Table of Contents
UPSC PERSPECTIVE
CIVIL SERVICES MAINS GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 2 India and its neighbourhood- relations. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
MAINS QUESTIONS 2013
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- What do you understand by ‘The String of Pearls’? How does it impact India? Briefly outline the steps taken by India to counter this. (200 words)
- Discuss the political developments in Maldives in the last two years. Should they be of any concern to India? (200 words)
PRELIMS QUESTION CAN ALSO BE ASKED
BASICS
- PM ModiVisited Mauritius in March 2015
- MoU was signed for the Development of Agalega Island.
- The MoU had provided for “setting up and upgradation of infrastructure for improving sea and air connectivity” and enhancing “capabilities of the Mauritian Defence Forces in safeguarding their interests in the Outer Island.
NOTES
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- However, since then, there have been growing reports over the Indian naval and coastguard’s interests in setting up transponder systems and surveillance infrastructure, which has led to some local protests.
- In March this year, several Islanders, including some from Agalega, which has a tiny population of 300, formed the “Koalision Zilwa Pou Lape” (Islanders Coalition for Peace), to lobby against the Agalega project.
THE PROTESTS
- The protests were fuelled by the fact that Mauritius is in a major international legal battle over the ownership of its Chagos Island at present, which were turned into the U.S.’s “Diego Garcia” naval base in the 1960s.
OPPOSITION DETERMINED
Mauritian opposition members say they will continue to protest the government’s “lack of transparency” over the project, and the fact that the Mauritian government has exempted the project from any Environmental license process (EIA clearances)
WORRY FOR INDIA
- The work on Assumption Island is already stalled in Seychelles
- China’s influence is rising in Mauritius too
- Recently China built a mega dam for Mauritius – The Bagatelle dam
THE BAGATELLE DAM
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