19th July, 2023 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership Ministerial meeting held in New Delhi

The Ministerial meeting of the U.S.-India Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) was held between Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm in New Delhi .
During the meeting, they noted the growing importance of bilateral energy cooperation between the countries. During the meeting, the two sides renewed their commitment to work towards a just, orderly, and sustainable energy transition, which prioritizes access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy supply.
The Strategic Clean Energy Partnership represents a comprehensive vision to decarbonize while ensuring healthy rates of growth for both countries. Both sides expressed hope that the work undertaken under it will continue to pave the way for a new and promising future.

26 Opposition parties sew up Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance

The 26 Opposition Parties against NDA have formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA in short to fight the Lok Sabha election. The Congress National President Mallikarjuna Kharge announced this after the meeting of opposition parties in Bengaluru.
A Convener will also be elected among the 11 Committee members. A Secretariat will be set up in Delhi to chalk out Campaign strategy and Common Minimum programme for the alliance. Prominent among those present during the Opposition leaders meeting in Bengaluru were Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamatha Banerjee, Arvind Kejriwal, Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar, Udhav Thakarey and Lalu Prasad among others.

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INTERNATIONAL

India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project

The external minister of India S. Jaishankar met his Myanmar counterpart Tha Swe to discuss the expeditions projects especially the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway and the challenges faced in the smooth implementation of the project.
India-Myanmar-Thailand Highway is a significant regional connectivity project aims to establish a road link between India, Myanmar and Thailand.
The total distance of this highway is approximately 1,360 km (845 miles) which starts from Moreh in Manipur, India and passes through Myanmar and ends at Mae Sot in Thailand.
It was first proposed by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and was approved at ministerial-level meeting between India, Myanmar and Thailand in 2002.
The construction work of this highway began in 2012 and is being implemented in several phases.
The India-Myanmar Friendship Road forms the first segment of this highway which starts from the border at Tamu/Moreh to Kalemyo and Kalewa.

Singapore Passport Tops Henley Passport Index 2023 as World’s Most Powerful

According to the Henley Passport Index, Singapore now holds the title of the world’s most powerful passport, granting visa-free access to 192 out of 227 global travel destinations. Three European countries, namely Germany, Italy, and Spain, have moved up one rank to share the second position, with visa-free access to 190 destinations. For the first time in five years, Japan has been dethroned from the top spot and now ranks third, with its passport providing visa-free access to 189 destinations.
India has made significant progress in the Henley Passport Index, improving its ranking by 5 spots compared to the previous year. It currently shares the 80th position on the index with Togo and Senegal. Indian passport holders now enjoy visa-free access to 57 countries, reflecting the country’s enhanced global travel privileges.

ECONOMY
ADB keeps India’s FY24 growth forecast at 6.4% banking on demand strength

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently projected India’s economic growth to moderate in the current financial year, FY24, to 6.4 per cent, down from the 6.8 per cent expansion witnessed in FY23. The slowdown is attributed to tight monetary conditions and elevated oil prices. However, ADB remains optimistic about India’s economic prospects, expecting growth to accelerate to 6.7 per cent in FY25.
Despite the ongoing global economic slowdown, India’s economic growth rate stands stronger compared to many peer economies. ADB attributes this resilience to robust domestic consumption and reduced reliance on global demand. The government’s proactive infrastructure push through initiatives like the Gati Shakti (National Master Plan for Multimodal Connectivity) project is expected to contribute significantly to raising industrial competitiveness and driving future growth.
ADB predicts that inflation will likely moderate to 5 per cent in FY24, assuming a decline in oil and food prices. It is projected to further slow to 4.5 per cent in FY25 as inflationary pressures subside. Monetary policy is expected to be tighter in FY24 due to persistent core inflation, but it is likely to become more accommodative in FY25.

SPORTS
Indian contingent won 27 medals at 25th Asian Athletics Championship 2023

India achieved a historic milestone at the recently concluded 25th Asian Athletics Championship 2023 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Championship took place from July 12 to 16. With an impressive tally of 27 medals, including six gold, 12 silver, and nine bronze, India secured the third position overall, following China and Japan.
This remarkable achievement surpasses India’s previous record set in 2017 at Bhubaneswar, where they secured nine gold, six silver, and 12 bronze medals.