theIASHub | 28 May, 2025 | 5
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AMCA Fighter Jet : Recently, the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project was approved, marking a significant step towards fast-tracking the development of India’s first fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
o It represents a major leap in indigenous defence aviation capabilities.
o Designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-owned enterprise.
o Aircraft Specifications: Twin-engine, 25-tonne class aircraft.
ü Maximum speed: Approx. 2,600 km/h (Mach 2.15).
ü Combat range: 1,620 km.
ü Capable of carrying 6,500 kg of weapons (including 1.5 tonnes internally).
o Designed for multi-role missions including: Air-to-air and air-to-ground operations, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) and Electronic warfare.
o Combat Edge – "First Look, First Kill": Designed on the principle of detecting and engaging the enemy first.
o Engine Variants:
ü AMCA Mk1: Will use the 90 kN-class GE414 engine sourced from the US.
ü AMCA Mk2: Will be powered by an advanced 110 kN engine under development by DRDO’s Gas Turbine Research Establishment in collaboration with a foreign defence partner.
Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products (RoDTEP) Scheme: Recently, in a move to enhance India’s export competitiveness, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry announced two key policy decisions: the restoration of the RoDTEP scheme for select exporters and the removal of port and certification restrictions on the export of leather products.
o It aims to reimburse taxes and duties embedded in exported goods that are not otherwise refunded, encouraging export growth by reducing the tax burden on exporters.
o Administered by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.
o RoDTEP is WTO-compliant and replaces the earlier Merchandise Export Incentive Scheme (MEIS), which was ruled against by the WTO following a US challenge.
o The scheme reimburses various central, state, and local taxes incurred during manufacture and distribution of exported goods, covering both direct and cumulative indirect taxes.
o It applies to all exporters of goods manufactured in India, including merchant and manufacturer exporters, Special Economic Zone (SEZ) units, Export-Oriented Units (EOUs), and exports via e-commerce platforms. However, re-exported products are excluded.
Poly Lactic Acid (PLA):Recently, Balrampur Chini Mills launched India’s first industrial-scale PLA plant aimed at promoting eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics.
o It is a thermoplastic polyester commonly used in medical devices, food packaging, injection molding, and 3D printing.
o Biodegradable under suitable conditions, breaking down into non-toxic lactic acid.
o Typically translucent or transparent but can be pigmented to produce various colors based on application needs.
o These large molecules, also known as macromolecules, are formed when many smaller units called monomers join together through covalent bonds.
o The process by which monomers chemically combine to form a polymer is known as polymerization. The monomers involved are usually simple, reactive molecules that repeat in a chain to build the larger polymer structure.
India’s First Gene-Edited Sheep: Recently, scientists at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST), Srinagar, developed India’s first gene-edited sheep, marking a significant milestone in livestock genetics and biotechnology.
o The modification resulted in a 30% increase in muscle mass; a trait typically absent in Indian sheep but found in high-yield European breeds like Texel.
o The editing was done using CRISPR-Cas9, a Nobel Prize-winning gene-editing technique that allows precise, foreign-DNA-free modifications.
o This is not a transgenic animal—no foreign DNA was introduced, increasing the likelihood of regulatory approval under India’s evolving biotech guidelines.
o Genetic modifications could improve twinning rates in sheep, enhancing productivity.
o Since the animal does not carry foreign genes, it is likely to be more acceptable from both biosafety and consumer standpoints.
o Offers an alternative to traditional crossbreeding, with faster and targeted results.
Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA): Recently, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) amended the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules, tightening compliance requirements for NGOs engaged in publication activities and those receiving foreign contributions.
o The Act was amended in 2010 and again in 2020 to enhance transparency and curb the misuse of foreign funds.
o FCRA registration is valid for five years and must be renewed six months prior to expiry.
o The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) can suspend an NGO’s FCRA registration for up to 360 days if found in violation.
o Aadhaar has been made mandatory for all key functionaries, directors, or office-bearers of NGOs
o Public servants are prohibited from receiving foreign contributions
o NGOs can use only 20% of foreign funds for administrative purposes, reduced from the earlier 50%.
o NGOs are barred from transferring foreign funds to other organizations or entities.
o Foreign contributions are prohibited for candidates, journalists, media personnel, judges, public servants, politicians, and political parties.
Devi Ahilyabai Holkar: Recently, the Madhya Pradesh government launched one of the most extensive cultural celebrations in recent years to commemorate the 300th birth anniversary of the 18th-century Maratha queen Ahilyabai in May 2025.
o Under her rule, Malwa witnessed peace, prosperity, and stability. Her capital, Maheshwar, became a center of literary, musical, artistic, and industrial growth.
o She was trained in military strategy by her father-in-law, Malhar Rao Holkar, and personally led her armies into battle.
o Ahilyabai held daily public audiences to address the grievances of common people and earned a reputation for impartial justice.
o She abolished the traditional law that allowed the state to confiscate the property of childless widows.
o She was a prolific temple builder, constructing hundreds of Hindu temples and dharmashalas across India.
o British historian John Keay referred to her as “The Philosopher Queen” for her wisdom and enlightened rule.
Dugong : Recently, May 28 was observed as World Dugong Day, highlighting the vital role dugongs play in marine ecosystems and emphasizing the urgent need for their conservation.
o Resemble a cross between a seal and a whale and use their front flippers to move gracefully through seagrass beds in the Indo-Pacific region, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay, and Gulf of Kutch.
o They feed on seagrasses like Cymodocea and Halophila, consuming up to 30 tonnes annually.
o Dugongs live up to 70 years, reproduce slowly (once every 3–5 years), and are usually solitary or in mother-calf pairs.
o Globally Vulnerable (IUCN) and Regionally Endangered in India, with only ~200 remaining in Indian waters.
o Protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act.
o India signed the CMS in 1983 and the Dugong MoU in 2008.
o In 2022, India set up its first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay, Tamil Nadu (448.3 sq. km).
Quantum Technology Research Centre : Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) inaugurated the Quantum Technology Research Centre (QTRC) at Metcalfe House, New Delhi, marking a major step towards enhancing India’s quantum technology capabilities for national security and strategic purposes.
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