9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – April 17th, 2023

Mains Oriented Articles

GS PAPER - 1

The story of khayal shows how attempts to remove the imprint of Muslim rule will impoverish Indian culture

Source: The post is based on the article “The story of khayal shows how attempts to remove the imprint of Muslim rule will impoverish Indian culture” published in The Indian Express on 17^th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1 – Art and Culture

Relevance: About khayal style of music

News: NCERT has recently deleted chapters on the Mughal Empire from its Standard 12 history textbooks. However, deleting chapters will not delete the association of Mughal Empire from the Indian culture.

The Mughal Empire had association with India in varied forms such as tangible heritage, monuments, culture, clothes, food, language and music. One of the famous music from the Mughal era that still exists is khayal.

How did khayal music develop with time?

The early form of khayal emerged in the late 16th century when Sufi musicians based in the region between Delhi and Jaunpur adapted the cutkula form. This form used a Hindi dialect.

There were also devotional forms such as the Persian qaul and tarana sung in Sufi communities from Amir Khusro’s (1253-1325) tradition.

The cutkula was a regional form of khayal used during the reign of Sultan Hussain Shah Sharqi of Jaunpur, who ruled from 1458 to 1505 and was a great music lover.

The earliest version of khayal evolved into today’s drut bandish. It is the fast composition, also called the chhota khayal, which is meant to be sung in a spritely tempo.

The members who played this style had close relationships with Vaishnava sects.

Later, Niyamat Khan Sadarang (1670-1748), a famous dhrupad singer played a key role in developing khayal.

He began creating khayal compositions with some melodic movements from dhrupad, setting many of these compositions in a slow tempo. His both slow and fast compositions are widely sung to this day.

By the end of the 19th century, hereditary khayal musicians, who were largely Muslim started to teach the genre to people outside their respective families, including Hindus.

This eventually gave rise to celebrated Hindu musicians such as Bhimsen Joshi, Kishori Amonkar, Kumar Gandharva, etc.

Today, khayal is sung by both Hindu and Muslim groups and deleting chapters on Mughal from the textbook will not delete rooted culture from the society.

Must Read: Changes to the NCERT syllabus and associated issues – Explained

GS PAPER - 2

Diplomacy, with a change in terms of reference

Source– The post is based on the article “Diplomacy, with a change in terms of reference” published in “The Hindu” on 17th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS2- International relations

News- Iran, Saudi Arabia, and China announced that an agreement has been reached between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

What are the important points about the agreement?

It covers a resumption of diplomatic relations between them and a re-opening of their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months.

Read More – Saudi-Iranian normalisation and implications for India – Explained, pointwise

The agreement affirmed their respect for the sovereignty of states, and non-interference in the internal affairs of states.

What are the implications of increasing closeness between Saudi Arabia and Iran?

China brought Saudi Arabia together with Iran when Israel was thinking that the United States would bring it together with Saudi Arabia.

There is a substantial change in the strategic situation in the Middle East. The Saudis are now balancing their security by playing off the U.S. against China.’

USA’s influence and credibility in the region has diminished. A new type of international regional alignment is taking place. It has empowered and has given both Russia and China newfound influence and status.

What are the background events that led to thaw in ties between Saudi and Iran?

Bilateral efforts have been underway since early 2016 to ease tensions that had developed specifically between Tehran, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. The Emir of Kuwait and the Sultan of Oman initiated steps that were responded to by Iran.

Talks were also held in Baghdad and during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to China in February.

All were worried about the attacks on shipping and energy facilities in Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the United Arab Emirates and the longer term implications of the regional conflicts that were underway.

During China’s President Xi Jinping visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2022, he attended the first China-Arab States Summit and the China-GCC Summit.

What were the important developments during the Chinese President’s visit to Saudi Arabia?

Jinping’s speech laid stress on five priority areas: energy cooperation; finance and investment cooperation, innovation, science and technology, aerospace cooperation and Chinese language and cultural cooperation.

Following are some of the initiatives launched

Global Security Initiative

A comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement  

The statement stressed the importance of deepening joint cooperation with regard to the BRI and on attracting Chinese expertise in Saudi megaprojects.

The two sides signed ‘a harmonising plan’ between the KSA’s Vision 2030 and the BRI.

What is the importance of west Asia for India and Its policy towards this region?

Apart from historical linkages, the region is in India’s proximate neighbourhood and within its security parameters. It is the principal source of hydrocarbon imports, and investments.

It is also an important destination for manpower exports apart from being a major trading partner including projects.

India’s reaction to this development has been restrained. The official policy has focused on bilateral relations and avoidance of involvement in bilateral and regional disputes.

India has consciously refrained from participation in alternate security architectures.  The region should not be viewed in competition with China. India should not consider itself a surrogate for western powers in power games.

Recognition of National Party status in India – Explained, pointwise

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Introduction

The Election Commission of India recently made significant changes in the political landscape by recognizing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a national party and revoking the national party status of Trinamool Congress (TMC), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Communist Party of India (CPI). TMC is now considering legal options to challenge the EC’s decision. The decision impacts each party’s visibility, influence, and resources, reflecting the evolving dynamics of India’s political scenario.  

What are the most recent modifications to political party status made by the election commission?

The Election Commission recently conducted a periodic review, upgrading the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to a national party. This decision was based on AAP’s strong performance in Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, and Goa. 

In contrast, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) lost their national party status. However, they were recognized as state parties in Nagaland and Meghalaya, respectively, due to their performance in recent assembly elections.  

Additionally, parties like Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh and Revolutionary Socialist Party in West Bengal had their state party status revoked. Furthermore, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) was recognized as a state party in Nagaland, the Tipra Motha Party as a state party in Tripura, and the Voice of the People Party as a state party in Meghalaya.  

About the history of national parties in India

Early History of National Parties in India: In 1951-52, during the first general elections, there were 14 national parties, including the Indian National Congress, the Communist Party of India, and the All India Bharatiya Jan Sangh.  

After the first general elections, only four parties retained their national status: the Congress, the Praja Socialist Party, the Communist Party of India, and the Jana Sangh.  

Over the years, many parties have merged or ceased to exist, such as the Praja Socialist Party, which later merged with other parties to form the Janata Party.  

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was founded in 1980 and has become one of the major national parties in India. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which focuses on the upliftment of marginalized communities, emerged as a national party in 1984. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) became a national party in 1964, advocating for socialism, secularism, and democracy.  

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), founded in 2012, was recognized as a national party in 2023 due to its electoral performance in several states.  

Currently, there are six national parties in India: the BJP, the Congress, the CPI (Marxist), the AAP, the BSP, and the National People’s Party (NPP).  

How does the EC recognize parties as either national or state parties?

The Election Commission (EC) recognizes political parties as either national or state parties based on criteria laid down in the Representation of People Act 1951 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.  

Parties that have been newly registered, or have not contested an election since being registered, or have not secured the requisite votes/seats in a state or general election are categorised as registered unrecognised political parties (RUPPs). They don’t enjoy all the benefits extended to recognized parties. The recognised party status is reviewed periodically by the EC.  

Criteria to be recognized as National Party:  

Read here: After Gujarat results, AAP set for upgrade: What it takes to become a ‘national party’ in India

Criteria to be recognized as State Party:  

Read here: JJP gets State party status

When can a political party lose its national Party tag in India?

A political party in India can lose its national party tag if it fails to meet the criteria specified under the Representation of People Act 1951 and the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968. A party must fulfil at least one of the following three conditions to maintain its national party status:  

Lok Sabha Seats: The party must win at least 2% of seats in the Lok Sabha from a minimum of three different states.  

Example: If a party wins less than 2% of Lok Sabha seats or fails to win seats in at least three different states, it may lose its national party status.  

General Election Performance: The party must secure at least 6% of votes in four states and win a minimum of four Lok Sabha seats in a general election.  

Example: If a party’s vote share falls below 6% in four states or it wins less than four Lok Sabha seats, it risks losing its national party tag.  

State Party Recognition: The party must be recognized as a state or regional party in four or more states.  

Example: If a party loses its state party recognition in multiple states, reducing its presence to less than four states, it may lose its national party status. In recent events, the TMC, NCP, and CPI have lost their national party status because they failed to meet these criteria.  

What is the significance of obtaining National Party status?

Reserved Symbol: National parties are granted an exclusively reserved symbol for their candidates to use across the country, making it easier for voters to identify their preferred party on the ballot.  

National Presence: National party status allows a party to fight elections throughout India, fielding candidates in any state and thereby expanding its base, influence and nationwide presence.  

Single Proposer: Candidates from national parties need only one proposer when filing nomination papers, simplifying the nomination process and providing easier access to the voter list.  

Star Campaigners: National parties can have up to 40-star campaigners, whose expenditures are not included in the party candidate’s election expenditure, allowing for more prominent figures to campaign without burdening the candidate’s budget.  

Government Land Allocation: National parties receive government land allocation in New Delhi for their national president and office space at subsidized rates.  

Free Airtime on Public Broadcasters: National parties benefit from free airtime on public broadcasters like Doordarshan and All India Radio during general elections, helping them reach a wider audience and convey their message.

Sources: The Hindu (Article 1, Article 2 and Article 3), Indian Express, Livemint, Deccan Herald, Economic Times and Financial Express

Syllabus: GS 2: Indian Constitution and Polity – Formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity

Reforming multilateral lenders is an uphill task

Source: The post is based on the article “Reforming multilateral lenders is an uphill task” published in the Livemint on 17th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Relevance: About reforming MDGs (multilateral development banks).

News: The G20 expert group, co-chaired by N.K. Singh and Larry Summers, are on the view of reforming multilateral development banks (MDBs), such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. But the group said that reforming MDBs would need a closer look at both geopolitics and the domestic political dynamics of the world’s leading nations.

About the G20 expert group on strengthening multilateral development banks(MDBs)

A nine-member G20 expert group, under the aegis of India’s Presidency, has been set up to suggest ways to strengthen multilateral development banks (MDBs) like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Read here: G20 expert group on strengthening multilateral development banks(MDBs)

What are the challenges in reforming MDBs?

– The indebtedness of poor countries escalated during the pandemic and became unmanageable after the Russia-Ukraine war. For example, Zambia defaulted on its external debt.

– Chinese challenge: China’s negotiating strategy and its role as a significant creditor country. According to 2020 data, the Chinese state and its subsidiaries have lent over $1.5 trillion—over 5% of global GDP—to about 150 nations worldwide. China’s bargaining tactics on the restructuring of loans have all the hallmarks of the sovereign commercial debt crisis of the 1980s.

With sovereign debt defaults now a reality, there were demands for China to take hair-cuts and provide some concessions to indebted countries. But China demands MDBs to take hair-cuts.

-The nature of partisan and combative domestic politics in the US. This is because any change in the MDGs will require US Congress approval.

Why Chinese argument on reforming MDGs is flawed?

a) MDG loans are concessional in nature and are earmarked for nations in trouble with no other borrowing option. On the other hand, Chinese loans are essentially commercial, with market-linked coupons and repossession clauses.

b) It is an unfair comparison for China to put itself on the same pedestal as MDBs.

Shaking Up The Rule Of Lawyers – Bar Council’s nod to entry of foreign law firms, even if the scope is restricted, will likely drain large Indian law firms of both talent & clients

Source: The post is based on the article “Shaking Up The Rule Of Lawyers – Bar Council’s nod to entry of foreign law firms, even if the scope is restricted, will likely drain large Indian law firms of both talent & clients” published in The Times of India on 17th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS – 2: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary.

Relevance: About BCI’s decision to permit foreign law firms.

News: The Bar Council of India (BCI) recently permitted foreign lawyers and law firms to practice in India.

About the BCI decision to permit foreign law firms

Read here: Foreign lawyers, firms can operate in India: BCI

What are the advantages of BCI’s decision to permit foreign law firms?

Not impact majority of Indian lawyers: The regulations do not adversely affect more than 99% of the 20 lakh strong Indian lawyer population.

Permitted Limited Liability: Indian law firms (ILFs) are not allowed to be Limited Liability Partnerships. Instead, they can only do partnership firms with unlimited liability. This was a major roadblock for foreign law firms to set up offices in India. But the new regulations have permitted FLFs to be constituted as LLPs.

Enlarge FLFs in India: MNCs always prefer to use the same law firms worldwide. Hence, MNC clients in India will migrate as soon as such FLFs set up in India. This will compel FLFs to rethink having a presence in India.

Further, Fees charged by ILFs are likely to come down.

What are the challenges in BCI’s decision to permit foreign law firms?

Increase surrogacy of FLFs: Some FLFs that had set up offices in India were compelled to exit, following adverse court judgments. Some of them have established surrogate models in India. Such a surrogate firm would be manned only by Indian lawyers and satisfy the criteria for being classified as an Indian firm. Under the new BCI regulations, this surrogacy may proliferate.

Brain drain from ILFs: In most ILFs, only about 50-plus attorneys constitute the A-team or the super performers, who are the most precious asset of the firm. FLFs will target these A-teams, with substantial increase in tax-efficient remuneration; opportunities to move to foreign offices; participation in the international profit pool, etc.

Impact ILFs: Corporate India will be willing to pay high fees if the service is excellent. Many such corporates will therefore move to foreign firms to avail a better quality of service. Many large Indian transactional law firms are likely to lose both their star players and their star clients.

Read more: Global law, local practice – BCI’s move recognises India’s corporate globalisation

 

GS PAPER - 3

How food inflation can be managed keeping El Nino in mind

Source– The post is based on the article “How food inflation can be managed keeping El Nino in mind” published in “The Indian Express” on 17th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Economy

Relevance– Inflation related issues

News– Reserve Bank of India Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) paused the raising repo rates in its last meeting.

RBI is not blindly following the US Fed in raising interest rates to tame inflation. It reflects RBI’s confidence in containing inflation below 6 per cent.

What are the recent numbers on inflation in India?

The CPI data of March 2023 reveals that inflation has dropped to 5.66%. It is below the upper limit of 6%.

This drop in inflation has been significantly brought about by food inflation.

However, even in food, inflationary concerns remain high in case of cereals, milk and milk products.

What is the future scenario of inflation in India?

Milk and milk products have the highest weight in CPI. Milk production in the country suddenly came to a halt in FY23.

This has been attributed to lumpy skin disease. Although the growth in milk production is gaining momentum, it will take time to cool down milk prices.

The only logical option in the short term to contain milk prices seems to be reducing import duties on skimmed milk powder and butter to about 15%.

In the medium to long run, the GoI should augment good quality fodder supplies and raise productivity of milch animals.

Wheat inflation is still roaring at about 20%. It is likely to come down in the next two months as harvesting and procurement picks up in Punjab-Haryana belt. The unseasonal rains in March has created uncertainty about the wheat output.

In this situation, the government can lower import duties on wheat and allow imports. There should be ample supplies in the country to avoid any distressed situation.

The prospect of El Nino has created a new uncertainty about kharif crops. Several crops could be under stress. However, rice stocks in the country are more than three times the buffer stock norms. So, there is no need to panic on that front.

Edible oil prices are already collapsing due to cheaper global prices of palm and other oils. So, there is no need to worry on that account as well.

But pulses, especially tur and urad, can create problems. So, imports of 2 to 3 mt of kharif pulses by NAFED or through private trade cannot be ruled out.

What is the way forward for inflation management in India?

Knee jerk reaction when prices go up does more harm than good. A good idea is developing commodity futures markets.

India needs to invest in building trust in futures markets. There is a need to improve their efficiency with information symmetry. Bringing transparency through better technologies and regulatory institutions needs to be a priority.

The RBI and Centre jointly need to enhance their tool kit to contain inflation below 5%.

On democratising tiger conservation

Source– The post is based on the article “On democratising tiger conservation” published in “The Hindu” on 15th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Environment

Relevance– Conservation and protection of species

News– The tiger number was recently released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the minimum estimate based on the tigers photographed during the survey.

What are issues faced in conserving the tigers in India?

India is now losing tigers in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, the Eastern ghats and from the Northeastern forests. Genetic diversity unique to these geographical regions is lost. It is not good for maintaining long-term population viability and natural recovery.

A tool that is being used to overcome this reduction in tiger numbers is to reintroduce tigers from central Indian forests. However, if this is done too often, re-introduction will homogenise tiger genetic structure across the country. This needs to be looked at more seriously.

Why does the current approach to tiger conservation in India need to have a relook?

The tiger was considered an “umbrella species”. Saving the tiger meant saving the entire ecosystem. Habitats that have the highest tiger numbers are typically those with a high prey abundance.

But in the absence of proper scientific oversight, the focus stayed on boosting tiger numbers rather than their habitat. The most common interventions were to manipulate ecosystems to support high densities of the tiger’s principal prey species.

In most cases, this involved improving habitat for the cheetal. It also required provisioning water. This has resulted in the “cheetalification” of tiger reserves.

For example, in the Kanha Tiger Reserve, the explosion in the cheetal population resulted in the habitat becoming unsuitable for the endangered barasingha, which depends on tall grass. Managers then had to create exclosures free of cheetal so that the barasingha could reproduce and their numbers recover.

In other parks, the excessive provisioning of water during the dry season led to reduced natural, climate driven variations in populations of wildlife. This is likely to have unknown and unintended consequences for these habitats in the long-term.

What are issues related to the policy framework for conservation of species in India?

Conservation in India depends entirely on a network of Protected Areas. This is an exclusive conservation model and suffers from a “sarkaar” complex. Ordinary Indians, especially those living closest to wildlife have very little say in conservation.

The WLPA is a restrictive law. It describes in great detail what you can’t do. However, the law and associated policies have done very little to enable conservation.

There is no policy framework and incentive for ordinary citizens to aid in conservation. As a result, conservation has not reached beyond these PAs.

In other countries, natural lands are owned or managed by individuals, communities, farmers, ranchers, corporates, charities, and the government. Each one of them is incentivised to conserve these lands according to their interests.

As a result, several conservation models operate simultaneously. But in India, all natural habitats are managed by one agency. The approach to conservation is singular, and exclusive.

What is the way forward for species conservation in India?

India needs to have frameworks that allow local communities, citizens, scientists, non-governmental organisations, and businesses to participate meaningfully in conservation.

Large tracts of forest land are “Reserved Forests” under the jurisdiction of State Forest Departments. Such areas can be co-managed with an inclusive approach. It also provides economic benefits for local communities.

In many landscapes, degraded agricultural lands adjoining these forest areas can be restored to enhance connectivity between Protected Areas.

The Indian economy, across sectors, is dominated by duopolies

Source– The post is based on the article “The Indian economy, across sectors, is dominated by duopolies” published in “The Indian Express” on 17th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Economy

Relevance– Structure of the economy

News– The article discusses the issues of monopoly in Indian markets.

What is the nature of market concentration in the manufacturing sector?

Automobile sector- It in India is dominated by Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai. Both are foreign-owned. Together, they account for six out of every 10 cars sold in the country.

If Tata Motors is added, these three players control almost 70% of the total car market. It is the third largest player. Mahindra which ranks fourth in terms of market share

Two-wheelers segment. Three players — Hero MotoCorp, Honda and TVS Motor — account for nearly three-fourths of the total market. Two of these – Hero and TVS – are Indian-owned and Honda is a subsidiary of a Japanese firm.

Gadgets segment– The mobile phone market in India is dominated by the Chinese brands Xiaomi, Vivo and Realme, and Samsung.

Vivo, Realme, Oneplus and Oppo are reportedly linked to the same Chinese company. Together these companies controlled roughly 70% of the market in 2022.

The smart TV market is similarly dominated by the likes of Xiaomi, Samsung and LG.

Similar patterns can be observed in other consumer appliance markets as well as in various segments of the FMCG market.

Core infrastructure- Indian players exercise more control here. In steel, the four biggest companies — JSW Steel, SAIL, Tata Steel and JSPL — control more than half the market. Three of these are domestic private-sector firms, while one is a public-sector enterprise.

Similarly, the four biggest Indian cement firms command half of the market share in the country.

Other areas- Such examples of market concentration can also be seen in other segments, especially in certain commodities and related segments.

The lines of demarcation between foreign and domestic players across markets are not exactly clear. There are examples of companies such as Asian Paints, Amul and Pidilite who hold a commanding position in markets where foreign competition is limited.

There are state-sanctioned monopolies in the provision of utilities such as electricity and water. These markets are largely the preserve of the public sector.

What is the nature of concentration of ownership in the service sector?

Similar patterns of market concentration can be observed here. Online markets tend to be dominated by foreign players or by firms heavily financed by foreign funds. Other service segments are more titled towards domestic players.

The telecom sector is dominated by two large players called Jio and Airtel and a weak third player. Together, Jio and Airtel account for more than two-thirds of the market. Both are controlled by Indian promoters.

The airline industry is also now dominated by two players — Indigo and Tata. The two airline groups accounted for more than 80% of the domestic market share in the current year.

In the private banking space, HDFC, ICICI and AXIS account for a significant share. All of them have sizable foreign ownership. Concentration is also evident in airports and ports.

Similar patterns can be observed in online markets as well. The retail market is dominated by Amazon and Flipkart. The payments market has been cornered by PhonePe and Google Pay. Food delivery is split between Zomato and Swiggy; and transportation between Ola and Uber. Most of these companies are either foreign-owned or majorly backed by foreign players.

What are the impacts of market monopolies?

The concentration of ownership in the hands of a few big firms has been linked to higher prices for consumers, a declining share of labour income and rising wage inequality.

There is also the possibility of the more dominant firms influencing government policy to restrict competition. This can be done by high entry barriers and distorting the playing field to the disadvantage of their competitors.

This can be achieved by raising import duties, tight regulations or licensing requirements, changing the rules of the game to restrict competitors or even making it difficult to sign beneficial free trade agreements.

Blink, It’s Not Gone – Ecommerce labour protests speak to the larger problem of not enough regular non-farm jobs

Source: The post is based on the article “Blink, It’s Not Gone – Ecommerce labour protests speak to the larger problem of not enough regular non-farm jobs” published in The Times of India on 17^th April 2023.

Syllabus: GS 3 – Growth and Development

Relevance: concerns associated with gig platforms

News: The delivery executive of Blinkit has gone on strike in the National Capital Region. The strike is over Blinkit’s revised rates and benefits that drastically reduce minimum earnings on orders.

What are the issues with tech-driven commerce platforms?

Most of the commerce platforms aren’t profitable and depend on investor capital.

When investors demand profits or cash runs thin, these companies cut pay and benefits for their delivery executives. This ultimately affects the earnings of delivery agents and makes gig jobs less attractive.

Why are gig jobs preferred in India?

People often prefer gig platforms due to the lack of steady non-farm jobs.

As per Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-22, most additional jobs in the country are being created in the self-employed category. This implies that there are not enough salaried jobs.

Hence, the young workforce in India is left with the choice between accepting low-paying gig work with poor working conditions or returning to their villages for unproductive farm work.

What can be the way ahead?

The economy needs to create many more regular jobs for the burgeoning workforce, especially in the manufacturing and services sectors. This will provide better working conditions for the young workforce.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

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