Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Stagflation
Mains level: Read the attached story
Indiaâs economy is better placed than many other countries to avoid the risk of potential stagflation worldwide, said the Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor.
Why in news?
- Stagflation remains a risk to the US economy, and there are similarities between the situation in the 1970s and today, a/c to World Bank.
- Surging prices for oil and food are pushing up the cost of living, and business executives are voicing concerns about the outlook for the economy.
What is Stagflation?
- Stagflation is a stagnant growth and persistently high inflation. It, thus, describes a rather rare and curious condition of an economy.
- Iain Macleod, a Conservative Party MP in the United Kingdom, is known to have coined the phrase during his speech on the UK economy in November 1965.
What happens in Stagflation?
- Typically, rising inflation happens when an economy is booming â people are earning lots of money, demanding lots of goods and services and as a result, prices keep going up.
- When the demand is down and the economy is in the doldrums, by the reverse logic, prices tend to stagnate (or even fall).
- But stagflation is a condition where an economy experiences the worst of both worlds â the growth rate is largely stagnant (along with rising unemployment) and inflation is not only high but persistently so.
Possible reasons behind
- Volatility due to war: Global economic conditions continued to deteriorate as commodity prices and financial market volatility have led to heightened uncertainty.
- Monetary tightening: In advanced economies, the war against inflation would entail significant monetary tightening, complicating the growth-inflation outlook.
- Global slowdown: Emerging market economies grapple with the global trade slowdown, capital outflows and imported inflation.
Why is it so unpopular?
- The combination of slow growth and inflation is unusual, because inflation typically rises and falls with the pace of growth.
- The high inflation leaves less scope for policymakers to address growth shortfalls with lower interest rates and higher public spending.
Back2Basics: Inflation and its impact
- Depression: It is Economic depression is a sustained, long-term downturn in economic
- Deflation: It is the general fall in the price level over a period of time.
- Disinflation: It is the fall in the rate of inflation or a slower rate of inflation. Example: a fall in the inflation rate from 8% to 6%.
- Reflation: It is the act of stimulating the economy by increasing the money supply or by reducing taxes, seeking to bring the economy back up to the long-term trend, following a dip in the business cycle. It is the opposite of disinflation.
- Skewflation: It is the skewed rise in the price of some items while remaining item prices remain the same. E.g. Seasonal rise in the price of onions.
- Stagflation: The situation of rising prices along with falling growth and employment, is called stagflation. Inflation is accompanied by an economic recession.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Theri Desert in Tamil Nadu
Mains level: Desertification of land and preventive measures
Most of us may not know the small desert situated in the state of Tamil Nadu. It consists of red sand dunes and is confined to the Thoothukudi district.
Theri Desert
- The red dunes are called theri in Tamil.
- They consist of sediments dating back to the Quaternary Period and are made of marine deposits.
- They have very low water and nutrient retention capacity.
- The dunes are susceptible to aerodynamic lift.
- This is the push that lets something move up. It is the force that is the opposite of weight.
Mineral composition of Theris
- The analysis of the red sand dunes reveal the presence of heavy and light minerals.
- These include Ilmenite, Magnetit, Rutile, Garnet, Zircon, Diopside, Tourmaline, Hematite, Goethite, Kyanite, Quartz, Feldspar, Biotite.
- The iron-rich heavy minerals like ilmenite, magnetite, garnet, hypersthene and rutile present in the soil had undergone leaching by surface water.
- They were then oxidised because of the favourable semi-arid climatic conditions.
How did they form?
- Theris appear as gentle, undulating terrain.
- The lithology of the area shows that the area might have been a paleo (ancient) coast in the past.
- The presence of limestone in many places indicates marine transgression.
- The present-day theris might have been formed by the confinement of beach sand locally, after regression of the sea.
- When high velocity winds from the Western Ghats blew east, they induced migration of sand grains and accumulation of dunes.
Another story of their formation
- Another view is that these are geological formations that appeared in a period of a few hundred years.
- The red sand is brought from the surface of a broad belt of red loam in the plains of the Nanguneri region (about 57 kilometres) by south west monsoon winds during May-September.
- The winds after draining the moisture behind the Mahendragiri hill and the Aralvaimozhi gap of the Western Ghats become dry and strike the plains in the foothills, where vegetation is sparse.
- Deforestation and the absence of vegetative cover in the Aralvaimozhi gap and the Nanguneri plains are considered to be the major causes of wind erosion.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Black Death
Mains level: NA
In a study published in the Science journal, researchers have claimed that the bubonic plague was originated in modern day northern Kyrgyzstan around 1338-1339 â nearly 7-8 years before it ravaged large parts of the world.
What is Black Death?
- The term Black Death refers to the bubonic plague that spread across Western Asia, Northern Africa, Middle East and Europe in 1346-53.
- Most scholars agree that the Black Death, which killed millions, was caused by bacterium Yersinia pestis and was spread by fleas that were carried by rodent hosts.
- The microorganism Y. pestis spread to human populations, who at some point transmitted it to others either through the vector of a human flea or directly through the respiratory system.
Why this plague was called the Black Death?
- It is commonly believed that the term Black Death gets its name from the black marks that appeared on some of the plague victimsâ bodies.
- In the 14th century, the epidemic was referred to as the âgreat pestilenceâ or âgreat deathâ, due to the demographic havoc that it caused.
- The world black also carried a dark, gloomy emotional tone, due to the sheer amount of deaths generated by the plague.
Why is the new discovery significant?
- The geographical origin point of the plague has been debated for centuries.
- Some historians have argued that the plague originated in China, and spread across Europe by Italian merchants who first entered the continent in trading caravans through Crimea.
- Another story argues that Mongol army hurled plague-infested bodies into the city during the siege of Caffa (Crimea) and led to the spread of the disease.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Plugging the gaps in death penalty sentencing
Context
In a judgment delivered last month, the Supreme Court, in Manoj & others v. State of MP, embarked on a significant attempt to reform the administration of the death penalty.
Background: Crisis in the death penalty sentencing
- There has long been a judicial crisis in death penalty sentencing on account of unprincipled sentencing, arbitrariness and worrying levels of subjectivity.
- The crisis has been acknowledged by the Supreme Court, the Law Commission of India, research scholars and civil society groups.
- Crime-centric nature: Death penalty sentencing has been, by and large, crime-centric.
- This approach goes against the requirements imposed on sentencing judges by the Supreme Court in Bachan Singh (1980).
The framework laid down in the Bachan Singh case
- Take into account factors relating to crime and the accused: This framework made it binding for the sentencing judges to take into account factors relating to both the crime and accused and assign them appropriate weight.
- Judges couldnât decide to impose the death penalty only on the basis of the crime.
- The background of the accused, the personal circumstances, mental health and age were considerations a sentencing judge had to account for.
- Judges were required to weigh âmitigatingâ and âaggravatingâ factors to ascertain if a case was fit for the death sentence and also determine if the option of life imprisonment was âunquestionably foreclosedâ.
Why there is a crisis in death penalty sentencing?
- The four decades since Bachan Singh have shown us that this framework has been followed more in breach.
- There is utter confusion across all levels of the judiciary on the requirements of the framework laid down in the Bachan Singh case and its implementation.
- Nature of crime a dominant consideration: An important reason for the breakdown is that factors relating to the crime â the nature of the crime and its brutality â are often dominant considerations, and there is barely any consideration of mitigating factors.
- Little discussion on mitigating factors: There has been very little discussion on bringing the socioeconomic profile of death row prisoners as a mitigating factor into the courtroom.
Significance of the SC judgment in Manoj & others v. State of MP
- Efforts to plug the gap: The judgement identifies the lacuna as an explicit concern, states the consequences that flow from such a vital gap, and suggests measures to plug it.
- Recognising reformation: A striking part of the judgment is its commitment to recognising reformation as integral to the Indian criminal justice system, especially death penalty sentencing.
- Procedural threshold: The judgment is clear that certain procedural thresholds must be met for sentencing to be fair and explicitly rejects (once again) the idea that death sentences can be determined solely on crime-based considerations.
- The verdict recognises that aspects of the accusedâs life, both pre-offence and post-offence in prison, are relevant.
- As practical steps in this process, the judgment asks courts to call for reports from the probation officer as well as prison and independent mental health experts.
- Right of the accused to present mitigating factors: The right of the accused to present mitigating factors and rebut the state, if necessary, is also recognised.
- Psychological and philosophical aspect taken into account: There is now overwhelming evidence from psychology that criminality cannot just be reduced to terrible decisions by individuals in the exercise of their free will.
- All our actions are a result of a complex web of biological, psychological, and social factors and that understanding has a very significant bearing on discussions on criminality and punishment.
Challenges
- Implementation issue: Apart from this issue of implementation, even if detailed and high-quality sentencing information is to come into our courtrooms, a bigger challenge awaits.
- The judicial treatment of sentencing information is a Pandoraâs box that will inevitably have to be opened.
- Requirement for normative basis: The Supreme Court will have to provide a rigorous normative basis for consideration of these factors.
- In the absence of such foundations, death penalty sentencing will continue to be unprincipled and sentencing judges are not going to understand the need for this wide range of sentencing information.
Conclusion
The significance of last monthâs judgment, authored by Justice Ravindra Bhat, is that it takes this problem head-on. It identifies the lacuna as an explicit concern, states the consequences that flow from such a vital gap, and suggests measures to plug it.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: INSTC
Mains level: Paper 2- India-Iran relations
Context
Iranâs Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahianâs three-day visit to India, last week, was the first ministerial-level visit from Iran since Ebrahim Raisi assumed the Iranian presidency in August last year.
Background
- Bilateral relations between India and Iran span millennia marked by meaningful interactions.
- Both countries shared borders until 1947 and share several common features in their language, culture and traditions.
- The diplomatic links were established on 15th March 1950, when both countries signed a Treaty of Friendship and Perpetual Peace.
- However, Iranâs joining of Baghdad pact in 1954 and the Cold War politics prevented both countries from having closer relations until the 1990s.
- Islamic Revolution of 1979, hostage of US diplomats, Iran-Iraq War and Tehranâs support for Hezbollah and Hamas among others resulted in a range of political and economic sanctions, leading to Iran being isolated at a global level
- In the 1990s, both countriesâ interests converged around energy, Central Asia and security, mostly around the Pakistan-Afghan region.
- This resulted in the signing of âThe Delhi Declarationâ, which provided the vision of the countriesâ defence and strategic partnership and âTehran Declarationâ, which set forth the areas of possible cooperation
India-Iran relations: A shared vision for equitable, pluralistic and co-operative international order
- The âTehran Declarationâ signed during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayeeâs visit to Iran affirmed the shared vision of the two countries for an âequitable, pluralistic and co-operative international orderâ.
- It recognised then Iranian President Mohammad Khatamiâs vision of a âdialogue among civilisationsâ as a paradigm of international relations based on principles of tolerance, pluralism and respect for diversity.
- Advancing the standing in global order: Two decades later, as India strengthens new partnerships within its regional vision centred on the Indo-Pacific, both countries remain driven by the goals of advancing their standing at the regional and global level.
- Both are keen to project themselves as independent strategic actors determined to play a role in shaping a new multipolar order in their shared Eurasian neighbourhood and also at the global level.
Why does India need Iran?
- Energy security: Conventionally, for energy security
- Iran is amongst Indiaâs top oil suppliers
- Strategic importance: Since the 1990s, Iranâs importance has become âstrategicâ
- Security reasons: Iranâs cooperation is critical for Indiaâs security given that
- Pak supports terrorism in India
- Influence in Afghanistan: Indiaâs influence in Afghanistan is marginal.
- Countering Pakistan: India needs Iran to moderate Pakâs influence in West Asia
- Iran is a leader in the Muslim world.
- Access to Afghanistan and Central Asia
Significance of Iran for India
- Geopolitical logic in relations: The sanctions imposed by the US on Iran after it withdrew from the nuclear deal in 2018 may have virtually destroyed India-Iran trade, especially Indiaâs energy imports from Iran, but the geopolitical logic underpinning relations between the two countries remains firm.
- Land bridge to Central Asia and Eurasia:Â Iran has sought to leverage its crossroad geographical location straddling the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, India has come to see it as its land bridge to Central Asia and Eurasia.
- INSTC: Despite the difficulties posed by decades of American sanctions, Iran has, along with India, Russia and a few other countries in the Eurasian region, continued to work on the multi-modal International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
- During Raisiâs visit to Moscow, the two sides had pledged to redouble their efforts to build the railway line between Iranâs Caspian port of Rasht and Astara on the Iran-Azerbaijan border.
- Alternative Caspian Sea Route: The activation of an alternative Caspian Sea route speaks volumes about the positive outlook of Iran, India and Russia on this corridor despite a variety of geopolitical challenges.
- Iranâs Chabahar port, where India is developing two berths that it will lease for commercial operations for 10 years, is also a story of perseverance in the ties between the two countries.
Irritants in Indo-Iran ties
- India’s relations with Saudi Arabia, US and Israel:Â Growing Saudi-India-US-Israel relations have irked Iran.
- In retaliation, Iran, for the first time, has linked the plight of Muslims in Gaza, Yemen, and Bahrain, with those in Kashmir
- Iran-Pak-China ties: Warming Iran-Pak-China ties have annoyed India.
- Sluggish Chabahar port development: Slow Chabahar port development has annoyed Iran.
- China-Iran strategic partnership:
- An economic and security partnership deal between Iran and China was recently made public, creating a global alarm, especially for India and the US.
- The foundation for this deal was laid during Chinese President Xi Jinpingâs visit to Iran in 2016
- The draft agreement involves Chinese investments worth $400 billion into the Iranian economy over 25 years.
- Of this, $280 billion will be allocated for the oil and gas sector and the remaining funding will be for other core sectors like banking, telecommunications, ports and railways.
- In return, China would get a steady supply of Iranian oil at a heavily discounted rate during the same period.
- This deal creates a win-win situation for both countries.
- It lifts Iranâs sanction-hit economy and helps China set a firm foothold in the Middle East.
US sanctions:
- Iranâs aim to develop nuclear weapons has come under strong criticism from Trump Administration since the beginning.
- Thus, the US has withdrawn from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018 after it was signed in 2015 and imposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.
- The USâ sanctions and aggressive policies have created a situation of economic and geostrategic uncertainty.
- Indian investors are wary of having businesses in Iran for the fear of the US.
- Also, India deviated from the policy of not abiding by unilateral sanctions by ceasing to purchase Iranian oil.
- Due to this, Iran did not back Indiaâs bid to mobilise international support against Beijingâs aggression in the Ladakh.
Other issues:
- Iran is against Indiaâs decision to abrogate Article 370 and 35A.
- It has called on India and Pakistan to show restraint and prevent the killing of innocent Kashmiris, revealing possible close ties between Pakistan and Iran.
- Iran also voiced against âextremist Hindus and their partiesâ during the 2020 Delhi riots.
- Apart from these issues, Iran also sidelined Indiaâs ONGC from exploration rights at its Farzad B Gas field, stating that it will engage the company at a later date.
Way forward
- As India is treading a fine line in balancing relations with the US, China and Iran while striving to augment its political influence in West Asia, embracing one country over the other is not an option for India.
- Therefore, a multilateral foreign policy is a way forward.
- India must retain its involvement in the Chabahar port development because of the geostrategic significance.
- In the immediate term, India should improve its multi-alignment credentials to absorb investments into the port projects from the public and private sector, boost maritime cooperation among littoral countries to enhance the transit of goods, and foster regional partnership for the Chabahar port development.
- Based on the mutual geostrategic and energy interests, India could collaborate with Japan under the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor.
- Japanâs participation would enhance the multilateral characteristics of the transit hub in the region, unlike the China-owned Gwadar port. This will further enhance multilateral investments to solidify regional economic partnerships that enable the sustainability of the port.
- Also, India needs to evolve a better strategy on Iran beyond waiting to see how the US may react, beyond having to issue a clarification in response to Iranâs sudden provocations and beyond allowing voids of partnerships that China may fill.
- In order to do so, India must create a new alliance of countries having similar geostrategic interests, which are also facing issues with USâ unrealistic and aggressive foreign policy strategy and Chinaâs expansionistic policies.
Conclusion
While the revival of the nuclear deal could give a fillip to Indiaâs economic ties with Iran, Indiaâs interests in continental Asia will be served well by heeding to the calls for developing a long-term roadmap for bilateral relations.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Long term capital gain
Mains level: Paper 3- Rising inequality in India
Context
This upsurge of inflation is affecting the poor more than any other social group because some of the commodities whose prices are increasing the most (like petrol and certain food items) represent a larger fraction of the budget of the most vulnerable sections of society.
Factors fueling inflation in India
- The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI) show an upward rising trend, annually, at 13.11 per cent and 6.07 per cent respectively.
- Falling rupee: Inflation is here to stay because it has much to do with the decline in value of the rupee that has fallen to its lowest, which makes imports of oil and gas more expensive.
- Ukraine crisis: The war in Ukraine has the same effect and pushes the price of some food items upward.
Rising inequality
- Impact on the poor: This upsurge of inflation is affecting the poor more because some of the commodities whose prices are increasing the most represent a larger fraction of the budget of the most vulnerable sections of society.
- Rising inequality: As a result, inequalities â which were already on the rise â are increasing further.
- Recently, the State of Inequality in India report showed that an Indian making Rs 3 lakh a year belonged to the top 10 per cent of the countryâs wage earners.Â
- Â Inequalities are also increasing among salaried people, who are privileged compared to those of the informal sector: The bottom 50 per cent account for only 22 per cent of the total salary income.
- The situation of the lower-middle class and poor is deteriorating.
- The Reserve Bank of India shows slow farm wage growth in nominal terms: From an average of 6.6 per cent in fiscal 2021 to 5.7 per cent in fiscal 2022 (April-November average). This is below the inflation rate.
Inequality in healthcare
- Indiaâs spending on healthcare is among the lowest in the world.
- A decent level of healthcare is available only to the ones who can afford it because of increasing out-of-pocket expenditure â the payment made directly by individuals for the health service, not covered under any financial protection scheme.
- Â Overall, these out-of-pocket expenses on healthcare are 60 per cent of the total expenditure on public health in India, which is one of the highest in the world.
How policies are contributing to the increasing inequality?
- High indirect taxes: The share of indirect taxes in the stateâs fiscal resources has increased from 2014 to 2019 to reach 50 per cent of the total taxes in 2019.
- Higher indirect taxes are the most unfair as it affects everyone, irrespective of their income.
- Taxes on alcohol and petroleum products are cases in point.
- In contrast, the big companies are flourishing, again, partly because of certain fiscal policies.Â
- Low corporate taxes: The governmentâs budget in 2015 substantially lowered the corporate tax.
- Withdrawal of enhanced surcharge: In addition to these tax cuts, the government withdrew the enhanced surcharge on long- and short-term capital gains for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) as well as domestic portfolio investors.
- These government policies are clearly promoting the supply side at the expense of demand.
- The central bank has raised interest rates and CRR in an attempt to curb demand, but demand in the country is already choking.
Way forward
- Higher allocation for MGNREGA: A higher allocation of funds for MGNREGS in rural areas, as well as the introduction of similar employment generation schemes in urban areas, should, therefore, be a priority.
- Municipal bonds at state level: At the state level, the development of municipal bond markets could be a plausible alternative.
- Reduction on excise duty on fuel: A reduction in the excise duty on fuel prices and easing the fuel tax burden could also supplement the disposable income and reduce the input cost burden for producers.
Conclusion
Though the government is opting for market-based economics, currently, India needs a mixed solution that comprises price stability via government channels and subsidies.
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Back2Basics: Long and short-term capital gain
- When you buy and sell assets, the profit that you earn is called a Capital Gain.
- Long Term Capital Gains are those that you earn when you sell an asset after 36 months (3 years) from the date on which you acquired the asset.
- Short Term Capital Gains are those that you earn when you sell an asset in under 36 months (3 years) from the date on which you acquired the asset.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Positive externalities
Mains level: Paper 3- What commodities should be distributed for free or subsidised level
Context
The newly elected Punjab governmentâs announcement of providing up to 300 units of free power to every household has raised questions: What constitutes âfreebiesâ?
Two categories for providing support
- In India government provides two types of support.
- 1] support to low-income households for augmenting their consumption of selected goods and services.
- 2] Government also provides incentives to support selected categories of investors and producers.
- Different objectives: The economic objectives in these two categories are quite different.
- The first category would include the free or subsidised provision of foodgrains and services such as health and education.
- Examples of the second group include the central governmentâs recent initiative for production-linked incentives to various sectors and tax concessions.
- In the past, incentives in the form of reduction of corporate taxes have been offered to promote investment in general, or in certain regions such as backward areas.
What commodities should be distributed free?
- The key question is to decide what commodities should be distributed free or at a subsidised level and what the level of subsidy should be.
- Essential goods: The provision of foodgrains at a heavily subsidised price to target groups has found general acceptance, particularly among political parties, even though there are some critics of the measure.
- The distribution of commodities which are considered âessentialâ, primarily foodgrains, faces no criticism.
- Merit goods: There is also a category of goods which are called âmeritâ goods where significant positive externalities are associated with their consumption â for instance, health and education-related provisions, including mid-day meals and breakfast.
- In such cases, subsidisation is justified: If only market prices prevail, the community will consume less than what is socially desirable.
What should be the suitable mode of providing support?
- The question of a suitable model for providing budgetary support arises in the context of both consumption and production-supporting initiatives.
- 1] In the first case, budgetary support to a targeted segment of the population for augmenting their consumption of essential items may be provided either through direct income support or by a free or highly subsidised provision.Â
- Procurement set up and distribution system: When the provision of subsidised goods is involved, there may, in general, be a requirement of a procurement set-up and a public distribution system.
- Managing procurement and distribution by government agencies involves additional costs which tend to be higher than the corresponding supply through the market because of leakages and avoidable administrative costs.
- 2] Production-related incentives: In the case of production-related incentives, alternative methods include direct budgetary support and indirect support through tax concessions.
- Â Both have a differential impact.
- These schemes also require to be carefully designed to avoid their misuse and minimise their costs. The provision of free power to farmers was often misused.
- In the case of tax concessions, there have not been any convincing studies as to whether the stated initial objectives were achieved in line with the large budgetary costs.
- The magnitudes involved amounted to 1.9 per cent and 2.5 per cent of the GDP in 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively.
What should be a prudent fiscal limit for funding such programmes?
- Let us consider the case of distribution of commodities that are meant to support consumption.
- Limited budgetary resources: This question should be considered in light of our limited budgetary resources.
- Stagnating revenue to GDP ratio: In India, the revenue to GDP ratio has been stagnating over a long period of time.
- During 2010-11 to 2019-20, combined revenue receipts of central and state governments, relative to GDP, have languished in the narrow range of 18.4 per cent to 20.3 per cent.
- In contrast, in many developed and emerging market economies, this ratio tends to be much higher.
- In 2019, these ratios were 36 per cent and 30.1 per cent for the UK and USA.
Suggestions
- It is advisable to limit the distribution of commodities and services at highly subsidised levels to essential and merit goods.
- Infrastructure expansion: Production may be incentivised more effectively by other methods such as infrastructure expansion.
- Determining the total quantum of support: In respect of production-related incentives also, greater care is required for determining the total quantum of support as well as the specific forms of such support.
- Limit of 10 %: It would be prudent to limit overall fiscal support for the distribution of commodities to less than 10 per cent of the total expenditure of the central government and state governments until their revenue GDP or GSDP ratios are successfully increased in a sustained way.
Conclusion
Governments that do not pay adequate attention to the strength of their fisc eventually become exposed to the cost of the choices that they make.
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Back2Basics: Merit goods
- Merit goods are the goods that are provided generally by the government to certain sections of the society.
- Unlike in the case of pure public goods, the merit goods are not provided to the entire society; rather they are given to certain targeted people.
- The government here believe that the deserving people may under-consume such goods and hence provides these to them at low cost or no cost.
Positive externalities
- A positive externality exists if the production and consumption of a good or service benefits a third party not directly involved in the market transaction.
- For example, education directly benefits the individual and also provides benefits to society as a whole through the provision of more informed and productive citizens.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Section 295A
Mains level: Hate speech and blasphemy
The debate surrounding the comments by some political spokespersons has put the spotlight on the IPC Sec 295A which deals with criticism of or insult to religion.
What is the news?
- India does not have a formal legal framework for dealing with hate speech.
- However, a cluster of provisions, loosely termed hate speech laws, are invoked.
- There are primarily some laws to deal with offences against religions.
What is Section 295A?
- Section 295A, define the contours of free speech and its limitations with respect to offences relating to religion.
- It prescribes punishment for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
- It calls for imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to [three years], or with fine, or with both.
- It has been invoked on a wide range of issues from penalising political satire and seeking bans on or withdrawal of books to even political critique on social media.
Chapters to penalise religious offences
Section 295A is one of the key provisions in the IPC chapter to penalise religious offences. The same chapter includes offences to penalise:
- Damage or defilement of a place of worship with intent to insult the religion (Section 295)
- Trespassing in a place of sepulture (burial) (Section 297)
- Uttering, words, etc, with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person (Section 298) and
- Disturbing a religious assembly (Section 296)
Origins of the law
- Colonial origins of the hate speech provisions are often criticised for the assumption that Indians were susceptible to religious excitement.
- Section 295A was brought in 1927.
- The antecedents of Section 295A lie in the communally charged atmosphere of North India in the 1920s.
- The amendment was a fallout of an acquittal under Section 153A of the IPC by the Lahore High Court in 1927 in Rajpaul v Emperor, popularly known as the Rangila Rasool case.
Frequency of use
- The state often invokes Section 295A along with 153A of the IPC, which penalises promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.
- It acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony and Section 505 of the IPC that punishes statements conducing to public mischief.
What about online hate speech?
- In cases where such speech is online, Section 66A of the Information Technology Act was invoked.
- However, in a landmark verdict in 2015, the Supreme Court struck down Section 66A as unconstitutional on the ground that the provision was âvagueâ and a âviolation of free speechâ.
- However, the provision continues to be invoked.
Issues with such laws
- The broad, vague terms in the laws are often invoked in its misuse.
- Lower conviction rates for these provisions indicate that the process â where a police officer can arrest without a warrant â is often the punishment.
- Critics have pointed out that these laws are intended for the state to step in and restore âpublic orderâ rather than protect free speech.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: ASEAN
Mains level: India-ASEAN Relations
The Foreign Minister of Myanmar is unlikely to be part of the 24th ASEAN-India Ministerial summit.
What is the news?
- Myanmarâs absence is the souring ASEAN-Myanmar.
- This is after the coup that overthrew the Aung San Suu Kyi government in Myanmar.
- This shows Indiaâs concern over the junta in Myanmar which has refused to enter into a negotiation
What is ASEAN?
- ASEAN is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia.
- It brings together ten Southeast Asian states â Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam â into one organisation.
- It was established on 8th August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration by the founding fathers of the countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines.
- The preceding organisation was the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA) comprising of Thailand, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
- Five other nations joined the ASEAN in subsequent years making the current membership to ten countries.
India-ASEAN Relations: A Backgrounder
- Look-East Policy in 1992 gave an upthrust to India -ASEAN relation and helped India in capitalizing its historical, cultural and civilizational linkages with the region.
- India entered into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in goods with the region in 2003 which has facilitated the bilateral trade which now stands at approximately USD 76 Billion.
- Further, the launch of Act East Policy in 2014 has added a new vigour to India-ASEAN relations.
Significance of ASEAN to India
- ASEANâs centrality in Indiaâs foreign policy â A cohesive, responsive, and prosperous ASEAN is central to Indiaâs Indo-Pacific Vision and Indiaâs Act East Policy and contributes to Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
- Economic â ASEAN is the one of the largest market in the world comparative to the EU and North American markets.
- Itâs also the 4th most popular investment destination globally.
- Investment opportunities for Indian businesses â Cost of production is lower in Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, which means that Indian firms can gain significantly by investing in these countries.
- Countering China â Cooperation between India and ASEAN is crucial to counter Chinaâs power projection in the region. Both have territorial and border issues with China, disputes over the South China Islands and waters for ASEAN and over land boundaries for India.
- Integration with regional and global supply chains â Increasing engagement with ASEAN is pivotal to facilitate Indiaâs integration with regional and global supply chain movements.
- North-East development â Connectivity projects with the ASEAN nations keeping Northeast India at the centre can ensure the economic growth of the land-locked north-eastern states.
- Collaboration with the ASEAN nations is necessary to counter insurgency in the Northeast, combat terrorism, etc.
- Maritime security â The Indian Ocean carries 90% of Indiaâs trade and its energy sources. Presence of choke points such as the Malacca strait makes the South-East Asian region significant for countering traditional and non-traditional maritime threats like piracy and terrorism.
- Indian Diaspora â About 9-8% of the population in Malaysia and Singapore is of Indian origin, in Myanmar-4% and Indonesia about 0.5%.
Areas of Cooperation
- Economic Cooperation â ASEAN is Indiaâs 4th largest trading partner.
- India signed FTA in goods in 2009 and an FTA in services and investments in 2014 with ASEAN.
- India has a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with various countries of the ASEAN region which has resulted in concessional trade and a rise in investments.
- Political Cooperation â ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) was established to undertake policy research, advocacy and networking activities with organizations and think-tanks in India and ASEAN.
- Delhi Dialogue â Annual Track 1.5 event for discussing politico-security and economic issues between ASEAN and India.
- Financial Assistance â India provides financial assistance to the ASEAN nations through various mechanism like ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund, ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund and ASEAN-India Green Fund.
- Connectivity â India has been undertaking several connectivity projects like India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMT) Highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Project.
- India is also trying to establish a Maritime Transportation Agreementwith ASEAN and also Plans for a Railway link between New Delhi in India to Hanoi in Vietnam.
- Socio-Cultural Cooperation â Programmes to boost People-to-People Interaction with ASEAN are organized, such as inviting ASEAN students to India, Special Training Course for ASEAN diplomats, Exchange of Parliamentarians, etc.
- Defence Cooperation â Joint Naval and Military exercises are conducted between India and most ASEAN countries.
- Vietnam has traditionally been a close friend on defense issues, Singapore is also an equally important partner.
- Maritime Cooperation â adopted Delhi Declaration and decided to identify Cooperation in the Maritime Domain as the key area of cooperation under the ASEAN-India strategic partnership.
- India is developing its maiden deep-sea port in a strategically located Sabang port in Indonesia.
REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP (RCEP) AGREEMENT
- RCEP is a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that has been signed between 15 countries including the 10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
- RCEP was first proposed in 2011 with an aim to create a consolidated market for the ASEAN countries and their trade partners.
- RCEP now forms the worldâs largest trade bloc, covering over 2.2 billion people and accounting for 30% of the worldâs economy.
- Though India was a part of the RCEPâs negotiations, it dropped out in November 2019, citing significant outstanding issues that remain unresolved.
Reasons behind India pulling out of RCEP
- Trade imbalance with RCEP members â Indiaâs trade deficit with RCEP countries has almost doubled in the last five-six years.
- Chinese Angle â From a geopolitical perspective, RCEP is China-led or is intended to expand Chinaâs influence in Asia. India has already signed FTA with all the countries of RCEP except China.
- Signing of RCEP can lead to cheaper products from China flooding the Indian market.
- Lack of adequate protection for domestic industries â Indiaâs proposals for strict Rules of Origin (to prevent routing of products from non-RCEP countries) and an Auto-trigger mechanism to impose tariffs when imports crossed a certain threshold which were not accepted.
- Lack of Service component â Most developed RCEP countries where India can export services, have been unwilling to negotiate wide-ranging disciplines in services that can create new market access for trade in services in this region.
- Concerns by local industries â A large number of sectors including dairy, agriculture, steel, automobiles, etc had expressed serious apprehensions on RCEP citing dominance of cheap foreign goods would dampen its business.
- Indiaâs FTA experience â Indiaâs FTAs has generally led to greater imports than exports, giving rise to high trade deficits with FTA partners like South Korea, Japan, and ASEAN.
Possible Implications of India not joining RCEP
Protectionist image â Withdrawal from RCEP along with other recent measures like call for self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Abhiyan, etc can be perceived as India taking a protectionist stance in terms of trade policy.
Lost opportunity for Indiaâs export sector â RCEP was envisaged to strengthen Asian supply chains, bring in investments and boost the member countriesâ competitiveness in global markets.
Effect on bilateral ties with RCEP countries â There are concerns that the decision will hamper Indiaâs bilateral trade with RCEP member countries as they would be inclined to bolster trade within the bloc.
Lost opportunity in securing a position in the post COVID world: RCEP is expected to help member countries emerge from the economic devastation caused by the pandemic through access to regional supply chains.
Arguments for reviewing Indiaâs decision
- Global Economic Stagnation due to Covid-19 pandemic â RCEP can serve as a bulwark in containing the free fall of the global economy and re-energising economic activity.
- RCEP presents a unique opportunity to support Indiaâs economic recovery, inclusive development, and job creation even as it helps strengthen regional supply chains.
- Economic Realism â India should deter seeing RCEP only from the Chinese perspective.
- India can draw inspiration from Japan & Australia, as they chose to bury their geopolitical differences with China to prioritise what they collectively see as a mutually beneficial trading compact.
- Strategic Need â RCEPâs membership is a prerequisite to having a say in shaping RCEPâs rules, which is necessary to safeguard Indiaâs interests and the interests of several countries that are too small to stand up to the largest member, China.
- As the summary of the final agreement shows, the pact does cover and attempt to address some issues that India had flagged, including rules of origin, trade in services, movement of persons. Therefore, this makes the case of India to review its decision and look RCEP through the lens of economic realism.
Challenges in India-ASEAN Relations
- China factor â Indiaâs effort in this regard is meagre when compared to Chinaâs dominance in the region
- Chinaâs assertive military, political and economic rise, as well as the South China Sea disputes have divided ASEAN without unanimity amongst them.
- Economic challenges â India has an unfavourable balance of trade with the ASEAN nations.
- RCEP deal â India walking out of RCEP can become a sticking point between India and ASEAN, since Indiaâs domestic market was considered a key element in the RCEP negotiations.
- India has not signed RCEP for various reasons like non-transparency in RCEP, RCEPâs non-accounting of Indiaâs service sector relaxations, etc.
- By not signing the RCEP India also lose access to new market opportunities created in East Asia.
- Slow development in Bilateral relations â Many bilateral deals with these nations are yet to be finalised, leading to the halting of various aspects of diplomatic ties.
- Delayed projects â Though India has committed to many connectivity projects, they have not been completed at the rate on par with China
- China, on the other hand, through its BRI, is able to gain the trust of these countries.
Indiaâs pulling out of the RCEP deal shows the limitations of the ties with the ASEAN nations. Maintaining cordial ties, both bilaterally and multilaterally with these nations is essential for both Indiaâs economic and security interests.
South-East Asian nations are looking at India to take on a greater role for the economic integration of the region and for ensuring an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. Many of the members of the ASEAN perceive India as a much-needed counterbalance to China.
Way Forward
- An alternative economic corridor based multimodal connectivity such as Mekong-India Economic Corridor may be promoted, which will connect Indian coast with unexplored Southeast Asian coast and beyond.
- Strengthening land, air, and sea linkages will enhance people-to-people flows, as well as boost business, investment, and tourism.
- With China having three times more commercial flights than India to Southeast Asia, improving air connectivity between India and ASEAN countries should also be high on the agenda.
- India has proposed setting up of an ASEAN-India Network of Universities (AINU) to enhance our educational ties.
- India can become the military partner after the Atma Nirbar Bharat, Make in India projects are successfully implemented.
- No ASEAN country has close military ties with China as they never trusted China for military alliance.
- Concept of QUAD must be expanded to include the ASEAN countries and become a QUAD+ arrangement.
- Vietnam and Indonesia have expressed a positive note on QUAD in the region.
- Digital technologies â Given the reluctance of ASEAN states to take help from Chinese giants in the field (due to concerns regarding Chinaâs ability to own data), Indian IT sector may take some advantage.
- Strengthening cultural connect â Tourism can be further encouraged between India and the ASEAN with some creative branding by the two sides.
Failure of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has made India look outside South Asia towards countries of Southeast Asia for economic and political cooperation.
The ASEAN region has become strategically important for India due to its growing importance in the world politics. And for India to be a regional power as it claims to be, continuing to enhance its relations with ASEAN in all spheres must be a priority.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: 5G technology
Mains level: Not Much
The Union Cabinet has approved the auction of airwaves capable of offering fifth generation, or 5G, telecom services, including ultra-high-speed Internet, and gave its nod for setting up of captive 5G networks by big tech firms.
What is the news?
- The auction of over 72 GHz of the spectrum will be held by July-end.
- Auctions will be held at reserve prices recommended by the sector regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).
- TRAI had earlier recommended about a 39% reduction in the reserve or floor price for the sale of 5G spectrum for mobile services.
What is 5G technology?
- 5G or fifth generation is the latest upgrade in the long-term evolution (LTE) mobile broadband networks.
- It mainly works in 3 bands, namely low, mid and high-frequency spectrum â all of which have their own uses as well as limitations.
Three bands of 5G
(1) Low band spectrum
- It has shown great promise in terms of coverage and speed of internet and data exchange, the maximum speed is limited to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).
- This means that while telcos can use and install it for commercial cellphones users who may not have specific demands for very high-speed internet, the low band spectrum may not be optimal for the specialized needs of the industry.
(2) Mid-band spectrum
- It offers higher speeds compared to the low band but has limitations in terms of coverage area and penetration of signals.
- Telcos and companies, which have taken the lead on 5G, have indicated that this band may be used by industries and specialized factory units for building captive networks that can be molded into the needs of that particular industry.
(3) High-band spectrum
- It offers the highest speed of all the three bands, but has extremely limited coverage and signal penetration strength.
- Internet speeds in the high-band spectrum of 5G have been tested to be as high as 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), while, in most cases, the maximum internet data speed in 4G has been recorded at 1 Gbps.
Where does India stand in the 5G technology race?
- On par with the global players, India had, in 2018, planned to start 5G services as soon as possible, with an aim to capitalize on the better network speeds and strength that the technology promised.
- Indian private telecom players have been urging the DoT to lay out a clear road map of spectrum allocation and 5G frequency bands so that they would be able to plan the rollout of their services accordingly.
- One big hurdle, however, is the lack of flow of cash and adequate capital with some companies due to their AGR dues.
Global progress on 5G
- More than governments, global telecom companies have started building 5G networks and rolling it out to their customers on a trial basis.
- In countries like the US, some companies have taken the lead when it comes to rolling out commercial 5G for their users.
- A South Korean company, which had started researching on 5G technology way back in 2011, has, on the other hand, take the lead when it comes to building the hardware for 5G networks for several companies.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Bharat Gaurav Scheme
Mains level: Pilgrim tourism
The âBharat Gauravâ train service from Coimbatore to Shirdi, a first of its kind in the country, was inaugurated at the Coimbatore North Railway Station.
What are Bharat Gaurav trains?
- Bharat Gaurav express trains are operated by private players, who have the right to use the rail infrastructure provided by the Indian Railways.
About Bharat Gaurav Scheme
- Under this Scheme, theme-based tourist circuit trains, on the lines of the Ramayana Express, can be run either by private or State-owned operators.
- Till now, the Railways had passenger segments and goods segments.
- Now, it will have a third segment for tourism under the Bharat Gaurav.
- The scheme has been developed after extensive stakeholder discussions and a lot of State Governments, including Odisha, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, have shown interest.
Key features
- Service providers, who can be an individual, company, society, trust, joint venture or consortium will be free to decide themes/circuits.
- They will offer an all-inclusive package to tourists including rail travel, hotel accommodation and sightseeing arrangement, visit to historical/heritage sites, tour guides etc.
- They have full flexibility to decide the package cost.
- The service providers will also be able to design/furnish the interior of the coaches based on the theme and put branding or advertising inside and outside of the train.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Prithvi-II Missile
Mains level: Not Much
Successfully test-fire of indigenously developed, nuclear-capable Prithvi-II Missile was recently held.
Prithvi-II Missile
- The Prithvi-II surface-to-surface missile has a strike range of 350 km.
- It is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines.
- It was inducted into the armory of Indian defence forces in 2003.
- It is a nine-metre-tall, single-stage liquid-fuelled missile.
- The state-of-the-art missile uses advanced inertial guidance system with manoeuvering trajectory to hit its target.
- It is the first missile to have been developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
Other variants of Prithvi
- The Prithvi missile project encompassed developing three variants for use by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
- The initial project framework of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program outlines the variants in the following manner:
- Prithvi I (SS-150) â Army version, 150 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg
- Prithvi II (SS-250) â Air Force version, 350 km range with a payload of 500 kg
- Prithvi III (SS-350) â Naval version, 350 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg
Significance of the test-fire
- Developed as a battlefield missile, it can carry a nuclear warhead in its role as a tactical nuclear weapon.
- This is the second such test fire of nuclear capable highly manoeuvrable missile in weeks.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Child marriage issue
Context
There has been an ongoing debate on whether increasing the age of marriages can solve the problem of child marriage in India.
Background
- It is defined as a marriage of a girl or boy before the age of 18 and refers to both formal marriages and informal unions in which children under the age of 18 live with a partner as if married.
- The Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, fixes 21 years as the marriageable age for women.
Prevalence of child marriage in India
- Â NFHS-5 data show that about 25% of women aged 18-29 years married before the legal marriageable age of 18.
- Marginal decline: The proportion has declined only marginally from NFHS-4 (28%).
- Higher in rural India: Expectedly, the prevalence is higher in rural than urban India (28% and 17%, respectively).
- West Bengal has the highest prevalence (42%), followed by Bihar and Tripura (40% each).
- Oddly, the decline in child marriage has been paltry at best in these high-prevalence States.
- At the other end of the spectrum are Goa, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala (6% to 7%).
- 39% of child marriages in India take place among Adivasis and Dalits.
- The share of advantaged social groups is 17% and the remaining share is of Other Backward Classes.
Role of structural issues in adverse health and educational outcomes
- Impact: Studies associate early marriage of women with early pregnancy, lower likelihood of accessing ante-natal care, higher risks of maternal morbidity and mortality, poor nutritional status of women and poor nutritional and educational outcomes of children.
- These studies seem to provide a rather compelling case for increasing the age of marriage of women from 18 to 21 years, as a delayed marriage might offer significant public health dividends.
- Structural factors at play:Â But a closer reading of the evidence shows that the association between child marriage and adverse health outcomes does not emerge in a vacuum.Â
- Rather, it is abetted by structural factors, including social norms, poverty, and womenâs education.
- Role of social norms:Â It is because of social norms in many regions and cultures that parents begin preparations for a girlâs marriage once she has reached menarche.
- Role of poverty: A large proportion of child marriages take place primarily because of poverty and the burden of the huge costs of dowry associated with delayed marriages.
- Role of education:Â The NHFS-5 data confirm that a significant proportion of child marriages takes place among women with less than 12 years of schooling and households that are socially and economically disadvantaged.
- The average age at marriage increases from 17 years among women who are illiterate and have had up to five years of schooling to 22 years among women who have had more than 12 years of schooling.
- This indicates that an increase in years of schooling goes hand in hand with an increase in age at marriage.
- While an increase in education is most likely to delay marriage, the increase in age at marriage may or may not increase womenâs education.
Why the age of marriage of women matters
- Age of marriage has bearing on maternal mortality rates, fertility levels, nutrition of mother and child, sex ratios, and, on a different register, education and employment opportunities for women.
- It is also argued that other factors â such as poverty and health services â were far more effective as levers for improving womenâs and childrenâs health and nutritional status.
- Child marriage curtail a girlâs opportunities to continue her education.
- And in turn, the lack of educational opportunities plays an important role in facilitating child marriage.
Way forward
- The fact that about one-fourth of women (18-29 years) in India have married before 18 years despite the law tells us that legally increasing the age of marriage may not fully prevent child marriages.Â
- 1] Ensure education for at least up to 12 years: Much of the benefits can be reaped by ensuring that women complete education at least up to 12 years.
- Bangladesh shows that improving womenâs education and imparting modern skills to them that increase their employability reduces child marriage and improves health and nutrition.
- 2] Educational attainment criteria in schemes: Schemes which ease the financial burden of marriage but the eligibility criteria of which should essentially link to educational attainment in addition to age demand attention.
- The lessons from Janani Suraksha Yojana and the zeal demonstrated in ending open defecation might provide valid insights here.
Conclusion
A legalistic approach to increasing the age at marriage will produce positive results only if it leads to an improvement in womenâs education and skill acquisition for employability. In the absence of an enhancement in womenâs schooling or skills, a legalistic approach to ending child marriage might become counterproductive.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: International NorthâSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC)
Mains level: Read the attached story
Iran started the first transfer of Russian goods to India via a new trade corridor which transits the West Asian nation, people on the Iranian side familiar with the developments told news outlets.
The cargo will travel through the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).
What is the news?
- The cargo ship departed St. Petersburg for the Caspian Sea port city of Astrakhan.
- It will reach the northern Iranian port of Anzali and then will be transferred by road to the southern port of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf.
- From Bandar Abbas it will reach via ship to India at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).
International NorthâSouth Transport Corridor (INSTC)
- The INSTC is a 7,200 km-long multimodal transportation network encompassing sea, road, and rail routes to offer the shortest route of connectivity.
- It was established on 12th September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States.
- It links the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea via the Persian Gulf onwards into Russia and Northern Europe.
- It will move freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
Significance of INSTC
- Trade facilitation: INSTC is aimed at reducing the carriage cost between India and Russia by about 30 per cent and bringing down the transit time by more than half.
- New corridor in making: It has the potential to transform the economies of countries along the corridor into specialized manufacturing, logistics, and transit hubs by facilitating access to newer markets.
- Multimodal transit: The recent Suez Canal blockade, which cost the global economy hefty damage amounting to US$9 billion, has amplified the optimistic outlook towards the INSTC as a cheaper and faster alternative multimodal transit corridor.
Benefits offered to India
- Export promotion: The INSTC connects India with Central Asia, and Russia, and has the potential to expand up to the Baltic, Nordic, and Arctic regions, increasing the scope of trade multifold.
- Ease of trade: For India, it provides a shorter trade route with Iran, Russia, and beyond to Europe, creating scope for increased economic engagement.
- Alternative Route to Central Asia: It opens up a permanent alternative route for India to trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, given the hurdles in the direct route through Pakistan.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), AMSAR Act
Mains level: Not Much
Union Culture Minister said the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was working on an amendment to make the law that provides for the preservation of monuments and archaeological sites âmore flexible and people-friendlyâ.
What is the news?
- The ASI is working to amend Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act 1958.
- It particularly seeks to change the current 100-metre prohibited area around protected monuments to site-specific limits.
What is the AMASR Act?
- The AMASR Act provides for the preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
- It also provides for the regulation of archaeological excavations and for the protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.
- The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) functions under the provisions of this act.
- The rules stipulate that area in the vicinity of the monument, within 100 metres is prohibited area.
- The area within 200 meters of the monument is regulated category. Any repair or modifications of buildings in this area requires prior permission.
About Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
- The ASI is an attached office of the Ministry of Culture.
- It was founded in 1861 by Alexander Cunningham who also became its first Director-General.
- Under the provisions of the AMASR Act of 1958, the ASI administers more than 3650 ancient monuments, archaeological sites and remains of national importance.
- These can include everything from temples, mosques, churches, tombs, and cemeteries to palaces, forts, step-wells, and rock-cut caves.
- The Survey also maintains ancient mounds and other similar sites which represent the remains of ancient habitation.
- The ASI is headed by a Director-General who is assisted by an Additional Director General, two Joint Directors General, and 17 Directors.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Agnipath Scheme
Mains level: Not Much
Defence Minister announced the âAgnipathâ scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces for four years.
Agnipath Scheme
- This will be the only form of recruitment of soldiers into the three defence services from now.
- The scheme aims at strengthening national security and for providing an opportunity to the youth to serve in the armed forces.
- Recruits under the scheme will be known as âAgniveersâ.
- After completing the four-year service, they can apply for regular employment in the armed forces.
- They may be given priority over others for various jobs in other government departments.
- The move is expected to decrease the average age profile of armed forces personnel from the current 32 to 24-26 years over a period of time.
Working of the scheme
- The process of recruitment will commence in 90 days with a planned intake of 46,000 young men and women this year.
- Enrolment to all three services will be through a centralized online system, with special rallies and campus interviews at recognized technical institutes.
- Recruitment will be carried out on an âAll India All Classâ basis with the eligibility age ranging from 17.5 to 21, with medical and physical fitness standards in accordance with existing norms.
Payouts of the Agniveers
- The âAgniveersâ will receive an annual package of âš4.76 lakh in the first year to âš6.92 lakh in the fourth year, apart from risk and hardship and other allowances as applicable.
- Under the âSeva Nidhiâ package, they will receive about âš11.71 lakh, including contribution and interest, on completion of service.
- The recruits will have to contribute 30% of their monthly emoluments to Seva Nidhi, with a matching contribution made by the government.
- There will be no entitlement to gratuity and pension benefits under the scheme.
- However, the âAgniveersâ will be provided a non-contributory life insurance cover of âš48 lakh during their service.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: BIMSTEC TTF
Mains level: BIMSTEC
The Union Cabinet chaired by the PM has approved a Memorandum of Association (MoA) by India for the establishment of the BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF).
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 â Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand â 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.
What is BIMSTEC TTF?
- The agreement was signed by the BIMSTEC member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC Summit held at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 30th March, 2022.
- The main objectives of the BIMSTEC TTF are to coordinate, facilitate and strengthen cooperation in technology transfer among the BIMSTEC Member States.
- It aims to promote the transfer of technologies, sharing of experiences and capacity building.
- The TTF shall have a Governing Board and the overall control of activities of the TTF shall be vested in the Governing Board.
- The Governing Board shall consist of one nominee from each Member State.
Expected outcomes
The expected outcomes of the BIMSTEC TTF are:
- Databank of technologies available in BIMSTEC Countries,
- Repository of information on good practices in the areas of technology transfer management, standards, accreditation, metrology, testing and calibration facilities,
- Capacity building, sharing of experiences and good practices in development, and
- Transfer and use of technologies among BIMSTEC countries.
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From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Nanhi Pari Programme
Mains level: Not Much
The âNanhi Pariâ programme was recently launched by the Northwest Delhi district administration.
Nanhi Pari Programme
- Nanhi Pari programme aims to provide a one-stop solution to parents, eliminating their need to visit various offices to obtain documents.
- Under the programme, essential services such as the provision of a birth certificate, Aadhaar card registration and opening a bank account for girls are completed and delivered in government hospitals in the district before the mother and baby are discharged.
- The programme will help in getting registration of baby girls and mothers under various schemes such as the Sukanya Samriddhi Account scheme, the Ladli scheme and Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana at the hospital itself.
Significance of the Programme
- The programme makes the processes for schemes as simple as possible for all children and mothers.
- Parents would not have to go from here to there, trying to avail themselves of the essential schemes.
- Apart from ensuring that schemes reach target beneficiaries and protecting the interests of girl children, the programme also aims to promote institutional deliveries.
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Context
A virtual meeting of BRICS+ foreign ministers was held on May 20 in which the ministers of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) were joined by representatives from Argentina, Egypt, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Thailand.
About BRICS
- BRICS is an acronym for the grouping of the worldâs leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
- The BRICS Leadersâ Summit is convened annually.
- It does not exist in form of organization, but it is an annual summit between the supreme leaders of five nations.
- The grouping was formalized during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the margins of the UNGA in New York in September 2006.
- The first BRIC Summit took place in 2009 in the Russian Federation and focused on issues such as reform of the global financial architecture.
- South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS.
- South Africa subsequently attended the Third BRICS Summit in Sanya, China, in March 2011.
- The Chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.
What are the factors leading to the expansion of BRICS?
- Ukraine war and hardened Western positions: The disruption in the international order, heightened by Russiaâs invasion of Ukraine and the hardening of Western positions, are leading to the making of competitive plurilateral fora.
- Russia and China have decided that this is an opportune time to expand BRICS and challenge the domain of the G7 by including members from the G20.Â
- China is challenging Western influence over countries and wants to use BRICS to that end.
- China is taking the lead and setting the agenda for BRICS expansion.
- The New Development Bank associated with BRICS, expanded membership in 2021, admitting Bangladesh, the UAE, Uruguay and Egypt
- Â This shows the Chinese determination for an expansion process on its watch.
Criteria and the process of inducting new members into BRICS and challenges
- Prioritise G20 members: The first likely criteria will be to prioritise G20 members.
- Among the recent guests of the BRICS+ virtual meeting, Argentina, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia would qualify for this category.
- From among Mexico, Indonesia, Korea, Turkey and Australia (MIKTA), only Indonesia was invited.
- Thus, China, backed by Russia, is creating cleavages to choose its friends from among the G20 and beyond
- Emerging economy: Another criteria which could come up would be an emerging economy status and adherence to BRICS objectives.
- The push for setting criteria is actually a battle to choose partners who are more amenable to the individual members of the current BRICs.
- Russia and China would prefer to have Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Argentina excluding Egypt since it is a close ally of the US.
- Brazil would have a say on including Argentina â the two countries have a longstanding rivalry in Latin America.
- If Argentina is excluded, it may unravel the G20 membership criteria for inclusion in the BRICS.
- South Africa has views on Nigeria and, particularly, Egypt. Being a member of G20 gives it leadership in Africa.
- Being in the BRICS gave it heft as the African representative.
- If Nigeria and Egypt are admitted, South Africa would no more be the African representative in the BRICS.
- New Development Bank membership: The UAE and Egypt could utilise their membership of NDB as a qualifier.
- There could be an easier consensus on Indonesia because India is unlikely to oppose it as its relationship has been improving politically, even if not economically.
- On Kazakhstan, the decision would be that of Russia and China and how they deal with the other Central Asian countries.
- China may also back Iran and Malaysia but then Indonesia may feel a loss of uniqueness.
- A consensus with Brazil and South Africa for members from their regions will be critical.
Way forward for India
- Membership of the UAE and Saudi Arabia: The UAE and Saudi Arabia are two countries with whom India has rapidly enhanced its engagement and are good contributors to development.
- Having them in the BRICS could be of advantage to India.
- Both countries have a longstanding relationship with the US, but seek to diversify and would not be averse to joining BRICS.
- Avoid BRICS expansion on Chinese terms: China, backed by Russia, is hastening the process of expansion of BRICS as part of its strategic challenge to the international order and to collect middle powers around them.
- India needs to ensure that expansion is not on Chinese terms and that the countries admitted are equally receptive to India.
- Bilateral engagement with them should see this perception built up.
- Consultations on criteria and members must be strong.
- Leverage ISBA: IBSA may act as a phalanx within BRICS to prevent China from running away with the expansion agenda over the views of other members.
Conclusion
Since Russia is simply with Chinese priorities, itâs time for the IBSA trilateral of democracies within BRICS to assert itself.
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Back2Basics: What is the fundamental difference between ISBA, BRICS and BASIC?
- IBSA is between three democracies â India, Brazil and South Africa wanting to engage in deeper economic aspects and discuss security related issues.
- Â BASIC includes Brazil, South Africa, India and China.
- These three expressions of multilateralism steer clear from articulating the softer aspects of foreign policy like refugee rights or human rights invoking the âsovereigntyâ clause with domestic political sanctity paramount.
- BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
- Russia is a democracy with its political spectrum anchoring around an individual.
- China is a socialist country, successful by implementing economic reforms that do not agree with the basic tenets of socialism/communism.
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Note4Students
From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Paper 2- Lessons from Ukraine crisis
Context
The Russia-Ukraine conflict, now more than three months old, will cause major, long-term shifts in the global energy and commodity trade.
Factors responsible for high prices
- Ukraine war: Western sanctions on Russia and efforts of European nations to diversify their energy supplies are already causing market distortions and high prices.
- Crude oil prices are at their highest level since 2014; the price of LNG is at its highest ever, fertiliser and food are up and markets for several other commodities such as nickel have been disrupted.
- Expensive commodities are already causing distress in Indiaâs neighbourhood, for example, in Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
- Insufficient investment: Insufficient investment in oil and gas production in preceding years resulted in high prices, and shortages were being felt.
- A number of European investors, such as Norwayâs sovereign wealth fund, announced they would no longer invest in traditional fuels â oil, gas, coal.
- Natural gas is used as a feedstock for fertiliser.
- An energy shock is then inevitably followed by a food price shock.
Future trends
1] Strained EU-Russia relations will distort prices
- In the immediate term, the EU is trying to source its raw materials â most critically oil and natural gas, but also fertiliser, agricultural goods and metals â from non-Russian sources.
- This will cause distortions and price spikes for those commodities in the global market, as can already be seen in the natural gas market, up 300 per cent in the last year.
2] Sanctions are unlikely to achieve the desired political outcome
- The US and its allies are quick to impose sanctions â and these are rarely withdrawn, if ever.
- Iran has been under US sanctions since 1979, and the same with Venezuela for over a decade.
- In both cases, sanctions have failed to achieve the desired political outcome.
- As Russia is much better placed than either of those two countries to weather sanctions, the restrictions are likely to remain for a long while.
3] Emerging world unwilling to align with West on sanctions
- The high price of energy and the resulting inflation shows why much of the emerging world is unwilling and unable to align with the West on the current sanctions.
- Russia is 11 per cent of the global landmass and among the worldâs top five producers and exporters of oil, gas, fertiliser and other critical commodities like nickel.
- It is too big to be replaced as a supplier.
- In emerging economies, it can fan public anger and political unrest, as was seen in Tunisia and other Arab countries from 2010 on.
4] Larger emerging economies will disregard sanction
- Larger emerging economies such as China, India and Brazil will disregard sanctions on their key economic interests, particularly food, fertilisers and energy.
- Specifically for India, its dependence on these essentials is unlikely to reduce meaningfully over the next 15-20 years.
Way forward for India
- Collaborate with other economies: In the immediate future, the India should collaborate with other similar economies to ensure that Russia doesnât get locked out of global commodity markets.
- Work on insulating the supply chains: For the long term, it must work on insulating its supply chains from global political crises.
Conclusion
India needs to brace for the price shock emanating from the distortion caused by the shift in the energy policies of Europe. At the same time, India needs to collaborate with other similar economies to ensure that Russia doesnât get locked out of global commodity markets.
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