GS- 2nd Paper
Topic– Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
SCO Joint Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue Exercise (SCOJTEX)-2019
Context
Union Minister of Home Affairs inaugurated the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue (SCOJtEx-2019) at Dr. Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi.
About
- India is hosting 10th meeting of Heads of Departments of disaster prevention of SCO member states.
- National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) under the aegis of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search & Rescue (SCOJTEX)-2019.
- SCOJTEX-2019 is being organized in two phases in Delhi and NCR.
Participants
- There will be participants from all eight SCO member countries — China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
- Representatives from the International Search & Rescue Advisory Group, Asian Coordination Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, Brazil, Mongolia and South Africa have been invited as observers.
Objectives of the SCOJTEX-2019
- The main focus of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Joint Exercise on Urban Earthquake Search and Rescue (SCOJtEx) will be to test the region’s preparedness to activate inter- governmental interaction for immediate response.
Significance
- The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) is hosting the exercise with the aim to rehearse disaster response mechanisms and share knowledge, experience and technology.
- This exercise will also provide an opportunity to enhance coordination and cooperation as it involves multi-agency operations.
- The meeting will provide a platform to delegates to discuss types of events, modalities, venues, protocol and requirement etc for smooth conduct of main exercise.
GS- 2nd Paper
Topic– Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
ASEAN–India Summit, Bangkok
Context
PM Narendra Modi co-chair the ASEAN-India summit with the Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
About
- The 16th ASEAN-India Summit, the 14th East Asia Summit is being held in Bangkok, Thailand.
- PM Narendra Modi will co-chair the ASEAN-India summit with the Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
India-ASEAN
- India’s engagement with ASEAN is at core of ‘Act East’ policy of India.
- ASEAN is the gateway to Indian Ocean region (IOR) and as close partners, there is convergence of views in India’s and ASEAN outlook in region.
- The 10 ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam.
- India and ASEAN already has wide range of Dialogue Partnership and Summit Level interaction along with Strategic Partnership with ASEAN.
Economic Cooperation
- ASEAN is India’s fourth largest trading partner.
- ASEAN India-Business Council (AIBC) was set up in 2003 to bring key private sector players from India and the ASEAN countries on a single platform.
- India is ASEAN’s sixth largest trading partner and sixth largest source of FDI among ASEAN Dialogue Partners.
- The FDI inflow into India from ASEAN in 2018 was USD 16.41 billion, approximately 36.98 per cent of total FDI flow into India.
- The ASEAN-India Free Trade Area has been completed.
Political Security Cooperation
- Faced with growing traditional and non-traditional challenges, politico-security cooperation is a key and an emerging pillar of our relationship.
- India’s partnership with ASEAN seeks to craft a response that relies on coordination, cooperation and sharing of experiences at multiple levels.
- Socio-Cultural Cooperation– Inviting ASEAN students to India, Special Training Course for ASEAN diplomats, Exchange of Parliamentarians, etc. Programmes have been initiated to boost People-to-People Interaction with ASEAN.
Financial Assistance
ASEAN Multilateral Division offers project-based financial assistance to ASEAN countries. Financial assistance has been provided to ASEAN countries from the following Funds–
- ASEAN-India Cooperation Fund
- ASEAN-India S&T Development Fund (AISTDF)
- ASEAN-India Green Fund
Strategic Relations
- Delhi Declaration– To identify Cooperation in the Maritime Domain as the key area of cooperation under the ASEAN-India strategic partnership.
- Delhi Dialogue– India has an annual Track 1.5 event Delhi Dialogue, for discussing politico-security and economic issues between ASEAN and India.
- ASEAN-India Centre (AIC)– To undertake policy research, advocacy and networking activities with organizations and think-tanks in India and ASEAN.
Significance
- India’s Act East Policy is a significant cornerstone of the Indo-Pacific strategy; adding that ASEAN is at the core of Act East Policy.
- A strong ASEAN will immensely benefit India.
- Steps are being taken to improve surface, maritime, air and digital connectivity. One billion dollar Indian line of credit will prove beneficial for improving physical and digital connectivity.
GS-3rd Paper
Topic- Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
India International Science Festival
Context
Four Guinness World Records slated during the 5th India International Science Festival.
About IISF 2019
- India International Science Festival (IISF) 2019 is an annual event.
- It is organised jointly by science and technology related Ministries and Departments of the Government of India and Vijnana Bharati (Vibha), is being held in Kolkata this year.
- This is the fifth edition since its inception in 2015 and will take place during November 5th – 8th, 2019.
- IISF-2019 is a festival to celebrate the achievements of India’s scientific and technological advancements with students, innovators, craftsmen, farmers, scientists and technocrats from India and abroad.
Theme
- The theme for this year’s festival is “RISEN India – Research, Innovation, and Science Empowering the Nation.”
IISF through the years
The first and second IISF were held in New Delhi, the third in Chennai and the fourth IISF was held in Lucknow.
- IISF 2015- IIT-Delhi, New Delhi. Nodal Agency: DST
- IISF 2016- CSIR-NPL, New Delhi. Nodal Agency: CSIR
- IISF 2017- IIT-Madras, Anna University & NIOT, Chennai. Nodal Agency: MoES
- IISF 2018- Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Lucknow, Nodal Agency: DBT
- For IISF 2019 –BBCC & Science City, Kolkata, Nodal Agency: DST
About Department of Science & Technology
- The Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a department within the Ministry of Science and Technology in India.
- It was established in May 1971.
- It aims to promote new areas of science and technology and to play the role of a nodal department for organising, coordinating and promoting scientific and technological activities in the country.
- It provides funds to various approved scientific projects in India. It also supports various researchers in India to attend conferences abroad and to go for experimental works.
About Vijnana Bharati
- Vijnana Bharati or VIBHA, previously known as ‘Swadeshi Science Movement’ is a non-profit organization.
- It works for science popularization & implementation of modern technology & ancient sciences in India.
- It was founded by the eminent scientists of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru led by Prof. K.I. Vasu.
About Vigyan Prasar
- Vigyan Prasar is an autonomous organisation of the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.
- It was set up in 1989 to take on large-scale science and technology popularisation programmes.
- Vigyan Prasar’s mandate is to promote and propagate – as widely as possible – a scientific and rational outlook in society.
- Its broad objectives include undertaking, promoting and co-ordinating science popularization programmes and inculcation of scientific temper among the people.
- It’s also responsible for the development of software for various media – audio, visual, audio-visual & print and different modes of communication to enable the masses to understand, appreciate and comprehend scientific principles and practices
For Prelims
Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh
Context
Maps of newly formed Union Territories of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh
Highlights
- On the recommendation of Parliament, the President effectively dismantled Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and gave assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
- The former state of Jammu & Kashmir has been reorganized as the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the new Union Territory of Ladakh on 31st October 2019.
- UT of Ladakh– The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and Leh.
- The rest of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir is in the new Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
- UT of J&K- In 1947, the former State of Jammu and Kashmir had the following 14 districts. Namely-
- Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Anantnag, Baramulla, Poonch, Mirpur, Muzaffarabad, Leh and Ladakh, Gilgit, Gilgit Wazarat, Chilhas and Tribal Territory.
- By 2019, the state government of former Jammu and Kashmir had reorganized the areas of these 14 districts into 28 districts.
- The names of the new districts are as follows – Kupwara, Bandipur, Ganderbal, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shupian, Kulgam, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda, Kishtivar, Samba and Kargil.
- Out of these, Kargil district was carved out from the area of Leh and Ladakh district.
