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Drone Attacks on Saudi Oil Facilities
Isha saxena
Saudi Arabia witnessed one of the most damaging attacks on its oil installations on the 14th of September, 2019. Two major oil facilities, run by state-owned company ARAMCO, were targeted through drone attacks. This led to a deduction in 50 percent of the state's global oil supply and this has resulted in an unexpected price surge in the oil market. The responsibility of the attacks has been claimed by Houthis, a rebel group in Yemen. The group has expressed staunch opposition to the Saudi intervention in Yemen, which has created massive disruptions and human rights violations in the country.
The geopolitical tensions in the West Asian region have boiled up as the US has outrightly blamed Iran for carrying out the attacks. The US is extremely sceptical about the operation of attacks from Yemen, as this was deep in the Saudi territory, which has a substantial distance from the Yemeni soil. This speaks a lot about the dominant pattern of the equation in the Gulf, USA is directing the world's attention to the US-Iran-Saudi animosity and how it plays a role in these attacks. Saudi Arabia and the US have been sharing robust ties for a long time, they even share each other's support in ousting Iran.The current situation is such where Iran and Saudi happen to be regional opponents and the US has re-imposed sanctions on Iran, which has led to a rise in aggression from Iran's end.
The attacks have added to the violence and conflict that the region is already fraught with. UN investigations say that the Houthis have acquired advanced drones, which can leave an enormously destructive impact. Drones, in general, are becoming more accessible, especially to non-state actors and militant organizations and therefore technology is being used for wrong reasons. This particular attack did not lead to any casualty but it has severely increased the danger in the region.
Indo-Russia Deal
Ishita singh
The 20th Indo-Russia Annual Summit was held in Vladivostok from 4 September to 6 September 2019 is seen as a step towards the further consolidation of bilateral relations between the two nations. The manifestation of Indo-Russia relations can be traced back to the Cold War when the Treaty of Peace and Friendship was signed between India and the Soviet Union in 1971. Following the disintegration of the latter, India and Russia signed an agreement ascertaining a strategic partnership in October 2000. Although the relationship underwent a tumultuous period, initiatives have been taken by both India and Russia to work towards the pursuit of robust and strategic relations. In the Annual Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin reinstated and prioritized the "strong, multifaceted trade and economic cooperation" to be the foundation of the expanding Indo-Russian relations. They signed several agreements including trade, maritime connectivity, defense, natural gas, nuclear energy, and hydrocarbon cooperation. The leaders also declared that the bilateral trade between India and Russia would be tripled to $ 30 billion by 2025.
Furthermore, Prime Minister Modi participated in the Fifth Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) held in Vladivostok, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to do so. The EEF was established in 2015 as an initiative of the Russian government to attain Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to develop the natural resources and connectivity of its eastern region. The area comprises one-third of Russia's territory and stretches from the Lake Baikal to the Pacific Ocean. Prime Minister Modi pledged a line of credit of $ 1 billion to facilitate the development of Russia's Far East region. The two countries also agreed to establish a maritime link between Chennai and Vladivostok to boost trade and reduce the transport time from 40 to 24 days. India's initiatives with Russia are seen as its efforts to counter the growing Chinese footprint in the region. Moreover, India and Russia have been pursuing talks to launch the manufacturing of components of the S-400 Air Defense System in India. In 2018, India's procurement of five S-400 from Russia triggered a warning of Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) by the United States. However, it can be seen that through its diplomatic efforts India is striving to balance its relationship with both, the United States and Russia.
Tunisian Election: Upcoming Face of Democracy
Nischal Dave
Elections are a busy affair for the country and for the politicians contesting in it, having said that Tunisia, the African nation underwent its second phase of parliamentary elections on Sunday, 6th of October 2019. This was followed by the first phase of the Presidential election held on 15th September 2019 out of the three phases scheduled this fall. The voter’s turnout was moderate at 41 percent but it was lower as compared to the first phase which stood at 49 percent. Tunisian democracy is at its nascent stages after the 2011 historic Arab Spring uprising and finds itself in a precarious position with the two leading candidates i.e. Kais Saied and Nabil Karoui, running for the President’s seat, the latter is behind the bars on the charges of tax evasion and money laundering.
The two parties going head to head in this election are the Ennahda Party and the QalbTounes, the exit polls indicate the former’s lead while the results are due on Wednesday, 9th of October. The elections witnessed a fragmented outcome since no single party or list garnered votes more than 20 percent. Islamist Party Ennahda’s narrow lead is based on its support for the Independent candidate Kais Saied, targeting its voters and falling back on religious and revolutionary sentiments. QalbTounes is the second-placed, inexperienced party, rides its election campaign as the voice of the poor and outcasts. The party is led by the media tycoon Nabil Kuroi, who is already facing charges.
Although these two parties are well placed, they don’t have a clear majority to form the government, hence it is important for them to cooperate as well as include smaller parties like Democratic Current, Pan-Arab or the People’s movement to fulfill the mandate. The elections have critically altered Tunisia’s political landscape while the country awaits the result on Wednesday with the third phase of elections to be conducted.
5G and India
Salma Basheer
The evolution in technology is the need of the fast-moving world of today. The introduction of the 5G technology, which is said to be ten times faster than the 4G technology, can address this concern by providing a platform for the industries over various sectors on innovations with improved performance, efficiency and cost.
The 5G technology holds a great significance for China, as it plays a crucial role in both technological sectors as well for the economy of the country. The reason China has become an important player in the sector is its ability to make technology available on a large scale and the acquired expertise in wireless technology has made the competition between the US and China more intense. The US banned Chinese company Huawei, the largest telecom supplier, and the second-largest phone manufacturer, over security concerns. This race along with the trade wars between the two countries have high repercussions for India’s relationship with the two countries.
India, being an emerging economy, can benefit tremendously with the introduction of 5G technology. The country has been offered several 5G proposals by Huawei, the security concerns have however made India skeptical of the offers. Cheng Mingjie, Huawei India CEO urged the Indian government to take an independent decision regarding the technology by considering the long-term benefits and by not getting influenced by the US.
India's position on the 5G technology is important as it portrays to the world whether the country is multi-aligned or more US inclined. Though there have been various instances to prove that the US is highly influential on India's decision-making, in this case, India's stand to avoid Chinese players over security concerns is justified, as India also finds the rise of China as a threat.