Current Context : Recently, Taiwan’s navy commander Admiral Tang Hua claimed that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is using an ‘anaconda strategy’ to squeeze the island nation.

• The ‘Anaconda Plan’ refers to a military and economic strategy aimed at constraining Taiwan by surrounding it with military resources, similar to an anaconda suffocating its prey.
• This strategy mirrors the original “Anaconda Plan” from the American Civil War, which aimed to suffocate an adversary without direct confrontation.
• Objective: To limit Taiwan’s access to international support and resources while maintaining strong naval capabilities in the region.

Current Context : Union Health Ministry celebrated the completion of two years of National Tele Mental Health Programme, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking across States (Tele MANAS) on World Mental Health Day.

ABOUT TELE MANAS

• Tele MANAS app is a comprehensive mobile platform that has been developed for providing support for mental health issues.
• It offers mind challenges, games, and mindfulness practices.
• It includes self-care tips, distress signal recognition, and stress management tools.
• Access: Users can connect for free, 24/7, with trained mental health professionals for confidential counseling.

ABOUT WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

• Celebrated on October 10
• Theme: “It is time to prioritize Mental Health at Workplace” (Mental Health at Work)
• Aim : to raise awareness of mental health issues and promotes mental health education globally.

Celebrated on October 14 every year.

• Aim : To raise awareness about the role of standardization in improving quality, safety, and efficiency in the global economy.

Observed annually on October 13.

• Aim : to promote a global culture of disaster risk reduction and to raise awareness about the importance of building resilience against natural disasters.
• Theme : “Empowering the next generation for a resilient future”.

Recently, Nauni university awarded agro-processing award.

• Nauni University (Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry) received the third place for the Outstanding Exhibitor Award at CIPHET IIFA-2024.
• The recognition was under the All India Coordinated Research Project on Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (AICRP-PHET).
• Significance: The university’s contributions focus on post-harvest management, food preservation, agro-processing, and value addition technologies, enhancing agricultural sustainability and economic opportunities for farmers.
• The University is located at Nauni in Solan District of Himachal Pradesh.

Current Context : India’s Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, launched two key initiatives—ADITI 2.0 and DISC 12—at DefConnect 4.0 in Delhi.

Aim : to strengthen India’s defence technology ecosystem by encouraging innovation and providing financial support for new ideas.

ABOUT

ADITI 2.0 (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX):

• Features: 19 challenges from the Armed Forces in domains like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Quantum Technology, and anti-drone systems.
• Grants: Up to ₹25 crore for winners of the iDEX challenges.
• Focus: 30 critical and strategic defence technologies to strengthen innovation in India’s defence sector.

DISC 12 (DEFENCE INDIA START-UP CHALLENGES):

• Features: 41 challenges focusing on UAVs, AI, Networking, and Communication.
• Grants: Offers up to ₹5 crore for selected innovations.
• Partnership: Launched in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, encouraging start-ups and MSMEs to create defence prototypes and commercialize products.
• MIRA Initiative: Introduces Medical Innovations and Research Advancement (MIRA)to develop medical technologies for the Armed Forces.

Current Context : Indian Navy’s INS Talwar arrived at Simon’s Town, South Africa to participate in the eighth edition of exercise IBSAMAR.

• The eighth edition f IBSAMAR, running from 6th to 18th October 2024, is being hosted by South Africa at Simon’s Town.
• INS Talwar, a frontline Indian stealth frigate, is leading India’s participation.

ABOUT IBSAMAR

• IBSAMAR is a trilateral naval exercise involving the navies of India, Brazil, and South Africa.
• Established: 2008
• Objective: Strengthen trilateral defense ties, improve tactical skills, and promote mutual understanding.
• Held every two years, rotating locations among the three countries.

INDIA’S OTHER MARITIME EXERCISES

• India-Thailand: Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT)
• United Kingdom: Konkan-Shakti
• Indonesia: Samudra Shakti
• Singapore: Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)
• Qatar: Zair-Al-Bahr
• Japan: Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX).

Current Context : Recently, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd delivered INS Nirdeshak to the Indian Navy.

ABOUT

INS Nirdeshak is the second vessel in the Survey Vessels (Large) Project, designed by GRSE in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Defence.

Significance:

• It will strengthen the Indian Navy’s hydrographic and oceanographic survey capabilities.
• Critical for coastal defense and underwater navigation.
• It is 110 meters long and has a displacement of 3,400 tonnes.
• It is powered by two diesel engines and can reach speeds of over 18 knots.
• The INS Nirdeshak is the second of four vessels in the series, with the first, INS Sandhayak, commissioned in February 2024.

Current Context : The Union Cabinet recently approved the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) in Lothal, Gujarat.

Aim: To preserve, promote, and present India’s rich maritime legacy to both national and international audiences.

Goal:

• To generate economic growth through cultural tourism, creating over 22,000 jobs.
• Boost researchand education in maritime history and archaeology.

It will be completed in two phases :

• Phase 1A: Underway, includes a main museum, aquatic gallery, and warship exhibits.
• Phase 1B: Will include the world’s tallest Lighthouse Museum, theme parks, and state pavilions.
• Lothal is a site from the Indus Valley Civilization, was a major maritime trade hub over 4,500 years ago. ​

Current Context : Recently, the new annual State of the Global Climate report is published.

It is an Annual Report published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) since 2021, based on input from national and international experts.

2023 Report Findings:

• Hottest Year on Record: 2023 marked the hottest year globally.
• Rivers and Reservoirs: The driest year for global rivers in 33 years, with persistent below-normal flows and reservoir inflows over the last five years.
• Glaciers: Significant ice loss, with more than 600 gigatonsof water lost across all glaciated regions—the largest mass loss ever recorded in 50 years.
• Water Scarcity: 6 billionpeople face inadequate access to water at least one month a year, projected to rise to 5 billion by 2050.
• Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Water and Sanitation): The world is far behind in achieving this goal, indicating a growing water crisis.