India and her Foreign Relationships

 

When it comes to India and her foreign relations, those are many in number. From ever-changing relations with the USA to a relationship of war and agony with Pakistan, we have our own trysts with foreign relations. Through this blog, we'll be learning about the impacts various nations have on India's foreign policies and relations. 

Let's start off with India's most famous relationship, with that of Pakistan. Earlier this month, the border of the nations was facing gunfire and attacks. A usual sight for the citizens of both the nations, the situation prolonged for a long time. As always, they were fighting for capturing Kashmir and making it a part of their respective nation. What started off as gunfire, went ahead and became warfare. On 24th February, the military generals of both armies decided to cease warfare. They decided that there will be no more firing and peace was restored. Although peace has been restored, nobody knows when the next conflict will start.

As for India, the short-term impact they face here is that they may have lost military personnel and gun powder as well. The nation has brought more strain to the already strained relationship they were having with Pakistan. They will now have to enter into long talks with their political counterparts in Pakistan. The nation will also have to justify its stand on why there was firing. The long-term impact is also not surprising. Our relationship with Pakistan will remain the same. Or else, it's only going to become worse. The fight for Kashmir is going to continue. There will be more firing and more peace treaties signed. 

Israel and India have always had good relations with each other. From a long time ago, the two countries have had extensive economic, military, and strategic relationships. When Israel faced tough situations or issues, India has always been there to help. Israel is represented in India through an embassy in New Delhi and one consulate each in Mumbai and Bengaluru. As per the reports of 2014, India is the third-largest Asian trade partner of Israel and the tenth-largest trade partner overall. 

So when the news came that Israel has decided to give it's surplus Covid vaccines to less fortunate countries like Latin America and Palestine, India was really happy. India has also mentioned in its foreign policy about Palestine's integral part. The country also recognizes Palestine Liberal Organisation as well. But the surprise came when the Israel Prime Minister decided to freeze the exports of the surplus vaccines. 

As for the short-term impacts, India would have thought that Palestine is going to benefit from the vaccines, and this would have in turn further strengthened Indo-Israel relations. India would have had a better relation with Israel and further exchange of trade would have taken place. However, in this situation, it seems like the Indo-Israel situation will become strained. This sudden change of plans will have India wondering about Palestine's supply of Covid vaccines. The trust that they had in Israel for supplying the surplus vaccines may worsen the relation. 

We can see how the USA is planning to talk to the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. Although India has a good relationship with the countries of the Middle East, we were not in that good of terms with America when Trump was in charge of the nation. But, all that may change now.

The short-term impact is that based on the relations the USA may build with Saudi, there may be changes in the relationship between Saudi Arabia and India. As for the long-term impact, ever since Biden has come into power, we might get to see a better and developed relationship between both the nations. 

Peace, Propoganda, and the Promised Land

 Media plays a very crucial role in projecting the conflicts of the modern world. And it's only because of this information system, that people get to know about the representation and the image about what happens in the world. One of the most defining features of the modern world’ is conflict. 

Media influence can have an enormous effect on its audience, which can even change the minds of the nation. Mass media is often considered as an ‘image’ of the conflict, which plays an important role in presenting the information to people around the world.

The media as an important factor in representing facts can take two different and opposed forms in picturing conflicts. Either the media takes an active part in the conflict and has responsibility for increased violence, or stays independent and out of the conflict, thereby contributing to the resolution of conflict and alleviation of violence.

To understand more about the topic, we will consider three case studies, according to which the role of the media in international conflict will be explained, analyzed, and evaluated. The three case studies will be the Vietnam War, the Falklands conflict, and the Gulf war. 

To begin with, all these examples took part in different periods of time which means that the media development also has its own input on the media role in international conflicts. Secondly, countries that have undergone conflicts have different relationships between the media and the state. This makes the comparison more comprehensive and interesting to investigate.

The docu-movie Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land provide a striking comparison of U.S. and international media coverage of the crisis in the Middle East, zeroing in on how structural distortions in U.S. coverage have reinforced false perceptions of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This pivotal documentary exposes how the foreign policy interests of American political elites--oil, and a need to have a secure military base in the region, among others--work in combination with Israeli public relations strategies to exercise a powerful influence over how news from the region is reported. Through the voices of scholars, media critics, peace activists, religious figures, and the Middle East experts, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land carefully analyzes and explains how--through the use of language, framing, and context--the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza remains hidden in the news media, and Israeli colonization of the occupied territories appears to be a defensive move rather than an offensive one. At its core, the documentary raises questions about the ethics and role of journalism and the relationship between media and politics.

Moving on to the way politicians play a role in depicting various issues is really striking. If the ruling party feels that they are to be blamed for the issue that occurred, they will make sure that only the media houses with the same ideologies as the ruling party broadcast the news. It is highly unlikely that other media platforms can publicize the news in their manner. However, if its a positive news that has to be informed to the public, maximum media coverage will be ensured.

If we look at the way Indian media has been covering news stories, why not look at the recent NRC and CAA protests? Also, let's take a look at the new farm laws and their coverage. We have all seen how biased, one-sided, and partial the media's coverage of news stories can be. When Sushant Singh Rajput passed away in 2020, we know the antics that followed. From being impartial to becoming a war of the TRPs, craziness and stupidity had overcome media.

There has been a significant loss of diversity and pluralism. Partiality in reporting and commenting on serious issues, and systematic violation of ethics that journalism requires. Media expansion has led to the shrinking of the Public Sphere and the spread of elitist views. The peace and conflict resolutions can thus come at a later stage.

The Legend of the Dark Continent

 From time immemorial, we have seen Africa as the land that was enslaved. The land that was imperialized. The land that is yet to be. Ever since the colonial nations discovered Africa, they have just wanted to get their hands on it. By hands, I mean their burdening ideologies, their deafening thoughts, and their profit-inducing plantations. 

However, why was Africa called the Dark Continent? Although race lies at the heart of this humungous land, this was not exactly the reason why Africa was known as such. The simplest answer most possibly would be that Europe did not know much about Africa till the 19th century. For the crusaders, Africa was just mysterious, filled with secrets and unknown things. It is said that Europe knew very well about Africa for at least 2,000 years, but because of their imperial impulses, they pushed the information down. Around the same time, the Africans were also campaigning against slavery. Europeans thought that they would encounter savagery and mysteries on the continent. They didn't know anything. Or at least, that's how they behaved. 

The poorest continent of the world, that says enough about Africa's situation. The GDP of the continent as whole only accounts for 2.4% of the world's GDP. What happened to Africa? Why did they have to stoop so low? Research states that Africa has the largest reserves of metals when compared to the rest of the world. It has over 90% of platinum reserves and over 60% of gold. If this is the case, why aren't they exporting it and making money out of it? The answer lies in the movie Blood Diamond. The movie accurately depicts the way in which Africans are cunningly dwindled out of their resources while others take advantage of it. 

After centuries of struggle with various atrocities like war, famine, and slavery, Africa wanted to survive. They needed to survive. When imperialism affected the country, the world outside thought that Africa will progress. They will see a new dawn. However, the unequal distribution of resources and new boundaries caused more problems. It seemed like their issues will never end.

Following are some of the problems that Africa has been facing and continue to face:

Since independence, Africa has had a long-standing history of poor governance. Although they pried away from their independence from the imperialists, they still have a long way to go for achieving complete democracy and liberation. They are still struggling with having a proper government that is democratic and can serve the people properly. 

When it comes to population growth, Africa has the highest population growth of them all. The fertility rate is quite high as well. In the continent, it is 4.7 children per woman. So, one can only imagine the challenges a woman faces there. According to the UN, by 2050, Africa will have double the entire population that it has today. That just means more people and fewer resources, yet again.

Decades after its independence, Africa is still yet to discover its agricultural potential. Ever-changing climates and unexpected weather patterns still pose a threat. When droughts go on for longer than usual, it results in people displacement and depleted grain reserves. Just when the country thinks they have had a surge of development, droughts and famine occur, which makes them a step back to childhoods that were malnourished and adulthood that was filled with unemployment and struggles.

But Africa is not all sorrow. It has created its own impact on global development. Although globalization and liberalization couldn't do much for Africa, they have made strides that have become known globally. Africa was not a country that progressed with globalization. They couldn't fully take advantage and develop their continent. Instead, they thought that the traditional ways were best to move forward and never paid heed to the New World. 

Africa invented major breakthroughs like ink and pen. It would be an understatement to say that all other technologies after this were only made possible because of these inventions. They derived ink from the combination of soot, vegetable gum, and water. It was all made possible because of the Kemits of North Africa. They also invented the alphabet as well. 

The people of ancient Kemet also invented the calendar, which is one such invention that people cannot live without today. Through their meticulous study of the sun, moon, and stars, they were able to precisely calculate the flooding of the Nile River which was vital to their ability to farm. The Kemites discovered that the movement and position of the sun and the moon had a direct effect on all objects on the planet Earth. From this revelation, the astronomers of Kemet were the first to develop a solar calendar that divided the year into 365 days with 12 months of 30 days each. Successive civilizations went on to create their own calendars, owing much to the pioneering development in ancient Kemet.    

People were of the common notion that medical procedures were invented in Europe. But, it was in medieval Africa that the first medical procedures like surgery, skin grafting, use of ancient medicines, the installation of false teeth, etc.

The story of Africa is not something that can be compressed into a few words. They have a very rich history of slavery, traditions, and of course, wildlife. Here's to hoping that the coming years will be brighter for Africa and they will have the chance to embrace a healthier economy. 

Her- Movie Review

By writing personal letters to people, a sensitive and soulful man, Theodore, earns a living. These letters are such that they encompass love, passion, and adoration for the person it is addressed to. Meanwhile, he becomes obsessed with a new operating system that allegedly evolves into an intuitive and special entity in its own right after his marriage ends with his high school sweetheart, Catherine. Unlike a more conventional sci-fi tale, Theodore isn't engaged in an external fight against military technology or an invading alien species; Theodore is in a struggle with himself. He is in the middle of a divorce with Catherine, who is waiting for the divorce papers to be signed by Theodore. And though, seemingly, he can't let go. Emotional support is what Theodore needs. He wants, above all, a relation. We see Theodore alone in a packed train early in the story, alone at work, alone as he walks home, listening to a "melancholic song" in his earpiece. Individuals are murmuring inaudibly into their devices in the elevator. Commuters do the same on the subway.  The movie is set in a world of fiction where technology isolates humans. Where technology pushes people farther away.

He then begins the program and meets “Samantha” whose bright voice shows a personality that is sensitive and playful. While initially “friends”, the relationship soon deepens into love. The movie is an unusually expressed movie of the romance genre, along with some mature themes. The movie also teaches us important lessons widely as we make our way deeper when in a relationship. 

The positive elements of the movie: 

The movie makes us ponder on questions such as “what is love?”, “why is it special?”, “what makes it last?”, “what makes it go wrong?” and much more, when we humans fall in love with one another. It questions us how we humans define love. We may be glad that Theodore learns how to love the people around him a little more through his friendship with Samantha. That he's writing an amazingly warm letter to his ex-wife, thanking her for what she was and is, and telling her that she'll always have a little piece of his heart. 

The movie not only teaches us lessons on love and relationship but is also set in a futuristic time. A futuristic Los Angeles. The film uses its bizarre sci-fi scenarios, tender, soulful, and thought-provoking settings, to both comment on the current dependency of people on technology and impart information about the state of human relationships. The film's production design is an excellent combination of hipster chic and technology-dependent futuristic, engaging the audience throughout with a warm visual glow.

In science fictional romance, she is an intelligent and beautiful achievement; a film on human fragility and the strangest aspirations of platonic love. In this movie, there are so many rich shades I could mull over and anticipate with. It is positively one of those movies I want to watch more than once just to captivate it all again. An unconventional way to tell an age-old tale that works so well that, as its humanity washes over you, you forget about its unconventionality. Overall, Her is a lovely movie complete with great acting, a great story, and a dreamy soundtrack. Miss it and you're going to miss out.

The Climate Change we have to know

Climate change is a real issue that we are tackling today. From the likes of Greta Thunberg to the fashions of Abhirami, a young environmental activist from Kerala, climate change is affecting people all around the world. I'm sure people know about the effects the climate has on the ever-changing flora and fauna of the world. 

Coming to the sub-continent of  India, we sure have formulated a lot of policies to preserve and protect our environment and its surroundings. From the very famous Chipko movement that had people hugging trees so that they are not cut to Adivasis fighting for their lands, our policies and laws have come a long way. Some of the famous acts that have been made in India to protect nature is:

1. The National Green Tribunal Act of 2010

2. The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

3. The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

4. The Environment Protection Act, 1986

5. The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, etc.

Moving on to recent strategies that have been legitimatized to reduce the effects of climate change in India, the Prime Minister's Cabinet had introduced the National Action Plan on Climate Change in 2008. This plan aimed at reducing the implications of climate change by making the country more eco-friendly and reduce the emission of carbon footprints. Ever since then, India went on to record the highest pollution levels the world has ever seen and also became one of the countries with the largest carbon footprints.

Just to understand all of this further, I interviewed Dr. Toby Francis, retired professor, and environmental activist. After his thesis on the topic, "Seasonal Variations Avifauna concerning Habitat Changes in Kole Wetlands of Thrissur District", he was more than prompted to do his part to protect his surroundings.

A very busy man, he was only able to spare few minutes of his time to talk to me. Based on the research he had conducted, one of the first questions that I had asked him was about the diminishing wetlands that he might have noticed during the course of his research. He said that more than the wetlands that were diminishing, it was the fauna that was thinning in size. The birds, in particular, were not many in number. Although it does not have any direct connection to mankind, he said that this was happening due to the rapid climate change and sooner or later, mankind's going to be affected by it. He also mentioned that in the Thrissur-Tamilnadu border, peacocks were many in number and this was an unusual phenomenon that started sometime back. In the olden days, peacocks were not even seen here, whereas now, peacocks were too many and they were causing trouble for the farmers by eating their crops. What was the reason for this sudden thrust of peacocks? Climate Change. 

Before leaving him to his thoughts, I just had one more question to ask him. "These tourist places that have become all the more famous after the pandemic. How are they getting affected by climate change?" He replied with one word. Eco-friendly. He went on to explain what he meant. If the tourist areas we visit are eco-friendly, then there's nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, if we are just going for a getaway and destroy the place we went to, we are accountable for it. He believes that more than climate change, we humans have a greater role to play in torturing nature and eventually making our world apocalyptic, not without a bird or plant insight. 

From the Uighurs to the Rohingyas

 Ever since we have known, the Muslim religious communities in India have also been a minority.     Never have they once been treated as majority nor have they ever become as such. One major factor that separates them from other communities is that they have a lot of other religious and cultural routines that make them very different from the other communities in the country. 

Coming to the Muslims in our country, we have a range of Muslims from various categories. In simple, the Muslims in India are very different from Muslims in other parts of the world. If you look at the Uighurs that live in China, they are an ethnic minority group that lives in Xinjiang. Almost half of that city's population are the Uighurs. They are of an estimated 11 million people. These Uighur Muslims have been around for thousands of years and they speak a language that is really familiar to the language of Turkey, ie., Turkish. The common belief is that their ancestors may have come from a previous homeland of the Turks in the northern part of central Asia. Some Uighurs don’t accept that Xinjiang – officially an “autonomous region” – is part of China, and their claims are that their ancestors used to own this area before the Chinese Han and Tang dynasties established their dominion in the area. Evidence has been uncovered that up to one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are being held in “re-education” detention centers in Xinjiang, according to a report by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. When asked about the same, the state of Beijing outrightly denied any mistreatment and they went on to claim that these camps are “vocational training centers” which help push out extremist thoughts by the Islamist separatists, as well as giving people new skills. However, a 2018 report by Amnesty International report unearthed the fact the arbitrary detention of Uighur Muslims across the province was widespread. The exile group World Uighur Congress claims detainees are held without charge, and forced to undergo attempted indoctrination by shouting Chinese Communist Party slogans. 

While moving on from the Uighur Muslims to the Kashmiri Muslims the main difference is that they have been struggling for basic human rights over the past 90 years. From the time of.  Independence to today, their community has seen uncountable, horrific things. Things that a person will never be able to endure. Although people were killed, women raped, and honor was lost, there was not one instance in the whole history of Kashmir where they bowed down to the Indian forces and said that they surrender. It finally came to a dark point in 1948 when the UN had to intervene to ensure the safety of the Muslims living in Kashmir. The UN ensured that the people of Kashmir would have a better life. But, that just remained what it was, a promise. Nobody paid heed to the horrendous situation of Kashmir. The world pushed it under the carpet with the name of 'removing terrorism'. Not even international organizations paid heed to the saddening situations that the Kashmiri Muslims were living in. The worst part of this is that they still continue to live like this, even today. 

The Rohingyas as we all know is a Muslim minority that is concentrated in the Rakhine state in Myanmar. Another thing that everyone should know about them is that they are one of the most persecuted communities in the world. They can also be found in other parts of the world like refugee camps in the neighboring country of Bangladesh and other countries as well. The Rohingyas make up for one-third of the population in the state with Buddhists populating the rest of the two-thirds. Just like the other two communities that were discussed earlier, they too face the same problems. 

The one thing similar in all these Muslim communities is that they all have been victims of discrimination and violation of basic human rights. From the beginning of their lives, they have been facing all types of injustice from government inequality to even international issues. Their whole lives have been full of ups and more downs that they have reached a stage where they do not know if they will be free or not.