India’s Policy Shift Toward Genome-Edited Crops

Source: IE

Why in News?

India’s progress in genetically modified (GM) crops has stalled since 2006, with no new commercial approvals beyond Bt cotton. However, genome-edited (GE) crops are witnessing accelerated development and regulatory support.  

• Recently, two GE rice (Samba Mahsuri and MTU-1010) were cleared for release, and a GE mustard is under advanced trials, signalling a major policy shift in India’s agricultural biotechnology landscape.

What Recent Policy and Scientific Developments Are Advancing Genome-Edited (GE) Crop Research in India?

• Streamlined Regulations: GE plants are exempt from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change’s (MoEFCC) strict biosafety rules because they contain no foreign (exogenous) DNA, unlike GM crops, which require approval from the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee for field trials, seed production, or commercial release. 
  • GE crops need clearance only from an Institutional Biosafety Committee, which must simply confirm that the edited plant has no foreign DNA.  
• Funding Boost to GE Crop Research: The government has increased funding support (Rs 500 crore allocated in the 2023-24 Budget) for GE crop research and breeding and treating GE crops on par with conventional varieties. 
• Unveiling of Indigenous Gene-Editing Tool: ICAR scientists unveiled a native, indigenous genome-editing platform to break dependency on foreign, patent-heavy tools like CRISPR-Cas9.  
  • The system uses a protein called TnpB, which is significantly smaller (about one-third the size) than the Cas9 protein commonly used in CRISPR. 
  • This tool is patent-free for Indian researchers, making gene editing cheaper and more accessible. Its smaller size also makes it easier to deliver into plant cells using viral vectors, bypassing complex tissue culture processes. 
• Human Resource Capacity Building: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Indo-US Science & Technology Forum (IUSSTF) have launched the Genome Engineering/Editing Technologies Initiative (GETin).  
  • This program provides Overseas Fellowships to Indian scientists to work in premier US labs, fostering direct knowledge transfer.

What is Genome Editing? 

• About: Genome editing refers to a set of technologies that allow scientists to precisely modify an organism’s DNA by adding, removing, or altering genetic material at specific genomic locations.  
  • This is achieved using advanced tools such as CRISPR-Cas9, TALENs, and Zinc Finger Nucleases. 
• Working: While several genome editing tools exist, the most famous and widely used is CRISPR-Cas9. A simple analogy for how CRISPR-Cas9 works is as follows: 
  • Search Function (CRISPR): This is a piece of RNA (a molecular cousin of DNA) that is programmed to find and bind to one specific, unique sequence in the genome.  
  • Scissors (Cas9): This is an enzyme that acts as molecular scissors. Once the CRISPR has located the correct spot, Cas9 cuts both strands of the DNA double helix at that precise point. 
  • Edit Function (Cell's Repair Machinery): After the DNA is cut, the cell's natural repair mechanisms kick in. Scientists can harness this process to: 
    • Disable a Gene: The cell repairs the cut imperfectly, effectively "breaking" the target gene and turning it off. 
    • Correct a Gene: Scientists can provide a template of healthy DNA. The cell uses this template to repair the cut, seamlessly incorporating the correct sequence and fixing a mutation. 
    • Insert a New Gene: A new segment of DNA can be inserted into the cut site, adding a new function.

• Key Applications: The potential uses for this technology are vast and span multiple fields: 
  • Medicines: 
    • Gene Therapy: Treating or curing genetic disorders like sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, and Huntington's disease by correcting the underlying genetic mutation. 
    • Cancer Treatment: Engineering a patient's own immune cells (CAR-T cells) to better recognize and attack cancer cells. 
    • Viral Diseases: Developing strategies to cut and disable viral DNA, such as HIV, within a patient's cells. 
  • Agriculture: 
    • Crop Improvement: Creating crops that are more nutritious, drought-resistant, or resistant to pests and diseases, reducing the need for pesticides. 
    • Livestock Breeding: Developing animals with enhanced resistance to diseases. 
  • Basic Research: Scientists use genome editing to "knock out" genes in lab animals (like mice) to understand what those genes do, helping us understand the fundamentals of biology and disease.

How is Gene Editing Different from Genetic Modification? 

Feature	Gene Editing (GE)	Genetic Modification (GM)
Core Process	Precise editing of the organism's own genes using molecular tools like CRISPR-Cas.	Inserting a foreign gene from an unrelated species (e.g., from a bacterium into a plant).
Genetic Material	No foreign DNA remains in the final product; it is transgene-free.	Introduces foreign DNA (transgenes) that remains in the final product.
Regulation in India	Exempt from GEAC; only Institutional Biosafety Committee approval is needed to certify no foreign DNA.	Requires GEAC approval and extensive, multi-season biosafety trials.
Time to Approval/Release	Faster, due to lighter, streamlined regulations.	Slow, often taking over a decade due to strict, prolonged biosafety evaluations.
Examples in India	GE Samba Mahsuri Rice (19% higher yield), GE MTU-1010 Rice (salt-tolerant), GE Mustard (under trials).	Bt Cotton (contains a gene from Bacillus thuringiensis for insect resistance).

Why Gene Editing is Gaining Significance of Over Genetic Modification in Crops? 

• Wider Applicability: GE enables precise tuning of existing genes—knocking out, modifying, or increasing their activity—to create complex traits like enhanced nutrition, longer shelf-life, and climate resilience, while GM has mainly been effective for adding simple traits such as herbicide tolerance or insect resistance (e.g., Bt toxins). 
• Ability to Improve Elite Local Varieties: GE enables improvement of existing local varieties, like editing Samba Mahsuri rice to boost yield without changing its culinary traits, whereas GM produces new transgenic lines that may lack local adaptation. 
• Broader Social Acceptance: GE mimics natural mutation without adding foreign genes, facing less public opposition and rarely labeled as genetically modified organism (GMO), while GM faces global controversy and is often stigmatized as “Frankenfood”. 
• Speed and Efficiency: GE allows faster development of new crop varieties by directly editing genes for specific traits (e.g., drought tolerance, higher yield) in a single generation, whereas GM is slower, relying on trial-and-error to insert and test foreign genes. 
• Faster Commercialization: GE crops are transgene-free and face lighter regulation, enabling a faster transition from lab to field, while GM crops undergo stringent, lengthy, and costly biosafety assessments due to foreign genes, delaying commercialization. 

What are the Key Issues and a Sustainable Path Forward for Gene Editing? 

Key Issue Area	Key Challenges & Risks	Proposed Path Forward
Ethical & Moral	A primary concern is the permanent alteration of the human germline, which raises fears of creating "designer babies" and exacerbating social inequality.	It requires establishing a strong international consensus and global ethical frameworks to prohibit clinical germline editing and foster public deliberation.
Safety & Efficacy	A major technical challenge is the risk of "off-target effects," where unintended mutations occur, and "mosaicism," where edits are not uniform across cells.	This necessitates continuous technological refinement for greater precision and the enforcement of rigorous, long-term safety testing in clinical trials.
Social & Equity	There is a high risk that high costs will create a genetic divide, allowing only the wealthy access and potentially leading to genetic discrimination.	Governments must implement policy safeguards against discrimination and develop models for affordable access to ensure equitable benefits.
Regulatory & Governance	A significant hurdle is the current patchwork of international regulations, which can create "regulatory havens" for unethical or unsafe procedures.	The solution lies in creating harmonized international standards and adaptive national frameworks to oversee the technology's development and use.
Ecological	The use of "gene drives" to spread modifications in wild populations poses a risk of unintended and irreversible consequences for ecosystems.	Any application requires staged testing in contained environments, robust ecological modeling, and the development of genetic reversal mechanisms.

Conclusion 

India is strategically pivoting from stalled GM crops to fast-tracked Genome Editing, leveraging its precision, faster regulatory path, and ability to enhance local varieties. This policy shift aims to boost climate-resilient agriculture and food security, positioning GE as the cornerstone of India's future agri-biotech revolution. 

Drishti Mains Question: Discuss the significance of genome editing (GE) in Indian agriculture and how it differs from genetically modified (GM) crops. Analyse the regulatory and scientific developments facilitating GE crop research in India.

India Plans to Allow Private Sector Participation in Nuclear Energy

Source:BS

Why in News?

The Prime Minister of India announced that the country will soon open its civil nuclear power sector to private players, ahead of the Parliament’s winter session where the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025 will be introduced to expand nuclear capacity and attract private investment.

How can the Private Sector Strengthen India’s Nuclear Power Programme?

• India’s Ambitious Capacity Expansion: India plans to scale nuclear capacity from 8.8 GW to 22 GW by 2032 and 100 GW by 2047, but the sector is still dominated by Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL),  which lack the capital, manpower, and construction capacity needed to meet these ambitious targets. 
  • Private players can augment capital, skilled workforce, and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) capabilities, making large-scale expansion feasible. 
• Bridging the Massive Financing Gap: Reaching 100 GW of nuclear capacity by 2047 needs about Rs 15 lakh crore investment, but the 2025–26 Budget allocates only Rs 20,000 crore.  
  • Nuclear projects demand huge upfront costs, making limited public funds a major challenge and highlighting the need for private investment to mobilise long-term capital, reduce the fiscal burden, and diversify funding sources. 
• Accelerating Project Execution: Many NPCIL projects, such as Kudankulam Units 3–6, have faced chronic delays due to procurement issues, slow construction, and administrative hurdles.   
  • Private players can help speed up projects through better project management and stronger supply-chain efficiency. 
• Boosting Technology & Innovation: Private sector involvement can support the adoption of advanced reactor designs, small modular reactors (SMRs), and global collaborations, keys to scaling nuclear capacity and improving safety. 
• Strengthening Uranium Supply Chains: Allowing private firms to mine, import, and process uranium can upgrade India’s limited domestic capability, reduce dependence on Government-to-Government (G2G) deals, and build strategic reserves for long-term nuclear fuel security. 
• Enhancing India’s Energy Security & Net-Zero Pathway: Private participation helps accelerate low-carbon capacity growth, supporting India’s net-zero 2070 commitments. 
  • Private sector entry can deepen localisation of reactor components, boost domestic manufacturing, and integrate India into global nuclear supply chains. 

What are the Major Barriers to Private Sector Participation in India’s Nuclear Power Sector? 

• Nuclear Liability Concerns: Section 17(b) of the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLND), 2010 allows the operator a “Right of Recourse” against suppliers after a nuclear accident, unlike the CSC regime where liability rests solely with the operator. 
  • This potential supplier liability raises insurance costs and makes private participation financially risky. 
• Financing and Cost Challenges: According to the Central Electricity Authority,  the capital cost of a Pressurised Heavy Water (PHW) nuclear plant in India is expected to rise to around Rs 14 crore per megawatts (MW) by 2026–27.  
  • Despite its low-carbon profile, nuclear energy is not classified as “renewable,” making it ineligible for tax incentives and green financing, which further adds to its financial challenges. 
• Unclear Ownership & Revenue Model: Atomic Energy Act, 1962 has historically restricted private firms from co-owning or operating reactors or selling nuclear-generated electricity, creating major uncertainty about their role and deterring private participation in the sector. 
• Fuel Supply & Processing Restrictions: Domestic uranium reserves (approx 76,000 tonnes) can fuel around 10,000 MW for 30 years, but meet only 25% of future needs, making imports essential. 
  • Private players cannot mine, import or process uranium due to legal restrictions, limiting their ability to control a core project input.  
  • With India relying heavily on long-term uranium contracts from Kazakhstan, Canada and Uzbekistan, private firms face uncertainty in long-term fuel security if they enter the sector. 
• Regulatory & Security Constraints: Nuclear installations have strict security and inspection standards under Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Private firms can face compliance burdens far higher than in power, coal, or renewables.

What Steps Can Enhance India’s Nuclear Power Sector? 

• Legislative Reforms: India needs to amend the Atomic Energy Act (1962) to permit private participation in nuclear power generation, and establish clear ownership models.  
  • Revise the CLNDA (2010) to limit supplier liability, and align with Convention on Supplementary Compensation (CSC, 1997) to enhance investor confidence.   
  • The government is preparing to introduce the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025 in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament, which is a significant step in the right direction. 
• Develop a Clear PPP Model: Establish transparent frameworks for co-ownership, tariffs, risk-sharing, and long-term power purchase agreements to attract private investment. 
• Fuel Security: Strengthen fuel security by securing long-term uranium supplies from countries like Canada, Kazakhstan, and Australia, while accelerating R&D on thorium reactors such as BHAVINI’s PFBR.  
  • At the same time, build indigenous supply chains and develop nuclear industrial parks to localise critical technologies. 
• Speed Up Project Execution: Adopt Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) -based contracts, improve procurement systems, and involve private EPC firms to avoid delays seen in projects like Kudankulam.

Conclusion

Opening India’s nuclear sector to private players could transform its clean energy landscape, but success will depend on resolving liability issues, clarifying ownership structures, and strengthening the regulatory framework. The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025 marks a major step, but the sector’s future will hinge on how well the policy balances safety, investment, and long-term energy security. 

Drishti Mains Question: Examine the need for legislative reforms in India’s nuclear sector  to enable private participation while safeguarding safety and liability?

India Advances Quantum Technology

Source: PIB

Why in News? 

The Union Minister of Science & Technology visited the Quantum Research Laboratories at IIT Bombay and inaugurated the Institute’s new Liquid Helium Facility, marking a major step in India’s quantum science, cryogenics, and advanced materials. 

What are the Key Advancements in India’s Quantum Research? 

• Liquid Helium Facility: It lays the foundation for indigenous dilution refrigeration units for ultra-low temperature quantum computing and boosts India’s capabilities in cryogenics, superconductivity, quantum computing, sensing, photonics, healthcare (e.g., MRI), and green energy.  
  • Quantum computing depends on dilution refrigerators at ultra-low temperatures (below –272°C), and the Liquid Helium Facility enables indigenous units, key to India’s technological self-reliance. 
  • Helium turns into liquid helium at its extremely low boiling point (-268.93°C), creating the cryogenic conditions needed for superconductivity, superfluidity, and quantum computing, crucial for quantum research. 
• QMagPI (Portable Magnetometer): QMagPI is India’s 1st portable magnetometer, measuring ultra-low nanotesla (nT) magnetic fields for defense, strategic sectors, mineral exploration, and research, making India one of the few nations with this technology. 
• Quantum Diamond Microscope (QDM): India’s first indigenous QDM, developed by IIT Bombay, enables nanoscale 3D magnetic field imaging. With AI/ML integration, it advances neuroscience, materials research, and next-generation chip testing, bolstering India’s technological leadership. 
• Q-Confocal System: The Q-Confocal system, a homegrown confocal microscope, detects intracellular changes like Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), aiding early-stage cancer diagnostics. 
  • A confocal microscope is an advanced optical instrument that uses a pinhole to block out-of-focus light, producing sharp, high-resolution images with enhanced clarity and contrast. 

What is Quantum Technology? 

• About: Quantum Technology refers to advanced technologies that utilize the principles of quantum mechanics—such as superposition, entanglement, and tunneling—to perform tasks that are impossible or highly inefficient with classical technologies. 
• Core Principles: 
  • Superposition: Quantum particles (e.g., electrons or photons) can occupy multiple states at once until measured. 
  • Entanglement: Two or more quantum particles can become strongly correlated, so the state of one instantly influences the other, even across distances. 
  • Quantum Tunneling & Coherence: Particles can pass through energy barriers and maintain a stable quantum state, allowing precise computation and sensing. 
• Conventional Vs Quantum Computing: Conventional computers process information in bits, representing either 0 or 1 at a time, based on classical physics.  
  • In contrast, quantum computers use qubits (quantum bits), which follow atomic-scale quantum behavior and probabilistic principles, allowing them to perform tasks beyond the capabilities of classical, deterministic systems. 
• Applications: 
  • Pharmaceuticals: Quantum computers simulate molecular behavior and protein folding, accelerating drug development for diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 
  • Disaster Management: Quantum applications improve prediction of tsunamis, droughts, earthquakes, and floods and streamline climate change data collection. 
  • Secure Communication: Quantum satellites like China’s Micius enable ultra-secure communication, vital for military and cybersecurity. 
  • Quantum Cryptography: Provides unbreakable encryption, protecting sensitive data against future quantum computing threats. 
• National Quantum Mission: It is a flagship initiative by the Ministry of Science & Technology promoting quantum research, development, and applications from 2023–24 to 2030–31. 

India Adds 7 New Names to the Martian Map

Source: TH 

Why in News?

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has approved 7 new Indian names proposed by Kerala-based researchers for Martian geological features, including a 3.5-billion-year-old crater named after geologist M. S. Krishnan, along with nearby landforms named after Kerala locations such as Valiamala, Thumba, Bekal, Varkala, and Periyar.

Which Martian Landforms have been Named After Indian Places and Personalities?

• Periyar Vallis: A Martian valley named after Kerala’s longest river, Periyar, which flows from the Western Ghats to the Arabian Sea. 
• Varkala Crater: Named after Varkala beach, known for its geologically unique cliffs rich in jarosite, a mineral also detected on Mars, making it an important Martian analogue site. 
• Bekal Crater: Named after the historic Bekal Fort in Kasaragod, a 17th-century coastal stronghold overlooking the Arabian Sea. 
  • The Bekal fort was in the hands of the Keladi Nayaka dynasty, Hyder Ali of Mysore and then the British. 
• Thumba Crater: Named after Thumba, the birthplace of India’s space programme and site of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Centre (1962), where Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began its early launches. 
• Valiamala Crater: Named after Valiamala, home to the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), India’s premier institution for space education and research. 
• Krishnan Crater: Named in honour of M. S. Krishnan, India’s pioneering geologist and first Indian Director of the Geological Survey of India.  
  • The crater, located in the Xanthe Terra region of Mars, is estimated to be about 3.5 billion years old. It is scientifically significant for preserving evidence of ancient glacial and fluvial activity. 
• Krishnan Planus: A plain located southeast of the Krishnan Crater, also named in honour of M. S. Krishnan and geologically linked to the larger crater.

How are Martian Surface Features Named, and What Guidelines Govern the Process? 

• Naming Proposal:  The International Astronomical Union invites naming proposals from scientists, institutions, and mission teams, requiring details such as the name’s origin, images, coordinates, feature type, and scientific significance.  
  • Each proposal must include a brief justification for why the feature deserves the name. 
• Guidelines for Naming Martian Features:   
  • Large craters (>50 km): Named after deceased scientists with foundational contributions. 
  • Smaller craters (<100,000 population towns): Named after small towns/villages worldwide. 
  • Names must be: Culturally or historically relevant,  easy to pronounce, non-offensive, unique with no duplicates and  non-political. 
• IAU: The International Astronomical Union (IAU), headquartered in Paris, is the global authority for naming celestial bodies and planetary features, promoting astronomy through research, education, and standardised nomenclature.  
  • The naming decisions are handled by its Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN). 

Sujalam Bharat Summit 2025

Source: PIB 

The Ministry of Jal Shakti will host the Vision for Sujalam Bharat Summit 2025 in New Delhi, marking a major national effort to create a unified and practical water security framework. 

• Origin: It was conceived in line with the Prime Minister's vision of organising Summits that bring together Central and State officers as well as junior cadres. 
• Objective: To accelerate water sustainability in India by promoting evidence-based policy making, sectoral reforms, and cooperative federalism in water governance. 
• Scope: Encompasses 6 critical thematic areas: 
  • Rejuvenation of Rivers and Springs: Wetland restoration, catchment protection, and community river stewardship. 
  • Greywater Management: Circular water use, pricing models, nature-based solutions, and septage treatment. 
  • Technology-driven Water Management: AI-based monitoring, micro-irrigation, leak detection, and precision agriculture. 
  • Water Conservation: Aquifer recharge, traditional water systems, and LiFE-aligned behavioural change. 
  • Sustainable Drinking Water Supply: Climate-resilient systems, source sustainability, and community-based operations and maintenance. 
  • Community Engagement: Empowering PRIs, SHGs, and local bodies for long-term sustainability of water assets. 
• National Priorities Identified: The Ministry consolidated inputs into five national priorities: source sustainability, groundwater recharge, modern & nature-based solutions, stronger community institutions, and inter-departmental convergence. 
• Significance: It adopts a whole-of-government approach, linking policymakers and implementers to turn strategy into effective action, propelling the nation faster towards the shared goal of a truly Sujalam and Sustainable Bharat.

Read More: India's Blueprint for Clean Drinking Water

Tewary Commission Report on Nellie Massacre

Source: IE

The 1983 Nellie Massacre, during the Assam Agitation (1979–1985), has returned to public focus after the Assam government released the Tewary Commission Report, shedding new light on the tragedy. 

• The commission found that the tragedy was avoidable, but delayed action, ignored intelligence, and poor coordination allowed the violence to spiral out of control.

Assam Agitation (Assam Movement)

• About: The Assam Agitation, driven by fears of losing indigenous Assamese cultural, linguistic, and political identity, focused on identifying and expelling illegal immigrants, mainly from Bangladesh. 
  • It was led by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and focused on the Three Ds: detecting immigrants who arrived after 1951, deleting their names from voter rolls, and deporting them from India. 
• Outcome: The unrest eventually led to the Assam Accord of 1985, signed by the Centre, the state government, and movement leaders. The key clauses of the Assam Accord were: 
  • It officially set 25th March, 1971, as the cut-off date for detecting illegal foreigners. 
  • Anyone who entered Assam between 1st January, 1966, and 24th March, 1971, would be detected as a foreigner and would have their name deleted from the voter list for 10 years, after which their citizenship rights would be restored. 
  • Anyone who entered on or after 25th March, 1971, would be detected and deported.

Read More: Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955

Operation Sagar Bandhu

Source:IE

India has initiated Operation Sagar Bandhu to deliver humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah triggered massive floods and landslides. 

• Cyclone Ditwah is a tropical storm that rapidly formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal.  
  • The name Ditwah was contributed by Yemen, following the regional naming system for North Indian Ocean cyclones. 
• Operation Sagar Bandhu: India rushed relief using INS Vikrant, INS Udaigiri, and an IAF C-130J carrying tents, blankets, food, hygiene kits, and tarpaulins.  
  • India has consistently acted as a first responder in the Indian Ocean region, especially for Sri Lanka, extending support during the MV XPress Pearl ship-fire disaster in 2021 and providing assistance during Cyclone Roanu (2016). 
  • The mission aligns with India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Vision MAHASAGAR, reinforcing India’s role as a reliable first responder in the Indian Ocean region. 
• India and HADR: India has positioned itself as a global first responder in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), delivering swift support during major international crises through missions like Operation Maitri in Nepal, Operation Samudra Maitri in Indonesia, and Operation Dost in Türkiye and Syria. 
  • Its leadership is further reinforced through bilateral and regional HADR exercises such as PANEX-21 with BIMSTEC nations and Samanvay-22 with ASEAN countries, strengthening preparedness, coordination, and regional disaster response capacity.

Read more: India-Sri Lanka Relations