GS Analyst
Daily Current Affairs

Underscoring the need for peace and tranquillity at the border, India said "Violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations".

Key-highlights

• The meeting was held on the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) 's sidelines.
• India stressed that bilateral ties between both countries have eroded and that any form of bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Beijing would be a function of peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control.

The issue in brief

• India does not consider its current boundaries with China as an international border.

• The unresolved international boundary, with roots in imperial British cartographic blunders, is called-
  • Line of Actual Control in India's North
  • McMahon Line in the northeast

What are the other sources of contention between the two?

• Competing interests: Despite growing economic cooperation, India and China have also been geopolitical rivals. Both countries are attempting to assert their global influence, and they have competing interests in a number of regions such as the Asia-Pacific and the Indian Ocean.
• Rivalry: India and China are rivals in the Asia-Pacific region.
  • India has sought to increase its regional influence, forming alliances with several countries in the region, including Japan and Australia.
  • China, on the other hand, has been attempting to assert its regional dominance by increasing its military and economic presence in the South China Sea.

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched a new initiative to be better prepared for future outbreaks of a similar scale and devastation as the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Aim: The Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) Initiative is aimed at providing “guidance on integrated planning for responding to any respiratory pathogen such as influenza or coronaviruses”.
• Focus on the first module: While the current focus of PRET will be on respiratory viruses — in the backdrop of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, and possible threat of an avian influenza outbreak — work is already underway to assess what should be the next group of pathogens to be mitigated under this initiative.
• PRET incorporates the latest tools and approaches for shared learning and collective action established during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent public health emergencies. 
  
  

  Key terminology An epidemic is an outbreak of a disease in a particular location. A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease which spreads to and occurs in many different geographic areas at the same time. Endemic diseases are established and circulating regularly in populations. Some endemic diseases such as influenza can have surges in transmission or have epidemics at certain times. A pathogen is an organism which causes a disease to its host, including but not limited to viruses.

In the latest development, Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA)/Dimasa People’s Supreme Council (DPSC), an Assam-based insurgent group, signed a peace agreement with the State Government and the Centre.

What is in the agreement?

• Surrender and no violence: Under the agreement, the DNLA representatives have agreed to give up violence, surrender including the surrender of arms and ammunition, disband their armed organisation, vacate all camps occupied by DNLA cadres and join the mainstream.
  • As a result of this agreement, more than 168 armed cadres of DNLA surrendered with their weapons and joined the mainstream.
• The setting of Dimasa Welfare Council: Dimasa Welfare Council will be set up by the Government of Assam to protect, preserve and promote a social, cultural, and linguistic identity to meet political, economic and educational aspirations.
  • It will ensure the speedy and focused development of the Dimasa people residing outside the jurisdiction of the Autonomous Council.
• It also provides for the appointment of a Commission under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India to examine the demand for the inclusion of additional villages contiguous to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) with the Council.

Significance of the agreement

• End to insurgency: The agreement will bring a complete end to the insurgency in the Dima Hasao district of Assam.

With cyber warfare a key focus, especially with, the Army has decided to raise Command Cyber Operations and Support Wings (CCOSW) to help the forces counter enemy capabilities.

• The CCOSW will assist formations to undertake mandated cyber security functions to strengthen the Army’s cyber security posture. 
• Aim: To safeguard the networks and increase preparedness levels in this niche domain.
• This is part of an overall approach to absorb niche technologies and modernise its online networks.

What is the need?

• Increasing competition from neighbours: China and Pakistan are investing heavily in it.
• Moving towards net centricity: The army is rapidly migrating towards net centricity, which entails an increased reliance on modern communication systems.
• Widening cyberspace: Cyberspace has emerged as an important component of the military domain, both in grey zone warfare as well as conventional operations. 
• Inclusion of tech-enabled equipment: A large number and variety of niche tech-enabled equipment are being inducted into the Indian Army. These include a variety of tactical/mini/micro/logistics drones or UAVs, drone swarms, loitering weapons systems, and electronic warfare and anti-drone equipment, among others.