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IAEA - Iran Deal over Nuclear Inspections

Why in News Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have agreed to temporary measures to offset Iran's decision to restrict access to...

23 Feb 2021 International Relations
India - Maldives

Why in News Recently, India and the Maldives have signed a defence Line of Credit agreement worth USD 50 million. The agreement was signed during...

23 Feb 2021 International Relations
Transatlantic Alliance

Why in News The USA President Joe Biden in his first address to the annual Munich Security Conference declared that the 'transatlantic alliance is...

20 Feb 2021 International Relations
NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21: UAE

Why in News Indian Naval Ship (INS) Pralaya arrived at Abu Dhabi, UAE to participate in the NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence Exhibition) and IDEX 21...

20 Feb 2021 International Relations
Quad Meeting

Why in News Recently, India joined Australia, Japan and the United States for a ministerial meeting under the Quadrilateral grouping (Quad) and...

20 Feb 2021 International Relations
Boosting Cooperation in South Asia

Why in News Recently, the Prime Minister suggested that neighbouring countries should consider creating a special visa scheme for doctors and...

19 Feb 2021 International Relations
India-China Disengagement

This article is based on “Looking ahead after the Ladakh walk back” which was published in The Hindu on 17/02/2021. It talks about the...

17 Feb 2021 International Relations
World Trade Organisation

Why in News Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the leading international trade...

17 Feb 2021 International Relations
New India-Russia Ties

This article is based on “Bridge the geopolitical distance with Russia” which was published in The Hindustan Times on 16/02/2021. It...

16 Feb 2021 International Relations
India-Poland Relations

Why in News Recently, Poland has invited India’s Prime Minister while he will be visiting Portugal for the European Union-India summit (May...

10 Feb 2021 International Relations
UN Human Rights Council

Why in News Recently, the United States announced that it would rejoin the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council that it left in 2018. The USA...

10 Feb 2021 International Relations
South China Sea Dispute

Why in News Recently, China warned off a USA warship sailing near contested Paracel islands in the South China Sea (SCS). Key...

10 Feb 2021 International Relations
India-Myanmar Relations

This article is based on “The long and the short of India’s Naypyitaw dilemma” which was published in The Hindu on 09/02/2021. It...

09 Feb 2021 International Relations
China’s New Project in Sri Lanka

Why in News Recently, a Chinese company has won a contract to set up hybrid wind and solar energy projects on three Sri Lankan islands off the...

09 Feb 2021 International Relations
India - Ukraine

Why in News Recently, Ukraine has shown interest to procure some military hardware from India in addition to efforts to deepen its presence in the...

09 Feb 2021 International Relations
Coup D’etat in Myanmar

The article is based on “The Way Forward in Myanmar” which was published in ‘The Hindu’ on 05/02/2021. It talks about how...

05 Feb 2021 International Relations
Taiwan Card Against China

This article is based on “Playing the Taiwan card” which was published in The Indian Express on 02/02/2021. It talks about the benefits...

04 Feb 2021 International Relations
Military Coup in Myanmar

Why in News Recently, the Myanmar military has grabbed power in a coup - the third time in the nation’s history since its independence from...

04 Feb 2021 International Relations
India Role In African Recovery

This article is based on “Towards a ‘healthy’ India-Africa partnership” which was published in The Hindu Business line on...

02 Feb 2021 International Relations
UK Visa Scheme For Hong Kong Residents

Why in News Recently, the UK has launched a special visa scheme that will allow the Hong Kong residents a chance to migrate and eventually apply for...

02 Feb 2021 International Relations

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		'article_id' => (int) 7761,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'IAEA - Iran Deal over Nuclear Inspections',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Iran and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/63rd-general-conference-of-iaea" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)</strong></a> have agreed to temporary measures to offset Iran's decision to restrict access to inspectors.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In December 2020, Iran&rsquo;s Parliament passed the law demanding a suspension of some inspections if the USA failed to lift sanctions.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Iran will <strong>stop the implementation of the voluntary measures</strong> as envisaged in the <strong>2015 nuclear deal,</strong> as of 23rd February 2021.</li>
<li>However, Iran will<strong> continue to implement</strong> fully and without limitation its <strong>Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA as before.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under <strong>a comprehensive safeguards agreement,</strong> the IAEA has the right and obligation to ensure that safeguards are applied on all nuclear material in the territory, jurisdiction or control of the State for the exclusive purpose of verifying that such material is not diverted to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>No access will be given to the IAEA beyond safeguards of the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/50-years-of-nuclear-non-proliferation-treaty-npt#:~:text=The%20treaty%20institutionalised%20the%20non,Russia%2C%20the%20UK%2C%20France%20and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Non-Proliferation Treaty</a>.</strong></li>
<li>Iran would <strong>deny the IAEA real-time access to footage from surveillance cameras</strong> installed at some sites and, if sanctions are not lifted within three months, delete it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Deal:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It certainly seems likely to<strong> defuse a mounting sense of crisis surrounding Iran's nuclear activities</strong> and efforts to <strong>breathe new life into the 2015 nuclear deal.</strong></li>
<li>It <strong>significantly reduces the impact of a new Iranian law,</strong> passed in 2020, which would have seriously hampered the IAEA's ability to do its work.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>2015 Nuclear Deal:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2015, Iran with the<strong> P5+1</strong> group of world powers - the USA, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany agreed on a long-term deal on its nuclear programme.</li>
<li>The deal was named as <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-blocking-sites-access-iaea#:~:text=Iran%20Nuclear%20Program%20and%20JCPOA&amp;text=The%20deal%20was%20named%20as,parlance%20as%20Iran%20Nuclear%20Deal.&amp;text=The%20agreement%20allowed%20Iran%20to,reactor%20fuel%20and%20nuclear%20weapons." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA)</strong></a> and in common parlance as Iran Nuclear Deal.</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 <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-steps-up-uranium-enrichment#:~:text=The%20deal%20was%20named%20as,parlance%20as%20Iran%20Nuclear%20Deal.&amp;text=The%20agreement%20allowed%20Iran%20to,reactor%20fuel%20and%20nuclear%20weapons." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>banned the enrichment of uranium</strong></a>, which is used to make reactor fuel and nuclear weapons.</li>
<li>Iran was also required to <strong>redesign a heavy-water reactor</strong> being built, whose spent fuel could contain plutonium suitable for a bomb and to <strong>allow international inspections.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1614079166_image4.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1614079166_image4.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>USA Abandoning the Deal in 2018:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In May 2018, the USA abandoned the deal criticising it as flawed and reinstated and tightened its sanctions.</li>
<li>Since sanctions were tightened, Iran has been steadily breaking some of its commitments to pressure the remaining signatories to find a way to provide sanctions relief.</li>
<li>The USA held that it would attempt to force all countries to stop buying Iranian oil and put pressure on Iran to negotiate a new nuclear accord.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>IAEA&rsquo;s Stand:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2018, an International Atomic Energy Agency&rsquo;s report concluded that Iran&rsquo;s stockpile of uranium and heavy water, as well as its implementation of additional protocols, were &ldquo;in compliance&rdquo; with the agreement.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>International Atomic Energy Agency</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Widely known as the world&rsquo;s <strong>&ldquo;Atoms for Peace and Development&rdquo;</strong> organization within the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations</strong> </a>family, the IAEA is the international centre for cooperation in the nuclear field.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The IAEA was created in 1957 in response to the deep fears and expectations generated by the discoveries and diverse uses of nuclear technology.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Headquarter:</strong> Vienna, Austria.</li>
<li><strong>Objective:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2005, it was awarded the <a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/nobel-prize-2020#:~:text=The%202020%20Nobel%20Peace%20Prize,weapon%20of%20war%20and%20conflict." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Nobel Peace Prize</strong></a> for their work for a safe and peaceful world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Functions:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is an<strong> independent international organization</strong> that reports annually to the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nation General Assembly.</strong></a></li>
<li>When necessary, the IAEA also reports to the UN Security Council in regards to instances of members&rsquo; non-compliance with safeguards and security obligations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/temporary-solution-found-ahead-of-iran-nuclear-deadline-iaea/article33898849.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7753,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India - Maldives',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, India and the Maldives have signed a <strong>defence Line of Credit agreement worth USD 50 million.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The agreement was <strong>signed during the visit by the External Affairs Minister of India to Maldives.</strong></li>
</ul>
<h3><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1614072409_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1614072409_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Defence Line of Credit:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It was <strong>signed pursuant to the request by the Government of Maldives in April 2013 for India&rsquo;s support and cooperation</strong> in enhancing the capability of the Maldives Defence Forces in maritime surveillance, and subsequent requests in October 2015 and March 2016.</li>
<li>It is seen as key to India&rsquo;s and Maldives&rsquo; strategic interests, particularly <strong>given China&rsquo;s increasing footprint in the Indian Ocean Region.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Assistance to Build Dockyards:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A dockyard will be developed at the <strong>Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) Naval Base</strong> with Indian assistance, a few miles northwest of Male, which will strengthen the Maldivian defence capabilities. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The agreement is <strong>part of the defence action plan signed in 2016</strong> by then Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom during a visit to India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Indicating deepening security cooperation, an agreement to develop, support and maintain a <strong>Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour</strong> at Sifavaru was also signed. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India will also support development of other infrastructure needed for the harbour, support the development of communications resources and radar services, and provide training.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Countering Terrorism:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Agreed to convene the first meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism, countering Violent Extremism and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/status-of-radicalisation-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>De-radicalisation</strong></a> at the the earliest.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Review of Infrastructure Projects:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A number of India-backed infrastructure projects including the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement Studies.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Collaboration at Multilateral Bodies:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Discussed collaboration at multilateral bodies like the General Assembly and Security Council of the <a href="/pdf/united-nations-1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Organisation.</strong></a><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Maldivian side <strong>assured India of its support for permanent membership of India</strong> at the &ldquo;expanded and reformed&rdquo; UN Security Council.</li>
<li><strong>India has also extended support for the candidature of the Maldives</strong> for the Presidency of the 76th session of the General Assembly.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation for Police Reforms:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Noted progress on institutionalising linkages between the police organisations to support collaboration and cooperation in training management and exchange of trainers and trainees.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>India - Maldives Relations</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Geo-Strategic Importance of Maldives to India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Maldives, a Toll Gate in Indian Ocean:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Located at the southern and northern parts of this island chain lies the two important <strong>sea lanes of communication (SLOCs).</strong></li>
<li>These SLOCs are critical for maritime trade flow between the Gulf of Aden and Gulf of Hormuz in West Asia and the Strait of Malacca in Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Nearly 50% of India&rsquo;s external trade and 80% of its energy imports transit these SLOCs in the Arabian Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Part of Important Groupings:</strong> Besides, Maldives is a member of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/visit-of-home-minister-of-maldives" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Asia</strong> <strong>Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC).</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation Between India &amp; Maldives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Security Cooperation:</strong> Through the decades, India has rushed emergency assistance to the Maldives, whenever sought.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 1988, when armed mercenaries attempted a coup against President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, India sent paratroopers and Navy vessels and restored the legitimate leadership under<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-sanjeevani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Operation Cactus.</strong></a></li>
<li>India and Maldive conduct the <strong>joint military exercise <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/exercise-ekuverin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;Ekuverin&rsquo;.</a></strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disaster Management:</strong> The 2004 tsunami and the drinking water crisis in Male a decade later were other occasions when India rushed assistance.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Maldives has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Covid-19 assistance and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines delivered</strong></a> by India among India&rsquo;s all of neighbouring countries.</li>
<li>When the world supply chains were blocked because of the pandemic, India continued to provide crucial commodities to the Maldives under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mission-sagar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Mission SAGAR.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>People To People Contact:</strong> Maldivian students attend educational institutions in India and patients fly here for superspeciality healthcare, aided by <strong>a liberal visa-free regime extended by India.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Economic Cooperation:</strong> Tourism is the mainstay of Maldivian economy. The country is now a major tourist destination for some Indians and a job destination for others.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Given the geographical limitations imposed on the Maldives, India has exempted the nation from export curbs on essential commodities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Irritants in Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Political Instability:</strong> India&rsquo;s major concern has been the impact of political instability in the neighbourhood on its security and development.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The February 2015 arrest of Maldives&rsquo; opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed on terrorism charges and the consequent political crisis have posed a real diplomatic test for India&rsquo;s neighbourhood policy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Radicalisation:</strong> In the past decade or so, the number of Maldivians drawn towards terrorist groups like the Islamic State (IS) and Pakistan-based madrassas and jihadist groups has been increasing.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Political instability and socio-economic uncertainty are the main drivers fuelling the rise of Islamist radicalism in the island nation.</li>
<li>This gives rise to the possibility of Pakistan based terror groups using remote Maldivian islands as a launch pad for terror attacks against India and Indian interests.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China Angle:</strong> China&rsquo;s strategic footprint in India&rsquo;s neighbourhood has increased. The Maldives has emerged as an important 'pearl' in China&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/new-sri-lanka-leadership" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;String of Pearls&rdquo;</strong></a> construct in South Asia.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Given the uncertain dynamics of Sino-Indian relation, China&rsquo;s strategic presence in the Maldives remains a concern.</li>
<li>Also, the Maldives have started using the China card to bargain with India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India-Maldives defense cooperation will enhance India&rsquo;s capability to monitor Chinese maritime and naval movements along vital sea lanes of communication that run alongside the Maldives.</li>
<li>In accordance with the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-is-indias-neighbourhood" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Neighbourhood First Policy&rdquo;</strong></a> of the government, India remains a committed development partner for a stable, prosperous and peaceful Maldives.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-maldives-sign-defence-and-security-related-pacts/article33894011.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7741,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Transatlantic Alliance',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>The <strong>USA President Joe Biden</strong> in his first address to the annual <strong>Munich Security Conference</strong> declared that the <strong>'transatlantic alliance is back'</strong> and <strong>stressed the need to defend democracy around the world.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The USA President <strong>intended to improve the strained relationship between the USA and other European allies.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Munich Security Conference</strong> is<strong> an annual conference on international security policy</strong> that has taken place in Munich, Bavaria (Germany) since 1963.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Transatlantic Alliance has been the <strong>cornerstone of the post-World War II world order.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is a real-world expression of West - of a sense that <strong>both sides of Atlantic are in it together.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is the foundation on which the collective security and shared prosperity of the USA and Europe are built.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, this historic, long-established friendship between the world&rsquo;s two largest economies has become strained in recent years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>T-TIP is an ambitious, comprehensive, and high-standard <strong>trade and investment agreement being negotiated between the United States and the European Union (EU).</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The TTIP negotiations were launched in 2013 and ended without conclusion at the end of 2016.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>T-TIP will be a cutting edge agreement aimed at providing greater <strong>compatibility and transparency</strong> in trade and investment regulation, while maintaining high levels of health, safety, and environmental protection.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Strained Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Donald Trump (former) administration flaunted its foreign policy through an <strong>&ldquo;America First&rdquo;</strong> lens.</li>
<li>The former American president <strong>not only attacked the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) -</strong> the fundamental structure of transatlantic alliance but also <strong>withdrew from virtually all multinational agreements</strong> recently <strong>championed by the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union (EU)</a></strong>, such as the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/iran-steps-up-uranium-enrichment#:~:text=Under%20the%20deal%2C%20Iran%20agreed,reactor%20fuel%20and%20nuclear%20weapons." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Iran nuclear deal</strong></a> and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/five-years-of-paris-climate-accord" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Paris climate agreement.</strong></a></li>
<li>The USA and the EU appear to be <strong>at odds with each other currently regarding their China interests,</strong> particularly on the economic and trade front.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance of the Latest Declaration:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>A boost to<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-role-in-multilateral-world-order" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> multilateralism.</strong></a></li>
<li>Concerned with maintaining its global strategic primacy, the <strong>USA was once equivocal about European defence</strong> and strategic autonomy. But as<strong> power has shifted eastward,</strong> subsequent <strong>USA governments have been keen to devote as much attention,</strong> money, and military muscle as possible <strong>to the Indo-Pacific.</strong></li>
<li>The Alliance <strong>can lead to development of an EU-USA carbon border adjustment mechanism,</strong> and can <strong>help in averting most catastrophic impacts of climate change.</strong></li>
<li>On<strong> Iran,</strong> Europeans can anticipate<strong> renewed negotiations on a revamped nuclear deal</strong> aimed at de-escalating tensions across the region.</li>
<li>Germany&rsquo;s Merkel spoke about the <strong>need of a transatlantic policy towards Russia.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Establishment:</strong> North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was <strong>established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty)</strong> of 4<sup>th</sup> April, 1949, by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NATO provides a<strong> unique transatlantic link</strong> for political and security cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Headquarters:</strong> Brussels, Belgium.</li>
<li><strong>Functioning:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>NATO is a <strong>political and military alliance</strong> whose primary goals are the collective defence of its members and the maintenance of a democratic peace in the North Atlantic area.</li>
<li>NATO has an <strong>integrated military command structure</strong> but very few forces or assets are exclusively its own. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most forces remain under full national command and control until member countries agree to undertake NATO-related tasks.</li>
<li>All 30 allies have an equal say, the Alliance&rsquo;s decisions must be unanimous and consensual, and its members must respect the basic values that underpin the Alliance, namely democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong> As of 2020, there are <strong>30 member states,</strong> with <strong>North Macedonia (2020) becoming the latest member</strong> to join the Alliance.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Member Countries: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Montenegro, North Macedonia and the United States.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/biden-declares-america-is-back-in-welcome-words-to-allies/article33885668.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7739,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21: UAE',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p><strong>Indian Naval Ship (INS) Pralaya</strong> arrived at Abu Dhabi, UAE to participate in the <strong>NAVDEX 21 (Naval Defence Exhibition)</strong> and <strong>IDEX 21 (International Defence Exhibition),</strong> scheduled from 20 to 25 February 2021.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>INS Mysore</strong> (an indigenously built guided missile destroyer deployed in the Persian Gulf) is also participating in the exhibition.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About NAVDEX 21 and IDEX 21:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>IDEX</strong> and <strong>NAVDEX,</strong> and the <strong>International Defence Conference</strong> are<strong> organised by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC),</strong> in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense and the General Command of the UAE Armed Forces.</li>
<li>IDEX/NAVDEX <strong>takes place biennially.</strong> The exhibitions<strong> showcase the latest technologies and innovation</strong> in the global defence sector, support the growth of UAE&rsquo;s defence industry, and forge new relationships between major international companies.</li>
<li><strong>IDEX</strong> is the only international defence exhibition and conference in the<strong> MENA region</strong> demonstrating the latest technology across land, sea and air sectors of defence. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>MENA Region:</strong> MENA is an acronym for the <strong>Middle East and North Africa region</strong> and includes <strong>approximately 19 countries.</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The MENA region accounts for approximately 6% of the world's population, 60% of the world's oil reserves, and 45% of the world's natural gas reserves.</li>
<li>Countries are Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>INS Pralaya:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>INS Pralaya, a ship of the indigenously built <strong>Prabal Class Missile Vessels,</strong> was commissioned in the Indian Navy in 2002.</li>
<li>The ship, built indigenously at Goa Shipyard Limited, bears testimony to capabilities of the Indian shipbuilding industry and is a versatile platform capable of performing a wide variety of surface warfare missions.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India and UAE Defence Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Defence relations between <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-uae-meet-on-investments" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and UAE</strong></a> have been steadily growing since the upgradation of bilateral relations to a<strong> &lsquo;Comprehensive Strategic Partnership&rsquo;</strong> in 2017. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the <strong>Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi</strong> (capital of UAE), was a <strong>Chief Guest at India&rsquo;s Republic Day celebrations</strong> in 2017.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Towards enhancing interactions between the two navies, the inaugural edition of<strong> Indian &amp; UAE Navy bilateral exercise GULF STAR-1</strong> was conducted in March 2018. The <strong>next edition</strong> of the exercise is likely to be conducted in <strong>2021.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>India's Defence Exhibitions</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>DefExpo:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/defexpo-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>11<sup>th</sup> edition of DefExpo</strong></a> was held for the first time in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) in 2020.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It's a flagship biennial event of the Ministry of Defence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Aero India:</strong> The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aero-india-2021-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>13<sup>th</sup> edition of the Aero India</strong> </a>show was held at Bengaluru&rsquo;s Yelahanka Air Force Station (Karnataka).<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Aero India is a biennial international military and civil airshow.</li>
<li>It is a premier event that draws international and Indian military and civil aircraft makers, their support industries, military brass and government dignitaries, and business visitors.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleseDetailm.aspx?PRID=1699469" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: PIB</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7737,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Quad Meeting',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently,<strong> India joined Australia, Japan and the United States</strong> for a ministerial meeting under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/quad-3#:~:text=Quadrilateral%20Security%20Dialogue%20(Quad)%20is,prosperous%E2%80%9D%20Indo%2DPacific%20region.&amp;text=However%2C%20the%20idea%20couldn't,apparently%20due%20to%20Chinese%20pressure." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Quadrilateral grouping</strong> </a>(Quad) and discussed issues across Indo-Pacific and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/military-coup-in-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>military takeover in Myanmar</strong></a>.</p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Meeting Highlights:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Discussed contemporary challenges, especially the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/impact-of-covid-19-on-global-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>impact of Covid-19</strong></a> and agreed to enhance access to affordable vaccines, medicines and medical equipment.</li>
<li>Discussed countering <strong>disinformation, counter-terrorism, maritime security,</strong> and the &ldquo;priority of<strong> strengthening democratic resilience</strong> in the broader region&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Emphasised their commitment to <strong>upholding a rules-based international order,</strong> underpinned by <strong>respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty,</strong> rule of law, transparency, <strong>freedom of navigation in the international seas</strong> and peaceful resolution of disputes.</li>
<li>Reiterated their &ldquo;common vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, with clear support for <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ASEAN</strong></a> cohesion and centrality&rdquo;, and noted that the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/new-indo-pacific-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Pacific concept</strong></a> had &ldquo;gathered growing international support, including in Europe&rdquo;.</li>
<li>Discussed <strong>climate change</strong> and cooperation in<strong> humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and supply chain resilience.</strong></li>
<li>Agreed on <strong>holding ministerial meetings of the Quad at least once a year</strong> and meetings at senior and working levels on a regular basis to bolster cooperation on advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The meeting, held in the backdrop of the ongoing <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-china-disengagement" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>withdrawal of Chinese forces from positions</strong></a> along the Line of Actual Control, underlines that India&rsquo;s interest in the Quad is not tactical but profoundly strategic.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>For India,</strong> the Quad is also about <strong>addressing the growing power imbalance with China</strong> that has manifold consequences for India&rsquo;s security and prosperity as well its regional and international standing.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It signalled the <strong>new USA administration&rsquo;s commitment to the Quad</strong> as a key formation in the Indo-Pacific.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The momentum behind the Quad picked up in 2020 in the wake of the <strong>Covid-19 crisis, China&rsquo;s growing assertiveness,</strong> and deterioration of <strong>China&rsquo;s bilateral relations with all Quad partners.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Chinese</strong> officials have likened the<strong> Quad to a &ldquo;mini NATO&rdquo;</strong> and said its activities are aimed at <strong>targeting third parties,</strong> a charge rejected by the four members of the group.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/pdf/nato-ally-status-to-india.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation)</strong></a> is a <strong>political and military alliance</strong> whose primary goals are the collective defence of its members and the maintenance of a democratic peace in the North Atlantic area.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Quad</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is <strong>an informal strategic dialogue between India, USA, Japan and Australia</strong> with a shared objective to ensure and support a &ldquo;free, open and prosperous&rdquo; Indo-Pacific region.</li>
<li>The <strong>idea of Quad was first mooted by former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007.</strong> However, the idea couldn&rsquo;t move ahead with Australia pulling out of it, apparently due to Chinese pressure.</li>
<li>In <strong>December 2012,</strong> Shinzo Abe again floated the concept of <strong>Asia&rsquo;s &ldquo;Democratic Security Diamond&rdquo;</strong> involving Australia, India, Japan and the USA to safeguard the maritime commons from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.</li>
<li>In <strong>November 2017,</strong> India, the USA, Australia and Japan <strong>gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" Coalition</strong> to develop a new strategy to<strong> keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence (especially China).</strong></li>
<li>In <strong>2020, all four Quad Countries -</strong> Japan, India, Australia and the USA <strong>took part in the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-to-join-malabar-exercise" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malabar exercise</a>.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Malabar exercise is <strong>an annual trilateral naval exercise </strong>between the navies of<strong> India, Japan, and the USA</strong> which is held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/quad-ministers-meeting-india-us-call-for-rule-of-law-in-myanmar/article33869964.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7729,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Boosting Cooperation in South Asia',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the Prime Minister <strong>suggested that neighbouring countries should consider creating a special visa scheme for doctors and nurses,</strong> so that they could travel quickly within the region during health emergencies, on the request of the receiving country.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>This suggestion was made during a workshop on <strong>&lsquo;<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid19</a> Management: Experience, Good Practices and Way Forward&rsquo;</strong> hosted by India with <strong>nine neighbouring nations, including Pakistan.</strong></li>
<li>The eight members of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/south-asian-association-for-regional-cooperation-saarc" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)</strong></a> and <strong>Mauritius and Seychelles</strong> participated in the workshop.</li>
<li><strong>SAARC</strong> comprises the following <strong>member States:</strong> Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Measures Proposed by India in the Workshop:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating a <strong>special visa scheme</strong> for doctors and nurses.</li>
<li>The <strong>civil aviation ministries</strong> should coordinate on a <strong>regional air ambulance agreement</strong> for medical contingencies.</li>
<li>Creating<strong> a regional platform</strong> for collating, compiling and studying data about the <strong>effectiveness of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid-19 vaccines</a></strong> among populations.</li>
<li>A <strong>regional network</strong> for promoting technology assisted epidemiology<strong> for preventing future pandemics.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Sharing of successful public health policies</strong> and schemes.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>From India, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fall-in-treatment-under-ayushman-bharat-yojana" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Ayushman Bharat</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/ayushmanbharat" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Jan Arogya schemes</strong></a> may be useful case-studies for the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Highlights:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Barring Pakistan, which hasn&rsquo;t requested vaccines from India, the other participating <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy#:~:text=Meaning%3A%20Vaccine%20diplomacy%20is%20the,strengthen%20ties%20with%20other%20nations." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>countries thanked India for supplies of vaccines</strong></a>, medicines and equipment amid the pandemic.</li>
<li><strong>South Asia was among the first regions</strong> to come together in recognising the threat (Covid-19) and committing to fight it together.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The countries in the region created a <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/video-conference-of-saarc-leaders-on-covid-19#:~:text=COVID%2D19%20Emergency%20Fund%3A,a%20contribution%20to%20the%20fund." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 emergency response fund</strong></a> and shared resources, equipment and knowledge.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The region shares many<strong> common challenges &ndash;</strong> climate change, natural disasters, poverty, illiteracy, and social and gender imbalances, and also <strong>share the power of centuries-old cultural and people-to-people linkages. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Significance:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The participation of all the SAARC members including Pakistan has opened <strong>an opportunity to resolve the issues among its members</strong> and restart the regional development cooperation initiatives such as South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>SAARC Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Lack of Unanimity:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Consensus building continues to be a challenge on major decisions. For e.g. During the 18<sup>th</sup> SAARC Summit in Kathmandu in 2014, the signing of the <strong>SAARC motor vehicle agreement (MVA)</strong> had to be stalled as Pakistan declined to it.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Tussle Between Countries:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Most of the smaller states and external players believe that the<strong> India-Pakistan conflict</strong> has undermined SAARC.</li>
<li>Pakistan&rsquo;s use of terror as an instrument of foreign policy has made normal business impossible. Therefore, India pulled out of the summit that was to be held in Pakistan in 2016 in the aftermath of the Uri terror attack.</li>
<li><strong>Dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the Durand line,</strong> is also a reason for tussle within SAARC.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Domination by India:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s economic position vis-a vis other SAARC countries, has often been the subject of criticism that India acts as a big brother rather than a strategic partner.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Marginalisation by Other Organisations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>SAARC has become almost marginal to the regions' collective consciousness and other organisations such as the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/drishti-specials-important-international-bimstec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)</strong></a> came into the forefront.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India should enhance cooperation like recently, it contributed USD 10 million to SAARC Covid-19 Emergency Fund and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>supplied vaccines</strong></a> for countries in the SAARC region (Eg. <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/operation-sanjeevani" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Operation Sanjeevani</strong> </a>for Maldives).</li>
<li>SAARC revival by promoting <strong>confidence building measures (CDM)</strong> among its members will facilitate India&rsquo;s <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/what-is-indias-neighbourhood" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>neighbourhood first policy</strong></a> in meeting the challenge of regional strategic encroachment by China through its<a href="/to-the-points/Paper2/obor-cpec" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Belt and Road Initiative.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/to-neighbours-pm-moots-special-visa-scheme-for-medical-staff/article33871660.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7714,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India-China Disengagement',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/looking-ahead-after-the-ladakh-walk-back/article33854596.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Looking ahead after the Ladakh walk back&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 17/02/2021. It talks about the recent agreement between India and China on disengagement at Pangong Lake.</p>
</div>
<p>Recently, India and China have decided to finally reach an agreement on disengagement at Pangong Lake, which has been at the heart of the recent LAC tensions.</p>
<p>Both sides have agreed to a withdrawal of frontline personnel, armored elements, and proposed the creation of a buffer zone that will put a temporary moratorium on patrolling in the disputed lake. China is also asking India to vacate the heights it occupied in an effective countermove in the Kailash Range.</p>
<p>This disengagement process is a promising start towards restoring peace in the border areas. However, there are many other issues that needed to be resolved to establish lasting peace.</p>
<h3>Major Issues Associated With Disengagement Process</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Partial Disengagement:</strong> The current disengagement is limited to two places on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh viz. north bank of Pangong lake and Kailash range to the south of Pangong.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, there are three other sites of contention on the Ladakh border where the PLA had come in &mdash; Depsang, Gogra-Hot Springs and Demchok &mdash; and talks will be held to resolve these after the current phase of disengagement is completed.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Unresolved Issue of Depsang Plains:</strong> The Depsang plains due to their proximity to the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie road, the DBO airstrip, and the Karakoram Pass holds strategic importance for India when it comes to dealing with China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Moreover, the Daulat Beg Oldie road is critical for India&rsquo;s control over the Siachen glacier.</li>
<li>Siachen glacier is the only area on the Indian landmass where China and Pakistan can physically collude militarily.</li>
<li>Therefore, the immediate concern is the status of the Depsang plateau where China has acquired a tactical advantage that can jeopardize India&rsquo;s access to Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) and air assets in that region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issue Regarding Creation of Buffer Zone:</strong> There are worries that the creation of proposed buffer zones would lie majorly on the Indian side of the LAC, thus converting a hitherto Indian-controlled territory into a neutral zone.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>At best, these buffer zones can provide a temporary reprieve but are no alternative to the mutual delineation of the LAC and a final settlement of the Sino-Indian boundary.</li>
<li>Further, for the sake of disengagement at the north bank, China is asking India to withdraw from the important hills it acquired in the Kailash Range.</li>
<li>Thus, it raises questions about the wisdom of giving up the only leverage India had against China in Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Distrust Between India &amp; China:</strong> The events of last year have left enormous distrust, which remains a hurdle, and China&rsquo;s actions on the ground have not always matched its commitments.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, China is wary of India&rsquo;s attractiveness to the United States and the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.</li>
<li>Owing to the disputed nature of the border and a lack of trust between the two sides, any perceived violations of &lsquo;no patrol&rsquo; zones can lead to deadly outcomes as seen in Galwan valley in 2020.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Clubbing Depsang Issue With Current Negotiations:</strong> The Chinese excuse that the Depsang problem precedes the current crisis on the LAC and thus must be treated separately, is not in India&rsquo;s interest.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Thus, India should pitch hard to club them together and find a holistic solution.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Extending Counteraction:</strong> India should not confine its response to managing the border dispute but extend it to attacking Chinese commercial interests in India and aligning itself more closely with its Quad partners, especially in the maritime domain.</li>
<li><strong>Playing Taiwan Card:</strong> On the foreign policy front, India should explore diplomatic and militaristic routes to counter China. Apart from colluding with the Quad countries, one such viable option is establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.</li>
<li><strong>Defense Reforms:</strong> India should look Ladakh crisis as an opportunity to carry out long-pending defense reforms.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>One such much-needed reform is the military&rsquo;s internal organization. For instance, one of the biggest sources of concern for India&rsquo;s military is the pension bill.</li>
<li>This rise in the pension expenditure has a significant crowding-out effect on stores and modernization, two major components that determine a nation's war-fighting ability.&rdquo;</li>
<li>The current approach to this problem seems to be two-fold &mdash; a farcical three-year &ldquo;Tour of Duty&rdquo; to attract the young and an effort to prevent pensionable soldiers from leaving.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The current disengagement process is a welcome move because heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed Asian powers serve no useful purpose for anyone. However, the success of the new disengagement plan will finally depend on whether it is implemented on the ground in letter and in spirit.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffef7;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>This disengagement process between India and China is a promising start towards restoring peace in the border areas. However, there are many other issues that needed to be resolved to establish lasting peace. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6g0ZOXb9LfA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/death-trap-on-labour-reforms/article33845038.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Death trap: On Labour reforms&rdquo;</strong> </a>published in The Hindu on February 16<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7706,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'World Trade Organisation',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Nigeria's <strong>Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala</strong> was appointed as <strong>Director-General</strong> of the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/world-trade-organisation-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>World Trade Organisation (WTO)</strong></a>, the leading international trade body.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala</strong> is the <strong>first African official</strong> and the<strong> first woman</strong> to hold the position.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Origin of WTO:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The WTO is the successor to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-moved-to-wto-on-us-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)</strong></a>, which was created in 1947.</li>
<li>The<strong> Uruguay Round (1986-94)</strong> of the GATT led to the WTO's creation. WTO began operations on 1<sup>st</sup> January, 1995.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Agreement Establishing the WTO, commonly known as the <strong>&ldquo;Marrakesh Agreement&rdquo;,</strong> was signed in Marrakesh, Morocco in 1994.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>WTO is an<strong> international organization</strong> dealing with the rules of trade between nations.</li>
<li>Main difference between GATT and WTO was that <strong>GATT mostly dealt with trade in goods,</strong> the <strong>WTO and its agreements could not only cover goods but also trade in services and other intellectual properties</strong> like trade creations, designs, and inventions.</li>
<li><strong>Headquarters:</strong> Geneva, Switzerland.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The WTO has <strong>164 members</strong> (including <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a>) and <strong>23 observer governments</strong> (like Iran, Iraq, Bhutan, Libya etc).</li>
<li><strong>India</strong> is <strong>a founder member</strong> of the 1947 GATT and its successor, the WTO.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Governing Structure:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1613553941_image3.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1613553941_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>Ministerial Conference:</strong></li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Structure of the WTO is dominated by its highest authority, the Ministerial Conference, <strong>composed of representatives of all WTO members,</strong> which is required to <strong>meet at least every two years</strong> and which can take decisions on all matters under any of the multilateral trade agreements.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>General Council:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is <strong>composed of all WTO members</strong> and is <strong>required to report to the Ministerial Conference. </strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Dispute Settlement Body and Trade Policy Review Body:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>General Council convenes in two particular forms:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Dispute Settlement Body:</strong> To oversee the dispute settlement procedures.</li>
<li><strong>Trade Policy Review Body:</strong> To conduct regular reviews of the trade policies of individual WTO members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Objectives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To set and<strong> enforce rules for international trade.</strong></li>
<li>To provide a<strong> forum for negotiating and monitoring</strong> further trade liberalization.</li>
<li>To <strong>resolve trade disputes.</strong></li>
<li>To<strong> increase the transparency</strong> of decision-making processes.</li>
<li>To <strong>cooperate with other major international economic institutions</strong> involved in global economic management.</li>
<li>To <strong>help developing countries</strong> benefit fully from the global trading system.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Achievements of WTO:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Global Facilitation of Trade:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>By <strong>building binding rules for global trade</strong> in goods and services, WTO has facilitated dramatic growth in cross-border business activity.</li>
<li>The WTO has not only <strong>enhanced the value and quantity of trade but has also helped in eradicating trade and non-trade barriers.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improved Economic Growth:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since 1995, the value of <strong>world trade has nearly quadrupled,</strong> while the <strong>real volume of world trade has expanded by 2.7 times.</strong></li>
<li>Domestic reforms and market-opening commitments have resulted in the lasting boost to national income of nations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Increased Global Value Chains:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The predictable market conditions fostered by the WTO, have combined with improved communications to <strong>enable the rise of global value chains,</strong> trade within these value chains today accounts for almost 70% of total merchandise trade.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Upliftment of Poor Countries:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The least-developed countries receive extra attention in the WTO. All the WTO agreements recognize that they must benefit from the greatest possible flexibility, and <strong>better-off members must make extra efforts to lower import barriers on least-developed countries&rsquo; exports.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s State Capitalism:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China&rsquo;s state-owned enterprises present a major challenge to the free-market global trading system and the rulebook of the WTO is inadequate for addressing these challenges.</li>
<li>It is due to this that<strong> USA-China</strong> are also engaged in <a href="/to-the-points/paper3/trade-war-6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Trade war</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Institutional Issues:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> Appellate Body&rsquo;s operations have effectively been suspended</strong> since December 2019, as the USA&rsquo;s blocking of appointments has left the body without a quorum of adjudicators needed to hear appeals.</li>
<li>The<strong> crisis with the dispute settlement function of the WTO</strong> is closely linked to the breakdown in its negotiation function.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Lack of Transparency:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There is a problem in WTO negotiations as <strong>there is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/developing-country-status-in-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no agreed definition of what constitutes a developed or developing country</a></strong> at the WTO.</li>
<li>Members can currently self-designate as developing countries to receive &lsquo;special and differential treatment&rsquo; &ndash; a practice that is the subject of much contention.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>E-commerce &amp; Digital Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>While the global trade landscape has changed significantly over the past 25 years, WTO rules have not kept pace.</li>
<li>In 1998, realizing that <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/india-s-take-on-e-commerce-at-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>e-commerce</strong></a> would play a growing role in the global economy, WTO members established a WTO e-commerce moratorium to examine all trade-related issues relating to global electronic commerce.</li>
<li>Recently, however, the moratorium has been called into question by developing countries because of its implications for collecting revenue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Agriculture and Development: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india%27s-disputes-at-wto" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Agreement on agriculture</strong></a> is facing issues due to food security and development requirements for developing countries like India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Modernizing the WTO will necessitate<strong> the development of a new set of rules</strong> for dealing with digital trade and e-commerce.</li>
<li>WTO members will also have to <strong>deal more effectively with China&rsquo;s trade policies and practices,</strong> including how to better handle state-owned enterprises and industrial subsidies.</li>
<li>Given the pressing issues around <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/climate-change-and-development-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>climate change</strong></a>, <strong>increased efforts to align trade and environmental sustainability</strong> could help to both tackle climate change and reinvigorate the WTO.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/nigerias-ngozi-okonjo-iweala-to-head-world-trade-organization/article33844040.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7705,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'New India-Russia Ties',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/bridge-the-geopolitical-distance-with-russia-101613393990382.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Bridge the geopolitical distance with Russia&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Hindustan Times on 16/02/2021. It talks about the importance that Russia and India hold for each other in the present geopolitical scenario.</p>
</div>
<p>The year 2020 saw several geopolitical events that impacted both India and Russia. For instance, the sharpening rivalry between the US and China, the India-China border tussle, the continuing decline in ties between the West and Russia, and now change of leadership in the US.</p>
<p>As Russia and India both desire a multi-polar world, they are equally important for each other in fulfilling each other's national interests. However, due to the changing geopolitical scenario, the relationship between both countries is not as good as it used to be in the cold war era.</p>
<p>In this context, the forthcoming visit of India&rsquo;s Foreign secretary to Russia is a good occasion to examine the relevance of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/recalibration-of-india-russia-ties" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indo-Russian ties</strong></a> in a world of changing geopolitical equations.</p>
<h3>Importance of Russia for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Balancing China:</strong> The Chinese aggression in the border areas of eastern Ladakh, brought India-China relations to an inflection point, but also demonstrated that Russia is capable of contributing to defusing tensions with China.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia organized a trilateral meeting among the foreign ministers of Russia, India, and China following deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in the disputed territory of Ladakh.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Emerging New Sectors of Economic Engagement:</strong> Apart from traditional areas of cooperation such as weapons, hydrocarbons, nuclear energy, and diamonds, new sectors of economic engagement are likely to emerge &mdash; mining, agro-industrial, and high technology, including robotics, nanotech, and biotech.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s footprint in the Russian Far East and in the Arctic is set to expand. Connectivity projects may get a boost too.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Combating Terrorism:</strong> India and Russia are working to close the gap on Afghanistan and are calling for early finalization of the <a href="/printpdf/at-unga-india-call-for-early-adoption-of-ccit#:~:text=In%201996%2C%20with%20the%20objective,International%20Terrorism%E2%80%9D%20(CCIT).&amp;text=To%20ban%20all%20terror%20groups%20and%20shut%20down%20terror%20camps." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.</strong></a></li>
<li><strong>Support At Multilateral Forums:</strong> Additionally, Russia supports India&rsquo;s candidacy for permanent membership of a reformed United Nations Security Council and of the Nuclear Suppliers Group.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Importance of India For Russia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Balancing China:</strong> Russia and China are currently in a quasi-alliance setup. However, Russia repeatedly reiterates that it does not see itself as anybody&rsquo;s junior partner. That&rsquo;s why Russia wants India to act as a balancer.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For Instance, Russia&rsquo;s Far East is a huge landmass that is rich in resources but is sparsely populated and underdeveloped.</li>
<li>Till now, its development has primarily revolved around Chinese dominance and so Russia wants to diversify with the help of India to lessen Russia&rsquo;s growing dependence on China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reviving Eurasian Economic Union:</strong> Russia seeks to leverage India&rsquo;s soft power to gain legitimacy in the success of the Eurasian Economic Union, and re-establishing its hegemony, as it existed during the cold war era.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Main Challenge</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India Going West:</strong> China&rsquo;s expansionist foreign policy forced India to shed past hesitations and actively pursue closer ties with the West, particularly the US.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can be reflected in a determined restart of the Quad process and a clearer enunciation of a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Russia Going East:</strong> The Western countries have imposed harsh economic sanctions towards Russia after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Russia responded to these efforts to isolate it, by revving up its own &ldquo;Pivot to the East&rdquo;.</li>
<li>The most distinct results of which are markedly improved relations with China, and better ties with Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan.</li>
<li>Russia&rsquo;s Pivot to the East policy is not in synergy with that of the US and subsequently, the relationship between India and Russia suffers.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<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. However, Russia&rsquo;s role in the Indo-Pacific will depend on how successful it is in dealing with the fundamental problems hindering its economic development.
<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 must 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>
<li><strong>Cooperation At Multilateral Forums:</strong> India and Russia continue to share a common strategic rationale for their relationship.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Apart from bilateral synergies, the two are members of various multilateral organizations including BRICS, RIC, G20, East Asia Summit, and SCO&mdash;where avenues for cooperation on issues of mutual importance exist.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>It is clear that India &amp; Russia still regard each other as valued partners with a friendship built on deep mutual trust, their foreign policy goals are taking them in different directions.</p>
<p>However, neither India nor Russia wants to be a junior partner to China or the United States. Thus, both countries can turn back to and bolster ties as existed in the cold war era.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #fffffc;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Despite the foreign policy, goals are taking them in different directions, it is imperative for India and Russia to bolster their ties. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bx7Z0UxoROA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/endless-war-the-hindu-editorial-on-why-saudi-arabia-should-end-its-yemen-blockade/article33836570.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Endless war: On why Saudi Arabia should end its Yemen blockade&rdquo;</strong> </a>published in The Hindu on February 15<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7661,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India-Poland Relations',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Poland</strong> has invited India&rsquo;s Prime Minister while he will be visiting <strong>Portugal</strong> for the <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Union</a>-India summit (May 2021),</strong> and<strong> Cornwall, United Kingdom</strong> to attend the<a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/g-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> G7</strong> </a><strong>grouping where India is a special invitee (June 2021).</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Poland is also negotiating with India for a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/travel-bubble#:~:text=Key%20Points,and%20open%20travel%20and%20tourism." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> travel bubble arrangement</strong></a> to resume direct flights suspended due to <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/comprehensive-action-plan-for-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Creating a travel bubble <strong>involves reconnecting countries or states which have shown a good level of success in containing the Covid-19 pandemic</strong> domestically.</li>
<li>Such a bubble would <strong>allow the members of the group to restart trade ties</strong> with each other and open travel and tourism.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612954030_image10.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612954030_image10.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="500" height="384" /></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Poland <strong>diplomatic relations</strong> were <strong>established in 1954,</strong> leading to the opening of the <strong>Indian Embassy in Warsaw in 1957.</strong></li>
<li>The two countries shared common ideological perceptions, based on their opposition to colonialism, imperialism and racism.</li>
<li>During the<strong> Communist era of Poland (1944 to 1989), bilateral relations were close and cordial,</strong> with regular high level visits, coupled with planned trade and economic interactions by state trading organizations, underpinned by the rupee clearing arrangements.</li>
<li>The <strong>relationship continued to remain close after Poland chose the democratic path in 1989.</strong></li>
<li>A cordial political relationship has emerged in the current century, particularly after Poland joined the<strong> European Union</strong> in 2004, and became one of India&rsquo;s key economic partners in Central Europe.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic &amp; Commercial Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Export:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Poland is <strong>India&rsquo;s largest trade partner and export destination in the Central European region,</strong> with bilateral trade growing almost seven-fold over the last ten years.</li>
<li>As per Indian statistics, the overall value of <strong>bilateral trade in 2019 was USD 2.36 billion.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s export to Poland contributed to 0.48% of overall India&rsquo;s export. Only 0.15% of India&rsquo;s import was covered by Poland in 2019.</li>
<li>As per the statistics, the increase of bilateral trade by 2.5% was visible in 2019 in comparison with previous years.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian investments in Poland are valued at over <strong>USD 3 billion.</strong></li>
<li>Total Polish investment in India is estimated at <strong>USD 672 million.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Foreign Direct Investment (FDI):</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>From April 2000 to March 2019, India recorded over <strong>USD 672 million of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fdi-inflow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FDI</a> from Poland,</strong> 0.16%of its total FDI inflows in that period.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sectoral Collaboration: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Agro and<a href="/to-the-points/paper3/food-processing-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Food processing</a> sectors:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Poland possesses world class food processing including preservation/storage technologies while India is one of the largest producers for many fruits, dairy and agro products.</li>
<li>An MoU on agriculture for technical and institutional cooperation was signed between both countries in April 2017.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Information Technology (IT) Sector:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Around <strong>thirteen Indian IT companies, employing more than 10,000 professionals, are currently active in Poland</strong> and are also operating their Europe operation from here.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Textile Sector:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India has presently a share of only<strong> 3.73% overall in the Polish Textile and Apparel Imports (valued at USD 400 million).</strong></li>
<li>There is of course, much potential for increase in its exports, provided conducive circumstances are created for Indian Exporters.</li>
<li>Presently, about 30-40% of goods exported by India to Poland are re-exported to other EU Countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Mining/Energy Sector:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Poland possesses reputed <strong>clean coal technologies</strong> and Polish public sector companies have played a substantial role in development of mining and power sectors in India.</li>
<li>India and Poland signed a<strong> Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)</strong> in 2019 to enhance <strong>bilateral cooperation in the coal and mining sector.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pharmaceutical and Chemicals Sector:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Given Poland&rsquo;s strategic location, shortages in healthcare personnel and 25% growth in the pharma market in the last 5 years, there are <strong>good opportunities for Indian exporters and investors.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Cultural and Educational Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>There is a strong tradition of Indology studies in<strong> Poland, with Polish scholars having translated Sanskrit into Polish as early as in the 19<sup>th</sup> Century.</strong></li>
<li>Polish Mission organised the <strong>150<sup>th</sup> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/mahatma-gandhi-jayanti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi</a></strong> in 2019. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Polish Post (Poczta Polska)<strong> issued a Commemorative Stamp on the 150<sup>th</sup> Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi</strong> which was released on the occasion.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>On the occasion of 550<sup>th</sup> Prakash Purab of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/guru-nanak-dev-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Guru Nanak Dev ji</strong></a>, Mission and Gurudwara Sahib of Poland <strong>jointly organised functions at Gurudwara Sahib, Poland.</strong></li>
<li>The first <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-day-of-yoga" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>International Day of Yoga</strong></a> was organized in 21 cities in Poland on June 21, 2015. An estimated 11000 people participated in public events.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Indian Community:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Estimated at approximately<strong> 10,000, the Indian community in Poland consists of traders (textiles, garments and electronics)</strong> who came after the collapse of communism, and professionals with multinational or Indian companies and software/IT experts, including a rising number of Indian students.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/as-pm-plans-two-europe-visits-poland-pitches-for-warsaw-stop/article33792728.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7656,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'UN Human Rights Council',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>United States announced that it would rejoin the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations</a> (UN) Human Rights Council</strong> that it left in 2018.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The USA will return to the Council as an observer with the aim of seeking election as a full member.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Human Rights Council is <strong>an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system</strong> responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/international-human-rights-day-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>human rights</strong></a> around the world.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Formation:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Council was<strong> created by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006.</strong> It<strong> replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.</strong></li>
<li>The <strong>Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) serves as the Secretariat</strong> of the Human Rights Council.</li>
<li>OHCHR <strong>is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Members:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It is made up of <strong>47 United Nations Member States</strong> which are elected by the UN General Assembly (UNGA). <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The UNGA takes into account the candidate States' contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Council's Membership is based on equitable geographical distribution. Seats are distributed as follows:<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>African States: 13 seats</li>
<li>Asia-Pacific States: 13 seats</li>
<li>Latin American and Caribbean States: 8 seats</li>
<li>Western European and other States: 7 seats</li>
<li>Eastern European States: 6 seats</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Members of the Council <strong>serve for a period of three years</strong> and are <strong>not eligible for immediate re-election after serving two consecutive terms.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Procedures and Mechanisms:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Universal Periodic Review:</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unhrc-s-upr" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UPR</strong> </a>serves to<strong> assess the human rights situations in all United Nations Member States.</strong></li>
<li><strong>Advisory Committee:</strong> It<strong> serves as the Council&rsquo;s &ldquo;think tank&rdquo;</strong> providing it with expertise and advice on thematic human rights issues.</li>
<li><strong>Complaint Procedure:</strong> It <strong>allows individuals and organizations to bring human rights violations to the attention</strong> of the Council.</li>
<li><strong>UN Special Procedures:</strong> These are <strong>made up of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-special-rapporteurs-on-eia-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special rapporteurs</a>,</strong> special representatives, independent experts and working groups that monitor, examine, advise and<strong> publicly report on thematic issues or human rights situations in specific countries.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Related to the Membership:</strong> A key concern for some critics has been the <strong>composition of Council membership,</strong> which sometimes <strong>includes countries widely perceived as human rights abusers.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>China, Cuba, Eritrea, Russia and Venezuela,</strong> all of which have been accused of human rights abuses.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Disproportionate Focus:</strong> USA pulled out of the Agency in 2018 due to its disproportionate focus on Israel, which has received by far the largest number of critical council resolutions against any country.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India and UN Human Rights Council:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, a group of <strong>Special Rapporteurs to the United Nations</strong> (UN) has written to the Indian government <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-special-rapporteurs-on-eia-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressing concerns</a> over the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020.</strong></li>
<li>In 2020, India&rsquo;s <strong>National Human Rights Commission</strong> submitted its mid-term report to the Council as a part of the third round of the<strong> Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.</strong></li>
<li>India <strong>was elected to the Council</strong> for a period of three years beginning 1<sup>st</sup> January 2019.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-moves-to-rejoin-un-rights-council-reversing-trump-anew/article33778426.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source :TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7655,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'South China Sea Dispute',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>China warned off a USA warship</strong> sailing near contested <strong>Paracel islands in the South China Sea (SCS).</strong></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<p><strong>About</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Claim:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>China lays claim to nearly all of the South China Sea,</strong> including the Paracel Islands.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>However, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the region,<strong> believed to hold valuable oil and gas deposits.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It has alleged that the USA warship broke into China&rsquo;s <em>Xisha</em> (Paracel) island&rsquo;s territorial waters without the permission of the Chinese government and <strong>accused USA for &ldquo;seriously violating China&rsquo;s sovereignty&rdquo; and &ldquo;harming regional peace.&rdquo;</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>USA&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The USA has argued that such exercises are in line with international law and help <strong>defend the right of passage</strong> through the region amid competing claims by China and other governments.</li>
<li>It is in sync with the USA's continuous efforts to counter China&rsquo;s assertion in SCS. Recently the USA Navy sent an aircraft carrier group into the South China Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>South China Sea</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> South China Sea is<strong> an arm of western Pacific Ocean</strong> in Southeast Asia. It is south of China, east &amp; south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It is<strong> connected by Taiwan Strait</strong> with the East China Sea and by <strong>Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Bordering states &amp; territories (clockwise from north):</strong> the People&rsquo;s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.</li>
<li><strong>Strategic Importance:&nbsp;</strong>This sea holds tremendous strategic importance for its location as it is the <strong>connecting link between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean (Strait of Malacca).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>According to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/world-investment-report-unctad" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>United Nations Conference on Trade And Development (UNCTAD)</strong></a> one-third of the global shipping passes through it, carrying trillions of trade which makes it a significant geopolitical water body.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612942060_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612942060_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="600" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reasons For Dispute in the South China Sea:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Contesting Claims Over Islands:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>The Paracel Islands</strong> are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.</li>
<li><strong>The Spratly Islands</strong> are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Philippines.</li>
<li><strong>The Scarborough Shoal</strong> is claimed by Philippines, China and Taiwan.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Assertion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Since 2010, <strong>China has been converting uninhabited islets into artificial islets</strong> to bring it under <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/unclos-maritime-zones" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>UNCLOS</strong></a> (examples would include Haven Reef, Johnson South Reef and Fiery Cross Reef).</li>
<li><strong>China has been changing the size and structure of the reefs</strong> by modifying their physical land features. <strong>It has also established airstrips on Parcel and Spratly.</strong></li>
<li>Chinese fishing fleets are engaged in paramilitary work on behalf of the state rather than the commercial enterprise of fishing.</li>
<li>The US is very critical of this building of artificial islands and terms these actions of China as building a <strong>&lsquo;great wall of sand&rsquo;.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Issues:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Undefined geographic scope</strong> of the South China Sea.</li>
<li><strong>Disagreement over dispute settlement</strong> mechanisms.</li>
<li>Undefined legal status of the <strong>Code of Conduct (COC)</strong> add to it.</li>
<li>The different histories of distant, largely uninhabited archipelagos of the sea make the matter more complicated and multifaceted.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612942392_image2.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612942392_image2.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India's Stand:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has maintained that it is not a party to the SCS dispute and its presence in the SCS is not to contain China but to <strong>secure its own economic interests, especially that of its energy security needs.</strong></li>
<li>However, China&rsquo;s increasing ability to decide and expand its role in the South China Sea has compelled India to reevaluate its approach on the issue.</li>
<li>As a key element of the <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East Policy</strong></a>, India has started<strong> internationalizing disputes</strong> in the <strong>Indo-Pacific region</strong> to oppose China&rsquo;s threatening tactics in SCS.</li>
<li>Further, India is using its Buddhist legacy to make a strong bond with the Southeast Asian region.</li>
<li>India has also deployed its navy with Vietnam in the South China <strong>Sea for protection of sea lanes of communication (SLOC),</strong> denying China any space for assertion.</li>
<li>Also, India is part of <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/quad-and-g-4-meet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quad initiative</a> (India, US, Japan, Australia)</strong> and lynchpin of Indo-Pacific narrative. These initiatives are viewed as a containment strategy by China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/beijing-warns-off-us-warship-in-s-china-sea/article33762768.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7654,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India-Myanmar Relations',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-long-and-the-short-of-indias-naypyitaw-dilemma/article33785809.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;The long and the short of India&rsquo;s Naypyitaw dilemma&rdquo;</strong></a> which was published in The Hindu on 09/02/2021. It talks about the strategic importance of Myanmar and the implications of the recent Coup D&rsquo;etat.</p>
</div>
<p>The long-lingering power struggle in Myanmar has finally ended. The Myanmar junta or Myanmar&rsquo;s military has toppled the democratically elected government in a<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/coup-d-etat-in-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Coup D&rsquo;etat.</strong> </a>This has smashed decade-long hopes for a truly democratic Myanmar.</p>
<p>As the future of Myanmar&rsquo;s democracy is now uncertain and given its strategic importance, this Coup D&rsquo;etat will have geopolitical implications for the region and India.</p>
<h3>Strategic Importance of Myanmar for India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:</strong> India and Myanmar relationship officially got underway after the Treaty of Friendship was signed in 1951, after which the foundation for a more meaningful relationship was established during Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi&rsquo;s visit in 1987.</li>
<li><strong>Muti-faceted Relationship:</strong> India and Myanmar have traditionally had much in common, with cultural, historical, ethnic, and religious ties, in addition to sharing a long geographical land border and maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.</li>
<li><strong>Geo-Strategic Location of Myanmar:</strong> Myanmar is geopolitically significant to India as it stands at the center of the India-Southeast Asia geography.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Myanmar is the only Southeast Asian country that shares a land border with northeastern India, stretching some 1,624 kilometers.</li>
<li>The two countries also share a 725-km maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Confluence of Two Foreign policy Doctrines:</strong> Myanmar is the only country that sits at the intersection of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/indias-neighbourhood-diplomacy#:~:text=Policy%20of%20the%20Government%20of,other%20countries%20in%20the%20neighborhood." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s &ldquo;Neighborhood First&rdquo; policy</strong></a> and its<a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Act East&rdquo; policy.</strong></a>
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Myanmar is an essential element in India&rsquo;s practice of regional diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific and serves as a land bridge to connect South Asia and Southeast Asia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Competition With China:</strong> If India is to become an assertive regional player in Asia, it has to work toward developing policies that would improve and strengthen its relationship with neighboring countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>However, in pursuance of this, China is a big roadblock, as it aims to diminish India&rsquo;s influence in its neighborhood. Therefore, both India and China are fighting for gaining influence in Myanmar.</li>
<li>For example, as part of its policy for the Indian Ocean called <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/sagar-vision" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)</strong></a>, India developed the Sittwe port in Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine state.</li>
<li>The Sittwe port is meant to be India&rsquo;s answer to the Chinese-fronted Kyaukpyu port, which is intended to cement China&rsquo;s geostrategic footprint in Rakhine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Critical For India&rsquo;s National Security Interests:</strong> North-eastern states in India are affected by left-wing extremism and narcotics trade routes (golden triangle).
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>To counter these threats, the Indian and Myanmar armies have carried out many joint military operations like Operation Sunshine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cooperation:</strong> Many Indian companies made significant economic and trade agreements in infrastructure and other areas.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Some other Indian companies such as Essar, GAIL, and ONGC Videsh Ltd. have invested in Myanmar&rsquo;s energy sector.</li>
<li>To elevate its &ldquo;Made in India&rdquo; arms industry, India has identified Myanmar as key to increasing its military exports.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Implications of Coup on India</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Political Realignments:</strong> The coup has attracted strong reactions and the threat of sanctions from the United States and the West. This could lead to unique political realignments in Myanmar.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These decisive western sanctions may force Myanmar&rsquo;s military to get closer to China, which may not be in the interest of India.</li>
<li>Moreover, a failed Myanmar state at India&rsquo;s doorstep and a weakened Myanmar falling into the clutches of China as a satellite state may increase China&rsquo;s bidding in regional affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rohingya Issue on Back Burner:</strong> Any effort to restore democracy in Myanmar will require supporting Aung San Suu Kyi. However, due to her silence on the Rohingya crisis, the plight of the hapless Rohingya may take a backseat or be conveniently forgotten.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This is not in India&rsquo;s national security interest in the north-east.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Catch-22 Condition:</strong> While India&rsquo;s national interests, under the new circumstances, would clearly lie in dealing with whoever is in power in Myanmar, India would find it difficult to openly support the junta given the strong western and American stance.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Cultural Diplomacy:</strong> Myanmar&rsquo;s importance to India&rsquo;s conduct of cultural diplomacy through the lens of Buddhism for tourism purposes.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s &ldquo;Buddhist Circuit&rdquo; initiative, which seeks to double foreign tourist arrivals and revenue by connecting ancient Buddhist heritage sites across different states in India, should resonate with Buddhist-majority Myanmar.</li>
<li>This could also build up India&rsquo;s diplomatic reservoir of goodwill and trust with Buddhist-majority countries such as Myanmar.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Improving Connectivity:</strong> India should realize that Myanmar is vital to fulfilling its ambition to become a $5 trillion economy by 2024.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Therefore, facilitating connectivity is central to improving India-Myanmar economic relations.</li>
<li>In this context, Infrastructure projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway and Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport (KMMTT) should be financed into fruition expeditiously.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Resolving Rohingyas Issue:</strong> The quicker the Rohingya issue is resolved, the easier it will be for India to manage its relations with Myanmar and Bangladesh, focusing instead more on bilateral and subregional economic cooperation.</li>
<li><strong>Cooperation at Multilateral Forums:</strong> Finally, cooperation in different multilateral forums such as ASEAN and BIMSTEC strengthens the relationship between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>Given the strategic importance of Myanmar, it is therefore in India&rsquo;s geostrategic interest to see Myanmar prevail as a stable and autonomous country, thereby making possible greater bilateral engagement in India-Myanmar relations.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f7fff0;">
<p><span style="color: #333399;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Given the strategic importance of Myanmar, the recent Coup D&rsquo;etat will have geopolitical implications for the region and India. Discuss.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P3N0wjvIqCk" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/staying-watchful-the-hindu-editorial-on-rbi-and-prices/article33776392.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>&ldquo;Staying watchful: On RBI and prices&rdquo;</strong></a> published in The Hindu on February 8<sup>th</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7647,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'China’s New Project in Sri Lanka',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, a Chinese company has won a contract to set up <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/policy-watch-indias-wind-energy-potential#:~:text=A%20Solar%2DWind%20Hybrid%20policy,resources%2C%20transmission%20infrastructure%20and%20land." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>hybrid wind and solar energy</strong> </a><strong>projects on three Sri Lankan islands</strong> off the northern Jaffna peninsula <strong>45 km from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/asian-development-outlook-2019-strengthening-disaster-resilience-adb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asian Development Bank</a> (ADB)</strong> will fund the project, which will come up on <strong>Delft, Nainativu and Analativu,</strong> three islands in the <strong>Palk Strait off Jaffna peninsula.</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612856515_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612856515_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></strong></a></p>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Islands:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Delft, the largest of the three islands, is the <strong>closest to Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu,</strong> which lies to the island&rsquo;s south west.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Between the two is <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/fishermen-issue-with-sri-lanka" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kachchativu</strong></a>, the tiny island that <strong>India ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974.</strong></li>
<li>The waters around these islands are an area of contest and<strong> rivalry between Tamil Nadu and Jaffna fishers.</strong></li>
<li>The matter has been on the bilateral agenda for decades.</li>
<li>India and Sri Lanka agreed to set up a <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-sri-lanka-joint-working-group-on-fisheries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joint Working Group (JWG) on Fisheries</a> in 2016</strong> between the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare of India and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka as the mechanism to help find a permanent solution to the fishermen issue.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Sri Lanka&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It cannot be blamed for this decision, because the<strong> project is backed by the ADB, which has its &ldquo;own procurement guidelines</strong> that should be followed by the borrower&rdquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Concern:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The <strong>project site&rsquo;s proximity to the Indian coastline.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Chinese presence in the vicinity is not welcomed especially when India already has many unresolved issues with China.</li>
<li>This deal came at a time when <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-china-conflict" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India&rsquo;s confrontation with China in Ladakh</strong></a> is yet to be resolved.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Recently, the Sri Lankan government cancelled the contract with India and Japan for the <strong>Eastern Container Terminal (ECT).</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The tripartite agreement, signed by India, Sri Lanka and Japan, proposed to develop the ECT, which is located at the newly expanded southern part of the Colombo Port.</li>
<li>For India, the ECT deal was important as around 70% of transhipment that takes place through it is India-linked. The ECT is also considered more strategic than any other in Colombo Port.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India had lodged a<strong> strong protest</strong> with the Sri Lankan government on the contract to the Chinese company.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>In 2018, <strong>India voiced concern over China&rsquo;s USD 300 million housing project</strong> for war-affected areas, accusing the Resettlement Ministry [of the former government] of holding an &ldquo;opaque&rdquo; bidding process. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The project was <strong>eventually dropped.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>China&rsquo;s Rising Influence in South Asia</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Recent Initiative:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In January 2021 China held its<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/china-s-rising-influence-in-south-asia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> third multilateral dialogue</strong> </a>virtually <strong>with countries from South Asia</strong> to take forward closer cooperation on fighting<strong> Covid-19 and coordinating their economic agendas,</strong> reflecting a new approach in Beijing&rsquo;s outreach to the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Other Initiatives:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>According to the American Enterprise Institute&rsquo;s China Global Investment Tracker, <strong>China has committed around 100 billion USD in the economies of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>China is now the largest overseas investor in the Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Concerns for India:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Security Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Growing cooperation between Pakistan and China.</li>
<li>Increasing nexus between Nepal and China.</li>
<li>Acceptance to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by south asian countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Leadership Roles in South Asia:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>It shows increasing chinese presence in south asia and its acceptance by the countries as a torch bearer for the region which India wants for itself.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Economic Concerns:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Over the past decade, <strong>China has replaced India as the major trading partner of several South Asian countries.</strong></li>
<li>For instance, the share of India&rsquo;s trade with Maldives was 3.4 times that of China&rsquo;s in 2008. But by 2018, China&rsquo;s total trade with Maldives slightly exceeded that of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>China&rsquo;s trade with Bangladesh is now about twice that of India. China&rsquo;s trade with Nepal and Sri Lanka still lags India&rsquo;s trade with those countries but the gap has shrunk.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India does not have the economic capacity as China. Thus it should<strong> cooperate with China for the development of these countries</strong> such that fruits of development collectively reach South Asia. Further <strong>India should invest in countries where China falls short</strong> and maintain its good will in South Asia and prevent these nations from slipping off from India&rsquo;s Influence.</li>
<li>Along with strongly condemning the plans for extension of the<strong> China-Pakistan Economic Corridor,</strong> India also <strong>needs to focus more on its traditional and cultural ties</strong> to improve relations with its neighbours.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/sri-lanka-clears-chinese-energy-project-50-km-off-tamil-nadu/article33785609.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7645,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'India - Ukraine',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, <strong>Ukraine has shown interest to procure some military hardware from India</strong> in addition to efforts to deepen its presence in the Indian defence market.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>It is in sync with Indian <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/urgency-of-defence-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>defence sector reforms</strong></a> and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/atma-nirbhar-bharat-abhiyan-challenges" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan</strong></a> which includes making India <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/self-reliance-in-defence-manufacturing" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>self reliant in defence manufacturing.</strong></a></li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ukraine has signed four agreements worth USD 70 million which includes sale of new weapons as well as maintenance and upgrades of existing ones <strong>(R-27 air-to-air missiles)</strong> in service with the Indian armed forces.</li>
<li>Ukraine also showed its intent to sell India its<strong> AN-178 medium transport aircraft.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ukraine is currently upgrading the AN-32 transport fleet of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/indian-air-force-day#:~:text=India%20Air%20Force%20is%20the,the%20USA%2C%20China%20and%20Russia.&amp;text=Motto%20of%20the%20IAF%20is,chapter%20of%20the%20Bhagavad%20Gita.&amp;text=The%20Chief%20of%20Air%20Staff,command%20of%20the%20air%20force." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Indian Air Force (IAF)</strong></a> under a deal finalised in 2009.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The Ukraine team also held discussions with the <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-national-institutions/defence-research-and-development-organisation-drdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)</strong></a> and looked at possible collaborations in research and development.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India-Ukraine Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Diplomatic Relations:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Immediately after the breakup of the Soviet Union, the Government of India <strong>recognized the Republic of Ukraine as a sovereign independent country</strong> in December 1991.</li>
<li>The Embassy of India in Kyiv was established in May 1992 and Ukraine opened its Mission in New Delhi in February 1993.</li>
<li>India and Ukraine enjoy warm and friendly relations and cooperate in areas like Education, Mutual Legal Assistance and Outer Space cooperation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Defence Relations:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ukraine has been a <strong>source of military technology and equipment</strong> for India since its independence.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Ukraine <strong>manufactures the R-27 air-to-air missiles</strong> which are in use by the IAF on its <strong>SU-30MKI fighters.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Now, India is also supplying its weapons to Ukraine to enhance defence cooperation between the two countries.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Trade:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>India is Ukraine&rsquo;s largest export destination in the Asia-Pacific</strong> and the <strong>fifth largest overall export destination. </strong></li>
<li><strong>Pharmaceuticals</strong> account for the majority of Indian exports to Ukraine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Culture:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There are more than 30 Ukrainian cultural associations/groups spread across the country, engaged in promoting Indian dances.</li>
<li>There are about 18,000 Indian students studying in Ukraine, mainly in the field of medicine. Indian business professionals work predominantly in the fields of pharmaceuticals, IT, engineering, medicine, education, etc.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Challenges:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The<strong> rift between Russia and Ukraine,</strong> which burst out into armed combat when Moscow annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014, has created a potential dilemma for India.</li>
<li>Recently, a Russian press release has objected to the overhaul in Ukraine of military equipment built and sold by Russia.</li>
<li>Russia has begun <strong>objecting to customers dealing with Ukraine.</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The potential for trouble with Russia exists because the Indian Air Force (IAF) is currently collaborating with Ukraine to overhaul its fleet of AN-32s.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Ukraine</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ukraine, a country located in eastern Europe. The capital is<strong> Kyiv (Kiev),</strong> located on the <strong>Dnieper River</strong> in north-central Ukraine.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Surrounding Countries and Seas:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Ukraine is bordered by Belarus to the north, Russia to the east, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea to the south, Moldova and Romania to the southwest, and Hungary, Slovakia, and Poland to the west.</li>
<li>In the far southeast, Ukraine is separated from Russia by the<strong> Kerch Strait,</strong> which connects the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>History:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>With the dissolution of the U.S.S.R. (the Soviet Union) in December 1991, Ukraine gained full independence.</li>
<li>The country changed its official name to Ukraine, and it helped to found the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), an association of countries that were formerly republics of the Soviet Union.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Recent Issues:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Recently, Ukraine got at<strong> loggerheads with Russia over the occupation of Crimean peninsula</strong> by Russia.</li>
<li>In June 2020, Ukraine became &lsquo;Enhanced Opportunity Partners&rsquo; under the Partnership Interoperability Initiative of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/nato-ally-status-to-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)</strong></a>.</li>
<li>Ukraine is also seeking <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union</strong></a> and NATO membership, a move that could obstruct attempts to resolve other tensions with Russia.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612849681_image1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612849681_image1.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="500" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ukraine-looking-at-defence-purchases-from-india/article33774835.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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	(int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7625,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Coup D’etat in Myanmar',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>The article is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-way-forward-in-myanmar/article33753759.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> &ldquo;The Way Forward in Myanmar&rdquo;</a> which was published in &lsquo;The Hindu&rsquo; on 05/02/2021. It talks about how the nascent democracy established in Myanmar is again overthrown by Military Junta and how India, the world&rsquo;s largest democracy, is a stakeholder in the country&rsquo;s internal issue.</p>
</div>
<p>Democracy is a form of government in which a substantial proportion of the citizenry participates in ruling the state and the representatives elected by the people run the country on their behalf.</p>
<p>However, this ideal statement is not being followed everywhere. Turning the attention to international affairs and diving deep into Myanmar, the military has once again taken over the country, declaring a year-long state of emergency and placing elected leaders under detention.</p>
<p>In this predicament, it is a tightrope walk for India. Being itself the world&rsquo;s largest democracy, India has to back democracy in Myanmar but it must secure its security and developmental interests too.</p>
<h3>Coup in Myanmar</h3>
<p>The <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/military-coup-in-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Myanmar military has grabbed power in a coup</strong></a> for the third time in the nation&rsquo;s history since its independence (1948).</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>However, the military officials, in their defence, denied it as a coup and claimed the fraud as &ldquo;obstruction in the path to democracy&rdquo;.</li>
<li><strong>State of emergency</strong> has been declared, transferring all powers to <strong>Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing</strong>.</li>
</ul>
<h3>The Torturous Politics of Myanmar</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Double Standards of the Junta:</strong> The<strong> Constitution of Myanmar</strong> was drafted in <strong>2008</strong> by the military with the intent to remain in power behind a civilian party.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In 2015, the <strong>Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)</strong> lost the election which disappointed the military, and was concerned with the new democratic Myanmar that could emerge with the victory of the <strong>National League for Democracy (NLD)</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Hostility Towards the Rohingyas:</strong> The 2020 elections were held after the Army launched a brutal crackdown on Rohingya in <strong>Rakhine State</strong> in the name of fighting terrorism, which forced over <strong>700,000 Rohingya Muslims</strong> to flee Myanmar to neighbouring countries, mainly <strong>Bangladesh</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Null Foreign Intervention:</strong> Myanmar has always preferred solving its internal conflicts by itself letting negligible interference from any Foreign or International Power.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Many <strong>international mechanisms</strong> comprising Western and Asian countries that were formed to coordinate strategies on Myanmar were <strong>disbanded after the 2015 election</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Divided Myanmarese Communities:</strong> The military understands the people&rsquo;s psyche well.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The divide between the <strong>Burmans</strong>, the majority group, and the <strong>ethnic minorities remains wide</strong>. The latter are generally opposed to a strong Central government.</li>
<li>In the recent military coup, the <strong>Burmans are supportive of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aung-san-suu-kyi-to-defend-myanmar-in-icj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aung San Suu Kyi</a></strong> but it will be true only up to a point.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>They are largely Buddhists and peace-loving. Hence, they might accept the grabbing of power from elected representatives by the army.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Gist of the Issue</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The November 2020 election of Myanmar resulted in a landslide victory for the <strong>National League for Democracy (NLD)</strong>, which won over <strong>82% of parliamentary seats</strong> at the union, regional and state levels</li>
<li>The army-backed<strong> Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)</strong> claimed the elections as a widespread fraud.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Without offering any concrete evidence, the military has overthrown the winning party and has detained the political leader including Myanmar&rsquo;s <strong><em>de facto</em> head</strong> Aung San Suu Kyi.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The activists used social media to oppose the military coup and organise protests.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Myanmar's junta blocked Facebook and WhatsApp in the name of ensuring stability even as street protests were reported from some cities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Global Responses</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The <strong><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/united-nations-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN</a> Secretary-General</strong> has <strong>vowed</strong> to mobilise the international community to put enough pressure on Myanmar to ensure that the <strong>military coup in the country "fails"</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>China and Russia</strong> have taken a <strong>non-committal approach</strong> to the coup.</li>
<li><a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ASEAN</strong></a> made a muted call for "dialogue, reconciliation and return to normalcy while Japan has called it a "coup"</li>
<li>The Western countries including <strong>Australia and the US</strong> have issued strong statements with <strong>threats of sanctions</strong>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The US President has referred to the action as a <strong>coup</strong> and has called on the military <strong>"to relinquish seized power&rdquo;</strong>, free all officials and advocates detained, lift the restrictions on telecommunications and refrain from violence.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612529680_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612529680_image1.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></a></p>
<h3>India as a Stakeholder</h3>
<p><strong>India&rsquo;s Stand</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>India is engaged on the Myanmar issue as a member of the UN Security Council.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Soon after the coup, India had expressed concern and said the rule of law and democratic process must be upheld.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Though India has expressed deep concern over recent developments in Myanmar, <strong>cutting off from the Myanmar military is not a viable option</strong> as India has <strong>significant economic and strategic interests in Myanmar</strong> and its neighbourhood.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Myanmar&rsquo;s Significance to India</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India-Myanmar Ties:</strong> <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-myanmar-relationship" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>India and Myanmar</strong></a> are neighbours with close cultural and people-to-people ties, bolstered by trade, economic, security and defence-related exchanges.</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s aid to Myanmar in Pandemic:</strong> India has extended assistance to Myanmar in its fight against <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covid-19-and-medical-solutions" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19</strong></a> by providing medicines, test kits and <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-vaccine-distribution" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>vaccines</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India has committed to continuing its humanitarian support for the people in Myanmar in mitigating the health and economic impact of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/future-pandemics-and-reduction-measures" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>pandemic</strong></a>.</li>
<li>India has also sent 15 lakh doses of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/covishield-and-covaxin-approved-for-restricted-use" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covishield vaccine</strong></a> to assist Myanmar in fighting the pandemic.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Myanmar has begun to vaccinate itself with Covid vaccine sent by India, while putting <strong>China&rsquo;s 300,000</strong> <strong>doses</strong> on hold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>The Submarine Gift:</strong> India handed over a kilo-class submarine<strong> INS Sindhuvir (UMS Minye Theinkhathu)</strong> to the Myanmar navy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The Indian gift is the first and only submarine of the Myanmar navy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Myanmar as India&rsquo;s Cornerstone:</strong> India&rsquo;s military-diplomatic outreach to Myanmar became a cornerstone of its <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Act East policy</strong></a>.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India&rsquo;s security relationship with the Myanmar military has become <strong>extremely close</strong>, and it would be difficult to <strong>&ldquo;burn bridges&rdquo;</strong> with them given their assistance in securing the <strong>North East frontiers from insurgent groups</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Infrastructure and Developmental Projects:</strong> Apart from strategic concerns, India has cultivated <strong>several infrastructure and development projects</strong> with Myanmar, which it sees as the <strong>&ldquo;gateway to the East&rdquo;</strong> and ASEAN countries.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>These include the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral highway and the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/presidents-visit-to-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project</strong></a> as well as a plan for a Special Economic Zone at the Sittwe deep-water port.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Reducing the Gap Among Different Communities:</strong> Adhering to the communal division among the people of Myanmar, jumping to the conclusion that Myanmar will see a nationwide protest against the military coup, is not correct.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the current scenario, the military will continue to exploit ethnic and religious fault lines.</li>
<li><strong>Engagement with domestic stakeholders,</strong> including ethnic minorities, especially from the north, <strong>should be pursued by the international community</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Threatening with the Imposition of Sanctions is not a Solution:</strong> The Myanmar military has always been able to economically withstand sanctions by striking deals with Asian countries in the past, therefore imposing sanctions is unlikely to bring any major political change.</li>
<li><strong>Criticising the Military is not Wise for India:</strong> India must want to remain engaged in Myanmar for quite a few reasons. Many insurgent groups find haven in Myanmar which means India needs its help to counter them.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>For India, engagement with Myanmar is vital. It shall maintain a two-track engagement, acknowledging the primacy of the army in Myanmar's affairs.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In a country where military leadership has scripted the meaning of democracy, tensions are most likely to prevail.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In such cases, domestic forces and geopolitics often fail to deter its actions and impulses to rule.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>It is likely for India to feel concerned when democracy in a country is threatened.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>But the country must be committed to its policy of non-interference in another state&rsquo;s internal affairs.</li>
<li>Keeping the national interest of the country in mind, India shall astutely balance its principles, values, interests and geopolitical realities.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #c9f5f5; border-color: #18abab;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em><br /><br />Myanmar is the cornerstone in India&rsquo;s Act East Policy. comment</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GeG6MaW8tjI" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <strong><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/editorials/covid-19-economy-imf-gdp-growth-7165745/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;On The Upswing&rdquo;</a></strong> which was published in The Indian Express on 29 January, 2021. Now watch this on our Youtube Channel.</p>',
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	(int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7614,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'Taiwan Card Against China',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on<a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/playing-the-taiwan-card-7171528/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Playing the Taiwan card&rdquo;</strong> </a>which was published in The Indian Express on 02/02/2021. It talks about the benefits and issues of establishing formal diplomatic ties between India and Taiwan.</p>
</div>
<p>The standoff at the Ladakh border between India and China continues amid failing talks. Moreover, the Chinese regime undertook several measures that may jeopardize the diplomatic solution.</p>
<p>While the Indian government and the armed forces make it clear that they will do whatever it takes to protect India&rsquo;s sovereignty and integrity, it should also explore options on the foreign policy front.</p>
<p>On the foreign policy front, India has shown its intent to be a part of the Quad security group (which China refers to as &ldquo;Asian NATO&rdquo;). However, the Quad continues to suffer from indecisiveness to evolve as a formal military bloc to counter China.</p>
<p>In such a situation, it is imperative that India explore alternate diplomatic and militaristic routes to counter China. One such viable option is establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan.</p>
<h3>Background</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>In 1949 Chiang Kai Shek, the former Chinese president and former head of state who fled to the island of Formosa (former name for the island of Taiwan) following the victory of Mao Zedong in the long-drawn Chinese civil war.</li>
<li>Since then Relations between China and Taiwan started improving in the 1980s. China put forward a formula, known as "one country, two systems", under which Taiwan would be given significant autonomy if it accepted Chinese reunification.</li>
<li>In Taiwan, the offer was rejected, but China insists on concurrence to the One China Policy in all its foreign relations deliberations.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Rationale of Strong Indo-Taiwan Ties</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Deft Diplomacy:</strong> Though India does not have formal diplomatic relations with the island democracy that Beijing considers a breakaway province, it has slowly been increasing bilateral engagements in the economic, cultural and educational spheres.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>This can, with some deft diplomacy, become a bargaining chip at future negotiations.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Balancing Pakistan as China&rsquo;s Satellite State:</strong> Some retired diplomats feel India should leverage its relations with Taiwan to balance its ties with China and negate the latter&rsquo;s &ldquo;alliance&rdquo; with its all-weather friend Pakistan, which is now dangerously close to becoming China&rsquo;s satellite.</li>
<li><strong>Act East &amp; New Southbound Policy:</strong> There is scope for convergence between the Indian government&rsquo;s Act East policy, which advocates closer economic, strategic, and diplomatic engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific, and Taiwan&rsquo;s New Southbound Policy, which seeks to enhance cooperation and exchange between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Australasia.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Both policies aim to increase regional influence and gain political and economic benefits from their partners in the region.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Benefits of Establishing Diplomatic Ties with Taiwan</h3>
<p>Recognizing Taiwan will entail a lot of benefits for India&rsquo;s foreign policy regime.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>India as Leader of Democratic World:</strong> Taiwan is a robust democracy with a booming economy.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, India can bolster its legitimacy as the leader of the democratic world, especially at a time when the role of US has been undermined.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Expanding Alliance To Counter China:</strong> India can get the support of another powerful ally in its attempt to carve out a new supply chain alliance which India-Japan-Australia formalized recently.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Further, the Quad security grouping can be extended to include new members.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Pay Back China in the Same Coin:</strong> China in many repeated efforts has tried to nudge the United Nations Security Council to discuss the Kashmir question.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>By institutionalizing formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, India can clearly send a message to China that if it does not respect &ldquo;One India policy&rdquo;, then India will not also follow &ldquo;One China&rdquo; policy.</li>
<li>Further, recognizing Taiwan will make it clear to China that India is very assertive and that if the need arises, India will not back down from sending dedicated naval and air assets in the disputed South China Sea region to enforce the freedom of navigation principle.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Associated Issues</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>Every Indian approach towards Taiwan has met with sharp reactions from China. This has considerably constrained the development of broad-based ties between the two countries beyond the realms of culture, education, and investments.</li>
<li>As not even the mighty US has so far established formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the recognition of Taiwan may invite severe ramifications for India. For example:
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China is our second-largest bilateral trade partner and a key export partner of India with regard to raw materials and goods.</li>
<li>According to a FICCI report, India imports more than 40% of several important goods like the API (active pharmaceutical ingredients), television, chemicals, chips, textiles and many more, from China.</li>
<li>As a possible retaliatory measure, China can stop exports of these items.</li>
<li>It can also activate its terror financing networks which, for years, remained a chronic internal security issue for India in the Northeast.</li>
<li>China will also collaborate with Pakistan by intensifying terrorism in the Kashmir valley and the northeast of India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>While both China and India have developed considerable military and economic strength, the former has surpassed India to become an economic powerhouse. It has now embraced aggressiveness to enforce an expansionist outlook. In such a situation, providing legitimacy to the existence of Taiwan may be dubbed as a necessary step.</p>
<table border="1" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%; border-style: dotted; border-color: #ff0000; background-color: #f3ffed;">
<p><span style="color: #000080;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question</strong></em></span></p>
<p>Establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan will send a strong message to China. Critically Analyse.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bCt1wavUUdU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on<a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/setback-in-myanmar/article33734307.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> &ldquo;Setback in Myanmar: on military coup&rdquo;</strong> </a>published in The Hindu on February 3<sup>rd</sup>, 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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	(int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {

		'article_id' => (int) 7610,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'Military Coup in Myanmar',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>Myanmar military has grabbed power in a coup -</strong> the <strong>third time in the nation&rsquo;s history</strong> since its independence from British rule in 1948.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>A <strong>one-year state of emergency</strong> has been imposed and <strong>democratically elected leader <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/aung-san-suu-kyi-to-defend-myanmar-in-icj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aung San Suu Kyi</a> has been detained.</strong></li>
<li><strong>&lsquo;Coup&rsquo;</strong> is generally described as a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>Myanmar</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Location:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in South East Asia and neighbours Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and India.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Demography:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>It has a population of about 54 million, most of whom are Burmese speakers, although other languages are also spoken. The biggest city is Yangon (Rangoon) but the capital is Nay Pyi Taw.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Religion:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The main religion is <strong>Buddhism.</strong> There are many ethnic groups in the country, including <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/un-report-on-myanmar-rohingya-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rohingya Muslims</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Polity:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The country <strong>gained independence from Britain in 1948.</strong> It was ruled by the armed forces from 1962 until 2011, when a new government began ushering in a return to civilian rule.</li>
<li>In the 2010s, <strong>the military regime decided to transition the country towards democracy.</strong> Although the armed forces remained powerful, political opponents were freed and elections were allowed to be held.</li>
<li><strong>The NLD won the 2015 election,</strong> the country&rsquo;s first free and fair election participated by multiple parties, and formed the government, raising hopes that the country is on its way to full transition to democracy.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612430526_image3.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612430526_image3.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" caption="false" /></a></p>
</div>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>About the Military Coup:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the<strong> November 2020 parliamentary election,</strong> Suu Kyi&rsquo;s party <strong>National League for Democracy (NLD)</strong> secured the majority of the seats.</li>
<li>In the Myanmars&rsquo; Parliament, <strong>the military holds 25% of the total seats according to the 2008 military-drafted constitution</strong> and several key ministerial positions are also reserved for military appointees.</li>
<li>When the newly elected Myanmar lawmakers were to<strong> hold the first session of Parliament in 2021,</strong> the<strong> military imposed a state of emergency</strong> for one year <strong>citing massive voting fraud</strong> in the parliamentary elections.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Global Reaction:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>China: &lsquo;All parties in Myanmar will properly handle their differences</strong> under the constitution and legal framework to maintain political and social stability&rsquo;.</li>
<li><strong>USA:</strong> The USA President<strong> threatened to reimpose sanctions on Myanmar</strong> following a coup by the country&rsquo;s military leaders and called for a <strong>concerted international response</strong> to press them to relinquish power.</li>
<li><strong>ASEAN Countries: <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/asean" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ASEAN</a></strong>&rsquo;s current chair, Brunei, called for &lsquo;dialogue among parties, reconciliation and the return to normalcy&rsquo;. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia expressed concern, while Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines noted that this was Myanmar&rsquo;s &lsquo;internal affair&rsquo;.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Reaction:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India supports the process of democratic transition in Myanmar.</li>
<li>Though India has expressed deep concern over recent developments in Myanmar, <strong>cutting off from the Myanmar military is not a viable option</strong> as India has significant economic and strategic interests in Myanmar and its neighbourhood.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Strategic interests in Myanmar and its relations with Myanmar Military: </strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Relationship with Myanmar Military:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>India&rsquo;s military-diplomatic outreach to Myanmar became a <strong>cornerstone of its <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-india-s-act-east-policy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Act East policy</a>.</strong></li>
<li>On the eve of the recent visit of the Foreign Secretary Chief of the Army Staff to Myanmar in 2020, <strong>Myanmar handed over 22 Indian insurgents from across the border</strong> and it was decided to ramp up the sale of military hardware to Myanmar, including 105 mm light artillery guns, naval gunboats and more recently, lightweight torpedoes.</li>
<li>Recent example of cooperation is that <strong>Myanmar has begun to vaccinate itself with the 1.5 million doses of <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/india-s-vaccine-diplomacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Covid vaccine sent by India</a>,</strong> while putting China&rsquo;s 3,00,000 doses on hold.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India&rsquo;s Interests in Myanmar:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Infrastructure and Connectivity:</strong> India has cultivated several infrastructure and development projects with Myanmar, which it sees as the &ldquo;gateway to the East&rdquo; and <strong>ASEAN</strong> countries: <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>Operationalisation of the crucial Sittwe</strong> port in Myanmar&rsquo;s Rakhine state by 2021 is committed.</li>
<li>India assists infrastructure projects such as the <strong>India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway</strong> and the <strong><a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/presidents-visit-to-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project.</a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>The Kaladan project will link <strong>Kolkata to Sittwe</strong> in Myanmar and then from Myanmar&rsquo;s Kaladan river to India&rsquo;s north-east.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The two countries signed the <strong>Land Border Crossing Agreement in 2018,</strong> which allowed bona fide travellers with valid documents to cross the border at two international points of entry/exit- Moreh-Tamu and Zokhawthar-Rih.<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612430982_image2.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612430982_image2.png" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" caption="false" width="570" height="290" /></a></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Security:</strong> India has been concerned over some militant groups like the <strong>United National Liberation Front (UNLF)</strong> and <strong>National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB)</strong> from the North-East region taking shelter in Myanmar.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Indian needs perpetual support and coordination from Myanmar for the<strong> maintenance of security and stability along its North East border areas.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Rohingya Issues:</strong> India is committed to ensuring safe, sustainable and speedy return of Rohingya refugees from refugee camps of India and Bangladesh.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Building on the progress made under the<a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/rakhine-state-development-programme" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> Rakhine State Development Programme (RSDP)</strong></a>, India has recently proposed to finalise projects under phase-III of the programme, including setting up of a skills training centre and upgrading of agricultural mechanisation.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Investment:</strong> With Indian investments of over USD 1.2 billion, Myanmar holds considerable importance than any other country in South Asia.</li>
<li><strong>Energy:</strong> The two countries are also expanding partnership in the area of energy cooperation.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Recently, India approved an investment of over USD 120 million in the <strong>Shwe Oil and Gas project.</strong></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<p>India should continue to engage with the present regime in Myanmar working towards mutual development of people of both the countries while it should support sharing experiences in constitutionalism and federalism to assist Myanmar in resolving the prevailing stalemate.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/news-analysis-with-myanmars-military-coup-the-tightrope-between-idealism-and-realpolitik-returns-for-new-delhi/article33720952.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source:TH</strong></a></p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7597,
		'category_id' => (int) 22,
		'title' => 'India Role In African Recovery',
		'description' => '<div class="border">
<p>This article is based on <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/towards-a-healthy-india-africa-partnership/article33709946.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&ldquo;Towards a &lsquo;healthy&rsquo; India-Africa partnership&rdquo;</a> which was published in The Hindu Business line on 01/02/2021. It talks about India-Africa cooperation to combat devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>
</div>
<p>With regular high-level visits, increasing diplomatic footprint, diversified engagement across sectors, and a vibrant diaspora, the India-Africa relationship has picked up momentum in the recent past.</p>
<p>However, on the economic front, Africa has been deeply affected by the pandemic due to reduced trade and other markets causing a supply-and-demand shock. This disruption may cause a setback to the years of progress made in India-Africa relations.</p>
<p>Therefore, in the light of India&rsquo;s stakes in Africa, India should reach out to African nations in a variety of ways to help them deal with the Covid devastation.</p>
<h3>Areas of Cooperation</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Social Infrastructure:</strong> Already, the India-Africa social infrastructure (education, health, skills) cooperation is multidimensional, comprehensive, and involves national, state, and subnational actors working toward augmenting African institutional and individual capacities.</li>
<li><strong>Common Geo-Political Interests:</strong> India and Africa have common interests on international issues; UN reforms, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, cybersecurity, and energy security.</li>
<li><strong>Economic Cooperation:</strong> India&rsquo;s economic engagement with Africa is substantive.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In the last decade and a half, trade between India and Africa has multiplied and diversified&ndash;bilateral trade of $63.3 billion in 2018-19 made India the third-largest trading partner for the continent.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Support in Fight Against Covid-19:</strong> Under the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/vice-president-s-visit-to-comoros-and-sierra-leone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">e-ITEC initiative</a>, India has shared Covid-19 management strategies, training webinars exclusively to train healthcare professionals from Africa by Indian health experts.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India is also sending consignments of essential medicines, including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and paracetamol, to many African countries in addition to doctors and paramedics.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Combating Neo-Colonialism:</strong> China has a longer and deeper association in the continent, but it is facing a backlash over the pandemic worldwide.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China has gained a reputation as an economic colonizer&ndash;exploiting the need for capital by under-developed economies to hand over big infrastructure projects to China.</li>
<li>Therefore, Chinese investment is seen as neo-colonial as it focuses on money, political influence, hard-infrastructure projects, and resource extraction.</li>
<li>On the other hand, India&rsquo;s approach focuses on building local capacities and an equal partnership with Africans and not merely with African elites concerned.</li>
<li>In this context, though Africa has been actively engaged with China, it wants India to act as a balancer and net security provider.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Vaccine Diplomacy:</strong> As the &ldquo;pharmacy of the world,&rdquo; a priority area of collaboration would be to ensure direct participation in Covid-19 relief and equitable vaccine access efforts followed by a plan for comprehensive strengthening of Africa&rsquo;s health systems.</li>
<li><strong>Economic Convergence:</strong> The Free Trade Agreement has been negotiated within Africa. It&rsquo;s a matter of time for it to be implemented and will be a game-changer.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>In this context, creating a market for 1.3 billion people in Africa would provide Indian manufacturers with economies of scale and scope to compete internationally.</li>
<li>It could also lead to generations of employment, facilitate skill and technology transfers, and help bridge the existing knowledge gap.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>India Becoming Voice of Africa:</strong> India can also take the lead in initiating and pushing for more multilateral efforts by stakeholders like the WHO or the UN to do more for African recovery.
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>India and Africa should plan to expand their multi-faceted partnership by jointly combating the Covid and focusing on their strengths to address global challenges -- climate change, extremism, counter-terrorism, transnational crimes, and maritime security.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>While it can be argued that the Covid-19 crisis has had serious implications for India and the country has huge domestic obligations to deal with, partnering with Africa at this critical juncture in our shared reality will add immense value to the rich historicity of India-Africa solidarity.</p>
<table border="1" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; background-color: #e3fbfc; border-color: #01858a;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 100%;"><em><strong>Drishti Mains Question<br /><br /></strong></em>Partnering with Africa to combat the devastation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic will add immense value to India-Africa solidarity&rsquo;s rich historicity. Discuss.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_EZ14ohTnik" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p>This editorial is based on <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/growth-with-inequality-the-hindu-editorial-on-economic-survey-2021/article33711489.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Growth with inequality: On Economic Survey 2021"</a> published in The Hindu on February,1st 2020. Now watch this on our Youtube channel.</p>',
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		'article_id' => (int) 7593,
		'category_id' => (int) 21,
		'title' => 'UK Visa Scheme For Hong Kong Residents',
		'description' => '<h3>Why in News</h3>
<p>Recently, the <strong>UK has launched a special visa scheme that will allow the Hong Kong residents</strong> a chance to migrate and eventually apply for British citizenship.</p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The move came months after China imposed a <a href="/loksabha-rajyasabha-discussions/the-big-picture-hong-kong-national-security-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>national security law</strong></a> over Hong Kong enabling it to curb the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hongkong-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2019 pro-democracy like protests</a> in future and also to <strong>override the powers of the government</strong> in Hong Kong.</li>
<li>The move is <strong>considered the UK&rsquo;s most generous welcoming of foreign workers</strong> since the entry of new <a href="/important-institutions/drishti-specials-important-institutions-international-institution/european-union" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>European Union (EU)</strong></a> citizens in 2004 - when 10 countries were added to the bloc - at a time when the UK was also a member. The <strong>UK <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/brexit-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">officially left the EU</a></strong> on 31<sup>st</sup> January 2020.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Key Points</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Background:<a href="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612252637_image1.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img class="content-img" src="http://www.drishtiias.com/images/uploads/1612252637_image1.png" style="float: right; margin: 10px;" width="426" height="389" caption="false" /></a></strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Since July 2020, after the national security law was implemented, the <strong>British government has already allowed around 7,000 people from Hong Kong</strong> to move to its shores.</li>
<li>These were <strong>allowed permission to migrate not through the visa scheme, but through government action on compassionate grounds</strong>.</li>
<li>In response to the Law, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/australia-suspends-extradition-treaty-with-hong-kong" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Australia</strong></a>, <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/uk-suspends-extradition-treaty-with-hong-kong" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Britain</strong></a> and Canada have also suspended their <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/hong-kong-s-extradition-treaties-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>extradition treaties</strong></a> with Hong Kong.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Conditions for the Special Visa Scheme:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The visas will be issued to those in Hong Kong holding a <strong>British National (Overseas) passport</strong> and their immediate dependents, and will offer a fast track to UK citizenship.</li>
<li>Applicants who get the visa <strong>can live and work in the UK for 5 years,</strong> after which they <strong>apply for settlement</strong>.<strong> Twelve months after</strong> this, they can <strong>apply for citizenship</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Reason for Announcing Visa Scheme (National Security Law):</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li><strong>Threat from National Security Law:</strong> China implemented new national security law for Hong Kong, that <strong>could impose the People's Republic of China's arbitrary and opaque criminal system onto the Hong Kong common law system</strong>. <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><strong>National security act</strong> is seen as breach of the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/new-security-law-in-hong-kong" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Basic Law</strong></a>, <strong>the mini-constitution</strong> which defines ties between Hong Kong and Beijing (China&rsquo;s capital).</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>Provisions of National Security Law:</strong> <br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Crimes of <strong>secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces</strong> are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison.</li>
<li><strong>Damaging public transport facilities</strong> can be considered terrorism.</li>
<li>Those found guilty will <strong>not be allowed to stand for public office</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>Establishment of a new security office in Hong Kong,</strong> with its own law enforcement personnel - neither of which would come under the local authority's jurisdiction.</li>
<li>Hong Kong will <strong>have to establish its own national security commission</strong> to enforce the laws, with a China-appointed adviser.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>This office can send some cases to be tried in mainland China.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Hong Kong's chief executive will have the power to appoint judges to hear national security cases, raising <strong>fears about judicial autonomy of Hong Kong</strong>.</li>
<li><strong>China</strong> will also have the <strong>power over how the law should be interpreted</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>UK&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>The imposition of the security law <strong>&ldquo;a serious and clear breach of the Sino-British Joint Declaration&rdquo;, referring to a 1984 treaty</strong> between the two countries.<br />
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Under the Treaty, <strong>China promised to honour Hong Kong&rsquo;s liberal policies,</strong> system of governance, independent judiciary, and individual freedoms <strong>for a period of 50 years from 1997</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><strong>China&rsquo;s Stand:</strong><br />
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>China <strong>criticised the UK move</strong>. The British side <strong>disregarded the fact that Hong Kong returned to China 24 years ago</strong>.</li>
<li>China also said that it would <strong>no longer be recognising BN(O) passports,</strong> saying that the <strong>citizenship offer &ldquo;seriously infringed&rdquo; on China&rsquo;s sovereignty</strong>.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="border-bg">
<p><strong>The Handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><strong>Hong Kong was formerly a British colony</strong> and was <strong>handed over to mainland China in 1997,</strong> becoming one of its <strong>Special Administrative Regions (SAR)</strong>.</li>
<li>It is <strong>governed by a mini-constitution called the Basic Law,</strong> which affirms the principle of <strong>&ldquo;one country, two systems&rdquo;</strong>.</li>
<li>The constitutional document is a product of the <strong>1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration,</strong> under which China promised to honour Hong Kong&rsquo;s liberal policies, system of governance, independent judiciary, and individual freedoms for a period of 50 years from 1997.</li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3>Way Forward</h3>
<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li>The present Visa regime <strong>will enable the people of Hong Kong to evade the secretive, authoritarian and coercive actions of China</strong> under national security act, however long term solutions can be attained by arbitration and conciliation with all the stakeholders to secure the interests of people of Hong Kong.</li>
<li><strong>National security law endangers Hong Kong&rsquo;s position as an East Asian trading hub,</strong> and along with the UK's action it should invite global criticism for Beijing, which is already being accused of withholding key information related to the <a href="/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/covid-19-and-india-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Covid-19 pandemic</strong></a>.</li>
</ul>
<p><a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/world/uk-pm-johnson-immensely-proud-as-visa-offer-for-hong-kong-citizens-launches-7166184/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Source: IE</strong></a></p>',
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