22 December 2025

• India described the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu youth, in Bangladesh as a “horrendous act” and raised strong concerns over the safety of minority communities.
• The incident occurred in Mymensingh, amid protests following the death of a student leader, leading to mob violence.
• India dismissed Bangladeshi media reports alleging threats to Bangladesh’s diplomats in India, terming them “misleading propaganda”.
• Bangladesh’s interim government responded, stating that arrests had been made and such incidents occur across the region.
• India temporarily shut down Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) in Bangladesh citing repeated “security incidents” and attacks on Indian missions.

Key Points

• Diplomatic Communication: India conveyed concerns through official diplomatic channels; both sides issued public statements.
• Mission Security: India reiterated its obligation to protect foreign missions under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, 1961.
• Visa Services: IVAC closures in Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, and Khulna highlight operational challenges amid unrest.
• Minority Safety: India emphasized protection of minorities; Bangladesh rejected linking the killing specifically to minority persecution.
• Regional Sensitivity: The episode underscores fragile people-to-people ties and the volatility of domestic unrest spilling into foreign policy.

Static Linkages

• Principles of non-interference and sovereign equality of states.
• Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) – protection of diplomatic missions and personnel.
• India’s Neighbourhood First Policy and regional diplomacy in South Asia.
• Consular relations and international obligations of host states.
• Role of internal law and order in shaping foreign relations.

Critical Analysis

• Positives
  • India followed rule-based diplomacy.
  • Emphasis on protection of minorities and missions.
• Concerns
  • Risk of bilateral strain.
  • Visa suspension affects people-to-people ties.  
  • Media sensationalism escalates tensions.

Way Forward

• Quiet diplomatic engagement over public rhetoric.
• Joint security coordination for missions.
• Gradual resumption of visa services.
• Counter misinformation through official channels.

ASSAM TRAIN KILLS ELEPHANT

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

• An elephant calf (<1 week old) died at the Centre for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation (CWRC) near Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, 24 hours after being hit by an express train.
• The accident occurred on the Jamunamukh– Kampur railway section in Hojai district, Assam.
• The Sairang Rajdhani Express hit a herd crossing the tracks, killing seven elephants.
• CM Himanta Biswa Sarma ordered a probe and called for stronger safety measures in wildlife corridors.
• Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav sought a report and directed States to monitor elephant movement near railway lines.

Key Points

• Accident site is not a notified elephant corridor.
• Conservationists identify the stretch as a high- risk migration zone.
• The calf suffered fractured legs and internal injuries (CWRC).
• Northeast Frontier Railway cited lack of corridor notification.
• Centre directed Railway–Forest Department coordination nationwide.

Static Linkages

• Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus indicus) → Schedule I, Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• India hosts ~60% of global Asian elephant population (Project Elephant).
• Wildlife corridors enable genetic flow and seasonal migration.
• Linear infrastructure is a major cause of human–wildlife conflict (ISFR).
• National Wildlife Action Plan (2017–2031) stresses mitigation of infrastructure impacts.

Critical Analysis

• Positives
  • High-level political and administrative response.
  • Existing policy support via Project Elephant.
• Issues
  • Many corridors remain unnotified, weakening enforcement.
  • Poor real-time coordination between agencies.
  • Weak enforcement of train speed limits.
  • Ongoing habitat fragmentation.
• Stakeholders
  • Conservationists: demand speed limits, surveillance.
  • Railways: operational limits, legal gaps.
  • Local communities: safety and livelihood risks.

Way Forward

• Legally notify all high-risk elephant corridors.
• Enforce strict speed limits and night restrictions.
• Use AI sensors, thermal cameras, drones.
• Formalize joint SOPs between Railways and Forest Departments.
• Mandate wildlife impact assessment at planning stage.
• Strengthen community-based early warning systems.

JUSTICE DELAY FOR CONSUMERS

• Consumer courts were created to provide quick, affordable and simple justice to ordinary consumers.
• However, recent cases show that disputes are dragging on for years, sometimes even a decade.
• This defeats the very purpose of consumer protection laws.
• Parliamentary data from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution confirms that pendency is increasing rather than declining, even after legal reforms.

Key Facts and Data

• As of January 30, 2024, around 5.43 lakh consumer cases were pending across district, State and national consumer commissions.
• In 2024, although many cases were disposed of, new filings exceeded disposals, leading to a net rise in pendency.
• The same trend continued in 2025, indicating a structural problem, not a temporary backlog.
• The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 clearly mandates:
  • Disposal within 3 months if no testing is required.
  • Disposal within 5 months if testing or expert analysis is needed.
• Despite this, these timelines are rarely enforced in practice.
• Administrative and Structural Issues
• A major reason for delay is large-scale vacancies:
  • Hundreds of posts of Presidents and Members remain vacant at district and State levels.
• Many commissions lack:
  • Adequate courtrooms  
  • Supporting staff
  • Modern digital case management systems
• Members are often legally trained, but disputes today involve:
  • Insurance
  • Medical negligence  E-commerce
  • Technical products
  •  → This requires domain expertise, causing repeated adjournments.

Procedural Causes of Delay

• Frequent adjournments despite legal discouragement.
• Delay in service of notices to opposite parties.  
• Late filing of affidavits and evidence.
• Higher forums becoming overburdened due to appeals from lower commissions.

Static Linkages

• Access to justice as a core element of Rule of Law.
• Role of quasi-judicial bodies in reducing burden on regular courts.
• Tribunalisation and judicial pendency in India.
• Consumer rights as part of inclusive economic growth.

Critical Analysis

• Why the Problem Matters
  • Delays discourage consumers from seeking legal remedies.
  • Small traders and rural litigants suffer financial and psychological stress.
  • Businesses face uncertainty due to prolonged litigation.
  • Public trust in institutions erodes.
• Positive Aspects
  • Consumer courts are still cheaper and more accessible than regular courts.
  • Legal timelines and mediation provisions already exist.
  • Digital platforms like e-Daakhil have expanded access.
• Key Gaps
  • Poor implementation of existing laws.
  • Inadequate manpower and infrastructure.  
  • Weak accountability mechanisms.

Way Forward

• Time-bound filling of vacancies at all levels.
• Mandatory hybrid / virtual hearings for routine dates.
• Strengthening e-Daakhil with intelligent case-listing tools.
• Empanelment of technical and domain experts.
• Strict enforcement of adjournment restrictions with cost penalties.
• Promote pre-litigation mediation to reduce caseload.
• Regular performance audits of consumer commissions.

• Rights-based employment guarantee law (not a scheme).
• Guarantees 100 days of wage employment per rural household per year.
• Employment is on demand, failing which unemployment allowance is payable.
• Implemented through Gram Panchayats.
• Enforced through legal entitlement, not administrative discretion.

Constitutional & Legal Basis

• Article 41 – Right to work (DPSP).
• Article 39(a) – Adequate means of livelihood.  
• Article 38 – Social and economic justice.
• 73rd Constitutional Amendment – Democratic decentralisation.
• Gram Sabha → Planning, monitoring, social audit.

Key Features

• Minimum 100 days employment (extendable to 150 days in notified areas).
• Work must be provided within 15 days of demand.
• Unskilled manual work only.
• Women participation ≥ 33% (actual participation ~55–60%).
• Wages linked to Minimum Wages Act.
• Payment within 15 days → delay compensation mandatory.
• No contractors or machines allowed.

Funding Pattern

• Originally:
  • Centre: 90% wage cost
  • States: 10% wage + unemployment allowance
• Current concern:
  • Shift towards 60:40 burden → weakens State capacity.
• Uncapped funding principle → central to demand-driven nature.

Institutional Architecture

• Gram Sabha – Identifies works + social audit.
• Gram Panchayat – Primary implementation agency.
• State Government – Monitoring + fund flow.  Union Government – Financing + guidelines.

Social Audit

• Mandatory under the Act.
• Conducted by Gram Sabha.  
• Ensures:
  • Transparency
  • Reduction in corruption  Community ownership
  • Recognised globally as best practice in accountability.

Economic & Social Impact

• Increased rural wage floor.
• Reduced distress migration.
• Improved bargaining power of landless labourers.
• Asset creation:
  • Water conservation
  • Soil health
  • Rural connectivity
• Acted as counter-cyclical stabiliser during:
  • Droughts
  • COVID-19 pandemic

Importance During COVID-19

• Along with National Food Security Act, key safety net.
• Peak demand reflected structural rural distress.
• Proof that scheme is need-based, not populist.

Current Issues / Concerns

• Budget caps → defeat demand-driven principle.
• Delayed wage payments → violation of legal right.
• Tech-based exclusions (Aadhaar, ABPS).
• Centralisation undermines local planning.
• Reduced State incentive due to fiscal burden.

Federalism Angle

• Cost shifting → violates cooperative federalism.
• States discouraged from generating employment.
• Contradicts spirit of Fiscal Devolution (Finance Commission).

Governance & Ethics Angle

• Dilution of rights-based laws → ethical concern.
• Social justice vs fiscal consolidation debate.
• Accountability weakened without strong audits.
• Moral obligation of State under DPSPs.

Way Forward (Ready-to-Write Points)

• Restore uncapped demand-based funding.  
• Strengthen timely wage payments.
• Re-empower Gram Sabha.
• Improve transparency without digital exclusion.
• Treat MGNREGA as economic infrastructure, not expenditure.

UNLOCK INDIA- AFRICE TRADE TIES

Context of the News

• Recent visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Namibia and Ghana (July 2025) and earlier to Ethiopia (December 2025) renewed focus on India–Africa economic ties.
• Momentum in relations over the last decade, marked by African Union becoming a permanent member of the G20 during India’s 2023 presidency.
• India seeks diversification of export markets amid uncertainty in Western economies.
• Bilateral trade between India and African countries has reached nearly USD 100 billion. pasted

Key Points

• India is Africa’s 4th-largest trading partner; China remains the largest with trade exceeding USD 200 billion.
• India exported USD 38.17 billion worth of goods to Africa in FY24; major partners include Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania.
• Major Indian exports: petroleum products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods, rice, textiles.
• Africa accounts for around 6% of its imports from India, compared to 21% from China.
•   India has set a target to double trade with Africa by 2030. pasted

Static Linkages

• South–South Cooperation and development partnerships
• Trade diversification and export-led growth strategy.
• Role of regional trade blocs and preferential trade agreements .
• Lines of Credit as instruments of development finance
• Maritime connectivity and port-led development
• Public sector role in strategic overseas investments

Critical Analysis

• Opportunities
  • Africa offers high-growth markets and demographic dividends.
  • Scope for moving from commodity trade to value-added manufacturing.
  • Engagement with African Continental Free Trade Area can enhance market access.
  • MSMEs gain easier entry compared to Western markets.
• Challenges
  • India lags behind China in scale, manufacturing presence, and logistics integration.
  • Limited utilisation of African investment incentives by Indian firms.
  • High freight costs, weak trade finance access, and political risks.
  • Indian investments concentrated via Mauritius, limiting real-sector impact.
• Stakeholder Perspective
  • African nations seek infrastructure, skills, and industrial capacity.
  • Indian private sector faces financing and risk-mitigation constraints.
  • Indian PSUs have strategic capacity but limited overseas risk appetite.

Way Forward

• Negotiate preferential and comprehensive trade agreements with African regional blocs.
• Promote joint manufacturing ventures and value-chain integration.
• Expand Lines of Credit and improve MSME access to trade finance.
• Encourage local currency trade and joint insurance risk pools.
• Invest in ports, logistics, and India– Africa maritime corridors.
• Scale up services trade in IT, healthcare, education, and skilling.
• Enable Indian PSUs to lead investments in mining, renewables, and infrastructure.