UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today’s answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-2 to check your progress. 🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the December issue of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨 QUESTION 1 Discuss the probable geopolitical and environmental ramifications of China's development of the Medog Hydropower Station on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, with a focus on India. QUESTION 2 Examine current developments in Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation, with a focus on the obstacles faced by India's nuclear liability legislation and the consequences of the US lowering regulatory barriers. General points on the structure of the answers Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. THOUGHT PROCESS You may enrich your answers by some of the following points QUESTION 1: Discuss the probable geopolitical and environmental ramifications of China's development of the Medog Hydropower Station on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet, with a focus on India. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — China approved the world's largest hydroelectric project on the Yarlung Tsangpo (or Zangbo) River in Tibet. — When completed, the 60,000 MW project will be able to generate three times the amount of energy as the world's largest hydro project, the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze in central China. — The Yarlung Tsangpo flows from Tibet into Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Siang river. In Assam, it is known as the Brahmaputra and is joined by tributaries such as Dibang and Lohit. The river then enters Bangladesh and flows into the Bay of Bengal. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — An infrastructure project of the scale proposed by China for the Yarlung Tsangpo might have an impact on millions of people living in these regions, as well as their livelihoods and the environment. — According to Y Nithiyanandam, Professor and Head of the Geospatial Research Programme at Takshashila Institution in Bengaluru, the dam's location is mentioned in China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) — at the "Great Bend" where the Yarlung Tsangpo makes a U-turn in Medog county before entering Arunachal Pradesh. — Recent developments, such as funding distribution, the construction of minor dams along the river channel, and changes in land use in upstream areas, suggest that the project is in advanced planning, with visible construction progress expected shortly, according to Dr. Nithiyanandam. — China says the dam will help it transition away from traditional energy sources and achieve net carbon neutrality by 2060. The Yarlung Tsangpo is good for hydroelectricity generation because of its "remarkable flow rate" due to its rapid drop from high mountains. — Dr Nithiyanandam believes that the massive amount of water held in the Three Gorges Dam reservoir created blips in gravity anomaly maps. — The dam's discharge of water has had significant environmental implications, including the potential for earthquakes and displacement of over a million people owing to river morphological changes. Concerns for India — The dam (or dams) may affect the flow of water from China to India, the lower riparian state. — The flow of silt, which is essential for agriculture, can be halted, and variations in river flow can have an impact on local biodiversity. — This region is one of the world's most ecologically fragile and earthquake-prone. A landslip in 2004 formed the glacial Parechu Lake in the Tibetan Himalayas near Himachal Pradesh. After the Chinese warned India, the lake's level was monitored daily. The lake burst in June 2005, dumping a considerable amount of water into the Sutlej, however prompt collaboration and planning helped limit the damage. — To prevent disasters, countries must coordinate and exchange information. China has built 12 massive dams in the Mekong River basin, which have had a negative impact on downstream countries. Conclusion: — There is a general Memorandum of Understanding on transboundary river cooperation, as well as two specific MoUs on the Brahmaputra and Sutlej. — The Brahmaputra MoU, which is renewed every five years, expired in 2023. The renewal procedure is proceeding through diplomatic channels, according to the Jal Shakti Ministry's website. — The greater issue is that understanding (across countries) is extremely limited and confined in scope. When India expressed concerns about such projects, the traditional Chinese response was that they were mostly run-of-the-river projects, which did not involve major impoundment of water. (Source: Why China is building the world’s largest dam on the Tsangpo, how India may be impacted by Rishika Singh) Points to Ponder What coordination mechanism do India and China have on transboundary rivers? Why does China want this mega project? Related Previous Year Question ‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’. In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbour. (2017) QUESTION 2: Examine current developments in Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation, with a focus on the obstacles faced by India's nuclear liability legislation and the consequences of the US lowering regulatory barriers. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — The U.S.–India Civil Nuclear Agreement, or Indo-US nuclear accord, is the name given to the 123 Agreement that was signed between the United States of America and India. — This agreement's foundation was a joint statement made on July 18, 2005, by then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and then-U.S. President George W. Bush, in which the United States committed to pursuing full civil nuclear cooperation with India in exchange for India separating its civil and military nuclear facilities and placing all of its civil nuclear facilities under the protection of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: Current developments in Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation — The US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan did not elaborate on the details, but sources say that three firms may be removed from the blacklist. There are now two major legal impediments to further Indo-US nuclear cooperation. — On the American side, a significant impediment is the '10CFR810' authorisation (Part 810 of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (Part 810) of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954), which allows US nuclear vendors to export equipment to countries such as India under certain strict safeguards but does not allow them to manufacture nuclear equipment or perform nuclear design work here. — According to reports, this approval is a clear hindrance to New Delhi's desire to participate in the manufacturing value chain and co-produce nuclear components for atomic power plants that are jointly planned to be established in India. — Foreign players such as GE-Hitachi, Westinghouse, and French nuclear company Areva (now called Orano) have cited the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, as an impediment on the Indian side. The act sought to create a mechanism for compensating victims from damage caused by a nuclear accident, as well as allocating liability and specifying compensation procedures. — This is partly because the legislation shifts operators' liability to equipment suppliers, with foreign vendors citing this as a reason for concern about investing in India's nuclear business due to the risk of future liability. Conclusion: — Sullivan's agenda for the current trip included the prospect of building the innovation alliance under the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET). — Though India's civil nuclear programme is capable of producing smaller reactor types, such as 220MWe PHWRs (pressurised heavy water reactors), the country's reactor technology is an issue. Based on heavy water and natural uranium, PHWRs are increasingly out of sync with light water reactors (LWR), which are now the most common reactor type around the world. (Source: Boosting Indo-US nuclear collaboration: the need, two key hurdles by Anil Sasi) Points to Ponder What is China's angle in the Indo-US nuclear deal? Related Previous Year Questions “The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain. (2021) ‘The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China's supply chain and strategically to counter China's political and economic dominance.’ Explain this statement with examples. (2024) Previous Mains Answer Practice UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 83) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 84) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 84) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 83) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 84) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 85) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. 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