TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Inauguration of Kartavya Path & unveiling of the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
2. Two-Day National Conference of State Cooperation Ministers
3. Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM)
4. Bilateral Talks - India & Japan

1. Inauguration of Kartavya Path & unveiling of the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

Syllabus – GS 1, Indian Culture & Heritage.

Prelims – Kartavya Path & Statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Context – PM Shri Narendra Modi Inaugurated Kartavya Path and unveiled the Statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at India Gate.

Details –

•  Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kartavya Path which represents a shift from the erstwhile Rajpath (Kingsway) – a symbol of power to Kartavya path – an example of public ownership and empowerment. 
  • The Kartavya Path stretches from the National War Memorial to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 
  • The Kartavya Path will exhibit beautiful landscapes, new amenity blocks, new green areas, improved signages and vending kiosks.
• The PM also unveiled the statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at India Gate. Shri Modi described him as a man who was beyond the challenges of position and resources. The statue of Netaji will serve as a great source of inspiration for the people of the country. The statue has replaced the mark of the statue of George Ⅴ.
  • He was the first head of Akhand Bharat, who freed Andaman before 1947 and hoisted the tricolour.
  • Netaji Bhawan is a museum in Kolkata dedicated to him.

About the Statue of Netaji-

• The statue is installed at the same place where the hologram statue was unveiled on Parakram Diwas, 23rd January by the PM to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji.
• The statue is crafted by the team of Shri Arun Yogiraj.
• It is 28ft tall, carved out from a monolithic granite stone. 
• It weighs 65 MT.

2. Two-Day National Conference of State Cooperation Ministers

Syllabus – GS 2, Government policies & Interventions for Developments in various sectors. 

Prelims – Cooperative Societies. 

Context – Shri Amit Shah, the Union Minister for Home and Cooperation addressed a two-day National Conference of State Cooperation Ministers.

Details –

• The Ministry of Cooperation was established by PM Modi in July 2021.
• Cooperation is mainly a state subject but in a large country like India, the entire cooperative movement should have the same path. Equal development of the cooperative society will be ensured by considering every state equally in the new cooperative policy.
• Shri Amit Shah in his address said that in order to strengthen cooperatives, it is necessary to strengthen PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies). 51 % of villages and 94% of farmers are in one way or the other associated with cooperatives. Cooperative is the only sector in which a lot of people can work together and contribute hugely to the economy of the country.
• The focus of the Cooperative Policy is free registration, computerisation, democratic elections and active membership. Also professionalism in governance, transparency, accountability and responsibility.
• Emphasising the importance of PACS, the minister said, Government has decided to establish 3 lakh PACS in the next 5 years. Also, defunct PACS will be liquidated so that new PACS can be built.

3. Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missile (QRSAM)

Syllabus – Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Prelims – QRSAM

Context – Flight tests of QRSAM conducted successfully.

Details –

• Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)  and the Indian Army successfully held six flight tests of QRSAM from Integrated Test Range (ITR) Chandipur off the Odisha Coast. The system is ready for induction into the Indian army.
• The missile has indigenously developed subsystems – an indigenous radio frequency (RF) seeker, fully automated command and control system, surveillance and multi-function radars.
• The speciality of QRSAM is that it can operate on the move with search and track ability and fire on short halt.

4. Bilateral Talks – India & Japan

Syllabus – GS2, Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting  India’s interests.

Prelims – India-Japan Bilateral talks.

Context–

1. Bilateral talks between the Indian Defence Minister and his Japanese Counterpart.
2. 2nd India Japan 2+2 Ministerial dialogue in Tokyo.

Details –

• The Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral talks with Mr Yasukazu Hamada, his Japanese counterpart and discussed various aspects of bilateral defence cooperation and regional matters.
• The ministers reiterated their resolution to continue bilateral and multilateral exercises which include JIMEX, Malabar & Dharma Guardian. The two nations operationalised the Reciprocal provision of Supply and Services (logistics) Agreement during exercise MILAN in March 2022.
• The two countries are pursuing a Special Strategic and Global partnership. India and Japan are celebrating 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relationship this year. 

2nd India and Japan 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue-

• The Indian side was represented by the Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh and External affairs minister, Dr S. Jaishankar. The Japanese side was represented by the country’s defence and foreign ministers.
• There was a consensus on both sides that a healthy relationship between India & Japan is important for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
• India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) shares many similarities with Japan’s Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP).
• Both India and Japan are working together with ASEAN and other Plus countries for strengthening cooperation across domains including maritime security, HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief), Peacekeeping Operations, etc.

Read previous PIB here.

September 8th, 2022, PIB:- Download PDF Here