Experts say India has lost a decade in modernising its submarine fleet, while China has marched ahead in its larger naval and more specific submarine capabilities. Submarines first became a major factor in naval warfare during World War I (1914–18), also played a similar role on a larger scale in …

Recently, the President of India presented the Padma awards to 119 recipients for the year 2020 at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushans, 10 Padma Bhushans and 102 Padma Shri awards. Important points: The Padma Awards are announced annually on Republic Day (26th January). It was instituted in …

Recently, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has released the Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) Report (Index) 2021. Important points: The LEADS report is aimed at gauging the logistics performance of states and Union Territories (UT) and identifying areas where they can improve logistics performance. It was launched in …

Recently, India has launched a direct flight between Srinagar and Sharjah (UAE) operated by budget airline GoFirst (formerly known as GoAir). The flight was to operate through Pakistani airspace. However, the flight was denied permission to enter Pakistan and the flight had to take a longer route to reach the …

In the coming days, India will be hosting the ‘Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan’. The meeting will be held at the level of National Security Advisors (NSAs) and will be chaired by India’s NSA Ajit Doval. Important points: India’s top security establishment, the National Security Council Secretariat, has taken …

Recently, the inaugural Global Drug Policy Index was released by the Harm Reduction Consortium. It is a data-driven global analysis of drug policies and their implementation which comes at a time when the Indian government is reviewing the provisions of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic substances act 1985. The Harm …

Arunachal Pradesh is planning to make a documentary on Kaho, a village on the China border to mark the 75th year of Independence. Important points: Kaho is the first village from the China border in Anjaw district. Anjaw is one of the 11 districts of Arunachal Pradesh that share their …

A study was conducted in Punjab that showed pollution from stubble burning significantly reduced lung function and was particularly harmful to women in rural Punjab. The study was conducted in two phases: The first was in October 2018 and again the following summer from March to April 2019. Important points: …

Recently, at the India-France strategic dialogue, both countries resolved to expand the defence and security partnership by enhancing intelligence sharing, bolstering capabilities, expanding military drills and pursuing new initiatives in maritime, space and cyber domains. Important points: Support to ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’: France reiterated its commitment to India’s vision of “Atmanirbhar …

Recently, a paper published in the international journal Nature Geoscience has come up with a new reason behind the first mass extinction, also known as the Late Ordovician mass extinction. It notes that the cooling climate likely changed the ocean circulation pattern. This caused a disruption in the flow of …