26 October 2023

• Urban floods and planning: a World Bank study found global urban expansion into flood-prone areas has doubled since 1985; Mumbai's BRIMSTOWAD scheme and similar interventions were discussed.
• India-Israel relations: analysis of the bilateral relationship following the October 7 Hamas attack, including trade exposure and arms dependency.
• Bhutan-China boundary talks (25th round): both sides signed a Cooperation Agreement; 495 sq km disputed in north-central Bhutan and 269 sq km in the west (Doklam area) remain unresolved.
• IEA World Energy Outlook 2023: India is projected to see the highest energy demand growth among major economies over the next 30 years.

GS area: Environment, Disaster Management, Governance

A World Bank study released in October 2023 found that global urban expansion into flood-prone areas has doubled since 1985.

• Key finding: flood-prone urban areas (within the 100-year flood plain) expanded significantly faster than total urban areas between 1985 and 2015.
• Reasons: land in flood plains is often cheaper; planning regulations are weak or unenforced; climate-driven extreme rainfall events are increasing.
• Mumbai case (BRIMSTOWAD): the Brihanmumbai Stormwater Drains (BRIMSTOWAD) project was launched after the 2005 Mumbai floods (July 26 rains, 944 mm in 24 hours). The project aimed to upgrade stormwater drainage but has faced decades of delays.
• National Urban Flood Management Programme: India's NDMA issued urban flood guidelines; the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has a National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy for cities.
• Smart Cities Mission and flood management: 100 Smart Cities were to adopt integrated flood management as part of Smart City planning. Data on actual implementation is mixed.
• Chambal Valley, Surat, Chennai, Hyderabad: recurring urban flood cities where poorly planned expansion into low-lying areas has increased disaster exposure.
• Solutions recommended:
  • Enforce flood plain zoning in master plans.
  • Restore urban water bodies (tanks, lakes) that serve as natural storage.
  • Nature-based solutions: urban wetlands, sponge cities concept.
  • Strengthen early warning dissemination.

Static linkage: Environment, disaster management.

GS area: International Relations

The October 7 Hamas attack triggered analysis of India-Israel bilateral ties.

• Diplomatic history: India was among the first non-Arab countries to recognise the PLO in 1975 and Palestine in 1988. India established full diplomatic relations with Israel only in 1992.
• Trade: India-Israel bilateral trade reached approximately USD 7 billion in 2022-23 (excluding defence).
• Key sectors: diamonds (Israel cuts; India polishes and re-exports); chemicals and pharmaceuticals; high-tech; water technology; agriculture (drip irrigation).
• Diamonds: about 50 per cent of Israel-India trade by value is in diamonds. Surat is the world's largest diamond cutting and polishing centre.
• Defence: Israel is the second-largest arms supplier to India (after Russia). India accounts for about 40 per cent of Israeli arms exports. Major Israeli defence products used by India include Barak-8 SAM (in partnership with DRDO), Heron UAVs, Spike missiles.
• R&D cooperation: India-Israel Industrial Research and Development and Technological Innovation Fund (I4F) promotes joint R&D.
• India's Gaza position: India called for restraint and the protection of civilian lives, noting respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) principles.

Static linkage: International relations.

GS area: International Relations, Geography

Bhutan and China held their 25th round of boundary talks in October 2023 and signed a Cooperation Agreement.

• Dispute overview: Bhutan and China have a 477 km undemarcated border. Two major disputed areas:
  • North-central Bhutan: approximately 495 sq km in the Pasamlung and Jakarlung valleys.
  • Western Bhutan: approximately 269 sq km including the Doklam plateau.
• Doklam significance for India: Doklam is a tri-junction of India (Sikkim border), China (Tibet border), and Bhutan. In June-August 2017, India and China faced a military standoff at Doklam when China tried to extend a road into the disputed territory India claims Bhutan holds.
• India-Bhutan-China nexus: India is Bhutan's primary guarantor of sovereignty. Any Bhutan-China boundary settlement has implications for Indian security. A 2021 Bhutan-China MoU on a three-step boundary mechanism was seen as an attempt to settle without Indian input.
• Cooperation Agreement (October 2023): a technical/administrative agreement on managing the boundary negotiation process. Not a final settlement. The disputed territorial pockets remain unresolved.
• Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary: in eastern Bhutan; China began claiming it for the first time only in 2020 during the 24th round. India considers Sakteng adjacent to its Arunachal Pradesh border.

Static linkage: International relations, geography.

GS area: Economy, Environment, International Relations

The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2023 in October 2023.

• Headline finding on India: India is projected to have the highest energy demand growth of any major economy over the next 30 years, surpassing China and the USA.
• Fossil fuel share: global fossil fuel share in the energy mix is projected to fall from 80 per cent (2022) to 73 per cent by 2030 under stated policies, and to zero net in net-zero scenarios.
• Coal: despite clean energy additions, coal power generation reached record highs in 2023. India and China drove coal demand growth.
• India specifics:
  • India's per capita energy consumption remains far below OECD levels; as living standards rise, absolute energy demand will increase substantially.
  • India's renewable energy additions are the third-fastest globally (after China and USA).
  • India's 500 GW non-fossil target by 2030 is among the most ambitious in absolute terms.
• Clean energy transition investment: WEO 2023 found that for every dollar invested in fossil fuels, USD 1.7 was invested in clean energy globally in 2023.
• IEA composition: the IEA has 31 member countries, all OECD members (historically). India is an association country; IEA has been discussing full membership.

Static linkage: Economy, environment.

GS area: Economy, International Relations, Governance

The EU Tax Observatory released a Global Tax Evasion Report for 2024 in October 2023.

• Key finding: the wealthiest individuals globally (billionaires) pay an effective income tax rate of just 0-0.5 per cent on their wealth. A global minimum wealth tax of 2 per cent on billionaire wealth could generate USD 250 billion annually.
• Corporate tax: approximately USD 1 trillion in corporate profits is shifted to tax havens annually.
• OECD/G20 Global Minimum Corporate Tax (Pillar Two): the international agreement for a 15 per cent global minimum corporate tax rate for multinational enterprises with turnover above EUR 750 million. As of October 2023, 136 countries had agreed. India's domestic enactment was under discussion.
• Tax havens in focus: British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Ireland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Singapore are leading destinations for profit shifting.
• India's perspective: India is a beneficiary country (source of profits shifted abroad) and is implementing the OECD Pillar framework. India has signed the Multilateral Convention to Implement Tax Treaty Related Measures (MLI).

Static linkage: Economy, governance.

• DNA and face matching at 1,300 police stations (CrPI Act 2022): the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS) has over 1 crore fingerprints. The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, 2022 expands biometric data collection to accused persons, allowing DNA, iris, and voice samples.
• 5G for policing hackathon: the Ministry of Home Affairs organised a hackathon for law enforcement agencies to develop 5G-powered public safety applications (surveillance, emergency response).