Weekly News 27 November - 1 December 2023
Monday, 27 November 2023 “South Korea, Japan and China agree to restart cooperation” (mint 2023:9).
China, Japan, and South Korea have agreed to restart cooperation and work towards a summit to ease tensions among the Asian neighbors. The foreign ministers of the three countries, meeting for the first time since 2019, discussed advancing cooperation in areas like security, economy, and technology. While the timing of the summit wasn't specified, it is expected in the near future, and the leaders may not meet this year, according to South Korea's national security adviser.
During the 100-minute talks, the ministers emphasized the importance of institutionalizing trilateral cooperation and resisting ideological demarcation. China's Wang Yi urged the three countries to oppose putting regional cooperation into camps and called for the prompt restart of negotiations on a trilateral free trade agreement. Japan highlighted that enhanced trilateral cooperation would contribute to regional peace amid a challenging international security situation.
Tuesday, 28 November 2023 “India moves on WTO dispute settlement” (mint 2023:2).
India, South Africa, and Egypt presented a paper on the reform of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) dispute settlement body during a Geneva meeting. The paper, titled "Reflections on the Reform of the WTO Dispute Settlement System," emphasizes India's push for formal negotiations, citing challenges in current informal deliberations that hinder broader participation in talks. The WTO's dispute settlement body plays a crucial role in overseeing global trade rules and resolving disputes among its 164 member countries.
Wednesday, 29 November 2023 “India faces fodder shortage; milk prices set to rise further” (Kumar and Das 2023:2).
India is grappling with a significant shortage of dry fodder, ranging from 25% to 90%, as reported by scientists from the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute. Factors contributing to the shortage include a surge in the cattle population, insufficient grassland, stubble burning, and the diversion of paddy straw for ethanol production. This scarcity has led to a surge in retail milk prices, reaching an average of ₹57.52 per litre, compared to ₹54.9 in the corresponding period last year.
The shortage is exacerbated by a growing livestock population, which has surged from 40 million at Independence to 527 million currently, while the grassland area remains nearly the same. Mechanization in agriculture has impacted natural sources of dry fodder, further stressing the livestock feed supply chain. The scientists emphasize the need for sustainable solutions, such as the creation of a national grassland authority, to address regional and seasonal variations in fodder production.
Thursday, 30 November 2023 “20 critical mineral blocks on auction” (Bharadwaj 2023:2).
The Indian government, led by Coal and Mines Minister Pralhad Joshi, has launched the auction of 20 critical mineral blocks valued at ₹45,000 crore. Notable minerals like Lithium & REE, Nickel & Copper, Phosphorite, Potash, Graphite & Manganese are part of this auction, and the government plans to auction a total of 100 such blocks. These auctions will take place in regions including Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. Two lithium blocks, one each in Chhattisgarh and Jammu and Kashmir, are also part of this initiative. Once the auction concludes, the mines will undergo 23 clearances, including environmental and forest approvals, as informed by Minister Joshi. Additionally, the revenue generated from these auctions will directly contribute to the state exchequers. The government has also committed to exploring critical minerals further, initiating 125 new projects in this domain for the fiscal year 2023-24, with an incentive of 25% offered on the discovery of critical minerals, according to VL Kantha Rao, Secretary of the Coal and Mines Ministry.
Friday, 1 December 2023 “Global players to be invited to make hydrogen-powered trains” (Narayan 2023:2).
India is set to become a global player in green transportation, proposing the manufacturing of hydrogen-powered trains based on indigenous technology. Indian Railways is actively developing a prototype using hydrogen fuel cells, marking a significant shift towards eco-friendly locomotives. Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the country's focus on renewable energy, aiming to increase the use of green energy. India's plan involves retrofitting hydrogen fuel cells on diesel electric multiple unit (DEMU) rakes, and the prototype is expected to run in Haryana initially. The ambitious initiative, aiming to operate 35 hydrogen trains, puts India on the path to join the exclusive club of nations with commercial operations of emission-free locomotives, with Germany currently being the sole member.
To achieve this green transportation milestone, India intends to invite global expressions of interest for manufacturing these hydrogen-powered trains. The proposed partnership with domestic and international railway system makers signals India's commitment to advancing green technology in its railway network. The plan aligns with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's 'Hydrogen for Heritage' scheme, aiming to operate hydrogen-powered trains on environmentally sensitive routes. While the estimated costs for manufacturing and infrastructure are substantial, the Ministry of Railways suggests that the initial higher running costs of hydrogen-powered trains would likely decrease with the scaling up of their numbers, emphasizing a sustainable and eco-friendly future for Indian railways.
References:
- Bharadwaj, Arunima. 2023. “20 critical mineral blocks on auction” The Financial Express, 30 November 2023: 2.
- Kumar, Dhirendra., and Das, Puja. 2023. “India faces fodder shortage; milk prices set to rise further”. Mint, 29 November 2023: 2.
- Mint. 2023. “India moves on WTO dispute settlement”. 28 November 2023: 2.
- Mint. 2023. “South Korea, Japan and China agree to restart cooperation”. 27 November 2023: 9.
- Narayan, Subhash. 2023. “Global players to be invited to make hydrogen-powered trains”. Mint, 1 December 2023: 2.
