21 JANUARY 2016

Ø  In yet another textbook launch, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Wednesday launched IRNSS-1E, the fifth of the seven-satellite Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) into space. ISRO’s workhorse PSLV C-31 rocket lifted the 1,425 kg satellite from the second launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre here at 9.31 a.m. and placed it in the intended orbit some 19 minutes later. IRNSS-1E with a mission life of 12 years was launched into a sub geosynchronous transfer orbit with a 284 km perigee (nearest point to Earth) and 20,657 km apogee (farthest point from Earth) with an inclination of 19.2 degree with reference to the equatorial plane. IRNSS-1E carried navigation and ranging payloads, including a rubidium atomic clock, C-band transponder and corner cube retro reflectors for laser ranging. The signal-in-space of four satellites has already been validated by various agencies within and outside the country.

Ø  A class of frogs that grows in tree holes, and as tadpoles feeds on eggs laid by their mother, has been discovered in the northeast region, according to an international team of researchers led by a Delhi University-based scientist. In the last two decades, India has reported a rapid rise in the discovery of frog species from the Western Ghats and, more recently, the Northeastern States. The new frog, reported in the peer-reviewed journal PLoS One, has been christened Frankixalus Jerdonii and was once considered a species lost to science. This genus remained unnoticed by researchers probably because of its secretive life in tree holes. Due to insufficient food resources in tree holes, the mother exhibits “remarkable parental care” by laying unfertilised eggs to feed her tadpoles. Tree frogs are found across sub-Saharan Africa, China, much of tropical Asia, Japan, the Philippines and Sulawesi.

Ø  This could be a bumper year for the ever-lucrative tax avoidance industry. The 2015 final reports of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-led project on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) — which refer to the erosion of a nation’s tax base due to the accounting tricks of Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) and the legal but abusive shifting out of profits to low-tax jurisdictions respectively — lays out 15 action points to curb abusive tax avoidance by MNEs.

Ø  By the end of the year, India expects to freeze the design for the largest battleship ever built for the Indian Navy. It will also be one of the largest carriers across the world after the U.S. super carriers, which weigh about 1,00,000 tonnes. According to Navy sources, the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-II) would be of 65,000 tonnes, and will be capable of carrying over 50 aircraft. In comparison, displacement of INS Viraat is only 28,500 tonnes and INS Vikramaditya is 45,400 tonnes, both of which are of foreign origin and currently in service with the Indian Navy. The first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant weighing 40,000 tonnes is currently under construction at Kochi. Given that this the first time a ship of such size will be built in India which involves development of several new technologies, design consultancy will be sought from foreign companies with expertise in carrier design and construction. Five countries have been identified for the purpose — the U.S., Russia, France, the U.K. and Italy — all of which currently operate carriers. The Navy has issued a letter in July 2015 to identify the domestic shipyard for constructing IAC-II. Following that, a study group headed by Rear Admiral Surinder Ahuja, Assistant Controller of Carrier Project, has been set up to identify suitable Indian shipyards for construction of IAC-II and to arrive at the build strategy. The Navy aims to achieve 80 per cent indigenisation in the project. While the launch mechanism would be Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR), the Navy said “modern technologies for launch and recovery will be considered,” leaving room for incorporating Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) technology of the U.S.

Ø  India’s Iran policy is marked by unnecessary caution, Gholamreza Ansari, envoy of Iran, said on Wednesday, arguing for a new age in India-Iran relationship. Following the nuclear deal, Iran has been mainstreamed in international affairs and India should appreciate that to bet on Iran is the right thing. In the past, India often advised patience on important projects. In the changed circumstances in West Asian region, India cannot follow the policy of patient waiting any more. The envoy said that Iran was the guarantor of stability in the West Asian region and would fight against the forces of instability that are responsible for violent extremism in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Mr. Ansari said that mega projects such as the Chahbahar port upgradation, and international energy pipelines demand prompt Indian decisions. I feel private companies in India are keen to move ahead in the Chahbahar port project but the government has not shown the same level of enthusiasm in the past. Syria, Iraq and even Egypt need billions of dollars worth investments for reconstruction and recovery from the violent wars. The region urgently requires inclusive social and political structures. India, which has strong interest in the region, should express its concerns freely.

Ø  A tiny but scary-looking marine critter that died out with the dinosaurs, caught prey with the aid of two monstrous eyes — each a quarter of its body length. The giant peepers were composed of 18,000 lenses each — a record only ever surpassed by modern-day dragonflies, a team wrote in the science journal Nature Communications.

Ø  The Cabinet on Wednesday approved India’s stand at the last month’s World Trade Organisation (WTO) conference held in Nairobi on food security and farm exports, according to a government statement said. The outcomes of the conference, referred to as the ‘Nairobi Package’ include Ministerial Decisions on agriculture covering a Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) for developing countries to counter import surges of farm items, public stockholding for food security purposes, a commitment to abolish export subsidies for farm exports and measures related to cotton. India secured a re-affirmative Ministerial Decision on the public stockholding issue honouring earlier decisions at the WTO’s highest level —including at the Bali Ministerial and the General Council, according to the statement. The decision commits members to engage constructively in finding a permanent solution to this issue. Similarly, India negotiated a Ministerial Decision on another very important issue which recognises that developing countries will have the right to have recourse to an agricultural SSM as envisaged in the Doha mandate.