Tawi River
Syllabus: GS1/ Geography
In News
- India recently warned Pakistan of a potential flood in the Tawi River as a humanitarian gesture.
- The communication was made through diplomatic channels, not via the Indus Waters Commission as required under the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), 1960.
About River Tawi
- Origin: Kailash Kund glacier (Kali Kund) near Bhaderwah in Doda district, J&K.
- Tributary: Left bank tributary of the Chenab River.
- Importance: Known as the “Lifeline of Jammu city”, flows through Jammu before joining Chenab.
- Provides water for drinking, irrigation, and is culturally revered.
| About Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) – Signed in 1960 between India & Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank. – Allocated rivers: 1. Western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab): Pakistan’s rights (India limited use – irrigation, hydropower, etc.). 2. Eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej): India’s rights. – Flood-related information sharing is a key obligation. |
Source: TH
Switch facility from Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to the National Pension System (NPS)
Syllabus :GS2/Governance
In News
- The Finance Ministry introduced a one-time, one-way switch facility from the newly introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to the National Pension System (NPS).
What is the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS)?
- The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) closely mirrors the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), assuring retirees 50% of their last year’s basic pay as pension after completing at least 25 years of service.
- For service less than 25 years (with a minimum of 10 years), the pension is proportionately reduced, but not below ₹10,000 per month.
- Family pension is set at 60% of the retiree’s pension, and all pensions are inflation-indexed.
- It is funded—employees contribute 10% of their salary, while the government contributes 18.5%, with adjustments based on actuarial reviews.
- The scheme is retrospective and applies to those who joined after January 1, 2004, and retired under NPS.
National Pension Scheme (NPS)
- It was launched in 2004, replacing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) due to rising pension liabilities.
- It follows a Defined Contribution model with two tiers.
- In Tier 1, Central Government employees (except Armed Forces) who joined after the cutoff date contribute 10% of their basic pay and DA, matched equally by the government.
- Tier 2 is optional, allowing voluntary contributions with flexible withdrawals.
- At retirement (age 60), 40% of the corpus must be used to buy an annuity for lifetime pension; this increases to 80% for premature retirement.
- NPS is regulated by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), with fund managers like SBI, UTI, and LIC investing in a mix of government securities, debt, equity, and other instruments.
- NPS applies to all central government employees joining on or after January 1, 2004.
Source:TH
India Partners with World Food Programme to Fight Global Hunger
Syllabus: GS3/ Food Security
Context
- The Government of India and the World Food Programme (WFP) signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to collaborate in addressing global hunger.
- India will provide WFP fortified rice to support nutritional needs of vulnerable populations in food-insecure regions.
About World Food Programme
- The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, established in 1961 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the UN General Assembly.
- Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
- Executive Board: The Executive Board is WFP’s supreme governing body.
- It consists of 36 Member States and provides intergovernmental support, direction and supervision of activities.
- WFP is headed by an Executive Director, appointed for fixed five-year terms and is responsible for the administration of WFP as well as the implementation of its programmes, projects and other activities.
- The WFP operates in over 120 countries and territories, relying on voluntary contributions from governments, organizations, and individuals to fund its work.
- The first development programme was launched in Sudan in 1963.
- WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.
Source: PIB
Super Garuda Shield Exercise
Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations, GS3/ Defence
Context
- The United States and Indonesia have launched the largest-ever edition of the Super Garuda Shield military exercise.
About
- The Garuda Shield exercise originally began as a bilateral U.S.–Indonesian army exercise in 2007.
- In 2022, the exercise was expanded and rebranded as Super Garuda Shield, involving multiple Indo-Pacific partners and transforming into a multinational exercise.
- Multinational Participation: Troops from 12 other countries such as Japan, Australia, Singapore, the UK, France, Canada, South Korea, Thailand, Brunei, Brazil, India, and New Zealand.
- Observer teams include Cambodia, India, and Papua New Guinea.
- Geographical Spread: Drills conducted in and around Jakarta, Sumatra, and the Riau archipelago.
Source: TH
RAN SAMWAD-2025
Syllabus: GS3/Defence
Context
- ‘RAN SAMWAD-2025’, tri-service dialogue on war, warfare and warfighting commenced at the Army War College in Madhya Pradesh.
About
- Aim: To enhance interaction, communication and cooperation among military communities on issues critical to warfighting.
- It has been curated by Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff and Centre for Joint Warfare Studies, under the guidance of CDS.
- A few Joint Doctrines and the Technology Perspective & Capability Roadmap will also be released during the event.
Source: PIB
AI-enabled X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) System
Syllabus :GS3/Defence
In News
- During Operation Sindoor, India is believed to have deployed the AI-enabled X-Guard FOTD system to enhance survivability of its fighter aircraft against hostile radar and missile threats.
AI-enabled X-Guard Fibre-Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) system
- It is developed by Israel’s Rafael and The X-Guard is a 30 kg, retractable, reusable decoy system designed to mimic a Rafale’s radar signature, doppler velocity, and electronic countermeasures across multiple radar bands.
- Its 360-degree jamming signal capability integrates seamlessly with the Rafale’s SPECTRA (Self-Protection Equipment Countering Threats to Rafale Aircraft) EW suite.
- SPECTRA manages threat detection, blocking, and onboard defensive measures
- It adds a trailing expendable layer, jointly forming a multi-tiered defensive shield.
- Following its reported success in Operation Sindoor, the IAF is fast-tracking more units via emergency procurement.
| Do you know? – Land forces have long used decoys—such as inflatable, radar-reflective, and heat-emitting dummy tanks, artillery, and command posts—to mislead enemy ISR and divert precision strikes. – These decoys have proven effective from the 1991 Gulf War through to the Ukraine conflict, where they absorb costly munitions and disrupt attacks. – Modern battlefield saturation by drones and loitering munitions has driven decoys to become more sophisticated, like Russia’s Inflatech simulating entire armored formations, Ukraine’s wooden and 3D-printed fakes, and U.S. trials of decoy vehicles to fool advanced missiles. – India recently sought physical decoys replicating its T-90 tanks’ thermal and acoustic signatures. – Navies also use layered decoys—from floating chaff to active missile decoys like the Nulka system, which mimics larger ships to divert radar-guided missiles. 1. Overall, decoys on air, land, and sea remain crucial, offering high-value protection for relatively low cost in modern warfare. |
Source :TH
National Youth Award (NYA) 2024
Syllabus: Miscellaneous
Context
- The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has invited nominations for the National Youth Award (NYA) 2024.
About
- The Award is designed to inspire young individuals aged 15 to 29 to strive for excellence in national development and social service.
- The National Youth Award, usually conferred during the National Youth Festival, is given in two categories: Individual and organisation.
- The maximum number of awards given each year is 20 for individual categories and 5 for organisational categories.
- It may, however, vary at the discretion of the sanctioning authority in deserving cases.
- Award to individuals will comprise a medal, a certificate and award money of ₹1,00,000.
- Award to voluntary youth organisations will comprise a medal, a certificate and award money of ₹3,00,000.
Source: PIB
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