UPSC Mains Daily Answer Writing Practice (October 14, 2026): Model Answer & Framework

UPSC Mains Daily Answer Writing Practice (October 14, 2026): Model Answer & Framework

Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing: Question & Model Answer Framework (October 14, 2026)

Today's Mains Question (GS Paper 2 - International Relations & Security - 15 Marks / 250 Words)

"Examine India’s strategic balancing act within BRICS regarding West Asian geopolitics, and analyze the imperative for robust multilateral governance in outer space amidst emerging on-orbit weaponisation threats."

1. Decoding the Directive & Demand of the Question

Directive: Examine and Analyze — This requires a dual-pronged deep dive into two critical contemporary geostrategic arenas: India's diplomatic maneuvering in plurilateral groupings concerning West Asia, and the escalating security dilemmas in the global commons of outer space. The answer must move beyond descriptive narration to evaluate strategic implications and policy imperatives.

Core Demands of the Question:

  • Dimension 1 (BRICS & West Asia): Evaluate how India leverages expanded BRICS (incorporating key West Asian powers like Iran and the UAE) to safeguard its energy security, diaspora interests, and strategic autonomy without falling into bloc politics.
  • Dimension 2 (Space Governance): Analyze the threat of 'on-orbit space control weapons' and the erosion of traditional arms control, highlighting the urgent need for a binding multilateral legal architecture in outer space.
  • Dimension 3 (Synthesized Conclusion): Link both domains under India’s broader vision of a multipolar world order governed by international law and cooperative security.

2. Structural Outline / Skeleton Framework

  • Introduction (30-40 words): Contextualize India’s foreign policy stance anchored in "Strategic Autonomy" and "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam," navigating an increasingly volatile multipolar world order spanning terrestrial geopolitics and celestial security.
  • Body Section 1: India, BRICS, and West Asian Geopolitics (80-90 words):
    • Exploration of expanded BRICS membership (inclusion of UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia).
    • Balancing traditional partnerships (US, West Asia Quad/I2U2) with anti-hegemonic plurilateral platforms.
    • Securing energy corridors, countering terror financing, and protecting the 9-million-strong Indian diaspora.
  • Body Section 2: On-Orbit Weaponisation and Space Governance Vacuum (80-90 words):
    • Rise of dual-use satellite technologies, co-orbital interceptors, and directed-energy weapons threatening global orbital stability.
    • Obsolescence of the Outer Space Treaty (1967); absence of verifiable on-orbit arms control mechanisms.
    • Vulnerability of India’s critical space infrastructure (NAVIC, communication and remote-sensing assets).
  • Way Forward & Recommendation (40-50 words): Advocating for inclusive West Asian peace frameworks through UN mediation; pushing for a legally binding treaty on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) at the Conference on Disarmament.
  • Conclusion (20-30 words): Reiterate that true global commons—whether maritime, terrestrial, or celestial—require multilateralism over militarisation to ensure sustainable human progress.

3. Comprehensive Model Answer

In an era defined by polycrisis and strategic fragmentation, India’s foreign policy navigates complex geopolitical fault lines across terrestrial corridors and the newly contested domain of outer space. As traditional multilateral institutions face gridlock, minilateral platforms like BRICS and emerging challenges in orbital security test the resilience of India’s doctrine of strategic autonomy.

India’s Strategic Calculus in BRICS and West Asia:
The expansion of BRICS to include major West Asian heavyweights—specifically the UAE, Iran, and Saudi Arabia—has transformed the grouping into a crucial diplomatic node. For India, this expansion offers a vital plurilateral architecture to harmonize competing regional interests without aligning with any exclusive bloc. West Asia accounts for a significant share of India’s energy imports and hosts nearly nine million Indian expatriates remitting billions in foreign exchange. By engaging through BRICS, New Delhi complements its minilateral frameworks like I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE, USA), demonstrating a pragmatic multi-alignment strategy. This enables India to advocate for maritime security in the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, combat transnational terrorism, and foster economic integration while insulating itself from West Asian sectarian flashpoints.

The Threat of On-Orbit Weaponisation and Space Governance:
Simultaneously, the strategic frontier has expanded vertically into outer space. The proliferation of 'on-orbit space control weapons'—including robotic co-orbital inspectors, electronic jamming payloads, and directed-energy devices—has turned low-earth orbit (LEO) into a militarised theatre. The foundational legal architecture, primarily the Outer Space Treaty (OST) of 1967, prohibits only weapons of mass destruction in orbit, leaving a dangerous regulatory vacuum regarding conventional and kinetic anti-satellite capabilities. This weaponisation threatens critical global infrastructure, risking the Kessler Syndrome—a cascading debris hazard that could paralyze global telecommunications, navigation (NaVIC/GPS), and climate monitoring.

Policy Imperatives and Way Forward:
To secure its strategic interests, India must champion a two-pronged approach:

  1. In West Asia: Leverage its trusted-partner status within BRICS and bilateral ties to push for inclusive regional security architectures and peaceful resolution of conflicts under the aegis of the United Nations.
  2. In Outer Space: Actively collaborate with like-minded nations at the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) and the Conference on Disarmament to advocate for Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures (TCBMs) and a robust, legally binding PAROS treaty. Domestically, operationalizing the Indian Space Policy through IN-SPACe must incorporate resilient space-situational awareness (SSA) and hardening of critical national space assets against electronic and kinetic interference.

Ultimately, India’s leadership in both domains must be anchored in upholding international law, ensuring that global and celestial commons remain open, secure, and immune to unilateral hegemony.

4. Value Addition Box (Schemes, Data & Committees)

Category Key Frameworks / Instruments / Doctrines Strategic Relevance for UPSC
International Treaties Outer Space Treaty (1967), Liability Convention (1972), Registration Convention (1975) Foundation of space law; highlights regulatory gaps for modern on-orbit weapons.
Disarmament Forums UN Conference on Disarmament (Geneva), PAROS Resolution Crucial multilateral platform where India advocates against arms race in space.
Geopolitical Groupings BRICS (Expanded 2024 format), I2U2, Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Exemplifies India's Multi-Alignment and Strategic Autonomy 2.0.
Domestic Initiatives IN-SPACe, Indian Space Policy 2023, Project NETRA (Space Situational Awareness) Encouraging private sector participation while safeguarding national orbital assets.

ЁЯПЫ️ Official Government & Policy Updates (PIB Gazette Connect)

Key national initiatives, Cabinet & Ministry releases aligned with GS-2 and GS-3:

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