Current Affairs

 

 

E-Cigarettes in News 

• E-cigarettes don’t help smokers quit cigarettes according to a new longitudinal study of smokers in the United States. E-cigarettes
• E-cigarettes are sometimes called “e-cigs,” “vapes,” “e-hookahs,” “vape pens,” and “Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS).” 
• Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Some look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday items. 
• Using an e-cigarette is sometimes called “vaping.” 

Harmful effects

• E-cigarettes are not safe for youth, young adults, and pregnant women, as well as adults who do not currently use tobacco products.
• In 2016, the U.S. Surgeon General had concluded that “e-cigarette use among youths and young adults is a public health concern; exposure to nicotine during adolescence can cause addiction and can harm the developing adolescent brain.”
• Study of 2018: It found the use of e-cigarette daily was associated with a 79% increase in heart attack risk after other variables were taken into account. 

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR): 

• According to a white paper on e-cigarettes by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), depending on the battery output voltage used, nicotine solvents can release in varying amounts potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and acetone. 
• The liquid-vaporizing solutions also contain “toxic chemicals and metals that can cause several adverse health effects including cancers and diseases of the heart, lungs and brain”.
• Defective e-cigarette batteries have caused fires and explosions, some of which have resulted in serious injuries. Most explosions happened when the e-cigarette batteries were being charged. 

Cigarette aerosol

• The e-cigarette aerosol that users breathe from the device and exhale can contain harmful and potentially harmful substances, including: 
• Nicotine 
• Ultrafine particles that can be inhaled deep into the lungs Flavouring such as diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease 
• Volatile organic compounds 
• Cancer-causing chemicals 
• Heavy metals such as nickel, tin, and lead1

Nicotine

• Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound present in a tobacco plant. 
• All tobacco products contain nicotine, including cigarettes, non-combusted cigarettes (commonly referred to as “heat-not-burn tobacco products” or “heated tobacco products”), cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah tobacco, and most e-cigarettes. 
• Nicotine chemical symbol over a woman holding her head 
• Using any tobacco product can lead to nicotine addiction. This is because nicotine can change the way the brain works, causing cravings for more of it.

 

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 

About:

• It is a regional grouping that promotes economic, political, and security cooperation. 
• It was established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) by the founding members of ASEAN, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.  Its chairmanship rotates annually, based on the alphabetical order of the English names of Member States. ASEAN countries have an estimated 666.19 million people and a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of USD 3.2 Trillion. 
• Commodity trade between India and ASEAN region has reached 98.39 billion in the period April 2021- February 2022. India’s main trading ties are with Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. 

Members: 

• ASEAN brings together ten Southeast Asian states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – into one organisation. 

Areas of Cooperation Between India and ASEAN Economic Cooperation: 

• ASEAN is India’s 4th largest trading partner. India signed an FTA (Free Trade Agreement) in goods in 2009 and an FTA in services and investments in 2014 with ASEAN. 
• ASEAN and India have also adopted a joint statement announcing the elevation of the existing Strategic Partnership to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. 

Peace and Security: 

• The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, stability, maritime safety, and overflight freedom in the Indo Pacific. 

Financial Assistance: 

• India provides financial assistance to the ASEAN nations through various mechanisms like ASEANIndia Cooperation Fund and ASEAN-India Green Fund. 
• Connectivity: India has been undertaking several connectivity projects like India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral (IMT) Highway and the Kaladan Multimodal Project. 
• \India and ASEAN countries recently gave a new vigour to their ties by establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership at the 19th ASEAN-India Summit in Cambodia. 

Challenges Related to ASEAN Territorial Disputes: 

• ASEAN member states are enmeshed in territorial disputes with interested powers for a long time. For example, China’s claim to territories in the South China Sea overlaps with competing claims by Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. 

Indo-Pacific Rivalry: 

• For a long time, the assumption of China as the primary economic partner and the US as the primary security guarantor has been at the heart of the ASEAN balance. 
• Today, that balance is falling apart and the Russia-Ukraine war has further aggravated this tension. This sharpening of major power rivalry in the IndoPacific region is threatening the underlying stability on which rested the regional growth and prosperity. 

Way Forward Maritime Security in Indo-Pacific:

• The maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region is crucial for the protection of India's interests as well as those of ASEAN. 
• Both sides need to work towards ensuring maximum utilization of resources without harming the marine environment. They need to adopt strong and responsible initiatives to harness the potential of the ocean in a sustainable manner. 
• Also ASEAN should emphasize the principles of the UN Convention for the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to solve the disputes in the South China Sea region. Regional Tourism: India and ASEAN should also enhance regional tourism and people-topeople connectivity as they already have civilisational and cultural influences on each other. Unfolding Act-East Policy: Reciprocity and mutual understanding on common concerns will help both ASEAN and India to overcome some of the challenges. 
• Through coordination in the fields of Digitalisation, Pharmaceuticals, Agriculture Education and Green Growth will unfold the potential of India’s Act East Policy. China’s Claim: China lays claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Paracel Islands. 
• However, Taiwan, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam also claim parts of the region, believed to hold valuable oil and gas deposits. South China Sea Location: South China Sea is an arm of western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia. It is south of China, east & south of Vietnam, west of the Philippines and north of the island of Borneo. 
• It is connected by Taiwan Strait with the East China Sea and by Luzon Strait with the Philippine Sea. 

Bordering states & territories (clockwise from north): 

• the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan), the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. 

Strategic Importance: 

• This sea holds tremendous strategic importance for its location as it is the connecting link between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean (Strait of Malacca). 
• According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) one-third of the global shipping passes through it, carrying trillions of trade which makes it a significant geopolitical water body. 

Reasons for Dispute in the South China Sea: 

Contesting Claims Over Islands: 

• The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. 
• The Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Philippines. 
• The Scarborough Shoal is claimed by Philippines, China and Taiwan.

 

Recently, the International Health Regulations National Focal Point (IHR NFP) in Argentina alerted the World Health Organization of a human case of Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEEV) infection. 

About Western Equine Encephalitis Virus: 

• It is a mosquito-borne infection caused by the Western Equine Encephalitis Virus (WEEV), which belongs to the Togaviridae family of viruses. 
• The virus has an approximately 11.5 kilobases long single-stranded RNA genome. 
• It is a recombinant of the eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) and a Sindbis-like virus. 
• Passerine birds are thought to be the reservoir and equine species as intermediate hosts. 
• The primary mode of transmission of the infection to humans is through mosquitoes which act as vectors for the virus. 

Symptoms: 

• While most of the infections are asymptomatic, the infection may lead to severe consequences in rare cases. 
• An estimated 4-5% of cases may manifest as infection/inflammation of the brain, resulting in neurological symptoms and sequelae of disease.

Treatment: 

• With no specific antiviral treatment, symptomatic care is crucial, especially for neurologic symptoms.

 

Wildlife enthusiasts and experts are abuzz with excitement after the recent sighting of Indian grey wolf in the expansive confines of National Chambal Sanctuary in Etawah.

About the Indian Grey wolf: 

• Scientific Name: Canis lupus pallipes 
• It is a subspecies of grey wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. 
• They live in warmer conditions. 
• It travels in smaller packs and is less vocal than other variants. They are nocturnal and hunt from dusk to dawn. Description: 
• It is of intermediate in size lies between the Tibetan and Arabian wolf, and lacks the former’s luxuriant winter coat due to its living in warmer conditions.

Habitat: 

• The Indian wolf inhabits areas dominated by scrub, grasslands and semi-arid pastoral agro-ecosystems 

Distribution: 

• It has a wide distribution range that extends from the Indian subcontinent to Israel. There are about 3,000 animals in India, some in captivity. 

 

Challenges India Faces in Building Its Military, the article discusses India’s dependence on foreign arms imports and the challenges it faces in building its own military industry. 

The Current Status of Arms Imports

• According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI): 
• India was the largest global arms importer between 2018 and 2022. 
• As per SIPRI, global military expenditure rose 3.7% in real terms to touch $2.2 trillion in 2022. 

As per Financial Times Analysis: 

• The Financial Times reported a 10% increase in order backlogs for defense contractors, totaling $777 billion in 2022. Europe’s military spending rose by 30%. 
• Challenges is India Facing in Building Its Own Military Industry
• Dependence on Foreign Arms: India’s position as the world’s largest arms importer between 2018 and 2022 reflects its heavy reliance on foreign military technology. 

Supply Chain Issues: 

• The global military industrial complex faces challenges in surging production to meet high demand, as seen in Japan’s modified export rules for Patriot missiles and the delay in GE404 engine supplies to India. 

Building Surge Capacities: 

• India, like other nations, struggles to quickly increase military production. This is evident from the difficulty faced by even established military industries like those in the U.S. 

Lack of Domestic Orders: 

• The Indian military industry needs consistent and substantial orders to maintain a stable and robust supply chain, a challenge highlighted by the sporadic nature of current order patterns. 
• Highlighted by the sporadic nature of current order patterns. 

Minimum War Reserves: 

• India’s strategy of maintaining low levels of war reserves, as seen in the Kargil conflict, stresses the need for a stronger domestic military industry. 

Initiatives have been Taken by India to Overcome these Challenges

Atmanirbhar (Self-Reliance) Push: 

• The Indian government is promoting self-reliance in defense production, notably through the Atmanirbhar initiative. 

Import Bans for Certain Military Items: 

• Implementation of negative lists for imports to stimulate local manufacturing. 

Political Support for Key Projects: 

• High-level political commitment to major defense projects, such as the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). 

Wider Military Reforms: 

• Introduction of reforms like the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) position and the Agnipath scheme, aimed at streamlining military operations. 

Focus on Essential Military Supplies: 

• Greater emphasis on domestic production of critical items, highlighted by India’s recent achievement of self-sufficiency in 155mm ammunition.
• India must prioritize domestic production for essential military supplies like ammunition and spare parts, learning from past shortages during conflicts like Kargil. 
• Strengthen India’s military-industrial complex (MIC) by ensuring consistent and substantial orders to domestic contractors, preventing fragile supply chains. 
• Maintain higher war wastage reserves, avoiding the ‘bare-bones’ approach, as evidenced by emergency ammunition purchases during border tensions.
• Balance military investments, considering the need for a robust submarine fleet over acquiring a third aircraft carrier, ensuring the most effective use of the defense budget.
• Encourage public-private partnerships in defense manufacturing to enhance innovation and efficiency, optimizing resource allocation.

A23a: World’s Biggest Iceberg Context: