This is the current affairs of 26 & 27 December 2023. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Under which project the stealth guided missile destroyer ‘INS Imphal’ built was inducted into the Indian Navy?
a. Project 75
b. Project 17A
c. Project 15A
d. Project 15B
Answer d. Project 15B
– Defense Minister Rajnath Singh handed over INS Imphal to the Indian Navy.
– The modern stealth-guided missile destroyer ‘Imphal’ (Yard 12706) has been constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
– It was handed over to the Indian Navy for trials on October 20, 2023.
– Two months later, on December 26, 2023, it was commissioned into the Indian Navy and named INS Imphal.
– ‘INS Imphal’ is the third ship of Project 15B.
About ‘INS Imphal’:
– Constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited.
– Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
– It has a displacement of 7,400 tons.
– Maximum speed is 30 knots.
– It incorporates 75% indigenous content.
– It will be equipped to launch missiles from medium-range into the air.
– It is armed with BrahMos missiles.
– It is equipped with indigenous torpedo tube launchers, indigenous rocket launchers, and a 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount.
Main Warships:
– Corvette (Small Warship)
– Frigate (Equipped with supersonic missiles)
– Destroyer (Devastator) – Destroyers are roughly one and a half times larger than frigates.
– Aircraft Carrier – A floating airstrip.
Project 15B:
– Under Project 15B, India is preparing world-class missile destroyers. Their quality competes with renowned shipbuilders in the USA and Europe.
– History – After purchasing guided missile destroyers of Soviet origin, the Navy thought of creating indigenous designs. Project 15 destroyers are the result of this thinking.
– Contracts for the four ships under Project 15B were signed in January 2011.
– This project is based on the Kolkata-class destroyer built under the previously initiated ‘Project 15A’ in the last decade.
– The first ship of Project 15B, INS Visakhapatnam, was inducted into the Indian Navy in November 2021.
– The names of the four ships of Project 15B are based on the names of cities located in the four corners of the country.
Four Ships of Project 15B (Boats):
– First: Visakhapatnam
– Second: Mormugao
– Third: Imphal
– Fourth: Surat
Chief of the Indian Navy: Admiral R. Hari Kumar
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2. Which country stopped the plane carrying Indians to Nicaragua at its airport and sent many passengers back to India?
a. France
b. Germany
c. America
d. Pakistan
Answer a. France
– In suspicion of human trafficking, France halted an aircraft carrying Indian citizens from Dubai to Nicaragua.
– However, later the allegation of human trafficking was dismissed.
The aircraft halted by France:
– Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America.
– The aircraft halted was an A340.
– It had 300 Indian passengers.
– On December 23, the aircraft was scheduled to land at France’s Vatry Airport for fueling and technical maintenance.
Shortly after landing, French police seized the aircraft.
– There was suspicion that human trafficking was taking place on board.
– France’s Anti-Organized Crime Unit conducted an investigation.
– The French police questioned two individuals on suspicion of human trafficking.
– A case was expected to proceed against them under French law.
– However, when presented before a judge, both individuals were released.
– Both individuals were put under witness status.
– Subsequently, the aircraft was allowed to depart from Paris’s Vatry Airport on the evening of December 25.
276 people returned to India; some sought shelter:
– It landed at Mumbai Airport at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, December 26.
276 people returned.
– Most of them are from Punjab, Gujarat, and South India.
– The remaining 25 individuals sought shelter in France.
– They were sent to a special zone at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris designated for shelter seekers.
– The aircraft had been chartered by Romania’s Legend Airlines for some passengers.
– The aircraft carrying 300 Indians was en route from Dubai to Nicaragua.
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3. Amidst the war between Israel and Hamas, which Middle East organization attacked a cargo ship coming to India with a drone?
a. Houthi
b. Hamas
c. Al-Qaeda
d. Israeli
Answer a. Houthi
– On December 23, 2023, insurgents attacked two cargo ships, MV Chem Pluto and MV Sai Baba, en route to India.
– One of the ships, MV Sai Baba, was hit by a drone causing some damage.
– These ships were carrying oil from Saudi Arabia to India.
– The United States Department of Defense claimed that at the time of the incident, MV Chem Pluto was in communication with the United States. The vessel was of Japanese origin and operated under the flag of Liberia.
– The oil tanker MV Sai Baba, flagged under Gabon, was attacked by a drone.
– There were also 25 Indian crew members aboard. The Indian Navy confirmed that all individuals were safe.
– At the time of the attack, the ships were approximately 217 nautical miles (about 400 km) away from the Porbandar coast.
– This area lies outside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
– The attack occurred around 45 nautical miles southwest of Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, near Salif Port in Yemen.
– According to the U.S. military, they dispatched their warship USS Laboon to the scene.
– During this period, insurgents also attacked an oil tanker from Norway, but they missed their target.
– According to the U.S. military, in the last 70 days, insurgents have attacked 15 vessels.
– About a month ago, the same insurgents had hijacked a cargo ship named “Galaxy Leader” in the Red Sea. This ship was en route from Turkey to India.
– The insurgents mistook it for an Israeli vessel and hijacked it.
Who are the insurgents?
– In 2014, civil war broke out in Yemen due to Shia-Sunni conflict.
– According to the Carnegie Middle East Center’s report, there has always been conflict between both communities.
– This escalated into a civil war in 2011 following the Arab Spring.
– In 2014, Shia insurgents opened a front against the Sunni government.
– President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi led this government.
– There had been a struggle for power between President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who was ousted earlier, and Hadi, who took power in February 2012.
– Hadi was striving for stability amid changes in the country.
– Meanwhile, the army split, and southern separatist Houthis gained control in the south.
– A significant part of the country is now under Houthi control.
– Iran and Saudi Arabia also got involved in this civil war to assert dominance in Arab nations.
– On one side, the Houthis received support from the Shia-majority nation, Iran.
– On the other side, the government received support from the Sunni-majority nation, Saudi Arabia.
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4. When is Veer Bal Diwas celebrated?
a. 24 December
b. 25 December
c. 26 December
d. 27 December
Answer c. 26 December
In remembrance of the martyrdom of the younger sons of the 10th Sikh Guru, Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Baba Jorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, an event was organized on December 26th.
When was the day announced?
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this day on January 9, 2023, on the occasion of Guru Gobind Singh’s birth anniversary.
– He mentioned that on December 26th, the martyrdom of the Sikh Guru’s sons, Jorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, would be observed as ‘Veer Bal Diwas’ (Brave Children’s Day).
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5. How much will India’s total debt increase by September 2023?
a. 205 lakh crore rupees
b. 161 lakh crore rupees
c. 100 lakh crore rupees
d. 90 lakh crore rupees
Answer a. 205 lakh crore rupees
– Business Standard claimed in a report that by September 2023, the country’s total debt had reached 205 lakh crore rupees.
– Out of this, the Indian government’s debt is 161 lakh crore rupees, while the state governments have more than 44 lakh crore rupees in debt.
– In 2014, the total debt on the central government was 55 lakh crore rupees, which increased to 161 lakh crore rupees by September 2023.
– In the past 9 years, the debt on the Indian government has increased by 192%.
This debt includes both domestic and foreign loans.
– In 2014-15, India’s foreign debt was 31 lakh crore rupees.
– By 2023, India’s foreign debt has increased to over 50 lakh crore rupees.
– How much has the debt per capita increased in India in 9 years?
– If the country’s total population is assumed to be 142 crores, then currently, each Indian has a debt of more than 1.40 lakh rupees.
How has the debt increased?
– When Manmohan Singh’s government was formed in 2004, the total debt on the Indian government was 17 lakh crore rupees.
– Since 2014 till now, the central government has borrowed a total of 19 lakh crore rupees from abroad.
– From 2005 to 2013, during the 9 years of the UPA government, they borrowed around 21 lakh crore rupees in foreign debt.
Why does a country’s government take on debt?
– What is the government’s income?
– What is the government’s expenditure?
– If the expenditure exceeds the income, the government has to take on debt.
– When the government takes on debt, the fiscal deficit increases.
– This means the government’s expenditure exceeds the revenue earned.
– Usually, the fiscal deficit increases when the government spends borrowed money that doesn’t come back.
Which country takes on the most debt?
– Among the countries that take on the most debt, Japan is one.
– The United States, the world’s most powerful country, is also ahead of India in terms of borrowing.
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6. Which international organization said in its report that if India continues to borrow at this pace, the country may have 100 percent debt of GDP by 2028, if this happens then it will be difficult to repay the debt?
a. IMF
b. World Bank
c. G-20
d. SARC
Answer a. IMF (International Monetary Fund)
– The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has conducted an assessment of India’s economic situation.
– The IMF report states that India’s debt is continuously increasing.
– If the government continues to borrow at this rate, the country’s debt could reach 100% of the GDP by 2028.
– If this happens, repaying the debt could become challenging.
– However, the Finance Ministry disagrees with the IMF report.
– The Finance Ministry stated that IMF’s estimation of India having a 100% debt is incorrect.
– The current debt is in Indian rupees, so there is no problem.
– The debt has decreased by 81% in 2022-23.
– After consultations with Indian officials under the Annual Article IV Consultation with the IMF, the Ministry has criticized the IMF report.
– Government debt (including both state and central) has decreased from around 88% in the financial year 2020-21 to approximately 81% in 2022-23.
– It is said that this debt is still lower compared to 2002.
– India’s growth rate has strengthened due to economic improvements in key sectors.
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7. India’s Sheikh Hassan Khan hoisted the Indian flag on Mount Vinson, the highest peak of which continent?
a. Asia Continent
b. Antarctica Continent
c. Africa Continent
d. Europe Continent
Answer b. Antarctica Continent
– According to The Hindu newspaper, on December 12, 2023, he hoisted the Indian flag at the peak of Mount Vinson.
– He is 36 years old.
– He is an employee of the Kerala government.
What was the purpose of climbing the peak?
– Sheikh Hassan stated that the purpose of climbing is to raise awareness about climate change occurring in Antarctica.
Which peaks have been climbed so far?
– Mount Vinson (Antarctica)
– Mount Everest (Asia)
– Mount Denali (North America)
– Mount Kilimanjaro (Africa)
– Mount Elbrus (Europe)
Note:
– Mount Vinson is the fifth highest peak.
– And it’s the highest peak in Antarctica.
– Its height is 4,892 meters (16,050 feet).
Which peaks will be climbed next?
– In the next few days, he will travel to Chile and then to Argentina.
– There, he will climb Mount Aconcagua.
– This peak is also the highest peak outside the Himalayas in the world.
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8. What is Pantoea Tagorei, which was in news recently?
a. Lizard
b. Bacteria
c. Metal
d. Virus
Answer b. Bacteria
Pantoea Tagorei
– This is a bacterium.
– It is named after Rabindranath Tagore.
Who discovered it and where?
– The discovery of the bacterium was made by researchers from the Botany Department of Visva-Bharati University.
– In December 2023, it was discovered in the coal mining area of Jharia in Jharkhand.
– According to The Hindu newspaper, this bacterium has the potential to revolutionize agricultural practices.
Why named after Rabindranath Tagore?
– Professor of Microbiology at Visva-Bharati University, Bumba Daim, stated that naming it after Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and his son Rathindranath Tagore is the best way to honor their agricultural activities.
– Tagore had sent his son to study agricultural science in Illinois, USA.
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9. Name the author of the book ‘Breaking the Mould: Reimagining India’s Economic Future’?
a. Manmohan Singh
b. Raghuram Rajan
c. Rohit Lamba
d. b and c both
Answer d. b and c both (Raghuram Rajan & Rohit Lamba)
– The economist and former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has co-authored this book with economist Rohit Lamba.
– This book aims to clarify strategies to accelerate India’s economic development.
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10. In which state will ‘Khelo India Youth Games 2023’ be held in January 2024?
a. Uttar Pradesh
b. Rajasthan
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Kerala
Answer c. Tamil Nadu
– The hosting of the Games will take place in Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Madurai, Trichy, and Coimbatore.
– The 2023 edition of the Khelo India Youth Games aims to have participation from over 5500 athletes and more than 1600 supporting staff from all 36 states and union territories in the Under-18 category.
