 Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and France Space Agency CNES have agreed to collaborate on the following avenues: |
| Maritime Surveillance ISRO and CNES have signed an agreement to set up a maritime surveillance centre in the country. The agreement intends to supply an operational system for detecting, identifying and tracking ships in the Indian Ocean, provides for a maritime surveillance centre to be set up in India, sharing of capacity to process existing satellite data and joint development of associated algorithms. ISRO and CNES will build a constellation of satellites for maritime surveillance intended to identify and track ships in the Indian Ocean. |
| Training for Gaganyaan project ISRO and CNES have signed an agreement to train Indian Scientists for the ‘Gaganyaan’ project at the Toulouse Space Centre in France. Indian Scientists will also be trained at CADMOS, the centre for development of microgravity applications and space operations, and the MEDES Space Clinic in France. India has also signed an agreement with Russia for the Gaganyaan Project. |
 The Union Defence Ministry as announced that permanent commission will be granted for Women in all the 10 branches of Indian Army. The extension of Permanent Commission to Women will provide women with a career in the Army till their retirement. The Short Service Commission entails an opportunity to serve as a Commissioned Officer for 10/14 years. At the end of 10 yrs, 3 options will be provided, either elect for a Permanent Commission or opt out or have the option of 4 years extension. |
Permanent Commission for Women
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 The Ministry of Personnel has notified the appointment of Ajit Kumar Mohanty as Director of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre for the period of three years. Currently, he is the Director, Physics Group in BARC and Director, Saha Institute Institute of Nuclear Physics. |
| Bhabha Atomic Research Centre The Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is India’s premier nuclear research facility headquartered in Trombay, Mumbai, Maharashtra. The Atomic Energy Establishment, Trombay (AEET) was established by the government of India in 1954 to consolidate all the research and development activity for nuclear reactors and technology under the AEET. As a result, all the scientists and engineers engaged in the fields of reactor design and development, instrumentation, metallurgy and material science etc. were transferred with their respective programmes from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) to AEET, with TIFR retaining its original focus for fundamental research in the sciences. After the demise of Dr Homi Jehangir Bhabha in 1966, AEET was renamed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). Over the years, BARC has emerged as the multi-disciplinary research centre with extensive infrastructure for advanced research and development. Its R&D covers the entire spectrum of nuclear science, engineering and related areas. BARC’s core mandate is to sustain peaceful applications of nuclear energy, primarily for power generation. |
 Japanese Architect Arata Isozaki has received the Pritzker Prize 2019. He is the 46th laureate and eighth architect from Japan to win the Pritzker Prize. Arata Isozaki will be awarded the prize of $100,000 (£76,000) and a bronze medallion in May at a ceremony at the Château de Versailles in France. Some of his major works include Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Palau Saint Jordi indoor sporting arena in Barcelona, he Allianz Tower in Milan, Italy, Qatar’s National Convention Centre, Kitakyushu’s Central Library in Japan, Thessaloniki concert hall’s second auditorium, M2, in Greece, Nara Centennial Hall in Japan etc. |
 Swachh Survekshan Awards are given by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs based on the survey which covered all urban local bodies in the country. The Survey was the largest such cleanliness survey in the world. |
Swachh Survekshan Awards 2019
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 The Government of India, the State Government of Chhattisgarh and the World Bank signed a $25.2 Million Loan Agreement to support the State’s Reforms in Expenditure Management under Chhattisgarh Public Financial Management and Accountability Program. |
Chhattisgarh Public Financial Management and Accountability Program
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 The government of Karnataka has launched the water conservation scheme Jalamrutha. The scheme focuses on drought-proofing measures, including protection and rejuvenation of water bodies. |
About the Scheme
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 Malaysia has ratified the Rome Statute making it the 124th State party to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Even though Malaysia had helped to negotiate the Rome Statute, it has been long been reluctant to ratify it. Ratification after 20 years is seen as a welcome move. |
Why Malaysia has acceded to the Rome Statute after 20 years?
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 China has increased its defence budget by 7.5 per to $177.61 billion up from last year’s $165 billion. The 2019 Defence Budget of China stood at 1.19 trillion yuan (about $177.61 billion) which is three times the Indian Defence Budget. |
China’s Defence Budget
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| Increases Budget a Cause of Worry? China is demonstrating a more posture towards Taipei and China is facing competing claims in the South China Sea from Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan together with a territorial dispute with historic rival Japan in the East China Sea. Hence increased Defence Budget of China may be a precursor to a more aggressive stance against its neighbours. China has termed the increase in the defence budget as reasonable and appropriate aimed at meeting the country’s demand in safeguarding national security and military reform with Chinese characteristics. China also argues that China’s defence budget at 1.3 per cent of the GDP is much less than major developing countries which spend two per cent GDP on their defence. China also states that whether a country is a military threat to others or not is not determined by its increase in defence expenditure, but by the foreign and national defence policies it adopts. |
 President Trump notified the Congress his intent to terminate trade benefits for both India and Turkey under the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) eligibility criteria. |
India and GSP
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Why the US is planning to withdraw GSP for India?
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