International Trade Agreements

Last Updated : 15th December 2016

The world is witnessing a new era of international trade agreements with partnerships like Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are forging across continents. These agreements hold potential to enhance the trade among the member countries multifold and in addition helps in building more people to people contact.

However, on the flip side, these agreements pose serious threat to non-member countries as after signing these agreements, non-member countries will become virtually excluded from the global trade. Exclusion of civil society groups while arriving at a consensus on these agreements has also stocked a anti globalization movement in various parts of the world.

Let's attempt few questions from this topic.

Question 1

Recently, the discussions on Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) have been stalled because of fierce opposition in the Europe. The TTIP is a proposed agreement between European Union and which of the following countries or groups?

a) Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
b) The United States of America
c) India
d) Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS)

Question 2

The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the European Union and Canada was recently in news. Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to CETA?

a) The agreements aims to boost the trade between the two through the removal of around 98% of tariffs on all goods.
b) The agreements forges cooperation in areas ranging from regulations, to financial services and telecoms.
c) To come into force , the agreement requires ratification by all the member states of the EU.
d) The agreement has been universally ratified by all the 28 member states of the EU.

Question 3

Which of the following are/were the principle objections to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)?

a) Lack of democratic legitimacy.
b) A separate Investor-state dispute settlement courts.
c) Persistent fear of impact of globalization on domestic industries and communities.
d) All of the above.

Question 4

Which of the following is/are the reasons for the stalled negotiations on the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which commenced in 2007?

a) Lack of consensus on Mode 4 access for service professionals on the EU side.
b) Lack of consensus on FDI liberalization on the Indian side.
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

Question 5

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) ?

a) TPP has United States but not China Whereas RCEP has both United States and China as its members.
b) TPP is a regional trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim countries Whereas RCEP is a regional trade agreement among members of ASEAN and its 6 FTA members.
c) 7 Asia Pacific rim countries are common to TPP and RCEP.
d) TPP is more stringent than RCEP in terms of conditionalities.

Answers

1) b
2) d, Regional legislature of Wallonia, the francophone Belgian region has objected to the agreement.
3) d. In early negotiation phase, the CETA was criticized for being prepared and negotiated in secret, excluding key stakeholders such as labour unions, consumer associations and other civil society groups. This rendered it a zero democratic legitimacy.
4) c
5) a , TPP has United States but not China Whereas RCEP has China but not United States as its member.

Urbanization in India

The recently concluded UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development or Habitat III has provided comprehensive guidelines to India's urban policy. The challenges of a rapidly urbanizing world and of providing people with equal opportunities in cities were the central themes at the conference.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to urbanization in India?

a) 31% of the population in India is urban according to Census 2011.
b) 26% of the workforce is Urban according to Census 2011.
c) Slums represent 17% of urban households in 2011.
d) All of the above

Question 2

Which of the following policy initiatives is not related to urbanization in India?

a) Smart City Mission
b) AIM
c) AMRUT
d) Housing for All

Answers

1) d
2) b, AIM stands for Atal Innovation Mission. AMRUT stands for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation.

Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)

Recently, the National Zoological Park of India, situated in the capital city, was shut down after the reported deaths of nine water birds from Avian Influenza. There is an increased threat of the spread of the infection from water birds to domestic poultry and India's has rightly started taking the corrective measures in this regard.

Efforts are underway to ensure adequate availability and stock of flu masks and Tamiflu. In addition to these, the Department of Animal Husbandry has set up biosafety laboratories at various locations.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the 'Avian Influenza'?

a) It is a viral infection caused by viruses like A(H5N1) and A(H7N9).
b) Tamiflu (Oseltamivir) is a vaccine against H5N1.
c) The disease usually spreads from bird to bird or bird to humans.
d) In extreme cases, the disease may lead to respiratory distress.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to ' Tamiflu (Oseltamivir)' ?

i) It is an antiviral drug which checks the multiplication of flu virus in the body and reduces the symptoms of the flu.
ii) Tamiflu acts as a substitute for the flu vaccine.
iii) Tamiflu is also used in treatment of 'swine flu'.

a) i only
b) All of the above
c) i and iii only
d) i and ii only

Answers

1) b. There is no vaccine against H5N1. Oseltamivir is used for the prevention and treatment of influenza caused by influenza A and B viruses.
2) c

Further information : Swine Influenza (Wikipedia)

India's Nuclear Triad

With ability to deliver nukes from aircraft, missiles and submarines, India has gained strategic clout in its defence capabilities. With hints of Indo-Russian agreement on the lease of a second nuclear submarine, the strategic significance of India in Asian and Asian Pacific region is going to gain prominence.

Let's attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following is/are the India's indigenous nuclear submarine?

a) INS Arihant
b) INS Abhinav
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

Question 2

Which of the following fighter planes of Indian Air Force is/are capable of delivering a nuclear bomb?

a) Mirage 2000
b) Sukhoi-30 MKI
c) MIG-29
d) All of the above

Question 3

Fill in the blank.

India has the ________ series of missiles, capable of delivering nukes, with ________ boasting of a range of over 5000 km.

a) Prithvi, Prithvi- III
b) Agni, Agni-V
c) Brahmos, Brahmos-2
d) Nag, Nag-II

Answers

1) a, INS Arihant : The Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear is capable of firing K-15 ballistic missiles with a range of 750km and the K-4 missiles with a range of up to 3500 kms.
2) d
3) b

Kigali Accord

Question 1

The 'Kigali accord' is related to which of the following options?

a) Counterterrorism
b) Climate Change
c) Multilateral Trade
d) Poverty Elimination

Question 2

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the 'Kigali accord'?

a) The agreement amends the Montreal Protocol of 1989 to allow it to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).
b) U.S. and European Union will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.
c) India will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.
d) China, Brazil and South Africa will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2018.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is/are correct with respect to hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)?

i) Heat trapping capacity of  HFCs is more than thousand times that of carbon dioxide.
ii) HFCs come under the category of ozone-depleting substances.
iii) HFCs account for less than 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world.

a) i and iii only
b) All of the above
c) ii and iii only
d) i and ii only

Answers

1) b , The 'Kigali accord' is related to phasing out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) over the next 30 years.
2) d, China, Brazil and South Africa will freeze the production and consumption of HFCs by 2024.
3) a

8th BRICS Summit : Goa Declaration

The Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi said in a recently concluded BRICS-BIMSTEC outreach summit that " the most serious direct threat to our economic prosperity is terrorism. Tragically, its mother-ship is a country in India's neighborhood ".

The opposition and resolution against various forms of terrorism dominated the current summit in Goa, with unequivocal passage of the 'Goa Declaration' by the BRICS countries. The participating member condemned the  terror activities on the Indian soil and called for early resolution to curb the scourge of global terrorism.

Let's attempt a question on 'Goa Declaration'.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to BRICS led 'Goa Declaration' ?

a) The declaration called for early resolution of the civil war in Syria.
b) The declaration sought action against UN designated terrorist groups like IS and Jabhat al-Nusra.
c) The declaration called for all nations to counter radicalism and financing of terrorism.
d) India successfully drew consensus on reference to "cross border terrorism" and Pakistan based terror groups.

Answer

1) d, India failed to get a consensus on reference to "cross border terrorism" and Pakistan based terror groups in the final statement. The declaration also called for a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the UN General Assembly.

Nobel Prize for Literature

1) Who of the following is the winner of Nobel Prize for Literature - 2016?

a) Svetlana Alexievich
b) Bob Dylan
c) Alice Munro
d) Mo Yan

2) Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to singer-songwriter Bob Dylan?

a) He is the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.
b) He is the winner of Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song- Motion Picture for "Things Have Changed" (2001).
c) A famous album by him : Modern Times, was released in 2006.
d) His debut album was " Bob Dylan" which was released in 1962.

Answer

1) b 
2) a, He is the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature since Toni Morrison in 1993

Triple Talaq

The arguments related to the practice of 'Triple Talaq' in Muslim community always bring the debate between the religious orthodoxy and gender justice into focus. The recent petition by 'Shayara Bano'  in the Indian Supreme Court has exactly done that.

Shayara's petition argues that practice of Triple Talaq, also known as talaq-e-bidat has no foundation in the Quran and that Polygamy is not an integral part of Islam. Such practices also go against the democratic principles and often diverge from secular principles and fundamental rights provided under the constitution.

Having said that, one should not ignore the justification for such practices provided by the Muslim personal board. There is need to have a wider consensus and deliberation on the utility of the practice of triple talaq in modern society. Gender justice can not be sub served at the cost of legitimizing the validity of personal laws.

Let's attempt a question on this topic.

Question 1

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the various provisions related to divorce and polygamy in different countries?

a) Practice of Triple-Talaq is illegal under the Indian Penal Code.
b) Polygamy is legal in Indonesia.
c) Polygamy attracts 2 years imprisonment for violation in Turkey.
d) Performance of 3 declarations of divorce in one sitting is invalid in Afghanistan.

Answers

1) a

Suggested Reading : The Shah Bano Case

Nobel Peace Prize 2016

The Peace Prize is a testimonial to the patience required to bring about closure to complex, long running conflicts. This year's prize is well deserved. Let us attempt few questions on this topic.

Question 1

To whom and for what purpose, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded this year?

a) White Helmets of Syria, to rescue people injured or stranded in bomb attacks.
b) Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, for their attempts to build a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011
c) Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, for bringing peace in the country after five decade long civil war.
d) P 5+1 group for landmark nuclear deal bringing a peaceful closure of Iran's purported nuclear weapon ambition.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to the accord signed between the government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on September 26, 2016?

a) The accord has provided for disbanding of FARC militants.
b) The accord has provided for the rebels to join the political process as a routine political party.
c) The accord has provided for dismantling of FARC's drug production facilities in areas in its control.
d) The accord has been ratified by majority through a referendum.

Answers with Explanation

1) c.
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his "resolute efforts to bring the country's more than 50-year long civil war to an end".
White Helmets of Syria, a group of local volunteers in Aleppo and other parts of war-ravaged Syria help rescue people injured or stranded in bomb attacks in war zones.
Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet was awarded the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize.

2) d.
About 50.23 % of the voters who turned out voted against the peace process.

HIV/AIDS Situation in India

According to the recent government estimates, approximately 21 lakh individuals are living with HIV/AIDS in India. The adult prevalence is on the range of 0.3% of which 40% are women. Though the prevalence of HIV has been decreasing but there are regional variations which reflect the disturbing trends. Four states - Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu account for about 55% of the total cases in the country.

Recently, the cabinet has cleared the draft HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill,2014 to bring right-based approach to AIDS treatment. It's a progressive measure by the government to ensure social justice to the HIV infected individuals. Let us attempt few questions on this topic:

Question 1

Which of the following provisions is incorrect with respect to draft HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill,2014 ?

a) Denying health insurance to HIV/AIDS infected person would be legally punishable.
b) Recognising the right of a person living with HIV/AIDS to keep his/her health status confidential.
c) Recognising the legal right of HIV/AIDS infected person for availing ART treatment free of cost.
d) A guardianship clause for children of HIV/AIDS affected families.

Answer

1) c , The bill lays down that treatment is the right of their patient but stops short of making it a legal right.

Reference : WHO

Surgical Strike

Recently, the Indian Army conducted a 'surgical strike' across the 'Line of Control (LoC)' between India and Pakistan. The strike was an attempt to foil the new infiltration bid by the terrorists.

As soon as the news of surgical strike was released to media, a lot of praise came from every corner of the country. The decision to conduct the counter offensive against the militants who supposedly killed 18 soldiers in Uri, was hailed as the 'justice done' to soldiers who died while serving their country.

However, the Pakistan has negated the news of any such strike been undertaken on its territory. Opposition parties in India have also started demanding the proofs of such a strike. As the matter to release the proofs is under consideration, let's attempt a question on this topic.

Question 1) Which of the following statements is incorrect with respect to a 'surgical strike'?

Answer options

a) It is a swift and a targeted attack towards a specific target.
b) It aims to neutralize a target while ensuring minimum collateral damage.
c) It can be conducted either via air-raid or via ground operation.
d) It is a part of India's 'Strategic Restraint' policy.

Answer:

1) d, Such strikes are manifestation of dilution of India's 'Strategic Restraint' policy.

India Ratified Paris Climate Agreement

1) Recently, India has ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change on 147th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Which of the following statements is/are correct in this regard?

a) India is the 62nd country to ratify the agreement.
b) India accounts for 4.1% of the total emissions.
c) Both a and b
d) Neither a nor b

2) Which of the following is not the prime target of India to be achieved by 2030 under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change?

a) Reducing greenhouse gas emissions per unit of GDP by 33-35%.
b) Generation of minimum 40% of electricity from non-fossil fuels.
c) Increasing forest cover to create additional carbon sink of 2.5-3 billion tonnes.
d) Generation of 300 GW of solar installed capacity by 2022.

Answer

1) c
2) d, India has also committed for generation of 100 GW of solar installed capacity and 100 GW of wind installed capacity by 2022 in addition to 15 GW of biogas installed capacity.