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Breach of
discipline Insecure
shipping |
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Textbook
distribution
India-US
partnership
Preparing
for exam
Obama
not out of the woods yet On the
edge of recession
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Insecure shipping
The
Coast Guard did well by detaining a US-owned ship that had armed crew and undocumented weapons. The crew was unable to produce papers to support the contention that they were allowed to carry weapons. The ship MV Seaman Ohio was detained in Tuticorin, and it files the flag of Sierra Leone, even as it is owned by a US security company. Finding guns on ships can lead to apprehensions of gun-running, which may or may not be the case in this particular instance. There is no doubt that in recent years ship piracy in the Indian Ocean has been a cause of concern. Traditionally, the role of providing security was one of the armed forces of sovereign nations, but the anarchy in Somalia and an overall decrease in defence spending of some countries have led to a situation in which now private armed guards on commercial shipping vessels operate. Not only this, there are also armed vessels owned by private security companies that operate in the region. The United Nations' International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) have both come out against the privatisation of maritime security. They have rightly pointed out that there can be serious legal and political consequences of such actions. Indeed, in India, we are only too familiar with the case of two Italian marine security guards stationed aboard a commercial ship. They are facing trial for allegedly killing Indian fishermen who they mistook to be pirates. Still, it must be recognised that the maritime security business is now a reality, and the Indian Ocean is the main area of its focus. However, given the inherent dangers that lack of accountability can bring, also present are the vexatious issues of local laws and politics. That is why it is all the more important to ensure that all such activities should be governed by international law and norms. The IMO and IMB must lay out procedures and protocols that govern the conduct of such security companies, and ensure safety on the seas. Till that happens, all ships must stick to the existing norms.
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Textbook distribution
In
the past violations of the National Curriculum Framework Guidelines had plagued school textbooks. Textbooks were used for indoctrinating the young minds by political parties of varied shades. They twisted historical facts to propagate their ideology. But, another extreme is met when textbooks are ignored to the extent that they are not made available to students. Government schools in Haryana were at the receiving end of such neglect in the last academic session. Till the first semester was over, about one lakh students across state were not provided with the textbooks. Under the RTE Act, all government schools are entitled to provide free books to students from classes I to XII. Students from class II to VIII suffered. Their textbooks were to be printed by a Mumbai publisher, who was blacklisted by another state. Notices were served on officials who awarded the contract to the private publisher, who defaulted. At one point, students were told to borrow used books from students of the previous year. Our system knows "jugaad" works when everything else fails. No-detention policy up to class VIII under the RTE Act has made the entire school administration lax. For example, books were made available to students from class IX onwards, fearing bad results in the board examinations. Going by the pathetic results of the class X examination of the Board of School Education, Haryana, in which 50 per cent of the students failed, it reiterated the value of quality education at the primary level. It is a welcome step that for the 2014-2015 session the Education Department of Haryana has decided to invite multiple printers to print and supply textbooks of different classes. One printer will not be allowed to print books for more than two classes. But, unless action is taken against the erring officials, responsible for delays that put government schools in poor light, education will not receive the priority it deserves.
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Laziness is nothing more than the habit of resting before you get tired. — Jules Renard
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India-US partnership
Contrary
to the forecasts of doom and gloom and the scepticism surrounding his visit to Washington, the third Manmohan-Obama Summit meeting on September 27 has been quite productive. With hindsight, one can say that media reports about growing impatience of US NSA Susan Rice, impact of the comprehensive immigration law, lobbying in the Capitol Hill by Microsoft, IBM and American drug manufacturing giants against Indian IT and drug manufacturing companies and differences on Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, nuclear liability Act etc were highly exaggerated. An honest and dispassionate assessment of India-US relations in the last decade clearly shows that they have been transformed beyond recognition; India-US strategic partnership is for real and it is in for a long haul in spite of serious differences on some issues in the short run. Nothing demonstrates this better than the exponential expansion of defence trade; US exports of defence and military hardware to India in the last five years have crossed US$ 9bn; with the long shopping lists of the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy this is bound to expand further. If the promise of transfer of defence technology, joint research and co-production mentioned in the joint statement is taken to its logical conclusion, this collaboration could become the driving engine of closer Indo-US strategic partnership. In this regard, the US decision to supply offensive weapons to India will be the leitmotif of this burgeoning relationship. Notwithstanding these positive signals, well-known strategic analyst Brahma Chellaney feels that India-US strategic relationship is somewhat “lopsided and unbalanced” on account of structural and strategic limitations of India. A lot is made out of the flattering phrases such as the "defining relationship of the 21st century" (used by Obama and John Kerry) which might transcend into the 22nd century and India being the "lynch pin" of the US policy in Asia (used by Leon Panetta) and optimistic projections made by the heads of think tanks such as Ashley Tellis of Carnegie Endowment. Visiting American dignitaries seldom fail to stress the commonalities between India and the US: democracy, rule of law, human rights, and multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-lingual, plural societies. These are, no doubt, important factors but must be taken with a pinch of salt. In the real world, so long as it serves their national interests, countries don't mind doing business with other countries where these factors don't hold water. The US-China relations are an obvious example of this phenomenon. While the US IT companies might continue urging the US government to apply some indirect brakes on the Indian IT companies, the fact is they have been receiving "great service, great quality at low costs" from Indian companies and it has enabled them to operate efficiently and profitably. The misperception created by media reports that the US wishes to "contain" China and hence is trying to warm up to India warrants closer scrutiny. The US-China economic, financial, trade, business and investment ties are so huge and millions of jobs in the US depend on this collaboration that the US will never risk them. As a matter of fact, the US has been quite careful not to hurt China's sensitivities; it’s decision to call its new approach in Asia now as “Asia Rebalance” instead of “Asia Pivot” is a “course correction” keeping China in mind. On the issues of alleged incursions into Indian territories by the Chinese troops and the India-China spat regarding the ONGC-Vietnam offshore oil drilling collaboration, the US has maintained strict neutrality. Conversely, it is also a fact that the US won't like to see a China-dominated Asia. This, apart from the economic considerations, explains its concerted efforts to come closer to India, ASEAN and beyond to shore up its influence in Asia-Pacific and maintain pressure on China to keep trade routes through the South China Sea open to international trade according to international laws. Some recent developments have eased the alleged “drift”, “wrinkles” and imaginary or real “plateau” in relations. The preliminary contract between the US nuclear companies, Westinghouse and NPCIL for setting up a nuclear plant in Gujarat is a welcome beginning. The establishment of “an American India-US climate change working group” and convening the “India-US Task Force on HFCs” are viewed as positive developments. And the reiteration of US support for a place for India in the reformed UNSC should be music to Indian ears. Besides, a temporary postponement by the US Federal Reserve to end the stimulus package should give countries like India some breathing time to put their finances in order. Though nothing concrete has been promised, some negotiated compromise on the new Immigration laws shouldn't be ruled out. In the field of foreign affairs, the biggest relief has come from Iran. There is thaw in the air in the US-Iran relations thanks to the speech of the newly elected President Rouhani in the UN General Assembly and his wishes on the Jewish New Year on his Twitter which prompted Obama to make the historic Presidential phone call for the first time in 30 years! Unless, this process is cut short by the Iranian supreme leader, US-Iran relations should see some further easing of tension and resolution of the nuclear issue which has led to the imposition of crippling UN sanctions on Iran. This thaw has the potential of lightening India's oil import bill if more Iranian oil comes on the market. India's expectations from the US to put further pressure on Pakistan to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai attack to book and rein in the terrorist groups like Al-Qaida and LeT and dismantle terror infrastructure and go slow on co-opting the Taliban in the talks on the future of Afghanistan aren't likely to be met fully because of the US priorities to exit from Afghanistan smoothly. In the meanwhile, India should brace itself for a Taliban-dominated Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the American troops in 2014. What role India could play in Afghanistan after the US exit can't be guaranteed by the US; it will have to work out a strategy with countries like China, Russia, and Iran and, of course, the US. As the economies of India and the US aren't doing as great as they would have expected, there are domestic pressures in both countries which impact negatively on the bilateral relations. The IT and pharma MNCs in the US and the constituencies in India which didn't favour FDI in retail and pressed for a more stringent nuclear liability Bill are manifestations of such domestic pressures. As both India and the US have strategic partnership with a number of countries, in crises situations each country will take a decision based on its strategic interests. From this perspective, KS Bajpai, a former Ambassador to the US, injects a reality check: “If ever India finds herself in an open conflict with another country, she will be just by herself; none will come to her help”. That should give us a wake-up call to mend our fences with our neighbours and create an environment of goodwill and warmth without lowering our guards and ignoring defence
preparedness. The writer is a former diplomat
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Preparing for exam The
newly opened Govt. Degree College, Haripurdhar where I had the privilege of serving as the Principal, was made an examination centre for the March 2012 annual undergraduate examinations
by H.P.University quite late, almost at the proverbial eleventh hour. For the convenience of even all the private candidates of the area, who had already opted for other far-flung examination centres for want of choice, where they could not appear without undergoing hardships, I was authorised to entertain written requests on behalf of the Controller of Examinations. A notice was displayed as a sequel to a newspaper report and applications started trickling in, as also telephonic enquiries on my mobile phone. A few days later, a nodding acquaintance rang me up, “Sir, my wife has opted for G.C.Nerwa centre but now would prefer to appear at Haripurdhar as it is at a stone’s throw.”
As directed, the person came and submitted a written request for the change of centre. A few days after that, the same fellow rang me up to know whether the change of centre had been effected, to which I replied in the affirmative. Every time, the query was accompanied with a request to “visit” their village to which my polite reply as usual was “I shall, some day”, knowing full well that that day would never come. After another fortnight, my mobile phone rang again and I recognised the same somewhat familiar number flashing on the display panel. This time, the earlier request was reiterated with the addition, "Sir, do you eat meat?" I wonder how a teetotaller like me could be misjudged by anybody to be a non-vegetarian. While I put off the overzealous new-found hospitality, I could make out the motive behind it, even as I reiterated my stock reply. On the opening session for the regular college students only, the guy paid a visit, which I surmised was a recce to know the “trend” at the examination centre. He was up for a surprise when he found me and the Centre Superintendent busy in filing and forwarding four Unfair Means Cases to HPU. The gentleman's wife was to appear on the third day. On the day meant for private candidates, I could neither spot that by-now familiar face, nor his wife among the appearing candidates. Later on, enquiries from my Office Superintendent revealed that on the day of “recce” he had confided in him that they would rather catch the first morning bus for Nerwa, rather than let his wife appear at Haripurdhar under the “cruel” invigilation staff. I could not but laugh in my sleeves to hear that, for after that, no UMC case could be detected at our centre during the entire duration of
the exams.
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Obama not out of the woods yet With
the clock ticking down fast, frantic behind-closed-doors efforts are accelerating in Washington to craft a stop-gap fiscal package temporarily to reopen the government and authorise an increase in America’s debt ceiling before October 17, when the US Treasury expects to run out of cash to meet all its obligations. There were growing signs that Democrat Senator Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, and his Republican counterpart, minority leader Mitch McConnell, were marshaling their troops towards a package that offered face-saving tidbits for both sides while ensuring that funding for the government would be restored until mid-January next year and the authority for the US to raise the debt ceiling would be extended through the middle of February. While it was unlikely the two Senate leaders would forge a deal without being confident it would pass in their chamber, its fate in the House of Representatives remained uncertain with the right flank of the Republican Party certain to rebel if there is a feeling their party had been forced to retreat. A Senate deal, if approved, would probably be put to the full House for a vote by speaker John Boehner. After sliding, markets picked up on fresh word that a truce was at last in sight. Senator Reid opened a Senate session saying he was “very optimistic we will reach an agreement this week that’s reasonable in nature”. McConnell suggested in his own comments that he concurred saying they had had a “couple of very useful discussions”. The Dow Jones industrial average added 64.15 points, or 0.4 per cent, to close at 15,301.26. The partial shutdown has now entered a third week, with 3,50,000 federal workers on furlough without pay, while October 17 remains the deadline for an agreement to be struck on raising the debt ceiling without which the US could risk a first-ever default on its debt. The deal taking shape appeared to be a big retreat for Republicans, who have seen public opinion turn sharply against them. Some on the right flank had wanted to use the crisis to pare back or even hobble Obama’s healthcare reforms. Clock ticking Visiting a local Washington food bank charity, Martha’s Table, Obama struck a cautiously optimistic note. “My hope is that a spirit of cooperation will move us forward over the next few hours,” he said. “If we don’t start making some real progress both in the House and the Senate, and if Republicans aren’t willing to set aside some of their partisan concerns in order to do what’s right for the country, we stand a good chance of defaulting.” In a vivid illustration of how the squabbling on Capitol Hill has implications far beyond the Washington beltway and indeed America’s borders, an impatient China, which holds more American debt than any other nation, called for a ‘de-Americanised world’ where the dollar is no longer the chosen international reserve currency. The case was made in a sharply worded editorial published by the official Xinhua news agency. “As US politicians of both political parties are still shuffling back and forth between the White House and the Capitol Hill without striking a viable deal to bring normality to the body politic they brag about, it is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to start considering building a de-Americanised world,” it said. With global growth barely returning after the 2008 crash, including in the Eurozone, the political crisis here could hardly be coming at a less helpful time. At the weekend the head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde, warned sternly of the “risk of tipping, yet again, into recession” if solutions are not found this week. The broadside by Xinhua, which usually represents the views of the Beijing government, was all the more striking because it went beyond even the “pernicious impasse” on the fiscal dossier taking advantage of the crisis to take Washington to task also for taking “the moral high ground” in world affairs while “covertly doing things that are as audacious as torturing prisoners of war, slaying civilians in drone attacks, and spying on world
leaders”. — The Independent
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On the edge of recession US lawmakers risk causing a “massive disruption the world over” that could tip the global economy into another recession if politics gets in the way of raising the country’s debt ceiling and the ongoing government shutdown remains unresolved, Christine Lagarde, head of the IMF, warned the Senate. The stark assessment by Lagarde, a former French Finance Minister, came after news that talks between the Republican Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, and Obama had broken down, putting the onus on the Senate leadership to craft a bipartisan pact to avert what experts predict would be financial catastrophe. The US government will hit the congressionally mandated ceiling on how much money it can borrow to fund its commitments. If by October 17, the $16.7 trillion (£10.4trn) limit is not raised by the legislature, the US would be forced to walk down a road usually associated with weaker economies: dishonouring its spending commitments and defaulting on its debts, an outcome that Lagarde said could shatter the fragile economic recovery under way in the US and around the world. “If there is that degree of disruption, that lack of certainty, that lack of trust in the US signature, it would mean massive disruption the world over, and we would be at risk of tipping yet again into a recession,” she said. The IMF chief also poured cold water on suggestions by some within the Republican camp, including Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, that the government need not default if the ceiling is not raised. Paul said: “Not raising the debt ceiling means you have to balance your budget. It doesn’t mean you have to default.” Dangerous moment But Lagarde said there was no room to get around the limit and what it meant. “When you are the largest economy in the world, when you are the safe haven in all circumstances, as has been the case, you can’t go into that creative accounting business,” she said. The warning came on the heels of a communique issued by G20 finance ministers and central bankers, saying: “The US needs to take urgent action to address short-term fiscal uncertainties.” Head of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, said: “We’re now five days away from a very dangerous moment… Inaction could result in interest rates rising, confidence falling and growth slowing.” Domestically, a group of state governments swung into action to reopen some national parks and monuments that had been closed owing to the partial federal shutdown. In New York, tourists were once again able to take the ferry from Manhattan to the Statue of Liberty after Governor Andrew Cuomo said the state would foot the daily bill of $61,600 to keep the attraction open. Similar deals were struck in Arizona to reopen the Grand Canyon, and in South Dakota to welcome visitors back to Mount Rushmore. Meanwhile, in Washington, as the world looks on nervously and as state governments attempt to get around the federal closure, Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid was in negotiations with his Republican counterpart in the chamber, Mitch McConnell, as they tried to put together a deal to break the deadlock. However, there were no signs of progress, with a mid-afternoon phone call between the two leaders described as “cordial but inconclusive” by a Democratic source. The venue shifted after the President rejected an offer from the House Speaker to raise the debt ceiling temporarily until late November. The proposal was contingent on the White House agreeing to more detailed talks on the national budget. Democrats, however, would like a longer-term solution to the debt ceiling issue. As the talks drag on, the risk is rising of market turmoil, particularly after stocks rose at the end of last week on signs of an agreement. While the US stock markets will reopen on October 20, the bond markets are closed until October 21 for the Columbus Day
holiday. — The Independent
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