Internal Security - 4 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH): Prachanda

Why in news:

• The Indian Air Force has recently accepted Prachanda, a domestically produced multi-role Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), designed for use in high-altitude war zones.

Introduction to Light Combat Helicopter (LCH):

• The LCH is an attack helicopter suitable for operating in high-altitude battlefields
• It is the only attack helicopter in the world which can land and take off at an altitude of 5,000 meters with a considerable load of weapons and fuel

LCH features and capabilities:

• The helicopter uses radar-absorbing material to lower radar signature
• It has a significantly crash-proof structure and landing gear
• A pressurised cabin offers protection from Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) contingencies
• The helicopter is equipped with a countermeasure dispensing system that protects it from enemy radars or infrared seekers of enemy missiles
• LCH is powered by two French-origin Shakti engines manufactured by the HAL

Genesis of LCH development:

• The need for a homegrown lightweight assault helicopter was felt during the 1999 Kargil war
• India has been operating French-origin legacy helicopters, Chetak and Cheetah, primarily as utility helicopters
• The government sanctioned the LCH project in October 2006 and HAL was tasked to develop it

Significance of LCH:

• The LCH has the capabilities of combat roles such as destruction of enemy air defence, counter insurgency warfare, combat search and rescue, anti-tank, and counter surface force operations.

Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) MK-III Squadron

Why in news:

• A squadron of Advanced Light Helicopter Mk-III from the Indian Coast Guard has been inaugurated in Chennai not long ago.
  

 Key Facts about ALH Squadron

• The ALH Mk-III helicopters are manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• The helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art features, including advanced radar, electro-optical sensors, Shakti engines, a full glass cockpit, a high-intensity searchlight, advanced communication systems, automatic identification system, and search-and-rescue homer.
• The ALH Mk-III helicopters have the capability to undertake maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue operations at extended ranges, both by day and night.
• The helicopters can switch roles from an offensive platform with a heavy machine gun to that of a benign one carrying a medical intensive care unit to facilitate the transfer of critically ill patients.

Role of ALH Squadron:

• The ALH Squadron will enhance the capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard in the security-sensitive waters off Tamil Nadu and Andhra Region.
• The Squadron will enable the Indian Coast Guard to undertake maritime reconnaissance and search and rescue operations at extended ranges, both by day and night.
• The helicopters can play multiple roles, including offensive platform with a heavy machine gun and carrying a medical intensive care unit to transfer critically ill patients.

Demand for Greater Tipraland

Why in news:

• The leader of TIPRA (Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance), Motha, has stated that they will form an alliance with a political party only if they receive written assurance that the party will support their request for Greater Tipraland. This announcement was made recently.

Regional Extent of Greater Tipraland:

• It includes the region under Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous district Council (TTADC) and 36 villages within the Tripura State boundaries.

Demand for Greater Tipraland:

• Tipra Motha is demanding that this area should be carved out as a State or a Union Territory.
• It seeks to include every tribal person living in an indigenous area or village outside the TTADC under the proposed model.
• The idea doesn’t restrict to simply the Tripura tribal council areas but seeks to include ‘Tiprasa’ of Tripuris spread across different states of India like Assam, Mizoram, etc., as well as those living in Bandarban, Chittagong, Khagrachari, and other bordering areas of neighbouring Bangladesh.

Reasons for Demand:

• The TTADC receives only two percent of the State budget while it has 40% of the State’s population.
• The call of Greater Tipraland arose due to unfulfilled demands of revising National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Tripura and opposition to CAA in the past.
• Turbulent violent struggles by different outlawed insurgent outfits like the Tripura National Volunteers (TNV), United Bengali Liberation Front (UBLF), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), etc. - all demanding self-determination and sovereignty, albeit on different ethnic and community lines.

Constitutional Provisions for the Formation of New States

• The procedure for the formation of new States laid down in Article 3 of the Constitution provides that a State has no say over the formation of new States beyond communicating its views to Parliament.
• The basis of reorganisation could be linguistic, religious, ethnic, or administrative.
• Parliament’s power under Article 3 extends to increasing or diminishing the area of any State and altering the boundaries or name of any State.
• A bill calling for the formation of new States may be introduced in either House of Parliament only on the recommendation of the President.
• Such a bill must be referred by the President to the concerned State Legislature for expressing its views to Parliament if it contains provisions that affect the areas, boundaries or name of that State.

Reasons for Demand for New States:

• Economic backwardness of sub-regions within large states has also emerged as an important ground on which demands for smaller states are being made.
• Linguistic and cultural reasons, which were the primary basis for creating new states in the country, have now become secondary in most of these cases.

Issues:

• Setting up various institutions, government offices, universities, hospitals, etc. require huge sums of money, therefore, the new state might end up depending on the Union for funds, which may or may not be available.
• Different statehood may lead to the hegemony of the dominant community/caste/tribe over their power structures.
• This can lead to the emergence of intra-regional rivalries among the sub-regions.

Way Forward:

• There should be certain clear-cut parameters and safeguards to check the unfettered demands.
• It is better to allow democratic concerns like development, decentralisation, and governance rather than religion, caste, language, or dialect to be the valid bases for conceding the demands for a new state.

12th Edition of Exercise Agni Warrior

Why in news:

• Exercise Agni Warrior, the twelfth edition of a joint military exercise between the Indian and Singaporean Armies, has concluded at the Field Firing Ranges in Maharashtra.

Exercise Agni Warrior: Bilateral Exercise between Singapore & Indian Army

Overview:

• Exercise Agni Warrior aims to enhance mutual understanding of drills & procedures and improve interoperability between the Singapore and Indian armies.

Activities:

• Showcasing joint firepower planning, execution and use of New Generation Equipment by the Artillery arm of both armies.
• Participation in a joint computer war-game as part of the joint planning process.
• Conducting expert academic discussions on modern trends in Artillery and refinement of the Artillery planning process.

Outcomes:

• Improved mutual understanding of drills and procedures.
• Enhanced interoperability between the two armies.

Other Exercises between India and Singapore:

• Bold Kurukshetra (Army)
• Joint Military Training (Air Force)
• Trilateral Maritime Exercise SIMTEX (With Thailand).

Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill

Why in news:

• The Rajya Sabha recently passed the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill
• The government claims that the bill will provide an effective legal tool to combat maritime piracy
• Importance of sea lane security
• The security of sea lanes of communication is critical
• More than 90% of India's trade takes place through sea routes
• Over 80% of India's hydrocarbon requirements are sea-borne

Key Features of the Anti-Maritime Piracy Bill

About:

• The Bill provides for prevention and prosecution of piracy-related crimes
• It applies to all parts of the sea adjacent to and beyond the limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone of India
• It brings into law the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

Definition of Piracy:

• Piracy is defined as any illegal act of violence, detention, or destruction committed against a ship, aircraft, person or property, for private purposes, by the crew or passengers of a private ship or aircraft
• It includes voluntary participation in the operations of a pirate ship or aircraft used for piracy
• It includes any other act considered as piratical under international law

Penalties:

• An act of piracy is punishable with imprisonment for life or death if it causes or attempts to cause death
• Attempt to commit, aid, support, or counsel piracy is punishable with up to 14 years of imprisonment and a fine
• Participating, organizing, or directing others to participate in piracy is punishable with up to 14 years of imprisonment and a fine
• Offences are extraditable, and the accused can be transferred to any country for prosecution with which India has signed an extradition treaty

Jurisdiction of the Courts:

• The central government, in consultation with the Chief Justice of the concerned High Court, may notify Sessions Courts as the Designated Courts under this Bill
• The Designated Court will try offences committed by a person in the custody of the Indian Navy or Coast Guard, regardless of his nationality and by a citizen of India, a resident foreign national in India, or a stateless person
• The Court will not have jurisdiction over offences committed on a foreign ship unless an intervention is requested

Key Challenges in the Bill:

• The Bill provides for a mandatory death penalty for acts of piracy causing or attempting to cause death, which may be unconstitutional
• It is unclear how the punishment will be determined in cases where imprisonment of up to 14 years and life imprisonment overlap
• There is a question of whether the Bill should cover the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of India, which is the area between 12 nautical miles and 200 nautical miles from the coastline.

Understanding the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:

• The UNCLOS, which was adopted in 1982, is a global agreement that establishes the legal framework for marine and maritime activities.
• It is also referred to as the Law of the Sea and classifies marine areas into five primary zones: Internal Waters, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone, Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and the High Seas.
• It is the only international convention that outlines a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces and confers different legal statuses to different maritime zones.
• It serves as a foundation for offshore governance by coastal states and those navigating the oceans.
• The UNCLOS not only zones coastal states’ offshore areas but also provides specific guidance for states’ rights and responsibilities in the five concentric zones.
• India ratified the UNCLOS in 1995.

Countering the Menace of Smuggling

Impact on the Economy and National Security:

• Smuggling is a multidimensional issue with detrimental effects
• Violations occur at the border through smuggling, misdeclaration, or leveraging free trade agreements

Threat to Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative:

• Smuggling and misdeclaration undermine India's initiative for self-reliance
• Massive amounts of misdeclaration leveraging free trade agreements pose a growing threat

Illegal Import of Cigarettes:

• Attractive-looking thin cigarettes lacking mandatory images are being sold on the streets and local markets
• These imported cigarettes violate guidelines such as the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Legal Metrology Act, and Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011
• Required information such as manufacturer, importer or packer's name and address, quantity, and retail price are missing

Call for Action:

• India needs to crack down on smuggling and misdeclaration both internally and at the borders
• India should declare an Anti-Smuggling Day and work with other countries for a global effort to combat smuggling.

The Negative Impacts of Smuggling on Society

Instigating Organized Crime:

• Smuggling involves transportation and distribution of contraband goods
• Creates a profitable underground market for criminal groups
• Can contribute to a rise in organized crime

Funding Terrorism:

• Smuggling can provide funding for terrorist organizations
• Proceeds from smuggling operations can finance violent activities
• Has a destabilizing effect on national and international security

Generating and Circulating Black Money:

• Smuggling often involves exchange of goods and services for cash
• Can result in the generation and circulation of black money
• Results in a loss of tax revenue for governments

Loss of Revenue:

• Smuggling involves avoiding or evading taxes and tariffs
• Results in significant revenue losses for governments
• Can reduce funding for public services and infrastructure

Impact on India:

• Illicit markets in five industries in India are worth Rs 2.6 trillion
• Results in a total estimated legitimate employment loss of 15.96 lakh
• Tax loss to the Centre has increased by 163% over ten years
• According to a report titled "Illicit Markets: A Threat to Our National Interests".

The Challenges of Combating Smuggling

The Scale of Smuggling:

• Smuggling involves a vast range of goods and is a multi-billion dollar industry
• The size of smuggling makes it difficult for law enforcement agencies to keep up

The Sophistication of Smuggling Networks:

• Smugglers operate in highly organized networks that span multiple countries
• Networks use advanced technology to evade detection

Corruption:

• Smugglers rely on corruption to facilitate their activities
• Corruption can occur at all levels and undermines efforts to combat smuggling

The Lack of Resources:

• Countering smuggling requires significant resources
• Many law enforcement agencies are underfunded and understaffed

The Global Nature of the Problem:

• Smuggling is a global problem that requires international cooperation and coordination to address effectively
• Different laws and regulations related to smuggling can make coordination difficult

Evolving Tactics:

• Smugglers constantly change their tactics to evade detection
• They may use new technologies or different methods to transport goods

Public Support:

• The public may not always support efforts to combat smuggling
• Lack of public support can make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to take effective action

Proposed Strategies to Address Smuggling

Enhance Cross-border Coordination:

• Improve coordination between different agencies and countries to identify and intercept smuggled goods.
• Share intelligence and increase communication to combat smuggling.

Implement Trade-data Reconciliations:

• Compare data from different sources to identify discrepancies and anomalies.
• Use this information to identify potential smugglers and take action to stop them.

Crackdown on Grey Markets:

• Increase enforcement efforts and implement stricter regulations to combat grey markets.
• Educate consumers about the dangers of buying smuggled goods.

Increase Manpower in Departments like Legal Metrology:

• Increase the number of inspectors to more effectively monitor the movement of goods.
• Ensure compliance with regulations related to weights and measures.

Steps Taken to Combat Smuggling

Deployment of Analytics and Artificial Intelligence: To prevent smuggling, advanced technologies like analytics and artificial intelligence are being employed to track and trace consignments, patterns, and modules involved in smuggling operations.

Hardware-based Interventions: High-tech anti-smuggling tools are being deployed in Europe, including innovative machines and equipment that can help to analyse the contents of containers and prevent smuggling. Some of these tools include:
(i) Atom-firing Machine: A machine that fires part of an atom at containers to analyse their contents.
(ii) Electronic Sniffer Dog: An electronic device that sniffs particles inside containers to detect illegal goods, and does not tire out like a real dog.
(iii) Unmanned Surface Vessels: These are used for marine monitoring, surveying, and chasing smugglers in deep seas, to prevent smuggling operations.