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

Editorial 1: ​​​A green transition accelerating at express speed

Context

Railway decarbonisation proves reform with fiscal discipline.

Introduction

The successful trial of India’s first hydrogen-powered train coach at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in July 2025marks more than a technological milestone as it represents a decisive step in the Indian Railways’ green transformation. As one of the world’s largest rail networks, Indian Railways is pursuing a transition with few global parallels, aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, four decades ahead of India’s national goal.

• This transformation goes beyond clean energy adoption;
  • it signifies a complete reimagining of infrastructure, operations, and financing models, positioning the Railways as a leader in sustainable mobility and climate action.
• With over 24 million passengersand three million tonnes of freight transported daily,
  • the decarbonisation of this vast network holds profound implications for India’s overall climate commitments and sustainable development objectives.

Key Initiatives of Indian Railways’ Green Transition (Last 10 Years):

• 45,000 kmof broad-gauge network electrified – now 98% electrified, sharply reducing diesel use and emissions.
• Renewable energy integration:553 MW solar, 103 MW wind, and 100 MW hybrid ->  total 756 MW commissioned.
• 2,000+ stations and service buildingspowered by solar energy.
• Several railway offices, including in the Northeast Frontier zone, certified with the BEE “Shunya” net-zero label.
• Hydrogen-powered trainsuccessfully trialled under the “Hydrogen for Heritage” programme – 35 units planned.
• Freight shift to railtargeted to raise modal share to 45% by 2030, reducing road emissions.
• Biofuel blends, green buildings, and Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs)operationalised – projected to avert 457 million tonnes of CO₂ over 30 years.
• Together, these initiatives mark a technological and systemic reimaginingof Indian Railways as a climate-positive national mobility backbone.

Climate Finance Takes the Main Line

1. Building a Green Finance Backbone

Instrument / Institution	Key Details & Contributions
Sovereign Green Bonds	Since FY2023, ₹58,000 crore issued; transport sector a key beneficiary.
Allocations	~₹42,000 crore earmarked for electric locomotives, metro, and suburban rail.
Institutional Integration	Climate goals embedded into capital budgeting and infrastructure planning.
IRFC (Indian Railway Finance Corporation)	– Issued $500 million green bond in 2017 for electric locomotive financing. – Extended ₹7,500 crore loan to NTPC Green Energy for renewable capacity development.
World Bank Support	$245 million loan (June 2022) for Rail Logistics Project to improve freight efficiency and cut GHG emissions.

• Indian Railways is aligning fiscal innovation with climate ambition — creating a financing model that blends green capital with strategic infrastructure development.

2. Aligning Finance with Real Climate Outcomes

• Green power sourcing:Electrification must be paired with genuinely renewable traction power.
  • Direct long-term procurement from solar and wind producersensures true decarbonisation.
• Last-mile sustainability:Develop multi-modal green hubs integrating electric buses, bicycle-sharing, and walkable infrastructure.
  • Promote clean freight logisticsvia electric, LNG, or hydrogen-powered last-mile vehicles.
• Innovation in rolling stock:Pilot hydrogen fuel-cell trains on non-electrified or heritage routes.
  • Introduce lightweight coaches, aerodynamic locomotives, and AI-based energy optimisation
• Behavioural transformation:Introduce green certification for trains and carbon labelling for freight services.
  • Launch awareness campaignsto make passengers and businesses active climate partners.
• Climate finance must translate into real emissions reduction and systemic reform. T
• he Indian Railways can emerge as a model of state-led decarbonisation– where technology, finance, and behavioural change converge to redefine sustainable mobility.

Meeting the Challenge

• Achieving net-zero emissions by 2030could help Indian Railways avoid over 60 million tonnes of CO₂ annually and equivalent to removing 13 million cars from Indian roads.
• Electrification and energy efficiencymeasures are expected to yield ₹1 lakh crore in fuel savings by decade’s end.
• The real challenge lies in mobilising and managing capital, not in setting ambitious goals.
• If executed effectively, the decarbonisation plan can serve as a global modelthus demonstrating that large state-run systems can pursue low-carbon transformation without compromising fiscal discipline.

Conclusion

The Indian Railways’ decarbonisation journey reflects India’s growing capacity to merge technological innovation with fiscal prudence. By aligning green finance, clean energy, and behavioural reform, it showcases how a state-run system can lead a sustainable transformation at scale. If sustained, this express-speed green transition could redefine public infrastructure as a cornerstone of climate action and economic resilience.

 

Editorial 2: ​​Testing governance

Context

National security and ecological responsibility are mutually reinforcing goals.

Introduction

The renewed momentum for the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River, coming soon after India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) post the Pahalgam attack, has given it distinct geopolitical significance. While symbolising India’s strategic assertion over its water rights, it also raises pressing questions about ecological stability, rehabilitation justice, and long-term Himalayan sustainability.

Fresh Impetus to the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project

• The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project (HEP), proposed as a 8 GW schemeon the Chenab River, has gained renewed momentum.
• This revival coincides with India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)following the Pahalgam attack (2025), giving the project strong geopolitical overtones.
• However, this symbolism risks diverting attention from the ecological and social implicationsof large hydropower expansion in a fragile Himalayan zone.

Project and Environmental Concerns

Aspect	Details
Location	Chenab River, Jammu & Kashmir
Capacity	1.8 GW (Run-of-River type, but functionally a storage dam)
Reservoir Volume	Over 50,000 crore litres
Estimated Cost Escalation	Increased by ₹9,000 crore due to inflation and delays
Forest Diversion	Around 847 hectares
Families Affected	Approx. 1,500 families to be resettled
Rehabilitation Allocation	Only 0.6% of total cost
Developer	NHPC Limited — known for time overruns in similar projects

Ecological and Geological Issues

• The Chenab basin already hosts the Dulhasti, Baglihar, and Salalhydropower projects — creating a “bumper-to-bumper” hydropower corridor.
• Cumulative environmental impactsare under-studied — especially:
  • Increased sediment loadand reservoir siltation.
  • Greater risk of slope instabilityand landslides.
  • Fragmentation of river ecosystems and loss of aquatic diversity.
• The project’s classification as run-of-riveris misleading due to its large reservoir, making it behave like a storage dam.

Strategic and Geopolitical Dimensions

• The timing indicates India’s intent to operationalise its full entitlementover the western rivers under the IWT.
• Suspension of the treatyremoves procedural checks, fast-tracking projects like Sawalkote and Wullar Barrage.
• However, this stance carries risks:
  • May erode India’s credibilityas a rule-abiding riparian state.
  • Could invite third-party scrutinyin future disputes — something India has long opposed.
  • Pakistanhas already questioned the suspension’s legality under the 1960 framework.

Way Forward: Balancing Strategy and Sustainability

• Strategic assertion must be tempered with ecological restraint.
• Recommended measures:
  • Conduct basin-level environmental and sediment-management studies.
  • Develop regional protocolsfor slope stability and cumulative impact monitoring.
  • Institutionalise hydrological data-sharingvia regional or multilateral platforms to build confidence.
  • Convert hydrological monitoringfrom a security risk into a trust-building mechanism.
  • Align strategic autonomywith environmental stewardship.

Conclusion

The Sawalkote project embodies the challenge of aligning national security priorities with environmental responsibility. As India asserts control over its western rivers, it must also safeguard fragile ecosystems and uphold regional trust. The project’s enduring legacy will depend on whether strategic ambition evolves into a model of sustainable statecraft, where ecological prudence and national strength reinforce, not undermine, each other.