Defence and Security/GSIII
Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM)

What's the NEWS

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted two successful flight tests of the Indian Army version of Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) at Integrated Test Range, Chandipur off the coast of Odisha
• The flight tests were carried out as part of the live firing trials against high-speed aerial targets.
• The missiles intercepted the aerial targets and destroyed them completely, registering direct hits at both the ranges.
• The first launch was to intercept a medium altitude long range target and second launch was for proving the capability of a low altitude short range target.

Know! about MRSAM

• This MRSAM version is a Surface-to-Air Missile developed jointly by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Israel for use by the Indian Army.
• The MRSAM Army weapon system comprises multi-function radar, mobile launcher system and other vehicles.
• The flight tests were carried out with the weapon system in deliverable configuration.
• The performance of the weapon system was validated through the flight data captured by range instruments like radars, electro-optical tracking systems and telemetry deployed by ITR, Chandipur.

Bilateral Relations/GSII
TEJAS skilling project

What's the NEWS

• Union Minister Anurag Thakur launched TEJAS (Training for Emirates Jobs And Skills), a Skill India International Project to train overseas Indians.
• The project is aimed at skilling, certification and overseas employment of Indians.
• Tejas is aimed at creating pathways to enable Indian workforce to get equipped for skill and market requirements in UAE.
• Tejas aims at creating a 10,000 strong Indian workforce in UAE during the initial phase.

Prelims Factoids
Aadi Bazaar

What's the NEWS

• Aadi Bazaars - A Celebration of the spirit of Tribal culture and cuisine, was inaugurated on 26th March, 2022 at Ekta Nagar, Kevadia, Statue of Unity in Narmada district of Gujarat.
• Organised by TRIFED of M/ Tribal Affairs
• The 11-day long festival will feature an exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, jewellery from across 10 states of the country.
• These Aadi Bazaars represent the basic ethos of tribal life are a part of TRIFED's intensified efforts to improve the livelihoods of the underprivileged tribals, who have been majorly impacted in the past two years.
• The Aadi Bazaar is an initiative that helps enable the economic welfare of these communities and bring them closer towards mainstream development.

Prelims Factoids
Bharat Bhagya Vidhata

What's the NEWS

• The ten-day mega Red Fort Festival -Bharat Bhagya Vidhata has started at the iconic 17th- century monument Red Fort in Delhi.
• Women and Child Development inaugurated the festival.
• The festival kick started from 25th March and will continue till 3rd April, 2022 at the iconic 17th century monument, Red Fort in Delhi.
• The Ministry of Culture, Government of India, along with Red Fort's "Monument Mitra", Dalmia Bharat Ltd. have conceptualized the mega event as a part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav.
• The Red Fort mega festival-Bharat Bhagya Vidhata is being organised as part of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav by Ministry of Culture.
• The festival aims to commemorate the heritage of the country and culture of every part of India.
• The festival Bharat Bhagya Vidhata will help everyone to appreciate the diversity of India.
• More than 70 master craftsmen have displayed their craftsmanship at the venue.

Prelims Factoids
Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2022

• First leg of the Mega festival Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2022 organised under the aegis of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in Andhra Pradesh
• The festival was inaugurated by Governor, Andhra Pradesh
• The festival is being organized for the first time in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh & Telangana.
• The Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav at Rajahmundry truly showcased the rich heritage of the Southern states and introduced the local population to the varied culture, craft & cuisine of the other parts of India on one platform and place.
• The second and third leg of RSM will be held at Warangal and Hyderabad on 29th-30th March and 1^st-3^rd April respectively.

Prelims Factoids
Corner-Shot Weapon System (CSWS)

What's the NEWS

• A corner-shot weapon system (CSWS), designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is at an advanced stage of being inducted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Know! about CSWS

• The CSWS is a special purpose weapon designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune.
• Corner Shot Weapon System (CSWS) allows its operator to see and attack an armed target, without exposing himself for any counterattack.
• The weapon is being developed in two variants to accommodate in service 9 mm pistol and 40 mm Under Barrel Grenade Launcher.
• It can engage targets located around the corners as the system bends and captures video feed thus saving soldiers from any surprise counter attack and is best suited for urban, close quarter situations.
• CSWS is also equipped with day & night camera, invisible lasers, laser aiming device, tactical flashlight, colour LCD monitor and a power source (rechargeable battery).

Bilateral Relations/GSII
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

What's the NEWS

• Union Minister of Commerce and Industry announced the unveiling of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his visit to the United Arab Emirates.
• The Minister to UAE to participate in ‘Investopia Summit' and ‘World Government Summit' being held in Dubai on 28th March 2022 and 29th March 2022 respectively.

The salient features of India-UAE CEPA are as follows:

• India-UAE CEPA was signed on 18 February 2022 in New Delhi
• The India-UAE CEPA is the first deep and full free trade Agreement to be signed by India with any country in the past decade.
• The Agreement is a comprehensive agreement, which will cover Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Dispute Settlement, Movement of Natural Persons, Telecom, Customs Procedures, Pharmaceutical products, Government Procurement, IPR, Investment, Digital Trade and Cooperation in other Areas.

Impact or benefits:

• It covers almost all the tariff lines dealt in by India and the UAE
• India will benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE on over 97 % of its tariff lines which account for 99% of Indian exports to the UAE in value terms, especially for all labour-intensive sectors such as Gems and Jewellery, Textiles, leather, footwear, sports goods, plastics, furniture, agricultural and wood products, engineering products, medical devices, and Automobiles.
• India will also be offering preferential access to the UAE on over 90% of its tariff lines, including lines of export interest to the UAE.
• As regards trade in services, India has offered market access to the UAE in around 100 sub-sectors, while Indian service providers will have access to around 111 sub-sectors from the 11 broad service sectors
• Both sides have also agreed to a separate Annex on Pharmaceuticals to facilitate access of Indian pharmaceuticals products,

Timelines

• The negotiations for India-UAE CEPA were concluded in a record span of 88 days.
• The Agreement is expected to enter into force on 01 May 2022.

Know! about India - UAE relations

• India and the UAE have been each other's leading trading partners.
• India-UAE bilateral trade has steadily increased to US$ 60 billion (₹4.55 lakh crore) in FY 2019-20 making the UAE, India's third largest trading partner.
• The UAE is also the second largest export destination of India, while Indian imports from the UAE were valued around US$ 30 billion, including 21.83 MMT (US$ 10.9 billion) of crude oil.
• The UAE is also the eight largest investor in India with an estimated investment of US$ 18 billion.
• India and the UAE have recently entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) whereby the UAE has committed US$ 75 billion towards infrastructure development in India.
• In October 2021, Government of Dubai signed an MoU with the Jammu and Kashmir administration for real estate development, industrial parks, IT towers, multipurpose towers, logistics, medical college, super specialty hospital and more.

Prelims Factoids
EARTH HOUR

What's the NEWS

• Earth Hour was observed on March 26, 2022 (Saturday) from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.

Know! about Earth hour

• It is the world's largest grassroots movement for the environment where people around the globe unite to take a stand against climate change by turning off non-essential lights for one hour.
• Starting out as a symbolic lights-out event in Sydney in 2007, it has come to be observed every year on the last Saturday of March in more than 180 countries uniting millions of people in the effort to decarbonise the planet both collectively and individually.
• The "theme for this year's global event was "Shape our Future", highlighting our collective responsibility towards the environment.

Environment/GSIII
Olive Ridley turtles

What's the NEWS

• A record number of around 2,45,188 Olive Ridley sea turtles came ashore for mass nesting at the Nasi-1 and Nasi-2 islands of Gahirmatha marine sanctuary within Bhitarkanika National Park
• After two days of mass nesting at Gahirmatha, Olive Ridley turtles started arriving at the island from Gokharkuda to Podampeta in Rushikulya.
• Odisha witnessed a rare phenomenon of mass nesting, simultaneously in two places - Gahiramatha & Rushikulya.
• Gahirmatha beach is considered the world's largest nesting ground for endangered species.

Know! about the mass nesting of Olive Ridley turtles

• Gahirmatha is the world's largest rookery for the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles.
• Both Nasi-I and Nasi-II beaches are under the jurisdiction of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, which conducts missile tests from the nearby Wheeler Island.
• The turtles settled in the Gahrimatha and Rushikulya rookeries in Odisha to lay their eggs in the sand.
• Every year, they travel from the Indian Ocean only after the temperature starts to get warmer.
• Gahirmatha was declared a marine sanctuary covering 1435 square kilometers from Dhamra mouth to Hukitola island in 1997 by the government.

Know! about olive ridley sea turtle

• It is also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle
• It is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae.
• The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
• It is found in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, but also in the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
• This turtle and the related Kemp's ridley turtle are best known for their unique synchronised mass nestings called arribadas, where thousands of females come together on the same beach to lay eggs.

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