AMIGOS IAS Daily Current Affairs (27^th August 2024)

China-Philippines clash: South China Sea Dispute

GS 2: International Relations: Territorial disputes in South China Sea

Why is it in the news?

• On August 26, the Philippine government condemned China for “repeated aggressive, unprofessional, and illegal” actions in the South China Sea. This statement followed a recent escalation of clashes and incidents between the two nations, occurring both in the air and at sea.
• This latest development has brought the South China Sea dispute back into focus. The dispute involves multiple countries and stems from historical claims and rising geopolitical tensions.

An overview of the conflict

About:

• The South China Sea, located south of the Chinese mainland and bordered by Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam, has been a hotspot of territorial disputes for centuries.
• The recent rise in tensions is primarily due to China’s growing global power. China claims up to 90% of the sea based on the “nine-dash line,” first issued in 1947 by the nationalist Kuomintang party and later continued by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
• This claim has led China to attempt to control military and economic activities in the sea, asserting it as part of its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). China has also expanded its presence by building and militarizing islands, particularly in the Paracel and Spratly chains.
• In response, the U.S. has increased its military and naval presence and supported China’s adversaries.

Importance of the South China Sea:

• The South China Sea is economically and strategically vital. It is estimated to contain 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
• The sea’s fishing grounds are crucial for millions, with over half of the world’s fishing vessels operating there.
• It is also a critical trade route, with more than 21% of global trade, valued at $3.37 trillion in 2016, passing through these waters.

The ‘Nine-Dash Line’

• The nine-dash line represents China’s claims in the South China Sea, originally the “eleven-dash line” but simplified in 1953.
• The line extends up to 2,000 km from China’s mainland, overlapping the EEZs of the Philippines, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
• China’s claim is based on historical rights, but the line’s exact coordinates are unclear and exceed international maritime treaty limits. For instance, while the Scarborough Shoal falls within the Philippines’ EEZ, China claims historical discovery.
• Vietnam disputes China’s claims over the Paracel and Spratly Islands, asserting its historical governance. A 2016 international tribunal ruled against China’s claims but was ignored by China, which disputes the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

Conclusion

• Resolving the South China Sea dispute is difficult, particularly since China has rejected the international tribunal’s ruling.
• ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations)—comprising Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia, might offer a resolution, but internal conflicts have stymied progress.
• The failure to address the dispute diplomatically raises fears of a potential global conflict and could undermine international maritime laws, prompting destabilizing arms buildups.

Unified Lending Interface

GS 3: Economy: Financial Services

Why is it in the news?

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das announced that a nationwide rollout of the Unified Lending Interface (ULI) will be implemented in due course. Similar to the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which has transformed retail payments in India, ULI is expected to revolutionize the lending landscape.

More about the news

• Last August, the RBI introduced a pilot project for a public technology platform aimed at creating frictionless credit. This initiative is designed to enhance lending efficiency by reducing costs, speeding up disbursements, and scaling operations.
• Governor Das proposed naming this platform the Unified Lending Interface (ULI), envisioning it as a transformative tool for the lending sector akin to UPI’s impact on payments.
• With India’s rapid digitalization, there has been a push towards digital public infrastructure that encourages innovation in financial services.
• The ULI platform will address the challenges of fragmented data systems by enabling seamless, consent-based data sharing among various entities such as banks, government agencies, and credit information providers.
• This integration aims to streamline credit appraisal processes, particularly benefiting smaller and rural borrowers by reducing processing times and documentation requirements.
• Das highlighted that ULI will feature standardized Application Programming Inter-face (APIs) for easy integration and access to diverse information sources, simplifying technical complexities. By digitizing access to financial and non-financial data, ULI is expected to address significant unmet credit demands, especially for agriculture and MSME sectors.
• Das referred to the ULI as part of the “new trinity” alongside JAM (Jan Dhan, Aadhar, and Mobile), which has already been instrumental in direct cash transfers.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI)

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched in April 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), is a real-time payment system that integrates multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application. UPI consolidates various banking features, including seamless fund routing and merchant payments, and supports peer-to-peer requests.
• Its ability to facilitate round-the-clock money transfers through mobile devices has significantly boosted retail digital payments in India.
• Initially adopted by banks, UPI’s popularity has grown with the inclusion of non-bank third-party apps and QR codes, establishing it as a cost-effective and globally recognized payment system.

BioE3 Policy for High-Performance Biomanufacturing

GS 3: Science and Technology: Biomanufacturing

Why is it in the news?

• The Union Cabinet has approved the ‘BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) Policy’ proposed by the Department of Biotechnology. This policy is designed to enhance high-performance biomanufacturing in India.

The BioE3 Policy

About:

• The BioE3 Policy aims to establish a resilient biomanufacturing ecosystem to address global challenges such as climate change, food security, and human health. It focuses on industrializing biology to promote sustainable and circular practices, essential for tackling pressing societal issues.
• The policy targets strategic sectors including high-value bio-based chemicals, biopolymers and enzymes, smart proteins and functional foods, precision biotherapeutics, climate-resilient agriculture, carbon capture, and marine and space research.
• Additionally, the BioE3 Policy supports the government’s goals for achieving a ‘Net Zero’ carbon economy and encouraging sustainable lifestyles. It aims to accelerate green growth by advancing circular bioeconomy practices, fostering a more sustainable and innovative future.

Key Features:

• Innovation Support: The policy promotes R&D and entrepreneurship to drive technological development and commercialization across various sectors.
• Creation of Biohubs: It proposes the establishment of Biomanufacturing & Bio-AI hubs and Bio-foundries to advance technology and strengthen the bioeconomy.
• Regenerative Bioeconomy: Emphasis is placed on models that support green growth, sustainable development, and a circular bioeconomy.
• Workforce Development: The policy focuses on expanding the skilled workforce and creating jobs in the biotechnology sector to enhance economic growth.

About High-Performance Biomanufacturing

• High-performance biomanufacturing involves the advanced production of various products, including medicines and materials, and addresses agricultural and food-related challenges.
• It emphasizes the development of bio-based products through cutting-edge biotechnological processes.

Vigyan Dhara Scheme

GS 3: Science and Technology: Enhancing India’s Sc & Tech capacity

Why is it in the news?

• The Union Cabinet has approved the continuation of three existing schemes under a new unified central sector initiative named ‘Vigyan Dhara,’ managed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) to streamline and enhance the efficiency of funding and program management.

About the Vigyan Dhara Scheme

• The Vigyan Dhara scheme integrates multiple DST programs into a single framework, aligning with the department’s five-year goals to contribute to India’s development by 2047. It incorporates the R&D components aligned with the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
• The primary aim of merging these schemes into ‘Vigyan Dhara’ is to improve the efficiency of fund utilization and synchronize various sub-schemes and programs. The scheme is structured around three main components:

1) Building human and institutional capacity

2) Fostering research and development

3) Promoting innovation, technology development, and deployment

• The scheme is designed to enhance India’s Science and Technology (S&T) capacity by developing advanced R&D labs, boosting research in areas such as sustainable energy and water, and fostering international collaboration.
• It aims to build a skilled workforce, increase women’s participation in S&T, and promote innovation from grassroots to industry, including startups. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen partnerships between academia, government, and industry to advance research and innovation.

Education Ministry defines ‘Literacy’ and ‘Full Literacy’ 

GS 2: Society: Boosting adult education

About the news

• The Indian Education Ministry has clarified the definitions of ‘literacy’ and ‘full literacy’ in a renewed effort to boost adult education through the New India Literacy Programme (NILP).
• This five-year initiative, running from 2022 to 2027, aims to enrol one crore learners aged 15 and above annually across all States and Union Territories.
• According to Union School Education Secretary, ‘literacy’ is defined as the ability to read, write, and perform arithmetic with understanding, along with essential life skills like digital and financial literacy. Achieving ‘full literacy’ means reaching a 95% literacy rate within a State or Union Territory.
• Under the NILP, individuals are considered literate if they pass the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).
• For the 2024-25 fiscal year, the Ministry has allocated ₹160 crore to NILP, though previous expenditures were lower. In 2023-24, ₹157 crore was allocated but revised down to ₹100 crore.
• India faces a significant literacy challenge, with the 2011 Census showing 25.76 crore non-literate individuals aged 15 and above.
• Despite the Saakshar Bharat programme, which certified 7.64 crore people as literate from 2009-10 to 2017-18, around 18.12 crore adults remain non-literate, facing difficulties in financial transactions, job applications, and understanding their rights.

Two new US-India agreements: Expanding Defence Relations

GS 2: International Relations: Enhancing India-US defence agreements 

Why is it in the news?

• India and the US recently signed two significant agreements: the Security of Supply Arrangement (SOSA) and a Memorandum of Agreement on the Assignment of Liaison Officers.
• These agreements mark the latest advancements in a series of bilateral military pacts that have strengthened defence and security cooperation between the two nations over the past decade.

More about the news

• During Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s official visit, the two countries agreed to advance key co-production projects under the 2023 US-India Roadmap for Defence Industrial Cooperation thatincludes jet engines, unmanned platforms, munitions, and ground mobility systems.
• The SOSA agreement stipulates that both countries will provide reciprocal priority support for goods and services that bolster national defence, addressing supply chain disruptions to meet security needs.
• India is the 18th SOSA partner of the US. Although SOSA agreements are important for enhancing interoperability with US defence trade partners, they are legally non-binding.
• The US Department of Defence (DoD) is also working on a Reciprocal Defence Procurement (RDP) Agreement with India, which will be binding. RDP Agreements are designed to promote standardization and interoperability of defence equipment with US allies and other friendly nations. The US has signed RDP Agreements with 28 countries to date.
• The Memorandum of Agreement on Liaison Officers represents a step forward in increasing information-sharing between India and the US, including deploying Indian officers to key US strategic commands. The first Liaison Officer from India will be assigned to the US Special Operations Command headquarters in Florida.
• The foundation for this enhanced cooperation was laid in the 2013 Joint US-India Declaration on Defence Cooperation and the 2015 Framework for the US-India Defence Relationship.
• The 2023 Roadmap supports integrating Indian defence industry into global supply chains and developing Indo-Pacific maritime infrastructure with key areas of cooperation in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Undersea Domain Awareness, Air Combat, and support systems.
• In January 2023, the US-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) aimed to strengthen strategic technology partnerships. This was followed in June 2023 by the launch of the India-US Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US.
• Moreover, significant Indian military procurements from the US include MH-60R Seahawk multirole helicopters, Sig Sauer rifles, and M777 ultra-light howitzers.
• Ongoing negotiations involve manufacturing GE F-414 jet engines in India for the LCA MK 2 fighters and procuring 31 MQ-9B High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) UAVs, with deliveries of GE-F404 engines for the LCA Tejas Mark-1A already underway.

Foundational agreements

• Foundational agreements between the two countries began in 2002 with the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) to facilitate military information sharing.
• Between 2016 and 2020, four additional agreements were signed: the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) in 2016, the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) in 2018, the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) in 2020, and the Industrial Security Annex (ISA) to GSOMIA in 2019, which facilitated classified information exchange between defence industries.
• In 2016, the US designated India as a Major Defence Partner, and by 2018, India achieved Strategic Trade Authorisation tier 1 status, granting it license-free access to various military and dual-use technologies.
• The 2012 Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI) agreement promoted defence trade and industrial cooperation. Additionally, there is a Memorandum of Intent between the US Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) and the Indian Defence Innovation Organization-Innovation for Defence Excellence (DIO-iDEX).

Pragyan rover reveals signs of magma ocean on ancient moon

GS 3: Science and Technology: Inputs from Chandrayaan-3

About the news

• On August 23, 2023, the Pragyan rover, part of India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission, landed on the moon and subsequently made significant discoveries before its mission concluded.
• The rover, which was designed to withstand the moon’s harsh conditions, went dormant after fulfilling its scientific objectives over two weeks.
• It provided valuable data, including the detection of ferroan anorthosite in the lunar soil, which supports theories about the moon’s early magma ocean.
• The discovery of ferroan anorthosite is crucial because it confirms previous observations from the U.S. Apollo missions and Soviet Luna missions, suggesting that these rocks are remnants of an ancient magma ocean that covered the moon’s surface billions of years ago.
• The data, gathered by Pragyan’s Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS), aligns with the impact theory that theorizes a meteor strike created the South Pole-Aitken Basin, excavating material from deep within the moon.
• Vikram, the lander carrying Pragyan, touched down about 300 km from the South Pole-Aitken Basin, one of the solar system’s largest impact craters.
• The mission’s findings, including unusually high magnesium content in the dust, support the magma ocean theory and provide new insights into the moon’s formation. These findings were corroborated by data from previous Chandrayaan missions and are being analyzed further for additional insights.
• Pragyan’s close surface analysis offered more detailed data than an orbiter could provide, validating the magma ocean hypothesis and advancing lunar science. Despite the rover’s mission ending, its data continues to contribute to ongoing research.
• The publication of these findings coincided with India’s new ‘National Space Day,’ a reflection of the mission’s success and its contribution to space exploration.

On the unrest in the Balochistan region

GS 2: International Relations: Protests in Balochistan region

Why is it in the news?

• Recent large-scale protests in Balochistan have highlighted the region’s ongoing political turmoil. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) organized a ‘Baloch Raaji Muchi’ (Baloch National Gathering) in Gwadar to protest against human rights violations, resource exploitation, and the government’s failure to provide basic amenities.
• These protests led to violent clashes with security forces and a blockade of major towns like Gwadar, Hub, Mastung, and Quetta, resulting in increased prices for necessities such as food, medicine, and petrol.

More about the news

• The unrest in Balochistan is deeply rooted in its history. In 1947, the Khan of Kalat declared an independent Balochistan, but under coercion, he signed the instrument of accession to Pakistan in 1948.
• Gwadar, initially part of the Sultanate of Oman, was purchased by Pakistan in 1958. The province’s political struggles were compounded by the One Unit scheme of 1955, which centralized power and undermined federalism.
• Although the scheme was abolished in 1970, provincial governments in Balochistan remained under Islamabad’s significant influence, leading to recurrent insurgencies and protests.
• Economic neglect further fuels discontent in Balochistan, despite its vast mineral resources. The province, which accounts for 44% of Pakistan’s landmass and includes resources like copper, gold, coal, and natural gas, remains one of the most underdeveloped regions.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report for 2018-19 shows that Balochistan contributed only 4.5% to Pakistan’s GDP and had inadequate infrastructure and social indicators, exacerbating local frustration.
• The government’s counter-insurgency tactics, including enforced disappearances, have aggravated tensions. Reports from the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances and civil society groups highlight thousands of cases of disappearances and extrajudicial killings. These actions have only deepened the unrest, impacting the broader region.
• China’s involvement in Balochistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has added another layer of complexity. Chinese investments in Gwadar and other infrastructure projects are viewed with suspicion by locals who fear losing access to their coastline and livelihoods.
• The presence of Chinese trawlers and the rapid demographic changes due to non-local workers have further fuelled local grievances.
• The ongoing protests reflect a broader struggle against Pakistan’s nation-building efforts based solely on religious identity. The lack of regional autonomy and persistent military rule have exacerbated Balochistan’s discontent.
• Lessons from other regions, like Sri Lanka and Myanmar, suggest that failing to address provincial aspirations often leads to political turmoil.

Telegram co-founder Pavel Durov detained in France

GS 2: Miscellaneous

About the news

• On August 24, French authorities arrested Pavel Durov, co-founder and CEO of Telegram, at an airport near Paris.
• The arrest was linked to a preliminary investigation into claims that Telegram’s lack of moderators and cooperation with law enforcement allowed criminal activities, such as drug trafficking and terrorism support, to proliferate on the platform.
• Telegram’s official response criticized these claims as “absurd,” arguing that a platform cannot be held accountable for its misuse by some users.
• Pavel Durov, 39, originally from the former Soviet Union, co-founded the social media app VKontakte before leaving Russia due to a conflict over user data requests. In 2013, he and his brother created Telegram, emphasizing user privacy and advanced encryption.
• Telegram has grown significantly, with over 900 million users as of early 2024, and Durov is now a billionaire with citizenships in France and the UAE.
• The French case against Telegram involves accusations of complicity in illegal activities facilitated through its platform, including drug trafficking and child pornography distribution.
• Telegram’s policies on content removal and its stance on not participating in politically motivated censorship are central to the controversy. Durov’s alleged non-cooperation with investigations has further fuelled the case against him.
• Critics, including Edward Snowden, have condemned the French government’s actions as an overreach, impacting fundamental rights to speech and privacy.
• Similar regulatory pressures have affected other tech giants like Meta and X, highlighting ongoing global tensions over content regulation and free speech.