Context: Recently, the Supreme Court of Inida fixed October 31 for final hearing on pleas challenging the validity of the electoral bond scheme for political funding of parties.

Background

• The 2018 scheme introduced instruments through which money could be donated to political parties in India. 

• However, in April last year, the court had said it would take up the petitions filed by two NGOs — Common Cause and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) — challenging the scheme. 

Points made in the petition

• The Association for Democratic Reforms, which monitors the criminal antecedents of the candidates of various parties, has alleged that the ruling party had received more than 60% of total electoral bonds in the audit of the parties in two years of 2017-18 and 2018-19.

• The NGO has noted that even the Election Commission and the Reserve Bank of India had in 2017 objected to the electoral bonds, advising against their issuance as a mode of donation to the political parties.

• Simply put, the scheme is said to be“an obscure funding system which is unchecked by any authority”.

• The government has all through defended the electoral bond scheme, describing it as completely transparent, that takes care of unaccounted funding of the political parties. 

What is Electoral Bond?

• Electoral bonds were introduced through Finance Act 2017, which amended three other statutes - the RBI Act, the Income Tax Act and the Representation of People Act for enabling introduction of such bonds. 

• The government of India notified the Electoral Bonds Scheme in January 2018.

• Purpose: The bonds are issued specifically for the purpose of funding political parties.

• Issuer: Under this scheme, bonds for contributions to political parties can be issued by theState Bank of India and can be bought by any donor with a Know Your Customer (KYC) compliant account.

• Who can purchase? Electoral bonds may be purchased by a person, who is a citizen of India or a body incorporated or established in India.

• Nature: It is issued in the nature of a promissory note which shall be a bearer banking instrument. It shall not carry the name of the buyer.

• Denomination: The bonds shall be issued in the denomination of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1,00,000, Rs 10,00,000 and Rs 1,00,00,000. 

Why they attract Criticism?

• Contradicting its Basic Idea: The scheme does the exact opposite of what it was meant to do i.e. to bring transparency to election funding.

• Possibility of Extortion: The fact that such bonds are sold via a government-owned bank (SBI) leaves the door open for the government to know exactly who is funding its opponents.

• A Blow to Democracy: Political parties are exempted from disclosing donations received through electoral bonds.

• Against Free & Fair Elections: Electoral bonds provide no details to the citizens.

Context: For the first time, Chief Justice of India (CJI) recently announced the appointment of a sign-language interpreter by the Supreme Court (SC) to help hearing-impaired lawyers and litigants to comprehend judicial proceedings.

• The SC is also considering to have a sign language interpreter for the hearing-impaired during Constitution bench hearings.

About the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court

• A Constitution Bench is a bench of the Supreme Court having 5 or more judges on it, which are not formed for routine phenomenon, but rather on special cases.

• Majority of cases before the SC are heard and decided by a bench of two judges (called a Division Bench), and sometimes of 3.

Constitution Benches are set up only if one or more of the following circumstances exist

• The case involves a substantial question of law pertaining to the interpretation of the Constitution as per the Article 145(3) of the Constitution.

• Article 145(3) of Indian Constitution- there shall be at least 5 judges to hear cases that involve " a substantial question of law or the interpretation of the constitution, or any reference made by the President of India to consult the SC.

• The President of India has sought the SC’s opinion on a question of fact or law under Article 143 of the Constitution.

• 2 or more 3-judge benches of the Supreme Court have delivered conflicting judgments on the same point of law, thus necessitating a definitive pronouncement by a larger bench;

• A later 3-judge bench doubts the correctness of a judgment delivered by a previous 3-judge bench of the SC, and decides to refer the case to a larger bench for a reconsideration of that earlier judgment.

• Currently, constitution benches are set up on an ad hoc basis (temporary) as and when the need arises. 

Who decides cases to be heard by the Constitution Bench?

• The CJI is responsible for deciding which cases will be heard by the Constitution Bench, the number of judges in the bench and the members of such a bench.

• As there are no specific guidelines, the CJI has the sole discretion in such cases.

• Also, it is not mandatory for the CJI to be a part of a Constitution Bench. 

Measures for People with Disabilities (PwDs)

• The Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 aims to provide certain rights to disabled people and protect them from social stigmatization and discrimination.

• The Act seeks to ensure the full social, political, and economic participation of disabled people. 

• The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation, and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999- to provide financial assistance to the registered organizations for carrying out any approved programme for the benefit of disabled.

• The Rehabilitation Council of India Act, 1992- ensures the good quality of services rendered by various rehabilitation personnel to disabled person.

• The Mental Health Act, 1987- guarantees the rights of mentally disabled persons.

Context: The Supreme Court directed doctors at AIIMS Delhi to defer the medical termination of a 26-week pregnancy of a married woman who was granted permission to abort the foetus a day before by another bench.

• A two-judge all-woman Supreme Court bench disagreed on allowing a 27-year-old married woman to terminate her 26-week pregnancy and referred the plea to the Chief Justice of India for consideration by a larger bench.

Key Issue

• The bench had different opinions regarding a request to recall the October 9 order allowing a married mother of two to terminate her 26-week pregnancy:

• One judge was against allowing the abortion.

• The other judge emphasized that the woman’s choice to terminate her pregnancy should be respected.

• The woman had moved the apex court seeking its approval to terminate her pregnancy citing medical grounds, including that she was suffering from postpartum depression.

Evolution of Abortion Law in India
Pre-1960s: Illegal Status of Abortion

• Abortion was illegal and punishable under Section 312 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) before the 1960s.

1964: Formation of Shantilal Shah Committee
Global Abortion Laws

• Countries Banning Abortions (24 countries)

• Abortions are illegal in 24 countries, where about 90 million or 5 percent of women of reproductive age reside.

• These include Senegal, Mauritania, and Egypt in Africa, Laos and the Philippines in Asia, El Salvador and Honduras in Central America, and Poland and Malta in Europe

• Countries Permitting Abortions with Restrictions (50 countries)

• Includes Libya, Indonesia, Nigeria, Iran, Venezuela.

• Permitted in cases of a woman’s health risk.

• Some allow in cases of rape, incest, or fetal abnormalities.

• Countries with Accessible Abortion Laws

• Canada, Australia, and most of Europe.

• Few restrictions, primarily gestational time limits (typically 12-14 weeks).

• It was set up to examine abortion-related matters and the necessity of laws around abortion in India.

• The Committee recommended liberalization of abortion laws to reduce unsafe abortions and maternal mortality.

1971: Introduction and Passage of MTP Act

• It was introduced and passed by Parliament in August 1971, based on the recommendations of the Shantilal Shah Committee.

• The Act allowed abortion up to 20 weeks of pregnancy and granted immunity to doctors performing abortions in line with its provisions.

• The MTP Act allowed termination of pregnancy by a medical practitioner in two stages.

• For termination of pregnancy up to 12 weeks from conception, the opinion of one doctor was required.

• For pregnancies between 12 and 20 weeks old, the opinion of two doctors was required

2002: Brief Amendment for Medical Abortion Pills

• The MTP Act was briefly amended in 2002 to allow the use of medical abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol.

2021: Amendment to Extend Abortion Limit

• The MTP Act was amended in 2021, extending the abortion limit from 20 to 24 weeks.

• The amended law allowed the termination under the opinion of one doctor for pregnancies up to 20 weeks. 

• For pregnancies between 20 and 24 weeks, the amended law requires the opinion of two doctors.

The amendment specified seven categories of women eligible for termination between 20 and 24 weeks of pregnancy:

• Survivors of sexual assault or rape or incest;

• Minors; 

• Change of marital status during the ongoing pregnancy (widowhood and divorce);

• Women with physical disabilities 

• Mentally ill women including mental retardation

• The foetal malformation

• Women with pregnancy in humanitarian settings or disaster or emergency situations.

Key Concerns

• Foetal Pain: Concern that fetuses beyond 20 weeks of gestation may experience pain during abortion.

• Psychological Impact: Some argue that young women who undergo abortion may face an increased risk of subsequent depression.

• Reduced Adoptable Babies: Critics suggest that instead of abortion, women should consider giving unwanted babies up for adoption, as single parenthood becomes more accepted.

• Abortion as Contraception: Moral objections to using abortion as a convenient method of birth control, emphasizing the value of unborn life.

• Responsibility and Morality: Argues that individuals should accept responsibility for their actions and consequences, especially when becoming pregnant.

Arguments in Favor of Abortion

• Bodily Autonomy: Abortion upholds a woman’s right to bodily autonomy, enabling her to make decisions about her own body and reproductive choices.

Key Facts (WHO)

• Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. 

• Six out of 10 (61%) of all unintended pregnancies, and 3 out of 10 (29%) of all pregnancies, end in induced abortion

• Around 45% of all abortions are unsafe, of which 97% take place in developing countries.

• Unsafe abortion is a leading – but preventable – cause of maternal deaths .

• Choice and Life Course Impact: Allowing abortion provides individuals the freedom to choose their life course, preventing unwanted pregnancies from adversely affecting education, career, and mental well-being.

• Avoiding Unsafe Abortions: Legalizing abortion helps to prevent unsafe abortions, which can pose serious risks to women’s health and may lead to fatalities.

• According to the UN Population Fund, close to eight women die every day in the country from causes related to unsafe abortions.

• According to a report published by the Center for Reproductive Rights, “legal and practical barriers are a serious impediment” with unsafe abortions in India accounting for  20 per cent of all maternal deaths.

• Changing Social Norms: Laws should adapt to changing social norms, acknowledging the prevalence of premarital sex, live-in relationships, and diverse family structures.

• Foetal Abnormalities: The abnormalities are not always found upto 20 weeks, not allowing women a safe access to abortion puts her life in danger.

• Addressing Marital Rape Victims: Abortion should be accessible for women who may have conceived due to sexual assault or marital rape, respecting their mental and physical well-being and preventing further harm.

Road Ahead

• Recognize Abortion as a Human Right: Acknowledge abortion as a fundamental human right, as supported by international frameworks such as the United Nations, the European Court of Human Rights, and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.

• Commit to Prevent Unsafe Abortions: Reiterate and uphold the commitment made by 179 governments at the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development to prevent unsafe abortions.

• Address Criminalization of Abortion: The UN Recognize that the criminalization of abortion is a form of gender-based violence and may violate women’s rights to health, dignity, autonomy, and equality.

• WHO’s Safety Classification: The WHO has classified abortion procedures into three categories, namely, safe, less-safe and least-safe.

• Lancet study from 2010 to 2014 showed 54% of abortions were safe, 30% were less safe, and 14% were least safe.

• The developing world accounted for more than 97 per cent of abortions classified under the latter two categories.

• Maternal Health and Mortality: Acknowledge that unsafe abortions are a leading cause of maternal mortality, contributing to 13% of such deaths.

• Address the urgency of improving the safety of abortion procedures.

• Promote Societal Well-being: Emphasize that ensuring safe abortion access is not just about human rights but also contributes to the overall well-being of societies.

Context: The national tele mental health programme Tele-MANAS has counselled more than 3,50,000 people till date and over 1,000 calls are being received on this helpline every day.

• Note: World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10th every year. The theme for the World Mental Health Day 2023 is 'Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’.

Impact of TELE MANAS

What is Tele-MANAS?

• Tele-MANAS is India’s round-the-clock mental health helpline. 

• Launched in 2022 on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, the programme provides counselling to 2,000 people through its 44 Tele-MANAS cells, he said at the National Mental Health Conclave here organised to mark World Mental Health Day.

It comprises two tiers

• Trained counsellors at State Tele-MANAS cells who provide immediate care

• Mental health professionals (psychologists, clinicians, psychiatrists) at District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) who provide specialist care

• NIMHANS, Bengaluru, serves as the nodal centre while the International Institute of Information Technology (IIITB) in Bengaluru is tasked with providing the technical know-how for the helpline.

Need of the initiative

• The helpline was a response to a mental health crisis inflamed by the COVID-19 pandemic: isolation, financial precarity and illness adversely impacted levels of anxiety, depression and substance use disorders

• Estimates show that 70-92% of Indians do not receive medication or treatment for different mental conditions. 

Other Government Initiatives:

• National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): Aim to be implemented in 704 districts for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health Mission.

• Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health Centre (PHC) levelswere established to address outpatient services, assessment, counselling/ psycho-social interventions, continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance services etc. 

• National Tele Mental Health Programme: In Budget (2022-2023), India's Finance Minister announced the programme to improve access to quality mental health counselling and also care services. 

• Mental Healthcare Act, 2017: It aims to provide mental healthcare services for persons with mental illness.

• KIRAN: The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has launched a 24/7 toll-free helpline to provide support to people facing anxiety, stress, depression, suicidal thoughts, and other mental health concerns.

Context: The ‘Report Card on the Performance of Information Commissions in India, 2022-23’ has been released.

• The report has been compiled based on the performance of Information Commissions across the country and on information accessed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act by the Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), a citizens’ group working to promote transparency and accountability in governance.

• More than three lakh appeals and complaints are pending in 27 State Information Commissions across the country, according to the report of Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS), a citizens’ group working to promote transparency and accountability in governance.

Key findings of the report

• Period: The analysis of the criteria was from a period between July 2022 and June 2023.

• Defunct ICs: Showed that Information Commissions are "completely defunct" in Jharkhand (37 months), Tripura (27 months), Telangana (7 months) and Mizoram (ten days).

Headless states: The CIC and Information Commissions in five states;

• Manipur (56 months),

• Chhattisgarh (since December 2022),

• Maharashtra (since April),

• Bihar (since May) and

• Punjab (since September)

Pendency of Cases: West Bengal with a pendency of 11,871 cases would take around 24 years and one month to dispose of an appeal filed on July 1 this year.

• Uttar Pradesh which has 27,163 pending cases may take seven months to clear an appeal and

• Karnataka with 41,047 pending cases may take one year and 11 months.

• Maharashtra with the highest pendency of 11 lakh cases may take four years.

• Reasons: One of the primary reasons for the backlogs is the failure of central and state governments to take timely action to appoint information commissions to the Central Information Commission and state information commissions.

• Penalties: The report also noted that Information Commissions did not impose penalties in 91 per cent of the cases where penalties were potentially imposable.

• In terms of penalty imposition, of the 23 commissions which provided relevant information, penalty was imposed in a total of 8,074 cases.

• Penalty amounting to Rs.15.37 crore was imposed by 23 commissions during the period under review.

• State-wise Appeals and Complaints: The SIC of Karnataka registered 30,207 appeals and complaints, while Uttar Pradesh registered 29,637 and the CIC registered 20,083 appeals/complaints.

About Information Commissions (ICs)

• CIC is a statutory body constituted under section 12 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

• Similar to CIC, SIC is also a statutory body constituted under section 15 of the Right to Information Act, 2005.

• The Central Information Commission shall consist of the Chief Information Commissioner and such number of Central Information Commissioners not exceeding 10 as may be deemed necessary.

• Note: CIC consists of a Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten Information Commissioners. Where as SIC consists of a State Chief Information Commissioner and not more than ten State Information Commissioners.

What does Information Commission do?

The main objectives of CIC and SIC are:

• To exercise the powers conferred on them under the RTI Act, 2005.

• To receive and inquire into complaints from any citizen (Section 18 of the RTI Act, 2005).

• To receive and decide upon the second appeal from any citizen (Section 19 of the RTI Act, 2005).

• To perform the duty of “Monitoring and Reporting "(Section 25 of the RTI Act, 2005).

Road Ahead

• Constitutional Status to CIC and ICs needs to be given to function in an autonomous way. Centre for Law & Democracy classifies RTI among the top 5 laws in the world and right to Question is a hallmark of democracy. Hence, disclosure should be the norm and holding back should be an exception. 

Context: Educational institutions have to rethink their approach so that it is in tune with the NEP which will be crucial in realising the 2030 deadline for SDGs.

• The article discussed the importance of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their relevance in addressing global challenges.

• It highlights India's commitment to achieving these goals, with a particular focus on the role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in aligning education with the SDGs.

What are the United Nations SDGs?

• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals with 169 targets that all 193 UN member states have agreed to try to achieve by 2030.

• It was established by the United Nations in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• It addresses various interconnected challenges, including poverty, education, health, gender equality, clean energy, and environmental protection.

• The SDGs provide a holistic framework for governments, businesses, civil society organizations, and individuals to work together towards a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world.

• SDGs are a matter of urgency, and actions by all countries, both developed and developing, to end poverty and other socio-economic and environmental problems should align with these strategies.

What has hindered the progress of SDGs?

• Despite being eight years since the establishment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the SDGs Report 2023 highlights slow progress and challenges.

• The COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis, Russia-Ukraine conflict, and a weak global economy have hindered advancements.

• This lack of progress is a global issue but particularly pronounced in the Least Developed Countries.

• India, while managing economic crises and pandemic challenges relatively well, has faced setbacks in achieving the SDGs.

India's Commitment to SDGs through Higher Education

• Access to Quality Education: The National Educational Policy 2020 is aligned with several SDGs, including SDG4 (Quality Education). It emphasizes the importance of access to quality education at all levels, from early childhood to higher education, and promotes inclusivity and equity in education, which are essential for achieving many other SDGs.

• Focus on Health and Economic Growth: By prioritizing higher education, India aims to empower its citizens and prepare them for meaningful contributions to society and the economy, aligning with multiple SDGs, such as SDG1 (No Poverty), SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), and SDG8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

• Employability and Income Generation: The NEP acknowledges the positive correlation between higher education and employability. Individuals with higher education degrees tend to earn more, which can contribute to poverty reduction (SDG1) and improved living conditions. This aligns with the goal of reducing income inequalities (SDG10).

• According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), people with a higher education degree are more employable and earn an average of 54% more than those who only have completed senior secondary education.

• Access and Gender Equality: The NEP also aims to improve access to higher education for marginalized communities and promote gender equality (SDG5) by addressing disparities in enrollment and retention.

Key Strategies to enhance the role of Universities

• Research-Teaching Nexus: Universities should strengthen the connection between research and teaching. This integration allows students to gain practical insights and solutions to global challenges through their education.

• Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary Education: Promoting multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches in education helps create well-rounded individuals capable of tackling complex issues through innovative thinking.

• Innovative Solutions and Start-ups: Encouraging collaboration with private companies and the development of innovative solutions and start-ups within university environments can foster entrepreneurship and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

• Value-Based Education (VBE): Introducing value-based education in universities can instill a sense of responsibility in students toward themselves, society, and the environment. This approach aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land) by fostering a deeper connection between individuals and the natural world.

What are the suggestions?

Integrated approach

• To accelerate the progress towards achieving the 2030 agenda, the 56,205 higher educational institutions and universities in India should work together.

Multidisciplinary outlook

• Universities should come out reinvigorated and play a part in the education, innovation, culture, and civic life of their local communities. 

• Community health, energy-saving measures, efficient resource allocation, waste reduction, development of local skills, as well as the sharing of services, infrastructure, and facilities with other universities or external partners should become a culture in universities.

Strengthening the research-teaching nexus

• Universities should strengthen the research-teaching nexus in university education. 

• That way, students will become direct benefactors of the knowledge generated from research.

Adopting sustainability as a mantra

• It is high time that universities adopted sustainability as a mantra and incorporated SDGs into their institutional strategies, both in daily administration and in teaching and research. 

Role in socio-economic development

• It has been realised that higher education cannot work in isolation; rather it must be directly integrated with socio-economic development where each activity and transaction has meaningful and multiple impacts on SDGs. 

• Every citizen must feel that the universities contribute directly to their well-being and nation-building.

Need of achieving SDGs

• SDGs are a matter of urgency, and actions by all countries, both developed and developing, to end poverty and other socio-economic and environmental problems should align with strategies that improve the standard of life and education, reduce inequality, and harness economic growth.

Attaining Goals for “Life on Land”

• Innovative solutions and start-ups (SDG 9) must be developed in collaboration with private companies. 

• Introducing Value-Based Education (VBE) will help citizens become responsible towards self, society, and the planet and help our nation achieve “Life on Land” (SDG15).

Conclusion

• India's dedication to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably within higher education through the National Education Policy of 2020, marks a significant stride towards realizing the 2030 agenda. To expedite advancement, universities should adopt sustainability as a core principle and seamlessly integrate the SDGs into their daily functions. In doing so, they can assume a central role in tackling urgent global issues and securing a more promising future for everyone.

Context: Recently, the Centre has announced the setting up of a new government platform for youth development. Named as ‘Mera Yuva Bharat’ or MY Bharat, the platform is aimed at developing leadership skills among youth to make them social innovators and leaders in the communities.

About Mera Yuva Bharat Platform

• This body will be established for youth-led development and to provide equitable access to the youth.

• This will serve as an overarching enabling mechanism powered by technology for youth development and youth led development.

• It is an autonomous body to serve as an overarching enabling mechanism powered by technology for youth development youth led development.

• It provides equitable access to youth to actualize their aspirations and build Viksit (advanced) Bharat across the entire spectrum of the Government.

• The primary objective of Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) is to make it a whole of Government platform for youth development.

• It will benefit the youth in the age group of 15-29 years, which is in line with the definition of ‘Youth’ in the National Youth Policy.

• The country has around 40 crore people in the age group of 15-29 years.

• In case of programme components specifically meant for the adolescents, the beneficiaries will be in the age group of 10-19 years.

• It will centralize youth database and offer suitable opportunities to engage in voluntary work across the country.

• It will act as a one-stop shop for young people and various central government ministries.

• Under this platform there will be no financial remuneration.

Mera Yuva Bharat (MY Bharat) would lead to:

• Leadership Development in the Youth,

• Better alignment between youth aspirations and community needs,

• Enhanced efficiency through Convergence of existing programmes,

• Improved two-way communication to connect youth government initiatives and activities of other stakeholder that engage with youth and

• Ensuring accessibility by creating a physical ecosystem.

Need for Mera Yuva Bharat

• India’s youth are to play a critical role in defining the future of the nation -especially at the pivotal juncture of India’s 75 years of independence.

• Vision 2047 requires a framework that can bring rural youth, urban youth and Rurban youth under a single platform.

• The existing schemes of Department were designed and launched at different points in time over the last 50 years with the then prevailing understanding of needs of rural youth in our society.

• The dynamic shifts in the urban-rural landscape have necessitated a re-evaluation of these approaches.

• It is imperative to create a framework that unites rural, urban, and rurban youth on a common platform.

• Mera Yuva Bharat can help to create such a framework.

• There is a need to establish a new contemporary technology led platform for the Government to engage with the present-day youth.

• In today's fast-paced world, characterized by rapid communication, the prevalence of social media, a technology driven platform can connect youth to programs.

• It can help them improve their capabilities and also connect them with community activities. It would help to increase the Youth outreach efforts of the Department of Youth Affairs.

Ensuring accessibility by creating a phygital ecosystem

• The Mera Yuva Bharat platform will create and sustain such a phygital eco-system and empower young individuals to become catalysts for community transformation.

Additional Facts

• Phygital: (physical plus digital).

• Recently, a web portal of the Department of Youth Affairs, yuva.gov.in, hosted a nation-wide program called “Meri Maati Mera Desh” in which 50 million young people participated.

• It helped to plant 23 million saplings to create Amrit Vatikas pan-India.

Context: With a rank of 111th India slips four places in global hunger index rankings; govt criticises report. Previously, India ranked 107th out of 121 countries in 2022.

• The country's Ministry of Women and Child Development has said that the rankings are "flawed" and did not depict India's true position.

About Global Hunger Index

• The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool for comprehensively measuring and tracking hunger at global, regional, and national levels.

GHI scores are based on the values of four component indicators:

1. Undernourishment

2. Child stunting

3. Child wasting

4. Child mortality

• The GHI score is calculated on a 100-point scale reflecting the severity of hunger - zero is the best score (implies no hunger) and 100 is the worst.

• The GHI is prepared by European NGOs of Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe.

• The GHI is an annual report and each set of GHI scores uses data from a 5-year period.  The 2023 GHI scores are calculated using data from 2018 through 2022.

Key Findings

• The Global Hunger Index (GHI) is a tool for comprehensively measuring and tracking hunger at global, regional, and national levels.

• With a score of 28.7 in the Global Hunger Index-2023, India has a level of hunger that is serious, according to a report based on the index.

• The 2023 GHI score for the world is 18.3, considered moderate and less than one point below the world's 2015 GHI score of 19.1.

• India ranked 111th out of 125 countries in the Global Hunger Index-2023 with the country reporting the highest child wasting rate at 18.7 per cent.

• According to the index, the rate of undernourishment in India stood at 16.6 per cent and under-five mortality at 3.1 per cent.

• The report also said that the prevalence of anaemia in women aged between 15 and 24 years stood at 58.1 per cent.

• The 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) shows that, after many years of advancement up to 2015, progress against hunger worldwide remains largely at a standstill.

• Furthermore, since 2017 the prevalence of undernourishment, one of the indicators used in the calculation of GHI scores, has been on the rise, and the number of undernourished people has climbed from 572 million to about 735 million, the index said.

Global

• India's neighbouring countries Pakistan (102th), Bangladesh (81st), Nepal (69th) and Sri Lanka (60th) have fared better than it in the index.

• South Asia and Africa South of the Sahara are the world regions with the highest hunger levels, with a GHI score of 27 each, indicating serious hunger.

• "India has the highest child wasting rate in the world, at 18.7 per cent, reflecting acute undernutrition,” the report based on the index stated. Wasting is measured based on children's weight relative to their height.

Government Stance

• The GHI continues to be a flawed measure of hunger and does not reflect India’s true position. The index is an erroneous measure of hunger and suffers from serious methodological issues. 

• Three out of the four indicators used for the calculation of the index are related to the health of children and cannot be representative of the entire population. 

• The fourth and most important indicator Proportion of Undernourished population (PoU) is based on an opinion poll conducted on a very small sample size of 3,000.

• As the demand for food continues to increase, UN officials say that up to 783 million people — one in 10 of the world’s population — go to bed hungry every night. More than 345 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity this year, an increase of almost 200 million people from early 2021 before the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Indian government continues to prioritize nutrition initiatives. Over 1.39 milllion Anganwadi centres have joined the Poshan Tracker ICT application, aiding more than 100.3 million beneficiaries.

• Moreover, India introduced the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) in light of the pandemic-led economic disruptions, providing over 111.8 million tonne of food grains in 28 months to nearly 800 million beneficiaries.

Context: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed concerns about the impact of the West Asia conflict on the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

• The conflict between Israel and Palestine has raised fears related to fuel prices, food security, and supply chain disruptions.

• The Finance Minister assured that IMEC plans remain unaffected and discussed the issue at the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors (FMCBG) meeting in Marrakech.

The Corridor

• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Project was signed at the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

• The project forms part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII). PGII is a values-driven, high-impact, and transparent infrastructure partnership to meet the enormous infrastructure needs of low and middle-income countries.

The proposed IMEC will consist of railroad, ship-to-rail networks and road transport routes extending across two corridors, that is, 

• The East Corridor – connecting India to the Arabian Gulf

• The Northern Corridor – connecting the Gulf to Europe

• The IMEC corridor will also include an electricity cable, a hydrogen pipeline and a high-speed data cable.

Objective

• It aims to create a comprehensive transportation network, comprising rail, road, and sea routes, connecting India, the Middle East, and Europe.

• It aims to enhance transportation efficiency, reduce costs, increase economic unity, generate employment, and lower Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

• It is expected to transform the integration of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East by facilitating trade and connectivity.

Significance

• The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor is a significant economic initiative that can have far-reaching implications for regional trade and economic development.

• The global concerns related to fuel and food security have broader implications for the stability of the global economy and the well-being of populations.

Key Solution

IMEC Resilience

• Efforts should be made to ensure the resilience of IMEC to external factors, including conflicts in the region.

• Diversification of trade routes and supply sources can enhance the corridor’s stability.

Global Coordination

• The international community, including G20 nations, should work together to address concerns related to fuel and food security.

• Collaborative efforts can help stabilize global markets and ensure the availability of essential commodities.

Economic Growth and Investment

• While higher interest rates can impact investment flows in emerging markets, the Finance Minister emphasized the importance of recognizing these economies as growth engines.

• Investment decisions should not be solely influenced by high-interest rates, as these markets offer substantial growth opportunities.

Conclusion

• The Finance Minister’s assurance that the West Asia conflict will not affect IMEC is a positive sign for the continued development of this crucial economic corridor. However, global concerns related to fuel and food security highlight the need for international cooperation to address potential disruptions and ensure the stability of global markets. Recognizing emerging markets as growth engines is essential for sustaining investment flows and economic growth.

Context: In a major relief to Telangana, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has ruled that the Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) belongs to Telangana.

Key Points

• The Union Ministry’s recent communication to the Governments of the two Telugu States Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, brings to an end the stalemate prevailing over the division of assets pertaining to the public sector mining company between the two States as part of the AP Reorganisation Act. 

• The Telangana State Government has been firm that the company belonged to it on the basis of location and this has been confirmed by the Attorney General.

• This brings to an end the stalemate prevailing over the division of assets pertaining to the public sector mining company between the two Telugu States Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as part of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. 

• The Home Ministry ruled that only one coal block Naini, which is situated in Odisha has been allocated to SCCL under the Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015. No  other coal blocks of SCCL are found in any other state.

Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL)

• Ownership: It is a Government coal mining company jointly owned by the Government of Telangana and Government of India on a 51:49 equity basis. 

• Nomenclature: It is named after the village Singareni in khammam district, Telangana where the coal mines are first noticed. Colleries means a coal mine and all the infrastructure that is part of it.

Area covered: The Singareni coal reserves stretch across 350 Km of the Pranahita – Godavari Valley of Telangana.

• The Pranahita River is the largest tributary of the Godavari River.

• The River begins at the confluence of two rivers (the Wardha and the Wainganga) on the border between the states of Maharashtra and Telangana.

Context: Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released its World Economic Outlook 2023 titled- Navigating Global Divergence, which stated that the Indian Economy will grow faster than previously estimated.

Key Findings

• The baseline forecast is for global growth to slow from 3.5 percent in 2022 to 3.0 percent in 2023 and 2.9 percent in 2024, well below the historical (2000–19) average of 3.8 percent. 

• The global recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains slow and uneven. Despite economic resilience earlier this year, with a reopening rebound and progress in reducing inflation from last year’s peaks, it is too soon to take comfort.

• The Chinese economy is expected to grow at 5% in 2023, which is higher than the 3% it grew at in 2022.

• The IMF's October forecast for China’s 2023 and 2024 growth is 20 and 30 basis points lower than its July projections, which suggests that the world's second largest economy might be losing momentum.

• The IMF expects Global inflation in 2024 to rise at 5.8%, faster than the 5.2% estimated three months and these projections do not reflect events of the weekend and their fallout.

• Growth has lagged on account of Tight Monetary Policies as central banks have kept money supply tight to fight Inflation which rose to 8.7% in 2022.

• And it has logged on account of an uneven recovery from the pandemic and supply chain disruptions caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

• Investment is lower than pre-pandemic levels, influenced by higher interest rates and stricter lending conditions.

• The IMF advises countries to rebuild fiscal buffers against future shocks.

• The chance of growth falling below 2% is seen at 15%, with more downside than upside risks for 2024.

Key Recommendations

• Encourage business investment to boost economic growth, as seen in the US, where stronger business investment has contributed to the upgraded growth forecast.

• Economic divergence across major economies, particularly in the eurozone, should be closely monitored, and the factors causing contraction or slower growth in certain regions need to be addressed.

• Exercise caution in managing inflation and monetary policy. The IMF emphasized that globally synchronized central bank tightening is essential to control inflation and maintain economic stability.

About International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• The IMF is an international organization that promotes global economic growth and financial stability, encourages international trade, and reduces poverty.

• It was set up in 1945 out of the Bretton Woods conference.

• Originally, the primary goal of the IMF was to bring about international economic coordination to prevent competing currency devaluation by countries trying to promote their own exports.

• Eventually, it evolved to be a lender of last resort to governments of countries that had to deal with severe currency crises.

Reports by International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• Global Financial Stability Report.

• World Economic Outlook.

It is usually published twice a year in the months of April and October.

Context: Recently, a publication, titled “Rescuing Ganges river dolphins (Platanista gangetica) from irrigation canals in Uttar Pradesh, North India, 2013-2020”, has revealed that 19 Gangetic river dolphins had been rescued from the irrigation canals of the Ganga-Ghagra basin in Uttar Pradesh between 2013 and 2020.

Rescue Operations Conducted in the Ganga-Ghagra Basin

• Between 2013 and 2020, 24 rescue operations were conducted in the Ganga-Ghagra basin in Uttar Pradesh to rescue Gangetic river dolphins from irrigation canals.

• Out of these operations, 19 were successful in rescuing dolphins, while five dolphins unfortunately died during the rescue efforts.

• Demographics: The rescued dolphins included 14 females and 10 males. The total body length (TBL) of the dolphins ranged from 128 cm to 275 cm, with variations between male and female dolphins.

Key findings

• 24 rescue operations had been conducted from 2013 to 2020 (19 successful rescue operations) and five dolphins had died.

• Dams and barrages had severely affected this habitat as dolphins moved into irrigation canals where they were at a risk of injury or death from multiple factors, such as rapidly receding waters, heat stroke and human interferences.

• The dolphins may either stray into the canal while following prey upstream or get flushed into the canal by a sudden discharge of water from the barrage gates.

• Over 70% of entrapments were reported either post monsoon or during peak winter.

How Ganga-Ghagra Basin poses threats to Gangetic River Dolphins?

• Habitat Fragmentation: Dams, barrages, and irrigation canals fragment the natural habitat of the Gangetic river dolphins. These structures disrupt the continuity of river systems and can isolate dolphin populations. As a result, dolphins may find themselves confined to the canals, limiting their access to their natural river habitats.

• Risk of Entrapment: The canals create artificial waterways that may lead dolphins away from their natural river channels. These dolphins can become trapped in the canals, as the structures may not provide easy exit points for them. The confined spaces of the canals increase the risk of dolphins getting stuck, unable to return to the main river.

• For example: In the recent operation the entrapment of dolphins over 70% was reported primarily post-monsoon or during peak winter, indicating a connection between straying incidents and water release into canals after the monsoon. The other 30% of dolphins were rescued during peak summer when water levels fall and the minimum water flow is maintained.

• Rapidly Receding Waters: Irrigation canals are designed to transport water for agricultural purposes, and water levels can fluctuate rapidly. Dolphins may enter canals following prey or other factors and may not anticipate sudden changes in water levels. When water levels drop rapidly, dolphins can become stranded or injured.

• Heat Stroke: Canals in the Ganga-Ghagra Basin can be exposed to intense sunlight, leading to elevated water temperatures. Dolphins are sensitive to temperature changes, and exposure to hot water can cause heat stroke and distress, potentially leading to injuries or fatalities.

• Human Interference: The presence of humans in and around canals can pose threats to dolphins. Activities such as fishing, boat traffic, and watercraft collisions can harm dolphins directly or disrupt their behavior.

• Limited Prey Base: The canals may not provide an ideal environment for the dolphins' natural prey, which includes fish. Limited food availability in the canals can lead to malnutrition and decreased reproductive success among dolphin populations.

• Seasonal Water Flow: Seasonal changes in water flow, such as during the monsoon or dry seasons, can influence the movement of dolphins. Water releases into canals during the monsoon may attract dolphins, but subsequent decreases in water flow can result in entrapment.

About Ghagra River Basin

• The river begins on the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet, in the Mapchachungo glaciers, at an elevation of about 3962 meters.

• The river flows south through Nepal as the Karnali River, passing through one of Nepal's most desolate and unexplored regions.

• The Seti River, which drains the western part of the catchment and joins the Karnali River in Doti north of Dundras Hill, is a 202-kilometer-long stream that feeds this river.

• The Bheri River, which runs for 264 kilometres through the eastern part of the Catchment and converges with the Karnali River near Kuineghat in Surkhet, is another feeder stream.

Key Facts

• Ghagra is the Left-Bank tributary of Ganga.

• Rara National Park and Royal Bardia Wildlife Park are two other parks along the river's banks of Ghagra River.

Global efforts to protect dolphins

• In 2016, the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) scientific committee recognized that both Ganges and Indus river dolphins require prompt and coordinated action to protect them from imminent threats.

• In 2017, the IWC created the Asian River Dolphin Task Team (AR-TT) to identify information gaps and research priorities and develop concerted action for the protection of the Ganges and Indus river species in their range.

Initiatives of the Government to Protect Dolphins in India

• National Dolphin Research Centre (NDRC): It is on the 4,400 square metre plot of land on the premises of Patna University for the conservation of the endangered Gangetic river dolphin.

• Dolphin Sanctuary: The Vikramshila Ganges Dolphin Sanctuary has been established in Bihar.

• National Ganga River Dolphin Day: On October 5, the National Mission for Clean Ganga observes National Ganga River Dolphin Day.

• Conservation Action Plan for the Ganges River Dolphin 2010-2020, which "identified threats to Gangetic Dolphins and the impact of river traffic, irrigation canals, and prey depletion on Dolphin populations."

• Project Dolphin: Project Dolphin is a conservation effort for Ganges river dolphins and the riverine ecosystem, by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. It entails conducting systematic status assessments of target species and potential threats in order to develop and implement a conservation action plan.

Ganges river dolphins (Platanista gangetica)

• The Ganges river dolphin can only live in freshwater and is essentially blind.

• They hunt by emitting ultrasonic sounds or by echolocation.

• They are frequently found alone or in small groups, and generally a mother and calf travel together.

• Females are larger than males and give birth once every two to three years to only one calf.

• Gangetic dolphins are the National aquatic animal of India.

• National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has accorded the 5th October as National Dolphin Day in 2022.

Conservation Status

The Ganges river dolphin is in;

• Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972,

• Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

• Appendix 1 of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and

• It is as “endangered” on the IUCN Red List.

Context: More than half of India’s natural systems are threatened by invasive plant species, a new study highlighted. About 66 per cent of the country’s natural systems are threatened with invasive species, according to the report published in the Journal of Applied Ecology. 

• The study offered the first account indicating distribution status of high-concern invasive plants spread across the country.

Key Findings

• It noted that 158,000 plots in 358,000 square kilometres of wild area are invaded by alien species. 

• The 11 high-concern invasive plant species that showed presence in 20 states of the country included Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora and Chromolaena odorata.

• The sampling effectively covered 31 percent of savannas, 51 percent of dry deciduous forests, 40 percent of moist deciduous forests, 29 percent of semi-evergreen forests, 44 percent of evergreen forests and 33 percent of moist grassland savannas.

• The findings from the core tiger populated regions become significant, as the survival of apex predators like tigers depends on abundance of herbivores, which in turn depend on habitats free from the negative impacts of plant invasions. 

• The study estimated that loss due to biological invasions would cost the Indian economy up to $182.6 billion. 

• High concern invasive plants were recorded in 22 percent natural areas and predicted to potentially threaten 66 percent of natural areas. 

• The data indicated that invasive cover increases with temperatures up to a threshold and declines with increasing rainfall, seasonal vegetation opening and human modification index.

• Human modification index is based on 13 anthropogenic sensors that provide a cumulative measure on impact of the human modification of terrestrial lands across the globe.

• The study pointed out that Lantana camara had the largest expanse spread across 574,186 square kilometres, covering 50 percent of natural areas occurring across all natural systems.

• Mikania micrantha had comparatively least expanse stretching over an area of 148,286 square km, covering 13 percent of the natural area.

• Most species depicted the eco-climatic affinity of these plants.

• 94 percent invasion of Prosopis juliflora coincided with dry grassland savannas and dry deciduous forests. 

• Species like Senna tora, Xanthium strumarium and Mesosphaerum suaveolens were predominant in dry savannas and deciduous forests, whereas Mikania micrantha and Ageratina adenophora were distributed in moist grasslands and evergreen forests. 

Affected Areas

• Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in Western Ghats was one of the largest impacted hotspot areas due to invasion dominated by Lantana camara, Prosopis juliflora and Chromolaena odorata. 

• Besides, Southern Eastern Ghats were found to host the most densely invaded landscapes with maximum vegetation of Prosopis juliflora and Lantana camara. 

• Fragmented forests of Central Indian Highlands were also largely and densely invaded forest systems.

Driving Factors

• The scientist said that human modifications, shifting soil moisture regime, historical propagation of invasive plants and altered cycles of natural disturbances are the main driving factors behind the invasions.

• The increasing work population densities and proportional increase of demand for food, infrastructure, energy and socio-ecological drivers further threaten to intensify and possibly escalate the accelerating invasion. 

Impacts

• Increase in invasive species means loss in ecosystem services from forests.

• Further, increased propagules from invasive plants can give rise to a new plant into agricultural areas, and will result in economic losses.

• An increase in the invasive plants which are unpalatable will translate into lack of food and result in reduced carrying capacity for herbivores, eventually causing decline and shortage of food for the apex predators.

Road Ahead

• The scientists said that all hope is not lost and strategic high-priority restoration can help manage invasions.

• Managing invasive species demands more than mere removal. It necessitates context-sensitive restoration, stakeholder participation, and adaptive holistic policies that can enable positive changes.

Context: A global assessment conducted by conservationists reveals that Earth’s amphibian species are facing a critical threat of extinction.

• The CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), along with global team of Amphibian experts have recently published the 2nd Global Amphibian Assessment Report in the journal Nature.

• The Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA) is a recurring initiative that comprehensively assesses all known amphibian species for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List).

• The “State of the World’s Amphibians: The Second Global Amphibian Assessment” is a comprehensive synthesis of the current global status of our planet’s amphibians.

Key highlights of the Report

• Amphibians (frogs, caecilians, and salamanders) are now the most threatened vertebrates in the world.

• Over 40% of all species of Amphibia are facing threats of extinction, out of 8,011 species assessed so far.

• Their status is deteriorating globally.

• 1980-2004: Disease and habitat losses have put 91% of the amphibian species to threat.

• 2004-2023: Climate change and habitat loss are the major culprits for status deterioration of 39% and 37% species studied respectively.

• Fungal diseases and climate change have been recognized to cause deterioration of 60% of the threatened species.

• CSIR-CCMB has developed a novel non-invasive diagnostic technique for detecting the fungal pathogen.

• Agriculture is the most common cause of habitat loss and degradation threatening amphibians.

• Salamanders are the most threatened of the 3 amphibian orders, with 60% of species in the three threatened Red List categories.

• North America is home to the most biodiverse community of salamanders in the world.

• Amphibians are found in all regions of the world excluding Antarctica.

• Advantages of Amphibians – Amphibians play an important role in reducing the number of insects that destroy crops and transmit diseases.

Red List Index (RLI)

• The RLI is an indicator calculated from Red List categories, which measures trends in extinction risk over time.

• RLI values range from 1 (all species are Least Concern) to 0 (all are Extinct).

• RLI was calculated for amphibians for 1980, 2004 and 2022.

• A negative RLI trend is observed in all groups with more than one RLI datapoint, indicating that the number of species in higher extinction risk categories is increasing.

Threats to Amphibians

• Agriculture

• Timber and plant harvesting

• Infrastructure development

• Pollution

• Over-exploitation

• Growing pet and wildlife trades.

• Mining/Energy production.

Context: India is embarking on a significant endeavor to launch its maiden national-level framework for providing climate services and information.

About National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS)

• NFCS draws inspiration from the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which existed during the third World Climate Conference in 2009.

• Nodal Agency: India Meteorological Department (IMD)

• The NFCS aims to provide climate information and services to various sectors, including agriculture, energy, disaster management, health, and water, to help them make informed decisions and mitigate climate risks.

• The NFCS is based on the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS), which focuses on generating high-quality climate data and information, with priority sectors including agriculture, energy, health, water, and disaster risk reduction.

• The need for NFCS arises from the gaps in weather and climate data across India, particularly in the Himalayan regions and oceans, limiting the IMD’s ability to make long-term climate predictions.

Mandate

• To strengthen the observational network on land and the seas, improve the data inflow and eventually use it to run weather and climate models for deriving climate predictions.

• To support efforts to prepare for new climate conditions and adapt to their impacts on water supplies, health risks, extreme events, farm productivity, infrastructure placement, power and energy generation, etc.

Significance

• NFCS will work in bridging functioning gaps between the various agencies who require climate services. 

• These include the hydrological, power, renewable energy, transport, dams and irrigation, health agencies are central, state and other levels.

Countries, where the NFCS implementation is in the advanced stages, include

• Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Madagascar, Moldova, Niger, Senegal, Chad, Togo, Tanzania, Vanuatu and South Africa.

Need of National Framework for Climate Services (NFCS)

• Over the decades, the Met department steadily upgraded the number of ground-based weather observation stations and radars. But, there remain many gap areas across terrains and the seas, wherein no weather data is available.

• There is a lack of long-term (100 years or more) climatological data from the Himalayan regions, the oceans, besides inexistence of radar and satellite-based climatology.

• With NFCS, the Met department aims to strengthen the observational network on land and the seas, improve the data inflow and eventually use it to run weather and climate models for deriving climate predictions.

• The framework aims to support efforts to prepare for new climate conditions and adapt to their impacts on water supplies, health risks, extreme events, farm productivity, infrastructure placement, power and energy generation and others.

Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS)

• GFCS is a partnership of governments and organizations at a global level, for the production and better usage of climate information and services. 

• Aim: To facilitate researchers and users of climate information and services to join hands to make informed and actionable decisions for long-term betterment.

• GFCS envisages to generate high-quality data from national and international databases on temperature, rainfall, wind, soil moisture and ocean conditions and other vital weather parameters. 

Major Components of GFCS

• Observations and Monitoring

• Research, Modelling and Prediction

• Climate Services Information System

• User Interface Platform 

• Capacity Building

Conclusion

• Though the idea of having NFCS in India dates back to 2008, it did not take off as desired. With climate vagaries and extreme events affecting India, and the world, becoming more frequent, the early implementation and acceleration of NFCS will be possible when planned in a mission-mode and is driven by the country’s highest decision-making office.

Context: Recently Ministers from the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDC) issued a joint Dakar Declaration on Climate Change 2023 outlining their expectation and priorities for 28th Conference of Parties (COP28).

About the Declaration

• The Dakar Declaration called for urgent global emissions reductions, increased climate finance, a strong outcome operationalising the new Loss and Damage Fund.

• Declaration has an ambitious Global Stocktake to close the gaps in global climate action.

• While least developed countries (LDCs) account for more than 14 % of the global population, they only account for about 1 % of emissions from fossil fuels and industrial processes.

• The UNFCCC centralised carbon market mechanism must also be operationalised by 2024, including the recognition of the specific needs and special circumstances of LDCs.

On the Global Stocktake,

• Call for an forward-looking ambitious outcome on the first GST at COP28 that captures the progress towards achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, and the ambition and implementation gaps that need to be closed, which include raising ambition in line with 1.5°C, mobilisation of scaled up finance, implementation of adaptation action, and loss and damage;

• Invite countries to include in their 2025 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) on how their NDCs have been informed by the GST and are aligned with pathways for limiting global warming to 1.5°C within this critical decade;

• Call for a roadmap for the period after 2023 to implement the recommendations from the first GST and offer clear steps for monitoring and ensuring accountability for actions; 

• Reiterate the call to the UN Secretary General to hold an event in 2025 for the presentation of NDCs aligned to 1.5°C pathways;

On mitigation,

• Note with serious concern the findings of IPCC AR6 SYR that global GHG emissions have continued to increase, and that global warming is rapidly approaching 1.5°C;

• Emphasize the findings of IPCC AR6 SYR that limiting warming to 1.5°C requires rapid, deep, and immediate GHG emissions reductions in all sectors, with global GHG emissions peaking before 2025, reducing 43% of emissions by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, and reaching net zero CO2 emissions by 2050;

• Urge all Parties, in particular major emitters, to urgently and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and to revisit and strengthen the 2030 targets in their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to align them with their fair share of the global effort required to limit warming to 1.5°C;

• Note that many LDCs have high renewable energy potential, including solar and wind, and call for climate finance to support the development of these resources in LDCs;

• Calls upon the Sharm el-Sheikh Mitigation Ambition and Implementation Work Programme to help identify drivers, challenges and barriers, as well as create enabling conditions for effective implementation of mitigation actions through the mobilisation of adequate support, particularly for the implementation of conditional NDCs; and investment focused events should leverage funding from public, private and multilateral funders, while ensuring that LDCs are not left behind; and supports the commitment to tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency investment by 2030, particularly in LDCs;

• Affirms that the just transition is crucial for LDCs and that this is a cross-cutting issue linked to adaptation, mitigation, finance, loss and damage, technology development and transfer and capacity building; and stresses that resources are crucial to achieving a just transition, particularly for LDCs, to ensure that no one is left behind and avoid increasing debt stress;

On adaptation,

• Note with serious concern the findings of IPCC AR6 SYR that adaptation gaps exist, and will continue to grow at current rates of implementation; and that current global financial flows for adaptation are insufficient for, and constrain implementation of, adaptation options, especially in developing countries;

• Call on developed country Parties to present a clear road map on delivery of at least doubling adaptation finance delivered by 2025, through public, grant based finance;

• Call for equitable support under the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with a guaranteed funding allocation for the implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) for LDCs;

• Recognise the importance of the global goal on adaptation (GGA) for effective implementation of the Paris Agreement and call for finalizing the framework at COP28 with an overarching target, as well as targets against the dimension and themes and indicators that would operationalize the GGA including relevant targets on Means of Implementation;

• Request the LDC expert group on Climate Change (LEG) to continue strengthening support to LDC countries to finalize their NAPs formulation and assist in developing bankable projects to swiftly move towards implementation;

On loss and damage,

• Note with urgency the findings of IPCC AR6 SYR that some climate impacts are already so severe that they cannot be adapted to, leading to loss and damage; that vulnerable communities who have contributed the least to current climate change are disproportionately affected; and that even effective adaptation does not prevent all loss and damage;

• Note the work done by the Transitional Committee on the operationalisation of the loss and damage fund;

• Call on all Parties to ensure that the Loss and Damage Fund is operationalized at COP28 as an operating entity of the Financial Mechanism of the Convention, serving the Paris Agreement, and that the Fund assists developing countries particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change to respond to economic and non-economic loss and damage arising from climate-induced extreme weather events and slow onset events, in the context of ongoing and ex post action;

• Emphasize the need to ensure simplified and equitable access to the Loss and Damage Fund for LDCs to ensure that no country is left behind due to capacity and data constraints, and to ensure grant-based financing for LDCs that does not exacerbate already significant debt burdens;

• Call on developed country Parties to make substantial and adequate pledges to capitalize the new Loss and Damage Fund at COP28;

• Encourage Parties to work together to operationalize the Santiago Network for Loss and Damage (SNLD) at COP28; 

• Stress that the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM) remains under dual governance of the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement.

On climate finance

• Note with serious concern the existing climate finance gap between support provided and mobilized by developed countries and support needed by developing countries; and call for parties to agree on a definition of climate finance;

• Note with concern that climate finance has predominantly taken the form of loans rather than grants, prioritizes mitigation over adaptation, and is not reaching LDCs at the scale necessary;

• Call upon developed countries to urgently scale up climate finance to make up for the shortfall caused by failure to deliver US $100 billion a year by 2020 and through 2025;

• Call upon developed countries to significantly scale up support for implementing National Adaptation plans and adaptation actions and deliver their commitment to double adaptation finance by 2025;

• Urge developed countries and financial institutions to enhance the quality of climate finance, including by substantially increasing the share of grants and making further efforts for improving access;

• Note with concern that the LDCs continue to experience unique challenges, complexities and delays in accessing climate finance that require further consideration;

• Stress that the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) should provide new and additional resources, be many times higher than its $100 billion per year floor, based on science and address the needs of developing countries to implement their adaptation and mitigation actions, and address loss and damage, also considering technology transfer and development and capacity building;

• Call upon Parties to make good progress in COP28 to facilitate a adopting an ambitious New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance in 2024;

• Call for ambitious pledges to the second replenishment of the GCF; and emphasize that sufficient funds must be allocated by the GCF to LDCs in the form of grants;

On remaining work on implementation,

• Underscore the importance of operationalising the UNFCCC centralised carbon market mechanism in 2024, including recognition of the specific needs and special circumstances of LDCs and operationalisation of the capacity building programme of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement;

• Note with concern the vulnerability of agriculture to the impacts of climate change and call for addressing these in order to ensure food security in LDCs;

• Note the need to implement the Gender Action Plan (GAP), including support Gender Focal Points on Climate Change in their roles;

• Recognise the role of the Enhanced Transparency Framework plays in enhancing ambition and building trust among Parties and emphasize the urgent need for financial and technical support for reporting, and for capacity-building with specific considerations for LDCs;

Context: A new study has found that overlapping prey availability or habitat suitability could dictate a positive association between dholes and tigers, facilitating coexistence or even cooperative behaviours between the two species of carnivores.

Key findings and conclusions of a study

• To assess the relative abundance index, habitat use and factors (space and time) influencing dhole co-existence with other sympatric carnivores in Manas National Park.

• The global population of adult dholes is estimated to be between 949 and 2,215 individuals, scattered in localized areas of India and Thailand. 

• Diurnal activity of the dholes had the highest temporal overlap with leopards and the lowest with clouded leopards. 

• The dhole or Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus) is the only endangered wild pack-living canid in the tropical Indian forests and is considered at high risk of extinction.

• Factors such as habitat loss, declining prey availability, persecution, disease, and interspecific competition have contributed to the ongoing fragmentation of dhole’s populations.    

Significance of this study

• The study highlights the importance of good habitats and forests, such as Manas National Park, as wildlife mega-cities or hotspots that provide various niches and possibilities.

• Any disruption to such ecological balance could have far-reaching consequences.

Asiatic Wild Dog or Dhole (Cuon alpinus)

• Dhole is a member of the dog or canid family that also includes wolves, foxes, coyotes, jackals and domestic dogs. 

Geographical Spread

• Global: Historically, dholes purportedly occurred throughout southern Russia, all across central Asia, south Asia and southeast Asia.

• India: Western and Eastern Ghats, central Indian landscape and North East India.

Conservation Status

• IUCN List of Threatened Species: Endangered

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES): Appendix II

• Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule II

Context: Arunachal Yak churpi has recently received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which will boost the hairy bovine species' conservation.

• Earlier Khaw Tai (Khamti rice) and Tangsa textile of Arunachal Pradesh have also obtained GI Tag.

About the Arunachal Yak churpi

• It is a naturally fermented cheese prepared from milk of Arunachali yak, reared in the high-altitude areas in Arunachal Pradesh.

• It is slightly sour and salty but rich in protein and protect against cold and hypoxia (state in which sufficient oxygen is not available).

• It is used as a substitute for vegetables by tribal yak herders in the vegetation-starved cold and hilly mountainous regions of the state.

• It is also mixed in vegetables or meat curry and is eaten with rice as a staple food in the tribal households.

• It is considered an integral part of the tangible cultural and tribal heritage of Arunachal Pradesh. 

About Arunachali yaks

• Yaks are reared in high altitude areas in the Himalayan region but the Arunachali yaks are a unique breed in respect to their body shape, size, strain and weight.

• Arunachali yaks are also the only registered yak breed in India.

• There are nearly 1,000 Arunachali yak herders, mainly belonging to the Brokpa and Monpa tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. 

• The breed is reared by tribal yak pastoralists who migrate along with their yaks to higher reaches during summers and descend to mid-altitude mountainous regions during winters.

• Yak milk is sweet and rich in protein, fat, lactose, minerals and have more solid than cow milk. 

Its milk is processed into traditional products like chhurpi (wet soft cheese), churkam (hard cheese) and Mar (butter) among others.
About other GI products:
Khaw Tai:
The Khaw Tai is a chewy sticky rice variety cultivated by traditional Khampti tribal farmers.
When it is steamed and made into a roll and wrapped in a leaf, it is called khautoum. 
A variant of this is the ball-shaped khautek, which is roasted sticky Khaw Tai blended with molasses.
Khaupuk is made with sticky rice and sesame seeds and thus forms a staple Khampti snack.
Tangsa textile:
Textile products of the Tangsa tribe of Changlang district are famous for their exotic designs and colours.

Context: Recently, The European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite has detected a  26 million square kilometer giant hole in the ozone layer.

• Satellite measurements conducted over Antarctica have unveiled a gigantic hole in the ozone layer.

• Termed an “ozone-depleted area,” this region spans 26 million square kilometers (10 million square miles), approximately three times the size of Brazil.

About an Ozone Layer

• The ozone layer is a trace gas in the stratosphere, one of the four layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. It is found between 15 to 35 kilometers above Earth.

• Ozone creation: Ozone is composed of three atoms of Oxygen.The production of ozone in the stratosphere results primarily from the breaking of the chemical bonds within oxygen molecules (O2) by high-energy solar photons. This process, called photodissociation, results in the release of single oxygen atoms, which later join with intact oxygen molecules to form ozone.

• Good and Bad Ozone: Stratospheric ozone (Good Ozone) is formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2).

• Tropospheric or ground-level ozone (Bad Ozone), what humans breathe, is formed primarily from photochemical reactions between (VOC & NOX).

• Significance: It functions as a protective gas shield that absorbs ultraviolet radiation, protecting humans and ecosystems from dangerous amounts of UV radiation causing skin cancers.

About Ozone hole

• By 1984, the ozone layer over Antarctica’s Halley Bay research station had lost one-third of its thickness compared to previous decades.

• The thinning of the ozone layer over Antarctica, came to be known as the ozone hole. The hole was caused by widespread use of chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons.

• Ozone Depletion: When chlorine and bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed from the stratosphere. Ozone can be destroyed more quickly than it is naturally created.

What caused the Ozone hole this year?

• The size of the ozone hole over Antarctica fluctuates each year. The ozone hole opens up because of the rotation of the Earth causing special winds over the closed landmass of Antarctica. The winds create a mini climate, creating a shield over Antarctica preventing it from mixing with surrounding air. When the winds die down, the hole closes.

• Scientists believe this year’s big ozone hole could be due to the Hunga-Tonga- Hunga -Ha’apai volcanic eruptions. This eruption sent a lot of water vapor into the stratosphere.The water had an impact on the ozone layer through chemical reactions and changed its heating rate.

Conventions for Protection of Ozone layer

• Vienna Convention:  First convention for the protection of the Ozone layer.

• To promote cooperation among nations by exchanging information on the effects of human activities.

• Montreal Protocol: Adopted in 1987, on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. The landmark multilateral environmental agreement regulates the production and consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting substances (ODS).

• Kigali Agreement: Around 197 countries, including India, China and the USA, agreed at Kigali to reduce the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by roughly 85% of their baselines by 2045, by amending the 1987 Montreal Protocol.

Know About UV Radiation

• Shorter wavelengths than visible light, not visible from naked eyes.

Classified into three types as per wavelength: UV-A, UV-B and UV-C

• UV-A: Long-wavelength, 95% of the UV radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, high penetration power.

• UV-B:  Short-wavelength that reaches the outer layer of your skin (the epidermis),  Absorbed by the Earth’s ozone layer.

• UV-C: UVC radiation is the highest energy portion of the UV radiation spectrum; Blocked by the ozone layer.

Context: Recently, Chungthang dam of Sikkim has been collapsed due to the abrupt eruption of South Lhonak Lake, triggering a surge in water levels, within the Teesta river. 

• In response to this, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has planned to install early warning systems for real-time alerts at most of 56 at-risk glacial lakes in India.

What are the causes of disaster in Sikkim?

• The 3 main causes of disaster in Sikkim are- a cloud burst, a GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood), and the earthquakes in nearby regions. 

• Cloudburst is a sudden, very heavy rainfall, usually local in nature and of brief duration. 

• GLOF is a type of flood that occurs when a dam containing a glacial lake collapses.

• The glacial lakes, formed by the embankment of unstable moraines, can burst due to various triggers, including heavy rainfall, avalanches, rockfalls, landslides and earthquakes.

• Rising temperatures are contributing to climate change led extreme events, including melting of glaciers, which increases the chances of GLOF.

• GLOFs can be unpredictable when there is a lack of sufficient data on rainfall intensity, location of landslide, impounded volume, physical condition of lakes and water bodies. 

• The fragility of the Himalayan ecosystem is disturbed through hydropower and other dams.

• Any hydroelectric project situated downstream of unstable lakes are at the risk of being washed away, posing potential dangers to human lives

How was South Lhonak Lake formed?

• South Lhonak Lake is a moraine-dammed lake, that was formed due to the melting of the Lhonak glacier.

• Moraine is the accumulation of rock debris carried by glaciers or ice sheets.

• When these moraines accumulate at the glacier’s edge, marking its maximum extent, they create a terminal moraine.

• If a terminal moraine obstructs the outflow of meltwater from the valley, it forms a moraine-dammed lake.

How South Lhonak Lake poses danger?

• South Lhonak Lake is one of the rapidly expanding lakes in the Sikkim, and its growth is inversely related to the accelerated melting of the Lhonak glacier resulting from global warming.

• When the lake bursts, it releases a massive amount of water all at once, causing flash floods downstream. 

• The Himalayan region already has more pronounced geological activity, which may trigger its expansion.

What are the solutions to avoid such disasters in future?

• Reducing the number of large hydroelectric project in the fragile regions or the risk prone zones are the key to reduce similar potential disasters.

• This is despite the Sikkim having large potential for generating power by utilising the fast-flowing rivers in the Himalayan mountains.

• As global warming is causing glaciers to melt and increasing water pressure in glacial lakes, reducing the emission is one potential solution.

• Achieving net-zero emissions requires all governments to enhance their Nationally Determined Contributions and take immediate steps to reduce emissions.

• Controlled breaching of hazardous glacial lakes: An outflow channel can be excavated using explosives, which can erode the moraine wall, causing a fast lowering of the lake level.

• Pumping out the water from the lake: The use of a turbine, propelled by the water force at the outside of the moraine dam, will lower the energy costs.

• Making a tunnel through the moraine dam: Tunnelling can only be carried out through competent rock beneath or beside a moraine dam.

By ensuring the compliance with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 to which India is a signatory-

• The Sendai Framework aims to achieve reduction of disaster risk and losses in lives, livelihoods and health and in the economic, physical, social, cultural and environmental assets of persons, businesses, communities and countries.

• It outlines 7 targets and 4 priorities for action to reduce existing disaster risks.

Other key facts

• Chungthang dam is situated at the confluence point for the Lachen River and the Lachung River, which together forms the Teesta River.

• Lachen River originates from the South Lhonak Lake.

Context: The Dandeli forest in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district, known for its diverse wildlife and ecosystem, faces substantial environmental shifts due to changing climate patterns and human interventions.

About Dandeli Forest

• Dandeli forest is located in the Uttara Kannada district of Karnataka and is part of the Western Ghats, a globally recognized biodiversity hotspot.

• The forest is known for its rich biodiversity, including a diverse range of flora and fauna, making it an important wildlife habitat.

• The Kali Tiger Reserve is a protected area adjacent to the Dandeli Forest.

• The Tiger Reserve comprises two important protected areas of the region viz., Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and Anshi National Park.

Concerns related to the Dandeli Forest Ecosystem

Impact of Climate Change

• Changing rainfall patterns and rising temperatures due to climate change have led to alterations in the forest ecosystem and a decrease in grasses in recent years.

Invasive Species - Eupatorium Weed

• The invasive eupatorium weed is replacing native grasses in the forest undergrowth, impacting herbivores as it is not a preferred food source and is susceptible to fires.

Historical Changes

• Historical changes, including forest transformations during the colonial era, have affected the forest's character, changing it from semi-evergreen to moist deciduous forests.

Forest Fires and Environmental Impact

• The suppression of controlled fires (Slash and Burn) during the British era and the introduction of non-native eupatorium weed have led to uncontrolled forest fires, affecting the forest ecosystem.

Impact on Herbivores and Predators

• Decreased grasses have impacted the herbivore population, influencing the prey base for predators like leopards and tigers, resulting in increased conflicts with humans and predation on local cattle.

Conclusion

• Addressing these evolving environmental challenges necessitates urgent and sustainable conservation efforts. Adaptive strategies must be formulated to mitigate the impacts of climate change on ecosystems and the communities dependent on them.

Context: Due to the depletion of forest cover, wild animals stray into areas occupied by humans. Measures to tackle this have not been very successful, with conflicts ensuing between humans and animals.

Need to Address Global Warming and Conservation

• Escalating Global Warming Crisis:Unprecedented temperature records since July 2019 is an alarming consequence for ecosystems and agriculture.

• Developed vs. Developing Nations in Climate Responsibility: Developed nations responsible for global warming, while developing countries bear its brunt.Lack of financial aid for climate resilience hampers transition to green energy, prolonging fossil fuel dependency.

• Emphasis on Carbon Capture and Forest Conservation: To combat global warming, capturing carbon and preserving forests are crucial.

Challenges and Remedies in Forest Conservation

• Human-Induced Forest Degradation: Illicit activities like tree cutting, grazing, and encroachments degrade forests, displacing wildlife.Livestock grazing disrupts feed availability for wild animals, violating their precedence in forest use.

• Rising Human-Wildlife Conflicts: Degraded and fragmented forests prompt wildlife to stray, heightening human-wildlife clashes.

• Persistent Challenges: Encroachment clearance and native tree plantation efforts in Karnataka are commendable.Tiger and elephant population growth ahead of schedule leading to concern over diminishing habitats.

Wildlife Conservation in Forest Preservation

• Tackling Forest Fires and Climate Disruption: Forest fires are a global concern which release substantial carbon and leads to climate change and disrupts ecosystems.

• Urge for Global Collaboration: There is a need for global collaborative efforts to combat forest fires and their environmental repercussions.

• Preservation as a Symbiotic Endeavor: Forest and wildlife conservation are interdependent both must be prioritized.

Context: The cashew industry in Goa recently received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, which has significant implications for the region.

• The GI tag signifies that Goan cashews have unique characteristics and qualities due to their geographical origin.

Benefits of this tag to Goa

• The GI tag not only aims to protect the industry but also positions Goan cashews as a valuable export product. It highlights the quality and unique flavor of Goan cashews, making them attractive in international markets.

• To fully leverage the benefits of the GI tag, strict action against illegal marketing practices is crucial. Ensuring compliance with quality, packaging, and labeling standards will enhance the reputation of Goan cashews and support local cashew processors.

• The GI tag serves as a testament to the rich heritage and quality of Goan cashews, safeguarding its legacy for generations to come and boosting its presence in both domestic and international markets.

Goa’s Cashew Industry

• Introduction of Cashew in Goa: Cashew was introduced to Goa in the 16th century by Portuguese colonizers. Initially, it was primarily cultivated for afforestation and soil conservation purposes.

• Discovery of Edible Value: The true economic value of cashew nuts was discovered during Goa’s freedom movement in the mid-18th century. Goan prisoners exiled to Portuguese territory in Africa (Mozambique) recognized the edible potential of cashew nuts.

• Growth of Cashew Industry: Cashew production evolved from a cottage industry to a large-scale enterprise, driven by demand, particularly in the USA. The first cashew factory in Goa began operations in 1926, and the first consignment of cashew kernels was exported in 1930.

• Foreign Trade Contribution: By 1961, the cashew processing industry accounted for about 60% of industrial production in Goa. Cashew nuts, both locally grown and imported, were processed and exported to countries like the United States of America, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and West Germany.

Understanding the GI Tag

• The GI tag is conferred upon products originating from a specific geographical region, acting as a trademark that signifies authenticity and quality in the international market.

• Nodal Agency: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry

• India, as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO), enacted the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 w.e.f. September 2003.

• GIs have been defined under Article 22 (1) of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement.

• The tag stands valid for 10 years.

Context: Recently the Cabinet approved royalty rates for mining of 3 critical and strategic minerals such as Lithium, Niobium and Rare Earth Elements (REEs).

• For lithium and niobium a royalty rate of 3%  each has been fixed, while for Rare Earth Elements (REEs), the rate has been set at 1%.

What is a Royalty?

• A royalty is a legally binding payment made to an individual or company for the on-going use of their assets, including copyrighted works, franchises, and natural resources.

• An example of royalties would be payments received by musicians when their original songs are played on the radio or television, used in movies, performed at concerts, bars, and restaurants, or consumed via streaming services.

• In most cases, royalties are revenue generators specifically designed to compensate the owners of songs or property when they license out their assets for another party's use.

• Mineral royalties: Also called mineral rights, mineral royalties are paid by mineral extractors to property owners.

• The party that wants to extract the minerals will often pay the property owner an amount based on either revenue or units, such as barrels of oil or tons of coal.

Constituents of Royalty

• Royalty payments typically constitute a percentage of the gross or net revenues obtained from the use of property.

• However, they can be negotiated on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the wishes of both parties involved in the transaction.

• An inventor or original owner may choose to sell their product to a third party in exchange for royalties from the future revenues the product may generate.

• For example, computer manufacturers pay Microsoft Corporation royalties for the right to use its Windows operating system in the computers they manufacture.

Key Points

• Niobium also known as columbium, is a chemical element with the symbol Nb (formerly Cb) and atomic number 41.

• Niobium is a light grey, crystalline and ductile transition metal.

• Pure niobium has a hardness similar to that of pure titanium, and it has similar ductility to iron.

• Niobium is used in alloys, tools and dies and superconductive magnets.

• Niobium in one of the Critical Minerals in India.

• It is not one of the 17 rare earth elements (REE).

• The main source of Niobium element is the mineral columbite.

• This mineral also contains tantalum and the two elements are mined together.

• Columbite is found in Canada, Brazil, Australia, Nigeria and elsewhere.

• Some niobium is also produced as a by-product of tin extraction.

• The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment act, 2023 delisted 6 minerals, including Lithium and Niobium, from the list of atomic minerals.

Strategic / Critical Minerals

• Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for economic development and national security. The lack of availability of these minerals or concentration of extraction or processing in a few geographical locations may lead to supply chain vulnerabilities and even disruption of supplies.

• Critical minerals are the foundation on which modern technology is built. From solar panels to semiconductors, and wind turbines to advanced batteries for storage and transportation, the world needs critical minerals to build these products. Simply put, there is no energy transition without critical minerals, which is why their supply chain resilience has become an increasing priority for major economies.

Critical / Strategic Mineral in India and India’s Dependency on Imports

Lithium

• It is a soft, silvery metal. It has the lowest density of all metals. It reacts vigorously with water.

• The most important use of lithium is in rechargeable batteries for mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras and electric vehicles. Lithium is also used in some non-rechargeable batteries for things like heart pacemakers, toys and clocks.

• Lithium metal is made into alloys with aluminium and magnesium, improving their strength and making them lighter. A magnesium-lithium alloy is used for armour plating. Aluminium-lithium alloys are used in aircraft, bicycle frames and high-speed trains.

• Lithium oxide is used in special glasses and glass ceramics. Lithium chloride is one of the most hygroscopic materials known and is used in air conditioning and industrial drying systems (as is lithium bromide). 

• Lithium stearate is used as an all-purpose and high-temperature lubricant. Lithium carbonate is used in drugs to treat manic depression, although its action on the brain is still not fully understood. Lithium hydride is used as a means of storing hydrogen for use as a fuel.

Niobium

• A silvery metal that is very resistant to corrosion due to a layer of oxide on its surface.

• Niobium is used in alloys including stainless steel. It improves the strength of the alloys, particularly at low temperatures. Alloys containing niobium are used in jet engines and rockets, beams and girders for buildings and oil rigs, and oil and gas pipelines.

• This element also has superconducting properties. It is used in superconducting magnets for particle accelerators, MRI scanners and NMR equipment.

• Niobium oxide compounds are added to glass to increase the refractive index, which allows corrective glasses to be made with thinner lenses.

Rare Earth Elements

• The 17 rare earth elements (REE) include the 15 Lanthanides (atomic number 57 — which is Lanthanum — to 71 in the periodic table) plus Scandium (atomic number 21) and Yttrium (39). REEs are classified as light RE elements (LREE) and heavy RE elements (HREE).

• Some REEs are available in India — such as Lanthanum, Cerium, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Samarium, etc. Others such as Dysprosium, Terbium, and Europium, which are classified as HREEs, are not available in Indian deposits in extractable quantities. Hence, there is a dependence on countries such as China for HREEs, which is one of the leading producers of REEs, with an estimated 70 per cent share of the global production.

• The rare earth elements are used in Electric vehicles. They are used in motors and not the batteries. These EVs consist of a permanent magnet motor. The magnets used in these motors are made with REEs such as neodymium, terbium, and dysprosium.

Context: Ahead of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, the Baiga Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)  became the second to get habitat rights in the state, after the Kamar PVTG. 

• A total of 19 Baiga villages with a population of 6,483 people (2,085 families) have been given the habitat rights.

What are habitat rights?

Habitat rights recognition provides the community concerned rights over their

• customary territory of habitation

• socio-cultural practices

• economic and livelihood means

• intellectual knowledge of biodiversity and ecology

• traditional knowledge of use of natural resources

• protection and conservation of their natural and cultural heritage

• These rights safeguard and promote traditional livelihood and ecological knowledge passed down through generations.

• They also help converge different government schemes and initiatives from various departments to empower PVTG communities to develop their habitats.

About Baiga PVTG

• The Baiga community primarily resides in Rajnandgaon, Kawardha, Mungeli, Gaurela-Pendra-Marwahi (GPM), Manendra-Bharatpur-Chirmiri, and Bilaspur districts of the state.

• The community also lives in the adjacent districts of Madhya Pradesh.

• A total of 19 Baiga villages with a population of 6,483 people (2,085 families) have been given the habitat rights.

What does ‘habitat’ mean, under what law are such rights granted?

• Habitat rights are given to PVTGs under section 3(1) (e) [rights including community tenures of habitat and habitation for primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities] of The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 also known as the Forest Rights Act (FRA).

• According to Section 2(h) of FRA, “Habitat includes the area comprising the customary habitat and such other habitats in reserved forests and protected forests of primitive tribal groups and pre-agricultural communities and other forest dwelling Scheduled Tribes.”

How powerful are these rights?

• Forest Rights have legal protection under the Forest Conservation Act, the Land Acquisition law of 2013, and even the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities. Act.

• Grant of habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act provide an additional layer of legal protection.

• If any kind of development activity is hampering their habitat rights, the tribal group concerned can take up the matter with the administration under the Forest Rights Act, and if not resolved, the matter can be taken to court.

How many PVTG have recognised habitat rights?

• Out of 75 PVTG in India, only three have habitat rights.

• The Bharia PVTG in Madhya Pradesh was the first, followed by the Kamar tribe and now the Baiga tribe in Chhattisgarh.

About Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)

• Tribal communities who are technologically backward, who have stagnant or declining population growth, extremely low level of literacy, and a subsistence level of economy are declared as PVTG.

• PVTGs have low health indices and largely reside in isolated, remote, and difficult areas in small and scattered hamlets/habitats.

• There are 75 PVGTs in 18 states and one Union Territory.

Context: Recently, tribal people from the Hakki Pikki tribal community in Karnataka got title deeds to the land they had been cultivating for about a century. 

About Hakki Pikki Tribe

• They are a semi-nomadic tribe, traditionally bird catchers and hunters and a designated Scheduled Tribe of Karnataka.

• They mainly reside in Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) of Karnataka.

• Iruliga tribals are also present at the edge of BNP.

• In 1974, the Bannerghatta wooded area was declared as a National Park, leading to the criminalisation of these communities living on the edges of the forest.

• Hakki in Kannada means ‘bird’ and Pikki means ‘catchers’.

• They are divided into 4 clans, called Gujaratia, Panwar, Kaliwala, and Mewaras.

• There is a hierarchy among the clans, with the Gujaratia at the top and the Mewaras at the bottom.

• It is believed that their ancestral relation is with the Rana pratap Singh.

• Tribe members go to many places across the globe to sell herbal oil, especially in Africa.

Where do the Hakki Pikkis live in India?

• They are believed to hail originally from the bordering districts of Gujarat and Rajasthan.

• Reason: Women used to wear the ghagra (skirt) common in Rajasthan, although now they wear saris and other garments.

• They had arrived in Karnataka via Andhra Pradesh and are now spread across south India.

Language

• Despite being surrounded by Dravidian languages and living in southern India, the community speaks an Indo-Aryan language.

• Their mother tongue was designated as 'Vaagri' by scholars.

• UNESCO has listed 'Vaagri' as one of the endangered languages.

Rituals and customs

• The tribe follows Hindu traditions and celebrates Hindu festivals.

• The society is matriarchal, where the groom gives dowry to the bride’s family. They prefer cross-cousin marriages, with the usual age of marriage is 18 for women and 22 for men.

• The eldest son in a family is not supposed to cut his hair so that he can be identified easily.

• They are non-vegetarians.

• The society is matriarchal and follow monogamy.

• Monogamy: it is a form of dyadic relationship in which an individual has only one partner during the length of the relationship.

Context: The Prime Minister of India termed ‘terrorist attacks’ and conveyed ‘solidarity with Israel’ after the attack from Hamas, the militant group ruling the Gaza Strip.

A brief history of India’s stand with Israel and Palestine

• After independence of India in 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi vowed to support the Palestinian cause as they rejected the idea of two nations on the basis of religion.

• India’s position with regard to Palestine was also guided by the general consensus in the Arab world, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations.

• While they had sympathy for the Jews, both were of the view that any State based on religious exclusivity could not sustain on moral and political grounds.

In the years post-independence:

• India recognised Israel on September 17, 1950, after two Muslim-majority countries, Turkey and Iran, and it was allowed to open a consulate in Mumbai in 1953.

• India developed its engagement with the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the late 1960s and early 70s, and it recognised PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and permitted it an independent office at New Delhi on January 10, 1975.

• India was one of the last non-Muslim states to recognise Israel, and it became the first non-Arab state to recognise the PLO.

• When the partition of Palestine plan was put to vote at the UN, India voted against, along with the Arab countries. When Israel applied for admission to the UN, India again voted against.

• India maintained its steadfast support towards Palestine throughout the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada (uprising) in December 1987 in Gaza and West Bank due to the ‘iron fist’ policies of Israel.

Ground shifts towards Israel

• The balance of ties shifted in the 1990s.

• The Arab countries’ neutral position during the 1962 India-China war and they supported Pakistan during the 1965 and 1971 wars.

• On the other hand, Israel helped India with arms and ammunition in the 1962 and 1965 wars.

• International events like Iraq invasion of Kuwait in 1990, losing of political leverage of PLO on account of its support to Saddam Hussain, and disintegration of the Soviet Union etc have prompted India to make drastic changes in its policy towards West Asia.

• India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in January 1992, just after the Chinese established diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv.

• The establishment of full diplomatic ties with Israel came in especially handy during the Kargil conflict in 1999.

Current Scenario

• The Indian strategic approach to engage with countries of West Asia is born out of necessity.

• The  90 lakh-strong Indian community in the region;

• An estimated 18,000 odd Indians are employed in Israel and the vast majority of them, perhaps up to 14,000 individuals, are caregivers to the elderly.

• Connectivity to West Asia and Europe;

• Energy Security: More than 50% of India’s energy imports are sourced from West Asia.

• India-Israel ties have deepened in security, defence, and connectivity with Israel, but also with partners in West Asia — Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar and Iran.

Additional Fact
Who are Hamas?

• It is a Palestinian militant group which rules the Gaza Strip, which is sworn to Israel’s destruction and wants to replace it with an Islamic state.

• It has fought several wars with Israel since it took power in Gaza in 2007.

• Hamas as a whole, or in some cases its military wing, is designated a terrorist group by Israel, the United States, the European Union and the UK etc.

• Hamas is backed by Iran, which funds it and provides weapons and training.

What is the Gaza Strip?

• It is a 41 km (25-mile) long and 10 km-wide territory between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

• Israel controls the airspace over Gaza and its shoreline and restricts who and what goods are allowed in and out through its border crossings. Similarly, Egypt controls who passes in and out through its border with Gaza.

What is Palestine and when did the conflict with Israel begin?

• The West Bank and Gaza, known as the Palestinian territories, as well as East Jerusalem and Israel all formed part of land known as Palestine since Roman times.

• Palestinians also use the name Palestine as an umbrella term for the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem.

• Israel was declared a state in 1948, though the land is still referred to as Palestine by those who do not recognise Israel’s right to exist.

Context: Recently, Hamas, launched an attack on Israel, following which Israel declared war on the Palestinian extremist group.

• The attacks launched by both sides have resulted in a death toll of over 1000 people and concerns that the war could spread across the West Asian region.

Hamas Attack on Israel

• The attack by Hamas, Operation Toofan Al-Aqsa, was the biggest and deadliest incursion into Israel since Egypt and Syria launched a sudden assault in an effort to reclaim lost territory in the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago.

• It fired rockets from the Gaza Strip and breached Israeli security barriers.

• Hamas also appealed to “resistance fighters in the West Bank" and other allies to join the war against Israel, which it has accused of "illegally occupying" Palestinian land.

• Hamas also claimed that Israel’s increased attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Israeli jails had incited the attack.

• The violence is also related to the dispute between Israel and Palestine over the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

Israel's retaliation

• According to Israel, this was a declaration of war by the Iran-backed extremist outfit.

• It stated that it would respond appropriately and that Israeli Defense forces were fighting armed militants across land, sea, and air theatres.

Hamas

• Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political organization and militant group that has waged war on Israel through suicide bombing and rocket attacks.

• It was founded in 1987.

• Aim: Replace Israel with a Palestinian state.

• Hamas governs Gaza independently of the Palestinian Authority.

• It is classified as a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S.A., and the EU.

International response

• U.S.A.: Israel’s longtime ally, the U.S.A., denounced the attack and demanded harsh sanctions on Hamas by the UN Security Council.

• It also warned hostile nations like Iran against exploiting these attacks.

• UN: Numerous members of the UN Security Council denounced Hamas and its massive assault on Israel.

• India: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his solidarity with Israel and expressed shock at what he called “terrorist attacks”.

• Turkey: It said that it is working to de-escalate the crisis in Gaza and Israel, to ensure the conflict can be de-escalated.

• It also reiterated the importance of the “two-state” solution.

India’s evolving ties with Israel

Early Post-Independence Stance

• Jawaharlal Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi vowed to support the Palestinian cause as they rejected the idea of two nations on the basis of religion.

• They believed that states based on religious exclusivity could not be sustained on moral and political grounds which reflected their opposition to the partition of India.

• India’s position on Palestine was also guided by the general consensus in the Arab world, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the United Nations.

• India voted against the Palestine partition plan and Israel’s application for admission to the UN.

• Recognition of Israel: India recognized Israel on September 17, 1950, and allowed it to open a consulate in Mumbai.

India's Strong Support for Palestine

• In 1975, India became the first non-Arab state to recognize the PLO as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

• It permitted the PLO an independent office in New Delhi.

• In the 1980’s, India upgraded the PLO office to that of an embassy endowed with all diplomatic immunities and privileges.

• In 1983, the NAM summit in India released a strong statement of solidarity for Palestine.

• India also maintained its support to Palestine even during the Palestinian intifada (uprising) in 1987 in Gaza and West Bank.

Shifting Alliances

• During the 1962 India-China war and the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, the Arab states did not display support for India while Israel aided India with arms and ammunition.

• Israel also contributed weapons significantly to India during the Kargil War.

• The dissolution of the Soviet Union, the end of the Cold War, the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq, and the weakening of the NAM led to a change in India’s approach to West Asia.

• Subsequently, India established full relations with Israel in 1992.

• In 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Israel.

• However, he skipped the customary visit to Palestine but visited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, and UAE, who are all regional rivals of Israel — between 2014 and 2017.

Past decade

• In the last decade or so, India’s ties with West Asian countries such as Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iran, etc have deepened across sectors such as security, defense, and connectivity.

• India has adopted a geostrategic approach of engaging with all sides in the complex situation in the West Asian region due to three crucial factors:

• 90 lakh-strong Indian community in the region

• West Asia’s role in Indo-Europe connectivity including the IMEC

• Source of more than 50% of India’s energy requirements.

Conclusion

• The rise in violence and declaration of war in the region could impact the Abraham Accords and the efforts for an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

• India's diplomatic journey from being a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause to establishing robust relations with Israel reflects the complexities of India's foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia.

Additional fact
What is the Iron Dome?

• The genesis of the Iron Dome goes back to the 2006 Israeli-Lebanon war, when the Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets into Israel.

• The following year, Israel developed its Aerospace Industries.

• The Iron Dome was deployed in 2011.

• It is a short-range, ground-to-air, air defence system.

• It is used for countering rockets, artillery & mortars (C-RAM) as well as aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles.

• Components: The Iron Dome has three main systems that work together to provide a shield over the area where it is deployed which are:

• Radar: It has detection and tracking radar to spot any incoming threats.

• Weapon Control: It has a battle management and weapon control system (BMC),

• Missile Fire: It also has a missile firing unit. The BMC basically liaises between the radar and the interceptor missile.

How does it work?

• The Iron Dome has three main systems that work together to provide a shield over the area where it is deployed, handling multiple threats.

• It has detection and tracking radar to spot any incoming threats, a battle management and weapon control system (BMC), and a missile firing unit.

• The BMC basically liaises between the radar and the interceptor missile.

• It is capable of being used in all weather conditions, including during the day and night.

Context: The Government of India is planning to build an advanced smart fencing system of 100 km along the Myanmar border to strengthen the existing surveillance system.

Why is the Government now planning to build a smart fencing system along the India Myanmar Border?

• Unfenced border and unregulated migration from Myanmar have been attributed as some of the factors responsible for the ethnic violence in Manipur.

• In 2022, out of the 201 insurgency-related incidents registered in all the northeast States, as many as 137 incidents were registered in Manipur.

About Free Movement Regime(FMR) along the India Myanmar Border(IMB)

• India shares a 1,643-km border with Myanmar which passes through Arunachal Pradesh (520 km), Nagaland (215 km), Manipur (398 km) and Mizoram (510 km).

• A Free Movement Regime (FMR) exists between India and Myanmar.

• Under the FMR, every member of the hill tribes, who is either a citizen of India or a citizen of Myanmar and who is resident of any area within 16 km on either side of the Indo- Myanmar border can cross the border on production of a border pass (one year validity) issued by the competent authority and can stay up to two weeks per visit.

• The FMR was implemented in 2018 as part of Act East policy. The FMR was supposed to provide impetus to local trade and business. The region has a long history of trans-border commerce through customs and border haats. 

• The Manipur government has suspended the FMR since the 2020 post COVID-19 pandemic. 

Why was FMR conceptualized between India and Myanmar?

• The border between India and Myanmar was demarcated by the British in 1826, without seeking the opinion of the people living in the region.

• The border effectively divided people of the same ethnicity and culture into two nations without their consent.

• Hence, that’s why FMR was conceptualized to facilitate people-to-people contact. Apart from that, FMR was also supposed to provide impetus to local trade and business.The region has a long history of trans-border commerce through customs and border haats.

Challenges created by FMR

• Unintentional Aiding of Illegal Immigration: The porous and unfenced Indo-Myanmar border has led to concerns about illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and gun running.

• Refugee influx: The military coup in Myanmar triggered persecution against the Kuki-Chin peoples, leading to a significant influx of Myanmarese tribals into Manipur and Mizoram, seeking shelter. Mizoram set up camps for over 40,000 refugees, despite protests from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

• Deforestation and Tensions: The Manipur government accused village chiefs of illegally settling migrants from Myanmar in new villages, leading to deforestation.

• Resistance to eviction: An eviction drive triggered violence between Kukis and the government.

What is Smart Fencing?

• Smart fencing entails deploying laser-activated fences and technology-enabled barriers to plug vulnerable gaps along frontiers

• Smart fencing uses a number of devices for surveillance, communication and data storage. Sensors like thermal imager, underground sensors, fiber optical sensors, radar and sonar will be mounted on different platforms like aerostat, tower and poles as part of the smart fence

• India’s first ‘smart fence’ pilot project under the CIBMS project was launched in two 5-km patches along the India-Pak border.

Need for Smart Fencing

• The system will provide for round-the-clock surveillance on the border and in different weather conditions be it dust storm, fog or rain.

• Unfenced border and unregulated migration from Myanmar have been attributed as some of the factors responsible for the ethnic violence in Manipur

• Intelligence reports suggest that several northeast-based insurgent groups who have their camps in Myanmar keep coming to this side of the border to further fuel the already aggravated situation of Manipur.

• Manipur is affected by the activities of Meitei, Naga, Kuki, Zomi, and Hmar insurgent groups.

• The Government of India and the Government of Manipur entered into a Cessation of Operation (CoO) Agreement with Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) group of Manipur in December 2022.

Possible Solutions

• Better Regulation of FMR: Experts agree that the FMR needs better regulation to address the challenges arising from illegal activities and cross-border movements.

• Middle Path: A middle path could be sought, addressing changing socio-politico-economic conditions in Myanmar and the dynamic demographic profile of the region.

• Tackling the Issue: India needs to find an approach that balances addressing illicit activities and border crimes while considering the concerns and needs of the local population.

Conclusion

• The FMR along the Indo-Myanmar Border, although intended to foster people-to-people contact and local trade, has posed challenges related to illegal migration and illegal activities.

• While there are calls to remove the regime entirely, finding a middle path that considers the region’s socio-politico-economic dynamics and the well-being of the local population seems essential.

• Addressing these challenges will require a careful and balanced approach, reflecting the complexities of the situation on the ground.

Context: Recently, 2nd edition of the National Cyber Security Exercise ‘Bharat NCX 2023’ was organised.

About Bharat NCX 2023

• It is a hybrid exercise for 12 days with over 300 participants for safeguarding of critical information infrastructure.

• Organiser – National Security Council Secretariat in partnership with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), Defence Ministry.

• Objectives – To strengthen India’s Cyber posture of India’s Critical Sector.

• To better understand cyber threats, assess readiness, and develop skills for cyber crisis management and cooperation.

• Activities – Training sessions, live fire and Strategic exercises.

• It will also help develop and test cybersecurity skills, teamwork, planning, communication, critical thinking, and decision-making

• Beneficiaries – Government sector organizations, public and private agencies.

• Exhibitions – It will showcase the innovation and resilience of Indian Cyber Security startups and Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs).

Critical cyber security concerns

• Protection of digital public infrastructure

• Security of hardware involved in cyber infrastructure

• Post quantum cryptography and need to become quantum safe

• Evolving a collective vigilance to protect digital assets

• Development of workforce adept in cyber-security

National Security Council Secretariat

• It is a permanent body under the National Security Council (NSA).

• It provides technical support to the ‘Council Proper’ of NSA.

• It is headed by the Director General / National Security Adviser.

Context: Recently, India has launched ‘Operation Ajay’ to help “facilitate the return from Israel of our citizens who wish to return.”

• This initiative aims to ensure the safety and well-being of Indian nationals during a period of increased conflict in the area.

Operation Ajay: India’s Response to Escalating Israel-Hamas Conflict

• Operation Ajay Unveiled: Recently, India launched Operation Ajay to bring back Indians from Israel as the conflict escalated with Israel retaliating against Hamas’s attack that started on Saturday.

• War Declared: Israel has declared war against Hamas and set up a war cabinet while Hamas said it is ready for a long-drawn conflict.

• Bringing Indians Home: Operation Ajay Unveiled Amidst Escalating Tensions in Israel

• Indians in Israel: The external affairs ministry reports approximately 18,000 Indians currently residing in Israel.

About Operation Ajay: Repatriating Indians Safely from Israel

• Repatriation: Operation Ajay is not technically an evacuation operation.

• It is an operation to repatriate its citizens from Israel.

• Special chartered flights will bring back the Indians through operation Ajay.

• Indian Navy ships will be deployed if the need arises.

• Indians in Israel who wish to return will be facilitated in this operation Ajay.

• There are around 18,000 Indians in Israel including students, professionals and traders.

Significance: Indian Jewish Community

• The Indian Jewish community, with an ancestry spanning over 2000 years in India, has a unique history.

• India has been a welcoming home to them, where they thrived without encountering anti-Semitism, making it a distinct place on the global map.

• However, the landscape changed with the independence of India in 1947 and the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.

• This transformation marked the beginning of a new chapter in India-Israel relations, leading to the migration of Indian Jews to their religious homeland.

Diverse Indian Jewish Groups

Indian Jews can be categorized into four main sects, each with its own historical origins and cultural traditions:

• Cochin Jews: Tracing their arrival to India back to 50 CE, they primarily settled in the southern region.

• Bene Israel: The largest group among Indian Jews, they settled in and around Maharashtra and Konkan.

• Baghdadi Jews: This group, part of the most recent wave of Jewish migration, established communities in port cities like Calcutta, Bombay, and Rangoon.

• Bnei Menashe: Settled in the North East, they are another significant segment of Indian Jews.

Complex Reception in Israel

The migration of Indian Jews to Israel was not without challenges. Israeli society struggled to embrace them due to several factors:

• Internal Divisions: The four Indian Jewish groups had substantial differences and disagreements among themselves. These internal divisions, combined with bias from Jews of European origin, complicated the reception of Indian Jews, especially in the initial years of migration.

• Discrimination: The Bene Israel, primarily from Maharashtra, faced significant discrimination upon their arrival in Israel. Reports in the 1950s highlighted instances of racism and unequal treatment, including job and housing discrimination.

• Differing Motivations: Indian Jews’ motivations for migrating varied. While the Cochin Jews were seen as driven by religious reasons, the Bene Israel were often perceived as seeking better economic prospects, leading to different treatment based on perceived motives.

• Economic Disparities: The economic differences among the four groups fueled animosity. Some attributed the Cochin Jews’ messianic aspirations to poverty, while the Baghdadi Jews considered the Bene Israel as lacking proper religious traditions.

Operation Kaveri (2023): Rescue in Sudan

• It is a rescue operation launched by the Government of India to evacuate Indian citizens who are stranded in Sudan.

• It was launched on April 24, 2023 in response to the crisis in Sudan.

• The operation aims to bring back Indian citizens who are stuck in the war-torn country.

• Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through the southern states of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

• The river is sacred to the people of the region and is worshiped as the Goddess Kaveriamma (mother Kaveri).

Operation Ganga (2022)

• It was an evacuation mission by the Indian government to rescue its citizens stranded in neighboring countries during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• The operation began on February 26 and ended on March 11.

• The operation involved transporting citizens from Romania, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia to India.

• The government coordinated with Indian carriers to operate 90 evacuation flights, including 14 Indian Air Force flights.

• Around 22,500 Indian nationals returned from Ukraine to India from February 1 to March 11, 2022. The operation saw hundreds of students return home.

Operation Devi Shakti (2021): Rescue in Afghanistan

• In 2021, Operation Devi Shakti, named after the Goddess, saved hundreds of stranded Indians in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.

• Indian Armed Forces helped with the evacuation.

Operation Vande Bharat (2021): Bringing Back Indians during COVID-19

• Operation Vande Bharat, started in May 2020, aimed to bring home over 1.83 crore Indians stuck abroad due to the pandemic.

• It involved many flights and ran through 2021.

Operation Samudra Setu (2021): Naval Rescue during Pandemic

• In 2021, Operation Samudra Setu involved Indian Naval ships to bring back over 3,000 Indian citizens stranded overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

• This operation spanned 55 days and covered over 23,000 km by sea.

Operation Raahat (2015): Evacuation from Yemen Conflict

• Operation Raahat, in 2015, evacuated nearly 5,600 Indians stuck in Yemen amid a conflict.

• The evacuation began at the port of Aden and continued by air from Sana’a.

Operation Maitri (2015): Nepal Earthquake Relief

• In 2015, Operation Maitri was a joint relief and rescue operation by India and the armed forces after the Nepal earthquake.

• Over 5,000 Indians and 170 foreign nationals were brought back.

Operation Safe Homecoming (2011): Evacuation during Libyan Civil War

• In 2011, Operation Safe Homecoming rescued 15,400 Indians during the Libyan civil war using special flights and sea routes, with support from the Indian Navy.

Operation Sukoon (2006): Evacuation during Israel-Lebanon Conflict

• Operation Sukoon, known as the ‘Beirut Sealift,’ in 2006, evacuated over 2,000 nationals, including Nepalese and Sri Lankans, during the Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Kuwait Airlift (1990): Massive Rescue Operation during Iraqi Invasion

• In 1990, the Kuwait Airlift was the second-largest Indian rescue operation after Vande Bharat.

• It rescued 1,75,000 people during the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Conclusion

• Operation Ajay serves as a blueprint for efficient and responsive evacuation operations, ensuring the protection of lives in challenging times. Collaborative efforts, preparedness, and swift actions can make a significant difference in the face of unforeseen circumstances, reinforcing the importance of comprehensive contingency planning and international cooperation.

Context: Recently, Russian President announced that Russia's potential revocation of its ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) would not be for the purpose of resuming nuclear testing but rather to achieve parity with the United States.

What is Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)?

• The CTBT is a multilateral treaty that bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or peaceful purposes.

• Although it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, it’s still in the ratification stage — 18 countries are yet to ratify (the process by which a state indicates its consent to be bound to a treaty).

• While Russia ratified the agreement in 2000, the US is still to do so.

• Which key countries haven’t ratified CTBT? Notably, for the treaty to enter into force, it must be signed and ratified by 44 specific nuclear technology holder countries, eight of which have yet to ratify the agreement: China, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan and the United States.

How did CTBT come into being?

• The United States conducted the world’s first successful nuclear weapons test in July 1945. Four years later, the Soviet Union tested their first nuclear weapon.

• These tests triggered a decades-long arms race between the two superpowers.

• Between 1945 and 1996, more than 2,000 nuclear tests were carried out — 1,032 of them by the United States and 715 of them by the Soviet Union.

• Britain carried out 45 tests, France 210 and China 45.

• The radioactive fallout from those tests drew criticism from around the globe. As a result, several attempts to curb the explosive tests were made.

• Limited Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (LTBT): The 1963 LTBT prohibited nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and underwater, but underground tests were still permitted.

• Threshold Test Ban Treaty (TTBT): Six years later, the US and Soviet Union agreed to sign TTBT, which established a nuclear “threshold” by banning the two countries from conducting tests that would produce a yield exceeding 150 kilotons (equivalent to 150,000 tons of TNT).

• Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT): After the Cold War ended around 1990 and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the geopolitical tensions simmered down. The UN took advantage of the situation and adopted the CTBT, which put a blanket ban on the explosive testing of nuclear weapons.

Did the CTBT stop nuclear testing?

• Since the CTBT, 10 nuclear tests have taken place.

• India conducted two in 1998, Pakistan also two in 1998, and North Korea conducted tests in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016 (twice) and 2017.

• The United States last tested in 1992, China and France in 1996 and the Soviet Union in 1990. Russia, which inherited most of the Soviet nuclear arsenal, has never conducted a nuclear test.

What if Russia withdraws?

• Russia withdrawing could be a blow to the treaty since, like those eight states, Russia is one of the so-called “Annex 2” countries that must all have ratified the treaty for it to enter into force.

Why has India refused to sign CTBT?

• India believes that it creates a distinction between nuclear weapons states and non-nuclear weapons states. 

• The treaty allows the five original nuclear weapons states (US, Russia, UK, France, and China) to possess nuclear weapons while prohibiting other countries from acquiring them. 

• India sees this as unfair and argues that nuclear disarmament should be with all states being treated equally.

• India’s decision to not sign the CTBT is primarily based on national security considerations. It views nuclear weapons as a deterrent against potential security threats from neighboring countries, especially Pakistan and China. 

• India also feels that it would undermine its national security and strategic autonomy, as it would constrain its ability to conduct nuclear tests.

• India maintains that it will only sign the CTBT if it will not adversely impact its national security interests.

Context: October is the month that hosts both World Elders Day (1st) and Mental Health Day (10th). The article discusses the state of India's ageing population and related issues.

Data on elderly population

• Worldwide: There are more older people on the globe now than ever before in the history of humanity.

• In 2022, the number above 60 was 1.1 billion, comprising 13.9 % of the population. By 2050, the number of older people is expected to increase to 2.1 billion, constituting 22%. 

• In India: India is not far behind.

• It had 149 million older adults (10.5%) in 2022, this figure will grow to 347 million (20.8%) by 2050 according to projections. 

Challenges faced by elderly population 

Dependencies & vulnerabilities: Increased dependency, social isolation, poverty, ageism, pessimism, and nihilism are significant social challenges our elders face.

• They are vulnerable to emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse by others. Often, the perpetrators are known to them, commonly a family member. 

Many towns and cities in India are not “elder-friendly“: Many public buildings are inaccessible without ramps or handrails, pavements are non-existent, uneven, or used for parking, and public transport is limited.

• These make access to health care services difficult . 

• Many interventions, such as psychosocial treatments, day centres, and particular medicines, are available only to a limited extent in cities.

Psychological issues: Roughly 15% of elders (22 million in India) have serious mental illness.

• Common mental health problems elders face are depression, anxiety, dementia, and substance use disorders.

• Many elders struggle to accept the changes accompanying ageing. 

• Many elderly men especially feel lost and become unproductive after retirement. 

Lack of awareness: Often, elders with mental illness do not seek treatment and the “treatment gap“ is a staggering 90% in India.

• A lack of awareness among the public and healthcare professionals is the main reason for this vast gap. 

Stigmas: Elders with mental illness face the double whammy of stigma associated with ageing and mental illness. 

Government initiatives for the protection of Elderly population in India

• The National Policy on Older Persons, 1999:  The policy envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, health care, shelter, protection and other needs of older persons to improve quality of their lives.

• The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act: It was enacted in 2007 to ensure need based maintenance of parents and senior citizens and their welfare including shelter, healthcare, protection of life and property, against abandonment etc.

• “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly”: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing the “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly”.

Atal VayoAbhyudayYojana (AVYAY): The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing AVYAY for senior citizens.

• It has following components for providing different services to senior citizens:

• RashtriyaVayoshriYojana (RVY): For bringing near normalcy in the bodily functions of those BPL senior citizens who suffer from age related disabilities/ infirmities, by providing them with free of cost assisted living devices.

• Special items like wheelchairs with commode, silicon foam cushion etc. are also provided under the Scheme, besides generic items like walking sticks, elbow crutches, hearing aid etc.

Able Citizens for Re-Employment in Dignity (SACRED) Portal: Many senior citizens have experience, time and energy which can be used by the business enterprises looking for stable employees with experience.

• The Human resources cells of many private enterprises seek experienced but stable persons in certain positions. 

• The portal allows bringing these people together by virtual matching of preferences.

Promoting Silver Economy: To encourage the entrepreneurs to think about the problems of the elderly and come out with innovative solutions, by providing uptoRs. 1 crore as financial assistance in the form of maximum 49% equity participation, through an open invitation on a portal namely Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE).

Key Suggestion

Protection from Destitution

• The first step towards a dignified life for the elderly is to protect them from destitution and all the deprivations that may come with it.

• Cash in the form of a pension can help to cope with many health issues and avoid loneliness as well.

• That is why old-age pensions are a vital part of social security systems around the world.

Emulating the Frontrunners

• The southern States and India’s poorer States such as Odisha and Rajasthan have achieved near-universal social security pensions. Their actions are worth emulating.

• It would be much easier for all States to do the same if the central government were to revamp the NSAP.

Focus on Revamping Pension Schemes

• Another critical area would be bringing reforms in the social security pensions.

• They also need other support and facilities such as health care, disability aids, assistance with daily tasks, recreation opportunities and a good social life.

Transparent “Exclusion Criteria”

• A better approach is to consider all widows and elderly or disabled persons as eligible, subject to simple and transparent “exclusion criteria”.

• Eligibility can even be self-declared, with the burden of time-bound verification being placed on the local administration or gram panchayat.

• Although there are chances of privileged households taking the advantage, it is much preferable to accommodate some inclusion errors than to perpetuate the massive exclusion errors as is the case today.

Road Ahead

• The government must frame policies for elders with mental illness, allocate resources, and implement services. We must remember that caring for our elders is everyone’s responsibility. 

Context: Recently, the Territorial Army (TA) inducted its first batch of Mandarin-trained officers to support the regular Army's efforts to enhance expertise in the Chinese language.

About Territorial Army (TA)

• The Indian Territorial Army (TA) is a second line of defence after the regular Indian Army; it is not a profession, occupation or a source of employment. 

• It is only meant for those people who are already in mainstay civilian professions; in fact, gainful employment or self-employment in a civil profession is a prerequisite for joining the TA.

• Motto: Savdhani Va Shoorta (Vigilance and Valour).

Historical background behind the Territorial Army

• Colonial Period: The English East India Company recognized the necessity for a group of part-time troops to defend its economic interests when it first established a foothold in India in the early 17th century. These part-time troops were frequently available staff members for the business. These part-time forces developed over time into the TA’s founding elements.

• Companie of Trained Bands: The English East India Company established the “Companies of Trained Bands” at Madras (Chennai) in 1687 to protect itself from rival European nations like the French East India Company and indigenous princely states. These forces participated in the early conflicts and were sporadic.

• Indian Rebellion of 1857: The Sepoy Mutiny, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, was a pivotal event. Following the uprising, the British Crown replaced the East India Company as the country’s ruler. As a result, part-time troops that already existed were restructured, and the Volunteer Force (VFI) was established legally.

• Volunteer Force (VFI): Indians and Europeans who volunteered for part-time service made up the Volunteer Force (VFI), which was established in the late 19th century. It participated in several wars, including World War I and the Second Boer War. Part-time volunteer forces became more popular during this time.

• Indian Defence Force (IDF): The Indian Defence Force (IDF) was founded in 1917 during World War I to relieve regular troops from garrison responsibilities. It was essential to the war effort and consisted of both Indian volunteers and conscripts from Europe.

• Indian Territorial Force (ITF): The VFI and IDF were replaced and reorganized to create the ITF in 1920. The University Training Corps (UTC), the ITF’s youth division, was made up of part-time Indian soldiers. This signalled the use of part-time forces in a more planned and organised manner.

• Post-Independence: Part-time volunteer forces were still required after India attained independence in 1947. In 1948, the Constituent Assembly received the Territorial Army Bill, which resulted in the creation of the Territorial Army in its contemporary form. The TA was constituted by reorganizing and re-designing existing ITF infantry units.

Roles of the Territorial Army

• Release from Static Duties of Regular Army: One of the main purposes of the TA is to release the regular army from static duties. The regular army can then concentrate on tasks that are more tactical and combat-oriented by delegating some non-operational, administrative, and garrison functions to TA units. During times of peace, this release from static chores is especially beneficial.

• Assisting Civil Administration during Natural Calamities: Aiding the civil administration in times of natural disasters The TA is frequently asked to support civil government during natural disaster relief operations. TA units can offer essential assistance during crises caused by earthquakes, cyclones, floods, and other natural disasters. In rescue and relief efforts, they assist with the distribution of necessary supplies and the evacuation of populations.

• Maintenance of essential Services: The TA can help maintain important services during emergencies or when they are interrupted. Tasks including assuring the supply of necessities, handling logistics, and assisting with the operation of vital infrastructure like power plants and communication networks are included in this.

• Units for the Regular Army: The TA acts as a pool of qualified individuals who can be called up and incorporated into the regular army as and when necessary. TA units and troops may be requested to help the regular army in times of national emergency or during times of increased security threats.

• Supporting Specialist Activities: The TA has taken part in several specialist activities, including mountaineering excursions and environmental projects. In addition to performing typical military duties, TA units have scaled mountains, planted trees, and participated in environmental conservation initiatives.

• Participating in Peacekeeping Missions: Although less frequent than other responsibilities, certain TA units have been sent on missions to maintain international peace and security.

Major operations that TA were part of

• 1962 Sino-Indian War: TA battalions were activated and took an active part in the conflict. During this fight on the Indo-China border, they assisted the regular Indian Army.

• Indo-Pakistani War of 1965: TA units were once more called into combat during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 to assist the regular army in defending India’s borders against Pakistani incursions.

• Indo-Pakistani War of 1971: Bangladesh was founded as a result of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, in which the TA played a crucial part. The western and eastern fronts were just two of the war’s theatres in which TA units participated.

• Kargil War (1999): TA units were called into action during the 1999 Kargil War, which involved fighting Pakistani forces in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir. In the difficult terrain of the area, they gave vital help.

• Operation Pawan (1987): As a component of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), TA units participated in Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, conducting counter-insurgency and peacekeeping operations.

• Operation Rakshak: As part of Operation Rakshak, TA units have been actively engaged in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations in areas like Punjab Jammu and Kashmir.

• Humanitarian and Disaster Relief operations: Assistance during earthquakes (such as the 1991 Uttarkashi earthquake and the 1993 Latur earthquake), cyclones (such as the 1999 Odisha cyclone), and other natural calamities have been requested of the TA on multiple occasions.

• Mountaineering excursions: To encourage adventure and military training, several TA units have participated in mountaineering excursions, ascending peaks both inside and outside of India.

• Ecological projects: In several parts of India, TA units have been involved in ecological projects like as tree planting and conservation activities.

Context: The Indian defence establishment recently initiated a tender for the procurement of 30 units of the indigenous Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missile system.

About Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missile system

• The Very Short-Range Air Defence (VSHORAD) missile system is a Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed to counter low-altitude aerial threats over short distances. Here are some key points about the VSHORAD missile system:

Purpose and Function

• The VSHORAD missile system is intended to provide short-range air defense capabilities to protect ground forces, critical assets, and military installations from low-altitude aerial threats.

• It is primarily designed to engage and neutralize threats such as helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and low-flying aircraft.

Development and Origin

• The VSHORAD missile system has been developed indigenously by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

• DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat (RCI), located in Hyderabad, played a significant role in its development, in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian industry partners.

Users

• The primary user of VSHORAD missiles in India is the Indian Army. It is designed to enhance the Indian Army’s air defense capabilities in a variety of operational scenarios.

Features

The VSHORAD missile system incorporates several advanced features and technologies, including:

• Dual-band Imaging Infrared (IIR) Seeker: This seeker technology helps in tracking and engaging targets effectively.

• Miniaturized Reaction Control System: This system aids in controlling the missile’s trajectory, ensuring accurate targeting.

• Integrated Avionics: Advanced avionics systems enhance the missile’s guidance and control capabilities.

• Dual-Thrust Solid Motor: The missile is propelled by a dual-thrust solid motor, which provides the necessary thrust for interception.

• Portability: Both the missile and its launcher have been designed to be portable, allowing for quick deployment even in challenging terrain.

Context: Recently, a Mumbai-based Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy Private Limited (ImmunoACT) announced the approval of India’s first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) for treating leukaemias (cancers arising from the cells that produce white blood cells) and lymphomas (arising from the lymphatic system).

About Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell Therapy

• It is a type of cancer immunotherapy treatment.

• Unlike chemotherapy or immunotherapy which involve taking drugs, CAR T-cell therapies use a patient's own cells.

• They are modified in the laboratory to activate T-cells and target tumor cells.

Procedure

• T cells are taken from a patient’s blood and then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient’s cancer cells is added to the T cells in the laboratory.

• The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion.

What are T Cells?

• T cells, also known as T lymphocytes, are a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the immune response.

• T cells are involved in cell-mediated immunity, which means they help the body recognize and respond to foreign substances, such as viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells, such as cancer cells.

• There are two major types of T cells: the helper T cell and the cytotoxic T cell.

• As the names suggest, helper T cells ‘help’ other cells of the immune system, whilst cytotoxic T cells kill virally infected cells and tumors.

Significance

• CAR T-cell therapies are even more specific than targeted agents and directly stimulate the patient's immune system to fight cancer, leading to greater clinical efficacy.

• That's why they're referred to as "living drugs."

Need for such T-cell Therapy

• Systemic therapy such as chemotherapy, which attacks cancer cells due to their fast growth.

• Chemotherapy drugs have limited success and significant side effects because they affect many types of cells in the body.

• Other treatments also known as immunotherapy, which work by binding to specific targets on the cancer or immune cells supporting its growth.

• This approach is less toxic as it affects fewer non-tumor cells, but only works on tumours that have these targets.

• Thus, using own living cell becomes an idea.

Challenges

Preparation

• The difficulty of preparing CAR T-cell therapies has been a major hindrance to their widespread use.

• The first successful clinical trial was published a decade ago, and the first indigenously developed therapy in India was performed in 2021.

Side Effects

• In certain kinds of leukaemias and lymphomas, the efficacy is as high as 90%, whereas in other types of cancers it is significantly lower.

• The potential side-effects are also significant, associated with cytokine release syndrome (a widespread activation of the immune system and collateral damage to the body’s normal cells) and neurological symptoms (severe confusion, seizures, and speech impairment).

Affordability

• Introduction of CAR T-cell therapy in India can face challenges of cost and value.

• Critics argue that developing CAR T-cell therapy in India may not be cost-effective as it will still be unaffordable for most people.

Role of Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO)

• Under the Drug and Cosmetics Act, the regulation of manufacture, sale and distribution of Drugs is primarily the concern of the State authorities while the Central Authorities are responsible for approval of New Drugs, Clinical Trials in the country, laying down the standards for Drugs, control over the quality of imported Drugs, coordination of the activities of State Drug Control Organisations and providing expert advice with a view of bring about the uniformity in the enforcement of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

• Drug Controller General of India is responsible for approval of licenses of specified categories of Drugs such as blood and blood products, I. V. Fluids, Vaccine and Sera.

• Central Drugs Standard Control Organization functions under the Directorate General of Health Services.

Context: Leading AI companies are entering a new race to embrace multimodal capabilities. Multimodal Artificial Intelligence is emerging as the next frontier of Artificial Intelligence.

About Multimodal Artificial Intelligence

• In multimodal systems users can engage with AI in several ways. People absorb ideas and form context by drawing meaning from images, sounds, videos and text around them. 

• Recently, OpenAI announced that it had enabled its GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 models to study images and analyse them in words, while its mobile apps will have speech synthesis so that people can have full-fledged conversations with the chatbot. 

• OpenAI is also reportedly working on a new project called Gobi which is expected to be a multimodal AI system from scratch, unlike the GPT models.

• Further, Google’s new yet-to-be-released multimodal large language model called Gemini, was already being tested in a bunch of companies. 

How does multimodality work?

• DALL.E, a multimodal AI model based on a concept that links together text and images in the training stage.

• The system looks for patterns in visual data that can connect with data of the image descriptions. This enables these systems to generate images according to the text prompts that users enter.

• For multimodal audio systems, the training works in the same way.

• GPT’s voice processing capabilities are based on its own open-source speech-to-text translation model, called Whisper, which can recognise speech in audio and translate it into simple language text.

Applications of multimodal AI

• Some of the earlier multimodal systems combined computer vision and natural language processing models or audio and text together to perform functions like automatic image caption generation etc. 

• In 2020, Meta was working on a multimodal system to automatically detect hateful memes on Facebook.

• Meanwhile, Google researchers published a paper in 2021 about a multimodal system they had built to predict the next lines of dialogue in a video.

• Recently, Meta announced a new open-source AI multimodal system called ImageBind that had many modes — text, visual data, audio, temperature and movement readings. Meta had speculated that future multimodal models could add other sensory data to them, like “touch, speech, smell, and brain fMRI signals.”

• A virtual reality device in the future might be able to generate not just the visuals and the sounds of an environment but also other physical elements.

• A simulation of a beach could have not just the waves crashing on the shore, but also the wind blowing and the temperature there.

• Further, processing CT scans, or identifying rare genetic variations all need AI systems that can analyse complex datasets of images, and then respond in plain words. 

• Speech translation: Google Translate uses multiple models like Meta’s SeamlessM4T model. It can perform text-to-speech, speech-to-text, speech-to-speech and text-to-text translations for around 100 languages.

Context: There is a persistent challenge for ASEAN countries related to symbolic diplomacy, humanitarian aid delays, geopolitical constraints, and South China Sea dispute.

Background

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) convened its forty-third summit last month. The theme this year was ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’, indicating the relevance of the group in terms of the economic potential the region holds, and how the ASEAN intends to stay within the pivot of the fast-changing geopolitical scenario in the wider Indo-Pacific.

• This time, there were a number of statements and declarations packed into thirty-three such documents. While the first set of documents pertains to the ASEAN Leaders Summit, the subsequent documents relate to the meetings with its dialogue partners and comprise a substantial number of declarations and joint statements.

ASEAN's Symbolic Diplomacy

• Limited Leverage of Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC): ASEAN's 'Epicentrum of Growth' theme highlights economic potential, but TAC enforcement lacks substance.

• Ukraine's TAC Accession and Symbolism: Ukraine's TAC entry, while symbolic, lacks real leverage in addressing violations or geopolitical matters.

• ASEAN's Human Rights Commitment and Myanmar Crisis: ASEAN's commitment to human rights contrasts with Myanmar's ongoing violence; internal ASEAN divisions impede resolution efforts.

Political Crisis Management

• Limitations of Humanitarian Assistance: ASEAN's delays in delivering aid during Myanmar crisis rendered efforts ineffective during the peak of COVID's second wave.

• Inadequacy in Handling Political Crises: ASEAN's coordinating center geared towards natural disasters, not equipped for political crises, hampers timely response.

• Diplomatic Limitations and Preventive Diplomacy: ASEAN excels in procedural confidence-building but falls short in areas of preventive diplomacy due to limited clout.

Geopolitical Constraints

• Economic Integration and Geopolitical Constraints: Deep economic ties with China limit ASEAN's ability to take an independent stance, particularly in the South China Sea.

• Ineffectiveness in Upholding UNCLOS and Arbitration Ruling: ASEAN's endorsement of UNCLOS contrasts with failure to affirm 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on South China Sea.

• China's Assertive Posture and ASEAN's Relevance: China's shift to a ten-dash line challenges ASEAN's pursuit of a binding code of conduct, necessitating ASEAN's adaptation.

Context: Sri Lanka is set to take over the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) during the 23rd Council of Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for October, 2023, in Colombo.

About Indian Ocean Rim Association

• The IORA is an intergovernmental organization established in 1997, comprising 23 member states and 11 dialogue partners.

• Aim: strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region.

• Structure: IORA’s apex body is the Council of Foreign Ministers (COM) which meets annually.

• A committee of Senior Officials (CSO) meets twice a year to progress IORA’s agenda.

IORA Members

• Asia: India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Oman, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

• Africa: Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia , South Africa, Tanzania, Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles.

• Oceania: Australia.

• Europe: France

• Dialogue partners: China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, Turkiye, United Kingdom and United States of America.

• Secretariat: Ebène, Mauritius

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) assumed the role of Chair from November 2019 – November 2021, followed by the People’s Republic of Bangladesh November 2021 – November 2023.

• Sri Lanka will hold the chairmanship of the association from 2023 to 2025. 

• Significance for India:  The association plays a pivotal role in advancing India’s strategic, economic, and diplomatic interests in the Indian Ocean.

• Concern: The IORA forum also coincides with reports with a possible visit of Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 to Sri Lanka. India and the U.S. have reportedly raised the matter with Sri Lanka.

Roles and Functions

• It manages, coordinates, services and monitors the implementation of policy decisions, work programmes and projects adopted by the member states.

• The association gains importance by the fact that the Indian Ocean carries half of the world’s container ships, one-third of the world’s bulk cargo traffic and two-thirds of the world’s oil shipments.

• It is a lifeline of international trade and transport and the Indian Ocean region is woven together by trade routes and commands control of major sea-lanes.

Context:? The longstanding debate over reforming the United Nations Security Council has resurfaced, with world leaders and the UN Secretary-General expressing concerns about its outdated structure.

Issues in the UN Security Council:

• Outdated Composition: The Security Council’s composition reflects the geopolitical realities of 1945, with only 15 members out of 193 UN member-states, and just five permanent members (P5) enjoying veto power.

• Lack of Equity: The current setup gives undue weight to the balance of power of those days, particularly favouring European nations, which control a disproportionate number of seats.

Injustice in Representation: Some financially significant contributors like Japan and Germany remain underrepresented while emerging powers like India are denied a permanent seat despite their global influence.

• When the UN was founded in 1945, the Security Council had 11 members; out of a total membership of 51 nations – meaning a 22% representation.

• Change was made to the original charter in 1965 – addition of 4 more non-permanent members, taking the total from 11 to 15.

• At present, out of 193 members, the council has 15 members; meaning 8% representation.

Opposition to Reform: Several medium-sized and large countries, often rivals of potential beneficiaries, resist reforms due to competition, historical grievances, or envy.

• High Bar for Charter Amendment: Amending the UN Charter requires a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly, plus ratification by two-thirds of member states, creating a high threshold for any change.

Need for reforms

• The UN represents the realities of 1945.

• The UN Charter still terms countries like Japan and Germany as ‘enemy states’.

• Does not take into account financial contributions by the members.

• Does not represent the population.

• Ignores the role of countries like India.

• Leads to the council becoming ineffective.

Significance of reforms

• Reforming the Security Council is crucial for the UN to adapt to the 21st century’s geopolitical landscape.

• It would ensure more equitable representation, recognize emerging powers, and address historical injustices.

• The current gridlock and misuse of veto power jeopardize the Security Council’s ability to effectively address global issues and conflicts.

Road Ahead

• Broad Consensus: Reform proposals should seek a broad consensus among member states and avoid alienating any of the P5, who hold veto power.

• Semi-Permanent Members: Consider the introduction of a second category of “semi-permanent members” with limited, but renewable, terms to accommodate aspirant nations.

• Regional Representation: Ensure representation of key regions like Asia, Africa, and Latin America, which have multiple contenders for permanent seats.

• Avenues for Dialogue: Establish platforms for constructive dialogue and negotiation among member states to find common ground on reform.

Issues in undertaking reforms

• Pushback from the permanent members.

• Reluctance on the side of the other member nations.

• The methodology for expansion: Process for amendment of the charter

• Amendments require a 2/3rd majority, (129 out of 193 states).

• Ratification by 2/3rd of the member states.

Conclusion

• The issue of UN Security Council reform is indeed a recurring theme, but it remains vital for the UN’s effectiveness and relevance. As the world’s premier global organization, it must adapt to the evolving international landscape by addressing historical injustices and ensuring more equitable representation. Achieving meaningful reform requires diplomacy, compromise, and a genuine commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive United Nations.