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

Editorial 1: ​Weaponising health care

Context

Trump’s move is expected to significantly increase health care costs for Americans.

Introduction

Trump’s move to impose steep tariffs on imported patented medicines marks a turning point in U.S. health policy. By targeting branded drugs that form a key part of the medical supply chain, the decision is expected to significantly increase health care costs for Americans, strain insurance systems, and disrupt global pharmaceutical trade patterns already under geopolitical stress.

U.S. Tariff Announcement and Its Immediate Impact

• Tariff Imposition: President Donald Trump announced 100% tariffs on imports of branded and patented medicineseffective October 1.
• Sector Affected: Prescription drugs form about 10% of household medical care spendingin the U.S.
• Exemptions: A 15% tariff capwill still apply to imports from the European Union and Japan, which supply nearly three-fourths of U.S. pharma imports.
• High-Value Drugs: Many imports include patented medicines such as Wegovyand Ozempic (Danish-made weight-loss and anti-diabetes drugs).
• Severe Impact: Patients needing specialised cancer treatments or rare disease drugscould face heavy cost increases.
• Insurance Effect: Health insurance companies may pass on higher drug coststo policyholders.
• Economic Estimate: An Ernst & Young studyestimated that a 25% tariff could raise annual U.S. drug costs by $51 billion.
• Most Exposed Countries: K., Switzerland, and Singapore, as they face the full 100% tariff burden, making their products less competitive.

India’s Position and Potential Risks

• Current Relief: India’s generics industryhas been spared from tariffs for now.
• Generics’ Role: Generics account for 90% of prescriptionsin the U.S. but only 13% of total spending.
• Export Value: India exported over $10.5 billion worth of formulationsto the U.S. in FY25.
• Possible Threats:
  • Any tariff expansion to include generics or biosimilarswould hit India’s pharma exports hard.
  • Uncertainty remains over whether Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)will be included; India and China are leading global API suppliers.

Broader Global Implications

• S. Pharma Industry: The U.S. continues to be a leading exporter of innovative medicines, raising questions about how these tariffs will affect its export competitiveness.
• Industry Pushback: PhRMA(Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) opposed the tariffs, arguing they would increase patient costs without fixing supply chain weaknesses.
• Impact on Americans: Retail drug prices, especially for advanced therapies, are expected to rise significantly.
• Global Reordering: This decision reflects how post–World War II global supply chainsare being reshaped by political realities.
• Strategic Need for India: India’s pharma sector must diversify export marketsand build alternative trade alliances to reduce reliance on the U.S. market.

Conclusion

The new tariffs highlight how political choices can reshape global commerce and patient access to lifesaving drugs. As health care costs for Americans climb, exporters and policymakers worldwide must seek diversified markets and alternative supply routes. Trump’s move serves as both a warning and an opportunity for countries like India to fortify their pharma exports against sudden trade shocks.

 

Editorial 2: What an empty plate of food should symbolise

Context

Marking the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste must spotlight the challenge eroding food security and climate security — the tonnes of food wasted globally.

Introduction

On September 29, the world observes the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW), aimed at highlighting a silent crisis undermining both food security and climate security. Globally, nearly one-third of food produced is lost or wasted. As a major food producer, India too faces significant post-harvest losses, as revealed in a 2022 NABCONS study commissioned by MoFPI.

Post-Harvest Losses: Scale, Impact, and Solutions

• Economic Toll: Losses cost India ₹1.5 trillion annually, about 7% of agricultural GDP.
• Crop Vulnerability:
  • Fruits and vegetables: 10–15% losses
  • Paddy: 8%
  • Wheat: 2%
• Resource Wastage: Each tonne of food lostmeans wasted nutrition, water, energy, and labour, deepening the climate crisis.
• National Consequences: Impacts include lower farmer incomes, reduced food availability, threats to environmental sustainability, and risks to climate stability.
• Variation in Impact: Losses differ across crops, value chains, and regions.
• Mapping food loss and its GHG emissionsis vital for targeted interventions, ensuring food security and supporting India’s climate commitments.

Government Action and Emerging Evidence on Post-Harvest Losses

• National Surveys: The Government of India has conducted three rounds of nationwide post-harvest surveys covering 50+ crops, offering critical insights into value-chain losses.
• Global Alignment: Integration of SDG indicator 12.3.1 (Global Food Loss and Waste)into the National Indicator Framework enables systematic monitoring, enhances accountability, and aligns India with international targets for food system transformation.
• Collaborative Study: A joint effort by the FAOand NIFTEM, supported by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), provided the first sector-, state-, and operation-wise estimates of GHG emissions from post-harvest and retail waste in 30 crops and livestock products.
• Key Findings:
  • Losses in cereals (especially paddy)result in 10+ million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions annuallydue to rice’s high methane intensity.
  • Livestock product lossesare highly damaging because of their resource-heavy footprint.
  • Overall, food loss from the studied commodities generates 33+ million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions per year— a preventable burden.
• India vs. High-Income Countries:
  • In India, most losses occur early in the supply chain(handling, processing, distribution).
  • In high-income countries, food waste is largely consumer-driven.
• Core Challenges: India’s food system faces infrastructure gaps, limited technology adoption, and fragmented supply chains, amplifying post-harvest losses.

Solutions to India’s Food Loss Challenge

• Scope for Change: India’s food loss challengeis large, but solutions are achievable through technology, partnerships, private sector commitments, and a shift to a circular economy.
• Infrastructure Strengthening:
  • Weak infrastructureis a major cause of losses.
  • Cold chains— including pre-cooling, refrigerated transport, and modern storage — are critical for perishables like fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat.
  • Initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)aim to modernise food logistics and processing clusters.
• Affordable Technology:
  • Solar cold storage, low-cost cooling chambers, perishable crates, and moisture-proof silosfor grains can help smallholders reduce spoilage.
• Digital Tools:
  • IoT sensorsand AI-driven forecasting enhance storage, transport, and distribution, eliminating bottlenecks.
  • The FAO Food Loss App (FLAPP, 2023)allows tracking of losses across the value chain and is used in 30+ countries.
• Circular Economy at Retail Level:
  • Surplus foodcan be redirected to food banks and community kitchens.
  • Unavoidable wastecan be converted into compost, animal feed, or bioenergy.
• Policy Support: Scaling solutions requires subsidies, credit guarantees, and low-interest loansto enable widespread adoption.

Shared Responsibility in Tackling Food Loss

• Supply Chain Scope: Food lossoccurs across the entire supply chain, requiring collective action.
• Government Role:
  • Integrate loss reductioninto climate strategies.
  • Invest in resilient infrastructureto prevent post-harvest losses.
• Business Role:
  • Adopt circular economy models.
  • Scale innovationsto improve storage, transport, and distribution.
• Civil Society and Academia:
  • Drive research, awareness campaigns, and evidence-based solutions.
• Consumer Role:
  • Make mindful choicesto reduce waste.
  • Support food redistribution
• Significance of IDAFLW: The International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Wasteis a call to action, not merely symbolic.
  • Saving foodhelps in climate conservation, resource preservation, and livelihood protection.
  • An empty plateshould represent a meal enjoyed, not resources wasted.

Conclusion

The challenge of food loss in India is immense, but solutions are within reach through technology, infrastructure, circular economy practices, and collective action. Governments, businesses, civil society, and consumers must share responsibility to reduce waste, conserve resources, protect livelihoods, and strengthen climate resilience. The IDAFLWis a call to ensure that an empty plate symbolizes nourishment, not squandered resources.