06 Nov 2018: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

A. GS1 Related

Context

• The Supreme Court may hear a petition challenging a government circular advising the media to refrain from calling Scheduled Caste members “Dalits”.
• The petition, filed by advocate Sriram Parakkat, on behalf of activist V.A. Ramesh Nathan, said the term ‘Dalit’ was a self- chosen name, a positive self-identifier and political identity, to describe the pan-Indian community of those affected by the caste system and the practice of untouchability for several centuries.
• The petition said the word “Dalit” meant “divided, split, broken, scattered”.
• In the 1930s, the word “Dalit” was popularised and reintroduced into the public imagination by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to refer to the pan-Indian community of historically oppressed people, it said.
• It contended that the circular dated August 7, 2018 issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry was “vague, arbitrary, inconsistent and has no rational nexus to its ostensible objective”. It was issued on the basis of a Bombay High Court decision.
• “The ostensible reason/rationale for the issuance of the circular seems to be to prevent hurt and insult caused to people and communities by the reference to them as “Dalit”. However, this is without any basis. The term is embraced by the community to describe itself in rejection of various other terms/nomenclatures imposed upon them by outsiders. It (circular) has obviously been issued without a consultative process,” the petition said.

Who are the Dalits?

The most ancient mention of the caste system is found in the Rig Veda, believed to be developed between 1500 and 800 BC, where it was called the Varna system. It classified the society into four varnas:

• The Brahmins: priests, scholars and teachers; considered to be pure, wise and gentle; highly respected and obeyed
• The Kshatriyas: rulers, warriors and administrators; linked with anger, pleasure and boldness
• The Vaishyas: cattle herders, agriculturists, artisans and merchants; deemed to be hard-working people living off the plough
• The Shudras: labourers and service providers; associated with violence and impurity, worthy of contempt; despised and ordered

Over the time, particular castes were placed even below Shudras and were called Avarnas – not belonging to any class. They were supposed to do menial jobs as sweepers, gutter cleaners, scavengers, watchmen, farm laborers, rearers of unclean animals such as pigs, and curers of hides. People from such castes are called Dalits (meaning oppressed) in modern times. Although many of them have moved to other professions over time, yet the general perception against them has remained to be one of hatred and loathe.

Dalits (SC) and Tribals (ST) are the most marginalized sections of Indian society. Many atrocities have been committed against them since time immemorial. The SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act protects them against discrimination and atrocities.

“Dalit-Harijan-Depressed Class” Nomenclature Controversy

• The word “Dalit” comes from the Sanskrit root dal- and means “broken, ground-down, downtrodden, or oppressed”.
• “Dalit” refers to one’s caste rather than class; it applies to members of those menial castes which have historically borne the stigma of “untouchability” because their traditional occupations were deemed to be impure and polluted by the upper castes.
• Dalits, in a way, are ‘outcastes’ falling outside the traditional four-fold caste system consisting of the hereditary Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra classes; till a few decades ago, there were physically and socially excluded and isolated from the rest of the society.
• The term was believed to have been first used by Jyotirao Phule, founder of the Satya Shodak Samaj, in the nineteenth century. He used the term for ‘untouchables’ and victims of caste based oppressions. It was B R Ambedkar, the ‘father of Indian Constitution’ and a victim of caste oppression in his early years, who popularised the term ‘Depressed Classes’, which is the anglicized version of Dalit.
• ‘Harijan’, meaning ‘children of God’, was a term first used by Gandhi to refer to Scheduled Castes in 1932. He even started three journals in English, Hindi and Gujarati in the same name in 1933. The exact origin of the word is subject to debate.
• Gandhi’s idea of using the word ‘Harijan’, many argue, was to avoid other words like ‘untouchables’ or ‘bhangis’ which were then used to refer to Scheduled Castes, because they were strongly stigmatised. He used the word ‘Harijan’ to bring the untouchables closer to God, and thereby to those who believed in God, which was the rest of Hindu society.

Who are SCs and STs?

• On the basis of the 1931 census that the British government had conducted, the Government of India 1935 Act was promulgated. The reservation for the “Depressed Classes” was incorporated into the act, which came into force in 1937. This “Depressed class” later came to known as the Scheduled Caste.
• Scheduled Tribes were the ‘tribes or communities’ who were isolated from the rest of the communities and wouldn’t abide to any religion. The British government in 1935 identified the ‘Schedule of Tribes’ which consisted of different types of indigenous tribal groups i.e. Denotified tribes, criminal tribes, forest dwellers and the like.
• By 1937 both the sections were given positive affirmative action and political representation. After India got its independence, the Constitution continued the affirmative action for the ‘depressed classes’ which were now termed as ‘Scheduled Castes’ and ‘Scheduled Tribes’.
• According to the Constitution of India, under article 341(1), the President of India, after consultation with the Governor, may specify, “the castes, races, tribes or parts of groups within castes or races, which shall be deemed to be Scheduled Castes”. Accordingly, the President has notified the Scheduled Castes in the order called ‘Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order – 1950’ and the ‘Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes List (Modification) Order – 1956’. However, under article 341(2), the Parliament of India by law can include or exclude the above-mentioned groups from the list of the Scheduled Castes.
• Part 3 of the Presidential order of 1950 states that “no person who professes a religion different from the Hindu [the Sikh or the Buddhist] religion shall be deemed to be a member of a Scheduled Caste.” This clearly lays down a religious barrier which states that any person who is not a Hindu, Buddhist or a Sikh, will not be entitled to reservation on the basis of being a Scheduled Caste.
• This is also the reason why most Dalits who convert to another religion, take up Buddhism as opposed to any other religion, so as not to leave the fold of reservations.

B. GS2 Related

Context

• Courts should not play a role in the making of “half-baked doctors” by allowing unequipped medical colleges to carry out admissions, the Supreme Court has cautioned in a recent verdict.
• A Bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Vineet Saran dealt with the admission of over 500 students to four private medical colleges in Kerala, which were found to have poor infrastructure.

Background

• Trouble started when the MCI gave extremely poor gradings to the colleges about the facilities available on their campuses.
• The colleges appealed to the Centre, which had asked the MCI to review its decision denying them admissions for 2018-19.
• The MCI refused to review it, saying that once they have invoked the statute, they cannot re-think.
• The colleges approached the High Court on August 30, which observed that once the Centre has asked the MCI to review its decision on granting them admissions, the MCI is bound to comply.
• The high court allowed the colleges to conduct the admissions. On this, the MCI had moved the Supreme Court, which had initially stayed the high court decision last month.
• The State High Court had set aside the decisions of the Medical Council of India and the government to bar admissions to these colleges in 2018-19.
• It gave the colleges a second chance to remove the deficiencies and asked the MCI to carry out fresh inspections. It said the MCI could take “appropriate action” if the defects continue to remain.
• Quashing the High Court order, the Supreme Court held that admissions of students should not be on such conditional basis.
• Why had the High Court allowed the admissions to be carried on despite knowing very well that the colleges were sub-standard? “Such orders may ruin the entire career of the students. Once permission to admit students is granted, it should not be such conditional one”.

Medical Council of India

• Medical Council of India is a statutory body. Initially, it was set up in 1934 under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933. The Council was later reconstituted under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 that supplanted the before Act.
• It establishes the uniform and high standards of medical education in India. It also registers doctors to practice in India, in order to protect and promote the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.
• The registration of doctors and their qualifications is usually done by state medical councils. Recently the NITI Aayog has suggested the substitution of Medical Council of India (MCI) with the National Medical Commission (NMC).

Context

• India is one of eight countries to receive temporary exemptions from U.S. sanctions on Iran that came into effect recently.
• The U.S. will be granting these exemptions to China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey.
• “We continue negotiations to get all the nations to zero,” Mr. Pompeo (United States Secretary of State) said.
• China and India, in that order, are the top two importers of Iranian oil. All payments for Iranian oil will be held in Foreign Accounts, Mr Pompeo said. Tehran can use the money to purchase non-sanctioned goods and for humanitarian purposes, including food, medicines and medical devices.
• In the last fiscal year, India, which imports over 80% of its oil, sourced some 10% of its oil imports, or just over 22 million tons from Iran. The Indian Oil Corporation is the biggest Indian customer for Iranian oil.

Background

US and Iran nuclear deal

• It is officially called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
• It was signed between Iran and the P5, plus Germany and the EU in 2015. P5 is the 5 permanent members of the UNSC (US, China, France, Russia, and UK).

The deal aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear programme. Under the deal

• Most of Iran’s enriched uranium was shipped out of the country
• A heavy water facility was rendered inoperable
• Operational nuclear facilities were brought under international inspection

In return, the deal involved lifting of international sanctions on Iran.

What happened after the deal?

• October 2015: Iran conducts its first ballistic missile test since the nuclear deal. The US accuses Iran of violating a UN Security Council resolution, but former President Barack Obama acknowledges that ballistic missiles are “entirely separate” from the nuclear deal.
• Jan 2016: The IAEA acknowledges Iran has met its commitments under the nuclear deal, which sees most sanctions on Iran lifted. It takes time but Iran re-enters the global banking system and begins selling crude oil and natural gas on the international market. Next day, the US imposes sanctions over Iran’s ballistic missile tests.
• October 2018: Trump announces he will not re-certify the Iran nuclear deal as required, criticizing the accord by saying it “threw Iran’s dictatorship a political and economic lifeline.

What are US’s present concerns?

• Trump administration says the deal did not target Iran’s ballistic missile programme.
• It does not focus on Iran’s nuclear activities beyond 2025.
• It also leaves Iran’s role in conflicts in Yemen and Syria.

C. GS3 Related

• Seaplanes may soon be operating commercial passenger flights in India with the Centre inviting bids for connecting selected destinations under the regional connectivity scheme (RCS).
• Included among the 10 destinations that the government proposes to connect through seaplanes are the recently unveiled Statue of Unity at Sardar Sarovar Dam, Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad, Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand and Nagarjuna Sagar in Telangana.
• Opening the third round of the RCS, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has invited proposals for air routes that include tourist destinations.
• The previous two rounds saw a total of 428 routes awarded to 17 airlines and helicopter operators. Air Odisha was granted rights to connect 54 routes and Air Deccan 30, but both have been able to only start 10 routes each, which too see erratic services.

About UDAN

• A “first of its kind” in the world, UDAN (Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik) will be based on market mechanism as well as bidding for a minimum of 50% seats in the participating airline’s flight and the rest would be market-based pricing.
• The scheme UDAN envisages providing connectivity to un-served and under-served airports of the country through revival of existing air-strips and airports. The scheme would be in operation for a period of 10 years.
• The UDAN scheme will be applicable on flights which cover between 200 km and 800 km with no lower limit set for hilly, remote, islands and regions which are security sensitive.
• Under the UDAN scheme, the flights are bound to connect at least one RCS airport (underserved and unserved airports).
• The RCS caps fares and also offers a ceiling for the VGF available for each route. Which means the airlines cannot charge beyond the caps specified from passengers.
• For the shortest route under the scheme fare has been capped at Rs 1,420. For longest route, fare has been capped ar Rs 3,500.
• The Centre has also decided to provide concessions such as 2% excise on Value Added Tax (VAT) and service tax at 1/10th.
• State government are bound to provide free security and fire service, utilities at concessional rates and reduce VAT on ATF to 1%.
• There will be no landing charges, parking charges and Terminal Navigation Landing Charges will be imposed for RCS flights.

• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has commissioned a report from the Maharashtra Forest Department on how tigress Avni (T1) was killed.
• “If we are not satisfied [with the description of events] on whether the animal was executed following established procedure, we will conduct our own investigation,” Arup Nayak, Director, NTCA.
• On Sunday, Union Minister Maneka Gandhi had criticised the Maharashtra government for permitting a hunter to kill the tigress.
• The tigress, which is said to have killed 13 people, was shot dead in Yavatmal on November 2 by civilian hunter Asgar Ali, who was with a team of Forest Department officials.
• An official allegedly attempted — and failed — to fire a tranquilliser dart at the tigress, following which she charged at the team. Mr. Ali then fired in self-defence, according to Maharashtra Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar.

National Tiger Conservation Authority     

• NTCA is a statutory body under the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change.
• It was provided statutory status by the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 which had amended Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
• It addresses the administrative as well as ecological concerns for conserving tigers, by providing a statutory basis for protection of tiger reserves.
• It also provides strengthened institutional mechanisms for the protection of ecologically sensitive areas and endangered species.
• It ensures enforcing of guidelines for tiger conservation and monitoring compliance of the same.
• It also places motivated and trained officers having good track record as Field Directors of tiger reserves.

Related Concept – Project Tiger

• Aims at conserving India’s national animal i.e. Tiger.
• Launched in 1973
• Currently there are 50 tiger reserves
• The tiger reserves are constituted on a core/buffer strategy.
• The core areas have the legal status of a national park or a sanctuary, whereas the buffer or peripheral areas are a mix of forest and non-forest land, managed as a multiple use area.
• The Project Tiger aims to foster an exclusive tiger agenda in the core areas of tiger reserves, with an inclusive people oriented agenda in the buffer.
• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change providing central assistance to the tiger States for tiger conservation in designated tiger reserves.
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is a statutory body of the Ministry, with an overarching supervisory / coordination role, performing functions as provided in the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
• Wild tigers are found in 18 States in India.
• The All India tiger estimation is carried out once in every four years.

• India on Monday declared that its nuclear triad, stated in its nuclear doctrine, is operational after indigenous ballistic missile nuclear submarine INS Arihant achieved a milestone by conducting its first deterrence patrol.
• This means that Arihant is now prowling the deep seas carrying ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi received today [Monday] the crew of ship submersible ballistic nuclear INS Arihant. The submarine recently returned from its first deterrence patrol,” the PMO said in a statement.

INS Arihant

• INS Arihant is nuclear submarine capable of carrying nuclear tipped ballistic missiles. Thus it belongs to class referred to as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN)
• Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine. It was built with Russia’s help under Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project started in the 1980s.
• It weighs 6000 tonnes and is 112 metre long. It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel.
• It will be armed with the K-15 Sagarika missiles with a range of 750 km. Later it will be armed with much longer range K-4 missiles (3,500 km range) being developed by DRDO.
• With its induction, India has completed its nuclear triad.
• The Arihant is harder to detect than India’s nuclear weapons platforms on land and in the air, giving it a “second-strike” capability. This would allow India to retaliate against an enemy who managed to destroy the rest of its nuclear arsenal in a first-strike.

Nuclear Triad

• A nuclear triad refers to the nuclear weapons delivery of a strategic nuclear arsenal which consists of three components: land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), strategic bombers, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs).
• India has nuclear-capable fighter aircraft such as the Dassault Mirage 2000H, Dassault Rafale, Sukhoi Su-30 MKI, MIG-29 and SEPECAT Jaguar.
• Land and air strike capabilities are under the control of Strategic Forces Command which is a part of Nuclear Command Authority.
• The purpose of having a three-branched nuclear capability is to significantly reduce the possibility that an enemy could destroy all of a nation’s nuclear forces in a first-strike attack; this, in turn, ensures a credible threat of a second strike, and thus increases a nation’s nuclear deterrence.

D. GS4 Related

E. Editorials

Larger Background:

A Brief Note on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty:

• • The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) is nuclear arms-control accord reached by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987 in which those two nations agreed to eliminate their stocks of intermediate-range and shorter-range (or “medium-range”) land-based missiles (which could carry nuclear warheads).
  • It was the first arms-control treaty to abolish an entire category of weapon systems.
  • In addition to this, two protocols to the treaty established unprecedented procedures for observers from both nations to verify firsthand the other nation’s destruction of its missiles.

• It is important to note that the INF Treaty defined intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and ground-launched cruise missiles (GLCMs) as those having ranges of 1,000 to 5,500 km (620 to 3,400 miles).

• It also defined shorter-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs) as those having ranges from 500 to 1,000 km.

• • The deployment of IRBMs in Europe first became an arms-control issue in the late 1970s, when the Soviet Union began replacing its older single-warhead SS-4 and SS-5 IRBMs with newer and more accurate SS-20s, which could deliver three nuclear warheads apiece from a distance of 5,000 km. Mounted on mobile launchers based in the European part of the Soviet Union, the SS-20s could strike targets anywhere in western Europe in less than 10 minutes.
  • One should note that under pressure from its western European allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the United States in 1979 committed itself to deploying two intermediate-range weapons systems of its own in western Europe: the Pershing II and the Tomahawk cruise missile. Mounted on mobile launchers, the Pershing II was an IRBM that could carry a single nuclear warhead a distance of about 2,000 km and strike within the vicinity of Moscow in less than 10 minutes.

• It is important to point out that the INF Treaty called for the progressive dismantling, over three years, of 2,619 missiles, about half of which were deployed at the time of signing. About two-thirds of the missiles affected were Soviet, and the rest were American.

• • Further, each country was allowed to keep intact the warheads and guidance systems of the destroyed missiles. Also destroyed were missile launchers and various kinds of support equipment and structures.
  • Teams of observers from both countries were given access to certain operating bases, support facilities, and elimination facilities in order to verify the withdrawal and destruction of the missile systems.

• Lastly, in order to ensure the permanent elimination of intermediate-range missiles, each country was given the right for 13 years to conduct periodic inspections of operating bases and support facilities and to monitor one production plant at which weapons of the INF category might be produced.

A Brief Note on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT):

• The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

• • The Treaty represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States.
  • A total of 191 States have joined the Treaty, including the five nuclear-weapon States. More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty’s significance.
  • The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime and an essential foundation for the pursuit of nuclear disarmament. It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, to further the goals of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
  • To further the goal of non-proliferation and as a confidence-building measure between States parties, the Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Safeguards are used to verify compliance with the Treaty through inspections conducted by the IAEA. The Treaty promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear technology and equal access to this technology for all States parties, while safeguards prevent the diversion of fissile material for weapons use.

• Importantly, India is not a signatory to the NPT.

Editorial Analysis:

• • In the month of October, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the U.S. is quitting the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a bilateral agreement with Russia signed in 1987.
  • Experts were of the opinion that this decision was not unexpected since the U.S. has long maintained that Russia has been violating the treaty and Mr. Trump has been critical of arms control agreements because, according to him, other countries cheat putting the U.S. at a disadvantage.

• Experts assert that Mr. Trump’s decision has generated dismay and concern that this will trigger a new nuclear arms race in Europe and elsewhere.

• The INF Treaty reflected the political reality of the Cold War — of a bi-polar world with two nuclear superpowers — it is important to note that this is no longer consistent with today’s multi-polar nuclear world.
• The far greater challenge today is to understand that existing nuclear arms control instruments can only be preserved if these evolve to take new realities into account.
• It is important to note that under the INF Treaty, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. agreed to eliminate within three years all ground-launched-missiles of 500-5,500 km range and not to develop, produce or deploy these in future. The U.S. destroyed 846 Pershing IIs and Ground Launched Cruise Missiles (GLCMs); and the U.S.S.R., 1,846 missiles (SS-4s, SS-5s and SS-20s), along with its support facilities.

The Reaction to the INF Treaty:

• The INF Treaty was widely welcomed, especially in Europe because these missiles were deployed in Europe and the treaty was signed on December 8, 1987 in Washington by U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev.

• • U.S. President Ronald Reagan had earlier declared, “A nuclear cannot be won and must never be fought,” marking a ratcheting down of Cold War tensions that had been rising.
  • By the early 1980s, the U.S.S.R. had accumulated nearly 40,000 nuclear weapons, exceeding the U.S. arsenal.
  • In Europe, Russia replaced single warhead SS-4s and SS-5s with more accurate 3-warhead SS-20 missiles, heightening concerns. To reassure its North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies about its nuclear umbrella, the U.S. began deploying Pershing IIs and GLCMs in the U.K., Belgium, Italy and West Germany, setting off a new arms race.
  • Growing rhetoric made the Europeans nervous. Realisation dawned that any nuclear conflict on European soil would only lead to more European casualties, catalysing a movement for ‘no-deployments’ in Europe.

• It is important to note that in the 1980s, the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. began three sets of parallel negotiations. These negotiations were done on the following:

• on strategic weapons leading to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START),

• on intermediate-range weapons leading to the INF, and

• the Nuclear and Space Talks to address Soviet concerns about Reagan’s newly launched ‘space wars’ programme (Strategic Defense Initiative).

• The INF talks originally considered equal ceilings on both sides but then moved to equal ceilings and non-deployment in Europe to address the sensitivities of allies. The U.S.S.R. wanted British and French missiles of similar ranges to be covered but the U.S. rejected the idea as also the inclusion of older 72 Pershing I missiles already deployed in Germany.
• In an effort to break the stalemate, German Chancellor Helmut Kohl made an announcement that Germany would unilaterally dismantle the Pershing 1s while the U.S.S.R. came up with a double global zero covering both shorter-range and intermediate-range missiles.
• The U.S. agreed, Europe breathed a sigh of relief and the INF was hailed as a great disarmament treaty even though no nuclear warheads were dismantled and similar range air-launched and sea-launched missiles were not constrained.
• However, since it was bilateral, the INF Treaty did not restrict other countries but this hardly mattered as it was the age of bi-polarity and the U.S.-U.S.S.R. nuclear equation was the only one that counted.

Changing Geopolitical Situation:

• • It is important to note that in 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama formally accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty. However, he refrained from withdrawal on account of European concerns.
  • However, on the other hand, Russia alleges that the U.S. launchers for its missile defence interceptors deployed in Poland and Romania are dual capable and can be quickly reconfigured to launch Tomahawk missiles, constituting a violation.
  • Currently, experts have pointed out that the U.S.’s 2018 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) reflects a harsher assessment of the security environment faced by the U.S. and envisages a more expansive role for nuclear weapons than in the past.

• Further, Russia is blamed for seeking the break-up of NATO and a re-ordering of ‘European and Middle East security and economic structures in its favour’.

Potential Causes for Concern:  

• China is identified for the first time as a strategic competitor seeking regional hegemony in the Indo-Pacific region in the near-term and ‘displacement of the U.S. to achieve global pre-eminence in the future’.

• • A 30-year modernisation plan with a price tag of $1.2 trillion with new nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCMs) and low-yield warheads is detailed in the NPR. Russia has unveiled plans to develop a new nuclear torpedo and nuclear-powered cruise missile.

• Experts have pointed out that what is even more worrisome are developments that blur the line between nuclear and conventional weapons.

• For example, in order to lessen its dependence on nuclear weapons, the U.S. developed layered missile defences and conventional Prompt Global Strike (PGS) capabilities that use conventional payloads against strategic targets.
• Other countries have responded with hypersonics and a shift to lower yield tactical warheads.
• It is believed that with growing dependence on space-based and cyber systems, such asymmetric approaches only increase the risks of accidental and inadvertent nuclear escalation.

Concluding Remarks:

• In conclusion, it is important to note that the key difference with today’s return of major power rivalry is that it is no longer a bi-polar world, and that nuclear arms control is no longer governed by a single binary equation.
• Further, there are multiple nuclear equations that need to be considered for example: U.S.-Russia, U.S.-China, U.S.-North Korea, India-Pakistan, India-China, but none is standalone.
• Therefore, experts believe that neither nuclear stability nor strategic stability in today’s world can be ensured by the U.S. and Russia alone and this requires us to think afresh.
• Further, it is also important to note that the INF Treaty is not the first casualty of unravelling nuclear arms control.
• There have been some prior precedents:

These include:

1. In December 2001, the U.S. unilaterally withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty with the U.S.S.R. which limited deployment of ABM systems thereby ensuring mutual vulnerability, a key ingredient of deterrence stability in the bipolar era.
2. After this, the next casualty is likely to be the New START agreement between the U.S. and Russia, which will lapse in 2021, unless renewed for a five-year period. This limits both countries to 700 deployed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBMs) and heavy bombers and 1,550 warheads each.
3. However, Mr. Trump has described it as “one of several bad deals negotiated by the Obama administration”. The lapse of the New START would mark the first time since 1968 that the U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals would be unconstrained by any agreement.

• Finally, it is important to note that the political disconnect is also evident in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the most successful example of multilateral arms control.
• Some experts believe that the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has become a victim of its success. It can neither accommodate the four countries outside it (India, Israel, North Korea and Pakistan) as all four possess nuclear weapons, nor can it register any progress on nuclear disarmament. Experts further assert that the NPT succeeded in delegitimising nuclear proliferation but not nuclear weapons. As a consequence of this,  NPT Review Conferences have become increasingly contentious.
• Lastly, the most important achievement of nuclear arms control is that the taboo against use of nuclear weapons has held since 1945. Preserving the taboo is critical but this needs realisation that existing nuclear arms control has to be brought into line with today’s political realities.

Category: ECONOMY

1. In defence of Urjit Patel (RBI and the Government of India)

Question 1. Following statements are given regarding BIMSTEC, please choose the correct one:

Question 2. Bangkok Declaration has led to establishment of:

Question 3. “Public Affair Index 2018”, recently seen in news, is released by which of the following?