• Vietnam has significantly expanded island-building activities in parts of the Spratly Islands it claims.

• According to a recent U.S. think tank report, Vietnam’s construction efforts are expected to match or even surpass China’s scale of land reclamation and infrastructure development in the area.

About the Spratly Islands

• Location: South China Sea, north of insular Malaysia, roughly between Vietnam and the Philippines.

• Geographical Spread: Covers around 158,000 sq miles (409,000 sq km) of ocean.

• Nature: Comprises reefs, shoals, atolls, and small islets, many of which are submerged at high tide.

• Key Islets:

  • Itu Aba: Largest natural islet (~90 acres / 36 hectares).

  • Spratly Island (Storm Island): About 900 x 1,500 feet (275 x 450 meters).

• Wildlife: Mainly turtles and seabirds; no permanent residents.

• Climate: Tropical.

Historical Context

• France controlled the islands from 1933 to 1939.

• Japan occupied and militarized the islands during World War II.

• Post-WWII: Chinese Nationalists took control of Itu Aba, maintaining it even after moving to Taiwan in 1949.

• Japan renounced claims in 1951, triggering overlapping claims by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and the Philippines (since 1955).

Claims & Disputes

• Claimants: China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim the entire archipelago; Malaysia and the Philippines claim parts.

• Brunei: No territorial claim but claims an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covering part of the area.

• The Spratly Islands are a hotspot for geopolitical tensions due to strategic location, maritime routes, and possible natural resources.

Context:
In light of the 50% US tariffs imposed on Indian goods, experts like former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant have suggested leveraging India’s tourism sector to offset potential export losses. Tourism, being a service, is exempt from tariff barriers and can attract high-value foreign tourists, providing an alternative revenue and employment source.

Potential of India’s Tourism Sector

• Economic Contribution:
  India’s tourism sector has rebounded post-pandemic, contributing around 5% to GDP in FY23 and generating employment for approximately 7.6 crore people.

• Tourist Arrivals and Earnings:
  In 2024, India recorded 9.95 million foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs), still recovering toward pre-pandemic figures. Foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) rose by 10% to ₹2.9 lakh crore, highlighting tourism’s role in economic revival and global presence.

• Global Standing:
  According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) 2024-25, India is the 8th largest tourism economy worldwide, contributing USD 231.6 billion. It ranks 10th in the Medical Tourism Index (2020-21).

• Source Markets and Travel Purpose:
  Key source countries include the US, Bangladesh, UK, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Germany, and France. Primary reasons for travel are leisure (46%), diaspora visits (27%), and business (10%).

• Future Projections:
  WTTC forecasts tourism to contribute nearly ₹42 trillion to the economy by 2035, supporting 64 million jobs. By 2028, FTAs are expected to reach 30.5 million, generating over ₹5.13 lakh crore. By 2047, India aspires to become a USD 3 trillion tourism economy with 100 million international tourists and 200 million related jobs.

Challenges Hindering Growth

• Visa and Travel Restrictions:
  Complex visa procedures and limited visa-free access restrict tourist inflows. Unlike China (70 countries) or Thailand (90 countries), India allows visa-free entry only for citizens of Bhutan, Nepal, and Maldives.

• Infrastructure Deficits:
  India has about 200,000 hotel rooms compared to China’s 20 million, with many government-run hotels operating at losses, deterring private investment. Transport and connectivity are weak, especially in remote areas.

• Cleanliness and Safety:
  Poor waste management and untidy public spaces near airports negatively impact visitor experience. Security and emergency services are inadequate, particularly in remote or high-traffic areas.

• Weak Global Promotion:
  Since the successful “Incredible India” campaign, India has lacked sustained international marketing. Despite 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, India attracts fewer tourists than countries with fewer sites, such as Greece, indicating underutilization of cultural assets.

• Urban and Connectivity Gaps:
  Limited access to remote but high-potential tourist spots, like Himalayan religious circuits, hampers growth.

Strategies to Attract High-Value Tourists

• Simplify Visa and Travel Procedures:
  Expand e-Tourist Visa and visa-on-arrival schemes to more countries, ensuring faster, cheaper, and seamless travel experiences with improved airport facilities and multilingual support.

• Promote Niche and Premium Tourism:
  Focus on Ayurveda retreats, luxury wildlife safaris, spiritual and wellness tourism, high-end cultural festivals, and river cruises. Lakshadweep, with its pristine environment, is a promising destination for sustainable luxury tourism.

• Leverage Influencers and Media:
  Invite travel writers and opinion leaders to showcase luxury experiences, building aspirational value and word-of-mouth promotion.

• Develop Thematic Circuits:
  Use schemes like Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD to offer immersive multi-day experiences such as Buddhist pilgrim circuits, luxury Himalayan adventure-wellness combos, and spiritual tourism, encouraging longer stays and higher expenditure.

• World-Class Infrastructure:
  Challenge-mode partnerships to develop 50 priority tourist destinations with premium facilities, luxury accommodations, and improved connectivity. Classification under the Infrastructure Harmonized Master List (HML) to attract private high-end hospitality investments.

• Upgrade Service Quality:
  Emphasize training for hospitality staff (chefs, guides, service personnel) and promote global-standard hotels, boutique stays, luxury trains, and cruises.

• Medical and Wellness Tourism:
  The “Heal in India” initiative integrates modern medicine with traditional Ayurveda and Yoga, positioning India as a global healthcare destination. Medical Value Travel is projected to reach USD 13.42 billion by 2026.

• Cultural Knowledge Tourism:
  Initiatives like Gyan Bharatam digitize and preserve heritage manuscripts, catering to scholars and heritage enthusiasts.

• Enhance Safety and Comfort:
  24x7 tourist helplines, dedicated tourist police, welcome materials, and multilingual guides to improve visitor confidence.

Conclusion

Tourism presents a tariff-free opportunity for India to build economic resilience, create jobs, earn foreign exchange, and enhance its global image. Guided by the ethos of ‘Seva’ and ‘Atithi Devo Bhava,’ India aims to transform into a world-class tourism destination by 2047, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth

The Supreme Court of India has recently issued a suo motu directive to remove stray dogs from the National Capital Region (NCR) following tragic attacks on children. This move has ignited a critical debate on how to balance the imperative of public safety with the ethical and legal responsibilities towards animal welfare.

The Menace of Stray Dogs in India

India faces a serious challenge with an estimated 62 to 80 million stray dogs nationwide. In 2024 alone, over 2.2 million dog bite cases were reported. Rabies transmitted through these bites accounts for 36% of global rabies deaths, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as children, women, and the elderly. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), more than 4,000 fatalities due to dog bites occurred in 2019. Delhi alone recorded over 35,000 animal bite incidents in the first half of 2025, posing a considerable public health risk. Furthermore, the financial burden on healthcare systems is significant, with an average cost of Rs 5,128 per case for rabies treatment.

Legal and Policy Frameworks Governing Stray Dogs

India’s legal framework reflects a complex governance structure concerning stray dog management:

• Constitutional Provisions:

  • Article 246(3) assigns states the responsibility for animal health and veterinary practices.

  • Articles 243(W) and 246 empower local bodies to control stray dog populations.

  • Article 51A(g) imposes a fundamental duty on citizens to show compassion towards all living beings.

  • Article 21’s scope, as expanded by the Supreme Court in Animal Welfare Board of India v. Nagaraja (2014), extends the right to life to animals, reaffirming their legal protection.

• Legal Statutes and Policies:

  • The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, prohibits animal cruelty and mandates humane treatment.

  • The Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, mandate sterilization, vaccination, and release of stray dogs back to their habitats.

  • The National Rabies Control Program (NRCP), spearheaded by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, aims to eliminate rabies by 2030 via vaccination, sterilization, and rigorous surveillance.

Ethical Dimensions of Stray Dog Management

The increasing incidence of dog bites and rabies fatalities has created a moral dilemma between protecting human life and upholding animal rights:

• Human Safety vs. Animal Rights:
  Aggressive stray dogs pose a significant threat to public safety, especially vulnerable children. However, prioritizing animal welfare under the ABC Rules sometimes risks compromising human rights under Article 21, particularly when aggressive dogs are released back into the community.

• Disparities and Ethical Dilemmas:
  Society often accords pet dogs affection and status, while stray dogs are marginalized, raising concerns about unequal treatment. Methods such as culling, poisoning, or forced relocation violate ethical principles of compassion and humane treatment.

• Corruption and Program Inefficiencies:
  Mismanagement of funds intended for sterilization and vaccination hampers the effectiveness of welfare programs, compromising both ethical obligations and public safety goals.

Ethical Frameworks Guiding Management Strategies

• Utilitarian Ethics promote sterilization and vaccination as measures that maximize overall welfare by reducing rabies risk and population growth while avoiding cruelty.

• Deontological Ethics emphasize society’s duty to protect both citizens and animals.

• Rights-Based Ethics view stray dogs as possessing inherent rights requiring protection and humane care.

• Cultural Ethos of Ahimsa underscores India’s tradition of compassion and coexistence with all living beings.

• The One Health Approach integrates animal welfare with human and environmental health, promoting ethical stewardship across sectors.

Best Practices from India and Abroad

• Bengaluru’s ABC program demonstrated a 10% reduction in stray dog populations and a 20% increase in neutering rates between 2019 and 2023.

• The Netherlands achieved a “stray dog-free” status through its Collect-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR) program, coupled with adoption drives.

• Istanbul runs a successful Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) program with sterilized dogs tagged and community feeders engaged, stabilizing populations and nearly eliminating rabies.

• Bangkok replaced mass culling with TNVR, significantly reducing rabies outbreaks and community aggression.

Measures to Balance Public Safety with Animal Welfare

• Leveraging Dogs’ Cognitive Abilities: Harness dogs’ roles in drug detection, bomb sniffing, and therapy to promote positive societal views.

• Collaborative Policy Implementation: Governments must partner with civil society to expand vaccination and sterilization efforts, prevent pet abandonment, and frame a national policy addressing human-dog conflicts.

• Dedicated Infrastructure: Establish feeding stations, veterinary healthcare facilities, and support animal welfare organizations. Implement a helpline for reporting attacks.

• Public Awareness and Education: Campaigns on responsible pet ownership, sterilization benefits, and safe human-animal interactions are vital to reduce dog bites and abandonment.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s directive highlights the urgent need to reconcile public safety concerns with ethical obligations toward animal welfare. By fostering compassion, adopting humane and science-based policies, and engaging citizens through education and cooperation, India can pave the way for peaceful coexistence where the rights and safety of both humans and animals are respected.