Daily News Analysis 30th October 2018

Daily News Analysis (Prelims + Mains) – 30th October 2018

General Study – II

Topic:

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

India–Japan Relations

Relations between India and Japan is said to have begun in the 6th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan. Indian culture, filtered through Buddhism, has had a great impact on Japanese culture, and this is the source of the Japanese people’s sense of closeness to India.

Post the Second World War, India did not attend the San Francisco Conference, but decided to conclude a separate peace treaty with Japan in 1952 after its sovereignty was fully restored. This treaty was one of the first peace treaties Japan signed after the World War II.

Ever since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have enjoyed cordial relations. In the post-World War II period, India’s iron ore helped a great deal Japan’s recovery from the devastation.

Following Japanese PM visit to India in 1957, Japan started providing yen loans to India in 1958, as the first yen loan aid extended by Japanese government.

Political Relations

• Since establishment of diplomatic ties there has been continue visits from Prime Minister, Ministers, Diplomats from both countries.
• The beginning of the 21st century witnessed a dramatic transformation in bilateral ties. During Prime Minister Mori’s path-breaking visit to India in 2000, the Japan-India Global Partnership in the 21st century was launched.
• The Joint Statement signed by PM Manmohan Singh and Shinzo Abe in 2006 factored in the new challenges, and the relationship was upgraded to a Global and Strategic Partnership with the provision of annual Prime Ministerial Summits.
• A Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Japan and India was concluded in 2011.
• PM Abe paid an official visit to India for the 8th Annual Summit in 2014 and was the Chief Guest at the 2014’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi and again visited in 2017.
• During PM Modi visit to Japan in 2014 two sides upgraded the relationship to a ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’. Both sides also agreed to establish the ‘India-Japan Investment Promotion Partnership’.

Economic and Commercial Cooperation

• A transformational development in the economic history of India was Suzuki Motor Corporation’s path breaking investment in India in the early 1980s that revolutionized the automobile sector, bringing in advanced technology and management ethics to India.
• A test of the reliability of Japan as a friend was witnessed in 1991, when Japan was among the few countries that unconditionally bailed India out of the balance of payment crisis.
• Economic relations between India and Japan have vast potential for growth, given the complementarities that exist between the two Asian economies.
• Japan’s interest in India is increasing due to a variety of reasons including India’s large and growing market and its resources, especially the human resources.
• The India-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that came into force in August 2011 is the most comprehensive of all such agreements concluded by India and covers not only trade in goods but also Services, Movement of Natural Persons, Investments, Intellectual Property Rights, Custom Procedures and other trade related issues.
• The CEPA envisages abolition of tariffs over 94% of items traded between India and Japan over a period of 10 years.
• Japan has been extending bilateral loan and grant assistance to India since 1958, and is the largest bilateral donor for India.
• Japanese ODA supports India’s efforts for accelerated economic development particularly in priority areas like power, transportation, environmental projects and projects related to basic human needs.
• The Ahmedabad-Mumbai High Speed Rail (BULLET TRAIN), the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC), the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor with twelve new industrial townships, the Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) are all mega projects on the anvil which will transform India in the next decade. Delhi Metro Project has also been realized with Japanese assistance
• India’s primary exports to Japan have been petroleum products, chemicals, elements, compounds, non-metallic mineral ware, fish & fish preparations, metalliferous ores & scrap, clothing & accessories, iron & steel products, textile yarn, fabrics and machinery etc.
• India’s primary imports from Japan are machinery, transport equipment, iron and steel, electronic goods, organic chemicals, machine tools, etc.
• Japanese FDI in India in fiscal year 2016-17 was US $ 4.7 billion, an increase of 80% over the last year. Japan is the third largest foreign investor in India.
• Japanese FDI into India has mainly been in automobile, electrical equipment, telecommunications, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. In 2015-16, Official Development Assistance  (ODA) disbursed by Japan to India was JPY 390 billion out of a committed amount of JPY 400 billion, the highest in last few years.
• The presence of Japanese companies in India has been increasing steadily.

Defense and Security relationship

• Both countries signed Nuclear agreement and reached broad agreement on civil nuclear cooperation after five years of wrangling.
• Agreement is also symbolically important because Japan was one of India’s most vocal critics after New Delhi’s 1998 nuclear tests. This is part of India’s decade-long process of progressive nuclear rehabilitation.
• Both countries have Agreements to share classified military information, Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology.
• India’s decision to invite Japan as a ‘formal partner’ to the US-India Malabar naval exercises. It will passively balance Chinese power and growing Chinese dominance in Indian ocean.

Cultural Relations

• The year 2012 marked the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between Japan and India.
• Various cultural events took place both in Japan and in India to promote mutual understanding between the two countries, under the theme of “Resurgent Japan, Vibrant India: New Perspectives, New Exchanges.”
• During the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Japan in November 2016, the two Prime Ministers agreed to mark the year 2017 as the Year of Japan-India Friendly Exchanges to further enhance people-to-people exchanges between Japan and India. The year 2017 also marks the 60th anniversary since the Cultural Agreement came into force in 1957.
• Construction of International Cooperation and Convention Center in Varanasi, which is in progress and it is deemed as the symbol of friendship between Japan and India.

Indian Community

• The arrival of Indians in Japan for business and commercial interests began in the 1870s at the two major open ports of Yokohama and Kobe.
• The old Indian community in Japan focused on trading in textiles, commodities and electronics. With close linkages to India as well as connections in Hong Kong and Shanghai, they became major players in trading activities across Asia.
• A newer segment of the community is engaged in gems and jewelry.
• Recent years, there has been a change in the composition of the Indian community with the arrival of a large number of professionals, including IT professionals and engineers working for Indian and Japanese firms as well as professionals in management, finance, education, and S&T research. The Nishikasai area in Tokyo is emerging as a “mini-India”.
• Number of Japanese nationals residing in India: 9,147 (as of October, 2016)
• Number of Indian nationals residing in Japan: 31,025 (as of December, 2016)

Recently signed Bilateral Treaties and Agreements

• Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India Concerning the Transfer of Defense Equipment and Technology (2015)
• Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India Concerning Security Measures for the Protection of Classified Military Information (2015)
• Agreement between Japan and the Republic of India on Social Security (2016)
• Agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of the Republic of India for Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy

Conclusion

In the context of 21st Century, among all the bilateral relations, Indo-Japan relations have all the potential to transcend this era into an ‘Asian century’. Chinese hard power showcase, Diminishing USA hegemony over the world made Major Asian economies India and Japan come together in broader aspects.

Topic for Prelims

Maharashtra Coast to be Developed as Tourism hotspot

Commerce Ministry has received a proposal from the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and Indian Institute of Scuba Diving and Aquatic Sports (IISDA) Malwan, Sindhudurg, for a comprehensive plan to encourage marine tourism along the coast of Maharashtra.

Proposal includes

• development of scuba diving and domestic cruise tourism destinations at Angria Bank,
• underwater tourism of global standards, submarine tourism in Sindhudurg,
• setting up India’s largest aquarium in Sindhudurg to create awareness about marine biodiversity and strengthening IISDA as an accredited Institute for innovation and skill development in the aquatic tourism sector.

India’s largest Dry Dock at Cochin Shipyard

The Dry Dock will give an impetus to “Make in India” initiative under Sagarmala and raise India’s share in global shipbuilding to 2 percent.

India currently occupies 0.66 % share in global shipbuilding market.

With this Cochin Shipyard will be able to build specialized and technologically advanced large vessels

What is dry dock?

A dry dock (sometimes dry-dock or drydock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Dry docks are used for the construction, maintenance, and repair of ships, boats, and other watercraft.

Less Polluting Firecrackers

CSIR scientists have developed Less Polluting Firecrackers which are not only environment friendly but 15-20 % cheaper than the conventional ones.

These crackers have been named as safe water releaser (SWAS), safe minimal aluminum (SAFAL) and safe thermite cracker (STAR).

Crackers has unique property of releasing water vapor and /or air as dust suppressant and diluent for gaseous emissions and matching performance in sound with conventional crackers.

Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) has been approached to analyses and test SWAS/STAR/SAFAL from point of view of safety, stability and other related issues.

This is for the first time an Emission Testing Facility established in India for sound and emission testing of crackers.

E-crackers also being developed with products like E-Ladi, E-Anar, E-cracker show.

Polluter pays principle

Graphite India Ltd. told the Supreme Court on Monday that it will pay ₹50 lakh to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board under the ‘polluter pays principle’ for its Bengaluru plant, facing complaints of pollution and emission of black dust.

The GIL Counsel said KSPCB could use this amount to curb pollution in area where the plant is situated.

What is Polluter pays principle?

Polluter pays principle was first introduced in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guiding Principles Concerning International Economic Aspects of Environmental Policies, 1972.

It is regarded as a regional custom because of the strong support it has received in most Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and European Community (EC) countries.

The polluters pays’ principle is the commonly accepted practice that those who produce pollution should bear the costs of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment. For instance, a factory that produces a potentially poisonous substance as a byproduct of its activities is usually held responsible for its safe disposal.

India has time and again vouched for the implementation of ‘Polluter Pays’ principle on international carbon emissions.

Persons with disabilities to get pick-up and drop facility to vote

First time in the country the Election Commission has announced a pick-up and drop facility for persons with disabilities to polling booths during the by elections to three Parliamentary and two Assembly constituencies of Karnataka, scheduled for November 3.

This will later be implemented in the five States polls and general elections.

The Election Commission move comes as part of the commission’s objective of making elections accessible.

Save Bandipur campaign

The ‘Save Bandipur’ campaign launched by activists and people from various walks of life.

The campaign is against the proposal to lift the ban on night traffic through Bandipur and to construct five stretches of elevated highways through the park.

It was suggested by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union government.