Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has achieved an important milestone in the development of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System by proving the land-based prototype on 8 March 2021. The plant was operated in endurance mode and max power mode as per the user requirements. The system is being developed …

The Deep Ocean Mission is proposed as multi-ministerial multi-disciplinary programme with emphasis on development of deep-sea technology, exploration of deep-sea mineral resources and biodiversity, acquisition of a research vessel for exploration, deep sea observations, and capacity building. Ministry of Earth Sciences is the nodal agency for implementing the programme. The …

Considering the recorded history of earthquakes in the country, a total of ~59% of the land mass of India is prone to earthquakes of different intensities. As per the seismic zoning map of the country, the total area is classified into four seismic zones. Zone V is seismically the most …

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has stepped up its vigil of cyberattacks on Indian companies in the vaccine, logistics, pharmaceutical and power sector, and has asked these to report “any and all major cybersecurity” incidents to the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) team every week. Cyberattacks: The frequency of such attacks …

About: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison will meet, through virtual mode, for the first ever Quadrilateral grouping’s leaders’ summit. This will be Modi’s first meeting with Biden, after the new US administration assumed office in January this …

Recently, Mt. Sinabung an active volcano on Indonesia’s Sumatra island has erupted. Earlier, other volcanoes of Indonesia- Merapi volcano and Semeru volcano- had erupted. Mt. Sinabung: Sinabung (2,600-metre) is located in Karo regency, North Sumatra. Sinabung is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire. …

Amid the growing competition among the world powers in the field of space, France has begun its first space military exercises to test its ability to defend its satellites. About the Exercise: The exercise drills are codenamed “AsterX” to commemorate the first French satellite Asterix from 1965. The exercises are part of France’s strategy to become …

Indian and Japanese space agencies recently reviewed cooperation in earth observation, lunar cooperation and satellite navigation, and also agreed to explore opportunities for cooperation in “space situational awareness and professional exchange programme”. Space collaboration: This was agreed during a bilateral meeting between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Japan …

Recently, India has been classified as an “electoral autocracy” in the annual report named Autocratisation Goes Viral of Sweden-based Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute. This report comes just after the US watchdog Freedom House downgraded India’s status to “partly free” in its ‘Freedom in the World 2021’ report. About V-Dem: The V-Dem Institute, an independent research organisation founded in 2014 …

In a written reply in Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment stated that a Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNCs) was constituted for development and welfare of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities in 2019. The welfare board was constituted for a period of three years …

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has amended licensing conditions for telecom companies. The new norms will be implemented from 15th June 2021. In March 2021, the Union Cabinet approved the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the telecom sector to reduce imports and move towards self-reliance. New Licensing Conditions: To include defence and national security as parameters when purchasing ‘trusted telecom products’ and sourcing equipment from ‘trusted …

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a flight demonstration based on Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology from Integrated Test Range Chandipur off the coast of Odisha at around 1030 hrs on March 05, 2021. All the subsystems, including the booster motor and nozzle-less motor, performed as …

India and Norway have agreed to jointly work in the area of marine spatial planning in the oceanic space for the next five years. In this regard, the first project steering committee meeting with representatives from both the countries was successfully conducted virtually recently, after which the two countries have …

According to the National Weather Forecasting Centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD): Seasonal Outlook for the Temperatures during March to May, 2021 Highlights During the upcoming hot weather season (March to May), above normal seasonal maximum temperatures are likely over most of the subdivisions of north, northwest and northeast …

An environmental regulator can work only if governments see the value of nature. The Supreme Court’s notice to the Centre government on a public interest litigation (PIL) plea to set up a national environmental regulator under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. To Oversee And Give Directions Related Environmental Clearances For Projects and …

About: IN LESS than six weeks since Finance Minister announced major financial sector reforms in the Budget for 2021-22, the Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to amend the Insurance Act, 1938, paving the way for increasing the foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in the sector to 74% from 49%. A Bill …

About: The scheduling of the first-ever Quad leaders’ summit-level meeting within 50 days of the Biden administration signified the importance the administration places on the Indo-Pacific, the White House said recently. President Biden has made this one of his earliest multilateral engagements speaks to the importance we place on close cooperation with our allies …

Close on the heels of U.S. plans for a United Nations regional conference on Afghanistan, Russia has announced it will hold a conference of special envoys from the U.S., China, and Pakistan, along with representatives of the Afghanistan government, Taliban and other senior Afghan leaders next week. Advancing intra-afgahn talks: Unlike the …

The Lok Sabha recently passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021 that seeks to regularise unauthorised colonies that existed in the National Capital Territory of Delhi as on June 1, 2014, and had seen development up to 50% as on January 1, 2015. Urban Development Minister said …

About: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education has recommended that all government schools start providing free breakfast in the coming academic year as part of an expansion of the mid-day meal scheme envisaged by the National Education Policy. However, Education Ministry officials say a severe funding crunch is likely to delay the initiative. Fund …