Latest news with #India-Paraguay
Indian Express
a day ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Mains answer practice — GS 2: Questions on India-Paraguay relations and the role of Lok Sabha Speaker (Week 105)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-2 to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Examine the possibilities for India-Paraguay relations to strengthen India's engagement with Latin America. Discuss the strategic importance of their partnership in countering terrorism and addressing transnational threats like cybercrime and drug trafficking. Examine the Lok Sabha Speaker's constitutional position, powers, and responsibilities with reference to regulating the Business of the House. Introduction — The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction. — It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts. Body — It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content. — The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points. — Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse. — Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer. — Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required. Way forward/ conclusion — The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction. — You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers. Self Evaluation — It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers. QUESTION 1: Examine the possibilities for India-Paraguay relations to strengthen India's engagement with Latin America. Discuss the strategic importance of their partnership in countering terrorism and addressing transnational threats like cybercrime and drug trafficking. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Paraguay's President Santiago Peña Palacios, stating that the two countries are 'united in the fight against terrorism' and can work together to combat 'shared challenges' like cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking. — President Peña's State Visit to India marks his first visit and only the second by a Paraguayan president. On June 2, 2025, President Peña paid a visit to India and met with the Prime Minister to discuss bilateral relations. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — India and Paraguay established diplomatic relations on September 13, 1961, fostering warm and friendly connections between the two countries. Both countries have since collaborated in a variety of fields, including trade, agriculture, health, medicines, and information technology. — Paraguay is a significant trade partner for India in the Latin American region. Several Indian companies in the automotive and pharmaceutical sectors have a presence in Paraguay, while certain Paraguayan companies, primarily through joint venture corporations, have a presence in India, contributing to the two countries' economic links. — The two countries have similar views on a variety of international topics, including UN reforms, climate change, renewable energy, and terrorist prevention. — India and Paraguay are unified in their fight against terrorism. There is enormous potential for collaboration in combating common threats such as cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking. Conclusion: — There are new prospects for collaboration in fields such as digital technology, essential minerals, energy, agriculture, healthcare, defence, railways, space, and global economic partnership. — The Prime Minister also mentioned New Delhi's advantageous trade relationship with the South American trading bloc MERCOSUR, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. (Source: India, Paraguay vow to boost ties; united against terror: PM) Points to Ponder Read more about MERCOSUR Read more about India and South American countries relationship Related Previous Year Questions 'India is an age-old friend of Sri Lanka.' Discuss India's role in the recent crisis in Sri Lanka in the light of the preceding statement. (2022) Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security.' Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council's Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level. (2024) QUESTION 2: Examine the Lok Sabha Speaker's constitutional position, powers, and responsibilities with reference to regulating the Business of the House. Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers. Introduction: — The Speaker's Office plays an important role in our parliamentary democracy. — The Speaker's Office has been described as representing the complete authority of the House, whilst members of Parliament represent individual constituencies. — He/she represents the dignity and power of the House over which he/she presides. — The Speaker serves from the date of his/her election until the first sitting of the Lok Sabha following the dissolution of the one to which he/she was elected. He or she is eligible for re-election. Body: You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer: — The Speaker's Chair is prominently positioned in the Lok Sabha Chamber, providing him or her with a commanding view of the whole House. — He/she also benefits from the directions issued by his/her predecessors, which are collated on a regular basis. In addition, the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and senior Secretariat staff assist him/her with parliamentary duties, as well as practice and procedure. — In the absence of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker performs his or her duties. When the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are not present, a member of the Panel of Chairmen preside over the House. Regulating the Business of the House — The Presiding Officer decides if a Question is admissible; he or she also decides what forms amendments to the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address can be moved in. — If a bill is pending in the House, the Speaker determines whether or not to allow modifications to specific parts of the bill. — Under Article 110(3), only the Speaker has the authority to certify that a bill is a money bill. The advantage of this procedure is obvious: the money bill cannot be enacted or rejected by the Rajya Sabha. It can simply make a suggestion that may or may not be adopted by the Lok Sabha, which alone has a final say in the matter. — He/she regulates all topics not specifically covered by the rules, as well as all concerns about how the rules work. — The Speaker also serves on the tribunal that determines cases of MP defection, which can be extremely beneficial to the parties in power. Conclusion: — The Speaker is the head of the Lok Sabha Secretariat, which is completely under his or her supervision and guidance. The Speaker has supreme responsibility over the House's Secretariat staff, precincts, and security measures. (Source: The importance of Om Birla: Why the office of the Speaker matters by P D T Achary, Points to Ponder Read more about functions of speaker of the Lok Sabha Read about history of speaker of Lok Sabha Role of deputy speaker in the Lok Sabha Related Previous Year Questions Discuss the role of Presiding Officers of state legislatures in maintaining order and impartiality in conducting legislative work and in facilitating best democratic practices. (2023) Discuss the role of the Vice-President of India as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. (2022) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 104) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 103) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 104) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 103) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 104) UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 103) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
‘I'm here to build bridges…you have access to 400-mn market in South America, we are its heart': Paraguay President Santiago Pena Palacios
The visiting President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña Palacios, has said he's trying to 'build bridges' between Latin America and India, just like what Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing. In an exclusive interview with The Indian Express in Delhi, Peña, who met Modi Monday, condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and expressed support for India's right to defend its people. Edited excerpts: This is your first visit to India as President of Paraguay, the second ever Presidential visit from Paraguay. How do you view India-Paraguay relations today? This is not the first time, and will not be the last time that the world is living in turbulent times. I think that what we want to achieve from Paraguay is very similar to what India wants to achieve, trying to preserve economic and military dominance through strength…trying to become more relevant on the world stage, through collaboration, through multilateralism. We, in Paraguay, always refer to ourselves as the island surrounded by land. Paraguay was a country that was very isolated, and not only in our region, but worldwide. This is something that has changed…During my presidency, I have spent a lot of time building bridges…I am coming to New Delhi again to build a bridge between India and South America. If I have to say in one line, I think that as the drums of war get louder and louder, the hornets of peace have to be still louder. What are the areas of co-operation you discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi…how was your chemistry? The chemistry was great. I had a chance to meet him personally during the G20 leaders' summit in Brazil last year…Here in Delhi, he was kind, and I conveyed that India has contributed so much, not only to the world stage, but to the entire civilization. I see India not as a country, not as a continent, but more as a civilization. There's so much wisdom in Indian culture, and I say that what India has been able to achieve, and very honestly, what I see Prime Minister Modi has been able to build — it is exactly what I want — is building bridges. I'm trying to build bridges in Latin America, among all the countries in Latin America. We were, five centuries ago, the place that was uniting the South American region when we were under the colony of the Spanish crown, and 70 cities in South America were founded from expeditions that led from our own capital. So we have the same feeling that we want to be the centre of integration. We are the heart of South America. We want to unite the continent. So, in that regard, for me, coming here is a very important journey of discovering or building bridges between our two regions. What are the specific areas of cooperation? India has a lot to offer in terms of technology, what India has done in terms of digitalization is great, and we think that Paraguay could be a great partner in exploring these new technologies and testing these technologies in Latin America. We also think that there is a great area of collaboration in agricultural production, food production. Paraguay is a powerhouse. We are one of the food baskets of the world. We produce food for more than 100 million people, and we are only 6 million and we know that if we can combine agri-tech with our means of production, we can expand agricultural production. Pharmaceutical is something that India has played a major worldwide role, and Paraguay could be a great platform for production. One of the advantages of Paraguay is being in the middle of South America. You have access to a 400-million market, which is Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, all of these countries surrounding us, and Paraguay has gained a position of being the most competitive market (with) macro stability, political stability, economic growth, ease of doing business and a very pro-business environment. India faced a terror attack in Kashmir in April this year followed by four days of hostilities between India and Pakistan. How do you view these developments? We condemned the terrorist attacks right away…we have named Hamas and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations, and the same with the Iranian national guard as a terrorist organization. These are very strong stances. So our position is that only those countries that have suffered the consequences of the war know how difficult it is. We (deeply) sympathize with India. We understand that India has had to face hostilities in the region for a long time. If it was not China in the past, it was Pakistan in the past, and now again. And, of course, India deserves all the rights to defend its country and its people, and we are going to support that. You attended US President Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington DC. What is your view of the current administration? Paraguay has been a good friend of the US forever…whoever was in the Oval Office, we have maintained very good relations. But the truth is that the relations between the White House and Latin America have been more close during the Republican administrations than Democrats. So, of course, President Biden being a Democrat, but also a person who was not very keen in engaging in an international agenda in general, but also with Latin America…with the arrival of President Trump, it became evident that the relations were going to improve. We feel very optimistic now. How do you view Trump's imposition of tariffs, leading to a trade war of sorts? We understand that the Trump administration wants to reset international trade. We have a very strong view about multilateralism. We believe that multilateralism is the best thing, but we think that the system has been failing for quite some time now, and needs to be reset. In the process of resetting, there will be a lot of turbulence, and this is what we are seeing. A lot of tough negotiations are going on, and exchange of views with different countries are taking place right now. But in the end, I have no doubt that common sense will prevail and international trade will resume and with ties that are going to be stronger. You have been a student of Columbia University. How do you view the Trump administration's actions against university students… I think and I speak, of course, as a former foreign student in the US, but also I speak as a father of a young woman who's studying in the US. My daughter is a freshman in Columbia University, and I have been following very closely what happened, particularly after the horrible October 7 terror attacks, and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. And again, I think that in the name of preserving peace and tolerance, many protests went beyond the limit and put many foreign students at risk. So this is an issue that the US government has been raising. Anti-Semitism is a real concern. My understanding is that the US administration has been raising this issue and has been asking, since the beginning, for cooperation from many institutions in addressing these sensitive issues. Again, speaking as a former foreign student who went to the US to study, nothing more than study, and I see that, in many of these institutions, many of these students go there after requesting for a visa to study, but then they are not spending their time in libraries or classrooms. They are mostly spending their time doing protests on the streets or campuses. And that was not the original reason why they decided to go or why the US decided to grant the visa. The visa to study in the US is not a right, it is a privilege that the US gives to come and study in their universities. And I have no doubt that whoever wants to study there needs to abide by the law, in the same way, if a Paraguayan comes to study here in India, he will have to abide by the Indian rules and not come here to disturb the community. Just days ago, Ukraine launched a massive aerial strike on Russia using drones. How do you see this and what does it mean for peace in the region? We have been a very strong voice since the beginning of the Russia and Ukraine conflict. Paraguay was the most developed nation in the 1800s, and we had to face a war of extermination. Three countries surrounded us and declared war in 1864, so we suffered the consequences of invasion. We suffered the consequences of a war of extermination. So we raised our voice in Ukraine's defence. We condemned the attack from Russia, and our position is always to look for peace. But in the pursuit of peace, we understand the right to defend. With the arrival of President Trump, we were very optimistic that this could be the beginning of the end of the conflict, and we have seen the enormous effort that he has put in meeting with President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy, in talking to President (Vladimir) Putin multiple times. And we are very sad that these conversations are not bringing peace to the region. So of course, we are absolutely not happy with what is happening, the escalation that we are seeing, and we have no doubt that Russia will react to these recent attacks. We are not very happy. We hope that peace could be achieved and the talks could resume as soon as possible. As a 46-year-old president of a country, what is your message to younger people? With social media, there is so much information flowing around and much of this information sends wrong messages, encourages antagonism, and hate most of the time. My message is that the world is much better than what you see on social media. I encourage people to go out, to engage, to get involved. I was not trained as a politician. I decided to enter politics in pursuing a greater and a brighter future for my country. So my request for the youth is to go out to pursue a better future. Don't get bogged down with the negativity that you always see on social media. I can assure you that as with any other event in the history of humankind, we're going to not only be able to persevere, but we're going to prevail. I have no doubt that we're going to be very successful in overcoming the challenges that this era is putting on us. Shubhajit Roy, Diplomatic Editor at The Indian Express, has been a journalist for more than 25 years now. Roy joined The Indian Express in October 2003 and has been reporting on foreign affairs for more than 17 years now. Based in Delhi, he has also led the National government and political bureau at The Indian Express in Delhi — a team of reporters who cover the national government and politics for the newspaper. He has got the Ramnath Goenka Journalism award for Excellence in Journalism '2016. He got this award for his coverage of the Holey Bakery attack in Dhaka and its aftermath. He also got the IIMCAA Award for the Journalist of the Year, 2022, (Jury's special mention) for his coverage of the fall of Kabul in August 2021 — he was one of the few Indian journalists in Kabul and the only mainstream newspaper to have covered the Taliban's capture of power in mid-August, 2021. ... Read More
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
EAM Jaishankar calls on Paraguay President Santiago Pena Palacios
New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Monday, called on the visiting President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay, who is on his first State visit to India. In a post on X, Jaishankar highlighted the potential for enhanced cooperation between the two countries. 'Pleased to call on President Palacios of Paraguay at the start of his State Visit to India. Appreciate his positive sentiments and guidance for enhancing cooperation in many domains. Confident that his talks with PM Modi today will open new avenues for India's engagement with Paraguay and the South America region,' Jaishankar said in a post on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Earlier in the day, President Palacios paid a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath at the memorial. The visit is part of his three-day state visit to India, which will conclude on June 4. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took to X to post, 'Honouring the values of peace & non-violence. President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat today.'President Palacios arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India and was accorded a ceremonial welcome along with a Guard of Honour at Palam Air Force Station. The President was warmly received by Minister of State Harsh Vardhan Malhotra, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between the two countries. Sharing an update on X, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal welcomed President Santiago Pena Palacios on his arrival in the national capital. Jaiswal posted, 'Bienvenido, President @SantiPenap! President @SantiPenap of Paraguay has arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India, to a ceremonial welcome & Guard of Honour. Warmly received by MoS Harsh Malhotra @hdmalhotra at the airport. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship.' The MEA emphasised that President Pena's visit, scheduled from June 2 to June 4, aims to deepen and broaden India-Paraguay ties across political, economic, and cultural spheres. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Paraguayan President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials, and business representatives. During the visit, President Pena is set to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Modi and other senior leaders to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in his honour, while President Droupadi Murmu is expected to meet him and host a banquet. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar is also scheduled to call on the visiting dignitary. President Pena will also travel to Mumbai to engage with state political leadership, business and industry representatives, startups, innovators, and technology leaders. The State Visit provides an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral ties and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest. India and Paraguay have enjoyed warm and friendly relations since establishing diplomatic ties on September 13, 1961. Cooperation between the two countries spans trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and information technology sectors. Paraguay is an important trading partner for India in Latin America, with several Indian companies active in Paraguay's automobile and pharmaceutical sectors. Paraguayan companies, mainly through joint ventures, also have a presence in India, strengthening economic ties. Both nations share common views on international issues, including United Nations reforms, climate change, renewable energy, and combating terrorism. (ANI)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
PM Modi meets Paraguay President Santiago Pena Palacios at Hyderabad House
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister met with President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. Earlier in the day, President Palacios paid a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath at the memorial. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The visit is part of his three-day state visit to India, which will conclude on June 4. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared the moment on X, stating, "Honouring the values of peace & non-violence. President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat today." President Palacios arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India and was accorded a ceremonial welcome along with a Guard of Honour at Palam Air Force Station. The President was warmly received by Minister of State Harsh Vardhan Malhotra, highlighting the strong bilateral ties between the two countries. Sharing an update on X, Randhir Jaiswal from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) welcomed President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay as he arrived in New Delhi for his first State Visit to India. In his tweet, Jaiswal wrote, "Bienvenido, President @SantiPenap! President @SantiPenap of Paraguay has arrived in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India, to a ceremonial welcome & Guard of Honour. Warmly received by MoS Harsh Malhotra @hdmalhotra at the airport. This visit will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship." Screenshot of MEA tweet The MEA emphasised that President Pena's visit, scheduled from June 2 to June 4, aims to deepen and broaden India-Paraguay ties across political, economic, and cultural spheres. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Paraguayan President will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers, senior officials, and business representatives. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During the visit, President Pena is set to hold high-level talks with Prime Minister Modi and other senior leaders to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations. Prime Minister Modi will host a lunch in his honour, while President Droupadi Murmu is expected to meet him and host a banquet. Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankar and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are also scheduled to call on the visiting dignitary. Following the Delhi visit, President Pena will travel to Mumbai to engage with state political leadership, business and industry representatives, startups, innovators, and technology leaders. The State Visit provides an opportunity to comprehensively review bilateral ties and discuss regional and international issues of mutual interest. India and Paraguay have enjoyed warm and friendly relations since establishing diplomatic ties on September 13, 1961. Cooperation between the two countries spans trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and information technology sectors. Paraguay is an important trading partner for India in Latin America, with several Indian companies active in Paraguay's automobile and pharmaceutical sectors. Paraguayan companies, mainly through joint ventures, also have a presence in India, strengthening economic ties. Both nations share common views on international issues, including United Nations reforms, climate change, renewable energy, and combating terrorism.
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India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
India, Paraguay Stand Shoulder To Shoulder In Fight Against Terrorism: PM Modi During Bilateral Meet With Paraguay Prez
India-Paraguay Bilateral Meet: India and Paraguay held bilateral talks in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting with Paraguayan President Santiago Peña Palacios, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that India and Paraguay stand 'shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism.' PM Modi added that there is immense potential for cooperation to fight common challenges like cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking. ANI quoted the Prime Minister as saying, "India and Paraguay stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. There is immense potential for cooperation to fight common challenges like cybercrime, organised crime, and drug trafficking. India and Paraguay are an integral part of the Global South. Our hopes, aspirations, and challenges are similar, so we can deal with these challenges effectively by learning from each other's experiences. We are satisfied that during the COVID pandemic, we were able to share the vaccine made in India with the people of Paraguay." #WATCH | Delhi: During the bilateral meeting with President of Paraguay, Santiago Peña Palacios, PM Modi says "India and Paraguay stand shoulder to shoulder in the fight against terrorism. There is immense potential for cooperation to fight common challenges like cybercrime,… — ANI (@ANI) June 2, 2025 Earlier, PM Modi met with the Paraguay President at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Before this, the latter paid a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat, laying a wreath at the memorial. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) shared the pictures on the social media platform X, stating, "Honouring the values of peace and non-violence. President Santiago Pena Palacios of Paraguay paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat today." Paraguay President India Visit The visit of the Paraguay President is part of his three-day state visit to India, which will conclude on June 4. He arrived in New Delhi on his first state visit to India and was accorded a ceremonial welcome along with a Guard of Honour at Palam Air Force Station. The Ministry of External Affairs, in a statement, informed that at the invitation of PM Modi, the President of Paraguay will be on a state visit to India from June 2 to 4, 2025. In addition, he will be accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ministers, senior officials, and business representatives. President Peña will also visit Mumbai before returning to Paraguay, and while there, he will meet the state political leadership, business and industry representatives, startups, innovators, and tech leaders. India-Paraguay Diplomatic Relations The statement of MEA continued to explain the diplomatic relations between India and Paraguay. The two nations established diplomatic relations on September 13, 1961 and since then have developed cooperation in sectors, including agriculture, trade, health, information technology, and pharmaceuticals.
