Monthly Current Affairs February 2016 “INDIA AND THE WORLD” key points to Remember.
1) Cyclone-hit Fiji will receive one million dollars as immediate assistance from the Indian Government.
2) The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of an Agreement between India and Maldives for the avoidance of double taxation of income from international air transport.
3) India has approved a $150 million credit line for the development of Iran’s Chabahar port.
4) Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology and a consortium of top UK research institutions signed an MoU for establishment of a joint India-UK collaboration programme in crop science.
5) The Seventh Joint Military Training Exercise between the Indian Army and the Seychelles People’s Defence Forces (SPDF) – LAMITYE 2016, will be conducted at Seychelles Defence Academy (SDA), Victoria, Seychelles from 15 February to 28 February 2016.
6) Indian Railways has joined hands with Sweden for technical cooperation in rail sector to run goods trains in cold conditions.
7) As part of the ongoing India-Myanmar defence relations, Navies of the two countries have conducted IMCOR along the Maritime boundary since 2013.
8) A 12-member team of the Indian Army is participating in the “Cobra Gold” multilateral exercises being hosted by Thailand, along with its counterparts from China and Pakistan.
9) India and Armenia have signed an agreement for cooperation in the agriculture sector.
10) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli have jointly inaugurated a power transmission line from Muzaffarpur (India) to Dhalkebar (Nepal).
11) Indian and Chinese armies are breaking new grounds of friendship on the sensitive Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the cold desert of Ladakh.
12) The 14 day Indo-Nepal Combined Military Exercise at general area, Pithoragarh which commenced on 08 February 2016 and will culminate on 21 February 2016 – Surya Kiran IX
13) United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) will store crude oil in India’s 1.5 million tonnes-Mangalore strategic petroleum reserve using it as a wholesale storage capacity.
14) Kalyani Group has tied up with Swedish defence major Saab to form a joint venture firm for the multi-billion dollar contract for short range surface to air missile and man-portable very short-range air defense (VSHORAD) programme.
15) Visiting Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan India held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues of mutual concern inked many agreements.
16) India and Sweden have resolved to scale up bilateral relations and expressed their commitment to a transparent, fair and predictable global traderegime under the World trade Organisation (WTO).
17) Vietnam has formally lifted the ban on import of Indian groundnut, thereby providing market access after nine months.
18) Delhi and Kabul ink pact for visa-free travel of envoys and An agreement for visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders of the two countries.
19) National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) has signed an MoU with RUSNANO OJSC of Russia to cooperate in diverse sectors and facilitate high-technology investments in India.
20) India and Brunei have decided to boost defence ties by conducting joint military exercises as the two countries signed three agreements after Vice President Hamid Ansari held talks with the top leadership.
21) The Cabinet was apprised about signing of a Joint Declaration between the India and Germany on the extension of the tenure of the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC).
22)India and Sri Lanka have reviewed the progress made in their bilateral ties discussing various issues, including that of fishermen, a major irritant in the relations, as the two countries signed MoUs in education and health sectors.
23) As announced by the Prime Minister, the Visa on Arrival for Japanese nationals is being launched from tomorrow i.e. 1st March, 2016. This facility will be available at six airports viz. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
24) Lamitye 2016, the seventh Indo-Seychelles joint training exercises, aiming to improve interoperability between both armies in counter-insurgency operations, has concluded at Victoria, Mahe Island in Seychelles.