Lithium has been among the most sought-after mineral during the past few years, largely on the back of its usage in battery manufacturing.
India is at odds with a major import source for the mineral, China.
About Lithium
Lithium is a chemical element with the symbol Li and atomic number 3.
It is a soft, silvery-white alkali metal. Under standard conditions, it is the lightest metal and the lightest solid element.
Like all alkali metals, lithium is highly reactive and flammable and must be stored in mineral oil.
When cut, it exhibits a metallic lustre, but moist air corrodes it quickly to a dull silvery grey, then black tarnish.
Lithium metal is isolated electrolytically from a mixture of lithium chloride and potassium chloride.
It is a crucial building block of the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs), laptops and mobile phones.
Lithium-ion batteries
A lithium-ion battery or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery.
They are commonly used for portable electronics and electric vehicles and are growing in popularity for military and aerospace applications.
A prototype Li-ion battery was developed by Akira Yoshino in 1985, based on earlier research by John Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham, Rachid Yazami and Koichi Mizushima during the 1970s–1980s.
In 2019, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was given to this trio “for the development of lithium-ion batteries”.
Global producers of lithium
Australia and Chile have swapped positions as the world’s leading lithium-producing country over the past decade. In 2019, the world’s Top 5 lithium producers were:
Australia – 52.9% of global production
Chile – 21.5%
China – 9.7%
Argentina – 8.3%
Zimbabwe – 2.1%
The U.S. ranked 7th with 1.2% of the world’s lithium production.
In 2019, the world’s Top 5 lithium reserves by country were:
Chile – 55.5% of the world’s total
Australia – 18.1%
Argentina – 11.0%
China – 6.5%
U.S. – 4.1%
Why is India looking for lithium?
India has been scouting for lithium reserves since the Centre’s push to boost the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the country.
The ₹18,000 crore production-linked incentive scheme for advanced chemistry cell (ACC) battery storage, a flagship incentive scheme for the industry has kicked off.
However, the supply of lithium, which is largely an imported product, has declined.
With India being in a diplomatic tussle with China, the supplies from the neighbouring country have declined and India too is looking for other import avenues.
Why has the supply of lithium declined?
The supply of lithium has not been in line with the surge in demand from electric vehicle makers across the world.
China also is witnessing a mismatch between demand and supply, which has led to a rise in prices.
The Centre told the Delhi High Court that social media platforms must be held accountable for “subjugating and supplanting fundamental rights like the right to freedom of speech and expression, otherwise the same would have dire consequences for any democratic nation”.
What is the news?
The Ministry’s submission came in response to a petition filed by a Twitter user whose account was suspended by the microblogging site for alleged violations of platform guidelines.
The Twitter user said his account was suspended for the reason of “ban evasion” (creating an account when a similar account was earlier banned).
The complainant said Twitter suspended his accounts without giving him an opportunity for a hearing.
Centre’s argument
The Centre said when a Significant Social Media Intermediary (SSMI) such as Twitter takes a decision to suspend the whole or part of a user’s account on its own due to its policy violation, it should afford a reasonable opportunity to the user to defend his side.
The exception, the Centre said, where the SSMIs could take such a decision include certain scenarios such as rape, sexually explicit material or child sexual abuse material, bot activity or malware, terrorism-related content etc.
If an SSMI fails to comply with the above, then it may amount to a violation of IT Rules 2021, the Centre clarified.
No platform or intermediary will be allowed to infringe upon the citizens’ rights, including but not limited to Articles 14, 19 and 21 guaranteed under the Constitution of India under the guise of violation of the platform’s policies unless it constitutes a violation of extant law in force.
Social media platforms must respect the fundamental rights of the citizens and should not take down the account itself or completely suspend the user account in all cases.
Taking down the whole information or the user account should be a last resort.
Only in cases where the majority of the contents/posts/tweets on an account are unlawful, the platform may take the extreme step of taking down the whole information or suspending the whole account.
Conclusion
Hence it can be argued that undue discontinuance of social media accounts of any person is violative of fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is building up its orbital debris tracking capability by deploying new radars and optical telescopes under the Network for Space Objects Tracking and Analysis (NETRA) project.
Project NETRA
The project will give India its own capability in space situational awareness (SSA) like the other space powers — which is used to ‘predict’ threats from debris to Indian satellites.
NETRA’s eventual goal is to capture the GEO, or geostationary orbit, scene at 36,000 km where communication satellites operate.
The initial SSA will first be for low-earth orbits or LEO which have remote-sensing spacecraft.
Under NETRA the ISRO plans to put up many observational facilities: connected radars, telescopes; data processing units and a control centre.
They can, among others, spot, track and catalogue objects as small as 10 cm, up to a range of 3,400 km and equal to a space orbit of around 2,000 km.
The NETRA effort would make India a part of international efforts towards tracking, warning about and mitigating space debris.
What NETRA consists of?
In the plans are a high-precision, long range telescope in Leh and a radar in the North East.
Along with them, we will also use the Multi-Object Tracking Radar (MOTR) that we have put up at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and the telescopes at Ponmudi and Mount Abu to get a broad SSA picture.
NORAD, or the North American Aerospace Defense Command, is an initiative of the U.S. and Canada that shares selective debris data with many countries.
The new SSA centre would consolidate debris tracking activities that are now spread across ISRO centres.
Currently there are 15 functional Indian communication satellites in the geostationary orbit of 36,000 km; 13 remote sensing satellites in LEO of up to 2,000 km; and eight navigation satellites in medium earth orbits.
Why Space debris matters?
Space junk or debris consists of spent rocket stages, dead satellites, fragments of space objects and debris resulting from ASAT.
Hurtling at an average speed of 27,000 kmph in LEO, these objects pose a very real threat as collisions involving even centimetre-sized fragments can be lethal to satellites.
Last year, ISRO monitored 4,382 events in LEO and 3,148 events in the geostationary orbit where space objects closely approached Indian assets.
Fragments from the Fengyun-1C satellite (part of the anti-satellite test (ASAT) by China in 2007) and the Cosmos 2251-Iridium satellite collision in 2009 accounted for the maximum number of these threats.
The observations also covered 84 “close approaches of less than one km” between Starlink satellites and Indian assets.
Enhancing Space situational awareness (SSA)
India, as a responsible space power, should have SSA as a part of a national capability, as in the U.S. This is a vital requirement for protecting our space assets and a force multiplier.
The SSA has a military quotient to it and adds a new ring to the country’s overall security.
It uses satellites, ground and air radars to secure its two countries against attacks from air, space or sea.
With long-range tracking radars, the SSA also provides us the capability of an early warning system against ballistic missiles coming in at a height.
Apart from radars and telescopes, he said India should also think of deploying satellites that track other satellites — as the U.S. and other space powers had done.
Combined with other elements of military intelligence SSA would help us to understand motives behind any suspicious orbit changes of other satellites and to know if they were spying on or harming our spacecraft.
Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of the National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC) to monetize surplus land and building assets of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) and other agencies linked to the Government.
In this article, we will study how effective is this going to be, considering land monetization is a complex process, what potential challenges could NLMC face in the whole process, what roles and responsibilities will this separate agency be entrusted with?
What is NLMC?
The NLMC will be a firm, fully owned by the government, to carry out the monetisation of government and public sector assets in the form of surplus, unused or underused land assets.
It will fall under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance.
It will be set up with an initial authorised share capital of ₹5,000 crore and a paid-up capital of ₹150 crore.
Surplus land and building assets of CPSEs are expected to be transferred to the NLMC, which will then hold, manage and monetise them.
Functions of NLMC
The NLMC will-
Monetize underutilised or unused land parcels of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)
Facilitate the monetisation of assets belonging to PSUs that have ceased operations or are in line for a strategic disinvestment
Actas an advisory body and support other government entities and CPSEs in identifying their surplus non-core assets
Benefits offered
Speeding up disinvestment: The setting of the NLMC will speed up the closure process of the CPSEs and smoothen the strategic disinvestment process.
Productive utilization of stagnant assets: It will also enable productive utilisation of these under-utilised assets by setting in motion private sector investments.
Easing up of finances: It will boost new economic activities such as industrialisation, boosting the local economy by generating employment and generating resources for potential economic and social infrastructure.
Maximum value realization: It will help monetising them in an efficient and professional manner, maximising the scope of value realisation.
What does monetization mean?
When the government monetises its assets, it essentially means that it is transferring the revenue rights of the asset (could be idle land, infrastructure, PSU) to a private player for a specified period of time.
In such a transaction, the government gets in return an:
Upfront payment from the private entity
Regular share of the revenue generated from the asset
Promise of steady investment into the asset, and
Title rights to the monetised asset
Why need monetization?
There are different reasons why the government monetizes its assets.
Revenue shortfall: One of them is to create new sources of revenue.
Pandemic damage control: The economy has already been hit due to the coronavirus pandemic and revenues are essential to fulfil the Modi government’s target of achieving a $5 trillion economy.
Risk management: Monetisation is also done to unlock the potential of unused or underused assets by involving institutional investors or private players.
Capital generation: It is also done to generate resources or capital for future asset creation, such as using the money generated from monetisation to create new infrastructure projects.
Need for NLMC
Professional dealing in negotiations: The firm will hire professionals from the private sector with a merit based approach
Market expertise: Asset monetisation of real estate requires expertise in valuation of property, market research, investment banking, land management, legal diligence and other related skill sets.
Global best practices: NLMC will undertake monetisation as an agency function and is expected to act as a directory of best practices in land monetisation.
How much land is currently available for monetization?
According to the Economic Survey 2021-2022, as of now, CPSEs have put nearly 3,400 acresof land on the table for potential monetisation.
They have referred this land to the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM).
As per the survey, monetisation of non-core assets of PSUs such as MTNL, BSNL, BPCL, B&R, BEML, HMT Ltd, Instrumentation Ltd etc. are at different stages.
Challenges to the NLMC
(a) Volatile market situation
The performance and productivity of the NLMC will also depend on the government’s performance on its disinvestment targets.
For example, the Life Insurance Corporation IPO, which was supposed to raise ₹60,000 crore is now shrouded in uncertainty owing to the Russia-Ukraine crisis making stock markets volatile.
If the IPO does not hit the markets by the end of March, the government would be missing its disinvestment targets by a wide margin.
(b) Issues with the transfer of rights
The process of asset monetisation does not end when the government transfers revenue rights to private players.
Identifying profitable revenue streams for the monetised land assets, ensuring adequate investment by the private player and setting up a dispute-resolution mechanism are also important tasks.
(c) Unattractiveness of PPP Model
Posing as another potential challenge would be the use of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as a monetisation model.
For instance, the results of the Centre’s PPP initiative launched in 2020 for the Railways were not encouraging.
It had invited private parties to run 150 trains of the Indian Railways but when bids were thrown open, nine clusters of trains saw no bidders.
Criticisms of NLMC
It militates philosophy of privatisation: PM has propounded more than once: the business of government is not business. Setting up a CPSE to help sell or shut down the existing CPSEs doesn’t appear quite congruous.
Privatisation process is not new: Dozens of companies have been sold; in many more, minority stakes have been offloaded. So, if the existing process has served so well, why try something new?
Conflict of interest: NLMC may have a turf war with the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) which is tasked with similar functions.
Nature of NLMC: The government organs tend to acquire a life of their own. The National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) is a case in point. It was supposed to be wound up in two years but still getting extensions.
Public land being sold: Publicly owned lands in a democracy are literally owned by the public. They are held in trust on behalf of the public by governments or government agencies.
Sale of crucial assets: Land holdings are one of the government’s most significant tangible assets, whether owned by central ministries, state governments, public sector undertakings or local bodies.
Way forward
There is a need to monetise non-core unused and under-used assets that would help the government generate substantial revenues.
For CPSEs undergoing strategic disinvestment or closure, monetisation of these stagnant surplus land and non-core assets is important to unlock their value.
There is a need to create a comprehensive inventory of public land and synergize the existing Government Land Information System (GLIS).
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In the intro, mention that India’s potential to emerge as a significant exporter of agri-produce remains untapped.
In the body, mention the correlation between spending on agri-R&D and agricultural growth as mentioned in the Economic Survey 2021-22. Also mention other research which shows that agri-R&D yields better return compared to return on subsidies on power and fertilisers. In the suggestions mention more allocation for ARE, involvement of the private sector, incentivising the private sector etc.
Conclude by mentioning that India needs to reorient its approach to agricultural self-reliance with a great focus on R&D.
In the intro, mention the context of the fifth BIMSTEC Summit in Sri Lanka.
In the body, mention how the economic and strategic significance of the Bay of Bengal is growing rapidly with a re-emergence of the idea of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ region. In the next part mention the potential for development economic integration and cooperation in various areas. In the next part mention the need for strong commitment and focus on connectivity challenges.
Conclude by mentioning that India has a key role in accelerating regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework and in making it vibrant, stronger and result-oriented.
In 2021, Mexico and India commemorated 71 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations. This article is written by the Foreign Minister of Mexico, who has been on his official visit to India.
Areas of cooperation between two countries
Mexico and India are members of the G-20, which brings together 20 of the largest economies in the world and whose presidency in 2023 will be assumed by India.
Non-permanent members of the security council: Both countries are non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council this year.
At both forums, India and Mexico will contribute decisively to world peace and security, and will put poverty reduction at the centre of the multilateral debate.
The health sector is another cornerstone of our exchanges.
Mexico will strengthen its cooperation with India as one of the leading global producers of medicines and will also seek joint pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Another key focus area of cooperation will be aerospace.
Although it was started less than a decade ago, this has enormous potential for the Mexican Space Agency and for regional initiatives such as the recently established Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE) of which Mexico is the founder.
In the economic sphere, Mexico’s links with India, the sixth-largest economy in the world and our tenth-largest trading partner, undoubtedly offers a wide range of prospects for Mexico’s productive sectors.
Conclusion
Links between India and Mexico have evolved positively in recent years, demonstrating the complementarities between two ancient countries, rich in history and diversity. In this spirit, we will take a firm step towards a tangible alliance to showcase this evolution, which could result in mutual benefits.
Sri Lanka is gearing up to host the Fifth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit, now in its silver jubilee year. The summit is being held in virtual/hybrid mode and Sri Lanka is the current BIMSTEC chair.
Why BIMSTEC matters for India and the region
The unique ecology of BIMSTEC is witnessing enriched political support and commitment from India.
India has made the Bay of Bengal integral to India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies which can accelerate the process of regional integration.
Significance in economic and strategic space: Finalising the BIMSTEC Charter; BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity; BIMSTEC Convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters; BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF); cooperation between diplomatic academies/training institutions; and a template of Memorandum of Association for the future establishment of BIMSTEC centres/entities present signs of optimism.
BIMSTEC as a centre of Indo-Pacific: With a re-emergence of the idea of the ‘Indo-Pacific’ region, the growing economic, geopolitical and security connections between the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions are creating a shared strategic space.
The Bay of Bengal is evolving as the centre of the Indo-Pacific region again.
The renewed focus has given a new lease of life to the developmental efforts in the region, in particular BIMSTEC.
Way forward for BIMSTEC
1] Political support and strong commitment from all member countries
With a changed narrative and approach, the Bay of Bengal has the potential to become the epicentre of the Indo-Pacific idea — a place where the strategic interests of the major powers of East and South Asia intersect.
Potential of BIMSTEC: There is a greater appreciation of BIMSTEC’s potential due to geographical contiguity, abundant natural and human resources, and rich historical linkages and a cultural heritage for promoting deeper cooperation in the region.
Political support and strong commitment from all member countries are crucial in making BIMSTEC a dynamic and effective regional organisation.
2] Boost connectivity
Connectivity is essential to develop a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Bay of Bengal region.
The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity will provide the necessary boost to connectivity.
Therefore, BIMSTEC needs to address two dimensions of connectivity – one, upgrading and dovetailing national connectivity into a regional road map; and two, development of both hard and soft infrastructures.
3] Enhance cooperation in different areas
There is growing involvement of educational institutions, industries and business chambers through various forums and conclaves which are helping to enhance cooperation in the areas of education, trade and investments, information technology and communication among others.
India has implemented its promise to set up a Centre for Bay of Bengal Studies (CBS) at Nalanda University, Bihar for research on art, culture and other subjects related to the Bay of Bengal.
4] Strengthen the institutional capacity of the BIMSTEC Secretariat
The BIMSTEC Secretariat coordinates, monitors and facilitates the implementation of BIMSTEC activities and programmes. The leaders must agree to strengthen the institutional capacity of the BIMSTEC Secretariat.
Charter for BIMSTEC: Approval of a charter for BIMSTEC during the summit will further augment its visibility and stature in international fora.
Conclusion
The quest for economic growth and the development of the BIMSTEC region can be achieved with single-minded focus and cooperation among the member counties. In this endeavour, India has a key role in accelerating regional cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework and in making it vibrant, stronger and result-oriented.
As UPSC Mains results were announced last week, Sajal sir (Co-Founder of Civilsdaily and Mentor ofSmash Mains 2021 Program) was flooded with calls by delighted aspirants who thanked him for his mentorship. Sajal Sir himself is the topper of GS 2017 Mains paper and mentor of 400 UPSC Toppers.
After a quick check, we found out 41 Smash Mains students are qualified to attend the interview this year. As we are waiting for their interview results, we will not be announcing their names right now. However, we are sharing the testimonials of the qualified aspirants. We wish them all the very best!
As prelims is round the corner, you would have already started your revision. The main purpose of the UPSC prelims exam is to test your conceptual clarity in basic topics and application of current affairs in subject-related questions. Since the questions in prelims aren’t direct or straightforward, they appear to be outside the standard book and NCERTs.
Based on our research, we have come up with nearly 30-35 important subject-wise topics for Prelims 2022. In this article, we will be highlighting only 3 topics per subject. Those aspirants interested to get the complete handbook of Must-Read Static+ Current Affairs Prelims Topics can register for ourFree 1-on-1 Mentorship Session.Along With the Free Consultation+Handbook, aspirants will Get Free Personalised 60 Days Revision Timetable for Prelims 2022.
Polity
Important Supreme Court Judgements.
Revise important judgements passed by the Supreme Court in the year 2021 along with those mentioned in your polity standard books like Keshvananda Bharati case, Uman Rao Case and Minerva Mills Case. While reading up the reasoning behind the judgements, you will gain clarity of the constitutional provisions.
Fundamental Rights from Article 12-35
Every year, a minimum of 2-3 questions mandatorily ask about the basic human rights guaranteed by the constitution, their significance and limitations. Sample these questions from Prelims 2021.
1. Under the Indian constitution concentration of wealth violates
(a) The Right to Equality
(b) The Directive Principles of State Policy
(c) The Right to Freedom
(d) The Concept of Welfare
2. A legislation which confers on the executive or administrative authority an unguided and uncontrolled discretionary power in the matter of the application of law violates which one of the following Articles of the Constitution of India?
(a) Article 14
(b) Article 28
(c) Article 32
(d) Article 44
Non-constitutional Bodies
Questions have been consistently asked about the recent developments in the quasi-judicial, statutory and regulatory bodies set up by the state legislatures. Examples include the National Human Rights Commission, National Green Tribunal and National Law Commission. One must be aware of the corresponding laws around which these bodies were established.
Inflation has been a persistent issue that has affected Indians every year. Everytime, there is news on how the RBI plans to tackle the issue or how foreign crises result in inflation of goods in India. Aspirants are expected to understand types of inflation like demand-pull inflation, cost-push inflation and wholesale price inflation. Remedies for inflation can be found in the current affairs section. One can expect 2-3 questions in prelims from this section. The prelims questions would test the conceptual clarity in fiscal policy and inflation.
Money market
Aspirants are expected to have a general and not specialized knowledge on the financial instruments with high liquidity and short term maturities. The different kinds of credit that exist for different sections of the society needs to be read.
GDP Estimates
Every year one question in prelims is about the GDP estimates of a particular year. While reading this topic, aspirants must note down the department that releases this report, the difference between GDP and GVA and the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).
Aspirants are expected to make micronotes from the standard books they are reading on the role of international institutions in combating environmental pollution through conventions, acts and policies. Examples of such conventions are Stockholm convention, Ramsar Convention, CITES etc.
Biogeochemical cycles
Aspirants need to be familiar with the process of biogeochemical cycle, the types of biogeochemical cycle and the significance of the same. Questions around this are typically direct and straightforward.
Mapping of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and wetlands
Every year, aspirants definitely get 3-5 fact based questions on national parks. Some of these questions could be asked due to a recent development in a particular park. For example, the Chilika Lake wetland was recently in news in January due to migratory birds like the Mongolian Gull staying there. The Chilika Lake is the first wetland of international importance under Ramsar convention. Certain aspects the aspirants must note down are the areas where the particular national park or wetland is spread across, the major attractions, the economic and social significance of the place.
Any report released by an international organisation on the performance of India against other countries under certain parameters must be revised. This includes The Global Hunger Index, World Happiness Report and Human Development Index.
GOI schemes for 2021
Ranging from agriculture, education, MSMEs, vulnerable sections and banking, aspirants need to have awareness on government initiatives in 2021. This will make it easier for them to solve indirect questions as well.
Electric Vehicles: India’s commitment towards electric vehicles and COP26 of Glasgow might be areas where prelims questions would be asked. Aspirants should understand the various measures to develop and promote the EV ecosystem in the country such asFaster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME II) scheme, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) and the recently launched PLI scheme for Auto and Automotive Components for manufacturers of electric vehicles.
Dark Genome
This is a hot topic in DNA research and aspirants must understand why research in this area is essential for treatment of diseases. Questions on genetics can be expected from Prelims this time.
Emerging technologies (5G, AI, Machine learning)
In recent years, a lot of questions have appeared about the latest developments in technology, their discoveries and the latest theories related to them. Few of these technologies are 5G, Quantum Key Distribution technology, hydrogen fuel cell etc. Aspirants must micronotes on these topics from prelims perspective.
Aspirants must practice places in the Indian Map on a regular basis. Particularly, they must focus on himalayan rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra and Yamuna, peninsular rivers like Damodar, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri and Periyar. Not only rivers, but aspirants must know where exactly their tributaries are located. Apart from this, North to South Alignment of Mountains in Eastern ghat and Western Ghat, Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands and Industrial Location and Ports need to be marked.
Climatic Regions in India
Aspirants must learn about the onset and withdrawal of the Indian Monsoon system, tropical cyclones, different climatic zones, factors that cause shifts in climate and intertropical convergence zone.
Continental Shift Theory
Present in the NCERT textbooks, this theory talks about the formation of different continents. Aspirants must keep an eye for one or two questions that might come from this topic in the Geography section.
Want to Know How a Free 1-on-1 Mentorship Looks Like? Watch This Video
In this video, there is first an initial discussion of the test performance, which is then followed by the mentor discussing the questions which the aspirant had got wrong and then he will ask the aspirant, where did he study the topic and to share the notes he made on that topic. The mentor will find out the problem and suggest the correct method of studying the topics. After the session gets over, the aspirant has to study the topics where he couldn’t score high marks in polity. After this, the next day the mentor will conduct another test only on those topics. This way the aspirant gains an understanding on how to approach the whole subject of polity.
Addressing the ministerial of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi–Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), EAM S. Jaishankar urged closer cooperation and connectivity among the members.
What is BIMSTEC?
The BIMSTEC formed in 1997 is an international organisation of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, housing 1.73 billion people and having a combined gross domestic product of $3.8 trillion (2021).
The BIMSTEC member states – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – are among the countries dependent on the Bay of Bengal.
Leadership is rotated in alphabetical order of country names. The permanent secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
A BIMSTEC free trade agreement is under negotiation (c. 2018), also referred to as the mini SAARC.
Objectives of BIMSTEC
There are 14 main sectors of BIMSTEC along technological and economic cooperation among South Asian and Southeast Asian countries along the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
Trade & Investment
Transport & Communication
Energy
Tourism
Technology
Fisheries
Agriculture
Public Health
Poverty Alleviation
Counter-Terrorism & Transnational Crime
Environment & Disaster Management
People-to-People Contact
Cultural Cooperation
Climate Change
About the proposed BIMSTEC FTA Framework
The BIMSTEC FTA has been signed by all member nations to stimulate trade and investment in the parties, and attract outsiders to trade with and invest in the BIMSTEC countries at a higher level.
Subsequently, the “Trade Negotiating Committee” (TNC) was set up, with Thailand as the permanent chair, to negotiate in areas of trade in goods and services, investment, economic co-operation, trade facilitations and technical assistance for LDCs.
Once negotiation on trade in goods is completed, the TNC would then proceed with negotiation on trade in services and investment.
Others
(1) BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping Agreement draft
It was discussed on 1 December 2017 in New Delhi, to facilitate coastal shipping within 20 nautical miles of the coastline in the region to boost trade between the member countries.
Compared to the deep sea shipping, coastal ship require smaller vessels with lesser draft and involve lower costs.
Once the agreement becomes operational after it is ratified, a lot of cargo movement between the member countries can be done through the cost effective, environment friendly and faster coastal shipping routes.
(2) BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity
The BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, finalized under India’s chairmanship of the expert group last year, envisages a seamless multimodal transport system across the region.
This will stimulate intra-regional trade and investment in the region.
It identifies 264 projects requiring an investment of $ 126 billion over a ten year horizon from 2018–2028.
A research, reviewing India’s entrepreneurial policy Startup India, affirmed its positive impact in reducing regional entrepreneurial disparities.
Startup India Initiative
The Startup India campaign was first announced by PM Modi during his speech on 15 August 2015 address from the Red Fort.
The action plan for this initiative is focusing on three areas:
Simplification and Handholding.
Funding Support and Incentives.
Industry-Academia Partnership and Incubation.
An additional area relating to this initiative is to discard restrictive States Government policies within this domain, such as License Raj, Land Permissions, Foreign Investment Proposals, and Environmental Clearances.
It was organized by the Department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPI&IT).
The success of the scheme
Minister for Commerce and Industry has informed the Lok Sabha that the entrepreneurial portal had more than 65,000 startups registered.
Of which, 40 attained the ‘unicorn’ status in the last twelve months, bringing the total as of date to 90.
India now ranks third among global startup eco-systems.
The networking, training and mentoring facilities provided by Startup India alongside entrepreneurship outreach campaigns in tier-2 and tier-3 cities, helped address regional entrepreneurial disparities in India.
Limitations to its success
(1) Heavy concentration in megacities
Entrepreneurship continues to be “highly concentrated” in three megacities, namely, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi NCR.
India’s venture capital industry is also clustered in and around these three cities.
Such concentration can lead to increased economic inequality and hinder emergence of entrepreneurs from industries other than those belonging to the clusters.
(2) Narrow Representation
The Startup India Action Plan document has no mention of the words ‘caste’, ‘tribe’, ‘marginalised’, ‘indigenous’ or ‘social group’.
Additionally, the policy’s reliance on technology does not take into consideration India’s digital divide, especially with respect to urban and rural areas.
(3) Few Women in the industry
There is an under-representation of women and marginalized caste groups in the national startup ecosystem.
Dedicated measures to support Women
10% of the fund in the Fund of Funds operated by Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has been reserved for women-led startups.
Further, all the alternate investment funds where the SIDBI takes equity have been mandated to contribute 20% in business which are women led.
There is a capacity-building program and a dedicated webpage for women on the portal.
Way ahead
There is a need for policies and progressive strategies from governments to encourage startups and provide access and assistance in key areas including tax clarity, incubation, affordability and licensing.
In any case, governments should be well prepared and dedicated to creating a culture of startups to impact the entrepreneurial ecosystem in their cities, countries and citizens.
The population of the greater one-horned or Indian rhinoceros in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve has increased by 200 (from 2413 in 2018) in four years, the latest census of the flagship animal has revealed.
About Indian Rhino
The Indian rhinoceros also called the greater one-horned rhinoceros and great Indian rhinoceros is a rhinoceros native to the Indian subcontinent.
It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and Schedule I animal in the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
It once ranged across the entire northern part of the Indian Subcontinent, along the Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra River basins, from Pakistan to the Indian-Myanmar border.
Poaching for rhinoceros horn became the single most important reason for the decline of the Indian rhino.
Why are Rhinos poached for horns?
Ground rhino horn is used in traditional Chinese medicine to cure a range of ailments, from cancer to hangovers, and also as an aphrodisiac.
In Vietnam, possessing a rhino horn is considered a status symbol.
Due to demand in these countries, poaching pressure on rhinos is ever persistent against which one cannot let the guard down.
Try this PYQ:
Q. Consider the following statements:
Asiatic lion is naturally found in India only.
Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only.
One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A massive fire has broken out in the Sariska Tiger Reserve and Air Force helicopters equipped with water sprays are battling to bring it under control.
Sariska Tiger Reserve
Sariska Tiger Reserve is a tiger reserve in Alwar district, Rajasthan.
It stretches over an area of 881 sq km comprising scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, grasslands, and rocky hills.
This area was a hunting preserve of the Alwar state and was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1958.
It was given the status of a tiger reserve making it a part of India’s Project Tiger in 1978.
It is the first reserve in the world with successfully relocated tigers.
It is a part of the Aravalli Range and the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests eco-region.
Existential threats
It is rich in mineral resources, such as copper.
In spite of the Supreme Court’s 1991 ban on mining in the area, marble mining continues to threaten the environment.
This Spotlight is a part of our Mission Nikaalo Prelims-2022.
You can check the broad timetable of Nikaalo Prelims here
Session Details
Morning 12 PM – Prelims Spotlight Session
Evening 06:30 PM – TIKDAM/MCQs Session
Noon 03:00 PM – CSAT Google Meet Session
Evening 08 PM – Tests on Alternate Days
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30th Mar 2022
Important straits in the news.
A strait is a naturally formed, narrow, typically navigable waterway that connects two larger bodies of water. Most commonly it is a channel of water that lies between two landmasses. Some straits are not navigable, for example, because they are too shallow, or because of an unnavigable reef or archipelago.
Strait of Hormuz
In NEWS – Denmark is leading a six-month joint European mission ‘EMASOH’ in the strait.
It links the Persian Gulf (west) with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea (southeast).
On the north coast lies Iran, and on the south coast the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman.
The strait is 35 to 60 miles (55 to 95 km) wide and separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula.
It contains the islands of Qeshm (Qishm), Hormuz, and Hengām (Henjām) and is of great strategic and economic importance, especially as oil tankers collecting from various ports on the Persian Gulf must pass through the strait.
OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq export most of their crude via the Strait
Qatar, the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, sends almost all of its LNG through the Strait
The UAE and Saudi Arabia have sought to find other routes to bypass the Strait, including building pipelines.
2. Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca connects the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean). Always in the news.
Stretching about 800km, it is the longest straits in the world and facilitates not just shipping and the movement of people in the surrounding communities but is a confluence of trade, cultures, ideas, and knowledge between the East and West.
It runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the west and peninsular (West) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east and has an area of about 25,000 square miles (65,000 square km).
The strait derived its name from the trading port of Melaka (formerly Malacca)—which was of importance in the 16th and 17th centuries—on the Malay coast.
As the link between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, the Strait of Malacca is the shortest sea route between India and China and hence is one of the most heavily travelled shipping channels in the world.
Singapore, one of the world’s most important ports, is situated at the strait’s southern end.
The global shift in economic power from the West to the East coupled with burgeoning trade, investments, and production in areas spanning the Indian and Pacific Ocean regions has given increasing importance to this region.
3. Bab-el-Mandab
AMAN, Multinational Navy exercise of US, China and Russia was held.
The Bab al-Mandab strait is the narrow waterway that separates the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn of Africa.
It links the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
At its narrowest point, the strait is only 29 km wide between Yemen on one side and Djibouti and Eritrea on the other.
It is a key strategic channel for commerce and trade, with an estimated 4 percent of global oil supply passing through it.
4. Palk Strait
It connects the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with Palk Bay in the southwest. Always in news.
The strait is 40 to 85 miles (64 to 137 km) wide, 85 miles long, and less than 330 feet (100 metres) deep.
It receives several rivers, including the Vaigai (India), and it contains many islands on the Sri Lankan side.
The Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project (SSCP) is a 167 km long shipping canal, and envisages the creation of a navigable canal from the Gulf of. Mannar to the Bay of Bengal to facilitate the movement of ships.
The Adam’s Bridge is a series of sand shoals created by sedimentation over a period of time.
All islands are made up of a calcareous framework of dead reef and sand.
In India, the Gulf of Mannar region in Tamil Nadu is one of the four major coral reef areas and the others are Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, Lakhsadweep and Andaman and Nicobar islands.
With its rich biodiversity of over 4,000 species of various flora and fauna, part of this Gulf of Mannar between Rameswaram and Tuticoirin covering 21 islands and the surrounding shallow coastal waters was declared as a Marine National Park in 1986.
5.Sunda Strait
Frequently in the news due to China, India, Pakistan and Indonesia.
It links the Java Sea (Pacific Ocean) with the Indian Ocean (south).
Sunda Strait, Indonesian Selat Sunda, is a channel, 16–70 miles (26–110 km) wide, between the islands of Java (east) and Sumatra.
The Sunda Strait is an important passage connecting the Indian Ocean with eastern Asia.
The strait stretches in a roughly northeast/southwest orientation, with a minimum width of 24 km (15 mi) at its northeastern end between Cape Tua on Sumatra and Cape Pujat on Java.
It is very deep at its western end, but as it narrows to the east it becomes much shallower, with a depth of only 20 m (65 feet) in parts of the eastern end.
It is notoriously difficult to navigate because of this shallowness, very strong tidal currents, sandbanks, and man-made obstructions such as oil platforms off the Java coast.
The strait’s narrowness, shallowness, and lack of accurate charting make it unsuitable for many modern, large ships, most of which use the Strait of Malacca instead.
6.Mozambique Channel
In the news due to Tropical storm Gombe.
It is located between the island nation of Madagascar on the east and Mozambique on the African mainland (west).
About 1,000 miles (1,600 km) long, it varies in width from 250 to 600 miles (400 to 950 km) and reaches a maximum depth of 10,000 feet (3,000 m).
The Comoro Archipelago marks the northern entrance, and the islands of Bassas da India and Europa lie in the south.
An important route for shipping in eastern Africa, it receives all major Madagascar rivers and has the ports of Mahajanga (Majunga) and Toliary (Tuléar) on the same coast.
Along the opposite coast are the mouth of the Zambezi River and the ports of Maputo (formerly Lourenço Marques), Moçambique, and Beira.
The Mozambique Current passes through the strait.
7.Gibraltar Strait
It was in the news due to smuggling boats.
It is a channel connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, lying between southernmost Spain and northwesternmost Africa.
It is 36 miles (58 km) long and narrows to 8 miles (13 km) in width between Point Marroquí (Spain) and Point Cires (Morocco).
It is one of the most significant global sea lanes because it provides a means of seaborne transit for shipping between the Atlantic and Mediterranean, and via the Suez Canal into the Indian Ocean and beyond.
After the English Channel, the Strait is the world’s busiest shipping lane.
8. Bosphorus strait and Dardanelles strait
Bosphorus,also known as the Strait of Istanbul, is a narrow, natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in northwestern Turkey.
The Bosporus connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and, by extension via the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.
It is the world’s narrowest strait used for international navigation.
Dardanelles is a narrow, natural strait and internationally significant waterway in northwestern Turkey that forms part of the continental boundary between Europe and Asia, and separates Asian Turkey from European Turkey.
The Dardanelles connects the Sea of Marmara with the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas, while also allowing passage to the Black Sea by extension via the Bosphorus.
The Dardanelles is 61 kilometres (38 mi) long, and 1.2 to 6 kilometres (0.75 to 3.73 mi) wide, averaging 55 metres (180 ft) deep with a maximum depth of 103 metres (338 ft) at its narrowest point abreast the city of Çanakkale
9. Yucatan Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
Location: Mexico-Cuba
10. Mesina Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Mediterranean Sea
Location: Italy-Sicily
11. Otranto Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies :Adriatic Sea & Ionian Sea
Location: Italy-Albania
12. Cook Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies :South Pacific Ocean
Location: New Zealand (North & South Islands)
13. North Channel
Joining seas/ Water Bodies :Irish Sea & Atlantic Ocean
Location: Ireland-England
14. Hudson strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies : Gulf of Hudson & Atlantic Ocean
Location: Canada
15. Magellan strait
Join: Pacific and South Atlantic Ocean
Location: Chile
16. Makassar Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Java Sea & Celebes Sea
Location: Indonesia
17. Tsugaru Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Japan Sea and Pacific Ocean
Location: Japan (Hokkaido-Honshu Island)
18. Tatar Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Japan Sea & Okhotsk Sea
Location: Russia (East Russia-Sakhalin Islands)
19. Fovex Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: South Pacific Ocean
Location: New Zealand (South Island- Stewart Island)
20. Formosa Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the South China Sea & East China Sea
Location: China-Taiwan
21. Taurus Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies:Arafura Sea & Gulf of Papua
Location: Papua New Guinea — Australia
22. Bass Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Tasman Sea & South Sea
Location: Australia
23. Bering Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: the Bering Sea & Chukchi Sea
Location: Alaska-Russia
24. Bonne-Fasio Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Mediterranean Sea
Location: Corsica — Sardinia
25. Davis Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies : the Baffin Bay & Atlantic Ocean
Location: Greenland-Canada
26. Denmark Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean
Location: Greenland-Iceland
27. Dover strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: The English Channel & North Sea
Location: England-France
28.Florida Strait
Joining seas/ Water Bodies: Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean
