DAILY NEWS ANALYSIS

Monthly DNA

03 Nov, 2023

21 Min Read

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Paper	Topics	Subject
GS-II	India-Saudi Arabia Relation	International Relations
GS-III	Nano Drones	S&T
	Climate Finance	Biodiversity & Environment
	Champions of the Earth Award 2023	Biodiversity & Environment
	Wi-Fi 7 and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)	S&T
PT Pointer	Khela Hobe Scheme	Government policies and interventions
	Houthis	International Relations
	Rubber Board	Economic Issues

India-Saudi Arabia Relation

GS-II : International Relations UAE

Recently, after the launch of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor the Prime Minister(PM) of India welcomed the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on a state visit.During this significant visit, the two nations discussed various aspects of their strategic partnership and agreed to set up a joint task force to expedite the West Coast refinery project.

Outcomes and Agreements Resulting From the Visit?

Strategic Partnership Acknowledgment:
- The PM of India highlighted Saudi Arabia's pivotal role as "one of the most important strategic partners of India."
- Both leaders emphasized the importance of their partnership, particularly as two rapidly growing nations contributing to regional stability.
India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council (SPC):
- The PM of India and the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia co-chaired the inaugural meeting of the India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council (SPC).
- Discussions covered a wide range of areas, including defence, energy, security, education, technology, transportation, healthcare, tourism, culture, space, and semiconductors.This reflects the comprehensive nature of the economic cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia.
West Coast Refinery Project Acceleration:
- This trilateral project, involving ARAMCO(oil company of Saudi Arabia), ADNOC(oil company of the United Arab Emirates) and Indian Companies, is set to receive a USD 50 billion investment.
- A joint task force was established to expedite the West Coast refinery project.
- The task force will work on channeling the promised USD 100 billion investment from Saudi Arabia for this project.
- The West Coast refinery project is India's first and largest greenfield refinery.
  - The project is located in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra and is expected to have a production capacity of 60 million tonnes per annum. When completed, it will be one of the world's largest refineries.
  - The project encompasses various critical facilities, including marine storage and port infrastructure, crude oil terminals, storage and blending plants, desalination plants, utilities, and more.
Bilateral Agreements and Cooperation:
- Eight agreements were signed during the visit, strengthening cooperation across various sectors.Notable agreements include collaboration between the Central Vigilance Commission of India and the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, as well as cooperation in technology, education, and agriculture.
- An agreement was signed between the National Institute of Technology of India and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation of Saudi Arabia.
Assurance of Crude Oil Supply:
- Saudi Arabia affirmed its commitment to being a "reliable partner and exporter of crude oil supplies" to India, ensuring energy security.
Defence and Anti-Terror Cooperation:
- Both nations pledged to enhance cooperation in defence and anti-terrorism efforts.
  - A special emphasis was placed on preventing access to "missiles and drones" for terrorist activities.
  - Plans were discussed to strengthen the tourism segment of bilateral relations, aligning with Saudi Arabia's ongoing reforms.
Geopolitical Significance:
- The visit holds geopolitical significance as it occurred after Saudi Arabia ended hostilities with Iran through a deal negotiated by China.
- Saudi Arabia's recent membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) further underscores its global engagement.

India-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council (SPC)?

The SPC is a high-level mechanism established between India and Saudi Arabia in 2019, to guide and enhance their bilateral relationship.

- It consists of two sub-committees, addressing various aspects of cooperation:
  - Committee on Political, Security, Social, and Cultural Cooperation.
  - Committee on Economy and Investments.
- India is the fourth country with which Saudi Arabia has formed such a strategic partnership, after the UK, France and China.

Operation:

The SPC operates at four functional levels:

- - Summit level, involving the Prime Minister and Crown Prince.
  - Ministerial-level engagements.
  - Senior Officials Meetings.
  - Joint Working Groups (JWGs) to facilitate detailed discussions and action plans.

Key Functions:

- The SPC serves as a comprehensive platform to foster collaboration across a wide range of sectors.
- It facilitates in-depth discussions, policy formulation, and coordination at various levels to implement joint initiatives effectively.
- JWGs under each committee focus on specific areas of cooperation, ensuring a well-structured approach to bilateral relations.

What are the pillars of India- Saudi Arabia relationship?

Historical ties - The two countries established diplomatic relations in 1947 and 2021-22 marked 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations.
Delhi Declaration in 2006 was a watershed moment in India – Saudi Arabia relationship.
Riyadh Declaration in 2010 elevated bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.
Diplomatic relationship - Saudi Arabia’s highest civilian honour, the King Abdulaziz Sash was awarded to Indian PM Narendra Modi.
The visit of Crown Prince to India in February 2019 allowed investment of approximately 100 billion dollars in India and enabled the kingdom to join in International Solar Alliance (ISA).

The International Solar Alliance (ISA) was a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions. It is guided by its ‘Towards 1000’ strategy.

Strategic Partnership Council (SPC) Agreement, signed in 2019 established a high-level council to steer the Indo-Saudi relationship.
Economic Ties – India is Saudi Arabia’s 2^nd largest trade partner and Saudi Arabia is India’s 4^th largest trade partner.
As of January 2022, there were 2,783 Indian companies registered as joint ventures/ 100% owned entities with investments worth approximately $2 billion in the kingdom.
Among the major proposed investments is the $44 billion West Coast Refinery & Petrochemicals Project in Maharashtra, which is being jointly built by Saudi Aramco and an Indian consortium.
Energy cooperation – Saudi Arabia is a key partner for ensuring India’s energy security.
Saudi Arabia was India’s 3^rd largest crude and petroleum products source for FY23.
India also imports LPG from Saudi Arabia.
Defence Partnership - Two editions of the bilateral naval exercise, Al Mohed al Hindi, have been concluded so far.
Diaspora – The Indian community is more than 2.4 million and is the largest expatriate community in the Kingdom.
India’s e-Migrate system integrated with the Kingdom’s e-Thawtheeq system to streamline the migration process for workers.
Saudi Arabia supported in evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Sudan through Jeddah under Operation Kaveri.
Cultural Relationship – Indian Cultural Week was organized in Riyadh in collaboration with the Saudi Ministry of Culture in 2012.
India participated as the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the prestigious Saudi National Festival of Heritage and Culture – Janadriyah in 2018.
Counter terrorism – Both nations stressed the importance of combating terrorism and it’s financing.
They emphasized that terrorism, in all its forms, remains one of the gravest threats to humanity.

What about the recent developments?

The two sides signed 8 agreements aftermath of G20 Summit in 2023.

Diplomatic Ties – 1^st meeting of the India-Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.
Energy Ties – Both agreed upon upgrading their hydrocarbon energy partnership to a comprehensive energy partnership for renewable, petroleum and strategic reserves.
Investment promotion – Both agreed to create a joint task force for $100 billion in Saudi investment.
Currency convertibility – Discussion for possibility of trading in local currencies.
Trade agreements – Both were expediting negotiations for a free trade agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)of which Saudi Arabia is a member.

GCC is a regional political and economic alliance of 6 countries in the Gulf region - Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain.

Economic corridors – India, Saudi Arabia, UAE and USA jointly announced the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).

IMEC is a massive infrastructure project that would connect India to Europe via West Asia, and could rival China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Global peace and stability – Both nations stressed the importance of achieving security and stability in Afghanistan.
Cooperation Agreements – Cooperation between
- India’s Central Vigilance Commission and Saudi’s anti-corruption unit,
- Investment entities, small and medium enterprises banks,
- National Archives of the two countries, and on
- Desalination and renewable energy

What are the concerns?

The political scenario of the West Asia or Middle East are complex and multidimensional.

Example: Saudi Arabia is rival with Iran and Turkey.

India has close ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran and thereby straining the relationship at times.
Increased engagement of kingdom with China as it is their biggest trading partner.
Riyadh still helps Pakistan with economic aid.

What lies ahead?

India should frame a dedicated policy for west Asia on similar lines of Act East Policy.
Saudi Arabia is consolidating its partnership with the US, India, and Europe which need be encouraged.
India should use every opportunity to engage with Saudi Arabia for energy security and for maintaining peace in the neighbourhood.

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Nano Drones

GS-III : S&T Nano Technology

The emergence of Nano and micro drones and compact unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with advanced capabilities, introduce fresh security challenges.

Drone- It means an aircraft that can operate autonomously or remotely without a pilot on board.India reported 79 cases of using drones for weapon delivery 2020, 109 in 2021 and 266 in 2022.

Provisions under Drone (Amendment) Rules 2022

Criteria- To operate a drone legally, the criteria set by the Civil Aviation Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation must be adhered to.
Exception- Nano/micro category drones for non-commercial use.
All drone activities are permitted only after receiving prior approval for a flight or series of flights.
Licence- The remote pilot certificate will not be required for flying small-to-medium size drones of up to 2 kg for non-commercial purposes.

What are the challenges posed by Nano drones?

Security- Although Nano drones lack artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, they possess lethal intelligence-gathering capabilities.
Safety- Nano drones can be difficult to detect, and their small size makes it difficult to regulate their use.
Radars are dedicated to detecting aerial tracks, but mini-drones have low radar signatures, making them challenging to identify, especially in urban areas with potential false alerts.
Drone Swarms- When deployed in swarms, they can become highly dangerous without effective countermeasures.
Waste disposal- Nano drones are often made of lightweight materials which can be difficult to recycle or dispose of safely.
Complexity- Protecting against small UAV threats is a complex task that goes beyond simply stopping the drone.

How to detect the Nano drones?

Sensors- To enhance detection capabilities, a combination of sensors is essential.
EM sensors-These defence systems capitalise on the radio signals used for drone communication (uplink and downlink).
Intercepting these signals through electronic surveillance helps locate the drone and its control station.
Infrared sensors- Thermal cameras can detect drones even in low visibility conditions and at night.
Acoustic sensors- Drones that produce noise during flight can be detectable by acoustic sensors.
These sensors help classify the drone based on its specific noise characteristics, making them useful in conjunction with radar systems to cover both short and long ranges.

What lies ahead?

An integrated anti-drone dome with cutting-edge sensors, radars, and AI is crucial for safeguarding critical sites and events.
By investing in such defences, India can protect citizens and assets from evolving drone threats.

Drone Policy of India

Drones Rules, 2021 - It provides the regulatory framework for commercial use of drones through certification, registration and operation of drones, airspace restrictions, research, development and testing of drones, training and licensing, etc.
Drone Airspace Map- It has opened nearly 90% of Indian airspace as a green zone for drone flying up to 400 feet.
Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme- To promote the growth of drone manufacturing by private companies.
UAS Traffic Management (UTM) Policy Framework- It is an approved public or private entity that would assist various stakeholders to meet the operational requirements for enabling safe and efficient use of airspace,
Drone Certification Scheme- It was notified for making it easier to obtain type certificate by drone manufacturers.
Drone Import Policy- It banned import of foreign drones and freeing up import of drone components.
Drone (Amendment) Rules, 2022- It abolished the requirement of a drone pilot licence for drones of up to 2 kg for non-commercial purposes.

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Climate Finance

GS-III : Biodiversity & Environment Biodiversity & Environment

Climate Finance (Environment)

During the 3^rd Climate and Development Ministerial, Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, COP28 President, has emphasized the need to address adaptation finance gaps and make climate finance more accessible to vulnerable nations.

What is climate finance?

Climate finance – It refers to local, national or transnational financing, drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing to support mitigation and adaptation actions that will address climate change.
UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement call for financial assistance from parties with more financial resources to those that are less endowed and more vulnerable.
Significance – It can help countries transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient development paths.

What are the global climate financing mechanisms?

Global Environment Facility (GEF)- GEF serves as financing mechanism for the following conventions

Conventions	About
Convention on Biological Diversity	Aims to conserve biological diversity, use its components sustainably, and share the benefits of genetic resources fairly and equitably
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)	An international environmental treaty to combat dangerous human interference with the climate system, by stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere
Stockholm Convention (2001)	An international environmental treaty to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic pollutants
UN Convention to Combat Desertification	A convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs.
Minamata Convention	An international treaty to protect human health and environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and its compounds
Montreal protocol(1989)	An international treaty to phase out the production of ozone depleting substances. (GEF is not formally linked to this protocol, but supports its implementation in transitioning economies)

Special funds set up and managed under GEF include
- The Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF)
- The Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF)
Earth Summit- Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) is a principle that was formalized in UNFCCC of Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, 1992.

In accordance with the principle of “CBDR”, developed countries have to provide financial resources to assist developing country Parties in implementing the objectives of the UNFCCC.

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Champions of the Earth Award 2023

GS-III : Biodiversity & Environment Environmental Governance

In 2023, UNEP’s Champions of the Earth seeks innovations, solutions, actions and initiatives working to ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.

It is the UN’s highest environmental honour which is awarded annually.
Awarded by - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Launch – 2005
Recognition – To leaders from government, civil society and private sector for their transformation impact on the environment
Categories - It is celebrated under 4 categories.
It has recognised 116 laureates (27 world leaders, 70 individuals, and 9 organisations).
2023 Award - It focuses on initiatives addressing plastic pollution.

Categories	Reason	2023 Award	Reason
Policy Leadership	For global or national action for the environment	Josefina Belmonte Belmonte (Philippines)	For using local authorities in solving global environmental problems
Inspiration and action	For taking steps to inspire positive change to protect our world	Ellen MacArthur Foundation (UK)	For driving global shift towards lifecycle approach for plastics
Inspiration and action		José Manuel Moller (Chile)	For reusing plastic to enable economic, social and environmental benefits
Entrepreneurial vision	For challenging status quo to build a cleaner future	Blue Circle (China’s largest marine plastic waste programme	For using blockchain technology for future environmental action
Science and innovation	For pushing boundaries of technology for profound environmental benefit	Council for Scientific & Industrial Research (South Africa)	For science based, data driven solutions to tackle plastic pollution

By 2040, carbon emissions associated with plastics could account for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

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Wi-Fi 7 and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)

GS-III : S&T Achievements of Indians in S&T

Recently, Qualcomm announced that fiber and fixed wireless access are central to India’s broadband expansion as it expects 10 Gbps to be the average speed by 2028.

Wi-Fi is a wireless networking technology that allows electronic devices to interface with the Internet.
Wi-Fi 7 – Also known as IEEE 802.11 be Extremely High Throughput (EHT).
It has better reliability and enhanced privacy and security.
Features – 4.8× faster than Wi-Fi 6 and accelerates up to 46 Gbps
100× lower latency ( 60% lesser than Wi-Fi 6)
5× network capacity with 320 MHz and Multi-Link Operation (MLO - Enables devices to simultaneously send and receive data across different frequency bands and channels)
Works across all 3 bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz)
Supports 4000 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM- a method to transmit and receive data in radio-frequency waves).

Fixed Wireless Access (FWA)

It is a type of 5G or 4G LTE wireless technology which provide wireless broadband connectivity between 2 fixed points.
It transmits data using radio frequencies instead of cables.
It is available for both licensed and unlicensed spectrum.
Advantage - As FWA does not need a physical connection into a building, new geographies can be covered, and new customers can be connected, much more quickly and cheaply than with fiber.
Disadvantages – It has limited transmission distance and environmental factors can impact its performance.

A digital desert is an area where there is little or no access to high speed internet.

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Khela Hobe Scheme

GS-II : Government policies and interventions Government Schemes & Programmes

It is a scheme to provide employment to the people of West Bengal on the lines of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

It is a 100-day job scheme like MGNREGA.

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Houthis

GS-II : International Relations Yemen Crisis

The Houthis are a large clan belonging to the Zaidi Shia sect, in Yemen’s northwestern Saada province.
The Houthi movement, officially called Ansar Allah (Supporters of God), began in the 1990s against the dictatorship of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Today, the Houthis are one faction in a bloody civil war that has raged in Yemen since 2014.

They currently control territory in the west and northwest of Yemen, including the capital Sana’a. They have waded into the ongoing conflict in Palestine recently.

Source:

Rubber Board

GS-III : Economic Issues Agriculture

Executive Director of the Rubber Board has launched the 4^th edition of the Virtual Trade Fair (VTF) recently.
The Rubber Board is a statutory body constituted by the Government of India, under the Rubber Act 1947, for the overall development of the rubber industry in the country.
The Rubber Board is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Head Office - Kottayam, Kerala.

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