13 Nov 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INS Sumedha
2. CITES removes India from Review of Significant Trade (RST) process for Red Sanders
3. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)
4. India-OPEC Energy Dialogue

1. INS Sumedha

Syllabus: GS-3, Defence & Security

Prelims: INS Sumedha

Context:

INS Sumedha deployed at Walvis Bay, Namibia.

Details:

• Indian Navy ships are regularly deployed as part of the Indian Navy’s mission of building ‘Bridges of Friendship’, strengthening international cooperation with friendly countries, and addressing maritime concerns across the globe. 
• The current visit seeks to accentuate India’s solidarity with friendly countries and, in particular, strengthen existing bonds of friendship with Namibia. 

INS Sumedha:

• INS Sumedha is the third of the indigenously developed Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) of the Saryu class deployed for multiple roles independently and in support of Fleet Operations. 
• The ship has several weapon systems, sensors, state-of-the-art navigation and communication systems and an Electronic Warfare system.
• INS Sumedha can carry an Advanced Light Combat Helicopter onboard.

2. CITES removes India from Review of Significant Trade (RST) process for Red Sanders

Syllabus: GS-3, Environment & Ecology, Conservation

Prelims: Red Sanders, CITES

Context:

The 77th meeting of the Standing Committee of CITES has removed India from the Review of Significant Trade (RST) process for Red Sanders.

Details:

• India has been under the Review of Significant Trade (RST) process for Red Sanders since 2004.
• This development is an acknowledgement of India’s compliance and reporting.

What is the CITES RTS Process?

• The CITES RST process enables disciplinary action in the form of trade suspensions directed at countries that do not meet its obligations. 
• This is a process through which the CITES Standing Committee places increased scrutiny on the exports of a species from a country to determine if the Convention is being properly implemented.
• The red sanders species was listed for the Review of Significant Trade (RST) process around 2004.
• This is because the red sanders species was under threats of illegal harvesting and smuggling leading to their depletion from natural forest. 

Red Sanders:

• The Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a high-market value tree, endemic to a few districts in Andhra Pradesh. 
• The species is listed as Appendix II under CITES since 1994. 
• However, red sanders wood sourced from artificial propagation (plantations) comprises a major part of legal export. 
• The removal of the RTS process for red sanders will help the farmers growing red sanders to increase their income through the cultivation and export of Red Sanders from the plantations.  
• It would also help in motivating farmers to grow more red sanders trees as a source of sustainable income.

3. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)

Syllabus: GS-2, IR, Health

Prelims: World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)

Context:

33rd Conference of the WOAH Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific held at New Delhi.

About WOAH:

• WOAH is a world authority on animal health founded in 1924 as the Office International des Epizooties (OIE).
• It is an intergovernmental organisation that focuses on transparently disseminating information on animal diseases, improving animal health globally and thus building a safer, healthier and more sustainable world.
• It is headquartered in Paris and has 183 members.

4. India-OPEC Energy Dialogue

Syllabus: GS-2, IR

Prelims: India-OPEC Energy Dialogue, OPEC

Context:

6th high-level meeting of the India-OPEC Energy Dialogue conducted.

Details:

• The 6th high-level meeting of the India-OPEC Energy Dialogue was held at the OPEC headquarters in Vienna, Austria.
• The meeting focused on key issues related to oil and energy markets with a specific emphasis on ensuring availability, affordability and sustainability, which are necessary to ensure the stability of energy markets. 
• The sides noted the World Oil Outlook 2023, which forecasted that India would be the fastest-growing major developing economy, averaging long-term growth of 6.1% between 2022 and 2045 and accounting for over 28% of incremental global energy demand during the same period.

Read the previous PIB articles here.