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By admin: Nov. 18, 2022

Manika Batra becomes 1st Indian woman to reach semifinals of Asian Cup Table Tennis tournament

Tags: Sports Sports News

Ace Indian paddler Manika Batra on 18 November, 2022 became the first Indian woman to reach the semifinals of the Asian Cup Table Tennis tournament. 

Important facts

• She registered a hard-fought win over world No. 23 Chen Tzu Yu of Chinese Taipei in Bangkok, Thailand.

• World number 44 Manika beat Chen 4-3 (6-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9) in the women's singles quarterfinals.

• She takes on Japan’s Mima Ito in the semifinals on 19 November.

• Former men’s singles player Chetan Baboor is the only Indian table tennis player to win a medal at the Asian Cup. He won silver in 1997 and bronze in 2000.

• In men's singles, world number 39 Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and India's national champion Sharath Kamal, ranked number 44, suffered early exits.

Asian Cup Table Tennis Tournament

• It is an annual table tennis competition held by the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) and the Asian Table Tennis Union (ATTU).

• Its first edition was organized in 1983. The competition consists of men's and women's singles events, with 16 players qualifying to compete in each event.

• It is a qualification event for the World Cup.

India participates in ‘4th meeting of Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan’ held in Russia

Tags: place in news Summits International News

India participated in the fourth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan held in Moscow on 16 November 2022. Special Envoys and Senior Officials from Russia, China, Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan also participated in the meeting.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, the participants discussed issues related to Afghanistan. These include the current humanitarian situation and the ongoing efforts of various stakeholders to provide assistance, intra-Afghan talks, formation of an inclusive and representative government, efforts to counter threats of terrorism and ensuring regional security.

Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan

The Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, launched in 2017, is a regional platform on Afghanistan involving the special envoys of Russia, Afghanistan, India, Iran, China, and Pakistan.

 Its mandate is to facilitate political reconciliation between the then-internationally backed Kabul government and the Taliban, establish peace, and ensure regional security.

Russia and Ukraine agree to further extend the Black Sea grain deal by four months

Tags: Russia-Ukraine International News

Russia and Ukraine have agreed to extend the Black sea grain deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkiye by another 120 days. The agreement which was originally signed on 22 July 2022 was set to expire on 19 November 2022. The deal allows grain exports from the designated Ukrainian Black Sea port through a safe corridor in the Black Sea.

The agreement was reached between Russia, Ukraine, Turkiye and the United Nations at Istanbul, Turkiye. 

The deal faced its first major crisis when Russia announced that it was suspending the agreement on 29 October 2022 after Ukraine attacked the Russian Black Sea Fleet near Sevastopol. However later Russia agreed to continue the deal.

The deal will continue with the existing provisions. Ships will carry grain from three Ukrainian ports of Chornomorsk, Odesa and Yuzhny .They will travel through the humanitarian corridor set up in the Black Sea and stop in Istanbul for inspection before continuing to the final destination.

The grain deal is vital for many African countries as they face crop failure due to weather extremes and internal conflicts. The nations that will benefit from the deal include Egypt , Djibouti, Somalia and Sudan Senegal, Rwanda, Congo, Libya, Tanzania and Namibia.

Manipur tops the medal table as the 2nd edition of North East Olympic Games concludes in Shillong

Tags: place in news Sports

The 2nd Edition of the North East Olympics games concluded on 16 November 2022 at the Meghalaya’s capital Shillong. The week-long (10-16 November) Olympic Games was dominated by the North East sports powerhouse Manipur.

The Games was organised by the government of Meghalaya and the state Olympic Association under the aegis of Northeast Olympic Association. 

Arunachal Pradesh was to host the second edition of the Games in 2019 but there was a change of plan following the Covid-19 pandemic and Shillong was named the host city.

The first North East Olympics games was held in Manipur in 2018 and the third edition will be held in Nagaland.

Final Medal position 

Manipur emerged as the overall team champion with a total of 240 medals which included 88 gold medals, 75 silver and 77 bronze medals.

Assam took the second spot with a total of 203 medals which included 79 gold medals, 61 silver and 63 bronze medals.

Arunachal Pradesh got the third spot from the host State with a total of 112 medals which included 39 gold, 36 silver and 37 bronze medals.  

Meghalaya was at the 4th spot followed by Nagaland at the 5th, Mizoram at 6th, Tripura at 7th and Sikkim was at the last position.

In this one week long edition of the sporting event, about 3000 participants from all around the North East states competed in 18 disciplines like football, shooting, basketball and others at 12 venues spread across Shillong. 

PM Modi to inaugurate Arunachal Pradesh’s first Greenfield airport Donyi Polo Airport

Tags: Environment Economy/Finance State News

In an aim to boost connectivity in the North East, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the first Greenfield airport built in Arunachal Pradesh on 19 November 2022. The newly constructed Donyi Polo Airport was opened at Hollangi, Itanagar on 19th November. The foundation stone for this airport was laid by PM Modi himself in February, 2019. 

About the Donyi Polo Airport

 This is the first Greenfield airport in Arunachal Pradesh developed by the Airport Authority of India at a cost of around Rs 650 crore. Green field means that it is newly constructed.  

This will also be the third airport in Arunachal Pradesh after the Zero Airport and Tezu airport.  

The airport has been designed to support the operations of an A-320 aircraft.

According to the Prime Minister Office (PMO) the name of the airport reflects the traditions and rich cultural heritage of Arunachal Pradesh and its age-old indigenous reverence for the Sun (‘Donyi’) and the Moon (‘Polo’).

Airport in North Eastern Region 

According to the Prime Minister Office after Independence only 9 airports were built in the region till 2014. However in the last 8 years the present government has built 7 new airports in the region. 

With the Donyi Polo Airport becoming operational the total airports  in North East will be 16.

According to the PMO, aircraft movement in the North-East has also witnessed an increase by 113% since 2014, from 852 per week in 2014 to 1817 per week in 2022.

PM to inaugurate the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station

During his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister will also dedicate 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station to the nation. The station has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 8450 crore and is located in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh.

Kameng Hydro Power Station is a run-of-the river scheme to harness the hydro power of Bichom and Tenga Rivers (both tributaries of the River Kameng). The Power Station has two dams, one at Bichom & the other at Tenga.

The project has been developed by North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited,(NEEPCO ltd), a wholly owned Subsidiary company of NTPC ltd.

Run of the River project

In the run of the river project, reservoirs are not built for water storage purposes and the natural flow of water from a height is used to run micro turbines to produce electricity.

Arunachal Pradesh 

It is the easternmost region of India. It is also called ‘Land of the Dawn-lit-Mountains’ or land of rising sun.

It was earlier called as North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) and it was renamed as Arunachal Pradesh in 1972. It was a Union Territory.

It became a state on 20 February 1987.

Governor of the State: Brig BD Mishra (Retd) 

Chief Minister: Pema Khandu

Capital: Itanagar 

Indians no longer need police clearance for Saudi Arabia visas

Tags: National International News

The Saudi Arabian embassy in India has announced that it will exempt  Indian nationals from submitting a police clearance certificate (PCC) while applying to travel to the country. Over two million Indian citizens live in Saudi Arabia. The new rule would make visa application processing faster and easier for the Indians visiting Saudi Arabia.

According to the Saudi embassy this decision was taken as a part of the efforts of the two countries to further strengthen their relations.

A police clearance certificate is a document that Indian nationals willing to go abroad for employment, residential status, or long-term visa need to apply for if required by the visa of the destination country. The document helps in knowing the criminal record of the person.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia is a West Asian kingdom founded by Ibn Saud in 1923. The country is known for its oil and Islam.

• According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2020, Saudi Arabia has the world’s 2nd largest oil reserves in the world after Venezuela.
• At present it is the world's largest exporter of crude oil. 
•  It has two of the holiest shrine of Islam, Mecca and Medina mosque
• The world's largest mosque Al-Haram or forbidden mosques is in Mecca.
• The world's second largest mosque, Mosque of the Prophet, or Masjid al-Nabawi is in Medina. 
• The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) headquarters is also in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
• The world’s largest sand area, the Rub al-Khali (“Empty Quarter”) which is spread around 647,500 square km, is also in Saudi Arabia.

Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh 

Currency: Saudi Riyal 

King of Saudi Arabia: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud 

Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia: Mohammed bin Salman

20th National Maritime Search & Rescue Board meeting of the Coast Guard held in Gujarat

Tags: place in news Defence

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) conducted the 20th National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board meeting at Kevadia, Gujarat on November 18, 2022. The apex level meeting was chaired by Director General of the Coast Guard VS Pathania who is also the Chairman of NMSAR Board.

During the meeting, Shri VS Pathania launched the National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan-2022. It serves as a policy document for all the participating agencies & stakeholders for directing an integrated and coordinated approach towards the functioning of the M-SAR system.

The NMSAR Board, comprising 31 members from various central ministries/agencies, members of the Armed Forces, all Coastal States & Union Territories, meets annually to discuss policy issues, formulate guidelines & procedures, and assess the efficacy of National Maritime Search and Rescue Plan and services for mariners and fishermen in the vast 4.6 million sq km of Indian Search and Rescue Region (ISRR).

The Indian Coast Guard which comes under the Union Ministry of Defence and Its main role is to prevent seaborne smuggling of goods, to ensure the safety and protection of the islands, and to provide protection and assistance to the Indian fishermen and mariners at the high seas.

5th Naturopathy Day celebrated across the nation

Tags: National Important Days

Every year Naturopathy Day is observed on 18th November to popularize and make people aware about the benefits of Naturopathy.

Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. It embraces many therapies, including herbs, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional counselling. 

The term Naturopathy was used by John Scheel of Germany in 1895 but it was and was popularized by Benedict Lust. Benedict Lust is known as the father of modern-day Naturopathy.

Background to the Day 

It was on this day that Mahatma Gandhi founded the All India Nature Cure Foundation trust on November 18, 1945. Gandhi ji is considered the founding figure of Naturopathy in India, as it was largely through his efforts that this practice became popular in India.

The first Naturopathy day was observed in India on 18 November 2018,

Naturopathy Day 2022

The main event was organized at the National Institute of Naturopathy, Pune. On the occasion a special cover envelope was released to commemorate the 5th Naturopathy Day. 

Gandhi memento was given to the cycle rallies participants, which originated from New Delhi, Wardha and Hyderabad and converging at Pune. Certificates were given to the Startup Yoga Challenge winners. Students from more than 25 colleges participated in the event with faculties. The program concluded with Mallkhambh presentation. 

Theme of the Naturopathy Day 2022

The theme of the Naturopathy day 2022 was: Naturopathy: An Integrative Medicine.

APEC summit disrupted in Bangkok due to North Korean ICBM test

Tags: Summits International News

The 29th summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) being held in Bangkok, Thailand was briefly interrupted on 18 November 2022 as they condemned the North Korea  for its fresh test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). ICBM is a land based nuclear capable ballistic missile with a range of 5,600 Km or more.

The two-day (18 & 19 November) summit meeting was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of Thailand Prayuth Chan-ocha on 18 November 2022.

The U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris called an emergency gathering of leaders from Australia, Japan, South Korea, Canada and New Zealand on the sidelines of the summit after North Korea carried out the missile test just an hour before its inauguration.

This is the third summit level meeting in the Asia Pacific region within a month after the East Asia Summit in Cambodia and G-20 summit at  Bali, Indonesia.

 Russia is a member of both G20 and APEC but President Vladimir Putin has stayed away from the summits. First Deputy Prime Minister Andrei Belousov is representing him at APEC.

The next Summit meeting will be held in the United States of America in 2023.

India is not a member of APEC.

Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a regional economic forum with 21 member economies across Asia-Pacific region.

It was set up in 1989 to promote regional economic integration under a non-legally binding manner and friendly environment.

APEC group countries account for 38% of the global population, 62% of world’s gross domestic product and 48% of the world trade.

21 Member of APEC are:

Australia; Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand,  Philippines, Singapore, Thailand; United States, China; Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei(Taiwan), Mexico ,Papua New Guinea ,Chile , Peru; Russia; and Vietnam.

Headquarters: Singapore 

India fastest growing market for Microsoft owned professional networking site LinkedIn

Tags: Economy/Finance International News

The Microsoft owned business networking service company LinkedIn Chief Executive Officer Ryan Roslansky has said that India has become LinkedIn’s fastest-growing market as more and more companies and advertisers come online, with sales in the country rising at a 50% year-on-year .

He was speaking at the sidelines of the Bloomberg New Economy Forum meeting in Singapore. 

He said that LinkedIn is looking for new business opportunities outside the United States as the economic situation in the United States is expected to become worse. 

The majority of LinkedIn’s growth is happening outside of the United States, he said, adding that new members are joining the networking site in markets such as India, Indonesia and Western Europe.

LinkedIn is a social network of professionals designed to help people make business connections, share their experiences and resumes, and find jobs. 

Paralympics-IPC suspends Russian, Belarusian committees with immediate effect

Tags: Sports Sports News International News

The International Paralympic Committee has suspended the National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) of Russia and Belarus with immediate effect on November 17, 2022, dashing the hopes of para-athletes competing in the 2024 Paralympics.

Important facts

• Earlier athletes from both countries were barred from competing in the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics in March.

• Russia's suspension was passed by 64 votes against 39 at the IPC's Extraordinary General Assembly in Berlin.

• The suspension of the NPC of Belarus passed by 54 votes against 45.

• Both NPCs have been suspended for "inability to comply with their membership obligations under the IPC constitution".

• Due to the suspension, NPC Russia and NPC Belarus lose all rights and privileges of IPC membership, as per the IPC constitution.

• The Russian team was also banned from the Rio Paralympics in 2016 over doping.

• NPC Russia and NPC Belarus have the right to appeal against this decision.

About International Paralympic Committee

• It was established on 22 September 1989 as an international non-profit organisation.

• It is an athlete-centred organisation composed of an elected Governing Board, a Management Team and various Standing Committees and Councils.

• Its objective is to enable Paralympic athletes to achieve sporting excellence and to inspire and excite the world.

• Headquartered - Bonn, Germany

• President - Andrew Parsons

International Gita Mahotsav to be organised in Kurukshetra, Haryana

Tags: Festivals State News

International Gita Mahotsav will be held from November 19 to December 6, 2022 in Kurukshetra, Haryana.

Important facts

• President Draupadi Murmu will formally inaugurate the main programs at the Geeta Yagya at Brahma Sarovar in Kurukshetra on November 29.

• She will also inaugurate a three-day International Gita Seminar at Kurukshetra University on the same day.

• In this seminar, renowned international and national scholars of Shrimadbhagwadgita and researchers from India and abroad will present their research papers on 'world peace and harmony'.

• Saras and Craft Mela will also be organized from 19th November to 6th December.

• Sculptors from across the country have created 21 special stone sculptures based on Mahabharata and Gita. Various artisans will display their talents in this.

• A special pavilion has been set up by the Government of Madhya Pradesh at Purushottampura Bagh, Brahmasarovar, which highlights the culture, crafts and food of the state.

• 'Gita Sthali' Kurukshetra is a confluence of faith and tourism. Recently the grand form of Lord Krishna was unveiled at Jyotisar.

About International Gita Mahotsav

• Haryana Government has been celebrating Gita Mahotsav festival since the year 1989 in Kurukshetra town in collaboration with Kurukshetra Development Board.

• In the year 2016, the Haryana government decided to celebrate the festival of Gita Jayanti as International Gita Mahotsav.

• Thereafter, in the years 2017, 2018 and 2019, International Gita Mahotsav was organised in Kurukshetra.

• In this festival of the year 2022, Nepal will be the partner country and Madhya Pradesh will be the partner state.

About Kurukshetra

• Kurukshetra is a city and administrative headquarter of Kurukshetra district in the Indian state of Haryana. 

• It is also known as 'Dharmakshetra' and as the "Land of the Bhagavad Gita".

• It is believed that the Kurukshetra war of Mahabharata took place here.

• Thaneshwar whose urban area is merged with Kurukshetra is a pilgrimage center with many places said to be related to the Mahabharata.

India's first privately built rocket, Vikram-S, launched by ISRO

Tags: Science and Technology

India's first ever private  Vikram-S (Suborbital) rocket was launched on 18 November from  the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

Important facts

• The rocket reached an altitude of 89.5 km with three payloads weighing a total of 83 kilograms.

• Vikram-S, designed by Skyroot Aerospace as a tribute to the father of the country's space programme, Vikram Sarabhai, successfully completed its maiden mission.

• Skyroot Aerospace has become the first privately owned rocket manufacturing company in India after the Center opened up the space sector to private players in 2020.

• This first mission of Skyroot Aerospace has been named 'Prarambh'.

• The rocket after taking off from Sriharikota splashed down safely in the waters of the Bay of Bengal, about 115 km away.

• Two indigenous and one foreign payloads are also going on this rocket. This six metre high rocket is the world's first all composite rocket. It has 3D-pretended solids to handle its spin capability.

• Through this rocket, avionics, telemetry, tracking, inertial measurement, global positioning system, onboard camera, data acquisition and power system will be tested.

• It is a sub-orbital flight carrying satellites from Chennai-based space startup SpaceKidz, Andhra Pradesh-based N-SpaceTech and Armenia's BazoomQ Space Research Lab.

Google to nurture local startups in Karnataka

Tags: Economy/Finance State News

Tech giant Google has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka government on 17 November 2022   to promote local startups across the state and create new opportunities through digital skilling initiatives.  The Indian start-up ecosystem is the world’s third largest such ecosystem, with Karnataka being the start-up hub of India.

Google will collaborate with the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS) to offer women-led founders and startups across tier 2 and tier 3 cities access to essential training, partners, and expertise on Google’s suite of tools and technologies.

The company will also organise knowledge and mentorship sessions in areas such as cloud, user experience, Android, web, product strategy, leadership and marketing to help these founders with growth, monetisation and tech skills.

Google will equip teachers in local schools with essential training to teach students the necessary skills to promote the fundamentals of online safety and digital citizenship through an interactive curriculum as part of the company's ‘Be Internet Awesome’ programme.

Google’s Startup Mentorship initiative in India 

According to Google, it has mentored over 1,500 startups that have collectively raised over $2 billion and created over 12,000 jobs. Through its Startup accelerator, the company says it has nurtured 116 startups across six batches since 2015.

In June 2022, the tech giant launched a dedicated Startup accelerator programme for women founders, designed to address challenges that are unique to their experience, including fundraising, hiring and many others.

It has also launched a virtual Startup mentoring programme called Startup School India in July 2022, aimed at nurturing 10,000 startups in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

Google 

It was formed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998.  In 2015, Google was reorganized as a wholly owned subsidiary of Alphabet Company.

It is an American multinational technology company that focuses on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics.

Chief Executive Officer:  Sundar Pichai

 Global Headquarters: California, United States of America 

Google India Headquarters: Hyderabad 

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain to end 2022 as the youngest ever world No. 1 ATP Player

Tags: Sports Person in news

Carlos Alcaraz of Spain has become the youngest person to be ranked  No.1 on the  ATP (Association of Tennis Professional ) ranking since the .ATP  started the ranking system in 1973  He will be 19 years, 214 days on December 5, the 2022 year-end ranking date. He has broken the record held by Lleyton Hewitt of Australia who was 20 years, 275 days of age in 2001.

Carlos Alcaraz started the 2022 year as the 32nd ranked player on ATP ranking. This year he became the second youngest male player to win the US open Grand Slam title after Pete Sampras.

He becomes the first player outside of the Big Four of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal to top the final rankings since Andy Roddick in 2003.

Association of Tennis Professional (ATP)

It was set up in 1972 as a body of the Men’s professional Tennis players. .

It conducts various tournaments for professional men’s tennis players worldwide.

It organises three types of tournaments or tours based on their importance.

The top ranked events are included in the ATP tour. The second ranked events are organised as the ATP Challenger Tour and its third ranked tournament are called the ITF Men’s Tennis tour.

It Introduced the ranking system for players in 1973 and the first no.1 ranked player was   Ilie Nastase of Romania.

In 2021 the no.1 ranked player was Serbian Novak Djokovic. 

The Headquarters of ATP is in London, United Kingdom.

CEO of ATP: Massimo Calvelli

India wins Excellence in Family Planning Leadership (EXCELL) Award-2022

Tags: Awards International News

India is the only country to have received the Leadership in Family Planning (EXCELL) Awards-2022 in the 'country category' at the International Conference on Family Planning held in Pattaya city, Thailand.

Important facts

• India has made significant progress in adopting modern contraceptive methods, which have helped couples make choices about family planning.

• These are reflected in the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) - 5 data.

• As per NFHS-5 data, the total contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) in the country has increased from 54 per cent to 67 per cent as compared to NFHS-4.

• Similarly, unmet needs for family planning showed a significant decline from 13 percent to 9 percent.

International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP)

• It serves as a strategy for family planning and reproductive health worldwide.

• It is the world’s largest scientific conference on family planning and reproductive health. 

• The last conference was held in 2018 at Kigali, Rwanda.

• After 2009, this conference organised every two years.

• The first conference was held in Kampala, Uganda, in 2009.

• It provides an opportunity to engage with civil society, youth organisations, academia, governments, businesses, cities, parliaments, trade unions to disseminate knowledge, celebrate successes and recognize progress made towards universal access to family planning systems, services and products.

Army Chief General Manoj Pandey received guard of honour at Les Invalides in Paris

Tags: International Relations Defence International News

Army Chief General Manoj Pande who is on a four-day visit to France, received a Guard of Honour at the Les Invalides in Paris on 17 November, 2022.

Important facts

• General Manoj Pande held talks with his French counterpart General Pierre Schille and discussed issues of mutual interest during his visit to the European country.

• The Chief of Army Staff is on a visit to France from 14 to 17 November.

• Gen Pande left for France on November 14 on a four-day visit with an aim to further strengthen the "bond of trust" between the Indian and French armies amid the rapidly evolving security matrix and geopolitical situation.

• General Pande held extensive talks with the top military brass of France including the Chief of the Defence Staff, the Chief of the Army Staff and the Commander of the Land Combat Forces. 

About France

• France is located on the western edge of Europe

• Prime minister: Élisabeth Borne

• President: Emmanuel Macron

• Capital: Paris

• Currency: euro

MoU signed for exhibition of “Silver Treasures from Denmark and India” in the year 2023

Tags: International News

An MoU was signed between the National Museum, New Delhi and the Danish Museum Kolding for the exhibition “Silver Treasures from Denmark and India” on 17th November, 2022 in New Delhi.

Important facts

• The exhibition will showcase the finest collection of silver from Museum Kolding and National Museum in New Delhi in March 2023.

• The collaboration and exhibition is under the recently agreed Cultural Exchange Program between India and Denmark for the years 2022 to 2026.

• The exhibition "Silver Treasures from Denmark and India" focuses on Danish and Indian silver artefacts, where both the museums will showcase the best silver items from their collections.

• A total of 200 best displayed items will be selected in the exhibition.

• For the first time, visitors to the National Museum will be able to see the parallel traditions of Indian and Danish silverware.

Major Museums of India

• National Museum, New Delhi

• National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru

• Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

• Asiatic Society, Kolkata

• National Museum of Natural History, New Delhi

About Denmark

• Denmark is a country in northern Europe. It is made up of the Jutland Peninsula and more than 400 islands in the North Sea.

• Prime Minister: Mette Frederiksen

• Capital: Copenhagen

• Currency: Danish krone

• Danish Monarch: Queen Margrethe II

• Official Language: Danish

India, Australia convene fifth bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue in New Delhi

Tags: International Relations International News

India and Australia held their fifth bilateral cyber policy dialogue on November 17, 2022 in New Delhi.

Important facts

• The Cyber Policy Dialogue was held under the aegis of the India-Australia Framework on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation and Action Plan 2020-2025 for Comprehensive and Deepening Cyber Cooperation.

• The dialogue was co-chaired by Joint Secretary (Cyber Diplomacy Division) Muanpuii Saiawi from the Ministry of External Affairs.

• The Indian delegation consisted of senior officials from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Electronics and Information technology (MEITY), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and CERT-In.

• The Australian delegation included senior officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources and the Australian Federal Police.

• Both sides agreed to explore opportunities for collaboration with the private sector and academia, including the Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership.

• In addition, India and Australia will jointly organise a Cyber Bootcamp and Cyber and Tech Policy Exchange in collaboration with Indo-Pacific partners and the 6th India-Australia Cyber Policy Dialogue will be held in 2023.

Agenda of Dialogue

• The Cyber Policy Dialogue provides a bilateral forum to discuss high-profile issues of mutual interest.

• It discussed strategic priorities, cyber threat assessment, capacity building for next generation telecommunications (including 5G technology) and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, and the latest developments in cyber at the United Nations.

About Australia

• Prime Minister: Anthony Albanese

• Governor-General: David Hurley

• Capital: Canberra

• Currency: Australian dollar

8th Norway-India Joint Working Group Maritime meeting

Tags: International News

8th India-Norway Joint Working Group Maritime meeting was held on18th November,2022 in Mumbai. 

Important facts

• In the meeting discussion was held on use of alternative fuels like green ammonia and hydrogen for futuristic shipping. 

• Important discussions took place on Norway-India cooperation on a green maritime future. Both the countries presented their vision and plans for the Green Sea Zone.

• Additional Secretary Ministry of Ports,Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) highlighted that the maritime trade with Norway dates back since 1600.

• Norway has technical expertise in the maritime sector and India has maritime sector development capabilities and a large pool of trained seafarers, making the two countries natural complementary partners.

• India is part of the Norway Green Voyage 2050 project, both sides agreed on the will, dedication, partnership and capacity building to achieve common goals.

• India is a signatory to the Hong Kong Convention for the Recycling of Ships.

• Minister of Ports,Shipping and Waterways - Sarbananda Sonowal

India-Norway Joint Working Group

• India-Norway Joint Working Group (JWG) on Maritime meetings are being held on a regular basis.

• The 7th JWG on Maritime was held in Oslo (Norway) in November, 2019. 

• During the 7th meeting issues related to cooperation in shipbuilding, enhancement of skill of seafarers and environment friendly ships were discussed.

• Kingdom of Norway
  It is a Northern European country and lies in the Scandinavian Peninsula. Scandinavian islands consist of Norway and Sweden.
  It is one of the largest exporters of crude oil and natural gas in the world .It has significant oil and gas reserves in North Sea.
  Prime Minister: Jonas Gahr Støre
  Capital: Oslo
  Currency: Norwegian krone

Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurates Geo Smart India 2022 Summit in Hyderabad

Tags: Summits National News

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated the Geo Smart India 2022 Summit in Hyderabad on 15 November, 2022. 

Important facts

• He said the country is leading the way in socio-economic prosperity driven by state-of-the-art technology and innovation.

• He said the country is moving towards an era of sustainable development from the grassroots level and aims to eradicate poverty, combat climate change and improve business and living standards.

• He said that the government has issued guidelines to pave the way for the use of geospatial data in various sectors of the economy.

• He said that the country is facing a severe water crisis which is becoming an important issue and the government has taken several steps to solve the issue.

• The three-day summit was attended by around 2500 delegates from around 500 government, private, organisations working on geospatial technology and so on.

About Geo Smart India Summit

• GeoSmart India is the largest conference of Geospatial experts across the globe.

• It is an interactive and collaborative platform that reflects the collective and shared vision of the Indian geospatial community.

• The conference showcases how geospatial and emerging technologies can have a disruptive impact on Indian businesses.

• It also serves as a meeting place for global businesses to understand the ease of doing business in India by connecting with relevant authorities and potential business partners across sectors.