neostencil live online classes for ias preparation | com · 2018-10-05 · (dec 22) for its recent...

1

NeoStencil – Live Online Classes For IAS Preparation | +91 95990 75552 | [email protected]

http://neostencil.com/

2


INDEX

1. National news

1.1 Place on record amended Tribunal Rules draft: SC

1.2 Fast-track alimony payment: Centre

1.3 Cross LoC raid by army into Pakistan

2. International News

2.1 UN imposes new sanctions on N. Korea

2.2 China moots Afghan entry into CPEC

3. Polity and Governance

3.1 UPCOCA Bill tabled in UP Assembly

3.2 Waterways authority awards Rs 1,353 cr. tenders

4. Bills and Acts

4.1 Bill to hike salaries of judges introduced in Lok Sabha

4.2 Bill criminalizing triple talaq passed in Lok Sabha

4.3 National Medical Commission Bill plans synergies among medical streams

5. Economy

5.1 India may be a $7 trillion economy by 2030

5.2 Panel exhorts Centre to staunch bank NPAs

5.3 RCEP: India hardens stand ahead of ASEAN summit

5.4 Now, private banks face bad loans heat

5.5 Govt. injects funds into 6 public banks

5.6 Finance Ministry warns about cryptocurrencies

6. Science and Tech

6.1 India’s first pod taxi on the way, to follow U.S. safety norms

6.2 More scientists coming back now

6.3 ISRO to launch 31 satellites in one go aboard PSLV


https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bill-criminalizing-triple-talaq-passed-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/62283688.cms

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/bill-plans-synergies-among-medical-streams/article22335255.ece

3


7. Environment / Geography

7.1 Mahadeyi Water dispute

7.2 Rs 40,000 cr. Forest fund in limbo

7.3 China promises info on Tibet lakes

8. Security

8.1 IAF initiates step to buy 83 Tejas aircraft

8.2 Finding used copters for Afghanistan

9. India and World

9.1 Jadhav meets family in Islamabad

9.2 India, China must look beyond bilateral ties

9.3 Proud of India, says Palestine envoy

10. Short News

10.1 A. Raja, Kanimozhi, others acquitted in 2G spectrum allocation case

10.2 India to become fifth largest economy in 2018

10.3 Indian Science Congress 2018

10.4 Hyderabad welcomes ‘Robocop’ prototype


http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/science-congress-to-be-held-in-march/article22290086.ece

4


Current Affairs (21-Dec to 31-Dec, 2017)

1. National News

1.1 Place on record amended Tribunal Rules draft: SC

The Supreme Court has directed the Centre to place on record the amended draft of the

Central Tribunal, Appellate and other Authorities (Qualifications, Experience and other

conditions of Service of Members) Rules, 2017.

Currently, the draft is under challenge for modifying the terms of appointment and

functioning in various statutory tribunals, including the National Green Tribunal.

It is also causing dilution of judicial independence and posing a threat to the

Constitution.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal submitted to the SC that the government would

amend the Rules and place the draft of the changes on January 4, 2018 before the

Supreme Court.

1.2 Fast-track alimony payment: Centre

Expressing concern over delay in disbursing money awarded as maintenance to women

by courts, the Centre has asked the High Courts to set up a mechanism to fast-track the

process.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has written to the Chief Justices of all High Courts

flagging the issue of “procedural delays” first pointed out by Women and Child

Development Minister Maneka Gandhi.

The Law Minister asked High Courts to advise district courts to monitor timely disbursal

of maintenance and speedy execution of warrants awarded by the court.

Acting on the Law Minister’s letter, several High Courts have set up committees to now

monitor the process of disbursal of maintenance to women.

1.3 Cross LoC raid by Army into Pakistan

A local tactical level action decided by the local commanders of Indian army was carried

in LoC area. It was a short distance raid about 200-300 metres inside the LoC on a patrol

team at a temporary post.

The raids come just two days after four soldiers of a patrol team were killed in an

ambush by Pakistan.


5


A Major and three soldiers were killed in Cease-Fire Violation (CFV) and ambush by the

Pakistan army along the LoC at Rajouri in the Pir Panjal Valley.

Army sources, however, said the action was not a “surgical strike” but a “local tactical

operation” and such incidents keep happening.

The decision is usually taken on the ground and may go up to the level of a Brigadier.


6


2. International News

2.1 UN imposes new sanctions on N. Korea

The UN Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Friday

(Dec 22) for its recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, seeking to limit its

access to refined petroleum products and crude oil and its earnings from workers

abroad.

The UN resolution seeks to ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to North Korea

by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year.

In a last-minute change, the resolution also demanded the repatriation of North

Koreans working abroad within 24 months, instead of 12 months as first proposed.

The U.S.-drafted resolution also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million

barrels a year and commits the Council to further reductions if it were to conduct

another nuclear test or launch another ICBM.

2.2 China moots Afghan entry into CPEC

China on Tuesday (26 Dec) flagged the possible inclusion of Afghanistan in the

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — a move that is likely to irk India.

India has opposed CPEC, which passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), on

grounds that it infringes its sovereignty.

Speaking to the media in Beijing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Mr. Wang Yi

advocated that Afghanistan could join connectivity initiatives, in view of the urgency of

improving its people’s lives.

China has called CPEC a “flagship project” of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), aimed at

building connectivity along the Eurasian corridor.

A joint statement released at the end of the one day conference said that the three

countries (China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) reaffirmed their commitment towards

“advancing connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative”.

Analysts say that the proposal for landlocked Afghanistan’s, access to the port of

Gwadar — the starting point of CPEC — may be intended to balance if not undermine

the trilateral agreement among India, Iran and Afghanistan, which gives Kabul access to

the Iranian port of Chabahar.


http://www.thehindu.com/tag/369-244/north-korea/?utm=bodytag

http://www.thehindu.com/tag/371-244/pakistan/?utm=bodytag

7


Observers point out that China’s de facto mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan

is being domestically seen as a test case for similar efforts in other global hotspots.

It follows Chinese President Xi Jinping’s speech at the 19th party congress where he

proposed that China would work towards establishing a global “community of shared

destiny”.


8


3. Polity and Governance

3.1 UPCOCA Bill tabled in UP Assembly

UPCOCA stands for Uttar Pradesh Control of Organized Crime Act, 2017.

It was drafted by the BJP government after an “intensive study” of the stringent MCOCA

in Maharashtra.

The UPCOCA law would give special powers to the police to arrest offenders and

members of the crime syndicates.

Under the Act, the State would be empowered to seize the property of such people

after taking the consent of a special court constituted to hear the cases. Properties

acquired through illegal activities and organised crime would also be seized.

Some of the crimes defined under the UPCOCA are: land grab [government and non-

state property], illegal mining, manufacture and sale of illegal medicines and illicit

liquor, money laundering, wildlife smuggling, extortion, abduction syndicate, hafta

collection, murder and conspiracy to murder and white-collar offences.

If found guilty, offenders would face a minimum jail term of three years and a maximum

of life imprisonment or even death sentence. The accused will not be granted bail for six

months after the arrest.

Criticism: - It gives immense power to the police which can be misused for suppression

of the rights of the citizens.


9


3.2 Waterways authority awards Rs 1,353 cr. tenders

Projects worth ₹1,353 crore have been awarded under the Jal Marg Vikas project.

They include construction of multi-modal terminals and a navigational lock at Farakka.

Implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the Jal Marg Vikas

(National Waterway-I: River Ganga) Project envisages developing a 1,380-km long

fairway between Varanasi in U.P. and Haldia in West Bengal at an estimated cost of

₹5,369 crore.

Scheduled for completion by 2022-23, NW-1 would enable commercial navigation of

large vessels.

Major activities covered are construction of multi-modal terminals, jetties, river

information system, channel marking, navigational lock, river training and conservancy

works.

Sources added that projects under execution include the multi-modal terminal at

Varanasi, and the first phase of a similar terminal at Sahibgunj, Jharkhand.


10


4. Bills and Acts

4.1 Bill to hike salaries of judges introduced in Lok Sabha

A bill to hike the salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and the 24 High Courts by over

two folds was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Once the bill is cleared by Parliament and becomes a law, the Chief Justice of India will

get a monthly salary of ₹2.80 lakh from the present ₹ 1 lakh.

Similarly, judges of the Supreme Court and chief justices of the high courts will draw a

monthly salary of ₹2.50 lakh from the current ₹90,000.

The judges of the high courts, who get ₹80,000 per month now, will get ₹2.25 lakh per

month.

The salary hike, which is in line with the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission

for officers of all-India services, will come into force retrospectively from January 1,

2016.

As against the approved strength of 31, the Supreme Court today has 25 judges.

The high courts have an approved strength of 1,079, but 682 judges are currently

handling work in the 24 high courts. The move will also benefit 2,500 retired judges.

Once the hike is effected, the salary of judges will be at par with those of the

bureaucrats following the implementation of the recommendations of the 7th pay

panel.

4.2 Bill criminalizing triple talaq passed in Lok Sabha

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill: The Lok Sabha passed by

voice vote the Bill that makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a criminal offence,

with a jail term of up to three years.

The proposed law would be applicable to the entire country, except in Jammu and

Kashmir.

It would make instant talaq punishable and would be a cognisable, non-bailable

offence.

Key fact: 22 Islamic countries, including Pakistan and Bangladesh, had regulated instant

triple talaq, there was no effective law in India.


http://www.thehindu.com/tag/Supreme_Court/supreme-court/?utm=bodytag

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bill-criminalizing-triple-talaq-passed-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/62283688.cms

11


4.3 Bill plans synergies among medical streams

The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha.

It seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body.

Doctors pursuing the Indian systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, and homoeopathy

may be allowed to practice allopathy after clearing a bridge course.

The bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council

of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year “to

enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern

systems of medicine”.

The Bill has also proposed that specific educational modules or programs for developing

bridges across the various systems and promotion of medical pluralism.

It can be done with the approval of all the members present in the joint sitting.

It provides for the constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting

undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and rating of medical

institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission.

National Medical Commission will have a government-nominated chairman and

members, and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the

Cabinet Secretary.

The Bill also proposes a common entrance exam and licentiate (exit) exam which all

medical graduates will have to clear to get practicing licenses.

The Indian Medical Association opposed the bill citing that it would “cripple” the

functioning of the profession by making it answerable to the bureaucracy and non-

medical administrators.

A brief note about Medical Council of India: It is a statutory body for establishing

uniform and high standards of medical education in India. The Council grants

recognition of medical qualifications, gives accreditation to medical schools, grants

registration to medical practitioners, and monitors medical practice in India.


http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/bill-plans-synergies-among-medical-streams/article22335255.ece

12


5. Economy

5.1 India may be a $7 trillion economy by 2030

India could become a $7 trillion economy by 2030, according to Prime Minister’s

Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) and NITI Aayog Member Bibek Debroy.

If exchange rate remains what it is today then, by 2035-40, India will be $10 trillion

economy. And if the exchange rate appreciates, then India will be a $10 trillion economy

before 2035.

Ashima Goyal, another member of the PMEAC said that India needs to grow by 7%

annually to become a $10 trillion economy by 2030.

She also added that this high growth was necessary to reduce poverty and create jobs.

Ms. Goyal said that the focus of government expenditure should be on non-tradable

assets — such as infrastructure — because most of that demand will stay in the

economy.

5.2 Panel exhorts Centre to staunch bank NPAs

Concerned over rising NPAs of banks, a Parliamentary panel asked the government to

take urgent remedial measures to reduce the volume of stressed assets in the system

and strengthen its vigilance mechanism.

The Committee on Petition in its reports said that it is constrained to note that even

after having a ‘vigilance mechanism’ in vogue in the banking system, there are

incidences of fraud relating to non-performing assets.

Existing Measures not yielding results-“In this regard, the Committee opined that

merely issuing of guidelines or advisories by the government or the RBI for averting the

incidences of fraud relating to NPAs do not seem to have yielded the desired results and

the RBI — being a Regulator — does not seem to have succeeded insofar as

implementation and enforcement of its own guidelines is concerned,”.

The Committee, therefore, recommended that the government impresses upon the

Reserve Bank of India to monitor and follow up strict compliance of relevant instructions

with banks and financial institutions on a regular basis.

It also recommended that the existing vigilance mechanism be revisited and, if required,

be amended, to provide more teeth to it.


13


5.3 RCEP: India hardens stand ahead of ASEAN summit

In a sign that India’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations could slow further, the

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has taken a strong stand that the country should

restrain itself from concluding any such pact from which it would not gain in the

medium term.

This was evident in Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar’s comments before the Department

Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce in June.

The panel’s report on ‘trade with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)’

showed that Mr. Jaishankar had “called for observance of due restraint and not

conclude trade arrangements which are not to our medium term advantage.”

According to the panel’s report, the senior official “submitted that a lot of our [India’s

free trade] agreements have not served as well as they could have.”

The report, released on December 18, is significant coming ahead of the ASEAN-India

commemorative summit to be held on January 25, where the issue of the long-delayed

Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) will likely take centre stage.

What is RCEP? The RCEP is a proposed mega-regional FTA involving the 10 member

countries of ASEAN and its six FTA partners including India, China, Japan, South Korea,

Australia and New Zealand.

Access for services- Mr. Jaishankar stressed that India’s external trade arrangements

must be supportive of the Make in India initiative.

As per the committee’s report, he pointed out that “emphasis in these trade

arrangements is mostly on trade in goods and the same enthusiasm is not shared for

trade in services. The reluctance in giving market access for trade in services is a big

challenge.”

India will also adopt such a strong stand in other negotiations including those on the

proposed India-European Union Broad Based Trade and Investment Agreement.

While there is immense pressure on India in the RCEP negotiations to commit to

opening up (90%) of its traded goods, what is troubling the government is the fact that

other RCEP countries have so far been lukewarm to India’s demands for greater market

access in services, particularly on easing norms on the movement of professionals and

skilled workers across borders for short-term work.

India, which is defensive regarding opening up its goods sector, is currently virtually

isolated in the RCEP talks.

The next round of talks is in February in Indonesia.


14


So far, 20 rounds of negotiations have been held, in addition to five ministerial

meetings, three inter-session ministerials and one summit level talks between heads of

state.

Significantly, while the India-ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement was inked and enforced

from January 1, 2010, India’s goods trade deficit with ASEAN widened from $4.98 billion

in 2010-11 to $14.75 billion in 2015-16, and then narrowed to $9.56 billion in 2016-17.

The huge goods trade deficit has led to questions on whether the pact is only helping

ASEAN nations and not benefiting India.

5.4 Now, private banks face bad loans heat

Private sector banks registered a 40.8% year-on-year increase in gross non-performing

assets as of September 30, 2017, according to latest data released by the Reserve Bank

of India (RBI).

In comparison, gross NPAs at public sector banks (PSBs) rose by 17% over the

corresponding period, while industrywide gross NPAs increased 18.5%.

The gross NPA ratio of the banking sector increased to 10.2% in September, from 9.6%

in March, while net NPA ratio rose to 5.7%, from 5.5%.

However, the total net NPA ratio of private sector banks as on September 30, at 2%, is

much lower than the 5.7% for PSBs.

In its Financial Stability Report released on Thursday, the RBI said an analysis of the

slippage ratio of 27 banks (accounting for about 87% of the total assets of the banking

system), the median as well as the tails were showing signs of moderation. However,

banks needed to increase their provision coverage ratio.

5.5 Govt. injects funds into 6 public banks

The Centre has released the much-required equity capital to six stressed public sector

banks (PSBs) as some of these lenders were on the verge of breaching minimum capital

norms on December 31, 2017.

The PSBs are Bank of India (₹2,257 crore), Central Bank of India (₹323 crore), Dena Bank

(₹243 crore), IDBI Bank (₹ 2,729 crore), Bank of Maharashtra (₹650 crore) and UCO

Bank (₹1,375 crore).

These lenders would be asked to improve on parameters such as bad loans and

recovery to which effect a communication would be sent shortly.


15


Banks are mandated to maintain minimum 9% capital adequacy ratio (CAR) plus a

capital conservation buffer of 2.5%.

Within the CAR, minimum common equity tier-I (CET 1) capital ratio is prescribed at

5.5%.

5.6 Finance Ministry warns about cryptocurrencies

The government has joined the Reserve Bank of India in cautioning potential customers

from investing in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, likening them to Ponzi schemes.

There has been a phenomenal increase in recent times in the price of virtual ‘currencies’

(VCs) including Bitcoin, in India and globally.

VCs don’t have any intrinsic value and are not backed by any kind of assets.

The price of Bitcoin and other VCs therefore is entirely a matter of mere speculation

resulting in spurt and volatility in their prices.

The Reserve Bank of India has issued three warnings, two of them this year, about the

potential financial, operational, legal, customer protection, and security related risks

associated with investing in virtual currencies.


16


6. Science and Tech

6.1 India’s first pod taxi on the way, to follow U.S. safety norms

The much-awaited India’s first pod taxi project has moved a step closer to reality after a

high-level panel recommended inviting fresh bids for the same conforming to the

strictest safety standards on the lines of those prescribed by an American body.

The projected ₹4,000-crore pod taxi scheme is also known as Personal Rapid Transit

(PRT).

NHAI has been mandated to execute it on Delhi-Gurgaon pilot corridor (12.3 km) from

Delhi-Haryana border to Rajiv Chowk in Gurgaon on a PPP (public-private partnership)

basis.

The ambitious project has been plagued by delays as government think-tank Niti Aayog

raised some red flags, asking the highways ministry to direct initial bidders to prepare a

1-km pilot stretch as all the technologies were unproven.

Subsequent delays were caused due to formation of the high- powered committee to

lay down safety and other specifications.

PRT is an advanced public transport using automated electric pod cars to provide a taxi-

like demand responsive feeder and shuttle services for small groups of travellers and is a

green mode of uninterrupted journey.

The automated people mover (APM) standards in the US as recommended by the

committee for the maiden PRT in India have been prepared by the American Society of

Civil Engineers (ASCE) and these constitute the minimum requirements for an

acceptable level of safety and performance for the PRT.


17


The APM standards include minimum requirements for the design, construction,

operation and maintenance of the various sub-systems of an APM system and are in

general relevant for a PRT.

These include vehicle arrival audio and video visual warning system, platform sloping,

evacuation of misalighted vehicles, surveillance/CCTV, audio communication,

emergency call points and fire protection, among other advanced systems.

The pilot project, to be taken up on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT)

basis, is meant for a 12.3-km stretch from Delhi-Haryana border on NH 8 (near

Ambience Mall) to Badshahpur via Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO and Sohna Road.

The model is in place in London’s Heathrow airport, Morgantown and Masdar city.

6.2 More scientists coming back now

The number of Indian-origin scientists working internationally and returning to India

between 2012 and 2017 has jumped 70% from that from 2007 to 2012.

Long plagued by “brain drain”, India has over the last decade ramped up schemes to

attract Indian- origin scientists.

This trend is primarily due to schemes such as the Ramanujan Fellowship Scheme and

the Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE) Faculty Scheme and


18


the Ramalingaswami re-entry fellowship scheme coordinated by the Department of

Biotechnology (DBT).

These schemes allow “high-caliber” Indian researchers working abroad to relocate to

Indian institutes and universities of their respective interest and domain.

6.3 ISRO to launch 31 satellites in one go aboard PSLV

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would launch 31 satellites, including

India’s Cartosat-2 series earth observation space craft, in a single mission on January 10.

The mission will be the first ‘Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle’ (PSLV) mission after the

unsuccessful launch of the navigation satellite IRNSS-1H in August this year.

PSLV-C40 will be used for the launch from the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh’s

Sriharikota, about 100 kilometres from Chennai.


19


7. Environment / Geography

7.1 Mahadeyi Water dispute

The Mahadayi water-sharing dispute has the states of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka

vying for water from the Mahadayi or Mandovi river, which flows through the three

states.

The river originates and flows for 28 kilometer in Karnataka and goes through

Maharashtra and Goa before meeting the Arabian Sea.

In order to divert 7.56 tmcft of water to the Malaprabha river basin, Congress-led

Karnataka government wants to build canals to link Kalasa and Banduri, the tributaries

of Mahadayi.

Objecting the move, BJP-led Goa government argued that if Karnataka implemented

the Kalasa-Banduri project, it would prove disastrous for the ecologically sensitive

Western Ghats as the proposed project was deep inside the forest.

Karnataka, then petitioned the tribunal seeking release of 7.56 tmcft of water for

Kalasa-Banduri Nala project.

The tribunal, which gave its interim order after hearing arguments from both Karnataka

and Goa, had rejected the state’s plea citing various grounds including ecological

damage that the project may cause.

7.2 Rs 40,000 cr. Forest fund in limbo

More than a year after the Union government brought in a law to allow the States to

access seamlessly nearly ₹40,000 crore for regenerating forest land lost to industry, it is

still to frame rules to get the money disbursed.

The CAMPA Bill: The Supreme Court, in a 2009 order, had directed that an independent

authority be charged with disbursing these funds, which paved the way for the

Compensatory and Afforestation Fund (CAF) Bill envisaging the creation of a permanent

Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) .

Last July, the Rajya Sabha signed into law the CAMPA Bill that allows the States to access

nearly ₹42,000 crore — mostly collected from industrial projects as penalties — from

CAMPA and channel it into afforestation projects.

Only ₹1,827 crore was disbursed to the States this year as opposed to ₹2,213 crore and

₹2,057 crore in the preceding years.


20


Union Minister for State for Environment Mahesh Sharma told Parliament last week that

the rules were still “under preparation” and there had been five meetings with the

States and the Union Territories this year.

These meetings had also involved officials from the Finance Ministry, the finance

division of the Environment Ministry and the Comptroller and Auditor-General.

7.3 China promises info on Tibet lakes

China promised to maintain communication with India on efforts to manage the massive

lakes formed by landslips on the Brahmaputra in Tibet following an earthquake last

month.

The formation of these lakes had triggered fears of a sudden flooding on the Indian side.

Reports say three huge artificial lakes, whose size and the volume of water impounded

are yet to be ascertained, were formed in the Brahmaputra, locally known as the

Yarlung Tsangpo, due to landslips after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Tibet.

The massive accumulation of water has caused concerns that if the lakes merge or

overflow, millions of people downstream along the banks of both the Siang (in

Arunachal Pradesh) and the Brahmaputra (in Assam) would be affected.


21


8. Security

8.1 IAF initiates step to buy 83 Tejas aircraft

The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Wednesday (20th Dec) issued the Request for Information

(RFI) for 83 Tejas light combat aircraft with specific enhancements.

Tejas aircraft is being developed by HAL.

The RFI was issued for 83 aircraft, which includes 73 in Mk-1A configuration and 10

trainers in Final Operational Configuration (FOC).

With this, the IAF will eventually have 123 Tejas aircraft.

The Mk-1A, which has 43 improvements over the basic variant and the production of

the 1A, is expected in 2019.

More details about HAL Tejas- The HAL Tejas is an Indian single-seat, single-jet

engine, multirole light fighter designed by the Aeronautical Development

Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the Indian Air

Force and Navy.

It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme, which began in the 1980s to

replace India's ageing MiG-21 fighters.

In 2003, the LCA was officially named "Tejas", which means "Radiant" in Sanskrit.

8.2 Finding used copters for Afghanistan

India is considering buying several second-hand Russian-made Mi35s for the Afghan

National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) from other countries.

This particular move indicates the closer cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow

on Afghanistan.

The plan will see New Delhi cooperating with Russia on military support for Afghanistan,

with the U.S. on development support, and with Iran on trade cooperation for goods to

Afghanistan.

India is already training military officers including a batch of women officers at its

military academies

Afghanistan is in the midst of a full transition from its old hardware, and Soviet–era

generals, to U.S. hardware, and a next-generation NATO-model Army by 2022.


22


9. India and World

9.1 Jadhav meets family in Islamabad

The wife and the mother of alleged Indian spy Kulbushan Jadhav met him for 40

minutes at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Monday, while Deputy Indian High

Commissioner and Pakistani officials listened in on the conversation outside. Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage

and terrorism in April.

Following this, India moved to the ICJ in May. It is expected to hold another hearing in

March or April, 2018.

All about Kulbushan Jadhav case

He was arrested from Balochistan on March 3 last year.

He has been accused of espionage and working for the India’s external intelligence

agency, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and has been sentenced to death in a Field

General Court Martial.

India has moved to ICJ seeking delay on Jadhav’s execution.

9.2 India, China must look beyond bilateral ties

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s State Counsellor Yang Jiechi held their

first boundary talks in New Delhi since the Doklam standoff.

They discussed enhancing confidence-building measures and an “early settlement” of

the boundary issues.

The 20th round of Special Representative talks, which officials said were held in New

Delhi on Thursday under an extended mandate, referred repeatedly to the consensus

reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the

subject of bettering ties.

Chinese President Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met this year in Xiamen on the

sidelines of BRICS summit and reached an important consensus.

The consensus between the two leaders at Xiamen and on the sidelines of the SCO

conference in Astana in June underscored the need to prevent differences from


23


becoming disputes, as well as the need for China and India to maintain an island of

stability in an increasingly unpredictable global scenario.

Current major Issues between China and India- Doklam issue, China’s support to

Pakistan on designating JeM chief as a UN terrorist, as well as the Belt and Road

Initiative and China Pakistan Economic Corridor, which India has opposed.

9.3 Proud of India, says Palestine envoy

India had voted for a negotiated settlement on the issue of Jerusalem against U.S.

President Donald Trump’s recognition of the holy city as the capital of Israel.

The Ambassador of Palestine said, “We are proud of India and India’s friendship

with Palestine. By voting for a negotiated settlement of the issue of Jerusalem, India has

conveyed to the world that it stands for peace in West Asia. We wish to thank the Indian

government, Indian people and their attitude at the UN which will ensure peace in our

region and in the world.”

However, Israeli Ambassador Daniel Carmon reiterated his country’s claim to Jerusalem

in the backdrop of the developments at the United Nations General Assembly.


24


10. Short News

10.1 A. Raja, Kanimozhi, others acquitted in 2G spectrum allocation case

A Delhi court on December 21 acquitted all accused, including former Telecom Minister

A. Raja and DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi of corruption and money laundering

charges in the 2G spectrum allocation cases.

Special Judge O.P. Saini said: "I have no hesitation in holding that the prosecution has

failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt. So all are acquitted."

The CBI had charged Mr. Raja, Ms. Kanimozhi and others in the scam. The accused also

include three companies namely, Swan Telecom (now Etisalat DB), Unitech Wireless

(Tamil Nadu) Pvt. Ltd. and Reliance Telecom Ltd.

According to the CBI charge sheet, the wrongful acts of the accused deprived the

exchequer of revenues amounting to ₹30,984.55 crore.

Both the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have said they would appeal against thr

trial court verdict.

10.2 India to become fifth largest economy in 2018

India is set to overtake the United Kingdom and France to become the world’s fifth

largest economy next year, the Centre for Economics and Business Research, a London-

based consultancy, said in its annual rankings.

Currently ranked seventh, India will move up to fifth place in 2018 and vault to third

spot by 2032.

10.3 Indian Science Congress 2018

The 2018 edition of the historic Indian Science Congress will be held at Manipur

University, Imphal, in March.

The 106-year-old ISC is the largest congregation of scientists in India.

10.4 Hyderabad welcomes ‘Robocop’ prototype

Hyderabad may soon get its first ‘robocop’, with the launch of a prototype in the city on

Friday.


http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/science-congress-to-be-held-in-march/article22290086.ece

25


it can take complaints, record audio and video clips, identify suspects, detect metals,

and monitor temperature.


neostencil live online classes for ias preparation | com · 2018-10-05 · (dec 22) for its recent...

Documents