Editorials Analysis – 17 April 2025

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SOURCE : THE HINDU   The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast above-normal monsoon rainfall—about 5% more than the long-term average of 87 cm—for June to September 2025. While this raises hopes for strong kharif crop yields and grain exports, past experience reminds us that excess rains can also bring disasters such as floods and landslides, especially in ecologically fragile regions. With the absence of El Niño and below-normal Eurasian snow cover (which inversely correlates with Indian rainfall), the signs...

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SOURCE : THE HINDU The World Trade Organization (WTO) has revised its forecast for global merchandise trade volume in 2025, now expecting a decline of 0.2%, largely due to escalating U.S. tariff tensions and policy uncertainties. This contrasts sharply with 2.9% growth in 2024. If conditions worsen, trade could shrink further by up to 1.5%. The WTO warns that reciprocal tariffs alone could reduce trade growth by 0.6 percentage points, while broader policy uncertainty could shave off another 0.8 percentage...

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SOURCE : THE HINDU The U.S.'s proposal of reciprocal tariffs, initiated under President Trump, marks a shift from standard tariff practices to a system combining both commodity-wise and country-wise rates. The U.S. introduced a discounted reciprocal tariff formula that penalizes countries with trade surpluses. For India, this results in a 26% additional tariff on goods exported to the U.S., which could affect key export categories like electronics, machinery, and textiles. However, India is not heavily reliant on exports to the...

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SOURCE : THE HINDU The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, heard nearly 100 petitions challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The CJI expressed serious concern over provisions that denotify Waqf-by-user lands, require proof of Muslim practice for five years before Waqf dedication, and permit non-Muslims on Waqf boards. A three-point interim solution was proposed to balance interests, but the government requested more time. The court adjourned the case without passing any interim order, highlighting the sensitivity and...

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SOURCE : THE HINDU   Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has recommended Justice B.R. Gavai as his successor. Justice Gavai, currently serving in the Supreme Court since May 24, 2019, is the senior-most judge after Justice Khanna. Following the seniority convention, he is next in line and is expected to take over as the 52nd Chief Justice of India upon Khanna’s retirement on May 13, 2025. Justice Gavai will have a tenure of a little over six months, retiring...