17 Dec 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS 1 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Japan’s Defence Policy

Syllabus: Effect of Policies & Politics of Developed & Developing Countries on India’s Interests

Mains: Role of Japan for peace in Asia-pacific.

Context: Japan’s government approved a major defence policy overhaul on December 16, 2022.

Key Details: 

• Japan approved a new national security strategy, including a significant spending hike – one of the country’s largest defence overhauls since World War II.
  • Cabinet approved three documents which outlined the strategy shift — the National Security Strategy (NSS), the National Defense Program Guidelines, and the Mid-Term Defense Program.
• Japan vowed to increase security spending to 2% of GDP by 2027, reshape its military command, and acquire new missiles that can strike far-flung enemy launch sites.
• Increased defence spending will bring Japan in line with NATO member guidelines.

Implications: 

• This is a marked shift from the country’s pacifist approach, which has dominated its political discourse for decades.
• This is done to counter threats from China and a heavily armed North Korea. 
  • Japan describes China as “the greatest strategic challenge ever to securing the peace and stability of Japan”, as well as a “serious concern” for Japan and the international community.
  • Under the new strategy, the country will increase its military presence in its southernmost islands to counter Beijing’s threats.
• This marks a significant increase from historic spending of around one percent and has sparked criticism over how it will be financed.
• Public polls suggest Japan’s public largely backs the shift, but Japan’s post-war Constitution does not officially recognise the military and limits it to nominally self-defensive capabilities.
• The documents rule out preemptive strikes and insist Japan is committed to “an exclusively defence-oriented policy”.
• An effective Japanese counter-strike capability would set the stage for a far deeper level of command-and-control integration with the United States than exists today.

Japan’s new approach towards China and Russia:

• The defence revamp has significantly hardened Japan’s language towards China and Russia.
• Japan, which once sought enhanced ties and cooperation with Russia, now warns Moscow of its military posture in Asia and calls its proximity to China – “a strong security concern.”
• Japan joined the G7 in imposing sanctions on Moscow following the invasion of Ukraine, Russia labelled Japan an “unfriendly” country and increased military activity near Japan.
• Japan has been a driving force in promoting the Quad arrangement with Australia, the US and India, with new initiatives in maritime domain awareness, climate change, disaster relief, cyberspace and infrastructure announced.

Nut Graf: Japan recently approved a major defence policy overhaul to counter the strengthening of nuclear missile capabilities, and rapid military build-up by China and North Korea. Worried by growing regional threats, Japan’s public largely backed the shift in Japan’s defence policy.

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

G. Tidbits

1. ‘Kasturi’

• The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil) and the Cotton Corporation of India had signed an MoU to start branding and labelling Indian cotton under the ‘Kasturi’ brand from the current season. 
• The Union Ministry of Textiles had announced the “Kasturi Cotton India” brand of cotton on the eve of World Cotton Day on 7th October 2020.
  •  This provided Indian cotton with a brand and a logo that represents Whiteness, Softness, Purity, Lustre and Indianness.
  • This was done with a focus on building the image of Indian cotton at the Global level, making India Atma Nirbhar and vocal for local in the field of cotton.
• This mechanism will provide complete traceability of Cotton from the origin farm level, QR Code based Certification technology to validate “KASTURI Cotton India” at each stage and will Promote “KASTURI Cotton India” as a premium brand by enhancing international perception & valuation of Indian Cotton. 
• This will make Indian cotton a reliable quality product, both in the domestic and global markets thereby facilitating premium pricing.
• This collaboration will benefit cotton farmers to get the actual value of their produce due to brand building and quality assurance.
  • Farmers, traders and spinners could apply to get the cotton tested for ‘Kasturi’ branding.
• It will also encourage the Industry to work on the principle of self-regulation by owning complete responsibility of the Traceability, Certification and Branding of Indian cotton. 

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements: (Level-Medium)

1. Each person’s DNA, except for identical twins, is unique.
2. DNA can be extracted from clothes, linen and combs.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both
4. None

Q2. Which among the following statements is the best description of the EAGLE Act? 
(Level-Difficult)

1. The act identifies trade barriers to United States companies and products due to the intellectual property laws, such as copyright, patents and trademarks
2. It is a United States Federal Law that has imposed sanctions against Iran, Russia and North Korea
3. The goal of the Act is to allow US employers to focus on hiring immigrants based on merit, not their birthplace, by eliminating the “per country” limitation on employment
4. This Act is the fundamental U.S. law on both the civilian and the military uses of nuclear materials

Q3. With respect to Court vacations, which of the following statements is/are 
correct? (Level-Difficult)

1. High Courts have the power to structure their calendars according to the service rules.
2. A Vacation Bench of the Supreme Court is a special bench constituted by the Chief Justice of India.
3. Justice Malimath Committee, set up to recommend reforms in the criminal justice system suggested that the period of vacation should be reduced.

Options:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q4. Consider the following Pairs: (Level-Difficult)

     GI Product                                          State

1. Gamosa                                            Assam
2. Alibag White Onion                      Maharashtra
3. Tandur Red gram                           Telangana 
4. Kodungallur Pottuvellari             Kerala

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

1. Only one pair
2. Only two pairs
3. Only three pairs
4. All four pairs

Q5. If a particular area is brought under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of 
India, which one of the following statements best reflects the consequence of it? 
(CSE-PYQ-2022) (Level-Medium)

1. This would prevent the transfer of land of tribal people to non-tribal people.
2. This would create a local self-governing body in that area.
3. This would convert that area into a Union Territory.
4. The State having such areas would be declared a Special Category State.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Events such as the ‘Kashi Tamil Sangamam’ can go a long way in strengthening cooperative federalism in India. Elaborate. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-2; Polity)
2. A shift in Japan’s security policy may have long term consequences on the region’s status quo. Do you agree? Critically analyze. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS-2; International relations)

Read the previous CNA here.