Smash Prelims 2023 Part-2 - IR Jan To March 2023 - 230414 - 160118

CIVILSDAILY IAS
PEAK PERFORMANCE. UNLOCKED.
SMASH
PRELIMS
2023
PART- 2
BOOKLET:
INTERNATIONAL
RELATIONS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
From 1st January 2023 to 31st March 2023
BILATERAL RELATIONS
1. Foreign Policy Watch: India-Afghanistan
1.1 India to send 20,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar 9
2. Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan

2.1 India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear installations, prisoners 10
2.2 India sends notice to Pakistan to amend 1960 Indus Water Treaty 11
3. Sri Lanka’s Constitution – Strides in the Right Direction

3.1 Sri Lanka pledges full implementation of 13th Amendment 12
4. North-East India – Security and Developmental Issues

4.1 Two years of Myanmar Coup and Concerns for India 13
5. Foreign Policy Watch: India-China

5.1 Chinese hydro-hegemony over Brahmaputra 14
6. India and Indo-Pacific Region

6.1 India and Indo-Pacific Region 15
6.2 The Voice of Global South 16
6.3 India-Canada Relations 17
6.4 India-Guyana Relations 19
6.5 India-Australia Ties 20
6.6 Saudi Arabia-Iran Reconciliation 22
GLOBAL GROUPINGS AND

CONVENTIONS
7. Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Global Implications
7.1 What is the Moscow-dominated security pact ‘CSTO’? 25
8. Foreign Policy Watch: United Nations

8.1 Explained: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty 26
9. Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

9.1 What is the Interpol, and what is a Red Notice? 27
10. Telecom and Postal Sector – Spectrum Allocation, Call Drops, Predatory Pricing, etc
10.1 India takes over leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union 28
11. WTO and India

11.1 India’s WTO Challenge on MSP Programs for Food Grain 29
12. World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Summit

12.1 World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Summit 2023 31
12.2 SCO-NSA Meeting 33
INTERNATIONAL STORIES OF KEY
IMPORTANCE
13. Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Global Implications
13.1 Russia officially ‘suspends’ New START Treaty 36
13.2 International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Vladimir Putin 37
14. BREXIT
14.1 Windsor Framework: The deal between UK and EU 38
15. International Monetary Fund,World Bank,AIIB, ADB and India

15.1 Understanding IMF Bailouts and their drawbacks 39
16. Corruption Challenges – Lokpal, POCA, etc

16.1 Central agencies gear up for FATF mutual evaluations 41
17. The Crisis In The Middle East

17.1 Israel-Palestinian violence on West Bank soars 42
18. OBOR Initiative

18.1 Chinese firm to build Solomon Islands Port Project 44
19. WTO and India

19.1 Bhutan no longer a ‘Least Developed Country’ 45
20. Operation Dost & India’s role as First Responder

20.1 Operation Dost & India’s role as First Responder 46
International Relations
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CIVILSDAILY IAS Smash Prelims: Current Affairs | IR: Jan ‘23-March ‘23
1. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-AFGHANISTAN
1.1 India to send 20,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar
•T
he WFP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions
from governments, non-governmental organizations, and
private donors.
•T
he WFP delivers food and other essential supplies in times
of crisis and supports communities to build resilience and
achieve long-term food security.
About Chabahar Port

• In 2016, India signed a deal with Iran entailing $8 billion
investme nt in Chabahar port and industries in Chabahar
Special Economic Zone.
• The port is being developed as a transit route to Afghanistan
and Central Asia.
• Completion of this project would give India access to Af-
ghanistan and beyond to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ta-
jikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Europe via
Central idea:
the 7,200-km-long multi-modal North-South Transport
The article discusses India’s plan to send 20,000 metric tonnes
Corridor (INSTC).
of wheat to Afghanistan through the Chabahar port in Iran.
Strategic importance of Chabahar
Why in news?
When the first agreement forChabahar was signed by then
• Last year, the Indian side announced its partnership with
PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2003, the plan had a three-fold
UNWFP (UN World Food Programme) for the delivery
objective:
of 20,000 MTs of wheat for Afghan people through the
• To build India’s first offshore port and to project Indian
Chabahar Port.
infrastructure prowess in the Gulf
UN World Food Programme • To circumvent trade through Pakistan, given the tense ties
•T he WFP is a leading humanitarian organization that pro- with India’s neighbour and build a long term, sustainable
vides food assistance in emergencies and works to improve sea trade route and
nutrition and food security in poor and conflict-affected • To find an alternative land route to Afghanistan, which India
areas. had rebuilt ties with after the defeat of the Taliban in 2001.
• It was established in 1961 and is a part of the United Na-
tions system.
Page 6 www.civilsdaily.com
2. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-PAKISTAN
2.1 India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear installations, prisoners
Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT):

• CTBT was negotiated at the Conference on Disarmament
in Geneva and adopted by theUnited Nations General
Assembly in 1996.
• The Treaty intends to ban all nuclear explosions - every-
where, by everyone.
• It was opened for signature in 1996 and since then 182
countries have signed the Treaty, most recently Ghana has
India and Pakistan has exchanged a list of their nuclear in- ratified the treaty in 2011.
stallations that cannot be attacked in case of an escalation • As of August 2011, 36 of these States have ratified the
in hostilities. Treaty. Eight States still need to do so: China, North Korea,
Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Pakistan and the United States.
Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement
• India, North Korea and Pakistan have not yet signed
• The Non-nuclear aggression agreement is a bilateral and
the Treaty.
nuclear weapons control treaty between India and Pakistan,
• All three have also undertaken tests after 1996; India and
on the reduction (or limitation) of nuclear arms.
Pakistan in May 1998 and North Korea six times between
• Both pledged not to attack or assist foreign powers to attack
2006 and 2017.
on each others nuclear installations and facilities.
• T he CTBT has therefore not entered into force and
Nuclear Proliferation Treaty: lacks legal authority.
•T he NPT is an international treaty whose objective is
What are the Other Treaties and Agreements related
to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons
to Nuclear Weapon?
technology, to foster the peaceful uses of nuclear energy,
• The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmo-
and to further the goal of disarmament.
sphere, In Outer Space and Under Water, also known as
• The treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into force in
the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT).
1970. Presently, it has 191 member states.
• T he Treaty on the Prohibition of nuclear weapons
• India is not a member.
(TPNW): It entered into force on 22 January 2021 and
• I t requires countries to give up any present or future
India is not a member of this treaty.
plans to build nuclear weapons in return for access to
• Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG): India is not a member
peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
of the NSG.
• It represents the only binding commitment in a multi-
• TheMissile Technology Control Regime.
lateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nucle-
• H ague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Pro-
ar-weapon States.
liferation.
• Nuclear-weapon states parties under the NPT are defined
as those that manufactured and exploded a nuclear • The Wassenaar Arrangement.
weapon or other nuclear explosive devices before 1st-
January, 1967.
2.2 India sends notice to Pakistan to amend 1960 Indus Water Treaty
What is Indus Water Treaty (IWT)?

• The Indus Waters Treaty is a water-distribution treaty
between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank
signed in Karachi in 1960.
• According to this agreement, control over the water flowing
in three eastern rivers of India the Beas, the Ravi and the
Sutlej was given to India
• The control over the water flowing in three western rivers
of India the Indus, the Chenab and the Jhelum was given
to Pakistan.
Significance of the treaty

• Testimonial to peaceful coexistence: It is a treaty that
is often cited as an example of the possibilities of peaceful
coexistence that exist despite the troubled relationship.
•S urvived many hostilities: It has survived 3 crucial wars.
• Most successful bilateral treaty: It is internationally
regarded as an example of successful conflict resolution
between two countries otherwise locked in a hostile re-
lationship.
India announced that it wants to modify the 62-year-old Why has the treaty survived?
Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan. • India’s generosity: It is for India’s generosity on Pakistan
for sharing waters of its own rivers.
Why India issued notice to Pakistan? • Free flow of waters: India has refrained from weaponizing
•U
nsolicited disputes over Indian hydel projects: India waters. Pakistan cannot survive without this treaty.
cited Pakistans intransigence in resolving disputes over • Huge dependence Pak economy: About 80% of Pakistans
the Kishenganga and Ratle hydropower projects, both in agriculture depends on Indus and the riparian rivers waters.
Jammu and Kashmir. • Humanitarian grounds: Floods and droughts will starve
•D
ragging arbitration: India protested Pakistans unilateral ordinary Pakistanis while their politicians would still live
decision to approach a court of arbitration at The Hague. in luxury.
•R
enegotiating IWT: The decision to issue notice to Paki- • India’s credibility: Backtracking on the treaty could affect
stan is a major step and could lead to the unravelling and India’s stand as global reliable partner who disrespects
renegotiation of the water sharing treaty.
bilateral agreements.
3. SRI LANKA’S CONSTITUTION – STRIDES IN THE

RIGHT DIRECTION
3.1 Sri Lanka pledges full implementation of 13th Amendment
What is the 13th Amendment? Why India objects over this?

• It is an outcome of the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987, • Because of restrictions on financial powers and overriding
signed by the then PM Rajiv Gandhi and President J.R. powers given to the President, the provincial adminis-
Jayawardene, in an attempt to resolve the ethnic conflict trations have not made much headway.
and civil war. • In particular, the provisions relating to police and land
• The 13th Amendment led to the creation of Provincial have never been implemented.
Councils and assured a power-sharing arrangement to
Why is it significant?
enable all nine provinces in the country, including Sinhala
ill date, the Amendment represents the only constitu-
•T
majority areas, to self-govern.
tional provision on the settlement of the long-pending
• Subjects such as education, health, agriculture, housing, land
Tamil question.
and police are devolved to the provincial administrations.
• In addition to assuring a measure of devolution, it is con-
Why is it contentious? sidered part of the few significant gains since the 1980s, in
• The 13th Amendment carries considerable baggage from the face of growing Sinhala-Buddhist majoritarianism.
the countrys civil war years.
Tamil issue in Sri Lanka
• It was opposed vociferously by both Sinhala nationalist
• Violent persecution against the Tamil population erupted in
parties and the LTTE.
the form of the 1956, 1958, 1977, 1981, and 1983 anti-Tamil
• The opposition within Sri Lanka saw the Accord and the
pogroms in Sri Lanka.
consequent legislation as an imprint of Indian intervention.
• Over 13 years since the end of Sri Lankas civil war, in which
• It was widely perceived as an imposition by a neighbor
tens of thousands of civilians were killed and disappeared,
wielding hegemonic influence.
survivors continue demanding justice and accountability
• The Tamil polity, especially its dominant nationalist strain,
for war-time crimes.
does not find the 13th Amendment sufficient in its ambit
• In the post-war years, Sri Lankas human rights defenders
or substance.
have frequently flagged concerns over persisting milita-
• However, some find it as an important starting point, some-
risation, especially in the Tamil-majority north and east;
thing to build upon.
repression, and the shrinking space for dissent.
4. NORTH-EAST INDIA – SECURITY AND

DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES
4.1 Two years of Myanmar Coup and Concerns for India
•P
ivot leader Aung San Suu Kyi was detained, along with
ministers, their deputies, and members of Parliament.
India and Myanmar

• Significance of Myanmar for India:
•M yanmar is geopolitically significant to India as it stands
at the center of the India-Southeast Asia geography.
• Myanmar is the only Southeast Asian country that shares
a land border with northeastern India.
• Myanmar is the only country that sits at the intersection
ofIndia’s Neighborhood First policy and its Act East
policy.
• As part of India’s SAGAR Vision, India developed the
Sittwe port in Myanmars Rakhine state.
• T he port is meant to be India’s answer to the Chi-
nese-fronted Kyaukpyu port, which is intended to cement
Chinas geostrategic footprint in Rakhine.
• India’s Response towards Myanmar: India had been
categorical from the very beginning that the gains made
by Myanmar over the last decades on the path towards
democracy should not be undermined.
• On Suu Kyis imprisonment for 2 years (sentenced recently),
India also expressed its deep concerns as such develop-
ments accentuate differences.
• It suggested all the sides take efforts to advance dialogues
for the sake of their nations future.
• Global Response to the Coup: The Western countries
continue to condemn and sanction.
• The US has continued to use the overused threat of ever
It is exactly two years since the Myanmar army seized power. more sanctions, though to little avail.
• Myanmars army seems to have ceased bothering about the
Myanmar Coup: A quick recap
rhetoric from the West.
• A coup in Myanmar began on the morning of 1 February
• China is investing and pulling Myanmar into its orbit.
2021, when democratically elected members of the country’s
• Countries like Japan, South Korea and most ASEAN
ruling party, were deposed by the TatmadawMyanmar’s
members have all moved forward with engaging the mil-
military.
itary junta in Myanmar.
•T
he coup occurred the day before the Parliament of Myan-
• The Cambodian Prime Minister has also scheduled to
mar was due to swear in the members elected at the 2020
visit Myanmar in January, 2022 and is likely to set new
election, thereby preventing this from occurring.
terms of engagement.
5. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA
5.1 Chinese hydro-hegemony over Brahmaputra
• riggering artificial floods

T
• Degradation of the entire basin
• Seismic threats
• Ecological threats
• Water security
• Catastrophic threat
Brahmaputra River
India has planned to build a buffer reservoir in the proposed

Arunachal hydropower project to counter Chinas proposed
60,000 MW Medog hydropower project on the Brahmaputra
River. • OriginChemayungdung Glacier (Kailash Range, Tibet)
What is Medog super-dam Project? • In Tibet, known as TSANG PO
•C hina is planning a mega dam in Tibet able to produce triple • In China, known as YARLUNG ZANBO
the electricity generated by the Three Gorgesthe world’s • Forms grand canyon in Tibet
largest power station. • Turns southward near Namcha Barwa
• The structure will span the Brahmaputra River before the • Enters Arunachal Pradesh as Dihang River at Sadiya,
waterway leaves the Himalayas and flows into India. emerging from the mountains
• Joined by Dibang river from the north & Lohit river from
India’s plan: To build buffer reservoir the southKnown as Brahamputra
• The design of the proposed project incorporates a buffer • Turns at Dhubri to enter into Bangladesh
storage of 9 billion cubic metres (or about 9 billion tonnes • After joining Teesta, known as Jamuna in BD
of water) during monsoonal flow. • Joins Ganga & MegnaMerges to BOB.
• This could act as a store of water worth a years flow that • Forms many river island of which Majuli is world 2nd-
would normally be available from the Brahmaputra or largest one
buffer against sudden releases. • Major tributaries Dihang, Lohit, Subansiri, Teesta, Meghna
(Barack in Assam), Manas
Threats posed by Medog Project
• Reduced flow in the Brahmaputra
6. INDIA AND INDO-PACIFIC REGION
6.1 India and Indo-Pacific Region
South Korea recently unveiled an Indo-Pacific strategy which here are vast reserves of marine resources in the In-
•T
noted that there has been a rise in a combination of challenges dian and Pacific Oceans combined, including offshore
that threaten a free, peaceful, and prosperous Indo-Pacific hydrocarbons, methane hydrates, seabed minerals and
while stating that it will advance the special strategic part- rare earth metals.
nership with India • Sizable coastlines and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)
provide littoral countries with competitive capabilities for
India’s concept of Indo-Pacific:
exploiting these resources.
• In turn, a number of the world’s largest economies are
located in the Indo-Pacific region, including India, U.S.A,
China, Japan, Australia.
What is India’s Perspective of the Indo-Pacific?

•C ooperate with Others for Security Architecture: A lot
of India’s special partners, the US, Australia, Japan and
Indonesia want India’s presence in the South China Sea,
East China Sea, basically to counter China.
• India, however, seeks to cooperate for an architecture for
peace and security in the region. The common prosperity
and security require the countries to evolve, through dia-
What is the Indo-Pacific Region? logue, a common rules-based order for the region.
• Indo-Pacific is a recent concept. It was about a decade ago • Indo-Pacific Extends from Africa to America: For India,
that the world started talking about the Indo-Pacific; its Indo-Pacific stands for a free, open, inclusive region. It in-
rise has been quite significant. cludes all nations in the geography and also others who have
• One of the reasons behind the popularity of this term is an a stake in it. In its geographical dimension, India considers
understanding that the Indian Ocean and the Pacific are the area from the shores of Africa to the shores of America.
a linked strategic theater. • Equal Share in Trade and Investment: India supports
• Also, the centre of gravity has shifted to Asia. The reason rule-based, open, balanced and stable trade environment
being maritime routes, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific in the Indo-Pacific Region, which lifts up all nations on
provide the sea lanes. The majority of the worlds trade the tide of trade and investment. This is the same as what
passes through these oceans. the country expects from the Regional Comprehensive
• Significance: Economic Partnership (RCEP).
• The Indo-Pacific region is one of the most populous and •U nified ASEAN: Unlike China, India seeks a unified ASE-
economically active regions of the world which includes AN, not a divided one. China tries to play off some ASEAN
four continents: Asia, Africa, Australia and America. members against others, thereby in a way executing divide
• The dynamism and vitality of the region is self-evident, 60% and rule conquest strategy.
of the world’s population and 2/3rd of the global eco- • Work in Collaboration with China: India does not comply
nomic output makes this region a global economic centre. with the US version of Indo-Pacific, that seeks to contain
• The region is also a great source and destination for- Chinese dominance. India is rather looking for the ways
Foreign Direct Investment. Many of the worlds critical through which it can work together with China.
and large supply chains have an Indo-Pacific connection.
•A
gainst Dominance of a Single Player: India is looking
for democratising the region. Earlier, the region used to
be almost like an American lake. However, there exists a
fear that the region will become Chinese lake now. India
doesn’t want hegemony of any player in the region.
6.2 The Voice of Global South
Context •T hird World radicalism: The term, as used by governmental

• The PM recently hosted a virtual event, Voice of the Global and development organizations, was first introduced as a
South Summit. 125 countries participated in the virtual more open and value free alternative to Third World and
summit. similar potentially valuing terms like developing countries.
• Respond, Recognise, Respect & Reform to re-energise the • Newly industrialized: Countries of the Global South have
world That was the four-point mantra PM emphasised at been described as newly industrialized or in the process of
the event. industrializing and frequently have a history of colonialism
by Northern, often European, states.
The first use of this Global South in a contemporary
• Major countries: The countries of Brazil, China, India,
political sense was in 1969 by Carl Oglesby, writing in
Catholic journalCommonwealthin a special issue on Indonesia, and Mexico have the largest populations and
the Vietnam War. economies among Southern states. The overwhelming
majority of these are located near the tropics.
What is Global South?
Significance of the Global South
•P odium for India: India, with its enormous population
and enormous economic capabilities, is working to unite
the nations of the Global South into a powerful front so
that an action-oriented approach can be adopted for the
countries of the global south.
• Untapped potential: There is enormous untapped potential
in the growing economies of the Global South. The countries
will witness significant progress if they cooperate in areas
like technical exchanges, ideas exchanges, exchanging best
practices in manufacturing, and other areas.
•G
lobal North refers loosely to countries like the US, Canada,
•C ommon concerns: India is committed to utilise the G20
Europe, Russia, Australia and New Zealand, while Global
presidency to give resonance to the voice of the global south
South includes countries in Asia, Africa and South America.
and to highlight the common concerns of energy security,
Features of Global South energy justice, sustainable energy transition so that all
• Lower-income countries : The Global South is a term developing countries can gain reliable and clean energy.
often used to identify lower-income countries on one side
What are the Initiatives for South-South Cooperation?
of the so-called global NorthSouth divide, the other side
being the countries of the Global North. Global:
•B eyond geographical south: As such the term does not • Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS)
inherently refer to a geographical south; for example, most Forum
of the Global South is actually within the Northern Hemi- • India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) Forum
sphere. • International Day for South-South Cooperation:
•O riginally observed on December 19, the date for the United What were the Earlier Used Classification Systems?
Nations Day for South-South Cooperation was moved •F irst World, Second World and Third World Countries:
to September 12 in 2011. • First, Second and Third Worlds countries refer to coun-
• It commemorates the date when the United Nations Gen- tries associated with theCold war-era alliances of the
eral Assembly (UNGA) adopted a plan of action in 1978 US, the USSR, and non-aligned countries, respectively.
to promote and implement technical cooperation among • World Systems Approach:
developing countries. • It emphasises an interconnected perspective of looking at
world politics. There are three major zones of production:
Indian:
core, peripheral and semi-peripheral.
• Proposal on TRIPS Waiver:
•T he core zones reap profits, being the owners of cut-
•T
rade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
ting-edge technologies countries like the US or Japan.
(TRIPS) waiver, first proposed by the India and South
• Peripheral zones, on the other hand, engage in less so-
Africa in 2020, would involve a temporary global easing
phisticated production that is more labour-intensive.
of intellectual property rights (IPRs) on COVID-19
• Semi-peripheral zone is in the middle including countries
vaccines and treatments to enable them to be produced
like India and Brazil.
on a far larger scale, to support global health and a way out
• Eastern and Western Countries:
of the pandemic. agreement on Covid-19 vaccines, drugs,
• Western countries generally signify greater levels of
therapeutics, and related technologies.
economic development and prosperity among their
Vaccine Maitri Campaign: people, and Eastern countries considered as being in the
• In 2021, India began its historic campaign called the Vac- process of that transition.
cine Maitri initiative which is in accordance with the
Neighbourhood First Policy.
6.3 India-Canada Relations
Recently, India-Canada Foreign ministers Bilateral meet- What is the Significance of the Meeting?
ing asIndia-Canada strategic Dialoguetook place ahead • Candian FMs visit is expected to pave the way for a con-
ofG20Foreign ministers meeting in March inNew Delhi. tinued reset in India-Canada ties after a freeze between
• India welcomed the announcement of Canadas Indo-Pa- 2020-2022.
cific Strategy given the shared vision of a free, open and • Freeze was over a number of issues including attacks on
inclusiveIndo pacific. Indian-origin people and establishments by Khalistani
groups in Canada, Canadian comments over India’s
farmer protests and India’s cancellation of diplomatic
talks in response.
• I n 2022, New Delhi objected to Canada permitting a India- Canada Relations:

Khalistani secessionist referendum and hit back with • Political:
an advisory against travel in Canada that warned against • I ndia and Canada share commonalities in Parliamentary
hate crimes. structure and procedures. After the general election in
• Apart from encouraging investment from Canadian funds, October 2019, Mr Raj Saini, MP from the House of Com-
both the countries look forward to the Early Progress Trade mon has been appointed as the Chair of the Canada-India
Agreement (EPTA) as a first step towards Comprehensive Parliamentary Association.
Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). • I n India, Canada is represented by the High Commission
• The issue of Khalistani activities in Canada, which has of Canada in New Delhi.
contributed to the strained relationship between Canada • India is represented in Canada by a High Commission
and India, was not addressed in any official statements. in Ottawa and by consulates in Toronto and Vancouver.
• As India’s economy grows, its strategic importance will • Economic:
only increase, providing a greater opportunity for Canada • Bilateral trade between India and Canada stands at USD 6.4
and India to strengthen their relationship. billion in 2020. In 2021, India was Canada’s 14th largest
• Both countries share a suspicion of China and are seeking export market, and 13th largest trading partner overall.
to expand trade ties, improve supply chain resilience, • More than 400 Canadian companies have a presence in
and encourage greater exchange of people between India, and more than 1,000 companies are actively pursuing
their countries. business in the Indian market.
• Indian companies in Canada are active in the field such
What is Canadas Indo Pacific Policy?
as Information Technology, software, steel, natural
•C anada released a new Indo-Pacific strategy, focusing on
resources and banking sectors.
four regions: China, India, the North Pacific (Japan and
• India’s exports to Canada include pharma, iron and steel,
Koreas), andASEAN.
chemicals, gem and jewelry, nuclear reactors and boilers.
•T he Indo-Pacific region is home to the largest diaspora
• Canada has one of the worlds largest resources of ura-
in Canada, with 1 in 5 Canadians having family ties to the
nium, natural gas, oil, coal, minerals and advanced
region and 60% of Canada’s international students.
technologies in hydropower, mining, renewable energy
• The strategy contains strong words on China’s challenge
and nuclear energy.
to the international rules-based order and human rights,
while expressing a positive view of India’s shared tradi- Science and Technology:
tion of democracy and pluralism. • Primary focus has been on promoting Industrial R&D
• However, Canada also acknowledges its dependence on (Research and Development) and development of new IP
China as its main export destination and recognizes the (Intellectual property) processes, prototypes or products.
need for cooperation with China on issues such as climate epartment of Biotechnology under IC-IMPACTS pro-
•D
change and health. gram implements joint research projects in health care,
• Funding: agri-biotech and waste management.
anada’s strategy includes a funding commitment of $1.7
•C • I C-IMPACTS (the India-Canada Centre for Innovative
billion over five years, including infrastructure projects, Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Accelerate Community
enhanced military presence, and expanded participation Transformation and Sustainability) is the first, and only,
in regional military exercises. Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence.
• Department of Earth Science and Polar Canada have started
Objectives:
a programme for exchange of knowledge and scientific
• Promote peace, resilience and security.
research on Cold Climate (Arctic) Studies.
• Expand trade, investment and supply chain resilience.
• Space:
• Invest in and connect people.
• I SRO and Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have signed
• Build a sustainable and green future.
MOUs in the field of exploration and utilization of outer
• Be an active and engaged partner to the Indo-Pacific.
space.
• - ANTRIX, the Commercial arm of ISRO, has launched Key Facts about Canada:
several nanosatellites from Canada. • Canada is the second largest country in the world in area
• ISRO in its 100thSatellite PSLVlaunched in 2018, also (after Russia), occupying roughly the northern two-fifths
flew Canadian first LEO (Low earth Orbit) satellite, from of the continent of North America.
Indian spaceport Sriharikota. • Canada is a constitutional monarchyand a parliamen-
• Security and Defence: tary democracy,
• India and Canada collaborate closely in international fora • Constitutional Monarchy means that the British monarch
particularly through the UN, Commonwealth and G-20. is the head of state, but her role is mainly symbolic and
• A Statement of Intent (SoI) on Cooperation between DRDO ceremonial, while the actual governing of the country is
and Canadas Defence Research and Development Coun- carried out by elected representatives and government
cil has been signed in 2015. officials.
• The security cooperation was further enhanced with the • The border between the United States and Canada is pri-
Framework for Cooperation between India and Canada marily defined by the 49thparallel north.
on Countering Terrorism in 2018. • Canada has a number of lakes including Great bear lake,
•T here is substantial engagement on counter terrorism Great slave lake, Winnipeg lake and 5 great lakes on
issues particularly through the framework of the Joint USA Border namely: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie,
Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism. and Ontario.
6.4 India-Guyana Relations
Context 2. Defence
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President of Guyana visit to India. • Guyana wants to modernize its military & needs defense
platforms. Guyana is eyeing Dornier planes for domestic
Background
connectivity andalso wants to triple defense exports by
•R elations betweenIndiaandGuyanaever since the indepen-
2025.
dence of Guyana in May 1966 have been cordial.
• Both countries were once part of theBritish Empire. There 3. Politics
are approximately 327,000 Guyanese citizens who are of • I ndia has reached out aggressively to the 15 Caribbean
Indian descent.Indo-Guyanese makes up the largest ethnic states including Guyana. These states are a solid voting
group in Guyana. block for the United Nations & other international forums
Why Guyana matters to India? 4. Diaspora

• Guyana is home to an Indian-origin diaspora of 350k (of
1. Energy
800k population).
•G
uyana is the world’s newest oil power with 11 billion
barrels of oil reserves discovered since 2015 giving it the
17th largest reserve in the world
6.5 India-Australia Ties
India-Australia Relations: A Backgrounder People-to-people Ties:

Australian Prime Minister is visiting India forIndia-Aus- • India is one of the top sources of skilled immigrants to
tralia Summitin March 2023, seeking to strengthen the Australia. As per the 2021 Census, around 9.76 lakh people
new momentum in ties between the two countries through in Australia reported their ancestry as Indian origin,
deeper trade, investment and defence relations. making them the second largest group of overseas-born
residents in Australia.
Strategic Ties:
• I n 2020,Prime ministers of both the countries elevated
bilateral relationship from Strategic Partnership to Com-
prehensive strategic Partnership during India-Australia
Leaders Virtual Summit.
• In 2021, the prime ministers of both the countries met
duringCOP26at Glasgow.
• In 2022, there has been a series of high-level engage-
ments and exchange of ministerial visits in 2022 and in
2023 including India-Australia virtual summit and Foreign
Ministers meet. Several key announcements were made
How have been the India- Australia Relations so far? during 2ndIndia-Australia Virtual Summit including:
• A Letter of Intent on Migration and Mobility Partnership
Historical Perspective:
Arrangement to foster the exchange of skills.
•A ustralia and India for the first time established diplo-
matic relations in the pre-Independence period, when the Defence Cooperation:
Consulate General of India was first opened as a Trade he 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue took place in September
•T
Office in Sydney in 1941. 2021, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister
• India-Australia relations touched a historic low when of Australia visited India in June 2022.
the Australian Government condemned India’s 1998 he Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA) was
•T
nuclear tests. signed during the Virtual Summit in June 2020 to enhance
• In 2014, Australia signed a Uranium supply deal with India, defence cooperation.
the first of its kind with a country that is a non-signatory
Joint military exercises:
to theNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, in recognition
• Australia will host the ”Malabar” exercises in August
of India’s impeccable non-proliferation record.
2023, with participation from India, Japan, and the US.
Shared Values: • I ndia has been invited to join the Talisman Sabre exer-
hared values of pluralistic, Westminster-style democ-
•S cises in 2023.
racies, Commonwealth traditions, expanding economic
China Factor:
engagement, and increasing high-level interaction have
•A ustralia-China ties became strained due to several reasons
underpinned the India-Australia bilateral relationship.
including Australia banning Huawei from 5G network,
ommon traits, including strong, vibrant, secular, and
•C
call for enquiry into the origins of Covid-19 and Slam-
multicultural democracies, a free press, an indepen-
mingchinas human rights violations in Xinjiangand
dent judicial system, and English language, serve as the
Hongkong.
foundation for closer co-operation.
• China responded by imposing trade barriers on Australian
exports, and by cutting off all ministerial contact.
• I ndia is facing Chinese aggression along the border which Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI):
has been highlighted by incidents such as Galwan valley • India and Australia are partners in the trilateral arrangement
clash. along with Japan which seeks to enhance the resilience of
• Both Australia and India support a rules-based interna- supply chains in the Indo-Pacific Region.
tional order and they are seeking to forge regional insti-
Bilateral trade:
tutions in the Indo-Pacific which are inclusive, promote
•A ustralia is the 17thlargest trading partner of India and
further economic integration.
India is Australias 9thlargest trading partner.
• The countries participation in Quad (India, Australia, US,
• Bilateral trade between India and Australia was US$ 27.5
Japan) is an example of their convergence of interests,
billion in 2021, there is potential for it to reach around
based on shared concerns.
US$ 50 billion in five years.
Multilateral Cooperation:
Cooperation in Education Sector:
•B oth are members of the Quad, Commonwealth, Indian
• The Mechanism for Mutual Recognition of Education-
Ocean Rim Association (IORA),ASEAN Regional Forum,
al Qualifications (MREQ) was signed in March 2023.
Asia Pacific Partnership on Climate and Clean Development,
This will facilitate mobility of students between India
and have participated in the East Asia Summits.
and Australia.
• Both countries have also been cooperating as members
• Deakin University and University of Wollongong are plan-
of the Five Interested Parties (FIP) in the World Trade
ning to open campuses in India.
Organization context.
• More than 1 lakh Indian students are pursuing higher
• Australia is an important player in Asia Pacific Economic
education degrees in Australian universities, making
Cooperation (APEC) and supports India’s membership
Indian students the second largest cohort of foreign stu-
of the organisation.
dents in Australia.
Economic Cooperation:
Cooperation on Clean Energy:
• Economic Cooperation Trade Agreement(ECTA):
• In February 2022, countries signed a Letter of Intent on
• I t is the first free trade agreement signed by India with a
New and Renewable Energy for cooperation to reduce
developed country in a decade which entered into force in
the cost of renewable energy technologies, including ultra
December 2022.
low-cost solar and clean hydrogen.
Reduction in Duties: • India announced Australian Dollars(AUD) 10 million for
• I t has resulted in an immediate reduction of duty to zero Pacific Island Countries under the International Solar
on 96% of Indian exports to Australia in value (that is Alliance(ISA).
98% of the tariff lines) and zero duty on 85% of Australias • Both the countries committed to USD 5.8 million to the
exports (in value) to India. three-yearIndia-Australia Critical Minerals Investment
Partnership.
6.6 Saudi Arabia-Iran Reconciliation
Context
• Two of West Asias major powers that have been at odds
with each other for decades, Saudi Arabia and Iran, agreed
to restore diplomatic relations in an agreement brokered
by China.
What are the Key Outcomes of the Talks?
A Timeline of the Saudi-Iran relationship
•T he two countries plan to reopen their respective em-
• Pre-1979 Phase : Saudi Arabia and Iran compete for re-
bassies in Tehran and Riyadh.
gional dominance.
• They also vowed to respect countries sovereignty and
• I ranian Revolution (1979) brings down the monarchy and
not interfere in internal affairs.
turns Iran into a Shia theocratic republic.
• They also agreed to activate a 2001 security cooperation
• 1980-1988 : Iran-Iraq war sees Saudi Arabia support Iraq.
agreement, as well as a general economy, trade and
• 1 990-1991 : Saudi Arabia supports Iraq against Iran in
investment agreement signed in 1998.
the Gulf War.
• 1 996: Iranian-backed Hezbollah bombs Saudi military What is the Conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia?
housing complex in Khobar, killing 19 US soldiers. • Religious Factor:
• 2011-2015 : Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposing sides • Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in 2016 after pro-
in the Syrian civil war. testers invaded Saudi diplomatic posts after Saudi Arabia
•2 015 : Saudi Arabia launches military intervention in had executed a prominent Shiite cleric days earlier.
Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. • S
audi Arabia has long portrayed itself as the worlds
• January 2016 : Saudi Arabia executes prominent Shia cleric leading Sunni nation while Iran views itself as the pro-
Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, leading to protests in Iran and the tector of the Islams Shiite minority.
burning of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Saudi and several • Attacks on Saudi Arabia:
Arab allies cut diplomatic ties with Iran. • Since USs withdrawal from Irans Nuclear deal, Iran was
•2 019 : Saudi oil facilities are attacked, leading to increased blamed for a series of attacks including one targeting the
tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran. heart of Saudi Arabias oil industry in 2019.
• 2021 : Both begin direct talks, brokered by China. • Western nations and experts have blamed the attack on
• March 2023 : Both nations announce an agreement to Iran though the latter has denied launching the attack.
restore diplomatic ties, brokered by China. • Regional Cold War: Saudi Arabia and Iran - two powerful
neighbours - are locked in a fierce struggle for regional
dominance.
• Uprisings across the Arab world (after the Arab Spring in
2011 ) caused political instability throughout the region.
• I ran and Saudi Arabia exploited these upheavals to expand he deal will cause concern among many Israeli politi-
•T
their influence, notably in Syria, Bahrain and Yemen, further cians who have sought global isolation for its arch-enemy
heightening mutual suspicions. Iran. Israel described the pact as a serious and dangerous
• Moreover, external powers like the US and Israel have a development.
major role in exacerbating conflict between Saudi Arabia
What can be the Implications for India?
and Iran.
• Energy Security:
• Proxy Wars: Iran and Saudi Arabia are not directly fighting
• I ran and Saudi Arabia are two major oil producers in the
but they are engaged in a variety of proxy wars (conflicts
world, and any conflict between them can lead to oil
where they support rival sides and militias) around the
price spikes that can have a significant impact on India’s
region.
energy security.
•F or Example, Houthi rebels in Yemen. These groups
• Normalizing ties between these two countries could help
can acquire greater capabilities which can cause further
stabilize global oil prices and ensure a consistent supply
instability in the region. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of sup-
of oil to India.
porting them.
• Trade:
•L eader of Islamic World: Historically, Saudi Arabia, a
• Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are important trading partners
monarchy and home to the birthplace of Islam, saw itself
for India. Normalizing ties between them could open up
as the leader of the Muslim world.
new avenues for trade and investment, leading to increased
owever, this was challenged in 1979 by the Islamic
•H
economic opportunities for India.
revolution in Iran which created a new type of state in
• Regional Stability:
the region - a kind of revolutionary theocracy - that had an
• India has strong economic and strategic interests in the
explicit goal of exporting this model beyond its own borders.
Middle East including International North-South Trans-
What can be the Global Implications? port Corridor (INSTC).
• The deal may have implications for a US-led effort to • Iran is part of India’s extended neighbourhood. Any in-
isolate Iran economically through sanctions as the deal stability in the region can have far-reaching consequences
may facilitate possible Saudi investment inside Iran. for India. Normalizing ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia
• In Yemen, the Saudis have been backing the internationally could contribute to greater stability in the region, reducing
recognised government in an eight-year civil war against the risk of conflict and terrorism.
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels but have been looking for a • Geopolitics:
way to end the war by conducting private talks in Oman • India maintains cordial relations with both Iran and
with the Houthis. Saudi Arabia and plays a role in maintaining peace and
•S audi Arabia will hope that Iran will halt Houthi drone stability in the region. Normalizing ties between these two
and missile strikes on the kingdom, and that Iran will help countries could help India in its efforts to promote peace
with Saudi talks with the Houthis. and security in the region.
• However, Chinese mediation between Iran and Saudi
will create challenges for India as it will contribute to
increasing Chinese influence in the region.
Global Groupings and

Conventions
7. RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE: GLOBAL

IMPLICATIONS
7.1 What is the Moscow-dominated security pact ‘CSTO’?
Central idea: • I ts members receive discounts, subsidies, and other incen-

Armenia’s PM accused the Moscow-dominated security tives to buy Russian arms, facilitating military cooperation.
alliance Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) of • Most importantly, membership presumes certain key secu-
leaving Armenia in the cold amid renewed hostilities with rity assurances the most significant of which is deterring
Azerbaijan. military aggression by third countries.
• In the CSTO, aggression against one signatory is perceived
What did Armenia say?
as aggression against all.
•A rmenia has repeatedly criticized the CSTO for its failure
• It however remains unclear whether this feature works
to protect itself.
in practice.
• Russia has maintained a delicate diplomatic balancing act
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, avoiding any forceful Armenias Concerns and Threats
action. • The PM emphasizes the threat of escalation along Arme-
nias border and in Nagorno-Karabakh, citing increasingly
What is CSTO?
aggressive rhetoric from Azerbaijan.
•T he CSTO is a Russia-led military alliance of seven former
• Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan increased in
Soviet states that was created in 2002.
December when Azerbaijani protesters blocked the Lachin
• Current CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakh-
corridor, leaving Nagorno-Karabakh residents short of food
stan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.
and basic supplies.
Afghanistan and Serbia hold observer status in the CSTO.
• Its purpose is to ensure the collective defense of any member Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict
that faces external aggression.
• It has been described by political scientists as the Eurasian
counterpart of NATO, which has 29 member states, while
the CSTO has just six.
Outlined functions of CSTO

•C STO supports arms sales, manufacturing, and military
training and exercises, making the CSTO the most im-
portant multilateral defense organization in the former
Soviet Union.
• Beyond mutual defense, the CSTO also coordinates efforts •N agorno-Karabakh lies within Azerbaijan but has been
in fighting the illegal circulation of weapons among member under the control of ethnic Armenian forces since a sep-
states and has developed law enforcement training for its aratist war in 1994.
members in pursuit of these aims. • In 2020, Azerbaijani troops routed Armenian forces in six
weeks of fighting.
What does CSTO membership provide? • They claimed a significant part of Nagorno-Karabakh and
• While CSTO membership means that member states are nearby areas which had been in Armenian hands for nearly
barred from joining other military alliances, limiting, for two decades.
example, their relationship with NATO.
Back2Basics: NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organi- • I t is a military alliance established by the North Atlantic
zation) Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April 4, 1949.
• NATO was established in the aftermath of the Second • It sought to create a counterweight to Soviet armies sta-
World War. tioned in Central and Eastern Europe after World War II.
• Its purpose was to secure peace in Europe, to promote co- • Its original members were Belgium, Canada, Denmark,
operation among its members and to guard their freedom France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Nor-
all of this in the context of countering the threat posed at way, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
the time by the Soviet Union. • NATO has spread a web of partners, namely Egypt, Israel,
Sweden, Austria, Switzerland and Finland.
8. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: UNITED NATIONS
8.1 Explained: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty
•A ccording to the International Union for Conservation

of Nature (IUCN), these areas account for almost half of
the Earths surface.
• These areas are hardly regulated and also least under-
stood or explored for its biodiversity - only 1% of these
areas are under protection.
•L aunched at the One Ocean Summit in February 2022,
the High Ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond
National Jurisdiction brings together many delegations
engaged in the BBNJ negotiations on a common and am-
bitious outcome at the highest political level.
For the first time, United Nations members have agreed for
• The negotiations are centred around a package of ele-
an early conclusion of the International Legally Binding
ments agreed upon in 2015, namely:
Instrument of BBNJ under the United Nations Convention
• the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological
on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, in partic-
What is the BBNJ Treaty? ular, together and as a whole, marine genetic resources,
• The BBNJ Treaty, also known as the Treaty of the High including questions on the sharing of benefits
Seas, is an international agreement on the conservation • area-based management tools, including marine protected
and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas areas
beyond national jurisdiction, currently under negotiation • environmental impact assessments
at theUnited Nations. • capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology
• This new instrument is being developed within the frame-
What is United Nations Convention on the Law of the
work of the UNCLOS, the main international agreement
Sea (UNCLOS)?
governing human activities at sea.
• The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
• It will achieve a more holistic management of high seas
(UNCLOS), 1982 is an international agreement that es-
activities, which should better balance the conservation
tablishes the legal framework for marine and maritime
and sustainable use of marine resources.
activities. It is also known as Law of the Sea.
•B BNJ encompasses the high seas, beyond the exclusive
economic zones or national waters of countries.
• I t divides marine areas into five main zones namely- Inter-

nal Waters, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone,Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) and the High Seas.
• It is the only international convention which stipulates
a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces. It
provides a different legal status to different maritime zones.
• It provides the backbone for offshore governance by coastal
states and those navigating the oceans.
• It not only zones coastal states offshore areas but also pro-
vides specific guidance for states rights and responsibilities
in the five concentric zones.
9. POLICE REFORMS – SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER

COMMITTEES REPORTS
9.1 What is the Interpol, and what is a Red Notice?
Interpol, the global police body, hasremoved the red noticea-

gainstMehul Choksi, a fugitive wanted by India in theUSD
2 billionPunjab National Bankfraud case.
• However, the Interpol red notice removal doesn’t affect
India’s investigations or extradition request.
What is Interpol?
•T he International Criminal Police Organisation (Inter-
pol) was set up in 1923, as a secure information-sharing
platform that facilitates criminal investigation of police
forces across the globe through collection and dissemi-
nation of information received from various police forces.
• I t is headquartered in Lyon, France.
• I nterpol has 195 member countries.
• I ndia became member since 15thOctober 1949.
• It keeps track of the movements of criminals and those
under the police radar in various regions and tips off police
forces which had either sought the Interpols assistance
or which in its opinion will benefit from the particulars
available with it.
• I t aims to promote the widest-possible mutual assistance

between criminalpolice forces.
• All contact of a countrys law enforcement agency with •N otices are issued by the General Secretariat at the
Interpol is through the highest investigating body of the request of a member countrysINTERPOL National
land. Central Bureau and are made available for all our member
•T he Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) assumes countries to consult in our Notices database.
this role in India with one of its senior officers heading its • Different Notices:
exclusive Interwing (the National Central Bureaus) for
collation of information and liaison with the world body.
What are Interpol Notices?

• I ts notices are international requests for cooperation
or alerts allowing police in member countries to share
critical crime-related information.
10. TELECOM AND POSTAL SECTOR – SPECTRUM

ALLOCATION, CALL DROPS, PREDATORY PRICING, ETC
10.1 India takes over leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal Union
•S ecretary General leads the activities of the Union and is

also the Director of the Asian Pacific Postal College (APPC)
which is the largest intergovernmental postal training
institute in the region.
• This is the first time an Indian is leading an international
organization in the postal sector.
Goals and objectives:

•T he goal of APPU is to extend, facilitate and improve postal
relations between member countries and to promote co-
India took over the leadership of the Asian Pacific Postal operation in the field of postal services.
Union (APPU) having its Headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand. • As the regional center for various UPU projects, APPU also
takes the lead in ensuring that all technical and operational
Asian Pacific Postal Union (APPU):
projects of the UPU are fulfilled in the region.
• APPU is an intergovernmental organization of 32-member
countries of the Asian-Pacific region. What is Universal Postal Union?
• It was formed by International treaty through an Asian-Pa- • The UPU was established by the Treaty of Bern of 1874.
cific Postal Convention signed in Yogyakarta on 27 March • It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that
1981. coordinates postal policies among member nations, in
• The organisation has origins dating back to 1961. addition to the worldwide postal system.
•A PPU is the only Restricted Union of the Universal • It is the second oldest international organization world-
Postal Union (UPU) in the region, which is a specialized wide.
agency of the United Nations. • UPUs headquarters are located in Bern, Switzerland.
• T he UPU contains four bodies consisting of •A ny non-member country of the United Nations may be-
• T he Congress. come a UPU member provided that its request is approved
• T he Council of Administration (CA). by at least two-thirds of the member countries of the UPU.
• T he Postal Operations Council (POC) and • With its 192 member countries, the organization fulfills an
• T he International Bureau (IB). advisory, mediating, and liaison role, and provides technical
• It also oversees the Telematics and Express Mail Service assistance where needed.
(EMS) cooperatives. • The union sets the rules for international mail exchanges
• Any member country of the United Nations may become and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail,
a member of the UPU. parcel, and financial services volumes and improve the
quality of service for customers.
• India joined the UPU in 1876.
11. WTO AND INDIA
11.1 India’s WTO Challenge on MSP Programs for Food Grain
• I t is an important tool to protect farmers from any sharp

fall in farm prices.
Genesis of the row

•W TO members such as the US, Australia, Canada, the
EU, and Thailand have alleged that India did not provide
sufficient responses during consultations.
• The MSP programs have breached prescribed subsidy limits
and are under scrutiny at the WTO argued these countries.
• With this, India became the first country to invoke the Bali
‘peace clause’ to justify exceeding its 10% ceiling for rice
support in 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.
What is ‘Bali Peace Clause’?

• I ndia’s minimum support price (MSP) falls under the amber
Central idea: box subsidies category.
India has been criticized at the World Trade Organization • India has exceeded its limits for amber box subsidies for
(WTO) for not adequately addressing questions raised by rice for two consecutive years, which is why it has been
members regarding its Minimum Support Price (MSP) pro- challenged at the WTO.
grams for food grain, particularly rice. • The Bali ‘peace clause’ allows developing countries to
exceed their 10% ceiling without facing legal action by
Minimum Support Price (MSP) other members.
•M SP is the price at which the government buys crops from • However, it is subject to numerous conditions, such as not
farmers to support them against any sharp fall in farm prices. distorting global trade and not affecting food security of
• It is announced by the Government of India for 23 crops other members.
ahead of each sowing season based on the recommenda- • India’s MSP programs are subject to the ‘peace clause’,
tions of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices but some WTO members have accused India of habitually
(CACP). not including all required information in its notifications.
Allegations of Inadequate Reporting by India • I t was developed through a series of trade negotiations, or
• WTO members have been accusing India of not reporting rounds, held under the GATT.
all public stockholding programs under the ‘peace clause’. •G ATT is a set of multilateral trade agreements aimed at
• Some members have pointed out that India also lacks an the abolition of quotas and the reduction of tariff duties
adequate monitoring mechanism to ensure that no stocks among the contracting nations.
are exported. • The WTOs rules the agreements are the result of negoti-
• India, on the other hand, argues that it is not obligated to ations between the members.
notify any public stockholding programs other than for the • The current set is largely the outcome of the 1986- 94
crop where the subsidy limits were breached. Uruguay Round negotiations, which included a major
revision of the original GATT.
Impact on India’s MSP Programs
• The WTO Secretariat is based in Geneva (Switzerland).
• The criticism from WTO members could have an impact
• Other Mechanisms of WTO
on India’s MSP programs for food grain, particularly rice.
• Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights
•T he conditions set under the ‘peace clause’ could limit
(TRIPS)
India’s ability to exceed the subsidy limits and support
• Trade Facilitation Agreement
its farmers.
• General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
• India may have to provide more detailed notifications and
• Trade Policy Review Mechanism
monitoring mechanisms to address the concerns of other
members and ensure compliance with WTO regulations. Agreement on Agriculture
• It is aimed to remove trade barriers and to promote
Why is India defending its stance on MSPs?
transparent market access and integration of global
• I ndia faces several challenges in the agricultural sector, in-
markets.
cluding climate change, soil degradation, and water scarcity.
•T he WTO’s Agriculture Committee oversees implemen-
• The country also has to deal with farmers’ distress due to
tation of the Agreement and provides a forum for members
low prices for their produce, which is why the MSP program
to address related concerns.
was introduced in the first place.
• Three pillars of Agreement on Agriculture:
• The challenge posed by the WTO to the MSP program could
•D omestic Support: It calls for reduction in domestic
further exacerbate the problems faced by Indian farmers.
subsidies that distorts free trade and fair price.
World Trade Organization • Under this provision, the Aggregate Measurement of
• I t came into being in 1995. The WTO is the successor to Support (AMS) is to be reduced by 20% over a period of
the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 6 years by developed countries and 13% over a period of 10
established in the wake of the Second World War. years by developing countries.
• Its objective is to help trade flow smoothly, freely and • Under this, Subsidies are categorized into:
predictably.
• It has 164 members, accounting for 98% of world trade.
Green Box Amber Box Blue Box

• Subsidies that do not distort trade, or at • All domestic support measures • This is the “amber box with condi-
most cause minimal distortion. considered to distort produc- tions”. Such conditions are designed
• They are government-funded and must tion and trade (with some ex- to reduce distortion.
not involve price support. ceptions) fall into the amber • Any support that would normally
• They also include environmental pro- box as all domestic supports be in the amber box is placed in the
tection and regional development pro- except those in the blue and blue box if the support also requires
grammes. green boxes. farmers to limit production.
• “Green box” subsidies are therefore al- • These include measures to sup- • At present, there are no limits on
lowed without limits, provided they com- port prices, or subsidies directly spending on blue box subsidies.
ply with the policy-specific criteria. related to production quantities.
12. WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF) DAVOS SUMMIT
12.1 World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Summit 2023
What are the Key Points of Davos Summit 2023?

• Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate:
• A new Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate launched,
bringing together over 50 countries to boost international
cooperation on climate, trade and sustainable development.
• Stakeholders across the world stressed the value of free
trade. Even in the current global economic landscape
marked by fragmentation, the free trade system, which
has contributed to global economic growth and enhanced
humanitys freedom remains a global public good that can
The 53rdedition of the annualWorld Economic Forum-
never be forsaken.
summitwas held in Davos, Switzerland.
• Chief Economists Outlook:
•T heme: Cooperation in a Fragmented World.
• The Chief Economist’s Outlook was launched, which struck
a cautious tone, with two-thirds of those surveyed expecting
a global recession this year 2023.
• It explores the key trends in the economic environment,
including the prospects for growth, inflation and mon-
etary and fiscal policy.
• It calls for the importance of reskilling in order to prepare
current and future workforces for the green transition, the
digital transition and the jobs of the future.
• India’s Resilience and Economic Trajectory:

• India has crossed many barriers after the Covid-19 crisis
and repositioned itself as the fastest-growing economy.
•S ome prominent indicators for India to see robust economic
growth include World Bank’s latest India development up-
date, which said India’s real GDP growth is expected to be
at 6.9 % in FY22-23 in comparison to 8.7 % in FY21-22.
• India@100: Realising the potential of a USD 26 trillion
economy:
• The report, India@100: Realising the potential of a USD 26
trillion economy, was launched by India, on the sidelines
of the summit.
• As per this report, India’s economy will reach USD 26 tril-
lion by 2047, the 100th year of the countrys independence.
• It underscores the growth trajectory of the Indian econ-
•G iving to Amplify Earth Action: omy, which is projected to be the highest for any large
• A new initiative Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) economy over the coming decades.
was launched to leverage philanthropic capital to unlock
funding for the climate crisis. Note:
• It will leverage philanthropic capital to help generate the Situated on the Landwasser River, in the Rhaetian Alps,
USD 3 trillion needed each year from public and private eastern Switzerland, Davos is a resort town consisting of
sources to tackle climate change and nature loss. two villages, Davos-Platz and Davos-Dorf.
• Philanthropic giving totalled USD 810 billion in 2021, but
What is World Economic Forum?
just 2% went towards reducing emissions
• The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss nonprof-
• GAEA is a ground-breaking initiative supported by more
it foundation established in 1971, based in Geneva,
than 45 major philanthropic, public and private sector
Switzerland.
partners.
• Recognized by the Swiss authorities as the international
• Global Collaboration Village:
institution for public-private cooperation.
• WEF has announced the rollout of its own metaverse
• Mission:
platform, dubbed the Global Collaboration Village.
• Committed to improving the state of the world by engaging
• The digital world, designed to look like the actual town
business, political, academic, and other leaders of society
of Davos in which the organization meets once every
to shape global, regional, and industry agendas.
year, will supposedly allow for more efficient collaboration
• Founder and Executive Chairman: Klaus Schwab.
between world leaders.
• Some major reports published by WEF are:
What were the Indian Perspectives? • Energy Transition Index.
• Indian Participation: • Global Competitiveness Report.
•T his year marks 36 years of the Forums collaboration • Global IT Report
with India. • WEF along with INSEAD, and Cornell University publishes
• At the summit, India is represented by a high-level delega- this report.
tion which includes Union Ministers, Chief Ministers, • Global Gender Gap Report.
Business leaders etc. • Global Risk Report.
• Focus Area: • Global Travel and Tourism Report.
• India’s focus areas at WEF remained investment oppor-
tunities, infrastructural landscape and its inclusive &
sustainable growth story.
12.2 SCO-NSA Meeting
Context •B ackground: After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,

• India recently hosted a meeting of the National Security the then security and economic architecture in the Eurasian
Advisors of member countries. region dissolved and new structures had to come up.
• India is the current Chair of the Shanghai Cooperation • Original shanghai five: The original Shanghai Five were
Organisation and is holding a series of events which will China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
culminate in the SCO Summit, which will be held in July. • SCO formation: The SCO was formed in 2001, with Uz-
In this article, we will discuss the significance of the SCO bekistan included. It expanded in 2017 to include India
for India. and Pakistan.
• Security is the priority: Since its formation, the SCO has
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO): A quick
focused on regional non-traditional security, with count-
recap
er-terrorism as a priority.
• Three evils: The fight against the three evils of terrorism, • Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): The SCO has
separatism and extremism has become its mantra. RATS, which is responsible for coordinating the efforts of
• Expanded areas of cooperation: Today, areas of coop- member states in the fight against terrorism, separatism,
eration include themes such as economics and culture. and extremism.
Partner countries Significance of SCO for India

•M ember States: 8 member states- China, Russia, Ka- •C entral Asia connection: SCO membership provides India
zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and with an opportunity to engage with Central Asian nations,
Pakistan. Russia, and China, and work towards promoting regional
• Observers: 4 observer states- Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, stability, security, and economic cooperation.
and Mongolia. • Security cooperation: SCO focuses on combating terror-
• Dialogue Partners: 6 dialogue partners- Armenia, Azer- ism, separatism, and extremism in the region, which is of
baijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Turkey. particular concern to India.
• Consensus over CBT: India has been a victim of cross-bor-
Functionaries of SCO
der terrorism for decades. India has been working closely
•E xecutive Branch: The SCO has an executive branch, which
with the RATS to share intelligence and coordinate count-
is headed by the Secretary-General and is responsible for
er-terrorism operations in the region.
the day-to-day functioning of the organization.
• Economic push: SCO has set up mechanisms for trade
• Council of Heads of State: The highest decision-making
and economic cooperation, including the SCO Business
body of the SCO is the Council of Heads of State, which
Council, the SCO Interbank Consortium, and the SCO
meets annually to discuss and decide on important issues.
Development Bank.
• Council of Heads of Government: The Council of Heads
•C
ultural cooperation: The organization aims to promote
of Government is the second most important decision-mak-
cultural exchanges among member states and has set up
ing body of the SCO, which meets annually to discuss and
mechanisms for cooperation in fields such as education,
decide on economic and trade-related issues.
science, and technology.
International Stories of
Key Importance
13. RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE: GLOBAL

IMPLICATIONS
13.1 Russia officially ‘suspends’ New START Treaty
Russia has accused US for destroying weapons control agree- •T

he two countries had to meet the treatys central limits on
ments, after the US said Russia was not complying with their strategic offensive arms by February 2018, and to then stay
last remaining arms pact, the New START treaty. within those limits for the period the treaty remained in
force. The US and Russia Federation subsequently agreed
New START Treaty
to extend the treaty through February 2026.
•T he name START comes from the original Strategic Arms
Reduction Treaty, known as START-I, which was signed What are the Implications of the Suspension?
between the US and the erstwhile USSR in 1991, and came •A suspension of the treaty may mean that it will be harder
into force in 1994. for the US to monitor compliance.
• START-I, which capped the numbers of nuclear warheads • Since Russia has already suspended mutual inspections
and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that each of nuclear weapons sites and participation in a bilateral
side could deploy at 6,000 and 1,600 respectively, lapsed in consultative commission, it would be a serious blow if
2009, and was replaced first by the SORT, also known as the Putin went further and stopped routine reporting and
Treaty of Moscow), and then by the New START treaty. data exchange on nuclear weapon movements and other
•N ew START:
• The New START, the Treaty between the United States of related developments.
America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the • The move is entirely symbolic and most probably Russia
Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive made the announcement to pressure US into approaching
Arms, entered into force on 5thFebruary 2011, and placed Russia about ending the war, so Russia can dictate the terms
new verifiable limits on intercontinental-range nuclear under which that would happen.
weapons.
13.2 International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Vladimir

Putin
•T he ICC is the worlds first permanent international

criminal court.
•C urrently, 123 countries are party to the Rome Statute,
India is not a party to Rome Statute along with US and
China.
• The ICC was established to prosecute the most heinous
offenses only when a countrys own legal machinery fails
to act. Unlike the International Court of Justice (ICJ),
which deals with countries and inter-state disputes, the
ICC prosecutes individuals.
TheInternational Criminal Court (ICC)issued an arrest
warrant for war crimes forPresident Vladimir Putinand a How is ICC Different from ICJ?
second Russian official. • Unlike the International Court of Justice, the ICC is not
• This is the first time that the ICC has issued an arrest part of theUnited Nationssystem, with the UN-ICC re-
warrant against one of the five permanent members of lationship being governed by a separate agreement.
theUnited Nation Security Council. he ICJ, which is among the UNs 6 principal organs,
•T
mainly hears disputes between nations. It was established
Why did the ICC Issue an Arrest Warrant against Putin? in 1945 and is seated at The Hague (Netherlands).
• ICC issued an arrest warrant against Russian President
Vladimir Putin for the alleged war crime of unlawfully Does the ICC have the Power to Prosecute Russia?
deporting and transferring children from occupied areas •A s of March 2023, Russia is not a party to the Rome
of Ukraine to the Russian Federation. Statute, and therefore, the ICC has no jurisdiction over
crimes committed on its territory. However, the ICC can
What is ICC? investigate and prosecute crimes committed by individuals
•O n 17 July, 1998 Rome Statute was adopted by 120 States from other countries who committed the alleged crimes on
in direction of creating a more just world. the territory of a state party to the Rome Statute.
• On 1 July, 2002 Rome Statute took effect upon ratifica- • Ukraine is also not a State Party to the Rome Statute, but it
tion by 60 states, officially establishing the ICC. Since it has twice exercised its options to accept ICCs jurisdic-
has no retroactive jurisdiction, the ICC deals with crimes tion over alleged crimes under the Rome Statute, occurring
committed on or after this date. on its territory, under Article 12(3) of the Statute.
• The Rome Statute, grants the ICC jurisdiction over four • Article 12(3) states that if the acceptance of a state that
main crimes: is not a party to the statute, the state may accept the ju-
• The crime of Genocide risdiction of the court for a crime concerned, by making
• Crimes against Humanity a declaration to the Registrar and cooperating without
• War crimes any delay or exception.
• Crime of Aggression
• The Court is participating in a global fight to end law-
lessness, and through international criminal justice,
the Court aims to hold those responsible accountable for
their crimes and to help prevent these crimes from hap-
pening again.
14. BREXIT
14.1 Windsor Framework: The deal between UK and EU
•H
owever, the two Irelands have had a long history of conflict,
with a hard-fought peace secured only in 1998 under the
Belfast Agreement, also called the Good Friday agreement.
•F iddling with this border was thus considered too dangerous,
and it was decided the checks would be conducted between
Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
• This was called the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Why was it contentious?

•U nder the protocol, Northern Ireland remained in the
EU single market, and trade-and-customs inspections of
goods coming from Great Britain took place at its ports
along the Irish Sea.
• The checks made trade between Great Britain and Northern
Ireland cumbersome, with food products, especially, losing
out on shelf life while they waited for clearance.
• Some taxation and spending policies of the UK government
The Windsor Framework will replace the Northern Ireland could not be implemented in Northern Ireland because of
Protocol, which had proved to be among the thorniest of Brexit EU rules.
fall-outs, creating problems both economic and political. • The sale of medicines, too, was caught between different
British and EU rules.
You must know!
England is a country in its own right and forms part of Great What does the Windsor Framework proposes?
Britain, along with Scotland and Wales. Great Britain is a •T he Windsor Framework Deal proposes two crucial aspects.
geographical term that refers to the island that contains The first aspect is the introduction of a green lane and red
England, Scotland, and Wales. On the other hand, the United lane system for goods.
Kingdom (UK) is a sovereign state that includes England, • The green lane system will be for goods that will stay in
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Hence, England is Northern Ireland.
a part of Great Britain, and Great Britain is a part of the UK. • The red lane system will be for goods that will go to the EU.
• The second aspect is the ’Stormont Brake’.
What is the Northern Ireland Protocol? • It allows Northern Ireland lawmakers and London to veto
•A fter the UK left the European Union, Northern Ireland any EU regulation.
remained its only constituent that shared a land border • The veto is applicable if they believe that the regulation
with an EU-member, the Republic of Ireland.
affects the region adversely.
• Since the EU and the UK have different product standards,
border checks would be necessary before goods could move
from Northern Ireland to Ireland.
15. INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND,WORLD

BANK,AIIB, ADB AND INDIA
15.1 Understanding IMF Bailouts and their drawbacks
•T
he IMF is regarded as a key organisation in the interna-
tional economic system which focuses on rebuilding the
international capital along with maximizing the national
economic sovereignty and human welfare.
India has sought financial assistance from the IMF

seven times but never since 1993.
The repayment of all the loans taken from the IMF were
completed by May 2000.
What are IMF Bailouts?

Central idea: •B ailout: Bailout is a general term for extending finan-
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed a $3 bil- cial support to a company/country facing a potential
lion bailout plan for Sri Lankas struggling economy. However, bankruptcy threat.
Pakistan failed to get a penny. Countries seek help from the • It can take the form of loans, cash, bonds, or stock pur-
IMF usually when their economies face a major macroeco- chases.
nomic risk, mostly in the form of a currency crisis. • A bailout may (not) require reimbursement but is often
accompanied by greater oversight and regulations.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) • IMF Bailouts: Countries seek help from the IMF usual-
•T he formation of the IMF was initiated in 1944 at the Bret- ly when their economies face a major macroeconomic
ton Woods Conference. IMF came into operation on 27th risk, mostly currency crisis (such as the ones Sri Lanka
December 1945 and is today an international organization is facing).
that consists of 189 member countries.Headquartered in • Countries seek such assistance from the IMF to meet
Washington, D.C., IMF focuses on their external debt and other obligations, to purchase
• Fostering global monetary cooperation, essential imports, and to prop up the exchange value
• Securing financial stability, of their currencies.
• Facilitating and promoting international trade, employment, • A currency crisis is generally a consequence of:
and economic growth around the world. • Gross mismanagement of currency by a nations central
The IMF is a specialized agency of UN. bank (often pressured by the ruling govt. to create fresh
•T he International Monetary Fund (IMF) was initially money for populist spending).
formed at the Bretton Woods Conference in 1944. 45 gov- • Consequent rapid rise of the overall money supply, which
ernment representatives were present at the Conference in turn causes rise in prices and drop in exchange value
to discuss a framework for postwar international economic of the currency.
cooperation. • A currency crisis results in:
• The IMF became operational on 27th December 1945 with • Lack of confidence in said currency
29 member countries that agreed to bound to this treaty. It • Disruption of economic activity (people become hesitant
began its financial operations on 1st March 1947. Currently, to accept the currency in exchange for goods & services)
the IMF consists of 189 member countries. •R eluctance among foreigners to invest in such an econ-
omy.
Prelims Fact How is an IMF Bailout Provided?

IMF World bank
Procedure:
Main Function Maintain Eco- Promote econom- • The IMF lends money to the troubled economies often in
nomic stability ic development the form of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs).
Size 2300 7000 •S DRs simply represent a basket of five currencies, namely
Organizational IMF is a unitary World Bank is a the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Chinese yuan, the Japanese
structure organization with Bilateral organi- yen, and the British pound.
four credit lines zation with two • This lending is carried out by a number of lending programs
major constitu- such as extended credit facility, flexible credit line,
ents which are; stand-by agreements, etc.
I nt e r n a t i o n a l • Countries receiving the bailout can use the SDRs for various
Bank for Recon- purposes depending on their individual circumstances.
struction and • Conditions:
Development • A country may have to agree to implement certain structural
(IBRD) and Inter- reforms as a condition to receive IMF loans.
national Develop- • Criticism of Lending Conditions:
ment Association • Believed to be too tough on the public
(IDA). •O ften accused of being influenced by international politics
Main objective IMF’s major ob- promote econom- • Free-market supporters criticise the IMF for being too
jective is to deal ic development. interventionist
with financial • Acclamation:
matters and mac- • Conditions are essential for successful lending; it may not
roeconomics. make sense for IMF to throw money at a country if its
Constituents 188 188 faulty policies that caused the crisis remain untouched.
Prelims related The IMF cannot • Countries with poor institutional functioning and high
facts force its will on corruption are most likely to misspend the bailout money.
member coun-
Try this PYQ from CSP 2022
tries; countries
Rapid Financing Instrument and Rapid Credit Facility
accept the fund’s
are related to the provisions of lending by which one of
conditioned fi-
the following?
nancial assistance
(a) Asian Development Bank
voluntarily.
(b) International Monetary Fund
(c) United National Environment Programme Finance Ini-
tiative
(d) Word Bank
16. CORRUPTION CHALLENGES – LOKPAL, POCA, ETC
16.1 Central agencies gear up for FATF mutual evaluations
Central agencies, including the Financial Intelligence Unit •D

uring the process, the FATF assesses a country’s com-
(FIU) and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), have pliance with its 40 recommendations on anti-money laun-
begun preparations for the Financial Action Task Force’s dering and counter-terror financing, as well as the level of
(FATF) mutual evaluation process of India. effectiveness of these measures in practice.
• The outcome of the mutual evaluation is a report that
What is the news?
highlights a country’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas
• I ndia is due to undergo the mutual evaluation process in
for improvement, and assigns a rating based on the level
the second half of 2022, which will assess the country’s
of compliance and effectiveness.
compliance with international anti-money laundering and
counter-terror financing standards. How will FATF evaluate India?
•T he FATF’s evaluation will cover a wide range of areas,
What is FATF?
including India’s legal framework, regulatory system, law
•F ATF is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1989
enforcement efforts, and international cooperation.
on the initiative of the G7 to develop policies to combat
• Central agencies have been working to ensure that India’s
money laundering.
anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing laws
• The FATF Secretariat is housed at the OECD headquarters
are in line with international standards, and that their
in Paris.
implementation is effective.
• It holds three Plenary meetings in the course of each of its
12-month rotating presidencies. Significance of this evaluation
• As of 2019, FATF consisted of 37 member jurisdictions. •T he outcome of the evaluation will be a report that highlights
India’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement,
India’s say in FATF
and assigns a rating based on the level of compliance and
• India became an Observer at FATF in 2006. Since then, it
effectiveness.
had been working towards full-fledged membership.
• The mutual evaluation process is an important tool in
• On June 25, 2010, India was taken in as the 34th country
the global fight against money laundering and terrorist
member of FATF.
financing.
What is FATFs mutual evaluation process? • Its outcome can have significant implications for a country’s
•T
he mutual evaluation process is a review of a country’s legal access to international financial markets and its reputation
and institutional framework to combat money laundering in the global community.
and terrorist financing, as well as its implementation of
measures to prevent these crimes.
17. THE CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
17.1 Israel-Palestinian violence on West Bank soars
US has urged Israel and the Palestinians to ease tensions amid • Jerusalem has been at the center of the Israeli-Pales-
a spike in violence that has put the West Bank region on edge. tinian conflict.
• According to the original 1947 United Nations (UN) par-
Where is West Bank?
tition plan, Jerusalem was proposed to be an interna-
• The West Bank is a landlocked territory near the coast of
tional city.
the Mediterranean in Western Asia that forms the main
• However, in the first Arab Israel war of 1948, the Israelis
bulk of the Palestinian territories.
captured the western half of the city, and Jordan took
• It is bordered by Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east and
the eastern part, including the Old City that houses Ha-
by Israel to the south, west, and north.
ram al-Sharif.
History of Conflict between Israel and Palestine:
• Conflict Over Jerusalem:
• Following the Six-Day War in 1967, an armed conflict •H

owever, such a solution has not materialised over the
between Israel and a coalition of Arab states primarily decades.
comprising Jordan, Syria and Egypt, the Waqf Ministry
Why it hasnt worked out?
of Jordan that had till then held control of the al-Aqsa
There are four main reasons why the two-state solution has
Mosque, ceased to oversee the mosque.
not materialized by now:
• Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the Six-
Day War 1967 and annexed it later. [1] Borders
• Since its annexation, Israel has expanded settlements in •T
here is no consensus as to how to draw the lines dividing
East Jerusalem. the two proposed states.
• Israel sees the whole city as its unified, eternal capital,
whereas the Palestinian leadership across the political [2] Question of Jerusalem
spectrum have maintained that they would not accept •B
oth Israel and Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital
any compromise formula for the future Palestinian state and call it central to their religion and culture.
unless East Jerusalem is its capital. [3] Refugees
• Recent Developments: •A
large number of Palestinians had to flee in the 1948 War.
• Al-Aqsa Mosque & Sheikh Jarrah: The return of these peoplewould end the demographic
• I n May 2021, Israeli armed forces attacked Al-Aqsa majority of Jews, ending the idea of Israel thats both dem-
Mosque in the Haram esh-Sharif in Jerusalem, ahead of ocratic and Jewish.
a march by Zionist nationalists commemorating Israels
capture of the eastern half of the city in 1967. [4] Security
• The threatened eviction of dozens of Palestinian families •S
ecurity concerns are also central to Israel as its constantly
in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah harassed by terrorist group Hamas that controls Gaza Strip.
escalated the crisis further.
India’s Stand on the Crisis:
• West Bank Settlement:
• India in the recent years has been following a dehyphen-
• Israel’s Supreme Court has rejected a petition against the
ation policy between Israel and Palestine.
eviction of more than 1,000 Palestinian inhabitants of
• India’s policy on the longest running conflict in the world
a rural part of the occupied West Bank in an area which
has gone from being unequivocally pro-Palestine for
Israel has designated for military exercises.
the first four decades, to a tense balancing act with its
• The judgment paved the way for the demolition of eight
three-decade-old friendly ties with Israel.
small villages in a rocky, arid area near Hebron known
• In 2017, in an unprecedented move, India’s PM visited
to Palestinians as Masafer Yatta and to Israelis as the
only Israel and not Palestine.
South Hebron Hills.
• Then, the recent visit of the Prime Minister to Palestine
Resolving the conflict (2018), Oman and the UAE is again a continuation of
• The two-state solution refers to an arrangement where similar policy.
Israeli and Palestinian states co-exist in the region.
18. OBOR INITIATIVE
18.1 Chinese firm to build Solomon Islands Port Project
ertainly Beijing views the Pacific Island region as an im-

•C
portant component of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
•S
pecifically, it sees the region as a critical air freight hub
in its so-called Air Silk Road, which connects Asia with
Central and South America.
Concerns of the West

• The port project could open the door to a Chinese naval
base, which would significantly extend Chinas military
reach in the South Pacific.
• It is likely that this security agreement between China and
the Solomon Islands has been driven by, what the CFR calls,
Beijings sense of vulnerability in the region.
Why is China interested in the Solomon Islands?

• I solating Taiwan: The Solomon Islands was one among
the six Pacific island states which had official bilateral
A Chinese state-backed company has won a contract to de- relations with Taiwan.
velop Honiara, a key port in the Solomon Islands. • Supporter in UN: The small Pacific island states act as
potential vote banks for mobilising support for the great
About Solomon Islands
powers in international fora like the United Nations.
• The Solomon Islands is a sovereign country consisting of
• Larger EEZ: These states have disproportionately large
six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania,
maritime Exclusive Economic Zones when compared to
to the east of Papua New Guinea and northwest of Vanuatu.
their small sizes.
• It is part of the ethnically Melanesian group of islands in the
•N atural resources: Solomon Islands, in particular, have
Pacific and lies between Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu.
significant reserves of timber and mineral resources, along
• It excludes outlying islands, such as the Santa Cruz Islands
with fisheries.
and Rennell and Bellona.
• Countering US: But more importantly, they are strategi-
What is behind Chinas growing influence in the region? cally located for China to insert itself between Americas
• There is no dispute that China has been rapidly increasing military bases in the Pacific islands and Australia.
its presence and influence in the region for over three
decades, particularly in the South Pacific.
19. WTO AND INDIA
19.1 Bhutan no longer a ‘Least Developed Country’
•C
ountries must meet a selection from all three criteria
simultaneously and are reviewed on a three-year basis
by the UN.
How many countries are LDCs?

• Currently, the UN lists 46 countries that qualify as LDCs.
•O f those, 33 are from Africa, nine from Asia, three from
the Pacific and one from the Caribbean.
• At the UN 2021 triennial review of LDC countries, the
organisation recommended that Bangladesh, Laos, and
Nepal be removed from the list.
Central idea: How does a country get off the LDC list?
Bhutan will become the seventh country to graduate from •T o graduate from the LDC list, a country must meet certain
the United Nations list of Least Developed Countries (LDC) criteria in the three areas stated before namely, income,
on December 13, 2023. human assets, and economic vulnerability.
• A nation must have a GNI per capita of at least USD 1,242
What is a Least Developed Country (LDC)? for two consecutive triennial reviews in order to meet the
• The LDCs are developing countries listed by the UN that income requirement.
exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development. • The nation must also show that this level of income can be
•T he concept first originated in the late 1960s and was cod- sustained over the long term.
ified under UN resolution 2768 passed in November 1971. • A nation also must show that it has improved its ability
• According to the UN, an LDC is defined as a country that to withstand external economic shocks like natural ca-
exhibits the lowest indicators of socioeconomic develop- tastrophes or shifts in commodity prices in order to pass
ment, with- the economic vulnerability test.
• Low levels of income, human capital and economic diver-
sification, How did Bhutan get off the LDC list?
• High levels of economic vulnerability, and • Bhutan was included in the first group of LDCs in 1971. It
• A population that is disproportionately reliant on agricul- fulfilled the requirements for graduation in 2015 and 2018.
ture, natural resources, and primary commodities. • Bhutan’s economy grew more than eight times in the last
20 years, from under USD 300 million in 2000 to USD 2.53
Criteria for LDCs billion in 2017.
•T he UN identifies three criteria for a country to be clas- • The percentage of people living in poverty decreased from
sified as an LDC: 17.8 per cent in 2003 to 1.5 per cent in 2017.
• It must have a gross national income (GNI) per capita be- • The percentage of people living below the national poverty
low the threshold of USD 1,230 over a three-year average. line decreased from 23.2 per cent in 2007 to 8.2 per cent
• It must perform poorly on a composite human assets in- in 2017.
dex based on indicators including nutrition, health and
education. What economic measures did it take?
• It must demonstrate economic vulnerability such as being • Hydropower exports: Bhutan increased exports of hy-
prone to natural disasters and possessing structural eco- dropower to India, which now accounts for 20 per cent of
nomic constraints. its economy.
• Brand Bhutan: Bhutan established Brand Bhutan to diver- •T

he term Official Development Assistance (ODA) or aid is
sify exports and target high-end markets with specialised frequently used to describe this form of support.
exports of high-value, low-volume Bhutanese goods from
Back2Basics: Defining a countrys Development
sectors including textiles, tourism, handicrafts, culture,
• There are no WTO definitions of developed or developing
and natural resources.
countries.
•T ourism promotion: It emerged out to be an all-season
•D eveloping countries in the WTO are designated on the
tourist destination in South Asia.
basis of self-selection although this is not necessarily au-
Advantages of being an LDC tomatically accepted in all WTO bodies.
•L DCs enjoy duty-free and quota-free (DFQF) access to the • The WTO however recognizes as least-developed countries
markets of developed countries. (LDCs) those countries which have been designated as
• LDCs are also eligible for loans with special terms for devel- such by the United Nations.
opment, which include loans with a lower interest rate and
a longer repayment time than those given to other nations.
20. OPERATION DOST & INDIA’S ROLE AS FIRST

RESPONDER
20.1 Operation Dost & India’s role as First Responder
On 6th of February, a massive earthquake struck southern •T

his approach to diplomacy involves a countrys deployment
Turkiye and Syria affecting millions of people in the region. of personnel, resources, and aid to provide assistance to
those in need.
What is Operation Dost?
•O peration Dost is an ongoing search and rescue operation Features of HADR Diplomacy
initiated by India to aid Syria and Turkey, after the 2023 • Multipronged approach
TurkeySyria earthquake devastated both countries on 6 • Capacity-building
February 2023. • Focus on vulnerable populations
• The Indian Army prepared its rescue teams with relief • Long-term support
materials within 12 hours after disaster struck (much • Emphasis on communication and information sharing
before the Turkish Army was mobilised). • Respect for local culture and customs.
How swiftly did India respond? India and HADR Diplomacy

• Rescue ops
• Doctors dispatch
• Relief material
• Tech support
Central Idea: HADR Diplomacy

•D
isaster relief diplomacy, also known as Humanitarian
Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) diplomacy, refers
to a countrys efforts to provide aid and support to other
countries affected by natural disasters or conflicts.
• I ndia’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) •T he team included a doctor, three officers, six inspectors,
capacities tying into its diplomacy have grown significantly. two paramedics and constables and carried 9,000 kg of
It began after the 2011 Tsunami. equipment and food.
• The Quad was also conceived out of an initial blueprint to • Nepal : In the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquakes, the
build disaster response systems in the region. NDRF deployed 16 of its urban search and rescue (USAR)
teams, which comprised more than 700 rescuers in the
Previous instances of India sending aid to natural
country.
disaster-hit countries
• The teams organised six medical camps and attended to
•T he United States of America: An Indian Air Force IL-
1,219 persons.
76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the
• India’s humanitarian assistance mostly flows through
Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force
bilateral channels.
Base, Arkansas in 2005.
• However, various Indian governments have also engaged
• The relief supplies comprised 3,000 blankets, bed sheets,
with multilateral platforms.
tarpaulins and personal hygiene items.
•A recent collaboration with Australia (as part of the
•M aldives : After the 2004 Tsunami, the Indian government
Quadrilateral Security Dialogue group, QSD or Quad) while
announced a composite package worth five crore rupees.
providing assistance to the Kingdom of Tonga is an example
• Under Operation Castor, 50 sorties were undertaken and
of such an initiative.
four aircraft and two Naval ships were engaged in relief
• I ndia has also been working with UN agencies such as the
operations.
World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations
• Sri Lanka: India sent its forces to carry out rescue opera-
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-
tions, called Operation Rainbow, in Sri Lanka hours after
OCHA) to deliver food and other humanitarian support
the Tsunami struck the country in 2004.
over the past two decades.
• M yanmar : When cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar in 2008
• Similarly, with the help of the WFP, the country managed
killing at least 20,000 people, India was among the first
to deliver wheat to Afghanistan in March 2022.
countries to send aid to them.
• Others
• It gave 125.5 tonnes of relief material, including medicines,
• India launched relief operations for neighbouring countries:
clothing, utensils, water tanks, tents and tarpaulin.
Operation Castor in Maldives, and Operation Gambhir in
• J apan : The 2011 Tsunami wreaked havoc in Japan. Apart
Indonesia
from providing relief materials, India also sent 46 members
• In 2007, in the aftermath of Cyclone Sidr that hit Bangla-
of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to search
desh, Operation Sahayata was launched
and rescue in the town of Onagawa.
• India also offered help to Pakistan after the 2010 earthquake
• Samudra Maitri was an operation that helped Indonesians
during the October 2018 earthquake and tsunami

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CIVILSDAILY IAS

PEAK PERFORMANCE. UNLOCKED.

2. Foreign Policy Watch: India-Pakistan

3. Sri Lanka’s Constitution – Strides in the Right Direction

4. North-East India – Security and Developmental Issues

5. Foreign Policy Watch: India-China

6. India and Indo-Pacific Region

GLOBAL GROUPINGS AND

8. Foreign Policy Watch: United Nations

9. Police Reforms – SC directives, NPC, other committees reports

11. WTO and India

12. World Economic Forum (WEF) Davos Summit

15. International Monetary Fund,World Bank,AIIB, ADB and India

16. Corruption Challenges – Lokpal, POCA, etc

17. The Crisis In The Middle East

18. OBOR Initiative

19. WTO and India

20. Operation Dost & India’s role as First Responder

1. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-AFGHANISTAN

1.1 India to send 20,000 MT of wheat to Afghanistan via Chabahar

About Chabahar Port

2. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-PAKISTAN

2.1 India, Pakistan exchange list of nuclear installations, prisoners

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT):

What is Indus Water Treaty (IWT)?

Significance of the treaty

3. SRI LANKA’S CONSTITUTION – STRIDES IN THE

3.1 Sri Lanka pledges full implementation of 13th Amendment

What is the 13th Amendment? Why India objects over this?

4. NORTH-EAST INDIA – SECURITY AND

4.1 Two years of Myanmar Coup and Concerns for India

India and Myanmar

5. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: INDIA-CHINA

5.1 Chinese hydro-hegemony over Brahmaputra

•  riggering artificial floods

India has planned to build a buffer reservoir in the proposed

6. INDIA AND INDO-PACIFIC REGION

6.1 India and Indo-Pacific Region

What is India’s Perspective of the Indo-Pacific?

6.2 The Voice of Global South

Context •T  hird World radicalism: The term, as used by governmental

6.3 India-Canada Relations

• I n 2022, New Delhi objected to Canada permitting a India- Canada Relations:

6.4 India-Guyana Relations

Why Guyana matters to India? 4. Diaspora

6.5 India-Australia Ties

India-Australia Relations: A Backgrounder People-to-people Ties:

6.6 Saudi Arabia-Iran Reconciliation

Global Groupings and

7. RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE: GLOBAL

7.1 What is the Moscow-dominated security pact ‘CSTO’?

Central idea: • I ts members receive discounts, subsidies, and other incen-

Outlined functions of CSTO

8. FOREIGN POLICY WATCH: UNITED NATIONS

8.1 Explained: Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Treaty

•A  ccording to the International Union for Conservation

• I t divides marine areas into five main zones namely- Inter-

9. POLICE REFORMS – SC DIRECTIVES, NPC, OTHER

9.1 What is the Interpol, and what is a Red Notice?

Interpol, the global police body, hasremoved the red noticea-

• I t aims to promote the widest-possible mutual assistance

What are Interpol Notices?

10. TELECOM AND POSTAL SECTOR – SPECTRUM

• riggering artificial floods

Context •T hird World radicalism: The term, as used by governmental

• I n 2022, New Delhi objected to Canada permitting a India- Canada Relations:

Central idea: • I ts members receive discounts, subsidies, and other incen-

•A ccording to the International Union for Conservation

• I t divides marine areas into five main zones namely- Inter-

• I t aims to promote the widest-possible mutual assistance

•S ecretary General leads the activities of the Union and is

• I t is an important tool to protect farmers from any sharp

• India’s Resilience and Economic Trajectory:

Context •B ackground: After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991,

•T he ICC is the worlds first permanent international

• Following the Six-Day War in 1967, an armed conflict •H

ertainly Beijing views the Pacific Island region as an im-

• Brand Bhutan: Bhutan established Brand Bhutan to diver- •T