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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on August 29, 2024

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 ‘Look East’ to ‘Act East’: India’s evolving engagement with Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of nationl and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS II - International relations

Context:

India and Singapore recently held the second round of India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to two key member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – Singapore and Brunei

Read about:

What is Look east policy?

What is Act east policy?

Key takeaways:

• India and Singapore recently conducted the second India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR) meeting ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to two prominent ASEAN nations—Singapore and Brunei. This visit, scheduled for the first week of September, underscores India's commitment to deepening its strategic, economic, and cultural ties with Southeast Asian countries under its 'Act East' policy.
• India’s connections with Southeast Asia and the Cold War: Historical ties between India and Southeast Asia, such as those between the Chola Empire and the Kingdom of Kalinga with Southeast Asia, exemplify the long-standing civilizational links between these regions. The deep-rooted influence of the Ramayana tradition in Southeast Asia is another testament to the cultural bonds between India and the region.
• However, these cultural connections were not emphasized during the Cold War. At that time, Southeast Asian nations joined the US-led military alliance, the South East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), established in 1954 with Pakistan as a founding member. India’s non-alignment policy kept it distant from Southeast Asia during this period. Additionally, the close relationship between India and the Soviet Union during the latter half of the Cold War further distanced New Delhi from Southeast Asia.
• The Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 impacted India significantly, leaving it without a powerful ally in the complex international landscape. India was not in a position to align with the US due to longstanding distrust of American policies shared by Indian civil society and political leaders. Furthermore, the Nehruvian worldview of India’s political and strategic elite hindered efforts to reach out to the US and its allies.
• From Look East to Act East: When Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao took office in 1991, he inherited this complex situation. He led the nation through significant changes in both domestic and foreign policies. Domestically, India adopted neoliberal economic policies, while its foreign policy began to shift towards the US and the West. It was in this context that India’s ‘Look East’ policy was formulated in 1992.
• The 'Look East' policy aimed to strengthen relations between India and Southeast Asian countries and position India as a counterbalance to China, which many Southeast Asian nations viewed as a security threat. Initially, the policy focused primarily on economic relations and trade. However, as China's influence grew, a strategic dimension was added.
• To advance the 'Look East' policy, India joined ASEAN as a sectoral dialogue partner in 1992, became a full dialogue partner and a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1996, and started participating in the East Asia Summit (EAS) in 2005. By 2010, India also became a dialogue partner in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus)

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS II - Governance on money laundering

Context:

Questioning the probe agencies if there was “any independent data” to show “any incriminating evidence” against BRS leader K Kavitha and also on the “fairness” of the investigation by relying on the statements of some accused who had become approvers, the Supreme Court granted her bail Tuesday in the CBI and ED’s cases of alleged corruption and money laundering linked to the Delhi excise policy

Read about:

What is Money Laundering?

What is the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA)?

Key takeaways:

Section 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 pertains to the stringent conditions for granting bail to individuals accused of money laundering offenses. The key points of Section 45(1) include:

• Non-Bailable Offense: Offenses under the PMLA are generally considered non-bailable. This means that bail is not granted as a matter of right, and it is up to the court to decide whether to grant bail.

• Court's Satisfaction: The court must be satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the accused is not guilty of the offense and that they are not likely to commit any offense while on bail. This is a higher threshold compared to the general principles of granting bail in other criminal cases.

• Public Prosecutor's Opportunity: The court must give the Public Prosecutor an opportunity to oppose the bail application. If opposed, the court must be further convinced of the above points before granting bail.

• Applicability: These conditions apply to offenses where the value involved is above a certain threshold, typically ₹1 crore, though this can vary depending on the case and amendments to the law.

 Money Laundering

Money laundering is the process of concealing the origins of illegally obtained money, typically by means of transfers involving foreign banks or legitimate businesses. The goal of money laundering is to make the proceeds of criminal activities, such as drug trafficking, corruption, or tax evasion, appear legal and thus usable in the legitimate economy.

The process of money laundering generally involves three stages:

• Placement: The initial introduction of illegal funds into the financial system. This can be done by depositing cash into banks, purchasing assets, or using other methods to introduce the money into the financial sector.

• Layering: The most complex stage, involving multiple transactions to obscure the origin of the money. This might include moving the money through a series of bank transfers, changing its form by purchasing high-value items, or conducting international transfers to make tracking the money more difficult.

• Integration: The final stage, where the now-laundered money is integrated into the legitimate economy. At this point, the money appears to be legally earned and can be used for various purposes, including further investments, real estate purchases, or luxury spending.

Money laundering is a serious crime because it enables criminals to enjoy the profits of illegal activities without facing the consequences of their actions. It undermines the integrity of financial institutions and economies, and it is often associated with organized crime, corruption, and terrorism financing.

Follow Up Question

Discuss how emerging technologies and globalisation contribute to money laundering. Elaborate measures to tackle the problem of money laundering both at national and international levels. (UPSC CSE 2021)

Indian Monsoons and Extreme Weathers

For Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

For Mains Examination: GS I - Indian Geography

Context:

The trust in weather forecasts has increased significantly, thanks to improvements in accuracy. But the demand for even more accurate and specific predictions continues to grow, particularly in light of the increasing instances of extreme weather events being triggered by climate change, and the disasters that they sometimes turn into.

Read about:

What are Southeast Monsoons?

What is Extreme Weather?

Key takeaways:

Steady Improvement:
The continuous enhancement of weather forecasting infrastructure, technologies, and skills is an ongoing process. A significant boost came with the launch of the Monsoon Mission in 2012, which aimed to enhance long-range monsoon forecasts essential for government economic planning. Following this, numerous initiatives were introduced to improve the observation network, install high-performance computing systems, deploy advanced instruments like Doppler radars, and develop more sophisticated computer simulation models.

As a result, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) now possesses a vastly improved monitoring and observation network, a greater volume of data, and enhanced computing power. This has enabled the IMD to deliver much more accurate weather forecasts and offer more public-oriented information, such as near-real-time forecasts and heatwave warnings. The significant shift in public perception of weather forecasts can be attributed to the IMD’s success in predicting cyclones. Accurate and timely cyclone forecasts, beginning with Cyclone Phailin in October 2013, have led to the establishment of a reliable response and evacuation mechanism, drastically reducing the loss of human lives from hundreds to very few or none.

The success of the cyclone early warning system significantly bolstered the IMD's credibility. The IMD has also been consistently accurate with long-range monsoon forecasts over the past decade. However, precise predictions for hyper-local events, such as sudden heavy rainfall in a specific part of a city, remain a challenge, as do forecasts of extreme events, which are becoming more frequent due to climate change. Enhancing these capabilities is where the IMD still needs improvement.

An Uncertain Science:
Despite the advancements in forecasting skills and capabilities over the last decade, climate change has made weather patterns increasingly erratic. Forecasting weather in tropical regions is generally more challenging than in areas farther from the equator due to greater variability in weather phenomena. Predicting large systems like monsoons or cyclones, which cover extensive geographical areas, is relatively easier. For instance, a widespread heatwave is simpler to forecast than a localized cloudburst event. Similarly, routine cyclic events are easier to predict compared to sudden, unexpected occurrences.

The science of weather forecasting comes with inherent uncertainties. The more specific a forecast is — in terms of the location or timing of an event — the greater the uncertainty. Additionally, the earlier the forecast is made, the less precise it tends to be

Read also:

What is India Meteorological Department (IMD)?

Follow Up Question

1.With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.

2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Government announces three new Ramsar sites

For Preliminary Examination: Biodiversity, biome, Wetland

For Mains Examination: GS III - Environment & ecology

Context:

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav announced three new Ramsar sites in Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh earlier this month, taking the total of such sites in India to 85

Key takeaways: 

Ramsar sites, also referred to as wetlands of international significance, stem from the Ramsar Convention, a pivotal agreement that has greatly increased awareness about the importance of these ecosystems.

Understanding Wetlands and Their Significance
The convention defines wetlands as "areas of marsh, fen, peatland, or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish, or salt, including areas of marine water where the depth at low tide does not exceed six metres." This broad definition encompasses lakes, rivers, underground aquifers, swamps, marshes, and other key water bodies. Wetlands play a critical role in climate regulation by capturing and storing carbon, preventing its release into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide—a major contributor to global warming. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wetlands rank among the most productive ecosystems globally, comparable to rainforests and coral reefs, supporting a vast array of species, including microbes, plants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish, and mammals.

What Are Ramsar Sites?
The Ramsar Convention, an international treaty established in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, promotes the global protection and conservation of wetlands by designating them as Ramsar sites. The selection criteria for these sites include their ability to support critical life stages for plant and animal species and their function as refuges during adverse conditions. The convention also assesses the site's capacity to sustain fish populations and waterbirds. Key environmental organizations, such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the World Wide Fund for Nature, collaborate under the treaty.

With 172 signatory countries, the convention mandates the creation of wetland reserves and encourages the sustainable use of wetland habitats. India became a signatory in 1982, initially designating Chilika Lake in Odisha and Keoladeo National Park in Rajasthan. Currently, India boasts one of the highest numbers of Ramsar sites in Asia.

Newly Designated Ramsar Sites
The Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, situated on the banks of the Noyyal River, originally served as a water reservoir for irrigation. Over time, it has evolved into a significant ecosystem, hosting a diverse range of bird species. This wetland is home to species such as the Eurasian coot, spot-billed duck, and various herons. It also serves as a crucial stopover for migratory birds along the Central Asian Flyway, establishing itself as a vital biodiversity hotspot and supporting the local community through fishing

Follow Up Question