1. India-Kazakhstan joint military exercise "KAZIND - 2022" to begin in Umroi, Meghalaya
Tags: Defence National News
The 6th Edition of Indo - Kazakhstan joint training exercise “KAZIND-22” is scheduled to be conducted at Umroi, Meghalaya from 15 to 28 December 2022.
Important facts
Troops of the Kazakhstan Army, including troops from the regional command, 11 Gorkha Rifles and troops from the Indian Army will participate in the exercise.
Aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and promote the ability to operate together while undertaking counter terrorist operations in semi urban / jungle scenario, under a UN peace enforcement mandate.
This joint exercise will enable the two armies to train, plan and execute a series of combined tactical drills for neutralising of likely threats that may be encountered in UN peacekeeping operations.
The scope of this exercise involves a Command Post Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level and Company level Field Training Exercise (FTX) on sub-conventional operations.
During the exercise, participants will engage in a variety of missions ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, basics of special arms skills, HADR and raiding a hostile target.
About exercise “KAZIND"
Joint annual training exercise with the Kazakhstan Army was instituted in 2016 as Exercise Prabal Dostyk, which was later upgraded to a company level exercise and renamed as Ex Kazind in 2018.
2. US announces historic nuclear fusion breakthrough
Tags: Science and Technology International News
US researchers announced a historic nuclear fusion breakthrough on December 13, marking a "landmark achievement" toward a source of unlimited, clean energy and an end to dependence on fossil fuels.
Important facts
This breakthrough in nuclear fusion could bring unlimited clean energy and could help in the fight against climate change.
For the first time in history, American scientists have carried out a nuclear fusion reaction at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, USA, due to which pure energy (carbon free energy) was produced just like the Sun.
According to scientists, if everything goes right, America's dependence on fossil energy like gas, petrol and diesel can be reduced.
What is Nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is the process by which two light atomic nuclei combine to form a single heavier one while releasing massive amounts of energy.
It is the process that powers the Sun and other stars. This light works by taking pairs of atoms and forcing them together and generates enormous amounts of energy.
3. Rajeev Chandrasekhar attends the India Global Forum at Dubai
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits International News
Union Minister of state for Electronics and Information Technology, Rajeev Chandrasekhar attended the India Global Forum at Dubai on 13-15 December, 2022.
Important facts
He attended the ministerial roundtable – globalization of Indian tech and innovation talent.
He put forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on creating reliable corridors of technologies and innovation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision is to build credible corridors for technologies and innovation with various countries in collaboration with young Indian innovators.
The objective of these discussions is to assess avenues of collaborations with entrepreneurs who are aspirational of expanding their footprint in India.
About India Global Forum
It is the agenda-setting forum for international business and global leaders.
It selects platforms that international corporate and policy makers can leverage to interact with stakeholders in their sectors and geographies of strategic importance.
4. G-20 finance and central bank representatives meeting held in Bengaluru
Tags: Economy/Finance Summits National News
The first G-20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies meeting and the first Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting began in Bengaluru on 13 December.
Important facts
The Bank Governors meeting began in Bengaluru on 13 December.
The three-day meeting, which will mark the beginning of discussions on the 'Finance Track' agenda under India's G20 chairmanship, will be jointly organised by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.
There will be 40 such meetings on Finance across the country.
The first Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting will be held between February 23-25, 2023 in Bengaluru.
What is the G20 Finance Track?
It is led by the finance ministers and central bank governors of the G20 countries and focuses on economic and financial issues.
It provides an effective forum for global economic discourse and policy coordination.
The G20 Finance Track discusses key issues of relevance for the global economy, encompassing the global economic outlook, the international financial architecture, infrastructure development and financing, sustainable finance, global health, international taxation and financial sector issues, including financial inclusion.
Discussions in the Bengaluru meeting will focus on the agenda of the finance track under India's G20 chairmanship.
During the meeting, a panel discussion on 'Strengthening Multilateral Development Banks to Address the Common Global Challenges of the 21st Century' will be held.
A seminar on the 'Role of Central Banks in Green Financing' will also be held.
5. UIDAI topped the Grievance Redressal Index for the fourth consecutive month in November
Tags: National News
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has once again secured the first rank among all Group A Ministries, Departments and Autonomous Bodies for resolution of public grievances in the ranking report published by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) for November 2022.
Important facts
This is the fourth month in a row when UIDAI has topped the said rankings.
UIDAI's new open-source CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is enhancing user experience and improving service delivery to residents.
This system has the capability to support multiple channels like phone call, e-mail, chatbot, web portal, social media, letter, and walk-in through which the grievances can be registered, tracked and resolved effectively.
Through this new CRM system, UIDAI has moved towards a centralised complaint management system.
UIDAI Headquarters and its Regional Offices (ROs) are using a common platform for resolution of CRM cases through various channels.
UIDAI’s ‘Aadhaar Mitra’
UIDAI's newly launched Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI-ML) based chatbot, 'Aadhaar Mitra' is gaining popularity among the residents.
Around 30,000 conversations are happening on "Aadhaar Mitra" on a daily basis and it is expected to cross the 50,000 mark soon.
The new chatbot has advanced features like - Check Aadhaar Enrolment/Update Status, Track Aadhaar PVC Card Status, Enrollment Center Location Information etc.
Residents can even register their grievances and track them using Aadhaar Mitra.
"Aadhaar Mitra" is available in both English and Hindi languages.
UIDAI is constantly working to facilitate “ease of living” for residents.
UIDAI
The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is a statutory authority established under the provisions of the Aadhaar Act, 2016.
The UIDAI is mandated to assign a 12-digit unique identification (UID) number (Aadhaar) to all the residents of India.
6. Four day Meeting of G20 Development Working Group under India's Presidency begins in Mumbai
Tags: National Summits National News
The G20 Development Working Group (DWG) under India's Presidency began in Mumbai on 13 December.
Important facts
The meeting will take place in Mumbai on 13-16 December. G20 Members, guest countries and invited international organisations would be attending the meeting in person.
India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant addressed the delegates at the inaugural session.
He said, the Government of India has tried to bring better data governance and has launched several initiatives like Data Governance Quality Index.
The group is part of the G20’s sherpa track and is one of the first working groups to be created in 2010.
The Indian presidency will hold two events - “Data for Development: Role of G20 in advancing the 2030 Agenda" and “Infusing new LiFE into Green Development" - before the official meeting of the working group.
Review of SDG progress and G20’s efforts to achieve the SDG targets would be discussed at the DWG meeting.
In the context of green development, focus areas would include climate finance and technology, as well as just energy transitions for developing countries.
With a human-centred approach to technology, tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from agriculture to education will also be discussed.
The meeting will highlight women's empowerment and representation including efforts to bring women forward and in key positions to promote socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs.
7. Four day Meeting of G20 Development Working Group under India's Presidency begins in Mumbai
Tags: National Summits National News
The G20 Development Working Group (DWG) under India's Presidency began in Mumbai on 13 December.
Important facts
The meeting will take place in Mumbai on 13-16 December. G20 Members, guest countries and invited international organisations would be attending the meeting in person.
India's G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant addressed the delegates at the inaugural session.
He said, the Government of India has tried to bring better data governance and has launched several initiatives like Data Governance Quality Index.
The group is part of the G20’s sherpa track and is one of the first working groups to be created in 2010.
The Indian presidency will hold two events - “Data for Development: Role of G20 in advancing the 2030 Agenda" and “Infusing new LiFE into Green Development" - before the official meeting of the working group.
Review of SDG progress and G20’s efforts to achieve the SDG targets would be discussed at the DWG meeting.
In the context of green development, focus areas would include climate finance and technology, as well as just energy transitions for developing countries.
With a human-centred approach to technology, tech-enabled development in sectors ranging from agriculture to education will also be discussed.
The meeting will highlight women's empowerment and representation including efforts to bring women forward and in key positions to promote socio-economic development and achievement of SDGs.
8. Ministry of Power to celebrate “Energy Conservation Day 2022”
Tags: Important Days National News
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Ministry of Power to celebrate “Energy Conservation Day 2022” on the occasion of the National Energy Conservation Day on 14th December 2022. The purpose is to showcase the achievements of the nation in energy efficiency and conservation.
Important facts
Droupadi Murmu, Hon’ble President of India will be the Chief Guest of the event. R. K. Singh, Union Minister of Power, New & Renewable Energy will address the event.
Hon'ble President of India will felicitate the winners of National Energy Conservation Awards, National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards, National Painting Competition Awards and also launch the EV Travel Portal on the occasion.
Major attractions of the event
National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2022
National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) 2022
National painting competition for school children 2022
Launch of ‘EV-Yatra portal’ and mobile app
Session on emerging new technologies in the area of energy efficiency
EV-YATRA PORTAL and Mobile App
The Mobile application titled “EV Yatra” has been designed and developed to facilitate in-vehicle navigation to the nearest public EV charger.
This mobile application can be easily downloaded from Google Play Store and Apple Store on Android and iPhone smartphones.
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has developed this mobile application to facilitate in-vehicle navigation.
9. Govt blocked Pakistan-based OTT app for showing anti-India content
Tags: National News
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has blocked Pakistan-based OTT Platform Vidly TV and four social media accounts for displaying anti-India content on 12 December.
Important facts
Utilising emergency powers under IT Rules 2021, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry issued directions to block the website, two mobile applications, four social media accounts, and one smart TV app of Pakistan-based OTT platform Vidly TV.
Vidly TV recently released a web series - 'Sevak: The Confessions'.
The web series was found to be "prejudicial to national security, sovereignty and integrity of India, India's friendly relations with foreign states and public order".
Three episodes of the web series have been released.
Its first episode was aired on 26 November, the anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, and the content shows a "distorted version of sensitive historical events relating to India".
The web series portrayed anti-India narrative on sensitive topics like Operation Bluestar, demolition of Babri Masjid, murder of Christian missionary Graham Staines, Malegaon blast, Samjhauta Express blast, and inter-state river water dispute.
In September, the broadcasting ministry directed YouTube to remove 45 videos from 10 of its channels.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister - Anurag Singh Thakur
10. India, Poland hold 10th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Warsaw
Tags: International Relations International News
India and Poland held the 10th round of Foreign Office Consultations in Warsaw on December 12.
Important facts
During the meeting, the two sides discussed regional and international issues, including developments in the Indo-Pacific, India's neighbourhood, the Ukraine conflict, cooperation in multilateral fora including the United Nations, and United Nations Security Council reforms.
During the meeting, India and Poland identified agriculture, food processing, information technology and green transformation as areas of interest to further enhance bilateral ties.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the discussions at the sixth round of the India-Poland Joint Commission Meeting on Economic Cooperation to be held in October 2022.
The Indian side in the meeting was led by Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs.
Both countries agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations on mutually convenient dates in New Delhi.
Bilateral Trade
The two nations noted the potential of bilateral trade and investment ties.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the bilateral trade between India and Poland has witnessed steady growth in recent years and it stood at USD 4.3 billion in 2021.
Indian companies have invested over USD 3 billion in Poland while Polish investments in India stand at USD 700 million.
About Poland
Prime Minister - Mateusz Morawiecki
President - Andrzej Duda
Capital - Warsaw
Currency - Polish zloty
