Bamboo Diplomacy, Many forts of historic Delhi, Fluorescent Nanodiamonds (FNDs)

• Bamboo Diplomacy refers to the foreign policy approach adopted by Vietnam, characterized by flexibility, resilience, and adaptability—qualities inherent to bamboo.
• This strategy enables Vietnam to maintain balanced relations with major powers while safeguarding its national interests and sovereignty.
• Bamboo bends with the wind but does not break, symbolizing Vietnam’s ability to adapt to changing geopolitical dynamics without compromising its core interests.
• Vietnam adjusts its foreign policies in response to regional and global shifts, ensuring stability and development.
• India-Vietnam relations:
• Strategic Partnership – Strengthening ties through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2016 between India and Vietnam. Collaborations in defence training, equipment, and joint exercises.
• Indo-Pacific Strategy – Both nations advocate for a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region. Cooperation in ensuring freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.
• Economic Engagement – Expanding bilateral trade with a focus on sectors like textiles, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture. Initiatives like the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway to enhance regional connectivity.

Dig Deeper: Read about South China Sea dispute and the islands involved

• There is a growing demand for granting special status to Ladakh by including it in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. 
• Reasons for Demanding Special Status:
  • Cultural Preservation: To protect the unique tribal culture, language, and traditions of Ladakh’s indigenous communities.
  • Autonomy: To grant Ladakh greater administrative autonomy to make decisions suited to local needs.
  • Development Concerns: To ensure sustainable development while preserving the fragile ecological balance.
• Fifth and Sixth Schedules:
  • Fifth Schedule: Deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any state except the four states of the Northeast.
  • Sixth Schedule: Provides for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram through Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
• Sixth Schedule Features:
• Autonomous District Councils (ADCs):
  • Have legislative, executive, and judicial powers.
  • Can make laws on land, forest management, agriculture, village administration, inheritance, and other local matters.
• Financial Powers: ADCs can levy and collect certain taxes and fees.
• Cultural Preservation: Protects customs, practices, and traditional institutions of tribal communities.
• Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur have also sought inclusion in the Sixth Schedule to protect their tribal populations. 

Dig Deeper: Read about article 244 and article 371 and 125^th Constitutional Amendment Bill (2019)

• Delhi, often referred to as the city of tombs, is a city rich in history and monumental architecture.
• Despite repeated destructions, Delhi’s resilience is attributed to its people and the formidable forts that protected the city. 
• Major Forts of Delhi –

• Red Fort (Lal Qila):
• Completed in 1648 by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Architects were Ustad Hira and Ustad Hamid. Initially considered Raisina Hills but shifted to the banks of the Yamuna River.
• Historical Names: Urdu-i-Mualla (Original name upon completion) and Qila-i-Mu’alla (Renamed during Akbar II‘s reign)
• Historical Events here include its inauguration where Shah Jahan entered with a grand procession and Prince Dara Shikoh scattered gold and silver. Khizr Gate was the gate through which the emperor entered.
• Purana Qila (Old Fort): Believed to be the site of the ancient city of Indraprastha from the Mahabharata. Anangpal Tomar built the original Lal Kot, the oldest city wall and Prithviraj Chauhan extended Lal Kot to form Qila Rai Pithora while Sher Shah Suri rebuilt and expanded the fort in the 16th century.
• Tughlaqabad Fort: Built by Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq, founder of the Tughlaq Dynasty (1321-1325). Built as a defensive structure against Mongol invasions. It had massive stone fortifications with high walls.
• Siri Fort: Built by Alauddin Khilji, second ruler of the Khilji Dynasty in early 14th century to defend against Mongol invasions and serve as a new capital.
• Feroz Shah Kotla: Built by Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1354. It houses the Ashokan Pillar brought from Topra, Haryana. It served as the capital of the Tughlaq dynasty.
• Najafgarh Fort: Built by Mirza Najaf Khan, an 18th-century Mughal general. Mirza Najaf Khan was appointed as Amir-ul-Umra by Shah Alam II. Built to protect the city outskirts from attacks.

Dig Deeper: Read about Delhi Sultanate and its contributions in terms of architecture

• FNDs are nanometre-sized diamonds made of carbon nanoparticles and are produced under high temperature and high-pressure conditions.
• They exhibit fluorescence without blinking and are stable under light. They are non-toxic to living organisms, making them suitable for biological applications. 
• Properties of FNDs –
• Fluorescence: FNDs have a long fluorescence lifespan (>10 nanoseconds), superior to other fluorescent nanoparticles like quantum dots. Unlike other nanomaterials, FNDs maintain consistent fluorescence over time.
• Stability and non-toxicity: They are resistant to photobleaching and degradation under prolonged irradiation. They are non-toxic and safe for use in living cells and organisms.
• Quantum Properties: They contain nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, which are defects in the diamond lattice where a nitrogen atom replaces a carbon atom adjacent to a vacancy. NV Centers host electron spin qubits, essential for quantum computing and sensing applications.
• Applications of FNDs –
• Biomedical Imaging and Sensing:
• In High-resolution imaging, used as fluorescent markers in correlative microscopy. In Cell Tracking, monitors cells and their progeny over extended periods due to their stable fluorescence. NV centers in FNDs can act as nanoscale thermometers.
• Quantum Computing and Information: NV centers can be manipulated for quantum computation & potential use in storing information at quantum level.
• Fundamental Physics Research: Spinning FNDs at ultra-high speeds to study quantum effects at macroscopic scales. Measuring phase differences in spin qubits due to rotation.
• Industrial Sensors: Levitated FNDs can detect minute changes, useful in designing gyroscopes and sensors.

Dig Deeper: Read about Quantum Computing, spin qubits and berry phase