💥Mains Ready By December. Smash Mains & Smash PYQ Admissions Open
Talk to Mentor

Civilsdaily

Login

Archives: News

  • Draft Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021

    The draft Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2021, issued by the MoEFCC has necessitated a few changes in the country’s handling of its plastic waste.

    Background

    • The Environment Ministry had first notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules in March 2016.
    • It had provisions for effective and improved collection, segregation, processing, treatment and disposal of plastic waste.

    What are the 2021 rules?

    Phasing out Single-use Plastics

    Single-use plastics have been defined under the rules as “a plastic commodity intended to be used once for the same purpose before being disposed of or recycled”.

    • The rules have proposed to ban the manufacture, use, sale, import and handling of some single-use plastic items on a ‘pan India basis.
    • The provisions will also apply to ‘multi-layered packaging’ – involved extensively in e-commerce and deliver services- but will exempt packaging used for imported goods.
    • They shall apply to every waste generator, local body, Gram Panchayat, manufacturer, Importers and producer as well as ‘brand-owner and “plastic waste processor (recycler, co-processor, etc.)
    • Thermoset plastic and Thermoplastic will also fall within the ambit of these rules.
    • These provisions will, however, not apply to commodities (including carrying bags) made of compostable plastic material, according to the rules.

    The draft is proposed to be implemented in three stages starting this year and culminating in mid-2022.

    Stage I

    • The first set of rules propose that each sheet of non-woven plastic carry bag shall not be less than 60 (GSM per square metre) or 240 microns in thickness. A carry bag made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 120 microns, with effect from the same date.

    Stage II

    • The second stage will come into effect when six categories of single-use plastic — earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration — will be banned for sale, use, manufacture, stocking, import and distribution.

    Stage III

    • In the third stage, the list of banned items will grow to include single-use plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping/packing films around sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packets, plastic/PVC banners less than 100 micron and stirrers.

    Local bodies and state pollution control boards will ensure the implementation and enforcement of these rules.

    What else is covered?

    One, the amendment has extended the applicability of the rules to brand-owner, plastic waste processor, including the recycler, co-processor, etc.  It will also include new definitions of:

    • Non-woven plastic bag
    • Plastic waste processing
    • Single-use plastic (SUP) item
    • Thermoset plastic
    • Thermoplastic

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.In India, ‘extended producer responsibility’ was introduced as an important feature in which of the following?

    (a) The Bio-medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998

    (b) The Recycled Plastic (Manufacturing and Usage) Rules, 1999

    (c) The e-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

    (d) The Food Safety and Standard Regulations, 2011

    Why such a move?

    • As much as 3.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste was generated in India in 2018-19, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) report 2018-19.
    • The total municipal solid waste generation is 55-65 million tonnes; plastic waste is approximately 5-6 per cent of the total solid waste generated in the country.
    • Goa has the highest per capita plastic waste generation at 60 grams per capita per day, which is nearly double what Delhi generates (37 grams per capita per day).
    • Clearly, we do not know the amount of plastic we generate as a country, as the increase in wealth and affluence contributes to a higher generation of plastic waste.
    • Despite the Plastic Waste Management legislation of 2011, followed by numerous changes in the recent past, most parts of the country lack systematic efforts required to mitigate the risks associated with plastic waste.

    Way ahead

    Managing plastic waste requires effective knowledge, not only among those who produce plastic but also among those who handle it.

    • Brand owners, consumers, recyclers and regulatory authorities need to take long strides in ensuring that we first inventorize the total amount of plastic waste that we generate by means of proper calculations.
    • The second step would be to identify the avenues where the use of plastic can be minimised.
    • Third, the brand owner and manufacturer should try and understand the fates a plastic packaging material would meet after its purpose of packaging has been served.
    • Last, as consumers, we should ensure that all plastic waste leaving our homes is segregated and is not contaminated with food waste.

    Conclusion

    • Plastic, without a doubt, is a miracle commodity that has uses ranging from increasing shelf lives of eatables to medical equipment and automotive.
    • Their waste management needs due attention. And the draft policies is a significant step in this direction.

  • Maritime border dispute between Kenya and Somalia

    In a move that is set to further undermine stability in East Africa, Kenya has said that it will not take part in proceedings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over its maritime border dispute with neighbouring Somalia.

    Can you recall the terms like “Scramble for Africa”, “Paper Partition of Africa”? If yes, then you know very well the malady of the present-day Continent of Africa.

    What is the news?

    • Nairobi has accused the top UN body of bias.
    • The move comes after Somalia’s decision to sever diplomatic relations with Kenya in December after it accused Nairobi of meddling in its internal affairs.
    • The maritime dispute is said to form a crucial part of the diplomatic quarrel between the two countries.

    The disputed area

    • The main point of disagreement between the two neighbours is the direction in which their maritime boundary in the Indian Ocean should extend.
    • According to Somalia, the sea border should be an extension of the same direction in which their land border runs as it approaches the Indian Ocean, i.e. towards the southeast.
    • Kenya, on the other hand, argues that the territorial southeast border should take a 45-degree turn as it reaches the sea, and then run in a latitudinal direction, i.e. parallel to the equator.
    • Such an arrangement would be advantageous for Kenya, whose coastline of 536 km is more than 6 times smaller than Somalia’s (3,333 km).

    Why is this area important?

    • The triangular area thus created by the dispute is around 1.6 lakh sq km large and boasts of rich marine reserves.
    • It is also believed to have oil and gas deposits.
    • Both Somalia and Kenya have accused each other of auctioning off blocks from this area, Al Jazeera reported.

    How have Kenya and Somalia tried to resolve the dispute?

    • After negotiations to resolve the issue bilaterally failed, Somalia in 2014 asked the ICJ to adjudicate.
    • Kenya resisted, arguing that the world court did not have jurisdiction to hear the case.
    • In 2009 both countries had a commitment to settle the dispute out of court.
    • However, in February 2017, the ICJ ruled that it did have the right to rule in the case, and in June 2019 said that it would begin public hearings.
    • These hearings never took place, as Kenya successfully applied to have them postponed thrice– the last one being in June 2020, when it cited difficulties due to the Covid-19.

  • [pib] Development of Rakhi Garhi Archaeological Site

    Rakhi Garhi is being developed as one of the five Identified Iconic Archaeological Sites, informed the Minister of Culture and Tourism.

    Rakhi Garhi

    • The ancient site of Rakhi-Khas and Rakhi-Shahpur are collectively known as Rakhigarhi, located on the right bank of the now dried up Palaeo-channel of Drishadvati.
    • It is located in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain in the Hissar district of Haryana.
    • Seven mounds are located here.
    • The site has yielded various stages of Harappan culture and is by far one of the largest Harappan sites in India.
    • The site shows the sequential development of the Indus culture in the now dried up Saraswati basin.

    Try this question from our AWE initiative

    Ancient Indian sculptural art is highly rich in its traditions. Trace the development ancient Indian sculpture that go back to the Indus Valley civilisation. 10 marks

    Major findings at Rakhi Garhi

    • Findings confirm both early and mature Harappan phases and include 4,600-year-old human skeletons, fortification and bricks.
    • Digging so far reveals a well-planned city with 1.92 m wide roads, a bit wider than in Kalibangan.
    • The pottery is similar to Kalibangan and Banawali.
    • Pits surrounded by walls have been found, which are thought to be for sacrificial or some religious ceremonies.
    • There are brick-lined drains to handle sewage from the houses.
    • Terracotta statues, weights, bronze artefacts, comb, copper fish hooks, needles and terracotta seals have also been found.
    • A bronze vessel has been found which is decorated with gold and silver.
    • A granary belonging to the mature Harappan phase has been found here.
    • Fire altars structures were revealed in Rakhigarhi.

    Back2Basics: Five Iconic Archaeological Sites

    The government has proposed to develop five archaeological sites as “iconic sites” with onsite museums in Rakhigarhi (Haryana), Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh), Sivsagar (Assam), Dholavira (Gujarat) and Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu) in the Union Budget 2020-21.

    (1) Rakhigarhi

    *discussed above*

    (2) Hastinapur

    Hastinapur in the Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh finds mention in the Mahabharata and the Puranas. One of the most significant discoveries made at this site was of the “new ceramic industry”, which was named the Painted Grey Ware, which as per the report represented the relics of the early Indo-Aryans.

    (3) Sivasagar

    In Sivasagar (Assam), excavations at the Karenghar (Talatalghar) complex between 2000 and 2003 led to the discovery of buried structures in the north-western and north-eastern side of the complex. Among the structural remains found at the site were ceramic assemblages including vases, vessels, dishes, and bowls, etc. Terracotta smoking pipes were also found.

    (4) Dholavira

    Dholavira in Gujarat is located in the Khadir island of the Rann of Kutch, and like Rakhigarhi is one of the sites where the remains of the Harappan civilization have been found. It is unique because the remains of a complete water system have been found here.

    (5) Adichnallur

    Adichnallur lies in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu. The urn-burial site was first brought to light during a “haphazard excavation” by a German archaeologist in 1876. Following this, an Englishman Alexander Rae excavated the site between 1889 and 1905.

  • [pib] Conservation of Ancient Folk Cultures

    To protect, preserve & promote various forms of folk art and ancient folk cultures throughout the country including Jharkhand, Bihar and Kerala, the GoI has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur.

    What is the news?

    • Jharkhand is the member state of Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Kolkata.
    • Bihar is the member state of North Central Zone Cultural Centre (NCZCC), Prayagraj and
    • Kerala is the member state of South Zone Cultural Centre (SZCC), Thanjavur.

    Note the various folk arts mentioned and their respective states:

    What are the various folk arts covered?

    There is no dedicated scheme to preserve these particular folk art forms-

    Jharkhand

    • Ancient folk cultures being preserved in Jharkhand are Faguwa Nritya, Turi Nritya, Faguwa Nritya, Turi Nritya, Paika Nritya, Hodopathy, Tribal dance (Karam Nritya).

    Bihar

    • Ancient folk cultures being preserved in Bihar are Lok Gatha “Reshma Chuharmal” (Begusarai), Lok Gatha, Godana Painting (Madhubani), Lok Natya “Hirni-Birni” (Magadh region) etc.

    Kerala

    • Ancient folk cultures being preserved in Kerala are: Poorakali, Malayankettu & Kannerpattu (Kannur), Daffumuttu (Malabar), Kanyarkali (Thrissur) and Arabanaumuttu (Kozhikode).

  • [pib] Mission Sagar-IV

    As part of Mission Sagar-IV, Indian Naval Ship Jalashwa has arrived at Port Anjouan, Comoros to deliver 1,000 Metric Tonnes of rice.

    Mission SAGAR, unlike other missions, can create confusion with the name and its purpose. It is not a military exercise. Make note of such special cases. UPSC can ask such questions as one-liner MCQs.

    Also note the location of the island country Comoros and its geostrategic significance.

    Mission Sagar

    • SAGAR is a term coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on the blue economy.
    • It is a maritime initiative that gives priority to the Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in the Indian Ocean region.
    • The goal is to seek a climate of trust and transparency; respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries; sensitivity to each other`s interests; peaceful resolution of maritime issues; and an increase in maritime cooperation.
    • It is in line with the principles of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.

    Earlier such missions

    • This is the second visit of an Indian Navy ship to the island country within a span of one year.
    • Earlier, as part of Mission Sagar-I, in May-June 2020, the Indian Navy had delivered essential medicines to the nation.
    • Mission Sagar-II was undertaken in May-June 2020, wherein India reached out to Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Comoros, and provided food aid and medicines.
    • Sagar-III was undertaken in Sihanoukville Port, Cambodia.

  • Places in news: Baralacha Pass

    For the first time ever, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has started work on reopening the crucial Baralacha Pass in Himachal Pradesh much before schedule to restore connectivity to Leh in Ladakh.

    Note all the Himalayan passes from their N-S sequences.

    Baralacha Pass

    • Bara-lacha la also known as Bara-lacha Pass is a high mountain pass in the Zanskar range connecting the Lahaul district in Himachal Pradesh to Leh district in Ladakh.
    • It is situated along the Leh–Manali Highway.
    • The Bhaga river, a tributary of the Chenab river, originates from Surya Taal lake, which is situated a few kilometres from the pass towards Manali.
    • The native name of Chenab “Chandrabhaga” represents the union of Chandra and Bhaga rivers downstream.
    • The pass also acts as a water-divide between the Bhaga River and the Yunan River.

    Why is this pass so important?

    • The BRO had kept crucial passes open for a longer duration to enable the Army to undertake advanced winter stocking for the thousands of additional troops deployed in Ladakh.
    • The team has traversed a total distance of 20 km in super high-altitude conditions scrupulously crossing the Baralacha La in the Zanskar range on foot amidst sub-zero freezing conditions.
    • Frequent avalanches and slides with 15 to 20 feet of snow accumulation.

  • What India needs for population stabilisation

    Achieving replacement levels of fertility

    • The National Population Policy 2000 affirmed a commitment to achieve replacement levels of fertility (total fertility rate of 2.1) by 2010.
    • Ten states — Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — and Jammu and Kashmir, have achieved this goal.
    • This fertility decline over half of India has cut across all sections of society — the privileged and the poor, those educated or not, and the high and low caste.
    • The National Family Health Survey-4 has shown how TFR has reduced even among illiterate women from all religions in the southern states.

    Growing gap between North-South

    • The difference between the progressive South and the Central- North is becoming disproportionately skewed.
    • UP and Bihar are 23 per cent of India’s population and are projected to grow by over 12 per cent and 20 per cent in the next 15 years.
    • Their high TFR pervades all religious groups.
    • Action to prevent unwanted pregnancies particularly in these two Hindi belt states is urgently required.
    • For decades UP has had a dedicated agency — SIFPSA (State Innovations in Family Planning Services Agency). But its website gives dated information.
    • Women in rural UP are still giving birth to four or more children.
    • In some districts, the contraceptive prevalence rate is less than 10 per cent.
    • In many districts neither Hindus nor Muslims use modern family planning methods.
    • In such a scenario, demographics will eclipse economic growth and destroy the gains from a young populace.
    • UP’s over-reliance on traditional methods of contraception needs to be swiftly replaced with reliable and easy alternatives.
    • Bihar has the highest fertility rate in the country and also the highest outmigration.

    Which method  should be used

    • While national and state policies emphasise male vasectomy, politicians never champion its adoption.
    • No other country in the world uses female sterilisation as excessively as India.
    • Indonesia and Bangladesh introduced injectables right from the late 1980s but India only did so in 2016.
    • Executed properly, one jab renders protection from pregnancy for three months.
    • This method needs greater impetus given the helplessness of women who carry the burden of unwanted pregnancies.

    Way forward

    • Three things are needed:
    • 1) Incentivise later marriages and child births.
    • 2) Make contraception easy for women.
    • 3) Promote women’s labour force participation.
    •  Some other disturbing nationwide trends must also be counteracted without delay because stabilisation isn’t only about controlling population growth.
    • A balanced sex ratio is essential to secure social cohesion.
    • The inheritance law favouring women’s rights to ancestral property is far from being implemented.
    • And then there is ageing. Paradoxically, it is the Southern states that will face problems in future.
    • Having largely redeemed their demographic dividend, the cohort of the elderly will start outstripping the working age population.
    • The theoretical possibility that younger people from the Central-Northern states may fill the growing gap in services will need strong political support.
    • The freeze on the state-wise allocation of seats in Parliament until 2026 was extended through the Constitutional (84th Amendment) Act, 2002, to serve “as a motivational measure to pursue population stabilisation”.
    • This goal has not been achieved.
    • In the absence of further extension, it will be politically destabilising.

    Consider the question “India’s efforts at populations stabilisation still remains work in progress, as the Northern states fail to achieve the targets. Suggest the ways to deal with the issue.”

    Conclusion

    The population momentum, if managed properly in the Hindi belt, will remain India’s biggest asset until 2055. By 2040, India will be the undisputed king of human capital.

  • The Quad’s importance to India’s strategic autonomy

    India is a member of both the Quad and the BRICS. Is not it the contradiction? The article answers this question and maps the transformation of India’s relation with the U.S. over the years.

    Is India’s participation in BRICS and Quad contradictory?

    • Global Times, the Chinese newspaper last week speculating on the implications of the historic Quad summit for the BRICS.
    • In calling the Quad a “negative asset” for the BRICS the Global Times was highlighting what it sees as a contradiction in India’s participation in both the forums.
    • The paper argues that India has worsened “India-China and India-Russia relations” and halted progress “in the development of BRICS and SCO”.
    • Global Times warns that if India continues to get closer to Washington, India “will eventually lose its strategic autonomy”.

    Understanding India’s strategic autonomy

    • “Strategic autonomy” is the framework that guided Delhi’s international relations since the Cold War.
    • In the early 1990s, strategic autonomy was about creating space for India against the overweening American power.
    • Why the space was needed? It was mainly because of the U.S. stance on two important aspects: Kashmir issue and nuclear program.
    • President Bill Clinton had questioned the legitimacy of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India and declared the US’s intent to resolve Delhi’s Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.
    • Washington insisted that rolling back India’s nuclear and missile programmes was a major objective of US foreign policy.
    • All that changed over the last three decades.

    8 elements of  transformation of India’s relations with the U.S and China

    • A rising China has emerged as the biggest challenge to India and the US is increasingly an important part of the answer.
    • A few elements stand out.
    • First, China has become more assertive on the contested boundary, therefore, the support from the US and its Asian allies has been valuable.
    • Second, on the Kashmir question, China raises the issue at the UNSC while the US is helping India to block China’s moves.
    • Third, on cross-border terrorism, the US puts pressure on Pakistan and China protects Rawalpindi.
    • Fourth, the US has facilitated India’s integration with the global nuclear order while Beijing blocks Delhi’s membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
    • Fifth, the US backs India’s permanent membership of the UNSC, China does not.
    • Sixth, India now sees the trade with China hollowing out India’s manufacturing capability.
    • Its objective on diversifying its economy away from China is shared by the US and the Quad partners.
    • Seventh, India opposes China’s Belt and Road Initiative as a project that undermines India’s territorial sovereignty and regional primacy.
    • India is working with Quad partners to offer alternatives to the BRI.
    • Finally, India sees China’s rising military profile in the subcontinent and the Indian Ocean as a problem and is working with Washington to redress the unfolding imbalance in India’s neighbourhood.

    India’s approach to BRICS and SCO

    • The BRICS was part of India’s strategy in the unipolar moment that dawned at the end of the Cold War.
    • India’s current enthusiasm for the Quad is about limiting the dangers of a unipolar Asia dominated by China.
    • But India will continue to attach some value — diplomatic if not strategic — to a forum like the BRICS.
    • After all, the BRICS forum provides a useful channel of communication between Delhi and Beijing at a very difficult moment in the evolution of their bilateral relations.
    • The BRICS is also about India’s enduring partnerships with Russia, Brazil, and South Africa.
    • India also values its ties with the Central Asian states in the SCO.
    • The BRICS could certainly become a productive forum someday — when Delhi and Beijing mitigate their multiple contentions.

    Consider the question “A rising China has emerged as the biggest challenge to India and the US is increasingly an important part of the answer. Examine the elements that support this underlying transformation of India’s relationship with the two countries.”

    Conclusion

    No amount of words in a BRICS declaration can hide the sharpening contradictions between India and China today. The absence of joint statements did not mask the growing strategic congruence among the Quad nations in recent years.

  • A high growth plan for Indian agriculture

    The article deals with the issue discussed in the recently published book ‘Revitalising Indian Agriculture and Boosting Farmer Incomes’. It suggests strategies for six Indian states and underlies the importance of the diversified approach to different states.

    Why agriculture is central to Indian economy

    • Agriculture engages close to 42 per cent of the country’s workforce.
    • With its close interlinkage with poverty, it is best positioned to alleviate problems of malnutrition and hunger.
    • In addition, agriculture supplies inputs for other industries.
    • It is critical for triggering a multiplier effect in the economy, where a financially empowered farming community triggers a demand-led growth, particularly for manufactured products and services.
    • There is no doubt that the sector needs to grow not just for those employed in it but also for the economy as a whole.

    Growth strategy needs to take into account diversity across the states

    • The growth process of agriculture should not just more efficient, and inclusive of India’s small and marginal but is also sustainable — both financially and environmentally.
    • But then comes the question of the diversity in Indian states, where they differ as much on factors of production like land and water as they do on access to market opportunities.
    • They even differ in their vulnerabilities to climate and weather changes.
    • This begs the question, should the roadmap not be customised to the needs, vulnerabilities, and resource-base of each state?

    Strategies for six states

    • The recently published book “Revitalising Indian Agriculture and Boosting Farmer Incomes” proposes strategies for six Indian states: Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha.
    • In the six states, three factors explained most of the agrarian growth.
    • One, access to infrastructure — mainly irrigation and roads.
    • Two, diversification to high value agricultural products like fruits, vegetables, and allied activities like dairy and poultry.
    • Three, price incentives or favourable terms of trade.
    • Bringing markets closer to farmers and increasing the efficiency of the value-chains emerged as an important factor that explained agricultural growth in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar.
    • By ensuring timely access to sufficient irrigation, states like Gujarat and Punjab could explain their high performances.
    • Role of uninterrupted quality power too emerged important in this.
    • Diversification of the agricultural basket of a state was found to strengthen a state’s agri-performance.

    Relation between growth rate and policy reforms

    • The requirement to undertake policy reforms, mainly related to marketing, emerged as a key driver and predictor of growth.
    • The NITI Aayog’s Agricultural Markets and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index — AMFFRI evaluates Indian states on the extent to which each of them undertook required agri-reforms.
    • A low AMFFRI rank implies the state is undertaking desired reforms.
    • It was found that states that undertook reforms, and were thus ranked low on AMFFRI, witnessed a relatively faster agri-GDP growth rate.
    • States which did not undertake required reforms, and thus were ranked high on the AMFFRI witnessed relatively lower agri-GDP growth rates.
    • There were some exceptions: Karnataka, Haryana and Maharashtra.
    • These states undertook reforms, and thus had low AMFFRI ranks, but they witnessed a low agri-GDP growth rate.
    • This is likely to be attributed to the delayed effect of reforms on the agri-performance.

    Way forward

    • As a part of the roadmap, the book makes a case for states to move beyond production-centric approach to a value-chain approach with FPOs at its centre.
    • It highlights importance and requirement of growing public investments in basic infrastructure.
    • And finally, in the longer run, rationalising subsidies via direct income transfer is suggested.

    Consider the question “Despite its comparatively lower contribution to the GDP, agriculture plays a central role in the Indian economy. What are the factors that make agriculture central to the economy? Suggest the pathway to fuel the growth of the sector.”

    Conclusion

    If the government follows this path of investing in infrastructure, ensuring a more diversified agriculture and linking small-holder FPOs with markets, it will pay rich dividends not only to the farming community but also the entire economy.

  • Forestalling the cyber threats India faces

    The article highlights the threat of a cyber attack on India’s critical infrastructure and suggests the need to take preventive measures.

    Targetting the infrastructure

    • The U.S.-based cyber security firm, Recorded Future revealed that the past blackout in Mumbai was linked to the cyber attack from China.
    • Recorded Future had also found an increase in malware attacks targeting the Indian government, defence organisations and the public sector.
    • Also that, coinciding with Chinese incursions in Eastern Ladakh, certain Indian power facilities had been targets of a cyber attack.
    • This indicates that India’s key infrastructure facilities, such as the power sector, are now in the crosshairs of a hostile China.
    • Indian government agencies, such as the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) needs to be on its guard.

    Exploiting vulnerabilities

    • China’s cyber offensive is directed against many advanced nations as well.
    • In attempting this, what China is doing is essentially exploiting to perfection the many vulnerabilities that software companies (essentially those in the West), have deliberately left open (for offensive purposes at an opportune time).
    • Exploiting this loophole, and also turning matters on its head, it is companies in the western world that are now at the receiving end of such antics.
    • Chinese cyber espionage sets no limitations on targets.
    • Towards the end of 2020, and as the world prepared for large-scale deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, their attention was directed to vaccine distribution supply chains around the world.

    Way forward

    •  Nations should beware and be warned about how cyber attacks can bring a nation to its knees.
    • This was well demonstrated way back in 2016 through a major attack on Ukraine’s power grid.
    • The Ukraine example should be a wake-up call for India and the world, as in the intervening five years, the sophistication of cyber attacks and the kind of malware available have become more advanced.
    • India, could well be blindsided by Chinese cyber attacks on critical infrastructure if the latter sets out to do so, unless prophylactic measures are taken in time.

    Consider the question “Examine the threat posed by cyber attack on the critical information infrastructure? Suggest the ways to deal with it.”

    Conclusion

    Cyber’ could well be one of China’s main threat vectors employed against countries that do not fall in line with China’s world view. Drawing up a comprehensive cyber strategy, one that fully acknowledges the extent of the cyber threat from China, has thus become an imperative and immediate necessity.