Daily Current Capsules - 18th JUNE 2019

Defence
Varunastra: a heavyweight torpedo for Indian Navy

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about varunastra) + Mains ( GS III security challenges and their management )
What's the NEWS

• Indian Navy and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) have signed a contract recently worth Rs. 1187.82 crore for supply of heavyweight torpedo Varunastra to Indian Navy. The execution of contract will be done in the next 42 months.
• The torpedoes will be manufactured at BDL Visakhapatnam unit, in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). BDL has a dedicated unit at Visakhapatnam for manufacturing underwater warheads.

Know! more about Varunastra

• Varunastra is basically a ship-launched, electrically-propelled underwater weapon equipped with one of the most advanced automatic and remote-controlled guidance systems.
• The weapon system uses its own intelligence in tracing the target. It can hit stealth submarines underwater.
• Varunastra is seven to eight metres long, weighs 1,500 kg and has a diameter of 533 mm.
• The anti-submarine electric torpedo when fired can travel at 40 knots, or 74 kmph. The operational range is 40 km and it can carry a warhead weighing 250 kg.
• The weapon has been jointly developed by the Naval Science and Technology Laboratory (NTSL), Visakhapatnam and the Bharat Dynamics Limited -BDL (Hyderabad).

Military Products by Bharat Dynamics Limited -BDL

• NAG: A third Generation (Fire and Forget) mechanized infantry ATGM, with top attack capability to destroy armored vehicle equipped with Explosive Reactive Armour, moving and stationary targets.
• Akash: It is an indigenously developed, an all - weather, air defence weapon system, uses a high explosive, pre-fragmented warhead that can engage multiple threats simultaneously.
• MRSAM (Medium Range Surface to Air Missile): A high response, quick reaction, vertically launched supersonic missile, designed to neutralize enemy aerial threats - missiles, aircraft, guided bombs, helicopters. Used by Army, Navy and Air Force as different variants.
• Varunastra: A ship launched, electrically propelled underwater weapon. Equipped with the most advanced automatic and remote controlled guidance system. Uses its own intelligence in tracing the target.
• Milan 2T: It is a man portable (Infantry) second generation ATGM, to destroy Tanks fitted with Explosive Reactive Armour, moving and stationary targets.

Know! more about BDL

• Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Ministry of Defence was established in Hyderabad in the year 1970 to be a manufacturing base for guided missiles and allied defence equipment.
• Begun with a pool of engineers drawn from DRDO and aerospace industries, BDL began by producing a first generation anti-tank guided missile - the French SS11B1.
• BDL has three manufacturing units, located at Kanchanbagh, Hyderabad, Telangana; Bhanur, Medak district, Telangana and Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

Index/Report
Global Peace Index (GPI)
India slips 5 places to 141 on Global Peace Index 2019; Iceland again tops

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about GPI and the index highlights)
What's the NEWS

• India's rank has slipped five places to 141 among 163 countries on the Global Peace Index 2019, while Iceland remains the most peaceful country and Afghanistan the least peaceful nation, says a report.

Know! more about the highlights of the report

• Australian think tank Institute for Economics & Peace ranks countries according to their level of peacefulness based on three thematic domains -- the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarisation.
• Iceland remains the most peaceful country in the world, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the Global Peace Index (GPI) by New Zealand, Austria, Portugal, and Denmark.
• Afghanistan is now the least peaceful country in the world, replacing Syria, which is now the second least peaceful. South Sudan, Yemen, and Iraq comprise the remaining five least peaceful countries.
• In South Asia, Bhutan topped the index with 15th rank, followed by Sri Lanka 72, Nepal 76 and Bangladesh 101. The neighbouring country Pakistan has been ranked 153rd on the index.
• Countries with highest risk of multiple climate hazards: includes China, Japan, India, Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Countries with largest total military expenditure: United States (US), China, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Know! more about the finding related to South Asia

• Bhutan topped the index in South Asia with its 15th rank. Other countries of region include Sri Lanka (72), Nepal (76) and Bangladesh (101). The neighbouring country Pakistan is ranked 153rd on index.
• Both India and Pakistan had highest rating at five in the score for internal conflicts fought. Only deaths from internal conflict showed improvement, with fewer fatalities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India than the year before.
• The report observed that China, India and Bangladesh score in bottom half of GPI and have significant exposure to climate hazards, with over 393 million people in high climate hazard areas

Know! more about the report findings

• As per the index findings, although global peacefulness improved for first time in past five years but world now remains less peaceful than a decade ago.
• The GPI 2019 report includes new research on possible effects of climate change on peace. It also revealed that since 2008 global peacefulness has deteriorated by 3.78%.

Know! about GPI

• It was founded by Steve Killelea, an Australian technology entrepreneur and philanthropist.
• The report covers 99.7% of world's population. It uses 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators from highly respected sources to compile the index.
• Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), an Australian think tank ranks countries according to their level of peacefulness. This is based on three thematic domains-

1. level of societal safety and security
2. extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict
3. degree of militarisation.

Prelims Factoids
54th Jnanpith Award

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the Jnanpith Award )
What's the NEWS

• Renowned author Amitav Ghosh was felicitated with 54th Jnanpith Award for his outstanding contribution to enrichment of Indian Literature in English.

Know! the key highlights of 54th Jnanpith award

• Author Ghosh is 1st English language writer to become a Jnanpith laureate as all previous winners of prestigiuous award have been writers in Indian languages.
• The 62 years old Kolkata-born author was described as a path-breaking novelist by the awarding body Bharatiya Jnanpith.
• He was acknowledged for in his novels which treads through historical settings to modern era and weaves a space where past connects with present in relevant ways.

Know! about Jnanpith award

• It is the highest literary award in India, presented annually by Bharatiya Jnanpith (a literary and research organization). It can only be conferred upon a citizen of India but with no posthumous conferral.
• The award consists of a citation, shawl, goddess Saraswati statue and cah prize of cash prize of Rs.11 lakh.
• Initially English language was not considered for the Award but after 49th Jnanpith Award, English language was added to the list of languages for consideration.
• It was instituted on 22 May 1961 and is given for best creative literary writing by any Indian citizen in any of the 22 Indian languages listed in Schedule 8 of Indian Constitution.
• After 1982 onwards, the award is given for overall contribution to literature as prior to that a specific work used to be cited.

Social Justice
International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD)
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about IAAD) + Mains ( GS III Social justice)
What's the NEWS

• International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) is observed every year throughout the world on 13 June, with the aim of raising public awareness on albinism and to prevent attacks and discrimination against persons with albinism.
• Theme for IAAD 2019 was- Still Standing Strong. It calls upon people around the globe to recognize, celebrate and stand in solidarity with all albinism patients.

Know! about Albinism

• It is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited disorder present at birth. It is a congenital disorder characterized by partial or complete absence of pigment melanin in skin, hair, and eyes.
• In almost all types of albinism, both parents (who are carrier) even if they do not have albinism themselves must carry gene for it to be passed on.
• The albinism condition is found in both sexes regardless of ethnicity and in all countries worldwide.
• There is no cure for absence of melanin that is predominantly central to albinism.
• The lack of melanin in skin makes albinos more prone to sunburn and also skin cancers. It is also associated with eye related problems such as photophobia, amblyopia (lazy eye), nystagmus, etc.
• Due to lack of melanin in skin as well as eyes of persons with albinism, they often have permanent visual impairment which mostly leads to disabilities.
• They also face discrimination due to their skin colour and thus are often subjected to multiple and intersecting discrimination on grounds of both disability and colour.

Economic Developments
World Investment Report 2019
India among top 20 host economies for FDI inflows in 2017-18: UN report


Relevance IN - Prelims ( about world investment report 2019) + Mains ( GS III economic developments)
What's the NEWS

• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to India grew by 6 per cent to USD 42 billion in 2018, with strong inflows in the manufacturing, communication and financial services sectors, and cross-border merger and acquisition activities, according to a UN report that ranked India among the top 20 host economies for FDI inflows in 2017-18.

Know! more about the World Investment report and its findings

• The World Investment Report 2019, released by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said global FDI flows slid by 13 per cent in 2018 to USD 1.3 trillion from USD 1.5 trillion the previous year the third consecutive annual decline.
• However, FDI inflows to developing countries in Asia rose by 3.9 per cent to USD 512 billion in 2018, with growth occurring mainly in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries, as well as India and Turkey.
• The Asian region remained the world's largest FDI recipient, absorbing 39 per cent of global inflows in 2018, up from 33 per cent in 2017.
• The report said strong economic fundamentals in the Asian subregion will continue to attract market-seeking FDI.
• In addition, low- cost and resource-rich countries will remain attractive destinations for efficiency-seeking and resource-seeking FDI.
• Developing and transition economies capture 45 per cent of all innovation-related FDI.

Key more about the findings of Report

• FDI to India: It grew by 6% to $42 billion in 2018 saw strong inflows in manufacturing, financial services sectors, communication and cross-border merger and acquisition activities.

Know! about UNCTAD

• It was established in 1964 for integrated treatment of trade and development and related issues in areas of investment, finance, technology, enterprise development and sustainable development. It is organ of UN General Assembly (UNGA). There are 195 members in UNCTAD.
• Its mandate is to maximize trade, investment and development opportunities of developing countries and assist them in their efforts towards integrating into world economy on an equitable basis without any bias

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