Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

NATO, the Western defensive military alliance led by the United States,  that a Russian missile killed two of its citizens. 

• Polish Prime Minister had said that the country was considering whether it should launch NATO’s Article 4 procedure. 
• Any attack on Poland, a NATO member, could drag the 30-nation strong alliance into the Russia-Ukraine conflict, risking a full-fledged nuclear war.

What is NATO?

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation came into being after World War II as a counter to the Soviet Union’s possible expansion attempts in Europe. 
• Then-US President Harry S Truman signed the 12-member treaty on April 4, 1949. 
• After the collapse of USSR in 1991, several eastern European nations previously members of the Soviet Union joined NATO.
• As of now, NATO comprise 30 members — Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the United States, Greece, Turkey, Germany, Spain, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia.
• Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership and were invited to join the collective by 28 of the 30 members, with Turkey and Hungary being notable exceptions. 
• Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia have expressed interest in joining the collective as well.

NATO’s Core Duties

• The NATO works on a collective defense principle and routinely undertakes exercises to strengthen their territorial, naval, and air forces. 
• NATO members also arm themselves to face evolving methods of attacks like cybercrimes, and have participated in military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosova, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, among others.
• Article 4 of the treaty mandates that the member nations consult each other when faced with threat. 
• Article 5 spells out the ‘one-for-all, all-for-one’ nature of the treaty. It reads
• In exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”

Rivalry that goes way back

• NATO and Russia have always been at odds with each other, since the treaty was signed to keep Russian expansionism at bay.
• When NATO came into existence, Soviet Union had sought to counter this Western alliance with a defence collective of its own and signed the Warsaw Pact with Poland, Czechoslovakia, Albania, Bulgaria, East Germany, Hungary, and Romania during the Cold War. However, this pact was gradually dissolved after the war ended and its existing member nations eventually joined the NATO.
• The expansion of NATO from 12 to 30 members has been a source of tension between Russia and the West for years.
• In Europe, Russia shares a border with Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, and Georgia. Of this, apart from Belarus and Ukraine, the others have either joined NATO or are in queue for a membership.
• Russia sees the presence of Western military and nuclear bases in its neighbourhood as a threat.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

India participated in the fourth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held in Moscow on 16th November 2022. The meeting saw participation from special envoys and senior officials from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

What is Moscow Format?

• Moscow format is one of the several dialogue platforms on Afghanistan which began before the Taliban takeover of Kabul.
• The format consists of Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and India.

The issues discussed at the 4th Moscow Format

The participants discussed issues related to Afghanistan. These include 

• The current humanitarian situation and the ongoing efforts of various stakeholders to provide assistance, 
• Intra-Afghan talks, 
• The formation of an inclusive and representative government and 
• Efforts to counter threats of terrorism and ensure regional security.

About Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan:

• The Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, launched in 2017, is a regional platform on Afghanistan involving the special envoys of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, and Pakistan.
• Its mandate is to facilitate political reconciliation between the then-internationally backed Kabul government and the Taliban, establish peace, and ensure regional security.
• Moscow assumed the lead in this process based on its national concerns and interests in Afghanistan, most notably on two key issues.
• The first issue was centred around the potential threats due to the spread of instability, violence, and extremism in Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asia.
• The second was related to the growing inflow of Afghan heroin to the Russian market. Geopolitical interests related to Moscow’s opposition to any US or Western security presence in Central Asia undergirds Russia’s motives to lead such processes.
• April 2017 saw the first round of consultations with Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in attendance.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The 26th edition of the quadrilateral maritime drill, Exercise Malabar among the navies of the Quad countries India, the United States, Japan and Australia culminated in the seas off the coast of Japan.

• The exercise aimed at cooperation in the strategically significant Indo-Pacific region was hosted by the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) this time.

Malabar Exercise and how it has evolved

• It is a multilateral war-gaming naval exercise that started in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the USA.
• After successful editions in 1995 & 1996, there was a break until 2002 in the aftermath of India’s nuclear tests.
• It has been conducted every year after 2002
• Japan and Australia first participated in 2007, and since 2014, India, the US and Japan have participated in the exercise every year.
• Japan joined in 2015 as a permanent member, and Malabar became a trilateral exercise.
• In 2020, for the first time in over a decade, Australia joined the exercise and all QUAD navies were seen together in action.
• The 26th edition is quadrilateral maritime drill among the navies of the Quad countries — India, the United States, Japan and Australia.
• The exercise aimed at cooperation in the strategically significant Indo-Pacific region, through improved interoperability with the partner navies.

In the 26th edition

• The Indian Navy was represented by Eastern Fleet, led by its Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Sanjay Bhalla.
• The Indian contingent was represented by stealth multirole frigate INS Shivalik and anti-submarine corvette INS Kamorta.
• ‘War at Sea’ exercise
• Exchange of ‘Sea Riders’

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

National Commission for Women launched the latest version of ‘Digital Shakti’ programme, which was essentially dedicated to teach women to be safe online.

• The latest 4.0 version of its ‘Digital Shakti’ programme, which was essentially dedicated to teach women to be safe online.
• Seeking to empower women digitally, the National Commission for Women (NCW) is expanding the ambit of its cyber-security programme to enable females on using the digital space to enhance their career prospects, and use technology to their advantage.

About Digital Shakti’ programme

• It is a cyber-safety programme, launched by NCW in 2018 essentially to train women fight cyber-crime and to help females use digital space.
• CyberPeace Foundation is partnering with the NCW and Meta to implement the programme.
• The 4.0 version aims at accelerating the digital participation of women
• To train one million women from schools, colleges and universities apart from housewives to use the digital knowledge responsibly and support them if they have any business ideas for example for start-up
• To upskill and empower women digitally
• Through this project, over 3 lakh women across India have been made aware of the cyber safety tips and tricks, the reporting and redressal mechanisms, data privacy and the usage of technology, for their benefits.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 2

While hearing a PIL on religious conversion, the Supreme Court said that “forced” religious conversions are “very dangerous” and may “ultimately affect the security of the nation as well as the freedom of religion and conscience of the citizens”.

The Supreme Court views on the Issue

• The bench urged the government to “make their stand clear and file counter on what steps can be taken by Union and/or others to curb such forced conversion, maybe by force, allurement or fraudulent means”.
• The court singles out the issue for its attention, asks what action the government proposes to take, it implies both that “forced” religious conversions are a significant problem and that existing laws are insufficient to deal with it.
• Article 25 of the Constitution says “all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practise and propagate religion”. 
• But at least 10 states have legislated anti-conversion laws, beginning in the 1960s. 
• The claim is that legal safeguards, including IPC provisions, have failed to stop religious conversions through “coercion”, “intimidation”, “allurement”, “threats”. 
• Mass conversions in independent India, though rare, have been acts of protest against social discrimination. 
• The conversion of BR Ambedkar and over three lakh followers, mostly Dalits, to Buddhism in 1956 as well as the 1982 Meenakshipuram conversions, when 180 Dalit families in a Tamil Nadu village embraced Islam, were acts of political revolt.
• The current context of the conversion debate appears to be missionary activity in tribal areas and inter-religious marriages, labelled as “love jihad”.

Anti Conversion Laws

• Princely states headed by Hindu royal families were the first to introduce laws restricting religious conversions during the British colonial era, especially during the latter half of the 1930s and 1940s.
• Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh passed anti-conversion laws that outlaw religious conversion solely for the purpose of marriage.
• Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religious Ordinance, 2020 also requires a 60-days-notice. However, it also requires the Magistrate to conduct police inquiry to ascertain the real intention behind the conversion
• Under the Madhya Pradesh law, the burden of proving that the conversion was done in a legitimate fashion lies with the person converted.
• Under the law, any marriage where a husband or wife has converted (even consensually) will be declared null and void unless prior notice is given to the state government.
• Recent Karnataka law says any person intending to convert to another religion after the law comes into force will have to notify the district magistrate two months in advance.

Judicial pronouncements on such laws:

• In 2020 the Allahabad High Court cancelled a case against a Muslim man (Salamat Ansari), filed by the parents of his wife (Priyanka Kharwar (now Alia)) who converted to Islam before marrying him.
• The verdict comes as a reminder of the Constitution’s cherished values in the backdrop of some state governments bringing in legislations against what they call as “Love Jihad”.
• Right to privacy: It held that an individual’s ability to control vital aspects of her life inheres in her right to privacy. Puttaswamy judgement, has recognised that every individual possesses a guaranteed freedom of thought.
• The Uttarakhand HC, in November 2017, held that conversions for the sake of marriage “a sham” and urged the government to enact the law against such conversions. This became the basis for the Uttarakhand Freedom of Religion Act, 2018.
• Sarala Mudgal case: The court had held that the religious conversion into Islam by a person from non-Islamic faith is not valid if the conversion is done for the purpose of polygamy.

Conversion in India is legal but not the conversion made using force/allurement/inducement to convert people. Various Court judgments have made conversion laws a legal one but not the laws which have whimsical/fanciful/arbitrary laws by State. So, there is a clear limit for the State to intervene in the religious conversion, this can be further demarcated by small but significant steps such as model law, enhancing awareness, etc. 

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

India has put forward a proposal to better protect a species of freshwater reptile called the red-crowned roofed turtle (Batagur kachuga) under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). 

The turtle, native to India and Bangladesh, is at a high risk of extinction.

• In the CITES COP19 agenda, countries have proposals to amend the appendices for wild animals, which include transferring hippopotamus, straw-headed bulbul, red-crowned roofed turtle and African elephant to Appendix I. 
• It also proposes to include requiem and hammerhead sharks in Appendix II. 

The Red Crowned Roofed Turtle

• Red Crowned Roofed Turtle is a species of freshwater turtle endemic to South Asia.
• The last known stronghold for this river turtle is on the Chambal River in central India, however, small isolated populations may still exist in the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins. 
• IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
• Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972: Schedule I

Threats

• The list cites threats like habitat loss due to pollution and hydrological projects specific in the Gangal lowlands of northern India and Bangladesh. 
• Overharvesting the animal for illegal consumption and illegal international trade are other reasons for its extinction threat. 
• Over 11,000 tortoises and freshwater turtles have been seized in India from 2009-2019, found a study by TRAFFIC, a global NGO working on trade in wild animals and plants and their conservation.
• The poached animals were illegally traded year after year and identification were absent in 51.5 per cent of the cases.

About CITES

• It is an international agreement between governments.
• CITES regulates international trade in specimens of species of wild fauna and flora based on a system of permits and certificates issued under certain conditions.
• It covers export, re-export, import and landing from the high seas of live and dead
• animals and plants and their parts and derivatives.
• CITES has now 183 Parties. Not all members of the United Nations are Parties to the Convention.
• The CITES Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• It was drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of IUCN (The World Conservation Union).
• The text of the Convention was finally agreed at a meeting of representatives of 80 countries in Washington, D.C, on 3 March 1973, and on 1 July 1975 CITES entered in force.
• It is legally binding on the Parties – in other words they have to implement the Convention.
• It does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework to be adopted by parties in its own domestic legislation to ensure that CITES is implemented at the national level.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The World Bank Group has announced a Global Shield Financing Facility to help developing countries access more financing for recovery from natural disasters and climate shocks.

About Global Shield Financing Facility Initiative

• The Global Shield Against Climate Risks initiative was launched at the 27th Conference of Parties (COP27) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
• This facility will support the Global Shield Against Climate Risks, a joint initiative launched today at COP27 by the G7 and V20 to better protect poor and vulnerable people from disasters by pre-arranging more financing before disasters strike.
• The Global Shield Financing Facility will channel grants to developing countries through World Bank projects or through projects prepared by other participating partners, including UN agencies and multilateral development banks. 
• It will also work closely with key stakeholders, such as civil society organizations, risk pools, private sector and humanitarian partners.
• Pakistan, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Fiji, Senegal, Philippines and Ghana will be the first to receive assistance under this initiative.
• The initial contributions for this initiative are provided Germany, Denmark, Ireland and Canada.

About V20 Countries

• Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group of Ministers of Finance of the Climate Vulnerable Forum is a dedicated cooperation initiative of economies systemically vulnerable to climate change.
• It was established on 08 October 2015 at Lima, Peru.
• It’s primary objective is to promote the mobilisation of climate finance.
• Survive Thrive #1.5C aims to promote actions to keep warming below 1.5°C and urges people to get involved and keep updated on limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
• The call to create the V20 originated from the Climate Vulnerable Forum’s Costa Rica Action Plan (2013-2015) in a major effort to strengthen economic and financial responses to climate change.
• It foresaw a high-level policy dialogue pertaining to action on climate change and the promotion of climate resilient and low emission development with full competence for addressing economic and financial issues beyond the remit of any one organization.
• The V20 is a bloc consists of countries most threatened by climate change including’s members are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Costa Rica, East Timor, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, the Maldives, Nepal, the Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 1

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda, the Centre marked the second Janjatiya Gaurav Divas on November 15 to celebrate the contributions of tribal communities to Indian culture.

• President Droupadi Murmu, who was appointed India’s first tribal woman president this year, visited Ulihatu village in the Khunti district of Jharkhand – the birthplace of ‘Bhagwan’ Birsa Munda – and paid floral tributes.
• The government has also paid tributes to other pre-independence era tribal leaders recently, with the statue of Alluri Sitharama Raju inaugurated by the Prime Minister this year and new ‘tribal museums’ announced.

Munda Tribe

• The Munda tribe inhabited the Chota Nagpur region of today’s Jharkhand. 
• This was done in part by allying with local zamindars, who helped force the tribals into bonded labour.
• A feudal zamindari system was introduced, destroying the tribal “Khuntkatti” agrarian and land ownership system that was more community-based. 
• The Raj brought in outsiders — moneylenders and contractors, as well as feudal landlords — to aid them.
• With the impact of British rule and activities of Christian missionaries, many tribals became critical of the British and missionaries’ presence.

Birsa Munda

• Birsa Munda was born in 1875, the British were attempting to establish control over and exploit forest lands, disrupting the tribal way of life. 
• He belonged to the Munda tribe in the Chota Nagpur Plateau area. He converted to Christianity in order to join the German Mission school. However, he later decided to renounce Christianity and drop out of the School.
• Birsait Faith: He created a new religion called Birsait, which worshipped only one god. Given his growing influence in the tribal community, Birsait soon became the popular religion among the Mundas and Oraons. He was also given the nickname ‘Dharti Abba’ or Father of the Earth.
• Influence on Birsa Munda: During the 1880s, Birsa closely witnessed the Sardari Larai movement in the region, which demanded the restoration of tribal rights through non-violent methods like sending petitions to the Raj. However, the oppressive colonial regime paid no heed to these demands. 

Munda Rebellion

• It was led by Birsa Munda. It was a revolt against the colonial masters and exploitative dikus(outsiders) and was aimed at establishing Munda Raj or Munda rule in this region. 
• The revolt later came to be known as The Ulgulan or “the Great Tumult”.
• Reason for Munda Revolt: In 1874, the British replaced the Khuntkari system of Munda tribals with the zamindari system. 
• The introduction of the zamindari system created the classes of zamindars (landlords) and ryots (tenants). 
• It also intensified the forced labour (veth bigari) in the forested tribal areas and made tribals depend on money lenders for money.
• Impact of the Munda Revolt: The movement compelled the British to take cognisance of the plight and exploitation of tribals and bring in the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act of 1908 for their protection. This Act restricted the transfer of tribal land to non-tribals giving Adivasis a huge relief and became a landmark legislation for the protection of tribal rights. 

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

Recently the third edition of the ‘pan-India’ coastal defence Exercise ‘Sea Vigil-22’ is conducted by the Indian Navy.

• To enhance India’s maritime security the two-day long multi-exercise covered the 7,516 km-long coastline of the country.
• Along with covering India’s coastline, the exercise also took place in the exclusive economic zone. 
• With the collaborative participation of the Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Customs department, and other maritime agencies, Sea Vigil helped in validating the maritime security mechanism.

Operation Sea Vigil

• Exercise Sea Vigil is a Coastal Defence Exercise conceptualized in 2018 to validate various measures that have been instituted towards enhancing maritime security since ‘26/11’. 
• The exercise will be undertaken along the entire 7516 km coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone of India.
• All the Coastal States and Union territories along with other maritime stakeholders.
• Its objective is to provide a realistic assessment of India’s strengths and weaknesses and thus will help in further strengthening Maritime and National Security.
• Indian Navy in coordination with the Coast Guard and other ministries entrusted with the task of maritime activities.
• Sea Vigil and TROPEX together will cover the entire spectrum Maritime Security challenges.
• Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX) is an inter-service military exercise conducted every two years.

Syllabus: General Studies Paper 3

The latest Climate Change Performance Index by Germanwatch, an independent development organisation, has put India eighth amongst a group of 59 countries and the European Union in terms of climate action, ahead of most developed countries.

• The UK has been ranked 11, Germany 16, while China and the United States are placed at 51st and 52nd ranks respectively. 
• Denmark and Sweden have been assessed to be the top performers this year as well.

Climate Change Performance Index:

• Climate Change Performance Index(CCPI) is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the climate protection performance of 60 countries and the EU, covering 92% of the Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions
• Aim: To enhance transparency in international climate politics and enable comparison of climate protection efforts and progress made by individual countries.

Categories: 

CCPI assesses each country’s performance in four categories: 

• GHG Emissions (40% of the overall ranking), 
• Renewable Energy (20%), 
• Energy Use (20%) and 
• Climate Policy (20%).

India’s Performance

• India earns a high rating in the GHG Emissions and Energy Use categories, with a medium for Climate Policy and Renewable Energy.

• The country is on track to meet its 2030 emissions targets (compatible with a well-below 2 degree Celsius scenario). 

• However, the renewable energy pathway is not on track for the 2030 target

• India earns a high rating in the GHG Emissions and Energy Use categories, with a medium for Climate Policy and Renewable Energy.
• The country is on track to meet its 2030 emissions targets (compatible with a well-below 2-degree Celsius scenario). However, the renewable energy pathway is not on track for the 2030 target.
• India’s upgraded NDC (nationally determined contributions)
• Net zero target for 2070.
• At least 50 per cent of its electricity generation in 2030 from renewable energy sources (up from 40 per cent earlier)
• Cuts in emissions intensity, 45 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, instead of the 33-35 per cent which was the earlier target.
• India’s climate actions were still not consistent with the 1.5-degree Celsius goal since India has plans to increase its oil and gas production by over 5 per cent by 2030.