ICJ on Israel, IT Outage, CBI Jurisdiction & New Lichen | UPSC Daily News Analysis | 19 July 2025 |

A Motivational Word for the Aspirant

Dear Aspirant,

The journey you have embarked upon is a marathon of intellect and endurance. Each day, you are tasked not merely with knowing the news, but with understanding its intricate connections. Your task is to see these as not isolated events, but as interconnected nodes in a complex global system. The ability to draw these lines, to connect the legal with the technological, the political with the environmental, is what transforms a student into a scholar and an aspirant into an administrator. Embrace this complexity, for in understanding it lies the key to mastering the Civil Services Examination and, more importantly, to serving the nation effectively. Let this report be another step in building that holistic, integrated perspective. Keep pushing forward.

Section I: International Relations & Law (UPSC GS Paper-II)

1.0 The ICJ's Landmark Advisory Opinion: One Year On, A New Paradigm for the Israel-Palestine Conflict

1.1 Introduction: A Shift from Political Negotiation to Legal Obligation

Today, July 19, 2025, marks the first anniversary of the landmark Advisory Opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). This opinion represented a fundamental paradigm shift, moving the discourse from the realm of political possibility to that of legal obligation. It reframed the conflict not as a dispute between two equal parties, but as a situation governed by clear legal duties incumbent upon Israel as the occupying power and the entire international community.

1.2 The Genesis of the Opinion: The UNGA Request

The process was initiated by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) through Resolution A/RES/77/247, adopted on December 30, 2022. The UNGA posed two profound legal questions to the Court, steering it towards a comprehensive examination of the entire occupation regime.

1.3 Deconstructing the Verdict: Key Findings and Legal Reasoning

The ICJ's advisory opinion systematically dismantled the legal justifications for the occupation. Key findings include:

  • Unlawful Presence and the Transformation of Occupation: The Court concluded that Israel's very presence in the OPT has become unlawful. The "prolonged" nature of the occupation, combined with annexation policies, transformed it from a temporary situation into an internationally wrongful act.
  • Violation of Self-Determination: The Court reaffirmed that the right of peoples to self-determination is a jus cogens norm and found Israel's policies severely impede this right for the Palestinian people.
  • Racial Discrimination and Apartheid: In a potent finding, the Court concluded Israel's measures violate Article 3 of the CERD, which explicitly prohibits "racial segregation and apartheid".
  • Obligations on Israel: The Court laid out clear obligations for Israel, including ending the occupation, dismantling settlements, and making full reparations.
  • Obligations on All States and the UN: The opinion detailed the legal consequences for the world, including the duty of non-recognition, non-assistance, and cooperation to end the illegal situation.
Legal Issue/Question Court's Finding/Conclusion Obligation on Israel Obligation on All Other States & UN
Status of Occupation The prolonged occupation, settlement, and annexation policies have rendered Israel's presence in the OPT unlawful. To bring its unlawful presence to an end "as rapidly as possible". To cooperate through the UN to bring the unlawful presence to an end.
Settlements The establishment of settlements and transfer of its own population into the OPT are illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention. To cease all new settlement activity immediately and evacuate all settlers. Not to recognize the legality of the settlements and not to aid their maintenance.
Right to Self-Determination Israel's policies violate the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, a jus cogens norm. To cease all policies that impede this right and respect the territorial integrity of the OPT. To cooperate to ensure the realization of this right.
Discrimination & Apartheid Israel's policies and measures violate Article 3 of the CERD, which prohibits racial segregation and apartheid. To repeal all discriminatory legislation and measures. Not to render aid or assistance to the maintenance of the discriminatory regime.
Reparations Israel is obligated to make full reparations for all damages caused by its internationally wrongful acts. To provide restitution, compensation, and satisfaction for all damages caused. To cooperate in ensuring Israel fulfills its reparation obligations.

1.4 The Global Response and Its Geopolitical Implications

The opinion was met with a divided global response. Palestine hailed it as a victory, while Israel and the US criticized it. The EU backed the court's opinion. In September 2024, the UNGA adopted resolution ES-10/24, "welcoming" the opinion and setting a deadline of September 2025 for Israel to end its unlawful presence, thus operationalizing the court's findings.

1.5 India's Tightrope Walk: Strategic Autonomy Under Scrutiny

For India, the ruling presents a foreign policy challenge, balancing its historical support for Palestine with its modern strategic partnership with Israel. India's official response has been muted, advocating for a "two-state solution" through direct negotiations. This exercise in 'strategic autonomy' allows India to avoid alienating key partners but will become harder to maintain as international pressure mounts.

1.6 Conclusion: An Unsettled Legal Landscape

One year on, the ICJ opinion is a watershed moment. By declaring the occupation unlawful, it has irrevocably moved the legal goalposts, dismantling the political framework that privileged negotiation over obligation and providing a robust legal foundation for international action.

1.7 Prelims Pointers

  • ICJ Advisory Opinion: A non-binding legal opinion from the ICJ that carries great legal weight and moral authority.
  • Jus Cogens: Peremptory norms of international law from which no derogation is permitted (e.g., prohibition of genocide).
  • UNGA Resolution A/RES/77/247: The 2022 resolution that requested the advisory opinion from the ICJ.
  • Fourth Geneva Convention (1949): Prohibits an occupying power from transferring its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.

"The International Court of Justice's 2024 advisory opinion on the Occupied Palestinian Territory represents a fundamental shift from a political framework of conflict resolution to a legal framework of state obligation. Critically analyze this statement. What are the implications of this shift for India's foreign policy?" (250 words)

Section II: Tech, Security & Economy (UPSC GS Paper-III)

2.0 The Digital Monoculture Time Bomb: Analyzing the Legacy of the July 2024 Global IT Outage

2.1 Introduction: A Sobering Anniversary

One year ago, on July 19, 2024, a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike triggered a catastrophic global IT outage. The "Great Crash of 2024" was a stark demonstration of the systemic risks in our digital infrastructure, particularly the vulnerabilities of 'digital monoculture'.

2.2 Anatomy of a Global Crash: A Technical Deep Dive

The cascade of failures began when CrowdStrike pushed a flawed update to its Falcon Sensor software. This software operates at the Windows kernel level ("Ring 0"), giving it the highest system privileges. The faulty update contained a logic error that caused an "invalid page fault," leading to the infamous "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD). Since the error occurred at the kernel level, machines were unable to reboot, getting stuck in a bootloop. Recovery required manual intervention on each of the estimated 8.5 million affected devices.

Timestamp (UTC) - July 19, 2024 Event Real-World Impact
04:09 CrowdStrike releases faulty update "Channel File 291". The "ticking time bomb" is distributed globally.
~04:15 onwards Systems begin crashing worldwide due to a kernel-level page fault. Airlines, hospitals, banks, and broadcasters go offline.
05:27 CrowdStrike identifies and reverts the update. Further damage is prevented, but millions of machines are already down.
July 19-22 Manual recovery efforts are underway globally. Thousands of flights are canceled, and economic losses mount into the billions.

2.3 The Perils of Digital Monoculture

The outage was a textbook illustration of the risks of "digital monoculture"—the widespread reliance on a limited set of software and platforms. While efficient, it creates a single point of failure. The reliance on the combination of Windows and CrowdStrike meant a single bug could bring down a significant portion of the global economy, demonstrating that efficiency came at the cost of resilience.

2.4 The Economic Shockwave: Quantifying the Fallout

The economic damage was estimated at over US$10 billion, comprising direct revenue loss (airlines lost hundreds of millions), massive productivity loss, and remediation costs. The event showed how deeply every economic sector is intertwined with a handful of core digital systems.

2.5 Governance and Policy Response: Building a Resilient Digital India

The outage was a wake-up call for governments, showing that software supply chain integrity is a matter of national security. India's policy landscape has likely evolved to:

  • Develop a new strategy for Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) resilience.
  • Issue advisories through CERT-In to diversify technology stacks and mitigate monoculture risk.
  • Tighten regulations on third-party risk management for critical software suppliers.
  • Push for a "Software Bill of Materials" (SBOM) for greater transparency.

2.6 Conclusion: Lessons from a Blue Screen

The Great Crash of 2024 was a painful but necessary lesson that the pursuit of efficiency through standardization has created a fragile global system. It catalyzed a global shift in thinking, elevating concepts like resilience, diversity, and supply chain security from technical concerns to national policy imperatives.

2.7 Prelims Pointers

  • Software Kernel (Ring 0): The core of an OS with complete system control, where errors are fatal.
  • Blue Screen of Death (BSOD): A critical error screen in Windows indicating a fatal system error.
  • Digital Monoculture: Over-reliance on a few technologies, increasing systemic risk.
  • CERT-In: The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team, the national nodal agency for cybersecurity incidents.

"The 2024 global IT outage highlighted the paradox of efficiency and resilience in modern digital infrastructure. In this context, discuss the risks associated with 'digital monoculture' and suggest policy measures that India should adopt to secure its critical information infrastructure." (250 words)

Section III: Indian Polity & Governance (UPSC GS Paper-II & IV)

3.0 CBI's Jurisdiction: A Persistent Fault-Line in India's Federal Structure

3.1 Introduction: The Controversy Reignites

In July 2024, Madhya Pradesh mandated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) must obtain prior written consent before probing state officials. This is the latest event in a long-running debate over the CBI's jurisdiction, a key fault-line in Centre-State relations where the agency's powers become a proxy for political battles, raising questions about institutional autonomy and cooperative federalism.

3.2 The Legal Framework: DSPE Act and Judicial Interpretations

The CBI's power comes from the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946.

  • Section 5: Empowers the Centre to extend CBI's jurisdiction to any state.
  • Section 6: States that this power cannot be exercised within a state "without the consent of the Government of that State". This recognizes 'Police' as a State List subject.
  • General vs. Specific Consent: States usually give 'general consent' for seamless investigation. When withdrawn, the CBI must seek 'specific consent' on a case-by-case basis.
  • Judicial Interventions: The Supreme Court can order a CBI probe anywhere without state consent. In January 2025, the SC clarified that the CBI does not need state consent to investigate a central government employee under a central act.

3.3 The Political Tug-of-War: "Caged Parrot" vs. "State Autonomy"

The consent mechanism has become a political tool. States like West Bengal, Kerala, and Punjab have withdrawn general consent, arguing the CBI is used to target opposition leaders. The Centre argues these withdrawals are meant to shield corrupt officials and hamper justice. This has led to the CBI being famously described by the Supreme Court as a "caged parrot speaking in its master's voice".

3.4 Implications for Governance and the Fight Against Corruption

This friction has serious consequences:

  • Hampers Investigations: Seeking case-specific consent causes crucial delays, allowing evidence to be destroyed.
  • Erodes Cooperative Federalism: The atmosphere of distrust is antithetical to the cooperation needed for effective policing.
  • Undermines Institutional Credibility: It damages public faith in both the CBI and state governments, weakening the rule of law.

3.5 GS Paper IV Case Study: Probity in Governance and Foundational Values

In July 2024, the UPSC filed an FIR against an IAS probationer for faking her identity and misusing both OBC and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas. This case highlights a severe lack of foundational values for civil servants.

Ethical Issues Involved:

  • Lack of Integrity and Honesty.
  • Deliberate Deceit to gain an unfair advantage.
  • Misuse of Affirmative Action, subverting social justice.
  • Erosion of foundational values like impartiality and probity.

This illustrates that a lack of ethics at the entry-level is a precursor to larger corruption, underscoring that ethical conduct is non-negotiable for a civil servant.

3.6 Conclusion: The Imperative for Legislative Reform

The CBI's weak foundation in the DSPE Act of 1946 is the root cause of the problem. There is a growing consensus for a new, comprehensive law to govern a federal investigative agency. Such a law should establish robust mechanisms for autonomy and accountability, insulating it from political interference and restoring credibility to India's premier investigative body.

3.7 Prelims Pointers

  • DSPE Act, 1946: The act that governs the CBI. Sections 5 and 6 are key for jurisdiction.
  • Santhanam Committee: Recommended the establishment of the CBI in 1963.
  • 'Police' Subject: 'Police' is Entry 2 in the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.

"The recurring withdrawal of 'general consent' to the CBI by various states highlights a deeper malaise in India's federal polity, where legal provisions are often used as tools for political contestation. Discuss. Do you think a new law for a federal investigative agency is the need of the hour?" (250 words)

Section IV: Environment & Biodiversity (UPSC GS Paper-III)

4.0 Allographa effusosoredica: A Microscopic Discovery with Macro-Level Significance for the Western Ghats

4.1 Introduction: Unveiling a New Species

Indian scientists have discovered a new species of lichen, Allographa effusosoredica, in the Western Ghats. This microscopic discovery reinforces the vast, unexplored biodiversity within India's natural ecosystems and the urgent need for conservation in this global biodiversity hotspot.

4.2 The World of Lichens: Nature's Master Symbionts

Lichens are not single organisms but a complex symbiotic partnership between a fungus (mycobiont) and a photosynthetic partner (photobiont). This unique partnership allows them to colonize harsh environments. Their ecological roles are critical:

  • Bio-indicators: Lichens are highly sensitive to air pollution, making them nature's own monitoring stations.
  • Soil Formation: They break down rocks, initiating soil formation (pedogenesis).
  • Nutrient Cycling: Some can fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil.

4.3 The Science Behind the Discovery: A Polyphasic Approach

The identification was made using a "polyphasic taxonomic approach," combining traditional and modern methods.

  • Classical Taxonomy: Scientists studied its physical form (morphology) and chemical composition, finding the rare norstictic acid.
  • Modern Molecular Tools: DNA sequencing of both the fungal and algal partners was used to accurately place the species in its evolutionary tree. This was the first time a species from this genus in India was classified using molecular data.

4.4 Significance for the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot

The discovery has macro-level implications:

  • Indicator of Untapped Diversity: The Western Ghats is home to nearly 47% of India's lichen diversity. This discovery highlights that countless species likely await discovery.
  • High Endemism: Many species in the Western Ghats are found nowhere else, making its conservation a global priority.
  • Economic and Traditional Value: Lichens are used in Ayurveda ('Charila'), perfumes, and spices ('Garam Masala'). This biodiversity represents significant potential for bioprospecting.
  • Strengthening Conservation: Each new species provides concrete evidence of the ecosystem's value, justifying stronger protection policies.

4.5 Conclusion: From a Tiny Lichen to a Grand Conservation Strategy

The discovery of Allographa effusosoredica underscores the importance of investing in foundational scientific research like taxonomy. It is a powerful reminder of what we stand to lose and strengthens the imperative for robust, science-led conservation policies to protect fragile ecosystems like the Western Ghats.

4.6 Prelims Pointers

  • Lichens: A composite organism from a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and a photobiont.
  • Bio-indicators: Organisms that serve as a measure of environmental conditions, like lichens for air pollution.
  • Western Ghats: A global biodiversity hotspot along India's western coast.
  • Polyphasic Taxonomy: A classification approach integrating morphological, chemical, and molecular data.

"The recent discovery of a new lichen species in the Western Ghats using a polyphasic taxonomic approach highlights the region's immense biodiversity. Discuss the ecological and economic significance of such discoveries and the role they play in shaping conservation strategies for India's biodiversity hotspots." (250 words)

Section V: News in Brief - Other Important Developments

  • Society & Governance: A "Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat" Summit was launched in Varanasi, linking the fight against drug abuse among youth with the national goal of a "Developed India" by 2047.
  • Indian Economy: India's forex reserves surged to a record high of $666.85 billion. However, the RBI has cautioned that persistent food price pressures pose a significant threat to the overall inflation outlook.
  • Internal Security: The security situation remains dynamic in J&K, with a fresh gunfight reported in Doda. In Assam, questions are being raised about a police operation in Cachar where three alleged militants were killed.
  • International: India is closely monitoring widespread student-led protests in Bangladesh. The MEA has confirmed all Indian nationals are safe, highlighting the situation's importance for the "Neighbourhood First" policy.
Concluding Thoughts: The Interconnectedness of Knowledge

The events of this single day serve as a powerful lesson in the interconnectedness of the world. A legal opinion in The Hague impacts India's diplomacy. A software bug in California exposes the fragility of India's infrastructure. A state notification tests our federal structure. A tiny lichen discovery highlights the value of our biodiversity. Your success will lie not just in knowing these facts, but in appreciating these profound connections—understanding that the health of our nation depends as much on the integrity of its code as on the sanctity of its Constitution, and as much on the strength of its institutions as on the richness of its ecosystems.

Section VI: Quick Revision Flashcards

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts