India-EFTA Trade Pact (TEPA)
About:
- Second full-fledged FTA for India (after UAE).
- Aims for tariff reduction, increased market access, and simpler customs procedures.
Signatories:
- India
- EFTA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
Goals:
- Promote investment & exports (IT, audio-visual, skilled professionals)
- Increase FDI by EFTA states: $100 billion in 15 years
- Includes human rights & sustainable development commitment
Potential Benefits for India:
- Tariff reduction on most industrial goods exports.
- Increased trade and investment (EFTA investment already at $10.7 billion).
- Job creation (target of 1 million jobs in 15 years).
- Access to EFTA markets for Indian products.
- Boost for services sector (IT, skilled professionals).
Challenges for India:
- Limited benefit for exports to Switzerland (already mostly zero-tariff).
- Key agricultural products excluded from the deal.
- Potential for further trade deficit (India imports heavily from EFTA, especially gold).
- Joint Venture areas may not offer significant competition for India.
Way Ahead:
- Deeper FTAs needed to achieve $2 trillion export target by 2030.
- Measures required to ensure India fully benefits from trade agreements.
Nuclear Waste Generation and Management
Nuclear Waste:
- Radioactive byproduct of nuclear reactors, fuel processing, hospitals, research.
- Solid, liquid, or gas forms with varying radioactivity levels.
- Includes long-lived radioactive elements like uranium and plutonium.
Challenges:
- Handling spent fuel: highly radioactive and hot, requiring underwater storage for decades.
- Liquid waste treatment: short-lived radionuclides may be discharged (e.g., Fukushima).
- High-level waste disposal: vitrified (converted to glass) for storage.
Spent Fuel Storage:
- Dry cask storage: cooled fuel is placed in sealed steel cylinders for long-term storage.
- Geological disposal: waste is sealed in containers and buried deep underground.
Reprocessing:
- Separates fissile material from spent fuel for reuse.
- Creates weapons-usable plutonium.
India’s Approach:
- “Delay and Delay,” “Dilute and Disperse,” “Concentrate and Contain.”
- Reprocessing facilities in Trombay, Tarapur, and Kalpakkam.
- Low/intermediate waste managed on-site at power stations.
Way Forward:
- Construct a deep geological repository for high-level waste disposal in remote locations with no circulating groundwater.
India Needs Legal Framework for Genomics
Genomics Advancements:
- Sequencing, analysis, and interpretation of genomes at a large scale.
- Improved healthcare decision-making based on genetic information.
India’s Progress:
- Sequenced 10,000 genomes, providing insights into diseases and population health.
- Needs a robust framework to keep pace with global efforts.
Challenges:
- Data Protection:
- Indian samples analyzed abroad with weak oversight.
- Fragmented genetic data across organizations hinders public health decisions.
- Discrimination: Lack of laws to prevent discrimination based on genetic information.
- Equity and Diversity:
- Unequal access to healthcare for poor and minorities due to unregulated market forces.
- Lack of research data from these groups can worsen health disparities.
- Quality Assurance: Need for mechanisms to ensure the quality and validity of genomic tests.
Benefits of a Legal Framework:
- Fosters trust and collaboration in research and innovation.
- Aligns policies with societal needs to maximize healthcare benefits.
- Enables personalized medicine, disease prevention, and better diagnostics.
India’s Potential:
- Be a leader in large-scale genomics for public benefit.
- Improve healthcare outcomes and quality of life for its citizens.
Way Forward:
- Develop a legal and policy framework for data protection, equity, and quality control.
- Ensure wider industry participation to accelerate progress.
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