Riyasat IAS Mentorship Team
Updated 19 Jul 2026
11 min read
Topics Covered Today (2)
NFHS-6 and India’s Nutritional Status — GS 2/3 (Health, Nutrition, Social Justice, SDGs)
Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and Global Trade — GS 2/3 (International Trade, India’s Economy, WTO)
Topic 1: NFHS-6 and India’s Nutritional Status GS Paper 2/3 | Health & Nutrition | POSHAN Abhiyaan | Gender | SDG 2 & 5
Why in the News? The recently released National Family Health Survey-6 (NFHS-6) reveals a mixed picture: unprecedented improvements in healthcare access (immunisation, institutional births) coexist with persistent crises in child dietary quality and feeding practices. India has built the hospitals — but the crisis on a child’s plate and a mother’s time remains unresolved.
NFHS-6: Key Positive Indicators
Indicator
Data
Stunting among children under 5
Declined from 35.5% to 29.3%
Institutional deliveries
90% of all births (58% in government facilities)
Deliveries supervised by skilled personnel
91%
Full immunisation (children aged 12-23 months)
87%
Private sector share in immunisation success
Only 3% — success rests almost entirely on public healthcare and frontline workers
The stunting decline reflects long-term, cumulative improvements in sanitation, clean drinking water access, and healthcare delivery — structural gains built over multiple policy cycles (Swachh Bharat, Jal Jeevan Mission, immunisation drives).
The Core Paradox: Infrastructure Success, Nutrition Failure
A. Poor Dietary Habits and Delayed Complementary Feeding
Indicator
Finding
Breastfeeding within first hour of birth
Only 50% — despite 90% of deliveries occurring in hospitals
Children (6-23 months) receiving minimum acceptable diet
Only 15%
Cultural factor
Introduction of solid foods is linked to rituals like “Annaprashan” — delays in this transition permanently affect growth trajectories
The gap between institutional delivery (90%) and first-hour breastfeeding (50%) is a striking statistic — it shows that the presence of medical infrastructure alone does not guarantee correct early-life nutritional practices. The behavioural/awareness gap, not the infrastructure gap, is the binding constraint here.
B. The “Crisis of Maternal Time” — A Gender Perspective
Rural and informal-sector women are heavily occupied with farming, animal husbandry, and household chores — leaving severe time shortages for childcare. With inadequate village-level creche infrastructure, infants are often left in the care of elders or elder daughters, directly affecting breastfeeding timing and feeding quality. This is fundamentally a gender and unpaid-care-work issue, not merely a health issue — directly linking SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) with SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
C. The Trap of Processed Foods
Consumer Expenditure Survey data shows a consumption shift away from core grains and pulses toward packaged, ready-to-eat, and processed foods. These are cheap and accessible but nutritionally hollow — while pulses, millets (coarse grains), fruits, and nuts remain financially out of reach for a large population segment. This represents a structural affordability-nutrition mismatch in India’s food economy.
The Way Forward: Five Focus Areas
Focus Area
Necessary Steps
Revamping POSHAN Abhiyaan
Shift focus from identifying “severely acutely malnourished” children to “preventing early growth faltering” — maximum attention on the first 1,000 days of life (pregnancy to child’s second birthday)
Localisation of Data
Recruit nutritionists and data analysts at block/district level; Anganwadi-collected data should be analysed locally to trigger immediate corrective action
Behavioural Change
Leverage cultural practices (like Annaprashan) to drive dietary change; use digital tools to educate mothers about affordable, locally available nutritious foods
Role of Panchayati Raj
Make child nutrition a permanent Gram Sabha and Panchayat agenda item; integrate water, sanitation, and Anganwadi infrastructure into local planning
Expanding the Creche Model
Develop community-based creches combining nutrition with early childhood education — reducing women’s unpaid care burden while enabling economic participation
UPSC Note The conclusion explicitly calls for integrating Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 with multi-sectoral coordination, male participation, and Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) — and aligning SDG 2 with SDG 5. This is a strong GS 2 (Social Justice, Welfare Schemes) and GS 3 (Health) crossover topic.
Key Schemes and Terms for UPSC
Term/Scheme
Relevance
POSHAN Abhiyaan / POSHAN 2.0
National Nutrition Mission — targets stunting, wasting, anaemia, and low birth weight
Saksham Anganwadi
Upgraded Anganwadi infrastructure component under the Mission Saksham Anganwadi and POSHAN 2.0 scheme
First 1,000 Days
The critical window from conception to age 2 — the period when nutritional interventions have maximum long-term developmental impact
SBCC (Social and Behaviour Change Communication)
Policy approach using communication strategies to shift health and nutrition-related behaviours, not just provide infrastructure
Annaprashan
Traditional Hindu ritual marking a child’s first intake of solid food — culturally significant entry point for nutrition education
Practice Question“Recent data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) highlights a deep chasm between the improvement of health infrastructure and actual nutritional security in India.” Analyse. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
Practice MCQWith reference to the findings of NFHS-6, consider the following statements: 1. The percentage of children under 5 years suffering from stunting has increased compared to the previous survey round. 2. Less than half of all newborns in India receive breastmilk within the first hour of birth, despite a high rate of institutional deliveries. 3. The private sector accounts for the majority share of full immunisation coverage among children aged 12-23 months. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 only (C) 2 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: (B) 2 only — Statement 1 is incorrect: stunting has DECREASED from 35.5% to 29.3%. Statement 3 is incorrect: the private sector accounts for only 3% of immunisation success — the public healthcare system and frontline workers are responsible for the vast majority.
Topic 2: Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and Global Trade GS Paper 2/3 | International Trade | India’s Economy | WTO | FTA Utilisation
Why in the News? In February 2026, India and the United States agreed on the framework of an interim trade agreement — covering tariff cuts (US duties down to 18%, India moving toward zero duty on certain US goods). However, the more strategically significant element is the negotiation to remove Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) — the “silent weapons” that have become the real roadblocks in modern global trade.
What Are Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)?
Government regulations, policies, or certifications that regulate or restrict the entry of goods into a country — without using a direct tax/duty mechanism. They fall into two primary categories:
Category
Definition
SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures)
Stringent regulations related to human, animal, or plant health and safety — e.g., pesticide residue limits, food safety standards
Tariffs vs. Non-Tariff Barriers: The Key Distinction
Tariffs
Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs)
Transparent and easy to measure (e.g., a flat 10% duty)
Function as “silent weapons” — embedded in regulatory and technical systems
Visible in trade negotiations and headlines
Often invisible in headline agreements but drive the actual cost of market access
Impact is uniform across exporters of similar capacity
Disproportionately burden small exporters from developing nations due to high compliance costs
Why Has Global Trade Shifted from Tariffs to Regulations?
Since WTO’s establishment in 1995, global average tariff rates have been cut nearly in half — but nations did not abandon protectionism; they replaced tariffs with NTBs, which now affect nearly 90% of global trade
Of roughly 20,000 global product regulations introduced over the last 70 years, more than half were introduced after 2000 — showing a sharp acceleration in regulatory protectionism this century
In 2025 alone, governments sent over 7,700 new NTB-related notifications to the WTO — indicating the pace of regulatory complexity is still increasing, not stabilising
How Major Economies Use NTBs Strategically
Economy
Coverage
Strategic Focus
European Union
94% of imports
Most extensive regulatory user — deploys environment, chemical safety, and climate policy as protective shields (e.g., CBAM — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism; EUDR — EU Deforestation Regulation)
United States
77% of imports
Focused on strategic competition and technological dominance — export controls on semiconductors, AI chips, and advanced hardware
India
45% of imports
Traditionally tariff-reliant, now expanding Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on electronics, machinery, and chemicals under “Atmanirbhar Bharat” domestic industrial strategy
The FTA Utilisation Gap: Why Paper Agreements Don’t Translate to Real Trade
India’s average FTA utilisation rate stands at a meagre 25% — compared to 70-80% for developed nations. This means Indian exporters fail to claim the preferential tariff benefits negotiated on paper, primarily because NTBs erect a second, hidden barrier after the tariff barrier is removed.
UPSC Note Logical chain: Paper Agreement (Tariff Reduction) → Ground Reality (Non-Tariff Barriers) → Result (Low FTA Utilisation Rate ~25%). This three-step framework is a useful answer-writing structure for Mains questions on trade agreement effectiveness.
Case Studies: Where India’s FTAs Have Underperformed
FTA
Underperformance Evidence
ASEAN (2010)
Utilisation rate below 50% despite the agreement being in place. Indian pharmaceutical exports restricted by Indonesia’s stringent registration norms; Thailand’s complex customs procedures force jewellery exporters to route shipments through Hong Kong
Japan FTA (2011)
Indian pharma exports remain negligible — market clearance takes 5-7 years, and Japan does not recognise Indian testing standards
South Korea FTA (2011)
Bilateral trade reached $27 billion, but India’s export share remained stuck at just $6.5 billion (~24%)
Historic because it grants automatic recognition to Indian medicines approved by major global regulators (USFDA, EMA). Mutual acceptance of laboratory tests eliminates duplicate testing costs — directly solving the NTB problem rather than just cutting tariffs.
India-EFTA TEPA (Effective October 2025)
Emphasises mutual recognition of standards and establishes a dedicated legal sub-committee to continuously address NTB issues. For the first time, minimising non-tariff barriers has become a legally binding obligation in an Indian FTA — not just an aspirational clause.
The Way Forward
Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs): Prioritise negotiating mutual recognition of testing laboratories and product certifications with key partners (US, EU, UK) — enforcing the principle of “tested once, accepted everywhere”
Upgrading Standards: Harmonise Indian standards (BIS) with international standards (ISO/IEC) so Indian products are not rejected abroad on technical grounds
Institutional Capacity Building: Establish a dedicated “Trade Intelligence and Support Center” to educate MSMEs and small exporters on complex technical/environmental mandates (e.g., EU’s CBAM)
Strategic Use of the WTO Forum: India, with like-minded developing nations, should raise the “hidden protectionism” practised under the guise of environment and safety standards
Key Terms for UPSC
Term
Definition
CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism)
EU mechanism imposing carbon costs on imports based on their carbon footprint — effectively a climate-linked NTB
EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation)
EU regulation requiring proof that imported commodities (palm oil, soy, coffee, etc.) are not linked to deforestation
QCO (Quality Control Order)
Indian regulatory mechanism mandating BIS certification for specified products before sale or import
MRA (Mutual Recognition Agreement)
Bilateral/multilateral agreement where two countries recognise each other’s testing, certification, or regulatory standards — eliminating duplicate compliance costs
FTA Utilisation Rate
The percentage of eligible trade that actually claims preferential tariff treatment under a Free Trade Agreement — low utilisation indicates NTBs or procedural barriers are blocking real benefit capture
Practice Question“In contemporary global trade diplomacy, the nature of protectionism has shifted from traditional tariffs to more complex and invisible Non-Tariff Barriers.” Examine this statement in the context of recent Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and discuss its impact on Indian exports. (15 Marks, 250 Words)
📝 Practice MCQWith reference to Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) in global trade, consider the following statements: 1. Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures relate to technical product regulations, packaging, and labelling rules. 2. India’s average Free Trade Agreement utilisation rate is significantly lower than that of developed nations. 3. The India-UAE CEPA grants automatic recognition to Indian medicines approved by major global regulators such as the USFDA. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (A) 1 and 2 only (B) 2 and 3 only (C) 1 and 3 only (D) 1, 2 and 3 Answer: (B) 2 and 3 only — Statement 1 is incorrect: SPS measures relate to human, animal, and plant health and safety regulations (e.g., pesticide residue limits); technical regulations, packaging, and labelling rules fall under Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), a separate category.
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