Category: International Relations

According to Reporters Without Borders, India’s World Press Freedom Index score dropped from 36.62 to 31.28 during the last year. In South Asia, India is placed 159th, with Pakistan somewhat higher at 152.

India’s initiative of “Index Monitoring Cell”:

• Purpose of the Cell: The Index Monitoring Cell has been established to strive towards improving India’s press freedom rating. It would be made up of members from various government departments and trustworthy journalists recommended by the Press Council of India.
• Ranking Parameters: The cell will consult with institutions that produce the World Press Freedom Index, such as Reporters Without Borders, to gain a better understanding of the parameters and methodology used in the rankings. This will assist in developing an action plan to solve the concerns reported.
• Coordination with State Governments: The cell will work with state governments to select nodal officials who can offer frequent reports on the situation of press freedom and any challenges that journalists experience on a local level.
• Engagement with Stakeholders: The goal is to increase communication and visibility of efforts taken to protect press freedom and address issues identified by global media watchdogs.
• Reporting methods: Establishing effective reporting methods is critical to ensuring that the data and information supplied to ranking authorities are current and correct. This will assist to paint a more accurate picture of India’s press freedom environment. 

Conclusion: 

India must implement and tighten legislation to preserve press freedom and journalist safety. This includes legislation to protect journalists from harassment, assaults, and threats, as well as measures for prompt and effective legal action in situations of censorship or intimidation.

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-press-freedom-score-falls-says-reporters-sans-frontieres/article68136062.ece#:~:text=India's%20score%20in%20the%20World,by%20journalists%20in%20180%20jurisdictions.

The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will hold the 46th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM 46) in Kochi, Kerala. 

About Antarctic Treaty

Source: https://atcm46.ats.aq/

• India’s imports from China increased to more over $101 billion in fiscal year 2023-24, up significantly from around $70 billion in 2018-19.
• The share of China’s industrial products imports to India has increased from 21% to 30% over the last 15 years, according to a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) analysis. 

India’s Imports: GTRI Study

• According to the GTRI report, imports from China increased 2.3 times faster than India’s overall imports during the last 15 years.
• Contrary to popular assumption, China has emerged as the leading supplier in eight key industrial sectors, including machinery, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and textiles, among others.
• India’s exports are static, valued at around $16 billion each year.
• Over a six-year period from 2018-2019 to 2023-24, India’s cumulative trade imbalance with China exceeded $387 billion, raising concerns among officials. 

China’s Share of India’s Imports:

• In 2023-24, China accounted for 15% of India’s total imports, with $101.8 billion out of $677.2 billion. 
• Sector-wise Contributions:

1. Electronics, telecommunications, and electrical products: China contributed 38.4% from April to January 2023-24.
2. garment: Nearly 42% of India’s textile and garment imports were from China.
3. Machinery Sector: China contributed for 39.6% of India’s total imports.
4. China has a 29.2% stake in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector.
5. Plastics and Related products: China supplied products worth $4.8 billion, accounting for 25.8% of total imports in this industry. 

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/up-23-times-in-15-years-indias-chinese-import-bill-to-rise-further/article68118302.ece#:~:text=Getty%20Images%2FiStockphoto-,India's%20imports%20from%20China%20crossed%20%24101%20billion%20in%202023%2D24,imports%20will%20rise%20sharply%20inSource: 

• The fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) is taking place in Ottawa, Canada.
• The objective is to finalise a global agreement on plastic pollution by November of this year. 

What is the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC)?

• INC is a group tasked with developing a legally enforceable international instrument to eradicate plastic pollution by 2025 in accordance with United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) Resolution 5/14.
• It commenced operations in November 2022 at Punta del Este, Uruguay (INC-1).
  • The second summit (INC-2) was held in Paris, France, from May to June 2023.
  • The INC-3 convened in Nairobi in December 2023.
• INC plans to finish its work by the end of 2024.

INC-4 Key Points: 

• Previous sessions (INC-1, INC-2, and INC-3) prepared the groundwork for this one.
• They are working on reducing excessive plastic consumption while still using it for critical purposes such as renewable energy.

Future Prospects:

• INC-5 will take place in Busan, South Korea, and is intended to finalise everything.
• Following that, leaders from other nations will sign the pact. 

Source: https://www.unep.org/inc-plastic-pollution/session-4

• India’s Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) won worldwide recognition during the 3rd Biennial Pan-Commonwealth Heads Meeting in London.

What is the Commonwealth of Nations?

• The Commonwealth of Nations is an intergovernmental organisation made up of 53 member nations, the majority of which are former British Empire possessions.
• It dates back to the early part of the twentieth century, when the British Empire decolonized its colonies by increasing self-government.
• The Balfour Declaration, issued during the Imperial Conference in 1926, established the British Commonwealth of Nations.
• The UK formalised it with the Statute of Westminster in 1931. 
• The symbol of this free association is Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of the Commonwealth.
  • Membership: Based on free and equal voluntary cooperation.

History of Its Creation

• The Commonwealth was formed in the early 1900s as nations that were once part of the British Empire began to split.
• India is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth.
• Although India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, played a crucial role in the establishment of the modern Commonwealth in 1949, Indian policymakers have long seen it as a vestige of empire with a colonial history.

Working of Commonwealth

• Commonwealth members have no legal duties towards one another.
• Instead, they are linked by language, history, culture, and common principles like as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. 

Actual Functioning: Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)

• Every two years, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) provides a forum for all Commonwealth leaders to convene and address Commonwealth-related topics.
• The meeting’s slogan is to reaffirm common values, confront global concerns, and reach an agreement on how to work together to create a better future.

Source: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=2018818#:~:text=The%20Commonwealth%20Secretariat%20has%20recognized,2024%20in%20Marlborough%20House%2C%20London.

• A panel discussion on “Future Growth Opportunities for Long Duration Energy Storage” took place at the World Future Energy Summit 2024 in Abu Dhabi.

The World Future Energy Summit (WFES)

• The World Future Energy Summit is an annual event organised in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, with the goal of advancing future energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable technology.
• It began in 2008, under the patronage of Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
• Edelman, a public relations agency, helped set it up to “burnish the UEA’s green credentials”.
• It was founded as a platform to address the growing demand for renewable energy solutions and sustainable development in the face of global energy issues. 

Key Initiative: Young Future Energy Leaders

• The Young Future Energy Leaders (YFEL) are part of the annual World Future Energy Summit (WFES).
• The Masdar Institute’s programme is dedicated to creating awareness and engaging students and young professionals in renewable energy and sustainability. 

Source: https://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/

NATO celebrates its 75th anniversary on April 4, 2024.

Current Concerns concerning NATO: 

• Changed Objective: NATO was formed to defend its member states from assault, but it has also engaged in offensive military engagements.
• Causes of global military conflicts: Over the last seven decades, NATO has launched or participated in over 200 military confrontations, many of which have been serious. NATO’s military actions have included bombing Yugoslavia, invading Iraq, disrupting sovereignty in Libya, interfering in Syria, and combatting terrorism in Afghanistan.
• Role in the formation of ISIS: Critics believe that NATO’s operations have resulted in damage, casualties, destruction, and estrangement, rather than peace and stability. There is a belief that the United States, as NATO’s leader, played a part in the formation of ISIS.
• Provoking the Russia-Ukraine War: Despite claims to the contrary, its expansion since 1991, as well as its actions in Ukraine, are viewed as provocative towards Russia. Russia has showed caution in reaction to NATO’s activities, but NATO’s behaviour has not changed.
• Maintaining Western Hegemony: In direct contrast to its professed peaceful objectives, NATO engages in conflict or issues threats of attack against any state that rejects the established liberal “rules-based order.” for example, invasion of Iraq and execution of Saddam Hussein.
• Increased presence in the Indo-Pacific: The United States has been aggressively building smaller multilateral arrangements, including as AUKUS, the US-Japan-South Korea trio, and the Tokyo-Seoul-Canberra-Wellington quartet, to engage them in practical cooperation with NATO.

Conclusion: 

NATO, which was created in 1949 for collective defence, is under fire for engaging in offensive acts, producing global crises, and being accused of establishing ISIS and inciting tensions with Russia. Its roles have grown and diversified beyond their initial aim.

Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/at-75-nato-sees-reasons-to-rejoice-facts-suggest-otherwise-9249830/