National
MoU between Indian Navy and Uber
⇒ The Indian Navy signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with M/s Uber in the presence of Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff in September 2023.
The MoU with Uber aims to provide reliable, convenient, safe and economical mobility solutions for personal travel and commute of Naval personnel and families across the country.
M/s Uber will extend following benefits to Indian Naval personnel and their families will include:
- A personalised profile on the Uber App.
- Premier Executive Cab Category providing surge price protection during peak office hours.
- Availability of Top-rated drivers.
- Zero cancellation fee on all Uber rides.
- 24×7 Premium business support.
» This MoU aligns with CNS’s vision of ‘Happy Personnel’ under ‘SHIPS FIRST’ and is a maiden initiative in the Armed Forces. It is also in furtherance of Govt of India’s ‘Digital India’ vision of embracing technology for transformative change.
NGEL to collaborate with Nayara Energy for Green Hydrogen Production
⇒ NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) and Nayara Energy, a new-age international downstream energy company of international scale, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities in the Green Hydrogen and Green Energy space on 11 September 2023.
- NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of India’s leading integrated power producer NTPC Limited.
Key Points:
- The MoU envisages collaboration to produce Green Hydrogen for Nayara Energy’s captive usage, accelerate decarbonisation and catalyse reduction in carbon footprint.
- The collaboration is in line with NTPC’s initiatives to develop hydrogen projects in India and aligns with the vision of a self-reliant India (Atmanirbhar Bharat) as laid out by the Prime Minister.
About NTPC:
- NTPC is India’s largest Power Utility having a total installed capacity of more than 73 GW.
- As part of increasing its renewable energy portfolio, a wholly-owned subsidiary NGEL has been formed to take up Renewable Energy Parks and Projects including businesses in the area of Green Hydrogen, Energy Storage Technologies, and Round-the-Clock RE Power.
- NTPC Group has a plan of 60 GW of RE capacity by the year 2032 and is currently working on a pipeline of 20+ GW, out of which over 3 GW is operational capacity.
About Nayara Energy:
- Nayara Energy is an integrated downstream company of international scale with strong presence across the hydrocarbon value chain from refining to retail.
- Nayara Energy owns India’s second largest single-site refinery at Vadinar, Gujarat with a capacity of 20 MMTPA.
- It is one of the world’s most modern and complex refineries with a complexity of 11.8, which is amongst the highest globally.
- The company has over 6,000 operational retail outlets spread across India.
Hindustan Turbo Trainer Aircraft - 40 (HTT-40)
⇒ Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit AVSM VM VSM, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff flew the Hindustan Turbo Trainer Aircraft – 40 (HTT-40) Basic Trainer Aircraft, on 08 September 2023 at Bengaluru.
Manufactured by:
Manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the aircraft has been indigenously designed and developed by the Aircraft Research & Design Centre of HAL and is based on the training requirements of the Indian Armed Forces.
About HTT-40:
- The HTT-40 is a fully aerobatic aircraft, powered by a four bladed turbo-prop engine.
- It is fitted with a state-of-the-art glass cockpit, modern avionics and latest safety features, including a zero-zero ejection seat.
- The trainer has a maximum speed of 450 kilometers per hour and a maximum service ceiling of six kilometers.
- The HTT-40 first flew on 31 May 2016 and obtained system level certification on 06 June 2022. Clearance by Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification for the full aircraft is currently underway.
» The IAF signed a contract with HAL for the supply of 70 aircraft, the induction of which will commence on 15 September 2025 and continue till 15 March 2030.
- HTT-40 is yet another step towards achieving greater self-reliance in the defence and aviation sphere in line with the Governments vision of ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’.
International
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi meets Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
⇒ Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a bilateral meeting with HE Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of People’s Republic of Bangladesh on 08 September 2023.
- PM Hasina visited India as its guest country to participate in the G-20 Leaders Summit on 9-10 September 2023.
Discussion:
- The two leaders discussed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation including political and security cooperation, border management, trade and connectivity, water resources, power and energy, development cooperation, cultural and people to people ties. Current developments in the region and cooperation in the multilateral fora were also discussed.
- They looked forward to beginning of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), covering trade in goods, services, and protecting and promoting investment.
Exchange of 3 MoUs on Digital payment, Culture and Cooperation in agriculture:
They welcomed the exchange of following MoUs for strengthening bilateral cooperation:
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Digital Payment mechanisms between National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Bangladesh Bank.
- Memorandum of Understanding on renewal of the Cultural Exchange Program (CEP) between India and Bangladesh for 2023-2025.
- Memorandum of Understanding between Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Bangladesh Agriculture Research Council (BARC).
Important Day
World Physiotherapy Day (World PT Day) 2023
⇒ World Physiotherapy (PT) Day takes place every year on 8 September.
The day marks the unity and solidarity of the global physiotherapy community. This day pays tribute to the dedication of physiotherapists and the invaluable services they provide, helping individuals achieve optimal physical function, from basic mobility to complex activities, whether they are patients or in good health.
Theme:
World PT Day 2023 focuses on ‘arthritis’, delving into various forms of inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.
History:
Since 1996, the 8th of September has been designated as World Physiotherapy Day (World PT Day), a day set aside to honor the establishment of the profession in 1951.