Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for January 19, 2024. If you missed the January 18, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here

THE WORLD

China, Philippines agree on lowering tensions over South China Sea

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-China and the Philippines said they have agreed to work on lowering tensions after a year of public and tense confrontations in the South China Sea between their ships that have raised concerns of armed engagement in the region.

• Map Work-Ren’ai Jiao/Ayungin Shoal/Second Thomas Shoal

• What is the recent issue between China and the Philippines?

• The territorial disputes in the South China Sea-Know in detail

• What is the dispute between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea?

• Why are countries interested in these waters?

• Do You Know- China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, based on historical records dating to the Xia dynasty, nearly 4,000 years ago. Beijing has illustrated its claim to the critical maritime area – a key sea transport route – with a vague, U-shaped “nine-dash line” that cuts into the exclusive economic zones, or EEZs, of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

China’s growing presence in the South China Sea began decades ago. Beijing seized the Paracel Islands from Vietnam in 1974 and took control of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands from the Philippines in 1995. But a tribunal at The Hague, based on a suit brought by the Philippines, ruled in 2016 that China had no “historic title” over the waters of the South China Sea and that its nine-dash line and historic claims were superseded by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Beijing has ignored the ruling, however. The South China Sea is a major shipping route. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimates that over 21% of global trade, amounting to $3.37 trillion, transited through these waters in 2016. It is also home to rich fishing grounds that provide for the livelihoods of millions of people across the region. More than half of the world’s fishing vessels operate in this area. Although largely uninhabited, the Paracels and the Spratlys may have reserves of natural resources around them. There has been little detailed exploration of the area, so estimates are largely extrapolated from the mineral wealth of neighbouring areas.

Experts say China wants control of the South China Sea to dominate a major trade through which most of its imported oil flows. Control of the sea lane would allow China to potentially disrupt, or threaten to disrupt, cargo shipments travelling to and from all countries in East and Southeast Asia.

China could also deny foreign military forces, particularly the United States’, access to the maritime region. Additionally, the South China Sea may contain massive oil and natural gas reserves beneath its seafloor. Sovereignty over the region could also give China a level of energy security and independence far beyond what it currently possesses. Since The Hague ruling, China has turned seven of the reefs it controls in the disputed waters into missile-protected military bases.

• What is the nine-dash line?

• Have they tried to reach a resolution?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????Explained: What’s behind diplomatic tensions in the South China Sea?

FRONT PAGE

Af-Pak, Baloch to Beijing: Reasons why India’s stakes deepen in new Great Game

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-The tit-for-tat missile strikes between Iran and Pakistan this week, coming on top of the attacks on Indian shipping in the Red Sea, highlight the interconnected insecurities of the Subcontinent and the Gulf.

• ‘The relationship between Iran and Pakistan has taken serious hits over the last two days’-Discuss

• “India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan will now be drawn deeper into the vortex of the turbulent Middle East”-Examine

• How India responded?

• Iran and Pakistan-What’s with the border conflict?

• Map Work-Pakistan-Iran Border and Siestan-Balochistan province

• Iran bombed two bases of militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan’s Balochistan province with missiles and drones-why?

• How Pakistan responded?

• Who are the Jaish al-Adl?

• For Your Information-Jaish al-Adl, literally the “Army of Justice”, are a Sunni Salafist militant group with bases in Pakistan’s Balochistan province, who are active in the mountainous border regions of Pakistan and Iran. They are one of several Sunni militant separatist groups who claim to be fighting for the independence of the Sistan and Baluchestan (known as Asli Balouchestan) province in the southeastern corner of Iran, bordering Pakistan’s Balochistan province and the Indian Ocean. Jaish al-Adl was founded in 2012, and Iranian officials believe it largely operates in Pakistan. The group has allegedly been involved in a series of violent attacks in Iran, and has claimed bombings and kidnapped members of Iran’s border police in the past.

In December, suspected Jaish al-Adl members killed 11 people and wounded eight others in a night-time attack on a police station in southeastern Iran. Another recent attack killed another police officer in the area. In 2019, Jaish al-Adl claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing targeting a bus that killed 27 members of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. Iran has suspected that Sunni-majority Pakistan is hosting insurgents, possibly at the behest of its regional arch-rival Saudi Arabia.

However, Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a Chinese-mediated détente last March, easing tensions. Pakistan, meanwhile, has blamed Iran in the past over militant attacks targeting its security forces. It remains unclear why Iran launched Tuesday’s attack, particularly as its foreign minister had met Pakistan’s caretaker prime minister the same day at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. After the Islamic State bombings this month, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry alleged the two bombers involved in the attack had travelled from Afghanistan into Iran through its south-eastern border at the Jalg crossing — meaning they had traveled through Balochistan.

Balochistan province, as well as Iran’s neighboring Sistan and Baluchestan provinces, have faced a low-level insurgency by Baluch nationalists for more than two decades. They initially wanted a share of provincial resources, but later initiated an insurgency for independence. Iran’s attack on Pakistan came less than a day after Iranian strikes on northern Iraq that killed several civilians. Iraq recalled its ambassador from Tehran for consultations and summoned Iran’s chargé d’affaires in Baghdad on Tuesday in protest. Iran separately struck Syria as well.

• Five broad trends in security interdependence have come to the fore-What are they?

• Baloch minorities-Know in detail

• Iran and Pakistan relationship since 1979-Know in detail

• For Your Information-According to C. Raja Mohan, the tragedy of the Baloch minorities, who straddle across Pakistan and Iran and are now targets of the attacks by Tehran and Rawalpindi, draws attention to the fragility of Pakistan’s western borderlands. Dissident Baloch groups, with genuine grievances against both states, take shelter across the Pak-Iran border and intensify the security dilemmas of Tehran and Rawalpindi.

The dissident groups are caught up in regional power politics between Arabs, Israelis and Iranians. The ungoverned and under-governed spaces in the Baloch lands provide fertile ground for smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and cross-border political militancy backed by third parties. The deepening conflict between Iran and its Arab neighbours on the one hand and Israel on the other breeds trans-border interventions. Pakistan has often accused India of meddling in Baloch affairs.

Beyond the regional, Balochistan’s geopolitical location – at the mouth of the oil-rich Gulf also makes it part of the new great game. Pakistan’s difficulties in coping with the long-standing restiveness in Balochistan have been complicated by Beijing’s strategic presence in Gwadar, one of the critical nodes of the much-touted China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and a key Indian Ocean site for Chinese naval presence in the Arabian Sea. Last September’s visit to Gwadar by David Blome, the US ambassador to Pakistan, has triggered speculation about Balochistan’s significance in the deepening rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

Afghanistan and Iran have long had their share of problems with each other. Some of them have sharpened under the Taliban regimes, these include differences over religious ideology, minority rights, border management, and sharing transborder rivers, among others. The Taliban government in Kabul has demonstrated considerable assertiveness in dealing with Pakistan. It will be surprising if they do not seize the possibility of inserting itself into the Gulf to win new friends and expand its influence.

The fragility of the Baloch frontier connecting South Asia and the Gulf, China’s strategic presence in Balochistan, and Beijing’s growing role in the Gulf are of deep concern to India. Delhi has traditionally stayed neutral in the conflicts within the Middle East. But Delhi might find it increasingly hard to do as India’s economic and security stakes rise in the volatile Middle East. The attacks on its shipping in the Arabian Sea threaten its commercial lifelines, and unsurprisingly, India has deployed ten warships to protect its interests. India’s clear stand against terrorism, its close ties with Israel, and its deeper engagement with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are all new elements of New Delhi’s Middle East policy.

In the colonial era, the undivided Subcontinent played a key role in shaping the security and political order in the Gulf. After independence and Partition, Pakistan claimed some of that role when it joined the Cold War alliances in the region. Today, a weakened Pakistan could increasingly become part of the widening conflict theatre in the Gulf. The cross-border attacks between Iran and Pakistan point to a changing region that will demand India to rethink many of its past assumptions about security in the Middle East.

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????JAA, BLF, BLA: MILITANT GROUPS IRAN, PAK HIT IN CROSS-BORDER STRIKES

THE IDEAS PAGE

Compete to thrive

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- Ravneet Kaur Writes: The dawn of Amrit Kaal marks an era of rapid technological advancements and global economic shifts. This series by The Indian Express aptly captures the spirit of this transformative period. As the chairperson of the Competition Commission of India (CCI), I want to take this opportunity to share insights into the role our institution will play in navigating these complex changes.

• ‘CCI has been at the forefront of promoting fair competition and curbing anti-competitive practices’-What is the role of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) in India?

• Competition Commission of India (CCI)-Statutory Body or Constitutional Body?

• Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 (MRTP Act) and Competition Act, 2002-Compare and Contrast

• Composition of Competition Commission of India (CCI)-Members and their Appointment

• Functions and Role Competition Commission of India (CCI)

• Landmark Judgements of Competition Commission of India (CCI)

• For Your Information-According to Ravneet Kaur who is also a chairperson, Competition Commission of India, CCI’s mandate is broad, and encompasses the elimination of practices having adverse effects on competition, promotion and sustenance of competition, protection of consumer interests, and ensuring freedom of trade. It inquires into and takes action against any form of anti-competitive agreements between enterprises. These include collusive practices (such as cartelisation, price-fixing, bid-rigging etc.) and vertical restraints that harm the competitive landscape. CCI also examines the conduct of dominant companies to ensure they do not abuse their position. Practices like predatory pricing, denial of market access, and exclusive agreements are scrutinised to maintain healthy competition.

When companies merge or one company acquires another, there is a potential for the creation of larger, more powerful entities. While this can sometimes lead to efficiencies and benefits for consumers, there is also a risk that these larger entities might abuse their market power. They could potentially engage in practices that are harmful to the competitive environment, such as setting prices unfairly, limiting choices for consumers, or stifling innovation by making it harder for smaller competitors to survive.

CCI’s review process, therefore, involves a careful examination of these corporate actions to ensure they don’t lead to a situation where the market is dominated by a few players to the detriment of overall economic health and consumer welfare. This oversight is vital in maintaining a fair and competitive market, which is essential for the long-term health of the economy and the protection of consumer interests. CCI’s role is to strike a balance, allowing businesses to grow and consolidate, but stepping in to prevent any actions that could lead to unfair market dominance.

It engages in educating stakeholders about the benefits of a competitive environment. It also provides opinions and recommendations on policy matters affecting competition, as and when sought. A significant aspect of CCI’s role is to safeguard consumer interests. This involves ensuring that consumers benefit from fair prices, quality products, and a variety of choices in the market. As market dynamics evolve, especially with technological advancements and globalisation, CCI’s role becomes increasingly significant in steering the Indian market towards sustainable and inclusive growth.

CCI’s initiatives in streamlining its processes for quicker resolution of cases have reduced the time taken for investigation and decision-making. These strides have not only enhanced market efficiency but have also contributed to fostering an environment conducive to innovation and growth, benefiting the economy at large.

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EXPRESS NETWORK

Ban on commercial release of GM crops will be against national interest, Govt tells SC

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story- India already imports and consumes oil derived from genetically modified (GM) crops and “opposition to such technology based on such unfounded fears of adverse impact is only hurting farmers, consumers and industry” and “will be detrimental…for Indian agriculture”, the Centre told the Supreme Court, which reserved its judgment on PILs challenging the government move for commercial release of the GM mustard variant Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11 (DMH-11).

• What is the Issue?

• What Centre told the Supreme Court?

• What exactly is hybrid mustard or Dhara Mustard Hybrid-11?

• So, how has hybridisation been achieved in mustard?

• For Your Information-Hybridisation involves crossing two genetically dissimilar plant varieties that can even be from the same species. The first-generation (F1) offspring from such crosses tend to have higher yields than what either parent can individually give.

Such hybridisation isn’t easy in mustard, as its flowers have both female (pistil) and male (stamen) reproductive organs, making the plants largely self-pollinating. Since the eggs of one plant cannot be fertilised by the pollen grains from another, it limits the scope for developing hybrids — unlike in cotton, maize or tomato, where this can be done through simple emasculation or physical removal of anthers.

By genetic modification (GM). Scientists at Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) have developed the hybrid mustard DMH-11 containing two alien genes isolated from a soil bacterium called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

The first gene (‘barnase’) codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the plant into which it is incorporated male-sterile. This plant is then crossed with a fertile parental line containing, in turn, the second ‘barstar’ gene that blocks the action of the barnase gene. The resultant F1 progeny is both high-yielding and also capable of producing seed/ grain, thanks to the barstar gene in the second fertile line.

The CGMCP scientists have deployed the barnase-barstar GM technology to create what they say is a robust and viable hybridisation system in mustard. This system was used to develop DMH-11 by crossing a popular Indian mustard variety ‘Varuna’ (the barnase line) with an East European ‘Early Heera-2’ mutant (barstar). DMH-11 is claimed to have shown an average 28% yield increase over Varuna in contained field trials carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

GEAC is a body responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to the “release” of GM organisms and products (ordinarily considered hazardous) into the environment. In this case, it has recommended the environmental release of DMH-11 “for its seed production and testing…prior to commercial release”. In other words, it has given the green signal for commercial cultivation by farmers, with production of seed material being the first step.

GEAC has also recommended the environmental release of DMH-11’s parental lines (carrying the barnase and barstar genes) for them to be used to develop new hybrids. Such hybrids could give even higher yields than DHM-11. Mustard varieties in India have a narrow genetic base. The barnase-barstar system enables breeding of hybrids from a wider range of mustards, including those of East European origin such as ‘Heera’ and ‘Donskaja’.

• What has Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) now done?

• What are the concerns regarding the approval for the environmental release of genetically engineered (GE) mustard (“DMH-11 hybrid”) in India?

• “The recent clearance by the government for the release of GM Mustard Hybrid DMH reflects the determination of the government to move towards Atmanirbhar Bharat also to meet the aspirations of our scientific community and farmers can derive the benefits of innovative technology”-Analyse the statement

• Besides India, the GM agricultural products are grown in many other countries-know the names of those countries and what India can learn from them?

• “Consumption of GM products is completely safe from a health point of view”-critically analyse the statement

• What are the potentially harmful long-term ecological and economic consequences of releasing DMH-11?

• Why it is important that the details of the mandatory trials to ensure food and environmental safety which is a prerequisite before environmental should be made public?

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????For Science and the Farmer

ECONOMY

‘Permanent solution for public stockholding top priority for India’

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interest

Key Points to Ponder:

• What’s the ongoing story-Even as developed countries continue to flag concern over India’s food security programme for distorting global food prices, New Delhi is set to keep up the pressure for a permanent solution on public stockholding for food grains at the 13th ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) next month in Abu Dhabi, a senior government official said on Thursday.

• What is the WTO and the Ministerial Conference

• For Your Information-The World Trade Organization is the only international organization that deals with the rules of trade between countries. Founded in 1995, the WTO is run by its 164 members, and according to its rules, all decisions are taken through consensus and any member can exercise a veto.

Its aim is to promote free trade, which is done through trade agreements that are discussed and signed by the member states. The WTO also provides a forum for countries to negotiate trade rules and settle economic disputes between them. The Ministerial Conference is the WTO’s top decision-making body and usually meets every two years. All members of the WTO are involved in the MC and they can take decisions on all matters covered under any multilateral trade agreements.

• “The public stockpiling of food grain is the longest pending issue”-Why?

• What is India’s stand?

• ‘Peace clause’ agreed during the Bali ministerial in 2013-What was that?

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

????India calls for finding permanent solution to food stockholding at WTO meet in February 2024

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