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India in US Currency Practices Monitoring List

Why in News Recently, the United States (US) placed 11 countries, including India in the Currency Practices Monitoring List (Currency Manipulators...

17 Apr 2021 International Relations
Reassessment of Regional Trading Agreements for India

Why in News Recently, Singapore’s Foreign Minister while addressing the 6th edition of the Raisina Dialogue suggested India to reassess its...

16 Apr 2021 International Relations
India & BIMSTEC

This article is based on “BIMSTEC needs to reinvent itself” which was published in The Hindu on 14/04/2021. It talks about the...

14 Apr 2021 International Relations
Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)

Why in News Recently, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK) saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian...

13 Apr 2021 International Relations
Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan

Why in News Recently, the Defence Minister of India held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan in New...

13 Apr 2021 International Relations
India-Netherlands

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

12 Apr 2021 International Relations
India’s Refugee Policy

This article is based on “India does have a refugee problem” which was published in The Hindu on 10/04/2021. It talks about the issues...

10 Apr 2021 International Relations
US Patrol in India’s EEZ

Why in News Recently, India protested against the US decision to conduct a patrol in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the western Indian...

10 Apr 2021 International Relations
India-Seychelles

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

10 Apr 2021 International Relations
US Restores Aid to Palestinians

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

10 Apr 2021 International Relations
Meeting of Education Ministers of E9 Countries

Why in News Recently, a consultation meeting of Education Ministers of E9 countries was held. The meeting was held on the theme ‘E9...

10 Apr 2021 International Relations
Ukraine's Bid to Join NATO

Why in News Ukrainian President urged the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to speed up his country’s membership in the...

08 Apr 2021 International Relations
India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet

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

08 Apr 2021 International Relations
Should India Join NATO?

This article is based on “Why India must not say ‘no’ to NATO” which was published in The Indian Express on 06/04/2021. It...

06 Apr 2021 International Relations
Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Perouse

Why in News Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura and INS Kiltan alongwith P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft are participating, for the first time in...

06 Apr 2021 International Relations
17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting

Why in News Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India participated in the 17th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and...

03 Apr 2021 International Relations
India’s Maritime Doctrine

This article is based on “It is time to reimagine the Indian Ocean” which was published in The Hindustan Times on 30/03/2021. It talks...

02 Apr 2021 International Relations
Trade Between India and Pakistan

Why in News Pakistan will allow the import of cotton and sugar from India, partially reversing a two-year old decision to suspend all trade with...

01 Apr 2021 International Relations
China-Iran Strategic Cooperation Pact

Why in News China and Iran have signed a 25-year "strategic cooperation pact” which includes "political economic and strategic...

01 Apr 2021 International Relations
Evolving India-Bangladesh Relations

This article is based on “Good neighbours: On India-Bangladesh ties” which was published in The Hindu on 31/03/2021. It talks about the...

01 Apr 2021 International Relations

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		'article_id' => (int) 8172,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India in US Currency Practices Monitoring List',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the United States (US) placed 11 countries, including India in the<strong> Currency Practices Monitoring List (Currency Manipulators Watch List).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India was <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-puts-india-on-currency-watchlist" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>on the list in the December 2020 report</strong></a> as well. In 2019, the US Treasury Department had <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/usa-removes-india-from-currency-monitoring-watch-list" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>removed India from its currency manipulator watch list</strong></a> of major trading partners.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Currency Manipulators:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is a<strong> label given by the US government</strong> to countries it feels are engaging in <strong>&ldquo;unfair currency practices&rdquo;</strong> by <strong>deliberately devaluing their currency</strong> against the dollar.</li>
<li>The practice would mean that the <strong>country in question is artificially lowering the value of its currency to gain an unfair advantage</strong> over others.</li>
<li>This is because the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/depreciation-of-rupee#:~:text=The%20rupee%20depreciated%20by%2016,stable%20US%20dollar%20over%20rupee." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>devaluation</strong> </a><strong>would reduce the cost of exports</strong> from that country and artificially show a reduction in trade deficits as a result.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Currency Manipulator Watch List:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US Department of Treasury releases the<strong> semi-annual report where it has to track developments in international economies</strong> and inspect foreign exchange rates.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It <strong>reviews currency practices of the US&rsquo; 20 biggest trading partners. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Criteria:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An economy meeting two of the three criteria in the <strong>Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015</strong> is placed on the Watch List. This includes:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>A <strong>&ldquo;significant&rdquo; bilateral trade surplus with the US &mdash;</strong> one that is at least USD 20 billion over a 12-month period.</li>
<li>A material <strong>current account surplus equivalent</strong> to at least 2% of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gdp-decreases-to-11-year-low" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Gross Domestic Product (GDP)</strong> </a>over a 12-month period.</li>
<li><strong>&ldquo;Persistent&rdquo;, one-sided intervention &mdash;</strong> when net purchases of foreign currency totalling at least 2% of the country&rsquo;s GDP over a 12 month period are conducted repeatedly, in at least six out of 12 months.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Countries <strong>that meet all three of the criteria are labeled as currency manipulators</strong> by the Treasury.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Current List:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Countries on the List:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The other 10 countries on the list with India that merit &ldquo;close attention to their currency practices&rdquo; are <strong>China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Mexico. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Questionable Chinese Growth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>Chinese economic growth in 2020 exceeded that of other large economies</strong> but has been driven by the early resumption of manufacturing and increased external demand, especially for medical supplies, personal protection equipment and electronics.</li>
<li><strong>Questions remain about the continued strength of the Chinese recovery</strong> absent a sustained increase in household consumption.</li>
<li>China's<strong> failure to publish foreign exchange intervention</strong> and<strong> lack of transparency</strong> of its<strong> exchange rate mechanism</strong> and the activities of state-owned banks warrant close monitoring of renminbi (China&rsquo;s currency) developments going forward.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Status:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>met two of the three criteria</strong> that is the <strong>trade surplus</strong> criterion and the <strong>&ldquo;persistent, one-sided intervention&rdquo;</strong> criterion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consequence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Inclusion in the list <strong>does not subject to any kind of penalty and sanctions</strong> but it <strong>deteriorates the global financial image</strong> of the country in the financial markets in terms of foreign exchange policies including undervaluation of currencies to gain export advantages.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618655331_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618655331_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/business/us-treasury-keeps-india-on-currency-watch-list/article34339096.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8162,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Reassessment of Regional Trading Agreements for India',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, Singapore&rsquo;s Foreign Minister while addressing the<strong> 6<sup>th</sup> edition</strong> of the<strong> Raisina Dialogue</strong> suggested India to reassess its stand on<strong> Regional Trading Agreements (RTA)</strong> such as <strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)</strong> and <strong>Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/raisina-dialogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Raisina Dialogue</strong></a> is India&rsquo;s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. The conference is <strong>hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs,</strong> Government of India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618562305_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618562305_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/regional-comprehensive-economic-partnership-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>RCEP</strong></a> is the <strong>world's largest <a href="/summary-of-important-reports/a-note-on-free-trade-agreements-and-their-costs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Free Trade Agreement</a> (FTA)</strong> and was signed by all 10 <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a regional organization (ASEAN)</strong> </a>members and key partners including China, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand at the <strong>4<sup>th</sup> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/3rd-rcep-summit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RCEP leaders&rsquo; summit</a> in November 2020.</strong></li>
<li>It could be some time before any country sees the benefits, because <strong>six ASEAN nations and three other nations have to ratify it before it takes effect.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ratification will likely be tricky in national parliaments, owing to both anti-trade and anti-China sentiments among the countries.</li>
<li>Recently, <strong>Singapore became the first RCEP participating country (RPC) to complete the official ratification process</strong> and deposit its ratification instrument.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Eliminate Tariffs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is expected to <strong>eliminate a range of tariffs</strong> on imports within 20 years and also includes provisions on intellectual property, telecommunications, financial services, e-commerce and professional services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Equality:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under RCEP, parts from any <strong>member nation would be treated equally,</strong> which might give companies in RCEP countries an<strong> incentive to look within the trade region for suppliers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Businesses with global supply chains might face tariffs even within an FTA because their products contain components that are made elsewhere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Global Income:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The deal could <strong>increase global national income by USD 186 billion annually by 2030</strong> and add 0.2% to the economy of its member states.</li>
<li>However, some analysts think the deal is likely to benefit China, Japan and South Korea more than other member states.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India <strong>withdrew</strong> from the RCEP largely because of <strong>concerns it would open it up to Chinese goods amid an already wide trade imbalance with China,</strong> and the failure of the agreement to adequately open up to services.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618562353_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618562353_image3.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-editorials/30-05-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>CPTPP</strong></a> is a<strong> Free Trade Agreement (FTA)</strong> between <strong>11 countries</strong> around the <strong>Pacific Rim</strong> which are :<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>After the US withdrew from negotiations of <strong>Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP),</strong> the remaining 11 participants scrambled to amend the text of the agreement, and the newly renamed <strong>CPTPP was signed in March 2018.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It came into <strong>force in December 2018.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Removes Tariffs:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The CPTPP removes 99% of tariffs on goods and services, just like the original TPP did.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Broad Coverage:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The CPTPP covers a broad range of goods and services. These include financial services, telecommunications, and food safety standards.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reduces Environmental Abuses:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All <strong>countries agreed to cut down on wildlife trafficking.</strong> That helps elephants, rhinoceroses, and marine species the most.</li>
<li>It <strong>prevents environmental abuses,</strong> such as unsustainable logging and fishing. Countries that don't comply will face trade penalties.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India did not join CPTPP as <strong>it seeks to place greater labor and environmental standards</strong> on its other partners and <strong>CPTPP draft includes narrowly detailed qualifications on standards for investment protection, provisions</strong> to protect the host state&rsquo;s right to regulate, and the imposition of detailed transparency requirements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Need for India to Reassess RCEP &amp; CPTPP:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>To Boost its Manufacturing Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The RCEP &amp; CPTPP blocs represent a major portion of the world economy, which may present India the<strong> possibility of being a manufacturing hub and export platform</strong> for the Pacific region with access to duty-free, quota free trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Strengthen Individual Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India <strong>already has steady trade relations</strong> or is negotiating new agreements with various RCEP &amp; CPTPP countries such as Canada, Mexico, and Chile.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To be a Major Player in Regional Development:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has a <strong>crucial role to play in helping the region</strong> build an inclusive architecture at a time of increasing global instability.</li>
<li>Besides, rising US-China tensions are &ldquo;deeply worrying&rdquo; for the region with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-now-pandemic-who" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a> resulting in &ldquo;heightened tension&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>To Provide Indian Companies Better Platforms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Such trade pacts will also <strong>give Indian companies a platform to showcase their strengths</strong> across even larger markets.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>Acknowledging India&rsquo;s economic heft and value as a market, the RCEP &amp; CPTPP members have <strong>left the door open for India.</strong> Given the global economic scenario in present times and the near future, <strong>it would be in India&rsquo;s interest to dispassionately review its position on RCEP &amp; CPTPP and carry out structural reforms</strong> that will help India to mitigate some of the repercussions arising from the RCEP &amp; CPTPP.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/we-hope-india-will-reassess-stand-on-trade-pacts-says-singapore-foreign-minister/article34316667.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8149,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India & BIMSTEC',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/bimstec-needs-to-reinvent-itself/article34313033.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;BIMSTEC needs to reinvent itself&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindu on 14/04/2021. It talks about the obstacles that limit the BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) in realizing its full potential.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the foreign ministers of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BIMSTEC (the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation)</strong> </a>met in a virtual conference. This is the first ministerial since the globe has been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
<p>BIMSTEC as a regional organization has achieved a lot in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief and security, including counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and coastal security cooperation.</p>
<p>However, there are many obstacles that limit the regional body in realizing its full potential.</p>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Highlights of the Meeting</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The foreign ministers cleared the draft for the BIMSTEC charter, recommending its early adoption.</li>
<li>They endorsed the rationalization of sectors and sub-sectors of activity, with each member-state serving as a lead for the assigned areas of special interest.</li>
<li>The ministers also conveyed their support for the Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, which will be adopted at the next summit in Sri Lanka.</li>
<li>Preparations have been completed for the signing of three agreements relating to mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, cooperation between diplomatic academies, and the establishment of a technology transfer facility.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Evolution of BIMSTEC</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>BIMSTEC was established as a grouping of four nations &mdash; India, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka &mdash; through the<strong> Bangkok Declaration of 1997.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>BIMSTEC was expanded later to include three more countries &mdash; Myanmar, Nepal, and Bhutan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Initially, BIMSTEC didn&rsquo;t hold much geopolitical weight. This can be reflected by only just three summits in the first 20 years of its formation.</li>
<li>However, BIMSTEC suddenly received special attention as India chose to treat it as a more practical instrument for regional cooperation, as SAARC continues to remain defunct.</li>
<li>The BIMSTEC Leaders&rsquo; Retreat, followed by their Outreach Summit with the BRICS leaders in Goa in October 2016, drew considerable international limelight to the low-profile regional grouping.</li>
<li>At the second swearing-in of the Indian Prime Minister in May 2019, the leaders of BIMSTEC, not SAARC, were invited as honored guests.</li>
<li>Soon thereafter, the External Affairs Minister observed that India saw a mix of &ldquo;energy, mindset and possibility&rdquo; in BIMSTEC.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Challenges</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Unfinished Economic Agenda:</strong> BIMSTEC Free Trade Area Framework Agreement, was signed in 2004, but over 20 rounds of negotiations it is still to be operationalized.</li>
<li><strong>Internal Tussle:</strong> A strong BIMSTEC presupposes cordial and tension-free bilateral relations among all its member-states. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has not been the case, given the trajectory of India-Nepal, India-Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh-Myanmar ties in recent years.</li>
<li>Moreover, both Nepal and Sri Lanka want the SAARC summit revived. However, India maintains that terror and talks can&rsquo;t go hand in hand.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Intrusion:</strong> China&rsquo;s decisive intrusion in the South-Southeast Asian space is causing a limiting effect on India&rsquo;s zone of influence.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, a renowned Bangladeshi scholar argued at a recent conference that BIMSTEC would make progress if China is accepted as its principal interlocutor and partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Myanmar Coup:</strong> The military coup in Myanmar, brutal crackdown of protesters, and continuation of popular resistance resulting in a protracted impasse have produced a new set of border management challenges for India.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>BIMSTEC FTA:</strong> In 2018, a study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry had suggested that BIMSTEC urgently needed a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement to be a real game-changer.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It should cover trade in goods, services, and investment; promote regulatory harmonization; adopt policies that develop regional value chains, and eliminate non-tariff barriers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Balancing Security &amp; Economy:</strong> India has led through constant focus and follow-up &mdash; to the extent that some member-states have complained about the &lsquo;over securitization of BIMSTEC. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Hence, there is a need to ensure maintaining security and forging solid arrangements for economic cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gujral Doctrine:</strong> India would have to counter the impression that BIMSTEC is an India-dominated bloc, in that context India can follow the Gujral doctrine that intends to chalk out the effect of transactional motive in bilateral relations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>As BIMSTEC readies itself to celebrate the silver jubilee of its formation next year, it faces a serious challenge: to effect &ldquo;a paradigm shift in raising the level of our cooperation and regional integration.&rdquo;</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f0f7fc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>BIMSTEC needs a paradigm shift in raising the level of cooperation and regional integration. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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		'article_id' => (int) 8134,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Violence in Northern Ireland (UK)',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom (UK)</strong> saw the worst violence in years. Parts of Northern Ireland are split along sectarian lines, <strong>23 years after a peace deal largely ended Northern Ireland's troubles.</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image%200.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618310058_image 0.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="500" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Geographically,</strong> Northern Ireland is part of Ireland. <strong>Politically,</strong> it&rsquo;s part of the UK.</li>
<li>Ireland, long dominated by the UK, broke free about 100 years ago after centuries of <a href="/gs-special/gs-special-world-history/colonialism#:~:text=Colonialism%2C%20as%20said%20earlier%2C%20denotes,its%20influence%20beyond%20its%20borders." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>colonisation</strong></a> and an uneasy union. 26 of its 32 counties became an independent, Roman Catholic-majority country. <strong>6 counties in the north, which have a Protestant majority, stayed British.</strong></li>
<li>Northern Ireland&rsquo;s <strong>Catholic minority experienced discrimination</strong> in the <strong>Protestant-run state.</strong></li>
<li>In the <strong>1960s, a Catholic civil rights movement demanded change,</strong> but faced a harsh response from the government and police.</li>
<li>The<strong> British Army was deployed in 1969,</strong> initially to keep the peace. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The situation deteriorated into a conflict between Irish republican militants who wanted to unite with the south, loyalist paramilitaries who sought to keep Northern Ireland British, and UK troops.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>During three decades of conflict, <strong>more than 3,600 people, a majority of them civilians, were killed</strong> in bombings and shootings. Most were in Northern Ireland, though the Irish Republican Army also set off bombs in London and other British cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ending the Conflict:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By the <strong>1990s,</strong> after secret talks and with the help of diplomatic efforts by Ireland, Britain and the United States, the combatants reached a <strong>peace deal.</strong></li>
<li>The<strong> 1998 Good Friday accord</strong> saw the paramilitaries lay down their arms and established a <strong>Catholic-Protestant power-sharing government</strong> for Northern Ireland.</li>
<li>The question of Northern Ireland&rsquo;s ultimate status was deferred:<strong> it would remain British as long as that was the majority&rsquo;s wish,</strong> but a future referendum on reunification was not ruled out.</li>
<li>While the peace has largely endured, small <strong>Irish Republican Army splinter groups have mounted occasional attacks on security forces,</strong> and there have been outbreaks of sectarian street violence.</li>
<li>The power-sharing arrangement has had periods of success and failure and still the government is not trusted by both the sides.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Problem Child of Brexit:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Northern Ireland has been called the <strong>&ldquo;problem child&rdquo; of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brexit</a>, the UK&rsquo;s divorce from the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU).</a></strong></li>
<li>As the <strong>only part of the UK that has a border with an EU nation,</strong> Ireland, it was the trickiest issue to resolve after Britain voted narrowly in 2016 to leave the 27-nation bloc.</li>
<li>An open Irish border, over which people and goods flow freely, underpins the peace process, allowing people in Northern Ireland to feel at home in both Ireland and the UK.</li>
<li>The <strong>insistence of Britain&rsquo;s government on a &ldquo;hard Brexit&rdquo;</strong> that took the country out of the EU&rsquo;s economic order meant the creation of new barriers and checks on trade.</li>
<li>Both Britain and the EU agreed that the<strong> border could not be in Ireland</strong> because of the risk that would pose to the peace process. The alternative was to put it, metaphorically, in<strong> the Irish Sea</strong> between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.</li>
<li>That arrangement has alarmed <strong>British unionists, who say it weakens Northern Ireland&rsquo;s place in the UK</strong> and could bolster calls for Irish reunification.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Current Violence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Brexit and Corona:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Britain left the EU on<strong> 31<sup>st</sup> December</strong> and the new trade arrangements quickly became an irritant to Northern Ireland unionists who want to stay in the UK.</li>
<li>Early trade glitches, exacerbated by the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>coronavirus pandemic</strong></a>, led to some empty supermarket shelves, fueling alarm.</li>
<li>There was anger that British Prime Minister long insisted there would be no new checks on trade as a result of Brexit, had downplayed the scale of the changes wrought by leaving the EU.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Identity Crisis:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Some in Northern Ireland&rsquo;s British<strong> loyalist community feel as if their identity is under threat.</strong> And many other loyalists believe that, de facto, <strong>Northern Ireland has ceased to be as much a part of the UK</strong> as it was.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-behind-the-latest-unrest-in-northern-ireland-7267909/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8131,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Visit of Defence Minister of Kazakhstan',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Defence Minister of India</strong> held bilateral talks with the Defence Minister of the Republic <strong>of Kazakhstan</strong> in<strong> New Delhi.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The two Ministers had last met in Moscow (Russia) in September 2020 on the sidelines of <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a> Defence Ministers&rsquo; meeting.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Highlights of the Talks:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed that both sides must look at the possibility of <strong>defence industrial collaboration</strong> of mutual interest.</li>
<li>Exchanged views<strong> to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation,</strong> including through training, defence exercises and capacity building.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan thanked India for the opportunity given to the Kazakh troops for deployment as part of the Indian battalion in the <strong>United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>UNIFIL</strong> was established by the UN Security Council in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon, restore international peace and security and assist the Lebanese Government in restoring its effective authority in the area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Assessed the <strong>annual joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-kazind-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KAZIND</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Kazakh Defence Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is carried out under the framework of an agreement on<strong> &lsquo;Defence and Military Technical Cooperation&rsquo;</strong> signed in July 2015 during the visit of Indian Prime Minister to Kazakhstan.</li>
<li>The agreement includes conduct of joint training,<strong> exercises, military-technical cooperation, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-peacekeepers-in-south-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN peacekeeping</a> and exchange of intelligence.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakh Armed Forces Unit underwent training on peacekeeping operations in India in April-May 2018 for deployment under the <strong>command of an Indian Battalion at UNIFIL, Lebanon.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of Kazakhstan to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are<strong> three factors</strong> which make Kazakhstan important for India. First, its <strong>geo-strategic location;</strong> second, its <strong>economic potential,</strong> especially in terms of energy resources; and third, its<strong> multi-ethnic and secular structure. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Kazakhstan&rsquo;s geo-political existence between Russia and Asia,</strong> along with long borders with China, makes it a country of great strategic importance. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Kazakhstan lies to the northeast of the Caspian Sea, bordered by the Russian Federation to the north, China to the east, and Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to the south.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>can also help India achieve a geostrategic rebalancing with China.</strong> India&rsquo;s foremost objective is countering the rapid economic inroads China is making in the region through the<strong> One Belt One Road (OBOR)</strong> initiative. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India seeks to achieve this with the competing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North-South Transport Corridor</strong></a> (NSTC).</li>
<li>NSTC is <strong>a multi-modal transportation</strong> established on <strong>12<sup>th</sup> September 2000</strong> in <strong>St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India</strong> for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation among the Member States. It has been expanded to include eleven new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has become<strong> one of the key activists in the field of global nuclear security,</strong> and has achieved a number of results in peacekeeping policies and the resolution of conflicts around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/armenia-azerbaijan-conflict-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nagorno-Karabakh</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-iran" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ukraine</strong></a> and <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-syria-crisis-us-backs-out" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Syria.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618300660_image5.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
<h3>India - Kazakhstan Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Historical:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Relations between India and Kazakhstan are ancient and historical going back to more than 2000 years.</li>
<li>There has been a constant and regular flow of trade in goods and, more importantly, exchange of ideas and cultural influences.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>flow of <a href="/to-the-points/paper1/buddhism-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buddhism</a> from India to Central Asia and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/khwaja-monuddin-chishti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sufi ideas</a> from Central Asia to India</strong> are two such examples.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Political Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India was<strong> one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan. Diplomatic relations</strong> were established in<strong> February 1992.</strong></li>
<li>India and Kazakhstan have been <strong>strategic partners since 2009. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Fora:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan actively cooperate under the aegis of Multilateral Fora including <strong>CICA, SCO and the UN organizations.</strong></li>
<li>India has been a consistent supporter of Kazakhstan&rsquo;s initiative on <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/saarc-and-cica-meetings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA)</strong></a> and is actively participating in the process.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan supports India&rsquo;s permanent membership in an expanded <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-at-unsc-previous-contribution-current-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Security Council (UNSC)</strong> </a>and has extended its support for India's non-permanent membership in 2021-22.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade and Economy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> India-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission (IGC)</strong> established in 1993 is the <strong>apex bilateral institutional mechanism</strong> for developing trade, economic, scientific, technological, industrial and cultural cooperation between the two countries. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on the Indian side and Ministry of Energy on the Kazakh side are the nodal ministries with respective Ministers as the Co-Chair of the Commission.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Several<strong> Joint Working Groups (JWGs)</strong> have been established in the areas of Counter Terrorism, Trade &amp; Economic Cooperation, Defence &amp; Military Technical Cooperation, Information Technology, Hydrocarbons, Textiles, Tea Debt and Space Cooperation, Health and Transport, Connectivity &amp; Logistics to take forward bilateral relations in the respective spheres.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade and investment partner in Central Asia. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Space Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/indian-space-research-organisation-isro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)</a> launched &ldquo;Al-Farabi-1&rdquo;,</strong> a 1.7 kg Technology Demonstrator Nano Satellite built by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty along with 103 other satellites in 2017.</li>
<li>A delegation from ISRO attended<strong> Kazakh Defence Expo &lsquo;KADEX&rsquo;</strong> in May 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Civil Nuclear Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Kazakhstan <strong>supported India in obtaining India-specific exemption</strong> to allow civil nuclear cooperation with <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-nsg-bid" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)</strong></a> countries in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India provides capacity building assistance to Kazakhstan in various specialized fields under <strong>ITEC program</strong> sponsored by the Ministry of External Affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Consular:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Kazakhstan have<strong> an agreement on visa free entry for Diplomatic and Official Passport holders.</strong></li>
<li>Since February 2018, <strong>Indian has extended e-visa facility</strong> to Kazakh citizens.</li>
<li>Kazakhstan has also introduced <strong>electronic visa facilities for travelers from India</strong> with effect from 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Being part of central Asia, Kazakhstan is strategically important for India. India needs to use its instrument of economic leverages more efficiently to build closer ties with Central Asia.</li>
<li>At its core, the heightened India-Kazakhstan relationship allows New Delhi to bypass Pakistan and the highly unstable Afghanistan to reach a resource-rich Nur-Sultan, complementing India&rsquo;s developing economy.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8123,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Netherlands',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India&rsquo;s Prime Minister (PM) and the PM of the Netherlands held a <strong>Virtual Summit</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It was the <strong>first high level Summit attended by the PM of Netherlands</strong> after the general elections held in March 2021.</li>
<li>Earlier in <strong>2019</strong> the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-netherlands" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>King and Queen of the Netherlands</strong></a> visited India to give an impetus to the bilateral ties shared by the two nations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618213785_image2.png" width="522" height="500" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Review of Bilateral Engagements:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Exchanged views on <strong>further expanding and diversifying the relationship</strong> in trade and economy, water management, agriculture sector, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/smart-cities-command-centres" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>smart cities</strong></a>, science &amp; technology, healthcare and space.</li>
<li>Agreed that the ambitious and innovative flagship programs like <strong>Clean India, <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/in-depth-digital-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Digital India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/assessment-of-make-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make in India</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/sagarmala-seaplane-services" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sagarmala</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ayushman Bharat</a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/the-start-up-india-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Startup India</a></strong> have provided immense opportunities for Indo-Dutch (India-Netherlands) collaboration in multiple sectors.</li>
<li>Exchanged views on regional and global challenges such as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, counter-terrorism and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19#:~:text=Covid%2D19%20pandemic%20is%20a,crises%20in%20recent%20human%20history." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a> and agreed to leverage the emerging convergences in new areas like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indo-pacific-strategic-importance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific</strong></a>, Resilient Supply Chains and Global Digital Governance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Partnership on Water:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed on instituting a <strong>&lsquo;Strategic Partnership on Water&rsquo;</strong> to further deepen the Indo-Dutch cooperation in the water related sector, and <strong>upgrading the Joint Working Group on Water</strong> to Ministerial-level.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2019, India and Netherlands had launched the <strong>second phase of the Local Treatment of Urban Sewage streams for Healthy Reuse (LOTUS-HR) plant</strong> as a part of joint collaboration in New Delhi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Commitment to International Peace:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Reiterated their <strong>commitment to a rules-based multilateral order for ensuring international peace, stability and prosperity</strong> and looked forward to a successful <strong>India-EU (<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>) Leaders&rsquo; Meeting in Porto, Portugal in May 2021</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Netherlands have <strong>similar approach in dealing with global challenges</strong> like climate change, terrorism and pandemics.</li>
<li>It thanked the Netherlands for their support to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/first-assembly-of-international-solar-alliance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coalition-for-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI)</strong></a>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>ISA and CDRI are Indian Initiatives.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It also <strong>welcomed the Netherlands&rsquo; Indo-Pacific Policy</strong> and its desire to collaborate during India&rsquo;s <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-institution-upsc-ias-g20-significance-global-groupings-member-challenges-buenos-aires-gs-mains-paper-ii-2-international-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>G20</strong></a> Presidency in 2023.</li>
<li>Setting up a <strong>fast track mechanism for investment promotion will give new momentum</strong> to the strong economic cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Netherlands Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Economic and Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic Partnership between India &amp; Netherlands is a <strong>key pillar of the bilateral ties</strong>.</li>
<li>The Netherlands was the <strong>third largest investor in India</strong>, after Mauritius and Singapore for <a href="/current-affairs-news-analysis-editorials/news-analysis/03-02-2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Financial Year (FY)</strong></a> 2018-19 with <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rise-in-foreign-direct-investment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)</a></strong> inflows of USD 3.87 billion across a variety of sectors.</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands was the second largest destination of foreign investment by Indian companies</strong> as of end-March 2018.</li>
<li>In 2017-18, the <strong>bilateral trade</strong> between India and the Netherlands was around USD 8.77 billion. In 2018-19, it was around USD 12.87 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By 2025, it shall touch around USD 18-23 billion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Netherlands is India&rsquo;s 5<sup>th</sup> largest trading partner</strong> in the European Union. And is also one of the leading investor nations in India.</li>
<li>There are <strong>200 (Dutch) companies that are present in India</strong>. Around <strong>160 Indian companies are active in the Netherlands</strong>. During the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a sizable uptick in the Indian IT companies investing in the Netherlands.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Historical Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Indo-Dutch relations can be <strong>traced back to more than 400 years</strong> when the first Dutch EIC (East India Company) <strong>got established in India (in around 17<sup>th</sup> century AD)</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>official relations</strong> between the two nations were <strong>established in the year 1947</strong> which, since then, have been cordial and friendly.</li>
<li>The two countries also <strong>share common ideals of democracy, pluralism and the rule of law</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Netherlands currently is home to the largest Indian community on the European mainland</strong>. The growing Indian student and professional community in the Netherlands is making the cultural knot stronger and the technological partnership deeper.</li>
<li>An<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/70-years-of-indian-council-for-cultural-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)</strong></a> Cultural Centre <strong>"The Gandhi Centre" was established in The Hague in October 2011</strong>.</li>
<li>The fifth <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-yoga#:~:text=The%20International%20Day%20of%20Yoga,countries%20amid%20Covid%2D19%20pandemic." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Yoga</strong></a> was celebrated on 16th June, 2019 at prestigious Dam Square in Amsterdam.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The Netherlands and India have <strong>hardly achieved their true potential</strong>. There is <strong>huge potential for collaborations given the geopolitical and economic necessities</strong> of both nations.</li>
<li>Engagement of leaders at the highest level along with <strong>greater economic and defence cooperation is the need of the hour</strong> to take ties to new levels.</li>
<li>In the next five years, as India will move ahead, Dutch companies will come to India and will be a key collaborator in helping India achieve its USD <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;rlz=1C1CHBD_enIN926IN926&amp;oq=5+trillion+economy+drishti+ias&amp;aqs=chrome.0.0l2j0i22i30l3j0i390.4471j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>5 trillion economy</strong></a> vision.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1710763" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8120,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India’s Refugee Policy',
		'description' => '<div class="background">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/india-does-have-a-refugee-problem/article34285088.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;India does have a refugee problem&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu on 10/04/2021. It talks about the issues related to India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, there has been an influx of illegal migrants into India after the military coup and subsequent crackdown in Myanmar. The current plight of the Myanmarese has been preceded by that of another group of Myanmarese, the Rohingya.</p>
<p>Historically, India has witnessed an inflow of refugees from many neighboring countries. The refugee issue poses a problem for the state as it puts an economic burden, may trigger demographic changes in the long term, and poses security risks as well.</p>
<p>However, taking care of refugees is the core component of the human rights paradigm. Further, in any case, refugee flows to India are unlikely to end any time soon given the geopolitical, economic, ethnic, and religious contexts of the region.</p>
<p>Hence, there is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures.</p>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India lacks specific legislation to address the problem of refugees, in spite of their increasing inflow.</li>
<li>The Foreigners Act, 1946, fails to address the peculiar problems faced by refugees as a class. It also gives unbridled power to the Central government to deport any foreign citizen.</li>
<li>Further, the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/citizenship-amendment-act-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA)</a> strikingly excludes Muslims from its purview and seeks to provide citizenship only to Hindu, Christian, Jain, Parsi, Sikh, and Buddhist immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.</li>
<li>Moreover, India is not a party to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/illegal-influx-from-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol</a>, the key legal documents pertaining to refugee protection.</li>
<li>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has had a stellar record on the issue of refugee protection. India has a moral tradition for assimilating foreign people and culture.</li>
<li>Further, the constitution of India also respects the life, liberty, and dignity of human beings.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Supreme Court in the National Human Rights Commission vs. State of Arunachal Pradesh (1996) held that &ldquo;while all rights are available to citizens, persons including foreign citizens are entitled to the right to equality and the right to life, among others.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India&rsquo;s Argument for Not Signing the 1951 Refugee Convention</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The definition of refugees in the 1951 convention only pertains to the violation of civil and political rights, but not economic rights, of individuals.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For instance, a person, under the definition of the convention, could be considered if he/she is deprived of political rights, but not if he/she is deprived of economic rights.</li>
<li>If the violation of economic rights were to be included in the definition of a refugee, it would clearly pose a major burden on the developed world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, this argument, if used in the South Asian context, could be a problematic proposition for India too.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges Associated With India&rsquo;s Refugee Policy</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Refugees vs. Immigrants:</strong> In the recent past, many people from neighboring countries tend to illegally immigrate to India, not because of state persecution but in search of better economic opportunities in India.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>While the reality is that much of the debate in the country is about illegal immigrants, not refugees, the two categories tend to get bunched together.</li>
<li>Due to this, policies and remedies to deal with these issues suffer from a lack of clarity as well as policy utility.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ambiguity in the Framework:</strong> The main reason why our policies towards illegal immigrants and refugees are confused is that as per Indian law, both categories of people are viewed as one and the same and are covered under the Foreigners Act, 1946.</li>
<li><strong>Ad-hocism:</strong> The absence of such a legal framework also leads to policy ambiguity whereby India&rsquo;s refugee policy is guided primarily by ad hocism.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ad hoc measures enable the government in office to pick and choose &lsquo;what kind&rsquo; of refugees it wants to admit for whatever political or geopolitical reasons.</li>
<li>This results in a discriminatory action, which tends to be a violation of human rights.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Discriminatory CAA:</strong> The Government of India has passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). CAA envisages providing citizenship to people who are religious minorities in India&rsquo;s neighborhood and persecuted by the state.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, CAA is not the answer to the refugee problem primarily because of its deeply discriminatory nature, as it doesn&rsquo;t include a particular religion under its ambit.</li>
<li>Further, many political analysts have dubbed the CAA as an act of refugee avoidance, not refugee protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>In spite of not being a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol, India has been one of the largest recipients of refugees in the world. However, if India had domestic legislation regarding refugees, it could have deterred any oppressive government in the neighborhood to persecute their population and make them flee to India.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #d9f1fa; border-color: #1c87ad;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;">
<p><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>There is an urgent need today to clinically address the issue of refugee protection in India and put in place appropriate legal and institutional measures. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8119,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'US Patrol in India’s EEZ',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India protested against the US decision to conduct a patrol in the Indian <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)</strong></a> in the western Indian Ocean, rejecting the <strong>US&rsquo; claim that India&rsquo;s domestic maritime law was in violation of international law</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Issue:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>US Seventh Fleet</strong> announced that one of its warships, <strong>USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53)</strong>, had carried out a <strong>Freedom of Navigation Operation (FONOP)</strong> west of <strong>Lakshadweep Islands</strong>, inside India&rsquo;s EEZ, <strong>without requesting India&rsquo;s prior consent, consistent with international law</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Seventh Fleet:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is the <strong>largest of the US Navy&rsquo;s forward deployed fleets</strong>.</li>
<li>India had a close encounter with the 7<sup>th</sup> fleet during the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vijay-diwas-50-years-of-indo-pak-war-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>1971 war</strong></a> with Pakistan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOP):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It involves <strong>passages conducted by the US Navy through waters claimed by coastal nations</strong> as their exclusive territory.</li>
<li>It <strong>reaffirms the US policy of exercising and asserting its navigation and overflight rights and freedoms</strong> around the world.</li>
<li>This communicates that the <strong>US does not accept the excessive maritime claims of other nations,</strong> and thus <strong>prevents those claims from becoming accepted in international law</strong>.</li>
<li>This is the first time the <strong>US Navy has issued a public statement giving details of the operation</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US&rsquo; Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India requires prior consent for military exercises or maneuvers in its EEZ</strong> or continental shelf.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>claim to EEZ is inconsistent with international law (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982)</strong>.</li>
<li>FONOP upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging India&rsquo;s excessive maritime claims.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Protest:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s stated position on the <strong>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)</strong> is that the Convention does not authorise other States to carry out in the EEZ and on the continental shelf, military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives, without the consent of the coastal state.</li>
<li>It is only when it is <strong>&ldquo;military manoeuvres&rdquo;</strong> in Indian EEZ that nations need to seek India&rsquo;s permission and not if they are simply transiting through.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The term military manoeuvres is not defined anywhere.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Seventh Fleet to carry out FON missions in Indian EEZ in <strong>violation of Indian domestic law</strong> (Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The UNCLOS is an <strong>international treaty</strong> that provides a <strong>regulatory framework for the use of the world&rsquo;s seas and oceans</strong>.</li>
<li>It lays down a <strong>comprehensive regime of law and order</strong> in the world's oceans and seas establishing rules governing all uses of the oceans and their resources.</li>
<li>It enshrines the notion that <strong>all problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be addressed as a whole</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Ratification:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Convention was <strong>opened for signature in December 1982</strong> in Montego Bay, Jamaica.</li>
<li>The Convention <strong>entered into force in accordance with its article 308 in November 1994,</strong> 12 months after the date of deposit of the sixtieth instrument of ratification or accession. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Today, it is the <strong>globally recognized regime</strong> dealing with all matters relating to the law of the sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The convention has been <strong>ratified by 168 parties</strong>, which includes 167 states (164 <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong></a> (UN) member states plus the UN Observer state Palestine, as well as the Cook Islands and Niue) and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a>. An additional 14 UN member states have signed, but not ratified the convention.</li>
<li>While <strong>India ratified UN Law of the Seas in 1995,</strong> the <strong>US has failed to do it so far</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Exclusive Economic Zone</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to UNCLOS, the EEZ is an <strong>area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to the specific legal regime</strong> under which <strong>the rights and jurisdiction of the coastal State and the rights and freedoms of other States are governed by the relevant provisions of this Convention</strong>.</li>
<li>It is defined as generally extending 200 nautical miles from shore, within which the coastal state has the right to explore and exploit, and the responsibility to conserve and manage, both living and non-living resources.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618049701_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618049701_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Indian Law</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As per India&rsquo;s <strong>Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act, 1976</strong>:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The EEZ of India is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial waters, and the limit of such zone is two hundred nautical miles from the baseline.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s <strong>limit of the territorial waters is the line every point of which is at a distance of twelve nautical miles from the nearest point of the appropriate baseline</strong>.</li>
<li>All foreign ships (other than warships including sub-marines and other underwater vehicles) shall enjoy the <strong>right of innocent passage</strong> through the territorial waters.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Innocent passage:</strong> It is the passage that is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-protests-us-naval-exercise/article34279034.ece/amp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8118,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Seychelles',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a virtual meet was held between the <strong>Prime Minister of India and the President of Seychelles</strong>.</p>
<h3>Key Points<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618047421_image5.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618047421_image5.png" width="389" height="372" style="float: right;" /></a></h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Events at the Meet:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Joint Inauguration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Inaugurated the <strong>new magistrates&rsquo; court building in Mah&eacute;</strong> constructed with a USD 3.5-million, a <strong>1 MW <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/solar-energy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">solar power</a> plant</strong> built at a cost of USD3.4 million, and <strong>10 community development projects </strong>in Seychelles.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>All the projects were built by the <strong>help of India</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>India has so far taken up <strong>29 small people-oriented development projects in Seychelles,</strong> while the 1MW solar project was built in addition to installing solar systems at <strong>146 government buildings and domestic households</strong>.</li>
<li>The <strong>solar plant will meet the electricity needs of around 400 houses round the year</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fast Patrol Vehicle:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India handed over a <strong>fast patrol vessel (PS Zoroaster)</strong> to the island nation.</li>
<li>The 48.9-metre patrol boat was built by <strong>Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering</strong> (under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence) at a <strong>cost of Rs. 100 crore</strong> and has a <strong>top speed of 35 knots</strong> and an <strong>endurance of 1,500 nautical miles</strong>.</li>
<li>The vessel will be <strong>used for multi-purpose operations</strong>, such as patrolling, anti-smuggling and anti-poaching operations, and search and rescue.</li>
<li>India <strong>gifted similar vessels to the Seychelles in 2005, 2014 and 2016</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Seychelles is central to India&rsquo;s vision of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-sagar#:~:text=Security%20and%20Growth%20for%20All%20in%20the%20Region%20(SAGAR)%20was,building%20their%20maritime%20security%20capabilities." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India is <strong>honoured to be a partner of Seychelles</strong> in the development of its security capabilities and in meeting its infrastructural and developmental needs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Seychelles Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India</strong> is <strong>a reliable and trusted partner</strong>.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s precious donation of 50,000 doses of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 vaccines</strong></a> had <strong>helped Seychelles in moving towards the goals of achieving 70% herd immunity</strong> by the end of April 2021 and opening up the economy.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Seychelles was the <strong>first country</strong> to receive the Covid vaccine from India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India-Seychelles Relation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Diplomatic ties</strong> were established with Seychelles after its independence <strong>in 1976</strong>.</li>
<li>When Seychelles attained freedom, a contingent from the <strong>Indian Naval Ship, INS Nilgiri, took part in the Independence Day celebrations</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since then the tradition of Indian military participation at the Seychelles National Day celebrations has continued till date.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>An <strong>Indian Mission was established in 1979 in Victoria</strong>, Seychelles with the High Commissioner based in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/dar-es-salaam-and-zanzibar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Dar-es-Salaam</strong></a> (Tanzania) and concurrently accredited to Seychelles.</li>
<li>The <strong>first resident High Commissioner was appointed in 1987, </strong>while<strong> Seychelles opened its resident mission in New Delhi in early 2008</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Relation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India exported goods worth USD 84.49 million and imported goods worth USD 5.27 million from Seychelles during the financial year 2018-19.</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-marshall-islands-tiea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Tax Information Exchange Agreement (TIEA)</strong></a> between India and Seychelles was signed in August 2015. Seychelles is also keen to sign the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-signed-amended-dtaa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
<li><strong>Energy &amp; Environment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/to-the-points/paper3/blue-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Blue Economy</strong></a> Protocol between India and Seychelles was signed in August 2015.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Recently, India has been <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-as-an-observer-at-ioc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>accepted as an observer of the Indian Ocean Commission</strong></a>, of which Seychelles is a member.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>With the ratification of the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/third-assembly-of-isa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Solar Alliance (ISA)</strong></a> Framework Agreement in September 2017, Seychelles has officially become one of the Founding Members of ISA.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>ISA is an Indian Initiative.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With a significant presence of <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/indian-diaspora" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Diaspora</strong></a> in Seychelles, cultural contacts between the two countries have been primarily community-driven with support from the two governments.</li>
<li>At the initiative of prominent<strong> Person of Indian Origin (PIO)</strong> associations in Seychelles, several Indian cultural troupes regularly visit Seychelles for performance.</li>
<li>In June 2018, <strong>Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP)</strong> was signed with Seychelles to mark the friendship and goodwill between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Community:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The number of PIOs with Seychelles citizenship is estimated to be around 10,000 (or <strong>11% of the population</strong>), <strong>which is significant in a country with a total population of 96,000 (April 2019)</strong>.</li>
<li>There are about <strong>10,000 Indian citizens</strong> holding Gainful Employment Permits, who are mostly workers in the construction sector, shop assistants and a few professionals.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Seychelles have an elaborate architecture of defence and security cooperation that has deepened over the years with the growing piracy menace and other economic offences in the strategic <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-indian-ocean-islands-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Ocean region</strong></a>.</li>
<li><strong>India gifted and installed six coastal surveillance radar systems in Seychelles</strong> in 2015 enabling better coastal security for Seychelles.</li>
<li>The <strong>Seychelles government has leased the Assumption Island to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/navy-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indian Navy</a></strong> to build an overseas base of operations there.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Developing infrastructure on <strong>Assumption Island in Seychelles is a key piece in India&rsquo;s proactive maritime strategy</strong> as it counters China&rsquo;s moves in the Indian Ocean region.</li>
<li>Developing its infrastructure is being regarded as a &ldquo;strategic asset&rdquo; in India&rsquo;s arsenal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>SAGAR</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) was <strong>launched in 2015. It is India&rsquo;s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)</strong>.</li>
<li>Through SAGAR, <strong>India seeks to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours</strong> and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.</li>
<li>Further, <strong>India seeks to safeguard its national interests</strong> and ensure Indian Ocean region to become inclusive, collaborative and respect international law.</li>
<li>The key <strong>relevance of SAGAR emerges when seen in conjunction with India&rsquo;s other policies</strong> impacting the maritime domain like <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-09th-october-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Project Sagarmala</strong></a>,<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-7th-august-2018" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Project Mausam</strong></a>, India as &lsquo;net security provider&rsquo;, focus on Blue Economy etc.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Seychelles has been a <strong>strategic destination for several major powers</strong> with vested interests in the region, however India&rsquo;s image and visibility in Seychelles is very high as compared to others.</li>
<li>The<strong> geo-strategic importance of Seychelles&rsquo;s location remains undiminished</strong> in contemporary times, and will become enhanced and <strong>China is fighting to get an upper hand which India must not allow</strong>.</li>
<li>There is also a <strong>need to strengthen shared efforts of both the countries to combat drug trafficking, IUU</strong> (Illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, piracy and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong> </a>while protecting the ocean ecosystem.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1710486" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8114,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'US Restores Aid to Palestinians',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The United States, in a significant reversal to the earlier policy, has announced the restoration of at least USD 235 million in <strong>financial assistance to the Palestinians</strong>.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The US administration had <strong>already announced USD 15 million in <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/coronavirus-disease-named-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coronavirus</a> relief to the Palestinians</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<p>Key Points</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Financial Aid:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The financial aid includes USD 75 million economic help for the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/west-bank-settlements" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Bank</a> &amp; Gaza</strong>, USD 10 million for <strong>&lsquo;peacebuilding&rsquo; programmes</strong> of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/healthy-and-energy-efficient-buildings-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US Agency for International Development (USAID)</strong></a> and USD 150 million in humanitarian assistance to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/united-nations-relief-and-works-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA)</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The UNRWA funds would include educational assistance for at least 5,00,000 Palestinian children living in West Asia.</li>
<li>The <strong>Trump administration (former administration) had almost ended all funding</strong> to the organisation in 2018.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>UN welcomed the move,</strong> hoping it would attract more funds to the body. There were a number of countries that had greatly reduced or halted contributions to UNRWA after the US stopped the aid.</li>
<li>The <strong>Prime Minister of Palestine welcomed the move</strong> and called it a new political path that meets the rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people based on international law and UN resolutions.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, <strong>Israel</strong>, which has<strong> accused UNRWA of anti-Semitism</strong> (hostility to, prejudice, or discrimination against Jews), <strong>objected to the funding plans</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Israel - Palestine Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is rooted in <strong>competing claims to the Holy Land</strong>, and includes <strong>disputes over borders, Jerusalem, security, and Palestinian refugees</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/israel-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Israel-Palestine Conflict</strong></a> can be traced back to 1917.</li>
<li>Holy Land is a Middle Eastern region with great religious and historical significance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mideast War, 1967</strong> was a major turning point. It is also known as the<strong> six-day war or Third Arab-Israeli war</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip in the war. In the decades since, Israel has built settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem that now house a million Israelis.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>US Recent Policy:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s decision in 2017, to <strong>relocate the US Embassy to Jerusalem</strong>, was criticized for being heavily tilted towards Israel.</li>
<li><strong>Mideast Plan or Middle East Peace Plan:</strong> It was unveiled by the then US government in January, 2020. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under it, the Palestinians would have a limited statehood contingent on a list of stringent requirements while <strong>Israel would annex some 30% of the West Bank</strong>.</li>
<li>The Palestinians rejected the plan and threatened to withdraw from key provisions of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/oslo-peace-accords" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Oslo Peace Accords</strong></a>, which are a series of agreements between Israel and the Palestinians signed in the 1990s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Present US President Joe Biden has reaffirmed the United States&rsquo; commitment to a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/elusive-two-state-solution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>two-state solution</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India <strong>recognised Israel in 1950</strong> but it is also the <strong>first non-Arab country to recognise Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO)</strong> as the sole representative of the Palestinian. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India is also one of the first countries to recognise the <strong>statehood of Palestine in 1988</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>In 2014, India favored <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-human-rights-council" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNHRC&rsquo;s</strong> </a>resolution to probe Israel&rsquo;s human rights violations in Gaza. Despite supporting the probe, India abstained from voting against Israel in UNHRC in 2015.</li>
<li>As a part of <strong>Link West Policy</strong>, India has <strong>de-hyphenated its relationship</strong> with Israel and Palestine in 2018 to <strong>treat both the countries mutually independent and exclusive</strong>.</li>
<li>In June 2019, India voted in favor of a decision introduced by Israel in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-ecosoc-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)</strong></a> that objected to granting consultative status to a Palestinian non-governmental organization.</li>
<li>So far India has <strong>tried to maintain the image of its historical moral supporter for Palestinian self-determination,</strong> and at the same time to engage in the military, economic, and other strategic relations with Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Territorial Puzzle</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>West Bank:</strong> The West Bank is <strong>sandwiched between Israel and Jordan</strong>. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Israel took control of it in the 1967 war and has over the years established settlements there.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Gaza:</strong> The Gaza Strip located <strong>between Israel and Egypt</strong>. Israel occupied the strip after 1967, but relinquished control of Gaza City and day-to-day administration in most of the territory during the <strong>Oslo peace process</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2005, Israel unilaterally removed Jewish settlements from the territory, though it continues to control international access to it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Golan Heights:</strong> The Golan Heights is a <strong>strategic plateau that Israel captured from Syria</strong> in the 1967 war. Israel effectively annexed the territory in 1981. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US has officially recognized Jerusalem and Golan Heights as part of Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Fatah:</strong> Founded by the late Yasir Arafat in the 1950s, Fatah is the largest Palestinian political faction. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Unlike Hamas, Fatah is a secular movement, has nominally recognized Israel, and has actively participated in the peace process.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hamas:</strong> Hamas is regarded as a terrorist organization by the US government. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian Authority's legislative elections. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It ejected Fatah from Gaza in 2007, splitting the Palestinian movement geographically, as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618041085_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618041085_image1.png" width="524" height="660" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Balanced Approach Towards the Israel-Palestine:</strong> The world at large needs to come together for a <strong>peaceful solution</strong> but the reluctance of the Israeli government and other involved parties have aggravated the issue more. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus a balanced approach would help to maintain favorable relations with Arab countries as well as Israel.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Abraham Accords, a Positive Step:</strong> The recent normalization agreements between <strong>Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco</strong>, known as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/israel-uae-and-bahrain-abraham-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Abraham Accords</strong></a>, are the steps in the right direction.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>All regional powers should envisage peace between the two countries on line of Abraham Accords.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-restores-assistance-for-palestinians/article34267954.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8113,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Meeting of Education Ministers of E9 Countries',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>a consultation meeting of Education Ministers of E9 countries</strong> was held.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting was held on the theme &lsquo;E9 initiative: <strong>Scaling up digital learning to accelerate progress towards SDG4&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Scaling up Digital Learning to Accelerate Progress towards SDG4 (Concept):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations (UN)</strong></a> is <strong>spearheading a global initiative on digital learning and skills for all,</strong> targeting marginalized children and youth and aiming to close the digital divide and drive rapid change in education systems.</li>
<li>This initiative <strong>focuses on three of the five priorities of the 2020 Global Education Meeting (GEM) Declaration:</strong> supporting teachers; investing in skills; and narrowing the digital divide.</li>
<li><strong>E9 countries offer a starting gate</strong> to accelerate progress on digital learning and skills in the immediate term and ultimately on the SDG4 agenda in the longer term.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>E9 Countries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>E9 Partnership</strong> was first established in <strong>1993</strong>, formed to achieve the goals of <strong>UNESCO's Education For All (EFA)</strong>.</li>
<li>A group of <strong>E9 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, and Pakistan)</strong> aims at strengthening political will and collective effort to ensure quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.</li>
<li>E9 Partnership is working for the achievement of <strong>SDG4 &ndash; Education 2030</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Education For All (EFA):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>An international initiative, first launched at the <strong>World Conference on Education for All</strong> by <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unesco-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNESCO</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/human-development-index-undp" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNDP</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/state-of-the-world-population-2020-unfpa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNFPA</strong></a>, <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/unicef-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNICEF</strong></a> and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-bank-group" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Bank</strong></a> in <strong>Thailand in 1990</strong>.</li>
<li>Participants endorsed an <strong>'expanded vision of learning'</strong> and pledged to <strong>universalize primary education </strong>and<strong> massively reduce illiteracy</strong> by the end of the decade.</li>
<li>Ten years later, with many countries far from having reached this goal, a broad coalition of national governments, civil society groups, and development agencies <strong>met again in Dakar, Senegal,</strong> and <strong>affirmed the commitment to achieving EFA by the year 2015</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They <strong>identified six key education goals</strong> which aim to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015 (e.g. the Dakar Framework for Action).</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>2020 Global Education Meeting Declaration</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>As part of the Decade of Action to accelerate progress on SDG4 and in response to Covid-19, the 2020 GEM Declaration <strong>identified five priorities</strong> for urgent action:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Education financing;</li>
<li>Safe school reopening;</li>
<li>Supporting teachers as frontline workers;</li>
<li>Investment in skills; and</li>
<li>Narrowing the digital divide.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Covid-19 crisis</strong> revealed the weakness and unpreparedness of the current education systems worldwide, prompting the deployment of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/digital-education-learning-amid-the-pandemic" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>digital learning</strong></a> during mass school closures across almost all countries.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>SDG4</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>To bring sustainable development in the mainstream, the <strong>United Nations (UN) member states, in 2015, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Sustainable Development Goals (<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/sustainable-development-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SDGs</a>)</strong>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There are <strong>17 goals and 169 specific targets to be achieved by 2030</strong>.</li>
<li>SDGs are <strong>not legally binding</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SDG4</strong> is to <strong>ensure inclusive and equitable quality education</strong> and <strong>promote lifelong learning opportunities</strong> for all.</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618038328_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1618038328_image2.png" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1709692" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8105,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Ukraine's Bid to Join NATO',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Ukrainian President urged the <strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)</strong> to speed up his country&rsquo;s membership in the alliance.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Ukraine hopes to be invited this year to join a <strong>NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reasons for Ukraine to Join NATO:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617875461_image%201.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617875461_image 1.png" style="float: right;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ukraine is of the opinion that <strong>joining NATO is the only way to end fighting with pro-Russia separatists.</strong></li>
<li>There is an increase in clashes and Russian military movements on the border raise fears of an escalation of the<strong> separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.</strong></li>
<li>Ukraine accuses Russia of massing thousands of military personnel on its northern and eastern borders as well as on the <strong>Crimean peninsula</strong> (annexed by Russia in 2014).</li>
<li>Ukraine&rsquo;s Western allies have rushed to its defence, with a series of statements warning Russia against taking further action.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India did not join the Western powers&rsquo; condemnation</strong> of Russia&rsquo;s intervention in Crimea and kept a low profile on the issue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is a <strong>military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty</strong> (also called the <strong>Washington Treaty</strong>) of 4th April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.</li>
<li>It is headquartered at <strong>Brussels, Belgium.</strong></li>
<li>A key provision of the treaty, the so-called <strong>Article 5</strong>, states that if one member of the alliance is attacked in Europe or North America, it is to be considered an attack on all members. That effectively put Western Europe under the "nuclear umbrella" of the US.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>NATO has only once invoked Article 5</strong>, on 12<sup>th</sup> September, 2001, following the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in the US.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>NATO's protection <strong>does not extend to members' civil wars or internal coups.</strong></li>
<li>As of 30th March 2021, there are 30 member states, with the Republic of North Macedonia becoming the latest member to join the alliance in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class-="" border-bg="">
<p><strong>Membership Action Plan</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is a NATO programme of advice, assistance and practical support tailored to the individual needs of countries wishing to join the Alliance.</li>
<li>Participation in the MAP does not prejudge any decision by the Alliance on future membership.</li>
<li><strong>Bosnia and Herzegovina</strong> is currently participating in MAP.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/ukraine-urges-nato-to-speed-up-membership/article34256907.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8104,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Russia Foreign Ministers Meet',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>To build <strong>on the common &ldquo;resilient&rdquo; ground, Indian and Russian Foreign Ministers addressed each other&rsquo;s concerns</strong> on a wide range of issues.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The issues range from <strong>defence supplies to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener">S-400 air defence system</a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India&rsquo;s role in Afghanistan</a></strong> and <strong>Taliban&rsquo;s involvement in power-sharing to cooperation</strong> on Covid vaccines and <strong>India&rsquo;s participation in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-meeting-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quad grouping</a>.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Discussed Cooperation in Following Sectors:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Economic opportunities in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russian Far East.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Russian Far East stretches from <strong>Lake Baikal, the world&rsquo;s largest freshwater lake, to the Pacific Ocean</strong> and comprises roughly a third of Russia&rsquo;s territory.</li>
<li>Although it is <strong>rich in natural resources</strong> including minerals, hydrocarbons, timber and fish, it is an <strong>economically underdeveloped</strong> region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Leveraging the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/atmanirbhar-bharat-and-economic-stimulus" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat</strong></a> campaign to boost manufacturing in India.</li>
<li>Connectivity through the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/push-for-chabahar-port-in-instc-corridor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International North-South Transport</a> Corridor (INSTC).</strong>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>INSTC</strong> is a multi-modal transportation established in September 2000 in St. Petersburg, by Iran, Russia and India for the purpose of promoting transportation cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The <strong>Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern maritime corridor.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Itr is a <strong>maritime route</strong> covering approximately 5,600 nautical miles, aimed at increasing bilateral trade between India and Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Long standing partnership in <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">space</a> and nuclear sectors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted%20image 1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617874462_pasted image 1.png" width="400" caption="false" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>S-400 Air Defence System:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Issues regarding the sale of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/s-400-triumf-missile-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>S-400 air defence system</strong></a> figured in the discussions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The S-400 Triumf is a mobile, <strong>surface-to-air missile system (SAM)</strong> designed by Russia.</li>
<li>It is the most dangerous operationally deployed <strong>modern long-range SAM (MLR SAM)</strong> in the world, considered much ahead of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-opposition-to-thaad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>US-developed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (THAAD).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>While India is keen on buying it, the USA has expressed reservations by threatening sanctions under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/caatsa-sanctions-on-turkey" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Countering America&rsquo;s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Views on Military Alliance and Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Military Alliance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russian Foreign Minister clarified that the <strong>Russia-China relations</strong> are at the highest in the history, but these relations <strong>do not pursue a goal of establishing a military alliance.</strong></li>
<li>He also <strong>referred to the Quad grouping</strong> and called it an <strong>&ldquo;Asian NATO&rdquo;</strong>, a term sometimes used by China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)</strong> is an informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a &ldquo;free, open and prosperous&rdquo; Indo-Pacific region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indo-Pacific:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Russia and India are working for <strong>stability and connectivity in the Asia-Pacific</strong> and urged that &ldquo;military alliances&rdquo; should not come up in Asia.</li>
<li>Russia referred to the formulation of <strong>&ldquo;Asia Pacific&rdquo;</strong> while India referred to <strong>&ldquo;Indo-Pacific&rdquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Afghan Peace:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a need to <strong>&ldquo;harmonise&rdquo; the interests of various stakeholders</strong> that are active in and around Afghanistan.</li>
<li>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-in-afghan-peace-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>peace process</strong></a> should be based on foundational principles and a political solution should mean <strong>independent, sovereign, united and democratic Afghanistan.</strong></li>
<li>Decision on the settlement in Afghanistan should foresee the <strong>participation of all political, ethnic and religious groups</strong> in the country. Otherwise the solution will not be stable. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It needs to be noted that India was not a part of a recent meeting led by Russia on Afghan peace.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Medical Cooperation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Russian Fund for Direct Investment has signed contracts with various Indian manufacturers for <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russian-covid-vaccine-sputnik-v#:~:text=Key%20Points,'limited%20use'%20before%20this." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sputnik V vaccines</strong></a> for 700-750 million doses.</li>
<li>Both ministers also took up the possible export of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covaxin</strong></a> to Russia which is likely to be cleared by experts.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India - Russia Relations</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political (Annual Summit):</strong> The Annual Summit meeting between the Prime Minister of India and the President of the Russian Federation is the highest institutionalized dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership between India and Russia.</li>
<li><strong>Economic:</strong> India-Russia trade, amounting to <strong>USD 10.11 billion in 2019-2020</strong>, is far below the potential. Both countries have <strong>set the bilateral trade target at USD 30 billion by 2025.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Defence and Security: BrahMos Missile System</strong> as well as the licensed production in India of <strong>SU-30 aircraft and T-90 tanks</strong>, are examples.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Nuclear Energy: Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP)</strong> is being built in India with Russian cooperation.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation in Space Sector:</strong> Cooperation in <strong>Gaganyaan program.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Common Multilateral Forums:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/brics-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>BRICS</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/russia-india-china-grouping-ric" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Russia-India-China Grouping: RIC</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/important-international-institutions-shanghai-cooperation-organisation-sco" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military Exercises:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-russia-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Exercise TSENTR 2019.</strong></a></li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-indra-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indra Exercises</strong></a> - Joint Tri-<strong>Services (Army, Navy, Air Force) Exercises.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India Engaging Russia Into Indo-Pacific Narrative:</strong> India should pursue and facilitate Russia&rsquo;s engagement in the Indo-Pacific. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia&rsquo;s active engagement in the region would contribute to making the Indo-Pacific truly &ldquo;free and inclusive&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Prioritizing RIC in Indian Foreign Policy:</strong> India can also promote a mutually beneficial trilateral cooperation between Russia, China, and India that could contribute towards the reduction of mistrust and suspicion between India and China.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/moscow-plays-down-beijing-pledges-deeper-delhi-ties-s-400-to-afghanistan-7261834/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8091,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Should India Join NATO?',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/why-india-must-not-say-no-to-nato-7260435/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Why India must not say &lsquo;no&rsquo; to NATO&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Indian Express on 06/04/2021. It talks about the pros and cons of India becoming a member of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener">North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).</a></strong></p>
</div>
<p>In the last few years, European countries have asserted to play a significant role in the Indo-Pacific region. India too knows that no single power can produce stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.</p>
<p>Moreover, China&rsquo;s meteoric rise has dramatically heightened India&rsquo;s need for closer security relationships with politically reliable, like-minded states. In order to tackle this geopolitical challenge, India will have to undertake more deliberate efforts to counter-balance the juggernaut of Chinese power.</p>
<p>One such arrangement, which has been recently floated by many western countries, is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extending NATO&rsquo;s membership to India.</strong></a> Although NATO&rsquo;s membership in India will have positive implications, it will have serious ramifications too.</p>
<h3>Arguments for India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>End of Cold War:</strong> During the Cold War, India&rsquo;s refusal to join any of the Military bloc (NATO or Warsaw pact led by the USSR) was premised on its non-alignment. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>That argument had little justification once the Cold War ended during 1989-91. Since then, NATO has built partnerships with many neutral and non-aligned</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Creation of Deterrence:</strong> Article 5 of the NATO treaty held that an attack against a member nation of the NATO would be considered to be an attack against all the members of the alliance and would call for joint military action against the aggressor.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would create deterrence for China and Pakistan to attack India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Military-Strategic Benefits:</strong> An India-NATO dialogue would simply mean having regular contact with a military alliance, most of whose members are well-established partners of India. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, India has military exchanges with many members of NATO &mdash; including the US, Britain, and France &mdash; in bilateral and multilateral formats.</li>
<li>Therefore, in the longer term, India would derive military-strategic benefits from a partnership with the world&rsquo;s most powerful alliance.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Era of Multi-Alignment</strong>: India might align with China and developing nations against the US in <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> but militarily oppose China while contemplating a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Quad&rdquo;</strong></a> with the USA, Japan, and Australia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, Egypt and Israel are both NATO partners who maintain defense relationships with Russia.</li>
<li>Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, and Austria are all NATO partners with long-standing neutralist traditions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Convergence on Many Issues:</strong> A sustained dialogue between India and NATO could facilitate productive exchanges in a range of areas, including terrorism, changing geopolitics; the evolving nature of military conflict, the role of emerging military technologies, and new military doctrines.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Argument Against India Becoming NATO&rsquo;s Member</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Conflict Within NATO:</strong> NATO members have conflicting opinions on how to share the military burden and strike the right balance between NATO and the EU&rsquo;s quest for an independent military role.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, NATO members disagree on policy related to Russia, the Middle East, and China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Deteriorate Relations With Russia:</strong> By becoming a NATO member, India&rsquo;s long-standing and strong ties with Russia will get frayed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia has shown displeasure on account of India&rsquo;s growing strategic convergence with the US.</li>
<li>Moreover, this could further strengthen the already deepening relation between China and Russia.</li>
<li>Considering that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/decline-in-india-s-arms-imports-sipri" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India still is heavily dependent on the Russian military equipment</strong></a>, joining NATO seems like an eminently bad idea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issue of Sovereignty:</strong> Another issue would be the establishment of NATO bases on India&rsquo;s territory. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This might invite widespread protests in the country and may even be considered an infringement of our sovereignty.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dragging Down Into Various Conflicts:</strong> The downside of joining NATO is that India would get dragged into various conflicts around the globe.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This would result in a lot of Indian soldiers dying in various conflicts in which we have no reason at all to be involved in.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The bureaucratization of the engagement between India and western countries has prevented India from taking full advantage of re-emerging geopolitics of the Atlantic. However, India&rsquo;s recent proactive approach has certainly sought to end this prolonged political neglect.</p>
<p>Given this, a pragmatic engagement with NATO countries must be an important part of India&rsquo;s foreign policy but it must refrain from becoming a formal member of NATO.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fbfffa;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>India&rsquo;s continued reluctance to engage a major institution like NATO will be a stunning case of strategic self-denial. Critically Analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8087,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Multilateral Maritime Exercise La Perouse',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Navy Ships INS Satpura</strong> and <strong>INS Kiltan</strong> alongwith <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/us-approves-sale-of-military-hardware" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft</strong></a> are participating,<strong> for the first time in multilateral maritime exercise La P&eacute;rouse,</strong> being conducted in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region from 5<sup>th</sup> to 7<sup>th</sup> April 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Post conduct of<strong> La Perouse,</strong> the <strong>Indo-French Naval</strong> exercise <strong>&ldquo;Varuna&ldquo;</strong> is scheduled in the <strong>Western Indian Ocean,</strong> wherein <strong>UAE</strong> too shall be participating.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Exercise:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The first edition of <strong>La P&eacute;rouse</strong> joint exercise, <strong>initiated by France in 2019</strong>, included ships from Australia, Japan and the US.</li>
<li>The exercise is <strong>named after the eighteenth century French Naval explorer.</strong></li>
<li><strong>India's participation in 2021 completed the QUAD force representation</strong> in the French led Naval Exercise. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>QUAD</strong> is a <strong>grouping of India, USA, Australia and Japan</strong> which aims to safeguard the interests of democratic nations in the Indo-Pacific region and address global challenges.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It will witness complex and advanced naval operations including <strong>surface warfare, anti-air warfare and air defence exercises, weapon firing exercises, cross deck flying operations, tactical manoeuvres and seamanship evolutions</strong> such as replenishment at sea.</li>
<li>It will provide an opportunity for these five like-minded, high-end naval forces to develop closer links, sharpen their skills, and promote maritime cooperation throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Naval Significance of Indo-Pacific:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>Indo-Pacific is slowly but surely turning into a serious Naval Theatre for multi-national activities</strong> with a vision to establish a free, open, inclusive and a rule-based ordering of the Indo-Pacific to support the freedom of navigation and peaceful cooperative use of the seas.</li>
<li>The goal is to respect and adhere to the international laws like the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones#:~:text=United%20Nations%20Convention%20on%20the,EEZ)%20and%20the%20High%20Seas." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)</strong> </a>and peaceful resolution of territorial sea disputes. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The <strong>role of the QUAD navies in the IOR (Indian Ocean Region)</strong> has been well illustrated by the effective cooperative engagement capabilities of the multi-national Naval powers through naval exercises like formation sailing, live fire drills, Search and Rescue (SAR) operations etc.</li>
<li>Navies of member countries of <strong>QUAD</strong> participated in<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Malabar wargaming exercise</strong></a> in November 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the other hand, <strong>China endeavours to establish a defensive perimeter around its seas (Yellow Sea, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/senkaku-islands" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East China Sea</a> and part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/south-china-sea-dispute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">South China Sea</a>)</strong> by following a sea denial policy in these regions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702901_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>QUAD+ France Pacific Ocean Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The<strong> region of Pacific Islands</strong> stretches from Hawaii in the north to Tonga in the south, and Easter Island in the east to New Caledonia in the west.</li>
<li><strong>US interest in the Indo-Pacific region</strong> has always been well illustrated with the fact that<strong> US Indo-Pacific Command</strong> established after World War II is the largest unified command.</li>
<li><strong>France</strong> has a direct<strong> strategic and economic stake in New Caledonia, French Polynesia, and Wallis and Futuna.</strong> France is a member of the Pacific Community and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).</li>
<li><strong>Japan</strong> although has trade ties with China but has always been<strong> suspicious of China&rsquo;s growth as a military power.</strong> China&rsquo;s assertiveness closer to Japanese waters and airspace have been a testing time for Japan.</li>
<li><strong>Indian Navy</strong> has always maintained a tactical advantage over the IOR to ensure compliance to the internationally established Rules of the Road (ROR) for the seas. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This has been respected by the world (like declaration of warships transiting IOR etc.), but Indian Navy has <strong>observed and reported multiple sightings of undeclared Chinese ships and submarines</strong> suspiciously lurking within the IOR.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Indo-French Joint Exercises</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-desert-knight-21" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Desert Knight-21</a> </strong>and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/garuda-vi" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Garuda</strong> </a>(Air exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/important-facts-for-prelims-18th-april-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Varuna</strong></a> (Naval exercise)</li>
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indo-french-joint-exercise-shakti-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Shakti</strong> </a>(Army exercise)</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617702945_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/quad-navies-participating-in-france-led-exercise-in-eastern-indian-ocean-region-from-april-5-7260225/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8066,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => '17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the External Affairs Minister of India participated in the <strong>17<sup>th</sup> <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/india-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)</a> Ministerial Meeting.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The meeting, <strong>chaired by Sri Lanka,</strong> was held in virtual mode.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand at the Meeting:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Commitment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>To further<strong> build the momentum of regional cooperation</strong> under the <strong>BIMSTEC framework</strong> and make the organization stronger, vibrant, more effective and result-oriented.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Progress:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Highlighted progress</strong> achieved in sectors where India is the Lead Country viz Counter Terrorism &amp; Trans-national Crime, Transport &amp; Communication, Tourism, and Environmental &amp; Disaster management and other activities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Importance of Connectivity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Robust <strong>connectivity is an essential prerequisite for economic integration</strong> of the region with smooth cross-border movement of people and goods.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Outcome of the Meeting:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The meeting endorsed the BIMSTEC<strong> Master Plan for Transport Connectivity</strong> for adoption at the next BIMSTEC Summit, which will be held in Sri Lanka. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s northeastern states form a key part of the master plan,</strong> with several road and river links passing through the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Called for early<strong> adoption of the BIMSTEC Charter.</strong></li>
<li>The meeting also endorsed three MoUs/agreements relating to <strong>convention on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal matters, cooperation between diplomatic</strong> and <strong>training academies and establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Colombo</strong> (Sri Lanka).</li>
<li>Took note that the <strong>BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate,</strong> being<strong> hosted in India,</strong> is fully functional with state of the art facilities to provide Disaster Early Warnings.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Cohesion among the members has been difficult to achieve mainly because of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rohingyas-at-isolated-bangladesh-island" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rohingya refugee crisis</strong> </a>which created <strong>bitterness between Myanmar and Bangladesh.</strong></li>
<li>This affected the working of the organisation to some extent as it could not develop a common charter.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>BIMSTEC</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is a <strong>regional organization.</strong></li>
<li>It comprises<strong> seven countries.</strong> Five of these seven countries- <strong>India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Bangladesh-</strong> are from South Asia while the remaining two, <strong>Thailand and Myanmar,</strong> are from Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>The group remained dormant for many years till it was revived a few years ago as an alternative to the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</strong></a>, which despite having the potential, has not been able to move forward due to friction between India and Pakistan.</li>
<li>With a focus on intra-regional cooperation, the BIMSTEC has also<strong> formed a platform with the SAARC and the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)</a> member countries.</strong></li>
<li>Currently, the BIMSTEC is<strong> involved in 15 sectors</strong> including trade, technology, agriculture, tourism, fisheries, energy and climate change among others, for sectoral cooperation. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 1997, it started with just six sectors and later expanded to the remaining nine sectors in 2008.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Secretariat:</strong> Dhaka, Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating an<strong> enabling environment for the rapid economic development</strong> of the sub-region.</li>
<li>Encouraging the spirit of <strong>equality and partnership.</strong></li>
<li>Promoting active <strong>collaboration and mutual assistance</strong> in the areas of common interests of the member countries.</li>
<li>Accelerating <strong>support for each other</strong> in the fields of education, science, and technology, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617435202_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617435202_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/at-bimstec-jaishankar-calls-for-integration-7255083/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8064,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India’s Maritime Doctrine',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/it-is-time-to-reimagine-the-indian-ocean-101617111891839.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;It is time to reimagine the Indian Ocean&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindustan Times on 30/03/2021. It talks about the challenges in India&rsquo;s Maritime Doctrine.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, soon after Joe Biden became the president of the US, the new US secretary of defense visited India. The interesting takeaway of this visit was the specific mention to pursue enhanced cooperation between the Indian armed forces and the US maritime forces.</p>
<p>This underlined the strategic importance of India in US foreign policy, especially Indo-Pacific engagements. Since Independence, India has enjoyed an advantageous position in the Indian Ocean, primarily accorded through its geography.</p>
<p>Moreover, the lack of direct competition after the end of the Cold War allowed India to continue with its limited maritime approach while retaining the role of a key Indian Ocean player. However, there are many challenges in India&rsquo;s maritime policy.</p>
<h3>Challenges in India&rsquo;s Maritime Doctrine</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Silos Approach in the Indian Ocean:</strong> India&rsquo;s political class has divided the Indian ocean into many sub-regions. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Traditionally, India draws a line with Mauritius and Seychelles as its areas of strategic collaboration in the Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>In terms of sub-regions, the priority is in the northern (Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal), and eastern Indian Ocean (the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca).</li>
<li>Due to this, the western Indian Ocean and the eastern coast of Africa still continue to be in the maritime periphery in India&rsquo;s foreign policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lesser Hold on Strategic Chokepoint:</strong> China&rsquo;s first overseas military base was set up in the western Indian Ocean, in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia too recently acquired a base in Sudan, on the Red Sea coast, between the Suez Canal and Bab-el-Mandeb &mdash; a strategic chokepoint in the Indian Ocean.</li>
<li>However, beyond the anti-piracy mission, India&rsquo;s presence and maritime engagements with the African coast have been largely ad hoc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increasing Chinese Assertiveness:</strong> Through the Maritime Silk Road, China engages with littorals and islands across the Ocean. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China has consistently aimed to improve its diplomatic, political, and military engagements in the region from Sri Lanka to Comoros, spanning the Indian Ocean in its entirety.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Continental Bias:</strong> India&rsquo;s reorientation toward the maritime domain has not been easy, with generations of foreign and defense service officials focusing and training on continental issues. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, the Indian Navy is allotted approximately 14% of the defense budget speaks clearly to the defense establishment&rsquo;s priorities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Synchronizing Foreign &amp; Defense Policies:</strong> With the establishment of the Indian Ocean division in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) in 2016, MEA appears to be undertaking a more active approach. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, the defense establishment has to match foreign policy engagements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Holistic View of Indian Ocean:</strong> The Indian Ocean as China is emerging as the key competitor to India&rsquo;s interests in the Indian Ocean Region. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, there is a need to view the Indian Ocean as one continuous space and understand regional dynamics better.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaborating With Important Players:</strong> India should supplement its partnership with the US with a network of multilateral groups with other middle powers, such as the India-Australia-Japan forum and the trilateral dialogue with France and Australia.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>While this is not to discount India&rsquo;s continental troubles, seen in recent crises such as Doklam and Ladakh, there is a need to understand the importance of maritime geography and its link to India&rsquo;s strategic interests and growing competition in the region.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffa;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Discuss the major challenges for India in framing a credible Maritime Doctrine.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8056,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Trade Between India and Pakistan',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Pakistan will allow the import of cotton and sugar from India, partially reversing a two-year old decision to suspend all trade with India.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The decision to cancel trade was taken by the Pakistan government in August, 2019, days after the Indian government <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/to-the-point-article-370#:~:text=On%20October%2017%2C%201949%2C%20Article,legislative%20powers%20in%20the%20state." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>amended Article 370</strong></a> and <a href="/blog/implications-of-j&amp;k-reorganisation-act#:~:text=Along%20with%20this%20the%20Jammu,and%20Union%20Territory%20of%20Ladakh." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>reorganised Jammu and Kashmir.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Pakistan&rsquo;s Trade Ban:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Pakistan&rsquo;s decision to suspend bilateral trade with India in August 2019 was a fallout of the constitutional changes in Jammu and Kashmir.</li>
<li>However, an <strong>underlying reason for suspending trade was the 200% tariff imposed</strong> by India on Pakistani imports earlier that year after India revoked Pakistan&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-revokes-mfn-status-to-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status</strong></a> in the aftermath of the<strong> Pulwama terrorist attack.</strong></li>
<li>Trade between the two countries suffered greatly.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s exports to Pakistan dropped nearly 60% to USD 816.62 million, and its imports fell 97% to USD 13.97 million in 2019-20.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-Pakistan Trade Before Ban:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Over the years, <strong>India has had a trade surplus with Pakistan,</strong> with much less imports than exports and trade has always been linked to politics.</li>
<li>India&rsquo;s exports to Pakistan fell around 16% to <strong>USD 1.82 billion in 2016-17 as compared to 2015-16</strong> after relations deteriorated in the aftermath of the <strong>Uri terror attack</strong> and the <strong>Indian Army&rsquo;s surgical strikes</strong> on militant launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2016.</li>
<li>Despite continuing tensions, trade between the two countries grew marginally in subsequent years.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Indian exports rose</strong> nearly 6% to USD 1.92 billion in 2017-18, and then by around 7% in 2018-19.</li>
<li><strong>Imports from Pakistan,</strong> though much less in volume, <strong>also increased by 7.5%</strong> to USD 488.56 million in<strong> 2017-18</strong> as compared to <strong>2016-17.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Major Products Traded:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Pakistan was among <strong>India&rsquo;s top 50 trade partners in 2018-19,</strong> but was pushed out of the list in 2019-20. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It had been anticipated that<strong> a trade ban between the countries would affect Pakistan more,</strong> since it relied heavily on India for key raw materials for its textiles and pharmaceuticals industries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Export to Pakistan:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2018-19, <strong>cotton and organic chemicals</strong> accounted for around <strong>half of Indian export to Pakistan.</strong></li>
<li>Other major items included <strong>plastic, tanning/dyeing extracts,</strong> and <strong>nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, </strong>and<strong> mechanical appliances.</strong></li>
<li><strong>After the ban,</strong> imports of many items fell drastically, while cotton imports stopped altogether. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The only increase has been in <strong>pharmaceutical products.</strong> Pakistan has so far imported <strong>drug products and organic chemicals</strong> to ensure sufficient supplies of medicines during the <strong>Covid-19 pandemic.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Import From Pakistan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s major imports from Pakistan in 2018-19 were <strong>mineral fuels and oils, edible fruits and nuts, salt, sulphur, stone and plastering materials,</strong> ores, slag and ash and raw hides and leather.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Removal of Trade Ban by Pakistan:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Shortage in Raw Material:</strong> Pakistan decided to lift the ban on cotton imports as there is a shortage in raw material for<strong> Pakistan&rsquo;s textile sector,</strong> which has suffered due to <strong>low domestic yields of cotton. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Cheaper Imports from India:</strong> Cotton and sugar imports from countries like the USA and Brazil are <strong>costlier and take longer to arrive.</strong></li>
<li><strong>High Domestic Demand and Prices:</strong> The decision on sugar was dictated by high demand and high domestic prices. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The decision to import from India is a measure to stabilize the market prices.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Implications:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The decision by Pakistan to allow trade in the selected items will <strong>gradually lead to restoration of normalcy in India-Pakistan trade.</strong></li>
<li>This might be<strong> a good time for India to explore a reduction in its 200% import duties</strong> on products that its industries can benefit from.</li>
<li>The move by Pakistan has <strong>raised hopes for further measures</strong> besides the granting of sports related visas by India after a gap of three years, scheduling a much-delayed meeting of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/permanent-indus-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indus Water Commissioners</strong></a> in Delhi, peace at the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/ceasefire-along-line-of-control" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Line of Control (LoC)</strong> </a>after more than 5,000 ceasefire violations, as well as the exchange of salutary messages between Indian and Pakistan Prime Ministers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-pakistan-wants-to-lift-its-ban-on-cotton-sugar-imports-from-india-7252808/#:~:text=The%20Pakistani%20decision%20to%20lift,low%20domestic%20yields%20of%20cotton." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 8055,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'China-Iran Strategic Cooperation Pact',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>China and Iran have signed<strong> a 25-year "strategic cooperation pact&rdquo;</strong> which includes "political economic and strategic components".</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The agreement <strong>comes amid a major push from China to back Iran to deal with the continuing weight of sanctions reinstated by the US</strong> after its withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Pact:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It will deepen relations between Iran and China and would establish a blueprint for "reciprocal investments in the fields of transport, ports, energy, industry and services."</li>
<li>It forms <strong>a part of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/italy-joins-belt-road-initiative" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative</a> (BRI),</strong> a plan to fund infrastructure projects and increase its influence overseas.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China's Growing Role in the Middle East:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617277331_pasted%20image 0.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1617277331_pasted image 0.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Iran relies on China as its largest trading partner.</li>
<li>Chinese foreign minister, in his recent visit to West Asian nations, proposed <strong>a five-point initiative</strong> for achieving security and stability in the Middle East, advocating "mutual respect, upholding equity and justice, achieving non-proliferation, jointly fostering collective security, and accelerating development cooperation.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Earlier, China and Russia called for the US to unconditionally return to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/restoration-of-jcpoa" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)</strong></a> as soon as possible and revoke the unilateral sanctions against Iran. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In this context, they proposed "the establishment of a regional security dialogue platform to converge a new consensus on resolving the security concerns of countries in the region.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India's Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Military Partnership:</strong> China is also concluding a security and military partnership with Iran. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China calls for &ldquo;joint training and exercises, joint research and weapons development and intelligence sharing&rdquo; to fight &ldquo;the lopsided battle with terrorism, drug and human trafficking and cross-border crimes&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The sizable Chinese investments in Iranian ports development <strong>may eventually be turned into permanent military access arrangements</strong> with Iran.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Stakes Around the Chabahar Port:</strong> With a growing Chinese presence in Iran, India is concerned about its strategic stakes around the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/chabahar-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Chabahar port</strong></a> project that it has been developing. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The port is close to Gwadar port in Pakistan, which is being developed by China as part of its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that links it to the Indian Ocean through BRI.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Geopolitical Rivalry:</strong> India finds itself caught in the geopolitical rivalry between the US &amp; China over Iran. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s dilemma also stems from the fact that robust support from the US is essential when it is locked in a border stand-off with China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Impact on Relationship with Other Countries:</strong> Growing Chinese footsteps in Iran will have a long-lasting impact on India&rsquo;s relationship with not only Iran but also on Afghanistan and Central Asian nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 2015, Iran with the P5+1 group of world powers - the USA, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany agreed on a long-term deal on its nuclear programme.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The deal was named as <strong>Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)</strong> and in common parlance as <strong>Iran Nuclear Deal.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Under the deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear activity in return for the lifting of sanctions and access to global trade.</li>
<li>The agreement allowed Iran to accumulate small amounts of uranium for research but it banned the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-steps-up-uranium-enrichment#:~:text=For%20nuclear%20weapons%2C%20enrichment%20is,Uranium%2Freactor%2Dgrade%20uranium." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>enrichment of uranium</strong></a>, which is used to make reactor fuel and nuclear weapons.</li>
<li>Iran was also required to redesign a heavy-water reactor being built, whose spent fuel could contain plutonium suitable for a bomb and to allow international inspections.</li>
<li>In 2018, the <strong>United States declared its withdrawal from JCPOA</strong> and imposed unilateral sanction on Iran.</li>
<li>Iran has pulled away from restrictions imposed under the deal in order to put pressure on the other signatories &mdash; Germany, France, Britain, Russia and China &mdash; to provide new economic incentives to offset US sanctions.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/iran-china-sign-25-year-cooperation-agreement/article34176965.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 8054,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Evolving India-Bangladesh Relations',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <strong><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/good-neighbours-the-hindu-editorial-on-india-bangladesh-ties/article34201043.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Good neighbours: On India-Bangladesh ties&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Hindu on 31/03/2021. It talks about the new trends in India-Bangladesh ties.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister of India visited Bangladesh to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the war of liberation and the centenary year of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/gandhi-peace-prize-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.</strong></a></p>
<p>Historically, India&rsquo;s has played a critical role in the creation of Bangladesh. India&rsquo;s political, diplomatic, military and humanitarian support during Bangladesh&rsquo;s Liberation War played an important role towards Bangladesh&rsquo;s independence.</p>
<p>This is the first foreign visit since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic of the Indian Prime Minister and it conveys that India attaches <strong>great importance to the relationship with its eastern neighbour.</strong></p>
<p>Further, the recent events highlight a deeper understanding on both sides of the India-Bangladesh relationship. However, there are few challenges that need to be resolved for a win-win relationship.</p>
<h3>New Trends in India-Bangladesh Ties</h3>
<p>In the last decade, India-Bangladesh relations have warmed up, entering a new era of cooperation, and moving beyond historical and cultural ties to become more assimilated in the areas of trade, connectivity, energy, and defence. This can reflected in the following events:</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Military Cooperation:</strong> The Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has<strong> uprooted anti-India insurgency elements</strong> from its borders, making the India-Bangladesh border one of the region&rsquo;s most peaceful. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This has allowed India to make a massive redeployment of military resources to its more contentious borders elsewhere.</li>
<li>Further, Bangladesh handed over many of India&rsquo;s &ldquo;most wanted&rdquo; criminals.</li>
<li>India has also accepted an <strong>international tribunal verdict</strong> in favour of Bangladesh that resolved a <strong>40-year-old maritime dispute</strong> and built confidence as well.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Land Boundary Agreement:</strong> Bangladesh and India have achieved the rare feat of solving their border issues peacefully by ratifying the historic <strong>Land Boundary Agreement in 2015.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In that agreement, enclaves were swapped allowing inhabitants to choose their country of residence and become citizens of either India or Bangladesh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade Relations:</strong> Bangladesh today is India&rsquo;s biggest trading partner in South Asia with exports to Bangladesh in FY 2018-19 at $9.21 billion and imports at $1.04 billion. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Also, India has offered duty free access to multiple Bangladeshi products.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Development Sector:</strong> On the development front, cooperation has deepened, with India extending three lines of credit to Bangladesh in recent years amounting to $8 billion for the construction of roads, railways, bridges, and ports.</li>
<li><strong>Improved Connectivity:</strong> Connectivity between the two countries has greatly improved. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A direct bus service between Kolkata and Agartala runs a route distance of 500 km, as compared to the 1,650 km if it ran through the Chicken&rsquo;s Neck to remain within India.</li>
<li>Bangladesh allows the shipment of goods from its Mongla and Chattogram (Chittagong) seaports carried by road, rail, and water ways to Agartala.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>News Areas of Engagement:</strong> Bangladeshis make up a large portion of tourists in India, outnumbering all tourists arriving from western Europe in 2017, with one in every five tourists being a Bangladeshi. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Bangladesh accounts for more than <strong>35% of India&rsquo;s international medical patients</strong> and contributes more than 50% of India&rsquo;s revenue from medical tourism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Challenges in India-Bangladesh Ties</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Teesta River Dispute:</strong> Despite the remarkable progress, the unresolved Teesta water sharing issue looms large.</li>
<li><strong>Illegal Migration:</strong> The problem of Bangladeshi civilians being killed at the border has dented relations. The year 2020 saw the highest number of border shootings by the Border Security Force. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These shootings occur as many Bangladeshi people try to illegally migrate into India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>NRC &amp; CAA:</strong> Indian government&rsquo;s proposal to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the whole of India and impetus for the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA), reflects poorly on India-Bangladesh relations.</li>
<li><strong>China Factor:</strong> Despite its &lsquo;Neighbourhood First Policy&rsquo;, India has been losing its influence in the region to China.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Sri Lanka, Nepal and the Maldives, once considered traditional Indian allies, are increasingly tilting towards China due to the Asian giant&rsquo;s massive trade, infrastructural and defence investments in these countries.</li>
<li>China, in lieu of its cheque-book diplomacy, is well-entrenched in South Asia, including Bangladesh, with which it enjoys significant economic and defence relations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Learning From Bangladesh:</strong> Bangladesh is the region&rsquo;s fastest growing economy, with social indicators that other countries, including India, can learn.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is the vital link with which India can realise the full potential of either the economic or strategic underpinnings of its Act East policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Water Sharing:</strong> While all countries desire to be recognised as equal, they also want bigger countries to take more responsibility for protecting this equality. This, India must &ldquo;play a pioneering role in India-Bangladesh relations. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, as the larger country, the onus is on India to be generous enough to let the water flow and resolve the dispute over Teesta water and six other rivers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Balancing Trade:</strong> Trade could be more balanced if non-tariff barriers from the Indian side could be removed.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>As Bangladesh celebrates its 50 years of independence, India continues to be one of its most important neighbours and strategic partners. To make the recent gains irreversible, both countries need to continue working on the three Cs &mdash; cooperation, collaboration, and consolidation.</p>
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