Why in the news ? 

• India has signed the US-led 14-member Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) bloc’s agreements on a clean and fair economy. 
• India had ratified Agreement on Supply Chain Resilience (PillarII) in February 2024 and has maintained an observer status in Pillar-I. 

About the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF): 

• About: Launched in Tokyo, in May 2023, aims to strengthen economic engagement among the member countries to advance growth, peace and prosperity in the region. 
• Four Pillars of IPEF: 
  • Pillar I - Fair and resilient trade, 
  • Pillar II - Supply chain resilience, 
  • Pillar III – Clean economy (infrastructure and decarbonization), and 
  • Pillar IV – Fair Economy (tax and anticorruption). 
• Members: 14 partner countries including Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the US. 
• Significance: The 14-nation IPEF bloc is seen as crucial as it accounts for about 40 percent of the world’s GDP and 28 percent of the world’s trade in goods and services. 
• Initiatives under IPEF: 
  • IPEF Upskilling Initiative: launched in Sept. 2022, aims to promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth for women and girls in emerging and middle-income IPEF partner countries. 
  • Critical Mineral Dialogue: Aim to strengthen the critical mineral supply chain and ensure sustainable mining practices across IPEF partner countries. 
  • Tech Council: To coordinate and cooperate on cybersecurity, undersea cables, AI along with IPEF partners. 
  • Cooperative Work Program (CWP): Cover areas such as hydrogen supply chains, carbon markets, clean electricity, sustainable aviation fuel, just transition, emissions intensity accounting, small modular reactors, and India's proposal on e-waste urban mining. 

India signs agreements of IPEF: 

• IPEF Clean Economy Agreement (Pillar-III): 
  • To foster collaboration in clean energy and climate technologies to increase energy security, enhance climate resilience, and reduce GHG emissions. 
  • It supports investment, business finance and joint ventures, MSMEs and adding Indian companies to global value chains in the Indo-Pacific region. 
  • Initiatives such as the Cooperative Action Programmes, the IPEF Catalytic Capital Fund and the IPEF Accelerator. 
• IPEF Fair Financing Agreement (Pillar-IV): 
  • It focuses on fighting corruption, money laundering, cross-border investigations and litigation. 
  • Technical Assistance Capacity Building (TACB) initiatives to improve tax administration and enhance the implementation of anti-corruption measures. 
• IPEF comprehensive agreement: 
  • Setting common objectives, political oversight and long-term stability to the partnership. 
  • Enhance India’s productive capacity, supply chain integration and innovation in line with the Self-Reliant India strategy. 

Source: PIB IE 

Why in the news ? 

• India may become a major player in the global data centre market but faces competition from countries like Malaysia and Vietnam. 

The Indian Data Centre Sector: 

• Segments: The sector is divided into two categories: 
  • Captive: Data centres operated by companies for their internal needs. 
  • Outsourced: Includes colocation and hosting services, further classified by IT infrastructure (servers, storage, networking). 
• Market: 
  • Revenue: In 2023, the market generated $7.44 billion, with network infrastructure being the dominant segment ($5.09 billion). 
  • Capacity: As of 2022, India had a data centre capacity of 637 MW, ranking 13th globally with 138 data centres. By 2025, 45 more data centres with 1,015 MW capacity are expected. 
• Government Support: 
  • Data Centre Policy: Designed to accelerate expansion, the policy includes key provisions like: 
    • Inclusion under ESMA for essential services. 
    • Establishment of Data Centre Facilitation Units (DCFU). 
    • Creation of Data Centre Economic Zones. 
    • Special classification in the National Building Code. 
• Indian Data Centre Sector: 
  • Segments: Divided into captive and outsourced data centres, including colocation and hosting. 
  • Market Growth: In 2023, India's data centre market revenue reached $7.44 billion. There are 138 centres, with 45 more planned by 2025. 
  • Government Support: Policies to boost investment include data centres under ESMA and special economic zones. 
  • Outlook: Growth is driven by digital economy expansion, 5G, and data localisation requirements. 
• Asia-Pacific Emerging Markets: 
  • Over $100 billion investment in data centres is expected across the region due to increasing AI, cloud computing, and digitalisation. 
  • Advantages: Lower costs, high data demand, and government support make these markets attractive. 
• India's Position: 
  • India leads emerging markets with 1-3 GW leased data centre capacity, hosting major players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. 
  • Challenges: Competition from markets like Malaysia and Japan. 
  • Opportunities:  
    • Tier-2 and tier-3 cities in India offer lower costs for land and construction. 
    • Government subsidies aim to support data centre growth and enhance AI capacity for smaller businesses and research institutions. 
• India to Boost Computing Capacity: 
  • Aims to establish over 10,000 GPUs and develop foundational models based on Indian languages for key sectors like healthcare and agriculture. 
  • Rs 4,564 crore is allocated for computing infrastructure from a total outlay of Rs 10,372 crore. 

Source: IE 

Why in the news ? 

• Recently, QUAD released the principles of DPI acknowledging the importance of digitalisation to transform societies and to achieve the UN 2030 Agenda.  

About DPI:  

• DPI is a digital network that enables countries to deliver economic opportunities and social services safely and efficiently to all of the residents. 
  • DPI can be compared to roads, which are physical connections that connect people and provide access to many places and goods and services. 
  • The ‘India Stack’ was created by the founder of India DPI. 

Quad’s Basic Principles of DPI: 

• Inclusive: Removing economic, technological & social barriers, empower end users, and avoid buggy algorithmic bias. 
• Collaboration: Have user-centred solutions designed and continue to facilitate adoption and allow for innovators new projects being developed. 
• Modularity and extensibility: Extensible approach implies a building block or modular architecture to accommodate changes/modifications without undue disruption. 
• Scalability: Use flexible design to easily make any changes Unexpected increase in demand. 
• Durability: Make sure it lasts long enough for financial and technical assistance. 
• Grievance Redress: Establish accessible, transparent mechanisms for grievance handling, including user touchpoints, processes, and accountable entities, focused on resolution. 
• Sustainability: Secure sustainable operations through proper financing, technological support, and user-centred service enhancements. 
• Human Rights: Ensure respect for human rights in all stages from planning to operation. 
• Intellectual Property Protection: Provide effective protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights according to legal frameworks. 
• Sustainable Development: Align systems with the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
• Security and Privacy: Privacy enhancing technologies and security features within the core design to ensure individual privacy, data protection, and resilience. 

Global initiatives to adopt DPI: 

• G-20 announced by President of India (2023): 
  • Future mergers: are voluntary mergers aimed at construction ability to use DPI in low- and middle-income populations in different countries. 
  • Global DPI Repository (GDPIR) Portal: It was made and distributed by India. 
  • Social Impact Fund (SIF): Announced to accelerate DPI  used in countries of the Global South. 
• International Organisations:  
  • Development organisations including the World Bank 
  • UNDP and philanthropies like the Gates Foundation are establishing specialised programmes focused on DPI. 

 Source: PIB 

Why in the news ? 

• Recently, The Indian men's and women's team won the first gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad in Budapest Organised by FIDE( International Chess Federation). 
• It is the second time since Soviet times that a country has won gold in both categories (China - 2018). 

About the Chess Olympiad: 

• About:  
  • Place: The 45th Chess Olympiad took place in Budapest, Hungary 
  • The states won too: The top Open team won the Hamilton-Russell Cup 
  • Best women’s team winner: Vera Menchik Cup 
  • Best combination of open and women’s division: Nona Gaprindashvili Trophy. 
• About FIDE 
  • It’s the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions.  
  • Constituted as a non-governmental institution, it was recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a Global Sporting Organization in 1999. 

Source: TH 

Why in the news ? 

• Recently, The Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation announced the launch of India’s first most comprehensive cancer multiple omics data portal. 

About the ICGA cancer multi-omics data portal: 

• About:  
  • The Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) Foundation has launched India’s first cancer multi-omics data portal.  
  • The platform provides access to specific data on Indian cancer patients, making it a key resource for cancer research in the country. 
  • The portal provides clinically relevant information aimed at advancing research and improving cancer treatment for Indians. 
  • It is the first in India to provide integrated DNA, RNA and protein profiles to breast cancer patients, along with their clinical outcomes 
  • Under the aegis of India PRIDE, this information is shared with researchers worldwide, creating a shared ethical framework and collaboration in cancer research. 
• Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA): 
  • The Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) is a national initiative aimed at mapping cancer diversity across India. 
  • ICGA Foundation, a non-profit Section 8 organisation that operates through a public-private philanthropic partnership. 
  • More than 50 clinicians, researchers and data analysts support the project. 
  • Main objective of ICGA: To improve cancer diagnosis and Indian treatment, while also contributing to global understanding of cancer biology. 
  • The foundation’s first project: focuses on multi-omics profiling of breast cancer, with future plans to expand this approach to other cancers. 

Source: FE 

Why in the news ? 

• The Indian Navy is hosting the fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Symposium at Naval War College, Goa. 

About Goa Maritime Symposium 2024: 

• About: It is a forum for fostering collaborative thinking, cooperation, and mutual understanding between India and key maritime nations of the Indian Ocean Region. 
• Theme: The theme for the event is Common Maritime Security  
• Challenges : Progressing Lines of Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats such as illegal and unregulated fishing and other illegal maritime activities. 
• Represent 12 Indian Ocean Littoral countries: Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.  
• Observers:  Kenya and Tanzania  

Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS): 

• About: It was conceptualised and instituted by the Indian Navy in 2016. 
• Aim: It is a forum for fostering collaborative thinking, cooperation and mutual understanding between India and key maritime nations of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). 
• Place: The symposium is conducted biennially by the Naval War College (NWC), Goa. 

Source: PIB 

Context: 

• India, striving to become a $4 trillion economy, faces growing geopolitical challenges as adversaries strengthen and alliances remain uncertain.  
• Comprehensive National Security Strategy (NSS) that addresses the complexities of national security in an increasingly complex global environment. 

The Concept of National Security and Adopted: 

• National Security Concept: National security refers to a state's ability to protect and defend its citizens. 
• United States of America: U.S. focuses on aligning national interests with democratic values, uses its NSS to guide war strategy and global power strategy, and supports authoritarian regimes. 
• United Kingdom and France: The U.K. the 2021 survey emphasised cooperation and the Ukraine war shaped Russia- France’s 2022 agenda, which focuses on nuclear solutions and European leadership.  

India’s previous efforts to develop a National Security Strategy (NSS): 

• Kargil Inquiry Committee Report (2000): After the Kargil conflict in 1999, this report proposed comprehensive recommendations on national security but there was no immediate NSS 
• Naresh Chandra Task Force (2012): The task force looked into reforms related to safety reports, but the reports did not result in the publication of a formal NSS document 
• National Security Advisory Board (NSAB): NSAB has drafted a number of national security policy documents, but is yet to issue any official document to the NSS. 
• General D.S. Hooda’s Document (2019): Lt. Col. Gen. (Retd.) D.S. Hooda’s NSS paper was an important step in formal planning for India. 

Need  for National Security System (NSS) in India: 

• Strategic Uncertainty: Post-Cold War global unpredictability has given rise to new enemies and various security challenges including terrorism, proliferation and non-state actors India needs a strategy to deal with this evolving situation. 
• Nuclear Security and Geopolitical Change: India’s nuclear deterrent will have to adapt to threats posed by China, Pakistan and the US. the effects of nuclear energy in the Indian Ocean meet, in the context of changing global dynamics. 
• Indo-Pacific Security Framework: As the Indo-Pacific has become the focal point of global politics, India needs a framework for "competitive cooperation" and "social security" in the region. 
• Challenges beyond traditional threats: Domestic threats such as left-wing extremism, economic instability and social unrest call for an all-encompassing defensive approach.
• Technological Advancement and Cybersecurity: Rapid technological advances increase capabilities but introduce cyber vulnerabilities, creating the need for strong cybersecurity. 
• Biodiversity degradation and climate change: Environmental issues such as melting ice sheets and rising sea levels directly threaten national security. 

The Role of Economic Security in the Formulation of India’s National Security Policy: 

• Aiming to become a $4 trillion economy, India has to navigate global uncertainty,military capability and flexibility especially from conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. 
• India’s recent economic reforms aim to boost manufacturing, trade & technology and a formal link between these objectives and national security is essential. 
• China remains a major trading partner, and India faces a trade deficit of $85 billion, reflecting economic vulnerability amid geopolitical challenges. 

What could be the potential benefits of a national security policy in India? 

• Comprehensive approach: The entire NSS provides a comprehensive framework for addressing various security challenges, both internal and external. 
• Clear objectives: Defines a clear security objective, helps define the assets and interests that need to be protected and identify potential threats. 
• Policy Guidance: The NSS provides policy guidance, assisting the government in developing and implementing strategies and policies to protect national security. 
• Prioritise: This helps prioritise security concerns, allowing resources and effort to be allocated to the most important issues.. 
• Distribution: Assists in the distribution of resources, enabling more efficient use of financial and human resources to enhance safety. 
• Preventive Measures: Preventive measures can help deter potential adversaries by providing a clear and well thought out approach to national security 
• Whole-of-Government Approach: The NSS promotes a "whole-of-government" approach by involving multiple government departments and agencies to ensure coordination and cooperation on security-related issues 

What are the challenges of developing a national security strategy? 

• Political hesitation: Governments have been reluctant to codify their defence policies, perhaps because of commitment pitfalls, possible criticism, or concerns about rigidity in decision-making 
• Legal Framework: Ensuring that NSS complies with existing legal frameworks, including international treaties and domestic laws, is important but can be difficult. 
• Resource allocation: Allocating the necessary resources, both financial and human, to implement the NSS effectively can be challenging, especially when there are competing demands on the budget. 
• Differences between military and political leadership: Personnel structures in the Ministry of Defense and other government agencies may have different views on the formal NSS 
• Changing Threat Landscape: Transforming NSSs is an ongoing challenge to address evolving security threats, such as cyber threats, terrorism, and non-traditional security challenges. 

Source: TH