Daily Current Affairs 12th and 13th August

India-Maldives Relations

Why in news?

Recently, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India undertook an official visit to Maldives.

India-Maldives Relations at Glance

• India was among the first to recognize Maldives after its independence in 1965 and to establish diplomatic relations with the country.
• India and Maldives share ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and commercial links steeped in antiquity. The relations have been close, cordial and multi-dimensional.
• India has a pre-eminent position in the Maldives, with relations extending to virtually most areas. The importance of India’s strategic role in Maldives is well-recognized, with India being seen as a net security provider.
• Maldives occupies a special place under “Neighbourhood First” Foreign Policy of India.

Areas of Convergence between India and Maldives

• Geo-Strategic Convergence:  
  • Maldives location makes it a vital part of India's maritime neighbourhood and geopolitical interest, in the context of increasing power struggle in the Indian Ocean.
  • Maldives is an important component of India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and its role as the first responder and net security provider in the Indian Ocean region.

• Security cooperation:
  • Since 1988, defence and security has been a major area of cooperation between India and Maldives.
  • India has adopted a very flexible and accommodating approach in meeting Maldivian requirements of defence training and equipment.
  • Ekuverin exercise is a joint military exercise held between the two neighbouring nations.

• Economic Relations:
  • India has been a major development partner for the Maldives, providing financial aid and technical assistance for various development projects, including infrastructure and social development.  
  • India emerged as Maldives’ 2nd largest trade partner in 2022 & the largest in 2023. .

• Technological Cooperation:
  • India and the Maldives have a lot of potential for cooperation in space technology. In 2022, there were several instances of cooperation and exchanges, including India providing the Maldives with a coastal radar system.  
  • India has a robust remote-sensing capability through ISRO, and cooperation in this sector will enable the Maldives to utilise satellite data for applications in environmental monitoring, fisheries management, and disaster management.

• Tourism:  India is a preferred destination for medical treatments and higher education for Maldivians. It is one of the top sources for Maldives' tourism market.

• Development Initiatives:  India has funded several developmental projects in Maldives such as Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Maldives Polytechnic etc.

• Multilateral Organisations: Both countries collaborate in various regional and international forums like South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).

Areas of Divergence between India and Maldives

• Political Instability:
  • Maldives is one of South Asia’s youngest democracies, having adopted its new constitution and held its first multiparty democratic elections only in 2008.
  • The Maldives' democracy is still in its infancy and is battling socio-political instability in the region that is influenced by powerful international entities.
• China’s increasing role: China’s rising influence has potential implications for India's security. Maldives entered into a Free Trade Agreement with China in 2017 and joined BRI.
• Perception in Maldives: Concern among a section of the local population about India’s involvement is often affected by disinformation. These disinformation campaigns worked in favour of the opposition by creating anxieties about India’s apparent interference.
• Drug trafficking:The Maldives is a transit point for drug trafficking from Southeast Asia to Europe, posing a security challenge for both India and the Maldives.
• Piracy & Terrorism: Maldives location near India’s coast makes it particularly important in the context of combating piracy and terrorism. Maldives is vulnerable to terrorism and piracy due to its location on major shipping routes, lax visa requirements, and unpatrolled maritime boundaries.
• Radicalisation: Rising radicalisation in Maldives could destabilize the country and lead to conflict. The destabilised region could affect India’s prospects in the region.

Way Forward

• Diplomacy and Engagement: India should continue to engage diplomatically with the Maldives, offering support for development and capacity-building while respecting its sovereignty.
• Climate Cooperation:Both countries should work closely to address climate change-related challenges through regional and international forums.
• Regional Collaboration:Strengthening collaboration within regional organisations like SAARC and IORA can foster a stable and prosperous Indian Ocean region.

Cybercrime Treaty

Why in news?

Recently, the United Nation approved its first treaty targeting cybercrime.

About the treaty

• The first-ever, 41 page-long draft UN cybercrime treaty proposes a legislative framework to boost international cooperation among law enforcement agencies and offer technical assistance to countries that lack adequate infrastructure for combating cybercrime.

• It also contains provisions addressing illegal interception, money laundering, hacking, and online child sexual abuse material.
• Now, the draft cybercrime treaty is headed to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for a vote that could take place next month. 
• If adopted, the treaty will have to be signed and ratified by at least 40 countries in order to take effect; even as its detractors call for UN member States to abandon the legally-binding agreement altogether.

Key features of the Treaty

• Criminalisation of Cybercrime:  

• • The treaty requires member States to bring in legislation that criminalises certain activities as cybercrimes while giving them flexibility to narrow down the application of the law. 
  • By signing the draft treaty, countries would be agreeing to introduce a law that makes the interception of non-public data transmissions illegal. Similarly, it paves the way for the unauthorised damage, deletion, deterioration, alteration, or suppression of data to become illegal.  
  • UN member States are further required to bring in laws that prohibit the production, import, sale, or purchase of devices that are primarily built or used to commit cybercrimes. The sale or purchase of passwords and login details to hack into information and communications technology (ICT) systems shall also be made illegal, as per the treaty.

• Collection & Record of Data:  
  • Article 30 of the treaty requires States to legally empower authorities to collect and record content data in relation to a range of serious criminal offences.
  • The treaty defines serious crime as conduct constituting an offence punishable by a maximum deprivation of liberty of at least four years or a more serious penalty.

• Protection of Data:  
  • Article 36 deals with protection of personal data, states that governments are required to transfer personal data to other governments only if it is in accordance with its domestic laws.
  • It also states that governments may revise domestic laws in order to fulfill requests from other countries for personal data.
• Regulation of Sexual Abuse: Under the treaty, Governments are required to classify as a cybercrime essentially any attempt to spread, store or view child sexual abuse material.

Key concerns

• Definition of cybercrime: Digital rights advocacy groups are concerned that the UN cybercrime treaty contains broad definitions of cybercrimes and could end up criminalising legitimate online activity.
• Violation of Human Rights: The current text of this convention weakens human rights standards protecting privacy in a digital age, undermining rights protected under India’s constitution. Activists are also concerned that the treaty could enable cross-border surveillance leading to human rights abuses by authoritarian regimes.
• Violation of Digital Sphere: Without a clearly defined scope and sufficient safeguards, it could also threaten the digital sphere by legitimizing intrusive investigations and unhindered law enforcement access to personal information.
• Funding Requirements: The treaty’s chapter on technical assistance outlines state parties’ duties and expectations for addressing gaps in capacity. There are global asymmetries in financial capacity (including funding and resources) of different countries and skills required to counter cybercrime.

Way Forward

The treaty could become an important global legal framework for international cooperation on preventing and investigating cybercrime, and prosecuting cybercriminals. However, the treaty must harmonize with existing international mechanisms and networks that occupy similar spaces.

Space Diplomacy

Why in news?

Recently, the Ministry of External Affairs and New Space India Limited (NSIL) signed an agreement to grant assistance for launching the Nepal-built Munal satellite.

More about the news

• The grant assistance provided by India for the Munal Satellite’s launch underscores India’s commitment to supporting its neighbours in developing indigenous space capabilities.
• This collaboration highlights the growing role of space technology in diplomacy and the strengthening ties between neighbouring nations.
• Munal is an indigenous satellite developed in Nepal under the aegis of the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology.
• It aims to build a vegetation density database of the earth's surface.

India’s Space Diplomacy

• Space diplomacy is an emerging tool in international relations, where countries collaborate in space missions to build strategic partnerships.
• India has always recognized that space has dimension beyond national considerations, which can only be addressed along with international partners. Space as a domain has provided India the opportunity to broaden and deepen its ties with many countries.
• The success of India’s Space Programme attracted the interest of different countries who wished to gain from India’s experience in the spatial domain.

Significance of Space Diplomacy for India

• Militarization of Outer Space: The militarization of the space sector is becoming a potential reality. India can collaborate with like-minded countries to jointly work on satellites to build their intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities – thereby giving a new strategic pivot to ties in the domain of space.
• Diplomatic Leverage:The cooperation in space could increase India’s diplomatic leverage because the newly empowered post-colonial States are actively seeking cooperation in the space domain and forming partnerships with other regional actors to explore and exploit the global common.
• Role of China: As China and India steers their space programs toward commercialization, they are also increasingly using outer space for regional diplomacy. The cooperation in space could be utilized for regional diplomatic ends.
• Low-cost of Missions: India’s capacity to provide cost-effective and reliable launch services like the success of Chandrayaan or the Mars Orbiter Mission has made India appealing to other countries. The low-cost of missions could help India to strengthen space cooperation with many developing countries having space ambitions.
• Boost Economy: The space sector's growth can create a variety of employment opportunities, Infrastructure development, boosting production and investment can lead to increased capital formation.
• Space Supply Chain: The development of India’s space assets, in-house production capabilities have the ability to trigger the wave of partnerships as well as increase cooperation in the global space supply chain globally.
• Commercialization of Space: The space industry is expanding beyond government-funded missions, with private companies offering services like satellite launches, communication, and space tourism. Therefore, it is important to have a multifaceted space policy.

PM JI-VAN Yojana

Why in news?

Recently, the Union Cabinet approved an Amendment in “Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana” for providing financial support to Advanced Biofuel Projects.

More about the news

• The modified scheme extends the timeline for implementation of the scheme by Five (5) years i.e. till 2028-29.
• It now also includes advanced biofuels produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks i.e. agricultural and forestry residues, industrial waste, synthesis (syn) gas, algae etc. in its scope.

About the Scheme

• Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN (Jaiv Indhan- Vatavaran Anukool fasal awashesh Nivaran) Yojana aims to provide financial support to Integrated Bioethanol Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
• It is implemented by the Centre for High Technology (CHT), a technical body under the aegis of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
• The scheme aims to provide remunerative income to farmers for their agriculture residue, address environmental pollution, create local employment opportunities, and contribute to India's energy security and self-reliance.
• It also supports the development of advanced biofuel technologies and promotes the Make in India Mission. It also helps in achieving India’s ambitious target for net-zero GHG emissions by 2070.
• The government has been promoting the blending of ethanol with petrol under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, wherein Public Sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) sell petrol blended with ethanol.
• Under the EBP Programme, ethanol blending with petrol increased from 38 crore liters in the Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2013-14 to over 500 crore liters in ESY 2022-23, with a corresponding increase in the blending percentage from 1.53% to 12.06%.

Model Solar Village

Why in news?

Recently, the Government of India issued Operational Guidelines for Implementation of 'Model Solar Village’ under PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana.  

About Model Solar Village

• Under the scheme component 'Model Solar Village' aims on creating one Model Solar Village per district across India,
  • with the goal of promoting solar energy adoption and enabling village communities to become self-reliant in meeting their energy needs.
• Implementing Agency: The implementation of this scheme will be done by the State/UT Renewable Energy Development Agency under the supervision of the District Level Committee.
• Eligibility Criteria: In order to be considered a village under the competition mode, a village must be a revenue village with a population size above 5,000.
• Selection Process: The selection process involves a competitive mode where villages are assessed on their overall distributed renewable energy (RE) capacity installed 6 months after the declaration of the potential candidate by the District Level Committee (DLC).

About PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana

• PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana is a government scheme that aims to provide free electricity to households in India.
• The scheme was launched in February 2024.
• Under the scheme, households will be provided with a subsidy to install solar panels on their roofs.
• The subsidy will cover up to 40% of the cost of the solar panels.
• The scheme is expected to benefit 1 crore households across India. It is estimated that the scheme will save the government Rs. 75,000 crore per year in electricity costs.

Mount Kilimanjaro

Why in news?

Recently, an expedition team under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence has unfurled the Indian national flag at the Uhuru Summit of Kilimanjaro.

About Mount Kilimanjaro

• Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest peak, and also the world’s tallest free-standing mountain.
• Mount Kilimanjaro lies just 205 miles from the equator, in Tanzania.
• Mount Kilimanjaro is an extinct stratovolcano. It has three main volcanic peaks, Kibo, Mawenzi, and Shira.
• The park was named a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site in 1987.
• The mountain has five main vegetation zones, from the lowest to the highest point: Lower slopes, montane forest, heath and moorland, alpine desert, and summit.
• The Lumi and Pangani rivers drain Kilimanjaro on the eastern and southern sides, respectively.

Saint Martin’s Island

Why in news?

Reports alleged that the US was eyeing St Martin's Island to build a military base.

About Saint Martin’s Island

• St Martin's Island, located in the northeastern part of the Bay of Bengal, is a small coral island approximately nine kilometres from the Bangladeshi mainland.
• The island is also known as 'Narikel Jinjira' or Coconut Island in Bengali, due to the abundance of coconut trees there.
• The island was once an extension of the Teknaf peninsula but was separated due to the submergence of a portion of the peninsula.
• The island has a rich history, dating back to the eighteenth century when it was first settled by Arabian merchants.
• In 1900, a British land survey team included St Martin's Island as part of British India and named it after a Christian priest called Saint Martin.
• In 1937, the island remained a part of British India after Myanmar was separated from it.
• In 1974, Bangladesh and Myanmar reached an agreement that the coral island would be a part of Bangladeshi territory.
• Its proximity to the Bay of Bengal and the maritime boundary with Myanmar have led to international interest, particularly from the US and China, in using the island to strengthen their presence in the region.

Arecanut

Why in news?

Recently, the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute has issued an advisory to farmers to control 'kole roga' (fruit rot disease) in arecanut plantations.

About Arecanut

• An arecanut, also known as a betel nut (Supari), is the fruit of the areca palm tree.
• The palm is native to the Philippines. It is a tropical crop that is grown during the kharif season.
• The cultivation of arecanut is mostly confined to 28º north and south of the equator. It grows well within the temperature range of 14ºC and 36ºC.
• Arecanut cannot withstand drought for a long time. Arecanut (Areca catechu L.) can tolerate annual rainfall ranging from 750 mm to more than 4,500 mm.
• The largest area under the crop is found in gravelly laterite soils of red clay type. It can also be grown on fertile clay loam soils.
• The major producers of areca nuts in India are the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, and Meghalaya.
• India is the largest producer with 54% market share followed by Myanmar, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Taiwan.

Exercise Udara Shakti

• It is a joint air exercise between India & Malaysia.
• It was aimed at bolstering operational efficiency, technical experts of both Air Forces engaged in exchange of their maintenance practices.