Professional Documents
Culture Documents
FOR SSB
POSITIVE POINTS
INCREASING TRADE IN EXCESS OF $60 BILLION.
NO MAJOR CLASH BETWEEN ARMED FORCES.
JOINT MILITARY EXs CONDUCTED BY BOTH.
INDIAN NAVAL SHIPS, & GOODWILL VISIT BY SENIOR
DEFENCE OFFRS CHINA.
INDIAN TOURISTS VISITING CHINA.
INDIA A MAJOR SUPPLIER OF SERVICES IN BANKING,
INSURANCE & SOFTWARE ENGRS.
SHARING INFO ON MELTING OF GLACIERS IN TIBET
INDO-PAK RELATIONS
PAK CREATED AS PART OF 2 NATION THEORY IN
1947. EXPECTING J & K TO MERGE WITH PAK WITH
65% MUSLIMS. SENT IN IRREGULARS FOR INVASION.
MAHARAJA HARI SINGH SIGNED INSTRUMENT OF
ACCESSION ON 26 OCT 1947. INDIAN ARMY
DESPATCHED & HALTED THE ADVANCE OF PAK.
KASHMIR ISSUE REFERRED TO SECURITY COUNCIL
WHICH PASSED FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IN 1949
Cease fire between Indian & Pak forces.
Withdrawal of Pak forces from occupied territory.
India to reduce forces in J & K - & conduct plebiscite
PRISONERS OF WAR.
1972 SIMLA AGREEMENT BETWEEN INDIRA GANDHI & ZULFIKAR
ALI BHUTTO. POINTS AS UNDER:ALL DISPUTES TO BE SOLVED BILATERALLY.
ALL PRISONERS OF WAR TO BE RETURNED.
POSITIONS TO BE MARKED & MAPS EXCHANGED SHOWING
LOCATION OF FORCES.
ARTICLE 370
This article specifies that except for Defence, Foreign Affairs,
Communications and ancillary matters (matters specified in the
instrument of accession) the Indian Parliament needs the State
Govts concurrence for applying all other laws. Thus the state's
residents lived under a separate set of laws, including those
related to citizenship, ownership of property, and fundamental
rights, as compared to other Indians.
Similar protections exist in tribal areas of India in Himachal
Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
and Nagaland. However, it is only for the state of Jammu and
Kashmir that the accession of the state to India is still a matter of
dispute between India and Pakistan still on the agenda of the UN
Security Council and where the Govt of India vide 1974 IndiraSheikh accord committed itself to keeping the relationship
between the Union and J & K within the ambit of this article.
INDO-SRILANKA RELATIONS
India abstained from a U.S.-sponsored resolution on
human rights in Sri Lanka at the United Nations. India
had supported similar resolutions in 2012 and 2013, but
abstained after the new resolution appeared much
tougher this time, calling for an independent international
investigation of alleged war crimes committed by Sri
Lankan forces in their war against LTTE.
Indias relationship with Sri Lanka has suffered, mostly
due to internal frictions between Tamil interests and
National interests . The decision to abstain on the vote is
an assertive move by New Delhi and has drawn criticism
from Tamil leaders who continue to push for a strong
Indian stance on Sri Lankas human rights abuses.
SAARC
A brief meeting between India's PM Narendra Modi and Navaz
Sharif resulted in all eight countries clinching a last-minute deal to
create a regional electricity grid.
Despite a free TRADE pact in force since 2006, high tariffs and
curbs on movement limit TRADE among South Asian nations to
just five percent of their total trade. The grouping's failure to foster
closer ties over the past three decades has left the way open for
China to step in, by helping to build ports and roads.
China has observer status & promised $30 billion for road building
in South Asia over five years, and suggested increasing trade to
$150 billion over the same period. Modi announced an easier
regime for business and medical visas and promised to lower
India's trade surplus.
Pakistan, which still refused to sign two other planned pacts to
boost cross border road and rail traffic, was increasingly sidelined
at the summit.
INDO-USA RELATIONS
Defence Framework Agreement Renewed for 10 yrs &
DefenceTech & Trade Initiative operationalized with focus on codevelopment & co-production in India for India & global market.
--The first 4 Raven mini UAVs, mobile hybrid power source,
Chem/Bio protection gear, roll on roll off Intelligence &
Surveillance modules for C-130J aircraft.
Nuclear Logjam Broken Signed in 2005,with NSG waiver in
2008, deal was stalled on Liability clause. Now it will be easier
for companies to invest in Nuclear power sector.
Clean Energy Boost $2-bn for renewable energy
investment & in $1 bn loans for small & medium businesses.
Message to China Convergence onissue of East Asia facing
strategy initiatives. US, India & other Asia-Pacific countries ton
work to streghthen regional ties, sending China a strong
message.
Enhance US FDI & FII into India through a dedicated IndoUS investment initiative.
Water, Sanitation & Hygiene(WASH) alliance for 500 Indian
cities involving USAID as well as US business & civil
society(Gates foundation)
Tourist VISA on arrival & e-travel auth for US tourists in
India.
India to join Global Entry programme to facilitate easy
entry of Indians to US.
Stronger partnership against terror. Joint & concerted
efforts for dismantling safe havens & disrupting financial &
tactical support of D company, Haqqani network, JEM &
LET
Cons:
- The original Act, 2013 had a consent clause for acquiring
land industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure,
affordable housing and defence. But after the central
government changed, it exempted these five categories from
the rule of acquiring land in the Bill tabled on February 24.
- Social assessment which was mandatory before acquiring
land has also been exempted in the Bill tabled in the Lok
Sabha.
- As per the existing law, land will be given back to the
farmer if it remains unused for five years. The proposed
amendment says the land will be returned only if the
specified project on the land fails to complete the deadline.
- Bureaucrats will be punished if guilty of violating any
clause of existing Land Act. However, the new clause makes
government sanction necessary to prosecute civil servants.
BATTLEGROUND VITALS
AFFECTED
AREAS
NAXAL
INFLUENCE
2014
76
106
2012
95
141
2009
112
195
2007
115
194
2005
69
165
Reds work on combining fear with build-up that the fight is for land
Want enforcement of Constitution 5th & 9th schedules. As per 5th
schedule, Governors must form advisory councils of tribals to run
reserve forest areas. No such council formed in any state.
9th schedule provides for land ceiling so that land can be
redistributed to landless peasants. Land reforms not implemented
in any state.
Lack of knowledge of security forces about terrain & language.
SF not keeping up with Red tactics.
CAUSES OF CORRUPTION
Lack of transparency in Governance. Govt is the biggest
buyer & seller but only a few people, the Mafia control all the
tender system etc
Nexus between politicians & business houses.
Watchdog to check corruption have no teeth, only
investigates & recommends action, no power to prosecute.
Delays in the judicial system.
Procedural delays to prosecute ministers & bureaucrats.
Widening gap between rich & poor.
Increase in materialistic demands of people.
Increasing gap in pay/perks of Govt servants & MNC emps.
Discretionary quota system with MPs & senior bureaucrats.
MONEY LAUNDERING(ML)
Refers to the conversion of illegally obtained money to make it appear
to originatefrom a legitimate source.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR INDIA
I.
GLOBAL WARMING
Temp of Earth increasing due to burning of fossil
fuels(coal,oil & gases). Gases produced are called
Greenhouse gases. Heat from Sunrays coming from the
sun is partially absorbed & rest of it is reflected back. This
reflected energy is blocked by the greenhouse gases
resulting in heating of the earth.
Effects of Global Warming
Faster melting of glaciers resulting in reducing water in
rivers during summers & rising of sea levels affecting
many countries.
Due to intense heat more frequent rains & floods.
Effect on agriculture sector & food scarcity.
Increase in diseases like malaria etc.
Bio diversity will be effected.
Annual budget Rs15283 cr, 52 Labs & 7800 scientists. Many crucial
projects suffer from huge cost & time overruns. At 5-7% of defence
budget, much less than China 20% & USA 12%.
No enhancement of manpower since 2001 & ever increasing brain
drain.
Missiles Inducted- Prithvi(150-350Km), Agni-1(700Km), Agni-2(2000Km),
Agni-3(3000Kms) ballistic missiles, Brahmos(290Km) supersonic cruise
missile, Akash SAM(25Km).
Being Tested Agni-5(over 5000Km), Nirbhay cruise missile(1000Km),
K15 SLBM(750Km), Nag ATGM(4Km), 70 Km SAM Joint project with
Israel
DELAYED PROJECTS
TEJAS LCA, sanctioned 1983, original cost Rs560cr, revised
development cost Rs17269cr, total cost over Rs55000cr if IAF inducts
120 fighters, & Navy 50(each Tejas Rs220cr). Final operational clearance
only by Dec 2015, Tejas mark 2 only after 2021-22.
ARJUN MBT Sanctioned 1974, Army reluctantly inducted 124 Arjun Mk1, but Mk 2 with 89 upgrades still being tested.
MEDIUM RANGE SAM FOR IAF Sanctioned in Feb 2009 for Rs10076cr,
delayed till Aug 2016.
LONG RANGE SAM FOR NAVY Sanctioned in Dec 2005, for Rs2606cr,
delayed till Dec 2015.
FUTURE PROJECTS: Advance Medium 5th gen combat aircraft.
Futuristic Main Battle Tank. Airborne Warning & Control
Systems(AWACS). Stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicles.
Medium Altitude long endurance UAV. Quick reaction SAM systems.
Active electronically scanned array RADARS.
CYBER WARFARE
Refers to attacks on national info systems by state or non state actors to disrupt functions in the
economic, governance,security, & social spheres.
Makes India vulnerable to:Disruption of critical communication infrastructure.
Disruption of services. Crippling of financial systems.
Disabling websites & networks. Malicious software & Trojans for future exploitation
Espionage & terrorist activities.
Indias State of preparedness
CERT-in(Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) was established in 2002-03 to create
awareness on cyber threats, devise counter measures & coord crises mgt efforts. It is now under
NTRO.
NTRO- National Technical Research Org responsible for protecting critical info infrastructure.
Cyber cell set up at the National Security Council Secretariat.
Comprehensive cyber security policy unveiled by the Department of Electronics & Info
Tech(DEITY) in Jul 2013. It has set up a National Critical Infrastructure Protection Centre(NCIPC)
as a nodal agency under the NTRO.
malware, trojans
INDIAS PREPAREDNESS
Existing Strength of security experts in all Govt Depts 556
Strength of experts in other countries - China
1.25 lac
USA
- 91080
Russia 7300
According to 2013 CERT-IN data 2500 Indian Websites are
defaced or hacked every month. An overwhelming percentage
of all attacks occur in the .in domain whose servers are in
India.
Govt department are using pirated software. Dongles are
made by Chinese mfrs suspected of spying in the past. There
is no cyber security culture in India. India needs to have stand
alone Networks for official comn. We should also build our
own software rather than using foreign ones.
NTRO
The National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO),
originally known as the National Technical Facilities
Organisation (NTFO), is a highly specialised technical
intelligence gathering agency. While the agency does not
affect the working of technical wings of various intelligence
agencies, including those of the Indian Armed Forces, it acts
as a super-feeder agency for providing technical intelligence
to other agencies on internal and external security. The
agency is under the control of India's external intelligence
agency, Research & Analysis Wing.
The agency develops technology capabilities in aviation and
remote sensing, data gathering and processing, cyber
security, cryptology systems, strategic hardware and
software development and strategic monitoring
UKRAINE CRISES
Was part of erstwhile USSR. Got Indep in 1991.
Russian Black Sea naval base at Savastopol in Crimea on
lease to Russia till 2010 & further extended to 2042 in
return for cheap gas.
Elections in 2004 & 2010 rigged in favour of pro Russian
Victor Yanukovich. He arrested PM Yulia Tymoshenko for
abuse of power & pro west leanings & jailed him in Oct
2011.
President then abandoned an agreement for closer ties
with Europe & adopted a resolution for closer ties with
Russia resulting in large scale protests & occupation of
Govt buildings .People demanded integration with EU.
. On 17 Jul a Malaysian Airlines Flt was shot down in Eastern Ukraine killing
all 283pax+15 crew on board. Donetsk rebels may have shot down the
plane resulting in EU & US increasing sanctions on Russia.
On 07 Aug Russia retaliated banning food imports from the west. Then on
22 Aug Ukraine alleges direct invasion after Russia sent aid convoys to
Luhansk. Poroshenko met President Putin in Minsk, then on 03 Sep Putin
proposed a 7 point peace plan & finally on 05 Sep separatists signed a
ceasefire deal with Ukraine in Minsk in Belarus.
The deal struck on 12 February in Minsk by the leaders of Germany,
France, Ukraine and Russia is similar to the old one, but tries to tackle
some of its shortcomings.
Cost of Conflict:- 5700+ killed, over one million forced to flee their
homes, $ 6 million spent per day & $ 8 billion required to rebuild
Eastern Ukraine.The ceasefire was not completely implemented &
fighting continues
In early Mar 2015 the International Monetary Fund has signed off on a
$17.5bn (11.8bn) four-year aid programme for Ukraine, the second attempt
in less than a year to help the country avoid bankruptcy.
The programme includes an immediate payment of $5bn for general budget
support to help stabilise Ukraines listing economy.
Much of the history of the area since that time has been one
of conflict between Israel on one side and Palestinians represented by the Palestine Liberation Organisation - and
Israel's Arab neighbours, on the other. Hundreds of
thousands of Palestinian Arabs were displaced in the
fighting in 1948, during which Israel's Arab neighbours came
to the aid of the Arab Higher Committee in Palestine. Israel
lost one percent of its population in the fighting, which
ended in a series of uneasy armistices.
Israel has developed from an agrarian state run along
collectivist lines into a hi-tech economy in the past 60 years.
It has absorbed Jewish immigrants from Europe, the rest of
the Middle East, North America and, most recently, the
former Soviet Union and Ethiopia along the way.
Gaza conflict
In 1979 Egypt and Israel signed a peace agreement, but it
wasn't until the early 1990s, after years of an uprising known
as the intifada, that a peace process began with the
Palestinians. Despite the handover of Gaza and parts of the
West Bank to Palestinian control, a final agreement has yet
to be reached.
Israel evacuated its settlers from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and
withdrew its forces, ending almost four decades of military
occupation. However, after the militant Islamic group Hamas
seized control of Gaza in June 2007, Israel intensified its
economic blockade of the Strip. In 2008 and in 2014 it
launched major military assaults on Gaza to halt crossborder rocket attacks.
The main stumbling blocks include the status of Jerusalem
and the fate of Palestinian refugees and Jewish settlements.
GAZA STRIP
Gaza has an annual population growth rate of
2.91% (2014 est.), the 13th highest in the world,
and is over crowded. There is a limited capability
to construct new homes and facilities for this
growth. The territory is 41 kms (25 mi) long, and
from 6 to 12 kms (3.7 to 7.5 mi) wide, with a total
area of 365 square kms (141 sq mi). As of
2014, Palestinians of the Gaza Strip numbered
around 1.82 million people. The large Palestinian
refugee population makes it among the most
densely populated parts of the world. Sunni
Muslims make up the predominant part of the
Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip.
DAVID VS GOLIATH
From-To
Place
Palestinians
Israelis
2000-2008
All
4834
482
Gaza Attack 1
1397
Nov 2012
Gaza Attack 2
171
Jan 2009-Jul 14
Between Attacks
594
41
Jul-Aug 2014
Gaza attack 3
1777
68
Total Deaths
2000-Jul 2014
8800
600+
CAUSES OF UNREST
Rulers in seat for long durations 30 years
Opposition parties not allowed to have their say
as freedom of speech curtailed.
Induction of sons & relatives in running Govt.
Very high rate of unemployment.
Corruption & poverty added to miseries.
People looking for alternatives to US & Western
policies.
Brutal police forces.
Women have little freedom & say in politics.
SYRIAN CRISES
Arab Spring reached Syria in Mar 2011 resulting in civil war.
President Assad belongs to Alawaite sect of Shia Muslim. 74%
of Syria is Sunni but have no say in Governance.
Use of Chemical weapons by regime in Mar 2013, prompted
strong reaction in terms of military intervention but opposed by
Russia & China. Russia made a deal with Syria to allow global
inspectors to destroy its chemical weapons.
As per UN estimates death toll of 191000 in Aug 2014
including 30000 combatants. Another 30000 are believed
missing presumably kidnapped. UN estimates approx 2.9
million have fled the country & million others are living in poor
conditions. Reports of human rights violations. There are 10.8
million Syrians in need of humanitarian assistance.
SYRIAN CRISES
UN investigators said there was an estimated 10,000
to 15,000 foreign fighters with various groups battling
Syrian President Bashar al-Assads troops.
More and more Syrian rebels are defecting to join the
ultra-hardline Islamic State insurgency, said UN human
rights investigators yesterday, in what they described
as a Syrian-isation of the al-Qaeda offshoot.
Brazilian chief investigator Paulo Pinheiro said the
Islamic State - formerly known as the Islamic State in
Iraq and the Levant, ISIL or Isis - was undergoing a
Syrianisation.
CRISES IN IRAQ
The problems with Iraq started with the ill conceived
invasion in 2003 by US and British forces. As soon as US took
control of Iraq, the first things they did was to disband the Sunni
elements of Saddam Hussains army & removed all Sunni govt
employees. They disbanded the Baath Party which mainly
consisted of Sunnis.
Iraq is a Sunni majority country, mainly in the North and NE of
the country. The discriminatory action by the US of removing
Sunni soldiers gave a fully trained group of men to the rebel force.
They readily formed themselves into an opposition army.
On 12 Feb 2011 coinciding with the Arab Spring, Iraq saw its first
protests & hundreds died with large amount of property destroyed.
Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki was weakened and promised not to
stand for elections in 2014. Sunni rebels of Syria and Iraq joined
hands and formed into ISIS or ISIL( Islamic State of Iraq &
Syria/Levant).
Foreign fighters are continuing to pour into Syria and Iraq at the rate
of 1,000 a month in a global movement of jihadists that exceeds
even that into Afghanistan in the 1980s, new assessments from the
United Nations and US intelligence have shown.
As the Islamic State continues to make advances in Syria and Iraq
despite more than 600 coalition air strikes, the total number of
foreign fighters is now thought to have topped 15,000, according to
a UN Security Council estimate.
It has been estimated that that strikes in Syria alone have killed
about 460 members of the Islamic State, but the organisation
continues to grow, its finances swelled by a reported $1m a day in
oil smuggling revenues alone. Bolstering Isiss treasury is up to
$45m in money from kidnapping for ransom, the UN report finds.
Isis now controls a swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria that is home
to between five and six million people, a population the size of
Finlands.
INDIA_-IRAN RELATIONS
During cold war period, relations between INDIA and
the erstwhile Imperial Sate of Iran suffered due to
different political interestsnon-aligned India fostered
strong military links with the Soviet Union while Iran
enjoyed close ties with the United States.
Following the 1979 revolution, relations between Iran
and India strengthened momentarily. However, Iran's
continued support for Pakistan and India's close
relations with Iraq during the Iran -Iraq War impeded
further development of IndoIranian ties. Relations
between the two countries warmed in the 1990s when
India collaborated with Iran to support the
Afghan Northern Alliance against the Taliban.
AFGHANISTAN
CRISES IN YEMEN
Houthis are Rebels who follow Shia Islam sect of ZAIDISM. Zaidis are
1/3 of population. They ruled North Yemen till 1962. Houthis take their
name from HUSSEIN BADR AL DIN AL HOUTHI who led the groups
first 2004 revolt for autonomy & ro protect Zaidism from Sunnis
Yemeni army killed Houthi. By 2009 Saudis joined Yemeni army to
attack Saada.
In 2011 Houthis joined revolts to topple then Prez Saleh also a Zaidi.
They also opposed Mansour Hadis 2014 plans for Yemen to be a
federation of 6 regions. Saleh battled Houthis while president, but he
allied with them in comeback bid. Saleh men in key military services
helped Houthis fight Haidi.
In Sep 2014 Houthis seized capital Sanaa. Prez Mansour Ali resigned,
fled to Aden, declared it de facto capital & sought Saudi help in
March.
OPERATION RAHAT
Operation Rahat, the name given to the evacuation process in Yemen,
was orchestrated from the tiny African nation of Djibouti, which lies on
the other side of the Gulf of Aden from Yemen, and houses foreign
militaries taking part in anti-piracy operations off the African coast.
As Indian Navy, IAF and Air India pooled in resources to begin
evacuation, Indian diplomats in the capital Sana'a led by Ambassador
Amrit Lugun and back in New Delhi managed to negotiate a window
where Saudi-led bombings ceased so as to allow Indian aircraft to land
and take off. All this, happened while it was not even clear whether the
airport was under the Yemeni govt, its military or the Houthi rebels.
Nonetheless, India's High Commission in Sana'a, which was still fully
functional, managed to organise the reportedly-damaged Sana'a airport
to accept Air India Airbus A321 and the Air Force's C-17 Globemaster
planes to operate in and out for nearly four days, ferrying Indians and
foreigners alike to Djibouti. In the end, more than 4,640 people have
been evacuated, including 960 foreigners from 41 other countries.
While the air evacuation took place, Indian Navy's vessels INS
Sumitra, INS Mumbai and others docked near the southern city of Aden,
which was under attack. Other Yemeni cities such as Al Hudaydah
provided alternatives to Aden, where at times Indian Navy ships found
hard to dock due to heavy bombardment. According to some accounts
from the ground, the Houthi rebels were in general giving safe passage to
Indians who were looking to leave the country.
India's Minister of State for External Affairs, General V K Singh, a former
Indian Army chief himself travelled to both Djibouti and Sana'a to oversee
the operations. Never has an Indian minister of Singh's political rank gone
into an active war zone to conduct such a diplomatic and military
manoeuvre.
EBOLA VIRUS
Fruit bats are believed to carry and spread the virus without
being affected. The virus may be acquired upon contact
with blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal. Spreading
through the air has not been documented in the natural
environment. Once human infection occurs, the disease
may spread between people, as well. Male survivors may be
able to transmit the disease via semen for nearly two
months.
On 8 August, WHO formally designated the outbreak as
a public health emergency of international concern.
Latest figures reported by World Health Organization (WHO)
states a total 22500+ cases and 10000+ deaths .
In early Jan 2015 there was a battle between Nigerian Security Forces
and Boko Haram in the NE town of Baga, where the estimated death toll
varies widely, from as few as 150 to as many as 2,000. The dangers of the
fighting have kept reporters and international aid groups away, with the
United Nations collecting its data from interviews with refugees after
they flee to neighbouring countries. Campbell said that Boko Haram has
also targeted cell phone towers in the region, to cut off the
communication grid.
"If reports that the town was largely razed to the ground and that
hundreds or even as many as 2,000 civilians were killed are true, this
marks a disturbing and bloody escalation of Boko Haram's on going
onslaught against the civilian population,"
Boko Haram is not known to have any formal connections to Al Qaeda
and, more specifically, its Yemen-based affiliate AQAP, which claimed
responsibility for the latest attacks in Paris however Boko Haram leader
Abubakar Shekau congratulated AQAP's work in the Paris attacks in a
video posted online.
Boko Haram has been responsible for at least 5,778 deaths since April
2014 as per estimates.
THANK
YOU