Dec 17, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 17th December, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 17th December, 2016   INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS   TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.   India Indonesia Relations   Introduction India and Indonesia have shared two millennia of close cultural and commercial contacts. The Hindu, Buddhist and later Muslim faith travelled to Indonesia from the shores of India. The Indonesian folk art and dramas are based on stories from the great epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata. The shared culture, colonial history and post independence goals of political sovereignty, economic self-sufficiency and independent foreign policy have unifying effect on the bilateral relations.   Present Situation For a long time that two nations have kept each other out of focus while determining their foreign policy, even though they have had converging strategic interests. Even under the present ruling governments, the nations have taken too long to reach out to each other. However, both the countries have shown willingness and intent to build a strong relationship with President Widodo’s visit to India being the first presidential visit from Indonesia to India in nearly six years. The areas of common concern and interest have been discussed below with the joint efforts made by both the countries. South China Sea India and Indonesia both are not in agreement with China’s aggressive stance on South China Sea and want the dispute to be resolved by peaceful means and in accordance with international law such as UNCLOS. Both the countries do not have a direct stake in this dispute, yet they are concerned about China’s territorial expansion and its reluctance to abide by international laws and norms. Maritime Security India and Indonesia want their nations to emerge as major maritime powers and ensure a stable maritime order in the region. India’s concerns lie in the security of the sea lanes of communication in the Indo-Pacific region and Indonesia has been concerned about Chinese maritime intrusions near the Natuna islands and its claim to include the island chain in its territorial maps. Indonesia claims it to be a part of its exclusive economic zone.   Terrorism and Security The two countries are also now moving towards cooperation in defence and security which will help in focussing on combating terrorism and organized crime. They have also issued a joint statement which condemns terrorism in all forms and emphasises on “zero tolerance” towards terrorism. The statement has asked all nations to focus on the following: Eliminating terrorist safe havens and infrastructure, Disrupting terrorist networks and their financing channels, and Stopping cross-border terrorism. Called upon all countries to implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1267 (banning militant groups and their leaders) and other resolutions designating terrorist entities. The two nations have also laid stress on the need to combat and eliminate illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing and recognized transnational organized fisheries crime.   Defence and Security India and Indonesia have been gradually enhancing their security and political ties through the strategic partnership agreement signed in 2005. This agreement also introduced the annual strategic dialogue between the two nations. In 2006, the two countries ratified a defence cooperation agreement, focussing on areas of defence supplies, technology and joint projects. An extradition treaty and a mutual legal assistance treaty for gathering and exchanging information to enforce their laws have also been signed. Other important features of the relationship between the two nations are the joint naval exercises and patrols and regular port calls by their respective navies. India is also a major source of military hardware for Indonesia. Economy India and Indonesia have also decided to give a major boost to their trade and investment ties by focusing on the areas of oil and gas, renewable energy, information technology and pharmaceuticals. It is expected that bilateral trade between the two may grow by four times in the next decade.   Conclusion The importance of cooperation between these two countries is important due to the strategic location of these two. Indonesia’s location allows it to work effectively with India to ensure security in the sea lanes of communication between Europe, the Middle East and South-East Asia. Together, they control the entry point from the Bay of Bengal to the Strait of Malacca. However, the need of the hour is to ensure that the two nations speed up the progress of improving the ties. Even though, the two countries have shared cultural and historical links they have still been distant. One very major highlight of the poor quality relationship between the two countries was the lack of direct air connectivity between the two till this visit by the Indonesian President. This visit by Mr. Widodo has helped India take another step in its “Act East” policy. This will promote greater engagement and integration between India and South-East Asia. Connecting the dots What is the ‘Act East’ Policy of India? Discuss the importance of Indonesia for India, with regard to this policy. Discuss the importance of India Indonesia relationship and the steps which can be taken by both the nations of improve this relationship.   SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY   TOPIC: General Studies 3 Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. India and its neighbourhood- relations.   India’s space diplomacy India has vigorously expanded into space diplomacy as an instrument to expand Indian diplomatic clout and soft power as well as further its geo strategic interests. This has the potential to enhance India’s diplomatic relations with developed as well as developing countries. Let us look at India’s space diplomacy reign so far. Technological capabilities in outer space have long been used as an effective tool of foreign policy. For instance, US used its LandSat satellites to share the data or Russia included an Indian cosmonaut Rakesh Sharma in its manned space flight. India has established a long-standing space programme with a history of over 50 years of space exploration. This is evident from the fact that India has some of the best remote sensing satellites in the world and it has provisioned downlink capabilities for these remote sensing satellites for a number of countries. India also shares data with countries and is a part of international forums such as United Nations Platform for Space-based Information for Disaster Management and Emergency Response (UNSPIDER). Also, India has launched satellites for countries that do not have space launch capabilities as well as for countries like France, Canada and even USA who find Indian services reliable as well as reasonable. Thus, India has taken excellent steps towards utilisation of space diplomacy and more can achieved considering India’s capabilities for regional and global diplomacy. India’s space applications ISRO is now supporting many new tools and governance applications such as alert system for unmanned railway crossings, identifying water sources, pipeline safety etc. This can be used in furthering improvement in living standards of people. Civil aviation, marine navigation, road transportation and disaster management are some of the areas that would stand to benefit from the potentials of IRNSS. Significantly, the INSAT communications and IRS earth observation spacecraft constellations being operated by ISRO are being routinely harnessed for a wide ranging purposes including disaster warning, tele medicine and tele education, crop forecast, water resources monitoring and mapping of natural resources. Indeed, India’s experience in exploiting the potentials of satellite technology for accelerating the pace of socio economic development is of immense relevance to the third world countries including the India’s South Asian neighbours.   A peaceful and prosperous neighbourhood Reaching out to the neighbours with the expertise in space technology has become a new, vibrant mantra of the space diplomacy projected by the current government. The SAARC satellite which is being spearheaded by ISRO, is considered an excellent example of the Indian policy of strengthening relations with the immediate neighbours. The SAARC satellite aims to help South Asian countries in India’s neighbourhood for fighting poverty and illiteracy, scientific advancement and open up the opportunities for the youths of these countries. India has successfully launched seven satellites of IRNSS which will help in regional navigation too, thereby generating an alternative to commercial navigation satellite services. India has now offered Bangladesh its expertise to build and launch its domestic satellites. South East Asia outreach With a view to project its soft power through the sharing of its space expertise, India is looking at the possibility of setting up a ground station in Fiji that could ultimately serve as a hub for sharing space expertise with the Pacific island nations. ISRO already operates ground stations in Mauritius, Brunei and Indonesia to help track the Indian satellites launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre. India has offered to share Indian space expertise with the countries in South East region where China, Japan, Australia and USA are competing to acquire a strategic edge. As part of its international cooperation programme, ISRO has offered to share its experience in utilizing the space technology for socio economic development with ASEAN countries which are also prone to natural disasters. Relevantly, the Department of Space (DOS) Annual Report for 2014-15 makes a reference to the plan for the setting up of a satellite data reception centre in Vietnam. It says “India is actively pursuing a proposal with ASEAN comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam to establish a ground station in Vietnam to receive, process and use data from Indian satellites for a variety of applications including disaster management and support and also to provide training in space science ,technology and applications”.   Regional competition China along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and a number of other countries have set up a regional partnership organization called the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization. It involves sharing data, establishing a space communication network and tracking space objects. China is helping set up a space academy/satellite ground station alongside the launch of a telecommunications satellite for Sri Lanka. Bangladesh and Maldives were also expected to pursue a similar path. Pakistan is expected to receive military grade positioning and navigation signals from China’s BeiDou system. Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmospheric Research Commission (SUPARCO) is building a remote sensing satellite which is expected to be launched in 2018, by means of a Chinese space vehicle. Thus, India is facing tough completion from China in expanding its space diplomacy in the region. SAARC satellite could serve as an instrument to blunt the edge of China’s plan to strengthen space cooperation with South Asian countries including Maldives and Sri Lanka. Also, Indian plan to set up a state of the art satellite monitoring station in Vietnam has attracted Chinese ire where it sees satellite data reception cum tracking and telemetry station in Ho Chi Minhcity as a “clear cut attempt to stir up trouble in the disputed South China Sea region”. China is concerned that the link up of ground stations would give India a significant advantage in the South China Sea region. Conclusion India is considered to be a leader in societal applications of space technology. It can play a role in capacity building for other developing countries in use of space technology to solve their local problems of land, water, forests and crop, among others, which have been successfully demonstrated by ISRO. Technological capacity-based diplomacy may very well hold the key to deepening relationships both regionally and internationally for India. India’s space prowess must be effectively used as a tool in diplomacy and foreign policy not only for regional capacity building and collaboration with developing nations but also for enhancing India’s role in a global framework. Thus, India should continue its efforts in spreading its space diplomatic tentacles. Connecting the dots: What is space diplomacy? Critically evaluate India’s position in furthering its diplomatic relations through space diplomacy.   MUST READ How babus play ball Indian Express   Assam’s identity brew Indian Express   ‘The quality of learning is better when there is diversity and inclusiveness’ Business Line   Dysfunctional Parliament Business Line   Seven imperatives for job creation in India Business Line  

Dec 17, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - BRICS Summit- Ties with Russia and Talks on Terrorism

ARCHIVES   BRICS Summit- Ties with Russia and talks on Terrorism   Search 15th October http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx   TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests   India-Russia 3 key defence agreements were signed between India and Russia. Defence missile S-400 Triumph which will provide India a ballistic missile shield. Making Kamov helicopters in India Making four additional warships India is trying to maintain a balance between Russia and USA. With Russia, India has good relations for last few decades and it has been 17th summit since 2000 when India and Russia signed strategic partnership. There have been ups and downs but whole partnership is based on mutual trust and friendship. The Core of the relationship for last few decades has been defence and technical cooperation where in last 15-17 years, more than 70% has been from Russia. But, there have been talks in last few years that India is now moving more towards USA and also buying from Europe. Today, India and Russia are very close with defence, technical cooperation and energy being key pillars of partnership based on trust. Missile defence system S400 is best in world at the moment. To India, it is a strategic paradigm as sophisticated equipment js given to India. Only China had been supplied by Russia before. This will change the regional security paradigm. Space cooperation- There was special reference of Russian navigation GLONASS which India wanted to use it as an alternates to USA GPS. But this issue of GLONASS had been for a while and now things have moved beyond that. Today, India has developed own regional system and it is more concerned and focused on it. Any kind of additional help from the system is going to be useful. Long term approach and outer space activities- In the past, Russia had tied up with China for Mars mission but it couldn’t take off. India went to Mangalyan and succeeded in the initiative. The relationship with Russia is long term relationship. So the key take away from the summit could be that after few years of drift, the outer space collaboration is back on track with Indo-Russian ties. 3 major pillars of India Russia relation- defence, energy (nuclear + hydrocarbon), trade and economics. First two pillars are strong but the weakest link between two countries continues to be commercial ties. There are plenty of issues concerning it - Connectivity issues where talks about new corridors like North South Trade Corridor (NSTC), rail line from Iran and Azerbaijan is going to Russia. Then there are visa issues and information gaps which act as irritants in commercial ties. The target of 20 billion trade turnover was set in 2015 which is to be achieved by 2025 but it is still 7-8 billion dollars with Russia. Hence there is need for work on all fronts simultaneously. Nuclear energy- two nuclear plants in TN are operational. The foundation of 3rd and 4th plant was laid during BRICS summit. India also talked of 5th and 6th unit and then 7th and 8th unit. Many years ago, India had agreed to have 16-18 nuclear power plants across the country with help of Russia. It is expected that India and Russia will achieve this goal.  In hydrocarbons, some 5.5 billion USD have been invested in Russia by Indian companies. India’s major task has been: Russia is major source of oil and gas and India is largely dependent on it. So India will like to diversify energy resources from Middle East to Russia. So far the investments that have been made haven’t been much to India. Earlier, there were talks of bringing Russian hydrocarbons via gas pipelines. There are two ways of bringing it to India: Russia-China pipeline exists and India can take advantage of it. The second one is upto central Asia, where there are pipelines. From there it can take TAPI route to Afghanistan, Pakistan and then further to India. These routes have geopolitical implications as they have political and security risks. BRICS summit and terrorism History of BRICS- it came as a group of emerging economies which was going to dominate global economic scene in next 40-50 years. Alternative world view to western world view. The larger agenda is economic cooperation, sustainable development and now climate change also. In every summit, there is particular issue that is focused more and India focused more on terrorism part. But it has to be made sure that one issue is not going to derail other issues. In ufa BRICS summit in 2015, India had flagged terrorism which is a key issue.  BRICS decreed all forms of terror. India is now looking for actual paraphrasing that what will happen to countries which fund, abet and aid terror.  But with china being a BRICS member and openly opposing India’s bid on azhar in UN, it is a difficult task. Now, BRICS is a larger platform where terrorism is one of the issues amidst other global issue like global economic governance, climate change, trade and economic cooperation, education, culture, sustainable development goals. As a host, India is interested in successful completion of the summit and it indicated about the strong emphasis on terrorism. Russia has told Pakistan to shut down terrorist activities, China was in between and asked India and Pakistan to solve the issues after Uri attacks and surgical strikes. Unification of BRICS on such matters is important as other blocks like NATO are together in certain issues. But in BRICS, on issue of cross border terrorism, it has seen divisions in issues. Connecting the dots: What is the history of BRICS and why is it significant to India? What have been the key highlights of BRICS 2016?  

Dec 17, 2016 AIR

All India Radio - India-Brazil Bilateral Relations

ARCHIVES   India-Brazil Bilateral Relations   Search 17th October http://www.newsonair.com/Main_Audio_Bulletins_Search.aspx   TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests   Significance to India India and Brazil held a bilateral summit in the backdrop of BRICS summit. This visit should be seen in the larger context of BRICS summit as all the five countries involved in BRICS summit are important partners of India. Of the four countries, Brazil is most distant geographically and also intensity of contact. Brazil President Michel Temer visited India for the first time. The relation between both countries is improving and consolidating in last decade as there was no major relation before that. The larger focus of India in the summit is on terrorism. Brazil has supported India’s action against terrorism. There are two ways of looking at terrorism- As a global phenomenon Cross border terrorism which is India’s specific concern Terrorism is not a major phenomenon in some parts, particular South American world. Brazil has urban crime problem and drug problem. Brazil is untroubled by terrorism unlike South American countries like Peru and Columbia. Terrorism is a global threat. It has organised the Olympics and Football world cup in space of 2 years where all countries come. Thus they know it is an important threat to disrupt events, destroy people and affecting many countries. Hence, Brazil has no reservation in condemning terrorism. It has said that international community must come together to combat terrorism. They are in agreement with India in one of its initiative- The Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. So Brazil understands the conceptual aspect of terrorism and India’s position. With regards to specific aspect of Pakistan, they don’t have much relation with Pakistan. Hence this issue is remote for them and India also doesn’t expect more support on this from them. India’s efforts are now to isolate Pakistan diplomatically and so this kind of understanding is needed from important countries in the world. Trade relations India’s trade relationship with Brazil is around 12 million USD which is a moderate kind of relationship. But this time Brazil has said that there is a chance to increase the trade volume by 3 times. Till now, the major focus is on commodity so it is difficult to increase trade volume. For instance, India grows coffee which is Brazil’s major exports. Animal feed and minerals- Brazil is rich in minerals and agricultural resources. However in future, India might need to import pulses. If India has shortage of food products due to growing population and increase in pressure on land, India can use Brazil’s land and water resources which is plenty. India’s export includes pharma products, generic drugs, service industry like IT, bio tech. Defence relation between both countries can be enhanced due to their huge defence needs of helicopters, aircrafts (Embraer) and submarines. There is also a possibility of cooperation in Science and Technology and developing designs. Bilateral defence relationship India and Brazil have normal exchanges in defence, for example, their officers coming to NDA, coming for training exercises and visit of Chiefs to each other’s country. The real potential is in designing and trying to develop defence industry which is not military cooperation. Both countries are aware that their requirements are large. So instead of importing everything they can develop together. The defence relation between both countries have not acquired pace and momentum as hoped. But it has few reasons like Political crisis in Brazil India was passive over last few years in defence cooperation Space cooperation is possible. Brazil has space programme but India is far ahead. From time to time, India offers space technology to Brazil as India has now developed lot of user space technology whether it is for scientific purpose or meteorology. The new partnership Four agreements were signed between both the countries: Agriculture and animal husbandry Pharma product regulations Cattle genomics and assistant reproduction technology Investment corporation and facilitation treaty These are important areas for both countries. Brazil is rich in agriculture and has done extraordinary research. Embrapa is world leader in some of the technologies. Brazil has different zones of soils where lot of work has been done and India can learn lot. Similarly, Cattle stock of Brazil is very important for them. Zebu cattle in Brazil has some Indian connection in origin. There is scientific exchange of their embryos also. Pharma export from India is very big and so to regulate the trade and see that market access takes place is important. Investment and facilitation of investment is also important. So, these agreements may not look very big but these are specific targets. And in a way, this is the way to go to pick the niche area where there is a mutual need or understanding needs to be developed further. Strategic relation Strategic relation is very important as both are mature democracies, developing countries, have different problems from developed countries and require greater voice for developing countries, partners in expansion of UNSC and become permanent partners, both believe in institutional reform for WB and IMF. So India and Brazil are natural partners with same kind of outlook over global issues. Commonality Despite huge distance and diverse history- India was colonised by British and Brazil was colonised by Portuguese, so there are cultural differences. But there are remarkable affinities and common values like both are noisy democracies- coalition governments are formed, understanding and misunderstanding between centre and state, Independent judiciary, vibrant press, critical NGOs etc. So this aspect of functioning democracy is common. Both are developing countries. Though Brazil’s size is two and half times of India but same size as Indian economy. Though they are better in per capita income than India, but there is poverty. Brazil has diversity- religion, languages, culture, region, ethnics. So, democracy, development and diversity are the common interactive points between two nations. Connecting the dots: India and Brazil have the potential to upgrade their relation in diverse sectors. Comment.  

Dec 16, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th December, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 16th December, 2016   EDUCATION/SOCIAL SECTOR REFORMS   TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.   Need for Reforms in the Education Policy   Introduction- Education and Economy With half of the term of the present government over, amongst all policy areas the most important area that needs all the focus and reforms is India’s education policy. Indian economy faces two challenges in the form of a deteriorating environment and employment especially underemployment. The factors that are responsible for the slow growth of productive jobs include poor infrastructure, poor governance, anti employment bias in the economic policies and most importantly a failed education policy.   India and the World On an international comparison, India lags behind various countries in different areas. The same has been illustrated below: 5% of India’s workforce has had any skill training and only 2% have any formal skill certification in comparison to over 70% in European countries and 80% to 90% in East Asian countries. In 2012, over 26% of India’s population was still illiterate compared to 5% in South Africa, 4% in China. 50% of India’s population has received only primary education or less, compared to 24% in South Africa and 38% in China. As per the 2015 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), about 50% of class V students could not read a simple text meant for class II students and also could not could not do a simple arithmetic meant for class II students. India has also performed very poorly in other international reports and surveys such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) conducted by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).   Reasons for ineffective education policy of India: Education policy in India is focused on inputs rather than learning outcomes. Education policy has a strong elitist bias in favour of higher education as opposed to primary or secondary education. The public expenditure by India on tertiary education is way higher than the expenditure on primary education. This is against the trend as observed in countries across the world. The lack of incentives for teachers to enhance their performance level. Inadequate performance appraisal methods to evaluate the performance of teachers. There are no effective checks and balances to act as benchmarks for their performance measurement. Teachers in government schools in India have very low accountability to students, their parents and the society. Other teacher related problems include: High absenteeism Involvement in non-teaching activities. Poorly qualified teachers. Inadequate compensation to teachers.   Consequences of ineffective education policy of India: Due to the poor education profile of the presently underemployed workers, they are able to get employment in low- or medium-skill jobs rather than the organised sector. Inefficient education system in India has led to lack of basic skill training which leads to low productivity Poor human resource development leads to poor economic growth. Lack of proper education at the basic level also leads to increase in crimes and social evils. The focus on theoretical learning at the primary level makes students dependent on rote learning. This leads to lack of practical knowledge.   Suggestions for Reforms in the Education Policy in India India can reform it’s education policy rapidly if it undertakes the following measures: Introducing learning through activity and reduce rote learning. Implement a child friendly pedagogy. Introduce various reform measures as provided for in the Right To Education Act to ensure adequate emphasis on primary education. Implementation of strict performance evaluation standards for teachers. Qualitative and regular training and testing techniques for teachers. Performance based compensation for teachers along with regular incentivization for quality performance. More diversion of funds by the government towards policies focusing on primary education. Conclusion Education holds both intrinsic and instrumental value. The instrumental value lies in the utilization of education in obtaining quality employment and skill-set. The intrinsic value, on the other hand, lies in education assisting the citizens in having a fulfilling life and participating in the functioning of robust democracy. Along with policies such as Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and National Skill Development Mission (NSDM), the government needs to ensure that it devotes sufficient focus and resources, both financial and human, towards basic and primary education. These reforms in the primary education system will not only go a long way in improving the social indicators of the country but also improve it standing in the global economy. Additionally, they will help India in ensuring that the demography proves to be a dividend rather than a burden. Connecting the dots Skill development, higher education and primary education are the three sides of the triangle of human resource development. Comment. Also highlight the challenges and the reforms needed in Indian education policy with respect to primary education.   SECURITY/TECHNOLOGY   TOPIC: General Studies 3 Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Awareness in the fields of IT Challenges to internal security through communication networks basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention   Vulnerable cyberspace in India Recently, a hacker group ‘Legion’ broke into twitter accounts of Congress Party, its vice president Rahul Gandhi, controversial liquor baron Vijay Mallya, TV journalists Barkha Dutt and Ravish Kumar. Such hacker groups have exposed the vulnerability of cyber market in India which may fall to prey easily, thereby compromising on the privacy of data. Knowing Legion The group ‘Legion’ has claimed access to ‘over 40,000 servers’ in India, ‘encryption keys and certificates’ used by some Indian banks, and confidential medical data housed in ‘servers of private hospital chains’. It is a group that trades in ‘zero days’ and makes money through ‘weaponised exploits’. A zero day vulnerability refers to a hole in software that is unknown to the vendor. This security hole is then exploited by hackers before the vendor becomes aware and fixes it—this exploit is called a zero day attack. Thus, a zero day vulnerability is a flaw. For example, Stuxnet, the cyber weapon developed jointly by the United States and Israel to slow down Iranian nuclear centrifuges, used a zero-day exploit that falsified digital certificates, allowing it to run in Windows operating systems. So, if Legion has gained access to a ‘Secure Socket Layer’ (SSL) certificate that an Indian bank’s website uses to validate its authenticity to a user’s computer or mobile phone, the group can easily retrieve confidential login information and cause unmitigated financial loss. Now the group aims to target to hack mail servers hosted by the government. The loss that such security breaches induct is the corrosion of public trust reposed in digital transactions. This becomes more profound when more Indians are switching to online payment gateways in the aftermath of demonetisation. Digital security in India As per a study by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and PwC, in India, there has been a surge of about 350% of cybercrime cases registered under the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000 from 2011 to 2014. Researchers in India at cybersecurity company FireEye discovered phishing websites created by cybercriminals that spoof 26 Indian banks in order to steal personal information from customers. This has been now notified to Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) team. At a time when an increasing number of Indians are going digital and doing transactions online, these hacking incidents expose the country's cybersecurity vulnerabilities. As the digital economy grows, consumers should be aware of the risks that come with convenience. The ease of online payments opens new avenues for criminals to trick consumers into divulging their own sensitive information of banking, digi wallets etc.   Threat to privacy If the country’s digital assets are vulnerable to espionage and disruptive attacks, there are institutional, economic and social factors fuelling their neglect. The centre is yet to identify and implement measures to protect ‘critical information infrastructure’ indispensable to the country’s governance. The National Informatics Centre (NIC), which hosts the government’s mail servers, has been compromised several times in the past. It has just recently started using two-factor authentication (or 2FA, in which the user provides two means of identification) to access sensitive government communications. Not only government, but even private sector has failed to report and respond to breaches in digital networks. As per Interpol report of 2015, 1,11,083 security incidents were handled by CERT-In but less than 10% of those were registered with law enforcement agencies. Whether at the payment interface or the e-commerce website, electronic fraud is highly underreported in India. There are neither voluntary, sector-specific standards for reporting data breaches nor industry backchannels for sharing confidential security information. Most Indian applications available on Android and iOS stores allow for automatic updates or patches, increasing the likelihood that an exploit or malware can be introduced without the user’s knowledge. Many Indians don’t even realise that the digital identities have been now inextricably linked to their actual personas. An intrusion in the virtual social existence limited in its scope by 140 characters, may make way into person who owns the account- their identity, personality, private life and, more dangerously, financial profile. With many digital accounts linked to Aadhar platform, the breach of privacy may cause mayhem.   Way forward There should be attitudinal change among the Indian elites and policy makers that cybersecurity is not ‘optional’. The successful hacking of accounts of highly visible politicians, journalists and industrialists shows that cybersecurity space needs boost in coming days. There should be a policy in place which deals strictly with cybercrimes. Even misuse of a digital wallet should be dealt with in the toughest way to send a message that cyber security is not something that can be messed with. There should be awareness and education about the digital platforms being used. There are many first-generation Internet users who might not understand the full risks and vulnerabilities associated with going online. There should be appointment of a National Cyber Security Coordinator, which was suggested in 2014, by creating liaison officers in the States. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) should be adequately staffed. 2FA should be made mandatory even for Indian companies that rely on Gmail for official communication. Frequent data breaches will steadily erode the confidence of Internet users and deter them from using digital gateways. The government has staked its future heavily on the success of the Digital India programme and hence it has to vindicate its goals by focusing on the importance of cyber security. Connecting the dots: Why is cybersecurity important in this age? Examine the issues surrounding the fallouts of cyber breaches.   MUST READ A law for equality Hindu   Death in Aleppo Hindu   Rules of an exchange economy Hindu   Cash and care Indian Express   Building on the success Indian Express   The besieged other Indian Express   Church & caste Indian Express   Why the 1971 war failed to bring peace Livemint   Our failed education policy needs urgent reform Livemint   In pursuit of bancassurance Livemint   Better things to stand up for Business Line   Why emerging economies are vulnerable Business Line   Forex risk and ‘options’ for exporters Business Line  

Dec 16, 2016 IASbaba's Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

IASbaba Current Affairs Monthly Magazine- NOVEMBER 2016

DOWNLOAD ALL THE MAGAZINES- CLICK HERE Hello Friends                                                                                                             This is the 18th edition of IASbaba’s Current Affairs Monthly Magazine for UPSC Civil Services Examination. This edition covers all important issues that were in news in the month of NOVEMBER 2016. To Download the Magazine ->  Click Here

Dec 16, 2016 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 82]

Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) Recently seaweed ‘Sargassum Zhangii’ was found growing along the rocky shores from Tamil Nadu. Consider the following statements about seaweed ‘Sargassum Zhangii’ It is endemic to China It is the first reported case of the seaweed outside China Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.2) Recently Qatar abolished the ‘kafala’ labour system. Consider the following statements It is a system used to monitor migrant labourers The kafala systems governs labour migration in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries only Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Consider the following statements about ‘DigiShala’ The channel was launched by Ministry of Finance and Reserve Bank of India to push digital transactions The channel would be managed by Doordarshan (DD) and is a free-to-air Channel Which of the following statements is/are correct? Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Consider the following statements about International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) ICC was designated as the official business representative in the processes that lead to the creation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ICC is the only business organisation that has been admitted as an Observer at the UN General Assembly ICC was the first organization granted general consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Q.5) Exercise Ekuverin is a joint military exercise between Seychelles Maldives Indonesia Laos Download the Solution- Click here All the best IASbaba

Dec 15, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th December, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 15th December, 2016   NATIONAL   TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   Forests Rights Act- Stop the dilution of rights In 2006, the historic Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was passed. The conception and passage was the result of the decades of struggles and sacrifices of millions of tribals across India, of their organisations, of numerous activists and intellectuals working on tribal issues. Watering down During the colonial times, the colonial masters had turned tribal owners of the forests and its resources into encroachers. Even before the Forest Rights Act was passed, there were successful attempts in diluting some important recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on community forest rights, access to minor forest produce etc. These were done by real encroachers and plunderers of the forests, the mining companies, the private power sector companies, those involved in irrigation projects, the timber and paper industries and the forest resort tourist industry. The clause that Non-tribal Traditional Forest Dwellers would have to show evidence of their occupation of the land for 75 years virtually negated the inclusion of these largely poorer sections in the law. Amending the bill Few amendments which are being proposed to weaken the Act Series of legislation Various legislations were passed which undermined the rights and protections given to tribals in the FRA Amendments to Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act and a host of amendments to the Rules to the FRA weakened the implementation of FRA. It also included the condition of “free informed consent” from gram sabhas for any government plans to remove tribals from the forests and for the resettlement or rehabilitation package. In a start, the requirement of public hearings and gram sabha consent has been done away with for mid-sized coal mines. Many states are working against the spirit of FRA. In Andhra Pradesh, the government has issued orders to subvert FRA In Telangana, the government has illegalised traditional methods of forest land cultivation. In Jharkhand, government has brought amendments to the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Acts which eliminate rights of gram sabhas and permit tribal land to be taken over by corporates, real estate players, private educational and medical institutions in the name of development, without tribal consent. In Maharashtra, the government has issued a notification of “Village Rules” which gives all rights of forest management to government-promoted committees as opposed to the gram sabha.   Policy wars For ‘ease of doing’ business, the government policy translates into clearing all private sector-sponsored projects in tribal-inhabited forest areas. The National Board for Wildlife, with the Prime Minister as Chairperson, was reconstituted, slashing the number of independent experts from 15 members to three. This Board cleared 33 out of 41 proposals diverting over 7,000 hectares of forest land in 2014 itself. In almost all these projects, the affected tribal families have not yet received their pattas (land ownership documents), one of the conditions set by the FRA. Thus, this wilful disregard and blatant violation of the legal protections given to tribals has become the cornerstone of the policy. Implementation reality There is very less or no actual implementation happening on ground. Neither individual pattas nor pattas for community forest resources are being given. The Ministry of Environment and Forests is rejecting such claims. According to one analysis, between May 2015 and April 2016, eight out of every 10 claims were rejected. MoTA, the nodal ministry for FRA and the spokesperson for Adivasi interests, is yet to effectively address the hollowing out of this crucial law. Role of judiciary The role of judiciary is very important. It gave tribals hope through the Samata judgment and the historic Niyamgiri judgment. Recently, in a writ petition by filed by Wildlife Trust of India and others, the court issued notice to all State governments to “file an affidavit giving data regarding the number of claims rejected within the territory of the State and the extent of land over which such claims were made and rejected and the consequent action taken up by the State after rejection of the claims”.   Way forward The government should not view FRA as a roadblock to development but as a means to achieve a more just, democratic and ecologically informed conversation around mining. It has to admit that the knowledge base of local communities, which interact most intimately with the forests, is of value in decision-making. The 2013 SC order observed: “…we have realised that forests have the best chance to survive if communities participate in their conservation and regeneration.” The FRA mandated Gram Sabhas, if nurtured seriously as an institution of local governance, they can be a vital mechanism to outline the full costs and gains of mining, and more crucially, how these get distributed. Till 1985, the department of “Tribal Affairs” was under the Home Ministry. Tribal rights and struggles for justice were viewed as a “law and order issue, always a problem”. Hence, in these forthcoming period, this retrograde approach should not be resurrected. IASbaba’s views Though are inadequacies in the Bill, the Forest Rights Act is a powerful instrument to protect the rights of tribal communities. It stops the private companies and mining firms to invade into the tribal properties and plunder India’s mineral resources. An attempt to dilute the laws passed by Parliament and to create laws that allow for easier acquisition of land for various activities seem to be driven by convenience notwithstanding the fact that conflicts over land forcibly acquired and pending claims are a reality and are not likely to disappear even if attempts are made to dilute existing laws. Hence, a consensual approach should be followed by the departments (Tribal and Environment) to uphold the rights of the tribals and communities. Connecting the dots: What are the problems faced in successful implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006? Examine. Forest Rights Act is game changer in life of tribals and their development prospects if implemented as envisaged. Comment.   MUST READ A wrong turn with the Rohingyas Hindu   Fifty shades of black Indian Express   Uniform civil code vs triple talaq Indian Express   1971 in 2016 Indian Express   Disabilities Bill passed Indian Express   The challenges to free movement of labour Livemint   Examining the funding deficit of the judiciary Livemint   Demonetisation push to labour reforms Livemint   Advantage India. Why China can’t lure tech talent Livemint   Time to review India’s ‘no first use’ doctrine Business Line   Time to review India’s ‘no first use’ doctrine Business Line  

Dec 15, 2016 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

IASbaba Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 81]

Click here to get all the Tests– Archives Q.1) In the context of Indian economy, Open Market Operations' refers to Borrowing by scheduled banks from the RBI Lending by commercial banks to industry and trade Purchase and sale of government securities by the RBI None of the above Q.2) A "closed economy" is an economy in which? The money supply is fully controlled Deficit financing Only exports take place Neither exports nor imports take place Q.3) Recently Jiram Valley was in news. It is located in Jammu & Kashmir Chhattisgarh Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh Q.4) Which one of the following was a journal brought out by Abul Kalam Azad? Al-Hilal Comrade The Indian Sociologist Zamindar Q.5) Mitakshara is A work on astronomy A treatise on ancient Hindu law of inheritance An Agamic text A compendium on medicine Download the Solution- Click here All the best IASbaba

Dec 14, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 14th December, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 14th December, 2016   ECONOMY   TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.   A new normal- Being Cashless Though demonetisation was touted as a surgical strike on black money, fake currency and terror funding, it has now become a radical ‘reform’ to transform India into a cashless economy. Government has rolled out a series of measures which are in way of building a national consensus in favour of the transformation. This shows the most significant shift in the legitimising narrative around the note ban. This was significant in PM’s Mann ki baat speech which drew on the equivalence between ‘Swachh’ and ‘purity’, and ‘purity’ and ‘virtue’, to give a moral colouring to the binary of cash/cashless. Informal is the target In Indian economy, 90% of all transactions are in cash. This is due to the large informal sector, which employs 90% of the workforce. However, this sector doesn’t comprise of majority of black money hoarders. Hence, for India to become a cashless society, it has to transform the mammoth informal sector to digital payments. The PM thus sought to pre-emptively control the resistance to transform India into digital economy by launching it as a campaign against black money. The distinction between legal cash and black money was dissolved and the ground was cleared for the treatment of all cash as potentially black unless proven white. This can be understood in the context that informal sector did not suffer as an unintended casualty of demonetisation but it was the intended target. As RBI has clarified that it was not at all an ill-planned operation as some have suggested. In fact, the government was fully cognisant of the consequences of its move.   In name of black money Cash is the most powerful instrument of financial inclusion. Anyone can access it directly, without depending on rent-seeking technological or financial intermediaries. It is non trackable as once a person has cash, it can be spent wherever and whenever without anyone tracing. This freedom was taken as granted and this is what ‘cashless’ society takes away from the person. The ‘phase one’ of demonetisation focused on implanting the idea of black money in public memory to give the ‘cashless’ drive a logical need. The ‘phase two’ kicked in after black money and national pride was inserted into demonetisation discourse where cashless was equal to clean and cash with dirt with suspicion of black money. Speedy deliveries Traders, small businesses, shopkeepers and consumers routinely use cash as a means to avoid paying service tax, sales tax, VAT and any number of indirect taxes and fees. Hence, a cashless society would result into a sharp rise in indirect taxes compliance. This would be needed when Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime needs to become successful. By sucking out 86% of paper money and enforcing a cashless payments system by letting people flounder for a period in a condition of acute paper money scarcity was perhaps one the quickest means to implement the ‘cashless’ drive. Also, apart from the state, the finance capital of India is another big beneficiary of cashless India. Currently, India’s low-income households access credit through informal systems through broker, money lender or relative with cash savings. This informality was partially dented with the arrival of self-help groups that can access formal credit. But because of India’s growing population, both the debt and the savings of the working classes constitute an enormous market that global finance has so far been unable to access. Hence, when the cashless system was enforced, it instantly formalised informality. Thus when seen in reverse, the Jan Dhan accounts were meant for financial inclusion which channel personal income (wages/cash transfers) to financial markets via insurance and pension schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Atal Pension Yojana. And with cashless systems, money in Jan Dhan accounts can serve as a fresh source of liquidity for financial institutions. The digital sector enjoys a symbiotic relationship with finance capital. Post November, there has been surge in digital payment apps and e-wallet companies.   The new ‘normal’ The citizens of India- from businessmen to farmers to analysts- are waiting for life to return to normal. Here, a general ‘Normal’ means no long queues at ATMs. But the queues are long not only due to too many people and too little cash but also because of limit on withdrawals which forces people to queue up multiple times at different locations. Hence, a proper return to the pre-demonetisation ‘normal’ therefore requires removal of any ceiling on cash withdrawals. But, such a definition of ‘normal’ would be valid if the reason for demonetisation was either destruction of black money or fake currency or even a recapitalisation of banks. But these things have already happened and no longer matter. People have started using new notes for their transactions but it is not available as per demand. Thus, the return to the ‘old normal’ may not be possible as no matter how many currency notes are printed or how many ATMs are recalibrated or how many livelihoods affected in the informal sector, the ceiling on cash withdrawals may not be withdrawn any time soon. Reason: the demonetisation drive is not much about black money as it is about combating cash. Unsurprisingly, the banking sector, IT sector and somewhat corporate sector are supporting this move. Only the targeted informal sector is hit by the demonetisation as it is cash-dependent. It will continue to be so until they switch en masse to digital payment platforms — which is what the government is expecting them to do. Conclusion The digital transformation of cash is also a cost savings to the entire financial ecosystem and not just the public purse. From printing to cash management to physical infrastructure to securing and dispensing of currency, cash is very expensive. Hence, India must use the demonetisation drive to harness its innovation and political capital. Connecting the dots: Is demonetisation move a planned exercise? Critically analyse   MUST READ Through a storm, safely Hindu   Transitioning to Trump’s America Hindu   Prof Baxi versus St Baxi Indian Express   Post-demonetisation, Modi govt could try simultaneous Parliament and state polls Indian Express   A level playing field for debtors and creditors Livemint   Why demonetisation has been disruptive for India Livemint   Demonetisation a catalyst for a cashless society Livemint   A sovereign wealth fund for India? Business Line   Nutrition crisis, a failure of farm policies Business Line    

Dec 13, 2016 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 13th December, 2016

Archives   IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs – 13th December, 2016   INTERNATIONAL    TOPIC: General Studies 2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests   Potential at Pacific: India and Indonesia India and Indonesia engaged in a bilateral talk at the sidelines of 9th East Asia Summit in Myanmar in 2014. After the wait of two years, visit of new Indonesian President Joko Widodo to India reflects the lack of priority attached to the India-Indonesia relationship so far. Realising the potential The India-Indonesia relationship has been one of potential rather than realisation. Though the leaders of the previous governments of both the nations made efforts to increase partnership, it did not gain any grip. Hence, now is the time to ensure that the bilateral visits are not limited to diplomatic formalities but becomes a defining relationship in Asia. Importance of Indonesia It is the world’s largest archipelago, straddling the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It can potentially control virtually all the straits linking the southern Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Hence it can be called as a latent Asian power. Though Indonesia is such strategically placed, it has not yet been able to articulate a vision to put into use its extraordinary geographical location advantage. Though now the new President seems to have slowly begun to understand the geographical location of Indonesia where he sees the country as a “maritime axis” requiring a strong naval force to protect its territorial integrity, fishing waters and energy interests, supported and funded by strong economic growth. Picture Credit: http://city4.xn--e1akkdfpb6a.xn--p1ai/images1/surabaya-indonesia-1.jpg Geopolitics at the Pacific India and Indonesia officially brought up South China Sea disputes and asked China to respect UNCLOS which establishes the international legal order of the seas and oceans. This is significant in the light of China's refusal to acknowledge the ruling by an international tribunal formed under UNCLOS which dismissed Beijing's claimed historical rights over 90% of South China Sea's waters in response to a lawsuit filed by the Philippines. In the past, India has been vary of strategic ‘spillovers’ from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. Hence it needs to look for partners who can play a stabilising role in the Indo-Pacific region as China is showing its naval muscle in the South China Sea and expanding its strategic and commercial reach through the One Belt One Road initiative. At the same time, there are uncertainties surrounding U.S. President Barack Obama’s ‘Asian pivot’ and President-elect Donald Trump’s foreign policy Also, there have been known emerging divergences amongst ASEAN countries about where its future interests lie- On one side there is a looming China and on other side an unsteady U.S. Here, Indonesia would be the best placed to play such a role. Thus, India should recognise Indonesia’s centrality in the Indo-Pacific region and help work towards a future where both countries can be partners for security in the region. India and Indonesia Political relation The political basis of relationship between both countries exists in the Strategic Partnership that was agreed to in 2005. This could be used to initiate a high-level strategic dialogue which aims at identifying common strategic interests Develop a partnership with Indonesia as a maritime power Increase in India’s defence cooperation to cover all threats to security in the region. Such a partnership would also be a hedge against dependence on big powers outside the region whose commitment to regional security is subject to their own shifting perceptions. Apart from this, the leaders of the both the nations focused on upgrading ties in the domain of maritime security and defence cooperation. The leaders of both nations condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in the strongest terms, emphasizing ``zero tolerance" for acts of terror. They resolved to significantly enhance bilateral cooperation in combating terrorism and terrorists' financing.   Cultural relation At present, Indonesia is battling with tensions over the role of religion, ethnicity and language. This in some ways mirrors India’s own concerns. Indonesia’s pluralist, tolerant social-religious philosophy has come under serious pressure due to overpowering of Arabised version of Islam in India. This version looks at ethnic and religious identities in terms of binaries and views Indonesia as a Sunni Islamic state where non-Muslims have to live by the rules of the majority Muslims. Here, India has a stake in the diversity of Islam found in Indonesia against exclusive and homogenising influences. This can happen without participating into a domestic debate on religion by advocating its admission in a revived India-Brazil-South Africa forum as a pluralist democracy that is an alternative to what appears to be a rise of intolerance in many democracies. Thus, India and Indonesia can provide complementary models for the coexistence of religious minorities with majoritarian communities in Asia based on their own traditions of coexistence. Also, in the areas of education, culture, and people-to-people relations, a thrust could be given to Indian Council for Cultural Relations scholarships in Indian universities, increased slots for training under the Indian Technical and Economic Corporation programme, closer academic exchanges and vocational training by Indian companies in Indonesia. India could also learn lessons on tourism promotion from Indonesia — from Bali, for instance, where Indians rank high in the list of nationalities visiting that island. From Bali, it can learn about a more ‘simple’ Hinduism that is relatively free from caste and sectarian divisions. Economic relation India and Indonesia can make a conscious attempt to enhance their economic and cultural relationship. All major powers today look at foreign investment in economic and strategic terms as a stronger tool for influence than trade. Economic growth is President Jokowi’s top priority. He has brought forward his interests in foreign investment, particularly in the energy, infrastructure, manufacturing and tourism sectors. India can develop its investment profile in Indonesia as it has huge infrastructural needs such as toll roads, power plants, ports and airports apart from already substantial Indian investment in areas like coal, textiles, steel, auto and banking sectors. A number of industrial estates have already come up in many places in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Medan and Batam. Medan industrial zone in northern Sumatra should be of particular interest to India from a connectivity point of view. A shipping service from Chennai or Krishnapatnam to Medan via the Andaman Islands could be used to export Indian goods to offset, at least partly, the large imbalance in India’s trade with Indonesia. Indian investment in strategically important countries should thus be seen as an arm of its foreign policy which has not been a case yet. The PM reiterated that Indonesia was one of the valued partners of India’s Act East Policy where they shared economic and strategic interest. Indonesia has emerged to become the second largest trading partner of India in the ASEAN region. Bilateral trade has increased from USD 6.9 billion in 2007-08 to USD 19.03 billion in 2014-15. Indonesia enjoys trade surplus with India, though the volume has been small and declining, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Conclusion Both the leaders have to look forward to provide the much needed thrust into the bilateral relations so that a truly strategic relationship between both the countries is realised and developed. Connecting the dots: Indonesia was considered the weakest link in India’s Act East policy. Do you agree? Critically analyse. Comment upon India and Indonesia bilateral relations.   SECURITY ISSUE TOPIC: General Studies 3 Science and Technology – developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.   Secure digital infrastructure On October 21, US and Europe witnessed attacks from hackers when large chunks of the internet were made inoperable. Computers and servers were flooded with artificially created traffic which resulted in "Denial of Service" of many applications. The attackers hacked and took control of an estimated 100,000 low-end devices that can autonomously access the internet and consequentially paralyse the internet. This event was a chilling demonstration of the new vulnerabilities that attend the astounding growth of the Internet of Things (IoT). Technology, and the exploding range of services it enables, has consistently outpaced our understanding of the internet’s evolution and the systems designed to protect it. India’s case: Last month, people in India woke up to the news about the largest data breach in the country. It involved data stolen from 3.2 million debit cards between 25 May and 10 July from a network of bank ATMs, managed by a Japanese payment services company. After demonetisation, the Government of India is pushing for digital transactions. As India goes digital, experts must recognise the huge threat to the internet from hackers using armies of ‘bots’. The country’s digital infrastructure will remain vulnerable until we have indigenously developed security hardware and software. Software and application developers have a first-to-market mindset, and tend to ignore security and privacy issues. Given the manner with which Indian companies and the Government treats customer data, BPOs seem to be the biggest threat to data security breaches. The legal system to handle cyber fraud needs further strengthening. Banks need to dedicate far greater resources and should have a designated senior officer such as a CISO for overseeing security issues. Though the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has issued guidelines and policies, the implementation has been poor. Incident reporting and handling, having a complete information security management system in place, developing business continuity plans, and threat modeling are a few important steps that banks need to take immediately.   How have cyber threats evolved over the years? Cyber security threats are constantly evolving. Viruses infecting personal desktops were the first generation. The second generation can be traced back to 2001, when hackers took down the Microsoft and EBay websites by targeting their domain name server with a denial of service (DOS) attack, giving rise to “botnets.” The third generation began in 2007, with the release of Red October, a state-sponsored cyber-espionage campaign that stole data from classified computers, mobile devices, and network equipment. Perhaps the most famous of these attacks is Stuxnet. Malware is also evolving to become more platform-focused. Now, with the advent of smart devices, malware is penetrating pervasively and focusing on all security dimensions, that is, access, data theft, and destruction. The trend is global and does not affect India alone.   What measures need to be taken to strengthen the existing security system? Some of the positive initiatives which RBI is already taking with regard to digital payment systems, are two-factor authentication in net banking/online transactions by using one-time password’s (OTPs), SSL/128 bit encryption used as minimum level of security, etc. However, they should consider other ATM security solutions, including advanced anti-skimming technology, silent alarm notifications and video surveillance, ATM lighting and remote video monitoring at all places, 24/7 surveillance and security systems strictly controlling access to all banking facilities, and so on.   How far the existing infrastructure to prevent cyberattacks in India as compared to developed countries? Where are we lacking? In terms of regulations, our banking systems and companies providing digital platforms for digital transactions are at par with international standards. However, we certainly lack in adherence to, and implementation and review of the regulations. We still do not have data privacy regulation in India. Among other things, banks should take necessary preventive and corrective measures in addressing various types of cyber threats including, denial of service, distributed denial of services (DDoS), destructive malware, etc.   The way ahead: The challenge is what can be done about this. Long-term solutions will require immediate operational actions and practices with longer-range initiatives, some policy driven. These will require shared responsibilities across a spectrum of players, from individuals to institutional and corporate entities and various agencies of the government. The root cause is the vulnerability of devices where security has not been addressed as part of the original design, or indeed, provisions do exist but these processes have not been followed at the time of activation. It is critical that standards for device security must exist and compliance must be required for sale and operation. The most effective move would be to embrace the standards and protocols being adopted by technologically advanced economies of the West that have dramatically higher stakes and are developing safeguards. That will position India well for the future as its own reliance on the internet rises steeply. But even that would be a partial solution since hundreds of millions of vulnerable devices are already out there globally — the IoT is not waiting to happen. An important step should be to assess the risk from all exposed devices and take actions to contain this. In some cases, the fix might be simple; replace default passwords by strong, unique passwords. But when security considerations are not well addressed, the only sensible action would be to either disable autonomous access or remove the devices altogether. Urgent action is an imperative — otherwise, we risk becoming collective victims of cyber-attacks or unwitting accomplices to these incidents, potentially with large-scale and serious consequences. At a national level, more is needed. The imperatives are, first, to set policy, strategies and priorities to address this and other aspects of cyber security, including appropriate frameworks of laws and statutes. Second, it is vital to develop and set specific standards and provide guidance for compliance. Third, we must identify vulnerabilities and prioritise actions to protect critical infrastructure and operational capabilities. Fourth, developing and maintaining specific real-time interventional capability to address a cyber attack of this nature by pinpointing and containing it, and ensuring resilience for protection and restoration of capabilities, is important. Fifth, we must carefully think through protocols that will be necessary to manage such complex issues that cross organisational boundaries in real time — the ability to respond must not be hampered by internal boundaries and conflicting authorities. Cyber security is a complex topic that requires a range of coordinated, dynamically adaptive actions where responsibilities span from individuals and organisations to national governments. The stakes are enormous. Cyber security is already a rapidly evolving frontier of vulnerability and threat. The option to do nothing does not exist. Connecting the dots: Critically examine the need of a robust cyber security architecture for India to tackle the growing digital intrusions. As Digital India gains more traction, and the consumer and Industrial Internet of Things trends become more mature, security is bound to pose more challenges. Elucidate.   MUST READ Not a tragedy, but the remedy Hindu   The essence of education Hindu   Open House Indian Express   The challenge of automata Indian Express   Leveraging the sun to power India’s future Livemint   Koushal judgement and three years later Livemint   A looming demographic disaster Livemint   Let’s deepen the climate bonds market Business Line   Cashless concerns Business Line