UPSC Mains 2015 · GS II · Q19 · 12.5 marks · 200 words

Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of the Indian Government to improve relationship with its neighbours. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss.

हिन्दी में

परियोजना ‘मौसम’ को भारत सरकार की अपने पड़ोसियों के साथ संबंधों को सुदृढ़ करने की एक अद्वितीय विदेश नीति पहल माना जाता है। क्या इस परियोजना का एक रणनीतिक आयाम है? चर्चा कीजिए।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “Examine the objectives of the Indian Ocean Rim Association. What importance does it hold for India's strategic interest?”

Shakti DubeyAIR 1 · CSE 2024 · 255 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

Indian Ocean has in recent times emerged as a new chessboard of geopolitics, with great powers like USA, China, Russia all eyeing on establishing their control on the region.

Body · points and prose

Indian Ocean Rim Association:

This is an intergovernmental association of member states that:- (1) Came into existence in 1997 (2) Focus is on enhancing cooperation among member states (3) The aim is work together in areas like

  • maritime security
  • Trade collaboration
  • harnessing potential eg:- exploration of the ocean bed - Polymetallic nodules
  • maintaining saftey & security

in the region.

Diagram
[Map of the Indian Ocean region with a label indicating 'INDIAN OCEAN']

The member nations lie in the Area of influence in and around the Indian Ocean → It also includes countries like Britain, France, USA, etc → signifying the importance of this region → Pakistan & china are not its members

Importance of IORA for India :-

(1) In recent time there has been growing incursion of china in the IOR with its bases like- → Hambantota port (Sri lanka) → Gawadar port (Pakistan) → Military Base (Djibouti), etc this has been growing cause of concern for India

(2) China through it's string of pearl policy is trying to encircle India

In this backdrop such multilateral cooperation initiatives will help India tackle the china problems

(3) The IOR is also significant for hosting major choke points for trade eg:- Bab al Mandeb, Malacca strait, etc

(4) The region around horn of africa suffers from issue of piracy

Close · a way forward

These intergovernmental initiatives like IORA will help India tackle these challenges & ensure Free and open Indo-pacific.

4 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Toppers’ answers to other close questions

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper II, Q19. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.