IndiaVietnam relations

* The Republic of India and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam enjoy strong bilateral relations.

* Historical relation from 2nd century as The Indic Cham Pa kingdom had some influences on Vietnamese art and architecture
1.Strong Political relations-

* India supported Vietnam's independence from France and supported unification of Vietnam

* India strongly condemned U.S. action during the Vietnam War.

* India is one of the few non-communist countries to assist Vietnam during the CambodianVietnamese War.
2.Bilateral and commercial ties-

* India and Vietnam established official diplomatic relations in 1972

* India granted the "Most Favoured Nation" status to Vietnam in 1975

* bilateral trade agreement signed b/w them in 1978 and the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) in 1997

* The Indo-Vietnam Joint Business Council has worked to promote trade and investment since 1993.

* In 2003, both nations promulgated a Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Cooperation and both nations negotiating on free trade agreement.

* Bilateral trade has increased rapidly since the liberalisation of the economies of both Vietnam and India.

* in 2010, as the ASEAN-India free trade agreement came into effect, bilateral trade exploded to US$3.917 billion by the end of 2012, with Vietnam exported US$1.7 billion to India in 2012

* India and Vietnam have also expanded cooperation in information technology, education and collaboration of the respective national space programmes
3.Strategic cooperation-

* Both are members of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, created to enhance close ties between India and nations of Southeast Asia

* Vietnam has supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

* Vietnam increasing the significance of the relationship between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its negotiation of an Indo-ASEAN free trade agreement.

* built strategic partnerships, including extensive cooperation on developing nuclear power, enhancing regional security and fighting terrorism, transnational crime and drug trafficking.
4 why in news ????????

* Indias quest for greater intensity in bilateral energy,defence and economic energy with Vietnam.

* India looking for opportunities in setting up refineries and the TATAS looking forword to setting up 1320mw thermal power project. often its failure to set up a $5 billion steel plant.

* The Indian-Veitnam Project that has got the most attention-allocation of two oil blocks in Pho Khanh basin of south china sea that is contested by china.

* India plan for withdrawing from prospecting for blocks 128 on commercial considerations just like it returned block 127 about four year back.

* India has already offered a $100million credit line for the purchase of offshore patrol vessels but official sources remained non-committed of prospects of Indian defence exports, especially the Brahmos missile

* Vietnam is ready to be the part with know-how for breeding the Pangasius fish (also called basa)

* The consumption of Pangasius ,primarily found in Vietnam and some adjoining countries ,has been going up by leaps and bounds in India but its captive rearing in the country has not been really taken off.

* Vietnam has closly held the breeding techniqies and has now agreed to part with it for a breeding centre near Chennai.
ABOUT PANGASIUS-

* This fish is raised in cages in free flowing water and the Vietnamese have mastered upon this in ponds in the Makong river delta region

* India import of pangasius have nearly gone up by close to 50%

* Vietnam has already emerged as the second largest supplier of fish after Bangladesh.

Kuwait and India
1.Cultural links-

* recent discovery of artifacts such as pottery and jewellery from the Kuwaiti island of Failaka point to commercial and cultural interaction between the two countries.

* IndoKuwait trade revolved around dates and pedigreed horses, with Kuwaiti sailors making annual trips between the Shatt-al-Arab and the western ports of India to conduct the trade

* the horse trade was ended in 1945 after World War II, following which trade turned to pearls and teak wood.
2.Political relations-

* India was among the earliest countries to recognise Kuwaiti independence

* Kuwait was one of the first countries to extend support to India during the war with China in 1962

* Relations were strained in the early 1990s due to India's pro-Iraq stance following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait.

* The demolition of the Babri Masjid also impacted ties with Kuwait calling for Prime Minister Narasimha Rao to rebuild the structure and hand it over to Indian Muslims.
3.Economic relations

* Prior to oil discovery,depended heavily on maritime activities and trade as Kuwait was a centre for ship building and pearl diving and fishing.

* In 201112, bilateral trade amounted to $17.56 billion. Petroleum accounts for the bulk of the trade, with the non-oil trade accounting for only $1.9 billion.

* India having joint venture projects between the two countries towards establishing new facilities in the oil and gas sector in both countries

* Kuwait has welcomed Indian companies for projects in Kuwait as it undertakes a massive infrastructure development program.

* Indian and Kuwaiti institutions of higher education and research and agreements on avoidance of Double Taxation, drug reduction and prevention of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs
4.Why in news?????
Kuwait Declaration-Arab Africa Economic Co-Operation

* It underlined the need to accelerate economic integration in the Arab world,which includes oil rich gulf states and investment thirsty African states and this summit will achieve a quantitative transformation in the African-Arab economic ties as Africa has huge resources of raw-materials,agriculture & energy but lack investment.

* For the creation of a joint African-Arab financing mechanism to fund

* Programmes and projects ,under a plan adopted at the last Arab-Africa summit in Libya 3 years ago

* African union and Arab league to co-ordinate with financial institutions and funds in the two regions to form a working team to finance the implementation of project.

* the Kuwait declaration strongly condemned terrorism.it urged its member states to exchange cooperation and co-ordination to combat terrorism in all its form

* the summit was the third of its kind ,and the first since 2010,when leaders met in Libya prior to the Arab spring that toppled long standing dictatorship there and elsewhere in north Africa and west Asia.

* Kuwait would co-ordinate with the world bank to enter joint investments in infrastructure in accordance with the plan.(which is not announced yet..:))

* according to the world bank the continent needs about $30billion a year to develop its energy sector.

* the international monetory fund says African economy growth was a solid 5% in 2012.despite the global economic crisis.

* Africas huge quantities of natural gas off its east coast has added to its continents economic potential.

* states of energy rich gulf cooperation council have accumulated surpluses of$2-trillion thanks to persistently high oil prices

* the leaders called for the need to boost co-operation in the agricultural field to achieve food security

* next summit in 2016 in Africa.






ADIZ(Air Defence Identification Zone) (CHINA)

* It is a section of international airspace over which a country declares its right to identify aircrafts to protect itself from foreign threat.

* Its a product of customary international law but it is not jurisdictional.

WHAT HAPPEN IF ADIZ ESTABLISHED??

* Then the country would use radar to detect unexpected aircraft flying in the ADIZ zone and observe them.

* Using radar ,it would query those it was concerned about.

* Country can also launched an aircraft to intercept and observe.

WHY CHINA DECLARING AN ADIZ??

* The chinas ADIZ overlaps with the ADIZ that was created by the US after the world war 2 and transferred to Japan in 1969.

* The Chinas ADIZ encompasses the Diaoyu/Senkaku islands and this is for the first time that an overlapping ADIZ has been declared in an area where there is a sovereignty disputes.

ABOUT ISLAND?

* The chinas call the island Diaoyu and Japan call them Senkaku.

HISTORY RELATED TO ISLAND-CAUSE OF ALL DISPUTES..:??

* Japan, once a vassal state of imperialism china, subjugating and humiliated the chinese not once but twice in different period of time in the late 1800s and again in 1930.

* The Diaoyu islands were considered lost during this period when Japan formally annexed them in 1895.

WHY CHINA SUDDENLY DECLARED ADIZ??

* China feels it has a right to an ADIZ to protect its sovereignty over both its territory as well its claimed maritime spaces. After all ,Japan has an ADIZ.

* China could be redefining the status qua.

* Japan ADIZ comes with in 130km of chinas territory ,therefore its only fair that chinas ADIZ extends to within 130kms of Japans territory.

* It could be directly challenge to Japans administration of Diaoyu/Senkaku.

* It extend its maritime security issues in the east china sea and asserting chinese dominance.

FOR INDIA??

* As china is more aggressive in its foreign policy ,which doesnt do well for its relations with India.

INDIA AND JAPAN-Trade exceed $300 billion
High level interaction in-

* Annual India-Japan summit

* Regular exchange b/w the two defence ministries.

* Two plus two dialogue involving the foreign and defence secretaries

* Dialogue on maritime securities

* Trilateral dialogue that involves USA.

* Both countries are also the part of G-4 nations that recently intensified efforts towards text-based negotiations on the expension of the US security council.

* Comprehensive economic partnership agreement(for boosting trade)

* Japan has been generous with financial assistance for infrastructure projects such as Delhi Metro and Delhi Mumbai Industrial corridor.

* Japanese investment in Indian industries (automobiles ,a dominant sector in Tamil Nadu )

* In 1998 Japanese against India for the pokharan nuclear tools left relations crippled for more then 2years.

* Civilian nuclear agreement.

Anam Singla

ADIZ- Air Defense Identification Zone

* Airspace (land or water) in which the identification, location, and control of civil aircraft is required in the interest of national security.

* They extend beyond a country's airspace to give the country more time to respond to foreign and possibly hostile aircraft.

* The authority to establish an ADIZ is not given by any international treaty nor prohibited by international law and is not regulated by any international body.
The first ADIZ was established by the United States soon after World War II
Usually such zones only cover undisputed territory, only apply to civilian aircraft, and do not overlap
ADVANTAGES OF ADIZ

* Provides an added measure of security

* Can help reduce the risk of midair collisions

* Combat illicit drug flows

* Facilitate search-and-rescue missions

* Reduce the need for fighter jet sorties for purposes of visual inspection.

* Can increase transparency, predictability, and strategic stability by reducing uncertainty on both sides about when, where, and how aerial interceptions might take place.
INDIAS ADIZ: 6 zones
Stringent clearance requirements for all aircraft entering them

1. NORTH: Along the International Border / Line of Control with Pakistan and Line of Actual Control with China

2. WEST: Along the International Border with Pakistan

3. CENTRE: A point over the International border with Nepal and then line along the Indo-Nepal boundary and Line of Actual Control with China

4. EAST: Along the borders of India in the East excluding the airspace covered by territories of Bangladesh, Bhutan and part of Nepal

5. SOUTH: Includes airspace over and upto the territorial waters of Lakshadweep Islands.

6. SOUTH-EAST: sub-ordinate organisation under ADIZ South
Chinas ADIZ Controversy

* On 23rd Nov. 2013, China set up an air defence zone covering the international airspace over parts of the disputed East China Sea.

* This requires all non-commercial aircraft to notify its authorities of their flight plans to avoid triggering a response from air defence forces.
What is the Issue then?

* Chinese ADIZ overlaps with the Japans ADIZ already established in the region,

* Both zones cover the disputed Diaoyu or Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

* It also includes SOCOTRA rock which is claimed by south korea.

* Chinas ADIZ has deepened regional fears about Chinas long-term intentions, it has actually increased this risk
In a reaction, U.S. dispatched two B-52 bombers to fly through the contested area
Why did China establish its East China Sea ADIZ?

1. Reducing the risk of surprise attack - No

* Because there was no real danger of that to begin with.

* Though Tensions in the region are undoubtedly high at the moment, but this is not a Cold War.

* No country wants a major shot to the heart of the global economy.

2. To reduce drug smuggling in the East China Sea - No

* It is not a significant drug route.

* Due multiple and overlapping maritime jurisdiction claims in the area, there is no shortage of willing search-and-rescue providers.
Neither motive figured in the Chinese defense ministry's statement announcing the establishment of the zone.

1. To reduce the risk of midair collisions Somewhat yes

* E.g.: In 2001 when a U.S. Navy EP-3 collided with an F-8 fighter from the Chinese Navy over the South China Sea.

* In the case of military flights, the risk of midair collision primarily stems from conflicting understandings of overflight rights.

* ADIZ puts even more pressure on China to intercept foreign military flights; it actually increases the risk of such accidents.

2. Prospect of increasing transparency, predictability, or strategic stability No


* It has prompted confusion among commercial airlines

* Ostentatious demonstrations of noncompliance by the U.S., Japanese, and South Korean militaries.

* Since Chinas ADIZ overlaps with Japans, there is now a very real possibility that a plane in the area could receive conflicting instructions and face simultaneous Chinese and Japanese interception.

* From a security and safety perspective, Chinas announcement clearly makes things worse, not better.

Then why the hell they declared?
In the belief that it would aid in its dispute with Japan over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands.
Three reasons

1. They believed that an ADIZ signals or confers sovereign rights. Completely wrong belief

2. Declaring an ADIZ covering the disputed islands would enhance their bargaining position.
Can only be justified if bargaining was taking place and if Washington and Tokyo could be cowed

1. Chinese government may have intended to remind the U.S. that it is the dominant power in the region - Ironically, this episode has brought the U.S. and its allies together in a huddle
Way Ahead

* It is evident that China miscalculated

* China cannot walk back - Would be a major embarrassment.

* Noncompliance also represents an embarrassing loss of face for Beijing.

* It also reinforces Chinese misconceptions about the legal implications of an ADIZ.

* Also South Koreas tit-for-tat expansion of its own ADIZ is full of misconceptions.

* This will only further increase the dangers of inadvertent confrontation.

* Seoul, Tokyo, and Washington have already reacted.

* But they can drop the subject publicly and start quietly arranging some something with Beijing, behind the scenes that let it save face while operationally returning to the status quo ante.
Links

1. The Hindu

2. Foreignaffairs.com

3. AAI website
pushpender singh

Air defense identification zone not just about the island

Air defense identification zone not just about the island
Recently China made a controversial effort announcing an air identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea. It invited strong criticism from USA, Japan, and Thailand and even from India. Here we are dealing with various issues concerning with this issue.
What is an ADIZ?
Technically it is a section of international airspace over which the country has the right to identify any aircraft enters that region to protect from foreign threat. It is not a jurisdictional law, but only a customary law.
What happens in such a space?
After proclaiming the zone, the country would use radar to detect the threat and use radio to know who and why the suspicious act was occurred? It has the right to launch an aircraft for observation if it is needed. Anyway the country has no any authority to launch a direct attack on this site unless there is no a direct threat.
What the problem with Chinas identification zone?
1-The Chinas ADIZ overlaps the ADIZ which was created by the US after world war II and it was transferred to Japan.
2- Japan sees the problem as a direct invasion to their sovereign right on the land.
3- This is first time in history that a country proclaims its air defence zone on a previously proclaimed area.
4-it takes the risk of a future war between the stakeholders.
5- Air defense zone consists over Diaoyu/Senkaku islands .
What is so significant about Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.?
The former is named by Chinese, while the second is named by the people of japan. It is a history problem and the result of japans colonialism over china twice in history. at last in 1895 it was annexed to Japan. So it is a sensitive area.
What is behind the sudden action of China?

1. The policy decision making in china over the foreign issue is very opaque. so always it invites criticism from various parts of the world.

2. China attempts to redefine the sovereignty issues. (speculative theories)

3. Japans air defense zone also extends to Chinese territory for about 130 kilometers.

4. It is not rather an issue of island. But it is of larger maritime security issue.

5. It is the result of internal political pressure from china. It will affect the role issue of new president.
The stand point of India in this matter

1. It was a sudden reaction from Chinese authority and it disrespects the sovereignty issue of Japan.

2. China may not be aware of the strong criticism it may invite. Thats why they converted their words from emergency defence measures to just want notification

3. China uses the international institutions to achieve their goal.

4. The ADIZ itself is not the problem. But the action of china is the problem.

5. It would be a creditable evidence for India on the factor of China Threat.
by Shahid T Komath
Ref: www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/not-just-about-the-islands/article5441185.ece

AIR DEFENCE IDENTIFICATION ZONE

What is ADIZ?
An ADIZ is a publicly defined international airspace extending beyond national territory in which unidentified aircrafts can be interrogated. It is mainly to protect a country from any security threat, but other benefits are reduce mid-air collisions, combat drug flows, facilitate search and rescue operations etc.
There is no International Agreement about ADIZs and it is not Jurisdictional.
Origin
During cold war US declared first ADIZs to reduce the risk of a surprise attack from Soviets. Today US has 5 ADIZs. Other countries who have ADIZs are India, Pakistan, Japan, South Korea, UK and now China.
Effect of an ADIZ
Any aircraft before entering any such zone has to notify the concerned authorities beforehand about their flight plan and follow instructions from their ATC. In an event of not declaring flight plan beforehand a country can take actions against the aircraft if they think it as a security threat.
Chinas ADIZ (see map)
Every country has ADIZ then why the fuss about China--
Firstly, ADIZ is mainly for security threat. China has no such threat. There are tensions in the region but no country is ready to strike the heart of the global economy. In fact declaring an ADIZ has increased more tensions in the region and fears about Chinas long term plans.
Secondly, Chinas ADIZ overlaps with Japans already declared ADIZ and two islands administered by Japan (which China claims to be their own) and with South Koreas reef known as leodo.
China thinks that ADIZ will strengthen its claim over the disputed islands. But the problem is even if countries confirm the ADIZ, an ADIZ is nor jurisdictional and China cannot claim authority over the islands.
Dispute over the Islands
Japan has held the islands since late 19th century but since 1970s China has also claimed them. China claims these islands were annexed by Japan during colonial settlements and should be returned to China.

Effect of Chinas ADIZ

As soon as China declared ADIZ on November 23, two Japanese airlines shared their flight plans with them. US, Japan, South Korea declared they do not follow the zone. US immediately sent two fighter planes B-52 bombers through the zone. Later Japan and South Korea also sent their military planes through the zone without informing the Chinese authorities. But US has asked its passenger planes to adhere to zone and share their flight plans with China. Australian airlines also adhere to the zone.
To understand the matters further here is the map

Now South Korea has decided to increase its KADIZ (see map) which will overlap with both China and Japans zones. Now China is okay with this expansion and is not refuting the expansion. Why? Firstly, this will strengthen Chinas ADIZ claims. SK is ally with the US and if US doesnt object to the expansion this will give China a possible reason in favour of its ADIZ.
Secondly, China has nothing to do with SK and its main strategic rival is Japan. With the SK expansion Japan is mute on it where in fact KADIZ overlaps more with Japan than China. This can also strengthen Chinas ADIZ claims. China is moving very strategically and trying to claim its dominance in East China Sea.


Possible Solution to disputed Islands
One solution could be for Japan to sell the islands to Taiwan. Since Taiwan and China officially agree there is only one China. So China could say that the islands are under Chinese Sovereignty and Japan could say that they didnt give in to Chinas demands.
Name Nitin Dahiya
References:-
The Economist, The Hindu
www.thediplomat.com ,
www.foreignaffairs.com