[Editorial # 86] A new chapter in Myanmar

[Following editorial has been published in The Hindu on 17th March 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer-writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]

The election of U Htin Kyaw as Myanmar’s President is a watershed moment in its history. Mr. Htin Kyaw’s government would be its most democratic administration since 1962 when the military seized power. During this period, the generals ran a repressive regime that denied the people even basic democratic rights and isolated the country internationally. For Myanmar’s pro-democracy camp, the election is a moment of joy, and sorrow. Finally a legitimate, democratic government is in place, but there is deep disappointment at the fact that Aung San Suu Kyi, their “rightful” leader, could not become the President. A provision in the military-era Constitution bars Ms. Suu Kyi from assuming the highest office as her children are foreign citizens. Her National League for Democracy (NLD) lacks the parliamentary power to rewrite the Constitution. Efforts by Ms. Suu Kyi to reach a settlement with the generals did not bear fruit either. It was against this background that she nominated Mr. Htin Kyaw, an economist and writer she has known from her early school days, as the party’s presidential candidate. Ms. Suu Kyi has made it clear that she will be in control of the government, irrespective of her constitutional status.

While the formation of a democratic government is clearly a firm step forward, the new government faces an uphill task. Primarily, it has to address the deep economic problems. Myanmar is one of the poorest countries in Asia. In the years of isolation under the junta, economic growth stagnated, trapping millions in acute poverty. Getting the economy back on track is no easy task, and Myanmar will need regional and global assistance. Besides, though the generals have agreed to civilian takeover of political power, they still wield enormous influence over Myanmar’s institutions. One-quarter of seats in both Houses of Parliament are reserved for the military. This prevents any constitutional amendments without the military’s approval. The military also has direct control of three key Ministries: defence, home affairs and border affairs. Two recent actions of the military indicate it is still not ready to cede influence over institutions completely. The first is its refusal to let Ms. Suu Kyi become the President. It knew that if Ms. Suu Kyi, hugely popular at home and widely respected abroad, becomes President, that could expedite the country’s transition into a full democracy. Second, by successfully getting Myint Swe, a controversial retired general who served the previous junta, elected as one of the two vice-presidents, the military has sent a clear message to the government that it is not going to completely stay away from power. But the good news is that the balance of power has clearly shifted in favour of the pro-democracy camp after the November elections. Ms. Suu Kyi and President Htin Kyaw will have to tread cautiously but purposefully to build on the democratic gains, and expedite Myanmar’s transition into a full democracy.

Questions:

1. It is said that Burma (present day Myanmar) was a part of British India and was administered by the same government which administered mainland India? Is it true? If yes then why was it separated out of India?

2. Why is the recent Presidential election of Myanmar being considered as a watershed moment in the history of the country?

3. What is understood by a military rule? How is it different from a democratic government?

4. Mention a few nations which has been through military regimes? What were the effects of such regimes on those nations?

5. Who is Aung San Suu Kyi? What are her contributions towards establishing Democracy in Myanmar? Why did she not run for the post of the President in the recent elections?

6. What are the issues currently being faced by Myanmar? 

7. "Establishment of democracy in Myanmar is in the interest of both India and the world." Comment.

[Editorial # 73] Restoring goodwill with Kathmandu : The Hindu

[Following editorial has been published in The Hindu on 25th February 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer-writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]

Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s just-concluded six-day visit to India has come at an important juncture. The visit came after months of turmoil in the Madhes, or plains, region of Nepal following protests demanding a more federal framework in the new Constitution. India had tacitly backed the agitations, which resulted in a virtual blockade and a shortage of essential supplies in Nepal. After a prolonged period of vacillation, Mr. Oli committed to amendments in the Constitution that would satisfy some of the demands made by the Madhesis. This yielded an easing of the blockade after the protestors called off their stir. The net result of the Indian hand in the unrest, and of New Delhi’s perceived partisanship, had been a resurgence of jingoism in Kathmandu. It was also damaging for India, as the stand-off drained the goodwill gained from its commitment to supporting Nepal’s reconstruction after the devastating earthquake in 2015. The two countries clearly needed to recalibrate their positions, and this is a good start. Nepal has to maintain cordial relations with India; its economic dependence, especially as a landlocked state, is well understood and was, in fact, reinforced during the economic blockade. India too needs a friendly Nepal, whose geopolitical importance due to the open border between the two countries cannot be overstated. It is also in India’s interest that there be political stability in Nepal, to prevent the spillover effect any turmoil can have for the bordering States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and to secure the republican consensus needed to pull millions of Nepalis out of poverty.

'To that extent, Prime Minister Oli’s visit has helped reset some priorities. The emphasis by both sides was on taking forward the reconstruction assistance that India has promised. A memorandum of understanding in this regard was signed. Other MoUs covered economic aid for road projects, enhancing power transmission, and easing travel and transit of goods. As regards the question of the Constitution, the Indian government had not budged much from its earlier position on the need for a consensus through dialogue with the dissenting Madhesis to take their concerns on federalism on board. But Prime Minister Narendra Modi did acknowledge that the conclusion of the Constitution-writing process is an “important achievement”. The onus is now on Mr. Oli, his Cabinet and his party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist). They could still project the halt in the economic embargo and return to normalcy in the Madhes as a sign of victory and resist any further concessions towards a truly federal Nepal. But that would only amount to further brinkmanship, which could prove detrimental again in the longer run. New Delhi too should dwell on the lessons from the recent deterioration in ties and on the need for a calibrated position that supports inclusive democracy in Nepal yet does not amount to interference. Mr. Oli’s visit has demonstrated the importance of high-level ownership of bilateral engagement to return relations to a mutually beneficial equilibrium.

Questions:

1. What has been the history of India-Nepal relations? 

2. Which all Indian states share a boundary with Nepal? How long is Indo-Nepal Border? How can one go to Nepal from India?

3. What is meant by an open border? Under which treaty did India and Nepal accept to open the borders for smooth passage of people and goods? What are the other features of that treaty?

4. What is the current constitutional crisis in Nepal?

5. Who are Madhes people? What are their demands?

6. Why should India be bothered about the crisis going on in Nepal?

7. How is Nepal's development on India's cooperation and support?

8. What is an MoU? How is it different from agreement?

9. Nepal could be a significant partner to India in her endeavours to establish peace, security and prosperity in South Asia region. Comment (200 words)

[Editorial # 49] Alert, fair, transparent : The Hindu

[Following editorial has been published in The Hindu on 25th January 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer -writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]

The arrest and detention of at least 18 people from across the country by the National Investigation Agency and the Delhi Police over the last few days for their alleged terror plans and sympathies to the Islamic State is a stark warning that the authorities need to be on heightened alert. The Delhi Police caught four young men from Uttarakhand, while the rest have been arrested by the NIA from across India. Both groups are accused of planning to carry out major terrorist attacks. The NIA believes that the 14 men in its custody were in the process of organising a training camp to prepare for multiple attacks against domestic and foreign targets. Officials say that both the arrested groups had been in touch with Shafi Armar alias Yusuf, who heads a terrorist group named Ansar-ul-Tawhid that is aligned with the Islamic State and has former members of the Indian Mujahideen in its ranks. This is a clear indication that the IS is no more a danger lurking in some distant land. In fact, next-door Bangladesh has already witnessed a few lone-wolf attacks suspected to have been carried out by IS sympathisers.

The authorities now have the challenge of identifying terrorist modules, and possible lone wolves, without allowing any attendant excesses. Real-life investigations are painstaking tasks, and the Indian agencies have often failed in due diligence on that front. Therefore it is important that the government keep a close watch to ensure that the NIA and the Delhi Police carry out transparent and professional investigations into the recent arrests. That will ensure public safety and also protect the individual liberty of those accused of terror, but pending a fair trial. Experience worldwide has shown that the perception game is practically won or lost while dealing with terrorist suspects. The investigations must be time-bound and chargesheets must be filed within a reasonable timeframe. A quick trial is advisable — to showcase that India has an uncompromising posture against terrorism and will hand out punishments without any delay and swiftly, while protecting the constitutional rights of each of its resident. Showcasing such a balanced approach towards terrorism is also very important to send out the message to the aggrieved and those influenced by violent ideologies that Indian democracy is their best bet for a fair life. Young people drawn to various waves of violence through history have mostly been individuals harbouring a perceived strong sense of grievance against the state. Their violent activities are a response to what they believe to be injustices inflicted by the powerful. In India, there have been three distinct waves of domestic Islamist terrorism since the early 1990s. There is no better way of addressing the grave threat posed by young citizens drawn to extremist, violent ideologies than a fair, transparent and swift trial.

Questions:

1. What is terrorism? What are various implications of terrorism on the society?

2. What is the history of terrorism in the world in general and India in particular?

3. Mention the major terrorist attacks in the recent past both in India and the World?

4. What is the root cause of the growing menace of terrorism?

5. What are the steps being taken to address the issue of terrorism at the global as well as national level?

6. What is NIA? What is its role?

7. What is the anti-terror infrastructure existing in the country? What are the gaps still to be bridged in making India secure against acts of terrorism?

8. "Real-life investigations are painstaking tasks, and the Indian agencies have often failed in due diligence on that front". Do you agree? Justify (200 words)

9. "There is no better way of addressing the grave threat posed by young citizens drawn to extremist, violent ideologies than a fair, transparent and swift trial." Analyse (200 words)

10. Do you think that the issue of terrorism is linked to the state of world economy? Explain. (200 words)

[Editorial # 46] India must capitalise on cheap crude oil : Business-Standard

[Following editorial has been published in Business Standard on 21st January 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer -writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]

In the past month, crude oil prices have collapsed. Spot contracts have hit 12-year lows at around $28 a barrel for Brent crude oil. Crude oil has dropped over 20 per cent in 2016 alone. Futures contracts have also fallen drastically with 2020 crude oil futures now priced below $50 a barrel. Some commodity analysts are predicting a further slide. The investment bank Morgan Stanley says that a stronger US dollar could drive crude oil down to the $20 mark. However, other analysts believe that oil could recover and head back to around $60 by end-2016.

The rout has been caused by a combination of factors. The lifting of sanctions on Iran will bring more supply into a market that is already seeing over-supply. Even if the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries finally cuts production, it will be more than compensated by the return of Iran. Global oil inventory is also hitting a ceiling as there is little storage capacity left to spare. Over-supply coincides with weak global demand. Slower growth, in China in particular, is expected to impact demand adversely. In addition, there is the currency effect. Every major currency has lost ground against the dollar; other things being equal, dollar-denominated oil prices could fall if this trend continues. Going forward, the geopolitical complexities that could influence the supply-demand equation are mind-boggling. There is a proxy war on between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Production has also been affected by war in Libya and Iraq. Meanwhile, persistently low prices could lead to widespread shutdowns in production of shale oil and gas, leading to a reduction in exploration efforts.

Persistently low crude oil prices will impact India in several positive ways. There will be less pressure on the trade account, and probably a lower fiscal deficit, due to the lower subsidy burden. Fertilisers and retail petroleum products will cost less. The government has mopped up higher excise collections on petro-products as prices have fallen. Non-food inflation has moderated. The government has taken advantage of the lower oil prices and stepped up the pace to build strategic oil reserves in the country. This scenario also offers an opportunity to move ahead with policy reforms without causing undue consumer distress. For example, kerosene and gas subsidies could be eliminated, or at least, reduced substantially, by easing closer to market-driven prices. The government has taken some steps in this direction and more, hopefully, should be taken in the coming months. The same holds true for fertiliser subsidies; the subsidy mechanism for fertilisers requires overhaul.

On the other hand, there is some danger that exploration and production activity will fall by the wayside. There will not be much commercial interest until the price cycle changes. There is a commitment to shift to open acreage licensing from the current New Exploration Licensing Policy system. The absence of urgency could lead to delays in policy review. Given the long-gestation nature of exploration activity, policy reviews must not be delayed. Paradoxically, another danger could arise from reduced inflation. A concomitant fall in nominal growth may exacerbate debt servicing problems for the government, as well as for companies. Countering this deflationary effect will require prudent fiscal management and careful budgeting. The overall effect of lower crude oil prices over a long period would certainly be positive - but only if the opportunity is taken to review and revamp policy while conditions remain benign.

Questions:

1. Explain the following terms:

• Spot Contracts
• Futures Contracts
• Investment Bank
• Fiscal Deficit
• Trade Account
• Subsidy
• Excise duty

2. What is crude oil? What is the total crude oil reserves in India? How much crude oil does India import every year? What is the total crude oil reserves in the world? List top 5 largest producers of crude oil.

3. What is meant by Brent crude oil? What are the other types/classification of crude oil?

4. Trace out the entire value chain of production process of various petroleum products.How is crude oil converted into various petroleum products? 

5. Why is the crude oil price seeing a declining trend? 

6. What is OPEC? Which countries are its members?  

7. What would be the impact of low crude oil prices on India?

8. What is the mechanism behind allocating oil blocks for exploration? What is Open Acerage Licensing? How is it different from New Exploration Licensing Policy? 

9. What are "Strategic Oil Reserves"? Which are the locations where India is planning to have such reserves? What would be their inventory capacity?

10. "The overall effect of lower crude oil prices over a long period would certainly be positive - but only if the opportunity is taken to review and revamp policy while conditions remain benign." Discuss (200 words)

[Editorial # 40] Mixed legacy of the Obama years: The Hindu

[Following editorial has been published in The Hindu on 14th January 2016. Read through it and try to answer the questions that follow. Please do not copy and paste answers. The objective of this exercise is to get you in the groove of answer -writing. Try to write in your own words. Don't hesitate to write in a bulleted-format, if you are uncomfortable in writing in paragraph form.]

In a speech long on past achievements and short on policy promises for his final year in office, U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his seventh and last State of the Union address to a House of Representatives chamber on Tuesday. Equally dedicating his time at the pulpit to defending his two-term record in office and to laying out a vision consistent with the liberal paradigm of the Democratic Party, Mr. Obama posed four definitive questions, the answers to which he said would determine how much progress the U.S. would make in the years ahead. First, on how the U.S. middle class finds sufficient opportunities in the new economy to secure its prosperity; second, on how the U.S. harnesses the power of technology to tackle climate change; third, what are the means to secure the safety of Americans at home and abroad without getting trapped in any military “quagmires”; and fourth, how could America's leadership foster a less hateful, less anti-minority brand of national politics? In the face of the Republican Party’s attitude of “rancour and suspicion”, Mr. Obama has deftly navigated a path forward on domestic priorities including healthcare reform, economic revival, and sustainable technologies in the energy sector. Yet his record on foreign policy is more patchy and complex. The partial realisation of the dream of America leading a multilateral world sits rather uncomfortably with notable cases of stasis and deepening conflict.

An unequivocal feather in Mr. Obama’s cap is the détente with Iran, which, on his watch, has rolled back its nuclear programme, shipped out its uranium stockpile, and helped the world step back from the brink of war. So too is the revival of formal diplomatic ties with Cuba last summer which, after more than 50 years of isolation and economic embargo, witnessed the relaxation of travel restrictions but awaits a nod from the Republican-controlled Congress before trade can be fully opened up. At the macro level, seven years since the end of Bush-era unilateralism, the adoption of multilateral, regionally focussed and hemispheric political models have certainly come into vogue under the able guidance of the Obama machine. Yet, even as multilateralism has thrived, bilateral crisis-resolution has taken a back seat. With Russia, the legitimate concerns of an important strategic player are reduced to sound bites and talking heads on U.S. news channels. Consequently in Ukraine and Syria there is often a hair-trigger situation. Washington’s China engagement was more reactive than proactive, and led to more aggressive positions in the region. The unravelling security prospects of Afghanistan and the festering Palestine-Israel conflict were inconsistently addressed over the two presidential terms. India, though, turned out to be the classic partner for Obama’s America — there was enough bilateral economic depth to keep ties strong, and the shared idiom of pluralistic democracy held the two nations together in a close but light strategic embrace.

Questions:

1. Explain the following terms: (50 words)

• Middle Class
• Foreign Policy
• Unilateralism
• Multilateralism 

2. Map work: Trace out the following in the map and study their location (water bodies, neighbouring countries )

Iran, USA, Cuba, Ukraine, Syria, Russia, China, Afghanistan, Israel, Palestine

3. How is USA's political set up different from India? 

4. How are the modes of appointment of the President of USA and that of the Prime Minister of India different?

5. What is Iran's Nuclear Program? Why is Mr. Obama being hailed for compelling Iran to roll back its nuclear program?

6. Where is Cuba located? How far is it located from USA? What is the history of US-Cuba relationship? 

7. What were the significant achievements of President Obama's tenure? 

8. What is Palestine-Israel dispute? Do you think this dispute is impacting the world? If yes then how?

9. India and USA have a lot in common for their relationship to turn sour. Analyse (200 words)