AFSPA Reimposed in Manipur

GS 3: Internal Security: Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA)

Why is it in the news?

• The Centre has reimposed the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas of Manipur, citing a “volatile” situation and insurgent violence. These areas, primarily in the Imphal Valley, were declared free of AFSPA last year due to an improved security situation.
• However, recent unrest, including attacks on politicians and violence stemming from the disappearance of a Meitei family in Jiribam, has prompted the decision. The discovery of several bodies in the Barak River further escalated tensions.

About AFSPA

• AFSPA, originating from a colonial statute of 1942, was introduced in independent India as an ordinance in 1958. It has been implemented in regions like the Northeast, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab during periods of militancy.
• The law grants sweeping powers to the armed forces, allowing them to open fire, conduct arrests, and search premises without warrants, all under the protection of immunity from prosecution without prior Centre approval. It applies to areas declared “disturbed” under Section 3 of the Act.

AFSPA in Manipur: Historical Context

• In Manipur, AFSPA was first imposed in 1958 in Naga-dominated districts and later extended to other regions, including the Kuki-Zomi and Meitei areas, as insurgencies grew.
• Over the years, allegations of excesses, such as the Malom massacre (2000) and the Thangjam Manorama case, have fuelled protests. Activist Irom Sharmila’s 16-year hunger strike and cases filed by victims’ families highlight its contentious legacy.
• AFSPA was partially lifted from the Imphal Valley in 2022 and fully removed from four police stations in 2023, though it remains active in other parts of the state.

Impact of AFSPA

• AFSPA grants the Army greater operational freedom, but its efficacy depends on political will and the government’s ability to manage fallout from strong actions.
• Manipur’s unique situation involves not just militant groups but also heavily armed civilian populations, exacerbated by looted police weaponry.
• The government is cautious, given AFSPA’s controversial history in the Northeast, where alleged excesses sometimes strengthened insurgencies. The resurgence of Meitei militant groups like the PLA and UNLF underscores these risks.

Challenges to Ending Conflict

• Reducing violence is crucial for negotiations, but deeper political solutions are needed in Manipur’s context of ethnic strife and competing demands. The imposition of AFSPA may alienate Meitei communities suspicious of the Assam Rifles while being seen as conciliatory by the hill tribes.
• Despite attempts to initiate dialogue, including meetings with Meitei and Kuki leaders, progress has been limited. Armed groups wield significant influence, exemplified by incidents like the Arambai Tenggol militia’s Assembly session, which undermined government authority.

Way Forward

• While AFSPA might have a psychological impact, much depends on the Army’s approach and the Centre’s political strategy.
• Sustainable peace requires addressing the underlying ethnic and political divisions, restoring trust in governance, and ensuring accountability in conflict zones.

Rising CO2 Emissions and Climate Change

GS 3: Environment and Biodiversity: Increase in CO2 Emissions

Why is it in the news?

• India’s CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are projected to increase by 4.6% in 2024, the highest among major economies, according to the Global Carbon Project.
• Globally, CO2 emissions from fossil fuels are expected to reach 37.4 billion tonnes in 2024, a 0.8% rise from 2023. At this rate, there is a 50% chance of exceeding the 1.5°C global warming threshold consistently within six years.
• CO2 is the most significant greenhouse gas (GHG), driving anthropogenic climate change.

 

About Greenhouse Gases

• Greenhouse gases (GHGs) trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. The Sun’s shortwave radiation heats the planet’s surface, which then reflects some of it back as longwave infrared radiation.
• GHGs like CO2 and methane (CH4) absorb this infrared radiation due to their molecular structure, unlike oxygen or nitrogen. This trapping of heat creates the greenhouse effect, maintaining Earth’s temperature and enabling liquid water and life.
• While GHGs like CO2, CH4, and water vapour occur naturally, their rising concentration due to human activities since the Industrial Revolution has intensified global warming.

CO2: The Main Driver of Global Warming

• CO2 contributes approximately 70% of global warming, far exceeding other climate drivers. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), CO2 had the highest positive radiative forcing (RF) between 1750 and 2011, meaning it caused the most significant warming effect.
• While CH4 and Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are more potent than CO2, their lesser abundance in the atmosphere results in a smaller overall impact. Since industrial times, human activities have increased atmospheric CO2 by 50%, making it 150% of its 1750 levels.
• Further, the CO2 stays in the atmosphere much longer than other GHGs. CH4 persists for about a decade before converting into CO2, and nitrous oxide (N2O) takes around a century to dissipate.
• In contrast, 40% of CO2 emissions remain in the atmosphere for 100 years, 20% for 1,000 years, and 10% for up to 10,000 years. This long atmospheric lifespan makes CO2 the most critical factor in long-term global warming.
• Although water vapour is the most abundant GHG, its short atmospheric cycle of about 10 days prevents it from accumulating like CO2.
• However, rising global temperatures lead to increased evaporation, adding more water vapour to the atmosphere and amplifying the warming effect. This feedback loop highlights the interconnected impact of CO2 and other climate factors.

India Successfully Tests Long-Range Hypersonic Missile

GS 3: Defence: Hypersonic missiles

Why is it in the news?

• India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight test of a long-range hypersonic missile off Odisha’s coast on November 17.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hailed the achievement as a historic milestone, placing India among a select group of nations with advanced hypersonic technology.
• The missile, indigenously developed by DRDO labs and industry partners, can carry multiple payloads over distances exceeding 1,500 km.

Hypersonic Missiles

About:

• Hypersonic missiles are weapons that travel at speeds of Mach-5 or higher (five times the speed of sound), which is roughly a mile per second. Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a predetermined trajectory, hypersonic missiles are manoeuvrable.
• They are classified into two types:

1) Hypersonic Glide Vehicles (HGV): Launched from a rocket, these glide to their target.

2) Hypersonic Cruise Missiles (HCM): These are powered by air-breathing engines called scramjets after target acquisition.

• Lockheed Martin describes hypersonic systems as a “game-changer” for national security.

Advantages of Hypersonic Missiles:

• Hypersonic missiles provide long-range, responsive strike capabilities, particularly against time-sensitive or heavily defended targets.
• General John Hyten, former Commander of US Strategic Command, highlighted their potential to strike when other forces are unavailable or denied access. Conventional hypersonic weapons use kinetic energy to destroy targets, including underground facilities.
• A 2023 UK Parliament briefing noted that their ability to fly at lower altitudes than ballistic missiles make them harder to detect over long distances using surface-based radar systems.

Challenges and Limitations:

• Developing hypersonic missiles involves significant engineering and physics challenges due to their extreme speeds. Friction and air resistance generate intense heat, requiring advanced materials to withstand it.
• Their high speed demands precise manoeuvrability, and maintaining communication during flight is also complex. Additionally, hypersonic missiles are significantly more expensive to develop than ballistic missiles.

Global Developments in Hypersonic Missiles:

• Countries like Russia and China are leading in hypersonic missile development, while the US is working on a range of such systems under an ambitious programme.
• In 2022, Russia used a hypersonic missile during the Ukraine conflict, claiming to destroy an underground missile warehouse.
• The US Army recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $756 million contract to enhance its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW) system.
• Several other nations, including France, Germany, Australia, Japan, Iran, and Israel, are also advancing their hypersonic missile capabilities, highlighting its growing importance in global defence strategies.

Suspension of Kerala IAS Officers: Issues with Conduct Rules and Social Media Usage

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Regulating Service Rules

Why is it in the news?

• Kerala has suspended two IAS officers, N. Prashant and K. Gopalakrishnan, for violating service rules. The charges against N. Prashant involve making “derogatory statements” on social media about A. Jayathilak, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, which were deemed grave and undermining the public image of the state’s administrative machinery.
• The government order labelled these remarks as “unbecoming of an officer.” Prashant, however, refuted the allegations, accusing Jayathilak of orchestrating false reports against him.
• Gopalakrishnan was suspended for allegedly creating a religion-based WhatsApp group called ‘Mallu Hindu Officers,’ which was said to foster communal division within the IAS cadre. Gopalakrishnan claimed his phone was hacked, leading to the creation of the group.
• However, an inquiry by the police revealed no evidence of hacking, and it was found that Gopalakrishnan had reset his phone before handing it over for investigation.

The All-India Services (Conduct) Rules

• The All-India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, govern the behaviour of IAS, IPS, and Indian Forest Service officers. These rules establish a code of conduct, requiring officers to maintain high standards of ethics, integrity, and political neutrality.
• Officers are prohibited from criticizing government policies publicly and must obtain prior sanction before using the court or media to defend official actions.
• A key provision under the rules is the omnibus clause that states officers must avoid actions “unbecoming of a member of the service.”

Issues with the Current Rules

• The primary issue with the AIS rules is the lack of specific guidelines concerning the use of social media. While the rules regulate both the personal and professional conduct of officers, they do not address the challenges posed by modern social media platforms.
• The term “unbecoming of a member of the service” is a broad and subjective provision, which could be misinterpreted or misused. Moreover, senior officers and the government typically enforce these rules against junior officers, raising concerns about the potential for abuse.

What Needs to Be Reviewed?

To address the shortcomings of the current rules, certain revisions are needed:

1) First, specific rules should be introduced regarding the use of social media by civil servants. These guidelines could define the type of content that can be posted and outline how officers can defend themselves against defamatory campaigns related to their official duties.

2) Second, an illustrative list of actions that are “unbecoming of a member of the service” should be created, based on past instances where disciplinary action was taken.

3) Lastly, officers, particularly younger ones, should recognize the importance of maintaining responsible anonymity.

Conclusion

• While social media is an effective tool for promoting government initiatives and educating citizens, it must be used judiciously to ensure that it does not compromise the integrity of the service.

The Suez Canal: A Historical and Economic Lifeline

GS 2: International Relations: Suez Canal

Why is it in the news?

• The Suez Canal, a 193-km artificial waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, has had a transformative impact on global trade since its opening on November 17, 1869.
• It drastically reduced the sea route between Asia and Europe by up to 7,000 km, eliminating the need for ships to navigate around the southern tip of Africa.
• Today, the Suez Canal handles approximately 12% of global trade, making it one of the busiest waterways in the world.

Early Attempts and Construction

• The idea of a trade route through Suez dates back to ancient times. Evidence of a canal being built during the reign of Pharaoh Senausret III in the second millennium BCE exists. However, the modern Suez Canal project gained momentum in the 18th century during European colonial expansion.
• Napoleon Bonaparte’s attempt to build the canal in 1799 failed due to inaccurate measurements. The successful construction began in the mid-19th century, led by French diplomat and engineer Ferdinand de Lesseps, who secured the support of the Egyptian viceroy.
• In 1858, the Universal Suez Ship Canal Company was formed to build and operate the canal for 99 years, after which the rights would transfer to Egypt.
• The construction faced numerous challenges, including financial difficulties and the loss of thousands of workers’ lives. Despite these obstacles, the canal was opened for international navigation in 1869.

Colonial Influence and the Suez Crisis

• Initially, French and British investors controlled the majority of shares in the Suez Canal Company, using it to maintain their colonial and maritime interests. Following a 1936 treaty, Britain stationed a large defensive force along the canal zone. As European empires waned, the Suez Canal became a focal point of conflict.
• In 1954, a treaty between Britain and Egypt mandated British troop withdrawal, but tensions remained. In 1956, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the canal, intending to use its revenues to fund the construction of the Aswan Dam.
• This sparked the Suez Crisis, with Britain, France, and Israel launching a military intervention. While the invasion succeeded militarily, it ended in a political victory for Nasser, as the occupying forces withdrew and UN peacekeepers were deployed for the first time to maintain a buffer between Egypt and Israel.
• In 1967, Nasser ordered the withdrawal of UN peacekeepers from Sinai, leading to another conflict with Israel. In response, Israel occupied Sinai, and Egypt closed the Suez Canal to all shipping for the next eight years. This was not the first or last time the canal was shut down.
• A more recent incident occurred in March 2021, when the container ship MV Ever Given became stuck in one of the canal’s narrower stretches. The blockage lasted six days, stranding hundreds of ships and disrupting global trade.

Economic Importance of the Suez Canal

• Since its completion, the Suez Canal has served as a crucial trade lifeline between the East and West. Today, about 12% of global trade, 7% of the world’s oil, and 30% of daily container traffic passes through the canal, with over 20,000 ships navigating it annually.
• The 2021 blockage, which halted global shipments for six days, triggered widespread inflation and supply chain disruptions.
• According to maritime historian Sal Mercogliano, every day the canal was closed, vital goods such as food, fuel, and manufactured products were delayed, affecting global commerce. During the six-day blockage, the estimated value of delayed goods was around $400 million per hour.
• The Suez Canal’s continued role as a critical economic artery underscores its immense strategic and economic importance to the interconnected global economy.