What is the significance of Indo-US defence deals over Indo-Russian defence deals? Discuss with reference to stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (Answer in 250 words)
The 2019 US Indo-Pacific Security Strategy Report makes clear that along with bolstering and orienting its own forces toward the Indo-Pacific region, Washington is looking to build consensus and deepen support for US forward presence among existing allies and partners in defence of the current order.
Significance of India-US deals over India Russia deal:
✅BECA will help India get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones.
✅LEMOA allows the militaries of the US and India to replenish from each other’s bases, and access supplies, spare parts and services from each other’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed. LEMOA is extremely useful for India-US Navy-to-Navy cooperation since the two countries are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific.
✅The signing of COMCASA paved the way for the transfer of communication security equipment from the US to India to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces.
Significance in the context of Indo-pacific.
✅ Blue water policy: US defence equipment will play a major role in India expanding its naval reach into the Indo-Pacific. The aircraft such as Poseidon will enhance our blue water naval capability to tackle extreme threats.
✅Check on China: US equipment is well advanced and unique from Russian technology. With China’s exposure to Russian defence equipment, US equipment is expected to give India a better advantage.
✅Free movement in the South China sea: The equipment is expected to boost India’s offensive strength and
challenge Chinese hegemony in the South China Sea. It is particularly important if India wants to develop defence relationships with ASEAN countries such as Vietnam.
✅ The India-Russia defence cooperation programme is huge: The problem is that Russia has also intensified defence cooperation with China and Pakistan, both India’s adversaries-turned-enemies.
However, after the Galwan crisis, India has been in talks with Russia for spare parts, ammunition and weapons worth over $ 1 billion, the reason being that a bulk of equipment with the armed forces is of Russian origin, a fact that is unlikely to change soon. From Su-30MKI fighters to T-90 main battle tanks and the new AK-203 assault rifles, Indian forces are heavily equipped with Russian arms. The dependence is even more critical on the strategic level the nuclear-armed Arihant submarine could not have been possible without Russian assistance and India even leases a nuclear attack submarine from Moscow.
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The 2019 US Indo-Pacific Security Strategy Report makes clear that along with bolstering and orienting its own forces toward the Indo-Pacific region, Washington is looking to build consensus and deepen support for US forward presence among existing allies and partners in defence of the current order.
Significance of India-US deals over India Russia deal:
✅BECA will help India get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones.
✅LEMOA allows the militaries of the US and India to replenish from each other’s bases, and access supplies, spare parts and services from each other’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed. LEMOA is extremely useful for India-US Navy-to-Navy cooperation since the two countries are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific.
✅The signing of COMCASA paved the way for the transfer of communication security equipment from the US to India to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces.
Significance in the context of Indo-pacific.
✅ Blue water policy: US defence equipment will play a major role in India expanding its naval reach into the Indo-Pacific. The aircraft such as Poseidon will enhance our blue water naval capability to tackle extreme threats.
✅Check on China: US equipment is well advanced and unique from Russian technology. With China’s exposure to Russian defence equipment, US equipment is expected to give India a better advantage.
✅Free movement in the South China sea: The equipment is expected to boost India’s offensive strength and
challenge Chinese hegemony in the South China Sea. It is particularly important if India wants to develop defence relationships with ASEAN countries such as Vietnam.
✅ The India-Russia defence cooperation programme is huge: The problem is that Russia has also intensified defence cooperation with China and Pakistan, both India’s adversaries-turned-enemies.
However, after the Galwan crisis, India has been in talks with Russia for spare parts, ammunition and weapons worth over $ 1 billion, the reason being that a bulk of equipment with the armed forces is of Russian origin, a fact that is unlikely to change soon. From Su-30MKI fighters to T-90 main battle tanks and the new AK-203 assault rifles, Indian forces are heavily equipped with Russian arms. The dependence is even more critical on the strategic level the nuclear-armed Arihant submarine could not have been possible without Russian assistance and India even leases a nuclear attack submarine from Moscow.
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Q. Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity
and inclusiveness. (10 Marks)
Chief Justice of India remarked on the quite low representation of women at all levels in the legal field and promised that he would take up the demand for their higher representation beyond 50% on the bench with his colleagues.
▪️Status of representation of Women in Higher Judiciary:
1. There has never been a woman Chief Justice of India.
2. Of the 256 Supreme Court judges appointed in the past 71 years, only 11 (or 4.2%) have been women.
▪️Desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary:
1. By their mere presence, women judges enhance the legitimacy of courts, sending a powerful signal that they are open and accessible to those who seek recourse to justice.
2. It will ensure diversity of perspectives is fairly considered. E.g.: more balanced and empathetic approach in cases involving sexual violence. It will instil greater public trust in the judiciary.
3. Improvements in women’s representation in the judiciary remain intrinsic to the constitutional ideals of gender equality and social justice.
4. Women's increased participation in higher courts will help to combat gender stereotypes and pave the way for greater representation of women in other decision-making positions, such as in the legislative and executive branches of government.
5. Changing the long-established demographics of a court can make the institution more amenable to consider itself in a new light, and potentially lead to further modernization and reform.
Achieving equality for women judges, in terms of representation at all levels of the judiciary and on policy-making judicial councils, should be our goal- not only because it is right for women, but also because it is right for the achievement of a more just rule of law. Women judges are strengthening the judiciary by upholding women's, child and environmental rights.
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and inclusiveness. (10 Marks)
Chief Justice of India remarked on the quite low representation of women at all levels in the legal field and promised that he would take up the demand for their higher representation beyond 50% on the bench with his colleagues.
▪️Status of representation of Women in Higher Judiciary:
1. There has never been a woman Chief Justice of India.
2. Of the 256 Supreme Court judges appointed in the past 71 years, only 11 (or 4.2%) have been women.
▪️Desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary:
1. By their mere presence, women judges enhance the legitimacy of courts, sending a powerful signal that they are open and accessible to those who seek recourse to justice.
2. It will ensure diversity of perspectives is fairly considered. E.g.: more balanced and empathetic approach in cases involving sexual violence. It will instil greater public trust in the judiciary.
3. Improvements in women’s representation in the judiciary remain intrinsic to the constitutional ideals of gender equality and social justice.
4. Women's increased participation in higher courts will help to combat gender stereotypes and pave the way for greater representation of women in other decision-making positions, such as in the legislative and executive branches of government.
5. Changing the long-established demographics of a court can make the institution more amenable to consider itself in a new light, and potentially lead to further modernization and reform.
Achieving equality for women judges, in terms of representation at all levels of the judiciary and on policy-making judicial councils, should be our goal- not only because it is right for women, but also because it is right for the achievement of a more just rule of law. Women judges are strengthening the judiciary by upholding women's, child and environmental rights.
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Q. How have the recommendations of 14th Finance commission of India enabled the states to improve their fiscal position? (10 Marks)
Finance Commission (FC) is a constitutional authority, constituted under Article 280, that sets the mechanism and formula for allocating tax revenues between the Centre and states, as well as among states, in accordance with the Constitutional and current needs.
▪️Recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, enabling fiscal position of states:
✅ Increased devolution to states from the divisible pool of taxes from 32% to 42%. States would receive a larger volume of untied funds relative to tied funds. This will enhance the states’ autonomy in deciding their expenditure priorities.
✅ Recommend eight centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) to be delinked from support from the Centre, thus, states sharing a higher fiscal responsibility and autonomy to implement development initiatives.
✅ FFC, unlike the past Commissions, has covered the entire revenue account requirements of the States, both plan and non-plan, in its recommendations. Resulting in better allocation of resources even to panchayats and third tier of governments.
✅ States got much autonomy in deciding their expenditure priority; this is in the spirit of “balancing wheel of fiscal federalism”.
✅ Performance based grant in case of Municipalities (80:20) and panchayat (90:10) has resulted in efficient asset construction streamlining of election procedures in these bodies further. Also, these have been renewed focus from the state government to gain more performance-based grants from the centre.
▪️The Finance Commission as an autonomous body has served a splendid purpose. In as complex a polity as India is, it acted as an agency to bring about coordination and cooperation in the matter of Fiscal Federalism that is so important in the working of a federal system.
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Finance Commission (FC) is a constitutional authority, constituted under Article 280, that sets the mechanism and formula for allocating tax revenues between the Centre and states, as well as among states, in accordance with the Constitutional and current needs.
▪️Recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, enabling fiscal position of states:
✅ Increased devolution to states from the divisible pool of taxes from 32% to 42%. States would receive a larger volume of untied funds relative to tied funds. This will enhance the states’ autonomy in deciding their expenditure priorities.
✅ Recommend eight centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) to be delinked from support from the Centre, thus, states sharing a higher fiscal responsibility and autonomy to implement development initiatives.
✅ FFC, unlike the past Commissions, has covered the entire revenue account requirements of the States, both plan and non-plan, in its recommendations. Resulting in better allocation of resources even to panchayats and third tier of governments.
✅ States got much autonomy in deciding their expenditure priority; this is in the spirit of “balancing wheel of fiscal federalism”.
✅ Performance based grant in case of Municipalities (80:20) and panchayat (90:10) has resulted in efficient asset construction streamlining of election procedures in these bodies further. Also, these have been renewed focus from the state government to gain more performance-based grants from the centre.
▪️The Finance Commission as an autonomous body has served a splendid purpose. In as complex a polity as India is, it acted as an agency to bring about coordination and cooperation in the matter of Fiscal Federalism that is so important in the working of a federal system.
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