UPSC Key— 4th April, 2024: Surrogacy, Earthquake in Taiwan, Harappan graveyard and more

Preliminary Examination: History of India

Mains Examination: GS-I: Art and Culture

• What’s the ongoing story- A human skeleton, degraded and in a flexed posture, found on the slope of a hillock in a Gujarat village could hold the key to a mystery that’s been puzzling a team of archeologists. In 2018, archeologists from the University of Kerala, working in collaboration with Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Varma Kachchh University, Bhuj, had unearthed a mass burial site with 500 graves on the outskirts of Khatiya village in Gujarat’s Kutch district. The question then was: whose graves are these? Was this the burial ground — arguably the largest such — for a big human settlement in the vicinity or was it a common facility for a cluster of smaller settlements? Since then, the team has been looking for the remains of settlements in the vicinity.

Now, the presence of the skeleton, along with pottery artefacts and animal bones, that the team of archaeologists excavated from a hillock, locally called Padta Bet, point to the presence of a 5,200-year-old Harappan settlement that was 1.5 km from the mass burial ground of Juna Khatiya, an Early Harappan necropolis. The latest find bolsters the theory that the graveyard site may have served as a common facility for a cluster of several such smaller settlements.

• Prerequisites:

What you must know?

— Phases of IVC- the Early Harappan Phase, the Mature Harappan Phase from and the Late Harappan Phase.

— Origin of the civilization, town planning, craft, economy, religion, decline of the civilization

— Major sites of Indus civilisation in Gujarat and other parts of India.

• Key Takeaways:

— Within the four-hectare area of Padta Bet, the researchers identified two localities where the archaeological deposits were found during excavation – Locality 2 with artefacts from the Early Harappan era (3,200 BC to 2,600 BC), Mature Harappan era (2600 BC to 1900 BC) and Late Harappan era (1900 BC to 1700 BC), and Locality 1 with artefacts dating back to Mature Harappan era and Late Harappan era.

— While the habitation site appears to have only a few structures, the researchers said it is possible that much of the structural remains were eroded due to the unstable nature of the landscape.

— Researchers said the pottery artefacts and the animal bones — representing cattle, sheep or goat and shell fragments that point to possible animal domestication as well as shellfish “exploitation” — are an indication of the occupation of the Harappan people. One of the most striking features of the excavation are the ceramic artefacts, which could be from one of the unidentified pottery traditions of the Harappans, involving large storage jars to small bowls and dishes, they said.

— The team also found semiprecious stone beads made of carnelian and agate, terracotta spindle whorls, copper, lithic tools, cores and debitage, grinding stones and hammer stones. Archaeobotanical samples too have been collected from the site for further identification of plant exploitation and to understand agricultural practices.

• Point to ponder:

— National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) is coming up in which Harappan site?

• Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

Who were the people of the Indus Valley Civilisation?

The mystery of the Indus script: Dravidian, Sanskrit or not a language at all?

Restricted by surrogacy laws, Indians are going abroad to become parents

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: 

• Mains Examination: What’s the ongoing story- Eight years ago, a same-sex couple in Delhi had a daughter through surrogacy. But when they chose to have another child this year, hoping to complete the picture of an ideal family, the law had changed. They realised that they could not hire a local surrogate as before and had to find one from within their circle of family and friends. What’s more, the surrogate couldn’t be paid for her services. “Nobody, no matter how close, would agree to volunteerism of this magnitude. So we decided to find a surrogate in the US through a foreign agency,” the couple says.

• Prerequisites:

What you must know?

— Recent amendments in surrogacy law in India, Rule 7 

— Altruistic Surrogacy

— Commercial Surrogacy

— Gestational surrogacy 

— Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)

— B1/B2 visa

• Key Takeaways

The Indian law in its current form allows only altruistic surrogacies, that too with several conditions. (Express Illustration by Suvajit Dey)

• Latest changes to the Surrogacy Regulation Act (2021)

— Married couples can now use donor eggs or sperms if they suffer from a medical condition necessitating the use of donor gamets.

— However these changes are not applicable to “single” women – widows or divorcees. The Act allows single women between the age of 35 to 45 years access to surrogacy, provided they use their own eggs.

• Who all cannot access surrogacy in India?

— Single persons, live-in couples, LGBTQ couples, couples older than 45 years.

• Why do most people choose the US as their surrogacy destination?

— Dr Priyanka Mathur, a cardiologist and co-founder of MediPocket, a digital medical tourism portal that connects intending parents with surrogacy partners in the US explains : 

1. Surrogacy laws in the US are well defined for both the intending parents and the surrogate. 
2. Healthy couples can get an embryo created with their eggs and sperm. 
3. US allows gender selection. 
4. The most important attraction is that the newborn child could be a US citizen. The last works for most Asian parents who hope that when their children pursue higher education in the US, they would be paying the same fees as local students and not what international students pay. 

• What about citizenship status of the child?

•For Your Information: 

— Home Ministry sources say, “The parents should get a birth certificate and an NOC from the surrogate mother. However, if the child has assumed foreign nationality, then they must apply for an Indian visa to go with the child’s foreign passport.”

•Points to ponder:

— Amendment to surrogacy rules is welcome. But legislation must be carefully crafted so as to not create hierarchies in contemporary family formations. Discuss.

• Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

 On surrogacy, Indian law goes a step further — but not far enough

Donor gametes are allowed: What the new rule on surrogacy says

THE EDITORIAL PAGE

No free pass

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national importance.

Mains Examination: GS 2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health

• What’s the ongoing story- Express View on Court’s warning to Ramdev: The Supreme Court’s strong admonition to Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved — the company the yoga guru has founded and is the face of — was much needed. Patanjali’s products have, for long, made deceptive claims and the company has faced few consequences for its irresponsible campaigns against the allopathic system.

• The Central Question: Why did the Supreme Court ban Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali from advertising its products and what is the messsage?

• Prerequisites

What you must know?

— Drugs & Other Magical Remedies Act, 1954 (DOMA), and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA).

— Ministry of Ayush 

—  Unani, Ayurvedic, Homoeopathy, Yoga and Siddha systems

— Indian Medical Association (IMA)

• For Your Information

— The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it was not inclined to accept the apology tendered by Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna in response to notices asking to show cause as to why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for allegedly flouting its directions. The apex court, however, gave them a last opportunity to file fresh responses.

— The court was upset about an advertisement issued by the company on December 4, 2023, after it had assured the court on November 21, 2023 that it would not make any “casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine”.

— A plea by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) accused the company of allegedly violating provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, and making statements critical of allopathy. 

— The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a petition at the apex court in August 2022 after Patanjali published an advertisement titled “MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY ALLOPATHY: SAVE YOURSELF AND THE COUNTRY FROM THE MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY PHARMA AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY.”

• Key Takeaways

— The growing incidence of lifestyle diseases has made interventions that emphasise dietary management, “toxin removal”, “herbal therapies” and yoga popular. In the last two decades, successive governments have also taken steps to promote such healing systems. 

— The current  government has championed yoga, equipped Jan Aushadi stores with ayurvedic medicines, and merged the regulation of unani, ayurvedic, homoeopathy, yoga and siddha systems into a single ministry, AYUSH. 

— Undoubtedly, these systems have a role in healthcare. But in a country where quackery and anti-science attitudes are rampant, there cannot be any compromise on regulatory protocols and evidence-based policy.

— An AYUSH ministry press release of December 17, 2021, speaks of close to 1,500 misleading advertisements from makers of such therapies between August 2018 and July 2021. However, there is very little about the action taken against such violators in the public domain.

• Digging Deep

What is the legal argument against Patanjali’s actions?

— The IMA claimed that the advertisement was in direct violation of the Drugs & Other Magical Remedies Act, 1954 (DOMA), and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (CPA). The publishing of false and misleading advertisements is an offence under both statutes.

— Under Section 4 of the DOMA, there is a prohibition against publishing misleading advertisements relating to a drug. This is described as an advertisement which “directly or indirectly gives a false impression regarding the true character of the drug”, “makes a false claim for the drug”, or “is otherwise false or misleading in any material particular.”

— Publishing a misleading advertisement under the DOMA is punishable with up to six months imprisonment, and/or a fine for the first offence. On the second offence, the period of imprisonment can extend to one year.

— The IMA has also highlighted the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Ministry of AYUSH and the Advertising Standards Council of India in January 2017. 

— Section 89 of the CPA contains even more stringent punishments for false or misleading advertisements. It states: “Any manufacturer or service provider who causes a false or misleading advertisement to be made which is prejudicial to the interest of consumers shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years and with fine which may extend to ten lakh rupees; and for every subsequent offence, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with fine which may extend to fifty lakh rupees.”

• What is a “misleading advertisement” ? 

— The CPA provides the definition for a “misleading advertisement”. It includes advertisements which give a false description of the product or service, partakes in unfair trade practices, deliberately conceals important information, or is likely to mislead the consumer about the nature, substance, quantity or quality of the product or service.

• Points to ponder: 

— Bringing Ayurveda into the mainstream: Is the ancient system equipped to meet the modern challenges of health and disease?

— What is ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)?

• Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

Why did the Supreme Court ban Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali from advertising its products?

Supreme Court refuses to accept apology tendered by Baba Ramdev, Patanjali MD in misleading ads case

Is the ancient system equipped to meet the modern challenges of health and disease?

An Af-Pak warming

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: GS-II: India and its neighbourhood- relations.

• What’s the ongoing story-  Sharat Sabharwal writes: No stranger to terrorism, both as a perpetrator and victim, Pakistan has been jolted by three high-profile terror attacks recently within seven days. The Majeed Brigade of the Balochistan Liberation Army has taken responsibility for two attacks in Balochistan. One, that targeted the Turbat naval air base, which reportedly deploys Chinese drones and two, the Port Authority Complex of the Gwadar port, operated and expanded by the Chinese. The third attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa killed five Chinese engineers involved in the construction of the Dasu Hydropower Project on the Indus river under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Nine Chinese nationals working on the same project were killed in a similar attack in 2021.

• The Central Question: Why should Pakistan not blame India for unrest on its soil to hide its own flawed policies that are responsible for this insurgence? 

• Prerequisites: 

— What you must know?

CPEC

The Saindak Copper-Gold Project

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)

Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K)

— Map Work

Durand Line

Balochistan 

Xinjiang

Strait of Hormuz

• Key Takeaways

China and Pakistan: 

— There are a number of Chinese personnel in Pakistan in connection with the CPEC projects. They and their interests have borne the brunt of periodic terror attacks in Pakistan in spite of the constitution of a special force to protect them. 

— While calling for a thorough investigation into the killing of their personnel, China said it will continue to support Pakistan’s economic and social development. Why? 

Answer: With the CPEC, China is more deeply invested in Pakistan than ever before. The Xinjiang-Gwadar linkage is too valuable for them to walk away from. An exit route for the Chinese to the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean, it bypasses the maritime choke points in the east. 

Major factors behind slow progress of CPEC projects:

— The fraught security situation 

— The expansion of the Gwadar port

— Low absorption capacity of the Pakistani economy

— Administrative bottlenecks 

— Controversies among Pakistani stakeholders on various projects

Pakistan’s problems: 

— Alienation of its ethnic minorities, particularly in Balochistan and the tribal belt; 

— Encouragement to religious extremism and sectarianism

— Use of terror as an instrument of state policy

— An injudicious approach towards its neighbours – Iran and Afghanistan 

(In Brief: Pakistan has had a festering border management problem with Iran, with both sides accusing each other of harbouring terrorists. Its heavy investment in the Afghan Taliban to gain strategic depth in Afghanistan has not paid the desired dividends. The Taliban regime in Kabul rejects the Durand Line and has failed to curb the violent activities of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from Afghan soil despite persistent Pakistani demands. There has been a sharp uptick in TTP attacks in Pakistan since the Taliban takeover in Kabul. Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) has claimed some deadly attacks both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan has had flare-ups with Iran and Afghanistan in recent months.)

•Points to ponder: 

— How should India respond?

(Thought Process: Sharat Sabharwal writes: The new Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar has said that the policy of suspension of trade with India since August 2019 will now be reviewed. Only time will tell if it results in anything positive. However, should Pakistan take a constructive approach, we must respond positively. In the meantime, we should take all the necessary steps to protect ourselves from the rising wave of terror in our neighbourhood. That it will not remain confined to the Af-Pak region is evident from the reported involvement of ISIS-K in the terror attacks in Kerman (Iran) in January this year and Moscow recently.)

— Pakistan will “seriously” consider restoring trade ties with India that remained suspended since August 2019, Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar has said. What are the challenges to normalisation of India-Pakistan trade?

• Other Important Article Covering the same topic:

Express View: China, Pakistan and a fragile Corridor

What will it take to resume India-Pakistan trade?

The Ideas Page

West against the rest

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

• What’s the ongoing story- The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) pompously celebrates the anniversary of its establishment on April 4, 75 years ago.

Denis Alipov writes:  NATO was created to defend its member states from aggression. As the facts go, it never suffered from one or the threat of one. On the contrary, in the name of defending its member states, NATO went on the offensive. Over the last seven decades, it initiated or participated in more than 200 military conflicts worldwide, including 20 major ones. The bombing of Yugoslavia, the invasion of Iraq, the ruined statehood of Libya, the unlawful military interference in Syria and the dubious results of combating terrorism in Afghanistan are the most prominent among numerous cases in point.

• Key takeaways

—  NATO’s military potential stands as an effective tool for maintaining the West’s hegemony over the nations that are not viewed as a military menace.

—  The alliance dismantled dialogue mechanisms with Russia and adopted the Strategic Concept at the 2022 NATO summit in Madrid by which Moscow is proclaimed to be the most significant and direct threat to allied security, peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic — which Russia has never been, but that is trivia.

—  NATO’s “eastern flank” is pumped with new assets and forces to gear up for the adjusted regional military plans.

—  The Atlantic radar has turned towards the post-Soviet space and Eurasia at large to create more alienation lines and damage the traditionally close ties between countries in this part of the globe.

—  Russia is closely monitoring the development of the situation at its borders and takes appropriate measures to safeguard national interests and protect its people.

• For Your Information-

—  NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, was set up in 1949 by the US, Canada, and several western European nations to ensure their collective security against the Soviet Union. It was the US’s first peacetime military alliance outside the western hemisphere.

—  NATO is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. At present, NATO has 32 member countries.

—  Members of NATO are committed to mutual defence in response to an attack by any external party. Collective defence lies at the very heart of NATO, “a unique and enduring principle that binds its members together, committing them to protect each other and setting a spirit of solidarity within the Alliance”.

• Points to ponder:

— Member countries of NATO

—  Countries who have recently joined or ceded NATO

• Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Everyday Global: What is NATO, and why is Russia so insecure about Ukraine joining the US-led alliance?

As Sweden joins NATO, it bids farewell to more than two centuries of neutrality

An expanding NATO uses its diversity as strength. Member troops know Russia is watching

• MCQ based on the topic:

Consider the following countries:

1. Belgium
2. Sweden
3. Netherlands
4. Denmark

How many of the countries given above are member countries of NATO?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Explained Page

Path to Viksit Bharat: why India should target per capita, not aggregate GDP

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Economic and Social Development

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation, of resources, growth, development and employment.

• What’s the ongoing story- Many people are unaware that China had a lower per capita GDP than India in 1990. Or that its total GDP — the value of all goods and services generated within the country in a given year — was barely 23% larger than India’s.

In 1990, China and India were the world’s 11th and 12th largest economies, going by their nominal GDPs (at prevailing dollar-converted prices without adjusting for inflation) of $395 billion and $321 billion respectively.

• Key takeaways:

— China’s real GDP (in constant inflation-adjusted US dollars) grew by an average of 10% per year in the 1990s, and 10.4% in the 2000s. By 2010, China had emerged as the world’s second biggest economy after the US, with a nominal GDP of $6.1 trillion — 15.4 times the level of 1990.

— India’s real GDP grew at a much slower rate — by 5.8% in the 1990s and 6.3% in the 2000s. At the end of 2010, India’s nominal GDP, at $1.7 trillion, was 5.2 times its 1990 level.

— India has seen its real GDP growth in dollar terms fall to an average of 5.9% during 2010-22 and 5.7% for the nine years from 2014.

— India’s nominal GDP, at $3.4 trillion in 2022, is just short of what China’s was in 2007, there is no escaping the fact that India has been a relative growth underperformer. To illustrate the point, Japan’s and Germany’s nominal GDP were $4.3 trillion and $4.1 trillion respectively in 2022. Back-of-the-envelope calculations show that India needs to grow at only 6% per year in current dollars, and the other two economies at 2%, for India to become the world’s No. 3 economy by 2028.

— However, for a country like India with its massive population and present levels of development, per capita GDP is at least as important as aggregate GDP.

— GDP growth has two basic components:

(i) Population (demographic)

(ii) Per capita output (economic, reflective of the population’s general standard of living)

Tables and charts of India and China’s economic growth.

• Do you know: 

GDP: GDP is the total market value of all goods and services produced in the economy during a particular year, inclusive of all taxes and subsidies on products.

Real GDP: The value taken at constant prices — that is prices for all products taken at an unchanged base year — is the real GDP.

Real GDP growth rate = Nominal GDP growth rate — Inflation Rate

Nominal GDP: The market value taken at current prices is the nominal GDP.

GNP: The Gross National Product (GNP) measures the monetary value of all goods and services by the people and companies of a country regardless of where this value was created.

GNI: Gross national income (GNI) is defined as gross domestic product, plus net receipts from abroad of compensation of employees, property income and net taxes less subsidies on production.

(Source: data.oecd.org)

• For Your Information: 

— The Indian government has targeted a “Viksit Bharat” or developed India by 2047. At current per capita GDP levels, India is a “lower-middle income” ($1,136-4,465 range) country, and China is an “upper-middle income” ($4,466-13,845) country.

— Since a developed country is one where the average standard of living is high — linked to a per capita GDP of $13,846 or more — that’s a target well worth aiming for.

• Points to ponder:

— When were these notions of GDP and GNP created?

— What is GVA?

— What is GDP deflator?

• Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

India’s GDP data for 2023-24’s Q3: Why have GDP and GVA growth rates diverged?

Explained: The nominal GDP worry

Explained: What is GDP and why does it matter?

Economy Page

What is the US-UK deal on AI safety testing?

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of international importance, General Science

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology

•  What’s the ongoing story-

— The United States and the United Kingdom on Monday (April 1) signed an agreement that would see them work together to develop tests for the most advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models as per the commitments made at the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit last year.

— Both countries will share vital information about the capabilities and risks associated with AI models and systems, according to the agreement, which has taken effect immediately.

— They will also share fundamental technical research on AI safety and security with each other, and work on aligning their approach towards safely deploying AI systems.

• Key takeaways:

— As part of the agreement, both countries will align their scientific approaches and collaborate closely to accelerate and rapidly iterate strong suites of assessments for AI models, systems, and agents.

— The US and UK AI Safety Institutes have also announced efforts to develop a uniform approach to AI safety testing and exchange capabilities in order to effectively address these threats.

— They also intend to tap into a collective pool of expertise by exploring personnel exchanges between the Institutes.

— According to a press statement from the US Department of Commerce, the US and UK are strengthening their relationship on AI safety and have pledged to developing similar agreements with other governments to advance AI safety around the world.

• For Your Information: 

— The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the US has separately started consultation on the risks, benefits and potential policy related to dual-use foundation models with widely available weights — parameters that AI models learn during training and processing which help them make decisions.

— Meta, which has open-sourced its Llama model, in its submission to NTIA’s consultation called open source the “foundation” of US innovation.

— In 2023, the EU reached a deal with member states on its AI Act which includes safeguards on the use of AI within the EU, including clear guardrails on its adoption by law enforcement agencies. Consumers have been empowered to launch complaints against any perceived violations.

• Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Meet EVI, the world’s first conversational AI with emotional intelligence from Hume

Artificial intelligence makes a debut in Lok Sabha polls with deepfakes, voice cloning

Analysing datasets: How predictive AI models are gaining traction

The World

Strongest earthquake in 25 yrs rocks Taiwan, 9 killed, over 1000 injured

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of international importance, General Science

Mains Examination: General Studies III: Disaster and disaster management.

•  What’s the ongoing story-

— The most powerful earthquake in a quarter-century shook Taiwan, killing nine people, stranding workers, and sending inhabitants screaming out the windows of damaged buildings.

— Taiwan is frequently shaken by earthquakes, and its people are among the most prepared for them. However, authorities did not issue any alerts since they expected a very little quake. A tsunami warning was issued but later withdrawn.

•  Key takeaways:

— Notably, Taiwan is prone to earthquakes as it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — where 90% of the world’s earthquakes take place.

— According to the USGS, the island and its surrounding waters have recorded around 2,000 earthquakes with a magnitude of 4.0 or greater since 1980, as well as more than 100 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 5.5, according to an Associated Press article.

•  Do You Know-

From the Explained Section:

— Ring of Fire: The Ring of Fire is essentially a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake-sites which runs along the Pacific Ocean. It is a semicircle or horse shoe in shape and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometres.

— The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, Philippine, and other smaller plates, which all encircle the large Pacific Plate.

— It runs through 15 more countries including the USA, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.

•  Previous earthquakes in Taiwan:

2016 Yujing (6.4 magnitude earthquake)

1999 Chi-Chi (7.6 magnitude earthquake)

1941 Tainan (7.3 magnitude earthquake)

1935 Shinchiku-Taichū (7.1 magnitude earthquake)

•  Map Work:

Map of Pacific Ring of Fire (Credit: USGS)

1. List out the countries near by Ring of Fire
2. List out the location of major and minor tectonics plate

• Points to ponder:

— What are tectonics plate?

— Why is the Ring of Fire vulnerable to earthquakes?

— Why are there so many volcanoes in the Ring of Fire?

•  Other Important Articles Covering the same topic:

Massive earthquake hits Taiwan: What is the Ring of Fire?

Here’s a look at the strongest earthquakes to hit Taiwan in recent times

•  MCQ based on the topic:

Consider the following countries:

1. Indonesia
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Mexico

How many of the above countries are covered under Ring of Fire?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

For any queries and feedback, contact manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com