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  • [Sansad TV] Perspective: QUAD for Free Indo-Pacific

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    The foreign ministers of the Quad grouping of India, the US, Australia and Japan vowed to work vigorously to achieve the grouping’s shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and collectively deal with common threats such as terrorism.

    QUAD: A backgrounder

    Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the Quad is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, India and Australia that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges and military drills between member countries.

    • The US, Japan, India and Australia came together in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami to assist the devastated countries.
    • Later, officials of the four countries met in 2007 “to look at issues of common interest.” During an India visit, then Japanese PM Shinzo Abe unveiled the idea of “the Confluence of the Two Seas” that gave birth to the concept of the Indo-Pacific.
    • A decade later officials of the four countries met in the Philippines in 2017 to talk about an aggressively rising China.
    • In 2019, the foreign ministers of the Quad countries met in Washington for the first time.
    • In November, the Quad nations came together to participate in a two-phase joint military exercise, Malabar 2020, in the Bay of Bengal and in the Arabian Sea.

    Now it is increasingly viewed as ‘Asian NATO’.

    Focus on Indo-Pacific: For the China-wary world

    • The latest meeting of Quad comes at a time when all four countries have either trade or security disputes with China.
    • Despite not explicitly mentioning China, Quad has been openly supporting a “free and fair” Indo-Pacific which is seen as a clear message to Beijing that it needs to curb its assertive behaviour.
    • The optics were hard to miss when India, the US, Japan and Australia joined their navies for the mega Malabar military exercise late last year, an activity which raised alarm in Beijing.
    • This posturing by the Quad nations sent a strong signal to China.

    (1) US vs China

    • USA had followed a policy to contain China’s increasing influence in East Asia. Therefore, USA sees the coalition as an opportunity to regain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.
    • The US has described China, along with Russia, as a strategic rival in its National Security Strategy, National Defence Strategy and the Pentagon’s report on Indo-Pacific Strategy.
    • Both are navigating intense disagreements over trade and human rights in Tibet, Hong Kong and the western Xinjiang region, as well as the coronavirus pandemic and increasing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea.

    (2) Australia vs China

    • Australia is concerned about China’s growing interest in its land, infrastructure and politics, and influence on its universities.
    • Ties have been on a downward spiral since 2018 when Australia, accusing China of meddling in its domestic affairs, passed a new law against foreign interference and espionage.
    • It also barred Huawei from building the country’s 5G mobile network, among the first countries to do so, citing national security.
    •  The atmosphere worsened when  PM Scott Morrison’s government called for an international inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19.

    (3) Japan vs. China

    • Tensions between Japan and China over the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute have recently increased.
    • China has relentlessly continued attempts to unilaterally change the status quo by coercion in the sea area around the Senkaku Islands.
    • The more salient indicator is the number of Chinese patrols inside the territorial sea of the islands, which Japan sees as an explicit violation of its territorial sovereignty.

    (4) India vs. China

    • India’s strained relations with China needs no explanation. The year long border dispute is the testimony.
    • The Quad summit is taking place in the backdrop of an ongoing military disengagement between India and China following their months-long border standoff in eastern Ladakh.
    • China is increasing its footprint in our neighborhood through its Belt and Road policy and political coercion following the debt trap are some of the increasing concerns other than economic imbalance.

    Opportunities unveiled for India

    India’s engagement with the Quad goes back to China’s expanding footprint in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region over the last few years. India can reap some benefits as discussed below:

     (1) Checkmating the Chinese

    • The maritime sphere is wide open to India to undertake coalition building, rule sets, and other forms of strategic exploration than compared to land borders.
    • The maritime space is more important to China than engaging in land grab attempts in the Himalayas. A huge chunk of Chinese trade happens via the Indian oceanic routes that pass through maritime chokepoints.

    (2) Channelizing geo-politics

    • There is a growing great power interest in the maritime sphere, especially with the arrival of the concept of ‘Indo-Pacific’. For instance, many European countries have recently released their Indo-Pacific strategies.
    • The most recent was for France to send its warship in the international waters of the South China Sea.

    (3) Maritime domain for India

    • Above is the backdrop against which one must see the progressive evolution of Exercise “Malabar”,
    • In the beginning, it was a bilateral event involving just the Indian and US navies. It became tri-lateral with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
    • And now it has transformed into a four-cornered naval drill that will also include Australia.

    (4) Check on China’s India Ocean Ambitions

    • The Quad has a valuable role to play as a check on China’s Indian Ocean ambitions.
    • India must develop ingrained habits of interoperable cooperation with its Quad partners.
    • This interoperable cooperation could pre-emptively dissuade China from mounting a naval challenge in its backyard.

    (5) Eccentricity in South Asia

    • With India, located right at the centre of the Indo-Pacific geopolitical imagination can realize the vision of a ‘broader Asia’ that can extend its influence away from geographical boundaries.
    • Further, India with Quad countries can check the imperialist policies of China in the Indian Ocean region and ensure Security and growth for all in the region.

    Issues with Quad

    (1) Structural problems

    • The Quad has a core structural problem as its objective pivots around the U.S.
    • The Quad riles China as a hostile grouping, but hardly serves the security interests of its members.
    • Despite rhetoric relating to the promotion of a ‘rules-based’ world order, the Quad neither shares a strategic vision nor is it animated by a shared agenda.

     (2) Nature of alliance

    • Alliances involve written commitments to come to the defence of the other against a third party.
    • Despite the potential for cooperation, the Quad remains a mechanism without a defined strategic mission.

    (3) Economic alliance not feasible

    • Quad is neither a military alliance nor an economic partnership.
    • Its intention to counter China in the rare-earth sector is logical given the dominant role the country plays in supplying more than half of the world’s such key materials.
    • But, for a country like India, the lack of relevant technologies and talent pool could obstruct its progress in building up a supply chain from scratch.

     (4) Overt emphasis on Maritime domain

    • The entire focus on the Indo-Pacific makes the Quad a maritime, rather than a land-based grouping, raising questions whether the cooperation extends to the Asia-Pacific and Eurasian regions.
    • India’s core concerns with China are primarily undemarcated borders and trade deficit.

     (5) Lack of existence of Indo-Pacific system

    • There has never been Indo-Pacific system ever since the rise of the port-based kingdoms of Indochina in the first half of the second millennium.
    • There were two Asian systems — an Indian Ocean system and an East Asian system — with intricate sub-regional balances.
    • The effort by a U.S. to artificially manufacture to combine the Indo and the Pacific into a unitary system is unlikely to succeed.

    (6) Indian borders can go more vulnerable

    • A lesson for India is China’s long-held and strategic interest in parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
    • It is wrongly argued that it is Pakistan that is the issue in J&K.
    • China undoubtedly is as big an issue but has quietly hidden behind Pakistan’s cover.

    Challenges: China will retaliate

    (1) China’s assertiveness

    • China claims that it has historical ownership over nearly the entire region of South China Sea, which gives it the right to manufacture islands.
    • However, the International Court of Arbitration rejected the claim in 2016.
    • Since then, the incidences of Chinese transgression has only increased making China more assertive for its interest.

    (2) Preying small nations

    • The ASEAN countries have a well-knit relationship with China. So are other SAARC countries have fallen prey to Chinese debt traps.
    • The Regional Cooperation Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a recent example of China’s increasing influence over ASEAN nations to which Australia is even a forerunner.

    (3) Monopoly

    • Considering the economic might of China and the dependence of Quad nations like Japan and Australia on China, the Quad nations cannot afford to have strained relations with it in the long run.
    • India too, is still very heavily dependent on Chinese exports.

    Way Forward

    • Need for a clearer vision: It is important for members of the Quad not to be reactive. It is also important to exhibit openness, and ensure that all talk of a ‘Free and Open Indo-Pacific’ is more than just a mere slogan.
    • Consensus for a common objective: The Quad nations need to better explain the Indo-Pacific Vision in an overarching framework with the objective of advancing everyone’s economic and security interests.
    • Setting an agenda: This will reassure the littoral States that the Quad will be a factor for regional benefit, and a far cry from Chinese allegations that it is some sort of a military alliance. Future meetings can be an opportunity to define the idea and chart a future path.
    • Expanding Quad: India has many other partners in the Indo-Pacific; therefore India should pitch for countries like Indonesia, Singapore to be invited to join in the future. There is also a vital need to economically expand the Quad.

    Conclusion

    • The Quad framework derives its geopolitical validation from India’s association and presents a unique opportunity for India to be an active participant in shaping regional security architecture with global undertones.
    • India’s moves with the Quad will be closely watched, as they bear more meaning than ever before on the path it will take to realise its strategic future.

  • Taking a byte out of cyber threats

    Context

    Cyber-attacks may be a relatively new phenomenon, but in a short timeframe have come to be assessed as dangerous as terrorism.

    A cyber attack is a type of attack that targets computer systems, infrastructures, networks, or personal computer devices using various methods at hand. India is ranked 10th (among 194 countries) in the Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI) 2020 ahead of China and
    Pakistan.

    The increasing threat of cyber attacks

    • Stuxnet Worm in 2010: Resulted in large-scale damage to Iran’s centrifuge capabilities.
    • Natanz nuclear facility (Iran) in 2021: Targeted the industrial control systems and destroyed the power supply to centrifuges used to create enriched uranium
    • Chinese cyberattack on the power system in Mumbai brought the entire city to a halt.
    • Ransomware as a Service (RaaS) — a business model for ransomware developers — is no mere idle threat.
    • Advanced Persistent Threats (APT) attacks are set to increase, with criminal networks working overtime and the Dark web allowing criminals to access even sensitive corporate networks.

    Tools of Cyberattacks

    • Malware: Malicious software to disrupt computers. It can include Viruses, Spyware, Trojans, etc.
    • Phishing: It is the method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive e-mails and websites.
    • Denial of Service attacks: A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack is an attack meant to shut down a machine or network, making it inaccessible to its intended users.
    • Hacktivism:  Misusing a computer system or network for a socially or politically motivated reason. For example, hacktivists can block access to Government’s website, deface the government’s website or unblock the sites which have been blocked by the Government.
    • Social Engineering: Entice users to provide confidential information. For example, these days u must have come across some of the fake Facebook accounts which are opened in the name of your close friends. First, the cyber attackers send you the friend request in the name of your close friend. Once u accept it, they will ask to request you to transfer some money.

    Consequences of Cyberattacks

    • Impact on data: Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of information.
    • Impact on Critical Information Infrastructure: Presently, most of the sectors are critically dependent on the use of ICT to carry on their operations. These sectors are Banking and Finance, Power systems, Transport sector, Telecommunication, etc. Cyber attacks on these critical information infrastructures can bring the entire country to a grinding halt. For example, the recent Chinese cyber attack on the power system in Mumbai brought the entire city to a halt.
    • Creates Distrust: A cyber-attack on a specific component exposes vulnerabilities in the entire system which may negatively impact relations with allies and adversaries and questions our nuclear reliability.
    • Financial loss: Estimates of the cost to the world in 2021 from cyberattacks are still being computed, but if the cost of cybercrimes in 2020 (believed to be more than $1 trillion) is any guide, it is likely to range between $3trillion-$4 trillion.
    • Threat to National Security and peace and stability in a country.

    Steps taken by India to improve Cyber Security

    • Section 66F of ITA: Specific provision dealing with the issue of cyber terrorism that covers denial of access, unauthorized access, introduction of computer contaminant leading to harm to persons, property, critical infrastructure, disruption of supplies, ‘sensitive data’ thefts. Provides for punishment which may extend to life imprisonment.
    • National Cyber Security Policy 2013: Policy document drafted by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. Established National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to improve the protection and resilience of the country’s critical infrastructure information; Create a workforce of 5 lakh professionals skilled in cybersecurity in the next 5 years.
    • National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC): It has been setup to enhance the protection and resilience of Nation’s Critical information infrastructure. It functions under the National Technical Research Organization (NTRO).
    • CERT-IN: Organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology with an objective of securing Indian cyberspace. The purpose of CERT-In is to respond to computer security incidents, report on vulnerabilities, and promote effective IT security practices throughout the country. According to the provisions of the Information Technology Amendment Act 2008, CERT-In is responsible for overseeing the administration of the Act.
    • Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative: It was launched in 2018 with an aim to spread awareness about cybercrime and build capacity for safety measures for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government departments.
    • Cyber Crisis Management Plan (CCMP): It aims at countering cyber threats and cyber-terrorism.
    • National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC): It seeks to generate necessary situational awareness of existing and potential cyber security threats and enable timely information sharing for proactive, preventive and protective actions by individual entities.
    • National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) coordinates with different agencies at the national level for cyber security matters.
    • Cyber Swachhta Kendra: This platform was introduced for internet users to clean their computers and devices by wiping out viruses and malware.
    • Information Security Education and Awareness Project (ISEA): Training of personnel to raise awareness and to provide research, education, and training in the field of Information Security.

    Challenges

    • Structural:
      a)Absence of any geographical constraints.
      b)Lack of uniformity in devices used for internet access.
    • Administrative:
      a) Lack of national-level architecture for cybersecurity
      b) Security audit does not occur periodically, nor does it adhere to the international standards.
      c) The appointment of the National Cyber Security Coordinator in 2014 has not been supplemented by creating liaison officers in states.
    • Procedural
      a) Lack of awareness in local police of various provisions of IT Act, 2000, and also of IPSC related to cybercrime.
      b) Lack of data protection regime.
    • Human Resource Related
      a) Inadequate awareness among people about the security of devices and online transactions.

    Way forward

    • International Convention: Presently, Budapest Convention is the first international treaty that promotes greater cooperation between countries in fighting cybercrimes. India should accede to Budapest Convention at the earliest. It would reduce India’s capacity to combat cybercrimes at a global level.
    • PPP Framework for Cyber Security: Presently, most of the cyber security operations are carried out by the Government agencies such as CERT-In. Given the fast-changing nature and intensity of cyber threats, there is a need to leverage private sector expertise in combating cyber crimes through the PPP framework.
    • Capacity building and skill development- Recently, according to a report published by NASSCOM, India needs around 10 lakh, cyber security experts. However, presently there are only around 64,000 professionals. One of the main reasons for the lower number of cyber security professionals is due to lack of an adequate number of specialized courses in cyber security, poor training Infrastructure, lack of availability of trainers, etc. Hence, accordingly, the Government has to recognize the lacunae and increase the number of Skilled professionals.
    • Promoting Startups in the field of Cybersecurity.
    • Investment in R&D to improve Cyber Security- Big data, AI
    • Learning from best practices such as the Tallinn manual of the US.

    Conclusion

    Failure to build resilience — at both the ‘technical and human level — will mean that the cycle of cyber attacks and the distrust they give rise to will continue to threaten the foundations of a democratic society. Preventing erosion of trust is critical in this day and age.

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  • Back in news: Liberation of Goa

    The PM recently took a jibe at then PM Nehru, saying that it could have liberated Goa in 1947 itself had Nehru sent the Indian Army there.

    What is the news?

    • Goa was liberated 15 years after India attained freedom.
    • PM Modi accused Nehru as guilty of leaving satyagrahis in the dismay, refusing to send the Indian Army to liberate Goa, even after 25 of them were shot dead by the Portuguese Army.

    Goa’s Colonization: A backgrounder

    • Goa became a Portuguese colony in 1510, when Admiral Afonso de Albuquerque defeated the forces of the sultan of Bjiapur, Yusuf Adil Shah.
    • The next four and a half centuries saw one of Asia’s longest colonial encounters — Goa found itself at the intersection of competing regional and global powers.
    • It received a religious and cultural ferment that lead eventually to the germination of a distinct Goan identity that continues to be a source of contestation even today.
    • By the turn of the twentieth century, Goa had started to witness an upsurge of nationalist sentiment opposed to Portugal’s colonial rule, in sync with the anti-British nationalist movement.

    Beginning of freedom movement

    • Tristao de Braganza Cunha, celebrated as the father of Goan nationalism, founded the Goa National Congress at the Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress in 1928.
    • In 1946, the socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia led a historic rally in Goa that gave a call for civil liberties and freedom, and eventual integration with India.
    • This event became a watershed moment in Goa’s freedom struggle.
    • At the same time, there was a thinking that civil liberties could not be won by peaceful methods, and a more aggressive armed struggle was needed.
    • This was the view of the Azad Gomantak Dal (AGD), whose co-founder Prabhakar Sinari is one of the few freedom fighters still living today.
    • Finally, Goa was liberated on December 19, 1961 by swift Indian military action that lasted less than two days.

    Recognition of Goa

    • The Supreme Court of India recognized the validity of the annexation and rejected the continued applicability of the law of occupation.
    • In a treaty with retroactive effect, Portugal recognized Indian sovereignty in 1974.
    • Under the jus cogens rule, forceful annexations including the annexation of Goa are held as illegal since they have taken place after the UN Charter came into force.

    Why was Goa left un-colonized?

    As India moved towards independence, however, it became clear that Goa would not be free any time soon, because of a variety of complex factors.

    • No immediate war: Then PM Nehru felt that if he launched a military operation (like in Hyderabad) to oust the colonial rulers, his image as a global leader of peace would be impacted.
    • Trauma of Partition: The trauma of Partition and the massive rupture that followed, coupled with the war with Pakistan, kept the Government of India from opening another front.
    • Internationalization of the issue: This might have led the international community to get involved.
    • No demand from within: It was Gandhi’s opinion that a lot of groundwork was still needed to raise the consciousness of the people, and the diverse political voices emerging within be brought under a common umbrella.

    Nehruvian dilemma

    • India’s global image: Nehru was headed in shaping India’s position in the comity of nations.
    • Trying peaceful options: He was trying to exhaust all options available to him given the circumstances that India was emerging from.
    • Portuguese obsession: Portugal had changed its constitution in 1951 to claim Goa not as a colonial possession, but as an overseas province.
    • Portugal in NATO: The move was apparently aimed at making Goa a part of the newly formed North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance. Hence the collective security clause of the treaty would be triggered.
    • Weak indigenous push: Nehru saw it prudent to pursue bilateral diplomatic measures with Portugal to negotiate a peaceful transfer while, at the same time, a more ‘overt’ indigenous push for liberation.

    Why did Nehru wait until December 1961 to launch a full-scale military offensive?

    India could no longer be seen to delay the liberation of Goa because:

    • Portuguese offensive against Satyagrahis: The firing incident also provoked a sharp response from the Government of India, which snapped diplomatic and consular ties with Portugal in 1955.
    • India as torchbearer of de-colonization: India got itself firmly established as a leader of the Non Aligned World and Afro Asian Unity, with decolonisation and anti-imperialism as the pillars of its policy.
    • Criticisms from African nations: An Indian Council of Africa seminar on Portuguese colonies organized in 1961 heard strong views from African as this was hampering their own struggles against the ruthless regime.
    • Weakening Colonialism: The delegates were certain that the Portuguese empire would collapse the day Goa was liberated.

    The debate in 2022

    • Politics needs to be charitable to history, because at some point it would be put to the same scrutiny and judgment as it becomes history itself.
    • Goa has seen 60 years of eventful liberation and successful amalgamation in the Indian Union.
    • It is more important for it to look ahead to its future than to rapidly receding, increasingly dim images in the rear-view mirror.

     

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  • What is Habeas Corpus?

    The Supreme Court has decided to examine a habeas corpus plea made by the children of a Pakistan national who they believe has been unlawfully detained for seven years.

    What is Habeas Corpus?

    • Habeas corpus is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court.
    • He/she can request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, to bring the prisoner to court, to determine whether the detention is lawful.
    • In India the power to issue a writ of habeas corpus is vested only in the Supreme Court and the High Court.
    • Habeas corpus is the writ which was visualized as an effective means to provide a quick remedy to a person who has lost his personal liberty without any legal justification.

    What is Article 32?

    • Article 32 deals with the ‘Right to Constitutional Remedies’, or affirms the right to move the Supreme Court by appropriate proceedings for the enforcement of the rights conferred in Part III of the Constitution.
    • It is one of the fundamental rights listed in the Constitution that each citizen is entitled.
    • It states that the Supreme Court “shall have the power to issue directions or orders or writs for the enforcement of any of the rights conferred by this Part”.
    • The right guaranteed by this Article “shall not be suspended except as otherwise provided for by this Constitution”.
    • Dr B R Ambedkar has called it the very soul and heart of the Constitution. It cannot be suspended except during the period of Emergency.

    Rights protected by A32

    • The article is included in Part III of the Constitution with other fundamental rights including to Equality, Freedom of Speech and Expression, Life and Personal Liberty, and Freedom of Religion.
    • Only if any of these fundamental rights is violated can a person can approach the Supreme Court directly under Article 32.

    Types of Writs under it

    Both the High Courts and the Supreme Court can be approached for violation or enactment of fundamental rights through five kinds of writs:

    1. Habeas corpus (related to personal liberty in cases of illegal detentions and wrongful arrests)
    2. Mandamus — directing public officials, governments, courts to perform a statutory duty;
    3. Quo Warranto — to show by what warrant is a person holding public office;
    4. Prohibition — directing judicial or quasi-judicial authorities to stop proceedings which it has no jurisdiction for; and
    5. Certiorari — re-examination of an order given by judicial, quasi-judicial or administrative authorities.
    • In civil or criminal matters, the first remedy available to an aggrieved person is that of trial courts, followed by an appeal in the High Court and then the Supreme Court.
    • When it comes to violation of fundamental rights, an individual can approach the High Court under Article 226 or the Supreme Court directly under Article 32.

     

     

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Which of the following is included in the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court?

    1. Dispute between the Government of India and one or more States
    2. A dispute regarding elections to either House of the parliament or that of Legislature of a State
    3. A dispute between the Government of India and Union Territory
    4. A dispute between two or more States.

    Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

    (a) 1 and 2

    (b) 2 and 3

    (c) 1 and 4

    (d) 3 and 4

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”51sls4efy5″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • In news: Exercise Milan 2022

    Exercise Milan as well as the Fleet Review by President is scheduled to be held this month for which 46 countries have been invited.

    Exercise Milan

    • Milan began in 1995 and is held biennially and brings together Navies of all the countries in the region.
    • It has so far been held at Port Blair in Andaman and Nicobar but is now being shifted to Visakhapatnam which offers more infrastructure as well as sea space for the exercise.
    • It has several themes such as anti-submarine warfare among others along with deliberations, including by subject matter experts.

    What is Fleet Review?

    • A Fleet Review is usually conducted once during the tenure of the President.
    • The first PFR was held in 1953 for the first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
    • Since Independence 11 PFRs have been conducted by the Navy, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews in 2011 and 2016.
    • In terms of significance, the Navy’s Presidential review is second only to the Republic Day Parade.

     

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  • [Burning Issue] ‘Climate Smart’ Agriculture and GHG Emissions

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    Context

    In the backdrop of the 2070 carbon neutrality target set by India at the CoP26 in Glasgow, the Union Budget for 2022-23 has listed “climate action” and “energy transition” as one of the four priorities for the Amrit Kaal.

    Agriculture contributes 73 percent of the country’s methane emissions. India has kept away from the recent EU-US pledge to slash methane emissions by 30 percent by 2030, despite the country being the world’s third-largest emitter of methane.

    India’s status with respect to emissions

    • World Air Quality Report 2020: 22 of the 30 most polluted cities in the world are in India and Delhi is the world’s most polluted capital.
    • Global Carbon Atlas: India ranks third in total greenhouse gas emissions by emitting annually around 2.6 billion tonnes (Bt) CO2eq.
    • India’s per capita emission is just 1.8 tonnes, significantly lower than the world average of 4.4 tonnes per capita.
    • India ranked seventh on the list of countries most affected due to extreme weather events, incurring losses of $69 billion (in PPP) in 2019 (Germanwatch, 2021).
    • In India, energy sector contributes highest emission (44 %), followed by manufacturing and construction sector (18 %), agriculture, forestry and land use sectors (14 %), with remaining being shared by transport, industrial processes and waste sectors.
    • Share of agriculture in total emissions has gradually declined from 28% (1994) to 14% (2016).
    • But in absolute terms, emissions from agriculture have increased to about 650 Mt CO2 in 2018, which is similar to China’s emissions from agriculture.
    • Agricultural emissions in India are primarily from livestock sector (54.6 %), use of nitrogenous fertilizers (19 %), rice cultivation (17.5 %), livestock management (6.9 %) and burning of crop residues (2.1 %).

    Agriculture and Greenhouse gases

    • Farming in particular releases significant amounts of methane and nitrous oxide, two powerful greenhouse gases.
    • Methane is produced by livestock during digestion due to enteric fermentation and is released via belches.
    • It can also escape from stored manure and organic waste in landfills. Livestock is alone responsible for 44% of methane emissions.
    • 53% of Nitrous oxide emissions are an indirect product of organic and mineral nitrogen fertilizers. Fertilizers rich in nitrogen pollute water and threaten the aquatic ecosystem.

    Monoculture

    • Monocultures along with pesticides and herbicides lead to the loss of biodiversity. Monoculture cropping systems leave soil bare for much of the year, rely on synthetic fertilizer, and plow fields regularly.
    • These practices leave soils low in organic matter and prevent formation of deep, complex root systems leading to reduced water holding capacity.
    • Clearing uncultivated land for farming can lead to the destruction of natural ecosystems, which may have a devastating effect on the local wildlife and biodiversity and the micro-climate.
    • Many agricultural sectors need large amounts of water, which may cause water scarcity and drought.

    Reasons for agricultural emissions to be so high

    • Subsidies: The damage is largely a result of the various kinds of subsidies — on urea, canal irrigation and power for irrigation.
    • The Minimum Support Prices (MSP) and procurement policies concentrated on a few states and largely on two crops, rice, and wheat has led to their overproduction.
    • Unplanned wheat and rice production: As of 1 January 2022, the stocks of wheat and rice in the country’s central pool were four times higher than the buffer stocking requirement.
    • Despite the record distribution of rice in the Public Distribution System (PDS) and exports in 2020-21, the rice stocks with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) are seven times the buffer norms for rice.
    • This data not only reflects inefficient use of scarce capital, but also the large amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) embedded in these stocks.

    Changing Climate Affecting Agriculture

    • Extreme heat: Crops need suitable soil, water, sunlight, and heat to grow. However, extreme heat events and reductions in precipitation and water availability have hampered the crop productivity.
    • Changing Rainfall Patterns: Rainfall patterns have already begun shifting across the country, and such changes are expected to intensify over the coming years.
      • This is likely to mean more intense periods of heavy rain and longer dry periods, even within the same regions.
    • Floods: Flooding in many agricultural regions of the country have been witnessed and these floods have devastated crops and livestock, accelerated soil erosion and have polluted water.

    What is climate-smart agriculture?

    • Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach to help the people who manage agricultural systems respond effectively to climate change. 
    • The CSA approach pursues the triple objectives of:
      • Increased Productivity: Produce more and better food to improve nutrition security and boost incomes, especially of 75% of the world’s poor who live in rural areas and mainly rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
      • Enhanced Resilience: Reduce vulnerability to drought, pests, diseases and other climate-related risks and shocks, and improve capacity to adapt and grow in the face of longer-term stresses like shortened seasons and erratic weather patterns.
      • Reduced Emissions: Pursue lower emissions for each calorie or kilo of food produced, avoid deforestation from agriculture and identify ways to absorb carbon out of the atmosphere.
    • Different elements of climate-smart agricultural systems include:
      1. Management of farms, crops, livestock, aquaculture and capture fisheries to balance near-term food security and livelihoods needs with priorities for adaptation and mitigation.
      2. Ecosystem and landscape management to conserve ecosystem services that are important for food security, agricultural development, adaptation and mitigation.
      3. Services for farmers and land managers to enable better management of climate risks/impacts and mitigation actions.
      4. Changes in the wider food system including demand-side measures and value chain interventions that enhance the benefits of CSA.

    What are the issues raised in global negotiation on climate change?

    • Nations are still quibbling about historical global emitters and who should take the blame and fix it.
    • Global negotiations on climate change often talk about emissions on a per capita basis and the emission intensity of GDP.
    • Per capita emission: Of the top five absolute emitters, the US has the highest per capita emissions (15.24 tonnes), followed by Russia (11.12 tonnes).
    • India’s per capita emissions is just 1.8 tonnes, significantly lower than the world average of 4.4 tonnes per capita.
    • If one takes emissions per unit of GDP, of the top five absolute emitters, China ranks first with 0.486 kg per 2017 PPP $ of GDP, which is very close to Russia at 0.411 kg per 2017 PPP $ of GDP.
    • India is slightly above the world average of 0.26 (kg per 2017 PPP $ of GDP) at 0.27 kg, while the USA is at 0.25, and Japan at 0.21.
    • In our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted in 2016, India committed to “reduce emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level.”

    Way Forward

    1. Reward farmers through carbon credit: A carbon policy for agriculture must aim not only to reduce its emissions but also reward farmers through carbon credits which should be globally tradable.
    2. Focus on livestock: With the world’s largest livestock population (537 million), India needs better feeding practices with smaller numbers of cattle by raising their productivity.
    3. Efficient fertiliser use: Agricultural soils are the largest single source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in the national inventory.
    4. An alternative for better and efficient fertiliser use would be to promote fertigation and subsidise soluble fertilisers.
    5. Incentives and subsidies: The government should incentivise and give subsidies on drips for fertigation, switching away from rice to corn or less water-intensive crops, and promoting soluble fertilisers at the same rate of subsidy as granular urea.
    6. Revisiting Policies: The Economic Survey 2021-22 points out that the country is over-exploiting its ground water resource, particularly in the northwest and some parts of south India which is primarily due to paddy cultivation on 44 million hectares.
    1. This calls for revisiting policies to subsidise power and fertilisers, MSP and procurement and reorient them towards minimising GHG emissions.
    2. Three-Pronged Approach for GHG Emissions: India has the potential to cut 18% of its annual greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture and livestock sector. 50% of this reduction could be achieved by implementing these three measures:
      1. Efficient use of fertiliser
      2. Adoption of zero-tillage
      3. Management of water used to irrigate paddy
    3. Carbon Pricing: According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the world needs a carbon tax of $75 per tonne by 2030 to reduce emissions to a level consistent with a 2℃ warming target.
      1. Many countries have begun to implement carbon pricing; Sweden leads the pack with a carbon price as high as $137 per tonne of CO2 equivalent while EU is at $50/tonne of CO2 equivalent.
      2. It is high time for India to announce indicative carbon pricing and create a vibrant carbon market to incentivise green growth in Amrit Kaal.
    4. Increasing Farmer Awareness: The right approach is to give the rice-producing-farmers the right advice and incentives at the right time so that they add only as much water or fertilisers as the rice plant needs.
      1. Rice farming shall be made more sustainable, without having a negative impact on farmers livelihood.
    5. Sustainable Dairy Practices: There is a need to proactively ramp up sustainable dairy practices, which may include:
      1. Realising the existing potentials for GHG emission reduction through technological and farm best practices interventions and solutions.
      2. Reducing its demand for resources by better integrating livestock into the circular bio-economy.
      3. This can be achieved by recycling and recovering nutrients and energy from animal waste.
      4. Closer integration of livestock with crops and agro-industries at various scales to make use of low value and low-emission biomass.

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  • What is a Ratings Agency and why do they matter?

    Finance Secretary has accused rating agencies of “double standards” when assessing emerging markets and developing economies.

    What is the news?

    • Fitch, a rating agency, has termed India as the most indebted emerging market.
    • It claimed that the latest budget did not provide clarity on fiscal consolidation plans.

    What is a Rating Agency?

    • Rating agencies assess the creditworthiness or potential of an equity, debt or country.
    • Their reports are read by investors to make an informed decision on whether or not to invest in a particular country or companies in that geography.
    • They assess if a country, equity or debt is financially stable and whether it at a low/high default risk.
    • In simpler terms, these reports help investors gauge if they would get a return on their investment.

    What do they do?

    • The agencies periodically re-evaluate previously assigned ratings after new developments geopolitical events or a significant economic announcement by the concerned entity.
    • Their reports are sold and published in financial and daily newspapers.

    What grading pattern do they follow?

    • The three prominent ratings agencies, viz., Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch subscribe to largely similar grading patterns.
    • Standard & Poor’s accord their highest grade, that is, AAA, to countries, equity or debt with the exceedingly high capacity to meet their financial commitments.
    • Its grading slab includes letters A, B and C with an addition a single or double letter denoting a higher grade.
    • Moody’s separates ratings into short and long-term definitions. Its longer-term grading ranges from Aaa to C, with Aaa being the highest.
    • Fitch, too, rates from AAA to D, with D being the lowest. It follows the same succession scheme as Moody’s and Fitch.

    Criticism of rating agencies

    • Popular ratings agencies publicly reveal their methodology, which is based on macroeconomic data publicly made available by a country, to lend credibility to their inferences.
    • However, credit rating agencies were subjected to severe criticism for allegedly spurring the financial crisis in the United States, which began in 2017.
    • The agencies underestimated the credit risk associated with structured credit products and failed to adjust their ratings quickly enough to deteriorating market conditions.
    • They were charged for methodological errors and conflict of interest on multiple counts.

    Do countries pay attention to ratings agencies?

    • Lowered rating of a country can potentially cause panic selling or offloading of investment by a foreign investor.
    • In 2013, the European Union opted for regulating the agencies.
    • Over reliance on credit ratings may reduce incentives for investor to develop their own capacity for credit risk assessment.
    • Ratings Agencies in the EU are now permitted to issue ratings for a country only thrice a year, and after close of trade in the entire Union.

     

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  • What is Privilege Motion?

    An MP from Telangana submitted a Privilege Motion against PM regarding his remarks over the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh.

    What is Parliamentary Privilege?

    • Parliamentary privilege refers to the right and immunity enjoyed by legislatures.
    • The legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made in the course of their legislative duties.
    • They are granted so that the MPs/MLAs can effectively discharge their functions.
    • The powers, privileges, and immunities of either House of the Indian Parliament and of its members and committees are laid down in Article 105 of the Constitution.
    • Article 194 deals with the powers, privileges and immunities of the State Legislatures, their members and their committees.

    What is a Privilege Motion?

    • When any of the rights and immunities are disregarded, the offence is called a breach of privilege and is punishable under the law of Parliament.
    • A notice is moved in the form of a motion by any member of either House against those being held guilty of breach of privilege.
    • Each House also claims the right to punish as contempt actions which, while not breach of any specific privilege, are offenses against its authority and dignity.

    What are the rules governing privilege?

    • Rule No 222 in Chapter 20 of the Lok Sabha Rule Book and correspondingly Rule 187 in Chapter 16 of the Rajya Sabha rulebook govern privilege.
    • It says that a member may, with the consent of the Speaker or the Chairperson, raise a question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a committee thereof.
    • The rules however mandate that any notice should be relating to an incident of recent occurrence and should need the intervention of the House.
    • Notices have to be given before 10 am to the Speaker or the Chairperson.

    What is the role of the Speaker/Rajya Sabha Chair?

    • The Speaker/RS chairperson is the first level of scrutiny of a privilege motion.
    • The Speaker/Chair can decide on the privilege motion himself or herself or refer it to the privileges committee of Parliament.
    • If the Speaker/Chair gives consent under Rule 222, the member concerned is given an opportunity to make a short statement.

    What is the Privileges Committee?

    • In the Lok Sabha, the Speaker nominates a committee of privileges consisting of 15 members as per respective party strengths.
    • A report is then presented to the House for its consideration. The Speaker may permit a half-hour debate while considering the report.
    • The Speaker may then pass final orders or direct that the report be tabled before the House.
    • A resolution may then be moved relating to the breach of privilege that has to be unanimously passed.
    • In the Rajya Sabha, the deputy chairperson heads the committee of privileges, which consists of 10 members.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.With reference to the Parliament of India, which of the following Parliamentary Committees scrutinizes and reports to the House whether the powers to make regulations, rules, sub-rules, by-laws etc. conferred by the constitution of delegated by the Parliament are being properly exercised by the Executive within the scope of such delegation?

    (a) Committee on Government Assurances

    (b) Committee on Subordinate Legislation

    (c) Rules Committee

    (d) Business Advisory Committee

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”1zmlyzvld5″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • Species in news: White-Cheeked Macaque

    In an important discovery, scientists have recorded presence of White-Cheeked Macaque (Macaca leucogenys) from central Arunachal Pradesh.

    White-Cheeked Macaque

    • White- Cheeked Macaques are distinct from other macaques found in the region by displaying white cheeks, long and thick hairs on the neck area, and a longer tail.
    • The species was discovered in 2015 by a group of Chinese scientists from the Modog region in southeastern Tibet.
    • This discovery was considered a significant breakthrough as far as primates are concerned.

    Existence in India

    • From India, the species has not been sighted or reported after a single incidence of photographic capture from Anjaw district, Arunachal Pradesh in 2015.
    • The number of these mammals reported from India stands at 434.
    • The significance of the discovery is that it marks a new addition to mammals of India.

    Protection status

    • It has NOT been yet included in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India.
    • The potential threat to all species of macaques in the landscape is due to hunting by locals for consumption and habitat degradation due to urbanization and infrastructure development.

     

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  • Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0 launched

    The Union Health Minister has launched the Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 4.0.

    About IMI 4.0

    • The IMI 4.0 will have three rounds and will be conducted in 416 districts (including 75 districts identified for Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav) across 33 States and UTs, a Health Ministry statement said.
    • It will immensely contribute in filling the gaps and make lasting gains towards universal immunisation.
    • It will ensure that Routine Immunisation (RI) services reach the unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children and pregnant women” he said.

    What is Mission Indradhanush ?

    • With the aim to increase the full immunisation coverage, the PM launched Mission Indradhanush in December 2014.
    • It aimed to cover the partially and unvaccinated pregnant women and children in pockets of low immunisation coverage, high-risk and hard-to-reach areas and protect them from vaccine preventable diseases.
    • The first two phases of the Mission resulted in 6.7% increase in full immunisation coverage in a year.

    Aims and objectives

    • It aims to immunize all children under the age of 2 years, as well as all pregnant women, against eight vaccine-preventable diseases.
    • The diseases being targeted are diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, measles, meningitis and Hepatitis B.
    • In 2016, four new additions have been made namely Rubella, Japanese Encephalitis, Injectable Polio Vaccine Bivalent and Rotavirus.
    • In 2017, Pneumonia was added to the Mission by incorporating the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine under Universal Immunisation Programme

     

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