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Sanganer MLA Bhajanlal Sharma was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan at a high-profile ceremony, attended by thousands of BJP workers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, several Union Ministers, and the CMs of BJP-ruled States were in attendance.
Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr. Sharma and Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa.
The function was held in front of the Albert Hall in the Ram Niwas Garden. Mr. Sharma, who was the BJP’s State general secretary till recently, took charge of the State on the day he turned 56.
Three stages were put up at the swearing-in ceremony to accommodate different groups. Over 50 Hindu priests and seers were seated at one stage, while all the political leaders occupied chairs on another stage.
India’s exports dipped 2.83% in November (Page no. 1)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India’s goods exports slipped back into contraction to drop 2.83% in November to $33.9 billion, while imports fell by a sharper 4.33% to $54.48 billion.
The trade deficit for November eased sharply beyond expectations to $20.58 billion from the all-time high of $29.91 billion recorded in October.
Exports had recorded only their second uptick this year in October.
Editorial
Opportune moment to rediscover Chennai’s hydrology (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 3, Environment)
Unusually heavy rainfall years have been becoming more frequent in recent decades in India. As a result, people are also experiencing more frequent occurrences of floods in several parts of the country including Chennai.
These are considered climate change-induced floods/disasters. But the key question remains. Chennai suffered the serious impacts of floods in 2005, 2015 and, again, in 2023. Although each one of these floods is unique in their own way, the impact has been devastating, increasing year after year.
The flood in 2023 is considered the worst in the past 47 years. But the main concern is whether we have learned any lessons from past flood events.
A few pertinent questions arise in this context: To what extent are the floods that occur due to historical human errors or blunders? To what extent has conventional wisdom followed by the State helped mitigate floods and droughts? What are the lessons learnt from the past extreme events? What should be done to make the city of Chennai flood resilient? And, how does one convert disaster into opportunity so that the city of Chennai also gets abundant water supply?
A time-honoured connect that will help bridge the Gulf (Page no. 6)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
The Sultan of Oman, Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, is visiting India from December 16 on a state visit. This is his first visit to India after taking over in January 2020 following the passing of Sultan Qaboos.
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, had visited Oman in February 2018 in his first visit to Oman as Prime Minister. In what proved to be a landmark visit, key agreements on trade, defence and security were agreed upon, making it a milestone in diplomatic relations between India and Oman.
Oman is the closest neighbour to India in the Arabian Gulf region. With key Omani ports abutting the coastline along the Arabian Sea as well as the Gulf of Oman leading into the Persian Gulf and towards the Gulf of Aden, Oman’s location is of utmost strategic importance to India.
Along with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman completes the trio of key strategic partners of India in the Gulf region.
Business
Exports shrink again, trade deficit narrows as imports fall faster (Page no. 11)
(GS Paper 3, Economy)
India’s goods exports slipped back into contraction, dropping 2.83% in November to $33.9 billion, while imports fell by a sharper 4.33% to $54.48 billion.
Exports had recorded only their second uptick this year in October, and though the value of outbound shipments was up 1.1% on a month-on-month basis, they still marked the second-weakest level since November 2022.
The trade deficit for November narrowed sharply beyond expectations to $20.58 billion, from the all-time high of $29.91 billion recorded in October. November’s trade deficit was 6.7% narrower on a year-on-year basis, and 31.2% less than October’s tally.
The originally estimated deficit of $31.5 billion for October was revised downward thanks to a $1.6 billion correction from the initially released import estimate of $65.03 billion.
Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal asserted that ‘trade is not one-way traffic and should be seen in a global context’.
“GDP growth is not high in many countries and interest rates have not gone down. Although global trade is suffering, we are holding fort and our exports have beaten the global trends in 2023 by a significant margin.
World
U.S., Israel discuss timetable to scale back war in Gaza (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
The U.S. and Israel have discussed a timetable for scaling back intense combat operations in the war against Hamas, even though they agree the overall fight will take months, an envoy said on Friday, amid growing American unease about the mounting death toll in Gaza.
U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the besieged enclave’s postwar future.
In meetings with Israeli leaders, Mr. Sullivan discussed a timetable for winding down the intense combat phase of the war.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told Mr. Sullivan that it would take months to destroy Hamas, but did not say whether his estimate referred to the current phase of heavy airstrikes and ground battles.
Maldives will not renew agreement for joint hydrographic survey with India: top official (Page no. 12)
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Hot on the heels of the Maldives’ demand that Indian troops be removed from the island nation, the Cabinet has decided against renewing a 2019 MoU with India for hydrographic surveying, a top official in Malé.
According to Mohamed Shahyb, Chief Spokesperson at President Mohamed Muizzu’s office, the Cabinet recently decided that the MoU, which is due to expire in 2023, will not be renewed.
“It’s a decision by the Cabinet,” Mr. Shahyb told when asked to comment on the reason behind the move.
Following the 2019 agreement, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) and the Indian Navy have carried out three joint hydrographic surveys in February and March 2021, April and May 2022, and in January and February 2023, according to a statement issued by the High Commission of India in Maldives earlier this year, following the latest survey.
The surveys will generate updated Navigational Charts/ Electronic Navigational Charts that would “enhance the navigational safety of ships and enhance the Blue Economy of Maldives.