[Mission 2023] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 1 April 2023

NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same

General Studies – 1

1. What is a glass ceiling? Write about the impacts of the glass ceiling and measures that can be taken to shatter it.

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Introduction

Glass ceiling is a metaphor used to represent an invisible barrier that prevents women from rising beyond a certain level in a hierarchy. It refers to the fact that a qualified person wishing to advance within the hierarchy of his/her organization is stopped at a lower level due to a discrimination most often based on sex or race. The glass ceiling refers thus to vertical discrimination most frequently against women in companies. The metaphor was first coined by feminists in reference to barriers in the careers of high-achieving women.

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Impacts of Glass Ceiling effect

• Affects Economic empowerment: Women’s earning potential may be capped at a certain level, and upward mobility may be less accessible because of the glass ceiling.
• Diminished opportunities: Due to deep-rooted biases, it is difficult for women to access many experiences and networks that are easily accessible to men.
• Social barriers and gender norms: Personal barriers include notions of compromise and sacrifice that are ingrained in women. This feeds into how women present themselves. External barriers and cultural cues reinforce how men and women “ought” to behave.
• Gender Inequity: Stereotypes related to gender brilliance or gender-based intrinsic aptitude generate inequity which remains unnoticed.
• Low self-confidence: Our socio-cultural constructs reflect absolute patriarchy causing even women to be sceptical about their abilities, to accept the roles set for them in the household.
• Affects Minorities as well: While women are the group to which the term glass ceiling originally and primarily refers, individuals from other historically underrepresented groups are also often held back by the deeply ingrained cultural biases that exist within organizations.

Measures to tackle Glass Ceiling effect

• Companies can work toward eliminating this barrier by recruiting women and minorities into leadership and executive roles, something that’s lacking in many corporate companies.
• On top of that, companies can do an internal audit for their hiring and promotion processes and offer a level of transparency to employees.
• companies should be transparent when it comes to their promotion process so they can show that they have given all qualified employees equal opportunities for career advancement.
• This will eliminate bias and effectively destroy the glass ceiling,
• Most importantly, gender equality or parity will happen only when there is a change in mindset and institutions consider women as assets rather than simply a diversity rectification issue.

Way forward

• To break the glass ceiling, you first have to identify it. Look for warning signs such as a lack of diversity in leadership roles, inappropriate comments, and a lack of innovation.
• Individuals can tackle the problem by learning more about it, raising their concerns, and taking responsibility for their own development.
• Organizations can take action by honestly exploring whether a glass ceiling exists, asking employees for their views, investing in unconscious bias training, and offering support to employees.

Conclusion

The glass ceiling affects women’s career trajectories and, therefore, their financial lives. Change is something that can happen within companies by reviewing promotional practices and employee retention. While women can strive to support other women in the workplace, men must also be willing to step up, speak up, and advocate for the advancement of women in the workplace. So often they are the ones in positions of power, and change can start from there.

2. What is blue economy? The blue economy of India has enormous potential for sustainable economic growth and equitable use of resources. Evaluate.

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Introduction

“Blue Economy” refers to strategic and sustainable use of Marine Resources for the development of Economy and the well-being of human. Gunter Pauli’s book, “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs” (2010) brought the Blue Economy concept into prominence. It offers “Green Approach” to meet the aspirations of mankind. India is endowed with a vast coastline of approximately 7500 Km and hence better placed to harness the “potential of oceans” – with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.02 mn. sq.km. It is an upcoming sunrise sector.

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Potential of blue economy for sustainable economic growth

• Economy: Blue economy, through sustainable use of oceans, has great potential for boosting the economic growth by providing opportunities for income generation and jobs etc.
  • It can support food security, and diversification to address new resources for energy, new drugs valuable chemicals, protein food, deep sea minerals, security etc.
  • At least 3-5% of global GDP is derived from oceans
• Socio-Economic Development:
  • Blue economy presents India with an unprecedented opportunity to meet its national socio-economic objectives as well as strengthen connectivity with neighbours.
  • Blue Economy can help in focusing on livelihood generation, achieving energy security, building ecological resilience, and improving health and living standards of coastal communities.
  • Blue economy would reinforce and strengthen the efforts of the Indian government as it strives to achieve the SDGs of hunger and poverty eradication along with sustainable use of marine resources by 2030.
• Environmental Benefits:
  • Mangroves and other vegetated ocean habitats sequester 25 percent of the extra CO2 from fossil fuels, i.e., Blue Carbon.
  • Protection of coastal communities from disasters like floods and storms.
  • A Sustainable Blue Economy can help to achieve commitments under UN’s Sustainable Development Goals 2030, Paris climate agreement 2015 and the UN Ocean Conference 2017
• Renewable Energy:
  • Sustainable marine energy can play a vital role in social and economic development.
  • As energy sources on the surface are limited, in the near future the dependency on marine resources will increase, which will require more human resource to be deployed in the field of environment engineering and marine resource protection
• Mineral Wealth:
  • According to ISA there are vast reserves of Poly-metallic Nodules, sulphides, cobalt rich ferro-mangenese crust( rich in cobalt, bismuth, iron, lead, platinum).
  • ISA has notified two major areas “clariton-clipperton fracture zone” and Central Indian Ocean Basin.
  • India has already signed a contract and entered in the league with Japan, USA, China
• Fisheries: Sustainable fisheries can generate more revenue, more fish and help restore fish stocks.
• Maritime Transport:
  • Over 80% of international goods traded are transported by sea.
  • Marine services sector could serve as the backbone of its blue economy and help India become 10 trillion dollar economy by 2022.
  • Indian Ocean is a major conduit of trade with as much as 80% of global oil trade happening through it.
  • Tourism:
  • Ocean and coastal tourism can bring jobs and economic growth.
• Climate Change and Bio-diversity:
  • Oceans are an important carbon sink (blue carbon) and help mitigate climate change.
  • Oceans protect biodiversity, keep the planet cool, and absorb about 30% of global CO2 emissions.
  • Oceans cover three-quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97% of the Earth’s water, and represent 99% of the living area on the planet.
  • Waste Management:
  • Better waste management on land can help oceans recover.

Issues with sustainable development of blue economy

• Threat of sea borne terror:
  • Piracy and armed robbery, maritime terrorism, illicit trade in crude oil, arms, drug and human trafficking and smuggling of contraband etc.
• Natural Disasters:
  • Every year tsunamis, cyclones, hurricanes typhoons etc leave thousands of people stranded and property worth millions destroyed.
• Man-Made disasters:
  • Oil spills, climate change continue to risk the stability of the maritime domain.
• Impact of climate change:
  • Threats of both slow-onset events like sea-level rise and more intense and frequent weather events like cyclones.
  • Long-term climate change impacts on ocean systems like changes in sea temperature, acidity, and major oceanic currents.
• Marine pollution:
  • In form of excess nutrients from untreated sewerage, agricultural runoff, and marine debris such as plastics.
  • Deep sea mining can cause long term irreversible ecological damage to marine ecosystem.
• Geopolitical issues:
  • Geopolitical tussle between in various regions like South China Sea, Indian Ocean Region etc. and undermining International Laws like UNCLOS limits the countries from achieving the full potential of Blue Economy.
• Overexploitation of marine resources:
  • Illegal, unreported, and unregulated extraction of marine resources.
  • FAO estimates that approximately 57 percent of fish stocks are fully exploited and another 30 percent are over-exploited, depleted, or recovering.
• Unsustainable development near marine areas:
  • Physical alterations and destruction of marine and coastal habitats & landscapes largely due to coastal development, deforestation, & mining

Conclusion and Way forward

• India should look to adopt the sustainable approach of balancing economic benefits with sustainability for meeting the broader goals of growth, employment generation, equity and protection of environment.
• We need to come up with technology to explore the minerals deep down at seabed.
• India must focus on marine ICTs, and transport (shipping) and communication services, and the creation of a knowledge hub for marine research and development.
• An effective response mechanism to address humanitarian crises and natural disasters should be made for the evolving Indian Ocean security strategy.
• India should not look at its oceans as just water bodies, but as global stage for continued economic, social, and cultural dialogue.
• Ever increasing marine pollution must be abated and India’s vow to curb plastic pollution must be pursued relentlessly.
• Tackling the Global warming and submergence of low lying islands as part of Paris Climate deal agreement and initiatives like FIPIC.

General Studies – 2

3. What are Institutions of Eminence (IOE)? Can granting the Institute of Eminence status make a difference in making the institutions become world-class universities? Critically examine.

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Introduction

The status of ‘Institute of Eminence’ was launched to empower higher education institutions in India and help them implement world-class teaching systems to enhance affordable access to high-quality education. HRD Ministry of India grants the Institution of Eminence status to multiple universities. The University Grants Commission set the IoE scheme in 2017. Twenty institutions received the grant, and eleven among the selected ones got the Institutions of Eminence status in April 2021.

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The IoE universities have specific features that can help them stand out among the crowd. Only higher education institutions currently placed in the top 500 of global rankings or top 50 of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) are eligible to apply for the eminence tag.

The private Institutions of Eminence can also come up as greenfield ventures-provided the sponsoring organisation submits a convincing perspective plan for 15 years. The HRD Ministry is supposed to give Rs 1,000 crore, over five years, to each of the public educational institutes declared as ‘eminent’.

Benefits of the universities with the IoE status

• They have the option to admit merit-based overseas students to fill up to 30% of the number of admitted domestic students.
• They will get unrestricted flexibility to charge fees to international students.
• They have the authority to choose the domestic student cost, with the condition that no accepted student should be turned away for financial reasons.
• The process should be coupled with a reputable program of loans and scholarships to ensure that those in need can pursue higher education without facing financial difficulties.
• After receiving the approval of its Governing Council and generally adhering to the prevailing minimum standards communicated to the Commission or Professional Regulatory Councils, they would get the freedom to offer courses within a program and degrees in newer areas, including interdisciplinary ones.
• After getting approved by their Governing Council and broadly adhering to the minimal prevalent requirements, they would be allowed the freedom to choose their course structure concerning the number of credits and years to complete a degree.
• The institutions will have the flexibility to adjust the curriculum and syllabus without a UGC-mandated curriculum structure.

Challenges

• Despite tall claims and green lights, Govt yet to sign final MoUs with universities selected for Institution of Eminence (IOE), from Navi Mumbai to Odisha and TN.

• Some IOEs have flagged challenges in implementing their IoE plans on the grounds of inadequate and delayed funding by the government.
• It is opined that IoE selection process is faultyas the reputed institutes like Jawaharlal Nehru University, which has figured in international rankings and produced many well-known public intellectuals is not considered for the IoE award.
• Granting of IoE status to private institutions that are run with a commercial motive can encourage the commercialisation of education.
• Academics make statements saying the quality of higher education in the country is not of international standard and policy makers and bureaucrats justify saying that such rankings are not suited to the country.

Will IOE Status alone help in making our Universities world class?

• The answer to the question depends on two factors — academic freedom and administrative independence.
• It is said that the universities with the IoE status will be given academic and administrative freedom.
• Academic freedom is important for academic excellence.
• Administrative freedom is essential for smooth functioning.
• If IoEs want to be really competitive globally, they should internationalise higher education.
• It implies that these institutions should give importance to “enhanced international cooperation and capacity building”.
• It is also important for the institutions to have constant exposure to international standards.
• Research and innovation should be the focus of such institutions and funds should be utilised for these purposes.
• They should lead the way in all aspects including teaching, research and innovation and inspire other institutions of higher education.

Way forward

• There is no doubt that we need to improve the quality of our higher education and we should adapt and adopt the best practices followed by real ‘world-class’ institutions across the globe.
• It is the responsibility of top public universities which get government funding to do justice to the people of the nation by providing quality education on par with top universities in the world.
• The IoE status can help the select universities to achieve the goal, provided all stakeholders are committed to the cause and passionate about their institutions’ vision and mission.

Conclusion

India lacks world-class universities according to international rankings, and Indian academics, compared internationally, are rather poorly paid. Students also suffer an immense shortage of places in top academic institutions and throughout the higher education system. India today educates only half as many young people from the university age group as China and ranks well behind most Latin American and other middle-income countries.

General Studies – 3

4. What is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)? Throw light on the key components of DPI in India. Analyse their growth and development in the past decade and opportunities in the coming years.

Reference: The Hindu

Introduction

Digital Public Infrastructure are non-excludable and non-rivalrous. The UN defines DPIs as “Open-source software, open data, open AI models, open standards and open content that adhere to privacy and other applicable international and domestic laws, standards and best practices, and do no harm, and help attain the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals].” DPGs are aimed at achieving the SDGs.

India’s digital public infrastructure (DPI), loosely the India Stack and more, is a marvel of our times, shaped in a unique partnership between governments (Union and States), regulators, the private sector, selfless volunteers, startups, and academia/think tanks.

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Digital Public infrastructure and India’s progress

• India is pioneering the concept of digital public goods that enhance the ease, transparency and speed with which individuals, markets and governments interactwith each other.
• Built on the foundation of Aadhaar and India Stack, modular applications, big and small, are transforming the way we make payments (UPI revolution), withdraw our PF, get our passport and driving licence and check land records,to name just a few activities.
• Children have access to QR-coded textbooks across state boardsand languages, the economically disadvantaged have access to the public distribution system and beneficiaries of government schemes have money transferred directly into their bank accounts.
• There is an opportunity for India to embark on digital diplomacy — to take its made-in-India digital public goods to hundreds of emerging economies across the world.
• This could be astrategic and effective counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative(BRI). But India needs to bring transformation in its technological, startup and innovation ecosystem.

Benefits and significance

• Cost-Benefit ratio is high: The cost of setting up an open source-based high school online educational infrastructure, to supplement the physical infrastructure, for an entire country is less than laying two kilometresof high-quality road.
• Less resources major reward: The investments required for transporting digital public goods are minuscule in comparison and there is no chance of a debt trap. Also, the code(platform) is highly reusable.
• Instant Visible Outcomes: Unlike physical infrastructure such as ports and roads, digital public goods have short gestation periods and immediate, and visible impact and benefits.
  • Processes get streamlined and wait times for any service come down dramatically.
  • Issuances of passports, PAN cards and driving licences are such examples.
• Plugs the Leakage: It eliminatesghost beneficiaries of government services, removes touts collecting rent, creates an audit trail, makes the individual-government-market interface transparent and provides efficiencies that help recoup the investments quickly.
• Productivity goes upand services can be scaled quickly. Benefits can be rapidly extended to cover a much larger portion of the population.
• The digital public goods infrastructure compounds while physical infrastructure depreciates. Compounding happens for two reasons.
  • One is the growth of technology itself. Chips keep becoming faster, engines more powerful, and technology keeps improving.
  • The second reason is the network effect. As more and more people use the same technology, the number of “transactions” using that technology increases exponentially — be it Facebook posts or UPI transactions.

Impediments to realise full potential of Digital Public goods

• Privacy Issues: Potential violations of privacy and possible weaponization of data is a primary issue related to such digital initiatives.
• Digital Divide:Success in the digital provision of services is dependent on many underlying factors, including digital literacy, education and access to stable and fast telecommunication services.
  • In this setting, undertaking large-scale digitisation of services without bridging these digital divides could result in increasing existing inequalities.
• Security Issues:There is a cybersecurity challenge in ensuring end-to-end protection of data throughout the whole ecosystem.
  • While channels and databases used by the Government for transmission and storage are usually secure, other players in the ecosystem may not possess the requisite expertise or security to prevent and respond to breaches.
  • The alleged breach of the Aadhar database is a case in point.
• Unserved Remote Areas:With digital services not being uniformly distributed, communities in remote areas often require on-ground staff to deploy and supplement digital tools.

Conclusion

India’s digital diplomacy can be beneficial to and welcomed by, all emerging economies from Peru to Polynesia, from Uruguay to Uganda, and from Kenya to Kazakhstan. It can take made-in-India digital public goods across the world and boost India’s brand positioning as a leading technology player in the digital age. It will also enable quick, visible and compounding benefits for India’s partner countries and earn India immense goodwill. And it will help create a strong foothold for India globally to counter the extravagantly expensive, brick-and-mortar led Belt and Road Initiative of China.

5. The 30×30 initiative can play a vital role in protecting the planet’s ecosystems and biodiversity for future generations. Elaborate.

Reference: Insights on India

Introduction

The 30×30 target implies protection of at least 30 % the of world’s land and ocean by 2030. The 30×30 target is a global target that aims to halt the accelerating loss of species and protect vital ecosystems that are the source of our economic security.

High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People was formed in 2021 to promote an international agreement on 30×30 target. India officially joined the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People in 2021.  India has proposed to establish Sustainable Coastal and Ocean Research Institute (SCORI) to meet the needs and aspirations of the Pacific Island Countries (PIC).

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Protecting forests and grasslands can help slow climate change by promoting carbon storage in soil and plants

• Grasslands, wetlands, forests and other ecosystems naturally absorb and store carbon.
• Studies have shown that protecting and preserving these features of the natural world could allow for the annual absorption of one-fifth of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions – the equivalent to emissions from all U.S. vehicles.
• Tall grasses and prairie plants, and these landscapes are well-known for their ability to absorb and store carbon in roots and soil.
• Maintaining grasslands near agricultural fields can boost crop production because grasslands promote biodiversity, support pollinators and host predators that can help suppress potential pests. They also help improve biodiversity, soil health and water quality.
• Forest not only have a role in maintaining biodiversity but also their ability to fix large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and thereby mitigate climate change.
• Forest cover also alter hydrological cycles (reduce stream flow), decrease albedo (a measure of solar radiation reflected from the earth’s surface) which can contribute to warming, and lead to loss of unique biodiversity.

Potential of 30×30 initiative

• In order to address both the biodiversity crisis and the climate crisis, there is growing scientific research that half of the planet must be kept in a natural state. Some papers have suggested that the number should be even higher, and some have suggested slightly lower.
• Despite this, experts agree that a scientifically credible and necessary interim goal is to achieve a minimum of 30 per cent protection by 2030.
• There is a wealth of scientific data documenting the need for increased spatial targets in order to help achieve goals related to biodiversity conservation, which help justify the 30×30 target both at a global level and a regional level.
• When the Aichi Targets were established in 2010, roughly 13 per cent of the world’s terrestrial areas were protected while very few protections existed in the ocean.
• Currently, an estimated 15 per cent of the world’s land and 7 per cent of the ocean are protected. In order to achieve the goal of protecting at least 30 per cent by 2030, we will need to double the current land protections and more than quadruple current ocean protections.

Way forward

• First, protected areas should meet both conservation needs and human needs.
• Second, in creating newly protected areas, researchers and managers should consider how they will interact with adjacent areas.
• Third, researchers and officials should assess how newly protected areas will interact with areas far away — including in other countries.
• We should be guided by a metacoupling framework, which is an integrated way to study and manage human-nature interactions within and between different places.
• It recognizes that human and natural systems in a given place can be affected for better or worse by people, policies and markets both nearby and far away.

Value addition

30 X 30 target

• In the spirit of Stockholm+50, to build on 50 years of multilateral environmental action to achieve the urgent action needed to secure a healthy planet, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People is taking concrete steps towards moving into a new phase to support implementation of the global goal to protect at least 30 per cent of the world’s land and at least 30 per cent of the world’s ocean by 2030.
• The 30×30 target is a global target, which aims to halt the accelerating loss of species, and protect vital ecosystems that are the source of our economic security. 
• The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, which is now supported by nearly 100 countries, is evolving into a new phase to support implementation of the global goal.
• The High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People was officially launched in January 2021 at the One Planet Summit (OPS) on biodiversity. The coalition is currently co-chaired by France and Costa Rica, with the United Kingdom as ocean co-chair.

Answer the following questions in 250 words(15 marks each):

General Studies – 1

6. The Vaikom Satyagraha was a significant moment in the Indian independence movement, as it highlighted the injustices of the caste system and the need for social reform. Discuss.

Reference: The Hindu

Introduction

Vaikom Satyagraha was the first organised agitation in Kerala against orthodoxy which took place in 1924. It was a first organised movement against untouchability in India. The Satyagraha aimed at securing freedom of movement for all sections of society through the public roads leading to the Sri Mahadevar Temple at Vaikom. Agitation was borne out of the extreme injustice done to Dalits.

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About Vaikom Satyagraha

• It occupies a major position in the renaissance movement in Kerala.
• It was triggered in the Kakinada Congress meeting in 1923, TK Madhavan presented a report on the discrimination in Kerala and the plights of backward Hindus.
• The meeting decided to promote movements against untouchability.

Significance of Vaikom Satyagraha

• It paved the way for the Temple Entry Proclamation of the Travancore government, symbolised a movement for justice and equality across the country during the freedom struggle.
• Gandhi and Congress involvement:-
  • The issue at Vaikom needed handling at a higher and wider level. Instead of being just a fight for gaining access to road, Panikkar suggested making it a symbolic battle against atrocities in the name of caste, giving it a national and cosmopolitan look to gain the attention of the entire world.
  • The Congress along with Gandhi  agreed to include the eradication of untouchability in their constructive programs and resolved to lend full support to the Vaikom Movement.
• Widespread support:-
  • All newspapers in India flashed headlines about the Satyagraha. Money flowed from different states to Vaikom.
  • The Akalis of Punjab came to Vaikom to open a free kitchen for the Satyagrahis.
  • Non-Hindus came forward to offer Satyagraha. But Gandhiji did not accept any of these.
• This was the first time that an organised movement was being conducted on such a large scale for the civil rights of the untouchables and other backward castes in Kerala.
• The Vaikom Satyagraha was not an agitation for political freedom, it was a movement to purify the Hindu society of its blemishes, and this was what Narayana Guru also attempted through his actions and messages.

Impact of Vaikom Satyagraha

• Gandhi’s non-violent weapon of Satyagraha had been evolved from agitations such as Vaikom.
  • Vaikom Satyagraha was a testing ground for the Gandhian principles of Satyagraha. It was tested and proved as the most effective means for the first time.
• It became a key event in the civil rights movements during the freedom struggle.
• It was cosmopolitan in characterand people from various religious communities, castes and provinces took part in it.
• It heralded the mass participation of women in public action. The struggle helped to define the later social identity of Kerala.
• In 1925, all except the eastern gate of the temple was opened to all Hindus.
• In 1928, another royal proclamation gave backward castes the right to walk on public roads leading to all temples in Travancore.
• This movement was a watershed in the history of emancipation of the depressed classes especially in Kerala.
• It instilled rationality among the masses.
• Another achievement of Vaikom agitation is certainly communal harmony. Progressive minded Savarnas and Avarnas came together with Christians, Muslims and even Sikhs. It is to be remembered that many Savarnas played the role of active leaders, till the withdrawal of the Satyagraha, and this has demonstrated the basic unity of the people.
• The streets in the temple area were opened to Harijans or Untouchables. In 1936, they were allowed to enter the temple. The Satyagraha paved the way for subsequent Temple Entry Act.

Conclusion

This was the primary time that an organized movement was being conducted on such a huge scale for the essential rights of the untouchables and other backward castes in Kerala. Vaikom Satyagraha became a primary struggle for human rights in India and became a laboratory for testing important methods like Satyagrahas.

The Kerala government has now decided to commemorate the movement by organizing various cultural events. Vaikom is a symbol of social justice and symbolizes the eradication of caste barriers.

8. From the Chinese perspective, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has faced significant setbacks, which have undermined its progress and potential impact. Yet from an Indian perspective, there remain challenges and concerns for India. Examine.

Reference: Live Mint , Insights on India

Introduction

Introduction

The Belt and Road Initiative, reminiscent of the Silk Road, is a massive infrastructure project that would stretch from East Asia to Europe. It was launched in 2013.

The plan is two-pronged: the overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road- The two were collectively referred to first as the One Belt, One Road initiative but eventually became the Belt and Road Initiative. The project involves creating a vast network of railways, energy pipelines, highways, and streamlined border crossings.

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China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Geopolitics

China has both geopolitical and economic motivations behind the initiative.

• The country has promoted a vision of a more assertive China, while slowing growth and rocky trade relations with the United States have pressured the country’s leadership to open new markets for its goods.
• Experts see the BRI as one of the main planks of a bolder Chinese statecraft under Xi, alongside the Made in China 2025 economic development strategy.
• The BRI also serves as pushback against the much-touted USA’s “pivot to Asia,” as well as a way for China to develop new investment opportunities, cultivate export markets, and boost Chinese incomes and domestic consumption.

Setbacks to BRI

• At the recently concluded summit 2022 of G-7 leaders in Germany, US and his allies unveiled their $600 billion plan called the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Intelligence.
  • This is being seen as a counter to China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), valued at a trillion U.S. dollars by some experts.
• Setback in Pakistan: Multiple reports have shown that shipping activities at the Gwadar Port is almost negligible so far, with only some trade to Afghanistan.
  • Gwadar residents have also protested against the large security force deployed to protect Chinese nationals involved in projects.
  • Chinese nations has also became the target of multiple deadly attacks by Baloch freedom fighters.
  • Coal plants were set up and managed by Chinese firms to improve the power situation in Pakistan.
  • Chinese power firms closing down their operations as the latter did not pay dues worth 300 billion in Pakistani rupees (approximately $1.5 billion).
• Maldives: Most of China’s investment in the Maldives happened under former President Abdullah Yameen, seen as pro-China. The reality is now changed
• Bangaldesh: BRI projects include Friendship Bridges, special economic zones, the $689.35 million-Karnaphuli River tunnel project, upgradation of the Chittagong port, and a rail line between the port and China’s Yunnan province.
  • However, multiple projects have been delayed owing to the slow release of funds by China.
• Fossil fuel usage: While debt is a major concern driving the rejection of BRI projects, there is another growing concern over the fact that China is pushing for coal-fired power plants on the global front while going green within its own borders.
• No local employment: Further, the promise of trade and employment seems to have taken a hit, considering the discontent amongst partner countries regarding Beijing’s move of using Chinese workers over locals for the BRI projects.

Mounting Debts

India’s concerns

India has tried to convince countries that the BRI is a plan to dominate Asia, warning of what some analysts have called a “String of Pearls” geoeconomic strategy whereby China creates unsustainable debt burdens for its Indian Ocean neighbors in order to seize control of regional choke points.

• In particular, New Delhi has long been unsettled by China’s decades-long embrace of its traditional rival, Pakistan.
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Baluchistan, both of which are home to a long-running insurgency where it faces terrorism and security risks.
  • CPEC would hamper India’s strategic interests in the South Asian region.and can aid Pakistan’s legitimacy in the Kashmir dispute too.
  • Also, attempts to extend CPEC to Afghanistan may undermine India’s position as economic, security and strategic partner of Afghanistan.
• China’s Strategic Rise in the Subcontinent: Along with China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC) and CPEC, China is also developing the China-Nepal Economic Corridor (CNEC) which will link Tibet to Nepal.
  • The endpoints of the project will touch the boundaries of the Gangetic plain.
  • Thus three corridors signify the economic as well as strategic rise of China in the Indian subcontinent.

Conclusion

China, in order to go ahead and protect its own interests has put in place a network of investments which has led to several low and middle income countries in severe debt.

There are ways to deal with it but any individual country cannot go ahead and provide an alternative to BRI but the larger and stronger economies can come together to find a way ahead.

General Studies – 3

9. Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has been a revolutionary system in the digital payments space in India, with several achievements to its credit. Discuss. Do you think levying a fee on UPI transactions will discourage its usage?

Reference: Live Mint

Introduction

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is a technology that consolidates various bank accounts into a single mobile app (of any participating bank) – Providing an instant real-time payment system; Allowing users to transfer money across multiple bank accounts without revealing details of one’s bank account to the other party. It is an enhanced version of Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), around–the–clock funds transfer service that enables faster, easier, and more seamless cashless payments.

It was launched by the NPCI in 2016 in conjunction with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Indian Banks Association (IBA).

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Background

Come 1 April, payments above ₹2,000 done using prepaid payment instruments on this platform, which make up a tiny sliver of its usage, will no longer be free. On these, the bank of the merchant accepting payment will have to shell out an interchange fee of 0.5%-1.1% to the payer’s bank.

Success of UPI

• Preferred Payment Mode: BHIM UPI has emerged as the preferred payment mode of the citizens and has recorded 803.6 crore digital payment transactions with the value of ₹ 12.98 lakh crore in January 2023.
• Instant and convenient mode of payment: Unlike cash, money can be instantaneously transferred to the beneficiary account using digital modes like BHIM-UPI and IMPS. Moreover, using the BHIM-UPI mode, one can effect a digital transaction via mobile phone using mobile number or easy-to-remember virtual payment address (email-like address). BHIM-UPI has enabled access to multiple Bank accounts in a single mobile app, facilitating ease of payments.
• Enhanced financial inclusion: Digital payments offer anytime, anywhere access to accounts, thus making it easy for citizens to receive payments in their accounts and to also make payments using their phone. People who may have been deterred by the time, and travelling cost involved in physically accessing a bank outlet for transactions can now conveniently access the bank account digitally and get various benefits of being part of the formal banking system and becoming financially included. Recently launched UPI 123PAYenables feature phone users to make digital transactions through UPI in assisted voice mode, facilitating digital transactions and financial inclusion in rural areas.
• Increased transparency in government system: Earlier cash payments were subject to “leakage” (payments that do not reach the recipient in full) and “ghost” (fake) recipients, particularly in the context of social security benefits by government transfers. Now, benefits are directly transferred to target beneficiary (direct benefit transfer) account through digital modes of payments.
• Improved speed and timely delivery:In contrast to a cash payment that travels at the speed of its carrier, digital payments can be virtually instantaneous, regardless of whether the sender and receiver are in the same town, district or country.
• National Electronic Toll Collection (NETC) system: NETC system enables the customer to make electronic payments at NETC-enabled toll plazas on the highway without stopping at the toll, using Radio Frequency Identification technology.
• Bharat Bill Payment System: Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) provides an interoperable and easily accessible bill payment service to consumers via multiple channels like Internet banking, mobile banking, mobile apps, BHIM-UPI etc.  Citizens can make easy bill payments anytime, anywhere through BBPS.
• Enhanced Credit Access: Unlikecash payments, digital payments automatically establish a user’s financial footprint, thereby increasing access to formal financial services, including credit. Banks and other lending institutions can utilise digital transaction histories to take cashflow-based lending decisions for both retail lending and lending to businesses, including small businesses who may face difficulty in getting credit in the absence of verifiable cashflows.
• Safe and secure: Recipients of cash payments not only often have to travel considerable distances to receive their payments but are also particularly vulnerable to theft. Digital payments across India are secure as multiple levels of authentication are required for making transactions.

Shortcomings of UPI

• The threat of cybercrimein the global banking and financial services industry has increased amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  • g. Malicious Software Cerberus
• Fraudulent claims, chargebacks, fake buyer accounts, promotion/coupon abuse, account takeover, identity theft, card detail theft and triangulation frauds are emerging as challenges.
• The lack of digital literacy is another challenge facing many.

Way forward & conclusion

• A rightly structured Public-Private Partnership (PPP) policymay provide a 21^st century engine to harness the power of market players for greater digital infrastructure, access, and literacy for the Indian population.
• In a vibrant Indian democracy, a public policy-driven digital empowermentof the Indian electorate can help ensure responsible digital conduct in the interest of consumers and the larger public interest.

10. ISRO’s reputation in the commercial launch industry has grown, and it is increasingly viewed as a reliable and cost-effective option for commercial launches. ISRO’s commercialization efforts are expected to generate revenue for the organization and contribute to the growth of the Indian space industry. Elaborate.

Reference: Indian Express

Introduction

ISRO recently launched LVM-3. This was the second commercial launch of the Indian Space Research Organisation which saw 36 OneWeb satellites placed in orbit. This was also the second launch that ISRO performed for OneWeb, a UK-based company supported by the UK government and India’s Bharti Enterprises.

The launches not only established LVM3 as a commercial vehicle propelling ISRO’s entry into the commercial heavier launch market, it also earned the agency upwards of Rs 1,000 crore.

Body

ISRO’s commercialization efforts

• Till date, ISRO has launched 384 foreign satellites from at least 36 countries, with at least 10 dedicated commercial missions and several other Indian missions where they were carried as co-passenger satellites.
• India has been concentrating on increasing its share of the global commercial space market ever since the country decided to open the space sector to private players in 2020.
• It is one of the world’s major space-faring nations, but it only has 2% of the commercial market at the moment.
• With 36 OneWeb satellites launched in October 2022, the heavy launch vehicle entered the commercial market.
• The government plans to increase India’s 2% share in the commercial market to 10% by 2030 through commercial launches by ISRO and launches offered by private companies like Skyroot and Agnikul, which are in the process of developing their own launch vehicles.
• Keeping the commercial sector in mind, ISRO has also developed the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV), which is meant to provide on-demand launch services commercially.
• A report of the parliamentary standing committee on the budget of the space agency said that there has been an increase in the revenue generated by ISRO’s commercial arm New Space India Limited, created in 2019.
• As per the report, revenue generated by NSIL has increased from Rs 1,731 crores in 2021-22 to a projected Rs 3,509 crores in 2023-24.
• This is also suggestive of the fact that the Department of Space is transitioning from a research based institution to a more commercially oriented agency with buoyant internal revenues.

Way forward

• India should have national space activities legislation which takes on board all stakeholders.
• A public-private partnership (PPP) model can be looked into to realise ISRO’s workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), with a joint venture between ISRO and the private sector.
• In the UK, space ventures are treated as a complement to big organizations and not a competitor. This should be encouraged in India too.
• A supportive international partner and likeminded local partners helps to set up a space business.
• The idea should be to let the private industry build their own facilities after gaining enough expertise.
• ISRO has built a space technology park spread over 25 acres in Bengaluru where the entire range of facilities have been set up for use by the industry.

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