Professional Documents
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PT 365 Ir
PT 365 Ir
Table of Contents
1. INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS _________ 3 6.1. UNSC Reform _____________________ 21
1.1. India-Pakistan _____________________ 3 6.1.1. UN Structure ______________________ 21
1.2. India-China _______________________ 3 6.2. UN Partnership Fund _______________ 22
1.3. India-Nepal _______________________ 3 6.3. UN-Habitat _______________________ 22
1.4. India-Bangladesh ___________________ 4 6.4. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
1.4.1. Joint Interpretive Notes ______________ 4 ____________________________________ 22
1.4.2. Integrated Check Posts (ICP) ___________ 4 6.5. BRICS ___________________________ 23
1.4.3. Indo-Bangladesh Inland Water Transit and 6.5.1. Pacts Signed by Exim Bank Under Brics
Trade Protocol (IWTTP) ____________________ 4 Mechanism _____________________________ 23
1.4.4 Border Protection Grid ________________ 4 6.6. Multilateral Export Control Regimes __ 24
1.5. India-Myanmar ____________________ 5 6.7. Hague Code of Conduct (HCOC) ______ 25
1.6. India-Sri Lanka _____________________ 5 6.8. Indian Jugde Re-Elected at ICJ________ 25
1.7. India-Afghanistan __________________ 6 6.9. International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
1.8. India-Maldives _____________________ 6 ____________________________________ 26
1.9. SASEC Road Connectivity ____________ 7 6.10. African Development Bank (AFDB) ___ 27
1.10. Indian Ocean Region _______________ 7 7. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS ___________ 28
2. INDIA AND WEST ASIA ______________ 9 7.1. Quadrilateral Meeting ______________ 28
2.1. India-UAE _________________________ 9 7.2. India-Pacific Islands Sustainable
2.2. India-Iran _________________________ 9 Development Conference ______________ 28
2.3. India Israel _______________________ 10 7.3. Nuclear Weapon Prohibition Treaty
2.4. India-Palestine____________________ 11 (NWPT) _____________________________ 28
3. INDIA AND SOUTHEAST/EAST ASIA ___ 12 7.4. Iran Nuclear Deal __________________ 29
3.1. ASEAN __________________________ 12 7.5. Uranium Bank in Kazakhstan ________ 29
3.1.1. India-ASEAN_______________________ 12 7.6. FATF Watch-List ___________________ 29
3.1.2. Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) 7.7. Polar Silk Road ____________________ 30
______________________________________ 13 7.8. Tapi Gas Pipeline __________________ 30
3.2. India and Japan ___________________ 13 7.9. Rohingya Issue ____________________ 30
3.2.1. Asia-Africa Growth Corridor __________ 14 7.10. The Kurdish Independence Referendum
3.3. India and Philippines _______________ 14 ____________________________________ 31
3.4. India-South Korea _________________ 14 7.11. Catalonia’s Independence Referendum
3.5. Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) ___ 14 ____________________________________ 31
4. EUROPEAN UNION_________________ 16 7.12. Palestine Joins Interpol ____________ 32
4.1. India-EU _________________________ 16 7.13. Islamic Alliance to Fight Terrorism ___ 32
4.1.1. European Bank for Reconstruction & 7.14. UAE and Saudi Arabia form New Group
Development ___________________________ 16
____________________________________ 32
4.1.2. Investment Facilitation Mechanism ____ 17
7.15. Military Exercises_________________ 33
4.2. PESCO___________________________ 17
8. MULTILATERAL TRADE _____________ 34
5. USA _____________________________ 18
8.1. Regional Comprehensive Economic
5.1. India-US _________________________ 18
Partnership (RCEP) ____________________ 34
5.2. US Withdraws from Global Compact on
8.2. One Belt One Road (OBOR) Summit ___ 34
Migration ___________________________ 18
8.3. BIMSTEC _________________________ 34
5.3. Us Withdraws from UNESCO ________ 19
8.3.1. BIMSTEC Draft Coastal Shipping Agreement
5.4. US New Afghan Policy ______________ 19 ______________________________________ 34
5.5. US Special Watch List ______________ 19 8.4. G-20 ____________________________ 35
5.6. The New US Security Strategy _______ 20 8.5. Trans-Pacific Partnership-11 (TPP-11) _ 35
6. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/ 8.6. AIIB _____________________________ 35
INSTITUTIONS ______________________ 21 8.7. New Development Bank ____________ 35
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8.8. MERCOSUR ______________________ 36 9.3. Indian Diaspora Largest in the World __ 39
8.9. IBSA ____________________________ 36 9.4. Indian Community Welfare Fund _____ 39
8.10. Eastern Economic Forum __________ 37 9.5 PIO Parliamentary Conference________ 40
9. MISCELLANEOUS __________________ 38 9.6. SAMEEP _________________________ 40
9.1. Indian Technical and Economic 9.7. Raisina Dialogue __________________ 40
Cooperation (ITEC) ____________________ 38 9.8. Shangri-La Dialogue ________________ 40
9.2. India’s Soft Power ________________ 38 9.9. Global Commission on the Future of Work
____________________________________ 41
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1. INDIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS
1.1. INDIA-PAKISTAN
Why in news?
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stayed
the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was
sentenced to death by a Pakistan military
court on the charge of spying, till its final
decision. (ICJ and ICC covered later)
Details
• The Court said that India should have been
granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav
as per the Vienna Convention.
Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963
• It defines the guidelines for consular relations
between the independent countries.
• A consul normally operates out of an embassy About Doklam
in a different country and performs two
functions: (1) protecting the interests of the • It is a strategically vital 269 square km patch of
country and the countrymen of the Bhutan’s territory that Beijing laid claim to in
consul, and (2) furthering the commercial and the 1980s. It is an area with a plateau and a
economic relations between the two valley, lying between Tibet's Chumbi Valley to
countries. the north, Bhutan's Ha Valley to the east and
• They are afforded most of the same privileges, India's Sikkim state to the west.
including a variation of diplomatic Important passes along India-China border (from
west to east)
immunity called consular immunity, but these
J & K - Aghil Pass, Chang La
protections are not as extensive.
Himachal Pradesh - Shipki La
Related information - Vienna Convention on Uttarakhand – Thaga La, Niti Pass, Lipu Lekh
Diplomatic Relations, 1961 Sikkim – Nathu La, Jelep La
Arunachal Pradesh – Bum La, Diphu Pass
• It is an international treaty of 1961 which gives
a framework for diplomatic relations 1.3. INDIA-NEPAL
between independent countries.
• It specifies the privileges of a diplomatic Why in news?
mission that enable diplomats to perform There have been calls to review the 1950 India-
their functions without fear of coercion or Nepal friendship treaty.
harassment by the host country. It forms the
legal basis for diplomatic immunity. India-Nepal Friendship Treaty
India is a party to both the above conventions. It provides for-
• An open border between the two countries
1.2. INDIA-CHINA • Allows Nepali nationals to work in India
Why in news? without a work permit, to apply for
government jobs and the civil services (except
• Putting behind the Doklam standoff, India and for the IFS, IAS, and IPS)
China agreed to move forward in their ties. • To open bank accounts and buy property.
• This was the first time that India used troops
India had waived its rights under reciprocity as a
to protect Bhutan’s territorial interests.
sign of goodwill.
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administrative control of the Department of
1.4. INDIA-BANGLADESH
Border Management, Ministry of Home
1.4.1. JOINT INTERPRETIVE NOTES Affairs.
• It is mandated to plan, develop, construct,
Why in news? manage and maintain Integrated Check Posts
• The union cabinet approved signing of the (ICPs).
joint interpretative notes (JIN) on the 1.4.3. INDO-BANGLADESH INLAND
Agreement for the Promotion & Protection of WATER TRANSIT AND TRADE
Investment.
PROTOCOL (IWTTP)
Related Information
Operation ‘Insaniyat’: The Ministry of External Why in news?
Affairs has started Operation Insaniyat to provide As a part of the protocol, an Indian consignment
assistance to Bangladesh in response to of goods reached Tripura officially via the inland
humanitarian crisis being faced by it due to large
waterways of Bangladesh.
influx of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.
About IWTTP
Significance of JIN
• In 2016, the Protocol (signed in 1972) between
• The JIN would impart clarity to the
India and Bangladesh was revised and
interpretation of the existing agreement
extended as IWTTP.
between India and Bangladesh for the
• It aims to revive the River Transport system
Promotion and Protection of Investments.
between the country before Independence.
1.4.2. INTEGRATED CHECK POSTS • Under this protocol, India will be investing in
(ICP) creating infrastructure (Port, Road and Rail) in
Ashugonj port (On river Meghna,
Why in News? Bangladesh) and Akhaura Checkpost
• India and Bangladesh have recently agreed to (Agartala), to facilitate the smooth movement
operate Petrapole-Benapole Integrated of goods to the NE states.
Check Posts. • Kolkata-Ashugonj-Tripura route cuts the
• A separate body — the Land Port Authority of Kolkata-Agartala distance via Siliguri's 'chicken
India (LPAI) — was constituted in 2011 to neck' and Assam and Meghalaya from 1,600
boost trade via the land border points. km to 500 km.
• The revised Protocol also gives India
Integrated Check Posts
and Bangladesh the right to use each other's
• It helps put in place a system to secure the
country’s borders against hostile elements. It territory for transiting goods to third
also facilitates trade and commerce and boosts countries.
revenue.
• Five ICPs — at Attari in Punjab (Pakistan border),
1.4.4 BORDER PROTECTION GRID
Petrapole in West Bengal (Bangladesh border), Why in news?
Akhaura in Tripura (Bangladesh), Raxaul in Bihar
(Nepal) and Jogbani in Bihar (Nepal) — are • Government has announced the
already functional. establishment of Border Protection Grid with
Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) States.
About the Petrapole-Benapole ICP
Details
• An estimated 60 percent of India-Bangladesh
trade is conducted through the Petrapole- • The system will comprise of physical barriers,
Benapole Check Post, Asia’s largest land non-physical barriers, surveillance system,
customs station. Intelligence agencies, State Police, BSF.
• Indo-Bangladesh Border is 4096 km long with,
Related News
so far in 3006 km border security
Land Port Authority of India (LPAI) infrastructure of fence, roads, floodlights and
• It was established under Land Ports Authority border out posts (BOPs) are in place
of India Act, 2010 as a statutory body to • Out of 1090 km of non-secured border;
function as a body corporate under the
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o 684 km would be secured with fence and • the construction of the 120-km Kalewa-
the related infrastructure. Yargyi corridor (which is a part of the India-
o 406 km of non-physical barriers covered Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway), and
by rivers etc. would be secured by a • the Rhi-Tiddim road in the Chin state
combination of electronic gadgets like bordering Mizoram.
radar, day-night camera, sensors all Further, The Archeological Survey of India has
integrated in a command and control recently restored the Ananda temple, a jewel
architecture. among all Bagan pagodas.
Related Information
• Border with Bangladesh - 2,217 km falls in West 1.6. INDIA-SRI LANKA
Bengal, 262 km in Assam, 443 km in Meghalaya,
856 km in Tripura and 180 km in Mizoram. Why in news?
• The length of our land borders with neighboring • Prime Minister visited Sri Lanka to participate
countries – Bangladesh (4096), China (3488),
in the UN Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo.
Pakistan (3233), Nepal (1751), Myanmar (1643),
Bhutan (699) and Afghanistan (106). What is Vesak?
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Significance of Hambantota Port India-Maldives relations
• Hambantota Port is right in the middle of vital • India established formal diplomatic relations
energy supply lines in the India Ocean with Maldives after the independence of
connecting the Middle East and East Asia. Maldives from the British rule in 1966.
• The Hambantota port is part of China’s Belt • Operation Cactus was India’s military aid of
and Road Initiative. 1600 soldiers to Maldives to fight the armed
attack of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
1.7. INDIA-AFGHANISTAN (LTTE) supported rebel groups in 1988 for an
attempted coup.
Why in news? • India shares very close military ties with
India and Afghanistan inaugurated a dedicated air Maldives by having two helicopter bases,
freight corridor service. integration of radars and Indian Coast Guard
surveillance along Maldivian coast. India also
Initiatives of India in Afghanistan
aims to remain as a net security provider to
The Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA)
between the two sides, provides for assistance to Maldives.
help rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure and Contemporary situation
institutions. India is one of the leading donor nations
to Afghanistan, and by far the largest from among • The current situation is very serious as
the regional countries. Various development democratic institutions are being subverted
projects undertaken are- which would make it difficult for Indian
• Salma Dam Government to negotiate a better relation
• New Afghan Parliament building with Maldives, this calls for India’s
• Doshi & Charikar substations, etc. intervention in Maldives.
• It passes through the airspace of Pakistan and • But unlike India’s operation Cactus, where
will provide Afghanistan, a landlocked request for intervention was from the sitting
country, greater access to markets in India. president, in the present case the demand for
intervention is from opposition parties. The
Access to Afghanistan situation does not meet the requirements
India has been closely working with Afghanistan to articulated by the ‘responsibility to protect’
create alternate and reliable access routes for the doctrine, under Article 2 of the UN charter and
landlocked country. India's traditional policy of non-intervention in
• In this context, in January 2015, India had the internal affairs of other sovereign
announced its decision to allow Afghan Trucks countries.
to enter the Indian territory through Attari Responsibility to Protect
land Checkpost for offloading and loading
goods from and to Afghanistan. • It is a global political commitment which was
• India is also cooperating with Afghanistan and endorsed at the 2005 World Summit.
Iran for development of the Chabahar Port. In • All Member States formally accepted the
this context, a trilateral transport and transit responsibility of each State to protect its
agreement based on sea access through population from genocide, war crimes, ethnic
Chabahar was signed in the presence of the cleansing and crimes against humanity.
leaders of the three countries in Tehran in • At the Summit, world leaders also agreed that
May 2016. when any State fails to meet that
responsibility, all States (the "international
1.8. INDIA-MALDIVES community") are responsible for helping to
protect people threatened with such crimes.
Why in news?
• Recently the President of the Maldives Related News – The China factor
• Maldives signed its first ever Bilateral Free
declared a state of emergency.
Trade Agreement (FTA) with China. It became
the second South Asian country after Pakistan to
do so.
• The Maldives has also agreed to become a
partner in China's maritime silk route.
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1.9. SASEC ROAD 1.10. INDIAN OCEAN REGION
CONNECTIVITY Why in news?
Why in news? • India and France have released a joint
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has strategic vision for cooperation in the Indian
given its approval for upgradation and widening of Ocean Region (IOR).
65 kms of Imphal-Moreh Section of NH-39 in More on news
Manipur at a cost of Rs. 1630.29 crores.
• The vision establishes an open, inclusive and
• The project is being developed with ADB's loan transparent cooperation architecture for
assistance under the South Asian Sub- peace, security and prosperity
Regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Road • Four critically important waterways in the
Connectivity Investment Program. region are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el
• The project corridor is also a part of the Asian Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz
Highway No. 01 (AH01) and acts as India's (Iran-Oman) and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-
Gateway to the East. Thus trade, commerce Malaysia)
and tourism in the region will get a boost. • The vision gains importance considering
About SASEC Road Connectivity Investment increasing footprint of China in the region – its
Program: new naval and air base near Gwadar in
Pakistan, recently opened naval and military
• The seven-member SASEC formed in 2001 base at Djibouti, Hambantota Port in Sri Lanka
comprises India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, etc.
Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, and
aims to increase economic growth by building
cross-border connectivity.
• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been
providing technical, advisory, and financial
support to the Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-
Nepal (BBIN) Motor Vehicle Agreement
initiative as part of its assistance to the SASEC
programme.
• Recently, Bangladesh, India and Nepal have
given nod to operating procedures for
movement of passenger vehicles under BBIN
agreement. Bhutan signed the agreement but
did not ratify it.
Asian Highway Network
• It is a cooperative project among countries in
Asia and Europe and the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and
the Pacific (ESCAP) to improve the highway
systems in Asia.
• It is one of the three pillars of Asian Land
Transport Infrastructure Development
(ALTID) project, endorsed by the ESCAP
commission in 1992, comprising Asian India’s presence in the region
Highway, Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) and • Recently, India has been given access to naval
facilitation of land transport projects. facilities at the port of Duqm in Oman. India is
also modernizing and expanding port of
Chabahar near this strait of Hormuz.
• Logistics agreement with US in 2017 provide
facilities to India at Diego Garcia and the
various US facilities in the Persian Gulf
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• Recently, finalization of logistic agreement o The members include Australia,
with France was announced which will provide Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia,
access to French key bases at Djibouti on the Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia,
Red Sea and at Réunion in the southern Indian Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman,
Ocean. Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia , South
• A deal with Singapore facilitated enhanced Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand,
access to Changi naval base United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
• Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): It is
Important organisations in the region
an initiative to increase maritime co-operation
• Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): among navies of the littoral states of the
o It is an inter-governmental organisation Indian Ocean Region. The group has 35
aimed at strengthening regional members and the inaugural IONS was held in
cooperation and sustainable development 2008 in New Delhi.
within the Indian Ocean region through its • Indian Ocean Commission (COI): The COI is an
21 Member States and 7 Dialogue intergovernmental organisation created in
Partners. 1984. It consists of five African Indian Ocean
o The major priorities & focus areas include nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius,
Fisheries Management, Blue Economy, Réunion and Seychelles.
Women’s Economic Empowerment,
Maritime Safety & Security etc.
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2. INDIA AND WEST ASIA
Importance of Chabahar Port
• Connectivity with Europe and Central Asia-
When linked to the International North-South
Transport Corridor (INSTC), it would connect
South Asia and Europe & Central Asia, which
would provide Indian business better
opportunities to expand in Central Asia.
• Geostrategic location- This port is located
very close (around 100kms) to Pakistan’s
Gwadar Port, which has been developed by
China. Thus, the location is strategic to
balance the increasing footprint of China in
Asia through the policy of ‘String of Pearls’.
• Reducing transportation cost- The distance
between India’s Kandla Port and Chabahar
Port is quite short, thereby reducing the
transportation costs of the goods and freight
time.
2.1. INDIA-UAE
Why in news?
• Indian Prime Minister recently visited UAE.
• He was also the guest of the honour at World
Government Summit held at Dubai.
World Government Summit
• It is an annual event held in Dubai that brings
together leaders in government for a global
dialogue about governmental process and
policies with a focus on the issues of futurism,
technology and innovation, as well as other
topics.
Related News
• Recently, ONGC Videsh Ltd acquired stake in -
Lower Zakum Concession in Abu Dhabi.
• PM inaugurated the first Hindu temple to be Related News
built in UAE capital Abu Dhabi. Middle East to India Deepwater Pipeline (MEIDP) –
It is a proposed pipeline between India And Iran of
2.2. INDIA-IRAN 1,300-km length, which is expected to start from
Chabahar Port on Iran’s southern coast and
Why in news? terminate near Porbandar (Gujarat) on India’s west
India sent its first consignment of wheat to coast.
Details
Afghanistan through the Chabahar port in Iran.
• It will be a deepest underwater transnational gas
More about the Route pipeline and will completely bypass Pakistan.
• It will connect the Gas Rich Gulf & Middle East
• The sea route connects Gujarat’s Kandla port regions to India, for the transportation of Natural
to Chabahar from where the shipment will be Gas to secure India´s Energy Needs at
taken to Afghanistan through a land route. competitive rates.
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• It envisions a pivotal role for Oman as a potential
transit hub, source of gas supply, and as an equity
partner in the project.
Additional Information
International North – South Transport Corridor
(INSTC)
• It is a multimodal transportation network
established in 2000 by India, Russia and Iran.
• It aims to link Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to
the Caspian Sea via Iran, and onward to
northern Europe via St. Petersburg in Russia.
• Later INSTC was expanded to include 10 new
members namely Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey,
Ukraine, Belarus, Oman and Syria.
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2.4. INDIA-PALESTINE • India was the first Non-Arab State to recognize
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) as sole
Why in news? and legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people in 1974. India was one of
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited
the first countries to recognize the State of
India recently.
Palestine in 1988.
Background • In 1996, India opened its Representative
India and Palestine enjoy historically close and Office to the Palestine Authority in Gaza,
friendly ties. which later was shifted to Ramallah in 2003.
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3. INDIA AND SOUTHEAST/EAST ASIA
• It was founded in 1967 by the five South-East
Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia,
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
• There are currently 10-member states:
Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and
Vietnam.
Other Events
• Many other events that took place
simultaneously in Manila during the summit
are-
o the Regional Comprehensive Economic
Partnership (RCEP) leaders’ meeting
o First meeting of the India-U.S.-Japan-
Australia quadrilateral (covered later).
3.1.1. INDIA-ASEAN
Why in News?
Recently, a summit was held to mark the 25th
anniversary of Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN)-India Dialogue Relations and
Delhi Declaration was signed.
Highlights of the Declaration
• Promotion of stable and sustainable growth
for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs) was also agreed upon.
• Physical and digital connectivity- They
reaffirmed their commitment to enhance
physical and digital connectivity in line with
the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025
and the ASEAN ICT Master plan (AIMS 2020).
RCEP
• It is a proposed free trade agreement between
the members of the ASEAN and the six states
with which ASEAN has existing free trade
agreements (Australia, People's Republic of
China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and
3.1. ASEAN New Zealand).
• The negotiations were launched in November
Why in News? 2012 at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia.
Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025
• The Philippines plays host to the • It was adopted during Vientiane Declaration in
grand anniversary celebration of the 2016 with a vision to achieve a seamlessly and
Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprehensively connected ASEAN that will
(ASEAN), marking the regional promote competitiveness, inclusiveness, and a
bloc's 50th year. greater sense of Community.
Association of South East Asian Nations • It will focus on five strategic areas to achieve this
• It is a political and economic organization vision-
aimed primarily at promoting economic growth o Sustainable Infrastructure
and regional stability among its members. o Digital Innovation
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8468022022 DELHI | JAIPUR | PUNE | HYDERABAD
o Seamless logistics 3.1.2. EXPANDED ASEAN MARITIME
o Regulatory excellence
FORUM (EAMF)
o People Mobility
ASEAN ICT Masterplan Why in news?
Launched in 2015, it has a vision to propel ASEAN 5th EAMF was held in Jakarta, Indonesia.
towards a digitally-enabled economy that is secure, Details about EAMF
sustainable, and transformative; and to enable an
innovative, inclusive and integrated ASEAN • It was created for the first time in 2012 during
Community. the ASEAN High Conference in Manila, The
Philippines.
India-ASEAN • It includes the ten Southeast Asian countries
• In 1992, India became a dialogue partner with the addition of Australia, China, India,
across limited sectors in ASEAN and in 1995 it Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and
achieved the status of full dialogue the United States (8 nations)
partnership. • It focuses mainly on maritime issues, which
• In 1996, India was given the opportunity to include territorial maritime disputes, piracy,
appear in the ASEAN Post Ministerial and also maritime regulations among
Conference (PMC) and became a full member members of the forum itself.
of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). While in • Before the Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum
2012 the relations were upgraded to strategic was established in 2012, the topic surrounding
partnership. maritime issues was discussed under Asia
• The “ASEAN-India Partnership for Peace, Maritime Organization for Security and
Progress, and Shared Prosperity” in 2004 and Cooperation (AMOSC). The AMOSC could not
the “Plan of Action” in 2012 highlighted the bring any positive outcome.
growing confluence in various areas between
ASEAN and India. 3.2. INDIA AND JAPAN
• Two decades of the Look East Policy, now Why in news?
renamed as Act East Policy by the
government, have brought some positive • The India-Japan Agreement for Cooperation in
results for India in making ASEAN an the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy entered
important regional partner. into force.
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Other recent developments Enhancing Skills, and People-to-People
Partnership.
• “Toward a Free, Open and Prosperous Indo-
• Agriculture, health, technology, and disaster
Pacific”, the title of the joint statement, gave
management have been identified as the main
away the common concern weighing down
areas of development cooperation.
both countries for instance - “rules-based
order” in the Indo-Pacific region and
3.3. INDIA AND PHILIPPINES
implementation of Resolution 1267 of the UN
Security Council to counter cross-border Why in news?
terrorism.
India has decided to provide financial assistance to
• India and Japan signed an agreement that will
the Philippines to aid its fight against the Islamic
allow their airlines to operate unlimited
State (IS)-affiliated terror groups in the city of
number of flights between the two
Marawi in Mindanao province.
countries. The National Civil Aviation Policy of
2016 allows countries covered under such More on news
agreements an unlimited number of flights to
• The Philippines has been engaged with Islamic
the six metro airports in Delhi, Mumbai,
State (ISIS)-affiliated militants who launched
Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bengaluru and Chennai.
an offensive to control city of Marawi in
• Joint inauguration of the high-speed rail Mindanao province on May 23, 2017.
project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
• This is the first time India is sending financial
The ambitious project is being implemented
aid to another country for relief and
with nearly 90% financial support and
rehabilitation from deadly terror groups.
technology from Japan.
India has an Open Sky agreement with following 3.4. INDIA-SOUTH KOREA
countries:
US, Jamaica, Guyana, Czech Republic, Finland, Spain, Why in news?
Sri Lanka, ASEAN and Greece. India will further strengthen the Korea Plus cell
created here to promote and facilitate
3.2.1. ASIA-AFRICA GROWTH
investments.
CORRIDOR
Korea Plus
Why in news?
• Korea Plus, operationalized on June 18, 2016
A vision document on the Asia-Africa Growth
comprises of a representative from the
Corridor (AAGC) was released at Africa
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy,
development bank submit by India in partnership
Government of the Republic of Korea and
with Japan.
representative from Korea Trade Investment
About the corridor and Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and three
representatives from Invest India.
• The vision document was prepared jointly by
• It is a strategic initiative between the
Indian and Japanese think tanks, i.e. Research
Governments of India and South Korea “to
and Information Systems for Developing
promote, facilitate and retain Korean
Countries (RIS), Economic Research Institute
investments in India.
for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and Institute
for Development Economics - Japan External
3.5. MEKONG GANGA
Trade Organisation (IDE-JETRO), in
consultation with other think tanks in Asia and COOPERATION (MGC)
Africa. Why in News?
• The main objective of the corridor is to
enhance growth and connectivity between India has been calling for expanding the areas of
Asia and Africa. cooperation among the member countries of
• The corridor will focus on four areas: the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) bloc
Development Cooperation Projects, Quality
Infrastructure and Institutional Connectivity,
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About MGC • It was launched in 2000. Both the Ganga and
the Mekong are civilizational rivers, and the
• It is an initiative by six countries – India and
MGC initiative aims to facilitate closer
five ASEAN countries, namely, Cambodia, Lao
contacts among the people inhabiting these
PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam for
two major river basins.
cooperation in tourism, culture, education, as
well as transport and communications.
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4. EUROPEAN UNION
• Institutional set-up -
o the EU's broad priorities are set by the
European Council, which brings together
national and EU-level leaders
o directly elected MEPs represent European
citizens in the European Parliament
o the interests of the EU as a whole are
promoted by the European Commission,
whose members are appointed by
national governments
o governments defend their own country's
national interests in the Council of the
European Union.
Related information
Eurozone
• It is a geographic and economic region that
consists of countries that have fully
incorporated the euro as their national
currency.
• As of 2018, the eurozone consisted of 19
4.1. INDIA-EU countries in the EU: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Why in news? Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
• The 14th annual Summit between India and Malta, the Netherands, Portugal, Slovakia,
the European Union (EU) was recently held in Slovenia and Spain.
New Delhi. Schengen Area
• It is an area comprising 26 European states that
India-EU relations have officially abolished passport and all other
types of border control at their mutual borders
• India and the EU have been strategic partners
• The area is named after the Schengen
since 2004. Agreement signed in June 1985 in the town of
• The EU is India’s largest regional trading Schengen, Luxembourg.
partner with bilateral trade in goods at $88 • 22 of 28 EU member states participate in the
billion in 2016. Schengen Area.
• The EU is also the largest destination for • The four European Free Trade Association (EFTA)
Indian exports and a key source of investment member states- Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway,
and technologies. and Switzerland- are not members of the EU but
have signed agreements in association with the
About European Union Schengen Agreement.
• It is a unified trade and monetary body of 28- 4.1.1. EUROPEAN BANK FOR
member countries. Its purpose is to be more
RECONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
competitive in the global marketplace at the
same time balancing the needs of Why in News?
its independent fiscal and political members.
• The Union cabinet recently approved India’s
• The EU's 28-member countries are: Austria,
membership for European Bank for
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France,
• Steps will be initiated by the Department of
Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Economic Affairs to acquire the membership.
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, About EBRD
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the
United Kingdom. That will drop to 27 when • It is a multilateral developmental investment
Brexit causes the UK to leave the EU. bank, established in 1991.
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• It initially focused on helping former • Invest India, the Indian government's official
Communist states build their economies after Investment Promotion and Facilitation
the Cold War and then expanded to support Agency, will also be part of the IFM.
development in more than 30 countries from
central Europe to central Asia. 4.2. PESCO
• It works only in countries that are "committed
Why in news?
to democratic principles", using investment
European Union adopted the decision to establish
as a tool to build market economies.
a European Union defense pact known as
Significance for India Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defense
(PESCO).
• India will only be providing rather than
Lisbon Treaty - It is an international treaty which
receiving money with its new membership. It
amended Maastricht Treaty and Treaty of Rome to
may, however, benefit indirectly through form European Union on Constitutional Basis. It was
EBRD projects or if Indian companies invest signed by EU member states in 2007.
alongside the bank, thereby increasing India’s
investment opportunities and enhancing its About the Pact
international profile. • It is an intergovernmental, binding,
permanent framework and a structured
4.1.2. INVESTMENT FACILITATION process to gradually deepen defence
MECHANISM cooperation within EU framework.
• The aim is to jointly develop defence
• The European Union (EU) and India
capabilities and make them available for EU
announced the establishment of an
military operations.
Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM) for
• The Member states can also make the military
EU investments in India.
capabilities available under PESCO for United
• As part of the IFM, the EU Delegation to India
Nations and NATO as well.
and the Department of Industrial Policy and
• So far 25 members of EU have signed the pact
Promotion (DIPP) will hold regular high-level
except Denmark, Malta and Britain. PESCO is
meetings to assess and facilitate “ease of
also open to NATO members also who wish to
doing business” for EU investors in India by
take part in it. However, there is no provision
creating a single-window entry point.
about the inclusion of non-EU NATO member.
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5. USA
Organized annually since 2010, GES is the
5.1. INDIA-US o
preeminent annual entrepreneurship
Why in news? gathering that convenes over one
thousand emerging entrepreneurs,
PM Modi paid official visit to US. This was the investors, and supporters from around the
fourth visit of PM to US and first direct official world.
meet with President Donald Trump. o This year marks the first GES held in South
Global Entry Program Asia, and the event underscores US broad
• India signed International Expedited Traveler and enduring partnership with India.
Initiative Program, also known as Global Entry o This year, the theme is "Women first,
Program with the United States. prosperity for all".
• It is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) o Niti Aayog is the lead Indian agency in
program that allows speedy clearance for low- holding the event in partnership with the
risk travellers upon their arrival in the US. state government of Telangana.
• On landing at the selected airports in the United
States, the approved applicants can make their 5.2. US WITHDRAWS FROM
way ahead through automatic kiosks instead of
standing in the immigration lines.
GLOBAL COMPACT ON
• While its goal is to speed travelers through the MIGRATION
process, they may still be selected for further
examination when entering the United States. Why in News?
• Apart from India, citizens of Colombia, United The US recently pulled out of United Nation’s
Kingdom, Germany, Panama, Singapore are Global Compact on Migration, deeming it
eligible to become members of this programme.
inconsistent with its immigration policies.
South Korea and Mexican nationals are also
included under Global Entry Programme. What is UN’s Global Compact on Migration?
Recent Developments • It is the first, inter-governmentally
• Defense cooperation negotiated agreement and is consistent with
o US has cleared the sale of 22 unmanned target 10.7 of the 2030 Agenda for
Guardian drones to India. Sustainable Development in which member
States committed to cooperate internationally
• Maritime security and data sharing
to facilitate safe, orderly and regular
o Both leaders announced their intention to
migration.
‘build on the implementation of the
“White Shipping” data sharing • Its main aim is to-
arrangement. The agreement allows o Address all aspects of international
countries to share data on maritime traffic migration, including the humanitarian,
and domain awareness. developmental, human rights-related and
other aspects;
• U.S. LNG for India
o Make an important contribution to global
o India recently received its first LNG cargo
governance and enhance coordination on
from the US under a long-term supply
international migration;
deal, at Dabhol (Maharashtra). GAIL had
o Present a framework for comprehensive
signed a sale and purchase agreement
international cooperation on migrants and
(SPA) with the US LNG exporter Cheniere
human mobility;
Energy in December 2011. Foreign
o Set out a range of actionable
Secretary told that from next year
commitments, means of implementation
liquefied natural gas (LNG) from US will
and a framework for follow-up and review
start flowing to India.
among Member States regarding
• India and USA co-hosted the Global
international migration in all its
Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) at
dimensions; etc.
Hyderabad.
• It was prepared under the auspices of the
United Nations, in September 2016, in the
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New York Declaration for Refugees and
5.4. US NEW AFGHAN POLICY
Migrants, which was adopted by 193 UN
member states. The declaration is of non- Why in news?
binding nature.
Recently the U.S. President laid out strategy for
• India has also signed this declaration.
“Afghanistan and South Asia”.
• To be adopted in 2018, the compact is seen as
a significant opportunity to improve the Important points of new strategy
governance on migration and is expected to
• From Rapid Withdrawal to Uncertain Time
address the challenges associated with
Frame
today’s migration, and to strengthen the
• In outlining his new strategy, the
contribution of migrants and migration to
President recommitted the United States
sustainable development.
to an open-ended conflict in Afghanistan,
saying U.S. forces must "fight to win" the
5.3. US WITHDRAWS FROM
war.
UNESCO • Tougher Stance On Islamabad
Why in news? • Trump directly called Pakistan a country
that shelters terrorists. He demanded that
The United States has decided to withdraw from Pakistan’s support to cross-border terror
the United Nations Scientific and Cultural “will have to change” and “change
Organization (UNESCO), accusing the body of anti- immediately”.
Israel bias. • America would no longer tolerate
About UNESCO Pakistan’s policy of harbouring terrorists.
• Its aim is "to contribute to the building of peace, • Larger role for India
the eradication of poverty, sustainable • Describing India as “a key security and
development and intercultural dialogue economic partner of the United States,”
through education, the sciences, culture, the President said America would further
communication and information"
“develop its strategic partnership with
• It was established in 1946 and is based in Paris.
India — the world’s largest democracy.”
• It has 195 member states and ten associate
members.
• Its five major programs are:
5.5. US SPECIAL WATCH LIST
o Education, Why in news?
o Natural sciences,
o Social/human sciences, • US recently has placed Pakistan on a ‘Special
o Culture Watch List’ while also withholding USD 1.15
o Communication/information. billion military aid.
Related information • US also announced re-designation of 10
countries as ‘Countries of Particular Concern’
• US earlier withdrew from the organization in (CPC).
1984 and then rejoined the organization in
About Special watch list.
2002.
It is for countries that engage in or tolerate severe
• The US had cancelled its substantial budget violations of religious freedom but may not rise to
contribution to UNESCO in 2011 in protest of the level of the ‘Countries of Particular Concern’
its decision to grant the Palestinians full (CPC).
membership. U.S. laws bar funding to any U.N. About CPC:
agency that recognizes the Palestinian state. • A country is labeled as a CPC after it engages in
• US will maintain its presence at UNESCO as an or tolerates systemic, ongoing, and egregious
observer state. violations of religious liberty. It is in accordance
with the International Religious Freedom Act of
1998.
• The list includes Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran,
North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
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of India to the western shores of the United
5.6. THE NEW US SECURITY
States”.
STRATEGY • Combating China and Russia – They have
Why in news? been termed as "revisionist" powers
determined to reshape the world according to
USA has recently unveiled its New Security their own ideals.
strategy (NSS). • Tilt to Bilateralism - It favors bilateral trade
Key Highlights deals over multi-country deals considering the
countries are in fierce competition with each
• Indo-Pacific region - The document explicitly other.
includes India in its definition of the Indo-
Pacific, which stretches “from the west coast
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6. INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/
INSTITUTIONS
6.1. UNSC REFORM • It has 6 principle organs, viz. General
Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic
Why in news? and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council,
the International Court of Justice, and the UN
India has demanded transparency in the UN
Secretariat.
Security Council reform process at the plenary
o General Assembly- It is the main
meeting of the UN General Assembly.
deliberative, policymaking and
What is UNSC Reform agenda? representative organ of the UN. All 193
It entails discussions on following areas: Member States of the UN are
• Categories of membership represented in the General Assembly,
• The question of the veto held by the five making it the only UN body with universal
permanent members representation.
• Regional representation
o Security Council- It has primary
• Size of an enlarged Council and its working
responsibility, under the UN Charter, for
methods and
• The Security Council-General Assembly
the maintenance of international peace
relationship. and security. It has 15 Members (5
permanent and 10 non-permanent
More about the news members).
• The reform agenda has been on continuous o Economic and Social Council- is the
annual consideration since 1993 but there has principal body for coordination, policy
been a lack of consensus on the issue, review, policy dialogue and
primarily due to “institutional inertia”. recommendations on economic, social
and environmental issues, as well as
G-4 Nations implementation of internationally agreed
• It comprises of Brazil, Germany, India, development goals. It has 54 Members,
and Japan and they support each other’s bids elected by the General Assembly for
for permanent seats on the UNSC. overlapping three-year terms.
• They recently demanded an ‘early reform’ and o Trusteeship Council- It was established to
enhanced role for developing countries and provide international supervision for 11
improvement of working methods in UNSC in Trust Territories to ensure that adequate
order to make the Council more legitimate, steps were taken to prepare the
effective and representative. Territories for self-government and
independence. The Trusteeship Council
Uniting for Consensus (UfC) or Coffee Club suspended operation on 1 November
• UfC is a movement to counter the bids for 1994, because by then the trust
permanent seats proposed by G-4. territories had already attained self-
• It demands that a consensus must be reached government or independence.
first on the form and size of the Security o International Court of Justice- is the
Council before expanding it. principal judicial organ of the United
• It is led by Italy and includes Pakistan, South Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in
Korea, Canada, Argentina and some other the Hague (Netherlands).
countries. o Secretariat- It comprises the Secretary-
General and tens of thousands of
6.1.1. UN STRUCTURE international UN staff members who
carry out the day-to-day work of the UN
About UN as mandated by the General Assembly
• It is an international organization founded in and the Organization's other principal
1945. It is currently made up of 193 Member organs.
States.
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Related Information organizations, etc. to accelerate all-round
• Recently, India was re-elected to ECOSOC for a development.
term of three years.
• It has also been re-elected to the Committee for 6.3. UN-HABITAT
Programme and Coordination (CPC), a subsidiary
body of the UN Economic and Social Council Why in news?
(ECOSOC) along with other 12-member
countries.
India has been unanimously elected as the
Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC) president of the UN-Habitat.
• It is main subsidiary organ of UN ECOSOC and the • On behalf of India, Housing and Urban Poverty
UN General Assembly for planning, programming Alleviation Minister will preside over the
and coordination.
deliberations of the 58-member Governing
• It was established by ECOSOC under a resolution
Council (GC) of the UN-Habitat for the next
two years.
6.2. UN PARTNERSHIP FUND
• Since the UN-Habitat came into being in 1978,
Why in News? it is the third time that India has been elected
to lead this organisation after 2007 and 1988.
India has pledged an additional USD 100 million
towards the UN partnership fund at the 2017 UN About UN Habitat
Pledging Conference for Development Activities. The United Nations Human Settlements
The India-UN Development Partnership Fund Programme (UN–Habitat) is the United Nations
(UNDPF) is a dedicated facility within the United agency for human settlements and
Nations Fund for South-South Cooperation sustainable urban development.
established in 2017.
• It was established in 1978 as an outcome of
It supports Southern-owned and led, demand- the First UN Conference on Human
driven, and transformational sustainable
Settlements and Sustainable Urban
development projects across the developing world,
with a focus on least developed countries and small Development (Habitat I) held in Vancouver,
island developing states. Canada in 1976.
• UN-Habitat maintains its headquarters at the
United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation
United Nations Office at Nairobi, Kenya.
(UNOSSC), hosted by UNDP since 1974, was
established by the UN General Assembly with a • It is mandated by the United Nations General
mandate to advocate for and coordinate South- Assembly to promote socially and
South and triangular cooperation (collaboration and environmentally sustainable towns and cities
partnerships between South-South-North countries) with the goal of providing adequate shelter for
on a global and UN system-wide basis. all.
• It is a member of the United Nations
Details Development Group.
• The first project from the fund is being • The mandate of UN-Habitat derives from the
executed in partnership with seven Pacific Habitat Agenda, adopted by the United
Island countries. The fund has also identified Nations Conference on Human Settlements
15 more projects. (Habitat II) in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1996.
• India is also contributing USD 10.582 million to
various other UN programmes.
6.4. SHANGHAI COOPERATION
• The contribution has significantly scaled up ORGANISATION (SCO)
India’s support to sustainable development Why in news?
projects across the developing world.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
South-South Cooperation (SSC) - It is a Summit took place in Kazakhstan’s Astana in June,
methodology of development which facilitates 2017. India and Pakistan inducted as full members
the exchange of knowledge, experience, of the SCO at the summit.
technology, investment, information and capacity
between and among Southern countries through
various agencies like governments, civil society
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About SCO statement outlining the agendas for this year as
well as points the nations agreed to work upon.
• It is a permanent intergovernmental
international organisation, the creation of Highlights of the Xiamen declaration
which was announced in 2001 in Shanghai Issue of terrorism
(China) by the Kazakhstan, China, the Kyrgyz
Republic, Russian, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. • BRICS leaders called for expeditious
• It was preceded by the Shanghai Five finalization and adoption of the
mechanism. Comprehensive Convention on International
• Its main goals are as follows: strengthening Terrorism (CCIT) by the United Nations
mutual trust and neighbourliness among the General Assembly.
member states; promoting their effective Comprehensive Convention on International
cooperation in politics, trade, the economy, Terrorism (CCIT)
research, technology and culture, as well as in • Proposed first by India in 1996.
• It includes adoption of universal definition of
education, energy, transport, tourism,
terrorism, steps for cutting off access of terrorist
environmental protection. groups to funds and safe havens and also calls
• The Heads of State Council (HSC) is the for amending domestic laws to make cross-
supreme decision-making body in the SCO and border terrorism an extraditable offence.
the Council of Heads of Government is the • The BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement
second-highest council in the organisation. (CRA) represents a milestone of BRICS
The SCO's official languages are Russian and financial cooperation and development, which
Chinese. also contributes to global financial stability.
• The organisation has two permanent bodies
The BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA)
— the SCO Secretariat based in Beijing and the
is a framework for the provision of support through
Executive Committee of the Regional Anti- liquidity and precautionary instruments in response
Terrorist Structure (RATS) based in Tashkent. to actual or potential short-term balance of
payments pressures. It was established in 2015 by
the BRICS countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and
South Africa.
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Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) • HCoC is a voluntary, legally non-binding
• It is a multilateral treaty that bans chemical international confidence building and
weapons and requires their destruction within a transparency measure that seeks to prevent
specified period of time. the proliferation of ballistic missiles that are
• It was adopted in 1992 by UN Conference on capable of delivering weapons of mass
Disarmament and came into force in 1997
destruction (WMD).
• It is implemented by the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) • Code is meant to supplement the Missile
headquartered in Hague. Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
• India is a signatory to CWC since 1993 and • Under the Code, States make politically
destroyed its stockpile of Chemical weapons by binding commitments to curb the
2009 becoming third country (after South Korea proliferation of WMD-capable ballistic
and Albania) in the world to do so. missiles and to exercise maximum restraint in
• Egypt, North Korea, Palestine and Sudan are developing, testing, and deploying such
the only countries that have not signed to the missiles
convention. • Code is an agreement between States on how
• CWC prohibits:
they should “conduct” their trade in missiles
o Developing, producing, acquiring,
stockpiling, or retaining chemical weapons.
and does not call for the destruction of any
o The direct or indirect transfer of chemical missiles.
weapons. • India joined the HCOC on 1 June 2016 and
o Chemical weapons use or military total number of signatories of HCOC is 138.
preparation for use. • China, Pakistan, Israel and Iran are not its
o Assisting, encouraging, or inducing other member.
states to engage in CWC-prohibited activity.
o The use of riot control agents “as a method 6.8. INDIAN JUGDE RE-ELECTED
of warfare.”
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC
AT ICJ
or BWC)
Why in News?
• It is a legally binding treaty that outlaws
biological arms. • Recently, Justice Dalveer Bhandari was re-
• It was adopted by UN in 1972 and came into elected as the judge of International Court of
force in 1975. Justice (ICJ).
• It bans- Details
o The development, stockpiling, acquisition,
retention, and production of • This is the first time in the 70-year history of
✓ Biological agents and toxins "of types the United Nations that the U.K. no
and in quantities that have no representation among the panel of judges ICJ.
justification for prophylactic,
• This is the first time that one of the five
protective or other peaceful
purposes;" permanent members of the UNSC lost out to
✓ Weapons, equipment, and delivery an ordinary member in a race.
vehicles "designed to use such agents • This is also the first time that one sitting
or toxins for hostile purposes or in member of the ICJ lost to another sitting
armed conflict." member.
o The transfer of or assistance with acquiring • Bhandari is the fourth Indian judge to be
the agents, toxins, weapons, equipment, elected to the ICJ after B.N. Rau, Nagendra
and delivery vehicles described above.
Singh and R.S. Pathak.
• India signed the convention in 1973 and ratified
Feature International International
it in 1974.
Court of Justice Criminal Court
(ICJ) (ICC)
6.7. HAGUE CODE OF CONDUCT
(HCOC) Year Court 1946 2002
Established
• HCOC or International Code of Conduct
UN- Official court of Independent.
against Ballistic Missile Proliferation was Relationship the U.N., May receive case
established in 2002. commonly referrals from the
UN Security
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referred to as the Council. Can review,
“World Court.” initiate recommend, and
prosecutions decide upon
without UN enforcement.
action or referral.
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India’s Maritime Initiatives About AfDB
• Ratified SOLAS Convention for safety of
merchant ships. • The African Development Bank Group
• Took active initiative in High Risk Area in Indian (AfDB) or BanqueAfricaine de Developpment
Ocean along with IMO and Contact Group on (BAD) is a multilateral development finance
Piracy on the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) institution.
• It has also deposited with the ILO, instrument of • It was founded in 1964 and comprises three
ratification of the Seafarers’ Identity Documents entities: The African Development Bank, the
Convention (revised), 2003 and Maritime African Development Fund and the Nigeria
Labour Convention, 2006. Trust Fund.
• Its mission is to fight poverty and improve
6.10. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT living conditions on the continent through
BANK (AFDB) promoting the investment of public and
private capital in projects and programs that
Why in news?
are likely to contribute to the economic and
Recently the 52nd Annual Meetings of the African social development of the region.
Development bank was held in Gandhinagar, • The meeting in Gandhinagar is the fourth time
Gujarat. that the Annual Meetings of AfDB are being
About the meeting held outside Africa. The next meeting of AfDB
is scheduled to be held in Busan, South Korea
• This was the first time that the Annual in 2018.
Meetings of AfDB were being held in India.
• Reflecting the significance of agriculture in • India joined the African Development Bank
Africa and in the Bank’s development work, (AfDB) in 1983. It is a non-regional member of
the 2017 Annual Meetings was held on the the Bank.
theme: "Transforming Agriculture for Wealth
Creation in Africa.”
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7. INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
as finding practical solutions to Nationally
7.1. QUADRILATERAL MEETING
Determined Contributions (NDC)
Why in News? implementation.
Senior officials from the United States, Japan, About FIPIC
India, and Australia met in Manila on the sidelines • FIPIC was formed in November 2014, to
of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and strengthen India’s relationship with the Pacific
East Asia Summits—to discuss regional and global Island Countries.
cooperation.
• The first FIPIC summit was held at the level of
What is Quadrilateral? Heads of Government in November 2014 in
Suva, Fiji, followed by the FIPIC-II summit held
• It is an informal strategic dialogue and not a
in August 2015, in Jaipur, India.
military alliance like the NATO.
• It comprises of India and 14 Pacific Island
• It is seen as a strategic deterrence as well as a
countries which include Tonga, Cook Islands,
mechanism to provide more and better
Tuvalu, Nauru, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Solomon
options to regional powers.
Islands, Samoa, Niue, Palau, Micronesia,
Details Marshall Islands, Fiji, and Papa New Guinea.
• It was convened around the theme of a “free
7.3. NUCLEAR WEAPON
and open Indo-Pacific”.
PROHIBITION TREATY (NWPT)
Background
Why in news?
• It was Japanese Prime Minister Abe who
conceived the idea of Asian democracies • Over 120 countries in the United Nations
joining forces in 2007 the maritime voted to adopt the first-ever global treaty
democracies have a stake in securing a rules- to ban nuclear weapons.
based global order, liberal trading system Details
and freedom of navigation.
• In May 2007, the four countries held the • The new treaty outlaws the entire range of
inaugural meeting of a new quadrilateral activity relating to the production,
dialogue on the side-lines of an ASEAN stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons.
Regional Forum meeting. • The most central provision is Article 1(d)
which categorically prohibits the use of
7.2. INDIA-PACIFIC ISLANDS nuclear weapons or a threat to that effect,
under all circumstances.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• The treaty will be open for signature to all
CONFERENCE States at UN Headquarters in September and
Why in news? enter into force 90 days after it has been
ratified by at least 50 countries.
Recently a conference on sustainable • India and other nuclear-armed nations: the
development between India and Pacific islands United States, Russia, Britain, China, France,
was hosted by Ministry of External Affairs. Pakistan, North Korea and Israel had not
About the conference participated in the negotiations.
• The conference is being held under the India’s Position
framework of the Forum for India Pacific • India also maintained that the Geneva-based
Islands Co-operation (FIPIC), with The Energy Conference on Disarmament (CD) is the single
and Resources Institute (TERI) as its key multilateral disarmament negotiation forum.
knowledge partner.
Conference on Disarmament
• It will focus on issues such as the blue
economy, adaptation-mitigation practices for • It was formed in 1979 as the single multilateral
climate change, disaster preparedness, disarmament negotiation forum of the
health, the International Solar Alliance as well international community.
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• It is the successor to the Ten-Nation • It will store up to 90 tonnes of the fuel and will
Committee on Disarmament (TNDC), Geneva, act as a supplier of last resort for Member
1960; the Eighteen-Nation Committee on States in case the supply of LEU to a nuclear
Disarmament (ENDC), Geneva, 1962-68; and power plant is disrupted due to exceptional
the Conference of the Committee on circumstances and the Member State is
Disarmament (CCD), Geneva, 1969-78. unable to secure LEU from the commercial
• The CD and its predecessors have negotiated market or by any other means.
multilateral arms control, nonproliferation, • IAEA will run the bank independently of any
and disarmament agreements such as the country, will purchase and store low-enriched
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear uranium fuel for civilian reactors but not an
Weapons (NPT), Environmental Modification ingredient for nuclear weapons.
and Seabed treaties, the Biological and Toxic • A Member State which needs to purchase LEU
Weapons Convention (BTWC), etc. from the IAEA LEU Bank must have a
• India is one of its 65 members. comprehensive safeguards agreement with
the IAEA in force and no issues relating to
7.4. IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL safeguards implementation.
Why in news? International Atomic Energy Agency
• It is the world's central intergovernmental
US President announced that he is formally forum for scientific and technical co-operation
“decertifying” the nuclear deal with Iran. in the nuclear field.
What is the Iran nuclear deal? • It is an autonomous international organization
within the United Nations system.
• An agreement signed between Iran and the • It works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses
P5+1 (the five permanent members of the of nuclear science and technology, contributing
U.N.S.C and Germany) in 2015 that removed to international peace and security and the
economic sanctions against the country after United Nations' Sustainable Development
it agreed to a Joint comprehensive plan of Goals.
action (JCPOA). • It is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.
• This plan ensured that Iran will drastically • India is a member of IAEA.
reduce its uranium enriching capacity and
levels, enriched stockpiles and centrifuges,
7.6. FATF WATCH-LIST
and will allow for stringent inspection and Why in news?
monitoring by international agencies.
• The IAEA certified in its latest quarterly report Financial Action Task Force is likely to put Pakistan
that Iran has complied with the JCPOA and on its terrorist financing watch list or the “grey
that its stock of low-enriched uranium and list” from June.
centrifuges for enrichment are in line with the Financial Action Task Force
nuclear pact. • It is an inter-governmental body established in
1989 and housed in OECD headquarters in Paris.
7.5. URANIUM BANK IN • It has 37 members currently and India is also a
KAZAKHSTAN member.
• Its objectives are to set standards and promote
Why in news? effective implementation of legal, regulatory
and operational measures for combating
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has money laundering, terrorist financing and
opened a uranium bank for Low Enriched Uranium other related threats to the integrity of the
(LEU) in Oskemen city of Kazakhstan to discourage international financial system.
new nations from enriching the nuclear fuel. More about the news
Details • Putting a country in “grey list” does not
• The project was funded by donors, including involve a direct legal or penal action but
the United States, the European Union, involve increased scrutiny from watchdogs,
Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Norway and regulators and financial institutions.
the Nuclear Threat Initiative.
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• Pakistan had earlier been on the FATF ‘grey reaching the Indian Punjab border will draw
list’ from 2012 to 2015, following a detailed from the world’s second largest natural gas
assessment by Asia Pacific Group (APG) in field of Galkynysh.
2010 and lack of follow-up action by • The project is being funded by the Asian
Islamabad to curb terror financing. Development Bank (ADB) and transit fee
• Now Pakistan is required to submit an action would be incurred by India to Pakistan and
plan to FATF to curb terror financing and Afghanistan.
money laundering by May. • The TAPI pipeline will have a capacity to carry
• The group can place Pakistan on its blacklist 90 million standard cubic metres a day
or "Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories" (mscmd) gas for a 30-year period. It will come
(NCCTs), along with North Korea and Iran if it into operation in 2018.
fails to act appropriately. • India and Pakistan would get 38 mmscmd
each, while the remaining 14 mscmd will be
7.7. POLAR SILK ROAD supplied to Afghanistan.
Why in News?
• Recently, China has released its first official
Arctic policy white paper, outlining its
ambition for a Polar Silk Road.
Arctic Council
• Established in 1966, as an intergovernmental
forum promoting cooperation, coordination and
interaction among the Arctic States.
• The Arctic Council is a high-level
intergovernmental forum which addresses issues
faced by the Arctic governments and people
living in the Arctic region.
• Member: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark,
Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the
United States.
• India and China have observer status.
Important aspects of the Policy Asian Development Bank (ADB)
• Development of Arctic shipping routes which • It was conceived in the early 1960s as a financial
institution that would be Asian in character and
are likely to become important transport
foster economic growth and cooperation.
routes for international trade. It is referred to
• As a multilateral development finance
as “Polar Silk Road”. institution, ADB provides:loans, technical
• China aims to participate in the exploration for assistance and grants.
and exploitation of oil, gas, mineral and other • Its clients are member governments, who are
non-living resources in the Arctic as the region also shareholders. In addition, it provides direct
has an abundance of geothermal, wind, and assistance to private enterprises of developing
other clean energy resources. member countries through equity investments
and loans.
7.8. TAPI GAS PIPELINE • It is composed of 67 members (including India),
48 of which are from the Asia and Pacific region.
Why in news? • Its top 5 shareholders are: Japan (15.6%), United
States (15.6%), People's Republic of China
India will host the next steering committee (6.4%), India(6.3%) and Australia(5.8%)
meeting of the proposed 1,814 kilometre-long
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) 7.9. ROHINGYA ISSUE
gas pipeline.
Why in news?
About TAPI
According to the UN estimates, over 400,000
• The pipeline that is set to cross over 1,700 km,
Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar’s Rakhine
through Herat and Balochistan before
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state into Bangladesh since August 25 when a • The region is officially governed by
fresh wave of violence erupted. the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG),
Related Information
with the capital being Erbil.
• 21st Century Panglong Conference is a peace Who are Kurds?
effort being held in Panglong city in the Shan
state of Burma between government of • The Kurds are widely recognized to be the
Myanmar and armed ethnic groups. largest stateless national group in the world.
• The 1st such conference was held in August- • Kurds are an important partner for Iraq in the
September 2016. fight against the IS, with the U.S. also treating
• Rohingyas remain outside this peace the Peshmerga forces (Iraqi Kurdistan military
conference. forces) as an ally.
Related Information
UNHCR
• The Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees was established
on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations
General Assembly.
• The agency is mandated to lead and co-
ordinate international action to protect
refugees and resolve refugee problems
worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard
the rights and well-being of refugees.
• 1951 Refugee Convention is the key legal
document that forms the basis of its work.
Ratified by 145 State parties, it defines the
term ‘refugee’ and outlines the rights of the
displaced, as well as the legal obligations of 7.11. CATALONIA’S
States to protect them. UNHCR serves as the INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM
‘guardian’ of the 1951 Convention and its
1967 Protocol. India has not signed it. Why in news?
• It also has a mandate to help stateless people. An independence referendum, recently held in
The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Catalonia was backed by 90 percent of voters
Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on supporting the region breaking away from Spain.
the Reduction of Statelessness are the key
international conventions addressing
statelessness. India is not a party to both of
them.
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Nomadic India & Mongolia Military
7.15. MILITARY EXERCISES
elephant Exercise
Lamitye India & Seychelles army Indra India & Russia Military Exercise
Immsarex Indian & Chinese Navy Al nagah India & Oman military Exercise
Yudhabhyas India & US Military Exercise Shakti India & France Military Exercise
Surya kiran India Nepal Military exercise SIMBEX-17 India Singapore Navy Exercise
Ajeya warrior India & UK Military Exercise Varuna-17 India & France Navy Exercise
Sampriti India & Bangladesh Military Sundarban Border Security Force(BSF) of
Exercise Moitri India & Border Guard Bangladesh
Hand in hand India & China Military Exercise (BGB of Bangladesh).
Garuda shakti India & Indonesia Military Exercise Indian Navy and Royal Navy
Exercise KONKAN
Prabaldostyk India & Kazakhstan Military VINBAX India & Vietnam Army
Malabar Naval India, Japan & US
Exercise
Exercise
Khanjar India & Kyrgyzstan Military
CORPT Indian & Indonesian Navy
Exercise SIAM BHARAT Indian Air Force & Royal Thailand
Ekuverin India & Maldives Military Air Force
Exercise SLINEX India & Sri lanka Naval Exrcise
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8. MULTILATERAL TRADE
8.1. REGIONAL • All of India’s neighbours, except Bhutan, sent
high-level delegations for the summit.
COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC
PARTNERSHIP (RCEP) 8.3. BIMSTEC
Why in news? Why in news?
19th Round of the RCEP Trade Negotiating The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Committee meeting at the technical level was held Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)
at Hyderabad. celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 06, 2017.
About RCEP About BIMSTEC
• The RCEP is billed as an FTA between the 10- BIMSTEC or Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-
member ASEAN bloc and its six FTA partners Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation was
— India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia formed nearly two decades ago, in June 06, 1997.
and New Zealand.
• When inked, it would become the world’s • The BIMSTEC comprises India, Bangladesh,
biggest free trade pact. Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and
Thailand.
• The RCEP ‘guiding principles and objectives’
state that the “negotiations on trade in goods, • The permanent secretariat of BIMSTEC was
trade in services, investment and other areas established in Dhaka in 2014.
will be conducted in parallel to ensure a • It was originally called BIST-EC (Bangladesh,
comprehensive and balanced outcome.” India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand - Economic
Cooperation) and was formed at a meeting in
8.2. ONE BELT ONE ROAD June 1997 in Bangkok.
• Myanmar was admitted in December 1997
(OBOR) SUMMIT
and the organisation was renamed as BIMST-
China organized a grand two-day OBOR summit to EC.
showcase its plans to build a network of trade • The grouping expanded when Nepal and
routes-One Belt, One Road (OBOR)-that will Bhutan were admitted in February 2004.
connect Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. • The grouping’s name was changed to BIMSTEC
(Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation) at
Bangkok in July 2004.
• BIMSTEC is a sector-driven cooperative
organization, starting with six sectors—
including trade, technology, energy,
transport, tourism and fisheries.
• It expanded to embrace eight more sectors—
including agriculture, public health, poverty
alleviation, counter-terrorism, environment,
culture, people to people contact and climate
change—in 2008.
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More about the news Details
• The draft text of BIMSTEC Coastal Shipping • The agreement has now been renamed as
Agreement have been prepared by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement
Ministry of Shipping, Government of India. for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPATPP).
• The objective of the agreement is to facilitate • This deal is yet to be ratified.
coastal shipping in the region, thereby giving a • TPP was a free trade agreement between USA
boost to trade between the member and 11 other Pacific Rim nations i.e. Australia,
countries. New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei,
• Once the agreement is ratified by the member Vietnam, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Peru and
countries and becomes operational, a lot of Chile, and was signed in 2016. However, USA
cargo movement between the member withdrew from it.
countries can be done through the cost
effective, environment friendly and faster 8.6. AIIB
coastal shipping route.
Why in news?
8.4. G-20 Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)
Why in news? approved USD 1.5 billion in loans to India for
infrastructure-related projects.
• The G-20 summit 2017 was held in Hamburg,
Germany. The theme of this year's summit About AIIB
• AIIB is a multilateral development bank with 84
was 'shaping an interconnected world'.
countries as members.
Background • It is headquartered in Beijing.
• AIIB was proposed at an APEC summit in Bali in
• The G20 brings together 19 countries plus the 2013 and started its operation in January, 2016.
EU. • China, India, Russia and Germany are the four
• G20 members account for over 80% of the largest shareholders of the Bank with 26.06%,
world's gross domestic product (GDP) and 7.5%, 5.93% and 4.5% respectively.
they host almost two-thirds of the world's
Significance for India
population.
• The G20 summit was established in 2008 • Borrowing from AIIB is preferred as:
amidst the global financial crisis to increase o It charges about 1-1.5 per cent interest
international economic cooperation. Since with long term repayment including five-
then, G20 members have been meeting year grace period.
annually to discuss a wide range of issues o The Bank provides lending on liberal terms
related to economic and financial allowing the government to decide on
cooperation. how to use that money.
• The members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, • With AIIB investing in various projects
Canada, China, France, Germany, India, including Mumbai Metro, Andhra Pradesh
Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, new capital Amaravati's development and
Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the irrigation network in West Bengal, India
UK, the US, and the European Union. emerged as the top borrower of the Bank.
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About NDB • Mercosur has no provision for expulsion.
• NDB is an initiative of BRICS countries signed Thus, the suspension of Venezuela was done
into Agreement during the sixth BRICS summit to put international pressure on President of
in Fortaleza in 2014 and it came into existence Venezuela.
as a legal entity in Ufa Summit in 2015.
• The 5 member states have an equal share.
• The core purpose of the NDB is to mobilize
resources for infrastructure and sustainable
development in BRICS countries.
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9. MISCELLANEOUS
United Kingdom and currently has expanded
9.1. INDIAN TECHNICAL AND
to include 26-member countries including
ECONOMIC COOPERATION non-Commonwealth countries and countries
(ITEC) belonging to regional groupings such as
ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian
Why in news?
Nations) and SAARC (South Asian Association
India has been involved in capacity-building and for Regional Cooperation).
offering technical assistance to developing • It is a partnership concept of self-help and
countries in the Global South under mutual-help in development aimed at socio-
the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation economic progress of its member countries.
(ITEC).
9.2. INDIA’S SOFT POWER
About ITEC
• It was instituted by a decision of the Indian Why in news?
Cabinet on 15 September 1964 as a bilateral Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has decided to
programme of assistance of the Government develop a “soft power matrix” to measure the
of India. effectiveness of India’s soft power outreach and
• In more recent years, its activities have also establish linkages between India’s soft power and
been associated with regional and multilateral tangible outcomes in area of diplomacy.
organizations and cooperation groupings like
Soft Power
Afro-Asian Rural Development Organization
• It is the ability of a country to persuade other
(AARDO), Pan African Parliament, Caribbean nations of a line of thought in consonance with
Community (CARICOM). its goals.
• DPA-II Division of Development Partnership • It is derived from three resources i.e. a country’s
Administration (DPA) in the Ministry of culture, its political values and its foreign policy.
External Affairs is the nodal division for Hard Power
handling all capacity building programmes. • It means a nation or political body's ability to use
• The program has five components: Training in economic incentives or military strength to
India of ITEC nominees; project and feasibility influence other actors’ behaviours.
studies and consultancy services for a • It includes economic sanctions, trade embargos,
physical military intervention and the actual
country’s particular needs or projects;
threat of military or economic force.
deputation of Indian experts in whatever
needed capacity abroad; and aid for disaster Manifestations of India’s Soft power
relief. Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) is nodal
• The ITEC programme, along with its sister government agency responsible for India’s soft
programme SCAAP (Special Commonwealth power projection.
African Assistance Programme) and Technical
Cooperation Scheme of Colombo Plan, is a • Incredible India Campaign: It was
visible symbol of India's role and contribution conceptualized in 2002 for India’s brand
to South-South cooperation. building and to create a distinctive identity
for the country in collaboration with
Related info Ministry of Tourism.
Colombo Plan • In 2006, the Ministry of External Affairs set up
a Public Diplomacy Division to promote India
• The Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic
overseas.
and Social Development in Asia and the Pacific
• Ancient Medicine systems and Yoga have also
was conceived at the Commonwealth
become increasingly popular. Celebration of
Conference held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in
the International Day of Yoga on the 21st of
January 1950 and was launched on 1 July
June globally is also a very effective
1951.
manifestation of our soft power outreach.
• It was established by Australia, Canada, India,
Further, AYUSH troops have been sent to
Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and the
Columbia, Reunion Island and Iraq.
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• Efforts to reach out to Indian Diaspora and Convention) establish a framework of surrogate
building connections with foreign business protection for refugees.
interests and foreign aid and development • Palermo Protocol tothe Convention against
programme. Transnational Organized Crime (UNCTOC)
dealing with Trafficking and Smuggling.
• Use of Social Media and IT to not only connect
• Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All
with youth but also build “nation-brand”
Migrant Workers and Members of Their
India. Organising campaigns for Make in India, Families (ICRMW), 1990.
holding trade fairs abroad and organizing
events such as Raisina Dialogue has also added
to presence of India as soft power across
world.
• Project Mausam and Spice Route projects to
revive India’s traditional connections with the
Eastern Africa and to the South East Asia and
the opening the Silk Road, the ancient trade
route that spanned across Asian continent and
parts of Europe respectively.
• India has also exercised its soft power through
growing influence of Bollywood, educational
scholarships extended by MEA, extending
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to
help mitigate the adverse impact of natural
disasters.
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familiarise the students in India about the
9.5 PIO PARLIAMENTARY
functioning of Ministry of External Affairs
CONFERENCE (MEA) and also take India’s global
Why in news? engagement and its foreign policy to the grass
root levels.
Recently, the first-ever Persons of Indian Origin • It is voluntary in nature under which MEA
(PIO) Parliamentary Conference was held on the officers, under-secretary and above will visit
occasion of Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas (PBD). their home towns and cities and their Alma
Details Maters to bring foreign policy to the masses
and raise their interest in diplomacy as career
• PIOs (and Overseas Citizens of India) are not option.
Indian citizens but people who want to stay
connected and involved with India more 9.7. RAISINA DIALOGUE
closely.
• For that same reason, the government of India Why in news?
issues PIO cards and OCI cards to them Recently, Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin
according to their needs. Government has Netanyahu, inaugurated the third edition of the
been promoting the idea of converting their Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi.
PIO cards with OCI cards.
About Raisina Dialogue
PIO - A person who or whose any of ancestors was
an Indian national and who is presently holding • It is a multilateral conference committed to
another country’s citizenship/ nationality i.e. he/she addressing the most challenging issues facing
is holding foreign passport. the global community, held annually in New
OCI - A person registered as Overseas Citizen of India Delhi since 2016. It has emerged as India’s
(OCI) Cardholder under section 7A of the Citizenship flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-
Act, 1955. economics.
• The conference is hosted by the Observer
Benefits of OCI cards over PIO Research Foundation, an independent think
• Lifetime multiple entry visa to India. tank, in collaboration with the Ministry of
• Exemption from registration with Foreigners External Affairs of India.
Registration Officer (FRO) for any length of • This year's theme is Managing Disruptive
stay in India. Transitions: Ideas, Institutions and Idioms.
• Open special bank accounts in India just like
NRIs and make investments. 9.8. SHANGRI-LA DIALOGUE
• Buy non-farm property and exercise
Why in News
ownership rights.
• Economic, financial and educational benefits Indian Prime Minister is expected to speak at the
like NRIs and can also adopt children. 17th Shangri-La Dialogue on June 1, 2018.
Restrictions for both PIO & OCI card holders About Shangri-La Dialogue
• Cannot vote, hold a government job or • Shangri-La Dialogue or IISS Asia Security
purchase agricultural or farm land. Summit was launched in 2002 by British think
• Cannot run for public office or travel to tank the International Institute for Strategic
restricted areas without permission. Studies (IISS) and the Singaporean
government.
9.6. SAMEEP • It’s a unique “track-one” conference that
defence ministers, officials and military chiefs
Why in news? of 28 Asia-Pacific countries, including China
Recently the Ministry of External Affairs launched and the United States attends annually.
SAMEEP program. • It gets its name from the location of the
meeting, the Shangri-La hotel in Singapore.
SAMEEP Program
• IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain similarly is
• Student and MEA Engagement Program another important international meeting held
(SAMEEP) is an outreach program to
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in the Middle East and attended by • The first stage of the Future of Work Initiative,
government ministers. carried out between 2016 and 2017, involved
national dialogues between governments,
9.9. GLOBAL COMMISSION ON employers’ and workers’ organizations.
THE FUTURE OF WORK • Its objective is to provide the analytical basis
for the delivery of the ILO's social justice
Why in news? mandate in the twenty-first century by
The ILO launched its Global Commission on the identifying the key challenges facing the
Future of Work. world of work and making practical
recommendations about how these may be
Details addressed in the future.
• It seeks to understand and respond effectively • Its purpose will be to examine the output from
to the changing character of production and the national dialogues and other input it may
employment due to, for instance - onward consider necessary. The Commission will
march of technology and the impact of climate publish a report and recommendations in the
change. It marks the second stage in the ILO’s course of 2018.
Future of Work Initiative.
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