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Subject: International Relations

  • India-China Relations

    ChinaContext

    • The National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), scheduled in October, promises to deliver important outcomes, which will impact not just China but affairs of other nations, neighbour and beyond. A look into India-china Relationship as china has always been hostile towards its neighbours.

    Background of Indo-China Relations

    • 1950
      • India and China established diplomatic relations on 1st April 1950.
      • India was the first non-socialist country to establish relations with the People’s Republic of China and the catchphrase ‘Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai’ became famous.
    • 1955
      • Both countries attended the Asian-African Conference in which 29 countries participated in Bandung, Indonesia and jointly advocated the Bandung Spirit of solidarity, friendship and cooperation.
      • It has led to the decolonisation of the whole of Asia and Africa and to the formation of a Non-Aligned Movement as the third Way between the Two Blocs of Superpowers.
      • The First NAM Summit Conference took place in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
    • 1962
      • The border conflict led to a serious setback in bilateral relations.
    • 1976
      • China and India restored ambassadorial relations and bilateral ties improved gradually.
    • 1988
      • Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited China, initiating the process of normalization of bilateral relations.
      • The two sides agreed to look forward and develop bilateral relations actively in other fields while seeking a mutually acceptable solution to boundary questions.

    Areas of Cooperation between India and China

    1.Political Relations between India and China

    • In 1993, Agreement on the Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China Border Areas was signed to bring stability and substance in bilateral ties.
    • In 2008, two countries have also extended their strategic and military relations.
    • MoU was signed to open an additional route for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Nathu La.
    • India and China have also established a High Level Dialogue Mechanism on Counter Terrorism and Security
    • To facilitate exchanges between Indian states and Chinese provinces, States/Provincial Leaders Forum was established

     2.Commercial and Economic Relations between Indo-China

    • China will establish two Industrial Parks in India and expressed their intention to enhance Chinese investment in India
    • India extended e-visa facility to Chinese nationals
    • Trade and Economic Relationship are shaped through various dialogue mechanism
    • Joint Economic Group led by the Commerce Ministers of both sides
    • Strategic Economic Dialogues led by the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog and the Chairman of National Development and Reform Commission of China

     3.Cultural Relations between India and China

    • India and China have entered into an agreement on co-production of movies
    • Yoga is becoming increasingly popular in China. China was one of the co-sponsors to the UN resolution designating June 21 as the International Day of Yoga

     4.Education Relations between India and China

    • India and China signed Education Exchange Programme (EEP), which is an umbrella agreement for educational cooperation between the two countries.
    • Chinese students are also annually awarded scholarships to study Hindi at Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, to learn Hindi

     5.Indian Community

    • Presently around 35,500 Indians are staying in China, students and working professional form a major part of it.
    • PICFA” Pondicherry India China friendship association is an NGO dedicated for developing people-to-people relation between India and China in areas of education, culture and tourism.

    What are the recent anti- India moves by China?

    • China continues to stake its claim to Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet.
    • Beijing recently renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh, following the six it had done in 2017.
    • China justifies the renaming as being done on the basis of its historical, cultural and administrative jurisdiction over the area — these old names existed since ancient times which had been changed by India with its “illegal occupation”.
    • On January 1, 2022, Beijing’s new land border law came into force, which provides the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with full responsibility to take steps against “invasion, encroachment, infiltration, provocation” and safeguard Chinese territory

    China

    What is the present situation of Indo-China relations?

    • Troops in Ladakh: We have been on tenterhooks since the sanguinary Galwan clash of 2020, and borne a heavy cost for the “mirror-deployment” of 50,000-60,000 additional troops in Ladakh.
    • LAC negotiations: Sino-Indian diplomatic parleys having been suspended, the task of LAC negotiations has been foisted on local military commanders.
    • Truce for SCO: The 16th successive commanders’ meeting would have seen yet another futile conclusion, but for compulsions of the impending Shanghai Cooperative Organisation, which apparently led to a modest breakthrough. Consequently, the third round of troop disengagement and the creation of another buffer zone has taken place in Siachen, this time in the area of Gogra-Hot Springs.
    • Bilateral Trade: The India-China trade is on course to cross USD 100 billion for the second consecutive year as it has gone up to USD 67.08 billion in the first half of this year amid a big surge of Chinese exports.
    • “According to the statistics of Chinese competent authorities, bilateral trade volume between China and India stood at USD 125.66 billion in 2021.China remains the largest trade partner of India and for the first time the bilateral trade exceeded USD 100 billion in 2021.

    China

    Issue of concerns in India-China relations:

    China-India border dispute: history shows solution may lie with Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi | South China Morning Post

    • Belt Road Initiative: India has objected this, since its inception on grounds of violating its sovereignty pointing to China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
    • India’s support to China on global issues has not led to Beijing’s reciprocation for instances: China opposed India’s permanent membership to UN Security Council and entry into NSG.
    • India faces trade imbalance heavily in some favor of China. In 2017-18, trade deficit has gone wide to US$62.9 billion in China’s favor.
    • Two countries failed to resolve their border dispute and steadily established military infrastructure along border areas Indian media outlets have repeatedly reported Chinese military incursions into Indian territory
    • China has expressed concerns about Indian military and economic activities in the disputed South China Sea. Same way India is also concerned about rising Chinese activities in Indian Ocean.
    • China’s strong strategic bilateral relations with Pakistan and other neighboring countries like Nepal and Bhutan is cause of concern as these countries act as buffer states.

    China

    What are the options for India to learn from the past and see what lies ahead in India-China relations?

    • Inevitable Race: The prevailing tension on the China-India border is a symptom of the broader strategic competition between the two Asian neighbors.
    • Quad grouping: Immediately after the clashes, India leaned toward the Quad a grouping of the United States, Australia, Japan, and India with multiple summit meetings and other engagements. Until that point, India was unwilling to refer to the Quad as the Quad, instead using the cumbersome India-Australia-Japan-United States grouping.
    • Equal seriousness: Both sides should treat the military escalation in eastern Ladakh with equal seriousness.
    • Armed coexistence: Even after the resolution of the present standoff in eastern Ladakh, both sides may be in a prolonged period of armed coexistence as a new normal. As the forces on both sides are likely to be relatively balanced, it would be advantageous for both to return to the agreements and understandings from 1993 onward and improve upon them. Clarifying the LAC is a crucial step in this effort.
    • Address trade imbalance: India has flagged the unsustainable trade imbalance at the front and centre of the relationship, and this has gone unaddressed. China will need to work on resolving the trade deficit with India. At any rate, decoupling will happen selectively, in the same way and for the same reasons that China is choosing to decouple from the United States. A balanced trade and economic relationship might lay a solid foundation for future relations, given the size of both economies.
    • Dialogue is necessary: Better understanding of each other’s regional initiatives through open dialogue is important to build trust. The Indo-Pacific vision is as much a developmental necessity for India as the BRI may be to China. Part of building trust must be an open discussion on each other’s intentions in key regions South Asia and the northern Indian Ocean and East Asia and the western Pacific as well as respect for each other’s special positions in the western Pacific and northern Indian Oceans.
    • Protect the core interest: The two sides would need to accommodate the legitimate interests of the other side on key partnerships: China’s with Pakistan and India’s with the United States. These may not be desirable, but in the current circumstances neither will give up its partners, and both India and China could talk through a modus vivendi on the red lines of concern.

    Conclusion

    • The two countries are standing at a crossroads, and this might be the final chance to take the path to coexistence of cooperation and competition. If not, a new phase of antagonistic rivalry may be starting, with the countries sliding into possible confrontation as the strategic periphery of China collides with the strategic backyard of India in the Indian Ocean region.

    UPSC Mains Question

    Q.India and China are the two Asian giants aspiring for regional supremacy and global influence, clash is unavoidable. Discuss how India and china can coexist together.

     

  • India and UNSC

    UNSCContext

    • There is greater support for India to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and also a broad global consensus over the need to reform the Council, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. India has once again renewed its bid for permanent membership of UNSC.

    What is UNSC?

    • The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN Charter.
    • Its powers include establishing peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military action. The UNSC is the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions on member states.

    UNSCWhat is the composition of UNSC?

    • Presently there five permanent members (P-5) with veto and 10 non-permanent members without veto elected for tenure of 2 years.
    • India has been the non-permanent member multiple times. Presently India is serving its tenure that will end in December 2022.

    UNSCWho are P-5 members?

    • The victors of World War 2 – USA, RUSSIA, CHINA, UK, FRANCE.

    What are the hurdles that India facing?

    • Elite club: Most exclusive club in international relations. All other clubs have been breached. Until a quarter century ago, the nuclear weapon club had five members, the same five as the P-5.India, Pakistan, North Korea and Israel have since joined the club. But UNSC is unbreachable till date.
    • All are reluctant: The inescapable fact is that none of the P-5 wants the UNSC’s ranks to be increased. One or the other of them might make some noise about supporting one or more of the aspirants. Each is confident that someone among them will torpedo the enlargement of the club. Declarations of support for India’s candidature need to be taken with a fistful of salt.
    • Veto issue: Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan bluntly told India not to expect to get the veto power. Though India has said it will not accept a seat without veto power.
    • China-Pakistan axis: China, which has historically blocked India’s aspirations to become a permanent member of the UNSC. Beijing has an “all-weather ally” in Islamabad, another neighbour who also strongly opposes India’s candidature to the UNSC.
    • Odd man out: Four out of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have bilaterally expressed official affirmations of support for India’s candidature to a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council.
    • Coffee club opposition: Members like Italy, South Korea, Canada, Spain, Mexico, Turkey, Argentina, Pakistan, and others, who have together formed the Uniting for Consensus (UfC) movement. Also known as the Coffee Club, the movement argues that bids for permanent seats by India, Japan, Germany, and Brazil (G4 countries) must not be considered without first reaching an international consensus regarding the form and size of the new Security council.

    UNSCWhat are the Efforts taken by India?

    • Text based negotiation: External affairs minister is canvassing for the country’s candidature, meeting his counterparts from several countries. He has repeated the call, made often in the past, for a text-based negotiation on what has been euphemistically referred to as the reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), i.e., negotiation on a written document outlining the proposed reform instead of just holding forth verbally.
    • Woking together with G-4: INDIA, JAPAN, GEMANY, BRAZIL works together to get permanent UNSC seat however these efforts are opposed by coffee club.
    • Multilateral engagements: By expanding its footprint in multilateral organisations, India is gearing up to become a global rule-maker.
    • Distinguished group of experts suggested a few years ago that a new category of semi-permanent members should be created. Countries would be elected for a period of eight to 10 years and would be eligible for re-election. India ought to give serious consideration to this idea.
    • With or without veto: According to former foreign secretary Chinmaya gharekhan, if by some miracle we are offered or manage to obtain permanent membership without veto, we must grab it. Even a permanent membership without veto will be tremendously helpful in protecting our interests.

    Conclusion

    • Looking at the present geopolitical divide India’s dream of seat at the highest table is unlikely to get fulfilled in near future. India must analyse the utility of UNSC membership for securing its national interest. India should not give up anything in bargain against UNSC seat which harms its international interest.

    Mains question

    Q. India’s quest for UNSC is like “Sisyphus carrying the boulder  just to see how it falls”. In this context Analyse the utility of Permanent seat at UNSC.

     

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  • Why India has lashed out at the US over its F-16 package to Pakistan?

    f-16

    EAM S Jaishankar has lashed out at the US for its decision to provide Pakistan with a $450 million package for F-16 case fighter aircraft upgrade.

    F-16 and Pakistan

    • The F-16 is a single-engine multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force (USAF).
    • Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft.
    • The F-16 were inducted into Pakistan Air Force in 1983 during the Soviet-Afghan War.

    Suspicion over US move

    • This is the first American military assistance package to Pakistan after the Trump Administration.
    • Mr Trump ended defence and security co-operation with Pakistan in 2018 after accusing it of giving only “lies and deceit” for the billions of dollars that the US had “foolishly” given it.

    What specific reasons has the Biden Administration given for its decision?

    • As per US version, the proposed sale does not include any new capabilities, weapons, or munitions.
    • The upgrade package aimed to retain interoperability with US and partner forces in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts and in preparation for future contingency operations.

    Why did US provide F-16 to the US?

    • India has been concerned about the F-16s from the time the US first gave Pakistan F-16s as a reward for its assistance in the first Afghan war.
    • The US then had supplied weapons and money to Pakistan to unleash armies of jihadists against the Soviet Army.
    • When the US objective was achieved with the Soviet Union’s departure from Afghanistan, the US too resized its relations with Pakistan.
    • The Pressler Amendment, aimed against Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, froze it out of military assistance.
    • A decade later, the Bush Administration not only approved the release of previously blocked F-16s, but also provided a refurbishment package, and sale of new F-16s.

    India’s concerns

    • As pointed out by EAM, how the F-16s help in counter-terrorism remains unclear.
    • Jaishankar questioned the merits of the US-Pakistan partnership.
    • He said that the relations had “not served” either country (but created more troubles for India).
    • This move by the US will alter the basic military balance in the region.
    • The decision to provide military aid to Pakistan incensed India as the F-16 was used against Indian warplanes following the 2019 Balakot air strikes.

    Conclusion

    • Washington’s $450 million package has only resurrected old prejudices centred on the US not being a dependable ally for ever.
    • India needs to respond firmly and in no uncertain terms to the PAF’s F-16 upgrade programme to convey the message that India cannot be taken for granted.
    • India will have to effectively enhance the conventional combat capability of the IAF to continue to meet the challenge of a resurgent PAF.

     

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  • Bangladesh favours early solution for Teesta Dispute

    India and Bangladesh should resolve all bilateral issues, including the differences over the waters of the Teesta, at an early date, said Bangladesh PM on her visit to India.

    What is the news?

    • Bangladeshi PM is on a visit to India.
    • Both ministers discussed the long-standing disputes over Teesta river water sharing.
    • The two sides shared 54 rivers that required both nations to work together and share “environmental responsibility” in areas such as the Sundarbans.

    About Teesta River

    • Teesta River is a 315 km long river that rises in the eastern Himalayas, flows through the Indian states of Sikkim and West Bengal through Bangladesh and enters the Bay of Bengal.
    • It is a tributary of the Brahmaputra (known as Jamuna in Bangladesh), flowing through India and Bangladesh.
    • It originates in the Himalayas near Chunthang, Sikkim and flows to the south through West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
    • Originally, it continued southward to empty directly into the Padma River but around 1787 the river changed its course to flow eastward to join the Jamuna river.
    • The Teesta Barrage dam helps to provide irrigation for the plains between the upper Padma and the Jamuna.

    What is the dispute about?

    • The point of contention between India and Bangladesh is mainly the lean season flow in the Teesta draining into Bangladesh.
    • The river covers nearly the entire floodplains of Sikkim while draining 2,800 sq km of Bangladesh, governing the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
    • For West Bengal, Teesta is equally important, considered the lifeline of half-a-dozen districts in North Bengal.
    • Bangladesh has sought an “equitable” distribution of Teesta waters from India, on the lines of the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996, but to no avail.
    • The failure to ink a deal had its fallout on the country’s politics, putting the ruling party of PM Sheikh Hasina in a spot.

    Q.The hydrological linkages between India and Bangladesh are a product of geography and a matter of shared history. Discuss this statement in line with the Teesta water sharing dispute.

    The deal

    • Following a half-hearted deal in 1983, when a nearly equal division of water was proposed, the countries hit a roadblock. The transient agreement could not be implemented.
    • Talks resumed after the Awami League returned to power in 2008 and the former Indian PM Manmohan Singh visited Dhaka in 2011.
    • In 2015, PM Modi’s visit to Dhaka generated more ebullient lines: deliberations were underway involving all the stakeholders to conclude the agreement as soon as possible.

    Issues from the Indian side

    • It remains an unfinished project and one of the key stakeholders — West Bengal CM is yet to endorse the deal.
    • Her objection is connected to “global warming. Many of the glaciers on the Teesta basin have retreated.
    • The importance of the flow and the seasonal variation of this river is felt during the lean season (from October to April/May) as the average flow is about 500 million cubic metres (MCM) per month.
    • The CM opposed an arrangement in 2011, by which India would get 42.5% and Bangladesh 37.5% of the water during the lean season, and the plan was shelved.

    Why does this deal matters?

    • India and Bangladesh have resolved border problems through the Land Boundary Agreement of 2015.
    • However, both nations have locked horns over the sharing of multiple rivers that define the borders and impact lives and livelihoods on both sides.

     

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  • PM Modi pitches for ‘Full Transit Right’ among SCO members

    With Pakistan PM listening, Prime Minister Modi urged Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member states to “give each other full right to transit”.

    Why in news?

    • PM Modi framed the right to transit in the context of connectivity and how it could help establish reliable and resilient supply chains in the region.

    Why did PM pitch this?

    • Lack of transit across Pakistan’s territory has been a challenge for India to access Central Asian markets.
    • Iran’s President also said that despite the impressive potential, infrastructural connections in the field of transit between members of the SCO are not so extensive.
    • Iran already provides special priority to the development of the North-South Corridor and has made huge investments.

    What is International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)?

    • The INSTC is a 7,200 km-long multimodal transportation network encompassing sea, road, and rail routes to offer the shortest route of connectivity.
    • It was established on 12th September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States.
    • It links the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea via the Persian Gulf onwards into Russia and Northern Europe.
    • It will move freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.

    Significance of INSTC

    • Trade facilitation: INSTC is aimed at reducing the carriage cost between India and Russia by about 30 percent and bringing down the transit time by more than half.
    • New corridor in making: It has the potential to transform the economies of countries along the corridor into specialized manufacturing, logistics, and transit hubs by facilitating access to newer markets.
    • Multimodal transit: The recent Suez Canal blockade, which cost the global economy hefty damage amounting to US$9 billion, has amplified the optimistic outlook towards the INSTC as a cheaper and faster alternative multimodal transit corridor.

    Benefits offered to India

    • Export promotion: The INSTC connects India with Central Asia, and Russia, and has the potential to expand up to the Baltic, Nordic, and Arctic regions, increasing the scope of trade multifold.
    • Ease of trade: For India, it provides a shorter trade route with Iran, Russia, and beyond to Europe, creating scope for increased economic engagement.
    • Alternative Route to Central Asia: It opens up a permanent alternative route for India to trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia, given the hurdles in the direct route through Pakistan.

     

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  • Sports as soft power

    soft powerContext

    • Increased interest, especially by smaller nations in the world, in investing more and doing well in elite sports in international sporting events boosts a nation’s chances of attaining soft power.
    • India’s medal tally at recent International sports events demonstrate the country’s soft power on the global stage and encourage working towards the status of a great “geopolitical actor”.

    What is soft power?

    • Origin:
      • As far back as the 4th century BC, Kautilya (chankyaniti) had propounded the concept of Saam(advice or cajole),daam(pay or bribe),dand(punish),bhed(exploit secrets) which acquired western touch and can be understood by Soft power, smart power, hard power, and sharp power respectively.
      • Joseph Nye introduced the concept of “soft power” in the late 1980s. For Nye, power is the ability to influence the behavior of others to get the outcomes you want.
    • Meaning:
    • Soft power is the ability of a country to persuade others to do what it wants without force or coercion.
    • Soft power is the ability to influence the behavior of others to get the outcomes you want.

    soft powerWhy Soft power is so significant?

    Use of ‘Soft Power’ includes the number of cultural missions such as language schools, Olympic Medals and the quality of a country’s overall growth. Soft power produces following things:

    • Familiarity: If people know more about your country, culture, sports, and its talents, businesses, and resources, then soft power is enhanced.
    • Reputation: For a nation to be attractive and a role model for others, its overall reputation must be strong and positive.
    • Influence: A direct measure of the perceived presence and impact that your country has in other countries
    • Business/Innovation/Sports: The attractiveness of a country’s economic model, its digital engagement with the world, performance in sports etc.
    • Government: Showcases the ability of country’s political leadership and what it delivers to its people in different arenas.
    • Multi-Alignment: As a country rises up the ‘Soft Power’ list, more and more outside parties align themselves with the common goals of that country.

    Why the Sports being used as a tool of soft power in modern international relations?

    Sport can be used as tool of soft power both internationally and domestically.

    • International platform: Sports provide a platform for countries to showcase their culture, values and tradition.
    • Puts a Better image of a country: Sports as a tool to achieve social, political, and financial goals, and improve the image of the country.
    • International exposure: The focus on culture and peaceful values in sports make it a useful tool for countries to use soft power to achieve international goals and improve their public diplomacy.
    • Reducing differences: Sports provides a platform for trust-building; and reconciliation, integration and anti-racism.
    • Learning from China’s Case:
    • Dongfeng Liu (International Professor of Sport Management) in his survey on China’s performance in the Olympics he found that a country’s Olympic achievement has a positive effect on its national soft power.
    • As china is a communist country and reputation about human rights is not good, so China uses its superiority in elite sports to build “people-to-people” relations with other countries. For example, athletes from African countries such as Madagascar are trained in swimming, badminton, table tennis, etc. in China, which helps Beijing create a positive impact on a wider population and result in better formal relations as well.
    • There is also China’s memorandum of understanding with countries such as Kenya so that Chinese runners can train with Kenyan athletes, as they are among the best in the world when it comes to long-distance running.

    soft powerIntrospection on India’s performance at recent International Sports events

    • It is being said that the golden period of Indian sports may have begun as at the Tokyo Olympics and then the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) are examples of a good performance.
    • India’s medal tally in the Tokyo Olympics Games — seven — was its most decorated Olympic Games in Indian history.
    • At the Commonwealth games (CWG) 2022, Indian athletes won 61 medals, including 22 gold.
    • India has one of the world’s poorest population-to-medal ratios when it comes to the Olympics.
    • Ensuring competent coaches, and having adequate funding and more sports academics still remain major issues even decades later
    • India spends only three paise per day per capita on sports. In contrast China spends 1 per day per capita.

    What can be done to increase the country’s sporting performance and soft power?

    • Train Indian players overseas:
    • India should concentrate on forging MoUs with nations that excel in specific sports and train Indian players overseas.
    • For example, Australia and the United Kingdom can assist us in swimming given their standing here.
    • When it comes to running, negotiating collaborative training agreements with African countries such as Kenya would be ideal.
    • No Politics over assistance:
    • There should be no politics in seeking or even offering assistance.
    • For example China has requested Indian assistance in improving cricket development in China (Chongqing city).
    • Private Investment:
    • Private investment needs to be harnessed to develop infrastructure. The better a country performs in sporting events the greater a sports person’s interest in their sports atmosphere. This also creates a huge market for private players to invest in.
    • For example, leading corporate houses in India have already shown how their active participation and investment can improve sporting performance as a result of unique corporate sports programmes.
    • Public –private partnership at grass root :
    • The Government should also work on a public-private partnership (PPP) model to create basic sporting infrastructure.
    • As recommended by NITI Aayog, at the district level too so that talent can be captured at an early stage.

    Conclusion

    • Sports as a tool of soft power had always been a key element of leadership from the ancient times. Sports provide an international platform to develop an attitude of unity in a divided multi-polar modern world.

    Mains Question

    Q. Sports provide an international platform to develop an attitude of unity and influence others in a divided multi-polar modern world. Discuss in this context that soft power is not an end but a means to an end.

     

  • Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA) formed by 5 South Asian Countries

    Edible oil trade associations from five palm oil importing countries in South Asia – India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal – on Thursday announced the setting up of Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA).

    What is Oil Palm?

    • Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp of the fruit of the oil palms.
    • The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel.

    What is APOA?

    • Through APOA, the countries aim at safeguarding the economic and business interests of the palm oil consuming countries and will work towards increasing the consumption of palm oil in member countries.
    • The idea is to gain collecting bargaining power and make imports sustainable.
    • APOA held its first general body meeting on the side-lines of the Globoil Summit.
    • The industry associations of Asian palm oil importing countries, unlike their counterparts in Europe, are not involved in shaping the global discourse on sustainable palm oil in a collective way.
    • The alliance would work towards ensuring that palm oil is recognised as a high-quality, economical, and healthy vegetable oil and to change the negative image of palm oil.

    Why such move?

    • India’s annual imports of edible oil is around 13-14 million tonne (MT).
    • Around 8 MT of palm oil is imported from Indonesia and Malaysia, while other oils, such as soya and sunflower, come from Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Russia.
    • Asia accounts for around 40% of the global palm oil consumption while Europe accounts for 12% of palm oil trade.
    • Indonesia and Malaysia are the biggest palm oil exporters in the world.
    • India is the largest importer of palm oil in Asia, accounting for 15% of global imports, followed by China (9%), Pakistan (4%) and Bangladesh (2%).

    Try this PYQ:

    Q.Among the agricultural commodities imported by India, which one of the following accounts for the highest imports in terms of value in the last five years?

    (a) Spices

    (b) Fresh fruits

    (c) Pulses

    (d) Vegetable oils

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”wt7ixarayz” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

     

     

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  • Geopolitics follows the geoeconomics and not vice-versa

    geoeconomicsContext

    • Over the recent years India’s manoeuvres in indo-pacific have highlighted the India’s geopolitical and ambitions. Pandemic and Chinese incursion in Ladakh forced India to move fast to achieve its geopolitical ends. However missing link in India’s endeavour is geoeconomics.

    What is mean by geopolitics and geo-economics?

    • Geopolitics: is defined as the struggle over the control of geographical entities with an international and global dimension, and the use of such geographical entities for political advantage.
    • Geo-economics: is defined as the combination of economic and geographic factors relating to international trade and a governmental policy guided by geoeconomics.
    • Geopolitics and geoeconomics are sometimes used interchangeably.

    What is the strategy to pursue geopolitical goals in indo-pacific?

    • India has managed to emerge as a major pivot of the global Indo-Pacific grand strategic imagination.
    • Avoided the temptations to militarise/securitise the Quad (Australia, Japan, India and the United States).
    • Which has ensured that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) states do not feel uneasy by the ever-increasing balance of power articulations in the Indo-Pacific

    geoeconomicsWhat is the missing link in India’s geopolitical strategy?

    • The missing link in geoeconomics is India’s decision to take to the Indo-Pacific and Quad in a big way.
    • While unwilling to join two of the region’s key multilateral trading agreements goes to show that geoeconomics and geopolitics are imagined and pursued parallelly in New Delhi, not as complimenting each other.
    • The most recent example is India’s refusal to join the trade pillar of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) while deciding to join the three other pillars of the IPEF supply chains, tax and anti-corruption, and clean energy.

    India also withdrew from ASEAN led RCEP.

    Is the lack of geoeconomic bad for foreign policy?

    • The absence of the world’s fifth largest economy from various regional trading platforms will invariably boost China’s geo-economic hegemony in Asia.
    • Staying out of IPEF is a bad idea is because for India, it would be hard to integrate itself into the regional and global supply chains without being a part of important regional multilateral trading agreements.
    • We have no option but to address some of the deeper challenges plaguing the investment and business environment in India.
    • If India is indeed serious about its maritime grand strategy, which cannot be solely military in nature, it needs to get the states in the region to create economic stakes in India (something China has done cleverly and consistently) and vice-versa.
    • Another impact of India’s hesitation about joining regional multilateral trading arrangements is its potential regional economic isolation. The less India engages with the region economically, and the more China does so, and given the Sino-Indian rivalry, India might risk getting economically isolated in the broader region.

    Geo-economics: is defined as the combination of economic and geographic factors relating to international trade and a governmental policy guided by geoeconomics. Geopolitics and geoeconomics are sometimes used interchangeably.What can be done?

    • New Delhi should: rethink its geoeconomic choices if it is serious about enhancing its geopolitical influence in the region. Given that India has not closed the door on the trade pillar of the IPEF, we have an opportunity to rethink our position.
    • India should: also rethink its decision not to join the RECP and seek to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) from which the U.S. walked out and China is seeking to join.
    • India should: also proactively lobby to become a part of the Minerals Security Partnership, the U.S.-led 11-member grouping to secure supply chains of critical minerals.

    Conclusion

    • In the words of external affairs minister Dr. Jaishankar,” geopolitics follows the geoeconomics and not vice-versa”. Geoeconomics is inclusive of geoeconomics. India should integrate itself in multilateral trading platforms and leverage its big market to bargain the best deal for itself.

    Mains question

    Q. Indias pursuit of geopolitics is futile without inclusion of geoeconomics. Comment.

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  • India raises Sri Lankan Tamil issue in UN

    gyanvapi

    India voiced concern over the “lack of measurable progress” in Sri Lanka’s promised political solution to the long-pending Tamil national question.

    Back in news: Tamil Issue

    • India has made an unexpected (for SL) reference to the crisis-hit island nation’s “debt-driven” economy in the context of its current crisis.
    • Indian delegation noted the lack of measurable progress by Government of Sri Lanka on their commitments of a political solution to the ethnic issue.
    • It sought for full implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, delegation of powers to Provincial Councils and holding of Provincial Council elections at the earliest.

    Has India retreated from supporting Sri Lanka?

    • India’s statement comes ahead of a resolution on Sri Lanka that will likely face a vote at the Council.
    • Since 2009, India has voted thrice in favour of the UN resolution on Sri Lanka — two were critical — and abstained twice, in 2014 and 2021.
    • Irrespective of its vote, India has consistently underscored the need for a political settlement within the framework of a united Sri Lanka, ensuring justice, peace, equality and dignity for the Tamils of Sri Lanka.

    Issues faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka

    • According to Freedom House’s Freedom in the World 2016 report on Sri Lanka, Tamils report systematic discrimination in areas including government employment, university education, and access to justice.
    • A large portion of the Tamil population still remains displaced.

    What is the Tamil issue in Sri Lanka?

    • Violent persecution against the Tamil population erupted in the form of the 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981 and 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms in Sri Lanka.
    • Over 13 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war, in which tens of thousands of civilians were killed and disappeared, survivors continue demanding justice and accountability for war-time crimes.
    • In the post-war years, Sri Lanka’s human rights defenders have frequently flagged concerns over persisting militarisation, especially in the Tamil-majority north and east; repression, and the shrinking space for dissent.

    What is the 13th Amendment?

    • It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987, signed by the then PM Rajiv Gandhi and President J.R. Jayawardene, in an attempt to resolve the ethnic conflict and civil war.
    • The 13th Amendment led to the creation of Provincial Councils and assured a power-sharing arrangement to enable all nine provinces in the country, including Sinhala majority areas, to self-govern.
    • Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land and police are devolved to the provincial administrations.

    Why is it contentious?

    • The 13th Amendment carries considerable baggage from the country’s civil war years.
    • It was opposed vociferously by both Sinhala nationalist parties and the LTTE.
    • The opposition within Sri Lanka saw the Accord and the consequent legislation as an imprint of Indian intervention.
    • It was widely perceived as an imposition by a neighbour wielding hegemonic influence.
    • The Tamil polity, especially its dominant nationalist strain, does not find the 13th Amendment sufficient in its ambit or substance.
    • However, some find it as an important starting point, something to build upon.

    Why India objects over this?

    • Because of restrictions on financial powers and overriding powers given to the President, the provincial administrations have not made much headway.
    • In particular, the provisions relating to police and land have never been implemented.

    Why is it significant?

    • Till date, the Amendment represents the only constitutional provision on the settlement of the long-pending Tamil question.
    • In addition to assuring a measure of devolution, it is considered part of the few significant gains since the 1980s, in the face of growing Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism.

     

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  • What is India’s current policy of multi alignment? Advantages and challenges

    Multi alignmentContext

    • Forthcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan is leading India to multi alignment.

    Background

    • India’s journey of foreign policy from being the founder of non-alignment to the multi-alignment. In his book The India Way, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar offers a critique of India’s traditional policy of “non-alignment”, where he distinguishes between the “optimistic  non- alignment ” of the past, which he feels has failed, that must give way to more realistic “multiple engagements of the future”.

    Shanghai Co-operation Organization (SCO)

    • SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security organization.
    • It is the world’s largest regional organization,
    • 40% of the world population
    • More than 30% of global GDP.
    • Members: 8-China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan.

    Multi alignmentSCO SUMIIT, 2022

    • Host- Uzbekistan,
    • Uzbekistan will host a full house: 15 leaders including eight member states from four Central Asian States, China, India, Pakistan and Russia,
    • The observer states: Belarus, Mongolia and Iran (which will become member this year) —
    • Afghanistan is not invited
    • Leaders of guest countries -Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Turkmenistan

    What is non- alignment?

    • It’s a policy, a brainchild of Nehru. Non-alignment movement emerged after second world war.
    • Non-alignment means not having an alliance with any of superpower, either USSR or USA.  Decolonized nations of Asia and Africa was largely a part of this group.

    Multi alignmentIndia’s policy of non-alignment

    • At bandung conference in 1955 non-alignment movement started with India as one of the founding member.
    • With policy of non-alignment India refused to gravitate towards USA or USSR.
    • India was the leader of non-alignment.

    What is India’s current policy of multi- alignment? Advantages and challenges.

    • Since the start of his tenure from 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not attended any conference of non-alignment.
    • External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar in his book, The Indian way have criticized the non-alignment.
    • In the words of Former Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale India is no longer the non-align nation.

    How it is a Multi alignment policy?

    • India to truly multi aligned or all aligned by being a part of every major grouping.
    • India is a part of BRICS and Prime Minister Modi is attending the SCO SUMMIT in Samarkand.
    • On parallel to rival groups India is also the part of Quad and Indo pacific economic framework.
    • India is buying the discounted Russian oil and reusing to buckle under pressure from west and USA.
    • S-400 purchase is happening and India have dodged the bullet of sanctions from USA.
    • India is choosing the bilateral Free trade agreement like with Australia and UAE and withdrew from groupings like RCEP and Most recently IPEF. This policy are is said to be in the economic interest of India.

    Advantages of Multi alignment

    • India no longer wants to repeat the mistake of missing out of P5 Security council (“Permanent membership in the Security Council was granted to five states based on their importance in the aftermath of World War II).
    • If any group work against your interest it is better to be part of group rather than remain outside and do nothing
    • With retreating USA and its collapsing hegemony world is moving towards multiple polar world order.

    Disadvantages

    • Major disadvantage of non-alignment is you no longer have influence over adverse policy of friendly country.
    • For example. Russia sells S-400 to India but it also sold the same weapon to china.
    • USA and India are strategically getting closer day by day but USA recently approved the sale of $450 million F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.

    Conclusion

    • Multi alignment will serve India its best national interest.
    • So far India has managed the rival parties at world stage to secure its foreign policy objectives but with Russian aggression and Chinese assertion and divided world will pose a significant challenge to India’s multi alignment policy.

     

    Mains question

    Q. What do you understand by non-alignment and multi-alignment? Analyze the shift In India’s foreign policy from non-alignment to multi-alignment.

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