Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for April 8, 2024. If you missed the April 5, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. THE IDEAS PAGE Getting around boycott UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: GS II - India and its neighbourhood- relations. What’s the ongoing story- Sanjay K Bhardwaj writes - Bangladesh’s location and India’s role in its independence have established the “India factor” as a powerful discourse in its domestic politics. The emergence of an “India Out” campaign on social media that advocates the boycott of Indian products with hashtags such as #IndiaOut, #BoycottIndia comes as a reaction to that. From Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani to the present-day opposition alliance led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), there have been instances of anti-India stand throughout Bangladesh’s history. Bhashani was pro-China and believed in a model of Islamic socialism. He criticised Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for making Bangladesh a satellite of India and tried to forge a coalition of the right and left extremists against the Awami League (AL). The BNP, which represents the right-of-centre forces, has an orthodox social constituency inspired by Bhashani. The party is remotely controlled by its acting chairperson Tarique Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s son, from London where he is in exile. The Central Question: Can Dhaka afford to sever trade ties with Delhi? Prerequisites: What you should know? Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Map work Bangladesh and neighbouring Indian states Key takeaways: Bangladesh is expected to become a middle-income country by 2041 while it is on track to graduate from the Least Developed Countries list in 2026. Bangladesh finds itself above average on the parameters of the Human Development Index compared to other South Asian countries. According to the World Bank, Indian exports to Bangladesh were valued around $324 million in 1991. This, interestingly, increased to $868 million in 1996 during the first tenure of BNP. Similarly during its second tenure, in 2001, the export from India was around $1.06 billion, which increased to $1.66 billion in 2006. India is Bangladesh’s second-largest import source, with a staggering $13.69 billion worth of goods entering the Bangladeshi market in 2021-22. A dominant theme in India’s exports to Bangladesh is the supply chain for the textile industry. Bangladesh’s garment manufacturing sector, a key driver of its economic growth, relies heavily on raw materials and intermediate goods from India. In 2022, non-retail pure cotton yarn and raw cotton (20.1 per cent of total import) were among India’s top imports. India also supplies Bangladesh Refined Petroleum which is crucial for powering industries and transportation. Other significant imports include pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and machinery, highlighting the multifaceted nature of this trade relationship. Recently, India exported 50,000 tonnes of onion to Bangladesh ahead of Ramzan, an exception to the export ban on the crop in December 2023. This is apart from essential commodities such as garlic, coconut oil and spices. There have also been instances of informal trade between the two countries, crucial in stabilising inflation in Bangladesh. India is a major supplier of construction materials to Bangladesh for infrastructure development. The loss-incurring Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) is turning profit-making with the supply of new tracks from India. An intensification of the India Out campaign stands to derail all of these as well as the on-going negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Bangladesh. For Your Information: Bangladesh’s relations with India and China Both India and China have high stakes in the outcome and credibility of the election process, not only because of their robust economic ties with Bangladesh, but also in the light of their wider rivalry in the region. How Dhaka manages the partnership expectations from the two Asian giants is key, and will be watched internationally. The support from India in Bangladesh’s war of liberation in 1971 contrasts with China’s backing for Pakistan. Despite this history, pragmatism shapes Bangladesh’s current ties with these neighbours. Bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh exceeded $15 billion in 2021-22. India recognizes Bangladesh as a vital eastern buffer, and provides critical support in ports and power grid access, essential for national growth. Historical ties and geographical proximity foster a symbiotic trade relationship. On the other hand, Bangladesh’s two-way trade with China exceeded $25 billion in 2022. Bangladesh aligns strategically with China, which is helping transform its landscape through mega projects. Chinese investments in BRI-financed infrastructure projects have surpassed $10 billion. The intersection of geopolitics and economics In the pursuit of achieving developed nation status by 2041, Bangladesh has strategically harnessed economic and technological strengths of both India and China, balancing ties amid evolving dynamics. It has granted port access to both countries, fostering modernization in Mongla port under the banners of the BRI and Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Corridor (BCIM). A similar cooperative enhancement for Pyra port was undertaken, but India backed out due to the public-private partnership being granted to a Chinese company. Bangladesh’s Indo-Pacific outlook draft underscores engagement with regional and global stakeholders for human security, connectivity, and the blue economy, while steering clear of geopolitical tensions. Bangladesh imports Indian electricity which currently stands at 1,160 MW, while enabling about $450 million of Chinese investments into 1,845 MW domestic power generation as of 2021. The surging demand for electricity has necessitated an expansion of supply, and concurrent energy deals with both countries advance converging industrialization interests. As a smaller neighbour reconciling the interests of regional giants, Bangladesh has simultaneously advanced national agency and cooperation with countries that are each other’s rivals. Points to Ponder: How can the two governments actively work to inspire trust and confidence among citizens? (Thought Process: The educated and moderatey ounger generation of Bangladeshis consider development as the core of political and diplomatic actions. This cohort is keen to be a partner in the process of economic growth and development and is not sceptical of an alliance with India. In the age of globalisation and commercialisation, boycotting of products is an obsolete idea.This can be done by promoting people-to-people contact, sensitising the media in both countries and liberalising the visa regime. All of these will come in handy to maintain the India-Bangladesh development partnership.) What are the issues of conflict between India and Bangladesh? Other Important Article Covering the same topic: Bangladesh elections today: The significance for India, explained Elections in Bangladesh: Why both India and China are backing Sheikh Hasina The Editorial Page Road to peace in Myanmar UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. Mains Examination: GS II - India and its neighbourhood- relations. What’s the ongoing story- Rajiv Bhatia writes: Myanmar has been at war with itself for the past three years. The military coup in February 2021 unleashed a chain of violent conflicts in many parts of the country, resulting in its de facto division into a section where the military government called the State Administration Council (SAC) still rules and another where the Resistance is in charge. The latter projects that the tide is now turning in its favour. What is the ground reality? Prerequisites: What you should know? ASEAN and its members Map work: Myanmar and neighbouring Indian states and other countries Map of major regions in Myanmar and India’s northeastern states. The Central Question: What is the problem in Myanmar? Why should India help Myanmar? Key takeaways: Assessment by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres- He highlighted two alarming trends. The expansion of conflict in the Rakhine State known for its “pre-existing vulnerabilities and discrimination” creates the danger of further incitement of communal tensions. The forcible recruitment of youth into the military under the new conscription law in various regions and states is bound to aggravate the crisis. They need external help which can only come from Myanmar’s ASEAN partners and willing neighbours such as China, India, and possibly Bangladesh. One neighbour, Thailand under the new government, is ready to take concrete measures such as the creation of a “humanitarian corridor” inside Myanmar as a pilot project. For Your Information: What is the Free Movement Regime on the India-Myanmar Border? Union Home Minister Amit Shah in January announced that the Centre has decided to fence the entire length of the India-Myanmar border to stop the free movement of people. The two countries share a largely unfenced 1,643 km border, which goes through the states of Manipur, Mizoram, Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. The FMR agreement was implemented in 2018. The FMR is a mutually agreed arrangement between the two countries that allows tribes living along the border on either side to travel up to 16 km inside the other country without a visa. It was implemented in 2018 as part of the Narendra Modi government’s Act East policy, at a time when diplomatic relations between India and Myanmar were on the upswing. In fact, the FMR was to be put in place in 2017 itself but was deferred due to the Rohingya refugee crisis that erupted that August. The illegal migration of tribal Kuki-Chin peoples into India from Myanmar is one of the key issues in the ongoing Manipur conflict. While the Meiteis have accused these illegal migrants and the alleged “narco-terror network” along the India-Myanmar Border (IMB) of fomenting trouble in the state, the Kukis have blamed the Meiteis and Chief Minister N Biren Singh, a Meitei himself, of using this as a pretext for “ethnic cleansing”. Amid this charged and sensitive debate in the state, questions have been raised about the FMR. Although beneficial to local people and helpful in improving Indo-Myanmar ties, it has been criticised in the past for unintentionally aiding illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and gun running. Points to ponder: Why should India help Myanmar? (Thought Process: As a major, interested, and affected neighbour, India can and should certainly help. India’s Myanmar experts need to develop a set of practical and pragmatic proposals, infused with an accurate reading of power dynamics, geopolitical play and the country’s history. They have a role in advising policymakers in New Delhi as well as shaping the regional approach to resolving the crisis in Myanmar. Its aggravation will inevitably threaten regional peace and progress. India’s eastern neighbourhood can ill afford that calamity.) What is ASEAN's Five Point Consensus (FPC), agreed in April 2021, and why has it failed to deliver? Other Important Article Covering the same topic: Why Myanmar is now seeing its worst fighting in more than two years What is the India-Myanmar border Free Movement Regime, which the Centre is planning to end? EXPLAINED PAGE How PMLA got its sharp teeth UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Mains Examination: GS II - Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies What’s the ongoing story- In its manifesto — “Nyay Patra” — for the Lok Sabha election released on Friday, the Congress said that if voted to power, it will “put an end to the weaponisation of laws, arbitrary searches, seizures and attachments, arbitrary and indiscriminate arrests”, and promised “to enact a law on bail that will incorporate the principle that ‘bail is the rule, jail is the exception’ in all criminal laws”. This promise, included in the chapter on ‘Saving Democracy, Removing Fear, Restoring Freedom’ in the section ‘Defending the Constitution’, can be read as a veiled reference to the actions of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the law that empowers the ED to take coercive action against politicians accused of corruption. The CPI(M), the Congress’s ally in the INDIA alliance, had said in its manifesto released on Thursday that it stood for “the scrapping of all draconian laws like UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) and PMLA”. However, some of the most stringent provisions of the PMLA, which have now angered Opposition leaders because they have been used to ensure the prolonged incarceration of politicians without trial, were inserted in the statute during the Congress-led UPA regime. Since 2014, the BJP-led government too has made incremental but significant changes in the PMLA. The law — including on bail, the retrospective application of the law, the wide police powers it grants to the ED — and the way its provisions are invoked were wholly upheld by the Supreme Court in 2021. Prerequisites: What you should know? PMLA UAPA FATF ED: Powers and Functions Key takeaways: On July 27, 2022, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice A M Khanwilkar (now retired) upheld the constitutional validity of PMLA, which was under challenge in a batch of more than 200 individual petitions. The first challenge was against the alternate criminal law system that the PMLA creates since the ED is kept outside the purview of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The ED is not considered ‘police’, and hence does not follow the provisions of CrPC for searches, seizures, arrests, and attachment of properties. This is significant — since the ED is not a police agency, statements made by an accused to the ED are admissible in court. The judgment in Vijay Madanlal Choudhary & Ors vs Union of India upheld these sweeping powers of the ED. The PMLA, like the UAPA, lays down a stringent standard for granting bail. Section 45 of the PMLA is a ‘negative’ provision — which bars courts from granting bail unless the accused can prove that there is no “prima facie” case against them, and that they will not commit any offence in the future. In November 2017, in Nikesh Tarachand Shah v Union of India, the Supreme Court struck down these provisions as unconstitutional. However, Parliament put them back in by amending the PMLA through the Finance Act, 2018. This was upheld by the 2021 ruling. While some parts of the 2021 ruling — e.g., the ED is not obligated to disclose the ECIR (akin to an FIR in a criminal case) to the accused — are under review, the ruling is now the law of the land, since there is no stay operating on the judgment itself. With the advent of global terrorism in the 1990s, there was a focus internationally on choking terror financing and the movement of illicit money across borders. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was created in 1989 to coordinate anti-money laundering efforts across the world — and as a member, it was incumbent upon India to do its bit. The PMLA was also enacted in response to the political declaration adopted by the special session of the United Nations General Assembly held on June 8 and 10, 1998, calling on member states to put in place national anti-money laundering legislation. Points to ponder: What are the two key amendments in the PMLA in 2009 and 2012? What is the similarity between PMLA and UAPA with reference to bail provisions? Do the stringent bail provisions in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act contains an exception for women? What is money laundering? Bose, Barkatullah, a history of Indian governments before freedom UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement. Mains Examination: GS I - The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country. What’s the ongoing story- Kangana Ranaut, in a recent interview, claimed that Subhas Chandra Bose, not Jawaharlal Nehru, was the first prime minister of independent India. After being criticised for the historicity (or lack thereof) of her comments, Kangana doubled down, citing the provisional government setup by Bose in 1943 as evidence of her claim. Key takeaways The Azad Hind government Subhas Chandra Bose proclaimed the formation of the Provisional Government of Azad Hind (“Free India”) in Singapore on October 21, 1943. What is its significance? Bose was the Head of State of this provisional government, and held the foreign affairs and war portfolios. A C Chatterjee was in charge of finance, S A Ayer became minister of publicity and propaganda, and Lakshmi Swaminathan was given the ministry of women’s affairs. A number of officers from Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj were also given cabinet posts. The Azad Hind government claimed authority over all Indian civilian and military personnel in Britain’s Southeast Asian colonies (primarily Burma, Singapore, and Malaya) which had fallen into Japanese hands during World War II. It also claimed prospective authority over all Indian territory that would be taken by Japanese forces, and Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj, as they attacked British India’s northeastern frontier. To give legitimacy to his government, much like Charles de Gaulle had declared sovereignty over some islands in the Atlantic for the Free French, Bose chose the Andamans. “It [the Azad Hind government] obtained de jure control over a piece of Indian territory when the Japanese handed over the Andaman and Nicobar islands in late December 1943, though de facto military control was not relinquished by the Japanese admiralty,” Sugata Bose wrote. The government also handed out citizenship to Indians living in Southeast Asia, and according to Sugata Bose, 30,000 expatriates pledged allegiance to it in Malaya alone. Diplomatically, Bose’s government was recognised by the Axis powers and their satellites: Germany, Japan, and Italy, as well as Nazi and Japanese puppet states in Croatia, China, Thailand, Burma, Manchuria, and the Philippines. Immediately after its formation, the Azad Hind government declared war on Britain and the United States. For Your Information: Notably, 28 years before the Azad Hind government came into existence, the Provisional Government of India was formed in Kabul by a group known as the Indian Independence Committee (IIC). Much like Bose allied with the Axis powers during World War II to fight the British, during World War I, Indian nationalists abroad (mostly in Germany and the US), as well as revolutionaries and Pan-Islamists from India, attempted to further the cause of Indian independence with aid from the Central Powers. The IIC, with the help of the Ottoman Caliph and the Germans, tried to foment insurrection in India, mainly among Muslim tribes in Kashmir and the British India’s northwestern frontier. To further this cause, the IIC established a government-in-exile in Kabul under the presidency of Raja Mahendra Pratap, and prime ministership of Maulana Barkatullah, revolutionary freedom fighters who spent decades outside India trying to gather international support for Indian independence. Barkatullah was also one of the founders of the Ghadar movement, which began in California in 1913, and aimed to overthrow British rule in India. Lala Har Dayal, one of the movement’s leaders put forth the following plan of action for the Ghadarites: “…use the freedom that is available in the US to fight the British…British rule must be overthrown, not by petitions but by armed revolt…carry this message to the masses and to the soldiers in the Indian Army…enlist their support.” (as quoted by Bipan Chandra and others in India’s Struggle for Independence, 1988). While the movement was crushed in India by the end of the War, the Ghadarite left a strong and lasting impression on Indians and the British. “If success and failure are to be measured in terms of the deepening of nationalist consciousness, the evolution and testing of new strategies and methods of struggle, the creation of tradition of resistance, of secularism, of democracy, and of egalitarianism, then, the Ghadarites certainly contributed their share to the struggle for India’s freedom,” Chandra and others wrote. The Kabul provisional government was one of many moves orchestrated by Ghadarite revolutionaries. Point to ponder: Neither of the two provisional governments can in any seriousness be called the “government of India”. Why? Other important article to read: How Subhas Bose outwitted theBritish to escape to Germany What makes today’s total solar eclipse so rare? UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Geography Mains Examination: GS I - Important Geophysical phenomena What’s the ongoing story- On Monday (April 8), a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. This type of solar eclipse is a rare event for any particular spot. According to Royal Museums Greenwich, once a place on Earth witnesses a total solar eclipse, it will be about 400 years before that part sees the next one. Key Takeaways: A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon moves in the middle of Earth and the Sun. The Moon blocks the light of the Sun, either fully or partially, which casts a huge shadow on some parts of the world. There are four different types of solar eclipses, including total solar eclipse, annual solar eclipse, partial solar eclipse, and hybrid solar eclipse. When the Moon blocks the Sun entirely, the areas in the centre of the Moon’s shadow at the time witness a total solar eclipse. The sky darkens and people who are in the path of a total solar eclipse can get a glimpse of the Sun’s corona — the outer atmosphere — which is usually not visible due to the bright face of the Sun. Why is a total solar eclipse so rare? While there can be between two and five solar eclipses every year, total eclipses only happen about once every 18 months or so. As mentioned before, a particular spot on Earth witnesses a total solar eclipse only once in 400 years. This is because a total eclipse is only visible if one is standing in the umbra — the other part of the shadow is called the penumbra, which is not as dark as the umbra. The umbral shadow is very small, covering only a small part of Earth. In fact, the entire path of the umbral shadow during a solar eclipse will only cover less than one per cent of the globe. This is why only very few people will get to see a total eclipse at a time. Moreover, about 70 per cent of the globe is underwater and half of the land is considered uninhabited. That’s why, it is quite rare when a total solar eclipse happens and a lot of people get to see it. Points to ponder: Define three other types of solar eclipse. How often does a solar eclipse take place? How does the lunar eclipse take place? FRONT PAGE Rights against adverse effects of climate change part of rights to life, equality: SC UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Indian Polity and Governance Mains Examination: GS II - Constitution of India What’s the ongoing story- IN A significant ruling, the Supreme Court has expanded the scope of Articles 14 and 21 to include the “right against the adverse effects of climate change”. “Article 48A of the Constitution provides that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. Clause (g) of Article 51A stipulates that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for living creatures. Although these are not justiciable provisions of the Constitution, they are indications that the Constitution recognises the importance of the natural world,” a three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud has said. “The importance of the environment, as indicated by these provisions, becomes a right in other parts of the Constitution. Article 21 recognises the right to life and personal liberty while Article 14 indicates that all persons shall have equality before law and the equal protection of laws. These Articles are important sources of the right to a clean environment and the right against the adverse effects of climate change,” it said. Prerequisites: What you should know? Articles 14, 21 and 48A Great Indian Bustard Key takeaways: Discussing the importance of solar energy “as a pivotal solution in the global transition towards cleaner energy sources”, the bench said that “India urgently needs to shift to solar power due to three impending issues”. “Firstly, India is likely to account for 25% of global energy demand growth over the next two decades, necessitating a move towards solar for enhanced energy security and self-sufficiency while mitigating environmental impacts. Failure to do so may increase dependence on coal and oil, leading to economic and environmental costs,” it said. “Secondly, rampant air pollution emphasises the need for cleaner energy sources like solar to combat pollution caused by fossil fuels. Lastly, declining groundwater levels and decreasing annual rainfall underscore the importance of diversifying energy sources. Solar power, unlike coal, does not strain groundwater supplies. The extensive use of solar power plants is a crucial step towards cleaner, cheaper, and sustainable energy,” the bench said. Points to ponder: What is the April 21 order mentioned in the article? Pointing to technical challenges in implementing the April 2021 order. The court pointed out that India aimed to achieve an installed renewable energy capacity. What is it? For any queries and feedback, contact manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com
