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ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks

Why in News Recently, India participated in the 6th roundtable meeting of the ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks (AINTT). ASEAN stands for...

21 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
World Solar Technology Summit: ISA

Why in News The International Solar Alliance (ISA) will organise the First World Solar Technology Summit on 8th September, 2020 on a virtual...

18 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Anti-Drug Working Group BRICS

Why in News Recently, the 4th Session of the BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group was held through a video conference. The session was chaired by Russia...

17 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
A Self Reliant Foreign Policy

This article is based on A self-reliant foreign policy which was published in The Hindu on 13/08/2020. This article discusses the present day...

13 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
India-Nepal Talks

Why in News The ambassadors of India and Nepal are likely to meet in Kathmandu (Nepal) to review projects funded by the Indian government. The...

12 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Day 13

International and Bilateral Agreements Following issues regarding International and Bilateral Agreements have been in the news headlines, and UPSC...

01 Aug 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Day 12

Issues of National and Global Importance Following issues have been at the forefront of the news headlines, and as UPSC always attempts to test the...

31 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Dispute Panels Against India: WTO

Why in News Recently, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has set up two dispute settlement panels targeting...

31 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
New Supreme Court Building of Mauritius

Why in News The Prime Minister of India and the Prime Minister of Mauritius will jointly inaugurate the new Supreme Court building of Mauritius on...

29 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue

Why in News Recently, the Defence Ministers’ Dialogue between India and the Republic of Indonesia has been held in Delhi. The Indonesian...

28 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
INDIA-UK Free Trade Agreement

Why in News Recently, India and the United Kingdom (UK) affirmed their shared commitment towards a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during the 14th...

28 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Collaboration with Israel in Defence Sector under FDI

Why in News India has collaborated with the Israeli defence companies under the new liberalised Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) regime in defence...

27 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Indian Military Equipment of Russian Origin

Why in News According to a paper published by Stimson Center, 86% of the equipment, weapons and platforms currently in military service in India are...

22 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Supply of DDT to South Africa for Malaria Control Program

Why in News Recently, HIL (India) Limited has supplied 20.60 Metric tonne of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), a fertilizer to South Africa for...

22 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
3rd G20 FMCBG Meeting

Why in News Recently India has virtually participated in the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting under the...

20 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
US-India Strategic Energy Partnership

Why in News Recently, India and the USA have participated in a virtual ministerial meeting of the U.S.-India Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP) to...

18 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Agreement on Scientific Cooperation Between India and EU

Why in News Recently, India and the European Union (EU) agreed to renew the Agreement on Scientific Cooperation for the next five years (2020-2025)...

17 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
Azad Pattan: PoK Hydel Project

Why in News Recently, Pakistan and China have signed an agreement for the 700 MW Azad Pattan hydel power project on the Jhelum river in Sudhnoti...

16 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
The Big Picture: Japan’s Cooperation to India

Recently, Indian and Japanese warships conducted naval exercises in the Indian Ocean With the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. It is designed...

15 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
India's Second Voluntary Review of SDGs

Why in News Recently, India has represented the second voluntary national review of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) report titled as...

14 Jul 2020 Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests

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		'article_id' => (int) 6247,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India participated in the <strong>6<sup>th</sup> roundtable meeting of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/16th-india-asean-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN-India</a> Network of Think Tanks (AINTT). </strong>ASEAN stands for <strong>Association of Southeast Asian Nations.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>AINTT was established <strong>to provide policy inputs</strong> to India and <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 on future directions of their cooperation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Raised by India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India<strong> highlighted the difficulties</strong> that were hindering strong response to deal with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>. It said that <strong>individual behaviour of many states and old-styled multilateral organisations</strong> prevented a collective response to global pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India indirectly referred to the failure of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-security-council-1#:~:text=Its%20primary%20responsibility%20is%20to,China%20and%20the%20United%20Kingdom." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council</strong></a> (UNSC) to issue a statement on the pandemic due <strong>to sharp differences</strong> between permanent UNSC members China and the USA.</li>
<li>The reference also included the <strong>USA pulling out</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation (WHO)</strong></a> after accusing it of acting on the behest of China &ndash; by declaring Covid-19 a pandemic late.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>According to India the <strong>big issue that confronts the world</strong> after Covid-19 pandemic is not simply the state of the economy, but also <strong>includes the damage to societies or the challenges to governance.</strong></li>
<li>The pandemic has also thrown a debate on the <strong>future directions of global affairs and world order.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Suggestions made by India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It called upon the ASEAN countries to look beyond current practice in trade, politics and security to find solutions to the challenges posed by pandemic.</li>
<li>India urged for <strong>greater cooperation to counter challenges of pandemic</strong> and called for <strong>collective solutions.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As part of that, India asked the countries to adopt the idea of <strong>strategic autonomy</strong> to be used in the context of global supply chains.</li>
<li>The reference was to countries looking to move production facilities out of China or at least reduce their dependence on them after the pandemic exposed the weaknesses of overdependence on China.</li>
<li><strong>Strategic autonomy</strong> can be defined as &lsquo;the ability of a state to pursue its national interests and adopt its preferred foreign policy without being constrained in any manner by other states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/multilateralism-did-not-rise-to-occasion-when-it-was-most-in-demand-jaishankar/article32403992.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sources: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6212,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'World Solar Technology Summit: ISA',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The<strong> International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong> will organise the<strong> First World Solar Technology</strong> Summit on<strong> 8<sup>th</sup> September, 2020</strong> on a virtual platform.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>objective</strong> of the event is to bring the spotlight on <strong>state-of-the-art technologies</strong> as well as <strong>next-generation technologies</strong> which will provide impetus to the efforts towards harnessing <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>solar energy</strong></a> more efficiently.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Key Participants:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Prime Minister of India</strong> will deliver the inaugural address of the First World Solar Technology Summit, to be graced by <strong>Ministers from member countries from across all ISA regions.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Dr. M. Stanley Whittingham</strong> who was awarded the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nobel-prizes-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobel Prize</a> in Chemistry</strong> (jointly with <strong>John B Goodenough &amp; Akira Yoshino</strong>) in <strong>2019</strong> for the revolutionizing discovery of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/increasing-imports-of-li-ion-batteries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lithium ion batteries.</a> </strong></li>
<li><strong>CEOs of top global corporations</strong> will share their vision on how scientific breakthroughs and innovations can be commercially made available to all parts of the world for wider consumption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Four Sessions:</strong> The event will hold four technical sessions that would be available to the participants in different languages namely <strong>English, Spanish, French &amp; Arabic.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Session -1: Vision 2030 &amp; Beyond:</strong> The overall context of Photovoltaic (PV) technology development and its future, on its way towards becoming the first source of energy worldwide, with PV technologies supplying 70% of the world&rsquo;s electricity generation.</li>
<li><strong>Session -2: Towards a Decarbonised Grid:</strong> The most recent advances (conversion efficiency improvements and declining costs) regarding key components such as PV modules and storage technologies.</li>
<li><strong>Session -3: Disruptive Solar Technologies:</strong> On-grid applications, whether ground-mounted, floating, or integrated in residential and commercial rooftops.</li>
<li><strong>Session -4: Solar Beyond the Power Sector:</strong> Innovative applications where PV is used to move, heat, cool, and drive eco-friendly industrial processes and produce fuels as well as off-grid applications, to provide universal access to energy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>I JOSE:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>ISA would also launch the <strong>ISA Journal on Solar Energy (I JOSE)</strong> that would help authors from across the globe to publish their articles on solar energy, during the event.</li>
<li>The articles in this journal would be reviewed by global experts and will reach the Member countries through ISA&rsquo;s vast network of <strong>NFPs (National Focal points) </strong>and <strong>STAR (Solar Technology and Application Resource centers)</strong> centers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Solar Energy Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Solar energy has taken a central place in India's<a href="/mind-map/gs-paper2/national-action-plan-on-climate-change-mind-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> National Action Plan on Climate Change</strong> </a>with the <strong>National Solar Mission </strong>as <strong>one of the key Missions.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>National Solar Mission (NSM) was launched on 11<sup>th</sup> January, 2010.</li>
<li>Its objective is to establish India as a global leader in solar energy by creating the policy conditions for solar technology diffusion across the country as quickly as possible.</li>
<li>It targets installing <strong>100 GW grid-connected solar power plants by the year 2022. </strong>This is <strong>in line with India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-climate-action-ministerial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs)</a> target</strong> to achieve about 40% cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources and to reduce the emission intensity of its GDP by 33 to 35% from 2005 level by 2030.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In order to achieve the above target, the Government of India has launched various <strong>schemes</strong> to encourage generation of solar power in the country like <strong>Solar Park Scheme,</strong> Canal bank &amp; Canal top Scheme, Bundling Scheme,<strong> Grid Connected Solar Rooftop Scheme etc.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Solar power capacity has increased by more than 11 times in the last five years</strong> from 2.6 GW in March, 2014 to 30 GW in July, 2019.</li>
<li>Recently, a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rewa-solar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> 750 megawatt (MW) solar project</strong> </a>has been inaugurated in<strong> Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.</strong></li>
<li>India has an ambitious cross-border power grid plan&mdash;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-sun-one-world-one-grid-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;One Sun One World One Grid&rsquo;</strong></a>&mdash; that seeks to transfer solar power generated in one region to feed the electricity demands of others</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Solar Alliance</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>launch</strong> of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) was announced by the <strong>Prime Minister of India</strong> (Narendra Modi) and former<strong> President of France</strong> (Francois Hollande) on <strong>30<sup>th</sup> November 2015,</strong> at the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>21<sup>st</sup> session of United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP-21)</strong></a> in Paris, France. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was conceived as a coalition of solar-resource-rich countries (which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn) to address their special energy needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>67 countries</strong> have signed and ratified the ISA framework agreement.</li>
<li>The <strong>Assembly of the ISA is the apex decision-making body</strong> which comprises representatives from each Member Country.</li>
<li>It<strong> aims</strong> at lowering the cost of technology and finance and thereby facilitate deployment of over 1,000 GW of solar energy and mobilize more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030 in Member countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Solar is a key source of affordable and reliable energy, thus it could play a significant role in achieving the<strong> universal energy access goal (SDG 7).</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Government of India has allotted 5 acres of land to the ISA in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/solar-thermal-energy-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE)</strong></a> campus,<strong> Gurugram</strong> and has released a sum of Rs. 160 crore for creating a corpus fund, building infrastructure and meeting day to day recurring expenditure of the ISA up to the year 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1646492" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6199,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Anti-Drug Working Group BRICS',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the 4<sup>th</sup> Session of the <strong>BRICS Anti-Drug Working Group</strong> was held through a video conference.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The session was <strong>chaired by Russia</strong> this year.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issues Raised by India:</strong> India raised the misuse of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/dark-net" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>darknet</strong></a> and modern technology used for <strong>drug trafficking by the international criminals</strong> in the meeting.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also called for nodal points to enable<strong> real-time information sharing</strong> among BRICS nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trends of Drug Trafficking:</strong> The BRICS grouping discussed<strong> international and regional trends of illegal trafficking</strong> in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances among others. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It also discussed <strong>steps to curb</strong> increased instances of drug trafficking through the maritime route.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>A Global Menace:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illicit-drug-supply-and-covid-19-unodc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>report</strong> </a>released in May 2020 by the <strong>United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Report (UNODC), <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a></strong> induced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/21-days-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>lockdowns</strong> </a>and movement restrictions may lead to an initial statistical reduction in drug seizures, but is <strong>unlikely to have any effect on illicit drug supply.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India and Illicit Drug Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Major Hub of Illicit Drug Trade:</strong> According to <strong>UNODC,</strong> India is one of the major hubs of illicit drug trade ranging from age-old <strong>cannabis</strong> to newer prescription drugs like tramadol, and designer drugs like methamphetamine.</li>
<li><strong>Drug Trafficking Routes:</strong> India is in the <strong>middle of two major illicit opium production</strong> regions in the world, the <strong>Golden Crescent (Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan)</strong> in the west and the <strong>Golden Triangle (South-East Asia)</strong> in the east.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Anti-Drug Action Plan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has also launched the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anti-drug-action-plan-for-2020-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Anti-Drug Action Plan for 2020-21</strong></a> which includes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>De-addiction Facilities,</li>
<li>Drop-in-Centres for Addicts,</li>
<li>Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCAs),</li>
<li>Drug-Free India Campaign.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Darknet:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It refers to the<strong> hidden internet platform</strong> used for <strong>narcotics sale, exchange of pornographic content and other illegal activities</strong> by using the secret alleys of the <strong>onion router</strong> (ToR- a free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication) to stay away from the surveillance of law enforcement agencies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is<strong> tough to crack</strong> because of its end-to-end encryption.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>dark net is part of the deep web,</strong> which encompasses all unindexed sites that don't pop up when an Internet search is done.</li>
<li>However, <strong>not all activities associated with the deep web are nefarious like darknet.</strong> In most cases, these pages are not searchable because they are <strong>password-protected</strong> and require authorization in order to access them. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Personal email, online banking,</strong> and other similar sites are included under the umbrella of the deep web.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The internet we see today is the only tip of the iceberg, the majority is deep web only.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>BRICS</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BRICS is an <strong>acronym</strong> for the grouping of the world&rsquo;s leading emerging economies, namely<strong> Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2001, the British Economist Jim O&rsquo;Neill coined the term<strong> BRIC</strong> to describe the four emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.</li>
<li>The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006.</li>
<li><strong>South Africa</strong> was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym BRICS.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The<strong> chairmanship</strong> of the forum is <strong>rotated annually</strong> among the members, in accordance with the acronym B-R-I-C-S.</li>
<li>During the Sixth BRICS Summit in Fortaleza (2014) the leaders signed the Agreement establishing the <strong>New Development Bank (NDB).</strong> They also signed the <strong>BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Golden Triangle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It represents the region coinciding with the rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand.</li>
<li>It is Southeast Asia&rsquo;s main opium-producing region and one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Golden Crescent</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This region of South Asia is a principal global site for opium production and distribution.</li>
<li>It comprises Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1646245" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6184,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'A Self Reliant Foreign Policy',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-self-reliant-foreign-policy/article32339890.ece?utm_source=udmprecommendation_Economy&amp;utm_medium=sticky_footer&amp;transactionId=b96ceff039594781a821698502dbbb73" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>A self-reliant foreign policy</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 13/08/2020. This article discusses the present day status of strategic autonomy of India and ways to make it better.</p>
</div>
<p>Self-reliance is the theme of India&rsquo;s 74<sup>th</sup> Independence Day. This concept is commonly associated with the economy and production of key goods and services within the country. But it also has a parallel dimension in the domain of <strong><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/phases-of-indian-foreign-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foreign policy</a></strong>.</p>
<p>It is important to note that, even in the geopolitical circumstances that compelled India to enter into alliance-like cooperation with major powers, it did not become any less autonomous or entered into alliance with any great power.</p>
<p>Rather, India secured its freedom, sovereignty and territorial integrity by balancing the great power equations with diplomacy. However, present geo-political scenarios present a challenge to strategic autonomy.</p>
<p>Therefore, as the economic goal is to reduce dependence on imports for critical commodities, the aim of foreign policy should be to maintain strategic autonomy.</p>
<h3>Indian and Changing World Order</h3>
<p>India has historically prided itself as an independent developing country which did not succumb to pressure from great powers. This can be reflected in the different phases of world order:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Bipolar</strong> (1947 to 1991) in which the majority of global economic, military and cultural influence was held between U.S. and USSR.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>During this phase India adhered to the principle of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement#:~:text=The%20Non%2DAligned%20Movement%20was,to%20remain%20independent%20or%20neutral." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non Alignment</strong></a> to resist dilution of its sovereignty, rebuild its economy and consolidate its integrity.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unipolar</strong> (1991 to 2008) when the U.S. entered a long cycle of economic crises and China caught up with it in overall power.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the period where India reached out to engage with US, Israel and ASEAN countries more intensively. The quest for strategic autonomy now was particularly focused on securing its nuclear weapon option (Pokhran II 1998).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Multipolar</strong> (present times) where distribution of power is in more than two countries having nearly equal amounts of military, cultural, and economic influence.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this phase of transitional geopolitics, India's policy of Non-Alignment has turned into Multi Alignment.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Flexibility in Strategic Autonomy</h3>
<p>Adherence to strategic autonomy has been the key pillar of India&rsquo;s Foreign policy. However, it has often been adjusted as per the changing geopolitical situations in history . In moments of crisis, India has reinterpreted freedom and shown flexibility for survival at many instances. For Example:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India-China War (1962):</strong> Initially,in pursuance of maintaining strategic autonomy, India established the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) (1961). It marked the peak of Third World solidarity.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However during the India -China war 1962, India had to appeal to the U.S. for emergency military aid to stave off the Chinese from taking over the whole of Eastern India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo Pakistan War (1971):</strong> In the build-up to the 1971 war with Pakistan, India had to enter a <a href="/gs-special/gs-foreign-policy-corner/india-russia-bilateral-relations-longstanding-time-tested-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation</strong></a> with the Soviet Union to ward off both China and the U.S.</li>
<li><strong>Kargil War (1999):</strong> India welcomed a direct intervention by the U.S. to force Pakistan to back down.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Present Day Scenario of Strategic Autonomy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Risk From China:</strong> Today, although there are less prospects of a direct war with China in the wake of its incursions across the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Actual Control</strong></a>, India is at a turning point with regard to strategic autonomy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Aggressive foreign policy of China may require India to bandwagon (cooperating with like minded countries) to balance China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>New Cold War like situation:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-cold-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Cold War</strong></a> scenario has created a threat environment in which China and the U.S. are now beginning to confront many areas like <a href="/gs-special/gs-foreign-policy-corner/india-russia-bilateral-relations-longstanding-time-tested-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Trade war</strong></a> and <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/south-china-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South China sea</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India can promote new multilateralism under the aegis of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam- which relies on restructuring both the economic order and societal behaviour for equitable sustainable development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fear of losing strategic autonomy to the U.S.:</strong> Fears in some quarters that proximity to the U.S. will lead to loss of India&rsquo;s strategic autonomy. However, it seems overblown because independent India has never been subordinated to a foreign hegemony.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward to Self-Reliance</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Revival of Non Alignment: <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Alignment 2.0</a></strong> with China and the U.S. is the solution as they slide into a <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/cold-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New Cold War</strong></a>, risking India&rsquo;s security and sovereignty.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The New Cold War can be reflected in Trade War, Quad initiative, Indo-pacific narrative, emergence of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, naval presence in the Indian ocean, etc. Thus NAM2.0 can insulate India from active engagements in conflicts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Intensified Cooperation:</strong> India should aim to stay as an independent power centre by means of intensified cooperation with middle powers in Asia and around the world.</li>
<li><strong>Indegenous defence modernisation:</strong> India is dependent on many foriegn players (like U.S, Russia etc.) for its defence requirement, this may not pave well in national interest.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, it is imperative to speed up indigenous defence modernisation.</li>
<li>Further, defense indigenisation assumes more significance, especially in the context of counterbalancing China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Diversification in strategic partners:</strong> The present-day geopolitical and geostrategic circumstances present a multifaceted challenge to India&rsquo;s foreign policy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, India's cold war narrative of strategic neutrality is being gradually replaced by <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-embrace-of-strategic-hedging#:~:text=Strategic%20hedging%20means%20a%20state,state%20i.e.%20balancing%20and%20engagement." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>strategic hedging</strong></a>.</li>
<li>In a multipolar world India should not limit its engagements with Russia, the US and China but expand its relationship with other countries of the EU, Asean etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In the past, India has been successfully deploying &lsquo;multi-vector&rsquo; foreign policy. In this context, Indian foriegn policy should not envisage complete isolation or entering into alliance with one great power but a variable combination with several like-minded partners.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597322557_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597322557_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="434" height="307" /></a></p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #effce3;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Indian foriegn policy should not envisage complete isolation or entering into alliance with one great power but a variable combination with several like-minded partners&rdquo; Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mE4v2Et6A1Y" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/environmental-impact-assessment-forests-climate-change-ease-of-doing-business-investment-6550753/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Green and red&rdquo;</strong></a> published in Indian Express on August 12<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Watch this on our Youtube channel now.</p>',
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	(int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6166,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Nepal Talks',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The ambassadors of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and Nepal</strong></a> are likely to meet in Kathmandu (Nepal) to review projects funded by the Indian government.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting is likely to take place via videoconference in view of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Covid-19</strong> </a>pandemic situation.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This meeting will be a part of<strong> India- Nepal Joint Oversight Mechanism.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The mechanism was established in<strong> 2016</strong> to review ongoing bilateral economic and development projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The government of <strong>India</strong> has allocated <strong>Rs. 800 crore</strong> in <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/03-02-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>budget 2020-21</strong></a> for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/integrated-check-post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>projects</strong></a> in Nepal.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597219650_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1597219650_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These projects include building <strong>roads in the Terai region,</strong> helping Nepal in its <strong>post-earthquake (2015) reconstruction work,</strong> building railway lines, a police training academy, a polytechnic college, an oil pipeline and border check posts.</li>
<li>Recently, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between India and Nepal for the<strong> construction of a sanitation facility at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-assistance-for-pashupatinath-temple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pashupatinath Temple</a>,</strong> Kathmandu.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>This meeting is important in light of recent <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/downturn-in-indo-nepal-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tensions between India and Nepal</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2017, Nepal signed up to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/belt-and-road-initiative-perspectives-from-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)</strong></a>, which sought to create highways, airports and other infrastructure in the country. <strong>BRI was rejected by India</strong> and this move of Nepal was seen as an inclination towards China.</li>
<li>In 2019, a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indo-nepal-territorial-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>new political map of India</strong></a>, made after the bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir (J&amp;K) into the Union Territories of J&amp;K and Ladakh, showed Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as part of Pithoragarh district in Uttarakhand state.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India and Nepal have border disputes over Kalapani - Limpiyadhura - Lipulekh trijunction between India-Nepal and China and Susta area (West Champaran district, Bihar).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-nepal-on-kailash-mansarovar-link-road" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nepal objected</strong> </a>strongly against this map and opinionated that the issue should be resolved through negotiations.</li>
<li>Further, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-road-to-kailash-mansarovar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>inauguration of a road up to Lipulekh Pass</strong></a> (for <strong>Kailash Mansarovar Yatra</strong>) by the Indian government on the border with China sparked more protests from Nepal.</li>
<li>In retaliation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-nepal-border-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nepal released a new map</strong></a> that includes all the disputed territories claimed by India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India and Nepal should together strive towards clearing the tensions between the two countries which have historically shared close ties. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nepal&rsquo;s growing affinity with China</strong></a> can also pose a security concern for India amidst the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-China conflicts</strong></a>.</li>
<li>As India has adopted <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-is-indias-neighbourhood" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>a Neighbourhood First</strong></a> Policy, it must work more proactively with Nepal in terms of people to people engagement, bureaucratic engagement as well as political interactions.</li>
<li>In this context, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/gujral-doctrine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gujral Doctrine</strong></a> which helped in resolving India-Bangladesh dispute can be of much help.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/first-thaw-in-freeze-india-and-nepal-will-meet-next-week-6551023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6059,
		'category_id' => (int) 71,
		'title' => 'Day 13',
		'description' => '<h2 style="text-align: center;">International and Bilateral Agreements</h2>
<p>Following issues regarding International and Bilateral Agreements have been in the news headlines, and UPSC most of the times asks important agreements to test awareness of aspirants. Some of these topics are important for this year's prelims. According to the trend observed, the agreements, the facts, the provisions, basic background information can be asked by the UPSC from these topics.</p>
<h2>International And Regional Bodies</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/regional-comprehensive-economic-partnership-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unicef-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNICEF</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-labour-organization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Labour Organization (ILO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/g-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G-7</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/arctic-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Arctic Council</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/traffic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>TRAFFIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/cites" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CITES</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration-nasa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organization (WHO)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asian-infrastructure-investment-bank" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations (UN)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unfccc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNFCCC</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-court-of-justice-icj" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Court of Justice (ICJ)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union (EU)</strong></a></li>
<li><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></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank Group</a> </strong></li>
<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="/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></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asia Summit (EAS)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ASEAN</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/drishti-specials-important-international-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BIMSTEC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institutions-international-world-intellectual-property-organisation-wipo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on International And Regional Bodies</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following countries: (2018)</p>
<ol>
<li>Australia</li>
<li>Canada</li>
<li>China</li>
<li>India</li>
<li>Japan</li>
<li>USA</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the above are among the &lsquo;free-trade partners&rsquo; of ASEAN?</p>
<p>(a) 1, 2, 4 and 5</p>
<p>(b) 3, 4, 5 and 6</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 1, 3, 4 and 5</strong> </span></p>
<p>(d) 2, 3, 4 and 6</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following statements: (2016)</p>
<ol>
<li>New Development Bank has been set up by APEC.</li>
<li>The headquarters of New Development Bank is in Shanghai.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #008000;">(b) 2 only</span> </strong></p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not a participant/participants? (2015)</p>
<ol>
<li>Bangladesh</li>
<li>Cambodia</li>
<li>China</li>
<li>Myanmar</li>
<li>Thailand</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below:</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2, 3 and 4</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #008000;">(c) 1 and 3</span> </strong></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 5</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements: (2014)</p>
<ol>
<li>The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.</li>
<li>South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 2 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Security Council of UN consists of 5 permanent members, and the remaining 10 members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of (2009)</p>
<p>(a) 1 year</p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #008000;">(b) 2 years</span> </strong></p>
<p>(c) 3 years</p>
<p>(d) 5 years</p>
<h2>India and Great Powers</h2>
<h3>India-US relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-us-relations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-US Relations</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-us-relationship" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-US Relationship</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/infographics/info-paper2/india-us-agreements" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-US Agreements</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/printpdf/usa-presidents-visit-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA President's Visit to India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-us-trade" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-US Trade</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-us-2-plus-2-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-US '2+2' Talks</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Russia relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/recalibration-of-india-russia-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Recalibration of India-Russia Ties</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India - Russia</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/gs-special/gs-foreign-policy-corner/india-russia-bilateral-relations-longstanding-time-tested-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India-Russia Bilateral Relations: Longstanding, Time-tested Partners</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-and-russia-ties-in-transition" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and Russia: Ties in Transition</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/russia-an-all-weather-defence-partner" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia: An all-weather defence partner</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>India-European Union Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-eu-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India-EU Virtual Summit</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union (EU)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/trade-and-economic-relation-between-india-and-european-and-oceania-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Trade and Economic Relation between India and European and Oceania Countries. Trade and Economic Relation between India and European and Oceania Countries.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/significance-of-15th-india-european-union-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Significance of 15<sup>th</sup> India-European Union Summit</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/agreement-on-scientific-cooperation-between-india-and-eu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agreement on Scientific Cooperation Between India and EU </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/impact-of-brexit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Impact of Brexit</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Japan relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-japan-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Japan</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-japan-beginning-of-a-new-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Japan: Beginning of a &ldquo;New Era&rdquo;</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-japan-2-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Big Picture: India - Japan 2+2</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-japan-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-Japan Summit</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/dynamism-must-drive-indo-japan-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dynamism Must Drive Indo-Japan Ties</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/japan-s-cooperation-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Japan's Cooperation to India</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p>Q. Recently, the USA has decided to support India&rsquo;s membership in multilateral export control regimes called the &ldquo;Australia Group&rdquo; and the &ldquo;Wassenaar Arrangement&rdquo;. What is the difference between them? (2011)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Australia Group is an informal arrangement which aims to allow exporting countries to minimize the risk of assisting chemical and biological weapons proliferation, whereas the Wassenaar Arrangement is a formal group under the OECD holding identical objectives. Science &amp; Technology Drishti Publications 383</li>
<li>The Australia Group comprises predominantly of Asian, African and North American countries whereas the member countries of Wassenaar Arrangement are predominantly from the European Union and American Continents.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Recently, India signed a deal known as &lsquo;Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field&rsquo; with which of the following countries?</p>
<p>(a) Japan</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) Russia</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) The United Kingdom</p>
<p>(d) The United States of America</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. A present group of nations known as G-8 started first as G-7. Which one among the following was not one of them? (2009)</p>
<p>(a) Canada</p>
<p>(b) Italy</p>
<p>(c) Japan</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) Russia</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. What is &ldquo;Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)&rdquo;, sometimes seen in the news? (2018)</p>
<p>(a) An Israeli radar system</p>
<p>(b) India&rsquo;s indigenous anti-missile programme</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) An American anti-missile system</strong> </span></p>
<p>(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea.</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as &lsquo;General Data Protection Regulation&rsquo; in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25<sup>th</sup> May, 2018?</p>
<p>(a) Australia</p>
<p>(b) Canada</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) The European Union</strong> </span></p>
<p>(d) The United States of America</p>
<h2>Indian Foriegn Policy</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/non-aligned-movement-nam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Revival of Non-Alignment Movement</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/18th-non-aligned-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>18<sup>th</sup> Non-Aligned Summit</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-nam-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Virtual NAM Summit</a> </strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sagar-vision" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAGAR Vision</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-sagar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mission Sagar</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy#:~:text=Act%20East%20Policy%20seeks%20economic,witnessed%20major%20reforms%20since%201991)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p>Q. With reference to &ldquo;Look East Policy&rdquo; of India, consider the following statements: (2011)</p>
<ol>
<li>India wants to establish itself as an important regional player in East Asian affairs.</li>
<li>India wants to plug the vacuum created by the termination of the Cold War.</li>
<li>India wants to restore the historical and cultural ties with its neighbours in Southeast and East Asia.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 1 and 3 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<h2>International Treaties</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-seed-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Seed Treaty</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/united-nations-convention-on-international-settlement-agreements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/extradition-treaty-between-india-and-belgium" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Extradition Treaty between India and Belgium</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/50-years-of-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-npt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">50 Years of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-to-join-un-arms-trade-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China to Join UN Arms Trade Treaty</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/open-skies-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Open Skies Treaty</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/model-bilateral-investment-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Model Bilateral Investment Treaty</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/convention-on-global-cybercrime" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Convention on Global Cybercrime</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-start-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>New START Treaty </strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-to-join-un-arms-trade-treaty" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China to Join UN Arms Trade Treaty</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p>Q. With reference to the &lsquo;Trans-Pacific Partnership&rsquo;, consider the following statements: (2016)</p>
<ol>
<li>It is an agreement among all the Pacific Rim countries except China and Russia.</li>
<li>It is a strategic alliance for the purpose of maritime security only.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the statements given above is/are correct?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 only</p>
<p>(c) Both 1 and 2</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) Neither 1 nor 2</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Consider the following countries: (2015)</p>
<ol>
<li>China</li>
<li>France</li>
<li>India</li>
<li>Israel</li>
<li>Pakistan</li>
</ol>
<p>Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 and 2 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(b) 1, 3, 4 and 5 only</p>
<p>(c) 2, 4 and 5 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5</p>
<h2>Indian Diaspora</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India's Diaspora</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Diaspora</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-diaspora-largest-in-the-world-un-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Diaspora Largest in the World: UN Report</strong> </a></li>
</ul>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6044,
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		'title' => 'Day 12',
		'description' => '<h2 style="text-align: center;">Issues of National and Global Importance</h2>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following issues have been at the forefront of the news headlines, and as UPSC always attempts to test the basics, a basic awareness is required. Some of these topics can point towards an important area of the static part of syllabus, and some topics would largely be covered in the Current Affairs. According to the trend observed, the facts, their contexts, basic background information can be asked by the UPSC from these topics. </span></p>
<h2>Human Rights Issues</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-human-rights-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Human Rights Day</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/giving-more-tooth-to-human-rights-commissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Giving More Tooth To Human Rights Commissions</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nhrc-on-public-s-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NHRC on Public's Rights</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/national-human-rights-commission-nhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-news-editorials/the-relevance-of-unhrc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The relevance of UNHRC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/protection-of-human-right-amendment-bill-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Protection of Human Right (Amendment) Bill, 2019</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Human Rights Issues:</span></h3>
<p>Q. Consider the following: (2011)</p>
<ol>
<li>Right to education</li>
<li>Right to equal access to public service</li>
<li>Right to food.</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the above is/are Human Right/Human Rights under &ldquo;Universal Declaration of Human Rights&rdquo;?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 1 and 2 only</p>
<p>(c) 3 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) 1, 2 and 3</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, consider the following: (2010)</p>
<ol>
<li>The Right to Development</li>
<li>The Right to Expression</li>
<li>The Right to Recreation</li>
</ol>
<p>Which of the above is/are the Rights of the child?</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 1 and 3 only</p>
<p>(c) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(d) 1, 2 and 3</strong></span></p>
<hr />
<p>Q. Amnesty International is (2015)</p>
<p>(a) an agency of the United Nations to help refugees of civil wars</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) a global Human Rights Movement</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) a non-governmental voluntary organization to help very poor people</p>
<p>(d) an inter-governmental agency to cater to medical emergencies in war-ravaged regions</p>
<h2>Terrorism</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-brics-focus-on-terrorism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Big Picture - BRICS: Focus on Terrorism</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/terror-financing-and-fake-indian-currency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Terror Financing and Fake Indian Currency</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/printpdf/gujarat-anti-terror-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gujarat Anti-Terror Bill</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/printpdf/at-unga-india-call-for-early-adoption-of-ccit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>At UNGA, India Calls for Early Adoption of CCIT</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-financial-action-task-force" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Financial Action Task Force</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fatf-s-grey-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FATF's Grey List</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/icrg-recommends-continuation-of-pakistan-in-grey-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ICRG Recommends Continuation of Pakistan in Grey List</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Covid-19</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-indian-federalism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and Indian Federalism</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comprehensive Action Plan For Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-globalization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and Globalization</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/msmes-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MSMEs and Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-probe-into-covid-19-origin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Push for Probe into Covid-19 Origin</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/a3i-unique-trait-in-covid-19-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>A3i: Unique Trait in Covid-19 in India</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-and-medical-solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>COVID-19 and Medical Solutions</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/globalisation-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Globalisation &amp; Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coronavirus Disease Named Covid-19</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-lockdown" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and Lockdown</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/possibility-of-covid-19-being-syndemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Possibility of Covid-19 being Syndemic</strong> </a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-u-s-to-collaborate-on-covid-19-vaccine-trials" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India, US to Collaborate on Covid-19 Vaccine Trials</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/education-in-post-covid-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Education In Post-Covid Era</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fight-against-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Fight Against Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/comparison-of-measures-against-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Comparison of Measures Against Covid-19</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mathematical-and-simulation-aspects-of-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mathematical and Simulation Aspects of Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/animals-and-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Animals and Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-and-economic-challenges-ahead" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid 19 and Economic Challenges Ahead</strong></a></li>
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/challenge-covid-19-competition-c3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Challenge Covid-19 Competition (C3)</a></strong></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/social-recession-due-to-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Social Recession due to Covid-19</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-in-states-with-high-swine-flu-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 in States with High Swine Flu Rates</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Protectionism/Anti-globalization</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/global-trade-war-the-apology-of-protectionism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Global Trade War: The Apology of Protectionism</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/boosting-economic-growth-in-a-protectionist-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Boosting Economic Growth in a Protectionist World</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Trade War</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/is-globalization-dying" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Is Globalization Dying?</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-globalization" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and Globalization</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-localising-globalisation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Big Picture: Localising Globalisation</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-global-economic-disruption" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 and Global Economic Disruption</strong> </a></li>
</ul>
<h2>Climate Change Agreement by India</h2>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Climate Change and Development in India</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/challenges-in-climate-change-negotiations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Challenges In Climate Change Negotiations</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/assessment-of-climate-change-over-the-indian-region-moes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Assessment of Climate Change over the Indian Region: MoES</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-environment-forest-and-climate-change" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Year End Review 2019: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change</strong> </a></li>
<li><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-climate-change-act-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>The Big Picture - Climate Change: Act Now</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3><span style="color: #000080;">Previous Year Questions on Climate Change Agreement</span></h3>
<p>Q. Which of the following best describes/describe the aim of &lsquo;Green India Mission&rsquo; of the Government of India? (2016)</p>
<ol>
<li>Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby implementing the &lsquo;green accounting&rsquo;.</li>
<li>Launching the second green revolution to enhance agricultural output so as to ensure food security to one and all in the future.</li>
<li>Restoring and enhancing forest cover and responding to climate change by a combination of adaptation and mitigation measures.</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below.</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p>(b) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) 3 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The scientific view is that the increase in global temperature should not exceed 2&deg;C above pre industrial level. If the global temperature increases beyond 3&deg;C above the pre-industrial level, what can be its possible impact/impacts on the world? (2014)</p>
<ol>
<li>Terrestrial biosphere tends toward a net carbon source.</li>
<li>Widespread coral mortality will occur.</li>
<li>All the global wetlands will permanently disappear.</li>
<li>Cultivation of cereals will not be possible anywhere in the world.</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below:</p>
<p>(a) 1 only</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) 1 and 2 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) 2, 3 and 4 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. &ldquo;Momentum for Change: Climate Neutral Now&rdquo; is an initiative launched by (2018)</p>
<p>(a) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change</p>
<p>(b) The UNEP Secretariat</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(c) The UNFCCC Secretariat</strong> </span></p>
<p>(d) The World Meteorological Organisation</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. With reference to &lsquo;Global Climate Change Alliance&rsquo;, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2017)</p>
<ol>
<li>It is an initiative of the European Union.</li>
<li>It provides technical and financial support to targeted developing countries to integrate climate change into their development policies and budgets.</li>
<li>It is coordinated by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).</li>
</ol>
<p>Select the correct answer using the code given below:</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(a) 1 and 2 only</strong> </span></p>
<p>(b) 3 only</p>
<p>(c) 2 and 3 only</p>
<p>(d) 1, 2 and 3</p>
<hr />
<p>Q. The Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), a UN mechanism to assist countries transition towards greener and more inclusive economies, emerged at: (2018)</p>
<p>(a) The Earth Summit on Sustainable Development 2002, Johannesburg.</p>
<p><span style="color: #008000;"><strong>(b) The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development 2012, Rio de Janeiro.</strong> </span></p>
<p>(c) The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 2015, Paris.</p>
<p>(d) The World Sustainable Development Summit 2016, New Delhi.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 6058,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Dispute Panels Against India: WTO',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/issues-in-wtos-dispute-resolution-mechanism" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dispute Settlement Body</strong></a> (DSB) of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organisation</strong></a> (WTO) has set up <strong>two dispute settlement panels</strong> targeting import duties imposed by India on a number of<strong> Information and Communication Technology (ICT) products</strong> including mobile phones.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was done on the <strong>request of Japan and Taiwan,</strong> taking up the number of panels constituted to examine the same tariff-related issue to three.</li>
<li>In <strong>June 2020</strong>, the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a></strong> (EU) had a panel established against India on the same issue.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The panels would determine whether <strong>India&rsquo;s customs duties on imports of certain ICT products infringe the WTO&rsquo;s norms or not.</strong></li>
<li>The panels have been set up to decide on <strong>20% customs duty levied by India</strong> on mobile phones and some other ICT products.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India decided to levy <strong>10% customs duty</strong> on these products for the first time in July 2017 which was <strong>increased to 15% in the same year.</strong></li>
<li>These custom duties were <strong>further increased to 20%</strong> despite opposition from a number of WTO members.</li>
<li>The EU, USA, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, Japan and Thailand initiated consultations with India on the matter claiming that the move substantially affects them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>goods covered in the complaint</strong> include telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks; base stations; machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, etc.</li>
<li><strong>Complainants&rsquo; Arguments:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Japan and Taiwan said that their <strong>failed consultations with India prompted</strong> them to submit the requests for panels.</li>
<li>Japan, Taiwan and the EU have argued that<strong> these products fall within the scope of the relevant tariff lines</strong> for which India has set the<strong> bound rate of 0% for its WTO schedule of commitments.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Bound Rates</strong> are the <strong>legally bound commitments on customs duty rates,</strong> which <strong>act as ceilings</strong> on the tariffs that member governments can set.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Once a rate of duty is bound, it may not be raised without compensating</strong> the affected parties</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>They held that India is applying tariffs on ITC goods falling under five <strong>tariff lines</strong> in excess of the 0% bound rate and that for some products, the applied tariff rate was <strong>as high as 20% some times.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Tariff Line</strong> refers to the classification codes of goods, applied by individual countries, that are longer than the 6-digit level of the <strong>Harmonized System</strong> (HS).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>HS is a <strong>system of code numbers for identifying products.</strong> The codes are <strong>standard up to six digits.</strong> Beyond that countries can introduce national distinctions for tariffs and many other purposes.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India managed to<strong> block Japan&rsquo;s first request</strong> for a panel on the grounds that the complaint <strong>undermined India&rsquo;s sovereignty.</strong></li>
<li>India also<strong> rejected the EU&rsquo;s suggestion of agreeing to one consolidated panel</strong> combining complaints from all three of them and saving time and resources.</li>
<li>India argued that all <strong>three complainants are seeking to get the country to take on commitments under the Information Technology Agreement-II (ITA-II) which it never agreed to.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Information Technology Agreement</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a<strong> plurilateral agreement</strong> enforced by the WTO and concluded by<strong> 29 participants </strong>in the<strong> Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products at Singapore in 1996.</strong></li>
<li>It entered into force on <strong>1<sup>st</sup> July 1997.</strong></li>
<li>It seeks to<strong> accelerate and deepen the reduction of trade barriers</strong> for the critically important ICT industry.</li>
<li>Currently, the number of participants has grown to 82, representing about 97% of world trade in IT products.</li>
<li><strong>India is a signatory.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Information Technology Agreement-II</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Few developed countries <strong>proposed to broaden the scope and coverage of the ITA.</strong></li>
<li>At the <strong>Nairobi Ministerial Conference in December 2015,</strong> over 50 members concluded the<strong> expansion of the Agreement,</strong> which now covers an additional 201 products valued at over USD 1.3 trillion per year.</li>
<li>Its<strong> aim</strong> was to<strong> increase the coverage of IT products</strong> on which customs duty would be bound at zero, <strong>addressing non-tariff measures and expanding the number of signatory countries</strong> to include countries such as Argentina, Brazil and South Africa.</li>
<li><strong>India has decided not to participate</strong> in this for the time being because India&rsquo;s experience with the ITA-I has been most discouraging, which almost wiped out the IT industry from India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>real gainer</strong> from that agreement has been <strong>China which raised its global market share from 2% to 14% between 2000-2011.</strong> China is a <strong>significant exporter of ICT goods.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/wto-sets-up-dispute-panels-against-indias-tech-tariffs-on-japan-taiwans-request/article32221738.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: BL</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6040,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'New Supreme Court Building of Mauritius',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>The Prime Minister of India</strong> and the <strong>Prime Minister of Mauritius</strong> will jointly inaugurate the new<strong> Supreme Court building of Mauritius</strong> on 30<sup>th</sup> July, 2020.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It will be the <strong>first India assisted infrastructure project</strong> within the capital city of <strong>Port Louis, Mauritius.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1596016671_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1596016671_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="700" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The new Supreme Court Building is expected to become an important landmark in the city center symbolizing the strong bilateral partnership between the two countries.</li>
<li>It is one of the five projects being implemented under the <strong>&lsquo;Special Economic Package&rsquo;</strong> of 353 million USD extended by the Government of India to Mauritius in 2016.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Mauritius Relationship</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indias-project-in-mauritius-faces-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Mauritian relations</strong></a> refers to the <strong>historical, political, economic, military, social and cultural connections</strong> between the two countries.</li>
<li>Connections between <strong>India and Mauritius date back to 1730</strong> and diplomatic relations were <strong>established in 1948</strong> before Mauritius became an independent state (1968).</li>
<li>India has viewed Mauritius through the <strong>prism of diaspora.</strong> This was, perhaps, natural since communities of Indian origin constitute a significant majority in the island. More than <strong>68% of the Mauritian population are of Indian origin,</strong> most commonly known as Indo-Mauritians.</li>
<li>It is a significant partner of India in celebrating <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-23rd-january-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas</strong></a> which is a forum for issues concerning the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Diaspora.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geo-strategic:</strong> India has begun to see the strategic significance of Mauritius to the renewed great power contestation in the<strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indian-ocean-islands-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Indian Ocean.</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2015, India signed an agreement to set up eight Indian-controlled coastal surveillance radar stations.</li>
<li>Mauritius is part of<strong> India&rsquo;s security grid including Coastal Surveillance Radar (CSR)</strong> station of Indian Navy&rsquo;s National Command Control Communication Intelligence network.</li>
<li>In 2015 India unveiled an ambitious policy called the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sagar-vision" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAGAR</strong></a> <strong>(security and growth for all).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was India&rsquo;s first significant policy statement on the Indian Ocean in many decades.</li>
<li>Through<strong> SAGAR,</strong> India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2015, India and Mauritius signed an agreement that allows India to develop infrastructure in terms of <strong>establishing military bases</strong> on the Mauritian islands. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The agreement covers within its purview our shared efforts in <strong>anti-piracy operations,</strong> and enhanced <strong>Exclusive Economic Zones</strong> (EEZ) surveillance to prevent intrusions by potential economic offenders including those indulging in illegal fishing, poaching, drug and human trafficking.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geo-Economic:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As a &ldquo;central geographic point&rdquo; Maurituis holds importance for commerce and connectivity in the Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>As a member of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/19th-iora-council-of-ministers-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>African Union, Indian Ocean Rim Association</strong></a> and the <strong>Indian Ocean Commission,</strong> Mauritius is a stepping stone to multiple geographies.</li>
<li>As a founding-member of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/climate-change-impacting-small-island-developing-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &lsquo;Small Island Developing States&rsquo;</strong></a> (SIDS) it has been seen as a significant neighbour.</li>
<li>India is Mauritius&rsquo;s largest trading partner and has been the largest exporter of goods and services to the Indian Ocean island nation since 2007.</li>
<li>Mauritius is the second<strong> largest source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</strong> for India after Singapore.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Regional Hub:</strong> As<strong> new investments pour into Mauritius from Africa,</strong> Mauritius can be the fulcrum for India&rsquo;s own <strong>African economic outreach.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India could also contribute to the evolution of Mauritius as a regional centre for <strong>technological innovation.</strong> Therefore, India must respond to the demands from Mauritius for higher education facilities.</li>
<li>Mauritius could also become a valuable place for regional and international maritime scientific research.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pivot of Island Policy:</strong> Until now India has tended to deal with the so-called <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-vanilla" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Vanilla islands</strong></a> <strong>of</strong> the south western Indian Ocean &mdash; <strong>Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion and Seychelles &mdash;</strong> on a <strong>bilateral basis.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>If the Indian establishment thinks of them as a collective, it could make <strong>Mauritius the pivot of Delhi&rsquo;s island policy.</strong></li>
<li>It can facilitate a number of Indian commercial activities in the south western Indian ocean &mdash; as a banking gateway and hub for tourism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Keeping Pace with China:</strong> In its <strong>&ldquo;string of pearls&rdquo;</strong> policy, China has built significant relations across the Indian Ocean, from <strong>Gwadar</strong> (Pakistan) to <strong>Hambantota</strong> (Sri Lanka) to <strong>Kyaukpyu</strong> (Myanmar). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore, India should help Indian Ocean littoral states like Mauritius, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Seychelles as part of capacity and capability enhancement in strengthening their maritime domain awareness capabilities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Deep Rooted Perception:</strong> There is an urgent need to discard the deep-rooted perception that Mauritius is<strong> simply an extension of India.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Mauritius is a sovereign entity with an international identity of its own due to the island's special place in the Indian Ocean as a <strong>thriving economic hub and an attractive strategic location.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China Centric Policies:</strong> China's rapidly growing presence in the northern part of the Indian Ocean along with the deployment of Chinese submarines and ships in the region is a challenge for India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, India has often been accused of being self-centred in its relations with its smaller neighbours.</li>
<li>Much of India&rsquo;s move of reaching out to its littoral neighbours has been driven by China&rsquo;s increasing involvement in this region mainly through large and ambitious infrastructure projects.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Obsessive Security Policy:</strong> An obsessively security-driven policy of India towards its neighbours has not helped in the past. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Certain common challenges like <strong>climate change, sustainable development and the<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/blue-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> blue economy</a></strong> should be reconsidered in India&rsquo;s approach to Mauritius.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Integration:</strong> Mauritius being an island nation, has been physically cut off from the rest of the world despite the fact anything that happens in the world affects Mauritius e.g, world economic crisis, declining FDIs, trade wars etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Therefore,it is important for India to broaden its perspective beyond just the maritime security of IOR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Ocean Region:</strong> As the power dynamic in the<strong> Indian Ocean Region</strong> (IOR) is changing, world has started to view <strong>Mauritius as an integral part of the new security architecture.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Increased presence of China and efforts of countries like the USA, Australia, France and the U.K. to take advantage of small nations is a growing concern for India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Companies registered in Mauritius are the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into India, making it crucial for India to upgrade its bilateral tax treaty, adopting the latest international practices that prevent multinational companies from artificially shifting profits to low tax countries.</li>
<li>As India takes an integrated view of its security cooperation in the south western Indian Ocean, Mauritius is the natural node for it. Therefore, it is important to take course-corrections in India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-is-indias-neighbourhood#:~:text=What%20is%20Neighbourhood%20first%20policy%3F&amp;text=It%20was%20started%20well%20by,as%20a%20mini%20SAARC%20summit." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Neighbourhood First policy.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1641866#:~:text=The%20new%20Supreme%20Court%20building%20project%20is%20one%20of%20the,schedule%20and%20below%20expected%20costs." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6032,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Ministers&rsquo; Dialogue</strong> between <strong>India and the Republic of Indonesia</strong> has been held in Delhi.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong>Indonesian Defence Minister General Prabowo Subianto</strong> is in India for strengthening the ties between the two maritime neighbours.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>At the dialogue, India and Indonesia aimed at injecting a new momentum to their strategic partnership by expanding security cooperation in a range of areas including <strong>defence industries and technology sharing</strong>.</li>
<li>India conveyed satisfaction on the military to military interactions and indicated that the defence cooperation between both nations has witnessed an upswing in recent years, in consonance with the <strong>Comprehensive Strategic Partnership</strong> between the two sides.</li>
<li>The issue of <strong>possible export of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brahmos-missile" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BrahMos cruise missile</a> to Indonesia</strong> by India and ways to <strong>further deepen maritime security cooperation</strong> figured prominently in the talks.</li>
<li>Even though both countries acknowledge <strong>China's <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggressive posturing in eastern Ladakh</a></strong> and the<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/south-china-sea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> South China Sea</strong></a>, there was<strong> no official statement</strong> on it.</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Indonesia<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595931974_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595931974_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="324" height="229" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Both of them have agreed to <strong>work together for peace, security, and prosperity</strong> in order to achieve their shared vision on maritime cooperation in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific region</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Strait of Malacca</strong> - waterway connecting the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean) and the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean) - runs between the Indonesian island of Sumatra to the West and peninsular (west) Malaysia and extreme southern Thailand to the east.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both of them recognise the <strong>threat of extremism and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-international-convention-on-terrorism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrorism</a></strong> and have agreed to work closely bilaterally and globally to tackle them.</li>
<li>India is working with Indonesia to <strong>strengthen the ties in the areas of defence, security, connectivity, trade and investment and people-to-people exchanges</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Commerce:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Bilateral trade has increased</strong> from USD 4.3 billion in 2005-06 to USD 21 billion in 2018-19.</li>
<li>Indonesia has emerged as the <strong>second largest trading partner of India in the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN</a> region</strong>.</li>
<li>India is the <strong>second largest buyer of coal and crude palm oil</strong> from Indonesia and <strong>imports minerals, rubber, pulp and paper and hydrocarbons reserves</strong>.</li>
<li>However, there is a <strong>need for greater market access for Indian commodities in Indonesia</strong> including, pharmaceutical, automotive and agricultural products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Both countries are members of <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>, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-nam-summit#:~:text=The%20Non%2DAligned%20Movement%20was,to%20remain%20independent%20or%20neutral." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Non-Aligned Movement</strong></a> (NAM), <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/east-asia-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>East Asia Summit</strong></a> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>Comprehensive Strategic Partnership:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two countries inked a <strong>defence cooperation agreement in 2018</strong> which aimed at reflecting the elevation of the relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2019 marked the 70<sup>th</sup> anniversary</strong> of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Indonesia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In <strong>September 2019,</strong> Indonesia announced that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indonesia-s-new-capital" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>country's capital would be relocated</strong></a> to <strong>East Kalimantan province</strong> on Borneo island from <strong>Jakarta</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bilateral Exercises:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-samudra-shakti" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise Samudra Shakti</strong></a> the bilateral <strong>maritime</strong> exercise.</li>
<li><strong>Garuda Shakti</strong> is the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-maitree" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>joint military exercise</strong></a> between India and Indonesia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India has always acknowledged the long history of mutually beneficial interactions between the two countries with a tradition of close political dialogue, economic and trade linkages as well as cultural and people to people interactions.</li>
<li>However, to overcome the national and regional challenges, there is a need for a commitment to further strengthen and widen the scope of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1641523" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6025,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'INDIA-UK Free Trade Agreement',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India and the United Kingdom (UK) affirmed their shared commitment towards a <strong>Free Trade Agreement</strong> (FTA) during the 14<sup>th</sup> virtual <strong>Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The next meeting is scheduled to be held around September, 2020 in New Delhi to carry forward the dialogue.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595926774_North%20Sea (Map).png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1595926774_North Sea (Map).png" width="449" height="446" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong> The meeting was held by India and UK to revive and revitalise the long standing trade and economic linkages between them.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>They agreed to an <strong>early harvest scheme or a limited trade agreement</strong> to lower tariffs on a small set of goods apart from easing rules for select services.</li>
<li>They also resolved to cooperate in the health sector especially in the wake of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Previously, India and the UK were involved in discussing a <strong>preferential trading arrangement</strong> under the proposed <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-eu-virtual-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India-European Union FTA</strong></a>.</li>
<li>In FTA, two trading partners eliminate or significantly reduce import duties on the maximum number of goods traded between them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-UK Trade:</strong> India has had strong historical ties with the U.K. and currently, it is one of India’s most important trading partners.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a significant partner of India as an <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FDI investor after Mauritius and Singapore</strong></a> which ranked second and first respectively.</li>
<li>Similarly, the U.K. is one of the <strong>largest investors in India,</strong> among the <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 countries</strong></a>.</li>
<li>The bilateral trade between the two countries stood at <strong>15.5 billion USD</strong> in 2019-20 as against 16.87 USD billion in 2018-19.</li>
<li>India has engagement with the UK in sectors like pharma, textiles, leather, industrial machinery, furniture, and toys.</li>
<li>India is also looking to the UK to support it with technology based products such as high quality cameras, medical devices, and automobiles.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit:</strong> The UK has been pushing India for a bilateral trading arrangement ever since it voted to <strong>leave the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a></strong> (EU) in June 2016 and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/impact-of-brexit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>left finally in january 2020</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, India had been resisting these efforts as it decided that the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Brexit</strong></a> process should complete first.</li>
<li>India has been keen to understand how much of a <strong>"special and preferential"</strong> access the UK will get in the vast European market when it is out of the EU’s single-market dynamics.</li>
<li>Hence, these talks would help in intensifying the beneficial aspect of the UK as a trading partner of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exit from RCEP:</strong> India opted out of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-exits-rcep#:~:text=Recently%2C%20India%20decided%20to%20opt,significant%20outstanding%20issues%E2%80%9D%20are%20resolved." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal</strong></a> in November 2019.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, there is renewed focus on trade deals with the US, the European Union and the UK, which are key markets for Indian exporters and are keen to diversify their sourcing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Partner:</strong> The UK is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and one of the <strong>strategic partners of India</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Strengthening bonds with the trade would seek UKs support at global issues like <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/galwan-valley-clash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>standoff with China</strong></a> in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-permanent-seat-in-unsc#:~:text=In%20this%20context%2C%20India%20is,including%20the%20UN%20Security%20Council.&text=India%20is%20the%20natural%20claimant,the%20United%20Nations%20Security%20Council." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>claim for permanent seat at UNSC</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Review of Trades:</strong> India could seek a review of trading agreements including renegotiating tariffs on some items along with the tightening of provisions governing <strong>country-of-origin certification</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Joint Economic Trade Committee</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>JETCO</strong> provides a<strong> forum to United Kingdom companies to enhance</strong> their links and develop new partnerships with India business and decision-makers.</li>
<li>Government to Government negotiations, which address issues of market liberalization and market access, are conducted through the JETCO process.</li>
<li>The <strong>UK India Business Council plays</strong> a key role in feeding the views of the UK business community into the JETCO process with a view to achieving favorable outcomes for UK companies.</li>
<li>One of the key objectives of the JETCO process is to unveil opportunities for UK’s most prominent institutional investors to invest in India.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is one of the fastest growing large economies of the world and FTA with the UK has played a significant role in enhancing the trade volume of the country.</li>
<li>However, according to policymakers, <strong>FTAs signed by India with the UK have not brought</strong> the expected tangible benefits and, on the contrary, have hurt the country’s manufacturing sector due to liberal rules of origin.</li>
<li>Therefore, there is a need for a <strong>detailed assessment of FTAs in terms of goods, services and investment flows</strong> by all the stakeholders involved.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/Pressreleaseshare.aspx?PRID=1641126#:~:text=Minister%20Goyal%20and%20Ms%20Truss,deals%20in%20a%20staged%20manner.&text=The%20Co%2Dchairs%20of%20Business,their%20recommendations%20to%20the%20Ministers." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 6014,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Collaboration with Israel in Defence Sector under FDI',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>India has collaborated with the Israeli defence companies under the new liberalised <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-fdi-rule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Foreign Direct Investment</strong></a> (FDI) regime in <strong>defence manufacturing.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Earlier, the government has increased the limit for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-fdi-rule" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FDI</strong></a> <strong>in defence</strong> through the automatic route from <strong>49% to 74%.</strong></li>
<li>FDI is an <strong>investment made by a firm or individual</strong> in one country into business interests located in another country.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Context:</strong> Recently, the Defence Ministry has given <strong>emergency powers to the Armed Forces</strong> to procure weapons systems up to Rs. 300 crore on an urgent basis without any further clearances <strong>to cut short the procurement cycle.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, Indian Armed Forces are undertaking a series of emergency defence purchases amid ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>tensions with China on the border.</strong></a></li>
<li>The Army has decided to order launchers, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/spike-lr-anti-tank-guided-missiles" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Spike Anti-Tank Guided Missiles</strong></a> (ATGM) and additional <strong>Heron <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/draft-unmanned-aircraft-system-uas-rules-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unmanned Aerial Vehicles</a></strong> (UAV), from Israel through the emergency procurement route.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Israel Defence Cooperation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong> The strong bilateral ties of India and Israel are driven by their respective national interests&mdash;i.e., India&rsquo;s long-sought goals of <strong>military modernisation,</strong> and Israel&rsquo;s comparative advantage in <strong>commercialising its arms industries.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The ambit of defence cooperation has widened to include other domains like <strong>space, counter-terrorism, and cyber security and intelligence sharing</strong> besides Israeli arms sales to India.</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> was the <strong>largest arms customer of Israel in 2017</strong> with sales worth 715 million USD.</li>
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-among-top-military-spenders-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report</strong></a>, <strong>Israel</strong> is the <strong>third largest supplier of defence items</strong> to India after <strong>Russia and the USA,</strong> the first and second respectively.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Historical Ties:</strong> The strategic cooperation between the two countries began during the<strong> Sino-India War of 1962.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 1965, Israel supplied M-58 160-mm mortar ammunition to India in the war against Pakistan.</li>
<li>It was one of the few countries that <strong>chose not to condemn India&rsquo;s Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998.</strong></li>
<li>It continued its arms trade with India even after the sanctions and international isolation after the nuclear tests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Patrolling and Surveillance:</strong> The Israeli imports eases the operational ability of armed forces in wartime. For instance, the missile defence systems, and ammunition played a crucial role in controlling the escalation between India and Pakistan <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-bombs-jaish-e-muhammad-camp-in-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>post-Balakot air strikes.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Make in India:</strong> The export-oriented Israeli defence industry and its openness to establishing joint ventures complement both <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Make in India&rsquo;</strong> </a>and<strong> &lsquo;Make with India&rsquo;</strong> in defence.</li>
<li><strong>Trusted Supplier:</strong> Israel has always been a &lsquo;no-questions-asked supplier&rsquo;, i.e., it transfers even its most advanced technology without placing limits to its use.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Its credibility was reinforced during the <strong>Kargil War of 1999</strong> when it supplied the <strong>Indian Air Force (IAF)</strong> with the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) &lsquo;Searcher&rsquo; and surveillance systems for Jaguar and Mirage squadrons.</li>
<li>Similar weapons were used in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/the-post-balakot-challenge-" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Balakot strike</strong></a> in February 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ready to Use Technology:</strong> India suffers from many constraints in defence production and acquisition including lack of technical expertise, lack of manufacturing infrastructure, inadequate funding and project delays. Israel fills these shortcomings by<strong> supplying ready-to-use critical technologies,</strong> even on short notices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Influence of USA:</strong> Some of the<strong> Israeli technologies utilise USA components</strong> because of which the USA has veto powers over the sale of those technologies. Hence, it may cause hurdles in transportation of technologies.</li>
<li><strong>Cold War Politics:</strong> The potential of<strong> India-Israel ties</strong> have been sacrificed on the altar of Cold War politics. Factors like <strong>Arab&ndash;Israeli conflict, Iran-Israel conflict, constant interference of countries like Russia and USA</strong> in such issues and overall relationship of India with these countries have impacted the ties with Israel.</li>
<li><strong>Non Alignment:</strong> India&rsquo;s commitment to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/revival-of-non-alignment-movement#:~:text=The%20Non%2DAligned%20Movement%20was,to%20remain%20independent%20or%20neutral." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>non-alignment</strong></a> causes freezing relations with Israel that were increasingly seen as leaning towards the Western bloc. India must strategically balance its relationship with Israel on conflict issues.</li>
<li><strong>Dependence for Energy Security:</strong> India&rsquo;s dependence on Arab states for oil imports led to a pro-Arab tilt in its West Asia Policy, which has further constrained Israel's options in the region.</li>
<li><strong>Israel Palestine Conflict:</strong> The<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> territorial conflicts of Gaza Strip and West Bank</strong> </a>have played an important role in shaping India-Israel relationships.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Due to Israel-Palestine peace negotiations <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oslo-peace-accords" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>(Oslo Accords of 1993)</strong></a> <strong>India</strong> has started normalising the relationship with Israel.</li>
<li>However, as a part of <strong>Link West Policy,</strong> India has de-hyphenated its relationship with<strong> Israel and Palestine in 2018</strong> to treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Defence Technologies Imported by India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Searcher:</strong> It is a<strong> multi-mission tactical UAV</strong> for surveillance, target acquisition, artillery adjustment and damage assessment.</li>
<li><strong>Hermes 900:</strong> In December 2018, Adani Defence and Elbit Systems inaugurated the <strong>first India-Israel joint venture in defence</strong> at Hyderabad. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This facility will manufacture high-technology, cost-effective Hermes 900 to be deployed in all-weather terrains.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Heron:</strong> It is a <strong>medium-altitude long-endurance</strong> unmanned air vehicle (UAV) system primarily designed to perform strategic actions .</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Air Defence Systems:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>BARAK:</strong> The<strong> surface-to-air missile</strong> can be deployed as a low-range air defence interceptor. In India, the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-25th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> BARAK</strong></a> version is known as BARAK-8 (for naval vessels).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Missiles:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Spike:</strong> These are the <strong>4<sup>th</sup> generation Anti-Tank Missiles</strong> with a range of up to 4km, which can be operated in fire-and-forget mode.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These are manufactured by the Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Crystal Maze:</strong> It is an <strong>Indian variant of the air-to-surface missile AGM-142A Popeye &ndash;</strong> jointly developed by the Israeli-based Rafael and US-based Lockheed Martin.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sensors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Search Track and Guidance Radar (STGR):</strong> India imported the STGR radar to make <strong>INS Kolkata, INS Shivalik and Kamorta-class frigates</strong> compatible for deploying BARAK-8 SAM missiles.</li>
<li><strong>Phalcon: </strong>This airborne warning and control system (AWACS), is also hailed as Indian Airforce Force&rsquo;s <strong>&ldquo;eyes in the skies''.</strong></li>
<li>Phalcon performs <strong>surveillance and intelligence gathering beyond the visual range</strong> to warn against the incoming missiles or aircrafts in the airspace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The<strong> strategic cooperation between India and Israel</strong> carries immense potential and India must<strong> harness the technological expertise from Israel</strong> to modernise an indigenous defence industry.</li>
<li>As the USA sees a major role for India in <strong>maintaining the balance of power</strong> in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a> more technologies are likely to be transferable in the future. With improving<strong> strategic understanding between India and the US</strong> these technologies can be flexibly deployed to various wings of the military.</li>
<li>Indo-Israel <strong>defence cooperation must be up-scaled</strong> in terms of<strong> Joint Ventures (JV) and Joint Research and Development (RD)</strong> which can be a force multiplier to realistically achieve India&rsquo;s ambition to be a major global power.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/border-row-with-china-figures-in-rajnaths-telephonic-talks-with-israeli-defence-minister/article32183371.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5979,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Indian Military Equipment of Russian Origin',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>According to a paper published by Stimson Center,<strong> 86% of the equipment, weapons and platforms</strong> currently in military service in India are of<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/recalibration-of-india-russia-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Russian</strong></a> origin.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Stimson Center is a <strong>nonprofit think tank</strong> based in Washington, USA. It aims to <strong>enhance international peace and security</strong> through a combination of analysis and outreach.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Data Analysis:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Stimson Center</strong> data shows that more than <strong>55% of Indian defence imports</strong> since 2014 have been from Russia.</li>
<li>For the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Navy</strong></a>, more than <strong>41% equipment is of Russian origin while two-thirds for the Indian Air Force (IAF).</strong></li>
<li>The figure for the <strong>Army is 90%,</strong> as it assigns around 10,000 pieces of military hardware from Russia.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fewer-but-newer-nuclear-arms-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Stockholm International Peace Research Institute</strong> </a>(SIPRI) data shows that <strong>Russia</strong> continues to occupy<strong> the First position</strong> as India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-among-top-military-spenders-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>defence supplier</strong></a>, with 9.3 billion USD worth of exports to India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> USA</strong> is at <strong>second,</strong> with defence supplies worth 2.3 billion USD to India in the same period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Russia's Military Equipment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Navy's only active <strong>aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya</strong> and it's only <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-nuclear-attack-submarine-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>nuclear attack submarine</strong></a> in service,<strong> Chakra II,</strong> are from Russia.</li>
<li>So are the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mine-ploughs-on-t-90-tanks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Army&rsquo;s T-90</strong></a> <strong>and T-72 main battle tanks</strong> and IAF&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sukhoi-30-mki-equipped-with-the-brahmos-missile" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Su30 MKI fighter.</strong></a></li>
<li>The country&rsquo;s only <strong>nuclear-capable supersonic cruise missile,</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brahmos-missile" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BrahMos</strong></a>, is produced by a joint venture with Russia.</li>
<li>As India has been spreading its supplier base with Israel, USA and France, Russia still remains a major supplier. This is indicated by following latest developments:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has approved proposals to acquire 21 Mig29 and 12 Su30 MKI fighter aircraft from Russia for 2.4 billion USD.</li>
<li>India and Russia had agreed to a joint programme to develop a variant of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/advanced-medium-combat-aircraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft Programme (FGFA)</strong></a> in 2007.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>As India has not committed to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/advanced-medium-combat-aircraft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft Programme (FGFA) programme</strong> </a>with Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is negotiating on the price of AK103 rifles for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/five-years-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Make in India.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>USA&rsquo;s Military Equipment:</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iaf-gets-apache-helicopters" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Apache and Chinook helicopters</strong></a>, M777 howitzer guns for the Army. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Boeing C-17 and C-130J</strong> for IAF and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-approves-sale-of-military-hardware" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>P8I submarine hunter aircraft</strong></a> for Navy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reasons:</strong> There are many reasons for <strong>India's dependency on Russia</strong> for the supply of military equipments:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Legacy Issue:</strong> India and Russia have a <strong>longstanding defence relationship</strong> and there is familiarity with each other&rsquo;s processes and systems.</li>
<li><strong>Specialised Equipment:</strong> The kind of specialised equipment that Russia provides to India makes a difference from other countries, e.g. the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-going-ahead-with-purchase-of-S-400-air-defence-systems" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>S-400 Air Defence Missile Systems</strong></a>, nuclear submarines and aircraft carrier.</li>
<li><strong>Combat Capability:</strong> Each of the systems supplied by Russia has its advantages and uses as they have been used effectively to develop <strong>maximum combat capability</strong> especially when focusing on India&rsquo;s higher-end strike platforms.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Border Clash with China:</strong> Notwithstanding India&rsquo;s growing mutual convergence with the USA against China following the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/galwan-valley-clash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>recent tensions on the Ladakh border</strong></a>, its armed forces remain heavily dependent on equipment, weapons and military platforms of Russian origin which form the bulk of its inventory.</li>
<li><strong>USA&rsquo;s CAATSA:</strong> Recently, the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/u-s-a-s-position-on-caatsa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>USA has asked all its allies and partners, including India, to stop transactions with Russia</strong></a>. The USA can risk triggering sanctions under the Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/86-per-cent-of-indian-military-equipment-of-russian-origin-stimson-center-paper-6517136/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5974,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Supply of DDT to South Africa for Malaria Control Program',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>HIL (India) Limited</strong> has supplied 20.60 Metric tonne of <strong>Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane</strong> (DDT), a fertilizer to South Africa for their <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>malaria</strong></a> control program.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Company is further in the process of supplying DDT to Zimbabwe and Zambia in the current Financial Year 2020-21.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>HIL (India) Limited</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a PSU under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-chemicals-fertilizers" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.</strong></a></li>
<li>It was incorporated in 1954 to manufacture and supply DDT to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for <strong>malaria control programmes.</strong></li>
<li>It is the <strong>sole manufacturer of DDT</strong> globally.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>DDT:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a colorless, tasteless, and almost odorless crystalline chemical compound.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It was first synthesized in 1874 by the Austrian chemist Othmar Zeidler.</li>
<li>Its insecticidal action was discovered by the<strong> Swiss chemist Paul Hermann Muller</strong> in 1939.</li>
<li>He was awarded the<strong> Nobel Prize</strong> in Physiology or Medicine in 1948 "for his discovery of the high efficiency of DDT as a<strong> contact poison against several arthropods.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Arthropods</strong> are invertebrate species which include insects (Mosquitos), arachnids (Spiders), and crustaceans (Crabs) etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Originally developed as <strong>an insecticide,</strong> it became infamous for its <strong>environmental impacts.</strong></li>
<li>A worldwide ban on agricultural use was formalized under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brs-conventions-cop-meet-in-geneva" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.</strong></a></li>
<li>However, its limited use in <strong>disease vector control continues,</strong> because of its <strong>effectiveness in reducing malarial infections.</strong></li>
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-health-organization-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Health Organisation</strong></a> (WHO) recommends DDT as one of the efficient <strong>Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS)</strong> chemicals to <strong>curb mosquito menace</strong> and it is widely used by Southern African countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Mozambique and India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>IRS is a <strong>core vector control intervention</strong> that involves the application of a residual insecticide to internal walls and ceilings of housing structures where malaria vectors may come into contact with the insecticide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply to South Africa: South Africa will be utilising DDT</strong> in three provinces bordering<strong> Mozambique.</strong></li>
<li>The region is <strong>highly affected with Malaria</strong> and it has reported <strong>maximum morbidity and mortality.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Supply to Other Countries:</strong> HIL (India) Limited has recently exported <strong>Malathion Technical 95%</strong> to Iran under Government-to-Government initiative for the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/locusts-appeared-early-in-rajasthan#:~:text=Locust%20Control%20measures%20include%20destroying,swarms%20and%20breeding%20grounds%20from" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Locust</strong></a> <strong>Control Programme</strong> and also exported <strong>Agrochemical-fungicide</strong> to Latin American region.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Malaria</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-lancet-on-malaria-eradication" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malaria</strong></a> is caused by<strong> Plasmodium parasites.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The parasites are spread to people through the bites of infected<strong> female Anopheles mosquitoes, called "malaria vectors".</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact:</strong> Malaria continues to be one of the <strong>major public health problems</strong> globally. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2018, an estimated <strong>228 million cases</strong> of malaria occurred worldwide.</li>
<li>Most of the<strong> cases and deaths (93%)</strong> were reported from <strong>African Region.</strong></li>
<li>In the South East Asia Region, <strong>India accounts</strong> for the majority of cases and death.</li>
<li>According to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Malaria Report 2019</strong></a>, India reported 2.6 million fewer cases in 2018 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-malaria-report-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>compared to 2017</strong></a>. Thus the overall incidence of malaria in the country has reduced.</li>
<li>However, 7 states <strong>(Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh)</strong> account for about 90% of the burden of malaria cases in India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1640136#:~:text=HIL%20(India)%20Limited%2C%20a,their%20Malaria%20control%20program%20yesterday.&amp;text=The%20region%20is%20highly%20affected,the%20disease%20in%20recent%20years." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5950,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '3rd G20 FMCBG Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently India has virtually participated in the <strong>3<sup>rd</sup> G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG)</strong> meeting under the<strong> Presidency</strong> of <strong>Saudi Arabia.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It discussed the global economic outlook amid evolving <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a> crisis along with other <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/virtual-g20-leaders-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a> <strong>finance track priorities</strong> for the year 2020.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/g20-meeting-in-saudi-arabia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>First meeting was held in February 2020 at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>G20 Action Plan:</strong> The importance and relevance of the G20 action plan was highlighted.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was endorsed in response to Covid-19 in April 2020. </li>
<li>It has a list of collective commitments under the pillars of <strong>Health Response, Economic Response, Strong and Sustainable Recovery and International Financial Coordination,</strong> aimed at coordinating G20 efforts to fight the pandemic.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India's Response:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India emphasised the need to <strong>balance supply side and demand side measures</strong> in response to Covid-19.</li>
<li>It also spoke about the <strong>procyclicality of credit rating downgrades</strong> by the rating agencies and its deterrent impact on policy options, particularly for <strong>Emerging Market Economy</strong> (EMEs).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Procyclic ratings</strong> are stricter during an economic downturn than an expansion. As a result, firms receive <strong>overly pessimistic ratings in a recession,</strong> relative to during an expansion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>International coordination required</strong> in addressing the <strong>spill-over effects of exit strategies</strong> related to covid-19 lockdowns.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Spillover effect</strong> refers to the impact of unrelated events in one nation on the economies of other nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>G20 Finance Track deliverables</strong>: FMCBG discussed the developments on G20 Finance Track deliverables under the Saudi Arabian Presidency. <strong>India</strong> discussed<strong> two such deliverables:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>First, <strong>Enhancing access to opportunities for Women, Youth and Small Market Economies (SMEs)</strong> and a <strong>menu of policy options on access to opportunity.</strong></li>
<li>Second,<strong> International Taxation agenda</strong> and the <strong>intended deliverable of formulating a solution</strong> for addressing challenges related to <strong>digital taxation.</strong></li>
<li>India said that the consensus based solution should be simple, inclusive and based on a robust economic impact assessment.</li>
<li>It is in line with the recent decision of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ustr-takes-india-off-developing-country-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United States Trade Representative (USTR)</strong></a> to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ustr-s-probe-into-digital-services-taxes" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>initiate an investigation into taxes adopted</strong> </a>or under consideration by 10 nations, including India, on revenues of American digital service companies like Netflix, Airbnb etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Digital taxation or Digital Services Taxes (DSTs)</strong> are the adopted taxes on revenues that certain companies generate from providing certain digital services. E.g. digital multinationals like Google, Amazon and Apple etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In response to it the central government has stated that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/equalisation-levy-for-non-resident-e-commerce-firms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>it will not extend the deadline for payment of equalisation levy</strong> </a><strong>by non-resident e-commerce</strong> players, even though a majority of them are yet to deposit the first installment of the tax.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> equalization levy is aimed at taxing foreign companies</strong> which have a significant local client base in India but are billing them through their offshore units, effectively escaping the country&rsquo;s tax system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>G-20</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <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> is an <strong>informal group of 19 countries</strong> and the <strong>European Union,</strong> with <strong>representatives</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/international-monetary-fund-imf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Monetary Fund</strong></a> <strong>and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Bank</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The G20 membership comprises a mix of the world&rsquo;s largest advanced and emerging economies, representing about two-thirds of the world&rsquo;s population, 85% of global gross domestic product, 80% of global investment and over 75% of global trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Headquarter:</strong> The<strong> G20 operates as a forum</strong> and not as an organisation. Therefore, it <strong>does not have any permanent secretariat.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Origin</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>1997-1999 Asian Financial Crisis:</strong> This was a ministerial-level forum which emerged after G7 invited both developed and developing economies. The finance ministers and central bank governors began meeting in 1999.</li>
<li>Amid the 2008 Financial Crisis the world saw the need for a new consensus-building at the highest political level. It was decided that the G20 leaders would begin meeting once annually.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Members</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The members of the G20 are <strong>Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.</strong></li>
<li>One nation holds the chair every year, known as the 'G20 Presidency'. <strong>Saudia Arabia</strong> is holding the 2020 chair.</li>
<li>The 2021 summit will be held in <strong>Italy.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1639707#:~:text=Nirmala%20Sitharaman%20participated%20in%20the,Track%20priorities%20for%20the%20year" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5936,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'US-India Strategic Energy Partnership',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India and the USA have participated in a <strong>virtual ministerial meeting</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-us-relations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>U.S.-India</strong></a> <strong>Strategic Energy Partnership (SEP)</strong> to review progress, highlight major accomplishments, and prioritize new areas for cooperation.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The SEP was established in <strong>April 2018</strong> whose objective is to encourage meaningful engagements through robust <strong>government-to-government cooperation</strong> and <strong>industry engagement.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>next Ministerial meeting</strong> will be held in <strong>2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The SEP organizes<strong> inter-agency engagement</strong> on both sides across <strong>four primary pillars</strong> of cooperation:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Power and Energy Efficiency,</li>
<li>Oil and Gas,</li>
<li>Renewable Energy,</li>
<li>Sustainable Growth.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The SEP also supports USA efforts under the <strong>AsiaEDGE initiative,</strong> which establishes <strong>India as a strong energy partner</strong> in the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific region.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Outcomes:</strong> Number of achievements and priorities for new work under the SEP were announced by both sides. These can be <strong>broadly segregated</strong> under the <strong>four primary pillars of cooperation,</strong> as given below:</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>1. Power and Energy Efficiency:</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Modernizing the Power System:</strong> Both countries have been collaborating on the integration of <strong>new technologies</strong> into the smart grid; modernizing the power distribution sector i.e. rooftop solar, deployment of Smart Meters etc.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The two countries are leading joint research and development (R&amp;D) through <strong>Advance Clean Energy-Research (PACE-R)</strong> on <strong>smart grids and energy storage</strong> to increase resilience and reliability of the electric grid.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>New areas of research on<strong> transformational power generation</strong> based on <strong>supercritical CO<sub>2</sub> (sCO<sub>2</sub>) power cycles</strong> and<strong> advanced coal technologies</strong> for power generation including carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) were also initiated.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>sCO<sub>2</sub></strong> is a<strong> fluid state of carbon dioxide</strong> where it is held at or above its critical temperature and critical pressure.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Commitment to advance <strong>civil nuclear cooperation</strong> i.e. recent progress on the <strong>Westinghouse</strong> (USAs Electric Company)<strong> nuclear reactor project at Kovvada, Andhra Pradesh</strong> were also discussed.</li>
<li>It also promotes continued bilateral R&amp;D engagement on advanced civil nuclear energy technologies through the <strong><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/india-s-prospects-as-a-nuclear-power" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Energy</a> Working Group.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>2. Oil and Gas:</strong> A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to begin cooperation on <strong><a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-strategic-petroleum-reserve" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strategic Petroleum Reserves</a> operation.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The possibility of <strong>India storing oil in the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve</strong> was also discussed.</li>
<li>Both sides have noted the significant increase in the bilateral hydrocarbon trade through SEP touching 9.2 billion USD during 2019-20 and marking a <strong>93% increase since 2017-18,</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Through the <strong>U.S.-India Natural Gas Task Force,</strong> it affirmed to promote greater hydrocarbon trade between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>3. Renewable Energy:</strong> The both sides launched a <strong>public-private Hydrogen Task Force</strong> to help scale up technologies to <strong>produce hydrogen from <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/curtailment-issue-in-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewable energy</a> and fossil fuel sources</strong> and to bring down the cost of deployment for enhanced energy security and resiliency.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Efficient Buildings and Clean Technologies:</strong> A MoU was signed to collaborate on India&rsquo;s first-ever <strong>Solar Decathlon in 2021,</strong> establishing a <strong>collegiate competition</strong> to prepare the next generation to design and build high efficiency buildings powered by renewables. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In response to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19</a> <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemic</a></strong>,<strong> United States Agency for International Development (USAID)</strong> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/healthy-and-energy-efficient-buildings-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL)</strong></a>, India has jointly initiated<strong> &ldquo;Retrofit of Air Conditioning to Improve Air Quality for Safety and Efficiency&rdquo; (RAISE)</strong> for healthy and energy efficient buildings.</li>
<li>Launched collaboration between the <strong>USA Department of Energy (DOE) National labs</strong> and the <strong>Indian National Institutes under <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/year-end-review-2019-ministry-of-new-and-renewable-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Ministry of New &amp; Renewable Energy</a></strong> as part of the <strong>South Asia Group for Energy (SAGE), supported by USAID,</strong> for joint research on development of advanced clean technologies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Information exchange on <strong>sustainable <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/biofuels-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biofuel</a> production (bioethanol and renewable diesel)</strong> and use for air and sea transport were also discussed.</li>
<li>It will also explore cooperation on utilizing the economic value of converting bio-waste into biogas.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>4. Sustainable Growth:</strong> The best practices are being adopted through <strong>methodologies in energy data management and capacity building in energy modeling.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>USAID</strong> and <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NITI Aayog</a> </strong>jointly launched the <strong>India Energy Modeling</strong> <strong>Forum</strong> to build a network of modeling communities and its linkage with Government for analytical work and policy making exercise.</li>
<li><strong>Empowering Women in the Energy Sector:</strong> USAID launched the <strong>South Asia Women in Energy (SAWIE) platform</strong> focused on the power sector and both the countries have been working to incorporate<strong> gender-focused activities</strong> across the technical pillars.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1639482#:~:text=Established%20in%20April%202018%20at,for%20meaningful%20engagements%20through%20robust" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5918,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Agreement on Scientific Cooperation Between India and EU',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India and the European Union (EU) agreed to <strong>renew</strong> the <strong>Agreement on Scientific Cooperation</strong> for the <strong>next five years (2020-2025)</strong> during the virtual <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></p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>European Union</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union (EU)</strong></a>, is an international organization comprising<strong> 27 European countries</strong> and governing common economic, social, and security policies.</li>
<li>The EU was created by the <strong>Maastricht Treaty,</strong> which entered into force on November 1, <strong>1993.</strong></li>
<li>The treaty was designed to enhance European political and economic integration by <strong>creating a single currency (the euro),</strong> a unified foreign and security policy, and common citizenship rights and by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1594972358_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1594972358_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="750" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Renewal of Agreement on Scientific Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and the EU have agreed to further collaborate in research and innovation based on the <strong>principles of mutual benefit and reciprocity,</strong> as established in the <strong>India-EU Agreement on Science and Technology (2001)</strong> which<strong> expired</strong> on 17<sup>th</sup> May 2020.</li>
<li>Both parties are also committed to launch the <strong>renewal procedure</strong> for the above agreement and <strong>acknowledge 20 years of cooperation</strong> on <strong>research and innovation.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is expected to enhance research and innovation cooperation in different fields like Water, Energy, Healthcare, Agritech &amp; Bioeconomy, Integrated Cyber-Physical Systems, Information and Communication Technologies, Nanotechnology, and clean technologies, etc.</li>
<li>It will also<strong> strengthen the institutional linkages</strong> in research, exchange of researchers, students, startups and attract co-investment of resources for co-generation of knowledge.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-EU Science and Technology Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Science and Technology:</strong> India-EU Science &amp; Technology Steering Committee meets <strong>annually</strong> to review scientific cooperation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES)</strong> and the <strong>European Commission (EC)</strong> have established a Co-Funding Mechanism (CFM) to support joint research projects selected under European Research &amp; Innovation Framework Program <strong>&lsquo;Horizon 2020&rsquo; </strong>related to<strong> climate change and polar research.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Technology: <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)</a></strong> has had a long standing cooperation with the European Union, <strong>since the 1970s.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISRO and the European Space Agency are working towards enhancing cooperation in earth observation. It also involves the <strong>Copernicus programme</strong> signed in 2018.</li>
<li>Copernicus is the <strong>European Union's Earth observation programme.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-EU Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Evolution of Diplomatic Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India being amongst the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with the European Economic Community in <strong>1962.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>first India-EU Summit</strong> was held in <strong>Lisbon (Portugal)</strong> in <strong>2000.</strong> Since then, fifteen annual bilateral Summits have been held between India and the EU.</li>
<li>The relationship was <strong>upgraded to a &lsquo;Strategic Partnership&rsquo;</strong> during the<strong> 5<sup>th</sup> India-EU Summit</strong> held at the <strong>Hague (Netherlands)</strong> in<strong> 2004.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The bilateral Strategic Partnership encompasses dialogue mechanisms covering a wide range of issues including trade, energy security, science &amp; research, non-proliferation and disarmament, counter terrorism, cyber security, counter-piracy, migration and mobility, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Investment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>EU as a whole</strong> was <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trading partner</strong> while <strong>India</strong> was EU&rsquo;s <strong>9<sup>th</sup></strong> largest trading partner in <strong>2018.</strong></li>
<li>India is also the <strong>fourth largest service exporter</strong> to the EU and the<strong> sixth</strong> largest destination for<strong> service exports</strong> from the EU.</li>
<li>EU is the <strong>largest source of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-fdi-rule#:~:text=pursuing%20many%20goals.-,Foreign%20Direct%20Investment,securities%20from%20a%20foreign%20country." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)</a></strong> into India.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Over the period April 2000 to June 2018, FDI equity flows from the EU countries into $ 90.7 billion, which is about <strong>24% of the total FDI inflows to India.</strong></li>
<li>Among countries, <strong>Singapore</strong> is the <strong>largest source of FDI</strong> in India during 2019 with $ 14.67 billion investment followed by <strong>Mauritius</strong> ($ 8.24 billion).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India and the EU are in the process of negotiating a bilateral <strong>Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)</strong> since <strong>2007.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India and the EU are ideal partners to make a difference in an international environment that is increasingly shaped by strategic rivalry between the USA and China.</li>
<li>They have a common interest in avoiding a bipolarised world and developing the rules-based international order.</li>
<li>The effort has to be to make the India-EU partnership rise to its potential and provide a new model for international relations today.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1639136" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5911,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Azad Pattan: PoK Hydel Project',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Pakistan and China</strong> have signed <strong>an agreement</strong> for the <strong>700 MW Azad Pattan hydel power project</strong> on the Jhelum river in Sudhnoti district of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/disputed-territories-of-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK).</strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The 1.5-billion USD project is under the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Description:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Azad Pattan project is one of<strong> five hydropower schemes</strong> on the Jhelum, the other four are <strong>Mahl, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/kohala-hydropower-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kohala</a>, Chakothi Hattian and Karot projects.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Azad Pattan, Kohala and Karot</strong> are being developed under the <strong>CPEC framework.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is a run-of-the-river scheme with a 90-metre-high dam, and a 3.8 sq km reservoir.</li>
<li>It will be developed on the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/build-operate-transfer-model" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&lsquo;Build, Own, Operate, Transfer (BOOT)&rsquo; model.</strong></a> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is expected to be <strong>commissioned by 2024.</strong></li>
<li>The project will be <strong>transferred to the government of Pakistan after 30 years.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns for India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Territorial Integrity:</strong> India has <strong>protested the construction of dams</strong> and other infrastructure in PoK and Gilgit Baltistan, which are territories claimed by it as part of Jammu &amp; Kashmir.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Earlier India had also objected to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/diamer-bhasha-dam" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>construction of the Diamer-Bhasha dam</strong></a> (on Indus river) in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of the PoK.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conflict With China:</strong> The signing of the Hydel project comes at a time when India and China have been involved in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>military conflicts</strong></a> following the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/galwan-valley-clash" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Galwan Valley</strong></a> incident in the Ladakh region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Through these projects, <strong>China and Pakistan have been consolidating</strong> their presence in the Indian region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chabahar Rail Project:</strong> Recently, <strong>Iran along with China</strong> has gone ahead with the construction of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-dropped-from-chabahar-rail-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chabahar rail project</strong></a> without India's assistance citing funding delay.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chabahar has been considered as <strong>India&rsquo;s strategic response</strong> to counter China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Not Based on International Norms:</strong> These projects do not follow the principles of openness, transparency and financial responsibility given by the International agencies.</li>
<li><strong>Security Concerns:</strong> China may use its <strong>economic power</strong> to increase its geopolitical leverage as these projects give a hold to China in the western Indian Ocean with the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/chabahar-port-us-sanctions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gwadar port</strong></a>, located near the strategic <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/strait-of-hormuz-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Strait of Hormuz.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Strait of Hormuz is a <strong>vulnerable point for India,</strong> which sources more than 60% of its oil supplies from the Middle East.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>China-Pakistan Economic Corridor<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1594891963_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1594891963_image1.png" style="float: right;" width="350" caption="false" /></a></strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a part of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/one-belt-one-road-and-china-pakistan-economic-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong></a>, intended to improve infrastructure within Pakistan for better trade with China and to further integrate the countries of the region.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>OBOR has two main components, <strong>One Belt - the land-based belt,</strong> and <strong>One Road refers to the ocean going &lsquo;Maritime Silk Road&rsquo;,</strong> which aims to connect the East Asian economic region with the European economic circle and runs across the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has<strong> boycotted the Belt and Road Forum</strong> organised by China. China&rsquo;s insistence on establishing the CPEC project through PoK is seen by India as a <strong>deliberate disregard of its territorial claims.</strong></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/azad-pattan-pok-hydel-project-pakistan-china-6507640/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 5903,
		'category_id' => (int) 15,
		'title' => 'The Big Picture: Japan’s Cooperation to India',
		'description' => '<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/APwD3VAu5yE" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>Recently, Indian and Japanese warships conducted naval exercises in the Indian Ocean With the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. It is designed to &ldquo;promote mutual understanding.&rdquo;</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The exercises consisted of four warships; INS Rana and INS Kulush from India and JS Kashima and JS Shimayuki from Japan.</li>
<li>The Japanese embassy in New Delhi says it is the 15th such exercise in the past 3 years.</li>
</ul>
<p>The Japanese Navy is one of the principal partners of the Indian Navy in bilateral exercises including<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-08th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> JIMEX</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-4th-december-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SHINYUU Maitri</strong> </a><strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-dharma-guardian-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dharma Guardian</a>.</strong> Both countries also participate in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-malabar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Malabar exercise</strong></a> with the USA.</p>
<h3>India-Japan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2014, India and<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-japan-2#:~:text=India%2DJapan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Japan</strong></a> upgraded their relationship to <strong>'Special Strategic and Global Partnership'.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR)</strong> is a very important area of cooperation between India and Japan in the Railway Sector.</li>
<li>A <strong>&ldquo;India-Japan Digital Partnership&rdquo; (I-JDP)</strong> was launched during the visit of the Prime Minister of India to Japan in October 2018, furthering existing areas of cooperation as well as new initiatives within the scope of cooperation in <strong>S&amp;T/ICT,</strong> focusing more on &ldquo;Digital ICT Technologies&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The <strong>India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)</strong> that came into force in August 2011 covers trade in goods, services, movement of natural persons, investments, Intellectual Property Rights, custom procedures and other trade related issues.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Common Interests of India and Japan</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Both the countries are the member nations of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-and-g-4-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">G-4</a> grouping.</li>
<li>Apart from naval exercises, the two nations conduct mil-to-mil exercises, coast guard and air force exercises as well.</li>
<li>India and Japan both are facing difficulties in the maritime area due to the dominance of China in the area and the recent naval exercise was related to the military stand-off between India and China in Ladakh.</li>
<li>Chinese assertion of power in the oceans is something which brings India and Japan on the same page. The growing congruence of the views is propelling the two countries to take up a closer understanding of strategic issues.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both countries are opposed to the idea of unipolarity being asserted by China time and again.</li>
<li>Both of them look forward to making the Indo-pacific multipolar, free, open and inclusive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Maritime Vulnerability:</strong> Though China has shown aggressive posture in the South China Sea and as well as Indian ocean, it has been anxious about its vulnerability at sea &mdash; or what is referred to as the Malacca dilemma.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Taking this in cognizance, India and Japan can develop sea-denial capability mainly at choke points in Indian ocean such as Strait of Hormuz, Bab-el-Mandeb, Strait of Malacca.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>China as a Threat</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The dominance of China in the maritime area is a serious threat for India as well as Japan in terms of economic development.</li>
<li>China due to the <strong>nine-dash line,</strong> has developed conflicts with Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.</li>
<li>Moreover, China has recently made new territorial claims in the eastern sector of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-bhutanese-territory-claimed-by-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bhutan's</strong></a> Trashigang district.</li>
</ul>
<h3>China&rsquo;s &ldquo;Malacca Dilemma&rdquo;</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Energy security, and particularly oil supply security, has become a major concern for the Chinese government over the past several years. The focus of this anxiety is the vulnerability of seaborne energy imports.</li>
<li>China lacks the naval power necessary to protect its sea lanes of communication (SLOCs). It fears that during a national security crisis ships carrying energy resources could be interdicted by hostile naval forces.</li>
<li>Any disruption to the free flow of energy resources into China could derail the economic growth on which the Chinese government depends to shore-up its legitimacy and pursue its great power ambitions.</li>
<li>China&rsquo;s heavy use of the Malacca and Lombok/Makassar straits in Southeast Asia is emblematic of this concern. The Malacca Strait is a narrow and congested waterway separating Indonesia and Malaysia, with Singapore located at its southern tip.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Nine-Dash Line</strong></p>
<p>The nine-dash line refers to the undefined, vaguely located, demarcation line used by the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC), for their claims of the major part of the South China Sea.</p>
<p><strong>G-4</strong></p>
<p>It is a group of four countries i.e. <strong>Brazil, Germany, India and Japan</strong> which support each other&rsquo;s bids for <strong>permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).</strong></p>
</div>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>China with its untenable tactics and muscle power is able to overpower several nations and is working upon it by dealing with each country individually.</li>
<li>China has antagonised several nations which:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Can be taken as an advantage and nations such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan and France should be approached for cooperation.</li>
<li>Is a lesson to be learnt by India and Japan as far as security related relations are concerned.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>China in its present situation cannot be contained but can be restrained which requires the like-minded nations; countries with the same approach for the same objective, to come together and speak in one voice.</li>
<li>In order to prevail over China, India already has the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>QUAD</strong></a>, and shall bring together the middle-powers and the nations that are in conflicts with China.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The other possible areas of cooperation between India and Japan can possibly be:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The field of infrastructure, technology and telecommunication.</li>
<li>India and Japan need to work together in the Indo-Pacific Region in order to obtain mutual benefits.</li>
<li>With the help of Japan, India can pave its way to the permanent membership of the UN Security Council.</li>
<li>In the IT- sector, in order to harness the gains of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-industrial-revolution-4-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>fourth industrial revolution</strong></a>, India and Japan should collaborate.</li>
<li>Within the defence platforms, Japan could be approached to provide assistance in building warships, weapons, submarines etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Apart from taking assistance from Japan, India should also think about how Indian components could reach Japan, and how they can be rewarded dividends in Japan: the notion of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Aatma-Nirbhar Bharat</strong></a> also needs to be promoted.</li>
<li>India needs to look into the matter of post covid ties too, ensure good relations with the other parts of the world so as to emerge from the losses and also in order to restrain Chinese influence in the areas of maritime.</li>
</ul>',
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		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India's Second Voluntary Review of SDGs',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India has represented the <strong>second voluntary national review of <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a></strong> report titled as <strong>&lsquo;Decade of Action: Taking SDGs from Global to Local&rsquo; </strong>to the<strong> United Nations High-level Political Forum.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The report, presented by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/niti-aayog-national-institution-for-transforming-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NITI Aayog</strong></a>, discusses SDGs related policy, means of implementation and situation of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> in India.</li>
<li>It presented the<strong> first</strong> voluntary national review of SDGs in <strong>2017.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Localising SDGs:</strong> The goal wise account of the progress on SDGs has been represented with examples of a range of diverse practices and success stories of interventions from the States, specifically <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/aspirational-districts-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Aspirational Districts.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Financial Assistance:</strong> Highlighted the challenges thrown up by the Covid-19 outbreak, India has called on developed countries to provide <strong>financial assistance</strong> to the developing countries, especially for <strong>global public good such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate change</a> mitigation and control of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pandemics</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to a study conducted by the government in partnership with the <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> &mdash; education, health, electricity, roads and water and sanitation &mdash; will require additional funding for &ldquo;significant&rdquo; progress.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Curbing Illicit Financial Flows:</strong> Deliberating on the &ldquo;SDG-17&rdquo; that is about &ldquo;partnerships for the goals&rdquo;, the report highlighted the need for international cooperation for curbing illicit financial flows.</li>
<li><strong>Efforts to curb the Covid-19:</strong> It mentioned the vulnerabilities faced by the migrants and the urban poor in the wake of the pandemic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is leading a multi-faceted effort to revamp the public health infrastructure, protect jobs and livelihoods to reduce the impact of the Covid-19.</li>
<li>Government has announced <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-economic-relief-package" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>economic relief packages</strong></a> for them.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations High-Level Political Forum</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Formed in 2013, it is a subsidiary body of both the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> United Nations General Assembly</strong></a> and the<strong> United Nations Economic and Social Council</strong> responsible for the entire organization's policy on sustainable development.</li>
<li><strong>Headquarter:</strong> New York, USA</li>
<li>It adopts negotiated declarations, reviews commitment and the progress of the<strong> 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.</strong></li>
<li>Member countries are required to apprise about the progress in the form of<strong> Voluntary National Review reports (VNRs).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The VNRs that are presented by the member states are a critical component of the <strong>review of the implementation and progress</strong> of 2030 Agenda and SDGs.</li>
<li>The process of the preparation of a country&rsquo;s VNR provides a platform for the partnerships, which includes the participation of various stakeholders.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s VNR in 2020 undertook a paradigm shift in terms of embodying a <strong>&lsquo;whole of society&rsquo; approach</strong> in letter and spirit.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It has been prepared with the help of sub-national and local governments, civil society organizations, local communities, people in vulnerable situations and the private sector.</li>
<li>NITI Aayog has the mandate of overseeing the adoption and monitoring of SDGs at the national and sub-national level.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-calls-for-developed-nations-to-assist-developing-ones-6504482/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CIndia%20reiterates%20that%20the%20developed,%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20the%20report%20titled%20%E2%80%9C" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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