07 Sep 2023 : The Indian Express

Editorial 1 : This is G 20 for we, the people

Recent context:

• Recently, 2023 G20 Leaders' Summit is going to be held in New Delhi on September 9-10. The theme of India's G20 Presidency - “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” or “One Earth · One Family · One Future”

Philosophical dimension of the G20 theme

• “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — these two words capture a deep philosophy. The phrase means “the world is one family”.
• This is an all-embracing outlook that encourages us to progress as one universal family, transcending borders, languages, and ideologies. During India’s G20 Presidency, this has translated into a call for human-centric progress.
•  As One Earth, we are coming together to nurture our planet. As One Family, we support each other in the pursuit of growth.
• And we move together towards a shared future — One Future — which is an undeniable truth in these interconnected times.

Significant changes in world order after the Covid-19 pandemic

• The post-pandemic world order is very different from the world before it. There are three important changes, among others.
• First, there is a growing realisation that a shift away from a GDP-centric view of the world to a human-centric view is needed.
• Second, the world is recognising the importance of resilience and reliability in global supply chains.
• Third, there is a collective call for boosting multilateralism through the reform of global institutions.

India aims to fulfill the vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

• India’s G20 Presidency has played the role of a catalyst in these shifts. India’s raised the concern and make consistent effort in mainstreaming the marginalised aspirations of developing countries, the Global South and Africa.
• The Voice of Global South Summit, which witnessed participation from 125 countries, was one of the foremost initiatives under India Presidency.
• It was an important exercise to gather inputs and ideas from the Global South. Further, It is not only seen the largest-ever participation from African countries but has also pushed for the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of the G20.

Inclusive vision of G20 will help in achieving SDGs

• An interconnected world means our challenges across domains are interlinked. This is the midway year of the 2030 Agenda and many are noting with great concern that the progress on SDGs is off-track.
• The G20 2023 Action Plan on Accelerating Progress on SDGs will spearhead the future direction of the G20 towards implementing SDGs.

India’s efforts to counter climate change: Sustainable life style; A message to all

• In India, living in harmony with nature has been a norm since ancient times and we have been contributing our share towards climate action even in modern times.
• As, India believes that there is a need to move away from a purely restrictive attitude of what should not be done, to a more constructive attitude focusing on what can be done to fight climate change.
• Indian has made various efforts for climate change which leave the marks for other nations to fight against climate change For e.g. The Chennai HLPs for a Sustainable and Resilient Blue Economy focus on keeping oceans healthy and A global ecosystem for clean and green hydrogen will emerge from India’s presidency, along with a Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre.
• Therefore, many countries of the Global South are at various stages of development and climate action must be a complementary pursuit and Ambitions for climate action must be matched with actions on climate finance and transfer of technology

Inclusive growth and development under G20 summit

• India is the fastest-growing large economy is no accident and its simple, scalable and sustainable solutions have empowered the vulnerable and the marginalised to lead our development story.
• From space to sports, economy to entrepreneurship, Indian women have taken the lead in various sectors.
• They have shifted the narrative from the development of women to women-led development.
• Therefore, India  G20 Presidency is working on bridging the gender digital divide, reducing labour force participation gaps and enabling a larger role for women in leadership and decision-making.

Conclusion: For India, the G20 Presidency is not merely a high-level diplomatic endeavour. As the mother of Democracy and a model of diversity, India has opened the doors of this experience to the world.

Editorial 2 : Chandrayaan 3 success: India’s role in democratising space

Context:

• India is achieving the new heights in the space programmes and in order to enhance its role in space India has made important initiates such as
•  First, India signed US Artemis Accords, a non-binding arrangement with NASA, which explores the implementation of provisions of the Outer Space Treaty, 1967 and other international instruments
•  Second, the deepened the US-India engagements, particularly iCET — establishment of the US-India Civil Space and Commercial Space Working Groups — has met with excitement and expectations.
•  Furthermore, Chandrayaan 3 landing on moon is appropriate time to evaluate recent developments that have far-reaching implications for the future of outer space activities for peaceful purposes, and, perhaps for the future of the Outer Space Treaty itself.

Understanding the term “global common” in outer space

• Traditionally, “global common” is used to define those parts of the planet that fall outside the sovereignty of any state. It is a concept built upon the legacy of Grotius’s idea of mare liberum (free sea), an idea that aimed to preserve the freedom of access and benefit of all.
•  The term is used typically to describe supra-national and global resource domains in which common-pool resources are found. The UN identifies four “global commons”, namely the high seas, the atmosphere, Antarctica and the outer space.
•  The question has been discussed since the prospect of off-Earth commercial planetary resource extraction and utilisation became a possibility in the second decade of the 21st century.

Significance of global common

• It is argued that outer space is a “global common” and must remain so, concerned that the rejection of this widely accepted, fundamental construct threatens the ability of developing countries to benefit from freedom of access and benefit of all guaranteed under the principles of the Outer Space Treaty

What if outer space is not subject to global common ?

• In the absence of an authoritative definition, “global commons” could be viewed from two perspectives.
• First, geopolitical or military relevance, it is generally viewed as an enabling concept. When we consider “global common” from these perspectives, it is not surprising that security establishments across the world recognise domains beyond the national jurisdictions, including the high seas, the air space outside territorial bodies of a state, and outer space, as vital connecting channels for the international order.
  • Others recognise outer space as a vital operational domain for keeping their nation safe while upholding international law.
  • After all, if outer space as a “global common” were rejected then it will compromise the high seas definition and collective regional security initiatives for open sea access that is vital for a nation’s security and economy.
• Second, “global common” is viewed as a constraining concept based on the economic and commercial implications of shared resources, which could be overused by some at the expense of others, regardless of national jurisdiction.
  • “Commons” is seen as constraining because it is associated with notions of shared ownership, public governance, or limitations on use.

Moon and celestial bodies are not subject to national appropriation but are the  property of mankind at large.: “Common heritage of mankind”

• Article 11(3) Moon Agreement, 1979 is associated with the “common heritage of mankind” (CHM) . It  was a new concept that created a territorial status in which the Moon and celestial bodies are themselves not subject to national appropriation, but the fruits and resources of which are also deemed to be the property of mankind at large.
• CHM is not limited to outer space. The 1970 UN General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution that “the seabed and ocean floor, and the subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, as well as the resources of the area are the common heritage of mankind.
• Thus, to some, the high seas beyond territorial waters is a “global common” allowing freedom of navigation and access to all (an enabling concept), others may refer to the deep-sea bed as a “global common” (in a constraining sense).

Evolving of international laws related to outer space

• Over decades of consistent state practice, the principles of the Outer Space Treaty, 1967, have transformed into rules of customary international law. Today, outer space is a democratised domain.
•  Over 80 countries access outer space, deriving benefits from space-based satellite services for every aspect of their national life, even though there are only 11 space-faring nations (including ESA).

Conclusion:

• Therefore, India is at a threshold it has never reached before. This would be the time to play a significant part in determining the content and contours of a future international framework for the management of space resources.

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