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GS Paper: GS2

  • Old Pension Scheme vs New Pension Scheme

    Many states are trying to restore Old Pension Scheme and discontinue the National Pension System (NPS).

    What is the Defined Pension Benefit Scheme (old)?

    • The scheme assures life-long income, post-retirement.
    • Usually the assured amount is equivalent to 50% of the last drawn salary.
    • The Government bears the expenditure incurred on the pension.
    • The scheme was discontinued in 2004.

    What is the National Pension System (NPS)?

    • The Union government under PM Vajpayee took a decision in 2003 to discontinue the old pension scheme and introduced the NPS.
    • The scheme is applicable to all new recruits joining the Central Government service (except armed forces) from April 1, 2004.
    • On the introduction of NPS, the Central Civil Services (Pension) Rules, 1972 was amended.

    Features of NPS

    • It is a scheme, where employees contribute to their pension corpus from their salaries, with matching contributions from the government.
    • The funds are invested in earmarked investment schemes through Pension Fund Managers.
    • At retirement, they can withdraw 60% of the corpus, which is tax-free and the remaining 40% is invested in annuities, which is taxed.
    • It can have two components — Tier I and II.
    • Tier-II is a voluntary savings account that offers flexibility in terms of withdrawal, and one can withdraw at any point of time, unlike Tier I account.
    • Private individuals can opt for the scheme.

    What were the changes introduced in 2019?

    • In 2019, the Finance Ministry said that Central government employees have the option of selecting the Pension Funds (PFs) and Investment Pattern in their Tier-I account.
    • The default pension fund managers are the LIC Pension Fund Limited, SBI Pension Funds Pvt. Limited and UTI Retirement Solutions Limited in a predefined proportion.

    Who is the regulatory authority?

    • The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) is the regulator for NPS.
    • PFRDA was set up through the PFRDA Act in 2013 to promote old age income security by developing pension funds to protect the interest of subscribers to schemes of pension funds.

    What is the subscriber base?

    • As on February 28, there were 22.74 lakh Central government employees and 55.44 lakh State government employees enrolled under the NPS.

    Why in news now?

    • In Feb, Rajasthan CM announced restoration of the old pension scheme for the government employees, who joined the service on or after January 1, 2004.
    • The announcement meant that the National Pension System (NPS) would be discontinued in the State.
    • The center had maintained that restoration of the old system would cause an unnecessary financial burden on the government.

    Cons of NPS

    • Forfeiture of pension: The NPS scheme was created by the Government of India, in order to stop all the defined pension related benefits that it gave to its employees.
    • Withdrawal restrictions: NPS restricts all kinds of withdrawals, before the subscriber reaches the age of 60 years.
    • No tax benefits: The NPS corpus, which the subscriber can use for buying annuity or for drawing pensions, is taxable, when the schemes matures.
    • Limit on investment: The subscriber cannot invest more than 50% of his or her total investment in the NPS account, towards the equities.
    • No guarantee: While NPS is a government scheme, the corpus is created according to the returns, which are generated under the corporate bonds, government securities, and equity.

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Who among the following can join the National Pension System (NPS)?

    (a) Resident Indian citizens only

    (b) Persons of age from 21 to 55 only

    (c) All-State Government employees joining the services after the date of notification by the respective State Governments

    (d) All Central Governments Employees including those of Armed Forces joining the services on or after 1st April 2004

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”2nr2jt9g7y” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

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  • FASTER digital platform for Judiciary

    ‘FASTER’, an abbreviation of ‘Fast and Secured Transmission of Electronic Records’, a digital platform was formally launched by Chief Justice of India (CJI) N.V. Ramana.

    What is FASTER?

    • The FASTER system proposes transmission of e-authenticated copies of the interim orders, stay orders, bail orders and record of proceedings to the duty-holders for compliance and due execution, through a secured electronic communication channel.
    • These orders may vary from stay of execution of a person to freeze on the demolition of a slum to bail orders for undertrial prisoners.
    • The idea stemmed from a case reported about several prisoners in the Agra Jail forced to remain behind bars for three days after the hard copies of the order had not reached the prison officials.

    Benefits offered

    • FASTER would aid the cause of quick and effortless justice.
    • The timely delivery of the court’s orders to the authorities would also prevent unnecessary arrests and custody of people who have already been granted anticipatory bail.
    • For smooth transmission of court’s orders and effective implementation of Article 21, Right to Life, such a system was the need of the hour.

     

    Also read:

    [RSTV Archive] Judiciary & Artificial Intelligence

     

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  • Significance of India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement

    Context

    Prime Ministers of India and Australis will preside virtually over the signing of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement(ECTA) negotiated in torturous detail over the last decade.

    Background

    • Negotiations for a bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement began in May 2011.
    • But the negotiations continued in fits and starts, without significant progress or indeed real political direction.
    • In June 2020, as part of the Joint Statement after establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, it was decided to re-engage on a CECA.
    • Consequently, at the 17th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission meeting in September 2021, CECA negotiations were re-launched.
    • During virtual summit in 2022, India-Australia fleshed out areas of cooperation ranging from science and technology to climate change and defence to people-to-people ties, and included possibilities of joint surveillance and real-time intelligence sharing.
    • On the eve of the summit, the Morrison government invested over USD 280 million to give a fillip to cooperation with India; to further grow its economic relationship and support jobs and businesses in both countries; as well as to empower the Indian diaspora.

    About INDAUS-ECTA

    • The INDAUS ECTA (India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement), reflects vision of the essential unity of the two countries.
    • The ECTA deal is apparently fully in compliance with WTO rules and Article 24 of GATT.
    • Article 24 of GATT allows countries to grant special treatment to one another by establishing a free-trade association, provided that “(1) duties and other trade restrictions would be eliminated on substantially all the trade among the participants, (2) the elimination of internal barriers occurred within a reasonable length of time….”
    • The ECTA should give a boost to India’s labour-intensive manufacturing sector, with a considerable leg-up to the pharma, textile, gemstone and jewellery sectors.
    •  Indian students in Australia will find an easier pathway to employment, and there will be greater ease of visa for a range of skilled human capital from India in demand in Australia, including chefs and yoga instructors.
    • Most of the farming and dairy sector seems to have been kept away from the present agreement.
    • Australian coal will probably get relatively unfettered access to India.

    Significance of the ECTA for India-Australia relations

    • The ECTA represents a watershed moment in bilateral relations.
    • ECTA is also a significant turning point for India’s foreign policy — both in terms of geo-strategy as well as geo-economics.
    • Partnership with the convergence of interests: India and Australia today represent a partnership with a near complete convergence of interests and values.
    • Shared concerns over China: Two multicultural, federal democracies that share concerns about stability in the Indo Pacific, are apprehensive about Chinese hegemonic designs, and are increasingly coordinating their policies, are natural partners of the future.

    Conclusion

    The ECTA signals that India’s relations with Australia — two central pivots of the Quad — are as strong and resilient as ever.

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  • Assam-Meghalaya Boundary Dispute Resolution

    Assam and Meghalaya partially resolved a 50-year-old dispute along their 884.9 km boundary.

    What is the news?

    • An agreement was signed between Assam CM and his Meghalaya counterpart in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
    • According to the partial boundary deal, Assam will get 18.51 sq. km of the 36.79 sq. km disputed area while Meghalaya will get the remaining 18.28 sq. km.
    • The agreement is expected to pave the way for resolving disputes in the boundary and similar areas of difference between Assam and three other NE States.

    What is the Assam-Meghalaya Boundary Dispute?

    • Meghalaya, carved out of Assam as an autonomous State in 1970, became a full-fledged State in 1972.
    • The creation of the new State was based on the Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969, which the Meghalaya government refused to accept.
    • This was because the Act followed the recommendations of a 1951 committee to define the boundary of Meghalaya.
    • On that panel’s recommendations, areas of the present-day East Jaintia Hills, Ri-Bhoi and West Khasi Hills districts of Meghalaya were transferred to the Karbi Anglong, Kamrup (metro) and Kamrup districts of Assam.
    • Meghalaya contested these transfers after statehood, claiming that they belonged to its tribal chieftains.
    • Assam said the Meghalaya government could neither provide documents nor archival materials to prove its claim over these areas.
    • After claims and counter-claims, the dispute was narrowed down to 12 sectors on the basis of an official claim by Meghalaya in 2011.

    Other boundary disputes in North-East

    The states of the Northeast were largely carved out of Assam, which has border disputes with several states.

    During British rule, Assam included present-day Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya besides Mizoram, which became separate state one by one. Today, Assam has boundary problems with each of them.

    • Nagaland shares a 500-km boundary with Assam.
    • In two major incidents of violence in 1979 and 1985, at least 100 persons were killed. The boundary dispute is now in the Supreme Court
    • On the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary (over 800 km), clashes were first reported in 1992, according to the same research paper.
    • Since then, there have been several accusations of illegal encroachment from both sides, and intermittent clashes. This boundary issue is being heard by the Supreme Court.
    • The 884-km Assam-Meghalaya boundary, too, witnesses flare-ups frequently. As per Meghalaya government statements, today there are 12 areas of dispute between the two states.

     How did the two governments go about handling the issue?

    • The two States had initially tried resolving the border dispute through negotiations but the first serious attempt was in May 1983 when they formed a joint official committee to address the issue.
    • In its report submitted in November 1983, the committee suggested that the Survey of India should re-delineate the boundary with the cooperation of both the States towards settling the dispute.
    • There was no follow-up action. As more areas began to be disputed, the two States agreed to the constitution of an independent panel in 1985.
    • Headed by Justice Y.V. Chandrachud, the committee submitted its report in 1987.
    • Meghalaya rejected the report as it was allegedly pro-Assam.
    • In 2019, the Meghalaya government petitioned the Supreme Court to direct the Centre to settle the dispute. The petition was dismissed.

    How was the ice broken?

    • In January 2021, Home Minister urged all the north-eastern States to resolve their boundary disputes by August 15, 2022, when the country celebrates 75 years of Independence.
    • It was felt that the effort could be fast-tracked since the region’s sister-States either had a common ruling party.
    • In June 2021, the two States decided to resume talks at the CM level and adopt a “give-and-take” policy to settle the disputes once and for all.
    • Of the 12 disputed sectors, six “less complicated” areas — Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilingkata and Ratacherra — were chosen for resolving in the first phase.
    • Both States formed three regional committees, one each for a district affected by the disputed sectors.

    What were the principles followed?

    • These committees, each headed by a cabinet minister, were given “five principles” for approaching the issue.
    • These principles are historical facts of a disputed sector, ethnicity, and administrative convenience, willingness of people and contiguity of land preferably with natural boundaries such as rivers, streams and rocks.
    • The committee members conducted surveys of the disputed sectors and held several meetings with the local stakeholders.
    • This paved the way for the March 29 closure of the six disputed sectors.

    Issues with this settlement

    • Officials in Assam said it was better to let go of areas where they did not have any administrative control rather than “live with an irritant forever”.
    • However, residents in the other six disputed sectors feel the “give-and-take” template could spell disaster for them.
    • The fear is more among non-tribal people who could end up living in a “tribal Meghalaya with no rights”.

     

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  • Social media platforms must be held accountable for subjugating rights: Centre to HC

    The Centre told the Delhi High Court that social media platforms must be held accountable for “subjugating and supplanting fundamental rights like the right to freedom of speech and expression, otherwise the same would have dire consequences for any democratic nation”.

    What is the news?

    • The Ministry’s submission came in response to a petition filed by a Twitter user whose account was suspended by the microblogging site for alleged violations of platform guidelines.
    • The Twitter user said his account was suspended for the reason of “ban evasion” (creating an account when a similar account was earlier banned).
    • The complainant said Twitter suspended his accounts without giving him an opportunity for a hearing.

    Centre’s argument

    • The Centre said when a Significant Social Media Intermediary (SSMI) such as Twitter takes a decision to suspend the whole or part of a user’s account on its own due to its policy violation, it should afford a reasonable opportunity to the user to defend his side.
    • The exception, the Centre said, where the SSMIs could take such a decision include certain scenarios such as rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material, bot activity or malware, terrorism-related content etc.
    • If an SSMI fails to comply with the above, then it may amount to a violation of IT Rules 2021, the Centre clarified.
    • No platform or intermediary will be allowed to infringe upon the citizens’ rights, including but not limited to Articles 14, 19 and 21 guaranteed under the Constitution of India under the guise of violation of the platform’s policies unless it constitutes a violation of extant law in force.

    What are the IT Rules 2021?

    Why is this a matter of concern?

    • Social media platforms must respect the fundamental rights of the citizens and should not take down the account itself or completely suspend the user account in all cases.
    • Taking down the whole information or the user account should be a last resort.
    • Only in cases where the majority of the contents/posts/tweets on an account are unlawful, the platform may take the extreme step of taking down the whole information or suspending the whole account.

    Conclusion

    • Hence it can be argued that undue discontinuance of social media accounts of any person is violative of fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21.

     

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  • For deeper, richer India-Mexico ties

    Context

    In 2021, Mexico and India commemorated 71 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. This article is written by the Foreign Minister of Mexico, who has been on his official visit to India.

    Areas of cooperation between two countries

    • Mexico and India are members of the G-20, which brings together 20 of the largest economies in the world and whose presidency in 2023 will be assumed by India.
    • Non-permanent members of the security council: Both countries are non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council this year.
    • At both forums, India and Mexico will contribute decisively to world peace and security, and will put poverty reduction at the centre of the multilateral debate.
    • The health sector is another cornerstone of our exchanges.
    • Mexico will strengthen its cooperation with India as one of the leading global producers of medicines and will also seek joint pharmaceutical manufacturing.
    • Another key focus area of cooperation will be aerospace.
    • Although it was started less than a decade ago, this has enormous potential for the Mexican Space Agency and for regional initiatives such as the recently established Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) of which Mexico is the founder.
    • In the economic sphere, Mexico’s links with India, the sixth-largest economy in the world and our tenth-largest trading partner, undoubtedly offers a wide range of prospects for Mexico’s productive sectors.

    Conclusion

    Links between India and Mexico have evolved positively in recent years, demonstrating the complementarities between two ancient countries, rich in history and diversity. In this spirit, we will take a firm step towards a tangible alliance to showcase this evolution, which could result in mutual benefits.

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  • Bridging the bay in quest of a stronger BIMSTEC

    Context

    Sri Lanka is gearing up to host the Fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, now in its silver jubilee year. The summit is being held in virtual/hybrid mode and Sri Lanka is the current BIMSTEC chair.

    Why BIMSTEC matters for India and the region

    • The unique ecology of BIMSTEC is witnessing enriched political support and commitment from India.
    • India has made the Bay of Bengal integral to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies which can accelerate the process of regional integration.
    • Significance in economic and strategic space: Finalising the BIMSTEC Charter; BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity; BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF); cooperation between diplomatic academies/training institutions; and a template of Memorandum of Association for the future establishment of BIMSTEC centres/entities present signs of optimism.
    • BIMSTEC as a centre of Indo-Pacific: With a re-emergence of the idea of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ region, the growing economic, geopolitical and security connections between the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions are creating a shared strategic space.
    • The Bay of Bengal is evolving as the centre of the Indo-Pacific region again.
    • The renewed focus has given a new lease of life to the developmental efforts in the region, in particular BIMSTEC.

    Way forward for BIMSTEC

    1] Political support and strong commitment from all member countries

    • With a changed narrative and approach, the Bay of Bengal has the potential to become the epicentre of the Indo-Pacific idea — a place where the strategic interests of the major powers of East and South Asia intersect.
    • Potential of BIMSTEC: There is a greater appreciation of BIMSTEC’s potential due to geographical contiguity, abundant natural and human resources, and rich historical linkages and a cultural heritage for promoting deeper cooperation in the region.
    • Political support and strong commitment from all member countries are crucial in making BIMSTEC a dynamic and effective regional organisation.

    2] Boost connectivity

    • Connectivity is essential to develop a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region.
    • The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity will provide the necessary boost to connectivity.
    •  Therefore, BIMSTEC needs to address two dimensions of connectivity – one, upgrading and dovetailing national connectivity into a regional road map; and two, development of both hard and soft infrastructures.

    3] Enhance cooperation in different areas

    • There is growing involvement of educational institutions, industries and business chambers through various forums and conclaves which are helping to enhance cooperation in the areas of education, trade and investments, information technology and communication among others.
    • India has implemented its promise to set up a Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBS) at Nalanda University, Bihar for research on art, culture and other subjects related to the Bay of Bengal.

    4] Strengthen the institutional capacity of the BIMSTEC Secretariat

    • The BIMSTEC Secretariat coordinates, monitors and facilitates the implementation of BIMSTEC activities and programmes. The leaders must agree to strengthen the institutional capacity of the BIMSTEC Secretariat.
    • Charter for BIMSTEC: Approval of a charter for BIMSTEC during the summit will further augment its visibility and stature in international fora.

    Conclusion

    The quest for economic growth and the development of the BIMSTEC region can be achieved with single-minded focus and cooperation among the member counties. In this endeavour, India has a key role in accelerating regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework and in making it vibrant, stronger and result-oriented.

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  • India seeks closer BIMSTEC partnership

    Addressing the ministerial of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi–Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), EAM S. Jaishankar urged closer cooperation and connectivity among the members.

    What is BIMSTEC?

    • The BIMSTEC formed in 1997 is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion (2021).
    • The BIMSTEC member states – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
    • Leadership is rotated in alphabetical order of country names. The permanent secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
    • A BIMSTEC free trade agreement is under negotiation (c. 2018), also referred to as the mini SAARC.

    Objectives of BIMSTEC

    There are 14 main sectors of BIMSTEC along technological and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

    1. Trade & Investment
    2. Transport & Communication
    3. Energy
    4. Tourism
    5. Technology
    6. Fisheries
    7. Agriculture
    8. Public Health
    9. Poverty Alleviation
    10. Counter-Terrorism & Transnational Crime
    11. Environment & Disaster Management
    12. People-to-People Contact
    13. Cultural Cooperation
    14. Climate Change

    About the proposed BIMSTEC FTA Framework

    • The BIMSTEC FTA has been signed by all member nations to stimulate trade and investment in the parties, and attract outsiders to trade with and invest in the BIMSTEC countries at a higher level.
    • Subsequently, the “Trade Negotiating Committee” (TNC) was set up, with Thailand as the permanent chair, to negotiate in areas of trade in goods and services, investment, economic co-operation, trade facilitations and technical assistance for LDCs.
    • Once negotiation on trade in goods is completed, the TNC would then proceed with negotiation on trade in services and investment.

    Others

    (1) BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement draft

    • It was discussed on 1 December 2017 in New Delhi, to facilitate coastal shipping within 20 nautical miles of the coastline in the region to boost trade between the member countries.
    • Compared to the deep sea shipping, coastal ship require smaller vessels with lesser draft and involve lower costs.
    • Once the agreement becomes operational after it is ratified, a lot of cargo movement between the member countries can be done through the cost effective, environment friendly and faster coastal shipping routes.

    (2) BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity

    • The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, finalized under India’s chairmanship of the expert group last year, envisages a seamless multimodal transport system across the region.
    • This will stimulate intra-regional trade and investment in the region.
    • It identifies 264 projects requiring an investment of $ 126 billion over a ten year horizon from 2018–2028.

     

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  • BIMSTEC must get back on course

    Context

    As world attention remains focused on the war in Ukraine, leaders of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) will attend a summit meeting of the regional organisation.

    Fourteen pillars for special focus

    • Founded in 1997, the seven-member BIMSTEC includes the littoral states of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar (Thailand is a member too) and the land-locked states of Nepal and Bhutan.
    • BIMSTEC has identified 14 pillars for special focus.
    • These are trade and investment, transport and communication, energy, tourism, technology, fisheries, agriculture, public health, poverty alleviation, counter terrorism and transnational crime, environment and disaster management, people-to-people contact, cultural cooperation and climate change.
    • While each sector is important, the segmented approach has resulted in aspirations rather than action.
    • The upcoming summit is an opportunity to take concrete steps to address critical challenges confronting the region.

    Challenges facing Bay of Benga

    1] Threat facing marine ecosystem

    • The Bay is an important source of natural resources for a coastal population of approximately 185 million people.
    • The Bay of Bengal is home to a large network of beautiful yet fragile estuaries, mangrove forests of around 15,792 square kilometres, coral reefs of around 8,471 sq.km, sea grass meadows and mass nesting sites of sea turtles.
    • Loss of mangrove and coral reefs: The annual loss of mangrove areas is estimated at 0.4% to 1.7% and coral reefs at 0.7%. I
    • Increasing sea levels: It is predicted that the sea level will increase 0.5 metres in the next 50 years.
    • Cyclonic storms: Moreover, there have been 13 cyclonic storms in the last five years.
    • According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Bay of Bengal is one of IUU fishing hotspots in the Asia-Pacific.
    • The pressing challenges that confront the Bay of Bengal include the emergence of a dead zone with zero oxygen where no fish survive;
    • Leaching of plastic from rivers as well as the Indian Ocean;
    • Destruction of natural protection against floods such as mangroves; sea erosion;
    • Growing population pressure and industrial growth in the coastal areas and consequently, huge quantities of untreated waste flow.

    2] Security threats

    • Security threats such as terrorism, piracy and tensions between countries caused by the arrests of fishermen who cross maritime boundaries are additional problems.
    • The problem of fishermen crossing into the territorial waters of neighbouring countries affect India and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and Myanmar (also Pakistan on the west coast).

    Way forward

    1] Tap the blue economy potential of Bay of Bengal by creating a regional mechanism

    • There are many opportunities to develop maritime trade, shipping, aquaculture and tourism.
    • The BIMSTEC Summit must create a new regional mechanism for coordinated activities on maritime issues of a transboundary nature.
    • There is also a need for greater scientific research on the impact of climate change in general and on fisheries in particular.
    • Cooperation on marine research: At present, there is limited cooperation between countries of the region in marine research.
    • The use of modern technology and improved fishing practices can go a long way in restoring the health of the Bay.

    2] Focus on the marine environmental protection

    • Marine environmental protection must become a priority area for cooperation in the Bay of Bengal.
    • Develop regional protocols: Regional protocols need to be developed and guidelines and standards on pollution control established.
    • Need for home-grown solutions: There is a need for home-grown solutions based on the capabilities of local institutions and for mutual learning through regional success stories.
    • Regional framework for data collection: There is a need to create regional frameworks for data collection.
    • Participatory approaches must be evolved for near-real-time stock assessment and the creation of a regional open fisheries data alliance.
    • The Bay of Bengal Programme (BOBP), an inter-governmental organisation based in Chennai, is doing good work to promote sustainable fishing.
    • A Bay Of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BOBLME) project is also being launched by the FAO with funding from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and others.
    • The BIMSTEC summit must express full support for both BOBP and BOBLME.
    • The summit must mandate officials to come up with measures to curtail unsustainable as well as IUU fishing.
    • Harmonisation of laws in littoral states: Laws and policies in littoral states must be harmonised and the humanitarian treatment of fishermen ensured during any encounter with maritime law enforcement agencies.

    Conclusion

    The challenges that confront the Bay of Bengal region brook no more delay. BIMSTEC must arise, awake and act before it is too late.

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  • A good foreign policy must also make a difference at home

    Context

    This is the edited excerpts from the lecture delivered by India’s External Affairs Minister at St. Stephen’s College, Delhi on March 24.

    Relevance of foreign policy at personal level

    • Through a good foreign policy, our everyday needs from the world must be better met.
    • And since we are a collective as a country, our national security must be assured.
    • Foreign policy being the link to the outside, it should enable us to draw what we seek.
    • This could be in terms of technology or capital, best practices, or even work opportunities.
    • And obviously, we would all like to be strong; we would like to look good and we would like to feel appreciated.

    Recent instances in which India’s foreign policy directly influence the common man

    • Through Operation Ganga, Indian students stuck in Ukraine were brought home.
    • It was the result of intervention by India’s foreign policy apparatus at the highest levels in Russia and Ukraine to ensure the ceasing of fire for safe passage.
    •  When the first wave of Covid hit India in 2020, we scrambled across the world to secure PPEs, masks and ventilators.
    • And we did so in a seller’s market as the demand far exceeded supply.
    •  The second wave in 2021 saw a similar spike in demand for oxygen and specialised medicines from abroad.
    • Locating, negotiating and contracting supplies became the priority for Indian diplomacy. And it bent its back to deliver.

    Influence of foreign policy at the collective level

    • When it comes to security, external or internal, diplomacy could be a preventive, a mitigator or a problem-solver.
    • It can help raise awareness of a shared threat, just as it can find partners against common dangers.
    •  And then there is the economy, with its search for investment, technology and best practices.
    • In each of these sectors, foreign relationships can accelerate India’s progress.
    • And cumulatively, they expand employment and improve your quality of life.
    • It also matters to all of us what other nations think of India, our culture and our way of life.

    Role of foreign policy in delivering on development

    • The most effective foreign policy is one that delivers on development.
    • In Asia, all modernising economies have single-mindedly focused their external interactions on obtaining capital, technology and best practices from abroad.
    • It may be information technology or auto manufacturing, food production or food processing, metros or bullet trains, space capabilities or nuclear energy; the fruits of foreign collaboration are there today for all of us to see.
    • Newer challenges like green growth and climate action have started to open up still more possibilities.
    • All this happens because of our ability to identify, engage, negotiate and leverage opportunities of interest abroad across many many domains.

    Building blocks of India’s foreign policy

    • The six broad objectives that were spelt out to the policy-makers and implementers were clear.
    • 1] Shaping global perception: We must bring about a change of thinking in the world about us.
    • 2] Partnership on equal terms: The partnerships we should create should be on more equal terms, and with smaller countries, more generous.
    • 3] Shaping the global agenda: The global agenda and the big issues of our times should be shaped by India as much as possible.
    • 4] Leveraging foreign policy for domestic progress: Foreign relationships should be actively explored and leveraged for domestic development and progress.
    • 5] People-centric foreign policy: The very conceptualisation of foreign policy should be more people-centric.
    • 6] Our culture, traditions and thoughts should percolate our own articulation as well as influence international debates and initiatives.
    • Yoga and Ayurveda were obvious examples in this regard.

    Conclusion

    As we mark 75 years of independence, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, there is good cause to be confident about our prospects. But to be so, it is equally important to be aware of the opportunities and challenges that the world currently presents. And surely, we can be so once we appreciate how much foreign policy really matters.

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