14 July 2025: Indian Express Editorial Analysis

1. Drawing a Line in Water
(Source: Editorial Page, The Indian Express)

Topic: GS2 – International Relations; GS3 – Security and Strategic Interests

Context

The article discusses the recent ruling by the Court of Arbitration at The Hague on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), rejecting India’s arguments and Pakistan’s absence. This ruling has revived debates over the Treaty’s relevance, especially in light of cross-border terrorism and security asymmetries between India and Pakistan.

Background of Indus Waters Treaty

• Signed in 1960 with World Bank’s mediation, the IWT is a bilateral agreement that allocates waters of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.
• India retains control of the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej), while Pakistan controls the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab).
• The Treaty has withstood multiple wars, seen as a model for cooperative diplomacy despite conflict.

The Hague Tribunal’s Ruling

• The Permanent Court of Arbitration held that the dispute was within its jurisdiction and India’s objections were procedurally invalid.
• It rejected India’s claim that Pakistan’s absence should nullify the proceedings.
• The ruling highlighted the supremacy of treaty commitments and legal obligations, even under political or security stress.

India’s Position on Water and Terror

• India argues that trust-based treaties cannot survive asymmetric war, citing Pakistan’s role in sponsoring terrorism including Pahalgam attack (April 2023).
• India views water as a strategic lever but remains within treaty compliance so far.
• India has suspended cooperation mechanisms and delayed clearances, using IWT provisions more tactically.

Strategic and Legal Dilemmas

• The ruling poses a dilemma: Does law override security context? Can cooperation persist without mutual trust?

• India is treading carefully—respecting the legal framework, but withholding bilateral engagement.

• The Treaty becomes a symbol of diplomatic contradiction—binding cooperation while one party enables violence.

Future of the Treaty

• The editorial warns against instrumentalizing the Treaty solely for geopolitical signaling.

• It calls for clarity in India’s approach: India should demand Pakistan’s verifiable action on terrorism as a condition for resuming full engagement.

• It advocates using multilateral forums and diplomatic pressure, not unilateral exit.

Conclusion/Way Forward

The editorial strongly argues that India must uphold rule of law, while not becoming a hostage to it. The Indus Waters Treaty cannot exist in a strategic vacuum—it must be seen in the larger context of peace, trust, and terrorism. India must:

• Stay legally credible, continuing participation in Treaty frameworks where appropriate.
• Demand verifiable and visible commitments from Pakistan on cross-border terrorism.
• Use multilateral forums to link cooperation to peace, not conflict.
• Create public and global awareness of how terrorism undermines cooperative agreements.

Practice Question: (GS-2 | 15 Marks | 250 Words) “Treaties are built on trust, and trust cannot flow when terror does.” Critically examine this statement in the context of the Indus Waters Treaty between India and Pakistan.

Also Read: The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 14 July 2025

2. Lend a Hand

(Source: Editorial Page, The Indian Express)

Topic: GS2 – International Relations, Bilateral/Multilateral Aid, Soft Power Diplomacy GS3 – Agriculture, Science and Technology, Food Security

Context

The editorial discusses why India should step up its financial support for the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) based in Mexico. With the US cutting its support under a transactional foreign policy, there’s an opportunity for India to enhance its global agricultural influence and support critical food security research.

What is CIMMYT and Why it Matters

• CIMMYT is a renowned global agricultural research organization associated with Norman Borlaug, the father of the Green Revolution.
• It conducts high-impact research in maize and wheat, focusing on breeding climate-resilient, high-yield varieties for food-insecure countries.
• With the US cutting $83 million of annual funding, CIMMYT is seeking contributions from countries like India to sustain its R&D programmes.

Why India Should Step Up Funding

• Modest Financial Commitment, Huge Strategic Returns
  India currently holds over $700 billion in foreign exchange reserves. The funding required by CIMMYT and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is relatively small—$0.8 million for CIMMYT and $18.3 million for IRRI. Even a moderate increase in support would yield massive soft power dividends and global goodwill.

• Soft Power and Global South Leadership
  Backing global R&D aligns with India’s rising leadership role in the Global South, especially amid US withdrawal. Funding such organizations helps India project a benevolent international image, build cross-regional ties, and signal commitment to South-South cooperation.

• Strategic Agricultural Imperatives
  India faces rising food security challenges due to climate change, declining arable land, and rising demand for animal feed. Supporting CIMMYT’s climate-resilient crop R&D will help India future-proof its agriculture. For example, maize will become crucial as animal feed due to rising meat consumption.

Revamping India’s Domestic Agricultural Research

• The editorial argues that India must not only fund CIMMYT and IRRI but also revive its own agricultural R&D ecosystem.
• The Green Revolution succeeded due to visionary leadership, strong institutional support, and focused public investment.
• Today, however, India’s agri-research suffers from fragmented institutes, underfunding, and bureaucratic inertia.
• Modern challenges—climate change, GM crop policy, fertilizer-water use efficiency—need urgent solutions rooted in science, not subsidies.

Conclusion/Way Forward

• India has a unique opportunity to fill the global void left by the US and assert itself as a science-first, food-secure power.
• Supporting CIMMYT and IRRI is not just about aid—it’s an investment in food security diplomacy, sustainable agriculture, and geopolitical relevance.
• Simultaneously, India must revamp its domestic research institutions, address issues like GM crop policy, fertilizer use, and drought resilience.
• The focus must shift from populist subsidies to targeted innovation and applied science, just as during the Green Revolution.

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Practice Question: (GS-3 | 10 Marks | 150 Words) “With the withdrawal of US support to global agricultural research organizations like CIMMYT, India must step up both as a donor and as a domestic reformer.” Discuss in the context of India’s food security and soft power.

Read more – 12 July 2025 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis