• S&P Global has raised India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast for Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25) by 40 basis points to 8 per cent or lower than the central bank and government’s projection of 7 per cent.
• The Indian economy is estimated to have clocked a growth of6% in the current fiscal.
• In November, last year, the U.S.-based agency had projected India’s growth to be 6.4% in 2024-25 fiscal on robust domestic momentum.

• According to the “Insurance 100 2024” report by Brand Finance, independent brand valuation and strategy consultancy, India’s Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) has emerged as the world’s strongest insurance brand, with brand value up 0.04% to USD 9.8 billion. It has a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 88.3 and an associated AAA brand strength rating.
• LIC is followed by Taiwan based Cathay Life Insurance (brand value up 9% to USD4.9 billion) and Australia based NRMA Insurance (brand value up 82% to USD1.3 billion) as 2nd and 3rd strongest insurance brands respectively.
• According to the report, China’s Ping An continues its reign as the world’s most valuable insurance brand for 6 consecutive years, showcasing a 4% increase in brand value to USD 33.6 billion.

• After eight years of Socialist rule in Portugal, Luis Montenegro, leader of the centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD), has been appointed as the new prime minister. However, his minority government faces challenges due to his refusal to ally with the far-right Chega party.
• Montenegro’s appointment marks the return of a centre-right leader to the prime minister’s office after more than eight years.
• Despite his party’s victory in the recent election, the AD falls short of a majority in the parliament, with only 80 out of 230 seats.
• Montenegro’s rejection of a coalition with the far-right Chega party leaves his government in a fragile position, necessitating negotiations with other parties for legislative support.
• About Portugal
  • Capital- Lisbon
  • Currency – euro

• Bassirou Diomaye Faye, an anti-establishment figure, has won the Senegalese presidential election with 54.28 per cent of the votes in the first round. At 44 years old, Faye is set to become Africa’s youngest elected president and the first opponent to win in the first round since Senegal’s independence from France in 1960. His victory still needs to be validated by Senegal’s Constitutional Council in the next few days.
• Faye, who was freed from prison just 10 days before the election, has said he wants a “break” with the current political system.
• He has promised to restore national “sovereignty” and implement a program of “left-wing pan-Africanism.”
• His election could herald a profound overhaul of Senegal’s institutions.

• The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has connected the strategic Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road in Ladakh.
• This 298-km road will connect Manali to Leh through Darcha and Nimmu on Kargil – Leh Highway.
• The road is now the third axis apart from Manali-Leh and Srinagar-Leh which connects Ladakh to the hinterland.
• The Nimmu-Padam-Darcha road derives its strategic importance from the fact that it is not only shorter vis-a-vis the other two axes, but crosses only one pass; Shinkun La (16,558 feet) on which tunnel work is about to commence by the BRO.
• This will result in the road having all weather connectivity to the Ladakh region.
• The connectivity will strengthen the defence preparedness and provide a boost to the economic development in the Zanskar valley.

• The two day 2nd Employment Working Group (EWG) meeting under the Brazilian Presidency commenced in Brasilia.
• The G20 EWG’s mandate is to address labour, employment and social issues for strong, sustainable, balanced and job-rich growth for all.
• As India is a member of the G20 Troika, represented by Sumita Dawra, Secretary, Labour & Employment, India is co-chairing the 2nd EWG meeting, along with Brazil and South Africa.
• The Indian delegation also comprises Rupesh Kumar Thakur, Joint Secretary, and Mr. Rakesh Gaur, Deputy Director from the Ministry of Labour & Employment.
• The focus areas for the 2nd EWG meeting is on

(i) creating quality employment and promoting decent labor;

(ii) addressing a just transition amidst digital and energy transformations;

(iii) leveraging technologies to enhance the quality of life for all;

(iv) the emphasis on gender equity and promoting diversity in the world of employment for inclusivity, driving innovation and growth.

• India is planning to spend about $3.7 billion to fence the porous border with Myanmar which is 1,610-km (1,000-mile). Earlier, the government decided to end the Free Movement Regime along the Indo-Myanmar border.

ABOUT INDO-MYANMAR BORDER

• The India-Myanmar border spans a total of 1,643 kilometers and runs through four Indian states: Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• In Moreh, Manipur, a 10 kilometer stretch has already been fenced, and two pilot projects that utilize a Hybrid Surveillance System (HSS) are currently underway. These projects aim to fence one kilometer each in Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Additionally, fence works covering approximately 20 kilometers in Manipur have been approved and will commence soon.

ABOUT FREE MOVEMENT REGIME (FMR)

• India and Myanmar have an agreement called the Free Movement Regime (FMR). This agreement allows local tribes living along the border to travel up to 16 kilometers inside the other country without needing a visa.
• According to this agreement, local tribes living within 16 km on either side of the border can travel with one-year validity and stay for a maximum of two weeks.
• The Indian government has announced a plan to put up smart fencing along the entire India-Myanmar border to curb illegal immigration.
• Once implemented, the Free Movement Regime (FMR) policy along the border would come to an end and anyone entering the country through this route would require a valid visa. The project is expected to be completed in four and a half years.
• Currently, only about 10 km of the 390 km porous border between Manipur and Myanmar is fenced.

PROJECTS WITH MYANMAR

• India is creating a transportation system called the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport project that combines road, river, and port transportation.
• The goal of this project is to connect Kolkata to Sittwe in Myanmar and then to India’s northeast through Myanmar’s Kaladan river.
• Furthermore, India is collaborating with Myanmar and Thailand on the Asian Trilateral Highway project, which will link India to This road is expected to improve trade and commerce in the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area while also benefiting other Southeast Asian countries.

• The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati has achieved a significant milestone by successfully transferring technology for the production of India’s first recombinant virus-based vaccine for classical swine fever.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

• This breakthrough represents a pivotal development in combating the highly contagious disease affecting pigs and wild boars.
• IIT Guwahati has facilitated the transfer of pioneering vaccine technology to BioMed Pvt Ltd, a manufacturing company specializing in high-quality vaccines.
• This transfer enables commercial production of the vaccine, offering a swift and cost-effective solution for pig vaccination.
• The vaccine developed at IIT Guwahati utilizes a recombinant virus-based platform, which is a novel approach in India for combating classical swine fever.
• This method represents a significant advancement in vaccine technology, ensuring effective protection against the disease.
• The development of this vaccine is the result of collaborative efforts between researchers from the Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering at IIT Guwahati and Assam Agricultural University in Guwahati.

ABOUT SWINE FEVER:

• Classical swine fever is a highly infectious and often fatal viral disease of swine.
• Swine infected with classical swine fever virus usually develop fever, hemorrhages, lethargy, yellowish diarrhea, vomiting, and purple skin discoloration of the ears, lower abdomen, and legs.
• Neurological signs, reproductive failures, and abortion may also be observed.
• Diagnostic tests for the disease include RT-qPCR assay, virus isolation, immunofluorescence assay, and detection of antibodies by serological tests such as ELISA and virus neutralization.
• Swine fever poses a significant threat in various states across India, particularly in the northeastern states, Punjab, Haryana, Bihar, Gujarat, and Kerala.
• The availability of an indigenous vaccine holds promise for controlling the spread of the disease and safeguarding the livestock industry.

• The World’s first-ever Om-shaped temple Inaugurated in the village of Jadan in Rajasthan’s Pali district.

ABOUT THE TEMPLE

• This temple became the world’s first temple designed in this iconic form. This architectural masterpiece will not only attract tourists, but will also boast of an impressive visual presence that will be visible from space too.
• This groundbreaking endeavor marks a significant milestone as it pioneers the creation of such a distinctive temple globally.
• The ‘Om Aakar’ temple spans across a vast expanse of 250 acres in Jadan Village.

FEATURES OF TEMPLE

• This temple is shaped like the Om symbol and follows the Nagara style commonly seen in North India. It has an extensive layout covering an area of around half a kilometre. This intricate design pays tribute to the region’s rich cultural and architectural heritage.
• One notable aspect of this temple is that it can hold 1,008 idols of Lord Mahadev and 12 Jyotirlingas within its sacred boundaries.
• The temple stands at a towering height of 135 ft and is supported by 2,000 pillars. It also has 108 rooms on its premises, with the tomb of Guru Madhavanand ji as the central feature of the temple complex.
• The topmost section of the temple has a sanctum that houses a shivling made of rhinestone sourced from the Bansi hill of Dholpur.
• Additionally, there is an enormous tank underneath the temple complex with a capacity of 2 lakh tonnes, which adds to the temple’s grandeur.

ORIGINS AND EVOLUTION OF NAGARA STYLE TEMPLES

• It is believed that the Nagara style of temple architecture originated in the 5th century AD. Its influence is in parts of Northern India, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
• The Nagara style is not limited to a specific time period and has evolved and adapted over centuries, showing the dynamic nature of Indian temple architecture.
• Nagara style got its fame from the Gupta dynasty and continued to flourish through various regional kingdoms and empires that ruled over the northern parts of India.
• The word “Nagara” means “city,” which highlights the temple style’s close association with urban architectural principles.
• Nagara style temples have a unique blend of indigenous elements and influences from Central Asia.
• They are characterized by their tower-like peaks, known as “shikharas”, which rise vertically and symbolize the sacred mountain, Meru. This temple style of architecture is closely associated with the Shaiva and Vaishnava sects of Hinduism, reflecting their spiritual aspirations.

• India made history by making a Guinness World record with participation of 128 players, on The World Kabaddi Day, 24 March.
• This new history in the field of Kabaddi game has been written at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula
• An MOU recently signed between Holistic International Pravasi Sports Association (HIPSA) and the Government of Haryana, for the promotion of Kabaddi, globally, was one of the main reasons to choose India as a venue and Haryana in particular, for the event.
• While Guinness had set the record benchmark for 84 players to break the record, the organizers had challenged the record, with an attempt for 154 players.