Hindu Notes from General Studies-02

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Drone corridor proposed to expand UAS services in India

News

• To address various challenges posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in India, a task-force constituted by the Union government has proposed creation of a “Drone Corridor” in the country.

Beyond News

• Accordingly, the task-force has recommended key principles in the Drone Ecosystem Policy Roadmap that will guide the drafting of ‘Civil Aviation Regulations’ (CAR) 2.0.
• Currently, a basic framework for regulations in the area has been established under the “DigitalSky Platform” in CAR 1.0 which took effect from December 1, 2018.
• The roadmap was released at the Global Aviation Summit 2019 being held here.One of the key recommendations is a Drone Corridor: A segregated airspace defined by the appropriate authorities in consultation with the airspace designers to keep commercial UAS operations out of the non-segregated airspace in which manned aircrafts operate.

Rupee pact with Iran to aid pharma exports

News

• The Indian pharma industry now has an opportunity to increase exports to Iran, following a rupee payment mechanism agreed upon recently by India and the Persian Gulf nation.

Beyond News

• Under the agreement, Indian refiners make payments in rupee for oil imports from Iran, to designated accounts maintained with UCO Bank. A portion thus received is to be used by Iran to pay for imports from India, including pharmaceuticals.
• Indian pharma exports to Iran were at $124.05 million last fiscal. Iran has a well-established pharma industry that meets 80% of the country’s requirement. The remaining 20% is met predominantly through imports from Europe.
• While imposing the sanctions again, the U.S. provided a time window of exemption under which India and a few other countries could continue to import oil for some time, but of relatively less quantity.
• Pharmexcil, in a circular, intimated its members recently about the agreement under which 50% of the amount credited by Indian oil companies could be utilised by Iran for making payments to Indian exporters of goods and services. These funds may also be used for settlement of payments to Indian exporters for transactions that took place prior to operationalisation of the arrangement.
• Constituting mostly APIs (bulk drugs), Indian pharma exports to Iran have been declining in recent years.
• From $180.50 million in 2015-16, bulk drugs and intermediates contributing to a little over $119 million and drug formulations and biologicals around $40 million pharma exports to Iran fell to $160.33 million in 2016-17. Bulk drugs and intermediates accounted for $83.67 million, while export of drug formulations was for almost $47 million.
• Of the $124.05 million export in 2017-18, the share of bulk drug and intermediates was $66.22 million. Drug formulations and biologicals export stood at $37.58 million.

Indian universities move up in global ranking

News

• India has improved its showing in the prestigious university rankings of Times Higher Education Emerging Economies with 49 institutions making it to the list including 25 in the top 200.

Beyond News

• China remains the most represented nation in the annual 2019 listing, claiming four of the table’s top five positions with the Tsinghua University topping the chart, according to the London-based Times Higher Education, a global organisation that produces data, analysis and expertise on higher education.
• Leading India again is the Indian Institute of Science (14th), followed by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (27th). However, both slipped back a place this year, largely due to increased competition.
• The 2019 ranking comprises nearly 450 universities expanded from 378 last year. The table presents a mixed picture for India, with several new entrants and high risers, alongside several institutions that dropped back.
• India has increased its representation in the Times Higher Education Emerging Economies University Rankings with 49 universities in the list as compared to 42 in 2018, the organisation said. India has 25 universities in the top 200, a rise from 17 last year.
• The IIT Roorkee, however, scales 21 places and into the top 40 at 35th, thanks in particular to improvements in its research and industry income.

Hindu Notes from General Studies-03

Indigenous attack helicopter crosses milestone

News

• The indigenously developed Light Combat Helicopter has crossed a milestone, successfully firing an air-to-air missile at a moving target, and it is now ready for induction, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is developing the helicopter.

Beyond News

• This is the first time in the country that a helicopter has carried out an air-to-air missile engagement. None of the helicopters in the military services in the country has demonstrated such a capability. The LCH has successfully completed all weapon integration tests and is ready for operational induction.
• During the tests conducted recently at the integrated test range at Chandipur, Odisha, the helicopter scored a direct hit on an aerial target and destroyed it. The LCH is the only attack helicopter in the world capable of operating at altitudes as high as Siachen Glacier.
• Equipped with the helmet-mounted sight and forward looking infra-red sighting system, LCH pilots can detect and destroy any target on ground, or in the air. Using these systems, pilots can launch a missile onto any target without having to turn the helicopter.
• The fire-and-forget missile is effective against all types of aerial threat, including unmanned aerial vehicles and microlight aircraft.
• The other weapons on the 5.8-tonne LCH include a 20-mm turret gun and 70-mm rockets, the firing trials of which were completed last year.
• The Defence Acquisition Council has approved the procurement of an initial batch of 15 LCHs 10 are for the Indian Air Force and five for the Army. The IAF has sought 65 LCHs and the Army 114.

RBI eases norms for external commercial borrowing

News

• In a bid to improve ease of doing business, the Reserve Bank of India has decided to liberalise external commercial borrowing (ECB) norms, allowing all companies that are eligible for receiving foreign direct investment, to raise funds through the ECB route.

Beyond News

• The list of eligible borrowers has been expanded. All entities eligible to receive foreign direct investment can borrow under the ECB framework.
• The new framework takes immediate effect.
• The RBI has decided to keep the minimum average maturity period at 3 years for all ECBs, irrespective of the amount of borrowing, except for borrowers specifically permitted to borrow for a shorter period. Earlier, the minimum average maturity period was five years. The ceiling for borrowing remains at $750 million.
• All eligible borrowers can now raise ECBs up to $750 million or equivalent per financial year under the automatic route replacing the existing sector-wise limits.
• Any entity who is a resident of a country which is financial action task force compliant, will be treated as a recognised lender.
• This change increases lending options and allows various new lenders in ECB space while strengthening the [anti money laundering / combating the financing of terrorism] framework.
• RBI had capped funds raised via ECBs at 6.5% of GDP, at current market prices. Based on GDP figures for March 31, 2018, ‘the soft limit works out to $160 billion.

Decoding patterns of lion, tiger and leopard attacks on humans

News

• A recent study reveals that lion attacks led to more human fatalities, persisted for a longer time and extended over larger areas than tiger or leopard attacks.

Findings

• The study analysed 908 attacks on humans by these species in India, Nepal, and Tanzania. Researchers said very little is known about the pattern of such attacks and studies like these provide a range of perspectives.
• The study also revealed that lion and tiger attacks were disproportionately located in residential woodlands habitat with 10–100 people per sq km, and lions also attacked more people in areas with recent loss of tree cover.
• It analysed 319 lion attacks in southern Tanzania between 1989 and 2008 that were spread over an area of 42,500 sq km; 67 leopard attacks between 1993 and 2003 in Maharashtra spread over an area of 4,100 sq km and 329 leopard attacks between 2004 and 2014 in Himachal Pradesh spread over an area of 19,100 sq km.
• The tiger attacks were studied in India and Nepal 94 attacks over an area of 2,400 sq km in Maharashtra between 2005 and 2010; and 88 in 2,300 sq km around the Chitwan National Park in Nepal between 1979 and 2006.
• Analysis reveals the typical spatiotemporal patterns of past lion, leopard, and tiger attacks on humans. In future, this technique could be used by relevant agencies to warn local people of risks from further attacks within a certain time and distance following an initial incident by each species.
• The approach can also help identify areas requiring management interventions to address such threats.
• The findings could provide valuable information to agencies for concentrated conservation efforts in future.

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