2 July 2024 : Indian Express Editorial Analysis

1. Drawing borders in the air

(Source: Indian Express; Section: The Ideas Page; Page: 09)

Topic: GS3– Internal Security GS2 – International Relations

Context:

The recent satellite imagery of China’s fifth-generation stealth fighters, the J20 Mighty Dragon, stationed at Shigatse air base in Tibet, has sparked significant concern and speculation. Alongside the J20s, the J10 Vigorous Dragon fighters were also observed at an altitude of 12,408 feet. This development has led to comparisons between the J20 and the 4.5 generation Indian Rafale, prompting a closer examination of the capabilities and readiness of both air forces. However, a mere count of platforms does not fully capture the military power, which encompasses weapons capability, tactics, operational concepts, and the skills and readiness of the aircrew.

J20 Mighty Dragon: Strategic Implications:

• The J20 is positioned as China’s answer to the US F22, with its internal carriage capability for long-range air-to-air missiles and precision-guided munitions.
• The deployment of these aircraft at high-altitude bases like Shigatse demonstrates the People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) ability to conduct fighter operations in challenging environments.
• This move also signals China’s growing capability to project air power in the region, countering the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) forward deployment of Sukhois and Rafales.
• Furthermore, the presence of these aircraft underscores a shift in the border dispute between China and India from a territorial issue to one of sovereign airspace, suggesting increased air activity and potential airspace violations in the future.

Temporary Deployment Indicators

• The arrangement of aircraft on open tarmac without blast-protected infrastructure or hardened shelters, and the lack of supporting ground equipment, suggests a temporary deployment.
• This scenario highlights the PLAAF’s increasing ability to conduct complex missions and project air power over long distances.
• The visible presence of the KJ500 further underscores the PLAAF’s growing operational capabilities.

Infrastructure and Political Signals

• China has been enhancing its border infrastructure to support increased mobility and logistics, improving force ratios with sustained army deployments.
• Despite multiple sessions of diplomatic talks, China continues to maintain a strong military presence, raising concerns about future demands for buffer zones.
• These zones could potentially limit the IAF’s operations in disputed regions, impacting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions, and air patrols.

Indian Air Force’s Current Status:

• The IAF’s fleet, primarily consisting of fourth-generation fighters like the Su30s, MiG29s, and Mirage 2000s, supplemented by two squadrons of Rafales, provides an asymmetric advantage.
• However, China’s efforts to neutralize this advantage are ongoing.
• The decline in the IAF’s combat air power inventory is a pressing issue that requires urgent attention to meet current and future security needs.

The Need for Strategic Reinforcement:

• India’s delayed fifth-generation fighter jet program, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), is projected to take a decade to become operational.
• By then, China is expected to advance to sixth-generation fighters. The impending obsolescence of the upgraded MiG29, Mirage 2000, and Jaguar fleets poses a significant threat to the IAF’s capabilities.
• Therefore, addressing the 114 medium multi-role fighter aircraft requirement is critical for national security.

Strategic Partnerships and Future Readiness:

• A bilateral partnership with France for additional Rafales, including joint production and future upgrades, is strategically sound.
• This approach would ensure steady induction, greater platform commonality, and access to advanced technology, balancing the inventory and reducing dependence on Russia and the US.
• It would also support indigenous defense production and maintain India’s current air power advantage.

Conclusion:

• As China seeks to balance the IAF’s air power, India’s deterrence posture and military capability are at risk. Immediate steps to bolster the IAF’s fleet and ensure technological advancements are essential to maintain strategic stability and national security.

About Fifth-generation fighter jets

These are designed to carry out a range of missions, such as air-to-air combat and ground attack. They have plain surfaces, specially shaped exhaust nozzles, and engines located in the plane’s body to hide heat signatures.They also have special radars to detect the aircraft’s own radar emissions. Only a few countries have built a fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft.The list of the aircraft currently in service includes the F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning II of the US, the Chinese J-20 Mighty Dragon, and the Russian Sukhoi Su-57.

PYQ: 2024 UPSC CSE Prelims: Q. Consider the following aircraft: 1. Rafael 2. MiG-29 3. Tejas MK-1 How many of above are considered fifth generation fighter aircraft? a) Only one b) Only two c) All Three d) None Ans: d

Practice Question:  Evaluate the strategic implications of China’s deployment of J20 Mighty Dragon stealth fighters at high-altitude bases like Shigatse in Tibet, in the context of the ongoing India-China border dispute. Discuss the measures India should take to maintain its air power advantage and ensure national security, considering the current capabilities and future needs of the Indian Air Force. (250 words/15 m)

 2. SYNDICATE VS LAW

(Source: Indian Express; Section: The Editorial Page; Page: 08)

Topic: GS1 – Indian Society

Context:

Tajimul Islam, also known as “JCB”, has been arrested in West Bengal’s North Dinajpur district for punishing a couple involved in an extramarital affair. This incident highlights the rise of politically protected enforcers who have assumed the authority of police, administration, and judiciary. These enforcers conduct summary trials and beatings, witnessed by hundreds of villagers, thereby undermining the rule of law.

Incidents of Mob Justice:

• The North Dinajpur incident is not isolated. In late June, several incidents of mob justice were reported across West Bengal, including in Pandua in Hooghly district and Jhargram, where some resulted in fatalities.

Incident Overview:

• A video capturing Tajimul Islam, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) functionary, assaulting a couple accused of an extramarital affair at a salishi sabha, or kangaroo court, in Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, has sparked widespread outrage.
• The incident on June 28 in the Choprablock of the Lakhipur gram panchayat, which turned a personal matter into a public spectacle, highlights the creation of a parallel justice system that operates with impunity, bypassing constitutional mechanisms and due process.

Parallel Syndicate of Justice:

• The incident exemplifies a growing trend in West Bengal where a parallel syndicate of strongarm justice overrides legal frameworks without fear of repercussions.
• This situation mirrors other instances of extrajudicial actions, such as the persecution of inter-religious couples under the guise of “love jihad” or the selective use of bulldozers to punish crimes beyond illegal construction.
• These actions represent a significant violation of due process and the fundamental rights of citizens, indicating a state failure to uphold and protect these rights.

Crisis and Response:

• Following the video’s release, Islam was arrested and taken into police custody.
• However, this incident, occurring soon after the arrest of another TMC functionary, Shahjahan Sheikh, for sexual exploitation and intimidation, indicates a deeper, festering crisis.
• Women are a crucial support base for Banerjee in West Bengal, bolstered by various cash-transfer schemes and outreach programs aimed at improving women’s welfare.
• The TMC’s commitment to women’s issues is evident, but incidents like these undermine that commitment and call for decisive action from the party leadership.

Structural Issues and Government Response

• The Uttar Dinajpur incident also underscores persistent structural issues in the state, such as the formation of a government-political party-business nexus that often disregards the rule of law.
• This system undermines the state’s fundamental role, described by Max Weber as its “monopoly over violence.”
• The expansion of the party-state has not ended well for TMC’s predecessor, the CPM, and serves as a cautionary tale for Banerjee. To prevent further erosion of the rule of law, Banerjee must act against those within the TMC who flout legal norms and uphold justice impartially.

What is a Kangaroo Court?

The phrase” Kangaroo Court” is used against a judicial system where the judgement against the accused is usually predetermined. It is a self-appointed or mock court set up without much premeditation for the purpose of delivering judgement arrived at in advance, usually in which the fate of a disloyal person is decided. This expression may have originated in Australia but it was first recorded in the US during the California Gold Rush of 1849. The Kangaroo Courts were common during the Stalin era in the Soviet Union, famous as the “Moscow Trails” of the Soviet Great Purge.

PYQ: Mob violence is emerging as a serious law and order problem in India. By giving suitable examples, analyze the causes and consequences of such violence. (250 words/15m) (UPSC CSE (M) GS-3 2017)

Practice Question:  Analyze the implications of the incident of assault on a couple in Uttar Dinajpur, West Bengal, in the context of parallel justice systems and state authority. Discuss the structural issues and political dynamics that contribute to such incidents and suggest measures that the Mamata Banerjee government should take to uphold the rule of law and protect fundamental rights.. (250 words/15 m)