17 Apr 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

CNA 17th April 2021:- Download PDF Here

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
POLITY AND GOVERNANCE
1. NSA against three for selling COVID drug at higher rates
HEALTH
1. India badly placed to tackle infections: Fitch
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. ‘Must ensure democracy prevails in Afghanistan’
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. The roots of a decentred international order
2. Vaccine diplomacy that needs specific clarifications
POLITY
1. Steep climb
F. Prelims Facts
G. Tidbits
1. Girls face more pressure during pandemic: study
2. China’s GDP grew record 18.3% in Q1
3. U.S. Treasury keeps India on currency watch list
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Category: HEALTH

1. India badly placed to tackle infections: Fitch

Context:

According to Fitch Solutions, despite several healthcare reforms, India remains badly placed to tackle the current wave of COVID-19 infections.

Concerns:

• The virus has started spreading rapidly, due to complacency on the social distancing measures and mask-wearing policies.
• Several hospitals are stretched beyond their capacities.
• With 5 hospital beds per 10,000 population and 8 physicians per 10,000, the healthcare sector is not equipped for such a crisis.
• States bearing the maximum load of the pandemic, are already falling short of health infrastructure and equipment, ranging from oxygen to ventilators.
• More than 80% of the population does not have any significant health insurance coverage.
• Approximately 68% has limited or no access to essential medicines.
• India lags far behind in immunisations per capita having vaccinated only about one in 25 people, compared with almost one in two in Britain and one in three in the United States.
• India’s soaring virus cases puts its position as a global supplier [of vaccines] at risk as it has had to hold back vaccine exports in order to maintain domestic supply.

Way Forward:

• The low level of public spending on health is both a cause and an exacerbating factor accounting for the poor quality, limited reach and insufficient public provisioning of healthcare.
• The crisis has brought out the critical importance of the public sector in health provisioning and highlighted the need to increase investment in healthcare.

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. ‘Must ensure democracy prevails in Afghanistan’

Context:

It has been announced that Foreign troops under NATO command will withdraw from Afghanistan in coordination with a U.S. pull-out by September 11, 2021.

This topic has been covered in the 15^th April 2021 Comprehensive News Analysis.

Details:

• In this context, India’s External Affairs Minister has called for a responsible drawdown of American and NATO forces.
• He said it was necessary that Afghanistan’s constitution, democratic processes and the rights accorded to women and minorities were ensured under any circumstances, and that the pullout be united, democratic and sovereign.

India’s concerns:

• The U.S. decision to pull out all forces from Afghanistan is a big step with deep consequences.
• India is concerned about a hasty withdrawal of the U.S. and allied forces from Afghanistan, which could bring the Taliban into a powerful role in Kabul.
• Much would depend on the troops’ withdrawal plan and what kind of assistance they would continue to provide the Afghan National Security and Defence Forces (ANSDF).
• Islamic State (IS) fighters present in Afghanistan pose common threats, common challenges to the country and its neighbours.

Note:

India’s role in Afghanistan has been a positive one. India has provided assistance to the country in the construction of the Afghan parliament, the Salma Dam and road networks.

2. Vaccine diplomacy that needs specific clarifications

Introduction- A look at Stats

• As of April 13, India had supplied over 65 million vaccines to 90 countries.
• Of these more than 10 million were sent as grants, almost 36 million on a commercial basis and about 19 million under the COVAX programme. These estimates are based on the Ministry of External Affairs statistics.

‘Why’ send vaccines to other countries?

It is a crucial query as India is in need of precious vaccines.

• Modi during his address to the Raisina Dialogue “…we in India have tried to walk the talk. We have tried to protect our own 1.3 billion citizens from the pandemic. At the same time, we have also tried to support the pandemic response efforts of others.”
• The External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said, “I think equitable access (to vaccines) is critically important in this. Because we all know that no one will be safe till everyone is safe.”
  • Earlier he had also asked, “Tell me, how many vaccines have internationalist countries given? Which one of these countries (Western/developed countries) have said while I do (vaccinate) my people, I will do (inoculate) other people who need it as much as we do”?
• These actions signal that India is a responsible global power that does not self-obsessively think of itself alone.

The world is one family

• This desire to be a good global citizen can be traced to the Objective Resolution moved by Jawaharlal Nehru in the Constituent Assembly. It noted, inter alia, “This ancient land attains its rightful and honoured place in the world and make its full and willing contribution to the promotion of world peace and the welfare of mankind.”
• Modi followed this vision when he also told the Raisina Dialogue, “And we must think of the entire humanity not merely of those who are on our side of the borders. Humanity as a whole must be at the centre of our thinking and action” and the Government has invoked the ancient phrase ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”.

Merits

• India’s gifting of vaccine is going to polish its global image and earn it goodwill.
• Importantly, Vaccine Maitri will serve as a powerful soft power tool to counter China’s considerable influence in South Asia, Africa and elsewhere.
• India’s gesture of sharing its vaccine supplies with other countries stands in sharp contrast to several rich countries that are cornering, even hoarding vaccine supplies.

Foreign Policy Imperatives

• These steps are usually taken to meet the international obligations, emphasize a country’s tradition of altruism and to achieve self-interest.
• However, the Government eventually has to justify it to its own people on the basis of tangible short- or long-term strategic and economic interests. This is particularly so in times of shortages when the welfare of a country’s own citizenry is directly and obviously at stake.

Conclusion

• Thus, all in all, vaccines sent abroad were for general foreign policy considerations for which there is some justification. But that is insufficient.
• Specific clarifications are needed to convince the people that these exports have not been made at the cost of their health.

Category: POLITY

1. Steep climb

Gorkhaland:

Read more in the link, Gorkhaland – a demand for identity.

2. China’s GDP grew record 18.3% in Q1

What’s in News?

China’s economy expanded at a record pace in the first quarter.

• The country witnessed an 18.3% expansion in gross domestic product.
• This is the fastest pace since quarterly records began three decades ago.

3. U.S. Treasury keeps India on currency watch list

What’s in News?

Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States places India in the ‘Monitoring List’ with regard to the currency practices.

Details:

• The semi-annual report submitted to the U.S. Congress reviews the currency practices of the U.S.’s 20 biggest trading partners.
• 11 countries have been placed in the U.S. Treasury’s ‘Monitoring List’.
  • The other 10 countries on the list with India are China, Japan, Korea, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Mexico.
• India was on the list in the December 2020 report as well.
• Three criteria are used to review partners:
  • A significant (at least $20 billion) bilateral trade surplus
  • A material current account surplus
  • Persistent one-sided intervention in forex markets
• India met two of the three criteria — the trade surplus criterion and the persistent, one-sided intervention criterion.

Q1. Consider the following statements about Konyak Tribes:

Q2. ‘Heparin’ recently in news is:

Q3. Consider the following statements:

Q4. Consider the following statements about the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD):

Read the previous CNA here.

CNA 17th April 2021:- Download PDF Here