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More than 40 people were injured in a stampede in Bishnupur district of Manipur as security forces fired tear-gas shells to disperse over 10,000 people who had converged to demand the removal of an Army barricade. A defence source said the stand-off continued through the day.
Armed miscreants fired at the Central security forces and a mob threw stones at them. Three personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot force, were injured.
The crowd had gathered at two locations within a radius of 2 km at Phougakchao Ikhai and Kwakta in Bishnupur.
Meitei groups have opposed the placement of the barricade in a buffer zone on the Bishnupur-Churachandpur boundary. The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), an influential Meitei group, had asked the youth and others to come out in large numbers to push the barricade further to the hill district of Churachandpur.
The group said the failure of the Union and the State governments to remove the barricade by August 30 was the reason for the protest march.
ASEAN a key pillar of ‘Act East’ policy: Modi (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an “important pillar” of India’s Act East policy, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as he left for Indonesia to attend the 20th ASEAN-India summit and 18th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Jakarta.
Mr. Modi will meet with leaders of the 10 ASEAN countries on Thursday, followed immediately by the EAS meeting, which includes leaders of all ASEAN nations and Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the U.S.
While Mr. Modi will return immediately after the summits so as to be in Delhi in time for the arrival of guests of the G-20 Summit, many leaders present in Indonesia and Indonesian President Joko Widodo himself will also travel to Delhi.
Editorial
India, Bharat and a host of implications (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
There are historical, ideological, constitutional and international implications associated with the words Bharat and India. A political dimension has been added to these names/words arising out of some Opposition parties coming together under the banner and acronym INDIA (for the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’).
For these parties in the Opposition, the unprecedented use of ‘President of Bharat’ instead of ‘President of India’ (as seen in an invitation card by the President to the heads of States and governments and Chief Ministers for an official banquet on the occasion of the G-20 summit) is on account of the Narendra Modi government’s concern that ‘INDIA’ may become politically potent.
Keeping politics aside it would be useful to examine some of the other aspects, mentioned in the first sentence, to arrive at a degree of clarity on Bharat and India.
A brief look at the controversy raised by the Muslim League over the name India in 1947 would be in order. The transfer of power from the British to Indian hands in 1947 was through the British Parliament’s Indian Independence Act of 1947. It created two dominions — India and Pakistan — and released the Princely States from British paramountcy, thereby, technically making them independent and sovereign.
At the same time, the British advised the Princely states to join one of the two dominions. Most did so before August 15, 1947. Thus, two dominions came into being in what was British India and the Princely states in the sub-continent.
Pakistani leaders favoured that India should be named either Hindustan or Bharat. They argued that two ‘successor’ states had emerged from the dissolution of the British Indian empire: Pakistan and Hindustan or Bharat. India’s position was that it was the successor state to British India, in terms of international law, and that Pakistan had seceded from India.
Hence, while India retained its international personality, including its membership of the United Nations (UN), Pakistan, as a new state created through secession, would have to take steps to acquire an international personality.
The matter was finally decided in India’s favour, and Pakistan was compelled to take steps to establish its international status, including applying for a membership of the UN, which, incidentally, Afghanistan opposed.
Bridging the malnutrition gap, the Bemetara way (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Health)
It is often said that simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication. Experience has taught us that simple things may not always be easy, but are often the most effective solutions.
In this light, counselling people on eating and feeding practices along with monitoring their progress can prove to be a game-changer.
Over the years, the government has made painstaking efforts to ensure food security. Now, children have mid-day-meals in their schools and people receive monthly rations through an ever-improving Public Distribution System. Ready-to-eat packets and hot meals are served to mothers and children at Anganwadi Centres (AWCs), under the Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nourishment (POSHAN) Abhiyaan.
Further, various add-ons such as egg, banana, protein powders, peanut chikki and jaggery are also being distributed under various special State-specific schemes, an example being the Mukhyamantri Suposhan Yojana in Chhattisgarh.
But, nutrition security is still a distant dream. People often lack knowledge of proper eating and feeding practices. Myths around food and increased accessibility to highly processed food have compounded the problem. Nutrition counselling can potentially be the answer to this problem.
It is important to note that “Jan Andolan”, or social and behaviour change communication (SBCC), has been a facet of POSHAN Abhiyaan.
This includes bicycle rallies, plantation of Poshan Vatikas, celebration of Poshan Maah, Poshan Pakhwaras and Godh Bharaais. Different States have held various awareness programmes under the SBCC.
However, the concept of nutrition counselling has yet to be properly institutionalised and implemented uniformly across States.
Opinion
For an expanse of blue, with air so clean (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the earth has entered the era of global boiling. Scorching heatwaves, devastating floods and erratic weather patterns are stark reminders for an urgent need to address the triple-planetary crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and pollution.
The world is not just grappling with climate change, but also with another silent killer — air pollution. Global health statistics reveal a disturbing scenario with lung cancer claiming 10 million deaths worldwide in 2020, as stated in the World Health Organization (WHO) factsheet published in 2023.
This could soar by another 3.2 million by 2050 according to a report, ‘Mapping of global, regional and national incidence, mortality and mortality-to-incidence ratio of lung cancer in 2020 and 2050’, by the Indian National Institute of Health. South Asia, home to two billion people, is also home to nine of the world’s 10 most polluted cities, including Delhi, where the air quality continues to pose a perilous long-term threat putting its inhabitants at risk each day.
While policy measures have led to statistical improvements in the Air Quality Index (AQI), the health risks associated with Delhi’s polluted air persist. Delhi is knocked to its knees every winter facing hazardous levels of air pollution.
Lung cancer, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory ailments, and mental health issues continue to destroy lives. Delhi’s air, a lethal mix of SO2 (sulphur dioxide) and NOX (nitrogen oxides), along with high particulate matter concentrations (2.5 or even 10 g/m3), carbon monoxide and ozone, deprive over 30 million residents of their human right to breathe clean air.
The air pollution toll is troublesome especially for immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, children, and the elderly.
As per a Lancet Report, 1.67 million pollution-related deaths were attributed to air pollution in India in 2019, accounting for a staggering 17.8% of the total deaths in the country.
Text & Context
How unemployment is measured (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
When the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) was released in 2017, it revealed the unemployment rate of India to be 6.1%, the highest ever recorded in India.
The PLFS of 2021-22 showed unemployment reducing to 4.1%, much lower than before, but higher than some developed economies. The U.S unemployment rate fluctuated between 3.5% in July 2022 to 3.7% in July 2023.
However, the economies of the U.S and India are very different. The former is more industrialised, while the latter is characterised by a large informal sector. As such, the methods used to measure unemployment are very different.
Unemployment is not synonymous with joblessness. The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines unemployment as being out of a job; being available to take a job; and actively engaged in searching for work. Therefore, an individual who has lost work but does not look for another job is not unemployed.
The labour force is defined as the sum of the employed and the unemployed. Those neither employed nor unemployed — such as students and those engaged in unpaid domestic work — are considered out of the labour force.
The unemployment rate is measured as the ratio of the unemployed to the labour force. The unemployment rate could also fall if an economy is not generating enough jobs, or if people decide not to search for work.
In the U.S., the employment-to-population ratio (EPR) in 2019 was 60.8, while the unemployment rate was 3.7%. In 2022, the EPR was 60, but the unemployment rate had fallen to 3.6%.
Even though there were fewer jobs (as a proportion of the total population), the unemployment rate was lower because many individuals had exited the labour force.
News
Blocking blacklisting of terrorists smacks of doublespeak: India (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 3, Internal Security)
India has told the UN Security Council that blocking evidence-based proposals to blacklist globally sanctioned terrorists without providing justifications is uncalled-for and “smacks of doublespeak”. This was a thinly veiled reference to China and Pakistan.
“The working methods of the UNSC Sanctions Committees continue to dent the credibility of the UN Security Council,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, said.
Speaking in the Security Council’s open debate on Working Methods, Ms. Kamboj said “genuine, evidence-based listing proposals for globally sanctioned terrorists to be blocked without giving any due justification is uncalled-for and smacks of doublespeak when it comes to Council’s commitment in tackling the challenge of terrorism.
Ms. Kamboj stressed that the working methods of Sanctions Committees must emphasise transparency. Ms. Kamboj’s remarks were a veiled reference to China and its all-weather friend Pakistan.
‘Taking G-20 to the last mile, leaving none behind’ (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — these two words capture a deep philosophy. It means ‘the world is one family’. This is an all-embracing outlook that encourages us to progress as one universal family, transcending borders, languages, and ideologies.
During India’s G-20 Presidency, this has translated into a call for human-centric progress. As One Earth, we are coming together to nurture our planet.
As One Family, we support each other in the pursuit of growth. And we move together towards a shared future — One Future — which is an undeniable truth in these interconnected times.
The post-pandemic world order is very different from the world before it. There are three important changes, among others.
First, there is a growing realisation that a shift away from a GDP-centric view of the world to a human-centric view is needed.
Second, the world is recognising the importance of resilience and reliability in global supply chains. Third, there is a collective call for boosting multilateralism through the reform of global institutions. Our G-20 Presidency has played the role of a catalyst in these shifts.
In December 2022, when we took over the Presidency from Indonesia, I had written that a mindset shift must be catalysed by the G-20.
This was especially needed in the context of mainstreaming the marginalised aspirations of developing countries, the Global South, and Africa.
Ukraine is top priority for European Union, says official (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Ukraine will be the top-most item on the agenda of the European Union at the G-20 Summit, a senior EU official said.
Clarifying the Western expectation about the upcoming summit that will be held here during the weekend, the official expressed confidence about forming consensus about the Global South and placed it on record that the EU “wished” to have participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the summit.
He also indicated that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was unlikely to travel to Delhi for the summit. He said that India’s text for negotiating an outcome document was “not sufficient”.
“Our first priority will be Ukraine. We wished to have participation of President Zelenskyy. But we respect the decision of the host,” said the official during a hybrid briefing for the media.
He strongly defended Ukraine’s sovereignty and called for an end to the Russian military campaign. The remark gave an impression of the seriousness with which the Western bloc is viewing the Ukraine conflict in the context of the G-20.
The Delhi summit is expected to witness tough bargaining over the issue which has lingered with devastating global effects since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the so-called “special military campaign” on February 24, 2022.
Last week, the Russian Ambassador in Delhi, Denis Alipov, established Moscow’s position regarding the prominence of Ukraine at the G-20, saying, “If there is no consensus on something, then the items without consensus should be removed taking into account that political issues have never been discussed in G-20.”
India drops tariffs on U.S. lentils, almonds ahead of Biden’s visit (Page no. 14)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Two days before U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New Delhi for a bilateral meeting and the G-20 Summit, India has dropped the retaliatory customs tariffs it had imposed on imports of some American goods such as almonds and lentils, effective September 6.
India raised import duties on 28 products from the U.S. in June 2019, after the latter had increased its customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. In a notification issued on September 5, the Finance Ministry dropped some of these tariff increases “on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do”.
During his state visit to the U.S. in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Biden administration had agreed to resolve six bilateral trade disputes that were pending at the World Trade Organization and unwind the tariff hikes imposed on some U.S. products, including walnuts, almonds, and apples.
The Almond Board of California (ABC) welcomed the move in a statement, noting that the import duties on their almond shipments to India will now go back to ₹35 a kg on in-shell and ₹100 a kg of kernels. India had raised the applied tariff rates on U.S. almonds to ₹41 a kg on in-shell and ₹120 a kg on kernels.
“We are very happy to see the retaliatory tariffs removed, which will both help increase demand in India and reduce the cost to consumers there,” said Julie Adams, vice-president for technical and regulatory affairs at the ABC.
The almond industry has been working hard along with government officials to reduce the impediments for exports of California almonds to India, which is our largest export destination. We continue to discuss further opportunities to improve export conditions related to tariffs and technical barriers.
World
Avoid a ‘new Cold War’, China tells nations at ASEAN meet (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
China’s Premier said that major powers must keep their differences under control and avoid “a new Cold War”, in a thinly veiled reference to Washington, as top Asian and U.S. officials gathered for talks in Indonesia.
Beijing has expressed concern about U.S.-backed blocs forming on its doorstep, while facing disputes with other powers in the region over the South China Sea and other issues.
Disagreements and disputes may arise between countries due to misperceptions, diverging interests or external interferences,” Li Qiang said at the start of an ASEAN-plus-three meeting with Japan and South Korea in Jakarta.
To keep differences under control, what is essential now is to oppose picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation and to oppose a new Cold War.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is holding separate summits with China, Japan, South Korea, the U.S. and Canada on Wednesday, providing an arena for big powers to lobby the bloc and their rivalries to play out.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is attending in place of President Joe Biden, while Mr. Li was taking part instead of President Xi Jinping.
Business
G20 could pave way for crypto regulation, financial inclusion (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India’s G20 presidency could leave a lasting legacy for the world’s financial architecture by paving the way for a global template to regulate crypto assets, steering a shake-up of multilateral development banks that could yield additional financing of $200 billion over eight years to help countries deal with emerging challenges, and advancing financial inclusion.
Top officials signalled that a broad consensus had emerged amongst members of the G20 Finance Track during talks on these issues, with Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors welcoming 17 deliverables and endorsing 10 outcomes being pursued under India’s presidency.
The likely agreed outcomes, which need to be ratified by G20 leaders at the upcoming summit in New Delhi, include a plan to enhance the capacity of countries to understand the proposed two-pillar framework to tax revenues of multinational firms and global tech giants for urban administrations around the world to finance city development plans.
The use of information shared by nations through tax information exchange treaties for non-tax purposes is also being pursued.
“G20 leaders will now decide on how countries can get together to regulate crypto assets more effectively,” an official said. “India has brought the regulation of these assets on the agenda of G20, whose role gained greater importance amid global financial sector woes in 1999 and 2008”.