Argentina’s President Visit to India

President of Argentina Mauricio Macri paid a state visit to India.

• 2019 is the 70th year of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

India-Argentina Relations

• Political Ties
  • India opened a trade commission in Buenos Aires in 1943, which was later converted into the embassy of India 1949.
  • During the visit, both countries decided to elevate cooperation to a strategic partnership with a focus on key areas for the prosperity of both countries.
• Counter-Terrorism
  • India and Argentina issued a separate joint declaration to fight terrorism.
  • Argentina condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir in the strongest terms.
  • Both countries reiterated their commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and gave a call that any country must not allow their territory to be used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries.
  • India also urged to implement the 11-point agenda of 'Hamburg Statement on countering terrorism’ which was agreed during G-20 Summit in 2018.
• Economic and Commercial Engagement
  • In the last 10 years, the bilateral trade has more than doubled and is around the US $ 3 billion.
  • There are possibilities for a significant increase in many sectors such as agriculture, metals, and minerals, oils and gas, pharmaceutical, chemicals, motor vehicles and services.
  • India and Argentina decided to work together to further enhance and diversify trade and investment by eliminating impediments, facilitating greater market access and promoting trade and investment.
• Agriculture
  • Argentina is the powerhouse of agriculture. India sees it as an important partner for its food security.
  • During the visit, both countries decided to enhance the scope of agricultural cooperation, including the exchange of technology to increase productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and build climate resilience.
• Mining
  • Argentina is a part of the Lithium Triangle, and it has approximately 54% of the world's lithium reservoir.
  • India’s public sector mining company, Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), has decided to establish a joint venture for the lithium mining in Argentina
• India-Mercosur
  • India was the first country to sign a Preferential Trade Agreement with MERCOSUR in 2004.
  • Argentina and India agreed to expand the PTA.

MERCOSUR

The Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR for its Spanish initials) is a regional integration process, initially established by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, and subsequently joined by Venezuela and Bolivia.

• International Cooperation
  • Argentina has played a major role in India’s accession to the various non-proliferation regimes, including the Missile Treaty Control Regime, Wassenaar Arrangement, and Australia Group.
  • India and Argentina reaffirmed their commitment to globalization and reformed multilateralism.
  • Both sides agreed to work together for reforms in World Trade Organization (WTO) and comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council.
• South-South Cooperation
  • India will be participating in the second high-level conference of the United Nations on South-South Cooperation in Buenos Aires in 2019 (BAPA+40).
• Other Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) cover the areas like Defence Cooperation, Space Cooperation, Nuclear Energy, Oil and Gas, Renewable Energy, Education, Culture, People to People Exchanges etc.

Women Safety Initiatives

Ministry of Women and Child Development has launched three important initiatives on women’s safety.

• The Ministry of Women and Child Development has conceptualized these initiatives to promote the safety of women in their living spaces, working spaces, and public spaces.

Panic Button

• The Ministry of Telecom mandated a physical panic button on all mobile phones in the country in 2015.
• It was noted that such a panic button must be backed by an emergency response mechanism through the local police when the panic button message would alert the specified family members etc. of a woman in distress situation.
• Now a dedicated Emergency Response Centre has been established through which the entire system will be operated.

SCIM portal under Safe City Project

• An online Safe City Implementation Monitoring (SCIM) portal has been developed by The Ministry of Home Affairs. SCIM will facilitate online tracking of deployment of assets and infrastructure created under the Safe City projects.
• The Government has identified eight cities for implementation of Safe City project.  The projects include creation on ground assets & resources and mindset safety of women.

DNA Analysis Facilities in States

• Timely testing of DNA samples from the crime scene is the quickest process of obtaining forensic evidence in cases of sexual assault on women.
• Due to delay in cases of sexual assault investigations, dedicated DNA analysis facilities will be created in the forensic science laboratories on a mission mode.

Important Facts for Prelims (19th February 2019)

Regional Maritime-Safety Conference

• ‘Regional Maritime-Safety Conference’ (RMSS) was organised for the first time in India (Mumbai) by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) in coordination with the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of External Affairs to focus on security and trade.

Note:

• The National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi, was established in 2005 as the nation’s first maritime think-tank for conducting independent and policy-relevant research on ‘matters maritime’.

• Safeguarding the shores and promoting India-Asean trade along the sea route is the theme for RMSS.
• The volume of maritime traffic within the India-ASEAN sub-region is very dense. The Straits of Malacca-and-Singapore alone account for about 90,000 ship movements every year. So, security strengthening could help in boosting trade and maritime connectivity.
• Today, over 80 percent of global trade by volume and 70 per cent by value is conducted via the maritime space. In the Indian context, 95 per cent of trade by volume and 77 per cent by value flows on the sea.
• Maritime transport provide cost effectiveness, which is why it is the preferred choice for transportation of bulk commodities such as oil and coal, among others.

International Conference on the Vision Zero

• International Conference on the ‘Vision Zero’ and its relevance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH), is being held from 15th to 17th, March 2017 in New Delhi.
• It is organized by Directorate General Factory Advice and Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Ministry of Labour and Employment and German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Germany in association with International Social Security Association - Manufacturing, Construction and Mining.
• ‘Vision Zero’ is based on the belief that all accidents, diseases and harm at work are preventable by promoting the three core values of safety, health and wellbeing.
• The recommendations of the conference would be vital in achieving sustainable economic progress, in consonance with the changing requirements of safety, health and environment aspects in the country.

China’s Solar Power Station in Space

• China is planning to build a solar power station in space.
• China has started construction of an experimental base in the western Chinese city Chongqing.
• Initially, China plans to develop a smaller power station in the stratosphere between 2021 and 2025, a 1 megawatt-level solar facility in space by 2030, and eventually larger generators.
• China is also planning to build its own space station by 2022.
• The space station is named as Tiangong, or Heavenly Palace, which will have a core module and two other modules for experiments.
• The space station will be able to carry three people, with a designed life cycle of at least 10 years.
• The facility would be used for scientific research in a dozen areas including biology, physics, and material sciences.

Birth Anniversary of Guru Ravidas

• Recently, birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas was observed in the country.
• Ravidas Jayanti is celebrated on Magh Purnima, the full moon day in the month of Magh according to the Hindu lunar calendar.
• Guru Ravidas was a 14^th century saint and reformer of the Bhakti movement in North India.
• It is believed that he was born in Varanasi in a cobbler’s family.
• He gained prominence due to his belief in one God and his unbiased religious poems.
• He dedicated his whole life to the abolition of the caste system and openly despised the notion of a Brahminical society.
• His devotional songs made an instant impact on the Bhakti Movement and around 41 of his poems were included in ‘Guru Granth Sahib’, the religious text of the Sikhs.