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  • [Burning Issue] Saudi Arabia-Iran Reconciliation

    iran

    Context

    • Two of West Asia’s major powers that have been at odds with each other for decades, Saudi Arabia and Iran, agreed to restore diplomatic relations last week in an agreement brokered by China. It is a major breakthrough if viewed from the angle of implications the agreement could have on the region and global geopolitics.
    • In this context, this edition of the burning issue will elaborate on this agreement and its implications.

    A Timeline of the Saudi-Iran relationship

    • Pre-1979 Phase: Saudi Arabia and Iran compete for regional dominance.
    • Iranian Revolution (1979) brings down the monarchy and turns Iran into a Shia theocratic republic.
    • 1980-1988: Iran-Iraq war sees Saudi Arabia support Iraq.
    • 1990-1991: Saudi Arabia supports Iraq against Iran in the Gulf War.
    • 1996: Iranian-backed Hezbollah bombs Saudi military housing complex in Khobar, killing 19 US soldiers.
    • 2011-2015: Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposing sides in the Syrian civil war.
    • 2015: Saudi Arabia launches military intervention in Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
    • January 2016: Saudi Arabia executes prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, leading to protests in Iran and the burning of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Saudi and several Arab allies cut diplomatic ties with Iran.
    • 2019: Saudi oil facilities are attacked, leading to increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
    • 2021: Both begin direct talks, brokered by China.
    • March 2023: Both nations announce an agreement to restore diplomatic ties, brokered by China.

    Reasons for hostile relations

    • Religious contradictions: Historically, the rivalry between the two countries dates back to the seventh century when the Prophet Muhammad died without a clear successor, leading to a dispute over the leadership of the Muslim community. This dispute ultimately resulted in the split between Sunni Islam (which dominates in Saudi Arabia) and Shia Islam (which dominates in Iran).
    • Geopolitical tensions: The two countries are located in a strategically important region, with both seeking to exert influence and maintain dominance in the Middle East. Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979 posed a challenge to Saudi Arabia’s status as the leading Islamic power in the region, and the two countries have been competing for regional influence ever since.
    • Sectarian tensions: Saudi Arabia and Iran have long had competing visions for the role of Islam in society. Saudi Arabia promotes a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism, while Iran supports Shia Islam and the principle of the “Guardianship of the Jurist,” which asserts that a senior Shia cleric should have political power and authority over all Muslims.
    • Ties with west: The two countries have fundamentally different views on a range of issues, including democracy, human rights, and regional security. Saudi Arabia is a conservative monarchy with close ties to the United States, while Iran is an Islamic republic that has been at odds with the West since the 1979 revolution.
    iran

    What are the terms of the agreement?

    • The details of the agreement are yet to be unveiled but prima facie it seems to be a quid pro quo.
    • Iran has reportedly agreed to prevent further attacks against Saudi Arabia from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen
    • On the other hand, Saudi Arabia has agreed to rein in Iran International, a Farsi news channel critical of the Iranian regime.
    • Foreign Ministers of both countries will meet soon to thrash out the terms of the reconciliation before reopening embassies in each other’s capitals in two months.

    Why did Saudi Arabia reach out to Iran, defying its ally the US?

    • Internal Security: When Saudi oil facilities were attacked in 2019, the US looked away, prompting the Saudis to look for alternative solutions to the Iran problem, such as reaching out to the Iranians.
    • Differences over Palestine: The US was trying to broker a normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel to bring the two pillars of its West Asia policy together against Iran.
    • US negligence of West Asia: The US deprioritized West Asia due to bigger foreign policy challenges, such as the Russian war in Ukraine and China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific.
    • Obsolesce of ties with the US: Relations between Saudi Arabia and the US have been rocky in recent years, as the US is not as dependent on Gulf Arabs as it used to be during the Cold War.
    • Shared opinions over Israel: Saudi Arabia has been hesitant to reconcile with Israel, and its relations with the US have been rocky in recent years.

    What led Iran to accept the deal?

    • Isolation and Domestic pressure: Tehran is aware that getting relief from Western sanctions is not a near-term possibility. Despite the crackdown, protests in Iran refuse to die down.
    • Crumbling economy: Iran’s economy is deteriorating and its currency, the rial, is struggling. A deal with Saudi Arabia, under China’s mediation, could open economic lifelines for Iran
    • China factor: Iran wanted Chinese investments and support for the rial. China allowed Iran to withdraw parts of the $20 billion funds frozen with Chinese banks due to US sanctions.
    • Fouling American efforts: Iran knows that such a deal could complicate American efforts to rally Arab countries and Israel against it. A reconciliation with Saudi is beneficial for Iran, at least in a tactical sense.

    Why is China brokering the deal?

    • Securing its oil supplies: China has an interest in promoting stability in the Middle East region, which is a major source of oil and natural gas for China.
    • Side-lining the US: By brokering a deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran, China can position itself as a mediator and gain goodwill from both sides.
    • Create an alternative axis: China has longstanding relationships with both countries. US since Trump’s departure is distancing itself from the US, whereas China is also getting closer to Russia amid the war.
    • Image building as a leader: While the US is busy rallying the Western world to arm Ukraine to push back Russia and weaken Moscow through sanctions, China is quietly brokering peace in the Global South.
    • Growing role in the Middle East: China could step in and help the two parties reach an agreement because its dramatic economic rise has given it a growing role in the Middle East.
    • Narrow approach of the US for the region: The United States, by contrast to china, has “special relationships” with some countries in the Middle East and no relationship at all with others, most notably Iran. The result is that client states such as Egypt, Israel, or Saudi Arabia take U.S. support for granted and treat its concerns with ill-disguised contempt

    “That’s how a great power maximizes its leverage: You make it clear that you’re willing to work with others if they are willing to work with you, and your ties with others remind them that you have other options, too”

    Key implications for the US

    • Welcomed the move: The public narrative is that the peace deal would help stabilize the region and benefit the global energy market.
    • It is a wake-up call: for the Biden administration and the rest of the United States’ foreign-policy establishment because it exposes the self-imposed handicaps that have long crippled U.S. Middle East policy.
    • China as a force of peace: It also highlights how China is attempting to present itself as a force for peace in the world, a mantle that the United States has largely abandoned in recent years.
    • Hegemony decline in the region: The US would not like to lose its influence in West Asia even when it is deprioritizing the region.
    • Saudi may drift away: the US sees an ally (Saudi Arabia) drifting further away, a rival it wanted to contain (Iran) making new friends, and China spreading and deepening its influence in a region the US has dominated historically.
    • Iran Sanctions going loose: The Iran nuclear deal is practically dead and the US wants Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel and put up a joint front against Iran.
    • The US should change its policy towards the region: The obvious lesson for the Biden administration is to devote more attention to defusing tensions, preventing wars, and ending conflicts, instead of defining foreign-policy success by how many wars it wins, how many terrorists it kills etc. If the United States allows China to establish a reputation for being a reliable peacemaker, as a great power that is willing to live and let live in its relations with others, convincing others to line up with the US will become increasingly difficult.

    Possible Outcomes of the deal

    • Dispute resolution without the US: Besides bolstering China’s diplomatic credentials and possibly lowering the temperature between two well-armed rivals, the agreement gives all three nations involved the chance to show that one can resolve issues without US engagement, something China and Saudi Arabia have been keen to demonstrate.
    • For Iran — still under punishing sanctions for its nuclear program and facing criticism for its crackdown on protesters — the agreement will help it repair ties with more Arab nations. Economically it could benefit both Iran and Saudi Arabia by luring more Chinese investment. And the deal could even help foster peace in Yemen, riven by a civil conflict that has been seen as a proxy war between Tehran and Riyadh.
    • For Saudi Arabia: Yet the agreement also sets up an interesting balancing act for Crown Prince Mohammed, who has helped turn his economy more toward Asia while chaffing at US criticism of his nation’s human rights record. But Saudi Arabia still relies on US firepower for its military, a reality unlikely to change anytime soon. And the deal risks a fragile working relationship the Saudis — tacitly backed by Washington — have built with Israel, which still considers Iran enemy No. 1.
    • For Yemen: The deal renewing diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran had barely been signed on March 10 in Beijing when all eyes turned to Yemen, where the two rival powers have been in indirect confrontation since 2015. The surprise agreement between the two Middle Eastern powers may have its most concrete impact in Yemen, which has been ravaged by a war between its government, supported by a Saudi-led military coalition, and Houthi rebels supported by Iran.
    iran

    Implications for India

    • Beijing’s strategic footprint will grow in the Indian Ocean: The China-backed Saudi Arabia-Iran detente and its expanding strategic levers in Islamic World with ports in Iran, Oman, UAE, Pakistan and Sri Lanka is designed to choke India in its own Indian Ocean backyard with New Delhi facing a possible action from Beijing over its close relations with its QUAD partners, two of which are in the AUKUS alliance, on its northern land frontiers.
    • Iran further moving away from India: There is little doubt that while India has been successful in expanding its relations with all key actors in West Asia, it has ended up with diminished relations with Iran. It is not in its interest to see China entrench itself in a country that is strategically important, quite apart from being one with which we enjoy long-standing civilizational affinities
    • Security of energy: Since Iran and Saudi Arabia produce the majority of the world’s oil, a conflict between them could push up oil prices, which would have a significant impact on India’s energy security. The steady supply of oil to India and the stabilization of global oil prices could both result from normalizing relations between these two nations.
    • Trade: India has significant trading relationships with Saudi Arabia and Iran. India could benefit from new trade and investment opportunities if their relations were normalized.
    • Stability in the region: The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is one of India’s most important economic and strategic interests in the Middle East.
    • Stability in India’s extensive neighbourhood: which includes Iran. For India, any instability in the region could have far-reaching effects. Iran’s ties to Saudi Arabia could help stabilize the region and lessen the likelihood of terrorism and conflict. India contributes significantly to the maintenance of regional peace and stability by maintaining cordial relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran.

    What inferences can be drawn from all these?

    • Strategic realignments in West Asia: It can be inferred that West Asia is currently undergoing significant strategic realignments, with the UAE normalizing relations with Israel and other Arab countries deepening their partnerships.
    • Shifted US focus on Ukraine and Indo-Pacific: The US, which traditionally held significant power in the region, has deprioritized West Asia due to bigger foreign policy challenges such as Russia’s war in Ukraine and China’s rise in the Indo-Pacific.
    • China occupying power vacuum: This de-prioritization has created a power vacuum that has allowed Iran to rise as a challenge, prompting the US to try to bring Israel and the Arab world together against Iran.
    • When the elephants fight, the grass suffers:” In the decades to come, many states will prefer to rally behind whichever major power seems more likely to promote peace, stability, and order. By the same logic, they will tend to distance themselves from whichever major powers they believe are disturbing the peace.

    Conclusion

    • Reduced tension between Saudi Arabia and Iran is a positive development that reduces the risk of a serious clash in a strategic region.
    • This new détente is to be welcomed, therefore, even if Beijing gets some of the credit. The proper U.S. response is not to bemoan the outcome; it is to show that it can do as much or more to create a more peaceful world.
    • However, India must be ready to deal with Beijing translating economic might into diplomatic wins.

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  • Undernutrition: Healthy Human Capital Is The Real Wealth

    “Healthy women and children are pillars of a flourishing society”

    Central Idea

    • Undernutrition is a serious public health issue leading to adverse health consequences and affecting the economy, especially in India. Early stimulation and nutrition interventions in infants and young children lead to improved outcomes in adult life. India ranks poorly on the Human Capital Index and has high levels of stunting, anaemia, and malnutrition. Evidence suggests investing in maternal and early-life nutrition leads to high returns on investment.

    Undernutrition leads to adverse health consequences and affects the economy

    • Child deaths: Undernutrition leads to 3.1 million child deaths annually, which accounts for 45 percent of all child deaths.
    • High levels of stunting In India: India has unacceptably high levels of stunting (35.5 percent), despite marginal improvement over the years.
    • Stunting affects per capita income: Two-thirds of India’s current workforce is stunted, which has enormous economic costs in terms of a decrease in per capita income. The average reduction in per capita income for developing countries is at 7 percent, with a high of 13 percent for India due to the high rates of stunting.
    • Wasting in India: The economic losses incurred by India due to wasting are estimated at more than US $48 billion in terms of lifetime lost productivity.
    • Anaemia: Another compounding factor is anaemia among young women, at 57 percent, which has lasting effects on their future pregnancies and childbirth. The situation further worsens when infants are fed inadequate diets, and there is inadequate sanitation and hygiene.

    Investing in the well-being of women and children is an effective strategy

    • Investing in early childhood: Evidence suggests that every additional dollar invested in quality early childhood programs yields a return of between US$6 and US$17.
    • Better income in future: Early stimulation in infants is known to increase their future earnings by 25 percent. Stunting in childhood leads to impaired brain development, lower cognitive skills and education, leading to lower incomes in the future.
    • For instance: According to estimates, children who are stunted earn 20 percent less as adults than children who are not stunted.

    Increased investment in human capital brings economic growth

    • Human capital is the real wealth: The human capital is the wealth of nations and is dependent on the health, nutrition, skills, and knowledge of people.
    • Effective strategy: Evidence suggests investing in the well-being of women and children as an effective strategy for improved outcomes for children.
    • India’s ranking in Human capital Index: India ranks 116 out of 174 countries as per the Human Capital Index, with a score of 0.49 that indicates a child born in India will be 49 percent productive if provided with complete education and good health.
    • Education: Education to children plays a pivotal role in amassing human capital, improving productivity, and economic development. It has been advocated to target the 1000 days’ period from conception to two years of age for improving birth and nutrition outcomes.

    Coupling nutrition-specific interventions with nutrition-sensitive programs

    • Nutrition-sensitive interventions: Nutrition-sensitive interventions like water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) focus on the underlying determinants as poor sanitation can lead to stunting.
    • Integrated water and sanitation improvement program: Evidence suggests both short term and long-term reductions in diarrhoea episodes (3-50 percent) through an integrated water and sanitation improvement program in rural India. WASH can bring significant gains in tackling childhood undernutrition and are important determinants of stunting.
    • Nutrition of pregnant women and young children: Studies suggest long term benefits on adult human capital and health by improving the nutrition of pregnant women and young children.
    • For instance: The first 1000 days of life is the time for rapid growth and development, and lack of good nutrition can lead to lifelong adverse consequences. This period is a critical window of opportunity as stunting sets in during this period and aggravates by the age of two years.

    Disparities in Undernutrition Prevalence

    • Data (NFHS 5) reveals that India has more stunted children in rural areas as compared to urban areas, possibly due to socio-economic variance.
    • Stunting prevalence varies depending on mother’s education and household income,
    • There is wide variation among regions, with high rates of stunting in states of Meghalaya (46.5 percent) and Bihar (42.9 percent) while states like Sikkim and Puducherry have lowest at 22.3 percent and 20 percent respectively.
    • Notable inter-state and inter-district variation in terms of stunting prevalence.

    Way ahead

    • Investing in healthcare facilities is crucial for enhancing productivity, economic growth, and security in India.
    • Addressing undernutrition is necessary for producing and maintaining a healthy, highly skilled workforce in India.
    • Cost-effective investments in child health, nutrition, and education are necessary for improving public health and achieving economic growth in India.

    Conclusion

    • Healthy human capital is the true wealth of any nation. In India, undernutrition is a significant public health concern that not only affects the well-being of women and children but also has adverse economic implications. Therefore, addressing undernutrition is critical for creating a healthy, skilled workforce, ensuring economic growth and security in India.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is India’s ranking on the Human Capital Index, and how does investing in the well-being of women and children contribute to economic growth?

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  • International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin

    putin

    The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued an arrest warrant for war crimes for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights.

    Charges against Putin

    • The ICC issued the warrants because it believes that Putin bear individual criminal responsibility for the war crime of –
    1. Unlawful deportation of population and
    2. Unlawful transfer of population from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation

    The ICC and its Background

    • The ICC is a standing body created two decades ago to investigate war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity under a 1998 treaty known as the Rome Statute.
    • The court is based in The Hague, a Dutch city that has long been a center for international law and justice.
    • Many democracies joined the ICC, including close American allies such as Britain.
    • However, the United States has kept its distance due to fears that the court may one day seek to prosecute American officials.
    • Russia is also not a member.

    Implications of the Warrants   

    • Human rights groups hailed the warrant as an important step toward ending impunity for Russian war crimes in Ukraine.
    • The likelihood of a trial while Putin remains in power appears slim since the court cannot try defendants in absentia, and Russia has said it will not surrender its own officials.
    • Putin’s isolation in the West deepens, and his movements overseas could be limited.
    • If he travels to a state that is a party to the ICC, that country must arrest him according to its obligations under international law.

    Possibility of Putin Facing Trial

    • The ICC has no power to arrest sitting heads of state or bring them to trial, and instead must rely on other leaders and governments to act as its sheriffs around the world.
    • A suspect who manages to evade capture may never have a hearing to confirm the charges.
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  • PM MITRA Scheme: 7 States to get textile parks

    pm mitra

    The Centre has selected seven states in India to set up new textile parks under the PM MITRA (Mega Investment Textiles Parks) Scheme.

    What is PM MITRA Scheme?

    • The scheme was announced in October 2021, and the parks will be established by 2026-27.
    • MITRA aims to enable the textile industry to become globally competitive, attract large investments, and boost employment generation and exports.
    • It will create world-class infrastructure with plug and play facilities to enable create global champions in exports.
    • It will be launched in addition to the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI).
    • It will give our domestic manufacturers a level-playing field in the international textiles market & pave the way for India to become a global champion of textiles exports across all segments”.

    Its implementation

    • An special purpose vehicle (SPV) owned by Centre and State Government will be set up for each park, which will oversee the implementation of the project.
    • The Ministry of Textiles will provide financial support in the form of Development Capital Support up to ₹500 crore per park to the Park SPV.
    • A Competitive Incentive Support (CIS) up to ₹300 crore per park to the units in PM MITRA Park shall also be provided to incentivize speedy implementation.
    • Convergence with other Government of India schemes shall also be facilitated in order to ensure additional incentives to the Master Developer and investor units.

    Envisaged Benefits

    • The parks will boost the textiles sector in line with 5F (Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign) vision.
    • The Centre envisages an investment of nearly ₹70,000 crore into these parks, with employment generation for about 20 lakh people.
    • The parks will function as centres of opportunity to create an integrated textiles value chain, right from spinning, weaving, processing, dyeing and printing to garment manufacturing, all at a single location.

    Need for such scheme  

    • Textile industry is critical to India’s economy, employing 4.5 crore people and contributing 7% of GDP. Despite its potential, the industry is facing challenges that need to be addressed.
    • The unorganized textile industry in the country increased wastage and logistical costs, impacting the competitiveness of the country’s textile sector.

    Challenges Faced by India’s Textile Industry

    • High input costs due to high taxes and tariffs, inadequate infrastructure, and a lack of skilled labor.
    • Competition from cheaper imports (ex. from Bangladesh) and a growing informal sector.
    • Environmental concerns related to the industry’s high water usage, pollution, and hazardous waste disposal.
    • The pandemic further disrupted supply chains and led to reduced demand.

    Conclusion

    • PM MITRA Parks represent a unique model where the Centre and State Governments will work together to increase investment, promote innovation, create job opportunities and ultimately make India a global hub for textile manufacturing and exports.
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  • Starberry-Sense: A low cost Star Sensor

    star

    Researchers at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) have developed a low-cost star sensor for astronomy and small CubeSat class satellite missions.

    What is Starberry-Sense?

    • Based on commercial/off-the-shelf components, this star sensor costs less than 10% of those available in the market.
    • It is made from a single-board Linux computer called Raspberry Pi, which is widely used among electronics hobby enthusiasts.

    Benefits of Starberry-Sense

    • Starberry-Sense can help small CubeSat class satellite missions find their orientation in space.
    • The instrument can be used for CubeSats and other small satellite missions in the future.
    • The position of stars in the sky is fixed relative to each other and can be used as a stable reference frame to calculate the orientation of a satellite in orbit.

    Successful test

    • The star sensor has successfully undergone the vibration and thermal vacuum test that qualifies it for a space launch and operations.
    • These tests were conducted in-house at the environmental test facility located at the CREST Campus of IIA in Hosakote.

     

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  • 🚨60 days to Pre’23⏰ Join FREE Initiative (Link inside) | Today in Nikaalo Prelims: ISRO AND IMPORTANT MISSIONS | Join Sukanya Ma’am at 7pm

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  • National Champions Model for Infrastructure Development: Pros and Cons

    National

    Central Idea

    • Emerging economies struggle to provide functional and efficient infrastructure. Infrastructure has become a national aspiration good, a mechanism for job creation, and a necessity. The two biggest constraints on infrastructure provision are cost and public good component. This national champion’s model aims to incentivize private sector participation in infrastructure investments, but it also has its own set of challenges and limitations.

    Traditional Financing Approaches and their Limitations

    • The traditional approach to financing infrastructure has relied on tax revenues or government borrowing.
    • However, this creates a vicious trap as poorer economies generate less tax revenue, which limits infrastructure investment, leading to a further spinoff that affects the growth of the economy and keeps the country poor.
    • Increasing public borrowing domestically tends to crowd out private investment, exacerbating the problem.

    National

    The Public-Private Partnership Model and its Problems

    • The Indian government tried to incentivize private sector participation in infrastructure investment by introducing the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in the early 2000s.
    • While the PPP model led to the construction of a lot of infrastructure, it ended in an avalanche of non-performing assets with public sector banks, private sector bankruptcies, accusations of widespread corruption, and a change in government in 2014.

    National

    The National Champions Model and its Innovations

    • The present government has modified the PPP approach by assigning the bulk of infrastructure provisioning for roads, ports, airports, energy, and communications to a few chosen industrial houses.
    • This is the national champions model where the government picks a few large conglomerates to implement its development priorities.
    • This model incentivizes national champions to build projects by providing subsidies to cover the costs.
    • New aspects of the National Champions Model:
    1. National champions need control over existing projects with strong cash flows to incentivize investment in projects with low returns and negative cash flows.
    2. Public association of champions with the government’s national development policy generates a competitive advantage for the champions in getting domestic and foreign contracts.
    3. Access to some cash-rich projects allows national champions to borrow from external credit markets by using these entities as collateral, which lowers the cost of finance of other.

    Benefits of National Champions Model

    • Economic growth: National champions can contribute to economic growth by generating revenue, creating jobs, and investing in research and development.
    • Strategic importance: The model can help ensure that the country has a strong presence in strategically important industries, such as defense or energy, which can be critical to national security.
    • Export competitiveness: National champions can become leaders in their respective markets and compete effectively in global markets, which can increase exports and improve the country’s trade balance.
    • Innovation: National champions can invest heavily in research and development, leading to technological advancements that can benefit the broader economy.
    • Access to capital: National champions may be able to access capital more easily than smaller companies, allowing them to make larger investments and pursue growth opportunities.

    The Problems with the National Champions Model

    • Too big to fail: Market and regulatory treatment of conglomerates as too big to fail. This means that these companies are so large and important to the economy that their failure could cause widespread harm to the financial system and the economy as a whole. This opens the door to market hysteria, delayed discovery of problems, and spillovers of sectoral problems into systemic shocks. The recent troubles of the Adani companies in India highlight the potential risks associated with this approach.
    • Encouraging market concentration that can be bad for efficiency and productivity: Concentrated markets reduce competition and can lead to higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation. When firms have market power, they have less incentive to improve their products or services, reduce costs, or innovate. This can result in lower overall productivity in the economy.
    • The risk of turning the country into an industrial oligarchy: An industrial oligarchy is where a small group of powerful and influential conglomerates control a large portion of the economy. This can have negative consequences for economic growth, social mobility, and political stability. An oligarchy may be resistant to change and less responsive to the needs and aspirations of the broader population.
    • Uneven playing field: The optics of an uneven playing field in terms of market access and selective regulatory forbearance that can become a significant deterrent for foreign investors.

    National

    Conclusion

    • While infrastructure is a necessary condition for growth, it is not a sufficient one. Effective demand is the problem, as seen in the power sector, where the inability of the power distribution companies to recover payments was the issue. India is at an inflection point in its development path, and the national champions model has its pros and cons that needs to be analyzed before its consideration.

    Mains Question

    Q. What is National Champions Model for Infrastructure development in India? Discuss its advantages and disadvantages.

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  • Child Marriage And The Role of Education: Analysis

    Marriage

    Central Idea

    • When the Assam government launched a massive crackdown on child marriage, social activists pointed out that the root of the problem, i.e., limited access to education among women, is not being sufficiently addressed. National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data show that higher education levels could play a greater role than wealth in delaying a woman’s marriage. The data also reflect wide variations between the marital age of rural and urban women, and Dalit and upper-caste women.

    Does education or wealth play a greater role in determining when a woman gets married?

    • Education is significant: Education has a longer history of being significant in delaying a woman’s marriage.
    • For instance: Depending on National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data, education has had a steady influence, while poverty has had an increasing influence over time.
    • Poverty: Poverty is the greatest determinant of early marriage as the poor do not want to wait due to the increasing demand for dowry. Wealthier people are no longer marrying their daughters early.

    What role does marriage play in India?

    Marriage plays a significant role in India as it serves multiple purposes.

    • Most significant institution: It is considered the most significant institution for daughters as it fulfills the family’s responsibility towards them. For sons, the responsibility is to settle them in a job, which will hopefully lead to marriage.
    • Social identity: Marriage is crucial for social identity, and a woman who remains single is an anomaly because almost everyone gets married.
    • Sexual respectability: marriage is essential for sexual respectability as those who wish to have social respect have sexual relationships within marriage.
    • Legitimate children: Marriage provides the option to have children, and having a child without a husband is completely unacceptable in the Indian context.

    Marriage

    What advantages that families see in getting women married earlier instead of educating them further?

    • Dowry: This dowry can be a significant financial burden for families, and getting their daughters married early may be seen as a way to reduce this expense. The more educated a girl, the more the boy has to be educated too and the higher the dowry.
    • Transfer of responsibility: Families feel there is the responsibility of protecting her sexually before marriage. And that responsibility gets transferred to the boy’s family. After marriage, the girl goes to live with her husband’s family, so why spend on her education?
    • Maintenance of caste and community lines: In some cultures, marrying within one’s own caste and community is essential to maintain social status and cultural traditions. Early marriage may be seen as a way to ensure that women are married within their caste and community and preserve cultural practices.

    Marriage

    Women are increasingly getting access to education. Does this result in more empowerment? 

    1. Advantages of Women’s Access to Education:
    • Education provides women with knowledge and skills that lead to greater empowerment and the ability to make informed decisions about their lives.
    • Educated women are more likely to participate in the workforce, earn higher wages, and have better health outcomes.
    • Access to education can challenge traditional gender norms and stereotypes, creating new opportunities for women and girls.
    • Education can increase women’s bargaining power within their families and communities, allowing them to negotiate for better living conditions, higher earnings, and greater autonomy.
    1. Challenges in Women’s Employment
    • The female labor force participation rate is low at 25%, and job losses have been especially harmful to women.
    • Despite increased access to education, there is a high proportion of educated but unemployed women.
    • Women who enter the corporate sector often face hostility or are unable to balance domestic expectations with work demands.
    • The conjugal contract between men and women remains largely unchanged, with women assuming the majority of domestic burdens and men often having power over family decisions.
    1. Impact of Age of Marriage
    • Increasing the age of marriage may not automatically lead to greater empowerment, autonomy, or freedom for women.
    • While delaying marriage may provide women with more opportunities to pursue education and careers, there is still a significant gender gap in employment and earnings.
    • Low and declining employment rates may also result in a greater burden on marriage as a means of economic security.

    Why women in SC/ST/OBC communities get married at  younger age than even those in rural India?

    • Socio-economic factors: Women in SC/ST/OBC communities tend to get married at younger ages than even those in rural areas due to a combination of social and economic factors.
    • Sense of social disadvantage: Families who belong to these groups experience a sense of social disadvantage in the marriage market, but they are also often poor, with lower wealth quintiles being disproportionately populated by SC, ST, and OBCs.
    • Caste and poverty: There is a fair deal of correlation between caste and poverty in these communities, with many lacking decent work and being vulnerable to violence from those higher in the hierarchy.
    • Vulnerability: Girls from these communities are even more vulnerable to such issues, with Dalit girls being particularly susceptible to sexual predators as young upper-caste men feel that they have a right of access.
    • Marriage as protection: Marriage can be seen as a form of protection for girls from these communities, but the issue of early marriage is complex and influenced by a range of factors.

    Marriage

    Conclusion

    • The issue of child marriage in India is complex and deeply rooted in societal norms, poverty, and caste systems. Despite the progress in education and women’s empowerment, there are still challenges. The issue of child marriage requires a comprehensive approach that addresses the underlying societal and economic factors that perpetuate the practice.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the role of education and wealth in determining the age at which women get married in India.

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  • Paramilitary Forces: Addressing Concerns and Demands

    Paramilitary

    Central Idea

    • Last month, India observed the day of remembrance for the Pulwama attack that took place on February 14, 2019, which resulted in the death of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. The lesson learned is that there is an urgent need to address the grievances of paramilitary forces in terms of training, morale, and parity with regular armed forces to ensure the effectiveness of these forces in maintaining internal security.

    Background

    • The Forgotten Dantewada Attack: An earlier attack on April 6, 2010, in which 76 CRPF personnel were killed by left-wing extremists in Dantewada, has faded away from public attention despite being the deadliest attack on security forces in any counter-insurgency or anti-terrorist operations in independent India.
    • The Pulwama attack: The attack on February 14, 2019, claimed the lives of 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), India’s largest paramilitary force. The Pulwama attack resulted in an unprecedented public outcry and evoked emotional responses across all sections of society. It is important to remember this incident to prevent a repeat in the future.

    Paramilitary

    Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)

    • Motto: “Service and Loyalty”
    • Logo: The CRPF logo features a crossed rifle and a light machine gun over a map of India, with a laurel wreath and the words “Central Reserve Police Force” written in both Hindi and English. The crossed rifles and the light machine gun represent the CRPF’s role in maintaining internal security, while the map of India signifies its national duty.
    • Establishment: CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Force of India. It was established in 1939 as the Crown Representative’s Police (CRP) to assist British rulers in managing unrest and law and order issues. After India gained independence in 1947, it became the Central Reserve Police Force.
    • Responsibility: The CRPF is primarily responsible for maintaining internal security, counter-terrorism operations, and assisting the state police in maintaining law and order. It also assists in disaster management and protects vital installations.
    • Personnel and deployment: With more than 300,000 personnel, the CRPF is one of the most significant components of India’s internal security apparatus. It operates in a variety of environments, including urban, jungle, and mountainous terrain. The CRPF has also been deployed in international peacekeeping operations, such as in Haiti, Sudan, and Congo.

    Challenges Faced by Paramilitary Forces

    • Security threats: Paramilitary forces are often deployed in areas where there are security threats such as terrorist attacks, insurgencies, and border conflicts. These threats pose a significant risk to the lives of the personnel, and they have to be constantly vigilant to prevent any untoward incidents.
    • Pay and benefits: The Indian Army personnel receive higher pay, better benefits, and retirement benefits compared to paramilitary forces. The Indian Army also has a well-established pension system, while paramilitary forces have a Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
    • Inadequate infrastructure: These forces often operate in remote areas with inadequate infrastructure, including basic facilities such as food, water, and shelter. This makes it challenging for the personnel to carry out their duties effectively, especially during long deployments.
    • Inadequate training: Proper training is essential for paramilitary personnel to carry out their duties effectively. However, due to budget constraints and a lack of resources, training is often inadequate, which can lead to inefficiencies and mistakes during operations.
    • De-induction of Army: The deinduction of the Indian Army from certain areas has led to the CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) and other paramilitary forces being tasked with carrying out hard duties, leading to overstretched personnel and compromised training.
    • Stress and mental health: The nature of the job is often stressful, and paramilitary personnel are frequently exposed to traumatic situations that can have long-term effects on their mental health. Unfortunately, mental health resources are often limited, and the stigma surrounding mental health issues can prevent personnel from seeking help.
    • Lack of modern equipment: Paramilitary forces require modern equipment and weapons to carry out their duties effectively. However, due to budget constraints and bureaucratic red tape, acquiring such equipment is often delayed, which puts the personnel at risk.

    Paramilitary

    Need for Parity and Better Treatment

    • Armed Forces of the union category: The Delhi High Court order of December 2022 that recognised the paramilitary as a force under the category of ‘Armed Forces of the union’ and underscores the need to address the genuine grievances of the paramilitary personnel.
    • Service facilities: The paramilitary force faces discrimination in matters ranging from pension to service facilities.
    • Old pension scheme: Former personnel and their families have demanded the old pension scheme for serving members of the paramilitary force.
    • Training: The training and morale of paramilitary personnel must be taken care of to maintain optimum performance and effectiveness.

    Paramilitary

    Other key paramilitary and special forces in India

    • National Security Guard (NSG): NSG is a federal contingency force tasked with counter-terrorism and special operations. It was established in 1984 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Border Security Force (BSF): BSF is a border guarding force responsible for guarding India’s land borders during peace time and preventing trans-border crimes. It was established in 1965 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB): SSB is a border guarding force tasked with guarding India’s borders with Nepal and Bhutan. It was established in 1963 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP): ITBP is a specialized mountain force responsible for guarding India’s borders with China. It was established in 1962 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
    • Assam Rifles: Assam Rifles is a paramilitary force responsible for maintaining law and order in the northeast region of India. It was established in 1835 and operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

    Conclusion

    • The observance of Pulwama day should serve as a reminder to avoid a repeat of the tragedy and calls for analysing the lessons learnt and taking corrective measures. It is important to listen to the genuine grievances of the paramilitary personnel to maintain their morale and enhance the security environment of the nation.

    Mains Question

    Q. Discuss the challenges faced by paramilitary forces In India? What needs to be done to maintain their morale and to ensure the effectiveness of these forces in maintaining internal security?

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