Daily News Simplified - DNS

18 08 22
Notes
SL. THE HINDU
TOPICS
NO. PAGE NO.

1 The Centre vs State tussle over IAS postings 7

2 The geopolitics of the Fourth Taiwan Crisis 7

3 This maritime partnership is still a work in progress 6

4 Data opportunity at the G20 progress 6

5 What is causing Arctic warming? 8

6 Finding a Home 6

Special landmark Restoration work in progress at the Bara

7 3
Imambara in Lucknow
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1. UPSC Current Affairs: The Centre vs State tussle over IAS postings | Pg7
UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 2 – Polity & Governance

Sub Theme: Civil Service reforms | UPSC

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2. UPSC Current Affairs: The geopolitics of the Fourth Taiwan Crisis | Pg7
UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 2 – International Relations

Sub Theme: Taiwan Crisis | UPSC

Context: China has been conducting the defence drill all around the Taiwan to project its claim on the
self-projected independent island. This would be fourth such power projection by China on Taiwan
given the western influence on the island.

Brief History of Taiwan:

® China sees Taiwan as the last vestige of its “century of humiliation” that began with its defeat
in the first Opium War (1839-42).
® The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) wants the island back for historical, political and
geopolitical reasons.
® Taiwan was a part of imperial China before it became a Japanese colony in 1895.
® When Japan was defeated in the Second World War, Taiwan was returned to the nationalist
Republic of China, ruled by the Kuomintang.
® Chiang Kai-shek and his Kuomintang supporters fled to Taiwan in 1949 after they lost the civil
war to the communists in the mainland China.
® Since then, Taiwan has remained a self-ruled island, while “national reunification” has stayed
one of the most important promises and objectives of the CCP.

First and Second Taiwan Strait Crisis:

When U.S. President Harry S. Truman decided to send the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet to the Taiwan
Strait to create a buffer between the communist-ruled mainland and Kuomintang-held Taiwan, Mao
Zedong, shell the Kinmen and Matsu islands, in 1954 and then in 1958, triggering the First and
Second Taiwan Strait Crises.

Third Taiwan Strait crisis:

In 1995 when Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui visited Cornell University in the U.S. China started
military drills and missile tests in the Strait, triggering the Third Strait Crisis.
But U.S. President Bill Clinton responded by sending U.S. aircraft carriers to the Strait, eventually
forcing Beijing to de-escalate.

Current Taiwan strait crisis:

® China conducted intensive defence drill after the state visit to Taiwan by the U.S. House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
® This time China is more intensive due to:
• Falling hegemony of US as seen in its failure in Arab world, inability to defend Ukraine and
falling influence in Eastern Europe.
• Rising military capability of China
• China-Russia bonhomie after the disintegration of USSR.
• Expansive economic development of China.
• Chinese hegemony in South China Sea.
• Inability of rising powers such as India, Saudi Arabia, or Australia to take lead in Indo-Pacific.
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US stand on current crisis:

• Previously US have refrained from stating against the China around the Taiwan Strait in
absolute terms.
• However, recently US President Joe Biden has publicly stated that US would take defence of
Taiwan if attacked by China.

3. UPSC Current Affairs: This maritime partnership is still a work in progress | Pg6
UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 2 – International Relations

Sub Theme: India-US | UPSC

India and the U.S. signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) during the third 2+2 dialogue
of defence and foreign ministers of the two countries. This is the fourth and the last of the foundational
agreements that both countries have concluded, starting with GSOMIA (General Security of Military Information
Agreement) in 2002, LEMOA (Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement) in 2016, COMCASA
(Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement) in 2018, and now BECA.

What are foundational agreements?

• The United States enters into what are called ‘foundational or enabling agreements’ with its defence
partners. These agreements govern the nature and scope of U.S. defence partnerships. Partners
enhance the capabilities of the U.S. military in distant places through sharing information, platforms
and logistics.
• The competitive advantage of the U.S. military is maintained primarily by the advanced technologies
that the country develops continuously.
• The U.S. sells military equipment to other countries with strict control over their deployment and use.
For instance, consider the B777-300ER aircraft that India bought from Boeing recently for the use of
VVIPs.
• The sale of advanced communication and security systems on the aircraft — which are not commercially
available — is made seamless by foundational agreements.

The U.S. is also eager to advance ‘interoperability’ with defence forces of the countries that are its defence
partners. Interoperability involves real-time coordination of forces. The U.S. has signed these foundational
agreements with at least 100 countries, which mostly follow a standard text. Country-specific changes were
made in India’s case in all four foundational agreements.

What do these agreements do?

• The General Security of Military Information Agreement or GSOMIA, and its extension, the Information
Security Annex (ISA) signed in 2019, allow military technology cooperation for the sharing of classified
information between governments and companies in both countries.
• The LEMOA enables logistics support, say refuelling of planes or ships, supply of spare parts or
maintenance to each other.
o For instance, U.S. Navy’s P8 aircraft landed in Port Blair last month for refuelling, under LEMOA.
Even in the absence of this agreement, such cooperation can and has taken place between India
and the U.S., but the agreement makes it seamless, and the accounting easier.
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• The COMCASA allows Indian forces to procure advanced, secure communication equipment from the
U.S. Such equipment was earlier denied for U.S. origin platforms such as C-17, C-130, and commercial
systems were used in their place. Only after COMCASA was signed were the encrypted systems provided
to India.

The BECA enables exchange of geospatial information. Akin to a GPS that enables navigation, such exchange of
geospatial information enhances the accuracy of a missile or the utility of a drone.

What is the strategic importance of these agreements?

• Since the Civil Nuclear Agreement of 2005, the India-U.S. defence cooperation has been advancing at a
rapid pace.
• The U.S. has relaxed restrictions on technology trade in India’s favour considerably, and India is
designated a ‘Major Defence Partner’.
• Foundational agreements deepen defence cooperation, in trade and operation. India and the U.S. are
also part of a broader shared vision for the Indo-Pacific region, where both countries, along with Japan
and Australia, are increasing their military cooperation. U.S.-built platforms used by partner countries
can talk to one another and share operational information.

Are there any concerns?

• Critics worry that tying itself too closely with the U.S. may limit India’s choices. The evolution of
technology makes it inevitable that all military platforms will be integrated and networked in the future.
The U.S. is very particular about the integrity of its networks, and pressure could mount on India to
remain firmly in its camp. The U.S. is particularly irked by India’s continuing defence cooperation with
Russia. India will be taking the delivery of Russian S-400 missile defence system next year, ignoring
American objections.
• The U.S. could respond with sanctions. At any rate, it will not be possible to integrate Russian and
American platforms, and this could throw up new challenges of military planning for India.

The moot question, say experts, is whether India could ramp up its defence cooperation with the U.S. without
ending up as its ally.
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4. UPSC Current Affairs: Data opportunity at the G20 progress | Pg7

UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 2 – International Relations

Sub Theme: G-20 | UPSC

Context- The upcoming G-20 summit provides India an opportunity to use G-20 as a viable platform
to discuss data, particularly sharing and transfer, given seemingly converging positions on data
governance amongst major G-7 powers and emerging economies as the state finds a greater role in
regulating data. Moreover, the G-20’s track record as the apex forum to discuss global economic
issues gives it legitimacy and having the top (digital) economies makes it an appropriate forum to
discuss data.

Increasing importance of Data:

The development of new general purpose technologies centred on the nexus of Big Data, machine
learning and artificial intelligence is transforming and disrupting established economic structures and
markets, creating prospects for massive economic rents that incentivize strategic trade and investment
policies, and reconfiguring the ways and means of geopolitics, including by creating new
vulnerabilities and new theaters for conflict.
The shift of international competition onto a new technological playing field is eroding the established
advantages of the advanced economies, in particular of the reigning hegemonic power, the United
States, and opens the way for new competitors like China and India.
Data is the new oil. It is at the core of modern developments, and is increasingly shaping political and
economic lives.

How data affects geopolitics?

• First, data impacts the environment in which diplomats operate. The flow of data shapes the
flow of money. It influences and creates new data-driven geopolitics and geo-economics.
Maintaining data flows worldwide is vital for countries’ social stability, economic wellbeing,
and growth. For example, In 2008, the cutting of the main Internet cables near Alexandria
(Egypt) gave us the first glimpse of the consequences for users and businesses in the Gulf
region and India.
• Second, data brings new topics to the negotiation and policy-making tables, from privacy and
data protection, to digital commerce and trade.
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• Third, data provides diplomats with new tools to make diplomatic activities more efficient and
effective, including data mining and artificial intelligence. In their daily work, diplomats
collect, analyse, and communicate data, information, and knowledge. Data-driven changes are
already affecting the main functions of including representation, the protection of nationals and
consular assistance, negotiations, information gathering, and promoting friendly relations
(Article 3 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations). Although the use of (big) data
in diplomatic reporting is still relatively novel, ministries of foreign affairs (MFAs) have
already started to use new forms of data for other activities. Consulates manage large databases
to issue e-visas and monitor nationals abroad. These databases also enable them to timely assist
citizens in emergency settings.

The sheer amount of data being generated and shared globally has necessitated governments to exert
more control over the use, sharing, and cross-border flow of data. According to the Information
Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), data localisation laws have more than doubled from
2017 to 2021, indicating that states seek and want increasing levels of regulatory control over data.

Example- European policymakers have introduced a bevy of digital rules that place individual users
centre-stage, and enhancing their data security. Through the proposed Data Act, the EU hopes to
become an unparalleled data power by creating a single data market, setting robust standards and
deploying the EU’s collective data for their own use.

India in this:
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• Since 2017, India has attempted to incubate governance of non-personal data, personal data, e-
commerce regulation and artificial intelligence (AI) with a preference to harness “India’s data
for India’s development.”
• To underscore political rhetoric and drive global data discussions at the G20, the Indian
government should present a holistic agenda that embeds data collection and sharing within a
broader framework that prioritises digital security, innovation, and citizen rights.
• India should provide an empirical assessment. For instance, the Reserve Bank of India’s data
localisation directive has been in place for four years now. An empirical assessment of how
this has impacted both start-ups, big technology companies, and users could serve as a useful
example. Has localisation achieved requisite security and economic benefits? Or has it stifled
digital innovation?
• India’s digital economy stewardship must transcend data localisation by highlighting best
practices on data protection, competition law, data stewardship, and responsible artificial
intelligence both in India and other G20 countries. The ongoing effort to redraft the Personal
Data Protection Bill and embed it within a ‘more comprehensive framework’ that addresses
related concerns like cybersecurity must serve as an urgent domestic priority, and could lend
weight to India’s G-20 data approach.

5. UPSC Current Affairs: What is causing Arctic warming? | Pg-08

UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 3 – Environment

Sub Theme: Arctic Warming | UPSC

Polar Amplification:

Polar amplification is the phenomenon that any change in the net radiation balance tends to produce a larger
change in temperature near the poles than in the planetary average. This is commonly referred to as the ratio
of polar warming to tropical warming.
Arctic amplification is polar amplification of the Earth's North Pole only; Antarctic amplification is that of
the South Pole.

Communications Earth & Environment journal, concluding that the Arctic is heating
four times faster than the rest of the planet. The warming is more concentrated in the
Eurasian part of the Arctic, where the Barents Sea north of Russia and Norway is
warming at an alarming rate — seven times faster than the global average.
Among the many global warming driven causes for this amplification, the ice albedo
feedback, lapse rate feedback, water vapour feedback and ocean heat transport are the primary causes.

Related concepts:
1. Ice albedo feedback - This feedback arises from the simple fact that ice is more reflective (that is, has
a higher albedo) than land or water surfaces. Therefore, as global ice cover decreases, the reflectivity
of Earth’s surface decreases, more incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the surface, and the
surface warms.
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2. lapse rate feedback - This acts as negative feedback in lower latitudes and positive feedback at higher
latitudes. In lower latitudes, because of excess warming the air rises up. As a result latent heat of
condensation is released. Because of the presence of strong convection currents, this heat is
transported to higher reaches and thus the radiative heat from earth surface makes it cooler. But in
higher latitudes, because of the higher thermal contrast present as well as absence of convection
currents, the released heat is not transported to higher atmospheric layers. This heat gets trapped to
lower reaches which again increase the temperature of the surface.
3. Water vapour feedback - The amount of water vapour in the atmosphere will rise as the temperature
of the atmosphere rises. Since water vapour is a very potent greenhouse gas, even more potent than
CO2, the net greenhouse effect actually becomes stronger as the surface warms, which leads to even
greater warming.
4. Carbon cycle feedback - In particular, the two main reservoirs of carbon in the climate system are
the oceans and the terrestrial biosphere. Global warming, however, could decrease the capacity of
these reservoirs to sequester atmospheric CO2. Reductions in the rate of carbon uptake by these
reservoirs would increase the pace of CO2 buildup in the atmosphere and represent yet another possible
positive feedback to increased greenhouse gas concentrations.

Extent of Arctic melting:

• Studies have shown that the Arctic was warming at twice the global rate prior to the beginning
of the 21st century.
• IPCC released a ‘Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate’ in 2019,
which said that the “Arctic surface air temperature has likely increased by more
than double the global average over the last two decades.”
• In May 2021, the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) warned that
the Arctic has warmed three times quicker than the planet, and the chance of the sea
ice completely disappearing in summers is 10 times greater, if the planet is warmer by
two degree Celsius above the preindustrial levels.
• However, recent studies have shown that the mean Arctic amplification saw steep
changes in 1986 and 1999, when the ratio reached 4.0, implying four times faster
heating than the rest of the planet
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Impacts / consequences:
• Permafrost melting -> release of entrapped greenhouse gasses
• Rise in sea levels
• Change in oceanic compositions- acidification
• Marine biodiversity affected on account of changes in salinity and temperature
• Rise in weather extremities like intense rainfall, cyclones and coastal flooding

Impact on Indian monsoon:

• A study titled ‘A possible relation between Arctic sea ice and late season Indian
Summer Monsoon Rainfall extremes’ published in 2021 -> reduced sea ice in the Barents
Kara sea region can lead to extreme rainfall events in the latter
half of the monsoons — in September and October. The changes in the atmospheric
circulation due to diminishing sea ice combined with the warm temperatures in
the Arabian Sea contribute to enhanced moisture and drive extreme rainfall events.
• According to the World Meteorological Organization’s report, ‘State of Global
Climate in 2021’, sea level along the Indian coast is rising faster than the global average
rate. One of the primary reasons for this rise is the melting of sea ice in the polar regions,
especially the Arctic.

6. UPSC Current Affairs: Finding a home | Pg-06

UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 2 – Social Justice

Sub Theme: Adoption laws| UPSC

Finding a home

The article is based on a recent report, “Review of Guardianship and Adoption Laws”, by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances and Law and Justice. Following are the highlights of the
report:

• Huge mismatch: According to the report, there were 27,939 prospective parents registered with the
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) as on December 2021, from nearly 18,000 in 2017. There
were 6,996 orphaned, abandoned and surrendered children residing in childcare institutions considered
adoptable, but only 2,430 were declared legally free for adoption by Child Welfare Committees.
• The waiting time for adoption had increased to three years from one year, in the past five years.
• The total number of children adopted in 2021-22 was only 3,175.
• The report has suggested periodic district surveys to identify children who are orphaned/abandoned and
that “orphan and abandoned children found begging on the streets… are made available for adoption at
the earliest”.

But the process of adoption in the country was tightened — procedurally and legally — in response to rampant
malpractices and inter-country adoption rackets. The editorial article observes that the parliamentary
committee has interpreted that there is automatic happiness when a child in an institution is placed in a home, it
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is important to exercise caution. No doubt, the country should take care of its children orphaned due to
circumstances, but even as it acknowledges that institutionalisation may be detrimental over the long term, it
should pay equal attention to the finer aspects of child care, and allow itself to be guided by a child-centric
philosophy. There are no shortcuts in ensuring orphaned children come to no harm.

ISSUES RELATED TO CHILD ADOPTION IN INDIA

• Huge gap between adoptable children and willing parents

• Failure of adoption process

Between 2017-19 there was unusual surge in adoptive parents returning children after adoption. 60% of
all children returned were girls, 24% were children with special needs, and many were older than six.

o The primary reason for the failure of adoption is that disabled children and older children take
much longer to adjust to their adoptive families.
o Institutions do not prepare or counsel children about living with a new family.

• Disability biasness in the adoption

Adoptions of children with special needs are dwindling. Only 40 children with disabilities were adopted
between 2018 and 2019, accounting for approximately 1% of the total number of children adopted in the
year.

• Child Trafficking – rackets source children from poor or marginalised families, and unwed women are
coaxed or misled into submitting their children to trafficking organisations.

• Exclusion of LGBTQ+ communities – the minimum eligibility for a couple to adopt a child is the proof
of their marriage. However law does not recognise the invalidity of LGBTQ+ marriages and relationships.
Illegal adoptions are becoming increasingly common among queer communities.
o In February 2021, while addressing petitions seeking the legal recognition
of LGBTQI+ marriages, the government opined that LGBTQI+ relationships could not be
compared to the “Indian family unit concept” of a husband, wife and children.
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Way Forward

• The primary purpose of giving a child in adoption is his welfare. Hence children’s welfare must be the
priority of CARA, paying attention to the suffering of children in our institutions.
• Our adoption ecosystem must change from having a parent-centric approach to a child-centric approach.
• Children must be counselled and trained for acceptance and adaption in a new place.
• Children must be recognised as an important stakeholders in the adoption process.
• Simplification of adoption process by taking a close relook at the various regulations guiding the
procedure of adoption.

7. UPSC Current Affairs: Special landmark Restoration work in progress at the Bara Imambara in
Lucknow | Pg-03
UPSC Syllabus: Mains: GS paper 1 – Art & Culture

Sub Theme: Architecture| UPSC

What is Imambara?
Imambara literally means residence for the imam. Specially, the word stands for a house, or an
assembly hall built by the Shiites for observing muharram. Throughout the month of Muharram, the
first month of the Muslim calendar, as well as on other occasions important to Shiites, assemblies
(majlis) are held in the Imambara.

About Bara Imambara:

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® While there are many Imambaras in Lucknow, Bara Imambara or Asfi Imambara is the most
famous one. It is the second largest Imambara in India after Nizamat Imambara in
Murshidabad (built by Nawab Siraz-ud-Daula.

® Part of Awadhi Islamic architecture.

® It is believed that the construction of this grand building was started in 1785 when a
devastating famine had hit Awadh, and the nawab’s objective was to provide employment for
people in the region for almost a decade while the famine lasted.

® Built under: Asaf-ud-Daula, Nawab of Awadh

® Objective: it is an important place of worship for the Muslims who come here every year to
celebrate the religious festival of Muharram

® Unique features:
• Known for its incredible Maze (Bhul Bhulaiya)
• Central hall of Bara Imambara, which is said to be the largest arched hall in the world.
• building is made of Lakhanui bricks, which are a bit small in size, and lime plaster.
• No wood or metal has been used in the construction (Except for the galleries in the interior).
• Within the complex of the Imambara there is a Asfi Mosque.
• On the northern side of Bara Imambara there is Rumi Darwaza (large gateway)

Aerial view of Rumi Darwaza