Cotent :

1. Misinformation a bigger threat than COVID-19 uptick
2. Monsoon woes
3. Strengthening the U.S.-India subsea cable agenda

Misinformation a bigger threat than COVID-19 uptick

Current COVID-19 Situation

• Uptick in cases in India since mid-May 2025, rising from a few to a few hundred daily.
• Wastewater surveillance confirms increased viral load in some Indian cities.
• Similar trends in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and South Korea.

Relevance : GS 2(Health , Governance)

Practice Question : “Misinformation is a bigger threat than the current COVID-19 uptick.” Discuss in the context of India’s public health governance.(250 Words)

Variant Context

• The dominant variant: JN.1 (Pirola) — an Omicron sub-variant, not new.
• First detected in August 2023 in Luxembourg; circulating in India since late 2023.
• No significant clinical difference from parent Omicron variant.
• Sub-lineages like LF.7 and NB.1.8 also detected — no added severity.

Reasons for Case Uptick

• Persistence of virus: SARS-CoV-2 likely to become endemic and seasonal, similar to flu.
• Mutation-prone nature: RNA viruses mutate frequently, causing new sub-lineages.
• Increased testing and surveillance: Boost in detection due to precautionary response to regional trends.

Epidemiological Trends

• Possible seasonal pattern emerging: Every 8–10 months in India (waves in Jan 2022, early 2023, Dec 2023-Jan 2024, July-Aug 2024, May 2025).
• Hybrid immunity (natural + vaccine) doesn’t prevent infection, but reduces severity.
• No surge in hospitalizations or severe cases observed.

Numbers in Perspective

• Daily COVID-19 cases (200–300) = 1 case per 45–70 lakh population.
• Daily burden of other diseases:
  • TB: ~8,000 new cases/day; ~900 deaths/day.
  • Influenza virus: ~390 deaths/day.
  • RSV disease: ~310 deaths/day.
  • Air pollution-related diseases: much higher.
• COVID-19’s current impact is minor compared to other ongoing health challenges.

Misleading Metrics

• ‘Active case’ counts are outdated and misleading — used during the initial pandemic when immunity was low.
• With widespread hybrid immunity, most individuals become non-infectious within a day or two.

On Vaccination

• No need for additional COVID-19 vaccine doses for the general population.
• Memory cells in the immune system provide long-term protection from severe disease.
• Flu and age-appropriate vaccines are more beneficial, especially for high-risk individuals.

Key Concerns

• Infodemic (misinformation) is a bigger threat than the current uptick in infections.
• Overreaction could strain health systems, cause panic, and lead to response fatigue.

Way Forward

• Avoid panic; adopt a rational, epidemiological, and proportionate response.
• COVID-19 should now be treated like any mild respiratory illness unless new evidence suggests otherwise.
• Government and citizens should:
  • Monitor trends.
  • Avoid rumour-mongering.
  • Maintain public trust by avoiding false alarms.

Monsoon woes

Onset & Its Impact

• The southwest monsoon has begun forcefully, entering via Kerala (Arabian Sea branch) and Andaman-Nicobar/Northeast (Bay of Bengal branch).
• The Bay of Bengal branch often brings early and intense rains to northeastern States, frequently triggering floods and landslides.

Relevance : GS 1(Geography ) , GS 3(Disaster Management)

Practice Question : “Monsoon woes in Northeast India demand region-specific disaster management and long-term mitigation strategies.” Discuss.(250 Words)

Current Situation in Northeast India (As of May-End & Early June)

• Assam:
  • 10 major rivers are above danger levels.
  • Over 3 lakh people affected across 19 districts.

• Tripura:
  • Experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall; more downpours expected.

• Sikkim:
  • Landslides in North Sikkim trapped ~1,500 tourists.
  • A bus fell into Teesta River; fatalities and missing passengers reported.

• Overall toll (as of May 31):
  • At least 52 deaths due to floods, landslides, flash floods, lightning.

Structural & Climatic Concerns

• Despite IMD’s projection of below-normal monsoon for the northeast, the region’s base rainfall is inherently high → makes even “normal” rains damaging.
• Northeast receives two monsoons:
  • June–September (Southwest)
  • October–December (Retreating/Northeast monsoon)
• This makes it a year-round vulnerable region.

Chronic Issues

• Inadequate infrastructure due to:
  • Challenging terrain.
  • Neglected investment & planning.
• Disasters recur annually, yet no significant long-term mitigation framework is in place.

Need for Long-term Planning

• Call for a sustainable, region-specific flood and landslide mitigation strategy.
• Requires:
  • Centre–State collaboration.
  • Comprehensive vulnerability mapping.
  • Resilient infrastructure development.
  • Pre-disaster planning and early warning systems.

Strengthening the U.S.-India subsea cable agenda

Strategic Context

• U.S.-India ties are expanding across trade and technology, especially under the TRUST framework (successor to iCET).
• Subsea cables, vital for 95%+ of global Internet traffic, are emerging as a critical digital infrastructure priority.
• China’s Digital Silk Road expansion in the Indo-Pacific underscores the urgency of trusted alternatives.

Relevance : GS 2(International Relations) , GS 3(Technology)

Practice Question : “Examine the strategic significance of subsea cables in the U.S.-India partnership and discuss how both countries can strengthen cooperation to enhance digital resilience in the Indo-Pacific.” (250 Words)

Why Subsea Cables Matter

• Subsea cables connect continents, enable cloud services, and support critical infrastructure.
• They are essential for:
  • Digital economy functioning.
  • National security.
  • Regional strategic influence.

India’s Current Landscape

• India has 17 subsea cables (vs Singapore’s 26) — underutilized potential.
• Geographical advantages:
  • 11,098 km coastline.
  • Central location in Indo-Pacific.
  • Rising data demand and digital economy.
• Yet, cable landing stations are overly concentrated in Mumbai (15/17 landings within a 6-km stretch).
  • High risk of disruption due to natural disasters or sabotage.

Strategic & Economic Opportunity

• India is well-placed to become a global subsea cable transit hub:
  • Near major maritime chokepoints (Hormuz, Malacca, Bab-el-Mandeb).
  • Central to Africa-Asia and Europe-Asia cable routes.
  • Positioned to serve dynamic emerging economies (e.g., Indonesia, Africa).
• Domestic bandwidth demand growing at 38% CAGR (2021–2028).

Challenges and Barriers

• Regulatory complexity:
  • Over 50 approvals needed from multiple ministries for undersea cable projects.
• Dependency on foreign-flagged repair ships:
  • Ships based in Singapore/Dubai take 3–5 months to respond to faults.
  • Cumbersome clearance processes → long downtimes and commercial loss.

Recommended Steps

India Must:

• Simplify licensing and regulatory clearance for cable projects.
• Develop a domestic repair ecosystem:
  • Indian-flagged repair ships.
  • Dedicated depot infrastructure.
• Diversify cable landing sites to build network redundancy.

U.S. Must:

• Provide concessional financing and technical assistance.
• Encourage U.S. firms to anchor undersea cable projects (e.g., Meta’s 50,000-km initiative).
• Collaborate under the TRUST framework to promote secure and diversified subsea routes.

Conclusion

• Subsea cable collaboration will:
  • Boost digital resilience of the Indo-Pacific.
  • Counter China’s influence in the region.
  • Deepen strategic and commercial ties between India and the U.S.
• It must be treated as a frontline strategic priority under the evolving bilateral and Quad partnerships