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29 January 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis

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1. The Budget pipeline and India’s foreign policy ambitions

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)

Topic: GS2 – International Relations
Context
  • The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) budget is crucial for India’s foreign policy and global ambitions, yet remains underfunded.
  • Increased allocation is needed for diplomacy, regional cooperation, and institutional capacity.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Budget and Its Importance

  • The MEA budget plays a crucial role in shaping India’s foreign policy and global ambitions.
  • Despite a significant 23% increase in 2023-24, the MEA remains one of the least-funded ministries, with just 0.4% of India’s total budget allocation.
  • The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs had recommended increasing this to 1%, but even a gradual rise to 0.6% or 0.8% would show commitment.

India’s Global Aspirations and the Need for a Stronger MEA

  • India’s vision of becoming a developed nation (Viksit Bharat) by 2047 depends on strong global partnerships.
  • The country is positioning itself as a leader of the Global South and strengthening ties with ASEAN, the Quad (India, Australia, Japan, U.S.), and global institutions like the International Solar Alliance.
  • Partner countries expect India to deliver on infrastructure projects, financial support, and diplomatic commitments, which requires a well-funded and efficient MEA.
 Key Areas Requiring Increased Funding

Economic and Regional Cooperation

  • India’s regional connectivity faces challenges like political changes in Bangladesh, instability in Myanmar, strained ties with Nepal, and the Maldives’ “India Out” stance.
  • However, engagements with Sri Lanka and Bhutan have strengthened cross-border projects.
  • More financial support is needed to counter China’s growing influence in South Asia.

Strengthening Institutional Capacity

  • The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is understaffed, affecting diplomatic efficiency.
  • Coordination challenges, slow expansion, and limited lateral hiring hinder India’s global outreach.
  • The training budget for diplomats increased by 30%, but overall capacity-building efforts remain inadequate.

Foreign Aid Trends and Strategic Shifts

  • India’s foreign aid decreased by 10% in 2024-25, but loans to other governments increased by 29%.
  • Nearly 50% of India’s grants go to neighboring countries.
  • Key changes in aid distribution:
    • Bhutan remains the largest aid recipient, reflecting strong ties and cooperation in energy and hydropower projects.
    • Bangladesh’s aid declined from ₹200 crore in 2023-24 to ₹120 crore in 2024-25.
    • Sri Lanka’s aid increased by 63%, signaling growing bilateral cooperation.
  • India is shifting from direct grants to Lines of Credit (LoCs), with 45% of these directed towards neighboring countries.
  • Bangladesh is the largest LoC recipient, receiving $7.86 billion for infrastructure development.

Challenges in Research and Policy Support

  • India has invested heavily in global dialogues and conferences but needs to fund evidence-based research in universities and think tanks.
  • Budget cuts affected academic institutions:
    • Nalanda University’s budget decreased by 20%.
    • South Asian University’s budget decreased by 22%.
  • While foreign missions and cultural diplomacy funding grew by 7%, it remains insufficient to support India’s expanding global role.

Need for Declassification and Digitisation of Records

  • External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted that India’s formal diplomatic efforts (Track 1) are far ahead of academic and research-based diplomacy (Track 2).
  • To bridge this gap, the MEA should allocate resources to declassify and digitize historical diplomatic records.
  • Providing public e-access to these records would:
    • Help scholars study India’s foreign policy evolution.
    • Challenge misconceptions and better inform policymakers.
    • Improve decision-making by learning from past successes and failures.

Conclusion

  • The MEA’s budget is crucial for India’s global role, but current allocations are insufficient.
  • Strengthening diplomatic capacity, increasing regional cooperation funding, and supporting research are essential.
  • Strategic shifts in aid distribution and a focus on infrastructure financing require better oversight and resource management.
  • Declassifying historical records will enrich foreign policy research and aid India’s long-term diplomatic strategy.
Practice Question:  India’s Ministry of External Affairs plays a vital role in advancing global partnerships. Discuss the challenges posed by its limited budget and suggest measures to enhance its effectiveness. (250 Words /15 marks)

2. Substantive equality in child marriage laws

(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 9)

Topic: GS2 – Social Justice
Context
  • The Allahabad High Court’s decision in Sanjay Chaudhary v. Guddan (2024) highlighted gender disparities in child marriage annulment under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006.
  • This article emphasizes the need for uniformity in marriage laws.

Annulment of Child Marriage under PCMA, 2006

  • The Allahabad High Court annulled a marriage in Sanjay Chaudhary v. Guddan (2024) where the couple married at ages 12 and nine.
  • The male petitioner initially sought divorce at 20 years, 10 months, and 28 days but later amended his plea for annulment under Section 3 of the PCMA, 2006.
  • Section 3 of PCMA allows either party in a child marriage to seek annulment within two years of attaining majority.

Gender-Based Differences in Age Limits for Annulment

  • According to PCMA, a girl is a child if below 18 years, and a boy if below 21 years.
  • The Majority Act, 1875, defines the age of majority as 18 years for both genders.
  • This discrepancy raises the question of whether males can seek annulment until 23 years or only until 20 years of age.

Differing Judicial Interpretations

  • Madras High Court’s View (2011):
    • In T. Sivakumar v. The Inspector of Police, the court allowed males to annul marriages until 23 years.
    • This interpretation aimed to prevent disadvantages for males married at 20.
  • Allahabad High Court’s View (2024):
    • The court ruled that males above 18 cannot claim ignorance of the law.
    • It emphasized that both genders should follow the same annulment age limit for equality.
    • Highlighted that differences in marriage age stem from patriarchal notions expecting men to be older and financially responsible.

Supreme Court Observations and Limitations

  • The Allahabad High Court followed the Supreme Court’s observation in Independent Thought v. Union of India (2017), allowing annulment petitions for males up to 23 years.
  • However, the Supreme Court’s observation was not based on a detailed analysis of annulment provisions.
  • This results in an unfair disadvantage for women, undermining the PCMA’s goal of protecting women.

Need for Uniform Age of Marriage

  • The current law gives men more time to exit child marriages, disproportionately impacting women.
  • A uniform marriage age of 18 years for all genders would align with other civil rights like voting and contracts.

Concerns with Raising the Marriage Age to 21

  • Raising the marriage age could harm rights like decisional autonomy, privacy, and liberty, especially for women aged 18-21.
  • A 2024 study revealed:
    • 49.4% of marriages under PCMA were self-initiated.
    • Families often filed complaints, especially in cases of self-initiated marriages.
  • Increasing the marriage age could lead to:
    • More arrests, family breakdowns, and institutionalization of young people.
    • Overburdening the criminal justice system.

Conclusion

  • Instead of raising the marriage age, measures like access to free education until 18, better health services, and comprehensive sexuality education can improve maternal health outcomes and gender equality.
  • There is a need to re-examine time limits for annulment and address injustices in women’s access to annulment petitions.
Practice Question:  Examine the gender-based differences in Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006. Discuss the implications of a uniform age of marriage. (250 Words /15 marks)

For more such UPSC related Current Affairs, Check Out –28 January 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis

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