Weekly Current Affairs (8th to 14th July 2024) Part - 1 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

GS-III/Disaster Management

Disaster Management and Stampedes

• Recently, India witnessed another tragic stampede that claimed over 100 lives in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras district. This devastating incident adds to a long list of similar tragedies that have occurred during religious gatherings and festivals across the country over the past two decades. These events highlight the ongoing challenges of managing large crowds in confined spaces and underscore the urgent need for improved safety measures.

What is a Stampede?

About

• A stampede is an impulsive mass movement of a crowd that often results in injuries and deaths. It is often triggered by a response to a perceived danger, loss of physical space, and a collective will to attain something seen as gratifying.

Types

• Unidirectional stampedes occur when a crowd moving in the same direction encounters a sudden change in force, triggered by forces like sudden stops or negative forces like broken barriers.
• Turbulent stampedes happen in situations with uncontrolled crowds, induced panic, or crowds merging from multiple directions.

Fatalities in Stampedes
Stampedes can cause fatalities through:

• Traumatic Asphyxia: It is the most common cause that occurs due to external compression of the thorax or upper abdomen. Can happen even in moderate crowds of 6-7 people pushing in one direction.
• Other causes: Myocardial infarction (heart attack), Direct crushing injuries to internal organs, Head injuries, and Neck compression.

Factors Contributing to Stampedes
Psychological Factors:

• Panic is a primary trigger or amplifier of stampedes.
• Loss of cooperative behavior in emergencies. In panic-producing situations, cooperation is initially beneficial. Once cooperative behavior is disturbed, individual survival instincts take over and result in stampedes.

Environmental and Design Elements:

• Lack of proper lighting.
• Poor crowd flow management (Failure to divide crowd flow for different groups).
• Collapse of barriers or buildings.
• Blocked exits or evacuation routes.
• Fire hazards.
• High crowd density, when density approaches 3-4 persons per square meter. At this density, evacuation time increases dramatically, raising panic and stampede risk.

Impact of Stampedes:

• Psychological Trauma: Survivors and witnesses may experience long-term psychological trauma, including Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
• Economic Consequences: Stampedes primarily affect economically disadvantaged individuals, leaving families without primary earners and causing significant economic hardship in the community. Medical expenses, compensation, legal costs, and loss of economic productivity due to injuries.
• Social Impact: Includes loss of trust in event organizers and authorities, social unrest and blame, and negative impact on community morale and cohesion. The aftermath can have far-reaching consequences, requiring efforts to address the underlying issues and prevent similar incidents.
• Impact on Infrastructure: It can cause damage to physical infrastructure, such as barriers and buildings. The costs associated with repairs and upgrades to infrastructure can be significant.

What are the Initiatives of India to Control Stampedes?

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) provides guidelines for safe crowd management and precautions during festive seasons.
• Traffic and Crowd Management: NDMA advises regulating traffic, displaying route maps, and using barricades to control pedestrian flow around festive venues.
• Security Measures: Emphasizing CCTV surveillance and increased police presence to deter crimes, NDMA urges organizers to manage unauthorized parking and stalls effectively.
• Medical Preparedness: NDMA recommends having ambulances on standby and medical staff ready, with clear signage directing to nearby hospitals.

Crowd Safety Tips:

• Educating attendees on exit routes and calm behavior during gatherings, NDMA stresses preparedness for handling stampede scenarios.

Fire Safety:

• NDMA highlights precautions such as safe electrical wiring, monitoring LPG cylinder usage, and caution with fireworks to prevent fires.

Disaster Risk Reduction:

• NDMA supports government initiatives and upcoming conferences like the Asian Ministerial Conference in collaboration with United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), focusing on disaster resilience and recognizing the Sendai framework.

Community Responsibility:

• NDMA underscores collective responsibility in disaster prevention and promoting safety during festive events.

What Can be Done Better to Prevent Stampedes?

• Real-time Density Monitoring: Deploy a network of sensors (thermal, LiDAR) to monitor crowd density in real-time. This data can feed into AI models to predict crowd surges and trigger early warnings.
• Introduce Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags in tickets or wristbands. This allows for real-time tracking of crowd movement, identifying congested areas, and enabling targeted communication via displays.
• Utilize drones equipped with high-resolution cameras and thermal imaging for real-time crowd surveillance and anomaly detection. These can also project calming messages or announcements on large screens.
• Intelligent Lighting Systems: Implement crowd-responsive lighting that can adjust brightness and color based on crowd density to guide movement or calm situations.
• Implement pathways and walkways embedded with bioluminescent materials that automatically glow brighter in case of emergencies. This can guide movement and reduce panic in low-light situations.

Interactive Communication Displays:

• Install interactive displays that show real-time wait times, evacuation routes, and essential information in multiple languages.

Campaigns:

• Launch public awareness campaigns to educate people on crowd safety protocols and proper behavior during large gatherings.

Mains Question:

Q. Analyze the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction initiatives by the Indian government in the context of stampede prevention. What improvements can be made?

GS3/Environment

Air Pollution and Mortality in Indian Cities

Why in News?

• Recently, Lancet has published a first multi-city study examining the relationship between short-term air pollution (PM2.5) exposure and mortality in 10 major cities of India between 2008 and 2019.

What are the Key findings of the Study?

• Air Pollution Causing Death:

  The study revealed that over 33,000 deaths (approximately 7.2% of total mortalities) could be attributed to air pollution annually across the 10 investigated cities.

• Highest Mortality Burden:

  Delhi exhibited the most severe air pollution, with a staggering 11.5% (12,000 deaths) of annual deaths linked to air pollution.

• Shimla Lowest Mortality:

  Shimla emerged as the city with the lowest mortality burden attributable to air pollution, with only 59 deaths (constituting 3.7% of total deaths) annually.

• Chronic Exceedance of Safe Air Quality Standards:

  There has been a persistent violation of established air quality standards. Concentrations consistently exceeded the World Health Organization's (WHO) safe limit (15 µg/m³) on an alarming 99.8% of the days analyzed.

• Deteriorating Health with Increasing Pollution Levels:

  Every 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 concentration resulted in a 1.42% rise in mortality across the ten cities. Cities with comparatively lower pollution levels, such as Bengaluru and Shimla, exhibited a heightened susceptibility to mortality increases with incremental rises in PM2.5 concentrations.

GS3/Environment

Assam Floods

Why in News?

• Recently, floods in Assam have resulted in over 50 deaths, displacing 360,000 people. More than 40,000 hectares of crops and 130 wild animals have been affected by flooding.

What is Flood?

About:

• Floods are the most frequent type of natural disaster and occur when an overflow of water submerges land that is usually dry.

Between 1998-2017:

• 2 Billion people have been affected worldwide due to floods.

Causes:

• These are often caused by heavy rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or a storm surge from a tropical cyclone or tsunami in coastal areas.

Types of Floods

Flash Floods:

• Rapid and excessive rainfall raises water heights quickly, overtaking rivers, streams, channels, or roads.

River Floods:

• Consistent rain or snowmelt forces a river to exceed capacity.

Coastal Floods:

• Storm surges associated with tropical cyclones and tsunamis.

State of Flood in India:

• India has a total geographical area of 329 million hectares, out of which more than 40 million hectares are flood-prone.
• Flood-related damages have shown an increasing trend, with the average annual flood damage between 1996-2005 being Rs. 4745 crore.

Floods Prone Area in India:

What are the Causes of Regular Floods in Assam?

Large Number of Rivers:

• Assam has more than 120 rivers, several originating from high rainfall areas, leading to sediment accumulation in the Brahmaputra river.

The Monsoon:

• Assam experiences intense monsoons with significant rainfall, especially in the Brahmaputra basin.

Climate Change:

• Melting glaciers and snow caps in the Tibetan Plateau are increasing water flow in the Brahmaputra, contributing to more frequent flooding in Assam.

Human Intervention:

• Factors like construction of embankments, population growth, jhum cultivation, and soil erosion exacerbate flooding vulnerabilities in Assam.

What are the Implications of Floods in Assam?

Loss of Wildlife:

• The floods have led to the demise of numerous wild animals, including rare one-horned rhinos in Kaziranga National Park.

Damage to Infrastructure:

• Roads and infrastructure have suffered extensive damage, hindering rescue efforts.

Displacement of People:

• Over 2 million people have been displaced by the floods, necessitating shelter in relief camps and straining resources.

What are the Steps Taken to Manage Floods in India?

• National Flood Management Programme (NFMP): Provides a flexible framework for states to implement flood control measures.
• Rashtriya Barh Ayog (1976): Established an integrated approach to flood control planning.
• National Water Policy (2012): Advocates strategic reservoir operation and floodplain zoning.
• National Hydrology Project (2016): Enhances flood forecasting capabilities.
• Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP): Focuses on catchment area treatment to reduce sediment load in rivers.
• Various strategies like floodplain zoning, flood proofing, and collaboration efforts are crucial for effective flood management.

Way Forward

• Early Warning Systems are essential for better preparedness and response to floods.
• Investing in improved infrastructure and drainage systems can help manage excess water during heavy rainfall.
• Collaborative efforts between governments are necessary for sustainable flood management solutions.
• Sustainable land management practices can help stabilize landscapes and reduce sediment load in rivers.

Mains Question:

• The unique geography, climate, and socio-economic conditions of Assam make it highly susceptible to disasters like floods.

Polity and Governance

India’s Pharmaceutical Industry

• Recently, around 36% of pharmaceutical manufacturing units inspected by the Indian drug regulator were shut down for non-compliance with quality standards following risk-based inspections by the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) since December 2022.

What are the Incidents Highlighting Quality Control Failures?

• Data integrity issues were prevalent, including falsified data, improper cohort distribution, questionable sample reanalysis practices, and poor systemic quality management.
• In October 2022, the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued an alert linking four products from India's Maiden Pharmaceuticals to acute kidney injury and 66 child deaths in Gambia, due to contamination with toxic chemicals diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol.
• In December 2022, the World Health Organisation initiated a probe in connection with the death of 18 children in Uzbekistan allegedly linked to a cough syrup manufactured by Indian firm Marion Biotech.
• Recently, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) raised concerns over a drug-resistant bacteria strain allegedly linked to eye drops imported from India.
• In January 2020, 12 children in Jammu died after consuming contaminated medicine, that was found to contain diethylene glycol, which led to kidney poisoning.

What is the Status of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry?

• India is one of the biggest suppliers of low-cost vaccines in the world and is the largest provider of generic medicines globally, occupying a 20% share in global supply by volume.
• India accounts for 60% of global vaccine production making it the largest vaccine producer in the world.
• The Pharmaceutical industry in India is the largest in the world in terms of volume and largest in terms of value.
• The Pharma sector currently contributes to around 1.72% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Market Size & Investments

• India is among the top 12 destinations for biotechnology worldwide and 3rd largest destination for biotechnology in Asia Pacific.
• The Indian pharmaceutical industry has seen a massive expansion over the last few years and is expected to reach about 13% of the size of the global pharma market while enhancing its quality, affordability, and innovation.
• Up to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has been allowed through automatic routes for Greenfield pharmaceuticals projects.
• For Brownfield Pharmaceuticals projects, FDI allowed is up to 74% through automatic route and beyond that through government approval.

Exports

• Pharmaceutical is one of the top ten attractive sectors for foreign investment in India.
• The pharmaceutical exports reached more than 200 nations around the world, including highly regulated markets of the USA, West Europe, Japan, and Australia.
• India's drugs and pharmaceuticals exports stood at USD 22.51 billion in FY24 (April-January) recording a strong year-on-year growth of 8.12% during the period.

What are the Major Challenges with India's Pharma Sector?

• Violation of IPR Rules: Indian pharmaceutical companies have faced allegations of violating Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) laws, resulting in legal disputes with multinational pharmaceutical companies.
• Pricing and Affordability: India is known for its generic drug manufacturing capabilities, which have contributed to affordable healthcare globally. However, ensuring medicines in India are while maintaining pharmaceutical companies' profitability challenging.
• Healthcare Infrastructure and Access: Despite India's strong pharmaceutical industry, access to healthcare remains a challenge for a significant portion of the population.
• Overdependence on Imports: The Indian pharma sector relies heavily on imports for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), the raw materials for drugs. Disruptions in the global supply chain can lead to shortages and price hikes.

Way Forward

• Legislative Changes and Centralised Database: Drugs and Cosmetics Act (1940) needs to be amended and the establishment of a centralised drugs database can enhance surveillance and ensure effective regulation across all manufacturers.
• Promote Continuous Improvement Programs: Motivate pharmaceutical companies to implement voluntary quality management systems and self-improvement initiatives. This can be fostered through industry associations and government incentives.
• Transparency and Public Reporting: Increase transparency in regulatory actions and public reporting of quality control failures. This can be achieved through designated government portals for sharing inspection reports and drug recalls.
• Focus on Sustainable Manufacturing Practices: Emphasising sustainable manufacturing practices, including green chemistry waste reduction, and energy efficiency, can enhance the sector's environmental sustainability while reducing costs.
• Digital Drug Regulatory System (DDRS): A request for proposal has been floated for the DDRS, which will be an umbrella portal for pharmaceutical regulations.
• Streamlining and Rationalising the Drug Regulatory Structure and Functions: The government should create a single, central authority with adequate powers, resources, expertise and autonomy to regulate the entire pharma sector and ensure effective enforcement and compliance of the drug laws and norms.
• Strengthen Pharmacovigilance: Enhance surveillance of drugs post-marketing to identify and address adverse effects promptly. This aligns with recommendations for stricter quality control measures.

Mains Question:

Critically analyze the current challenges faced by the Indian pharmaceutical sector. Discuss the implications of these challenges on public health and the economy.

GS-II/Polity

Maintenance Rights of Divorced Muslim Women

• In the case of Mohd Abdul Samad v. the State of Telangana, 2024, the Supreme Court (SC) of India dismissed a petition challenging the applicability of Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to a divorced Muslim woman.

What was the Petition About?

The petition was filed by a Muslim man challenging a direction to pay interim maintenance to his divorced wife under Section 125 CrPC. The petitioner argued that the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 should override the secular law of Section 125 CrPC.

• The petitioner claimed that the 1986 Act, being a special law, provided more comprehensive maintenance provisions and should therefore take precedence over the general provisions of Section 125 CrPC.
• The petitioner argued that Sections 3 and 4 of the 1986 Act, with a non-obstante clause, empower First Class Magistrates to decide matters of Maher and subsistence allowances.
• He insisted that family courts lack jurisdiction as the Act mandates Magistrates to handle these issues. The petitioner emphasised the wife's failure to submit an affidavit opting for CrPC provisions over the 1986 Act, as required by Section 5.
• It was argued that the 1986 Act implicitly repealed Section 125 CrPC for Muslim women due to its specific provisions, thus barring them from seeking relief under Section 125 CrPC.

What is the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986?

Purpose: The Act was enacted to protect the rights of Muslim women who have been divorced by, or have obtained divorce from, their husbands. It provides for matters connected with or incidental to the protection of these rights.

• The Act allows a divorced woman and her former husband to choose to be governed by the provisions of sections 125 to 128 of the CrPC, 1973, if they make a joint or separate declaration to this effect at the first hearing of the application.
• A Constitution bench of the SC had in its 2001 judgement in the case Danial Latifi & Another vs Union Of India upheld the constitutional validity of the 1986 Act and said that its provisions do not offend Articles 14, 15 and 21 of the Constitution of India.

Evolution:

The SC reiterated that divorced Muslim women could claim maintenance under Section 125 of the CrPC, even beyond the iddat period, as long as they do not remarry. This affirmed the principle that the CrPC provision applies irrespective of religion.

What Does Section 125 of the CrPC Say?

Section 125 of the CrPC mandates that a Magistrate of the first class may order a person with sufficient means to make a monthly allowance for the maintenance of:

• His wife, if she is unable to maintain herself.
• His legitimate or illegitimate minor child, whether married or not, unable to maintain itself.
• His legitimate or illegitimate adult child with physical or mental abnormalities or injuries that render them unable to maintain themselves.
• His father or mother, unable to maintain themselves.

What are the Supreme Court Observations?

SC held that Section 125 CrPC applies to all women, not just married women. It emphasised that the provision would apply universally.

• The SC's judgement reaffirms the rights of divorced Muslim women to claim maintenance under Section 125 CrPC, ensuring legal parity and safeguarding constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.
• The Court noted that Section 3 of the 1986 Act, starting with a non-obstante clause, does not restrict the application of Section 125 CrPC, but rather provides an additional remedy.
• The SC emphasised the need for Indian men to financially empower their wives who lack independent income.
• The Court affirmed that divorced Muslim women, including those divorced through triple talaq, can claim maintenance under Section 125 CrPC irrespective of personal laws.

Mains Question:

Q. Examine the interplay between Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986, and Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Analyse the Supreme Court's approach in resolving conflicts.

GS3/International Relations

22nd India-Russia Annual Summit

Why in news?

• The 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit, held in Moscow, brought together Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin to discuss a wide range of issues. The summit aimed to solidify the strategic partnership between the two nations, particularly in light of the ongoing geopolitical tensions. In another development, Russia has reached a significant economic milestone by being upgraded from an upper-middle-income to a high-income country by the World Bank despite ongoing Western sanctions.

Key Highlights of the 22 India-Russia Annual Summit

Diplomatic Achievements:

• President Vladimir Putin conferred Russia's highest civilian honour, the "Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle," on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The award is named after Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Russia and Scotland, known for spreading Christianity across Europe and Asia.
• Prime Minister Modi was honoured with this award for promoting the strategic partnership and friendly relations between Russia and India.

Economic Cooperation:

• A new bilateral trade target of USD 100 billion by 2030 was set, significantly higher than the previous target of USD 30 billion by 2025.
• This is mainly due to India's increased imports of Russian crude at a discount after the US and Europe imposed oil sanctions on Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

Defence and Technology:

• Transition from buyer-seller relationship to joint research, development, co-development, and joint production of advanced defence technology and systems.
• They aim to encourage joint manufacturing of spare parts and components for Russian-origin arms and defence equipment in India under the Make-in-India program.

Transport and Connectivity:

• The Sides are focused on developing stable and efficient transport corridors in Eurasia, including the Chennai-Vladivostok Eastern Maritime Corridor and the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC).

International Cooperation:

• Russia appreciated India's non-permanent membership in the UN Security Council (2021-22) and supported India's efforts in peacekeeping and counter-terrorism.
• India expressed full support for BRICS Chairship in 2024 under the theme "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security."

Global Issues:

• Commitment to combating climate change and achieving the goals of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement.
• Emphasis on the need for a multipolar world order and the development of an architecture of equal and indivisible regional security in the Eurasian space and the Indian and Pacific ocean regions.

Counter Terrorism:

• The leaders unequivocally condemned and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations.
• The sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening multilateral cooperation in combating transnational organised crime, money laundering, terrorist financing, and drug trafficking.

Mains Question:

Q. How have recent geopolitical shifts, such as the rise of multipolarity and increasing global strategic competition, influenced the strategic partnership between India and Russia?

GS3/Defence & Security

Major Military Exercises of India

Why in news?

• Recently, the 16th edition of India-Mongolia Joint Military Exercise NOMADIC ELEPHANT commenced at Foreign Training Node, Umroi (Meghalaya).

What are the Major Joint Exercises Conducted by the Indian Army?

About:

Flagship events of defence cooperation showcasing the Indian Army's professional competence in various operational scenarios and providing an opportunity for the participants to learn best practices. The scope of joint exercises is realistic and diversified including Counter Terrorist operations, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief, UN Peacekeeping, High Altitude operations, Desert Warfare, Urban Warfare, and Jungle Warfare. The complexity of scope is increased by adding the latest practices in warfighting and realistic situations like Drone Warfare, Grey Zone Warfare, etc.

Joint Exercises:

• Country Australia - Ex AUSTRA HINDBAH
• Country Bangladesh - Ex SAMPRITI
• Country China - Ex HAND IN HAND
• Country France - Ex SHAKTI
• Country Indonesia - Ex GARUDA SHAKTI
• Country Kazakhstan - Ex PRABAL DOSTYKK
• Country Kyrgyzstan - Ex KHANJAR
• Country Maldives - Ex EKUVERIN Ex NOMADIC ELEPHANT
• Country Myanmar - IMBEX
• Country Nepal - Ex SURYA KIRAN
• Country Oman - AL NAGAH
• Country Russia - Ex INDRA
• Country Seychelles - Ex LAMITIYE
• Country Sri Lanka - Ex MITRA SHAKTI
• Country Thailand - Ex MAITREE
• Country UK - Ex AJEYA WARRIOR
• Country USA - Ex YUDHABHAYAS Ex VAJRA PRAHAR

What are the Joint Exercises Conducted by the Indian Navy?

• Countries MALABAR - India, USA, Japan, Australia
• Varuna - India, France
• La Perouse - India, Australia, United States, France, Japan, and United Kingdom
• Sea Dragon - India, USA, Japan, Canada, South Korea
• Konkan - India, UK
• AIME & IMDEX - India, ASEAN Countries
• Bright Star - India, 34 Countries
• SALVEX SLINEX - India, Sri Lanka
• Samudra Shakti - India, Indonesia
• Al-Mohed Al-Hindi - India, Saudi Arabia
• India - France - UAE trilateral exercise - India, France, UAE
• India - France - UAE trilateral PASSEX - KOMODO - India, Multiple (36 Countries)
• AUSINDEX SIMBEX - India, Singapore

What are the Major Exercises Conducted by the Air Force?

• Exercise Name Ex Veer Guardian - First Air Exercise between India and Japan
• Ex PASSEX with France - Joint exercise with French fighter aircraft Indian Ocean Region
• Ex Desert Flag-8 in UAE - First participation of Tejas in an international air exercise Al-Dhafra, UAE
• Ex Cobra Warrior - Multinational Air Exercise Ex Cope India - Joint exercise of India with USAF and Japan (observer) AFS Kalaikunda & Panagarh, India
• Ex Orion - Multinational exercise Ex INIOCHOS - First Air Exercise between India and Greece Ex Bright Star - Joint exercise with Egypt

Integrated Exercises With Sister Services:

• Ex Kranti Mahotsav - 01 Multi-Role Helicopter (MLH)
• Ex Chakra - Fighter aircraft, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), and Airborne Early Warning & Control System (AEW&C) Western Command Theatre
• Helicopters, Transport aircraft, RPA, and Fighter aircraft Long-Range Maritime Strike - Fighters, Transport aircraft, and AWACS (Airborne Warning And Control System) MiG-29K Detachment at AFS Naliya Joint detachment with Indian Navy's MiG-29K fighters

Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief:

• Op Dost - Turkiye and Syria - Turkiye, Syria Earthquake relief Op Kaveri - Sudan Evacuation of Indian citizens Op Ajay (Israel – Hamas Conflict) Israel, Gaza Medical and disaster relief

What are the Advantages of the Military Exercises?

• Enhanced Interoperability: Exercises foster the development of shared tactical languages and cultural understanding between soldiers. Successful multinational operations rely not just on technical compatibility but on cohesive teams that can anticipate and adapt to each other's actions.
• Knowledge Exchange: Exercises like NATO's Defender series have fostered a "Collaborative Innovation Environment" where militaries co-develop solutions to real-world problems. This fosters a culture of joint creativity and speeds up technological advancements.
• Diplomatic Relations: Military exercises serve as a form of defence diplomacy, strengthening political ties between participating nations. For example, the Malabar naval exercises have not only improved interoperability but also served as a confidence-building measure, signaling a united front against regional challenges.
• Capability Assessment: Exercises can reveal underlying structural issues within militaries. 2022 RAND Corporation report highlights how a recent US-allied exercise exposed communication gaps between special operation forces and conventional units leading to a significant restructuring of communication protocols within the US military.
• Deterrence: Joint exercises signal military readiness and alliance strength to potential adversaries. The Russo-Belarusian exercises preceding the invasion of Ukraine not only showcased military might but also served as a form of psychological warfare potentially intended to intimidate and the West.
• Humanitarian Assistance Preparation: Many exercises now incorporate real-world complexities like civilian participation and media presence. UN's 2023 World Humanitarian Data Report emphasises the need for improved interagency coordination during humanitarian crises. Exercises that involve civilian aid organizations can bridge these gaps.

Mains Question:

Q. Evaluate the role of bilateral and multilateral exercises in enhancing strategic cooperation and mutual trust among participating nations.