Table of Contents
India’s pivot to Eurasia
G-7 summit ( June 7-8) and
U.S. North Korea summit ( June 12), the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit (Jun 9-10) attracted international attention
It was the first SCO summit attended by India as a full fledged member (It has been
an observer since 2005.)
SCO grew out of the Shanghai 5 grouping — of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and
Kyrgyzstan — which was set up in 1996 to resolve boundary disputes b/w China and each of
four other members.
It admitted Uzbekistan in 2001, re-christened itself the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
and broadened its agenda to include political, economic and security cooperation.
It admitted India and Pakistan as full members in 2017.
Copyright @ Study-IQ education Be Happy, Share & Help Each Other!!!
Continue
The admission of India and Pakistan has expanded the geographical, demographic and econo
mic profile of the SCO, which now has about
Half the world’s population and
A quarter of its GDP.
Its boundary extends southwards to the Indian Ocean
With Pakistan joining the Organisation and Afghanistan and Iran knocking on the doors for
membership, the logic of India’s membership becomes stronger
Since the break-up of Soviet Union, the optimal development of India‟s relations with Central
Asian countries has been constrained by lack of overland access through Pakistan and
Afghanistan/Iran, because of political and/ or security reasons.
With new multi modal transport corridors now envisaged through Iran.
Continue
Formative years of the SCO, Russia pushed strongly for India to join it, to somewhat balance
China‟s economic dominance in Central Asia.
China has since consolidated its energy and economic foothold in the region, where ambitious infrastructure and connectivity projects are envisaged as part of its Belt and Road
Initiative (BRI).
The Central Asian countries would welcome India breaking into this Russia China duopoly.
India Pakistan interaction was closely watched in SCO
Russian President has suggested that harmonious cooperation in the SCO may pave
the way for an India Pakistan rapprochement(मेल-ममलाप)
Chinese officials have also expressed this hope
Continue
China made substantial concessions to settle its boundary disputes with Russia and Central
Asia, in pursuit of larger strategic and economic objectives in the region.
India Pakistan differences extend well beyond a boundary dispute, flow from different
historical circumstances and are located in a different geopolitical environment.
India has agreed to participate in the SCO‟s counterterrorism military exercises in Russia
later this year, when Indian and Pakistani troops will operate together.
It suits India that the SCO is not anti West in its pronouncements(घोषणाओं).
U.S. cultivates relations with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to ensure logistical sup
port for its Afghanistan operations.
Mr. Trump has hinted, peace in the Korean peninsula leads to reduced American military
presence in the region, it would dramatically change the balance of forces in the Asia-Pacific
in favor of China.
Today- Question- 150-250 words
Why India urgently needs a national asylum policy?
Explain
The imperative(अमिवार्य) to offer refuge
This month, it is five years since Nargis first arrived in Delhi.
The Afghan journalist in Herat, Afghanistan had to flee her country after the Taliban
threatened to kill her.
But as a refugee in India, she has had no opportunity to earn a living and has
been unable to rebuild her life.
Today, India is host to over 200,000 refugees like her
On World Refugee Day ( June 20), there is a need to reassess India‟s approach to refugee
protection, particularly in light of the regional refugee crisis after the mass exodus (बडेपैमािे
पर पलार्ि) of the Rohingya from Myanmar.
Continue
While it is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention and has no domestic asylum law,
it has reiterated(दोहरार्ा) its commitment towards the protection of refugees at various
international fora, including the UN General Assembly.
India becoming a signatory to the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants,
which was adopted by 193 countries in September 2016.
In doing so, India has expressed its solidarity with those forced to flee and agreed that
protecting refugees and supporting the countries that shelter them are shared
international responsibilities
Declaration sets the stage for a new framework for refugee protection — the Global Compact
on Refugees (GCR).
Continue
Developing countries, that now host over 80% of the refugee population in the world.
In light of this, it calls for support from the international community in the form of resources.
Although India has hosted refugees of varying nationalities for decades, the country has done
little beyond providing asylum.
There have been some attempts to introduce a refugee law in the country, the latest being the
Asylum Bill 2015, introduced as a private member‟s bill by Shashi Tharoor
Due to their unclear legal status and lack of uniform documentation, refugees have limited
access to essential services and almost no avenues for livelihood.
Many of them, especially vulnerable women.
Continue
Solution to this may lie within the GCR, which calls for States to identify gaps and
opportunities for employment and income generation for refugees in a bid to enhance
their self reliance
Need to include the host community in enabling mapping skills , vocational training and
capacity building among refugee populations, thereby fostering understanding and
cooperation among communities and paving way for a socially cohesive(जोडिेवाला) approach
India‟s commitment to refugee protection under GCR is evident in its active participation in
ongoing GCR consultations, where it has emphasised the need for a clear mechanism
for the refugee response regime.
Therefore this is an opportune time for India to reassess the need for a national asylum policy which is compliant with the principles laid down in the GCR.
Less talk, more action
When it comes to improving learning outcomes in India, we have no time to waste
First, we need clear examples of what good quality education looks like
Second, we need to focus on classroom practice, because that‟s where change needs to happen.
Third, we need to involve parents.
Fourth, we need to scale programmes that demonstrate(मदखािा) impact
Fifth, we need to partner more.
Whether it‟s public-private partnerships or NGO partnerships or State government
knowledge sharing, more needs to happen.
We expect the economy to grow at 7.3% this year‟
The vice-chairman of NITI Aayog on the
NPA problem,
Disinvestment, and
The need to focus on India‟s competitive advantages
Private investment has finally picked up
To tackle the rise in non-performing assets (NPAs), India
needs to take measures to address the root cause of the pro
blem instead of finding short-term solutions, says Rajiv Kumar, the vice-chairman of NITI Aayog.
With “inherited problems somewhat behind us”, the econo
my is set to grow above 8%.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Page-1- Kejriwal ends protest, officers back at work
AAP to now launch campaign for full statehood for Delhi, says Chief Minister
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
„Simplify citizenship process for Hindus‟
A large number of applications of migrants from Pakistan pending: Vasundhara Raje
With 108 Pakistani Hindu migrants having obtained Indian citizenship in Jodhpur
on Sunday, Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has requested the Centre to
simplify and expedite the process for granting citizenship to the members of the
Hindu community displaced from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Keralites face highest risk of cardiovascular disease, finds study
Adults in urban areas and those with a higher household wealth are more at risk
A study based on two recent national surveys of nearly 8,00,000 adults between 34
and 70 years, has found that people of Kerala — across sexes — were most at risk of
cardiovascular diseases while those in Jharkhand were least likely to have the
condition.
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Rajya Sabha fault lines clear for Deputy Chairman poll
Copyright @ Study-IQ education Be Happy, Share & Help Each Other!!!
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
„India stands for a multi-polar order‟ President Kovind echoes PM Modi
President Kovind echoes PM Modi
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday left on a three-nation 8-day visit to Greece,
Suriname and Cuba
Copyright @ Study-IQ education Be Happy, Share & Help Each Other!!!
Prelims Focus Facts-News Analysis
Kim makes third China trip
S. Korea, U.S. suspend joint military drill scheduled for Aug.
Map Practice
Last Day- Q’s- Answers…
High courts – Union territories
Madras High Court- Pondicherry
Kerala High Court – Lakshadweep,
Delhi High Court- Delhi,
Calcutta High Court- Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Bombay High Court- Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu,
Punjab & Haryana High Court- Chandigarh.
Right to Privacy related case recently of SC- KS Puttaswamy case
Nobel Prize for PEACE was International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
(ICAN)in 2017.