THE INDIAN POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL PRACTICE TEST?

THE CONTEXT: The action of some pre-university colleges in Karnataka refusing entry to Muslim girl students wearing hijabs, or head-scarves, has now become a national controversy. While the girls have been protesting against being denied access to education, the counter-protests by a section of Hindu students wearing saffron shawls and turbans have led to a tense situation outside some campuses. The action of the college where the row broke out in Udupi is now being questioned in the Karnataka High Court. The court, by an interim order, has directed that students should not wear attire linked to any religion until it resolves the legal questions arising from the issue.

THE EXPLANATION:

What are the issues?

• The main question that arises is whether students can be kept out of educational institutions merely because they are wearing a piece of clothing indicating their religion. Is the denial of entry a violation of their freedom of conscience and freedom to practise their religion under Article 25?
• The question whether educational institutions can bar religious attire as part of their power to prescribe uniforms for students is also linked to the constitutional question whether the ban on such attire will come within the power to restrict freedom of religion in the interest of public order, health, and morality.
• Yet another question is whether the denial of entry into schools amounts to violation of the students’ right to education under Article 21A.
• From the Muslim students’ point of view, they have a fundamental right to wear a hijab as part of their right to practise their religion. Going by precedent on a right asserted in contrast to the general rule, as well as arguments advanced in court on their behalf, the issue may boil down to a finding on whether the wearing of hijab is essential to the practice of their faith.

What is the constitutional position?

Bijoe Emmanuel vs. State of Kerala (1986) pertained to three children belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses sect refusing to sing the national anthem during the morning assembly. The Supreme Court ruled in the students’ favour, holding that their expulsion violated their freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a) as well as their right to freely practise and profess their faith under Article 25(1).

The freedom of conscience and to profess, practise and propagate religion is guaranteed by Article 25. This freedom is subject to ‘public order, morality and health’. It also makes it clear that there can be a law regulating any economic, financial, political, or other secular activity which may be associated with religious practice or to provide for social welfare and reform, including throwing open Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of Hindus.

The test in this approach is to find out whether a student who asserts religious freedom for a course of action that the authorities find objectionable genuinely and conscientiously holds that belief or not. Such a belief is constitutionally protected.

As for the wearing of hijab, the students are relying on a Kerala High Court judgment that had in 2016 allowed two Muslim students to take the All India Pre-Medical Test while wearing a hijab, after holding that it was an essential part of Islam. In a different case, the Kerala High Court declined to intervene in favour of a Muslim student who was not allowed to wear a head-scarf by a school.

How do we draw the line between matters of religion and matters other than religion?

• The ‘essential practice’ doctrine can be traced to a 1954 decision of the Supreme Court in ‘Shirur Mutt’ case. This litigation involved action sought to be taken by the Madras government against a mutt over some disputes over the handling of financial affairs.
• In Sardar Syedna Taher Saifuddin Saheb vs. Bombay (1962), the Supreme Court struck down a law that prohibited the head of the Dawoodi Bohra community from excommunicating members. The majority ruled that the power of excommunication exercised by the religious head on religious grounds was part of the management of affairs on religious matters, and the Act infringed on the community’s rights.
• In the Sabarimala case (2018), the majority ruled that the bar on entry of women in the age-group of 10 to 50 was not an essential or integral part of the religion, and denied the status of a separate religious denomination of devotees of Lord Ayyappa. However, in a dissenting judgment, Justice Indu Malhotra, said they constituted a distinct denomination and that the restriction on women of a particular age group is an essential part of their faith and is constitutionally protected.

What is the criticism against the essential practice test?

• Jurists have criticised the continuing emphasis on applying the essential practice test to determine the constitutionality of state action against any religious practice that claims protection despite being either discriminatory or exclusionary.
• The first criticism is that it was never intended to be a test to find out if a particular practice is essential to the practice of the religion but was only made to distinguish a matter of religion from a matter other than religion. However, a long line of judicial decisions seem to endorse the applying of this test to dispose of cases.
• The second criticism is that the doctrine of essentiality appears to allow courts to go deeply into the scriptures and tenets of a religion or a religious denomination to find out if the practice or norm that is at the heart of the issue is essential. This is seen as a theological or ecclesiastical exercise, which courts are forced to wade into.

What is the way forward?

• A more reasonable approach will be to apply the test of constitutional morality and legitimacy to the issue at hand. Applying the principles of equality, dignity and civil rights to a particular practice may be better to decide the constitutionality of a practice than a theological enquiry.
• The action of some pre-university colleges in Karnataka refusing entry to Muslim girl students wearing hijabs, or head-scarves, has now become a national controversy
• From the Muslim students’ point of view, they have a fundamental right to wear a hijab as part of their right to practise their religion.

2. THE POLICE MODERNISATION SCHEME

THE CONTEXT: According to MHA, under the five-year plan, provision has been made for internal security, law and order, adoption of modern technology by police, assisting states for narcotics control and strengthening the criminal justice system by developing a robust forensic set-up in the country.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The Government has approved the umbrella scheme of modernisation of police force for the next five years with a financial outlay of Rs 26,275 crore. More than Rs 18,000 crore of this money will go towards security related expenditure in Jammu and Kashmir, Left Wing Extremism areas and the Northeast.
• “The approval for the period 2021-22 to 2025-26, moves forward the initiative of the Union Home Ministry to modernise and improve the functioning of Police Forces of States and Union Territories. This scheme comprises all relevant sub-schemes that contribute to modernization and improvement”.
• According to MHA, “the scheme for modernization of state police forces has a Central outlay of Rs 4,846 crore”.The approval includes central outlay of Rs 2,080 crore “to develop operationally independent and high-quality forensic sciences facilities in States/Union Territories for aiding scientific and timely investigation through modernization of resources”.
• Incidentally, in the 2022-23 Budget presented by Finance Minister, the central outlay for “Modernisation of Forensic Capacities” in the coming FY alone is Rs 8,976 crore.
• Also, the central outlay of Rs 18,839 crore has been earmarked for security related expenditure for the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir, insurgency affected North Eastern States and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas
• “With the implementation of ‘National Policy and Action Plan’ for combating LWE, the LWE violence incidents have come down drastically. To further pursue this accomplishment, six LWE-related schemes with Central outlay of Rs.8,689 crore have been approved. These schemes include Special Central Assistance (SCA) to Most LWE Affected Districts & Districts of Concern to consolidate the gains.

THE INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3. INDIA SIGNS MOU TO HAND OVER WHEAT TO WFP IN KANDAHAR

THE CONTEXT: India signed an agreement with the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) for the distribution of 50,000 MT of wheat that it has committed to sending Afghanistan as part of a humanitarian assistance.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The MoU for WFP to take charge of the wheat convoys when they reach Afghanistan, and to distribute them to those Afghans who are facing a humanitarian crisis.
• The WFP runs its own logistics network inside Afghanistan, partnering with civil society groups, and has launched a global campaign for enough food and aid for the population facing malnutrition — estimated to be half the population or 22 million Afghans.
• The route via Pakistan, which has been closed for all exports from India since 2019, and opened only as an exception, is likely to require several weeks for the transport of the current consignment, as infrastructure and labour required to load and reload the wheat has to be organised.
• Pakistan had shut down all trade with India to protest the government’s changes in Jammu and Kashmir and Article 370 in August 2019. Subsequently, the Pakistan government had allowed Afghan exports to India to pass through the Wagah border, making an exception also for medicines from India during the pandemic. India has also flown several consignments of medicines and medical equipment to hospitals in Afghanistan on board flights.

ABOUT WORLD FOOD PROGRAM:

It is an United Nations Agency division for the provision of food aid to those unable to provide enough food to feed  themselves  and their family. Headquartered in Rome.

• The World Food Programme (WFP) is the leading humanitarian organization saving lives and changing lives, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.
• As the international community has committed to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition by 2030, one in nine people worldwide still do not have enough to eat. Food and food-related assistance lie at the heart of the struggle to break the cycle of hunger and poverty.
• For its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict, WFP was awarded theNobel Peace Prize in 2020.
• In 2020, WFP assisted 115.5 million people – the largest number since 2012 – in 84 countries.

4. THE MAITRI SCHOLARS PROGRAMME

THE CONTEXT: Australian Foreign Minister announces Maitri initiatives aimed at strengthening ties with India. Under the Maitri Scholars Programme, the Australian government will provide over 11 million dollars over four years to support Indian students to study at Australia’s world-leading universities.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The initiatives are appropriately called the ‘Maitri’, meaning friendship initiatives,” Australian Foreign Minister continued saying that under the Maitri Scholars Program, the Australian government will provide over USD 11 million over four years to support Indian students to study at Australia’s world-leading universities.
• “The Maitri Fellowships Program will provide USD 3.5 million over four years to build links between future leaders, will support mid-career Australian and Indian professionals to collaborate on strategic research initiatives
• Australia will also provide over USD 6 million over four years for the Maitri cultural partnerships to support cultural exchanges and boost the role of the creative industries in our two countries.
• Cultural Partnerships: Australia will also provide over USD 6 million over four years to support cultural exchanges and boost the role of the creative industries in both countries.Also, the relationship between the countries has connections in trade and investment as well.
• CECA: Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment visited India to attend negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).The CECA is an agreement that both parties are certain will open up new trade and investment opportunities, particularly in the context of the impact of COVID-19.

Background:

India and Australia have deep ties in fields related to education and higher studies. India and Australia bilateral trade stood at $12.3 billion in 2020-21 compared to $12.63 billion in 2019-20. India exports refined petroleum, medicaments, railway vehicles including hover-trains, pearls and gems, jewellery, made up textiles articles while importing coal, copper ores and concentrates, gold, vegetables, wool and other animal hair, fruits and nuts, lentils and education related services.

THE ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

5. THE WINTER BIRD MONITORING PROGRAM (2021-22)

THE CONTEXT: The Winter Bird Monitoring Programme for 2021-22 has recorded the presence of 203 bird species, including 53 non-resident species, in the districts of Mysuru, Mandya, and Chamarajanagar.

THE EXPLANATION:

• The teams have collected data from 147 locations spread across Mysuru-Mandya-Chamarajanagar belt between January and February 2022. In all, 20 teams comprising 63 birders took part in the bird enumeration and each team was given a different route to cover, monitor and enumerate the birds.
• The data indicates that the number of species found in the region this year is almost identical to what were recorded in the past. While 203 species were recorded this year, 204 species were recorded year 2021. The bird count too was healthy this year and the team recorded 34,361 birds of all species underlining the sheer diversity of birds that is supported in the region. This is against 32,304 birds counted in last year’s exercise.
• The data has also generated interesting insights and of the 203 species of birds the most abundant – total counts from all locations — was Cattle Egret (2,064) followed by Eurasian Coot (1,111), Bar-headed Goose (995), Barn Swallow (974), and Little Cormorant (900).
• The most abundant species in any single location was Northern Shoveler and 650 of these birds was found in Lingambudhi Lake in Mysuru. There were 530 Spot-billed Pelicans at Ranganathittu apart from 480 Asian Openbills and 410 Indian Cormorants, also at Ranganathittu. Hadinaru lake in Nanjangud taluk played host to 400 Bar-headed Goose, as per the data generated by the bird monitoring teams.

VALUE ADDITION:

Important Bird Areas (IBA)

• Important Bird Areas are sites of international importance for the conservation of birds and their habitats.
• IBAs are among the world’s key site for biodiversity conservation and the IBA concept developed by the BirdLife International Partnership facilities their identification nationally using data gathered locally following globally agreed and standardized criteria. IBAs are practical networks for conservation.
• They help decision makers locally, nationally and globally to identity priorities and bring together key stakeholders to conserve and manage sites sustainably.
• The Indian IBA declaration is the result of five years’ exhaustive work by the IBA team and a large number of people: many amateur and professional ornithologists, birdwatchers, conservationists, forest officials and people interested in birds. As a partner designate Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) successfully corroborated the data and to the possible extent sprading the message and conserving these IBA sites.

Among 465 conservation priority locations identified as Important Bird Areas (IBA) spread throughout India, 37 sites are located in Karnataka. Assam is leading with 46 IBAs and next is Karnataka. Mysore area hosts 12 IBAs. They are:

1. Adi-chunchanagiri Wildlife Sanctuary, Mandya district
2. Karanji Lake, Mysore district
3. Kokkarebellur, Mandya district
4. Krishnarajasagar Reservoir, Mandya & Mysore district
5. Kukkarahalli Tank, Mysore district
6. Kunthur-Kalluru Lakes, Chamarajanagar district
7. Lingambudhi Lake, Mysore district
8. Melkote Temple Wildlife Sanctuary, Mandya district
9. Narasambudhi Lake, Mysore district
10. Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Mandya district
11. Sule kere, Mandya district
12. Arabithittu Wildlife Sanctuary, Mysore district

THE COVID CORNOR

INDIA’S mRNA VACCINE TECHNOLOGY

THE CONTEXT:The Pune-based Gennova Biopharmaceuticals is expected to roll out India’s first home-grown mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine by April 2022.

THE EXPLANATION:

The COVID-19 pandemic awakened the world to the power of RNA therapies — two of the first vaccines that emerged in late 2020, Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna, used this technology. At Present, an Indian company is developing an mRNA vaccine from scratch, signalling possibilities of the use of the molecule in a variety of diseases beyond COVID-19.

What are mRNA vaccines and how do they work?

• Most vaccines contain a weakened or dead bacteria or virus. However, scientists have developed a new type of vaccine that uses a molecule called messenger RNA (or mRNA for short) rather than part of an actual bacteria or virus. Messenger RNA is a type of RNA that is necessary for protein production.
• In cells, mRNA uses the information in genes to create a blueprint for making proteins. Once cells finish making a protein, they quickly break down the mRNA. mRNA from vaccines does not enter the nucleus and does not alter DNA.

THE PRELIMS PRACTICE QUESTIONS

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY 14TH FEB 2022

Q.With reference to an organization known as ‘Birdlife International’ which of the following

statements is/are correct? (UPSC Prelims 2015)

1. It is a Global Partnership of Conservation Organizations.
2. The concept of ‘biodiversity hotspots’ originated from this organization.
3. It identifies the sites known/referred to as ‘Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas’.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a 1 only

b 2 and 3 only

c 1 and 3 only

d 1, 2 and 3

 ANSWER FOR 11^TH FEB 2022

Answer: D

Explanation:

• A koala or koala bear (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a well known native animal of Eastern Australia, as iconic as the kangaroo.
• They are usually found sleeping or browsing for leaves in trees, especially eucalypts. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats, which are members of the family Vombatidae. The koala is found in coastal areas of the mainland’s eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

It is easily recognisable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large, spoon-shaped nose. The koala has a body length of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and weighs 4–15 kg (9–33 lb). Fur colour ranges from silver grey to chocolate brown. Koalas from the northern populations are typically smaller and lighter in colour than their counterparts further south. These populations possibly are separate subspecies, but this is disputed.

1. A special occasion READ MORE
2. Adherence to Pandemic Ethics during India’s Covid-19 Lockdown READ MORE

1. India’s Biodiversity Act is being amended to help exploit bio-resources, not conserve them READ MORE
2. Fossil Fuel Firms and Their Mouthpieces Offer Net-Zero Logic on Climate Change READ MORE

1. Hijab row: Why empowerment through education is the only right approach READ MORE
2. Hidden Hunger READ MORE

1. How recent amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act threaten years of progress READ MORE  
2. Needed: A gender-inclusive police force READ MORE
3. Modernising the police force and policing READ MORE
4. Rethink must on IAS cadre rules change READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar launches “SMILE” scheme READ MORE
2. India signs MoU to hand over wheat to WFP in Kandahar READ MORE
3. Govt approves Rs 26,275 crore plan for police modernisation; Rs 18,000 crore fixed for security expenditure in J&K, NorthEast READ MORE
4. Australian Foreign Minister announces Maitri initiatives aimed at strengthening ties with India READ MORE
5. Winter bird monitoring programme: Over 200 species of birds recorded across Mysuru region READ MORE
6. Restoration of French heritage structure at Chandernagore will be completed soon: Ambassador Lenain READ MORE

Main Exam    

GS Paper- 1

1. Hijab row: Why empowerment through education is the only right approach READ MORE

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. How recent amendments to the Juvenile Justice Act threaten years of progress READ MORE  
2. Needed: A gender-inclusive police force READ MORE
3. Modernising the police force and policing READ MORE
4. Rethink must on IAS cadre rules change READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUE

1. Hidden Hunger READ MORE

 INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. For something: The Quad remains a group of friends who share many things, but not a common enemy READ MORE  
2. Ukraine crisis, US unilateralism and India’s dilemma READ MORE  

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. A faltering recovery: Flailing factory output trends suggestthe rebound in the economy is slow READ MORE
2. Budget 2022-23: Hits and misses READ MORE
3. Improvements in agri-credit system can revive agriculture READ MORE
4. Digital assets await enabling legal framework READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY  

1. India’s Biodiversity Act is being amended to help exploit bio-resources, not conserve them READ MORE
2. Fossil Fuel Firms and Their Mouthpieces Offer Net-Zero Logic on Climate Change READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. A special occasion READ MORE
2. Adherence to Pandemic Ethics during India’s Covid-19 Lockdown READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. ‘Quad members may have similar concerns and share many core values, they do not have an identical world view.’ Comment.
2. Discuss the need for ease credit availability for the priority sector. Can changes in the co-lending model ease credit availability for the priority sector? Analyse your view.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• Politically, foreign policy never matters until it matters, and then it matters a lot.
• Ethics is indispensable to public health because of the great trade-off between the “voluntary versus coercive” measures often employed in health policies.
• Oil and gas CEOs were too chicken to show up to a recent congressional hearing—perhaps fearing that their climate pledges will be revealed as nothing more than slick PR.
• The Government must reboot its rose-tinted assessment of the economy so that the ‘on-paper’ optimism is reflected in billowing factory chimneys.
• There is a need to rethink power and fertiliser subsidies and reorient MSP and procurement policies towards minimising GHG emissions.
• Institutional development across states should be a priority area for equitable flow of subsidised credit.
• Hijab-abiding students should be allowed to exercise their right to education without any hindrance. Let the women be empowered first, so they can decide how much of themselves they wish to hide.
• Apart from the need for gender diversity, there is evidence that increasing women in the force has positive effects on society.
• The capital expenditure push by the government seems to be a step in the right direction, while the rationale behind the continued focus on protectionism is questionable.
• The court has told the state government to withdraw the controversial notices by February 18. It is expected that the due process of law would finally be followed at the earliest.
• States are, however,correct in pointing out that the proposed amendments are a serious infringement of their right to deploy IAS officers as they deem fit.
• The effects of hidden hunger can be devastating, leading to mental impairment, poor health, low productivity, and even death.

50-WORD TALK

• India has been seeing a massive increase in cryptocurrencies and crypto-assets. The Budget speech has broken new ground. It has provided the scheme of taxation of digital assets. However, this is a grey zone. The legalities of the digital rupee will have to be appropriately worked out. There is a need for more clarification so that more people could be encouraged to use digital currency.

Things to Remember:

• For prelims-related news try to understand the context of the news and relate with its concepts so that it will be easier for you to answer (or eliminate) from given options.
• Whenever any international place will be in news, you should do map work (marking those areas in maps and also exploring other geographical locations nearby including mountains, rivers, etc. same applies to the national places.)
• For economy-related news (banking, agriculture, etc.) you should focus on terms and how these are related to various economic aspects, for example, if inflation has been mentioned, try to relate with prevailing price rises, shortage of essential supplies, banking rates, etc.
• For main exam-related topics, you should focus on the various dimensions of the given topic, the most important topics which occur frequently and are important from the mains point of view will be covered in ED.
• Try to use the given content in your answer. Regular use of this content will bring more enrichment to your writing.

[WpProQuiz 159]

THE CONTEXT: The, leaders of the “Quad” – U.S., India, Japan, and Australia – met in March 2021 for the first time as a group to put forward a positive agenda and address Chinese behavior in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad summit signals about the Biden administration’s regional strategy, and the significance of the newly announced COVID-19 vaccine initiative.

ABOUT THE FIRST HEAD OF THE STATES MEETING 2021

The leaders of the four ‘Quad’ countries – India, Japan, United States, and Australia, met for the first time in a virtual conference and interacted about the prevailing scenario in the world including the ongoing covid-crisis.

Quad Leaders’ Joint Statement: “The Spirit of the Quad”

1. Commitment to quadrilateral cooperation between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. We bring diverse perspectives and are united in a shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific. We strive for a region that is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values, and unconstrained by coercion.
2. Together, we commit to promoting a free, open rules-based order, rooted in international law to advance security and prosperity and counter threats to both the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
3. Our common goals require us to reckon with the most urgent of global challenges. Today, we pledge to respond to the economic and health impacts of COVID-19, combat climate change, and address shared challenges, including in cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief as well as maritime domains.
4. Building on the progress our countries have achieved on health security, we will join forces to expand safe, affordable, and effective vaccine production and equitable access, to speed economic recovery and benefit global health.
5. To advance these goals and others, we will redouble our commitment to Quad engagement. We will combine our nations’ medical, scientific, financing, manufacturing and delivery, and development capabilities and establish a vaccine expert working group to implement our path-breaking commitment to safe and effective vaccine distribution; we will launch a critical- and emerging-technology working group to facilitate cooperation on international standards and innovative technologies of the future.

For the first time, they issued a joint statement which features have been mentioned in the table, with the poetic title – “Spirit of the Quad”.

They also agreed to commit to manufacturing one billion doses of vaccine by 2022 for distribution in Asia, where China’s presence casts a large shadow.

SIGNIFICANCE OF QUAD SUMMIT

For the first time, a head-level meeting was held. The meeting focused on three major areas:

1. A shared vision for the free and open Indo-Pacific
2. Open rules-based order, rooted in international law
3. Focus on the establishment of three working groups on
4. Vaccine development
5. Critical technologies
6. Climate change

Shared challenges, including in cyberspace, critical technologies, counterterrorism, quality infrastructure investment, and humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief as well as maritime domains. The Summit for the first time adopted a joint statement with a clear vision which indicates it is more as a non-military organization rather than what China considers as an Asian-NATO. On the contrary, the most significant outcomes of the summit are related to COVID-19 vaccine production, facilitating cooperation over emerging technologies, and mitigating climate change. Also, the summit didn’t directly mention China this time. Even in the joint statement, countries avoided direct references to China.

UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPLICATIONS OF THE THREE MAJOR FOCUS

THE FOCUS: A SHARED VISION FOR THE FREE AND OPEN INDO-PACIFIC AND OPEN RULES-BASED ORDER, ROOTED IN INTERNATIONAL LAW

THE DEVELOPMENT: One of the most important objectives of the QUAD is Indo-Pacific which has been seen in recent times. India-Pacific which has changed to Indo-Pacific is very crucial for India and has been focused for the US under its Asia-Pivot theory due to the unprecedented rise of China and security concerns. The ‘Incremental Encroachment Strategy’ of China exhibited in SCS, East China Sea (ECS) and Ladakh is a serious concern not only to the countries directly affected by overlapping EEZ or unsettled borders but also to the rest of the world. China continues to convert features/atolls into military bases, expect others to accept them like islands, and apply the ‘Baseline principle’ under UNCLOS-III to claim its 200 nautical miles of EEZ thus converting SCS into ‘Chinese lake’ over a period of time. It poses threat to freedom of navigation (FON) and flight along global Sea Lines of Communication (SLOC) and may lead to some restrictions like Air Defence Identification Zone in SCS. Any such action by any country to restrict FON/flight or violation of rule of law must be challenged in UN Security Council backed by Quad.

THE CHALLENGES: To implement the idea of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific on a “rules-based” legal framework is needed. All members of Quad except the US have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III); hence the US needs to ratify the same, to have a moral high ground to implement it. Quad will therefore need a formal structure and a secretariat to take it forward.

FOCUS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP ON VACCINE DEVELOPMENT

While ensuring that vaccines have been made available to our people, “Quad” partners will launch a landmark partnership to further accelerate the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Together, Quad leaders are taking shared action necessary to expand safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing in 2021 and will work together to strengthen and assist countries in the Indo-Pacific with vaccination, in close coordination with the existing relevant multilateral mechanisms including WHO and COVAX.

1. Quad partners are working collaboratively to achieve expanded manufacturing of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines at facilities in India, prioritizing increased capacity for vaccines authorized by Stringent Regulatory Authorities (SRA).
2. Quad partners will address financing and logistical demands for the production, procurement, and delivery of safe and effective vaccines.
3. The United States is to finance increased capacity to produce at least 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2022 with Stringent Regulatory Authorization (SRA) and/or World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL), including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
4. Japan is to provide concessional yen loans for the Government of India to expand manufacturing for COVID-19 vaccines for export, with a priority on producing vaccines that have received authorization from WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) or Stringent Regulatory Authorities.
5. Quad partners will ensure expanded manufacturing will be exported for global benefit, be procured through key multilateral initiatives, such as COVAX, that provide life-saving vaccines for low-income countries, and by countries in need.

Quad partners will also cooperate to strengthen “last-mile” vaccination, building on existing health-security and development programs, and across our governments to coordinate and strengthen our programs in the Indo-Pacific. This includes supporting countries with vaccine readiness and delivery, vaccine procurement, health workforce preparedness, responses to vaccine misinformation, community engagement, immunization capacity, and more. This group will support Quad cooperation in the long term, and use science and evidence to:

1. Design and implementation plan for the Quad COVID-19 vaccine effort;
2. Identify hurdles impeding vaccine administration in the region;
3. Work with financiers and production facilities to monitor timely and sufficient capacity expansion that will lead to wider distribution of safe and effective vaccines;
4. Share governmental plans to support Indo-Pacific health security and COVID-19 response, and identify practical cooperation on “last-mile” delivery for hard-to-reach communities in need;
5. Strengthen and support the life-saving work of international organizations, including the WHO, COVAX, Gavi, CEPI, UNICEF, the G7, ASEAN, and governments, and call on other countries to do the same.

FOCUS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP ON CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES  

Quad leaders recognize that a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific requires that critical and emerging technology is governed and operates according to shared interests and values. In that spirit, we will convene a Critical and Emerging Technology Working Group, which will:

1. Develop a statement of principles on technology design, development, and use;
2. Facilitate coordination on technology standards development, including between our national technology standards bodies and working with a broad range of partners;
3. Encourage cooperation on telecommunications deployment, diversification of equipment suppliers, and future telecommunications, including through close cooperation with our private sectors and industry;
4. Facilitate cooperation to monitor trends and opportunities related to developments in critical and emerging technology, including biotechnology;
5. Convene dialogues on critical technology supply chains.

FOCUS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKING GROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE  

1. Cooperation, both among ourselves and with other countries, to strengthen implementation of the Paris Agreement, including to keep a Paris-aligned temperature limit within reach;
2. Working together and with other countries to support, strengthen, and enhance actions globally;
3. Committing to advancing low-emissions technology solutions to support emissions reduction;
4. Cooperation on climate mitigation, adaptation, resilience, technology, capacity-building, and climate finance.

THE EVOLUTION OF QUAD SINCE 2004

Quad was formed nine days after a tsunami struck seven Indo-Pacific rim countries on December 26, 2004, a group of officials from Australia, Japan, India, and the US had congregated on a conference call to coordinate their rescue and relief operations. Called the Tsunami Core Group, they met at an appointed time every day for calls that lasted no more than 40 minutes. One of their “primary objectives” was “putting itself out of business”. The group was shut down on January 5, 2006. But it had sown, by then, seeds of a habit that would grow over a period of time to become the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue.

1. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is the informal strategic dialogue between India, the USA, Japan, and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a “free, open and prosperous” Indo-Pacific region.
2. The idea of Quad was first mooted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2007. However, the idea couldn’t move ahead with Australia pulling out of it, apparently due to Chinese pressure.

• In December 2012, Shinzo Abe again floated the concept of Asia’s “Democratic Security Diamond” involving Australia, India, Japan, and the US to safeguard the maritime commons from the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.
• In November 2017, India, the US, Australia, and Japan gave shape to the long-pending “Quad” Coalition to develop a new strategy to keep the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence (especially China).

WHAT QUAD IS MEANT FOR THE FOUR COUNTRIES AND THEIR RELATIONS WITH CHINA

COUNTRIES: USA

QUAD: The USA had followed a policy to contain China’s increasing influence in East Asia. Therefore, the USA sees the coalition as an opportunity to regain its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. The US has described China, along with Russia, as a strategic rival in its National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and the Pentagon’s report on Indo-Pacific Strategy.

COUNTRIES: Australia

QUAD: Australia is concerned about China’s growing interest in its land, infrastructure, and politics, and its influence on its universities. Taking into account its overwhelming economic dependence on China for prosperity, Australia has continued its commitment to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with China.

COUNTRIES: Japan

QUAD: In the last decade, Japan has expressed concerns related to China’s territorial transgression in the region. Trade volume with China remains the key lifeline to the Japanese economy, where net exports contributed exactly one-third of Japan’s economic growth since the beginning of 2017. Therefore, considering its importance, Japan is balancing its economic needs and territorial concerns with China-Japan has also agreed to involve in the Belt and Road Initiative by participating in infrastructure programs in the third country. In this way, Japan can mitigate Chinese influence in those countries while improving relations with China.

COUNTRIES: India

QUAD: In recent years, China’s violation of international norms, particularly its construction of military facilities on reclaimed islands in the South China Sea, and its growing military and economic power, pose a strategic challenge to India. Considering China’s strategic importance, India is carefully balancing China on one hand and the US on the other, by remaining committed to strategic autonomy to China, which has generally proved reassuring to China.

INDIA’S GEOPOLITICAL PERSPECTIVE

• For India, the new terms of the Quad will mean more strategic support after a tense year at the LAC with China.
• It will also provide a boost for India’s pharmaceutical prowess, opportunities for technology partnerships, and more avenues for regional cooperation on development projects and financing infrastructure.
• India’s insistence on an inclusive approach was in keeping with the sentiments of many smaller countries in the region, which may not take an explicit anti-China position.
• This could also pave the way for India to become the manufacturing destination for Quad countries, thus reducing dependence on China.

INDIA AND US RELATIONS

Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump to become the 46^th US President. Biden’s running mate Kamala Devi Harris has become the first woman and first Indian- and African- American Vice President of the country. Biden and Harris sworn into office on 20th January 2021. On October 27th, 2020, India and the United States signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement – BECA. It was signed during the third round of 2+2 dialogue.

What is BECA?

BECA stands for Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement. It is a pact or communication agreement proposed for geo-spatial cooperation between the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency of the US Department of Defence. It will enable the two countries to share military information and strengthen their defense partnership.

The main provisions of the BECA Agreement

• The pact will allow the armed force of the US to provide advanced navigational assistance and avionics on US-supplied aircraft to India.
• India will get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and armed drones.
• India gets access to topographical and aeronautical data through the sharing of information on maps and satellite images, this will be helpful in navigation and targeting.
• BECA will provide Indian military systems with a high-quality GPS to navigate missiles with real-time intelligence to precisely target the adversary.
• BECA is to help India and the US counter growing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

BECA completes the “foundational pacts” for deep military cooperation between the two countries. India and the US have already signed three key foundational agreements-

1. General Security of Military Information Agreement – GSOMIA in 2002, that covered the area of areas of security and military information
2. The Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement – LEMOA in 2016 covering logistics exchange and communications
3. Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement – COMCASA in 2018 which was for compatibility and security.

India-US relations have become increasingly multi-faceted, covering cooperation in areas such as trade, defense and security, education, science and technology, civil nuclear energy, space technology and applications, environment, and health. Grass root-level interactions between the people of the two nations provide further vitality and strength to this bilateral relationship. There have been regular contacts at political and official levels with a wide-ranging dialogue on bilateral, regional, and global issues have taken place. A “Strategic Dialogue” was established in July 2009 during the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India with the objective of strengthening bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors. The first round of the Strategic Dialogue was held in Washington, DC in June 2010, followed by the second round in New Delhi in July 2011. The Minister of External Affairs led the Indian delegation for the Dialogue; the US Secretary of State led the Dialogue from the US side. The third meeting of the Strategic Dialogue will be held in Washington in June 2012.

QUAD AND CONVERGENCE AND DIVERGENCE OF INTERNATIONAL FORA AND ALIGNMENTS

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: ASEAN

THE DYNAMICS: At present, ASEAN is the premier forum for regional affairs in the Asia-Pacific. Other major regional institutions, such as the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, fulfill complementary roles and are either descendants of or enjoy the full support of ASEAN. Questions have arisen about how the Quad and ASEAN might coexist in a region already deeply enmeshed with multilateral fora. The Quad is not as incompatible with ASEAN’s interests as presumed. Though ASEAN has had an interest in its members’ security since its inception, over time its attention progressively turned outwards, seeking to shape regional affairs.

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Security Forum

THE DYNAMICS: East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Security Forum, and the decades-old APEC are some of them. But these forums have become lazy talking shops without any discernible results.

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: SCO

THE DYNAMICS: China is the founding member. Other members like India, Pakistan, and Russia are going through changes in their strategic interests.

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: RECP Operationalization

THE DYNAMICS: For Japan and Australia, China remains the biggest trading partner, a relationship that will only grow once the 15-nation RCEP gets operationalized. In this context, it would be difficult for Quad members countries like Japan and Australia to strategically align with the US and India.

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: BRICS

THE DYNAMICS: Except Brazil and SA, the other three have divergence on QUAD

FORA NAD ALLIGNMEENTS: There are both convergence and divergence on QUAD

QUAD AS  “ASIAN NATO”

• Since the first steps towards the Quad’s construction in 2007, China has sought to define the regional discourse by describing the forum as the “Asian NATO” and the harbinger of a “new Cold War”.
• The conflation of the Quad with the annual Malabar naval exercises added to the image of the Quad as a military formation and generated much unease across the Indo-Pacific.
• There is also an expansion of Malabar naval exercise which becomes an indication for a military alliance.
• India’s increasing strategic defense relation with the US is also the manifestation of such understanding.

THE UNCERTAINTY AND CHALLENGES OF QUAD

• What QUAD is-a a military alliance, a political forum, or an emerging grouping for global re-alignment is not clear which is the most important challenge. As of now, it is an informal grouping without any Office or secretariat. Hence, the questions are: will it become a formal group and have its secretariat?
• Is it more as Asia-Pivot of the US policy based on China containment? Whether the US is taking advantage of the situation in Asia and aligning against China as a new cold-war strategy.
• In Global Times, a newspaper under China’s People’s Daily group, one-piece argues that amid escalating China-US tensions, the US “has seized the opportunities of the downturn in China-India relations and the intensity of China-Australia ties to repeatedly court India and Australia, in order to make up for the weak points of the ‘Quad’ mechanism.”
• The countries, including Vietnam, South Korea, New Zealand, among others – would not be too receptive to a Quad, which assumes the form of a military alliance, even if they harbour their own disputes against China.
• How far India will go “in the next step” depends not only on whether its relations with China will cool down, but also on US-China tensions, US domestic policies, and India-Russia relations.
• India’s foreign policy should neither be China-containment-centric or US-centric. Both can be disastrous.
• HIMALAYAN QUAD: If QUAD becomes a military alliance, China may try to form a Himalayan QUAD with Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

WAY FORWARD

The Quad may not be a full-scale alliance yet, but a new “minilateral” is taking shape. Quad’s immediate focus on vaccines and sharing of responsibility was welcomed by India. India is already supplying 60% of the world’s vaccines. The initiative will further boost its vaccine manufacturing capacity. This could also pave the way for India to become the manufacturing destination for Quad countries, thus reducing dependence on China. Quad partners such as Japan and Australia were unhappy over India’s decision to stay out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. If Quad emerges as an economic powerhouse, it will be beneficial to the entire region.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

INSTITUTIONALISATION OF THE QUAD: It should be made a formal organization with its secretariat.

NEED FOR CLEAR VISION: The Quad nations need to better explain the Indo-Pacific Vision in an overarching framework with the objective of advancing everyone’s economic and security interests. This will reassure the littoral States that the Quad will be a factor for the regional benefit, and a far cry from Chinese allegations that it is some sort of a military alliance.

EXPANDING QUAD: India has many other partners in the Indo-Pacific, therefore India should pitch for countries like Indonesia, Singapore to be invited to join in the future.

NEED FOR A MARITIME DOCTRINE: India should develop a comprehensive vision on the Indo-Pacific which would ideate on the current and future maritime challenges, consolidate its military and non-military tools, engage its strategic partners.

RECALIBRATION NEEDED FROM CHINA: As the Quad summit has done well to shed the image of Anti-China bias, it is up to China now to rethink its current aggressive policies and seek cooperative relations with its Asian neighbors and the US.

CONCLUSION

The challenges posed by the pandemic presented a perfect setting for the Quad nations to demonstrate their commitment to the broader agenda that is in tune with the urgent requirements of the region. In this context, the repurposing of the Quad to deal with shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific ensures the forum’s political sustainability over the longer term. The Summit did not signal expansion, but it needs to have the flexibility to incorporate like-minded democratic countries, as many would be keen to join Quad in the future because the Indo-Pacific region is becoming the economic center of gravity and manufacturing hub of the world. Support of other navies like France, the UK, Germany, and other NATO members will be good deterrence to peace spoilers. Quad in its present form may not be structured to check Chinese adventurism, but it certainly has the potential to become one of the most effective instruments to do so. Chinese reactions indicate that it certainly has put China on notice, without even naming it.