Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. BRICS expansion has increased its global influence, but institutional effectiveness depends on converting representation into practical cooperation. Discuss with reference to India’s 2026 Chairship.
- Q. The development of India’s fisheries sector requires an integrated approach covering production, infrastructure, producer welfare and ecological sustainability. Discuss with reference to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
Q. BRICS expansion has increased its global influence, but institutional effectiveness depends on converting representation into practical cooperation. Discuss with reference to India’s 2026 Chairship.
Introduction:
BRICS has evolved from a four-country dialogue into a wider platform representing emerging economies. India’s 2026 Chairship, guided by resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability, offers an opportunity to translate this expanded reach into development outcomes.
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Significance of Expansion
- Representative Governance: Wider membership strengthens demands for reform of international financial and trade institutions.
- Economic Complementarity: Members bring together markets, energy resources, technological capabilities and development experience.
- South–South Cooperation: The partner-country framework extends opportunities for knowledge sharing and practical collaboration.
India’s Development-Oriented Agenda
- Agricultural Resilience: Agro-ecology centres, the Digital Agriculture Network and AGRIN support sustainable farming, technology adoption and genetic-resource cooperation.
- Public Health: Healthy-lifestyle initiatives and mental-health networks promote prevention, training and stronger primary healthcare.
- Innovation and Employment: MSME cooperation, incubator networks and BRICS CONNECT can improve enterprise opportunities and workforce capabilities.
- Infrastructure Sustainability: Smart-grid, energy-storage and urban-mobility initiatives address shared development challenges.
- Trade Facilitation: Customs cooperation, standardisation and the Global Value Chain Action Plan seek more efficient and resilient commerce.
Challenges
Expanded membership also brings divergent strategic interests and unequal institutional capacities. Consensus may become harder, while an extensive agenda can exceed available resources. Voluntary frameworks require sustained national commitment. Moreover, proposals, in-principle agreements and launched platforms represent different stages of implementation.
Way Forward
- India should encourage clear coordinating responsibilities, realistic timelines and transparent progress reviews. Cooperation should prioritise projects with measurable benefits for farmers, workers, enterprises and communities. Capacity building must enable less-resourced participants to benefit meaningfully.
- Institutional effectiveness also requires continuity across successive chairships and clarity regarding partner participation. Linking research networks with implementing agencies and financing institutions can help convert technical exchanges into operational programmes.
Conclusion:
BRICS’ influence will depend on its ability to deliver collective benefits alongside advocating reform. India can strengthen its credibility by combining inclusive diplomacy with practical cooperation, institutional continuity and outcome-based accountability.
Q. The development of India’s fisheries sector requires an integrated approach covering production, infrastructure, producer welfare and ecological sustainability. Discuss with reference to the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana.
Introduction:
India’s fisheries sector supports food security, exports and millions of coastal and rural livelihoods. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, launched in 2020, seeks to transform the sector through sustainable production, modern infrastructure, technology and fisher welfare.
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Major Contributions of PMMSY
- Production Diversification: The scheme supports inland fisheries, mariculture, seaweed cultivation, cage culture and ornamental fisheries.
- Modern Aquaculture: RAS and Biofloc systems promote intensive production with more efficient use of land and water.
- Value-Chain Development: Fishing harbours, landing centres, ice plants, cold storage, transport and markets reduce post-harvest losses.
- Producer Empowerment: FFPOs improve bargaining power, collective purchase of inputs and market access.
- Financial Inclusion: PM-MKSSY promotes formalisation, insurance, institutional finance and product traceability.
- Digital Governance: NFDP creates digital identities and provides single-window access to fisheries services.
- Climate Resilience: Climate-resilient coastal villages support infrastructure and livelihood diversification.
Continuing Challenges
The sector faces overfishing, aquatic pollution, disease risks, weak cold-chain coverage and limited access to credit. Coastal communities are also vulnerable to cyclones, erosion and changing marine ecosystems. Digital and technical capacity remains uneven among small producers.
Way Forward
- India should strengthen stock assessment, monitoring and sustainable fishing regulations. Cold chains and processing facilities must be expanded close to production centres. FFPOs should receive professional support in finance, marketing and value addition.
- Aquaculture development must follow environmental carrying capacity and disease-control standards. Digital registration should be linked with accessible credit, insurance and grievance redressal. Climate-resilient infrastructure and livelihood diversification should receive greater attention in vulnerable coastal areas.
Conclusion:
PMMSY can make fisheries a strong pillar of India’s Blue Economy if production growth is balanced with ecological conservation and producer welfare. Scientific management, community participation and effective implementation are essential for inclusive and sustainable development.
