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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who concluded a week-long visit to the United Nations, said it would be premature to comment on positions countries, including India, are taking on the issue of whether any permanent membership for India to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) came with veto power.
India has been campaigning hard, including this past week, for a permanent seat on the Council and currently all five permanent members (the P-5) of the world’s top security body have veto rights.
While a number of countries have shown support for India’s membership, including the U.S. and Russia, the question remains open, if this comes with veto rights.
The starting point is the need to accept that there should be reform and then the need to develop some kind of practical path towards iton the linkages between permanent membership and the veto.
At this stage the positions were not fixed and countries’ ideas would go into a “melting pot” before something emerges, the Minister said.
Mr. Jaishankar said, adding, that India was advocating for text-based negotiations right now, to ensure that the intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) process — the principal framework via which UNSC reform is deliberated — was “serious”.
He alluded to references others had made on Security Council reform in their public remarks during the week, saying he sensed a shift in the mood on the longstanding issue that is raised every year and that others had told him they had sensed a shift too.
The American and Russian UNGA addresses contained explicit references to the issue. President of the U.N. General Assembly CsabaKőrösi in his UNGA address last week, advocated for Security Council reform, saying it ought to reflect “21 st century realities” and “more equally” represent the world’s population.
The U.S. State Department’s spokesperson, Ned Price, however, had said last year that the U.S. was in favour of increasing the permanent and non-permanent seats on the 15-member body, but was not in favour of expanding or altering the veto.
This, however, was before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February. Since then the veto right has been the subject of more intense scrutiny with Russia vetoing, multiple Security Council resolutions condemning and calling for an end to the invasion.
Editorial
Soft power, the new race every country wants to win (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Effects of Policies on India’s interest)
“Soft power”, as American political scientist Joseph Nye Jr. said in the late 1980s, is a “power of attraction through culture, political ideas, and policies rather than coercion” that military hard power exhibits.
This is now being reflected in increased interest, especially by smaller nations in the world, in investing more and doing well in elite sports as it is thought that success in international sporting events boosts a nation’s chances of attaining soft power.
So, it can be said that the golden period of Indian sports may have begun — the Tokyo Olympics and then the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) are examples of a good performance.
Neeraj Chopra who won an Olympic gold medal in men’s javelin throw is now a household name. At the CWG 2022, Indian athletes won 61 medals, including 22 golds.
These medals not only provide pride to every Indian citizen but also demonstrate the country’s soft power on the global stage and encourage working towards the status of a great “geopolitical actor”.
Until recently there has been no empirical evidence whether performance in the Olympics or other world championships improved soft power or not.
When Dongfeng Liu (International Professor of Sport Management for the Shanghai campus of the Sport Business School) surveyed French citizens in 2020 (he was also International Professor, Sport Business School, France) on China’s performance in the Olympics and their impressions about China based on its rising medal count, he found that a country’s Olympic achievement has a positive effect on its national soft power.
He issued a caveat: as China is a communist country, there tends to be a prejudiced view of its human rights record and the standing of its minorities, which does not result in a positive perception of China, or for that matter, even Russia or North Korea. It is very difficult for these countries to build “branding” for themselves. As India is a democratic country it may not have to worry about such factors. Even so, it might yet learn lessons from China’s case.
China uses its superiority in elite sports to build “people-to-people” relations with other countries. For example, athletes from African countries such as Madagascar are trained in swimming, badminton, table tennis, etc. in China, which helps Beijing create a positive impact on a wider population and result in better formal relations as well.
There is also China’s memorandum of understanding with countries such as Kenya so that Chinese runners can train with Kenyan athletes, as they are among the best in the world when it comes to long-distance running.
A ground plan for India’s reformed multilateralism (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, International Relations)
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to the United States (September 18-28) has set the stage for an expansive range of bilateral and multilateral diplomacy by India.
It is a unique visit as it seeks to achieve a vast list of objectives led by the Indian delegation’s participation in the High-Level Week at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which opened on September 13.
Perhaps the only precedent to the Minister’s current 11-day whirlwind diplomacy is his 2019 visit to the General Assembly, followed by a policy outreach comprising seven think-tanks in seven days in Washington DC.
Even so, this year’s diplomatic agendas and international setting separate it from earlier years in quite a few ways. Coming just after the recently concluded Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet in Samarkand, which was attended by the Prime Minister, India’s varied multilateral engagements showcase a road map for India’s renewed multilateral diplomacy.
At the heart of India’s participation in the 77th General Assembly is the call for a ‘reformed multilateralism’ through which the United Nations Security Council should reform itself into a more inclusive organisation representing the contemporary realities of today.
India’s call for this structural overhaul of global multilateral institutions incorporates institutional accountability and a wider representation of the developing countries.
For a global organisation such as the UN, growing stakes of developing countries in the Security Council could foster trust and leadership across the world.
The theme of the 77th General Assembly, which seeks “A watershed moment: Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges”, places India right in the midst as a strong partner of the UN.
At least three recent global developments reflective of the UN’s functional evaluation have stood out in India’s quest for a reform of the UN. The COVID-19 pandemic was a weak moment for UN’s multilateralism.
It highlighted the UN’s institutional limitations when countries closed their borders, supply chains were interrupted and almost every country was in need of vaccines.
Countries of the global South, including India, which stepped up through relief efforts, drug distribution and vaccine manufacturing, have created space for a more inclusive UN, particularly through its Security Council (UNSC) reform.
Opinion
India Inc. needs a neurodiverse workplace (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 2, Human Resources)
In the last few years, words such as “inclusion” and “diversity” have assumed importance in the vocabulary of most organisations.
A 2019 McKinsey study revealed that companies with gender diversity were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability while those with ethnic diversity out-rival their competitors by 36%.
Another report titled ‘India’s Best Workplaces in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion 2021’ states that diverse teams perform better, boost leadership integrity, heighten trust in the organisation’s management and multiply revenue growth. It is no wonder then that organisations are building a more inclusive workforce by hiring employees from different ethnic groups, across gender and social backgrounds. Yet, lacking in this exercise is the absence of workers suffering from neurodiversity.
Neurodiversity in the workplace refers to including people with neurodivergent conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorders, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia and Asperger's Syndrome. Harvard Health Publishing defines neurodiversity as a notion that every person interacts and experiences their surroundings differently; there is no right way of thinking, learning, or/and behaving. These differences should not be construed as defects or disorders.
It is, therefore, unjust that even with all the necessary skill sets and degrees, these persons are denied a job because they may react to situations differently from non-neurodiverse persons.
While part of the problem could be lack of awareness about neurodivergent conditions, it is time organisations created a more accommodating environment.
According to a recent report, nearly 2 million people in India suffer from this neurological and developmental disorder and are therefore identified as autistic.
Another study by Deloitte estimates that nearly 20% of the world is neurodiverse. In the U.S., it is estimated that 85% of people on the autism spectrum are unemployed compared with 4.2% of the overall population. Hence, there is an urgency to create a work environment that welcomes neurodiverse individuals.
Organisations embracing neurodiversity enjoy a competitive edge in several areas such as efficiency, creativity, and culture.
Mid-day meal-related food poisoning cases at six-year peak (Page no. 9)
(GS Paper 2, Welfare Schemes)
With most students back in school after pandemic restrictions were eased, cases of food poisoning due to the consumption of mid-day meals have resurfaced. In the last 90 days, close to 120 students suffered from food poisoning across schools in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
In 2022, 979 victims of food poisoning were reported in schools across India, the highest in the last six years. The number declined during the pandemic years as schools were closed.
Chart 1 shows the number of food poisoning cases due to the consumption of mid-day meals at schools between 2009 and 2022 (till September 14).
In the last 13 years, data suggest that at least 9,646 such cases of food poisoning were reported. This figure is a conservative estimate based on data from the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme and news reports.
Close to 12% of such victims became ill after consuming mid-day meals in which lizards, rats, snakes and cockroaches were found. Chart 2 shows the number of such victims between 2009 and 2022.
Most such cases were recorded in Karnataka (1,524), Odisha (1,327), Telangana (1,092), Bihar (950) and Andhra Pradesh (794). Map 3 shows the State-wise split.
In 2016, 247 students fell ill after eating khichdi as their mid-day meal at a ZilaParishad school in a village in Palghar district, Maharashtra. Map 4 shows 232 such incidents of food poisoning due to consumption of mid-day meals in schools between 2009 and 2022.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has audited several States in the past decade and has cited many reasons that could lead to low standards of mid-day meal preparation such as poor infrastructure, insufficient inspections, irregular licensing, limited reporting and absence of feedback mechanisms.
In 2019, in Madhya Pradesh, the CAG found that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India did not notify doctors to report food poisoning cases.
The Food Safety Commissioner did not have information relating to food poisoning cases that occurred during the 2014-19 period. The CAG found that one such missed instance involved 110 food poisoning cases that occurred in August 2014, in a school in Hoshangabad district.
As data were not collected, action was not taken against Food Business Operators (FBOs) responsible for preparing the meal.
In 2015-16, in Madhya Pradesh, the CAG found that around 14,500 schools did not have a kitchen shed for preparing mid-day meals.
In 2016, in Arunachal Pradesh, 40% of the schools did not have a shed. In Chhattisgarh, a CAG survey between FY11 and FY15 found that the mid-day meal was cooked in open areas in unhygienic conditions in 8,932 schools.
Explainer
Shifting monsoon patterns (Page no. 10)
(GS Paper 1, Geography)
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that the monsoon has begun to retreat from Rajasthan.
The monsoon is a sea-breeze that has consistently landed in the Indian sub-continent for thousands of years. It enters mainland India between the last week of May and the first week of June — though June 1 is its official onset date over Kerala.
The IMD only counts the rainfall between June 1 and September 30 as monsoon rainfall. This doesn’t mean that the monsoon system ceases to pour rain over India from October 1.
In fact, monsoon-related rain can continue well into the first fortnight of October and only really retreats from India by late October. It is then replaced by the retreating, or northeast monsoon in November which is the key source of rainfall for several parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and north interior Karnataka.
The monsoon begins its withdrawal from the last State it reaches, which is Rajasthan. Around September 15, cyclonic systems from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal that fuel the monsoon from June-September are replaced by an ‘anti-cyclone’ circulation which means dry, windless conditions start to prevail over western and northern India.
More technically, withdrawal is a cessation of rainfall activity over northwest India for five straight days, an anticyclone establishing itself in the lower troposphere and a marked reduction in moisture content. A day after the IMD announced the withdrawal, torrential rains began in several parts of north India.
Monsoon rainfall in India has been surplus by around 7% this year though with extreme inequity. Central and southern India saw a sharp surge in rainfall.
Rains in Central India were surplus by 20% and in southern India by 25%, with the last month seeing several instances of flooding in Kerala, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
On the other hand, large parts of U. P., Bihar, Odisha have seen large deficits. The east and northeast of India have reported a 17% shortfall and the northwest 2%.
This has impacted sowing of the kharif, or summer crop. Paddy planting has been impacted with sown area 5.51% lower than last year, according to the Agriculture Ministry. The Centre is expecting a minimum of six-million tonne shortfall in rice production and this is likely to elevate inflation.
In April, the IMD had forecast ‘normal’ rains over India but by May-end indicated it to be above normal. Central India and the southern peninsula were expected to get 6% more than their historical average but what we have seen are rains far in excess of this.
These heavy rains are premised on a La Nina, the converse phenomenon of the El Nino and characterised by cooler than normal sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific.
When are the new ICC rules coming into play? (Page no. 10)
(Miscellaneous)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has come up with a host of changes in the rules on playing conditions of cricket. The changes will come into effect on October 1.
The men’s T20 World Cup, to be held in Australia from October 16 to November 13, will be played in accordance with the new rules.
The ICC Chief Executives’ Committee has ratified the recommendations from the Men’s Cricket Committee, led by former Indian captain SouravGanguly. The changes were approved by the Women’s Cricket Committee too.
The practice known as ‘mankading’— a batter being run out by the bowler while backing up too far from the non-striking end — has been destigmatised.
It has been moved from the section on Unfair Play to the one on Run Out. ‘Mankading’ became a topic of discussion after R. Ashwin ran Jos Buttler out in such a manner during an IPL match at Jaipur three years ago.
It has been considered against the spirit of cricket, a game which has traditionally valued ethics highly, sometimes at the cost of losing a considerable advantage or even a match.
West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh had famously refused to run Pakistan’s SaleemJaffar out by ‘mankading’ in a match at the 1987 World Cup in Lahore.
The host had needed two off the last ball when Walsh stopped and warned Jaffar. ‘Mankading’ is once again dividing opinions after India’s Deepti Sharma ran England’s Charlie Dean out in the third Womens One Day Internationals (ODI) at Lord’s on Saturday.
Other changes include the banning of the use of saliva to polish the ball. The ban had already been in place, as a temporary measure, following the COVID-19 outbreak.
Additionally, some part of the batter or the bat has to remain within pitch. If the batter goes beyond the pitch, the umpire could call it a dead ball. Conversely, if a ball forces the batter to leave the pitch, it will be a no-ball.
Also from now on the new batter, coming in at the fall of a wicket, should be ready to face the music from ball one: it doesn’t matter if the batters have swapped ends before the catch is taken.
Earlier, if the batters had crossed, the new batter would have walked up to the non-striking end. In precarious situations, the previous rule would have made life a little easier, especially for a tail-end batter.
The new batter will also have a little less time to reach the middle. The time to take strike has been reduced, for Tests and ODIs, to two minutes, from three.
News
‘Non Oil exports to UAE up 14% after trade deal; surge 3% globally (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2/3, International Relations/Economy)
India’s non-oil exports to the UAE have grown 14% between June and August, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Sunday, attributing the uptick to the bilateral trade deal between the two nations that came into effect this May.
India’s global non-petroleum exports during the same period grew by just 3% on a year-on-year basis, the Ministry said, seeking to emphasise the much higher growth in such exports to the UAE which were at $5.92 billion compared to $5.17 billion a year ago.
Excluding petroleum related imports, Indian imports from the UAE during the same three-month period grew by 1% to $5.61 billion,” the Ministry noted, adding that oil trade were not considered for this analysis for two reasons.
Import increase in oil/petroleum products is largely on account of the rise in global prices and to a certain extent on an increase offtake in volumes.
Further, it is pertinent to mention that bulk of the oil imports from the UAE are of Crude Petroleum, the demand for which is inelastic and the customs duty for which is very low.
The sharpest jump in Indian exports to UAE over this period was seen in sugar (up 237%), cereals (161%), vegetables (82%), inorganic chemicals (74%) and electrical machinery and equipment (67%).
The Commerce Ministry said it expects Indian exports to increase further in the coming months with increasing use of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) by exporters and a series of trade promotion events planned in the UAE during 2022-23.
Election Commission to push for internal democracy in parties (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Polity and Governance)
After taking action against registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs) for failing to comply with norms over the past few months, the Election Commission is likely to take up the issue of internal democracy within parties next, according to EC sources.
The EC, comprising Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, has been on a drive to de-list RUPPs since May for not informing the EC of the change in address, PAN, office-bearers and other details, which are mandated by the Representation of the People Act, 1951. After that, the EC decided to take on recognised parties for not complying with the provisions as well.
Now, the official said the matter of internal democracy within parties would be taken up. Though the RP Act does not mandate internal elections, the EC’s guidelines for parties applying for registration under the Act state that the applicant should submit a copy of the party constitution.
There should be a specific provision in the Constitution/rules and regulations/memorandum of the party regarding organisational elections at different levels and the periodicity of such elections and terms of office of the office-bearers of the party (sic).
The official said the EC would nudge parties to follow the internal democracy commitments, however the EC does not have the power to deregister parties that fail to comply with the rules.
The commission has asked the Law Ministry for the power to deregister political parties in the past, but the proposal has not been implemented so far.
Recently, the EC had come out against reports that the YSRCP had in July elected party president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to the post for life.
In an order on September 21, it said that it rejected any attempt or hint that any party post was permanent as it was “inherently anti-democracy”.
The commission ordered YSRCP to make a clear public statement denying the reports to clear up any confusion. If not denied, the EC said it could “assume contagious proportions”.