INS Sumitra: The Indian Navy’s INS Sumitra recently rescued fishermen hijacked by pirates along the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. It is the fourth and last Saryu-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy. It is based on an indigenous design and constructed by Goa Shipyard Limited. It was commissioned in 2014 and is based in Chennai under the Eastern Naval Command. The primary role of the ship is to undertake surveillance of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) besides other operational tasks such as anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security of offshore assets, and escort operations.
Ratle Hydro Electric Project: The government recently announced diversion of Chenab river water through diversion tunnels to expedite the 850-MW Ratle Hydro Electric Project in Jammu & Kashmir. It is an 850 MW run-of-river hydroelectric power project being built on the Chenab River in the Kishtwar District of Jammu and Kashmir. The project is being developed by Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation (RHPCL), which was formed as a joint venture (JV) between Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) and India’s state-owned National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).The project comprises a 133-metre-tall and 194.8-meter-long concrete gravity dam, a diversion dam, and an underground powerhouse on the right bank of the river.
Chenab River: It is a major river of India and Pakistan. It is formed by the confluence of two streams, Chandra and Bhaga, at Tandi in the upper Himalayas in the Lahaul and Spiti Districts of Himachal Pradesh. In its upper reaches, it is also known as the Chandrabhaga. It is a tributary of the Indus River. It flows west through Jammu and Kashmir union territory, between the steep cliffs of the Siwalik Range (south) and the Lesser Himalayas (north).Turning southwest, it continues into Pakistan, descending from the uplands into the broad alluvial lowlands of Punjab province. After receiving the Jhelum River near Trimmu, the Chenab empties into the Sutlej River, a tributary of the Indus River. Its total length is about 974 km, and it feeds several irrigation canals. The tributaries of the Chenab River include Miyar Nalla, Sohal, Thirot, Bhut Nalla, Marusudar, and Lidrari.
Exercise Sada Tanseeq: It is the inaugural edition of India-Saudi Arabia Joint Military Exercise ‘SADA TANSEEQ’ commenced at Mahajan, Rajasthan. Aim of the Exercise is to train troops of both sides for Joint Operations in Semi Desert terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter. The Exercise will enable both the sides to share their best practices in the tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting operations in sub-conventional domains.
Economic Community of West African States: Recently, the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from the ECOWAS. It is the regional group established in 1975 through the Lagos Treaty. The vision is the creation of a “borderless region governed in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law. Members: Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo. Headquarters: Abuja, Nigeria. ECOWAS’ larger aims are to have a single common currency and create a single, large trading bloc in areas of industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, financial issues, and social and cultural matters. Along with the goals of economic cooperation, it has attempted to quell military conflicts in the region.
