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Current Affairs: Defence

India and Seychelles sign agreement on maritime cooperation

• The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) – Indian Ocean Region of India (IOR) and the RCOC (Regional Coordination Operations Centre) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on maritime cooperation for the development, management, operation and maintenance of facilities on Assumption Island

• India has a military base on the Assumption Island of Seychelles. The island in Seychelles is leased to India for the operation of a naval base and airstrip by the Indian navy.

• The International Liaison Officers (ILO) meeting was hosted by the IFC-IOR. The US, UK, Singapore, Seychelles, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, France, Italy, Australia, and Japan were among the 12 nations that took part.

About the MoU

• According to the MoU, the countries will work together and improve maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The safety provisions will be based on the SAGAR initiative – “Security and Growth for All in the Region”. With this, they will be able to correlate better and share information more compressedly.

Question: 1

India signed an agreement on Maritime Cooperation with which country?

A. Nepal

B. Bhutan

C. Seychelles

D. Bangladesh

Answer: C

Check out the Highlights of the Economic Survey 2022-23 by clicking on the link given below:
Economic Survey 2022-23

Current Affairs: International

Russia suspends START, the last Nuclear Treaty

• The START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a bilateral treaty signed between the US and the Soviet Union in 1991. It came into force in 1994.
•  Under the treaty, the countries agreed to bar 6,000 nuclear warheads and 1m600 ICBMs. More than 80% of the nuclear warheads were removed in 2001 with this treaty.
•  The treaty expired in 2009. THE NEW START Treaty was signed in 2010. This new treaty applies till 2026. 
• Russia has now withdrawn from the treaty

The reason why Russia has withdrawn from the treaty:

• The tension between Russia and Ukraine is one of the primary causes. By providing funding for Ukraine’s war supplies, the US is assisting that nation. 
• More than US$ 3 billion have been funded so far by the US. Joe Biden announced an additional US$ 500 million during a recent trip to Ukraine.
• Russia is suspending the START Treaty in response to the US actions.

Question 2

Which country has withdrawn from the START Treaty?

A. Russia

B. Ukraine

C. Poland

D. Italy

Answer: A

Current Affairs: National

Dharmendra Pradhan introduces “Jaadui Pitara,” Learning and Teaching Material

• “Jaadui Pitara” is introduced by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. “Jaadui Pitara,” a play-based learning tool for children ages three to eight, will be required to be used in at least 1,200 central government-run schools.
•  It was developed under the National Curriculum Framework. The material is easy to use and can be downloaded and printed on paper.
  

What is JAADUI PITARA?

• It is a collection of worksheets, playbooks, puzzles, flashcards, posters, and storybooks. 
• The information concentrates on five main developmental activities: the development of literacy, good study habits, culture, cognition, socio-emotional development, and ethics.
• The main objective is to “LEARN THROUGH PLAY”.

Question 3

“Jaadui Pitara” is a play-based learning tool for children aged between

A. 3 to 10 yrs

B. 3 to 5 yrs

C. 3 to 12 yrs

D. 3 to 8 yrs

Answer: D

Current Affairs: National

Railways to launch Guru Kripa Yatra with Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train from 5 April

• Indian Railways is set to launch Guru Kripa Yatra from 5^th April from Lucknow with its exclusive Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train. 
• The pilgrims will visit the five Holy Takhts as well as other important Sikhism shrines during the eleven-day holy tour.

Key Points:

• The Railway Ministry said that passengers can board and deboard at Lucknow, Sitapur, Pilibhit and Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. The IRCTC will operate this train with nine sleeper class coaches, one AC-3 and one AC-2 Tier coach. 
• IRCTC offers the tour package across three categories, namely – Standard, Superior and Comfort, with a total capacity of 678 passengers.
• In sleeper class, passengers have to pay around ₹24 thousand; for 3rd AC – ₹36 thousand; for 2nd AC, passengers have to pay around ₹48 thousand.

Question 4

Indian Railways is set to launch Guru Kripa Yatra from which city?

A. Delhi

B. Lucknow

C. Chandigarh

D. Jalandhar

Answer: B

Check out the Highlights of Union Budget 2023 by clicking on the link given below:
Union Budget 2023-24

Current Affairs: National

Uber Signed MoU with Tata Motors for 25000 EVs

• TATA is one of the largest electric vehicle manufacturers in India. UBER recently signed a mega deal with TATA. According to the agreement, TATA will produce 25,000 Electric Vehicles (EVs) for UBER. 
• This means usage of Electric Vehicles is to increase in the country indirectly. UBER is a transportation company.
• The usage of EVs in the country has been slow despite government efforts. However, with this deal, the manufacturing and the use of EVs will increase in the country.
• Tata Motors will begin deliveries of XPRES-T EVs to Uber fleet partners in a phased manner starting this month, February 2023. The partnership will aid the electrification of Uber services across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Ahmedabad

Key Points:

• The alliance with Tata Motors will set the stage for a significant expansion of four-wheeler electric vehicles (EVs) on a mobility platform in India as Uber works to achieve its zero-emissions goal.
• By 2040, Uber promises that all trips will be taken in zero-emission vehicles, on public transportation, or using micro-mobility.
• Uber will rely on industry partnerships with EV manufacturers, fleets, and EV infra partners, among others, to advance the EV transition. Uber is committed to finding new, creative, and affordable ways to support drivers and fleets in going electric.

Question 5

Which company has signed an MoU with Tata Motors for 25000 EVs?

A. Ola

B. Uber

C. Taxiforsure

D. None of the Above

Answer:  B

Factbook: 23-February-2023

1. India-Guyana Air Service Agreement (ASA)
   

• The Union Cabinet recently approved the Air Service Agreement signed between India and Guayana. India has Air Service Agreement with more than 116 countries. 
• The ASA covers several aspects, such as flight landing points, the number of flights operated between the countries, seat allotments, codeshare, etc. However, no air service shall have the option of an unlimited number of flight operations under the agreement.
  

Why is it important that Guyana and the Air Service Agreement?

• India accounts for 40% of Guyana’s population. The agreement will allow the nations to provide air services to one another.
• The agreement is necessary to increase global connectivity as India liberalises aviation. The agreement includes information about flight times and the operations of flights into and out of the country.

2. India-China hold WMCC meeting
   

• The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting between China and India recently took place took place in Beijing, China. This is the 14th actual physical WMCC meeting, the 26th meeting overall, and the first since the Galwan standoff.  The nations discussed the problems on the western border of the LAC. They also talked about withdrawing the military from the remaining areas. The meeting was at the secretary level.

Why did the meeting take place?

• To restore normalcy to India’s and China’s bilateral relations
• To restore peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)

Also check:

Daily current affairs for February 20, 2023	Daily current affairs for February 21, 2023
Daily current affairs for February 22, 2023	Daily current affairs for February 23, 2023

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