21st February, 2025 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
India Becomes IALA Vice President, Boosts Maritime Leadership

• India has been elected as the Vice President of the International Organization of Aids to Marine Navigation (IALA) during its inaugural General Assembly in Singapore.
• This election highlights India’s growing influence in global maritime affairs and comes at a crucial time when IALA is transitioning from a non-governmental organization (NGO) to an inter-governmental organization (IGO).
• India’s leadership in maritime navigation is set to expand further, with key international events scheduled in the coming years.
• IALA, established in 1957, has been responsible for coordinating marine aids to navigation worldwide.
• India’s representation at the IALA General Assembly was led by Shri T.K. Ramachandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, along with senior officials, including Joint Secretary Shri Mukesh Mangal, Director General of Lighthouses and Lightships Shri N. Muruganandam, and Deputy Director Shri S. Saravanan. Their leadership and expertise played a key role in securing this crucial position for India.

India’s First Open-Air Art Wall Museum Inaugurated at Mausam Bhawan

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and other key departments, inaugurated India’s first “Open Air Art Wall Museum” at Mausam Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The initiative, developed in collaboration with Delhi Street Art, celebrates 150 years of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) through a vibrant series of murals, depicting its history, technological advancements, and contributions to society. The unique project merges science and art, offering a visually engaging representation of India’s meteorological journey.
• Highlights the scientific evolution of meteorology in India.
• Educates the public on the importance of weather science in daily life.
• Strengthens India’s meteorological outreach through art.
• Government reaffirmed its commitment to meteorological research, technology, and infrastructure.

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INTERNATIONAL
India and Nepal Strengthen Scientific Ties with New Agreement

• India and Nepal have taken a major step toward advancing their scientific collaboration with the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, and the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST).
• The agreement, signed on February 18, 2025, at CSIR-National Physical Laboratory in New Delhi, aims to deepen research and technological cooperation between the two nations. This MoU builds on a long-standing partnership and focuses on various domains, including biotechnology, environmental sciences, alternative energy, and material sciences.
• First MoU signed in 1994, leading to joint research, training, and workshops.

Philippines Set to Acquire $200 Million Akash Missile System from India

• India is making strides in its defense exports, with a potential $200 million deal on the table for the supply of its Akash missile system to the Philippines.
• This deal, which is expected to be finalized in the current fiscal year, highlights India’s growing presence in the global defense market and strengthens ties with the Philippines, a nation that is actively enhancing its military capabilities.
• The Akash missile system, developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has attracted international attention due to its advanced technology, cost-effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
• The Akash missile system is a versatile, medium-range surface-to-air missile that can target a range of threats, including aircraft, cruise missiles, and air-to-surface missiles. It has a range of up to 25 kilometers and is equipped with a 60 kg high-explosive warhead with a proximity fuse.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Evo 2 AI System

• It is the largest publicly available AI model for genomic data.
• It was built on the NVIDIA DGX Cloud platform in a collaboration led by nonprofit biomedical research organization Arc Institute and Stanford University.
• The model was built using 2,000 Nvidia H100 processors on Amazon's cloud infrastructure.
• It is trained on an enormous dataset of nearly 9 trillion nucleotides pieces of genetic information taken from over 128,000 different organisms on a wide array of species across domains of life — including plants, animals and bacteria.
• In early tests, it accurately identified 90% of potentially harmful mutations in BRCA1, a gene linked to breast cancer.
• It can be applied to biomolecular research applications including predicting the form and function of proteins based on their genetic sequence, identifying novel molecules for healthcare and industrial applications, and evaluating how gene mutations affect their function.
• The model can be applied to scientific fields such as healthcare, agricultural biotechnology and materials science.

Vertical Propellant Mixer

• Indian Space Research Organisation has announced the successful development of a 10-tonne ‘vertical planetary mixer’, the largest of its kind for solid propellants globally.
• It is the largest solid propellant mixing equipment globally.
• It is developed and designed by Satish Dhawan Space Centre in collaboration with Central Manufacturing Technology Institute, a Bengaluru-based research and development organisation under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
• It has high-capacity mixing of propellant ingredients in a single batch
• It has precision and control for quality consistency & performance
• Safety and Reliability for handling highly hazardous materials
• It weighs approximately 150 tonnes, and measures 5.4m (L) × 3.3m (B) × 8.7m (H).
• It is equipped with multiple agitators which are hydrostatic driven and will be remotely operated using PLC based control systems with SCADA stations.

Published date : 22 Feb 2025 11:09AM