10 May 2024 : PIB Summary for UPSC

● The visit aimed at bilateral engagement, enhancing maritime security, and fostering naval cooperation between India and Singapore, including educational outreach activities.

●  Historical Roots: India and Singapore share deep commercial, cultural, and people-to-people ties dating back over a millennium, with modern relations attributed to Sir Stamford Raffles’ establishment of a trading station in Singapore in 1819.

●  Official Recognition: India was among the first countries to recognize Singapore in 1965.

● Bilateral Mechanisms: Over 20 regular bilateral mechanisms, dialogues, and exercises exist between the two nations, covering a broad range of areas including digital connectivity, fintech, green economy, skill development, and food productivity.

● Ministerial Roundtable: A new high-level Ministerial mechanism, the India-Singapore Ministerial Roundtable (ISMR), was established in 2022 to discuss enhancing bilateral relations, focusing on emerging areas such as digital connectivity and green economy.

● Key Agreements: Several agreements have been concluded, including the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement, Bilateral Air Services Agreement, and Defense Cooperation Agreement, among others.

● High-Level Interactions: Regular high-level visits and interactions have strengthened the Strategic Partnership, with Prime Minister Modi’s visits in 2018 marking significant milestones.

● Economic Cooperation: Singapore is India’s largest trade partner in ASEAN, with bilateral trade expanding significantly over the years. Singapore is also a major source of FDI and External Commercial Borrowings for India.

● Investment: Singapore has made significant investments in India across various sectors, including technology, startups, and infrastructure.

●  Connectivity: Direct air connectivity has been expanded, and tourism between the two countries has grown steadily.

●       Science & Technology Cooperation: Collaboration in areas such as space research and artificial intelligence has been prominent, with joint initiatives between Indian and Singaporean institutions.

● Cultural Exchange: Regular cultural exchanges, language teaching, and youth exchanges contribute to fostering cultural understanding between the two nations.

● Diaspora: The Indian diaspora in Singapore is significant, contributing to various sectors of the economy and maintaining cultural ties between the two countries.

Challenges in India-Singapore Relations:

● Geopolitical Dynamics: Balancing relations with other regional powers, such as China, and navigating geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

● Trade Imbalances: Addressing trade imbalances and barriers to market access to promote more equitable economic cooperation.

● Cybersecurity Concerns: Mitigating cybersecurity risks and protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats and espionage activities.

● Regional Security Challenges: Collaborating to address regional security challenges, including maritime security, terrorism, and non-proliferation.

● Differences in Policy Priorities: Managing differences in policy priorities and approaches on issues such as human rights, democracy, and regional integration.

● Infrastructure Development: Overcoming challenges in infrastructure development and connectivity projects to enhance regional trade and economic integration.

Q.1 South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment. (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-1 2016)

Q.2 With respect to the South China sea, maritime territorial disputes and rising tension affirm the need for safeguarding maritime security to ensure freedom of navigation and over flight throughout the region. In this context, discuss the bilateral issues between India and China. (200 words/12.5m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-2 2014)

● Discussions highlighted India’s growing technical textiles market, strategic decision-making in selecting fibres, and applications across sectors like aerospace and railways.

● They are designed with specific functional properties to serve various industries such as automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and construction. Examples include fabrics with flame resistance, waterproof membranes, and reinforcement materials like carbon fibres.

● Fund distribution: Rs. 1000 crores for Research Innovation & Development, Rs. 50 crores for Promotion and Market Development, Rs. 400 crores for Education, Training, and Skilling, Rs. 10 crores for Export Promotion, and Rs. 20 crores for administrative expenses.

● Focus areas include usage of technical textiles in flagship missions like Jal Jivan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, and Ayushman Bharat for improving cost economy, water and soil conservation, and agricultural productivity.

● Promotion of innovation among young engineers and graduates, creation of innovation and incubation centres, and support for startups.

● Research on bio-degradable technical textiles, development of indigenous machinery, and process equipment to promote ‘Make In India’.

● Six skill development courses in Technical Textiles sector on boarded on NSQF for training.

● Geotextiles: They are employed in geotechnical engineering applications such as erosion control, soil stabilisation, and drainage systems.

● Automotive Textiles: Technical textiles find applications in automotive manufacturing for seat belts, airbags, upholstery, and interior trims.

● Sports and Leisure: They are utilised in sports equipment like tents, sails, ropes, and sports apparel due to their durability and performance-enhancing properties.

● Medical Textiles: Technical textiles are used in medical devices, implants, wound dressings, and surgical gowns for their biocompatibility and antibacterial properties.

● Agricultural Textiles: They find applications in agriculture for crop protection, greenhouse coverings, shade nets, and soil erosion control.

● Construction Textiles: Technical textiles are used in construction for reinforcing materials, insulation, roofing membranes, and concrete reinforcement.

● Packaging: They are employed in packaging materials such as flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), protective packaging, and industrial packaging due to their strength and durability.