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

Editorial 1: Exploring India’s potential in the Arctic region

Context

India should have a voice in the commercial opportunities that lie ahead in the Arctic, while ensuring that its reserves are not exploited irresponsibly.

 

Introduction

Global trade is currently experiencing sharp fluctuations, with growing uncertainties from the U.S. pushing countries to intensify their focus on alternative trade strategies. In this context, there is a noticeable expansion in partnerships related to supply chains and trade routes, influenced not only by the breakdown of regional alliances but also by the escalating impact of climate change.

• The Arctic region, often seen as a climate warning zone, is increasingly gaining importance for its geopolitical significance.
• As sea levels rise and new navigable routes emerge, the Arctic presents fresh strategic and commercial possibilities.
• It is poised to become a vital energy resource for the Global South in the coming decades. While it is essential to avoid irresponsible exploitation of its natural reserves, India must have a stake in shaping the future commercial dynamics of this strategic frontier.

 

Arctic Sea Ice & Strategic Importance

• According to NASA, Arctic sea ice in September is shrinking by 12.2% per decade compared to the 1981–2010 average.
• The melting ice is opening access to the Northern Sea Route (NSR) — a potential game-changer in global shipping.
• The NSR connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is being seen as the shortest route between Europe and Asia.
• India views the NSR not only as an economic opportunity but also through a strategic and geopolitical lens.

Trade Route Shift: Strategic Implications of NSR

Aspect	Details
Time & Cost Efficiency	NSR will reduce cargo travel time and lower freight costs.
Strategic Advantage	Offers India alternate routes less vulnerable to geopolitical tensions.
Global Interest	Observers at the Arctic Council now outnumber Arctic States.
India’s Engagement	Early involvement via Svalbard Treaty (1920) and Arctic base Himadri.

 

India’s Domestic Measures

• 2025-26 Budget allocated $3 billion to the Maritime Development Fund.
• Focus on:
  1. Shipbuilding clusters
  2. Expansion of Arctic-capable fleets
  3. Investment in ice-breaking ships and resilient infrastructure

Action Needed	Purpose
Strengthen shipbuilding capacity	Navigate harsh Arctic conditions
Develop ice-class vessels	Operate efficiently in frozen waters
Boost training & manpower	Meet NSR’s operational and safety standards

Scientific & Climate Impact

• India is already studying Arctic’s influence on monsoon and agriculture, in collaboration with:
  1. Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development
  2. National Council of Applied Economic Research
• In 2024, NSR cargo hit 37.9 million tonnes, up from just 41,000 tonnes in 2010.
• However, global temperatures breached the 1.5°C threshold, sparking climate concerns.

 

Call to Action & Global Dialogue

• India's 2022 Arctic Policy must now shift from paper to practice.
• The upcoming Arctic Circle India Forum (May 3–4, 2025) in New Delhi:
  1. Offers an India-centric perspective.
  2. Can catalyze multilateral cooperation, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement.
  3. Might even lead to the appointment of a ‘polar ambassador’.

 

The Key Policy Dilemma

“How close to the sun should we fly?”

India must find a balance between:

• Seizing commercial opportunities in the Arctic
• Preserving one of Earth’s most fragile ecosystems

This demands urgent policy clarity, international collaboration, and climate consciousness.

 

Playing with ice and fire

• With its long Arctic coastline, strong experience in Arctic navigation, and well-trained personnel, Russia is a natural partner for India to explore the Northern Sea Route (NSR).
• A working group on the NSR was created under the India-Russia intergovernmental commission on trade and cooperation. This decision was made during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July last year.
• The Chennai–Vladivostok Maritime Corridor is seen as a possible link to key NSR ports like Pevek, Tiksi, and Sabetta.
• But if India leans too much towards Russia, it could be seen as indirectly supporting China’s plans, especially the Polar Silk Road — China’s northern extension of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• The NSR would help China bypass the Malacca Strait, a major global trade chokepoint, and give it greater control over Arctic shipping routes.

 

Conclusion

If India fully sides with the Western countries and joins hands with the U.S., it might miss out on access to the huge resources currently controlled by Russia in the region. The best, though difficult, option would be for India to maintain ties with both the U.S. and Russia. India should also work with other countries like Japan and South Korea. These two nations, like India, are worried about the growing ties between China and Russia in the Arctic and fear that their companies may lose business to Chinese firms. Together, India, Japan, and South Korea should push for fair changes in the Arctic Council and support making it more inclusive and balanced.

 

Editorial 2: A move that endangers the right to vote

Context

Instead of relying on technological fixes that infringe on citizens' privacy, the ECI should focus on strengthening traditional, proven methods of voter verification.

 

Introduction

The Election Commission of India (ECI)'s push to link Aadhaar with voter ID threatens the right to vote. It’s claimed to clean electoral rolls and improve electoral integrity, but data shows that Aadhaar linkage has led to mass disenfranchisement, errors, exclusions, and violations of citizens' right to privacy.

 

Concerns Regarding Aadhaar-Voter ID Linkage

• Voluntary Claim Questioned: The claim that Aadhaar-voter ID linkage is voluntary is questionable.
  1. Form 6B offers no meaningful opt-out option, coercing voters into compliance by either submitting their Aadhaar number or declaring they don’t have one.
  2. By September 2023, over 66 crore Aadhaar numbers were already seeded.
  3. This was facilitated by a coercive legal framework and questionable data-sharing practices.
  4. DBT Seeding Data Viewer allows third-party access to non-biometric identity data from UIDAI.
• New Proposal's Issues: The new proposal requires voters who don’t submit Aadhaar to appear in person before an Electoral Registration Officer.
  1. In 2023, the ECI assured the Supreme Court that the linkage wouldn't be mandatory, but the proposal contradicts that commitment.
  2. The proposal imposes barriers for vulnerable groups like elderly, disabled, migrant workers, and people in remote areas.

Impact	Group Affected
In-person hearings required	Elderly, disabled, remote areas
Barriers to access	Voters unable to attend hearings

• Lack of Fair Appeal: There's no clear appellate mechanism for voters if their justification for not submitting Aadhaar is rejected.
  1. Supreme Court’s ruling in 1995 emphasized the need for procedural fairness and natural justice when removing names from electoral rolls.

 

Issues with Aadhaar as Proof of Citizenship

• Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship: Aadhaar is a residency-based ID, not proof of Indian citizenship.
  1. The Aadhaar Act, 2016, clarifies that non-citizens who have resided in India for 182 days can get an Aadhaar.
  2. High Courts and UIDAI have confirmed that Aadhaar is not a valid proof of citizenship.
• Linkage Risks: Linking Aadhaar to voter ID introduces an unreliable filter in the electoral process.
  1. Previous attempts led to mass disenfranchisement, as seen in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in 2015, where 55 lakh voters were removed due to Aadhaar mismatches.

Impact	Example
Mass disenfranchisement	55 lakh voters removed in 2015
Electoral roll errors	Voters discovered missing names on election day

• Risk of Surveillance:
  1. Aadhaar-voter ID linkage could lead to dragnet surveillance and voter profiling.
  2. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 allows government entities to access and exploit voter data for political purposes, potentially manipulating electoral outcomes.
• Impact on Constitutional Integrity:
  1. ECI’s role in election oversight contrasts with UIDAI’s executive control, undermining the separation of powers and the integrity of the electoral process.
• Database Reliability Issues:
  1. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report (2022) found duplication and faulty biometric datain the Aadhaar database.
  2. Using such a flawed database for electoral roll purification could lead to wrongful deletions and exclusions.

 

Methods of electoral verification

• Instead of relying on technological fixes and infringing on citizens' right to privacy, the ECI should focus on strengthening traditional, proven methods of voter verification.
• Effective approaches include:
  1. Regular door-to-door verification by booth-level officers.
  2. Comprehensive, independent audits of electoral rolls.
  3. Functional public grievance redressal frameworks to address concerns.
• Additionally, introducing independent oversight through social audits would:
  1. Enhance accountability.
  2. Prevent politically motivated manipulations of electoral rolls.

 

Conclusion

The right to vote is a constitutional guarantee. Any policy that places unreasonable burdens on citizens, uses unreliable verification methods, or allows political profiling should be discarded. The Aadhaar-voter ID linkage does all three. It is troubling that such a constitutionally questionable scheme has received support from all political sides.