2023 06 26

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 2:

India-Egypt Relations

GS Paper 3:

Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules
Role of Punjab and Haryana in de-risking the Indian Economy

Content for Mains Enrichment

Robert Frost
Restoring the Aravalli mountain range

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Prime Minister conferred with the Order of the Nile
Global Liveability Index 2023
India-US Trade Dispute at WTO
Joha rice
Do dead stars crash with the light of 500 million suns?
Importance of plant literacy in understanding climate change

Mapping

Belgium

India-Egypt Relations

GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Bilateral Relations

Source: IE, TH

Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Egypt highlights the growing cooperation between the two countries and their efforts to strengthen their bilateral relationship

Various Aspects of India-Egypt Relations:


Aspect	Status
History	· India and Egypt have a long history of contact dating back to the time of Emperor Ashoka. · They shared relations during the rule of Ptolemy II. · In 2750 BCE, the Pharaoh Sahure sent ships to peninsular India. · Mahatma Gandhi and Egyptian revolutionary Saad Zaghloul had a common goal of independence from British colonial rule. · Diplomatic relations were established in 1947, and a friendship treaty was signed in 1955. · India condemned the attack on Egypt during the 1956 Suez Crisis and tried to mediate · Both countries were founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in 1961.
Economic Relations	· Bilateral trade between the two countries in 2021-22 was over $7 billion, nearly a third of it was petroleum related. · Egypt’s strategic location (12 per cent of global trade passes through the Suez Canal) and role as a major market make it important for India. · Egypt seeks Indian investments in infrastructure projects, and over 50 Indian companies have already invested in Egypt.
Geo-Strategic Concerns	· China’s bilateral trade with Egypt is currently higher than India’s · Both countries face the threat of terrorism and extremism. · India and Egypt are both concerned about regional stability in the Middle East and North Africa.
Bilateral institutional mechanisms	India has a Joint Commission, Foreign Office Consultations and at least nine joint working groups.
Terrorism & Defense	Share a common vision on Terrorism. They have collaborated on fighter aircraft development and training. Both countries operate French Rafale fighter jets. Exercise Cyclone-I – first ever exercise between Indian Army and Egyptian Army was held in Jaisalmer recently
Cultural Relations	The Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture (MACIC) was established in Cairo in 1992 to promote cultural cooperation between India and Egypt. Recently, an MoU was signed to facilitate content exchange and co-productions between Prasar Bharati and the National Media Authority of Egypt.
Egypt’s Difficult Time	· Egypt has faced economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on its food supply and foreign exchange reserves. · India has provided assistance by allowing wheat shipments to Egypt. · Egypt’s foreign debt is over $163 billion (43% of the GDP) and its net foreign assets are minus $24 billion.

India’s Interest in Egypt:

India is looking at increasing investments in the country, especially in major infrastructure projects in and around the Suez Canal, and special economic zones in Alexandria and Cairo. India is planning to supply LCA Tejas, missiles like Akash, DRDO’s Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon and radars.

India’s West Asia Policy:

India’s West Asia Policy refers to the strategic approach adopted by India towards countries in the West Asian region. It aims to strengthen political, economic, and cultural ties with these nations through various initiatives and collaborations.

India’s Interest in West Asia:

India wants to draw huge amounts of capital from Gulf nations
India wants to curtail religious extremism by supporting moderate countries in the region
India supports social reforms and encourages fair, just and rule-based security politics in the area.

Insta Links:

Mains Links:

What were the events that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956? How did it deal a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power? (UPSC 2014)

Prelims Links: (UPSC 2022)

Which one of the lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert?

Lake Victoria
Lake Faguibine
Lake Oguta
Lake Volta

Ans: 2

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, India-Egypt Relations, Today's Article

Role of Punjab and Haryana in de-risking the Indian Economy

GS Paper 3

Syllabus: Agriculture and related issues

Source: IE

Context: Assured irrigation access has made the two states (Punjab and Haryana) the most reliable producers of rice and wheat, which will matter in a bad monsoon year.

Importance of Punjab and Haryana: Both have been India’s breadbasket and lynchpins of its food security, especially post the Green Revolution (the cultivation of high-yielding semi-dwarf varieties).

The declining role of Punjab and Haryana:

Over the last two decades, the two states’ combined share in total wheat procurement for the Central foodgrain pool has fallen from 90% to 70%.
It’s been from 44% to 28% for rice.

Reasons for this decline:

The diversification of procurement.
The state governments are also establishing infrastructure for the purchase of grain at minimum support prices (MSP) from farmers.
For example,
- In wheat, MP overtook Punjab as the top contributor to the Central pool in 2019-20.
- In rice, Telangana has emerged as a clear No. 2 behind Punjab.

Challenges to these scenarios:

Bad/subnormal monsoon: The contribution of most states to wheat procurement has tended to be low in poor monsoon years due to low harvests (kharif crops).
El Niño forecast this year: It has been associated with monsoon failures in India (2014, 2015 and 2018 recorded subnormal rainfall as all three were El Niño years).
Temperature spikes due to global warming.

Impact of these challenges:

Rice production may be worst affected, as it is highly water-intensive and requires at least 25 irrigations in the absence of rain.
Wheat (rabi crop) production may also suffer, due to temperature spikes and because it is grown using groundwater and dam reservoirs that are recharged/refilled during the monsoon.

The saviour states – Punjab and Haryana:

Farmers here have assured access to irrigation.
For example, Punjab has 15 lakh electric tube wells and the state Punjab government is supplying 8 hours of uninterrupted free power daily to run these tube wells during the paddy season.

Conclusion:

Long-standing recommendations from policymakers and economists include weaning Punjab and Haryana farmers off of rice and reducing wheat acreage.
But today, with poor government stocks and soaring rice prices, these very states come to the rescue once again de-risking the Indian economy.

Insta Links:

GREEN REVOLUTION

Mains Links:

Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make their judicious use under the depleting scenario. (UPSC 2020)

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, 26 June CA, El Nino, green revolution, GS 3, monsoon, Role of Punjab and Haryana in de-risking the Indian economy, Today's Article, Today’s article

Robert Frost

Content for Mains Enrichment

Source: IE

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States, one of the gifts he received was an autographed first-edition copy of the Collected Poems of Robert Frost, published in 1930.

Robert Frost, a renowned American poet, was the only writer to be awarded four Pulitzer Prizes and was highly regarded for his representation of quintessential American life. His poetry combined elements of romanticism and modernism, focusing on nature and the human condition.

Frost had a connection with India, as he was admired by India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru particularly appreciated Frost’s poem “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and reportedly kept a copy of Frost’s poems by his bedside, with the last stanza heavily underlined.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, CME, Robert Frost, Today's Article

Restoring the Aravalli mountain range

Source: DTE

Efforts are underway to restore the Aravalli mountain range in India, which has been heavily impacted by illegal stone mining. Through a collaborative approach between the forest department, the local community and the police, steps have been taken to curb the mining activities and initiate rehabilitation. A reforestation project was undertaken, involving the planting of 10,000 native tree species (such as Sheesham, babool) across 75 hectares of land. The restoration has attracted wildlife, including the nilgai antelope, which had been deterred by previous mining activities. Local residents were actively involved in the plantation and the area was also covered with moonj grass, providing livelihood options.

Usage: Example can be quoted in Environment questions

About Aravalli Range:

The Aravalli Range is an Old Fold mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, Aravalli mountain range, Today's Article

Prime Minister conferred with the Order of the Nile

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: MEA

Context: The ‘Order of the Nile’ award is the 13th state honour that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received during his nine-year tenure.

Other such awards conferred on PM Modi:


State Honour	Year	Description
King Abdulaziz Sash	2016	Highest civilian honour of Saudi Arabia, by King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The award recognizes his contributions and efforts in strengthening the bilateral relations between India and Saudi Arabia.
State Order of Ghazi Amir Amanullah Khan	2016	Afghanistan’s highest civilian honour, the Amir Amanullah Khan Award, by President Ashraf Ghani.
Grand Collar of the State of Palestine Award	2018	Grand Collar of the State of Palestine from President Mahmoud Abbas.
Order of Zayed Award	2019	UAE’s highest civilian award, the Order of Zayed, was bestowed upon PM Modi in recognition of his efforts to enhance bilateral ties between India and the UAE.
Order of St. Andrew Award	2019	Russia honoured PM Modi with the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, its highest state decoration, for his exceptional services in promoting the strategic partnership between Russia and India.
Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin	2019	PM Modi received the highest honour awarded to foreign dignitaries in the Maldives, the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddin.
King Hamad’s Order of the Renaissance	2019	PM Modi was honoured with The King Hamad Order of the Renaissance by the King of Bahrain.
Legion of Merit by the US Government	2020	American President Donald Trump conferred the Legion of Merit upon PM Modi, recognizing his leadership and efforts in improving bilateral ties between India and the United States
Order of the Druk Gyalpo	–	On the occasion of Bhutan’s National Day, PM Modi was honoured with the highest civilian award of Bhutan, the Order of the Druk Gyalpo.
Ebakl Award	2023	During his visit to Papua New Guinea, PM Modi was conferred the Ebakl Award by President Surangel S. Whipps Jr. This award recognizes his efforts in championing the cause of unity among Pacific Island countries and promoting the interests of the Global South.
Companion of the Order of Fiji	2023	PM Modi was honoured with the highest honour of Fiji, the Companion of the Order of Fiji, by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu	–	The Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Bob Dadae, bestowed the Grand Companion of the Order of Logoh

The Order of the Nile was established in 1915 and was one of the Kingdom of Egypt’s principal orders until the monarchy was abolished in 1953. It was then reconstituted as the Republic of Egypt’s highest state honour.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, Order of the Nile, Today's Article

Global Liveability Index 2023

Source: IE

Context: The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has released its ranking of the “Most Liveable Cities in the World 2023”

Factors considered are:

Healthcare
Education
Culture
Environment
Stability

The major findings of the report are:

Vienna, Austria, has been named the most livable city for the second consecutive year due to its exceptional quality of life, including stability, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and cultural offerings.
Copenhagen, Denmark, secured the second position, followed by Melbourne and Sydney in Australia.
From India, New Delhi and Mumbai are at 141st position and Chennai at 144th. Ahmedabad and Bengaluru are ranked 147 and 148.
The index score increased from the previous year, reflecting global recovery from the pandemic, although stability experienced a slight decline.
Western European cities slipped in rankings due to strikes
Damascus was ranked the least livable due to civil unrest and conflicts

About EIU:

The Economist Intelligence Unit (founded 1946; HQ: London) is the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, providing forecasting and advisory services through research and analysis, such as monthly country reports, five-year country economic forecasts, country risk service reports, and industry reports.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, Global Liveability Index, Today's Article

India-US Trade Dispute at WTO

Source: TH

Context: India and the United States have resolved to end their six trade disputes at the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The six disputes include:

Those initiated by India
- Countervailing measures on certain hot-rolled carbon steel flat products from India
- Measures relating to the renewable energy sector
- Certain measures on steel and aluminium products
Those initiated by USA:
- Certain measures relating to solar cells and modules
- Export-related measures
- Additional duties on some products from the US

Pending dispute: The one pending case is the poultry case where both India and the US remain involved in discussions to find a solution by the end of this year.

Significance:

The resolution of these disputes is viewed positively and is likely to contribute to the promotion of trade, enhance India’s exports to the US (In 2022-23 U.S. was the largest trading partner of India) and promotion of 2+2 dialogue between the two nations. The disputes cover various areas such as steel, aluminium, solar energy, and export-related measures.

WTO Dispute Resolution Process:

There are two main ways to settle a dispute once a complaint has been filed in WTO:

Bilateral consultations: Parties find a mutually agreed solution, particularly during the phase of bilateral consultations.
Adjudication, including the subsequent implementation of the panel and Appellate Body, reports.

The WTO dispute settlement process involves three stages:

Consultations between the parties
Establishment of a dispute settlement panel if consultations fail
Adjudication by panels.

The rulings or reports of the panels can be challenged by the WTO’s appellate body. However, the functioning of the appellate body is currently affected due to the USA blocking appointments to it. The final stage is the implementation of the ruling. As an alternative to the Appellate body, members have formed Multi-Party Interim Appeal Arbitration Arrangement (MPIA)

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, Dispute resolution at WTO, Today's Article

Joha rice

Source: PIB

Context: Recently, researchers at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Science and Technology explored the nutraceutical properties of Joha rice to investigate its potential benefits.

About Joha Rice:

Joha rice is an aromatic rice variety grown in northeastern India. Traditional claims suggest that Joha rice consumers have a lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Findings:

The researchers discovered two essential fatty acids, linoleic acid (omega-6) and linolenic acid (omega-3), through laboratory analysis. These fatty acids, which the human body cannot produce, play a role in maintaining various physiological conditions.
Omega-3 fatty acid has been found to prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. In diabetic rats, Joha rice was effective in reducing blood glucose levels and preventing the onset of diabetes.
Additionally, the researchers found that scented Joha rice has a more balanced ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids compared to the commonly consumed non-scented variety.

Benefits:

Joha rice contains several antioxidants, flavonoids, and phenolics, which contribute to its beneficial effects. Some of the identified bioactive compounds in Joha rice include oryzanol, ferulic acid, tocotrienol, caffeic acid, catechuic acid, gallic acid, and tricin. These compounds have reported antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, and cardio-protective effects.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, AGRICULTURE, GS3, Joha Rice, SCIENCE, Today's Article

Do dead stars crash with the light of 500 million suns?

Source: TH

Context: Astrophysicists are studying the origins and nature of fast radio bursts (FRBs), powerful radio frequency emissions from distant galaxies, which last only milliseconds.

Recent findings suggest that FRBs may be triggered by the collision of two neutron stars just before they merge. This collision releases gravitational waves and FRBs, which can be detected and studied.

What are Fast radio bursts (FRBs)?

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are brief and intense bursts of radio waves originating from deep space. They are highly energetic and last for only a few milliseconds.

Significance:

The study sheds light on the intense radio light observed in the host galaxies of some FRBs. These findings have implications for gravitational-wave astronomy and suggest that future radio telescopes, in combination with gravitational-wave observatories like the Square Kilometre Array and the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), could provide further insights into these high-energy cosmic events and the structure of the universe.

What are Radio waves and their significance in astronomy?

Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation with long wavelengths and low frequencies. In astronomy, radio waves play a significant role in studying celestial objects and phenomena. They allow astronomers to observe objects that are not visible in other wavelengths of light, such as galaxies, pulsars, quasars, and cosmic microwave background radiation.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, fast radio bursts, GS3, SCIENCE, space, Stars, Today's Article

Importance of plant literacy in understanding climate change

Source: TOI

Context: Craig Brodersen, a professor of plant physiological ecology at Yale University, has highlighted how human-induced conditions like drought impact plant species and emphasizes the need for ‘Plant Literacy’ to understand plants’ physiological responses for resilience in farming.

What is plant literacy?

Plant literacy refers to the understanding and knowledge about plants, including their structure, functions, adaptations, and ecological importance. It involves being aware of the role plants play in various ecosystems, their interactions with the environment, and their significance for human survival.

How Plants Help Humans:


Benefits of Plants	Description
Oxygen Production	Plants are the primary producers of oxygen through photosynthesis, providing the oxygen necessary for humans and other organisms to breathe.
Food Source	Plants serve as a vital source of food, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and herbs, providing essential nutrients and sustenance for human consumption and survival.
Water Management	Plants play a crucial role in managing Earth’s water cycle, controlling 60% of the flow of water between land and the atmosphere. They help regulate precipitation patterns and prevent soil erosion.
Climate Regulation	Through photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen, mitigating the greenhouse effect and stabilizing global climate patterns.
Biodiversity Support	Plants provide habitats and food sources for a diverse range of organisms, supporting biodiversity and contributing to the overall health and balance of ecosystems.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, plant literacy, Today's Article

Belgium

Mapping

Source: HT%20fraud%20mastermind%2C%20Nirav%20Modi.)

India and Belgium have signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty allowing Belgian authorities to execute search warrants issued by Indian courts and summon suspects. The move is expected to aid investigations into fugitives including Neeshal Modi, brother of the Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud mastermind, Nirav Modi.

Belgium is a federal state located in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea. Belgium shares borders with France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Belgium is divided into three regions: Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels.

June 26, 2023 /26 June 2023, Today's Article