The Ad-hoc Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed the application filed by India's wrestler Vinesh Phogat which challenged the decision of United World Wrestling (UWW) to replace her, because of her failed second weigh-in, before the gold medal match of the Women's Freestyle 50 kg competition at the Paris Olympic Games 2024. Vinesh sought a ruling from the CAS awarding her a (shared) silver medal for the Women's Freestyle 50 kg competition.
About Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS)
Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is an institution independent of any sports organisation which provides for services in order to facilitate the settlement of sports-related disputes through arbitration or mediation by means of procedural rules adapted to the specific needs of the sports world.
Location: Head office of CAS is located in Lausanne, Switzerland and two decentralised offices are located in Sydney, Australia and New York, USA.
Created in 1984 and is placed under the administrative and financial authority of International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS).
Paris Agreement: There was a major reform of CAS took place through the Paris Agreement signed in 1994 which led to the creation of International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) to oversee the functioning of CAS. The Paris Agreement led to the enactment of Code of Sports related Arbitration which currently governs the organisation.
Functions of CAS:
Arbitration: Resolving legal disputes in the field of sport through arbitration by pronouncing arbitral awards that have same enforceability as judgement of ordinary courts.
Mediation:Help parties solve their disputes on an amicable basis through mediation, when this procedure is allowed.
Ad-hoc divisions: CAS sets up non-permanent tribunals known as ad-hoc divisions, for major events like Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games etc. These ad-hoc divisions aim to settle disputes with 24 hour time-limit any disputes arising at the Games.
Through the World Anti-Doping Code, all signatories including Olympic international federations and National Olympic Committees has recognised the jurisdiction of CAS for anti-doping violations.
Jurisdictions of CAS:
For a dispute to be submitted to arbitration by CAS, the parties must agree to this in writing. Such agreement may be on a one-off basis or appear in a contract or the statutes or regulations of a sports organization.
Parties may agree in advance to submit any future dispute to arbitration by the CAS, or they can agree to have recourse to the CAS after a dispute has arisen.
Any disputes directly or indirectly related linked to sport may be submitted to CAS. These may be disputes of a commercial nature (e.g. a sponsorship contract) or of a disciplinary nature following a decision by a sports organisation (e.g. a doping case).
Any individual or legal entity with capacity to act may have recourse of the CAS. These include athletes, clubs, sports federations, organisers of sports events, sponsors or television companies.
International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS):
ICAS is the 20-member supreme organ of CAS with the main task of safeguarding the independence of CAS and the rights of parties.
The 20 members are all high level jurists well-acquainted with the issues of arbitration and sports law.
The ICAS President is also the president of CAS.
Functions of ICAS include:
Approves the changes in the Code of Sports related Arbitration.
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 Councildecisions 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).
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 QuadrilateralSecurity 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.
Context: NATO appointed Mark Rutte as its next secretary-general putting in charge of the world’s biggest security organisation at a critical time for European security as war rages in Ukraine.
About NATO:
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance of European and North American nations.
Established in the aftermath of World War II, the organization implements the North Atlantic Treaty, signed in Washington, D.C., in 1949.
NATO is a collective security system: its independent member states agree to defend each other against attacks by third parties.
During the Cold War, NATO operated as a check on the threat posed by the Soviet Union.
The alliance remained in place after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact, and has been involved in military operations in the Balkans, the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.
NATO's main headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium, while NATO's military headquarters are near Mons, Belgium.
Founding Members: These joined together on April 4, 1949, to form NATO. NATO initially included 12 North American and Western European nations.
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
France
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Portugal
United Kingdom
United States
Most recently, Sweden joined the alliance in 2024.
The secretary general of NATO:
The Secretary General is the chief civil servant of the NATO.
The officeholder is an international diplomat responsible for coordinating the workings of the alliance, leading NATO's international staff, chairing the meetings of the North Atlantic Council and most major committees of the alliance.
The secretary general however, does not have a military command role; political, military and strategic decisions ultimately rest with the member states.
Term: Four years which can be extended repeatedly.
Context: World Health Assembly has agreed to a historic decision of introducing critical amendments to International Health Regulations, 2005 (IHR) aiming to strengthen international community's ability to detect and respond to pandemic threats. Alongside, members of World Health Assembly fixed timelines on the global pandemic agreement and agreed to bring the Global Pandemic Agreement in to effect within a year.
Following the COVID-19 Pandemic, WHO started a twin-track process to. The first track saw the formation of Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for the development of Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Accord (Popularly known as the Pandemic Treaty) and the second track focused on constitution of a working group for amending the International Health Regulations, 2005 based on the lessons learnt for COVID-19 pandemic aiming to strengthen global preparedness, surveillance and response to public health emergencies, including pandemics.
International Health Regulations 2005
The IHR Regulations aim to prevent, prepare for, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risk and avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade.
IHR 2005 provides for an overarching legal framework that defines rights and obligations of countries in handling public health events and emergencies that have the potential to cross borders.
IHR 2005 is a successor of International Sanitary Regulations 1951.
IHR 2005 were conceived to maximize to collective efforts to manage public health events while at the same time minimising their disruption to travel and trade.
IHR regulations are an instrument of international law. Currently, there are 196 State Parties to IHR which comprises 194 WHO Member States plus Liechtenstein and Holy See.
IHR Regulations also outline the criteria to determine whether a particular event constitutes a “public health emergency of international concern”.
However, to make the IHR 2005 relevant for pandemics, further strengthening of these regulations was required.
The amendments to International Health Regulations will bolster countries' ability to detect and respond to future outbreaks and pandemics by strengthening their own national capacities, and coordination between fellow States, on disease surveillance, information sharing and response. This is built on commitment to equity, an understanding that health threats do not recognize national borders, and that preparedness is a collective endeavour.
Salient features of Amendments to International Health Regulations 2005
Determination of a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency: The Director General of WHO will determine if an event constitutes a public health emergency of international concern or pandemic emergency based on:
Information provided by State Party/Parties
Decision Instrument contained in Annex 2
Advise of the Emergency Committee
Scientific principles and available scientific evidence and other relevant information.
An assessment to risk to human health, risk of international spread of disease and risk of interference with international traffic.
Emergency Committee: Director General of WHO shall establish an Emergency Committee that will provide the Director General with views on:
Whether an event constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency.
Termination of a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency.
Definition of Pandemic Emergency:
The clear definition of Pandemic will trigger more effective international collaboration in response to events that are at the risk of becoming a pandemic. The Pandemic emergency definition represents a higher level of alarm that builds on existing mechanisms of IHR such as Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
A Pandemic Emergency has been defined as a public health emergency of international concern that is caused by communicable disease, and
Has, or is at high risk of having, wide geographical spread to and within multiple States.
In exceeding, or is at high risk of exceeding, the capacity of health systems to respond in those States.
In causing, or is at high risk of causing, substantial social and/or economic disruption, including disruption to international traffic and trade.
Requires rapid, equitable and enhanced coordinated international action, with whole of government and whole of society approaches.
Constitutes National IHR Authority in all state parties to International Health Regulations:
National IHR Authority is an entity designated or established by State Party at national level to coordinate the implementation of IHR regulations within the jurisdiction of the State Party.
The Committee will promote and support cooperation among State Parties for effective implementation of IHR.
Equitable access to relevant health products:
WHO shall support State Parties and coordinate international response activities during public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies.
WHO shall facilitate and remove barriers to timely and equitable access to State Parties to relevant health products during a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency based on public health risks and needs.
Relevant health products are those health products needed to respond to public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies such as medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, medical devices, vector control products, personal protective equipment, decontamination products, assistive products, anti-dotes, cell and gene-based therapies and other health technologies.
Towards the Director General shall:
Conduct, review and update, assessments of public health needs, availability and accessibility including relevant health products for public health response, publish such assessments
Make use of WHO coordinated mechanisms, or facilitate their establishment as needed
Coordinating Financial Mechanism for financial collaboration
State Parties shall maintain or increase domestic funding and collaborate through international cooperation and assistance to strengthen financing to support the implementations of these regulations.
State Parties shall undertake to collaborate, to the extent possible:
Encourage governance and operating models of existing financial entities and funding mechanisms to be regionally representative and responsive to the needs and national priorities of developing countries.
Identify and enable access to financial resources, including through Coordinating Financial Mechanism, necessary to equitably address the needs and priorities of developing countries, including for developing, strengthening and maintaining core capacities.
Amendments establish Coordinating Financial Mechanism establish to:
Promote provision of timely, predictable and sustainable financing for implementation of these regulations to develop, strengthen and maintain core capacities, including those relevant for pandemic emergencies.
Seek to maximize the availability of financing for implementation needs and priorities of State Parties, of developing countries.
Work to mobilise new and additional financial resources and increase the efficient utilisation of existing financial instruments.
For these the Coordinating Financial Mechanism will:
Use or conduct relevant needs and funding gap analyses.
Promote harmonisation, coherence and coordination of existing financial instruments.
Identify all sources of financing that are available for implementation support and make the information available to State Parties.
Provide advice and support to State Parties in identifying and applying for financial resources for strengthening core capacities, including those relevant for pandemic emergencies.
Leverage voluntary monetary contributions for organisations and other entities supporting State Parties to develop, strengthen and maintain their core capacities, including those relevant for pandemic emergencies.
Context:BIMSTEC gets the ‘legal personality’ status with its Charter coming into force on 20th May 2024. It enables the admission of new members and observers and enables the conclusion of agreements with countries or sub-regional, regional and international organizations and institutions.
About BIMSTEC:
It is a regional organization comprising seven Member States around the Bay of Bengal region.
BIMSTEC constitutes a unique link between South and South-East Asia with five Members from South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka) and two from South-East Asia (Myanmar and Thailand).
The organization came into being in 1997 through the 'Bangkok Declaration'.
Permanent Secretariat of BIMSTEC has been operational since September 2014 in Dhaka.
Initially, the economic bloc was formed with four Member States with the acronym 'BIST-EC' (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation). Following inclusion of Myanmar on 22 December 1997 during a special Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok, the Group was renamed 'BIMST-EC' (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation).
With the admission of Nepal and Bhutan at the 6th Ministerial Meeting (February 2004, Thailand), the name of the grouping was changed to 'Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation' (BIMSTEC).
BIMSTEC Summit Meetings shall be held once every two years, preceded by the Ministerial Meeting, and be hosted by the Member State holding the BIMSTEC Chairmanship.
All decisions of the Summit Meetings shall be made on the basis of consensus.
Salient Features of BIMSTEC Charter
5th BIMSTEC Summit 2022:
It was hosted in virtual mode by Sri Lanka.
The Summit’s theme “Towards a Resilient Region, Prosperous Economies, Healthy People” captures the main current priorities of member states, and the efforts by BIMSTEC to develop cooperation activities that support member state’s programmes to deal with the economic and development consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The main outcome of the Summit was the adoption and signing of the BIMSTEC Charter, which formalizes the grouping into an organization made up of members states that are littoral to, and dependent upon, the Bay of Bengal.
Context: Recently, India has applied to the International Seabed Authority for license to explore two regions in the Indian Ocean. These regions are (i) Afanasy Nikitin Seamount and (ii) Carlsberg Ridge.
Afanasy-Nikitin Seamount
It is a 400 km long and 150 km wide region located southeast of Sri Lanka in the Central Indian basin.
This region is located around 3,000 km away from the Indian coast.
The region is rich in cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel.
There are volcanic seamounts here at depths of 500-2000 m that formed around 80 million years ago when dinosaurs lived.
Named after a 15th century Russian merchant, who documented his travels to India.
Cobalt rich crusts form when metal ions in the water react with oxygen to form oxides and get deposited on the slopy top portion of the seamount over millions of years.
There is significantly high concentration of cobalt in 800-2000 m depth where oxygen levels are significantly low.
ANS has been also been claimed by Sri Lanka as its territory under different rules.
Carlsberg Ridge
Northwestern limb of Indian Ocean Ridge system.
Carlsberg ridge defines tectonic plate boundary where Indian and Somalian plates are moving away from each other.
Depth of 1800-3600 m.
Seismically active and has recorded major earthquakes.
Region has magma flowing out of earth's interior or ocean crust.
Seawater falling through cracks of ocean rocks interacts with magma and is spewed out through hydrothermal vents.
Plumes have sulphides rich in minerals such as zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, gold, silver and rare-earth and platinum group elements when then get deposited on the seafloor.
Indian researchers have recorded chemical and temperature signatures in this region which could help identify the probable location of vents.
Current marine mining rights with India
India is the only country which has two exploration licenses from the International Seabed Authority for exploration in the Indian Ocean Region. Currently, India is licensed to explore two regions in the Indian Ocean.
Central Indian Ocean Basin: India has 75,000 sq. km. exploration license in the Central Indian Ocean Basin Region
Rodriguez Triple Junction: Located in southern Indian Ocean where three tectonic plates namely, African Plate, Indo-Australian Plate and Antarctic Plate meet near Mauritius. Also known as Central Indian (Ocean) Triple Junction (CITJ). This triple junction is named after the island of Rodrigues which lies 1,000 km from this.
Need for Deep Sea Mining
Import dependence of India on imports for minerals such as cobalt from UK, China and Norway.
Plateau of land-based mining: Mining on land has reached a breaking point and is hit by environmental conflicts leading to low-quality production.
Importance for energy-transition: Minerals such as cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese can be used to produce renewable energy such as solar and wind power, electric vehicles and EV battery technology. Thus, help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation of climate change.
Strategic importance: Other countries such as China and our neighbouring countries have been showing increasing interest to explore mineral resources in the Indian Ocean Region. This makes India's keen interest in getting marine licenses as strategically important.
Context: The International Energy Agency (IEA) trimmed its forecast for 2024 oil demand growth. Global oil demand in 2024 will grow by 1.1 million barrels per day (bpd), the Paris based IEA said in a monthly report. The lower forecast was linked to poor industrial activity and weakening gasoil consumption, particularly in Europe, where a declining share of diesel cars was undercutting consumption.
About International Energy Agency (IEA):
A Paris-based autonomous intergovernmental organisation.
Established: 1974
Provides policy recommendations, analysis and data on the global energy sector.
Since its founding, the IEA has also coordinated use of the oil reserves that its members are required to hold.
Membership:
Founding members: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway (under a special Agreement), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.
Lithuania is the latest member joining the IEA in 2022.
Full members of the IEA must also be members of the OECD and are required to maintain total oil stock levels equivalent to at least 90 days of the previous year's net imports.
These emergency stocks can be released to stabilize oil markets worldwide and have been activated five times: January 1991 due to the Gulf War.
31 member countries and 13 association countries of the IEA represent 75% of global energy demand.
India, which joined the IEA Family as an Association country in 2017, sent a formal request for full membership to IEA in 2023. India becoming an IEA member would mark a huge, consequential change in international energy governance.
History:
It was set up under the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis.
To respond to physical disruptions in global oil supplies, provide data and statistics about the global oil market and energy sector, promote energy savings and conservation, and establish international technical collaboration.
The Agreement on an International Energy Program (IEP Agreement) established the mandates and structure of the IEA.
In subsequent decades, the IEA's role expanded to cover the entire global energy system, encompassing traditional fuels such as gas, and coal as well as cleaner and fast-growing energy sources and technologies including renewable energy sources.
Recently, it has focused in particular on supporting global efforts to accelerate clean energy transition, mitigate climate change, reach net zero emissions, and prevent global temperatures from rising above 1.5 °C.
Key Publications:
World Energy Outlook (WEO): The annual World Energy Outlook (WEO) is the International Energy Agency's (IEA) flagship publication on global energy projections and analysis. It contains medium to long-term energy market projections.
Energy Technology Perspectives (ETP): First issued in 2006, ETP is a bi-annual guidebook on clean energy technology. The publication focuses on challenges, growth areas, and strengths of emerging clean energy technologies.
Global EV Outlook (GEVO): Published annually with the support of the members of the Electric Vehicles Initiative, GEVO highlights and analyses recent developments in EVs and electric mobility.
Context: The Interpol has issued a blue corner notice against the Prajwal Revanna, a member of Parliament, over the allegations of sexual abuse.
About Interpol:
The International Criminal Police Commission (ICPC) was the predecessor to INTERPOL which was created during the 2nd International Police Congress in Vienna in 1923.
Interpol as an inter-governmental organization established by the adoption of our Constitution in 1956 at the 25th General Assembly in Vienna, to facilitate worldwide police cooperation and crime control. India was one of its founding members. (#PrelimsFact)
The General Assembly is Interpol’s supreme governing body, comprising representatives from each of our member countries. It meets once a year and each session lasts around four days. It brings all countries together once a year to take decisions.
Each member country represented has one vote. The decision-making process is made by either a simple or two-thirds majority, depending on the subject matter. (#PrelimsFact)
The General Secretariat (staffed by both police and civilians) coordinates its day-to-day activities to fight a range of crimes.
In each country, an Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) provides the central point of contact for the General Secretariat and other NCBs. An NCB is run by national police officials and usually sits in the government ministry responsible for policing.
Interpol NCBs do not respond to requests from the general public.
It is the only organization with the mandate and technical infrastructure to share police information globally.
Interpol issues eight types of Interpol notices, seven of which are: red, blue, green, yellow, black, orange, and purple. An eighth special notice (for groups and individuals under UN sanctions) is issued at the special request of the United Nations Security Council. (#PrelimsFact)
The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) is an independent, impartial body, officially responsible for ensuring that the processing of personal data by INTERPOL complies with the applicable rules. The Commission members are elected by the General Assembly. The terms of office of the members of the Commission shall be five years, renewable once for an additional term of three years.
I-CORE is a 10-year programme to reinforce INTERPOL’s function as a global police information hub. (#PrelimsFact)
It is headquartered in Lyon, France.
Process of membership:
Funding mechanism: It has two main sources of income: statutory contributions from our membership, and voluntary funding for our activities.
Each of the member countries pays a statutory contribution to INTERPOL each year; it is an obligatory payment. The amount paid by each country is agreed by the General Assembly each year and is essentially based on economic weight of the country.
Context: The UNCTAD report has made growth projections about India that Indian economy is projected to grow 6.5% in 2024.
About UNCTAD:
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established almost six decades ago in 1964, as an organ of the United Nations General Assembly.
UNCTAD helps developing countries participate more equitably in the global economy.
It also supports developing countries efforts to use trade, investment, finance, and technology as vehicles for inclusive and sustainable development.
Membership: 195 member states.
HQ: Geneva, Switzerland
As part of the United Nations Secretariat, UNCTAD reports to the UN General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council but has its own membership, leadership and budget. It is also part of the UN Sustainable Development Group and supports the implementation of the Financing for Development process.
UNCTAD works with member States, international organizations, academics, non-governmental organizations, media, civil society and youth.
The UN General Assembly held the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in 1964. The UN institutionalized the conference and gave it a mandate to meet every four years, with intergovernmental bodies meeting between sessions and a permanent secretariat providing the necessary substantive and logistics support.
There have been 15 quadrennial conferences since 1964. The fifteenth (UNCTAD15) was held in Bridgetown, Barbados in October 2021.
UNCTAD Reports
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) publishes important reports like:
Context: The recent Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meeting held on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Meetings offered solutions for low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), burdened by mounting debt. The world is facing a global debt challenge that reached a staggering $235 trillion in 2022, with low-income developing countries particularly vulnerable.
Challenges in dealing with debt vulnerabilities:
IMF and World Bank acknowledged significant progress in tackling global debt vulnerabilities.
Key challenge: debt restructuring processes and ensuring fair treatment across creditors.
United Nation Conference on Trade and Development Least Developed Countries Report 2023:
Total external debt of Least Developed Countries hit a record $570 billion in 2022-more than four times higher than in 2006.
These countries are spending five times more on debt servicing than a decade ago.
Number of sovereign debt defaults in these countries have increased in recent years.
Low-Income Countries: 60 per cent are currently in debt distress or having defaulted on their obligations.
Unsustainable debt situation creates a vicious cycle.
LMICs rely on borrowing to finance crucial infrastructure projects and social programmes.
Excessive debt can become a major drag on economic growth.
High debt servicing costs divert resources away from productive investments, hindering long-term development prospects.
Conditions of loans:
The IMF and World Bank through tools like Debt Sustainability Frameworks (DSFs), assess a country’s ability to repay its loans and offer financial assistance and policy advice for reforms that promote economic growth.
However, a study of 81 developing countries from 1986 to 2016 shows that IMF loan arrangements containing structural reforms led to rise in unemployment, lower government revenue, increased costs of basic services, and decreased investment in social security programmes.
Also, groups like Paris Club, only negotiate debt restructurings with debtor countries that have demonstrated a track record of implementing reforms under an IMF program.
This means country must have a current program supported by an appropriate arrangement with the IMF, example: Extended Fund Facility, Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility.
Lengthy time frame associated with debt restructuring processes:
Delayed resolutions create uncertainty for debtor countries increasing economic hardship.
Example: Delay in finalising the IMF programme and debt restructuring package for Ethiopia under the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments.
Stakeholders have specifically sought clarification over the efficacy of the IMF’s Ethiopia package and the reasons for its delay.
Hence, transparency will benefit Ethiopia and also strengthen confidence in the IMF's role as a facilitator of debt resolution.
Another issue pertains to the absence of adequate representation, influence, and voice for developing countries in the decision-making processes of MDBs.
Way forward:
Need to set target of programme approval within 2-3 months for future debt restructuring cases, also included under the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments.
Streamlining communication and information sharing between debtor countries, official bilateral creditors (government-to-government loans), and private creditors.
Ensuring comparability of treatment (CoT) between different creditor groups, which means that all creditors holding similar claims should receive comparable treatment in terms of debt relief.
Enhanced information exchange and coordination between official bilateral creditors and private creditors will allow debtor countries to negotiate with full knowledge of CoT. This will facilitate a more efficient and equitable resolution.
The IMF and World Bank should prioritize programs identified by national governments with a sectoral focus and long-term transformation plans. This approach aligns more closely with the developmental priorities of individual nations and encourages the co-creation of multi-year programs.
Countries are encouraged to create bankable projects that can compete for finance on the country platforms. Technical support can help in developing asset specifics, measurement, disclosure, and appropriate incentives. Transparency and competition are key factors in reducing the impact of geopolitics in project decisions.
Global South representation to ensure that the voices and perspectives of the Global South, including countries such as India, are not only heard but also advocated for in decision-making processes. This ensures a more inclusive and equitable approach to their operations.
The IMF and World Bank must continue to play a proactive role in facilitating communication, promoting transparency, and advocating for faster and fairer debt restructuring processes.
Context: The U.N. nuclear watchdog’s Board of Governors will hold an emergency meeting to discuss attacks on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.
About International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA):
It was created in 1957 in response to the deep fears and expectations generated by the discoveries and diverse uses of nuclear technology.
The Agency was set up as the world’s “Atoms for Peace” organization within the United Nations family.
It is the world’s central intergovernmental forum for scientific and technical cooperation in the nuclear field.
It works for the safe, secure and peaceful uses of nuclear science and technology, contributing to international peace and security and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Though established independently of the United Nations through its international treaty, the IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
India is a founding member of the IAEA.
Signature and ratification of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are not preconditions for membership in the IAEA.
North Korea is not a member.
IAEA has 178 members.
Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
Additional Protocol
Additional Protocol is not a stand-alone agreement.
Each of the safeguard agreements may be complemented with an Additional Protocol that includes provisions for information about, and access to, all parts of a State's nuclear fuel cycle, from mines to nuclear waste.
It significantly increases the IAEA’s ability to verify the peaceful use of all nuclear material in States with comprehensive safeguards agreements.
As a non-signatory to the NPT, India lacks comprehensive safeguards that NNWS signatories to NPT have. India’s Additional Protocol stipulates that only certain facilities are placed under safeguards.
India’s Additional Protocol applies many of the voluntary safeguards provisions that exist for nuclear weapon states, although India is not recognized by the IAEA as a nuclear weapon state.
