NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India retains eighth position in global agriculture exports in 2023: WTO: Despite a drop in its agriculture exports in 2023 to $51 billion from $55 billion in 2022, India maintained its position as world’s eighth largest exporter of agriculture products in the year as seven of the top ten exporting nations witnessed a decline, per figures collated by the WTO. Among the leading exporters of agricultural products, Brazil, the European Union and Thailand increased their exports by 6 per cent, 5 per cent and 0.2 per cent respectively in 2023. The other seven economies in the top 10 saw a decrease in their exports of agricultural products. The EU maintained its top position in 2023 by exporting agriculture produce valued at $836 billion compared to $799 billion in 2022. The US, too, continued at the second spot despite a drop in agriculture exports in 2023 to $198 billion as opposed to $222 billion in the previous year.
2. Ayush Ministry and WHO signed Donor Agreement: The Ministry of Ayush, GoI, and the World Health Organization signed a donor agreement during a signing ceremony organized at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva. This agreement outlines the financial terms for implementing the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) activities in Jamnagar, Gujarat. Through this collaboration, the GoI will donate US$ 85 million over a period of 10 years (2022-2032) to support the operations of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat. The Donor agreement recognizes the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre as a key knowledge hub for evidence-based Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) aiming to advance the health and well-being of people and the planet.
3. Tata Group unveils ₹27,000 crore semiconductor facility in Assam: At the Tata Group’s ₹27,000-crore greenfield semiconductor assembly and test facility in Assam, which is expected to be operationalised by next year, around 15 billion chips will be packaged annually for customers globally. The chips, which will be packaged at the Jagiroad facility in Assam, will power electric vehicles, healthcare devices, mobile phones, laptops, and other key products of leading global companies around the world. This assembly and test facility will be able to directly ship semiconductor chips to end-users and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in India and the world. The facility is expected to generate over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region.
The project is envisioned under the Government of India’s Semiconductor policy, which is driven by the India Semiconductor Mission and the Government of Assam’s Electronics policy.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India and Vietnam team up to Preserve Maritime History with NMHC in Lothal: India has signed an MoU with and Vietnam to develop the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat. This partnership, rooted in centuries-old maritime connections, highlights the enduring bond between the two countries and their commitment to preserving and celebrating their shared heritage. This MoU marks a significant step forward in the collaborative efforts to bring the NMHC to life, further strengthening the strategic partnership between the two nations. The collaboration on the NMHC will involve various aspects aimed at showcasing the maritime heritage of both nations. The complex will emphasize the historical and cultural ties between India and Vietnam, highlighting the closeness and longevity of their shared maritime history.
2. Jakarta hosts 5th AITIGA joint committee meeting progresses ASEAN-India trade relations: The 5th meeting of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) joint committee was held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia. AITIGA Joint Committee had initiated discussions for review of AITIGA in May 2023 and after finalising its Terms of Reference and Negotiating Structure, AITIGA JC and its Sub-Committees started negotiations in February 2024. The first 2 rounds of negotiations were held in February 2024 in New Delhi and in May 2024 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. During the third round of negotiations in Jakarta, Indonesia, all eight Sub-Committees focused on ‘National Treatment and Market Access’, ‘Rules of Origin’, ‘Standards, Technical Regulations and Conformity Assessment Procedures’, ‘Sanitary and Phytosanitary’, ‘Legal and Institutional Issues’, ‘Customs Procedures and Trade Facilitation’, ‘Trade Remedies’, and ‘Economic and Technical Cooperation’ convened alongside the 5th AITIGA JC and engaged in substantive discussions, making significant progress.
3. Kelly Ortberg appoints as new CEO of Boeing: Longtime aerospace executive Robert “Kelly” Ortberg has been selected as the CEO of Boeing. She will replace Dave Calhoun. Ortberg, 64, started his career at Texas Instruments before joining Rockwell Collins, an aviation tech company, in 1987. He joined Rockwell as a program manager and worked his way up to become its CEO in 2013. Rockwell was named one of the best large employers in the country by Forbes under Ortberg’s leadership. He oversaw the acquisition of Rockwell by United Technologies Corporation in 2018 and retired in 2021.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Daljit Singh Chawdhary takes over additional charge of Director General, BSF: Daljit Chawdhary has been appointed to helm the BSF a day after incumbent director general Nitin Agarwal was repatriated prematurely to his parent Kerala cadre Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Daljit Singh Chawdhary has taken over the additional charge of Director General, Border Security Force. Chawdhary is a senior IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre. He assumed the charge of DG SSB in January this year. Daljit Singh Chawdhary, a 1990 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, took charge as the director general of Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday. Chawdhary is currently director general of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Chawdhary has been appointed to helm the BSF a day after incumbent director general Nitin Agarwal was repatriated prematurely to his parent Kerala cadre.
2. Indian Air Force Approves Production of Astra Mark 1 Missiles: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has recently given Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) the go-ahead to manufacture 200 Astra Mark 1 air-to-air missiles. This is a big step forward for India’s homegrown missile production abilities. The decision was made when Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, the IAF Deputy Chief, visited the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Hyderabad.
SPORTS
1. Manu Bhaker named flag bearer at Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony: India’s two-time Olympic bronze medallist Manu Bhaker is set to be India’s flagbearer in the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. India’s men’s flagbearer for the ceremony is yet to be confirmed. The closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics will take place on August 11. Bhaker brought her A-game in Paris and broke numerous accolades to claim two bronze medals in the Summer Games. Bhaker is the first athlete from the Indian contingent after independence to get two medals in a single edition of the Paris Olympics. Earlier in the 1900 Olympics, Norman Pritchard won two medals while representing India, both silver in the 200m and 200m hurdles.
2. Former England batter Graham Thorpe passes away: Former England batter and coach Graham Thorpe passed away. Shortly before that, he had accepted the job as head coach of Afghanistan. Thorpe played 100 Tests for England, scoring 16 centuries, before retiring in 2005. He started his coaching career in Australia before joining the England and Wales Cricket Board as a batting coach. He was an assistant coach for the men’s team under Trevor Bayliss and Chris Silverwood.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Role of Artificial Intelligence in Education: When ChatGPT was launched in November 2022, it sparked a lot of discussion in the field of education. Many people were worried about the impact it would have on the honesty and originality of student work. Teachers found it challenging to tell the difference between work written by students and content generated by AI.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IIT Madras Partners with IDBI Bank to Launch Cybersecurity Lab: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has partnered with IDBI Bank to launch a cybersecurity Lab to develop and deploy security solutions in crucial sectors such as healthcare, fintech and aerospace, among others. The lab will focus on creating market-ready IPs in cybersecurity, productisation and commercialisation of research work, especially for mobile technologies. The lab will focus on cybersecurity in systems deployed in industries such as banking, automotive, power and telecommunications, among others, and undertake experimental evaluation and assessment exercises. The researchers would also develop test cases for testing, carry out vulnerability research, and help devise hardening guidelines. It would help Enterprise Systems in managing cybersecurity risks in real-time.
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