12th June, 2024 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi To Be Next Chief Of Army Staff

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi has been appointed as the next Chief of the Army Staff. He will take charge from 30th of this month. The present Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj C Pande will demit office on 30th June.
Born on 1st July 1964, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu and Kashmir Rifles) of the Indian Army on 15th December 1984. During his long and distinguished service spanning nearly 40 years, he has served in different capacities. In the rank of Lieutenant General, the officer has tenanted important appointments including Director General Infantry and General Officer Commanding in Chief (Headquarters Northern Command) from 2022 to 2024, before getting appointed as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.

INTERNATIONAL
India Welcomes Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia And Ethiopia Joining BRICS

India has wholeheartedly welcomed Egypt, Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia joining the BRICS as their representatives attended for the first time a key meeting of the grouping hosted by Russia.
The BRICS Foreign Ministers meeting in Nizhny Novgorod yesterday was the first ministerial meeting following BRICS expansion in 2023 when Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE joined the grouping as full-fledged BRICS members.
Since Dr S Jaishankar was reappointed as External Affairs Minister only yesterday after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, he could not make it to Russia to attend the meeting. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal termed the meeting significant and welcomed the new BRICS members.
Meanwhile, BRICS Ministers of Foreign Affairs have expressed their concern about ongoing conflicts in many parts of the world and reiterated their commitment to the peaceful resolution of disputes through diplomacy, inclusive dialogue and consultations.
The ministers expressed grave concern at the deterioration of the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, in particular the unprecedented escalation of violence in the Gaza Strip as a result of the Israeli military operation.

UNSC Approves US Proposed Israel-Gaza Ceasefire Plan

The United Nations Security Council has approved a US-proposed Israel-Gaza ceasefire plan. It sets out conditions for a “full and complete ceasefire,” the release of hostages held by Hamas, the return of dead hostages’ remains and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners.
Fourteen of the 15 Security Council members, including the US, voted in favour of the resolution. Russia abstained. The resolution states that Israel has accepted the ceasefire proposal, and urges Hamas to agree to it, too.
The plan has three phases that would end with a major reconstruction plan for Gaza, which has been largely destroyed in the conflict. The first phase of the plan concerns a hostage-prisoner swap as well as a short-term ceasefire.
The second phase includes a “permanent end to hostilities”, as well as a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, according to a text of the US draft resolution. The third phase focuses on the enclave’s long-term outlook, and it would start a multi-year reconstruction plan for Gaza.
The resolution comes weeks after President Joe Biden said the Israelis had agreed to a three-phase plan that would result in a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly rebuked parts of the resolution, and repeatedly said he plans to proceed with military operations until Hamas is destroyed.

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Russia & Belarus Begin Second Phase Of Tactical Nuclear Weapon Exercises

Russian and Belarusian armed forces have begun the second phase of tactical nuclear weapon exercises. The Russian Defence Ministry said the exercises are aimed at maintaining the readiness of personnel and equipment of units for the combat use of non-strategic nuclear weapons of two countries, to unconditionally ensure the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Union State.
In the first stage of the drills, according to an agency report, Russian forces conducted combat training tasks involving the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, specifically equipping launch vehicles with ammunition. Russian Aerospace forces conducted exercises involving the Kinzhal hypersonic aeroballistic missiles.

Japan-India Maritime Exercise Commences At Yokosuka

Japan-India maritime exercise (Jimex 24) commenced at Yokosuka in Japan. According to the Indian Navy, during the exercise, navies of both the countries will jointly hone their war fighting skills at sea and enhance their interoperability.
Indian Navy’s indigenous Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik is participating in the bilateral maritime exercise. While, Japan is being represented by the Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri.
Indian Navy said that JIMEX 24 provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and facilitates operational interactions between India and Japan. The exercise also reaffirms their shared commitment towards maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

ANDHRAPRADESH
Visakhapatnam Port Ranks in Top 20 of World Bank CPPI

Visakhapatnam Port achieves the 19th position in the Container Port Performance Index 2023, surpassing Mundra Port. Operated by J M Baxi Ports & Logistics, it runs a high-capacity terminal contributing to its efficiency.
The Container Port Performance Index 2023, curated by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence, evaluates port efficiency globally, emphasizing vessel time in port.
Visakhapatnam Port, managed by J M Baxi Ports & Logistics, secures the 19th spot, boasting superior efficiency compared to Mundra Port.
The milestone earns accolades from stakeholders and government bodies, highlighting the port’s significance in India’s maritime sector and its adherence to Maritime India Vision 2030 guidelines.

Published date : 13 Jun 2024 10:22AM