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Eight months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in Bali for their first in-person meeting in public view since the start of the standoff along the Line of Actual Control in May 2020, the government, for the first time, said that the two leaders had spoken about the “need to stabilise bilateral relations.
In November last year, while there was no substantive readout on their conversation — captured by cameras at the Summit dinner — Indian officials had said that the “Prime Minister and President Xi Jinping, who were both attending the G20 dinner hosted by the Indonesian President, exchanged courtesies at the conclusion of the dinner.
But this week, after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi in South Africa on the sidelines of a meeting of BRICS NSAs, the Chinese Foreign Ministry mentioned the “important consensus” between Xi and Modi at the Bali Summit.
At the end of last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi reached an important consensus on stabilising China-India relations in Bali.
While responding to questions, Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said, “Prime Minister (Modi) and President Xi Jinping, at the conclusion of that dinner hosted by the Indonesian President, exchanged courtesies and also spoke of the need to stabilise our bilateral relations.
As you are aware, we have steadfastly maintained that the key to resolution of this whole issue is to resolve the situation along the LAC on the western sector of the India-China boundary, and to restore peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
India pulls out of games in China over stapled visas for Arunachal atheletes (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
As a mark of protest against China’s decision to issue stapled visas — instead of stamped ones — to three athletes from Arunachal Pradesh, India withdrew its entire wushu (martial art) team from the World University Games which begin in Chengdu.
The decision came hours after airport authorities in New Delhi stopped an eight-member contingent, comprising five athletes, a coach and two support staff, at the boarding gate minutes before departure, according to coach Raghvendra Singh.
Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, called the Chinese decision “unacceptable”, adding that “India reserves the right to suitably respond to such actions”.
Our long-standing and consistent position is that there should be no discrimination or differential treatment based on domicile or ethnicity in the visa regime for Indian citizens holding valid India passports.
It has come to our notice that stapled visas were issued to some of our citizens representing the country in an international sporting event in China. This is unacceptable and we have lodged our strong protest with the Chinese side, reiterating our consistent position on the matter.
In Parliament
Rajya Sabha passes cinematograph bill, minister says will curb piracy (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, Governance)
The Rajya Sabha passed the Cinematograph (Amendment), Bill, 2023, through voice vote after a walkout by Opposition MPs, who continued to demand a discussion on the violence in Manipur and a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the floor of the House.
The Bill was introduced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur amid loud sloganeering and demands by Opposition members, prompting Thakur to say that the Opposition is “against the Indian film industry”.
Pointing out that this is the first time the Cinematograph Act, 1952, will be amended, Thakur said: “A lot has changed in the last 40 years.
Technology has completely changed; viewership has increased. How films are made, as well as how they are viewed, has changed.
Even the methods of piracy has changed. Years ago, camcorders were used. Now anyone can record on their phones, and within seconds, a pirated film can reach the rest of the world.
The government has provided for penalties for piracy, including a fine starting from Rs 3 lakh up to 5% of the audited gross production cost of the film, he mentioned. The government has also included a provision of imprisonment of up to three years.
Govt & Politics
SC extends ED chief’s term until Sept 15 in larger public interest (Page no. 8)
(GS Paper 2, Judiciary)
Keeping in mind the “larger public interest” in view of the ongoing review of India by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Supreme Court allowed Sanjay Kumar Mishra to continue as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) director until September 15.
A special bench of Justices B R Gavai, Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol, which took up an application filed by the Centre seeking extension of Mishra’s tenure, said that “under ordinary circumstances, we would not have entertained such an application”.
The bench referred to its July 11 order, wherein it had held the two extensions given to Mishra by orders dated November 17, 2021 and November 17, 2022, and said it had “permitted him to continue till July 31 in order to ensure (a) smooth transition”.
The bench noted, “We find that though in ordinary circumstances such an application would not have been entertained, taking into consideration the larger public interest, we are inclined to permit respondent number 2 (Mishra) to continue for some more period.
The court clarified that “no further application will be entertained for grant of extension to respondent number 2” and directed that he “shall cease to be Director of ED with effect from midnight of 15-16 September, 2023”.
Explained
Why SEBI is reviewing delisting norms, and may choose the ‘fixed price’ method (Page no. 13)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is reviewing delisting regulations for listed companies in an attempt to rein in the manipulation of shares of a company that has opted for delisting from the stock exchanges.
The capital markets regulator has said it may allow companies to delist shares at a fixed price, as against the current ‘reverse book-building’ process.
Delisting means removing the securities of a listed company from a stock exchange. Once delisted, the securities of that company can no longer be traded on the stock exchange.
Delisting can be either voluntary or compulsory. In voluntary delisting, a company decides on its own to remove its securities from a stock exchange; in compulsory delisting, they are removed as a penal measure for the company not making submissions or complying with requirements set out in the listing agreement within the prescribed timeframes.
Reverse book-building is the process used for price discovery. During the period for which the reverse book-building is open, offers are collected from shareholders at various prices, which are above or equal to the floor price. The buyback price is determined after the offer closing price.
Ideas Page
Forest and national security (Page no. 15)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
At least from the early 1970s, there has been a growing realisation of both the environmental damage that humans are collectively causing and the impact this is having on our lives.
For example, extensive wildfires, prolonged and intense heat waves, extreme rainfall events, powerful and more frequent cyclones, rampant loss of biodiversity and the unravelling of ecosystems have all, and in many cases synergistically, impacted the lives of billions of people.
Premature deaths, increasing incidence of diseases, destruction of built infrastructure, declining soil fertility, and decreasing quality of air and water are a short list of the impacts we are suffering.
Globally, the response has included dozens of multilateral environmental agreements committing to the time-bound reversal of these trends.
Many countries, especially India, have put in place strong policies and laws to protect the environment and restore it.
It is in this context that I am deeply concerned about the government’s Forest Conservation Amendment Bill, 2023, which was passed in the Lok Sabha earlier this week.
With only 21 per cent of India’s land area having forest cover and even more worryingly, only 12.37 per cent intact natural forest, we have a long way to go to meet our target of 33 per cent forest cover.
Additionally, the most biodiversity-rich part of the country, the northeastern states, show a net decline of 3,199 sq km of forest cover from 2009-2019 and much of the marginal increase in forest cover is in the form of commercial plantations and urban parks. These cannot replace the ecological functions performed by intact natural ecosystems.
Economy
Economic census, Parliamentary panel flags delay in results (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
A parliamentary panel has questioned the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) over the delay in the release of the economic census results, pointing out in a report tabled in Parliament that only 13 states and Union Territories have communicated their approval for provisional results so far.
The Standing Committee on Finance pointed out that MoSPI’s response on the seventh economic census “falls short in providing a proactive approach” to address the delays.
“Moreover, the response highlights that as of April 30, 2023 only 13 states/UTs have communicated their approval on the 7th Economic Census provisional results indicating lack of progress in obtaining approvals from the State Level Coordination Committees.
The response of the government also does not provide clear information on how it plans to implement these recommendations.
The committee has asked the ministry to “accelerate data collection, foster close collaboration with states and ensure timely approval of the provisional results by the state-level coordination committees”, adding that the panel should be apprised about states facing statistical capacity constraints in terms of providing data.
Consider PLI scheme for chemicals and petrochemical industry (Page no. 17)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
The government will consider bringing in the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the chemicals and petrochemicals sector to make the country a manufacturing hub in this segment.
Stating that the government is focused on green growth and becoming energy independent by 2047, Sitharaman said India aims to achieve net zero by 2070, but cannot achieve the goal unless each sector and industry contributes towards it.
We are in favour of India becoming a manufacturing hub and we will consider the PLI scheme also for the chemicals and petrochemicals sector.
In view of stringent pollution control regulations and rising labour cost, she said global manufacturers in the chemical industry are looking at diversifying their products and production capability and India stands out as an alternative destination for manufacturing.
If viable options exist, it exists in such markets where there is a domestic buffer and beyond which there is an export potential. So that is where the government’s policies have been facilitating.
World
Russia refuses to speak at UN meet over attacks on Ukraine’s Odesa port (Page no. 18)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
In an escalation of Russia’s anger at Ukraine and its Western backers, Russia refused to speak at a U.N. Security Council meeting called to discuss Moscow’s recent devastating attacks on the key port of Odesa immediately following its refusal to extend the Black Sea grain deal.
The confrontation began at the start of a council session called by Russia on the divided Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Russia’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Dmitry Polyansky ,protested that Britain, which holds the council presidency, was allowing only two briefers and Moscow wanted a third — Archbishop Gideon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The Ukrainian government has cracked down on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church over its historic ties to the Russian Orthodox Church, whose leader, Patriarch Kirill, supported Russian President Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
Deputy British ambassador James Kariuki responded that because of a tight time schedule to fit in two council meetings, the UK had offered a compromise to allow a third Russian briefer to submit a statement to the council, which he said was “not unreasonable.”
Polyansky was not satisfied, and Kariuki then put Russia’s proposal to have the archbishop speak to a vote. Russia got support only from China and Brazil, with the 12 other council members abstaining.
Polyansky called the council’s refusal to allow the archbishop to speak an “egregious” example of double standards on human rights and freedom of religion.
Niger Army extends support for coup ‘to avoid bloodbath (Page no. 18)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Niger’s army command declared its support for a coup instigated the previous day by soldiers of the presidential guard, saying its priority was to avoid destabilising the country.
The army needed to “preserve the physical integrity” of the president and his family and avoid “a deadly confrontation… that could create a bloodbath and affect the security of the population.
President Mohamed Bazoum and Foreign Minister Hassoumi Massoudou earlier urged democratic forces in the country to resist the power grab, as western officials said the status of the coup attempt was unclear.
The soldiers said in a late-night televised address that Bazoum had been stripped of power and the republic’s institutions been suspended, marking the seventh coup in West and Central Africa since 2020.
They earlier cut off the presidential palace in the capital Niamey, with the president inside. Bazoum, in a social media posting on Thursday morning, vowed to protect “hard-won” democratic gains in a country that is a pivotal ally for Western powers helping fight an insurgency in the Sahel region.
Massoudou also called on “democrats and patriots” to make the “attempted coup” fail, according to a posting on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Niamey was quiet on Thursday morning as citizens awoke to heavy rain, closed borders and a nationwide curfew imposed by the coup instigators.