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

Editorial 1: Before Closing the US Trade Deal

Context:

The evolving global trade dynamics have brought India to a crucial juncture, especially with the ongoing negotiations for an India–US trade deal. While the agreement promises to deepen economic cooperation and unlock new avenues for trade and investment, it also raises fundamental questions about India’s strategic autonomy, domestic priorities, and long-term economic interests.

Trade deal background:

• India and the United States share a robust trade relationshipencompassing goods, services, technology, and investment.
• However, the relationship has often been marred by disputes over tariffs, intellectual property rights, market access, and regulatory frameworks.
• The proposed trade deal, reportedly in its concluding phase, is expected to address a range of issues, including digital economy governance, agricultural market access, and tariff concessions.
• Yet, India must approach these negotiations with a clear and well-defined strategythat safeguards its long-term economic sovereignty.
• As India nears the final stages of this deal, it must carefully balance national interests against external pressures to ensure that the agreement strengthens, rather than compromises, its policy independence and developmental goals.
• Trade negotiations, especially with major economies like the US, often involve complex last-minute stratagems that can alter the balance of commitments.
• India must ensure that all agreed points are formally documented in writing before any announcement.
• Unilateral deviations or late additions by either party especially those favoring protectionist measures or asymmetric obligations could undermine India’s interests.

Intellectual property rights and digital economy:

• One of the most sensitive aspects of the trade deal pertains to the digital economy and data governance.
• The United States is likely to push for stronger intellectual property (IP) protectionsand greater liberalization in digital services.
• However, India must safeguard its emerging digital ecosystem by ensuring data localization, privacy safeguards, and fair competition for domestic start-ups.
• The promotion of indigenous digital champions such as fintech, edtech, and e-commerce firmsrequires regulatory autonomy.
• Therefore, India should avoid any commitments that could constrain its policy spacein these areas or limit its ability to promote domestic innovation.

Agricultural sector:

• The agricultural sector often becomes a pressure point in trade negotiations.
• India must ensure that the interests of farmers and fishermen are protected from liberalizationthat may expose them to unfair competition from heavily subsidized US agribusinesses.
• Moreover, India should resist any provisions that undermine its ability to support small-scale industries and microenterprises through targeted subsidies or procurement preferences.

Strategic Policy and autonomy:

• Trade policy is not merely an economic toolbut a strategic instrument of foreign policy.
• The US has previously used tariffs and sanctions as instruments of geopolitical leverage.
• Therefore, India must guard against any clauses that could compromise its strategic autonomyor restrict its freedom to engage with other partners like the EU, ASEAN, or BRICS.
• Agreements must not tie India into frameworks that limit its independent decision-making in global trade governance.

Balance between liberalization and protectionism:

• While trade liberalization can promote competitiveness and efficiency, it must not come at the cost of national self-reliance.
• The government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat vision emphasizes building domestic capacities, fostering innovation, and reducing external vulnerabilities.
• Any trade agreement must therefore complement these objectives rather than dilute them.
• Concessions in sensitive sectors should be linked to reciprocal benefits that advance domestic manufacturing, technology transfer, and employment generation.

Way forward:

As India enters the final phase of negotiations, it must uphold principles of reciprocity, fairness, and national interest. Strategic caution, institutional transparency, and alignment with long-term developmental priorities are essential. The government should ensure that the deal enhances India’s role in global trade without compromising its sovereignty or policy flexibility.

 

Editorial 2: Rising CO₂ Levels

Context:

The atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂), the most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gas, has witnessed an unprecedented rise between 2023 and 2024, marking the sharpest annual increase since systematic measurements began in 1957. This trend underscores both the persistence of human-induced emissions and the weakening efficiency of natural carbon sinks in regulating atmospheric carbon.

CO₂ and Its Role in Climate Change:

• CO₂ is the principal greenhouse gascontributing to global warming and climate change.
• Although it is less potent per moleculethan methane (CH₄) or nitrous oxide (N₂O), it remains in the atmosphere for hundreds to thousands of years, creating a cumulative warming effect.
• CO₂ currently accounts for over 66% of the total Radiative forcing driving global temperature rise since the pre-industrial era.
• The pre-industrial CO₂ concentrationstood at around 278 ppm, meaning today’s levels represent an increase of nearly 152%.
• The year 2024 also became the warmest year on record, with global average temperatures rising 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, breaching the critical 1.5°C thresholdset under the Paris Agreement (2015).
• Persistent crossing of this limit poses irreversible threatssuch as polar ice melt, sea-level rise, and ecosystem collapse.

Sources:

• The increase in CO₂ arises from both anthropogenic sourcesand natural feedback mechanisms. The principal human-induced sources include:
• Burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation,
• Deforestation and land-use change,
• Industrial processes such as cement production.

Carbon cycle:

• CO₂ is also part of a natural carbon cycle, exchanged among the atmosphere, oceans, and terrestrial ecosystems.
• Typically, around half of the CO₂ emitted by human activities is absorbed by natural sinks, forests and oceans, through photosynthesisand dissolution in seawater.
• The remaining half accumulates in the atmosphere, amplifying the greenhouse effect.
• In 2024, WMO data indicated that natural sinks weakened, absorbing a smaller share of emitted CO₂. Oceanic absorption declineddue to reduced solubility of CO₂ in warmer waters, while heat waves and droughts reduced terrestrial uptake.
• Additionally, forest fires and land degradation released vast quantities of carbon, further exacerbating atmospheric concentrations.
• These feedback loopshighlight how global warming itself weakens Earth’s ability to regulate CO₂, creating a vicious cycle.

Other Greenhouse gases:

• While CO₂ remains the dominant greenhouse gas, methane (CH₄)and nitrous oxide (N₂O) also contribute substantially.
• In 2024, CH₄ levels rose to 1,542 parts per billion (ppb)and N₂O to 338 ppb.
• CH₄ is 25 times more potent than CO₂ in trapping heat but has a shorter atmospheric lifespan of about 12 years.
• N₂O, emitted primarily from agriculture and fertilizers, is about 270 times more potent and persists for over a century. Collectively, these gases account for nearly one-third of total global warming.

Global Climate Governance:

• The recent data from WMO raises serious questions about the efficacy of international climate regimes, particularly the Paris Agreement (2015)under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• The Agreement seeks to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°Cwhile pursuing efforts to cap it at 1.5°C.
• Yet, a decade later, global emissions continue to rise, and most Nationally Determined Contributions(NDCs) are insufficient to meet the 2030 mitigation targets.
• The gap between scientific warningsand policy implementation reveals structural challenges in global governance such as unequal responsibilities between developed and developing nations, inadequate financial transfers for green technology, and continued dependence on fossil fuels.

Way Forward:

The record surge in CO₂ levels between 2023 and 2024 is not merely a statistical anomaly it is a warning of the accelerating pace of climate change and the inadequacy of current global responses. Unless the world moves decisively toward deep emission cuts and ecosystem restoration, the cumulative impact of greenhouse gases could push the planet toward irreversible climatic tipping points.