8th Indo-Myanmar coordinated Navy patrol                                                              

India cuts off UN panel after J&K report                                                                    

India Adopted New Definition Of Kilogram                                                                

India, Pakistan to attend SCO meet                                                                            

Third party motor insurance premium to get pricier as IRDAI revised rate card   

U.S. warship sails in disputed South China Sea amid trade tensions                    

8th Indo-Myanmar coordinated Navy patrol

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - India and its neighbourhood relations.

Context :

• Navy ships from Myanmar reached Port Blair to attend the opening ceremony of the 8th Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR).

Indo-Myanmar coordinated patrol :

• The CORPAT initiative between the two navies is meant to address Issues of terrorism, Illegal fishing, Drug trafficking, Human trafficking, Poaching and other illegal activities inimical to interest of both nations.

• The CORPAT series has enhanced the mutual understanding and fostered improved professional interaction between the two navies for maritime interoperability.

• The patrolling effort will be augmented by Maritime Patrol Aircraft from both navies.

• The ships would patrol along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) between the two countries covering a distance of approximately 725 Kilometres.

• The ships will also undertake joint manoeuvres and drills during the sea phase of coordinated patrol (CORPAT) prior ‘Closing Ceremony’ of the CORPAT.

                                                                                                                                Source :- PIB

India cuts off UN panel after J&K report

GS PAPER - 02 POLITY - Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

Context :

• India has informed the United Nations Human Rights Council(UNHRC) that it has decided to cut off any communication with the UNHRC Special Rapporteurs.

Background :

• Three special rapporteurs of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) have written to India asking for details on steps taken to punish or provide justice to victims and their next of kin in 76 cases of torture and arbitrary killing in Jammu and Kashmir since 1990.

• In addition, the Special Rapporteurs had listed 13 cases of concern from 2018 alone, in which four children were among eight civilians killed by members of the security forces.

  • In all these cases, the authorities have reportedly failed to conduct thorough, prompt and impartial investigations, so as to ensure that the rule of law prevails, and justice is done and steps are taken to ensure the non-recurrence of the violations.

• Reminding that the Human Rights Council had given them the mandate to seek clarification from members, the letter asks the Indian government to provide details on eight issues, ranging from the outcome of the investigation into the cases to the steps taken to repeal the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act.

More about the news:

• Rejecting all the claims, the Indian Permanent Mission to the UNin Geneva replied to the OHCHR saying that India does not intend to engage further with the mandate-holders on the issue – whom it accused of individual prejudice.

• UN officials say that India is already in contravention of several Conventions it has committed to, including a Standing Invitation signed in 2011 to all special rapporteurs to visit India.

• According to the UN records, more than 20 such visit requests, including to Jammu and Kashmir, are pending at present.

• UN sources also said that between 2016-2018, the OHCHR Special Rapporteurs had sent as many as 58 communications, and had received no response other than the April 23 letter on Jammu and Kashmir.

                                                                                                                                                          Source :- The Hindu

India Adopted New Definition Of Kilogram

GS PAPER - 03 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life

Context :

• India, along with the rest of the world, on 20th May 2019 adopted new definitions of four base units, the kilogram, Kelvin, mole and ampere, which were released by scientists at General Conference on Weights and Measures held in France on November 16, 2018.

More about the news:

Need of a change?

                                                                                                                         Source :- The Hindu

India, Pakistan to attend SCO meet

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests

Context :

• A Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) ministerial meeting is being held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.

More about the news:

• For the first time since the Pulwama terror attack and the Balakot airstrikes, Indian and Pakistani Foreign Ministers will together attend a ministerial meeting under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

• At the meeting in Bishkek, the External Affairs Minister is expected to take up cross-border terror attacks from Pakistan and India’s response to it, including the Balakot airstrikes.

• This is also the first meeting since India successfully ensured a global blacklisting of Jaish-e-Mohammed head Masood Azhar.

• The meeting is expected to discuss the latest attack by the Islamic State in Sri Lanka, which claimed at least 253 lives and injured hundreds.

• The Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of SCO has emerged in the last few years as an important platform, where terrorism and security-related problems are discussed among member countries. India and Pakistan have participated in the multilateral military exercises.

• The meeting acquires significance as it comes in the backdrop of an expanding U.S.-China trade war and the energy shock to several of the member countries after the U.S. administration ended waiver for energy trade with Iran.

                                                                                                                             Source :- The Hindu

Third party motor insurance premium to get pricier as IRDAI revised rate card

GS PAPER - 03 ECONOMY - Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Context :

• Insurance regulator IRDAI proposed an increase in third party (TP) motor insurance premium rates for various categories of automobiles from cars, two-wheelers and school buses to trucks.

More about the news :

• The notification proposes a 15% hike in third party (TP) motor insurance premium for small and medium private cars while the hike in premium varies for other categories of vehicles.

• The regulator has also offered a special discount of 15% in the premium for electric private cars and electric two-wheelers while no hike is planned in the premium for e-rickshaws.

• Further,premium for other categories of vehicles such as taxis, buses, trucks and tractors is also proposed to be increased at varying rates.

• However,there will be no change in the long-term premium rates for new cars and two-wheelers which comes for three years in the case of new cars and five years for new two-wheelers.

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India(IRDAI) :

• The IRDAI is an autonomous,statutory body created by IRDA Act,1999.

• It was created based on the recommendations of the Malhotra Committee report

• The key objectives of the IRDA include promotion of competition so as to enhance customer satisfaction through increased consumer choice and lower premiums, while ensuring the financial security of the insurance market.

Function of IRDAI  :

• regulating the insurance industry and protects the customers

• promotion of competition to enhance customer satisfaction and

• lowering premiums for ensuring the financial security of the insurance sector.

                                                                                                                                                         Source :- The Hindu

U.S. warship sails in disputed South China Sea amid trade tensions

GS PAPER - 02 INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS - Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.

Context :

• The United States military has said that one of its warships sailed near the disputed Scarborough Shoal which is claimed by China in the South China Sea.

More about the news:

• This move comes against a background of increased tensions between the US and China as they had failed to reach trade deal.

• The US military has said that its operations are carried out throughout the world including areas claimed by allies and they are separate from political considerations.

• The operation was the latest attempt to counter what Washington sees as Beijing's efforts to limit freedom of navigation in the strategic waters, where Chinese, Japanese and some Southeast Asian navies operate.

South China Sea :

• South China Sea is a portion of the Pacific ocean which is bordered by some of the ASEAN countries and China.

• The dispute involves contesting claims both maritime and islands in the region by 7 countries which are Brunei, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

• The genesis of the dispute lies in the “eleven-dashed line” announced by the Chinese government in 1947 which was later changed to “Nine-dash line” in 1949 by Communist China.

• This line covers most of the South China Sea, which China claims to be a part of its territory and hence it possesses exclusive sovereign rights over the region.

• China puts forward historical evidence which show that the region was under Chinese control.

• However, these claims are contested by other littoral states in the region.

                                                                                                               Source :- The Hindu

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