{"id":118466,"date":"2026-08-11T09:58:05","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T04:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=118466"},"modified":"2026-08-11T11:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T05:45:27","slug":"daily-editorial-analysis-11-august-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/daily-editorial-analysis-11-august-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Daily Editorial Analysis 11 August 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>Do Not Write the Obituary of International Law Yet<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Recurring conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and West Asia have revived an old debate: <strong>is international law losing its relevance?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Critics point to the failure of international institutions to stop these wars as proof that legal norms no longer restrain state behaviour.<\/li>\n<li>This article argues that such a conclusion is premature, and that international law continues to function quietly even as headline conflicts suggest otherwise.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Why Wars Do Not Disprove International Law<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Even states accused of violating international law rarely say the law itself is meaningless.<\/li>\n<li>Instead, they justify their actions using the very vocabulary of international law \u2014 the UN Charter, sovereignty, territorial integrity, self-defence and humanitarian law.<\/li>\n<li>This tendency to seek legal justification, rather than reject legality altogether, shows that the <strong>framework still commands authority<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres captured this in July 2026 when he told the International Law Commission that <strong><em>international law is under pressure but will prevail<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Scholars offered a useful explanation for this behaviour: states often comply with international law not out of fear of punishment, but because of the pull created by the treaty regimes they belong to.\n<ul>\n<li>Compliance is thus less about coercion and more about embedded expectations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>The Quiet, Unnoticed Successes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Compliance rarely makes news, while violations dominate it. Yet ordinary international life depends on legal cooperation working smoothly:\n<ul>\n<li>Aircraft cross borders safely because of international aviation regulations;<\/li>\n<li>Ships sail the seas under international maritime law;<\/li>\n<li>Diplomacy, trade and travel function through thousands of routine legal obligations;<\/li>\n<li>Individuals rely on international law daily \u2014 passports, consular assistance, air travel and refugee protection are all governed by it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Even amid conflict, states keep negotiating new multilateral agreements \u2014 the <strong>High Seas Treaty<\/strong>, <strong>pandemic preparedness<\/strong> efforts and the <strong>UN Convention against Cybercrime<\/strong> are recent examples of continued faith in a rules-based system.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Relevance for India and the Global South<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Peace itself is built through legal instruments \u2014 ceasefires, peace agreements and negotiated settlements all rest on legal commitments.<\/li>\n<li>India&#8217;s Indus Waters Treaty shows that legal frameworks can sustain engagement between states even during political discord.<\/li>\n<li>For <strong>India<\/strong> and the <strong>wider Global South<\/strong>, international law matters because it offers smaller and developing states a way to protect their interests through negotiation rather than raw power.<\/li>\n<li>Shared global challenges \u2014 climate change, pandemics, cyberattacks and economic instability \u2014 cannot be solved unilaterally and require cooperation rooted in agreed rules.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Acknowledging the Flaws<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>International law was never a perfect system. It has long coexisted with <strong>power politics<\/strong> and has been criticised for reflecting <strong>unequal structures<\/strong>, including the limitations of the UN Security Council.<\/li>\n<li>But <strong>imperfection is not the same as irrelevance<\/strong> \u2014 no legal system guarantees full compliance.<\/li>\n<li>Its real value lies in providing standards against which state conduct can be judged.<\/li>\n<li>Historically, crises have driven the adaptation of international law, not its collapse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>International law is strained but not extinguished.<\/li>\n<li>Its true strength lies not in preventing every violation, but in remaining the shared language states use to justify, contest and eventually resolve their conduct \u2014 a framework still indispensable for a just, cooperative world order.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Do Not Write the Obituary of International Law Yet FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Q1.<\/strong> Why does the article argue that international law remains relevant despite ongoing wars?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans:<\/strong> States accused of violations still invoke sovereignty, self-defence, territorial integrity, and humanitarian law, showing that international law continues to command authority.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2.<\/strong> What are the quiet successes of international law?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans:<\/strong> International law enables safe aviation, maritime navigation, diplomacy, trade, travel, consular assistance, refugee protection, and routine cooperation that rarely receives public attention.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3.<\/strong> Why is international law important for India and the Global South?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans:<\/strong> International law allows smaller and developing states to protect interests through negotiation and agreed rules rather than relying solely on economic or military power.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4.<\/strong> What does India&#8217;s Indus Waters Treaty demonstrate about international law?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans:<\/strong> India&#8217;s Indus Waters Treaty demonstrates that legal frameworks can sustain cooperation and engagement between states even when broader political relations remain strained.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5.<\/strong> Does the imperfection of international law make it irrelevant?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans:<\/strong> No. International law need not guarantee complete compliance; its value lies in establishing standards against which state conduct can be assessed and contested.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/do-not-write-the-obituary-of-international-law-yet\/article71329406.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">TH<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>GeM at 10 &#8211; Transforming Public Procurement through Transparency and Digital Governance<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The Government e-Marketplace (GeM), launched on <strong>9 August 2016<\/strong>, has completed a decade of operations.<\/li>\n<li>It has emerged as India&#8217;s flagship digital public procurement platform, replacing the erstwhile Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals (DGS&amp;D).<\/li>\n<li>There is the need to highlight GeM&#8217;s contribution to transparent governance, <strong>Ease of Doing Business (EoDB)<\/strong>, MSME promotion, and Viksit Bharat 2047.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Government e-Marketplace (GeM) &#8211; An Overview<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>GeM is a <strong>one-stop digital platform<\/strong> for public procurement by Central and State governments, PSUs and autonomous bodies.<\/li>\n<li>It connects 1.37 lakh government buyers with 25 lakh sellers and service providers.<\/li>\n<li>It integrates the entire procurement cycle, for example, product discovery, e-bidding, contract award, digital payments, and audit trail.<\/li>\n<li>The erstwhile DGS&amp;D was criticised for opaque and non-competitive procurement practices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Key Achievements in a Decade<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Enhancing transparency and accountability:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>The entire procurement process has been digitised, reducing human discretion.<\/li>\n<li>Every transaction leaves a traceable digital audit trail, strengthening accountability.<\/li>\n<li>It minimises corruption, favouritism and procedural delays in government procurement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Promoting EoDB:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Introduced a single-window digital marketplace for procurement, simplifying registration and standardised procurement procedures.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Policy reforms include: <\/strong>Removal of Caution Money Deposit, rationalisation of transaction charges, and lower compliance costs have widened participation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Boosting inclusive economic growth:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>GeM has expanded market access for traditionally underrepresented groups, for example, MSMEs; Start-ups; women entrepreneurs; and businesses from Tier-II, Tier-III cities and rural areas.<\/li>\n<li>These enterprises can directly sell to government buyers without intermediaries, creating a more level playing field.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Performance Indicators<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Contribution to &#8216;Make in India&#8217; and Atmanirbhar Bharat:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Preference for domestic manufacturers and service providers strengthens indigenous production.<\/li>\n<li>Reinforces local value chains and reduces dependence on imports.<\/li>\n<li>MSEs account for nearly <strong>60%<\/strong> of total orders (by volume) and over 45% of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) on GeM.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Other indicators:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Annual GMV has crossed \u20b95 lakh crore in each of the last two financial years.<\/li>\n<li>Cumulative procurement value has reached around <strong>\u20b920 lakh crore<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>The platform now hosts approximately 10,644 product categories, and 350 service categories.<\/li>\n<li>These figures reflect GeM&#8217;s growing role in India&#8217;s public procurement ecosystem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Improving Public Service Delivery and its Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Efficient procurement through GeM: <\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>It has enhanced delivery across critical sectors, including healthcare (medicines and vaccines), defence procurement (including drones), infrastructure development, and rural public services.<\/li>\n<li>Transparent procurement ensures better utilisation of taxpayer funds while improving the quality and timeliness of public services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Economic impact:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>According to an IIT Delhi study, GeM generated an estimated \u20b986,571.69 crore in monetised benefits over the last three financial years.<\/li>\n<li>Gains arose from lower procurement prices, greater process efficiency, reduced transaction costs and delays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>GeM and digital governance:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>GeM exemplifies India&#8217;s expanding Digital Public Infrastructure (<strong>DPI<\/strong>) model by combining e-governance, transparency, data-driven decision-making, competitive procurement, and inclusive participation.<\/li>\n<li>It advances constitutional principles of good governance, accountability and efficient utilisation of public resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Future Vision<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h4><strong>Priorities as GeM enters its 2nd decade:<\/strong><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Adoption of emerging technologies for smarter procurement.<\/li>\n<li>Building a globally benchmarked digital procurement platform.<\/li>\n<li>Promoting green and sustainable procurement.<\/li>\n<li>Expanding participation of Start-ups, innovators, women entrepreneurs, youth, MSMEs, and entrepreneurs from smaller towns and disadvantaged communities.<\/li>\n<li>These objectives align with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Way forward: <\/strong>Despite its achievements, sustained reforms are necessary for &#8211;\n<ul>\n<li>Improve digital accessibility and awareness among small suppliers.<\/li>\n<li>Strengthen <strong>cybersecurity <\/strong>and data privacy safeguards.<\/li>\n<li>Enhance procurement capacity at State and local government levels.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure timely payments to vendors.<\/li>\n<li>Expand <strong>green procurement <\/strong>standards and AI-enabled procurement analytics.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>GeM has transformed India&#8217;s public procurement system by making it transparent, competitive, technology-driven and <strong>inclusive<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Its success demonstrates how digital governance can simultaneously improve public service delivery, promote entrepreneurship, empower MSMEs, and ensure efficient use of public resources.<\/li>\n<li>Continued innovation and wider stakeholder participation will be crucial for making GeM a global benchmark in digital public procurement and advancing the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>GeM at 10 FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Q1<\/strong>. How has the GeM enhanced transparency in public procurement?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. By digitising the entire procurement lifecycle, creating auditable digital trails, etc.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q2<\/strong>. What is the role of GeM in promoting inclusive economic growth in India?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. GeM empowers MSMEs, startups, women entrepreneurs and businesses from smaller towns.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q3<\/strong>. What is the contribution of GeM to the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. GeM prioritises domestic manufacturers, strengthens local value chains, and expands market opportunities for MSEs.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q4<\/strong>. What are the major economic benefits of the GeM?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. GeM reduces procurement costs, improves process efficiency, ensures better utilisation of public funds, etc.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Q5<\/strong>. Why is GeM regarded as an important DPI initiative?<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ans<\/strong>. It integrates end-to-end public procurement on a single digital platform.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/for-transparent-inclusive-public-procurement-government-e-marketplace-10826360\/?ref=opinion_pg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><strong>IE<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Daily Editorial Analysis 11 August 2026 by Vajiram &#038; Ravi covers key editorials from The Hindu &#038; Indian Express with UPSC-focused insights and relevance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":34,"featured_media":86373,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[138],"tags":[141,882,909],"class_list":["post-118466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-daily-editorial-analysis","tag-daily-editorial-analysis","tag-the-hindu-editorial-analysis","tag-the-indian-express-analysis","no-featured-image-padding"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118466","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/34"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118466"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118466\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118506,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118466\/revisions\/118506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86373"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118466"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118466"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118466"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}