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India and the US are working to enhance their partnership in the field of critical and emerging technologies. The two sides are laying out a “rich” and “balanced” agenda for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to the US next week.
For the first time in nine years, Modi will travel to the US on an official State visit from June 21 to 23, where he will be hosted by President Joe Biden at the White House.
The visit to Cairo, the first by Modi as Prime Minister, comes weeks after Egypt skipped the G20 working group meeting in Srinagar along with China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
India and the US are working towards making progress on some of the deliverables: a possible fast-track system to grant regulatory approvals that can overcome export controls in the US system.
There is a proposal to cooperate on the semiconductor supply chain, and a couple of big-ticket announcements are expected to take place during the visit.
Modi’s visit to the US will commence in New York where he will lead the celebrations of the International Day of Yoga at the headquarters of the United Nations on June 21.
Govt & Politics
PM to G20: Collective action is required for global food security (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, International Organisation)
Emphasising the challenges being faced by the agriculture sector, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic have been worsened by the impact of geopolitical tensions.
In a video message to the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting being held in Hyderabad, Modi said, “In the Global South, agriculture accounts for almost 30 per cent of the GDP, and over 60 percent of jobs.
And today, this sector faces several challenges. The supply chain disruptions caused by the pandemic have been worsened by the impact of geopolitical tensions. Climate change is causing extreme weather events more and more frequently. These challenges are felt most by the Global South.”
We must find ways to build sustainable and inclusive food systems, focused on marginal farmers. We must find ways to strengthen global fertiliser supply chains. At the same time, adopt agricultural practices for better soil health, crop health and yield.
Express Network
Space telescope designed by Pune’s IUCAA for Aditya -L1 delivered to ISRO (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), a unique space telescope developed by Pune’s Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), is now ready and has been delivered to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The telescope is set to be integrated with the ADITYA-L1 mission, expected to be launched in mid-August this year.
” It is proud news for us that the telescope will be integrated with the ADITYA-L1 mission as a very important instrument in its array,” said Prof R Srianand, Director of IUCAA.
ADITYA-L1 will be ISRO’s first space observatory dedicated to studying the Sun. It will fly approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth to the L1, or Lagrange point 1, which is one of the five favorable spots for observing the Sun. The mission aims to provide regular images and updates on the Sun’s surface phenomena and space weather.
The Aditya-L1 mission will carry seven different payloads capable of studying various phenomena on the Sun across the electromagnetic spectrum and solar wind.
Aditya-L1 will enable seamless measurement of solar radiation from Hard X-ray to Infrared, as well as in-situ measurements of particles in the solar wind and the Sun’s magnetic field at the L1 point.
Ideas Page
When Modi meets Biden (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
There is palpable excitement on both sides over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US next week. He will be among the few dignitaries to get the rare honour of addressing a joint session of the US Congress more than once.
President Joe Biden is hosting a dinner on the White House lawns that will see the attendance of thousands of people, a gathering only comparable to the visit of Pope Francis during the Obama regime in 2015.
There is expectant ecstasy on one side that India shall soon become an “ally” — if it’s not already so — of the great power, while there is cautious realism on the other side that it shall continue to tread the tightrope as an important “strategic partner,” short of any formal alliance.
All acknowledge, though, that the partnership between the two major powers — the world’s first and fifth largest economies — shall be the most defining one in the 21st century.
There was a time when Otto von Bismarck, the famous German Chancellor, dismissed America as an “isolationist”, and bemoaned Abraham Lincoln’s death as a “disaster for Christendom” and thought that there was no man great enough to “wear his boots”.
But America did produce great leaders in the last century, like Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. They catapulted America from the leader of “Christendom” to the leader of the West.
Woodrow Wilson delivered the US’s first major global victory in World War I and then played a significant role in the creation of the League of Nations. Roosevelt jumped into World War II at the prodding of then-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1941 and got America laurels for defeating the fascist regimes of Hitler and Mussolini.
The way out of deadlock (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
An important file lying dormant with the Ministry of Home Affairs since 2010 could perhaps have provided a political solution to the current impasse in Manipur, and reduced violence.
On April 27, 2007, the UPA government constituted the Second Commission on Inter-state Relations under the chairmanship of Justice (retired) Madan Mohan Punchhi, former Chief Justice of India with eminent persons like the late N R Madhava Menon, former director, National Judicial Academy, Bhopal as members. Item 2(k) of their charter was: “The feasibility of a supporting legislation under Article 355 for the purpose of suo motu deployment of Central forces in the States if and when the situation so demands.”
The Commission set up eight task forces to examine the Centre-state relations in depth. Their Fifth Task Force studied criminal justice, national security and Centre-state cooperation.
The Commission submitted its report on March 31, 2010. The UPA government could not introduce constitutional changes recommended by the Punchhi Commission although it remained in office for another four years.
Had the NDA government, which had an overwhelming majority in Parliament pursued the recommendations, we could have tackled many such issues like the Kuki-Meitei clashes or Maoist menace in some parts of the country in a more effective manner.
The last we heard about the file was that it was discussed by the Inter-State Council’s Standing Committee (ISC) in its meetings in April 2017, November 2017 and May 2018.
Explained
The remittances story (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Slower growth in OECD economies — especially in the high-tech sector in the United States that could affect the demand for information technology (IT) workers and lead to a diversion of formal remittances toward informal money transfer channels — is likely to impact the flow of remittances this year.
India, which registered a growth of more than 24% to reach a record-high $111 billion in remittances in 2022, is expected to post a growth of just 0.2% in remittance inflows in 2023, according to the World Bank’s latest Migration and Development Brief.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is a grouping of 38 high-income democratic countries. A lower demand for migrants in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a grouping of six Arab nations located around the Arabian Gulf where declining oil prices have dented growth, is another key contributing factor.
In its previous update of the Migration and Development Brief in November last year, the World Bank had estimated a record $100 billion remittances inflows for India in 2022.
In the latest update released on June 13, the World Bank has revised up this number to $111 billion on the back of strong labour market conditions and wage hikes in the high-income destination economies, and higher energy prices in the GCC countries, a key destination for less-skilled migrants.
World
Xi stresses cooperation between US & China at talks with Gates (Page no. 16)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Chinese leader Xi Jinping said the United States and China can cooperate to “benefit our two countries” in a meeting with Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a time of strained relations.
The state broadcaster CCTV showed Xi saying he was happy to see Gates, who he called an “old friend,” after three years without meeting during the pandemic.
I believe that the foundation of Sino-US relations lies in the people,” Xi said to Gates. “Under the current world situation, we can carry out various activities that benefit our two countries, the people of our countries, and the entire human race.”
Xi gave no details but emphasised the potential benefits of cooperation that has been hampered by disputes over human rights, Taiwan, security and technology. Gates told Xi he was “very honoured” to meet with Xi.
The visits by leading foreign business people have coincided with efforts by the ruling Communist Party to revive investor interest in China’s slowing economy. Apple CEO Tim Cook visited China in March.
Despite his upbeat remarks, Xi accused Washington in March of trying to hold back China’s development with restrictions on access to US microchips and other technology.
Tensions between the US and China have festered in recent years, but recently the two sides have held talks on trade and other issues. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to arrive in China on Sunday for a two-day visit.
African leaders arrive in Ukraine to push for peace amid Russian missile attacks
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
The peace delegation, including leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, the Comoros and Egypt, said it was pressing on with plans to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, before talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on Saturday.
A Reuters journalist in central Kyiv heard two explosions. Mayor Vitali Klitschko also reported explosions in the central Podil district.
Another Reuters correspondent saw the smoke trail of two missiles in the sky above the capital. It was not clear if those missiles had been fired by Russia or Ukrainian air defences.
A Reuters television crew saw the leaders arriving in Kyiv in a convoy of cars and entering a hotel to use its air-raid shelter.
The all-clear was later issued for Kyiv, and the South African presidency tweeted that the mission was "proceeding well and as planned".
Ukraine's air force said it had downed six "Kinzhal" ballistic missiles, six cruise missiles and two drones. City authorities said they had received no reports of deaths or serious damage so far, but police said there were an unspecified number of casualties.
The air attack was the latest of many launched by Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has increased their frequency since Ukraine began preparations for a counteroffensive that is now under way.
"Putin 'builds confidence' by launching the largest missile attack on Kyiv in weeks, exactly amid the visit of African leaders to our capital," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. "Russian missiles are a message to Africa: Russia wants more war, not peace."
Economy
Anti-evasion steps on GST council agenda (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
Measures to curb tax evasion and fraudulent availing of input tax credit under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime will be discussed in the upcoming GST Council meeting on July 11, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Chairman Vivek Johri said.
Tax evasion and fake entities were also the central focus of a review meeting chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in North Block.
Sitharaman asked tax officials to strengthen the GST registration process using technology to curb fake entities. Over 11,000 such registrations have been detected and action has been initiated against them in a two-month long drive against evasion which began May 16.
During the review meeting, also attended by Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra and CBIC Chairman Vivek Johri, Sitharaman was told about the methods being adopted by fraudsters including identity theft of people.
India, China bought 80% of Russia’s oil in May (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India and China, the world’s top oil users, continued to lap up heavily discounted Russian crude oil, buying as much as 80 per cent of the oil that Moscow exported in May, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report.
Heavily discounted Russian crude oil has found new buyers primarily in Asia. India has increased purchases from almost nothing to close to 2 million barrels per day, while China has raised liftings by 500,000 barrels per day to 2.2 million barrels per day.
Russia-origin seaborne crude exports averaged 3.87 million barrels per day in May, the highest since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
In May 2023, India and China accounted for almost 80 per cent of Russian crude oil exports,” IEA said. “In turn, Russia made up 45 per cent and 20 per cent of crude imports in India and China, respectively.
With Russia’s formerly main crude export markets in Europe banning import and G7 imposing shipping restrictions, more than 90 per cent of Russian seaborne crude is now headed to Asia, up from pre-war levels of 34 per cent.