What to Read in The Hindu Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: ​​​An anchor for India-U.K. ties, their economic partnership

Context

The British Prime Minister’s visit to India is expected to deepen bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors.

Introduction

Relations between India and the United Kingdom reached a new milestone with the signing of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) in July 2025. The meeting between the Prime Ministers in Mumbai this week underscores a mutual resolve to elevate bilateral engagement, reflecting the shared ambition of both nations to become enduring partners in growth and progress.

Anchoring India–U.K. Relations in a Changing Global Context

• The visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmercomes at a time of shifting trade regimes, geopolitical realignments, and rising competition for technology, capital, and talent.
• The visit is expected to anchor India–U.K. relationsamid global economic transitions and evolving strategic interests.
• The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), though awaiting ratification, is being positioned as a strategic pillarof bilateral cooperation.
• CETA promises to expand trade, investment, and sectoral collaboration, marking a step toward a comprehensive economic partnership.
• Starmer’s visit holds significance in consolidating ongoing commitmentsand aligning the partnership with today’s dynamic global economic landscape.
• The backdrop includes India’s widening network of trade partnerships, reflecting its deepening role in global commerce.
• On October 1, 2025, the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA)between India and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) came into effect.
• TEPA is India’s first trade pact linking market access with investment commitments, with EFTA countries pledging $100 billion in investments over 15 years.
• Simultaneously, India–EU negotiationsfor a comprehensive trade pact are progressing steadily — the EU is India’s second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $136.5 billion in 2024–25.
• Collectively, these developments position India as a key node in global trade integration, while enhancing its economic leverage and strategic partnershipswith the U.K. and Europe.

CETA and Deepening Economic Partnership

• The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)will be the central focus of the October discussions.
• The pact aims to double bilateral trade by 2030, strengthening overall India–U.K. economic ties.
• For India:It promises lower tariffs on exports such as textiles, agricultural goods, and pharmaceuticals.
• For the U.K.:It ensures reduced duties on Scotch whisky, automobiles, and other high-value exports.
• The agreement reflects a shared visionto integrate market access with strategic alignment.
• The Double Contributions Convention (DCC)complements CETA by exempting Indian professionals in the U.K. from double social security contributions for up to three years, facilitating worker mobility and lower business costs.
• A Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT), currently under negotiation, seeks to enhance U.K. investments in India, where the U.K. already accounts for nearly 5% of total FDI.
• These measures can expand collaboration across manufacturing, services, and infrastructure sectors.
• The combined framework of CETA, DCC, and BITwill promote tariff elimination, regulatory cooperation, and talent mobility, making cross-border trade more efficient.
• K. companiescan leverage India as a global production hub, while Indian firms gain through technology partnerships, adoption of global standards, and access to European markets.

Vision 2035 and Strategic Cooperation

• Starmer’s visit offers a chance to review progress under the India–U.K. Vision 2035 roadmap.
• The framework seeks deeper cooperationin defence, technology, climate action, education, and mobility.
• The Defence Industrial Roadmap (July 2025)will be central, focusing on joint development and co-production of advanced platforms.
• The Technology Security Initiative (TSI, 2024)unites both nations’ National Security Advisers to boost collaboration in AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, critical minerals, and advanced materials.
• Together, these initiatives show that economic and security interests are now inseparable, marking a shift toward integrated strategic partnership.

Strategic Timing and Global Context

• The significance of Mr. Starmer’s visitlies as much in its timing as in its trajectory.
• The global economy is fragmentinginto regional trading blocs, while value chains are being restructuredaround resilience, security, and reliability.
• Against this backdrop, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)offers both India and the U.K. a pathway to deepen economic cooperation and stimulate growth.

What Britain Gains

• Access to India’s vast and dynamic market, with rising middle-class consumption.
• Partnership opportunitiesin green finance, digital innovation, and clean technologies.
• A strategic geopolitical allyin the Indo-Pacific region, vital for post-Brexit outreach.

What India Gains

• Advanced technologiesand research collaborations from British institutions and industries.
• Steady investment inflowssupporting infrastructure, defence, and innovation.
• Expanded market accessfor services, professionals, and skilled labour mobility.
• Defence cooperationand potential for co-development of critical technologies.

Contours of a Next-Generation Partnership

Key Pillar	Collaborative Vision
Trade Liberalisation	Linked with joint investments in sustainability and climate resilience
Tariff Reductions	Paired with mobility frameworks for talent and professionals
Defence Procurement	Combined with co-development of frontier technologies
Digital & Green Transition	Shared leadership in clean energy, AI, and innovation ecosystems

Opportunities for Indian Industry

• Focus sectors for rapid synergy:
  • Renewable energy
  • Electric mobility
  • Digital finance and fintech
  • Aerospace and defence manufacturing
  • Higher education and skill collaboration

Policy Imperatives

• Align regulatory frameworksbetween the two economies.
• Simplify proceduresand reduce non-tariff barriers to trade.
• Ensure equitable distributionof CETA benefits across industries and regions.
• Build a resilient, forward-looking India–U.K. economic corridoranchored in trust, innovation, and sustainability.

Conclusion

Ultimately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Starmer aim to project a message that goes beyond bilateral cooperation. By strengthening their partnership, India and the U.K. can emerge as trusted economic allies and joint architects of a resilient, inclusive, and technology-oriented global order.

 

Editorial 2: ​​Infinite boxes

Context

The Chemistry Nobel laureates formulated a new structural language of matter.

Introduction

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have revolutionized material science by combining metal ions and organic linkers into porous crystalline structures with vast surface areas. Their ability to trap greenhouse gases, store clean fuels, and harvest water demonstrates chemistry’s potential to create sustainable materials. The recent Nobel Prize in Chemistry honours pioneers who designed this new grammar of matter.

Nature and Potential of MOFs

• Redefinition of Materials:Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have transformed material science through their tunable porous crystalline structures.
• Structure and Composition:Built from metal ions linked to organic molecules, MOFs possess immense internal surface area.
• Versatile Applications:Their adjustable cavities enable carbon capture, water harvesting, and clean fuel storage like hydrogen and methane.
• Sustainability Link:MOFs symbolize chemistry’s ability to reimagine sustainability, addressing climate changeand resource scarcity.

Early Innovations and Foundations

• Richard Robson’s Vision (1980s):At the University of Melbourne, he explored designed molecular architectures instead of discovering them by chance.
• First Self-Assembled Framework:Using copper ions and nitrile-based linkers, Robson created a diamond-like crystal with empty cavities.
• Susumu Kitagawa’s Breakthrough (1997):In Japan, he formed 3D frameworks of cobalt, nickel, and zinc connected by bipyridine molecules.
• “Breathing” MOFs Concept:Kitagawa’s discovery of soft, flexible MOFs that expand and contract with gas absorption was revolutionary.

Reticular Chemistry and Systematic Design

• Omar Yaghi’s Contribution:Dissatisfied with trial-and-error chemistry, Yaghi pioneered reticular chemistry — assembling predesigned building blocks into ordered networks.
• Milestone Achievement (1999):He developed MOF-5, a zinc-based cubic structure with extraordinary stabilityand a surface area comparable to a football field.
• Systematic Framework Families:Yaghi’s approach enabled the planned creation of thousands of MOFs, advancing from laboratory prototypes to industrial use.
• Global Recognition:Together, Robson, Kitagawa, and Yaghi established a new grammar of matter, merging structure with function.

Future Prospects and Scientific Legacy

• Industrial Integration:Scientists aim to adapt MOFs for batteries, catalysts, and gas filters, balancing durability and cost.
• Challenges Ahead:Scaling up production while maintaining structural integrity under real-world conditions remains key.
• Beyond Materials:The Nobel-recognized vision celebrates designing empty space as precisely as solid matter.
• Imaginative Leap:MOFs represent chemistry’s power to create frameworks for both molecules and imagination — an enduring leap in material design.

Conclusion

The discovery of MOFs marks a defining moment where chemistry meets imagination. From Robson’s vision and Kitagawa’s breathing frameworks to Yaghi’s reticular chemistry, they built a path from molecules to macro-scale innovation. As research focuses on durability, scalability, and industrial integration, MOFs stand as a testament to humanity’s power to engineer sustainability atom by atom.