Second Biggest Dam of the World – China

The Government of China formally became the first two producing units of the Baihetan Dam, the worlds second-biggest hydroelectric dam, to begin generating energy. The Baihetan Dam is set up in southwestern China on the Jinsha River.

About the dam:

The dam is a 289-meter-tall (954-foot-tall) double-curvature arch dam, having sixteen generating units.

Each unit will generate a potential of 1 million kilowatts, making it the second-largest in dimension after the Three Gorges Dam opened in 2003 on the Yangtze, with 22.5 million kilowatts of generating capacity.

Through the Baihetan Dam, the Chinese authorities aim to curb surging fossil gasoline demand through constructing extra hydropower capacity.

Both the Dams have been built with the aid of the state-owned Three Gorges Group Corp., the worlds largest hydro, solar, and wind generation investor.

Cabinet approves establishment of Regional Office of Universal Postal Union

An agreement has been made with theUniversal Postal Union (UPU)to establish a regional office inNew Delhi, which will provide development cooperation and technical assistance to the region.This decision was approved by theUnion Cabinet, led by Prime MinisterNarendra Modi, and will allow India to play a more active role in the postal sector, with a focus on South-South and Triangular cooperation.

India will provide staff, an office setup, and a project expert for field work, to implement training and capacity building projects, E-Commerce and trade promotion, and enhance postal technology in coordination withUPU.

This initiative will strengthen diplomatic ties and enhance Indias presence in the global postal forum, with particular emphasis on theAsia-Pacific region.

Defence exports of India up by 23 times since 2014

Indias defense exportshave achieved a record-breaking milestone, skyrocketing from 686 crore rupees in 2013-14 to nearly 16 thousand crore rupees in 2022-23. This impressive Growth of 23 times demonstrates Indias advancement in theglobal defense manufacturing .

With exports reaching more than 85 countries, Indias defense sector has demonstrated its ability to design and develop high-quality products to the international community.

Currently, 100 companies are engaged in exporting defense goods.

The government has implemented several policy initiatives and reforms in the past nine years to bolster defense exports.

TheAtmanirbhar Bharatinitiatives have greatly benefitted India by promoting indigenous design, development, and manufacturing of defense equipment within the country.

This strategy aims to reduce dependence on imports in the long run.

Nyaya Vikasis a program initiated by theDepartment of Justicein 1993-94, aiming to develop infrastructure facilities for districts and subordinate judiciary. The program involves providing central assistance to state governments and UT administrations for constructing court halls and residential units for judicial officers and judges in district and subordinate courts.

The scheme has been extended beyond March 31, 2021, with additional features such as lawyers halls, toilet complexes, and digital computer rooms to enhance convenience for lawyers and litigants, in addition to court halls and residential units.

According to the latestfDi Markets Reportand the Dubai FDI Monitor,Dubaihas secured its position as the leading destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) from India in the calendar year 2022. India ranked among the top five source countries for announced FDI projects and estimated FDI capital in Dubai, solidifying the emirates appeal to Indian investors. This article examines the key findings and highlights the sectors and trends contributing to this growing partnership.

Dubai has surpassed other cities worldwide to become the preferred FDI destination for Indian investors. In 2022, India accounted for 12 percent of the announced FDI projects in Dubai, placing it third behind the United States (20 percent) and the United Kingdom (13 percent). With a significant increase in FDI projects from 78 in 2021 to 142 in 2022, Indias confidence in Dubais potential is evident.

The Sapta Shakti Command of the Indian Army recently conducted the highly anticipated exerciseSudarshan Shakti 2023along the western borders in Rajasthan and Punjab. The exercise aimed to transform the forces into a modern, lean, and agile fighting combination capable of leveraging new-age technologies. With a focus on operational planning in a network-centric environment, this exercise validated the Indian Armys combat power, combat support, and logistic support capabilities.

Modernizing the Forces for Future Challenges The primary objective of Sudarshan Shakti Exercise 2023 was to initiate the transformation of the Indian Army by embracing new technologies and adopting innovative strategies. The exercise sought to enhance the forces capabilities to effectively counter emerging threats and perform at a high tempo during operations. By integrating force multipliers, special forces, and Niche technologies such as drones, tethered drones, and loiter ammunition, the exercise aimed to create a synergistic application of combat power.

CBSEhas listed 33 subjects, including AI, to promote skill education among students.

These subjects also include topics like augmented reality, Kashmiri embroidery, and application of satellites, humanity, and Covid-19.

The schools coding modules will span 12-15 hours, with a 70/30 ratio of hands-on activities to theory. Microsoft will compose the coding syllabus to ensure top-quality Education in AI and coding for pupils.

Educating younger individuals in coding and AI through the boards resolution will foster creativity, develop problem-solving abilities, and prepare them for future careers.

EU’s carbon tax to help exporters achieve ne zero much ahead of 2070

Despite the initial concerns about the impact on the MSME sector, the European Unions carbon border tax will help export-centric sectors achieve net zero much ahead of the government deadline.

The European Union intends to bring down carbon emissions in a phased manner in order to become a net-zero emitter of greenhouse gases by 2050, ahead of 2070 when India intends to be net zero.

The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) or Carbon Border Tax is set to be implemented from October 1, 2023. In the first phase, the EU will monitor the emission levels of goods entering the market from different source countries and by 2026 the tax will be levied on goods.