Lessons for India From China’s Technical Standardisation Strategy

China recently released the National Standardisation Development (NSD) Outline, which serves as the first major document in the public domain on the standardisation strategy of the state in the coming years. This serves as a potential road map for the Chinese government and provides a glimpse into its intentions of utilising technical standards as an economic and strategic tool to further advance its interests.The standardisation strategy envisioned by the Chinese government can also serve as a model for India to increase its presence in the international technical standards domain. China’s pursuit offers India an opportunity to emulate its neighbour in simultaneously strengthening its domestic standardisation schemes while improving its leverage in international standards developing organisations. The NSD outline document provides India with a few pointers on the path it can take to influence technical standards-setting at the international level.

India’s new CDS will have to decide where the loyalty of the military lies

The tragic death of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, in a helicopter crash along with 13 others including his wife Madhulika Rawat, his staff, protection party, and the aircrew was shocking. Happening at a time of heightened global and regional geopolitical tensions, it can be a setback to the laudable and long-overdue structural defence reforms initiated in January 2020 by the Narendra Modi government. The reforms were aimed at improving military effectiveness through restructuring measures in two primary domains: civil-military relations and inter-services cooperation. While history will be the ultimate judge of General Rawat’s legacy in both, his role in the changes devised in some aspects of civil-military relations is likely to be the most contentious.

Insurgencies are defeated by democratic politics, not force

The debate over providing Indian armed forces with special powers to carry out domestic counter-insurgency operations has been rejoined following the terrible killings at Oting, Nagaland. It is an important debate, not only to hold state authorities accountable for their actions, but also, more fundamentally, to review how the democratic Indian republic holds together its mind-bogglingly diverse population. Yet, decades after the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) was legislated and invoked, we are no closer to a reconciliation of objectives, a constitutionally defendable consensus, or even a fresh new approach to handling the problem. Since many of the political ingredients of grievance, disaffection and separatism are still out there, the AFSPA has become a lightning rod for popular opposition to the way the Indian republic fights insurgencies, and in the extreme, to the republic itself. We can no longer afford to let such sore wounds fester and proliferate.

Career Impact Bonds? Financing upskilling to fill the world’s vacancies

he developed world is aging as life expectancy rises and birth rates fall. India has a different problem. With 18 million Indians turning 18 every year and with over 100 million Indians being surplus in the agricultural sector, 20 million Indians will need jobs each year. In contrast, India creates less than two million jobs a year. Can active promotion of emigration of Indians to the developed world be a solution to this problem? Read the full article here.

In Software-obsessed India, Hardware Finally Gets Place in the Sun

The Union Cabinet, on 15th December, approved a much-awaited 'comprehensive program for the development of a sustainable semiconductor and display ecosystem'. Holding up a silicon wafer and a semiconductor chip, Ashwini Vaishnav, the Minister of Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, outlined the focus areas in a press briefing that's sure to garner attention from major global semiconductor firms. The program will cost the government ₹76,000 crores over six years. The government expects an overall investment of ₹170,000 crores in return. There are five reasons to like the program announced by the minister.

Quantum computing: China ahead, US plays catch-up

The shadow of geopolitical competition with China looms large over the recent cooperation agreement on Quantum Science and Technology between Australia and the US. The joint statement identifies Quantum technologies as a “critical emerging technology” while reiterating commitment to “democratic institutions” and “to an open, inclusive and resilient Indo-Pacific region.” The statement also says that the two sides resolve to protect sensitive technologies with implications for national security, a reference to the alleged theft of IP and tech espionage by China.

Delay in appointing new CDS after Gen. Rawat—Is it about passing the loyalty test?

The sudden and tragic death of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, along with twelve others in a helicopter crash is a mortal blow by the hand of fate. Ironically, the CDS’ demise also reverberates across the fate of some senior military leaders who might find themselves being either advantaged or disadvantaged in terms of career progression. Depending on whosoever among the eligible is appointed, a chain reaction along the military hierarchy could change individual fates. Eligibility for the CDS post has been shaped to provide the political leadership to select from a fairly wide range of choices in two domains— serving and retired. The external choice is restricted to former Chiefs not above the age of sixty-five. The internal choice can even be a three-star. So technically, all serving three or four stars are eligible. This is as wide a choice as can be. So, till the announcement of the appointment is made, speculation and conspiracy theories can be expected to run riot.

Three Reasons Why China’s Tech Prowess is Overhyped

If one were to judge the technological prowess of a nation-state on the basis of daily news, China comes across as heads and shoulders above the rest. Hardly any day passes by without reports reminding us that China is well on its path to creating a self-reliant technology industry. While China’s technological progress is quite real, I want to list three caveats to make you recalibrate exponential growth projections and over-optimistic predictions about China’s tech ecosystem.

The Implications of Mutual Assured Vulnerability for the Indo-Pacific Region

China’s nuclear modernisation might establish stability in the US-China nuclear dyad. However, it would have a cascading effect on the nuclear and conventional competition in the Indo-Pacific region

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has undertaken the qualitative and quantitative modernisation of its nuclear arsenal. In the past two years, China has constructed around 250-300 missile silos, tested a new hypersonic missile system, fielded at least two brigades of its road-mobile DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), handed over two Jin-class submarines to the People’s Liberation Army — one of which (Changzheng 18) was commissioned to enter service in April 2021, and continued deploying more road-mobile DF-31 AG launchers and dual-use DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs).

Technology will be at the Forefront of Biden's Summit for Democracy

The Summit is not just about democracy. It signals the intent of the Biden administration to unite the world’s democracies for protection of individual liberties. This brings us to the area of technology which is now at the heart of protecting democratic values. There is a need for global consensus among all democratic states to arrive at a common technology governance framework that is in line with the democratic rights of citizens. The summit will be a platform for states to find the right balance of governance with respect to regulation and freedom in the technology sphere. The future of multilateralism lies in the creation of need-based coalitions focusing on specific areas of technology cooperation.

Sydney Dialogue Pointed the Need for Global Tech Governance

The month of November saw the world’s first-ever conference dedicated to emerging and critical technologies. The Sydney Dialogue, a brainchild of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), was held virtually from November 17-19.The presence of and the delivery of keynote addresses from key political leaders emphasized the criticality of the dialogue. In the current digital and information age, emerging technologies have become an intrinsic part of everybody’s lives as well as tools of statecraft. There was a common vision echoed throughout the discussions: The design, deployment, and usage of these technologies need effective regulations to minimize the harms and maximize the benefits that critical and emerging technologies have to offer.

The Price of the Question - Expectations from the India-Russia Summit

The Russian-Indian summit meeting, scheduled for December 6 in Delhi, is designed to breathe new life into the strategic partnership between Moscow and Delhi. The long list of issues that have accumulated for discussion after the forced pause in personal communication between Vladimir Putin and Narendra Modi caused by the coronavirus pandemic is not limited to defence purchases and the joint production of weapons.

Read the full article in Russian on Kommersant.ru

The contest to create the web's third generation has intensified

There are now three broad visions for the future of the internet. The first is a transformation into what Tim Berners-Lee calls “Web 3.0", a network that understands natural language and, depending on who you ask, will be open and ubiquitous, allow users to take back control from corporations and governments, and include billions of Things like sensors, robots and kitchen sinks. This vision is promoted by veterans and purists who believe that Big Tech’s dominance undermines open protocols that enable the internet, and also by many in the tech community who resent the market power of Google, Meta, Apple and Amazon. For their part, the world’s biggest tech companies see that it will be harder to grow at the giddy rates they are used to, and sprawling across various sectors can only take them so far. That’s why Mark Zuckerberg is promoting the second vision, that of a “metaverse", an immersive 3-D virtual reality world where everyone will have to wear goggles to plug in. Beyond Meta (previously Facebook), Microsoft, Roblox and many other companies are throwing their weight behind this vision while trying to get to the head of the queue.

Needed: Intelligent act to regulate AI

The 41st General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) concluded on 24 November 2021 with a major step on the global development of norms on the use and regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI).193 member states of UNESCO signed and adopted the draft AI Ethics Recommendation. It can be touted as the first globally accepted normative standard-setting instrument in the realm of AI. The voluntary, non-binding commitment is a major point of cooperation between States and leaders in identifying principles of ethics in the regulation AI systems that find wide application in today’s world.

Omicron Scare - Why International Travel Ban Will Do India More Harm than Good

The possibility of another disastrous wave in the country has increased with the discovery of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant, Omicron, and two such cases being detected in Karnataka. This has come along with the Union government issuing new travel guidelines on November 30. A likelihood of the country putting a partial or complete international travel ban is doing the rounds. Recently, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal issued a statement urging the government to not further delay the curbs on international flights. But contrary to popular belief, an immediate air travel ban can do more harm than good. Moreover, the question arises: is it economically feasible, logically valid and morally correct? 

India Needs a 20-Year Semiconductor Strategy

To succeed in semiconductor manfacturing, it is essential to reflect on the difference between being able to manufacture one line of chips and achieving semiconductor self-sufficiency or even becoming a key manufacturer. The current discourse masks this difference. The dominant narrative suggests that India is in a do or die situation, one in which building a fab now implies the elimination of critical strategic vulnerabilities. In contrast, another failure means India is resigned to a position of weakness in the information age. This understanding is misplaced. Getting one fab going will not make India a key manufacturer. We will still be dependent on manufacturing equipment, designs, and chips manufactured outside India. India needs to drop the dream of swadeshi semiconductors. Instead, it should aim to become a key player in a trusted, plurilateral semiconductor ecosystem that keeps key adversaries out. In our view, at least five specific parts of the puzzle need to fall in place.

Iran-Pakistan Rivalry In Afghanistan Works for India

The Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan held in New Delhi on November 10 marks India’s re-entry into the contested landscape of Af-Pak geopolitics. However, due to the regional states’ differing focus on the terrorism threat, refugee crisis, regional stability etc, Indian concerns about the repercussions of ISI activities in Afghanistan will likely remain a low priority for most regional powers, except Iran. It’s Iran that has both the interest and resources to resist Pakistan’s domination in Afghanistan.

How to prevent accidental wars? Strongmen Putin, Xi, Modi can be triggers

The virtual meeting on 15 November between Presidents Joe Biden of the US and Xi Jinping of China could hopefully be the forerunner to a dialogue process that was so far missing in action. The relationship had turned openly hostile, and the drift towards armed conflict due to misjudgement and miscommunication needed repair. Some political and military leaders had been warning of the risk of an accidental war—a possibility that could have driven both leaders to acknowledge the danger.

Effective communication about COVID-19 could save lives – but India’s strategy has been flawed

Over the past few decades, public health emergencies across the globe have shown us that a timely and efficient risk communication plan could help in minimising fatalities and managing situations on the ground. In unprecedented circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing effective communication methods becomes even more necessary. At the start of the pandemic, it was critical for the Union government to use all means to convey the gravity of the situation to the public. To do so, several communication plans were devised in order to maximise efficiency while minimising casualties.

Farm Laws lays bare India’s Internal Disunity. It’s Time to Fix it

To some Indians, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise announcement about repealing the three farm laws may be viewed as a victory for democracy. The forces at play in the political economy may have demonstrated their democratic strength. But India might have lost. For, there is no dispute that India’s economically and strategically important agriculture sector is in dire need of reform. Another thing that India needs to watch out for is that a weakened government, civil unrest, and inability to carry forward important economic reforms can all be exploited by foes.