International Relations: The 16th BRICS Summit concluded in Kazan, Russia (22-24 October 2024). Key outcomes: promotion of local currencies for trade, a BRICS Grain Exchange proposal, and new member integration (Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE).
Culture: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary year celebrations were launched (anniversary date: 31 October).
Science: Solar Radiation Management using diamond dust to reflect sunlight was analysed as a geoengineering option. Industrial alcohol regulation went to a nine-judge Constitution Bench ruling.
Economy: WorldSkills 2024 in Lyon saw India win 4 Bronze medals and 12 Medallions of Excellence.
1. 16th BRICS Summit: Kazan Declaration
GS area: International Relations (Multilateralism, Global Governance)
The 16th BRICS Summit was hosted by Russia in Kazan from 22 to 24 October 2024.
Theme: "Strengthening Multilateralism for Fair Global Development and Security."
New members admitted (from January 2024): Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. This followed the expansion decision at the 2023 Johannesburg Summit. The BRICS grouping now covers a larger share of global GDP and oil production than before.
India's Big Cats Conservation: The Kazan Declaration included explicit support for India's International Big Cats Alliance, launched in 2023 to protect the world's seven big cat species.
Key economic outcomes:
Members agreed to explore local currency settlement for bilateral trade among BRICS countries, reducing dependence on the US dollar.
A BRICS Grain Exchange was proposed to facilitate agricultural commodity trade among member countries.
A BRICS Cross-Border Payment System to enable direct transactions was explored.
Ukraine and Middle East: The declaration called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict through diplomacy and expressed humanitarian concern about the Gaza crisis.
BRICS basics: Founded as BRIC in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined in 2010. The New Development Bank (NDB), headquartered in Shanghai, was established by BRICS in 2014. India's Dilma Rousseff-predecessor K.V. Kamath led the NDB. The Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) provides short-term liquidity support to members.
Static linkage: BRICS, New Development Bank, multilateralism (International Relations).
GS area: History (Modern India, National Movement)
The government launched a two-year nationwide celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31 October 2024 to 31 October 2026).
Integration of princely states: After independence, Patel as Home Minister oversaw the integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union. The instrument of accession was the legal mechanism. Hyderabad and Junagadh, which refused to accede, were integrated through police action (Operation Polo in Hyderabad, 1948).
IAS as "Steel Frame": Patel created the Indian Administrative Service as a successor to the Indian Civil Service. He called it the "Steel Frame of India" because a strong all-India civil service would hold together the diverse country.
Pre-independence: Led the Kheda Satyagraha (1917, against land revenue during floods), the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928, for reduction in tax), participated in the Salt March and the Quit India Movement.
National Unity Day: 31 October is celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) in his honour. The Statue of Unity at Kevadia, Gujarat (completed 2018) is the world's tallest statue at 182 metres.
Static linkage: Modern Indian history, integration of states, national leaders (History).
3. Solar Radiation Management: diamond dust proposal
A scientific proposal to spray diamond dust in the stratosphere to reflect solar radiation was analysed in October 2024 research coverage.
What Solar Radiation Management (SRM) is: A category of geoengineering approaches that aim to reduce global warming by reflecting a fraction of incoming solar radiation back into space, without addressing the underlying cause (greenhouse gas emissions).
Stratospheric aerosol injection: The most studied SRM approach involves injecting sulphate particles (similar to volcanic eruptions) into the stratosphere. The diamond dust proposal is a variation using aluminium oxide or diamond particles for their high reflectivity and potentially longer atmospheric residence.
Scale required: Approximately 5 million tonnes of diamond dust annually to achieve a 1.6°C cooling effect.
Advantages cited: Potentially fast-acting and scalable. Could buy time while the world reduces emissions.
Critical concerns: Does not address CO₂ accumulation or ocean acidification. Effects would be asymmetric across regions. Sudden termination (if funding or political will lapses) would cause rapid rebound warming. No international governance framework exists.
India's position: India receives monsoon rainfall driven partly by the temperature differential between land and sea. SRM could disrupt this differential and affect monsoons unpredictably.
A nine-judge Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court ruled that state governments have the power to regulate industrial alcohol as an "intoxicant" under the State List.
The dispute: Industrial alcohol (denatured spirit, used for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and fuels) is made poisonous and unusable for human consumption by adding toxic denaturants. The question was whether states could regulate it under their Entry 8 power (intoxicating liquors) in the State List (List II), or whether the Centre had exclusive jurisdiction.
Entry 8, State List: "Intoxicating liquors; that is to say, the production, manufacture, possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors."
Entry 52, Union List: "Industries, the control of which by the Union is declared by Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest." The Centre argued industrial alcohol fell under its industrial regulation power.
Ruling: The majority (eight to one) held that states have authority to regulate industrial alcohol as an intoxicant under Entry 8. This expands states' taxation and regulatory powers over the alcohol industry.
Static linkage: Federalism, Union List vs State List, Seventh Schedule (Polity).
5. WorldSkills 2024
GS area: Governance (Skill Development)
The 47th WorldSkills competition was held in Lyon, France in 2024.
India's contingent: India sent its largest ever contingent: 60 participants competing in 52 skill categories.
Results: 4 Bronze medals in Patisserie and Sugar Craft, Industry 4.0, Hotel Reception, and Renewable Energy. 12 Medallions of Excellence (awarded for scores above 500 points but below medal threshold).
Significance: WorldSkills is the world's largest vocational skills competition held every two years. India's performance tracks the effectiveness of its skills development ecosystem.
Skills India Mission: India is targeting 400 million skilled workers by 2030. The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana is the flagship scheme.
Static linkage: Skill development, vocational education (Governance and Economy).
6. International Big Cats Alliance
GS area: Environment (Wildlife Conservation)
The Kazan Declaration's endorsement of India's International Big Cats Alliance (IBCA) was noted.
Launched: 9 April 2023 by India at an event marking 50 years of Project Tiger.
Scope: Covers seven big cat species: tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar, and cheetah.
Member countries: 96 range countries and other nations. India is the secretariat country.
Purpose: Facilitate conservation cooperation, sharing of anti-poaching technology, habitat management best practices, and capacity building.
India's big cats: India is home to the tiger (world's largest population), Asiatic lion (Gir, Gujarat only), snow leopard (Himalayas), leopard, and the reintroduced cheetah (Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh).
Consider the following about the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan, Russia (October 2024): 1. The five new members admitted from January 2024 included Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. 2. The theme was "Strengthening Multilateralism for Fair Global Development and Security." 3. The Kazan Declaration called for an immediate military intervention to end the Ukraine conflict. Which of the above is/are correct?
Check yourself
Sardar Patel's "Operation Polo" in 1948 achieved what objective?
Check yourself
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) by stratospheric aerosol injection is distinguished from other geoengineering approaches because it:
Check yourself
The nine-judge Constitution Bench ruling on industrial alcohol in 2024 held that state governments have the power to regulate it under which entry of the Seventh Schedule?
Check yourself
The International Big Cats Alliance, endorsed by the 2024 BRICS Kazan Declaration, covers conservation of which seven species?