UPSC Articles
INTERNATIONAL/ GOVERNANCE
Topic: General Studies 2:
- Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India
- Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
- Indian Economy and challenges with regard to resource mobilization
India can take the lead in reshaping global order
Context: At a time when the UNSC, G20, G7 and the EU were not active, India stood out with its initiatives to develop a joint response Ex. SAARC fund to tackle COVID-19
The rapid spread of coronavirus around the world has created fresh opportunities for creating a new global compact. India can offer its leadership in this endeavour.
How can India reshape the world?
- Indian can help build Multilateral Cooperation
- India enjoys good relations with multiple powers and is well-regarded across the world.
- India can share ideas and resources to develop an international mechanism for monitoring, verification, early warning and cooperation among countries, including in vaccine development
- Indian can make efforts to strengthen the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
- In light of COVID-19, there is a need for greater scrutiny of wet(animal) markets in China, south-east Asia, and many other countries around the world.
- There is also a need to eradicate animal farms that breed and trade exotic species.
- Such wet markets and breeding centres increases the potential for zoonotic transmission of unknown, deadly viruses and hence a need for greater monitoring.
- Efforts need to be made to pass and enforce legislation to control the domestic consumption of wild animals, which also contributes to environmental conservation
- Promotion of Yoga
- The ancient Indian practice of yoga is known to boost immunity levels through the cultivation of a healthy mind and body.
- This is the time to further reinforce the worldwide practice of yoga
- Potential to emerge as pharmacy to the world
- India’s readiness to ship the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to fight COVID-19 is in consonance with the ethos of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
- India’s strength in generic medicines can be leveraged to establish it as Pharmacy of the world
- This provides an opportunity to promote ayurveda, which complements yoga.
- India can strengthen Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) of 1975
- It is a disarmament treaty that does not prohibit the retention and use of biological agents, including coronaviruses, for preventive purposes which encompass medical research for diagnosis and immunisation
- It has no verification protocol to deal with any suspected use of biological agents.
- Indeed, the UNSC can investigate complaints in this regard, but the veto power enjoyed by the permanent members, including China, renders it powerless
- In the BWC Conference in 2021, India could engage in consultations with other middle powers to evolve a regime that can provide better oversight.
- India must push for multi-stakeholder model of internet governance
- Post COVID-19, there will be even greater reliance on artificial intelligence (AI), surveillance technologies, online platforms and big data.
- Hence, there is a need for better governance models
Conclusion
Despite hardships, India can, and must, take the lead in bringing the world together to practice a new multilateralism that places the common interests of humanity above narrow national interests.
Connecting the dots:
- Impact on COVID-19 on G-7 and G-20
- Will there be a change in India’s foreign policy in post-COVID world?
