Current Affairs

1. RELOS AND INDIA-RUSSIA RELATION –

• Recently, the India-Russia mutual logistics agreement named the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) is now ready for finalisation. It will facilitate military cooperation between India and Russia, including joint exercises, training, and disaster relief efforts.
• The Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Agreement (RELOS) between India and Russia is a significant administrative arrangement that will enhance military cooperation between the two nations.
• This agreement is designed to streamline military logistics support, making joint operations and long-distance missions more efficient and cost-effective for both India and Russia.
• It will facilitate the replenishment of essential supplies (fuel, rations, spare parts) thus enabling continuous, uninterrupted military presence in crucial regions.
• It will provide berthing facilities for troops, warships, and aircraft. It will be applicable during both wartime and peacetime missions.
• It will enable smoother utilisation of the host nation’s existing logistics networks. Enhances ability to respond swiftly to crises.
• It will provide a strategic edge to the military operations of both countries thereby reducing overall mission costs.
• Enhances India’s maritime outreach and influence in strategically important regions. Boosts Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and shared logistics facilities could enable better information exchange about maritime activities, enhancing both countries’ situational awareness.

Balancing Quad Agreements-

• RELOS balances India’s logistics agreements with Quad countries and Russia’s non-Quad stance.
• Strengthens Russian presence in Indo-Pacific without Quad involvement.
• It Counterbalances US influence and China’s regional role for both India and Russia.

 

2. HIGH COURT STRUCK DOWN BIHAR 65% QUOTA RULE –

• Recently, the Patna High Court struck down the Bihar government’s decision to increase the reservation quota from 50% to 65% for Backward Classes (BC), Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in educational institutions and government jobs.
• This move by the Bihar government has raised important questions about the legal limits on reservation policies in India.
• In November 2023, the Bihar government issued gazette notifications to raise the quota for deprived castes from 50% to 65%. This decision was taken following a caste-based survey report, which showed the need for increased representation of BC, EBC, SC and ST communities.
• The Bihar Assembly unanimously passed the Bihar Reservation Amendment Bill in November 2023 to implement this 65% quota.
• A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed challenging the Bihar government’s decision to increase reservations beyond 50%.
• The Patna High Court ruled that the 65% quota violated the 50% limit set by the Supreme Court in the Indira Sawhney case (1992). The court argued that the state government’s decision was not based on “adequate representation” in government jobs, but on the proportional population of these communities.
• The court also noted that together with the 10% Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota, the bill has pushed total reservation to 75%, which is unconstitutional.
• Bihar has the lowest per capita income in the country (below USD 800 per year), which is 30% of the national average. It has the highest fertility rate and only 12% of the population lives in urban areas, compared to the national average of 35%.

 

3. THE INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO) SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THE LANDING OF THE PUSHPAK REUSABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE (RLV LEX-03) FOR THE THIRD TIME

• The third demonstration was to test the vehicle in more challenging conditions—when there is a higher degree of deviation from the intended orbit while the launch vehicle comes down and when there are more severe wind conditions.
• Pushpak reused the winged body and flight systems from the second experiment without any modifications.
• The vehicle uses multiple sensors such as inertial sensor, radar altimeter, pseudolite system (a ground-based positioning system), as well as the NaVIC satellite-based positioning system.
• To bring down launch costs and to remain competitive, the reusable launch vehicle is designed to take satellites up to space and return and land on a runway like an aeroplane.