National
Launch of 'AMINI', the fourth ship of ASW SWC (GRSE) Project
⇒ ‘Amini’, the 4th of 08 x ASW Shallow Water Craft (SWC) Project being built by M/s GRSE for Indian Navy, was launched on 16 November 2023 at M/s L&T, Kattupalli.
The Launch Ceremony was presided over by VAdm Sandeep Naithani, Chief of Materiel. In keeping with maritime tradition, Mrs Manju Naithani launched the ship to the invocation from Atharva Veda.
Ship Name:
The ship has been named Amini to signify the strategic maritime importance accorded to the island of Amini at Lakshadweep, located about 400 Km west of Kochi.
Key Points:
- The contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between MoD and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata on 29 April 2019.
- As per the build strategy, four ships are being built at GRSE, Kolkata and balance four ships sub-contracted to M/s L&T Shipbuilding, Kattupalli for hull and part outfitting.
- Arnala class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, as also Low Intensity Maritime operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations.
- The 77m long ASW SWC ships with a displacement of 900 tons have a maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of approx 1800 NM.
» The third ship of the class was launched on 13 June 2023 at M/s L&T, Kattupalli. The first ship of the project is planned to be delivered in early 2024.
International
10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus)
⇒ Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh attended the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting – Plus (ADMM-Plus) in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 16, 2023.
- During the meeting, the Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the forum on regional and international security issues.
- On the sidelines of the ADMM-Plus, Shri Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with the Defence Ministers of the participating countries and discussed defence cooperation matters to further strengthen mutually-beneficial engagements.
Host:
Indonesia hosted the meeting as it is the chair of ADMM-Plus. During the meeting, Minister-level participants exchanged views on regional and international security issues.
During the 10th ADMM-Plus, the next set of co-chairs for the 2024-2027 Cycle were also announced.
- After the exchange of views among the participating countries, the new set of the ADMM-Plus EWG Co-Chairs were announced for the 2024-2027 Cycle. It was decided that Japan, together with the Philippines, would take over the role of Co-Chairs of the EWG on Maritime Security from current Co-Chairs Thailand and the United States.
- India proposed to co-chair the EWG on Counter-Terrorism for the cycle 2024-2027. This proposal was endorsed by the ADMM Plus. In the present cycle from 2021-2024, India is co-chairing Expert Working Group (EWG) on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) along with Indonesia.
About ADMM:
- The ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN.
- The ADMM-Plus is a platform for the ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) and its eight Dialogue Partners (India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand) to strengthen security and defence cooperation.
- India became the dialogue partner of the ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam on October 12, 2010.
- Since 2017, the ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to bolster the cooperation amongst the ASEAN and the Plus countries.
- The ADMM-Plus progresses practical cooperation amongst member countries through seven Experts Working Groups (EWGs) namely Maritime Security, Military Medicine, Cyber Security, Peacekeeping Operations, Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Mine Action and Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR).
- Currently, Laos (Lao PDR) is the chair of ADMM-Plus for the conduct of the events in 2024.
33rd Conference of the WOAH (World Organization for Animal Health) Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific
⇒ India hosted the 33rd Conference of the WOAH (World Organization for Animal Health) Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific from November 13 to 16, 2023 at New Delhi.
- The decision to host this event was made during the 90th General Session of the World Assembly of Delegates of the WOAH in Paris in May 2023.
Organized by:
This 4-day event was organized by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MOFAHD) at New Delhi.
Participation:
- Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Balyan chaired the inaugural session of the 33rd Conference of the WOAH Regional Commission for Asia and the Pacific on November 13, 2023.
- The delegates, chief veterinary officers and experts from 24 member countries, senior officers from regional and international organizations, and representatives from the private sector and private veterinary organizations in the region, participated physically, with others joining virtually.
Discussion:
- The delegates and representatives of global and regional organizations deliberated on pressing animal health issues like bird flu/avian influenza, rabies, FMD, ASF, LSD recognizing the need for a collaborative regional approach due to the borderless nature of these diseases.
- Emphasizing the importance of information sharing and establishing multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms involving veterinary services, public health, and environmental health, including wildlife conservation, discussions underscored the necessity for robust policy and legal frameworks.
- Acknowledging that effective coordination demands equitable financial and resource allocation, the meeting focused on preventive measures like vaccinations, diseases intelligence, competent laboratories, and a skilled veterinary workforce.
» Indonesia expressed willingness to host the 34th WOAH regional conference for Asia and the Pacific.
Important Day
World Toilet Day 2023
⇒ World Toilet Day is observed every year on 19 November to inform, engage and inspire action to tackle global sanitation crisis.
Theme of World Toilet Day 2023:
The theme of World Toilet Day 2023 was ‘Accelerating Change’.
» The hummingbird was the symbol of World Toilet Day and World Water Day 2023.
- In the ancient story, a hummingbird does what she can to fight a great fire – carrying droplets of water in her beak. Her actions – even though small – are helping solve a big problem.
- The theme for the year 2023 was ‘Accelerating Change’, using the hummingbird to inspire people to take personal action to help improve toilets and sanitation systems.
Theme of World Toilet Day 2024:
The theme of World Toilet Day 2024 will be ‘Leveraging Water for Peace’.
History:
- Established by the World Toilet Organization in 2001, World Toilet Day was made an official United Nations Observance in 2013.
- In a bid to help break taboos around toilets and make sanitation for all a global development priority, the United Nations General Assembly designated 19 November as World Toilet Day.
- The resolution declaring the Day titled “Sanitation for All” (A/RES/67/291) was adopted on 24 July, 2013; and urged UN Member States and relevant stakeholders to encourage behavioural change and the implementation of policies to increase access to sanitation among the poor, along with a call to end the practice of open-air defecation, which it deemed extremely harmful to public health.
- Sanitation is also a question of basic dignity and women safety, who should not risk being victims of rape and abuse because of lack of access to a toilet that offers privacy.