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Global Expansion of Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report

Why in News According to a recent report published in the SIPRI Yearbook 2021, the number of nuclear warheads which are ready and deployed have...

16 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
Atlantic Charter

Why in News Recently, the US' President and UK’s Prime Minister signed a new version of the 80-year old Atlantic Charter. Key...

12 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
Maldives’ UNGA Presidency

Why in News Recently, the Maldives’ Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid was elected the President of the 76th session of the United Nations (UN)...

11 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
China-ASEAN Meeting

Why in News Recently, China hosted a meeting of foreign ministers from the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. The...

10 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India Abstains from Latest Resolution Against Israel

Why in News Recently, Palestine blamed India for suppressing its human rights of all people as India abstained from the latest resolution on the...

03 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India-Australia Meeting

Recently, India and Australia reviewed cooperation in the sectors of agriculture and defence. Key Points In the field of Agriculture: The...

02 Jun 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
EAM’s Visit to US

Why in News Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) on his visit to the US met American lawmakers, National Security Advisor,...

31 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India - Israel Agreement on Agriculture Cooperation

Why in News India and Israel have signed “a three-year work program agreement” for development in agriculture cooperation. Key...

25 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India, Oman MoU

Why in News Recently, India and Oman renewed the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on military cooperation as well as on maritime security. Key...

21 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
The Big Picture: Israel-Palestine Conflict

Why in News India, the United States and several other countries have called for calm and restraint amid escalating tensions and violence between...

18 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
Al-Aqsa Mosque & Sheikh Jarrah: Israel-Palestine

Why in News Recently, Israeli armed forces attacked Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Haram esh-Sharif in Jerusalem, ahead of a march by Zionist nationalists...

13 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
4th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue

Why in News The 4th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue was held virtually through video conferencing. Key Points Highlights from the...

12 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
The Big Picture: India-UK Trade

Why in News? Recently, the UK Prime Minister has announced a new UK-India trade and investment worth 1 billion pounds, including an investment...

11 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India-EU Leaders’ Meeting

Why in News Recently, Indian Prime Minister participated in the India-European Union (EU) Leaders’ Meeting. The meeting was held in a...

10 May 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
Bangladesh Liberation War 1971

This article is based on “Endeavour, leadership and the story of a nation” which was published in The Hindu on 26/04/2021. It talks...

27 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
US Supports India in Covid-Crisis

Why in News Recently, the Prime Minister of India and US President had a telephone conversation with assurances exchanged on smoothening out issues...

27 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India-Netherlands

Why in News Recently, India’s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a Virtual Summit. It was the first high level Summit...

12 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India-Seychelles

Why in News Recently, a virtual meet was held between the Prime Minister of India and the President of Seychelles. Key Points Events at the...

10 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
US Restores Aid to Palestinians

Why in News The United States, in a significant reversal to the earlier policy, has announced the restoration of at least USD 235 million in...

10 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements
India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet

Why in News To build on the common “resilient” ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other’s concerns on a...

08 Apr 2021 Bilateral Groupings & Agreements

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		'article_id' => (int) 8619,
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		'title' => 'Global Expansion of Nuclear Arsenal: SIPRI Report',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a recent report published in the <strong>SIPRI Yearbook 2021, </strong>the<strong> number of nuclear warheads which are ready and deployed have increased globally.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SIPRI Yearbook is<strong> released by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fewer-but-newer-nuclear-arms-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)</a></strong> which researches international armament and conflict.</li>
<li>The SIPRI &ldquo;Yearbook 2021&rdquo; assesses the current state of armaments, disarmament and international security.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Nine Nuclear Armed States:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The nine nuclear armed states are: <strong>US, Russia, the U.K., France, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>These countries<strong> together possessed an estimated 13,080 nuclear weapons</strong> at the start of 2021.</li>
<li><strong>Russia and the US together possessed over 90% of global nuclear weapons</strong> and have extensive and expensive modernisation programmes under way.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Both the US and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russia-agrees-to-extend-start-treaty#:~:text=Replaced%20START%20I%20Treaty%20(1991,New%20START%20entered%20into%20force." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia have approved</strong> </a>the extension of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-start-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New START treaty.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Treaty is the last remaining <strong>nuclear Russia-US arms control treaty</strong> which expired in February 2021.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s nuclear arsenal consisted of 350 warheads up from 320</strong> at the start of 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China is in the middle of a significant modernisation and expansion of its nuclear weapon inventory.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India possessed</strong> an estimated<strong> 156 nuclear warheads</strong> at the start of 2021 <strong>compared to 150</strong> at the start of last year, while<strong> Pakistan had 165 warheads, up from 160</strong> in 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India and Pakistan are seeking new technologies and capabilities that dangerously undermine each other's defence under the nuclear threshold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Low Levels of Transparency:</strong> The availability of reliable information on the status of the nuclear arsenals and capabilities of the nuclear-armed states vary considerably.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Largest Military Spenders:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The growth in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increase-in-world-military-spending-during-covid-19-sipri#:~:text=India%20was%20the%20third%20largest,since%202019%20grew%20by%202.1%25." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>total spending in 2020</strong></a> was largely influenced by expenditure patterns in the <strong>United States and China</strong> (first and second largest spenders respectively).</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s</strong> spending of USD 72.9 billion, an increase of 2.1% in 2020, ranked it as the <strong>third highest spender in the world.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importers of Major Arms:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>SIPRI <strong>identified 164 states</strong> as importers of major arms in 2016-20.</li>
<li><strong>Country Wise:</strong> The<strong> five largest arms importers</strong> were<strong> Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia and China,</strong> which together accounted for 36% of total arms imports.</li>
<li><strong>Region wise:</strong> The region that received the largest volume of major arms supplies in 2016-20 was <strong>Asia and Oceania,</strong> accounting for 42% of the global total, followed by the <strong>Middle East,</strong> which received 33%.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suppliers of Major Arms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> five largest suppliers</strong> in 2016-20 - the<strong> United States, Russia, France, Germany and China -</strong> accounted for 76% of the total volume of exports of major arms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Instances of Armed Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>territorial conflict between India and Pakistan over<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-jammu-and-kashmir" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Kashmir</a>.</strong> The situation in 2020 largely reverted to the status quo of relatively low levels of armed violence.</li>
<li>In June 2020, for the first time in over five decades, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> border tensions between China and India</strong></a> in the disputed eastern Ladakh region of Kashmir turned deadly.</li>
<li>A new armed conflict broke out in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/conflict-in-ethiopia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tigray region of northern Ethiopia</strong> </a>in November 2020 between federal government forces and the Tigray People&rsquo;s Liberation Front, which killed thousands and forced more than 46, 000 refugees to flee into eastern Sudan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nuclear Weapons</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Nuclear weapon is <strong>a device designed to release energy in an explosive manner</strong> as a result of nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or a combination of the two.</li>
<li>Fission weapons are commonly referred to as <strong>atomic bombs,</strong> and fusion weapons are referred to as thermonuclear bombs or, more commonly,<strong> hydrogen bombs.</strong></li>
<li>These have been used in the <strong>bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Treaties Preventing Nuclear Proliferation and Testing</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Treaty on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-to-pull-out-of-npt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).</a></strong></li>
<li>The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests In The Atmosphere, In Outer Space And Under Water, also known as the <strong>Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comprehensive-nuclear-test-ban-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)</strong> </a>was signed in 1996 but has yet to enter into force.</li>
<li>The <strong>Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW),</strong> which will enter into force on 22<sup>nd</sup> January 2021.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Related Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group</strong></a>, the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/multilateral-export-control-regimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Missile Technology Control Regime</strong></a>, the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation, and the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/multilateral-export-control-regimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wassenaar Arrangement.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Nuclear Weapon Program:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>tested its first nuclear device in May 1974,</strong> and <strong>remains outside both the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT).</strong></li>
<li>However, India has a facility-specific safeguards agreement in place with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/63rd-general-conference-of-iaea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)</strong> </a>and a waiver from the <strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong> allowing it to participate in global civilian nuclear technology commerce.</li>
<li>It was admitted as a member into the<strong> Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)</strong> in 2016, <strong>Wassenaar Arrangement</strong> in 2017 and <strong>Australia Group</strong> in 2018.</li>
<li>India <strong>maintains its official commitment to<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/nuclear-doctrine-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> no-first-use</a> of nuclear weapons.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/china-india-pakistan-expanding-nuclear-arsenal-says-swedish-think-tank/article34814508.ece/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8595,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Atlantic Charter',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>US' President and UK&rsquo;s Prime Minister </strong>signed<strong> a new version of the 80-year old Atlantic Charter.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Atlantic Charter (1941):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Atlantic Charter was a <strong>joint declaration released by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill</strong> on 14<sup>th</sup> August, 1941 (during <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/world-war-ii" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World War II</strong></a>) following a meeting of the two heads of government in Newfoundland. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Atlantic Charter was <strong>subsequently incorporated</strong> by reference in the Declaration of the <strong>United Nations</strong> in 1942.</li>
<li><strong>World War II</strong> was a conflict that<strong> involved virtually every part of the world during the years 1939&ndash;45.</strong></li>
<li>The principal belligerents were:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Axis powers:</strong> Germany, Italy, and Japan.</li>
<li><strong>Allies:</strong> France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Atlantic Charter<strong> provided a broad statement of US and British war aims such as:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They desired <strong>no territorial changes without the free assent of the peoples</strong> concerned.</li>
<li>They<strong> respected every people&rsquo;s right</strong> to choose its own form of government and wanted sovereign rights and self-government restored to those forcibly deprived of them.</li>
<li>They would<strong> try to promote equal access</strong> for all states to trade and to raw materials.</li>
<li>They hoped to <strong>promote worldwide collaboration</strong> so as to improve labour standards, economic progress, and social security.</li>
<li>The destruction of<strong> &ldquo;Nazi tyranny,&rdquo; (Germany)</strong> they would look for a peace under which all nations could live safely within their boundaries, without fear or want.</li>
<li>Under such a peace the <strong>seas should be free.</strong></li>
<li>Pending a general security through renunciation of<strong> force, potential aggressors must be disarmed.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New Atlantic Charter (2021):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The new charter, a 604-word declaration, is an effort to<strong> stake out a grand vision for global relationships in the 21<sup>st</sup> century,</strong> just as the original was a declaration of a Western commitment to democracy and territorial integrity just months before the US entered World War II.</li>
<li>It is a statement of principles, a promise that the UK and the US would meet the challenges of their age together. It calls for both countries to<strong> adhere to the rules-based international order.</strong></li>
<li>The new charter focuses on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a> and the <strong>need to protect biodiversity.</strong> With references to<strong> emerging technologies, cyberspace</strong> and <strong>sustainable global development.</strong></li>
<li>It calls on Western allies to <strong>oppose interference through disinformation</strong> or other <strong>malign influences, including in elections.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It<strong> ranks the threats to democratic nations</strong> in a technological era.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It vows that as long as there are nuclear weapons, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)</strong></a> will remain a nuclear alliance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opportunity for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>old Atlantic Charter alienated Indian nationalism</strong> from <strong>the West but the new Charter and the rebooting of western institutions should facilitate a productive phase of India&rsquo;s cooperation with the US</strong> and its allies. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 1941, the UK insisted that<strong> the principle of self-determination highlighted in the charter did not apply to India.</strong></li>
<li>However, the presence of <strong>India and South Africa along with Australia and South Korea (as guests) at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/47th-g7-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">G-7 summit</a> 2021</strong> is a recognition of the <strong>urgent imperative to widen the basis of the West</strong> in dealing with global challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The current<strong> Anglo-American effort to institutionalise western consultations with India is a long overdue correction.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian Prime Minister, who is remotely joining the discussions at the <strong>G-7 summit (2021),</strong> has an opportunity to signal a commitment to both address perceptions about shrinking democratic freedoms within India and<strong> offer substantive collaboration with the western democracies on global issues.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/a-new-charter-7355080/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8577,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Maldives’ UNGA Presidency',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Maldives&rsquo; Foreign Minister <strong>Abdulla Shahid</strong> was elected the <strong>President of the 76<sup>th</sup> session of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations (UN) General Assembly</a> (GA)</strong> for 2021-22.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The win was <strong>welcomed by India</strong> as Indian diplomats had been helping the Maldives and <strong>India expects close cooperation with Maldives at the UN.</strong></li>
<li>However, <strong>the Maldives has made no decision</strong> on opening an <strong>Indian consulate in its southern Addu Atoll</strong> even as the Indian Cabinet cleared a proposal for it.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623394906_pasted%20image 0 (2).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623394906_pasted image 0 (2).png" width="350" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>President of UNGA:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a <strong>post held on an annual basis</strong>, rotated amongst various regional groupings. The <strong>76<sup>th</sup> session (2021-22) is the turn of the Asia-Pacific group.</strong> This is the first time Maldives will be occupying the office of the President of UNGA.</li>
<li>Maldives also sees it as a win for the 52-member <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-impacting-small-island-developing-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Small Island Developing States (SIDS)</strong></a>, which are battling climate change vulnerability and other developmental challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Addu Atoll:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Addu Atoll, also <strong>known as Seenu Atoll</strong>, is the <strong>southernmost atoll of the Maldives.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Apart from its <strong>strategic location in the Indian Ocean</strong>, Addu is the second largest city in the archipelago, home to over 30,000 people.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India's Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India approved the opening of a new consulate in the Maldivian city of Addu, in reflection of the <strong>importance India attaches to its ties with the strategically located island nation.</strong></li>
<li>India's decision to expand its diplomatic presence in the Maldives comes amid <strong>China's consistent efforts to increase its influence in the island nation.</strong></li>
<li>Also Indian rationale for the consulate was <strong>to help Addu residents with speedy visa services.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Opposition of the Initiative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some Maldivians<strong> see a new consulate with suspicion</strong>, especially on the heels of a USD 33-million <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-maldives-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Maldivian police training facility</strong></a> <strong>that India is helping build in Addu.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is already an Indian Embassy in <strong>Male.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geo-Strategic Importance of Maldives to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Maldives, a Toll Gate in Indian Ocean:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located at the southern and northern parts of this island chain lies the two important <strong>sea lanes of communication (SLOCs).</strong></li>
<li>These SLOCs are critical for maritime trade flow between the Gulf of Aden and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strait-of-hormuz-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gulf of Hormuz</strong></a> in West Asia and the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Nearly <strong>50% of India&rsquo;s external trade and 80% of its energy imports transit these SLOCs in the Arabian Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Part of Important Groupings:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Besides, Maldives is a member of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</strong></a> and the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-home-minister-of-maldives" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India - Maldives Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cooperation Between India &amp; Maldives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Security Cooperation:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Through the decades, <strong>India has rushed emergency assistance to the Maldives, whenever sought.</strong></li>
<li>In 1988, when armed mercenaries attempted a coup against President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, <strong>India sent paratroopers and Navy vessels</strong> and restored the legitimate leadership under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-sanjeevani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Cactus</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India and Maldive conduct the joint military exercise &lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ekuverin</strong></a>&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disaster Management:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The 2004 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/tsunami-early-warning-system-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tsunami</strong> </a>and the drinking water crisis in Male a decade later were other occasions when <strong>India rushed assistance.</strong></li>
<li>The Maldives has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> assistance and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines delivered</strong></a> by India among India&rsquo;s all neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>When the world supply chains were blocked because of the pandemic, India continued to provide crucial commodities to the Maldives under <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-sri-lanka-leadership" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission SAGAR</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>People To People Contact:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Maldivian students attend educational institutions in India</strong> and patients fly here for superspeciality healthcare, aided by a liberal visa-free regime extended by India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cooperation:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Tourism is the mainstay of Maldivian economy. Given the geographical limitations imposed on the Maldives, <strong>India has exempted the nation from export curbs on essential commodities.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Irritants in Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Political Instability:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s major concern has been the <strong>impact of political instability in the neighbourhood on its security and development.</strong></li>
<li>The February <strong>2015 arrest of Maldives&rsquo; opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges</strong> and the consequent political crisis have posed a real diplomatic test for India&rsquo;s neighbourhood policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Radicalisation:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In the past decade or so, the number of <strong>Maldivians drawn towards terrorist groups like the Islamic State (IS)</strong> and Pakistan-based madrassas and jihadist groups has been <strong>increasing.</strong></li>
<li>Political instability and <strong>socio-economic uncertainty</strong> are the main drivers fuelling the rise of Islamist radicalism in the island nation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China Angle:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China&rsquo;s strategic footprint in India&rsquo;s neighbourhood has increased. The Maldives has emerged as an important 'pearl' in China&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-sri-lanka-leadership" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>String of Pearls</strong></a>&rdquo; construct in South Asia.</li>
<li>Also, the <strong>Maldives have started using the China card to bargain with India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is hoped that<strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges#:~:text=India%2C%20for%20the%20eighth%20time,two%20years%20i.e%202021-22." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> India in the UN Security Council</a> and the Maldivian President of the General Assembly will work in tandem</strong> as India pursues its goals for <strong>multilateral reform, and re-energise the dormant process of effecting change in the old power structures in the global body.</strong></li>
<li>In accordance with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-is-indias-neighbourhood" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Neighbourhood First Policy</strong></a> of the government, India remains a committed development partner for a stable, prosperous and peaceful Maldives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/no-decision-yet-for-indian-consulate-in-addu-atoll-solih/article34772671.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8569,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'China-ASEAN Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, China hosted a meeting of foreign ministers from the 10 <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)</strong></a> countries.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting marks the <strong>30<sup>th</sup> anniversary of China-ASEAN dialogue.</strong></li>
<li>With this meeting China looks to <strong>deepen its economic ties with the region</strong> as well as <strong>push back the renewed effort at regional engagement</strong> from the US, as well as from the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">QUAD (Quadrilateral Framework) grouping</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>QUAD earlier this year came out with a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-leaders-summit-quad" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regional vaccine initiative</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points.</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Cultural Diplomacy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Reiterated that <strong>China and ASEAN should jointly carry forward Asian values</strong> in a subtle dig at the West. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China in 2014 had put forward the idea that it was for <strong>&ldquo;Asian people to uphold Asia&rsquo;s security&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Covid-Vaccines:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China offered ASEAN countries its <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-vaccination" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines</strong></a> as well as closer cooperation on joint vaccine development and production.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maritime Security &amp; Disputes:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China called for considering the <strong>lifting of China-ASEAN ties to comprehensive strategic partnership</strong> and strive for an early agreement on a <strong>code of conduct in the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/south-china-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>.</strong></li>
<li>China is <strong>banking on deep economic links to both offset maritime disputes</strong> and the push among some ASEAN countries for closer defence ties with the US amid their concerns about China&rsquo;s growing military footprint in the South China Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China pushed for the early implementation of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rcep-comes-into-existence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</strong></a>, which was signed by China, ASEAN countries, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand in November 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India withdrew from the RCEP</strong> largely because of concerns it would open it up to Chinese goods amid an already wide trade imbalance with China, and the failure of the agreement to adequately open up to services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>ASEAN&rsquo;s Importance for China:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>ASEAN plays a <strong>key role in Chinese economic and strategic interests.</strong></li>
<li>The region straddles vital sea lanes of communication that <strong>represent China&rsquo;s access to the global market</strong>, including vital imports of Middle Eastern oil.</li>
<li>Economically entwined with China, the relatively small nations of the region also <strong>offer ample opportunities for China to advance its influence</strong> and weaken what Chinese strategists perceive as a US (<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chinese-incursions-in-taiwan#:~:text=The%20Chinese%20government%20passed%20an,coerced%20or%20attacked%20by%20China." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Presence of US</strong></a>) engineered chain of encirclement around the Chinese mainland.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>ASEAN and India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Traditionally the basis of India-ASEAN ties has been trade and people-to-people ties</strong> due to shared historical and cultural roots, a more recent and urgent area of convergence has been <strong>balancing China&rsquo;s rise.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2020, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/17th-asean-india-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>17<sup>th</sup> ASEAN-India Virtual Summit</strong></a> was held.</li>
<li>The 8<sup>th</sup> <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asia Summit</strong></a> <strong>Economic Ministers&rsquo; Meeting</strong> (EAS-EMM) was also held<strong> in 2020. It comprises the ten member states of the ASEAN, along with 8 other countries</strong> namely Australia, China, Japan, India, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the USA.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both India and ASEAN aim to establish a<strong> rules-based security architecture for peaceful development in the region</strong>, in contrast to China&rsquo;s aggressive policies.</li>
<li>Like India, <strong>several ASEAN members such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei have territorial disputes with China, the China</strong> factor does form an important component of the relationship.</li>
<li>India in 2014 reinvigorated the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-act-east-policy-1#:~:text=About%3A,Pacific%20region%20at%20different%20levels." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Look East policy into Act East</strong></a>, with a more strategic outlook than its previous incarnation, <strong>focusing on engagement not just with Southeast Asian countries but also those in the Pacific.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The main focus of the Act East policy is on <strong>enhancing connectivity between India and South East Asia.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Association of Southeast Asian Nations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is <strong>a regional grouping</strong> that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation.</li>
<li>It was established in <strong>August 1967 in Bangkok</strong>, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding fathers of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.</li>
<li>Its <strong>chairmanship rotates annually</strong>, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States.</li>
<li>ASEAN countries have a<strong> total population of 650 million people</strong> and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 2.8 trillion. It is <strong>India&rsquo;s 4<sup>th</sup> largest trading partner with about USD 86.9 billion in trade.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam..</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623312702_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1623312702_image1.png" width="450" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>With China frequently displaying the intention as well as capability to challenge India, as seen in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/face-off-between-india-and-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Doklam standoff</strong></a>, it is pertinent that <strong>India finds more like-minded nations interested in working together to protect regional peace and stability.</strong></li>
<li>In this context, ASEAN fits the bill perfectly. <strong>ASEAN can also spur rapid growth of India&rsquo;s underdeveloped northeastern region</strong> if linkages that enable movement of people and goods could be established quickly.</li>
<li>But in order to do that, <strong>India must focus on speeding up connectivity projects and addressing its uneven balance of trade with ASEAN nations.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/china-offers-asean-support-on-vaccines-medical-supplies/article34762311.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8518,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India Abstains from Latest Resolution Against Israel',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Palestine blamed India for suppressing its human rights of all people</strong> as India abstained from the latest resolution on the Palestinian issue.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India abstained from voting on a resolution</strong> at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-human-rights-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Human Rights Council</strong> </a>(UNHRC) that came up in the backdrop of the latest round of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ai-aqsa-mosque-sheikh-jarrah-israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>conflict between Israel and Gaza strip</strong></a>, the coastal part of the Palestinian territories.</li>
<li>UNHRC is<strong> an inter-governmental body</strong> within the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> (UN) system responsible for <strong>strengthening the promotion and protection of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-human-rights-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> human rights</a> around the world.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1622722160_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1622722160_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="629" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Resolution:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It called on the UNHRC <strong>to set up a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/call-for-permanent-commission-for-israel-and-palestinian-areas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">permanent commission</a> to probe human rights violations in Gaza,</strong> West Bank and Palestine.</li>
<li>It was <strong>adopted with the vote of 24 members.</strong> Nine voted against, and 14, including India, abstained. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Among the<strong> countries that abstained</strong> on the vote, along with India, were France, Italy, Japan, Nepal, the Netherlands, Poland, and South Korea.</li>
<li>China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Russia were<strong> among those who voted in favour;</strong> Germany, the UK, and Austria<strong> voted against the resolution.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>As it was passed, an <strong>independent commission of inquiry</strong> was formed to investigate <strong>violations of international law by Israel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Palestine's Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> resolution</strong> is not an aberration to the Human Rights Council. It is the <strong>by-product of extensive multilateral consultations.</strong></li>
<li>It is the <strong>consolidation of years and thorough investigations into and reporting on Israel&rsquo;s grave violations</strong> by States, UN&rsquo;s experts, Human Rights Treaty bodies, and international organisations.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Palestinian people were <strong>deprived of applicability of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-human-rights-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">international human rights law.</a></strong></li>
<li>The<strong> root causes of the injustice</strong> against the Palestinian people was <strong>dispossession, displacement, <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%20implies%20domination%20of%20people%27s,is%20more%20formal%20and%20aggressive." target="_blank" rel="noopener">colonisation</a> by Israel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Therefore,<strong> India&rsquo;s abstention stifles the important work of Human Rights Council</strong> at advancing human rights for all peoples, including those of the Palestinian people.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India <strong>missed an opportunity to join the international community</strong> at this turning point, both crucial and long overdue, on the path to accountability, justice and peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Till Date India&rsquo;s Position on Israel-Palestine Issue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India<strong> recognised Israel in 1950</strong> but it is also the<strong> first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is also <strong>one of the first countries to recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In<strong> 2014,</strong> India<strong> favored UNHRC&rsquo;s resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza.</strong> Despite supporting the probe, <strong>India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</strong></li>
<li>As a part of Link West Policy, <strong>India has de-hyphenated its relationship with Israel and Palestine in 2018</strong> to treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.</li>
<li>In June 2019, India <strong>voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel</strong> in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-ecosoc-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong> </a>that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>In March 2021, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-criminal-court-icc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Criminal Court (ICC)</strong></a> launched investigatations into the war crimes in <strong><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Palestinian territories occupied by Israel (West Bank and the Gaza Strip).</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Israel wanted India to take a stand against it,</strong> however it did not happen.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>So far, India has<strong> tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination,</strong> and at the same time to <strong>engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India&rsquo;s policy on the longest running conflict in the world has <strong>gone from being unequivocally pro-Palestine</strong> for the first four decades, to a<strong> tense balancing act with its three-decade-old friendly ties with Israel.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In today's multipolar world, <strong>India needs to have a balanced approach.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>world at large needs to come together for a peaceful solution</strong> but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. Thus a <strong>balanced approach would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</strong></li>
<li>The recent <strong>normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, known as the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Abraham Accords</a>,</strong> are the steps in the right direction. All regional powers should envisage peace between the two countries on line of Abraham Accords.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/palestine-flays-indias-abstention-from-un-human-rights-council-vote/article34708618.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8509,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Australia Meeting',
		'description' => '<p>Recently, India and Australia reviewed <strong>cooperation in the sectors of agriculture and defence.</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>In the field of Agriculture:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>India-Australia Grains Partnership</strong> aims to use Australia&rsquo;s expertise in post harvest management to strengthen rural grain storage and supply chains so as to reduce losses and wastage.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National Institute of Agricultural Marketing</strong> will be the <strong>nodal organisation from India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The flagship program of <strong>National Innovation for Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA)</strong> was mentioned and collaboration could be set up with the research organisations of Australia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>NICRA</strong> is <strong>a network project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)</strong> launched in February 2011.</li>
<li>The project aims to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture to climate change and climate vulnerability through strategic research and technology demonstration.</li>
<li>The research on adaptation and mitigation covers crops, livestock, fisheries, and natural resource management.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>On Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Participation of Australia in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise Malabar.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>After the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ladakh confrontation</strong></a>, <strong>India extended the invitation to Australia</strong> and an Australian contingent participated in the <strong>2020 Malabar exercises.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Various bilateral defence cooperation initiatives like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-26th-march-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>AUSINDEX</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-australia-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (MLSA)</strong></a> and <strong>Defence Science &amp; Technology Implementing Arrangement (DSTIA)</strong> were reviewed.</li>
<li>Expressed an intent to convene the <strong>2+2 Ministerial Dialogue</strong> at the earliest. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>2+2 Ministerial Dialogue</strong> is a format of dialogue where the<strong> defense and foreign ministers meet with their counterparts</strong> from another country. It is the <strong>highest-level institutional mechanism</strong> between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-Australia Ties:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>On the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reasons-for-rising-covid-19-infections-second-wave" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> front</strong>, Australia has sent oxygen, ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to India as part of an immediate support package.</li>
<li>The trade Ministers of<strong> India, Japan and Australia</strong> have formally launched the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/launch-of-supply-chain-resilience-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).</strong></a></li>
<li>Recently, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-australia-circular-economy-hackathon" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Australia Circular Economy Hackathon (I-ACE)</strong></a> was organised.</li>
<li>Both countries upgraded their relationship to a<strong> Comprehensive Strategic Partnership</strong> and signed <strong>multiple defence agreements in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-australia-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2020</a>.</strong></li>
<li>India and Australia co-operate in various <strong>multilateral fora.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Australia supports India&rsquo;s candidature in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Security Council.</strong></a></li>
<li>Both India and Australia are members of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-leaders-summit-quad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Quad</strong></a>, <strong>Commonwealth, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/19th-iora-council-of-ministers-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA)</a>, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN Regional Forum</a>, Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development,</strong> and have participated in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asia Summits</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Both countries have also been cooperating as members of the <strong>Five Interested Parties (FIP)</strong> in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organization</strong></a> context.</li>
<li>Australia is an important player in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/apec-virtual-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)</strong></a> and supports India's membership of the organisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>A<strong> Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement</strong> between the two countries was signed in September 2014.</li>
<li>The <strong>Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the Extradition Treaty</strong> between India and Australia, which were signed in June 2008, have been ratified by both the Governments.</li>
<li>Both sides are also likely to<strong> explore other options</strong> such as a <strong>closer intelligence relationship,</strong> and in other areas such as <strong>high technology and outer space.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1723499" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8486,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'EAM’s Visit to US',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s <strong>External Affairs Minister (EAM)</strong> on his visit to the US met <strong>American lawmakers, National Security Advisor, Defense Secretary, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-digital-tax-discriminatory-ustr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)</a> and representatives from the private sector.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the Prime Minister of India and US President <strong>had a conversation</strong> on issues <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-supports-india-in-covid-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>related to supply chains</strong></a> for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-vaccination" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines for Covid-19.</strong></a></li>
<li>India also participated in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/leaders-summit-on-climate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Leaders' Summit on Climate</strong> </a>which was convened by the US President virtually.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Major Discussions:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Regional (<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a>) or global issues, Afghanistan and on <strong>further developing the India-US strategic and defence partnership.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Vaccine cooperation,</strong> contemporary <strong>security challenges,</strong> support for efficient and robust<strong> supply chains,</strong> among others.</li>
<li>The <strong>U.S. India Business Council (USIBC)</strong> meeting included a discussion on how the private sector, working via a consortium of 40 companies called the <strong>&lsquo;Global Task Force for Pandemic Response&rsquo;,</strong> could <strong>&ldquo;support India&rsquo;s health infrastructure and further ways to continue relief efforts.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The USBIC was<strong> formed in 1975</strong> as a business advocacy organization to enlighten and encourage the private sectors of both <strong>India and the US to enhance investment flows.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> US military has played a key role </strong>in the US&rsquo;s efforts to <strong>assist India as it battles a devastating wave of Covid-19.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Trade, technology &amp; business cooperation are at the core</strong> of strategic partnership which must be enhanced further for<strong> post-Covid economic recovery.</strong></li>
<li>Welcomed US&rsquo;s<strong> positive stance on <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/intellectual-property-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intellectual property rights (IPR)</a> issues &amp; support for efficient &amp; robust supply chains.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US&rsquo; Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both are <strong>united in confronting Covid-19 together,</strong> in dealing with the challenge posed by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, to partner together directly, through <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-leaders-summit-quad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>QUAD (Quadrilateral Framework)</strong></a> and other institutions in the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nations</strong></a> in dealing with many of the challenges of the region and around the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mutual Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>People-to-people ties and shared values are the foundation of the U.S.-India strategic partnership</strong> that is helping to end the pandemic, supporting a <strong>free and open Indo-Pacific,</strong> and providing<strong> global leadership on climate change.</strong></li>
<li>Welcomed <strong>cooperation that has resulted in the delivery of over USD 500 million in relief materials</strong> (state, federal and private sector sources) from the U.S. to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Current State of India-US Ties</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and US inked important defence pacts in the last few years and also <strong>formalised the four nation alliance of QUAD.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The alliance is seen as an<strong> important counter to China in the Indo-Pacific.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malabar exercise</a> in November 2020 portrayed a high point in Indo-US</strong> <strong>strategic ties,</strong> it was the first time in 13 years that all four countries of QUAD came together sending a fir message to China.</li>
<li>India now has <strong>access to american bases from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/djibouti-code-of-conduct" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Djibouti in Africa</a> to Guam in the Pacific.</strong> It can also access<strong> advanced communication technology used in US defence.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The previous US government ended India&rsquo;s special trade status and also imposed several bans, India also retaliated with bans on 28 US products.</li>
<li>Current <strong>US government has allowed all the bans by the previous government to expire.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Diaspora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is <strong>a growing presence of Indian diaspora in all spheres</strong> in the US. For example the current Vice-President (Kamala Harris) of the US has a strong Indian connection.</li>
<li>There are<strong> several Indian origin people holding strong leadership positions</strong> in the current US administration.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Covid-Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>When the US was reeling under a deadly Covid wave last year, <strong>India rushed important medical supplies and eased export restrictions</strong> to help the country.</li>
<li>Initially the US showed hesitancy in returning the favour when India needed it, however the US quickly changed its stance and <strong>rushed supplies to India.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>There is a <strong>huge potential to boost bilateral trade</strong> between the countries especially on account of <strong>increasing anti-China sentiment in both the nations.</strong></li>
<li>Thus, the<strong> negotiation should focus on the resolution of various non-tariff barriers</strong> and other market access improvements as early as possible.</li>
<li>In <strong>order to counter China in the maritime domain, India needs to fully engage with the US</strong> and other partners in the Indo-pacific region, in order to preserve the freedom of navigation and the rules-based order.</li>
<li>In international politics, <strong>there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.</strong> In such a scenario India must continue to pursue its foreign policy of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-embrace-of-strategic-hedging" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>strategic hedging.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/eam-jaishankar-meets-us-officials-lawmakers-in-washington/article34663238.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8448,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India - Israel Agreement on Agriculture Cooperation',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India and Israel have signed<strong> &ldquo;a three-year work program agreement&rdquo;</strong> for development in <strong>agriculture cooperation.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621944094_image6.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621944094_image6.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="550" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Three-year Work Program:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The programme<strong> aims</strong> to grow existing <strong>Centres of Excellence, establish new centers, increase CoE&rsquo;s value chain,</strong> bring the<strong> Centres of Excellence</strong> into the <strong>self-sufficient mode,</strong> and encourage <strong>private sector companies and collaboration.</strong></li>
<li>Both countries are implementing the<strong> &ldquo;INDO-ISRAEL Agricultural Project Centres of Excellence&rdquo; </strong>and<strong> &ldquo;INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Israeli Agriculture Project:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indo-Israeli Agricultural Cooperation Project <strong>started in 2008</strong> following the signing of a three-year Action Plan based on a Government to Government Agreement.</li>
<li>Both started an agricultural fund <strong>worth $50 million</strong> that focused on <strong>dairy, farming technology and micro-irrigation.</strong></li>
<li><strong>By March 2014, 10 centres of excellence operated</strong> throughout India offering free training sessions for farmers on efficient agricultural techniques using Israeli technological expertise. Vertical farming, drip irrigation and soil solarization are taught at the centres.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>INDO-ISRAEL Villages of Excellence (IIVOE):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a new concept aimed at <strong>creating a model ecosystem in agriculture across eight states,</strong> alongside 13 Centers of Excellence within 75 villages.</li>
<li>The program <strong>will promote the increase of net income and better the livelihood of the individual farmer,</strong> transforming traditional farms into modern-intensive farms based on <strong>Indo-Israel Agriculture Action Plan (IIAP)</strong> standards.</li>
<li>Large-scale and complete value chain approach with economic sustainability, embedded with Israeli novel technologies and methodologies will be <strong>tailored to local conditions.</strong></li>
<li>The IIVOE program<strong> will focus on:</strong> (1) Modern Agriculture infrastructure, (2) Capacity Building, (3) Market linkage.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Indo-Israel Bilateral Cooperation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Ties:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/collaboration-with-israel-in-defence-sector-under-fdi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>strategic cooperation</strong></a> between the two countries began during the <strong>Sino-India War of 1962.</strong></li>
<li>In 1965, Israel <strong>supplied M-58 160-mm mortar ammunition to India</strong> in the war <strong>against Pakistan.</strong></li>
<li>It was one of the few countries that chose <strong>not to condemn <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/national-technology-day-1#:~:text=The%20day%2C%20which%20was%20first,Prime%20Minister%20Atal%20Bihari%20Vajpayee." target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s Pokhran nuclear tests </a></strong>in 1998.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>From US$ 200 million in 1992 (comprising primarily trade in diamonds), bilateral merchandise trade stood at US$ 5.65 billion (excluding defence) in 2018-19, with the balance of trade being in India&rsquo;s favour by US$ 1.8 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Trade in diamonds constitutes close to 40% of bilateral trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India is <strong>Israel's third largest trade partner in Asia.</strong></li>
<li>Israeli companies have<strong> invested in India in energy, renewable energy, telecom, real estate, water technologies,</strong> and are focusing on <strong>setting up R&amp;D centers</strong> or <strong>production units</strong> in India.</li>
<li>The first recipients of grants from the <strong>Israel-India Industrial R&amp;D and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F)</strong> were announced in <strong>July 2018,</strong> including companies working to better the lives of Indians and Israelis through efficient water use, improving communications infrastructure, solar energy use, and life-changing surgeries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The fund aims to help Israeli entrepreneurs enter the Indian market.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Israel has been <strong>among the top four arms suppliers to India for almost two decades now,</strong> notching military sales worth around USD 1 billion every year.</li>
<li>The Indian armed forces have<strong> inducted a wide array of Israeli weapon systems</strong> over the years, which range from <strong>Phalcon AWACS</strong> (airborne warning and control systems) and<strong> Heron, Searcher-II</strong> and <strong>Harop drones</strong> to <strong>Barak</strong> anti-missile defence systems and <strong>Spyder</strong> quick-reaction anti-aircraft missile systems.</li>
<li>The acquisitions also include a host of Israeli missiles and precision-guided munitions, from <strong>Python and Derby air-to-air missiles</strong> to<strong> Crystal Maze and Spice-2000 bombs.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Covid-19 Response:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2020, an Israeli team arrived in India with a multi-pronged mission, codenamed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-breathing-space-india-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Breathing Space</strong></a> to work with Indian authorities on the Covid-19 response.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-israel-sign-agreement-on-agriculture-cooperation-7328840/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8415,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India, Oman MoU ',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-oman" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and Oman</strong></a> renewed the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on <strong>military cooperation</strong> as well as on <strong>maritime security.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621583099_pasted%20image 0.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621583099_pasted image 0.png" width="450" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India-Oman Relationship:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Sultanate of Oman is <strong>a strategic partner of India</strong> and an important speaker at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gulf-cooperation-council-and-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gulf Cooperation Council</strong> </a>(GCC), <strong>Arab League</strong> and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/19th-iora-council-of-ministers-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Ocean Rim Association</strong></a> (IORA) fora. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India is a member of IORA</strong> but <strong>not a member of GCC and Arab League.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India and Oman are<strong> linked by geography, history</strong> <strong>and culture</strong> and enjoy <strong>warm and cordial relations</strong>, which are attributed to <strong>historical maritime trade linkages</strong>, intimacy of the Royal family with India and the <strong>seminal</strong> <strong>role played by Indian expatriate community </strong>in building Oman, which is acknowledged by the Omani Government.</li>
<li>Institutional mechanisms like Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) and Joint Business Council (JBC) <strong>oversee economic cooperation</strong> between the two.</li>
<li>Key <strong>bilateral agreements/MoUs cover cooperation</strong> in Defence; peaceful uses of Outer Space; Extradition; Legal and judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters; Agriculture; Civil Aviation; Avoidance of Double Taxation; Maritime issues; etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In West-Asia, <strong>Oman is one of India&rsquo;s oldest defence partners</strong> and an <strong>ally in anti-piracy campaigns.</strong></li>
<li>India has <strong>supplied rifles to Oman.</strong> Also, India is <strong>considering setting up a defence production unit in Oman.</strong></li>
<li>India and Oman <strong>conduct regular biennial bilateral exercises</strong> between all three services.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Army exercise: <strong>Al Najah</strong></li>
<li>Air Force exercise: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ex-eastern-bridge-v" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Eastern Bridge</strong></a></li>
<li>Naval Exercise: <strong>Naseem Al Bahr</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Maritime Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Oman is at the gateway of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strait-of-hormuz-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Strait of Hormuz</strong></a> through which India imports one-fifth of its oil imports.</li>
<li>The <strong>berth rights given by Oman to Indian vessels</strong> is important for the Indian Navy to carry out anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.</li>
<li><strong>India signed a</strong> pact with the country in 2018 <strong>to</strong> <strong>access the Duqm port of Oman.</strong></li>
<li>India is working closely with Oman <strong>to enhance strategic depth in the region and add heft to its <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-vision-for-indo-pacific" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indo-Pacific vision</a></strong> in the Western and Southern Part of Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>India <strong>needs its support to counter the growing Chinese foothold in the region.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is concerned with China&rsquo;s acquisition of strategic assets in the region including setting its base at Port of Doraleh in Djibouti.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1720411" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8395,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Israel-Palestine Conflict',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uyFPmpf-N2A" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India, the United States and several other countries have called for calm and restraint amid escalating tensions and violence between<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Israel and Palestinian</strong> </a>militants.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Dozens of people have been killed in clashes and airstrikes since the violence broke out, including a 30-year-old Indian woman in Israel who was killed in a rocket attack by Palestinian militants from Gaza.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> At the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Security Council</strong></a> meeting, India expressed deep concern at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ai-aqsa-mosque-sheikh-jarrah-israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>clashes and violence in Jerusalem</strong></a> and called on both sides to avoid changing the status-quo on the ground.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s Permanent Representative to the UN, stressed the need to<strong> immediately resume direct peace talks</strong> and commitment to a two-state solution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US Stand:</strong> The US President has also called for de-escalation of the deadly violence that has claimed dozens of lives.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the US added that Israel has a right to defend itself if it is attacked by thousands of rockets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Response by the Arab World:</strong> Iran, Qatar and Turkey completely support the Palestinian cause and are backing Hamas.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>UAE and Saudi Arabia are almost <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/israel-uae-peace-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>de facto allies of Israel.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Israel - Palestine</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>The Conflict:</strong> It is linked to the age-old <strong>tussle over identity and land</strong> starting with Jerusalem.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the <strong>first Arab Israel war of 1948,</strong> the Israelis captured the western half of the city, and Jordan took the eastern part which Israel later captured and annexed.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since then, Israel has expanded settlements in East Jerusalem.</li>
<li>The Palestinians want to make East Jerusalem the capital of their yet to be formed state.</li>
<li>Israel sees the whole city as its &ldquo;unified, eternal capital&rdquo;, whereas the Palestinian leadership denies for any compromise unless East Jerusalem is recognised as the capital of future Palestinian state.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Palestinians</strong> are facing the<strong> threat of eviction from Sheikh Jarrah,</strong> a neighbourhood in east Jerusalem. Their land is to be given to the Jewish settlers.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Moreover, the Israeli armed forces have recently attacked the Al-Aqsa Mosque ahead of a march by Zionist nationalists.</li>
<li>The Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest shrine for Islam after Mecca and Medina.</li>
<li>It created a fear for the followers, all over the region and the radicals began to call for defending the Al Aqsa Mosque.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also, earlier this year (2021), the Central Court in East Jerusalem upheld a decision to <strong>evict four Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah</strong> in favor of Jewish settlers.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The issue remains unresolved and potentially inflammable.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>current outbreak of violence is the most severe one since 2014</strong> involving the rocket-firing by the Palestinians and the air-strikes conducted by Israelis in retaliation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621339894_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1621339894_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Factors Triggering the Conflict</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hamas in Rule in Palestine:</strong> Hamas, found in 1987, is a violent offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood seeking "to raise the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine" through violent jihad.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Palestinian President is quite old age and hence, senile and unable to fight for the cause.</li>
<li>So, <strong>Hamas is the more radical faction of the Palestinians which has now started retaliating.</strong></li>
<li>The so-called president authority of Palestine is neither conducting elections, nor functioning properly, the dictatorship of the Hamas and Israeli seizure of territories and limitations is aggravating the Palestinians.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Instability in Both the States:</strong> There is <strong>incapability and stagnation in the leadership structures</strong> on the both sides thus leading to too many groups getting out of control, who are resorting to maximum violence.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, <strong>Israel has had 4 elections in the last two years</strong> and all of them were inconclusive. The Prime Minister of Israel has retained his post but only in a caretaker form.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Divided Israel:</strong> The Israelis are all highly divided.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Arabian Israelis</strong> who are just 20% of the population,<strong> identify with the Palestinians</strong> due to the same ethnicity.</li>
<li>The Arabian Israelis and the far-right community of Israel are engaging in civil war like activities inside the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues with the Palestinian People:</strong> The ground sentiments of the Palestinians are also changing, the <strong>majority of them saying they do not want a two state solution.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is also not decided if Hamas will rule over the Palestinian state or the Fatah or neither of these.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Palestinians have been a divide lot between between the Hamas and the Fatah</strong> and the two are moving on the different tracks which is the main reason for the defeat of the ultimate Palestinian cause.</li>
<li>United Palestine with the help from the Arab world and the other countries could have achieved much more than it is achieving now.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They are <strong>geographically separated by Israeli territory</strong> so it is not a viable state anymore, plus, the<strong> land going into the Jewish hands is further aggravating the Palestinians.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The US Losing its Significance in the Region:</strong> The US is preventing the meeting from taking place at the UNSC for Palestinian cause and <strong>completely recognises the rights of Israelis</strong> to defend themselves.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US President recognising Jerusalem as Israel&rsquo;s de facto capital also became a major problem.</li>
<li>The US, under President Joe Biden, <strong>does not have much leverage on Israel,</strong> unlike the US under Donald Trump who clearly supported Israel. <strong>They are trying to be more even handed.</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Although the current administration in the US has talked about being neutral, it <strong>hasn&rsquo;t invested much diplomatic energy in this conflict.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Change in Leadership:</strong> The leadership and generational change in politics of the two States is really very crucial.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both the Isreali and Palestinian Prime Ministers have been in power for quite long. Ideally, they shall step aside, the domestic survival politics for power and the desire of holding on to their chairs is overriding the broader interest of the region and its people.</li>
<li>There is hope for the newer generation to come and rethink for a two state solution.</li>
<li>Also, bringing Hamas into moderation is much required.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Preventing Disproportionate Retaliation:</strong> There has to be a certain extent for both the states upto which they can retaliate, disproportionate use of force is not a solution, it will only create more terrorism and extremism.</li>
<li><strong>Role of the Regional Players:</strong> The regional players like Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE possibly have a better pathway for peace talk than the US. The US does not have as much hold over the region as it used to have.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Qatar and Egypt are already working closely to bring peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s role:</strong> India believes that peace talks are the only way ahead for stability to come in the region and ending this decades old conflict.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has close relationships with both the states and it supports Palestine but choosing one over the other is not wise.</li>
<li>However, Palestine wants, to some extent, India to act as interlocutor as their faith does not lie much within the US, China or Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The situation on the ground is really bad, the tensions are escalating and looking at the complex issues involved, the issue does not seem to be getting solved in the near future.</li>
<li>Peace talks have been taking place for at least 2 decades but in vain. However, India&rsquo;s stand still remains for peace talks.</li>
<li>Both sides have to come for a possible solution which is in mutual interest but that can happen only through talks and not bloodshed.</li>
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8364,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Al-Aqsa Mosque & Sheikh Jarrah: Israel-Palestine',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Israeli armed forces attacked <strong>Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Haram esh-Sharif in Jerusalem,</strong> ahead of a march by Zionist nationalists commemorating Israel&rsquo;s capture of the eastern half of the city in 1967.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of <strong>Sheikh Jarrah</strong> escalated the crisis further.</li>
<li><strong>Zionism</strong> is a worldwide Jewish movement that resulted in the establishment and development of the state of Israel and that now supports the state of Israel as a Jewish homeland.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620890111_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620890111_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Al-Aqsa Mosque:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is one of the holiest structures in the Islamic faith. It sits inside a 35-acre site known by Muslims as Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, and by Jews as the Temple Mount. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The site is part of the Old City of Jerusalem, <strong>sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is believed to have been <strong>completed early in the eighth century</strong> and faces the Dome of the Rock, the golden-domed Islamic shrine that is a widely recognized symbol of Jerusalem.</li>
<li>The<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5#:~:text=United%20Nations%20Educational%2C%20Scientific%20and,Education%2C%20the%20Sciences%20and%20Culture." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO,</strong></a> has classified the <strong>Old City of Jerusalem and its walls as a <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/world-heritage-sites-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Heritage Site.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflict over Jerusalem:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Jerusalem has been at the centre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to the original 1947 <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations (UN)</strong></a> partition plan, Jerusalem was proposed to be an international city.</li>
<li>But in the<strong> first <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arab Israel war of 1948</a>, the Israelis captured the western half of the city,</strong> and <strong>Jordan took the eastern part,</strong> including the Old City that houses Haram al-Sharif.</li>
<li>Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the <strong><a href="/be-mains-ready-daily-answer-writing-practice-question/papers/2019/six-day-war-reasons-war-shaped-history-of-the-modern-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Six-Day War</a> 1967</strong> and annexed it later. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since its annexation, <strong>Israel has expanded settlements in East Jerusalem.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Israel</strong> sees the whole city as its <strong>&ldquo;unified, eternal capital&rdquo;,</strong> whereas the <strong>Palestinian leadership</strong> across the political spectrum have maintained that they would not accept any compromise formula for the future Palestinian state unless <strong>East Jerusalem is its capital.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sheikh Jarrah Issue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced out of their homes when the State of Israel was created in historical Palestine in 1948. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Twenty-eight of those <strong>Palestinian families moved to Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem to settle there.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 1956, when East Jerusalem was ruled by Jordan, the Jordanian Ministry of Construction and Development and the <strong>UN</strong> Relief and Works Agency <strong>facilitated the construction of houses for these families in Sheikh Jarrah.</strong> But Israel would capture East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By the early 1970s, <strong>Jewish agencies started demanding the families leave the land.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Earlier this year (2021),<strong> the Central Court in East Jerusalem upheld a decision to evict four Palestinian families</strong> from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah in favor of Jewish settlers.</li>
<li>The issue remains<strong> unresolved and potentially inflammable.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand on Israel-Palestine Issue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>recognised Israel in 1950</strong> but it is also <strong>the first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is also one of the first countries to<strong> recognise the statehood of Palestine in 1988.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2014, India favored <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-human-rights-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNHRC&rsquo;s</strong></a> resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite supporting the probe, <strong>India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</strong></li>
<li>As a part of Link West Policy, India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship with Israel and Palestine in 2018</strong> to treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.</li>
<li>In June 2019, India<strong> voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel</strong> in the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-ecosoc-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong></a> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>So far <strong>India has tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination,</strong> and at the same time to<strong> engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Related Developments:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In March 2021, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-criminal-court-icc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Criminal Court (ICC)</strong> </a>launched investigatations into the war crimes in <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Palestinian territories occupied by Israel (West Bank and the Gaza Strip).</strong></a></li>
<li>In April 2021, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-restores-aid-to-palestinians" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US restored at least USD 235 million in financial assistance to the Palestinians.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> world at large needs to come together for a peaceful solution</strong> but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. Thus a <strong>balanced approach would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</strong></li>
<li>The recent <strong>normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco,</strong> known as the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Abraham Accords</strong></a>, are the steps in the right direction. All <strong>regional powers should envisage peace</strong> between the two countries on line of Abraham Accords.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/explained-what-is-happening-in-jerusalem/article34532966.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8360,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '4th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The 4<sup>th</sup> <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-switzerland-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India-Swiss</a> Financial Dialogue</strong> was held virtually through video conferencing.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620814199_image%201.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620814199_image 1.jpg" width="450" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights from the Dialogue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Talks for collaboration on various aspects including <strong>investments</strong>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-financial-services-centres-authority-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA)</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/cabinet-approves-capital-infusion-into-niif" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/fintech-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FinTech</strong></a>, <strong>sustainable finance and cross border financial services.</strong></li>
<li>The matters relating to <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a>,<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Monetary Fund (IMF)</strong></a> and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/digital-services-tax-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <strong>tax challenges arising from the digitalisation of the economy</strong></a> were discussed along with <strong>infrastructure financing.</strong></li>
<li>Emphasised the importance of <strong>coordinated bilateral action on a clean and resilient post-Covid world.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-Switzerland Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>Treaty of Friendship</strong> between India and Switzerland was signed at New Delhi in 1948.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>policy of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/non-aligned-movement-nam" target="_blank" rel="noopener">non-alignment</a></strong> and Switzerland&rsquo;s traditional <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/switzerland-s-policy-of-neutrality" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>policy of neutrality</strong></a> has led to a close understanding between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India-Switzerland <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/model-bilateral-investment-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)</strong></a> is under negotiation.</li>
<li>Negotiations are also taking place on <strong>India-EFTA Trade &amp; Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>European Free Trade Association (EFTA)</strong> is the intergovernmental organisation of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.</li>
<li>These countries are not part of the European Union (EU) with which India is negotiating a separate trade agreement called the India-EU Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Other Areas:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>An <strong>Indo-Swiss Joint Research Programme (ISJRP)</strong> was launched in 2005.</li>
<li><strong>Skill Training:</strong> Several Institutes from both the countries have collaborated to impart the highest standards of skill training in India. E.g.:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Bharatiya Skill Development Campus and University, Jaipur.</li>
<li>Indo-Swiss Centre of Excellence, Pune.</li>
<li>Vocational Training Center, Andhra Pradesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Capacity Building for Low Carbon and Climate Resilient City Development (CapaCITIES):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)</strong> is supporting the implementation of the CapaCITIES project in Indian cities.</li>
<li>The CapaCITIES project aims to strengthen the capacities of Indian cities, to identify, plan and implement measures for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and for enhancing resilience to climate change in an integrated manner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1717793" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8353,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: India-UK Trade',
		'description' => '<h3 style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GvnOKzyUG6M" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></h3>
<h3>Why in News?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Recently, the UK Prime Minister has announced a new <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-uk-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UK-India trade</strong></a> and investment worth 1 billion pounds, including an investment of 240 million pounds by the Serum Institute of India for its vaccine business in Britain.</li>
<li>The announcement came ahead of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-uk-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the India-UK virtual summit</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>UK&rsquo;s Trade Deal with India:</strong> The package contains new Indian investments of more than &pound;533 million that is expected to create more than 6,000 jobs in vital sectors such as health and technology.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also includes British exports to India worth more than 446 million pounds, while 200 million pounds of these deals will support low carbon growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Enhanced Trade Partnership:</strong> According to the British Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office, the investments form part of an <strong>Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP)</strong> which is expected to pave the way for a future <strong><a href="/summary-of-important-reports/a-note-on-free-trade-agreements-and-their-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Trade Agreement (FTA)</a>.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ETP will address several trade barriers, including the lifting of restrictions to enable fruit producers across the UK to export apples, pears and quince to India for the first time.</li>
<li>They will also work towards reciprocal opening up of legal services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Britain Emphasising India:</strong> Britain has emphasised itself as global Britain and India as a global India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Britain has also said that no major decisions around the world can be made by excluding India</li>
<li>It is proposing and projecting India as a global player which can bring symbolic and concrete gains for India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of India-UK Trade:</strong> The two have set an ambitious target of more than doubling the bilateral trade by 2030. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Besides the economic significance of the trade deal, it also marks the <strong>political intent</strong> of the two countries.</li>
<li>From India&rsquo;s perspective, it has a lot to do with China, amid the worsening conditions, the chances of China exerting its dominance increase exponentially. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The trade agreement indicates that India has its allies all over the world.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/launch-of-supply-chain-resilience-initiative#:~:text=The%20Trade%20Ministers%20of%20India,in%20the%20Indo%2DPacific%20region." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>supply chain resilient initiatives</strong></a> with Australia and Japan and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-leaders-summit-quad#:~:text=Quad%20Vaccine%20Partnership%3A,initiative%20that%20India%20has%20welcomed." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>QUAD initiatives on vaccines</strong></a> already exist, but in order to take the supply chains away from China's control, India must have more partnerships which makes the deal of great significance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Britain and India Trade</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Britain&rsquo;s Economy:</strong> About 80% of British economy is dependent on services. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>50% of Britain&rsquo;s exports are services driven exports and the bulk of them are with the European Union (EU).</li>
<li>With the reorganisation of the new trade deal with the EU, Britain is clearly looking at other potential buyers of its services.</li>
<li>It has already signed FTAs with Japan, Canada, Turkey etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Britain&rsquo;s Importance for India:</strong> India has also articulated 5 areas where it is willing to fasten its progress which includes Life Sciences, Information Technology, Chemicals, Services and Food &amp; Drinks. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Britain, earlier, was largely seen as just a gateway to the EU but has much more significance for India at present.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain has recently supplied 900+ oxygen cylinders to India. Besides, India wants to work together with Britain in terms of dealing with the pandemic, health care, climate change, defence cooperation etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Significance for Britain:</strong> The bilateral relationships between the two in trade and the investment sector have seen an <strong>upsurge in the past 4 years.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is a huge market with a population bigger than the UK and EU combined. Britain can see the potential of exporting its services to India.</li>
<li>India, today is the <strong>second largest investor in Britain after the USA</strong> and countries such as Germany and France come after India.</li>
<li>The UK has about 1.4 million people of Indian origin and 1000+ Indian companies are present in Britain providing employment to a large number of people such as Infosys.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Issues Associated</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China Aspect:</strong> This trade deal is not just about the trade but also about political and strategic elements of the relationship. Britain is not regarding China as a threat but talking about engagements with it. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India needs to be very realistic about Britain&rsquo;s interests with China which are quite different from India&rsquo;s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fruit Exports:</strong> Britain for the first time is going to export fruits in India which will require certification only from Britain and no accreditation from India, which is a possible issue to be raised.</li>
<li><strong>No Recognition of India&rsquo;s Priorities from Britain:</strong> The stress is being put upon the advantages that Britain will have with the signing of this deal and not upon India&rsquo;s advantages. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is talk about British exports to India and Indian investment in Britain but not vice-versa. Indian point of view is not being given much importance.</li>
<li>Britain is pushing its own agenda on India and it would like to ensure that several both tariff and non-tariff barriers are removed and several quotas are removed in terms of allowing British exports to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Varying Interests of India and UK:</strong> The Indian and British interests are not coinciding completely in this FTA. Britain wants greater access to the Indian market. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is allowing Britain&rsquo;s legal services in India but there are no talks about access of Indian IT Professionals and skilled manpower to Britain.</li>
<li>The same was the cause of India&rsquo;s withdrawal from the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/rcep-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Movement of Manpower to Britain:</strong> India needs access to Britain, an initiative is needed that allows Indian students to stay and work in Britain after studies and also allows working of IT professionals and skilled workforce in Britain.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A larger initiative is required that encompasses the movement of not just merchandise but also manpower.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Realising India&rsquo;s Potential:</strong> India must make the best of the opportunity that is provided to it. India has the leverage against other countries as the second largest investor in Britain and as the world&rsquo;s fifth largest economy which is still growing at the fastest rate in the world. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It should not end the same way as it did for India in the case of RCEP, as it is a bilateral partnership, India shall also push forward its own agenda on what it wants to achieve in Britain.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Trade is one of the easiest ways to connect the bridges between any two countries. India and UK&rsquo;s Enhanced Trade Partnerships and the FTA are the elements which will further alleviate a strong and vibrant partnership between the two.</li>
<li>It is important for India to bring its own agenda and priorities into recognition and ensure that the trade deals, ongoing and upcoming, are as beneficial to both the countries.</li>
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8342,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-EU Leaders’ Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Indian Prime Minister participated in the India-<strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU)</a> Leaders&rsquo; Meeting.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting was held in a <strong>hybrid format</strong> with the participation of leaders of all the <strong>27 EU Member States</strong> as well as the <strong>President of the European Council and the European Commission.</strong></li>
<li>This is the <strong>first time</strong> that the EU hosted a meeting with India in the <strong>EU+27 format.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The meeting was the <strong>initiative of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620642192_image%202.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1620642192_image 2.jpg" width="550" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Free Trade Negotiations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed to <strong>relaunch free trade negotiations</strong> by resuming talks that were suspended for the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/trade-and-economic-relation-between-india-and-european-and-oceania-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)</a>.</strong></li>
<li>India and EU had launched talks for having a wide-ranging <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/a-note-on-free-trade-agreements-and-their-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Free Trade Agreement (FTA)</strong></a>, officially called broad-based BTIA, long ago in 2007.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The BTIA was proposed to <strong>encompass trade in goods, services and investments.</strong></li>
<li>However, the talks <strong>stalled in 2013</strong> over <strong>differences on market access and movement of professionals.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>EU was India&rsquo;s largest trading partner in goods 2019-20</strong>, ahead of China and the US, with total trade close to USD 90 billion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Connectivity Partnership:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Launched an ambitious and comprehensive <strong>&lsquo;Connectivity Partnership&rsquo;</strong> which is <strong>focused on enhancing digital, energy, transport and people-to-people connectivity.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>based on the shared principles</strong> of social, economic, fiscal, climate and environmental sustainability, and respect for international law and commitments.</li>
<li>It will <strong>catalyse private and public financing for connectivity projects.</strong> It will also <strong>foster new synergies for supporting connectivity</strong> initiatives in third countries, including in the <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indo-Pacific</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Also signed the contract for the second tranche of <strong>USD 150 million from the EU for the Pune Metro rail project.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Climate Change:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reiterated their commitment to achieving the goals of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris Agreement</strong></a> and agreed to <strong>strengthen joint efforts for mitigation, adaptation and resilience to the impacts of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a></strong>, as well as providing means of implementation including finance in the context of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ndc-synthesis-report-unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Conference of the Parties (COP 26)</a>.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India welcomed the EU&rsquo;s decision to join the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Technology:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation on digital and emerging technologies such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/5g-technology-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5G</strong></a>, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Artificial Intelligence (AI)</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quantum-supremacy-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quantum and High-Performance Computing</strong></a> including through the <strong>early operationalization of the Joint Task Force on AI and the Digital Investment Forum.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strengthening Partnership:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Desired to <strong>further strengthen the India-EU Strategic Partnership</strong> based on a shared commitment to democracy, fundamental freedoms, rule of law and multilateralism.</li>
<li>India appreciated the prompt assistance provided by the EU and its member states to combat its <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reasons-for-rising-covid-19-infections-second-wave" target="_blank" rel="noopener">second Covid wave</a>.</strong></li>
<li>India also <strong>requested the EU&rsquo;s support</strong> for its joint proposal with South Africa for a <strong>Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS) waiver</strong> on vaccine production-related patents in the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Trade Organisation (WTO)</a>.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Recently, the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-supports-india-in-covid-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US has supported the proposal</a>.</strong> However, India <strong>failed to secure the support of the European leaders.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India-EU Leaders&rsquo; Meeting has set a <strong>significant milestone</strong> by providing a new direction to the Strategic Partnership and <strong>giving a fresh impetus for implementing the ambitious India-EU Roadmap 2025</strong> adopted at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-eu-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>15<sup>th</sup> India-EU Summit</strong></a> held in July 2020.</li>
<li>There is a <strong>need for comprehensive trade agreement</strong> that brings in strong rules, removes barriers to trade in goods and services and investments and opens up free markets. <strong>Addressing the mutual trust deficit</strong>, facilitating people&rsquo;s mobility and connectivity can improve mutual understanding and create <strong>opportunities for innovation and growth.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Enhanced business cooperation between EU and India</strong> can diversify their strategic value chains and <strong>reduce economic dependency</strong>&mdash;notably on China.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1717098" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8250,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Bangladesh Liberation War 1971',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/endeavour-leadership-and-the-story-of-a-nation/article34408933.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Endeavour, leadership and the story of a nation&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 26/04/2021. It talks about the significance of the Bangladesh Liberation War 1971.</p>
</div>
<p>The year 2021 marks the golden jubilee of the Muktijuddho or the Liberation War. Bangladesh&rsquo;s Independence in 1971 not only gave Bangladesh its freedom from the clutches of oppressive East Pakistan but changed the history and geopolitical scenario of South Asia.</p>
<p>Oppressive military action by the then west Pakistan&rsquo;s military led to a massive refugee and humanitarian crisis. The plight of the ten million refugees did have an impact on the Indian government and prompted it to launch a retaliatory action against Pakistan.</p>
<p>However, India&rsquo;s intervention was not only altruistic in nature, but was primarily based on realpolitik.</p>
<h3>Bangladesh Liberation War 1971: Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political Imbalance:</strong> In the 1950s the centralised Pakistani state was run undemocratically by a military-bureaucratic oligarchy dominated by West Pakistan.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Under this system, Bengalis had no political say. But West Pakistan dominance was challenged in 1970 during general elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Landslide Victory of Awami League:</strong> East Pakistan' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman&rsquo;s Awami League had a clear overall majority, enough to become the prime minister.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, west Pakistan was not willing to let a leader from its eastern provincial wing rule the country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Differences:</strong> The then West Pakistan (present Pakistan), under the leadership of Yahya Khan, started a brutal assault on the people of East Pakistan (present Bangladesh) who were demanding freedom because of the language and cultural differences between the two regions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>After political negotiations failed, the Pakistani army under General Yahya Khan decided to start the crackdown.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Operation Searchlight:</strong> West Pakistan kicked in operation searchlight across the whole of East Pakistan on March 26, 1971.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This resulted in millions of Bangladeshis fleeing to India, mainly West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.</li>
<li>West Bengal, in particular, was massively burdened by the onrush of the refugees and the state appealed to the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her government for assistance for food and shelter.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Bangla Cooperation:</strong> With the subsequent bravery of the Indian Army coupled with the spirited fight put up by Mukti Bahini &mdash; the Bangladeshi guerilla resistance movement consisting of the Bangladeshi military, paramilitary and civilians &mdash; defeated the Pakistani forces.</li>
<li><strong>Defeat of Pakistani Military:</strong> On December 16, 1971, Lt Gen Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, the Chief Martial Law Administrator of East Pakistan and Commander of Pakistan Army forces located in East Pakistan signed the Instrument of Surrender.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian forces and Bangladesh Liberation forces making it the largest surrender since World War II.</li>
<li>The intervention brought a conclusion to the war in 13 short days and led to the birth of a new nation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Bangladesh Liberation War 1971: Realpolitik or Altruism?</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Diminishing the Two-front War Threat:</strong> The East Pakistan uprising provided India with the opportunity to break up Pakistan and eliminate the threat of a two-front war in any future confrontation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Although the eastern front remained largely inactive in 1965, it tied down substantial military resources that could have been deployed to greater effect in the western theatre.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Preventing Side-Lining of Pro-India Awami League:</strong> India recognised that a drawn-out civil war in East Pakistan would radicalise the Bengali population. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This could lead to the side-lining of the pro-India Awami League and shift the leadership of the movement to left-wing pro-China parties such as the Bhashani-led National Awami Party and the Communist Party.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negating Internal Security Threat:</strong> The Guerrilla warfare, inspired by Maoist ideology, was the major form of resistance against the Pakistani military. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>If India wouldn&rsquo;t have intervened in the Bangladesh Liberation War 197, this could have been detrimental for India&rsquo;s internal security interests, especially in the context of the Naxalite movement which was then raging in eastern India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Negating The Communal Threat:</strong> By July-August 1971, 90% of the refugees were Hindus concentrated in the border districts of West Bengal with large Muslim populations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Consequently, there was danger of serious communal strife if India did not act quickly to ensure their return.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Departure from Non-Alignment:</strong> At the diplomatic level, India did not act entirely alone. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi&rsquo;s carefully crafted diplomatic dispatches to world leaders had helped create a groundswell of support for the persecuted Bengalis of East Pakistan. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The signing of the Indo-Soviet Treaty in August 1971 came as a shot-in-the-arm for India, encouraging it to stay the course.</li>
<li>The victory defined India's much broader role in foreign politics.</li>
<li>Many countries in the world, including the United States, realised that the balance of power had shifted to India in South Asia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The ultimate accolade for India&rsquo;s role in creating a new nation is that Bangladesh is today a relatively prosperous country, having made steady progress from the category of a Least Developed Country to a developing country.</p>
<p>The creation of Bangladesh &mdash; from the ashes of East Pakistan &mdash; is presumably India&rsquo;s finest foreign policy triumph till date.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fcfff5;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>The campaign of 1971 achieved India&rsquo;s strategic objectives while still maintaining a humanitarian veneer for both domestic and international consumption. Comment.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8249,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'US Supports India in Covid-Crisis',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister of India and US President had a telephone conversation with assurances exchanged on smoothening <strong>out issues related to supply</strong> chains for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-vaccine-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines</strong></a> for <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19.</a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The telephone call came in the<strong> background</strong> of not just flagging supply chain issues with the US with regard to vaccines but also the <strong>lack of certain resources in India to fight the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a></strong>, as the country has been hit by exponentially rising cases and deaths.</li>
<li>Earlier in 2020, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-u-s-to-collaborate-on-covid-19-vaccine-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and the US planned to work together</strong></a> on vaccine research and testing for Covid-19.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bilateral Discussion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India discussed its initiative at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organisation (WTO)</strong></a> for a relaxation in the norms of the agreement on <strong>Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIPS)</strong> to ensure quick and affordable access to vaccines and medicines for developing countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>1995 agreement on TRIPS</strong> is a key legal instrument that <strong>harmonises <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/intellectual-property-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intellectual Property (IP)</a> protection</strong> by imposing binding obligations on member countries to ensure a minimum level of protection and enforcement of IP rights in their territories.</li>
<li>IP rights<strong> could hinder the supply of vaccines and drugs at affordable prices.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India also mentioned its commitment to contain the Covid-19 pandemic globally through<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Vaccine Maitri</strong></a>, and its participation in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gavi-covax-facility" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVAX</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-leaders-summit-quad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Quad Vaccine Initiatives.</strong></a></li>
<li>Both discussed the Covid-19 situation in their respective countries, including India&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to contain the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/reasons-for-rising-covid-19-infections-second-wave" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>second wave of Covid-19</strong> </a>through expedited vaccination efforts, and ensuring supply of critical medicines, therapeutics and health care equipment.</li>
<li><strong>Recent Developments in the Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India-US ties were <strong>elevated to "comprehensive global strategic partnership"</strong> in 2020.</li>
<li>India and the US signed the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/basic-exchange-and-cooperation-agreement-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement for Geo-Spatial Cooperation (BECA)</strong></a>, with which the two countries have inked all the all four foundational agreements to bolster defence ties.</li>
<li>Among the<strong> many highlights</strong> are deepening government-to-government dialogues, shared vision of the Indo-Pacific, regional cooperation, defence and security ties, and ability to respond to unexpected challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Request:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Emphasized the <strong>need to ensure smooth and open supply chains of raw materials</strong> and inputs required for manufacture of vaccines, medicines, and therapeutics related to Covid-19.</li>
<li><strong>Requested for supply of seven essential items</strong> that it needs on an urgent basis. These are <strong>oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, oxygen generators, oxygen generation plants, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/demand-for-compulsory-licencing-of-remdesivir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remdesivir</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/antiviral-drug-umifenovir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">favipiravir</a>, and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dexamethasone-drug" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tocilizumab</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US&rsquo; Steps:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has <strong>diverted its pending orders</strong> of vaccine filters to India&rsquo;s vaccine manufacturers. It will <strong>help India make more vaccines.</strong></li>
<li>It has<strong> identified sources of specific raw material</strong> urgently required for Indian manufacture of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covishield</strong></a> vaccine that will immediately be made available for India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Countries Helping India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Singapore</strong> has donated four cryogenic oxygen tanks to India.</li>
<li>The <strong>United Kingdom</strong> has announced that it will ship over &ldquo;600 pieces of vital medical equipment&rdquo; to help India fight Covid19.</li>
<li><strong>Australia</strong> has announced that it will send oxygen, ventilators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits to India as part of an immediate support package.</li>
<li><strong>Saudi Arabia</strong> is shipping 80 metric tonnes of liquid oxygen to India.</li>
<li><strong>Germany</strong> is preparing a &ldquo;mission of support&rdquo; for India.</li>
<li><strong>Russia</strong> had also announced that it would send 3,00,000-4,00,000 units of Remdesivir injection. It is also planning to send Covid-19 assistance including oxygen concentrators, generators, and drugs needed to treat the disease.</li>
<li><strong>China</strong> has also announced that it would provide support and help based on India&rsquo;s needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/narendra-modi-joe-biden-have-telephone-conversation-official-sources/article34417208.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8123,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Netherlands',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a <strong>Virtual Summit</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the <strong>first high level Summit attended by the PM of Netherlands</strong> after the general elections held in March 2021.</li>
<li>Earlier in <strong>2019</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>King and Queen of the Netherlands</strong></a> visited India to give an impetus to the bilateral ties shared by the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" width="522" height="500" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Review of Bilateral Engagements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exchanged views on <strong>further expanding and diversifying the relationship</strong> in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>smart cities</strong></a>, science &amp; technology, healthcare and space.</li>
<li>Agreed that the ambitious and innovative flagship programs like <strong>Clean India, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make in India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sagarmala</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Startup India</a></strong> have provided immense opportunities for Indo-Dutch (India-Netherlands) collaboration in multiple sectors.</li>
<li>Exchanged views on regional and global challenges such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, counter-terrorism and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19#:~:text=Covid%2D19%20pandemic%20is%20a,crises%20in%20recent%20human%20history." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and agreed to leverage the emerging convergences in new areas like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a>, Resilient Supply Chains and Global Digital Governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership on Water:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed on instituting a <strong>&lsquo;Strategic Partnership on Water&rsquo;</strong> to further deepen the Indo-Dutch cooperation in the water related sector, and <strong>upgrading the Joint Working Group on Water</strong> to Ministerial-level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2019, India and Netherlands had launched the <strong>second phase of the Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) plant</strong> as a part of joint collaboration in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commitment to International Peace:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reiterated their <strong>commitment to a rules-based multilateral order for ensuring international peace, stability and prosperity</strong> and looked forward to a successful <strong>India-EU (<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>) Leaders&rsquo; Meeting in Porto, Portugal in May 2021</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Netherlands have <strong>similar approach in dealing with global challenges</strong> like climate change, terrorism and pandemics.</li>
<li>It thanked the Netherlands for their support to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-assembly-of-international-solar-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISA and CDRI are Indian Initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also <strong>welcomed the Netherlands&rsquo; Indo-Pacific Policy</strong> and its desire to collaborate during India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a> Presidency in 2023.</li>
<li>Setting up a <strong>fast track mechanism for investment promotion will give new momentum</strong> to the strong economic cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Netherlands Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic Partnership between India &amp; Netherlands is a <strong>key pillar of the bilateral ties</strong>.</li>
<li>The Netherlands was the <strong>third largest investor in India</strong>, after Mauritius and Singapore for <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/03-02-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong></a> 2018-19 with <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)</a></strong> inflows of USD 3.87 billion across a variety of sectors.</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands was the second largest destination of foreign investment by Indian companies</strong> as of end-March 2018.</li>
<li>In 2017-18, the <strong>bilateral trade</strong> between India and the Netherlands was around USD 8.77 billion. In 2018-19, it was around USD 12.87 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By 2025, it shall touch around USD 18-23 billion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands is India&rsquo;s 5<sup>th</sup> largest trading partner</strong> in the European Union. And is also one of the leading investor nations in India.</li>
<li>There are <strong>200 (Dutch) companies that are present in India</strong>. Around <strong>160 Indian companies are active in the Netherlands</strong>. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sizable uptick in the Indian IT companies investing in the Netherlands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Historical Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indo-Dutch relations can be <strong>traced back to more than 400 years</strong> when the first Dutch EIC (East India Company) <strong>got established in India (in around 17<sup>th</sup> century AD)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>official relations</strong> between the two nations were <strong>established in the year 1947</strong> which, since then, have been cordial and friendly.</li>
<li>The two countries also <strong>share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Netherlands currently is home to the largest Indian community on the European mainland</strong>. The growing Indian student and professional community in the Netherlands is making the cultural knot stronger and the technological partnership deeper.</li>
<li>An<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-indian-council-for-cultural-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)</strong></a> Cultural Centre <strong>"The Gandhi Centre" was established in The Hague in October 2011</strong>.</li>
<li>The fifth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-yoga#:~:text=The%20International%20Day%20of%20Yoga,countries%20amid%20Covid%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Yoga</strong></a> was celebrated on 16th June, 2019 at prestigious Dam Square in Amsterdam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Netherlands and India have <strong>hardly achieved their true potential</strong>. There is <strong>huge potential for collaborations given the geopolitical and economic necessities</strong> of both nations.</li>
<li>Engagement of leaders at the highest level along with <strong>greater economic and defence cooperation is the need of the hour</strong> to take ties to new levels.</li>
<li>In the next five years, as India will move ahead, Dutch companies will come to India and will be a key collaborator in helping India achieve its USD <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN926IN926&amp;oq=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;aqs=chrome.0.0l2j0i22i30l3j0i390.4471j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5 trillion economy</strong></a> vision.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1710763" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8118,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Seychelles',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a virtual meet was held between the <strong>Prime Minister of India and the President of Seychelles</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618047421_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618047421_image5.png" width="389" height="372" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Events at the Meet:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Joint Inauguration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Inaugurated the <strong>new magistrates&rsquo; court building in Mah&eacute;</strong> constructed with a USD 3.5-million, a <strong>1 MW <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar power</a> plant</strong> built at a cost of USD3.4 million, and <strong>10 community development projects </strong>in Seychelles.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All the projects were built by the <strong>help of India</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has so far taken up <strong>29 small people-oriented development projects in Seychelles,</strong> while the 1MW solar project was built in addition to installing solar systems at <strong>146 government buildings and domestic households</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>solar plant will meet the electricity needs of around 400 houses round the year</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fast Patrol Vehicle:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India handed over a <strong>fast patrol vessel (PS Zoroaster)</strong> to the island nation.</li>
<li>The 48.9-metre patrol boat was built by <strong>Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering</strong> (under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence) at a <strong>cost of Rs. 100 crore</strong> and has a <strong>top speed of 35 knots</strong> and an <strong>endurance of 1,500 nautical miles</strong>.</li>
<li>The vessel will be <strong>used for multi-purpose operations</strong>, such as patrolling, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations, and search and rescue.</li>
<li>India <strong>gifted similar vessels to the Seychelles in 2005, 2014 and 2016</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Seychelles is central to India&rsquo;s vision of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-sagar#:~:text=Security%20and%20Growth%20for%20All%20in%20the%20Region%20(SAGAR)%20was,building%20their%20maritime%20security%20capabilities." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India is <strong>honoured to be a partner of Seychelles</strong> in the development of its security capabilities and in meeting its infrastructural and developmental needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Seychelles Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India</strong> is <strong>a reliable and trusted partner</strong>.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s precious donation of 50,000 doses of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 vaccines</strong></a> had <strong>helped Seychelles in moving towards the goals of achieving 70% herd immunity</strong> by the end of April 2021 and opening up the economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Seychelles was the <strong>first country</strong> to receive the Covid vaccine from India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Seychelles Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Diplomatic ties</strong> were established with Seychelles after its independence <strong>in 1976</strong>.</li>
<li>When Seychelles attained freedom, a contingent from the <strong>Indian Naval Ship, INS Nilgiri, took part in the Independence Day celebrations</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since then the tradition of Indian military participation at the Seychelles National Day celebrations has continued till date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>An <strong>Indian Mission was established in 1979 in Victoria</strong>, Seychelles with the High Commissioner based in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dar-es-salaam-and-zanzibar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dar-es-Salaam</strong></a> (Tanzania) and concurrently accredited to Seychelles.</li>
<li>The <strong>first resident High Commissioner was appointed in 1987, </strong>while<strong> Seychelles opened its resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Relation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India exported goods worth USD 84.49 million and imported goods worth USD 5.27 million from Seychelles during the financial year 2018-19.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-marshall-islands-tiea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA)</strong></a> between India and Seychelles was signed in August 2015. Seychelles is also keen to sign the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-signed-amended-dtaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>Energy &amp; Environment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/blue-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Blue Economy</strong></a> Protocol between India and Seychelles was signed in August 2015.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Recently, India has been <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-as-an-observer-at-ioc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>accepted as an observer of the Indian Ocean Commission</strong></a>, of which Seychelles is a member.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With the ratification of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/third-assembly-of-isa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> Framework Agreement in September 2017, Seychelles has officially become one of the Founding Members of ISA.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>ISA is an Indian Initiative.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With a significant presence of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Diaspora</strong></a> in Seychelles, cultural contacts between the two countries have been primarily community-driven with support from the two governments.</li>
<li>At the initiative of prominent<strong> Person of Indian Origin (PIO)</strong> associations in Seychelles, several Indian cultural troupes regularly visit Seychelles for performance.</li>
<li>In June 2018, <strong>Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP)</strong> was signed with Seychelles to mark the friendship and goodwill between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Community:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The number of PIOs with Seychelles citizenship is estimated to be around 10,000 (or <strong>11% of the population</strong>), <strong>which is significant in a country with a total population of 96,000 (April 2019)</strong>.</li>
<li>There are about <strong>10,000 Indian citizens</strong> holding Gainful Employment Permits, who are mostly workers in the construction sector, shop assistants and a few professionals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Seychelles have an elaborate architecture of defence and security cooperation that has deepened over the years with the growing piracy menace and other economic offences in the strategic <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indian-ocean-islands-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean region</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>India gifted and installed six coastal surveillance radar systems in Seychelles</strong> in 2015 enabling better coastal security for Seychelles.</li>
<li>The <strong>Seychelles government has leased the Assumption Island to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Navy</a></strong> to build an overseas base of operations there.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Developing infrastructure on <strong>Assumption Island in Seychelles is a key piece in India&rsquo;s proactive maritime strategy</strong> as it counters China&rsquo;s moves in the Indian Ocean region.</li>
<li>Developing its infrastructure is being regarded as a &ldquo;strategic asset&rdquo; in India&rsquo;s arsenal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>SAGAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) was <strong>launched in 2015. It is India&rsquo;s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)</strong>.</li>
<li>Through SAGAR, <strong>India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours</strong> and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.</li>
<li>Further, <strong>India seeks to safeguard its national interests</strong> and ensure Indian Ocean region to become inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.</li>
<li>The key <strong>relevance of SAGAR emerges when seen in conjunction with India&rsquo;s other policies</strong> impacting the maritime domain like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-09th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project Sagarmala</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Project Mausam</strong></a>, India as &lsquo;net security provider&rsquo;, focus on Blue Economy etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Seychelles has been a <strong>strategic destination for several major powers</strong> with vested interests in the region, however India&rsquo;s image and visibility in Seychelles is very high as compared to others.</li>
<li>The<strong> geo-strategic importance of Seychelles&rsquo;s location remains undiminished</strong> in contemporary times, and will become enhanced and <strong>China is fighting to get an upper hand which India must not allow</strong>.</li>
<li>There is also a <strong>need to strengthen shared efforts of both the countries to combat drug trafficking, IUU</strong> (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, piracy and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong> </a>while protecting the ocean ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710486" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8114,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'US Restores Aid to Palestinians',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The United States, in a significant reversal to the earlier policy, has announced the restoration of at least USD 235 million in <strong>financial assistance to the Palestinians</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The US administration had <strong>already announced USD 15 million in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coronavirus</a> relief to the Palestinians</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Key Points</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial Aid:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The financial aid includes USD 75 million economic help for the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/west-bank-settlements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Bank</a> &amp; Gaza</strong>, USD 10 million for <strong>&lsquo;peacebuilding&rsquo; programmes</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/healthy-and-energy-efficient-buildings-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US Agency for International Development (USAID)</strong></a> and USD 150 million in humanitarian assistance to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The UNRWA funds would include educational assistance for at least 5,00,000 Palestinian children living in West Asia.</li>
<li>The <strong>Trump administration (former administration) had almost ended all funding</strong> to the organisation in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>UN welcomed the move,</strong> hoping it would attract more funds to the body. There were a number of countries that had greatly reduced or halted contributions to UNRWA after the US stopped the aid.</li>
<li>The <strong>Prime Minister of Palestine welcomed the move</strong> and called it a new political path that meets the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people based on international law and UN resolutions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, <strong>Israel</strong>, which has<strong> accused UNRWA of anti-Semitism</strong> (hostility to, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews), <strong>objected to the funding plans</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Israel - Palestine Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is rooted in <strong>competing claims to the Holy Land</strong>, and includes <strong>disputes over borders, Jerusalem, security, and Palestinian refugees</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Israel-Palestine Conflict</strong></a> can be traced back to 1917.</li>
<li>Holy Land is a Middle Eastern region with great religious and historical significance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mideast War, 1967</strong> was a major turning point. It is also known as the<strong> six-day war or Third Arab-Israeli war</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the war. In the decades since, Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem that now house a million Israelis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US Recent Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s decision in 2017, to <strong>relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem</strong>, was criticized for being heavily tilted towards Israel.</li>
<li><strong>Mideast Plan or Middle East Peace Plan:</strong> It was unveiled by the then US government in January, 2020. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under it, the Palestinians would have a limited statehood contingent on a list of stringent requirements while <strong>Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank</strong>.</li>
<li>The Palestinians rejected the plan and threatened to withdraw from key provisions of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oslo-peace-accords" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Oslo Peace Accords</strong></a>, which are a series of agreements between Israel and the Palestinians signed in the 1990s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Present US President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the United States&rsquo; commitment to a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/elusive-two-state-solution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>two-state solution</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>recognised Israel in 1950</strong> but it is also the <strong>first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is also one of the first countries to recognise the <strong>statehood of Palestine in 1988</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2014, India favored <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-human-rights-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNHRC&rsquo;s</strong> </a>resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite supporting the probe, India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</li>
<li>As a part of <strong>Link West Policy</strong>, India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship</strong> with Israel and Palestine in 2018 to <strong>treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive</strong>.</li>
<li>In June 2019, India voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-ecosoc-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong></a> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>So far India has <strong>tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination,</strong> and at the same time to engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Territorial Puzzle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>West Bank:</strong> The West Bank is <strong>sandwiched between Israel and Jordan</strong>. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gaza:</strong> The Gaza Strip located <strong>between Israel and Egypt</strong>. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the <strong>Oslo peace process</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory, though it continues to control international access to it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Golan Heights:</strong> The Golan Heights is a <strong>strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria</strong> in the 1967 war. Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US has officially recognized Jerusalem and Golan Heights as part of Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fatah:</strong> Founded by the late Yasir Arafat in the 1950s, Fatah is the largest Palestinian political faction. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unlike Hamas, Fatah is a secular movement, has nominally recognized Israel, and has actively participated in the peace process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hamas:</strong> Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organization by the US government. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the Palestinian movement geographically, as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618041085_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618041085_image1.png" width="524" height="660" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Balanced Approach Towards the Israel-Palestine:</strong> The world at large needs to come together for a <strong>peaceful solution</strong> but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus a balanced approach would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Abraham Accords, a Positive Step:</strong> The recent normalization agreements between <strong>Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco</strong>, known as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Abraham Accords</strong></a>, are the steps in the right direction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All regional powers should envisage peace between the two countries on line of Abraham Accords.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-restores-assistance-for-palestinians/article34267954.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8104,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>To build <strong>on the common &ldquo;resilient&rdquo; ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other&rsquo;s concerns</strong> on a wide range of issues.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues range from <strong>defence supplies to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 air defence system</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s role in Afghanistan</a></strong> and <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s involvement in power-sharing to cooperation</strong> on Covid vaccines and <strong>India&rsquo;s participation in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-meeting-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quad grouping</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Discussed Cooperation in Following Sectors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic opportunities in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russian Far East.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Russian Far East stretches from <strong>Lake Baikal, the world&rsquo;s largest freshwater lake, to the Pacific Ocean</strong> and comprises roughly a third of Russia&rsquo;s territory.</li>
<li>Although it is <strong>rich in natural resources</strong> including minerals, hydrocarbons, timber and fish, it is an <strong>economically underdeveloped</strong> region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Leveraging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> campaign to boost manufacturing in India.</li>
<li>Connectivity through the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International North-South Transport</a> Corridor (INSTC).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSTC</strong> is a multi-modal transportation established in September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern maritime corridor.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Itr is a <strong>maritime route</strong> covering approximately 5,600 nautical miles, aimed at increasing bilateral trade between India and Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Long standing partnership in <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space</a> and nuclear sectors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted%20image 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted image 1.png" width="400" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>S-400 Air Defence System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Issues regarding the sale of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>S-400 air defence system</strong></a> figured in the discussions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, <strong>surface-to-air missile system (SAM)</strong> designed by Russia.</li>
<li>It is the most dangerous operationally deployed <strong>modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM)</strong> in the world, considered much ahead of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-opposition-to-thaad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While India is keen on buying it, the USA has expressed reservations by threatening sanctions under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/caatsa-sanctions-on-turkey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Views on Military Alliance and Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Military Alliance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russian Foreign Minister clarified that the <strong>Russia-China relations</strong> are at the highest in the history, but these relations <strong>do not pursue a goal of establishing a military alliance.</strong></li>
<li>He also <strong>referred to the Quad grouping</strong> and called it an <strong>&ldquo;Asian NATO&rdquo;</strong>, a term sometimes used by China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)</strong> is an informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a &ldquo;free, open and prosperous&rdquo; Indo-Pacific region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and India are working for <strong>stability and connectivity in the Asia-Pacific</strong> and urged that &ldquo;military alliances&rdquo; should not come up in Asia.</li>
<li>Russia referred to the formulation of <strong>&ldquo;Asia Pacific&rdquo;</strong> while India referred to <strong>&ldquo;Indo-Pacific&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Afghan Peace:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>&ldquo;harmonise&rdquo; the interests of various stakeholders</strong> that are active in and around Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peace process</strong></a> should be based on foundational principles and a political solution should mean <strong>independent, sovereign, united and democratic Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>Decision on the settlement in Afghanistan should foresee the <strong>participation of all political, ethnic and religious groups</strong> in the country. Otherwise the solution will not be stable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It needs to be noted that India was not a part of a recent meeting led by Russia on Afghan peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Russian Fund for Direct Investment has signed contracts with various Indian manufacturers for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v#:~:text=Key%20Points,'limited%20use'%20before%20this." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V vaccines</strong></a> for 700-750 million doses.</li>
<li>Both ministers also took up the possible export of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a> to Russia which is likely to be cleared by experts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India - Russia Relations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political (Annual Summit):</strong> The Annual Summit meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India-Russia trade, amounting to <strong>USD 10.11 billion in 2019-2020</strong>, is far below the potential. Both countries have <strong>set the bilateral trade target at USD 30 billion by 2025.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Defence and Security: BrahMos Missile System</strong> as well as the licensed production in India of <strong>SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks</strong>, are examples.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Nuclear Energy: Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)</strong> is being built in India with Russian cooperation.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Space Sector:</strong> Cooperation in <strong>Gaganyaan program.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Multilateral Forums:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/brics-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russia-india-china-grouping-ric" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia-India-China Grouping: RIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military Exercises:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise TSENTR 2019.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-indra-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indra Exercises</strong></a> - Joint Tri-<strong>Services (Army, Navy, Air Force) Exercises.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India Engaging Russia Into Indo-Pacific Narrative:</strong> India should pursue and facilitate Russia&rsquo;s engagement in the Indo-Pacific. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia&rsquo;s active engagement in the region would contribute to making the Indo-Pacific truly &ldquo;free and inclusive&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritizing RIC in Indian Foreign Policy:</strong> India can also promote a mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation between Russia, China, and India that could contribute towards the reduction of mistrust and suspicion between India and China.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/moscow-plays-down-beijing-pledges-deeper-delhi-ties-s-400-to-afghanistan-7261834/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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Cake\View\View::element() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 668
include - ROOT/plugins/Drishti/src/Template/Articles/tags.ctp, line 61
Cake\View\View::_evaluate() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1196
Cake\View\View::_render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 1157
Cake\View\View::render() - CORE/src/View/View.php, line 765
Cake\Controller\Controller::render() - CORE/src/Controller/Controller.php, line 623
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 125
Cake\Http\ActionDispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/src/Http/ActionDispatcher.php, line 93

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