EDITORIALS & ARTICLES

Jan 15, 2022

INDIA-SOUTH KOREA BILATERAL TRADE Recently, Trade talks between India and South Korea is held. Highlights
  • India and South Korea set a bilateral trade target of $50 billion before 2030.
  • India is aiming to address issues of market access and non-tariff barriers faced by Indian exporters.
    • Indian exporters are facing difficulty in export of bovine meat.
  • India had also raised the need to expedite the process to facilitate export of grapes, pomegranate arils and eggplants.
  • Both countries agreed to impart fresh momentum to the discussions on the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CEPA) upgradation negotiations.
India – Republic of Korea Bilateral Relations (RoK) Political relation
  • Bilateral consular relations were established in 1962 which was upgraded to Ambassador level in 1973.
  • RoK's open market policies and the New Southern Policy found resonance with India's economic liberalization, 'Look East Policy' as well as “Act East Policy”.
  • In 2015, bilateral relationship was upgraded to ‘Special Strategic Partnership’.
Economic relation
  • The India-South Korea CEPA was signed in 2009 and became effective in 2010.
  • Major items of India’s exports to Korea are mineral fuels/oil distillates (mainly naphtha), cereals, iron and steel.
  • Korea’s main export items are automobile parts, telecommunication equipment, hot rolled iron products, petroleum refined products etc.
  • India and South Korea launched an initiative ‘Korea Plus’, to promote and facilitate Korean Investments in India.
  • A Korea India SME and Startup centre was launched in September 2019.
Cultural relation
  • Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) was established in Seoul (2011) and Busan (2013).
  • Various Universities in Korea offer degree courses in Indian Philosophy, Yoga and Ayurveda.
  • Government of India granted Visa on Arrival facility to Korean nationals coming through 6 designated international airports in India since 1 October 2018.
Naval exercise SAHYOG-HYEOBLYEOG It is India, South Korea joint anti-piracy, search and rescue exercise was conducted in Bay of Bengal in 2018. RECORD OCEAN WARMING IN 2021, COASTAL COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE ON ALERT According to a new report, the world’s oceans underwent record warming in 2021. Highlights of the Report:
  • Oceans have been experiencing an unambiguous increase in heat since the late 1980s.
  • The warming rates in 1986-2021 represents a maximum eight-fold increase compared to 1958–85.
  • The upper 2,000 metres of the ocean absorbed 235 zettajoules (ZJ) of heat in 2021 relative to the 1981-2010 average.
    • Joule is a unit of work or energy in the International System of Units (SI).
  • It is equal to the work done by a force of one newton acting through one metre.
    • Zettajoule is a unit of energy equal to the work done when a force of one newton acts through a distance of one meter.
  • The oceans soaked up 14 ZJ more heat than in 2020.
Greenhouse Gases
  • There is an energy imbalance from the build-up of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.
  • The oceans are absorbing most of the heating from human carbon emissions.
  • The heating will continue until the world reach net-zero carbon emissions.
El Nino and La Nina
  • The effects of natural variations such as El Nino and La Nina cause warming and cooling global climate patterns, respectively.
  • During El Nino, Oceans release some amount of heat, contributing to a mini global warming.
    • The warmest years in terms of surface temperature are El Nino years.
  • During La Nina, Oceans take up heat and bury it at depths away from the surface.  
What is Ocean Warming?
  • Oceans stabilise Earth’s climate by absorbing large amounts of heat from sunlight, water vapour and other greenhouse gases.
    • This heat can find its way back into the atmosphere through melting ice shelves, evaporating water or directly reheating the atmosphere.
  • If the ocean absorbs more heat than it releases, its heat content rises.
Impacts of Ocean Warming: Impact on Marine Species and Ecosystems
  • Marine fishes, seabirds and marine mammals face high risks from increasing temperatures
    • It leads to high levels of mortalitiesloss of breeding grounds and mass movements.
  • Coral reefs are also affected which cause coral bleaching and increase their risk of mortality.
Impact on humans
  • Marinefreshwater capture fisheries and aquaculture provide 4.3 billion people with about 15% of their animal protein.
  • By increasing the vulnerability of fish species to diseases, ocean warming is a serious risk to food security and people’s livelihoods globally.
    • Economic losses vary from ten to hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • It also affects vegetation and reef-building species such as corals and mangroves, which protect coastlines from erosion and sea-level rise.
    • Rising sea levels and erosion particularly affect low-lying island countries in the Pacific Ocean, forcing people to relocate.
  • Rise in sea surface temperatures is causing more severe hurricanes and the intensification of El Nino events bringing droughts and floods.
    • This can have significant socio-economic and health effects in some regions of the world.
  • Warming ocean temperatures are linked to the increase of diseases in marine species.
    • Human’s risk direct transmission of these diseases when consuming marine species.
RAILTEL TO CREATE ‘EDGE DATA CENTRES’ FOR EFFICIENT DIGITAL DELIVERY IN RURAL, SEMI-URBAN AREAS RailTel has decided to create several "edge data centres" in rural and semi-urban areas, to bridge the digital divide in the country and also accelerate the pace of digital transformation.
  • These are small data centres located at the edge of the network, where they are closer to end users and devices.
It enables the organizations to provide their customers with the benefit of faster deliverylower latency, higher security, and greater control over their data. ISFR 2021 Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change released the ‘India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021’ prepared by the Forest Survey of India (FSI). Forest Cover:
  • The total forest and tree cover of the country is 62% of the geographical area of the country.
    • Forest Cover forms 71% of the country’s geographical area.
  • Increase in forest cover has been observed in open forest followed by very dense forest.
Positives:
  • Top three states showing increase in forest cover are:
    • Andhra Pradesh followed by Telangana and Odisha.
  • Area-wiseMadhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
  • In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are:
    • Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76.00%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.90%).
Negatives:
  • Five states in the Northeast– Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland have all shown loss in forest cover.
  • 46 %of the forest cover is prone to forest fires.
    • Out of this, 2.81 % is extremely prone, 7.85% is very highly prone and 11.51 % is highly prone.
  • There is a decline of 1,582 sq km in moderately dense forests, or “natural forests”.
New Features:
  • The report, for the first time, assessed forest cover in tiger reserves, tiger corridors and the Gir forest which houses the Asiatic lion.
  • The forest cover in tiger corridors has increased by 37.15 sq km (0.32%) between 2011-2021, but decreased by 22.6 sq km (0.04%) in tiger reserves.
  • Forest cover has increased in 20 tiger reserves in these 10 years, and decreased in 32 reserves.
    • Buxa, Anamalai and Indravati reserves have shown an increase in forest cover.
    • The highest losses have been found in Kawal, Bhadra and the Sunderbans reserves.
    • Pakke Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh has the highest forest cover, at nearly 97%.
  • A special study for estimation of Above Ground Biomass (AGB)at pan-India level was introduced in ISFR 2021.
Mangroves:
  • Total mangrove cover in the country increased by 17 sq Km as compared to the previous assessment of 2019.
  • Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Odisha (8 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (4 sq km) and Karnataka (3 sq km).
Carbon Sink:
  • There is an increase of 79.4 million tonnes in the carbon stock of country as compared to the last assessment of 2019.
  • The annual increase in the carbon stock is 39.7 million tonnes.
Forest Cover vs Tree Outside Forest (TOF) vs Tree Cover:
  • Forest cover includes all areas more than 1 hectare in extent and has the tree density of more than 10%, irrespective of land use and legal status.
  • Trees outside the recorded forest area mainly in the form of block, linear and scattered size of patches are included in Trees outside Forest (TOF).
  • Tree cover is an estimated area comprising of tree patches, which are less than one hectare and isolated trees outside the recorded forests.
    • Thus, trees included in the tree cover constitute only a part of TOF.
India State of Forest Report:
  • It is an assessment of India’s forest and tree cover.
  • It is published every two years by the Forest Survey of India under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
    • The first survey was published in 1987, and ISFR 2021 is the 17th.
  • The assessment of forest cover of the country is done using mid-resolution Satellite databased on interpretation of LISS-III data from Indian Remote Sensing satellite data (Resourcesat-II).
    • Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor 3- LISS III is a remote sensing satellite camera from Indian Space Research Organization.
  • The survey is based on these four categories of forests:
    • Very Dense Forest (with tree canopy density of 70 per cent or above)
    • Moderately Dense Forest (tree canopy density between 40 and 70 per cent)
    • Open Forest (tree canopy density between 10 and 40 per cent)
    • Scrub (tree canopy density less than 10 per cent).
  • Open forests currently have the biggest share in the country’s forest cover.
  • Very dense forests (the pristine natural forests) account for least forest cover.
Steps Taken by India: National Afforestation Scheme:
  • The scheme is being implemented for afforestation of degraded forest lands.
  • The scheme is implemented by three tier institutional setup through:
    • State Forest Development Agency (SFDA) at the state level
    • Forest Development Agency (FDA) at the forest division level
    • Joint Forest Management Committees (JFMCs) at village level.
Objectives:
  • To ecologically restore degraded forests
  • To develop the forest resources with peoples’ participation, with focus on improvement in livelihoods of the forest-fringe communities, especially the poor.
  • To support and accelerate the on-going process of devolving forest conservation, protection, management and development functions.
National Mission for a Green India:
  • It is one of the eight Missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC).
Objective:
  • To safeguard the biological resources and associated livelihoods against adverse climate change and to recognize the vital impact of forestry on ecological sustainability, biodiversity conservation and food-, water- and livelihood-security.
The National Action Programme for combating Desertification:
  • It was prepared in 2001 to take appropriate action in addressing the problems of desertification.
INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND AUTHORITY (IEPFA) SIGNS MOU WITH INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY (IGNOU) FOR PROMOTING INVESTOR EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL LITERACY AMONG YOUTH THROUGH GYAN DARSHAN CHANNEL Recently, the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for Investor Education. Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA):
  • Established in 2016, IEPFA is under the aegis of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
  • It works for investor awareness and promotion of the interest of investors.
  • It is also responsible for the administration of the Investor Education Protection Fund (IEPF).
    • IEPF is established under the Companies Act, 1956 by way of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1999.
NATO-RUSSIA COUNCIL MEETS IN BRUSSELS The NATO-Russia Council, which brings together all 30 NATO Allies and Russia, met in Brussels to discuss the situation in Ukraine, and the implications for European security. Highlights of the talk: Moscow’s demands were rejected
  • Russia’s demands include not admitting any more members into NATO and to withdraw western forces from its Eastern Allies.
    • But both the demands were rejected by U.S and its allies.
  • Russia has been deploying security forces around Ukraine, creating invasion scare among the allies.
Issue of Ukraine was unresolved
  • The US and its allies rejected Russia’s demands of easing tensions over Ukraine.
  • Russia also demanded that Ukraine should not be added into the NATO, a request denied by the allies.
Future prospect of the NATO-Russia Council
  • NATO allies proposed a number of areas where dialogue with Russia could continue.
    • It includes increasing the transparency of military exercises, reducing space and cyber threats, and addressing arms control and non-proliferation.
NATO-Russia Council (NRC)
  • The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) was established as a mechanism for consultation, consensus-building, cooperation, joint decision and joint action.
    • It includes fighting terrorism, military cooperation, cooperation on Afghanistan (including transportation by Russia of non-military International Security Assistance Force freight, fighting the local drug production, industrial cooperation, and weapons non-proliferation.
  • The NRC was established at the NATO-Russia Summit in Rome on 28 May 2002 by the Declaration on “NATO-Russia Relations: a New Quality”.
  • The NRC replaced the Permanent Joint Council (PJC), a forum for consultation and cooperation created by the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act.
  • The Alliance suspended all practical cooperation between NATO and Russia.
    • Reason: Russia’s illegal military intervention in Ukraine and its violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
  • It is an intergovernmental military alliance between 27 European countries, 2 North American countries, and 1 Eurasian country.
  • It was founded in 1949by the United States, Canada, and several Western European nations to provide collective security against the Soviet Union.
  • Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
  • NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.
  • NATO is traditionally focused on Russia and the European neighbourhood.
    • It recognises the need to deter revisionist and militarily advanced Russia, and the threat posed by rogue nations such as North Korea.
  • The Soviet Union formed its own defence and political alliance with Eastern European nations as a counterbalance to NATO-The Warsaw Pact.
    • The Warsaw Pact was signed in 1955.
    • This alliance was disbanded after the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1991.
AFRICA50 AND POWER GRID CORPORATION OF INDIA IN JOINT DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, TO PIONEER AFRICA’S FIRST TRANSMISSION PPP PROJECT IN KENYA Recently, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID) has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Africa50 on a public-private partnership basis.
  • Project entails the development, financing, construction, and operation of the
    • 400kV Lessos – Loosuk and 220kV Kisumu – Musaga transmission lines under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework.
  • Africa-50 is a pan-African infrastructure investment platform that contributes to Africa’s economic growth by developing and investing in bankable infrastructure projects.
WHAT IS THE 'MYSTERY HUT' SPOTTED ON THE MOON? CHINESE ROVER NOW HAS ANSWERS Recently, mysterious-looking outcrop spotted by China's Yutu mission on the Moon was found to be a simple rock.
  • It is the robotic lunar rover component of China Chang'e 4 mission to the Moon.
  • It entered lunar orbit before making the world's first soft landing on the far side of the Moon.
  • Yutu-2 is currently operational as the world's most long-lived lunar rover by far and the world's first lunar rover traversing the far side of the moon.
AIM ANNOUNCES 75 WINNERS OF ATL SPACE CHALLENGE 2021 Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) unveils the Top Teams of the ATL Space Challenge 2021.
  • The Challenge was launched in collaboration with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
  • Aim: To enable innovation among young school students to create something in space sector that will help them learn about the space & create something that space programme can use itself. 
  • It aligns with the World Space Week 2021 which is observed from 4th -10th October each year.
PAKISTAN’S FIRST-EVER NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY CITES HINDUTVA-DRIVEN POLITICS, ARMS BUILDUP KEY HURDLES TO TIES WITH INDIA Pakistan has expressed desire to improve ties with India under its first-ever National Security Policy.
  • The policy was adopted in the December 2021.
Highlights of Policy:
  • A just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains at the core of India- Pakistan bilateral relationship.
  • The rise of Hindutva-driven politics in India is deeply concerning and impacts Pakistan’s immediate security.
  • Special attention is required to manage border disputes which continue to pose security threats, particularly along the Line of Control (LoC).
  • Towards the immediate east bilateral ties have also been hindered as a consequence of the unresolved Kashmir dispute.
  • Expansion of India's nuclear triad disturb the strategic balance in the region.
    • It also blames India for “ceasefire violations” along the LoC.
  • Exploitation and manipulation of ethnic, religious, and sectarian lines through violent extremist ideologies” cannot be allowed.
  • China Pakistan Economic Corridor as a “project of national importance”, is “redefining regional connectivity and providing impetus to Pakistan’s economy”.
    • However, document doesn’t talk much about West Asia and Pakistan’s partners in the Gulf, and Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
    • Document indicated that “westward connectivity” was the current viable option as “eastward connectivity is held hostage to India’s regressive approach”.
 






POSTED ON 15-01-2022 BY ADMIN
Next previous