Tag: Russia

Role of India in Multipolar Global Political Economy

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By Shashikant Nishant Sharma

India’s role in the multipolar global political economy is significant due to its economic and geopolitical importance. India is the world’s sixth-largest economy and has been experiencing steady economic growth in recent years. The country’s strategic location between East and West, coupled with its large population, make it an important player in the international arena. 

India’s economic policies and reforms have contributed to its rise as a major economic power. The country has implemented policies to attract foreign investment and has opened up various sectors for private participation. The government has also focused on improving infrastructure, developing a skilled workforce, and promoting entrepreneurship. In addition to its economic importance, India also plays a significant role in global politics. The country is a member of various international organizations, including the United Nations, World Trade Organization, and BRICS. India’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the agenda of these organizations and in promoting the interests of developing countries. India’s strategic location also makes it an important player in regional geopolitics. The country has been involved in various peacekeeping missions, and its military capabilities have been growing in recent years. India has also been strengthening its relationships with other major powers, including the United States, Russia, and China. Overall, India’s role in the multipolar global political economy is likely to continue to grow in the coming years. The country’s economic and geopolitical importance, coupled with its strategic location, make it a key player in the international arena. Global trade is an essential aspect of the modern economy, and it relies heavily on trust and confidence between parties involved. A breach of confidence can have severe consequences for international trade and the global economy as a whole.

A breach of confidence in global trade can take many forms, including the failure to fulfill contractual obligations, misrepresentation of goods or services, or the theft of intellectual property. These breaches can result in legal disputes, loss of revenue, and damage to reputation, which can be costly for businesses and countries involved. When a breach of confidence occurs, it can lead to a breakdown in trust between parties involved, making it more challenging to engage in future trade deals. This can lead to increased transaction costs, reduced investment, and lower economic growth, ultimately impacting consumers. The World Trade Organization (WTO) and other international bodies play a crucial role in promoting fair trade practices and resolving disputes between countries. However, their effectiveness is limited when it comes to enforcing trade agreements and preventing breaches of confidence.

Dollar hegemony refers to the dominant position of the US dollar in the global economy as the primary reserve currency and medium of exchange. The term is used to describe the extensive use of the US dollar in international trade, finance, and investment, giving the United States significant economic and political power.

The dollar’s dominance dates back to the Bretton Woods agreement of 1944, where the US dollar was established as the international reserve currency, and other countries pegged their currencies to the dollar. This allowed the US to enjoy significant economic and political power and played a crucial role in the post-World War II economic order. Today, the dollar remains the dominant currency in international trade and finance, with over 60% of global foreign exchange reserves held in US dollars. Many countries continue to use the dollar as a medium of exchange, and international commodity prices are usually quoted in dollars. The dollar’s dominance has several implications for the global economy. First, it provides the United States with a unique advantage in international trade, as other countries are dependent on the US dollar to conduct transactions. Second, it allows the US to borrow at lower interest rates, as investors have a high level of confidence in the US dollar and the US economy. However, the dollar’s hegemony also comes with some challenges. The US’s monetary policy decisions can have significant impacts on the global economy, as changes in interest rates and other monetary policies can affect other countries’ economies. Additionally, the US’s high level of debt has raised concerns about the dollar’s stability as a reserve currency. In recent years, there have been calls for the diversification of international reserve currencies and the establishment of alternative payment systems. Some countries, including China and Russia, have been promoting the use of their currencies in international trade and finance to reduce their dependence on the US dollar.

Overall, dollar hegemony continues to shape the global economy, and it is an essential factor in international trade and finance. The ongoing debates around its stability and the need for diversification demonstrate the complex and ever-changing nature of the global economic order.

India plays a significant role in the multipolar global political economy due to its economic and geopolitical importance. The country’s economic policies and reforms have contributed to its rise as a major economic power, and its strategic location makes it a key player in regional geopolitics. India’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping the agenda of international organizations and promoting the interests of developing countries.

However, India also faces several challenges, including poverty, inequality, and infrastructure gaps. The country has been working towards addressing these challenges through various initiatives such as the Make in India campaign, Digital India, and Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. India’s role in the global economy and its rise as a major economic power can provide opportunities for businesses and investors to tap into its large market and skilled workforce. The country’s focus on innovation and entrepreneurship can also create opportunities for collaboration and partnership in various sectors. 

In conclusion, India’s position in the multipolar global political economy is significant, and its continued growth and development will have far-reaching implications for the global economy. However, the country faces several challenges that need to be addressed, and there is a need for continued investment and collaboration to unlock its full potential.

References

Bastos, M. (2014). The Indian Ocean and the rise of a multi-polar world order: The role of China and India. Policy Perspectives: The Journal of the Institute of Policy Studies, 11(2), 17-28.

Chakraborty, S. (2018). Significance of BRICS: Regional powers, global governance, and the roadmap for multipolar world. Emerging Economy Studies, 4(2), 182-191.

Cooper, A. F., & Flemes, D. (2013). Foreign policy strategies of emerging powers in a multipolar world: An introductory review. Third World Quarterly, 34(6), 943-962.

Kukreja, V. (2020). India in the emergent multipolar world order: Dynamics and strategic challenges. India Quarterly, 76(1), 8-23.

Peters, M. A. (2023). The emerging multipolar world order: A preliminary analysis. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 55(14), 1653-1663.

Sharma, S. N. (2017). Geopolitics and Terrorism in Asia-Pacific Region vis-a-vis India.

Putin's journey from KGB agent to the president of Russia

Putin was born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) in 1952. After graduating from Leningrad State University in 1975, he joined the KGB, the Soviet Union’s security agency, and served as a foreign intelligence officer for 16 years. During his time in the KGB, Putin was stationed in East Germany, where he reportedly recruited agents and monitored foreigners.

Creator: SPUTNIK | Credit: via REUTERS

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Putin entered politics and served as the head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB’s successor agency, from 1998 to 1999. He was appointed as prime minister by President Boris Yeltsin in August 1999, and later that year, he succeeded Yeltsin as president of Russia.

Putin’s rise to power was marked by a series of events that helped him consolidate his position. In 1999, a series of apartment bombings in Russia killed over 300 people, and the Russian government blamed Chechen separatists for the attacks. Putin used the bombings as a pretext to launch a military campaign against Chechnya, which helped him gain popular support in Russia.

Putin’s early years as president were marked by a number of reforms, including changes to the tax system, efforts to modernize the military, and the consolidation of power within the federal government. Putin also pursued a more assertive foreign policy, including the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

Putin has been criticized for his authoritarian tendencies, including restrictions on freedom of the press and the persecution of political opponents. He has been accused of ordering the assassination of journalists and dissidents, and his government has been accused of human rights abuses in Chechnya and other regions of Russia. Despite these criticisms, Putin remains a popular leader in Russia, with approval ratings that are consistently above 60%. He has been re-elected as president multiple times, most recently in 2018.

Putin’s journey from a KGB agent to the president of Russia is a remarkable story that reflects both his personal ambitions and the political landscape of Russia. While he has been criticized for his authoritarian tendencies, Putin remains a dominant figure in Russian politics and has had a significant impact on the country’s direction over the past two decades.

Russia remains India's top oil supplier for the month of november too.

Russia has for the first time emerged as top oil supplier to India replacing Iraq as refiners last month snapped up oil from Moscow fearing a price cap from Dec. 5 could hit supplies and choke payment avenues, data obtained from trade sources showed.

India’s oil imports from Russia rose for the fifth straight month, totaling 908,000 barrels per day (bpd) in November, up 4% from October, the data showed.

The Group of Seven nations, Australia, and the 27 European Union countries have imposed a price cap of $60 a barrel on Russian seaborne oil from Dec. 5 as the West tries to limit Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.

India, which rarely used to buy Russian oil because of costly logistics, has emerged as Russia’s second biggest oil client after China as refiners snap up discounted crude shunned by Western nations since the February invasion of Ukraine.

Higher purchases of Russian oil dragged down Indian imports from the Middle East and member nations of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) declined to the lowest ever in November, the data showed.

Russia offers India large ship on lease.

Russia has offered India to lease and build very large crude carriers (VLCC) as insurance on Russian oil. “Traditionally India couldn’t get large quantities of crude from Russia as there weren’t any VLCC’s. However, now with India’s imports from Russia reaching nearly 30 per cent of total requirement, VLCC is the need of the hour.

This can also remove insurance liability on India as after price cap most insurers have backed out from insuring Russian crude,” say sources. This offer was given  when Russian Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak met India’s Ambassador to Russia, Pavan Kapoor on December 9th.

In 2021, bilateral trade between Russia, India increased by 46.5 per cent, exceeding $13.5 billion. From January to September 2022 trade reached $20.4 billion.

Japan was the target of Russia, before invading Ukraine.

Months before President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was planning to attack Japan, according to an alleged letter from a whistleblower at Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB). 

In March, an FSB agent, dubbed the ‘Wind of Change’ reportedly wrote a letter to Vladimir Osechkin, a Russian human-rights activist who runs the anti-corruption website Gulagu.net and now lives in exile in France after he was placed on a wanted list by the Russian government.

He is accused of leaking an enormous trove of documents, photos, and videos with hundreds of cases of rape and torture of inmates in Russian prisons directed by prison officials.

Russia showed a great gesture of friendship towards India by recognising the disputed area as integral part of Indian region.

Moscow: India’s friend Russia has recognized Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India. This has been seen in the map of SCO member countries issued by the Russian government. According to media reports, the map released shows Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (POK) and Aksai Chin as well as the entire Arunachal Pradesh as part of India. Despite Pakistan and China being member countries of the SCO, Moscow has taken this step. 
This map has further strengthened the Indian side on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at the international level and within the SCO.

The Soviet Union and Russia have backed India on Kashmir since 1947 and have used veto in the UNSC to block anti-India resolutions. Moscow has repeatedly said Kashmir was a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan, preventing any internationalisation of the dispute.

2020-21: Fires, Heat and Rains

2020 started with forest fires in Canada, Brazil and bush fires across Australian coast, causing the death of at least two billion animals.

Tourism Australia Bites Back On 'Viral Bushfire Misinformation'
The Australian Bush fires

Come 2021, Greek, Turkish and Italian people experienced one of the hottest summers in history in 2021. In the Hellenic Republic of Greece, the temperatures reached 45 degree Celsius on 4th August. While this might be a pretty regularly recorded temperature in the tropic, the Balkans and the Anatolian peninsula recording such temperatures is worrisome. The temperatures led to a spontaneous spread of forest fires in and across Europe, Canada and Turkey – and people across the globe shared the plight of Turkey on social media since Turkey is not habitual with these fires and hence lacks the number of helicopters and jets to control these fires.

Sicily wildfires, August 2021
Turkey battles wildfires for 6th day, EU to send planes
Turkish Wildfires have been unprecedented for the country

China recorded floods it had never seen in the last 50 years of its history in 2021. A very worst form of excessive rainfalls was recorded in central and western Europe in July 2021 with countries like Germany completely overwhelmed by floods. This is in addition to the already burning Amazons and even Asian countries recording instances of Forest fires in a time not traditionally identified with the same. Russia and Finland and US are also heading towards a quite imminent diplomatic crisis given that the Arctic has already lost more than 50% of its ice opening up the once frozen Tundra and permafrost to petroleum and uranium explorations with the obvious geopolitical control over the area being a chief topic of contention.

Arctic cold war: climate change has ignited a new polar power struggle
Climate change has ignited a new proxy struggle for the domination of the ocean.
Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100 - BBC News
These might be one of the last generation of the polar bears.

China and India claim to have planted at least a billion trees in the last 5 years with China keen on developing technologies that are associated with building forest towns – a human enclosure built within an artificial forest as the future of dwelling. France announced a closing of all its coal plants 2 years ahead of schedule. But is that all? Global statistics show a massive increase in demand for coal in 2020 and ’21.

Liuzhou Forest City | Stefano Boeri Architetti
The Liuzhou city might be the first forest city on the planet.

The images of environment recovering due to COVID might be fairly short lived.

Is Russia Banned From Olympics??

If you are following Tokyo Olympics 2020 closely, you might notice that there is no name of Russia instead you will find acronym ROC ( Russian Olympic Committee) . Even at the inauguration ceremony Russian flag was slightly modified and represented. Why is this so?? Is Russia banned from Olympics?? Here’s what to know—

In December 2019 World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) banned Russia from participating in any international events for four years. It was after the new revelation came up about a doping programme that Russia had been accused of. Many whistleblower and investigator reported that Russia had been running dope programme for many years in order to reach new heights. This investigation was going on for many years and in September 2018 WADA promised to lift the sanction only at the condition that Russia will hand over the data of athletes , so that thorough check could be done on them. Later Russia had been found tempering with the data, which led to the banning of Russia for 4 years.

It all started when in 2014 , 800 m runner of Russia ,Yolia Stepanova and her husband , who was the former employee of Russian Anti Doping Agency revealed that sophisticated doping programmes had been running in sports history of Russia. Two years later , another whistle blower – Grigory Rodchaenkov , a former head of RUSADA revealed the same.

This is the reason why ,though 335 sportsmen from Russia are participating in Olympics this year, they are refrained from using country’s name , flag and even national anthem. These are only the athletes that have been found having no relation with doping programmes. Russia is not only banned from Olympics but also from Fifa World Cup 2022 and Winter Olympics that will be held in 2022.

Can Russia ‘Checkmate’ US in global market,with its new fighter jet SU-75 (checkmate)?

Russian president Vladimir Putin in MAKS-2021,Moscow (Reuters)

On Saturday, last week in MAKS-2021 arms show, a new fighter jet nicknamed ‘Checkmate’ was unveiled in Moscow, in presence of Russian president Vladimir Putin.This MAKS arms show is a chance for Russian industry to introduce the public to the next generations of its flagship vehicles, as well as for smaller players to pitch their prototypes and concepts to prospective buyers.

SU-75 (Checkmate) Specifications

Prototype of ‘Checkmate’ fighter jet in MAKS-2021(Reuters)

This jet by Rostec subsidiary United Aircraft Corporation comes With split angled tails, a narrow fuselage suggesting presence of one engine, and diamond shaped wings, it looks similiar to f-35. This jet can fly up to 1,500 kilometers in a single sortie, while loaded with weapons and payload. It is Capable of continuous supersonic flight at the speed of 1,180 miles per hour and can share data with other fighters in the air and it’s also hinted that it might have AI abilities and drone control abilities. It can engage upto 6 targets simultaneously on land,sea or air.

Cost

This aircraft would cost between $25 million to $30 million and Moscow expects demand from the Middle East, Asia Pacific region and Latin America. The cost is extremely low as compared to F-35, which comes at a price of over $75 million.

Competition

USAF F-35 in action

It will compete with likes of Swedish JAS-39E/F Gripen,the Dassault Rafale, the Lockheed Martin F-35. and the Shenyang J-35. This jet is expected to take to the skies in 2023, with first batch expected in 2026. Moscow plans to produce 300 units of the aircraft over 15 years once the production begins.

Road ahead for this jet

Russia is known for its fighter jets like Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (F-16 killer), Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 foxbat,
Mikoyan MiG-29 (Fulcrum),Sukhoi SU-30. Countries like China, India, Egypt, Algeria,are the major buyers of Russian fighter jets. Russian jets are known for their ruggidity as compared with their US counterparts. Cold war is over long ago,but rivalry between Russia and US is still there and even in weapon market. Let’s see how many buyers this new hyped jet will attract in the global market.

8 pieces of clinching evidence that show how IAF’s Abhinandan shot down a Pakistani F-16

Belarus: Escalating political tension and sanctions

Belarus is an overlooked country that is located east of Poland and south of Lithuania and Latvia. It is bordered by Russia in the East and also bordered by Ukraine in the South. The landlocked country has an area of 207,600 square kilometers (80,200 square mi) and a population of little over 9 million people. Belarus was one of the newest countries that were formed after the disintegration of the USSR in 1991.

Alexander Lukashenko was elected Belarus’s first president of Belarus in 1994. Since then he has held the position and has been governing the country for more than 25 years. Lukashenko’s style of governance has been deemed as authoritative as there have been no free elections since he got elected. He has maintained many of the Pre-Soviet policies and Belarus’s Democracy Index rating is the lowest in Europe. In the 2020 Belarusian elections, Lukashenko was declared the winner against the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The election was marred by allegations of widespread electoral fraud. Many western countries had demanded a re-run but that never happened. This also triggered mass protests across the major cities in Belarus. But to control the critics and protesters, the government reacted with brute force, arresting demonstrators and sending numerous protestors behind the bars.

In May 2021 the kidnapping of opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega was another sign of the Belarusian government’s woes against any kind of critics. This was basically a state-sponsored hijacking of air piracy. This incident occurred on Ryanair Flight 4978 en route to Vilnius on May 23 when the plane was diverted to Minsk with a fake bomb threat from Belarusian air traffic control. After this violation of international aviation rules, both were arrested on questionable charges of organizing mass unrest.

Belarus has always swayed between Russia and the EU but recently European Union has imposed one of the toughest restrictions against Belarus. EU has blocked the sale or supply of major technology to Belarus, as well as restricted access to capital markets and trade in oil and potash. EU has also imposed airspace restrictions against Belarus. But any sanctions against Belarus must not target ordinary people. Because the land borders are already sealed off with Poland and Lithuania. The only viable option for Belarusian people was air travel. So this restriction will also affect the citizens of the country. To counter the problem of Potash sanctions, Lukashenko has struck a deal with his Russian business friend to create a new Potash mining and processing plant. But this will come at a cost of increased taxes for the individual citizens of Belarus amid the Covid-19 crisis and economic downturn. The United States has also imposed visa bans and other sanctions on 62 individuals who were identified as contributing to the Belarus crackdown.  

The citizens of Belarus deserve free Elections and a leader who can think about the citizens of the country instead of holding onto the power. With a progressive leader, Belarus could have been on par with the Baltic countries. The recent sanction might or might not work but in the end, the common citizens of the country suffer the most. 

References:

IS VACCINE DISCRIMINATION A BARRIER TO GLOBAL TRAVEL?

Who doesn’t love travelling? Travelling is all about collecting moments and exploring the world with comfort. Especially in the times of covid, where people are home bound, there is an eager need to travel and enjoy the freedom instead of staying at home because Beyond discovery, travel broadens our understanding of the planet, other species, and cultures, and assists us in becoming better global citizens. Apart from it, many people and students are home stuck who wanted to go abroad to pursue education and get back to their respective jobs in the other countries but are stuck due to pandemic. However, many countries have opened their doors for the Indian citizens to travel in their countries but the basic requirement to travel is vaccination.

 As well all know that in India Covaxin, produced in-house by Bharat Biotech in Hyderabad, and Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India in Pune, are presently being used in  coronavirus inoculation program. The WHO has approved the covishield but covaxin is yet to approve. So, there are the bunch of Indian citizens who are skeptical about the approval of covaxin and hence for now, they can’t travel abroad until and unless the vaccine is not approve by world health organization. Therefore, many people are of the opinion that the test should be the main basis to travel abroad and not the jabs. 

 Recently, S Jaishankar, the Union’s external affairs minister, said on Friday that international travel based on coronavirus (Covid-19) testing is “good enough,” despite the fact that some nations have made vaccination mandatory, and that a deal must be reached. He said after meeting with his Russian colleague, Sergey Lavrov, during a joint news conference that “People who are tested before foreign travel and tested on arrival is a good enough foundation for travel, but other countries have recently added the problem of vaccination,”

 India has previously demanded that each EU member state do so independently. Consider granting a similar exemption to those who have received Covid-19 vaccines in India, such as Covishield and Covaxin, and accepting the immunisation certificate obtained through the Cowin site. According to Jaishankar, he and Lavrov discussed how visitors from their respective nations are not “discriminated against” and how “understandings” about Indian and Russian travel to one other’s countries may be established. The continuing Covid-19 epidemic, according to the external affairs minister, has allowed Russia and India to display the strength of their collaboration, with the development of Sputnik vaccine being one of them. The Russian foreign minister also stated that both Russia and India are opposed to vaccine politicization, and that he is “sure” that the majority of nations would follow suit. 

Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, also stated that Russia is willing to discuss the possibility of coordinating their actions related to vaccinated citizens, including certification of those who have been vaccinated, and that they can reach an agreement in this area that will serve as an example to other countries.

    The Story of the Best Selling Video Game of all time: Tetris

    Tetris has its origin in the Dorodnitsyn Computing Centre (Research Lab). It was one of the foremost research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences, located in St Petersburg, Soviet Union (Now Russia). Created by software researcher Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, Tetris is a simple tile-matching game that took the world by storm upon it’s release.

    It was developed for Electronika 60, which was a computer, made in the Soviet Union. This period was the final stage of the Cold war Era and computers were becoming more popular as well.

    The game wasn’t intended as a commercial product just like the creation of the music record. But it was to be distributed freely among academic institutions around the Soviet Union and the economic bloc of countries aligned with the USSR in Eurasia, Africa, and the Americas that demonstrated use cases for the software.

    As USSR was a communist state, so Pajitnov did not technically own the program as the game was under the ownership of the state. Pajitnov along with the help of a colleague, Dmitry Pavlovsky, and a teen computer programmer, Vadim Gerasimov continued to work on the game project even though commercializing it would have been a risky move under the Soviet government. Gerasimov further ported the game from the old and bulky Elektronika 60 to the more widely used (IBM) compatible PCs.

    As Elektronika 60 had no graphics output, the individual blocks in the game were made of different text, but with the port in PC, they were able to support color graphics. This brought the game to life.

    Pajitnov and Gerasimov had started distributing Tetris for (PC) in 1985 among their friends and colleagues in various math or computer conventions. Soon the sharing spread and the game was smuggled outside USSR to Hungary. During mid-80s U.S and Japan had a more prevalent console market whereas, in Europe, gaming was primarily done on computers. There was a non-existent software market in Russia and most software was usually copied in floppy disks.

    Welcome screen of 1987 version of Tetris

    In 1986 Robert Stein, a salesman from the UK-based software company Andromeda spotted Tetris at Hungary’s Institute of Computer Science. He was convinced by the potential of the software and he struck an agreement with Pajitnov to sell the games internationally. But legally Tetris was still under the ownership of the Soviet government.  There was one problem, the agreement was only for the PC and not for any other platform and Stein has struck a deal with Sega to launch the game on their platform. Later Henk Rogers, another salesman from the Netherlands wanted to find a good launch game for the Nintendo’s new Game Boy handheld. The Soviet government was not happy with the Stein deal. But Rogers convinced the Soviet government and they agreed and he also formed a good relationship with Pajitnov. Later Andromeda’s license of Tetris was deemed illegal. Nintendo was given the right to launch the game on its console. The GameBoy was a platform to showcase one of the first video games exported from Russia. The game was a commercial hit and it has been ported to the most number platforms to date. The game also holds the record as the best-selling game of all time. In 1996, Pajitnov was able to reclaim the ownership of the rights and formed the Tetris Company, along with Henk Rogers. Even though he missed collecting the potential royalties for Tetris which were over hundreds of millions, he was still able to secure the future royalties.

    References:

    Baltic Countries and their economic transformation

    Baltics, also known as the Baltic States is comprised of three countries including Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. The three countries are situated on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. In 1991 the regional governments of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia declared independence from the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR). Three countries have a collective population of just over 6 million. The three have been one of the better examples which have been progressing well after the breakup of the USSR. Many other former Soviet republics have been suffering the disarray of corruption and political instability.

    In 2002 Baltic countries applied for membership in the European Union (EU) and by May 2004 all the three countries joined the EU. They also gained membership in NATO by March 2004.

    Downtown Tallinn

    Baltic independence in 1991

    It’s truly astounding how the three countries have developed since 1991. None of them were independent since 1940. The three countries had large Russian minorities and many Soviet soldiers were still stationed there. There were no major national institutions and banking infrastructure with a crumbling economy. There was a growing homegrown national moment against the ruling government since the 1980s. The homegrown fronts won the republican parliamentary election against the ruling party in early 1990 and were allowed to govern but with limited power. The Russian president at that time, Boris Yeltsin had not contested their newly declared independence in 1991. The Baltic also witnessed no violence when the three governments had declared their independence.

    The three nations also had almost no natural resources, unlike USSR which was resource-rich. They were still in a very vulnerable situation with a small population and no military of their own. Even though the countries were linguistically distinct with different languages, but people in all three countries had a united drive to strive for a better future. The three had implemented reforms with a shared vision. The governments of the three shared many policies, ideas, and experiences. The Baltic States also valued their new independence with a lot of enthusiasm and didn’t take it for granted. The other ex- USSR countries often had to ask for assistance from Russian Federation and also formed new alliances with the Russian government. Baltic countries on the other hand tried to stay away from joining the post-Soviet Commonwealth of Independent States. In the subsequent years, all the three countries adopted radical economic policies and Estonia was the first mover and Latvia and Lithuania would follow suit. In 1994 Estonia introduced a flat income tax at just 24 percent and the other two also implemented the policies. Currently, Lithuania has a tax rate of just 15 percent which is one of the lowest. With early and fast deregulation and privatization, the Baltic countries were able to capture a large amount of foreign direct investment. Estonia also radically transformed its public sector with various digitalization implementations and less reliance on paperwork. Latvian and Lithuania’s transformation in this area was not as drastic but after some time both of them followed Estonia’s footsteps.  Transparency International ranks Estonia No. 17, Lithuania 37, and Latvia 42 out of 175 countries on its Corruption Perception Index for 2020. This is a commendable ranking considering they all the three are a relatively new entrant to the EU and many other EU countries have lower ranks than the three.

    Success attributions

    The success can also be attributed to the generous support that the three countries received from the international community and funds granted by the EU, World Bank, and the IMF. In 2008 Baltic suffered from the global economic crisis. The three soon adopted the Euro as their currency to avoid any future liquidity freeze issues that they experienced at that time. The economies al the Baltic rebounded quickly and due to good monetary measures, the three have a very low public debt. Baltic governments have also made swift progress in the Education sector and the three have attained commendable rankings in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Estonia has done a very commendable task in this area with top 10 rankings in many assessments.  But the Baltics also face many challenges with population loss due to low birth rate and emigration. Proximity and hostility with Russia still is a challenge that the tiny nations have to endure.        

    Russia invated by Napoleon and Grand Army

    On 24 June, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, crossed the Neman River, invading Russia from present-day Poland. Eventually this resulted in disaster for the French.

    To intimidate Alexander, Napoleon massed his forces in Poland in the spring of 1812, but still the czar resisted. On June 24, Napoleon ordered his Grande Armée, the largest European military force ever assembled to that date, into Russia.



    Which all started when Russian army refused to engage with Napoleon’s Grande Armée of all most 500,000 European troops. Though the Grande Armée did not have enough supplies or the distribution networks required for such a long march. However french strategists assumed the Grande Armée would be supplied by wagons, or would be able to gather supplies as they went. Furthermore, Grande Armée also failed to prepare for Russia’s harsh winter. Its troops were not dressed or trained for the kind of weather they faced.



    Besides the invasion lasted six months, and the Grande Armée lost more than 300,000 men during the process. On the other side Russia lost more than 200,000 too. This single battle resulted in more than 70,000 casualties in one day. The invasion of Russia effectively halted Napoleon’s march across Europe, and resulted in his first exile, to the Mediterranean island of Elba.

    Vaccination and COVID-19

    How long has it been since we went to school met our friends or had a family dinner at some restaurant? Since March 2020, we have all been advised to stay home and sanitise ourselves in order to stay safe. Sanitizers and masks have been added to our daily use products, all because of one tiny yet dangerous virus Covid-19!

    The world is now waiting anxiously for a vaccine against this dreaded virus. Researchers around the world are working round the clock to develop vaccines to combat the pandemic. Currently, more than 165 vaccines against the corona virus are under process and 27 vaccines are undergoing human trials. Vaccines typically require years of research and testing before reaching the clinic. Today, scientists all over the world are racing to produce a safe and effective vaccine by next year.

    • When did the efforts start

    Efforts to make a successful Covid-19 vaccine began in January 2020 with the deciphering of the SARS-CoV -2 genome. The first vaccine safety trials in humans started in March but the road ahead remains uncertain. Some trials will fail and others may end without a clear result. But a few may succeed in stimulating the immune system to produce effective antibodies against the virus.

    • India and vaccine against Covid-19

    Like many other countries, India too is immersed in the efforts to develop successful vaccines to counter Covid-19. Thirty different Indian companies are trying to produce a vaccine to fight the infection. 7 out of these have received approval from the World Health Organization. These vaccines are in different stages of testing and clinical trials now.

    COVAXIN

    COVAXIN is developed by Hyderabad based Bharat Biotech International Limited in collaboration with ICMR and NIV, Pune. This is the first vaccine from India to get regulatory approval. The vaccine makes us an inactive version of a virus to spike up production of antibodies in the host body. It recently initiated Phase I and Phase II of clinical testing.

    ZyCoV-D

    ZyCoV-D is being developed by Zydus Cadila based in Ahmedabad. The Phase I trials of the vaccine have already begun. Extensive research was done regarding the same in collaboration with medical labs in Europe and US.

    • Russia and vaccine against Covid-19

    Russia is one of the countries worst affected by Covid-19. The country has been pushing extensively for a Covid-19 vaccine for quite some time now; Russia too is a part of the race to produce the world’s first Covid vaccine. It is possible that Russia would be ready with its first domestic corona virus vaccine soon. The clinical trials were conducted by the Gamaleya National Research centre of Epidemiology and microbiology. There seem to be no reports of side effects on the volunteers. All the participants showed immunity and the country is planning for the serial production of the vaccine by September. By the beginning of next year, Russia hopes to manufacture several million doses of corona virus vaccines per month.

    • Oxford University’s efforts to develop a vaccine

    The university of Oxford has partnered with AstraZeneca, a British-Swedish pharmaceutical company to develop an adenovirus vector vaccine to combat Covid-19. The vaccine prototype is currently in Phase III of testing. Trials of the vaccine developed by Oxford University show it can trigger an immune response. The vaccine which has so far been found to be safe and effective is expected to be made available for the masses by the end of 2020. This vaccine would also be the first such vaccine to have a large scale testing in India. The observatory data for this vaccine is expected to be available by November this year. The company has tied up with Pune based serum institute of India to mass produce the vaccine once the company gets required approvals and licensing from medical boards.

    • Some methods used to make vaccines for Covid-19

    Different scientists across the world try different techniques and formulas to develop vaccines. The Oxford researchers have put small sections of the corona virus genetic code into a harmless virus that infects chimpanzees. They appear to have developed a safe virus that looks enough like the corona virus to produce an immune system. Some other scientists have used pieces of raw genetic code, either DNA or RNA. When these are injected into the body it would start producing bits of viral proteins which the immune system can learn to fight. There is also work on corona virus vaccines called ‘plug and play’ vaccines. This method is new and less tested.

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