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According to the dashboard of the Swachh Bharat Mission’s website, out of the 2,424 dumpsites having more than 1,000 tonnes of legacy waste identified across the country, remediation has been completed in only 470.

About Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM)

• Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) is a nationwide initiative launched by the Government of India on October 2, 2014, with the goal of achieving a “Clean India” by 2019, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Aim: To eliminate open defecation, improve sanitation, and enhance cleanliness across both rural and urban India. 

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Implementation

• Urban component: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Rural component: Ministry of Jal Shakti.

Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) – SBM-U

Phase 1 (2014-2019):

• Objective: Eliminate open defecation, convert unsanitary toilets into pour flush toilets, eradicate manual scavenging, manage solid waste, and bring about behavioural changes regarding sanitation.
• Target:
  • 1.04 crore households covered.
  • Provision of 2.5 lakh community toilets and 2.6 lakh public toilets.
  • Ensure a solid waste management system in each town.
• Community Toilets: Built in areas where individual household toilets are challenging to construct.
• Public Toilets: Constructed in key locations like markets, tourist spots, and railway stations.
• Financial Assistance:
  • The Central Government provides 40% of the cost of community toilets as Viability Gap Funding (VGF).
  • States/UTs contribute 13.33%, while North-East and special category states contribute only 4%.

Phase 2 (SBM-U 2.0) (2021-2026):

• Vision: Make all cities Garbage-Free and ensure proper grey and black water management.
• Key Focus Areas:
  • Achieving ODF+ and ODF++ (for ULBs with a population below 1 lakh).
  • Source segregation of solid waste, promotion of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), and scientific processing of municipal solid waste.
  • Remediation of legacy dumpsites to tackle long-standing waste management issues.
• Financial Outlay: Approximately Rs. 1.41 lakh crore (2021-22 to 2025-26).
• New Components:
  • Fecal sludge management in ULBs with a population below 1 lakh.
  • Sustainable sanitation, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, and capacity building.

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Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) – SBM-G

Phase 1 (2014-2019):

• SBM (Gramin) was launched by restructuring the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan to ensure cleanliness in rural areas and achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
• Objective: Improve cleanliness through Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) activities and achieve ODF status in Gram Panchayats.
• Incentives for IHHL (Individual Household Latrines):
  • Rs. 12,000 for constructing an IHHL, including provisions for water and handwashing.
  • Central share: Rs. 9,000 (75%), State share: Rs. 3,000 (25%).
  • For North-Eastern states and special category states, the Central share is 90% and State share 10%.

Phase 2 (2020-2025):

• Objective: 
  • Sustain the ODF status of villages
  • Improve the level of cleanliness in rural areas through solid and liquid waste management activities, making villages ODF Plus. This includes
    • ODF Sustainability
    • Solid Waste Management
    • Liquid Waste Management
    • Visual Cleanliness
• Financial Outlay: Rs. 1,40,881 crore to continue the sanitation and behaviour change campaigns.
• Convergence Model: SBM-G Phase II emphasises the integration of financing schemes across Central and State Governments for comprehensive cleanliness (Sampoorn Swachhata).
• Mission Mode Implementation: Focus on ensuring that no one is left behind and sustaining the gains of Phase 1.

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India recently signed the US-led 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) bloc’s agreements on a clean and fair economy. 

About Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF)

• The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) was launched in May 2022 in Tokyo, Japan
• Objective: Enhance economic engagement and cooperation among partner countries to foster growth, economic stability, and regional prosperity.
• Member Countries: 14 members including Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam.
  • These 14 partners represent 40% of global GDP and 28% of global goods and services trade.

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IPEF Pillars

• Fair and Resilient Trade (Pillar I):
  • Aims to promote regional economic growth, peace, and prosperity.
  • Focus on transparent trade practices and addressing issues like labor rights, environmental sustainability, and digital governance.
  • India’s Status: Observer.
• Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II):
  • Seeks to make supply chains more resilient, robust, and well-integrated.
  • Focus on logistics improvements, connectivity, and critical sectors.
  • Includes initiatives to upskill and reskill workers in these areas.
  • India’s Status: Active participant.
• Clean Economy (Pillar III):
  • Aims to promote renewable energy and climate-friendly technologies.
  • Focus on research, development, commercialization, and deployment of clean energy solutions.
  • Encourages investment in climate-related projects in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • India’s Status: Active participant.
• Fair Economy (Pillar IV):
  • Implements anti-corruption measures and tax policies.
  • Focus on creating transparent and fair tax systems, strengthening anti-corruption laws.
  • India’s Status: Active participant.

India’s Position in IPEF

• Pillars Participation: India has joined Pillars II, III, and IV but holds observer status in Pillar I.
• Concerns:
  • India has not committed to joining the negotiations on Pillar I due to potential discriminatory conditions, particularly in areas of digital governance and environmental standards.
  • Digital governance in the IPEF framework does not align with India’s existing digital policies.
  • India has its own digital framework focusing on data protection and privacy.

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A recent study found evidence of volcanic activity as recent as 120 million years ago.

New Discovery Reveals Ongoing Volcanic Activity on the Moon

• Previous Belief: Scientists believed the moon’s volcanic activity stopped about a billion years ago.
• Importance: The new discovery helps understand the moon’s surface, atmosphere, and tectonic activity. 

Key Findings

• Study by Chinese Scientists:

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• • Researchers analyzed lunar glass beads from China’s Chang’e-5 mission.
    • These beads are created by volcanic eruptions or impact events like asteroid strikes.
      • The beads are spherical because it requires the least energy to form this shape, similar to water droplets in space or on Earth.
    • Composition: These beads contain silicon, magnesium, and iron, with small amounts of potassium, titanium, and uranium.
• Glass Beads Analysis:
  • The team studied 3,000 beads focused on their physical and chemical composition.
    • They conducted sulfur isotope analysis to determine their origins.
      • 3 samples were found to be from volcanic activity.
• Dating the Activity:
  • Using uranium-lead radiometric dating method, the volcanic activity was dated to 116–135 million years ago.
• Significance of Sulphur:

• • The use of sulphur isotope ratios was a new method to study volcanic activity, as sulphur is released during eruptions.
    • This method is not commonly used in identifying materials from celestial bodies.
  • Typically, scientists rely on carbon, oxygen, and lead analyses, but sulfur is more effective due to its release during volcanic activity as sulfur dioxide gas.
    • Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different neutron counts.
      • Analyzing isotope ratios helps determine the origin of the samples.
    • The presence of elements like potassium and thorium in the beads suggests these minerals helped fuel volcanic eruptions.

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The rise in retracted scientific papers, particularly in India, highlights increasing concerns over research misconduct and the global “publish or perish” culture.

About Scientific Misconduct

• Scientific misconduct refers to deviations from accepted standards of scientific research, study, and publication ethics. 
• Forms of Scientific Misconduct:
  • Plagiarism: Copying someone else’s work or ideas without proper attribution.
  • Fraud: Deliberately fabricating data or results to mislead others.
  • Data fabrication: Deliberate manipulation or creation of false data or results in scientific research to mislead others.
• Correction of the Scientific Record: Retraction serves as a formal method to correct the scientific record by removing flawed or fraudulent research from the literature.

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About Retractions

• Definition: A Retraction is the process of removing a scientific paper from academic literature due to serious flaws, resulting in the withdrawal of the published work.
  • Honest Error vs. Fraud: Retractions due to honest errors are more forgivable. However, when deliberate fraud is involved, the academic community is far less understanding.
  • Notable Cases:
    • John Darsee: Harvard cardiology researcher who had over 80 papers retracted for falsehoods.
    • Gregg Semenza: Nobel laureate with 12 papers retracted due to potential image manipulation.
• Recent Trends:
  • Surge in Retractions Between 2020 and 2022: Between 2020 and 2022, the number of retractions was 2.5 times higher than between 2017 and 2019.
  • COVID-19 Impact: The pandemic saw a surge in fast-tracked publications, resulting in 10,000 retractions in 2023 for issues related to quality and data.
    • In comparison, only 1,600 papers were retracted in 2013.

Reasons Due to Which Scientists Falsify Papers

• Pressure to Publish: The “publish or perish” culture in academia drives scientists to produce more papers to secure promotions, grants, and recognition. 
  • PhD students are often required to publish papers to graduate, further increasing the pressure.
• Paper Mills: Enterprises known as paper mills churn out fake or low-quality papers and sell them to scientists. 
  • These operations are often linked to countries like Russia, Iran, and China.
• University Rankings: Research institutes push for increased publications to improve their national and international rankings, where research output is a key metric.
• Desire for Career Advancement: High publication counts can help scientists secure prestigious awards, promotions, and research funding, motivating some to falsify results.
• Lack of Proper Oversight: Inadequate peer review processes, particularly during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, allow fraudulent papers to slip through.

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Consequences of Scientific Fraud

• Erosion of Trust: Misconduct erodes trust among scientists and in academic literature.
• Victimisation of Honest Scientists: As H.N.J. Arst noted, “All honest scientists are victims of scientists who commit misconduct,” as fraudulent research can undermine legitimate work and distort scientific progress.
• Harm to Public Knowledge: Fraudulent studies can misinform the public and policymakers, potentially leading to misguided decisions in fields like healthcare, environmental policy, and technology.
• Retractions and Academic Integrity: Retractions serve as a corrective mechanism, but they also reflect poorly on the institutions and journals involved, highlighting flaws in peer review and quality control.

Way Forward in Research Policy

• Utilisation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Detection: Journals should invest in advanced AI tools to detect flawed papers, including identifying plagiarism, image manipulation, and data fabrication.
  • By automating parts of the peer-review process, the quality of submissions can be significantly enhanced.
• Shifting Focus from Quantity to Quality: Research institutions should revise their evaluation metrics to prioritise research quality over sheer volume. 
  • Metrics that assess the impact and relevance of research findings can help reduce the pressure to publish excessively.
• Mentorship Programs: Establish mentorship programs where experienced researchers guide early-career scientists in ethical research practices and navigate the publication process effectively.
• Promoting a Culture of Transparency: Encourage researchers to share their data and methodologies openly, allowing for greater scrutiny and replication of results. Transparency can deter misconduct and enhance trust in research findings.

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By 2050, NASA scientists project that daily tides will submerge half of the main atoll of Funafuti, home to 60% of Tuvalu’s residents, where villages cling to a strip of land as narrow as 20 m in parts.

More About Tuvalu

• It is often referred to as the first country that will be totally submerged, due to climate change
• Location: Polynesian country in the west-central Pacific Ocean
• Hemisphere: Located in both the Southern and Eastern hemispheres.
• Bordering Countries: Santa Cruz Islands, Vanuatu, Nauru, Kiribati, Tokelau, Wallis & Futuna, Samoa, Fiji.
• Capital City: Vaiaku

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After taking a substantial haircut in a debt restructuring proposal of Supreme Infrastructure India Ltd (SIIL), State Bank of India (SBI) has proposed to invest in the preferential share issue of the defaulting company.

About Haircut in Banking

• A haircut is a term used in banking to describe the amount of money a lender forgoes during the loan resolution process. 
• It is the difference between the loan amount and the actual value of the asset used as collateral.

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Different Conditions for Haircut

Loan Recovery

• When a borrower defaults on a loan, the bank may agree to accept a settlement amount that is less than the full amount owed.
• This difference between the original debt and the settlement amount is known as the haircut.
  • For Example, if a bank was owed Rs 10,000 by a borrower and it agrees to take back only Rs 8,000, it takes a 20% haircut. 
• Banks often take haircuts on loans where there is a high risk of default and full recovery is unlikely.

Debt Restructuring

• When a company faces financial difficulties and needs to restructure its debt, creditors may agree to accept a haircut on their claims.
• This means they agree to reduce the amount they are owed in exchange for other concessions, such as longer repayment terms or lower interest rates.

Asset Valuation

• The haircut can also refer to the difference between the market value of an asset and the value assigned to it by a lender when it is used as collateral.
• Riskier assets are typically assigned lower values, resulting in larger haircuts.

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IBC Process

• In the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) process, the haircut can refer to the difference between the claims of financial creditors and the amount they actually receive through the resolution process.
• The haircut can vary widely depending on the circumstances of the case and the value of the company’s assets.
  • The IBC process can yield a zero haircut (100% recovery of claimed amount) in one case and 100 per cent haircut (i.e. 0% recovery) in another.

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Weeks ahead of the onset of winter in India, both Punjab and Haryana have promised to “eliminate” stubble burning this year.

• The Supreme Court sought a report from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) on incidents of stubble-burning and action taken against these occurrences.

About Stubble Burning

• It is a practice of removing agricultural waste from the field by setting on fire the straw stubble (parali) that is left on the land after harvesting of grains like paddy, wheat etc.
• It is mostly practised  in the Indo-Gangetic plains of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to clear the fields for rabi crop sowing.

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Challenges 

• Air Pollution: Each year, air pollution levels rise and the AQI reaches a ‘severe’ and ‘hazardous’ level.
• Harmful Health Impacts: It emits toxic pollutants in the atmosphere containing harmful gases like Carbon Monoxide (CO), methane (CH4), NH3, SO2, carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and volatile organic compounds (VOC). 
• Heat Penetration: Heat generated by stubble burning penetrates into the soil, leading to the loss of moisture and useful microbes
  • For instance, the heat from burning paddy straw penetrates 1 centimetre into the soil, elevating the temperature to around 400 Celsius.
• Soil Fertility: Burning husk on the ground destroys the nutrients in the soil, making it less fertile.
• Global Warming: Greenhouse gases such as CO2, N2O, O3,etc are released during Stubble burning.

Methods to Eliminate Stubble Burning

• In-Situ Management: Utilising specialised machinery or bio chemicals  to manage crop residue directly in the field.
  • For example The Pusa decomposer is a microbial solution that helps break down crop stubble into manure.
• Ex-Situ Management: Transporting crop residue for alternative uses, such as composting or biogas production.
• Co-Firing: Converting paddy straw into pellets and using them as a fuel source in thermal power plants.
• Promotion of Alternative Crops: Encouraging farmers to adopt crop varieties that require less stubble removal.

Policy support from Central Government:The Government has revised the Crop Residue Management guidelines enabling efficient ex-situ management of paddy straw generated in the States of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi.

• Techno-commercial pilot projects: Establishment of supply chains between farmers and industries.
• Financial assistance: Government support for machinery and equipment costs (up to 65%).
• Working capital: Joint funding by industry and beneficiary or through AIF(Agriculture Infrastructure Fund ), NABARD, or other financial institutions.
• Land arrangement: Beneficiary responsible for securing and preparing storage land.
• Project proposal-based support: Financial assistance for specific machinery and equipment.
• State government approval: Projects to be approved by project sanctioning committees.
• Industry contribution: Primary promoter contributes 25% of project cost.
• Farmer or group contribution: Direct beneficiary contributes 10% of project cost.

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Punjab, Haryana Commit to Eliminate Stubble Burning

• Government Commitment: The governments of Punjab and Haryana have pledged to eliminate stubble burning this winter.
• Action Plans: Both states have developed comprehensive action plans to manage crop residue through a combination of in-situ and ex-situ methods.
• Machinery and Support: Adequate machinery and support systems, including Custom Hiring Centers (CHCs), have been provided to farmers.

• Co-Firing Initiatives: Co-firing projects are being implemented in thermal power plants to utilise paddy straw as a fuel source

Challenges in Eliminating Stubble Burning

• Economic Incentives: Providing farmers with economic incentives to adopt alternative practices can be challenging due to budget constraints and administrative difficulties.
• Awareness Campaigns: Reaching out to all farmers in rural areas and ensuring effective communication can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• Technological Limitations: The availability and affordability of suitable machinery for crop residue management can be a barrier for farmers.Social Resistance: Some farmers may resist adopting new practices due to traditional farming methods and cultural beliefs.

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Way Forward

• Comprehensive Policy Framework: Developing a comprehensive policy framework that addresses both economic and environmental concerns.
• Financial Assistance: Providing financial assistance to farmers for adopting alternative practices, such as stubble incorporation or baling.
• Community Engagement: Organizing community workshops and training programs to educate farmers about the benefits of sustainable practices.
• Strict Enforcement: Implementing strict enforcement measures to discourage stubble burning and hold violators accountable.

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The West Bengal government has requested the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing of its appeal against a High Court ruling that removed certain castes including several Muslim castes from the state’s OBC list.

Supreme Court Seeks Clarity on OBC Classification in West Bengal Following High Court Ruling

• As per West Bengal Government, the state’s public service appointments have been delayed due to the uncertainty caused by the May 22 High Court judgement.
• The court had nullified certain provisions of the West Bengal Backward Classes (Other than Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Act, 2012.
  • The High Court’s ruling had removed OBC-A and OBC-B sub-categories from the state’s OBC list.
• The Supreme Court has asked West Bengal to clarify the methodology and scope of the survey conducted to identify the social and educational backwardness of the communities included in the OBC list, along with consultations with the West Bengal Backward Classes Commission.

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About Other Backward Classes (OBCs)

• Other Backward Class is a Collective term used to classify castes which are educationally or socially disadvantaged. 
• Central List : Article 342A (1) authorised the President (in consultation of the governor of the state) to specify the Central list of the OBCs, in relation to a particular State or Union Territory. 
  • Any modification to the central list of the OBCs can be done only by the Parliament.
• State List : Article 342A (3) empowers every State or UT to prepare and maintain for its own purposes, a list of SEBC entries which may be different from the Central List.
• The Constitution’s 127th Amendment (2021) empowered States and Union Territories to create their own lists of socially and educationally backward classes (SEBCs) and allocate reservations accordingly.

OBC Reservation

• OBC reservation in India is rooted in the 1980 Mandal Commission report, which recommended a 27% reservation for OBCs in government services and educational institutions.
• The Mandal report identified OBCs based on socio-educational surveys, census data, and historical factors.
• The Supreme Court’s Indira Sawhney vs Union of India judgement (1992) upheld the 27% OBC reservation.
  • It also introduced the ‘creamy layer’ concept, excluding affluent OBC members from the benefits. 
  • The creamy layer limit, currently set at Rs 8 lakhs annually, has evolved over time, and States implement it while determining OBC quotas.
• The Centre has a 27% OBC quota for government jobs and educational institutions, while States can determine their own OBC lists and reservation percentages. 
• However, States are constrained by the Supreme Court’s 50% ceiling on total reservations, which includes all categories like SCs, STs, and OBCs.
• Several States, including Tamil Nadu (69%), Chhattisgarh (69%), and Maharashtra (62%), have exceeded the 50% cap. 
  • These breaches have led to legal challenges, and in some cases, the Supreme Court has struck down laws that exceed this limit

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Supreme Court Rulings on OBC Reservation

• M. Nagaraja v. Union of India (2006): The Court upheld the validity of the 27% reservation for OBCs in central services, but imposed certain conditions to ensure the creamy layer principle was followed.
• R. K. Chhabra v. Union of India (2008): The Court clarified that the creamy layer exclusion should be applied prospectively, meaning only those OBCs who had enjoyed certain benefits in the past would be excluded.
• Jarnail Singh v. State of Punjab (2018): The Court upheld the validity of the Punjab government’s reservation policy for OBCs in educational institutions, rejecting the argument that it violated the 50% cap on total reservations.
• E. V. Chinnadurai v. State of Tamil Nadu (2020): The Court upheld the Tamil Nadu government’s 7.5% reservation for students from government schools in medical and engineering colleges, even though it went beyond the 50% cap, citing the state’s special circumstances.
• Constitutional Provisions OBC Reservation: 
  • Article 15(4): State has the power to make special provisions for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward class i.e., the OBC.
  • Article 16(4): State is empowered to enact laws for the reservation of appointments or posts in favour of OBCs.
  • Article 340: President, may by order appoint to investigate the conditions of SEBCs and to make recommendations as to the steps that should be taken by the Union or any State to remove such difficulties and to improve their condition. 

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the 9th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) scheduled in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

• Theme of Annual Meeting : “Building Resilient Infrastructure for All”

About Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

• AIIB is a multilateral development bank  established in 2016.
• It aims to improve economic and social outcomes in Asia.
• Headquarters :Beijing, China.
• Membership: It has more than 100 members  with 57 founding members.
  • India is also one of the founding members.
  • Fourteen of the G-20 nations are AIIB members including France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.
• Founding Members: 57 countries. India is a founding member.
• Board of Governors: All powers of the Bank are vested in the Board of Governors, which is the highest decision-making body under Articles of Agreement.

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• Largest Shareholder: China is the AIIB’s largest shareholder with a 26.5% voting share.
  • India is the second-largest, with 7.5% Voting share.
  • Russia  has a 5.97% voting share.
• Focus Areas: Provides funding for diverse sectors including transportation, energy, telecommunications, urban development, and rural infrastructure
• In 2018, AIIB was granted Permanent Observer status in the deliberations of both the United Nations General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council

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Anura Kumara Dissanayake Leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, has been elected as the 10th President of Sri Lanka.

• The NPP has received 42.3% of the votes in these elections, which is a significant upgrade from the 3% of the vote share it secured in the 2019 election.
• Facts:
• • Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the first Marxist political head of the country.
  • The counting of votes entered for the first time to the Second Round, a first since the introduction of the system of executive presidency in 1978. 

About Anura Kumara Dissanayake

• He is the current party leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the National People’s Power.
• Constitutional Positions:
  • Parliamentarian: He was first elected to parliament in 2001 and has remained an MP since then.

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Challenges for India

• The Tamil Issue: Mr. Dissanayake is not in favour of the implementation of the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution, devolving powers to the country’s Tamil minority.
  • The President-elect has also opposed any investigation into the alleged war crimes committed during the civil war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan forces.
• Anti India Stance: The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Party is known for its foundational anti-India and pro-China stance with the founding leader of the Party, the late Rohana Wijeweera calling out ‘Indian expansionism’ in the 1980’s
• Indian Projects: President Dissanayake’s focus on sovereignty will likely lead to Re-engagement in terms of various foreign projects. 
  • The President promised to cancel Gautam Adani’s 450 MW wind power project in Sri Lanka if elected, describing the agreement as ‘corrupt’ and skewed against Sri Lanka’s interests.
• Exclusionary Ideology: Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Party’s ideology is based on exclusion of minorities like the Tamils and Muslims from almost all realms of activity.
  • Example: Dissanayake was an active participant in the anti-India protests of 1987, opposing the India-Sri Lanka accord, which remains the only document on which peace has been negotiated so far. 
• Political Headwinds in Neighbourhood: India is witnessing a hostile political environment in its neighbourhood with Communist/ Marxist governments in Nepal and Sri- Lanka, Pro China Islamist leaning Maldives and Pakistan and widespread political unrest in Bangladesh and Myanmar endangering its regional security.

Opportunities For India

• Building on Goodwill: India has provided the beleaguered Sri Lankan economy with assistance of over USD 4.5 billion and supported Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring efforts during the Island nation’s economic crisis of 2022, resulting in  a significant goodwill for India across political circles, which India can further build upon. 
  • Mr. Dissanayake lauded  India’s role in addressing the economic crisis of 2022 in an interview
• India’s Security Concern: Dissanayake assured as a key policy stance to ensure Sri Lanka’s sea, land, and airspace are not allowed to be used in ways that threaten India and regional stability.
  • Example: The past government has leased the Hambantota Port to a Chinese firm.
• India’s Support in Development Efforts: The President elect’s  focus on enhancing Sri Lanka’s economic resilience without falling prey to debt dependency (China)  will provide India with considerable opportunities to support the country in its development efforts. 
  • Example: About 22 percent of Sri Lanka’s debt was owed to bilateral creditors, with China and Japan each accounting for 10 per cent and India for 2 per cent.
• Balanced Foreign Policy Approach: Mr. Dissanayake is said to pursue a balanced foreign policy approach emphasising on nonalignment and equi-distance from the major powers in pursuit of Sri Lanka’s national interests. This may help India acquire certain controversial Chinese investments for itself. 
• Engaging all the Political Spectrums: India did host Mr.Dissanayake in February 2024, arranging a meeting with NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar in a move widely seen as learning from its failed ‘putting all eggs in a single basket’ strategy in Maldives and Bangladesh. 
• Some Reassurance to Tamils: Mr. Dissanayake has promise to hold elections to provincial councils, a tier of government that the JVP had once opposed, must be reassuring to Tamils
• Help in Dairy Sector: The new President is interested in adopting the AMUL model of India for development of Sri Lanks’s Dairy Sector. India can be a partner for Sri Lanka by providing its expertise. 
  • Example: A joint venture agreement among India’s National Dairy Development Board, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, and Cargills of Sri Lanka for self-sufficiency in the dairy sector was signed last year.

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