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Important topics and their relevance in UPSC CSE exam for August 30, 2024. If you missed the August 29th, 2024 UPSC CSE exam key from the Indian Express, read it here.
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-I, II, III: Geography, International Relations, Internal Security
What’s the ongoing story- Signalling some progress in diplomatic negotiations to resolve the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops that began in May 2020 along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh, India said Thursday that the two sides had a “frank, constructive and forward-looking” exchange of views in Beijing on the situation along the LAC to “narrow down the differences” and “find early resolution of the outstanding issues”.
Prerequisites:
— How LAC was demarcated?
— What is the border conflict between India and China?
— Map work: Depsang Plains, Demchok, Gogra-Hot Springs, Pangong Tso, and Siachen Glacier
Key takeaways:
— 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 remaining friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh primarily include legacy ones such as Depsang Plains and Demchok. The last formal disengagement along the LAC took place in September 2022 when both sides pulled back troops to disengage from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh.
— Friction points such as Galwan Valley, north and south banks of Pangong Tso and the Gogra-Hot Springs area have seen some amount of resolution since the beginning of the standoff with the creation of buffer zones along the LAC.
For Your Information:
— Ladakh certainly has been and will continue to remain a serious flashpoint. There are no borders here except a 1,597 km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC), a notional demarcation separating India and China since 1962.
— Even the LAC is not well defined. Both countries have differing perceptions. The patrolling is done till 65 earmarked Patrol Points (PPs) stretching from Karakoram to Chumur. The recent dispute points occurred at PP9, 10, 11, 12, 12A and 13 in Depsang, PP14 in Galwan, PP15 and PP16 in Hot Springs/ Chang Chenmo, and PP17 and 17A in Gogra.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the steps taken by India and China in resolving border disputes?
— What are the internal security challenges along the LAC?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
(1) Siachen Glacier is situated to the (UPSC CSE 2020)
(a) East of Aksai Chin
(b) East of Leh
(c) North of Gilgit
(d) North of Nubra Valley
Mains
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:
India-China border dispute: Beyond the hype, the reality of the LAC
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Economic Development
Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors, Indian Economy
What’s the ongoing story- After having committed nearly all of the $10 billion in subsidies under its ambitious semiconductor manufacturing incentive policy, the government has prepared a blueprint for the second phase of the scheme — it could increase the outlay of the programme to $15 billion.
Prerequisites:
— What is the significance of the semiconductor industry?
— What is a semiconductor fabrication plant?
Key takeaways:
— India has ambitions to become a major chip hub on the lines of the United States, Taiwan and South Korea, and has been courting foreign companies to set up operations in the country.
— So far, the country has approved a fabrication plant worth $11 billion being set up by Tata Electronics in partnership with Taiwan’s Powerchip, and three different chip assembly plants being set up by the Tatas, US-based Micron Technology, and Murugappa Group’s CG Power in partnership with Japan’s Renesas.
— The new scheme could see an increased focus on fabrication plants, and more advanced display technologies as India looks to climb the complexity ladder in the chips ecosystem, going beyond packaging and assembly plants where countries such as Malaysia already have a stranglehold.
For Your Information:
— This could also be significant given that about 70% of the current global manufacturing capacity is confined to South Korea, Taiwan and China, with the US and Japan making up for much of the rest, according to data from California-based semiconductor lobby organisation SEMI.
— Most modern-day semiconductors are integrated circuits, also referred to as ‘chips’… Fabs are the highly specialised semiconductor manufacturing facilities that print the miniaturised integrated circuits from the chip design into the silicon wafers.
— The fabrication process is intricate and requires clean rooms designed to maintain sterile conditions to prevent contamination by air particles. There could be between 500 and 1,500 steps in the overall manufacturing process of semiconductor wafers, requiring multiple inputs…
— But, more than the complexity of the manufacturing process itself, having a domestic fabrication plant is a big boost for India’s economic and strategic imperatives given that these chips are used in practically all downstream industries — from rockets to power steering in a car and toasters in the kitchen.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the significance of the semiconductor?
— What are the issues concerning domestic manufacturing of semiconductors?
— What is the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM)?
— India’s agreement with other countries (USA, Taiwan, EU) on cooperation in the semiconductor ecosystem.
Post Read Question:
(2) With reference to Semiconductor industry, consider the following statements :
1. The Indian government has created a dedicated task-force called the India Semiconductor Mission, which aims to serve as a focal point for an efficient implementation of India’s chip ambitions.
2. More than 90 per cent of the world’s most advanced chips required for almost all electronic equipment such as smartphones, car components, data centres, fighter jets and AI technologies, are made in South Korea.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
How India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant can help plug in to global value chain
Big leap for chip mission: 3 plants, Rs 1.26 lakh crore investment get Govt nod
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenisation of technology and development of new technology
What’s the ongoing story- India Thursday got its second nuclear submarine with the commissioning of INS Arighaat into the Navy, a move that will significantly boost the country’s deterrence capability.
Prerequisites:
— What are the features of India’s nuclear submarine?
— What is the INS Arihant project?
Key takeaways:
— The discreet commissioning ceremony of the Arihant-class vessel in Visakhapatnam was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
— INS Arighaat will join its predecessor INS Arihant strengthening the country’s nuclear triad — the ability to fire nuclear missiles from platforms in the air, land and sea.
— India gets second nuclear submarine with commissioning of INS ArighaatDefence Minister Rajnath Singh during the commissioning of INS Arighaat in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
India Thursday got its second nuclear submarine with the commissioning of INS Arighaat into the Navy, a move that will significantly boost the country’s deterrence capability.
— The discreet commissioning ceremony of the Arihant-class vessel in Visakhapatnam was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He said in his address that INS Arighaat will “enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country.”
— INS Arighaat will join its predecessor INS Arihant strengthening the country’s nuclear triad – the ability to fire nuclear missiles from platforms in the air, land and sea.
— The 6,000-tonne nuclear-propelled submarine will be armed with indigenously made K-15 missiles which have a range of over 700 km, and have undergone extensive trials over the last few months.
— Like INS Arihant, it is powered by 83 MW pressurised light-water reactors which allows it to remain submerged for longer periods when compared to conventional submarines.
— The INS Arihant project was initiated over three decades ago, involving Russian assistance, private companies and the research establishment. The first-in-class vessel was commissioned into the Navy in August 2016 and had conducted its first deterrence patrol in 2018, thus completing the establishment of India’s nuclear triad.
— INS Arihant had also carried out a successful launch of a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) in October 2022.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the advantages and disadvantages of the nuclear submarine?
— What are the different types of submarines?
— What are India’s submarine programs?
Post Read Question:
(3) Consider the following statements:
1. India’s first and only indigenously designed and constructed nuclear-powered submarine is INS Arihant.
2. The first submarine inducted into the Indian Navy was the Russian Foxtrot-class submarine INS Kalvari.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
New Scorpene class submarines for the Navy: Why they are a crucial buy
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: International Relations
What’s the ongoing story- Pakistan on Thursday said that it has invited India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Council of Heads of Government meeting to be held in October.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)?
— How has the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation evolved?
Key takeaways:
— Pakistan holds the rotating chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) and in that capacity, will host the two-day in-person SCO Heads of Governments Meeting in October.
— The SCO council of heads of government level is the second-highest body in the grouping. In the last seven years, since 2017, India has been represented at the level of External Affairs Minister or Defence Minister.
— In 2020, when India hosted the SCO head of government level meeting virtually, Pakistan was represented by Pakistan’s Parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs.
— The SCO heads of state level meeting is the highest body in the grouping, which is usually attended by Presidents and Prime Ministers. PM Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin attend the SCO heads of state level meeting.
— Pakistan’s then foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India in May 2023 to attend the in-person two-day meeting of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers in Goa, which was the first Pakistani foreign minister to visit India in almost 12 years.
For Your Information:
— SCO origins lie in the “Shanghai Five”, formed in 1996 and consisting of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
— With the dissolution of the USSR in 1991 into 15 independent countries, there were concerns in the region about extremist religious groups and ethnic tensions coming to the fore. To manage these issues, a grouping was created for cooperation on security matters.
— Building on this, SCO was established on June 15, 2001, in Shanghai as an international organisation, and also included Uzbekistan as a sixth member.
— The member countries are India, Iran, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus. Belarus joined SCO as the 10th member on 4th July 2024.
Points to Ponder:
— Is SCO relevant today?
— What is the significance of SCO for India?
— What are the challenges of the SCO?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
(4) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2022)
1. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
2. Missile Technology Control Regime
3. Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
India is a member of which of the above?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains
Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. What importance does it hold for India? (UPSC CSE 2021)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-III: Environment
What’s the ongoing story- How do you teach a migratory bird where to fly to? This was the question facing conservationists trying to re-establish the northern bald ibis — known for its distinctive black-and-green plumage, bald red head and long curved beak — in the wild in Europe.
Prerequisites:
— IUCN status and habitat of the northern bald ibis, or the Waldrapp
— What are migratory birds?
Key takeaways:
— These birds — known in German as Waldrapp — once soared over much of Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. By the 17th century, they were effectively hunted to extinction in the wild, with only a few colonies surviving in Morocco and Syria.
— Biologist Johannes Fritz and his Austria-based conservation group Waldrappteam have brought the bird’s population in central Europe from zero to almost 300 since 2002.
— But these birds, born of ancestors raised in zoos, do not instinctively know where to migrate to in winter…
— Initially, the birds were taught to fly from Bavaria to Tuscany in central Italy. This was the route that wild Waldrapps in central Europe historically flew. The first independent migration took place in 2011, and many birds have since flown on the roughly 550-km route.
— But the effects of climate change have meant that these birds are now flying later in the season. This leads them to cross the Alps in colder, more dangerous weather, and without the help of warm currents of air that rise upward and enable flying birds to conserve energy.
— This is why Waldrappteam pioneered a new, albeit much longer route last year, from Bavaria to Andalusia in southern Spain…
— Global warming threatens plant and animal species around the world. For migratory birds that undertake lengthy journeys to find ideal ecological conditions and habitats for feeding, breeding, and raising their young, climate change poses particular challenges.
— Studies show global warming is altering migration patterns, both routes and timing, exposing birds to new environments and conditions, affecting availability of food and habitat, and disrupting interactions between species. Some bird species have chosen not to migrate altogether, or to migrate to locations where they become invasive species, posing threats to others.
— This is why the conservation of the northern bald ibis is significant. “This method which we’ve developed with the bald ibis is urgently needed for an increasing number of other migratory bird species,” Fritz told The Guardian, adding that this is “a flagship project which indicates what is possible”.
For Your Information:
— The Sultanpur National Park in Farrukhnagar, Gurugram has reported a decrease of 20-30 per cent in the number of migratory birds this season, forest department officials said.
— Chahal said that the number of migratory birds had come down in many other areas including Bharatpur and Okhla. One of the reasons for this could be the change in temperature levels, he said.
Points to Ponder:
— What were the reasons for the extinction of Waldrapp?
— What is the impact of global warming on migratory birds?
— What steps need to be taken to protect the migratory species?
Post Read Question:
(5) Which of the following is not a bird? (UPSC CSE 2022)
(a) Golden Mahseer
(b) Indian Nightjar
(c) Spoonbill
(d) White Ibis
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Fewer migratory birds in Gurugram’s Sultanpur National Park this season
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: Government policies and interventions
What’s the ongoing story- The Assam Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriages and Divorces Bill, 2024, a proposed law with the stated objectives of preventing “child marriages” and “marriages without the consent of the parties”, and to “check polygamy”.
Prerequisites:
— What is polygamy?
— What are the Muslim Personal Laws on marriage?
Key takeaways:
— The registration of marriages and divorces between Muslims in Assam had been taking place under the colonial-era Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act, 1935.
— This Act was in line with Muslim personal law and authorised the state to grant a licence to “any person, being a Muslim” to register such marriages and divorces. There were 95 such Muslim registrars or kazis across the state, and they were deemed to be public servants.
— The Cabinet decided to scrap the law in February this year. In March, the government notified an Ordinance repealing the 1935 Act with immediate effect… On Thursday, the Assembly passed the Assam Repealing Bill, 2024 to replace the Ordinance.
— The government’s main argument for doing away with the 1935 Act was that it allowed the registration of marriages of and between minors.
For Your Information:
—- Under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006, any marriage below the prescribed age of 18 years for women and 21 for men is illegal, and the perpetrators of a forced child marriage can be punished. However, child marriages are illegal but not void. It is voidable at the option of the minor party. This means, the marriage can be declared void by a court only if the minor party petitions the court.
— The legal age of marriage is 18 and 21 for a woman and a man respectively, and marriage at a younger age comes under the banned practice of child marriage.
— Personal laws that govern marriage and other practices for communities prescribe certain criteria for marriage, including age…For Muslims, the criterion is attaining puberty, which is assumed when the bride or groom turns 15.
— At the same time, particular laws exist for the prohibition of child marriage: The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
— Under the Child Marriage Prevention Act, any marriage below the prescribed age is illegal and the perpetrators of forced child marriage can be punished.
— But the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act does not have any provision that says the law would override any other laws on the issue. So, there is a discrepancy between the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the Muslim personal law on the minimum age of marriage, and there is no clarity on what law supersedes the other.
Points to Ponder:
— What is the difference between Personal laws and the Special Marriage Act?
— What is the discrepancy in the age of marriage between the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and Muslim Personal Law?
— Why is child marriage still prevalent in India?
— What is the issue of the Unifrom Civil Code (UCC)?
Post Read Question:
Prelims
(6) Which Article of the Constitution of India safeguards one’s right to marry the person of one’s choice? (UPSC CSE 2019)
(a) Article 19
(b) Article 21
(c) Article 25
(d) Article 29
Mains
Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (UPSC CSE 2020)
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
Case in Supreme Court: Can an underage Muslim girl marry after attaining puberty?
Explained: Personal laws in marriage
UPSC Syllabus:
Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance
Mains Examination: GS-II: International Relations
What’s the ongoing story- Vivek Katju writes: Modi is one of the few international leaders to have visited both Moscow and Kyiv. He has constantly advocated the path of diplomacy and dialogue to end Russia’s Ukraine war. Indeed, Modi told Putin, in a face-to-face meeting in Uzbekistan, in September 2022, that this was not an era of war.
Prerequisites:
— What is the Russia-Ukraine war all about and what have been the key events?
— How has been the global support for Ukraine and what peace efforts have been made so far?
Key takeaways:
— “The dichotomy between PM Modi’s desire for peace and justice in Ukraine and the compulsions of India’s deep interests in Russia has been witnessed since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.”
— There is a historical parallel going back four decades to what the West and Ukraine want of India at this stage. That parallel lies in the situation which arose in Afghanistan following the Soviet intrusion in that country on Christmas Eve of 1979. India was deeply unhappy with the Russian action but like now, then too, it did not publicly criticise Russia.
— By the mid-1980s, as India’s ties warmed up with the US and as it became clear that Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev wanted to withdraw from a “bleeding ulcer”, the US urged Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to use his influence on Russia to hold firm to its intention to withdraw. However, when India wanted a say in a post-Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, it virtually told India to lay off.
— The Ukraine war has impacted the Global South adversely and it has international geopolitical implications involving the US and China. However, at its core, it is a European war. It has upset the European security architecture.
— The fact is that on the Ukraine issue, the US and its allies on the one side and China and Russia on the other have locked horns. Ultimately it is they that have to unlock them. Do they see a role for other powers, including India? There is nothing to suggest that they want India and others to do anything but condemn Russian action and apply economic pressure.
— Modi is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Ukraine. The fact is that Indian-Ukraine relations got off to a bad start. It is now perhaps forgotten that Ukraine supplied Pakistan with over 300 T-80 battle tanks over India’s strenuous objections.
— Ukraine was also one of the few countries to have used the word “condemned” for India’s nuclear tests of 1998. Naturally, this cast a long shadow over the relationship.
Points to Ponder:
— What are the challenges in the India-Ukraine relationship?
— What are the areas of cooperation between India and Ukraine relationship?
— What is the significance of Global South for India?
Post Read Question:
(7) Which country is expected to announce an additional $275 million in military aid for Ukraine?
(a) India
(b) China
(c) United States
(d) United Kingdom
Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:
When PM Modi meets President Zelenskyy
Express View on Modi-Zelenskyy meet: Momentous in Kyiv
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