DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS

By admin: Jan. 15, 2025

Defence Secretary visits Indian Navy's premier Naval Air Station ‘INS Rajali’

Tags: Defence

Why in the news?

• Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh visited INS Rajali, the Indian Navy's premier Naval Air Station, located near Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu on January 13, 2025.

Impotant points: 

• He inspected various operational facilities at the station, where he was apprised of the extensive volume of operations carried out by the station and its capability to meet the evolving security requirements. 
• The event showcased INS Rajali’s state-of-the-art infrastructure and its strategic significance in maritime surveillance & combat readiness.
• Commanding Officer, INS Rajali Commodore Kapil Mehta, briefed the Defence Secretary on the Air Station's operational preparedness & its role in ensuring maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). 

About INS Rajali :

• INS Rajali is a naval air station in the Indian Navy, located in Tamil Nadu, India. 
• It is thelargest and most modern naval air station in the Indian Navy. 

Santa Ana winds

Tags: International News

Why in the news?

• Santa Ana winds rise in Southern California; new wildfire warnings issued.

Important points:

• Nearly 90,000 households lost electricity as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes
• Millions of Southern Californians faced new wildfire warnings on Tuesday (January 14, 2025), and tens of thousands saw their power shut off as strong winds blew across the parched landscape around Los Angeles where two massive blazes have been burning for a week.
• Santa Ana winds that began gusting over the mountains before sunrise were forecast to continue until Wednesday (January 15, 2025) morning with enough force to carry fire-sparking embers for miles and stoke new outbreaks in a region where at least 25 people have already been killed.

About Santa Ana winds:

• Santa Ana winds are strong, dry winds that blow from the Great Basin desert into Southern California and northern Baja California. 
• They are a natural part of California's climate and are most common from October to January.

Govt. launches app to promote battlefield tourism

Tags: Defence

Why in the news?

• Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched theBharat Ranbhoomi Darshan app aiming to boost battlefield tourism in the country during the 77th Army Day celebrations, in Pune, Maharashtra on January 15, 2025. 

Important points?

• An initiative of the Ministries of Defence and Tourism, as well as the Army, the“Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan” app was launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh coinciding with Army Day celebrations.
• Locations of the 1962, 1971, and 1999 conflicts, Siachen base camp, and even the site of the Galwan clash of 2020 will be accessible to tourists
• Civilians can soon visit battlefield locations along India’s borders.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicates frontline naval combatants INS Surat, INS Nilgiri & INS Vaghsheer to the nation

Tags: Defence

Why in the news?

• The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today dedicated three frontline naval combatants INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer to the nation on their commissioning at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. 

Important points:

• Addressing the gathering Shri Modi said that 15th January is commemorated as Army Day and saluted every brave warrior who would sacrifice his life for the safety and security of the nation. 
• It is for the first time that the tri-commissioning of a destroyer, frigate and submarine was being done.
• The Prime Minister noted the launch of new platforms, including the INS Nilgiri, dedicated to the maritime prowess of the Chola dynasty, and the Surat warship, reminiscent of the era when Gujarat's ports connected India to West Asia.
• He also mentioned the commissioning of the Vagsheer submarine, the sixth in the P75 class, following the commissioning of the first submarine, Kalvari, a few years ago.
• The commissioning of three major naval combatants marks a significant leap forward in realizing India’s vision of becoming a global leader in defence manufacturing and maritime security. 
• INS Surat, the fourth and final ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, ranks among the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world.
• It has an indigenous content of 75% and is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages and advanced network-centric capabilities.
• INS Nilgiri,the first ship of theP17A Stealth Frigate Project, has been designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and incorporates advanced features for enhanced survivability, seakeeping, and stealth, reflecting the next generation of indigenous frigates.
• INS Vaghsheer, the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene Project, represents India’s growing expertise in submarine construction and has been constructed in collaboration with the Naval Group of France.

SpaDeX mission

Tags: Science and Technology

Why in the news?

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO),successfully executed the SpaDeX docking experiment making India the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China this historic feat.

Important points:

• The two satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) which were launched by the PSLV C60 on December 30, 2024, successfully docked .

• The SpaDeX mission is an important project by ISRO which is designed to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking using two small satellites.

Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay new chief justice of Delhi High Court

Tags: Person in news

Why in the news?

• Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, was on Tuesday (January 14, 2025) appointed as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.

Important points:

• Justice Vibhu Bakhru is currently serving as acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court after Justice Manohan was elevated to the Supreme Court.
• Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya on 21 January , 2025 took oath as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. 
• Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena administered the oath to the judge at a ceremony in Raj Niwas.
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