INDIAN NAVY CONDUCTED EXERCISE AMPHEX-21
A large-scale tri-service joint amphibious exercise AMPHEX – 21 was held in Andaman & Nicobar group of islands. The exercise involved the participation of troops of Army, Navy as well as the Indian Air Force.
The exercise was aimed at validating India’s capabilities to safeguard the territorial integrity of its island territories. The joint force executed multi-domain, high-intensity offensive and defensive manoeuvres in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.
The exercise involved multi-faceted maritime operations by synergised employment of amphibious assault ships, surveillance platforms, execution of maritime airstrikes and complex manoeuvres at sea.
Airborne insertion of Marine Commandos of Navy and Special Forces of the Army, naval gunfire support, the amphibious landing of forces and follow-on operations also formed part of the exercise.
The exercise AMPHEX – 21 was aimed at validating India’s capabilities to safeguard the territorial integrity of its island territories, enhance operational synergy and joint warfighting capabilities amongst the three Services.
The exercise KAVACH for the defence of Andaman & Nicobar Islands was also a part of AMPHEX – 21.
CHINA BECOMES LARGEST RECIPIENT OF FDI
China was the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2020, according to a report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
China overtook the United States to gain the top position in 2020. The country attracted $163 billion inflows in 2020, compared to $134 billion attracted by the United States.
However, in 2019, the United States had received $251 billion in inflows and China received $140 billion. Overall, the global FDI had fallen by 42% in 2020, attracting an inflow of an estimated $859 billion, compared to $1.5 trillion in 2019.
- UNCTAD Headquarters location: Geneva, Switzerland.
- UNCTAD Head: Mukhisa Kituyi.
- UNCTAD Founder: United Nations General Assembly.
- UNCTAD Founded: 30 December 1964.
ELON MUSK’S SPACEX CREATED A NEW RECORD
SpaceX successfully launched its ambitious rideshare mission called Transporter-1, carrying 143 small satellites, and created a new record of launching many satellites from a single rocket.
With this launch, SpaceX broke the record set by ISRO in February 2017 for deploying 104 satellites onboard PSLV in a single mission.
The SpaceX used two-stage Falcon 9 rocket for the mission, from the Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The 143 satellites included 133 commercial and government satellites and 10 Starlink satellites of SpaceX.
- SpaceX founder & CEO: Elon Musk.
- SpaceX president & COO: Gwynne Shotwell.
- SpaceX Founded: 2002.
- SpaceX Headquarters: California, United States of America.
MADHYA PRADESH LAUNCHES ‘PANKH ABHIYAN’
In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a new scheme ‘PANKH Abhiyan’ on 24 January, to mark the occasion of National Girl Child Day.
‘P’ – protection
‘A’ – awareness of their rights
‘N’ – nutrition
‘K’ – knowledge
‘H’ – health.
The scheme has been launched under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ scheme for the empowerment and growth of the girl child.
The CM also announced scholarships worth Rs 6.47 crore for 26,099 girls under Ladli Laxmi Yojana.
‘PANKH Abhiyan’ is a year-long programme. The letter in the PANKH scheme stands for:
- Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Shivraj Singh Chouhan
- Governor: Anandiben Patel.
IMF REVISED THE PROJECTED GROWTH OF INDIAN ECONOMY
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has pegged the Indian economy to contract by 8 per cent in the current financial year 2020-21, in its latest World Economic Outlook, released on 26 January 2021.
The IMF expects GDP of India to rise to 11.5 per cent in the next financial year i.e. 2021-22.
Apart from this, the IMF projected the global growth to contract at 3.5 per cent in 2020. The global economy is projected to grow by 5.5 per cent in 2021 and 4.2 per cent in 2022 as per the IMF.
- IMF Headquarters: Washington, D.C. U.S.
- IMF Managing Director and Chairman: Kristalina Georgieva.
- IMF Chief Economist: Gita Gopinath.
UN FORECASTED INDIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH TO BE 7.3%
India’s economic growth is forecast to be 7.3 per cent in the Calendar Year 2021 by the UN.
The Indian economy is estimated to contract by 9.6 per cent in the Calendar year 2020, as per the World Economic Situation and Prospects 2021, produced by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA).
In addition to this, the global economy is estimated to shrink by 4.3 per cent in 2020. The UN has estimated the Global GDP to recover to 4.7 per cent in 2021.
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Headquarters location: New York, United States.
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Head: Liu Zhenmin.
- United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Founded: 1948.
51ST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OF INDIA CONCLUDES
The 51st edition of International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was held from 16 January to 24 January 2021 at Shyamaprasad Stadium near Panaji in Goa.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was held in hybrid mode, there was the physical and virtual screening of 50 films out of 224 films across various categories.
Bangladesh was a country of focus at the festival. Four films of Bangladesh was included in ‘country of focus’ section.
The winners of the IFFI awards are:
- Golden Peacock Award for Best Film: Into the Darkness
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (Male): Tzu-Chuan Liu, The Silent Forest
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Actor (Female): Zofia Stafiej, I Never Cry
- Silver Peacock Award for Best Director: Chen-Nien Ko, The Silent Forest
- Best Debut Director Award: Cássio Pereira dos Santos, Valentina
- Special Mention Award: Kripal Kalita, Bridge
- Special Jury Award: Kamin Kalev, February
- ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Award: Ameen Nayfeh’s 200 Meters
- Indian Personality of the Year Award: Biswajit Chatterjee
- Lifetime Achievement: Vittorio Storaro (Italian cinematographer).
SUBHASH C. BOSE AAPDA PRABANDAN PURASKAR 2021
The Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2021 has been conferred upon Dr Rajendra Kumar Bhandari in the Individual category and Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) in Institutional category.
The award carries a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh and a certificate for an institution and Rs 5 lakh and a certificate in case of an individual.
The Government of India announces the award every year on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, to recognise and honour the invaluable contribution and selfless service rendered by individuals and organisations in India in the field of disaster management.