India documents first-ever evidence of rare Tibetan Brown Bear (GS Paper 3, Environment)
Why in news?
- In a significant discovery, wildlife officials in India documented the first-ever evidence of a rare Tibetan Brown Bear (scientific name: Ursus arctos pruinosus), that was spotted in the northeastern region of the country.
- Camera traps captured the bear in December 2023 with its characteristic yellowish scarf-like collar that broadens from the shoulders to the chest in the Mangan district, Sikkim.
Characteristic feature:
- It is an omnivore with a diet that generally consists of marmots and alpine vegetation.
- This rare bear is very diverse from the more commonly found Himalayan Black Bear in terms of its appearance, habitat, and behaviour.
Habitat:
- It inhabits high-altitude alpine forests, meadows, and steppe above 4000 metres.
- The Tibetan brown bear, also known as the Tibetan blue bear, is one of the rarest subspecies of bears in the world and is seldom sighted in the wild.
- It is uniquely adapted to the extreme conditions of the Tibetan Plateau. Until now, there were only a few confirmed records from Nepal, Bhutan, and the Tibetan plateau.
Way Forward:
- The discovery of a rare Tibetan brown bear marks a significant moment for biodiversity in the region and underscores the importance of preserving and protecting the state’s precious wildlife.
Maldives moves to replace India, inks deal with Turkey for drones to patrol high seas
(GS Paper 2, International Relation)
Why in news?
- The new government in Maldives has signed a USD 37-million deal with Turkey to buy military drones that will patrol its high seas, a task so far done by India in partnership with the Maldivian defence forces.
Background:
- The decision comes in the backdrop of President Mohamed Muizzu’s 15 March deadline for 77 Indian military personnel to leave the island nation.
- He came to power in September 2023, riding on an anti-India rhetoric and ‘India out’ campaign.
Helicopters gifted by India:
- The Indian officers stationed in Maldives were those who operated and maintained two Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters and a Dornier aircraft gifted to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) by India, besides training the Maldivian military.
- The helicopters were used for transport of patients from various islands of the archipelago nation to hospitals in Malé, which has saved over 500 lives till now.
- The Dornier carried out reconnaissance flights by the Maldivian military against suspicious ships, gun and narcotics trafficking.
Turkish drones:
- These will now be replaced by Turkish drones, the likely candidate being the Aksungur drones which are used for maritime operations and surveillance.
- The money for the Turkish drones has been allocated from the state’s contingency budget. Quoting government sources.
- Under the agreement signed by the Maldives government with a company which supplies drones to the Turkish military, the money will be paid in instalments. According to the agreement, the payment for the transaction must be done within this year.
- Turkey has been at the forefront of drone warfare and has emerged as one of the biggest exporters of drones, both armed and unarmed.
- The two leading Turkish companies in drone manufacturing are Baykar Defense, owned by the son-in-law of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), owned by a Turkish military foundation.
India-Maldives:
- Maldives is one of India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and part of its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’. But ties between both have been strained ever since President Muizzu came to power.
- The President, perceived to be “pro-China” broke precedent and went to Turkey as part of his first foreign visit instead of India. He has also made a state visit to China.
- Under then-President Abdulla Yameen of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Male had signed a Comprehensive Action Plan for Defence in 2016 with India. When the lease for these helicopters expired in 2018, the Yameen government asked New Delhi to take them back.
- However, after pro-India Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Maldivian Democratic Party came to power in September that year, these demands were revoked.
