India’s downward trend in fresh coronavirus infections
The daily new cases fell below 10,000 for the third time this month.
India’s tally is now 10.9 million cases and fresh reported fatalities were recorded below 100 for the eighth time this month, according to Health Ministry data.
Around 2 million doses of vaccine have been administered to health-care workers and some frontline workers.
India has also managed to donate vaccines to neighbouring countries.
ICMR’s serology survey - only around 21% of the population has been exposed to the virus
However, the government’s message to not be complacent and continue to adhere to mask use is in the right scientific spirit, given the uncertainty about virus evolution.
Improve public confidence
A disengagement deal better than expected
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh delivered a carefully worded statement in Parliament about the breakthrough which envisages a pullback by both sides in “a phased, coordinated and verified manner”.
It also caught off guard those who scoff at the notion of a peaceful resolution of territorial differences in keeping with the longer-term interests of both Asian giants.
The intentions of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) were thwarted by India’s robust military response guided by a resolute Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The bloody incident at Galwan on June 15, 2020, the first involving casualties since 1975.
India has consistently highlighted the view that peace is a fundamental prerequisite for the normal conduct of relations.
Indian Army had carried out daring manoeuvres to take up advantageous positions along the Kailash range on the southern bank.
Having acquired powerful leverage, Indian troops dug in for the long haul and mirrored the PLA’s deployments.
The message was unambiguous. India was not going to cave in and stood ready to impose a harsh penalty if China engaged in any act of adventurism.
The endurance of the Indian Army through the harsh winter months has been extraordinary.
China appears to have realised that a prolonged stand-off, hardly a part of its original calculus and of little avail militarily or politically, was permanently impairing bilateral relations.
India’s tough negotiators, both diplomatic and military, have ensured that our troops retain their presence at the permanent Indian post at Finger 3.
There is little doubt that cautious diplomatic and military planning and hawk-like vigil will be called for throughout the implementation.
The government has reposed full faith in its armed forces and negotiators.
The truth is that India’s tough military and diplomatic posture has paid off, resulting in an honourable disengagement.
Opening up the vaccine market
Today, India completes nearly four weeks since it began administering the two COVID-19 vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin.
During this period, the country has managed to give the first dose of the vaccine to only about eight million people, which is about 0.6% of the population.
Seroprevalence surveys suggest that some 400 million people already have antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in India.
Assuming true herd immunity is reached when 60% of the population develops antibodies against the virus.
For a population of 1.3 billion, that would require over 780 million people to develop antibodies either naturally or through vaccines
The rules and elements of a free market, such as competition, choice, and prices, will go a long way in advancing social welfare.
Not opening up the market for many options suggests that there may be other considerations at play here, which are beyond the health and welfare of citizens.
Economists point out that since vaccines boost health and immunity, creating additional private motivations with a free market makes rational sense in India’s context.
We will have to wait and hope that good sense prevails before mutating virus strains minimise our chances of efficient social and policy responses.
Endless war
Biden administration’s decision to end U.S. support for Saudi Arabia’s Yemen war
The U.S. offered support to Saudi Arabia’s campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen when Barack Obama was the President.
Donald Trump continued that policy, overlooking the disastrous effects of the war that has turned Yemen, one of the poorest Arab countries, into a humanitarian catastrophe.
Saudi Arabia ended a nearly four-year-long blockade of Qatar, another American ally, after Mr. Biden was elected President.
It has also signalled that it would carry out domestic reforms keeping human rights in focus.
But it is yet to make any definite moves to wrap up the Yemen conflict.
While these multiple factions continued to fight, more than 10,000 people were killed in attacks and tens of thousands more died of preventable diseases.
Yemen also stares at famine.
It is a lose-lose war for everyone.
Saudi Arabia has failed to oust the Houthis from Sana’a and is now facing frequent rocket and drone attacks by the rebels.
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