20-February-2025-Daily-Current-Affairs

INDIA-QATAR RELATIONS

TOPIC: (GS2) INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: THE HINDU

The recent visit of Qatari Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to India after a decade has reinforced the strong bilateral relationship between the two nations. Both countries acknowledge each other’s strategic significance despite having different perspectives on global affairs.

Significance of India-Qatar Relations

• Strategic Recognition: India and Qatar acknowledge each other as key players in their respective regions.
• Qatar’s Perspective: Sees India as an important partner in balancing its relations in West Asia.
• Economic Contribution: The Indian expatriate community plays a vital role in Qatar’s economy.
• Energy Security: Qatar is a major supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to India.

Key Developments During the Visit

• Strategic Partnership Upgrade: India and Qatar elevated their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, aligning with India’s ties with UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait.
• Energy and Trade Cooperation: Qatar supplies 45% of India’s LNG and accounts for half of the $15 billion trade between the two nations. Both nations aim to double bilateral trade by 2030.
• Qatar’s Investment in India: Committed to investing $10 billion in India’s infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.

Agreements Signed:

• Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement to prevent tax duplication.
• Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) on youth affairs, sports, and other areas.

• Diplomatic Breakthrough: The release of eight Indian naval officers previously sentenced to death in Qatar improved diplomatic trust.

Geopolitical Implications

Middle East Conflict and India’s Position:

• The visit took place amid Israel-Gaza tensions and the U.S. administration’s controversial plans concerning Palestine.
• Gulf nations criticized the plan, while India maintained a neutral stance.
• The joint statement mentioned “Israel-Hamas issues” without taking a firm position.

Qatar’s Global Influence:

• Hosts a S. military base with U.K. and Australian forces.
• Maintains ties with groups such as Hamas and the Taliban.
• India coordinates with Qatar in shaping its Afghanistan policy.

Conclusion

The visit has reinforced India-Qatar relations in energy security, trade expansion, and diplomatic trust. Going forward, the two nations will continue focusing on economic cooperation, regional stability, and strategic collaboration to enhance their partnership in the Gulf region.

MANIPUR’S WORSENING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS

TOPIC: (GS3) SEQURITY: THE HINDU

The ongoing conflict in Manipur has caused widespread displacement, worsening living conditions, and a severe shortage of reliable data. The humanitarian crisis continues to affect thousands, with inadequate access to healthcare, food, and shelter.

Lack of Data in the India-Myanmar Borderlands

• The India-Myanmar border region has a long history of violence and displacement.
• Due to restricted access and security threats, there is limited data on the extent of the crisis.
• The absence of accurate records makes it challenging to assess the full impact on affected communities.
• The spread of misinformation has further complicated relief efforts.

Forced Displacement and Relief Camps

• Around 58,000 people have been displaced and are living in relief camps across valley and hill districts.
• Nearly 12,000 individuals sought shelter in Mizoram at the height of the conflict.
• Approximately 7,000 people have fled to Nagaland, Assam, and Meghalaya.
• Many displaced families are not in official relief camps but are staying with relatives or in temporary shelters.
• Youth migration has increased as many leave the state in search of education and job opportunities.

Challenges in Documenting Displaced Populations

• Government data only accounts for registered relief camps, overlooking many displaced individuals.
• Affected populations lack access to healthcare, forcing many to seek medical treatment outside Manipur.
• Many people remain undocumented, making it difficult to provide targeted humanitarian assistance.

Impact on Healthcare Services

• The crisis has severely affected medical facilities, especially in Kuki-Zomi-dominated hill areas.
• Major hospitals in Imphal are inaccessible, forcing patients to travel to Mizoram and Nagaland for treatment.
• Rising medical costs have resulted in many displaced individuals discontinuing treatment.
• The healthcare divide between valley and hill districts has worsened due to the ongoing conflict.

Health and Mortality Concerns

• Poor documentation leads to underreporting of deaths, malnutrition, and disease outbreaks.
• Shortages of essential medicines have worsened health conditions.
• Several deaths have been reported due to lack of medical care, including:
  • A 63-year-old man who died due to lack of dialysis facilities.
  • A mother who died after childbirth in a relief camp due to excessive bleeding.
  • A one-month-old baby abandoned due to extreme poverty.
  • A one-year-old girl who died from pneumonia in a camp.
• Reports indicate at least 13 deaths in relief camps, including cases of suicide.

Mental Health Crisis

• A study in relief camps found:
  • 65.8% of displaced individuals suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • 24.8% experience moderate anxiety, while 15.2% have severe anxiety.

Basic Needs and Living Conditions

• Relief camps, set up over two years ago, still lack adequate food, water, and shelter.
• Rising inflation, resource shortages, and donor fatigue have worsened conditions.
• Over 22,000 children in camps face education disruptions.
• People struggle with poor sanitation, lack of drinking water, and food insecurity.

Steps to Address the Crisis

• Increase Humanitarian Assistance: Government and private entities (CSR initiatives) must expand aid programs.
• Ensure Clean Water Supply: Safe drinking water should be freely accessible to prevent families from spending high amounts on private sources.
• Create Humanitarian Corridors: Emergency evacuation routes must be set up for patients needing urgent medical care.
• Restore Supply Chains: Essential goods and medicines should be supplied through neutral communities to ensure fair distribution and control inflation.

Conclusion

The humanitarian crisis in Manipur remains severe and unresolved. Immediate intervention is required to improve healthcare, provide relief to displaced populations, and restore basic services.

Mains Practice Question

1. The ongoing crisis in Manipur highlights the complex relationship between internal security and humanitarian challenges. Discuss the causes and consequences of the conflict and suggest measures to address the situation. (150 WORDS / 10 MARKS)

RBI’S CHALLENGE IN MANAGING THE RUPEE’S DEPRECIATION

TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY: INDIAN EXPRESS

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) faces a tough decision on whether to let the rupee depreciate amid global financial uncertainty. While currency devaluation can help exports, it also risks inflation and capital flight, making exchange rate management complex.

RBI’s Dilemma on Rupee Depreciation

• Some economists suggest that the RBI should allow the rupee to weaken while stepping in only to prevent sharp fluctuations.
• The US dollar has gained strength due to rising global uncertainties, leading to capital outflows from emerging markets like India.
• A key concern is determining the extent of depreciation that can be sustained without causing investor panic or excessive economic strain.

Impact of Investor Sentiments

• Foreign investors react not just to the current exchange rate but also to expectations of future declines.
• A rapid fall in the rupee reduces the value of foreign holdings in India, leading to further withdrawals of capital.
• If the RBI appears to take a passive stance, it could inadvertently lead to a severe and uncontrolled drop in the currency.
• This means the RBI must carefully manage expectations while allowing necessary adjustments in the exchange rate.

Challenges in Managing Foreign Exchange Reserves

• The RBI uses foreign exchange reserves to stabilize the rupee, but excessive intervention can deplete these reserves.
• If investors believe that the RBI does not have enough reserves to sustain interventions, confidence in the rupee could decline further.
• A balance must be maintained between defending the currency and preserving foreign exchange reserves for future economic stability.

Historical Background of Rupee Depreciation

• Since India shifted to a market-driven exchange rate system in the 1990s, the rupee’s value has been primarily influenced by capital flows.
• Unlike Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), which is relatively stable, portfolio investments are highly volatile and can exit the market quickly.
• Over the years, the rupee has consistently depreciated—from an average of 45.56 per dollar in 2010-11 to 82.78 in 2023-24.
• This long-term decline suggests structural issues that cannot be fully addressed through short-term currency interventions alone.

Key Reasons Behind Rupee Depreciation

Higher Inflation Rates in India

• Inflation in India is often higher than in developed economies, reducing the purchasing power of the rupee.
• A weaker rupee makes imports costlier, especially for essential commodities like crude oil, further increasing inflation.

Trade and Current Account Deficits

• India consistently imports more than it exports, leading to a trade deficit.
• Though remittances from Indians abroad help, they do not fully bridge the gap.
• India relies on foreign capital to fund this deficit, making the rupee vulnerable to external market fluctuations.

Risk of Currency Crises

• Liberalization of capital markets has made India more vulnerable to currency crises.
• Although the rupee has not faced a severe crisis, its history includes periods of sudden and steep depreciation.
• Managing exchange rates effectively is crucial to avoiding a full-blown financial crisis.

Way Forward for the RBI

• Gradual and Managed Depreciation: Allowing a slow depreciation can help maintain market confidence while ensuring that the economy adjusts over time.
• Enhancing Foreign Exchange Reserves: Strengthening reserves can provide a cushion against currency fluctuations and instill investor confidence.
• Boosting Export Competitiveness: Improving domestic manufacturing and exports can help reduce dependence on foreign capital inflows.
• Inflation Control Measures: The RBI should use monetary tools like interest rate adjustments to keep inflation in check, reducing the pressure on the rupee.

Conclusion

The RBI must navigate the complex interplay between global capital flows, domestic inflation, and investor sentiment while managing the rupee’s value. A cautious yet flexible approach is needed to avoid economic instability and maintain confidence in India’s financial markets.

Mains Practice Question

1. What challenges does the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) face in managing the rupee’s depreciation? How can it balance exchange rate stability with market-driven factors? (150 WORDS / 10 MARKS)

BUILDING RESILIENT TELECOM INFRASTRUCTURE

TOPIC: (GS3) SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: THE HINDU

Telecom networks play a vital role during disasters by ensuring seamless communication. However, their vulnerability to natural calamities necessitates robust measures to enhance resilience and preparedness.

Importance of Telecom Networks in Disasters

• Telecom networks enable emergency communication between authorities and the public.
• Disruptions in these services can delay rescue operations, leading to increased casualties and property damage.
• Overhead cables, exposed towers, and power dependency make telecom infrastructure highly susceptible to disasters like cyclones, floods, and earthquakes.

Impact of Disasters on Telecom Networks

• Damage to Towers & Cables: High-speed winds and heavy rains can destroy cell towers and snap overhead cables, cutting off communication.
• Undersea Cable Vulnerability: Coastal areas rely on undersea cables for internet connectivity; any damage to these can cause nationwide network failures.
• Power Failures: Electricity disruptions during disasters impact telecom towers, reducing network availability.
• Fuel Shortages: Backup generators and battery systems at telecom towers require fuel, which may be scarce during emergencies.

Challenges in Restoring Telecom Services

• Repairing Undersea Cables: Specialized ships are needed for repairs, leading to delays in restoring connectivity.
• Electricity Restoration: Power grids need to be quickly repaired to ensure telecom networks function efficiently.
• Limited Backup Systems: Many telecom sites rely on short-term battery backups, making prolonged outages a concern.
• Network Monitoring: Real-time tracking software is essential to detect and address service disruptions swiftly.

Strategies to Strengthen Telecom Resilience

• Strengthening Power Infrastructure: Ensuring a stable electricity supply for telecom networks can minimize disruptions. Installing solar-powered or hybrid energy backup systems can help sustain connectivity.
• Reinforcing Telecom Towers: Constructing towers with stronger materials to withstand high-speed winds and earthquakes. Placing critical infrastructure at higher elevations to prevent flood damage.
• Better Coordination Among Stakeholders: Enhancing data-sharing between telecom operators and disaster management agencies can improve response times. Establishing rapid-response teams for telecom network restoration.
• Promoting the “Dig-Once” Policy: Laying underground fiber-optic cables along with other infrastructure like water and gas pipelines reduces future disruptions.
• Disaster Risk Modelling: Integrating disaster vulnerability assessments in telecom network planning to improve preparedness.
• Financial Protection through Insurance: Implementing parametric insurance models can help telecom firms recover quickly and invest in better disaster-proofing infrastructure.

Conclusion

Investing in resilient telecom infrastructure can significantly reduce network failures during disasters. Proactive planning, improved coordination, and structural reinforcements are essential for ensuring uninterrupted communication in emergencies.

Mains Practice Questions

1. How can India strengthen its telecom infrastructure to withstand natural disasters and ensure uninterrupted communication during emergencies? (150 WORDS / 10 MARKS)

DID THE IRON AGE IN INDIA BEGIN IN TAMIL NADU?

TOPIC: (GS1) EARLY HISTORY: THE HINDU

Recent excavations in Tamil Nadu suggest that the region may have entered the Iron Age as early as 5,300 years ago. This challenges earlier studies that placed the beginning of the Iron Age in India much later.

New Claims on the Beginning of the Iron Age

• A new study suggests that Tamil Nadu transitioned to the Iron Age earlier than northern India.
• The absence of significant copper reserves may have led to the early adoption of iron in the region.
• During this period, northern India was still in the Copper Age.

Previous Research on Iron Usage in India

• The discovery of iron smelting marked a major technological milestone in human history.
• Earlier theories suggested that iron was introduced to India by migrants from the West.
• Initial studies estimated the beginning of iron usage in India around 700-600 BCE.
• However, radiocarbon dating pushed back this timeline to the 16th century BCE.
• Excavations in Uttar Pradesh uncovered iron tools, furnaces, and signs of metalworking between 1800 and 1000 BCE.
• By the early second millennium BCE, large-scale iron production was evident in the eastern Vindhyas and the Central Ganga Plain.

Recent Excavations and Findings in Tamil Nadu

• Excavations in Tamil Nadu have unearthed iron artefacts dating back over 4,200 years.
• A recent report further revised the timeline, placing the Iron Age in the region between 3,345 BCE and 2,953 BCE.
• Significant discoveries have been made at sites like Mayiladumparai, Sivagalai, Adichanallur, and Kilnamandi.
• These findings indicate that Tamil Nadu had advanced ironworking much earlier than previously believed.

Implications of the Findings

• If the dating is accurate, Tamil Nadu may have entered the Iron Age before many other Indian regions.
• The findings suggest that iron technology could have developed independently in South India.
• This sheds light on the region’s early technological progress and social structures.
• While the discoveries point to early iron use in Tamil Nadu, they do not conclusively prove that the Iron Age originated there.
• The research provides new opportunities to study the ancient history and culture of Tamil Nadu.

Conclusion

The new evidence challenges existing timelines for the Iron Age in India and suggests the need for further research. If confirmed, these findings could reshape our understanding of technological progress in ancient South India.

ETHICAL CORE IN AMARTYA SEN’S ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHY

TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY: THE HINDU

Amartya Sen’s economic philosophy blends ethics and practical applications, emphasizing human well-being. His work challenges traditional economic theories, highlighting issues of inequality and justice.

Amartya Sen’s Approach to Economics

• Sen’s economic perspective aligns with Alfred Marshall’s view that economics should serve ethics and practical needs.
• Professor Bhabatosh Datta described Sen’s approach as linking moral values with economic policies.
• Sen deeply appreciated this acknowledgment from his teacher.

Early Exposure to Social Realities

• During his school years at Patha Bhavan in Shantiniketan, Sen observed the struggles of Adivasi communities.
• He personally studied wages, prices, and malnutrition, especially during the Bengal Famine of 1943.
• Using his bicycle for field research, he documented gender-based nutritional deprivation.
• This bicycle, a symbol of his early research, is now displayed in the Nobel Museum.

Ethics and Economics: A Fundamental Link

• Sen argues that economics should be rooted in ethics and serve human welfare, as envisioned by Adam Smith.
• He emphasizes the need to reconnect modern economics with moral reasoning and practical concerns.

Development of Social Choice Theory

• Sen expanded on Social Choice Theory, which evaluates collective decision-making.
• His work builds on thinkers like Jeremy Bentham, Jean-Charles de Borda, and Marquis de Condorcet.
• He acknowledges Kenneth Arrow’s “impossibility theorem,” which highlights mathematical difficulties in achieving fair social choices.
• Sen broadened the theory beyond utilitarianism, incorporating justice and fairness into economic decisions.

Critique of Utilitarianism and Influence of Marx

• Sen strongly criticizes utilitarianism for ignoring social justice and ethical considerations.
• He values Karl Marx’s vision of freedom, considering it essential for human progress.
• He believes Marxian thought provides a clearer understanding of the transition from necessity to freedom.

Influence of Kant and Classical Literature

• Sen admires Immanuel Kant for merging ethics with logical reasoning.
• He recommends Kant’s The Moral Law and Critique of Pure Reason for insights into ethical decision-making.
• He also draws inspiration from the Sanskrit play Mudrarakshasa, where ethical justice (nyaya) is prioritized over rigid rules (niti).

Core Issue: Inequality

• Sen believes that inequality is the root cause of many global challenges.
• He advocates for ethical principles to drive policies that reduce disparities in wealth and opportunity.

Global Recognition and Legacy

• Nobel laureate Nadine Gordimer praised Sen for bringing clarity to complex global issues.
• His dedication to ethics, justice, and human development continues to influence economic and social thought.

Conclusion

Sen’s philosophy highlights the importance of integrating ethics with economic policies. His work has redefined how social justice and human welfare should be central to economic decision-making.

NOCTURNAL BULL ANTS

TOPIC: (GS3) ENVIRONMENT: INDIAN EXPRESS

Scientists in Australia have discovered that nocturnal bull ants use polarised moonlight to find their way. This makes them only the second known species to navigate using this method.

         

Discovery and Significance

• Researchers at Macquarie University, Sydney, found that certain bull ants rely on moonlight for navigation.
• This ability helps them move efficiently in the dark, particularly during foraging.
• The study highlights how insects use light cues for orientation, even at night.

About Nocturnal Bull Ants

• These ants belong to the Myrmecia genus and are native to Australia.
• They are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night and search for food in darkness.
• Their vision is adapted to low-light conditions, allowing them to detect subtle changes in light.

Use of Polarised Moonlight

• Bull ants are among the very few species that can navigate using polarised moonlight.
• Their ability to use this method improves during the waxing phases of the moon.
• They also rely on polarised sunlight for navigation during the daytime.

Behaviour and Habitat

• These ants have multiple nests within their colonies.
• Foraging ants can travel long distances in search of food.
• They exhibit aggressive behaviour and have venomous stings for protection.

Conclusion

The discovery of bull ants navigating with moonlight provides valuable insights into insect behaviour. It expands our understanding of how animals adapt to their environment for survival.

IMF CALLS FOR URGENT FISCAL REFORMS IN THE MALDIVES

TOPIC: (GS3) ECONOMY: INDIAN EXPERESS

Despite a strong tourism sector, the Maldives is facing economic challenges, prompting the IMF to call for immediate fiscal measures. The government has responded with spending cuts but has rejected an IMF bailout.

Economic Concerns in the Maldives

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that the Maldives needs urgent fiscal discipline.
• The country’s economy is projected to grow by 5% in 2025, but risks and uncertainties remain.
• High government spending has raised concerns about debt sustainability.

Government Response

• The Maldives declined an IMF bailout in 2023, choosing instead to implement severe cost-cutting measures.
• President Mohamed Muizzu reduced his salary by 50% and introduced a mandatory 10% pay cut for most public employees.
• Authorities claim the economic difficulties are temporary and do not require external financial assistance.

IMF Recommendations

• The IMF has urged the government to adopt strong and immediate policy reforms.
• It recommended a comprehensive plan to control government expenditure.
• The focus is on achieving macroeconomic stability and long-term debt management.

Conclusion

The Maldives’ economic future depends on effective fiscal policies and financial discipline. Addressing government spending is crucial to ensuring long-term economic stability.