TOPIC: GS 2 Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Free and open Indo pacific
What is the news?
U.S secretary of defence Lloyd Austin’s visit to New Delhi over march was significant for bilateral ties and cooperstion on Indo –pacific and Afghanistan
Importance
- The early visit indicates the place India , holds on par with the other two countries he visited prior to India with Japan and South Korea
- Quad lead summit , confirms the U.S ‘s focus on greater by maritime cooperation in the Indo –pacific
- Mr . Austin trip preceded an unannounced stop in Kabul where the U.S is undertaking a major review of its troop pull –out schedule and peace plan
- They also discussed India’s challenges from china
- On India front discussion with External Affairs Minister S .Jaishankar include three areas are bilateral ties , Indo pacific and Afghanistan
- Bilateral front
- The two sides agreed to boost their defence relationship through the use of three foundational agreement e LEMO , COMCASA AND BESCA
- To increase cooperation in the areas of information sharing and logistics , artificial intelligence , space, and build more linkages with U.S commands
- Indo pacific strategy
- India is affirmed resolve to maintain a free, open , and inclusive Indo –pacific region with U.S as part of the Quad
- Afghanistan
- Mr .Austin is part of decision making process over whether U.S will stick to its May 1 deadline to pull out all remaining troops and to proceed forward in the Intra –Afghan dialogue
- The U.S does not thus far appear to have heeded India ‘s concern on talks with Tailban , making any talks where Pakistan is also involved and prioritizing the needs of the government in Kabul
Concern
- S made it clear the Biden administration is committed to CAATSA sanctions against all countries procuring high value Russia military hardware and said determination on India would only come after New Delhi takes delivery of S-400 missile system
- Mr . Austin also raised the issue of human rights in India , over J&K issue
Way forward
U.S defence secretary was careful not to make any direct reference to Beijing or about LAC dispute , which New Delhi considers a bilateral issue .
Mains question
U.S role is free and open Indo pacific. Discuss
Source : https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/free-and-open/article34135125.ece
TOPIC : GS 2 Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein.
Delhi administration as tail wagging the dog
What is the news?
The government of NCT of Delhi (amendment) bill , 2021 wil reduce the elected government to mere vestigial organ
History
- “India that is Bharat , shall be union of states” , when the constitution came into force there were four kinds of states called parts A,B,C and D states
- With last two ( C&D)administrated by centrally appointed chief commissioners with no locally elected assemblies to aid and advise them .
- Delhi was initially made a part C state . Its population then was around 14 lakh people.
- In 1956 ,when the constitution of India was amended to implement the provision of states Reorganization act , only two categories namely states and union territories remained in the Indian Union
- Delhi then became a union territory to be administered by an administrator appointed by the president .
- The legislative assembly of Delhi and the council stood abolished
- Ten years later , the Delhi administration act 1966 provided for a limited representative government in Delhi through Metropolitan Council comprising 56 elected members and five nominated members
- In 1987 , the Balakrishna committee was set up to submit its recommendation with regard to the status to be conferred on Delhi
- In 1989 the committee recommended that Delhi should continue to be union territory but that there must be legislative assembly and council of ministers responsible to said assembly with appropriate powers
- Based on 69th constitutional amendment act and the government of national capital territory of Delhi (GNCT) Act 1991 were passed
- This Amendment roughly restored the kind of governance system the kind of governance system that was conferred to Delhi in 1952 , a union territory with legislative assembly a council of ministers and an elected chief minister
- This limited reincarnation has continued to hold the field to date ,despite several efforts to progress to full or near statehood
Provision
- Bill seeks to amend in context of legislation passed by Delhi assembly, all references to the to the government would mean “lieutenant governor”.
- Widening of Discretionary Powers of LG :The Bill further seeks to ensure that the L-G is necessarily granted an opportunity to exercise the power entrusted to him under proviso to clause (4) of article 239AA of the Constitution, in select category of cases and also to make rules in matters which incidentally encroach upon matters falling outside the preview of the Legislative Assembly.
- The proviso to article 239AA , which empowers the L-G to refer a difference of opinion with council of ministers to the president , does not mean that the administrator is given an opportunity to come up with a difference of opinion on every decision made by ministry .
- Instead of parliament identifying the matter on which the L-G opinion should be sought , the bill proposes that L-G himself would specify such matters
- The amendment also declares void any rule that empowers the assembly or its committee to discuss any matter of day to day administration or conduct enquiries amount to rollback of representative government
Way forward
The ‘union territory’ concept is one of the many ways in which India regulate relations between centre and its units. It should not be used to subvert the basis of electoral democracy
Mains question
Discuss the consequence of recent amendment bill of GNCTD
TOPIC: GS 2 India and its Neighborhood- Relations.
Getting it right on LAC disengagement
These have occurred at multiple points along the LAC, from Ladakh to Natu La in Sikkim.
- Activation of a new diplomatic front by Nepal against us.
- The nature and kind of intrusions have altered. They have become more firm and appear to have been premeditated and planned.
- The confrontation is not purely a border issue. It not just the difference in perception of
LAC. Galwan Valley, which is one of the main points of confrontation, has not witnessed an
intrusion for the last 15 to 20 years.
Possible reason for attempt by china to violate LAC and create tension
- The construction of the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulet Beg Oldi (DSDBO) road. (Connects Ladakh’s capital city Leh, via the villages of Darbuk and Shyok at southern Shyok Valley, with the Daulat Beg Oldi post near the China border.)
- Upgrading of our defence logistics infrastructure.
- China has acquired tangible strategic and financial stakes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Gilgit-
Baltistan, that was not there earlier, they are now more apprehensive of the safety of their projects.
- China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has increased their stake. The surgical strikes that we carried out, the airstrike on Balakot which was about 30 kilometres away from one of the projects are things which are of heightened concern in Beijing.
- They have a larger global agenda. They are intent on securing that rather than allowing us to
become free and move out of the South Asia box, which is where they want to keep u
Way forward
At the end of 10th round of the India –china corps commander level meeting , two sides have positively appraised the smooth completion of disengagement at pangong ,acknowledging that it was significant step that provided a good basis for resolving the remaining issues along the LAC.
PRELIMS PUNCHERS
- Pangong lake
The endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and West Tibet situated at an elevation of 4,225 m It is 134 km long and divided into five sub lakes, called Pangong Tso, Tso Nyak, Rum Tso (twin lakes) and Nyak Tso. Approximately 50% of the length of the overall lake lies within Tibet, 40% in Ladakh and the rest is disputed but controlled by China. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. It has a land-locked basin separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge, but is believed to have been part of the latter in prehistoric times.
The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/getting-it-right-on-the-lac-disengagement/article34135168.ece
- Karakoram Pass
The mountain pass between India and China in the Karakoram Range. It is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin. ‘Karakoram’ literally means ‘Black Gravel’ in Mongolic. Travelling south from the pass involved three days’ march across the barren Depsang Plains at about 5,300 m .To the north, the country was somewhat less desolate and involved travellers crossing the relatively easy and lower Suget Pass before reaching the lush grazing grounds around Shahidullah or Xaidulla in the upper valley of the Karakash River.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/getting-it-right-on-the-lac-disengagement/article34135168.ece
- Atal Rohtang pass
It is a highway tunnel built under the Rohtang Pass in the eastern Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas on the Leh-Manali Highway in Himachal Pradesh, India. At a length of 9.02 km, it is the longest tunnel above 10,000 feet in the world and is named after former Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The tunnel reduces the travel time and overall distance between Manali and Keylong on the way to Leh. Tunnel has been planned to ensure an all-seasons, all-weather road route to strategically important areas of Ladakh and the remote Lahaul-Spiti valley. However, the tunnel will provide this connectivity only up to Darcha, north of Keylong in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh. Connectivity to Ladakh will require more tunnels: either at Shikun La or at the passes located on the present Leh-Manali road.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/getting-it-right-on-the-lac-disengagement/article34135168.ece
- Non-refoulement
It is a fundamental principle of international law that forbids a country receiving asylum seekers from returning them to a country in which they would be in likely danger of persecution based on “race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion”. Unlike political asylum, which applies to those who can prove a well-grounded fear of persecution based on certain category of persons, non-refoulement refers to the generic repatriation of people, including refugees into war zones and other disaster locales. It is a principle of customary international law, as it applies even to states that are not parties to the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol. It is also a principle of the trucial law of nations.
Article 3 of the 1933 Convention relating to the International Status of Refugees contained the first mention of non-refoulement in international law and prevented party states from expelling legally-residing refugees or turning away refugees at the borders of their home countries. This treaty was ratified by only a few states and gained little traction in international law
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/an-unconscionable-act/article34134759.ece
- National wildlife board
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is constituted by the Central Government under Section 5 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA). The Standing Committee shall consist of the Vice-Chairperson (Union Minister in charge of Forests and Wildlife) the Member Secretary and not more than ten members to be nominated by the Vice-Chairperson from amongst the members of the National Board. The WLPA mandates that without the approval/recommendation of the NBWL, construction of tourist lodges, alteration of the boundaries of PAs, destruction or diversion of wildlife habitat and de-notification of Tiger Reserves, cannot be done.
Source: https://www.conservationindia.org/resources/mandate-of-the-standing-committee-of-the-nbwl
PRELIMS QUESTION
Qn.1.Consider the following statement regarding National Board for wildlife
- It is constituted by the Central Government under of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1976 (WLPA)
- Union Minister in charge of Forests and Wildlife is chairman of the board
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b) 2 only
(c). Both (d). None of the above
Answer : D
The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is constituted by the Central Government under Section 5 A of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA). The Standing Committee shall consist of the Vice-Chairperson (Union Minister in charge of Forests and Wildlife) the Member Secretary and not more than ten members to be nominated by the Vice-Chairperson from amongst the members of the National Board. The WLPA mandates that without the approval/recommendation of the NBWL, construction of tourist lodges, alteration of the boundaries of PAs, destruction or diversion of wildlife habitat and de-notification of Tiger Reserves, cannot be done.
Qn 2.Consider the following statement regarding Atal Rohtang pass
1.It is an Cirque lake spanning eastern Ladakh and West Tibet
2.It has a land-locked basin separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge
Select the correct statement using code given below.
(a). 1only (b) 2 only
(c). Both (d). None of the above
Answer : B
The endorheic lake spanning eastern Ladakh and West Tibet situated at an elevation of 4,225 m It is 134 km long and divided into five sub lakes, called Pangong Tso, Tso Nyak, Rum Tso (twin lakes) and Nyak Tso. Approximately 50% of the length of the overall lake lies within Tibet, 40% in Ladakh and the rest is disputed but controlled by China. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. It has a land-locked basin separated from the Indus River basin by a small elevated ridge, but is believed to have been part of the latter in prehistoric times.
The lake is in the process of being identified under the Ramsar Convention as a wetland of international importance. This will be the first trans-boundary wetland in South Asia under the convention.