News Summary · 3 minutes read
Shri Prabhat Ranjan (HAL, India) & Mr. Oleg Bogomolov (UAC, Russia) signing the MoU for the production of SJ-100. Photo: X/@HALHQBLR
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HAL signs MoU with Russia’s UAC to produce SJ-100
- SJ100 or Sukhoi Superjet 100 is a passenger aircraft developed by Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
- Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and UAC will jointly produce the SJ-100 in India for India’s domestic market → aimed at improving short-haul connectivity under the UDAN scheme.
- Marks the 1st time a complete passenger aircraft will be produced in India since the AVRO HS-748 programme ended in 1988.
Rising Cyclone Intensity in Bay of Bengal
- The east coast of India has experienced an increased frequency and intensity (severe or very severe) of cyclones over the past few years.
- Increased frequency and intensity of these storms are linked to the rise in Sea Surface Temperature (SST) over recent times.
- Key Findings
- Bay of Bengal has witnessed an increase of 0.5°C to 1°C in SST over the past 50 years (IITM Pune).
- SSTs frequently cross the 20°C–30°C range, creating favourable conditions for tropical cyclone formation → ideal SST for cyclone formation is above 27°C.
- Higher SST → more latent heat release → increased cyclone strength and rainfall intensity.
- Scientific Explanation
- Global warming raises atmospheric moisture capacity → heavier rainfall during cyclones.
- Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and La Niña phases enhance favourable conditions for cyclogenesis in the Bay of Bengal.
- Deforestation and loss of mangroves/wetlands have weakened natural coastal buffers, intensifying damage.
- It is notable that the Bay of Bengal experiences more cyclones than the Arabian Sea due to higher SST, low vertical wind shear, and moisture inflow from the equatorial Pacific.
Reconciling Conservation and Community Rights: A Policy Framework for Relocation and Coexistence in India’s Tiger Reserves
- Issued by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Responds to growing friction between conservation authorities and forest-dwelling communities.
- Key Features
- Relocation of forest-dwelling communities must be an exceptional, voluntary, and scientifically justified step → must ensure equity and dignity, comply with the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, and the Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972.
- Forest-dwellers may choose to stay in their traditional forest habitats, exercising Individual Forest Rights (IFR) or Community Forest Rights (CFR) under FRA.
- Authorities must ensure in situ infrastructure development, include Gram Sabha members in conservation and eco-committees, and generate evidence on sustainable cohabitation, if forest dwellers choose to stay in their traditional habitats.
- Proposals
- National Framework for Community-Centred Conservation and Relocation
- National Database on Conservation–Community Interface
- Annual audits by empanelled agencies to assess compliance with the FRA, WPA, and human rights standards.
Quick Picks
- Index of Industrial Production (IIP): released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.
- Leh violence (24 September): being investigated by a commission led by Justice B.S. Chauhan.
- 8th Central Pay Commission: approved by the Union Cabinet on 28 October 2025, with Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai as the chairperson → Term: 18 months
- UNSC Resolution 1325: adopted in 2000 → calls for women’s participation in peace processes, protection from gender-based violence in conflict, and integration of gender perspectives in peace and security efforts.
- UNFCCC COP-30: scheduled for November 2025 in Belem, Brazil.
- Hurricane Melissa (October 2025): a tropical cyclone that originated near west coast of Africa and travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to intensify in the Caribbean Region → the strongest storm ever to hit Jamaica.
- Burevestnik: a new nuclear-powered cruise missile, recently tested by Russia.
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