Relevance IN- Prelims (National Broadband Mission (NBM) +Mains ( GS III awareness in the field of information and technology)
What's the NEWS

• The Minister for Communications, Law & Justice and Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad has launching the National Broadband Mission (NBM)
• The National Broadband Mission is to fulfill all aspirations of the people and enables fast track growth of digital communication infrastructure.

• The vision of the NBM is to fast track growth of digital communications infrastructure, bridge the digital divide, facilitate digital empowerment and inclusion and provide affordable and universal access of broadband for all.

• Broadband access to all villages by 2022
• Facilitate universal and equitable access to broadband services for across the country and especially in rural and remote areas
• Develop innovative implementation models for Right of Way (RoW) and to work with States/UTs for having consistent policies pertaining to expansion of digital infrastructure including for RoW approvals required for laying of OFC
• Develop a Broadband Readiness Index (BRI) to measure the availability of digital communications infrastructure and conducive policy ecosystem within a State/UT.
• Creation of a digital fiber map of the Digital Communications network and infrastructure, including Optical Fiber Cables and Towers, across the country
• Investment from stakeholders of USD 100 billion (Rs 7 Lakh Crore) including Rs 70,000 crore from Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)

• Apart from the higher capital cost of providing telecom services in rural and remote areas, these areas also generate lower revenue due to lower population density, low income and lack of commercial activity.
• Thus normal market forces alone would not direct the telecom sector to adequately serve backward and rural areas. Keeping in mind the inadequacy of the market mechanism to serve rural and inaccessible areas on one hand and the importance of providing vital telecom connectivity on the other, most countries of the world have put in place policies to provide Universal Access and Universal Service to ICT.
• The New Telecom Policy - 1999 (NTP'99) provided that the resources for meeting the Universal Service Obligation (USO) would be raised through a 'Universal Access Levy (UAL)', which would be a percentage of the revenue earned by the operators under various licenses.
• The Universal Service Support Policy came into effect from 01.04.2002.
• The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003 giving statutory status to the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) was passed by both Houses of Parliament in December 2003.
• As per the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 (as amended in 2003, 2006 and 2008), the Fund is to be utilized exclusively for meeting the Universal Service Obligation.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about 2+2 dialogue) + Mains ( GS II bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• India and the US agreed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, counter-terrorism and trade, and to work with like-minded countries for a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

• These decisions were taken at the conclusion of the second India-US 2+2 dialogue where Pompeo along with defence secretary Mark Esper hosted their Indian counterparts Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh.
• The first 2+2 dialogue was held in New Delhi in September last year after the mechanism was approved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.
• In the second such dialogue, India and the US agreed to further expand their defence ties
• During the dialogue, India and America reaffirmed their commitment to work together in support of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region and the two sides agreed to deepen their cooperation to address regional and global threats and to combat terrorism, according to the US State Department.
• The two sides reaffirmed the growing strategic partnership between the United States and India, which is grounded in democratic values, shared strategic objectives, strong people-to-people ties, and a common commitment to the prosperity of their citizens
• During the meeting, secretary Pompeo and his counterparts reaffirmed their commitment to work together in support of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific region
• India and the US also agreed to deepen cooperation to address regional and global threats, combat terrorism, coordinate on disaster relief, train peacekeepers, promote transparent and sustainable infrastructure, and advance maritime security
• Both delegations welcomed new initiatives to further strengthen people-to-people ties, including new exchange programs for parliamentarians and young innovators, increased judicial cooperation, the expansion of university research partnerships, and a new bilateral science and technology agreement.

• The US has given a narrow exemption to India from Iran's Chabahar port sanctions, saying that it recognises that the project is a lifeline for Afghanistan to get humanitarian supplies from New Delhi
• Located on the Indian Ocean in Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan province, the port is being developed jointly by India, Iran and Afghanistan and is looked as a strategic project for trade by the three countries with central Asian nations.
  
  
• The port, which is easily accessible from India's western coast, is increasingly seen as a counter to Pakistan's Gwadar Port which is being developed with the Chinese investment
• The USA provided a narrow exemption (to India) for the development of Chabahar that allows for the construction of the port and the rail line that allows for the export of refined oil products to Afghanistan

Defence
Successful launch of two BrahMos missiles from land and air platforms

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about Brahmos missile) + Mains ( GS III security challenges and their management in border areas)
What's the NEWS

• Defence Research & Development Organisation(DRDO), Indian Air Force (IAF) and BrahMos jointly successfully conducted two BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles tests, one each from land and air platforms.
• The first missile launch was from a land based mobile launcher, where most of the components were indigenous, including the missile airframe, fuel management system and DRDO designed seeker.
• The second launch of the missile was carried out by Indian Air force (IAF) from SU-30MKI platform against a sea target.

Know! more about the test

• The test conducted in user configuration, revalidated the ship attack capability of the advanced air-launched cruise missile.
• During the test, the missile was gravity dropped from the air combat platform's fuselage and the two-stage weapon's engine fired up and the missile straightaway propelled towards the intended target positioned at the sea, piercing it with pin point accuracy.
• Earlier IAF had successfully tested the missile against a land-based target in the Car Nicobar Islands region.
• The BrahMos Air Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) promises to bolster the air combat capability of IAF from stand-off ranges.

BrahMos air version missile

• The air launched BrahMos missile, designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL), is a 2.5 ton supersonic air to surface cruise missile with ranges close to 300 km.
• The IAF became the first Air Force in the world to have successfully fired an air launched Trisonic class surface attack missile of this category on a sea target on 22 Nov 17.
• This was followed by a second live launch over a land target on 22 May 19. Today's was the third such live launch of the weapon and with this launch, the integration of the missile on Su-30MKI aircraft, is complete.
• The BrahMos missile provides Indian Air Force a much desired capability to strike form large stand-off ranges on any target at sea or on land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions.
• The capability of the missile coupled with the high performance of the Su-30MKI aircraft gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the battle fields over land and sea.

Infrastructure Development
ADB, India sign $250 million loan to expand energy efficiency investments in India
Relevance IN - Prelims ( about the steps taken by EESL and ADB in energy efficiency)+ Mains ( GS III infrastructure development - energy)
What's the NEWS

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India signed a $250 million loan to Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) to expand energy efficiency investments in India that will benefit agricultural, residential and institutional consumers.
• In addition, $46 million financing will be provided from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), to be administered by ADB.

Know! more about it

• ADB previously approved a $200 million loan to EESL, a public sector energy service company, in 2016 for Demand Side Energy Efficiency Sector Project that focused on efficient lighting and appliances.
• The project is expected to contribute to the mission of Government of India to promote energy efficiency and meet Government's commitments to reduce energy intensity of the economy.
• Introduction of energy-efficient technologies in eligible states including smart meters, distributed solar photovoltaic systems and electric vehicles will help reduce electricity network losses and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• This is one of the few ADB projects specially focused on demand-side energy efficiency targeting upstream efficiency opportunities and business models that can be scaled up in India and other ADB developing member countries. The project's smart metering component will help address billing and collection inefficiencies.
• EESL will also explore business models to generate greater public demand for e-vehicles to support India's current push for electric vehicles.
• Promoting awareness of the benefits of using energy efficient technologies is another feature of the project.

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