18th August 2023

24th January
14th June 2022
2022
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Note- Mostly we source topics from The Assam Tribune newspaper but we also pick some
important topics from national level newspapers like The Hindu and The Indian Express.
Contents
Topics of the day

GS Paper II
● International Relations-Iran-Saudi normalising
ties-China’s footprint in West Asia
GS Paper III
● Internal Security-Narco terrorism in Jammu and
Kashmir
● Indian Economy-‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
● Disaster management-‘FloodWatch’ app
1. Iran-Saudi normalising ties-China’s footprint
in West Asia
Syllabus-
● GS Paper II-International
Relations
● Prelims

Source -The Indian Express

1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia

Politics of West
Persian Culture/Shia sect Some features of West Asian
Asia
of Islam countries-
● Islamic Countries
● Rich in Oil and Natural
● Major rivalry-
Iran gas production
between Iran
and Saudi
Arabia Major faultline
Arabic Culture and
Sunni Sect
countries
Saudi Arabia + Qatar
+ UAE + Oman Arabic
Persian Culture and culture/Sunni sect
Shia sect of Islam
Iran + Syria +
Lebanon
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
Complete diplomatic ties severed

● Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in

2016.
Why?
● Protesters in Iran invaded Saudi
diplomatic posts after Saudi Arabia had
executed a prominent Shiite cleric in
Saudi Arabia.
● Saudi Arabia has long portrayed itself
as the world’s leading Sunni nation while
Iran views itself as the protector of the
Islam’s Shiite minority.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
Recent

● Recently, Saudi and Iranian officials

held bilateral talks that concluded with
an agreement to restore diplomatic ties
which have been severed since 2016.
● The diplomatic breakthrough negotiated
by China in Beijing.
Key Outcomes of the negotiation-
● The two countries plan to reopen their
respective embassies in each other’s
capital ie Tehran and Riyadh.
● Both countries will try to end long
protracted Yemen Civil war.
Matter of concern for India
● The development means China’s
footprint further getting strong in West
Asia.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
China’s growing footprint in West Asia

1. Iran-China deal
● $400 billion Iran China deal in 2020.
● Iran-China signed strategic partnership
agreement in 2021 for 25 years of
cooperation.
2. China-Saudi Arabia proximity
● China-GCC Summit in Riyadh in
December 2022.
3. Saudi-Iran deal brokered by China
● Above developments prove China is
growing its footprints in West Asia.
Gulf Cooperation Countries
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
Why China is interested in West Asia?

Let’s trace rise of China

● 1978- Economic reforms of China under Deng
Xiaoping.
● In 1990 China emerged as major economic and military
power then China started policy of peaceful rise of
China.
● After military rise of China it slowly started to assert its
dominance
Example-
● South China Sea dispute was an old dispute but was
revived by China
● China started to put dispute and restricted economic
Exploration for example in 1996 ONGC Videsh
Limited and Vietnam in South China
Sea.Exploration was blocked by Chinese Navy
● Diakaku Senkaku dispute with Japan was revived
China became very assertive in Asia Pacific region
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
Chronology
To understand this first understand
few terminologies-
● Unipolar world- Only one 1945- End of WWII
country and its allies enjoy
dominance in the global order.
● Bipolar world- Two countries
enjoy dominance in global
order. 1991- Disintegration
● Multipolar world- Many small 1945 to 1991- Era of Cold war-
of USSR- Dominance
regional powers enjoy say in rivalry between US and USSR-
of the US- Unipolar
global order and institutions like Bipolar world
world
WTO, UN etc. Such order can
also be called democratic
global order.
21st Century-Emergence of
China as a dominant player.
Making global order bipolar
again in Asia Pacific.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
India-US relations

● Not very cordial till the

beginning of 21st century.
Turn in 2001-
1. 9/11 attack on the US
● The US started taking
terrorism a serious threat.
2. The China factor
● Rise of China prompted
the US to align with India
to counter it.
● India always has been
circumspect about China
since 1962, reciprocated
to the US gestures.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
China’s shifting focus to
West Asia

● Realizing constraints in
Asia Pacific in form of
QUAD,China has shifted
its focus to West Asia.
● Current developments
like- China Iran deal,
China mediated
agreement between Iran
and Saudi Arabia can be
seen as a step in this
direction.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
I2U2 Summit

● West Asia is important for

energy security of both India
and China.
● India has advantage of
cultural and geographical
proximity with West Asia
vis-a-vis China.
● Naturally,growing footprint of
China in West Asia is a
diplomatic setback for India.
● Hence I2U2 forum was
started,which is also dubbed
as West Asia QUAD.
1. China’s growing footprint in West Asia
2. Narco terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Syllabus -
● GS Paper III-Internal Security
● Prelims

Source -The Indian Express

2. Narco terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Background

● Cross border terrorism and

insurgency has been promoted in
J&K by Pakistan(part of Pakistan’s
bleed India through thousand cuts Funding
and
policy).
Support
● But India took a very bold step in 2019 for Pak
by de-operationalizing special status
of J&K under Article 370.
Main objective-
● To strengthen the security
infrastructure of the J&K.
● After this cross border funding of
terror dried up.
2. Narco terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Recent development

● Pakistan-sponsored terrorism
is at an all-time low in Jammu
and Kashmir, three years after
the abrogation of Articles 370
and 35A.
● As per a recent estimate active
militants has fallen from 250 by
the end of 2019 to just over 100
by January 2023.
● As a result, Pakistan is trying to
fund terrorism and incite
insurgency by drug trafficking
ie Narco terrorism.
2. Narco terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
Dual strategy of Pak

● With the people of Kashmir increasingly

relinquishing terrorism and a culture of
violence, the drug strategy serves dual
purposes for Pakistan-
1. Attack the core of the social well-being
2. Finance terrorism within the Valley
Impact of this strategy on J&K-
1. Emerged as country’s top drug affected
region
● With 2.5 percent of the population using drugs,
Kashmir has emerged as the country’s
top-drug-affected region, ahead of Punjab,
where 1.2 percent of the population is
reportedly addicted to drug abuse.
2. Increasing crime rate
2. Narco terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir
3. ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
Syllabus -
● GS Paper III-Indian
Economy-Infrastructure
● Prelims

Source -The Live Mint

3. ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
Current news?

● The union cabinet recently approved the

‘PM-eBus Sewa’ scheme for augmenting city
bus operations.
Provisions of the scheme
● Under the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme, 10,000
e-buses will be deployed across cities in
the country.
● The scheme will cover cities with 3 lakhs
and above population and priority will be
given to cities not having organised bus
services.

e-Bus━ Electrical Buses(Environment

friendly)
3. ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
.‘
‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
There are two segments of the scheme:
1. Augmenting the city bus services
● Under this, the e-buses will operate under
the PPP model and the government will
help develop associated infrastructure.
2. Green Urban Mobility initiatives
● Bus rapid transport projects would be
developed along with non-motorised
infrastructure like bike sharing, bicycle
lanes.
● Innovative projects like National
Common Mobility Card, Intelligent
Transit Management System also be
developed.
Prelims Practice question
Q1. Which of the following statements are
not correct about ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme?
1. Under the scheme 1,00,000 e-buses will
be deployed across cities in the
country.
2. The e-buses will be deployed across
metro cities of India only.
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both
d. None
3. ‘PM-eBus Sewa’ Scheme
4. ‘FloodWatch’ app

Syllabus -
● GS Paper III-Disaster
management
● Prelims

Source -The Assam Tribune

4. ‘FloodWatch’ app
What is the news?

● Recently, the Central Water Commission

(CWC) has launched the mobile
application, "FloodWatch.
Floodwatch App
● This app gives information related to the
flood situation and forecasts up to 7 days
on a real-time basis to the public.
● The information is available in 2
languages, viz. English and Hindi.
● This app utilizes advanced technologies
such as satellite data analysis, Colour-coded circles
mathematical modelling, and real-time ● Green for normal
monitoring to deliver accurate and timely ● Yellow for above normal
flood forecasts. ● Orange for severe
● Red for extreme
4. ‘FloodWatch’ app
4. ‘FloodWatch’ app

Prelims Practice Question

Q2.Which of the following statements are
correct about ‘FloodWatch’ app?
1. It has been released by NITI Aayog.
2. Black color code means extreme threat.
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both
d. None
Answers

Prelims Practice Question

Q1. Consider the following statements; Practice question
1. Poverty line estimation in India is Q2. Which of the following is true about
based on income levels. RAMBHA payload of Chandrayaan 3?
2. Poverty estimation in India now 1. It is part of Vikram the lander.
carried out by NITI Aayog’s task 2. It will study thermal properties of Lunar
force. surface.
Which of the following statements is a. 1 only
correct? b. 2 only
a. 1 only c. Both
b. 2 only d. None
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2