Sept 10th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. GS 1 Related HISTORY 1. ‘Thamirabarani civilisation 3,200 years old’ B. GS 2 Related INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. BRICS seeks ‘inclusive’ intra-Afghan dialogue C. GS 3 Related INTERNAL SECURITY 1. Al-Qaeda may seek a comeback in Afghanistan: Pentagon chief D. GS 4 Related E. Editorials ECONOMY 1. Catching up INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 1. The fall of Afghanistan, the fallout in West Asia F. Prelims Facts 1. C-295 induction critical for IAF G. Tidbits 1. Centre to pay incentive dues of Rs. 56,000 cr. in relief to exporters H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
A. GS 1 Related
1. ‘Thamirabarani civilisation 3,200 years old’
Context:
- The carbon dating analysis of an excavated specimen found at Sivakalai in Thoothukudi district of southern Tamil Nadu has yielded the date of 1155 BCE.
- Radiocarbon dating, also referred to as carbon dating, is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
Details:
- The finding has established that the Porunai river [Thamirabarani] civilisation dates back to 3,200 years.
- Also, the recent excavations in Keeladi, Kodumanal and other sites in Tamil Nadu, including Northern Black Polished ware and a good number of pot shreds with Brahmi inscriptions indicate that contacts between South India and North India might be as early as 600-700 BCE or even earlier.
- The Tamil Nadu government has announced that it will carry out archaeological excavations in other States and countries to establish the Tamil links.
- In the first phase, studies would be undertaken at the ancient port of Musiri, now known as Pattanam, in Kerala, Vengi in Andhra Pradesh, Thalaikadu in Karnataka and Palur in Odisha.
- Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department would also conduct research at Quseir al-Qadim and Pernica Anekke in Egypt, Khor Rori in Oman.
- Notably, pot shreds with Tamil scripts have been found in these places.
B. GS 2 Related
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. BRICS seeks ‘inclusive’ intra-Afghan dialogue
Context:
- The 13th BRICS summit was held virtually under the chairmanship of India.
Details:
Afghanistan issue:
- The summit was dominated by the developments in Afghanistan.
- The BRICS leaders called for an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue for stability, civil peace, law and order in Afghanistan.
- The countries stressed the need to prevent attempts by terrorist organisations to use Afghan territory as a terrorist sanctuary and to carry out attacks against other countries.
- The document issued at the end of the summit, titled the New Delhi Declaration, also called for addressing the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, and urged the need to uphold the rights of women, children and minorities.
- This consensus is all the more significant given that the BRICS countries are evidently divided on engagement with the Taliban with Russia and China adopting a proactive policy on the issue.
BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan:
- The member nations also adopted the BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan during the summit.
- The BRICS Counter Terrorism Action Plan is aimed at strengthening cooperation between BRICS countries in areas such as preventing and combating terrorism, radicalisation, financing of terrorism, misuse of the internet by terrorists, curbing travel of terrorists, border control, protection of soft targets, information sharing, capacity building, international and regional cooperation.
Counter pandemic cooperation:
- The summit also discussed the COVID-19 pandemic and the strategy to strengthen counter-pandemic cooperation.
Space sector cooperation:
- The agreement on Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation between the member country space agencies will deepen the cooperation in the space sector.
Other issues:
- The summit also declared the need for urgent reforms in multilateral institutions to make them more representative and equitable.
- The BRICS leaders also took up the conflicts in Myanmar, Syria, the tension in the Korean peninsula, Israel-Palestine violence and other territorial disputes. The New Delhi Declaration emphasized the inadmissibility of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
For more related information on BRICS, refer to the following article:
C. GS 3 Related
1. Al-Qaeda may seek a comeback in Afghanistan: Pentagon chief
Context:
- U.S. Defense Secretary has cautioned that al-Qaeda may attempt to regenerate in Afghanistan following the American withdrawal and the assent of the Taliban to power.
Background:
- Notably, the Taliban had provided al-Qaeda with sanctuary while it ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. The US went to war with the Taliban ruled Afghanistan after it refused to turn over al-Qaeda leaders following the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States.
- In the February 2020 agreement with the then U.S. administration, the Taliban leaders pledged not to support al-Qaeda or other extremist groups that would threaten the United States in return for American troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Details:
- U.S. Defense Secretary noted that the nature of al-Qaeda and other terror organizations such as the Islamic State group is such that they will always attempt to find space to grow and regenerate where ever they find space and support.
- With the Taliban back in power in Afghanistan, it is extremely likely that al-Qaeda will find a base in the war-torn country.
- Instead of being one centralised outfit with a base in one country, al-Qaeda has metastasized across the world. If al-Qaeda was concentrated in Afghanistan before September 11, they decentralised themselves and spread to different parts of the world like Iraq, Syria and Libya.
- The U.S. plans to contain al-Qaeda by using surveillance and strike aircraft based in the region, including in the Gulf.
D. GS 4 Related
Nothing here for today!!!
E. Editorials
1. Catching up
Context:
- The Union Cabinet has cleared an outlay of Rs. 10,683 crore on a production linked incentive scheme in the man-made fibre (MMF) apparel, fabrics, and technical textiles sectors.
- The scheme will specifically focus investment attention on 40 MMF apparel product lines, 14 MMF fabric lines and 10 segments or products of technical textiles.
For information on this topic, refer to the following article:
UPSC Comprehensive News Analysis of 9th Sep 2021
Significance:
- The new initiative marks a belated but much-needed acknowledgement by the Government of the major shift that has happened in the global textiles trade and India’s failure to adapt to the changed trends.
- The shift in consumer preferences and fashion trends has seen MMF surpass cotton as the fibre of choice. They account for about 75% share in worldwide textile consumption.
- India’s textile and clothing exports remain dominated by cotton and other natural fibre-based products, with MMF contributing to less than 30% of the country’s overall sectoral exports in 2017-18.
- The initiative will help align India’s textile sector in line with the global market for textiles.
- The 64 items chosen under the scheme rank among the top-traded lines in the global market as well as India having less than a 5% share in each of them.
Conclusion:
- The success of the scheme is likely to hinge on how new entrepreneurs and existing companies weigh the risk-reward equation, especially at a time when the pandemic-spurred uncertainty has already made private businesses wary of making a fresh capital expenditure.
Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
1. The fall of Afghanistan, the fallout in West Asia
Context:
- The article analyzes the relation between Afghanistan and its West Asian neighbours in light of the recent developments in Afghanistan.
Details:
- While Pakistan is playing the lead public role in Afghan affairs, Afghanistan’s West Asian/Gulf neighbours will be a significant influence in shaping the future of the war-torn country.
Saudi Arabia:
- Saudi Arabia has been a key supporter and source of funding for the Taliban even since the 1990s.
- Besides Syria and Yemen, Iran and Saudi Arabia have also made Afghanistan an arena for their regional competitions. Saudi Arabia has been trying to prevent Iran’s expanding influence among Taliban groups.
Iran:
- While Iran had been against the Taliban in its early days, after the 9/11 attacks, Iran became deeply involved with the Taliban. Iran has even provided funding, weapons, training and refuge, when required in a bid to maintain pressure on the U.S. forces.
Qatar:
- In 2012, Qatar allowed the Taliban to open an office in Doha resulting in close links with several Taliban leaders. This has made Qatar an influential player in Afghan affairs.
Regional security in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal:
- The West Asia region faces regional security challenges after the U.S. withdrawal. In this regard, the article suggests two possible options for regional security architecture.
- An Israel-centric security order in which the Arab Gulf states would link themselves with Israel to confront Iran.
- A comprehensive regional security arrangement facilitated and guaranteed by China and Russia.
- The article argues the second option as being more realistic and possible given the recent events that have taken place.
- Over the last few years, China and Russia both have built close relations with the major states of the region. i.e., Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Saudi Arabia has signed a military cooperation agreement with Russia. This marks a case of “strategic hedging” as the U.S. has placed restrictions on defence supplies to Saudi Arabia.
- Major West Asian nations have recently embarked on unprecedented diplomatic engagements with erstwhile rivals in the region.
- There have been three rounds of discussions between Iran and Saudi Arabia laying to rest the traditional rivalry that has shaped the West Asian region.
- Turkey has initiated diplomatic overtures towards Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
- The diplomatic and economic blockade on Qatar that was imposed by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt has been removed.
- These developments suggest that a new regional security order is taking place in West Asia.
F. Prelims Facts
1. C-295 induction critical for IAF
- The procurement of 56 C-295MW transport aircraft has been approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
- The C-295MW is a plane of 5-10 tonne capacity and has a rear ramp door for quick reaction and para dropping of troops and cargo. All 56 aircraft will be installed with indigenous Electronic Warfare Suite.
- This is the first project of its kind in which a military aircraft will be manufactured in India under technology transfer by a private company. The project would give a boost to the aerospace ecosystem in India wherein several Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises spread over the country would be involved in the manufacturing of parts of the aircraft.
G. Tidbits
1. Centre to pay incentive dues of Rs. 56,000 cr. in relief to exporters
- The Centre will release Rs. 56,027 crore in the current fiscal to disburse all pending export incentives relating to Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS), Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS), Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL), other scrip-based schemes relating to earlier policies and the remission support for Refund of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) and RoSCTL for exports.
- The benefits will be disbursed to more than 45,000 exporters, of which 98% are MSMEs.
- The government expects the move will spur higher growth after a 67% increase in goods export.
H. UPSC Prelims Practice Questions
Q1. A parliamentary system of government is one in which [UPSC 2020]
- All political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
- The Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
- The Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
- The Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
Self-explanatory
Q2. With reference to the history of India, “Ulgulan” or the Great Tumult is the description of which of the following events? [UPSC 2020]
- The Revolt of 1857
- The Mappila Rebellion of 1921
- The Indigo Revolt of 1859-60
- Birsa Munda’s Revolt of 1899 – 1900
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
The Munda Ulgulan was a revolt against British rule led by the Munda leader Birsa Munda.
Q3. Siachen Glacier is situated to the [UPSC 2020]
- East of Aksai Chin
- East of Leh
- North of Gilgit
- North of Nubra Valley
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
Image source: https://www.spslandforces.com/
Q4. With reference to Foreign Direct Investment in India, which one of the following is considered its major characteristics? [UPSC 2020]
- It is the investment through capital instruments essentially in a listed company
- It is a largely non-debt creating capital flow
- It is the investment which involves debt-servicing
- It is the investment made by foreign institutional investors in the Government securities
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: b
Explanation:
Read more on foreign direct investment in the linked article.
Q5. Consider the following statements:
- Coal ash contains arsenic, lead and mercury.
- Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
- High ash content is observed in Indian coal.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? [UPSC 2020]
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
CHECK ANSWERS:-
Answer: d
Explanation:
All the statements are correct.
I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions
- Analyze the significance of the recently unveiled production linked incentive scheme in the man-made fibre apparel, fabrics, and technical textiles sectors. (10 marks, 150 words)[GS-3, Economy]
- The recent developments suggest that a new regional security order is taking place in West Asia in the aftermath of the U.S. withdrawal from the region. Comment. (15 marks, 250 words)[GS-2, International Relations]
Read the previous CNA here.
Sept 10th, 2021, CNA:- Download PDF Here
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