Relevance IN - Prelims (about PASSEX and about Malabar Exercise )
What's the NEWS

• The US Navy said that Nimitz Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Indian Ocean in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific

• United States Navy's USS Nimitz carrier strike group near the Andaman and Nicobar islands
• World's largest aircarft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) along with Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Sterett (DDG 104) and USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), participated in joint naval exercises with the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean
• Both Indian Navy and the US Navy conducted high-end exercises designed to maximize training and interoperability, including air defense.
• Four frontline warships of the Indian Navy participated in the "PASSEX" exercise when the US carrier strike group was transiting through the Indian Ocean Region on its way from the South China Sea
• Indian Navy units undertook Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with US Navy.
• Indian Navy had conducted similar PASSEXs with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and French Navy in recent past.
• The Indian Navy ships Rana, Sahyadri, Shivalik and Kamorta, operated together with the USS Nimitz (CVN 68)
• The cooperative exercises took place near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and transited through the Indian Ocean region.
• The India-US exercises in the Malacca Strait comes just a few weeks after the USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) strike groups carried out wargames in the Philippine Sea.

• It is an annual trilateral naval exercise between the navies of India, Japan, and the USA which is held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• Originally begun in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Japan became a permanent partner in 2015.
• Past non-permanent participants are Australia and Singapore.
• The Malabar exercise is expected to take place later this year.

Relevance IN - Prelims (about MANODARPAN initiative of HRD Ministry )
What's the NEWS

• Union HRD Minister, launched the MANODARPAN initiative of HRD Ministry to provide psychosocial support to students for their Mental Health and Well-being
• As part of MANODARPAN initiative, the Ministry also launched a National Toll-free Helpline (8448440632), a special web page of MANODARPAN on the portal of HRD Ministry, and a Handbook on MANODARPAN.

• Ministry has taken an initiative, named, MANODARPAN covering a wide range of activities to provide Psychosocial Support to students for their Mental Health & Well-being during the COVID outbreak and beyond.
• A Working Group, has been set up to monitor and promote the mental health issues and concerns of students and to facilitate providing of support to address the mental health and psychosocial aspects during and after COVID-19 lockdown, through conselling services, online resources and helpline.
• A Web-page named MANODARPAN- Psychosocial Support for Mental Health & Well-being during the COVID outbreak and beyond has since been created on the Web-site of the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• A National Toll-free lpline (8448440632) has also been set up. This unique helpline shall be managed by a pool of experienced counselors/ Psychologists and other mental health professionals and will continue beyond the COVID-19 situation.
• Through this helpline tele-counselling will be provided to the students to address their mental health and psychosocial issues.
• National level database and directory of counsellors at School and University level whose services can be offered voluntarily for Tele-Counselling Service on the National Helpline.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about serological survey)
What's the NEWS

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the results of the serological survey carried out in Delhi between June 27 and July 10.
• The results of the study show that 23.48% of the people surveyed had developed IgG antibodies, indicating they had been exposed to the novel coronavirus.

• About 160 four-member teams - each comprising an Anganwadi/ASHA worker, an auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), a pharmacist, and a phlebotomist (someone who is trained to draw blood for testing) visited homes that were randomly picked by district administrations.
• The blood samples were collected from selected individuals after taking their written, informed consent, and their sera were then tested for IgG antibodies and infection using the ICMR-approved COVID KAVACH ELISA kit.

• A serological survey is an exercise to check the prevalence of the disease in a population by detecting the presence of specific antibodies against the virus.
• The serological test is performed to diagnose infections and autoimmune illnesses. It can also be conducted to check if a person has developed immunity to certain diseases.
• The survey included the IgG Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test which estimates the proportion of the population exposed to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
• The IgG test is not useful for detecting acute infections but it indicates episodes of infections that have happened in the past. The test has been approved by ICMR for its high sensitivity and specificity.
• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had earlier conducted a pilot serosurvey in April this year across 83 districts in 21 states.
• The ICMR has said it would soon launch another follow-up sero survey across the country.

Relevance IN - Prelims ( about India Ideas Summits + about the U.S.-India Business Council ) + Mains ( GS II Bilateral relations)
What's the NEWS

• Prime Minister will deliver the keynote address at the India Ideas Summit on July 22

• The Summit is being hosted by the US-India Business Council.
• This year marks the 45th anniversary of the formation of the Council.
• The theme for this year's India Ideas Summit is 'Building a Better Future'
• The virtual summit will see high-level presence from Indian and US government policymakers, state-level officials and thought leaders from business and society.
• The Summit convenes business and government leaders for discussions on the future of the U.S.-India Partnership and the trends shaping globalization, trade and investment, and the future of work in the COVID-era and beyond.

• The Summit will feature a high-powered lineup of both public and private sector speakers.

Know! about the U.S.-India Business Council

• Formed in 1975 at the request of the U.S. and Indian governments, the U.S.-India Business Council is the premier business advocacy organization, composed of more than 350 top-tier U.S. and Indian companies advancing U.S.-India commercial ties.
• The Council is the largest bilateral trade association in the United States, with liaison presence in New York, Silicon Valley, and New Delhi.
• The Council aims to create an inclusive bilateral trade environment between India and the United States by serving as the voice of industry, linking governments to businesses, and supporting long-term commercial partnerships that will nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship, create jobs, and successfully contribute to the global economy.

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