TNPSC Current affairs April 2017 21 for group 1 & group 2 mains (ALL)

TNPSC Current Affairs April 2017

1.India and Republic of Korea sign Inter-Governmental MOU for Defence Industry Co-Operation in Shipbuilding 

India and the Republic of Korea has signed an inter-governmental MoU( Memorandum of Understanding) for defence Industry Co-operation in Shipbuilding.

The MoU was signed by Shri Ashok Kumar Gupta, Secretary (defence Production) and Mr.Chang Myoung, Defence Acquistion and programme Administration from Republic of Korea Side.

About the MoU.

• The MoU is to develop and strengthen defence co-operation between both countries.
• Both countries will recommend the organisations for collaborating in the implementation of specific projects.
• The organisations recommended for co-operative projects may conclude separate agreements (contracts) between them to implement the specific projects.
• The MoU will come into effect from the date of signature by both countries and will be initially valid for a period of five years and would be automatically extendable for further successive five year at a time.

2.Indian Navy’s Maiden Firing of BrahMos Land Attack Supersonic Cruise Missile 

Indian Navy successfully undertook the maiden firing of BrahMos Land Attack Supersonic Cruise Missile from Ship in the Bay of Bengal. The Long Range BrahMos Missile was fired from Indian ship Teg, a guided Missile Frigate.

India has now joined the elite club of navies to have capability to strike on land targets from sea. Only  US, Russia, Britain and China have similar capabilities.

About BrahMos:

• Brhamos is a Joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPOM. 
• BrahMos  is a two stage missile ,first stage has the solid propellant booster engine and second stage has the ramjet liquid propellant . 
• The first stage ,solid propellant booster engine will gives the supersonic fast then it gets separated and  second stage, ramjet liquid propellant will take the missile closer with 3 Mach speed
• Most  of the frontline ships of Indian Navy, like the Kolkata, Ranvir and Teg classes of ships, are capable of firing this missile.
• This missile will  provide Indian Naval Ships the capability to precisely neutralise selected targets deep inland, far away from coast, from stand-off ranges at sea.
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3.Inter-Ministerial Delegation to participate in the 2017 Conference of Parties (COPs).

Inter-ministerial Indian delegation will participate in the 2017 Conference of Parties (COPs) to the Basel, Rotterdam, Stockholm (BRS) Conventions. The three COPs to BRS Conventions will be held jointly from April 24-May 5, 2017 in Geneva, Switzerland.

India is committed towards its obligations of BRS Conventions and also to safeguard Country’s interest.  The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change plays important role in environmentally sound management of hazardous chemicals and waste, keeping in view the overall objectives of sustainable development and growth.

Agenda of COPs 2017:

The 2017 meeting will cover the issues including technical guidelines on trans-boundary movements of electrical and electronic waste and used electrical and electronic equipment; technical guidelines for environmentally sound management of wastes under Basel convention

National reporting, capacity building and technical assistance; listing of chemicals under the Rotterdam Convention and listing of chemicals under Annex A, B, and C to the Stockholm Convention. 

About BRS Conventions:

The BRS Conventions are multilateral environmental agreements, which share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.