1. We all are stranded in the world of becoming READ MORE
2. Attentive awareness READ MORE
3. Why happiness is a journey and not a destination READ MORE

1. India’s hill states need sustainable cooling solutions to beat warming READ MORE
2. 2023 hurricane forecast: Get ready for a busy Pacific storm season, quieter Atlantic than recent years thanks to El Niño READ MORE

1. The tragedy for workers in today’s ‘gig’ economy READ MORE
2. Digital technology in education sector READ MORE

1. From Master of the Roster to Master of all Judges? READ MORE
2. NITI Aayog must be revived for better Centre-State relations READ MORE
3. New Parliament building cannot compensate lack of parliamentary democracy READ MORE

(Newspapers, PIB and other important sources)

Prelim and Main

1. ChatGPT and other generative AI could foster science denial, misunderstanding READ MORE  
2. India’s Jan.-April imports from China rise 4.6% to $37.86 billion READ MORE
3. ISRO’s GSLV-F12 successfully places navigation satellite NVS-01 into intended orbit READ MORE
4. CAG chief re-elected as External Auditor of WHO for 2024-27 READ MORE
5. Northeast gets its first Vande Bharat Express READ MORE
6. Explained | What has India done to curb unnecessary hysterectomies? READ MORE
7. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announces new credit-linked housing scheme for rural poor READ MORE
8. South Korea hosts its first summit with Pacific island leaders READ MORE
9. A Foucault pendulum swings inside the new Parliament READ MORE
10. Bank privatisation to happen as per schedule: Sitharaman READ MORE
11. Plastic-free planet: Negotiations on Global Plastics Treaty underway, the story so far READ MORE
12. Pakistan, Afghanistan among global hunger hotspots: UN report READ MORE

Main Exam

GS Paper- 1

1. The tragedy for workers in today’s ‘gig’ economy READ MORE
2. India’s hill states need sustainable cooling solutions to beat warming READ MORE
3. 2023 hurricane forecast: Get ready for a busy Pacific storm season, quieter Atlantic than recent years thanks to El Niño READ MORE
4. Anger and Aspiration in Caste Society READ MORE  

GS Paper- 2

POLITY AND GOVERNANCE

1. From Master of the Roster to Master of all Judges? READ MORE
2. NITI Aayog must be revived for better Centre-State relations READ MORE
3. New Parliament building cannot compensate lack of parliamentary democracy READ MORE

SOCIAL ISSUES

1. Digital technology in education sector READ MORE

INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

1. What Turkey polls mean for the world READ MORE
2. Why India needs a fresh approach to de-escalation with China READ MORE
3. The unpredictable world of politics READ MORE

GS Paper- 3

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

1. Unstable policy regimes discourage foreign portfolio investors READ MORE   
2. Better nutrition, fewer emissions READ MORE
3. The rural wage rule GOI must relinquish READ MORE
4. Unpacking how MSMEs are defined in India’s manufacturing and services sector READ MORE
5. India should expand bilateral Re trade within Asia READ MORE

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

1. Environment may be a new federal faultline READ MORE

SECURITY

1. Cybercrime is a worry with a very wide reach READ MORE
2. Ever increasing threat of transnational terrorism READ MORE

SCIENCE

1. Faster, stronger: on India and its supercomputer use- India must use its supercomputers beyond weather forecasts READ MORE
2. India must focus on research to be able to lead the AI revolution READ MORE

DISASTER MANAGEMENT

1. Curbing illegal mining: Haryana’s drive needs consolidated efforts READ MORE
2. How the World Health Organization could fight future pandemics READ MORE

GS Paper- 4

ETHICS EXAMPLES AND CASE STUDY

1. We all are stranded in the world of becoming READ MORE
2. Attentive awareness READ MORE
3. Why happiness is a journey and not a destination READ MORE

Questions for the MAIN exam

1. If NITI Aayog wants to be more effective, it requires the trust of all chief ministers and their active participation. Only then a strong centre and strong states will emerge. Critically analyse in recent developments.
2. The NITI Aayog acts as the quintessential platform for the Government of India to bring states together as ‘Team India’, to work towards the national development agenda. Critically examine.

QUOTATIONS AND CAPTIONS

• My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
• Despite the administrative usefulness of the ‘Master of the Roster’ system, the many recorded instances of abuse are a cause for concern.
• The powers vested in the CJI by his virtue of being the Master of the Roster are unending. It is impractical to lay any limits on these powers, meant for the smooth administrative functioning of the Court.
• The CJI’s powers as the Master of the Roster are meant only for administrative decision-making. The order has the effect of enlarging the powers of the CJI on the judicial side and of creating an unprecedented intra-court appellate mechanism within the Supreme Court.
• India has improved its short-term weather forecasts and made cyclone forecasts more accurate on the back of such machines, there should be greater accounting of their worth in other fields, rather than be content with epithets of speed and power.
• Savings from reduction in fertiliser and power subsidies can be ploughed into agricultural research, improve food and nutritional security in the face of climate change
• The burden of protecting India’s environmental resources is bound to be unequal across states and regions.
• Despite the hurdles, India’s foreign exchange reserves are nearing $600 billion, thereby giving its economy the much-needed confidence for foreign trade transactions.
• Quality education can be imparted with digital ecosystem and better resource allocation.
• Digital initiatives with a focus on artificial intelligence terming it a step towards the ‘digital revolution’, have been hailed by all.
• If NITI Aayog wants to be more effective, it requires the trust of the non-BJP chief ministers and their active participation. Only then a strong centre and strong states will emerge.
• All temporary, freelance and contract workers must be properly defined and identified to ensure minimum wages, maximum working hours and social security.
• The constitutional vision of India can be upheld by adhering to the Constitution, reiterating our rejection of the divine right to power and rule, and enriching parliamentary democracy, rooted in people, as the source of power and sovereignty.

ESSAY TOPIC

• Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.

50-WORD TALK

• The continued killings and ethnic cleansing in Manipur are the result of staggering administrative incompetence and political drift. The Biren Singh government must restore the state or be dismissed for failure to prevent perilous ethnic divisions and maintain minimum constitutional order. This is why Article 356 remains in our constitution.
• The manner in which the protesting wrestlers were evacuated from Jantar Mantar shows that this government’s commitment to sports is a sham. This comes after neglecting to hear them for over one month and actively discrediting them. It is a deeply disappointing mystery who the government is protecting and why.

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 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.

THE CONTEXT: With 8,006 civilians killed and around 13 287 injured according to UN Human Rights data, the Ukraine war has continued for more than a year.

CAUSE OF CONFLICT

BALANCE OF POWER

• Ever since Ukraine split from the Soviet Union, both Russia and the West have vied for greater influence in the country to keep the balance of power in the region in their favour.
• Buffer Zone for Western Countries: For the US and the European Union, Ukraine is a crucial buffer between Russia and the West. As Ukraine is located between Western Europe and Russia and is not part of NATO, it works as a buffer zone.
• As tensions with Russia rise, the US and the EU are increasingly determined to keep Ukraine away from Russian control.

RUSSIAN INTEREST IN THE BLACK SEA

• The unique geography of the Black Sea region confers several geopolitical advantages to Russia.
• Access to the Black Sea is vital for all littoral and neighbouring states and greatly enhances the projection of power into several adjacent regions.
• The region is an important transit corridor for goods and energy.

PROTESTS IN UKRAINE

• Euromaidan Movement: European Square was a wave of demonstrations and civil unrest in Ukraine, which began in November 2013 with public protests in Maidan Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine.
• The protests were sparked by the Ukrainian government’s decision to suspend the signing of an association agreement with the European Union, instead choosing closer ties to Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union

SEPARATIST MOVEMENT

• The Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine have faced a pro-Russian separatist movement since 2014.
• According to various sources, the Russian government actively supports the movement, and Russian paramilitaries make up between 15% to 80% of the separatists fighting against the Ukrainian government.

INVASION OF CRIMEA

• Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine in what was the first time a European country annexed territory from another country since WW-II.
• The annexation of Crimea from Ukraine followed a Russian military intervention in Crimea that took place in the aftermath of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution and was part of wider unrest across southern and eastern Ukraine.
• The invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea have given Russia a maritime upper hand in the region.

UKRAINE’S NATO MEMBERSHIP

• Ukraine has urged NATO to speed up its country’s membership in the alliance.
• Russia has declared such a move a “red line”, and is worried about the consequences of the US-led military alliances expanding right up to its doorstep.
• The Black Sea is bordered by Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine. Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria are NATO members.
• Due to this face off between NATO countries and Russia, the Black sea is a region of strategic importance & a potential maritime flash point.

AREA CONTROLLED BY RUSSIA IN UKRAINE

WHY IS THERE A DELAY IN THE WAR?

• Despite a series of Sanction on Russia(10 sanctions was imposed By the EU alone), there is only about 2% contraction on the Russian economy. This shows there is the failure of the sanctions regime.
• Failure of the UN: The trajectory of the UNSC’s dysfunctionality and systemic failure created the conditions that rendered it ineffective in the face of the 2022 Russia-Ukraine crisis. Therefore, this crisis strengthens the case for the dismantling and radical overhaul of the UN Security Council as an institutional framework.
• Lack of consensus in the countries: Every country sees it on the basis of self-interest. There is a lack of consensus in developing countries and the Global South.
• Proxy war: The war has been prolonged by self-interest and a lack of incentive to stop the war. For example. China rejected calling Russia’s moves on Ukraine an “invasion” and urged all sides to exercise restraint. The USA is also getting benefitted from prolonging the war as it is weakening Russia indirectly and Europe is getting in its sphere of influence and away from Russia.
• Russia holds ⅕ territory of Ukraine- thus no incentive for Ukraine to go to talk until it gain military advantage.

INDIA’S STAND ON THE WAR

• On February 23, 2023, on the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution, calling for an end to the war. The resolution was favoured by 141 members and opposed by seven, while 32 states abstained. Unsurprisingly, India was one among the 32. This is in line with the position India has been taking on the Ukraine crisis from the beginning. India’s stand is based on maintaining its strategic autonomy in foreign policy.
• However, there is moral question is being raised on India’s stand. Russia is infringing on the territorial integrity of Ukraine which India is protecting on the basis of principal ground.
• Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories is a clear violation of international laws. So, how can countries such as India ignore this fact and move on? India has repeatedly stated in the UN that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected.

IMPACT OF THE CRISIS ON INDIA:

• India’s ties with Russia:
  • Ties with Russia, a historical partner, are important for India in many ways. One is energy — discounted fuel coming in from Russia is a relief for India, the world’s fifth-largest economy, which meets over 80% of its fuel needs through imports.
  • Bilateral ties with Russia have improved. There is a 400% jump in the economic ties with Russia that is dominated by a jump in the oil trade. Russia is now exporting 28% of its import basket of oil of
  • India has to work with powers in the Eurasian landmass where the U.S. is practically absent, especially after its disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Russia plays a key role in India’s continental foreign policy.
  • India and Russia is establishing a payment system independent of the Dollar, that is a special vostro account so that trade be more resilient in the coflict situations.
• However, there is an issue in the defence cooperation of India and Russia as Russia is not able to timely deliver its defence equipment obligation e.g. timely delivery S-400 defence system.
• There is an increase in the axis of Russia-China-Pakistan; thus it may impact the long-term relationship between India and Russia.
• Putin announced that Moscow was unilaterally suspending the last remaining nuclear arms control treaty with the U.S. Thus, further escalation of the war can trigger a nuclear war that can destabilise the peace and scenario in the world. It will impact the trade and economic relations between different countries. Thus, the long term Developmental objective of the India will suffer adversely.
  • if the war prolongs, the risks of a Russia-NATO direct conflict would be higher. The rapid destruction of security in Europe and the deepening mistrust between major powers is comparable with the pre-First World War situation in the continent.An open confrontation between the great powers today would be cataclysmic because of the threat of nuclear weapons.The possibility of such a conflict would mean that the war is not just a European problem.

WHAT COULD INDIA DO?

• G20 presence- India can play a leadership role in the Ukrainian crisis. As india is projecting itself as a global leader, in a crisis situation India can take a leadership position to stop the war. India has a “long, complex” relationship with Russia and can use this influence to support an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
  • However there has been a lack of consensus on it as G20 Finance Ministers failed to agree a joint statement on the global economy at talks in India after China sought to water down references to the Ukraine conflict.
• India called for reform in a multilateral institution like UN: Indian Prime minister urged reform in multilateral platforms, saying that such moves were necessary to make multilateral forums reflect “global realities”. “This is evident in the joint initiative by India and Germany under the G-4 to bring reform in the UN Security Council,”

THE WAY FORWARD:

• Strengthen the UN multilateral system: UN multilateral system Ned to be reformed. The rules-based international order has to be established by increasing the legitimacy of the UN System.
• Strengthen the Economic sanction: Stronger sanctions are essential as, at least for now, there are no prospects of the West putting boots on the ground to counterbalance Russia. These should include Russia’s expulsion from the SWIFT system. The focus should be on targeting its essential industries, such as the energy sector, since energy revenues from Europe amount to more than one-third of Russia’s income.
  • India and South Africa, large democracies from Asia and Africa, have consistently abstained from votes at the UN and refused to join the sanctions — because the sanctions were unilateral, imposed by specific countries or blocs, without UN approval. Brazil, the largest democracy in South America, has not joined the sanctions—as they claim it as less about global democracy than the post-Cold War security architecture in Europe.
• Creating deterrence: If the West wants to hit Russia where it hurts, it must stop buying Russian gas and oil. While the Ukraine war has prompted policymakers in Brussels to expedite efforts to end the bloc’s dependence on Russia’s natural gas (currently targeting a deadline of 2027), a concrete strategy for achieving this has yet to be determined.
• Work for disarmament and arms control treaty: This will go a long way towards ending the war.
• Strengthen the multipolar world order: A multipolar world will decrease the possibility of unilateral action. As power is not concentrated in any single state and is distributed at the global level, a ‘multipolar world’ opens up foreign policy and security choices for all countries. In this system, the stake of emerging power like India, and Brazil will increase and they will be able to play more effective roles at the world stage. Further, the Cold War mentality will end with the multipolar world order.
• There is a need to take the security concern of Russia, and instead of NATO-based security architecture, the multilateral and universal security architecture should be promoted e.g UN peacekeeping and peacebuilding.

THE CONCLUSION: The centrality of human rights in global politics should be maintained. There has been no war without blood, so war has to be demonised, and that can only be done by building global consensus. UN can play a major role in building peace and security. Thus there is need to reform in UN system, particularly UNSC.

Mains question

1. As the Ukraine-Russia conf has entered into the second year,  analyse its reasons and suggest measures to end the war.
2. Ukraine -Russia war will have wide-ranging implications at the global level. Analyse the impact with respect to India.

[WpProQuiz 475]