Content:
- India, China at 75 — a time for strategy, not sentiment
- New pathways for India’s creative economy
- Landmark agreement
India, China at 75 — a time for strategy, not sentiment
Backdrop: 75 Years of Diplomatic Ties
- India and China’s relationship has evolved from Asian solidarity (1950s) to strategic rivalry.
- Currently defined by border disputes, deep mistrust, and regional competition, yet also laced with economic interdependence and scope for cooperation.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations)
Practice Question : “India’s relationship with China has evolved into one of competitive coexistence, demanding strategic calibration rather than sentimentalism.” In this context, critically analyse India’s policy approach towards China in recent years. How can India balance deterrence with dialogue while maintaining strategic autonomy?(15 marks, 250 words)
Core Challenge: The ‘China Lens’ in Indian Policy
- China is the most critical external factor shaping India’s foreign and strategic policies.
- Post-Galwan (2020) and the shadow of 1962, the bilateral relationship is marked by:
- Permanent militarisation of the LAC, especially in Eastern Ladakh.
- High risk of miscalculation or escalation.
Defence and Deterrence
- Over 60,000 Indian troops stationed permanently in Eastern Ladakh.
- India balances military deterrence with diplomatic engagement.
- Strategic need: Guardrails to avoid flashpoints.
Economic Paradox: Deterrence vs. Dependence
- Trade imbalance touched $100 billion in 2024–25 (in China’s favour).
- Despite:
- Bans on apps, investment restrictions,
- India remains dependent on Chinese inputs in pharmaceuticals, electronics, telecom, etc.
- Full economic decoupling is neither feasible nor desirable short-term.
India’s Strategic Approach: ‘Competitive Coexistence’
- Compete on:
- Defence,
- Infrastructure,
- Regional influence.
- Cooperate on:
- BRICS, SCO (multilateral platforms),
- Dialogue initiatives (e.g. LAC patrolling, hydrological data sharing).
- Maintain agency and avoid being boxed into binaries.
South Asia: Strategic Turf War
- China’s footprint through Belt and Road initiatives:
- Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port, Nepal’s Pokhara Airport, Maldives’ infrastructure loans.
- India’s response:
- Development aid, defence cooperation, first responder in crises.
- Urgent need: Proactive diplomacy over reactive competition.
- Win hearts, not just headlines.
Narrative Competition: Bangladesh Example
- Recent remarks by Bangladesh’s interim leader in Beijing raised concerns.
- Despite factual accuracy (landlocked Northeast), such remarks:
- Reflect China’s strategic messaging,
- Highlight India’s need to bridge trust gaps in the neighbourhood.
PM’s Remark
- PM Modi’s March 2025 Lex Fridman podcast:
- Invoked ancient civilisational ties with China,
- Called for “healthy competition and mutual growth”.
- Reactions:
- Beijing responded positively (Mao Ning),
- Resumption of LAC verification patrols,
- Talks on hydrological cooperation, Kailash Yatra, and flight resumption.
Water Weaponisation: A New Frontier
- China’s Yarlung Tsangpo Dam project near Arunachal rekindles fears:
- No formal water-sharing treaty,
- High risk of mismanagement or deliberate manipulation,
- Adds an ecological and strategic layer to bilateral challenges.
Proposed China Policy: 4-Pillar Framework
- Military Readiness – deter without escalating.
- Economic Diversification – trade without overdependence.
- Diplomatic Engagement – manage flashpoints and cooperate on global platforms.
- Narrative Control – shape perceptions across the region and globally.
The Way Forward: Strategic Not Sentimental
- Embrace “competitive coexistence”:
- Build guardrails – military, economic, diplomatic,
- Avoid zero–sum thinking.
- Asia’s stability demands home-grown architecture, not over-reliance on the U.S.
- China is both a challenge and a mirror:
- A test of India’s statecraft, ambition, and vision for leadership.
New pathways for India’s creative economy
Introduction
- India’s history of creativity spans diverse fields: arts, science, metallurgy, medicine, and astronomy.
- With the goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy, India must restructure its innovation ecosystem with creativity as a core driver.
creative economy
- The creative economy encompasses economic activities rooted in creativity, knowledge, and intellectual property, spanning sectors like design, media, arts, and software.
- It drives innovation, cultural expression, and job creation, contributing over $2 trillion globally and supporting nearly 50 million jobs.
Relevance: GS 3(Economy)
Practice Question : India’s journey to becoming a creative economy powerhouse depends on its ability to bridge the gap between creativity and innovation. Discuss the challenges in this transformation and suggest measures to promote inclusive and grassroots-level innovation. (15 marks, 250 words)
Significance of the Global Creative Economy
- In 2022, global creative services exports = $1.4 trillion (↑ 29% since 2017).
- Global creative goods exports = $713 billion (↑ 19%).
- The creative economy generates $2 trillion+ annually and supports ~50 million jobs.
- UNCTADCreativeEconomyOutlook2024 identifies top 3 sectors:
- Software services – 41.3%
- Research & development – 30.7%
- Advertising, market research, architecture – 15.5%
India’s Performance in the Creative Economy
- In 2019:
- Exports of creative goods & services = $121 billion
- Services share = ~$100 billion
- Design sector = 87.5% of goods exports
- Arts & crafts = ~9%
- In 2024:
- Valued at $30 billion
- Employs ~8% of India’s working population
- Exports grew 20% in a year → Revenue of $11 billion
Challenges in India’s Creative Ecosystem
- Creativity ≠ Innovation: Ideas often fail to convert into scalable products/services.
- Lack of institutional support, IPR protection, and capital.
- Grassroots creativity is underfunded and underutilized.
- No structured mechanism to bridge the creativity–innovation gap.
The Nature of Creativity
- Four segments of creativity (scientifically classified):
- Deliberate & emotional
- Deliberate & cognitive
- Spontaneous & emotional
- Spontaneous & cognitive
- Endogenous (internally-driven) vs Exogenous (externally-triggered)
- Grassroots innovations fall mostly under: deliberate/spontaneous + cognitive
Case Studies of Creative Brilliance
- Antrodam Project (Indonesia): Biomimicry-based flood management system inspired by:
- Ant tunnels, rose petals, lettuce coral, pill millipedes, frigate bird
- Illustrates potential of nature-inspired design
- Indian Examples:
- Mitticool clay refrigerator
- Pedal-operated washing machine
- Amphibious bicycle
- All need funding, scale-up, IPR protection
Policy and Investment Imperatives
- Invest in creativity at all levels — from tribal to tech start-ups.
- Create a supportive ecosystem: capital, training, IP protection, market linkages.
- Integrate ‘One District, One Innovation’ into governance (parallel to ODOP).
- Restructure IPR laws to suit informal and indigenous innovations.
- Redirect climate tech investments to grassroots creative solutions:
- In 2023, India received $2.8 billion in climate tech
- But grassroots adaptation/innovation received negligible share
Way Forward
- Establish district-level innovation hubs for bottom-up development.
- Ensure institutional recognition of creators and innovators separately.
- Encourage public-private partnerships (PPP) in creative infrastructure.
- Use platforms like GIAN (Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network) to mainstream local solutions.
- Promote social entrepreneurship that scales grassroots creativity ethically.
Landmark agreement
Context: WHO Pandemic Agreement (2024)
- Finalized on April 16, 2024 by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body after 3.5 years and 13 meetings.
- The draft is ready for adoption by the World Health Assembly in May 2024.
- Aims to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future pandemics more equitably and effectively.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations ,International Organisations)
Practice Question : “The recent WHO Pandemic Agreement marks a turning point in addressing global inequities in health emergencies.”Critically examine the significance of the agreement in ensuring equitable pandemic preparedness and response.(15 marks, 250 words)
Background & Global Imbalances
- Reflects deep historical divides between the Global North and Global South in health governance.
- Developed countries: Hesitant to commit to technology transfer, diagnostics, vaccines.
- Developing countries: Reluctant to share pathogen samples without guaranteed access to resulting health products.
- Echoes past inequities like Indonesia’s protest in the mid-2000s over H5N1 sample use without vaccine access.
Key Provisions of the Agreement
Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS)
- Most significant achievement of the treaty.
- Guarantees developing countries that share pathogens or genome data will receive:
- Access to diagnostics, vaccines, and treatments developed from their samples.
- Aims to correct the COVID-era inequity, where richer nations hoarded vaccines.
Healthcare Worker Protection
- First unanimously agreed-upon article: stronger measures to safeguard frontline health workers globally.
Pharmaceutical Commitments
- Pharma companies will:
- Donate 10% of pandemic products to WHO.
- Offer an additional 10% at affordable prices to low-income countries.
- Addresses vaccine hoarding seen during COVID-19, especially in Africa.
Technology Transfer
- Settled debate: transfer will happen on “mutually agreed terms”, not merely “voluntary”.
- Treaty calls for:
- Promotion, facilitation, and incentivisation of technology exchange.
- Enabling developing countries to produce vaccines and health tools independently.
- A shift from corporate discretion to international obligation.
Significance of the Agreement
- Sets a legal and moral precedent for:
- Equitable pandemic preparedness.
- Sharing of life-saving health resources.
- Balances sovereignty over biological materials with global solidarity.
- Empowers developing nations to negotiate fairer terms in future health emergencies.
Challenges Ahead
- Details on implementation and enforcement still evolving.
- Sample sharing mechanisms and intellectual property rights negotiations ongoing.
- Ensuring pharma compliance with donation and pricing clauses may be difficult without strong accountability mechanisms.
Relevance for India
- As a major supplier of generics and vaccines, India stands to:
- Benefit from technology access.
- Contribute to equitable distribution of medicines.
- Needs to invest in R&D infrastructure, pathogen surveillance, and domestic manufacturing to leverage this agreement.
