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CLAT 2021 21 Year Experienced Team

f Normalizing border issues: At the heart of the normalization of Russia-China relations was the resolution
of the border dispute between the two and the development of CBMs in the border regions.
f Military confrontation — a defining feature in their relations from the 1960's (the bloody incident of 1969
on the Damansky island may be recalled) — was removed.A strategic partnership of equality and trust
oriented towards the 21st century was developed.
f Shared common threat: Russia and China continued to improve relations, their strategic convergence
spurred on by shared suspicion about the overwhelming preponderance of U.S. global power at the end of
the Cold War.

Lalandar 'shahtoot' dam in Afghanistan

A signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Afghanistan took place,
for the construction of the Lalandar “Shatoot” Dam in Afghanistan. While signing the agreement, President
Ghani thanked India and PM Modi for the "gift of water".
About the Lalandar “Shatoot” Dam
Shahtoot Dam is a proposed dam in the Kabul river basin, one of the five river basins in Afghanistan.

f This project will provide drinking, irrigation and Environmental water for Kabul province.
f Shahtoot dam is the second major dam being built by India in Afghanistan, after the Friendship Dam or
Salma dam in 2019.
f Pakistan has in the past opposed plans to build the dam on a tributary of the Kabul river that flows into its
Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa province, saying the project will reduce the flow of water.

India hosts BRICS Summit

India hosted a Meeting of BRICS Finance and Central Bank Deputies virtually which included BRICS Finance
and Central Bank Deputies of Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.
What is BRICS?
f BRICS is the international grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
f This was set up as a move towards greater multipolarity; hence the spread across three continents and
both hemispheres.

f In 2001, the British Economist Jim O'Neill coined the term BRIC to describe the four emerging economies
of Brazil, Russia, India, and China.

f It comprises 42% of the world's population, has 23% of the global GDP and around 17% of the world
trade.
f The grouping was formalised during the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers in 2006.
f South Africa was invited to join BRIC in December 2010, after which the group adopted the acronym
BRICS.
f The chairmanship of the forum is rotated annually among the members, in accordance with the acronym
B-R-I-C-S.

f The BRICS Leaders' Summit is convened annually.
f India has assumed the Chairmanship of BRICS for 2021 and will be hosting this year's summit.

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