🔆In Israel’s floundering, their future, and ours
The crisis is the sign of the times — a future more authoritarian and in the grip of exclusionary nationalisms
The plan includes four major changes:
The government wants to enable the 120-member parliament, or Knesset, to override any Supreme Court judgement by a simple majority of 61 votes unless those rulings are unanimous.
Another bill takes away the High Court’s determination that it can strike down Basic Law in cases where the Knesset has misused its authority.
Israel has no constitution, and many of the rights and freedoms that its people enjoy are contained in Basic Law.
Also, a law has been proposed that would give a greater role to lawmakers in the appointment of Supreme Court judges.
As of now, a committee comprising professionals, justices and lawmakers elevate judges to the top court.
The new change would provide lawmakers a majority in the committee
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial
The crisis is the sign of the times — a future more authoritarian and in the grip of exclusionary nationalisms
The plan includes four major changes:
The government wants to enable the 120-member parliament, or Knesset, to override any Supreme Court judgement by a simple majority of 61 votes unless those rulings are unanimous.
Another bill takes away the High Court’s determination that it can strike down Basic Law in cases where the Knesset has misused its authority.
Israel has no constitution, and many of the rights and freedoms that its people enjoy are contained in Basic Law.
Also, a law has been proposed that would give a greater role to lawmakers in the appointment of Supreme Court judges.
As of now, a committee comprising professionals, justices and lawmakers elevate judges to the top court.
The new change would provide lawmakers a majority in the committee
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial
Forwarded from UPSC Editorial analysis
🔆Niger is again facing political turmoil, military troupe ousted democratically elected president
Why western nations have their troupes in Niger?
The United States, France, Italy and Germany have troops there on military training and missions to fight Islamist insurgents. Niger is also the world's seventh-biggest producer of uranium, the radioactive metal widely used for nuclear energy and in nuclear weapons, as well as for treating cance.
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial
Why western nations have their troupes in Niger?
The United States, France, Italy and Germany have troops there on military training and missions to fight Islamist insurgents. Niger is also the world's seventh-biggest producer of uranium, the radioactive metal widely used for nuclear energy and in nuclear weapons, as well as for treating cance.
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial
Forwarded from Anmol Vachan Quotes ( UPSC prelims mains )
Forwarded from Anmol Vachan Quotes ( UPSC prelims mains ) via @QualityButtonCreatorbot
Forwarded from CSE EXAM ( UPSC prelims mains)
🔆Indo-Australia Relations
✅ The 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (DPT) were held recently.
▪️Historical Perspective
✅ The historical ties between India and Australia started immediately following European settlement in Australia from 1788.
✅ All trade to and fro from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata.
✅ India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, with the establishment of India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
✅ The end of the Cold War and simultaneously India’s decision to launch major economic reforms in 1991 provided the first positive move towards development of closer ties between the two nations.
▪️Strategic Relationship
✅ Australia and India upgraded bilateral relationship from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
▪️Quad Leaders’ Summit:
✅ The first-ever Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit held in 2021 saw the participation of Prime Ministers of India, Australia, Japan and President of USA.
✅ The subsequent quad summits were held in Washington D.C in 2021 (in-person), in Tokyo in 2022 and again at in Hiroshima in 2023.
▪️Bilateral Economic and Trade Relationship
✅ As part of its efforts to develop strong economic relationship with India, the Australian Government commissioned the India Economic Strategy to 2035 to define a pathway for Australia to unlock opportunities offered by Indian Economic growth.
▪️The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement ("IndAus ECTA”):
✅ Under this the Indian IT companies will not be double taxed with effect from the financial year 2023-24.
▪️India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC):
✅ It was established in 1989 to enable interaction at a government and business level on a range of trade and investment related issues.
✅ The 18th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was held on 11 March 2023 in New Delhi.
▪️Bilateral Trade:
✅ India is 9th largest trading partner of Australia.
✅ During 2021, Bilateral trade in goods and services with India was US$ 31.1 billion, with exports of goods and services worth US$ 12.5 billion and imports of goods and services worth US$ 18.6 billion.
✅ India’s merchandise exports to Australia grew 135% between 2019 and 2021.
▪️India’s main exports to Australia are:
✅ refined petroleum,
medicaments (incl. veterinary),
✅ pearls & gems,
✅ jewellery,
✅ made-up textile articles
▪️India's major imports are:
✅ coal,
✅ confidential items of trade,
copper ores & concentrates,
natural gas,
✅ non-ferrous waste & scrap,
ferrous waste & scrap and
education related services.
✅ Civil Nuclear Cooperation
A Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in September 2014.
✅ The Australian Parliament passed the “Civil Nuclear Transfer to India Bill 2016” in 2016 which allows that Uranium mining companies in Australia to fulfil contracts to supply Australian uranium to India for civil use.
✅ Exports would not be hindered by domestic legal action challenging the consistency of the safeguards applied by the IAEA in India and Australia’s international non-proliferation obligations. I
also ensures that any future bilateral trade in other nuclear-related material or items for civil use will also be protected.
▪️Defence Cooperation
✅ The first-ever Bilateral Maritime Exercise, AUSINDEX 15, was conducted in Visakhapatnam and the Bay of Bengal in 2015.
✅ An Australian Naval ship HMAS Larrakia participated in ‘MILAN’ Naval exercise in Andaman & Nicobar Islands in March 2018.
✅ In 2018, Indian Air Force participated for the first time in the Exercise Pitch Black in Australia.
✅ Navies of India, Australia, Japan and the USA also participated in Exercise Malabar.
✅ INS Satpura participated at the multinational Exercise KAKADU in Darwin in 2022.
✅ India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2022 was held in Rajasthan in 2022 between Indian Army and the Australian Army.
#prelims
#gs2
#ir
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_4_ir
✅ The 8th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (DPT) were held recently.
▪️Historical Perspective
✅ The historical ties between India and Australia started immediately following European settlement in Australia from 1788.
✅ All trade to and fro from the penal colony of New South Wales was controlled by the British East India Company through Kolkata.
✅ India and Australia established diplomatic relations in the pre-Independence period, with the establishment of India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
✅ The end of the Cold War and simultaneously India’s decision to launch major economic reforms in 1991 provided the first positive move towards development of closer ties between the two nations.
▪️Strategic Relationship
✅ Australia and India upgraded bilateral relationship from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
▪️Quad Leaders’ Summit:
✅ The first-ever Quad Leaders’ Virtual Summit held in 2021 saw the participation of Prime Ministers of India, Australia, Japan and President of USA.
✅ The subsequent quad summits were held in Washington D.C in 2021 (in-person), in Tokyo in 2022 and again at in Hiroshima in 2023.
▪️Bilateral Economic and Trade Relationship
✅ As part of its efforts to develop strong economic relationship with India, the Australian Government commissioned the India Economic Strategy to 2035 to define a pathway for Australia to unlock opportunities offered by Indian Economic growth.
▪️The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement ("IndAus ECTA”):
✅ Under this the Indian IT companies will not be double taxed with effect from the financial year 2023-24.
▪️India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC):
✅ It was established in 1989 to enable interaction at a government and business level on a range of trade and investment related issues.
✅ The 18th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was held on 11 March 2023 in New Delhi.
▪️Bilateral Trade:
✅ India is 9th largest trading partner of Australia.
✅ During 2021, Bilateral trade in goods and services with India was US$ 31.1 billion, with exports of goods and services worth US$ 12.5 billion and imports of goods and services worth US$ 18.6 billion.
✅ India’s merchandise exports to Australia grew 135% between 2019 and 2021.
▪️India’s main exports to Australia are:
✅ refined petroleum,
medicaments (incl. veterinary),
✅ pearls & gems,
✅ jewellery,
✅ made-up textile articles
▪️India's major imports are:
✅ coal,
✅ confidential items of trade,
copper ores & concentrates,
natural gas,
✅ non-ferrous waste & scrap,
ferrous waste & scrap and
education related services.
✅ Civil Nuclear Cooperation
A Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries was signed in September 2014.
✅ The Australian Parliament passed the “Civil Nuclear Transfer to India Bill 2016” in 2016 which allows that Uranium mining companies in Australia to fulfil contracts to supply Australian uranium to India for civil use.
✅ Exports would not be hindered by domestic legal action challenging the consistency of the safeguards applied by the IAEA in India and Australia’s international non-proliferation obligations. I
also ensures that any future bilateral trade in other nuclear-related material or items for civil use will also be protected.
▪️Defence Cooperation
✅ The first-ever Bilateral Maritime Exercise, AUSINDEX 15, was conducted in Visakhapatnam and the Bay of Bengal in 2015.
✅ An Australian Naval ship HMAS Larrakia participated in ‘MILAN’ Naval exercise in Andaman & Nicobar Islands in March 2018.
✅ In 2018, Indian Air Force participated for the first time in the Exercise Pitch Black in Australia.
✅ Navies of India, Australia, Japan and the USA also participated in Exercise Malabar.
✅ INS Satpura participated at the multinational Exercise KAKADU in Darwin in 2022.
✅ India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2022 was held in Rajasthan in 2022 between Indian Army and the Australian Army.
#prelims
#gs2
#ir
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_4_ir
Forwarded from Anmol Vachan Quotes ( UPSC prelims mains )
Doordarshan presents an amazing short film on LBSNAA and the IAS training.
Humans of Lbsnaa
IAS Association
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India
DDNewsLive
Civil Services : Steel Frame of India भारतीय सिविल सेवाएँ
https://youtu.be/cX0luuubLGk
Humans of Lbsnaa
IAS Association
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India
DDNewsLive
Civil Services : Steel Frame of India भारतीय सिविल सेवाएँ
https://youtu.be/cX0luuubLGk
YouTube
Short film LBSNAA
दूरदर्शन Doordarshan National (DD1) की बेहतरीन प्रस्तुति...
भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा : IAS की ट्रेनिंग को समर्पित यह अद्भुत लघु फ़िल्म (लगभग 9 मिनट)।
Doordarshan presents an amazing short film on LBSNAA and the IAS training.
Humans of Lbsnaa
IAS Association…
भारतीय प्रशासनिक सेवा : IAS की ट्रेनिंग को समर्पित यह अद्भुत लघु फ़िल्म (लगभग 9 मिनट)।
Doordarshan presents an amazing short film on LBSNAA and the IAS training.
Humans of Lbsnaa
IAS Association…
Forwarded from CSE EXAM ( UPSC prelims mains)
🔆 India’s Myanmar quandary, its paradoxical policy
✅ India’s official rhetoric on commitment to democracy in Myanmar is in contrast with its policy framed through the lens of its security concerns in north-east India and relations with China.
▪️India and Myanmar
✅ As the land of Lord Buddha, India is a country of pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar.
✅ British era: Both India and Myanmar were part of British India during colonial rule until 1935.
✅ After independence, India and Myanmar established diplomatic relations and maintained close ties. India and Myanmar signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1951.
✅ In 2014, Myanmar became part of India’s “Neighborhood First” policy and its “Act East” policy.
▪️Issues and challenges in India-Myanmar relations
✅ Coup by Military Junta: A recent coup by the military junta in Myanmar made it difficult for India to balance its strategic and economic interests with its commitment to democratic values and human rights.
✅ Weak trade relations: With a total bilateral trade of $2 billion, India’s economic engagement with Myanmar lags behind China. India’s withdrawal from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership can further increase this trade gap.
✅ Rohingya issue: The migration of Rohingyas in India is causing issues of internal security and exploitation of national resources of India.
✅ Northeast insurgency: Myanmar-China border is the hotbed of local armed separatist groups operating in Myanmar soil and Indian groups, ranging from ULFA in Assam to the NSCN (IM) in Nagaland.
✅ Internal security: It is a major concern for India. The Indo-Myanmar border is porous and lightly policed, which is exploited by terrorist outfits and insurgent groups from the North Eastern part of India eg. supply of trained cadres, and arms trafficking.
✅ Free movement regime: The Free Movement Regime is being exploited by militants and cross-border criminals for the illegal transportation of weapons, contraband goods, and counterfeit Indian currency.
✅ Trust deficit: It has widened in India-Myanmar because of delays in the implementation of various projects. China has asserted itself through its soft power as well as through its trade and economic relations with Myanmar by taking up large infrastructure projects. Also, Myanmar is part of the Belt and Road Initiative initiated by China.
▪️Indian policy towards Myanmar
✅ At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the coup, India took a proactive approach by providing food and vaccine assistance.
8However, the plight of the Myanmarese people seems to have faded from memory, with accusations of instigating violence in Manipur replacing it.
✅ Communities along the border have already defied the Home Ministry by providing shelter to the refugees.
✅ Concerns over trafficking and drug smuggling in Myanmar led to India suspending the Free Movement Regime in September 2022.
✅ India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue of infrastructure projects and stability in border areas with his Myanmar counterpart on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting.
✅ India has also supported the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ ‘Five-Point Consensus’.
✅ However India’s official rhetoric on commitment to democracy in Myanmar is in contrast with its policy framed through the lens of its security concerns in north-east India and relations with China.
#prelims
#gs2
#ir
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_4_ir
✅ India’s official rhetoric on commitment to democracy in Myanmar is in contrast with its policy framed through the lens of its security concerns in north-east India and relations with China.
▪️India and Myanmar
✅ As the land of Lord Buddha, India is a country of pilgrimage for the people of Myanmar.
✅ British era: Both India and Myanmar were part of British India during colonial rule until 1935.
✅ After independence, India and Myanmar established diplomatic relations and maintained close ties. India and Myanmar signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1951.
✅ In 2014, Myanmar became part of India’s “Neighborhood First” policy and its “Act East” policy.
▪️Issues and challenges in India-Myanmar relations
✅ Coup by Military Junta: A recent coup by the military junta in Myanmar made it difficult for India to balance its strategic and economic interests with its commitment to democratic values and human rights.
✅ Weak trade relations: With a total bilateral trade of $2 billion, India’s economic engagement with Myanmar lags behind China. India’s withdrawal from Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership can further increase this trade gap.
✅ Rohingya issue: The migration of Rohingyas in India is causing issues of internal security and exploitation of national resources of India.
✅ Northeast insurgency: Myanmar-China border is the hotbed of local armed separatist groups operating in Myanmar soil and Indian groups, ranging from ULFA in Assam to the NSCN (IM) in Nagaland.
✅ Internal security: It is a major concern for India. The Indo-Myanmar border is porous and lightly policed, which is exploited by terrorist outfits and insurgent groups from the North Eastern part of India eg. supply of trained cadres, and arms trafficking.
✅ Free movement regime: The Free Movement Regime is being exploited by militants and cross-border criminals for the illegal transportation of weapons, contraband goods, and counterfeit Indian currency.
✅ Trust deficit: It has widened in India-Myanmar because of delays in the implementation of various projects. China has asserted itself through its soft power as well as through its trade and economic relations with Myanmar by taking up large infrastructure projects. Also, Myanmar is part of the Belt and Road Initiative initiated by China.
▪️Indian policy towards Myanmar
✅ At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the coup, India took a proactive approach by providing food and vaccine assistance.
8However, the plight of the Myanmarese people seems to have faded from memory, with accusations of instigating violence in Manipur replacing it.
✅ Communities along the border have already defied the Home Ministry by providing shelter to the refugees.
✅ Concerns over trafficking and drug smuggling in Myanmar led to India suspending the Free Movement Regime in September 2022.
✅ India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised the issue of infrastructure projects and stability in border areas with his Myanmar counterpart on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting.
✅ India has also supported the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ ‘Five-Point Consensus’.
✅ However India’s official rhetoric on commitment to democracy in Myanmar is in contrast with its policy framed through the lens of its security concerns in north-east India and relations with China.
#prelims
#gs2
#ir
Join @CSE_EXAM
@upsc_4_ir
🔆Murmansk Port
India’s engagement with Russia’s Arctic region has been strengthening with India-bound goods constituting the maximum share of cargo handled this year by Murmansk Port.
📍 Murmansk Port:
✅The seaport of Murmansk is one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia.
✅It is located on the Kola Peninsula at the coast of Barents Sea.
✅It is about 2,000 km northwest of Moscow.
✅The port is navigated all year round. The dimensions of vessels calling at the port of Murmansk are not limited.
✅The main port capabilities are located on the western coast of Kola Bay, among them the mooring berths of the commercial port (including passenger area), fishing port, ship-repair yard, shipyard, oil terminal, and FSUE Atomflot premises.
✅On the eastern coast of Kola Bay there is a number of small fish and fleet maintenance terminals.
📍Kola Peninsula
✅It is situated in northwest Russia which is one of the most important economic regions in the circumpolar North.
✅The region contains valuable natural resources, including a wide variety of mineral and fish resources, and is proximate to the large gas fields of the Barents Sea.
✅A large population, industrial complexes, and military infrastructure are also characteristic of the region.
#geography
#prelims
@studytoday1
@upsc_4_ir
India’s engagement with Russia’s Arctic region has been strengthening with India-bound goods constituting the maximum share of cargo handled this year by Murmansk Port.
📍 Murmansk Port:
✅The seaport of Murmansk is one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia.
✅It is located on the Kola Peninsula at the coast of Barents Sea.
✅It is about 2,000 km northwest of Moscow.
✅The port is navigated all year round. The dimensions of vessels calling at the port of Murmansk are not limited.
✅The main port capabilities are located on the western coast of Kola Bay, among them the mooring berths of the commercial port (including passenger area), fishing port, ship-repair yard, shipyard, oil terminal, and FSUE Atomflot premises.
✅On the eastern coast of Kola Bay there is a number of small fish and fleet maintenance terminals.
📍Kola Peninsula
✅It is situated in northwest Russia which is one of the most important economic regions in the circumpolar North.
✅The region contains valuable natural resources, including a wide variety of mineral and fish resources, and is proximate to the large gas fields of the Barents Sea.
✅A large population, industrial complexes, and military infrastructure are also characteristic of the region.
#geography
#prelims
@studytoday1
@upsc_4_ir
🔆Two years of taliban rule
The situation in Afghanistan is dire, and India is a major provider of humanitarian assistance. It is time New Delhi uses the G-20 summit to demand more accountability from the Taliban.
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial
The situation in Afghanistan is dire, and India is a major provider of humanitarian assistance. It is time New Delhi uses the G-20 summit to demand more accountability from the Taliban.
#gs2
#ir
@upsc_4_ir
@upsc_the_hindu_ie_editorial