Important Current Affairs 27th August 2018

Important Current Affairs 27th August 2018

                                                           (International News)

Indian Ocean conference on August 27, 28 in Vietnam
 
The third edition of Indian Ocean Conference is set to begin on August 27 at Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.
The theme of the two- day conference will focus on 'Building Regional Architectures', particularly with regards to trade and commerce, security and governance, on better cooperation, strategic collaboration and governance architectures. 
This conference will serve a platform to the countries to come closer and exchange better views on the economic and strategic importance of the region and neighborhood.
Key People 
The key speakers include Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Vietnam H.E. Pham Bihn Minh, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health & Population, Nepal, H.E. Upendra Yadav and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, H.E. Vivian Balakrishnan along with other notables. Representatives from Indian and foreign Think Tank will also grace the conference.
Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj along with other dignitaries will inaugurate the conference on August 27.
Important:
The Indian Ocean Conference initiated by India Foundation along with its partners from Singapore, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is an annual effort to bring together Heads of States/Governments, Ministers, Thought Leaders, scholars, diplomats, bureaucrats and practitioners from across the region.
Two successful editions of the Conference have been hosted so far in 2016 and 2017 in Singapore and Sri Lanka respectively. 

2nd Protocol Amending India – Singapore CECA Signed
 
India and Singapore has signed the Second Protocol amending the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in New Delhi. 
Signing of the Second Protocol formally brings to closure, the negotiations on second review of CECA, which began on 11th May, 2010. Both sides agreed to expand the coverage of tariff concessions, liberalize the Rules of Origin, rationalize Product Specific Rules and include provisions on Certificate of Origin and Cooperation on its verification.  These measures will further facilitate trade between India and Singapore and also improve utilization of CECA.
The CECA was the first comprehensive agreement covering trade in goods, services and investments, which India had signed with any of its trading partners.  The CECA was signed on 29th June, 2005 and its first review was concluded on 1st October, 2007.
Important:
Singapore is the second largest trading partner of India within ASEAN and India is the largest trading partner of Singapore in South Asia, with a bilateral trade of USD 17.7 billion in 2017-18.  Singapore’s trade with India constitutes about 21.8% of our total trade with ASEAN and 2.3% of our global trade.  India had a trade surplus of USD 2.73 billion with Singapore in 2017-18. 

India - Kenya Joint Trade Committee meeting held in Nairobi
 

The 8th meeting of India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in Nairobi, Kenya, from 22nd – 25th August, 2018. 
The meeting was co-chaired by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhuand Mr. Peter Munya, Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives, Government of Kenya.
The discussions during the meetings covered India’s contribution in implementation of Kenya’s Big Four Agenda – food security, affordable housing, universal healthcare and manufacturing, expansion and diversification of bilateral trade.
Kenya’s readiness to join the International Solar Alliance, implementation of Lines of Credit, of over US$ 220 million, extended by Government of India in power transmission were discussed.
 At present, India is one of Kenya's largest trade partners and the second largest foreign investor in Kenya. Indians are the third-largest group of tourists to Kenya. The last meeting of Joint Trade Committee was held in New Delhi in February 2015.
Important:
Kenyan President is Uhuru Kenyatta, and Deputy President is Mr. William Ruto. 

                                                     (National News)

Launch of ‘Speedex’ Contract by IAF

The Stores, Proactive, Efficient and Expeditious Despatch of Extra Size/ Wt Consignment (SPEEDEX) contract was formally launched.
The contract with acronym ‘SPEEDEX’ has been concluded on 28 Jun 18 with M/s Balmer Lawrie & Co Ltd and M/s Ashok Travel and Tours for the Air & Surface component respectively. 
About (SPEEDEX) contract
Aim of the contract is to overcome the delay in piecemeal dispatch of consignment and to move operationally urgent stores by air and normal consignments by surface mode.  This would include door to door pickup and delivery facility with fixed timelines, lesser than Speed Post. This contract will enhance support to IAF maintenance activities and improve operational preparedness.

BNHS to open its regional Centre

 The Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), one of India’s premier avian research institutes, will start operating its regional centre on the campus of Wetland Research and Training Centre near Chilika Lake from Monday.
The BNHS has been active in avian research in the Chilika Lake, which hosts nearly one million birds with 97 species being intercontinental migratory in nature during the winter season. The avifauna observatory will be inaugurated by BNHS director Deepak Apte.
The centre will carry out research on avian disease by collecting samples and monitor the Nalabana Bird Sanctuary, said Susanta Nanda, Chief Executive of Chilika Development Authority.
Bombay Natural History Society
The Bombay Natural History Society, founded on 15 September 1883, is one of the largest non-governmental organisations in India engaged in conservationand biodiversity research.  It supports many research efforts through grants and publishes the Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society.

                                               (National News, Defence)    
INS Vikramaditya to be have marine hydraulic systems
 
INS Vikramaditya, Indias only aircraft carrier, is going to be fitted with marine hydraulic system for the first time as part of its upgrade that will give an edge to the air-capable wing of the ship.
The systems would be fitted by Russia’s Rostec State Corporation through its subsidiary, Technodinamika.
Technodinamika specializes in development, manufacture and after-sale servicing for systems and equipment for civil and military airplanes and helicopters.
Important:
The GS-1MF and GS-3 marine hydraulic systems are used for refuelling, cleaning and pressurization of hydraulic systems of aircraft and helicopters which form part of the air-capable wing of INS Vikramaditya.
GS-1MF hydraulic system is used for helicopters while GS-3 are used for aircraft. The upgradation would take place in India only and would include installation supervision, commissioning and sea trials of the ship.
INS Vikramaditya 
INS Vikramaditya meaning "Brave as the Sun" is a modified Kiev-class aircraft carrier which entered into service with the Indian Navy in 2013. She has been renamed in honour of Vikramaditya, a legendary emperor of Ujjain, India.
Currently it is most powerful aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy. It was built in 1987 and had served the Soviet navy named as Baku.

IAF Trans Himalayan Mountain Terrain Biking Expedition (The MTB)
    
Indian Air Force is celebrating its 86th Anniversary on 08 Oct 2018. To commemorate this event, IAF has launched a unique event in the form of Trans-Himalayan Mountain Terrain Biking Expedition (THE MTB). 

The team for the expedition consists of 18 Air warriors (12 riders and 06 support staff) which also includes two women officers. The expedition started on 17 Aug 18 from Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh for Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh. DBO and Kibithu are the two forward most outposts of India in the North and in the East with DBO being the highest Airfield at 16614 feet. The team will cover a distance of more than 4500 Km through mountain terrain of the states of J&K, HP, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
 The Adventure ride that the team is undertaking involves camping and living outdoors, managing and surviving on their own in snow, rain and extreme climatic conditions throughout the expedition. This is the first time that a mountain terrain biking expedition of such a magnitude is being undertaken by IAF. The expedition is led by Wg Cdr S Sharathchandra. The aim of this expedition is to promote spirit of adventure among Air Warriors to undertake daunting challenges and ‘Go Green’ initiative

DAC Approves Procurement for Services amounting to Nearly Rs. 46,000 Crores 
 
 The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Hon’ble Defence Minister Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, accorded approval for procurement for the Services amounting to approximately Rs. 46,000 crores.
 
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in a landmark decision, approved procurement of 111 Utility Helicopters for the Indian Navy at a cost of over Rs. 21,000 crores.  
This is the first project under the MoD’s prestigious Strategic Partnership (SP) Model that aims at providing significant fillip to the Government’s ‘Make in India’ programme. 

In further quest for modernisation of the Armed forces the DAC also granted approval to a few other proposals amounting to approximately Rs. 24,879.16 crores, which included approval for procurement of 150 numbers of Indigenously Designed and Developed 155 mm Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems for the Indian Army at an approximate cost of Rs 3,364.78 crores. 
 
 

India's first biofuel-powered flight
    
India's first biofuel-powered flight that aims to reduce costs of air travel by replacing the costly aviation turbine fuel was successfully tested today. A 72-seater SpiceJet aircraft, powered by biofuel, took off from Dehradun for Delhi today on 27 August.
The biofuel is made partially from renewable resources such as agricultural residues, non-edible oils and bio-degradable fractions of industrial and municipal wastes. Biofuel flights could make air travel cleaner and more efficient, thus drastically reducing the cost of airline operations by reducing the dependency on aviation turbine fuel.
SpiceJet's biofuel is a mix of the oil extracted from the seeds of Jatropha plant and aviation turbine fuel. Five hundred farmer families in Chhattisgarh are involved in the production of the partially-refined biofuel used in today's flight.
While twenty five per cent of the right engine of the aircraft will have the biofuel mix, the left engine will run on aviation turbine fuel. The efficiency of the engine running on biofuel is expected to be slightly higher than that of the other engine.
If today's test brings success, India could join a select few countries such as USA and Australia who have had biofuel-operated commercial aircraft.

New train service Naini-Doon Jan Shatabdi Express between Kathgodam- Dehradun
 
Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal  flagged off Kathgodam-Dehradun Naini-Doon Janshatabdi Express via video conferencing from Rail Bhavan.
The new train will be providing direct connectivity between two important hill stations of Uttarakhand-- Mussoorie and Nainital. It will operate five days a week except for Thursday and Sunday, making five stops between the source and destination.