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Current Affairs for IAS Exams – 09 June 2016

:: National ::

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed joint session of the U.S. Congress

Prime Minister Narendra Modi combined poetry, humour and rhetoric to outline his vision for India’s partnership with the U.S in the 21st century, addressing a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
This was Mr. Modi’s first address and he became the fifth Indian Prime Minister to address a joint session of the Congress.
Mr Modi called for deepening U.S.- India security cooperation to tackle global terrorism, based on a policy that “delinks religion from terrorism.”
Effusive in his enthusiasm for India’s partnership with the U.S “in every sector of India’s forward march, I see the U.S as an indispensable partner”.
“As we deepen our partnership, there would be times when we would have differing perspectives. But since our interests and concerns converge, the autonomy in decision-making and diversity in our perspectives can only add value to our partnership,” Mr. Modi said even as a section in the U.S. capital.
With Pakistan in mind, PM Modi said that terrorism was being "incubated in India’s neighbourhood”, and pressed for action without against groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba who share the “same philosophy of hate, murder and killings".
Mr. Modi said terrorism has to be fought with “one voice” as he commended the American lawmakers for sending out a clear message in refusing to “reward” those who preach and practice terrorism for political gains.
Mr. Modi said India and the U.S. had overcome “the hesitations of history”, and called for ever-stronger economic and defence ties between the two countries.

India has further liberalised the visa regime for Chinese citizens

In line with the decision taken last year, India has further liberalised the visa regime for Chinese citizens.
India has already rolled out electronic tourist visa-on-arrival facility for Chinese and more recently, removed the need for prior approval for conference visas.
Conference visas are issued for seminars, workshops and conferences organised by government departments, Union ministries, public sector undertakings, central educational institutions or public funded universities.
Earlier, China was bracketed with Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, foreigners of Pakistani origin and stateless persons under the restricted category, requiring prior security clearance from the intelligence agencies for obtaining a visa.
However, Beijing is yet to reciprocate to New Delhi demand for a similar arrangement for its citizens.
The timing of the move is being seen as an attempt to soften the atmosphere in the run-up to the meetings of the NSG in Vienna.

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:: India and World ::

On defence and cooperation US and India have made great strides

India and the U.S. have different interpretations of what they agreed upon at the talks on the Paris Agreement on climate change when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama met.
But on defence and cooperation in Asia-Pacific, both sides agree that they made great strides.
The U.S. has recognised India as ‘major defence partner,’ a classification that will allow India to buy more advanced and sensitive technologies from the U.S.
This move will be complemented by India’s entry into the Missile Technology Control Regime, an exclusive club that restricts trade in sensitive defence technologies.
The U.S. has also declared that it will be its “strong objective to have India voted as a member “of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), another export control regime, later this month.
The joint statement said, “The leaders reached an understanding under which India would receive licence-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies...”
While India is enthusiastic about the prospects of technology cooperation, the U.S is more focussed on the progress on climate change.
U.S officials, speaking before and after the release of the joint statement, said India has agreed to complete the ratification process within the year 2016.
In a curious addition to the set of shared objectives, the joint statement called for the promotion of yoga.

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:: International ::

Chinese media downplays Beijing-Washington strategic dialogue

Chinese state media has called the Beijing-Washington strategic dialogue that concluded as being marginally helpful in easing tensions, which had spiralled on account of the growing discord between the two countries over South China Sea.
The China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) dialogue took place following weeks of tensions that peaked when U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, responded harshly to a poser from the Chinese side that Beijing could impose an Air Defence Identification zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea (SCS).
The remarks had followed an article in South China Morning Post (SCMP), which, quoting sources close to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), said that China is preparing an ADIZ in the SCS.
The possibility that China may enforce an ADIZ, in turn, was fuelled by the U.S. conduct of “freedom of navigation” patrols in the SCS — moves which evoked a robust response from China.
In May, the U.S. had launched its third “freedom of navigation” operation in the disputed Spratly Islands, followed by the flight of a U.S. EP-3 Aries surveillance aircraft, which was challenged by two Chinese fighter jets.
The back and forth between the U.S. and China mirrored China’s vocal response in the SCS to President Barack Obama’s “Pivot to Asia” doctrine.

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:: Business and Economy ::

India has surpassed Japan in oil-consumption

India has surpassed Japan to become the world’s third-largest oil consumer, with its oil demand galloping 8.1 per cent in 2015, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy released.
With demand of 4.1 million barrels a day, India is the third-largest consumer behind the U.S. (19.39 million bpd) and China (11.96 million bpd). India accounted for 4.5 per cent of world oil consumption in 2015.
India’s demand growth surpassed China’s 6.3 per cent expansion. The U.S. oil consumption grew 1.6 per cent, which accounts for 19.7 per cent of the total world pie of 95 million bpd in 2015.
Japan slipped to the fourth spot after its oil usage contracted 3.9 per cent to 4.15 million bpd in 2015. In 2014, it used 4.3 million bpd, ahead of India’s 3.84 million bpd.
The review shows that global demand for primary energy grew only 1 per cent in 2015, which is significantly slower than the 10-year average.
Oil remained the world’s leading fuel, accounting for 32.9 per cent of global energy consumption and is gaining market share for the first time since 1999. Coal came in as the second-largest fuel by market share (29.2 per cent).
Natural gas’ market share of primary energy consumption stood at 23.8 per cent.