4 August 2025 UPSC Current Affairs | NISAR, Biofortified Potato, CETA

Quick and crisp coverage of 4 August 2025 UPSC current affairs — featuring NISAR, CETA trade pact, Right to Repair, bio-fortified potatoes, and AI-designed immunity.

1. Bio-fortified Potatoes to Hit Indian Market Soon

What’s the News?

India is poised to roll out bio-fortified potatoes enriched with iron, marking a significant milestone in its fight against micronutrient malnutrition, or “hidden hunger”. This initiative, driven by the International Potato Center (CIP), Peru, in collaboration with ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI), Shimla, aims to strengthen nutritional security and diversify food sources in India.

Simultaneously, bio-fortified sweet potatoes rich in Vitamin A are also being promoted across various Indian states, as part of a broader public-private agri-nutrition strategy.

Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• First-of-its-Kind Iron-Fortified Potato:

  • Developed by CIP; germplasm shared with ICAR-CPRI.

  • Contains up to 40% more iron than conventional varieties (ICAR-2024 data).

  • Designed to combat iron-deficiency anemia, particularly in women and children.

• CIP’s Strategic Role:

  • A CGIAR institute specializing in tuber crops.

  • Setting up a South Asia Regional Centre in Agra, UP, for varietal evaluation, seed production, and agronomic trials.

• Indian States Involved:

  • Vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes already in cultivation in:

    • Karnataka

    • Assam

    • West Bengal

    • Odisha

• Seed Access & Farmer Empowerment:

  • Focus on improved seed systems, timely availability, and affordable pricing.

  • Bio-fortified seeds to be integrated into Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) outreach.

• Nutrition in School Meals:

  • Proposal to integrate iron-rich potatoes into the PM-POSHAN Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

  • Pilot programs considered under NITI Aayog’s Poshan Tracker initiative.

• Public-Private Partnership Model:

  • Collaboration between CIP, ICAR, state governments, and agri-tech companies.

  • Aims to scale up multiplication and commercial seed production.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Biofortification as a Global Strategy:

  • Supported by HarvestPlus, FAO, WHO, and the World Bank.

  • Used for crops like rice (zinc), wheat (iron), and maize (pro-vitamin A).

• Private Sector Investment:

  • Firms from Europe, North America investing in:

    • Seed technology

    • Contract farming

    • Cold-chain infrastructure in India’s Potato Belt (UP, Bihar, West Bengal).

• Global Efforts to Reduce Hidden Hunger:

  • Iron deficiency affects over 1.6 billion people globally (WHO 2023).

  • Vitamin A deficiency is a leading cause of preventable blindness in children.

Relevant Conventions, Goals & Initiatives

🌐 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger

  • Target 2.1: End hunger and ensure access to safe and nutritious food.

  • Target 2.2: End all forms of malnutrition.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  • Target 3.4: Reduce mortality from non-communicable diseases, including those linked to malnutrition.

🧬 Other Global Initiatives:

• CGIAR’s Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) Program: India is a research partner.

• Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP): Supports biofortification projects.

• Codex Alimentarius Guidelines: Support fortification and labeling standards.

Implications for India and the World

For India:

• Nutritional Impact:

  • May significantly reduce anemia, which affects over 50% of Indian women (NFHS-5).

• Economic & Agricultural Boost:

  • Improves yield stability and seed market competitiveness.

  • Enhances food processing sector with value-added products like fortified snacks and flours.

• Scientific Leadership:

  • Establishes India as a regional leader in biofortified crop research and biotechnology.

  • Opens up opportunities for export of fortified varieties to South Asian and African markets.

Global Implications:

• South-South Cooperation:

  • India can share research with other developing countries battling micronutrient deficiency.

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):

  • Attracts global agri-tech companies to invest in India’s seed systems and agri-value chains.

Way Forward

1. Inclusion in Government Schemes:

   • Integrate fortified varieties in PM-POSHAN, PDS, and Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS).

2. Awareness & Training:

   • Capacity building of farmers via Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and State Agri Universities (SAUs).

3. Incentivized Cultivation:

   • Offer MSP or procurement support for biofortified varieties to encourage adoption.

4. Robust Monitoring:

   • Evaluate impact on anemia and micronutrient status through district-level health surveys.

5. Private Sector Engagement:

   • Encourage startups in agri-nutrition and food-tech to innovate using fortified produce.

2. The ‘Right to Repair’ Must Include the ‘Right to Remember’

What’s the News?

India’s move to implement the Right to Repair has opened a crucial debate around preserving traditional repair knowledge, which remains undocumented and undervalued. The government’s Repairability Index—a rating system for consumer gadgets—is seen as a step forward in sustainable consumer rights. However, experts now argue for the need to recognize informal repair knowledge as a national intellectual asset and embed it into policy frameworks for digital innovation and sustainability.

Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• Repairability Index (2025 Launch):

  • Rates gadgets on ease of repair, availability of spare parts, and software support.

  • Initiated by the Department of Consumer Affairs, following global models like France’s repair index.

• Right to Repair Framework:

  • First proposed in 2022 under the Consumer Rights Charter.

  • National Portal launched in 2023 for electronics, automobiles, farm equipment, and appliances.

  • Mandates OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to share manuals, tools, and parts with third parties and consumers.

• India’s E-Waste Burden:

  • Generated 1.6 million tonnes of e-waste in 2021–22, third-highest globally (CPCB Report 2022).

  • Only 30% of e-waste is processed by formal recyclers; remainder handled informally (MoEFCC Data).

• Informal Repair Sector:

  • Comprises lakhs of self-taught technicians, often trained through observation and trial.

  • Largely unregistered and unrecognized, despite critical role in extending product life and enabling circular economy.

  • Vulnerable to obsolescence due to software locks, patent restrictions, and planned obsolescence.

• Tacit Knowledge:

  • Referred to as “knowledge of the hands”—not formally documented or certified.

  • At risk of extinction due to lack of institutional archiving, training pathways, and integration into national skilling schemes.

• Circular Economy Relevance:

  • Repair extends product lifecycles, reduces landfill pressure, and sustains livelihoods.

  • Key to achieving India’s Mission LiFE and Low-Carbon Growth Goals.

Global Developments & International Context

• European Union Right to Repair Law (2024):

  • Mandates access to spare parts for up to 10 years after purchase.

  • Promotes consumer autonomy and reduces dependence on manufacturers.

• United Nations SDG 12:

  • Target 12.5: Reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.

• US Right to Repair Legislation (e.g., New York & California):

  • Requires electronic manufacturers to provide access to repair materials for independent shops.

• iFixit Repair Index (2023):

  • Reports only 23% of smartphones in Asia are easy to repair.

  • Apple, Samsung, and Xiaomi among brands with lowest DIY repair accessibility.

• Global Benchmark – France:

  • Introduced Repairability Score Index in 2021 to tackle electronic waste crisis.

Relevant Conventions, Treaties & National Frameworks

🌐 International:

• UN SDG 12 – Sustainable Production & Consumption.

• Basel Convention – Controls transboundary movement of hazardous e-waste.

• ILO Decent Work Agenda – Recognizes informal work but calls for upskilling and formal recognition.

National Frameworks:

• E-Waste Management Rules, 2022:

  • Introduces Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

  • Promotes product stewardship and collection targets for manufacturers.

• National Digital Communication Policy, 2018:

  • Focuses on device access and affordability but lacks mention of repair ecosystems.

• NEP 2020 (National Education Policy):

  • Emphasizes experiential and vocational learning.

  • Fails to integrate grassroots knowledge systems like local repair practices.

• PMKVY (Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana):

  • No focused modules on device diagnostics, improvisational skills, or urban informal repair work.

Implications for India and the World

For India:

✅ Preservation of Socio-Technical Knowledge:

• Repair artisans represent a living form of indigenous technological heritage.

• Integrating this into education and skilling can help conserve cultural knowledge and create livelihoods.

✅ Inclusive Technology Policy:

• A ‘Repair + Remember’ approach bridges digital innovation with grassroots inclusion.

• Can help India become a global model in human-centric and frugal technology design.

✅ Economic Empowerment:

• Repair sector offers low-cost employment for youth, especially in urban informal areas.

• Potential to be part of the Skill India Mission, with certification pathways via NSDC.

Global Impact:

🌍 India as a Sustainability Leader:

• Combining digital tech with repairability principles can shape eco-friendly tech markets.

• Opportunity for South-South cooperation with Africa, Latin America in developing repair-based circular models.

🌍 Digital Rights & Consumer Sovereignty:

• Expands the notion of digital rights to include hardware autonomy, not just data ownership.

• Global advocacy groups (like Repair.org) can align with India’s initiatives.

🔍 Way Forward

1. Create a National Archive of Repair Knowledge:

   • Document repair techniques, tools, and local innovations across regions.

   • Use AI/LLMs to codify and translate indigenous repair wisdom into open-source knowledge banks.

2. Formal Recognition of Informal Repairers:

   • Include repair skills in National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF).

   • Issue certifications via RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) schemes.

3. Repair-Based Curriculum in Education:

   • NEP 2020 can integrate basic repair skills under Work Education for school students.

4. Expand Scope of Right to Repair Portal:

   • Include repair manuals for rural and urban appliances—not just high-end electronics.

5. Incentivize Repair-Friendly Designs:

   • Encourage OEMs to adopt design-for-disassembly and longer software support cycles.

6. Inclusion in National Digital Strategy:

   • Align Right to Repair with Digital India, AI for All, and Make in India to ensure inclusive tech growth.

3. Another Slip-up by India in the Trade Pact with the U.K.

📰 What’s the News?

India’s commitments under the India–United Kingdom Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) have sparked concern over the dilution of India’s long-standing position on compulsory licensing and technology transfer—particularly in the context of public health and affordable medicines.

✅ Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• Controversial Clause: Article 13.6 of CETA emphasizes voluntary licensing over compulsory licensing to ensure medicine access.

• Departure from TRIPS Flexibilities: India’s traditional stance favors compulsory licensing under WTO’s TRIPS Agreement, used to combat high drug prices.

• 2012 Precedent: India issued a compulsory license to Natco Pharma to produce the anti-cancer drug sorafenib, slashing the cost from ₹2.8 lakh/month to ₹8,800.

• Weakened Bargaining Position:

  • Voluntary licenses favor MNCs.

  • Licensing terms can limit Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) supply and impose usage restrictions.

• India’s IPR Law: Allows compulsory licenses if the patented drug is unaffordable, unavailable, or not manufactured (“worked”) in India.

🌍 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Doha Declaration 2001: India, along with other developing countries, secured the right to issue compulsory licenses to protect public health.

• MSF’s Critique: Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) flagged voluntary licenses as restrictive and less effective for ensuring affordability.

• COVID Example: Cipla’s remdesivir price in India (under voluntary license from Gilead) was higher than U.S. pricing in purchasing power terms.

• Global Push for Tech Transfer: India’s demand for fair technology transfer is undermined by this agreement, impacting its role in climate and pharma diplomacy.

📜 Relevant Conventions and Treaties

• TRIPS Agreement (WTO):

  • Recognizes compulsory licensing under specific conditions.

  • Supported by the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health.

• UN General Assembly Resolution 1974 (NIEO):

  • Called for favorable technology transfers from developed to developing countries.

• UNFCCC:

  • India’s Fourth Biennial Update Report (2024) highlights slow international tech transfers as a barrier to green technology adoption.

3. How Does the World Bank Classify Countries by Income?

What’s the News?

The World Bank’s 2024 income classification provides a widely used global benchmark to categorize countries based on their Gross National Income (GNI) per capita. These categories are crucial for framing international aid, economic policy, and research comparisons.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• Classification System: Countries are grouped into four categories:

  1. Low-income (≤ $1,135)

  2. Lower-middle income ($1,136 – $4,495)

  3. Upper-middle income ($4,496 – $13,845)

  4. High-income (≥ $13,845)

• Basis: Classification is based on GNI per capita, calculated in U.S. dollars using World Bank Atlas method (exchange rate adjustments over three years).

• Purpose:

  • Originally linked to loan eligibility.

  • Now used for tracking development trends, aid prioritization, and policy targeting.

• Annual Update: Income thresholds are adjusted every July based on global inflation trends.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Trend: Since the 2000s, the global share of people in low-income countries has dropped from 37% to <10%.

• Mobility Between Groups:

  • Countries move between groups due to changes in income, exchange rates, or population data.

  • Examples:

    • Vietnam moved up to lower-middle income.

    • Syria & Yemen dropped to low-income due to conflict.

• Classification Use Cases:

  • Inform international aid and climate financing.

  • Basis for differentiated responsibilities in global treaties (e.g., UNFCCC, SDGs).

 Relevant Conventions and Frameworks

• UN SDGs:

  • Goal 1: No Poverty — monitors progress based on income groupings.

  • Goal 17: Partnerships for Development — uses income classification for aid targeting.

• World Bank’s Lending Framework:

  • Low- and lower-middle income countries are eligible for IDA (International Development Association) support.

  • High-income countries access IBRD on commercial terms.

• Global Tax and Debt Debates:

  • GNI-based classification shapes negotiations in G20, OECD, and IMF platforms on sovereign debt relief and climate finance.

Implications for India and the World

For India:

• Currently classified as a Lower-middle income country (2024 GNI/capita ~$2,600).

• Impacts India’s eligibility for concessional funding and its role in climate negotiations.

• Policy emphasis required to boost per capita income, rural productivity, and inclusive growth.

Global Impact:

• Shapes donor–recipient dynamics and international development assistance priorities.

• Reflects economic shifts—especially the rise of Global South economies like China, Indonesia, and Brazil.

UPSC Facts

• World Bank Atlas Method: Smooths currency fluctuations by averaging exchange rates over three years.

• 2024 Classification:

  • India: Lower-middle income

  • Brazil: Upper-middle income

  • USA, Japan: High-income

• Income Threshold Adjustment: Based on Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) and inflation indices.

• Significance:

  • Used by IMF, UNDP, UNCTAD for analytical reports.

  • Determines eligibility for programs like GAVI, Climate Investment Funds, etc.

4. Anything That Moves, NISAR Will See With Unprecedented Fidelity

 What’s the News?

India and the United States are preparing to launch NISAR—a joint satellite mission between ISRO and NASA. Slated for early 2025, NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) will be the first dual-band radar satellite, revolutionizing the observation of Earth’s dynamic surface with unmatched precision.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• NISAR Full Form: NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar.

• Dual Radar System:

  • L-band radar (NASA) – penetrates forest canopies, useful for biomass, soil moisture.

  • S-band radar (ISRO) – ideal for short-term events like landslides and earthquakes.

• Mission Timeline: Expected launch from Sriharikota in early 2025.

• Key Applications:

  • Earthquake mapping

  • Glacier monitoring

  • Coastal erosion

  • Forest biomass & carbon stock analysis

  • Agricultural forecasting

• Orbit: Sun-synchronous low-Earth orbit (~747 km), global revisit every 12 days.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Global First: NISAR is the world’s first radar satellite with two radar frequencies on a single platform.

• Disaster Preparedness: Will provide near-real-time data for landslides, floods, cyclones—crucial for India’s disaster management strategies.

• Climate Studies: Supports global monitoring of ice loss, tectonic shifts, and ecosystem degradation, aligning with IPCC’s calls for better Earth observation data.

 Relevant Conventions and Frameworks

• Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030):

  • NISAR supports risk assessment and early warning.

• UNFCCC & Paris Agreement:

  • Assists with MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) of emissions related to land use and forestry (LULUCF).

• Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI):

  • Enables REDD+ reporting by detecting changes in biomass and deforestation.

5. Scientists Use AI-Designed Proteins to Generate Immune Cells

 What’s the News?

In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers have used Artificial Intelligence (AI) to design novel proteins capable of triggering the body to generate targeted immune cells, paving the way for highly specific and customizable treatments for diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases.

 Key Points for UPSC

• AI in Protein Engineering:

  • Scientists designed synthetic proteins using machine learning algorithms.

  • These proteins can bind to receptors and activate specific T-cells or B-cells in the immune system.

• Custom Immunity:

  • Potential to generate immune responses tailored to individual genetic profiles.

  • Could replace or enhance traditional vaccines, immunotherapies, and even organ transplant success rates.

• Clinical Promise:

  • Early-stage success in lab models (e.g., mice).

  • Can target specific cell types involved in diseases like cancer or Type 1 diabetes.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Rise of Protein Design via AI:

  • Inspired by tools like AlphaFold (DeepMind) and RosettaFold, which predict protein structures with atomic-level accuracy.

• Precision Medicine: Advances align with the global shift toward personalized healthcare, where treatments are tailored to a patient’s immune landscape.

• Synthetic Biology Frontier: AI is increasingly used to design biological systems from scratch—key in the bio-economy of the future.

 Relevant Conventions and Frameworks

• WHO R&D Blueprint for Emerging Diseases:

  • Promotes accelerated vaccine and therapeutic development using AI and genomics.

• UNESCO’s AI Ethics Framework:

  • Encourages responsible development and use of AI in biological sciences.

• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):

  • Supports innovation in diagnostics, treatments, and equitable healthcare delivery.

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