09 September 2023 CNA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GS 1 Related
B. GS 2 Related
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Modi, Biden welcome progress in defence ties
C. GS 3 Related
D. GS 4 Related
E. Editorials
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. Change the playbook, repatriate Indian children
F. Prelims Facts
1. Rajasthan Governor’s assent sought for social security Bills
2. RBI decides to discontinue ICRR in a phased manner
G. Tidbits
1. Philippines condemns ‘illegal’ actions by Chinese boats in South China Sea
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

Nothing here for today!!!

B. GS 2 Related

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Modi, Biden welcome progress in defence ties

Syllabus- Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Prelims- QUAD, UNSC, GE F-414 jet engines, INDUS-X, iCET, RE-TAP

Mains- India – US Relations, Free and Open Indo-Pacific

Introduction

The joint statement issued by India and the US after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden highlights the growing strategic partnership between the two countries.
The statement mentions several areas of cooperation, including defense, security, trade, technology, and people-to-people ties.

Areas of Cooperation

Political:
- India and the US emphasized their commitment to further strengthening the India-US global strategic partnership based on shared democratic values, mutual respect, pluralism and trust.
Geo-strategic:
- Prime Minister Modi and President Biden reaffirmed the importance of the Quad in supporting a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific.
- President Biden also supported a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member.
Defense:
- The two countries have agreed to expand their military engagements, including joint exercises, training, and capacity building and look forward to an expanded cooperation in new and emerging domains such as space and AI.
- Both leaders also welcomed the commencement of negotiations for a commercial agreement between GE Aerospace and Hindustan Aeronautical Limited (HAL) to manufacture GE F-414 jet engines in India.
- The India-U.S. Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) team was praised by leaders for creating a strong collaboration plan to tackle common security issues.
- President Biden endorsed the Ministry of Defense of India’s request for 31 General Atomics MQ-9B drones (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) which will improve India’s military force’s ability to gather intelligence, conduct surveillance, and engage in reconnaissance activities.
Trade:
- The joint statement highlights that the US and India have made significant progress in resolving bilateral trade disputes, including six outstanding issues settled through the World Trade Organization (WTO).
- The US has expressed its interest in seeing India join the Indo-Pacific Economic Forum’s “Trade” pillar. However, India has so far stayed away from this initiative due to concerns that binding environmental and labour regulations might affect its trade interests.
Technology and Innovation:
- The US and India have shown inclination to undertake a midterm review of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) which fosters open, accessible, secure, and resilient technology value chains.
- The leaders reiterated their support for building resilient global semiconductor supply chains.
- Sharing a vision of secure and trusted telecommunications, resilient supply chains, and global digital inclusion, Prime Minister Modi and President Biden welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bharat 6G Alliance and Next G Alliance.
- The United States reiterated its commitment to working together with India in the quantum domain.
- The leaders hailed the signing of an Implementation Arrangement between the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and India’s Department of Biotechnology to innovate in the field of biotechnology.
Energy:
- India’s National Investment and Infrastructure Fund and the U.S. Development Finance Corporation intend to each contribute up to $500 million to establish a renewable infrastructure investment fund.
- Both leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in nuclear energy, including the development of advanced small modular reactors.
- The two countries have also launched the India-U.S. Renewable Energy Technologies Action Platform (RE-TAP) to promote collaboration in renewable energy research, policy, and investment.
People to People:
- The leaders agreed to promote entrepreneurship through the “Innovation Handshake” program, with events in India and the US, connecting start-ups, investors, and officials to boost bilateral ties.

Conclusion

The joint statement suggests that the US and India are strengthening their strategic partnership across various sectors, with a focus on promoting regional stability, enhancing economic ties, and advancing technological collaboration.

Nut Graf: India and the US have agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership in several areas, including geo-strategic, defense, security, trade, technology, and people-to-people ties.

C. GS 3 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

D. GS 4 Related

Nothing here for today!!!

E. Editorials

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Change the playbook, repatriate Indian children

Syllabus- Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora.

Mains- Issues affecting the Indian Diaspora

Context:

Several expatriate Indian mothers have been separated from their children by host countries in a gross violation of human rights affecting the well-being of the mothers, children, and families.

Instances of children removed from parental custody

Priyadarshini Patil and Dhara Shah are among the mothers affected by child protection agencies in foreign countries.
Priyadarshini Patil ended her life after her children were confiscated by Australian child services authorities, and the family’s pleas to have the children repatriated to India were not accepted.
Dhara Shah and her husband have been separated from their baby girl, who was sent to permanent foster care by Germany’s child welfare agency in 2021.
The parents were accused of having injured the child, but there is evidence to the contrary supported by expert medical reports, and the court-appointed psychological expert recommended that the child be placed under supervision at a parent-and-child centre, which the court ignored in its decision.
India’s government has asked for the baby’s return to Indian child protection authorities, but Germany has not considered it yet.

Cultural Prejudice in Dealing with Parenthood

Typically, young families move to work in a high-income country, and parents are accused of abusing their children. They are subjected to a one-sided trial that is culturally prejudiced, and parental custody is terminated.
Children are placed in foster care without links to their origin and raised in a home environment that doesn’t reflect Indian culture, including food, language, etc. Adapting to these conditions is tough for infants, toddlers and primary schoolers.
Due to a lack of sufficient foster homes, children are shifted from one carer to another which causes damaging trauma to the child.
Protracted legal battles over custody without a global standard operating procedure have caused distress to parents, children and all stakeholders involved.

Why should they be repatriated to India?

These children are usually not citizens of the country of residence and have no substantial ties with their country of origin.
A return to safe placement in the home country is a more humane and compassionate solution for such children instead of leaving them in the custody of a foreign state agency.
Returning these children to their home country will benefit them where they can live with extended family and grow up in familiar cultures.

Way ahead?

Foreign nations should engage in a sincere inquiry into parents’ claims of cultural prejudice and unfair trials in their child protection system.
Develop a global protocol for the repatriation of children removed from their parents by foreign child services to prevent similar tragedies.
If the home country is willing to take responsibility for the child’s safety and welfare, as India has done in the case of the Gujarati baby in Germany, there should be no reason to refuse repatriation.
The child’s humanity and rights should be prioritized over jurisdictional issues, and the cultural context of upbringing should not be disregarded.

Nut Graf: Expatriate Indian mothers have been separated from their children by host countries in a gross violation of human rights. These children should be repatriated to India, where they can live with extended family and grow up in familiar cultures.

F. Prelims Facts

1. Rajasthan Governor’s assent sought for social security Bills

The Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023, provides for a minimum pension of ₹1,000 per month and 125 days of employment in a financial year to all families.
The Rajasthan Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2023, extends social security to gig workers and creates a regulatory framework for aggregators.
It also aims to establish a welfare board for unorganized sectors which are not covered under the existing labour laws.
These two laws would be beneficial in bringing relief to poor labourers and gig workers who spend long hours earning their livelihood without legal protection.
A gig economy is a labour market that utilizes independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time permanent employees.
While gig work has been present in India for some time, it has gained popularity recently with the rise of platform-based companies operating in shared mobility, food tech, eCommerce, and logistics.
The Code on Social Security (2020) passed by the Parliament has also recognized the changing nature of work and adopted policy language to reflect the reality of the labour market. It has imposed an obligation on gig employers to contribute to a Social Security Fund, which will be managed by a government-led board.

Read more on Gig and Platform Workers.

2. RBI decides to discontinue ICRR in a phased manner

The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the minimum amount of total deposits that banks must maintain as a cash reserve with the Reserve Bank of India. Banks are not allowed to use the CRR amount for lending or investment purposes.
Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) was introduced by the RBI to absorb the excess liquidity generated by factors such as the return of Rs 2,000 notes to the banking system, RBI’s surplus transfer to the government, pick up in government spending and capital inflows.
Banks were asked to maintain an I-CRR of 10 per cent on the increase in their net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) between May 19, 2023, and July 28, 2023.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has now made the decision to gradually discontinue the Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR) in a phased manner to ensure stability and prevent shocks in the system liquidity.

G. Tidbits

1. Philippines condemns ‘illegal’ actions by Chinese boats in South China Sea

Second Thomas Shoal is approximately 200 km away from the western Philippine island of Palawan. China’s closest major landmass to the shoal is Hainan Island.
It is an atoll in the Spratly Islands of the disputed South China Sea.

Read more on the South China Sea Dispute.

H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions

Q1. Consider the following statements regarding trade disputes in the World Trade 
Organization (WTO):

Trade disputes between WTO members are resolved by the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB).
The DSB consists of representatives from WTO member countries.
WTO dispute settlement decisions are legally binding, and non-compliance can result in sanctions.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

Only one
Only two
All three
None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: c

Explanation: The Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) resolves trade disputes, consists of representatives from member countries, and its decisions are legally binding with possible sanctions for non-compliance.

Q2. Which Indian state became the first to provide social security guarantees through
the Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill in 2023?

Maharashtra
Rajasthan
Kerala
Gujarat

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: b

Explanation: Rajasthan became the first state in India to provide social security guarantees through the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023.

Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Incremental Cash Reserve Ratio (I-CRR):

It is the minimum amount of total deposits that banks have to keep with the central bank.
I-CRR is an additional cash balance that the RBI can ask banks to maintain over and above the cash reserve ratio for a specific period.
It is a temporary measure aimed at absorbing surplus liquidity.

How many of the statements given above are incorrect?

Only one
Only two
All three
None

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: a

Explanation: It is an additional cash balance that the RBI can ask banks to maintain over and above the cash reserve ratio to absorb surplus liquidity caused by various factors. Statement 1 is CRR.

Q4. Consider the following countries:

China
Vietnam
Philippines
Malaysia
Indonesia
Brunei

How many of the above-mentioned countries are claimants to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea?

Only two
Only three
Only four
Only five

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation: The Spratly Islands are a disputed territory claimed by multiple countries, including China, Vietnam, Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Indonesia is not a claimant.

Q5. Consider the following pairs:

S.No.	Generations of Biofuels	Characteristics
1.	First Generation	Utilizes Microorganisms/Algae for production.
2.	Second Generation	Produced from food crops like corn.
3.	Third Generation	Produced from inedible parts of food crops.

How many pairs given above are correctly matched?

Only one pair
Only two pairs
All three pairs
None of the pairs

CHECK ANSWERS:-

Answer: d

Explanation: 1st Generation: Food crops like corn, sugarcane, etc. 2nd Generation: Non-food crops like Jatropha or food crops which are not edible like straw, husk, skins, wood chips, etc. 3rd Generation: Microorganisms like algae are used.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

The recent improvement seen in Indo-USA relations is a win-win situation for both nations. Elaborate. (10 marks, 150 words) (GS-2; International Relations)
There has been a rise in cases of revoking parental custody of Indian couples in foreign nations. Enumerate the issues associated with this and list some possible solutions. (15 marks, 250 words) (GS-2; International Relations )

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