Daily News Analysis (Prelims + Mains) – 8th October 2018

General Study – II

Topic:

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA)

• CAATSA was passed overwhelmingly by the US Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.
• Enacted on August 2, 2017, it aims to counter the aggression by Iran, Russia and North Korea through punitive measures
• Title II of the Act primarily deals with sanctions on Russian interests such as its oil and gas industry, defence and security sector, and financial institutions, in the backdrop of its military intervention in Ukraine and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US Presidential elections
• Section 231 of the Act empowers the US President to impose at least five of the 12 listed sanctions — enumerated in Section 235 of the Act — on persons engaged in a “significant transaction” with Russian defence and intelligence sectors.
• Two of the most stringent of these sanctions are the export licence restriction by which the US President is authorised to suspend export licences related to munitions, dual-use and nuclear related items; and the ban on American investment in equity/debt of the sanctioned person
• Some other sanctions, which are of not much relevance to India, include restriction on US Export Import Bank assistance; prohibition on loans from international financial institutions; exclusion from participation in US government procurement; and visa restrictions on corporate officers of the sanctioned entities.

How India would have affected by this law?

• Almaz-Antey Air and Space Defence Corporation JSC, the manufacturers of the S-400 system, are in the list of 39.
• If implemented stringently, CAATSA would impact Indian defence procurement from Russia.
• Apart from S-400s,India has procurements like  1135.6 frigates and Ka-226T helicopters as well as joint ventures like Indo Russian Aviation Ltd, Multi-Role Transport Aircraft Ltd and Brahmos Aerospace.
•  It would also affect purchase of spares, components, raw materials and other assistance.
• The bulk of India’s military equipment is of Soviet/Russian origin including the nuclear submarine INS Chakra, the Kilo-class conventional submarine, the supersonic Brahmos cruise missile, the MiG and Sukhoi fighters, Mi helicopters, and the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier.

What are the reasons behind this exemption?

• CAATSA impacts Indo-US ties, and dents the image of the US as a reliable partner at a time when it is projecting India as a key player in its Indo-Pacific strategy.
• US administration for countries like India has favoured relief, citing the “strategic opportunity” that India presents, and also the opportunity “to trade in arms with India”.
• Indeed, the US defence industry sees India as a major market,Over the last decade, deals with India have grown from near zero to $15 billion.
• Both in term of the number and value of contracts, the US is way ahead of other major suppliers.
• The CAATSA exemption also underlines the growing defence and security cooperation that has seen India sign a logistics pact with the US.
• Also US designated India as a Major Defence Partner, and both countries coming together on Indo-Pacific strategy, the newly resurrected Quad.
• It also marks an acceptance by the US of the point of principle that as a sovereign country, India cannot be dictated on its strategic interests by a third country.

Facts for Prelims

4th India International Science Festival

• President of India inaugurates 4th India International Science Festival in Lucknow.
• It is organised by the Ministry of Science & Technology, the Ministry of Earth Sciences and Vijnana Bharati

Recent Developments in science and technological field of country

• INCREASE IN PATENT APPLICATION: – Role of science and scientific innovation in our national developmental agenda is expanding day by day. In 2017, patent applications by Indian start-ups rose to 909. This was a 15-fold increase from the number in 2016 – just 61.
• INCREASE IN R&D INVESTMENTS: – In 2018, India’s R&D investments will amount to an appreciable US$ 83.27 billion.

The government has announced the Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship Scheme. It will promote development through innovation and has a budget of Rs 1,650 crore for seven years beginning 2018-19.

DRAWBACK

• Low participation of women in higher science. In total 3,446 scientists working at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, only 632 – or 18.3 per cent – are women.
• R&D investments still very less compared to major economies of world.
• scientific temper among children and youth still lags behind.

International Conference on Women’s Health, Wellness and Empowerment

• President of India graced and addressed an International Conference on Women’s Health, Wellness and Empowerment organized by the Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India and the Kanpur Obstetric and Gynaecological Society in Kanpu
• Theme of Conference: “Give her wings and let her soar”.

Freedom fighter Shri Shyamlal Parshad

President unveiled the statue of the late freedom fighter Shri Shyamlal Parshad in Kanpur.

About Shri Shyamlal Parshad

• Shyamlal Gupta, popularly known by his pen name Parshad, (1896-1977) was an Indian poet and lyricist.
• Author of the song “Jhanda ooncha rahe hamara” which featured in the 1948 Hindi film, Azadi Ki Raah Par, (sung by Sarojini Naidu), has been accepted as the flag song of India and is sung every year during the flag hoisting ceremony at the Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations.
• The recipient of the fourth highest civilian award of Padma Shri in 1969, the Government of India issued a postage stamp in 1997 in his honour.

Mushaira to Celebrate 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

• Ministry of Minority Affairs organized “Mushaira” in New Delhi, based on the themes of teachings and principles of Mahatma Gandhi as a part of Central Government’s decision to commemorate 150^th Birth Anniversary of the Father of the Nation.
• The Mushaira was organized at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, Janpath, New Delhi where famous Urdu poets enthralled the audience through their poetry and gave strong message of peace, humanity and unity.
• While on one hand these programmes will spread message and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, on the other hand such programmes will also strengthen social harmony and brotherhood in the society.
• These Mushairas will also be organized in Mumbai, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Ranchi and other cities as well.

India Skills 2018,

• It is Country’s biggest skill competition
• India Skills 2018 was the second edition of the nationwide competition organized by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Government of India to identify, recognize, promote and reward the best talents in various skills.
• Total 23 states actively participated in organizing the competitions at the state and regional levels in which over 50 thousand participants took part.
• 450 participants took part in the 3-day national level competition organized in New Delhi. Besides 46 competition trades, there were 10 demonstration trades also.
• Some of winners of the competition of various trades will be given more training, before they are sent to represent India at the 45th World Skills Competition at Kazan, Russia in 2019.
• Divayangs also participated in the competition and the winners will take part at the World level in Abilympics in China.

Atal Innovation Mission & SIRIUS sign MoU for promotion of innovative cooperation between students of India & Russia

MoU hopes to remove cultural and language barriers between students of Russia and India, share the best practices in the promotion of educational, scientific, innovative achievements, promote innovative cooperation, and search and develop talented youth of both countries fostering a knowledge driven innovation ecosystem in both the countries.

AIM-SIRIUS Innovation Festival 2018

• To promote a spirit of collaborative innovation, young innovators of Atal Tinkering Labs and SIRIUS Educational Foundation came together at a four-day Indo-Russian ATL innovation boot-camp were held.
• The boot-camp was organized by Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Innovation Mission, with support from Department of Design, IIT Delhi.
• The innovations developed across space technology, healthcare, smart mobility, clean energy and agricultural technology were showcased to Prime Minister of India and President of Russia.

Atal Innovation Mission

• Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) is NITI Aayog’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India. AIM has been established to create and promote an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship in a holistic manner through various initiatives at school, university and industry levels.
• AIM also serves as a platform for promotion of world-class Innovation Hubs, Grand Challenges, Start-up businesses and other self-employment activities in India, leveraging state of the art, advanced and affordable emerging technologies.

The Atal Innovation Mission has thus two core functions:

1. Innovation promotion:to provide a platform where innovative ideas are generated.
2. Entrepreneurship promotion:Wherein innovators would be supported and mentored to become successful entrepreneurs at Incubation Centres.

SIRIUS Educational Foundation

• Fund “Talent and success” is an unitary, non-profit, non-standard educational organization. The activities of the Foundation are aimed to identify and support children and young people who have shown outstanding abilities.
• Providing assistance in obtaining general and additional education for such personalities, including education in the fields of arts, natural sciences, physical culture and sports.

MIG-29

• The Russian origin aircraft, now capable of effecting mid-air refuelling, is compatible with latest missiles and can launch multidimensional attacks.

Iran Parliament passes Counterterror finance Bill

• The Bill aims to bring Iran’s laws in line with international standards and allow it to join the UN Terrorism Financing Convention.