Tag Wise Current Affairs
Tag: Miscellaneous
HeliNa: Anti-tank missile successfully test-fired
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 09 February 2019
SFDR propulsion-based missile successfully test fired
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 09 February 2019
US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 08 February 2019
Government issues EOI for Procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 13 February 2019
India signs defence pacts with Germany and Sweden
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 15 February 2019
IAF’s all women crew for first time undertake parallel taxi track operation
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 16 February 2019
CISF creates Guinness world record in single-line bicycle parade
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 05 March 2019
BrahMos NG: New deadlier version of BrahMos Missile
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 22 February 2019
Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile successfully test-fired
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 16 March 2019
Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 08 April 2019
Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 17 May 2019
Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 30 May 2019
IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 30 May 2019
Mohana Singh: 1st woman IAF pilot operational on Hawk advanced jet aircraft
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 01 June 2019
Indian Army commissions air quality monitor station at Fort William
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 04 June 2019
20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas to be observed in July 2019
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 17 June 2019
Operation Bandar: IAF's code name for Balakot air strikes
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 22 June 2019
Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 2 BrahMos supersonic missile batteries for Navy
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 09 August 2019
US state department approves sale of arms to India
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 21 November 2019
Former militant’s death triggers crisis in Meghalaya
Tags: Miscellaneous
Published on: 20 August 2021
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'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indigenously developed helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missileHeliNa was successfully test fired. It was fired by missile handling unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from ground launcher at Launching Complex-III of Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore off Odisha coast.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Test</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This missile for first time was test fired with modified version having close to zero error probability. This paves way for its actual launch from helicopter. Earlier, several trials of this third generation ‘fire and forget’ missile was conducted from both ITR and Pokhran firing range.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>HeliNa Missile</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is air-to-land version or helicopter-launched version of Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), one of five missile systems developed by DRDO under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Named after HEL of helicopter and NA of Nag (Hindi for cobra). It is manufactured by country’s sole state-owned missile producer Bharat Dynamics Limited.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world with <strong>hit range of 7-8 km</strong>. It has been designed and developed to be fired from helicopter. <em>Nag missile has maximum range of 4 km.</em></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has been designed primarily to destroy modern main battle tanks and other heavily armoured targets.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It can be launched from twin-tube stub wing-mounted launchers on board armed light combat helicopters and advanced light helicopters.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It works on “fire and forget” principle and operates in Lock on Before Launch mode, which helps to extend its strike range.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> It is fitted with highly advanced Imaging Infrared Radar (IIR) seeker along with integrated avionics. This technology is possessed by very few countries in the world including India.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once inducted in Armed forces, it will be integrated with weaponised version of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, HAL built combat helicopter Rudra and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).</span></span></li>
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'metatitle' => 'HeliNa: Anti-tank missile successfully test-fired | Study IQ',
'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, helicopter-launched, anti-tank guided missile, Nag Missile',
'metadescription' => 'Indigenously developed helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missileHeliNa was successfully test fired. It was fired by missile handling unit of HAL',
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'title' => 'SFDR propulsion-based missile successfully test fired',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted second test of indigenously developed Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion-based missile system. It was fired from static launcherat Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore off Odisha coast.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Test</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After launch, this missile system was guided to high altitude to simulate aircraft release conditions and subsequently nozzle-less-booster was ignited.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It flew along intended trajectory at speed of Mach 3 (thrice speed of sound) and performed perfectly, validating new indigenous technology.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It meetall its mission objectives and even performance of separation of ground booster and nozzle-less-booster performance were found satisfactory.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>SFDR propulsion-based missile system</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has been indigenously by DRDO under joint Indo-Russia R&D project. Its first flight was tested in 2018 and had achieved speed of Mach 3. It is viewed as Indian version of the French Meteor.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ramjet propulsion system used in it acts as oxidizer and solid propellant reacts as air flows through solid propellant duct.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, its ramjet engine uses air as oxidizer just like jet engine. Therefore, it eliminates weight of the fuel required.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is designed in such way that it allows for up and down throttling of missile. This further lets missile to amplify its speed until it reaches terminal phase of flight.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The speed increases until the point when sharp turns are required to search for highly manoeuvring targets.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>How it is different?</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Present missile systems, which use booster/sustainer configuration with solid or liquid propellants onboard, which limits its maneuvering at moving targets. It also cannot provide enough energy to maintain their speed in order to hit the targets.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But, unlike traditional rocket motor, SFDR can throttle its engine during different phases of flight especially while approaching its target. It can also throttle up and down, thus it can maneuver and attack even rapidly maneuvering targets.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Success of SFDR propulsion technology is considered as significant milestone in strategic missile program and indigenousation of defence technology.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will exceptionally enhance endgame maneuverability of missiles at terminal stage when the seeker is locked onto target.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will pave way for development of long range air-to-air missiles in the country.It will enable these missiles perform better and enhance their strike range, making the weapons more lethal.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With this, India can have fastest long-range missiles in two categories, providing full-fledged and multi-layered aerial protection from hostile attacks.</span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'id' => (int) 119,
'title' => 'IAF receives first batch of Chinook Helicopters',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">US aerospace major Boeing delivered first batch of four CH-47F (I) Chinook military helicopters to Indian Air Force (IAF) at Mundra port, Gujarat. These helicopters will be assembled in Gujarat and will be ferried to Chandigarh, where they will be formally inducted into IAF.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">IAF currently has place order of 15 Chinook helicopters of which four are delivered. In 2015, Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) chaired by Prime Minister had approved US $3.1-billion order for 22 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters (also manufactured by Boeing) and 15 Chinooks to scale up IAF’s capabilities.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopter</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is an advanced multi-mission military helicopter manufactured by US aerospace company Boeing. It is twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is named after Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state of US. It possesses several means of loading various cargoes. Its top speed is of 170 knots (315 km/h).</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">IAF will be using it proving logistics support i.e. for transporting troops, fuel, artillery and equipment. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will be also used during humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) operations for mass evacuation missions.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will provide Indian armed forces with unmatched strategic airlift capability across full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will enhance IAF’s heavy-lift chopper capabilities to deliver payloads to high altitudes. It will also replace IAF’s existing fleet of Russia made four gigantic Mi-26s transport helicopters.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">India-US defence ties</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">US is India’s second largest arms supplier after Russia. Since 2008, India has bought or ordered military equipment worth $15 billion from US.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It includes C-130J special operations planes, C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I submarine hunter planes, Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters and M777 lightweight howitzers.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'id' => (int) 97,
'title' => 'US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">United States has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems viz. Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) at estimated cost of $190 million. These missile defence systems will be fitted on two Air India One i.e. Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircrafts used for flying President of India and Prime Minister. It will enhance of security of these VIP planes and bring them at par with that of US President’s official airplane Air Force One. US aircraft and missile manufacturer, Boeing will be prime contractor in this defence deal.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM)</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is active countermeasure aimed at protecting large aircraft from man-portable missiles.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It defeats threat missile guidance system by directing high-intensity modulated laser beam into the missile seeker.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In addition, it automatically counters advanced IR missile systems with no action required by crew. The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its missile warning subsystem uses multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage. It also uses lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once installed on plane, this system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Self-Protection Suites (SPS)</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will facilitate more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its package includes infrared and electronic warfare countermeasures suites, countermeasure dispensing systems and missile warning sensors, along with variety of assemblies and associated technical, repair and return support.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Air India One</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Air India One (also referred to as AI-1 or AIC001) is call sign of any aircraft with President of India or Prime Minister on board.</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Boeing 747-400 owned by Air India, national airline of India are used for this purpose. These aircraft are operated as VIP flight by Indian Air Force (IAF).</span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">IAF's Air Headquarters Communication Squadron, based at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi, is in charge of operating these aircraft.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures " src="https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/dcd1/jyvtf831sm4bkzd6g.jpg" style="height:391px; width:628px" /></p>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 134,
'title' => 'DRDO launches Dare to Dream contest',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched ‘Dare to Dream’ contest to encourage startups and individuals to come up with innovative defence and aerospace technologies. In April 2019, Union Ministry of Defence had launched similar constest Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) aimed at financially supporting innovators from among small- and medium-sized industries, individuals, startups, and institutes.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Dare to Dream contest</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Its objective is to unearth disruptive ideas and concepts in emerging technologies identified by DRDO for enhancing defence capabilities.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">For it applicants are invited to send innovative, workable proposals that can impact various related domains and specified areas.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The areas of the contest are <em>Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems, Cybersecurity, Hypersonic Technologies, Smart Materials, Quantum Computing, and Soldier as System</em>. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The entries received will be judged by two stage process, firstly it will be screened by Domain Expert Committee and by short-listing and ranking by independent expert committee.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The winning entries, which should specify plan of executing it into prototype, will get one of five prizes ranging from Rs. 3 to 10 lakh in two separate categories (Individual and Start-up).</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">DRDO is India's premier organization for research related to country’s defence technology. It is under administrative control if Ministry of Defence.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is largest and most diverse research organization in India. It was established in 1958 and it is headquartered New Delhi.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"><strong>Motto: </strong></span><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">"Strength's Origin is in Science".</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"><strong>Network:</strong> It has network of 52 laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems etc.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Functions:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"> It is charged with defence research and development. It also advises government on scientific aspects of military equipment and equipment, research, design and development plans. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Achievements:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"> It has indigenously developed many advanced defense systems. It has acquired expertise in a broad spectrum of defense technologies.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Government to buy 72,000 SIG716 assault rifles',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Defence has signed contract with US arms maker Sig Sauer to buy 72,400 SIG716 7.62x51 mm assault rifles at costs around Rs. 700 crores. The deal to purchase these assault rifles is among biggest in recent years. It will overhaul Indian Army's inventory of frontline rifles.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">SIG716 7.62x51 mm is longer kill range assault rifle. It has effective range of 500 m and weight of less than 3 kg. It will replace ageing Indian-made 5.56x45mm INSAS (Indian small arms system) rifles, built and developed by state owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The 72,400 SIG716 for Indian Armed forces will be manufactured at Sig Sauer’s New Hampshire facility in US. They will be supplied within year under fast-track procurement (FTP) route. This route is only for limited numbers of weapons due to critical operational necessity.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Majority of these rifles -- 66,000 are for Indian Army and remaining will be divided between Indian Navy (2,000) and Indian Air Force (4,000). These rifles will be used by Indian Army troops deployed along 3,600 km long border with China.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian Army which is world’s second largest standing army has been pressing for fast-tracking procurement of various weapons systems including assault rifles considering evolving security threats.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The overall assault rifles requirement of Indian Army is for 8.16 lakh new 7.62mm assault rifles to replace existing, glitch-prone 5.56mm INSAS rifles. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In 2017, Indian Army had rejected indigenous assault rifle built by state-run Rifle Factory, Ishapore, when they failed firing tests. After this, it chose SIG716 through competitive process.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'metatitle' => 'Government to buy 72,000 SIG716 assault rifles',
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(int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Government issues EOI for Procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Defence has issued Expression of Interest (EoI) for procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) for Indian Navy. This EoI is for shortlisting of potential Indian strategic partners and foreign Original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) for this mega defence deal. It follows Request for Information (RFI) issued earlier for this deal. Now, Indian Navy will issue detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) to short-listed foreign OEM and Indian companies.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The procurement of these helicopters was approved by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in August 2018, through <strong><em>strategic partnership model</em></strong>. <em>It is first project to be executed through this model</em>. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this, chosen Indian private company will team up with foreign OEM to build product in India. In this deal, 95 helicopters out of 111 will be manufactured in India by selected Indian Strategic Partner and remaining 16 helicopters will be bought in flyaway condition.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this deal, foreign OEM is mandated to set up dedicated manufacturing line, including design, integration and manufacturing processes for NUH in India. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is also mandated to make Indian Manufacturing Line as global exclusive facility for NUH platform being offered.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian partner company of foreign OEM for this deal will be selected based on its capability of system integration, facility in aerospace domain and financial capability.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide major boost to Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and fillip to domestic manufacturing capability for helicopters in India.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These helicopters will replace ageing Chetak Helicopters of Indian Navy. They will be utilised for Search and Rescue (SAR), Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), low intensity maritime operations (LIMO), passenger roles and torpedo drops. They will be also used for communication duties, anti-piracy and anti-terrorism operations, surveillance, humanitarian assistance and targeting.</span></span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'India signs defence pacts with Germany and Sweden',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has singed defence cooperation and security protection agreements with Germany and Sweden during ongoing visit of Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to these two countries. Both Germany and Sweden are important suppliers of defence equipment to India and their companies are currently in race for multi-billion tenders to supply submarines and fighter aircrafts to India under Central Government’s <em>strategic partnership (SP) model</em>.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India-Sweden: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Both countries inked <em>Security Protection Agreement</em> that will enable both countries to share classified information with each other. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was singed between Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Swedish counterpart Peter Hultqvist in Stockholm. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India and Sweden already have signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in area of defence in 2009.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India-Germany:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Both countries signed implementing arrangement on enhanced defence and defence industry cooperation to strengthen military to military (M2M) engagement as well as defence industry and research and development (R&D) linkages.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Strategic partnership (SP) model</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It envisages local manufacturing of major defence platforms by Indian strategic partner who will collaborate with foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to set up production facilities in the country. It seeks to provide impetus to ‘Make in India’ programme.</span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'IAF’s all women crew for first time undertake parallel taxi track operation',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Two women pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time undertook Parallel Taxi Track (PTT) Operations in Dornier 228 aircraft at Sirsa, Haryana. The pilots are Sqn Ldr Kamaljeet Kaur and Sqn Ldr Rakhi Bhandari and belong to “OTTERS” squadron of Western Air Command based at Palam Technical Area. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><em><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was first PTT Operation undertaken by full women crew. </span></em><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In this operation, these two women pilots carried out successful parallel taxi track landing and take-off operations using Dornier 228 aircraft.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Parallel Taxi Track Operations </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It carried out to enable unhindered operations even when runway is not available due to enemy action or any other reasons. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is challenging task as crew is required to land and take off from taxi track, which is considerably smaller in width than runway, with proximity to obstructions as compared to t main runway. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">There cannot be possibility of error during e most critical phases of flight, landing and take-off in this operation.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
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'id' => (int) 339,
'title' => 'CISF creates Guinness world record in single-line bicycle parade',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) made into Guinness world record by conducting longest single line bicycle parade. The parade was conducted to mark golden jubilee celebrations (50 years) of CISF. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It broke previous record in same field held by Hubballi bicycle club of India, which had conducted rally of 1235 bicycles in single chain formation on 26 January 2109 (Republic Day) in Hubballi, Karnataka</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">CISF- longest single line bicycle parade</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The record was created at the Yamuna Expressway in Noida, Uttar Pradesj when personnel of CISF rode total of one 1327 bicycles non-stop with uniform distance between bicycles in single line. The bicycle parade covered 3.2 km distance non-stop. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is central armed police force under Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquarters are at New Delhi. Its motto is “Protection and Security”.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was raised on March 10, 1969 under CISF Act, 1968 to protect major PSUs. Later it was converted to armed force with larger ambit by amending CISF Act, 1968 in 1983. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Functions: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is tasked with providing security to various industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also provides security to airports, atomic power plants, refineries, major ports, space installations, VIPs and engages in disaster management amongst others<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has about one lakh 80 thousand personnel in its ranks. It also has its own Fire Wing to response to fire emergencies/accidents.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'LCA Tejas receives final operational clearance',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft Tejas or LCA Tejas has received final operational clearance (FOC) for induction into Indian Air Force (IAF) as fully-weaponised fighter jet. FOC certificate was handed over by country's military aviation regulator CEMILAC to Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa at Aero India 2019 - India's biennial air show in Bengaluru.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of FOC</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is a major milestone for the LCA (Tejas) to get the final operational clearance. It certifies that LCA Tejas is “ready for battle.”</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FOC aircraft of LCA Tejas has several additional capabilities compared to initial operational clearance (IOC) aircraft. The primary one is being more advanced missile capability with significantly enhanced range.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Some more advanced capabilities of FOC LCA Tejas aircraft Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked advanced weapons and delivery system, and general flight envelope expansion.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Light Combat Aircraft Tejas</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is world’s smallest and lightest supersonic single-seat multi-role jet fighter. It is powered by single engine and uses fourth generation technologies.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was co-developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in cooperation with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It will replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighter aircrafts.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is made entirely of composite structures and has tailless and compound delta wing design. It is equipped with quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system to ease handling by pilot.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It incorporates advanced glass cockpit that comprises all round dialed electro-mechanical instruments.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is fitted with the coherent pulse-Doppler Multi Mode Radar. It also has satellite-aided Inertial Navigation System and digital computer-based attack system and autopilot mode. </span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has numerous stealth features. It has limited operational reach of little over 400-km, reducing its capability mainly for close air-to ground operations.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It can fire air to air missiles, carry bombs and precision guided ammunition. Its different kinds of weaponry including R-73 air-to-air missile, indigenous Astra missile, bomb dropping (including laser guided) etc.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">IAF’s squadron The Flying Daggers (Squadron No 45) is dedicated for LCA Tejas and has formally commenced its operations from Sulur Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu from June 2018.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'metadescription' => 'India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft Tejas or LCA Tejas has received final operational clearance (FOC) for induction into Indian Air Force (IAF) as fully-weaponised fighter jet. ',
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(int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
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'title' => 'BrahMos NG: New deadlier version of BrahMos Missile ',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">New smaller and deadlier version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile dubbed as BrahMos NG is under developmental phase. Its prototype will be ready for testing in about three years. It is being designed to take down slow moving `force multipliers’ deep within enemy territory.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features of BrahMos NG</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be sleeker, smaller and more lethal version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with the same capabilities. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will fly at 3.5 Mach (3.5 times speed of sound) instead of 2.8 Mach speed of existing version. Its range will be same as existing version at 300 km.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For reducing size, several mechanical components of existing missile will be replaced with electrical components. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The reduced weight will enable it to be carried by indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). LCA can carry two missiles while Su-30MKI can carry five of them. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also have anti-land and an anti-ship role as well. It can also be used in submarines as well as it is being designed to be launched from torpedo tubes.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">BrahMos</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is joint venture between India and Russia and named after Brahmaputra and Moscowa rivers. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is two-stage cruise missile, the first being solid and second one ramjet liquid propellant. It is self-propelled guided missile i.e. it can sustain its flight through aerodynamic lift. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is capable of carrying warhead of 300 kgs (both conventional as well as nuclear). It operates on ‘fire and forget principal’ and has strike accuracy rate of 99.99%. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has top supersonic speed of Mach 2.8 to 3 (roughly three times speed of sound), making it world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile in operation. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its range was initially capped at 290 km under obligations of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But, now it has been extended to 450 km after India’s entry into this elite club.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its land and sea variants are already operational with Indian Army and Navy and air-launched version is under development</span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'CISF observes 50th Raising Day',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) observed its 50th Raising Day (golden jubilee). The main event to mark 50th Raising Day was organized by 5th Battalion Camp of CISF at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is central armed police force under Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquarters are at New Delhi. Its motto is “Protection and Security”.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was raised in 1969 under CISF Act, 1968 to protect major PSUs. Later it was converted to armed force with larger ambit by amending CISF Act, 1968 in 1983. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Functions: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is premier multi-skilled security agency tasked with providing security to various critical infrastructure installations both in government and private sector.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also provides security to critical infrastructure like airports, atomic power plants, refineries, major ports, space installations, VIPs and engages in disaster management amongst others<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has about one lakh 80 thousand personnel in its ranks. It also has its own Fire Wing to response to fire emergencies/accidents.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'id' => (int) 470,
'title' => 'Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile successfully test-fired',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired <strong>Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile </strong>(MPATGM) at Pokharan range, Rajasthan. This was overall 4th development trial of MP-ATGM which is being developed for infantry troops of Indian Army against enemy tank regiment. MP-ATGM are typically unguided weapons and are meant to destroy armoured vehicles, low-flying aircraft (especially helicopters), and field fortifications located at low ranges.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About Test</span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The recent two test trails of MPATGM were conducted to test missile’s strike range capability including maximum strike range. Both rounds of tests met all the mission objectives. In both missions, the missile hit designated targets precisely at different ranges.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is 3rd-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) indigenously developed by DRDO in association with Hyderabad based VEM Technologies Ltd.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It incorporates many advanced features such as image infrared radar (IIR) seeker with integrated avionics designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI).</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Is fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. It has maximum engagement range of about 2.5 kilometres, with top attack capability.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">To maintain man portability, it weighs around 14.5 kg. It can be fired from shoulder and can be used during day and night.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has minimum gravity offset and lateral centre. It is effective against both moving and stationary targets. </span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is best in its class in the world. It is yet to be formally named. It will be deployed in Indian Army’s infantry and parachute battalions.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance </span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">MPATGM is critical for Indian Army as it has a requirement for more than 50,000 of these anti-tank missiles.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will replace 2nd generation French origin anti-tank guided missile Milan and Soviet semi-automatic wire-guided missile Konkur, which are in service.</span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will give fillip of indigenization of defence production under Make in India and reduce imports.</span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The platinum jubilee commemoration (75th Anniversary) of Battle of Kangla Tongbi (Battle of Kohima) was observed in Nagaland on 7 April 2019 by Army Ordnance Corps at Kangla Tongbi War Memorial near Imphal, Manipur. It honoured valiant brave hearts of Ordnance Personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot who made their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during battle of World War-II on the night of 6/ 7 April 1944.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Battle of Kangla Tongbi</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was one of the fiercest battles of World War II. It fought by Ordnance personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD) of then British Indian Army on the night of 6/7 April 1944 against Japanese forces.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Japanese Army had planned three pronged offensives to capture Imphal and surrounding areas. At Kangla Tongbi, a small detachment of 221 AOD put up stiff resistance against advancing Japanese forces.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This battle signified unflinching devotion to duty of Ordnance personnel of 221 AOD. It conveys to the world at large that Ordnance personnel, apart from being professional logisticians, are second to none in combat, being equally proficient soldiers, should the occasion demand. </span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Indian Navy inks MoU with CSIR for joint research',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian Navy has singed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to undertake joint research and development of advanced technologies for the Indian Navy. The MoU provides formal framework for interaction between Indian Navy and CSIR and its various labs and Indian industry.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this MoU </span></span></span></span></strong></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Joint R&D activities will be undertaken in diverse fields of Mechanical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion systems, Metallurgy and Nanotechnology.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Some of immediate projects will include development of alternative desalination technologies, residual life assessment studies of gas turbine generator blades to improve reliability and installation of wireless MEMS based sensors for remote operation.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The collaboration will allow the Indian Navy to leapfrog towards latest technologies. It will enable to jointly engage with CSIR under ‘Make in India’ and other innovative programmes of the Union Government. It will serve as foundation for exchange of ideas and development of new technologies in the future.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is India’s premier research and development (R&D) organisation. It was established in 1942. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It operates as autonomous body registered under Registration of Societies Act of 1860. It is headquartered in New Delhi.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is mainly funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Prime Minister is ex-officio chairman of CSIR. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It runs chain of 38 laboratories/institutes, 39 outreach centers, 3 Innovation Centers and 5 units throughout the nation,</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has been ranked 9th best scientific institution in the world amongst 1207 government institutions, with overall global ranking of 75 in world, covering 5250 institutions. </span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The MiG-21 squadron, No. 51, of which Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was part has been accorded sobriquet ‘Falcon Slayers’. It has received special uniform patch made to commemorate dogfight undertaken by MiG fighter planes on intruding aircrafts of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27, 2019 following India’s pre-emptive non-military airstrike at Balakot. In this encounter, Varthaman had shot down PAF’s F-16 aircraft. In this dogfight, his Bison aircraft was also shot down after which he was ejected into Pakistani territory and was captured by Pakistan but released days later. Besides, Sukhoi-30 squadron, whose aircraft also blunted Pakistani air attack and successfully evaded AMRAAM missiles of the PAF F-16s, have also named themselves ‘AMRAAM Dodger’ in new patches.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What are Patches?</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">They are cloth badges that depict squadron’s role and often identify itself with important engagement in which the squadron took part. They reflect type of aircraft the squadron flies and is worn on flying overalls. They connect pilots of squadron to feat which unit has performed. They also instill sense of pride in not only present generation of pilots but also future ones. It gives sense of achievement to the pilots.</span></span></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">51 Squadron patch</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It depicts MIG-21 Bison in foreground and red-coloured F-16 in background under crosshairs.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Sukhoi-30 squadron patch:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It shows SU-30MKI with AMRAAM missile going past after narrowly missing it.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Designed By </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The patches for both squadrons have been designed by aviation enthusiast Saurav Chordia. He also has designed variety of patches for several IAF squadrons in the past, as well as air exercises. The first patch designed by him for IAF was for SU-30MKI squadron in 2015. He also has designed IAF Tejas Patches for the first Tejas squadron in 2016. He has also designed patches for Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and for Gaganshkati 2018, Exercise Pitch Black 2018, Exercise Cope India 2018 and Vayu Shakti Exercise.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'title' => 'Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa received Baton of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from outgoing Chairman (COSC). He will be the chairman COSC with effect from May 31, 2019 after Admiral Sunil Lanba retires. </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Birender Singh Dhanoa</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College and National Defence Academy (NDA). He was commissioned in Flying Branch of Indian Air Force in June 1978. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is experienced fighter pilot and qualified CAT A’ Flying Instructor with over 3,000 hours of flying experience to his credit. He has mainly flown MiG-21 aircraft and also has flying experience across entire spectrum of fighter aircraft of IAF.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">During the Kargil war (1999), he was Commanding Officer (CO) of frontline ground attack fighter squadron. He has held many coveted operational and staff assignments during his career.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chairman is head of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC). The most senior chief of staff is appointed to serve as a chairman until he retires.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mandate of CoSC:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It advises Union Defence Minister and normally through him Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) headed by Prime Minister of India on all military matters which require ministerial consideration. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Composition of CoSC</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It is composed of (a) Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) (b) Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS); (c) Chief of the Air Staff (CAS); and (d) Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS) (non-voting member). Besides, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister is also invited to attend its meetings whenever needed. </span></span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time',
'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) all-women crew for first time flew medium-lift Mi-17 helicopter for a battle training mission. The crew comprised Flight Lieutenant Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), who was led the team, Flying Officer Aman Nidhi (Co-pilot)and Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (Hina Jaiswal). </span></span></span></span></h2>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
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<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The all women crew flew Mi-17 V5 helicopter for Battle Inoculation Training mission taking off and landing from restricted areas at a forward air base in South Western air command.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Flt Lt Parul Bhardwaj hails from Mukerian in Punjab and is first woman pilot to fly Mi-17 V5. Flt Lt Hina Jaiswal from Chandigarh is the first woman flight engineer of Indian Air Force (IAF). Flying officer Aman Nidhi hails from Ranchi, Jharkhand and is also first woman IAF pilot from the state.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The pilots had undergone their basic flying training at Helicopter Training School at Air Force Station Hakimpet (Telangan) followed by advanced training at Air Force Station Yelahanka (Karnataka).</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The helicopter was certified airworthy by unit engineering officer and Squadron Leader Richa Adhikari.</span></span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'Mohana Singh: 1st woman IAF pilot operational on Hawk advanced jet aircraft',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Flight Lt Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) to fly by day on Hawk advanced jet aircraft. She achieved this feat after after gruelling 4 Aircraft combat sortie and landed at Air Force station, Kalaikunda , West Bengal, which was the last syllabus sortie, of being fully operational on the Hawk Jets. She was one of three women pilots inducted in the fighter stream of the IAF in 2016.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Mohana Singh</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Her intense induction training involved flying both air-to-ground and air-to-air combat missions. She had undertaken many practice missions which involved firing of guns, rockets and dropping high calibre bombs. She also had participated in various Air Force level flying exercises. She has over total 500 hours of incident-free flying of which 380 hours are on the Hawk Mk 132 jet.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Flight Lt Mohana Singh is among three women officers along with Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvadi who were first batch of women pilots to join fighter stream of IAF in June 2016. Earlier in May 2019, Flight Lt Bhawana Kanth also had created history by becoming the first daytime woman fighter pilot to fly MiG-21 Bison.</span></span></span></span></p>
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(int) 20 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
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'title' => 'Indian Army commissions air quality monitor station at Fort William',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Army has commissioned "Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS)" at its Eastern Command headquarters in William Military Station, Kolkata, West Bengal as part of its countrywide 'Go Green' initiative. It will be overall sixth CAAQMS in Kolkata. It will monitor air pollution of city on real time basis and its readings will be considered a benchmark of quality.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">CAAQMS at William Military station will measure air pollution such as SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, CO, O3, VOC and particulate matters (PM 10 and PM 2.5) continuously throughout the year.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will also display ambient temperature, wind speed, direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure and rain gauge. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The data collected by this station can be remotely monitored on internet and collated into various desired formats. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It can also be used by West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) or any other local or international weather monitoring bodies.</span></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 21 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
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'title' => '20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas to be observed in July 2019',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian will celebrate this year 20th anniversary of victory in Kargil war or operation Vijay (also called Kargil Vijay Diwas) for three days from 25 July to 27 July 2019 at Dras (Jammu and Kashmir) and New Delhi. The theme for this year’s celebration will be – “<em>Remember, Rejoice and Renew</em>”. The objective of these celebrations is to evoke feeling of nationalism and patriotism through nationwide campaigns especially amongst youth and to pay homage to the valiant soldiers. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India-Pakistan Kargil War </span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had taken place between May and July of 1999 in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. It was started after infiltration of both Pakistani troops and terrorists deep inside Indian territory in strategic positions that overlooked the only road link between Srinagar and Leh.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The conflict is believed to have been orchestrated by then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf without knowledge of then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.</span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Following this illegal infiltration and occupation of strategic positions, Indian Army had launched “Operation Vijay”. It was also supported by Indian Air Force’s operation Safed Sagar. It was for first time air power at height of 32,000 feet. </span></span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This Indo-Pak is always remembered for its strategic and tactical surprises, self-imposed national strategy of restraint in keeping war limited to Kargil - Siachen Sectors and swiftly executed co-ordinated tri-services military strategy and plans.</span></span></span></span></li>
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'title' => 'Operation Bandar: IAF's code name for Balakot air strikes',
'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Indian Air Force (IAF) air strike mission to bomb Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist hideout in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019 was codenamed 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)’. This cross-border airstrike was rare instance when Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time crossed Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and bombed targets in Pakistani territory.</span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why code named Operation Bandar?</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The code name was given as nondescript, mundane tag to air strikes, in order to maintain secrecy and ensure that plans about Balakot operations are not leak out. However, there was not any specific reason behind name chosen but in general monkeys had cultural significance and held special place in India’s war culture such as in Ramayana, where Lord Rama’s lieutenant Lord Hanuman swiftly sneaked into Lanka and destroyed entire capital city of Ravana. </span></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Balakot Airstrike</span></span></strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was termed as "intelligence-led, non-military, pre-emptive" operation aimed at targeting camp run by JeM in Balakot, a town located in the Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. It was conducted in response to February 14, 2019 Pulwama suicide attack, in which 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed. JeM had claimed responsibility for Pulwama suicide bombing. Two weeks later, under Operation Bandar, IAF’s Mirage-2000 fighter jets took off from their home airbases in Gwalor India before dawn on February 26, crossed LoC in J&K and targetted JeM terror camp in Balakot with precision, guided SPICE missiles.</span></span></span></span></p>
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'metatitle' => 'Operation Bandar: IAF's code name for Balakot air strikes',
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(int) 23 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 1855,
'title' => 'Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 2 BrahMos supersonic missile batteries for Navy',
'description' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Context: </strong>To give a boost to indigenisation, the <strong>Defence Acquisition Council </strong>(DAC), <strong>chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, </strong>accorded <strong>approval for procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB) for the Indian Navy.</strong></span></span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Highlights: </strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MoD has cleared <strong>acquisition of SDR and NGMMCB for armed forces</strong></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indigenously developed equipment are <strong>of the latest generation</strong></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These equipment would give a <strong>fillip to government's Make in India initiative</strong></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the SDR: </strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SDR is a complex and <strong>state-of-the-art communication system </strong>which has been <strong>indigenously designed and developed by</strong> <strong>DRDO, BEL and Weapons Electronics System Engineering Establishment (WESEE).</strong></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SDR communication system would <strong>enable information sharing, collaboration and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication with anti-jamming capabilities.</strong></span></span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the NGMMCB:</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NGMMCB has been <strong>developed and manufactured in India by Indo-Russia joint venture </strong>company M/s BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (Long Range) would be <strong>fitted with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles </strong>and would be <strong>deployed along the coast.</strong></span></span></li>
</ul>
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(int) 24 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 2192,
'title' => 'NATGRID',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) project wants to link social media accounts to the huge database of records related to immigration entry and exit, banking and telephone details.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project is an online database for organising scattered pieces of information and putting them on one platform. At least 10 central agencies like Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and others will have access to the data on a secured platform.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NATGRID links intelligence and investigation agencies. The 10 user agencies will be linked independently with certain databases that would be procured from 21 providing organisations and include telecom, tax records, bank, immigration, etc. to enable the generation of intelligence inputs.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project has been aimed to solve the issue of "entity resolution" through artificial intelligence.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NATGRID will not only help to trace the current location of the suspect but also aid in backtrack-ability. The processing speed is likely to be much faster.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Functional NATGRID will help in real-time tracking of a terror operative or suspect.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Opposition for NATGRID</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Intelligence agencies have opposed the NATGRID due to fears that it would encroach on their territory and possibly result in leaks on the lead, which they were working, to other agencies.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Linking the database to social media accounts could jeopardise the entire exercise as it could be exposed to unknown virus attacks from open source Internet</span></span></p>
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(int) 25 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 2848,
'title' => 'US state department approves sale of arms to India',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US State Department has approved an arms deal for India valued at just over $1 billion, according to a press statement from the Department of Defense (DoD).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The sale approval was in response to a Government of India request to buy the guns and 3,500 D349 Projectile, 5”/54 MK 92 MOD 1 Ammunition. The proposed sale will include ammunition, spare parts, training of personnel and equipment, technical data, publications, technical and logistical assistance and transport.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the DoD body that implements the U.S.’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, delivered its certification of the proposed sale to the U.S. Congress.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Congress has a thirty day window from when the certification is received to raise any objections to the sale.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MK-45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct antisurface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing interoperability with U.S. and other allied forces.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India is planning to use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>India-US defence agreements</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The U.S. has four foundational agreements that it signs with its defence partners.</span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first of the four agreements, the <strong>General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)</strong>, was signed by India and the U.S. in 2002. The agreement enables the sharing of military intelligence between the two countries and requires each country to protect the others' classified information.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The second agreement, the Logistics <strong>Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)</strong>, was signed by the two countries on 29 August 2016. The LEMOA permits the military of either country to use the others' bases for re-supplying or carrying out repairs. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third agreement, <strong>Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA</strong>) was signed during the inaugural 2+2 dialogue in September 2018. It is an India-specific variant of <strong>Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA)</strong> that enables the two countries to share secure communication and exchange information on approved equipment during bilateral and multinational training exercises and operations. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fourth agreement, <strong>Basic</strong> <strong>Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA)</strong> has not yet been signed. It permits the exchange of unclassified and controlled unclassified geospatial products, topographical, nautical, and aeronautical data, products and services between India and the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Nuclear cooperation</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement also referred to as the "123 Agreement", is a bilateral agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation which governs civil nuclear trade between American and Indian firms to participate in each other's civil nuclear energy sector.</span></span></p>
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(int) 26 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 4604,
'title' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso lake',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The recent incidents at the Pangong Tso lake area between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the LAC have brought back the region in the focus.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The disputed boundary between India and China, also known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), is divided into three sectors: western, middle and eastern. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The countries disagree on the exact location of the LAC in various areas, so much so that India claims that the LAC is 3,488 km long while the Chinese believe it to be around 2,000 km long.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The two armies try and dominate by patrol to the areas up to their respective perceptions of the LAC, often bringing them into conflict and leading to incidents such as those witnessed in Naku La in Sikkim earlier this month.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The LAC mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where it passes through the water as well. The points in the water at which the Indian claim ends and Chinese claim begins are not agreed upon mutually.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Most of the clashes between the two armies occur in the disputed portion of the lake. As things stand, 45 km-long western portion of the lake is under Indian control, while the rest is under China’s control.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pangong Tso Lake</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the Ladakhi language, Pangong means extensive concavity, and Tso is lake in Tibetan.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pangong Tso is a long narrow, deep, endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at a height of more than 14,000 ft in the Ladakh Himalayas. The western end of</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tso lies 54 km to the southeast of Leh. The 135 km-long lake sprawls over 604 sq km in the shape of a boomerang, and is 6 km wide at its broadest point.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The brackish water lake freezes over in winter, and becomes ideal for ice skating and polo. The legendary 19th century Dogra general Zorawar Singh is said to have trained his soldiers and horses on the frozen Pangong lake before invading Tibet.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">By itself, the lake does not have major tactical significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul approach, one of the main approaches that China can use for an offensive into Indian-held territory.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 27 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 4825,
'title' => 'Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The construction of the 255-km long Darbuk-Shyokh-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) all-weather road is possibly the most consequential reason for Chinese aggression in LAC.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its strategic importance is that it connects Leh to DBO, virtually at the base of the Karakoram Pass that separates China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region from Ladakh.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">DBO is the northernmost corner of Indian territory in Ladakh, in the area better known in Army parlance as Sub-Sector North.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">DBO has the world’s highest airstrip, originally built during the 1962 war but abandoned until 2008, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) revived it as one of its many Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) along the LAC, with the landing of an Antonov An-32.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chinese build-up along the Galwan River valley region overlooks, and hence poses a direct threat to the DSDBO road.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The DSDBO highway provides the Indian military access to the section of theTibet-Xinjaing highway that passes through Aksai Chin. The road runs almost parallel to the LAC at Aksai China, that China occupied in the 1950s.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To the west of DBO is the region where China abuts Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, once a part of the erstwhile Kashmir principality.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is also the critical region where China is currently constructing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), to which India has objected.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Previously an old road, largely a track, existed along the same alignment as the pucca road, but was practically unusable during summer due to the flooding of the snow-fed <strong>Shyok</strong> river – or River of Death – and its tributaries, including the <strong>Chip Chap, Galwan, </strong>and<strong> Chang Chenmo</strong> that crisscross it.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Shyok river itself is a tributary of the Indus, flowing through northern Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan. It eventually re-joins the <strong>Indus</strong> at Keris.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p> <img alt="" src="https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b208/kqlkykkfs67ol0x6g.jpg" style="height:204px; width:306px" /></p>
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'metatitle' => 'Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road',
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 4887,
'title' => 'Strategic importance of Ladakh to India and China',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ladakh and its surrounding area of Aksai Chin has been in news due to the contention between India and China to extend their sovereignty.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In July 1958, an official monthly magazine in China named <em>China pictorial</em> published a map of the country that would become a bone of contention between India and its East Asian neighbour.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The importance of Ladakh to both India and China is rooted in complicated historical processes that led to the territory becoming part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and China’s interest in it post the occupation of Tibet in 1950.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Up until the Dogra invasion of 1834, Ladakh was an independent Himalayan state, much the same way as Bhutan and Sikkim. Ladakh was part of the Tibetan empire which broke up after the assassination of King Langdarma in 742 CE. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thereafter it became an independent kingdom, though its borders fluctuated at different periods of its history and, at times included much of what is now western Tibet.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Economically, the importance of the region stemmed from the fact that it was an entrepôt between central Asia and Kashmir. At the same time, there was a flourishing trade route across the Karakorum pass to Yarkand and Kashgar to Chinese Turkestan.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The British legacy of the map of the territory though continued to remain the ground upon which India laid its claim on the area. The claims of both governments rested in part on the legacy of imperialism; British imperialism (for India), and Chinese imperialism (over Tibet) for China.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The annexation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China in 1950 sparked newfound interest in Ladakh, and particularly so after the 1959 Tibetan uprising that erupted in Lhasa when the Dalai Lama fled into exile and was granted political asylum in India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are two main reasons for rising conflict. Firstly, up to 2013 India’s infrastructural development in that area was minimal. From 2013, India started pushing for infrastructure projects there and by 2015, it became a major defence priority.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Second is the August 5, 2019 decision (to remove the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and downgrade the state into two Union Territories). From the Chinese point of view, they would have assumed that if India makes Ladakh a Union Territory, they would be reasserting its control over the entire state.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Strategic importance of Galwan valley',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh saw a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15 resulting in casualties on either side, has strategic significance because of its proximity to the vital road link to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) is the world’s highest landing ground that lies close to the Line of Actual Control and serves as an important aerial supply line.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India is engaged in building up border infrastructure in this area, including the all weather 255 km Darbul-Shayok- DBO road. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The road runs almost parallel-at places very close-to the LAC and extends up to the base of the Karakoram pass, which when complete, will reduce the travel time from Leh to DBO from the present two days to just six hours. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Road and bridge construction works have recently been speeded up with a large number of labourers being ferried in.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan valley connects with Shyok on the road under construction and lies between DBO and Chushul to the south near Pangon Tso, another hot spot, providing convenient access to Shyok and the areas beyond.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Control of the ridgeline along the valley also allows domination of the road. Looking eastwards, control of the Galwan valley gives access to the Aksai Chin plateau, through which part of the Xinjiang-Tibet highway passes.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The road serves a vital peace time role in maintaining forward posts and building up reserves. An alternate route to DBO is being developed from a different axis in Ladakh that has adequate depth from the LAC.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan river is to the west of China's 1956 claim line in Aksai Chin. However, in 1960 China advanced its claim line to the west of the river along the mountain ridge adjoining the Shyok river valley. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">During the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, Indian posts in the Galwan Sector were attacked and overwhelmed by the Chinese, resulting in casualties and some prisoners-of-war. After the war, this sector largely remained dormant till the recent face-offs.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 30 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5004,
'title' => 'New weapons deployed by government',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajanth Singh has cleared several proposals that will boost the combat capabilities of all three services—Army, Navy and the Air Force.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the government expects the standoff with China to continue well into the winters, the armed forces are ready for the long-haul.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pinaka missile system</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted. It is an all-weather, indirect fire, free flight artillery rocket system<strong>.</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pinaka weapon system consists of Rocket, Multi Barrel Rocket launcher, Battery Command Post, Loader cum Replenishment Vehicle, Replenishment Vehicle and Digicora MET Radar.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Astra Missiles</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Astra Missiles, with Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of Navy and Air Force.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The BVR class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system is designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft and can be engaged to destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>MIG 29 and Su-30 MKI</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jets, developed by the Soviets in the 1970s, but has been upgraded since. Russia will also upgrade existing 59 Mig-29 aircraft of India.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems (LRLACM)</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is aimed at enhancing India’s firing range from between 400 km and 500 km of the Brahmos to 1000 km. The seeker development and testing by DRDO laboratories, it said, are demonstrated and is at a high-level of readiness. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The proposed development of fully indigenous long-range land-attack cruise missile can greatly enhance the operational capability of services.</span></span></p>
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(int) 31 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5024,
'title' => 'Winter diesel',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s armed forces may soon be using winter diesel for operations in high altitude areas such as Ladakh, where winter temperatures plummet to extremely low levels.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has sought approval from the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) of the armed forces to approve winter diesel that is said to be usable at temperatures as low as -30° celsius.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Winter diesel is a specialised fuel that was introduced by IOCL last year specifically for high altitude regions and low-temperature regions such as Ladakh, where ordinary diesel can become unusable. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The flow characteristics of regular diesel change at such low temperatures and using it may be detrimental to vehicles. Winter diesel which contains additives to maintain lower viscosity can be used in temperatures as low as -30°C.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides a low pour point, it had a higher cetane rating, an indicator of combustion speed of diesel and compression needed for ignition— and lower sulphur content, which would lead to lower deposits in engines and better performance.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the launch of winter diesel, consumers in areas that reached such low temperatures were using kerosene to dilute diesel to make it usable, which would lead to more air pollution.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">IOC may begin supplying winter diesel to the armed forces once its use is approved by the Controllerate of Quality Assurance for petroleum products under the Directorate General for Quality Assurance of the armed forces.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">While experts expect that demand may rise given the border tensions, the demand for DHPP-W from the armed forces has not increased significantly since the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan valley in Ladakh.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 32 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5152,
'title' => 'India and Nepal military ties',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On July 10, a soldier from Nepal serving in the Ghurkha regiment, was killed in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector of Jammu. This comes amidst a strain in Indo-Nepali ties.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The soldier’s supreme sacrifice is a reminder about the strong ties between the Indian and Nepalese armed forces. Soldiers from Nepal form a significant part of the Indian Army’s legendary Ghurkha regiment. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s military connection with the Himalayan country goes back to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh whose army in Lahore enlisted Nepalese soldiers called Lahure or soldiers of fortune.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">British India raised the first battalion of the Ghurkha Regiment as the Nasiri regiment on April 24, 1815. By the time the First World War started, there were 10 Ghurkha regiments in the British Indian Army.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When India got freedom, these regiments were divided between the British and Indian armies as per the Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement signed in November 1947. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepalis can join the Indian Army, both as a jawan and as an officer. A citizen of Nepal can take the National Defence Academy or Combined Defence Services exams and join the Indian Army as an officer.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Nepalese army also sends its officers for training to India’s military academies and combat colleges. The Ghurkha regiments, which have 35 battalions, recruit a large number of troops from Nepal.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepali soldiers enjoy the same benefits as the India troops both during service and after retirement. They get the same medical facilities as the Indian soldiers, and often medical teams from the Indian Army tour Nepal. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlike the British, who started giving the Nepalese soldiers pension only a few years ago, the Indian Army has never discriminated against the Nepalese soldiers, who can avail of healthcare facilities in India as well. The Indian Army also runs welfare projects in Nepal villages, including small water and power projects.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">There is a convention that dates back to 1972 when then Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, a Ghurkha regiment officer was made the honorary chief of the Nepalese army. Ever since the Army chief of India is the honorary chief of the Nepalese army and vice-versa.</span></span></p>
</li>
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(int) 33 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5449,
'title' => 'Security audit of telecom networks',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is all set to direct telecom companies to undertake an “information security audit” of their networks and submit the report by October end.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An information security audit is a step-by-step assessment of the complete network infrastructure which checks for the equipment installed and the latest upgrades done in order to prevent any data leakages.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The auditors also check the data storage and security policies of the company and check whether all sections of the company adhere to the norms set by the company itself.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from that, some auditing agencies also launch a controlled bug into the network of the company to check for vulnerabilities, and see what all systems are being impacted.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The objective of the audit is also to check for ‘backdoor’ and ‘trapdoor’ vulnerabilities. A ‘backdoor’ or a ‘trap door’ is a bug installed in the telecom hardware which allows companies to listen in or collect data being shared on the network.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The audit is likely to increase the scrutiny on Chinese companies Huawei Telecommunication Company and ZTE, which have been alleged to spy for the Chinese government.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from the US, other countries such as the UK and Australia have also banned both the Chinese companies on “national security” concerns with the same allegations.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The DoT is likely to suggest to the companies that the external audit should be done only by an agency empanelled with Cert-IN. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This means that the audit will no longer remain a commercial compliance norm for the company, but will also look into the national security aspects of the telecom network.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Though such internal and external audits are done by companies every three or four years, it will be the first time that the audit will be done by an agency specified by the DoT. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The report of the audit is likely to help DoT put in a concrete plan to bar Chinese vendors from the Indian telecom market space if any problems are found.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 34 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5644,
'title' => 'Significance of Chushul',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chushul sub-sector has come into focus in the standoff between the Indian and PLA troops following the movement that took place on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chushul sub-sector lies south of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh. It comprises high, broken mountains and heights of Thatung, Black Top, Helmet Top, Gurung Hill, and Magger Hill besides passes such as Rezang La and Rechin La, the Spanggur Gap, and the Chushul valley.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Situated at a height of over 13,000 feet close to the LAC, the Chushul Valley has a vital airstrip that played an important role even during the 1962 War with China.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chushul is one among the five Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chushul enjoys tremendous strategic and tactical importance because of its location and terrain, which make it a centre for logistics deployment.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This sector has plains that are a couple of kilometres wide, where mechanised forces, including tanks, can be deployed. Its airstrip and connectivity by road to Leh add to its operational advantages.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian troops have now secured the ridgeline in this sub-sector that allows them to dominate the Chushul bowl on the Indian side, and Moldo sector on the Chinese side.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They also have a clear sight of the almost 2-km-wide Spanggur gap, which the Chinese used in the past to launch attacks on this sector in the 1962 War.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s move has neutralised the advantage that China gained when it secured areas between Finger 4 and Finger 8 on the northern bank of the Pangong Tso.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The harsh winter that lasts for eight months of the year poses a big challenge. It is very difficult to dig in, and make shelters on the ridgeline. The Pangong Tso also freezes, making movement between its north and south banks possible.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5654,
'title' => 'Border tourism in Uttarakhand',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the backdrop of repeated Chinese incursions along the LAC, the Centre is planning to build a second line of defence in villages bordering China by relaxing tourism-related activities.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first step in the direction will be to free some parts of the Gangotri area in Uttarakhand from the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system. Uttarakhand has a 350-km border with China.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Government agree that there should be some tourism and economic activity so that the border villages remain inhabited.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Uttarakhand has also decided to provide subsidy for the installation of mobile phone towers in the remote border villages, which are currently mostly out of network coverage area.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There have been demands for relaxation of the ILP even in the tribal areas of Kumaon. These areas are seeing intrusions from Nepal, with some foreigners settling in border villages, along with an increased use of satellite phones.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ILP system restricts movement in areas close to the border for everyone other than those with a formal permission from the Union Home Ministry.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Several experts have advocated greater human activity on the Indian side of the border, including more settlements and tourism activities in the border areas that could act as additional eyes and ears of the security forces, and perform as a second line of defence against external aggression or infiltration.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Relaxing the ILP regime of restrictions would allow for houses in the beautiful border villages to be developed as homestays, and will directly contribute towards helping the village economy.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Such a step will help in the permanent protection of borders, and also generate livelihoods for the local population and discourage them from leaving.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5572,
'title' => 'Vikas Battalion',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit, referred to as Vikas Battalion, has been instrumental in occupying some key heights on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFF was raised in the immediate aftermath of the 1962 Sino-India war. It was a covert outfit which recruited Tibetans (now it has a mixture of Tibetans and Gorkhas) and initially went by the name of Establishment 22.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was named so because it was raised by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, an Artillery officer who had commanded 22 Mountain Regiment.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Subsequently, the group was renamed as Special Frontier Force and it now falls under the purview of the Cabinet Secretariat where it is headed by an Inspector General who is an Army officer of the rank of Major General. The units that comprise the SFF are known as Vikas battalions.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SFF units are not part of the Army but they function under operational control of the Army. The units have their own rank structures which have equivalent status with Army ranks. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They are highly trained Special Forces personnel who can undertake a variety of tasks which would normally be performed by any Special Forces unit. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SFF units function virtually as any other Army unit in operational areas despite having a separate charter and history. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They have their own training establishment where the recruits to SFF are imparted special forces training. Incidentally, women soldiers too form a part of SFF units and perform specialised tasks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are several overt and covert operations in which SFF units have taken part over the years. They took part in operations in the 1971 war, Operation Blue Star in Golden Temple Amritsar, Kargil conflict and in counter-insurgency operations in the country.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 1971, the SFF operated in the Chittagong hill tracts in East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) to neutralise Pakistan Army positions and help the Indian Army advance ahead. The operation was code-named ‘Operation Eagle’. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">They were airlifted into operational areas and infiltrated behind enemy lines to destroy lines of communication of Pakistan Army. They also played a vital role in preventing the escape of Pakistan Army personnel from Bangladesh into Burma (now Myanmar).</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso south bank',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Army thwarted an attempt by China to change the status quo near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by deploying its troops to a previously un-deployed area on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While the Pangong Lake has been among the most contentious sectors in the ongoing military standoff, the activity until now had been restricted to the northern bank.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pangong Tso is an <strong>endorheic</strong> lake (landlocked) that is partly in India’s Ladakh region and partly in Tibet. The name reflects the mixed heritage of the lake: Pangong in Ladakhi means extensive concavity, the word Tso is Tibetan for lake.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karakoram Mountain range, which crosses Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and India, ends at the north bank of Pangong Tso. Its southern bank too has high broken mountains sloping towards Spangur Lake in the south.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The lake’s water is <strong>brackish</strong>, making it undrinkable. The lake freezes during the winter, allowing some vehicular movement on it as well.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nearly <strong>two-thirds</strong> of the lake is controlled by <strong>China</strong>, with just about 45 km under Indian control. The LAC, running north-south, cuts the western part of the lake, aligned east-west.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India has traditionally had a stronger presence in the southern bank compared to the north bank, because of its proximity to areas like Chushul and Rezang La.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The area, known as the Chushul approach, is one of the few sectors that can be used as launchpads for an offensive, because of the plains.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India has occupied a more advantageous position, though still on its side of the LAC, to prevent China from any intrusions in the area.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 38 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Uttarakhand upgrading defence infra on border',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the context of ongoing tensions and territory issues with China<strong> </strong>and Nepal, the Uttarakhand government, along with the defence forces, has taken measures to strengthen infrastructure along its international border.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China and a 275-km boundary with Nepal. Five of the state’s 13 districts are border districts. Pithoragarh is strategically very sensitive as it has boundaries with both China and Nepal.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the recent development, the Uttarakhand government has agreed to provide land to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to set up air defence radars in three districts bordering China.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The IAF has also proposed to develop a new Advanced Landing Ground to facilitate its activities in the hill areas.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Advanced Landing Ground in Uttarakhand would be useful for refuelling of aircraft, and for loading and unloading of ammunition.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state cabinet earlier this month approved a proposal for the expansion of a helipad at the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district to make it suitable for operating the IAF’s Chinook multi-mission choppers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Uttarakhand cabinet has approved an amendment in the state’s information technology (IT) policy to provide incentives of up to Rs 40 lakh to facilitate private telecom companies to install towers in “dark villages” in which telecommunication facilities are unavailable at present.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Villagers in border areas have traditionally acted as the eyes and ears of the defence forces, and telecommunications are a force multiplier in this regard.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Uttarakhand State Wildlife Advisory Board gave the go-ahead to transfer over 73 hectares of forest land in Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi district for the development of roads.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 39 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5703,
'title' => 'State of play in Ladakh',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The People’s Liberation Army has deployed over two regular divisions along with supporting arms and logistic services as back-up. India too, has about two regular Army divisions supported by the Indian Air Force in this sector now.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the PLA has now occupied many areas which were earlier considered ‘disputed’, that is, lying between Chinese and Indian perceptions of the LAC.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On Finger 4, north of Pangong Tso, the opposing troops are deployed a few hundred metres apart. On the south bank of Pangong Tso, they are occupying heights that overlook each other’s military camps and vital road communications.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The pre-emptive occupation of the Kailash Range by Indian troops on August 29-30, and the PLA’s provocative action on September 7, has made the situation on the ground, particularly in the Chushul sector, is indeed very tense and explosive.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the north bank of Pangong Tso, there are eight major finger-like spurs coming down to the Tso (lake). From heights along these spurs, one can observe military activity on the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In May, the PLA occupied the disputed area, deployed troops on Finger 4, and blocked Indian troops, which used to earlier patrol the areas up to Finger 8.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Heights in the mountains enable observation of the adversary’s military activities in the (visible) area, and the ability to bring down accurate direct and indirect fire on the chosen enemy target.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In Demchok, the PLA has been objecting to India’s non-military developmental activities — road and water channel — for India’s civilian population.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There has been an LAC-related dispute in the Depsang Plains in Sub Sector North. In April 2013, the PLA troops set up a temporary camp in our area, but later withdrew. They have again occupied some area claimed by us.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the recent incidents, China has deliberately violated all the confidence-building agreements and the perceived alignment of the LAC until now.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The IAF has a crucial role at the strategic and operational levels. Besides its primary role of protecting air space and vulnerable areas/assets, it will be actively engaged in aerial reconnaissance, destroying enemy targets, and providing tactical and logistic support to the Army.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'id' => (int) 5859,
'title' => 'Dismantling of INS Viraat at Alang',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The historic aircraft carrier INS Viraat, beached at Alang on September 28, will continue to stay in its place until a team of workers start dismantling it.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Usually, when a vessel is beached at Alang, it uses the force of high tide as well as its own engine power to glide on to the shore at speeds ranging between 15-20 knots. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Viraat has been secured by iron ropes that are tied to diesel-powered wrenches. This ensures that the vessel does not tilt or change its position during tides and ebbs.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The owners of Shree Ram Group which bought INS Viraat from an auction said their plots were “green ship recycling” yards which have certificates from Hong Kong Convention and European Union. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As it is a green yard, it is ensured that the ship is not broken down in the sea and the entire vessel is broken once it is dragged to the shore. Cranes are also used to ensure that the broken parts do not fall into the sea.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During high tide, the sea-facing wrenches which are connected with iron ropes fastened to the aircraft carrier will be switched on. These wrenches will slowly drag the warship to the empty space on the beach.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ship will need a “cutting permission” from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Gujarat Maritime Board before the dismantling can commence. This will be done after a physical inspection of the ship by different agencies post-beaching.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The oil in engines and other machinery have to be emptied. Old batteries have to be removed. Any flammable liquids including the left-over fuel in the tanks will have to be pumped out. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These tanks have to be cleaned and made free of any residue gases accumulated inside the fuel tanks. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the ship comes on the shore, an independent agency will prepare an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM). This agency will go on-board, take all samples including the persistent organic pollutants (POPs).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This IHM acts as a guide and the ship breaker makes marking on board the vessel indicating the hazardous portions of the ship. Then the HAZMAT (hazardous material) team of the ship breaker will remove the hazardous substances before the breaking begins.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the cutting begins, hazardous substances like asbestos, batteries, and ozone-depleting gases will have to be tackled and disposed of safely.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Being a naval ship, it not only has a double hull made of steel plates that are several inches thick but also has multiple small compartments which take time to cut and dismantle. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Parts dismantled from ships at Alang are usually recycled or sold. As far as INS Viraat is concerned, automobile companies have already contacted the ship-breaker for the steel salvaged from the warship.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 41 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5864,
'title' => 'Defence offsets',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government has decided to remove the clause for offsets if the equipment is being bought either through deals or agreements between two countries, or through an ab initio single-vendor deal.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defence Ministry came up with its latest Defence<strong> </strong>Acquisition<strong> </strong>Procedure<strong> </strong>2020<strong> </strong>(DAP 2020<strong>)</strong>, which comes into effect from October 1. It has changed a 15-year old policy<strong>.</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The offset is an obligation by an international player to boost India’s domestic defence industry if India is buying defence equipment from it. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Since defence contracts are costly, the government wants part of that money either to benefit the Indian industry, or to allow the country to gain in terms of technology.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has defined offsets as a “mechanism generally established with the triple objectives of: (a) partially compensating for a significant outflow of a buyer country’s resources in a large purchase of foreign goods (b) facilitating induction of technology and (c) adding capacities and capabilities of domestic industry”.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An offset provision in a contract makes it obligatory on the supplier to either “reverse purchase, execute export orders or invest in local industry or in research and development” in the buyer’s domestic industry.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first policy said that all defence procurements exceeding Rs 300 crore, estimated cost, will entail offset obligations of at least 30%, which could be increased or decreased by the DAC (Defence Acquisition Council).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The key objective of the Defence Offset Policy is to leverage capital acquisitions to develop Indian defence industry by (i) fostering development of internationally competitive enterprises, (ii) augmenting capacity for Research, Design and Development related to defence products and services and (iii) encouraging development of synergistic sectors like civil aerospace, and internal security”.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Methods of offsets</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Direct purchase of, or executing export orders for, eligible products manufactured by, or services provided by Indian enterprises</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Foreign Direct Investment in joint ventures with Indian enterprises (equity investment) for eligible products and services</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Investment in ‘kind’ in terms of transfer of technology (TOT) to Indian enterprises, through joint ventures or through the non-equity route for eligible products and services</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Investment in ‘kind’ in Indian enterprises in terms of provision of equipment through the non-equity route for manufacture and/or maintenance of products and services</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Provision of equipment and/or TOT to government institutions and establishments engaged in the manufacture and/or maintenance of eligible products, and provision of eligible services, including DRDO (as distinct from Indian enterprises).</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Technology acquisition by DRDO in areas of high technology.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 5680,
'title' => 'India – China five points action plan',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Foreign Ministers of India and China, arrived at a ‘Five Points’ agreement<strong> </strong>to reduce the prevailing tension on the Ladakh border.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The process of dialogue between the nations is vital especially when the two are neighbours with strained relations. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is in keeping with the Chinese policy of ‘talking and fighting simultaneously’. Besides, it also lent credence to the role of Moscow in setting up the stage for the talks. Some experts have termed these talks as stepping back from the brink of war which it is not.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The genesis of the current stand-off was the aggression undertaken by the PLA in the form of incursions by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Given the scale, extent, and timing, the operation was well planned at the highest level.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The conflict situation consists of actions such as building fortifications, clashes between patrolling parties, laying of mines, air intrusions alongside certain provocative political actions.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> India’s counteraction at Chushul<strong> </strong>by way of the occupation of Kailash Range on August 29-30 took the escalation to a higher level, but well below the threshold of conflict.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The de-escalation process starts with gradual disengagement of troops alongside the dismantling of war-waging infrastructure, pulling back, and finally withdrawal to the designated locations.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Five points action plan</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• The 1993 ‘Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility Agreement’ forms the basis of all followup agreements.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 1996 ‘Confidence Building Measures’ denounced the use of force</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 2005 ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ and patrolling modalities.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 2012 ‘Process of Consultation and Cooperation’</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">• 2013 ‘Border Cooperation Agreement’, signed as a sequel to Depsang intrusion by PLA</span></span></p>
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(int) 43 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
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'title' => 'Nature of Cyber threat from China',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An investigation has spotlighted an elaborate operation by a technology company with links to the government in Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party, to keep tabs on a very large number of individuals and entities in India.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The company, Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co. Limited, calls itself a pioneer in using big data for “hybrid warfare” and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China’s authoritarian government, ruling party, military, and many private companies frequently operate as a giant, coordinated operation, of which countries around the world are targets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was soon after the Gulf War of 1991 that the Chinese realised that the days of conventional warfare were rapidly coming to an end.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They analysed that if they get into the ICT (information and communications technology), they could leapfrog a couple of generations and get ahead. This decision also coincided with China turning into the electronics factory of the world.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 2003, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and China’s Central Military Commission officially approved the concept of “Three Warfares”, comprising psychological, media, and legal warfare. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was then decided at the highest levels that the PLA should be an army ready to fight a war in the information domain by 2020.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unit 61398 is the ‘Military unit Cover Designator’ (MuCD) of the PLA’s Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) unit that has been accused of several computer hacking attacks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China started a policy of weaponising its existing manufacturing capability of civilian products for military purposes by leveraging the control over any instrument by the original equipment manufacturer.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chinese use the information for kompromat, a Russian term for any information that can compromise a person, and which can therefore, be used to blackmail him/her.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In 2017, China passed a law under which all Chinese companies were supposed to assist the country’s intelligence-gathering operations.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'title' => 'Women in armed forces',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Navy has announced selection of two women officers as Observers in the helicopter stream, making them first women airborne combatants who would be operating from warships.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Supreme Court had upheld that the women Short Service Commission officers in the Navy were eligible for Permanent Commission. The Navy had also inducted the first woman pilot in December last year.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prior to 1992, women officers were inducted in the Navy only in the medical stream from the Armed Forces Medical Service.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From July 1992, the Navy started inducting women, initially through a special entry scheme and later through the Short Service Commission, in only select branches of the Navy. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Over the years, various branches were added to the list, and currently women officers can join the Navy in the streams of Air Traffic Control, Observers, Law, Logistics, Education, Naval Architecture, Pilots in Maritime Reconnaissance Stream only, and the Naval Armament Inspectorate. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It needs to be noted like in the Army and the Air Force, women are currently only inducted as Commissioned Officers and not in Other Ranks which are of categories of Junior Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Entry in the helicopter stream means that women officers can now be deployed on frontline warships from which helicopters can operate.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of various challenges towards deployment of women onboard warships, the logistics part is not as challenging as one would imagine.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The question of mindset and gender sensitization, on the other hand, is something many believe would require concerted efforts, and concrete steps are being taken in that direction.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While women officers appreciate the support of many male military leaders in these processes, they also highlight the resistance from the system as a whole.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Women officers hope that these developments would result in them being posted at commanding positions on the ships which are a key for career advancements in the operational streams.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 45 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6102,
'title' => 'Infantry day',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Army establishments across the country are today marking ‘Infantry Day’ and paying homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was on this day that first Indian infantry soldiers took part in an action to defend Indian territory from external aggression. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On October 26, 1947 the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed the instrument of accession, making his state a part of Indian dominion, and thus paving the day for Indian troops to be deployed in the state to fight against Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pakistan had poured in thousands of regular soldiers in the grab of tribals of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) into J&K with the aim of forcibly occupying the state and integrating it into Pakistan. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The initial resistance to the invaders was given by the state forces of J&K. On October 26, after the Maharaja signed the instrument of accession the way was paved for India to send in its troops and ward off the Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Seven Dakota aircraft were assembled at Palam airport on the morning of October 27 with each scheduled to do two sorties each to airlift the troops of 1 Sikh and their equipment. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Dakotas took to air carrying first Indian infantry soldiers and a battery of artillery troops into J&K where they would make history by saving the Srinagar airfield from the Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Had 1 Sikh not been airlifted into Srinagar on time the airfield would have fallen into the hands of Pakistani invaders. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">With the road link extremely tenuous, this would have meant that getting Indian troops into Srinagar would have been a time-consuming task and would have given ample opportunity to Pakistan to reinforce its invaders through air and thus occupying the Valley.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6114,
'title' => 'BECA pact with US',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India and the United States signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA),<strong> </strong>which is the third foundational pact for military cooperation.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India had earlier signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">BECA will help India get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Through the sharing of information on maps and satellite images, it will help India access topographical and aeronautical data, and advanced products that will aid in navigation and targeting.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This could be key to Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation between India and the US. BECA will provide Indian military systems with a high-quality GPS to navigate missiles with real-time intelligence to precisely target the adversary.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides the sailing of ships, flying of aircraft, fighting of wars, and location of targets, geospatial intelligence is also critical to the response to natural disasters.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The strengthening of the mechanisms of cooperation between the two militaries must be seen in the context of an increasingly aggressive China, which threatens a large number of countries in its neighbourhood and beyond.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While LEMOA means one partner trusts the other enough to expose its valuable assets, COMCASA means one is confident that it can rely on encrypted systems to connect the two militaries. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">And the latest pact, BECA, means the countries can share highly classified information in real time without fear of being compromised.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>LEMOA</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">LEMOA was the first of the three pacts to be signed in August 2016.<strong> </strong>LEMOA allows the militaries of the US and India to replenish from each other’s bases, and access supplies, spare parts, and services from each other’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">LEMOA is extremely useful for India-US Navy-to-Navy cooperation, since the two countries are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The signing of LEMOA was in itself an affirmation of the mutual trust between the two militaries, and its application will enhance the trust. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>COMCASA</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The pact allows the US to provide India with its encrypted communications equipment and systems so that Indian and US military commanders, and the aircraft and ships of the two countries, can communicate through secure networks during times of both peace and war. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The signing of COMCASA paved the way for the transfer of communication security equipment from the US to India to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces — and potentially with other militaries that use US-origin systems for secure data links.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 47 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6164,
'title' => 'QUAD and Malabar exercise',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Australia’s participation in the annual Malabar exercises marks the emergence of the Quad as a new feature of the Indo-Pacific geopolitics.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After the withdrawal of Australia from QUAD in 2008, the grouping took a backseat. After the resurgence of Chinese threats, the group is being revived.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>QUAD</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges, and military drills between member countries.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The forum was initiated as a dialogue in 2007 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, with the support of Vice President Dick Cheney of the US, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese[a] economic and military power.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quadrilateral was supposed to establish an "Asian Arc of Democracy," envisioned to ultimately include countries in central Asia, Mongolia, the Korean peninsula, and other countries in Southeast Asia.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quad also draws comparisons by Asian commentators to NATO. China negatively portrays the Quad as a precursor to a militarised Asian NATO.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Malabar Exercise</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is a multilateral naval exercise that includes simulated war games and combat manoeuvres. It started in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the Indian and US navies. Japan joined in 2015. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This year the exercise will be held in two phases, the first off the coast near Visakhapatnam, and the second in the Arabian Sea in mid-November.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India seeks to increase cooperation with other countries in the maritime security domain and in the light of increased defence cooperation with Australia, Malabar 2020 will see the participation of the Australian Navy.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the standoff in eastern Ladakh continues, the participation of four large navies from the Indo-Pacific region will send a message to China.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 48 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6306,
'title' => 'Microwave weapons',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Army has rejected a report in a British daily newspaper, which had claimed that the Chinese army had used “microwave weapons” to drive Indian soldiers away from their positions in eastern Ladakh.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India and China have been locked in a tense standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh for the last six months. Twenty Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese were killed in a fierce clash between the two armies in Galwan Valley on June 15.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The report claimed that Chinese forces had turned two strategic hilltops occupied by Indian soldiers “into a microwave oven”, forcing them to retreat, and allowing the positions to be retaken without an exchange of conventional fire.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Microwave weapons” that were allegedly deployed by China in Ladakh used beams of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation to heat the water in a human target’s skin, causing pain and discomfort.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Microwave weapons” are supposed to be a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China had first put on display its “microwave weapon”, called <strong>Poly WB-1</strong>, at an air show in 2014.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US apparently deployed such a weapon in Afghanistan, but withdrew it without ever using it against human targets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">American diplomats and members of their families in Cuba and China were suspected to have been targeted using ‘microwave weapons’. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The symptoms included nausea, severe headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sleep problems, and hearing loss, which have since come to be known as ‘<strong>Havana</strong> <strong>Syndrome’</strong>.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Concerns have been raised on whether they can damage the eyes, or have a carcinogenic impact in the long term.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Principle of microwave</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In a microwave oven, an electron tube called a magnetron produces electromagnetic waves (microwaves) that bounce around the metal interior of the appliance, and are absorbed by the food. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The microwaves agitate the water molecules in the food, and their vibration produces heat that cooks the food. Foods with high water content cook faster in a microwave often than drier foods.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 49 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6257,
'title' => 'Kalvari class submarines',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari-class Diesel Electric attack submarine INS Vagir was launched at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These stealthy class of submarines have been built under Project 75 and whose design is based on the Scorpene class of the submarines.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vagir is the fifth among the six Kalvari-class submarines being constructed by the public sector shipbuilder Mazgaon Dock Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The other vessels in the class are <strong>INS Kalvari</strong>,<strong> INS Khanderi</strong>,<strong> INS Karanj</strong>,<strong> INS Vela, </strong>and<strong> INS Vagsheer</strong>. Of these Kalvari and Khanderi have been commissioned in 2017 and 2019, Vela and Karanj and undergoing sea trials, Vagir has now been launched and Vagsheer is under construction. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The submarines in the current Kalvari-class take their names from erstwhile decommissioned classes of submarines named Kalvari.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The now-decommissioned Kalvari and Vela classes were one of the earliest of the submarines in post independence Indian Navy, which belonged to Soviet origin Foxtrot class of vessels.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This class of submarines have Diesel Electric transmission systems and these are primarily attack submarines or ‘hunter-killer’ type which means they are designed to target and sink adversary naval vessels.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Kalvari-class submarines have capability of operating in a wide range of Naval combat including anti-warship and anti-submarine operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance, and naval mine laying.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The modern variants of the Scorpene class of submarines have what is called the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) which enables non-nuclear submarines to operate for a long time without access to surface oxygen.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Project 75</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Project 75 India (P75I) envisages the construction of six conventional submarines with better sensors and weapons and the Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP). </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The P75I project is part of a 30-year submarine building plan that ends in 2030. As part of this plan, India was to build 24 submarines — 18 conventional submarines and six nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 50 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6891,
'title' => 'Sikhs For Justice',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Investigation Agency (NIA) <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-probe-sikhs-for-justice-sfj-pro-khalistan-farmers-protest-farm-laws-7152001/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">has issued summons</a> to over 40 persons in connection with a case registered against the US-based <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-sikhs-for-justice-banned-by-centre-5825712/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Sikhs for Justice</a> (SFJ).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) formed in 2007, is a US-based group seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs, a “Khalistan” in Punjab. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, currently an attorney at law in the US, is the face of SFJ and its legal adviser.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Panun had launched the secessionist Sikh Referendum 2020 campaign, an initiative that eventually became defunct. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He was among the nine individuals designated as “terrorists” by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs last July.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">‘Referendum 2020’, claimed it wanted to “liberate Punjab from Indian occupation”. However, its London declaration even got little traction.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFJ had announced to hold the first-ever non-binding referendum among the global Sikh community on the question of secession from India and re-establishing Punjab as an independent country.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NIA has served notices under Section 16 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), meaning they have been summoned as witnesses. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>UAPA</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" title="India">Indian</a> law aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" title="India">India</a>.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The object of this bill was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The bill was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and received the assent of the President on 30 December 1967. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">In July 2019, the ambit of UAPA was expanded. It was amended allowing the government to designate an individual as a terrorist without trial. The previous versions of the Bill allowed for only groups to be designated as terrorists. </span></span></p>
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(int) 51 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 6800,
'title' => 'CBI probe into cross-border cattle smuggling',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CBI’s probe into cow smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border has revealed a nexus between smugglers and a section of officers from the BSF and the Customs Department. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tens of thousands of cattle are estimated to be smuggled into Bangladesh annually through the porous 2,216-km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CBI found that more than 20,000 cows were seized by the Border Security Force before being transported across the border.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The seizure lists were prepared arbitrarily, categorizing the breed and size of the animals with an intention to reduce the upset price of the cattle during auctions. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Each cow is priced in the range of Rs 80,000 to 90,000 and Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 depending on size and demand in Bangladesh. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The prices shoot up during Eid and when there is a high demand for export from Bangladesh for packaged meat. It is more than double the procurement price in India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The size of the seized cattle was reduced in the seizure memo of the BSF. The auction value of these cattle were reduced which were then procured at a considerably lower price by the traders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The central agency alleged that only selected traders were allowed to buy the seized cattle at a low price in auctions. After auctions, the cattle were smuggled into Bangladesh.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is alleged that, in lieu of such favour, traders used to pay Rs. 2,000 per cattle to BSF officials and Rs. 500 to Customs officials. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides, the CBI claims that the officials of Indian Customs used to take bribes of 10% of the auction price from successful bidders.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was also alleged that although BSF had not raised any grazing charges on the Customs Department for feeding the seized cattle but Rs. 50/- per cattle was to be paid by the successful bidders to the officials of the BSF.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Political significance</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Many have questioned the pro-activeness of the central investigating agency in pursuing the case ahead of the assembly election due in less than six months.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">After the recent raids, the BJP has upped its ante against the ruling Trinamool Congress, accusing it of involvement in illegal cattle and coal trades.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 52 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7040,
'title' => 'Vaccine card selfie',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Experts are warning that the information on the celebratory photo might make us vulnerable to identity theft or scams.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Individuals have been displayed a photo of their vaccine card on social media to celebrate vaccination process.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Scammers can sometimes figure out most digits of individual’s Social Security number by knowing date and place of birth, and can open new accounts in their name, claim tax refund for themselves and engage in other identity theft.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Scammers and identity thieves often collect information gradually, going through social media posts to collect a file on a person’s life, including education, employment, and vacation spots.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While a name and date of birth is not all an identity thief would need in most cases to steal identity, putting those details in plain sight makes it easier.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A scammer could exploit the anxiety over vaccine shortages or a slow distribution process by masquerading as a government official claiming to need a credit card number to reserve another dose or booster.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">One concern is that the cards could be forged or replicated if vaccinated status starts to function as a commodity that gives people access to jobs, restaurants or events.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">A vaccination card that has been made public could also be the used for elaborate social engineering or phishing ideas.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 53 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7127,
'title' => 'Ladakh disengagement deal',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian and Chinese military have reached a consensus on disengagement in northern shores of Pangong Tso in Ladakh.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian and Chinese troops have been involved in a standoff in Ladakh since the past ten months.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As of now, the disengagement process seems restricted to the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The process has started with the pulling back of certain columns of tanks from the south bank region by both sides. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At the moment, there is no pullback of troops from the friction points and the heights they are positioned on. That will happen in a phased and verified manner.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China will pull its troops on the north bank towards the east of Finger 8. Similarly, India will also position its forces at its permanent base at the Dhan Singh Thapa post near Finger 3. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Both sides have also agreed that the area between Finger 3 and Finger 8 will become a no-patrolling zone temporarily, till both sides reach an agreement to restore patrolling.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">All the construction done by both sides on the north and south banks of the lake since April 2020 will be removed.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Strategic importance</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is in the south bank of the lake that Indian forces in an action in late August had gained strategic advantage by occupying certain peaks</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is one of the areas where the Chinese troops had come around 8 km deep west of India’s perception of the Line of Actual Control.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian troops had positioned themselves on heights of Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Gurung Hill, Rezang La, and Rechin La, which were unoccupied by either side earlier. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chinese side had been worrying as these positions allowed India to not only dominate Spanggur Gap, which is a valley that can be used to launch an offensive, as China had done in 1962. It also allows India a direct view of China’s Moldo Garrison.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After this action India had also re-positioned its troops on the north bank to occupy heights overlooking Chinese positions on the north bank as well.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Hurdles for permanent solution</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Neither side had been willing to take the first step to reduce their troop or military strength, as it does not trust the other side.</span></span></p>
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(int) 54 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7150,
'title' => 'Karbi insurgency',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Militants belonging to five groups of Karbi Anglong district ceremonially laid down arms in Assam.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The surrendered militants comprised cadres from five outfits — Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), Kuki Liberation Front (KLF), and United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA). </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Karbi insurgency has a long history in Assam. They have been involved in killings, ethnic violence, abductions, and taxation since the late 1980s.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These outfits originated from a core demand of forming a separate state. Today, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) is an autonomous district council, protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>History</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karbi National Volunteers (KNV) and Karbi People’s Force (KPF) came together to form the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) in late 1990s.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In November 2011, UPDS gave up arms and signed a tripartite memorandum of settlement with the Centre and the government of Assam, settling for enhanced autonomy and special packages for the KAAC. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance of surrender</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This means that all insurgent outfits of Karbi Anglong district have now been brought into the mainstream.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It also means a decline in influence of Naga militant outfits in Assam. With this surrender a huge number of weapons have come overground.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The developments come a year after a peace and development agreement was signed with multiple Bodo militant outfits.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Karbi tribe</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karbis were mentioned as the Mikir in the Constitution Order of the Government of India and Assam till 1976.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karbis linguistically belong to the Tibeto-Burman group. The Karbis, along with other similar tribes others, entered Assam from Central Asia.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Most of the Karbis still practices Animism with their cultural and traditional influences. There are also Karbi Christians.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karbis celebrate many festivals. Among them, Hacha-Kekan, Chojun, Rongker, Peng Karkli, Thoi Asor Rit Asor, and Botor Kekur are some such festivals. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Botor Kekur is celebrated to request God to grace the earth with rain so that the crops could be sown. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 55 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7274,
'title' => 'Niti and Nelong valley',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Uttarakhand government has asked the centre to withdraw Inner Line Permit for Niti and Nelong valley of the state.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Niti and Nelong valleys are located at the border areas of the state and Inner Line Permit regime has prevented tourism activities in the region.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ILP system restricts movement in areas near to the border for every individual other than those with a formal permission.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tourists have to get ILP for areas near Chinese border in the districts of Pithoragarh, Uttarkashi and Chamoli.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The authorities have said that removing ILP will help in improving more economic opportunities for locals and will prevent outward migration.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Border areas in Uttarakhand</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Uttarakhand has border with China and Nepal. The state’s five districts are border districts. Pithoragarh is strategically significant as it shares boundaries with both China and Nepal.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government had recently provided subsidy to set up mobile towers to improve connectivity in these far-off regions.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Nelong valley</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Nelong valley remains closed and out of bounds for the most part of the year but tourists start visiting when Gangotri shrine opens during summer.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Niti valley</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The valley remains populated with locals for six months after which locals migrate to lower reaches of the valley.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Tourists come to this area when they visit Badrinath shrine during Char Dham yatra period.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 56 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7275,
'title' => 'Trusted telecom rules',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Telecom Department has made changes to licensing policy and has made telecom companies to source their components from ‘trusted telecom equipment sources’.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There have been various forms of opposition to Chinese developed equipments as they are accused of stealing user data. The government plans to follow some of global trend.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A trusted telecom source is a product, a company, or a technology that has been termed safe by the government of a country for use in important and critical infrastructure.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Countries such as China, the US, Russia, Japan have a lead over others in developing new technology that would improve telecommunications.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Due to geopolitics, every country accuses other of using their technology to spy on people. They have turned into rivals, making efforts to downsize others.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This move resulted in countries forming their own set of companies that could be trusted to supply crucial equipments for sectors such as telecom.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government of India had set up a new National Security Directive on telecommunication sector to classify products under ‘trusted’ and ‘non-trusted’ categories.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Telecom companies can use products in their network after being approved by the National Cyber Security Coordinator.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>New notification</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The DoT has changed the telecom licensing conditions and has included defence and national security as criteria for the purchase of trusted telecom products and from trusted sources.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Telecom companies will not be allowed to use any component that does not appear on the trusted telecom equipment source list or the trusted telecom product list.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Implications</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government can ask telecom companies not to use products which it has deemed unsafe if defence and national security as parameters are not followed.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">If a telecom company wants to use any equipment that does not come from a trusted source or is not present on the list of trusted telecom products, it will have to take prior permission from National Cyber Security Coordinator.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">It will become more difficult for Chinese telecom equipment suppliers like Huawei and ZTE to supply products to Indian telecom companies in the future. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 57 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7458,
'title' => 'Military Farms Service',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Army has closed the Military Farms Service that managed more than 130 military farms across the country.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first military farm was set up at Allahabad in 1889 by the British to ensure supply of nutritious milk to the troops deployed in India. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The farms were initially were located in central, western and Southern command of the army and were later expanded to Northern and Eastern Commands when they were raised.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They were also tasked with supplying hay to the Animal Transport Units of the army, apart from supplying milk and butter.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Military farms were pioneers of artificial insemination in cows. They undertook ‘Project Frieswal’ in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture for cross-cattle breeding programmes.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Project Frieswal</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Project Frieswal was aimed at developing milch cattles through cross-breeding that were suitable for tropical countries such as India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project was intended to produce and rear Holstein Friesian cross bread with Sahiwal breed for high milk productivity.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Freezing semen, planned breeding, progeny testing and gene mapping were some of the aspect in which the project research was carried out.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Reason for closing</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The growth of dairy sector in India has ensured that milk can be procured from any part of the country without exclusively dependent on military farms.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Shekatkar committee on military reforms had also recommended that the military farms be closed down and responsibility of supplying milk products be given to Army Service Corps (ASC). </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Staff and cattle</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The cattle held by the Military Farms will be sold to state cooperatives for a nominal fee. This is done to ensure all cattle are sold before closing the farms.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The staff of Military Farm Service will be transferred to other departments of the Ministry of Defence.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government is expected to save about Rs 280 crore that it spends annually on maintenance of cattle and salary of personnel working in the farms.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The land belonging to the Farm Service will be disposed off as there are no plans of developing those lands individually.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 58 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7484,
'title' => 'Fighting left-wing extremism',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">About 22 security forces were martyred during an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chhattisgarh is one of the worst Naxal affected district in the country with the Dantewada-Sukma-Bijapur claiming large number of lives.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Majority of states have tackled the problem of Naxalism but still Chhattisgarh has struggled to control its growth.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is a belief that Naxalism has been tackled in those states where state police have taken lead of the operation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The decline of Naxalism in Andhra Pradesh is largely because of state’s Greyhounds. Maharashtra’s C60 force has driven away Naxals to the border areas.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Maoist violence</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The central government understood the threat of Maoist violence in 2004 when it declared them greatest internal security threat for the country.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Challenges in Chhattisgarh</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The challenges in Chhattisgarh increased when Maoists began escaping Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. They started to gather in deep areas of the state.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In comparison, the movement in Chhattisgarh has more public support as they branded it as movement of tribals against the state.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The region is dotted with backwardness with no schools, roads or hospitals. There is low intelligence gathering.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The role of state police is very less. This has taken away the advantage of local language and culture that can help counter Maoists.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 59 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7503,
'title' => 'Civil defence volunteers',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The role of civil defence volunteers in Delhi have come under pressure for their high handedness in handling public grievances.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Recently, a full blown tussle took place between general public and civil defence volunteers due to arguments.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Delhi Police has said that civil defence volunteers do not have power to stop people using police barricades and punish them for violation of Covid-19 protocols such as not wearing masks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Civil defence volunteers are common men and women who work under the leadership of the district magistrates.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They are governed by Civil Defence Act, 1968. When the Disaster Management Act was invoked, the role of these volunteers came into spotlight.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Role of civil defence volunteers</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Civil defence is defined as any method that is not actual combat, which protects individuals, property and places in India from hostility.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Their major role is to assist the civil administration when there are not enough active officials to take care of needs of public during extraordinary situation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These volunteers are made to ensure social distancing in markets and other crowded places and also at vaccination sites. They are also deployed public buses as marshals to ensure safety of women.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Appointment</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Any person aged above 18 years with a satisfactory level of educational qualification can apply. Selected candidates have to undergo week-long basic training course, which is sometimes specialised.</span></span></p>
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(int) 60 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7521,
'title' => 'Facebook data leak',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A recent analysis has found that personal information of large number Facebook users from 106 countries has been leaked online. </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Data leak from Facebook is not new and has been reported numerous times over the past years.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">A vulnerability feature in Facebook allowed users to access phone number linked to a account, which was being sold for free.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">The most controversial issue of data leak was the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018 in which a political consulting and strategic communications firm had indulged in collecting personal information of users through a personality quiz app.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">The leaked data includes personal information such as names, Facebook ID, email addresses, names of workplaces, date of birth, addresses, phone numbers, date of account creation, relationship status and bio. </span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Experts have said that the data was not stolen by illegally hacking into its system but by scraping its platform by making use of vulnerability.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Scraping is technique based on using automated software to collect public information from the internet. </span></span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Facebook response</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Facebook had already identified the vulnerability<strong> </strong>in<strong> </strong>Instagram’s contact imports feature that allowed access to personal information. It had also publicly acknowledged the breach.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="color:black">Effects of the leak</span></strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">Use of the leaked data includes phishing attacks, sending spam messages, making marketing calls and indulging in targeted advertising.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="color:black">The numbers can be used for fraud especially in digital transactions where phone numbers are needed for obtaining OTP.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif""><span style="color:black">The phone numbers of high-profile individuals such as celebrities, politicians and other people is available for public view.</span></span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 61 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7588,
'title' => 'Hot springs and Gogra post',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China has refused to accept a ceasefire deal at Patrolling Point 15 (PP15) in Hot Springs, and PP17A near Gogra Post<strong>.</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India has been trying to de-escalate tensions with China in friction points. However, China has been reluctant to accept new deal.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China had diverted its troops from Tibetan plateau to Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This had given rise to a standoff.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Other friction points included Galwan Valley and the north bank of Pangong Tso. Troops of China had crossed LAC to enter Indian Territory.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Location</strong> </span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Both Hot springs and Gogra post are located near the Chang Chenmo river in the Galwan sub-sector of the LAC in eastern Ladakh.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Hot springs is located north of the Chang Chenmo river. Gogra post is east of the point where the river takes a hairpin bend.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance of the region</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The area lies near to Kongka Pass, which China considers as the international boundary between India and itself.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Patrol points</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian army has been given certain areas that have to be patrolled by its troops in order to keep them under control.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These points are known as patrolling points, or PPs, and are recommended by the China Study Group (CSG). China Study Group is the highest decision-making body on China.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">This is a significant exercise to ascertain India’s hold over the areas as the boundary between India and China is not officially decided.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 62 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7777,
'title' => 'Darkside cyberattack',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A ransomware cyberattack on an important oil pipeline has halted supply of oil to eastern part of United States.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The attack took place on the network of Colonial Pipeline Company that has a share of 45 percent of all petrol and diesel consumed on the east coast.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US federal government has declared an emergency situation and facilitated the movement of petroleum through tankers.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">US federal authorities have pointed to a group of hackers known as Darkside for perpetrating the attacks on the oil company.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The hackers downloaded the data on an enterprise network and encrypted them before asking ransom. They have also threatened to leak the data.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Impact of attack on oil prices</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The price of Brent crude oil rose to $ 69 per barrel after the attacks on the Colonial Pipeline Company. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There is also belief that prices may increase further due to more consumption during this time of the year.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Handling cyber attacks</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The authorities have hinted at employing zero-trust security framework for preventing future disruptions. Any activity done on the network will be suspected.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are other measures such as Cloud Access Security Brokers that will prevent direct interaction between users and service providers.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Ransom-ware attacks</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Ransom-ware is a form of cyberattack in which a malicious program encrypts the files of victims and demands ransom for decrypting those files.</span></span></p>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 7874,
'title' => 'Data breach at Air India',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A massive data breach at SITA has hit India’s National carrier, Air India. Lakhs of private data of its customers have become public.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Cyber criminals have been targeting various firms in order to collect their data and sell it later. The victims include companies such as McDonalds.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SITA is a company based in Switzerland and offers specialised services in the field of air transport communications and information technology.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SITA was started by 11 airlines to offer services for passengers such as reservation system, processing systems etc. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Air India had joined the SITA in 2017 to upgrade its IT infrastructure and offer better services for its customers. It has ambitions of joining the star alliance.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Various services offered to Air India include frequent flyer programme, boarding control, departure control system, booking engine, baggage control etc.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Leak of data</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The leaked data include name of passengers, their contacts, birth date, ticket information, passport information, credit card information and frequent flyer data.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The attack was performed on the SITA server located in Geneva. Other airlines such as Singapore airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysian airlines etc were also impacted.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Response</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The airlines has responded by changing passwords of frequent flyer data, notifying passengers to reset their passwords, engaging external data security specialists and securing compromised servers.</span></span></p>
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(int) 64 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8029,
'title' => 'Vulnerability of internet',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A large number of popular websites became offline after a glitch in the service of an internet company that speeds internet access.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Fastly company provides cloud storage and access facility to major websites. It was unable to work properly due to certain issues.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The incident was a minor one and was resolved quickly but the questions remained on the vulnerability of internet.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Fastly company gives edge server computational services to websites across different spectrum.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The company uses a technology known as Content Delivery Network that stores information such as pictures and videos in servers across different countries.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Some of its customers are also major news sites that use its service to provide breaking news to the public by reducing time to access the content by half.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Vulnerabilities</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Such outages are very rare and companies dedicate lots of efforts and resources to reduce such issues and recover very fast.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The security is also very high and can prevent Denial-of-service attacks. If such issues continue, clients can migrate to alternatives such as Cloudflare or Akamai.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Reasons for outages</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The reason for such temporary failures can be many issues such as natural disaster, fire incidents or equipment failure.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Solutions to the threat</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Instead of relying completely on internet, some essential services can be stored locally on the device. This includes contacts, pictures and music.</span></span></p>
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(int) 65 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8145,
'title' => 'Full ship shock trials',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A ‘full ship shock trial’ was conducted by the US Navy with its new aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, by detonating explosives near the ship.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The USS Gerald R Ford is the latest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that is currently undergoing rigorous trials at sea.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Navy used 18 tonne explosives to create an artificial earthquake of 3.9 magnitude to check if the ship can withstand battle conditions.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US Navy has been working to prevent their ship from getting affected due to shockwaves near the ships.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These were necessitated after incidents in World War 2 where US suffered heavy casualties due to blasts that had actually missed the target.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The process of Full Ship Shock Trial (FSST)</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the method, large amount of explosives are blasted at the close proximity of battle ship to check for equipment and system failures.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The test will also be a method to identify the problems in war like situation and making ships ready for challenges.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These tests are particularly focused on new range of ships exclusively designed for protecting against shock waves, such as Gerald R Ford.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The recent test was the first test to be carried out in 34 years, with the last one conducted on USS Theodore Roosevelt in 1987.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ship is expected to undergo two more similar tests to ascertain its strength and durability during war time.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Based on the result, new instruments will be added and existing ones replaced with modern ones, prior to the deployment.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 66 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8229,
'title' => 'US war in Afghanistan getting over?',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As US troops prepare to leave Afghan soil for one last time, the question arises whether the war is really over.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Under the decision taken by US President Joe Biden, US troops will leave the country by September 11th.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The preparations for departure and also handover of critical Bagram airbase have already taken place but the command remains with US forces until September.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are real fears about the state of affairs in Afghanistan once US leaves and Taliban returns. The country is expected to dive deeper into civil war.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The rejuvenated Islamic militants have their hopes high due to the state of affairs in the country, which has already lost about 30 percent of its territory to Taliban.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Combat missions</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">US forces last engaged in a ground combat battle in 2014. Since then, majority of US offensive has been air strikes.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These air assets now no longer exist. In future, if any air missions have to be launched, they will be done from outside the country with support from Afghans.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A large US contingent of Special Forces will protect US embassy compound in Kabul. A similar contingent will protect Kabul International Airport with the help of Turkish forces.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">US is expected to give special immigrant visas for Afghans wanting to leave the country, who had helped in US war efforts. They may be vulnerable to Taliban offensive.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>NATO mission</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NATO forces were equally involved in the war effort. The US mission was declared over in 2015, followed by handing security back to Afghans. However, the Afghan government is dependent on US aid for survival.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NATO forces have now started to withdraw. But the final mission will not be declared over until NATO completely withdraws.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The US has made it clear that it will have all authority to conduct airstrikes and counter-terrorism operations against Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8231,
'title' => 'Police action at Golden Temple in 1955',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An event will be organized by the SGPC to mark the police action that took place at Golden Temple in 1955.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The action is said to have taken place during the Punjabi Suba Morcha. The movement was regarding statehood to Punjabi speaking areas.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The movement was headed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and took place soon after the independence of the country.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Slogans such as “Punjabi Suba Amar Rahe” were widely used by supporters while the detractors used “Maha-Punjab”.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These slogans were banned in several parts of Punjab fearing law and order problem. Section 144 was also imposed.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Post the ban</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Shiromani Akali Dal was opposed to the idea of retractions on freedom of speech. They passed a resolution for peaceful and non-violent protests if the ban on slogans were not lifted.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Leaders of SAD such as Master Tara Singh were arrested in May 1955 for raising the suba slogans during protests.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The support for the Punjabi suba movement also got support from leaders demanding creation of Haryana state such as Chaudhary Shri Chand.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Police actions</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The police entered the premises and closed the community kitchen. The utensils used in cooking were seized.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The head priests of the temple were arrested and the offices of SGPC and Shiromani Akali Dal were raided.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The consequences</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The action only strengthened the movement and more people were getting arrested. The ban on the slogan was subsequently lifted but Master Tara Sigh was released sometime later.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Sad condemned the move and demanded that an enquiry conducted to identify and punish individuals responsible for these actions.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'metadescription' => 'The action is said to have taken place during the Punjabi Suba Morcha. The movement was regarding statehood to Punjabi speaking areas.',
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(int) 68 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8258,
'title' => 'Joe Biden cancels JEDI project',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US government has cancelled a cloud computing contract awarded to Microsoft during the term of President Trump.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project was named as Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) and was worth $10 billion. It will now be renegotiated.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The issue had created controversy when Amazon had challenged the award of contract to Microsoft alleging favoritism in bidding process.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amazon had said that President Trump did no favour it and was responsible for unilaterally awarding it to rival Microsoft.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Defence said that the JEDI cloud project did not meet the required criteria in its current form and a new one will soon be floated.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The JEDI cloud project</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The cloud computing contract was one of the largest digital modifications of the armed forces. It would have allowed direct contact with soldiers on the battle field.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It intended to make use of artificial intelligence to increase fighting capacities and planning the war in future.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The cloud would store large amounts of defence data, which would provide service infrastructure and support mission operations.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Reasons for cancellation</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amazon was expected to be at the forefront to get the deal but was replaced by Microsoft at the last minute.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Amazon challenged the award of contract in court citing interference of President Trump in contract process.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The contract did not matter much in terms of money but getting nod from US military would put a stamp of approval that would bring them new customers in future.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The new Biden administration said that the legal challenge would completely stall the process and till then the technology would become outdated. It therefore decided to cancel the deal.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Way ahead</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The defence department has designed a new system known as Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability (JWCC) that will have participation of both Amazon and Microsoft.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The administration would use multiple companies to get cloud services so that the department does not depend on a single vendor.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 69 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8415,
'title' => 'Assam-Mizoram border dispute',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A violent clash took place near the border between Mizoram and Assam that led to death of five Assam policemen.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This incident is not new. Last year residents of Assam and Mizoram had clashed, leading to injuries and loss of property.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The dispute with the Mizos started after British expansion of tea gardens into the traditional areas of Mizos.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The British demarcated a boundary between the Lushai hills (control of Mizos) and Cachar plains (British territory) in 1875, in consultation with Mizo chiefs.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When a new boundary with Manipur was drawn near the tri-junction in 1933, Mizos did not accept it citing non-consultation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The issue remained even after independent states such as Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and Nagaland were carved out in the region.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Flare up of issue</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The agreement had said that a no-man’s land was to be set up at the border. Several Mizo groups built a wooden rest house, which was demolished by Assam police.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Clashes broke up again last year when Assam made construction on a land claimed by Mizoram.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Assam’s stand</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The contested land belongs to Assam and has been cultivated by residents of Mizoram. This has affected ownership rights of the state.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Mizoram’s stand</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Residents of Mizoram claim that the illegal migrants from Bangladesh were responsible for attacking Mizo residents and destroying their property.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">They say that the boundary has to be demarcated based on 1875 agreement. However, Assam follows the 1933 demarcation, which is the root of all problems.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 70 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8521,
'title' => 'No-patrol zones',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Troops of India and China have reached an agreement for withdrawal from Patrol Point 17A near the Gogra Post.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ever since the skirmish in Galwan valley, India and China have been trying to bring an amicable end to the conflict by discussions.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Both countries have their definition of no-patrol points differing from each other. These areas will have no presence of troops from either country.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The no-patrol points are significant as it will avoid another face-off between two armies when they encounter each other during patrols.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Previous history</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">No-patrol point concept was first applied during the 1962 war when China announced ceasefire and brought back their troops from their perceived location of LAC.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This allowed creation of buffer between its troops and India’s. The same idea was used by India in 2013 when Chinese soldiers had pitched their tents inside Indian territory.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance of patrolling</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Patrolling is a way by forces to assert their control over a particular territory. This is important since the borders are unmarked and highly disputed.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In absence of patrolling, the other country can further come inside and claim it as their territory by citing its patrolling.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A body known as the China Study Group (CSG) decides on the patrolling points. It has the sole authority to advice the central government over Chinese matters.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Some of the patrolling points have been marked over the map whereas others have been based on the historic traditions.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Duration</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The duration of no-patrolling is temporary to prevent new face-off from occurring. India still exercises its right to patrol these areas.</span></span></p>
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(int) 71 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8572,
'title' => 'Fall of Kabul for Delhi',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The much feared event of Taliban entering Kabul took place. Kabul was the last fortress standing and signals the fall of Afghan government.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taliban had already made clear its intention of capturing back power once US departs the country. The takeover by Taliban was expected sooner or later.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With the completion of take-over of Afghanistan, Taliban have demanded peaceful transition of power from the current administration.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taliban has denied any witch-hunt and instead is focusing on coming back to power after 20 years since US ousted them.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is expected that India will be the first responder to the humanitarian crisis that is expected to arise. India has a high stake in peaceful Afghanistan.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The current situation</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first hand report showed that there was no blood-shed in the city as there was no resistance. But a big chaos took place as people tried escaping the city.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Lakhs of people are fleeing the city to neighbouring countries. The internal displacement rate will be high.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Many citizens are applying for Visas and permits to leave the country. Many people have applied for Indian visas.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The biggest loser will be youth and women, who had never experienced an oppressive environment and were enjoying civil liberties and human right opportunities.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The fear</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is surprising how the 3 to 3.5 lakh strong US-trained Afghan army fled without resistance. Except Herat and Lashkargah there was no fight-back.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The failure against a scarcely equipped 60,000 men of Taliban speaks Volume of incapacity of the US-backed security up gradation process.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The mismanagement and corruption in key areas of the government especially Ministry of Defence was a reason for the failure.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 72 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8604,
'title' => 'Former militant’s death triggers crisis in Meghalaya',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Former militant of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), Cherishterfield Thangkhiew, was killed in a police operation in Meghalaya, leading to protests.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The militant had surrendered before the police but was allegedly killed in an operation, which is termed as encounter.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The city of Shillong has witnessed arson, stone pelting and vandalism. The house of chief minister Conrad Sangma was attacked with petrol bombs.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Home minister has resigned from his position to allow for a fair judicial enquiry of the incident without influence.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government has imposed curfew in the city. Internet in four districts has been blocked for 72 hours and central forces deployed.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The militant</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">HNLC is a separatist militant organization and Cherishterfield Thangkhiew was the general secretary of the organization.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He came overground in 2018 due to ill health but the government claimed that he had surrendered.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The administration says that Thangkhiew became active from the past few months, involving in several bomb blasts that took place in East Jaintia Hills in July, and in Shillong’s Laitumkhrah market.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The police claim that there was a tip that Thangkhiew was planning another blast and they had gone to pick him up. He attacked police with knife, forcing them to shoot in self-defence.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Militancy in Meghalaya</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The militancy movement started as a movement against dominance of <em>dkhars</em> (Outsiders). Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council (HALC) was the first militant organization formed in 1980s.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The militancy later split along tribal lines. The Khasis and Jaintias demanded an independent country while the Garo organization wanted a separate homeland within Indian constitution.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Militant activity</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The situation has changed from the 2000s when boycott and bandhs were quite common. There were lawlessness and extortion activities.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Currently, there is a ceasefire agreement between government and these extremist outfits. However, some members living in Bangladesh are against ceasefire.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'metadescription' => 'Former militant of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC), Cherishterfield Thangkhiew, was killed in a police operation in Meghalaya, leading to protests.',
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(int) 73 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8683,
'title' => 'Army endurance test',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Heat stroke symptoms were responsible for the death of one soldier and hospitalization of others during the Corps Level Recce Troop Competition.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> </span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Corps Level Recce Troop Competition was organized at Mamum Military Station near Pathankot by the Army.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The mechanized as well as armoured units of the Corps took part in the recce troop competition organized by the station.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Recce troop is a sub unit of Army’s 9 Corps, and is a part of every armoured and mechanised unit. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The competition was organized to check the fitness levels and skills of soldiers who make up the Recce troops in mechanised infantry battalion as well as armoured regiment.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Recce troop</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Reconnaissance or recce troop is a section level sub unit that comprises approximately one officer and 30 jawans.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They will act as the eyes and ears of the unit. They are supposed to operate ahead of the main unit and keep an eye on the activities of the enemy. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To keep a tab on the enemy forces in the area, they are equipped with light four-wheeled vehicles and other special equipments.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The soldiers that make up the Recce troops operate in highly adverse conditions and are considered to be among the best in the unit.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Recce troops competition</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is an inter-unit face-off where the recce troops of the respective units compete against each other to test their skills.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Tasks involved</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Mapping a certain area, locating and identifying enemy resources, marking a helipad in advanced location, ability to read the signboards written in the enemy’s native language, physical endurance and negotiating to pre-identified points on a map’s grid location are some of the tasks.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Weather instructions</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The instructions regarding the climate and terrain are based on from the command. The Director General of Medical Services issues the advice.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The instructions are followed to the maximum extent whenever physical training activities are undertaken. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Undertaking such exercises under expert supervision and taking care of heat, humidity etc is also covered under the instructions.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 74 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8740,
'title' => 'Taliban alliance with Mexican drug cartels',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As Taliban strengthens its grip over Afghanistan, it remains to be seen how it will survive without its lifeline, the drug trade.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Taliban and Mexican drug cartels have similarities. Both depend on extreme violence and measures to strengthen their power.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent elections in Mexico, the cartel was involved in killing opposition candidates not endorsed by them. This is a signal of open political participation by the cartel.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Opium trade</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">More than 95% of poppy cultivation is carried out in Mexico, Afghanistan and Myanmar. It further channels into heroin and other substances.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Opium growers are directly in contact with Taliban. A report by US Congress in 2009 said that about 50% of Afghanistan’s GDP in that year was due to drug trade.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Majority of cultivation of opium takes place in areas under the influence and control of Taliban. They have banned consumption of opiates but not banned growing.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Opium trade constitutes major part of Taliban’s finances. It is a major factor for drug abuse in the country.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>The competition</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Drug trade in Mexico is currently led by Sinaloa cartel. They have best land where poppy cultivation is most profitable.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Taliban is their potential rival. However, the goal of both these organizations is different. Both these groups serve different markets.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Sinaloa cartel has the largest drug share in US. It has presence over 60% of countries in the world including Europe, China, India and West Africa.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">These are the same countries and areas where Taliban sells its drugs. It will not be the first time that drug cartels have come together for increasing their profits and political influence.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 75 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 8892,
'title' => 'Naga Accord peace process',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, R N Ravi resigned from the position. This came after he was transferred to Tamil Nadu as a governor.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ravi had disagreed openly with the insurgent group NSCN (IM), which forced the centre to rethink about him continuing in the post.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Naga peace process was part of a peace talk going on between Indian government and Naga insurgent groups.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This talk is being held since 1997 and will help in signing a Naga Peace Accord. The move will end one of the oldest insurgencies in India.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Start of the insurgency</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Naga insurgency and separatism is deeply rooted in Naga nationalism. Nagas never considered themselves part of British India.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When the independence was achieved, the Nagas declared themselves independent under the leadership of Angami Zapu Phizo and started an organization, Naga National Council.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Phizo formed the Naga Federal Government (NFG) and a Naga Federal Army (NFA) in 1952 to fight the Indian government.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The centre sent in army and enacted the Armed Forces (Special) Powers Act, or AFSPA to tackle the insurgency without much success.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>End of insurgency</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government signed the Shillong Accord in 1976 with underground insurgent groups but the over ground members refused to accept it.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>New movement</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NSCN separated from Naga National Council and continued its armed struggle for independence under the leadership of Isak, Muivah and Khaplang.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NSCN further split into NSCN (IM) led by Isak- Muivah and NSCN (K) led by Khaplang. The NSCN (IM) is the biggest faction and currently has a ceasefire agreement with India.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Post ceasefire</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government and insurgents signed a framework agreement for Naga Peace. The relation between interlocutor Ravi and Naga group worsened after conclusion could not be reached.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Souring of relations</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ravi signed an agreement with seven groups of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), which excludes the NSCN (IM) but includes its rivals.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NSCN (IM) expressed disappointment over the move and accused Ravi of dividing Naga civil society for gains.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ravi accused NSCN (IM) of pushing the time line without signing a deal. He wrote a letter to Nagaland Chief Minister that talked about criminal activities undertaken by NSCN (IM).</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Way ahead</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">IB official Akshay Mishra has been appointed temporary chairman of negotiation committee. He may soon formally take over.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Considering the complex nature of Naga issue, it will be difficult to achive breakthrough very fast. The government aims to slowly bring all sections to the table and find an acceptable solution.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 9234,
'title' => 'Char Dham road debate',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict regarding the widening of Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana (Char Dham Highway Development Project) of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Ministry of Defence has argued that widening of the road is necessary for the protection of the country’s borders but environment groups are against the move.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project was conceived in 2016 to widen the road to provide all-year connectivity to Char Dham circuit.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The cost was estimated to be Rs 12,000 crore and would improve 889 km of hilly stretch in the state of Uttarakhand to connect the Char Dhams of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>The controversy</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project was challenged by an NGO that had feared ecological damage to the sensitive Himalayan ecosystem.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The project would have cut trees, drill hills and dump the excavated mud to impact the natural ecosystem.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Supreme Court had formed a high-powered committee (HPC) under environmentalist Ravi Chopra to examine the issues.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>The issues flagged</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The expansion is being carried out without honouring the Supreme Court’s stay. Illegal cutting has been carried out in protected areas of Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajaji National Park, Valley of Flowers National Park etc.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>The defence argument</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Eventhough the project was mainly conceived for facilitating easy travel for Char Dham and boost tourism, it has a defence angle to it.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This defence angle is now being used as a sole justification for widening the road and allowing connectivity to forward areas.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The HPC says that disaster resilient roads were more important than wider roads. Widening roads would negatively impact the stability of young unsettled Himalayas.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 77 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 9244,
'title' => 'PLA terrorist group',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A commanding officer of Assam Rifles was martyred in a deadly terrorist attacks carried out by the People’s Liberation Army and the Manipur Naga People’s Front in Manipur.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This is the largest attacks on security forced by the insurgent groups of northeast since the 2015 attack on Dogra Rifles.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The PLA was formed by N. Bisheshwar in 1978 after breaking away from United National Liberation Front.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), political wing of PLA was set up in 1979. The PLA was fighting for secession of Manipur from India. </span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The PLA has asked Naga tribes such as Kuki to join the movement but till now it is dominated by Imphal valley based Meitei community.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The PLA has strong Marxist ideology and has campaigned against drugs and alcohol usage through violent measures.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Similar to other Manipuri insurgents, the PLA also has no ceasefire agreement with Indian state, forcing it to operate from camps in Myanmar.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Significance of attack location</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The attack has taken place in Churachandpur area, which is peaceful compared to other districts. The PLA doesn’t have support base in this area.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The area of attack comes under the influence of Zomi Revolutionary Army, a powerful insurgent group. There is no clarity about the ability of PLA to carry out attacks in another area.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Effects of political turmoil in Myanmar</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">After the military coup, the security in Myanmar has worsened. The insurgent groups have become active and pushed towards Indian borders.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Insurgency in Manipur</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are six main groups operating out of valley in Manipur. These groups have their camps in Myanmar and raise funds through extortion.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">They attack security personnel using guerilla tactics in hilly and forested terrain. They have been dormant for the past 5-6 years but this incident shows they are not yet done.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Reasons for reduction in insurgency</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Strong deployment of security personnel has reduced their activities in recent past. Their recruitments have come to stand-still.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">After the civilian government came to power in Myanmar, cooperation has increased. India has been putting efforts to eliminate safe havens in Myanmar.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 9252,
'title' => 'DNLA militants lay down arms',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) has laid down arms and joined mainstream at Dima Hasao district of Assam.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The DNLA was a new militant group that was formed in 2019 and operated in districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The objective of the group was to restructure the national struggle and fight for the liberation of a sovereign, independent Dimasa Nation.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For regaining the Dimasa Kingdom, it aimed to develop a sense of brotherhood, faith and trust among the Dimasa.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It received support and sustenance from NSCN (IM) of Nagaland. It operated on the model of extortion and illegal taxation.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Emergence</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The group came into spotlight when they were believed to have been involved in the killing of five truck drivers in Dima Hasao district in 2021.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Reasons for coming over-ground</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The leader of the group came over-ground to hold meeting with Assam CM. They signed a suspension of activities agreement.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">About 40 cadres have laid down their arms in a public function. About 300 more militants are waiting for their surrender.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>The Dimasa</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Dimasas live in central and Southern Assam in the districts of Karbi Anglong, Hojai, Nagaon, Dima Hasao and also in Nagaland.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">They are one of the earliest settlers of Assam. The Dimasa kings ruled large parts of Assam along the south bank of the Brahmaputra between the 13th and 16th centuries, prior to Ahoms.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">They are said to be descendents of Kamrup Kings. Their earliest capital was Dimapur (Nagaland) and later Maibang in North Cachar Hills.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Militancy</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Militancy in these areas peaked during 90s as a demand for separate state. Currently, the two districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao are protected under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Significance of surrender</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The DNLA was the last active armed group in the region. With their surrender, violence has been temporarily reigned in.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The surrender also comes at a time when major Bodo and Karbi militant groups have joined mainstream politics.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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(int) 79 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 9259,
'title' => 'S-400 purchase',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Russia has begun delivery of S-400 missile system to India. The system was bought in 2018 for nearly US$5.5 billion.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The S-400 is a premier air-defence system developed by Russian company Almaz Central Design Bureau.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The S-400 is one of the most potent and advanced air-defence systems in the world. It can protect against most types of air attacks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This includes drone attacks, fighter jets, missiles and rockets. It is a shield that consists of long-range surface-to-air missile system.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>The S-400 system</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The system has been named SA-21 Growler by NATO. Each unit is made up of two batteries, each of which has a command-and-control system, surveillance radar, and engagement radar and four launch trucks.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It’s working and functions are similar to US Patriot system. However, it does not employ hit-to-kill ballistic missile defence technology.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Missiles</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The system has four types of missiles. The short-range missile has range up to 40 km, medium-range up to 120 km, long-range 48N6 up to 250 km, and very-long-range 40N6E up to 400 km and a flight altitude of 180 km.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Capabilities</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The system has ability to simultaneously track up to 160 objects in a 600 km range, and target 72 objects in a 400 km range.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Working</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">After identifying an aerial object flying towards its defence bubble, the S-400 calculates the trajectory of the threat, and fires missiles to counter it.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The command vehicle is responsible for ordering missile launch after the radars send information to the command vehicle. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Reason for India buying them</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">From Indian Air Force’s point of view there is no other system capable of serving its long-range air defence requirements while tackling threats from China and Pakistan.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The S-400 can be deployed at a short notice of five minutes in comparison to US Patriot system that takes 25 minutes to get ready.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The speed of missiles is 4.8 km/s compared to 1.38 km/s of Patriot. The cost is also cheaper by at least 50 percent on every missile battery.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Countries using S-400</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China has been using S-400 system and deployed them along LAC. Countries such as Algeria, Turkey and Belarus already have this system. Qatar, Saudi and UAE have shown interest.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>US concern</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">US has been trying to coerce India into abandoning Russian defence equipments. India has also slowly reduced its dependence of Russian equipments and moving towards US.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The biggest concern for India is the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which puts sanctions on countries for doing business with Russia, Iran and North Korea.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Arms supply</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Russia has been the largest arms supplier to India. But its share has fallen from 70 percent to 49 percent. The US has increased its share but it currently occupies fourth position.</span></span></p>
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(int) 80 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) {
'tag' => 'Miscellaneous',
'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5',
'id' => (int) 9319,
'title' => 'Dosti trilateral exercise',
'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka are jointly participating in the 15th biennial trilateral coast guard exercise ‘Dosti’ in Maldives.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The 2021 marks 30 years of the exercise. Sri Lanka and Maldives are strategic importance to New Delhi and to its maritime security interests.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Indian coast guard ships ICGS Vajra and ICGS Apoorva will be participating along with Sri Lankan vessel SLCGS Suraksha for the five-day exercise.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">For many years since the exercise was launched in 1991, it was bilateral between India and Maldives.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The Sri Lankan coast guard joined for the first time and since then, it has been a trilateral exercise.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Aim</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The major aim of the exercise is to strengthen the friendship, enhance mutual operational capability, and exercise interoperability and to build cooperation between the Coast Guards of Maldives, India and Sri Lanka.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Benefits</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">These exercises help in enhancing interoperability between different countries while conducting joint operations.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">These exercises will help coast guard in undertaking anti-piracy operations. They can also handle ecological disaster like an oil spill, or marine disaster.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There are various rules for entering EEZ and continental shelf of another country. These joint exercises help with developing an understanding of these specifics.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Security concerns</strong></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India, Sri Lanka and Maldives have decided to jointly work on “four pillars” of security cooperation. They are marine security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism and cyber security.</span></span></p>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
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<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The OPEC+ cartel has kept crude oil production at lower rate, which has resulted in escalation of prices in international market.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The US will be releasing 50 million barrels of oil and the UK has announced that it will release 1.5 million barrels of crude.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Need for releasing </strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The move is an effort by oil importers to put pressure on OPEC+, a group that consists of 23 oil exporting countries including Saudi Arabia and Russia.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grouping has set production quotas for member countries so that oil production is controlled to keep prices higher.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has requested oil producing countries to increase their production at multiple forums as high prices is affecting post-Covid economic recovery in the developing countries.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Effect on crude oil prices</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The coordinated release of oil has reduced the price of oil from a high of $86.4 in late October to under $80 per barrel.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This however could not crate the desired effect as US released less crude than it was expected. The coordinated release may add 70-80 million barrels.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There has been indication that Saudi and Russia, the two largest producers of the group, may gradually increase production.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Impact of high crude oil prices on India</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Consumers are paying an all-time high price for petrol and diesel. The prices have not declined much despite the centre cutting tariffs. The increase in fuel prices has resulted in inflation.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Strategic reserves in India</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The strategic reserves are set up to build an emergency stockpile with millions of barrels of crude oil for emergency use.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India currently has a capacity to store 5.33 MMT of crude oil across three locations on east coast and west coast.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On east coast, Vishakhapatnam has capacity of 1.33 MMT. On west coast, Mangalore (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT) are the two locations.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The strategic reserves combined with storage facilities of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country, can cater to meet 64.5 days of requirement.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India imports about 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements. The International Energy Agency (IEA) asks countries to hold stock worth 90 days of imports. </span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
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<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India will be releasing 5 million barrels of oil from its strategic oil reserve in a coordinated move with US, China, Japan and South Korea.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This is the first time that India will be dipping in its strategic reserve to use it as a geopolitical tool.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The OPEC+ cartel has kept crude oil production at lower rate, which has resulted in escalation of prices in international market.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The US will be releasing 50 million barrels of oil and the UK has announced that it will release 1.5 million barrels of crude.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Need for releasing </strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The move is an effort by oil importers to put pressure on OPEC+, a group that consists of 23 oil exporting countries including Saudi Arabia and Russia.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The grouping has set production quotas for member countries so that oil production is controlled to keep prices higher.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India has requested oil producing countries to increase their production at multiple forums as high prices is affecting post-Covid economic recovery in the developing countries.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Effect on crude oil prices</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The coordinated release of oil has reduced the price of oil from a high of $86.4 in late October to under $80 per barrel.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">This however could not crate the desired effect as US released less crude than it was expected. The coordinated release may add 70-80 million barrels.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">There has been indication that Saudi and Russia, the two largest producers of the group, may gradually increase production.</span></span></p>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Impact of high crude oil prices on India</strong></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Consumers are paying an all-time high price for petrol and diesel. The prices have not declined much despite the centre cutting tariffs. The increase in fuel prices has resulted in inflation.</span></span></p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p>
<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><strong>Strategic reserves in India</strong></span></span></p>
<ul>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The strategic reserves are set up to build an emergency stockpile with millions of barrels of crude oil for emergency use.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">India currently has a capacity to store 5.33 MMT of crude oil across three locations on east coast and west coast.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">On east coast, Vishakhapatnam has capacity of 1.33 MMT. On west coast, Mangalore (1.5 MMT), and Padur (2.5 MMT) are the two locations.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The strategic reserves combined with storage facilities of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in the country, can cater to meet 64.5 days of requirement.</span></span></p>
</li>
<li>
<p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India imports about 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements. The International Energy Agency (IEA) asks countries to hold stock worth 90 days of imports. </span></span></p>
</li>
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ecology topic pdf on daily basis ', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'cacategories' } ] $breadcrumb = [ (int) 0 => [ 'name' => 'Home', 'link' => 'https://currentaffairs.studyiq.com/' ], (int) 1 => [ 'name' => 'Miscellaneous', 'link' => 'https://currentaffairs.studyiq.com/tags/miscellaneous-5' ] ] $currentaffairs = [ (int) 0 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 110, 'title' => 'HeliNa: Anti-tank missile successfully test-fired', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indigenously developed helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missileHeliNa was successfully test fired. It was fired by missile handling unit of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) from ground launcher at Launching Complex-III of Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore off Odisha coast.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Test</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This missile for first time was test fired with modified version having close to zero error probability. This paves way for its actual launch from helicopter. Earlier, several trials of this third generation ‘fire and forget’ missile was conducted from both ITR and Pokhran firing range.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>HeliNa Missile</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is air-to-land version or helicopter-launched version of Nag anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), one of five missile systems developed by DRDO under Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Named after HEL of helicopter and NA of Nag (Hindi for cobra). It is manufactured by country’s sole state-owned missile producer Bharat Dynamics Limited.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is one of the most-advanced anti-tank weapons in the world with <strong>hit range of 7-8 km</strong>. It has been designed and developed to be fired from helicopter. <em>Nag missile has maximum range of 4 km.</em></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has been designed primarily to destroy modern main battle tanks and other heavily armoured targets.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It can be launched from twin-tube stub wing-mounted launchers on board armed light combat helicopters and advanced light helicopters.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It works on “fire and forget” principle and operates in Lock on Before Launch mode, which helps to extend its strike range.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> It is fitted with highly advanced Imaging Infrared Radar (IIR) seeker along with integrated avionics. This technology is possessed by very few countries in the world including India.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once inducted in Armed forces, it will be integrated with weaponised version of Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv, HAL built combat helicopter Rudra and Light Combat Helicopter (LCH).</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'helina-anti-tank-missile-test-fired', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/453a/1t3b1m2vn6o06i66g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/453a/1t3b1m2vn6o06i66g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'HeliNa: Anti-tank missile successfully test-fired | Study IQ', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, helicopter-launched, anti-tank guided missile, Nag Missile', 'metadescription' => 'Indigenously developed helicopter-launched anti-tank guided missileHeliNa was successfully test fired. It was fired by missile handling unit of HAL', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/4y4xe4bxesig4um/9feb_helina.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 1 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 109, 'title' => 'SFDR propulsion-based missile successfully test fired', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted second test of indigenously developed Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion-based missile system. It was fired from static launcherat Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore off Odisha coast.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Test</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After launch, this missile system was guided to high altitude to simulate aircraft release conditions and subsequently nozzle-less-booster was ignited.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It flew along intended trajectory at speed of Mach 3 (thrice speed of sound) and performed perfectly, validating new indigenous technology.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It meetall its mission objectives and even performance of separation of ground booster and nozzle-less-booster performance were found satisfactory.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>SFDR propulsion-based missile system</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It has been indigenously by DRDO under joint Indo-Russia R&D project. Its first flight was tested in 2018 and had achieved speed of Mach 3. It is viewed as Indian version of the French Meteor.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ramjet propulsion system used in it acts as oxidizer and solid propellant reacts as air flows through solid propellant duct.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, its ramjet engine uses air as oxidizer just like jet engine. Therefore, it eliminates weight of the fuel required.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is designed in such way that it allows for up and down throttling of missile. This further lets missile to amplify its speed until it reaches terminal phase of flight.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The speed increases until the point when sharp turns are required to search for highly manoeuvring targets.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>How it is different?</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Present missile systems, which use booster/sustainer configuration with solid or liquid propellants onboard, which limits its maneuvering at moving targets. It also cannot provide enough energy to maintain their speed in order to hit the targets.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">But, unlike traditional rocket motor, SFDR can throttle its engine during different phases of flight especially while approaching its target. It can also throttle up and down, thus it can maneuver and attack even rapidly maneuvering targets.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Significance</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Success of SFDR propulsion technology is considered as significant milestone in strategic missile program and indigenousation of defence technology.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will exceptionally enhance endgame maneuverability of missiles at terminal stage when the seeker is locked onto target.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will pave way for development of long range air-to-air missiles in the country.It will enable these missiles perform better and enhance their strike range, making the weapons more lethal.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">With this, India can have fastest long-range missiles in two categories, providing full-fledged and multi-layered aerial protection from hostile attacks.</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'sfdr-propulsion-based-missile', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3ce8/bg0mcwu04p5wsmq6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3ce8/bg0mcwu04p5wsmq6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'SFDR propulsion-based missile successfully test fired | Study IQ', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, DRDO, Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet, SFDR propulsion-based missile system, Balasore, Odisha, ', 'metadescription' => 'Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted second test of SFDR propulsion-based missile system', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/75gwvf33do99l76/9feb_SFDR_propulsion.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 2 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 119, 'title' => 'IAF receives first batch of Chinook Helicopters', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">US aerospace major Boeing delivered first batch of four CH-47F (I) Chinook military helicopters to Indian Air Force (IAF) at Mundra port, Gujarat. These helicopters will be assembled in Gujarat and will be ferried to Chandigarh, where they will be formally inducted into IAF.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">IAF currently has place order of 15 Chinook helicopters of which four are delivered. In 2015, Cabinet Committee on Security (CSS) chaired by Prime Minister had approved US $3.1-billion order for 22 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters (also manufactured by Boeing) and 15 Chinooks to scale up IAF’s capabilities.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">CH-47F (I) Chinook helicopter</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is an advanced multi-mission military helicopter manufactured by US aerospace company Boeing. It is twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is named after Native American Chinook people of modern-day Washington state of US. It possesses several means of loading various cargoes. Its top speed is of 170 knots (315 km/h).</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">IAF will be using it proving logistics support i.e. for transporting troops, fuel, artillery and equipment. </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will be also used during humanitarian and disaster relief (HADR) operations for mass evacuation missions.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will provide Indian armed forces with unmatched strategic airlift capability across full spectrum of combat and humanitarian missions.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It will enhance IAF’s heavy-lift chopper capabilities to deliver payloads to high altitudes. It will also replace IAF’s existing fleet of Russia made four gigantic Mi-26s transport helicopters.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">India-US defence ties</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">US is India’s second largest arms supplier after Russia. Since 2008, India has bought or ordered military equipment worth $15 billion from US.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It includes C-130J special operations planes, C-17 transport aircraft, P-8I submarine hunter planes, Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters and M777 lightweight howitzers.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'first-batch-chinook-helicopters-recieved', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/473b/ca000whbae2dhml6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/473b/ca000whbae2dhml6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'IAF receives first batch of Chinook Helicopters', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, First batch of four CH-47FI Chinook military helicopters to Indian Air Force (IAF) ', 'metadescription' => 'Boeing delivers first batch of four CH-47FI Chinook military helicopters to Indian Air Force IAF at Mundra port, Gujarat', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/zle99bnpa9ew62q/11feb_IAF_receives_first_batch.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 3 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 97, 'title' => 'US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">United States has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems viz. Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) at estimated cost of $190 million. These missile defence systems will be fitted on two Air India One i.e. Boeing 777 Head-of- State aircrafts used for flying President of India and Prime Minister. It will enhance of security of these VIP planes and bring them at par with that of US President’s official airplane Air Force One. US aircraft and missile manufacturer, Boeing will be prime contractor in this defence deal.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM)</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is active countermeasure aimed at protecting large aircraft from man-portable missiles.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It defeats threat missile guidance system by directing high-intensity modulated laser beam into the missile seeker.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In addition, it automatically counters advanced IR missile systems with no action required by crew. The pilot will simply be informed that a threat missile was detected and jammed.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its missile warning subsystem uses multiple sensors to provide full spatial coverage. It also uses lasers mounted in pointer-tracker turret assemblies.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once installed on plane, this system increases crew-warning time, decreases false alarm rates and automatically counters advanced intermediate range missile systems.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Self-Protection Suites (SPS)</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will facilitate more robust capability into areas of increased missile threats.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its package includes infrared and electronic warfare countermeasures suites, countermeasure dispensing systems and missile warning sensors, along with variety of assemblies and associated technical, repair and return support.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About Air India One</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Air India One (also referred to as AI-1 or AIC001) is call sign of any aircraft with President of India or Prime Minister on board.</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Boeing 747-400 owned by Air India, national airline of India are used for this purpose. These aircraft are operated as VIP flight by Indian Air Force (IAF).</span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">IAF's Air Headquarters Communication Squadron, based at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi, is in charge of operating these aircraft.</span></span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align:justify"><img alt="Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures " src="https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/dcd1/jyvtf831sm4bkzd6g.jpg" style="height:391px; width:628px" /></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-approves-sale-of-2-missile', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/246d/3ghuj6m3oukm35h6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/246d/3ghuj6m3oukm35h6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US approves sale of two missile defence systems for Air India One', 'metakeyword' => 'Defence Current Affairs, India-US, Missile defence systems, LAIRCAM, SPS, Air India One', 'metadescription' => 'United States has agreed to sell two state-of-the-art missile defence systems viz. Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCAM) and Self-Protection Suites ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/c6hjn5192gbka75/8_FEB_US_approves_sale.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 4 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 134, 'title' => 'DRDO launches Dare to Dream contest', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched ‘Dare to Dream’ contest to encourage startups and individuals to come up with innovative defence and aerospace technologies. In April 2019, Union Ministry of Defence had launched similar constest Innovation for Defence Excellence (iDEX) aimed at financially supporting innovators from among small- and medium-sized industries, individuals, startups, and institutes.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Dare to Dream contest</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Its objective is to unearth disruptive ideas and concepts in emerging technologies identified by DRDO for enhancing defence capabilities.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">For it applicants are invited to send innovative, workable proposals that can impact various related domains and specified areas.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The areas of the contest are <em>Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous Systems, Cybersecurity, Hypersonic Technologies, Smart Materials, Quantum Computing, and Soldier as System</em>. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The entries received will be judged by two stage process, firstly it will be screened by Domain Expert Committee and by short-listing and ranking by independent expert committee.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">The winning entries, which should specify plan of executing it into prototype, will get one of five prizes ranging from Rs. 3 to 10 lakh in two separate categories (Individual and Start-up).</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">DRDO is India's premier organization for research related to country’s defence technology. It is under administrative control if Ministry of Defence.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">It is largest and most diverse research organization in India. It was established in 1958 and it is headquartered New Delhi.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"><strong>Motto: </strong></span><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">"Strength's Origin is in Science".</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"><strong>Network:</strong> It has network of 52 laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems etc.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Functions:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"> It is charged with defence research and development. It also advises government on scientific aspects of military equipment and equipment, research, design and development plans. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif">Achievements:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"quicksand",serif"> It has indigenously developed many advanced defense systems. It has acquired expertise in a broad spectrum of defense technologies.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'drdo-launches-dare-to-dream-contest', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6f97/rgj21gqrvf1kqs56g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/6f97/rgj21gqrvf1kqs56g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'DRDO launches Dare to Dream contest', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, DRDO launches ‘Dare to Dream’ contest to encourage startups and individuals to come up with innovative defence and aerospace technologies', 'metadescription' => 'DRDO has launched ‘Dare to Dream’ contest to encourage startups and individuals to come up with innovative defence and aerospace technologies', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/ahkcgsuhnu7qckc/12feb_DRDO_launches.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 5 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 142, 'title' => 'Government to buy 72,000 SIG716 assault rifles', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Defence has signed contract with US arms maker Sig Sauer to buy 72,400 SIG716 7.62x51 mm assault rifles at costs around Rs. 700 crores. The deal to purchase these assault rifles is among biggest in recent years. It will overhaul Indian Army's inventory of frontline rifles.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">SIG716 7.62x51 mm is longer kill range assault rifle. It has effective range of 500 m and weight of less than 3 kg. It will replace ageing Indian-made 5.56x45mm INSAS (Indian small arms system) rifles, built and developed by state owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The 72,400 SIG716 for Indian Armed forces will be manufactured at Sig Sauer’s New Hampshire facility in US. They will be supplied within year under fast-track procurement (FTP) route. This route is only for limited numbers of weapons due to critical operational necessity.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Majority of these rifles -- 66,000 are for Indian Army and remaining will be divided between Indian Navy (2,000) and Indian Air Force (4,000). These rifles will be used by Indian Army troops deployed along 3,600 km long border with China.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Background </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian Army which is world’s second largest standing army has been pressing for fast-tracking procurement of various weapons systems including assault rifles considering evolving security threats.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The overall assault rifles requirement of Indian Army is for 8.16 lakh new 7.62mm assault rifles to replace existing, glitch-prone 5.56mm INSAS rifles. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In 2017, Indian Army had rejected indigenous assault rifle built by state-run Rifle Factory, Ishapore, when they failed firing tests. After this, it chose SIG716 through competitive process.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'govt-inks-contract-72000-assault-rifles', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f90a/1z7gio3rcosifc26g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f90a/1z7gio3rcosifc26g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Government to buy 72,000 SIG716 assault rifles', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, Ministry of Defence has signed contract with US arms maker Sig Sauer to buy 72,400 SIG716 7.62x51 mm assault rifles at costs around Rs. 700 crores.', 'metadescription' => 'Union Ministry of Defence has signed contract with US arms maker Sig Sauer to buy 72,400 SIG716 7.62x51 mm assault rifles at costs around Rs. 700 crores.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/c6a47a6tustuaxy/13feb_Government_to_buy.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 6 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 149, 'title' => 'Government issues EOI for Procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Union Ministry of Defence has issued Expression of Interest (EoI) for procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) for Indian Navy. This EoI is for shortlisting of potential Indian strategic partners and foreign Original equipment manufacturer (OEMs) for this mega defence deal. It follows Request for Information (RFI) issued earlier for this deal. Now, Indian Navy will issue detailed Request for Proposal (RFP) to short-listed foreign OEM and Indian companies.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The procurement of these helicopters was approved by Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in August 2018, through <strong><em>strategic partnership model</em></strong>. <em>It is first project to be executed through this model</em>. </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this, chosen Indian private company will team up with foreign OEM to build product in India. In this deal, 95 helicopters out of 111 will be manufactured in India by selected Indian Strategic Partner and remaining 16 helicopters will be bought in flyaway condition.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this deal, foreign OEM is mandated to set up dedicated manufacturing line, including design, integration and manufacturing processes for NUH in India. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is also mandated to make Indian Manufacturing Line as global exclusive facility for NUH platform being offered.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian partner company of foreign OEM for this deal will be selected based on its capability of system integration, facility in aerospace domain and financial capability.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will provide major boost to Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and fillip to domestic manufacturing capability for helicopters in India.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH)</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">These helicopters will replace ageing Chetak Helicopters of Indian Navy. They will be utilised for Search and Rescue (SAR), Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), low intensity maritime operations (LIMO), passenger roles and torpedo drops. They will be also used for communication duties, anti-piracy and anti-terrorism operations, surveillance, humanitarian assistance and targeting.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'eoi-procurement-111-naval-utility-helicopters', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/08ff/oozoktxdzrudaxf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/08ff/oozoktxdzrudaxf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Govt issues EOI for Procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, Government issues EOI for Procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters', 'metadescription' => 'Ministry of Defence has issued Expression of Interest (EoI) for procurement of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) for Indian Navy', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/mxrgbgabbvafvco/13feb_Government_issues_EOI.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 7 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 168, 'title' => 'India signs defence pacts with Germany and Sweden', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India has singed defence cooperation and security protection agreements with Germany and Sweden during ongoing visit of Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to these two countries. Both Germany and Sweden are important suppliers of defence equipment to India and their companies are currently in race for multi-billion tenders to supply submarines and fighter aircrafts to India under Central Government’s <em>strategic partnership (SP) model</em>.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Key Facts</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India-Sweden: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Both countries inked <em>Security Protection Agreement</em> that will enable both countries to share classified information with each other. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was singed between Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Swedish counterpart Peter Hultqvist in Stockholm. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India and Sweden already have signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in area of defence in 2009.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India-Germany:</span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif"> Both countries signed implementing arrangement on enhanced defence and defence industry cooperation to strengthen military to military (M2M) engagement as well as defence industry and research and development (R&D) linkages.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Strategic partnership (SP) model</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It envisages local manufacturing of major defence platforms by Indian strategic partner who will collaborate with foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to set up production facilities in the country. It seeks to provide impetus to ‘Make in India’ programme.</span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'india-signs-defence-pacts-with-germany-sweden', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0a74/vz2ddt90i1wows16g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/0a74/vz2ddt90i1wows16g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'India signs defence pacts with Germany and Sweden', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current affairs, India has singed defence cooperation and security protection agreements with Germany and Sweden during ongoing visit of Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to these two countries. ', 'metadescription' => 'India has singed defence cooperation and security protection agreements with Germany and Sweden during ongoing visit of Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to these two countries. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/nxge40wngh06m5o/15feb_India_signs_defence_pacts.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 8 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 177, 'title' => 'IAF’s all women crew for first time undertake parallel taxi track operation', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Two women pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time undertook Parallel Taxi Track (PTT) Operations in Dornier 228 aircraft at Sirsa, Haryana. The pilots are Sqn Ldr Kamaljeet Kaur and Sqn Ldr Rakhi Bhandari and belong to “OTTERS” squadron of Western Air Command based at Palam Technical Area. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><em><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was first PTT Operation undertaken by full women crew. </span></em><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">In this operation, these two women pilots carried out successful parallel taxi track landing and take-off operations using Dornier 228 aircraft.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Parallel Taxi Track Operations </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It carried out to enable unhindered operations even when runway is not available due to enemy action or any other reasons. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is challenging task as crew is required to land and take off from taxi track, which is considerably smaller in width than runway, with proximity to obstructions as compared to t main runway. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">There cannot be possibility of error during e most critical phases of flight, landing and take-off in this operation.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'all-women-crew-operate-parallel-taxi-track-in-dornier-aircraft-in-haryana', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/54d3/0t881o4458li43h6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/54d3/0t881o4458li43h6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'All-Women Crew of IAF Operate Parallel Taxi Track ', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, All-Women Crew Operate Parallel Taxi Track In Dornier Aircraft In Haryana', 'metadescription' => 'Two women pilots of Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time undertook Parallel Taxi Track (PTT) Operations in Dornier 228 aircraft at Sirsa, Haryana. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/ugkgsbz06szm8mh/16feb_IAF%25E2%2580%2599s_all_women_crew.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 9 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 339, 'title' => 'CISF creates Guinness world record in single-line bicycle parade', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) made into Guinness world record by conducting longest single line bicycle parade. The parade was conducted to mark golden jubilee celebrations (50 years) of CISF. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It broke previous record in same field held by Hubballi bicycle club of India, which had conducted rally of 1235 bicycles in single chain formation on 26 January 2109 (Republic Day) in Hubballi, Karnataka</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">CISF- longest single line bicycle parade</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The record was created at the Yamuna Expressway in Noida, Uttar Pradesj when personnel of CISF rode total of one 1327 bicycles non-stop with uniform distance between bicycles in single line. The bicycle parade covered 3.2 km distance non-stop. </span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is central armed police force under Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquarters are at New Delhi. Its motto is “Protection and Security”.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was raised on March 10, 1969 under CISF Act, 1968 to protect major PSUs. Later it was converted to armed force with larger ambit by amending CISF Act, 1968 in 1983. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Functions: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is tasked with providing security to various industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also provides security to airports, atomic power plants, refineries, major ports, space installations, VIPs and engages in disaster management amongst others<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has about one lakh 80 thousand personnel in its ranks. It also has its own Fire Wing to response to fire emergencies/accidents.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cisf-guinness-world-record-single-line-bicycle-parade', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4887/b29jnga2g1o0en46g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4887/b29jnga2g1o0en46g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CISF creates Guinness world record in single-line bicycle parade', 'metakeyword' => 'In Security Current Affairs, CISF, Guinness world record, longest single line bicycle parade,Golden jubilee celebrations, 50 years, CISF', 'metadescription' => 'CISF created Guinness world record in longest single line bicycle parade. The parade was conducted to mark golden jubilee celebrations (50 years) of CISF.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/k7v6bf4mj14bvbp/5Mar_CISF_creates_Guinness_world.pdf', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 10 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 215, 'title' => 'LCA Tejas receives final operational clearance', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft Tejas or LCA Tejas has received final operational clearance (FOC) for induction into Indian Air Force (IAF) as fully-weaponised fighter jet. FOC certificate was handed over by country's military aviation regulator CEMILAC to Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa at Aero India 2019 - India's biennial air show in Bengaluru.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance of FOC</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is a major milestone for the LCA (Tejas) to get the final operational clearance. It certifies that LCA Tejas is “ready for battle.”</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">FOC aircraft of LCA Tejas has several additional capabilities compared to initial operational clearance (IOC) aircraft. The primary one is being more advanced missile capability with significantly enhanced range.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Some more advanced capabilities of FOC LCA Tejas aircraft Beyond Visual Range Missile capabilities, Air-to-Air Refuelling, Air-to-Ground FOC earmarked advanced weapons and delivery system, and general flight envelope expansion.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Light Combat Aircraft Tejas</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is world’s smallest and lightest supersonic single-seat multi-role jet fighter. It is powered by single engine and uses fourth generation technologies.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was co-developed by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) in cooperation with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It will replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighter aircrafts.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is made entirely of composite structures and has tailless and compound delta wing design. It is equipped with quadruplex digital fly-by-wire flight control system to ease handling by pilot.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It incorporates advanced glass cockpit that comprises all round dialed electro-mechanical instruments.</span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is fitted with the coherent pulse-Doppler Multi Mode Radar. It also has satellite-aided Inertial Navigation System and digital computer-based attack system and autopilot mode. </span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has numerous stealth features. It has limited operational reach of little over 400-km, reducing its capability mainly for close air-to ground operations.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It can fire air to air missiles, carry bombs and precision guided ammunition. Its different kinds of weaponry including R-73 air-to-air missile, indigenous Astra missile, bomb dropping (including laser guided) etc.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">IAF’s squadron The Flying Daggers (Squadron No 45) is dedicated for LCA Tejas and has formally commenced its operations from Sulur Air Force Station in Tamil Nadu from June 2018.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'lca-tejas-receives-final-operational-clearance', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/33ab/2bcli083jndji2u6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/33ab/2bcli083jndji2u6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'LCA Tejas receives final operational clearance', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft Tejas or LCA Tejas has received final operational clearance (FOC) for induction into Indian Air Force (IAF) as fully-weaponised fighter jet. ', 'metadescription' => 'India's first self-made fighter jet Light Combat Aircraft Tejas or LCA Tejas has received final operational clearance (FOC) for induction into Indian Air Force (IAF) as fully-weaponised fighter jet. ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/5ybn4olshmd87rj/21feb_LCA_Tejas_receives_final.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 11 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 226, 'title' => 'BrahMos NG: New deadlier version of BrahMos Missile ', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">New smaller and deadlier version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile dubbed as BrahMos NG is under developmental phase. Its prototype will be ready for testing in about three years. It is being designed to take down slow moving `force multipliers’ deep within enemy territory.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Features of BrahMos NG</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will be sleeker, smaller and more lethal version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile with the same capabilities. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will fly at 3.5 Mach (3.5 times speed of sound) instead of 2.8 Mach speed of existing version. Its range will be same as existing version at 300 km.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">For reducing size, several mechanical components of existing missile will be replaced with electrical components. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The reduced weight will enable it to be carried by indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). LCA can carry two missiles while Su-30MKI can carry five of them. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will also have anti-land and an anti-ship role as well. It can also be used in submarines as well as it is being designed to be launched from torpedo tubes.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">BrahMos</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is joint venture between India and Russia and named after Brahmaputra and Moscowa rivers. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is two-stage cruise missile, the first being solid and second one ramjet liquid propellant. It is self-propelled guided missile i.e. it can sustain its flight through aerodynamic lift. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is capable of carrying warhead of 300 kgs (both conventional as well as nuclear). It operates on ‘fire and forget principal’ and has strike accuracy rate of 99.99%. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has top supersonic speed of Mach 2.8 to 3 (roughly three times speed of sound), making it world’s fastest anti-ship cruise missile in operation. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its range was initially capped at 290 km under obligations of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). But, now it has been extended to 450 km after India’s entry into this elite club.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Its land and sea variants are already operational with Indian Army and Navy and air-launched version is under development</span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'brahmos-ng-deadlier-version-brahmos-missile ', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/afed/n335790irx1bms86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/afed/n335790irx1bms86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'BrahMos NG: New deadlier version of BrahMos Missile ', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, New smaller and deadlier version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile dubbed as BrahMos NG is under developmental phase', 'metadescription' => 'New smaller and deadlier version of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile dubbed as BrahMos NG is under developmental phase', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/rlbdwm1v3odr5f5/22feb_BrahMos_NG.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 12 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 420, 'title' => 'CISF observes 50th Raising Day', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) observed its 50th Raising Day (golden jubilee). The main event to mark 50th Raising Day was organized by 5th Battalion Camp of CISF at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Central Industrial Security Force (CISF)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is central armed police force under Ministry of Home Affairs. It is headquarters are at New Delhi. Its motto is “Protection and Security”.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was raised in 1969 under CISF Act, 1968 to protect major PSUs. Later it was converted to armed force with larger ambit by amending CISF Act, 1968 in 1983. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Functions: </span></strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is premier multi-skilled security agency tasked with providing security to various critical infrastructure installations both in government and private sector.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It also provides security to critical infrastructure like airports, atomic power plants, refineries, major ports, space installations, VIPs and engages in disaster management amongst others<strong>.</strong></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has about one lakh 80 thousand personnel in its ranks. It also has its own Fire Wing to response to fire emergencies/accidents.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cisf-observes-50th-raising-day', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bfb9/dncuhwt9uup2yss6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bfb9/dncuhwt9uup2yss6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CISF observes 50th Raising Day | Defence Current Affairs, GK News', 'metakeyword' => 'CISF observes 50th Raising Day', 'metadescription' => 'CISF observes 50th Raising Day, Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) observed its 50th Raising Day (golden jubilee)', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/050dc5q7oju5kfd/11Mar_CISF_observes_50th_Raising_Day.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 13 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 470, 'title' => 'Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile successfully test-fired', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired <strong>Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile </strong>(MPATGM) at Pokharan range, Rajasthan. This was overall 4th development trial of MP-ATGM which is being developed for infantry troops of Indian Army against enemy tank regiment. MP-ATGM are typically unguided weapons and are meant to destroy armoured vehicles, low-flying aircraft (especially helicopters), and field fortifications located at low ranges.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">About Test</span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The recent two test trails of MPATGM were conducted to test missile’s strike range capability including maximum strike range. Both rounds of tests met all the mission objectives. In both missions, the missile hit designated targets precisely at different ranges.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM)</span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is 3rd-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) indigenously developed by DRDO in association with Hyderabad based VEM Technologies Ltd.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It incorporates many advanced features such as image infrared radar (IIR) seeker with integrated avionics designed and developed by Research Centre Imarat (RCI).</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Is fitted with high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. It has maximum engagement range of about 2.5 kilometres, with top attack capability.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">To maintain man portability, it weighs around 14.5 kg. It can be fired from shoulder and can be used during day and night.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has minimum gravity offset and lateral centre. It is effective against both moving and stationary targets. </span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is best in its class in the world. It is yet to be formally named. It will be deployed in Indian Army’s infantry and parachute battalions.</span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance </span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">MPATGM is critical for Indian Army as it has a requirement for more than 50,000 of these anti-tank missiles.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will replace 2nd generation French origin anti-tank guided missile Milan and Soviet semi-automatic wire-guided missile Konkur, which are in service.</span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It will give fillip of indigenization of defence production under Make in India and reduce imports.</span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'man-portable-anti-tank-guided-missile-successfully-test-fired', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/209b/isbkbznon8c2smp6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/209b/isbkbznon8c2smp6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile successfully test-fired', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, DRDO, successfully, test fired, Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile, MPATGM, Pokharan range, Rajasthan', 'metadescription' => 'DRDO successfully test fired Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) at Pokharan range, Rajasthan', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/3kkkibr4rajgs1r/16_Mar_Man-Portable_Anti-Tank_Guided_Missile.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 14 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 711, 'title' => 'Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The platinum jubilee commemoration (75th Anniversary) of Battle of Kangla Tongbi (Battle of Kohima) was observed in Nagaland on 7 April 2019 by Army Ordnance Corps at Kangla Tongbi War Memorial near Imphal, Manipur. It honoured valiant brave hearts of Ordnance Personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot who made their supreme sacrifice in the line of duty during battle of World War-II on the night of 6/ 7 April 1944.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Battle of Kangla Tongbi</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It was one of the fiercest battles of World War II. It fought by Ordnance personnel of 221 Advance Ordnance Depot (AOD) of then British Indian Army on the night of 6/7 April 1944 against Japanese forces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Japanese Army had planned three pronged offensives to capture Imphal and surrounding areas. At Kangla Tongbi, a small detachment of 221 AOD put up stiff resistance against advancing Japanese forces.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">This battle signified unflinching devotion to duty of Ordnance personnel of 221 AOD. It conveys to the world at large that Ordnance personnel, apart from being professional logisticians, are second to none in combat, being equally proficient soldiers, should the occasion demand. </span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'platinum-jubilee-commemoration-battle-kangla-tongbi', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bac5/w6oy048n2csiycp6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bac5/w6oy048n2csiycp6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi', 'metakeyword' => 'Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi', 'metadescription' => 'Platinum Jubilee Commemoration of Battle of Kangla Tongbi, The platinum jubilee commemoration (75th Anniversary) of Battle of Kangla Tongbi', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/6p661tn8283f5g0/Platinum_Jubilee.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 15 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 707, 'title' => 'Indian Navy inks MoU with CSIR for joint research', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Indian Navy has singed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to undertake joint research and development of advanced technologies for the Indian Navy. The MoU provides formal framework for interaction between Indian Navy and CSIR and its various labs and Indian industry.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Under this MoU </span></span></span></span></strong></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Joint R&D activities will be undertaken in diverse fields of Mechanical, Electronics, Communication, Computer Science, Propulsion systems, Metallurgy and Nanotechnology.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Some of immediate projects will include development of alternative desalination technologies, residual life assessment studies of gas turbine generator blades to improve reliability and installation of wireless MEMS based sensors for remote operation.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Significance</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">The collaboration will allow the Indian Navy to leapfrog towards latest technologies. It will enable to jointly engage with CSIR under ‘Make in India’ and other innovative programmes of the Union Government. It will serve as foundation for exchange of ideas and development of new technologies in the future.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is India’s premier research and development (R&D) organisation. It was established in 1942. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It operates as autonomous body registered under Registration of Societies Act of 1860. It is headquartered in New Delhi.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It is mainly funded by Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. Prime Minister is ex-officio chairman of CSIR. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It runs chain of 38 laboratories/institutes, 39 outreach centers, 3 Innovation Centers and 5 units throughout the nation,</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand",serif">It has been ranked 9th best scientific institution in the world amongst 1207 government institutions, with overall global ranking of 75 in world, covering 5250 institutions. </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'indian-navy-inks-mou-with-csir-joint-research', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/13fc/0haan6a8vl13ek86g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/13fc/0haan6a8vl13ek86g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Indian Navy inks MoU with CSIR for joint research', 'metakeyword' => 'In Defence Current Affairs, Indian Navy inks MoU with CSIR for joint research', 'metadescription' => 'Indian Navy inks MoU with CSIR for joint research, The MoU provides formal framework for interaction between Indian Navy and CSIR ', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/5v8dd6ezdneeju2/Indian_Navy_inks_MoU.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 16 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1114, 'title' => 'Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The MiG-21 squadron, No. 51, of which Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was part has been accorded sobriquet ‘Falcon Slayers’. It has received special uniform patch made to commemorate dogfight undertaken by MiG fighter planes on intruding aircrafts of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Jammu and Kashmir on February 27, 2019 following India’s pre-emptive non-military airstrike at Balakot. In this encounter, Varthaman had shot down PAF’s F-16 aircraft. In this dogfight, his Bison aircraft was also shot down after which he was ejected into Pakistani territory and was captured by Pakistan but released days later. Besides, Sukhoi-30 squadron, whose aircraft also blunted Pakistani air attack and successfully evaded AMRAAM missiles of the PAF F-16s, have also named themselves ‘AMRAAM Dodger’ in new patches.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">What are Patches?</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">They are cloth badges that depict squadron’s role and often identify itself with important engagement in which the squadron took part. They reflect type of aircraft the squadron flies and is worn on flying overalls. They connect pilots of squadron to feat which unit has performed. They also instill sense of pride in not only present generation of pilots but also future ones. It gives sense of achievement to the pilots.</span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">51 Squadron patch</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It depicts MIG-21 Bison in foreground and red-coloured F-16 in background under crosshairs.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Sukhoi-30 squadron patch:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It shows SU-30MKI with AMRAAM missile going past after narrowly missing it.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Designed By </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The patches for both squadrons have been designed by aviation enthusiast Saurav Chordia. He also has designed variety of patches for several IAF squadrons in the past, as well as air exercises. The first patch designed by him for IAF was for SU-30MKI squadron in 2015. He also has designed IAF Tejas Patches for the first Tejas squadron in 2016. He has also designed patches for Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and for Gaganshkati 2018, Exercise Pitch Black 2018, Exercise Cope India 2018 and Vayu Shakti Exercise.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'falcon-slayers-mig-21-squadron-gets-special-uniform', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5cc5/r2w4ix5sijvpu506g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5cc5/r2w4ix5sijvpu506g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch', 'metakeyword' => 'Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch', 'metadescription' => 'Falcon Slayers: MiG-21 squadron No. 51 gets special uniform patch, The MiG-21 squadron, No. 51, of which Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/p4h4s5ks8cb5997/Falcon_Slayers.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 17 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1273, 'title' => 'Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa received Baton of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee from outgoing Chairman (COSC). He will be the chairman COSC with effect from May 31, 2019 after Admiral Sunil Lanba retires. </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Birender Singh Dhanoa</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is alumnus of Rashtriya Indian Military College and National Defence Academy (NDA). He was commissioned in Flying Branch of Indian Air Force in June 1978. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">He is experienced fighter pilot and qualified CAT A’ Flying Instructor with over 3,000 hours of flying experience to his credit. He has mainly flown MiG-21 aircraft and also has flying experience across entire spectrum of fighter aircraft of IAF.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">During the Kargil war (1999), he was Commanding Officer (CO) of frontline ground attack fighter squadron. He has held many coveted operational and staff assignments during his career.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC) </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Chairman is head of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC). The most senior chief of staff is appointed to serve as a chairman until he retires.</span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Mandate of CoSC:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> It advises Union Defence Minister and normally through him Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) headed by Prime Minister of India on all military matters which require ministerial consideration. </span></span></span></span></li> <li style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Composition of CoSC</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">: It is composed of (a) Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) (b) Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS); (c) Chief of the Air Staff (CAS); and (d) Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS) (non-voting member). Besides, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister is also invited to attend its meetings whenever needed. </span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'air-chief-marshal-bs-dhanoa-new-chairman', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/512e/8312y86t2m0ub9m6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/512e/8312y86t2m0ub9m6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of CoSC', 'metakeyword' => 'Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee', 'metadescription' => 'Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa new chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/62he54j9pfgtw6b/Air_Chief_Marshal_BS_Dhanoa.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 18 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1266, 'title' => 'IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time', 'description' => '<h2 style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) all-women crew for first time flew medium-lift Mi-17 helicopter for a battle training mission. The crew comprised Flight Lieutenant Parul Bhardwaj (Captain), who was led the team, Flying Officer Aman Nidhi (Co-pilot)and Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal (Hina Jaiswal). </span></span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The all women crew flew Mi-17 V5 helicopter for Battle Inoculation Training mission taking off and landing from restricted areas at a forward air base in South Western air command.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Flt Lt Parul Bhardwaj hails from Mukerian in Punjab and is first woman pilot to fly Mi-17 V5. Flt Lt Hina Jaiswal from Chandigarh is the first woman flight engineer of Indian Air Force (IAF). Flying officer Aman Nidhi hails from Ranchi, Jharkhand and is also first woman IAF pilot from the state.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The pilots had undergone their basic flying training at Helicopter Training School at Air Force Station Hakimpet (Telangan) followed by advanced training at Air Force Station Yelahanka (Karnataka).</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The helicopter was certified airworthy by unit engineering officer and Squadron Leader Richa Adhikari.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'iaf-all-women-crew-mi-17-helicopter', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d51f/dni7mp48gc90a4q6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/d51f/dni7mp48gc90a4q6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time', 'metakeyword' => 'IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time', 'metadescription' => 'IAF’s all-women crew flies Mi-17 helicopter for first time, Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) all-women crew for first time flew medium-lift Mi-17 helicopter for a battle training mission.', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/crttchclveea544/IAF%C6s_all-women_crew_flies_Mi-17_helicopter_for_first_time.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 19 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1302, 'title' => 'Mohana Singh: 1st woman IAF pilot operational on Hawk advanced jet aircraft', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Flight Lt Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) to fly by day on Hawk advanced jet aircraft. She achieved this feat after after gruelling 4 Aircraft combat sortie and landed at Air Force station, Kalaikunda , West Bengal, which was the last syllabus sortie, of being fully operational on the Hawk Jets. She was one of three women pilots inducted in the fighter stream of the IAF in 2016.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">About Mohana Singh</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Her intense induction training involved flying both air-to-ground and air-to-air combat missions. She had undertaken many practice missions which involved firing of guns, rockets and dropping high calibre bombs. She also had participated in various Air Force level flying exercises. She has over total 500 hours of incident-free flying of which 380 hours are on the Hawk Mk 132 jet.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Note:</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif""> Flight Lt Mohana Singh is among three women officers along with Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvadi who were first batch of women pilots to join fighter stream of IAF in June 2016. Earlier in May 2019, Flight Lt Bhawana Kanth also had created history by becoming the first daytime woman fighter pilot to fly MiG-21 Bison.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'mohana-singh-1st-woman-iaf-pilot-operational', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9243/tzhyk1mpd6mk69m6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9243/tzhyk1mpd6mk69m6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Mohana Singh: 1st woman IAF pilot to become operational on Haw', 'metakeyword' => 'Flight Lt Mohana Singh, first woman fighter pilot, Indian Air Force, fly by day, Hawk advanced jet aircraft', 'metadescription' => 'Flight Lt Mohana Singh has become the first woman fighter pilot of Indian Air Force (IAF) to fly by day on Hawk advanced jet aircraft.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/gfpx7c7h3g84gqp/Mohana_Singh_1st_woman_IAF_pilot.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 20 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1331, 'title' => 'Indian Army commissions air quality monitor station at Fort William', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian Army has commissioned "Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS)" at its Eastern Command headquarters in William Military Station, Kolkata, West Bengal as part of its countrywide 'Go Green' initiative. It will be overall sixth CAAQMS in Kolkata. It will monitor air pollution of city on real time basis and its readings will be considered a benchmark of quality.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Key Facts</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">CAAQMS at William Military station will measure air pollution such as SO2, NO, NO2, NH3, CO, O3, VOC and particulate matters (PM 10 and PM 2.5) continuously throughout the year.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It will also display ambient temperature, wind speed, direction, relative humidity, solar radiation, barometric pressure and rain gauge. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The data collected by this station can be remotely monitored on internet and collated into various desired formats. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It can also be used by West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) or any other local or international weather monitoring bodies.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'indian-army-commissions-caaqms-fort-william', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2e5c/r9ay801qm5hrf4z6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/2e5c/r9ay801qm5hrf4z6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Indian Army commissions air quality monitor station', 'metakeyword' => 'Indian Army has commissioned "Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), Eastern Command headquarters,William Military Station, Kolkata,', 'metadescription' => 'Indian Army has commissioned "Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System (CAAQMS), Eastern Command headquarters,William Military Station, Kolkata,', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/2b0ww2ote2qk19b/Indian_Army_commissions_air_quality_monitor_station_at_Fort_William.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 21 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1464, 'title' => '20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas to be observed in July 2019', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Indian will celebrate this year 20th anniversary of victory in Kargil war or operation Vijay (also called Kargil Vijay Diwas) for three days from 25 July to 27 July 2019 at Dras (Jammu and Kashmir) and New Delhi. The theme for this year’s celebration will be – “<em>Remember, Rejoice and Renew</em>”. The objective of these celebrations is to evoke feeling of nationalism and patriotism through nationwide campaigns especially amongst youth and to pay homage to the valiant soldiers. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">India-Pakistan Kargil War </span></span></strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It had taken place between May and July of 1999 in Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. It was started after infiltration of both Pakistani troops and terrorists deep inside Indian territory in strategic positions that overlooked the only road link between Srinagar and Leh.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The conflict is believed to have been orchestrated by then Pakistan army chief General Pervez Musharraf without knowledge of then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.</span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Following this illegal infiltration and occupation of strategic positions, Indian Army had launched “Operation Vijay”. It was also supported by Indian Air Force’s operation Safed Sagar. It was for first time air power at height of 32,000 feet. </span></span></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">This Indo-Pak is always remembered for its strategic and tactical surprises, self-imposed national strategy of restraint in keeping war limited to Kargil - Siachen Sectors and swiftly executed co-ordinated tri-services military strategy and plans.</span></span></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => '20th-anniversary-kargil-vijay-diwas', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9087/6ic2yuk96pdug9c6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/9087/6ic2yuk96pdug9c6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => '20th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas', 'metakeyword' => 'Indian will celebrate this year 20th anniversary of victory in Kargil war or operation Vijay , also called Kargil Vijay Diwas for three days', 'metadescription' => 'Indian will celebrate this year 20th anniversary of victory in Kargil war or operation Vijay , also called Kargil Vijay Diwas for three days', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/yllbp6b94a2btvb/20th_anniversary.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 22 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1510, 'title' => 'Operation Bandar: IAF's code name for Balakot air strikes', 'description' => '<p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The Indian Air Force (IAF) air strike mission to bomb Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist hideout in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019 was codenamed 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)’. This cross-border airstrike was rare instance when Indian Air Force (IAF) for first time crossed Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and bombed targets in Pakistani territory.</span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Why code named Operation Bandar?</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">The code name was given as nondescript, mundane tag to air strikes, in order to maintain secrecy and ensure that plans about Balakot operations are not leak out. However, there was not any specific reason behind name chosen but in general monkeys had cultural significance and held special place in India’s war culture such as in Ramayana, where Lord Rama’s lieutenant Lord Hanuman swiftly sneaked into Lanka and destroyed entire capital city of Ravana. </span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">Balakot Airstrike</span></span></strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-left:0in; margin-right:0in; text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Quicksand","serif"">It was termed as "intelligence-led, non-military, pre-emptive" operation aimed at targeting camp run by JeM in Balakot, a town located in the Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. It was conducted in response to February 14, 2019 Pulwama suicide attack, in which 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed. JeM had claimed responsibility for Pulwama suicide bombing. Two weeks later, under Operation Bandar, IAF’s Mirage-2000 fighter jets took off from their home airbases in Gwalor India before dawn on February 26, crossed LoC in J&K and targetted JeM terror camp in Balakot with precision, guided SPICE missiles.</span></span></span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'operation-bandar-code-name-balakot-air-strikes', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4776/3x8a4wa1yduudmn6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4776/3x8a4wa1yduudmn6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Operation Bandar: IAF's code name for Balakot air strikes', 'metakeyword' => 'The Indian Air Force (IAF) air strike mission to bomb Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist hideout in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019 was codenamed 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)’', 'metadescription' => 'The Indian Air Force (IAF) air strike mission to bomb Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist hideout in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26, 2019 was codenamed 'Operation Bandar (Monkey)’', 'author' => 'Nikhil Paigude', 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/27v8i0k7hvw34dc/Operation_Bandar_IAF%27s_code_name.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 23 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 1855, 'title' => 'Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 2 BrahMos supersonic missile batteries for Navy', 'description' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Context: </strong>To give a boost to indigenisation, the <strong>Defence Acquisition Council </strong>(DAC), <strong>chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, </strong>accorded <strong>approval for procurement of indigenous Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (NGMMCB) for the Indian Navy.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Highlights: </strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MoD has cleared <strong>acquisition of SDR and NGMMCB for armed forces</strong></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indigenously developed equipment are <strong>of the latest generation</strong></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These equipment would give a <strong>fillip to government's Make in India initiative</strong></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the SDR: </strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SDR is a complex and <strong>state-of-the-art communication system </strong>which has been <strong>indigenously designed and developed by</strong> <strong>DRDO, BEL and Weapons Electronics System Engineering Establishment (WESEE).</strong></span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SDR communication system would <strong>enable information sharing, collaboration and situational awareness through high-speed data and secure voice communication with anti-jamming capabilities.</strong></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>About the NGMMCB:</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NGMMCB has been <strong>developed and manufactured in India by Indo-Russia joint venture </strong>company M/s BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.</span></span></li> <li><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Next Generation Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries (Long Range) would be <strong>fitted with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface cruise missiles </strong>and would be <strong>deployed along the coast.</strong></span></span></li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'defence-ministry-clears-acquisition', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5366/0ea88in6ibjq15z6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5366/0ea88in6ibjq15z6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Defence Ministry clears acquisition of 2 BrahMos', 'metakeyword' => 'Defence Ministry clears acquisition, 2 BrahMos supersonic missile', 'metadescription' => 'To give a boost to indigenisation, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded approval', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/bppvsnj2jnknl73/Defence_Ministry_clears_acquisition_of_2_BrahMos.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 24 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 2192, 'title' => 'NATGRID', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) project wants to link social media accounts to the huge database of records related to immigration entry and exit, banking and telephone details.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project is an online database for organising scattered pieces of information and putting them on one platform. At least 10 central agencies like Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and others will have access to the data on a secured platform.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The NATGRID links intelligence and investigation agencies. The 10 user agencies will be linked independently with certain databases that would be procured from 21 providing organisations and include telecom, tax records, bank, immigration, etc. to enable the generation of intelligence inputs.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The project has been aimed to solve the issue of "entity resolution" through artificial intelligence.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NATGRID will not only help to trace the current location of the suspect but also aid in backtrack-ability. The processing speed is likely to be much faster.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Functional NATGRID will help in real-time tracking of a terror operative or suspect.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Opposition for NATGRID</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Intelligence agencies have opposed the NATGRID due to fears that it would encroach on their territory and possibly result in leaks on the lead, which they were working, to other agencies.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Linking the database to social media accounts could jeopardise the entire exercise as it could be exposed to unknown virus attacks from open source Internet</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'natgrid', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5998/i8g20jgyos755cv6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5998/i8g20jgyos755cv6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'NATGRID | Intelligence agencies', 'metakeyword' => 'working, to other agencies.Intelligence agencies', 'metadescription' => 'Intelligence agencies have opposed the NATGRID due to fears that it would encroach on their territory and possibly result in leaks on the lead, which they were ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/mnhkfz2xcox84py/NATGRID.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 25 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 2848, 'title' => 'US state department approves sale of arms to India', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US State Department has approved an arms deal for India valued at just over $1 billion, according to a press statement from the Department of Defense (DoD).</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The sale approval was in response to a Government of India request to buy the guns and 3,500 D349 Projectile, 5”/54 MK 92 MOD 1 Ammunition. The proposed sale will include ammunition, spare parts, training of personnel and equipment, technical data, publications, technical and logistical assistance and transport.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the DoD body that implements the U.S.’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, delivered its certification of the proposed sale to the U.S. Congress.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Congress has a thirty day window from when the certification is received to raise any objections to the sale.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The MK-45 Gun System will provide the capability to conduct antisurface warfare and anti-air defense missions while enhancing interoperability with U.S. and other allied forces.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India is planning to use the enhanced capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>India-US defence agreements</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The U.S. has four foundational agreements that it signs with its defence partners.</span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first of the four agreements, the <strong>General Security Of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA)</strong>, was signed by India and the U.S. in 2002. The agreement enables the sharing of military intelligence between the two countries and requires each country to protect the others' classified information.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The second agreement, the Logistics <strong>Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA)</strong>, was signed by the two countries on 29 August 2016. The LEMOA permits the military of either country to use the others' bases for re-supplying or carrying out repairs. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The third agreement, <strong>Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA</strong>) was signed during the inaugural 2+2 dialogue in September 2018. It is an India-specific variant of <strong>Communications and Information Security Memorandum of Agreement (CISMOA)</strong> that enables the two countries to share secure communication and exchange information on approved equipment during bilateral and multinational training exercises and operations. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The fourth agreement, <strong>Basic</strong> <strong>Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA)</strong> has not yet been signed. It permits the exchange of unclassified and controlled unclassified geospatial products, topographical, nautical, and aeronautical data, products and services between India and the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Nuclear cooperation</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement also referred to as the "123 Agreement", is a bilateral agreement for peaceful nuclear cooperation which governs civil nuclear trade between American and Indian firms to participate in each other's civil nuclear energy sector.</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'us-state-department-approves-sale-of-arms-to-india', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/64f2/pkj9np63trk4i4c6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/64f2/pkj9np63trk4i4c6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'US state department approves sale of arms to India', 'metakeyword' => 'US state department approves sale of arms to India', 'metadescription' => 'The US State Department has approved an arms deal for India valued at just over $1 billion, according to a press statement from the Department of Defense (DoD).', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/7j8v77738l52b15/US_state_department_approves_sale_of_arms_to_India.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 26 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 4604, 'title' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso lake', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The recent incidents at the Pangong Tso lake area between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the LAC have brought back the region in the focus.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The disputed boundary between India and China, also known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC), is divided into three sectors: western, middle and eastern. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The countries disagree on the exact location of the LAC in various areas, so much so that India claims that the LAC is 3,488 km long while the Chinese believe it to be around 2,000 km long.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The two armies try and dominate by patrol to the areas up to their respective perceptions of the LAC, often bringing them into conflict and leading to incidents such as those witnessed in Naku La in Sikkim earlier this month.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The LAC mostly passes on the land, but Pangong Tso is a unique case where it passes through the water as well. The points in the water at which the Indian claim ends and Chinese claim begins are not agreed upon mutually.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Most of the clashes between the two armies occur in the disputed portion of the lake. As things stand, 45 km-long western portion of the lake is under Indian control, while the rest is under China’s control.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pangong Tso Lake</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the Ladakhi language, Pangong means extensive concavity, and Tso is lake in Tibetan.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pangong Tso is a long narrow, deep, endorheic (landlocked) lake situated at a height of more than 14,000 ft in the Ladakh Himalayas. The western end of</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tso lies 54 km to the southeast of Leh. The 135 km-long lake sprawls over 604 sq km in the shape of a boomerang, and is 6 km wide at its broadest point.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The brackish water lake freezes over in winter, and becomes ideal for ice skating and polo. The legendary 19th century Dogra general Zorawar Singh is said to have trained his soldiers and horses on the frozen Pangong lake before invading Tibet.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">By itself, the lake does not have major tactical significance. But it lies in the path of the Chushul approach, one of the main approaches that China can use for an offensive into Indian-held territory.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'importance-of-pangong-tso-lake', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bea8/5qb5ycwnlwq5nvv6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bea8/5qb5ycwnlwq5nvv6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso lake', 'metakeyword' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso lake', 'metadescription' => 'The recent incidents at the Pangong Tso lake area between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the LAC have brought back the region in the focus.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/e5s5pca5sqvyddz/2.Importance_of_Pangong_Tso_lake.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 27 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 4825, 'title' => 'Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The construction of the 255-km long Darbuk-Shyokh-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) all-weather road is possibly the most consequential reason for Chinese aggression in LAC.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Its strategic importance is that it connects Leh to DBO, virtually at the base of the Karakoram Pass that separates China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Region from Ladakh.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">DBO is the northernmost corner of Indian territory in Ladakh, in the area better known in Army parlance as Sub-Sector North.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">DBO has the world’s highest airstrip, originally built during the 1962 war but abandoned until 2008, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) revived it as one of its many Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) along the LAC, with the landing of an Antonov An-32.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chinese build-up along the Galwan River valley region overlooks, and hence poses a direct threat to the DSDBO road.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The DSDBO highway provides the Indian military access to the section of theTibet-Xinjaing highway that passes through Aksai Chin. The road runs almost parallel to the LAC at Aksai China, that China occupied in the 1950s.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">To the west of DBO is the region where China abuts Pakistan in the Gilgit-Baltistan area, once a part of the erstwhile Kashmir principality.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This is also the critical region where China is currently constructing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), to which India has objected.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Previously an old road, largely a track, existed along the same alignment as the pucca road, but was practically unusable during summer due to the flooding of the snow-fed <strong>Shyok</strong> river – or River of Death – and its tributaries, including the <strong>Chip Chap, Galwan, </strong>and<strong> Chang Chenmo</strong> that crisscross it.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Shyok river itself is a tributary of the Indus, flowing through northern Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan. It eventually re-joins the <strong>Indus</strong> at Keris.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p> <img alt="" src="https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b208/kqlkykkfs67ol0x6g.jpg" style="height:204px; width:306px" /></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'daulat-beg-oldie-dbo-road', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ed37/sevehnulrxp05rv6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/ed37/sevehnulrxp05rv6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road', 'metakeyword' => 'Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) Road', 'metadescription' => 'The construction of the 255-km long Darbuk-Shyokh-Daulat Beg Oldie (DSDBO) all-weather road is possibly the most consequential reason for Chinese aggression in LAC.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/lubm9vx48c09c6o/3.Daulat_Beg_Oldie_%2528DBO%2529_Road_%2528D%2526S%2529.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 28 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 4887, 'title' => 'Strategic importance of Ladakh to India and China', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Ladakh and its surrounding area of Aksai Chin has been in news due to the contention between India and China to extend their sovereignty.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In July 1958, an official monthly magazine in China named <em>China pictorial</em> published a map of the country that would become a bone of contention between India and its East Asian neighbour.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The importance of Ladakh to both India and China is rooted in complicated historical processes that led to the territory becoming part of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, and China’s interest in it post the occupation of Tibet in 1950.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Up until the Dogra invasion of 1834, Ladakh was an independent Himalayan state, much the same way as Bhutan and Sikkim. Ladakh was part of the Tibetan empire which broke up after the assassination of King Langdarma in 742 CE. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Thereafter it became an independent kingdom, though its borders fluctuated at different periods of its history and, at times included much of what is now western Tibet.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Economically, the importance of the region stemmed from the fact that it was an entrepôt between central Asia and Kashmir. At the same time, there was a flourishing trade route across the Karakorum pass to Yarkand and Kashgar to Chinese Turkestan.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The British legacy of the map of the territory though continued to remain the ground upon which India laid its claim on the area. The claims of both governments rested in part on the legacy of imperialism; British imperialism (for India), and Chinese imperialism (over Tibet) for China.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The annexation of Tibet by the People’s Republic of China in 1950 sparked newfound interest in Ladakh, and particularly so after the 1959 Tibetan uprising that erupted in Lhasa when the Dalai Lama fled into exile and was granted political asylum in India.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are two main reasons for rising conflict. Firstly, up to 2013 India’s infrastructural development in that area was minimal. From 2013, India started pushing for infrastructure projects there and by 2015, it became a major defence priority.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Second is the August 5, 2019 decision (to remove the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and downgrade the state into two Union Territories). From the Chinese point of view, they would have assumed that if India makes Ladakh a Union Territory, they would be reasserting its control over the entire state.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'strategic-importance-of-ladakh-to-india-and-china', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4628/gbf4rxoyp28x9st6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4628/gbf4rxoyp28x9st6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Strategic importance of Ladakh to India and China', 'metakeyword' => 'Strategic importance of Ladakh to India and China', 'metadescription' => 'Ladakh and its surrounding area of Aksai Chin has been in news due to the contention between India and China to extend their sovereignty.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/pkmzfjavliciut0/5.Strategic.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 29 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 4876, 'title' => 'Strategic importance of Galwan valley', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh saw a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15 resulting in casualties on either side, has strategic significance because of its proximity to the vital road link to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO).</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) is the world’s highest landing ground that lies close to the Line of Actual Control and serves as an important aerial supply line.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India is engaged in building up border infrastructure in this area, including the all weather 255 km Darbul-Shayok- DBO road. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The road runs almost parallel-at places very close-to the LAC and extends up to the base of the Karakoram pass, which when complete, will reduce the travel time from Leh to DBO from the present two days to just six hours. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Road and bridge construction works have recently been speeded up with a large number of labourers being ferried in.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan valley connects with Shyok on the road under construction and lies between DBO and Chushul to the south near Pangon Tso, another hot spot, providing convenient access to Shyok and the areas beyond.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Control of the ridgeline along the valley also allows domination of the road. Looking eastwards, control of the Galwan valley gives access to the Aksai Chin plateau, through which part of the Xinjiang-Tibet highway passes.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The road serves a vital peace time role in maintaining forward posts and building up reserves. An alternate route to DBO is being developed from a different axis in Ladakh that has adequate depth from the LAC.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Galwan river is to the west of China's 1956 claim line in Aksai Chin. However, in 1960 China advanced its claim line to the west of the river along the mountain ridge adjoining the Shyok river valley. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">During the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict, Indian posts in the Galwan Sector were attacked and overwhelmed by the Chinese, resulting in casualties and some prisoners-of-war. After the war, this sector largely remained dormant till the recent face-offs.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'strategic-importance-of-galwan-valley', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/be9c/uwzh5wqjzk6e9e96g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/be9c/uwzh5wqjzk6e9e96g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Strategic importance of Galwan valley', 'metakeyword' => 'Strategic importance of Galwan valley', 'metadescription' => 'The Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh saw a violent face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15 resulting in casualties on either side, has strategic significance', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/b7jnxc56w54hqgf/4.Strategic.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 30 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5004, 'title' => 'New weapons deployed by government', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajanth Singh has cleared several proposals that will boost the combat capabilities of all three services—Army, Navy and the Air Force.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As the government expects the standoff with China to continue well into the winters, the armed forces are ready for the long-haul.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Pinaka missile system</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It will enable raising additional regiments over and above the ones already inducted. It is an all-weather, indirect fire, free flight artillery rocket system<strong>.</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Pinaka weapon system consists of Rocket, Multi Barrel Rocket launcher, Battery Command Post, Loader cum Replenishment Vehicle, Replenishment Vehicle and Digicora MET Radar.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Astra Missiles</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Astra Missiles, with Beyond Visual Range capability will serve as a force multiplier and immensely add to the strike capability of Navy and Air Force.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The BVR class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system is designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft and can be engaged to destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>MIG 29 and Su-30 MKI</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is a twin-engine, multirole fighter jets, developed by the Soviets in the 1970s, but has been upgraded since. Russia will also upgrade existing 59 Mig-29 aircraft of India.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Long-Range Land Attack Cruise Missile Systems (LRLACM)</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is aimed at enhancing India’s firing range from between 400 km and 500 km of the Brahmos to 1000 km. The seeker development and testing by DRDO laboratories, it said, are demonstrated and is at a high-level of readiness. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The proposed development of fully indigenous long-range land-attack cruise missile can greatly enhance the operational capability of services.</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'new-weapons-deployed-by-government', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/955b/otag78ivpbixbyp6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/955b/otag78ivpbixbyp6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'New weapons deployed by government', 'metakeyword' => 'New weapons deployed by government', 'metadescription' => 'The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Defence Minister Rajanth Singh has cleared several proposals that will boost the combat capabilities', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/3cl9qc3skxjjikn/3.New_weapons_deployed_by_government.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 31 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5024, 'title' => 'Winter diesel', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s armed forces may soon be using winter diesel for operations in high altitude areas such as Ladakh, where winter temperatures plummet to extremely low levels.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has sought approval from the Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) of the armed forces to approve winter diesel that is said to be usable at temperatures as low as -30° celsius.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Winter diesel is a specialised fuel that was introduced by IOCL last year specifically for high altitude regions and low-temperature regions such as Ladakh, where ordinary diesel can become unusable. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The flow characteristics of regular diesel change at such low temperatures and using it may be detrimental to vehicles. Winter diesel which contains additives to maintain lower viscosity can be used in temperatures as low as -30°C.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides a low pour point, it had a higher cetane rating, an indicator of combustion speed of diesel and compression needed for ignition— and lower sulphur content, which would lead to lower deposits in engines and better performance.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Before the launch of winter diesel, consumers in areas that reached such low temperatures were using kerosene to dilute diesel to make it usable, which would lead to more air pollution.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">IOC may begin supplying winter diesel to the armed forces once its use is approved by the Controllerate of Quality Assurance for petroleum products under the Directorate General for Quality Assurance of the armed forces.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">While experts expect that demand may rise given the border tensions, the demand for DHPP-W from the armed forces has not increased significantly since the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in the Galwan valley in Ladakh.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'winter-diesel', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/978a/rno3fy7zedc29dh6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/978a/rno3fy7zedc29dh6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Winter diesel', 'metakeyword' => 'Winter diesel', 'metadescription' => 'India's armed forces may soon be using winter diesel for operations in high altitude areas such as Ladakh, where winter temperatures plummet to extremely low levels', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/jif8pm84js7pwlp/3.Winter_diesel.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 32 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5152, 'title' => 'India and Nepal military ties', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On July 10, a soldier from Nepal serving in the Ghurkha regiment, was killed in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector of Jammu. This comes amidst a strain in Indo-Nepali ties.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The soldier’s supreme sacrifice is a reminder about the strong ties between the Indian and Nepalese armed forces. Soldiers from Nepal form a significant part of the Indian Army’s legendary Ghurkha regiment. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s military connection with the Himalayan country goes back to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh whose army in Lahore enlisted Nepalese soldiers called Lahure or soldiers of fortune.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">British India raised the first battalion of the Ghurkha Regiment as the Nasiri regiment on April 24, 1815. By the time the First World War started, there were 10 Ghurkha regiments in the British Indian Army.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">When India got freedom, these regiments were divided between the British and Indian armies as per the Britain–India–Nepal Tripartite Agreement signed in November 1947. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepalis can join the Indian Army, both as a jawan and as an officer. A citizen of Nepal can take the National Defence Academy or Combined Defence Services exams and join the Indian Army as an officer.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Nepalese army also sends its officers for training to India’s military academies and combat colleges. The Ghurkha regiments, which have 35 battalions, recruit a large number of troops from Nepal.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nepali soldiers enjoy the same benefits as the India troops both during service and after retirement. They get the same medical facilities as the Indian soldiers, and often medical teams from the Indian Army tour Nepal. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlike the British, who started giving the Nepalese soldiers pension only a few years ago, the Indian Army has never discriminated against the Nepalese soldiers, who can avail of healthcare facilities in India as well. The Indian Army also runs welfare projects in Nepal villages, including small water and power projects.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">There is a convention that dates back to 1972 when then Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, a Ghurkha regiment officer was made the honorary chief of the Nepalese army. Ever since the Army chief of India is the honorary chief of the Nepalese army and vice-versa.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'india-and-nepal-military-ties', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3593/s6kr83k7oi9uc4l6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3593/s6kr83k7oi9uc4l6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'India and Nepal military ties', 'metakeyword' => 'India and Nepal military ties', 'metadescription' => 'On July 10, a soldier from Nepal serving in the Ghurkha regiment, was killed in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in the Nowshera sector of Jammu.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/qru6lykqivkwlmq/2.India+and+Nepal+military+ties.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 33 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5449, 'title' => 'Security audit of telecom networks', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is all set to direct telecom companies to undertake an “information security audit” of their networks and submit the report by October end.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An information security audit is a step-by-step assessment of the complete network infrastructure which checks for the equipment installed and the latest upgrades done in order to prevent any data leakages.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The auditors also check the data storage and security policies of the company and check whether all sections of the company adhere to the norms set by the company itself.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from that, some auditing agencies also launch a controlled bug into the network of the company to check for vulnerabilities, and see what all systems are being impacted.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The objective of the audit is also to check for ‘backdoor’ and ‘trapdoor’ vulnerabilities. A ‘backdoor’ or a ‘trap door’ is a bug installed in the telecom hardware which allows companies to listen in or collect data being shared on the network.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The audit is likely to increase the scrutiny on Chinese companies Huawei Telecommunication Company and ZTE, which have been alleged to spy for the Chinese government.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Apart from the US, other countries such as the UK and Australia have also banned both the Chinese companies on “national security” concerns with the same allegations.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The DoT is likely to suggest to the companies that the external audit should be done only by an agency empanelled with Cert-IN. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This means that the audit will no longer remain a commercial compliance norm for the company, but will also look into the national security aspects of the telecom network.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Though such internal and external audits are done by companies every three or four years, it will be the first time that the audit will be done by an agency specified by the DoT. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The report of the audit is likely to help DoT put in a concrete plan to bar Chinese vendors from the Indian telecom market space if any problems are found.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'security-audit-of-telecom-networks', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a48b/pgam5iq0pko4cve6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a48b/pgam5iq0pko4cve6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Security audit of telecom networks', 'metakeyword' => 'Security audit of telecom networks', 'metadescription' => 'The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is all set to direct telecom companies to undertake an “information security audit” of their networks and submit the report', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/jdgg89usic624x8/1.Security+audit+of+telecom+networks.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 34 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5644, 'title' => 'Significance of Chushul', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chushul sub-sector has come into focus in the standoff between the Indian and PLA troops following the movement that took place on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chushul sub-sector lies south of Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh. It comprises high, broken mountains and heights of Thatung, Black Top, Helmet Top, Gurung Hill, and Magger Hill besides passes such as Rezang La and Rechin La, the Spanggur Gap, and the Chushul valley.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Situated at a height of over 13,000 feet close to the LAC, the Chushul Valley has a vital airstrip that played an important role even during the 1962 War with China.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chushul is one among the five Border Personnel Meeting points between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Chushul enjoys tremendous strategic and tactical importance because of its location and terrain, which make it a centre for logistics deployment.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This sector has plains that are a couple of kilometres wide, where mechanised forces, including tanks, can be deployed. Its airstrip and connectivity by road to Leh add to its operational advantages.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian troops have now secured the ridgeline in this sub-sector that allows them to dominate the Chushul bowl on the Indian side, and Moldo sector on the Chinese side.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They also have a clear sight of the almost 2-km-wide Spanggur gap, which the Chinese used in the past to launch attacks on this sector in the 1962 War.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India’s move has neutralised the advantage that China gained when it secured areas between Finger 4 and Finger 8 on the northern bank of the Pangong Tso.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The harsh winter that lasts for eight months of the year poses a big challenge. It is very difficult to dig in, and make shelters on the ridgeline. The Pangong Tso also freezes, making movement between its north and south banks possible.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'significance-of-chushul', 'image' => '', 'fbimage' => '', 'metatitle' => 'Significance of Chushul', 'metakeyword' => 'Significance of Chushul', 'metadescription' => 'The Chushul sub-sector has come into focus in the standoff between the Indian and PLA troops following the movement that took place on the intervening', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => '', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 35 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5654, 'title' => 'Border tourism in Uttarakhand', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the backdrop of repeated Chinese incursions along the LAC, the Centre is planning to build a second line of defence in villages bordering China by relaxing tourism-related activities.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first step in the direction will be to free some parts of the Gangotri area in Uttarakhand from the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system. Uttarakhand has a 350-km border with China.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Government agree that there should be some tourism and economic activity so that the border villages remain inhabited.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Uttarakhand has also decided to provide subsidy for the installation of mobile phone towers in the remote border villages, which are currently mostly out of network coverage area.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There have been demands for relaxation of the ILP even in the tribal areas of Kumaon. These areas are seeing intrusions from Nepal, with some foreigners settling in border villages, along with an increased use of satellite phones.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ILP system restricts movement in areas close to the border for everyone other than those with a formal permission from the Union Home Ministry.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Several experts have advocated greater human activity on the Indian side of the border, including more settlements and tourism activities in the border areas that could act as additional eyes and ears of the security forces, and perform as a second line of defence against external aggression or infiltration.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Relaxing the ILP regime of restrictions would allow for houses in the beautiful border villages to be developed as homestays, and will directly contribute towards helping the village economy.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Such a step will help in the permanent protection of borders, and also generate livelihoods for the local population and discourage them from leaving.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'border-tourism-in-uttarakhand', 'image' => '', 'fbimage' => '', 'metatitle' => 'Border tourism in Uttarakhand', 'metakeyword' => 'Border tourism in Uttarakhand', 'metadescription' => 'In the backdrop of repeated Chinese incursions along the LAC, the Centre is planning to build a second line of defence in villages bordering China by relaxing', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => '', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 36 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5572, 'title' => 'Vikas Battalion', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">A Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit, referred to as Vikas Battalion, has been instrumental in occupying some key heights on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in Ladakh. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFF was raised in the immediate aftermath of the 1962 Sino-India war. It was a covert outfit which recruited Tibetans (now it has a mixture of Tibetans and Gorkhas) and initially went by the name of Establishment 22.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was named so because it was raised by Major General Sujan Singh Uban, an Artillery officer who had commanded 22 Mountain Regiment.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Subsequently, the group was renamed as Special Frontier Force and it now falls under the purview of the Cabinet Secretariat where it is headed by an Inspector General who is an Army officer of the rank of Major General. The units that comprise the SFF are known as Vikas battalions.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SFF units are not part of the Army but they function under operational control of the Army. The units have their own rank structures which have equivalent status with Army ranks. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They are highly trained Special Forces personnel who can undertake a variety of tasks which would normally be performed by any Special Forces unit. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The SFF units function virtually as any other Army unit in operational areas despite having a separate charter and history. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They have their own training establishment where the recruits to SFF are imparted special forces training. Incidentally, women soldiers too form a part of SFF units and perform specialised tasks.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There are several overt and covert operations in which SFF units have taken part over the years. They took part in operations in the 1971 war, Operation Blue Star in Golden Temple Amritsar, Kargil conflict and in counter-insurgency operations in the country.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 1971, the SFF operated in the Chittagong hill tracts in East Pakistan (later Bangladesh) to neutralise Pakistan Army positions and help the Indian Army advance ahead. The operation was code-named ‘Operation Eagle’. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">They were airlifted into operational areas and infiltrated behind enemy lines to destroy lines of communication of Pakistan Army. They also played a vital role in preventing the escape of Pakistan Army personnel from Bangladesh into Burma (now Myanmar).</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'vikas-battalion', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a8ce/vaobw56ng4exz796g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a8ce/vaobw56ng4exz796g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Vikas Battalion', 'metakeyword' => 'Vikas Battalion', 'metadescription' => 'A Special Frontier Force (SFF) unit, referred to as Vikas Battalion, has been instrumental in occupying some key heights on the Line of Actual Control (LAC)', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/8a7d7rl8ho3v6s5/3.Vikas+Battalion.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 37 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5584, 'title' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso south bank', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Army thwarted an attempt by China to change the status quo near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by deploying its troops to a previously un-deployed area on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While the Pangong Lake has been among the most contentious sectors in the ongoing military standoff, the activity until now had been restricted to the northern bank.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pangong Tso is an <strong>endorheic</strong> lake (landlocked) that is partly in India’s Ladakh region and partly in Tibet. The name reflects the mixed heritage of the lake: Pangong in Ladakhi means extensive concavity, the word Tso is Tibetan for lake.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Karakoram Mountain range, which crosses Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, and India, ends at the north bank of Pangong Tso. Its southern bank too has high broken mountains sloping towards Spangur Lake in the south.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The lake’s water is <strong>brackish</strong>, making it undrinkable. The lake freezes during the winter, allowing some vehicular movement on it as well.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Nearly <strong>two-thirds</strong> of the lake is controlled by <strong>China</strong>, with just about 45 km under Indian control. The LAC, running north-south, cuts the western part of the lake, aligned east-west.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India has traditionally had a stronger presence in the southern bank compared to the north bank, because of its proximity to areas like Chushul and Rezang La.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The area, known as the Chushul approach, is one of the few sectors that can be used as launchpads for an offensive, because of the plains.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">India has occupied a more advantageous position, though still on its side of the LAC, to prevent China from any intrusions in the area.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'importance-of-pangong-tso-south-bank', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a5d4/gsbk3nnjk4z1sc16g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a5d4/gsbk3nnjk4z1sc16g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso south bank', 'metakeyword' => 'Importance of Pangong Tso south bank', 'metadescription' => 'The Indian Army thwarted an attempt by China to change the status quo near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by deploying its troops to a previously un-deployed ', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/sagdqwtph1ua6j4/5.Importance+of+Pangong+Tso+south+bank.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 38 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5702, 'title' => 'Uttarakhand upgrading defence infra on border', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the context of ongoing tensions and territory issues with China<strong> </strong>and Nepal, the Uttarakhand government, along with the defence forces, has taken measures to strengthen infrastructure along its international border.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Uttarakhand shares a 350-km border with China and a 275-km boundary with Nepal. Five of the state’s 13 districts are border districts. Pithoragarh is strategically very sensitive as it has boundaries with both China and Nepal.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the recent development, the Uttarakhand government has agreed to provide land to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to set up air defence radars in three districts bordering China.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The IAF has also proposed to develop a new Advanced Landing Ground to facilitate its activities in the hill areas.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Advanced Landing Ground in Uttarakhand would be useful for refuelling of aircraft, and for loading and unloading of ammunition.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The state cabinet earlier this month approved a proposal for the expansion of a helipad at the Kedarnath shrine in Rudraprayag district to make it suitable for operating the IAF’s Chinook multi-mission choppers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Uttarakhand cabinet has approved an amendment in the state’s information technology (IT) policy to provide incentives of up to Rs 40 lakh to facilitate private telecom companies to install towers in “dark villages” in which telecommunication facilities are unavailable at present.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Villagers in border areas have traditionally acted as the eyes and ears of the defence forces, and telecommunications are a force multiplier in this regard.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The Uttarakhand State Wildlife Advisory Board gave the go-ahead to transfer over 73 hectares of forest land in Gangotri National Park in Uttarkashi district for the development of roads.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'uttarakhand-upgrading-defence-infra-on-border', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3d83/jym8jw11o4ck1ul6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/3d83/jym8jw11o4ck1ul6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Uttarakhand upgrading defence infra on border', 'metakeyword' => 'Uttarakhand upgrading defence infra on border', 'metadescription' => 'In the context of ongoing tensions and territory issues with China and Nepal, the Uttarakhand government, along with the defence forces, has taken measures', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/6tigwg9rlo4tr0t/Uttarakhand+upgrading+defence+infra+on+border.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 39 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5703, 'title' => 'State of play in Ladakh', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The People’s Liberation Army has deployed over two regular divisions along with supporting arms and logistic services as back-up. India too, has about two regular Army divisions supported by the Indian Air Force in this sector now.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the PLA has now occupied many areas which were earlier considered ‘disputed’, that is, lying between Chinese and Indian perceptions of the LAC.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On Finger 4, north of Pangong Tso, the opposing troops are deployed a few hundred metres apart. On the south bank of Pangong Tso, they are occupying heights that overlook each other’s military camps and vital road communications.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The pre-emptive occupation of the Kailash Range by Indian troops on August 29-30, and the PLA’s provocative action on September 7, has made the situation on the ground, particularly in the Chushul sector, is indeed very tense and explosive.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On the north bank of Pangong Tso, there are eight major finger-like spurs coming down to the Tso (lake). From heights along these spurs, one can observe military activity on the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In May, the PLA occupied the disputed area, deployed troops on Finger 4, and blocked Indian troops, which used to earlier patrol the areas up to Finger 8.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Heights in the mountains enable observation of the adversary’s military activities in the (visible) area, and the ability to bring down accurate direct and indirect fire on the chosen enemy target.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In Demchok, the PLA has been objecting to India’s non-military developmental activities — road and water channel — for India’s civilian population.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">There has been an LAC-related dispute in the Depsang Plains in Sub Sector North. In April 2013, the PLA troops set up a temporary camp in our area, but later withdrew. They have again occupied some area claimed by us.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In the recent incidents, China has deliberately violated all the confidence-building agreements and the perceived alignment of the LAC until now.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The IAF has a crucial role at the strategic and operational levels. Besides its primary role of protecting air space and vulnerable areas/assets, it will be actively engaged in aerial reconnaissance, destroying enemy targets, and providing tactical and logistic support to the Army.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'state-of-play-in-ladakh', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/da4f/7oa82ju6pqohyky6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/da4f/7oa82ju6pqohyky6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'State of play in Ladakh', 'metakeyword' => 'State of play in Ladakh', 'metadescription' => 'The People’s Liberation Army has deployed over two regular divisions along with supporting arms and logistic services as back-up. India too, has about two regular', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/adi69y6zkhuc367/State+of+play+in+Ladakh.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 40 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5859, 'title' => 'Dismantling of INS Viraat at Alang', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The historic aircraft carrier INS Viraat, beached at Alang on September 28, will continue to stay in its place until a team of workers start dismantling it.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Usually, when a vessel is beached at Alang, it uses the force of high tide as well as its own engine power to glide on to the shore at speeds ranging between 15-20 knots. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Viraat has been secured by iron ropes that are tied to diesel-powered wrenches. This ensures that the vessel does not tilt or change its position during tides and ebbs.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The owners of Shree Ram Group which bought INS Viraat from an auction said their plots were “green ship recycling” yards which have certificates from Hong Kong Convention and European Union. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">As it is a green yard, it is ensured that the ship is not broken down in the sea and the entire vessel is broken once it is dragged to the shore. Cranes are also used to ensure that the broken parts do not fall into the sea.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">During high tide, the sea-facing wrenches which are connected with iron ropes fastened to the aircraft carrier will be switched on. These wrenches will slowly drag the warship to the empty space on the beach.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The ship will need a “cutting permission” from the Gujarat Pollution Control Board and the Gujarat Maritime Board before the dismantling can commence. This will be done after a physical inspection of the ship by different agencies post-beaching.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The oil in engines and other machinery have to be emptied. Old batteries have to be removed. Any flammable liquids including the left-over fuel in the tanks will have to be pumped out. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These tanks have to be cleaned and made free of any residue gases accumulated inside the fuel tanks. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the ship comes on the shore, an independent agency will prepare an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM). This agency will go on-board, take all samples including the persistent organic pollutants (POPs).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This IHM acts as a guide and the ship breaker makes marking on board the vessel indicating the hazardous portions of the ship. Then the HAZMAT (hazardous material) team of the ship breaker will remove the hazardous substances before the breaking begins.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Once the cutting begins, hazardous substances like asbestos, batteries, and ozone-depleting gases will have to be tackled and disposed of safely.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Being a naval ship, it not only has a double hull made of steel plates that are several inches thick but also has multiple small compartments which take time to cut and dismantle. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Parts dismantled from ships at Alang are usually recycled or sold. As far as INS Viraat is concerned, automobile companies have already contacted the ship-breaker for the steel salvaged from the warship.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'dismantling-of-ins-viraat-at-alang', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bbee/q05hiufvueiv7ig6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/bbee/q05hiufvueiv7ig6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Dismantling of INS Viraat at Alang', 'metakeyword' => 'Dismantling of INS Viraat at Alang', 'metadescription' => 'The historic aircraft carrier INS Viraat, beached at Alang on September 28, will continue to stay in its place until a team of workers start dismantling it.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/gn5mui6dun85stn/2.Dismantling_of_INS_Viraat_at_Alang.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 41 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5864, 'title' => 'Defence offsets', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The government has decided to remove the clause for offsets if the equipment is being bought either through deals or agreements between two countries, or through an ab initio single-vendor deal.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Defence Ministry came up with its latest Defence<strong> </strong>Acquisition<strong> </strong>Procedure<strong> </strong>2020<strong> </strong>(DAP 2020<strong>)</strong>, which comes into effect from October 1. It has changed a 15-year old policy<strong>.</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The offset is an obligation by an international player to boost India’s domestic defence industry if India is buying defence equipment from it. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Since defence contracts are costly, the government wants part of that money either to benefit the Indian industry, or to allow the country to gain in terms of technology.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has defined offsets as a “mechanism generally established with the triple objectives of: (a) partially compensating for a significant outflow of a buyer country’s resources in a large purchase of foreign goods (b) facilitating induction of technology and (c) adding capacities and capabilities of domestic industry”.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An offset provision in a contract makes it obligatory on the supplier to either “reverse purchase, execute export orders or invest in local industry or in research and development” in the buyer’s domestic industry.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The first policy said that all defence procurements exceeding Rs 300 crore, estimated cost, will entail offset obligations of at least 30%, which could be increased or decreased by the DAC (Defence Acquisition Council).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The key objective of the Defence Offset Policy is to leverage capital acquisitions to develop Indian defence industry by (i) fostering development of internationally competitive enterprises, (ii) augmenting capacity for Research, Design and Development related to defence products and services and (iii) encouraging development of synergistic sectors like civil aerospace, and internal security”.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Methods of offsets</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Direct purchase of, or executing export orders for, eligible products manufactured by, or services provided by Indian enterprises</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Foreign Direct Investment in joint ventures with Indian enterprises (equity investment) for eligible products and services</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Investment in ‘kind’ in terms of transfer of technology (TOT) to Indian enterprises, through joint ventures or through the non-equity route for eligible products and services</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Investment in ‘kind’ in Indian enterprises in terms of provision of equipment through the non-equity route for manufacture and/or maintenance of products and services</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Provision of equipment and/or TOT to government institutions and establishments engaged in the manufacture and/or maintenance of eligible products, and provision of eligible services, including DRDO (as distinct from Indian enterprises).</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Technology acquisition by DRDO in areas of high technology.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'defence-offsets', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/68c5/k271bdsy5d8p4av6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/68c5/k271bdsy5d8p4av6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Defence offsets', 'metakeyword' => 'Defence offsets', 'metadescription' => 'The government has decided to remove the clause for offsets if the equipment is being bought either through deals or agreements between two countries,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/m13bc67e5lidmzz/2.Defence_offsets.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 42 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5680, 'title' => 'India – China five points action plan', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Foreign Ministers of India and China, arrived at a ‘Five Points’ agreement<strong> </strong>to reduce the prevailing tension on the Ladakh border.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The process of dialogue between the nations is vital especially when the two are neighbours with strained relations. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is in keeping with the Chinese policy of ‘talking and fighting simultaneously’. Besides, it also lent credence to the role of Moscow in setting up the stage for the talks. Some experts have termed these talks as stepping back from the brink of war which it is not.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The genesis of the current stand-off was the aggression undertaken by the PLA in the form of incursions by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Given the scale, extent, and timing, the operation was well planned at the highest level.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The conflict situation consists of actions such as building fortifications, clashes between patrolling parties, laying of mines, air intrusions alongside certain provocative political actions.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> India’s counteraction at Chushul<strong> </strong>by way of the occupation of Kailash Range on August 29-30 took the escalation to a higher level, but well below the threshold of conflict.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The de-escalation process starts with gradual disengagement of troops alongside the dismantling of war-waging infrastructure, pulling back, and finally withdrawal to the designated locations.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Five points action plan</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• The 1993 ‘Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility Agreement’ forms the basis of all followup agreements.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 1996 ‘Confidence Building Measures’ denounced the use of force</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 2005 ‘Standard Operating Procedures’ and patrolling modalities.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">• 2012 ‘Process of Consultation and Cooperation’</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">• 2013 ‘Border Cooperation Agreement’, signed as a sequel to Depsang intrusion by PLA</span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'india-china-five-points-action-plan', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/977e/5wpgy33r6dgo80s6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/977e/5wpgy33r6dgo80s6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'India – China five points action plan', 'metakeyword' => 'India – China five points action plan', 'metadescription' => 'The Foreign Ministers of India and China, arrived at a ‘Five Points’ agreement to reduce the prevailing tension on the Ladakh border.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/8hglw0c678sak97/1.India__China_five_points_action_plan.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 43 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5713, 'title' => 'Nature of Cyber threat from China', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">An investigation has spotlighted an elaborate operation by a technology company with links to the government in Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party, to keep tabs on a very large number of individuals and entities in India.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The company, Zhenhua Data Information Technology Co. Limited, calls itself a pioneer in using big data for “hybrid warfare” and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China’s authoritarian government, ruling party, military, and many private companies frequently operate as a giant, coordinated operation, of which countries around the world are targets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was soon after the Gulf War of 1991 that the Chinese realised that the days of conventional warfare were rapidly coming to an end.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">They analysed that if they get into the ICT (information and communications technology), they could leapfrog a couple of generations and get ahead. This decision also coincided with China turning into the electronics factory of the world.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In 2003, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and China’s Central Military Commission officially approved the concept of “Three Warfares”, comprising psychological, media, and legal warfare. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was then decided at the highest levels that the PLA should be an army ready to fight a war in the information domain by 2020.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unit 61398 is the ‘Military unit Cover Designator’ (MuCD) of the PLA’s Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) unit that has been accused of several computer hacking attacks.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China started a policy of weaponising its existing manufacturing capability of civilian products for military purposes by leveraging the control over any instrument by the original equipment manufacturer.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Chinese use the information for kompromat, a Russian term for any information that can compromise a person, and which can therefore, be used to blackmail him/her.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">In 2017, China passed a law under which all Chinese companies were supposed to assist the country’s intelligence-gathering operations.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'nature-of-cyber-threat-from-china', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/937a/788vo08jqbb0ccn6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/937a/788vo08jqbb0ccn6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Nature of Cyber threat from China', 'metakeyword' => 'Nature of Cyber threat from China', 'metadescription' => 'An investigation has spotlighted an elaborate operation by a technology company with links to the government in Beijing and the Chinese Communist Party,', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/pljawfqk7kh6n7c/4.Nature_of_Cyber_threat_from_China.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 44 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 5788, 'title' => 'Women in armed forces', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Navy has announced selection of two women officers as Observers in the helicopter stream, making them first women airborne combatants who would be operating from warships.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Supreme Court had upheld that the women Short Service Commission officers in the Navy were eligible for Permanent Commission. The Navy had also inducted the first woman pilot in December last year.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Prior to 1992, women officers were inducted in the Navy only in the medical stream from the Armed Forces Medical Service.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">From July 1992, the Navy started inducting women, initially through a special entry scheme and later through the Short Service Commission, in only select branches of the Navy. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Over the years, various branches were added to the list, and currently women officers can join the Navy in the streams of Air Traffic Control, Observers, Law, Logistics, Education, Naval Architecture, Pilots in Maritime Reconnaissance Stream only, and the Naval Armament Inspectorate. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It needs to be noted like in the Army and the Air Force, women are currently only inducted as Commissioned Officers and not in Other Ranks which are of categories of Junior Commissioned Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Entry in the helicopter stream means that women officers can now be deployed on frontline warships from which helicopters can operate.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In terms of various challenges towards deployment of women onboard warships, the logistics part is not as challenging as one would imagine.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The question of mindset and gender sensitization, on the other hand, is something many believe would require concerted efforts, and concrete steps are being taken in that direction.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While women officers appreciate the support of many male military leaders in these processes, they also highlight the resistance from the system as a whole.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">Women officers hope that these developments would result in them being posted at commanding positions on the ships which are a key for career advancements in the operational streams.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'women-in-armed-forces', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1eda/mcwb1vu7ttnnsdp6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/1eda/mcwb1vu7ttnnsdp6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Women in armed forces', 'metakeyword' => 'Women in armed forces', 'metadescription' => 'The Indian Navy has announced selection of two women officers as Observers in the helicopter stream, making them first women airborne combatants who would', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/6inby1lxhnmxhmb/1.Women_in_armed_forces.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 45 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6102, 'title' => 'Infantry day', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Army establishments across the country are today marking ‘Infantry Day’ and paying homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers who have laid down their lives in the line of duty. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was on this day that first Indian infantry soldiers took part in an action to defend Indian territory from external aggression. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">On October 26, 1947 the then Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh, signed the instrument of accession, making his state a part of Indian dominion, and thus paving the day for Indian troops to be deployed in the state to fight against Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Pakistan had poured in thousands of regular soldiers in the grab of tribals of North West Frontier Province (NWFP) into J&K with the aim of forcibly occupying the state and integrating it into Pakistan. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The initial resistance to the invaders was given by the state forces of J&K. On October 26, after the Maharaja signed the instrument of accession the way was paved for India to send in its troops and ward off the Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Seven Dakota aircraft were assembled at Palam airport on the morning of October 27 with each scheduled to do two sorties each to airlift the troops of 1 Sikh and their equipment. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Dakotas took to air carrying first Indian infantry soldiers and a battery of artillery troops into J&K where they would make history by saving the Srinagar airfield from the Pakistani invaders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Had 1 Sikh not been airlifted into Srinagar on time the airfield would have fallen into the hands of Pakistani invaders. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">With the road link extremely tenuous, this would have meant that getting Indian troops into Srinagar would have been a time-consuming task and would have given ample opportunity to Pakistan to reinforce its invaders through air and thus occupying the Valley.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'infantry-day', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f82c/xq1y8mb2fbuih2o6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/f82c/xq1y8mb2fbuih2o6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Infantry day', 'metakeyword' => 'Infantry day', 'metadescription' => 'Army establishments across the country are today marking ‘Infantry Day’ and paying homage to the thousands of infantry soldiers who have laid down their lives', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/0j4gfak7vf6ebul/1.Infantry_day.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 46 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6114, 'title' => 'BECA pact with US', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India and the United States signed the Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA),<strong> </strong>which is the third foundational pact for military cooperation.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India had earlier signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">BECA will help India get real-time access to American geospatial intelligence that will enhance the accuracy of automated systems and weapons like missiles and armed drones. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Through the sharing of information on maps and satellite images, it will help India access topographical and aeronautical data, and advanced products that will aid in navigation and targeting.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This could be key to Air Force-to-Air Force cooperation between India and the US. BECA will provide Indian military systems with a high-quality GPS to navigate missiles with real-time intelligence to precisely target the adversary.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides the sailing of ships, flying of aircraft, fighting of wars, and location of targets, geospatial intelligence is also critical to the response to natural disasters.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The strengthening of the mechanisms of cooperation between the two militaries must be seen in the context of an increasingly aggressive China, which threatens a large number of countries in its neighbourhood and beyond.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">While LEMOA means one partner trusts the other enough to expose its valuable assets, COMCASA means one is confident that it can rely on encrypted systems to connect the two militaries. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">And the latest pact, BECA, means the countries can share highly classified information in real time without fear of being compromised.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>LEMOA</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">LEMOA was the first of the three pacts to be signed in August 2016.<strong> </strong>LEMOA allows the militaries of the US and India to replenish from each other’s bases, and access supplies, spare parts, and services from each other’s land facilities, air bases, and ports, which can then be reimbursed.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">LEMOA is extremely useful for India-US Navy-to-Navy cooperation, since the two countries are cooperating closely in the Indo-Pacific. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The signing of LEMOA was in itself an affirmation of the mutual trust between the two militaries, and its application will enhance the trust. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>COMCASA</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The pact allows the US to provide India with its encrypted communications equipment and systems so that Indian and US military commanders, and the aircraft and ships of the two countries, can communicate through secure networks during times of both peace and war. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The signing of COMCASA paved the way for the transfer of communication security equipment from the US to India to facilitate “interoperability” between their forces — and potentially with other militaries that use US-origin systems for secure data links.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'beca-pact-with-us', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4918/mntk0bgk9fjtriv6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4918/mntk0bgk9fjtriv6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'BECA pact with US', 'metakeyword' => 'BECA pact with US', 'metadescription' => 'India had earlier signed the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) and the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA).', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/lh46h2l81d0shdc/3.BECA_pact_with_US.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 47 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6164, 'title' => 'QUAD and Malabar exercise', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Australia’s participation in the annual Malabar exercises marks the emergence of the Quad as a new feature of the Indo-Pacific geopolitics.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">After the withdrawal of Australia from QUAD in 2008, the grouping took a backseat. After the resurgence of Chinese threats, the group is being revived.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>QUAD</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD, also known as the Quad) is an informal strategic forum between the United States, Japan, Australia, and India that is maintained by semi-regular summits, information exchanges, and military drills between member countries.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The forum was initiated as a dialogue in 2007 by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan, with the support of Vice President Dick Cheney of the US, Prime Minister John Howard of Australia, and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The diplomatic and military arrangement was widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese[a] economic and military power.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quadrilateral was supposed to establish an "Asian Arc of Democracy," envisioned to ultimately include countries in central Asia, Mongolia, the Korean peninsula, and other countries in Southeast Asia.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Quad also draws comparisons by Asian commentators to NATO. China negatively portrays the Quad as a precursor to a militarised Asian NATO.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Malabar Exercise</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is a multilateral naval exercise that includes simulated war games and combat manoeuvres. It started in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the Indian and US navies. Japan joined in 2015. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This year the exercise will be held in two phases, the first off the coast near Visakhapatnam, and the second in the Arabian Sea in mid-November.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India seeks to increase cooperation with other countries in the maritime security domain and in the light of increased defence cooperation with Australia, Malabar 2020 will see the participation of the Australian Navy.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">As the standoff in eastern Ladakh continues, the participation of four large navies from the Indo-Pacific region will send a message to China.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'quad-and-malabar-exercise', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a7d4/5m3thgrt3bndw7c6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/a7d4/5m3thgrt3bndw7c6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'QUAD and Malabar exercise', 'metakeyword' => 'QUAD and Malabar exercise', 'metadescription' => 'After the withdrawal of Australia from QUAD in 2008, the grouping took a backseat. After the resurgence of Chinese threats, the group is being revived.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/k4c7s4tleym4add/3.QUAD_and_Malabar_exercise.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 48 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6306, 'title' => 'Microwave weapons', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Indian Army has rejected a report in a British daily newspaper, which had claimed that the Chinese army had used “microwave weapons” to drive Indian soldiers away from their positions in eastern Ladakh.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">India and China have been locked in a tense standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh for the last six months. Twenty Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese were killed in a fierce clash between the two armies in Galwan Valley on June 15.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The report claimed that Chinese forces had turned two strategic hilltops occupied by Indian soldiers “into a microwave oven”, forcing them to retreat, and allowing the positions to be retaken without an exchange of conventional fire.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Microwave weapons” that were allegedly deployed by China in Ladakh used beams of high-frequency electromagnetic radiation to heat the water in a human target’s skin, causing pain and discomfort.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">“Microwave weapons” are supposed to be a type of direct energy weapons, which aim highly focused energy in the form of sonic, laser, or microwaves, at a target.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">China had first put on display its “microwave weapon”, called <strong>Poly WB-1</strong>, at an air show in 2014.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The US apparently deployed such a weapon in Afghanistan, but withdrew it without ever using it against human targets.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">American diplomats and members of their families in Cuba and China were suspected to have been targeted using ‘microwave weapons’. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The symptoms included nausea, severe headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sleep problems, and hearing loss, which have since come to be known as ‘<strong>Havana</strong> <strong>Syndrome’</strong>.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Concerns have been raised on whether they can damage the eyes, or have a carcinogenic impact in the long term.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Principle of microwave</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In a microwave oven, an electron tube called a magnetron produces electromagnetic waves (microwaves) that bounce around the metal interior of the appliance, and are absorbed by the food. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The microwaves agitate the water molecules in the food, and their vibration produces heat that cooks the food. Foods with high water content cook faster in a microwave often than drier foods.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'microwave-weapons', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06f5/i9rt9c5xwrmmqxg6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/06f5/i9rt9c5xwrmmqxg6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Microwave weapons | China's use of microwave weapons', 'metakeyword' => 'Microwave weapons | China's use of microwave weapons', 'metadescription' => 'The Indian Army has rejected a report in a British daily newspaper, which had claimed that the Chinese army had used “microwave weapons” to drive Indian soldiers', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/2gatk9m1g06rcr9/4.Microwave_weapons.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 49 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6257, 'title' => 'Kalvari class submarines', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari-class Diesel Electric attack submarine INS Vagir was launched at Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">These stealthy class of submarines have been built under Project 75 and whose design is based on the Scorpene class of the submarines.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vagir is the fifth among the six Kalvari-class submarines being constructed by the public sector shipbuilder Mazgaon Dock Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The other vessels in the class are <strong>INS Kalvari</strong>,<strong> INS Khanderi</strong>,<strong> INS Karanj</strong>,<strong> INS Vela, </strong>and<strong> INS Vagsheer</strong>. Of these Kalvari and Khanderi have been commissioned in 2017 and 2019, Vela and Karanj and undergoing sea trials, Vagir has now been launched and Vagsheer is under construction. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The submarines in the current Kalvari-class take their names from erstwhile decommissioned classes of submarines named Kalvari.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The now-decommissioned Kalvari and Vela classes were one of the earliest of the submarines in post independence Indian Navy, which belonged to Soviet origin Foxtrot class of vessels.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">This class of submarines have Diesel Electric transmission systems and these are primarily attack submarines or ‘hunter-killer’ type which means they are designed to target and sink adversary naval vessels.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Kalvari-class submarines have capability of operating in a wide range of Naval combat including anti-warship and anti-submarine operations, intelligence gathering and surveillance, and naval mine laying.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The modern variants of the Scorpene class of submarines have what is called the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) which enables non-nuclear submarines to operate for a long time without access to surface oxygen.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Project 75</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Project 75 India (P75I) envisages the construction of six conventional submarines with better sensors and weapons and the Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP). </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">The P75I project is part of a 30-year submarine building plan that ends in 2030. As part of this plan, India was to build 24 submarines — 18 conventional submarines and six nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs). </span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'kalvari-class-submarines', 'image' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4b24/gnclx86j3rlu6i36g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/convkey/4b24/gnclx86j3rlu6i36g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Kalvari class submarines | Project 75I', 'metakeyword' => 'Kalvari class submarines | Project 75I', 'metadescription' => 'These stealthy class of submarines have been built under Project 75 and whose design is based on the Scorpene class of the submarines.', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'http://www.mediafire.com/file/8hkthvq1hlvqjhi/5.Kalvari_class_submarines.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 50 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6891, 'title' => 'Sikhs For Justice', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The National Investigation Agency (NIA) <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/nia-probe-sikhs-for-justice-sfj-pro-khalistan-farmers-protest-farm-laws-7152001/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">has issued summons</a> to over 40 persons in connection with a case registered against the US-based <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-sikhs-for-justice-banned-by-centre-5825712/" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline">Sikhs for Justice</a> (SFJ).</span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0in"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) formed in 2007, is a US-based group seeking a separate homeland for Sikhs, a “Khalistan” in Punjab. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, currently an attorney at law in the US, is the face of SFJ and its legal adviser.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Panun had launched the secessionist Sikh Referendum 2020 campaign, an initiative that eventually became defunct. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">He was among the nine individuals designated as “terrorists” by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs last July.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">‘Referendum 2020’, claimed it wanted to “liberate Punjab from Indian occupation”. However, its London declaration even got little traction.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">SFJ had announced to hold the first-ever non-binding referendum among the global Sikh community on the question of secession from India and re-establishing Punjab as an independent country.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">NIA has served notices under Section 16 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), meaning they have been summoned as witnesses. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0in"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>UAPA</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is an <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" title="India">Indian</a> law aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" style="color:blue; text-decoration:underline" title="India">India</a>.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Its main objective was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The object of this bill was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The bill was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and received the assent of the President on 30 December 1967. </span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">In July 2019, the ambit of UAPA was expanded. It was amended allowing the government to designate an individual as a terrorist without trial. The previous versions of the Bill allowed for only groups to be designated as terrorists. </span></span></p> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'sikhs-for-justice', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b45d/3mq2v293xohatgf6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/b45d/3mq2v293xohatgf6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'Sikhs For Justice | National Investigation Agency', 'metakeyword' => 'Sikhs For Justice, National Investigation Agency', 'metadescription' => 'The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has issued summons to over 40 persons in connection with a case registered against the US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/0lf8ociv3f2nich/2.Sikhs+For+Justice.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 51 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellaneous', 'keyword' => 'miscellaneous-5', 'id' => (int) 6800, 'title' => 'CBI probe into cross-border cattle smuggling', 'description' => '<p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Issue</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">CBI’s probe into cow smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border has revealed a nexus between smugglers and a section of officers from the BSF and the Customs Department. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Background</strong></span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Tens of thousands of cattle are estimated to be smuggled into Bangladesh annually through the porous 2,216-km India-Bangladesh border in West Bengal. </span></span></p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Details</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The CBI found that more than 20,000 cows were seized by the Border Security Force before being transported across the border.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The seizure lists were prepared arbitrarily, categorizing the breed and size of the animals with an intention to reduce the upset price of the cattle during auctions. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Each cow is priced in the range of Rs 80,000 to 90,000 and Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 depending on size and demand in Bangladesh. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The prices shoot up during Eid and when there is a high demand for export from Bangladesh for packaged meat. It is more than double the procurement price in India.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The size of the seized cattle was reduced in the seizure memo of the BSF. The auction value of these cattle were reduced which were then procured at a considerably lower price by the traders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The central agency alleged that only selected traders were allowed to buy the seized cattle at a low price in auctions. After auctions, the cattle were smuggled into Bangladesh.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It is alleged that, in lieu of such favour, traders used to pay Rs. 2,000 per cattle to BSF officials and Rs. 500 to Customs officials. </span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Besides, the CBI claims that the officials of Indian Customs used to take bribes of 10% of the auction price from successful bidders.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">It was also alleged that although BSF had not raised any grazing charges on the Customs Department for feeding the seized cattle but Rs. 50/- per cattle was to be paid by the successful bidders to the officials of the BSF.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> <p style="margin-right:0cm"> </p> <p style="margin-right:0cm"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><strong>Political significance</strong></span></span></p> <ul> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Many have questioned the pro-activeness of the central investigating agency in pursuing the case ahead of the assembly election due in less than six months.</span></span></p> </li> <li> <p><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"">After the recent raids, the BJP has upped its ante against the ruling Trinamool Congress, accusing it of involvement in illegal cattle and coal trades.</span></span></p> </li> </ul> ', 'created_date' => object(Cake\I18n\FrozenDate) {}, 'posturl' => 'cbi-probe-into-cross-border-cattle-smuggling', 'image' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5a74/f6ddgnxf26b41kq6g.jpg', 'fbimage' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/convkey/5a74/f6ddgnxf26b41kq6g.jpg', 'metatitle' => 'CBI probe into cross-border cattle smuggling', 'metakeyword' => 'CBI probe into cross-border cattle smuggling | Cattle smuggling along Bengal Bangladesh border declines | CBI’s probe into cross-border cow smuggling trade and its widening net in Bengal', 'metadescription' => 'CBI’s probe into cow smuggling along the India-Bangladesh border has revealed a nexus between smugglers and a section of officers from the BSF and the Customs', 'author' => null, 'downlaodpdf' => 'https://www.mediafire.com/file/helf1twvggkeph3/5._CBI_probe_into_cross-border_cattle_smuggling.pdf/file', '[new]' => false, '[accessible]' => [ [maximum depth reached] ], '[dirty]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[original]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[virtual]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[errors]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[invalid]' => [[maximum depth reached]], '[repository]' => 'currentaffairs' }, (int) 52 => object(Cake\ORM\Entity) { 'tag' => 'Miscellan