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International
International Events
These are the US mediated direct negotiations between Israeli and the Palestinian
Authority.
Talks are led by United States President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmud Abbas.
Its ultimate aim is of "final status settlement" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by
implementing a two-state solution. End of negotiations aims at Israel remaining a
Jewish state and the establishment of a state for the Palestinian people.
Direct talks ended in late September 2010 when an Israeli partial moratorium on
settlement construction in the West Bank expired and the Palestinians refused to
continue negotiations if Israel failed to extend the partial freeze.
Israel offered a renewed building freeze in exchange for a PA recognition of Israel as a
Jewish state, which was was rejected by the Palestinians.
In early September, a coalition of 13 Palestinian factions began a campaign of attacks
against Israeli civilians, including a series of drive-by shootings and rocket attacks on
Israeli towns, in an attempt to derail and torpedo the on-going negotiations.
Currently US is trying to bring back Israel on the table through some concessions.
Overall on international scene, the chance of positive outcome of the talks look bleak.
Resentment against Israel has also grown in recent times which has been expressed by US
and European countries since last 12 months.
North Korea South Korea dispute is one the longest standing bilateral dispute and the
border between two i.e. 38th Parallel forms the densest militarized zone of the world.
Recently aggressive incidents from North Korea have heightened security concerns as
North Korea is an undemocratic state with nuclear arsenal and poor economy.
The issue is not just a local concern but presence of nuclear weapons and highly
closed nature of North Korea gives rise to many suspicions across the globe.
1) Cheonan Sinking:
Cheonan was a South Korean Navy ship carrying 104 personnel, which sank off the
country's west coast near Baengnyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, killing 46 seamen.
South Korean-led Joint Investigation Team (JIG) of international experts from South
Korea, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Sweden presented a
summary of its investigation on 20 May 2010, concluding that the warship had been sunk
by a North Korean torpedo fired by a midget submarine.
North Korea has strictly denied involvement.
North Koreas long term ally, People's Republic of China has disputed the findings of
report
Russian Navy experts assessment report also disputed the claims by JIG
and The United Nations Security Council made a Presidential Statement condemning the
attack but without identifying the attacker.
In November 2010, Stanford University professor Siegfried Hecker was shown a secretly
and rapidly built new enrichment facility at Yongbyon.
According to the professor, facility included control room as "astonishingly modern" and
on a par with "any modern American processing facility".
This presence of facility with enriched uranium is helpful in making powerful bombs and
has given an altogether new turn to North Koreas nuclear story.
International community especially, US, South Korea and its allies has come strongly
against this latest development with China taking a balanced reaction against its ally.
3) Artillery attack on South Korean island of Yeonpyeong
The massive artillery barrage was launched by North Korea on 23rd Novemeber, 2010
which killed two South Korean civilians in addition to two Marines
Reaction was fierce from South Korea which has threatened "stern retaliation and US
came forward in support of South Korea with assurance of defense in any case of any
security threat.
It is important to know that a sizeable number of US army is deployed with South Korean
Army at the North-South Korean border since the Korean War.
This problem with Greece was not alone in Europe and many other countries including
Italy also had many irregularity issues but problem of Greece was worst.
Austerity and loan agreements:
Many measures were taken by Greek government which included spending cuts, public
sector wage reductions and loan requests to IMF & EU.
On 2 May 2010, a loan agreement was reached between Greece, Eurozone countries
and IMF that included loan of 45 billion to be provided in 2010, with more funds
available later. A total of 110 billion was agreed, with interest for Eurozone loans at 5%
(considered to be high level for any bailout loan).
Government of Greece agreed to impose new
austerity measures including increase of VAT,
special tax on high pensions, rise in luxury taxes
increase in retirement age etc.
The bailout policy was objected and an alternate
proposal including Greek exit from the euro
followed by devaluation of currency was suggested.
In plain words for the students, one of the central
concerns was that the crisis could spread beyond
Greece and reduced confidence in other European
economies with Ireland (14.3% of GDP as govt.
deficit), U.K. (12.6%), Spain (11.2%) and Portugal
(9.4%) are at high risk.
7. G-20 summit
8. Healthcare Reforms in US
Issue of health insurance reform in the United States has been the subject of political
debate since the early part of the 20th century.
Though dormant in most of the 20th century, the issue gained heat in 2008 presidential
election where:
Republicans (John McCain)proposed open-market competition rather than
government funding.
Democrats (Barack Obama) called for universal health care and called for the
creation of a National Health Insurance Exchange that would include both private
insurance plans and a Medicare-like government run option where coverage would
be guaranteed regardless of health status and premiums would not vary based on
health status either.
In plain terms these can be said that purpose of the McCain plan was to "make
insurance more affordable," while the purpose of the Obama plan was for
"more people to have health insurance.
Key Reforms:
Cost: $940 bn over 10 years
Coverage: Extended to 32 mn uninsured
Insurer can no longer deny coverage to those with
pre-esisting conditions
Uninsured and self-employed able to purchase
insurances through state
Low income people wanting to purchase insurance
eligible for subsidies
9/11 attacks on America brought a decade long fight to Afghanistan by NATO forces under
leadership of US.
Miscalculation and interests in middle-east brought Iraq to centre-stage of conflict.
9 year long conflict has left the policy makers in a limbo with war spilling over in the
tribal areas of Pakistan. This new region is termed as Af-Pak.
This US strategy aimed at defeating the Taliban-Al-Qaeda alliance in the volatile AfPak region with surge of 20,000 soldiers and shift attention from Iraq to Afghanistan and
Pakistan.
Regional Facts and policy objectives:
Richard Holbrooke is special envoy of
US for Af-Pak
Taliban is the belligerent who believes in
strictest interpretations of Sharia law ever
and became notorious internationally for
their treatment of women
This is a tribal regions with low-literacy
Islamic fundamentalists and religious
heads wield great control over population
Refugee influx via porous durand line
has altered the demographic and social
structure of the region
China is one of the most ancient civilization extending over a large area in East Asia, with
multicultural demographic and social structure.
The phenomenal rise of China has been the story of this decade.
Emerging from the destruction of world war II, country embarked on a socialist track
under comrade Mao-Zedong after military struggle in 1949.
The great famine in 1959 as a result of its policies left a blemish on the Chinese story.
Cultural revolution started in 1966 ended in a failure.
The economic reforms under Deng Xiaoping after 1978 brought the country on the path of
economic resurgence and subsequent relaxation in strictly controlled policies brought the
country its old glory.
A Statistical Look:
Fastest growing nation of the world with over 10% GDP growth(USA: 2%, India: 7%).
Grew over 10 times in 26 years (England grew 10 time in 70 years during its glory).
2nd largest GDP in the world both in terms of PPP and nominal calculations.
Has worlds largest forex reserves with values over $2.6 trillion(Japan: $1 tn, India: $.3
tn)
Largest trade surplus in the world along with largest exporter of the world with exports
values more than $1.4 tn (India: $200bn).
Consumes more than half of steel produced in the world.
Set to surpass US as the largest economy by 2030.
Largest creditor of US finances with dollar reserves ~$800bn.
The widespread growth in economic clout changed policy and stand of China in
international forum.
Direct confrontation with US, Japan, India & EU at many issues including currency
manipulation, trade deficit, environmental issues, Tibetan & Taiwanese sovereignty,
border disputes and modernisation of military has showed hard power of dragon.
Its successful organization of World Expo, Beijing Olympics, Guangzhou Asian Games
and various international meets has drifted the concentration of power and relegated
traditional European power centres.
Active support to rouge nations including North Korea, Iran and Sudan has end bad
signals to every corner of world.
Aggression of China in Indian border areas, sovereignty of Arunanchal Pradesh and Aksai
China are long standing disputes among the two nations.
Chinas only threat in Asia remains in form of India which is next to it in all fields.
Its active contain india policy and formation of string of pearls has warned Indian
policy makers and challenged Indian ambitions across the globe.
Use of Pakistan to counter forms a major bone of contention between the nations.
Mutual assistance is vital for both the nations as visible in the environmental summit in
Copenhagen.
Formation of BRIC has also given new dimension to strategic relationship.
12. Wikileaks
12 in 12
National Events
The term came from Naxalbari, a small village in the West Bengal where a section of
CPI(M) led by Kanu Sanyal led a violent uprising in 1967 in a quest to develop a
revolutionary opposition to official leadership.
Naxalism is the gravest security threat to India internally as it engulfs common mindset of
the affected region.
Poverty, lack of education have been the factor which helped in enrolling men for the
cause.
Sense of deprivation and injustice act as motivational force to agitate for rights.
Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement enacted in October 2008, had launched India on the
elite world nuke stage.
To facilitate nuclear commerce India had to separate its military nuclear facilities and
civilian nuclear facilities which fall under IAEA inspection.
The nuclear commerce attracts primary companies from various countries and need of
Nuclear Liability Bill becomes imperative.
After 18 amendments parliament passed the bill with prominent features including:
Clause for maximum liability as $458 million (In US its is $10,500 million)
Clause 17 which deals with legal boundation of culpable groups in case of a nuclear
accident.
Clause 18 which limits the time to make claim within 20 years only.
Clause 35 gives povison to make appeal to Supreme Court and High Court.
Strict Liability and Exclusive Liability of operator.
The enactment of this law gave a legal cover to this ambitious programme which was
necessarily needed by India to fulfill its target of 20,000 MW nuclear power
production by 2020.
Some countries like US require such laws by the host country to allow its companies do
business.
As a pretext in Indian case, Bhopal Gas Tragedy can be used.
3. Right to Education
4. Scam Time
Scams in India have a long history and has brought consistent shame to rising India story.
2010 seems to have given a complete new dimension due to unearthing of scams involving
officials from the highest echelon.
CWG Scam:
Involvement of more than $17 bn was severely criticized by several politicians and social
activists due to large expenditure on the sporting event despite the fact that India has one
of the world's largest concentration of poor people.
Matter was further complicated by tracing of illegal transaction records involving top
officials of CWG organizing committee primarily its chairman Mr. Suresh Kalmadi.
2G Spectrum Scam:
Involving a cabinet minister, A Raja, 2G spectrum financial scandal is the largest political
corruption case in modern Indian history, amounting to a record $40 billion loss from
underpricing to Government of India.
The alleged modus operandi was telecom bandwidth being grossly undervalued and
offered to a chosen few with vested interests, on a dubious 'First-Come-First-Served' basis.
CAG report holds A. Raja personally responsible for the sale of 2G spectrum at 2001 rates
in 2008.
Adarsh Housing Society scam, Housing loan scam have come forward to haunt UPA
government.
Unique identification project is an initiative that would provide identification for each
resident across the country and would be used primarily as the basis for efficient delivery
of welfare services
To execute this project Prime Minister's Council on UIDAI Authority formed which
appointed Mr. Nandan M. Nilekani as Chairman, in the rank and status of a Cabinet
Minister for an initial tenure of five years.
According to common understanding one can look at wo distinct political dimensions.
Project can be fundamentally linked to national security concerns rather than
developmental concerns.
Restructure the role of state in social sector where its is not an instrument to expand
India's social security system, instead, the aim is to keep benefits restricted to the socalled targeted sections.
The project has set off with launch of The first Aadhaar number in Maharashtra in the
village of Tembli, on 29th Sep 2010.
Target has been set to roll out to around 600 million citizens in the next 4-5 years.
Criticisms:
Violation of privacy and civil liberties of people.
No cost-benefit analysis or feasibility report prepared.
Risk of database security and misuse of information.
6. India @ sports
Sports power is one of the best way to express the strength of a country as it is associated
with every common man.
In International Politics, this is highly regarded as a soft-power weapon.
China has proven its might in sports and have been victoriously accepted by world as a
sports-superpower.
Dismal record of India at international level with exception of cricket and hockey is
injustice to real talent of a billion.
During 1984, 1988 and 1992 olympics India failed to win even a single medal.
Recent development in sports where India has won its first individual gold medal at
Olympics, 2nd position in Commonwealth games with a haul of 101 medals and 6th
position in the Asian Games with best haul of 64 medals have given hope for rise of a new
sports-power.
Miles to go before standing eye-to-eye with US and China but a process has begun where a
proper training and funds are needed to keep this momentum.
Sporting status of any nation is one of the best reflection of the ground reality of food,
nutrition and fundamental sports training status.
Olympic Gold Quest is a program of the Foundation Of Sports And Games, started by
Indian sporting icons Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone to identify and support Indian
athletes with a proven track record, who have the potential to win Olympic gold medals.
Campaign for the Judicial Accountability and Reform has gained steam in recent times
which is highlighting the need for transparency and public disclosure of assets by judges.
Judicial Assets Bill was a proposed legislation which would make disclosure of personal
assets of judges mandatory in India.
Due to various reasons the bill has still not been a law where a clause that such
declaration of asset would not come within the ambit of the Right to Information Act, the
bill was withdrawn.
Adding to this direction Delhi High Court while ruling that the office of the Chief Justice
of India (CJI) is a public authority that comes under the ambit of the Right to
Information.
Judicial independence was not a judges personal privilege but a responsibility cast upon
him and a judge should keep himself above suspicion, preserve the impartiality and
independence of the judiciary and win the public confidence.
Behind this notion was a concept that the wielders of power legislative, executive and
judicial were entrusted to perform their functions on a condition that they accounted
for their stewardship to the people who authorises them to exercise such power.
At present, supreme court judges disclose their assets to the Chief Justice of India but
after deliberations made by full court meeting of judges it has been agreed to be put on
the website.
8. Burning Kashmir
Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was developed in 2010 by Oxford Poverty &
Human Development Initiative and the United Nations Development Programme that
uses different factors to determine poverty beyond income-based lists.
Highlights:
MPI Parameters:
1.Years of Schooling
2.Child Enrolment
3.Child mortality
4.Nutrition
5.Electricity
6.Sanitation
7.Drinking Water
8.Floor
9.Cooking Fuel
10.Assets
Despite much gains in Indo-American relations during the tenure of the Bush
administration, initial approach of the Obama administration towards ties with India
raised concerns of a downturn in Indo-American relations.
Many analysts warned US of its negligence as India is seen as an indispensable ally on
several issues, including climate change, Afghanistan war and energy security.
Off late high level visits by Hillary Clinton and finally Barack Obama gave solid impetus to
the bilateral ties.
At economic front, Obamas protectionist views against outsourcing and eventual hike in
visa fees has not been welcomed in India.
At military and strategic front, agreement regarding US$2.1 bn sale of eight P-8
Poseidons to India had send positive signals.
Diplomatic help in successfully pushing through a US$2.9 bn loan sponsored by ADB,
despite considerable opposition from China.
Non-military aids to Pakistan also forms a regular issue.
Highlights of Obamas visit:
In Presidents India visit the issue of visa fee hike was seriousl
In a major policy shift Obama declared U.S. support for India's permanent membership of
United Nations Security Council.
Announced removal of export control restrictions on several Indian companies and
concluded trade deals worth $10 billion which are expected to create 50,000 jobs in US.
Look East Policy: Initiated in 1991, marked a strategic shift in Indias policy towards
South-East Asian nations
India has recently signed FTA with ASEAN which will take out duties from 3,200
products by 2013 and will end duties in rest by 2016.
India has conclude its 7th India-ASEAN summit and rise of trade to $48bn shows the
growth of alliance.
EU: Strategically most important engagement with trade volume ~ 61 bn (2008).
Currently FTA is under negotiation which is expected to be agreed by early year.
Tariffs are to be slashed in over 90% items with both sides demanding further cuts in
their respective benefit areas.
Africa: Taking a cue from Chinas ever expanding operations in Africa India has
awakened to step up its strategic game in Africa.
India undertook 1st India-Africa summit in 2008 and is determined to scale up
bilateral trade to $70bn by 2015.
Currently trade stands at $39 bn compared to $109 bn China-Africa trade.
South Africa: Historical relations between both countries has found new meaning in
21st century.
In June 2010, visit by SA president Jacob Zuma resulted in more strategic deals
covering air services past and agricultural co-operation.
IBSA has given new meaning to this realtion.
Relations with Brazil, South Korea and Japan has also seen major improvements.
12 in 12
Threats to India
Literacy
Corruption
Drug Abuse
Naxalism
Terrorism
Communalism
Regionalism
Low awareness
Foreign Threats
Pakistan
China
Cyber Threats
Economic Threats
Flow of counterfeit money
Tax evasion
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