Indian Government Policies and Initiatives: A Review

Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for February 15, 2026 . If you missed the February 14, 2026, UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests. What’s the ongoing story: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar underlined Saturday that India remains committed to strategic autonomy and will make “independent” choices which may not agree with someone’s thinking. Key Points to Ponder: — What is the Munich Security Conference? — What are the key highlights of the India-US interim deal? — What is the significance of the India-US trade deal? How important is it for India? — What was the impact of US reciprocal tariffs on India? — What is the status of India’s oil import from Russia? — Know the profile of India’s oil import and how it has shifted in the recent years. — What is India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war? — What are the concerns associated with the India-US interim deal? Key Takeaways: — He said this when asked if the recent trade agreement with the United States and its terms on “weaning” off Russian oil didn’t undermine India’s strategic autonomy. — Jaishankar’s remarks come as the government faces sharp attacks from the Opposition, which has accused it of “surrendering” to Washington in the wake of the interim trade agreement. — Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in a session with his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Jaishankar said, “We are very much wedded to strategic autonomy,” when asked if the interim trade agreement with the US would affect India’s energy ties with Russia, and impact its strategic autonomy. — “It’s very much a part of our history and our evolution…It’s something which is very deep, and it’s something which cuts across the political spectrum as well,” the minister said. — Significantly, Jaishankar was speaking after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, addressing the conference earlier in the day, touched upon the Ukraine war and claimed US had got India’s “commitment” to stop purchases of “additional Russian oil.” — However, Jaishankar reiterated New Delhi ’s refrain that commercial considerations guide procurement decisions. “As for energy issues, this is a complex market today. Oil companies in India, as in Europe, as probably in other parts of the world, look at availability, look at costs, look at risks and take the decisions that they feel are in their best interest,” he noted. — US President Donald Trump ’s executive order, that came with the joint statement on the interim trade deal, said that India had “committed to stop directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil” and that “it will purchase United States energy products… and has recently committed to a framework with the United States to expand defense cooperation over the next 10 years”. — That order lifted the penalty tariff of 25 per cent but warned of punitive action in case India imports Russian oil. In the wake of this, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had said that India’s energy sourcing will be guided by national interest. Misri had added that “the more diverse we are, the more secure we are,” without directly addressing if India would stop importing Russian oil or continue with it. — Over the past couple of months, India’s Russian oil imports have declined steadily to a three-year low, as per tanker data. From the 2025 peak of 2.09 million barrels per day (bpd) in June, India’s Russian oil imports dropped to 1.16 million bpd in January 2026, according to data from commodity market analytics firm Kpler. — In Munich Saturday, Jaishankar also met with G7 Foreign Ministers, reiterating India’s support for the UN80 agenda and underscoring New Delhi ’s role in safeguarding global security. “Reiterated India’s support of the UN@80 agenda, particularly meaningful reform of the UN Security Council,” he said in a post on X. — At another session during the conference, Jaishankar highlighted the importance of a nimble and dynamic foreign policy to meet the demands of multipolarity. He also spoke about the significance of the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement and the India-US trade deal in that regard. Do You Know: — Moving closer to a bilateral trade pact, India and the US unveiled on February 7 a framework for an interim trade agreement to lower tariffs and deepen economic ties after almost a year of negotiations. Some of the key highlight of interim deal framework are: — US to apply 18% reciprocal tariff: US will reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. India will eliminate or cut down import duties on all US industrial goods and a range of American food and agricultural products. The first phase of the pact is expected to be signed by mid-March. — Relief under national security tariffs : India has secured concessions on certain aircraft and aircraft parts, tariff rate quotas for automotive parts and generic pharmaceuticals. “Contingent on the findings of the US Section 232 investigation of pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients, India will receive negotiated outcomes with respect to generic pharmaceuticals and ingredients,” the statement said. — India to cut tariffs on US goods: India will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India-US Interim Trade Deal: Backdrop, key highlights, gains, and concerns Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (1) In the context of global oil prices, “Brent crude oil” is frequently referred to in the news. What does this term imply? (UPSC CSE 2011) 1. It is a major classification of crude oil. 2. It is sourced from the North Sea. 3. It does not contain sulfur. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 2 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: ‘What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self-esteem and ambitions’. Explain with suitable examples. (UPSC CSE 2019) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests, Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life, Awareness in the fields of IT. What’s the ongoing story: C. Raja Mohan writes- “As national leaders and global entrepreneurs gather here this week for the India AI Impact Summit (February 16-20) to debate the impact of Artificial Intelligence on “people, planet, and progress”, the mix of anxiety and anticipation is hard to miss.” — What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its application? — What is the purpose of the AI impact summit? — What are the initiatives taken by India to integrate AI? — What are the opportunities and challenges posed by AI? — How is technological development linked to national security? — How can AI help India accelerate economic growth and governance capacity? — What are the ethical issues related to AI? — Why is a global compact on AI the need of the hour? — What do you understand by the term “digital feudalism”? Key Takeaways: — “The spectacular rise in AI‑driven tech valuations over the last few years has just collided with a sharp correction in global markets. Predictions of massive job losses, in a sweeping range of white-collar sectors, from software and finance to law and realty, sit uneasily beside expansive claims that AI will generate such extraordinary wealth that work itself may become optional.” — “The promise of liberation from drudgery is shadowed by the fear, triggered most recently by Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6, that AI could instead enslave humanity. Opus 4.6 is specifically designed for complex, agent-driven, and enterprise-level workflows.” — “Yet behind these confusing headlines lies a deeper question: how to interpret the meaning of the AI revolution and its implications for global order…Three books — by Yanis Varoufakis, Alex Karp, and the late diplomat Henry Kissinger — offer sharply different answers and, between them, pointers for India to the road ahead.” — “Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, warns that we are entering an era of “digital feudalism”. Karp, the head of Palantir, argues that democracies must harness technology to survive intensifying geopolitical rivalry. And Kissinger, in his final work, suggests that AI may transform humanity’s relationship with knowledge and power itself. — “For emerging powers such as India, Varoufakis’s thesis raises uncomfortable questions. Can digital sovereignty be preserved in a world where global platforms are overwhelmingly based in just two countries — United States and China? Can a democratic India live with digital feudalism? Whether or not one accepts the term “technofeudalism”, Varoufakis forces us to confront the concentration of digital power and the political consequences of its exercise.” — “If Varoufakis sees danger in corporate dominance, Alex Karp sees danger in strategic complacency. In The Technological Republic, Karp criticises Silicon Valley for its deliberate distancing from the state and its fixation on consumer‑facing innovation. He argues that technology firms must rediscover a sense of national purpose and collaborate with governments. He invokes the Manhattan Project and the Internet as examples of how state-technology partnerships once shaped the global order by heralding the atomic age and global digital connectivity.” — “Karp insists that in a world of sharpening competition with China, for liberal democracies, technological development is inseparable from national security. States that fail to integrate technological innovation into strategy, he warns, risk losing influence — or worse.” — “Karp’s argument should resonate in India, where its “developmental state” led the pursuit of advanced technologies after Independence. But Delhi’s long‑standing reliance on state tech monopolies and its reluctance to allow private capital a central role in technological development meant that it steadily lost ground.” — “Delhi now appears ready to correct that course, if tentatively. Yet, it remains some distance from fully trusting the instincts of the private sector to drive technological innovation. India’s tech entrepreneurs, meanwhile, are only beginning to grasp the scale of the opportunity before them.” — “For India, the stakes are unusually high. As a “catch‑up state”, India’s central goal is to close the gap with the developed world in terms of power and prosperity. Delhi sees AI as a historic opportunity to accelerate growth, expand state capacity, and leapfrog technological stages that took advanced economies decades to build.” — “But India must also navigate the tension between regulation and innovation, safety and development. For now, Delhi is not emulating Europe’s regulation‑heavy approach, nor is it embracing Trump’s model of letting tech capital develop AI without any fetters.” — “India is attempting to craft a middle path — one that will be easy to state but hard to delineate in actual policymaking. This balancing act will shape India’s AI trajectory in the coming decades. The choices Delhi makes — on finding the right balance between state and capital, and between international cooperation and the development of sovereign capabilities — will determine whether India can leverage AI for national renewal or let its past policy inhibitions drive the nation towards suboptimal outcomes.” Do You Know: — Artificial intelligence refers to the field of computer science which aims to make computer systems think, reason, learn, and act to solve a complex system like humans. AI can be classified into two types: Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI) also known as weak AI and Artificial General Intelligence ( AGI ) also referred to as strong AI. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Best of Both Sides | On AI impact, India has important lessons for the world Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (2) With the present state of development, Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following? (UPSC CSE 2020) 1. Bring down electricity consumption in industrial units 2. Create meaningful short stories and songs 3. Disease diagnosis 4. Text-to-Speech Conversion 5. Wireless transmission of electrical energy Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2, 3 and 5 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2, 4 and 5 only (d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does Al help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of Al in healthcare? (UPSC CSE 2023) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance, Economic and Social development. Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What’s the ongoing story: A year after it was announced in the Union Budget 2025-26, the Union Cabinet has approved the Rs 1 lakh crore Urban Challenge Fund that will provide 25% of the cost of projects for which at least 50% of the cost has to be raised from the market. — What is urbanisation? — What are the Challenges of urban expansion? — What is the Urban Challenge Fund? — What are the objectives of this fund? — What are the challenges related to urban infrastructure development? — What is the significance of private sector participation in urban infrastructure development? — What are the challenges faced by the urban local bodies? — What steps should be taken for improving urban governance? Key Takeaways: — Announcing the Cabinet’s decision on Friday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday that a “wide range of cities” would be covered by the fund. The investment is envisaged over five years. — The fund will provide Rs 1 lakh crore of Central assistance to projects worth Rs 4 lakh crore in total, with the remaining amount coming from the market and the local bodies/state government’s own sources. Cities will have to raise at least 50% of the project cost from the market, including through municipal bonds, bank loans and public-private partnerships. — The Urban Challenge Fund will leverage market finance, private participation and citizen-centric reforms for delivery of high-quality urban infrastructure. The fund aims to build resilient, productive, inclusive and climate-responsive cities, positioning those as the key driver of the country’s next phase of economic growth,” a government statement said. — It added that the fund will be operational from this financial year, that is 2025-26 until 2030-31, and can be extended up to 2033-34. The projects to be funded will be identified by a challenge-based framework, with three kinds of proposals considered (cities as growth hubs, creative redevelopment of cities and water and sanitation). Among the projects that will be covered are urban mobility, retrofitting of legacy infrastructure and upgradation of water supply and sewerage networks. — The government will provide the guarantees for cities in the north-east/hilly states and those with populations below 1 lakh. A credit repayment guarantee scheme of Rs 5,000 crore for this has been approved, which will give Central guarantee of up to Rs 7 crore or 70% of the loan amount (whichever is lower) for first-time borrowers. — Vaishnaw clarified that the administrative control of projects, created with private partnership, will remain with the state governments and urban local bodies. He added it had taken one year to frame the scheme after a lengthy consultation with the states. Do You Know: — Urbanisation is the process of transformation that occurs as a society evolves from predominantly rural to predominantly urban areas . It involves the increase in the proportion of a country’s population residing in urban areas, leading to the expansion and growth of cities and towns. Additionally, it encompasses not only the physical expansion of cities but also their social, economic, and cultural transformations. — The Urban Challenge Fund is designed to address three aspects. First, to make cities productive and efficient centres of economic growth (cities as growth hubs); second, to develop and redevelop them in a creative way (creative redevelopment of cities ), and third, to improve infrastructure. (Water and sanitation). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 Why urban development needs to be both inclusive and sustainable 📍Knowledge Nugget: Why is Urban Challenge Fund important for your UPSC exam? Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: The frequency of urban floods due to high intensity rainfall is increasing over the years. Discussing the reasons for urban floods, highlight the mechanisms for preparedness to reduce the risk during such events. (UPSC CSE 2016) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-I, II: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues, Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. What’s the ongoing story: Vikas Pathak writes- “The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on January 28 notified the first set of protocols for singing Vande Mataram, the national song, directing that all six stanzas of the composition shall be sung during official functions.” — Know the history of adoption of the national song Vande Mataram. — Read about the Swadeshi movement. — What is the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971? — What are fundamental duties? — What are the safeguards to protect the honour of the national anthem in India? — Know about the history and adoption of the national anthem. — What is the significance of Vande Matram in the independence movement? Key Takeaways: — “With this directive, the Centre has broken with the position taken by the leadership of the Congress from 1937 onwards, when some objections to the song cropped up from sections of the Muslim community on the ground that it was an invocation to Hindu goddesses.” — “The Indian Express reported on January 24 that the MHA recently convened a meeting, where senior officials, including from other ministries, discussed whether rules or instructions should be framed on the circumstances in which the national song may be sung, whether it should be sung alongside the national anthem Jana Gana Mana, and whether acts of disrespect should attract penalties.” — “The first two stanzas of Vande Mataram – till now the national song – describe the beauty of the motherland, the third stanza says that crores of arms are ready to fight for it, the fourth says that its image is carved out in every temple and shrine, the fifth likens the motherland to goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati, and the sixth goes on to repeat the first stanza.” — “Written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Vande Mataram emerged as a rallying cry during the Swadeshi movement (1905–08), becoming closely associated with the freedom struggle. While the Constituent Assembly accorded the song equal honour and respect alongside the national anthem, there had been no compulsory etiquette, posture, or legal requirement associated with singing or reciting the national song.” — “According to R K Prabhu’s book Bankim Chandra Chatterjee and the Vande Mataram Song, which is available at the Prime Minister’s Museum and Library (PMML), the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party’s highest decision-making body, had adopted a lengthy resolution on the song in October 1937.” — “The resolution said that since the song was composed before Chatterjee’s book Anandamath was written, it should be considered separate from it. “The song and the words ‘Vande Mataram’ were considered seditious by the British government and were sought to be suppressed by violence and intimidation. At a famous session of the Bengal Provincial Conference held in Barisal in April 1906, under the presidentship of A Rasul, a brutal lathi charge was made by the police on the delegates and volunteers… Delegates were beaten so severely as they cried ‘Vande Mataram’ that they fell down senseless,” the resolution said. “Since then,… innumerable instances of sacrifice and suffering all over the country have been associated with ‘Vande Mataram’ and men and women have not hesitated to face death even with that cry on their lips.” — “The CWC feels, the resolution said, “that past associations, with their long record of suffering for the cause, as well as popular usage, have made the first two stanzas of this song a living and inseparable part of our national movement and as such they must command our affection and respect”. — “India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said in a note to the Cabinet on May 21, 1948, that Jana Gana Mana was more amenable to orchestral rendering than Vande Mataram, which was deeply respected by Indians. He said that but for the Governor of Central Provinces, the other Governors also had the same opinion. — “On January 24, 1950, when the Constituent Assembly met for the last time, Rajendra Prasad, who was on the same day elected unopposed as the first President of India, announced that Jana Gana Mana would be the national anthem, and that Vande Mataram would have a status equivalent to it as the inspiration behind the freedom struggle. Here, he meant the first two stanzas of the song would be the national song of India.” — “The song appeared in Anandamath – the story of a rebellion of Sanyasis (monks) in the context of a famine where Muslims are seen as adversaries – six years after it was written in 1875. Rabindranath Tagore set it to tune and sang it for the first time at the Congress session of 1896. While it was repeatedly deployed in the movement against the Partition of Bengal in 1905, it soon spread across the country and became a rallying cry of the freedom struggle.” Do You Know: — The fundamental duties were incorporated in Part IV-A of the Constitution by The Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during Indira Gandhi’s Emergency. Article 51(A) describes 11 fundamental duties — 10 came with the 42nd Amendment; the 11th was added by the 86th Amendment in 2002, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister. — Article 51(A) says it shall be the duty of every citizen of India:(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem; (b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom; (c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India; and more. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 Knowledge Nugget: MHA issues first protocol on Vande Mataram — What does it say? Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (3) Which among the following events happened earliest? (UPSC CSE 2018) (a) Swami Dayanand established Arya Samaj. (b) Dinabandhu Mitra wrote Neeldarpan. (c) Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote Anandmath. (d) Satyendranath Tagore became the first Indian to succeed in the Indian Civil Services Examination Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Infrastructure, Railways. What’s the ongoing story: With a focus on ensuring cleanliness in trains and ensuring higher freight loading, Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw Saturday announced two major reforms. — What is the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy? — What reforms have recently been implemented in the railway? — How participation of private sector can improve railway services? — What is the role of railways in India’s freight transport system? — What are the challenges in expanding railway freight services in India? Key Takeaways: — He said a total of 80 trains have been identified to implement the on-board service reforms in the first phase. “This year 52 reforms will be announced in the Indian Railways. The on-board service reforms will be implemented in the next six months in the 80 trains across the Railways zones,” he said. “After that the reforms will be implemented in another 80 trains on long routes,” he added. — In the next three years, all the trains will be equipped with the new clean train reforms. The objective is to prioritise a clean and hygienic travel experience. It is necessary to establish clear responsibility and accountability for deployed service providers. A long-term contract will be given (for this purpose),” said Vaishnaw while announcing the policy. — The Railways aims to engage professional service provider with a proven track record as well as 12th and ITI pass supervisors to leverage technology for real-time monitoring, feedback and performance management. It will also integrate the linen and on-board cleaning, which is currently carried out by different parties. — This entails the cleaning of all coaches including general class, toilets, basin as well as garbage collection at 1-2 hour intervals. This will also require the staff to attend to minor repairs and ensure water supply in coaches. “The new reform will require additional expenditure from the Railways. The assessment is underway. However, passengers will not have to pay any additional amount for the cleanliness services,” said Vaishnaw. — An AI-based analysis of the on-board cleaning pictures will carried out at the Railway Board control room. — The Railway Minister also announced extension of the Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal (GCT) Policy 2022, which entails the establishment of freight terminals to increase train loadings and diversify the freight basket. As part of the reform push, apart from loading and unloading, material processing will also be carried out at the Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal (GCT), Vaishnaw said. — The policy allows cargo-related facilities such as warehouses, processing units and aggregation centres to be developed on spare railway land. It also states that underutilised goods sheds can now be converted into GCTs, expanding freight-handling capacity with minimal fresh investment. The reform will enable the migration of existing private freight terminals and sidings into the GCT regime. — A long-term contract upto 50 years will be provided under the new policy and dispute resolution will be simplified with greater delegation of power to Divisional Railway Managers (DRMs). Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍From Clean trains to Gati Shakti Cargo terminals: Railways reform plan 2026 targets on-board service and freight growth Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance. Mains Examination: General Studies-II, III: Government policies and intervention, Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc; Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment What’s the ongoing story: India’s electricity mix could shift decisively from coal-heavy to renewable-led by 2070, the government’s policy think tank NITI Aayog said in a study, even as it highlighted “structural challenges” due to which actual electricity generation by renewables has been modest so far. — Why is coal still dominant in India’s electricity generation? — What are the major constraints faced by renewable energy in India? — What is the significance of nuclear power in India’s long-term energy transition? — What challenges hinder large-scale deployment of energy storage technologies? — What are the challenges India faces in achieving its net-zero emissions target by 2070 in the power sector? — What are the major initiatives taken by India in the direction of renewable energy? Key Takeaways: — Coal remains the backbone of India’s electricity landscape, accounting for nearly 74% of generation and providing dependable, low-cost base-load power. — But, the NITI study titled ‘Scenarios Towards Viksit Bharat and Net Zero’, said that this dominance could erode steadily as India accelerates its clean energy transition. — Under the Current Policy Scenario (CPS) — which assumes continuation of existing policies and realistic deployment trends — renewable energy’s share in electricity generation could rise from around 20% in 2024-25 to more than 80% by 2070. — In the same scenario, coal’s share in electricity generation could decline sharply to 6-10 per cent by 2070. Meanwhile, under the more ambitious Net Zero Scenario (NZS) — an accelerated pathway aligned with India’s 2070 net-zero emissions target — coal-based generation could drop to zero. — As coal’s role shrinks, nuclear power is expected to expand gradually, increasing its share from about 3% at present to 5-8% by 2070 under CPS, reflecting its growing role in displacing coal-based generation while providing carbon-free base-load power. — Over the past decade, India’s renewable capacity has more than tripled, rising from 76.38 GW in March 2014 to 258 GW by December 2025. — Out of India’s total installed capacity of 513 GW, fossil-based capacity accounts for 48%, renewable energy sources account for 50%, and the balance 1.7% from nuclear. Renewables have registered spectacular growth with the overall share increasing from 29% in 2014-15 to 50% by December 2025. — However, despite this impressive growth in capacity, the contribution of renewable energy to actual electricity generation has remained modest, with the share increasing from 19.6% in 2013-14 to 22% in 2024-25. — According to the study, this gap is largely attributed to structural challenges associated with renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. — These sources typically operate at lower Capacity Utilisation Factors (CUF) — the ratio of actual generation to maximum possible output — and are affected by intermittency, variability-driven curtailment, as well as grid constraints, limited system flexibility and dispatch challenges. — This intermittency of renewable energy often poses challenges for round-the-clock electricity supply. As a result, coal fired generation remains essential to ensure grid stability and meet rapidly growing electricity demand. — With renewable energy forming the backbone of India’s future electricity system, the study sees nuclear power emerging as a strategic pillar of India’s long-term power transition and essential for maintaining system reliability in a renewables-dominated grid. It projects nuclear power capacity to grow from the current 8.18 GW in 2025 to 90-135 GW by 2070 under CPS — an increase of 10 to 15 times. — Despite the push for clean energy, coal is expected to remain critical in the near to medium term, the study said. Large-scale renewable deployment depends on long-duration storage technologies, which remain expensive and are yet to be deployed at scale, while nuclear projects face high capital costs and long gestation periods. — Under CPS, coal capacity is projected to rise from 268 GW in 2025 to a peak of 450-470 GW by 2050. In the Net Zero Scenario, coal capacity could peak earlier at around 420-435 GW by 2045 before gradually declining as storage technologies and clean alternatives become more competitive. — Over time, new coal additions are expected to slow and parts of the existing fleet may operate at low utilisation as reserve capacity. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍 India’s ‘green’ power capacity overtakes thermal — What you must know for UPSC Exam 📍 India reaches key climate goal 5 years ahead of target: The full picture, explained Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. The International Solar Alliance was launched at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2015. 2. The Alliance includes all the member countries of the United Nations. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 ALSO IN NEWS Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. 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