INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS, 21st Livestock Census, ISRO-Department of Biotechnology Pact

(General Studies II – International Relations Section –India and its Neighborhood- Relations)

• India-China relations are a blend of shared histories and complex rivalries, deeply affected by political, territorial, and cultural factors. While some leaders view diplomacy as essential to stability, tensions are never far from the surface.
• As Chinese Premier Deng Xiaoping noted, “China and India can work together to make the Asian Century a reality.” Yet, recent issues highlight the fragile state of cooperation, revealing deep-seated strategic mistrust.

Recent Issues in India-China Relations:

• Border Disputes and the Galwan Clash: The 2020 Galwan Valley clash marked a significant shift, resulting in casualties on both sides and heightened military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Since then, “the shadow of Galwan” has hung over all diplomatic engagements, impacting trust at all levels.
• China’s Relationship with Pakistan: China’s strong ties with Pakistan, particularly via the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), further strain relations. Since parts of the CPEC pass through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, India sees these investments as a challenge to its sovereignty.
• Dalai Lama and Tibet: The Dalai Lama’s presence in India remains a deeply sensitive issue for China. India’s grant of asylum to the Dalai Lama and Tibetan exiles has long irked Beijing, which regards him as a separatist figure. India’s cautious engagement on Tibet reflects its need to balance humanitarian support with diplomatic caution. Chinese officials regularly cite this as “interference in China’s internal affairs,” but India maintains it as a stance on humanitarian grounds.
• Economic Competition and Trade Imbalance: The trade imbalance, heavily favoring China, is another critical issue, with India’s trade deficit reaching approximately $70 billion in recent years. India has since implemented restrictions on Chinese investments and banned several Chinese apps, underscoring its drive for economic self-reliance.
• Regional Influence and Quad Engagement: India’s involvement in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) alongside the U.S., Japan, and Australia reflects its efforts to counterbalance China’s regional dominance. While Quad nations emphasize it as a cooperative security arrangement, China views it as a containment strategy.

Historical Background and Key Milestones:

Key Points of Friction:

1. Border Issues: Persistent conflicts along the LAC, with China’s infrastructural expansions, continue to escalate tensions.
2. Economic Imbalance: China remains India’s largest trading partner, but the trade deficit undermines economic trust.
3. The Tibet Issue: India’s asylum to the Dalai Lama and its cultural support for Tibetan exiles strain diplomatic ties.
4. China’s Indo-Pacific Strategy: Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and activities in the Indian Ocean raise India’s security concerns.
5. Military Modernization: Both nations are advancing military assets along the border, making de-escalation complex.

Recent Measures by India:

To mitigate these challenges, India has adopted a balanced approach that incorporates resilience, security, and diplomacy:

• Infrastructure Development: India is accelerating border road construction and establishing forward bases along the LAC to enhance response capabilities.
• Economic Self-Reliance: India’s “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative promotes self-reliance, aiming to reduce dependency on Chinese imports, particularly in technology and manufacturing.
• Strengthening Alliances: Through Quad engagements and defense pacts, India has intensified partnerships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region to counterbalance China’s influence.
• Military Readiness: Enhanced budget allocations and procurement of advanced military assets reflect India’s commitment to border security.

India-China relations stand at a crossroads, defined by competition, interdependence, and diplomatic prudence. While both countries face incentives to avoid conflict due to economic interdependence and regional stability, sustainable progress depends on mutual respect for sovereignty and constructive engagement on contentious issues. As regional players and global economies, their relationship will profoundly shape the trajectory of Asia’s future.

• The Bombay High Court ordered the Customs Department to release confiscated artworks by Francis Newton Souza and Akbar Padamsee within two weeks. These artworks had been seized in 2023 due to alleged obscenity.
• A Division Bench quashed an order from the Customs Commissionerate that confiscated the artworks.
• The court found the order “perverse and unreasonable,” stating that “sex and obscenity are not always synonymous” and that obscene material involves an appeal to prurient interest.
• This ruling emphasizes a nuanced interpretation of obscenity, reinforcing the distinction between art and material intended solely to provoke prurient interest.
• The freedom of expression, including artistic expression, is protected by the Constitution under Article 19(1)(a).
• However, this freedom is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions, including restrictions on obscenity.
• S.Khushboo vs Kanniammal (2010) the Supreme Court held that a public figure’s views on pre-marital sex or sexual behaviour cannot be considered obscene unless they are sexually explicit or contain vulgar language.
• However, in Devidas Ramachandra Tuljapurkar vs The State of Maharashtra (2005) the Supreme Court held that a film that depicts sexual acts in a vulgar and obscene manner cannot be considered art or culture.

Dig Deeper: Read about measures to tackle obscenity in Cyber Space and Study ancient Indian sculptures in temple architecture e.g., Khajuraho.

• The Union Ministry of Culture plans to “revive and relaunch” the National Mission for Manuscripts (NMM) with the possible creation of an autonomous body, the National Manuscripts Authority, for preserving India’s ancient texts.
• Currently, NMM operates under the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.
• The new proposed body would function as an autonomous entity under the Ministry of Culture.
• A meeting chaired by the culture minister, reviewed NMM’s achievements since its inception in 2003.
• It was noted that NMM has created metadata for 52 lakh manuscripts, digitized over 3 lakh titles, and uploaded one-third of them.
• Over the past 21 years, NMM has conducted preventive and curative conservation for 9 crore folios.

Dig Deeper: Read about the Bakhshali Manuscript.

• The Centre has launched the 21^st livestock census under the Ministry of Fisheries Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
• It is a Five-yearly exercise of counting the country’s livestock.
• The census plays a key role in shaping policies that ensure the sustainable growth of the country’s livestock sector.
• It will allow the government to address key issues like disease control, breed improvement, and rural livelihoods.
• Livestock provides livelihoods to over 2.1 crore people and is integral to India’s agricultural economy. 
• One lakh field officials and veterinarians or para veterinarians are engaged in this exercise, which will be conducted over a span of four or five months.

Dig Deeper: Read about major trends of the last Livestock Census.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) have signed an agreement to design and conduct biological experiments for the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS).
• It will be India’s indigenous space station expected to operate between 2028-2035.
• Planned experiments will explore-
• Impact of weightlessness on muscle loss
• Algae’s potential as food and fuel
• Radiation effects on human health aboard space stations.
• Some biological experiments may be included in uncrewed test flights for Gaganyaan, India’s first crewed space mission, scheduled for 2025-2026, with further studies intended for BAS.
• The ISRO-DBT collaboration aligns with the DBT’s BIOE3 policy.
• This partnership is expected to drive innovation in space-related biotechnology and contribute significantly to India’s bio-manufacturing sector.

Dig Deeper: Read more about the BIOE3 Policy.