Russia – China Summit

Context: Recently, President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for a two-day state visit. During this visit, he met with
President Xi Jinping at the historic Great Hall of the People, the seat of power of the Chinese Communist Party. During
the visit, a joint statement on deepening the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for
a new era was signed and issued by both leaders. A pledge was made by both to deepen their strategic partnership.
This visit marked Putin’s first international trip since the start of his fifth presidential term.

China – Russia Friendship:

Historical Background

• Early Relationship: The relationship between

China and the Soviet Union had a rocky start.
When Chairman Mao Zedong visited Moscow
after the founding of the People’s Republic of
China in 1949, he was made to wait for weeks
for a meeting with Joseph Stalin.
• Cold War Rivalry: During the Cold War, China
and the USSR were rivals, competing for control
of the global communist movement. Tensions
escalated in the early 1960s, culminating in a
brief border war in 1969.
• Post-Mao Era: The relationship began to
improve after Mao's death in 1976 but
remained frosty until the collapse of the Soviet
Union in 1991.
• Post-Cold War Relations: In the post-Cold War era, economic relations have become the new strategic basis
for Sino-Russian relations. China became Russia’s biggest trading partner and the largest Asian investor in
Russia. China views Russia as a powerhouse of raw materials and a valuable market for its consumer goods.
• Western Hostility: The hostile approach of Western countries, led by the USA, towards Russia after the
annexation of Crimea in 2014 brought Moscow closer to Beijing.

Nature of the Relationship

• Statements from Leaders: According to the leaders of both countries, the relations between China and Russia
are not opportunistic and are not directed against anyone. President Xi has described the China-Russia
friendship as everlasting and a model for a new type of international relations.
• Western Perspective: A White House spokesperson characterized the China-Russia relationship as a
marriage of convenience.

Relationship Against the Backdrop of the Ukraine War

• Strategic Partnership: China and Russia signed a no-limits strategic partnership just days before Russia
invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022.
• Chinese Role: The Chinese role in the war has been a major concern for the West, led by the United States.
The US believes China is supplying technology that Russia is using to build missiles, tanks, and other
battlefield weapons.
• Increased Imports: Russian imports of machine tools, computer chips, and other dual-use items from China
have increased significantly. The sales of Chinese logistics equipment like lorries (for transporting troops)
and excavators (for digging trenches) to Russia have increased by four to seven times since the war began.
Concerns for India

• Defence Supplies: For New Delhi, the Russia-China defence axis raises critical questions. About 60-70% of
Indian defence supplies come from Russia, making regular and reliable supplies crucial, especially amid the
ongoing standoff between Indian and Chinese soldiers at the border.
• Dependence on Russia: Experts in India worry about a scenario where Russia becomes a "junior partner" of
China. This concern is heightened by the historical context:
- During the 1962 war, the Soviet Union did not support India.
- In contrast, Moscow backed India during the 1971 war.
• Uncertain Future: Today’s Russia under Vladimir Putin is different from the old Soviet Union, and its stance
might vary in the event of a conflict between India and China.
•

National Savings Certificate (NSC)

Context: A Rs 9.12 lakh investment in the
National Savings Certificate (NSC) scheme was
recently declared by the Prime Minister in his
nomination filing.

About National Savings Certificate (NSC)

Scheme Overview:

• Description
o A fixed-income investment
scheme launched by the
Government of India.
o Aims to encourage low- to mid-
income investors to save and
invest while also providing tax
benefits.

• Investment Details
o Eligibility: Available to resident
Indian citizens. Non-resident Indians (NRIs) and entities like Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs),
trusts, and private/public limited companies are not eligible.
o Application: Can be invested in personally, for a minor, or jointly with another adult.
o Purchase Location: Available at the nearest post office with required KYC documents.

• Key Features
o Interest Rates: Earns a fixed annual interest, revised quarterly by the government. Guarantees a
regular income.
o Maturity Period: Five years.
o Investment Limit: No upper limit on the amount of NSCs that can be purchased.
o Tax Benefits: Principal invested qualifies for tax savings under Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, up
to Rs. 1.5 lakhs annually.
o Accessibility: Easily bought and transferred between post offices or individuals without affecting
interest accrual or maturity.
o Loan Collateral: Accepted as collateral or security for secured loans from banks and NBFCs.
o Nomination: Allows the investor to nominate a family member (including minors) to inherit the
investment in case of the investor’s demise.
o Premature Withdrawal: Generally, not allowed, except in cases of the investor’s death, a court order,
or forfeiture by a pledgee who is a Gazetted Government Officer.
 • Eligibility Criteria
o Individual must be a resident Indian citizen.
o No age limit for individuals to purchase NSC.
o NRIs, HUFs, trusts, and private/public limited companies are not eligible to invest in NSC.

Materiovigilance Programme of India

Context: Recently, all medical device licence holders and manufacturers were directed by the Drugs Controller General
of India (DCGI) to report any adverse events related to life-saving medical equipment on the government’s
Materiovigilance Programme of India (MvPI) platform.

About:

Topic Details
Materiovigilance
Programme of India
(MvPI)
Launch Date July 6, 2015
Aim To monitor the safety of medical devices in the country.
Objective To improve Indian patient safety by monitoring, recording, and analyzing the
root cause of adverse events or risks associated with the use of medical devices,
including in-vitro diagnostics, and suggesting regulatory actions to improve
patient safety.
Function Collects data on medical device-related adverse events, systematically and
scientifically analyzes them to aid in regulatory decisions and
recommendations.
Coordination and An important program for reporting adverse events and coordinated analysis
Analysis related to medical devices, including in-vitro diagnostic devices.
National Coordination Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) since 2018.
Centre (NCC)
Regulation Regulated by the Central Drugs Standards Control Organization (CDSCO).
Medical Devices Electronic equipment, implants, consumables and disposables, surgical
Covered instruments, and in-vitro diagnostic reagents, among others.
Current Regulation All medical devices in India are regulated by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act,
1940, and Medical Device Rule, 2017.
Dependence on Imports India is currently 80% dependent on imports for medical devices.
Nodal Ministry Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

Key Facts about Drugs Controller

General of India (DCGI)
Role Head of the department of the CDSCO of the Government of India.
Responsibilities Approval of licences for specified categories of drugs such as blood
and blood products, IV fluids, vaccines, and sera in India.
Standards Sets standards for the manufacturing, sales, import, and
distribution of drugs in India.
MATES Migration Scheme
Context: The start date for the Mobility
Arrangement for Talented Early-
professionals Scheme (MATES) for Indian
nationals was announced in the recently
released Australian Federal Budget
Document.

About MATES Migration Scheme:

• Background
o On May 23, 2023, Australia
and India entered into a
Migration and Mobility
Partnership Arrangement
(MMPA).
o The MMPA supports and promotes two-way migration and mobility between the two countries,
addressing issues of illegal and irregular migration.

• Scheme Description
o Name: Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-Professionals Scheme (MATES).
o Purpose: Enables temporary mobility of Indian university graduates and early career professionals.
o Objective: Encourages mutually beneficial skills and knowledge transfer between Australia and India.

• Eligibility:
o Open to Indian nationals aged 18 to 30 years.
o Must be 30 years old or younger at the time of application.
o Must have proficient English language skills.
o Must have graduated within two years from an eligible educational institution at the time of
application.
o Must hold a qualification (Bachelor’s degree or higher) in target fields of study.
o Must not have previously participated in MATES.
o No requirement for sponsorship by an Australian employer.

• Permitted Activities:
o Participants can live and work in Australia for up to 2 years.
o No strict requirement to work in the nominated field of study.
o Designed to support young professionals in expanding their skills and networks, particularly within
specified sectors.

• Program Capacity:
o Initially offers 3,000 places for primary applicants per program year.

• Dependent Rights:
o Participants can apply to bring dependents (spouses and dependent children).
o Dependents will have work rights in Australia and will not count towards the annual cap.

RoseTTAFold
Context: A major scientific breakthrough in the area of computational drug development has been provided by the AI-
based prediction tool RoseTTAFold in the last four years.
About RoseTTAFold:

• Development: Developed by researchers at the University of Washington, U.S.

• Methodology: Utilizes generative diffusion-based architectures, a type of AI model, to predict structural
complexes. Employs neural networks that process massive amounts of input data to generate three-
dimensional structures of proteins
• Benefits: Uses deep learning techniques to rapidly and accurately predict protein structures based on limited
information. Accelerates the process, as determining the structure of a protein through traditional laboratory
methods can take years.
• Neural Network Design: Operates as a "three-track" neural network, simultaneously considering:
1. Patterns in protein sequences.
2. Interactions between amino acids within a protein.
3. Possible three-dimensional structures of proteins.
• Capabilities: Predicts static structures of proteins and protein-protein interactions. Capable of predicting
structures and interactions for any combination of protein, DNA, and RNA molecules.