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Technology Security Initiative (TSI) launched between UK & India

During the visit of UK's new Foreign Secretary David Lammy, India and the UK launched the UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI) to spearheaded by the National Security Advisors of both countries. The Technology Security Initiative aims to expand collaboration between India and UK on many critical and emerging technologies.

About Technology Security Initiative

Increasing role of technology in national security and economic development.
Reinforces already existing collaborative efforts in various technologies, broaden mandates of existing mechanisms and establishing new mechanisms of cooperation in critical & emerging technologies.
Collaboration Global Tech Governance: As part of Strategic Tech Policy Dialogue, UK and India will hold a dialogue on global tech governance to coordinate positions on digital technical standards and support multi-stakeholder model of internet governance.
Coordination:
- Technology Security Initiative will be coordinated by National Security Advisors (NSAs) of both countries through existing and new dialogues.NSAs will set priority areas and identify interdependencies for cooperation on critical and emerging tech that will lead to building of meaningful technology value chain partnerships between India and UK.Progress under the mission will be reviewed on a half-yearly basis at the Deputy National Security Advisors level.
- A Bilateral mechanism will be established to be led by India's Ministry of External Affairs and UK Government for promotion of trade in critical and emerging technologies, resolution of relevant licensing and regulatory issues.

Technological Domains for cooperation under Technology Security Initiative

Telecom:
- UK and India will build a new and enhanced Future Telecom Partnership.
- Expanding the mandate of Strategic Tech Dialogue between India's Department of Telecommunication and UK's Department of Science, Innovation & Technology, which will take forward this pillar.
- Specific focus areas
  - Collaborate on joint research on future telecoms, focused on Open RAN systems, testbed linkups, telecom security, spectrum innovation, software and systems architecture
  - Partnership between UK's SONIC Labs (a joint program between Digital Catapult and Ofcom), India's C-DOT and Telecom's Startup Mission under Department of Telecommunication of India.
  - Collaboration in global design and development of next generation telecom technologies like 6G technology.
  - Collaboration on telecom diversification, telecom security, telecom standards, telecom equipment and use of spectrum.
  - Collaboration between UK and Indian telecom companies for simulating commercial opportunities in existing networks and integration of advanced technologies and practices in future telecom infrastructure.
  - Collaboration between startup ecosystem of India & UK.
  - Launching a joint UK-India research program on Future Telecom with support from UKRI, International Science Partnership Fund, India’s Department of Telecom and Department of Science & Technology.
Critical Minerals:
- India & UK will expand critical minerals collaboration on critical mineral strategies to improve supply chain resilience, R&D and technological partnerships along the complete critical minerals value chain (including exploration, processing and manufacturing) and sharing best practices on ESG standards.
- To be overseen by India’s Ministry of Mines and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Develop a roadmap for cooperation and establishment of UK-India Critical Minerals community of academics, innovators and industry.
  - An Observatory to be set up led by Cambridge University, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad & IIT Bombay to provide a mechanism for storing data on critical minerals supply chains and flows.
  - Launch of innovation pilots in partnership with UK's Centre for Process Innovation.
  - Develop economically feasible and environmentally sustainable extraction technologies for identified critical minerals.
  - Develop capacity building programs in critical mineral processing, data management and mining finance.
  - Establish collaboration between leading research institutes on extracting critical minerals from end of life waste stream products through recycling.
  - Launching of Critical Mineral Recycling Centre in India which will also focus on advanced military waste recycling.
  - Collaboration with British Geological Survey (BGS), Geological Survey of India (GIS) and IREL (India) Limited on strategies, workflows and expertise for 3D geological modelling, enhance Rare Earth Elements (REE) exploration methods by incorporating geophysical characterization, identification and assessment of potential REE deposits.
Semiconductors:
- UK and India will pursue a broad semiconductor partnership aiming to leverage each other's strengths and incentives, explore mutually beneficial R&D focused on supply chain resilience collaboration, skills exchange and hardware security.
- Expanding the mandate of Strategic Tech Dialogue between India's MEITY and UK's Department of Science, Innovation & Technology, which will take forward this pillar.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Facilitating academic & industrial R&D collaboration in chip design and IP, compound semiconductors, advanced packaging and innovative systems like strategically important applications like powering net zero, advanced telecommunications, closer relationships between semiconductor firms in manufacturing and product development.
  - Sharing best practices and knowledge exchange on workforce development with right technical skills and expertise.
  - Facilitating trade missions between UK and Indian semiconductor companies to boost trade and investment flows.
  - Promoting integration of supply chains for manufacturing and designing semiconductor chips and wafers
  - Strengthening resilience of semiconductor supply chains through expert consultations for addressing challenges of raw materials, components, design and devices.
Artificial Intelligence
- Both countries will towards safe, responsible, human-centric and trust-worthy AI aiming to promote global good and strengthen interoperability between their AI governance frameworks.
- The existing mandate of Strategic Tech Dialogue between India's MEITY and UK's Department of Science, Innovation and Technology will expanded to take this pillar forward.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Work together in forums such as G20, GPAI & UN. UK's committed to ensure that India's 2024 GPAI Chairmanship delivers successful outcomes.
  - Establishing a mechanism for collaboration and policy exchange on applications of AI.
  - Facilitate trade missions between UK and Indian industry on developing critical technologies with enterprise applications.
  - Develop knowledge and skills needed to detect, mitigate and challenge bias in AI algorithms through joint bias detection challenges, platform to co-develop and test innovative solutions for identifying and mitigating bias in AI models and co-hosting a conference on AI bias.
  - Creation of a joint Centre for Responsible AI composed on British and Indian experts based on recommendations of IIT Madras, University of Southampton and University of Oxford.
  - Knowledge sharing in AI including machine learning models, multi-domain applications and data governance principles.
  - Cooperation between AI centres like the Alan Turing Institute and Indian Institutions.
  - Commission of a group of experts to prepare a report on specific areas for targeted collaboration for further development of AI and its applications across sectors.
Quantum:
- High level dialogue between the two countries for understanding each other's national quantum strategies.
- This pillar will be taken up by India's Department of Science & Technology and UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Joint hackathons in quantum algorithms and solutions for automotive, life sciences, chemicals and greenhouse gas domains.
  - Entrepreneurship training for translating quantum capabilities into business applications.
  - Academic/industry exchanges on skill development led by UK's Imperial College London/Orca, India's C-DOT & Telecommunication Engineering Centre (TEC).
Biotechnology & Health Tech:
- Both countries will launch a high level partnership on engineering biology for sharing knowledge to help facilitate research advances.
- This pillar will be taken forward by India's Department of Biotechnology and UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Strengthen biotechnology collaboration in genomics, genomic prediction and precision medicine, cell and gene therapy, biotherapeutics (including bio-manufacturing), smart bio-sensors and bio-electronics, biomaterials and bio-fabrication in line with ethical and legal frameworks and requirements of both countries.
  - Partnerships between research institutions, co-developing and evaluating affordable healthcare like low-cost diagnostics for early detection of important diseases, novel preventive and therapeutic interventions.Share expertise and best practices on responsible innovations and standards in biotechnology and bioinformatics.
  - Collaboration on Femtech between India's Department of Biotechnology and UK's Centre for Process Innovation on Biotechnology and UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research.
Advanced Materials
- Establish a high-level dialogue on advanced materials to identify specific R&D collaboration on materials/composites and collaboration on research, responsible innovation and standards in Advanced Materials.
- This pillar will be taken up by India's Department of Science & Technology and UK's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
- Specific focus areas:
  - Enhance development of technologies for materials/composites focused on bringing up lower TRL (Technology Readiness Level) technologies to higher TRL and CRL (Commercial Readiness Level).
  - Collaboration on specific types of materials such as novel alloys and powders.UK-India Research & Innovation partnership on industrial sustainability, including power electronics, machines and drives; advanced materials for extreme environments; sustainable materials and manufacturing for transforming foundation industries like glass, paper, cement, ceramics, chemicals and metals.
  - Collaboration between Manchester University's National Graphene Institute, Cambridge University's Graphene Centre and IISc Bengaluru's Centre for Nanoscience & Engineering on advanced 2-Dimensional and atomically thin materials and nanotechnology. This will include joint research ventures, facilitating student and start up exchanges, and opening access to respective world leading laboratories and prototyping facilities.
  - Joint steps towards qualification and certification of advanced materials.

Project Cheetah: Expansion to Banni, Gujarat

Context: While the Gandhi Sagar sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh is the preferred location for the next lot of imports, Banni in Gujarat is also getting readied to house some of the big cats to land in India.

Key Facts about reintroduction in Banni grassland

Considered a potential habitat for cheetahs for over a decade.
Basic infrastructure being set up in Banni to accommodate cheetahs.
Gujarat government preparing suitable enclosures for breeding and conservation.
Current prey species include chinkara and blackbuck, insufficient to sustain cheetah population.
Plans to introduce chital to support cheetahs in Banni's ecosystem.

Comparison with Other Locations
- Gandhi Sagar sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh preferred for next cheetah imports.
- Banni offers more space than Kuno and Gandhi Sagar but faces prey availability challenges.
Long-Term Viability
- Absence of leopards in Banni considered advantageous for sustaining cheetah population.
- Long-term plan includes gradual increase in cheetah population with adequate prey availability.
Current Status
- 13 adult cheetahs and 13 cubs currently housed in Kuno reserve.
- All cheetahs expected to be released into the wild by October.
Challenges and Considerations
- Previous challenges include infections and acclimatization issues leading to fatalities.
- Continuous monitoring and management crucial for successful reintroduction and breeding.

Key facts related to Banni grassland reserve:

Location and Area
- Located on the outer southern edge of the Rann of Kutch in Kutch District, Gujarat, India.
- Formed from sediment deposits by the Indus and other rivers over millennia.
Protected Status and Management
- Declared a protected forest in May 1955 under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
- Currently managed by Gujarat State’s Forest department.
- Recent proposals for a special management plan to restore and conserve the ecosystem.
Vegetation
- Sparse vegetation dependent on annual variations in rainfall.
- Dominated by low-growing forbs, graminoids, and halophiles (salt-tolerant plants).
- Tree cover includes Salvadora spp. and invasive Prosopis juliflora.
Wildlife
- Diverse mammalian species such as nilgai, chinkara, blackbuck, wild boar, golden jackal, Indian hare, Indian wolf, caracal, Asiatic wildcat, and desert fox.
- Home to the increasing population of Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur).
- Rich avifauna with over 150 species of migratory and resident birds during good rainfall years.
Human Settlements and Tribes
- Inhabited by Sindhi-speaking Maldhari (cattle breeders) tribes including Halaypotra, Hingora, Hingorja, Jat, and Mutwa.
- Villages within the grasslands contribute to the cultural landscape.

Key facts related to Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary is spread across an area of 368.62 sq km, in the districts of Mandsaur (187.12 sq km) and Neemuch (181.5 sq km) in western MP.
It sits atop a flat rocky plateau, with the Chambal river cutting the sanctuary into two almost equal halves.
It has Savanna ecosystem (comprising open grasslands interspersed with dry deciduous trees and shrubs.) due to shallow top soil.
It has trees like Salai, Kardhai, Dhawda, Tendu, Palash etc.
It is part of World famous Chaturbhuj Nala rock shelters.
It is knowns for some rare wildlife species like Wild Dogs (Dholes), Chinkara, Leopard, Otter, Mugger crocodile.

UN Security Council

Context: Despite consistent efforts by India and other countries, the move for United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform and expansion has made ‘no progress’ so far. This was emphasised by the former Indian Ambassadors to the United Nations.

India continues to push its demand for inclusion in the top global decision-making body. India and its partners in the G-4 (Brazil, Germany and Japan) claim a permanent seat at the UNSC.

About Summit for the Future

The Summit of the Future at the United Nations (September 22-23) is expected to bring together world leaders to discuss plans to ‘reboot’ the UN.
Member States agreed to hold the Summit in September 2024. They also agreed that the Summit would have an outcome, ‘a Pact for the Future’.
The proposal for a Summit of the Future originated in the Our Common Agenda report.
- Our Common Agenda is an agenda of action, designed to strengthen and accelerate multilateral agreements, particularly the 2030 Agenda, and make a tangible difference in people’s lives.
- It contains recommendations across 4 broad areas for: renewed solidarity between peoples and future generations, a new social contract anchored in human rights, better management of critical global commons, and global public goods that deliver equitably and sustainably for all.
- It presents the Secretary-General's vision on the future of global cooperation through an inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism.
They articulated the overarching purpose of the Summit, and the Pact: to reaffirm the UN Charter; to reinvigorate multilateralism; to boost implementation of existing commitments; to agree on solutions to new challenges; and to restore trust.

United Nations Security Council (UNSC):

The UNSC is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN Charter.

Its powers as outlined in the United Nations Charter include:
- establishing peacekeeping operations, enacting international sanctions, and authorizing military action.
The UNSC is the only UN body with authority to issue resolutions that are binding on member states.
Like the UN as a whole, the Security Council was created after World War II to address the failings of the League of Nations in maintaining world peace.
First session: 1946
Resolutions of the Security Council are typically enforced by UN peacekeepers, which consist of military forces voluntarily provided by member states and funded independently of the main UN budget.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court recognizes that the Security Council has authority to refer cases to the Court in which the Court could not otherwise exercise jurisdiction.
- The Council exercised this power for the first time in 2005, when it referred to the Court ‘the situation prevailing in Darfur since 2002’.
Since Sudan is not a party to the Rome Statute, the Court could not otherwise have exercised jurisdiction.
The body's presidency rotates monthly amongst its members.

Members of the UNSC:

The UNSC consists of five permanent members and ten non-permanent members.

Permanent Members:

The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (Permanent Five, Big Five, or P5) are the five sovereign states to whom the UN Charter of 1945 grants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council: China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, and United States.
All have the power of veto which enables any one of them to prevent the adoption of any ‘substantive’ draft Council resolution, regardless of its level of international support.
Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, Security Council decisions on all substantive matters require the affirmative votes of three-fifths (i.e. nine) of the members.
- A negative vote or a ‘veto’ by a permanent member prevents adoption of a proposal, even if it has received the required votes.
- Abstention is not regarded as a veto in most cases, though all five permanent members must vote for adopting any amendment of the UN Charter or any recommendation of the admission of a new UN member state.
This veto right does not carry over into General Assembly matters or votes, which are non-binding.

(India’s 2020 term ended in December 2022)

Non-Permanent Members:

These ten non-permanent members are elected by the United Nations General Assembly for two-year terms starting on 1 January, with five replaced each year.
To be approved, a candidate must receive at least two-thirds of all votes cast for that seat.
A retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.
The temporary members hold seats on a rotating basis by geographic region.

Membership reform:

Their proposal is to create a new category of seats, still non-permanent, but elected for an extended duration (semi-permanent seats).
Proposals to reform the Security Council began with the conference that wrote the UN Charter and have continued to the present day.
There has been discussion of increasing the number of permanent members.
The countries which have made the strongest demands for permanent seats are Brazil, Germany, India and Japan (G4 nations).
Italy leads a movement known as Uniting for Consensus in opposition to the possible expansion of permanent seats. Core members of the group include Canada, South Korea, Spain, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Turkey, Argentina and Colombia.
- Their proposal is to create a new category of seats, still non-permanent, but elected for an extended duration (semi-permanent seats).

Free Trade Agreements

Context: India reiterated its commitment to conclude FTA with UK during meeting the visiting Secretary of State for Foreign, UK.

What is a free trade agreement?

Free trade agreements (FTAs) are arrangements between two or more countries or trading blocs that primarily agree to reduce or eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers on substantial trade between them.
FTAs, normally cover trade in goods (such as agricultural or industrial products) or trade in services (such as banking, construction, trading etc.). FTAs can also cover other areas such as intellectual property rights (IPRs), investment, government procurement and competition policy, etc.

India has signed free trade agreements with many individual countries and trade blocs like India-ASEAN FTA, India-Japan CEPA, SAFTA with SAARC countries etc.

FTA with UK and EU have been languishing over many years as Indian industry resisted competition and sough higher level of protection. This came in the backdrop of poor performance of India’s exports with the countries with which it has signed similar FTA deals before. The Asian Development Bank has estimated India's utilization of its trade agreements to be below 25%, one of the lowest rates in Asia.

Reasons for low utilization of FTAs:

Inverted duty structure:
- When taxes on input items are higher compared to the final product, it affects the competitiveness of exports. This situation is detrimental to industries that heavily rely on imported raw materials or components, such as the engineering sector.
- Free trade agreements signed in the past, especially the trade deals with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, South Korea and Japan led to higher imports and minuscule gains on the export front.
- E.g., GST rates for ferrous and non-ferrous metals is 18 per cent but the products that use these raw materials (agricultural implements/ manually operated hand tools) attract a GST lower than 18 per cent.
Non-tariff barriers:
- Non-tariff barriers could come in the form of regulations, standards, testing, certification or pre-shipment inspection that are aimed to protect human, animal or plant health and environment.
- Indian agri-exports are routinely subjected to high non-tariff barriers in the form of standards. Export growth of chilies, tea, basmati rice, milk, poultry, bovine meat, fish, meat, fish and dairy products also face barriers. These products face Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures.
Rules of origin:
- Rules of origin (ROOs) are used to determine if products are eligible for duty-free or reduced duties under the FTA rules even though they may contain non-originating (non-FTA) components.
- The rules of origin for the India-ASEAN FTA are very strict. This makes it difficult for Indian exporters to export products to ASEAN countries and benefit from the tariff reductions under the FTA. On the other hand there are a number of alleged instances where merchandise is being re-routed from China, via ASEAN countries with minimum value addition, thereby misusing the India-ASEAN FTA.
Low Awareness: Lack of awareness among exporters about the provisions and benefits of FTAs can hinder their ability to take advantage of preferential tariffs and market access opportunities.
Changing export composition: Indian exports have become more income sensitive rather than price sensitive. So reduced tariffs won’t help India much. As per UNCTAD, 1% decline in world GDP growth lead to 1.8% decline of India's exports.

Base Year

Base Year: A base year is a reference year used to measure important economic indicators like GDP, CPI/WPI, IIP etc.

Purpose of Base year

Providing a reference point: The base year serves as a fixed reference point to measure changes in economic variables like GDP, IIP or CPI over time. It allows for meaningful comparisons of these indicators across different time periods.
To differentiate quantity from value: A reference year is necessary to arrive at right measure of production activities in the economy like GDP by removing the impact of inflation.
Composition of indices: Composition of indices like CPI/WPI should be relevant to the contemporary consumption patterns.
Fixing Weightage: The base year is used to fix the relative weights of different goods and services in the calculation of various economic indicators.
Facilitating international comparisons: When countries use a common base year, it enables better comparison of economic indicators like GDP and inflation across different economies.

Revision of Base Year:

The base year is typically updated periodically (e.g., every 5-10 years) to ensure the economic indicators remain representative of the current economic structure and consumption patterns. In India, the practice was to revise the base ever 5 years, so as to coincide with quinquennial rounds of the NSSO. However, since 2004-05, base year revision has been staggered due to several reasons. With the financial crisis of 2009-10, 2011-12 was chosen as the base year instead of 2010-11 and the updated series was released only in 2015.

Need for Revision of base year in India:

Old basket: We continue to monitor a basket of goods that includes torches, radios, tape recorders, CDs, DVDs, audio/video cassettes, and trunks, among some 300 other items which no longer reflect the consumption patterns of the public.
Disproportionate weights:
- The weightage of food in the CPI basket has decreased from 60.9 (in 1960) to 57.0 (in 1982) and to around 45% (present). This gradual decline indicates that as the economy grows, the proportion of income spent on food decreases. (Engel’s Law suggests that as income rises, the proportion of income spent on food falls, even if the absolute expenditure on food rises.).
- Additionally, inflation data under-represents services in the consumption basket. In production, services are about 55% of the GDP but have no representation in WPI and about 24% in CPI.

Challenges:

Finding the right reference year:
- The reference year must be a normal year with no significant volatility in GDP or Inflation and also devoid of any structural reforms made in the economy like GST etc.
- Keeping a year with too high growth or too low growth may as base year will eventually results in “high base effect” in the following years.
Lack of relevant consumer date: A new nationwide consumer expenditure survey is long overdue. The last two such nationwide sample surveys were carried out in 2011-12 and 2017-18. Unfortunately, the results of the 2017-18 survey were not released on grounds of unexplained “data quality issues”.

Importance of both Quad and BRICS

Context: The foreign ministers’ meeting of QUAD nations to be held comes at a time when the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is weakened and its reform nowhere in sight.

Current geostrategic realities and dilemmas

Both the Ukraine war and Israel's actions in Gaza demonstrate blatant disregard for international law.
An axis of Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran is gaining momentum and Chinese influence is growing not just in the Indo-Pacific, but regions like West Asia too.
The U.S. has realised that it needs not just allies, but also credible partners in its security architecture, including in the Indo-Pacific, and reached countries like India to partner with them in smaller pluri-lateral groupings and joint security initiatives.
Further, ASEAN countries are getting increasingly vulnerable, with the South China Sea remaining a conflict point.
While India is a member of many pluri-lateral groups on both sides of the geo-strategic ‘divide’, its engagement in Quad and with BRICS present the country with interesting, and sometimes contrasting, dilemmas.
- India has enthusiastically embraced Quad and its strategic objectives.
- The fact that India, during its presidency of the UNSC in 2021, held a high-level virtual event on ‘Enhancing Maritime Security’, which was attended by the Russian President, among others, indicates the importance India attaches to strengthening maritime security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
- India was an enthusiastic founder of BRICS. In fact, at the 10th annual summit of the BRICS in 2018, India reminded the BRICS members of its ‘reformed multilateralism’ vision.

In the backdrop of this, let us understand the significance of QUAD and BRICS and their importance for India.

What is QUAD?

The occurrence of a Tsunami in the Indian Ocean led to India, Japan, Australia, and the US to build an informal alliance for collaborating on disaster relief efforts.
In 2007, Japan formalised it into the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or the QUAD.
The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD), the Quad is an informal strategic forum comprising, United States of America (USA), India, Australia and Japan.
One of the primary objectives of the Quad is to work for a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
The group met for the first time in 2007 on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Quad regained momentum in 2017, driven by shared concerns regarding the assertiveness of China in the Indo-Pacific region and a desire to uphold peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.
It was in 2017 when the first official talks under the Quad took place in the Philippines.
Quad Summit in 2022 (Tokyo):
- The Quad summit witnessed the launch of a new initiative for continuous collaboration in the maritime domain, space, climate change, health, and cyber security.
- The member countries pledged to meet challenges for ensuring rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas.
- The members strongly opposed any coercive, provocative, or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo.

Significance of Quad:

Delivering outcomes for the Indo-Pacific: In response to the region's priorities and most pressing challenges, including health security, climate change, infrastructure, critical and emerging technology, cyber security, disaster relief, maritime security, countering-terrorism, etc.
- In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Quad gained further relevance as the group shifted its focus to vaccine diplomacy, health security, and economic recovery.
ASEAN centrality: Quad partners work closely to ensure efforts complement wider engagement in the Indo-Pacific, both bilaterally and through regional institutions.
- All Quad partners are long-standing ASEAN Dialogue Partners and steadfast supporters of ASEAN centrality, the ASEAN-led regional architecture and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
Strengthened bilateral relationships among Quad nations:
- India now has ministerial-level ‘2+2’ (defence and foreign minister) meetings with Japan and the United States and Australia.
- India and the United States further signed a communications compatibility and security agreement (COMCASA) in 2015 and a logistics exchange memorandum of agreement (LEMOA) in 2016.
- A major obstacle to closer Japan-India relations was removed with the passage of the landmark Japan-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement in May 2017.
- Japan became a permanent member of the formerly bilateral U.S.-India naval exercise, Malabar, in 2015.
- The AUSINDEX exercise between Australia and India grew in size and scope.
- The function of these bilateral and mini-lateral exercises was to create trust among the militaries of the Quad nations, promote interoperability, and set the foundation for political ties at a deeper level.
Grappling with geopolitics:
- Japan’s foreign policy has become more explicitly anti-Chinese, with emphasis on the physical security of its territorial space and linking defence of Northeast Asia to the rest of the Indo-Pacific.
- Australia views China as a strategic rival and seeks security through partnerships, both formal and informal, with other powers, rather than having to balance relationships with China.
- As for the U.S., it benefits from the Quad principally because, until the emergence of the framework, Washington lacked any overarching instrument to manage its many security relationships in the Indo-Pacific.
  - The U.S. is now party to a structure that oversees all the key lines of communication from Northeast Asia through the Indian Ocean, and stands to gain from intelligence sharing.
Significance for India:
- It is believed that the forum strategically counters China’s economic and military rise. Interestingly, if Chinese hostilities rise on the borders, India can take the support of the other Quad nations to counter the communist nation.
- India can even take the help of its naval front and conduct strategic explorations in the Indo-Pacific region.
- From a security perspective, New Delhi’s relationship with Washington delivers effective balance against China at both the strategic (nuclear deterrence) and conventional levels.
- On the diplomatic field, a U.S. partnership adds weight to India’s geopolitical heft. As India strives to grow its economy, it needs the U.S. military presence to ease its defence spending burden.
- Being a strategic partner of the U.S. helps India attain better access to the lucrative U.S. market and thereby build its citizens’ affluence.
- India’s vision goes beyond viewing Quad as a geopolitical security objective vis-à-vis China.
  - India aims to redraw the security and techno-economic architecture of the Indo-Pacific region.
  - With Quad now working on reorientation of global supply chains of critical technologies and on a range of areas of direct strategic relevance to the region, including digital, telecom, health, power, and semiconductors, it has underlined that development too has a security perspective which cannot be ignored.

What is BRICS?

The BRICS countries are considered the foremost geopolitical rival to the G7 bloc of leading advanced economies, implementing competing initiatives such as the New Development Bank, the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement, the BRICS pay, the BRICS Joint Statistical Publication and the BRICS basket reserve currency.

Initially termed BRIC in 2001, the acronym BRICS was coined by Jim O’Neill, a Goldman Sachs economist, to encompass Brazil, China, India, and Russia.
The BRIC grouping’s first formal summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, commenced in 2009. During this summit, BRIC Leaders issued a Joint Statement elucidating the objectives of the BRIC collaboration.
South Africa officially became a member nation in 2010. The group was renamed BRICS – with the “S” standing for South Africa – to reflect the group’s expanded membership.
In 2023, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE joined BRICS.
These BRICS nations possess a notable competitive advantage owing to their economical labor costs, advantageous demographics, and copious natural resources, particularly during the era of the global commodities upswing.

Significance of BRICS:

BRICS has evolved into a unified and purposive entity, championing the cause of reforms in major multilateral institutions with a clear intention of democratising global governance.

Establishment of the New Development Bank (NDB) in 2013:
- Endowed with an initial capital of US$50 billion, the NDB was conceived as a credible alternative to existing financial institutions (like IMF and World Bank which are dominated by the western powers).
- The equitable distribution of the initial subscribed capital among BRICS members underscores the commitment to collective action.
Trade and investment landscape within BRICS:
- Promising dynamics between India and China within the broader BRICS umbrella.
- The bilateral trade between India and China reached a historic high of US$ 135.98 billion in 2022.
- The contribution of BRICS members to global exports has been on the rise, with the growth rate of exports between BRICS member states surpassing the global average.
- This has yielded concrete advantages and played a pivotal role in fostering increased investment within the bloc.
- The intra-BRICS integration encompasses free trade agreements and export-oriented strategies, including tariff exemptions, tariff reductions, across various goods and service sectors. This proactive approach has led to substantial growth, expanding trade, and a rise in both inward and outward foreign direct investment (FDI).
- According to UNCTAD data, cumulative foreign direct investment (FDI) holdings within the BRICS nations substantially increased from US$ 27 billion in 2010 to US$ 167 billion in 2020.
- This shift collectively represented 1.3 percent to 4.7 percent of their total FDI assets, marking considerable growth.
- Notably, China played a predominant role, being the most significant contributor and recipient of FDI among BRICS nations.
- Moreover, Brazil and India also observed robust investment expansions from fellow BRICS members.
BRICS Contact Group on Economic and Trade Issues (CGETI):
- Acknowledging the significance of enhancing BRICS nations' attractiveness as investment destinations, even amid the challenges posed during the COVID-19 pandemic, CGETI has urged additional measures to create a conducive atmosphere for sustainable development-oriented investments.
- This includes initiatives to improve transparency and simplify national administrative processes and prerequisites.

Significance of the inclusion of new members:

Enhanced inclusivity:
- Including more countries from Africa and Asia will enhance BRICS' representation of developing nations and diversify its geographical reach.
- A more diverse BRICS gains legitimacy advocating for Global South issues like fair-trade, climate justice, and technology access.
- Formerly representing 40% of the world’s population and a quarter of GDP, expanded BRICS now covers nearly half the global population.

Economic strength:
- BRICS, earlier represented 24% of global GDP and now with the inclusion of five new economies, it could increase its influence in IMF and World Bank forums.
- In 2022, intra-BRICS trade reached $500 billion and the expansion could enhance trade and investment, strengthening economic ties and bargaining power.
- Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the UAE, among the world's top-10 oil producing countries, enhance BRICS' global influence in shaping energy policies and market dynamics, strengthening its role as a Global South champion.

Advocacy for reforms:
- BRICS have collectively called for reforms to the UN Security Council to include more representation from the Global South.
- An expanded BRICS can bolster the Global South's political voice in international forums, advocating for reforms aligned with their interests.
- BRICS nations agreed to promote use of local currencies in trade to reduce dependence on major global currencies.
- The expanded BRICS could provide grounds for this practice. The UAE and India have agreed to trade in Rupees and Dirhams instead of the US Dollar.

With India being the only country common to both Quad and BRICS, the country has immense opportunities at its doorsteps which can be explored with the right strategic policies to serve its larger goals.

Experiment NOvA

Context: The study of neutrinos is an area of immense current interest among particle physicists and astrophysicists. NOvA is an experiment designed to determine the role of neutrinos in the evolution of the cosmos.

Neutrinos

Neutrinos belong to a group of fundamental particles called leptons in the Standard Model. They have no electric charge and very little mass (nearly massless).
They are the second-most abundant particles after photons (particles of light) and the most abundant among particles that make up matter.
They very rarely interact with matter and that is why they are called “ghost particles”. This means they can travel through vast distances, including entire planets, almost undetected.
There are three main types of neutrinos: Electron neutrino, Muon neutrino and Tau neutrino. These particles are produced when particles called leptons interact with matter.
- For example, when a type of lepton called a muon interacts with matter, the interaction produces a muon-neutrino.
- The same goes for electrons (electron-neutrino) and tauons (tau-neutrino).
Source of Neutrinos: Stars, Supernovae, Galaxies, Nuclear reactions.

NOvA experiment:

The NOvA (NuMI Off-axis νe Appearance) experiment is a prominent neutrino experiment designed to study neutrino oscillations and properties.
NOvA is specifically designed to observe the transformation of muon neutrinos into electron neutrinos as they travel over a long distance. To achieve this, the experiment utilises two detectors located in the US:
- Near Detector: Located at Fermilab, Illinois, this detector studies the neutrino beam before it undergoes significant oscillation.
- Far Detector: Situated in northern Minnesota, approximately 810 kilometres from the near detector, this detector observes the neutrino beam after it has travelled a long distance and potentially oscillated.

By comparing the neutrino composition at both detectors, scientists can measure the oscillation rate and gather valuable information about neutrino properties.

Timeline: The NOvA experiment began data collection in 2014 and is currently ongoing.

Quest for three important questions:

The NOvA experiment is designed to answer three fundamental questions in neutrino physics:

Can we observe the oscillation of muon neutrinos to electron neutrinos?

Neutrinos come in three varieties: muon neutrinos, electron neutrinos and tau neutrinos. Neutrinos can oscillate or change from one type to another, for example, oscillations of muon neutrinos to tau neutrinos. But scientists have not seen muon neutrinos oscillating into electron neutrinos.
So, the aim is to understand the unknown factors that govern neutrino oscillations that would significantly improve our understanding of how the universe is constituted.

What is the ordering of the neutrino masses?

Masses of neutrinos are about a million times lighter than the masses of other particles in the Standard Model of physics.
However, the masses of the different neutrino types and their mass hierarchy (which kind of neutrino is the lightest and which is the heaviest) is not yet known, as of now. Presently, it is believed that neutrinos get their masses through a different process than the other particles.
Knowledge of the mass hierarchy also will help answer the question of whether neutrinos are their own antiparticles. Particles and antiparticles have opposite charges. Because neutrinos have no electric charge, it is possible that neutrinos and antineutrinos are fundamentally the same.

What is the symmetry between matter and antimatter?

Physicists theorise that the big bang created equal amounts of matter and antimatter. When corresponding particles of matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate one another. But presently we observe a matter-dominated universe (this is called Charge-Parity violation). So, it appears that at some point, matter and antimatter behaved differently from one another.
In order to advance the theory that neutrinos tipped the balance between matter and antimatter, neutrino physicists need to observe Charge-Parity violation in action.
- If the NOvA collaboration discovers that muon antineutrinos oscillate at a different rate than muon neutrinos, they will know the symmetry between the neutrinos and antineutrinos is broken. This could be a clue to why the universe has more matter than antimatter – the reason we exist.

Project PARI

Context: The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, on the occasion of 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee Meeting, hosted by India for the first time, has initiated Project PARI (Public Art of India). The session of the World Heritage Committee is being held at the Bharat Mandapam International Exhibition and Convention Centre (IECC), New Delhi.

About World Heritage Committee

The logo of the 46th World Heritage Committee meeting is inspired by World Heritage Site of Hampi (Karnataka).
The stone chariot from the Vijaya Vittala Temple is a testament to India’s architectural grandeur and sculptural prowess.
The tagline of the logo is “सह नौ यशः which means in English as May our Glory Grow”.
The tagline has been derived from the ancient Sanskrit scripture ‘Taittiriya Upanishad’ which is the testament to our ancestor’s wish of growth to one and all.

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It is a committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization that selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties.
It comprises representatives from 21 state parties, that are elected by the General Assembly of States Parties for a four-year term.
These parties vote on decisions and proposals related to the World Heritage Convention and World Heritage List.
The World Heritage Committee meets once a year for an ordinary session to discuss the management of existing World Heritage Sites, and accept nominations by countries.

About Project Public Art of India (PARI):

Introduction:

Public art spaces of India are a reflection of our Lok Kala and Lok Sanskriti. Public Art is very dynamic and is an intersection of past, present, and future.
The art form which is freely accessible to the public, attracts not only attention but even thoughts begin to gather as to why this work of art is here, what is its uniqueness, what material it is made up of, and what is the thought of the artist behind this artwork.
Thus, making it open to various interesting interpretations.

Project PARI:

Lalit Kala Akademi, an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture, has invited more than 150 visual artists from all over the country.
The aim is to provide a platform to uplift the aesthetic and cultural outlook of Delhi while adding grandeur to the rich historical legacy of our national capital.
Lalit Kala Akademi and National Gallery of Modern Art seek to bring forth public art that draws inspiration from millennia of artistic heritage (lok kala/lok sanskriti) while incorporating modern themes and techniques.
These expressions underscore the intrinsic value that art holds in Indian society, serving as a testament to creativity and artistic expression.
The proposed sculptures being created for Project PARI include wide-ranging ideas such as paying tributes to nature, ideas inspired by the Natyashastra, Gandhi ji, toys of India, hospitality, ancient knowledge, Kalpataru-the divine tree, etc.
Furthermore, in sync with the proposed 46th World Heritage Committee Meeting, some of the artworks and sculptures draw inspiration from World Heritage Sites such as Bhimbetka and the 7 natural World Heritage Sites in India find a special place in the proposed artworks.

The Art forms showcased:

Traditional art forms as well as sculptures, murals, and installations have been created under this beautification project.
The creative canvas includes but is not limited to artwork inspired by and /or drawn in styles of:
Phad paintings (Rajasthan); Thangka painting (Sikkim/Ladakh); Miniature painting (Himachal Pradesh); Gond art (Madhya Pradesh); Tanjore paintings (Tamil Nadu); Kalamkari (Andhra Pradesh); Alpona art (West Bengal); Cheriyal painting (Telangana); Pichhwai Painting (Rajasthan); Lanjia Saura (Odisha); Pattachitra (West Bengal); Bani Thani Painting (Rajasthan); Warli (Maharashtra); Pithora Art (Gujarat); Aipan (Uttarakhand); Kerala Murals (Kerala); Alpana art (Tripura) and more.

About Lalit Kala Akademi (Academy)/National Academy of Art:

It was inaugurated in New Delhi in 1954 by the then Minister for Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
The objective was to promote fine arts/visual arts in India. The Akademi also deals with the international arts.
It was registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860, in 1957.
It is an autonomous body and is funded by the Union Ministry of Culture.
Functions through General Council, Executive Board, and other Committees, as given in the Akademi’s Constitution.
The Chairman of the Akademi is appointed by the President of India. The term of office for the Chairman is three years, which can be extended.
Main Centre: New Delhi
Regional Centres: Chennai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Shimla, Shillong and Bhubaneswar.
The National Art Award: One of the awards and honours in India and Asia, awarded by Lalit Kala Akademi.

Indus Valley Civilization (IVC)

Context: From referring to the Harappan civilisation as the ‘Sindhu-Sarasvati’ and ‘Indus-Sarasvati’ civilisation, to multiple mentions of the ‘Sarasvati’ river, including noting its desiccation as one of the reasons for the decline of the Harappan society, to a mention of India having had a “prime meridian of its own” called the ‘Ujjayini meridian’ — the new NCERT Class 6 Social Science textbook released on Friday incorporates many new elements

The Indus Valley Civilization (IVC), also known as the Harappan Civilization, is one of the world's oldest urban cultures, dating back to around 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE. It was a Bronze Age civilization that flourished in the northwestern regions of South Asia, primarily in present-day Pakistan and northwest India. Here, we explore key aspects of the IVC that are often the focus of UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Preliminary questions.

Geographic Spread and Major Sites

The IVC extended over a vast area, encompassing parts of modern-day Pakistan and India. Key archaeological sites include:

Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan): One of the first sites to be excavated, giving its name to the civilization.
Mohenjo-daro (Sindh, Pakistan): Known for its advanced urban planning and the Great Bath.
Dholavira (Gujarat, India): Notable for its unique water conservation system.
Lothal (Gujarat, India): An important port city with a dockyard.
Rakhigarhi (Haryana, India): One of the largest Harappan sites.

Urban Planning and Architecture:

The urban planning of IVC cities is a testament to their advanced engineering skills. Key features include:

Grid Layout: Cities were laid out in a grid pattern with streets intersecting at right angles.
Drainage System: An elaborate drainage system with covered drains and soak pits.
Granaries: Large storage structures for surplus grain.
Houses: Built with standardized burnt bricks, featuring multiple rooms and wells.

Economy and Trade:

The Harappan economy was primarily agrarian, supplemented by trade and commerce. Key aspects include:

Agriculture: Wheat, barley, peas, and cotton were the main crops.
Trade: Extensive trade networks with Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), Afghanistan, and other regions. Evidence of trade includes seals, beads, and pottery.
Craftsmanship: Skilled in metallurgy, bead-making, and pottery. The famous "Dancing Girl" bronze statue from Mohenjo-daro exemplifies their metallurgical prowess.

Script and Seals:

The Harappan script remains undeciphered, but numerous seals and inscriptions have been found:

Seals: Made of steatite, featuring animal motifs and inscriptions. The "Pashupati Seal" depicting a seated figure surrounded by animals is notable.
Script: Consists of pictographic signs, yet to be fully understood.

Social and Political Organization:

The social and political structure of the IVC is inferred from archaeological evidence:

Society: Likely egalitarian with no clear evidence of a ruling class or centralized monarchy.
Religion: Evidence of worship of mother goddess figures, animal worship, and possible proto-Shiva worship.

Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization:

The decline of the IVC around 1900 BCE is attributed to several factors:

Climate Change: Shifts in the monsoon pattern leading to reduced rainfall and droughts.
River Changes: Changes in the course of the Indus and Ghaggar-Hakra rivers affecting agriculture and settlement patterns.
Invasion Theory: Earlier theories of Aryan invasions have been largely debunked in favor of environmental causes.

‘Moidams’ to be considered for World Heritage List

Context: The 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty, the Moidams from Assam, will be considered for nomination on the World Heritage List during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) in New Delhi. If it gets nominated, it will become the first cultural site on the prestigious list from the northeastern region.

More about the news:

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the 46th session of WHC, which is being held in India for the first time.
The event brings together culture ministers, representatives and stakeholders from around the world to discuss the preservation of shared cultural, natural and mixed heritage.

About Moidams:

Introduction:

The nomination dossier for the Moidams was sent more than a decade ago and is presently on the tentative list of UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the first step towards the monument becoming a part of the final list.
The Tai-Ahom clan upon their migration from China established their capital in different parts of the Brahmaputra River Valley between 12th to 18th CE.
- The Ahom or Tai-Ahom is an ethnic group, presently in Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
Siukapha/Sukaphaa, established the first capital of the Ahoms at the foothill of Patkai hills and named it Cheraidoi or Charaideo.
While the clan moved from city to city, the landscape of Cheraideo continued to retain its position as the most sacred, where the Royals used to be buried after death.
Their unique system of vaulted mounds continued for 700 years, till many Tai-Ahoms converted to Buddhism while others adopted the Hindu system of cremation.
The property and Buffer zones around Cheraideo are jointly protected and managed jointly by the Archaeological Survey of India and the State Department of Archaeology under the Ancient Monuments and Sites Remains Act 1958 (Amended in 2010) and by the Assam Ancient Monuments and Records Act 1959 respectively.

Significant features of Moidams:

The Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty is a sacred landscape in eastern Assam, with more than ninety burial mounds established by the Tai-Ahom over 700 years ago.
The moidams of Charaideo contain the remains of the Tai-Ahom kings. They are set within a sculpted landscape that reflects Tai cosmologies.
Moidams are vaulted chambers (chow-chali), often double stories entered through an arched passage.
On the top of the hemispherical mud-mound, layers of bricks and earth are laid, where the base of the mound is reinforced.
Excavation shows that each vaulted chamber has a centrally raised platform where the body was laid.
Several objects used by the deceased during his life, like royal insignia, objects made in wood or ivory or iron, gold pendants, ceramic ware, weapons were also buried.
The crematory rituals of the Royal Ahoms were conducted with grandeur, reflecting their hierarchy.
The Changrung Phukan (canonical text developed by the Ahoms) records the materials used to construct a Moidam.
- There is a great variety in materials and systems of construction used in building a moidam.
- From the period between 13th CE to 17th CE, wood was used as the primary material for construction whereas in the 18th CE onwards stone and burnt bricks of various sizes were used for the inner chambers.
- Boulders of different sizes, broken stones, bricks, and broken brick were used to construct the superstructure, whereas large stone slabs were used for the sub-substructure.

The Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty is an outstanding example of a Tai-Ahom necropolis (an extensive and elaborate burial place) that represents tangibly the Tai-Ahom funerary traditions and associated cosmologies.

About Tai-Ahom Kingdom:

The Ahom kingdom (1228–1826) was a late medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra Valley (present-day Assam).
Established by Sukaphaa, a Tai prince from present-day Yunnan Province, China.
The Ahom dynasty created a new state by overpowering the older political system of the bhuiyans (landlords).
By the 16th century, the Ahom empire expanded their influence and built a large state.
The Ahom empire followed a monarchical system of governance.
The kingdom became weaker with the rise of the Moamoria rebellion, and subsequently fell to repeated Burmese invasions of Assam.
With the defeat of the Burmese after the First Anglo-Burmese War and the Treaty of Yandabo in 1826, control of the kingdom passed into East India Company hands.

Mashco Piro Tribe

Context: Indigenous rights NGO Survival International has released rare pictures of the Mashco Piro tribespeople, one of the world’s 100-odd uncontacted tribes.

Mashco Piro

The Mashco Piro tribe are indigenous people living in the Amazon rainforest in Peru (precisely in the Madre de Dios Region, close to Peru’s border with Brazil and Bolivia), South America.

Uncontacted tribe:
- They are one of the last remaining uncontacted tribes in the world, choosing to live in voluntary isolation from mainstream society.
- The tribe, possibly numbering more than 750, is believed to be the largest of uncontacted tribes.

Nomadic Lifestyle: The Mashco Piro are traditionally nomadic, moving through the rainforest based on seasonal availability of resources.
Hunter-Gatherers: They rely on hunting, fishing, and gathering for sustenance, utilising traditional tools and knowledge passed down through generations.
Use of Natural Resources: The tribe makes use of various plants and animals in the forest for food, shelter, and medicine.
Challenges:
- Disease transmission: Peru’s government has forbidden all contact with the Mashco Piro, fearing that the contact with outsiders can pose significant health risks to the Mashco Piro, as they lack immunity to common diseases.
- Deforestation: The expansion of logging, agriculture, and infrastructure projects in the Amazon threatens Mashco Piro's territory and way of life.
Legal Protection: While the Peruvian government has established protected areas & reserves to protect the territory of these tribes, enforcement of these protections is often weak, and illegal activities continue to encroach on their land and resources.