UPSC Key: India-Sri Lanka Relations, Eastern Maritime Corridor and POSH Act

Dissanayake reaches Delhi, his first foreign trip after coming to power, pacts readied

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: India and its neighborhood- relations.

What’s the ongoing story: India and Sri Lanka are expected to sign four pacts, including one on cybersecurity, after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Key Points to Ponder:

• India-Sri Lanka Relations-Know the historical background

• How are India-Sri Lanka relations now?

• What are the recent developments in India-Sri Lanka relations?

• Personality in News: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake

• How does the Sri Lankan government under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake present opportunities and challenges for India?

• ‘The ethnic issue in Sri Lanka remains a sensitive topic’-How India is supporting Tamil aspirations while ensuring Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and sovereignty?

• “Regional economic integration with South India is the best long-term bet for Sri Lanka”-Analyse

Key Takeaways:

• Dissanayake, is on a State visit to India from December 15 to 17. It’s his first overseas visit after being elected President in September. Dissanayake will be participating in a business event in New Delhi and will also visit Bodh Gaya.

• During the visit, President Dissanayake will meet President Droupadi Murmu and hold discussions with Prime Minister Modi on “bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.”

• The fact that his first overseas visit after assuming office is to India signals the importance that the new Sri Lankan President, who defeated the traditional political parties ruled by the political elite, attaches to bilateral ties.

• The visit by AKD — as he is popularly called — is expected to provide an opportunity to review ties between the two countries and look at the future prospects under the new leadership in Colombo.

• This will be an opportunity for India to hear about Dissanayake’s plans, first hand, on Indian investments, views on regional security and his approach towards Tamil minority rights in the country among other issues.

• The invitation to visit New Delhi was extended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who visited Colombo less than a fortnight after Dissanayake’s victory. Jaishankar was the first foreign minister to visit Sri Lanka since the National People’s Power (NPP) government led by Dissanayake came to power on September 23.

• The President’s visit was on hold until the completion of the parliamentary election in November when his NPP recorded a historic win, gaining absolute control of the 225-member Parliament.

•India had been supportive of Sri Lanka’s economic stability and recovery from the very start, and was the first country to give financing assurances which enabled the IMF to finalise the Extended Fund Facility. India had given USD 4 billion financial and humanitarian support during the economic crisis in 2022.

Do You Know:

• India and Sri Lanka share a multifaceted relationship characterized by deep historical ties, economic cooperation, and strategic collaboration. The both nation continues to build upon their historical connections, focusing on economic development, defense cooperation, and cultural exchanges to foster a robust and mutually beneficial partnership.

• In September 2024, Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected as Sri Lanka’s President. Despite his party’s historical scepticism towards India, Dissanayake has acknowledged India’s crucial role in Sri Lanka’s security and economic development. He has not indicated a preference for prioritizing relations with China over India, suggesting a balanced foreign policy approach.

• In July 2024, India and Sri Lanka unveiled a vision for deeper economic ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the importance of fulfilling the aspirations of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. The two countries agreed to conduct feasibility studies on a petroleum
pipeline and land bridge connectivity, aiming to enhance trade and energy cooperation.

• The 10th edition of the joint military exercise ‘Mitra Shakti’ commenced in August 2024 at the Army Training School in Maduru Oya, Sri Lanka. This annual exercise, conducted alternately in India and Sri Lanka, aims to enhance interoperability and share best practices between the two armies.

• During Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, India extended significant support. In May 2024, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister acknowledged India’s assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic downturn, highlighting the importance of strengthening ties based on good neighbourly relations.

• In October 2024, a ferry service between Nagapattinam in India and Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka was launched, marking a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral relations. This service is expected to enhance connectivity, promote trade, and reinforce longstanding cultural bonds between the two nations.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Friends and neighbours

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
1. Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE, 2020)
1. The value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade has consistently increased in the last decade.
2. “Textile and textile articles” constitute an important item of trade between India and Bangladesh.
3. In the last five years, Nepal has been the largest trading partner of India in South Asia.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍India is an age-old friend of Sri Lanka.’ Discuss India’s role in the recent crisis in Sri Lanka in the light of the preceding statement. (UPSC CSE, GS2, 2022)
📍In respect of India — Sri Lanka relations, discuss how domestic factors influence foreign policy. (UPSC CSE, GS2, 2013)

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

The wage challenge

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

What’s the ongoing story: Manish Sabharwal Writes: Reversing our gaze by moving from a bird to a worm’s eye policy view of the daily life of employers suggests private, productive, formal non-farm jobs that pay higher wages need digitising, decriminalising and rationalising regulatory cholesterol.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the major challenges faced by entrepreneurs in India?

• Discuss the role of government reforms like Jan Vishwas 1.0 and Jan Vishwas 2.0 in reducing the compliance burden on entrepreneurs?

• Critically analyse the significance of civil service reform in addressing India’s wage challenges?

• The article suggests focusing on urbanisation, financialisation, and formalisation as solutions to India’s wage challenges. Evaluate the efficacy of these strategies in achieving sustainable economic growth and higher wages.

• The concept of “self-exploitation” in agriculture is mentioned as a barrier to economic progress. Discuss the implications of this for India’s labour force and suggest strategies to transition from farm employment to higher-productivity non-farm jobs.

• Critically evaluate the proposal for a National Open Compliance Grid (NOCG) to address compliance challenges in India. How can this initiative contribute to increasing productivity and wages?

Key Takeaways:

• The irony of trying to raise employee wages without employer productivity — encouraged by overselling of fiscal and monetary policy — stands exposed because the flow of jobs since 1991 has not reduced the stock of farm employment despite government spending increasing from roughly Rs 1 lakh crore in 1991 to Rs 100 lakh crore.

• As our wage challenges shift from chronic (long-term) to acute (immediate), reversing our gaze by moving from a bird to a worm’s eye policy view of the daily life of employers suggests private, productive, formal non-farm jobs that pay higher wages need digitising, decriminalising and rationalising regulatory cholesterol.

• Many of our wage challenges arise from global changes in the world of work; manufacturing creates fewer jobs per rupee invested than before, the trade political backlash implies rising tariffs for exports, and the multi-decade global growth outlook is weaker because of prosperous countries ageing and debt.

• Modern states must redistribute — especially if companies generate higher profits — but rich country governments face a backlash because of the illiberality of unelected power in universities, journalism, and central banks (the US Fed balance sheet grew from $1 trillion to peak at $9 trillion through quantitative easing that should never have been invented).

Do You Know:

• India’s wage challenges are different, the understanding lens suggests there are no poor people but people in poor places; your wages depend on your state (Karnataka and UP have the same GDP with a five times differential in populations), your city (if everybody in India lived in Bangalore, India’s GDP would be more than China), your sector (if everybody in India worked in software, India’s per-capita GDP would be higher than England), your firm (if every Indian firm was as productive as TCS, India’s per-capita GDP would be higher than Germany), and your skills (wages double for security guards who can double up as polite and effective office receptionists). This suggests our agenda should include urbanisation, factories, financialisation, formalisation and human capital.

• The Nobel Prize economist Daniel Kahneman suggested that we instinctively step on the accelerator to go faster but better results come from releasing the brake; shifting the view from a bird to a worm identifies three vectors around regulatory cholesterol; rationalisation, digitisation and decriminalisation.

• The rationalisation vector is hard since it now equates with civil service reform — our 25 million civil servants have shifted from being a steel frame to a steel cage — because of thought worlds like prohibited till permitted and guilty till innocent.

• The digitisation vector involves adding compliance to our unique Digital Public Infrastructure through a National Open Compliance Grid (NOCG) to enable paperless, presence-less, and cashless employer compliance. Recent announcements about a Unique Enterprise Number (PAN 2.0) and Enterprise Digilocker lay strong foundations for NOCG.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 What sluggish salaries and slowdown in Indian economy might mean

UPSC Prelims Practice Question Covering similar theme:
2. What is the function of the National Open Compliance Grid (NOCG) as suggested in the article?
a) To enhance the financial capital of private firms.
b) To create compliance through paperless, presence-less, and cashless mechanisms.
c) To increase agricultural productivity by leveraging digital platforms.
d) To monitor fiscal policy at the state level.

THE IDEAS PAGE

An unravelling in Syria

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

What’s the ongoing story: Syed Ata Hasnain Writes: The speed at which the situation in Syria has spiralled into anarchy defies all logic. With the availability of the best surveillance systems, eyes in the sky, eavesdropping capabilities and artificial intelligence, there should hardly be scope for strategic surprise in the world of military and quasi-military affairs.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Syria, Syria’s neighbouring Countries

• Discuss the geopolitical significance of Syria in the Middle East

• What are the role of regional and extra-regional actors in the Syrian conflict?

• The rise of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has introduced new complexities in the Syrian crisis. Evaluate the implications of HTS’s ascendancy for regional stability and global security.

• With the weakening of Iran’s influence in the Levant and the potential disruption of its supply chain to Hezbollah, examine the strategic consequences for Iran-Israel relations.

• The Syrian conflict has shown how insurgent groups adapt and evolve over time. Examine the role of HTS and similar groups in shaping the security dynamics of the Middle East.

• The collapse of governance in Syria highlights the importance of addressing mismanagement and external influences in fragile states. Suggest measures for rebuilding governance in post-conflict Syria.

Key Takeaways:

• The issue here is the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime which represents the Ba’ath Party; the latter has been in power in one form or another since 1963.

• Syria has largely been a secular society; while promoting plurality, an Alawite (Shia) minority has ruled without any pretence of democracy. It has been strategically aligned with Shia Iran from where Syria has received much of its weaponry and funding.

• The existence of a pro-Iran regime in Syria facilitated Iran’s proxy war strategy in the Levant. A civil war broke out in Syria in 2011 after the Assad regime targeted exponents of the Arab Spring who were demanding greater democracy.

• After the defeat of ISIS in 2018, the civil war ebbed. The pandemic in 2020-21 saw it at a very low pitch. The chaotic withdrawal of the US from Afghanistan, the Ukraine war and then Gaza — all of these took attention away from Syria between 2020 and ’23. Which is why it is surprising that the Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) managed to build itself up to such a militarily powerful position as to rout the Syrian Army.

• HTS was a progressively evolving organisation which morphed from the Al-Nusra Front, which had itself split from Al-Qaeda in 2016.

Do You Know:

• The Syrian civil war began around the “Arab Spring” of 2010, dubbed so as many countries in the Middle East and North Africa saw uprisings against authoritarian governments that had been in power for decades. In some nations, such as Tunisia and Egypt, ruling governments were forced out. In most others, governments and militaries crushed the movements.

• Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is a former al-Qaeda affiliate previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra (Al Nusra Front) and designated a terrorist group by the US, Russia and Turkey, among other nations.

• Syrian rebels led by the extremist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has retained control of Idlib since 2020, advanced eastward toward Aleppo, the second-largest city in the country.
—Two days later, Syrian insurgents seized control of Aleppo, forcing the Syrian army to redeploy and announce a “temporary withdrawal”.
—The rebel attack was also the first time since 2016 that opposition forces have seized territory in Aleppo.

• In March 2020, Turkey (which has historically backed Syrian rebels) and Russia (which has allied with the Assad regime) entered into a ceasefire deal in Idlib. This has remained in place, with the HTS retaining de facto control of the province since then.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍 Explained: The state of the war in Syria, and the bloody battle for Idlib

Previous year UPSC Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
3. Consider the following pairs: (2018)
Towns sometimes mentioned in news Country
1. Aleppo Syria
2. Kirkuk Yemen
3. Mosul Palestine
4. Mazar-i-sharif Afghanistan
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2
(b) 1 and 4
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 3 and 4

What Manipur needs

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: 

• General Studies III: Linkages between development and spread of extremism and Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security

• General Studies III: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

What’s the ongoing story: Prakash Singh Writes: The primary concern should no doubt be to put down violence. This should, however, be quickly followed or even accompanied by an effort to address the grievances, find a middle ground, reconcile differences.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Manipur Violence-what you know till now?

• What do you understand by the term ‘ethnic violence?

• What is the cause of ethnic violence in Manipur?

• Analyse the role of ethnic conflicts and tribal insurgencies in escalating the crisis in Manipur.

• What was the triggering factor that escalated to so much violence in Manipur?

• What do you understand by ‘Insurgency’?

• What is the difference between militant and insurgent? How militancy is different from insurgency?

• Know these terms-Terrorism, Insurgency, Belligerency and Civil war

• What are the roots of the Kuki insurgency?

• Manipur has been in the cross-currents of India’s oldest insurgent movements-why?

• History of conflict in Manipur-Know in detail

• Critically evaluate the WHAM (Winning Hearts and Minds) approach in resolving internal conflicts.

Key Takeaways:

• Manipur is a classic example of how not to deal with an internal security problem. Not that it is a simple problem. It is an explosive cocktail of ethnic conflicts, tribal insurgency, drug trafficking, and infiltration from across the Myanmar border.

• What has gone wrong in Manipur? The Government of India is, unfortunately, treating the situation primarily as a law and order problem.

• There was a recrudescence of violence in the state recently. Our response has been to send 90 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) to the state and impose the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the jurisdiction of six police stations in the Valley areas, including at Jiribam. There are, as of date, a total of 288 CAPF companies (CRPF-165, BSF-104, RAF-8, SSB-6, ITBP-5) assisting the state police.

• The state has been saturated with forces. However, what Manipur needs today is a healing touch. Unfortunately, there is hardly any meaningful political initiative and there are few confidence-building measures. And so, the state is sinking into an abyss.

• The Government of India seems to have forgotten the simplest of lessons in dealing with the tribal unrest. The primary concern should no doubt be to put down violence. This should, however, be quickly followed or even accompanied by an effort to address the grievances, find a middle ground, reconcile the differences, form peace committees at different levels, and take such political initiatives which convince the people of the government’s sincerity and inspire confidence. There should be, what is called, the WHAM approach — winning hearts and minds.

• According to Prakash Singh, The Prime Minister should visit Manipur at the earliest. The people of Manipur are in fact waiting for him and any initiative from his side is almost certain to be accepted by the warring factions.
—The PM should declare President’s Rule in the state and send, as governor, a dynamic police or army officer of integrity who has experience in counter-insurgency, preferably someone who has served in the northeast.
—The administration would need to be completely revamped. There are senior officers who are more concerned about saving their skin rather than dealing fearlessly with situations which present formidable hazards. They will have to be replaced.
—It should be made clear to all and sundry that there would be no compromise on the integrity of Manipur.
—The unified command should go hammer and tongs against three groups of people irrespective of the community or tribe they belong to: Those indulging in or inciting violence; those trying to give a religious colour to the conflict and have been responsible for vandalising temples or churches; and those involved in drug trafficking.
—There should be a well-organised attempt to disarm people of the unlicensed and prohibited bore weapons they may have acquired from any source. A time limit should be given and those found holding such weapons after the expiry of that time limit should be booked under the National Security Act.

Do You Know:

• It was on May 3, 2023, that ethnic violence erupted in Manipur between the Meiteis, a majority that lives in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki-Zo tribals, who inhabit the surrounding Hills. So far, a total of 258 people are reported to have lost their lives in the internecine conflicts and more than 60,000 people have been displaced. A sinister aspect of these conflicts is that 386 religious structures were vandalised by the rioters.

• Recently, tensions started building on November 11, when 10 militants of the Hmar tribe were reportedly killed in an encounter with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in the Jiribam district.

• On November 16, there were violent protests in Manipur during which houses of ministers and MLAs were attacked for the government’s failure to curb the escalating violence. The very next day, the second-largest ally of the BJP-led Manipur government, the National People’s Party, withdrew support for it for its failure to restore normalcy in the state.

•The Meiteis are the largest community in Manipur. There are 34 recognized tribes, which are broadly classified as ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ and ‘Any Naga Tribes’. The central valley in the state accounts for about 10% of the landmass of Manipur, and is home primarily to the Meitei and Meitei Pangals who constitute roughly 64.6% of the state’s population. The remaining 90% of the state’s geographical area comprises hills surrounding the valley, which are home to the recognized tribes, making up about 35.4% of the state’s population.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Remember Manipur

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
4. What approach is suggested for resolving internal security issues in Manipur?
a) Deploying additional armed forces and imposing AFSPA indefinitely.
b) Winning Hearts and Minds (WHAM) approach combined with peace committees.
c) Strengthening state police with no federal intervention.
d) Encouraging community-driven initiatives without government involvement.

ECONOMY

New eastern route cuts down shipping time, costs; promises to boost India-Russia trade

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Midway through 2024, as India surpassed China to become the largest buyer of Russian oil, the operationalisation of a new sea route – the Eastern Maritime Corridor – is beginning to play an increasingly significant role in boosting commodity trade between the two countries, especially crude oil shipments to India.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Map Work-Mark Chennai and Vladivostok

• Examine the strategic significance of the Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC) in strengthening India-Russia bilateral trade relations.

• “The operationalisation of the Eastern Maritime Corridor is not just about economic gains but also has geopolitical implications for India.” Discuss.

• Evaluate the role of shipping cost reductions and other factors in making Russian crude oil a preferred choice for Indian refiners despite declining discounts.

• Compare the traditional St. Petersburg-Mumbai trade route with the Chennai-Vladivostok corridor in terms of economic efficiency and strategic importance for India-Russia relations.

• Discuss how the establishment of the Eastern Maritime Corridor could influence India’s energy security and broader trade strategies with Russia and other countries.

• Analyse the broader economic implications of India’s rise as the largest buyer of Russian oil in 2024.

Key Takeaways:

• The new eastern route from Chennai to Vladivostok is translating into savings on two counts: shipment times between the two countries and thereby transportation costs.

• Trading of commodities such as crude, coal and LNG have already commenced via the new eastern route since early this year, while others products including fertilisers and containerised cargo that warrant longer-term commitment from both parties are also now being shipped.

• “With the operalationalisation of the Eastern Maritime Corridor between Vladivostok and Chennai, ships carrying crude oil, metals etc are now coming to Indian ports. This new route has significantly reduced the transit time between the two countries,” Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told The Indian Express.

• According to Shipping Ministry data on cumulative shipments through 2024, the top import items in value terms were crude oil, project goods, coal and coke, vegetable oils and fertilisers. When it comes to exports to Russia, the top five products by value that were exported from India through this route were processed minerals, iron and steel, tea, marine products, tea and coffee.

• In terms of quantity, the import data showed that the top five commodities were petroleum crude, coal and coke, fertilisers, vegetable oil and iron and steel, while quantity wise, the top export commodities were processed minerals, iron and steel, tea, granite and natural stones, processed fruits and juices.

Do You Know:

• The Chennai-Vladivostok sea route covers a distance of about 5,600 nautical miles and is estimated to have reduced the time required to transport cargo between the Indian and Russian Ports of the Far East Region by up to 16 days. The time taken has come down to 24 days compared to over 40 days that it takes to transport goods to India from the west of Russia via Europe. This traditional trade route between Mumbai and St Petersburg in Russia spans a distance of 8,675 nautical miles, and the time taken for transportation is 40 days or more.

• A large ship that travels at the normal cruising speed of around 25 knots (about 45 kilometres/hour) takes about 12 days to cover the distance between Vladivostok and Chennai, less than a third of the time taken through the traditional St Petersburg-Mumbai sea route.

• Vladivostok is the largest Russian port on the Pacific Ocean, and is located about 50 kilometres from the Sino-Russia border. On the Indian side, Chennai, and other eastern ports including Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Tuticorin, Ennore and Kolkata are being leveraged as docking points, depending on the cargo type and the eventual destination for the shipments.

• In July this year, India – world’s third-largest consumer of crude oil with a high import dependency level of over 85 per cent – had surpassed China as the largest buyer of Russian oil.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: The sea route from Chennai to Vladivostok

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
5. Consider the following pairs of imports through the Eastern Maritime Corridor in 2024:
1. Petroleum crude – Top import by value
2. Fertilisers – Top import by quantity
3. Processed minerals – Top export by quantity
Which of the pairs are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Pakistan’s economic crisis: Will the IMF’s $7-bn bailout stabilise economy, stem youth exodus?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

What’s the ongoing story: Amid fresh reports of the World Bank cancelling a $500 million loan for a clean energy programme, Pakistan’s cash-strapped economy continues to lurch from one crisis to the next as it waits for a bailout. 

Key Points to Ponder:

• What is CPEC?

• What are CPEC’s implications for India?

• Discuss the impact of repeated IMF bailouts on Pakistan’s economic sovereignty and structural reforms.

• Critically examine the challenges faced by Pakistan in sustaining Chinese investments under CPEC.

• “Economic reforms in Pakistan are often hampered by political instability and short-term policy measures.” Analyse this statement

• The youth exodus and brain drain are significant challenges for Pakistan. Examine the underlying causes and suggest policy measures to retain talent within the country.

• Evaluate the role of the Special Investment Fund Council (SIFC) in Pakistan’s economic decision-making process. Do you think the growing influence of the military in economic matters is sustainable in the long term?

• Despite showing signs of recovery, Pakistan’s economy remains fragile. Identify the key areas requiring immediate attention to ensure sustainable economic growth.

• Internet restrictions in Pakistan have affected the country’s IT export growth. Discuss the trade-off between national security and economic priorities in this context.

Key Takeaways:

• In September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif successfully secured a $7 billion package from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This deal was accompanied by a commitment to break Pakistan’s long-standing reliance on bailout programmes that it has taken recourse to at least 20 times since 1958.

• A study by Karachi-based Pulse consultants said that close to a million workers have left Pakistan since 2008, and that exodus is only gaining momentum. ILO reports too flags alarming rate of unemployment.

• The IMF package could help Pakistan’s economy stay afloat, at least temporarily. The World Bank, in its October update noted that the Pakistani economy is showing signs of recovery. Following the recession in FY23, economic activity bounced back in FY24.

• The IMF loan comes to Pakistan with an uncomfortable precondition: stopping Chinese investments. Pakistan has to stop all incentives to the investors from China, including tax breaks and subsidies to any new or existing special economic zones.

• As per the IMF deal, Pakistan must bring retail, agriculture and export sectors into normal tax regime by imposing tax hikes and abolishing exemptions.

Do You Know:

• Since June 2023, the Special Investment Fund Council (SIFC) — a federal government body and investment promotion agency that works under the Pakistan’s PMO — is said to be looking after the major financial decisions. However, the involvement of the army in this context is taken with a pinch of salt.

• This year so far, Pakistan has achieved $3.2 billion of IT exports with a growth of 24 per cent from the previous fiscal. PM Sharif wants to achieve $25 billion in the next three years. However, the internet curbs, due to political instability, are not helping the cause.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍China keen to invest USD 1 billion in Pakistan to establish medical city

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
6. With reference to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout packages, consider the following statements:
1. Pakistan has taken recourse to IMF bailout programmes more than 20 times since its independence.
2. One of the IMF’s conditions for Pakistan’s latest loan was to halt tax breaks and subsidies for Chinese investments.
3. IMF packages for Pakistan typically include reforms aimed at broadening the tax base.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3
Previous year UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme:
📍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. (2018)

EXPLAINED

Does POSH Act apply to political parties? Here’s what to know

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

Main Examination: General Studies II: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

What’s the ongoing story: The Supreme Court on Monday (December 9) heard a PIL stating that the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) should apply to political parties.

Key Points to Ponder:

• Who does the POSH Act apply to?

• Could the POSH Act apply to political parties?

• What has ECI’s stand been on getting political parties to comply with other laws?

• Discuss how the absence of a structured grievance redressal mechanism for sexual harassment in political parties impacts the trust and credibility of these organisations.

• Discuss the scope and limitations of the POSH Act with reference to political parties.

• Examine the ethical implications of not addressing sexual harassment complaints within political parties.

• Discuss the challenges in defining “workplace” and “employer” within the framework of the POSH Act when applied to political parties.

• Analyse the constitutional and legal provisions that empower the Election Commission of India (ECI) to regulate political parties. How can these provisions be leveraged to ensure compliance with the POSH Act?

Key Takeaways:

• The court directed the petitioner, advocate Yogamaya M G, to first approach the Election Commission of India (ECI) as they were the competent authority “to prevail upon the recognised political parties for creation of an in-house mechanism to deal with complaints of sexual harassment” in a way that is consistent with the provisions of the POSH Act.

• This case has sparked a conversation on how the POSH Act applies — if at all — to organisations like political parties, which often lack a traditional workplace structure.

• On the subject of political parties, the court held that there is no “employer-employee relationship with its members” and political parties do not carry out “any private venture, undertaking, enterprises, institution, establishment, etc. in contemplation of a ‘workplace’ (under the POSH Act)”. As such, the court held that political parties “are not liable to make any Internal Complaints Committee”.

Do You Know:

• The POSH Act requires both public and private workplaces to set up an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) to hear complaints of sexual harassment. The plea in question claims that when it comes to political parties “the presence of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) to address sexual harassment is inconsistent”.

• Section 3(1) of the POSH Act states that “No woman shall be subjected to sexual harassment at any workplace”. This immediately tells us how the POSH Act will apply — at the workplace, and only when the aggrieved party is a woman.
• The definition of “workplace” in the POSH Act is expansive. It includes organisations, institutions, and so on in the public sector which are “established, owned, controlled or wholly or substantially financed by funds provided directly or indirectly by the appropriate Government”, as well as organisations in the private sector, hospitals, nursing homes, sports venues, houses, and even covers locations visited by an employee “during the course of employment”.

• The Representation of People Act, 1951 (RP Act), governs how to register a political party. Under Section 29A “Any association or body of individual citizens of India calling itself a political party” must make an application for registration with the ECI. This application must provide details including the name of the party, the State where its head office is situated, the names of office bearers, details of local units, and number of members.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Explained: What is POSH, the law against sexual harassment in India?

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
7. Consider the following statements regarding the POSH Act, 2013:
1. The POSH Act mandates the formation of Internal Complaints Committees (ICCs) in workplaces.
2. The Act applies to all organisations, including private, public, and informal workplaces.
3. Only women can be the aggrieved party under the POSH Act.
4. Political parties are explicitly covered under the POSH Act.
Which of the above statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1, 2, and 3 only
(c) 1, 2, 3, and 4
(d) 2 and 4 only

ROLE OF ‘SANTAANA’ WINDS, CLIMATE CHANGE IN DRIVING MALIBU WILDFIRES

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Main Examination: General Studies III: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

What’s the ongoing story: Fire crews continue to battle a wildfire in the wealthy coastal town of Malibu, California, which began on December 9. The so-called Franklin Fire has charred more than 4,000 acres and affected about 22,000 people.

Key Points to Ponder:

• What are the ‘Santa Ana’ winds?

• What is the role of climate change?

• How do such winds impact the region’s ecology and climate patterns?

• Explain how changes in global climatic conditions have influenced the frequency and intensity of wildfires?

• Discuss the long-term implications of such wildfires on the environment and human life.

• “Climate change has significantly altered the wildfire patterns in California.” Examine this statement with reference to scientific evidence and suggest measures to mitigate the impacts of wildfires.

• Analyse the role of anthropogenic activities in exacerbating wildfire intensity globally.

Key Takeaways:

• Evacuation orders and warnings have gone out to 20,000 Southern California residents Tuesday as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near celebrities’ seaside mansions, horse farms and Pepperdine University, the sheriff’s department said.

• The “stubborn fire” is 0% contained and has drawn some 1,500 firefighters, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone said at a news conference Tuesday night. He said a preliminary aerial assessment estimates that seven structures were destroyed and eight
structures damaged.

• The blaze has grown to more than 2,800 acres (1,133 hectares) — 600 acres (243 hectares) alone on Tuesday, according to Marrone.

Do You Know:

• Santa Ana winds blow when high pressure builds over the Great Basin — the area between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada (a mountain range in the Western United States) — and the pressure is low over California’s coast. The difference in pressure triggers the movement of powerful winds from the Basin’s inland deserts, east and north of Southern California, over the mountains toward the Pacific Ocean.

• As the wind comes down the mountains, it compresses and heats up. The wind’s humidity also drops, sometimes to less than 20% or even less than 10%. The extremely low moisture turns vegetation dry, making it ready to burn. This process helped fuel the flames in Malibu.

• Santa Ana winds usually occur from October to January. “Winter weather patterns allow high pressure to build near the surface of the Great Basin, which then interacts with low-pressure air over the Pacific,” Rose Schoenfeld, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard, California, told Bloomberg.

• Santa Ana-driven wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape. However, experts say the wildfire season in California has lengthened in recent years. For instance, a 2021 study, published in the journal Nature Scientific Reports, found that the state’s annual burn season has lengthened in the past two decades and that the yearly peak has shifted from August to July.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

📍Celebrities and coastal residents flee from wind-driven wildfire in Malibu

UPSC Practice Prelims Question Covering similar theme:
8. Which of the following statements regarding the ‘Santa Ana’ winds is/are correct?
1. Santa Ana winds are dry and hot winds that originate from the Great Basin.
2. They are caused by the difference in pressure between the Great Basin and the Pacific Ocean.
3. These winds generally occur during the monsoon months in California.
4. They decrease the humidity of the air, making vegetation more susceptible to wildfires.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
(a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(b) 1, 2, and 4 only
(c) 2, 3, and 4 only
(d) 1, 3, and 4 only

PRELIMS ANSWER KEY

1. (b)  2. (b) 3. (b) 4. (b) 5. (a) 6.(d) 7.(b) 8.(b)

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