Q. ‘Reconciling the capacity to resist armed revisionism while nudging the region’s geopolitics towards cooperation as opposed to the conflict should be the Quad’s, priority’.
Comment (250 words)
Why this question?
Recently, the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan, and the U.S. held a standalone meeting in Tokyo
Intro:
Highlight the border tensions between India and China
Body:
- About Quad grouping
- Current geopolitical issues in the region and relevance of Quad grouping
- Mention background of Malabar exercise
- Mention why the stability in Indo-Pacific region is required with the help of Quad.
- Mention a few suggestions
Conclusion:
Seeing the grouping through India’s lens for its benefit
Q.2) Critically analyse the performance of the RTI Act. Mention its significance and related concerns. (250 words)
Why this question?
- A report card has been brought out by the Satark Nagrik Sangathan and the Centre for Equity Studies to mark the 15th anniversary of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
Introduction: The right to information has been upheld by the Supreme Court as a fundamental right flowing from Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to free speech and expression. Without access to relevant information, people’s ability to formulate opinions and express themselves meaningfully is curtailed.
Body:
Achievements of RTI Act:
- Every year nearly six million applications are filed under the RTI Act, making it the most extensively used transparency legislation in the world.
- The RTI Act has also been put to effective use by public-spirited citizens to shine the light on corruption and arbitrary abuse of power by the state.
Significance of RTI Act: By giving every citizen of India the right to access government files and records, the law has potentially created 1.3 billion whistleblowers and auditors. Concerns:
- The non-appointment of commissioners
- Non-imposition of penalties
- The Commissioners are appointed by the State government
- RTI and Coronavirus crisis
- RTI amendments
Conclusion: As the RTI law completes 15 years, it is again time for the citizen to assert themselves and protect their fundamental right to information, which they attained after a long struggle.
Q.3) The Arab World in a geopolitical sense no longer exists. The Palestinian leadership should recraft its policies in the new situation created after the signing of the Abraham Accords. Discuss. (250 words)
Why this question?
- The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed agreements to establish formal ties with Israel. The deal is looked as a historic breakthrough in Arab-Israel relations. Thus the question.
Introduction: Abraham Accord is the success of Israel’s grand strategy aimed to gain the major political-security goal of countering Arab hostility through relations with alternate regional powers and potential allies.
Body:
- Key features of Abraham Accords
- Implications of the deal for the Palestinians:
- Geopolitical implications of the deal:
- Relevance of Arab League
Conclusion: Summarize and provide a way forward.
