India's life expectancy improves
India has seen an improvement in overall life expectancy at birth to 69 years, with women expected to live for 70.4 years and men for 67.8 years, according to the latest Sample Registration Survey (SRS) for 2013-17.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21431-india-s-life-expectancy-improves
#India #expectancy #SRS #Uttarakhand #LifeReport

India looks at Indo-Pacific region
India looks at an open, inclusive and balanced region connected by secure seas, integrated by trade and investment, underpinned by the rule of law, External Affairs Minister S Jaishanakar said in singapore on 9 September 2019, as he sought Singapore's support in addressing the challenges posed by the changing world.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21430-india-looks-at-indo-pacific-region
#India #IndoPacific #SJaishanakar #ASEAN #SMEs #China

India's first trade centre for women
Kerala will set up India’s first international women’s trade centre (iWTC), in consonance with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs), in Kozhikode.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21429-india-s-first-trade-centre-for-women
#women #iWTC #India #SDGs #Kerala #Vision2020

Ravish Kumar received Ramon Magsaysay Award
Senior Journalist Ravish Kumar on 9 September 2019 received the Ramon Magsaysay award 2019, regarded as the Asian version of the Nobel Prize, in Manila, Philippines.
Read More: http://www.ksgindia.com/index.php/study-material/news-for-aspirants/21428-ravish-kumar-received-ramon-magsaysay-award
#RavishKumar #NDTV #PIU #NobelPrize #RamonMagsaysayAward

International resolution on 5G approved
The international resolution approved by UN body International Telecommunication Union at its global meet has resolved concerns raised by the telecom sector on 5G and has put everyone across the globe at par for the roll-out of the next-generation technology, ITU-APT Foundation of India said.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22243-international-resolution-on-5g-approved.html
#Internationalresolution #5Gapproved #5GBTS #5Gservices

India, Japan focus on Indo-Pacific
Ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's India visit, India and Japan are holding their inaugural 2+2 defence and foreign minister-level dialogue on 30 November 2019 which would focus on cooperation in building a free and open Indo-Pacific in view of China's growing footprint.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22242-india-japan-focus-on-indo-pacific.html
#Japan #IndoPacific #ShinzoAbes #NarendraModi


India renews commitment to Bhutan
The 2nd Annual India-Bhutan Development Cooperation Talks were held in Delhi on 29 November 2019 with India renewing its commitment to support projects under Bhutan’s ongoing five year plan (2018-23).
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22241-india-renews-commitment-to-bhutan.html
#Bhutan #SDPs #TSTirumurti #HICPDs #RuchiraKamboj

India-ASEAN FTA
The proposed scope of the review of the free trade agreement between India and ASEAN could include issues like customs procedures, further liberalisation of trade in goods and exchange of data, Parliament was informed.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/22240-india-asean-fta.html
#ASEANFTA #Indiatrade #US #PiyushGoyal #India

Indo-Pacific Business Forum
The third annual Indo-Pacific Business Forum is slated to be held in Vietnam's capital Hanoi on October 28 and 29.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/25541-indo-pacific-business-forum.html
#IndoPacificBusiness #BusinessForum #Hanoi #IndoPacific #UPSCOnlineClasses #OnlineClassses #IASOnlineclasses

First trilateral dialogue on Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific acquired another layer on 9 September 2020, with a much anticipated trilateral dialogue between India, Australia and France, a grouping that brings the first European power into the Indo-Pacific.
Read More: https://www.ksgindia.com/study-material/news-for-aspirants/25592-first-trilateral-dialogue-on-indo-pacific.html
#IndoPacific #HarshVardhanShringla #trilateraldialogue #UPSCOnlineClasses #OnlineClassses #IASOnlineclasses

Watch: KSG EXPLAINER | India, France discuss challenges in Indo-Pacific | GS Paper2 International Relations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXwCaCT6BXU

Watch: KSG EXPLAINER | India joins Indo-Pacific Economic Framework | GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbk9F41ZS3I

Watch: India and France reach an agreement on the Indo-Pacific Body, KSG India
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6XfSPUTrwcM

UK signs ‘biggest trade deal’ since Brexit

GS Paper - 2 (International Relations)

The United Kingdom formally signed a treaty to join a major Indo-Pacific bloc — what it said was the biggest trade deal since the country left the European Union at the beginning of 2020. Business Minister Kemi Badenoch put her signature on the accession protocol for the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Auckland, New Zealand. This is a modern and ambitious agreement and our membership in this exciting, brilliant and forward-looking bloc is proof that the UK’s doors are open for business.

What is CPTPP?

The CPTPP is a landmark pact agreed upon in 2018 that cuts trade barriers among 11 countries, including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.
The pact requires countries to eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs and make strong commitments to opening services and investment markets.
It also has rules addressing competition, intellectual property rights and protections for foreign companies. CPTPP is seen as a bulwark against China’s dominance in the region, although Beijing has applied to join, along with Taiwan, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Ecuador.
Politicians in several countries, including the UK and Australia, are lobbying to keep China out, while Beijing is trying to prevent Taiwan from joining.

Why is the CPTTP so important to the UK?

The UK government says CPTTP will cut tariffs for UK exports to Asia Pacific countries and with UK membership, the trading bloc will have a combined GDP of 12 trillion pounds and account for 15% of global trade. Britain is keen to deepen trade ties in the Pacific after Brexit in 2020.
London has been pushing a “Global Britain” strategy since it gave up EU membership after nearly 50 years, leaving the bloc’s single market and customs union.
Instead, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson negotiated a trade deal called the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
The UK’s long-term productivity is forecast to be reduced by 4% as a result of Brexit. The UK already has trade deals with 10 of the 11 other CPTPP members and the eventual economic boost is likely to increase GDP by just 0.08% annually.

#upsc #news #unitedkingdom #treaty #indopacific #kemibadenoch #auckland #newzealand #cptpp #globalbritain #eumembership

Today's Headlines - 26 July 2023
Parliamentary panel's nod for inter-services organisations bill
GS Paper - 2 (Polity)

As India gets set to create unified theatre commands for integrated war-fighting machinery in a cost-effective manner, a parliamentary panel has approved the proposed law to empower military commanders of all tri-service organisations with full administrative and disciplinary powers. Agreeing with the provisions of The Inter-Services Organisations (Command, Control & Discipline) Bill, 2023, which was introduced in Lok Sabha on 15 March, the parliamentary standing committee on defence recommended the bill be passed “without any amendments” and enacted as a statute.

More about the Bill

The enactment of the bill will herald greater integration and jointmanship in inter-services organisations (ISOs) and establishments, the committee said.
India was once again resolutely working towards the creation of integrated theatre commands (ITCs) – which stalled after the first chief of defence staff Gen Bipin Rawat’s death in a helicopter crash in December 2021 -- after achieving a “consensus” among the Army, Navy and IAF.
This most radical military reorganization since Independence will see two “adversary-specific” ITCs -- one for the northern borders with China at Lucknow and the other for the western front with Pakistan at Jaipur.
Then there will be the Maritime Theatre Command (MTC) at Karwar in coastal Karnataka for the Indian Ocean Region as well as the larger Indo-Pacific.

Why this legislation?

The proposed legislation will ensure the requisite command and control of the existing ISOs such as the regional Andaman Nicobar Command and the functional Strategic Forces Command as well as the impending ITCs.
The new law will “empower” the government to constitute ISOs as well the commander-in-chief of an ISO to maintain discipline and ensure proper discharge of duties of all the personnel from the Army, Navy and IAF serving under his command.
At present, military personnel are governed by different acts and rules of their own respective services. These are the Army Act, 1950, the Air Force Act, 1950, and the Navy Act, 1957.
Consequently, personnel serving in ISOs currently have to be sent back to their parent service for disciplinary or administrative action.
Once the theatre commands are in place, they will take over the “operational role” of the single-service commands under them.

Flashback

At present, India has as many as 17 single-service commands (Army 7, IAF 7 and Navy 3), which have very little synergy in planning, logistics and operations.
China, in contrast, re-organised its 2.3-million People’s Liberation Army into five theatre commands in early-2016 to boost offensive capabilities and establish better command-and-control structures.
Its Western Theatre Command, for instance, handles the entire 3,488-km Line of Actual Control from eastern Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh. India, in contrast, has four Army and three IAF commands for the northern borders with China.

#upsc #news #parliamentary #panel #todayheadline #interservices #organisations #polity #bill #MTC #legislation #indian #ocean #region #indopacific #andaman #nicobar #command #strategic #empower #airforce #army #act1950