Why in the News?
A report by the PM’s Economic Advisory Panel (EAC-PM) indicates that the number of domestic migrants has decreased by approximately 12%, reaching 40.20 crore since 2011 census.
Internal/Domestic migration refers to the movement of people within a country from one region to another.
- Reasons for Push factors: Lack of job opportunities, natural disaster, lack of quality education and healthcare facilities, etc.
- Reasons for Pull factors: Economic opportunities, higher standard of living, peace and stability, etc.
What is Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Panel (EAC-PM)?
- The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) is an independent advisory body established to provide economic insights and recommendations to the Government of India, specifically to the Prime Minister.
- The term “independent advisory body” refers to a group that provides expert advice and recommendations without being subject to direct control or influence from the government or any political entity. The Prime Minister of India has the authority to appoint the members of the EAC-PM.
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What are the key findings of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Panel (EAC-PM) report?
- Decline in Domestic Migrants: The number of domestic migrants in India is estimated to have decreased by approximately 12% from 45.57 crore in 2011 to 40.20 crore in 2023, indicating a shift in migration trends and possibly improved local opportunities.
- Migration Rate and Dynamics: The migration rate has dropped from 37.64% of the total population in 2011 to an estimated 28.88% in 2023, reflecting a significant change in the dynamics of internal migration.
- Short-distance migration is predominant, with distance negatively affecting labor mobility.
- Migration originates primarily from areas around major urban centers like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, and Kolkata.
- Major Migration areas: UP-Delhi, Gujarat-Maharashtra, Telangana-AP, Bihar-Delhi (state level).
- Data Sources: The report utilized high-frequency data from various sources, including the Indian Railway Unreserved Ticketing System, mobile phone roaming data, and district-level banking data, to analyze migration patterns.
- Changing Migration Patterns: The report highlights that states like West Bengal and Rajasthan have emerged as significant destinations for migrants, while states like Andhra Pradesh and Bihar have seen a decline in their rankings as migrant sources.
What are the reasons for the decline in migrant numbers?
- Improved Local Opportunities: The decline in domestic migration is hypothesized to be due to enhanced economic opportunities and services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and connectivity available in or near major sources of migration. This suggests that individuals may be finding sufficient opportunities locally rather than migrating.
- Short-Distance Migration Dominance: The report indicates that short-distance migrations account for a significant share of overall migration, suggesting that individuals prefer to migrate within closer proximities rather than long distances.
What are the present steps taken for the welfare of Domestic Migrants in India?
- Social Security Programs: The Indian government has established various welfare schemes aimed at providing social security to migrant workers. Notable among these are:
- Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana (PMSYM): This scheme offers a minimum assured pension of ₹3,000 per month to unorganized sector workers, including migrants, upon reaching the age of 60.
- Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): This initiative provides health coverage of up to ₹5 lakh for secondary and tertiary healthcare, benefiting millions, including migrant workers.
- Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY): Extended for five years from January 2024, this scheme ensures food security through free food grains and cash transfers to families below the poverty line, including migrants.
- Housing Initiatives:
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- Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY): This scheme aims to provide affordable housing to low-income groups, including migrants, through various subsidies and housing projects.
- Affordable Rental Housing Complexes (ARHC): Launched under the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, this initiative seeks to provide rental housing for migrant workers and urban poor.
- One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC): This scheme allows migrant workers to access subsidized food across the country using their existing ration cards, ensuring food security regardless of their location.
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What are the existing challenges related to migrant workers in India?
- Economic Insecurity: Migrant workers are often employed in low-wage, unstable jobs, and their dependence on remittances makes them vulnerable to financial hardship during economic downturns.
- Poor Living and Working Conditions: Migrants often live in overcrowded, inadequate housing with limited access to basic services, and face unsafe, exploitative working conditions, especially in foreign countries.
- Legal and Social Challenges: Many migrants lack proper legal recognition and identification, hindering access to social security and leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and social discrimination.
- Urban Overload: Rapid migration strains urban infrastructure, leading to overcrowding, inadequate housing, and pressure on public services in cities, affecting migrants’ living conditions.
Way forward:
- Enhance Local Economic Development: To further reduce the need for long-distance migration, focus on creating more job opportunities, improving infrastructure, and expanding social services in migration-origin regions.
- Strengthen Migrant Welfare Programs: Ensure better implementation and outreach of existing welfare schemes, such as healthcare, housing, and food security, to protect migrant workers’ rights and well-being across all regions.
Mains PYQ:
Q Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades.. (UPSC IAS/2015)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Issues in Indian Bureaucracy; ARC Reports;
Why in the News?
The recent government initiatives, such as “Mission Karmayogi,” aimed at enhancing the capacity of civil servants, underscores the ongoing dialogue about reforming India’s “steel frame” of governance.
What is the current state of India’s bureaucratic structure?
India’s bureaucratic structure, particularly the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), often referred to as the “steel frame” of Indian governance, has historically been crucial in administration but is now struggling with several issues:
- Politicization: Frequent transfers and promotions based on political loyalty rather than merit have undermined the professionalism and morale of IAS officers.
- This politicization hampers the development of domain expertise, as officers are rotated across various departments without sufficient time to specialise in any particular area.
- Corruption and Inefficiency: India ranks moderately on the World Bank’s government effectiveness index, indicating persistent corruption and inefficiencies in policy implementation.
- Centralized Governance: The current governance model under the Prime Minister has led to increased centralization of power in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
What are the previous efforts taken to reform the bureaucracy in India?
Commission recommendation:
- First Administrative Reforms Commission (1st ARC, 1966): Highlighted the need for specialization within the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) to improve efficiency by transitioning it into a functional service focused on specific governance areas.
- Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2nd ARC, 2005): Proposed a transparent lateral entry process for domain experts, mandatory training for civil servants throughout their careers, and the establishment of a National Institute of Public Administration to enhance public administration education and expand the candidate pool for civil services.
Central Government initiative:
- Mission Karmayogi (2020): A capacity-building program designed to create a citizen-centric, future-ready civil service by promoting continuous learning and skill enhancement through a dedicated digital platform.
- Lateral Entry Reforms: Introduced to integrate specialized talent from diverse sectors into senior civil service roles.
Important judgments given by the Supreme Court:
- T.S.R. Subramanian v. Union of India (2013): The Supreme Court barred civil servants from following oral political directives, and mandated the creation of a Civil Services Board (CSB) to oversee transfers and postings for ensuring stability and reducing arbitrariness.
- Delhi Government Services Case (2023): The Supreme Court upheld Delhi’s legislative authority over services, reinforcing federalism and ensuring accountability of officers operating under the Delhi government’s jurisdiction.
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How do proposed reforms impact the independence and specialization of civil servants?
The proposed reforms aim to modernize India’s bureaucracy by enhancing independence, accountability, and specialization among civil servants.
- Lateral Entry Initiatives: The government has introduced lateral entry into senior bureaucratic positions to bring in domain experts from outside the traditional IAS framework.
- Performance-Based Promotions: Recommendations from various administrative reform commissions (Second ARC, set up in 2005) suggest linking promotions to measurable performance rather than seniority.
- This shift could enhance accountability but may also meet resistance from entrenched interests within the IAS.
- Protection Against Arbitrary Transfers: Proposals such as the Civil Services Standards, Performance, and Accountability Bill aim to protect bureaucrats from politically motivated transfers.
- Implementing such measures could bolster the autonomy of civil servants.
What risks are associated with centralizing decision-making in the bureaucracy?
- Reduced Autonomy: Centralization can diminish the independence of senior bureaucrats, making them more susceptible to political pressures.
- This undermines their ability to act as effective policy executors and can lead to a culture of compliance rather than innovation.
- Bottlenecks in Implementation: A centralized approach may create bottlenecks in policy implementation, as decision-making becomes concentrated at the top.
- This can slow down responses to emerging challenges and reduce the overall efficiency of governance.
- Neglect of Bureaucratic Expertise: By sidelining bureaucratic insights in favor of top-down directives, there is a risk that valuable expertise within the civil service goes unutilized. This could hinder effective policymaking and lead to poor outcomes in governance.
Way forward:
- Empower Decentralized Governance: Strengthen local and state-level administrative autonomy to reduce over-reliance on centralized decision-making, enabling more responsive and effective governance.
- Implement Performance-Based Reforms: Institutionalize meritocratic measures such as performance-linked promotions, lateral entry, and protection against arbitrary transfers to foster accountability, specialization, and independence among civil servants.
- Efficient bureaucracy: India can draw valuable lessons from the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative to make a more efficient bureaucracy in India.
- DOGE is a proposed initiative introduced by USA President which aims to streamline federal bureaucracy.
Mains PYQ:
Q Has the Cadre-based Civil Services Organization been the cause of slow in India? Critically examine. (UPSC IAS/2014)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Mains level: Constitution of India; Individual liberty and dignity;
Why in the News?
The SC has emphasized the importance of individual dignity within the context of Article 21 in several landmark cases.
- Discussions around individual dignity have again gained traction, especially when former SC Justice Kurian Joseph emphasized that the Constitution prioritizes individual dignity, making it a vital topic for contemporary legal discourse.
How effectively does the Constitution safeguard individual dignity?
The Constitution of India is designed to protect individual dignity through a framework that entitles citizens to fundamental rights.
- Entrenchment of Individual Rights: The Constitution explicitly guarantees individual rights, aiming to protect the freedom and dignity of all citizens.
- Fundamental Rights under Part III of the Constitution, such as the Right to Equality (Article 14), Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22), and Right to Life and Personal Liberty (Article 21), explicitly safeguard individual dignity.
- Checks and Balances: The Constitution establishes institutional checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power.
- In Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978), the Supreme Court broadened the scope of Article 21, holding that any law depriving personal liberty must meet the standards of fairness, justice, and reasonableness.
- Political Equality: By affirming political equality among citizens, the Constitution enables individuals to participate actively in the democratic process.
- Article 326 guarantees universal adult suffrage, enabling all citizens to participate equally in democratic processes, affirming their political dignity and sense of inclusion.
What role do societal attitudes and systemic issues play in protecting dignity?
Societal attitudes and systemic issues significantly influence the protection of individual dignity under the Constitution:
- Community Identity vs. Individual Rights: The emphasis on community identity whether based on caste, religion, or nation can undermine individual dignity. When societal attitudes prioritize group identities over individual rights, it can lead to discrimination and marginalization.
- Trust and Cooperation: A lack of trust among citizens can hinder collective efforts to uphold constitutional values. When individuals measure each other against rigid identities, it subverts the freedom that the Constitution aims to protect.
- Oligarchic Power: Concentration of wealth and power can distort democratic processes, leading to a situation where certain groups’ interests overshadow individual rights. This systemic issue can erode the effectiveness of constitutional protections for dignity.
Can legal frameworks adapt to evolving understandings of dignity?
The legal framework established by the Constitution has the potential to adapt to evolving understandings of dignity:
- Basic Structure Doctrine: The Basic Structure Doctrine, established in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), ensures that core principles like dignity remain inviolable while allowing amendments to address evolving needs.
- For example, The 103rd Constitutional Amendment (2019) introduced a 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in education and public employment.
- Ongoing Democratic Negotiation: The Constitution leaves questions regarding economic structure open for ongoing negotiation, allowing for discussions around justice and inclusion that are vital for protecting dignity in a changing society.
- For example, The introduction of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 marked a significant step toward affirming the dignity and rights of transgender individuals.
- Judicial Interpretation: Courts play a critical role in interpreting constitutional provisions related to dignity.
- For example, Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India (2018) decriminalized consensual same-sex relationships by reading down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
Way forward:
- Promoting Constitutional Values: Enhance public awareness and foster societal attitudes that prioritize individual dignity, equality, and mutual respect over group identities.
- Strengthening Institutional Adaptability: Empower judicial and legislative mechanisms to address systemic inequities, interpret evolving notions of dignity, and implement inclusive policies.
Mains PYQ:
Q Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on Right to Privacy. (UPSC IAS/2017)
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024
Why in the News?
The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly passed the Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024, aiming to modernize and reform the State’s prison system. It is based on the Model Prisons Bill, 2023, issued by the Government of India (GoI).
Maharashtra Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2024: Key Highlights :
- Repeal of Outdated Acts:
- The Prisons Act, 1894, the Prisoners Act, 1900, and the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 stand repealed.
- The new legislation consolidates laws related to regulation of prisons, correctional services, and prisoners in Maharashtra.
- Establishment of High-Security Prison in Mumbai:
- Plans are underway to construct a high-security, multi-storey prison with advanced surveillance measures, akin to international standards like Alcatraz in San Francisco.
- Features include fortified walls, electronic tracking, power fencing, watchtowers, and 24×7 CCTV coverage.
- Land parcels for the new Mumbai jail have already been identified.
- Special Categories of Prisons:
- Special Prisons for high-risk inmates.
- Open and Semi-Open Prisons to facilitate rehabilitation.
- Open Colonies designed for reintegration of inmates with society.
- Temporary Prisons for certain categories of offenders.
- Gender-Sensitive Facilities:
- Separate cells and wards for women inmates with provisions for pre- and post-natal care.
- Special child-care areas (Balwadis) for children staying with mothers in prison.
- Dedicated enclosures and healthcare for transgender inmates.
- Rehabilitation, Skill Development, and Welfare:
- Mandatory libraries, sports facilities, yoga, and recreation for inmates.
- Work-based compensation and opportunities to sell inmate-produced goods at on-site outlets.
- Borstal institutions for young offenders, focusing on education and skill-building.
- Early Release and Monitoring:
- A system of parole and furlough for good behavior, with electronic tracking.
- A special committee under district collectors to support bail bond funding for indigent undertrial prisoners (noting that 1,600 accused are still in jail due to lack of funds).
- Detention Centre in Mumbai:
- The State plans to establish a detention centre in Mumbai. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been tasked to identify land for the project.
About Model Prison Act, 2023
- It replaces the colonial-era Prisons Act, 1894, aiming to modernise prison laws and align them with contemporary standards.
- It shifts emphasis from mere detention to reform and reintegration of inmates.
- It serves as a model document for states, since ‘Prisons’ is a State List subject in India.
- It merges relevant provisions of older legislations (e.g., Prisoners Act, 1900 and Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950).
- It strives to bring India’s prison system in line with international best practices and human rights norms.
- Key features include:
- Specialised Jails: Provides for high-security, open, and semi-open prisons to manage different categories of inmates.
- Rehabilitation Measures: Emphasises vocational training, skill development, counselling, and educational programs to facilitate inmates’ reintegration.
- Legal Aid & Incentives: Outlines provisions for legal assistance, along with parole, furlough, and premature release for good conduct.
- Use of Technology: Encourages CCTV, video conferencing, and e-monitoring systems to enhance transparency and security within prisons.
- Inclusive Accommodation: Mandates separate facilities for women, transgender persons, and other special categories, ensuring safety and dignity.
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Present Prison System: Key Findings of the Supreme Court’s Centre for Research and Planning Report
- The occupancy rate stood at 131.4% as of December 2022, with 75.8% of inmates being undertrials.
- This highlights a pressing need for measures to reduce congestion and expedite trials.
Initiatives taken:
- Modernization of Prisons Project (2021–26): The government provides financial assistance to States and Union Territories to implement advanced security measures in prisons.
- Aims to support reformation and rehabilitation efforts for inmates through various correctional programs.
- Model Prison Manual (2016): Offers detailed guidelines on the legal rights of inmates, including access to free legal services.
- Modernization of Prisons Scheme (2002–03): Introduced to improve living conditions in prisons, address the welfare of inmates, and enhance the working environment for prison staff.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Lion-Tailed Macaque
Why in the News?
A new study highlights that increased food provisioning and habituation to human presence endanger the lion-tailed macaque, a endangered species found only in the Western Ghats of India. Roads crossing the macaque habitats in eight key locations—Anamalai Hills, Nelliyampathy, Nilambur Ghats, Sholayar, Gavi, Sabarimala, Vallimalai Hills, and Agumbe—have facilitated frequent human-animal interaction.
Note: The mention of this species as a ‘critically endangered’ is a metaphor used in the newspaper. It does not represent its original IUCN Red List status.
About Lion-tailed macaque
| Details |
- Scientific Name: Macaca silenus
- Also known as: Lion-tailed macaque, Wanderoo, Bearded Monkey
- Has black fur with a distinctive gray or silver mane around the face (in both sexes), often referred to as the “beard ape.”
- Threats: Habitat loss, hunting, and wood harvesting
- Significance: Indicator of rainforest health and an umbrella species for conserving other wildlife in its region.
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| Habitat |
- Endemic to the Western Ghats in India (states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu).
- Primarily tropical evergreen rainforests, but they are also found in monsoon forests.
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| Behavioral Features |
- Shy and Avoidant: Unlike other macaques, they tend to avoid humans when possible.
- Arboreal and Diurnal: Spend most of their time in trees and are active during daylight.
- Communication: Possess up to 17 vocalizations; males define territory boundaries through calls.
- Diet: Primarily frugivorous, but also consume leaves, stems, flowers, buds, fungi, and occasionally small animals.
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| Conservation Status |
- IUCN: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (India): Schedule I
(Estimated 4,200 individuals remaining) |
PYQ:
[2013] In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Kerala
3. Karnataka
4. Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Mitochondria, mtDNA
Why in the News?
Recent research indicates that age-related losses in our cell’s mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)—specifically, deletion mutations—could be a major driver of aging. These mutations, once they accumulate, reduce the mitochondrion’s ability to produce energy (ATP), causing cell and tissue dysfunction.
What are Mitochondria?
- Mitochondria generate most of the cell’s energy (hence called the Powerhouse) in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
- They originated from free-living bacteria absorbed by ancient single-celled organisms, retaining a fraction of their own DNA (mtDNA).
- Unlike nuclear DNA, mitochondria have their own circular DNA, though limited in size.
- Humans inherit mitochondria exclusively from the mother’s egg; sperm-contributed mitochondria are generally not passed on.
- They have a double membrane: a relatively permeable outer membrane and a highly folded inner membrane (cristae) that maximizes surface area for energy production.
- Their inner compartment, the mitochondrial matrix, houses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), ribosomes, and enzymes for the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle) and fatty acid β-oxidation.
- Mitochondria help regulate intracellular calcium levels, which is crucial for various signalling pathways.
- They play a role in apoptosis (programmed cell death) by releasing factors such as cytochrome c when the cell is under severe stress.
Functions of DNA, mRNA, and the gene:
- DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid):
- Blueprint of Life: Houses genetic instructions in the form of a sequence of bases (A, T, G, C).
- Chromosomal Structure: In the nucleus, it is organized into 23 pairs of chromosomes in humans, each carrying numerous genes.
- Base-Pairing: Two DNA strands form a double helix via base-pair bonding (A-T, G-C).
- Gene:
- Functional Unit of DNA: A stretch of DNA containing instructions (a few thousand base-pairs) for making proteins or functional RNA.
- Expression: When active, a gene is ‘read’ and transcribed into mRNA.
- mRNA (Messenger RNA):
- Intermediate Molecule: Carries the gene’s instructions from the DNA (in the nucleus) to the cytoplasm.
- Protein Synthesis: Ribosomes read mRNA sequences, translating them into specific proteins.
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Functions of the Mitochondrial Genome (mtDNA):
- Encodes Key Mitochondrial Proteins:
- The mtDNA has 13 protein-coding genes crucial for mitochondrial energy production (ATP synthesis).
- It also encodes 24 non-coding genes (like rRNAs and tRNAs), essential for mitochondrial protein synthesis.
- Energy Production:
- mtDNA-encoded proteins form part of the electron transport chain, where most ATP is produced.
- Distinct Inheritance Pattern:
- Inherited exclusively from the mother.
- Each cell contains multiple mitochondria, each with multiple copies of mtDNA.
- Implication in Aging and Disease:
- Age-related mutations (deletions, chimeric genes) in mtDNA can lead to functional decline in tissues like muscle and brain.
- Loss of intact mtDNA reduces ATP generation, contributing to cellular and tissue ageing.
PYQ:
[2021] In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements:
- Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondria replacement therapy either before or after in vitro fertilization of the egg.
- A child inherits mitochondrial diseases entirely from mother and not from father.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: BIMSTEC
Why in the News?
Delegates recently represented India at the 24th BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) virtually hosted by Thailand.
Key highlights of 24th BIMSTEC Senior Officials’ Meeting
- The discussions focused on priority areas including sustainable development, regional connectivity, security, and people-to-people exchanges.
- Several documents, such as Plans of Action for cooperation, new cooperation mechanisms, and collaboration with external partners, were finalized.
- The meeting also discussed issues related to the upcoming 6th BIMSTEC Summit.
About BIMSTEC
- The BIMSTEC is a regional organization with 7 member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
- Established in 1997, its primary aim is to foster multifaceted technical and economic cooperation among the countries bordering the Bay of Bengal.
- The region encompasses a population of around 1.5 billion and has a combined GDP of over USD 3.8 trillion.
- Origin:
- Founded in 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration, the organization initially included four member nations under the name BIST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
- Later in 1997, Myanmar joined, prompting a renaming to BIMST-EC.
- Nepal and Bhutan were admitted in 2004, leading to the current name: Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).
- Key Features
- Establishes BIMSTEC as a legal entity, enabling it to engage more formally with other international organizations.
- Outlines objectives focused on building trust and friendly relations among member states and promoting economic development and social progress in the Bay of Bengal region.
- Defines a clear framework for regular meetings at various levels: the Summit, Ministerial, and Senior Officials’ levels.
- Allows for the possibility of new members and observer states, ensuring future growth and broader cooperation.
- Streamlines cooperation into 7 sectors, each led by one member state:
- Bangladesh: Trade, investment, and development
- Bhutan: Environment and climate change
- India: Security (including energy)
- Myanmar: Agriculture and food security
- Nepal: People-to-people contacts
- Sri Lanka: Science, technology, and innovation
- Thailand: Connectivity
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Significance of BIMSTEC for Indo-Pacific Goals
- Maritime Connectivity: BIMSTEC unites Bay of Bengal states, strengthening maritime ties that are crucial for an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.
- Regional Bridge: It links South Asia and Southeast Asia, aligning closely with India’s “Act East” policy and fostering broader Indo-Pacific integration.
- Security Cooperation: Focus on collaborative efforts in maritime security (e.g., counter-piracy, disaster management) supports a stable and secure Indo-Pacific.
- Economic Integration: By promoting trade, investment, and infrastructure development, BIMSTEC bolsters economic growth and connectivity in the Indo-Pacific region.
- Synergy with Other Frameworks: Its emphasis on connectivity, security, and economic cooperation complements initiatives such as ASEAN and the Indian Ocean Rim Association, collectively advancing Indo-Pacific objectives.
PYQ:
[2022] Do you think that BIMSTEC is a parallel organisation like the SAARC? What are the similarities and dissimilarities between the two? How are Indian foreign policy objectives realized by forming this new organisation? |
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