Role of Panchayati Raj in strengthening local governance
Recognising the significant role of panchayats in local governance, the government on April 9 launched the Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) – 'a key metric for assessing progress at the grassroots level and aiding in the formulation of localised strategies and targets for inclusive rural development'.
Additionally, the 2024 index published by the Union Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the effort towards addressing the practice of 'Pradhan Pati' or 'Mukhiya Pati' speaks volumes about the significance attached to the Panchayat Raj Institutions in strengthening an inclusive grassroots governance. But how has this institution evolved from traditional panchayats to constitutional local bodies over time ? Let's explore.
Evolution of Panchayati Raj Institutions
The Panchayati Raj Institutions play a very important role in the rural hinterland of India in the decentralisation of power and governance to the grassroots level. While these local self-governing bodies were formally institutionalised and strengthened through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in 1992 – conferring the constitutional status upon rural local bodies (panchayats) and urban local bodies (municipalities) – their origins dates back to times immemorial. Traces of early forms of the panchayat raj system can be found in Vedas, Kautilya's Arthashastra, the Mauryan empire and other historical sources.
Over the decades, the institutions of the panchayat raj system have undergone significant changes in the pre and post-independence years. During British colonial rule, Lord Mayo's resolution of 1870 ushered in the decentralisation of power and advocated the devolution of finances to develop the villages and towns.
Lord Ripon's reforms in 1882 are considered a 'pioneering' framework for local governance in British India, as they recommended that the smallest administrative units must be placed under the auspices of local boards. Later, in 1909, the Royal Commission on Decentralisation, led by Sir Henry William, examined the functioning of these local boards and identified the lack of representation and inadequate powers as major constraints in their effective functioning. The commission made a few recommendations which were later incorporated in the the Government of India Act, 1919.
After attaining independence in 1947, India laid greater emphasis on decentralisation of administration to promote local self-governance in its villages. On November 25, 1948, K Santhanam, a Gandhian and a member of the Constituent Assembly, insisted upon the Chairman of the Drafting Committee to insert/include an amendment in support of this vision.
As a result, during the framing of the Constitution, a special provision on decentralisation was embedded in the Directive Principles of State Policy under Part IV in Article 40. The article states: 'The State shall take steps to organise village panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government.'
Community development programme, precursor to panchayats
As a precursor to the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the community development programme was initiated by the government during the First Five-Year Plan (1951-55). After independence, India grappled with several challenges, including food scarcity, poverty, and unemployment. The community development programme was introduced as a remedial measure aimed at involving all communities in rural areas in the process of development.
Prior to the inception of this programme, India had undertaken certain community development projects. Some notable initiatives were the Sriniketan Institute of Rural Reconstruction by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921/1922; the Marthandam Experiment by Dr. Spencer Hatch through the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu; and the Firka Development Scheme by T. Prakasam in 1946 in the Madras presidency, to name a few.
Although major activities such as agricultural development (including land development, supply of fertilisers and pesticides), irrigation (such as digging wells), laying roads, prevention of epidemics were taken up under the community development programme, it did not yield the desired results. The programme faced challenges like lack of people's participation, bureaucratic red-tapism, and corruption. A study conducted by the Planning Commission found that artisans were neglected, and that only areas with existing irrigation facilities and large landholdings benefitted.
Three-tier system
Hence, the government constituted a committee in 1957 under the chairmanship of Balwant Rai Mehta to suggest improvements. In its report, the committee suggested the decentralisation of governance from the village to the district level. It proposed a three-tier structure – at the lowest level, the Village Panchayats, at the intermediary (taluk or block) level, Panchayat Samitis, and at the highest level, the Zilla Parishads. Rajasthan emerged as the first state to implement the proposed model on October 2, 1959, followed by Andhra Pradesh in November 1959.
To address the ineffective implementation of the proposed three-tier structure and to identify the lacunae in the functioning of these Panchayati Raj Institutions, a new committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Ashok Mehta in 1977 during the tenure of the first non-Congress government led by the Janata party. The committee recommended replacing the three-tier structure with a two-tier system, with Mandal Panchayats at the bottom and the Zilla Parishads at the top.
It also advocated for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes based on their population to safeguard their interests. Most importantly, it endorsed the participation of political parties in panchayat raj affairs. However, the implementation of these recommendations remained limited due to factors such as maintaining uniformity in a diverse nation and finances and other constraints.
Subsequently, several committees were formed over the years to review the functioning of the Panchayati Raj Institutions from time to time such as Hanumantha Rao Committee (1983), GVK Rao Committee (1985), L M Singhvi Committee (1986), P K Thungan Committee (1989) and Harlal Singh Kharra Committee (1990).
Evaluating the Functioning of panchayats
From the late 1980s onwards, the government made several attempts to empower Panchayati Raj Institutions by granting them constitutional status, with various amendments introduced in 1989, 1990, and 1991. It was during the tenure of the P V Narasimha Rao government when the goal was finally achieved in December 1992, with both Houses of Parliament passing the amendment which was ratified by 17 state assemblies.
Thereafter, two new parts were added to the Constitution: Part IX for 'The Panchayats,' and Part IX A for 'The Municipalities'. According to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj's Annual Report 2024-25, there are 2,55,397 gram panchayats, 6,742 intermediary panchayats, and 665 district panchayats in India.
To evaluate the functioning of the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the government devised the Panchayat Devolution Index to assess every state's performance of its local bodies across various dimensions such as finances, accountability, capacity building and others. This index was based on the concept paper presented by V N Alok and Laveesh Bhandari in 2004, which outlined three dimensions: Functions, Finances, and Functionaries (3Fs). Later, three other parameters – Capacity Building, Accountability, and Framework – were added to the index.
In the recently released Panchayat Devolution Index, Karnataka secured the top position followed by states such as Kerala, Tamil Nadu and others. The Ministry of Panchayati Raj released this index based on a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA). The index also identified several challenges in the functioning of these institutions such as the lack of financial autonomy, financial constraints, transparency, inadequate human resources, holding elections and updating electoral rolls.
The Ministry also introduced the e-Gram Swaraj application to enhance the functioning of Panchayat activities. However, the lack of digital literacy came out as a major constraint, limiting its ability to strengthen the institutions. Such factors hinder the Panchayati Raj Institutions from functioning effectively and executing various socio-economic welfare programmes introduced by the governments to strengthen grassroots governance.
Post Read Questions
What were the earliest references to local self-governance? How did colonial administrative reforms, such as Lord Mayo's resolution of 1870, shape the early structure of village governance?
The 73rd amendment to the Constitution is seen as one of the landmark developments in India's journey as a constitutional republic, establishing the panchayati raj system. Comment.
How does the Ministry of Panchayati Raj assess the performance of these institutions across different states? What are the core dimensions of the Panchayat Devolution Index, and how has it evolved since its inception in 2004?
How does the e-Gram Swaraj application aim to improve Panchayat functioning?
Despite constitutional backing and digital interventions, why do Panchayati Raj Institutions still struggle with financial autonomy and transparency? Suggest the way forward.
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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for July 2, 2025. If you missed the July 1, 2025 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here FRONT PAGE We expect Quad to understand our position on terror: Jaishankar Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. What's the ongoing story: At the first Quad foreign ministers' meeting after Operation Sindoor in May, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday that India expects its Quad partners to understand and appreciate that the country has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and it will exercise that right. 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On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which was followed by four days of military confrontation between India and Pakistan. • Jaishankar later described the Quad meeting as 'very productive' and said they 'discussed how to make the Quad more focused and impactful on contemporary opportunities and challenges'. • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Quad is a 'very important partnership that has developed over the years and… really taken wing in the last few months'. He said he was focussed on 'diversifying the global supply chain of critical minerals, not just access to the raw material, but also access to the ability to process and refine it to usable material'. Do You Know: • Following the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, India, Japan, Australia, and the US created an informal alliance to collaborate on disaster relief efforts. 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In this phase, the MJO brings more clouds to south of India, which are then carried northwards by the monsoon winds, leading to enhanced rainfall. • MONSOON TROUGH'S POSITION: A monsoon trough is an elongated low pressure area stretching from northwest India to the Bay of Bengal, whose position affects the monsoon conditions over the country. In June, as it remained largely to the south of its normal, it drew moisture-laden air, bringing in the monsoon early over the entire country. • NEUTRAL PHASE OF ENSO & IOD: The southwest monsoon is affected by two other factors, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). ENSO — a climate phenomenon characterised by changes in sea temperatures along the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, accompanied by fluctuations in the atmosphere overhead — has three phases, El Niño, La Niña, and neutral. • IOD, which is the difference in sea surface temperatures (SSTs) between the eastern and western regions of the Indian Ocean, also has three phases, positive, negative, and neutral. While a positive IOD leads to more rainfall, a negative phase results in less rainfall. A neutral IOD has minimal impact. In June, IOD was in a neutral phase. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍What caused an 'early' monsoon onset in India this year? Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍How far do you agree that the behavior of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscape? Discuss. (2015) ECONOMY Cabinet approves Employment-Linked Incentive scheme for formal job creation Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: With an objective to boost employment generation in formal sectors, especially in manufacturing, the Union Cabinet approved the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme on Tuesday. The scheme, which was announced in the Union Budget for 2024-25, presented in July 2024, has an outlay of Rs 99,446 crore and aims to create 3.5 crore jobs over two years. Key Points to Ponder: • What is Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme? • What is the primary objective of the Employment-Linked Incentive (ELI) scheme approved by the Union Cabinet? • The Employment-Linked Incentive scheme is most similar in structure to which another ongoing schemes? • Which indicator is most directly used to measure the success of the Employment-Linked Incentive scheme? • The ELI scheme promotes employment primarily in which sector? • How does ELI scheme differ from existing employment schemes in India? • How can the ELI scheme contribute to the formalisation of India's labour force? • How can the government balance fiscal prudence with employment support through incentive-based schemes like ELI? Key Takeaways: • The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the ELI scheme to 'support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector', an official statement said. Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the ELI will be focussed on the manufacturing sector and will have two parts — part A for first timers and part B for sustained employment. • Part A of the scheme focuses on first-time employees by providing them a wage subsidy of up to one month's wage, up to a maximum amount of Rs 15,000, while Part B of the scheme has incentives for employers to create additional employment. Out of the total 3.5 crore employees expected to benefit from the scheme, around 1.92 crore persons are seen to be first-timers entering the workforce. • Targeting first-time employees registered with the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Part A will offer one-month EPF wage up to Rs 15,000 in two instalments. 'Employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh will be eligible. The first instalment will be payable after six months of service and the second instalment will be payable after 12 months of service and completion of a financial literacy programme by the employee. • To encourage the habit of saving, a portion of the incentive will be kept in a savings instrument of deposit account for a fixed period and can be withdrawn by the employee at a later date,' the statement said. • Part B of the scheme is for generating additional employment in all sectors, with a special focus on the manufacturing sector. The employers will get incentives for employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh. 'The government will incentivise employers, up to Rs 3,000 per month, for two years, for each additional employee with sustained employment for at least six months. For the manufacturing sector, incentives will be extended to the third and fourth years as well,' the statement said. Do You Know: • For EPF wage slab of additional employee up to Rs 10,000, an incentive of Rs 1,000 will be given to the employer; for wage slab of over Rs 10,000 and up to Rs 20,000, a benefit of Rs 2,000 will be given; and for wage over Rs 20,000 (up to salary of Rs 1 lakh/month), an incentive of Rs 3,000 will be provided. • Establishments, which are registered with EPFO, will be required to hire at least two additional employees (for employers with less than 50 employees) or five additional employees (for employers with 50 or more employees), on a sustained basis for at least six months, it said. • All payments to the first-time employees under Part A of the scheme will be made through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode. Payments to the employers under Part B will be made directly into their PAN-linked accounts. The duration of the scheme will be for two years from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2027. • The ELI scheme was first announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2024-25 as part of the Prime Minister's Package for Employment and Skilling that had a Budget outlay of Rs 2 lakh crore. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Government has made welcome moves to create employment, challenge now is to improve quality of jobs How India Energy Stack could be a UPI moment Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: Beyond enabling unique identification, full integration, and interoperability, the Indian Energy Stack can help unlock an entirely new ecosystem — one where energy fintech, virtual power plants, and peer-to-peer trading can thrive on a standardised, interoperable digital infrastructure Key Points to Ponder: • The India Energy Stack (IES)-what is this? • The proposed India Energy Stack (IES) aims what? • What is the role of the National Electricity Data Grid in the India Energy Stack? • How India Energy Stack (IES) draws inspiration from the UPI model to reform India's power sector? • Do you think that India Energy Stack is one of its kind solution to improve transparency, efficiency, and consumer empowerment in the electricity value chain? • How can smart metering and data integration under the India Energy Stack help reduce AT&C losses and improve DISCOM health? Key Takeaways: • The proposed India Energy Stack (IES) aims to do for the power sector what Aadhaar did for identity, and UPI for finance. By digitally integrating India's fragmented power ecosystem — from producers and grid operators to consumers, exchanges, and regulators — the IES will enable peer-to-peer energy trading, support aggregated demand-response programmes amid rising renewable integration, and facilitate smoother compliance with carbon offsetting. • The 17-member task force, constituted by the Ministry of Power on June 27, has Nilekani as its chief mentor and is charged with designing and charting a roadmap for the nationwide rollout of the IES — a process expected to take several years. • Picture this: Solar panels on your rooftop generate excess power, which you store in a battery at your neighbour's home — and draw back in the evening. In return, a payment for renting the battery is instantly transferred from your bank account to your neighbour's, enabled by a digital public infrastructure (DPI) as seamless as UPI. Now, with the government setting up a task force led by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, a digitally integrated future for India's power sector is beginning to take shape. Do You Know: • In India, electricity is a concurrent subject, meaning both the Union and state governments share responsibility for its governance, which has contributed to a highly fragmented sector, leading to 'isolated digital islands rather than an integrated national platform'. • This fragmentation, according to a concept brief by New Delhi-based FSR Global — knowledge partner for the IES initiative – 'creates significant operational challenges that impede the energy sector's ability to meet India's growing energy demands efficiently'. • The brief identified four key challenges facing the power sector that the IES could help address. First, there is no unique identifier for consumers, assets, or stakeholders. Second, decision-making is hampered by the lack of access to harmonised, real-time data. Third, those seeking to offer solutions in this space struggle to scale, as they depend on various proprietary digital platforms. And fourth, there is no interoperability between these digital systems, which prevents cross-regional data sharing and cross-discom transactions. • Beyond enabling unique identification, full integration, and interoperability, the IES can help unlock an entirely new ecosystem — one where energy fintech, virtual power plants, and peer-to-peer trading can thrive on a standardised, interoperable digital infrastructure. • The possibilities are many. Consumers – and producer-consumers, or prosumers – could instantly buy surplus energy to store in batteries or sell rooftop solar output at peak prices. The IES would deepen the decentralisation of electricity and allow prosumers to manage their assets more actively and efficiently. Grid operators could make far more precise load-balancing and dispatch decisions, while energy producers could reduce curtailment or track carbon offsets using transparent performance data. • The utility of IES is based on its ability to maintain the integrity of data, processes, and settlements across the board. A key component of this architecture is the Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP) – a primary application layer built on the IES foundation that would enable all of these services. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍India can lead the charge in creating a global and seamless energy network PM on 10 years of Digital India: It has become a people's movement Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies II: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What's the ongoing story: The PM said that India's 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years, with high-speed Internet reaching urban hubs and forward military posts alike including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh. Key Points to Ponder: • What is the Digital India? • 'Digital India has become a people's movement in its truest sense'- Discuss in the context of the past 10 years of Digital India initiatives. • Know the role of Digital India in bridging the digital divide across urban and rural India. • Do you think that digital India helped in bridging the gap across urban and rural India? • Discuss the role of UPI, DigiLocker, and CoWIN in creating a digital ecosystem for governance and service delivery. • How has the Digital India programme transformed the nature of citizen-government interactions in the past decade? • 'Digital India programme contributed to improving transparency and reducing corruption'-how far you agree with the same? Key Takeaways: • With the government's flagship 'Digital India' programme completing ten years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that it has not remained a mere governance scheme, but has become a 'people's movement'. • The PM said that India's 5G rollout is among the fastest in the world, with 4.81 lakh base stations installed in just two years, with high-speed Internet reaching urban hubs and forward military posts alike including Galwan, Siachen, and Ladakh. • The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a government-backed initiative to create a national e-commerce network, has recently crossed 200 million transactions, with the last 100 million in just six months, Modi said. • The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has also crossed Rs 1 lakh crore GMV in 50 days, with 22 lakh sellers including over 1.8 lakh women- led MSMEs, who have fulfilled orders worth Rs 46,000 crore, Modi said • Through the $1.2 billion India AI Mission, India has enabled access to 34,000 GPUs at globally unmatched prices at less than $1/GPU hour making India not just the most affordable internet economy, but also the most affordable compute destination, the PM said. Do You Know: • Digital India is a flagship programme of the Government of India, launched on July 1, 2015, by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi with the vision to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. • According to the State of India's Digital Economy Report, 2024, unveiled by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) stated that India comes in third place in terms of the digitalisation of the economy. India's digital infrastructure has been a key driver of its third-place ranking. With a clear focus on realising the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat' i.e. Developed India by 2047, the government has laid out a comprehensive plan aimed at empowering citizens through social welfare programs, skill development and education. These elements are the core of the Viksit Bharat goal. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍We want a Digital India. Just not the one we are living in Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: 📍 'The emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Digital Revolution) has initiated e-Governance as an integral part of government'. Discuss. (2020) PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1.(a) For any queries and feedback, contact Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Karnataka govt renames Bengaluru Rural district as Bengaluru North, sanctions projects worth Rs 3,400 cr
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the cabinet has decided to rename Bengaluru Rural district as Bengaluru North, while Bagepalli has been renamed as Bhagyanagar. "We have declared Bangalore Rural District as Bangalore North. We have changed Bagepalli to Bhagyanagar." In another change of name, the Bengaluru University will now be called Dr Manmohan Singh University , after late prime minister. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Uttar Pradesh Mosquito Crisis Solved by Strange New Device (See How) Mosquito Eliminator Read More Undo The cabinet, which met on Wednesday, discussed 48 issues and sanctioned Rs 3,400 crore, including funds for drinking water projects across the state. "We have discussed 48 issues. Rs 3,400 crores is the amount that was discussed and sanctioned today. BJP repeatedly that this government has no money. I am pressing total revised amount for the Yettinahole project is Rs 23,251 crores, the amount spent so far is Rs 17,147 crores, another 6,103 crores will be spent. This is basically a drinking water project, but we will fill 50% of the the drinking water project should be completed. We are working on drinking water projects in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bengaluru Rural, Hassan. After completing the drinking water project in the next 2 years, we will provide water to all those districts," Siddaramaiah said. Live Events Furthermore, the chief minister said that the Labour Department has decided to open one residential school for the children of workers in each district. "Rs 1175.25 crores have been sanctioned for its construction, wherever there is a large number of workers. We have allocated Rs 10 crores for the construction of two residential schools to train backward candidates for competitive examinations, including UPSC," the chief minister said. Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the cabinet should investigate mining irregularities in the state. "We have decided that the state cabinet should conduct a special investigation into the mining irregularities and submit a report within a month. HK Patil found some shortcomings. We have formed a cabinet sub-committee under the leadership of the Law Minister to protect our state wealth. Bengaluru was the only one with a high-tech flower market. We have given it to Chikkaballapur district for construction at a cost of Rs 141 crore for a flower market," Shivakumar said.
Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Indian Express
Mains answer practice — GS 2: Questions on India's outreach in reshaping the global discourse of the Global South and NATO (Week 109)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-2 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at India has sought to position itself as the 'voice' of the Global South through bilateral visits, multilateral forums, and initiatives.' Discuss the effectiveness of India's outreach in reshaping the global discourse of the Global South. In the wake of increased defence spending commitments within NATO, discuss how member nations like Germany are balancing collective security obligations with strategic autonomy. Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: India has sought to position itself as the 'voice' of the Global South through bilateral visits, multilateral forums, and initiatives.' Discuss the effectiveness of India's outreach in reshaping the global discourse of the Global South. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — The Indian Prime Minister will travel to Africa and South America before attending the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. — The visit to Ghana will be the first by an Indian Prime Minister in three decades. The summit will evaluate the bilateral relationship and explore how to strengthen it through economic, energy, defence, and development cooperation. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: Effectiveness of India's outreach in reshaping the global discourse of the Global South Ghana — Ghana is one of West Africa's fastest-growing economies; its relationship with India is marked by robust and expanding trade and investment. India is the largest destination for Ghanaian exports; gold accounts for more than 70% of India's imports from Ghana. Trinidad and Tobago — Trinidad and Tobago is home to 40-45% of the Caribbean's Indian diaspora, including Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and President Christine Carla Kangaloo. This will be Modi's first visit to Trinidad and Tobago as Prime Minister, and the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister since 1999. Argentina — The meeting will assess ongoing collaboration and discuss strategies to strengthen collaborations in defence, agriculture, mining, oil and gas, and energy, among other areas. The two presidents met before on the fringes of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024. — India and Argentina have made tremendous progress in their bilateral collaboration in the mineral resources sector, particularly in lithium, which is essential to India's shift to green energy. Argentina is a major exporter of sunflower and soybean oil to India. In 2024, India was Argentina's fifth-largest commercial partner and export market. Brazil — The Prime Minister will speak at BRICS about global governance reform, peace and security, multilateralism, responsible AI use, climate action, global health, and other issues. — During the State Visit, the Prime Minister will fly to Brasilia to undertake bilateral discussions with President Lula on strengthening the Strategic Partnership in areas of common interest such as trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, and healthcare. Brazil is India's most important trading partner in South America. Namibia — Bilateral trade increased from less than $3 million in 2000 to about $600 million today. Indian corporations have made investments in Namibia's mining, manufacturing, diamond processing, and services sectors. — The PM released eight cheetahs from Namibia to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh in September 2022, marking the world's first intercontinental transfer of a large carnivore species. (Source: Explained: In PM Modi's diplomatic tour, India's outreach to the Global South) Points to Ponder Read about relations between India and African countries Read about BRICS Related Previous Year Questions Do you think that BIMSTEC is a parallel organisation like the SAARC? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between the two? How are Indian foreign policy objectives realized by forming this new organisation? (2022) 'Indian diaspora has a decisive role to play in the politics and economy of America and European Countries'. Comment with examples. (2020) QUESTION 2: In the wake of increased defence spending commitments within NATO, discuss how member nations like Germany are balancing collective security obligations with strategic autonomy. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — NATO struck a historic agreement: member states would increase their collective defence spending commitment to 5% of their individual GDP. — This ambitious new standard represents NATO's recalibrated strategic posture in the face of escalating global challenges. The contribution is divided into two essential domains: 3.5% will assist core defence aligned with NATO Capability Targets, while the remaining 1.5% will improve infrastructure resilience, cyber defence, innovation, and preparedness. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — While several nations, including Spain and Slovakia, have expressed concern about the rapid escalation, Germany has taken the lead by announcing a record increase in military spending. Germany has vowed to increase defence spending to 3.5% of GDP by 2029, up from 2.4% in 2025, marking its most substantial rearmament effort since reunification. — For years, Germany and others fell short of NATO's previous 2% commitment. It did not cross the threshold until 2024. — With rising geopolitical volatility caused by Russia's war in Ukraine, growing Chinese aggressiveness, and Middle Eastern instability, NATO leaders have called for a structural rethink, despite the fact that these issues are not mentioned in the five-paragraph declaration. — Germany's new defence framework outlines a transformational goal. Defence spending is expected to increase from €86 billion in 2025 (2.4 percent of GDP) to roughly €153 billion by 2029 (3.5 percent). These are Germany's largest military allocations in peacetime. — To finance this change, Germany has adopted a number of daring fiscal measures. It has suspended its constitutional 'debt brake,' which previously restricted deficit expenditure, and is requesting an EU exemption under the Stability and Growth Pact to categorise defence spending as extraordinary investment. This permits Germany to borrow more than the standard 1% of GDP limit. — Germany's plan also reflects NATO's broader understanding of security. It will spend heavily on military-relevant infrastructure, such as digital systems, transportation corridors, logistical centres, and dual-use facilities, in accordance with NATO's new 5% framework. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has actively advocated for dual-purpose infrastructure, citing it as critical to national and alliance stability. Conclusion: — Germany's declaration sends a strong signal to both allies and rivals. It responds to NATO's desire for increased burden-sharing and indicates a more robust German posture in Europe and beyond. However, implementation is critical. (Source: As NATO revises defence-spending goals, Germany arms up to position itself as the backbone of European security) Points to Ponder Read about NATO Read about India-Germany relations Read about India-European Union trade Related Previous Year Questions 'The expansion and strengthening of NATO and a stronger US-Europe strategic partnership works well for India.' What is your opinion about this statement? Give reasons and examples to support your answer. (2023) Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is transforming itself into a trade bloc from a military alliance, in present times Discuss. (2020) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 109) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 107) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 108) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 107) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
