Answer: A

• President of the Russian Federation H.E. Vladimir Putin paid an official visit to India, New Delhi on 6 December 2021 for the 21st India–Russia Annual Summit news?

About 21st India – Russia summit

• Both of them discussed things related to terrorism and drug trafficking, including the situation in Afghanistan.
• Both countries welcomed the signing of a new Long-Term Program for Military and Technical Cooperation for the period 2021-2031
• The first 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between the Russian and Indian ministers was held at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, Delhi.
• India has also begun to receive S-400 missiles from Russia and Russia has also started delivering the S-400 missile systems to India in December 2021. The S-400 is a mobile long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) system developed by a Russian state-owned enterprise Almaz-Antey.
• Both nations also signed an agreement for the joint production of 6,01,427 assault rifles AK-203 through Indo Russia Rifles Pvt Ltd, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi
• About Russia:
• Capital – Moscow
• Currency – Russian ruble
• President – Vladimir Putin
• Prime Minister – Mikhail Mishustin

Answer: D

• NITI (National Institute for Transforming India) Aayog and Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) released a report titled ‘Waste-wise Cities: Best practices in municipal solid waste management’, a comprehensive knowledge on India’s solid waste management.

About report

• The Report documents best practices of solid waste management from 28 cities in 15 states of India.
• The report contains, source segregation, material recovery and technological innovations to the management of different kinds of wastes and systems such as biodegradables, plastics, Electronic-waste (e-waste), Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste and landfills

Answer: D

• On the occasion of the Mahaparinirvana Diwas 2021(6th December), Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment(SJE), Dr Virendra Kumar participated in the event organised by Dr Ambedkar Foundation at Dr Ambedkar International Center, New Delhi campus and launched the ‘Shreshtha Yojna’ and National Fellowship Management and Grievance Redressal Portal during the event.
• He also paid floral tribute to Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar at the Dr Ambedkar National Memorial, New Delhi.

About  Shreshtha Yojna:

• The Shreshtha Yojana will support the socio-economic upliftment and overall development of the Scheduled
• Caste(SC) students by providing quality residential education in reputed private schools.

Highlights of the event:

• Union Minister Dr Virendra Kumar also launched a special book titled “Social Justice and Empowerment Reflections from Dr Ambedkar Chairs” published by Dr Ambedkar Foundation.
• He also released a brochure on Dr Ambedkar’s ‘Panchteerth’ and several schemes and scholarships for the SC students by the MoSJE

Answer: C

• As per the report of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) titled ‘Top 100 arms-producing and military services companies, 2020’, 3 Indian defence manufactures companies such as Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Indian Ordnance Factories, and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) ranks among the Top 100 manufacturers globally
• The HAL, ranked 42nd, and BEL, ranked 66th, and Indian Ordnance Factories ranked 60th.
• The arms sales of HAL, BEL, and Indian Ordnance Factories increased by 1.5 percent, 4.0 percent, and 0.2 percent respectively in 2020 when compared to 2019.

Important points

• The combined arms sales of the world’s largest top 100 arms-producing and military services companies in 2020 was about $531 billion.
• The arms sales of the Top 100 were 17 percent higher in 2020 than in 2015.
• With 41 arms companies, the USA has the highest number of companies in the top 100 worldwide.
• Together, their arms sales amounted to $285 billion, an increase of 1.9 percent compared with 2019. The top five companies are from the US.
• With 13 percent share of total Top 100 arms sales, China stands at 2nd to the US in terms of manufacturing military equipment, arms and weapons.

ANSWER: A

• In the untimely death of General Bipin Rawat in a helicopter crash in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India has lost a fine soldier who rose to become the country’s most senior general as its first Chief of Defence Staff.
• All but one of the 14 people on board were killed in the crash of the Mi-17V5 transporter, which was ferrying them from Sulur air base to the Staff College at Wellington.

About GENERAL BIPIN RAWAT

• Rawat, who was Army chief until December 2019, when he was elevated to the newly created office of CDS, was a vastly experienced officer, having served in both the Northern and Eastern commands.
• He was involved in counter-insurgency operations in both Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast, and his battalion was among those deployed along the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal Pradesh during the 1987 clash with the People’s Liberation Army in Sumdorong Chu.
• Rawat started his career as an officer in the Gorkhas and rose to command 5/11 Gorkha Rifles, the battalion his father Lt Gen L S Rawat also commanded.