19 Mar 2022: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. The India-Japan Summit
2. Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC)
3. BRO

1. The India-Japan Summit

Syllabus: GS II, Bilateral agreements involving India

Prelims: Facts related to India-Japan relations, Indo-Pacific region. 

Mains: Enumerating the efficiency of India’s partnership with Japan to deal with the emerging challenges. 

Context: In order to establish a peaceful, stable and prosperous world after the pandemic, the India-Japan summit has geared up to further the partnership, seizing multiple opportunities. 

An Overview of the Summit:

• The Japanese Prime Minister (Mr. Kishida Fumio) makes his official bilateral visit to India for the 14th India-Japan Annual Summit.
• This summit is taking place at a time of great significance as both countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. 
• The Special Strategic and Global Partnership has been emphasised by the leaders of both the countries with an objective to expand the purview of the India-Japan Vision Statement of 2018. The vision called for global cooperation to tackle the challenges that have emerged with prominence with time. 
• There were discussions to work in collaboration towards a free and open Indo-Pacific accompanied by inclusiveness and rules-based order. 
• Both the countries exchanged views on robust bilateral investment and trade flows through different, resilient and transparent global supply chains nurturing economic security.

India & Japan: Into the sphere of Defence:

• The security and defence cooperation between India and Japan is appreciable and is envisaged to get deepened in the upcoming days. 
• The operationalisation of the Agreement Concerning Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services between the Japan Self-Defence forces and the Indian Armed Forces. 
• Both the countries agreed to retain the spirit of the joint military exercise like the bilateral Dharma Guardian and the multilateral Malabar Exercise. 
• The ongoing collaboration between the two countries in the field of Unmanned Ground Vehicles and Robotics along with the area of defence equipment and technology. 
• The summit opens up avenues for further advancements in QUAD cooperation. 
• There has been a concurrence between India and Japan to strengthen the counter-terrorism operations in multilateral fora and work together to adopt the Comprehensive Convention of International Terrorism in the United Nations. 

India & Japan: Into the Sphere of Environment

• The India-Japan Clean Energy Partnership was welcomed with the objective of achieving sustainable economic growth, addressing climate change and ensuring energy security in areas like Electric Vehicles (EV), storage systems, hydrogen energy, wind energy and so on.
• The Joint Crediting Mechanism between the two countries has been decided to continue for the implementation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement that talks about Nationally Determined Contributions towards sustainable development and environmental integrity. 
• It has been conveyed that Japan would be joining the Indian-Swedish climate initiative LeadIT to promote heavy industry transition on the grounds of its admiration towards India’s commitment and actions to address environmental challenges. 
• A Memorandum of Cooperation has been welcomed in the area of decentralised domestic wastewater management.  

Read more about India-Japan Relations in the linked article.

2. Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC)

Syllabus: GS III, Changes in the industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

Prelims: e-Commerce

Mains: Scope of e-Commerce in India

Context: The benefits of the Open Network Digital Commerce have been highlighted in the 5th edition of the annual Launchpad- The Entrepreneurship Summit organised by BITS Pilani. 

About ONDC: 

• It is an open-source e-commerce platform that can be used by all online retailers that will be an initiative of the Department for the promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• This platform will facilitate the seller and buyer through one protocol promoting business in a consumer-friendly manner. 
• It will ensure cost-saving for sellers and provide better prices for the consumers. 
• It will enable smooth functioning of local commerce across segments like mobility, grocery, food order, delivery, hotel booking and travelling. 
• ONDC has received the certificate for its incorporation as a private sector non-profit company.
• ONDC is presently in the pilot stage.
• A lot of companies have integrated with the platform and the government has set up a nine-member council to accelerate the adoption of ONDC. 

Major Aim: The major objective of ONDC is to reduce the digital monopolies by creating new opportunities and by supporting micro, small and medium enterprises along with small traders. 

Read more about e-Commerce in the linked article.

3. BRO

Syllabus: GS III, Infrastructure: Roads

Prelims: About BRO, Important Passes 

Mains: Significance of mountain passes in the connectivity of a region.

Context: The gateway between the union territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, the Zoji La Pass has been opened by the Border Roads Organisation for traffic on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road. 

About Zojila Pass:

• It is a mountain pass that builds connectivity between Kashmir valley and its west Dras and Suru valleys to its northeast and the Indus to its far east. 
• The Zojila Tunnel has been constructed to reduce the distance between Srinagar and Leh to mitigate the issue of mobility due to heavy snowfall in the region. 
• This tunnel is Asia’s longest and bi-directional tunnel with all-weather connectivity between Srinagar, Kargil and Leh. 
• It is located at an altitude of 11,650 feet and is strategically important for India as it offers a link between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. It is also the key to the operational preparedness of the armed forces. 
• It is a 14.2 km long tunnel.

Read about BRO in the linked article.

Image source: The Indian Express

Read previous PIB here.

March 19th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here