28-03-2024

Table of Contents
No. Article Newspaper Syllabus
India releases second tranche of ₹500 crore for Bhutan
1 The Hindu GS - 3
infra work
2 ‘India achieves 16% decline in new TB cases since 2015’ The Hindu GS - 2

3 WTO’s investment facilitation negotiations are not illegal The Hindu GS - 3

4 ‘Drop in FDI mirrors global trend’ The Hindu GS - 3

5 Preventing a China-Taiwan conflict The Hindu GS - 3
Business
6 Possible outcomes of India UK trade deal GS - 2
Standards
Other articles:
a) ICMR set to bring in evidence-based norms for lung cancer management
6 b) RBI modifies norms for lenders having exposure to AIFs
c) T+ 0 transition begins today with 25 scrips
d) Why are Rohingya refugees risking their lives at sea?
The Hindu

Pg: 14 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 12 - T
 Part A—Preliminary Examination Gyalsung Project:
Paper I - (200 marks)
• Capacity building program for Bhutanese youth.
 Current events of national and international
importance. • One-year integrated training program.

 Economic and Social Development –  Mandatory for all youths when they attain
Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, the age of 18.
Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
 3 months of basic military training.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-IV  National Education,
General Studies - II: Governance, Constitution,
 Life Skills,
Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and  Specialized training - Home Construction

agreements involving India and/or affecting technologies, Computing, Entrepreneurship,

India’s Interests. skill development in agriculture etc.

 • Current estimates of Bhutanese government.

Objective:  13,000 youth will go through this training

 Provide direction to Bhutanese youth to be every year.

strong, independent thinkers, capable of  Training for this program - simultaneously in

serving their country. 4 National Service Academies which are

 Develop amongst young Bhutanese people with located across the country.

the personal attributes and professional skills  GYALSUNG INFRA company - carry out
which are relevant to the 21st century. design works and build infrastructure for
the five academies.
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Which country is associated with the
Gyalsung Infra Project, for which India
provided a grant of Rs 2 billion?
a) Japan
b) Bhutan
c) France
d) Egypt
 Part A—Preliminary Examination
Paper I - (200 marks)
 General Science.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-IV
General Studies‐II: Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice and International
relations.
• Issues relating to development and
management of Social Sector/Services relating
to Health, Education, Human Resources.
The Hindu

Pg: 12 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 10 - T
Tuberculosis Symptoms

• Causative Agent - Mycobacterium tuberculosis • Coughs

• Affected region - Lungs • Chest pain

• Transmission - During coughs and sneezes • Coughing up blood or phlegm

via air • Fatigue

• People with weak immune system is more • Weight loss

vulnerable than people with stronger immune
• Fever
system
• Night sweats
Prevention
Cure
• Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine helps in
reducing the severity of infection in children • Antibiotics like isoniazid, bedaquiline,
rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol.
Steps taken by the Indian government Ni-kshay Mitra initiative

National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis • Connecting TB patients with potential donors.
Elimination
• Support offered - nutritional, diagnostic &
• 2017. vocational.

• Aim Nikshay Poshan Yojna

 Rapid decline in TB related death. • Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

 2025 – TB free India • Nutrition support – Rs 500 per month

• Strategy - Detect, Treat, Prevent and Build. through Direct Benefit Transfer.
 Practice Question
Q. Consider the following statements about
tuberculosis.
1. Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do
not respond first-line anti-TB drugs.
2. Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis
(XDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria
that do not respond second-line anti-TB
drugs.
3. The countries with the largest share of
incident cases of MDR-TB in 2021 was
India.
How many of the following statements are
correct
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
The Hindu
Pg: 8 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 6 - T
 Part A—Preliminary Examination
Paper I - (200 marks) What is IFD?
 Current events of national and international
• Developing a global agreement - enhance
importance.
transparency and efficiency of investment
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-III regulations & procedures.
General Studies‐ II: Governance, Constitution, Purpose or need for IFD:
Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and • Trade and investment are twin engines of
agreements involving India and/or affecting economic growth and sustainable development.
India’s interests.
Current status:
Why India opposes it:
• Negotiation launched 2017.
• Termed it a non-trade issue that lay beyond
• Finalised in November 2023.
the scope of the World Trade Organization
• Around 120 of 166 WTO member countries (WTO).
back the IFD agreement.
• Criticizes the process followed to make the
• Binding only on those participating Members. IFD agreement a part of the WTO rulebook.
 Practice Question – Mains
GS - II
Q. Discuss the significance of the
Investment Facilitation for Development
(IFD) Agreement of the World Trade
Organization (WTO) for developing
countries, and critically examine the
challenges and prospects of its
implementation.
(150 words, 10 marks)
The Hindu
Pg: 13 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 11 - T
 Part A—Preliminary Examination
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Paper I - (200 marks)
About FDI
 Current events of national and international
importance. • Investments made by a “person or a firm”
 Economic and Social Development – Sustainable - Resident outside India in the ‘capital
Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, instruments’ of an Indian company.
Social Sector initiatives, etc.
Basic of FDI.
Part B—Main Examination
PAPER-IV • Resident outside India – Invests through
General Studies - III: Technology, Economic various capital instruments like Equity,
Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Debentures etc.
Security and Disaster Management
 Unlisted Indian company or
 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,
mobilization, of resources, growth, development  10 percent or more of the equity capital

and employment. of a listed Indian company.

• Even less than 10% investment - Considered
as FDI
• Automatic route - No prior permission
 Condition - Raised to 10 percent or beyond
needed for investing - Minimal monitoring.
within one year from date of the first
purchase.  Investor - Need to inform RBI, after
investment is made.
 “Once an FDI always an FDI”.
 FDI up to 100% in sectors - Agriculture,
 2 routes of FDI
manufacturing, airports, e-commerce,
 Automatic route. pharmaceuticals & railway infrastructure
through this route.
 Government route.
• Government route - Prior to investment,
approval from the Government of India is
required.
• 3 ways of FDI.
 Permitted in sectors - defense & telecom
(beyond 49%), mining (100%) & print media  Purchase of shares
(26%).
 Forming a Joint Venture company
• Primary market - sector specific in nature.
 Establishing a subsidiary company,
• Long-term investment - lock in period and
during this period the foreign investor
cannot sell his investment.
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the followings about Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign
Portfolio Investment (FPI).
1. Unlike FDI, FPI is sector specific in
nature.
2. If the investment holding in an FDI
comes below 10%, then the holdings are
reclassified as FPI.
3. Unlike FDI, FPI investors have no control
over ventures or direct ownership of
property or a stake in a company.
Which of the above can be included in
Foreign Direct Investments?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1,2 and 3
(d) 1 only
The Hindu
Pg: 9 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 7 - T
 Practice Question – Mains
GS - III
Part A—Preliminary Examination Q. ‘Sea is an important Component of
Paper I - (200 marks) the Cosmos’. Discuss in the light of
 Current events of national and international the above statement the role of the
importance. IMO (International Maritime
Part B—Main Examination Organisation) in protecting the
PAPER-III environment and enhancing maritime
General Studies‐ II:. International relations safety and security.
(150 words, 10
marks)
 India Taiwan relations

• Economic Cooperation.

Introduction:  Bilateral trade between India and

• India benefits from the current peaceful Taiwan has witnessed a rise, from US

status quo between Taiwan and China due to 1.19 billion in 2001 to US 8.45 billion in

significant trade ties and investments, 2022.

including the potential for a free trade • Science & Technology Cooperation.
agreement and semiconductor manufacturing
 An MOU on Scientific and Technological
collaboration.
Cooperation was signed in 2007,
resulting in 115 projects, joint
proposals, and 25 agriculture,
healthcare, and disaster management
seminars.
• Education Collaboration. How India can help to mitigate China-Taiwan crisis

 An MOU with the Association of Indian • Diplomatic Engagement

Universities facilitates mutual recognition
 Advocating for dialogue and negotiation to
of academic degrees, fostering research
resolve disputes peacefully and encouraging
collaboration.
regional stakeholders to play a constructive
• Cultural Exchanges. role in conflict mediation.

 Cultural exchanges between Taiwan and • Economic Cooperation.

India have grown significantly recently.
 Strengthening economic ties can incentivize
 India-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship stability and mutual prosperity, reducing the
Forum was established in 2016 as a formal likelihood of conflict by enhancing
platform for fostering friendship. interdependence among regional actors.
• Multilateral Initiatives.

 Participation in forums such as the Quad

and ASEAN-led mechanisms can provide • Crisis Management.

platforms for dialogue, confidence-building,  India can develop mechanisms for crisis
and conflict prevention among regional management and confidence-building measures
stakeholders. to address contingencies arising from tensions

• Strategic Partnerships. in the Taiwan Strait.

 India can strengthen its strategic  Hotline communication channels, joint

partnerships, particularly with the United exercises, and capacity-building assistance to

States and like-minded democracies, to regional partners.

uphold a rules-based international order

and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific.
Conclusion

 Leveraging legal arguments to counter Chinese

claims and support Taiwan's autonomy.

 Crafting narratives opposing Chinese

aggression to dissuade military action.

 Working with other nations to convey a

unified message against aggression and in
support of the status quo.

 Implementing measures to reduce economic

vulnerabilities and dependencies that could be
exploited by China.
Business Standards

Pg: 7 – Delhi edition

India UK deal

Impact on Bilateral Trade

Services Trade
• Bilateral trade between India and the UK
• India seeks greater market access for its
exceeded 57 billion, with India enjoying a IT and software companies in the UK. The
trade surplus.
UK may push for liberalization in sectors
• This FTA will further boost bilateral trade like telecommunications and financial
flows, benefiting both countries. services.

Merchandise Trade Dynamics • India aims to protect its digital economy,

generic pharmaceutical industry, and policy
• Majority of India's exports to the UK
flexibility amidst UK's push for stringent
already enter tariff-free, while certain
standards and TRIPS-plus provisions.
goods like textiles and automobiles face
tariffs.
Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT)

• Negotiations on a BIT are intertwined with

the FTA, with differences in approach needing
resolution. So, Finalizing the BIT is crucial for
concluding the FTA.

Concerns regarding CBAM

• Implementation of CBAM by the UK may impact

Indian exports with potential tariffs,
necessitating clarity before finalizing the FTA.
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the following statements :
1. United Kingdom comprises of England,
Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
2. United Kingdom is bordered by Baltic
sea in east.
Which of the statements given above
is/are incorrect?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
OTHER ARTICLES
The Hindu
Pg: 12 – C, B, D, H
Pg: 10 - T
The Hindu
Pg: 13 – C, B; D, H;
Pg: 11 - T
Business Standards
Pg: 1 – Delhi edition
The Hindu (Text & Context) - Pg: I – C, B, D, H, T
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
DISCUSSION
 Practice Question
Q. Consider the following statements about
tuberculosis.
1. Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB)
is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do
not respond first-line anti-TB drugs.
2. Extensively drug-resistant Tuberculosis
(XDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria
that do not respond second-line anti-TB
drugs.
3. The countries with the largest share of
incident cases of MDR-TB in 2021 was
India.
How many of the following statements are
correct
a) Only one
b) Only two
c) All three
d) None
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the followings about Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
and Foreign Portfolio Investment (FPI).
1. Unlike FDI, FPI is sector specific in nature.
2. If the investment holding in an FDI comes below 10%, then
the holdings are reclassified as FPI.
3. Unlike FDI, FPI investors have no control over ventures or
direct ownership of property or a stake in a company.
Which of the above can be included in Foreign Direct
Investments?
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1,2 and 3
(d) 1 only
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Which country is associated with the
Gyalsung Infra Project, for which India
provided a grant of Rs 2 billion?
a) Japan
b) Bhutan
c) France
d) Egypt
 Practice Question – Prelims
Q. Consider the following statements :
1. United Kingdom comprises of England,
Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
2. United Kingdom is bordered by Baltic
sea in east.
Which of the statements given above
is/are incorrect?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
 Practice Question – Mains
GS - II
Q. Discuss the significance of the Investment
Facilitation for Development (IFD) Agreement
of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for
developing countries, and critically examine
the challenges and prospects of its
implementation.
(150 words, 10 marks)
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