Daily Current Capsules 07^th June 2022
Defence
Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-4, successfully tested
What's the NEWS

• A nuclear-capable Agni-IV ballistic missile, which can strike targets 4,000 km away, was successfully test-fired
• The test was a part of routine user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command
• A successful training launch of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, Agni-4, was carried out from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
• The successful test reaffirms India's policy of having a 'Credible Minimum Deterrence' Capability.

Know! about Agni- IV

• Agni-IV is the fourth in the Agni series of missiles - earlier known as Agni II prime - developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO.
• Last year, India successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable strategic Agni Prime missile with the capability to hit targets between 1,000 to 2,000 kilometres.

Know! about Agni Series

• The Agni missile is a family of medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by India, named after one of the five elements of nature.
• Agni missiles are long range, nuclear weapons capable, surface to surface ballistic missiles.

Know! about Ballistic missiles

• Launched directly into the upper layers of the earth's atmosphere.
• They travel outside the atmosphere, where the warhead detaches from the missile and falls towards a predetermined target.
• They are rocket-propelled self-guided weapons systems which can carry conventional or nuclear munitions.
• They can be launched from aircraft, ships and submarines, and land.

Defence
Ex Khaan Quest 2022

What's the NEWS

• A Multinational Peacekeeping exercise "Ex Khaan Quest 2022" featuring participation from military contingents from 16 countries has commenced in Mongolia
• President of Mongolia inaugurated the Exercise in an impressive ceremony organised at the exercise location in Mongolia.
• Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the LADAKH SCOUTS.
• The 14 day exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, building military to military relationships, developing peace support operations and military readiness among participating nations.
• The exercise will also enable sharing of best practices between the Armed Forces of participating nations and will include field training exercises, combat discussions, lectures and demonstration.
• The military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and participating countries especially with the Mongolian Armed Forces which will enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.

Mongolia Location

Indigenisation of Technology
Defence Acquisition Council
What's the NEWS

• Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a meeting chaired by Defence Minister on June 06, 2022, accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for Capital Acquisition Proposals of the Armed Forces amounting to Rs 76,390 crore under ‘Buy (Indian)', ‘Buy & Make (Indian)' and ‘Buy (Indian-IDDM)' categories.
• This will provide substantial boost to the Indian Defence Industry and reduce foreign spending significantly.

Highlights

• For the Indian Army, the DAC accorded fresh AoNs for procurement of Rough Terrain Fork Lift Trucks (RTFLTs), Bridge Laying Tanks (BLTs), Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicles (Wh AFVs) with Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) and Weapon Locating Radars (WLRs) through domestic sources with emphasis on indigenous design and development.
• For the Indian Navy, the DAC accorded AoN for procurement of Next Generation Corvettes (NGC) at an estimated cost of approx. Rs 36,000 crore.

Next Generation Corvettes (NGC)

 

 

• These NGCs will be versatile platforms for variety of roles viz. surveillance missions, escort operations, deterrence, Surface Action Group (SAG) operations, Search & Attack and Coastal Defence.
• These NGCs would be constructed based on new in-house design of Indian Navy using latest technology of ship building and would contribute to further the Government's initiative of SAGAR (Security and Growth for all in the Region).
• The DAC accorded AoNs for manufacture of Dornier Aircrafts and Su-30 MKI aero-engines by the Navratna CPSE M/s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited with focus on enhancing indigenisation particularly in indigenising aero-engine material.

Digital Coast Guard' project

• In pursuance of the Government's vision for digital transformation in Defence, ‘Digital Coast Guard' project under ‘Buy (Indian) Category has been approved by the DAC.
• Under this project, a pan India secure network for digitising of various surface and aviation operations, logistics, finance and HR processes in Coast Guard will be established.

Procurement Categories
Buy (Indian-IDDM)

• It refers to the procurement of products from an Indian vendor that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 50% Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value.

Buy (Indian)

• It refers to the procurement of products from an Indian vendor meeting one of the two conditions: products that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 50% Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value; Or products, which may not have been designed and developed indigenously, having 60% IC on cost basis of the total contract value.

Buy and Make (Indian).

• It refers to an initial procurement of equipment in Fully Formed (FF) state in quantities as considered necessary, from an Indian vendor engaged in a tie-up with a foreign OEM, followed by indigenous production in a phased manner involving Transfer of Technology (ToT) of critical technologies as per specified range, depth and scope from the foreign OEM.
• Under this category of procurement, a minimum of 50% IC is required on cost basis of the Make portion of the contract.
• Acquisition under this category can also be carried out without any initial procurement of equipment in FF state.

 

Infrastructure Development
Leaders in Climate Change Management Program

What's the NEWS

• In conjunction with the World Environment Day that was observed on June 5, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and World Resources Institute (WRI) India, jointly announced ‘Leaders in Climate Change Management' (LCCM), a practice-based learning program
• It aims at building capacity among urban professionals to lead climate action across sectors and geographies in India.
• To facilitate this face-to-face learning program, the Administrative Training Institute (ATI), Mysuru, also singed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with NIUA and WRI India, becoming the first delivery partner of the LCCM program.

Know! about LCCM

• LCCM envisions capacitating 5,000 professionals, including mid to junior-level government officials and frontline workers, and preparing them to champion climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions towards a coordinated effort to achieve India's climate commitments.
• The launch also marked the achievements of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs towards India's urban climate goals.
• The LCCM program, designed and implemented in partnership with the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP) and Indian School of Business (ISB), aims to strengthen India's workforce to meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius targets.
• LCCM is a blended learning program for urban practitioners looking to upskill and prepare themselves to deliver effective climate action.

Know! about Leaders in Climate Change Management (LCCM)

• Leaders in Climate Change Management is a capacity-building program that seeks to build a pool of leaders to champion and lead climate action - across sectors and geographies.
• The program has been designed and implemented through core partners, being, National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), World Resources Institute (WRI) - India, United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), and Indian School of Business (ISB).

Know! about NIUA

• Established in 1976, the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is India's leading national think tank on urban planning and development.
• NIUA seeks to provide innovative solutions to address the challenges of a fast-urbanizing India, and pave the way for more inclusive and sustainable cities of the future.

Know! about WRI India

• WRI India, an independent charity legally registered as the India Resources Trust, provides objective information and practical proposals to foster environmentally sound and socially equitable development.
• Its work focuses on building sustainable and liveable cities and working towards a low carbon economy.
• It is inspired by and associated with World Resources Institute (WRI), a global research organization.

Places in NEWS
Yankti Kuti Valley

 

What's the NEWS

• Multiple events of glacial advances have been witnessed from the Yankti Kuti valley situated in the extreme eastern part of Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand, since 52 thousand years (MIS 3) that synchronises with climate variability, according to a new study.
• Scientists of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology has reported first time the oldest glacial advance during 52 Kilo years from the Central Himalaya, as the evidence of glacial advance during the Last Glacial Maxima and subsequently younger time periods have already been reported from many parts of the Central Himalaya.

Space Awareness
A Unique Liquid-Mirror Telescope sees first light in the Indian Himalayas

 

What's the NEWSX

• A new telescope facility atop a mountain in the Himalayan range will now keep a watch on the overhead sky to identify transient or variable objects such as supernovae, gravitational lenses, space debris, and asteroids.
• The telescope, commissioned at Devasthal, a hill in Uttarakhand, will help in surveying the sky making it possible to observe several galaxies and other astronomical sources just by staring at the strip of sky that passes overhead.

Know! about the first liquid mirror telescope

• It is the first liquid mirror telescope in the country and the largest in Asia.
• Built by astronomers from India, Belgium and Canada, the novel instrument employs a 4-meter-diameter rotating mirror made up of a thin film of liquid mercury to collect and focus light.
• It is located at an altitude of 2450 metres at the Devasthal Observatory campus of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Govt. of India in Nainital district, Uttarakhand.
• Liquid mirror telescope
• The scientists from the three countries spun a pool of mercury which is a reflective liquid, so that the surface curved into a parabolic shape which is ideal for focusing light.
• ILMT is the first liquid-mirror telescope designed exclusively for astronomical observations installed at the Devasthal Observatory of ARIES
• Devasthal Observatory now hosts two four-meter class telescopes - the ILMT and the Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT).
• Both are the largest aperture telescopes available in the country.

 

Infrastructure Development
Indigenous development of 5G Open RAN

What's the NEWS

 

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), WiSig Networks Private Limited and VVDN Technologies Private Limited have signed an agreement for collaboration in the area of Open RAN based Radio Network for 5G solution.

Know! about the collaboration

• Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) is the premier R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications, Government of India.
• C-DOT has indigenously designed various cutting-edge Telecom technologies including 4G solution and is keenly working in the area of 5G.
• WiSig Networks Private Limited is an upcoming start up engaged in the business of developing, marketing, and offering various communications solutions including 5G Mobile Communication Products and Solutions.
• VVDN Technologies Private Limited is a leading product engineering and manufacturing company in various technology domains including 5G, Networking & Wi-Fi, IoT, and cloud storage services.

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