1. Defence industrial council
- The Government has set up defence industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
- These defense corridors will facilitate a well-planned and efficient industrial base that will lead to increased defense production in the country.
- According to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India topped the list of arms importer accounting for 13% of the trade in weapons platform between 2012-2018.
- The corridors overlap with existing defence public sector companies, and aim to ensure connectivity among various defence industrial units.
2. Ex-Surya Kira
- SURYA KIRAN – Joint military exercise between India and Nepal will be conducted in Nepal.
- It is an annual event which is conducted alternatively in Nepal and India.
- The aim of this exercise is to conduct a Battalion level combined training between Indian Army and Nepal Army to increase interoperability in jungle warfare and counter terrorist operations in mountainous terrain, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, medical and environmental conservation including aviation aspects.
3. National coastal line
- Change Minister Prakash Javadekar today said the government has envisaged establishing a National Coastal Mission under the National Action Plan on climate change.
- Replying to questions in the Lok Sabha, Mr Javadekar said, the Mission aims addressing impact of climate change on coastal and maritime ecosystems, infrastructure and communities in coastal areas though mitigation measures.
- The minister said, the government has launched Integrated Coastal Zone management project in 2010 to conserve, protect and manage the coastal and maritime ecosystems.
- Mr Javadekar said the total expenditure under this project has been about 1400 crore rupees so far. The minister informed, the project has been implemented in identified coastal stretches in states of Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal.
4. Hi-tech parks in Bangladesh by India
- India will set up 12 hi-tech parks in Bangladesh at a cost of $193 million.
- These hi-tech parks will provide training to 30,000 youth of Bangladesh as skilled IT professionals.
- Responding to the issue of the trade imbalance between the two countries, diversification of the product basket of Bangladesh will help reduce the gap by increasing exports to India.
5. Center for disaster resilient infrastructure
- The CDRI was later conceptualized in the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) in 2018-19.
- The coalition envisages 3 tiered structures viz Governing Council (GC), Executive Committee (EC) and a Secretariat of the Society. The objectives of CDRI are as follows:
- The CDRI aims to serve as a platform where knowledge is generated and exchanged on different aspects of disaster and climate resilience of infrastructure.
- The work of CDRI is to focus on relevant thematic areas including the four major themes of
- Risk Assessment for key infrastructure sectors at multiple scales.
- Standards, regulation and mechanisms for enforcement.
- Role of finance in promoting disaster resilience.
- Predictable mechanisms for supporting disaster recovery in key infrastructure sectors.
- The charter of CDRI has been shared with 38 countries including G 20 and non-G 20 nations.
- So far nine countries viz. Afghanistan, Australia, Bhutan, Fiji, Italy, Mauritius, Mongolia, Sri Lanka and United Kingdom have conveyed their willingness to join the CDRI in writing.
6. India to offer 400million line of credit to Sri lanka
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a 400 million dollar Line of Credit of to Sri Lanka to boost the island nation’s development.
- India will also extend a 50 million dollars Line of Credit to Sri Lanka to fight terrorism.
- He said, strengthening mutual cooperation in dealing with terrorism was discussed in detail. He assured the Sri Lankan President of India’s full assistance in taking his country on the path of rapid development.
- Describing the meeting with Mr Rajapaksa as fruitful, the Prime Minister said, a strong and prosperous Sri Lanka is not only in the interest of India but also in the interest of the entire Indian Ocean region.
- Mr Modi said, India gives priority to its relations with Sri Lanka under its Neighbourhood First’ Policy. He expressed confidence that the Sri Lankan Government will carry forward the process of reconciliation to fulfil the aspirations of the Tamils for equality, justice, peace and respect.