Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- India-China tension and India's response
- Identifying the nature of the threat posed by China is important to formulate a response. This article discusses the plan of action on the diplomatic, strategic and economic front to deal with Chinese aggression.
Economic angle of China’s expansionism
- The Chinese growth model needed to find subservient emerging markets.
- In these markets, China can park huge debts and make investments to keep feeding China’s high growth rates.
- Friendly foreign debt-investment markets were needed to compensate for over-investment at home.
- The Belt and Road Initiative was rolled out as a meeting point for China’s geo-strategic and geo-economic interests.
- China has expanded its global footprint by signing on about 100 countries to the BRI.
- China has made aggressive moves on most of its non-submissive neighbours in the South China Sea.
- China has also made moves against its traditional rivals like Japan and Taiwan to independent-minded nations like South Korea and Australia.
- China sees itself as a global power whose time has come.
India needs to play clearer role
- Rise of China is shaking up global alignments and shaping new world order.
- The Trump administration is increasingly being criticised for not providing global leadership.
- India could afford to be largely non-aligned during the 20th century Cold War.
- Our size and economic momentum necessitate that we play a clearer role in the Cold War’s 21st-century sequel.
- India’s foreign policy has lacked a clear vision about China.
- India has been deepening our strategic relationship with the US but without wanting to alarm China.
India’s relation with neighbours
- India’s relations with other neighbouring nations have also become a cause of concern.
- Pakistan has practically become a minion state for the Chinese – the $62-billion CPEC is a case in the point.
- Nepal is no longer on our list of all-weather friends.
- Chinese influence is growing in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — both signatories to the BRI.
- And just last week, Beijing, sent another appallingly stern message to our loyal friend, Bhutan, by making ridiculous territorial claims.
What should be India’s plan of action
- Dealing with China will require conviction and exercising a range of military, diplomatic and economic options.
- One forum we need to build on and provide leadership to is the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.
- India should now propose the expansion of the Quad’s scope with a possible exploration of a collective defence architecture like NATO.
- The membership of the Quad should be expanded to include Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, and Malaysia.
- On the economic front, India must welcome the US proposal to expand G7 to include India, Russia, Australia and South Korea without China as a member.
- Next area of focus should be strengthening ties with our neighbourhood.
- Effort must be made to regain the relationship with Russia.
Conclusion
China must be made to choose: Is it willing to push the equally proud, equally numerous, equally historical and glorious civilisation to the south in this long-term direction for a few square kilometres of territory and a round of chest-thumping?
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: The SC judgement
Mains level: Paper 2- Electoral reforms
This article discusses the issue of criminalisation in politics and the reasons for its persistence despite several judgements by the Supreme Courts to deal with the issue.
The Feb 2020 SC order
- In a February 2020 judgement the Supreme Court has asked the political parties to state the reasons for the selection of candidates.
- The Court also asked to specify as also as to why other individuals without criminal antecedents could not be selected as candidates.
- If a political party fails to comply, it would be “… in contempt of this Court’s orders/directions.”
- The political party and its leadership would for the first time have to publicly own up to criminalisation of politics.
- The judgment notes that “ in 2019 as many as 43% of MPs had criminal cases pending against them”.
- India is the only democratic country with a free press where we find a problem of this dimension.
What did the earlier orders require?
- (a) each candidate shall submit a sworn affidavit giving financial details and criminal cases.
- (b) each candidate shall inform the political party in writing of criminal cases against him or her.
- (c) the party shall put up on its website and on social media as well as publish in newspapers the names and details of such candidates.
Why the problem persists
- Survey after survey show that people around the country are unhappy with the quality of governance.
- Given limited choices, they vote as best as they can.
- Meanwhile, electoral bonds bring secrecy back into political funding.
- Several laws and court judgments have not helped much, as the data show.
- There lack of enforcement of laws and judgments.
- It is also not clear what penalty would be imposed if the recent orders are not followed.
Way forward
- Monitoring the affidavits of candidates can help in compliance.
- Working with the EC to ensure that information is promptly available on their websites.
- Widely circulating this information to voters using all the social media tools available.
- Monitoring the compliance with the Supreme Court judgment to see if details of tainted candidates are promptly put up on their websites, and on their social media handles, along with proper reasons for giving them ticket.
- Voters also need to be vigilant about misuse of money, gifts and other inducements during elections.
- The waters will be muddied with fake news, trolling, and fanciful claims, concerted efforts to tackle the menace of fake news are required.
Consider the question “Despite several judgements from the Supreme Court the issue of criminalisation in politics still persists. Examine the reasons for the persistence of the issues. Suggest the measures to deal with the issues.”
Conclusion
we may not see dramatic changes in the quality of candidates. Campaigns may continue to be more and more personal and even abusive. But all these steps are required, however insignificant they may seem.
Original link
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/owning-up-to-criminalisation-in-politics/article32035186.ece
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: QSD, Malabar Exercise
Mains level: Global move to curb Chinese overambitions
India has finally planned to invite Australia to join the annual Malabar naval exercise that has so far included just Japan and the U.S., in a move that could risk China’s ire.
Go through the list for once. UPSC may ask a match the pair type question asking exercise name and countries involved.
[Prelims Spotlight] Defence Exercises
About Ex. Malabar
- Exercise Malabar is a trilateral naval exercise involving the United States, Japan and India as permanent partners.
- Originally begun in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Japan became a permanent partner in 2015.
- Past non-permanent participants are Australia and Singapore.
- The annual Malabar series began in 1992 and includes diverse activities, ranging from fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers through Maritime Interdiction Operations Exercises.
Significance of Australia’s inclusion
- Earlier, India had concerns that it would give the appearance of a “quadrilateral military alliance” aimed at China.
- Now both look forward to the cooperation in the ‘Indo-Pacific’ and the strengthening of defence ties.
- This has led to a convergence of mutual interest in many areas for a better understanding of regional and global issues.
- Both are expected to conclude the long-pending Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) as part of measures to elevate the strategic partnership.
Back2Basics: Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD)
- The QSD is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, Australia and India that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries.
- The forum was initiated as a dialogue in 2007 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, with the support of Vice President Dick Cheney of the US, PM John Howard of Australia and PM Manmohan Singh of India.
- The dialogue was paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar.
- The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power, and the Chinese government responded to it by issuing formal diplomatic protest.
- The QSD was recently revived considering the tensions in the South China Sea caused primarily by China and its territorial ambitions.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: UNCAT, ICCPR
Mains level: UN intervention in Kashmir
United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteurs have made public their third communication forwarded to India expressing concern over alleged excessive use of force, ill-treatment during arrests and detentions.
Practice question for mains:
Q.There is an urgent need for reforming the criminal justice system in India in light of rising cases of custodial torture and killings. Comment.
What is the issue?
The UN urged the Indian government to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the allegations of arbitrary killings, torture and ill-treatment and to prosecute suspected perpetrators under articles 6 and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and articles 7 and 12 of the Committee Against Torture (CAT).
What are the conventions cited by the UN?
1) International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
- The ICCPR is a multilateral treaty adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution on 16 December 1966, and in force from 23 March 1976.
- The covenant commits its parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.
- As of September 2019, the Covenant has 173 parties and six more signatories without ratification.
- It is part of the International Bill of Human Rights, along with the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
- It is monitored by the UN Human Rights Committee (a separate body to the UN Human Rights Council).
2) United Nations Convention Against Torture (UNCAT)
- The UNCAT is an international human rights treaty, under the review of the UN and was adopted in 1984.
- It aims to prevent torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment around the world.
- The convention requires states to take effective measures to prevent torture in any territory under their jurisdiction and forbids states to transport people to any country where there is reason to believe they will be tortured.
- Since the convention’s entry into force, the absolute prohibition against torture and other acts of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment has become accepted as a principle of customary international law.
3) The Committee against Torture (CAT)
- It is a body of human rights experts that monitors implementation of the Convention by State parties.
- The Committee is one of eight UN-linked human rights treaty bodies.
- All state parties are obliged under the Convention to submit regular reports to the CAT on how rights are being implemented.
- Upon ratifying the Convention, states must submit a report within one year, after which they are obliged to report every four years.
- The Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and recommendations to the State party in the form of “concluding observations.”
- Under certain circumstances, the CAT may consider complaints or communications from individuals claiming that their rights under the Convention have been violated.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Open Sky Agreements, OST
Mains level: Not Much
The UAE is keen to have an open sky agreement with India.
Open Skies Agreement! Look how confusing does it sound compared to the Open Skies Treaty between the US and Russia.
What is the Open Skies Agreement?
- The National Civil Aviation Policy, 2016, allows the government to enter into an ‘open sky’ air services agreement on a reciprocal basis with SAARC nations as well as countries beyond a 5,000-kilometre radius from New Delhi.
- This implies that nations within this distance need to enter into a bilateral agreement and mutually determine the number of flights that their airlines can operate between the two countries.
- India has open sky agreements with Japan, Greece, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain and Sri Lanka.
- India also has an open sky agreement with the US, among other countries.
Why UAE wants such an agreement with India?
- There are about 1,068 flights a week between India and the UAE operated by the airlines of the two countries under the bilateral Air Service Agreement.
- India has open skies policy with SAARC countries and those beyond the 5,000-km radius.
- UAE wants India to revisit this policy.
Must read:
U.S. set to exit the ‘Open Skies Treaty’ Copy
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mongolian Kanjur
Mains level: Buddhist literature
The Ministry of Culture has taken up the project of reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur under the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM). The first sets of five volumes were presented to the President of India.
Try this question from CSP 2011:
Q.India maintained its early cultural contacts and trade links with Southeast Asia across the Bay of Bengal. For this preeminence of early maritime history of Bay of Bengal, which of the following could be the most convincing explanation/explanations?
(a) As compared to other countries, India had a better ship-building technology in ancient and medieval times.
(b) The rulers of southern India always patronized traders, Brahmin priests and Buddhist monks in this context.
(c) Monsoon winds across the Bay of Bengal facilitated sea voyages.
(d) Both (a) and (b) are convincing explanations in this context.
Mongolian Kanjur
- Mongolian Kanjur, the Buddhist canonical text in 108 volumes is considered to be the most important religious text in Mongolia.
- In the Mongolian language ‘Kanjur’ means ‘Concise Orders’- the words of Lord Buddha in particular. It has been translated from Tibetan.
- It is held in high esteem by the Mongolian Buddhists and they worship the Kanjur at temples and recite the lines of Kanjur in daily life as a sacred ritual.
- The Kanjur is kept almost in every monastery in Mongolia.
- The language of the Kanjur is Classical Mongolian and it is a source of providing a cultural identity to Mongolia.
About National Mission for Manuscripts
- The Mission was launched in February 2003 under the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, with the mandate of documenting, conserving and disseminating the knowledge preserved in the manuscripts.
- One of the objectives of the mission is to publish rare and unpublished manuscripts so that the knowledge enshrined in them is spread to researchers, scholars and the general public at large.
- Under this scheme, reprinting of 108 volumes of Mongolian Kanjur has been taken up by the Mission.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Rewa Solar Plant
Mains level: Solar tariff issues in India
The PM has inaugurated the 750 MW Solar Project set up at Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.
Try this question from CSP 2017:
Q. The term ‘Domestic Content Requirement’ is sometimes seen in the news with reference to-
(a) Developing solar power production in our country
(b) Granting licences to foreign T.V. channels in our country
(c) Exporting our food products to other countries
(d) Permitting foreign educational institutions to set up their campuses in our country
Rewa Solar Project
- This project comprises of three solar generating units of 250 MW each located on a 500-hectare plot of land situated inside a Solar Park (total area 1500 hectare).
- The Solar Park was developed by the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL), a Joint Venture Company of Madhya Pradesh Urja Vikas Nigam Limited (MPUVN), and Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), a PSU.
- The Project was the first solar project in the country to break the grid parity barrier.
- This project will reduce carbon emission equivalent to approx. 15 lakh ton of CO2 per year.
Tariff management
- Compared to prevailing solar project tariffs of approx. Rs. 4.50/unit in early 2017, the Rewa project achieved historic results.
- It has a first-year tariff of Rs. 2.97/unit with a tariff escalation of Rs. 0.05/unit over 15 years and a levelized rate of Rs. 3.30/unit over the term of 25 years.
Significance of the project
- The project is also the first renewable energy project to supply to an institutional customer outside the State.
- The Delhi Metro will get 24% of energy from the project with the remaining 76% being supplied to the State DISCOMs of Madhya Pradesh.
- The Project also exemplifies India’s commitment to attaining the target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy capacity by the year 2022; including 100 GW of solar installed capacity.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Herbert Kleber and his work
Mains level: NA
With today’s doodle, Google is remembering Dr Herbert David Kleber, who reframed the field of addiction treatment.
Try this question from CSP 2016:
A recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography of-
(a) S. Ramanujan
(b) S. Chandrasekhar
(c) S. N. Bose
(d) C. V. Raman
Herbert Kleber
- Born on June 19, 1934, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr Kleber studied medicine, where he discovered that psychology was his calling.
- He viewed addiction as a medical condition rather than a moral failure.
- He spent years treating people with drug addiction and realized that the treatment needed a new approach backed by scientific research.
- His new methods of treatment gained an appreciation and he was appointed as the deputy director for demand reduction at the Office of National Drug Control Policy by the then U.S. President George H. W. Bush.
- He headed many projects on developing new methods to treat individuals with alcohol, cocaine, heroin and alcohol addictions.
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