India Private Space Sector – IN-SPACe, ISRO, SpaceX, GalaxEye?
IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre): Autonomous body under DST (Dept of Space). Established 2020. Promotes private sector participation in space. Authorises non-government entities. ISRO: Indian Space Research Organisation. 1969. HQ Bengaluru. DOS (Dept of Space) under PM. Notable private startups: Skyroot (Vikram-S – India’s 1st private rocket, 2022), Agnikul Cosmos (Agnibaan SOrTeD, 2024), GalaxEye (Mission Drishti OptoSAR, 2026). Space sector FDI: 100% (2024 – DPIIT notification). PSLV: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle; 60+ missions; most reliable. SAR: Synthetic Aperture Radar – can image through clouds + night. MSI: Multi-Spectral Imager – optical, colour detail. OptoSAR combines both.
ADB – Asian Development Bank Complete Details?
ADB: Asian Development Bank. Founded: 1966 (Manila, Philippines). HQ: Manila, Philippines. Members: 69 (50 from Asia-Pacific + 19 non-regional). President: Masato Kanda (Japan, 2025+). All presidents have been Japanese. India: 5th largest shareholder. Top shareholders: Japan, USA, China, India, Australia. Functions: Concessional loans, grants, technical assistance for development. Focus: Infrastructure, climate, health, education. 59th Annual Meeting 2026: Samarkand, Uzbekistan (May 2-5). $70 billion connectivity plan: PAGI ($50B) + Digital Highway ($20B). NDB vs ADB: NDB (BRICS bank, Shanghai), ADB (Asia-Pacific multilateral). India is member of both.
Thomas Cup & Uber Cup – Badminton History, India’s achievements?
Thomas Cup: Men’s team badminton world championship. Named after: Sir George Thomas. Held every 2 years (since 1948-49). Organised by: BWF (Badminton World Federation, HQ Kuala Lumpur). India history: First time entered 1952. 2022: India won Thomas Cup – historic first (defeated Indonesia 3-0 in final). 2024: India lost semi-final to China. 2026: Bronze (lost SF to France 0-3). Uber Cup: Women’s team championship. India 2026: Group stage exit. Most titles: China (men); China (women). 2026 Thomas winner: China (12th). 2026 Uber winner: South Korea. India’s star players: Lakshya Sen (WR 11), Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty (doubles WR 1), PV Sindhu (women).
EPC (European Political Community) – History, Members, Structure?
EPC: European Political Community. Proposed by: French President Emmanuel Macron. Founded: October 2022 (Prague, Czech Republic) – 1st summit, amid Russia-Ukraine war. Not an EU body. Includes: 27 EU members + non-EU European states (UK, Turkey, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Georgia, Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, etc.) – 47+ countries. Meets twice a year. Summits: 2022 Prague → 2023 Chișinău → 2023 Granada → 2024 Oxford → 2024 Budapest → 2025 Tirana → 2025 Copenhagen → 2026 Yerevan (8th). Canada: First non-European to attend (2026, PM Mark Carney). Next: Ireland (Nov 2026). Difference from EU: EPC is informal geopolitical forum; EU is formal economic-political union.
Millets – Types, Benefits, India’s Role, International Year?
Millets (Nutri-Cereals / Shree Anna): Small-seeded grasses. Types: Sorghum/Jowar (జొన్న), Pearl millet/Bajra (సజ్జ), Finger millet/Ragi (రాగి), Foxtail millet/Korralu (కొర్ర), Little millet/Sama, Proso millet, Barnyard millet, Kodo millet. Nutritional value: Iron, Calcium, dietary fibre, protein, B-vitamins; gluten-free. Climate-resilient: low water, low fertilizer, drought-tolerant. India: World’s largest producer + exporter. Rajasthan, UP, Haryana, Karnataka, TN, Telangana major producers. IIMR: Indian Institute of Millets Research, Hyderabad (ICAR). 2023: UN International Year of Millets (India proposed). PM Modi: branded millets as “Shree Anna”. G20 India 2023: millet menus. Telangana CM Revanth Reddy: ‘One Meal a Day with Millets’ 2026.
India-Africa Relations – Tanzania, IIT Madras Zanzibar, IAFS?
India-Tanzania: Diplomatic relations since 1961 (independence). Bilateral trade: ~$4.5 billion. Key sectors: Pharma, IT, Agri equipment. Tanzania President: Samia Suluhu Hassan (Africa’s 1st female President, 2021). IIT Madras Zanzibar: India’s first overseas IIT campus. 2023 inaugurated. Zanzibar = semi-autonomous island of Tanzania. Offers Data Science + AI programmes. India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS): 3 summits (2008, 2011, 2015). 4th IAFS pending (delayed). EAC: East African Community (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, S.Sudan). SADC: Southern African Development Community. India-Africa trade: ~$100 billion (2022-23). India: development partner, Lines of Credit, capacity building.
CPTPP, RCEP – Trade Agreements Singapore-New Zealand are part of?
CPTPP: Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Evolved from TPP (US withdrew 2017). 12 members: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, UK (2023). RCEP: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. World’s largest FTA (2022, GDP coverage). Members: 15 (ASEAN 10 + China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand). India opted out (2019). Singapore: ASEAN founding member (1967) + APEC + CPTPP + RCEP. New Zealand: CPTPP + RCEP. Both: Parties to the Critical Goods Supply Chain Pact (2026). India-Singapore CECA: 2005. India-New Zealand FTA: negotiations ongoing.
iDEX – Innovations for Defence Excellence, North Tech Symposium?
iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence): Launched 2018. Ministry of Defence (MoD) initiative. Managed by: DIDRDO (Defence Innovation Organisation). Open challenges for startups, MSMEs, innovators to solve defence problems. DPP 2020: Defence Acquisition Procedure – promotes Make in India. Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Defence: Target ₹3 lakh crore defence production by 2029; ₹35,000 crore exports. Positive Indigenisation List: items not to be imported. Defence Minister: Rajnath Singh. North Tech Symposium: Northern Command, Indian Army. Held in Prayagraj 2026. Previous editions: Chandigarh, Udhampur. Key platforms: DAP (Defence Acquisition Portal), SRIJAN (import substitution portal).