9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief – January 27th, 2023

Posted on January 27th, 2023 Last modified on March 1st, 2023 Comments Views 45

Dear Friends,

We have initiated some changes in the 9 PM Brief and other postings related to current affairs. What we sought to do:

Ensure that all relevant facts, data, and arguments from today’s newspaper are readily available to you.
We have widened the sources to provide you with content that is more than enough and adds value not just for GS but also for essay writing. Hence, the 9 PM brief now covers the following newspapers:
1. The Hindu
2. Indian Express
3. Livemint
4. Business Standard
5. Times of India
6. Down To Earth
7. PIB
We have also introduced the relevance part to every article. This ensures that you know why a particular article is important.
Since these changes are new, so initially the number of articles might increase, but they’ll go down over time.
It is our endeavor to provide you with the best content and your feedback is essential for the same. We will be anticipating your feedback and ensure the blog serves as an optimal medium of learning for all the aspirants.
- For previous editions of 9 PM Brief – Click Here
- For individual articles of 9 PM Brief– Click Here

Current Affairs Compilations for UPSC IAS Prelims 2022

Mains Oriented Articles

Mains Oriented Articles

GS Paper 1

A ‘Holocaust education’ for India to create a just present

Source: The post is based on the article “A ‘Holocaust education’ for India to create a just present” published in The Hindu on 27^th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS 1 – World History

Relevance: learnings from the Holocaust

News: 27th January is remembered as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Six million Jews were murdered by Nazi-Germany in the Holocaust.

What can we learn from the Holocaust?

The Holocaust gives us the message that there is a need to respect human rights, have patience and respect others from different societies, race, sex, etc.

It is an example of the consequences of hate crimes and antisemitism that made their way into the mainstream. Antisemitism becomes more dangerous when used for power-related purposes or during crisis and uncertainty.

Today, the world is struggling with inequality, intolerance, and injustice in many places. Economic, cultural, religious and ethnic issues lead to division, hate crimes and violence in many parts of the globe.

Moreover, there has also been an increase in the number of antisemitic incidents against Jews all around the world.

Therefore, education about the Holocaust is necessary to understand the factors that led to the eradication of human rights and democratic values.

It can also help to understand circumstances that can cause increase in hate speech, violence, and even mass killing.

With this view, UNESCO has the initiative known as the International Program on Holocaust and Genocide Education (IPHGE). It is a step in the direction of fostering reparative justice.

The programme teaches the youth values, prepare them to address future challenges such as critical thinking, empathy, tolerance, and respect for human rights.

How does India view the Holocaust?

The Holocaust in India is just a historical event and India has not been able to connect emotionally with the event.

Therefore, it is necessary to educate the youth all around the world including India about the Holocaust to help them to analyse the past injustices and create a just present.

GS Paper 2

The blurred lines between gaming and gambling

Source: The post is based on the article “The blurred lines between gaming and gambling” published in The Hindu on 27^th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS 2 – Governance

Relevance: concerns associated with the online gaming industry

News: Some online gaming such as rummy and poker involves financial risks. Despite this, they are not considered as gambling.

What are the issues with games like poker and rummy?

Poker and rummy are some of the online games which involve financial risks, i.e., users either can win or lose money in it. These games are called online gambling apps in parts of the world.

However, in India, these games are known as Real Money Gaming or RMG.

The reasons are that these gaming platforms say that rummy and poker are ‘games of skill’ and therefore don’t fall into the category of betting and gambling.

The Constitution gives States the power to regulate betting and gambling. Since these games are considered as RMG, it becomes difficult for the state to regulate it.

Further, even courts have held that playing games such as poker and rummy requires and rewards application of mind and doesn’t constitute gambling.

What efforts have been taken by the government to regulate such online games?

Tamil Nadu has attempted to define and restrict these platforms by enacting a law to restrict online gaming. However, the effort at prohibition was struck down by the Madras High Court.

Last year, the Union Home Department held a consultation with the stakeholders of online game industry but the submissions were not made public.

Further, the Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology has said that any game that allows or permits gambling is dangerous.

However, the draft that regulates online gaming only contains safeguards for such platforms instead of regulating it.

What can be the way ahead?

In order to come up with proper regulatory measures for online gaming, it’s necessary to provide what constitutes the real money gaming industry and what not. Then only, it would become easier to regulate gambling apps.

A chink in the Indo-Pak ice

Source: This post is created based on the article “A chink in the Indo-Pak ice”, published in Business Standard on 27^th January 2023.

Syllabus Topic – GS Paper 2 – International relations – India and its neighborhood

News: Lately, India- Pakistan relations have taken a positive turn after years of stagnancy.

What are the developments?

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in a recent speech accepted that Pakistan has learned lessons after being defeated in three wars and indicated his desire for peace with India.
Shortly, after that India invited Pakistan’s Foreign Minister to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers’ meeting that India would be hosting in Goa.

Why is there a positive turn in attitude of Pakistani leadership?

Success of talks between two armies that led to agreement to honor the terms of a 2003 ceasefire agreement in February 2021. The agreement has more or less been held.
State of Pakistan’s economy is critical. It is facing foreign exchange crisis.

What are the challenges that still remains?

First, every time after giving a speech favourable towards India, Pakistani leaders go back to their old tracks. This time as well, Pak PM backtracked and later said talks could take place only when India reversed its decision to end special status on Kashmir. There is very feeble possibility of restoration of article 370.
Second, In the past as well, efforts of talks have been made by India. In 2001, PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and military dictator Pervez Musharraf over Kashmir met in Agra. In 2015, PM Modi made a surprise visit to Pakistan to greet Nawaz Sharif on his birthday. However, after both the instances, frequency of cross-border terrorism increased.
Third, Pakistani govt. or its military have not yet responded to the invitation.

GS Paper 3

Japan to flush Fukushima wastewater

Source: This post is created based on the article “Japan to flush Fukushima wastewater”, published in The Hindu on 27^th January 2023.

Syllabus Topic – GS Paper 3 – Environmental Pollution

News: Japan is expected to start flushing 1.25 million tonnes of wastewater from the embattled Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean this year.

The 2011 earthquake of 9 magnitude, damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. radioactive materials leaked from the plant and made its surrounding land uninhabitable.

The water that Japan wants to flush was used to cool the reactors and contains radioactive isotopes.

What are the justifications by the government?

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), which operates the Fukushima facility, has said that it has treated the water to remove most radioactive isotopes. The water is expected to be far above safety standards.

Nuclear plants around the world regularly release water containing trace amounts of radionuclides into large water bodies.

There is no known threshold below which radiation can be considered safe.

What are the concerns?

Isotopes of ruthenium and plutonium could not be removed entirely by the TEPCO’s treatment procedure. These isotopes could stay in the ocean and marine creatures for a longer period of time.

Experts expect the affected water to poison the fish.

Any discharge of radioactive materials will increase the risk of cancer and other known health impacts to those who are exposed,

What are the other options for Japan?

Japanese government can’t store the water for longer, because tritium’s half-life is 12-13 years. The affect of other radioactive materials will also reduce within this period.

Fukushima facility has been declared uninhabitable, so permanent tanks to hold the water can be built here, each with a capacity of 1,000 metre cube.

Fighting The Big G – on big tech’s anti-competitive practices

Source– The post is based on the article “Fighting The Big G” published in The Times of India on 27th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Awareness in the field of IT

Relevance– Regulation of digital ecosystem

News– The article explains the issue of dominant position and anti-competitive practices of big digital players in the digital space. It also explains the change in business model by Google in India due to SC decision on Competition Commission of India’s rulings.

How is Google changing its business model in India?

The change was triggered by the Supreme Court asking Google to comply with the Competition Commission of India’s rulings.

In the new model, instead of creating a bouquet of apps, smartphone makers can license individual apps from Google. Also, its search engine will not necessarily be the default setting.

How the Google business model is facing regulatory crackdown across the world?

South Korea’s parliament in 2021 passed a bill imposing curbs on the proprietary billing system of Google and Apple.

The EU in May will enforce a new law called the Digital Markets Act. It will prevent “gatekeepers” from engaging in anti-competitive behaviour. It will no longer be business as usual for the Android OS ecosystem.

Why substantial change in business approach of big digital companies is unlikely to happen in near future?

The walled garden approach that ensured Android’s dominance is based on a complex model of cross-subsidies.

Google’s huge user base comes from offering free services such as a search engine and email. This user base is then monetised for advertising revenue. Even third party apps cannot all wish away Google.

Application Programming Interfaces offered by Google allow app developers to utilise a number of its services. It reduces development costs for third party app developers. This web of cross-subsidies cannot be disentangled overnight.

What is the right way to establish fair competition in digital space?

The regulatory crackdown on the Android ecosystem is necessary to open the door to more competition. It may not happen overnight but the process is underway.

The digital world’s economies of scope require a new set of tools.

Invent In India – on defence indigenisation in India

Source– The post is based on the article “Invent In India” published in The Times of India on 27th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS3- Security

Relevance– Defence reforms and modernisation

News– The article explains the need for defence indigenisation in India. It also explains the steps needed to be taken for defence indigenisation.

Why is there a need for strong focus upon defence indigenisation in India?

India’s neighbourhood isn’t a peaceful one. It has to be militarily strong, and indigenisation is the best way to do that.

India has largely relied on foreign defence platforms over the years. About 60% of India’s defence hardware is of Russian origin. The Ukraine war has thoroughly exposed this Russian arsenal.

GoI’s indigenisation move is a good start. However, the country is still confronted with gaps in indigenous development capabilities for high-tech platforms. For example, even the import content for the indigenous Tejas fighter continues to be around 50%.

What is the way forward for defence indigenisation in India?

The focus now ought to be on increasing the level of indigenisation. That can happen only through improving the quality of R&D.

Civilian and defence R&D can create a mutually reinforcing technology ecosystem. Many of the world’s widely used products and services have military-civilian dual applications.

The internet, space rockets, GPS and radar are merely the most famous examples.

Drones are the latest example of military research changing civilian life. Defence research has even had an enormous impact on healthcare.

There is a need for fiscal support for domestic weapons systems.

GoI must help create a network of big companies for manufacturing weapons, technology entrepreneurs to experiment with new tech and academia for talented young researchers.

GS Paper 4

In Good Faith: Pranam vs Pramana — why faith and science must co-exist

Source– The post is based on the article “In Good Faith: Pranam vs Pramana — why faith and science must co-exist” published in The Indian Express on 27th January 2023.

Syllabus: GS4- Ethics and human interface

Relevance– Conflict between values of scientific approach and faith

News– The article explains the difference between faith and science. It also explains how scientific understanding is being undermined today. It also suggests the way forward for harmonious coexistence between faith and science.

What is the difference between Pranam and Pramana?

Pranam– It is derived from Sanskrit with “pra” meaning “forward” while “ānama” means “bending or stretching”. Together, pranama means “bending, bowing in front”.

Pranam is a common Hindu traditional custom of greeting a person where one often bows to a superior person. Bowing to an eminent person and God is considered as a show of faith in them. It denotes faith, tradition, and dogma-based decisions.

Pramana– It is also a Sanskrit word, meaning “proof”. It refers to the concept of objectivity and science. It is the means that can lead to knowledge.

Three of the pramanas, which are almost universally accepted are pratyakṣa (eyewitness or personal experience), anumāna (logical inference), śabda (expert opinion).

What is the difference between science and faith?

In a science-based society, people have the freedom to question things, and seek answers. Then, they can choose their way forward based on their own understanding.They are free to exchange notes and learn from each other. But this is not the case with faith.

The other important difference pertains to acceptance of change. Faith and dogma are constants and do not accept questioning.

As new discoveries occur, our understanding is updated. It is quite possible for scientifically appropriate thinking to change with update.

We can take the example of the health sector. Our attitudes towards menstruation is a case in point. Rather than treating it as a biological phenomenon, a lot of semi-religious customs have been built around it. They adversely affect a girl’s health.

Most parents and teachers are very uncomfortable discussing human biology with children. This is also reflected in health issues around childbirth, breastfeeding, and contraception.

The approach to promote traditional medicine reflects this fault line. There are conflicts between promoting traditional medicine just because it is our tradition, and insisting that it be subjected to the rigours of modern science.

How is scientific understanding being undermined?

Today, evidence based thinking is under threat. The overload of information and our inability to process them appropriately has resulted in faith being promoted in the presence of abundant information.

Evidence is manufactured to suit one’s point of view. Rejecting scientific institutions and scientists wholly is unfair.

The current Covid-19 pandemic provided a fertile ground for promoting faith and questioning science. Today, the teaching of science itself has become a ritual. It is more of rote learning than understanding.

What is the way forward for society?

Faith will always have a place in any society but should not be at the cost of science.

It is also important for faith-based organisations to understand the limitations of faith and not undermine the importance of science in daily life.

There is a need to learn to coexist by understanding the need for both for our societal wellbeing. Both need to be promoted but not at the expense of the other.

Teachers or parents should encourage children to ask questions and not only memorise theorems and formulae like mantras. Health professionals must also learn to not belittle faith.

Platforms for constant dialogue and harmonious coexistence between these two critical pillars of a society are needed in the current times.

Prelims Oriented Articles (Factly)

India and Egypt relationship

Source– The post is based on the article “Sisi’s visit as Republic Day chief guest: India’s Egypt opportunity” and “Delhi to Cairo” published in The Indian Express on 27th January 2023.

News– The article explains the historical aspects of the bilateral relationship between India and Egypt.

Sisi visited India as Chief Guest of this year’s Republic Day. This is the first time that an Egyptian President has been accorded this honour.

What are the historical aspects of the bilateral relationship between India and Egypt?

The history of contacts between India and Egypt can be traced back to at least the time of Emperor Asoka.

In modern times, Mahatma Gandhi and the Egyptian revolutionary Saad Zaghloul shared common goals on independence from British colonial rule.

The two nations made a joint announcement of establishment of diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level three days after India became free.

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was a close friend of President Gamal Nasser, and India and Egypt signed a friendship treaty in 1955.

In 1961, Nehru and Nasser, along with Yugoslavia’s President Tito, Indonesia’s President Sukarno established the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, I K Gujral, and Dr Manmohan Singh visited Egypt in 1985, 1995, 1997, and 2009 respectively.

Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak came to India in 1982, 1983, and 2008. After the 2011 revolution, President Mohamed Morsi visited India in March 2013.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Cairo in August 2015, a little over a year after Sisi took charge in June 2014.

PM Modi met Sisi on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015. Egyptian leader Sisi visited India in September 2016. The joint statement identified political-security cooperation, economic engagement and scientific collaboration, and cultural and people-people ties as the basis of a new partnership for a new era.

What is the importance of Egypt?

Egypt is the most populous country in West Asia. It occupies a crucial geo-strategic location.

12% of global trade passes through the Suez Canal. It is a key player in the region.

Egypt is a link state between West Asia and North Africa. It is seen by the West as a force for stability in a region affected by al Qaeda, IS and other Islamists.

What are points of convergence in their relationship?

Friend in Muslim world– Egypt has a special place in the Islamic world. It is home to the great university of Al Azhar, widely seen as the most respected seat of learning for Sunni Islam.

India views Sisi’s Egypt as a moderate Islamic voice among Muslim-majority countries and friend within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

From the beginning, Sisi has been tough on Islamic religious extremism.

Stand on terrorism– President Sisi during the visit said that India and Egypt were worried about the spread of terrorism around the world.He called it the “most serious security threat” to humanity.

Modi said that the two countries agreed that concerted action is necessary to end cross-border terrorism.

Economic– It is a major market for India and can act as a gateway to both Europe and Africa. It also has bilateral trade pacts with important West Asian and African nations.

Recently, India agreed to export 1,80,000 tons of wheat to Egypt when it was facing a food crisis.

Geopolitical-The two countries are founding members of the NAM.

Like India, Egypt has tried to remain neutral in Russia’s war against Ukraine.

The geopolitical landscape in West Asia has been transformed, with 9/11, Arab Spring revolts, rise of ISIS and Abrahamic Accords following in quick succession over 20 years.

India’s own strategic, security and economic priorities in West Asia have changed. These are bringing India closer to Israel, the UAE and Saudi Arabia. India now partners the UAE, Israel and the US in a “quad of the Middle East”.

What are the issues that can have an impact on the bilateral relationship?

Weak economy of Egypt– It was impacted by the collapse of tourism during the pandemic. The Russia-Ukraine war has impacted its supply of food. Almost 80% of Egypt’s grain came from these two countries. Inflation is at a five-year high of 21%.

China factor– China’s bilateral trade with Egypt is double that of India’s $7.26 billion in 2021-22. Sisi has been wooing Chinese investments. He has travelled to China as many as seven times in the last eight years.

What is the status of defence and security cooperation between the two countries?

The two countries are looking at deepening defence and security cooperation.

The two Air Forces collaborated on the development of fighter aircraft in the 1960s. Both the IAF and Egyptian air force fly the French Rafale fighter jets.

New Delhi wants to supply India-made defence equipment such as the LCA Tejas to Egypt.

A pact was signed when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited Cairo last year. The two countries have decided to also participate in exercises and cooperate in training.

What were the important developments during the recent visit?

The joint statement outlined the elements of a “new partnership for a new era”. The relationship was elevated to a “strategic partnership”.

The strategic partnership will have broadly four elements: political, defence, and security; economic engagement; scientific and academic collaboration; cultural and people-to-people contacts.

India’s first mission to study the sun to begin by June-July

Source: The post is based on the article “India’s first mission to study the sun to begin by June-July” published in The Hindu on 27th January 2023

What is the News?

The Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO) is planning to launch the Aditya-L1 mission by June or July 2023.

What is Aditya L1?

Aditya-L1 is the first Indian space mission to observe the Sun and the solar corona.

Objective of the mission: To study solar upper atmospheric (chromosphere and corona) dynamics and understand the physics of the solar corona and its heating mechanism.

The mission will be launched to the L1 orbit (which is the first Lagrangian point of the Sun-Earth system).L1 orbit allows Aditya-L1 to look at the Sun continuously.

Payloads: Aditya-L1 has seven payloads in total, of which the primary payload is the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph(VELC).The other six payloads are being developed by the ISRO and other scientific institutions.

What is Visible Emission Line Coronagraph(VELC)?

VELC is the largest payload to be carried on board the Aditya-L1.It is designed and fabricated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru.

Purpose: It is an internally occulted solar coronagraph capable of simultaneous imaging, spectroscopy and spectro-polarimetry close to the solar limb.

Significance: No other solar coronagraph in space has the ability to image the solar corona as close to the solar disk as VELC can.It can image it as close as 1.05 times the solar radius.It can also do imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry at the same time, and can take observations at a very high resolution or level of detail and many times a second.

Monuments of National Importance: The Urgent Need for Rationalization

Source: The post is based on the article “Monuments of National Importance: The Urgent Need for Rationalization” published in TOI on 27th January 2023

What is the News?

The Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister has released a report titled ‘Monuments of National Importance: The Urgent Need for Rationalization’.

What are Monuments of National Importance?

Click Here to read

What are the key findings and recommendations of the report?

Too many Monuments of National Importance(MNI): India currently has 3,693 monuments of national importance(MNI) and their protection and upkeep is the responsibility of the Archaeological Survey of India(ASI).

However, a large number of MNI seem not to have national importance or historical or cultural significance.The report estimates that around a quarter of the current list of 3,695 MNI may not have ‘national importance’ per se.

For instance, around 75 graves and cemeteries of British officers and soldiers that have neither architectural significance nor historical or cultural importance are on the list.

Missing Monuments: As many as 24 “untraceable” monuments are still being considered as monuments of national importance(MNI).

– The report cited a 2013 audit by the Comptroller and Auditor General, which declared 92 monuments as “missing” after a first-of-its-kind physical verification exercise undertaken after Independence.

Inadequate Funds to upkeep monuments: The funds allocated for the upkeep and maintenance of many of these centrally protected monuments are inadequate and geographically skewed.

Additionally, there is imbalance in the state-wise distribution of funds.In 2019-20, Delhi, which has 173 MNI, received Rs 18.5 crore; on the other hand, Uttar Pradesh with 745 monuments was allocated just Rs 15.95 crore.

This imbalance is further compounded by the fact that the revenue collected at MNI through ticketing, photography, filming etc does not go to the ASI or the Ministry of Culture.

No definition of monument of national importance: The major problem plaguing the identification and preservation of monuments of national importance lies in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act,1958.

Neither the Act nor the National Policy for Conservation (2014) have defined what the term ‘national importance’ means.

The Act also does not have a substantive process/ criteria prescribed for identifying a monument as a monument of national importance.In absence of well-defined principles, the selection of monuments of national importance seems to be arbitrary.

What are the recommendations given by the report?

Firstly, the report underlined the urgent need to rationalise India’s list of monuments of national importance and recommended that the ASI should evolve substantive criteria and a detailed procedure for declaring monuments to be of national importance.

Secondly, ASI should publish a book of notifications with detailed information about each MNI’s provenance, hand over protection and upkeep of monuments of local importance to respective states and denotify to the extent possible, all standalone antiquities like cannons and statues.

Thirdly, allocation of funds for the preservation of MNI should be increased and ASI should retain the proceeds generated from revenue streams like tickets, events, fees and other sources.

Bharat Parv 2023 inaugurated at Red Fort lawns

Source: The post is based on the article “Bharat Parv 2023 inaugurated at Red Fort lawns” published in PIB on 26th January 2023

What is the News?

The six – day mega event “Bharat Parv” was inaugurated today at Red Fort Lawns.

What is Bharat Parv?

Organized by: Ministry of Tourism

Purpose: To showcase the cuisine and culture of different states of India.

The festival is held annually at the end of January.

Significance: Bharat Parv brings together the vibrant rich culture of Bharat with participation by over 30 States/UTs & 20 Central ministries at this historical place.

It fulfills the spirit of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat as artists, handicrafts, and food stalls from all over India are present here.

Bharat Parv this year is promoting Millets and is also showcasing the achievements of different ministries.

States fall short of target to improve forest cover, quality

Source: The post is based on the article “States fall short of target to improve forest cover, quality” published in The Hindu on 27th January 2023

What is the News?

India is lagging behind in the targets to increase the number and quality of tree- and forest-cover plantations set in the Green India Mission.

What is the National Mission for a Green India(GIM)?

It is one of the eight missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change.

Aim: To protect, restore and enhance India’s forest cover and respond to climate change.

Target: The target under the Mission is 10 million hectares (mha) of forest and non-forest lands for increasing the forest and tree cover and improving the quality of existing forests.

– Improving tree cover is critical to sequester carbon and bolster India’s carbon stocks as part of its international commitments to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

What has been the progress on the targets under the Green India Mission?

From 2015-16 to 2021-22, the Centre had approved a target of increasing tree and forest cover by 53,377 hectares and improving the quality of the degraded forest by 1,66,656 ha.

However, as of December 2022, tree/forest cover had increased by 26,287 hectares and forest quality improved by only 1,02,096 hectares.

The States with a significant shortfall in tree cover include Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.

What does the India State of Forest Report-2021 says on Forest Cover?

As per the India State of Forest Report-2021, forest and tree cover in the country has increased by 2,261 square kilometers since the last assessment in 2019.

India’s total forest and tree cover was 80.9 million hectares, which accounted for 24.62% of the geographical area of the country.

The report said 17 States and Union Territories had more than 33% of their area under forest cover.

Madhya Pradesh had the largest forest cover, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra.

The top five States in terms of forest cover as a percentage of their total geographical area were Mizoram (84.53%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.33%), Meghalaya (76%), Manipur (74.34%) and Nagaland (73.9%).

Union Health Minister unveils world’s first intranasal COVID19 vaccine, iNNCOVACC

Source: The post is based on the article “Union Health Minister unveils world’s first intranasal COVID19 vaccine, iNNCOVACC” published in PIB on 26th January 2023

What is the News?

The Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare has unveiled the iNNCOVACC COVID19 vaccine.

What is iNNCOVAC?

iNNCOVACC is the world’s first intranasal COVID19 vaccine to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule and as a heterologous booster dose.

Developed by: Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance(BIRAC).

Click Here to read more about the vaccine

What is ZyCoV-D?

It is the world’s first and India’s indigenously developed DNA based vaccine for Covid-19 to be administered in humans including children and adults 12 years and above.

Developed by: Zydus Cadila in partnership with the Department of Biotechnology in the Ministry of Science & Technology under ‘Mission Covid Suraksha’ through BIRAC.

Click here to read more about the vaccine

China has exploited tribal alienation along India-Myanmar border

Source: The post is based on the article “China has exploited tribal alienation along India-Myanmar border” published in The Hindu on 25th January 2023

What is the News?

Indian Police Service(IPS) officers have presented three papers on China at the annual All India Conference of Directors-General and Inspectors-General of Police.

What are the key highlights from these documents on China?

China trying to create instability in the North east: India shares a 1,643-km long border with Myanmar that passes through four States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram.

Given the historical and cultural linkages between people on both sides, the border is relatively porous, and there is a free movement regime in place under which locals can move up to 16 km on either side of the border.

Efforts taken by both India and Myanmar to fence the border have been protested by tribal communities on both sides, who fear that the demarcation would lead to them losing their land and forest access to the other side.

China is exploiting this sense of alienation and insecurity among tribal communities along the India-Myanmar border in order to “cause insurgency and instability” in northeast India.

Historical link between the northeast insurgents and China: Based on intelligence inputs, there exists a historical link between the northeast insurgents and China. The arms acquired from China are smuggled through Thailand, Bangladesh and Sino-Myanmar borders into the northeastern States.

Investment in Neighboring countries: China is investing huge amounts of money in the neighboring countries of India mainly Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Sri Lanka in the name of infrastructure development and other financial assistance.

Without exception, India’s neighboring countries have described China as a crucial development partner, either as a funder or in providing technological and logistical support.

However, the economic element is increasingly intertwined with political, government and people-to-people aspects of these relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created opportunities for China to work directly with these countries in new ways such as the provision of medical equipment, biomedical expertise and capital for coronavirus-related needs.

Hence, these developments demonstrate that China’s presence in Southeast and South Asia is no longer predominantly economic but involves a greater, multidimensional effort to enhance its posture and further its long term strategic interests in the region.

India and Egypt reiterate support for Non-Aligned Movement

Source: The post is based on the article “India and Egypt reiterate support for Non-Aligned Movement” published in The Hindu on 27th January 2023

What is the News?

The Egyptian President was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day parade.He also met the Indian Prime Minister.

What are the key highlights from the Egyptian President’s meeting with the Prime Minister?

On Non-Aligned Movement: India and Egypt reiterated support for the Non-Aligned Movement.

On Defence: They agreed to initiate new engagements to intensify military-to-military engagements and planned more joint exercises between the armed forces of the two countries.

On Terrorism: They agreed to fight terrorism in all forms, “including cross-border terrorism and intensify consultation between their respective National Security Councils.

Elevated ties to strategic partnership: They decided to elevate the ties to a strategic partnership.There will be broadly four elements of the partnership: 1) political, defence and security 2) economic engagement 3) scientific and academic collaboration and 4) cultural and people-to-people contacts.

On Trade: Egypt has offered to allocate land for Indian industries at the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone).

Note: India-Egypt ties have been on an upswing in the recent past and both delegations supported reform of the UN Security Council where Egypt was a non-permanent member during 2016-17 and India had a similar stint during 2021-22.

– Egypt’s relation with India was also helped by its display of pragmatism especially in the backdrop of the Nupur Sharma controversy of 2022 when Egypt maintained silence while certain Gulf countries were vocal in criticizing India.