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April 13, 2021
India and the great power triangle of Russia, China and US
Relations between Russia, China and the US have not always been the same. The changes in triangular dynamic offers lessons for India. The article deals with this issue.

India’s changing relations with great powers
- The recent visit of Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to Delhi and Islamabad is among multiple signs of India’s changing relations with the great powers.
- At the same time, Delhi’s growing strategic partnerships with the US and Europe have begun to end India’s prolonged alienation from the West.
- Also, New Delhi’s own relative weight in the international system continues to increase and give greater breadth and depth to India’s foreign policy.
Shifts in triangular relations between Russia, China and America

1) Russia-China relations
- The leaders of Russia and China — Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong — signed a formal treaty of alliance in 1950.
- Russia invested massively in the economic modernisation of China, and also gave it the technology to become a nuclear weapon power.
- However, by the 1960s, their relations soured and two were arguing about ideology and a lot else.
- The Sino-Soviet split had consequences way beyond their bilateral relations.
- None of them more important than the efforts by both Moscow and Beijing to woo Washington.
- The break-up between Russia and China also opened space for Delhi against Beijing after the 1962 war in the Himalayas.
- Under intense American pressure on Russia in the 1980s, Moscow sought to normalise ties with Beijing.
- Stepping back to the 1960s and 1970s, China strongly objected to Delhi’s partnership with Moscow.
2) Russia-US relations
- Russia, which today resents India’s growing strategic warmth with the US, has its own long history of collaboration with Washington.
- Moscow and Washington laid the foundations for nuclear arms control and sought to develop a new framework for shared global leadership.
- But Delhi was especially concerned about the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty system, with all its constraints on India’s atomic options, that Moscow and Washington constructed in the late 1960s.
3) US-China relations
- Despite fighting Korean War with the US in the early 1950s, China normalised relations with the U.S. in 1971 to counter the perceived threat from Russia.
- Deng Xiaoping, refused to extend the 1950 security treaty with Russia that expired in 1980.
- China turned instead, towards building a solid economic partnership with the US and the West that helped accelerate China’s rise as a great power.
Lessons for India
- The twists and turns in the triangular dynamic between America, Russia and China noted above should remind us that Moscow and Beijing are not going to be “best friends forever”.
- India has no reason to rule out important changes in the way the US, Russia and China relate to each other in the near and medium-term.
- In the last few years, India has finally overcome its historic hesitations in partnering with the US.
- India has also intensified its efforts to engage European powers, especially France.
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India later this month promises a fresh start in India’s difficult postcolonial ties with Britain.
- India is also expanding its ties with Asian middle powers like Japan, Korea and Australia.
- Despite the current differences over Afghanistan and the Indo-Pacific, India and Russia have no reason to throw away their mutually beneficial bilateral partnership.
- The current troubles with China seem to be an unfortunate exception to the upswing in India’s bilateral ties with global actors.
Consider the question “What are the lessons India can draw from the twists and turns in the triangular dynamic between America, Russia and China.”

Conclusion

India has successfully managed the past flux in the great power politics; it is even better positioned today to deal with potential changes among the great powers.
April 13, 2021
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April 13, 2021
Shaphari Scheme
Commerce Ministry wants to build confidence in quality, antibiotic-free shrimp products from India for the global market.

Shaphari Scheme
- The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called ‘Shaphari’, a Sanksrit word that means the superior quality of fishery products suitable for human consumption.
- The Shaphari scheme is based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical guidelines on aquaculture certification.
- It will have two components — certifying hatcheries for the quality of their seeds and, separately, approving shrimp farms that adopt the requisite good practices.
- The certification of hatcheries will help farmers easily identify good quality seed producers.
- Those who successfully clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted a certificate for a period of two years.
- The entire certification process will be online to minimize human errors and ensure higher credibility and transparency.
Bolstering confidence in India’s Shrimp production
- To bolster confidence in India’s frozen shrimp produce, the country’s biggest seafood export item, the Centre has kicked off a new scheme called ‘Shaphari’ to certify hatcheries and farms that adopt good aquaculture practices.
- Frozen shrimp is India’s largest exported seafood item.
- But a combination of factors had hurt export volumes in recent months, including container shortages and incidents of seafood consignments being rejected because of food safety concerns.
- Some recent consignments sourced from Indian shrimp farms being rejected due to the presence of antibiotic residue and this is a matter of concern for exporters.
- The National Residue Control Programme for food safety issues in farm produce and pre-harvest testing system is already in place.
- But this certification was proposed as a market-based tool for hatcheries to adopt good aquaculture practices and help produce quality antibiotic-free shrimp products to assure global consumers.
Frozen shrimp export potential
- Frozen shrimp is India’s largest exported seafood item. It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total U.S. dollar earnings from the sector during 2019-20.
- India exported frozen shrimp worth almost $5 billion in 2019-20, with the U.S. and China its the biggest buyers.
- Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India’s major shrimp producing States, and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.
April 13, 2021
Explaining Pakistan’s flip-flop on trade with India
The article highlights the key takeaways from Pakistan’s vacillations on resuming the trade ties even in the face of impending economic crisis.

U-turn on resuming trade
- On March 31, Pakistan announced the decision to import cotton, yarn, and sugar from India.
- However, it took a U-turn on that announcement about resuming trade ties.
- This highlights the internal differences and the emphasis on politics over economy and trade.
- It also signifies Pakistan cabinet’s grandstanding, linking the normalisation of ties with India to Jammu and Kashmir.
3 takeaways from the decision

1) Immediate economic needs
- Pakistan’s decision was to import only three items from India, namely cotton, yarn and sugar.
- It was based on Pakistan’s immediate economic needs and not designed as a political confidence-building measure to normalise relations with India.
- For the textile and sugar industries in Pakistan, importing from India is imperative, practical and is the most economic.
- This is because cotton and sugarcane production declined there by 6.9% and 0.4%, respectively.
- By early 2019, the sugar prices started increasing, and in 2020, there was a crisis due to shortage and cost.
- Importing sugar from India would be cheaper for the consumer market in Pakistan.
2) Politics first
- The second takeaway is the supremacy of politics over trade and economy, even if the latter is beneficial to the importing country.
- The interests of its own business community and its export potential have become secondary.
- However, Pakistan need not be singled out; this is a curse in South Asia, where politics play supreme over trade and economy.
- The meagre percentage of intra-South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) trade and the failure of SAARC engaging in bilateral or regional trade would underline the above.
3) Emphasis on Jammu and Kashmir issue
- The third takeaway is the emphasis on Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan to make any meaningful start in bilateral relations.
- This goes against what it has been telling the rest of the world that India should begin a dialogue with Pakistan.
- There were also reports that Pakistan agreeing to re-establish the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) was a part of this new strategy.
Consider the question: “Trade is unlikely to triumph over politics in South Asia; especially in India-Pakistan relations. This is a curse in South Asia, where politics play supreme over trade and economy.” Critically Examine.

Conclusion

Pakistan has been saying that the onus is on India to normalise the process. Perhaps, it is India’s turn to tell Islamabad that it is willing, but without any preconditions, and start with trade.
April 12, 2021
Why the Indo-Pacific has assumed significance for Europe after the pandemic
The article highlights Asia’s growing significance in the wake of the pandemic. This is underscored by Europe’s meaningful engagement with Asia which is based on an understanding of the region’s geopolitical and economic significance.

Asia’s rise
- The pandemic has upended many certainties. But it has reinforced one major trend in global politics: The rise of Asia.
- The region’s rise has created three Asias.
- First, there is the familiar Asia of business — open, dynamic, interconnected.
- Second, an Asia of geopolitics, with ever-starker nationalisms, territorial conflicts, arms races and Sino-American rivalry.
- Lastly, we have an Asia of global challenges.
- These three Asias are also marked by 3 dynamics:
- 1) Geopolitical rivalries that threaten free trade.
- 2) The fight against the pandemic is mutating into a systemic competition between democracy and authoritarianism.
- 3) And frenzied economic growth is fuelling climate change.
European strategy for Indo-Pacific
- Germany together with France and the Netherlands, have commenced work on a European strategy for the Indo-Pacific.
- The strategy seeks cooperation with all countries of the region: For open economies and free trade; for the fight against pandemics and climate change; and for an inclusive, rules-based order.
- Such a European strategy for the Indo-Pacific must take all three Asias into account.
- Europe is a key trading, technology and investment partner for many countries of the region.
- The EU recently concluded groundbreaking free trade agreements with Japan, Singapore and Vietnam that set environmental and social standards.
- In late 2020, the countries of East and Southeast Asia signed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, encompassing one-third of the global economy.
- It is time for the EU to swiftly conclude the ongoing negotiations on trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand – and to move forward with negotiations with Indonesia and India.
Reducing dependencies
- Following the above policies, Europe will also reduce dependency and following the principle of diversification.
- Together with its Indo-Pacific partners, Europe can set standards for new technologies, human-centred digitisation and sustainable connectivity.
- In this endeavour, Europe can draw on its innovative and economic strength as well as its regulatory power.
- At the EU-India Summit in May, the launch of a connectivity partnership with India will further connect India’s and Europe’s digital economies.
Rising tensions and rules-based Indo-Pacific
- Meanwhile, tensions are rising in the Asia of geopolitics.
- New cold wars or even hot conflicts in the Indo-Pacific would be an economic and political nightmare.
- Europe must, therefore, take a firmer stand against polarisation and more strongly advocate an inclusive, rules-based Indo-Pacific.
- The strategic partnership concluded between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) last December connects us with like-minded middle powers.
Asia of geopolitical challenges
- Containing geopolitical rivalries in Asia is also a precondition for shaping the future with the Asia of global challenges.
- As the biggest emitters of CO2, the US, China, India and the EU will only win the fight against climate change together.
- The Leaders Summit on Climate that will be hosted by the US next week sets the stage for cooperation.
- Europe and the countries of the Indo-Pacific need each other also in the fight against the virus.
- The EU is by far the biggest supporter of the international vaccine platform COVAX, and India as a leading producer of vaccines is the most important COVAX supplier.
- We will all benefit from this as, without the worldwide vaccination rollout, mutations will keep on setting us back in the fight against the pandemic.
- Europe will continue to stand up for human rights and democracy in the Indo-Pacific.
- This was demonstrated with sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations in Xinjiang — and also against Myanmar’s generals.
Conclusion

Europe is ready for a new partnership — a partnership founded on seeking dialogue with the open Asia of business, taming geopolitical rivalry in Asia together and coming up with responses to the world of tomorrow with the Asia of global challenges. This must be the objective of European policy — for and with the Indo-Pacific
April 12, 2021
7th Fleet’s patrol in India’s EEZ was an act of impropriety
The explains the implications of a recent incident in which the US 7th fleet asserted navigation freedom and rights inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Freedom of navigation operation in India’s EEZ
- The US 7th fleet recently declared that on 7th April, 2021 USS John Paul Jones asserted navigational rights and freedom inside India’s EEZ, without requesting India’s prior consent.
- The statement also said that “India requires prior consent for military exercises or manoeuvres in its EEZ, a claim inconsistent with international law.
Which international law the statement referred to
- The “international law” being cited by Commander 7th Fleet is a UN Convention which resulted from the third UN Conference on Law of the Seas (UNCLOS 1982).
- India has ratified the Convention, which came into force in 1994.
- However, amongst the 168 nations who have either acceded to or ratified UNCLOS 1982, the US is conspicuous by its absence.
Background of the UNCLOS
- In 1945, the US unilaterally declared its jurisdiction over all natural resources on that nation’s continental shelf.
- Taking cue from the US, some states extended their sovereign rights to 200 miles, while others declared territorial limits as they pleased.
- To bring order to a confusing situation, conferences for codifying laws of the seas were convened by the UN.
- After negotiations, an agreement was obtained on a set of laws that formalised the following maritime zones:
- (a) A 12-mile limit on territorial sea;
- (b) A 24-mile contiguous zone.
- (c) Amnewly conceived “exclusive economic zone” (EEZ) extending up to 200 miles within which the state would have sole rights over natural resources.
- The EEZ was said to be unique in that it was neither high seas nor territorial waters.
Issues with the UNCLOS 1982
- The signatories UNCLOS 1982 have chosen to remain silent on controversial issues with military or security implications and mandated no process for resolution of ambiguities.
- Resort to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea or a Court of Arbitration are amongst the options available.
- However, many states have expressed a preference for “negotiating in good faith”.
- The time has, perhaps, come for signatories of UNCLOS 1982 to convene another conference to review laws and resolve issues of contention.
Why US refused to ratify UNCLOS
- It was accepted that the seabed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction was not subject to national sovereignty but would be “the common heritage of mankind” .
- This seems to have been at the root of the US opposition to UNCLOS.
- It was felt in the US that this concept favoured the under-developed countries thereby denying America the fruits of its technological superiority.
- The US Senate, therefore, refused to ratify UNCLOS.
- Amongst the areas of major contention or sharp divergence in the interpretation of rules are:
- 1) Applicability of the EEZ concept to rocks and islets.
- 2) The right of innocent passage for foreign warships through territorial seas.
- 3) Conduct of naval activities in the EEZ and the pursuit of marine scientific research in territorial waters and EEZ.
Containing China
- China has insulated itself against US intervention, through the progressive development of its “anti-access, area-denial” or A2AD capability.
- China has accelerated its campaign to achieve control of the South China Sea (SCS).
- In 2013, China commenced on an intense campaign to build artificial islands in the SCS on top of reefs in the Spratly and Paracel groups.
- In 2016, China disdainfully rejected the verdict of the UN Court of Arbitration in its dispute with the Philippines.
- So far, none of the US initiatives including Obama’s abortive US Pivot/Re-balance to Asia, Trump’s Indo-Pacific Strategy and Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, seem to have had the slightest impact on China’s aggressive intent
- Therefore, it seems pointless for the US Navy to frighten the Maldives or friendly India and it needs to focus on China instead.
Consider the question “What are the different types of maritime zones under the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea 1982? What are the flaws in the convention?

Conclusion

In this fraught environment, the ever-expanding, worldwide FONOP campaign needs a careful reappraisal by US policy-makers for effectiveness — lest it alienates friends instead of deterring adversaries.
April 12, 2021
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April 12, 2021
Person in news: Jyotirao Phule (1827 –1890)
The Prime Minister has paid tribute to the great social reformer, thinker, philosopher and writer Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his birth anniversary.

Mahatma Phule
- Jotirao Govindrao Phule was an Indian social activist, thinker, anti-caste social reformer and writer from Maharashtra.
- His work extended to many fields, including the eradication of untouchability and the caste system and for his efforts in educating women and exploited caste people.
- He and his wife, Savitribai Phule, were pioneers of women’s education in India. Phule started his first school for girls in 1848 in Pune at Tatyasaheb Bhide’s residence or Bhidewada.
- He, along with his followers, formed the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to attain equal rights for people from exploited castes.
- People from all religions and castes could become a part of this association which worked for the upliftment of the oppressed classes.
- Phule is regarded as an important figure in the social reform movement in Maharashtra. He was bestowed with an honorific Mahātmā title by Maharashtrian social activist Vithalrao Krishnaji Vandekar in 1888.
His social work

Phule’s social activism included many fields, including the eradication of untouchability and the caste system, education of women and the Dalits, and welfare of downtrodden women.
1. Education
- In 1848, aged 21, Phule visited a girls’ school in Ahmadnagar, run by Christian missionaries.
- He realized that exploited castes and women were at a disadvantage in Indian society, and also that education of these sections was vital to their emancipation
- Phule first taught reading and writing to his wife, Savitribai, and then the couple started the first indigenously run school for girls in Pune.
- The conservative upper caste society of Pune didn’t approve of his work. But many Indians and Europeans helped him generously.
1. Women’s welfare
- Phule watched how untouchables were not permitted to pollute anyone with their shadows and that they had to attach a broom to their backs to wipe the path on which they had travelled.
- He saw young widows shaving their heads, refraining from any sort of joy in their life. He saw how untouchable women had been forced to dance naked.
- He made the decision to educate women by witnessing all these social evils that encouraged inequality.
- He championed widow remarriage and started a home for dominant caste pregnant widows to give birth in a safe and secure place in 1863.
- His orphanage was established in an attempt to reduce the rate of infanticide.
- Along with his longtime friend Sadashiv Ballal Govande and Savitribai, he started an infanticide prevention centre.
- Phule tried to eliminate the stigma of social untouchability surrounding the exploited castes by opening his house and the use of his water-well to the members of the exploited castes.
1. Views on religion and caste
- Phule recast Aryan invasion theory, proposing that the Aryan conquerors of India, were in fact barbaric suppressors of the indigenous people.
- He believed that they had instituted the caste system as a framework for subjugation and social division that ensured the pre-eminence of their Brahmin successors.
- He saw the subsequent Muslim conquests of the Indian subcontinent as more of the same sort of thing, being a repressive alien regime.
- But he considered the British to be relatively enlightened and not supportive of the varnashrama dharma system instigated and then perpetuated by those previous invaders.
- In his book, Gulamgiri, he thanked Christian missionaries and the British colonists for making the exploited castes realise that they are worthy of all human rights.
- His critique of the caste system began with an attack on the Vedas, the most fundamental texts of Hindus. He considered them to be a form of false consciousness.
- He is credited with introducing the Marathi word ‘Dalit’ (broken, crushed) as a descriptor for those people who were outside the traditional varna system.
- He advocated making primary education compulsory in villages. He also asked for special incentives to get more lower-caste people in high schools and colleges.
Satyashodhak Samaj
- On 24 September 1873, Phule formed Satyashodhak Samaj to focus on the rights of depressed groups such as women, the Shudra, and the Dalit.
- Through this the samaj opposed idolatry and denounced the caste system.
- Satyashodhak Samaj campaigned for the spread of rational thinking and rejected the need for priests.
- Phule established Satyashodhak Samaj with the ideals of human well-being, happiness, unity, equality, and easy religious principles and rituals.
- A Pune-based newspaper, Deenbandhu, provided the voice for the views of the Samaj.
- The membership of the samaj included Muslims, Brahmins and government officials. Phule’s own Mali caste provided the leading members and financial supporters for the organization.
Published works
- Tritiya Ratna, 1855
- Manav Mahammand (Muhammad) (Abhang)
- Gulamgiri, 1873
- Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Poostak, April 1889
- Sarvajanic Satya Dharmapustak, 1891
April 12, 2021

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