DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: March 11, 2025

Assam Government to Launch Its Own Satellite ‘ASSAMSAT’.

Tags: Science and Technology

Why in the news?

• Assam state government has announced plans to launch its own satellite, ASSAMSAT, to bolster data access for crucial socio-economic initiatives and enhance border security.

Important points: 

• This announcement was made by Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog while presenting the state budget for the financial year 2025-26.
• The satellite is envisioned to provide dedicated services for agriculture, disaster management, infrastructure development, and security operations.
• This initiative marks ahistoric milestone, as Assam becomes the first Indian state to launch its own satellite.
• The ASSAMSAT satellite will be developed in collaboration with IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). 

Objectives of ASSAMSAT:

• Strengthening Border Security: The satellite will provide real-time surveillance over the state’s borders, assisting in tracking any illegal movements, including infiltration.
• Disaster Management: By offering early warning systems for floods and landslides, it will play a crucial role in mitigating natural calamities, especially along the Brahmaputra River.
• Agricultural Advancements: The satellite will help farmers by providing weather forecasts, soil health analysis, and crop monitoring data, enhancing overall productivity.
• Infrastructure Development: It will aid in urban planning, monitoring developmental projects, and identifying infrastructure gaps for better implementation.
• Law Enforcement & Police Operations:The satellite’s surveillance capabilities will assist police and security agencies in tracking criminal activities and improving law enforcement efficiency.

Budget Allocation and Cost Estimation:

• The Assam government has earmarkeda total budget of Rs 2.6 lakh crore for the financial year 2025-26. 

India second-largest arms importer after Ukraine.

Tags: Reports

Why in the news?

• India was the second-largest arms importer, though the trade figures decreased by 9.3% between 2015-19 and 2020-24,according to data from theStockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Important points:

• The largest share of Indian arms imports (36%) came from Russia, a significant drop from the 55% in 2015-19 and 72% in 2010-14.
• Ukraine, involved in a war with Russia for the past four years, was the largest importer of major arms in the world in the 2020-24period, clocking a nearly hundredfold rise in imports compared with the figures for 2015-19.

Senior advocate Anil Singh appointed ASG of India.

Tags: Person in news

Why in the news?

• SENIOR ADVOCATE Anil Singh has been appointed to the post of theAdditional Solicitor General of India, the top-most lawyer representing the Union government in the Bombay High Court and courts in Maharashtra and Goa.

Important points:

• This is thefourth time he has been appointed.Previously, Singh had held the post for nine years between 2014 and 2023.
• Singh has handled cases, including matters of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA), including the Antilia terror scare case.

Delhi world’s most polluted capital for 6th straight year.

Tags: Reports

Why in the news?

• With anaverage PM 2.5 concentration of 91.8 μg/m3, Delhi continues to be the most polluted national capital in the world for the sixth consecutive year, according to the 2024 World Air Quality Report.

Important points:

• 13 of the world's top 20 most polluted cities are in India, with Byrnihat in Assam topping the list, according to a new report published on March 11, 2025.
• The World Air Quality Report 2024 by Swiss air quality technology company IQAir said Delhi remains the most polluted capital city globally.
• The other cities include Faridabad, Loni (Ghaziabad), Gurgaon, Greater Noida, Bhiwadi, Noida, Muzaffarnagar, New Delhi (Central Delhi) and Delhi (taking the average from the rest of the city).
• India is the fifth most polluted country in the world, with an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 50.6 μg/m3 ,10 times higher than the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual PM2.5 guideline value of 5 μg/m3. 
• In 2023, it was the third most polluted country.
• The report notes that air pollution leaves a significant toll on health in India,reducing life expectancy by about 5.2 years.

INDIAN NAVAL SHIP IMPHAL TO PARTICIPATE IN MAURITIUS NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS 2025

Tags: Defence

Why in the news?

• Indian Naval Ship Imphal makes her maiden port call at Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius, on 10 Mar 25. 

Important points:

• The ship will participate in the 57th Mauritius National Day celebrations on 12 March 2025. 
• The visit of INS Imphal is in keeping with the tradition of Indian warships and aircraft participating in Mauritius National Day celebrations. 
•  Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, will be the Chief Guest at the celebrations. 
• The planned interactions are firmly underpinned by India’s ‘Neighborhood First’ policy and vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) espoused by the Hon’ble Prime Minister exactly a decade ago at Mauritius on the occasion of the commissioning of MCGS Barracuda, the first Indian-built warship to be inducted into the Mauritius National Coast Guard on 12th March 2015. 
• Commissioned in December 2023, Imphal is the third of the four Project 15B (Visakhapatnam class) indigenous destroyers. 
• Equippedwith state-of-the-art weapons, sensors and machinery, she ranks amongst the largest and most technologically advanced warships in the world.