IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – India's move towards Protectionism Archives NOTE – Instructions to download Mind Maps/Images Right Click on the image and ‘Open in a new tab’ Remove/Delete the resolution part from the URl. Eg. “-1024×869” and Press Enter/Load Again Afterwards the URL will look something like this – “iasbaba.com/…./…/..-IASbaba.jpg” Right Click and Save As/Download (You’ll get the maximum resolution)
UPSC Quiz- 2018 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 149] Archives Q.1) Global Corruption Index is released by World Economic Forum World Bank Transparency International OXFAM International Q.2) Consider the following statements about Neelakurinji It blossoms only once in 12 years It is endemic to Western Ghats Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.3) Which of the following countries has the largest coastline? Canada Australia Norway USA Q.4) N Gopalaswami Committee is associated with Education Energy MSMEs Banking Reforms Q.5) Cyclone Gita affected which of the following? Tonga Cape Verde Faroe Islands Kiribati To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba
Indian PM's first ever visit to Palestine Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests In news: Narendra Modi was first Indian PM to visit Palestine. Importance: This comes in backdrop of India’s steady improvement in relationship with Israel. Palestine and Israel are part of west Asia which hold significant geopolitical importance for India. Improvement in India-Israel ties is seen as a major landmark in country’s diplomatic history given India’s proximity with Palestine for several decades. Historical ties between India and Palestine Even before independence during freedom struggle, Gandhiji had supported that Palestine belongs to Palestinians. India opposed the partition plan of the UN in 1947 and was against Israel’s admission to UN as India was in favour of federal Palestine where both the communities could live peacefully. Later however, Israel was recognized and its consulate was allowed in India. There were minimal interactions in terms of intelligence sharing, irrigation, and scientific cooperation. But, it was not opportune for India to visit Palestine due to the developments that took place over last three decades to allow fostering of direct relations between India and Palestine. Today, the situation is different from what it was at the time when Palestinians and the arabs did not even agree to right of Israel to exist. India still continues to support the Palestinian cause because after 1988, they gave up the arms struggle themselves, recognized UN resolution 242 and Israeli right to exit and stop violence. So India supported the diplomatic initiative and this visit it to encourage them to go forward in the peaceful resolution of the conflict. What has changed? Fundamentally, the geopolitics has changed and approach the region has evolved. India is not looking to Palestine from prism of south-south solidarity. India has historical ties which it has to preserve. Now India is looking at forward looking relationship and built capacity in a potential Palestinian state. The regional geopolitics allows India to move into Middle East or west Asia where in recent times, PM has gone to Saudi arabia, UAE, Qatar, oman etc. Purpose of visit to Palestine To show to the world that despite good relations with Israel, the association with Palestine is no less. India is doing what is best for its domestic as well as diplomatic interest. India is asserting its foreign policy is independent of any third country influence. Balance ties It is significant to have balanced ties with both the nations as India aspires to see the region in peace, security and stability, India has core interest in GCC countries, particularly in energy sector from where oil and gas comes. There are 7 million Indians employed there who send billions of dollars as remittance. There is trade worth 100 billion dollars for GCC countries. Along with it, there is food security- Chemical fertilizers like phosphate come from Oman, Jordan and other North African countries. India’s potential to link its gulf interest, strategic interest and economic and political interest from gulf to Israel which is the broader issue of violence, terrorism and instability. Palestine signed the Oslo process with Israel in 1993 but not much happened. Egypt has had peace with Israel since 1979. Jordon also has peace treaty with Israel. And Palestinians are still with Israelis despite difference in interpretation of Oslo treaty. The new geopolitical reality which the Indian decision makers are trying to capture is the new warming up of indirect relations with Saudi Arabia-Israel and UAE-Israel. Should India mediate? Never. Major Powers have burnt their fingers in trying to mediate in an intractable issue. No purpose and national interest will be served if India tries to mediate. Over the decades, there is a shift from ideological based foreign policy to policy based on interest. Today, India has no reluctance in saying that it pursues its interests. India needs to pursue a policy of developing direct bilateral ties with all countries of west Asia. This is the right way whereby India’s interest is served by keeping the politics of west Asia away. How long India will be able to be friends with Palestine, Israel and Iran? It is a significant question for all countries riding on American presence in the region. This is a significant development that now US is not importing but exporting oil to middle east. This speaks volumes about changing geopolitics of region. India’s help to Palestine PM inaugurated India-Palestine diplomatic institute. It is a major initiative to train Palestinian diplomats. This is similar to what India’s gift of parliament building to Afghans. Though US has spoken adversely about contribution to UNRWA relief fund on which most of the Palestinian refugees are dependent, India has announced 1.25 million dollars. These two assistance programmes make important contribution in increasing India-Palestine relationship to stronger one. Now the focus is to enhance India’s assistance in Palestinian nation building process by extending help to build infrastructure and develop skills in areas of health, information technology, education, agriculture and sports. Conclusion The dynamism of the region changing very rapidly and the changing equation in the Middle East is reality. Cold war is a relic of history post 2010, there is a new west Asia. The countries are trying to find their own equations. The major issue in west Asia is between sunni arab states and the shia states. The Palestine issue is a legacy issue. It no longer excites the arabs. At present, the arab countries are softening their attitude towards Israel. The number of countries are willing to engage with Israel is increasing. India’s approach to consider its foreign policy on individual basis and not see through third party prism is a critical step in approaching global platform in a steady and stable manner. Connecting the dots: India and Palestine relationship is at critical juncture considering India’s growing relationship with Israel. Critically analyse.
The Leader who had no Title: Robin Sharma has a Knack of communicating ideas and concepts in a way that it seeps in automatically into your deeper psyche. His fable like story telling format illuminates an idea and makes it readily available to the absorption of the reader. What he talks about our simply things that are relevant to daily living. But where is gets separated from other authors in his story telling style and manner. He weaves the message and essence of his book in a clean and neat entertainment format. ‘The Leader who had no Title’ is a business book about how anybody can be a leader. According to Sharma, it does not take a title to become a leader. A person in an organization need not wait for a designation of a leader to start leading. Anybody can be a leader, just being where they are. This idea is not just relevant in the business context. It is also applicable in daily living, irrespective of where we are and irrespective of what we are doing. Leadership is a quality; it has nothing to do with title. If you develop this quality, you will begin to lead wherever you are. Enjoy reading this simple and beautiful book that will illuminate your understanding of yourself and your leadership qualities.
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 22nd February 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Blockchain Technology can help check banking frauds Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Indian economy Key pointers: The adoption of blockchain by India’s banks could help avert frauds such as the one at Punjab National Bank. The disaggregated and transparent nature of the technology, which updates information across all users simultaneously, would have ensured immediate verification of any transaction. Transaction reconciliation systems at present do not result in immediate notification. SBI had already implemented it in its reconciliation systems and in several cross-country payment gateways. Main focus: Blockchain, a distributed ledger technology originally developed as an accounting system for the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, is being researched across the banking and financial services industries for the potential benefits it may offer in an increasingly digitised business environment. Blockchains are immutable and distributed ledgers, which means that anything recorded on them cannot be changed or deleted and is instantly uploaded to all users on that blockchain. Central banks including the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of India have been examining the technology to understand the regulatory challenges it may pose. Blockchain is not a panacea for all issues facing the banking system today but is an ideal technology to ensure proof of integrity to the data and reduce incidents of fraud. Article link: Click here Making eNAM more inclusive and robust Part of: Mains GS Paper III- Indian agriculture Key pointers: In a bid to engage more farmers on the electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) platform, the government unveiled mobile payment facility BHIM, and other features in regional languages as well. The eNAM website is now available in Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Odia besides Hindi and English. The eNAM trading facility is available in six languages. The eNAM has been strengthened with features like MIS dashboard, BHIM and other mobile payment facilities, enhanced features on mobile app such as gate entry and payment via mobiles. Article link: Click here Canada on concerns over ''Khalistan'' issue Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Indian Federalism, International realtions Key pointers: Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau asserted that Canada believes in united India and assured that it did not support any separatist movement in India or elsewhere. Punjab CM has raised the issue of concerns over ''Khalistan'' with the Canadian Premier. Amarinder raised the issue of Indo-Canadians believed to be involved in targeted killings in Punjab, urging him to take cognizance of the same and initiate stern action against such elements. The CM mentioned his government’s `Connect with Your Roots’, which he said could facilitate youth from Punjabi Diaspora in Canada to come and see Punjab, and urged the Canadian government to support the programme. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL 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 Maldives Issue: China's interference in Indian Ocean Background: The ongoing crisis in the Maldives has acquired a particularly serious dimension over the past week. Several reports have emerged suggesting China may be directly backing Abdulla Yameen’s decision to impose—and extend—the emergency in the small island state. These reports suggest that China has implicitly promised support to Yameen in the event that India moves to forcibly change the political status quo there. Many have reported Chinese naval activity in the eastern Indian Ocean earlier this month. The above potentially will have serious consequence to the troubled India-China relationship. Any potential Chinese show of force in the Indian Ocean stands to upturn India’s position as the pre-eminent power in that maritime space. What happened? Earlier this month, a Chinese naval surface action group (SAG) of three ships entered the eastern Indian Ocean through the Sunda Straits—thousands of nautical miles away from the waters of South Asian littorals—and having made their presence known, exited the area into the South China Sea. One of these ships was a Type 071 transport vessel which is used to land troops for an amphibious assault. How is it related to Maldives crisis? It is quite possible that Yameen’s decision to impose the emergency in the Maldives was based on his impression that the tides were not favourable to him, and that the Mohamed Nasheed-led opposition was about to depose him, potentially with Indian support. In that case, it is likely that he would have consulted Beijing on the future course of action. Beijing had to signal India that it has the muscle to push Indian forces out of the Maldives if it so chooses. The “Grey zone coercion” strategy of China: A strategy by which China seeks to meet its strategic objective without crossing its adversary’s threshold for conventional military retaliation. Example- By choosing to message its resolve to India from a distance, Beijing ensured that India would not be provoked militarily and yet be compelled to take into account the strategic signal emanating from the east. Options available for India: New Delhi must continue to keep up a robust presence in the Arabian Sea, to let Beijing know that regardless of the PLAN’s show of strength, India is unprepared to cede its primacy in its maritime neighbourhood. The Indian Navy must also be allowed to expand its presence operations in the South China Sea, long considered a Chinese preserve. China’s vulnerabilities in its near-seas must be taken advantage of by Indian naval planners. To counter PLAN power-projection in the Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy can raise the tempo of operations in littoral-South-East Asia, where Beijing cannot prove a territorial violation and yet feel the perceived violation in its sphere of maritime influence. India must have an alternative plan ready for the Maldives, just in case naval posturing does not beget an optimal solution. This does not have to involve boots on the ground. Conclusion: The Indian Navy must be prepared for a sustained presence around the island State. In the game of brinkmanship ongoing in the Indian Ocean littorals, India must not be fall behind China. Connecting the dots: With ongoing Maldives crisis, China showed its naval presence in Indian Ocean. Discuss how this is an issue for India. Also suggest ways as to how India can deal with it. ECONOMY TOPIC: General Studies 3: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Checking Banking Frauds Background: The Nirav Modi case has once again cast the spotlight on the dark corners of the Indian banking universe. The information available till now suggests that there was a failure at different levels—internal controls, corporate governance and weak regulatory capabilities. Failures at different levels: The fact that the fraud at PNB spanned for seven years without setting the alarm bells ringing at the numerous audits at banks, raises some hard-hitting questions on the manner in which auditors carry on their affairs. A scam of this proportion happened even when numerous external auditors are scrutinising banks shows failure in the auditing processes of PNB. The way banks use SWIFT (a messaging network for securely transmitting instructions for all financial transactions through a standardised system of codes) and the business processes they have in place to do so, differs from bank to bank. In the case of PNB, it is evident that the various checks and authorisations had been completely compromised. Minimizing risks of banking frauds: Technology should be seen as a game changer. It can reduce the chances of human connivance and can be used to detect outlier lending or guarantees. A good technology system should make it impossible—or at least extremely difficult—for individual employees to bypass controls, as seems to have happened in the Punjab National Bank case. Most importantly, bank boards, and especially the audit committees, must have clear responsibilities. Usage of blockchain technology to reduce fraud. Blockchain technology could be used to make banking transactions more transparent. This would mean that every link in the chain can be scrutinized publicly. Banks can also set up a special fraud monitoring agency, with officials specially trained to detect incipient frauds. Banks can also choose to appoint one member of the board to oversee fraud risk management. In other words, banks need to focus more on frauds in order to maximize the chances of detecting them at an early stage. This will also require banks to improve their human resource management policies. The role of third parties such as chartered accountants, auditors, and advocates who figure in bank frauds should also be examined with a tough eye. The regulator should revisit the role of auditors both in the case of borrowers and lenders. They will need to design stringent systems where auditors are not able to get away with fraudulent financial statements. However, to make this happen, it will also be necessary that investigations are conducted in a given time frame. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will have to build capabilities, both in terms of designing rules and making sure that they are effectively implemented. It will be a delicate balancing act, since over-regulation could scare bankers off any sort of lending, hardly what the doctor ordered for a growing economy. For now, the RBI has done well to constitute an expert committee to look into the rising incidence of frauds, among other things, in the banking system. Conclusion: India needs a safe and efficient banking system to service the needs of a growing economy. The government and RBI must to use the current opportunity to strengthen the banking system. The authorities should not let this crisis go waste but use it as an opportunity to minimize the risk of such frauds in the future. Connecting the dots: Banking frauds like that of Nirav Modi case shows failure at different levels—internal controls, corporate governance and weak regulatory capabilities. Analyze. Also suggest ways to check such frauds. MUST READ As the borders begin to close The Hindu Learning from Cauvery The Hindu Power games The Hindu Letting Delhi down Indian Express A transparent deficit Indian Express Beyond physical access to schools Livemint
UPSC Quiz- 2018 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 148] Archives Q.1) Patagonia region is shared between Israel and Palestine Indonesia and Papua New Guinea Chile and Argentina Norway and Sweden Q.2) Yucatan Peninsula comprises of which of the following countries? Belize Guatemala Mexico Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Consider the following statements about ‘Opioid substitution therapy’ It supplies illicit drug users with a replacement drug The driving principle behind this therapy is that the patient experiences reduced symptoms of drug withdrawal and less intense drug cravings Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor passes through which of the following states? Maharashtra Gujarat Madhya Pradesh Uttar Pradesh Select the correct code: 1, 2 and 3 1, 2 and 4 2, 3 and 4 All of the above Q.5) ‘BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes' is managed by the Asian Development Bank International Monetary Fund United Nations Environment Programme World Bank To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba
Nagaland: Discord Over Peace Accord Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections In news: Representatives of 11 political parties, including the current ruling party, Naga People’s Front have decided not to file the nominations and decided to boycott the state elections. The reason is to push the centre to find the solution to ongoing peace process consultations to be concluded before the election. This is not the first time that the Naga people are requesting the government of India to defer the elections. It happened in 1998. Today also, they are facing the same problems. The government of India is asked for political solution before state elections because the consequence of elections are known. There is corruption in the state and bad governance is making people’s lives difficult in Nagaland. Hence this time, the Naga people are demanding the solution to be given first else people united on lines of ‘One Nagas’ will be divided if politics gets involved during the run up to elections. Background Nagaland has checkered history of 7 decades. The peace process started around the time India got independence. Nagas are the only tribe in this county who have never been under any Hindu ruler, Mughal king and even the Britishers had limited visibility. Thus, when India got independence, their leader also declared independent Naga state at that time. There was a plebiscite in Nagaland in 1951 where the people decided to have a separate state. Later, under article 371A of the constitution, special privileges were given to the state of Nagaland. It was believed, according to the assurance given by then PM that peace talks would happen on a positive note, Nagaland went ahead with the process. However, Nagas are now not happy as only assurances are given for the last seven decades by different governments but there is nothing on ground. Nagas are sentimental of the ongoing peace process, especially now. Till last year, the government was only talking to NSCN. Now the government started dialogue with all remaining six Naga Political Groups (NPGs). They have been patiently waiting for an outcome and have never come in way of settlement. But now, unanimously through all parties, everyone is asking for settlement. Government concerns The main concern of the government of India is the basis Greater Nagalim wherein, all the contiguous Naga areas- Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, have to be joined together. The claims have always kept Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh wary of a peace settlement that might affect their territories. However, in 2015, a framework agreement for peace was signed between Government of India and Naga rebel group NSCN(IM). Now it has to be seen how the peace process is taken forward for a stable Northeast region. Picture credit: http://images.indianexpress.com/2015/08/naga.jpg Also read: Understanding Nagaland Crisis Developments in Nagaland Connecting the dots: What are the consequences of boycotting poll in a democratic country like India? Critically analyse with suitable examples.
IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Gig Economy Archives NOTE – Instructions to download Mind Maps/Images Right Click on the image and ‘Open in a new tab’ Remove/Delete the resolution part from the URl. Eg. “-1024×869” and Press Enter/Load Again Afterwards the URL will look something like this – “iasbaba.com/…./…/..-IASbaba.jpg” Right Click and Save As/Download (You’ll get the maximum resolution)
IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 21st February 2018 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) Mahanadi Tribunal Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Inter-State Water Disputes Key pointers: Pic credits: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article22811042.ece/alternates/FREE_660/TH20-JACOB-KOSHGI53FG1HG1jpgjpg The Union Cabinet approved the setting up of a tribunal to settle a row between Odisha and Chhattisgarh on sharing the waters of the Mahanadi river. This is in keeping with a Supreme Court order last month directing the Centre to set up a tribunal in response to a plea by the Odisha government to stop the Chhattisgarh government from constructing several weirs on the river. The tribunal is expected to determine water sharing among basin States on the basis of the overall availability of water in the complete Mahanadi basin, the contribution of each State, the present utilisation of water resource in each State and the potential for future development, official sources said. The order on constituting a new tribunal comes even as the government plans to introduce a new bill that would have a single tribunal to replace all existing water tribunals. Issue with such tribunals: According to the provisions of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the tribunal is required to submit its report and decision within a period of three years, which can be extended for a period not exceeding two years. Only three out of eight tribunals have given awards accepted by the States. Tribunals for Cauvery and Ravi Beas have been in existence for several decades. Delays are on account of there being no time limit for adjudication by a tribunal, no upper age limit for the Chairman or the Members, work stalling due to occurrence of vacancy and no time limit for publishing the report of the tribunal. Article link: Click here India-Canada: Agreement to open market access to startups Part of: Mains GS Paper II, III- International relations, Indian economy Key pointers: Amid Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s India visit, India and Canada have signed a bilateral agreement to provide market access for startups from both countries. The programme has been sanctioned by both the governments and will be launched in India in partnership with Zone Startups India (ZSI), a private accelerator. Under the bilateral agreement signed recently, both the governmentswill guide and support potential startups to grow over the next two years. Zone Startups India will identify 40 startups that can be eligible for the programme. The programme will focus especially on women entrepreneurs. To boost the support for selected startups pertaining to legal and operational aspects, both Canadian and Indian government will invest an undisclosed amount in Zone Startups India. The selected startups will be mentored and connected with several corporates and investors while gaining access to the Canadian market along with the rest of the North American startup market, which is worth $19 Tn. Ottawa’s Carleton University and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) announced an international acceleration program to support 100 women led student tech startups. Article link: Click here (MAINS FOCUS) INTERNATIONAL 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-Iran relations: Recent visit by President of Iran Background: President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani to India, was on a three day visit to India this month. The visit is within a month of the six-day visit to India of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, Iran's implacable foe in the region. A four-nation tour was undertaken by the PM to West Asia where he visited Palestine (the first by an Indian PM), Oman, UAE and Jordan. India is one of the few countries to have warm and mutually beneficial relations on all sides of the divide in West Asia including the Shia/Sunni split and the Iran/Israel rift. Rouhani's visit will give a decisive shot in the arm to India's growing engagement with West Asia. The visit: Rouhani’s visit provided a welcome opportunity to the two sides to give a vigorous push to bilateral ties in the areas of connectivity, energy, infrastructure, trade, investment, security, defence, culture and people-to-people contacts. Rouhani's presence in India was evidence of the keen interest that both countries have in promoting bilateral ties and taking them to the next higher level. Domestic challenges: Rouhani is under considerable pressure both on the domestic front, in political as well economic areas, and in the realm of Iran's international ties. Huge street protests and demonstrations in several cities of Iran against lack of employment, corruption and high prices. He won a second term in 2017 on the point that the nuclear deal or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed with P5+1 in 2015 would result in increased investment from foreign countries, improve production and productivity, bring in new technology, create more jobs and be beneficial to the common people. This unfortunately has failed to materialise principally because of the aggressive and belligerent posture adopted by President Trump against the nuclear Agreement. Connectivity: As expected, connectivity through Chabahar port emerged as one of the most significant aspects of bilateral Talks. India's recent accession to the Ashgabat Agreement in which Turkmenistan, Iran, Uzbekistan and Oman are members, and to the TIR Convention will help enhance its engagement with the region. The trilateral agreement- The Trilateral Agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan on the use of Chabahar, which was signed in May 2016, has been put into operation in a little more than a year. Chabahar provides a strategic option to India to connect with Afghanistan and Central Asia and beyond by sidestepping Pakistan. Indian projects- India has invested USD 85 million in upgrading the first phase of the port from 2.5 million tons to 8.5 million tons. India has also committed to construct the railway line from Chabahar to Zahedan, which is close to Zaranj on the Afghanistan-Iran border. To maintain its credibility, India will need to ensure that there is no slackness in implementation of the project. Challenges: Gwadar port in the Baluchistan province of Pakistan is barely a 100 kms away from Chabahar and is being developed by China. Chabahar will face stiff competition from Gwadar. India and Iran will have to make certain that to-and-fro business handled by Chabahar is significant. Chabahar enjoys several advantages over Gwadar- It is located in a peaceful region as opposed to Gwadar which is situated in a violent and terrorism prone province. The possibilities for establishing manufacturing and downstream petrochemical industries in Chabahar are much greater as ready, easy, cheap natural gas is available in plentiful in Iran. Chabahar is a natural harbour and can serve as the sourcing point for the International North-South Transport Corridor. For Afghanistan, the Chabahar port could prove to be, as Modi said, ''a Golden Gateway.'' Energy: India will set up ''plants in sectors such as fertilizers, petrochemicals and metallurgy in Chabahar Free Trade Zone (FTZ) on terms mutually beneficial to the concerned parties.'' This will be a win-win investment as it will promote India's energy security while providing financial resources and employment opportunities to Iran. Discussions on the exploitation of Farzad B gas field, which was discovered by an Indian consortium comprising OVL, OIL and IOCL in 2007, have been going on for the last many years. It was mentioned in the Joint Statement. Trade and Investment: Facilitating issuance of visas to promote tourism and people-to-people contacts. It will be mutually beneficial if more businessmen and common people travel to each other's countries as they will provide a huge boost to Iran's economy and also promote understanding and cooperation between the two countries. The Agreement on Avoidance of Double taxation was signed to promote bilateral trade and investment. India has also decided to permit Indian investments in Iran in Indian rupees. Currently, this facility is available only for Bhutan and Nepal. This decision, which has been taken in view of the absence of international banking facilities in Iran and also given the uncertainty due to continuing pressure by the United States on Iran. The opening of a CII Office in Iran last year can also be expected to give strong boost to two way business and economic ties. Bilateral cooperation in security, defence and fight against terrorism emerged as significant areas of discussion during Rouhani’s visit. A Bilateral Extradition Treaty was signed and it was also decided to have enhanced cooperation in the maritime domain. The two countries “agreed to hold dialogue to look into measures for cooperation in defence sphere, including port calls by naval ships, training and regular exchanges of defence delegations.'' Challenges: Ensuring security and stability in Afghanistan, which is vital to peace in the region, poses a challenge to both India and Iran. Both countries desire peace in Afghanistan but their approaches are markedly different. India's position- India maintains that there cannot be a distinction between ''good Taliban'' and ''bad Taliban.'' It contends that the Taliban and Haqqani network are the root cause of the problem and that these groups cannot be a part of the solution. India views the presence of US troops as beneficial since they maintain pressure on Pakistan to give up support for terrorist elements acting against Afghanistan. Iran's position- Iran’s wants US troops to leave Afghanistan. In addition, it has expressed readiness to collaborate with Pakistan and China to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. Other challenges in bilateral relations relate to India's growing ties with USA, Israel, Saudi Arabia and UAE, all of which are intractable rivals of Iran. Conclusion Both India and Iran seem to have come to the conclusion that there are a large number of areas in which their interests coincide and converge. They also recognize that they have divergent views on some issues. Notwithstanding the fact that the two countries do not see eye to eye on some issues, India and Iran have decided to focus their energies on areas of concurrence and rapidly embark on a mutually beneficial and fruitful partnership. Connecting the dots: India is one of the few countries to have warm and mutually beneficial relations on all sides of the divide in West Asia including the Shia/Sunni split and the Iran/Israel rift. Analyze. Rouhani’s visit provided a welcome opportunity to the two sides to give a vigorous push to bilateral ties in the areas of connectivity, energy, infrastructure, trade, investment, security, defence, culture and people-to-people contacts. Discuss. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 1: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism. General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Language: Much more than a means of communication Background: Nineteen years ago, in November 1999, the General Conference of the Unesco proclaimed February 21 as the International Mother Language Day to coincide with the Language Day Movement in Bangladesh. The genesis of this commemoration lies in widespread protests by the Bengali-speaking majority in the region, then known as East Pakistan, against the Government of Pakistan’s language policy. Importance of language: A language is far more than a means of communication; it is the very condition of our humanity. Our values, our beliefs and our identity are embedded within it. Language is clearly an emotive issue because it is embedded in our social life. It enables us to communicate our emotions and ideas. It fosters group identity and fraternity. Usually, we express our thoughts much better in our mother language. It has been found that children learn better, especially at the primary stage, if they are taught in their mother tongue. Language is intertwined with identity and is, therefore, a contested issue. Preservation of languages has inevitably been linked to the preservation of a culture as well as artistic and intellectual heritage. As the UN has noted, “Language is fundamental to communication of all kinds, and it is communication that makes change and development possible in human society. Using — or not using — certain languages today can open a door, or close it, for large segments of society in many parts of the world.” Language is the lifeline of a culture and, in a way, defines the larger social milieu. It plays an important role not only in communication but also in forging bonds among people who speak the same tongue. It provides a collective identity to people and forms an essential component of their cultural values. Need to preserve languages: We need to preserve the multicultural nature of our world and the best way to do that is to preserve all its languages and also enrich them. Gandhiji once remarked: “I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any.” India has always believed in diversity and plurality. It has respected all languages. However, since language and culture are intertwined, there is an absolute need to strengthen the indigenous languages, including those spoken by the many tribal groups in our country. However, what is most important is to promote the use of the mother tongue. A child can grasp knowledge better in his or her mother tongue compared to any other language. A child will also be able to communicate and articulate her thoughts effectively in her native language. Large-scale promotion of mother tongue is the best way to increase literacy in India beyond the current level of 74 per cent. With strong language competency in the mother tongue, a student will be able to learn other languages faster and can become a true polyglot in a multicultural, globalised world. International comparison: English has become the link language in the country and is used in government offices and elsewhere. Unfortunately, many people, especially the urban-educated Indians, feel it infrerior to speak or read and write in their mother tongues. This undesirable trend has to be reversed. World over, people not only take pride in speaking in their mother tongues, but also try to propagate them. Various heads of state, for example, from Russia, France, Switzerland, China, Germany and Iran, use their national languages. This is simply because they take pride in their languages. They use language to assert their national identity. What needs to be done? We need to have- An educational system that incorporates mother languages. A publishing industry that encourages Indian language publication. An internet regime that allows communication and transmission of knowledge in different Indian languages. Conclusion: A multilingual and multicultural world will be possible only by strengthening individual mother languages. Individuality and plurality can and must go hand in hand. That has been the essential Indian vision. It is the same vision that can enable us to be true Indians as well as global citizens at the same time. Connecting the dots: A language is far more than a means of communication; it is the very condition of our humanity. Our values, our beliefs and our identity is embedded within it. Discuss the need of preserving languages. Also suggest how it can be done in India. 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UPSC Quiz- 2018 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 147] Archives Q.1) Afrin region is located in Afghanistan Syria Iran Iraq Q.2) Arabica & Robusta are varieties of Tea Coffee Jute Wheat Q.3) Consider the following statements about Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve It is located at the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border The area consists mostly of Nilgiri Hills Select the correct statements 1 Only 2 Only Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 Q.4) Cassowary is found in which of the following places? Papua New Guinea Indonesia Australia Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.5) Great Indian Hornbill is found in Bhutan Thailand Mongolia Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best IASbaba
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