International Relations This Week: Episode 93

International relations is a very important segment of the UPSC syllabus. In this series, we present an analysis of the most important international issues and developments that occurred over the past week relevant for the IAS exam. In this article, you can learn more about the UNODC report on Afghan drugs, North Korea’s Nuclear & Missile program  and the Attack on Imran Khan.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Netanyahu back to Power
2. UNODC report on Afghan drugs
3. Attack on Imran Khan
4. North Korea’s Nuclear & Missile program
5. Ethiopia: Tigray conflict & peace talks

1. Netanyahu back to Power

Context:

• Benjamin Netanyahu has made a comeback as Israel’s Prime Minister by winning the recent elections.
  • Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party has displaced his centre-left opponent Yair Lapid.
  • Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving leader and has won a record five elections to hold office six times – more than any other prime minister in the country. 

India’s response:

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Benjamin Netanyahu for his success in the Israeli general elections and stated that he looks forward to continuing their joint efforts to deepen the India-Israel strategic partnership. 

India – Israel Relations:

• India-Israel ties have flourished since 1992 and have reached new heights since 2014. 
• There has been the emergence of a strategic relationship between India and Israel which involves Defence Cooperation (Acquiring of defence equipment from Israel – Drones), Intelligence and Counter-Terror Cooperation given the threat of terrorism the two countries face.
• India and Israel are working together in the domain of science and technology with emphasis on critical areas like space technology, renewable energy and desalination technology apart from agricultural engineering.
• India and Israel have also deepened economic cooperation in recent times. The I2U2 cooperation between India, Israel, USA and UAE is an extension of this cooperation in the economic sector.

Read more on India – Israel relations.

Challenges:

• Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a tough line towards the Palestinians, putting security concerns at the top of any talk of peace. Netanyahu has announced that the two-state solution has no place on his government’s agenda (This is in opposition to India’s support for the two-state solution). His administration has previously made some controversial moves in Jerusalem, the Gaza strip and the West Bank and is also known for pushing in Israeli settlers in the West Bank region. This risks escalating the tensions between Israelis and Arabs thus ruling out any hope for a peaceful solution to the issue. 
• Benjamin Netanyahu has always taken a strong stand towards Iran and its nuclear program. The tensions between Israel and Iran may rise in the coming days. This may result in making choices difficult for India given the healthy relationship that India shares with both countries.
• The hardline approach in Israel may also hinder the normalization and improvement of relations between the state of Israel and the Gulf monarchies which were achieved through the Abraham Accords.
• Netanyahu has aligned with ultra-orthodox, religious and extremist forces. This, the opponents of Netanyahu argue, risks deepening of internal divisions within Israeli society.
• India will find it a challenge to manage its image while siding with Israel while also protecting its national interests given the strategic cooperation India shares with Israel.

2. UNODC report on Afghan drugs

Context:

• A new report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says the land under poppy cultivation in Afghanistan in 2021 increased by 32% over the previous year.

Background:

• Afghanistan is a major centre of drug production. It lies in the infamous golden crescent region along with Pakistan and Iran (known as hubs for drug production).
• Almost 80% of global opiate demand is supplied by Afghanistan.

Drug production hubs of the World

Major drug smuggling routes

Details:

• The ban imposed by the Taliban on opium production seems only an eyewash and the current administration seems to be shielding opium production as a major source of revenue for the current administration. 
• This is evident from the increase in the area under opium cultivation.

Concerns:

• Drug production from poppy cultivation is seen as a major funding mechanism for extremist groups working in the region. It is also a major source of money laundering and also finances arms smuggling.
• India which lies close to the Golden Crescent region faces the risk of the inflow of drugs into the country in large volumes.

3. Attack on Imran Khan

Context:

• Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was shot at during his protest march in Pakistan’s Punjab province. 

Background:

• Imran Khan was removed from the Prime Minister’s post earlier following a no-confidence motion. He has been leading a protest pushing for fresh elections. 
• Pakistan has had a history of turbulent political history marred by frequent changes in governments, military coups and assassinations of top political leaders.

Implications: 

• The recent developments could deepen fault lines in Pakistan by escalating the ongoing confrontation between the former Prime Minister Imran Khan and the current Shehbaz Sharif government and the Pakistan Army’s top leadership. 
• It also marks a conflict between the deep State (Army & ISI) and the civilian government and political parties.
• This could also further push the anti-US narrative in Pakistani domestic politics.
• The internal turbulence in Pakistan could have implications for the India-Pakistan bilateral relationship.

4. North Korea’s Nuclear & Missile program

Context:

• Tensions escalated in the Korean peninsula after North Korea fired at least 20 missiles, with one landing near South Korean territorial waters.

Background:

• The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) became a state party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1985 but announced in 2003 that it would withdraw from the treaty.

Details:

• Though the missiles did not cause any damage or casualties, the missile launch was aimed at sending an aggressive message to South Korea and Japan.
• The escalation comes after North Korea warned against the recent joint military drills between the United States and South Korea, which it views as provocative and a rehearsal for an invasion.
  • Notably, the US has troops in South Korea and Japan, has signed security agreements with them and they frequently conduct military exercises.
• Following the missile launch by North Korea, South Korea and Japan went on alert.

Concerns:

• Notably, missile tests have risen under the current North Korean leader. This does not augur well for peace and security in the region.

• Some of the missiles developed by North Korea are capable of striking the U.S.

The escalating tensions in the region do not augur well for India’s efforts to deepen its presence in the region and build robust partnerships with major countries there.

5. Ethiopia: Tigray conflict & peace talks

Context:

• A peace deal between the Ethiopian Government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) was signed recently in South Africa mediated by the African Union.

Background:

• After becoming Ethiopia’s Prime Minister in April 2018, Abiy Ahmed made peace with Eritrea, which shares a long border with the Tigray region and which is a sworn enemy of the TPLF. The removal of TPLF from senior government positions and the push to concentrate more power in the hands of the government alienated the TPLF further.

Tigray Region location

• The two-year conflict between the Ethiopian government and the rebel forces led by TPLF has caused a humanitarian crisis and at times has spilt out of Tigray into the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar, has killed thousands of people, displaced millions from their homes and left hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine.

Significance:

• The signing of the peace deal could represent “a critical first step” towards ending the brutal two-year war in the country. This could help avert wider destabilization of the Horn of Africa & East Africa (Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan). 

India-Ethiopia Relations:

• India and Ethiopia share a strong bilateral trade & investment relationship.
• Ethiopia is one of the largest recipients of long-term concessional credit from India in Africa. Lines of Credit worth more than USD 1 billion have been sanctioned to Ethiopia for sectors such as rural electrification, the sugar industry and railways. 
• Tele-Education and Tele-Medicine services under the Pan African e-network Project was launched in Addis Ababa in July 2007. 

Read more International Relations This Week articles in the link.

International Relations This Week: Episode 93:-Download PDF Here