CNA 21st April 2021:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related B. GS 2 Related INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. ‘Border situation cannot be swept under carpet’ 2. U.S. denies vaccine inputs ban C. GS 3 Related ECONOMY 1. U.S. currency watchlist an intrusion into policy: official D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY 1. A low-carbon future through sector-led change INTERNAL SECURITY 1. The long battle against the Maoists F. Prelims Facts 1. PM cancels Europe trip, amid surge 2. A few countries cannot set global rules, says Xi Jinping G. Tidbits 1. ISRO to support projects of IIT-D 2. Russia says it will launch own space station in 2025 3. ‘Target over 25% growth in exports’ H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
B. GS 2 Related
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. ‘Border situation cannot be swept under carpet’
Context:
- Statement by the envoys of India and China during their interactions with academicians and experts as part of the track 2 diplomacy efforts.
Background:
Talks deadlocked:
- Talks between military commanders appear to remain deadlocked over carrying forward disengagement in the Gogra and Hot Springs areas following the completion of the first phase at Pangong Lake.
- Recently, China’s state media reported the deployment of an advanced long-range rocket launcher to the border with India.
China’s stand:
On border issue:
- Though the Chinese envoy acknowledged the fact that the boundary dispute should be given sufficient attention and taken seriously, he argued that the boundary question is not the whole story of China-India relations and it should be put at a proper place in the overall bilateral relations.
On multilateralism:
- China has called on India to abide by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core and an international order based on international law and reject ‘small circles’, a phrase some Chinese experts have used to refer to groupings such as the Quad.
India’s stand:
On border issue:
- India’s envoy to China has stated that unlike the popular tendency in some quarters to characterize the border face-off between the two neighbours as just a minor issue, maintaining peace and tranquillity at the border is very essential to take forward India’s ties with China.
- India and China should work towards early resolution of the border crisis as a resolution of the long-pending issue is inevitable to develop a closer development partnership between the two countries.
On multilateralism:
- Indian envoy stressed the importance of multipolarity in the changed geo-political scenario, both in the Indo-Pacific and beyond and has reiterated that in such a multipolar world, no country can set the agenda by itself without prior agreement and consultation.
2. U.S. denies vaccine inputs ban
Context:
- Covishield vaccine manufacturer Serum Institute of India (SII) had appealed to the U.S. administration to lift the embargo on raw material export to assist the production of COVID-19 vaccines.
Background:
Emergency legislation:
- The U.S. is a major source of raw materials in vaccine production.
- The U.S.’s Defense Production Act — an emergency law that requires domestic manufacturers to prioritize federal (central) government purchase orders – has resulted in a short supply of vital raw materials in the open market.
- The act is aimed to expand domestic vaccine manufacturing and prioritize quick vaccination of Americans.
Details:
- The U.S. administration has denied any ‘outright bans’ on the export of vaccine raw materials.
Attempts at resolving the situation:
- India has expressed specific concerns raised by vaccine manufacturers and the U.S. officials have said they will “positively consider” the concerns raised by the Indian side.
- India and the U.S. have alluded to cooperation on “COVID-19” or “health” during the recent phone call between the foreign ministers of the two countries.
C. GS 3 Related
1. U.S. currency watchlist an intrusion into policy: official
Context:
- Indian Commerce Secretary’s statement on the U.S. government’s decision to put India on the watchlist for currency manipulators as being an intrusion into the policy space of the central bank.
Background:
- The United States has retained India among many other countries on its currency manipulation watchlist.
- India was added to the list for a second time in December 2020. It was first added to the list in December 2018 and later removed in 2019.
Reasons for retaining India on the watchlist:
High dollar purchases:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has purchased dollars’ worth close to 5% of India’s gross domestic product.
Trade surplus:
- India enjoys a trade surplus of $20 billion or more with the U.S.
- India’s trade surplus with the U.S. grew by about $5 billion to $23 billion in 2020-21, from around $18 billion in the previous fiscal year, as imports fell more sharply than exports in the COVID-affected year.
India’s stand:
- The RBI has been only taking necessary steps to maintain stability in the financial markets and not accumulating forex reserves like China did in the past.
- The central bank’s activity in the foreign exchange market has been perfectly balanced and completely legitimate within the accepted monetary policy mandate of central banks across the world.
- It is a mandate of the central bank to provide stability in the currency as a result of which central banks buy and sell foreign currency.
- The U.S. move to list India on the currency manipulator watchlist amounts to an intrusion into the policy space of central banks.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
Category: ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY
1. A low-carbon future through sector-led change
Context:
- The upcoming ‘Leaders’ Climate Summit’ being organised by the United States has led to a lot of conversation around a ‘net-zero’ emissions target for all countries including developing countries like India.
Background:
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5°C report called for global carbon emissions to reach net-zero by 2050. This has led to a rising call for all countries to announce 2050 as the net-zero target year.
India’s dilemma:
Developmental needs and climate justice:
- Given the historic emissions by developed countries and the fact that they have taken up a disproportionate share of the carbon space, it is fair enough to expect them to take greater ambitious targets when it comes to climate action.
- The higher targets by the more financially and technologically able developed countries will enable the developing countries to have some additional time for climate action while in the meantime they can focus on their developmental needs.
- India should not lose sight of its own developmental needs while taking up GHG mitigation measures. India continues to face a significant development deficit — India’s per-capita carbon emissions are less than half the world average.
For related information refer to:
Deconstructing declarations of carbon-neutrality
Climate vulnerability of India:
- India is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries and this necessitates India to up its climate action and climate ambitions.
Way forward for India:
- Given that India can neither limit itself to only modest steps until richer countries do more given the context of a global climate crisis, nor can India go ahead and announce a 2050 net-zero commitment taking a much heavier burden of decarbonisation than many wealthier countries, and seriously compromising India’s development needs, there is the need for a more balanced approach when it comes to climate action.
- India should adopt a sector-led, action-based approach that could provide the framework to drive the low-carbon transformation of India.
Short term:
- India should initially focus more on near-term sectoral transformations through the adoption of the latest technologies that are within reach.
- India should avoid high carbon lock-ins.
- There is a need to focus on sectoral low-carbon development pathways that combine competitiveness, job-creation, distributional justice and low pollution.
- Such an approach would be directionally consistent with India moving towards net-zero emissions.
Long term:
- In the long term, India should move towards net-zero emissions. Over time, India can and should get more specific about future economy-wide net-zero targets and dates.
Electricity sector:
- The article discusses measures that can be taken in the electricity sector.
De-carbonizing power sector:
- De-carbonizing the electricity sector is a critical measure to achieve net-zero emissions.
- The electricity sector is the single largest source (about 40%) of India’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Renewable energy:
- There have been laudable efforts in the electricity sector focused on expanding renewable electricity capacity.
- The targets have been set at 175GW of renewable capacity by 2022 and 450GW of renewable capacity by 2030.
Coal sector:
- Apart from expanding renewables, India also needs to focus on limiting the expansion of coal-based electricity capacity.
- Coal accounts for almost 75% of electricity generation.
- India should consider pledging that it will not grow its coal-fired power capacity beyond what is already announced, and reach peak coal electricity capacity by 2030, while striving to make coal-based generation cleaner and more efficient.
- Apart from GHG mitigation, the ceiling of coal capacity would also aid control air pollution. Such a pledge would also give full scope for the development of renewable energy and storage, and send a strong signal to investors.
- Considering the significance of the coal sector in the economic as well as social development, it would be necessary to create a multi-stakeholder Just Transition Commission representing all levels of government and the affected communities to ensure decent livelihood opportunities beyond coal in India’s coal belt. This move will help ensure that the transition costs to a low-carbon future would not fall on the backs of India’s poor.
Addressing the challenges of distribution companies:
- A low-carbon electricity future cannot be realised without addressing the existing problems of the distribution companies (DISCOMS). This would require sufficient financing as well as reforms in their structure as well as their functioning patterns.
Developing requisite technology:
- India will need to work towards becoming a leader in technologies of the future such as electricity storage, smart grids, and technologies that enable the electrification of other sectors such as transportation.
- This would necessitate a well-planned partnership with the private sector, including tools such as production-linked incentives.
- India should develop a strategic road map to enhance its own technology and manufacturing competence as part of the global clean energy supply chain, to gain benefits of employment and export revenues.
- India could in fact use this electricity transition to aim for job creation and global competitiveness in these key areas.
Improving energy efficiency:
- Enhancing the efficiency of electricity use is an important complement to decarbonising the electricity supply.
- Air conditioners, fans and refrigerators together consume about 60% of the electricity in households.
- The energy efficiency programmes apart from looking into electrical appliances should also focus on the development of green buildings.
- In addition to reducing green house gas emissions, this would have the benefit of lowering consumer electricity bills. India can leverage this transition too as an opportunity to become a global leader in the production of clean appliances.
Conclusion:
- A similar integrated approach as discussed above should also be adopted for other sectors.
- Such a sector-by-sector approach, which can and should be developed for other sectors, can demonstrate concrete, yet ambitious, domestic action that sets India on the path toward net-zero emissions.
- Additionally, such an approach also offers the following advantages:
- It could allow India to insist on developed countries to complement their distant net-zero targets by enacting concrete near-term measures.
- This approach allows India to nimbly adapt its sectoral transition plans as technologies mature and enable it to ratchet up its pledges periodically as required by the Paris Agreement.
- This would allow India adequate time to undertake detailed assessments of its development needs and low-carbon opportunities, the possible pace of technological developments, the seriousness of the net-zero actions by developed countries to prescribe its very own climate action pledges.
For more related information refer to:
1. The long battle against the Maoists
Context:
- The recent encounter between security forces and the Maoists in Sukma, a Maoist stronghold in Chhattisgarh in which 22 jawans were killed.
Concerns:
- The article discusses some of the major concerns associated with the Maoist movement and the governmental efforts to counter the movement.
Determination:
- Despite several reversals in the recent past, Maoists have time and again targeted security forces at will.
- They have been able to strike at security forces and indulge in indiscriminate killing from time to time.
Objectives:
- The demands made by the Maoists apart from a call for the formation of a ‘people’s government’, also includes an armed struggle to overthrow the popularly elected governments. These are secessionist in nature, which no constitutionally elected establishment will ever concede to.
Tactics:
- The Maoists continue to operate from their forest hideouts, periodically targeting security forces. They also indulge in intoxicating the local populace with anti-establishment propaganda.
Assistance being received by Maoists:
- The Maoists continue to receive assistance in terms of weaponry from various sources.
Lack of an all-out approach:
- What has worked to the Maoists’ advantage is the fact that many states cannot give undivided attention to the task of eradicating extremism. All that the Central and State governments often do to step up their operations is to deploy more policemen and pour in more money and improve technology, but this has an impact only for a short span of time.
- This focus seems to dissipate over time with an element of fatigue arising in the government’s efforts.
Way forward:
Developmental push:
- Many experts have put forward the argument that rapid economic development of a region can help lure people away from extremist ideology and also help cut the popular support that the extremists receive from the local population.
Need for dedicated leadership at local levels:
- Andhra Pradesh, especially the Srikakulam district, is an apt example where a developmental push has helped address the challenge posed by Naxals. A dedicated leadership at the district and grassroots levels had played a vital role in the district and there is a need to ensure a similar approach in other Naxal affected areas as well.
Inducting locals into security forces:
- Inducting local youth into the security forces would help in fighting the extremists.
- The Greyhounds, raised in Andhra Pradesh in 1989, is a successful example of the induction of local youth into security forces to help counter the Naxalites.
- This would not only help the states reduce their over-dependence on Central forces but will also offer the forces some operative advantage given the locals’ awareness of the local topography.
F. Prelims Facts
1. PM cancels Europe trip, amid surge
- In the light of the surge of COVID-19 cases in India, the Indian Prime Minister has cancelled his travel to Europe to take part in the planned India-EU summit in Porto, Portugal.
- The India-EU Leaders’ Meeting in the EU+27 format, was the first time that such a meeting was being planned, reflecting the shared ambition of both sides to further deepen the strategic partnership.
Agenda:
- Finalization of the long-pending Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) between India and the EU.
- Agreement on cooperation on the Indo-Pacific strategy.
- Co-operation on climate action, promoting human rights, building connectivity, sustainable trade and defending a multilateral international order.
2. A few countries cannot set global rules, says Xi Jinping
- The Boao Forum for Asia is an initiative of some Asian countries and Australia and is a non-profit organisation that hosts high-level forums for leaders from government, business and academia in Asia and other continents to share their vision on the most pressing issues in the Indo-Pacific region and the world at large.
- The annual Boao Forum is also known as China’s Davos.
G. Tidbits
1. ISRO to support projects of IIT-D
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has announced that it will support eight joint research projects mooted by the Space Technology Cell (STC), IIT-Delhi.
- The ISRO will support the projects under its RESPOND programme.
- This move would strengthen the research collaboration between the two organisations to carry out focused research projects in the space technology domain with specific deliverables.
- Some of the envisaged projects include developing a system for drought and flood forecasting and understanding land-atmosphere interactions.
2. Russia says it will launch own space station in 2025
- Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos has said that it plans to launch its own orbital station in 2025 as it considers withdrawing from the International Space Station programme.
- The International Space Station programme was launched in 1998 involving Russia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and the European Space Agency.
3. ‘Target over 25% growth in exports’
- Addressing a meeting with export promotion councils of various sectors, Commerce and Industry Minister urged exporters to target over 25% growth in 2021-22 so as to take merchandise exports to $400 billion.
- The minister has promised the export promotion councils government support in this endeavour.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. Which of the following measures can help increase the value of Rupee vis-a-vis the U.S. dollar in the Forex market?
- Lowering the RBI’s U.S. dollar Forex reserves
- Increasing the RBI’s U.S. dollar Forex reserves
- Open market operations to inject more rupee liquidity into the financial market
- Open market operations to suck out rupee liquidity from the financial market
- Restrictions on the import of gold
- Encouraging Foreign capital inflows
Options:
- 1, 4, 5 and 6 only
- 2, 3, 5 and 6 only
- 1 and 4 only
- 5 and 6 only
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- The rupee value depends on two factors, DEMAND and SUPPLY. In very simple terms if the supply of rupee is more in the economy, then its value decreases and if the supply is less and demand is more, then the value increases.
- The supply and demand are affected by the Imports and Exports of the country including some other factors.
- When there is a need to increase the value of the Rupee, what RBI does is pump foreign currency into the market and take away the Indian rupee from the market. This results in an increase in the foreign currency supply and a decrease in the Indian currency supply. This results in appreciating the rupee value.
- When there is a need to depreciate the rupee value, RBI just buys foreign currencies from the market pumping more rupees into the market. This results in an increase in rupee supply and a decrease in foreign currency in the market. This results in the depreciation of the rupee value.
Q2. What are the possible implications of rupee appreciation in the short term?
- Lower import cost of crude oil
- Favourable impact on inflation
- Adverse impact on export-oriented sectors
- Adverse impact on inbound investment
Options:
- 1 and 2 only
- 1, 2 and 3 only
- 1, 2, 3 and 4
- 1 and 3 only
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: c
Explanation:
- A stronger rupee will help India cuts its crude import bill which will have a favourable impact on inflation in India.
- Exports will be expensive if the value of the Indian rupee appreciates because Indian products will be expensive compared to other competing nations. This will adversely impact India’s export competitiveness and impact price-sensitive foreign trade-oriented sectors in India.
- The appreciation in rupee value may also adversely impact foreign investment into India. The primary reason for foreign investment in India is the cheap labour cost. Appreciating rupee value may not augur well for this scenario.
Q3. Which of the following correctly describes the RESPOND programme of ISRO?
- Addressing the socio-economic needs of the deprived sections through scholarship support
- Establishing links with premier academic institutions to carry out research and developmental projects
- Establishing collaborations with third world countries to support their development process
- Addressing the needs of the agricultural sector through the use of space technology
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
- The main objective of the RESPOND Programme is to establish strong links with premier academic institutions in the country to carry out research and developmental projects which are of relevance to space and derive useful outputs of such R&D to support ISRO programmes.
- RESPOND programme aims to enhance the academic base, generate quality human resources and infrastructure at the academic institutes to support the Indian space programme.
- Under RESPOND, projects in the advanced areas of relevance to the space programme are encouraged to be taken up by premier universities/academic institutions.
Q4. The proposed Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) is an economic agreement between India and which of the following?
- European Union
- Japan
- Russia
- U.S.
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: a
Explanation:
- Bilateral Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA) is a proposed economic engagement agreement between India and the EU.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Given that India can neither limit itself to only modest steps until richer countries do more given the context of a global climate crisis, nor can India go ahead and announce a 2050 net-zero commitment which could seriously compromise India’s development needs, there is the need for a more balanced approach when it comes to climate action. Elucidate. (15 marks, 250 words) (GS-3, Environment and Ecology]
- The recent encounter between security forces and the Maoists in Sukma reiterates the threat posed by the Maoists to India’s Internal Security. Discuss the concerns associated with the Maoist movement and the lacunae in the governmental efforts to address the same. (10 marks, 150 words) [GS-3, Internal Security]
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CNA 21st April 2021:- Download PDF Here
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