Current Affairs

1. INDIA IS DISCUSSING THE PURCHASE OF 12 USED MIRAGE-2000 FIGHTERS AIRCRAFT FROM QATAR, ENHANCING COMBAT STRENGTH AMIDST RETIRING MIG FIGHTERS –

• Mirage 2000 is a fourth-generation, multirole fighter aircraft, and has played a significant role in the Indian Air Force (IAF) for several decades. It was originally designed by the French company Dassault Aviation.
• India acquired around 51 Mirage 2000s in different batches, forming three squadrons based at the Gwalior Air Force station.
• The Mirage 2000 is a versatile platform capable of air-to-air combat, ground attack, reconnaissance, and nuclear strike missions.
• During the Kargil conflict, Mirage 2000s successfully hit enemy camps at high altitudes using laser-guided bombs. It played a crucial role in the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, demonstrating its combat effectiveness.
• The ongoing upgrade program aims to enhance their capabilities, ensuring their relevance till 2035.

 

2. KERALA ASSEMBLY SEEKS RENAMING STATE TO ‘KERALAM’ –

• On June 24, the Kerala Assembly passed a resolution asking the Indian Central Government to change the name of the state in the Constitution from “Kerala” to “Keralam.” This was the second time in a year that the resolution was passed unanimously. This plan, which is being led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, focuses on making the constitutional name match the word “Keralam” in Malayalam.
• There are differences between the Malayalam name “Keralam” and the English name “Kerala” used in the Constitution’s first Schedule, which was brought up by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Kerala Assembly.
• Article 3 of the Constitution is used to ask for a change in the move. The similar resolution from last year had to be looked at again and changed because it didn’t include enough requests for changes to the Eighth Schedule, which deals with official languages.
• The name “Kerala” has historical and language meanings. It was first used in writing in 257 BCE by Emperor Ashoka, who called it “Keralaputra.” German scholar Dr. Herman Gundert connects the word to “Keram,” which refers to the area between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The word “cher” in this name comes from the old language Old Tamil and means “to join.”
• In the 1920s, the Madras Presidency brought together parts of Travancore, Cochin, and the Malabar area to make a single Malayalam-speaking state. After India got its freedom, on November 1, 1956, the State Reorganisation Commission, which was led by Syed Fazl Ali, suggested that Kerala be formed based on linguistic unity, which meant that more Malayalam-speaking areas were added while some Tamil-speaking areas were left out.
• The goal of changing the name of the state to “Keralam” is to better reflect its language, culture, and history within the limits of the country’s law.

 

3. INDIA RANKS 3RD-LARGEST DOMESTIC AVIATION MARKET –

• The Indian aviation market has grown to become the third biggest in the world. It has moved up from fifth place a decade ago to this important accomplishment. The success made under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shows an excellent average yearly growth rate in airline seat capacity of 6.9%, which is the highest rate in the world.
• Low-cost airlines (LCCs), which now have 78.4% of the market, have become very important. IndiGo is a big name in this field, and in the last ten years, it has grown its market share by half, to 62%, with an impressive yearly capacity growth rate of 13.9%. The rapid rise of low-cost carriers (LCCs) has made flying easier for more Indians, which has helped the economy grow.
• To be clear, the US had the most seats (about 84 million) in November 2023, followed by China with 65 million. India had about 15 million seats, while Japan and Brazil came in next with 12 million and 10 million seats, respectively.
• These numbers show not only how big domestic flight is, but also how strong each market is and how it plans to grow. In general, India’s situation shows how important it is becoming and how well it is doing strategically in the world of aviation.