2 March 2024 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis
Indian Express Editorial Analysis
2-March-2024
1. Blue water power
| Topic: GS2 – International Relations – Bilateral Relations
This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains in the context of Understanding India’s engagement with Mauritius and the broader Indian Ocean region, including initiatives like the Agalega project. |
| Context: |
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Historical Background: From Slave Plantation to Strategic Outpost:
- Originally a slave plantation colony, Agalega’s history is marked by its exploitation and isolation.
- The only town, Vingt-Cinq, bears testament to its grim past, named after the lashes slaves would receive as punishment.
- Over time, Agalega evolved into a remote outpost occasionally visited by Coast Guard planes and helicopters.
- However, it remained largely neglected, lacking basic infrastructure such as medical and educational facilities.
Development Initiatives: From Neglect to Transformation:
- The 2015 MoU signaled a shift in Agalega’s trajectory, aiming to transform its infrastructure and connectivity.
- Initially serving as a lifeline for its few hundred inhabitants, Agalega received sporadic shipments of essential commodities via the MV Trochetia due to the absence of port facilities.
- However, the MoU envisaged the development of Agalega’s airstrip into a full-length airfield capable of accommodating larger aircraft, along with the establishment of a harbor to anchor big ships.
- Additionally, civilian projects including medical facilities and schools were inaugurated, marking a significant departure from Agalega’s neglected past.
Geopolitical Implications: India’s Strategic Maneuver:
- While the development initiatives for Agalega were portrayed as efforts to improve the lives of its inhabitants, skeptics raised concerns about ulterior motives, particularly regarding India’s purported interest in establishing a military presence.
- Critics speculated that India aimed to counter China’s growing influence in the region, positioning Agalega as a strategic outpost in the Indian Ocean.
- Despite Prime Minister Jugnauth’s assurances of mutual cooperation and benefits for both India and Mauritius, suspicions persisted regarding India’s broader geostrategic objectives.
Maritime Significance and Regional Dynamics:
- The upgraded infrastructure in Agalega aligns with India’s broader maritime strategy, emphasizing the importance of securing vital sea lanes and enhancing maritime surveillance capabilities.
- With Agalega’s inclusion in India’s strategic network, the Indian Ocean region witnesses a reconfiguration of power dynamics, with India positioning itself as a key player alongside traditional powers like the US, UK, and France.
- Moreover, India’s partnership with Mauritius underscores its commitment to maintaining stability and security in the region, countering Chinese assertiveness and safeguarding its own interests.
Conclusion:
- Agalega’s journey from obscurity to geopolitical significance reflects the evolving dynamics of the Indian Ocean region.
- While development initiatives offer hope for its inhabitants, Agalega’s strategic value cannot be overlooked.
- As India asserts its influence in the region and navigates complex geopolitical rivalries, Agalega emerges as a focal point in the broader contest for maritime supremacy.
- Its transformation underscores the intricate interplay between historical legacies, development imperatives, and geopolitical ambitions shaping the Indian Ocean’s future trajectory.
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- Mission Sagar, initiated by the Indian government in May 2020 as part of its commitment to providing essential assistance to Indian Ocean countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, marked a significant humanitarian outreach effort.
- This endeavor was subsequently followed by Mission Sagar II in November and Mission Sagar III in December of the same year.
- According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Mission Sagar aligns with the broader vision of SAGAR (SECURITY and Growth for All in the Region), although it’s essential to note that Mission Sagar and the SAGAR initiative are distinct entities.
- While Mission Sagar focuses on humanitarian and inter-country outreach, the SAGAR initiative is a policy doctrine centered on maritime cooperation.
Vision ‘SAGAR’
- Launched in 2015, Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) is India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Through SAGAR, India aims to deepen economic and security cooperation with maritime neighbors, assist in building maritime security capabilities, and ensure the region becomes inclusive, collaborative, and adheres to international law.
- SAGAR is integral to India’s broader maritime policies, including the Act East Policy, Project Sagarmala, Project Mausam, India as a ‘net security provider,’ and the focus on the Blue Economy.
| About Mission Sagar |
| Practice Question: Assess the geopolitical significance of Agalega in the Indian Ocean region. Evaluate the potential implications of Agalega’s transformation on regional dynamics and India’s maritime security posture. Additionally, analyze the broader implications of India’s strategic partnerships in the Indian Ocean region, highlighting the challenges and opportunities for India’s role as a major regional power. (250 words/15 m) |
2. THE GLOBAL ORDERS
| Topic: GS2 – International Relations – Important International institutions, agencies and fora – their structure, mandate. This topic is relevant for both Prelims and Mains as this analysis underscores the significance of international forums like the Raisina Dialogue and their role in shaping global discourse and fostering cooperation. |
| Context: |
|
The Munich Security Conference: A European Perspective:
- The MSC has long been a cornerstone of European security discourse, often reflecting European anxieties and priorities.
- Dominated by discussions surrounding the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, this year’s MSC underscored Ukraine’s centrality in shaping the worldviews of European and American policymakers.
- Ukraine served as a de facto benchmark for evaluating bilateral relations between the West and the rest of the world, at least until recent conflicts such as the war in Gaza.
- From a realpolitik standpoint, prioritizing and upholding Ukraine’s sovereignty is seen as crucial for Europe, given concerns about Russia’s potential imperial ambitions in Eastern Europe.
The Raisina Dialogue: Diverse Perspectives and Growing Influence:
- In contrast, the Raisina Dialogue fosters a distinct discourse by attracting a wider range of participants, including Russian policymakers and thinkers from countries not typically present at Munich, notably Iran.
- The Raisina Dialogue and the MSC sharply diverge on issues such as the invasion of Ukraine and the current state of the international order.
- This divergence raises questions about the widening intellectual gap between the West and the East and the ability of capitals like Delhi, Riyadh, Doha, and Abu Dhabi to introduce policy agendas that compete with established forums like the MSC and the World Economic Forum.
India’s Growing Influence and Multi-alignment Strategy:
- The rise of the Raisina Dialogue coincides with India’s growing influence and its evolving strategic approach, shifting from non-alignment to multi-alignment.
- Buoyed by India’s successful G20 presidency, the Raisina Dialogue is expanding its reach and engaging a broader range of policymakers and thinkers.
- India’s External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, emphasized the importance of increased engagement with Moscow, highlighting Russia’s inclination towards Asia and the need for diverse options to prevent a self-fulfilling prophecy of isolation.
Challenges and Opportunities in the Fragmenting Global Community:
- Both conferences reflect the widening intellectual gap between the West and the Rest, presenting a challenge to fostering global cooperation on security and development issues.
- This fragmentation is not a simplistic binary of Munich versus Raisina but rather a story of a fragmented global community with diverging worldviews.
- The rise of platforms like the Raisina Dialogue alongside other forums signifies the evolving global landscape, particularly the growing influence of Eastern powers, which were unimaginable decades ago.
Conclusion:
- The Munich Security Conference and the Raisina Dialogue offer insights into the evolving dynamics of the global community.
- While the MSC remains a cornerstone of European security discourse, the Raisina Dialogue represents diverse perspectives and the growing influence of emerging powers like India.
- The widening intellectual gap between the West and the Rest presents both challenges and opportunities for fostering global cooperation.
- In this fragmented global community, platforms like the Raisina Dialogue play a crucial role in empowering diverse voices and reflecting the evolving global landscape.
| Raisina Dialogue: 2024 Theme and Thematic Pillars |
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| PYQ: Consider the following pairs: (2020) International agreement/set-up: Subject 1. Alma-Ata Declaration: Healthcare of the people 2. Hague Convention: Biological and chemical weapons 3. Talanoa Dialogue: Global climate change 4. Under2 Coalition: Child rights Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched? (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 4 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 2, 3 and 4 only Ans: (c) |
| Practice Question: Discuss the significance of international conferences such as the Munich Security Conference (MSC) and the Raisina Dialogue in shaping global geopolitics and India’s foreign policy. Analyze the divergent perspectives presented in these conferences, with a focus on their implications for India’s strategic engagement with major powers and its role in the evolving multipolar world order. (250 words/15 m) |
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