India and the Global South

Syllabus: International Relations | Source: DH (Deccan Herald)

🔷 Introduction:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia has strengthened India’s strategic outreach to the Global South and further reinforced its leadership on international platforms.

🌍 What is the Global South?

• The term Global South is used to refer to developing and emerging economies primarily located in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Oceania.
• These countries face similar developmental challenges and demand greater representation and equity on global platforms.

🔸 Origin:

• First used by Carl Oglesby during the Vietnam War in the 1960s.
• The Brandt Line (1980) illustrated the divide between the affluent North and the underdeveloped South.
• The term gained popularity post COVID-19, Ukraine War, and climate crises due to growing dissatisfaction with global governance.

🧭 Key Features of the Global South:

1. Geographical Flexibility: Countries like India and China, though located in the Northern Hemisphere, are considered part of the Global South.
2. Economic & Political Marginalization: Limited influence in institutions like the UN, IMF, and World Bank.
3. Development Priorities: Focus on poverty alleviation, food and energy security, and climate justice.
4. Institutional Platforms:
   • G-77 (134 countries)
   • Non-Aligned Movement (120 countries)
   • Voice of Global South (India-led)

⚠️ Challenges for the Global South:

🇮🇳 India’s Role in the Global South:

1️⃣ Leadership on Multilateral Platforms:

• G20 Presidency (2023) under the theme “One Earth, One Family, One Future”.
• Advocated for African Union’s membership in G20.
• Campaigning for permanent Global South representation in UNSC.

2️⃣ South-South Cooperation:

• Collaborates through IBSA and BRICS.
• Offers financial support through the New Development Bank (NDB).
• Leads efforts to reform global governance structures.

3️⃣ Technological and Digital Leadership:

• Export of UPI, CoWIN, Telemedicine, and the Aadhaar model.
• Works to make AI, digital education, and health tech accessible.
• Example: UPI expansion to Nepal, UAE, Namibia, etc.

4️⃣ Humanitarian Assistance:

• Vaccine Maitri initiative supplied vaccines to over 100 countries.
• Relief efforts in Nepal (earthquake), Sri Lanka (floods), and Madagascar (cyclone).

5️⃣ Cultural, Educational, and Diaspora Diplomacy:

• Programs like ICCR, ITEC, yoga promotion, and Hindi expansion.
• Strong diaspora connections in Fiji, Suriname, and Africa deepen diplomacy.

🌐 Strategic Partnerships (Beyond 5 Countries):

🔍 Other Regional Examples:

🔮 The Way Forward:

1. Lead reforms in UNSC, WTO, and IMF to reflect Global South priorities.
2. Ensure equitable access to mineral resources.
3. Expand funding through ISA and BRICS Bank.
4. Institutionalize the Voice of the Global South as a permanent platform.
5. Strengthen partnerships with CARICOM, AU, ECOWAS, Mercosur, and others.

🔚 Conclusion:

India is no longer a mere aid recipient, but is emerging as an agenda setter in the Global South.
Through strategic diplomacy, digital innovation, and cultural empowerment, India is establishing itself as a trusted and inclusive partner in a multipolar world.
This rising momentum must now translate into sustainable global institutional reforms

ISA (International Solar Alliance)

🔹 Establishment:

• Year: 2015
• Venue: Paris Climate Conference (COP21)
• Founding Countries: India and France
• Headquarters: Gurugram, India

🔹 Objectives:

• To promote the use of solar energy, particularly in developing countries located between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.
• To ensure equitable access to affordable, clean, and sustainable energy.
• To create a global solar market, enhance production capacity, and mobilize financial support.

🔹 ISA and the Global South:

• A majority of ISA member countries belong to the Global South (Africa, Asia, and Latin America).
• Through ISA, India provides technical support, capacity building, and financial assistance to developing nations.
• ISA also helps facilitate low-interest loans for solar energy projects.

BRICS Bank (New Development Bank – NDB)

🔹 Establishment:

• Year: 2014
• Venue: Fortaleza, Brazil
• Members: BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa)
• Headquarters: Shanghai, China
• India's Regional Office: Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar

🔹 Objectives:

• To finance infrastructure projects in BRICS and other emerging and developing countries.
• To reduce dependence on World Bank and IMF.
• To strengthen South-South financial cooperation.

🔹 India’s Role for the Global South:

• Through the NDB, India supports loans, technology sharing, and joint development projects in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
• Example: India has secured NDB funding for climate-resilient projects.
• NDB has expanded to include non-BRICS members like Bangladesh, Egypt, and the UAE, signaling a broader engagement with the Global South.

🔚 Conclusion:

ISA and the BRICS Bank are two key instruments through which India plays a leadership role in the Global South.
Through these platforms, India is:

• Tackling climate change,
• Promoting sustainable development, and
• Advancing the goal of financial inclusion,
  while strengthening diplomatic cooperation with developing countries.

Elon Musk's Starlink Gets Final Approval from Indian Government to Launch Internet Services

🔷 Key News:
Elon Musk-owned Starlink has received final regulatory clearance from the Indian government, allowing it to launch its satellite-based internet services in India.
Currently available in over 100 countries and territories, Starlink functions anywhere with a clear view of the sky—meaning it can provide internet connectivity even in the most remote areas of India.

🔹 Details of Regulatory Approval:

• IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) has granted Starlink a five-year commercial operating license.
• Starlink becomes the third company—after Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio—to receive approval to offer satellite internet in India.
• The approval allows Starlink to use its Gen1 satellite constellation and is valid until July 7, 2030.

🔸 Will the service begin immediately?
No. Despite receiving regulatory clearance, Starlink must still:

• Establish ground infrastructure,
• Obtain spectrum rights from the government,
• Undergo testing and certification to meet IN-SPACe’s security standards.

🔹 Why is Starlink better than other services?

1. Better than traditional broadband:
   • Conventional fiber-optic broadband (like Airtel, Vodafone Idea, ACT, etc.) relies heavily on ground-based infrastructure.
   • Starlink, using a constellation of thousands of satellites, delivers internet without the need for ground towers.
2. Superior to other satellite services:
   • Competing satellite services often face speed and latency issues.
   • Starlink satellites communicate via laser links, enhancing speed and reducing latency.

💰 Estimated Starlink Pricing in India:

• Note: Speeds may vary from 20 Mbps to 264 Mbps depending on geographic location.

🔸 Launch in Bangladesh & TRAI Proposal:

• Starlink launched in Bangladesh in May 2024 with a one-time setup fee of ₹39,000 and monthly plans starting at ₹2,990.
• TRAI has proposed an additional ₹500 monthly charge for urban users, though the final decision is still pending.

🔹 Partnerships and Competition in India:

🤝 Partnerships:

• Reliance Jio: Partnered with Starlink to sell its hardware and handle installation in India.
• Bharti Airtel: Tied up with Starlink to bring the service to remote regions.

🛰️ Competition:

• BSNL (state-owned telecom) is developing a new “Direct to Device” service that integrates satellite and mobile networks for seamless connectivity.
  • In trials, messages were sent via a Viasat satellite located 36,000 km away.

🔚 Conclusion:
Starlink has the potential to revolutionize internet access in India, especially in areas that currently lack any network.
While the costs may seem high for now, the service could become a viable option for frequent travelers, mobile users, and those living

in remote or rural areas.

PARAKH National Survey Report

Syllabus: Education (GS Paper 2)
Source: The Hindu
Context:
The PARAKH National Survey Report has revealed serious learning deficits among Indian students, especially in mathematics, language, and science in Grades 3, 6, and 9.

📘 About the PARAKH Report:
What is it?

• It is a national-level, competency-based student assessment conducted under PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development).
• Previously, this was known as the National Achievement Survey (NAS).

Published by:

• Ministry of Education, Government of India
• Conducted by NCERT in December 2024 under the national assessment body PARAKH.

📊 Key Summary of Findings:

🧒 Grade 3:

🔹 Language:

• 60% of students could read and comprehend short stories and instructions.
• 67% could use vocabulary appropriately in daily conversations.

🔹 Mathematics:

• Only 55% could correctly arrange numbers up to 99.
• 58% could perform two-digit addition and subtraction; only 54% understood multiplication and division concepts.
• 50% could recognize geometric shapes and conduct money transactions up to ₹100.

👦 Grade 6:

🔹 Mathematics:

• Only 38% of students could solve arithmetic problems related to daily life.
• 29% understood the concept of fractions.
• 42% could correctly estimate area, perimeter, and volume.

🔹 Environmental and Social Understanding:

• 44% could describe natural and social elements.
• 38% could identify environmental patterns (e.g., moon phases, rituals, climate change).
• 56% could explain the roles of institutions such as panchayats, banks, and schools.

👨‍🎓 Grade 9:

🔹 Language:

• 54% of students could extract the main ideas from editorials or reports.

🔹 Mathematics:

• Only 28–31% could apply percentages or fractions in real-life scenarios.
• 31% had an understanding of number sets such as integers, rational, and real numbers.

🔹 Science:

• Only 34% could distinguish between living and non-living characteristics.
• 37% could explain concepts related to pressure, temperature, and density.
• One-third could understand electric circuits, hormonal changes, and magnetic effects.

📍 Top and Low Performing States/Districts:
🔹 Top Performing States/UTs (in all three grades):

• Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu

🔹 Low Performing Districts:

• Garo Hills (Meghalaya), Shi Yomi (Arunachal Pradesh), Reasi & Rajouri (Jammu & Kashmir), Sahebganj (Jharkhand)

🏫 Trends by Type of School:

• Grade 3: Lowest math scores recorded in Kendriya Vidyalayas.
• Grade 6: Weakest math performance in state-run and aided schools.
• Grade 9: Kendriya Vidyalayas showed the best performance in language.

🔚 Conclusion (For UPSC Use):
The PARAKH Report highlights a foundational learning crisis in India’s education system, especially in mathematics and science.
It provides guidance for policy-makers, educators, and state governments to implement targeted interventions to meet the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.