As India finally imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, flexibility should inform policy

decision to finally go ahead and impose retaliatory tariffs on 29 U.S. goods with effect from June 16, almost a year after it first announced them, unambiguously signals that on trade India has decided to join issue with President Donald Trump’s protectionist administration. Clearly, the trigger for the move was the U.S. withdrawal of duty-free access to Indian exporters under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) from June 5. Mr. Trump chose to go ahead and proclaim on May 31 that he was terminating India’s designation as a beneficiary developing country over Delhi’s failure to assure the U.S. of “equitable and reasonable access to its markets”, notwithstanding the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new Council of Ministers had just been sworn in the previous day. This reflects an unwillingness to meet India halfway on trade. Not that there had been no warning lights flashing. On a visit to New Delhi in early May, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had made no bones about the administration’s perception of India being a “tariff king” that adopted “overly restrictive market access barriers”. Mr. Ross had also threatened India with “consequences” were it to impose the retaliatory tariffs. Now, the government led by Mr. Modi and his key interlocutors on trade, including the new External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, have sent a strong message that India is not going to be compelled to negotiate under duress.

The change in tack on India’s part also indicates that it is done, at least for now, with a more conciliatory stance after it had kept delaying the imposition of retaliatory tariffs over the past 12 months. During that period India had not only to contend with the withdrawal of GSP status but also had to, under a U.S. ultimatum, terminate its imports of vital crude oil from Iran, with which it has had a long-standing and strategic relationship. To be sure, India has much at stake in ensuring that economic ties with its largest trading partner do not end up foundering on the rocky shoals of the current U.S. administration’s approach to trade and tariffs, one that China has referred to as “naked economic terrorism”. Trade is not, and must not be viewed as, a zero-sum game. To that end, the government ought to review with flexibility some of its decisions such as the data localisation requirements and the new e-

OPINION  EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL Gloves off on trade: on India-U.S. tariff row
JUNE 18, 2019 00:02 IST
UPDATED: JUNE 18, 2019 11:02 IST
As India finally imposes retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, flexibility should inform policy
The government’s decision to finally go ahead and impose retaliatory tariffs on 29 U.S. goods with effect from June 16, almost a year after it first announced them, unambiguously signals that on trade India has decided to join issue with President Donald Trump’s protectionist administration. Clearly, the trigger for the move was the U.S. withdrawal of duty-free access to Indian exporters under the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) from June 5. Mr. Trump chose to go ahead and proclaim on May 31 that he was terminating India’s designation as a beneficiary developing country over Delhi’s failure to assure the U.S. of “equitable and reasonable access to its markets”, notwithstanding the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his new Council of Ministers had just been sworn in the previous day. This reflects an unwillingness to meet India halfway on trade. Not that there had been no warning lights flashing. On a visit to New Delhi in early May, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had made no bones about the administration’s perception of India being a “tariff king” that adopted “overly restrictive market access barriers”. Mr. Ross had also threatened India with “consequences” were it to impose the retaliatory tariffs. Now, the government led by Mr. Modi and his key interlocutors on trade, including the new External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, have sent a strong message that India is not going to be compelled to negotiate under duress.

The change in tack on India’s part also indicates that it is done, at least for now, with a more conciliatory stance after it had kept delaying the imposition of retaliatory tariffs over the past 12 months. During that period India had not only to contend with the withdrawal of GSP status but also had to, under a U.S. ultimatum, terminate its imports of vital crude oil from Iran, with which it has had a long-standing and strategic relationship. To be sure, India has much at stake in ensuring that economic ties with its largest trading partner do not end up foundering on the rocky shoals of the current U.S. administration’s approach to trade and tariffs, one that China has referred to as “naked economic terrorism”. Trade is not, and must not be viewed as, a zero-sum game. To that end, the government ought to review with flexibility some of its decisions such as the data localisation requirements and the new e-commerce regulations that have become a sore point with the U.S. side, including business investors. Indian trade negotiators also need to impress upon their American counterparts the importance of ensuring that market access for Indian services exporters remains free of new, restrictive visa curbs. The counter-tariffs have now lent the Indian side a bargaining chip that the U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, will have to grapple with during his visit later this month...

Anti Biodiversity anti desertification

2019 - Let’s Grow the Future Together (Reflecting on 25 years of progress and envisaging to the next 25)[5]
2018 - Land has true value. Invest in it
2017 - Link between land degradation and migration (in light of Syrian mass emigration following environmentally-caused failure of Syria's agricultural system) #2017WDCD[6]
2016 - Protect Earth. Restore Land. Engage People.[7]
2015 - Attainment of food security for all through sustainable food systems.[8][9] - “No such thing as a free lunch. Invest in healthy soil”
2009 - Conserving land and energy = Securing our common future
2008 - Combating land degradation for sustainable agriculture
2007 - Desertification and Climate Change - One Global Challenge
2006 - The Beauty of Deserts – The Challenge of Desertification
2005 - Women and Desertification
2004 - Social Dimensions of Desertification: Migration and Poverty
2003 - International Year of Deserts and Desertification (IYDD)

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nations observance each June 17.[1] Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought. Each year's global celebration has a unique, novel emphasis that had not been developed previously.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development declares that “we are determined to protect the planet from degradation, including through sustainable consumption and production, sustainably managing its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations”. Specifically, SDG Goal 15: Life on Land states the resolve of the United Nations and the SDG signatory nations to halt and reverse land degradation.

Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India

Ans:Religiousness/religiosity mean lead your life according to the principles and rules enshrined in religious text. This also include practice, profess, preach the religion. Communalism means giving priority to your own religion, hatrate other religions. Promote your religion and don’t tolerate when others do the same. Protect the interest of your own community at the cost of others. Peace, pious, sacred, love, tolerance are the characteristics of the former while hatrate, violence are the characteristics of later. In the independent India this transformation took place because of political reasons. For example the issue of Babri Masjid and Ram Janmabhoomi , there was a dispute since independence ,Hindus believed that the place where masjid was build is birth place of Lord Rama , there was a temple existing there, that was demolished and constructed a new masjid by the governor of Mughal emperor Babur 500 years back .

After court Intervention doors were opened people from both religions offering the prayers side by side without any hatrate. This is religiousness, here they follow their religion, their beliefs according to their texts. Suddenly some elements started provoking the people by saying, "this is the Hindu Rashtra, Muslim ruler who is foreigner, practised foreign religion and this is the religion destroyed many Hindu temples and converted many Hindus into islam and ruled this country for hundreds of years according to their religious guideline under which hindus were lived like slaves", this king destroyed our Rama's temple and built their masjid. We need to destroy that monument revive our own religion, with this provocation they demolished the masjid . After this some groups from other sections started hatrating Hindu groups and involved in killings this has become a riot, and continuing since so many years. Godra roits, Malegao blast, Samjhautha express blast, Mumbai serila blast, Muzaffar nagar roits all are consequences of such hatrate. So for your personal gains, in solving a complex problem if start blame the others then instead of finding a solution they started hatrating others. This is what communalism. Peace loving people now became like a war mongerer.

The way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India

In India normally floods don't occur to all the rives at a same time . Because of the monsoon pattern different rivers get affected with floods at different point of time. When floods occur to a river , that entire water flows and finally meet with sea/ocean . Instead of allowing it into the sea if we inter link the rivers, that excess water can be diverted into the other river. This water is stored and transferred to the other river, where ever is required in that link. That water can be used for the purpose of agriculture, we can also develop inland water ways also. Here source of irrigation become sustainable because at one or other point of time in an year any of the part is experiencing the Monsoon, which results in floods, now we can divert that water into other deficit area. We can also use that flow for inland water ways.

Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects

Oceanic salinity is depending on multiple factors , at the equator is mild because high amount rain fall( though evaporation is more), if go to poles it increases but once we cross the tropics it again reduce. Seas enclosed by continent are more saline than open seas, fresh water flow to oceans will reduce salinity. Precipitation reduces salinity while evaporation increases the salinity. Wind also influence, if wind flow is high water get spread over a larger area, which reduces salinity. Ocean currents also contributed for variation of salinity

Effects of salinity :
1. Salinity determines compressibility, thermal expansion, temperature, density, absorption of insolation, ocean currents, evaporation and humidity.
2.It determines the presence of marine resource including creatures like fish.
3. Sea surface salinity can have dramatic effect on the water cycle and ocean circulation which in turn affects the climate of planet.
4. on sea voyage , travelers also get effected.
5. Ships, maritime vehicles, submarines, war ships , strategic installations near by sea and in islands are also effected.
6.local whether conditions also changed in coastal areas

Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian Independence since the twenties of the last century.

Prior to 1920, the aim of then leaders is liberation from the Britishers. But after that many values we are added to our vision. By that time communal elements are raising, so we decided to establish a secular India. By looking at USSR we adopted the socialistic model of economy. Subash Chandra Bose believed that we need wage two wars; one is against foreigners other is against the local lords, jamindars who are exploiting the common man. B.R. Ambedkar enumerated the ideas of Justice, Equality, Fraternity (taken from French revolution) in writing constitution because to eliminate the inhumane practices against some backward sections .then we decided to build a just, equitable India. Mahatma Gandhi introduced the concepts like nonviolence, tolerance and ahimsa. These principles also became the part of vision of India. During the Britishers time India depending on British goods, later we decided to build self-reliant India. Grama swarajyam was the dream of Mahatma Gandhi. By experiencing the past WW-I, WW-II India decided to be nonaligned country.