What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1: Energy Security and Geopolitics: behind China’s Crude Oil Stockpiling

Context:

China’s rapid accumulation of crude oil reserves in recent years has drawn global attention, not only because of its economic implications but also due to its deep-rooted geopolitical and energy security dimensions.

Background:

• In 2024–25, China imported more than 11 million barrels of crude oil per daysignificantly higher than its domestic consumption growth.
• A substantial share of these imports has gone not into immediate use but into expanding its Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) and commercial storage facilities.
• Estimates suggest China’s total storage capacity has now crossed 1 billion barrels, including both state and private reserves.
• This move is not new but part of a long-term policyinitiated in the early 2000s after China witnessed the vulnerability of depending excessively on imported oil.
• However, the pace of stockpiling in recent years has accelerated, reflecting not just economic logic but strategic foresight amid global instability.

Economic rationale behind creating these reserves:

• China’s energy planners have taken advantage of relatively low global oil prices in the post-pandemic period and the market disruptions caused by Western sanctions on Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.
• Discounted oil from these sanctioned states has allowed Beijing to expand its reservesat competitive rates.
• Simultaneously, China has massively expanded its refining and storage infrastructure.
• With the world’s largest refining capacity, the country can afford to buy in bulk, refine domestically, and export surplus petroleum products strengthening both its industrial base and export earnings.

Geopolitical and Strategic Dimensions:

• Energy Security amid Global Uncertainty: China imports nearly 70% of its crude oil, much of it from the politically unstable Middle East and Africa, and through sea lanes vulnerable to disruption, such as the Strait of Malacca. By building large reserves, Beijing seeks to cushion itself against supply shocks, sanctions, or maritime blockades during geopolitical crises.
• Leveraging Sanctions and Global Divides: Western sanctions on Russia and Iran have opened space for China to act as a key buyer of their crude, often in non-dollar transactions. This not only ensures steady energy supplies but also helps China weaken the dominance of the U.S. dollar in global oil trades,which is a long-term strategic goal.
• Global Market Influence: By adjusting its import and release patterns, China can indirectly influence global oil prices. A large and flexible reserve allows Beijing to buy aggressively when prices are low and slow down imports when prices rise, providing both economic and diplomatic leverage.
• Domestic and Military Preparedness: Energy sufficiencyis vital for China’s industrial and military machinery. In a potential conflict scenario, an uninterrupted energy supply becomes essential for sustaining defense operations and economic resilience.

Lessons for India:

• For India, the world’s third-largest oil importer, China’s strategy is instructive.
• India too has expanded its strategic reserves but still holds a fraction of China’s capacity.
• Enhancing domestic storage, diversifying import sources, and strengthening regional energy cooperation are crucial lessons.
• Additionally, India must monitor how China’s moves reshape global oil prices, supply chains, and the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific.

Way Forward:

China’s crude oil stockpiling represents a calculated blend of economic prudence and geopolitical ambition. It underscores the centrality of energy in shaping modern power politics. In an era of energy transition and great-power competition, Beijing’s pursuit of oil security is not merely about fuel, but it is about fortifying national resilience, projecting influence, and preparing for a multipolar world order.

 

Editorial 2: Studying the Twinning Rate

Context:

The phenomenon of twinning is defined as the number of twin births per 1,000 deliveries. It offers crucial insights into both biomedical and demographic dynamics. The recent global study on twinning rates highlights significant variations across regions.

Understanding the Twinning Rate:

• The twinning rate serves as an important indicator of reproductive patterns within a society.
• Medically, twin pregnancies are riskier than single pregnancies, posing higher chances of complications for both mother and children.
• Knowledge of the twinning rate, therefore, helps health systems prepare for high-risk births and manage associated healthcare burdens effectively.
• Demographically, twin births influence fertility patterns and population growth rates.
• They also provide key data for analyzing social and biological factorssuch as maternal age, use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART), and nutrition levels all of which affect reproductive health outcomes.

Global Trends of Twins:

• The global study reveals that although the total number of twins being born worldwide has risen in recent decades, the twinning rate itself isnow expected to stabilize or decline in most parts of the world.
• In countries with advanced economies, the rise in twinning rates during the late 20th century was primarily driven by delayed childbearing and the use of ART, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
• However, as fertility rates drop and women increasingly have fewer children, the absolute number of twin births is projected to decline despite technological advancements.
• In contrast, India, Bangladesh, and other South Asian nations, where fertility levels remain above replacement level, will continue to record high numbers of twins.
• Even as fertility rates decline gradually, India’s massive population size ensures that it will still host the world’s largest population of twins in the coming decades.

Findings of the Study:

• The study underscores that India’s twinning rate, though expected to fall slightly, will continue to contribute a significant share of global twin births.
• The decline in fertility, especially among women below 30, is the key reason behind this marginal fall.
• Nonetheless, given India’s demographic weight, even a modest twinning rate translates into a large absolute number of twin births.
• The rate of twin births may stabilize around 10–12 per 1,000 births in regions like South Asia, compared to much higher rates observed in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• India’s reproductive and maternal healthcare systems must be equipped to handle the specific challenges associated with multiple pregnancies.

Health outcomes from the study:

• From a public health perspective, studying twins is vital because they provide a unique natural experiment to understand genetic and environmental influences on health.
• Since twins share either identical or fraternal genetic make-up, comparing them helps scientists isolate the role of environmental exposures such as air pollution, diet, and socio-economic conditions.
• For instance, the Chinese National Twin Registryhas been utilized to study how environmental pollution affects diseases like asthma and metabolic disorders.

Policy Relevance and Future Directions:

• The insights from twin studies are particularly relevant for shaping maternal and child healthcare policies.
• With India’s maternaland infant mortality rates still high compared to global standards, focused interventions for high-risk pregnancies such as twin births are crucial.
• Moreover, twin studies can help policymakers understand how environmental degradation, malnutrition, and socio-economic inequalities shape public health.
• Establishing a National Twin Registry in India, supported by institutions such as ICMR and AIIMS, could significantly advance biomedical research and enable targeted healthcare responses.

Way Forward:

• The study of twinning rates is not merely a demographic curiositybut a window into the health and socio-economic fabric of nations.
• While India’s twinning rate may decline marginally, its large population will continue to make it a global center for twin births.
• India must enhance the maternal health systems, investment in genetic-environmental research, and policies that ensure equitable access to reproductive healthcare.