4.
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES It is a wartime airstrip that was laid 66 years ago in 1952
but was virtually abandoned after the China-India war in
EXERCISE GAGANSHAKTI-2018 1962, until the Indian Air Force acquired in 2010.
It is a pan India exercise conducted by Indian Air Force It enabled Arunachal Pradesh to become the last of the
with the major objectives of real time coordination, eight northeastern States on India's commercial flight
deployment and employment of air power in a service map.
short and intense battle scenario. It is one of six operational advance landing grounds
The entire war fighting machinery of Indian Air Force in Arunachal Pradesh for military use.
was exercised to validate its concept of operations and Redxcerntly under the UDAN (regional air connectivity
war waging capability. scheme), the flight service on the Kolkata-Guwahati-
The main aim was to check the viability of the Pasighat circuit was introduced.
operational plans of IAF and learn meaningful
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lessons. Note: Pasighat is about 570 km northeast of
It provided IAF with an excellent opportunity to practice Guwahati and is the oldest city of state.
its war time drills and undertake operations in realistic
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scenario. BANIHAL-QAZIGUND TUNNEL
It is a double tube tunnel consisting of two parallel tunnels
Major facts:
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(one for each direction of travel) in Pir Panjal range
IAF was able to achieve 80% serviceability of aircraft and is 8.45 km long.
while radars and surface to air guided weapons
It is 8.45 km long and connects Banihal and Qazigund
maintained a serviceability of 97%.
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in Jammu and Kashmir.
It also enabled the IAF to validate operational
efficacy of new platforms and refine existing It is 400 m lower than the existing Jawahar tunnel's
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Standard Operating Procedures. elevation. This feature will enable this tunnel to be less
prone to avalanches.
During the exercise, joint operations with Army
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and Navy conducted that assisted in achieving better Note: This tunnel will be operational in 2019.
operational synergy between the three services, in
application of combat power.
QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT
INSV TARINI TEAM It (India August Movement or Bharat Chodo Andolan)
was launched at the Bombay session of the All India
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It is an all-women team circumnavigating the globe,
promoting ocean sailing activities in the Navy and Congress Committee (AICC) by Mahatma Gandhi
depicting Government of India's commitment on August 8, 1942 with the aim to demand an end
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towards women empowerment. to the British rule in India.
It is a part of the Indian Navy's unique project 'Navika It is also known as August Kranti or August
SagarParikrama'. Movement because it was held in August and was started
It demonstrates the importance of Nari Shakti on on August 9, 1942.
the world platform. On this day, tribute is paid to freedom fighters with
It also depicted the 'Make in India's initiative by sailing on national integration speeches and other events.
the indigenously built INSV Tarini.
Note: 76th anniversary of Quit India movement
Note: Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 was was observed on August 8th, 2018.
presented to the members of the INSV Tarini
team by Minister for Women and Child HIMA DAS
Development.
She is the newest sprinter (runner) from India and
Pasighat belongs to Assam.
It is an eastern most airport of India (civilian She was nicknamed Dhing Express after the town which
operations) and is present in Arunachal Pradesh. was cultural/literary hub of Assam till 1950s.
She bagged one gold and two silver medals in the It was inaugurated on October 31, 2018, which marks
2018 Asian Games (Indonesia). the 143rd birth anniversary of Sardar Patel.
Prime minster Narendra Modi set up a special purpose
First-ever airport of Sikkim vehicle named as Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta
It was recently inaugurated at Pakyong and was Trust (SVPRET) in 2011.
constructed by the Airports Authority of India. Padma Bhushan-winning Ram V Sutar was the main
sculptor and intricate bronze cladding work was done
Benefits:
by the Jiangxi Toqine Company (a Chinese foundry).
To improve connectivity to Sikkim and also brings
it on the air-map of the world. Note: The major contribution of Sardar Patel
was uniting all 562 princely states in pre-
It is strategically important from the country's independent India to build the Republic of India.
security point of view for the landing and taking off This the main reason behind naming the statue
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of its aircrafts. as Statue of Unity.
It is also one of the country's five highest airports.
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TRAIN 18
Justice Gogoi and Gita Gopinath
It is a 100% 'Make in India' project and is built at 50%
Justice Gogoi has become the 46th Chief Justice of India
cost of a similar train which is imported.
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and the first top judge from Assam on Oct 3 2018.
Its first prototype has been constructed by the Integral
India-born Gita Gopinath has been appointed as
Coach Factory, Chennai, in 20 months.
Economic Counsellor and Director of IMF's Research
Department by International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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It is a self-propelled engine-less train and will have
automatic doors and retractable footsteps.
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Sardar Patel Statue of Unity It is energy-efficient because its coaches will be fitted
It is the tallest statue of the world and is 182 meter high with LED lights.
& is located on the Sadhu Bet Island, on Narmada River It will be inter-connected with fully sealed gangway and
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in Surat. is provided with of Bio toilets.
It is 23 metre taller than China's Spring Temple Buddha It is also fitted with a GPS-based Passenger Information
statue and twice the height of the Statue of Liberty. System.
It has been dedicated to Iron Man Sardar Vallabhai Patel, It will run at a speed of up to 160 kmph (More than that
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who was the first home minister of independent India. of Shatabdi which is 130 kmph).
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