First of its kind SCO International Conference on “Shared Buddhist Heritage” (GS Paper 1, Culture)
Why in news?
- Recently, the two-day international conference of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on “Shared Buddhist Heritage” was inaugurated at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, with focus on India’s civilizational connect with the SCO nations.
- The two-day programme is being organized by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of External Affairs and the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC-as a grantee body of the Ministry of Culture).
Key Highlights:
- The event, a first of its kind, under India’s leadership of SCO brings together Central Asian, East Asian, South Asian and Arab countries on a common platform to discuss “Shared Buddhist Heritage”.
- The aim of the Conference is to re-establish trans-cultural links, seek out commonalities, between Buddhist art of Central Asia, art styles, archaeological sites and antiquity in various museums’ collections of the SCO countries.
- The Conference is a unique meeting of the minds, where countries from different geographical regions but with a common thread connecting them based on a shared civilization legacy, strengthened by Buddhist missionaries who played a major role in integrating various cultures, communities and regions in the entire Indian subcontinent and Asia will discuss for two days’ various themes, chalking out ways to continue the age-old bonds into the future.
About Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO):
- SCO is a permanent intergovernmental international organization.
- It was created in 2001. The SCO Charter was signed in 2002, and entered into force in 2003.
- The SCO countries comprise of Member States, Observer States and Dialogue Partners, including China, Russia and Mongolia. Several scholars – delegates from SCO are resenting research papers on the topic including from Dunhuang Research Academy, China; State Museum of the History of Religion, International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University, Myanmar, among others.
- Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
- Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organization in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
- India and Pakistan became members in 2017.
- On 17th September, 2021, it was announced that Iran would become a full member of the SCO.
Maiden successful flight-test of DRDO’s indigenous Power Take off Shaft conducted
(GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- Recently, the maiden successful flight-test of Power Take off (PTO) Shaft was conducted on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA Tejas) Limited Series Production (LSP) - 3 aircraft in Bengaluru.
- The PTO shaft is indigenously designed and developed by Combat Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (CVRDE), Chennai of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
What is PTO shaft?
- The PTO shaft, which is a critical component in the aircraft, will support the requirements of future fighter aircraft & their variants and offers competitive cost & reduced time of availability.
- The PTO shaft was designed with unique innovative patented ‘Frequency Spanning Technique’ which enables it to negotiate different operating engine speeds.
- The light weight high speed, lubrication free PTO shaft transmits higher power between aircraft engine gear box and Aircraft Mounted Accessory Gear Box while accommodating misalignments that arise in the drive line.
Way Forward:
- With this successful test, the DRDO has achieved a greater technological feat by realisation of complex high-speed rotor technology which only few countries have achieved.
- The PTO shaft technology has already been transferred to Godrej & Boyce, Mumbai and Lakshmi Technology and Engineering, Coimbatore.
Exercise Bold Kurukshetra
(GS Paper 3, Defence)
Why in news?
- The Singapore Army and Indian Army participated in the 13th edition of Exercise Bold Kurukshetra, a bilateral armour exercise from 06-13 March 2023 at Jodhpur Military Station, India.
Key Highlights:
- For the first time in the exercise series, both armies participated in a command post Exercise, which involved Battalion and Brigade level planning elements and computer wargaming.
- Hosted by the Indian Army, the exercise involved soldiers from the 42nd Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment and an Armoured Brigade of Indian Army.
- The ten-day long joint training fostered common understanding of mechanised warfare in emerging threats and evolving technologies, developing inter-operability through a computer simulation-based Wargame using joint operational and tactical procedures controlled through a joint command post.
About Exercise Bold Kurukshetra
- Exercise Bold Kurukshetra is conducted under the ambit of the bilateral arrangement for the joint Army Training and exercises between the Singapore Army and the Indian Army.
- First conducted in 2005, this exercise underscores the strong and long-standing bilateral defence relationship between both countries and enhances cooperation between the two armies.
- Both defence establishments also interact regularly through high-level visits, policy dialogues, courses and other professional exchanges.
Spain's race to space about to blast off with reusable rocket launch
(GS Paper 3, Science and Tech)
Why in news?
- Two Spanish engineers hope to put their country at the forefront of the space transport industry with the launch of what could be the first private reusable rocket from Western Europe later in 2023.
Details:
- Raul Torres and Raul Verdu, who work for Spanish launch company PLD Space, have named their suborbital microlauncher ‘Miura 1’ after a renowned breed of bull in Spain's bullfighting tradition.
- The microlauncher is as tall as a three-storey building, has a 100-kg (220-lb) cargo capacity and can also be used to carry zero-gravity experiments.
Spanish Space Agency:
- Spain launched its own state space agency on March 7 amid a push by European countries to keep pace with global rivals.
- The Spanish Space Agency, based in the southern city of Seville, will have a budget of 700 million euros ($745 million) in its first year and a staff of 75.
- In November, European nations agreed to boost spending on space by 17% to keep on the heels of the United States and China.
- Spain's international position in the aerospace sector has been bolstered not only by increased public spending but by the European Space Agency's recruitment of the first two Spanish astronauts in 30 years, Pablo Alvarez and Sara Garcia.
What’s next?
- PLD Space aims to launch the ‘Miura 1’ rocket in Huelva in southern Spain, paving the way for commercial launches further down the road, but no date has been set.
- London-based Orbex is also working to deliver small satellites into low Earth orbit from Scotland, with no launch date scheduled yet.
