RED FLAG EXERCISE CANCELLED (International)
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
RED FLAG EXERCISE CANCELLED (International) The U.S. Air Force has cancelled Phase-I of its flagship multilateral air exercise, Red Flag, scheduled in Alaska from April 30. The Indian Air Force (IAF) was to take part in the exercise with its Sukhoi Su-30 fighter jets, defence sources said. The U.S. Pacific Air Fleet said on its website that the exercise was cancelled owing to the travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. Department of Defence. In the past, the IAF deployed Su-30MKI and Jaguar strike aircraft, the Il-78 tankers and the C-17 strategic airlift aircraft. The IAF joined Red Flag for the first time in 2008 in Nevada. However, it had said it would not take part in every edition of the biennial exercise because of the high cost involved. Red Flag-Alaska is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise meant to provide realistic training in a simulated combat environment over the Joint Pacific Alaska range complex, according to information on the U.S. Pacific Air Force website. DONATIONS BY FIRMS TO PM CARES FUND WILL QUALIFY AS CSR (Economy) The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) on Sunday said donations to the Prime Minister’s emergency fund set up to fight the Covid-19 pandemic will qualify as corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending that companies are mandated to make. Firms spend about ₹15,000 crore on CSR annually, according to official estimates. The Companies Act stipulates that businesses with a net worth of at least ₹500 crore or revenue of ₹1,000 crore or net profit of ₹5 crore should spend at least 2% of their net profit on CSR. Any lapse in meeting this obligation should be explained in the annual financial statement. MCA had last week clarified that firms could spend their CSR funds to fight the coronavirus disease, which has been notified as a disaster. The activities for which the CSR fund could be used include promoting healthcare, including preventive care, and disaster management, which includes relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction activities. Firms are given the flexibility to make a broad interpretation of the areas specified for CSR funds. Corporate, government and philanthropic entities including the Airports Authority of India, Tata Trusts and Reliance Industries (RIL), as well as business leaders like Vedanta’s Anil Agarwal, and Anand Mahindra have pledged financial support for various activities to fight the pandemic. RIL has begun production of face masks, while the Mahindra Group is venturing into producing ventilators. Helping the needy, especially the local community in areas where businesses have production facilities, also helps some of their own workers who are part of the local community. INNOVATION FOR DEFENCE EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE (IDEX) (Security) iDEX is an initiative taken by the government to contribute towards modernization of the Defence Industry. It was launched by the Government in April 2018. iDEX aims to promote innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries (which includes MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes & academia). iDEX will provide the engaging industries with funding and other support to carry out Research & Development. iDEX will be funded and managed by Defence Innovation Organization (DIO), and will function as the executive arm of DIO. DEFENCE INNOVATION ORGANIZATION (DIO) (Security) DIO is a ‘not for profit’ company registered under Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013. Its two founding members are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) & Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) - Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). HAL and BEL are navratna companies. Defence Artificial Intelligence Project Agency Defence Artificial Intelligence Project Agency (DAIPA) was created in March, 2019. DAIPA aims for greater thrust on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Defence, formulation of an AI roadmap for each Defence PSU and Ordnance Factory Board to develop AI-enable products. DAIP was setup after the recommendations of N Chadrasekharan Task Force 2018, which studies implications of AI in national security. MISSION RAKSHA GYAN SHAKTI (Security) Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti was launched in 2018 by the Ministry of Defence with the objective of creating greater Intellectual Property (IP) in Defence Production Ecosystem. The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) has been entrusted with the responsibility of coordinating and implementing the programme. The Directorate General of Quality Assurance (DGQA) is under the Department Of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. The organization provides Quality Assurance (QA) cover for the entire range of Arms, Ammunitions, Equipment and Stores supplied to Armed Forces. It aims to achieve the goal of self-reliance in the defense sector to generate Intellectual Property in India and marks a departure from the culture of seeking Transfer of Technology (ToT) from foreign sources. SIBERIAN IBEX (Environment) Siberian Ibex is a species of wild goat and is distributed in diverse habitats, ranging from cold deserts, rocky outcrops, steep terrain, high-land flats and mountain ridges to low mountains and foothills. It is in Least Concern category under IUCN. From Mongolia, its distribution extends towards Altai, Hangai, Gobi-Altai, the Hurukh mountain ranges as well as Sayan Mountains near Russia and scattered populations in the small mountains of Trans-Altai Gobi. In Asia, Ibex is distributed in the montane habitats, ranging in elevations from 500 m to 6,700 m in countries like India, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Southern Siberia and China. In India, the Ibex is distributed mainly in the trans-Himalayan ranges of the Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh up to the river Sutlej. JHARKHAND – JAMSHEDPUR GIRL GETS FILFARE AWARD Jamshedpur girl 35- year old Shilpa Rao has recently bagged the Filmfare Award as the Best Playback singer for the foot tapping number ‘Ghungroo’ from the movie ‘War’ released in October 2019. Since starting her musical career in 2007, the singer has come a long way in a short span. In 2009, Rao received the Star Screen Award for ‘Khuda Jaane’ from ‘Bachna ae Haseeno' while in 2014 she got the Global Indian Musical Academy Award for ‘Dum Dum’ from Coke Studio season 2. Rao has also lent her voice to television serials and has got the Indian Television Academy Award for the show ‘Navya Naye Dhadkan Naye Sawaal’ in 2007. “ Rao has also sung other popular songs like ‘Shabashiyaan’ from Mission Mangal (2019), ‘Kalank duet’ from Kalank (2019), ‘Aaj Jane ki Zidd na karo’ from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016), ‘Malang’ from Dhoom 3 (2013) and ‘Gustakh Dil’ from English Vinglish (2012) .