8 June 2024

• Polity: final coalition consultations for the NDA government underway. Cabinet portfolios being negotiated between BJP, TDP and JD-U.
• Economy: pre-oath discussions on the Union Budget 2024-25, to be presented in late July by the new Finance Minister.
• History: reflection week on Operation Blue Star (40 years) and Kargil War (25 years in July) in strategic circles.
• Science: G7 summit concluded in Italy; PM Modi participated in outreach sessions on AI and clean energy.

GS area: International Relations, Economy

The G7 Summit was held in Fasano, Italy on 13 to 15 June 2024. India participated in the outreach sessions. The preparations and India's position were being finalised around 8 June.

• G7 composition: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and United States. The European Union participates fully in most G7 discussions.
• 2024 Italian presidency: Italy held the G7 presidency in 2024. The summit focused on AI governance, energy security, migration, Ukraine and Africa.
• India's priorities at G7: promotion of transparent and fair AI; clean energy transition under the International Solar Alliance framework; global south representation in multilateral institutions.
• International Solar Alliance: a treaty-based intergovernmental organisation co-founded by India and France in 2015. Headquartered in Gurugram. Focuses on solar energy deployment in 121 prospective member countries between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
• India and AI: India's vision for AI at international forums emphasises democratisation, equitable access for developing countries, and prevention of AI monopolies by technology corporations.

Static linkage: international relations, environment, science and technology.

GS area: Economy, Polity

With the new government to be sworn in on 9 June, the Union Budget for FY 2024-25 would be presented by the Finance Minister in late July 2024. The interim budget had been presented in February 2024.

• Article 112: requires the President to lay before Parliament a statement of estimated receipts and expenditure for each financial year. This statement is the Annual Financial Statement, commonly called the Union Budget.
• Vote on Account: the interim budget presented in February 2024 sought Parliament's approval only for government expenditure until the full budget could be presented after the election. Article 116 governs votes on account.
• Money Bill under Article 110: the Finance Bill, which contains tax proposals, is a Money Bill. It can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha and does not require the concurrence of the Rajya Sabha.
• Finance Commission vs. Budget: the Finance Commission's recommendations govern the devolution of central taxes to states. The Budget decides discretionary grants and capital expenditure.
• Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act 2003: requires the central government to set targets for fiscal deficit and primary deficit and report on adherence.

Static linkage: economy, polity (Parliament).

GS area: History (Modern), Internal Security, International Relations

The 25th anniversary of the Kargil War was approaching (the war ran from May to July 1999). Strategic discussions were underway ahead of the anniversary event in July 2024.

• Kargil War timeline: Pakistan infiltrated troops in disguise of militants across the Line of Control into the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir between May and July 1999. India launched Operation Vijay to recapture the posts.
• Operation Vijay: the Indian Army's counter-offensive. Key battles at Tiger Hill, Tololing and Point 4875 were pivotal.
• Line of Control: the de facto border between Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It is not an international border.
• Kargil Review Committee (2000): chaired by K. Subrahmanyam. It recommended a comprehensive national security system overhaul, leading to the creation of the office of Chief of Defence Staff (eventually created in 2019) and the Defence Intelligence Agency.
• Nuclear context: the Kargil conflict is significant because it was the first conflict between two nuclear-armed states. The lesson drawn is that nuclear deterrence does not prevent sub-conventional or limited conventional conflict.
• Article 370: was in force during the Kargil War. Jammu and Kashmir was a full state with special status then. The article was abrogated in August 2019.

Static linkage: modern history, internal security, international relations.

GS area: International Relations

PM Modi's expected visit to Italy for the G7 gave bilateral India-Italy relations renewed attention.

• Diplomatic history: India and Italy established diplomatic relations in 1947. Relations were strained during 2012 to 2021 over the Enrica Lexie incident (Italian marines who killed two Indian fishermen in Kerala).
• Enrica Lexie case: Italian marines Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre were accused of killing two Indian fishermen off Kerala in February 2012. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruled in 2020 that India had jurisdiction over the incident but Italy had to pay compensation.
• Trade: bilateral trade stands at approximately 15 billion US dollars per year. Italy is India's fourth-largest EU trading partner.
• Industrial Property Rights MoU: India and Italy signed an MoU on industrial property rights cooperation in the lead-up to the G7.
• Startup Bridge (2023): an initiative to link Indian and Italian startup ecosystems.
• Migration and Mobility Agreement (2023): facilitates movement of professionals and students between India and Italy.

Static linkage: international relations.

GS area: Polity, Internal Security

The Kargil Review Committee's recommendation for theatre commands and integrated defence found its first institutional expression in the creation of the Chief of Defence Staff post in 2019.

• CDS: created on 1 January 2020. The first CDS was General Bipin Rawat. The CDS is the single-point military adviser to the Defence Minister and the Government of India on matters of defence.
• Department of Military Affairs: created alongside the CDS post under the Ministry of Defence. The CDS heads the DMA.
• Theatre commands: planned integrated joint commands that would place Army, Navy and Air Force assets under a single theatre commander. India's existing commands are service-specific.
• Kargil lesson: the three services operated with limited coordination in 1999. The Kargil Review Committee identified the absence of joint war-fighting doctrine as a critical weakness.
• Current status (as of June 2024): General Anil Chauhan was serving as CDS. Theatre command reforms remained in progress.

Static linkage: internal security, polity.

GS area: Polity, Governance

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (BSA) were scheduled to replace the IPC, CrPC and Indian Evidence Act from 1 July 2024.

• BNS 2023: replaces the Indian Penal Code 1860. Uses gender-neutral language for several offences. Adds organised crime and terrorist act as specific offences. Includes cybercrimes as a chapter.
• BNSS 2023: replaces the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973. Mandates forensic investigation for serious offences. Provides for trial in absentia for proclaimed offenders. Sets a 30-day deadline for judgments after the conclusion of arguments.
• BSA 2023: replaces the Indian Evidence Act 1872. Recognises electronic records as primary evidence. Expands the definition of documents to include emails, messages and digital records.
• Key concern: 75 per cent of India's prison population consists of undertrials. The new law's impact on undertrial detention will determine whether the reform delivers justice speedily.
• Fast Track Special Courts: the government extended the Fast Track Special Courts scheme to 2026 to handle cases of rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act violations.

Static linkage: polity (judiciary), governance.

• Speaker Pro Tem for the 18th Lok Sabha: the Constitution requires a Pro Tem Speaker to be appointed to administer oaths to newly elected MPs. The President appoints the seniormost member for this role. K. Suresh (Congress) was expected to be appointed given seniority convention, though there was political controversy.
• G7 AI governance: the Hiroshima AI Process, launched at the G7 in Japan in 2023, produced an AI code of conduct that G7 leaders affirmed in 2024.