UPSC Key: India-Japan partnership, Samudrayaan and Netala bypass

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story: Setting out on a two-nation visit that is being keenly tracked, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that he will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit which is being held in Tianjin near Beijing from August 31 to September 1.

Key Points to Ponder:

— Know about these organisations: ASEAN, SCO, BRICS, G7

— India and Japan are members of which international organisations?

— Know the historic background of India-Japan relationship?

— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Japan?

— “India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) align closely with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy.” What does it mean?

— Which military exercises are conducted between India and Japan?

— What is the purpose of the India-Japan Economic Forum?

Key Takeaways:

— Modi, who left New Delhi for Tokyo Thursday night, will travel to China from Japan after a two-day visit — this will be his first visit to China in seven years – and his meeting with Xi is likely Sunday.

— In a departure statement released by his office, the Prime Minister said, “India remains committed to working with the SCO members to address shared challenges and deepen regional cooperation. I also look forward to meeting President Xi Jinping, President Putin and other leaders on the sidelines of the Summit.”

— India and China have been taking steps to repair ties after a five-year military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh following Chinese incursions. Modi and Xi last met on October 23, 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

— India has been a member of the SCO since 2017. It held the presidency of the Council of Heads of State of SCO during 2022-23.

— Modi last travelled to China for the SCO summit in Qingdao in June 2018. The visit this weekend marks an important step towards normalisation of ties that plummeted after the border standoff.

EXPLAINED: The India-Japan partnership

— The August 29-30 visit will be the Prime Minister’s eighth visit to Japan. The Annual Summit will be his first with Prime Minister Ishiba. The two leaders have met earlier on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane last October, and on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis in Canada this June.

— Japan and Russia are India’s two oldest Annual Summit-level mechanisms. India-Japan bilateral relations were elevated to Global Partnership in 2000, Strategic and Global Partnership in 2006, and Special Strategic and Global Partnership in 2014.

— The partnership between India and Japan, two of Asia’s leading democracies and among the world’s top five economies, is rooted in civilizational ties that have been reinforced by convergence in their regional and global outlooks.

— India’s Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) align closely with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) policy. Japan leads IPOI’s connectivity pillar, and is India’s largest Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) donor.

— Cooperation between the countries extends to plurilateral platforms such as the Quad, International Solar Alliance (ISA), Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI).

— Realms of cooperation: Defence- Key agreements on defence and security include the Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation (2008), Defence Cooperation and Exchanges MoU (2014), Information Protection Agreement (2015), Reciprocal Provision of Supplies and Services Agreement (2020), and co-development of the UNICORN naval mast (2024).

— Malabar (with the US and Australia), Milan (multilateral naval), JIMEX (bilateral maritime), Dharma Guardian (Army), and Coast Guard cooperation are held regularly. 2024-25 saw the participation of service chiefs in India and Japan, strengthening interoperability.

— Bilateral trade reached $22.8 billion in 2023-24. In Apr-Jan 2024-25, trade reached $21 billion, demonstrating stability.

— Imports from Japan continue to outweigh exports. India’s main exports are chemicals, vehicles, aluminium, and seafood; imports include machinery, steel, copper, and reactors.

— Japan is India’s fifth-largest source of FDI, with $43.2 billion cumulative investment up to December 2024. Annual inflows have been strong – $3.1 billion in 2023-24 and $1.36 billion in 2024-25 (Apr-Dec).

— Japan has been India’s largest ODA donor since 1958, supporting critical infrastructure and human development projects. ODA disbursement stood at about JPY 580 billion ($4.5 billion) in 2023-24.

— India and Japan coordinate closely with the US and Australia to ensure a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The two sides will discuss the future of Quad in view of President Trump’s decisions.

— The two countries are looking to diversify and secure supply chains through the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI), which also involves Australia.

— 2023-24 was celebrated as the Year of Tourism Exchange, with the theme “Connecting Himalayas with Mount Fuji”.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: As PM Modi lands in Tokyo, an overview of the India-Japan relationship

📍On India-Japan table: Security to economy, energy to digital ties

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(1) Consider the following countries (UPSC CSE 2014)

1. Denmark

2. Japan

3. Russian Federation

4. United Kingdom

5. United States of America

Which of the above are the members of the ‘Arctic Council’?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4 only

(c) 1, 4 and 5 only

(d) 1, 3 and 5 only

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

‘The time has come for India and Japan to build a strong contemporary relationship, one involving global and strategic partnership that will have a great significance for Asia and the world as a whole.’ Comment. (2019)

EXPLAINED

Samudrayaan: Indian aquanauts’ exploration of the deep

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

What’s the ongoing story: Earlier this month, two Indian “aquanauts” travelled deep into the Atlantic Ocean aboard the French vessel, Nautile. This was in preparation for deep-sea exploration under the upcoming Samudrayaan Project, where India plans to send three humans to depths of 6,000 metres by 2027. Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh and R Ramesh travelled to 5,002 metres and 4,025 metres below the sea level, respectively.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the objective of the Samudrayaan Project?

— What is the economic significance of the deep ocean?

— Is there any international regulation on deep sea exploration?

— Know about the Deep Ocean Mission

— What are polymetallic nodules?

Key Takeaways:

— With India’s 11,098 km-long coastline, the government has long pushed for a blue economy policy — harnessing ocean resources for economic growth. The deep ocean is home to several unexplored minerals, fuels, and biodiversity resources.

— It is also where a crucial medium of modern global telecommunications is found in the form of undersea cables, which are laid on the ocean floor.

— Additionally, only a few countries presently possess deep-sea exploration capabilities, including the United States, Russia, China, Japan, and France.

— India will join this select group of nations with the Samudrayaan Project, which is among the six components of the Deep Ocean Mission approved by the Union Cabinet in 2021.

— The Deep Ocean Mission will develop technologies for deep sea mining, underwater vehicles and robotics, as and a crewed submersible (which needs support from a larger vehicle).

— At the cost of Rs. 4,077 crores over five years, the mission will conduct deep ocean surveys, mainly to look for mineral deposits. Of particular interest are polymetallic nodules, which comprise layers of iron and manganese hydroxides and are found on the ocean floor, often containing materials such as nickel, rare earths and cobalt.

Do You Know:

Matsya 6000.

— Matsya-6000 is the vehicle that will carry the aquanauts. Designed somewhat like a big fish, it will contain a “personnel sphere” with a diameter of 2.1 metres to house the humans. The vehicle will be capable of sustaining three humans for 12-hour missions, with systems to support them for up to 96 hours during an emergency.

— For the initial tsest, carrying humans to a 500-metre depth, a steel sphere will be used. A wet test was conducted off the coast of Chennai in February.

— Steel, however, is not strong enough to bear the atmospheric pressure at 6,000 metres under the sea — up to 600 times what is felt at sea level. Therefore, the actual personnel sphere will be made of a titanium alloy.

— The first challenge is developing a vehicle capable of sustaining life in the deep sea. A titanium alloy with 80 mm thickness was chosen due to its strength, but it is not commonly found, and not many countries are willing to share their reserves.

— Communication is a major challenge for deep-sea missions. Radio waves, the basis of day-to-day communications, cannot penetrate deep water, necessitating the use of acoustic telephones. Here, sound waves carry information to a receiver placed just underneath the surface of the water.

— Given other countries’ reticence to share the technology, India has developed its own acoustic telephone. An initial test at a harbour failed because factors such as the temperature and salinity of the water also impact its efficacy. Later, it worked in the open ocean.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Expert Explains: Why India needs to develop its deep sea capabilities

📍Deepest-ever Indian dive: Two aquanauts reach record depths in Atlantic, prep for Samudrayaan Mission

UPSC Prelims practise Question Covering similar theme:

(2) Consider the following statements on deep-sea exploration:

1. Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep-sea mission that aims to send three aquanauts by 2027.

2. Only four countries — the USA, Russia, France, and Japan — have so far carried out successful crewed deep-ocean missions.

3. Cdr (Retd) Jatinder Pal Singh is the first Indian to reach the depth of 5,002 metres in the deep ocean.

Which of the statements mentioned above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 2 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

Looking for Prithu, Assam’s‘ forgotten hero’ who is said to have defeated Bakhtiyar Khilji

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: History of India and Indian National Movement

Mains Examination: General Studies-I: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

What’s the ongoing story: Earlier this month, the Assam Cabinet decided that a new flyover being constructed in the heart of Guwahati would be named after Prithu, a 13th century Kamrup ruler. This, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, would be “a timeless reminder that Assam has always stood as the defender of Bharat’s soul.”

Key Points to Ponder:

—  Who was Ahom general Lachit Borphukan?

— Why is the Battle of Saraighat important?

— Who destroyed Nalanda University?

— Who is the author of the Persian chronicle Tabaqat-i-Nasiri?

— Know about the Ahom Kingdom

Key Takeaways:

— Today, Prithu is being projected as an Assamese icon, much like Ahom general Lachit Borphukan, who is credited with defeating the Mughal Army in the 1671 Battle of Saraighat. But unlike Borphukan, who has long been central to Assam’s historical and cultural imagination, Prithu’s emergence as a historical figure of note is relatively recent.

— Bakhtiyar Khilji was a military general of the Muhammad of Ghor, the man credited with laying the foundations of Islamic rule in South Asia in the 12th century.

— Khilji led a series of conquests in eastern India; he is most remembered for sacking the Buddhist monastery in Nalanda, although his role in the institution’s decay is often overstated.

— Historians agree that in 1206 CE, the first Turko-Afghan incursion through modern-day Assam was thwarted. But the identity of the local ruler who defeated Khilji’s armies is unclear due to the lack of solid archaeological or archival evidence.

— The Persian chronicle Tabaqat-i-Nasiri contains details of a military defeat at the hands of the ‘Rae of Kamrud [Kamrup]’ and refers to a ruler named Bartu.

— However, the broad consensus among scholars, as noted by historian Nirode Baruah in his 2011 paper ‘Kamarupa to Kamata: The political transition and the new geopolitical trends and spaces’ had been that “the identity of Prithu is very difficult to establish.”

— I S Mumtaza Khatun, who is retired from Gauhati University’s History department and focuses on medieval history, said, “The challenge is that there is no indigenous record from that time on this figure. The only writing from that period is in Persian texts, which describes the person as ‘rae’ which points more to a chieftain. The title of Maharaja could be a misnomer.”

Do You Know:

— Lachit Borphukan was a legendary army commander of the Ahom kingdom. He defeated the Mughal forces, led by Raja Ramsingh-I, in the ‘Battle of Saraighat’, and thwarted a drawn-out attempt by them to take back Assam.

— Son of the great warrior-statesman Momai Tamuli Barbarua, Lachit was born on November 24, 1622, and grew up during a turbulent period of Assam’s history.

— He was chosen as one of the five Borphukans of the Ahom kingdom by king Charadhwaj Singha, and given administrative, judicial, and military responsibilities.

— Between 1615 and 1682, the Mughal Empire made a series of attempts, under Jahangir and then Aurangzeb, to annex the Ahom kingdom.

— In January 1662, Mughal Governor of Bengal Mir Jumla’s forces engaged with the Ahom army and went on to occupy part of the territory under Ahom rule.

— Between 1667 and 1682, the Ahoms under a series of rulers, starting with Chakradhwaj Singha, (reigned 1663-70) launched a counter-offensive to reclaim lost territories.

— Much like Shivaji’s encounters with the Mughals in Marathwada, Lachit inflicted damage on the large Mughal camps and static positions. His raids would kill unsuspecting Mughal soldiers and frustrate the mighty armies that were too ponderous to respond swiftly.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Ahom warrior Lachit Borphukan and the battles of Alaboi & Saraighat

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(3) The earliest description of Bakhtiyar Khilji’s invasion of Bihar is in (64th BPSC)

(a) Tarikh-i Hind

(b) Tabaqat-i Nasiri

(c) Taj-ul Maasir

(d) Tarikh-i Mubarak Shahi

 

ECONOMY

CG Semi to roll out 1st ‘made in India’ chip soon, says IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: The first commercial semiconductor chip to be assembled in India will come out of CG Semi’s outsourced semiconductor assembly and testing (OSAT) facility in Gujarat’s Sanand, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Thursday. The chip will roll out from the company’s pilot line later this year.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What are semiconductors?

— Know about the Semiconductor Mission of India?

— How is the government promoting the ‘made in India’ semiconductor chips?

— What are the challenges associated with the manufacturing of semiconductors in India?

— What is India’s domestic policy on semiconductors?

Key Takeaways:

— During his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that ‘made in India’ semiconductor chips will be available in the market by the end of 2025.

— This unit had received the Union Cabinet’s nod in February 2024, and will be set up with a total investment of Rs 7,600 crore. The facility is being set up as part of a joint venture between CG Power and Industrial Solutions, Renesas Electronics America and Thailand-based Stars Microelectronics.

— Micron was the first company to have received the government’s approval for financial incentives under its ambitious Rs 76,000 crore India Semiconductor Mission. However, Micron is also first constructing a pilot line before a full scale facility, and its pilot line is of much larger magnitude compared to CG Semi’s, and could see first production in December 2025.

— Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet cleared four new semiconductor assembly and testing plants under its India Semiconductor Mission, which have a total financial outlay of Rs 4,594 crore.

— Vaishnaw also said that there will be a shortage of about 1 million semiconductor talents in the world by 2023 and Indians can fill that gap. He said the major objective of the semiconductor mission is to develop a talent pool for the world.

Do You Know:

— Most modern-day semiconductors are integrated circuits, also referred to as ‘chips’ — essentially a set of minute electronic circuits comprising transistors and diodes, as well as capacitors and resistors, and the myriad interconnections between them. Semiconductors are majorly made up of silicon and consist of millions or billions of transistors that act like miniature electrical switches that flip on and off to process data such as images, radio waves, and sounds.

— Semiconductors are an essential component of electronic devices, enabling advances in communications, computing, healthcare, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and countless other applications. They are highly complex products to design and manufacture, that provide the essential functionality for electronic devices to process, store and transmit data.

— The India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021. It is a strategic initiative undertaken by the government of India to promote the domestic semiconductor industry. Its goal is to improve semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities domestically and to encourage innovation, employment, and economic growth.

— The India Semiconductor Mission operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other relevant government bodies.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍UPSC Issue at a Glance | India’s Semiconductor Push: 4 Key Questions You Must Know for Prelims and Mains

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(4) The application of semiconductor covers:

1. Integrated circuit (IC) design

2. Packaging and testing

3. Raw material production

5. Wafer fabrication

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 3 and 4 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Govt extends import duty exemption on cotton till Dec 31 as 50% US tariffs come into effect

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: A day after steep 50 per cent US tariffs came into effect that has raised concerns of job losses in the textile industry, the Finance Ministry on Thursday extended the exemption on cotton import duty till December 31, a move that would help the Indian textile industry place long-term cotton import orders.

Key Points to Ponder:

— What is the Minimum Support Price?

— What are the challenges faced by the Indian textile industry in wake of tariffs from America?

— What is the rationale behind providing  import duty exemption to cotton?

— What are the problems faced by cotton producers in India?

— What are the favourable conditions for the production of cotton?

Key Takeaways:

— The import duty exemption on cotton has been a long-standing demand of the Indian industry, but the government has maintained an 11 per cent duty largely to protect small cotton farmers.

— Notably, cotton was among the four items that saw the sharpest increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) by the government in May this year as cotton production has been declining over the years.

— However, the exemption extended till December 31 would impact farmers as plucking of cotton starts from October and is offloaded in the market by March. The period between October and March is known as the peak season.

—  New Delhi-based think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) said that almost all of India’s $1.20 billion cotton imports in FY2025 were of staple length 28 mm or above, and that under the India–Australia ECTA, 51,000 MT of such cotton already enters duty-free. This means the biggest winner from India’s new duty-free window will be the US, GTRI said.

— An analysis by the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI) said that US textile and apparel imports have begun surging from countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh.

— India, after a promising performance in the first quarter of 2025, witnessed a notable slowdown in T&A exports to the USA. In June 2025, India’s exports grew by only 3.3 per cent compared to June 2024—much lower than its earlier growth trajectory and significantly below competitors such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, CITI said.

— Meanwhile, China continued to see a sharp decline in June 2025, with imports from China dropping by 41 per cent compared to June 2024—extending the downward trend observed since April 2025, the industry body said.

Do You Know:

— Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union Budget 2025 announced a 5 year mission focused on improving the production of cotton, particularly extra long staple (ELS) cotton. India is highly import dependent on ELS cotton fibres that are longer than 35 mm and are known for its use in making high-quality fabrics.

— Minimum support price (MSP) is the price at which the government is supposed to procure/buy that crop from farmers if the market price falls below it. MSPs provide a floor for market prices and ensure that farmers receive a certain “minimum” remuneration so that their costs of cultivation (and some profit) can be recovered.

— MSP was introduced in the mid-sixties when India was in food deficit. The government was keen to boost domestic production through green revolution technologies but realised farmers wouldn’t plant input-intensive high yielding wheat or paddy varieties unless guaranteed a minimum price. MSP was first fixed for wheat in 1966-67 at Rs. 54 per quintal.

— The MSPs are announced by the Union government on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.

— The Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices recommends MSPs for 22 mandated crops and fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) of the Union government takes a final decision on the level of MSPs.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Production of extra long staple fibre cotton to get boost: Nirmala Sitharaman

📍UPSC Essentials: One word a day — Minimum Support Price

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:

(5) The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of (2021)

(a) brown forest soil

(b) fissure volcanic rock

(c) granite and schist

(d) shale and limestone

 

EXPRESS NETWORK

Shut down by SC committee, bypass in fragile Uttarkashi zone gets state nod

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation

Mains Examination: General Studies-III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment

What’s the ongoing story: Over two weeks before the Dharali flash flood, the Uttarakhand Forest Department is learnt to have given in-principle approval to the contentious Netala bypass on the Uttarkashi–Gangotri route under the Chardham project — a proposal earlier shot down by the Supreme Court’s high-powered committee (HPC).

Key Points to Ponder:

— Where is the Netala bypass?

— What are Eco-Sensitive Zone?

— What is the Van (Sanrankshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam?

— What is chardham highway project?

— What is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

— How important is the environmental impact assessment in eco-sensitive zones?

Key Takeaways:

— The approval was issued to the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at the state level, not the central level, by invoking an exemption clause under the Van (Sanrakshan Evam Samvardhan) Adhiniyam, 1980.

— The clause exempts “strategic linear projects of national importance” from scrutiny by the Union government. Instead, such projects are cleared by a state-level screening committee, with final approval conditional on compensatory afforestation and settlement of forest rights.

— The bypass, proposed between Hina and Tekhla on NH-34 in Uttarkashi district, falls in the fragile Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone (BESZ), a 4,157 sq km expanse between Gangotri and Uttarkashi town.

— The BESZ was notified in 2012 to protect River Ganga’s ecology and watershed near its origin. The project involves diverting 17.5 hectares of forest land on the Dharasu–Gangotri route, requiring the felling of about 2,750 trees in untouched forests.

— In 2020, the Supreme Court’s high-powered committee, headed by ecologist Ravi Chopra, had recommended dropping the same bypass on ecological and social grounds and instead widening the existing NH-34.

— The committee had reviewed the government’s 900-km Chardham project — meant to widen and improve highways connecting Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — and submitted detailed recommendations for all stretches.

— Soon after the Dharali disaster, members of the Supreme Court’s high-powered committee — geologist Navin Juyal and environmental campaigner Hemant Dhyani — urged the Ministry of Road Transport not to pursue the Chardham highway in its current form. They also called for dropping the Netala bypass.

— Residents of Uttarkashi district, already protesting against fresh deforestation on the Gangotri stretch, demanded that the Netala bypass approval be scrapped and work on the Chardham project be halted.

Do You Know:

— The 900-km Chardham project is underway to widen and improve highways connecting four pilgrimage centres — Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath — and the Supreme Court granted it conditional clearance in 2021.

— Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has emerged as a mechanism to aid nations in walking the tightrope between economic development and environmental protection, ensuring that growth does not come at the expense of ecological sustainability.

— EIA is a systematic process used to evaluate the potential environmental effects – both positive and negative – of a proposed project or development before it is approved.

— The primary objectives of EIA include the prediction and evaluation of the environmental, economic and social impacts of development projects.

— It facilitates informed decision-making by providing in-depth analysis of a proposed project and promotes sustainable development by identifying potential negative effects early in the planning stage, while also suggesting appropriate alternatives and mitigating mechanisms.

— EIA also fosters popular participation in developmental decision-making by holding public consultations where citizens can express their concerns regarding a project.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Environmental Impact Assessment: Navigating the development-environment dilemma

Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:

How does the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification, 2020 differ from the existing EIA Notification, 2006? (UPSC CSE 2020)

ALSO IN NEWS
India, Canada hit reset, name new envoys	Almost ten months after India and Canada expelled each other’s high commissioners in a tit-for-tat move, both countries announced their new envoys on Thursday. “The appointments are an important step towards restoring necessary diplomatic services to citizens and businesses in both countries,” Canada said in a statement on Thursday.

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (d)       2. (a)        3. (b)      4. (d)     5. (b)

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