is where the drone and the counter-drone warfare come into play in a big way,' he said. Do You Know: • C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) ecosystem allows the Army, Navy and Air Force to operate with unmatched synergy. • The nature of warfare has undergone an irreversible shift. From boots on the ground and dogfights in the air to remote strikes from unmanned platforms and AI-driven decision cycles, war is now a contest of networks, autonomy, and lethality at machine speed. Nations that adapt to this shift will dominate; those that lag will perish in obsolescence. • In this evolving paradigm, four key assertions emerge. One, artillery (rockets/missiles) will dominate offensive operations. Two, air defence (AD) will become the primary defensive shield. Three, sappers will rise in operational relevance beyond mobility and countermobility. And four, the infantry and the armoured corps will execute decisive manoeuvres, shaped by strategic fires and autonomous systems. • However, a unifying thread underpins these shifts: All combatants and systems must become autonomous. • Autonomous artillery must integrate target prioritisation, trajectory calculation, and dynamic retargeting — particularly in saturated battlespaces with decoys and GPS jamming. Autonomous fire units must function in near isolation with embedded computational power. • The blending of strategic missile roles with tactical rocket utility — augmented by UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) coordination — gives artillery a dual-use capacity never seen before. The future will see autonomous missile artillery regiments function as strategic tools of deterrence and tactical tools of disruption Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why theatre commands is an unnecessary idea 📍Warfare is going autonomous — India must catch up Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Cyber warfare is considered by some defense analysts to be a larger threat than even Al Qaeda or terrorism. What do you understand by Cyber warfare? Outline the cyber threats which India is vulnerable to and bring out the state of the country's preparedness to deal with the same. (UPSC CSE 2013) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: General Science Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology What's the ongoing story: Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla has been in space for more than a week, and would have had several meals during this period. On Friday, Shukla said he had shared the food he carried to the International Space Station (ISS) — gajar ka halwa, moong dal ka halwa and aamras — with other astronauts onboard. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the ISS? • What is the objective of the Axiom-4 mission? • How scientists are growing plants in space and why it is important? • How is body waste managed in space? • What is the role of gravity in consuming food? • What is the impact on astronauts' health after they stay for a long time in space? • Learn about the significance of ham radio communication • What is a radio wave, and what is its frequency? Key Takeaways: • Having a meal in space is not a piece of cake. It requires planning and organisation. But this does not mean that astronauts eat frugally or depend only on liquid diets. The food is also far from being bland or unappetising. • In fact, on the ISS, the permanent space laboratory where Shukla is currently staying, astronauts often enjoy elaborate meals. It is just that they eat packaged food, which is stored and prepared a little differently. • Due to zero-gravity conditions, food items, like everything else in space, tend to float around. This necessitates a level of organisation not required on Earth. • The spacecraft's safety could be compromised if small crumbs or loose pieces get stuck in some of its critical parts. These can also enter the mouths or nostrils of astronauts, leading to choking or creating breathing problems. As a result, food items are carefully chosen and properly packaged. • Astronauts consume packaged and processed food items, which are usually in dehydrated form. They inject hot water through a needle into the packages before eating the dishes. • Beverages such as tea, coffee or juices, and Shukla's aamras, are usually in powder form, which can be mixed with water before consumption. There is provision for heating the food on the ISS. • Seasonings such as salt and pepper are available, but they are typically dissolved in water which can be added to the food through droppers. • After their meals, waste such as food packets is deposited in waste chambers, while cutlery is cleaned with wipes. Utensils cannot be washed with water. • A variety of food choices are available, and astronauts can select their menu or favourite cuisine months ahead of their travel. Once they have made their selection, nutritionists also weigh in with their recommendations to ensure astronauts meet the dietary requirements in space. • Despite technical advancements in packaging, storing, and preparing food items, scientists are now actively working on ideas for growing food in space. This is because, in recent years, astronauts have begun spending a lot more time in space. • Space-grown plants, for example, can provide a sustainable food source for such missions. Scientists are currently studying different aspects of growing food in space, and exploring various methods to do so. For instance, they are examining the effects of microgravity on the growth of plants. • ISRO is carrying out multiple experiments related to this subject during Shukla's stay at the ISS. At least six different varieties of crop seeds will be grown and studied. Do You Know: • Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla interacted with the country's students using a ham radio from the International Space Station (ISS) on July 4. • Amateur radio, popularly known as ham radio, is a licensed radio service that relies on radio waves for establishing communication. Ham radio service is largely deployed for educational and knowledge purposes, for emergency or SOS communication. • The communication can be hyper-local, global, and in space. In India, any individual above the age of 12 is permitted to operate a ham radio. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issues these licences. • Amateur radio was first used on a space shuttle to establish communication between space and Earth in 1983. • The ISS also has a ham radio, known as the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), which is often used to organise astronaut-student interactions. The objective of such interactions is to inspire the young generation. • The Axiom-4 mission's astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary will contact their respective countries using the ham radio twice during their 14-day stay at the ISS. • Whenever the ISS is cruising past the horizon for a short period, an attempt to establish ham communication will be performed. The best window for this communication can last anywhere between five and eight minutes. • Even though the technology to establish communications has advanced, the radio remains one of the most reliable and stable modes of communication. It is effective and an alternate medium of establishing communication. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍From ISS, Shubhanshu Shukla to interact with students: What is ham radio communication? 📍Axiom-4 Mission: What Shubhanshu Shukla's trip to ISS means for India's space program Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) Consider the following statements about Ham radio: 1. They use radio waves for communication. 2. The defence and space sectors are only allowed to use it in India 3. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla interacted with students using Ham radio. How many of the above statements is/are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What's the ongoing story: Two days after fuel pumps in Delhi began refusing petrol and diesel to vehicles older than their mandated lives, the state Environment Minister urged the air quality watchdog for the National Capital Region (NCR) to pause the implementation of the policy, citing 'operational and infrastructural challenges'. Key Points to Ponder: • What are the end-of-life vehicles (ELVs)? • What is the role and function of the CAQM? • What is Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR)? How does it function? • What are BS-VI (Bharat Stage VI) vehicles? • What are the reasons for pollution in Delhi? • What is the Supreme Court's ruling on air pollution in Delhi? • What are the steps taken by the government to curb air pollution? Key Takeaways: • The directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), intended to force end-of-life vehicles (ELVs), a major source of vehicular pollution, off the roads, is grounded in long-standing court orders and strong environmental concerns. • As of July 1, diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years cannot legally get fuel in Delhi's fuel stations. • In April, the CAQM directed a phased denial of fuel to ELVs at fuel stations in the NCR — in Delhi from July 1, in high-density NCR districts from November 1, and in the rest of the NCR from April 1, 2026. • Delhi has installed Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at 498 fuel stations — 382 petrol/diesel and 116 CNG filling stations — and three inter-state bus terminuses (ISBTs) to scan vehicle number plates and check them against the VAHAN database, India's national vehicle registry, in real time. • In a letter written to the CAQM on Thursday, Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said 'immediate implementation' of the directive 'may be premature and potentially counterproductive'. • There were problems with the ANPR-based enforcement system, including 'technological glitches, camera placement, sensors not working, [and] speakers not functioning', Sirsa said. Also, 'the system is unable to identify EOL (end-of-life) vehicles where there are issues related to HSRPs (the new high-security registration plates).' • Authorities argue that pre-BS-VI (Bharat Stage VI) vehicles are disproportionately responsible for vehicular emissions. BS-IV vehicles, for instance, emit 4.5 to 5.5 times more particulate matter than BS-VI vehicles. BS-VI emission norms were mandated from April 1, 2020 onward. • Transport emissions account for 28% of PM2.5, 41% of sulphur dioxide (SO2), and 78% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the NCR, according to official estimates. According to the CAQM, the transport sector's contribution to air pollution in Delhi 'needs no emphasis' • In 2015, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed: 'All diesel vehicles (heavy or light) which are more than 10 years old will not be permitted on the roads of Delhi NCR.' • Also, 'Petrol vehicles which are more than 15 years old and diesel vehicles that are more than 10 years old shall not be registered in the NCR, Delhi,' the NGT said. • The NGT's directive was upheld and reinforced by the Supreme Court in 2018. It said that vehicles violating the order should be impounded. Do You Know: • The air quality in India is primarily monitored under the National Air Quality Monitoring Programme (NAMP) by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in coordination with the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB), pollution control committees, and other agencies. • It is done through both manual monitoring and real-time monitoring through Continuous Ambient Air Quality monitoring stations (CAAQMs). The monitoring of air quality is based on the Ambient Air Quality Standards notified by the CPCB in 2009, which specified permissible limits for 12 pollutants, including Airborne Particulate matter – PM10 and PM2.5. • In its 2024 report, the CPCB revealed that during 2022-2023, 50 out of 53 cities with a million plus population recorded annual average PM10 concentration above 50μg/m3. Faridabad (212µg/m³), Delhi (209µg/m³) and Dhanbad (203µg/m³) were among the most polluted cities. • Similarly, a 2024 report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reported that the city of Ganganagar in Rajasthan had an annual average PM10 concentration of 236 µg/m³ followed by Greater Noida (226µg/m³), Byrnihat (211µg/m³). The annual average concentration of PM 2.5 was the highest in Byrnihat (126 µg/m³), followed by Delhi (105µg/m³) and Gurgaon (91µg/m³). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why air pollution should be an urgent national priority 📍Delhi Govt says pause fuel ban on end-of-life vehicles, cites tech issues, 'public outcry' Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) In the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. Carbon dioxide 2. Carbon monoxide 3. Nitrogen dioxide 4. Sulfur dioxide 5. Methane Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only (c) 1, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India's National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards? (UPSC CSE 2021) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. What's the ongoing story: 'Our bonds go well beyond geography and generations,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday (July 3) at a community event in Trinidad, calling Lord Ram 'the divine link beyond oceans'. Key Points to Ponder: • Know about the geographical location of Trinidad and Tobago • What do you know about the slave trade? • How slave trade linked to colonization? • Who were indentured labourers? • What was the role of plantation agriculture in British colonial rule? • Who were girmitiyas? • What is the cultural significance of Ram lella? • What is the significance of the Indian diaspora? Key Takeaways: • Trinidad and Tobago, a tiny island country in the Caribbean, has a population of around 13 lakh, almost half of which traces its origin to India. The diaspora was brought to the islands as bonded labour in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and brought with them Lord Ram — specifically the tradition of Ramleela, the episodic dramatisation of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. • Britain banned slave trade in 1807, and finally abolished slavery in the British Empire in 1834. This created a labour crisis in many British colonies dependent on slave labour — including in Trinidad whose economy revolved around slave-run sugar plantations. • In 1838, the enactment of the emancipation legislation in Trinidad was followed by a large-scale emigration of emancipated slaves from the sugar estates. Plantation owners thus turned to indentured labour from India. The very first boatload of indentured Indians came to Trinidad on May 30, 1845. • This effectively ensured that labourers would be under bondage while working in back breaking conditions on plantations in faraway lands. These labourers were colloquially called girmitiyas, a corruption of the word 'agreement' that the labourers had to sign. Indians arrived in Trinidad till about 1917, mostly from present-day eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. • 'Although Indian Hindus carried only a few belongings to Trinidad, they are said to have brought the Manas [Ramcharitmanas], either in memory or book form,' Paula Richman wrote in her paper 'Ramlila in Trinidad' (2010). Most, she wrote, grew up hearing the text recited and watching it enacted. • This is how Ramleela arrived in Trinidad. In villages in the countryside, thronged by Indians speaking Bhojpuri and eating chapatis, Ramleela saw widespread participation of the community. • By the later half of the 19th century, however, the popularity of Ramleela began to wane. As formal education spread, Bhojpuri was slowly replaced by English among the Indian population — younger generations were simply not as familiar with the Manas. Do You Know: • In 1998, UNESCO designated August 23 as the International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade & Abolition to commemorate 'the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples'. • UNESCO also established an international, intercultural project called 'The Slave Route' to document and conduct an 'analysis of the interactions to which it has given rise between Africa, Europe, the Americas and the Caribbean.' • Indentured servitude from India started in 1834 and lasted up till 1922, despite having been officially banned in 1917 by British India's Imperial Legislative Council after pressure from freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi. • Between 1830-1860, the British, French and the Portuguese during the colonisation of India, prohibited slavery that was implemented by several acts under their individual domains. It was replaced with another form of bonded servitude and euphemistically term it 'indentured labour'. • This practice of indentured labour resulted in the growth of a large diaspora with Indo-Carribean, Indo-African and Indo-Malaysian heritage that continue to live in the Carribean, Fiji, Réunion, Natal, Mauritius, Malaysia, Sri Lanka etc. • The migrants took their culture with them through their language, food and music and the meagre belongings that they were permitted to carry. Once they reached these colonies, they created their unique socio-cultural ecosystems while they were limited to living in the confines of these large plantations. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍International Day for Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Abolition: how it tells stories of Indian indentured labourers Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to their colonies? Have they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (UPSC CSE 2018) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies. What's the ongoing story: Amitabh Kant writes: Cities are the engines of India's future growth, innovation and job creation. Just 15 urban hubs contribute 30 per cent of India's GDP. Key Points to Ponder: • What is urbanization? • What are the challenges of urbanization? • What is the Urban Challenge Fund? • What are the issues related to Solid waste management? • What is the significance of Digitising land records in India? • What are the initiatives taken by the government for urban development? • India's urban potential remains trapped behind congested and overburdened city environments. Elaborate. • Know about the following challenges associated with cities: air pollution, urban flooding, water scarcity, and solid waste management Key Takeaways: • These 15 cities — Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, Coimbatore, Noida/Greater Noida, Kochi, Gurugram, Vishakhapatnam, and Nagpur — will drive India's ability to become a $30+ trillion economy by 2047, facilitating an extra 1.5 per cent growth. • These cities face numerous issues like extreme air pollution, urban flooding, water scarcity, lack of reliable internet connectivity, garbage, and slums. These are a direct reflection of how these cities expanded without proper planning or strong urban governance. Additionally, they also remain unprepared for the climate crisis. • We must clean our cities' air. Approximately 42 of the 50 most polluted cities are in India. Vehicular emissions, construction dust and biomass burning are primary culprits. Public transport must be electrified at the earliest opportunity. Construction dust norms need to be implemented strictly. Budget 2025-26 announced the creation of a Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund — this can include a city-level grand challenge. Cities should be ranked and financial incentives disbursed based on performance. • Solid waste management must be transformed. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), our cities produce upwards of 1,50,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, yet only a quarter is processed scientifically and sustainably. • To fix it, state governments must build strong infrastructure — including purchasing vehicles for waste collection and transport — and train staff to handle these tasks effectively. Clear policies and regulations that promote performance-based accountability are key. • Ultimately, better regulation, community involvement, and capacity-building is the only way to transform waste management into a sustainable, circular system — one that experts say could unlock as much as $73.5 trillion annually by 2030. • Water stress is an urgent challenge. Nearly half of our rivers are polluted. In 2018, NITI Aayog predicted that 40 per cent of India's population would face water scarcity by 2030. Cities lose 40-50 per cent of piped water in transmission, and poor water quality worsens health issues. • Informal settlements have proliferated, resulting in illegal colonies with inadequate infrastructure support, including water and sanitation. Increasing floor space index (FSI) and floor area ratio (FAR) growth will promote vertical growth. • Density-related incentives are a potential solution too, as highlighted by the G20 India and OECD report on 'Financing Cities of Tomorrow'. • Effective urban reform depends on decentralised planning, governance, and financing. NITI Aayog reports that India has just one planner for every 1,00,000 people, while developed nations have one for every 5,000-10,000. Most Indian cities lack proper master plans. • Full implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment must happen — along with increasing property tax collection, which is less than 0.2 per cent of GDP. Digitising land records, using tech for surveillance and tax collection, and exploring land value capture (LVC) can help cities generate revenue. Do You Know: • While presenting the Budget 2025-26, Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will set up the Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for 'Cities as Growth Hubs', 'Creative Redevelopment of Cities', and 'Water and Sanitation.' • The Urban Challenge Fund is designed to address three aspects. First, to make cities productive and efficient centres of economic growth (cities as growth hubs); second, to develop and redevelop them in a creative way (creative redevelopment of cities ), and third, to improve infrastructure. (Water and sanitation). • Under the fund, while the government plans to give Rs 10,000 crore, cities are expected to get the remaining Rs 40,000 crore from floating municipal bonds, entering into private-public partnerships, and taking loans, according to a Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs source. • Urbanisation is the process of transformation that occurs as a society evolves from predominantly rural to predominantly urban areas. It involves the increase in the proportion of a country's population residing in urban areas, leading to the expansion and growth of cities and towns. Additionally, it encompasses not only the physical expansion of cities but also their social, economic, and cultural transformations. • The Indian Census identifies two categories of 'urban' areas: 1. Statutory towns — those which have urban local bodies like municipal corporation, municipality or municipal committee. 2. Census towns — All those places satisfying the following 3 criteria: a) Population of atleast 5000 persons. b) Minimum population density of 400 persons per sq. km. and c) 75 per cent of the male workforce is employed in non-agricultural activities Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Why is Urban Challenge Fund important for your UPSC exam? Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Does urbanization lead to more segregation and/or marginalization of the poor in Indian metropolises? (UPSC CSE 2023) Once she completes her year-long training, she would qualify for the fighter stream of naval aviation and may fly the MiG-29K or Rafale M fighter jet off the Navy's aircraft carriers. 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. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. 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Indian Express
34 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Our culture doesn't encourage us to stand out': Here's why many from China struggle to find jobs in UK
Finding a job in the United Kingdom (UK) has become increasingly difficult for international graduates. Chinese students face additional hurdles due to cultural and language barriers, according to a report by the South China Morning Post (SCMP). Harley Hu, 25, completed her master's degree in education last year. She told SCMP she sent out 'maybe 200 or 300 CVs' before finding full-time work. Even now, her job does not sponsor visas, and her post-study visa will expire in 2026. 'If I can't sort it out, I'll have to prepare to go back to China,' Hu said. She added: 'In China, we're taught that degrees are everything. But once you're overseas, you realise employers care a lot more about experience and no one really tells us that.' The UK graduate job market is highly competitive, with youth unemployment at 14.3 per cent. Chinese graduates are especially affected. Although Chinese nationals account for about 25 per cent of international students in the UK, they receive only 10 per cent of graduate visas. Indian students, by contrast, receive over 40 per cent. One reason, SCMP reports, is that many Chinese students plan to return home after graduating. But others give up after struggling to find work. Most Chinese students enrol in one-year master's programmes, leaving little time to adapt. 'Just when you start adapting to life here, it's already time to hunt for work, and you're not ready,' Hu said. Jack Chen, a humanities graduate from the University of York, told SCMP he has applied for over 400 jobs since finishing his degree. He only received two part-time offers, one at a retail store, and another at a small business. 'Our culture doesn't encourage us to stand out,' Chen said. 'Indian students are way more proactive. They'll call companies directly. That sounds crazy to me.' He added that many Chinese students are unfamiliar with UK job platforms like LinkedIn. 'They (Indians) know how to use it and have polished CVs. Meanwhile, we come from a system where that stuff doesn't even exist.' Emily Lu, a London-based headhunter who supports Chinese clients, told SCMP: 'Chinese graduates hesitate to reach out to employers, don't use LinkedIn effectively, and miss out on networking opportunities.' Lu said the Chinese education system is partly responsible. 'They're smart and capable, but they need direction. At home, teachers guide them every step of the way. Here, that's not how things work.' A 2024 study by the UK's Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), cited by SCMP, found that Chinese students in Britain often struggle with spoken English and digital tools. On average, they scored 6.1 in the IELTS speaking test lower than students from most other countries. The report also noted that many Chinese students stick to small social groups and avoid university career services. Only 21 per cent had used such services, and just 2 per cent said the help was useful in finding work. The number of Chinese graduates returning home after study is rising from 73 per cent in 2019 to 84 per cent in 2023. Jessica Deng, a graduate from the University of Southampton, told SCMP she finally found a job in early years education after applying to over 300 positions. 'In a country where even locals are struggling to find jobs, it's hard to expect international students to have equal opportunities,' she said. Deng said visa uncertainty puts off many employers. 'If you're on a short-term post-study work visa, it's not so simple,' she said. The HEPI report urged universities to do more to help Chinese students adapt, including by offering better career advice and opportunities to build cross-cultural networks. Some students, it said, feel they are treated more as 'revenue sources' than as full members of the campus community.
