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Hindu Dec 10

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Content
For a warmer Russian bear hug

One book for India

Jaitley to meet state finance ministers tomorrow on GST

No room for complacency

Australia pledges $165 million to UN climate fund

Unmanned crew module to be tested

Notes by vineetpunnoose on www.kiwipaper.com

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For a warmer Russian bear hug

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

The Hindu, international, Russia,

the two countries were unable to calibrate their ties in a time of change. To be sure, the
situation today is very different from the late 1980s. Still the relationship between New
Delhi and Moscow needs a sense of purpose and momentum, if it is not to flounder in
the near future.
The crisis in Ukraine continues to simmer. Contrary to accusations of Russian "revanchism"
or "imperialism," the evidence suggests that Mr. Putin was taken unawares by the events
leading to the overthrow of Viktor Yanukovych. His subsequent moves to annex Crimea
and support rebels in eastern Ukraine were aimed at preserving Russia's security
interests. The Russian President is being no more -- or no less -- hypocritical than the
United States when he couches his actions in the language of humanitarianism or
religious piety.
The fact, however, remains that the continuation of the crisis is yielding diminishing
returns to Moscow. Worse, Russia is also absorbing higher costs. Akin to those used
against Iran, these would preclude the possibility of Russia turning to other countries
by threatening to impose costs on foreign companies dealing with Russia. At this
moment, such wider sanctions seem unlikely to be invoked -- not least because the
Russian economy is much larger and more integrated than that of countries like Iran.
Even so, Moscow's best hope is that the Europeans will pull in different directions
over the existing sanctions. The burden of sanctions, after all, falls disproportionately
on countries that export the most to Russia: Germany, Netherlands, Italy and Poland.
Meantime, the economic impact of sanctions has been considerably accentuated by a
coincidental trend: the collapse in global oil prices. The combined upshot of these has
been a substantial drop in Russia's net foreign earnings and a rush to convert roubles
into dollars and other hard currencies. In consequence, Russia's international reserves
are depleting and the value of the rouble has tumbled.
Financial instability could have serious domestic political consequences. Mr. Putin's
ratings remain high, but the fall in oil prices and inaccessibility of foreign capital could
erode his standing. After all, the model of "managed democracy" instituted by Mr.
Putin was made possible by the world market for Russia's natural resources.
Against this backdrop, it is hardly surprising that Russia is leaning heavily towards
China. During Mr. Putin's visit to Shanghai earlier this year, the two countries signed
a contract worth nearly $400 billion whereby Russia would supply gas to China over
the next 30 years. Cut off from American and European capital markets, Russian energy
companies such as Rosneft are hankering after Chinese investment. Russian banks have
turned to China's Exim Bank for lines of credit worth at least $4 billion to finance
Chinese imports. The defence relationship between Moscow and Beijing also looks set

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to deepen -- if only because Russia would want to reduce China's dependence on

Ukraine's defence industry.
What does all this mean for India? On the one hand, the international and domestic
challenges confronting Russia provide an opportunity to deepen the relationship. On
the other hand, it is important to ensure that these challenges do not compel Russia to
act in ways that might impinge on India's interests. New Delhi is gearing up to roll-out
the red carpet for Mr. Putin. It has minced no words in stating that India and Russia
share similar views on a range of issues, including the "need to defuse cold-war like
tensions".
First, unless economic relations are enhanced, strategic ties cannot be strengthened.
Bilateral trade between India and Russia currently stands at around $6 billion. To put
it in perspective, this is less than a fifteenth of the annual trade between Russia and
China. It is also less than one per cent of India's total foreign trade. A gas pipeline deal
-- amounting perhaps to $40 billion -- is also in the works and may be announced when
Mr. Putin is in India.
Second, the future of Afghanistan must be an area of common concern. Even as the
Americans are pulling out, Afghanistan has embarked on a model of coalition politics
that has few precedents. Both India and Russia are concerned about portents of instability,
but their emphases tend to be different. India is keen to ensure that Afghanistan does
not become a hub for terrorists from the region and beyond. Russia is more concerned
about the problem of drugs flowing from Afghanistan.
Finally, there is China. It is worth recalling that the strategic partnership between New
Delhi and Moscow came into being during the Cold War owing to their shared concerns
about Beijing. The triangular relationship has since undergone major changes. For one
thing, both India and Russia have significantly improved their bilateral ties with China.
For another, the balance of power between Russia and China has tilted in the favour of
the latter.

One book for India

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

Preamble, Constitution, The Hindu, polity,

As a secular democracy, India cannot possibly adopt as its national scripture a book
revered by any one religion. What Ms. Swaraj calls into question is the secular nature
of India, whether a holy book of one religious community can be imposed as the national
book of Indians of all faiths.
That gods and goddesses should not be invoked as part of the national ethos was made
clear even at the stage of the framing of India's Constitution. Indeed, when a suggestion
was made to begin the Preamble of the Constitution "in the name of God", there was

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strong opposition from many members of the Constituent Assembly, including several
who considered themselves believers. As one member who argued against invoking
God in the Preamble put it, "such a course of action is inconsistent with the Preamble
which promises liberty to thought, expression, belief, faith and worship to everyone."
Freedom of conscience that is guaranteed under the Constitution includes the right to
practise any or no religion, and seeking to elevate a sacred scripture of any one religion
as India's national scripture is tantamount to undermining the secular basis of the
Constitution.

Jaitley to meet state finance ministers tomorrow on GST

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

The Hindu, economics, GST,

The Centre is working towards rolling out the GST from April 1, 2016, and is in
discussion with states to insulate their revenues from the impact of the GST.
The GST will subsume indirect taxes like excise duty and service tax at the central level
and VAT and local levies on the states front.
States have been demanding that petroleum, alcohol and tobacco be kept out of the
purview of the GST.
The GST roll out has missed several deadlines because of lack of consensus among
states over certain crucial issues on the proposed new tax regime.

No room for complacency

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, avian influenza,

Though India is one of the six countries where the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
A(H5N1) is considered endemic in poultry Most of the outbreaks since 2006 have been
in West Bengal and the northeastern States, primarily due to cross-border transport of
infected birds from Bangladesh, a hot-spot for H5N1 outbreaks. The H5N1 virus has
infected seven people and killed one in Bangladesh between 2003 and 2013. For now,
culling of nearly 260,000 birds in the villages where the outbreaks occurred, together
with intensive surveillance in a 10-km radius around the epicentre of the outbreak have
prevented the spread of the virus. Domestic ducks, which have long been recognised
as one of the primary reservoirs of the virus, are responsible for the spread and outbreaks
of H5N1.
Unlike chicken, which die, ducks not only turn out to be perfect hosts for the virus to
survive but also provide an ideal environment for diversity to emerge through genetic
reassortment of the virus. As of now, H5N1 infection in humans is "sporadic" and
human-to-human transmission has not been reported. But a lethal reassortment of the

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virus can change all that. Hence, the death of thousands of diseased ducks and the
prompt culling are reassuring steps.

Australia pledges $165 million to UN climate fund

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

environment, The Hindu, green climate fund, climate change,

Australia has made a surprise pledge of 200 million Australian dollars ($165 million)
to a key U.N. climate fund.
Ms. Bishop said Australia is already making major contributions to address the effects
of climate change, including through national direct action and international engagement,
including its aid program.

Unmanned crew module to be tested

Wed, Dec 10, 2014

The Hindu, science & tech, ISRO, space, unmanned crew module,

Thirty years after Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian to venture into space, flying
aboard a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft, an Indian crew capsule and rocket that could one
day carry astronauts will get their first trial next week.
The experimental flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark
III, scheduled for next Thursday (Dec. 18), will send the unmanned crew module on a
suborbital trajectory, with the latter splashing down in the Bay of Bengal about 21
minutes after the rocket lifts off from Sriharikota.
Back in January 2007, ISRO had orbited a small 550-kg spacecraft, the Space Capsule
Recovery Experiment (SRE-1), that carried out remote-controlled experiments in the
microgravity conditions of space. After 12 days in orbit, the spacecraft was successfully
brought back, landing in the Bay of Bengal with remarkable precision. This provided
experience with re-entry, a prerequisite for manned spaceflight.
A project report prepared by ISRO envisaged carrying out a manned mission in about
seven years at a cost of around Rs. 12,400 crore. Thus far, the Government has not
cleared such a project.
However, since 2007, the Government had given Rs. 145 crore for the development of
critical technologies needed for a manned mission
The 3.7-tonne crew module being tested next week will be the same size, shape and
weight as the capsule that is being developed to accommodate up to three astronauts.
It will be equipped with the heat-protecting tiles and parachute system of the manned
version.

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While a capsule in orbit around Earth will re-enter with a velocity of over 28,000 km
per hour, next week's test will see the GSLV Mark III leave the crew module at a height
of about 125 km with a velocity of around 19,000 km per hour. The crew module carries
sensors that will make measurements of over 200 parameters during the flight, including
the temperature, pressure and stress experienced at various points in the structure.
After separation from the GSLV Mark III, six liquid-propellant thrusters on the crew
module will be used to correct any perturbations that occur during separation and bring
the capsule down at the correct angle for re-entry into the atmosphere.
On splashdown, the main parachutes will be immediately detached from the crew
module and a beacon giving its position activated. A fluorescent green dye will also be
emitted to aid in locating the spacecraft.

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