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Nov 07 2023

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The Cult Of Operational Superiority, From Israel To India

November 7, 2023

Context:

  • This article is based on an Editorial “The cult of operational superiority, from Israel to India” which was published in the Hindu. In the recent attack of Hamas on Israel, it has been observed that managing a strategic threat through purely military means works only on a temporary basis, which India must note to deal with her neighbors, especially Pakistan.
Relevancy for Mains: Cult Of Operational Superiority, Importance of Political Relations between Countries, Role of Non-state Actors in Creating Challenges to Internal Security.

Chronic Management of Palestinian Conflict

  • Israel’s Strategy: Israel conducted periodic limited air campaigns into Gaza, aiming to weaken Hamas and other militants.
  • Outcome: While this strategy provided temporary relief, it did not offer a lasting solution.
  • Political Neglect: Israel abandoned the two-state solution and inadvertently supported extremists, such as Hamas, over more moderate Palestinian forces.
  • Consequences: This approach backfired when Hamas demonstrated the ability to inflict significant damage.
  • Key Lesson: Neglecting political solutions and relying solely on military superiority can perpetuate conflict and violence.

India’s handling of Pakistan

  • Defense Efforts: India redirected its military resources, including the repurposing of a Pakistan-facing Strike Corps for the China border.
  • Operational Superiority: India invested in military technologies, punitive attack options, and enhanced capabilities, influenced by its association with Israel.
  • Neglect of Political Solution: India has refrained from addressing the threat politically, emphasizing that it won’t engage in talks with Pakistan as long as cross-border terrorism continues.
  • Lesson from Israel: Israel’s experience underscores the importance of not disregarding the political dimensions of a rivalry, as ignoring them can encourage the adversary to persist.

Also Read: Hamas Attack on Israel: Lessons For India to Learn

The Path Ahead

  • To Reduce Tensions: Dialogue will at least help in calming tensions with India and distancing themselves from extremist groups and also incentivises them to focus on economic stability, building capacity to counter anti-state terrorism, and reducing their dependence on China.
  • To Build Confidence: Starting a political dialogue could address a range of pressing issues, from nuclear and missile confidence-building measures, to coordination on Afghanistan, and opening the spigot on trade and investment.
  • A Hybrid Path: India must maintain and reinforce deterrence of conflicts not only by managing a strategic threat through purely military means but also by engaging in political processes.

Also Read:  National Security Strategy

Conclusion:

The Israel-Hamas conflict highlights the pitfalls of relying solely on military superiority without addressing the underlying political dimensions, emphasizing the need for India to adopt a comprehensive approach involving both military and political strategies in handling tensions with its neighbors, particularly Pakistan.

 

Mains Question: Intelligence agencies are the backbone of a nation. What lessons Indian Intelligence Agencies need to learn from the recent attack of Hamas on Israel? (150 words, 10 Marks)

 

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National Security Strategy (NSS): What Is It, Why Is It Needed, Challenges and Wayforward

November 7, 2023

Context:

  • This article is based on an Editorial “Work starts on shaping first national security strategy, long wait ends” which was published in the Indian Express. India has set the ball rolling to bring out a National Security Strategy after years of discourse and deliberations within the military and the strategic community.
  • The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) is in the process of collating inputs from various Central ministries and departments to draft the strategy.
Relevancy for Prelims: National Security Strategy

Relevancy for Mains: National Security Strategy, its need and significance.

What is the National Security Strategy (NSS)?

  • A national security strategy would guide the military as well as critical defense and security reforms with strategic implications, providing a holistic view of the overall national security, the threats, and the roadmap to address them.

Why National Security Strategy is needed?

  • India requires a National Security Strategy for military modernization.
  • Addressing the two-front threat posed by China and Pakistan is essential.
  • Regional instability includes challenges from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar.
  • A comprehensive framework encompassing diplomacy, strategy, and deterrence is necessary.
  • Countering information warfare, involving nation-states and non-state actors, is crucial.
  • Developing a complex cyber-security system is vital to prevent large-scale damage.

What are the challenges in the National Security Strategy?

  • Balancing Transparency, Deterrence, and Flexibility: As per experts, India’s hesitancy to release a National Security Strategy document would cause trouble with potential adversaries by revealing India’s position, and with partners by hurting strategic flexibility.
  • Revealing  India’s Strategic Ambiguity: India shied from defining an NSS as the government wanted to avoid having to respond in a specific manner.
  • Impacting Bilateral Ties: If India were to state that it aimed to reduce its dependence on military imports from Russia as part of NSS, this would hurt India’s relationship with Russia. 
  • Differing Views: Besides, framing a security doctrine may also be difficult considering the differing views held by various government departments.

Way Forward

  • National Security Strategy Guidance: For Military-Related External Threats 
    • Maintain credible military deterrence against potential adversaries. 
    • Defend our national and territorial interests on land, sea, air, space, and cyberspace.
    • Physical guarding and/or surveillance of all regions, especially disputed borders. 
    • Maintain a tri-service rapid response capability to respond during war and peace. 
    • Ensure a well-coordinated intelligence mechanism to provide early warning of threats. 
    • Prevent attacks in the cyber and information domains.
  • National Security Strategy Guidance: For Internal Security Threats
    • Maintain close surveillance and monitoring of the internal security. 
    • Maintain rapid response capability against terror strikes/hostage-taking, involving multiple security agencies.
    • Neutralize anti-Indian efforts/propaganda by potential adversaries. 
    • Promote/protect diaspora interests in the region and the world.
    • Protect national interests against internal threats like terrorism, insurgency, and militancy to negate secessionist and related destabilizing efforts.

Also Read: Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2023

Conclusion:

The formulation of India’s National Security Strategy is crucial for addressing external and internal threats, though challenges of transparency and differing views need careful consideration, emphasizing the importance of a well-coordinated, comprehensive approach for safeguarding the nation’s interests.

 

Prelims Question (2023)

With reference to Home Guards, consider the following statements: 

1. Home Guards are raised under the Home Guards act and Rules of the Central Government. 

2. The role of the Home Guards is to serve as an auxiliary force to the police in maintenance of internal security.

3. To prevent infiltration on the international border/coastal areas, the Border Wing Home Guards Battalions have been raised in some States.

How Many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Ans: (b)

 

Mains Question: Discuss the urgent need for formulation of National Security Strategy. Suggest potential areas of focus that should be incorporated in the NSS to ensure the safeguarding and consolidation of India’s democracy. (250 words, 15 Marks)

 

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A Telco Double Dip Attempt That Threatens Net Neutrality

November 7, 2023

Context:

  • This article is based on an Editorial “A telco double dip attempt that threatens Net neutrality” which was published in the Hindu. In July this year, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) invited a comprehensive consultation on the need and possible mechanisms for regulation of Over-The-Top (OTT) services. 
Relevancy for Prelims: Net Neutrality, Regulation Code For OTT Platforms in India, and Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Relevancy for Mains: Net Neutrality, arising challenges between OTTs and Telcos, and steps that need to be taken to address the issue.

What is the Net Neutrality?

  • Equality for the Internet: As per Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu, (who coined the term “net neutrality” in 2003) net neutrality is to promote an even playing field on the Internet, ensuring that all data is treated equally without discrimination by Internet service providers (ISPs).

Arguments by Telcos 

  • Hampering Revenues: For more than a decade now, telecom companies have seen revenue from voice calls and Short Message Service (SMS) which come under pressure, as competing OTT services are often free. 
  • High Investment: At the same time, they have had to invest heavily in upgrading their infrastructure to handle increased data traffic, without necessarily seeing an equivalent rise in revenue. 
  • Tax and License: OTT services are not subject to the same level of taxation and licensing fees as Telcos, leading to an uneven playing field.

Counter Arguments by Over-The-Top (OTT) Services Providers:

  • No Loss to Telcos: Telecom companies do not own the Internet; rather, they provide access to it. Consumers pay the telcos for access services by purchasing data plans.
  • Generation of demand for the Internet: OTT platforms generate demand for Internet access and pay for the content delivery networks (CDNs) to create pathways to deliver their content, which provides benefits to telecom companies by providing and charging connectivity to the Internet.
  • Accountability: Any attempt to seek cross-subsidies instead of fully accounting for the costs could warrant scrutiny from the Competition Commission.
  • Competitive Environment: OTT services compete in their own market on the basis of variety and quality of content, the quality of streaming, ease of navigation and discovery of content, and its availability on multiple devices. 
  • Consumers’ Choice: In the marketplace for Internet access, consumers are free to choose the provider that offers them the highest bandwidth, data volume, and reliability at an affordable price.
  • Distinct Markets: These are distinct because services from one are not substitutable for services in the other. So, it is logical to maintain a separation of costs between these two markets.
  • Undermining Net Neutrality: The attempt of telcos to double dip by charging both consumers and content providers undermines net neutrality.
  • Against the Consumers: If OTT platforms accepted the demands of the telcos, the incurred costs would impact the subscribers, either through increased subscription fees or degraded service quality, which would only be detrimental to consumers.

India’s Steps for Regulation:

  • Basis of TRAI Regulation: Net neutrality formed the basis of TRAI’s regulation on the prohibition of discriminatory tariffs for data services brought out on February 8, 2016. 
  • Recommendations: Later, on November 28, 2017, TRAI released its comprehensive recommendations, which have largely guided the adoption of this principle in India.
  • International Cooperation: The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) and TRAI agreed to cooperate in developing technological and policy initiatives for net neutrality. 

Also Read: OTT Regulation in India

Conclusion:

It is imperative for all stakeholders to uphold the principles of net neutrality to foster a conducive environment for innovation, competition, and consumer welfare, especially in countries such as India where the Internet is going to be the carrier of all Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

 

Mains Question: Discuss the issues related to OTT regulation in India. What are the salient features of Draft Indian Telecommunication Bill 2022? (250 words, 15 Marks)

 

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What are Deepfakes? – Issues, Challenges, and Solutions

November 7, 2023

Context:

Relevancy for Prelims: Deepfakes.

Relevancy for Mains: Deepfake, arising challenges and steps that need to be taken to address the issue.

What are the Deepfakes?

  • Digital Manipulation: Deepfakes are synthetic media that have been digitally manipulated to replace one person’s likeness convincingly with that of another. 
    • These are the manipulation of facial appearance through deep generative methods.

Deepfakes

What are the challenges associated with Deepfakes?

  • Spread Misinformation: Deepfakes could be used to spread misinformation and disinformation during Indian elections. 
    • For example, a deepfake video of a political candidate making a controversial statement could be used to damage the candidate’s reputation and influence the outcome of the election.
  • Blackmailing: Deepfakes could be used to blackmail or extort public figures and business leaders in India. 
    • For example, a deepfake video of a public figure or business leader engaging in illegal or immoral activity could be used to threaten to release the video if the person does not pay a ransom or comply with certain demands.
  • Incite Violence: Deepfakes could be used to create fake news stories and propaganda that could incite violence or communal unrest in India. 
    • For example, a deepfake video of a religious leader making inflammatory statements could be used to provoke violence between different religious groups.
  • Commit Fraud: Deepfakes could be used to commit fraud and identity theft in India. 
    • For example, a deepfake video could be used to impersonate someone in order to gain access to their bank account or credit card information.
  • Lack of Protection: The repercussions of the menace of AI-generated fake content i.e., deepfakes, especially in a polarizing world and a divided online ecosystem can be far reaching, and is a new challenge to lawmakers around the world. 
    • Big tech companies including Meta and Google have announced measures to tackle it, but these are being easily exploited by people who want to disseminate such content.

The Path Ahead

  • Strict Regulations: Deepfakes are a concerning challenge of polarizing modern age, and to tackle it adequate laws and regulations are a need of the hour. 
    • India needs to come up with strict regulations like modifying the Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act), 2000.
    • China already introduces comprehensive regulation on deepfakes to curb disinformation and consent from individuals and adherence to laws and public morals are mandated. 
  • Make Aware: There is a need for public awareness and digital literacy. 
  • Review Mechanisms: Service providers must establish review mechanisms and cooperate with the government. 

Also Read: IT Rules under scrutiny: Due to Deepfake Threats

Conclusion:

There is a need to address the ethical, legal, and technological aspects of deepfakes in a collaboration of citizens, service providers, governments and international organizations to provide a sense of digital security to the society.

 

Prelims Question (2017)

In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents?

1. Service providers

2. Data centres

3. Body corporate

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (d)

 

Mains Question: Examine the concept of Deepfakes, and the potential risks associated with their use. What are the solutions to mitigate the threats posed by this technology. (250 words, 15 Marks)

 

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