16th BRICS Summit (Kazan, Russia)
Overview
- Host: Russia (Kazan).
- Theme: "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security."
- Significance: First summit since the major 2024 expansion.
Key Highlights & Outcomes
- Kazan Declaration: A comprehensive document focusing on global governance, financial integration, and regional conflicts.
- BRICS Partner Country Status:
- Introduced a new "Partner" category instead of full membership for 13 countries.
- Partner Countries: Includes nations like Algeria, Belarus, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
- Financial Reforms:
- BRICS Clear: A proposed cross-border settlement system.
- BRICS Pay: A decentralized and multicurrency payment system to reduce reliance on the US Dollar (De-dollarization).
- Grain Exchange: Russia's proposal to create a BRICS-specific grain trade platform to ensure food security.
India’s Stance and Diplomatic Breakthroughs
- India-China Relations: Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping held their first formal bilateral meeting in five years following the agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
- Multipolarity: India emphasized that BRICS should not be seen as an "anti-Western" body but rather a "non-Western" platform.
- Counter-Terrorism: Pushed for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT).
Nobel Prize 2024: Summary of Winners
| Category | Winners | Field/Research |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine | Victor Ambros & Gary Ruvkun | Discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. |
| Physics | John Hopfield & Geoffrey Hinton | Foundational discoveries in Machine Learning and Artificial Neural Networks. |
| Chemistry | David Baker, Demis Hassabis & John Jumper | Protein structure prediction (AlphaFold) and computational protein design. |
| Literature | Han Kang | For her intense poetic prose that confronts historical traumas. |
| Peace | Nihon Hidankyo | Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors (Hibakusha) for efforts toward a nuclear-free world. |
| Economics | Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson & James Robinson | Studies on how institutions are formed and affect prosperity. |
Simultaneous Elections (One Nation, One Election) Report
Background
- Committee Chair: Former President Ram Nath Kovind.
- Objective: To examine the feasibility of holding Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections together.
Key Recommendations
- Two-Step Implementation:
- Synchronize Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assembly elections.
- Synchronize Local Body (Municipality/Panchayat) elections with the above within 100 days.
- Constitutional Amendments:
- Article 83 & 172: To be amended to align the duration of the Houses.
- Article 324A: To be inserted for synchronizing local body elections.
- Single Electoral Roll: Election Commission of India (ECI) to prepare a single roll and single voter ID card in consultation with State Election Commissions.
- Dealing with Mid-term Exigencies: In case of a hung house or No-Confidence Motion, "fresh elections" will be held only for the "remainder of the term" (unexpired period).
Project 28: INS Kavaratti & Anti-Submarine Warfare
Technical Specifications
- Class: Kamorta-class stealth anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes.
- Indigenous Content: Built with approx. 90% indigenous content using high-grade Indian steel (DMR 249A).
- Stealth Features: Reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) and advanced infrared signature suppression.
Strategic Utility
- ASW Capabilities: Equipped with indigenous torpedo launchers, rocket launchers, and tactical signals intelligence systems.
- Indo-Pacific Security: Enhances the Indian Navy's capability to track and neutralize enemy submarines in deep-sea and coastal operations.