October 2020: International Relations | Additional Study Material for UPSC PDF Download

A referendum in New Caledonia

In a referendum held recently, the French territory of New Caledonia voted against independence from France.

➤ Major Points

• The referendum was part of a decolonisation plan, known as the Noumea Accord, agreed in 1998.

➤ Population

• The indigenous Kanaks represent around 39% of the population, while European settlers (known as Caldoches) make up about 27%. 
• Most of the remainder are from other Pacific islands, which are of mixed heritage, called Caledonians.

➤ History

• New Caledonia was discovered in 1774 by the British navigator James Cook. 
• France annexed it in 1853. 
• In 1946, New Caledonia became an overseas territory, By 1953, French citizenship had been granted to all New Caledonians, regardless of ethnicity.

➤ Economy

• Besides having one of the region's highest average incomes per capita, New Caledonia is rich in resources and accounts for around 10% of the world's nickel reserve.

➤ Political Status

• New Caledonia is a territory sui generis i.e. territory of its own kind. 
• It is a French overseas collectivity i.e. they are first-order administrative divisions of France but have semi-autonomous status. 
• It is one of the United Nations 17 Non-Self- Governing territories - where the process of decolonisation has not been completed.
• Non-Self-Governing Territories are defined as "territories whose people have not yet attained a full measure of self-government". It includes the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Western Sahara, etc. 
• They vote in French elections and have French nationality. 
• New Caledonia has a power-sharing executive elected by the territory's Congress, which ensures that all parties on it are represented in proportion to their number of seats in Congress. 
• It depends on France for matters like defence and education. Conflict Over Independence: The country has had conflicts over the issue of autonomy and independence from France for a long time. 
• New Caledonia has deep divisions between its indigenous Kanak population and Europeans, with indigenous Kanaks favouring independence and Europeans being against it. 
• In the 1980s, the country had violent conflicts between the opponents and supporters of independence, culminating in Matignon Accords in 1988. 
• The Accords specified a 10-year transitory status, after which a self-determination referendum would be held. 
• The Noumea Accord, which was concluded in 1998, provided for practically sovereign status. Under this agreement, New Caledonia is allowed up to three referendums on independence, the latest one being the last of them.

➤ Significance

• At a time where Chinese influence on the island, and in the whole South Pacific region is growing, it is very significant for France to retain control over the island. 
• A significant portion of New Caledonia's exports goes to China, much of which is nickel. 
• Though India has no official position of the referendum, the referendum results are significant for India in the double context of growing India-France relations and Indo-China conflicts. France is urging Australia and India to form a new "strategic axis" in the Indo-Pacific with it and New Caledonia to counter China's rise.

India-Myanmar Relationship

A two-day visit by the Foreign Secretary of India and the Army Chief to Myanmar completed with greater engagement between India and Myanmar.

➤ Key Points

• Health and Pandemic: As a part of India's Medical or Drug Diplomacy a package of 3,000 vials of the antiviral Remdesivir given to assist Myanmar in its fight against the pandemic. 
• India has shown willingness to prioritise Myanmar in sharing Covid -19 vaccines, when available. 
• Infrastructure and Connectivity: Operationalisation of the crucial Sittwe port in Myanmar's Rakhine state by March 2021 is committed. 
• The two sides also discussed progress in the ongoing Indian-assisted infrastructure projects such as the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project. The project will link Kolkata to Sittwe in Myanmar and then from Myanmar's Kaladan river to India's north-east. 
• Security: India has been concerned over some militant groups like the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) from the North-East region taking shelter in Myanmar.
• Myanmar handed over 22 cadres of Indian insurgent groups in May 2020. 
• The maintenance of security and stability in their border areas and mutual commitment not to allow their respective territories to be used for activities inimical to each other were re-stressed. 
• Transition to Democracy: Myanmar successfully conducted the 4th meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference in Nay Pyi Taw. 
• The Union Peace Conference: 21st Century Panglong is a continuing peace conference started in 2016. 
• Aim: To have a stable political environment in Myanmar with a peaceful transition into democracy. 
• Outcome of 4th meeting: The government of Myanmar and ten armed ethnic groups signed a framework agreement for the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). 
• Indian Support: India assured a continued support in sharing experiences in constitutionalism and federalism to assist Myanmar in its democratic transition. 
• Rohingya Issues: India came forward for support for ensuring the safe, sustainable and speedy return of Rohingya refugees from refugees camps in Bangladesh. 
• Building on the progress made under the RakhineState Development Programme (RSDP), India proposed to finalise projects under phase-III of the programme, including setting up a skills training centre and upgrading agricultural mechanisation. 
• Liaison Office: With the formal inauguration of a liaison office in Nay Pyi Taw, India has taken one more significant step towards establishing its embassy in Nay Pyi Taw. 
• India has its embassy in Yangon, the former capital.

➤ India-Myanmar

• India and Myanmar have shared cultural roots and historical relations, apart from the strategic, economic, social and political ties. 
• Myanmar is a member of both Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is an organization of East Asian nations as well as the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) which bridges South and South-East Asia. 
• Connectivity projects through Myanmar help India overcome its Chicken-neck dilemma (Siliguri Corridor). Myanmar is also necessary for the development of North-Eastern India. 
• Myanmar stands at the confluence of India's Neighbourhood First and Act East Policy and India- Myanmar partnership is at the heart of India's vision to create a connected and cooperative neighbourhood. 
• Recently, India and Myanmar had signed 10 agreements with a focus on socio-economic development of Myanmar, during Myanmar President U Win Myint's visit to India. 
• Myanmar's growing closeness with China and the recent proposal of China Myanmar Economic Corridor is a cause of concern for India amidst growing India- China tension.

India’s Stand on Nuclear Weapons

In the recent High-level Meeting to Commemorate and Promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (26th September 2020), India reiterated that nuclear weapons should be abolished step-by-step non-discriminatory process.

➤ Key Points

• India remains committed to No First Use (NFU) policy against nuclear weapon states and non-use against non-nuclear-weapon states. 
• The recent stand indicates that India has not revised its critical principles regarding the NFU principle. 
• In 2019, the Defence Minister hinted at a possibility of changing the principle by declaring that 'circumstances' will determine the "No First Use" stance. 
• India is a critical partner in global efforts towards disarmament and strengthening the non-proliferation order. 
• India believes that nuclear disarmament can be achieved through a step-by-step process underwritten by a universal commitment and an agreed multilateral framework after meaningful dialogues among all States possessing nuclear weapons, for building trust and confidence. 
• The Conference on Disarmament (CD) remains the "world's single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum", and India supports holding negotiations on a Comprehensive Nuclear Weapons Convention at the CD. 
• India also remains committed to negotiations regarding a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) in the CD. 
• FMCT is a proposed international agreement that prohibits producing two main components of nuclear weapons: highly-enriched Uranium and Plutonium. 
• The consultations under the treaty laid down the most appropriate arrangement to negotiate a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.

➤ Global Efforts

• The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the New START Treaty (between the USA and the Russian Federation) are few of the most critical global efforts towards nuclear disarmament. 
• India has not signed NPT and CTBT.

➤ International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons

• In 2013, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) declared 26th September to be the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Abolition Day). 
• Objective: Total elimination of nuclear weapons through enhancing public awareness and education about the threat posed to humanity by nuclear weapons and the necessity for their total elimination. 
• Achieving global nuclear disarmament is one of the most senior goals of the United Nations. 
• The UNGA resolution establishing the day, also calls for progress on a nuclear weapons convention, a global treaty involving the nuclear-armed states in the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons under strict and effective international control.

India-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue

India and Japan recently held the 13th Strategic Dialog between India and Japan's Foreign Ministers, in which the two countries agreed to sign a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Cybersecurity to promote cooperation in critical areas such as the 5G network, Critical Information Infrastructure, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence.

Key Points

➤ Cyber Security MoC

• It will enhance cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including capacity building in cyberspace, protection of critical infrastructure, sharing information on cybersecurity, cybersecurity mechanisms for practical cooperation to mitigate cyber threats, etc. 
• Significance: It will attract stakeholders in the Indian 5G sector as it gets ready to open up for international operators. 
• This becomes even more important since it is possible that the Chinese companies are not allowed to participate in the 5G arena in India due to recent Indo-China tensions, increasing cybersecurity threat due to Chinese cyber­attacks and hybrid data warfare by China. 
• Japan is upgrading its cybersecurity repeatedly hit by cyberattacks this year. • Also, Covid-19 pandemic has made countries, companies and institutions dependent on digital technology more than ever before. 
• The dialogue emphasized a strong partnership between the two countries in overcoming challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. 
• With Covid-19 and trade tensions between China and the United States are threatening supply chains, Japan has mooted the Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (SCRI) as a trilateral approach to trade, with India and Australia as the key-partners. 
• The importance of the Indo-pacific region was discussed. 
• Japan and India both have similarities in their respective Indo-Pacific visions based on the rule of law and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. 
• Both Japan and India need to counter the increasing Chinese aggression in the region. 
• India launched the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) at the East Asia Summit in November 2019. 
• It focuses on seven central pillars conceived around Maritime Security, Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building and Resource Sharing, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation, and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport. 
• The issue of abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea was also raised on which India promised to extend support for closure. 
• Abductions of Japanese citizens from Japan by agents of the North Korean government took place from 1977 to 1983. Although the Japanese government officially recognizes only 17 Japanese as abducted, hundreds of victims may have been victims.

Protests to Coup: Kyrgyzstan

Protesters in Kyrgyzstan have captured important government buildings, including the Parliament House and the presidential office and the situation is like a coup.

➤ Key Points

• Background: Kyrgyzstan, often referred to as Central Asia's only democracy, had seen violent anti­government protests in the past. 
• In 2005 and 2010, sitting presidents were forced out of office in widespread protests- 'Tulip' and 'Melon' revolutions. 
• The current protests began after early results of the parliamentary election were announced. 
• Political parties in Kyrgyzstan should win at least 7% of the popular vote to enter Parliament. 
• The results showed that only four parties managed to cross the threshold and of which, three were pro-government parties. 
• The only one opposition party could cross the threshold.

➤ Reason for the Protest

• Even before the election, political fault lines were sharpening in Kyrgyzstan. 
• The country's leading political party, the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), stayed out of the election due to intra-party rift and split. 
• Several political leaders were detained, and elections were perceived as rigged. 
• Consequently, after elections, protestors formed a Coordination Council to lead the "revolution". The country's Election Commission annulled the results, but the protesters continued.
• Official View: Opposition intends to instigate a political coup. 
• The Opposition's View: The elections were rigged which made people protest against the establishment.

➤ India-Kyrgyzstan

• India has enjoyed strong bilateral ties with Kyrgyzstan since 1991. 
• India was one of the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with Kyrgyzstan in 1992. 
• Since 1992, the two countries have many agreements, including Culture, Trade and Economic Cooperation, Civil Aviation, Investment Promotion and Protection, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Consular Convention etc. 
• In 2011, the joint 'Khanjar' series of exercises were started. 
• Indian diaspora in Kyrgyzstan- about 9,000 Indian students study medicine in various medical institutions in the country. Also, many business people live in Kyrgyzstan who is involved in trade and several other services there. 
• Strategic: The Kyrgyz leaderships have been mostly supportive of India's stand on Kashmir. 
• They also support India's bid for a permanent seat at the UNSC. 
• Departure from a Democratic Regime may bring uncertainty for India's interests.

➤ India in BRICS Ministers’ Meeting

Recently, the BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers' Virtual Meeting was held under the Russian Presidency.

• It aimed to discuss various issues including approaches to creating a safe work culture in BRICS countries.

Key Points

➤ Emphasis on Health of Workers

• It was highlighted that health, welfare and improved working conditions are essential for the well­being of the workers. A healthy workforce in the country would be more productive and contribute to economic growth. 
• The aspects of occupational safety and health measures to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 have also acquired significance.

➤ India's Stand

• India called for suitable global action, especially by BRICS towards effecting a balance between labour and employer which will generate growth and create more jobs and greater labour welfare. 
• India also highlighted the importance of digitisation and technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics in reshaping lives and work, with a direct or indirect effect on the labour market. 
• Digitisation also offers the opportunity for governments, individuals and businesses to cope with the changing scenarios after the pandemic. 
• India underscored that the digital economy is changing the world of work. Hence regular studies by the BRICS Network Research Institutes will facilitate a better understanding of the aspects of future of work and supplement policymaking. 
• India is committed to eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world. Hence, it adopted a multi-dimensional strategy to eliminate poverty by covering most basic services and fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals of No Poverty (SDG-1).

Geneva Conventions

The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) urged both the Indian and Chinese governments to observe the Geneva Conventions after the Galwan (India-China) clash in Ladakh in June 2020. Both countries are signatories.

➤ Key Points

• The Geneva Conventions (1949) and their Additional Protocols are international treaties that contain the most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. 
• They protect people who do not take part in the fighting (civilians, medics, aid workers) and those who can no longer fight (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war). 
• The first Geneva Convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during the war. 
• The second Geneva Convention protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during the war. 
• The third Geneva Convention applies to prisoners of war. 
• The fourth Geneva Convention affords protection to civilians, including in occupied territory. 
• Article 3, common to the four Geneva Conventions, covers situations of non-international armed conflicts. They include traditional civil wars, internal armed conflicts that spill over into other States or internal conflicts in which a third State or a multinational force intervenes alongside the government. 
• Two Protocols of 1977: Additional to the four 1949 Geneva Conventions were adopted in 1977. They strengthen the protection of international (Protocol I) victims and non-international (Protocol II) armed conflicts and place limits on the way wars are fought. 
• In 2005, a third Additional Protocol was adopted creating an additional emblem, the Red Crystal, which has the same international status as the Red Cross and Red Crescent emblems. 
• The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC), an international humanitarian organization, has the mandate to monitor that signatories follow the rules in conflict situations. 
• Established in 1863, the ICRC operates worldwide, helping people affected by conflict and armed violence and promoting the laws that protect war victims. 
• An independent and neutral organization, based in Geneva, Switzerland. 
• The ICRC is funded mainly by voluntary donations from governments and National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Pro-Democracy Protests in Thailand

Recently, Thailand's government has banned gatherings of more than five people in the face of three months of escalating demonstrations that have targeted the King and the Prime Minister.

➤ Key Points

• Initially, the government allowed peaceful and lawful protests but now stringent control has been ensured, due to anarchy in protests.

➤ Background

• 2014: The roots go back to the 2014 coup that brought the junta (military dictator­ship) in power, which tightened its grip on power and introduced more public restrictions. 
• 2017: In 2017, the military introduced a new Constitution, which allowed the military to appoint a 250-member Senate that would play a role in selecting the Prime Minister. 
• 2019: The country held the delayed Parliamentary election in 2019, which was seen as a mere exercise to transfer power from the junta to an elected government.

➤ Role of Monarchy

• Thailand's royal family has considerable influence over its political system and is revered by citizens. 
• Many, particularly young Thais, have increasingly started questioning the Monarchy's role, privileges, and the power it has exerted in the country for years.

➤ Latest Cause

• Anti-government protests emerged in 2019 after courts banned the most vocal opposition party. 
• This political party was relatively new and had been formed in 2018, with the goals to restrain the military's powers and interference in the political spectrum and tackle social and economic inequality in the country.

➤ About the Protest

• Most of the protestors are students and young people in their 20s without an overall leader. 
• Key Groups:
  (i) The Free Youth Movement, which was behind the first significant protest in July.
  (ii) The United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration, a student group from Bangkok's Thammasat University, has championed calls for monarchy reform.
  (iii) The Bad Student Movement of high-schoolers, which seeks education reform.

➤ Demands Raised

• Reforms to the Monarchy:
  (i) Students submitted 10 demands to the government, asking for a separation of the King'sKing's assets and the Crown Property Bureau (quasi-government institution to manage the monarch's property in Thailand).
  (ii) They also wanted to cut the Palace's share in the national budget, a ban on the King from expressing his political views, and safeguards to prevent him from endorsing future coups.
  (iii) Some protesters want to reverse a 2017 increase in the King'sKing's constitutional powers, made the year after he succeeded his widely revered late father King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

➤ Lese Majeste Laws

• Protesters also seek the scrapping of lese majeste laws. 
• The Monarchy is protected by Section 112 of the Penal Code, which says whoever defames, insults or threatens the KingKing, queen, heir-apparent or regent shall be jailed for three to 15 years. 
• This law has remained virtually unchanged since the country's first criminal code in 1908, although the penalty was toughened in 1976.

➤ Upholding Democracy

• Pro-democracy activists say that Thailand is backtracking on the constitutional Monarchy established when absolute royal rule ended in 1932. 
• Also, the Monarchy is too close to the army and argue that this has undermined democracy.

➤ Other Demands

• The students have also called for the Prime Minister's resignation; a new Constitution; fresh, free and fair elections; and an end to attacks on dissidents and opposition parties such as the Future Forward Party.

Israel and Bahrain

Bahrain and Israel are signing a joint communique to establish diplomatic, peaceful and friendly relations and several memorandums of understanding in areas of mutual benefit.

➤ Key Points

• Bahrain has a history of open politics and civil society movements, although rights have been curtailed in the past decade. 
• The decision to normalize ties comes from the belief in tolerance values in a region whose people have suffered from wars and conflicts. 
• The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain became only the third and fourth Arab states to agree to normalize ties with Israel, following Israel's 1979 peace deal with Egypt and a 1994 pact with Jordan. 
• Under the deal, Israel would suspend its plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank. 
• The West Bank is sandwiched between Israel and Jordan. One of its major cities is Ramallah, the de facto administrative capital of Palestine. 
• Israel took control of it in the Six-day Arab-Israeli war, 1967 and has established settlements over the years.

➤ Impact on the USA

• This is the second deal in 2020 after the Israel-UAE Peace Deal brokered by the USA. The recognition grants a diplomatic win to the USA President Donald Trump ahead of the Presidential election. 
• The deal buys UAE a lot of goodwill in the US, where its involvement in the Yemen war has tarnished its image. 
• Saudi Arabia made clear that it will not normalize ties without a resolution to the Palestinian issue despite signs of rapprochement. 
• Concerns.

➤ For Palestine

• The Palestinians have not embraced the USA's vision. 86% of Palestinians believed the normalization use and Bahrain's normalization agreements served only Israel's interests and not their own. 
• For Palestinians, who long have relied on Arab backing in their struggle for independence, the announcement marked both a win and setback for the Israel-Palestine relations. 
• While the deal halts Israeli annexation plans of the West Bank, the Palestinians have repeatedly urged Arab governments not to normalize relations with Israel until a peace agreement establishing an independent Palestinian state is reached. 
• Shia-Sunni rifts in the region may get broad and violent. 
• Saudi Arabia (Sunni) and Iran (representing Shia) have a long history of hostility. For decades, one of the primary sources of instability in West Asia has been the cold war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. 
• The Sunni-Shiite schism may also provoke violence between Muslims in such places as Pakistan, Nigeria and Indonesia.

➤ Indian Interest in West Asia

• A peaceful and prosperous West Asia is necessary for India. Such deals between Arab Countries and Israel are having a positive impact on Indian interests in the region. Also, difficulty in balancing Arab countries and Israel will become easy. Indian interests include: 
• Geopolitical: West Asia occupies an important position in international relations due to its geographical location and proximity to continents and countries South Asia, China, Central Asia, Europe, and Africa. 
• Energy: The region is strategically significant due to its enormous energy resources, trade route links to different parts of the world. 
• It is the world's largest oil-producing region accounting for 34% of world production, 45% of crude oil exports and 48% of oil proven reserves. 
• Diaspora: Indian expatriates have constituted a substantial share of the regional labour market. 
• Remittances from the region constitute a significant chunk of total remittances to India.

G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting

Recently, Saudi Arabia hosted the first-ever Ministerial Meeting of the G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group (ACWG) virtually.

• Currently, Saudi Arabia holds the presidency of G-20 and is the first Arab nation to do so.

Key Points

➤ G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group

• It was set up in June 2010 at the Toronto Summit of G-20. The year 2020 marks its 10th anniversary. 
• Objective: To prepare "comprehensive recom­mendations for consideration by leaders on how the G20 could continue to make practical and valuable contributions to international efforts to combat corruption". 
• ACWG has led the G-20 anti-corruption efforts coordinating the collective and national actions taken by its members. 
• It actively works with the World Bank Group, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), etc. 
• The World Bank and the UNODC are also involved in the ACWG through the active participation and contribution of Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR) to its work, which plays an advisory role on asset recovery, anti-money laundering/ counter-terrorism financing, transparency and beneficial ownership, etc.

➤ G-20 on Corruption

• It recognizes the negative impact of corruption which, 'threatens the integrity of markets, undermines fair competition, distorts resource allocation, destroys public trust, and undermines the rule of law'. 
• It agreed on the Anti-Corruption Action Plan, 2019­2021 in Buenos Aires in 2018. In this action plan framework, G-20 members look forward to developing targeted actions where the G-20 can best add value in promoting international efforts in the fight against corruption. Initiatives in India

➤ Central Vigilance Commission

• Though created in 1964, it became an independent statutory body in 2003. 
• Its mandate is to oversee the vigilance administration and advise and assist the executive in corruption matters.

➤ Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988

• It aims at checking corruption in prominent places and striking hard against corporate bribery. 
• It was amended in 2018 to introduce several new provisions including criminalizing the act of giving bribes and taking the bribe and at the same time putting in place an effective deterrence for such actions by individuals and corporate entities.

➤ Lokpal and Lokayuktas

• The Lokpal and Lokayukta Act, 2013 provided for the establishment of Lokpal for the Union and Lokayukta for States. 
• These institutions are operational in the country to bring in more transparency, more citizen-centricity and accountability in governance.

➤ Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018

• It empowers authorities for non-conviction based attachments and confiscation of proceeds of crime and properties as well as assets of a fugitive economic offender.

➤ Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002

• Money laundering is the process of making large amounts of money generated by criminal activity, such as drug trafficking or terrorist funding, appear to have come from a legitimate source. 
• The law was enacted to prevent and control money laundering, provide for confiscation and seizure of property obtained from laundered money, and deal with any other issue connected with money laundering in India.

➤ Other Related Legislation and Moves

• Right to Information Act, 2005. 
• Whistleblowers Protection Act, 2014. 
• Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2016. 
• Ratification of United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2011.

Extending New START Treaty

The Russian President has proposed an extension of the US-Russia New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) to expire in February 2021.

Key Points

• The New START Treaty: It is a treaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. 
• It entered into force on 5th February 2011. 
• New START had replaced the 1991 START I Treaty, which expired December 2009, and superseded the 2002 Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), which terminated when New START entered into force. 
• It is a successor to the START framework of 1991 (at the end of the Cold War) that limited both sides to 1,600 strategic delivery vehicles and multiple warheads. 
• It continues the bipartisan process of verifiably reducing the USA and Russian strategic nuclear arsenals by limiting both sides to 700 strategic launchers and 1,550 operational warheads. 
• It will lapse in February 2021 unless extended for five years.
• Recent Proposal: Russia has extended the proposal along with concerns of lack of interest from the United States. o In 2019, the United States has also suspended the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty (INF Treaty) with Russia. 
• It was a nuclear arms-control accord reached by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1987 in which the two nations agreed to eliminate their stocks of intermediate-range and shorter-range (or "medium-range") land-based missiles (which could carry nuclear warheads). 
• The United States withdrew from the Treaty on 2nd August 2019. 
• USA's Stand: The USA wanted any replacement treaty should include China and to encompass all of Russia's nuclear weapons — not just the "strategic" weapons covered under New START but also Russia's sizable stockpile of smaller, "tactical" nuclear weapons that fall outside the Treaty. 
• Russia rejected the demands, and China has refused to take part in negotiations. 
• The USA has agreed to negotiate the extension.

Australia to Join Malabar Exercise

Recently, Australia has agreed to join the Malabar Exercise at India's request. The Exercise is scheduled to be held in November 2020.

Key Points

➤ 2020 Malabar Exercise

• The 2020 Exercise is expected to be held in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. In 2019, the Exercise was conducted off the coast of Japan. 
• Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Exercise had been planned in a 'non-contact-at sea' format. 
• Objective: To enhance safety and security in the maritime domain.

➤ Australia's Inclusion

• The issue of Australia's inclusion in Malabar had again come up for discussion at the Quad foreign ministers meet in Tokyo held in October 2020. After that, India invited Australia to join the Exercise. 
• Quad is the informal strategic dialogue between India, the USA, Japan and Australia with a shared objective to ensure and support a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. 
• The move will bolster the member countries' ability to work together to uphold peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region. 
• It is also expected to further lay the foundations for the eventual formalisation of the Quad grouping.

➤ Background

• Despite regular requests from Australia, India resisted inviting due to its concerns that the move would give the appearance of a 'quadrilateral military alliance' against China. 
• In 2017, Australia had requested observer status in the Malabar Exercise. 
• China has repeatedly expressed strong opposition to any expansion of the Malabar Exercise, which it sees as a multilateral naval construct designed to "counter and contain" China. 
• However, the recent India-China tensions over the Line of Actual Control (LAC) situation may have brought more flexibility to India's decision making process. 
• Japan and the USA have also been pressing India on the matter.

➤ Cooperation Between Quad Members

• India and Japan signed a military logistics agreement in September 2020. 
• India has signed maritime information-sharing agreements for Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) with Australia and Japan and a similar agreement is under discussion with the USA. 
• MDA is defined by the International Maritime Organization as a practical understanding of anything associated with the maritime domain that could impact the security, safety, economy, or environment. 
• India and the USA are stepping up efforts to conclude the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) ahead of the Indo-US 2+2 ministerial meeting in October 2020. 
• BECA, a critical military pact, will allow India to use the USA's geospatial intelligence and enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones. 
• BECA is one of the four foundational military communication agreements between the two countries. 
• The other three are:
  (i) General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).
  (ii) Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA).
  (iii) Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA).

India-USA 2+2 Dialogue 2020

Recently, India and the USA have concluded the 3rd India-USA 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi.

• The USA reiterated its support to India in defending its territorial sovereignty in the background of the ongoing standoff between India-China. 
• It also referred to China's more significant threats in the Indo-Pacific region and by the Covid-19 pandemic in general. 
• The first two rounds of these dialogues between both the countries were held in 2018 and 2019.

➤ Key Points

• India has signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) with the USA. Recently, India and the USA have concluded the 3rd India-USA 2+2 dialogue in New Delhi. 
• The USA reiterated its support to India in defending its territorial sovereignty in the background of the ongoing standoff between India-China. 
• It also referred to China's more significant threats in the Indo-Pacific region and by the Covid-19 pandemic in general. 
• The first two rounds of these dialogues between both the countries were held in 2018 and 2019.

➤ Key Points

• India has signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) with the USA. 
• General Security Of Military Information Agreement. 
• Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement. 
• Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement. 
• Both countries released a Joint Statement on shared Indo-USA goals in the Asia-Pacific region. They emphasised that the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea should not prejudice any nation's legitimate rights and interests following international law. 
• They also decided to expand joint capacity building activities with partner countries in the Indo-Pacific region.

➤ Other Steps Taken

• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Technical Cooperation in Earth Observations and Earth Sciences. 
• Agreement to extend the duration of the MoU on the Global Center for Nuclear Energy Partnership. 
• Agreement on the electronic exchange of customs data. 
• Letter of intent regarding cooperation in traditional Indian medicines. 
• Discussions on the status of Afghanistan and support for its peace process.

Chair of ILO Governing Body: India

After 35 years, India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Governing Body of International Labour Organization (ILO).

➤ Key Points

• Labour & Employment Secretary Apurva Chandra has been elected as the Chairperson of the Governing Body of the ILO for October 2020-June 2021. 
• The Chairperson of the Governing Body of ILO is a position of international repute. The Governing Body (GB) is the apex executive body of the ILO. 
• GB meets a year thrice, in March, June and November. It takes decisions on ILO policy, decides the International Labour Conference's agenda, adopts the organization's draft programme and budget for submission to the conference, and elects the Director-General. 
• The broad policies of the ILO are set by the International Labour Conference, which meets once a year in June, in Geneva, Switzerland. 
• Chandra will be presiding over the upcoming Governing Body's meeting, to be held in November 2020. 
• It will provide a platform to apprise participants of the transformational initiative taken by the government in removing the rigidities of the labour market, besides making intention clear about the universalization of social security to all workers in the organized or unorganized sector. 
• The four codes on wages, industrial relations, social security and occupational safety, health and working conditions are expected to improve ease of doing business and safeguard workers' interest.

➤ International Labour Organization

• The only tripartite United Nations (UN) agency, since 1919, the ILO brings together governments, employers and workers of 187 member States, to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men. 
• The ILO became the first specialized agency of the UN in 1946. 
• The principal means of action in the ILO is the setting up the International Labour Standards in the form of Conventions and Recommendations. 
• Conventions are international treaties and instruments that create legally binding obligations on the countries that ratify them. 
• Recommendations are non-binding and set out guidelines orienting national policies and actions. 
• It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1969. 
• It releases the annual World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) Trends report. 

➤ India and ILO 

• India, a Founding Member of the ILO, has been a permanent member of the ILO Governing Body since 1922. The first ILO Office in India started in 1928. 
• India has ratified 41 Conventions of the ILO, which is much better than the position existing in many other countries. 
• India has ratified six out of the eight-core/funda­mental ILO conventions. 

➤ These conventions are 

• Forced Labour Convention (No. 29) 
• Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No.105) 
• Equal Remuneration Convention (No.100) 
• Discrimination (Employment Occupation) Convention (No.111) 
• Minimum Age Convention (No.138) 
• Worst forms of Child Labour Convention (No.182) 
• India has not ratified the two core/fundamental conventions, namely Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87) and Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98). 
• The ILO expressed deep concern at the changes that many Indian states made to labour laws to boost economic activities, which slowed down due to the Covid-19 outbreak.