24 July 2025 : Daily Current Affairs

1. Danger of Thought: Maharashtra’s Public Security Bill Endangers India as an Open Society

Source: Page 6 , The Hindu UPSC IAS Edition

Topic: GS-2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity), GS4 (Ethics in Governance)

Context

The Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPS) Bill, 2024, was recently passed by the state’s Assembly. The Bill grants the government significant powers to criminalize certain thoughts and associations using broad definitions of “unlawful activities.” This has sparked widespread debate over its implications for civil liberties, democratic rights, and the risk of misuse against dissenters.

Content

Provisions of the Bill

• Allows the state government to declare organizations as “unlawful.”

• Individuals can be penalized for membership, fundraising, or assisting such organizations, or even for committing vaguely defined “unlawful activities.”

• Offences are deemed cognizable, permitting arrests without a warrant.

• Punishments include imprisonment (ranging from 2–7 years) and substantial fines.

Concerns Raised

• Vagueness of Offences: The lack of specificity could criminalize legitimate dissent and protest, blurring the line between peaceful activism and unlawful conduct.

• Executive Overreach: The Bill reflects a growing trend of security laws being used to suppress criticism and dissent, undermining the constitutional rights to free speech and association.

• Weak Institutional Safeguards: The legislative process witnessed limited opposition and insufficient checks on executive power.

Implications for Democracy

• Risks setting a precedent for policing thought and speech, challenging the foundations of an open society.

• Potential erosion of public trust in the state’s commitment to protect civil liberties and uphold constitutional values.

Way Forward

• It is crucial to embed robust safeguards against abuse of power, including independent oversight and transparent procedures.

• Civil society, media, and the judiciary must exercise heightened vigilance to prevent misuse.

• Policy formulation should harmonize security imperatives with fundamental rights, ensuring that security measures do not trample on democratic freedoms.

Practice Question:

“The Maharashtra Special Public Security Bill, 2024, has raised concerns about civil liberties and state overreach. Critically analyze the implications of such laws for democracy and suggest institutional safeguards to balance national security with rights and freedoms.” (250 words / 15 marks)

2. Reality of the Changing Dimensions of Warfare

Source: page 6, The Hindu UPSC IAS Edition

Topic: GS-3 (Internal Security, Technology), GS2 (Defence)

Context

Contemporary conflicts are witnessing rapid advancements in technology including autonomous drones, cyberweapons, artificial intelligence, and precision missiles. These transformations are reshaping the nature of warfare and imposing new challenges for military modernization, especially for countries like India facing complex security environments.

Analysis from UPSC Angle:

Evolution of Modern Warfare

• Technological Shift:

  • Warfare has moved from traditional physical confrontations to a technology-centric paradigm involving drones, artificial intelligence (AI), cyberattacks, autonomous systems, and hypersonic missiles.

  • Examples: Ukraine’s drone operations, use of loitering munitions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, AI-enabled targeting systems, and long-range standoff weapons.

• Hybrid and Asymmetric Threats:

  • Modern conflicts integrate cyber operations, information warfare, and electronic attacks with conventional force.

  • Adversaries use hybrid tactics—combining regular troops, irregulars, cyber offensives, and misinformation—to maximize impact with minimal cost.

• Expanded Domains:

  • Battles are now waged in new arenas: cyber space, the electromagnetic spectrum, and even outer space, with anti-satellite weapons and contested communications.

India’s Position and Response

• Strengths and Gaps:

  • India has ramped up defence spending (₹6.81 lakh crore in 2025) and pushed for indigenization through Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

  • Despite progress in missile technology, drones, and surveillance (e.g., Rafale, BrahMos, Akash), nearly 60% of critical Army equipment is still classified as “vintage” and R&D investment in emerging tech remains comparatively low.

• Challenges:

  • Bureaucratic delays stall procurement and modernization, causing a mismatch between ambitions and operational readiness.

  • Over-reliance on imports hinders self-sufficiency; approximately 36% of procurement still comes from abroad.

  • Evolving security threats from neighboring adversaries (China, Pakistan) require faster, more flexible, and multi-domain response capability.

• Policy Initiatives & The Way Forward:

  • Launching Defence Industrial Corridors, fostering public-private partnerships, and increasing the share of indigenous procurement and exports.

  • Greater investment in AI, quantum computing, defensive/offensive cyber capabilities, and autonomous systems (land, air, sea).

  • Creation of Integrated Theatre Commands for joint force application and swift adaptability across services.

  • Streamlining procurement procedures and strengthening R&D to bridge technological gaps.

Implications for the Future

• Advanced technology is not only altering tactics and weaponry but also military doctrine and training, demanding continual adaptation.

• India’s security will depend on balancing resource allocation, acquiring next-generation technology, and reforming institutional structures to keep pace with global trends.

Way Forward

• India must accelerate reforms, promote indigenous innovation, and foster global partnerships to ensure operational preparedness.

• Defence strategies need regular updating to counter dynamic threats while upholding ethical and legal responsibility in the use of autonomous and AI-powered weapons.

• Continued focus on joint training, cyber and information warfare capabilities, and robust supply chain security is essential to maintain strategic deterrence.

Practice Question:

“Examine how technological advancements are reshaping the nature of warfare globally. What are the lessons for India’s defence modernization strategy in light of these changing dimensions?“ (250 words / 15 marks)

3. Reality of the Changing Dimensions of Warfare

Source: Page 6, Indian Express Delhi Edition

Topic: GS-3 (Internal Security, Technology), GS2 (Defence)

Context

Modern warfare is undergoing a transformative phase driven by technological advances such as autonomous drones, artificial intelligence, cyberweapons, and precision-guided munitions. These changes are redefining conflict, posing new challenges and opportunities for India’s national security strategy.

Key Points for UPSC:

Evolution of Modern Warfare

• Technological Advancements:

  • Emergence of next-generation weaponry including AI-powered drones, loitering munitions, hypersonic missiles, and cyber tools.

  • Increasing reliance on digital and network-centric operations replaces traditional mass-force confrontations.

  • Recent conflicts (Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Hamas) underscore the impact of drones, cyberattacks, and electronic warfare in shaping outcomes.

• Hybrid and Asymmetric Warfare:

  • Modern states employ a blend of regular and irregular fighters, information warfare, and cyber offensives to achieve objectives efficiently.

  • Use of misinformation, psychological operations, and economic disruption complement kinetic actions.

New Domains of Warfare

• Battles now extend to non-traditional arenas:

  • Cyberspace: Attacks targeting critical infrastructure, communication networks, and strategic assets.

  • Space: Development of anti-satellite capabilities and space-based surveillance.

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum: Jamming and disruption of command and control systems.

India’s Challenges and Opportunities

• Defence Modernization:

  • While India has made progress in missiles, surveillance, and some indigenous platforms, significant gaps remain in R&D investment and timely adoption of disruptive technologies.

  • Over-reliance on defence imports persists despite the push for self-reliance (Atmanirbhar Bharat).

• Capacity & Readiness:

  • Significant percentage of critical equipment still classified as “vintage,” impacting operational superiority.

  • Bureaucratic delays in procurement and modernization.

• Strategic Response:

  • Launch of Defence Industrial Corridors and push for indigenous manufacturing.

  • Strengthening public-private partnerships to develop AI, drones, cyber assets, and quantum tech.

  • Integrated Theatre Commands being considered for coordinated, multi-domain operations.

Way Forward

• Accelerate investment in R&D and indigenous capabilities in emerging domains (AI, cyber, autonomous and hypersonic systems).

• Reform procurement and institutional frameworks to enhance agility and flexibility.

• Foster global partnerships for technology transfer, training, and doctrine sharing.

• Enhance jointness across armed services through integrated theater commands and capacity-building in information and electronic warfare.

• Ensure adherence to ethical and legal standards in the use of autonomous and AI-driven weaponry.

Practice Question:

“Examine how technological advancements are reshaping the nature of warfare globally. What lessons does this hold for India’s defence modernization strategy?” (150 words / 10 marks)

Check more: 23 July 2025 : Daily Current Affairs