Dec 9, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 9th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 9th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India enters into Wassenaar Arrangement Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests Key pointers: The Wassenaar Arrangement agreed to admit India as the 42nd member of the organisation. It aims to regulate trade and use of dual use technology. Benefits for India: It will also boost New Delhi’s chances of joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India’s membership is expected to facilitate high technology tie-ups with Indian industry. It will ease access to high-tech items for our defence and space programmes. What is Wassenaar Arrangement? Article link: Click here Section 497 of the IPC  Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Key pointers: ·         Section 497 of the IPC treats only the man as the offender and the married woman as a victim. ·         The Supreme Court recently said the provision of adultery, the Section 497 of the IPC, treats a married woman as her husband’s “subordinate.” ·         The court admitted a petition to drop adultery as a criminal offence from the statute book. ·         “Time has come when the society must realise that a woman is equal to a man in every respect,” the Supreme Court recorded. ·         Terming the provision “quite archaic,” the court observed in the order that when society progresses, rights are conformed and a new generation of thoughts should spring forth. ·         The apex court had earlier on three separate occasions, in 1954, 1985 and 1988, upheld the constitutionality of Section 497. Section 497 of IPC: Section 497 of the IPC mandates that “Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery and shall be punished.” Two issues: Why does Section 497 treat the man as the adulterer and the married woman as a victim. The offence of adultery ceases the moment it is established that the husband connived or consented to the adulterous act. So, is a married woman the "property" of her husband or a passive object without a mind of her own? Article link: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-agrees-to-examine-adultery-provision-in-ipc/article21296775.ece China-Maldives strengthening ties  Part of: Mains GS Paper II-  India and its neighbourhood- relations. Key pointers: The Maldives on Friday signed a crucial free trade deal with China, while endorsing its Maritime Silk Road project shunned by India for its strategic implications in the Indian Ocean. China deems the Maldives as an important partner to building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR). The China-backed multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — of which the MSR is a part — is similar to Maldives’ strategy of achieving economic progress by making use of its geographic advantages. President Yameen said the Maldives viewed China as “among our closest friends, most trusted and most dependable partners”. After acquiring Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on a 99-year lease in a $1.1 billion debt swap deal, China has now roped in the Indian Ocean archipelago nation, located strategically in India’s backyard, to implement the MSR. China has also set up a ‘logistics base’ for its navy in Djibouti, also located in the Indian Ocean region in the Horn of Africa. Article link: Click here New standard by FSSAI  Part of: Mains GS Paper II- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation Key pointers: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has asked safety commissioners to take cognisance of the new standards framed for various food products. It has advised them to withdraw or not pursue cases of violation of old norms and standards, unless companies are still not compliant with the new or revised standards. New standards The FSSAI, through its Friday order, said that During the last few years a large number of new standards have been framed or amended for several food products based on scientific evidence to ensure appropriate food safety levels. Such revision of standards has taken place after talking into account all scientific evidence required to ensure appropriate level of protection of human life and health. Standards are continuously evolving based on the views of the scientific panels. Field machinery needs to be focussed on genuine cases of unsafe food products. This will help reduce the burden of litigation. Article link: Click here (MAINS EXCLUSIVE) 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 U.S.'s recognition of Jerusalem Background: U.S. President Donald Trump has recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The decision endlessly given international public opinion and the political and moral sensitivity of the issue. Israel: America's greatest ally in West Asia ·         The U.S. has largely favoured Israel throughout the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and East Jerusalem. ·         It has offered protection to Israel in the UN Security Council, come to its aid in times of crises, and provided it with advanced weapons. ·         The U.S. has even looked away when Israel was amassing nuclear weapons. In return, Israel has become America’s greatest ally in West Asia. Fallouts: Jerusalem is at the very heart of an Israeli-Palestinian solution. By endorsing Israel’s claims over the city, the American President has made an already sensitive issue more sensitive. The move will only strengthen the Israeli Right, which is dead opposed to ceding any inch of Jerusalem to a future Palestinian state. Israel has been defying international norms and UNSC resolutions, but America publicly endorsing Israel’s illegal claims is unprecedented. A President who promised the “ultimate deal” to resolve the conflict has effectively dealt a body blow to the peace process. The Conflict: Jerusalem has never been recognised as Israel’s capital by the international community. In the original UN General Assembly plan to partition Palestine and create independent Jewish and Arab states, Jerusalem was deemed an international city. The Zionists didn’t wait for the plan to be implemented by the UN. In 1948, they declared the state of Israel and in the ensuing Arab-Israeli war, they captured 23% more territories than even what the UN had proposed, including the western half of Jerusalem. Israel seized East Jerusalem in 1967 from Jordan, and later annexed it. Since then, Israel has been encouraging illegal settlements in the eastern parts of the city, with Palestinians being forced to live in their historical neighbourhoods. In 1980, the Israeli Parliament passed a basic law, declaring Jerusalem “complete and united” as its capital. This move invoked sharp reaction from world powers, including the U.S. The UN Security Council (UNSC) declared the draft law “null and void” and urged member countries to withdraw their diplomatic missions from the Holy City. Alternative: The U.S. should have held talks with both sides and extracted compromises, taking the peace process a step forward. Trump would also have said which part of Jerusalem he was recognising as Israel’s seat of power and endorsed the Palestinians’ claim over East Jerusalem, including the Old City. US should have put pressure on Israel to come forward and engage the Palestinians in talks. Improved chances of conciliation: Hamas, the Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip, recently came up with a new political charter that signals a readiness to deal with Israel and accept the 1967 border for a future Palestinian state. Hamas and the Fatah (party that rules parts of the West Bank), also reached a reconciliation agreement recently. This could have been used as an opening to break the logjam in the peace process. Conclusion: Israel’s history suggests that it will not agree to any compromise unless it is forced to do so. Over the years, it has continued its illegal settlements in the occupied territories despite repeated warnings from the international community. The only country that can put effective pressure on Israel is the U.S. The country should thus play a responsible role in the region. Connecting the dots: S. President Donald Trump has recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital has made Israeli-Palestinian issue more sensitive. Analyze. NATIONAL 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 General Studies 3: Science and Technology? developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Antibiotic resistance in the environment Background: The 2017 National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance talks about limiting antibiotics in effluent being dumped by drug makers into the environment. This is because when these drugs taint soil and water, the scores of microbes that live there grow drug-resistant. Until now, India’s fight against antibiotic-resistance was focussed on getting people to cut down on unnecessary antibiotic consumption. Having too many antibiotics causes bodily pathogens to resist these miracle drugs. Environment-pathogen link: Typically, a pathogen can take two routes to antibiotic resistance. A pathogen's own genes can mutate spontaneously to help fight the drug. Mutations take time to spread through a bacterial population. Horizontal gene transfer- is for the bug to borrow resistance genes from its neighbours. Scientists believe that many human pathogens today picked up their resistance genes from the environment. Horizontal gene transfer: Examples Ciprofloxacin- Take ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic launched by the German company Bayer in the mid-1980s. Ciprofloxacin was the most effective among the quinolone class of antibiotics in fighting gram-negative bacteria. A bacteria would need multiple resistance mutations to fight cipro, and because such multiple mutations are rare, scientists thought resistance was unlikely. Yet, within a decade, ciprofloxacin resistance had spread globally. Eventually, scientists learnt that bacteria seemed to have borrowed a gene, which conferred resistance to ciprofloxacin, from a sea and freshwater bacterium. Another set of genes, which triggered an epidemic of resistance to some cephalosporin antibiotics in the early 21st century, came from a soil-dwelling species. Resistance genes in environmental microbes: When humans starting manufacturing antibiotics in the 1950s, a dramatic shift occurred. Large doses of these drugs seeped into the environment through poultry and human excreta, and waste water from drug makers and hospitals. This led to an explosion of resistance genes in soil and water microbes. Investigators in 2007 had found that water in an Indian pharma effluent treatment plant had both high levels of antibiotics as well as novel resistance genes, never seen in microbes elsewhere. Way forward: The resistant genes are likely to make the journey from living harmlessly in environmental bacteria to human pathogens that sicken people. The flow of genes from the environment to humans is a rare event. Instead, most transmission happens from one human to another. But the rarity isn’t reason to lower our guard. We live in unprecedented times where environmental bacteria, pathogens and antibiotics are mixing like never before. This means such rare events are almost inevitable. Conclusion: If India doesn’t move quickly, wastewater in pharma clusters could give rise to new genes as dangerous as NDM-1. Once such genes enter in humans, they will spread across the planet. Connecting the dots: Antibiotic resistance in the air should worry us. Discuss. MUST READ When every breath kills The Hindu US is sabotaging the WTO from within Business Line Cloud over Dhaka Indian Express A nudge for climate capital Indian Express

Dec 9, 2017 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Food Processing - A Game Changer for Indian Economy?

Food Processing - A Game Changer for Indian Economy? Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management. India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and Food Processing Sector has emerged as an important segment of the Indian economy in terms of its contribution to GDP, employment and investment. During 2015-16, the sector constituted as much as 9.1 and 8.6 per cent of GVA in Manufacturing and Agriculture sector respectively. Thus it is now needed that food processing services and industry be incentivised for farmers to get better income and creating jobs. For this, there has been launch of a central sector scheme- SAMPADA (Scheme for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) as "Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to create world class food processing infrastructure. This will leverage investment of 5 billion dollar investment, benefit 2 million farmers and create more than half a million jobs. It incorporates ongoing schemes such as Mega Food Parks, Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, etc. and also new schemes like Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages, Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities. Scope of food processing in India India as one of the biggest food producers of the world is in an advantageous position to become the hub for food processing industry. In any agricultural commodity, India is in 1,2or 3 position. However, this industry in India has not been able to take off as yet. Till now, even small time snacks such as chips, biscuits were imported. Now the Indian agriculture is being modernised and it has to be ensured that the farmers’ produce gets a good market at fair price to keep up the agriculture productivity. It means not only consumption of main cereals but also that the surplus food output has to be converted into food processing snacks for domestic consumption as well as exports. Food processing creates jobs, helps farmers double farmers’ income through good output, livestock and food processing facilities. This creates much bigger market for farm produce. India has to fit into the global supply chain and system of food processing. For this, the good domestic market helps because people don’t like to do investment to export completely. It’s a combination of good domestic market and India’s own strength in food sector. Food processing is one of the most important part of manufacturing process as it is also a significant part of make in India programme. Challenges The exports are only 2.2% of the global food processing exports. This is because of problems created by US and EU in terms of TBT (Technical Barriers to Trade) and SPS (Sanitary/Phyto-Sanitary) measures. This impacts the export scenario significantly. There is poor warehousing and storage capacity. It is needed to upgrade the agri-infrastructure to become the food processing hub. Lesser facilitation by a dedicated agency to the farmer. Though there is FSSAI, but it is for post-production facilities. So there is need for dedicated approach for pre-harvest procedures. Lot of inorganic chemicals are used in agricultural production. This needs to be shifted to organic chemicals because the advanced economics are identifying the pesticides in the products. In dairy sector, the canned meat industry is being hit because of few stray remarks. The unproductive cattle is not being able to reach the cattle mandis which is hampering the entire value chain. Political and administrative focus should be given to this area as there is lot of scope for meat exports within the laws. Potential Developing the agri-infrastructure. Increasing gross capital in agri-infrastructure along with public investments. Connect the farm to the mandis so the facilitation with start with them. Linking them with good warehouses and increasing the storage capacities, then increasing the productivity of the farm sector and thus increasing the part in global food market. Food parks model can be replicated across the country. The food parks offer an alternative to farmers. There are different crops grown which also replenishes the soil nutrients, leads to better water management. Some steps by government to encourage food processing 100% FDI in trading including through e-commerce, in respect of food products manufactured and / or produced in India. Special Fund of Rs. 2000 crore in NABARD to make available affordable credit at concessional rate of interest to designated food parks and agro processing units. Food and agro-based processing units and cold chain infrastructure have been brought under the ambit of Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to provide additional credit for food processing activities and infrastructure. Conclusion India has about 40 billion worth food processing market. There is a need for diversification of crop pattern because most of farmers are concentrating on few farm products like rice and wheat only. India is importing about 22 billion dollar food processing products. So if there is diversification and substituting the imports, there is huge scope for second green revolution. There is lot of diversity in the productivity levels of all the states which needs to be minimised.  There is a need to adopt the good agricultural practices of the states like Punjab and Haryana. More food processing training institutes should be opened up in different parts like UP, MP and not only in coastal areas. It is critical for Skill sets to be improved in food processing sector. India has its own brands like Amul, haldiram, bikarnewala which are good companies that can diverse in the food processing markets. They aree trusted by consumers as they give quality products. Hence, strict enforcement of quality and hygiene is must. There is need to strengthen the university industry linkages to create centre for excellence for food processing sector. With these, it will give push to food processing sector as it will give awareness to the farmers and to food processing units for the international practices to generate good productivity and to generate good production in export markets. Connecting the dots: Food processing like tourism is a critical sector for development of Indian economy. Analyse.

Dec 8, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Indias Leather Industry

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – Indias Leather Industry 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)

Dec 8, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 8th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 8th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) NGT ruling on AoL's festival on Yamuna floodplains Part of: Mains G.S. Paper III- Environment and Ecology Key pointers: Sri Sri Ravishankar’s Art of Living Foundation (AoL) is “responsible” for “causing damage and environmental degradation” to the Yamuna floodplains due to its three-day World Culture Festival (WCF) held in March 2016, the National Green Tribunal said recently. The tribunal had earlier levied Rs 5 crore as environment compensation on AoL. Earlier this year, an NGT-appointed expert committee had noted that the rehabilitation of the floodplains would cost over Rs 42.02 crore and may take up to ten years. The tribunal said that AoL was responsible for “restoration and restitution of the flood plain limited to portion that was allotted” to it for the festival “in the original condition in which it was allotted to it prior to the event”. The judgment noted that the WCF had caused “serious pollution on the floodplain of the river” as nearly 35 lakh people had gathered at the site. The activities have led to “change in topography and habitat diversity, loss of waterbodies and wetlands, loss of floodplain vegetation and biodiversity, changes in substrata – nature of soil, consolidation and compaction, toxic substances and degradation and loss of ecosystem functions”. Article link: Click here Polluters Pays Principle  Part of: Mains G.S. Paper III- Environment and Ecology Key pointers: The “Polluter Pays Principle” is now almost universally acknowledged in environmental jurisprudence. According to this, those who pollute the environment must be made to pay not just for the costs of remedial action, but also for compensating victims of environmental damage. Background: Some trace the Polluter Pays Principle’s origin to the Stockholm Declaration made at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972, where Prime Minister Indira Gandhi drew a link between environmental pollution and poverty. The Stockholm Declaration asked signatory countries to develop international laws “regarding liability and compensation for the victims of pollution and other environmental damage”. The Principle emerges more strongly in the 1987 report of the Brundtland Commission, called Our Common Future. The Brundtland Commission, or the World Commission on Environment and Development, was established in 1983 to examine environmental issues resulting from rapid industrialisation. For the first time, “sustainable development” was defined. Alongside, the Polluter Pays Principle was emphasised. The 1987 report greatly influenced the Rio Earth Summit of 1992, which, for the first time, explicitly enshrined the Polluter Pays Principle. After Rio, the Polluter Pays Principle began to be applied explicitly in environmental jurisdictions. Article link: Click here Court overturns CIC verdict declaring Ministers as “public authorities” Part of: Mains G.S. Paper II- Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Key pointers: The Delhi High Court has set aside the Central Information Commission order declaring Ministers as “public authorities” and answerable under the Right to Information law. Directions issued by the CIC are also wholly outside the scope of the matter before the CIC, the judge said. CIC in 2014 on the question whether the Minister or his office was a “public authority” under the RTI Act gave the Cabinet Secretary at the Centre and Chief Secretaries in the States two months to appoint public information officers for each Minister’s office. Also, the CIC said each Minister should get a website of his/her own where information can be disclosed. Article link: Click here Khumb Mela: Listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO Part of: Mains G.S. Paper I- Art & Culture Key pointers: After ‘yoga’ and ‘Nouroz’, Kumbh Mela/ KumbhMela, the largest congregation of pilgrims on the planet, has been listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO. The Intergovernment Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage under UNESCO has inscribed ‘Kumbh Mela’ on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during its 12th session held at Jeju, South Korea in December 2017. This inscription is the third in two years following the inscriptions of ‘Yoga’ and ‘Norouz’ on 1st December 2016. The Kumbh Mela is held in Haridwar, Allahabad, Ujjain and Nashik. Article link: Click here (MAIN EXCLUSIVE) Electoral Reforms TOPIC: General Studies 2: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act. Indian Constitution? historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure Relooking at EVMs Background: In the recent local elections in U.P., the BJP won more in places where there were machines without the concomitant paper trail, and non-BJP parties won more where there were only ballot papers. Not only has the reliability of the machines been questioned, so has the credibility of the EC. It is for the first time in India’s electoral history that the EC has been suspected of bias in favour of a ruling party. Issue with EVMs: The EC has steadfastly maintained that the machines are perfect and that the software has been examined and re-examined by international experts. On the one hand, to reassert the integrity of the electoral process, the EC has introduced the paper trail for voters to cross-check their votes. Allegations- Engineers have shown how the machines can actually be manipulated by remote devices, or by inserting pre-programmed chips, or by selectively tampering with only 20% of them to secure a simple majority. So, only a few constituencies will have those “chosen” machines and that would be enough to tilt the balance in favour of the ruling party. The EC says these allegations are outrageous because the whole system and process have been shown to detractors and the matter is settled. The issue of credibility of EVMs has become quite complicated, with Mayawati, Arvind Kejriwal, and leaders from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress raising serious objections about the functioning of the machines. Importance of EVMs: Holding free, fair, and fast elections is a cornerstone of democracy and is guaranteed by the Constitution. Introduction of EVMs by due process of consultation and constitutional amendment in the 1980s and ’90s was a step in the right direction to further strengthen the democratic process in India, which is by far the largest democracy in the world with more than 800 million voters. The following is based on findings of different surveys. EVMs led to a significant decline in electoral fraud, particularly in politically sensitive States such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. In several constituencies, polling booths were routinely captured under the paper ballot system and ballot boxes were stuffed. As a result, political leaders, instead of working in the larger interest of the public, worked for the private profits of a small fraction of people who had the greatest capacity to commit fraud. Introducing EVMs transformed this. Rigging elections became extremely expensive. Political leaders could no longer do lip service to development; they had to commit to providing public goods and services. EVMs led to a significant increase in the provision of electricity, particularly in States that were more prone to electoral violence. EVMs empowered those from the weaker sections of society who were victims of political or electoral violence. In particular women, lower castes, and those less educated were more likely to participate in the electoral process when EVMs were used. EVMs made the electoral process more competitive. There has been a significant decline in the incidence of re-election, and winning margins have reduced dramatically. Way forward: EVMs have been in place for two decades and it is time to acknowledge that they have failed. Some European countries have acknowledged that EVMs have failed. Countries there started with EVMs and are now going back to the paper ballot. World over, countries are moving to paper ballots. Just as they are giving up on nuclear energy world over, countries realise that EVMs are problematic too, because they carry the risk of being tampered with. It is important to keep in mind that all political leaders, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, are driven only by the quest for power and they will use any means to attain it. Hence it is our collective responsibility to ensure that such powers are under check, else it does not take much for elected leaders to become despots. Our institutions, the EC, and the courts also share the responsibility to check the powers of popularly elected leaders to ensure that democracy does not become a mobocracy. Even though introduction of EVMs was a step in the right direction, it is not the final destination. The idea of trying to control electoral and political process with the help of technology is quite old. To overcome the dangers of manipulation, we must remain sceptical and accept the reality that the EVM issue is not simple. The fact that the issue is complicated necessitates a measure of caution in its application. Conclusion: We must remain skeptical and accept the reality that the EVM issue is far from settled. While it would be a retrograde step to roll back EVMs, we must not lower our guard. The very idea of democracy is based on trust and belief in the fairness of the electoral process where the losing party lives to fight another day. Any erosion of this trust and belief would be an irreversible process with an uncertain outcome. Connecting the dots: The reliability on EVMs is in question. Discuss the reasons behind and the way forward. In the light of recent issues related to EVMs, do you think rollig back EVMs would be a retrograde step. Critically analyze. NATIONAL TOPIC: General Studies 2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. General studies 3: Banking & related Issues; Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it Aadhaar: Financial Inclusion or Exclusion Background: The deadline for linking Aadhaar number to bank accounts, demat accounts, mutual fund folios, life and general insurance policies, credit cards and post office account has been extended to March 31 2018. Rule shift: Aadhaar earlier was supposed to be compulsory only for citizens availing themselves of welfare schemes funded from the Consolidated Fund of India. Though Aadhaar’s original intent was to enable targeted subsidy delivery, the Centre has since decided to use it as a tool to track down black money. Curbing black money: In June, the new Prevention of Money Laundering (Maintenance of Records) Second Amendment Rules 2017 was notified. This required all financial firms to compulsorily collect Aadhaar and PAN details for Know-Your-Client requirements. If a client doesn’t possess an Aadhaar number, she must furnish proof that she has applied for one. Only those who are ‘not eligible’ to apply for Aadhaar are off the hook. Following this notification, regulators such as the RBI, SEBI and IRDA have ‘advised’ financial market participants to proceed with Aadhaar-linking. Problems in complying with the Aadhaar: Time-consuming- Aadhaar-PAN linking on IT returns was a two-step process, but linking Aadhaar to all of one’s financial savings entails well over a dozen steps. The process is time-consuming because key financial product providers and their regulators have not managed to create a centralised registry for investors. Digital divide- Using the online mode for Aadhaar-linking requires familiarity with digital banking, a robust internet connection and uninterrupted phone/email access. This poses severe problems for senior citizens and the poor who lack digital access. Even digitally savvy folk often find their attempts stymied by name/address mismatches between their investment accounts and the Aadhaar database. Security risks- The Aadhar Act 2016 takes a very serious view of misuse of collected data or the breach of confidentiality. The UIDAI is prohibited from sharing your biometric or demographic details with anyone, except under Court orders or national security considerations. Entities that collect Aadhaar are required to inform about the purpose, use it only for verification and refrain from storing or disseminating it. The Act specifies 3 years’ imprisonment and fines for any breach. But while the statute appears fool-proof, enforcing it is the uphill task. Biometric failures- Many Indian savers, despite being quite willing to enrol for Aadhaar find themselves unable to do so because their biometrics fail to read at the Aadhaar touchpoints. Folk beyond the age 50 complain of enrolments being rejected because their fingerprints have faded with age. Iris scanners are not widely available, and are known to trip up too. Biometric failures also foil attempts by the disabled or those engaged in physical labour from securing Aadhaar. The UIDAI dashboard reveals that, on a random recent day, its pan-India enrolment network rejected 1 application for every 7 that it accepted. Conclusion: The present government has achieved phenomenal success with financial inclusion, mainly because it has simplified the on-boarding process for aam aadmis seeking to open bank accounts. It would be an irony indeed if the Aadhaar, which has been so effectively used as an instrument of inclusion, now turns into an instrument for financial exclusion of Indian savers. Connecting the dots: The Aadhaar, which has been so effectively used as an instrument of inclusion, can turn into an instrument for financial exclusion of Indian savers. Critically analyze. MUST READ Is there a case for relook at EVMs The Hindu Defection, disaffection The Hindu Capital crisis The Hindu Fields of despair Indian Express An oversight problem Indian Express Labour intensive exports need a policy push Livemint  

Dec 8, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 98]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 98] Archives Q.1) Consider the following statements about Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) It is the first global multilateral arrangement on export controls for conventional weapons and sensitive dual-use goods and technologies The Arrangement is open on a global and non-discriminatory basis to prospective adherents It is the successor to the Cold War-era Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls Select the correct statements 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.2) Digital Infopedia is associated with which of the following groupings? BRICS International Solar Alliance ASEAN BIMSTEC Q.3) The report, Trouble in the Making? The Future of Manufacturing-Led Development is released  by World Economic forum World Bank World Trade Organisation IMF Q.4) Pratikar, a bilateral military exercise is between India and Nepal Nepal and Bhutan Nepal and Sri Lanka None of the above Q.5) Ashok Chawla Committee is concerned with Army Pay Scales Long Term Food Policy Banking Supervision Allocation of Natural Resources To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Dec 7, 2017 MindMaps

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – HydroPower

IASbaba’s MINDMAP : Issue – HydroPower 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)

Dec 7, 2017 IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs [Prelims + Mains Focus]- 7th December 2017

IASbaba's Daily Current Affairs (Prelims + Mains Focus)- 7th December 2017 Archives (PRELIMS+MAINS FOCUS) India-Japan JWG on nuclear deal Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: India and Japan will soon form a joint working group (JWG) that will identify the location, create joint ventures and establish a roadmap for building nuclear reactors in the country. The JWG will comprise representatives from both private and public sectors of both countries. The liability issue still remains a major concern with the Japanese. One of the main objectives of the JWG will be to find a way to address this issue by working jointly with the Indian government. Indo-Japan nuclear deal: The nuclear deal, which culminated six years of negotiation, was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tokyo in November last year; it came into force in July 2017 after the Japanese Diet ratified it. Under this deal, India will be the first country that is not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) to obtain Japanese nuclear technology. Once implemented, the deal is expected to pave the way for smoother nuclear trade — not only in terms of nuclear technology but also nuclear material and nuclear equipment. This will also enable both sides to expedite negotiations for concluding the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty. Article link: Click here Rape of minors to attract death in M.P. Part of: Mains GS Paper I- Social issues Key pointers: The Madhya Pradesh Assembly unanimously passed a Bill awarding death to those found guilty of raping girls aged 12 and below. With this, Madhya Pradesh becomes the first State where those convicted of such rapes will face the gallows. The Bill will now be sent to the President for his assent, after which it will become a law. All parties supported the Bill in Assembly. Article link: Click here Retreating Globalisation: U.S.  Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to fully enforce its revised ban on people from eight nations from travelling to the country. President Donald Trump’s decision has been challenged on questions such as his legal authority to issue such an order and whether it constitutes a religious test and a Muslim ban, as promised by Mr. Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. The Trump administration has argued before the courts that the travel ban is for national security. Six of the eight countries barred by the order are majority-Muslim — Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad and Somalia. North Korea and Venezuela are the other two. Restrictions on travel by people from these eight countries vary in their details. Recently, President had also withdrew U.S. from the UN’s Global Compact on Migration. Article link: Click here UAE and Saudi Arabia forms a different group Part of: Mains GS Paper II- International relations Key pointers: The UAE on Tuesday and Saudi Arabia have formed a new economic and partnership group separate from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The move that can undermine the regional bloc amid a diplomatic crisis with Qatar. The new committee has been assigned to cooperate and coordinate between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in all military, political, economic, trade and cultural fields, as well as others, in the interest of the two countries. The UAE and Saudi Arabia have cultivated even-closer ties in recent years. Article link: Click here (MAINS EXCLUSIVE) 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 Getting realistic about UNSC Introduction: Primarily at our initiative, the question of Security Council reform, its expansion, has been under consideration since 1970s. There is near unanimous support for increasing the number of non-permanent seats. There are issues unresolved and challenges when it comes to getting a permanent seat for India at UNSC. Bodies of UN and their importance: The two most prestigious organs of the United Nations are the Security Council and the International Court of Justice. Security Council: The Security Council has 15-member states. Election to the UNSC is conducted only in the General Assembly and requires two-thirds majority to get elected. The UNSC is by far more important from the national interest point of view. It deals with questions of peace and security as well as terrorism and has developed a tendency to widen its ambit into other fields, including human rights and eventually environment. In addition to the Kashmir issue, which Pakistan forever tries to raise, there are other matters in which India would be interested such as the list of terrorists — Hafeez Saeed for example. ICJ: The ICJ has 15 judges. Election to the ICJ is held concurrently in the UNGA and UNSC and requires absolute majority of the total membership in each organ. Veto does not apply for election to the ICJ. The ICJ is required to represent the principal civilisations and legal systems of the world. The judges sitting on ICJ are expected to act impartially, not as representatives of the countries of their origin. That is why they are nominated, not by their governments but by their national groups in the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague. To have an Indian judge at the ICJ, when we have an active case on its agenda regarding our national in illegal custody of Pakistan might be of some advantage. Other bodies: There are other bodies in the UN that are not as well known but are important enough to be represented on. Like: The ACABQ (Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions) and the Committee on Contributions. The former consists of 16 members elected by the UNGA on the recommendation of the Fifth Committee of the UNGA dealing with the budget of the UN. The Committee on Contributions recommends the scale of assessments to the budget and the share of each member. This is a very important function, since the share decided by the UNGA applies to all the specialised agencies, etc. There is also the Human Rights Council; we have had almost continuous representation on it. The U.S. lost the election to it a few years ago; there is widespread resentment against the P-5’s presumption to a permanent seat on all bodies. Unresolved issues: The controversial question is about the increase in the category of permanent seats. The rationale for expansion has been accepted in-principle by nearly all, but the difficulty arises when the actual numbers and their rights are discussed. India, along with Brazil, Germany and Japan, has proposed an increase of six additional permanent seats, the other two being for Africa. The African group is demanding two permanent seats, recognised as reasonable by every member, but there are at least three and perhaps more claimants for the two seats. Then there is the question of the rights of the additional members. The G-4’s initial position was for the same rights as the present permanent members, essentially the veto right. Over the years, they have become more realistic and would be willing to forego the veto right. The firm position of the Africans is that the new members must have the same rights as the existing ones. This is a non-starter. Getting realistic about UNSC: The general membership of the UN wants to eliminate the existing veto; they will never agree to new veto-wielding powers. Variants of the veto provision have been suggested, such as the requirement of double veto, i.e. at least two permanent members must exercise veto for it to be valid. The P-5 are not willing to dilute their self-acquired right. Many member-states have been pledging support for our aspiration for permanent membership. Several P-5 countries have also announced support. The principal P-5 member opposing us is China. The P-5 will never agree to give up their veto right, nor will they agree to accord this right to any other country. (France supports veto for additional permanent members.) It has to be underscored that there is no way that India alone, by itself, can be elected as permanent member. It will have to be a package deal in which the demands of all the geographical groups, including the Latin America and Caribbean group which, like Africa, does not have a single permanent member, will have to be accommodated. Even if the America supports us, they will simply not lobby for India alone. They will try to get Japan also in. China will not support Japan’s candidature. The P-5 will play the game among themselves but will stand by one another, as was evident recently at the time of election to the ICJ. Conclusion: We should be realistic. If a permanent seat is not available, there are other proposals on the table. One proposal is for the creation of ‘semi-permanent’ seats, according to which members would be elected for six-eight years and would be eligible for immediate reelection. Given India’s growing prestige and respect, it should not be difficult for us to successfully bid for one of these seats; it might be a better alternative than to unrealistically hope for a permanent seat. Connecting the dots: India has been pursuing the UNSC reforms since 1970s. Off late New Delhi is eying a permanent seat at the UNSC. Though we have supporters to our claim, there are various challenges associated. In this light, India should get more realistic and try other options. Critically analyze. ECONOMY TOPIC:General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. Investment models and Inclusive Growth. Concept of Sovereign/Social wealth fund What is Social wealth fund or Sovereign wealth fund? A social wealth fund or sovereign wealth fund (SWF) is a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such as private equity fund or hedge funds and whose dividends would be paid out directly to the citizenry. The funding for a sovereign wealth fund (SWF) comes from central bank reserves that accumulate as a result of budget and trade surpluses, and from revenue generated from the exports of natural resources. Unlike, the state-operated funds which are used in a discretionary manner that helps countries (for example Saudi Arabia) generate revenues and whose benefits end up flowing to the country’s richest. A social wealth fund would guarantee that the income from capital assets gets distributed widely—perhaps as a universal basic income. Background/History: The term "sovereign wealth fund" was first used in 2005 by Andrew Rozanov in an article entitled, "Who holds the wealth of nations?" Sovereign wealth funds have existed for more than a century, but since 2000, the number of sovereign wealth funds has increased dramatically. Establishment of SWF: The motives for establishing a sovereign wealth fund vary by country. For example, the United Arab Emirates generates a large portion of its revenue from exporting oil and needs a way to protect the surplus reserves from oil-based risk, thus it places a portion of that money in a sovereign wealth fund. Japan faces the dilemma of a growing elderly population combined with a dwindling labor force and negative government bond yields. The nation's public pension system is designed to have contributions from the working populace support its elderly citizens. Japan places these contributions as a SWF investing in global equities. Many nations use sovereign wealth funds as a way to accrue profit for the benefit of the nation's economy and its citizens. Objectives of SWF: The primary functions of a sovereign wealth fund are to stabilize the country's economy through diversification and to generate wealth for future generations. Every SWF has its own unique purpose and objective, but the general aim is to do something that will benefit the country as a whole. Some possible objectives include: Fund social or economic projects to boost growth and employment. Get political mileage and increase vote share. Provide long-term capital growth opportunities for the domestic market. Protect the economy from excess volatility due to revenues or exports. Provide stability against oil price fluctuations. Diversify portfolio with an aim to create savings for the future generation. Benefits: SWFs offer a variety of economic and financial benefits. The SWFs of several nations enable governments to augment resources and achieve strategic objectives. SWF’s earnings will diversify a country’s revenues and augment foreign exchange reserves or commodity revenues. It helps to acquire strategic stakes in oil and gold companies. They help avoid boom-bust cycles in their home countries, and facilitate the saving and transfer across generations of proceeds from fiscal surpluses related to commodity exports and privatizations. Countries such as China and Singapore have used SWFs to meet their commodity import requirements, promote the expansion of domestic companies overseas, attract foreign direct investment and increase government revenues. They help to combat inequality and provide macroeconomic stability. SWFs would be socially owned and could be used to finance a range of public projects that benefit society as a whole. These might include investment in economic and social infrastructure and urban regeneration and strengthening mechanisms that encourage upward social mobility. Conclusion: SWFs can generate a sizeable fund over time, enough to fund a range of social programmes and possibly an annual citizen’s dividend, through a modest contribution from a very privileged social group. Depending on how they are financed, these funds have the potential to be a powerful weapon in the anti-inequality armoury, they would boost social investment and greatly improve the overall balance sheet of the public finances in the process. The emergence of sovereign wealth funds is an important development for international investing, and as regulation and transparency issues are resolved in the coming years, these funds are likely to take on a major role in shaping the global economy. The Government of India (GoI) incorporating an SWF would facilitate achieving key political and economic goals. Connecting the dots: What do you mean by the term ‘Social wealth fund’ or ‘Sovereign wealth fund’? Discuss the objectives and benefits of establishing such a fund. For further reference: Click here MUST READ Recognise the technology The Hindu Universal health coverage is the best prescription The Hindu Ambedkar for our times Indian Express Incentivizing new vaccine development Livemint Distributive justice and welfare economics Livemint When ideas are hiding Business Line  

Dec 7, 2017 Daily Prelims CA Quiz

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 97]

UPSC Quiz- 2017 : IASbaba’s Daily Current Affairs Quiz [Day 97] Archives Q.1) Global Education Monitoring report is released by QS UNESCO WEF NAFSA Q.2) Recently scientists have developed a new Graphene-based battery material. Consider the following statements about the Graphene-based battery in comparison with lithium-ion batteries Increase of charging capacity Decrease of charging time Stable temperatures Select the correct code: 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above Q.3) Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS) is concerned with Textile Semiconductors Infrastructure Electric Vehicles Q.4) Consider the following statements with respect to ‘Predatory Pricing’ It is the pricing where a product is sold at a very low price, to drive competitors out of market It makes markets more vulnerable to a monopoly It leads to price war and it is not good for the consumers in the long run Which of the following statement is correct? 1 and 2 2 and 3 1 and 3 All of the above  Q.5) Consider the following statements about Khangchendzonga National Park It is a UNESCO World Heritage site It is placed on the Montreux Record under the Ramsar Convention Select the correct statements Only 1 Only 2 Both 1 and 2 Neither 1 nor 2 To Download the Solution – Click here All the Best  IASbaba

Dec 7, 2017 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : Ease of Doing Business Report : India jumps 30 Spots

Ease of Doing Business Report: India jumps 30 Spots Archives TOPIC: General Studies 3 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. picture credit: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/India-makes-it-to-top-100in-ease-of-doing-business/article9935450.ece World Bank released its latest version of Ease of Doing business which saw India leapfrog 30 points to enter into top 100 destinations for ease of doing business’. In 2016, India was listed at 130 below countries like Ghana and Uganda. Path has not been easy In 2014, the government had said that it would focus on this index and come out with reforms to improve the ranking. It was disappointing in 2015 and 2016 when there was not much improvement in the ranking. Given that perspective, the present jump is encouraging. The jump shows that the sustained efforts do get the good results and they are not gained overnight. The new government which has vowed to remove red tape, eliminate procedures of delay and turn India into an investment destination has seen the results in context of the recent reforms undertaken and government’s commitment for the same. Why is the index important? The index essentially focuses on red tape and administrative hurdles. It is based on four essential sources of information The laws in the statute book Feedback from experts Consultation with national government Consultations with WB staff After the information from these places, the index is put in place. Limitations of the index for India This index is based on what is happening in two Indian cities- Delhi and Mumbai. India is yet to see the result of index which cover more than eight cities. Thus, to say that ease of doing business has improved dramatically for the whole of country would be exaggeration. A better indicator will come by WB which is called as Enterprise Survey which actually goes into details how enterprises in different part of the country perform. Thus, a broader picture of business in India will be known by merging the findings of ease of doing business and world bank enterprise survey. What to be done to reach next level? The push for digital governance should enable India to come into top 30 by 2022 in almost all parameters except two, bankruptcy and enforcement of contracts. Transition to digital functioning has a barrier in the political economy. But now the political establishments in all states would like to have investments and results of the same. So the situation is appropriate and right. For bankruptcy, the process is on and the legislative framework is there. So the system should work well enough with close monitoring and supervision. The real achievement will be to achieve the enforcement of contracts. It is tough one as it basically means bringing efficiency in Indian judicial system. From an economic perspective, the Indian judiciary has been highly inefficient and doesn’t deliver as per the changing times and needs. Challenges to ease of doing business Methodology challenge- expand the coverage of the index to make it more real. The kind of laws the index looks at are at state level laws and not national laws. So more importance has to be also given to the state level exposures and business performances. Need for factor market reforms- the areas of making the land available should be improved from 190 days. Land allotment, construction permits should be encouraged. The labour reforms- in terms of hiring and retrenching mechanism should be there. Cross border business, i.e. proper trade policy is required to enhance business opportunities. Way forward The perception across the world and within India is that there is a rent-seeking environment which makes it ineffective for people to enter into business or SMEs from Europe to come into India. That perception has to change very fast. That is the reason why very few people who are not in India choose to start new enterprises. Rent seeking environment can be altered partly through e-governance and political governance. Ease of doing business is a major building block but it is not enough. It is not sufficient for attracting investment and growth. This index is based on what is there on statute and rules.  So the rules should go down to the reality and get implemented. The ease of doing business is directed only to cross-out the administrative hurdles. But to create an investment climate constitutes many other factors and ease of doing business is one of them. The improvement in ranking makes India a better investment destination because the foreign and domestic investors feel encouraged to do the business. At present the investment is stuck because of twin balance sheet problem. The banks are stressed and the corporate sector is overleveraged. Though the bank recapitalization was first good step, it has to be followed up with changes in how banks do their businesses. Enterprise Surveys An Enterprise Survey is a firm-level survey of a representative sample of an economy’s private sector. The surveys cover a broad range of business environment topics including access to finance, corruption, infrastructure, crime, competition, and performance measures. The findings and recommendations are helping policy makers identify, prioritize and implement reforms of policies and institutions that support efficient private economic activity. Key research topics of the unit include firm performance and job creation, legal gender parity for entrepreneurs and workers, informality, and export performance. Also Read: https://iasbaba.com/2017/11/iasbabas-daily-current-affairs-2nd-nov-2017/ Connecting the dots: Ease of doing business jump is not an achievement. The milestone and the goals are still afar”. Critically examine.

Dec 6, 2017 RSTV Video

RSTV- The Big Picture : India, Iran & Afghanistan: Converging Interests

India, Iran & Afghanistan: Converging Interests Archives TOPIC: General Studies 2 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 In a significant sign of trilateral cooperation, the first consignment of wheat from India to Afghanistan, via the Iranian port of Chabahar thereby bypassing Pakistan. The new route follows an ship-train route corridor in India and Afghanistan since 2016. This will be to let afghan products reach India. The plan is to connect Chabahar by rail to Zahedan in Iran to Zaranj in Afghanistan and there onwards into Delaram which is also in Afghanistan. If Afghan goods come up to Zahedan, they can be transported by a 1,380-km rail link to Chabahar and shipped to India. The Chabahar port, located in the Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Persian Gulf nations southern coast, lies outside the Persian Gulf and can be easily accessed from India's western coast, bypassing Pakistan. Picture credit: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/India-ships-wheat-to-afghanistan-via-chabahar/article19945498.ece Strategic significance In 2002, the idea of connectivity to Afghanistan was conceived via Iran and through chabhahar. It was after Taliban was defeated in 2002. The vital component was construction by India of Zaranj’s Delaram road. The strategic significance is that Pakistan will be a constant blockage to reach Afghanistan via its land and yet India manages to bypass it to achieve the larger security and regional stability goal. It is a signal to china, Pakistan and Afghanistan that it will overcome all barriers when it comes to developing ties with Afghanistan. The move is also significant as it indicates India remains firm in delivering on its regional commitment through partnership with Iran, despite Iran’s ongoing tension with the United States. Additionally, now India is looked by US as an alternative to its support to itself in Afghanistan and stabilize the situation there. Picture Credit: http://www.livemint.com/r/LiveMint/Period2/2016/05/24/Photos/G-iraqmap(modi)web.jpg Importance of Iran Trump is looking at West Asia and Iran through Israeli prism where is if finding flaws with Iran. The world knows what Iran is to the development of the region. India has been dealing with Iran for decades. In past, before nuclear deal, there was huge pressure on India but it continued trading with Iran. Despite sanctions on Iran, India looks forward to widen its economic interests with Iran with oil, gas and trade and other sectors which have suffered since few years. Iran is critical for India’s access to Afghanistan and central Asia. Geopolitical change Pakistan army’s world-view is that it wont allow access via Punjab-wagah into Afghanistan. But denial of this access is harming Pakistan. If CPEC has to reach its full advantage then access will have to be given. But the geopolitical scene will change as India has access to Afghanistan and India is demonstrating its ability to state and pursue its objectives whatever be the obstacles. This is the new India which shows a greater commitment. Once that happens, the international community takes note of it and the geopolitics change. International community and convergence Japan, Australia, Iran- trying to have alternative to OBOR of china. There is another collaboration of Russia, Pakistan, china and Iran. Russia also wants a stable Afghanistan because of economic interest- Chinese are looking for trade in their natural resources like minerals which are yet to be explored. The strategic interests are they fear Uighurs being trained in Xinjiang province, Kashgar Urumqi and sent across border create trouble. Chinese problems? China and Pakistan were never happy of the Chabahar port development considering its nearness to Gwadar. However, it shouldn’t be overstated. China at this juncture has a great stake in stabilizing Afghanistan because as it is rising, it is realizing the problem of turbulence, instability in the region. A healthy competition will encourage more adherence to stability for shared prosperity of the countries in the region. Conclusion India has made it clear that it has an independent foreign policy with regards to North Korea, Iran. These are the things that are going to lead to stability and prosperity for entire region. Long-term viability of the project has to be seen when it comes to India Afghanistan project. Baluchistan has to be stable. These goods have to now go to central Asia too as a next step. Chabahar has to emerge as a transit port and give competition to Dubai where currently the bulk cargo is getting disembarked and then being distributed from there. This role has to be now taken up by Chabahar in near future and India has to cooperate and support in building capabilities for the same. India, Afghanistan and Iran can tackle terror together. India has sent out a signal that Pakistan cannot destabilize the region and there is going to be prosperity. It will be shut out of the development in the region. It feels that if India gets into Afghanistan, then it will have greater leverage in its internal affairs an will lose its chance to spread terror. Connecting the dots: A new partnership is being forged between India-Afghanistan-Iran to stabilize as well as develop region. Discuss your opinion on the same.