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A Chital was recently allegedly hunted inside the core area of the Udanti–Sitanadi Tiger Reserve in Chhattisgarh. Forest officials arrested two villagers and seized suspected animal meat, bows, arrows, and animal traps, highlighting concerns over poaching in protected areas.

About Chital

Overview

The Chital, popularly known as the Spotted Deer or Axis Deer, is a medium-sized deer species native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most common and widely distributed deer species in India and serves as an important prey species for large carnivores such as the Tiger and Leopard, thereby playing a crucial role in maintaining forest ecosystems.

Scientific Name: Axis axis

Habitat and Distribution

The Chital is distributed across India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. It inhabits tropical and subtropical forests, open woodlands, grasslands, and forest edges, generally preferring areas with abundant water sources and adequate grass cover.

The species is highly social and is commonly found living in herds, which provide protection against predators.

Physical Characteristics

The Chital has a reddish-brown coat covered with distinct white spots, giving it the name Spotted Deer. The belly, inner legs, and underside of the tail are white, while adult males are generally darker and possess black facial markings.

The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males being significantly larger than females. Only males possess antlers, which are curved, three-pronged, and can grow up to 3 feet (about 1 metre) in length. These antlers are shed and regenerated annually.

An adult Chital stands approximately 35 inches (90 cm) tall at the shoulder and weighs around 85 kilograms (187 pounds).

Behaviour

The Chital is a highly social and gregarious species, usually living in herds of 10 to 50 individuals, consisting of one or two dominant males, several females, and their young. It is primarily herbivorous, feeding on grasses, leaves, fruits, flowers, and shoots.

The species has an average lifespan of 20–30 years under favourable conditions.

Ecological Importance

The Chital is a keystone prey species in Indian forests and forms a major component of the diet of Tigers, Leopards, Dholes (wild dogs), and other predators. Its grazing behaviour also contributes to maintaining grassland dynamics and supports the overall health of forest ecosystems.

Conservation Status

The Chital is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List because of its wide distribution, large population, and stable conservation status across much of its natural range.

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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) is set to launch the Index of Services Production (ISP) in July 2026. The new index will provide a high-frequency indicator to measure the performance of India's services sector, similar to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for the manufacturing and industrial sectors.

About the Index of Services Production (ISP)

Overview

The Index of Services Production (ISP) is a short-term economic indicator designed to measure changes in the real output (volume of production) of the services sector over time relative to a specified base year. It aims to provide timely information on the growth and performance of service-producing industries, thereby improving the assessment of India's overall economic activity.

The index is being developed with 2024–25 as the proposed base year and will primarily rely on Goods and Services Tax (GST) data to capture changes in economic activity across the formal services sector.

Principal Data Sources

The ISP will be compiled using a combination of administrative records, GST data, and official survey data.

Administrative data will be used for sectors such as air transport, railways, banking, and insurance.

GST data will provide information on wholesale and retail trade, hospitality, road and water transport, warehousing, telecommunications, real estate, information technology services, professional services, and entertainment.

In the future, data from the Annual Survey of Incorporated Services Sector Enterprises (ASISSE) will also be incorporated, particularly for healthcare and education services, thereby broadening the coverage of the index.

Coverage

Since the ISP is largely based on GST returns, it will primarily reflect the performance of the formal services sector, covering enterprises registered under the GST framework. Consequently, activities in the informal services sector may not be fully captured.

Weights in the Index

The weights assigned to different service sectors in the ISP are based on their respective contributions to Gross Value Added (GVA), as estimated in the National Accounts Statistics (NAS). This ensures that sectors contributing more to the economy have a proportionately greater influence on the index.

Significance

The introduction of the Index of Services Production fills a major gap in India's high-frequency economic indicators by providing regular and timely estimates of the services sector, which contributes over half of India's Gross Value Added (GVA).

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Recently, the Prime Minister of India presented Thewa motif cufflinks to the President of Slovakia during his official visit, showcasing India's rich traditional handicraft heritage and promoting cultural diplomacy.

About Thewa Art

Thewa Art is a unique and highly intricate form of handcrafted jewellery-making that originated in Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan.

It is renowned for its distinctive technique of fusing finely carved gold work onto coloured glass, producing elegant ornamental pieces with exceptional craftsmanship.

The art form is over 400 years old and was first developed by Nathu Lal Sonewal during the 18th century.

The term "Thewa" is derived from the local dialect and literally means "setting", referring to the process of setting gold onto coloured glass.

In recognition of its cultural and artistic significance, Thewa Art received the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag in 2014, helping preserve its authenticity and traditional identity.

Process of Thewa Art

The uniqueness of Thewa Art lies in its secret thermal bonding technique, through which 23-carat hand-carved gold foil is permanently fused onto multi-coloured glass without the use of glue, solder, or synthetic adhesives.

The artisan first fixes a thin gold sheet, known as "Thewa Ki Patti", onto a lac-resin base by gently heating the lac.

Intricate designs are then carefully carved by piercing and removing portions of the gold sheet with specialized tools. Once the carving is completed, the gold foil is thermally bonded to the coloured glass, creating a striking contrast between the shimmering gold and the vibrant glass background.

Themes Depicted in Thewa Art

The decorative motifs used in Thewa jewellery are inspired by Rajasthan's royal heritage, mythology, and nature. Common themes include royal court scenes, hunting expeditions featuring elephants, lions, and deer, royal wedding processions, mythological stories, as well as peacocks, flowers, and other floral patterns, reflecting the artistic traditions of the region.

Significance of Thewa Art

Thewa Art represents an important component of India's traditional jewellery heritage and showcases the country's exceptional metalcraft and glasswork techniques. It provides livelihood opportunities to artisan families while preserving centuries-old craftsmanship.

The art also serves as an instrument of India's cultural diplomacy, as traditional handcrafted gifts presented during international visits promote India's soft power, strengthen cultural ties, and highlight the country's rich artistic legacy on the global stage.

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The Mahadev Koli Tribe was recently in the news for its traditional ecological knowledge in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, particularly its practices of tracking seasonal changes, conserving forests, and using native medicinal plants, which offer valuable lessons for climate adaptation and sustainable living.

About the Mahadev Koli Tribe

Identity and Distribution

The Mahadev Koli (or Mahadeo Koli) is a sub-group of the Koli community primarily found in the states of Maharashtra and Goa. The community derives its name from Lord Mahadev (Shiva), their principal deity, and traditionally inhabits the Mahadev Hills of Maharashtra, especially in the districts of Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nashik.

The Mahadev Kolis are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) under the Constitution of India.

Language and Social Organisation

The community primarily speaks Marathi and uses the Devanagari script for writing. Socially, the Mahadev Kolis are organised into twenty-four exogamous clans, and members generally use their clan names as surnames.

They usually live in nuclear families and, in terms of dress and appearance, share several cultural similarities with the Kunbi and Maratha communities.

Occupation and Livelihood

Traditionally, the Mahadev Kolis were hunter-gatherers and warriors. Over time, agriculture has become their principal occupation. They cultivate crops such as rice, finger millet (ragi), barnyard millet, and wheat, while also engaging in livestock rearing and dairy farming, which form important components of their rural economy.

Religion and Traditional Knowledge

The Mahadev Kolis primarily practise Folk Hinduism, with Lord Mahadev (Shiva) as their principal deity. In addition, each clan worships its own ancestral or clan deity, reflecting the community's rich cultural traditions.

The tribe possesses extensive traditional ecological and ethnobotanical knowledge. They use 51 native tree species belonging to 41 genera and 25 plant families to prepare traditional medicines for treating a variety of ailments. Their deep understanding of local biodiversity, medicinal plants, and seasonal cycles has enabled them to live sustainably within the fragile ecosystems of the Western Ghats for generations.

Historical Significance

The Mahadev Koli community is historically associated with Tanaji Malusare, the celebrated general of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Tanaji's extraordinary bravery during the Battle of Sinhagad (1670) remains one of the most revered episodes in Maratha history.

Significance

The Mahadev Kolis represent an important example of how indigenous knowledge systems can contribute to climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, sustainable agriculture, and traditional healthcare. Their practices demonstrate the value of integrating tribal wisdom with modern conservation and climate adaptation strategies.

Context

India’s growing role in the Indo-Pacific, G20, and the evolving geopolitical landscape has revived discussions on expanding its strategic vision beyond South Asia towards a global, interest-based approach. As India emerges as a major economic, technological, and maritime power, its national interests increasingly extend beyond territorial boundaries to include energy security, supply chains, technology, cyberspace, and strategic partnerships.

India’s Traditional Strategic Outlook

Historically, India’s strategic thinking was largely geography-centric, focusing on the protection of its territorial sovereignty and immediate neighbourhood. National security revolved around the Himalayan frontier, the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, the Indian Ocean, and South Asian regional stability.

This approach was shaped by persistent security challenges such as cross-border terrorism from Pakistan, border disputes with China, and the need to safeguard India's territorial integrity. Policies such as the Neighbourhood First Policy and emphasis on Indian Ocean security reflected this geographical orientation.

Although this framework effectively addressed the strategic realities of the twentieth century, it is becoming increasingly inadequate in an interconnected and globalised world.

Shift from Geography to the Geometry of Interests

India’s strategic outlook is gradually transitioning from protecting territorial borders to safeguarding national interests across multiple domains.

Today, India's security is deeply influenced by maritime connectivity, critical technologies, energy supplies, global value chains, cyberspace, and international partnerships. Consequently, strategic thinking is moving from the geography of borders to the geometry of interests, where influence, connectivity, and partnerships matter as much as physical territory.

Why India Needs to Reimagine its Strategic Outlook

Rise of the Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific has become the centre of global economic activity and geopolitical competition. India’s trade, maritime security, and diplomatic interests increasingly depend upon maintaining a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

Energy and Supply Chain Security

India imports a significant share of its crude oil from the Gulf region, while its industrial growth depends on reliable access to critical minerals, semiconductors, and resilient global supply chains.

Therefore, India's strategic priorities must extend well beyond South Asia to ensure uninterrupted access to these essential resources.

China’s Expanding Global Footprint

China has expanded its strategic influence through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the String of Pearls, investments in ports, digital infrastructure, and trade networks across Asia and Africa.

Responding to these developments requires India to adopt a broader strategic vision that goes beyond the Himalayan frontier and actively engages across maritime and global theatres.

Emerging Non-Traditional Security Threats

Modern security challenges increasingly include cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, space security, climate change, pandemics, and critical infrastructure resilience.

These challenges transcend national borders and require extensive international cooperation rather than purely territorial defence.

Civilisational Diplomacy as Strategic Capital

India possesses immense civilisational strengths rooted in Buddhism, the legacy of Nalanda, centuries of Indian Ocean trade, and enduring cultural connections with Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and the Gulf.

Leveraging these historical links strengthens India's soft power and supports long-term strategic partnerships.

India’s Ongoing Strategic Initiatives

India has already begun expanding its strategic engagement through several important initiatives.

Act East Policy

The policy seeks deeper economic, political, and security engagement with ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region.

Neighbourhood First Policy

It continues to prioritise peace, connectivity, and regional stability within South Asia while strengthening India's immediate strategic environment.

SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)

SAGAR promotes maritime cooperation, regional security, and sustainable development across the Indian Ocean Region.

Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)

IPOI aims to promote a free, open, inclusive, rules-based, and resilient Indo-Pacific through cooperation in maritime security, disaster management, trade, and connectivity.

QUAD

India's participation in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (India, United States, Japan, and Australia) strengthens cooperation in maritime security, critical technologies, supply chain resilience, and humanitarian assistance.

I2U2 and IMEC

The I2U2 grouping and the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) seek to enhance connectivity, logistics, trade, investment, and strategic integration across regions.

Global Leadership Initiatives

India has strengthened its international profile through initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance (ISA), leadership of the Global South, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), humanitarian assistance, and development partnerships across Africa and Asia.

Challenges in Transitioning to an Interest-Based Strategy

• Despite significant progress, several challenges remain.

• India continues to devote considerable strategic attention to immediate continental security threats from China and Pakistan.

• Dependence on imported energy, limited naval capabilities relative to expanding maritime responsibilities, technological vulnerabilities, and increasing geopolitical competition require sustained investment and institutional coordination.

• Balancing relationships with competing powers while maintaining strategic autonomy also remains a complex diplomatic challenge.

Way Forward

• India should adopt a whole-of-government strategic framework integrating diplomacy, defence, commerce, technology, and economic security.

• It should strengthen naval capabilities and maritime infrastructure across the Indo-Pacific while reducing excessive dependence on any single energy source or supply chain.

• India must accelerate connectivity initiatives such as IMEC, Chabahar Port, BIMSTEC, and ASEAN-led projects, while investing in cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, space capabilities, and critical technologies.

• Simultaneously, India's civilisational heritage, democratic values, and development partnerships should be leveraged as powerful instruments of soft power to deepen global engagement.

Conclusion

India's strategic transformation reflects the realities of an interconnected world where economic resilience, technological leadership, maritime influence, and global partnerships are becoming as important as territorial security.

Moving from the geography of borders to the geometry of interests will enable India to protect its national interests more effectively, enhance its global influence, and realise its aspiration of becoming a leading power and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

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More than 1,000 tiny earthquakes beneath Germany's Lake Laach volcano have revealed a deep, slanted magma reservoir, challenging the earlier scientific assumption of a vertical magma body beneath the volcano. The discovery has renewed interest in the volcanic system and its long-term monitoring.

About Lake Laach

Lake Laach, also known as Laacher See, is a volcanic caldera lake situated in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is the largest lake in the state, covering an area of about 3.3 sq. km with a maximum depth of 53 metres.

The lake forms part of the East Eifel Volcanic Field, which belongs to the larger Eifel volcanic region of western Germany. It has an oval-shaped basin surrounded by elevated volcanic rims, characteristic of a collapsed volcanic caldera.

Formation and Geological History

• Lake Laach was formed approximately 13,000 years ago following one of the largest volcanic eruptions in Central Europe during the late Ice Age.

• The eruption expelled enormous quantities of volcanic ash and magma, causing the volcanic chamber to collapse and create the present-day caldera, which later filled with water to form the lake.

• The eruption deposited volcanic ash across much of Europe and significantly altered the surrounding landscape.

Evidence of Ongoing Volcanic Activity

• Although the volcano is currently dormant, it is not considered extinct. Continuous signs of underground volcanic activity remain visible.

• The eastern shore of the lake contains mofettes, where carbon dioxide (CO₂) naturally escapes from underground through the lake water. These streams of rising gas bubbles indicate that magma still exists deep beneath the Earth's surface, making the area an important site for geological monitoring.

• The recent detection of over 1,000 micro-earthquakes further suggests that magma movement continues beneath the volcanic field, although scientists have found no evidence of an imminent eruption.

Hydrological Features

Unlike most natural lakes, Lake Laach has no natural surface outlet. Excess water is drained through an artificial tunnel that was originally excavated before 1170 AD and has been rebuilt and maintained several times over the centuries.

Importance

Lake Laach is one of Europe's most intensively studied volcanic systems because it provides valuable insights into volcanic processes, earthquake activity, and magma movement beneath dormant volcanoes.

Introduction

• Public health policy plays a crucial role in improving population health, reducing health inequalities, and enabling India to fully harness its demographic dividend.

• In recent years, India has accelerated its journey towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through flagship initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM). While these reforms have expanded preventive healthcare and digital health infrastructure, concerns remain regarding their ability to address the core challenges of healthcare accessibility, affordability, and quality.

• The increasing emphasis on wellness and digitalisation should therefore complement, rather than substitute, the strengthening of India's healthcare delivery system.

Evolution of the Wellness Approach

• The concept of wellness emerged as an extension of the traditional understanding of health. Earlier, health was largely viewed as the absence of disease, but over time it evolved to include physical, mental, social, emotional, spiritual, and environmental well-being. This holistic approach encouraged greater attention to healthy lifestyles, preventive care, and behavioural changes.

• However, public health has traditionally focused on health promotion, which emphasises the social determinants of health such as income, education, nutrition, housing, sanitation, employment, clean drinking water, and environmental conditions. Unlike wellness, these determinants are objective and measurable, making them more suitable for evaluating public health outcomes and designing effective government policies.

Key Concerns in Contemporary Public Health Policy

Shift from Population Health to Individual Well-being

• The conversion of existing Primary Health Centres (PHCs) into Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) represents a broader policy transition from focusing on population health indicators to promoting individual well-being.

• Earlier, healthcare systems were evaluated based on measurable indicators such as maternal mortality, infant mortality, immunisation coverage, nutrition levels, communicable disease control, safe drinking water, and chronic disease management. These indicators directly reflected the health status of communities.

• The growing emphasis on wellness, however, introduces a concept that is subjective and varies across individuals, making systematic assessment and policy evaluation increasingly difficult. Excessive focus on wellness may therefore divert attention from ensuring universal access to essential healthcare services.

Individualisation of Health Responsibility

• A significant concern associated with the wellness narrative is the individualisation of health responsibility.

• Health is increasingly portrayed as the outcome of personal choices, healthy lifestyles, exercise, yoga, diet management, and behavioural modifications.

• This has led to the proliferation of health coaches, wellness influencers, fitness applications, and social media-driven health campaigns.

• While behavioural change is important, this approach often overlooks the structural barriers that shape health outcomes. Millions of Indians continue to face challenges arising from poverty, poor sanitation, inadequate nutrition, weak public health infrastructure, shortage of healthcare professionals, and unequal access to medical services. These systemic issues cannot be resolved merely through individual lifestyle modifications.

Challenges in Measuring Wellness

• One of the fundamental principles of good governance is that public policies must be evaluated using objective and measurable indicators.

• Healthcare systems already use indicators such as disease burden, healthcare utilisation, mortality rates, nutritional status, life expectancy, and immunisation coverage to assess performance. However, there are no universally accepted indicators for measuring wellness at the population level.

• As a result, excessive reliance on an inherently subjective concept may reduce policymakers' ability to accurately identify unmet healthcare needs, allocate resources efficiently, and assess the effectiveness of health interventions.

Critical Analysis of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM)

• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM) seeks to establish a comprehensive digital health ecosystem through ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) Cards, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and national registries of healthcare professionals and health facilities.

• These initiatives have the potential to improve data management, continuity of care, interoperability, health planning, and administrative efficiency.

• However, digitalisation alone cannot solve India's healthcare challenges.

• Digital records cannot compensate for the absence of qualified doctors, functional hospitals, diagnostic facilities, medicines, ambulances, or emergency healthcare services. Technology is merely an enabling tool whose effectiveness ultimately depends upon the strength of the underlying healthcare infrastructure.

• Thus, digital health should be viewed as a support mechanism rather than a substitute for healthcare delivery.

Structural Causes of Inadequate Healthcare Access

• India's healthcare challenges arise primarily from the high cost of private healthcare and the limited capacity of many public health institutions.

• Despite expanding health insurance coverage under Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) continues to remain significant, particularly for outpatient care, diagnostics, and medicines.

• Large sections of the population continue to experience difficulty in obtaining timely, affordable, and quality healthcare services.

• Strengthening the country's three-tier healthcare system remains essential.

• The network of Sub-Centres (SCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs) constitutes the backbone of India's healthcare system and plays a vital role in delivering preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative healthcare services.

Government Initiatives Supporting Universal Health Coverage

• India has undertaken several important reforms aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

• The Ayushman Bharat Programme integrates Health and Wellness Centres with the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) to expand primary healthcare and financial protection.

• The Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM) promotes digital health records, interoperability, and efficient healthcare management through ABHA IDs.

• The National Health Mission (NHM) continues to strengthen rural and urban healthcare infrastructure by improving maternal and child health services, disease control, and primary healthcare delivery.

• The PM-Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) seeks to develop resilient public health infrastructure, disease surveillance systems, laboratories, and critical care facilities.

The Way Forward

• A balanced and sustainable public health strategy should place accessible, affordable, equitable, and quality healthcare at the centre of policy making.

• Greater public investment should be directed towards strengthening Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres, Community Health Centres, district hospitals, healthcare workforce, diagnostics, and essential medicine availability.

• Digital health initiatives should be fully integrated with service delivery reforms, ensuring that technological advancements improve the efficiency of healthcare institutions rather than replacing them.

• Public health policies should address the social determinants of health through coordinated action involving sectors such as education, nutrition, sanitation, housing, employment, drinking water, and environmental protection.

• At the same time, governments should continue evaluating health programmes using objective and measurable health indicators, while treating wellness as a complementary rather than primary policy objective.

• Greater accountability, evidence-based policymaking, and regular monitoring will ensure more effective implementation of healthcare reforms.

Conclusion

• Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) requires much more than promoting wellness or building digital health databases. Sustainable improvements in health outcomes depend upon strong public healthcare institutions, adequate financial investment, quality service delivery, equitable access, and robust healthcare infrastructure.

• While wellness initiatives and digital health technologies can significantly complement healthcare reforms, they cannot replace investments in hospitals, healthcare professionals, medicines, diagnostics, and primary healthcare systems. A public health model that prioritises accessibility, affordability, quality, and equity remains the most effective pathway towards ensuring better health outcomes and inclusive development in India.