GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India is aiming to balance its bilateral trade with Russia, which is currently skewed heavily in Russia's favor. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Russia, both nations set an ambitious trade target of $100 billion by 2030, up from the current $65 billion.

Current Gaps

• Trade Deficit: India has a significant trade deficit with Russia, with Russia's exports to India estimated at $61 billion in 2023-24, while India's exports were only about $4 billion. The trade imbalance is largely due to India's high imports of discounted Russian oil.
• Export Barriers: Non-tariff barriers are impeding the growth of Indian exports to Russia. These barriers affect products such as marine goods, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods.

Reasons Behind the Trade Imbalance Between India and Russia

• High Energy Imports: India imports a significant amount of crude oil, petroleum products, and coal from Russia. These energy imports make up a major portion of India's total imports from Russia, heavily skewing the trade balance. The surge in oil and fertilizer imports, particularly from early 2022, has been a key driver of this imbalance. Petroleum products alone account for 84% of India’s imports from Russia.
• Limited Indian Exports: While Indian exports to Russia include pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, machinery, and textiles, their volume and value are not sufficient to balance the high imports of energy products. This disparity in trade volumes contributes significantly to the trade imbalance.
• Impact of Western Sanctions: Western sanctions have limited Russia's ability to export certain high-value goods, impacting the trade balance between the two countries.
• Logistical Challenges: Geographical distance and logistical issues contribute to higher trade costs between India and Russia. Poor transport infrastructure, long transit times, and limited direct shipping routes or air links increase the overall cost and complexity of trade, affecting the competitiveness of Indian goods in the Russian market.

Solutions to Rectify the Trade Imbalance Between India and Russia

• Increasing Indian Exports: India must aim to boost exports to Russia across various sectors including agriculture, technology, pharmaceuticals, and services. Additionally, promoting textiles, gems, jewellery, and increasing tourism through targeted marketing and easier visa processes can further enhance trade.
• Advancing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Negotiations: An FTA could facilitate greater market access and reduce trade barriers, helping to create a more balanced trade relationship.
• Enhancing Use of Local Currencies: The rise in using local currencies for trade has helped reduce dependence on the US dollar and lower transaction costs.
• Improving Transport Infrastructure
  • International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): This 7,200-km network of ship, rail, and road routes is designed to enhance trade connectivity between India, Iran, and Russia. It aims to provide a shorter transportation route linking the Indian Ocean to the Caspian Sea and beyond to North Europe.
  • Chabahar Port in Iran: This port offers a strategic route for Indian goods to Central Asia and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. It provides India with access to new markets and a foothold in the region.
  • Eastern Maritime Corridor: This emerging route between Chennai and Vladivostok significantly reduces travel distance and logistics costs compared to the current route via the Suez Canal. The shorter distance improves efficiency and reduces transportation expenses.

As modern transportation grows more complex and widespread, ensuring safety through collision avoidance systems (CAS) becomes increasingly crucial. This technology helps prevent accidents by providing real-time data to vehicles, ships, and aircraft to avoid collisions.

What is a Collision Avoidance System (CAS)?

• A Collision Avoidance System (CAS) is a set of technologies designed to help vehicles, trains, ships, or aircraft avoid accidents with other vehicles or obstacles.
• These systems gather and process real-time data about the vehicle's surroundings to make navigation safer. CAS can be used in both human-driven and autonomous vehicles.

How CAS Helps Different Modes of Transport?

• Land-Based Vehicles
  • Example: Two cars, one in front and one behind, both equipped with CAS. The system tracks the speed and distance between them.
  • Function: If the distance between the cars is predicted to become dangerously small, the CAS can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. It connects to the vehicle’s braking system and speedometer and uses radar, lidar, or cameras for tracking.
• Trains
  • System: Kavach. The KAVACH is an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO) in collaboration with the Indian industry.
  • Components:
    • Computers:
      • Onboard train computer
      • Station master computers (one master computer and one remote interface unit)
      • RFID readers on trains to track location
    • Communication:
      • Data transmission through fiber-optic cables and ultra-high frequency radio
      • GSM-Railway for network communication
    • Control:
      • The onboard computer manages braking systems and alarms
      • Station masters have interfaces to send SOS messages

• Aircraft
  • System: Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS)
  • Components:
    • Transponders: Devices on aircraft that respond to radio-frequency pings to help build a 3D view of nearby traffic.
    • Alerts: Notifications to pilots if another aircraft is on a collision course, with actions to either maneuver or report to air traffic control.
    • Radar Altimeters: Measure altitude to avoid obstacles.

• Ships
  • Systems:
    • AIS (Automatic Identification System): Tracks ships using transceivers and base stations on land to monitor their location and speed.
    • LRIT (Long Range Identification and Tracking): Requires ships to report their position and equipment every six hours to international authorities for tracking and search-and-rescue operations.

Role of Satellites in CAS

• GPS: The Global Positioning System helps with navigation and collision avoidance by providing accurate location data. In road traffic, GPS data can enhance CAS by identifying traffic signals and stop signs.
• Satellite Assistance:
  • ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast): Aircraft share their location and speed via satellites, improving collision avoidance.
  • S-AIS (Satellite AIS): Used for tracking ships that are out of range of traditional AIS stations on

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Rankings 2024 were recently released, highlighting the top institutions in India across various categories.

Key Findings

• Top Colleges: Hindu College, Delhi, leads the list of top colleges, followed by Miranda House, Delhi, and St. Stephen's College, Delhi. This marks a change from last year’s rankings where Miranda House was at the top.
• Overall Rankings: IIT Madras retains its position as the top institution overall for the sixth consecutive year, while the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, is ranked as the best university.
• Category Expansion: Along with the regular 13 categories, the NIRF 2024 rankings have also been introduced for
  • Open universities
  • Skill universities
  • State-funded government universities
• Top Institutions by Category:
  • Engineering: IIT Madras
  • Management: IIM-Ahmedabad, Bangalore, and Calcutta are in the top five.
  • University: Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.

About the Ranking

• The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was approved by the MHRD and launched by the Minister of Human Resource Development in 2015. This framework outlines a methodology to rank institutions across the country.
• The NIRF Rankings assess institutions based on five broad parameters:
• Teaching, Learning, and Resources (TLR): Evaluates the quality of education and resources available.
• Research and Professional Practice (RP): Measures research output and professional practices.
• Graduation Outcomes (GO): Assesses the success and employability of graduates.
• Outreach and Inclusivity (OI): Looks at efforts to include diverse populations and outreach activities.
• Perception (PR): Considers the reputation and perception of the institution among stakeholders.

There are concerns that the Mullaperiyar Dam might be on the verge of collapse, prompting discussions about its safety and management.

About

• The Mullaperiyar Dam was built across the River Periyar by the British Corps of Royal Engineers.
• Purpose: Its main purpose is to divert water from the west-flowing River Periyar to the arid regions of Tamil Nadu, including Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, and Ramanathapuram districts.
• Lease Agreement: A 999-year lease agreement from the British era gave Tamil Nadu operational rights over the dam, despite it being located in Kerala.
• Benefits
  • Flood Control: The dam helped prevent floods in the Travancore region and transformed barren land in Tamil Nadu into fertile agricultural areas.
  • Water Distribution: Water from the dam reaches Tamil Nadu through tunnels that cross the Western Ghats.
• The Mullaperiyar Dam dispute between the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu is a long-standing conflict. Kerala raises concerns about the dam's safety, while Tamil Nadu insists on its rights to the dam's water for irrigation purposes
• Challenges: The Mullaperiyar Dam is a composite gravity dam and seismic forces were not given consideration while building the dam which, despite strengthening measures having been undertaken taken twice, is in a deteriorating condition due to its age.
• The dam has a large catchment area but only limited storage capacitywhich further increases its vulnerability.
• The consequences of any failure of this dam could be extremely catastrophic and beyond human imagination.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has proposed to address the state’s ongoing ethnic tensions by revisiting and potentially redrawing district boundaries. This initiative aims to address administrative and ethnic divisions that have exacerbated conflicts between the Meitei community and the Kuki tribes.

Reason Behind Division

• Ethnic Tensions: The state has experienced severe clashes between the valley-dominant Meitei community and the Kuki tribes who inhabit the hill areas. These clashes have led to over 220 deaths and displaced nearly 50,000 people.
• Administrative Issues: The creation and expansion of districts, such as Kangpokpi, have been viewed as politically motivated and based on ethnic lines, contributing to current conflicts. The Kangpokpi district, for instance, surrounds the Imphal valley and has created tensions with neighboring districts like Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

The Union Government is working to expand the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) by including AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) treatments.

About AB PM-JAY

• Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri - Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) aims to provide health cover of Rs. 5 lakhs per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization to approximately 55 Cr beneficiaries corresponding to 12.34 Crore families constituting the bottom 40% of India’s population.
• The scheme comes under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. 
• The National Health Authority (NHA) is responsible for the implementation of the scheme at the Central level. At the state level, the State Health Authority (SHA) is responsible for its implementation. The programme also has District Implementation Units (DIU).
• There are 2 major components under the scheme:
  • AB-HWC (Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centre)
  • PM-JAY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana)
• AYUSH Package Integration: Discussions are ongoing about including AYUSH treatments in AB PM-JAY and the following components are under review.

• Package design and cost.
• Onboarding of AYUSH hospitals.
• Standard treatment guidelines.
• Defined treatment outcomes.
• Financial implications.

India's retail inflation has recently hit a 59-month low of 3.54% in July 2024. This significant decrease comes after a high inflation rate of 7.44% in July 2023. The decline in inflation is largely attributed to a high base effect from the previous year, which has also led to a drop in food inflation.

Key Factors Influencing Inflation:

• High Base Effect: The significant drop in inflation is partly due to comparing current prices with a high price level from last year.
• Core Inflation: This, which excludes volatile items like food and fuel, rose to 3.4% in July due to higher gold prices and telecom tariff increases.

Future Projections:

• Short-Term: Inflation for August is expected to remain around 3.5%, but may rise afterwards.
• Food Prices: Key issues remain high inflation in cereals and pulses, with prices for these items well above 6% for over a year.
• RBI’s Outlook: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects inflation to average 4.4% for Q2FY24, but actual rates may be closer to the previous forecast of 3.8%. Inflation in the second half of the year might be below the central bank’s forecast of 4.5%.
• Monetary Policy: Despite the lower inflation, the RBI's current interest rate (repo rate) is 6.5%. Rate cuts are not expected soon due to strong economic growth.

The recent Hindenburg report has raised allegations against SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch, claiming she had stakes in offshore companies linked to the Adani 'scam.' The report also criticized recent changes to REIT regulations, suggesting these changes benefited certain entities, including Blackstone.

What are REITs?

• REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) are trusts registered with SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) under the SEBI (Real Estate Investment Trusts) Regulations, 2014.
• Function: REITs raise funds by issuing units to investors. These funds are invested primarily in real estate assets.
• Investment Structure: Investments can be made through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) or Holding Companies.
• Unit Holders: Investors who purchase units of a REIT are known as unit holders.
• Income Distribution: The income generated from the REIT’s assets is distributed to unit holders regularly.
• Trading: REITs are listed on stock exchanges and traded like securities. Investors can buy and sell REIT units on primary and secondary markets, similar to shares or mutual funds.
• India’s First REIT: The first REIT in India was the Embassy REIT, sponsored by Blackstone, which received SEBI approval in April 2019.

The global landscape of security threats has evolved significantly with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its various manifestations. The year 2024 began with heightened concerns about new digital threats, including those posed by Generative AI and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Despite a relatively peaceful 33rd Summer Olympic Games in France, the global community remains on high alert due to the rising profile of these threats.

Emerging Threats and Security Concerns

• AI and Digital Threats: The integration of AI into cyber operations has intensified disinformation campaigns, with deep fakes and manipulated media becoming widespread. These AI-enabled threats exacerbate the challenges of national security and misinformation.
• Cybersecurity Risks: The CrowdStrike outage exemplified the vulnerabilities in global cyber infrastructure, causing massive disruptions across various sectors. Although this incident was not a deliberate cyberattack, it highlighted the potential for severe global consequences from cyber threats.
• Past Cyberattacks: Historical cyberattacks like WannaCry, Shamoon, and Stuxnet demonstrate the severe impact of cyber warfare on critical infrastructure. These events underscore the escalating sophistication and damage potential of cyber threats.

Impact on Society and Governance

• Rising Cybercrime: There is a notable increase in cyber fraud, including phishing and identity theft, affecting individuals and businesses alike. The rapid growth of such crimes underscores the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures.
• Government and Industry Preparedness: Governments are working to enhance their defenses against digital threats, but private sector responses often lag. Companies are urged to employ chief information and security officers to better manage and mitigate digital risks.
• Need for Awareness and Coordination: Awareness about digital threats and AI's role in spreading disinformation is crucial. Coordinated efforts and dedicated resources are required to combat digital bullying, surveillance, and manipulation effectively.

Strategies and Future Directions

• Strengthening Cybersecurity: Both public and private sectors must enhance their cybersecurity strategies, incorporating advanced technologies and practices to protect against emerging threats.
• Combating AI-Driven Disinformation: Efforts must be intensified to address the spread of AI-generated disinformation. This includes developing better detection systems and raising public awareness about digital manipulation.
• Coordinated Global Response: A unified global approach is essential for managing digital threats. Nations need to collaborate on strategies to counteract surveillance, disinformation, and other digital threats to ensure robust security frameworks.

Mains Question

Q. Discuss the impact of Artificial Intelligence and cyber threats on national security. How can nations enhance their cybersecurity measures to address these emerging risks? Critically analyze the role of international cooperation in managing global digital threats.

The Supreme Court of India granted bail to former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after an extended period of incarceration, highlighting the court's role as the guardian of individual liberties and reaffirming the principle that bail is the norm and jail is the exception. This decision emphasizes the importance of the right to a fair and speedy trial under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Court's Decision and Rationale

• Principle of Liberty: The Supreme Court's decision reaffirms the constitutional principle that liberty is fundamental and that bail should generally be favored over incarceration. The Court cited past judgments, including the 2020 ruling in Arnab Goswami vs The State of Maharashtra, to underscore this principle.
• Speedy Trial and Bail: The Court emphasized that delays in trials, especially with large volumes of evidence and witnesses, should not be a reason to deny bail. The judgment relied on precedents from cases like Chidambaram (2020) and Satender Kumar Antil (2022), reinforcing the right to a timely trial as part of the right to life.
• Concerns with PMLA: The decision highlighted issues with the implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), noting the low conviction rate and long delays. This raises concerns about the misuse of stringent laws and the oppressive impact of procedural delays on justice.

Implications and Criticisms

• Impact on Liberty: The judgment is seen as a victory for individual freedoms and a reminder of the need to protect rights against excessive and prolonged detention. It reflects the Court's commitment to upholding constitutional values and human rights.
• Question of Prosecutorial Power: There is concern about the Court's reliance on the prosecution’s assurances regarding trial timelines, which may conflict with principles of natural justice. This raises questions about the fairness of relying on prosecutorial promises for extending or condoning detention.
• Need for Fair Trial: The judgment reinforces the necessity of ensuring that legal processes are just and not solely dependent on the prosecutor's discretion. It highlights the broader issue of ensuring that rights are protected from arbitrary executive actions and that legal processes serve justice equitably.

Broader Implications and Future Directions

• Restoring Faith in Justice: By granting bail, the Supreme Court aims to restore faith in the justice system and ensure that individuals are not unjustly deprived of their liberty. The case serves as a reminder of the need for balance between law enforcement and individual rights.
• Reforming Legal Procedures: The case underscores the need for reforms in how cases under stringent laws like PMLA are handled, emphasizing the need for timely trials and avoiding misuse of legal provisions to prolong detention.
• Political and Judicial Integrity: The decision calls for a re-evaluation of political and legal strategies to ensure that justice is pursued impartially. It also highlights the importance of maintaining judicial independence and integrity in safeguarding democratic values.

Mains Question

Q. Do you agree that there is the need for reforms in how cases under stringent laws like PMLA are handled?

The southwest monsoon season, which started poorly, has shown significant improvement over the past months. After an initial deficit, rainfall has surged above normal levels, positively impacting agriculture and water resources. This shift is expected to have broader implications for food inflation and agricultural productivity.

Monsoon Performance and Agricultural Impact

• Improved Rainfall: After a deficient start with June rainfall 10.9% below average, July and August recorded above-normal precipitation, with current rainfall 26% above normal. The cumulative surplus for the season stands at 6.3%, improving the overall monsoon performance.
• Increased Sown Area: The well-distributed rains have increased the sown area for key kharif crops, including paddy, pulses, maize, and oilseeds. However, cotton acreage has declined due to factors such as pest attacks and limited yield protection technologies.
• Reservoir Levels: Major reservoir dams are filled to 64.7% of their capacity, surpassing last year's 60.8% and the 10-year average of 53.7%. This reflects a positive impact of the monsoon on water resources.

Future Outlook and Economic Implications

• La Niña Anticipation: Weather agencies predict a La Niña phase, which generally boosts rainfall. This is expected to benefit the upcoming rabi cropping season and counteract the adverse effects of the recent El Niño, which had previously suppressed rainfall and contributed to higher temperatures.
• Food Inflation Relief: The ample monsoon and absence of heat waves are likely to ease food inflation, which had been above 8% year-on-year. With a potential bumper kharif harvest and stable global prices, food inflationary pressures might reduce, providing room for policy adjustments.
• Policy Implications: Reduced food inflation could lead to the lifting of export and stocking limits on cereals, sugar, and pulses. The government may also keep the import window open for major food commodities, enhancing food security and stabilizing prices.

Mains Question

Discuss the impact of the monsoon's performance on agriculture and food inflation in India. How do weather patterns like El Niño and La Niña influence agricultural productivity and economic stability?