MISCELLANEOUS

MISCELLANEOUS

INDO – PACIFIC REGION

The term ‘Indo-Pacific’ refers to the maritime space stretching from the littorals of East Africa and West Asia, across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, to the littorals of East Asia. With various countries and international forums using the term Indo Pacific in their official statements, it is gaining currency in recent times.

Examples of recent shift to Indo-Pacific

• India has set up an Indo-Pacific Wing in the Ministry of External Affairs in 2019.
• Recent ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
• Joint Declaration on a Shared Vision for Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific between India and Australia.
• Indo – Pacific Strategy = Put forward by USA

Why there is a shift from Asia-Pacific to Indo- Pacific

1. Economic “Center of Gravity”: Countries in the Indo-Pacific region produce over 60% of global GDP, making the region the largest single contributor to global growth.
2. Counter China: It helps containing the expansionism of China and its assertiveness, especially in the region of South China Sea.
3. Important Sea lanes of Communication: Malacca strait is located in this region, resulting in intersection of International trade. 40% of global exports pass from this region.
4. Energy security: Rich region in terms of natural resources like fisheries, oil and gas as well as mineral resources.
   • Example: Polymetallic nodules are available at the bottom of the Central Indian Ocean
5. Rising India’s Clout: India is seen as counterweight to China and a net security provider in Indian Ocean Region.
6. Blue Economy: Indo Pacific has become an important region for maritime security, trade, connectivity and important tool to promote Blue Economy.

India’s benefits/role in Indo-Pacific Region

1. Vision: Open, integrated and balanced approach.
2. Act East Policy: Substantial improvement of India’s relations with Southeast Asia
3. Energy security: Example: ONGC Videsh Ltd is prospecting for oil and gas in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam, Deep Ocean Mission for manganese nodules
4. Naval Exercises: India conducts many naval exercises with the United States, countries of ASEAN, Japan, Korea and Vietnam
5. Bilateral and Multilateral Engagements
   • United States, India issued strategic vision for the Indian ocean and the Pacific in which maintaining the security in the South China Sea, was also mentioned
   • India has been given a role in “Indo-Pacific Strategy”

The Indo-Pacific region has become the key contest between India and China. India with the support of the QUAD can help maintain the area to be free and open, also the region will test India’s emerging power and diplomatic credentials.

INDIAN FOREIGN POLICY

Fundamentally based on the principles of peaceful co-existence, friendship and co-operation among all the countries of the world irrespective of their political systems.

Constitutional Provisions

Article 51

• Promote international peace and security and maintain just and honourable relations between nations.
• Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations.
• Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.

Six broad phases:

1. The First phase (1947-62): Optimistic Non-Alignment
   • Period of a bipolar world: The United States and the USSR
   • India’s objectives
     • Resist dilution of its sovereignty
     • Rebuild its economy and
     • Consolidate its integrity
   • Five principles of peaceful coexistence or Panchsheel was evolved
     • Mutual respect for each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
     • Mutual non-aggression
     • Mutual non-interference in each other’s internal affairs
     • Equality and mutual benefit
     • Peaceful co-existence
   • India was in a critical role in the establishment of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM)
2. The Second phase (1962-71): Decade of Realism and Recovery
   • Post 1962 war: India made pragmatic choices on security and political challenges.
   • Looked beyond NAM: India concluded a forgotten defence agreement with the US in 1964.
   • India’s external pressures on Kashmir (Tashkent agreement 1965): US and UK.
   • Agreement did not contain a no-war pact/renunciation of Pakistan’s aggression in Kashmir
   • India now started tilting toward USSR
3. The Third phase (1971-91): Greater Indian Regional Assertion
   • India’s remarkable use of hard power: Contribution in liberation of Bangladesh in 1971.
   • Complex phase of US-China-Pakistan: This threatened India’s prospects as a regional power.
   • Indo–Soviet Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation 1971 was signed.
   • Major Soviet contribution: The construction of shipbuilding and ship-repair facilities at Bombay on the west coast and at Visakhapatnam on the east coast.
   • India get sanctions from US and its allies: after Peaceful Pokhran I test in 1974.
   • Collapse of the USSR, Gulf War, Economic Stagnation: BoP crisis in India (1991).
4. The Fourth phase (1991-98): Safeguarding Strategic Autonomy
   • Unipolar world (USA): India changed its approach to world affairs
   • Quest for strategic autonomy: Focused on securing nuclear weapon(Pokhran II)
   • India engaged with the US, Israel and ASEAN more intensively.
   • The Gujral Doctrine:
     • With neighbours like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka, India does not ask for reciprocity but gives and accommodates what it can in good faith and trust.
     • No South Asian country should allow its territory to be used against the interest of another country in the region.
     • No country should interfere in the internal affairs of another.
     • All South Asian countries must respect each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
     • They should settle all their disputes through peaceful bilateral negotiations.
   • Application of Gujral Doctrine
     • Mahakali River Project was gifted to Nepal,
     • Freezing of border disputes with China
     • Ganga Water sharing agreement with Bangladesh in 1996 allowed it to withdraw more water than even what 1977 agreement allowed.
     • People-to-people contact between India and Pakistan were increased by easing visa restrictions.
5. The Fifth phase (1998-2013): India, a Balancing Power

• India’s search for energy security to ensure its current rate of economic growth.
• India gradually became a balancing power (against the rise of China).
• Reflected in India-US nuclear deal (123 Agreement).
• India has common cause with China on climate change, consolidated ties with Russia: BRICS, a major global forum.

1. The Sixth phase (2013-Present): Energetic Engagement

• Transitional geopolitics: India’s policy of NAM outdated: Focus on Multi Alignment
• Prioritizing an integrated neighbourhood; i.e. “neighbourhood First.”
• NATO ally like status to India
• Bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• Membership of groups like NSG, Australian group, Wassenar arrangement etc
• India’s Look East policy has morphed into a proactive Act East policy, which envisages accelerated across-the-board engagement between the two growth poles of a vibrant Asia
• Commerce, Culture and Connectivity (3Cs) are the three pillars of India’s robust engagement with ASEAN
• Moulding WTO: So as to benefit India’s agriculture and services sector along with other developing nations.
• Project Mausam would allow India to re-establish its ties with its ancient trade partners and re-establish an “Indian Ocean world” along the littoral of the Indian Ocean.
  • India, more aware of its capabilities and expectations.
  • Being among the major economies of the world.
  • Ability to create and sustain global technology.
  • Shaping key global negotiations (Paris Conference).
• SAGAR initiative: Asserting beyond South Asia
• Containing Pakistan from supporting the menace of terrorism.

How India’s foreign policy should take shape in current world

• Pragmatic issue-based alignments: countries big and small
• Purposeful Pursuit of national interests
• Proactive diplomatic outreach
• Shaper: not an abstainer
• Stabiliser: rather than a disruptor

Emerging Challenges

1. A Stronger China: China is the only major country that had a positive growth rate at the end of 2020, and its economy is poised to grow even faster in 2021. Militarily, it’s getting stronger and strained Sino-China relation is a concern.
2. Growing Russia-China Axis: The sanctions imposed on Russia after Crimea’s annexation has pushed Russia towards a tighter embrace of China. This seems to signal reduced interest in countries such as India.
3. Growing India-US proximity: Also, India’s closeness to the U.S. has weakened its links with traditional friends such as Russia and Iran.
4. Changing Middle East Equations:
   • Even after Abraham Accords, the situation remains fluid and has not reduced the risk of a confrontation between Iran and Israel.
   • Iran could well be tempted to use its nuclear capability to enhance its position. This does pose problems for India since both have relations with it.
   • India’s tilt toward Israel is shift from traditional stance.
5. Self-Imposed Isolation of India: Currently, India remains isolated from two important supranational bodies of which it used to be a founding member, viz., the NAM and the SAARC.
   • Moreover, India has opted out of the RCEP.
   • This self-imposed isolation doesn’t synergise with India’s aspiration of becoming a global power.

1. Weakening Ties with Neighbours: This can be seen from instances like China’s Cheque Book Diplomacy vis-a-vis Sri-Lanka, strain in relation with Bangladesh on NRC issue and recent border controversy with Nepal due to the release of the new map.
2. Climate Change: Climate change is getting prominence in every international talk. It is getting important in foreign policy

Impact of Covid-19 on India’s Foreign Policy

• Regional Primacy: India’s traditional primacy in the region was built on a mix of material aid, political influence and historical ties. Now, India’s ability is declining, to materially help the neighbourhood in the wake of Covid-19.
• Chinese Intrusion into India’s Strategic Space: The second wave of Covid-19 has quickened this process, as India’s ability to stand up to China stands vastly diminished today in material power, in terms of balance of power considerations, and political will.
• Less spending on military: Covid-19, will prevent any ambitious military spending or modernisation plans and limit the country’s attention on global diplomacy and regional geopolitics.
• Affecting India’s Engagement with Quad: With reduced military spending and lesser diplomatic attention to regional geopolitics, India’s ability to project power and contribute to the growth of the Quad will be uncertain.
• Economics Affecting Geo-politics: Covid-19 has led to a general economic distress, a fall in FDI and industrial production, and a rise in unemployment will also limit India’s strategic ambitions.
• US-China Relations: With the rise of China and India’s Covid-19-related troubles could prompt the US to normalise relations with China.
• India-China Relations: Impact of COVID-19’s devastating return and the damage it has done would be that India might be forced to be more conciliatory towards China.
• India-US Relations: A post-COVID-19 India might find it harder to resist demands of a closer military relationship with the U.S.

Way Forward

• Strong economic foundation: For the Aspiration to be a global power, India need to build a strong economic foundation.
• Reinvigoration of SAARC: Covid-19 will also open up new regional opportunities for cooperation especially under the ambit of SAARC.
• Building an institutional framework: That can engage in long-term strategic thinking and strengthening the economic and military building blocks of India’s comprehensive national power.
• Realizing soft power diplomacy: Hard power only is not sufficient; vaccine diplomacy is one of the ways of strengthening influence and engaging with other countries.
• Maintain strategic autonomy: Bedrock of policy thinking.
• India needs to make more assertive participation in events of geopolitical significance.
• Be more proactive and vocal in the external arena: Fulfilment of superpower role in world forum should be looked at.
• Incorporating defence diplomacy in the overall diplomacy: Needs improvement in coordination between the ministries of defence and external affairs and the armed forces. Such coordination so far has been ad hoc and inadequate.
• The US-China trade war: India should devise strategies not only to exploit the new opportunities but also to safeguard it against dangers.
• Use interest-based diplomacy: Align with country of more strategic interest and common aim.
• Formidable climate change policy: India must safeguard its position, first by acting on areas that essentially promote the country’s interest. For example, the shift from fossil fuels to renewable clean sources, to ensure energy security in the future.

Conclusion

As part of the ideational restructuring of India’s foreign policy, what is urgently required, apart from competent statecraft, is the adoption of prudent policies, pursuit of realistically achievable objectives, and, above all, a demonstration of continuity of policy, irrespective of changes in the nature of the Administration.

INDIAN DIASPORA

Diaspora refers to the people living away from their homeland due to various reasons.

Importance

1. Political
   • Political position: Many people of Indian origin hold top political positions in many countries, including US, UK, Canada etc.
     • For Example: Kamala Harris, the first female VP in US has an Indian origin.
   • As a Pressure groups: The influential Indian diaspora affects not just the popular attitude, but also government policies in countries where they live, to the benefit of India.
     • For Example: Lobbying for the US-India Civilian Nuclear Agreement Bill in 2008
2. Economic
   • Investment: Many emigrants make huge investments into their home countries helping in huge inflow of capitals that boost local economy and create huge jobs.
   • Remittances: Migrants’ remittances have positive systemic effects on the balance of payments. It helps to bridge a wider trade deficit.
     • For Example: India received the highest remittance of $78.6 bn (this amounts to a whopping 3.4% of India’s GDP) from Indians living abroad.
   • Richest diaspora: Indian diaspora is one of the richest minorities in many developed countries, this helped them to lobby for favourable terms regarding India’s interests.
     • For example: With 2.8 million, Indians may be just 1% of the U.S. population, but they are the most educated and richest minority, according to a 2013 Pew survey.
   • Tackle disguise unemployment: The migration of less-skilled labour (especially to West Asia) has also helped in bringing down disguised unemployment in India.
   • Generation of commercial ideas: By weaving a web of cross-national networks, the migrant workers facilitated the flow of tacit information, commercial and business ideas, and technologies into India.
   • Help in technology transfer: They help in bringing these technology and innovations to their country of origin through investment and collaborations.
   • Trans-national entrepreneurship: They are a significant source of trade and investment in India.
   • Technological graduates: They are the engineering and management graduates, who are in high-value jobs majorly located in, but not limited to, the western countries like US and Europe.
3. International
   • National representation across the globe: Diasporas are symbol of a nation’s pride and represent their country internationally. They help in building country’s value internationally through their huge success stories.
     • For Example: Executives like Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella etc. have reached the highest echelons in their respective sectors.
   • Enhancing India’s Soft Power: Their advantage is evident in “diaspora diplomacy”, whereby they act as “bridge-builders” between their home and adopted countries.
   • Help in boosting bilateral ties: Diaspora increasingly becoming prominent with getting prominent places in their residing nations like UK, USA which further helps in building better ties.
     • For Example: The President of Singapore, Governor-General of New Zealand and prime ministers of Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago were all of Indian descent.
   • Contribution to the place of residence: Similarly, their contribution to the country of residence is also noteworthy.
     • For Example: The Indian diaspora in UK is almost 1.8% of the total population of UK, but it contributes almost 6% of the total GDP of UK.

• Social

1. 1. • Socio-economic development: Remittances make an invaluable contribution by aiding in poverty reduction and changes in consumption behaviour in rural areas.
      • Help fight pandemic: Countries are helping India, one of the main reason is diaspora living and helping the resident country fighting the pandemic.
        • For Example: Sikh community distribute food in US, UK etc. as their part of traditional “Langar system”.

• Cultural

1. • Spread of indigenous culture and traditions: They spread the Indian Culture and traditions abroad benefitting India in general.
     • For Example: Yoga, Ayurveda, Indian Cuisine etc.

Challenges

1. Political
   • Heterogeneous diaspora: Indian Diaspora has different demands from the Indian Government.
     • For Example: The diaspora from the Gulf, look to India for support on welfare issues.
     • While those from wealthier nations such as the US look to India for investment opportunities.
   • Negative fallout: It must be remembered that having a strong diaspora does not always translate to benefits for the home country.
     • For Example: Recent demonstration in support of farmers’ protests, negative campaigning and foreign funding, for separatist movements like the Khalistan movement.
2. Economic
   • Returning diaspora: Diaspora in West Asia is semi-skilled and mainly engaged in the infrastructure sector. After the boom gets over India should be ready for the eventuality of Indian workers returning.
   • Impact of Covid-19: Covid-19 has triggered a reverse migration, whereby many migrant workers had to return to India and now facing restrictions regarding emigration.
   • Regulatory toil: There are many inadequacies of the Indian system for the diaspora to collaborate with India or to invest in the country.
     • For example: Grievances like red tape, multiple clearances, distrust of government are acting as hindrances in fulfilling opportunities presented by the Indian Diaspora.
   • Brain-drain: Indians prefer to do higher studies abroad and work as scientists and economists abroad causing India loss of talent in areas of research and development.
   • Reducing trends: The e-Migrate system and the Minimum Referral Wages policy have been detrimental to India as companies now find it easier to hire labour from other countries.
3. International
   • Anti-Globalization: With the rising Anti-globalization wave, there has been an increase in the incidents of suspected hate crimes against the Indian community.
   • Turmoil in West Asia: Despite the peace deal with Israel & the four Gulf countries (Abraham Accords), the situation in West Asia remains fluid due to prevailing tensions between Saudi-Arabia & Iran.

Government Initiatives

• Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD): To allow participation of the Indian diaspora who are unable to attend annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in India.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA): The Award shall be conferred on a NRIs, PIO or an organization or institution established and run by NRIs or PIOs.

• Know India Programme (KIP): Objective is to help familiarize Indian Diaspora youth, with developments and achievements made by the country and bringing them closer to the land of their ancestors.
• Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC): Under the scheme 100 scholarships upto USD 4000/annum are granted to PIO and NRI students for undergraduate courses in Engineering/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce etc.
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card Scheme: Keeping in view Government’s deep commitment of engaging PIO with the land of their ancestors in a mutually beneficial relationship, the OCI Scheme was launched in 2005 by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Way Forward

• India should formulate a new NRI policy: Government must immediately work with developed countries to ask that they kick back a portion of the income tax revenues they collect from the Indian diaspora.
• Need for Evacuation Policy: There is a need for a strategic diaspora evacuation policy from conflict zones in a world.
• Translate partnership: India’s foreign policy aims to translate partnerships to benefits for key projects like Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga, Make in India etc. the diaspora has plenty of scopes to contribute.
• Better connection: Social media tools made it easy and inexpensive for the Diaspora to stay in touch with families, and their link to India has never been stronger.

Conclusion

Today, the Indian diaspora is more prosperous than before and its involvement in India’s development is increasing. It contributes by way of remittances, investment, lobbying for India, promoting Indian culture abroad and for building a good image of India by their intelligence and industry.

GEOPOLITICS IN TECHNOLOGY

Science and technology acts as a portion of geopolitics where technological developments boost Geo-political domination of the country. Global transition to future technologies like Artificial Intelligence, 5G and Big Data among others have started affecting the global geopolitics which can be evidently seen in the global 5G adoption.

Importance of Technology

1. National Security: Technological development can play significant role in national security like saving country from cyber threat or creating deterrence by new defence technology.
   • For example: Use of Iron Dome system by Israel in Israel-Palestine conflict.
2. Economic development: New technological innovations open up new market opportunities and is essential for long term development.
   • For example: Control of data driven technologies is being seen as key technological variable which will drive the future economic competition among countries.
3. Geopolitical: Technology is a potential tool in to control any country, as rightly said data is the new oil. Whoever control data will be able to control the geopolitical affairs.
   • For example: Companies like Twitter and Facebook, holds a considerable amount of people sentiments in any country.
4. International affairs: Possession of high-class technology fetches greater power and control in International arena.
   • For example: Intermediate powers like Canada and Israel are best examples in the international arena because of their S&T capabilities.

Importance of Countries due to S&T

1. USA
   • World Super power: Country has been the world’s superpower for the past 70 years, because of their headship in S&T.
   • Atomic weapon: World War II led to the development of the atomic weapon and Foundations of Silicon Valley.
   • Space leader: The diplomatically important US space program was the seed of cold war.
   • Technological giants: Companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Tesla, Facebook, Twitter are all US based companies and control more than 60% of the world technology field.
   • Implications: Today all countries want to align with US not only economically but also politically.
2. China
   • Establishing hegemony: Chinese innovation policy is a geopolitical apparatus to advance economic and military hegemony.
   • Policy priority: China’s New Industry Policy 2025 aims to make itself an “innovative country”.
   • Power play: Chinese moves in clean energy and space have made technology a prime pawn in the international power play.
   • Leadership: China aims to become a superpower in Artificial Intelligence, leading to a technology race with the US. Ex- Roll out of 5G technology
   • Control over data: China is a data authoritarian state and does not share data with anybody to control its own geopolitics.
   • Implications: China emerged as a major player in Asia and constantly challenging US hegemony
3. Israel
   • Getting important: Being a small country, it embraces a great geo-political importance because of its high-tech ecosystem.
   • Triple purpose: Technology of Israel serves the triple purpose of boosting economic growth, ensuring national security, and offering international leverage.
   • Implications: Israel is getting importance more than any other country. One of the causes for India’s latest tilt regarding Israel is the latter’s strength in S&T, especially in agriculture.
4. India
   • Picking up: India’s fresh works to focus on its domestic defence manufacturing industry to become net exporter of defence equipment.
   • Space leader: Already developed a regional satellite for South Asia, and an independent GPS and increasing footprint of ISRO in space can make India regional leader in space.
   • Enhancing education system: Establishing 20 world-class universities, are all seen as foot works in the S&T advancement to reach the power
   • Software Industry: India’s software industry is one of the biggest in the world which has earned the title of software giant.
   • Implications: Can become big regional player and provide better alternative to China

Data Diplomacy and Digital Geopolitics

• Digital authoritarians: Countries that have closed their data markets to external actors are commonly referred to as digital authoritarians. For Ex: China
• Digital democracies: Countries guided by judicial standards, the rule of law, and support movement of data have come to be known as digital democracies.
• Geopolitics of technology: The political, ideological, and economic tensions between, and within, these categories of actors shape what might be called the geopolitics of technology.
• New focus: This form of geopolitics is as much about competing domestic regulations, the renewed focus on anti-trust laws, and domestic standards on privacy legislations, as it is about international affairs.
• Cooperation across border: Greater cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) or blockchain technologies, between entities in different countries, requires mediation and cooperation across borders.

• Data diplomacy: This is a matter of data diplomacy. At least 14 countries have appointed negotiators to shape data diplomacy.

Potential of India in Data diplomacy

• Become focus for all: Today all countries want to deal with India. It is, after all, the largest open data market in the world. Close to 600 million Indians currently use 4G data.
• High data consumption: India also has the highest per capita consumption of data (above 10 GB per month) anywhere in the world.
• Priority for big tech firms: It is a treasure trove for big tech firms, as much as it is for those firms within India wanting to expand operations outside its borders.

Challenges

• Not sustainable in long term: India’s unique data demography is unlikely to sustain current levels of international interest and domestic needs in the long-term.
• Question of Data Openness: A lot will depend on the kind of digital democracy that India aspires to be. How open or closed will it be to the movement of data across its borders, is the moot question for the fast-growing number of global “tech ambassadors”.
• Threat on national security: India’s banning of Chinese Apps shows India’s stand on future technology threats and it has to bring down a clear data policy or Act.
• Balancing Act: This is about ensuring India’s evolving domestic data architecture supports its international interests, with the clear view to benefit from the same

India’s Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB)

• Data openness: To an extent, the question of data openness will be resolved as India’s Personal Data Protection Bill (PDPB) becomes a law, potentially in 2021.
• Data localisation: This crucial legislature will outline localisation requirements for personal data, thereby setting out clearer rules for the cross-border movement of data.
• Data protection authority: It will also lead to the creation of a Data Protection Authority (DPA) to regulate the use of personal data.
• Legal digital architecture: Over the next year, there is a very good chance that India will have developed its legal digital architecture.

Recent Developments

India’s data diplomacy efforts

• New NEST division: The ministry of external affairs created the new, emerging, and strategic technologies (NEST) division in January 2020.
  • Focus: On strategic technologies such as 5G, emerging technologies, and tech diplomacy.
• Assess the effects of disruptive technology: The office of the principal scientific adviser to the government to assess the transformational effects of disruptive technologies such as digital currencies, big data computing, communication hardware, and others.
• Moreover, senior officials in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) oversee diverse elements of domestic and international data-related developments.

Way Forward

• Bring clarity: India needs to consider what exactly it wants out of the fast-changing geopolitics around technology. This goes beyond banning Chinese apps or considering how India can absorb the slow move to diversify global supply chains.
• Create balance: The aim must be to negotiate its weight in data and find the right balance for India’s future between localisation and internationalisation.
• Implement policy: Create a plan to implement National Policy of Science and Technology 2020 for better development of technology in the country.

IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is a detailed agreement reached by Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) in 2015. The nuclear deal was endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Recent Development

Talks on the revival of 2015 Iran nuclear deal which was dismantled in 2018 by President Donald Trump have become a casualty of the war in Ukraine after an indefinite pause was announced over last-minute Russian demands.

Reasons for the demand of the revival of the Iran Nuclear Deal

• Fear of Nuclear escalation: American officials are concerned about Iran’s rapid nuclear escalation after the US abandoned the deal.
• Iran’s Aspiration: Iran has already said that it is enriching uranium fuel in the country (Enriched uranium can be used to produce fuel for commercial nuclear reactors, or it can be converted into a material that can produce weapons-grade nuclear weapons).
• Failure of US diplomacy: US has failed miserably in tackling the Ukraine-Russia issue, which is affecting its credibility.

What are the demands by the US?

• Implementation of the terms of original deal: US has said that it will rejoin the agreement if Iran complies with the terms of the original deal, and if it addresses other issues related to alleged ballistic missile stockpiles and the proxy conflicts that it backs across the region.

Features of JCPOA

• Restricting Uranium enrichment: Iran was limited to installing no more than 5,060 of the oldest and least efficient centrifuges until 2026 from 20,000 centrifuges in 2015.
• Pause on Iran’s nuclear ambition: Iran agreed not to engage in activities, including research and development, which could contribute to the development of a nuclear bomb.
• Limiting Plutonium accumulation: Iran had to redesign the Arak reactor so that it could not produce any weapons-grade plutonium, and that all spent fuel would be sent out of the country as long as the modified reactor exists.
• Regular IAEA inspection: Iran agreed to implement the Additional Protocol to their IAEA Safeguards Agreement, which allows inspectors to access any site anywhere in the country they deem suspicious.
• Sanctions were lifted: Iran gained access to more than $100bn in assets frozen overseas, and was able to resume selling oil on international markets and using the global financial system for trade.

Significance of JCPOA

1. Boosting Iranian economy: The deal will remove the prevalent economic sanctions and will help kick-start the economy. But at the same time, Iran would be subject to various conditions with regard to enrichment of uranium and transparency within its nuclear facilities.
2. Curtail another nuclear armed state: US, Israel and Saudi Arabia among others aim to curtail Iran’s capacity of nuclear enrichment.
3. Boosting world economy: Many European nations have business interests with Iran. South Asian countries and West Asian countries are importers of Iranian fuel. Revival of the deal will directly give boost to regional and world economy.
4. Stability in the region: Proponents of the deal said that it would help prevent a revival of Iran’s nuclear weapons program and thereby reduce the prospects for conflict between Iran and its regional rivals, including Israel and Saudi Arabia.
5. Shifting geopolitical balance: USA’s exit from the deal paved the way for improved ties with other global powers such as Russia and China shifting the geopolitical balance away from Western powers.
   • Example: In 2019, Russia, Iran and China held joint naval drill in the Gulf of Oman.

Reasons for US Withdrawal from the Deal

• Campaign promise: The then US President Donald Trump fulfilled his election campaign promise to pull out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed between Iran and world powers.
• Medium-term plan: Critics admit that it is only a medium-term plan and does not address Iran’s non-nuclear weapons and missile programmes.
• International politics: US administration was trying to notch up its tensions with Iran, driven by its noted friendship towards Israel, which opposes the deal
• Domestic politics: The deal is noted as former President Barack Obama’s greatest foreign policy achievement. In his first year in office Mr Trump has moved to dismantle several Obama-era laws and policies.

Challenges of JCPOA

1. Regional tensions
   • Regional cold war between Iran & Saudi Arabia: US has strengthened its relationship with Saudi-Arabia which is the cornerstone of US Middle East policy, to act as a counterweight against Iran. Thus, a major challenge for the US to restore the nuclear deal is to maintain peace between the two regional rivals.
2. Politics played by the US
   • Inconsistent US policy: Despite Iran’s verified compliance with the deal, the US unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA and re-imposed all US sanctions on Iran lifted by the accord
     • Example: Termination of designated sanctions waivers for cooperative nuclear projects detailed in the JCPOA including the transfer of enriched uranium out of Iran
   • Trust deficit: USA’s unilateral exit has created a trust deficit among the other members of the agreement
3. Inflexible resistance by Iran
   • Iranian Policy of ‘Maximum Resistance’: Iran wants the US to pay for the billions of dollars in economic losses it incurred when the US pulled out of the deal in 2018 and reinstituted sanctions that it had lifted
   • Breaches by Iran: In 2019, Iran unilaterally announced it would no longer be bound by limits on heavy water and enriched uranium stockpiles
   • Iran violated the deal when US left it: It is currently in violation of several of its important commitments, such as the limits on stockpiles of enriched uranium.
     • Example: IAEA noted that Iran has more than eight times the limit set by the deal now.
4. Policy issues
   • Half-baked initiative: Neither USA and its allies nor Iran public are completely satisfied with the agreement which makes the agreement unstable and susceptible to breaking.
   • Temporary nature of the deal: Sunset provision of deal limits it till 2026 after which centrifuge restrictions and limits on amount of low-enriched uranium Iran can possess will be lifted.
   • Not accounting for Iran’s ballistic missile program: The deal’s failed to account for Iran’s ballistic missile program which is a cause of worry for Israel and Saudi Arabia

1. Russia Issue
   • Veto power of Russia: Russia has been a key broker of the painstaking talks in Vienna, and if the impasse is prolonged there is likely to be a debate over whether Moscow can absolutely use its UN veto on the agreement known as the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA).
   • Russia and JCPOA: Russia’s most important role in JCPOA implementation would be as the importer of Iran’s excess enriched uranium stockpile, which would be transported to Russia via ship and exchanged for natural uranium.

Significance of the deal for India

• Boost to Regional Connectivity: Removing sanctions may revive India’s interest in the Chabahar option, Bandar Abbas port, and other plans for regional connectivity which would help India to neutralize the Chinese presence in Gwadar port, Pakistan.
• Boost to international connectivity: Apart from Chabahar, India’s interest in the International North-South Transit Corridor (INSTC), which runs through Iran, will improve its connectivity with five Central Asian republics
• Energy Security: Due to the pressure linked to the CAATSA, India has brought down its oil imports from Iran to zero. Restoration of ties between the US and Iran will help India to procure cheap Iranian oil and aid in energy security.

On the foreign policy front, Biden has promised to move quickly to re-join the nuclear deal with Iran. The revival of Iran nuclear agreement is vital, but the re-entry of the USA and deal’s implementation is marred with challenges. In this context, efforts have to made to ensure continuous engagement. President-Elect Raisi said his government will support the talks with the other JCPOA signatories in Vienna to bring Washington and Tehran back to the original deal.

AFGHAN PEACE PROCESS

With the declaration of Afghan peace process and agreement between US and Taliban cease to end violence in Afghan and also leads to withdrawal of U.S. troop

Importance of Afghan Peace to India

1. Economic Interests:
   • Bilateral trade: crossed US$1.5 billion (2021)
   • India’s share in Afghan exports -> 40.6%
   • Regional donor: India is top regional donor to Afghanistan
   • Energy Security: TAPI Gas Pipeline
   • Mineral Security: Afghan’s vast mineral wealth (Hajigak mines)
   • Market: Afghanistan is a sizable market for Indian exports.
2. National Security:
   • Extremism: Ideological ties between extremist groups in India and in Afghanistan.
   • Containment of Pakistan: Being a neighbour of Pakistan, it is important for India to engage with Afghanistan.
   • Militancy Support: Afghan based militants are often in close proximity to Kashmiri militants.
   • Energy Security: Example, Hajigak Mines, TAPI Pipeline etc.
3. Strategic Interests:
   • Policy: The Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed in 2011
   • Neighbourhood First Policy: Afghanistan is an important aspect for India’s neighbourhood policy and thus the peace process is in India’s interests.
   • Regional influence: Peace in Afghan region ensures India’s credibility as a regional partner.
   • Regional Partner: Afghanistan is currently an important partner for India in the region especially against the Pak based narrative in India.
   • Access to Central Asia: A peaceful Afghanistan implies a better access for India into central Asia through the TAPI project, INSTC and Ashgabat Agreement.
   • Chabahar Port: The port plays a vital role for India’s presence in the gulf as well as in providing aid to Afghanistan through Iran.

1. Indian Aid and Projects
   • Salma Dam: Reconstruction and also subsequent creation of irrigation facilities
   • Zaranj-Delaram road
   • Training for Afghan public servants
   • Military support in form of vehicles and training
   • Children’s Hospital
   • Electricity substations and transmission lines.
2. Others
   • Health Tourism: Afghans medical tourists in India
   • Training Afghan cricket team: India home ground for the Afghan team

Evolving Indian Role in the Peace Process

• Unified Approach: US urged United Nations to develop a unified approach with China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, India and the United States for the peace process.
• Moscow Format: India sent a nonofficial delegation to Moscow during the talks between Taliban and the Afghan government.
• Intra-Afghan Talks, Doha: The Foreign minister addressed the session and affirmed India’s willingness to engage with all Afghan parties including the Taliban for peace.
• UN led Ceasefire: India has supported the UN-led process, with all stakeholders including the Taliban.
• 9th Heart of Asia Conference: The Foreign minister urged for ‘double peace’, that is, peace within Afghanistan and peace around Afghanistan.
• US-Taliban Talks: US envoy for Afghan-Taliban Talks Zalmay Khalilzad visited India 5 times since 2019, to take stock of the Indian position on the peace process.

Limitations

• No Real Role: India’s role in the peace process is still vague and not defined.
• Lack of Taliban engagement: India still does not have any formal channels to engage and negotiate with Taliban.
• China-Russia Nexus: China and Russia seem to have strong influence on the future and that is of concern to India especially due to India-China bitter ties.
• Narrow Engagement: India has only engaged with the Afghan Government and has almost no relations with the other factions and the Taliban.
• Pakistan’s influence: With the Taliban as a legitimate authority, it is obvious Pakistan’s influence in the region will increase.
• China’s investment: China is already the largest business investor in Afghanistan and has also talked of sending its own peacekeepers.
• Pakistan Centric Approach: India’s key concern and terms of engagement in Afghanistan are still Pakistan centric, which will make adaptation to new changes difficult.

Issues for India after US withdrawal

• Power Vacuum: It can lead to a rise in radicalised groups trying to fill that gap left by US troops, notably the ISIS which even have Indians as its members.
• Strong Pak-ISI link: The Haqqani network is the strongest taliban faction and it has strong links with ISI and Pakistan.
• Divided Political control: India will have to engage with multiple stakeholders in Afghanistan as its current arrangement with the government will not be enough.
• Lack of Political Consensus: Afghan leaders do not have consensus amongst them regarding the terms of engagement and peace process which can be detrimental for India’s ongoing interests.

• Future of Indian outreach: The Future of India’s development projects and economic initiatives will be impacted as terms of agreement in Afghanistan change.

Way Ahead after US withdrawal

• Broader Diplomatic Engagement: India’s diplomatic engagement must involve all parties in the Afghan peace process including the Taliban.
• Engaging with the Taliban: Directly engaging with Taliban would allow India the advantage of making the best of political changes that are likely to occur in the future.
• Special Envoy: India can appoint a special envoy for all Afghan engagements who could make sure that India’s views are heard at every meeting and conference on reconciliation.
• Long-term capacity building: A proper plan with annual funding for training Afghan forces can ensure effective dealing with terrorist groups like ISIS and also fill the vacuum left by US troops.
• Multilateralism: After the withdrawal China and Russia will play a vital role in Afghanistan, thus India must be open to working with them. Example: India with the RIC Nations already has mechanisms to track ISIS and its influence.
• Continued Investments: Many factions of the Taliban are open to work with India and recognise India’s role, thus India must engage in talks with them and continue the investments, diplomatic talks to create and maintain peace between two countries.

RUSSIAN FAR EAST

It is a region extending between Lake Baikal and the Pacific Ocean. For the 1st time, an Indian Prime Minister visited the Russian Far East Region (Vladivostok) during the 5th meeting of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).

Importance of Russian Far East for India

• Gateway to North Asia and Arctic: It would connect India to East Asia and also to the Arctic.
• Economic opportunities: The region is rich in natural resources, particularly diamonds, gold, oil, natural gas, coal, timber, silver etc.
• Employment opportunities: Indian professionals like doctors, engineers and teachers can help in the region’s development.
• Key in pivot to Asia: Presence in these areas will help to tackle China economically and strategically.
• Energy security of India: Area is rich in hydrocarbon reserves. ONGC Videsh has already invested in the Sakhalin-1 project.
• Manufacturing Industries and access to new Market: Infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture development are also areas of opportunity for Indian Industries.

Limitations

• Protective Government: The Russian government has too much power in the business affairs and thus investments would be vetted by it.
• Distance: The Area is remote and lacks connectivity to major India hurdles for Indian Trade and investments.
• Rough Climate: The climate may not be suitable for all sorts of projects and also deter potential investors.
• Chinese Presence: The area borders China and has the presence of Chinese elements which may prove to hinder Indian interests.
• Lack of returns: The region is remote and may not be very lucrative for development.
• Low Population: A lack of population in the area means low labour rates and thus higher cost of employment.

India is emerging as a global power and thus must explore all opportunities for investments in key sectors abroad. Investing in the Russian Far East helps bridge the gap that has come between India and Russia in recent years and also helps Chinese expansionism in their own backyard.

GLOBAL SECURITY INITIATIVE

Chinese President Xi Jinping has come up with a new global security proposal questioning implicitly the logic of the Indo-Pacific strategy, as well as the Quad involving Australia, Japan, India, and the United States. Xi proposed a new “Global Security Initiative” at the Boao Forum for Asia’s annual conference in China, while calling out Cold War mentality, hegemonism, and power politics as issues that would “endanger world peace” and “exacerbate security challenges in the 21st century.”

Key Principles

• Common Future: Stay committed to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and work together to maintain world peace and security;
• Sovereignty: Stay committed to respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, uphold non-interference in internal affairs, and respect the independent choices of development paths and social systems made by people in different countries;
• UN Charter: Stay committed to abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, reject the Cold War mentality, oppose unilateralism, and say no to group politics and bloc confrontation;
• Indivisible Security: Stay committed to taking the legitimate security concerns of all countries seriously, uphold the principle of indivisible security, build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, and oppose the pursuit of one’s own security at the cost of others’ security;
• Dispute Resolution: Stay committed to peacefully resolving differences and disputes between countries through dialogue and consultation, support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises, reject double standards, and oppose the wanton use of unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction;
• Mutual Benefit: Stay committed to maintaining security in both traditional and non-traditional domains, and work together to address regional and global challenges such as terrorism, climate change, cybersecurity, and biosecurity.

Chinese Rationale

1. Countering QUAD: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated, saying that the initiative “contributes Chinese wisdom to make up for the human peace deficit and provides Chinese solution to cope with an international security challenge.”
2. Countering American Hegemony: China has stated it would oppose the destruction of the international order under the banner of so-called rules.
   • Fact: The point is directed towards US-based unilateralism in the world and its growing threat to Chinese interests.
3. Redefining Chinese Diplomacy: It is quite possible that the Global Security Initiative (GSI) will start to play a prominent role in Chinese public diplomacy and foreign policy posture, so it is worth taking seriously.
4. Global Power Play: GSI is a clear attempt at promoting power politics in a manner beneficial to China. Many of the proposals in the GSI are a thinly veiled effort to compete with the United States and its partners and allies.
5. Securing Chinese Borders: Chinese leaders have consistently highlighted issues like terrorism, and extremism in Central Asia at regional security forums.
   • Fact: China believes that the resurgence of extremist groups following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 risks spilling over into China’s Xinjiang region.
6. Asian Domination: The essence of many of the proposals in the GSI comes down to the presumption that Asian affairs should be managed by Asian countries, which conveniently gives China an absolute position because of its size and power.
7. Indivisible Security: A concept with its root in Europe, starting with the 1975 Helsinki Act, “indivisible security” essentially means that security is a collective concept and if actions by one state threaten the security of another, it marks a breach of indivisible security. Hence, no state should be able to make itself stronger at the expense of another.

Impact/Implications Global

1. Bipolarity: The initiative legitimises global bipolarity and threatens to create a wider gulf between the 2 major power poles eg: USA and China.
2. Consolidates Chinese Ambitions: GSI is not detached from China’s strategic objectives. It comes on the back of three significant initiatives: the Belt and Road Initiative (2013), the Health Silk Road (2017), and the Global Development Initiative (2021).
   • Fact: China aims to consolidate its economic, strategic and political strength throughout the region.
3. Marginalising the US in the Indo-Pacific: If China deems actions by the U.S. and its allies on Taiwan or the South China Sea as disregarding its security concerns, it could evoke the concept of ‘indivisible security’ to claim the moral high ground in retaliation.
4. Chinese ambitions: By proposing the GSI, China is trying to show that it has practical ideas for the world, now in a new sphere. China has no shortage of ambition, and at a time the world is facing a multidimensional crisis, Beijing sees an opportunity.
5. New Cold War: The Initiative can cause a series of contesting interests between US and China especially when both are contesting for the same hegemony in the International domain.
6. Asian NATO: The concept of Asian NATO has emerged out of this context especially when the “Indivisible Security” doctrine has been proposed by the initiative as a counter to NATO’s collective security.
   • Example: Russia and China claim that the escalation of the Ukraine crisis is majorly due to the expanding borders of NATO for the sake of “Collective Security”
7. Strengthening African Networks: The African region is another target. Against the backdrop of existing security partnerships with African countries that adhere to the non-interference principle,
   • Fact: Many African governments are likely to see “indivisible security” as well aligned with their views on international security.

On India

1. Marginalisation: There could be a warning for New Delhi in these efforts, that others are stitching up formal, institutionalized security cooperation that leaves India out.
   • Example: India is also not part of the BRI, with the GSI India could be even more alienated from its neighbourhood.
2. Polarise the Region: Global bipolarity especially in a region (South Asia) dominated by China can also disincentive India’s trade and political relations.
   • Example: India may emerge as the only US-aligned nation in the neighbourhood either aligning with China or having strategic autonomy.
3. Lack of Trust: For India to buy into China’s initiative, India needs to have a clearer idea of how China’s principle of “indivisible security” would play out in relations with India itself.

Way forward for India

• Strengthen Diplomacy: India must take up intensified diplomacy with global powers so that Asian Century can be defined in terms of peaceful co-existence and global interest.
• Resolve long-standing issues: India acknowledges the Chinese rise and thus knows its future in the region is on the rise hence it is important to resolve the issues at the border to ensure a basic engagement with China does not threaten national security.
• Reforming QUAD: At the same time, the QUAD must be more formalised to tackle any threats posed by China and its initiative.
• Russian Engagement: India must also try to leverage its relations with other Chinese allies like Russia, to ensure the group still has considerable Indian influence.
• Multilateralism: India can promote new multilateralism under the aegis of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam which relies on restructuring both the economic order and societal behaviour for equitable sustainable development.

UN PEACE KEEPING FORCE

The UN Peacekeeping began in 1948 when the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of UN military observers to the Middle East. It helps the countries to navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.

Significance of Peacekeeping force

1. Assist countries: Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist countries to navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.
2. Multidimensional role: Peacekeeping operations looking towards maintaining peace and security, facilitate the political process, protect civilians, assist in the disarmament, and protect and promote human rights, and help restore the rule of law.
3. Serves as an impartial third party: Both international and domestic conflicts are subject to UN intervention. In order to lay the framework for resolving the issues that have generated armed conflict, the UN serves as an impartial third party.
4. Consent based: Only when both parties to a conflict consent to the presence of UN peacekeeping forces may they will be used. As a result, they may be used by disputing parties to stop a conflict from escalating and, in some cases, to engage in combat.
5. Proactive role: There is strong evidence that the presence of peacekeepers significantly reduces the risk of renewed warfare; more peacekeeping troops leads to fewer battlefield and civilian deaths.
   • For example: In 1988, the peacekeeping force received the Nobel Peace Prize.
6. Bring parties to negotiation table: There is also evidence that the promise to deploy peacekeepers can help international organizations in bringing combatants to the negotiation table and increase the likelihood that they will agree to a cease-fire.
7. Positive economic effects: They help to increase agricultural product due to conflict reduction. They also help to increase labour productivity and taxation capacity.
8. Protect human rights: They protect human rights since human rights protection and promotion is often part of the UN peacekeeping mandates, and a core focus of UN peacekeeping operations
9. Assisting Refugees: Assisting to return the refugees and displaced people, distributing relief aids and providing essential amenities are some of the major duties of the UN peacekeeping humanitarian workers.

Role of India in UN peace keeping

1. Historical

• Founding member: India has a long history of service in UN Peacekeeping, having contributed more personnel than any other country.
• Operations involved: India played a mediatory role in resolving the stalemate over prisoners of war in Korea in 1950s which led to the signing of the armistice that ended the Korean War. The UN entrusted the Indian armed forces with subsequent peace missions in the Middle East, Cyprus, and the Congo (since 1971, Zaire).
• Served in various commissions: India also served as Chair of the three international commissions for supervision and control for Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos established by the 1954 Geneva Accords on Indochina.

1. Troop contribution
   • Top troop contributor: India is a fifth largest contributor of troops in UNPKF in the world.
   • Sent first female contingent: Indian women have been deployed to UN peacekeeping missions. India made history in 2007 when it sent an entirely female contingent to a UN peacekeeping mission.
   • Funding: India has also been contributing to the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
2. Medical
   • Medical camps: Indian Formed Police Unit also organised medical camps for Liberians, many of whom have limited access to health care services.
   • Veterinary care: Indian veterinarians serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), stepped up to help cattle herders who were losing much of their stock to malnutrition and disease in the war-torn nation.
   • Training: The Indian contingent in South Sudan has provided vocational training and life-saving medical assistance, as well as carrying out significant road repair work.

Significance of India’s Contribution to UN Peace keeping

• Improve Indian military: Experience in multinational forces and campaigns. Peacekeepers from other countries can help Indian forces improve their skills and become the finest.
• Push to UNSC permanent membership: It will be beneficial for India to win a seat in the UNSC, which is an essential step toward India becoming a world superpower.
• Global reputation: India’s participation in UN peacekeeping troops aids in gaining political clout and cultivating a positive reputation among global citizens.
• Geopolitical: This would benefit India in various political and economic talks and treaties, particularly in situations when public opinion would be important.
• Trust Fund on sexual exploitation: India was the first country to contribute to the Trust Fund on sexual exploitation and abuse, which was set up in 2016.
• Strengthening ties with Africa: India’s UN peacekeepers have made a positive difference, especially in complex UNPKOs like MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of Congo and UNMISS in South Sudan.

Emergence of China

1. Largest troop contributor: China has surpassed all other permanent members of the UNSC in terms of troop contributions to UN peacekeeping operations.
2. Funding: China currently ranks third in terms of regular budget contributions to the UN. Further, it is the second-largest funder of the budget for peacekeeping.
3. Assertiveness: Taking part in UN operations is a low-cost way for China to show that it is committed to maintaining international peace.
4. Selfish motive: China’s increased participation in specific peace operations with a self-serving goal is more worrisome for India.
   • For example: China objected to the deployment of UN forces in Guatemala and Macedonia because of the countries’ diplomatic links to Taiwan.

Challenges

1. Political issues

• Consent: Consent of host country, political stability of post-conflict scenario, political will of host country, and sufficient financial and logistical support from the UN headquarters impede the successful running of peacekeeping.
• North south conflict: The disagreement between the Global North and South on the purview and mandates of peacekeeping operations is the main difficulty currently facing UN peacekeeping forces.
• Funding: Lack of international financial support to peacekeeping or less support or no support from all UN member countries is another major political issue which makes UN peacekeeping operations so difficult.

1. Military issues
   • Personnel: It is identified that the low-capacity of the peacekeeping forces is a major military issue in UN peacekeeping operations. Peacekeepers are not combat forces. They merely monitor previously agreed-upon cease-fires and truces.
   • Human rights violation: Misconduct, human rights violation and abuse of military forces are also issues which challenge the UN peacekeeping operations.
     • For example: There have been several reports during UN peacekeeping missions of human rights abuse by UN soldiers, notably in Central African Republic in 2015.
   • Lack of understanding of local condition: The lack of cultural understanding of local conditions combined with an ineffective mission undermines efforts of local police and other services to re-establish the ‘rule of law.’
   • Obsolete model: But, most modern conflicts, whether in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Rwanda during the 1990s or in Syria and Iraq today are too messy and chaotic for the old model of peacekeeping to work.
2. Humanitarian issues
   • Lack of co-ordination: lack of co-ordination, commitment of civilians, political support while doing number of ancillary tasks at local or community level such as medical support, relief distribution, repairing basic infrastructure.
   • Lack of western support: Also, there is the lack of public support in Western nations for the costly and sometimes dangerous missions
     • For example: France leads the counterterrorism mission in Mali but is working to reduce its involvement and end the mission, in part because of domestic pressure and an upcoming election.
3. Other issues
   • Failure of Mission: The South Sudan operation costs $1 billion per year for 12,500 UN soldiers unable to avoid civil bloodshed.
   • Denial in decision making: A bigger challenge for troop-contributing countries like India is the denial by the permanent members of the Security Council to participate in “decisions of the Security Council” concerning the deployment of her troops, as provided for in Article 44 of the UN Charter.
   • Terrorist threats: The challenges faced by troops contributed to UNPKOs today include terrorist threats to the UN by non-state actors.
     • For example: In UNDOF, deployed on the Golan Heights of Syria, Indian UN military officers were the first to confront such challenges by the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group which took UN peacekeepers hostage in 2014.
   • Mandates have grown broad: Peacekeeping missions have been given staggering tasks and wide-ranging responsibility. At the same time, regional partnerships, though critical, are often unable to deliver the necessary political impact.
     • For example: The withdrawal from Afghanistan marks the end of an era, and for now the end of enduring stabilization operations in distant places
   • Armed conflicts are changing: Armed conflicts are changing rapidly in nature. Intra-state, rather than inter-state conflicts Engaging a changing profile of armed groups using terrorist tactics, including targeting of peacekeepers.
   • Weak correlation with rule of law: A 2021 study in the American Political Science Review found that the presence of UN peacekeeping missions had a weak correlation with rule of law while conflict is ongoing, but a robust correlation during periods of peace.

Reason for increasing fatalities of troops

1. Increase in conflicts: The level of violence in the world has increased throughout recent years.
   • For example: There are more conflicts than ever in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and significant portions of Africa.
2. Proactive role of UN: The United Nations is getting more involved in wars, and one of the things it has been promoting is to be more forceful in safeguarding people and preventing massacres.
3. Political and security situations: Both politically and in terms of security, the environment in which peacekeeping operations are taking place is deteriorating.
4. Threats from terrorist groups: Large-scale operations in Africa that aim to establish peace and stability are under danger due to terrorist or criminal organizations that support an unstable environment.
5. Issues in decision making: The issue of not allowing the troops and police of participating nations control enough say in the missions to which they contribute.
6. Discord between the law and custom: While U.N. Peacekeeping has the authority to enforce peace, its personnel deployed to overseas missions lack the necessary training to do so.
7. Increasing distrust: Increasing distrust in the global body such as the United Nations.

Way forward

• Adopt to changing needs: India believes that the international community needs to understand the quick changes taking place in the form and function of current peacekeeping missions.
• The mandates issued by the Security Council to UN peacekeeping operations must be grounded in local conditions and be in line with the funding allocated for the operation.
• Participation: It is essential that all nations that provide troops and police be actively involved in mission planning at all times and in all areas.
• Financial and human resources: Post-conflict societies need more financial and human resources to build peace.
• Resolving disagreement: The largest issue that the UN peacekeeping forces are currently experiencing is the disagreement between the Global North and South on the nature and mandates of peacekeeping operations.

India’s 10-point formula to address challenges UN peace missions face:

1. Clear and realistic mandates: Having “clear and realistic mandates” that are paired with sufficient resources is important for peacekeeping missions.
2. Mission directives: Countries taking part in peacekeeping operations must decide the agenda, not the Security Council.
3. Deploy sensibly: It is important to “deploy sensibly (carefully) with full understanding of their limitations” during peacekeeping operations.
4. All-out effort: “All-out efforts should be made to bring the criminals who committed crimes against peacekeepers to justice.”
   • To accomplish the objectives of operations, the leadership of a peacekeeping force must build confidence and ensure efficient cooperation with the host state.
5. Cutting-edge technology: Using cutting-edge technology in peacekeeping missions will help overcome security issues.
6. Collective efforts and performance: When assessing a mission, the military, civilians, and its leadership should all be taken into account.
7. To confront the threat posed to civilians by terrorist organizations: The primary duty to safeguard people from non-state groups operating on its soil rests with the host government.
8. Regional approach: For the purpose of ending violent conflicts and establishing collective security against global threats, a regional approach and UNSC backing are essential.
9. Exit plan: From the very beginning, peacekeeping missions should consider a “exit strategy.”