Current Affairs GK 7th to 10th June 2024

1. RELOS AND INDIA-RUSSIA RELATION –

• Recently, the India-Russia mutual logistics agreement named the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) is now ready for finalisation. It will facilitate military cooperation between India and Russia, including joint exercises, training, and disaster relief efforts.
• The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) between India and Russia is a significant administrative arrangement that will enhance military cooperation between the two nations.
• This agreement is designed to streamline military logistics support, making joint operations and long-distance missions more efficient and cost-effective for both India and Russia.
• It will facilitate the replenishment of essential supplies (fuel, rations, spare parts) thus enabling continuous, uninterrupted military presence in crucial regions.
• It will provide berthing facilities for troops, warships, and aircraft. It will be applicable during both wartime and peacetime missions.
• It will enable smoother utilisation of the host nation’s existing logistics networks. Enhances ability to respond swiftly to crises.
• It will provide a strategic edge to the military operations of both countries thereby reducing overall mission costs.
• Enhances India’s maritime outreach and influence in strategically important regions. Boosts Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and shared logistics facilities could enable better information exchange about maritime activities, enhancing both countries’ situational awareness.

Balancing Quad Agreements-

• RELOS balances India’s logistics agreements with Quad countries and Russia’s non-Quad stance.
• Strengthens Russian presence in Indo-Pacific without Quad involvement.
• It Counterbalances US influence and China’s regional role for both India and Russia.

2. HIGH COURT STRUCK DOWN BIHAR 65% QUOTA RULE –

• Recently, the Patna High Court struck down the Bihar government’s decision to increase the reservation quota from 50% to 65% for Backward Classes (BC), Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in educational institutions and government jobs.
• This move by the Bihar government has raised important questions about the legal limits on reservation policies in India.
• In November 2023, the Bihar government issued gazette notifications to raise the quota for deprived castes from 50% to 65%. This decision was taken following a caste-based survey report, which showed the need for increased representation of BC, EBC, SC and ST communities.
• The Bihar Assembly unanimously passed the Bihar Reservation Amendment Bill in November 2023 to implement this 65% quota.
• A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed challenging the Bihar government’s decision to increase reservations beyond 50%.
• The Patna High Court ruled that the 65% quota violated the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court in the Indira Sawhney case (1992). The court argued that the state government’s decision was not based on “adequate representation” in government jobs, but on the proportional population of these communities.
• The court also noted that together with the 10% Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota, the bill has pushed total reservation to 75%, which is unconstitutional.
• Bihar has the lowest per capita income in the country (below USD 800 per year), which is 30% of the national average. It has the highest fertility rate and only 12% of the population lives in urban areas, compared to the national average of 35%.

3. THE INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO) SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THE LANDING OF THE PUSHPAK REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE (RLV LEX-03) FOR THE THIRD TIME –

• The third demonstration was to test the vehicle in more challenging conditions—when there is a higher degree of deviation from the intended orbit while the launch vehicle comes down and when there are more severe wind conditions.
• Pushpak reused the winged body and flight systems from the second experiment without any modifications.
• The vehicle uses multiple sensors such as inertial sensor, radar altimeter, pseudolite system (a ground-based positioning system), as well as the NaVIC satellite-based positioning system.
• To bring down launch costs and to remain competitive, the reusable launch vehicle is designed to take satellites up to space and return and land on a runway like an aeroplane.

4. INDIA IS DISCUSSING THE PURCHASE OF 12 USED MIRAGE-2000 FIGHTERS AIRCRAFT FROM QATAR, ENHANCING COMBAT STRENGTH AMIDST RETIRING MIG FIGHTERS –

• Mirage 2000 is a fourth-generation, multirole fighter aircraft, and has played a significant role in the Indian Air Force (IAF) for several decades. It was originally designed by the French company Dassault Aviation.
• India acquired around 51 Mirage 2000s in different batches, forming three squadrons based at the Gwalior Air Force station.
• The Mirage 2000 is a versatile platform capable of air-to-air combat, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear strike missions.
• During the Kargil conflict, Mirage 2000s successfully hit enemy camps at high altitudes using laser-guided bombs. It played a crucial role in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, demonstrating its combat effectiveness.
• The ongoing upgrade program aims to enhance their capabilities, ensuring their relevance till 2035.

5. KERALA ASSEMBLY SEEKS RENAMING STATE TO ‘KERALAM’ –

• On June 24, the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution asking the Indian Central Government to change the name of the state in the Constitution from “Kerala” to “Keralam.” This was the second time in a year that the resolution was passed unanimously. This plan, which is being led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, focuses on making the constitutional name match the word “Keralam” in Malayalam.
• There are differences between the Malayalam name “Keralam” and the English name “Kerala” used in the Constitution’s first Schedule, which was brought up by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Kerala Assembly.
• Article 3 of the Constitution is used to ask for a change in the move. The similar resolution from last year had to be looked at again and changed because it didn’t include enough requests for changes to the Eighth Schedule, which deals with official languages.
• The name “Kerala” has historical and language meanings. It was first used in writing in 257 BCE by Emperor Ashoka, who called it “Keralaputra.” German scholar Dr. Herman Gundert connects the word to “Keram,” which refers to the area between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The word “cher” in this name comes from the old language Old Tamil and means “to join.”
• In the 1920s, the Madras Presidency brought together parts of Travancore, Cochin, and the Malabar area to make a single Malayalam-speaking state. After India got its freedom, on November 1, 1956, the State Reorganisation Commission, which was led by Syed Fazl Ali, suggested that Kerala be formed based on linguistic unity, which meant that more Malayalam-speaking areas were added while some Tamil-speaking areas were left out.
• The goal of changing the name of the state to “Keralam” is to better reflect its language, culture, and history within the limits of the country’s law.

6. INDIA RANKS 3RD-LARGEST DOMESTIC AVIATION MARKET –

• The Indian aviation market has grown to become the third biggest in the world. It has moved up from fifth place a decade ago to this important accomplishment. The success made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows an excellent average yearly growth rate in airline seat capacity of 6.9%, which is the highest rate in the world.
• Low-cost airlines (LCCs), which now have 78.4% of the market, have become very important. IndiGo is a big name in this field, and in the last ten years, it has grown its market share by half, to 62%, with an impressive yearly capacity growth rate of 13.9%. The rapid rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs) has made flying easier for more Indians, which has helped the economy grow.
• To be clear, the US had the most seats (about 84 million) in November 2023, followed by China with 65 million. India had about 15 million seats, while Japan and Brazil came in next with 12 million and 10 million seats, respectively.
• These numbers show not only how big domestic flight is, but also how strong each market is and how it plans to grow. In general, India’s situation shows how important it is becoming and how well it is doing strategically in the world of aviation.