28 June 2021: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

C. GS 3 Related

Category: SECURITY

1. Drones are now a favoured terror tool

Context:

In the first such instance in India, explosive devices were dropped from drones in the technical area of the Air Force Station in Jammu, triggering blasts.

• This represents the start of a new dimension to the terror cycles that the Kashmir Valley has experienced.
• There have been warnings that Pakistan-based terrorist groups could attempt to target military bases with drones.

Concerns:

• Pakistan based outfits have been deploying drones over the past two years, to smuggle arms, ammunition and drugs into Indian territory, besides conducting aerial surveillance.
• According to government figures, 167 drone sightings in 2019 and 77 in 2020 were recorded along the border with Pakistan.
• In early 2021, the Border Security Forces (BSF) foiled a few attempts to drop weapons and drugs by using drones on this side of the International Border in Jammu’s Samba and Kathua belt.
• Quadcopters are also being deployed by Pakistani agencies for spying activities in the border areas.
• Another emerging challenge for the security forces is the increasing use of improvised explosive devices.

Issue:

• Drones have developed significantly and acquired massive leaps in capability.
• Weaponised drones were first used by the Islamic State in northern Iraq in 2016 and then in Syria.
• They have wreaked havoc on Al Qaeda and other terrorist organisations in Afghanistan and other hotspots, used for targeted and precise eliminations by both Israelis and Americans.
• In the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan drones swooped down on their targets such as the formidable Russian S300 Air defence system, before such systems had the time to react.
• What makes drones particularly dangerous is the fact that they fly very low making them undetectable to radar and leaving little by way of reaction time once detected.

Way Forward:

• With the increasing use of drones for cross-border smuggling, the Indian security agencies must look for various ways to put in place reliable systems as part of a smart border management mechanism for deterrence.
• In terms of border security, drone jammers may not prove to be more effective. Drones fly low and therefore cannot be detected by any radar system.
• Anti-drone jammers cannot be very effective in the border areas, but they can be deployed at security-sensitive installations to prevent attacks.
• India can sign Geo fencing agreements with commercial drone manufacturers.
  • Such an agreement would ensure that manufacturers pre-programme codes into their products that prevent them from flying over or around certain areas — especially around critical infrastructure.
  • It involves sharing the coordinates of sensitive locations with foreign manufacturers.
• There is a need to reinvent border management through other viable options for surveillance, detection and use of anti-drone techniques.

Note:

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an anti-drone technology for short ranges which was deployed for Prime Minister’s security during the Independence Day address in August 2020.
• Navy is procuring Smash-2000 rifles to counter drones.
• In January 2020, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) made it mandatory for operators to register their drones.
• Provisions exist for the online issuance of unique identification numbers for drones through the Ministry’s Digital Sky platform.

E. Editorials

Category: SOCIAL ISSUES

1. On the margins with full equality still out of reach

The article throws light upon the discrimination faced by the sexual minorities in India in employment, health issues and personal rights, despite judicial verdicts upholding their rights.

Issue:

• The last two decades have witnessed tremendous progress in establishing civil rights for the LGBTQIA+ community.
  • In India, this community is still a stigmatised and invisible minority, despite the country’s liberal and inclusive Constitution.
• The Union of India has recently opposed any move to accord legal sanction to same-sex marriages in India.
  • It was stated that the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code does not automatically translate into a fundamental right for same-sex couples to marry.

Role of Judiciary:

• In the tug of war between the demands of the traditional conception of society and the rights of individuals to their identity and dignity, the Supreme Court has come down firmly in favour of the individual.
• The meagre gains that the queer community won have been granted by the judiciary and not by legislatures. 

Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. vs Union of India (2018):

• This Supreme Court judgement held that the application of IPC Section 377 to consensual homosexual behaviour between adults was unconstitutional and irrational.
• It provided a launchpad for the LGBTQ+ jurisprudence and queer liberation movement in India.

Naz Foundation vs Government of NCT of Delhi (2009):

• Delhi High Court held that Section 377 offended the guarantee of equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution because it creates an unreasonable classification and targets homosexuals as a class.

Despite these and many other judgments, there is still a lot of discrimination against sexual minorities. It is only when these problems are adequately addressed that the LGBTQ+ community will be able to enjoy full autonomy and agency.

Way Forward:

Legalising same-sex marriage:

• Understanding the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community, the law must expand the institution of marriage to include all gender and sexual identities.
  • At least 29 countries in the world have legalised same-sex marriage.
  • It is time for India to review its existing legal architecture in order to legalise marriages irrespective of gender identity and sexual orientation.

Securing citizens from being discriminated against by the state on the grounds of‘ sexual orientation’:

• Article 15 secures the citizens from every sort of discrimination by the state, on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth or any of them.
• In 1996, South Africa became the first country to constitutionally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
• India can also take the South Africa example and include ‘sexual orientation’ in addition to religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth in Article 15.

Providing justice to prisoners of sexual conscience:

• In 2017, the UK passed the “Alan Turing law”. It granted amnesty and pardon to the men who were cautioned or convicted under historical legislation that outlawed homosexual acts.
• India should also enact a law on these lines to make up for the excesses the LGBTQ+ community has been subject to in the past and present.

Sensitising the general public:

• The Government should put in efforts to sensitise the general public and officials (including police) to reduce and finally eliminate the stigma associated with the LGBTQ+ community.
• School and university students should be sensitised about the diversity of sexuality to dispel homophobia.

Globally, the recognition of the unequal laws discriminating against the LGBTQIA+ community has acted as a trigger to reform and modernise legal architecture to become more inclusive and equal. The onus to make India a socially inclusive society remains with the civil society, the citizens, the government and the LGBTQ+ community itself.

Category: HISTORY

1. The power of an apology

The article discusses how apologies by countries for past mistakes can improve bilateral ties and help people reconcile with the past.

Context:

• In May 2021, Germany officially apologised to Namibia for the massacre of the Herero and Nama people in 1904-1908 and called it a genocide for the first time.
• French President Emmanuel Macron said in Rwanda that he recognised his country’s role in the Rwandan genocide and hoped for forgiveness.

This topic has been covered in  May 29th, 2021 CNA.

• In 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologised before the descendants of passengers of the Komagata Maru ship.
  • In 1914, the Canadian government had decided to turn away the ship carrying South Asian migrants, mostly Sikhs. The ship was forced to return to India. Back home, the British suspected the passengers to be revolutionaries and many passengers were shot dead.

Significance of such gestures:

• While it is difficult to find a mutually acceptable compromise and tangible compensation, such gestures generate multiple positive effects.
• Such apologies require courage, goodwill, compassion, and humility. 
• They help in strengthening the relations between the countries involved.
• Apologies by leaders help countries take lessons from history and avoid similar tragedies.
• They provide solace to the victims’ descendants, giving them a sense of justice and rectitude.

Conclusion:

• In contemporary geopolitics, a sense of humility is a rare phenomenon. Political leaders, from Nicaragua to Myanmar, are ready to resort to any means in order to remain in power.
  • In this environment, apologetic voices add a moral dimension to international relations.
• To be a pillar of the multipolar world is not to be a military power, manufacturing and financial hub. Countries that strive for global leadership should be able to provide moral leadership as well.
  • This includes critical self-reflection, humility, compassion, and care not only towards their people, but also towards the most vulnerable communities around the world.

Category: POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. New Delhi’s tactical half-measure on Kashmir

Background:

In the first outreach meeting between the Union government and mainstream political leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister met 14 leaders of eight mainstream political parties in the Union Territory.

• The meeting has put the focus on the scope of restoration of its statehood.

This issue has been covered in June 26th, 2021 CNA.

Bilateral implications:

• Pakistan had maintained ever since the abrogation of Article 370 that it would not engage in a dialogue process with India until it retracts its decision of withdrawing the special status.
• Pakistan tried to internationalise the issue. However, it could not garner much support.
• Increased heat on the LoC and inside Kashmir also proved to be ineffective.
• Pakistan’s stated position has changed with the February 2021 ceasefire agreement on the LoC and the backchannel talks preceding it.
• There is an emergent and strong opinion within Pakistan that if India restored Statehood in J&K, it might open doors for a dialogue process.
  • This has the potential to bring the two sides to the negotiating table on various outstanding bilateral issues. 
• New Delhi’s current advantage in Kashmir over Pakistan could also be seen in the backdrop of the lessons from the Balakot stand-off in early 2019.
  • New Delhi had clearly signalled to Pakistan how far it will go on the Kashmir question and how far it will tolerate the menace of terrorism.

Read more on this issue AIR Spotlight Gist for UPSC: PM’s Meeting with Leaders of Jammu & Kashmir.

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Another shade of grey

Context:

Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has retained Pakistan on the grey list or the list of countries under increased monitoring.

• Besides, the FATF handed down another six-point list of tasks for Pakistan to comply with, mainly on money laundering actions.
• FATF has made it clear that Pakistan must complete the prosecution of all proscribed leaders of groups including the LeT, JeM, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban.

This topic has been covered in June 26th, 2021 CNA.

Details:

• The FATF evaluates countries on their efforts in anti-money laundering/countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT).
  • Therefore, it closely works with the UN Security Council’s listings of terror groups.
• Owing to its failure to convict JeM chief Masood Azhar and others, Pakistan has been retained in the FATF Grey List.

Pakistan’s response:

• The Pakistani government publicly protested the decision, pointing out that many countries that had largely completed the action plans have been delisted in the past.
  • Pakistan, which was on the FATF’s increased monitoring lists from 2009-2015, was taken off the grey list in 2015 in a similar manner (before it was relisted in 2018).
• Pakistani leaders have lashed out at India of attempting to politicise the process at the FATF.
• It believes that the decision stems from a refusal to allow the U.S. the use of its bases after America’s pull-out from Afghanistan.
• Pakistan also highlighted that it has introduced and amended terror financing laws, which have enabled the prosecution of more than 30 UN-proscribed leaders and their associates, for terror financing.

Impact on India:

• For India, the recent decision has brought some comfort, even as it awaits the conviction of leaders of groups such as the LeT and JeM for attacks, including Mumbai 26/11, Parliament (2001), Pathankot and Pulwama.
• As India faces its Mutual Evaluation Report, the processes of FATF must be checked for overreach.
  • India must be prepared as it is expected that Pakistan would push for a critical investigation of India’s AML/CFT regime.
• Besides, it is clear that there will be more political aspects to the technical scrutiny of countries in the future as FATF has announced a new focus on extreme right-wing terrorism (ERW).

Q1. Consider the following statements:

Q2. Arrange the following sectors in the decreasing order in the total share of 
power generated:

Q3. Consider the following statements:

Q4. Marib, recently in the news, is in which country?

Q5. The jet aircrafts fly very easily and smoothly in the lower stratosphere. What could 
be the appropriate explanation? (2011)