UPSC Key | Digital Bharat Nidhi, India-Russia Relations, Arctic Wildfires and more

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Explained

The vital importance of Putin

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin on Monday and Tuesday. The two leaders have met a total 16 times since Modi became Prime Minister, but not since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, provoking wide-ranging Western sanctions.

Prerequisites:

— History of India-Russia bilateral relations.

— Ukraine-Russia war. 

Key takeaways: 

— In choosing Russia for his first bilateral visit after being sworn in, Modi has broken with the tradition of India’s new Prime Minister travelling first to a neighbouring country, a template that he followed in both June 2014 (Bhutan) and June 2019 (Maldives and Sri Lanka). He travelled to Italy last month, but that was for a multilateral meeting of G7 leaders.

— The visit to Russia is a statement of the importance New Delhi accords to its relationship with Moscow, and an underlining of this foreign policy priority. 

— India’s relationship with Russia is seven decades old. However, Over the years, as India has diversified its relationships in a multi-polar world, the India-Russia relationship has stagnated in some areas and atrophied in others. Defence is the strongest pillar of the strategic partnership by far, with nuclear and space cooperation also occupying an important place.

— The USSR was India’s main supplier of defence equipment during the decades of the Cold War, and even now, between 60 and 70 per cent of India’s defence equipment is estimated to be of Russian and Soviet origin.

— Over the last 25 years, India has sought to look beyond Russia — especially to the United States, France, and Israel for the supply of defence equipment. However, it still cannot afford to alienate Moscow.

— Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, India has been buying large amounts of Russian oil at a discount to cushion the inflationary impact of rising crude prices. The purchase of Russian crude has pushed bilateral trade volumes beyond expectations and targets. 

— The war has, however, put India in a delicate diplomatic position with its Western allies. New Delhi has walked the diplomatic tightrope, not explicitly condemning the Russian invasion but calling for an international probe into the Bucha massacre in the early weeks of the war, and expressing concern over threats of nuclear war issued by Russian leaders.

For Your Information: 

— Modi’s visit is part of the series of annual bilateral summits between the leaders of the two countries that has been ongoing since 2000. Twenty-one summits, the highest institutionalised dialogue mechanism in the strategic partnership, have so far taken place in India and Russia.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Russia?

— What is the strategic significance of  India and Russia ties?

— What are the major challenges and issues in India-Russia relations?

— What is India’s stand on the Ukraine-Russia war?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

Recently, India signed a deal known as ‘Action Plan for Prioritization and Implementation of Cooperation Areas in the Nuclear Field’ with which of the following countries? (UPSC CSE 2019)

(a) Japan

(b) Russia

(c) The United Kingdom

(d) The United States of America

Mains

What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (UPSC CSE 2020)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Moscow, Delhi work on PM visit to Russia, his first since Ukraine war

Why Arctic wildfires are bad news for the world

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Environment

Mains Examination: GS-III: Environment and Biodiversity

What’s the ongoing story- Smoke from raging wildfires has once again darkened the skies over the Arctic. It is the third time in the past five years that high intensity fires have erupted in the region, Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said last week. 

Prerequisites: 

— What are forest fires and their types?

— What causes wildfires? 

— Read about the tundra ecosystems.

— Mapwork: Arctic Region ( Refer Atlas)

Key takeaways: 

— Wildfires have been a natural part of the Arctic’s boreal forest or snow forest and tundra (treeless regions) ecosystems. However, in recent years, their frequency and scale in the regions have increased, primarily due to global warming. More worryingly, these blazing wildfires are fueling the climate crisis.

— The Arctic has been warming roughly four times as fast as the world. The fast paced warming has led to more frequent lightning in the Arctic, which has further increased the likelihood of wildfires.

— Soaring temperatures have also slowed down the polar jet stream — responsible for circulating air between the mid- and northern latitudes — due to less of a temperature difference between the Arctic and lower latitudes. As a result, the polar jet stream often gets “stuck” in one place, bringing unseasonably warm weather to the region. It also blocks out low-pressure systems, which bring clouds and rainfall, possibly leading to intense heatwaves, which can cause more wildfires.

— All three factors — rising temperatures, more frequent lightning and heatwaves — will most likely worsen in the coming years, thereby causing more wildfires in the Arctic. By 2050, it is estimated that wildfires in the Arctic and around the world could increase by one-third, according to a report by the World Wild Fund.

— When wildfires ignite, they burn vegetation and organic matter, releasing the heat trapping greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. That is why the rising frequency of wildfires around the globe is a matter of concern as they contribute to climate change. However, in the case of Arctic wildfires, such GHG emissions are not the biggest worry. It is rather the carbon stored underneath the region’s permafrost. 

— Wildfires make permafrost more vulnerable to thawing as they destroy upper insulating layers of vegetation and soil. This can cause ancient organic materials such as dead animals and plants to decompose and release carbon into the atmosphere.

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the significance of the Arctic region?

— How does climate change impact extreme weather events? 

— What measures should be taken to tackle the challenge of wildfires?

— How do climate change and wildfires present a serious natural vicious cycle for the world?

Post Read Question:

“What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay there — Arctic change amplifies risks globally for all of us. These fires are a warning cry for urgent action,” In light of this statement, explain how Arctic wildfires impact the climate and what should be the way forward. 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

How the hottest summer ever affected the Arctic: 5 things you need to know

 

Economy

Digital Bharat Nidhi: Govt’s fresh attempt at improving rural telecom connectivity

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economy 

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government Policies & Interventions, Growth & Development, Infrastructure

What’s the ongoing story- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on July 4 released draft rules to operationalise the Digital Bharat Nidhi, in a fresh attempt by the central government at increasing telecom connectivity in rural areas.

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)

— Telecommunications Act, 2023

— What is Adjusted Gross Revenue?

Key takeaways: 

— Digital Bharat Nidhi would replace the erstwhile USOF, which is a pool of funds generated by a 5 per cent Universal Service Levy charged upon all the telecom fund operators on their Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR). Since its establishment in 2003, a common criticism of the USOF has been its relative underutilisation.

— The idea is that this money would be used to fund the expansion of telecom networks in remote and rural areas, where private companies may otherwise resist offering their services due to them not being revenue-generating markets.

— With the Centre notifying parts of the Telecom Act last month, it has also proposed additional rules for the final makeover of the USOF as the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) – which would have a relatively wider scope than the USOF.

— As per the Telecom Act, contributions made by telecom companies towards the Digital Bharat Nidhi will first be credited to the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI). The Centre will deposit the collected funds to the DBN from time to time.

— Funds collected under the DBN will be used to support universal service through promoting access to and delivery of telecommunication services in underserved rural, remote and urban areas; fund research and development of telecommunication services, technologies, and products; support pilot projects, consultancy assistance and advisory support for improving connectivity; and for the introduction of telecommunication services, technologies, and products.

For Your Information: 

— On June 26, multiple sections of the Telecommunications Act, 2023 came into effect, giving way to the first piece of the larger technology legislative puzzle to fall into place. This is among the three key laws the Centre wants to put together as a comprehensive legal framework for the country’s burgeoning tech sector.

Points to Ponder: 

— How will the DBN be operationalized?

— How has the telecom sector evolved in India? What are the issues and challenges facing the telecom sector in India?

— What initiatives have been taken by the government in the telecom sector?

— What are the issues and challenges associated with the Telecommunications Act, 2023?

(Thought Process: What powers does it give the government for ‘national security’? What is the debate over the allocation and auction of spectrum? Does the Telecom Act undermine personal liberties? How will the Telecommunication Act impact competition, tech neutrality in India?)

Post Read Question:

In India, which of the following review the independent regulators in sectors like telecommunications, insurance, electricity, etc.? (UPSC CSE 2019)

1. Ad Hoc Committees set up by the Parliament

2. Parliamentary Department Related Standing Committees

3. Finance Commission

4. Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission

5. NITI Aayog

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 

(b) 1, 3 and 4 

(c) 3, 4 and 5 

(d) 2 and 5

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Parts of new Telecom Act come into force: What to expect

 

The Editorial Page

What an NSA does

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-III: Security challenges and their management

What’s the ongoing story- Sanjaya Baru Writes– “The appointment of a new Additional National Security Advisor (ANSA) along with a restructuring of reporting relationships both within the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and between the National Security Advisor (NSA) and the Union ministries has not attracted the attention it deserves.”

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the National Security Council.

— Chief of Defence Staff.

— History of the evolution of the office of NSA.

Key takeaways: 

— “While the NSA now presides over a much bigger organisation, with an ANSA and three deputy NSAs, his new role appears more advisory and less operational. The NSA would deal with advisory outfits such as the National Security Advisory Board and the Strategic Policy Group. While the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and the three service chiefs, the Union defence, home, foreign and other secretaries are also required to report to the NSA, each of them also reports to a minister in their daily functioning.”

— “It appears the ANSA would now be the gatekeeper in the communication chain between six mid-level unit heads (three Dy NSAs and three service officers) and the NSA. This also means an additional bureaucratic layer has been created between the PM and those monitoring national security on a daily basis.”

— “One can see that a quarter century after the creation of the office of NSA, the institution, its place within the national government and its responsibilities and remit, are still evolving.”

— “The absence of any clearly laid out criteria and qualifications for the post and, worse, clearly specified duties and chain of command, has left the question open as to who should be made NSA — a diplomat, a spook, a soldier or a scholar?”

— “Finally, given the recent and ongoing controversy about the activities of R&AW, brought into global focus by charges levelled by state agencies in Canada and the United States, as well as the controversy around the decision-making process with respect to the Agniveer initiative, the role and remit of the NSA have once again come into focus.”

— “The role and responsibility of the NSA and of the National Security Council have evolved with time and changing circumstance… The fact is that successive NSAs have been learning on the job in dealing with national security challenges ranging from the border problem with China to handling political challenges in border states, and these challenges have only grown with time.”

Points to Ponder: 

— Does India need an NSA?

— What are the roles and responsibilities of the NSA?

— What are the roles and responsibilities of CDS?

— What reforms have been taken by the government in the defence sector?

Post Read Question:

In the Constitution of India, promotion of international peace and security is included in the (UPSC CSE 2014) 

(a) Preamble to the Constitution 

(b) Directive Principles of State Policy 

(c) Fundamental Duties 

(d) Ninth Schedule 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Govt approves re-appointment of NSA Ajit Doval, PM’s Principal Secy P K Mishra

Food for a rainy day

UPSC Syllabus: 

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Issues of buffer stocks and food security. 

What’s the ongoing story- The government must consider building a buffer stock not just of rice and wheat, but even pulses, oilseeds, sugar, skimmed milk powder (SMP) and staple vegetables.

Prerequisites: 

— Inflation and Its types.

— What causes food inflation?

Key takeaways: 

— The government must consider building a buffer stock not just of rice and wheat, but even pulses, oilseeds, sugar, skimmed milk powder (SMP) and staple vegetables. The idea, again, is not to set prices or supplant the market, but to curb too much volatility that’s neither in consumer nor producer interest. 

— The increasing volatility and unpredictability of food prices has primarily to do with climate change — fewer rainy days and extended dry spells, interspersed with intense precipitation, and also shorter winters and heat waves. The latter’s effects have been felt this time in poor crops of rabi pulses, tomato, potato and even wheat in central India. Such supply shocks — whether induced by climate, war or pandemic — typically engender very large price spikes. Farmers respond by massively ramping up production that, in turn, leads to steep price declines. 

— Creating a buffer stock of essential food items — procuring from farmers/processors during years of surplus production and offloading the same in times of crop failures — can go some way in evening out such extreme price fluctuations.

— The fiscal cost shouldn’t be much, as the stocked commodities (potato, onion and tomato can even be stored in dehydrated form such as flakes, paste and puree) are to be disposed of during scarcity/inflationary periods at near-market rates. 

— A buffer stocking policy in food items will also do away with the need for regressive anti-farmer measures such as banning exports or imposing stock limits on private traders and processors.

Points to Ponder: 

— How can the development of buffer stocks contribute to controlling food inflation?

— What is the relationship between buffer stock and food security?

— What are the challenges with maintaining buffer stocks?

— What are the government schemes for maintaining buffer stocks?

Post Read Question:

Consider the following statements:

1. The concept of buffer stocks was first introduced in the Third Five Year Plan.

2. It is maintained by the state government for the monthly release of food grains through the Targeted Public Distribution System.

Which of the following statements is correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Why govt must create a buffer stock of all main food items

A bend in the river

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Environment and Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: India and its neighbourhood- relations, Environment. 

What’s the ongoing story- Bhumika Sharma Writes– “Recognising climate change as a common vulnerability, and shifting focus from mere river management to holistic basin management that prioritises sustainability would re-establish the treaty as a bright spot in the countries’ relations.”

Prerequisites: 

— What is the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)?

— What is the history of the dispute over the hydroelectric projects between India and Pakistan?

— Read about the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects.

Key takeaways: 

— “The 1960 Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), facilitated by the World Bank, is a landmark transboundary water-sharing mechanism between India and Pakistan. But disagreements persist. In an unprecedented move, India called for amendments to the agreement last year due to its dissatisfaction with the dispute resolution process.”

— “Changing realities such as climate change also fuel the need for amending the treaty. In 2015, the Indus basin was ranked by NASA as the world’s second most over-stressed aquifer. An estimated 31 per cent of the net basin flow originates from climate-impacted glaciers and snow melts, making mean annual flows more volatile and seasonal. Other factors like unpredictable monsoons also contribute to increased variability of flow volume.”

— “There is a need to go beyond this insular approach — a simplistic partitioning of the Indus river system — and to look at the basin as a cohesive geographical unit for the benefit of all stakeholders. Firstly, it is pertinent to integrate an ecological perspective into the governance framework of the treaty.”

— “Secondly, a nuanced understanding of climate-change induced impacts and increased population pressures on the hydrology of the rivers in the Indus basin is needed…”

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the significance of the Indus River system for India and Pakistan?

— What is the dispute redressal mechanism laid down under the IWT?

— What are the implementation issues associated with the IWT?

Post Read Question:

With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus directly. Among the following, which one is such a river that joins the Indus direct? (UPSC CSE 2021)

(a) Chenab

(b) Jhelum

(c) Ravi

(d) Sutlej

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What is Indus Water Treaty: All you need to know about India, Pakistan water dispute

 

The Ideas Page

A trust deficit with farmers

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions, Indian economy, agriculture

What’s the ongoing story- Ashok Gulati Writes– “Trust is the foundation of any relationship. If agriculture in the country has to be put on a fast and sustainable track, the first order of business for Chouhan must be to attempt to converge on some important reforms in the agri-sector.”

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the PM-Fasal Bima Yojana 

— What is Climate-Smart agriculture?

Key takeaways: 

— “ The best way to do it is to form two agri-councils, one with representatives of farmers from each state, say two per state, one owner cultivator and one tenant. Let us call it the Farmers’ Council. The second council will comprise agri-ministers of each state, somewhat on the lines of the GST council. Both these councils must meet at least twice a year, at the beginning of the kharif and rabi conferences that the Centre holds each year. This will go a long way to converge on some important reforms in the agri-sector, which is crying for change.”

— “Second, climate change is already knocking on our heads and farming will be impacted in a big way unless we take some bold steps…..ICAR’s funding needs to go up significantly, say from less than Rs 10,000 crore today to about Rs 15,000 crore. The marginal returns in investing in climate-resilient agriculture, and also promoting climate-smart agriculture are very high.”

— “In the short run, we need to fix the crop insurance scheme, the PM-Fasal Bima Yojana (PM-FBY). PM-FBY was started in 2016 after back-to-back droughts in 2014-15 and 2015-16. Agri-GDP had collapsed and suddenly the farming community was under deep stress. PM-FBY was a bold step in the right direction. But the success of any such scheme depends on how efficiently it is implemented.” 

Points to Ponder: 

— What have been the issues and challenges associated with the PM-FBY?

— What are the challenges faced by the Indian agriculture sector?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government to address these challenges?

— What measures should be taken to ensure the interests of farmers?

Post Read Question:

With reference to ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 

1. Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two percent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.

2. This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 only 

(c) Both 1 and 2 

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

What we need is a farmer-friendly agri-export policy

Hoping for a miracle at COP29

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests, Environment

What’s the ongoing story- Somit Dasgupta Writes– “We are back to where we had left off during COP28. In the recently concluded Bonn talks, a precursor to COP29 (to be held in Baku in November), there was no consensus regarding resource transfer for climate change.”

Prerequisites: 

— Read about the Conference of Parties (COPs)

— New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) 

— Know about the Kyoto Protocol, UNFCCC, and  Loss and Damage Fund

Key takeaways: 

— “This, however, is not surprising given the fact that the world community has been labouring over the transfer of $100 billion per year since the last 15 years, without success. This kitty, however, has been given a new name — New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) — though without any flesh and blood in the form of money. The developed world is engaged in who all should contribute to this fund and the latest missive is that countries like China and Saudi Arabia should also be viewed as donors rather than recipients.”

— “ The reason why China is being singled out is because it is the largest polluter and because its gross domestic product and per capita income has grown manifold in the last two decades.”

— “China, on the other hand, has opined that it is still a developing country according to the guidelines of the UNFCCC and that Article 9 (of the Paris Agreement) says that resource transfer has to take place from the developed to developing countries. Mercifully, India has not yet been called out, though there is a good probability that India, too, may be asked to contribute instead of being a recipient of climate funds.”

— “There are several actions that each country is expected to take in order to reverse the adverse effects of climate change but has faltered. The first thing which comes to one’s mind is the preparation of national adaptation plans (NAPs). The NAPs are nothing but action to be taken to respond to impacts of climate change.Unfortunately, only about 57 countries have submitted their NAPs so far”

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the challenges regarding the NCQG?

— What were the major highlights of COP 28?

— What are the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?

— What measures should be taken at the global level to tackle the challenge of climate change?

Post Read Question:

Describe the major outcomes of the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference? (UPSC CSE 2021)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

COP28: What were the most important decisions, where they fell short

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