GIST OF RAJYA SABHA TV (RStv Debate) : Raisina Dialogue

Introduction

• The 6th Edition of the prestigious Raisina Dialogue concluded recently. Due to the ongoing COVID Pandemic, this edition held virtually from 13-16 April, 2021.
• The theme for the 2021 Edition is "#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control".

In this episode, various aspects of ‘Raisina Dialogue’ will be discussed and analysed from UPSC perspective.

Edited Excerpts from the debate

Why this edition’s theme is special?

• This year, the theme is "#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control".
• The idea behind the theme is to look at what has happened in the last year and contextualize it for the policy making community for thinkers, scholars and people who are interested in the state of affairs so far as the evolution of the global order is concerned.

How the pandemic has shifted the perspective of ‘global order’?

• Earlier, a number of debates before COVID were based on the rise of China, its challenges and consequences for the world.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world realize the actual scenario of China’s rise.
• The pandemic situation has cleared that the challenges from China are going to be manifold in terms of-
  • fragmentation of the global order
  • fragmentation of institutional frameworks
  • the collapse of multilateral environment
  • the discussion and debate on economic interdependence
  • supply chain resilience
  • global governance

How India is improving its image as ‘global leader’?

• While addressing the virtual Conference, PM Modi said that despite its limited resources, India had “walked the talk” on helping the world counter the coronavirus pandemic by supplying millions of doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines.
• India is the pharmaceutical hub of the world, and it kept its promise during the difficult times of the pandemic.
• Around 150 countries not just received vaccines from India, but also medicines (hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol).
  • However, it is to be noted that India is not self-sufficient when it comes to vaccines, it imports a huge amount of inputs or key-ingredients of vaccines from other countries (US, China, Europe, Southeast Asia) as well.

The current situation of global multilateralism

• Fragmentation is the reality where the questions about sort of countries and their proclivity to game the system are becoming more and more pronounced.
• During the initial phase of COVID-19, the world realized that the existing institutions are under stress. Suddenly, these institutions emerged out of textbooks to the real world.
  • For example- WHO: The organization did not provide the kind of multilateral leadership that was required at that time.
• Furthermore, organizations like the United Nations during the height of the pandemic have actually been relatively irrelevant.
  • The United Nations framework is struggling to equitably distribute decision making authority and is being undermined by great power competition, including both responsibility abdication and institutional capture. 

What are the challenges for global order?

The world needs the global institutions to come up with certain clarification about certain trends that were known to be happen and were not certain

Conclusion

The world needs a reformed multilateralism and in this regard, India’s multilateralism gives a voice to more countries. Furthermore, countries need to

Introduction

• The 6th Edition of the prestigious Raisina Dialogue concluded recently. Due to the ongoing COVID Pandemic, this edition held virtually from 13-16 April, 2021.
• The theme for the 2021 Edition is "#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control".

In this episode, various aspects of ‘Raisina Dialogue’ will be discussed and analysed from UPSC perspective.

Edited Excerpts from the debate

Why this edition’s theme is special?

• This year, the theme is "#ViralWorld: Outbreaks, Outliers and Out of Control".
• The idea behind the theme is to look at what has happened in the last year and contextualize it for the policy making community for thinkers, scholars and people who are interested in the state of affairs so far as the evolution of the global order is concerned.

How the pandemic has shifted the perspective of ‘global order’?

• Earlier, a number of debates before COVID were based on the rise of China, its challenges and consequences for the world.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has made the world realize the actual scenario of China’s rise.
• The pandemic situation has cleared that the challenges from China are going to be manifold in terms of-
  • fragmentation of the global order
  • fragmentation of institutional frameworks
  • the collapse of multilateral environment
  • the discussion and debate on economic interdependence
  • supply chain resilience
  • global governance

How India is improving its image as ‘global leader’?

• While addressing the virtual Conference, PM Modi said that despite its limited resources, India had “walked the talk” on helping the world counter the coronavirus pandemic by supplying millions of doses of Indian-made COVID-19 vaccines.
• India is the pharmaceutical hub of the world, and it kept its promise during the difficult times of the pandemic.
• Around 150 countries not just received vaccines from India, but also medicines (hydroxychloroquine, paracetamol).
  • However, it is to be noted that India is not self-sufficient when it comes to vaccines, it imports a huge amount of inputs or key-ingredients of vaccines from other countries (US, China, Europe, Southeast Asia) as well.

The current situation of global multilateralism

• Fragmentation is the reality where the questions about sort of countries and their proclivity to game the system are becoming more and more pronounced.
• During the initial phase of COVID-19, the world realized that the existing institutions are under stress. Suddenly, these institutions emerged out of textbooks to the real world.
  • For example- WHO: The organization did not provide the kind of multilateral leadership that was required at that time.
• Furthermore, organizations like the United Nations during the height of the pandemic have actually been relatively irrelevant.
  • The United Nations framework is struggling to equitably distribute decision making authority and is being undermined by great power competition, including both responsibility abdication and institutional capture. 

What are the challenges for global order?

The world needs the global institutions to come up with certain clarification about certain trends that were known to be happen and were not certain

Conclusion

The world needs a reformed multilateralism and in this regard, India’s multilateralism gives a voice to more countries. Furthermore, countries need to form effective mechanisms to find solutions to global problems and issues.

Value Addition

What is Raisina Dialogue?

• The Raisina Dialogue is India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community.
• Discussion: The Dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross sectoral discussion.
  • Current state of the world
  • Further discussion on exploration of opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters
• Started in 2016, the conference involves heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.
• Host: It is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
  • This effort is supported by a number of institutions, organisations and individuals, who are committed to the mission of the conference.

Five key pillars of Raisina Dialogue 2021

This year’s Raisina Dialogue is constructed on the five key pillars on which we see our viral world tottering.

1. "WHOse Multilateralism? Reconstructing the UN and Beyond
2. Securing and Diversifying Supply Chains
3. Global 'Public Bads': Holding Actors and Nations to Account
4. Infodemic: Navigating a 'No-Truth' World in the Age of Big Brother
5. The Green Stimulus: Investing in Gender, Growth, and Developmen