Context

The Delhi High Court ordered State authorities to take action against the use of oxytocin on cattle in dairy colonies in the Capital. 

• Petition Against Dairies: The court’s order came after a petition appealed to authorities to look into the state of dairies in the Capital.
• Rampant use of Oxytocin: In March 2023, the High Court had constituted a court commissioner for inspecting nine dairy colonies in the Capital. The court commissioner flagged the “rampant use” of oxytocin.
  • The court commissioner stated that the conditions in all the nine designated dairy colonies in Delhi were bad.

Delhi High Court Ruling

Administering of oxytocin amounts to animal cruelty and is a cognisable offense under Section 12 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

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• Weekly Inspections and Legal Action: The court asked the Delhi government’s Department of Drugs Control to conduct weekly inspections and register cases against the administration of the hormone. 
• Source Tracing: It asked the Delhi police to identify the sources of oxytocin production, packaging and distribution, and take action in accordance with the law.

Oxytocin

Also known as the ‘love hormone’, Oxytocin is secreted by the pituitary glands of mammals during sex, childbirth, lactation or social bonding. It could be chemically manufactured and sold by pharma companies for use during childbirth. It is administered either as an injection or a nasal solution.

• Role: Oxytocin plays a key role in both the female and male reproductive systems. This includes increasing contractions to induce labor and birth, and the release of milk from the breast after birth.
  • It also acts as a chemical messenger in the brain and influences important elements of human behavior such as social recognition, relationship formation and long-term emotional attachment.
• Significance: Its use is crucial to prevent new mothers from excessively bleeding after giving birth—a common cause of maternal deaths. 
  • According to an India sample registration scheme survey conducted in 2001-2003, postpartum hemorrhage accounted for 38 percent of maternal deaths.
• Concerns Associated: 
  • Misuse of oxytocin: It is being used illegally to increase milk production in dairy animals which are forced to produce milk through painful procedures and can become infertile with long-term use.
  • Health Impact:  Its overuse on milch cattle to improve production harms not only the cattle’s health but also the health of humans consuming  the milk.
    • There are concerns that milk from oxytocin-treated animals may contain residues of the hormone that could potentially have negative health impacts on human consumers. 

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Context

Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams is ready to fly for a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Starliner spacecraft.

• It is her third space mission as the pilot of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on its first crewed test flight.

Sunita Williams set to fly into space for 3rd time

• Launch: From Cape Canaveral in Florida, Boeing’s Starliner will launch toward the International Space Station.
• Crew Members: Starliner will carry Williams, 58, and Butch Wilmore to the International Space Station, marking  a significant success for the challenged Boeing program.
  • If it is successful, it will become the second private firm able to provide crew transport to and from the ISS, alongside Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
  • SpaceX and Boeing developed their respective vehicles under NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme, a partnership with private industry contractors. 

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program

Under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this mission seeks to conduct a thorough assessment of the spacecraft’s functionalities, spanning from launch to docking, and culminating in its return to Earth in the western United States. 

• Significance: Upon the successful completion of a crewed flight test, NASA will proceed with the final steps of certifying Starliner and its systems for upcoming crewed missions to the space station.

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Who is Sunita Williams? and Her Space Missions

Sunita Williams was born in Euclid, Ohio, to Indian-American neuroanatomist Deepak Pandya and Slovene-American Ursuline Bonnie (Zalokar) Pandya.

• Career: Williams graduated from the US Naval Academy in May 1987 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy.
• Sunita Williams Space Missions: Williams was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1998 and is a veteran of two space missions, Expeditions 14/15 and 32/33.
• Expeditions 14/15: She was launched with the STS-116 crew on December 9, 2006, and connected with the International Space Station on December 11, 2006, during her maiden spaceflight, Expedition 14/15.
• • Spacewalks: While onboard, she established a world record for females with four spacewalks totalling 29 hours and 17 minutes. Astronaut Peggy Whitson subsequently broke the record in 2008 with a total of five spacewalks.
• Expeditions 14/15 and 32/33: She served as a flight engineer on Expedition 32 and then commander of Expedition 33.
  • Launch: On Expedition 32/33, she was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, along with Russian Soyuz commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, on July 14, 2012.
    • Williams spent four months conducting research and exploration aboard the orbiting laboratory.
    • She landed in Kazakhstan on November 18, 2012, after spending 127 days in space.
  • World record for Spacewalks: During their Expedition, Williams and Hoshide performed three spacewalks to replace a component that relays power from the space station’s solar arrays to its systems and repair an ammonia leak on a station radiator. 
    • With 50 hours and 40 minutes, Williams once again held the record for total cumulative spacewalk time by a female astronaut. The record has since been overtaken by Peggy Whitson. 
    • She has spent a cumulative total of 322 days in space.

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Context

Recently, In election season, India is debating fundamental constitutional questions around Religion based Reservation in particular questioning around Muslim Quota.

• Recently, the issue of the 5% reservation quota given to Muslims in Andhra Pradesh in 2004 has also resurfaced debate surrounding the religion based reservation.

Constitutionality On Religion based Reservation  

• Equality vs. Equity: The Indian Constitution moves beyond mere equality to ensure equity, allowing for differential treatment or special measures for historically disadvantaged groups. 
  • Dynamic Concept of Equality :  The Supreme Court has held that equality is a dynamic concept with many aspects and dimensions, and it cannot be “cribbed, cabined and confined” within traditional and doctrinaire limits (E P Royappa vs State Of Tamil Nadu, 1973).

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• Article 16(4) and 15(4): These articles empower the state to make provisions for reservation in favor of backward classes and socially and educationally backward classes, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. 
  • Article 15 specifically prohibits the state from discriminating against citizens on grounds only of both religion and caste (along with sex, race, and place of birth). 
  • Non-Discrimination Clause : In The Supreme Court’s judgment in State of Kerala vs N M Thomas (1975), reservation is considered not an exception to the equality/ non-discrimination clauses of Articles 15(1) and 16(1), but as an extension of equality. 
    • The crucial word in Articles 15 and 16 is ‘only’ — which implies that if a religious, racial, or caste group constitutes a “weaker section” under Article 46, or constitutes a backward class, it would be entitled to special provisions for its advancement.

Have Muslims ever been given reservation by reducing the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), or Other Backward Classes (OBCs)? 

Some Muslim castes were given reservation not because they were Muslims, but because these castes were included within the backward class, and reservation was given without reducing the quota for SCs, STs, and OBCs by creating a sub-quota within the OBCs.

Religion Based Reservation in Some States 

• Kerala: Muslims were included in the OBC category, forming a sub-quota within the overall OBC reservation. 
  • Muslim sub-quota Religion based reservation was first introduced in 1936 in Travancore-Cochin state. 
  • After the state of Kerala was formed in 1956, all Muslims were included in one of eight sub-quota categories, and a sub-quota of 10% (now 12%) was created within the OBC quota.
• Karnataka:  In 1995, implemented 4% Muslim reservation within the OBC quota. 
• • Thirty-six Muslim castes which are part of the central list of OBCs were included in the quota. 
• Tamil Nadu: Based on the law in 2007,Reservation provided within the 30% OBC quota, a subcategory of Muslims with 3.5% reservation. 
• • This did not include upper-caste Muslims. 
  • The Act gave reservation to some Christian castes, but this provision was subsequently removed on the demand of Christians themselves. 
• Andhra Pradesh & Telangana : The question of giving Muslims reservation along with 112 other communities/ castes was referred to the Andhra Pradesh Backward Classes Commission in 1994.
• • In 2004, based on a report by the Commissioner of Minority Welfare on the social, economic, and educational backwardness of Muslims,
    •  The government provided 5% reservation, treating the entire community as backward. 
  • However, later The High Court struck down the quota on the technical ground that 
    • The mandatory consultation with the AP Commission for Backward Classes was not done. 
    • It also held that the minority welfare report was bad in law because it laid down no criteria for determining backwardness. 
  • The ruling faced a challenge in the Supreme Court, which in 2010 ordered it to maintain the existing state until the matter was fully heard and decided.
  • In Telangana : .After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the TRS government in Telangana passed a law in 2017 proposing 12% reservation for OBC Muslims on the basis of the reports of the G Sudhir Commission and the Backward Classes Commission.

Arguments in Favor of Religion Based Reservations in India 

• Promotes Equity: The concept of reservations aims at offering fair and equal opportunities to the marginalized sections of society. 
  • Implementing reservations based on religion could extend this principle to religious minorities who historically lag behind in education and financial stability. 
• Constitutional Mandate: Article 15(1) of the Indian Constitution prohibits discrimination based on religion. The Supreme Court, in cases like Nainsuleh Das vs. State of Uttar Pradesh, has emphasized that this constitutional provision extends to all political and societal rights. 
  • Article 341 of the Constitution and the 1950 Presidential Order state that only Hindus are entitled to inclusion within SCs. However, Sikhs were included within SCs in 1956, and Buddhists in 1990. Muslims and Christians remain excluded. It could be argued that this too, is ‘religion-based’ reservation. 
• Empowerment and Social Upliftment: Religion based reservations could potentially uplift religious minorities who face socio-economic disparities. 
  • Addresses Inequality: By recognizing the unique challenges faced by religious minorities, religion based reservations can address systemic inequalities. Such measures can help bridge the gap in educational and economic status among different religious communities. 

Arguments Against Religion Based Reservations in India 

• Threat to Social Harmony: Introducing reservations based on religion may lead to social unrest and division within society. 
  • Favoring one religion over others could breed distrust among different religious groups and undermine social cohesion. 
• Undermine Secularism : Critics contend that offering reservations based on religion contradicts the secular principle enshrined in the Indian Constitution, which promotes equal treatment of all religions by the state.
  • Granting reservations based on religion contradicts the foundational principles of the Indian Constitution, as advocated by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. 
    • The Constitution emphasizes equality and prohibits discrimination based on religion, making religion based reservations unconstitutional. 
• Risk of Conversion: Religion based reservations may inadvertently promote religious conversions as individuals seek to benefit from reservation policies. 
  • This could further exacerbate tensions between different religious communities and undermine secular values. 
• Ignoring Socio-Economic Factors: Reservations based on religion overlook the diverse socio-economic realities within religious communities. 
  • Poverty and disadvantage exist across all religions, and granting reservations solely based on religious identity fails to address the nuanced needs of individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

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Conclusion

While religion based reservations may have potential benefits in addressing socio-economic disparities among religious minorities, they also pose significant challenges to social harmony, constitutional values, and the holistic addressing of socio-economic inequalities.

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Context

The ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) found that coral reefs in the Lakshadweep Sea have undergone severe bleaching due to prolonged marine heatwaves since October 2023.

• Coral bleaching is threatening Lakshwadeep’s diverse marine ecosystems. 

Coral Reefs

Corals are sessile animals, i.e. they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor. They are formed when thousands of polyps living together in a coral colony secrete calcium carbonate exoskeleton beneath it. Over time, the skeletons of many coral colonies add up to build the structure of a coral reef. An individual coral is known as a polyp.  A polyp is a sac-like animal,excretes an exoskeleton near the base.  Polyps form a symbiotic relationship with plant-like cells called zooxanthellae (unicellular dinoflagellates).

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• Classification: They are classified as either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. 
• Hard Corals: They have stony skeletons made of limestone that are produced by coral polyps. When polyps die, their skeletons are left behind and used as foundations for new polyps.”
  • These stony coral skeletons, over thousands and millions of years, form complex coral reefs, which have often been referred to as “rainforests of the sea” — home to thousands of marine species, and vibrant ecosystems.
• Soft corals: Like sea fingers and sea whips, they are soft and bendable and often resemble plants or trees. These corals do not have stony skeletons and are non-reef-building corals.
  • Instead, they grow wood-like cores and fleshy rinds for protection. Like hard corals, they tend to live in colonies.
  • Almost all of Lakshadweep’s islands are coral atolls, with their soil largely derived from corals, and extant coral reefs around them.
• Distribution: They are found mostly in tropical and subtropical waters  occurring between 30º north and 30º south latitudes.
• Types of Coral Reefs:
  • Fringing reef (Shore reefs): It is a coral platform attached to a continental coast or an island, sometimes separated by a narrow, shallow lagoon known as Boat Channel.
  • Barrier reef: It is roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it by a lagoon or other body of water
  • Atoll Reefs: These are the reefs that are roughly circular and surround a large central lagoon.
• Conditions for Survival:
  • Shallow Water: Corals require sunlight and clear shallow water for their growth. They are found typically in water above 165 feet (50 meters).
  • Clear Water: This lets sunlight pass through. They don’t thrive well when the water is opaque.
  • Warm Water: Reef-building corals require warm water conditions to survive. Different corals living in different regions can withstand water temperatures in the range of  20–32° C.
  • Pollution-free water: Corals are sensitive to pollution and sediments. Wastewater discharged into the ocean near the reef can contain too many nutrients that cause seaweeds to overgrow the reef
  • Salinity: Corals need saltwater (salinity almost 27 ppt) to survive and require a certain balance in the ratio of salt to water. 
  • Thus, corals don’t live in areas where rivers drain fresh water into the ocean ie. estuaries.
• Some Endemic Coral Species In India: C. clavus Scacchi, C. arcuata M. Edwards & Haime, P. andamanensis.

Coral Bleaching

Coral bleaching occurs when the coral Polyp expels the marine algae ie. zooxanthellae from its  tissue and breaks the symbiotic relation. This result in them losing their color and source of nutrients and energy with coral’s bright white skeleton is revealed.Bleached corals are not dead, but run the risk of starvation and disease. According to experts, without their algae, corals can survive for about two weeks.

• Reasons: Coral bleaching takes place when the water is too warm. In such conditions, corals expel the microscopic algae which live in their tissues, and, in simple terms, produce food for them.
  • Corals experience thermal stress when sea surface temperatures exceed 1 degree celsius above the maximum mean temperature. This stress worsens if the high temperatures persist over a period of time.

Reasons for Coral Bleaching in Lakshadweep

• Rise in temperature:  Degree Heating Week (DHW) in Lakshadweep crossed this threshold wherein Lakshadweep Sea has been consistently experiencing temperatures 1 degree celsius above the norm since October 27, 2023.
  • Apart from excessive atmospheric heat (caused due to Global Warming), shifts in ocean currents also lead to unusually high water temperatures.
• Marine Heat Waves: Lakshadweep has been gripped by marine heat waves since October 2023. If the water does not cool down, the bleaching can eventually lead to the death of Lakshwadeep’s corals.
• Lakshadweep Sea has previously seen coral bleaching events in 1998, 2010 and 2015, but the scale of the current one is unprecedented.

Marine Heat Waves Across Indian Ocean

• Rise in Marine Heat Waves: As per 2022 study by Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) Pune, marine heatwaves are increasing in the Indian Ocean. 

• • The study reported a significant increase in marine heatwaves, due to the rapid warming in the Indian Ocean and strong El Niños. 
• Rate of Increase Across Indian Ocean Regions: The western Indian Ocean region experienced the largest increase in marine heatwaves at a rate of about 1.5 events per decade, followed by the north Bay of Bengal at a rate of 0.5 events per decade. 
  • During 1982–2018, the western Indian Ocean had a total of 66 events while the Bay of Bengal had 94 events. 
  • An underwater survey showed that 85% of the corals in the Gulf of Mannar near the Tamil Nadu coast got bleached after the marine heatwave in May 2020.

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Impact of Marine Heatwaves:

• Impacts on Coastal Communities: The heat waves threaten livelihoods of coastal communities, tourism and fisheries sectors, and critical marine habitats, including seagrass meadows. 
• Marine Ecosystems: Similar to corals, seagrass meadows, kelp forests are experiencing detrimental impacts such as impaired photosynthesis, reduced growth, and hindered reproductive functions due to the heatwaves.
• Impact on Coral Reefs: Lakshadweep is formed by coral reefs and hence the health of reefs are important for the very structure of the islands. 
• Death of coral may also lead to accumulation of organic matter, preventing the formation of corals later.

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Context

The U.S. State Department in its factsheet accused Russia of having used  chemical weapons against Ukrainian forces which is a gross violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

US accuses Russia of using ‘chemical weapon’ in Ukraine

• Russia used chemical agent chloropicrin in Ukraine along with the “riot control agents (tear gas) as a method of warfare in Ukraine.
• Sanctions: USA announced fresh sanctions against Moscow’s military and industrial capabilities which targets nearly 300 entities in Russia, China, and other countries

What is Chloropicrin?

• About: Chloropicrin is a C-nitro compound that is nitromethane in which all three hydrogens are replaced by chlorines.
  • It is a synthetic C-nitro, one-carbon, and organochlorine compound that is a strong lachrymator (tears-inducing agent,  popular examples: pepper spray, and bromoacetone).
• Common names: Nitrochloroform, Dolochlor,Picfume
• Appearance: Colorless to faintly yellow oily liquid.
• Composed of: It involves a chemical reaction between sodium hypochlorite ( bleach) and nitromethane (a common industrial solvent).
  • It can also be made by combining chloroform with nitric acid, which yields chloropicrin and water.

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• Application: 
  • Agriculture: It  is used in agriculture as a soil fumigant particularly for strawberry crops.
  • Antimicrobial agent: It is employed  as a herbicide and nematicide and has a role as a fumigant insecticide and an antifungal agrochemical. 
  • Chemical warfare agent: Chloropicrin is an irritant with characteristics of a tear gas having an intensely irritating odor, thus used as a riot control agent.
• As a weapon of warfare: It was first used as a poison gas in the First World War, by both the Allied and the Central Powers and was stockpiled during World War II. 
  • It induces vomiting, which prompts soldiers to remove their masks, when they would inhale more of the gas, or other gaseous agents dispersed in the air.
• Exposure: Chloropicrin can be absorbed systemically through inhalation, ingestion, and the skin. It is a severe irritant, and can cause immediate, severe inflammation of the eyes, nose and throat, and significant injuries to the upper and lower respiratory tract.
  • It  is also known to be highly toxic and carcinogenic.

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Context

On May 7, Boeing’s Starliner spaceship will launch two NASA astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida to the International Space Station.

• This is the first time Starliner will carry astronauts, testing its ability to do so.

What is Boeing’s Starliner?

• Boeing’s Starliner is also known as CST-100 (crew space transportation).
• It is a crew capsule designed for space travel.
• It’s partially reusable, meaning it can be used for multiple missions. 
• It consists of two modules:
  • Crew Module: This is where astronauts stay during the journey. 
  • Service Module: This part is like the powerhouse of the spacecraft which provides electricity, propulsion (movement), temperature control, air, and water for the astronauts in space. 

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What is the Boeing’s Starline mission?

• Objective: To test how well Starliner performs in space with astronauts on board.
  • It aims to dock with the ISS a day after launch and stay there for about 10 days before returning to Earth.
  • Key Points about Starliner’s Crewed Test Flight and Return Journey
    • The astronauts will test new space suits during the mission. 
      • These blue suits are around 40% lighter than their predecessors and have touchscreen-sensitive gloves.
    • During the return journey, NASA and Boeing will closely monitor Starliner’s heat shield and parachutes.
    • They’ll slow down the descent before the airbags open to make the landing softer.
      • Unlike many other crew capsules, Starliner will land on the ground, not in the sea.

• The significance of the mission for NASA and Boeing:

  • NASA: 

    • Backup Option: Approval of Starliner for routine flights to and from the ISS would provide NASA with a backup option.
      • It will reduce dependency on a single company or vehicle for space launches.

  • Boeing: 

    • Competition with SpaceX: If Starliner achieves its goals, it could enable Boeing to compete more effectively with SpaceX in the commercial space sector.

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Context

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) stands as a crucial method to look inside the human body without surgery. 

What is MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)?

• Evolution of MRI Techniques: Its foundational techniques were developed in the early 1970s.
  • In the later part of the decade, Paul Lauterbur and Peter Mansfield made pivotal refinements that enabled its widespread adoption for medical purposes. 
  • For these efforts, they were awarded the medicine Nobel Prize in 2003.
• About: MRI is used to obtain images of soft tissues within the body. Soft tissue is any tissue that hasn’t become harder through calcification. 
  • It is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure widely used to image the brain, the cardiovascular system, the spinal cord and joints, various muscles, the liver, arteries, etc.
• Usage: Its use is important in the observation and treatment of certain cancers, including prostate and rectal cancer, and to track neurological conditions including Alzheimer’s, dementia, epilepsy, and stroke. 
  • Researchers have utilized MRI scans to observe alterations in blood flow, allowing them to infer fluctuations in brain neuron activity. This application of the technique is known as functional MRI (fMRI).

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Working of MRI

Hydrogen Atom Imaging: An MRI procedure reveals an image of a body part using the hydrogen atoms in that part.  A hydrogen atom is simply one proton with one electron around it. These atoms are all spinning, with axes pointing in random directions.  Hydrogen atoms are abundant in fat and water, which are present almost throughout the body.

• MRI Machine Components: An MRI machine has four essential components. 
  • Bore: The machine itself looks like a giant donut. The person whose body is to be scanned is inserted inside the hole in the centre, called the bore. 
    • There is a powerful superconducting magnet inside the donut whose job is to produce a powerful and stable magnetic field around the body. Once the body part to be scanned is at the centre of the bore, the magnetic field is switched on.
  • Magnetic Moment: Each hydrogen atom has a powerful magnetic moment, which means in the presence of a magnetic field, the atom’s spin axis will point along the field’s direction. 
    • The superconducting magnet generates a magnetic field along the central axis of the machine.
    • This causes approximately half of the hydrogen atoms within the targeted area to align in one direction while the other half aligns in the opposite direction. 
    • This alignment is nearly precise, with only a few atoms out of millions remaining unaligned, forming a small population of “excess” atoms oriented in one of the two directions.
  • Radiofrequency Pulse and Atom Excitation: A device that emits a radiofrequency pulse at the part under the scanner. 
    • When the pulse is ‘on’, only the small population of ‘excess’ atoms absorbs the radiation and gets excited. 
    • When the pulse goes ‘off’, these atoms emit the absorbed energy and return to their original, lower energy states. 
    • The frequency of pulse the ‘excess’ atoms have to absorb is called the Larmor frequency. Its value depends on the strength of the magnetic field and the type of tissue in which the atoms are present.
  • Detector:  A detector, receives the emissions and converts them to signals, which are sent to a computer that uses them to recreate two- or three-dimensional images of that part of the body.

Pros of MRI

• Gradient Magnetic Fields for Focused Imaging: Following the activation of the primary strong magnetic field, the MRI machine engages three additional magnets that generate smaller magnetic fields.
  • These fields are weaker than the main field by a factor of approximately 80 or more. These auxiliary fields also possess a gradient, meaning they are not uniform. 
  • They interact with the main field in the targeted area of the scan, emphasizing specific regions for detailed imaging.
• Precision Scanning with Gradient Magnet Sequences: By selectively activating and deactivating the gradient magnets in predetermined sequences, the MRI machine can scan segments as narrow as a few millimeters. 
  • These sequences can also be coordinated to scan various regions of the individual’s body without necessitating movement within the bore.
• Comprehensive Body Imaging Capability: Due to the machine’s construction and the arrangement of magnets within it, an MRI scan can effectively capture images of the body from multiple useful angles and, if necessary, in extremely fine increments.
• Tissue Differentiation: When the “excess” atoms release the absorbed energy to revert to lower energy states, this process occurs over a period known as the T1 relaxation time. 
  • Hydrogen atoms in water exhibit varying T1 values based on the tissue they inhabit. MRI machines capitalize on this discrepancy to represent different tissues in distinct shades of grey. 
  • Additionally, clinicians may inject a contrast agent—usually a gadolinium-based compound—to individuals, reducing the T1 time in certain tissues and enhancing their visibility in MRI scans.
• Safety of MRI Scans and Magnetic Field Effects: Extensive research has explored the impact of strong magnetic fields on the human body. 
  • MRI scans are deemed safe as the magnetic fields dissipate once the scan concludes, and the atoms within the scanned area return to their normal state without enduring any lasting effects. 
  • There is no evidence of long-term harm associated with MRI scans. 

Cons of MRI

• Shortcoming: Due to the strong magnetic fields utilized in MRI scans, individuals with implanted metallic objects such as shrapnel or medical implants like pacemakers may be ineligible for the procedure. 
  • Additionally, even carrying a credit card in their pocket can result in the magnetic strip being erased by the MRI’s magnetic fields.
• Huge Cost: MRI machines incur significant expenses, with costs ranging from several tens of lakhs to a few crores, depending on factors like magnetic field strength and imaging quality specifications. 
  • These expenses are transferred to patients by diagnostic facilities. Depending on clinical needs, individual scans can often exceed Rs 10,000, a substantial amount in India, particularly for uninsured individuals and those needing multiple MRI scans.
• Discomfort of Using the Machine: Although, conveniently, the individual doesn’t need to relocate within the bore for scanning different body parts, they are required to remain still for extended periods, often tens of minutes, until the scan concludes. 
  • Any movement by the individual can distort the resulting image, necessitating a repeat of the scan.
• Heat Dissipation: Producing a magnetic field of 1 tesla or higher, like the main magnet does, is a considerable challenge. 
  • As the non-superconducting materials will dissipate energy as heat, sustaining this setup requires a significant amount of energy, which incurs high costs.
• Noise Generation in MRI Operation: The switching of heavy currents within the machine, particularly when the gradient coils operate sequentially, results in loud noises during operation. 
  • This additional noise can cause discomfort for the individual undergoing the scan.

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Context

A paradox is emerging in contemporary Indian Foreign Policy. While India’s global power is rising, its influence in the South Asian region is declining.

Factors Behind India’s Global Rise

Factors of India’s Global Rise: India’s global rise stems from the growth in absolute power and the geopolitical choices made by the leading powers of the contemporary international system.

• Growth in Absolute Power: India’s aggregate power has grown over the past two decades — evident in robust economic growth, military capabilities, technological advancement and a largely young demography.
  • Economic Growth: India’s economy has surged from 10th to the 5th largest global economy. This trajectory is underpinned by a robust growth rate, projected at 7% for FY24, and likely continuing into FY25. 
    • As per the World Bank, India’s output growth would be 7.5% in FY24.
    • As per Global rating agency Moody’s, India’s GDP growth projection for FY24 is 6.8%.
  • Enhancement in Military Capabilities: India is one of the few countries to have designed and produced a fourth-plus generation fighter aircraft, nuclear submarine, successful Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system, Main Battle Tank (MBT), an ICBM and an indigenised Ballistic Missile Defence System.
    • India’s Defence Exports surged from surging from Rs. 686 Crore in FY 2013-14 to nearly Rs. 16,000 Crore in FY 2022-23. It has grown 800% in five years and reached 85 countries across continents.
  • Technological Advancement: India’s technological advancement in 2023 showcased a commitment to innovation and self-reliance. 
    • From semiconductor manufacturing to space exploration, defence capabilities, and rapid advancements in telecommunications, India is actively shaping the global technology landscape.
    • Examples: Launch of 104 Satellites in a single flight by PSLV-C37 in 2017, launch of Aditya-L1 Mission in 2023 (the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun), commissioning of the indigenous aircraft carrier (Indian Naval Ship Vikrant, the first in 2022), etc.
  • Focus on Contemporary Issues: India’s leadership and role in the International Solar Alliance and Global Biofuel Alliance demonstrates its commitment to promoting renewable energy.
  • Young Demography: India, with its large and young population, is currently experiencing a demographic dividend. It is expected to last until 2055, providing India with a unique opportunity to boost its economic growth.
    • As per the IMF, the demographic dividend could add about 2% points per annum to India’s per capita GDP growth over the next two decades.
• Geopolitical & Peer Accommodation: India’s inclusion in key global institutions such as the G-20, as an invitee at G-7 meetings, and active participation in multilateral groups such as the Quad, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation further highlight its geopolitical significance and its powerful presence globally, even if it is not being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. 
• A Conducive ‘Chaotic’ International Situation: 
  • Indo-Pacific Focus: India’s global rise is also aided by growing international attention on the Indo-Pacific, a region that is pivotal to global strategic stability, where India has a central position.
  • Non-Aligned Diplomacy: India follows a strategy of non-alignment and reformed multilateralism that helps India to build trust and maintain its relations with all countries.
    • Examples: India’s recent decision to abstain from voting against Russia in the United Nations General Assembly and purchasing of Russian crude oil despite western sanctions on Russia (during Ukraine-Russia conflict) and providing humanitarian support to Palestine while maintaining diplomatic ties with Israel.
• Soft Power: India is globally recognized as a non-aggressor country, whose vision is inclusive and worldview rests in the idea of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam – the world is one family.”
  • Diaspora: 31 million people living in 200 countries. They act as a bridge between India and other countries.
  • As per Global Soft Power Index, India has jumped a spot from rank 29 in 2022 to 28 in 2023.

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Decline in India’s Regional Power

India’s regional decline is a product of the dynamics of comparative power, and geopolitical choices made by the region’s smaller powers. 

• Dynamics of Power: When compared to India’s influence in the region during the Cold War or in comparison to China’s influence in the region today, India’s power and influence in the region has sharply declined. 
• Rising Chinese Influence: India is facing stiff geopolitical competition for influence in South Asia. China’s rise will mean that India may no longer be the most consequential power in the region.
  • In Maldives, China’s rising influence has raised concerns about India-Maldives Relations. Also, recently Maldives has seen a campaign called “India Out”, labeling Indian presence as a threat to sovereignty.
  • In Nepal, Gorkhas are increasingly deviated to China from India forces due to the new Agniveer Scheme.
  • In Sri Lanka, there is also growing China’s influence (especially through Hambantota Port).
  • China’s String of Pearls Strategy and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are another concerning projects for India.
• Geopolitical Choices Made by the Region’s Smaller Powers: South Asia’s smaller powers, India’s neighbours, are engaged in a range of strategies- balancing, bargaining, hedging and bandwagoning. India’s smaller neighbours seem to find China as a useful hedge against India, for the moment at least. 
  • Some smaller nations such as Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives in South Asia perceive India’s actions as an attempt to assert its hegemony that has led to a sense of mistrust with India and engagement with China.
• India’s Indo-Pacific Focus: In the Indo-Pacific, while attention has grown, India’s global importance as a vital player might have strained its capacity to engage with its continental neighbours, given its focus on the great power dynamics in the region.
• Obsolescence of South Asia as a Geopolitical Construct: The traditional concept of South Asia as a geopolitical entity is becoming obsolete and has further marginalized India’s role in the region, diminishing its hold and influence.
• Strained Relations with Neighbours: 
  • Border-disputes: India has long-standing border disputes, particularly with China (Line of Actual Control) and Pakistan (Line of Control) that has led to military conflicts and tensions.
    • India-Sri Lanka faces tensions regarding ownership of Katchatheevu Island.
    • India-Nepal also faces boundary disputes, especially regarding the Kalapani-Limpiyadhura-Lipulekh trijunction area in western Nepal and the Susta area in southern Nepal.
  • Cross-border Terrorism: India has been a victim of terrorism perpetrated by groups based in neighbouring states, especially Pakistan.
  • Water-dispute: Water sharing has been a source of tension over the allocation and use of water resources, which has led to disputes, such as disputes over the Indus water treaty with Pakistan. 
    • India and Bangladesh have signed only 2 treaties out of 54 common rivers they share, including the Ganga Waters Treaty and The Kushiyara River Treaty.
    • India and Nepal have traditionally disagreed over the Sugauli Treaty signed in 1816 between the British East India Company and Nepal, which delimited the boundary along the Maha Kali River in Nepal. 
  • Political Instability: Some of India’s neighbours have experienced political instability and internal conflicts that have had an impact on regional stability and security, such as the military coup in Myanmar in 2021.

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Way Forward

• Counter China Challenge: India must revisit some of its traditional conceptions of the region, ‘modernise’ its primacy in South Asia, and take proactive and imaginative policy steps to meet the China challenge in the region.
• Capitalizing on India’s Strengths in Regional Engagement: India should prioritize leveraging its strengths instead of attempting to compete directly with the People’s Republic of China in every aspect, which is an impractical pursuit. 
  • It’s crucial to devise a fresh approach to regional involvement that aligns with India’s traditional advantages and the evolving realities of the region. 
  • Reasserting its Buddhist heritage serves as an illustrative strategy.
• Leveraging India’s Maritime Advantage: India’s continental strategy presents numerous obstacles, whereas its maritime domain offers ample opportunities to boost trade, participate in mini-laterals, and forge issue-based coalitions, among other endeavors. 
• Engaging South Asian Neighbors in Indo-Pacific Strategy: This might entail integrating India’s smaller South Asian neighbors into Indo-Pacific strategic dialogues. While many of them are maritime nations, they currently have limited involvement in the Indo-Pacific initiative.
• Expanding Indo-Pacific Partnerships: India and its allies (the U.S., Japan, Australia, the European Union, and others) should explore avenues to engage and collaborate with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Bangladesh within their broader Indo-Pacific strategy.
• Tap Soft Power: India should harness its soft power to maintain influence, fostering informal contacts and conflict management processes in the region.
• Diversify Engagement: India needs to focus on collaborative development projects that address contemporary and specific needs, such as joint research in areas like agriculture, renewable energy, climate issues, disaster management, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, etc.
• Enhance Regional Cooperation: India should prioritize enhancing cooperation and collaboration within South Asia by revitalizing initiatives like SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation), BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical Cooperation) and promoting bilateral partnerships with individual South Asian countries.
• Maintain & Focus on its Own Ideology: India needs to re-focus on its Neighbourhood First policy and prioritize inclusive development projects and needs to foster mutual trust.
  • South Asia at Heart of Global South: India needs to enhance its regional diplomatic ties by focusing the South Asian region as a pivotal player in the Voice of Global South Summits.
  • India should try to incorporate ethical principles into its foreign policy, reclaiming moral leadership globally, as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi in his words as politics without principles and ethics would be disastrous.

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