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