The Hindu News Analysis – 28th June 2023 – Shankar IAS Academy

S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T

T&C T&C T&C T&C

1 The concerns about India-U.S. digital trade 1 1
10
1 1

2 Tracing the arc of American ‘exception-ism’ for India 12 8 8 10 8

3 China explodes H. bomb: India detects test 13 9 9 11 9

4 Sedition law must to retain India’s integrity 14 10 12 12 10

5
Policing in Chennai goes hi-tech with GIS mapping, 4 - - - -
analytics of crime zones
*C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram
 The Hindu News Analysis – 28th June 2023 – Shankar IAS Academy
S. Page Number*
News Articles
No. C B D H T

6
Nobel-winning lithium battery inventor John 17 13 15 15 13
Goodenough dies

7 Seven products from U.P. get GI tag 11 - 6 9 5

8 Prelims Practice Questions

@ end of the video

9 Mains Practice Questions

*C – Chennai; B – Bengaluru; D – Delhi; H – Hyderabad; T – Thiruvananthapuram
T&C Pg 1 – C, B, H, T;
Pg 10 – D;
 Issues faced by US Tech companies in

Part A—Preliminary Examination India:

Paper I - (200 marks) Current status of India – US Technology trade

 Current events of national and international • India’s largest trade partner – US (FY 2023)
importance.
• Bilateral - 7.65% increase (USD 128.55 billion)
Part B—Main Examination
• 2020 - US had a 27 billion USD trade deficit
PAPER-IV
to India in digital services.
General Studies ‐ III: Technology, Economic
Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security • To step up – iCET
and Disaster Management. iCET
 Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in
• Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology
industrial policy and their effects on industrial
growth. • Launched in: May 2022
• Focus areas: Guidelines for sharing Geospatial data

 Quantum and artificial intelligence • preferential treatment to Indian Companies

 Defense innovation • to highlight - discriminatory and regulations

and policies of Indian Government.
 Space
Questions about Democracy in India
 Advanced telecom technologies
• Raises a question about India’s commitment to
 Semi-conductors
democratic values.
Concerns of US tech companies

• Significant imbalance and misalignment

• India – Protectionist Policy

 Favours local players

 No level playing field

Taxation in India

• 2016 – Equalisation Levy

• Issues
• To provide equal opportunities to local players.
 Double Taxation
• Non Resident company - 6% tax
 Complicated tax framework
 For the services they receive from a Indian
• 2020 amendment - vague and it increased the
business firm.
scope for taxation.
• 2020 – Protectionist Policy
• 2021 – Clarification:
 Extra 2% tax on the gross revenue of
 e commerce : online sale of goods or the
non-resident e commerce operators
online service which facilitates the online
 For the service it provides to Indian sale of goods or service
residents or the non-resident companies
which have permanent establishment in
India
IT Rules 2021 Data Protection Bill 2022
• Applicable to: • Deals with cross border data flows, compliance
 SMIs and platform with 5 million timelines and data localization.
registered users or more. • India is planning to become hub for data
• Problematic Provisions: processing.

 Impractical Compliance deadlines • Data Localization – increases operating cost

of foreign companies.
 Content takedown protocols.
• Ambiguities around Section 17
• SMIs - take down a content within 24 hours
of government or court order.  Cross border flow of data will be allowed for
only certain countries.
• Should appoint local compliance officer
• Can adopt cross border data flow with
• IT amendment 2022- remove within 72 hours
certifications, standard contractual clauses and
for 6 categories of contents.
binding corporate rule.
• Functioning of Grievance Appellate Tribunal
Telecom bill

• Applicable to:
Other Policy barriers
 Telecom Service Providers (TSP) and Over-
• Digital Competition Act
the-top (OTT) players.
 Proposed by the parliamentary committee on
 OTT includes messaging platforms which
finance.
uses infrastructure of TSP.
 To tackle the anti competitive practices
• If draft bill passed in current form
• Proposes to levy taxes for big or significant
 Licensing issues, government access to
tech companies.
company’s data, internet, seizure of its
infrastructure and possible monetary  Main Target: US tech companies.

obligations.
Pg 12 – C;
Pg 8 – B, D, T;
Pg 10 – H;
 Exemptions in economic sanctions given by
Part A—Preliminary Examination
U.S. to India:
Paper I - (200 marks)
• 1998- Mr. Clinton signed a waiver to the
 Current events of national and international
sanctions on both India and Pakistan.
importance.

Part B—Main Examination • 2005 - India-U.S. Joint Statement resulted

in a waiver under Non-Proliferation Act,
PAPER-III
Henry Hyde Act and 123 Agreement with
General Studies ‐ II: Governance, Constitution,
India.
Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
• 2008 - India-specific exemption at the
 India and its Neighborhood- Relations.
Nuclear Suppliers Group.
 Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and
Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s • 2010 - U.S. Export Administration
interests. Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic
in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
 Reason for Exemptions:

• Trump administration avoided sanctioning • Promise of ties with India.

India under Countering America’s Adversaries
• India - world’s most populous nation, an
Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) of 2017 for
inclusive, pluralistic democracy as a
purchasing Russian S-400 missile system.
republic with a record in non-
• Secondary sanctions against India exempted - proliferation.
for its considerable oil imports or defence
• India draws attention as an economic
engagement from Russia.
market and a military buyer.
• Exemptions on the International Religious
• India's location in Asia and its border
Freedom Act as well.
disputes with Beijing.

• Acknowledged Indian-American diaspora.

Challenges:

• Exemptions can be reversed at any time.

• Relationship remains largely one-directional on

issues like investment, hardware or technology
transfer.
Pg 13 – C;
Pg 9 – B, D, T;
Pg 11 – H;
 Nuclear fusion reaction
Hydrogen bomb
• 2 light atomic nuclei merge to form a
• Other name - thermonuclear bomb. single heavier atomic nucleus.

• It is a type of nuclear weapon that has • Merger process - releases enormous energy.
enormous explosive power.
 Reason - mass of resulting single
• Explosive power - due to uncontrolled nucleus < mass of 2 original nuclei.
self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.
• It usually takes place at extremely high
• It works based on the principle of nuclear temperatures - 100 million degrees.
fusion reaction.
Hydrogen bomb

• Ideal fuel - Deuterium & tritium, which

Nuclear fission reaction
are isotopes of hydrogen.
• It is used in atomic or nuclear bombs.

 Fuel - Uranium-235.
Working of hydrogen bomb
Pg 14 – C;
Pg 12 – B, T;
Pg 10 – D, H;
 Sedition
Background
THE INDIAN PENAL CODE
• 1870 - Enacted by British to deal with
Section 124A - ‘Sedition’
harsh criticisms.
Whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by
signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise,  Curbed free speech & fundamental rights
brings or attempts to bring into hatred or of the freedom fighters.
contempt, or excites or attempts to excite
disaffection towards the Government established
by law in India.
Punishment

• Sedition is non-bailable & cognisable offence.

 Cognisable - police can arrest persons

without issuing a warrant.

• Imprisonment - 3 years to a life term + fine.

Issues

• Sedition law - Against right to freedom of

speech & expression under article 19.

• British era law - present existence of

sedition law is not justified.

• Definition of sedition is too broad under

section 124A - may lead to misuse.
Pg 4 – C;
 Applications of GIS:

• GIS stores information on geographical

Geographic Information System (GIS):
characteristics and their features.
• System designed to capture, evaluate,
manipulate, handle, and view all forms of
geographical & spatial information and data.

• Conduct spatial analysis & manage large data

- view the data in maps or graphical form
for presentation and analysis.
• GIS stores data using spatial indices that
enable the characteristics of any arbitrary
area on a map to be defined. Additional data related to GIS features

• Some information combined with tabular data, • Relation of a feature with other features
may be spatial. • Where the least most or least of a function
exists

• The density of characteristics in a particular

space

• What takes place within the AOI (area of

interest)

• Any elements about what’s happening in the

surrounding

• How a region has shifted over the years.

Pg 17 – C;
Pg 13 – B, T;
Pg 15 – D, H;
 Construction
Li Ion Battery
• Cathode: Lithium Cobalt Oxide
• Advanced Battery Technology
• Anode: Graphite
• Key electrochemical component: Lithium
• Other Cathode Materials : lithium Manganese
• Rechargeable
oxide and lithium ion phosphates
 Used in portable devices – Laptops,
• Electrolyte - Ether
Smartphones, I pad, etc.
Working

• Anode and cathode can store the lithium.

Advantages
• Electrolyte carries positively charged lithium
• Lighter in weight.
ions from the anode to the cathode and
vice versa through the separator. • capable of storing a very high voltage per
unit mass and unit volume.
• Movement of the lithium ions creates free
electrons in the anode • Does not have memory effect

 Which creates a charge at the positive  No need to discharge the battery

current collector. completely before charging them again.

• Electrical current then flows from the • Capable of handling hundreds of charge and
current collector to the devices like discharge cycles
smartphones, laptops, etc
Pg 11 – C;
Pg 5 – T;
Pg 6 – D;
Pg 9 – H;
Amroha Dholak

• Percussion instrument

• It is played using a stick or with hands

• Amroha - North West Uttar Pradesh, close to

Moradabad

• Wood - Mango and Sheesham trees

• Goat skin is used.

Mahoba Gaura patthar hastshilp

• Part of Chitrakoot Division.

• Bundelkhand region.

• Gaura stone craft

 Radiant white colored stone

 Unique and soft stone

 Pyro Flight Stone

 Soft texture
Mainpuri Tarkashi

• Part of Agra division

• Technique of inlaying brass, copper or silver

wires in wood

• Uses - decorating jewelry boxes and name

plaque, door panels, trays and lamps, sandook
(chest), decorative pieces, tables andflower
pots

• Wood - Sheesham
 Baghpat Home Furnishings
Sambhal Horn Craft
• Items produced - curtains, kitchen towel,
• Raw material procured from dead animal table cover and pillow cushions.

• Famous world over • Use cotton yarn.

Barabanki Handloom Product Kalpi Handmade Paper

• Items - scarves, stoles and shawls. • Paper made from waste paper and cloth
strings.
• Known for its unique straight lines, geometric
patterns and bold designs • Applications - office files, carry bags,
absorption papers, visiting cards.
• It is a mix of textiles.
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the following statements regarding the Li –
ion battery:
Statement-I:
There is no need to discharge Li – ion battery before
charging them again.
Statement-II:
Li – ion batteries does not have memory effect.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the
above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct
and Statement-II is the correct explanation for
Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and
Statement-II is not the correct explanation for
Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect Statement-II is correct
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the following statements about
Geographical Information Systems (GIS):
1. It handles attributes data on a technical base. Practice Question – Prelims
2. It can draw maps and other graphics with great
Q. ‘Hydrogen Bomb’ is based on the
ease and speed.
3. It is a slow and tedious task involving creation of principle of which of the
GIS data base. following reactions?
4. It works only in combination with remote (a) Uncontrolled nuclear fission
sensing data.
5. It can analyze data for specified task and thus (b) Controlled nuclear fusion
help decision making. (c) Uncontrolled nuclear fusion
How many statements given above is/are correct?
a) Only two (d) Controlled nuclear fission
b) Only three
c) Only four
d) All five
 Practice Prelims question Quiz Question – 28/06/2023
Q. Consider the following statements about GI Tags: Q. Consider the following statements with
1. Provision of GI Tag in India is covered by the respect to Sedition:
Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration 1. Section 124A of the Criminal
& Protection)Act, 1999. Procedure Code (CrPC) provides for
2. The tag is valid for a period of 10 years Sedition Law.
following which it can be renewed. 2. It is a cognisable offence and non-
3. GI Tag can be provided to both natural or a bailable offence.
manufactured product. 3. The sedition law in India was enacted
4. Darjeeling Tea was the first Indian product to only after the independence.
get a GI tag How many of the above statements are
How many of the above statements are correct? correct?
a) Only one (a) Only one
b) Only two (b) Only two
c) Only three (c) All three
d) All four (d) None
 Practice Question – Mains
Practice Question – Mains
GS - II
GS – III
Q. Track the recent developments in India-US
Q. What are the issues associated with data
relations. What are various issues in India-
localization by foreign tech firms ?
US relations?
(150 words, 10 marks)
(250 words, 15 marks)