5 August 2025 UPSC Current Affairs include five crucial topics for aspirants: India’s evolving Myanmar policy, Trump’s global tariff threats, India’s battery waste management issues, resurgence of rural bank branches, and data gaps in COVID-related deaths. These topics are vital for UPSC Prelims and Mains preparation.

1. Centre Hits Back After Trump Threatens More Tariffs on India

 What’s the News?

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has once again made headlines by accusing India of taking advantage of the Ukraine crisis. He alleged that India is buying cheap Russian oil, refining it, and reselling it for profit to other countries, including the United States. Trump warned that if such actions continue, he would substantially increase tariffs on Indian goods entering the U.S. if re-elected.

India responded firmly and swiftly. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called the accusations “unjustified and unreasonable,” defending India’s sovereign right to secure affordable energy.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• 🇮🇳 India’s Energy Strategy: Post-Ukraine war, India began importing discounted crude oil from Russia to ensure energy security and reduce inflationary pressure.

• Tariff Clarification: India clarified that tariffs are paid by U.S. importers, not by Indian exporters.

• MEA Statement: The MEA emphasized that Western nations, including the U.S. and EU, continue to trade with Russia indirectly.

• Resale Allegations: Trump alleged that India profits by refining and reselling Russian oil, but no evidence supports this claim.

• India’s Autonomy: India asserts its strategic autonomy and maintains an independent foreign and energy policy.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• Ukraine-Russia Conflict Impact: After the war in Ukraine, Western nations imposed economic sanctions on Russia, especially in energy trade.

• Energy Supply Shifts: As Europe turned to the Middle East for oil and gas, India seized the opportunity to import cheap Russian crude that was redirected from Europe.

• Past U.S. Position: Ironically, during the initial months of the war, U.S. officials had encouraged India to buy Russian oil to help stabilize global energy prices.

• Global Inflation & Recession Risks: The IMF and World Bank have warned of rising inflation and slowing global trade, and such tariff threats could worsen the global economic situation.

• Protectionism Rising: Trump’s remarks are part of a broader trend of economic nationalism and protectionism being witnessed globally.

 Relevant International Treaties & Legal Frameworks

1. World Trade Organization (WTO):

   • Most Favoured Nation (MFN) Clause: Any discriminatory tariff increase against Indian goods could violate the MFN principle under WTO rules.

   • Dispute Settlement Body (DSB): India can challenge unjustified U.S. tariff hikes through the WTO’s dispute resolution mechanism.

2. General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT):

   • Under Article I and Article XXIV, arbitrary or politically motivated tariffs are prohibited unless based on justifiable exceptions like national security.

3. International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank:

   • Both institutions have criticized unilateral tariff measures as harmful to global recovery.

   • They emphasize the need for predictable, rules-based trade frameworks.

4. SWIFT Financial System:

   • While India has not used SWIFT to facilitate oil payments to Russia, alternative payment systems like rupee-ruble trade have helped bypass sanctions, maintaining energy flows without breaching international law.

2. The Missing Link in India’s Battery Waste Management

 What’s the News?

India’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy systems is accelerating rapidly. However, this clean energy push is creating a growing environmental threat — the generation of hazardous battery waste, especially from lithium-ion batteries.

With EV sales surging and solar energy systems using battery storage extensively, recycling and disposal mechanisms have not kept pace. Experts and environmentalists are now calling for a review of India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms to build a sustainable, circular battery economy.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• India’s Battery Demand:

  • Expected to rise from 4 GWh in 2023 to 139 GWh by 2035, as per NITI Aayog projections.

• Waste Generation:

  • India generated over 7 lakh tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste in 2022.

• Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022:

  • Mandate producers/importers to collect and recycle used batteries under EPR.

  • Producers must ensure environmentally sound management through registered recyclers.

• Issue with Current EPR Norms:

  • Low floor price incentives under EPR make formal recycling financially unviable.

  • The informal sector, using unsafe methods, dominates recycling due to low cost and weak enforcement.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• International Best Practices:

  • The UK charges around ₹1,600 per kg for EV battery recycling.

  • European Union’s Battery Regulation (2023) enforces mandatory recycling content in new batteries and producer responsibility.

• China has made rapid advances in setting up a battery recycling ecosystem, with manufacturers required to disclose battery life-cycle data and partner with certified recyclers.

• Informal Sector Concerns in India:

  • Unlicensed units dismantle batteries without proper protective gear or pollution control.

  • Results in toxic chemical leaks, groundwater contamination, and air pollution.

• Dependence on Raw Minerals:

  • India imports key minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, mostly from China, DRC, and Latin America.

  • Recycling used batteries can significantly reduce import dependence and geopolitical vulnerabilities.

 Relevant Conventions & Legal Frameworks

Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022 (India)

• Mandates Battery Passport, EPR obligations, and recycler registration.

• Applicable to all types of batteries: EV, industrial, portable, and solar.

Basel Convention (1989) – International Treaty

• Controls transboundary movement of hazardous wastes.

• EV batteries, especially lithium-ion, fall under its scope if not recycled properly.

• India is a party to the convention and must ensure safe handling and disposal.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• SDG 13: Climate Action

• Proper battery recycling supports climate and sustainability goals.

 Key Reports and Institutional References

• 📘 NITI Aayog:

  • Report on “Battery Storage in India” highlights need for a circular economy approach.

• 📘 Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC):

  • Implements Battery Waste Management Rules and monitors EPR compliance.

• 📘 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB):

  • Registers recyclers and tracks battery waste flows.

• 📘 World Bank & International Energy Agency (IEA):

  • Stress the importance of recycling to ensure critical mineral security in global energy transitions.

• 📘 Global Battery Alliance (WEF):

  • Promotes responsible and circular battery value chains worldwide.

3. India’s Pandemic Toll Remains Elusive

 What’s the News?

Even years after the peak of the COVID-19 crisis, India lacks a precise estimate of the pandemic’s total death toll. Official data from 2020 shows that only 22.5% of registered deaths were medically certified with cause of death, making accurate pandemic-related mortality figures elusive. This underreporting has raised questions about data credibility and preparedness for future health emergencies.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• ✅ Civil Registration System (CRS) in India lacks universal coverage and robust digital integration.

• 📉 Many deaths, especially in rural areas, go unreported or uncertified.

• 🧾 The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that India’s excess mortality during the pandemic was significantly higher than official Indian data.

• 🕯️ Cremations without formal registration, especially during COVID-19 surges, left large data gaps.

• 🩺 Experts highlight the need for death audits, digitization of health records, and trained medical certifiers.

 Global Context & Recent Developments

• 🌍 Countries like Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia have revised their COVID-19 tolls after detailed audits.

• 📊 India challenged WHO’s modelling methodology, calling it statistically flawed, but did not offer alternative audited figures.

• 🧠 Global consensus is forming around the need for real-time mortality tracking systems to respond to health emergencies effectively.

 Relevant International Conventions & Legal Frameworks

• 🛡️ International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005 (by WHO):

  • Binding agreement that obligates countries to accurately report public health emergencies.

• 🌍 Global Pandemic Treaty (under negotiation):

  • Aims to establish global standards for data transparency, health infrastructure, and international aid during pandemics.

• 📘 India’s National Health Policy (2017):

  • Emphasizes digital health systems, data integration, and universal registration of deaths and births.

4. Why a Progressive Indian Policy on Myanmar Is More Than Plausible

 What’s the News?

India has long maintained pragmatic ties with Myanmar’s military junta, largely to safeguard its security and strategic interests. However, in light of Myanmar’s deteriorating human rights situation and increasing calls from democratic forces for support, there is growing consensus that India can — and should — adopt a progressive, values-driven policy toward its eastern neighbour. This policy could align India’s democratic credentials with its long-term strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific region.

 Key Points for UPSC (Prelims & Mains)

• Since the February 2021 military coup, Myanmar’s junta has killed over 5,000 civilians and displaced more than 2.5 million people internally.

• India has maintained official engagement with the junta, including arms sales and military cooperation.

• India has deported asylum seekers, especially from Manipur, citing the absence of formal refugee laws.

• The National Unity Government (NUG) and pro-democracy ethnic coalitions are actively seeking international support to replace the military’s 2008 Constitution with a federal democratic framework.

 Recent Developments & Global Context

• ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus to restore peace in Myanmar remains unimplemented.

• UN, EU, and international human rights groups have called for sanctions and disengagement with Myanmar’s military regime.

• India’s border states — Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland — are witnessing a sharp influx of refugees fleeing violence across the Myanmar border.

• The Free Movement Regime (FMR) was suspended in February 2024 by India’s Ministry of Home Affairs, ending decades of cross-border kinship mobility.

 Relevant Conventions & Legal Context

• India is not a signatory to the 1951 UN Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol.

• However, non-refoulement, a customary international law principle, discourages sending refugees back to countries where they face persecution.

• The UNHCR, under humanitarian law, continues to monitor and call for protection of asylum seekers in India’s northeast.

• The situation aligns with SDG Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

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