🚨 Attention: UPSC Key is now all 7 Days a Week!🚨 Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for September 7, 2024. If you missed the September 6th, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here. 🚨 The Indian Express UPSC Essentials brings to you the August edition of its monthly magazine. Click Here to read. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨 Front A thaw in chill: Delhi, Male hold defence talks UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: GS-II: International Relations What’s the ongoing story- For the first time since India withdrew its uniformed military personnel from the Maldives early this year, New Delhi and Male held a defence dialogue here Friday at the level of top officials where they discussed “ongoing defence cooperation projects” and “forthcoming bilateral military exercises”. Prerequisites: — What is the ‘India out’ campaign? — What is the Indian Ocean Region? — What is SAGAR's vision? Key takeaways: — This is significant since a chill has gripped bilateral relations since President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office last year on the plank of his “India Out” campaign. — According to an official statement by the Defence Ministry on the 5th Defence Cooperation Dialogue between India and the Maldives, “the entire range of talks was “productive” which will advance shared interests of both the nations in the near future and bring stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region.” — Soon after coming to power in November 2023, Mohamed Muizzu, seen as pro-China, requested India to withdraw its military personnel from his country. Muizzu had defeated incumbent Solih on the “India Out” plank. — Faced with a deadlock, the two countries agreed on February 2 this year that between March 10 and May 10, India would pull out 80-odd military personnel stationed in the Maldives. — In August, in the first high-level visit to Maldives since Muizzu came to power, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar went to Male to discuss bilateral cooperation. He framed Maldives as “one of the cornerstones of our ‘Neighborhood First’ policy… one of our Vision SAGAR, as well as of our commitment to the Global South… — In 2020, India had gifted a Dornier aircraft to Maldives and in 2019 handed over a patrol vessel. Last year, New Delhi had also given a coastal radar system to Male. — Last year, Defence minister Rajnath Singh and his then Maldivian counterpart, Mariya Didi, had laid the foundation stone for the Coast Guard ‘Ekatha Harbour’ at Sifavaru in Uthuru Thila Falhu (UTF) atoll, which is among the biggest Indian grant-in-aid projects in Maldives. — A year earlier, Modi and then Maldives President Solih kickstarted the Greater Male Connectivity Project (GMCP)—a $500-million project financed by India. PM Modi had also announced that India will provide 24 vehicles and a naval boat and will build police facilities on 61 islands of the country. For Your Information: — Significance of Maldives for India: Location and maritime security: Maldives’ proximity to the west coast of India, and its location at the hub of commercial sea lanes running through the Indian Ocean imbues it with significant strategic importance to India. The security scenario in India’s periphery in the Indian Ocean is very much linked to the maritime strength of Maldives. — Defence: This is the reason why India invests on Maldives’ security by training its defence forces. Estimates suggest that almost 70 per cent of Maldives’ defence training is done by India… — China: India is obviously concerned at the expanding Chinese footprint there. So, from a purely strategic perspective, India needs Maldives on its side to secure its maritime periphery, keep an eye on the Indian Ocean, and check the influence of China in its neighbourhood. Points to Ponder: — India-Maldives: Historical evolution of the relationship, trade and economic ties, defence, recent MoUs, and hydrographic surveys — What is the significance of Maldives for India’s commitment to Global South? (Thought Process: Mention the essentials that India supplies to Maldives, India’s support in Maldives’ education system, the economic dependence of Maldives on India–tourism–and India’s significant role during disasters.) — What are the major challenges to the India-Maldives relationship? Post Read Question: Prelims (1) India and Maldives are separated by which of the following channels? (a) Seven Degree Channel (b) Eight Degree Channel (c) Nine Degree Channel (d) Ten Degree Channel Mains In light of the Maldives’ growing closeness with China, evaluate the necessary steps India must take to reinforce its historical bonds with Maldives and effectively implement its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ to mitigate potential security challenges. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: India-Maldives ties: Amid row, why the two countries need each other and what is at stake Explained Why La Nina is delayed, and how could it still impact India’s weather UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Geography Mains Examination: GS-I, III: Geography, Environment What’s the ongoing story- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said last week that neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions were prevailing over the Indian Ocean, and there was a higher likelihood of La Niña conditions developing "during end of the monsoon season"-that is, towards the end of this month. Prerequisites: — How does La Nina impact the Indian monsoon? — Key terms: Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) Key takeaways: — La Niña (or ‘The Little Girl’ in Spanish) is a phase of what climatologists refer to as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a phenomenon that is a key driver of global natural climate variability. — ENSO is characterised by changes in sea temperatures along the tropical Pacific Ocean due to atmospheric fluctuations overhead. These changes alter and interfere with the global atmospheric circulation, and influence weather worldwide. — Occurring in irregular cycles of anywhere between two to seven years, ENSO has three phases — warm (El Niño or ‘The Little Boy’ in Spanish), cool (La Niña), and neutral. — During the neutral phase, the eastern Pacific (off the northwestern coast of South America) is cooler than the western Pacific (around Philippines and Indonesia). This is because prevailing trade winds — caused by Earth’s rotation, between 30 degrees north and south of the equator — move east to west, sweeping warmer surface water along with them. The relatively cool waters from below rise to the surface to replace the displaced water. — These wind systems weaken in the El Niño phase, leading to lesser displacement of warmer waters off the American coasts. Consequently, the eastern Pacific becomes warmer than usual. The opposite happens in the La Niña phase i.e. trade winds become stronger than usual and push larger quantities of water to the western Pacific. — In India, El Niño is associated with suppressed rainfall during the monsoon season, while La Niña is known to help monsoon activity. — Anthropogenic climate change has exacerbated the impact of both El Niño and La Niña-related hazards, including high temperatures, heavy precipitation and droughts. — There is no single reason behind the predictions being off the mark. Moreover, while almost all predictions got the onset timing wrong, they were largely accurate about the severity of the upcoming La Niña, expected to be fairly weak this time around. — La Niña is known to enhance the rainfall during the southwest monsoon… Since the monsoon has already reached its fag end, and La Niña conditions are yet to emerge in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the climatic phenomenon will play no direct role in the country’s rainfall at the moment. — During La Niña years, climatologically there are high chances of frequent cyclogenesis, with storms having above-average intensity, and longer-than-average life. This will be something that Met officials and administrators will be watching out for. — Lastly, La Niña years in the past have typically seen harsher, colder winters. Points to Ponder: — Functioning of La Nina and El Nino — How does monsoon occur in India? — What are the conditions that determine the onset of monsoon? Post Read Question: Why is the South-West Monsoon called ‘Purvaiya’ (easterly) in has this directional seasonal wind system influenced the region? (UPSC CSE 2023) Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: What is La Nina, expected to set in later this year, and how it could impact global weather How agriculture in Haryana differs from Punjab UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country What’s the ongoing story- Both Haryana and Punjab are seen to embody the best and the worst of the Green Revolution-they helped India turn self-suf- ficient, if not surplus, in rice and wheat, but also imposed steep environmental costs through the monocropping of rice-wheat. But like the grains of wheat and rice are apart, field realities in Punjab are very different from those in Haryana. Prerequisites: — What is the green revolution? — What is monoculture agriculture? Key takeaways: — Rice-wheat monoculture — farmers growing just the two crops during the kharif (monsoon) and rabi (winter-spring) seasons respectively, year after year — is an apt description for Punjab’s agriculture. — Punjab ranks third in both wheat and rice output. But India has only eight major wheat-producing states, as against 16 for rice. Rice is also a water-intensive crop, requiring about 25 irrigations compared to 4-5 for wheat. The problem of too much production — also reflected in the fiscal cost of procuring and stocking surplus grain — and depleting groundwater tables in Punjab, thus, stems more from rice than wheat. — Haryana presents a far less of a monoculture cropping pattern… Rice accounts for less than half of the state’s kharif crop area. Wheat, too, has just over three-fourths share of the overall rabi season acreage. Haryana farmers cultivate a fairly varied crop mix that includes cotton, bajra (pearl millet) and guar (cluster bean) in kharif, and rapeseed-mustard, chana (chickpea) and sunflower in rabi. — Even within rice, 56.2 per cent of the average area in Haryana during 2019-20 to 2023-24 was planted to basmati varieties. Basmati paddy also consumes less water. — Basmati paddy, unlike regular non-basmati varieties, is not procured at a fixed minimum support price (MSP) by government agencies. This rice is largely exported or sold at a premium in the domestic market. There is no “surplus” problem from growing basmati — and that is what is predominantly planted in Haryana. — Haryana’s more diversified cropping profile, extending to the rice varieties being cultivated, has a lot to do with agro-ecological factors. The state’s extensive canal network of 1,594 channels having a length of 14,814 km… — Haryana, in recent times, has sought to promote crop diversification through MSP procurement and price deficiency payments under a Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana (BBY) scheme. For Your Information: — Ashok Gulati , Reena Singh write: “The Centre and Punjab government deserve compliments for starting a new scheme to diversify agriculture and help farmers shift away from paddy. It gives them an incentive of Rs 17,500 per hectare to shift to less water-guzzling crops in the kharif season.” — “The benefits of diversifying away from paddy in this belt are well-known. It will save their soil from degrading, save groundwater depletion, reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and promote much-needed crop biodiversity.” Points to Ponder: — What is the Minimum Support Price (MSP)? — What are the challenges of the agriculture sector in India? — What are the problems of paddy cultivation in Punjab and Haryana? Post Read Question: Prelims (2) Which of the following factors/policies were affecting the price of rice in India in the recent past? (UPSC CSE 2020) 1. Minimum Support Price 2. Government's trading 3. Government's stockpiling 4. Consumer subsidies Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1, 2 and 4 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Mains How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers? (UPSC CSE 2017) Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: How to help Haryana and Punjab move away from paddy to less water-guzzling crops Express Network Process time-taking, but Project Cheetah a success: Bhupender Yadav UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: GS-III: Environment What’s the ongoing story- The work on Project Cheetah has been a time-taking process but it has been a success, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said Friday ahead of the project’s second anniversary. Prerequisites: — What is Project Cheetah? — What is the role of the National Tiger Conservation Authority? — Locations: Kuno National park and Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary Key takeaways: — Yadav’s comments come over a week after the death of Pawan, the male cheetah which was found dead on August 27 near a stream in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. — The cheetah, which was translocated from Namibia, reportedly died due to drowning. However, the Madhya Pradesh government is yet to rule out unnatural causes such as poisoning. — Project Cheetah began with the reintroduction of eight cheetahs from Namibia and South Africa in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh. As of now 25 cheetahs — 13 adults and 12 cubs — survive. — The government is currently developing Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary as the second home for the African cheetahs. Prey base of ungulates is being augmented in the protected area and the field staff also has its task cut out on the issue of relocating leopards, who are a competing predator of the cheetahs in the sanctuary. — Meanwhile, the National Tiger Conservation Authority and Project Cheetah steering committee are also deliberating on finalising the source population for importing the next batch of cheetahs for the project. One of the key objectives of the project is to introduce eight to 14 cheetahs annually for five years, subject to availability. For Your Information: — The project aims to reintroduce the graceful feline in India. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals and can, in short sprints on open ground, reach speeds in excess of 100 kph. — Asiatic Cheetahs were once abundant in India but their numbers dwindled over the centuries due to loss of habitat and widespread hunting. The last cheetah in the country died in 1952. — The animals brought from Namibia and South Africa are the Southeast African cheetahs – a different subspecies. Points to Ponder: — What were the reasons for the extinction of cheetahs in India? — What are the challenges of Project Cheetah? — What are the other similar projects of the Indian government? Post Read Question: (3) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2012) 1. Black-necked crane 2. Cheetah 3. Flying squirrel 4. Snow leopard Which of the above are naturally found in India? (a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 1, 3 and 4 only (c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4 Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: One year of Project Cheetah: Hits, misses and paradigm shift ahead Editorial At a strategic crossroads UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: GS-II, III: International Relations, Internal Security What’s the ongoing story- Arun Prakash writes: Even as the 31st meeting of the diplomatic Working Mechanism on India-China Border Affairs concluded infructuously in end-August, our gallant jawans prepare for yet another winter in eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation with the Chinese PLA on frigid Himalayan heights. Prerequisites: — What are the Belt and Road Initiative and Maritime Silk Road? — What are the border conflicts between India and China? Key takeaways: — China launched multiple other enterprises, aimed at undermining India’s position in the Indian Ocean Region. Schemes like the Belt and Road Initiative and Maritime Silk Road touted by Beijing as geo-economic initiatives served to arouse fears of “strategic encirclement” in India. — The Maldives had, as far back as 2012, cancelled a major airport modernisation contract with an Indian firm in favour of a Chinese company… Similarly, in August, it was an egregious misreading of popular Bangladeshi sentiment that saw the fall of PM Sheikh Hasina’s India-friendly regime, catching New Delhi by surprise. — These events, juxtaposed with India’s prickly relationships with Nepal and Sri Lanka, raise two pertinent questions about the reasons for this loss of influence in our neighbourhood. — One, why is India, despite its self-image of a sagacious and benign “Vishwaguru/ Vishwamitra”, still perceived as a “big brother/bully” by its neighbours? — Two, are we underestimating the adverse impact in neighbouring capitals of divisive domestic politics and unchecked provocative utterances, both aimed at swaying the Indian electorate? — India’s nuclear-armed neighbours, China and Pakistan, harbour territorial ambitions and have been repeatedly instigating provocations that divert national resources from developmental priorities. Despite claims to a rich heritage of “strategic culture”, India’s statecraft and military posture have thus far failed to deter these adversaries from seeking their revanchist goals. — As our “strategic elite” grapples with the complexities of our security environment, three areas of serious concern deserve early attention. First, even as the spectre of Chinese military and technological dominance looms large, a far greater, economic and strategic vulnerability lies hidden in our ballooning trade deficit (currently, $85 billion). — Second, our continuing reliance on defence imports is a serious constraint on our cherished “strategic autonomy” as well as military capabilities…. Initiatives like Atmanirbharta, though highly laudable, involve significant gestational delays and we must forge partnerships with like-minded nations to establish alternative supply chains. — Third, in the rarely mentioned domain of nuclear deterrence, both our adversaries have gained qualitative and quantitative advantages. China has enhanced the numbers, yield and accuracy of its arsenal and Pakistan’s claims have gone from “credible minimum deterrence” to “full spectrum deterrence”. — Strategic alliances are an important tool of statecraft, which can significantly reinforce national security. India needs insurance against hegemony and domination to create space in which to nurture its economy and bridge technology gaps while boosting its military muscle. — As it prepares to fight its own battles, India needs to seek external balancing. If realpolitik so demands, it must break old shibboleths and strike new partnerships – keeping national interest supreme. For Your Information: — The MEA, in its statement, said, “The 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on 29th August 2024 in Beijing…the two sides had a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues”. — The expression “narrow down the differences” has been used for the first time in the bilateral talks on the border standoff and, in diplomatic parlance, indicates progress in the negotiations. Points to Ponder: — What are the other border conflicts of India? — What are the steps taken by India and China in resolving border disputes? — What are the security challenges for India along the border areas? Post Read Question: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (UPSC CSE 2018) Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: LAC talks: India, China for ‘intensified contact’ to ‘narrow down differences’ The Ideas Page Not talking about Caste UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: GS-I: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India What’s the ongoing story- Sanjay Srivastava writes: “There is a popular idea in some sections of Indian society that describing the caste system actually intensifies its effects and that if you don’t talk about caste, it will, somehow, go away. The idea of not talking about caste as a strategy of addressing it has a relatively long history in the modern life of the nation.” Prerequisites: — What is the caste system in India? — Why caste system is still prevalent? — What is the colonial construct of criminal caste? Key takeaways: — If there is one thing Rahul Gandhi has learnt, it is that one can only afford to forget caste — and think yourself beyond it — if one does not suffer from any of its ill-effects. — Those who do not think that caste is important are usually the ones whose life chances have not been affected by it. The ability to forget caste indicates privilege and not the absence of caste. — Caste discrimination operates both formally and informally, visibly and invisibly. There is no such thing as a “caste-free” context in India and caste identity is fundamentally related to one’s life chances. — Informal discrimination (everyday attitudes, say) lead to low self-worth and formal ones (lack of material resources, for example) define the kinds of activities one is able to pursue and career choices that become available. — Caste as aptitude, inclination and behaviour has a relatively long history. Some of this history — such as that which relates to the nature of the so-called criminal castes and tribes — is of colonial origin. — However, the key point is the manner in which it constitutes shared consciousness and cultural wealth among the privileged. Within this way of thinking, specific castes are “genetically” meritorious and inherently suited towards certain activities, while others lack the attributes of merit. — Caste hierarchy creates a form of cultural wealth through inventing “meritorious” capacities for “people like us” and violent and uncivilised characteristics for others. It is this that forms the informal means of discrimination that Rahul Gandhi’s comments about beauty pageants should direct us to. — The absence of “lower castes” from such events results from the persistence of both informal and formal processes of caste discrimination about who can do what. Points to Ponder: — How does the assertion of Dalit identity work towards the annihilation of caste? — Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static? — Views of Gandhi and Ambedkar on Caste Post Read Question: “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, the caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (UPSC CSE 2018) Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: How to look at Manusmriti and the Caste System A silent epidemic stalks UPSC Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: GS-I: Society What’s the ongoing story- V Anantha Nageswaran and Shailender Swaminathan write: India is poised for rapid economic growth, potentially spurred by a young population driving production and demand. In the process, inevitably, lifestyles are being dramatically altered for the worse. India now reports the highest growth of ultra-processed food consumption among the youth, as well as low levels of exercise and adequate sleep. Prerequisites: — What do you understand by ‘mental illness’? Key takeaways: — Cultural changes, including smartphones and a preponderance of English in schools, are also associated with weakened family relationships. — Until recently, in the absence of extensive data, the role of these factors on mental well-being, encompassing our full range of mental capability, was not well understood. — Recent findings based on a large database of over 1,50,000 individuals in India are beginning to shed light on the correlates of mental well-being among adolescents. The findings are dire. There is a silent epidemic of mental ill-health in India. — Previous studies have found that ownership of smartphones is “frying” the brain. Data also suggests that it is not merely the ownership of a phone but also the early age of access that is associated with worse cognition and mental well-being as young adults. — Analysis of recently collected data suggests that the earlier age of access to smartphones is associated with a lower likelihood of college completion. The American philosopher David Henry Thoreau remarked over 175 years ago, “Technology is an improved means to an unimproved end.” — India reports the highest growth in consumption of ultra-processed foods. Some evidence suggests that these foods are as addictive as smoking. Recent data globally and from India shows a strong association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and poor mental well-being, particularly the capacities for emotional and cognitive control. — Finally, data shows that family closeness is strongly associated with better mental well-being, in particular, mood and outlook, and the ability to relate to others. Teenagers responding to the surveys in the regional language report substantially stronger family bonds and a better ability to relate to others than their counterparts responding in English. — The positive association between physical exercise and mental well-being is well established, particularly with respect to energy, the experience of pain, and the ability to focus. The challenge is to inculcate a habit of exercise despite constraints… — India’s economic growth is closely tied to the youth, so we must intervene before it’s too late. — Addressing the mental health epidemic is both urgent and important. Otherwise, in a few years, we will realise that the modern lifestyle — smartphones and processed foods — has eviscerated India’s demographic dividend. For Your Information: — According to Indu Bhushan, “Suicide rates in India are amongst the highest when compared to other countries at the same socio-economic level. According to WHO, India’s suicide rate in 2019, at 12.9/1,00,000, was higher than the regional average of 10.2 and the global average of 9.0. Suicide has become the leading cause of death among those aged 15–29 in India.” — “While every precious life lost through suicide is one too many, it represents only the tip of the mental health iceberg in the country, particularly among young adults. Women tend to suffer more. Across the world, the prevalence of some mental health disorders is consistently higher among women as compared to men.” Points to Ponder: — Think about this quote from an Essay and Ethics perspective - “Technology is an improved means to an unimproved end.” — What are the steps taken by the Indian government to promote mental wellness? — How are children vulnerable to mental health issues? Post Read Question: Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. (UPSC CSE 2023) Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: Why we need to focus on mental health ALSO IN NEWS Formalised ‘gender apartheid’: Taliban's morality law against women Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has directed officials to enact Afghanistan’s “morality law”, formalising and codifying the restrictions on women and other groups in the country. Jaishankar: IMEC will be cornerstone of global connectivity External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) will be a cornerstone of global connectivity with the potential to add to growth and resilience across the world. Read More: India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor: Significance and Prospects for India The law and the ground realities of passive euthanasia In 2018, the Supreme Court recognised the legality of ‘passive euthanasia’ for terminally-ill patients, holding that the ‘right to die with dignity’ forms a part of the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India… PRELIMS ANSWER KEY 1. (b) 2. (d) 3. (b) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
