UPSC Key | Integrated theatre commands, Oleander flowers, Gold ETFs and more

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Front Page

Armed Forces’ integrated commands structure plan looks at Vice CDS, Dy CDS with clear roles

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance. 

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government Policies & Interventions, Various Security Forces & Agencies & their Mandate Security Challenges & their Management in Border Areas. 

What’s the ongoing story- Ready with the organisational structure for the creation of integrated theatre commands, the Armed Forces are looking at the appointment of a Vice Chief of Defence Staff and a Deputy Chief of Defence Staff.

Prerequisites: 

— What are integrated theatre commands?

— Kargil Review Committee on theaterisation of armed forces- What was there in the report?

— Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) and Chief of Defence Staff- Compare and Contrast.

Key takeaways: 

— The three service chiefs will be responsible for raising, training and sustaining the individual services. 

— The theatre commands look at integrating resources of the Army, IAF and Navy to meet threats emanating from three fronts: China, Pakistan and via the sea routes. 

— Currently, the Army and the IAF have seven commands each while the Navy has three. In addition, there are two tri-service commands – the Andaman and Nicobar Command and the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) – apart from the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS).

— Ahead of the creation of the integrated theatre commands, the Armed Forces have been taking smaller steps to bring in jointness among the services at the lower levels. These include plans to transform Mumbai into the first tri-service common defence station, set up additional joint logistics nodes across the country to boost integration in logistical needs and streamline their supply chains and have multiple inter-service postings of officers.

For Your Information: 

— A theatre command deploys elements of the three services under a single, unified command structure. Each command is assigned a specific geographical region, combining resources of the three services for operational roles. 

Points to Ponder: 

— What is the theaterisation of the Armed Forces?

— How many commands does India have currently?

— What are the advantages and disadvantages of integrated theatre commands?

— What are the recent reforms taken in the Indian defence system?

Post Read Question:

What is the significance of Integrated Theatre Commands? Discuss the challenges of implementing integrated theatre commands in India.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Contours of joint theatre commands ready, await Govt nod before tweaks

Explained 

Why Kerala temples banned use of oleander flowers as offerings

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: GS-II: Health, Government Policies & Interventions. 

What’s the ongoing story- Two Kerala government-controlled temple boards, which together manage 2,500-odd temples in the state, have banned use of oleander flowers (locally known as arali) in temple offerings after a 24-year old woman died after accidentally chewing some oleander leaves.

Prerequisites: 

— What is Nerium oleander?

— What are the different varieties of oleander?

— What is the IUCN status of Nerium oleander?

— Important terms: Vrana, Kustha, Krimi, Kandu, and Karvira. (Thought Process: These words are important from an ancient history perspective. A question can be formed in the form of matching the word with its meaning.)

Key takeaways: 

— Nerium oleander, commonly known as oleander or rosebay, is a plant cultivated worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions. Known for its drought tolerance, the shrub is often used for ornamental and landscaping purposes.

— In Kerala, the plant is known by the names of arali and kanaveeram and is grown along highways and beaches as a natural, green fencing. There are different varieties of oleander, each with a flower of a different colour

— The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India (API) mentions oleander. According to API, an oil prepared from the root bark can be used to treat skin diseases.

— The plant has been “frequently described in Brihattrayi, Nighantus and other classical Ayurvedic texts.

— Charka [Charak Samhita] has prescribed the leaves of white-flowered variety externally in chronic and obstinate skin diseases of serious nature including leprosy,

— Bhavaprakasha has described Karvira [another name of the plant] as a visha (poison) and indicated it in treatment of vrana (infected wounds), kustha (skin diseases including leprosy), krimi (microbes and parasites), kandu (itching), etc

— Ingestion or inhalation of smoke from burning oleander can be intoxicating. This is due to the properties of cardiac glycosides (a type of chemical) including oleandrin, folinerin, and digitoxigenin, which are present in all parts of the plant.

— Cardiac glycosides are steroidal compounds capable of exerting pharmacological effects on cardiac muscle. The primary therapeutic value of these glycosides lies in their ability to exert profound tonic effects on the heart [stronger and faster heart contractions].

— Effects of oleander toxicity include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, rashes, confusion, dizziness, irregular heartbeat, slow heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, death.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are cardiac glycosides?

— What are the characteristics of tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates?

— What is the medicinal usage of Nerium oleander?

Post Read Question:

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news? (UPSC CSE 2018)

(a) Its extract is widely used in cosmetics.

(b) It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.

(c) Its extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides.

(d) None of the above

(Thought Process: Questions on Nerium oleander can be formed in this way in the preliminary exam.)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

A woman’s death from poisoning prompts 2,500 Kerala temples to ban oleander flowers

 

Economy

India’s top trade partner: China regains spot on higher imports

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economy

Mains Examination: GS-II, GS-III: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation, Economic Development, Indian Economy and issues. 

What’s the ongoing story-  With imports from China crossing over $100 billion in FY24, China has overtaken the US to become India’s largest trading partner after a gap of two years, as per data released by the think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).

Prerequisites: 

— What are the top 5 trading partners of India?

— What are the major export and import partners of India?

— What do you understand by the term ‘ trade deficit’?

Key takeaways: 

— The US was India’s top trading partner during FY22 and FY23 after China was the top bilateral trading partner in FY21.

— India’s bilateral trade with China in FY24 stood at $118.4 billion as imports increased by 3.24 per cent to $101.7 billion and exports rose by 8.7 per cent to $16.67 billion in FY24 compared to FY23, GTRI data showed.

— The GTRI report further said that exports to China have remained near stagnant between FY19 and FY24 while imports have surged by nearly 45 per cent which has resulted in widening of the trade deficit from $53.57 billion in FY 2019 to $85.09 billion in FY 2024.

— India trade relations with China have been under scrutiny largely due to India’s dependence on the neighbouring country’s critical products such as telecom & smartphone parts, pharma, advanced technology components among others.

— However, India has undertaken significant measures to decrease its dependence on China through production linked incentive schemes (PLI), anti-dumping duties along with quality control orders.

For Your Information: 

— To boost domestic manufacturing and cut down on import bills, the central government has launched a production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme that aims to give companies incentives on incremental sales of products manufactured in domestic units. Apart from inviting foreign companies to set shop in India, the scheme also aims to encourage local companies to set up or expand existing manufacturing units.

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the factors causing India and China’s trade imbalance?

— What are the steps taken by the government to reduce import dependence on China?

— What are the reasons behind India’s weaker export performance?

Post Read Question:

Analyse India’s trading ties with China and explain why it is experiencing an increasing trade imbalance. What policy actions are required to reduce India’s dependence on China? 

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Explained: What is PLI scheme, and which sectors will be under it?

Gold ETFs see first outflow after March 2023

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economy

Mains Examination: GS-III:  Indian Economy,  Effects of liberalisation on the economy.

What’s the ongoing story- Gold exchange traded fund (ETF) witnessed a net outflow of ₹396 crore last month, making it the first withdrawal after March 2023, owing to profit booking.

Prerequisites: 

— What is an exchange-traded fund?

— What are gold exchange-traded funds (Gold ETFs)?

— Read about Gold Mutual Funds, Sovereign Gold Bonds, and Digital gold.

Key takeaways: 

— Despite the decline, the asset under management (AUM) of gold funds rose 5% to ₹32,789 crore at April-end from ₹31,224 crore in the preceding month, according to the data with the Association of Mutual Funds in India (Amfi).

— As per the data, Gold ETFs saw a net withdrawal of ₹396 crore in April as compared to an inflow of ₹373 crore in the preceding month.

For Your Information: 

— An ETF, or exchange traded fund, is a marketable security that tracks an index, a commodity, bonds, or a basket of assets like an index fund. Unlike regular mutual funds, an ETF trades like a common stock on a stock exchange. 

Points to Ponder: 

— What could be the reasons for the recent outflow from the gold ETFs?

— What are the advantages and disadvantages of gold ETFs?

— What do you understand by the term ‘passive investment’?

Post Read Question:

With reference to the exchange traded funds, consider the following statements:

1. It is a marketable security that tracks an index or a basket of assets like an index fund.

2. The traded price of an ETF changes throughout the day.

3. They have lower liquidity and higher fees than mutual funds.

4. ETFs are considered to be tax inefficient compared to other mutual fund schemes.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

A quick guide to investing in gold

Exchange-traded fund

The Editorial Page

Make it farmer friendly

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development.

Mains Examination: GS-II, III: Government policies and interventions, Issues relating to poverty and hunger, marketing of agricultural produce.

What’s the ongoing story- Ashok Gulati , Ritika Juneja writes- “Agricultural exports touched $48.9 billion in 2023-24, registering a 8 per cent decline from $53.2 billion in 2022-23. This is significantly short of the ambitious target of $60 billion set by the Narendra Modi government for 2022.”

Prerequisites: 

— What are India’s top 5 agricultural export and import commodities?

— What is India’s agricultural export policy?

— Read about the APEDA, Export Promotion Forums, and Agri Export Zones.

Key takeaways: 

— “Indian agri-exports are influenced by two main factors: One, how global prices of agri-produce are behaving; and two, how liberal is our agri-export policy. When global prices are on the upswing, India’s agri-exports also surge, as was the case in the UPA period. But when global prices fall, our price-competitiveness also gets blunted, and agri-exports suffer, as was the case in the first five years of the Modi government.”

— “Besides global price dynamics, export restrictions and outright bans on sensitive agricultural commodities like wheat, rice, sugar, and onions lately have significantly impacted agri-exports, driven primarily by the concerns of domestic food inflation.”

— “Essentially, true export competitiveness hinges on boosting productivity and achieving more with fewer resources. This goal demands significant investments across agriculture, including research and development, seeds, irrigation, fertilisers and adopting resource-efficient farming practices like precision agriculture, fertigation etc. These strategic investments can drive down per-unit costs, enhance global competitiveness, increase agricultural exports, improve farmers’ profitability, as well as protect the environment.”

Points to Ponder: 

— What are the factors that affect agri-exports?

— What are the challenges in the agri-export policy of India?

— What reforms are required to boost India’s agri-exports?

— What are the government initiatives to promote agri-export in India?

Post Read Question:

Prelims

In India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture? (UPSC CSE 2020)

1. Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops

2. Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies

3. Social Capital development

4. Free electricity supply to farmers

5. Waiver of agricultural loans by the banking system

6. Setting up of cold storage facilities by the governments

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 5 only 

(b) 1, 3, and 4 and 5 only 

(c) 2, 3 and 6 only 

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Mains

Examine the critical issues impeding India’s agricultural exports, and outline potential strategies to bolster the sector’s overall performance and international competitiveness.

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Govt plans to boost exports of 20 items, including bananas and mangoes, as agri exports slip 9%

Export-import in agri sector

A safer web

UPSC Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Polity and Governance, Rights Issues.

Mains Examination:  GS-II, GS-III: Vulnerable sections of the population, Basics of cyber security. 

What’s the ongoing story- On May 6, a single-judge bench of Delhi High Court, said that efforts to protect minors should go beyond teaching them about “good touch” and “bad touch” in the physical world. Invoking the concept of “virtual touch”, Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said, “Minors must be equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate online interactions safely and recognise potential risks lurking in cyberspace.”

Prerequisites: 

— What is cyberspace? 

— Why do we need to protect cyberspace?

— What are the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act?

Key takeaways: 

— The pervasiveness of the internet has made it easier for children and young people to be exposed to dangers, including child sexual abuse, online harassment, cyberbullying and blackmail.

— Existing laws such as the POCSO Act and the DPDP Act, which mandates that parental consent be taken for processing of a child’s data, go some way towards addressing these concerns. But legislation can only play a limited role, thanks to the dynamic nature of the internet and its threats.

— For any effort to protect children to be effective, it must begin from the home and classroom, with frank conversations between children and adults that also take into account the former’s concerns and experiences. 

— As Justice Sharma said, this would involve teaching children about “appropriate online behaviour, recognising warning signs of predatory behaviour, and understanding the importance of privacy settings and online boundaries.”

— The internet is a resource, not just for adults, but also for children who rely on it for education, entertainment, socialising and self-realisation, and a fear-based approach would only be counterproductive thus we need a balanced approach that keeps the child safe online, while recognising her right to access the internet.

Points to Ponder: 

— Why has the threat of child abuse and exploitation in cyberspace escalated in recent times?

— What are the challenges for children in digital spaces?

— What measures should be taken to ensure children’s safety in cyberspace?

— What are the initiatives taken by the government for cyber security?

(Thought Process: Know about the Computer Emergency Response Team-India (CERT-IN), Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative, National Cyber Security Coordination Centre (NCCC), Cyber Swachhta Kendra, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C))

Post Read Question:

In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (UPSC CSE 2017)

1. Service providers

2. Data centres

3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Mains

What are the different elements of cyber security ? Keeping in view the challenges in cyber security, examine the extent to which India has successfully developed a comprehensive National Cyber Security Strategy. (UPSC CSE 2022)

Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

How to strengthen cyber security the right way

 

UPSC Ethics & Essay Snippet

‘Wordly Wise’ from The Editorial Page

“The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation.”

– Bertrand Russell

(Thought Process: Cooperation is a vital aspect of human society and plays a critical role in ensuring a brighter future for all. How do you think cooperation is a need of the hour for addressing global issues such as climate change and cyber security? Are crises the only thing that makes us see how important cooperation is? Is it cooperation or competition that drives higher growth? Is a balance of cooperation and competition the best approach to ensure a sustainable future for humanity?)

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