1. General Election 2024: Indian govt announces implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act
2. India tested first flight test of Indigenously developed Agni-5 missile
3. China protests to India over PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh (AP)
4. India-EFTA Pact: Key Features, Implications
5. PM Modi’s outreach to Putin helped prevent “potential nuclear attack” on Ukraine in late 2022

What Else

• Belarusian FM scheduled to arrive in India today, will hold bilateral meeting with Jaishankar
• Manipur: Abducted Army JCO rescued within hours
• China’s Belt and Road Initiative plagued by corruption and political backlash: report
• Top PLA General unhappy with PLA amid boiling tensions with the US
• Maldives purchases drones from Turkey to patrol economic zone: Report
• Pakistan’s former finance chief takes up role as FM, while Muhammad Aurangzeb Fin Min
• Protests drove Nepal’s king off the throne 16 years ago. Now, protests are trying to bring him back

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General Election 2024: Indian govt announces implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act

• The Central govt on Mon implemented the Citizenship Amendment Act and notified the rules for it ahead of the general elections [just 4 years later after its enactment].
• The acts facilitate the granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from [Muslim-dominated] Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
• Any eligible one can be submitted online for which a web portal has been provided.
• The Congress slammed the Centre and alleged that the timing of the declaration was “evidently designed” to polarise the coming LS elections, mainly in WB and Assam.
• Ramesh also alleged that the announcement is yet another attempt to “manage the headlines” after the Supreme Court’s strictures on the electoral bonds issue.
• Police in Delhi tightened security in northeast Delhi, Shaheen Bagh, Jamia, and other sensitive areas across the national capital and other states.
• The CAA was enacted on Dec 11, 2019, which, however, couldn’t be implemented so far as rules have to be notified for its implementation. (here)
• Proof of entry from 3 countries before Dec 31^st, 2014 and their nationality combined with a self-declaration affidavit and an eligibility certificate are the broader criteria to get Indian citizenship. (
• Competent authority: An empowered committee comprising 4 members and 2 invitees at the state level and 2 members and two invitees at the district level.
• In the next schedule 1B, the MHA has listed  17 documents that applicants have to furnish to prove that they entered India on or before Dec 31^st, 2014.
• The applicants will also have to submit a declaration in the format prescribed along with an “eligibility certificate” issued by a locally reputed community institution (here)
• CAA is akin to a U.S. law (Lautenberg Amendment) whose coverage was expanded from Soviet Jews to persecuted religious minorities from elsewhere, including Christians
• The govt has not explained why it held up the law for so long or why it has brought it into force just before national elections.
• [CMs of WB and Kerla have already passed a resolution against implementation, but citizenship is a central subject, so that doesn’t stand.]

India tested first flight test of Indigenously developed Agni-5 missile

• The successful launch of Mission Divyastra, announced by PM Modi, is a significant step towards India’s strategic punitive capability.
• This was the first flight test of the indigenously developed 6k km range nuclear missile Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle technology.
• A single missile by India can deploy multiple warheads — decoys to hoodwink the enemy’s ballistic missile– at different locations or the same location with a time gap.
• MIRVs consist of several reentry vehicles, each equipped to carry 2–10 nuclear warheads, which can be designated for various targets, spaced hundreds of km apart.
• Alternatively, multiple warheads can target a single location.
• While MIRVs were developed in the early 1960s and all major countries including China boast of them, this is the 1^st time India has publicly acknowledged
• Pakistan is also pursuing MIRV capability and had in Oct last year carried out its 2^nd test launch of the Ababeel medium-range ballistic missile that has been designed to carry MIRVs.
• For India to pull it off on the Agni 5 inter-continental ballistic missile is an advantage.
• It is learned that the MIRV technology was finalized with the Agni Prime missile and then after the tests, the decision was taken to go for Agni 5 as well.
• Besides these US and Russia, the UK, France, and China have MIRV technology. (here)

China protests to India over PM Modi’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh (AP)

• China on Mon said it lodged a diplomatic protest with India over PM Modi’s visit to AP Mar 9^th, reiterating its claim by saying India’s moves will “only complicate” the boundary question.
• “The Chinese govt has never recognized the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” illegally set up by India and firmly opposes it. China stands firmly against the Indian leader’s visit to the East Section of the China-India boundary,” said Chinese FM on Mon.
• PM on Sat dedicated to the nation the Sela Tunnel (at an altitude of 13k feet) in AP that will provide all-weather connectivity to strategically located Tawang.
• The Rs 825 crore tunnel, built on the way from Assam’s Tezpur to W Kameng district of AP, is being billed as the longest bi-lane road tunnel in the world at such an altitude.
• China, which claims AP as South Tibet, [illegally occupied] routinely objects to Indian leaders’ visits to the state to highlight its claims with its Mandarin name Zangnan.
• India has repeatedly rejected China’s territorial claims over AP, asserting that the state is an integral part of the country. (here)

India-EFTA Pact: Key Features, Implications

• India and the 4 European nations EFTA on Sun signed a free-trade agreement, which is for the 1^st time in the history of FTAs that a legal commitment is included, where India has received an investment commitment of $100 bn in 15 yrs from the grouping.
• European Free Trade Association: Formed in 1960, the EFTA is an intergovernmental organization as an alternative trade bloc for those European states that were unable or unwilling to join the EU.
• EFTA includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
• India’s exports to EFTA countries during 2022-23 stood at $1.92 billion, while imports were at $16.74 billion during the last fiscal.
• The bilateral trade between India and EFTA stood at $18.65 billion in 2022-23, compared with $27.23 billion in 2021-22.
• Switzerland is the largest trading partner of India followed by Norway.
• India will phase out customs duties under the trade pact on these goods over 10 years.
• In the services sector, India has offered 105 sub-sectors to the EFTA like accounting, business services, computer services, distribution, and health.
• On the other hand, the country has secured commitments in 128 sub-sectors from Switzerland, 114 from Norway, 107 from Liechtenstein, and 110 from Iceland.
• Items Excluded from the FTA: Sectors such as dairy, soya, coal, and sensitive agricultural products are kept excluded.
• On gold, India has not touched the effective customs duty (15%) but reduced the bound rate by 1% to 39%, which will not have any implication on imports. (here)

PM Modi’s outreach to Putin helped prevent “potential nuclear attack” on Ukraine in late 2022:

• As the Russia-Ukraine conflict raged in 2022, the US started “preparing rigorously” for a potential nuclear strike by Moscow against Kyiv, in what would have been the 1^st nuclear attack since WWII, CNN reported citing 2 senior admin officials.
• The report stated that outreach from PM Modi and ‘other countries’ also played an important role in averting the crisis.
• The Biden admin was specifically concerned Russia might use a tactical or battlefield nuclear weapon, the officials said.
• Amid the fears, the US sought to enlist the help of non-allies including India, to discourage Russia from such an attack, as reported by CNN.
• “One of the things we did was not only message them directly but strongly urge, press, encourage other countries, to whom they might be more attentive, to do the same thing,” the senior administration official said.
• US officials say that outreach and public statements from PM Modi and others helped avert a crisis. (here)
• Post CNN report, Ukraine diplomat says Modi statement on nukes helped, Russia slams US ‘propaganda’: ThePrint- Ukraine Embassy sources told that public statements by Modi and other world leaders did help, whereas Russian officials dismissed the report as “American propaganda”.
• The development came even as Indian officials remained tight-lipped over a CNN report that claimed the US had reached out to Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. (here)

Belarusian FM scheduled to arrive in India today, will hold bilateral meeting with Jaishankar

• Belarus’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Aleinik, touched down in Delhi on Mon evening, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
• The visit, scheduled from Mar 11 to 13, aims to strengthen the bilateral ties between Belarus and India.
• The highlight of the visit is the scheduled meeting between Aleinik and EAM Jaishankar, set to take place on Tue afternoon
• Minister Aleinik’s departure is scheduled for Wed night, marking the conclusion of his brief yet pivotal diplomatic mission to India, the MEA added.
• Jaishankar last met his counterpart from Belarus in Kampala on Jan 19 on the sidelines of the NAM Summit.
• India’s relations with Belarus have been traditionally warm and cordial.
• India was one of the first countries to recognize Belarus as an independent country in 1991, according to the MEA.
• Belarus recognizes India as an emerging global power and seeks to develop a “strategic relationship” with India.
• The two countries have signed several Agreements/MoUs on various subjects, namely, trade and economic cooperation, agriculture, cultural, educational, media and 3 sports, S&T, foreign office consultations, IGC, Avoidance of Double Taxation, Promotion and Protection of Investments and defense and technical cooperation. (here)

Manipur: Abducted Army JCO rescued within hours

• A Junior Commissioned Officer of the Indian Army, who was abducted from his home in Manipur’s Thoubal district on Fri by unknown miscreants, was rescued in evening.
• Army columns launched a coordinated joint search operation for JCO Konsam K Singh.
• The synergized efforts of the security forces resulted in the JCO being safely rescued at 6:30 pm. The JCO is currently at Waikhong PS (near Kakching) in Thoubal district.
• Singh was currently on leave and was abducted from his residence in a vehicle at around 9 am on Fri. (here)
• Just 10 days ago, valley districts were rocked by discontent from police forces after a senior Police officer was abducted and his house in Imphal attacked by assailants identified as armed members of the Arambai Tenggol on Feb 27.
• An inspector was also abducted alongside him.
• They were eventually rescued but sustained injuries and were admitted to a private hospital for treatment. (here)

 [Neighborhood]

China’s Belt and Road Initiative plagued by corruption and political backlash: report

• China’s signature Belt and Road Initiative has failed to live up to Beijing’s original lofty goals, a new report by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD) claims.
• China celebrated the 10^th anniversary of the BRI, Beijing’s ambitious infrastructure program that looked to link emerging markets and connect Asia with Europe and other parts of the world.
• President Xi launched the BRI in 2013 as a transformative push to replicate the economic and political impact of the Silk Road, the old Eurasian trade route for more than 1,500 years.
• Instead, the report titled “Tightening the Belt or End of the Road? China’s BRI at 10,” argues the BRI has wrought social, economic, and environmental havoc.
• Massive corruption has also generated a political backlash against both China and the govts that took Beijing’s money.
• The report examined case studies in Ecuador, Zambia, and the Congo, and what the authors found was that corruption and waste were rampant in China’s funding, while the debt incurred by participating countries caused great harm. (here)

Top PLA General unhappy with PLA amid boiling tensions with the US

• Recently, Gen He Weidong, a top Chinese general, said he wanted a crackdown on “fake combat capabilities” in the military, which experts linked either to high corruption in the PLA or not meeting the military standards.
• According to a report in SCMP quoting experts, the comments could relate to the recent exposés on acquisition infractions within the PLA and would have implications on the quality of military hardware and the PLA’s performance on the battleground.
• Another expert said the General appeared to be referring to the procurement of defective weapons, which could impact the PLA’s combat capabilities.
• However, other experts say “fake combat capabilities” could also refer to fake military exercises that do not meet the expected standards but are labeled as successful.
• Meanwhile, Taiwan has authorized its commanders to use lethal military force on intruding Chinese warplanes that cross its aerial and maritime territorial borders.
• China has been sending jets and drones past the ‘median line’ over the last 2 years in a bid to challenge and wear down the Taiwanese military. (here)

Maldives purchases drones from Turkey to patrol economic zone: Report

• Within days of the Maldives inking a defense deal to obtain non-lethal weapons from China, Male has acquired drones from Turkey for patrolling its vast EEZ, as per the report on Sat.
• The Maldives govt is likely to start operations of the drones within the next week.
• However, the exact number of drones was not clear nor was there any official confirmation from the Maldives’ Defence or Foreign Ministry.
• Pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu, upon his return from China, indicated that the govt was looking to acquire surveillance drones.
• “The drones were delivered to the Maldives on March 3. The drones are currently at Noonu Maafaru International Airport,” news portal Adhadhu said, quoting a source.
• Turkey was the first foreign country visited by Muizzu after he was sworn in as President in Nov. (here)

Pakistan’s former finance chief takes up role as foreign minister

• Pakistan’s former fin min Ishaq Dar was named on Mon as the country’s foreign min, at a time when growing economic and security challenges will dominate the nation’s foreign policy.
• Dar, 73, a chartered accountant and a seasoned politician, comes from PM Shehbaz Sharif’s PML-N party, which is leading a minority govt as part of a ruling coalition.
• He is also a close relative of, and close aide to, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif.
• The senator is a 4-time fin min, suggesting a ramped-up role for economics in the nation’s diplomacy as the country tries to secure another IMF Deal and shore up external financing from foreign capitals.
• “Economic diplomacy is the need of the hour for sure,” Dar told Reuters
• However, even his political allies have criticized his handling of the economy in his tenure as fin min in the last coalition set-up.
• Inflation spiked as high as 38% and interest rates to 22% during Dar’s 16-month stint, mostly due to the IMF’s policy requirements. (here)
• CEO of Pakistan’s largest bank picked to lead country out of economic crisis: Pakistan – Muhammad Aurangzeb, picked by PM Shehbaz Sharif to be fin. min, is a vastly experienced private banker who is one of the most highly paid executives in the country but has never held public office before.
• The CEO and president of Pakistan’s largest bank, HBL, Aurangzeb was picked over several veterans previously involved in handling the troubled $350 bn economy
• Aurangzeb will leave behind an annual salary of $1.28 million, which made him one of the highest-paid CEOs in the country, for a govt position that pays roughly 1/10^th (here)

Protests drove Nepal’s king off the throne 16 years ago. Now, protests are trying to bring him back

• 16 years ago, mass protests in Nepal forced then-King Gyanendra Shah to give up the throne and clear the way for a republic.
• Now, a new wave of protest is trying to bring him back.
• Kathmandu is again teeming with demonstrators, this time demanding that Shah be reinstated as king and Hinduism brought back as a state religion.
• Royalist groups accuse the country’s major political parties of corruption and failed governance and say people are frustrated with politicians.
• “Come back king, save the country. Long live our beloved king. We want a monarchy,” the crowd chanted at a rally last month in Kathmandu.
• Growing frustration with the present system has led to calls for radical change.
• Pro-monarchy rallies have been growing larger, and an increasing number of homes and businesses are displaying portraits of the ex-king and his ancestors.
• Gyanendra was a constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005 when he seized absolute power.
• He disbanded the govt and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists, and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country (here)