[Mission 2024] Insights SECURE SYNOPSIS: 3 February 2024

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

Answer the following questions in 150 words:

General Studies – 1

1. Hyper-globalization is marked by the deepening interdependence of nations and the widespread influence of global factors on local economies and societies. Examine.

Reference: Insights on India

Introduction

Hyper Globalisation is the concept that believes that globalization is happening is an enormous way and there is an emergence of a homogenous global culture. The period of hyper globalization has been associated with the most dramatic turnaround in the economic fortunes of developing countries.

The main difference between globalization and hyper globalization is very narrow and can be best described as the rate of speed at which the process of globalization takes place. The period between 1870 and 1914 the Golden Age of globalization in which world trade in terms of gross domestic product went from a 9 percent to 16 percent share. However, in the current age of hyper-globalization, which includes both goods and services, the gross domestic product share has reached 33 percent.

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Impact of hyper globalization on Indian society

• Economic inequality: Hyper Globalization is increasing the inequalityaround world.
  • GAFA (Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon) are the wealthiest companies in the world. The wealth created isenjoyed by only few individuals.
  • The increased income of persons with required new skills (such as knowledge of Artificial Intelligence) is far less thandecreased income of unskilled person, leading to decrease in net prosperity.
• FDI and investment: Some countries are unable to attract FDI, other developing countries who have the ability to attract FDI, are unable to maximize the benefits for indigenous firms.
• Against the poor: WTO Agreement on Agriculture, are result of hyper globalism, which have capability to reduce the prosperity of farmers by limiting government’s support to them.
• Intellectual property: Similarly, agreements such as TRIPS do not let all to enjoy the benefits of innovation there by reducing their chance to increase their prosperity. All these are threatening human prosperitydirectly or indirectly.
• Ecology and indigenous people:Hyper globalism is also leading to increased extraction of raw materials, de-forestation without any value addition to indigenous people. Moreover, these people need to bear cost of resulting damage to ecology, increased pollution, hence reducing their prosperity.
  • This can be better understood when we look at the plight of millions of climate refugees from island nations etc.
• Technological warfare: Technology is going to make warfare more dreadful. Buying and selling dangerous weapons is never as easy as it is in era of hyper globalism.
  • If at all war occurs, the damage to property is un-predictable. Eg: Russia-Ukraine war.
  • Moreover, if the money used for defence is used for welfarist policies, it would have helped the poor and destitute by making them prosperous.
• Overdependence and disruption: The increasing price risk due to disruption of supplies (eg crude oil and edible oil crisis due to Ukraine war) will have direct impact on poor due to inflation.
  • Eg: Dependence on API’s from Chinaduring Covid-19 pandemic and people running from pillar to post for common cold medicines.
• Reduced to exporter of raw material: As industrialized countries have a better comparative advantage, poor nations are yet again becoming exporters of raw materials. This can also be called as neo-imperialism. Decision making powers are still with the Western nations continuing the trend from World War 2.

Measures needed to counter the risks

• Reduce over-dependence:In the real world, countries need to de-risk against overdependence on few suppliers, especially of products entailing heavy foreign exchange outgo.
  • Halving import dependence in edible oilsfrom the current 60-65 per cent is a goal worth pursuing, provided such Atmanirbharta does not degenerate into protectionism.
  • Domestic producers can begiven one-time capital subsidy and tariff support based on long-term import parity pricing.
• Domestic investment: When the global economy is sluggish, only domestic investment can move demand.
  • India has an intrinsic advantage of population and its vibrant domestic demand.
  • If enough manufacturing capacity as per the policy can be achieved, India can provide good market and employment its products and population.
  • Eg: PLI scheme for electronics.
• Monetary policy: Appropriate monetary policy decisions should be made to boost investment. Moreover, reigning in inflation
• Infrastructure: Any policy should be accompaniedwith public infrastructure especially the transport sectors which also increase would demand. This would also reduce cost of logistics and make Indian goods competitive in the global market in turn increasing India’s prosperity.

Conclusion

Hyper globalization is not entirely detrimental to India, rather it has increased technology transfer and increased investment flow. India must reduce the risks to leverage the benefit of hyper globalism. Upskilling youth with new age technology can lead to reaping of rich demographic dividends while decreasing poverty.

2. Raising awareness about the benefits of smaller family sizes, family planning methods, and the importance of reproductive health can contribute to voluntary and informed decision-making leading to better population control. Examine.

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Introduction

India is projected to become the most populous country in the world by 2027 (currently at 1.37 billion). In 2050, India’s population is projected to be 1.69 billion, which will be higher than that of China. Undoubtedly, India has a population problem, but any strategy to change fertility rates should be carefully thought out. India’s population concern is largely restricted to Bihar, UP, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and MP.

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Statistics on population

• The National Population Policy 2000 affirmed a commitment to achieve replacement levels of fertility (total fertility rate of 2.1) by 2010.
• Ten states — Karnataka, Punjab, Gujarat, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala — and Jammu and Kashmir, have achieved this goal, albeit much delayed.
• Kerala and Tamil Nadu had accomplished it decades earlier. This fertility decline over half of India has cut across all sections of society — the privileged and the poor, those educated or not, and the high and low caste.
• The National Family Health Survey-4 has shown how TFR has reduced even among illiterate women from all religions in the southern states — even in Kerala and Telangana which have a high proportion of Muslims.
• India has entered a demographic sweet spot that will continue for another two to three decades. Half of India’s population is under 29 years of age, which means that in this period, a greater proportion of young people will drive India’s economic growth and social progress.
• So, they must not only be healthy, knowledgeable and skilled but must also be provided with the rights and choices to develop to their fullest potential, including, and especially, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Need for population control

• It is indeed a fact that population of India is growing and will continue to grow for the next couple of decades.
• This is because, as compared to the past, there are a higher proportion of people in the marriageable age group who will produce children, and people are now living longer.
• In India, the global demand for water in 2050 is projected to be more than 50 per cent of what it was in 2000.
• The demand for food will double in the year 2050 and even if India manages to feed its expanding population, its growth may not be ecologically sustainable.
• Though China’s one-child policy has been criticized as against human dignity and rights, it has improved and controlled the nation’s population by a possible 400 million people as per the report of East India Forum.
• If Population control won’t happen, there will be no resources left, and the growing population’s demand will increase to the next level, resulting in increasing death rates increasing in the country.
• Changing social norms is one of the biggest challenges for India to address the needs of the next generation.

Thus, due to the burgeoning growth of Population it can lead to failure of realization of our Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) namely the zero hunger, eradicating poverty etc. and economic aspirations.

Need for population control law: Critical Analysis

• Counter-productive measure: Through an affidavit filed in court, the central government argued that “international experience shows that any coercion to have a certain number of children is counter-productive and leads to demographic distortions”.
• Against international obligations: India is committed to its obligations under international law, including the contained in the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action, 1994.
• Foremost in those principles was a pledge from nations that they would look beyond demographic targets and focus instead on guaranteeing a right to reproductive freedom.
• Against right to reproductive freedom and privacy: In Suchita Srivastava & Anr vs Chandigarh Administration (2009), the Court found that a woman’s freedom to make reproductive decisions is an integral facet of the right to personal liberty guaranteed by Article 21.
  • However, In Javed & Ors vs State of Haryana & Ors (2003), the Court upheld a law that disqualified persons with more than two children from contesting in local body elections.
  • In Devika Biswas vs Union of India (2016), the Court pointed to how these population control camps invariably have a disparate impact on minorities and other vulnerable groups.
• Negative consequences: An already skewed sex ratio may be compounded by families aborting a daughter in the hope of having a son with a view to conforming to the two-child norm.

Conclusion

Experiences from other States in India show us that there are more efficacious and alternative measures available to control the growth of population, including processes aimed at improving public health and access to education. Incentivise later marriages and child births; make contraception easy for women and promote women’s labour force participation. This should be substantiated with better education and awareness rather than an iron hand policy to control the population. Government should improve the implementation of poverty alleviation measures which can also help control population.

General Studies – 2

3. Uniform Civil Code (UCC) remains a matter of ongoing debate, and any decision on this front would require a delicate balance between principles of equality, cultural sensitivity, and the legal rights of diverse communities. Examine.

Reference: Indian Express

Introduction

The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India proposes to replace the personal laws based on the scriptures and customs of each major religious community in the country with a common set of laws governing every citizen.

The constitution has a provision for Uniform Civil Code in Article 44, as a Directive Principle of State Policy which states that “The State shall endeavour to secure for the citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of India.”

On Republic Day, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the Uniform Civil Code Bill will be passed on February 5.

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Issues with personal laws in India

• Communalism: Different personal laws promote communalism and it leads to discrimination at two levels.
  • First, between people of different religions.
  • Second, between the two sexes
• Gender bias: Another reason why a uniform civil code is needed is gender justice. The rights of women are usually limited under religious law, be it Hindu or Muslim.
  • The practice of triple talaq was a classic example. Even today polygamous marriages are allowed in certain religions which may deny rights to a woman.
• Against fundamental rights: Many practices governed by religious tradition are at odds with the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Indian Constitution.
  • Courts have also often said in their judgements that the government should move towards a uniform civil code including the judgement in the Shah Bano case.
  • The Supreme Court in Shayara Bano case (2017) had declared the practise of Triple Talaq (talaq-e-bidat) as unconstitutional.

Role of UCC to bring a balance in development of the nation

A secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices.

• Protection to Vulnerable Section of Society:

• • The UCC aims to provide protection to vulnerable sections as envisaged by Ambedkar including women and religious minorities, while also promoting nationalistic fervour through unity.

• Simplification of Laws:

• • The code will simplify the complex laws around marriage ceremonies, inheritance, succession, adoptions making them one for all. The same civil law will then be applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.

• Adhering to Ideal of Secularism:

• • Secularism is the objective enshrined in the Preamble; a secular republic needs a common law for all citizens rather than differentiated rules based on religious practices.

• Gender Justice:

• • If a UCC is enacted, all personal laws will cease to exist. It will do away with gender biases in existing laws.

Arguments against UCC in India

The Law commission made certain sharp observation in this regard as follows.

• According to the 21st Law commission, a uniform civil code “is neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”.
• Commission suggests certainmeasures in marriage and divorce that should be uniformly accepted in the personal laws of all religions.
• Cultural diversity cannot be compromised to the extent that our urge for uniformity itself becomes a reason for threat to the territorial integrity of the nation.
• A unified nation did not necessarilyneed to have “uniformity”. ”Efforts have to be made to reconcile our diversity with universal and indisputable arguments on human rights.
• In fact, term“secularism” has meaning only if it assured the expression of any form of difference. This diversity, both religious and regional, should not get subsumed under the louder voice of the majority.
• At the same time, the Commission said, discriminatory practices within a religionshould not hide behind the cloak of that faith to gain legitimacy.
• It said the way forward may not be a uniform civil code,but the codification of all personal laws so that prejudices and stereotypes in every one of them would come to light and could be tested on the anvil of fundamental rights of the Constitution.
• By codification of different personal laws, one can arrive at certain universal principles that prioritise equity rather than imposition of a uniform code, which would discourage many from using the law altogether, given that matters of marriage and divorce can also be settled extra-judicially.
• Significantly, the Commission suggested that nikahnama s should make it clear that polygamy is a criminal offence and this should apply to “all communities”.
  • This is not recommended owing to merely a moral position on bigamy, or to glorify monogamy, but emanates from the fact that only a man is permitted multiple wives, which is unfair

Way forward

• The social transformation from diverse civil code to uniformity shall be gradual and cannot happen in a day. Therefore, the government must adopt a “Piecemeal” approach.
• Government could bring separateaspects such as marriage, adoption, succession and maintenance into a uniform civil code in stages
• Government must emulate Goan practice of a common civil code, which has been the law since 1867, when the state was under the Portuguese colonial rule.
• Moreover, when constitution espouses the cause of Uniform civil code in its article 44, it shouldn’t be misconstrued to be a “common law”.
• The word uniform here means that all communities must be governed by uniform principles of gender justice and human justice.
• It will mean modernization and humanization of each personal law.
• It would mean, not a common law, but different personal laws based on principles of equality, liberty and justice.
• Government has to take steps towards increasing the awareness among the public, especially minorities, about the importance of having a UCC.

Conclusion

If the framers of the Constitution had intended to have a Uniform Civil Code, they would have given exclusive jurisdiction to Parliament in respect of personal laws, by including this subject in the Union List. Even the law commission has suggested in against of the idea. The government needs to find a moral backing a unanimous support across the sections of the society to undertake such an move.

General Studies – 3

4. What is Index of Industrial Production (IIP)? How is it calculated? Is it losing its relevance as measures of economic growth?

Reference: Live Mint

Introduction

The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) is a measure of the rate of growth in the economy’s various industry groups over a given time period. The Central Statistical Organization (CSO) computes and publishes the IIP index on a monthly basis. The Index of Industrial Production, or IIP, is a measure of manufacturing activity in various sectors of an economy. The IIP figure compares industrial output for the current time, which is generally a month, to the reference period. IIP is a key economic indicator for the manufacturing sector.

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Significance of IIP

• IIP is the only measure on the physical volume of production.
• The all-India IIP provides a single representative figure to measure the general level of industrial activity in the economy.
• It is used by government agencies including the Ministry of Finance, the Reserve Bank of India etc, for policy purposes.
• It forms a crucial input for compilation of Gross Value Added (GVA) of the manufacturing sector in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on a quarterly basis.
• IIP remains extremely relevant for the calculation of the quarterly and advance GDP estimates.
• It is also used extensively by financial intermediaries, policy analysts and private companies for various analytical purposes.

Calculation of IIP

• IIP is calculated by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO). It is published every month keeping a gap of six weeks.

• Electricity, crude oil, coal, cement, steel, refinery products, natural gas, and fertilisers are the eight core industries that comprise about 40 percent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production.

• Mining, manufacturing, and electricity are the three broad sectors in which IIP constituents fall
• A list of industries representing various sectors of the economy is chosen for inclusion in the index.
• Each selected industry is assigned a weight based on its contribution to the overall industrial output. These weights are typically based on the value added by each industry.
• Data on the production levels of the selected industries are collected from various sources such as government agencies, industry surveys, and production reports.
• The production levels of the selected industries are compared to a base year’s production levels to calculate the growth or decline in industrial output.
• The IIP is then calculated using a formula that combines the production levels of all selected industries, weighted by their respective weights, to provide a single numerical value representing the overall industrial production trend.

Shortcomings of IIP

• Limited Coverage: The IIP may not include all sectors of the economy, leading to a partial representation of industrial activity.
• Weighting Issues: The weights assigned to industries may not accurately reflect their contribution to the economy, leading to distortions in the index.
• Data Quality: Data collection methods and reporting standards may vary, affecting the reliability and accuracy of the index.
• Base Year Bias: Using a fixed base year for comparison may not account for changes in technology, production methods, and consumer preferences over time.
• Seasonal Variations: The IIP may not adequately adjust for seasonal fluctuations in industrial activity, leading to misleading interpretations of trends.
• Informal Sector: Activities in the informal sector, which can be significant in some economies, may not be captured in the IIP, leading to underestimation of industrial output.

Conclusion

IIP remains extremely relevant for the calculation of the quarterly and advance GDP (Gross Domestic Product) estimates. In India, even as the suite of high-frequency data has become richer, the original activity gauge, that is the monthly index of industrial production (IIP), which is considered a ‘leading’ indicator of the economy, is slowly losing its relevance. IIP prints are increasingly proving to be out of sync with GDP trends and often produce results that contrast with other macro data, like external trade, the annual survey of industries (ASI) and company results.

5. Make in India” initiative was launched with an aim to promote manufacturing and boost economic growth by encouraging domestic production within the country. Critically examine its performance.

Reference: Live Mint

Introduction

Make in India aims to transform the country into a leading global manufacturing and investment destination. It is being led by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. It is an open invitation to potential investors and partners across the globe to participate in the growth story of ‘New India’. Make In India has substantial accomplishments across 27 sectors under Make in India 2.0 which include strategic sectors of manufacturing and services as well.

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Objectives:

• To attract foreign investment fornew industrialisation and develop the already existing industry base in India to surpass that of China.
• Target of anincrease in manufacturing sector growth to 12-14% per annum over the medium term
• Toincrease the share of manufacturing sector in the country’s Gross Domestic Product from 16% to 25% by 2022
• Tocreate 100 million additional jobs by 2022.
• Topromote export-led growth.

Four Pillars:

• New Processes
• New Infrastructure
• New Sectors
• New Mindsets

Focus sectors:

Successes of Make in India

• FDI inflows in India stood at USD 45.15 billion in 2014-2015 and have since consecutively reached record FDI inflows for eight years.
  • The year 2021-22 recorded thehighest ever FDI at USD 83.6 billion.
  • On the back of economic reforms and Ease of Doing Business in recent years, India is on track to attract USD 100 Billion in FDIin the current Financial Year (2022-23).
• The import of toys in FY21-22 has reduced by 70% to USD 110 Mn (Rs. 877.8 cr.). India’s export of toys registers tremendous growth of 636% in April-August 2022 over the same period in 2013
• Production Linked Incentive (PLI): TheProduction Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme across 14 key manufacturing sectors, was launched in 2020-21 as a big boost to the Make in India initiative.

Issues With Make in India(MII):

• Make in India (MII) does not, bring back recollectionsof the license raj, self-sufficiency, import-substituting industrialisation.
  • Fears have been raised about the manner in which MII is being implemented in some sectors
  • particularly by raising tariff dutiesto provide protection to encourage the setting up of domestic industry.
• Fears of protectionist tendency spreading to other sectors may be exaggerated.
• On average, a mobile phone made on our shores has around 80-85 percentof imported content (India Cellular and Electronics Association, 2022).
• India’s labor market researchpoints towards the presence of low-paying, subdued productivity, and mostly informal jobs in the unorganized sector
• The productivity of Indian factories is low and workers have insufficient skills. McKinsey report states that Indian workers in the manufacturing sector are, on average, almost four and five times less productive than their counterparts in Thailand and China.
• The size of the industrial units is small for attaining the desired economies of scale, investing in modern equipment and developing supply chains.
• Average speeds in China are about 100 km per hour, while in India, they are about 60 km per hour. Indian railways have saturated and Indian ports have been outperformed by a lot of Asian countries.
• The 2018 World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ranked India 44th among 160 countries. Singapore was ranked seventh, China 26th and Malaysia 41th. The average ship turnaround time in Singapore was less than a day and in India, it was 2.04 days.
• Bureaucratic procedures and corruptionmake India less attractive for investors.

Measures needed:

• A large home market is not a substitutefor being competitive in exports.
  • Every country that has “taken off” before us has been export competitive.
• Made in India is a branding strategy to promote manufacturers born out of Indian factors of production — land, labor, capital, entrepreneurship, technology, etc.
  • It can only succeed on the back of an effective MII operation.
• Industrial policy over and above PLI for sectorssuch as toys, readymade garments and footwear, to name a few, needs articulation as well.
• Industrial policy in a labor abundant countrywith mediocre educational attainments and skills is necessary to shape productive job creation for the abundant factor.
• Job creation for our abundant factor, especially women, is key, and that is only possible with labor-intensive manufacturing.

National Manufacturing Policy (NMP, 2011) and MII:

• It sought to raise the contribution of manufacturing in GDPfrom the stagnant 15 percent since the beginning of the 1980s to at least 25 percent and to create 100 million additional jobs.
• It aimed “to transform India into a global design and manufacturing export hub”. In other words, MII for the world.

MII and production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme:

• PLI scheme is to attract investments in key sectors and cutting-edge technology
• It ensures efficiency and brings economies of size and scale in the manufacturing sector
• It makes Indian companies and manufacturers globally competitive”.

Issues with Protectionist Policy In the 1970s and 1980s:

• It created shortages, black markets, and rampant rent-seeking, all in the name of the poor and distributive justice.
• Licensing of cars, scooters, telephones, and several other sectors only enriched producers and not the target consumers, who had no recourse.
  • The producers who benefitted from the protection actively lobbied for the regime’s longevity.

Way Forward

• The narrative of jobless growth has stuckbecause reasonable quality jobs with some social protection have been a conspicuous absence.
• Over 99 percent of India’s 63 million MSMEsare in the unorganized sector with very little flexibility for productive job creation.
  • Their hand-to-mouth existence is not a recipe for jobs or scale.
• China’s example suggests the influence of scale in manufacturing for more and more jobs.
• In the absence of data, policy making is like shooting darts blindfolded.
• The former Chief Economic Advisor, Kaushik Basu: economic policymaking should contain both an intellect (to interpret data) and a moral compass to shape a better world.
• In the absence of high frequency data on PLI,either on value added or jobs generated, the latter ought to be employed in abundant measure.
• Whenever NIP is next released,it will be well advised, to continue India’s drive to excel in labor-intensive sectors.
• For the masses, the good old manufacturing sector is still the best bet.
• With industrial policies gaining currency even among erstwhile “freethinking” institutions and individuals, it is an opportunity for us.

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

General Studies – 1

6. Sufi saints’ teachings and practices resonated with people from various religious backgrounds, contributing to a cultural and spiritual tapestry that emphasized the shared humanity of all individuals. Explain.

Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India

Introduction

Sufis were a group of religious-minded people who turned to asceticism and mysticism in protest against the growing materialism of the Caliphate as a religious and political institution. Sufism entered India in the 12th century with Muslim invaders and became popular in the 13th century. The socio-religious movement saw many mystic Sufis, who were unorthodox Muslim saints. These Sufis had a deep study of vedantic philosophy and had come in contact with great sages and seers of India.  Sufism emphasizes upon leading a simple life. Sufi saints preached in Arabic, Persian and Urdu etc. The Sufis were divided into 12 orders each under a mystic Sufi saint like Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi, Fariuddin Ganj-i-Shakar, Nizam-ud-din Auliya etc.

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The word ‘Sufi’ derives its name from another Arabic word ‘Suf which means wool. The Muslim saints who wore garments of coarse wool began to be called Sufi saints. The Sufi saints lived and worked in the midst of the common people. They needed to reach out to common people in order to spread their socio-religious and philosophical messages. They did everything to establish brotherhood, love and friendship between the Hindus and Muslims.

Features of Sufism in India

• Sufism derives is inspiration from Islam.
• While the orthodox Muslims depend upon external conduct and blind observance of religious rituals, the Sufi saints seek inner purity.
• They were critical of the dogmatic definitions and scholastic methods of interpreting the Qur’an and sunna (traditions of the Prophet) adopted by theologians.
• Instead, they laid emphasis on seeking salvation through intense devotion and love for God by following His commands, and by following the example of the Prophet Muhammad whom they regarded as a perfect human being.
• The sufis thus sought an interpretation of the Qur’an on the basis of their personal experience
• Devotion is more important than fast (Roza) or prayer (Namaz).
• Sufis bridged the communal divide as is evidenced by the reverence the Subcontinent’s non-Muslim population exhibited for Sufi saints. Sufism around the world and in the Subcontinent had the depth to connect beyond caste, creed and gender

Impact of Sufism:

• Sufism does not believe in caste system.
• They broke all societal rules and stereotypes, and lived their lives as they pleased.
• They awakened a new sense of confidence and attempted to redefine social and religious values. Saints like Kabir and Nanak stressed upon the reordering of society along egalitarian lines. Their call to social equality attracted many a downtrodden.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to lessen religious fanaticism in India.
• Their stress on social welfare led to the establishment of works of charitable naturee. opening of orphanages and women service centres.
• A notable contribution of the Sufis was their service to the poorer and downtrodden sections of society. Nizamuddin Auliya was famous for distributing gifts amongst the needy irrespective of religion or caste.
• The efforts of Sufi saints helped to promote equality and lessen the evils of casteism. They also tried to infuse a spirit of piety and morality.
• Sufism also inculcated a spirit of tolerance among its followers.
• At a time when struggle for political power was the prevailing madness, the Sufi saints reminded men of their moral obligations. To a world torn by strife and conflict they tried to bring peace and harmony.
• Other ideas emphasised by Sufism are meditation, good actions, repentance for sins, performance of prayers and pilgrimages, fasting, charity and suppression of passions by ascetic practices.

Conclusion

Sufi movement a deep-rooted change came about to lay the foundations of a liberal and composite Indian society. The Sufi movement is a characteristics feature of the medieval Indian Period. As the Sufi saints’ holiness, asceticism and relatively open hospices appealed to the masses and numerous followers thronged to them.

General Studies – 2

7. India must maintain diplomatic channels with the military government in Myanmar to encourage dialogue and express concerns. The goal is to contribute to the restoration of democracy, human rights, and stability in the region. Critically examine.

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Introduction

Myanmar (formerly called Burma) military grabbed power in a coup, third time in the nation’s history since its independence from British rule in 1948. Military (also called Junta and Tatmadaw) has alleged that the general elections held in November 2020 were full of irregularities and that therefore, the results are not valid. This marked the end of Myanmar’s short-lived experience with democracy which began in 2011, when military implemented parliamentary elections and other reforms.

Myanmar today remains pessimistic about its future. Exactly two years ago, the military staged yet another coup, snatching power from the elected leaders. It derailed the limited democracy of the previous decade, violating the 2008 constitution which the generals had given to the people.

There seems to be a rejuvenation in the hopes for a return to democracy in Myanmar if recent events in the civil war are anything to go by. The Tatmadaw (the junta) has never had a bigger challenge until now since its February 2021 coup that ousted the National League for Democracy-led government.

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Geo-strategic significance of Myanmar for India

• Geopolitical interests:Myanmar sits at the intersection of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies, and therefore is an essential element in India’s practice of regional diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific, and serves as a land bridge to connect South Asia and Southeast Asia.
• Strategic location:It serves as a buffer between India and China. Myanmar has coastal access to the Bay of Bengal. It connects Bangladesh, China and the restive North-eastern states of India. It is also close to India’s Nicobar archipelago.
• National security:Myanmar-China border has become the epicentre of local armed separatist groups operating on Myanmar soil, and Indian groups, ranging from ULFA in Assam to the NSCN (IM) in Nagaland.
• Economic interests: India has interests in natural resources of Myanmar and also developing certain projects like India–Myanmar–Thailand trilateral highway and Kaladan multi-modal project which is to link India’s landlocked north-eastern States to the Myanmar Port of Sittwe, located in the Bay of Bengal. Instability in Myanmar will be a roadblock to these ambitions.
• Countering China:A weakened Myanmar falling into the clutches of China as a satellite state will pressurize India to do Beijing’s bidding in regional affairs.

Various options to ensure the return of democracy in Myanmar

• International efforts should provide strong incentives and support for critical democracies in the region such as India, Japan and Indonesia to increase dialogue with and assistance for pro-democracy political parties and non-state ethnic nationalities authorities in Myanmar.
• The United States should increase high-level diplomatic engagement with ASEAN to enhance that organization’s resilience to attempts by China to undermine the role the bloc may play in putting the country back on a path toward democracy.
• Despite the military’s best effort to quash it, civil society in Myanmar persists and serves an increasingly important role providing essential services to vulnerable communities and by organizing anti-coup activities.
• The United States and other democracies should continue to provide financial and technical support to civil society.
• Support political dialogues across Myanmar’s diverse, anti-coup movement. These include dialogues under the People’s Representative Committee for Federalism and the National Unity Consultative Council.
• Where possible, the United States should support solidarity and trust-building within the anti-coup movement.
• Dialogues should aim to sincerely address past discrimination and abuses, including those by the NLD and others who have held positions of power.

Approach to be taken by India

• India faces the most challenging dilemma on how to respond to the military coup in Myanmar. India supports the process of democratic transition in Myanmar.
• Though India has expressed deep concern over recent developments in Myanmar, cutting off from the Myanmar military is not a viable option as India has significant economic and strategic interests in Myanmar and its neighbourhood.
• The dual power centres of the military and the civilian government that existed in Naypyitaw until recently, suited India.
• While India’s national interests clearly lie in dealing with whoever is in power in Myanmar, India would find it difficult to openly support the junta given the strong western and American stance.
• On the other hand, it can ill-afford to offend the junta by actively seeking a restoration of democracy there.
• India should continue to engage with the present regime in Myanmar working towards mutual development of people of both the countries while it should support sharing experiences in constitutionalism and federalism to assist Myanmar in resolving the prevailing stalemate.

Conclusion

India is left with very few clear policy options. And yet, it must continue to maintain relations with the government in power in Myanmar while discreetly pushing for political reconciliation in the country. In the meantime, the focus must be on improving trade, connectivity, and security links between the two sides.

8. The evolution of cryptocurrencies in India has seen a transition from scepticism to a more nuanced approach. Ongoing developments and regulatory decisions will shape the future of cryptocurrencies in India. Analyse.

Reference: Live Mint

Introduction

Cryptocurrency, sometimes called crypto-currency or crypto, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions. Cryptocurrencies don’t have a central issuing or regulating authority, instead use a decentralized system to record transactions and issue new units. It is supported by a decentralized peer-to-peer network called the blockchain.

As crypto grows and becomes more widely used, the easier it becomes for hackers to use various methods to steal sensitive information and investor assets. Recently, founder of the collapsed crypto exchange FTX, Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas. FTX crashed almost overnight after failing to meet a run on deposits, throwing the crypto industry into its latest crisis.

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Need for a streamlined crypto tax regime, constructive and adaptive regulatory environment

• Phishing Attacks: Hackers rely on phishing scams to have crypto users turn over their digital assets. Spear phishing, DNS hacking, phishing bots and fake browser extensions are examples of common phishing attacks hackers will use to take advantage of crypto investors.
• Illegitimate Trading Platforms: Because cryptocurrency is still evolving, new trading platforms are emerging, hoping to gain the trust of people interested in investing in crypto. However, not all of these platforms are legitimate.
  • Consider One Coin, for example. One Coin was a seemingly reputable cryptocurrency company that lured users in by promising big returns, but the entire currency system ended up being a scam. It was found to be a multi-level marketing scam that ended up costing people a lot of money.
  • Not every risk associated with crypto comes in the form of a hack or data breach.
  • Sometimes, the fraudulent activity is happening in plain sight.
• Using Third-Party Applications: In some cases, crypto investors will rely on third-party applications or software to manage their digital assets. For example, it’s common for investors to use crypto tax reporting services, but this can open them up to more cybersecurity risks.
  • It was reported that a hacker was able to steal data from over 1,000 users after breaking into CryptoTrader.Tax. The hacker gained access by entering a marketing and customer service representative’s account, which displayed all kinds of sensitive information that put users at risk.
• Malware: Essentially, crypto-malware is a form of malware that allows unauthorized users to mine cryptocurrencies using someone else’s computer or server. Hackers will use one of two methods to infect someone’s computer.
  • Victims are tricked into installing malware code onto their computers using phishing-like tactics.
  • Cybercriminals inject malicious code into websites or ads. When victims interact with them, the code runs and gives hackers access. In 2018, Forbes reported that crypto-malware had grown by 4,000%.
• Cryptocurrency Account Security: It’s critical to understand that users access their digital assets by using a “private key,” which is essentially a complex password code. Many users will store their private keys on their computers, but that comes with risk. If hackers gain access to your computer, they’ll also be able to use that private key to log in to your digital account.
  • Once a private key is stolen, there’s no way of getting it back because cryptocurrency is not highly regulated.
  • Investors are the only ones responsible for keeping their private keys out of the hands of hackers, which makes crypto investing riskier compared to traditional investments.
• Unregulated Cryptocurrency Exchanges: As mentioned above, crypto is almost like the Wild West because it’s unregulated and a bit of a free for all. Cryptocurrency is decentralized, meaning that no agency, organization or governing body oversees the creation, management or movement of cryptocurrencies.

Prevention measures

• An individual’s private key is the only way to access this kind of investment, therefore it’s vital to keep it safe.
• One must not share the private key or login credentials with anyone, regardless of if they claim to represent a reputable cryptocurrency company. Consider keeping the key stored on an external device, such as a USB.
• Do due diligence and research companies and their tokens before investing.
• Don’t respond to unsolicited offers to invest in crypto. Avoid clicking on any suspicious links or ads — this could open you up to more cybersecurity risks.
• Keep an eye on the latest crypto trends, news stories and any announcements related to cryptocurrencies you invest in.
• Use strong, unique passwords at all times to make online accounts more secure and keep hackers at bay.

Conclusion and way forward

• Regulation is the Solution: Regulation is needed to prevent serious problems, to ensure that cryptocurrencies are not misused, and to protect unsuspecting investors from excessive market volatility and possible scams.
  The regulation needs to be clear, transparent, coherent and animated by a vision of what it seeks to achieve.
• Clarity on Crypto-currency definition: A legal and regulatory framework must first define crypto-currencies as securities or other financial instruments under the relevant national laws and identify the regulatory authority in charge.
• Strong KYC Norms: Instead of a complete prohibition on cryptocurrencies, the government shall rather regulate the trading of cryptocurrencies by including stringent KYC norms, reporting and taxability.
• Ensuring Transparency: Record keeping, inspections, independent audits, investor grievance redressal and dispute resolution may also be considered to address concerns around transparency, information availability and consumer protection.
• Igniting the Entrepreneurial Wave: Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain technology can reignite the entrepreneurial wave in India’s start up ecosystem and create job opportunities across different levels, from blockchain developers to designers, project managers, business analysts, promoters and marketers.

General Studies – 3

9. The Blue Economy can contribute significantly to India’s prosperity while preserving the health of its oceans. Evaluate the measures announced in the recent budget for holistic development of blue economy.

Reference: Down to Earth , 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.

The interim budget speech delivered by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 provided a boost to Blue Economy 2.0 with the announcement of a new scheme “for restoration and adaptation measures, coastal aquaculture, and mariculture with an integrated and multi-sectoral approach”.

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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 hubfor marine research and development.
• An effective response mechanism to address humanitarian crises and natural disastersshould 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.

10. The Ramsar Convention has been successful in encouraging countries to identify and designate wetlands of international importance within their territories. The convention has played a role in raising awareness about the value of wetlands and their importance to human societies. Elucidate.

Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India

Introduction

The Ramsar Convention on wetlands defines wetland as including a wide variety of habitats such as marshes, peatlands, floodplains, rivers and lakes, and coastal areas such as salt-marshes, mangroves, and seagrass beds, also coral reefs and other marine areas no deeper than six metres at low tide. Wetland also includes human-made wetlands such as waste-water treatment ponds and reservoirs.

Wetlands are ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. They get periodically get inundated with water. They support a flourishing community of aquatic organisms including frogs and other amphibians. Swamps, marshes and mangroves are examples of wetlands.

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Background

Five more wetlands in India have been added to the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance, bringing the total number to 80.

Critical role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth:

• Carbon Sequestration:Swamps, mangroves, peat lands, mires and marshes play an important role in carbon cycle. Wetland soils may contain as much as 200 times more carbon than its vegetation.
  • : In India, coastal wetlands are playing a major role in carbon sequestration. The total extent of coastal ecosystems (including mangroves) in India is around 43000 km. Overall, mangroves are able to sequester about 1.5 metric tonne of carbon per hectare per year and the upper layers of mangrove sediments have high carbon content, with conservative estimates indicating the levels of 10 percent.
• Flood attenuation: Wetlands function as natural sponges that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Many water-stressed regions in South Africa are subject to high intensity rainfall over very short periods, often resulting in flash floods. Wetlands are effective in spreading out and slowing down floodwaters, thereby reducing the severity of floods downstream.
  • :A large network of lakes and ponds in major cities like Srinagar, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad were constructed with the objective of flood control
• Regulation of stream flow & groundwater recharge:wetlands are often compared to sponges, in their ability to absorb water in wet periods, and release it during dry periods. The absorption thus helps in groundwater recharging too.
  • :floodplains of rivers like Ganga and Brahmaputra
• Nutrient assimilation & recycling: removal by the wetland of phosphates and nitrates carried by runoff water. This takes place through the presence of wetland vegetation and the action of anaerobic bacteria (which would otherwise not exist in fast-flowing, energized streams or rivers). Thus, they help in nutrients recyclingand they carry out water purification by filtration of sediments and nutrients from surface water.
• Erosion control:wetlands can limit the extent of erosion, predominantly through the protection provided by vegetation, and through their ability to reduce stream flow velocity. Buffer (act as a riparian buffer) shorelines against erosion and pollutants.
  • : the mangroves along the sea shores, especially on the western coast in West Bengal and Odisha have been playing a major role in protecting the coastal environment from the destruction of cyclones that frequently emanate in the Bay of Bengal.
• Microclimate regulation: Wetland ecosystems play an important role in regulating local and regional climates through evaporative cooling effects that affect the exchange of energy and water with atmosphere.
  • : For every land cover type in wetlands, vegetation has a better stabilizing effect on temperature, whereas a water body has a better stabilizing effect on wind speed and humidity. Dal lake in Kashmir has a cooling effect on surroundings.
• Promotes Biodiversity: Wetlands are important in supporting species diversity. Because wetlands provide an environment where photosynthesis can occur and where the recycling of nutrients can take place, they play a significant role in the support of food chains.
  • : In India lakes, rivers and other freshwater bodies support a large diversity of biota representing almost all taxonomic groups. For example, freshwater ecosystems of Western Ghats alone have 290 species of fish. Similarly, Loktak Lake is famous for being the only refuge of the endangered Sangai (Manipur brow-antlered deer).
• Productive Ecosystem: Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, comparable to rain forests and coral reefs. An immense variety of species of microbes, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish and mammals can be part of a wetland ecosystem.
  • : In many such wetland areas of India, like Bharatpur wild life sanctuary in Rajasthan, and little Rann of Kutch and coastal areas of Saurashtra in Gujarat, many migratory species of birds, including siberian crane, from western and European countries come during winter.
• Promotes Genetic diversity:They act as a genetic reservoir for various species of plants, especially rice.
• Tourism:Wet-lands such as coral reefs, beaches, reservoirs, lakes and rivers are considered to be a significant part of the tourism experience in the country.
  • For instance,as per an estimate, every year, around seven million tourist visit Kerala’s backwaters, beaches and wildlife sanctuaries, 3 million visit Uttarakhand’s lakes and other natural wetlands and one million visit Dal lake in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Cultural Significance:Wetlands especially lakes and ponds are intrinsically linked to the local culture. They are revered by the masses in recognition of the fact that they are the means of sustenance of their livelihood.
  • Pushkar lake in Rajasthan and Ramappa lake in Telangana

Ramsar “Wise use concept” requires that wetlands’ ecological character should be maintained within the framework of sustainable development. This concept recognizes that:

• Developmental activities are inevitablein wetland areas such as construction of roads, electricity infrastructure, schools and hospitals for poor families.
• Economic activities are also inevitablein wetland areas such as fisheries, farming and tourism.
• Such activities aid in human development and economic developmentin a wetland area.
• And for these activities, wetland’s land, water and bio-resources will have to be used.
• However, these resources should not be used in a manner that wetland’s ecological character is harmed.

The practical applications of “Wise Use” concept are as following:

• Use of Water:Farmers in wetland region require freshwater for cultivation of paddy, fruits and vegetables. But, it should not lead to overexploitation of freshwater else wetland’s regenerative capacity will suffer. Fish, reptiles and amphibians will die. Therefore, Government may impose legal ‘upper limits / ceiling’ on water use.
• Use of Land:Wetlands purify air and water, they moderate adverse weather impacts and thus protect human health. However, mining, infrastructure and transportation services harm wetlands, and thereby indirectly harm human health. Hence, the ‘land’ of wetland should be generally not used for such activities.
• Use of Biomass:Fishing is one of the primary occupations of people in Wetland area. But excessive fishing, especially during reproduction season will harm wetland’s foodweb. Hence, government may impose restriction and encourage aquaculture and ‘rice-fish’ management practices.

Measures needed to protect wetlands

• Protection:The primary necessity today is to protect the existing wetlands. Of the many wetlands in India only around 68 wetlands are protected. But there are thousands of other wetlands that are biologically and economically important but have no legal status.
• Planning, managing and monitoring:Wetlands that come under the Protected area network have management plans but others do not. It is important for various stakeholders along with the local community and corporate sector to come together for an effective management plan. Active monitoring of these wetland systems over a period of time is essential.
• Comprehensive inventory:There has been no comprehensive inventory of all the Indian wetlands despite the efforts by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Asian Wetland Bureau and World Wide Fund for Nature. The inventory should involve the flora, fauna, and biodiversity along with values. It should take into account the various stakeholders in the community too.
• Legislation:Although several laws protect wetlands there is no special legislation pertaining specially to these ecosystems. Environment Impact Assessment needed for major development projects highlighting threats to wetlands need to be formulated.
• Coordinated approach:Since wetlands are common property with multi-purpose utility, their protection and management also need to be a common responsibility.
• Research:There is a necessity for research in the formulation of national strategy to understand the dynamics of these ecosystems. This could be useful for the planners to formulate strategies for the mitigation of pollution.
• Building awareness: For achieving any sustainable success in the protection of these wetlands, awareness among the general public, educational and corporate institutions must be created.

Conclusion

Communities engage with wetlands in various ways – from seeking livelihoods to spiritual fulfilment. The values community hold for wetlands are expressed in diverse ways. It is important to integrate community linkages in wetlands management planning, and incentivize community stewardship. This is crucial as over 85% of wetlands in India are in the form of village ponds and tanks.

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