Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s NATO membership

GS Paper II- Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Context:
Turkish legislators endorsed Sweden’s membership in NATO, lifting a major hurdle on the previously non-aligned country’s entry into the military alliance.

Reasons for delaying Sweden's NATO membership:
Turkey and Hungary were two countries that were having issues with Sweden's NATO membership.
Hungary has stalled Sweden’s bid, alleging that Swedish politicians have told “blatant lies” about the condition of Hungary’s democracy.
Turkey had been delaying Sweden’s membership for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups that Ankara regards as security threats.
It has been seeking concessions from Stockholm, including a tougher stance toward Kurdish militants and members of a network that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016.

Why does Sweden want to join NATO?
Sweden, a nation that has remained neutral for the past two centuries, abstained from participating in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.
Despite joining the European Union and collaborating with NATO in recent years, Sweden had no intention of becoming a member of the military alliance.
This policy was reversed after Russia invaded Ukraine, and public opinion began to shift towards NATO membership.
In 2022, both Sweden and Finland applied for membership, with Finland's application being approved while Sweden faced opposition from Turkey and Hungary.

New Developments:
Sweden has pledged deeper cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism and to support Turkey’s ambition to revive its E.U. membership bid.
Turkish legislators recently endorsed Sweden’s membership in NATO.
Mr. Erdogan has linked ratification of Sweden’s NATO membership to the U.S. Congress’s approval of a Turkish request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kits to modernize Turkey’s existing fleet.

NATO:
NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is a political and military alliance of 31 member countries, primarily from North America and Europe.
Finland is the latest one.
It was established on April 4, 1949, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
NATO's primary purpose is to ensure the security and defence of its members through collective defence.
NATO's main headquarters is in Brussels, Belgium.

Collective Defense:
Article 5 of the NATO Treaty stipulates that an armed attack against one or more of its members is considered an attack against all members.
The only time Article 5 has been invoked was in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.
Decisions within NATO are made by consensus among member countries.
That's why a single member Nation like Hungary or Turkey can stop Sweden's membership.
The North Atlantic Council (NAC) is the principal political decision-making body, where ambassadors from member countries meet to discuss and make decisions.

Major Non-NATO Alliance:
The US designates close allies as Major non-NATO allies (MNNA), who have strategic working relationships with the US Armed Forces but are not members of NATO.
The designation provides various military and financial advantages, including loans of materials, supplies, and equipment for cooperative research and placement of US-owned War Reserve Stockpiles on ally's territory.
The designation does not include a mutual defense pact with the US.
There are currently 18 MNNA, and Taiwan is informally treated as one.

Note: India is Neither a member of NATO nor a Major Non NATO Allie.

Parakram Diwas

GS Paper I- Indian National Movement and Important Personalities

Context:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to participate in Parakram Diwas celebrations at Red Fort to mark the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Major Highlights:
Bharat Parv, a nine-day event showcasing India's rich diversity and presenting different cultures, has been launched by the Prime Minister.
This event is organized by the Ministry of Tourism.
On the occasion of Parakram Diwas, the Centre has announced the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024.
It will honour the invaluable contribution made by individuals and organizations in the field of Disaster Management.


Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024:
60 Parachute Field Hospital in Uttar Pradesh has been selected for the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar-2024, given for outstanding work in disaster management.
The hospital has provided exceptional medical assistance during various natural calamities and crises, both nationally and internationally.
Particularly noteworthy is the hospital's work during events such as the Uttarakhand floods (2013), the Nepal Earthquake (2015), and the Turkey and Syria earthquakes (2023), which serve as examples of the hospital's exceptional service.

What is Parakram Diwas?

Parakram Diwas is an annual event commemorating the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, initiated in 2021.

The term "Parakram" translates to courage or valour in Hindi, which reflects Netaji's bravery and that of others who fought for India's freedom.

The Ministry of Culture in collaboration with its allied institutions such as the Archaeological Survey of India, National School of Drama, Sahitya Akademi, and the National Archives of India organizes the comprehensive celebration.

The celebrations include various events and activities that highlight the historical significance of Netaji's role in the freedom struggle.

The event hosts a range of activities that delve into the profound legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj.

In 2022, to mark Netaji's 125th birth anniversary, a hologram was installed near India Gate, where a statue of King George V had stood until its removal in 1968.

Later, on 8th September 2022, the hologram of Netaji was replaced with a grand statue near India Gate in New Delhi.

Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar:
The Government of India has introduced the Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskaar (SCBAPP) to recognize individuals and institutions that have made noteworthy contributions in the field of disaster management.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), established under the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Disaster Management Act of 2005, oversees the award administration.
The awards are announced every year on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on 23rd January.
Along with a certificate, institutions receive a cash prize of Rs. 51 lakhs and individuals receive Rs. 5 lakhs.
Institutions must utilize the cash prize to fund disaster management-related activities only.

Eligibility:
To be eligible for the award, only Indian nationals and Indian institutions can apply.
The nominated individual or institution should have worked in any area of disaster management such as Prevention, Mitigation, Preparedness, Rescue, Response, Relief, Rehabilitation, Research, Innovation or early warning in India.

End-to-end encryption

Context:
End-to-end (E2E) encryption protects information in a way that has transformed human rights organisations, law-enforcement agencies, and technology companies’ outlook on their ability to access and use information.

What is encryption?
Encryption is the process of converting information into an incomprehensible form using a set of rules.
The encrypted text can be unlocked using a key known to the computer.
The protection is similar to crumpling two pieces of paper, one with encrypted text and the other with the key, and throwing them across the room.
Without the key, the information remains indecipherable, ensuring digital protection.

What is end-to-end encryption?
End-to-end encryption is a communication process that encrypts data being shared between two devices.
It prevents third parties like cloud service providers, internet service providers (ISPs) and cybercriminals from accessing data while it is being transferred.

Uses:
End-to-end encryption is used to secure communications.
Some of the popular instant messaging apps that use it are Signal, WhatsApp, iMessage, and Google Messages.
However, instant messaging is not the only place where user data is protected using end-to-end encryption.
It is also used to secure passwords, protect stored data and safeguard data on cloud storage.

Significance:
The focus on end-to-end encryption seems to stem from the company’s desire to position itself as a provider of secure data storage and transfer services.
End-to-end encryption is also seen as a technology that secures users’ data from snooping by government agencies, making it a sought-after feature by activists, journalists, and political opponents.

Vaishvik Bharatiya Vaigyanik (VAIBHAV)

Context:
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) announced the first recipients of the ‘Vaibhav’ fellowship, a scheme designed to attract Indian-origin scientists based abroad for short-term collaboration.

About:

• The Indian Institute of Science and Indian Institutes of Technology has launched a new scheme to promote collaboration between diaspora scientists and Indian institutes.
• The initiative will involve 22 scientists spending one to two months annually at the host institutions, for a maximum of three years.
• Under the scheme, fellows will be provided with a stipend, accommodation, and research grants for their host institutions.
• The ultimate goal of the initiative is to establish long-term research connections and encourage technology start-ups and collaborative projects.
• The VAIBHAV Fellows would identify an Indian Institution for collaboration and may spend up to two months in a year for a maximum of 3 years.
• The Distinguished VAIBHAV Fellow would identify an Indian Institution for collaboration and may spend a minimum of one week and a maximum of two months in a year for a maximum of 3 years.
• The Distinguished VAIBHAV fellows would network with Indian academic Institutions and would attempt to create a collaborative network of cutting-edge research programs in sync with the priority areas of the Government of India.
• The fellows would facilitate an exchange of best practices between the two countries and attempt to address the areas of concern in collaborative research between the two countries.