Whatsapp 93125-11015 For Details
In the shadowy world of espionage, intelligence and covert operations, the only rule is to never get caught carrying out a mission.
In the more visible world of public diplomacy, the only rule is to never get caught telling a lie or denying what might turn out to be true.
The recent publication of a United States Department of Justice indictment against an Indian national for targeting wanted Khalistani separatists in North America, at the behest of a government official who may or may not have been acting alone, is as yet an unproven allegation that must stand trial, but is one that has nonetheless cast a dark shadow on New Delhi’s credibility in terms of both covert capacity and public messaging, which must be addressed.
The indictment also comes on the heels of a number of intelligence operations that have been challenged in courts in other friendly countries in recent years: from the forcible return of a United Arab Emirates princess, Latifah, by the Indian Coast Guard in international waters in 2018 that has been criticised by a court in the United Kingdom, to the “attempted kidnap” of businessman-on-the-run Mehul Choksi from Antigua to Dominica by British nationals alleged to have been working for Indian agencies in 2021, and the conviction of eight former Indian naval officers in Qatar for espionage, which is now in appeal.
While the extra-judicial military court trial against former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan since 2016 has been challenged by India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the fact that he was operating his business from Iran, a friendly neighbour, has no doubt been noted.
Needless diversion (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Venezuela’s move to hold a referendum on whether it should exercise sovereignty over Essequibo, a vast, oil-rich disputed region that is now part of neighbouring Guyana, has cut open old wounds and inflamed tensions between the South American nations.
According to Venezuela’s electoral authorities, more than 95% of the voters supported the country’s claim. It is not clear what the government of President Nicolás Maduro is going to do next, but the fact that he held the referendum with just months left for the next presidential election suggests the leftist leader might keep the border tensions alive.
Venezuela has always retained claims over Essequibo, which it says was stolen when the north-south border was drawn by colonial powers over a century ago.
In 1966, Venezuela and the U.K. entered into a temporary Geneva Agreement on the border (Guyana was a British colony) to maintain the status quo while seeking to find a practical, peaceful and satisfactory solution for all.
Tensions eased when Hugo Chávez, Mr. Maduro’s leftist predecessor, was the President. But when an oil boom began transforming Guyana’s economy, Mr. Maduro’s regime started becoming more vocal about the country’s claims over the region.
News
RS passes Post Office Bill; parties oppose ‘free hand’ to officers (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The Rajya Sabha passed the Post Office Bill on Monday, which repeals and replaces the Post Office Act of 1898. The Bill, the government said, will ensure the effective functioning of the postal department as a messenger service and as a provider of banking facilities.
The Opposition, citing the provisions empowering any officer to intercept, open or detain any postal item in the interest of the security of the State, expressed concern that giving such a free hand to officers will harm the right to privacy.
Section 9 of the Bill gives the power to intercept, open or detain any item or deliver item to customs authority by the post office officials.
Communications Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said postal services were becoming irrelevant during UPA regime and there was a situation when post offices had to be phased out.
This new legislation is a reflection of the way post offices and postmen have been transformed into a service-delivery institution from being merely a mail-delivery mechanism, and the post offices have been practically converted into banks,” Mr. Vaishnaw said adding that 660 post offices were closed earlier but from 2014 to 2023, around 5,000 post offices were opened and about 5,746 new ones are in the process of being opened.
Text & Context
The need to transform agri-food systems (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
A ground breaking report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), published earlier this month, has laid bare the staggering hidden costs of our global agri-food systems, surpassing an astonishing $10 trillion. In middle-income countries like India, these costs constitute nearly 11% of the GDP, which manifests as higher poverty, environmental harm, and health-related impacts, including undernourishment and unhealthy dietary patterns.
The report blames “unsustainable business-as-usual activities and practices” for these escalating costs, pointing to a need to transform agri-food systems.
One way to do so is to shift to multi-cropping systems that have the potential to protect farmers’ well-being, improve nutritional outcomes for our communities, and positively impact ecological health.
Impressive improvements in agricultural productivity have been achieved in India over the last five decades by mainstreaming mono-cropping systems and chemical-intensive farming practices.
World
Venezuelans claim Guyana region in vote (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Venezuelan electoral authorities on Sunday claimed that 95% of voters in a non-binding referendum approved of the nation’s territorial claim on a huge chunk of neighbouring oil-rich Guyana.
President Nicolas Maduro hailed what he called “an overwhelming victory for the ‘Yes’ throughout Venezuela.” We have taken the first steps of a new historic stage in the struggle for what belongs to us, to recover what the liberators left us.
The referendum raised fears in Guyana, and around the region, about Venezuela’s ultimate intentions over the contested territory.
Mr. Maduro, who will seek re-election next year amid an economic crisis, hopes the outcome of the referendum will strengthen his nation’s claim to the oil-rich Essequibo territory governed by Guyana.
Business
‘Monthly GST mop-up averaging ₹1.66 lakh cr. so far this FY’ (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
GST collection has been showing an upward trend on an annual basis since its roll-out on July 1, 2017, and the average gross monthly mop-up so far this fiscal is ₹1.66 lakh crore.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, she said the GST collection crossed ₹1.50 lakh crore mark in every month of the current fiscal and had touched a record high of ₹1.87 lakh crore in April.
GST collection has been showing an upward trend on year-on-year basis since the implementation of GST w.e.f. 1 July, 2017. The average gross monthly GST collection in FY 2023-24 now stands at ₹1.66 lakh crore and is 11% more than that in the same period in the previous financial year.
The average monthly GST collection in 2022-23 was more than ₹1.50 lakh crore, higher than ₹1.23 lakh crore in 2021-22. In 2020-21, the average monthly mop-up was ₹94,734 crore.