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48 Hrs. Answer Writing, Copy Evaluation and Marks Improvement Cycle
Instruction:
Question #1. The SCO provides India a convenient channel for its outreach, trade, and strategic ties, to Central Asian countries. Discuss throwing light on major challenges faced by India in this regard.
Question #2. The sudden capture of power in Afghanistan by the Taliban has substantially changed the geopolitics of the region. What will be the likely impact of this change on India and what are the policy options available with India?
(Examiner will pay special attention to the candidate's grasp of his/her material, its relevance to the subject chosen, and to his/ her ability to think constructively and to present his/her ideas concisely, logically and effectively).
Question #1. The SCO provides India a convenient channel for its outreach, trade, and strategic ties, to Central Asian countries. Discuss throwing light on major challenges faced by India in this regard.
Approach:
Hints:
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is a Eurasian political, economic organisation aiming to maintain peace, security and stability in the region. It was created in 2001. India became a member in 2017.
Currently, the SCO covers 40%of the global population, nearly 20% of the global GDP and 22% of the world’s land mass.
Opportunities for India
Challenges faced by India at the SCO:
Conclusion
Group diplomacy is always more complex than bilateral diplomacy. With SCO, China's influence is overwhelmingly supported by other members, especially Pakistan. With the Taliban now in the seat of power in Kabul, it will be further challenging and therefore necessary for India to engage in group diplomacy. If India is not able to exploit the economic potential of the region, its inclusion to the organisation will be a missed opportunity. SCO provides a great opportunity for promotion of India’s regional interests for ensuring sustainable nation-building through development partnerships, maintaining sovereignty, and preventing the region from being a hub of terrorism and extremism.
Q2. The sudden capture of power in Afghanistan by the Taliban has substantially changed the geopolitics of the region. What will be the likely impact of this change on India and what are the policy options available with India?
Approach:
Hints:
Afghanistan is a landlocked country, on the crossroads of Central and South Asia. It is of particular importance to India, due to its strategic location for trade with Central Asian countries.
Changing scenario in Afghanistan
Impact on India:
Policy options with India:
At this point, talking to the Taliban looks inevitable. But India should not overlook the deep ties between Pakistan’s security establishment and the Haqqani Network, a major faction within the Taliban.
None of these countries would like to see the Taliban letting terrorist groups settle on its territory.
Thus, there is a need for cooperation from like minded countries on this front.
The long-term goal should be finding a political solution to the crisis. None of this can be achieved unless it works together with the regional powers.
The original objective of India’s Chabahar project in Iran was to create a direct access to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.
This direct access is critical for India in all different scenarios — move supplies to Afghanistan in larger quantities, retain its presence in the event of a civil war or carry out covert operations if the Taliban take power by force.
However, the US's pressure on India is a roadblock in good relations between the two countries.
Conclusion
An independent, sovereign, democratic, pluralistic and inclusive Afghanistan is crucial for peace and stability in the region. But India also needs to accept that the Taliban is a reality in Afghanistan. India should find a balanced approach to deal with Afghanistan in collaboration with Russia and Iran, such that its twin objectives of national security and peaceful Afghanistan are achieved.
To participate in the answer writing program, Register yourself for the test. Copies will be evaluated only for the registered students. Registration will be closed after the scheduled date.
Step 1 (Theme, Details & Its Topics):
Step 2 (Answer Writing):
Note: Answer sheets without the proper guidelines given above will not be accepted for evaluation.
Step 3 (Copy Evaluation): Copies will be evaluated in the next 72 hours of the test date. After evaluation, copies will be uploaded into your account. During the copy evaluation period, doubt clearing and discussion about the theme or topic of the test with respective mentors of the test will be done in the telegram group.
Step 4 (Mentorship): Evaluated copies will be sent to you via mail and also uploaded into your account on the website. After that a mentorship session for the marks improvement with respective faculty will be conducted on the Google Meet, so that students can get a wider perspective of the topics. Here you can discuss your evaluated copies also with the faculty. Top 5 copies of every test will be shared in the telegram group for reference.
Note: Aspirants who have not written the test can also participate in the mentorship session.
For Updates and Mentorship of the session, you will be notified through SMS or Telegram Group.
Note: You have to write your answers on an A4 size sheet leaving margins on both sides based on UPSC pattern. Mention Your Name on 1st page and Page Number on each page. After writing the answer, Click pictures of each page of your answer sheet, merge them all in a single PDF and upload in the Your Answer Copy section of the same question.
Verifying, please be patient.
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