AI Agents (AIAs), Aero-Engines for Su-30MKI Aircraft, Unified Lending Interface (ULI)

(General Studies IV – Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from World – Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world, Philosophical basis of governance and probity)

• John Stuart Mill’s work On Liberty (1859) forms the foundation of libertarianism, emphasizing individual freedom while limiting state intervention. Mill advocated for maximum liberty unless it causes harm to others, proposing the “Harm Principle.” His ideas significantly impact modern debates on liberty, freedom of speech, and governance.
• In India, while free speech is protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution, it is subject to reasonable restrictions to prevent hate speech and maintain public order.

The Harm Principle –

• The state or society has the right to intervene only when an individual’s actions cause harm to others.
• Self-Regarding vs. Other-Regarding Actions: Self-Regarding actions affecting only the individual e.g., personal lifestyle choices, should not be restricted.
• Other-regarding actions affecting others e.g., physical harm, public safety issues, warrant state or societal intervention.
• In Navtej Singh Johar vs. Union of India, Mill’s harm principle was cited when the Supreme Court decriminalised homosexuality, stating that it doesn’t harm others.

Free Speech and Expression –

• Mill advocated for complete freedom of thought and speech, asserting that even false opinions benefit society by challenging existing beliefs.
• False beliefs allow for the strengthening of truth by debate and discussion, enriching public discourse.
• Mill’s theory supports allowing diverse opinions in governance discussions, as it promotes transparent and healthy debate, essential for policy formulation.

Limits to Free Speech –

• While free speech is critical, Mill acknowledges that speech can be limited if it incites harm.
• Mill cites that an opinion critical of corn dealers should not be restricted unless it is delivered to an angry mob that could incite violence.
• Mill’s harm principle applies to hate speech regulation. For example, referring to a community with derogatory terms e.g., “Miya Muslims” can incite hostility and harm, justifying legal restrictions.

State and Societal Intervention –

• Mill distinguished between state and societal control.
• Society can respond to other-regarding actions that do not violate legal rights e.g., ostracism.
• State intervenes when legal rights are violated e.g., punishment for physical harm.
• Mill’s principle encourages minimal state interference in citizens’ lives, aligning with good governance models that balance individual rights and social order.

Today, it’s difficult to constitute the definition of harm as modern discussions about disinformation and hate speech explore non-physical harm e.g., psychological or emotional impact. Governments need to balance free speech with public safety, ensuring that harmful rhetoric doesn’t incite violence or discrimination.

John Stuart Mill’s Theory of Liberty advocates for minimal state intervention and maximum individual freedom, grounded in the harm principle. However, when personal freedoms infringe on the rights or well-being of others, both societal and state mechanisms must intervene. His ideas remain relevant in public administration and law, influencing discussions on freedom of speech, disinformation, and hate speech.

• The next-generation AI assistants are called AI agents and are set to surpass their predecessors in ability as well as efficiency.
• These agents can perform multiple functions as users’ agents or autonomously, that is, without instructions or user intervention.
• AI assistants, such as Siri and Alexa, have evolved into more advanced AI Agents (AIAs).
• They are classified into three types:
• Reactive agents, which respond to specific inputs;
• Learning agents, which use machine learning to improve over time;
• Cognitive agents, which can reason, adapt, and make decisions autonomously.
• Cognitive AIAs integrate with the Internet of Things (IoT), enabling real-time data analysis, and can perform complex tasks, such as planning trips or managing warehouse items autonomously.
• While AIAs offer personalization and convenience, they also pose challenges, particularly concerning privacy, accountability, and liability.

Dig Deeper: Read about IndiaAI Mission.

• Chief Economic Advisors recently elaborated on the concept of Excessive financialisation, characterised by the dominance of financial markets in public policy, which poses significant risks to macroeconomic stability.
• India’s stock market capitalisation currently stands at approximately 140% of GDP, a level that demands scrutiny.
• High market capitalization and record profitability in the financial sector can lead to potential issues such as increased public and private debt, economic growth heavily dependent on asset-price inflation, and widening inequality.
• These risks have been observed in advanced economies, and India needs to be vigilant to avoid similar outcomes.
• While the current growth in India’s capital markets has been positive, it is important to remain cautious and avoid the pitfalls associated with excessive financialisation.
• The focus should be on ensuring that financial growth contributes to overall economic stability and prosperity, rather than creating vulnerabilities that could undermine long-term development.

Dig Deeper: Figure out the reasons behind the consistent Bull market in Indian Stock Exchanges.

• The Union Cabinet has approved seven major schemes for the agriculture sector.
• The most significant among these is the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM), which will create a consolidated database linking multiple platforms and databases across Union Territories, States, Ministries, and Departments. The DAM includes:
• Agri Stack: A registry of farmers, village land maps, and crops.
• Krishi Decision Support System: A comprehensive geospatial setup unifying remote sensing information on crops, soil, weather, and water resources.
• Soil Profile Mapping: Detailed soil profile maps at a 1:10,000 scale for approximately 142 million hectares of agricultural land.

Other approved schemes include:

• Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security: To prepare farmers for climate resilience and ensure food security by 2047.
• Strengthening Agricultural Education and Research: To prepare students and researchers for current agricultural challenges.
• Sustainable Livestock Health and Production: To increase incomes from livestock and dairy.
• Sustainable Development of Horticulture: To promote various horticulture crops, including tropical, sub-tropical, temperate, root, tuber, bulbous, arid crops, vegetables, floriculture, and mushrooms.
• Krishi Vigyan Kendras: To strengthen agricultural extension centers.
• Natural Resource Management: To enhance sustainable use of natural resources in agriculture.

Dig Deeper: Read about various initiatives of the Government of India to increase production as well as the nutritional value of agricultural produce in recent times.

• The Cabinet Committee on Security has approved the procurement of 240 AL-31FP aero-engines for the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Su-30MKI aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under the ‘Buy (Indian)’ category.
• The procurement, costing over ₹26,000 crore, will see engine deliveries begin in one year and be completed over eight years.
• These engines will have an indigenous content of over 54%.
• The AL-31FP aero engine was developed by NPO Saturn of Russia.
• This engine enhances the Su-30MKI’s combat capabilities, ensuring the Indian Air Force’s operational readiness.
• Su-30MKI is India’s second most advanced Aircraft after recently purchased Rafael fighter jets from France.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Cabinet Committee on Security and Defence Acquisition Council.

• Nearly three months into the 18th Lok Sabha, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees have not been constituted due to disagreements between the Union government and the Opposition over control of these panels.
• There are 24 such committees, with 16 chaired by Lok Sabha MPs and eight by Rajya Sabha members.
• The primary objective of standing committees is to ensure greater accountability of the Executive, particularly financial accountability, to the Parliament.
• The 24 standing committees cover all ministries and departments of the Central Government.
• Each committee is comprised of 31 members—21 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha—who are nominated by the Speaker and the Chairman, respectively.
• Ministers cannot be members of these committees, and any member appointed as a minister ceases to be a committee member.
• The term of each committee is one year from its constitution.
• Recommendations of these committees are advisory and hence not binding on the Parliament.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Financial Committees of the Indian Parliament.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has introduced the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) as a key initiative in its strategy to develop digital public infrastructure.
• Developed by the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub in Bengaluru, ULI is designed to streamline the credit process, initially targeting farmers and MSME borrowers.
• ULI is a digital platform that facilitates the seamless flow of a borrower’s financial and non-financial data from multiple sources to lenders.
• It operates through standardized Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable a ‘plug and play’ approach, allowing lenders to access diverse data, including land records and other critical information.
• This system reduces the time and complexity of credit appraisal, particularly for small and rural borrowers who may not have a traditional credit history.
• For first-time loan seekers who lack a credit history, ULI provides lenders access to digital credit information.
• ULI enables lenders to automate decision-making, leading to faster loan approvals and disbursements.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Public Credit Registry and Credit Information Companies.