Content :
Whose mountain is it, anyway?
India’s rise to 4th largest economy belies per capita reality
Is India the world’s fourth largest economy?
India warms to foreign law firms, but concerns simmer
Indian summers are getting hotter, but have we lost the ability to adapt?
Whose mountain is it, anyway?
The Immediate Incident: NIMAS on Mt. Khangchendzonga
On May 18, 2025, a NIMAS team scaled Mt. Khangchendzonga from Nepal’s side.
This sparked protests in Sikkim where the peak is held sacred and climbing it from the Indian side is officially prohibited.
The act was part of the Indian Army’s ‘Har Shikhar Tiranga’ campaign to plant the Indian flag on every state’s highest peak.
Relevance : GS 1 (Geography),GS 2 (Governance)
Sacred Mountains and Indigenous Beliefs
Mt. Khangchendzonga is deeply revered in Sikkim’s indigenous spiritual culture.
The Sikkim government had issued notifications under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, disallowing climbs from the Indian side.
Similar global instances of sacred mountain reverence:
Mauna Kea (Hawaii) – Thirty-Meter Telescope stalled due to native protests.
Haleakalā volcano (Hawaii) – U.S. military project opposed by natives.
Cerro Armazones (Chile) – Atacameño communities protested telescope construction.
Broader Tensions: Science, Security vs. Spirituality
Mountains hold significance for:
Scientific exploration (geology, climate).
Strategic concerns (military, water sources).
Spiritual sanctity (indigenous communities).
The clash between state-centric objectives and indigenous rights is growing.
Scientific and defence actors often neglect cultural sensitivities, assuming their goals supersede local beliefs.
Patterns of Marginalization
In multiple cases, consultation with local communities happens late or never:
India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) faced protests due to denial of temple access.
Heavy police presence undermined trust and spiritual autonomy of local communities.
State actions often appear heavy-handed and dismissive of indigenous agency.
Legal and Ethical Shifts
Global instruments supporting indigenous rights:
UNDRIP (United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples).
ILO Convention 169 – both stress free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC).
Article 30 of UNDRIP obliges consultation even in military-related activities.
Increasingly, litigation, protests, and reputational risks are pushing states to seek consent proactively.
Role of Civil Society and Changing Power Equations
Youth-led civil society, technology, and climate vulnerability have empowered indigenous advocacy.
Indigenous individuals are gaining political representation and legal voice.
Strategic or symbolic actions (like planting flags) must be weighed against the social and spiritual costs.
Recommendations and Cautions
Consult before acting – cheaper and more sustainable than post-facto correction.
Governments must balance national pride and local sensitivities.
The NIMAS act may seem benign, but bypassing local consultation undermines trust and sets a negative precedent.
Symbolism must not override sacred geography and cultural dignity.
Conclusion
A growing global and domestic consensus favours inclusive and respectful engagement with indigenous communities.
As mountains become zones of climate fragility and cultural assertion, consultation and consent are no longer optional—they are essential for ethical governance and sustainable national interest.
India’s rise to 4th largest economy belies per capita reality
GDP Growth vs. Per Capita Reality
India is set to become the 4th largest economy by 2025, overtaking Japan, as per IMF projections.
However, absolute GDP figures do not reflect income distribution, living standards, or development.
GDP per capita (a better measure of individual prosperity) is 12 times lower in India than in Japan, and 9 times lower than in Poland, despite India’s much larger GDP.
Relevance : GS 3(Indian Economy)
Structural Transformation of the Workforce
India (2023): ~45% of the workforce still in agriculture — a sign of underdevelopment.
Poland and Japan: Less than 10% in agriculture; high proportion in industry and services.
Lack of structural transformation hampers productivity and income growth in India.
Quality of Employment
Share of wage/salaried workers:
India: 23.9%
Japan: 91%
Poland: 80.1%
Low formal employment in India points to widespread informality, job insecurity, and lack of social protection.
Education Indicators
Gross enrolment rate in tertiary (college) education:
India: 32.7%
Japan: ~65%
Poland: ~75%
Lower higher education participation in India limits skilled workforce development and social mobility.
Health Indicators
Life Expectancy (2023):
India: 72 years
Japan: 84 years
Poland: 78.5 years
Infant Mortality Rate (IMR, per 1,000 live births):
India: 24.5
Japan and Poland: <5
India’s relatively poorer health outcomes reflect underinvestment in healthcare and service delivery gaps.
Human Development Index (HDI)
India (2023): HDI of 0.685 → Medium Human Development
Poland and Japan: HDI > 0.9 → Very High Human Development
HDI captures the multi-dimensional gaps India still faces despite economic size.
Conclusion
India’s economic rise is impressive in scale but masks deeper developmental challenges.
A larger economy does not guarantee improved well-being unless growth is inclusive, employment-generating, and human-capital focused.
For meaningful progress, India must address inequality, education, healthcare, and job formalisation.
Is India the world’s fourth largest economy?
India’s GDP Rank: What’s Being Celebrated
IMF projects India’s nominal GDP to surpass Japan’s in 2025 ($4.187 trillion vs. $4.186 trillion), making it the 4th largest economy by market exchange rates.
Government has attributed this rise to its leadership and aims for 3rd position by 2028 and a developed nation status by 2047.
Relevance : GS 3(Indian Economy)
Limits of GDP as a Measure
GDP doesn’t reflect:
Quality of life, health, education.
Income inequality or employment conditions.
Non-market activities like unpaid care work by women.
Sole reliance on GDP masks socio-economic realities and development gaps.
GDP Conversion Methods: Market Exchange Rate vs PPP
Market Exchange Rates (MER)
Commonly used in global discourse.
India ranked 5th since 2021 and projected to rise.
Problems:
Highly volatile.
Ignores domestic purchasing power.
Misrepresents cost-of-living differences (e.g. beer, rent, meals).
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)
Adjusts for price level differences across countries.
Based on cost of a “typical basket of goods”.
India became the 3rd largest economy by PPP in 2009 and has remained so.
Drawback: Can inflate GDP for poor countries due to lower wages and prices.
The “Big Economy Illusion”
India’s GDP looks impressive in aggregate but per capita it’s low:
$2,711 in 2024 (nominal terms) – below Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Vietnam.
Ranks: 144th (nominal) and 127th (PPP) out of 196 countries.
Large population dilutes per capita gains, showing persistent underdevelopment.
Caveats and Misinterpretations
Using only market exchange rates helps political narratives, not truth.
PPP-based figures are often misused to imply faster progress than reality.
Informal sector, low wages, underemployment, and unpaid labour inflate PPP GDP artificially.
What Should Be Measured Instead
Focus should shift from aggregate GDP to:
Human Development Indicators.
Health, education, income distribution, job quality.
Social progress indexes for a truer picture of well-being.
Conclusion
India is the 4th largest economy by nominal GDP, but that alone means little.
To claim India is “developed” or “wealthy” is misleading without addressing:
Inequality, poverty, poor job quality.
Low per capita income.
A multi-indicator approach is needed for a more accurate assessment of India’s development status.
India warms to foreign law firms, but concerns simmer
Background & Historical Resistance
2000 Protest: Over 40,000 Indian lawyers protested against foreign law firms entering India, citing protection of domestic legal practice.
Trigger: Law Commission’s proposal to amend the Advocates Act, 1961, to allow foreign legal consultants sparked nationwide backlash.
Supreme Court 2018 Ruling: Reinforced that foreign firms cannot practice in India, even for non-litigation work.
Relevance : GS 2(Governance)
Current Policy Shift
BCI’s May 2025 Notification: Permits foreign law firms and lawyers to practice in India only in:
Non-litigious work
Foreign and international law matters
Reciprocal basis only (i.e., if Indian lawyers get similar rights abroad)
2023 Notification: First sign of softening stance; although challenged in Delhi HC, now effectively revived and formalised.
Arguments in Favour
Lalit Bhasin (SILF): Once opposed, now supports it as an opportunity for mutual learning and growth for young Indian lawyers.
Haigreve Khaitan: Sees the move as a catalyst for:
Knowledge sharing
Innovation
Adoption of global best practices
Concerns & Criticism
Legal Validity: Critics argue BCI’s move contradicts the Advocates Act, 1961 and SC’s 2018 ruling.
Parliamentary Inaction: BCI acted without an amendment to the law; critics urge Parliament to amend the Act formally.
“Old wine in new bottle”: Critics like Bhasin say the new rules merely repackage the 2023 notification.
Reciprocity Questioned:
Indian lawyers face restrictions (tests, permits) abroad.
No clarity on which countries have extended true reciprocal access.
Critics say reciprocity claim is “illusionary”.
Key Issues at Stake
Legal Integrity: Whether BCI can bypass legislative amendment and Supreme Court verdict.
Reciprocity Ambiguity: Lack of mutual recognition of qualifications and rights.
Professional Impact: Possible long-term effects on Indian legal profession, especially small domestic law firms.
Conclusion
While the policy signals India’s openness to global legal integration, lack of legal clarity, judicial approval, and genuine reciprocity could create structural conflicts and professional inequality.
Indian summers are getting hotter, but have we lost the ability to adapt?
Rising Heat & Scientific Reality
India is genuinely getting hotter, not just due to perception.
Heat waves are more frequent, intense, and prolonged – 200% rise in cumulative heatwave days (177 in 2010 → 536 in 2024).
IMD defines a heat wave as ≥40°C in plains / ≥30°C in hills with ≥4.5°C above normal for 2+ days.
Relevance : GS 1(Geography) , GS 3(Disaster Management)
Invisible Deaths & Data Gaps
Official heat death data underreports reality: 20,615 deaths (2000–2020) vs GBD estimate: 1.5 lakh+ in 2021.
Many deaths occur outside hospitals — at farms, construction sites, or homes.
No standardized real-time surveillance, leading to poor public health response.
Excess mortality analysis is more realistic — captures both direct and indirect heat-related deaths.
Economic Impacts
2022 heatwave reduced wheat yields by ~4.5%, up to 15% in some districts.
Triggered record 207 GW electricity demand, straining grids and causing blackouts.
Labour productivity fell, particularly in outdoor work (agriculture, construction).
McKinsey: Heat-related productivity loss could cost 2.5–4.5% of GDP by 2030.
Loss of Traditional Wisdom
Pre-modern India adapted wisely: breathable architecture (mud, lime, sandstone), water systems (stepwells, jaalis), and sun-sensitive routines.
Navtapa (May 25–June 2) aligns with modern heatwave data — involved behavioural adaptations: hydrating diets, resting, etc.
These traditions waned due to post-liberalisation development: concrete/glass architecture, rigid urban jobs, and ignored local materials.
Inadequate Heat Governance
Ahmedabad’s 2014 Heat Action Plan (HAP) is a rare success — 1,190 lives saved annually.
Other cities (e.g., Bhubaneswar, Nagpur) trying green roofs & urban greening.
But most HAPs lack legal backing, dedicated funds, or clear accountability.
Few cities have climate officers or climate-integrated master plans.
Rural India: The Blind Spot
No rural heat action plans despite rural areas housing the most vulnerable.
Schemes like MGNREGA, NHM, GPDP barely address heat.
Panchayats lack funds, training, and institutional guidance.
Vanishing water bodies, tree cover, and stepwells worsen rural vulnerability.
Poor Risk Communication
Most people don’t understand “feels like” temperature, which includes humidity, wind, etc.
42°C could feel like 50°C — but public health messages don’t convey this effectively.
Alerts are issued in English/Hindi, digital-only formats, excluding non-literate, regional, and migrant populations.
Needs oral messaging, local languages, radio, posters, community workers.
Way Forward: Heat Resilience
Immediate action:
Roll out district-wise Heat Action Plans under Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Create shaded rest areas, ensure clean water, and targeted alerts.
Medium-term:
Mainstream heat adaptation in PMAY, MGNREGA, NHM.
Promote reflective roofs, green spaces, traditional cooling architecture.
Use District Mineral Funds and 15th Finance Commission grants for climate adaptation.
Long-term:
Revise building codes to mandate passive cooling.
Define clear institutional roles: IMD, NDMA, SDMAs, ULBs, Panchayats.
Move from emergency response to anticipatory, resilient planning.
Final Insight
India doesn’t lack knowledge, but integration of traditional practices + modern science is missing.
Political will, institutional coordination, and inclusive planning are essential to cope with intensifying heat
