Countdown has begun for the third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, scheduled to be held in Guwahati from January 10-22, 2020. The opening ceremony, which will be held at the Indira Gandhi Stadium on 10th January, will witness the presence of Chief Minister of Assam Shri Sarbananda Sonowal and the Minister of State (I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Kiren Rijiju, along with a host of star athletes, among them is Assam’s pride Hima Das.

Talking about third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games, Chief Minister of Assam Shri Sarbanada Sonowal said, “We are extremely delighted to host the third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games. The competition has started a sporting revolution in India and we couldn’t be more proud of the fact that the tournament is being held in Assam. I wish the athletes all the very best,”.  Shri Kiren Rijiju said that the Khelo India Youth Games has certainly inspired the youth of this country to take up sports. He also stated that the third edition of the competition will have a huge impact on the youth of the North East, who can witness a competition of international standards.

Around 6,800 athletes across 37 (states and union territories) teams will compete in a total of 20 sports events, including new additions – lawn bowls and cycling, in eight venues across Guwahati, during the competition. The total strength of participation at the games is 10,000 people, including athletes, officials, volunteers and support staff.

The Opening Ceremony scheduled on January 10th, will be a world class affair, with a larger-than-life show featuring 400+ cast members, 400+ technical and support staff working on ground. A state-of-the-art show created with the innovative use of lighting and technology, will be the centre piece of the Opening Ceremony. Special acts have been devised to celebrate the natural beauty and cultural wealth of Assam along with heroes of the state. Performances by ethnic communities from across Assam, is also part of the grand show. An act to champion the Fit India movement, encouraging all Indians to integrate fitness into their daily routine, is also an important aspect of the show.

The third edition of the Khelo India Youth Games has seen several first time initiatives by the government, including having aircrafts dedicated to ferry athlete from Kolkata and Delhi to Guwahati and a go-green programme that will see electric cars at the venues. Besides the Khelo India scholarships that winners of the tournament will get, the Assam Government has also announced cash awards for the winners.

The host state is fully geared up to conduct the multi -sport event with world class infrastructure in place and equipment for games shipped in from all over the world.

A dedicated hospitality team has been put in place to ensure the best sporting experience for athletes and officials from various states, with over 100 hotels booked in the city, dedicated welcome desks set up at railway stations, bus terminals and airports.

 

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The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has been apprised of information about the amendments moved to the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 as passed by the Rajya Sabha.

Amendments will ensure concurrence of the State Governments while formulating National Transport Policy and making schemes for national, multimodal and inter-state transportation of goods and passengers by the Central Government.

Background

The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was approved by the Cabinet in its meeting held on 24^th June, 2019 for re-introduction in the Lok Sabha. The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha on 23^rd July, 2019.  Later, the Bill was taken into consideration in Rajya Sabha on 31^st July, 2019.  The Bill with the official amendments was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 31^st July, 2019.  Further, the amendments were placed before the Lok Sabha and were passed in the Lok Sabha on 5^th August, 2019.

 

 

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The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval forsigning a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for International Development (Government of United Kingdom) on 02.12.2019 for Enabling Energy Self-Sufficiency for Indian Railways.

 

Implementation Strategy and targets

 

The   MoU   signed   by   Ministry   of   Railways   with   Department for   International Development (Government of United Kingdom) for Enabling Energy Self-Sufficiency for Indian Railways with the following understanding: –

 

a.  The Parties agree on the scope of activities to be undertaken as a part of the endeavor for enabling energy efficiency and energy self-sufficiency for the Indian Railways.

 

b.   Each Participant will, subject to the laws, rules, regulations and national policies fromtime to time in force  governing  the  subject  matter  in  their  respective  countries, endeavour to take  necessary steps to enable energy efficiency and  energy  self-sufficiency for Indian Railways.

 

c.   The parties agree for Energy planning for Indian Railways i.e. Solar & Wind Energysector, Adopting energy efficiency practices, Enabling Fuel efficiency, Electric Vehiclecharging infrastructure deployment, Battery operated Shunting Locomotives. Capacitydevelopment like training programmes, industrial visits, field visits etc. or any other form co-operation may be approved in writing by the Participants.

 

d.  The Participants will coordinate the activities, as appropriate, under this MoU. Nothing in this MoU will be construed to prejudice existing or future arrangements for co­operation between the participants.

 

e.   Blither participant may request in writing a revision, modification or amendment to all or any part of this MoU. Any revision, modification or amendment approved by the Participants will form part of the revised MoU. Such revision, modification or amendment will come into effect on such date as may be determined by the Participants.

 

f.   This Memorandum of Understanding shall come into force on its signing by the duly authorized representatives of the Parties and any of the Party may terminate this MoU by written communication addressed to the other, in which case, termination of MoU shall take effect six months after receipt of such written communication.

 

g.  The termination of this MoU will not affect the implementation of ongoing projects and / or programmes which have been agreed before the date of the termination of this MoU. Necessarily, areas of cooperation and forms of cooperation will continue to be enforced for ongoing projects and programmes which have been agreed before the date of the termination of this MoU.

 

h.  Any dispute or difference between the Parties shall be settled through mutual consultations and negotiations between the participants.

 

Background:

 

Ministry of Railways have signed MoUs/ MoCs for co-operation covering technical, policy, research & commercial aspects in field of development of energy sector. The objective of the programme is to support structural reforms and the integration of renewable energy into the electricity grid. To be more specific, it aims to achieve more sustainable and inclusive economic growth, better energy security and reduced carbon emissions.

 

The MoUs/ MoCs provide a platform for Indian Railways to interact and share the latest developments and knowledge in the railway sector. The MoUs/ MoCs facilitate exchange of technical experts, reports and technical documents, training and seminars/workshops focusing on specific technology areas like Renewable Energy and other interactions for knowledge sharing.

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VRRK/SC

In order to enhance security at Railway stations which are major hubs of transportation, Indian Railways is in the process of installing Internet Protocol (IP) based Video Surveillance System (VSS) at stations, that is, waiting halls, reservation counters, parking areas, main entrance/ exit, platforms, foot over bridges, booking offices etc. Railway Board has approved works for provision of Video Surveillance System covering 983 stations over Indian Railways under Nirbhaya funds. This year a budget of Rs. 250 crore was allotted to Indian Railways from Nirbhaya fund for installation of video surveillance system.

RailTel, a Miniratna PSU under Ministry of Railways, has been entrusted with the work of providing IP based VSS with video analytics and facial recognition system. To have a better coverage and clearer image, four types of Full HD Cameras – Dome type (for indoor areas), Bullet type (for platforms), Pan Tilt Zoom type (for parking areas) and Ultra HD- 4k cameras (for crucial locations) are being provided. CCTV camera live feeds are displayed on multiple screens at the Railway Protection Force (RPF) control room for monitoring. Each HD camera at the station consumes approximately 1TB of data and 4k camera consumes 4 TB data per month. The recording of the video feeds from CCTV cameras will be stored for 30 days for playback, post event analysis and for investigation purposes. Important videos can be stored for longer duration.

Talking about the project of providing Video Surveillance System, Shri Puneet Chawla, Chairman and Managing Director, RailTel said that in the first phase, VSS is being installed at 200 stations Pan India and as on date work has been completed at 81 stations across India. The Video Surveillance System will be extended to other stations and coaches soon. The work is being done utilizing the Nirbhaya fund for ensuring better safety for women.

In phase-I that is targeted for this year, South Western Railway (SWR) has recently commissioned Video Surveillance system (CCTV) at 6 major stations – Ballari by providing 33 Cameras, Belagavi with 36 Cameras, Vasco-Da Gama with 36 Cameras, Bengaluru Cantt with 21 Cameras, Bangarpet with 36 Cameras, Hassan with 36 Camera and at 3 Stations at Hassan, Shivamogga Town & Sathya Sai Prasanthi Nilayam, work is under progress and will be commissioned shortly. Integrated security systems comprising CCTV have already been installed at 11 stations including Bengaluru with 71 Cameras, Yesvantpur with 35 Cameras, and Mysuru with 34 Cameras. With this SWR has functional CCTV at 17 locations and will complete the work in Phase-I by having CCTV functional at total 20 railway stations by end of January 2020. Security personnel can monitor these cameras not only from station control rooms but also from Central Security Control Rooms located at Divisional HQ, i.e, Hubballi, Mysuru and Bengaluru.

Internet Protocol (IP) based Video Surveillance System (VSS) has also been installed at 10 Railway stations of Western Railway namely  Bhavnagar Terminus, Udhna, Valsad, Veraval, Nagda, Navsari, Vapi, Viragam, Rajkot, Gandhidham. This Video Surveillance System is expected to ensure better security of passengers at railway stations and railway property.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approval as under:

• The North East Gas Grid project of Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited with viability Gap Funding/ Capital Grant at 60% of the estimated cost of Rs 9265 crore (Including interest during construction). Quantum of VGF would be capped at 60% of estimated project cost and would not be linked with upward capital cost variation.

· MoPNG shall identify milestones for major activities for this project and link the same for releases of capital grant of the project.

• For effective monitoring of the project implementation, a Committee comprising of officials from Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Development of North East Region, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, and Department of Fertilizers, may be formed, which would periodically review the progress in implementation of the project and take steps to smoothen out any issues in execution.

Total length of pipeline is 1656 KM and tentative project cost is Rs 9265 crore.As per the plan, Gas Pipeline Grid would be developed in the eight states of the North-Eastern region i.e. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

The Capital Grant will provide natural gas supplies to various types of consumers viz. Industrial, PNG(Domestic),  CNG  (Transport)   etc.   and   would   immensely help   in substituting the liquid fuels. The pipeline grid would ensure reliability and uninterrupted natural gas supplies to the consumers which otherwise gets severely affected due to various reasons in this part of the country.

Availability of Natural gas across the region is expected to boost industrial growth without impacting the environment and would offer better quality of life to the people in general due to use of cleaner and green fuel.

Socio-Economic and Environmental Benefits

• Development of industrial climate in eight states of the north-eastern region i.e. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

· Reduction in the usage of kerosene, wood etc. due to increased usage of environment friendly fuel natural gas thereby improving the environment in the region.

· Improvement in the standard of living of peoples living in the region.

· It will boost Exploration & Production activities and connect regional gas sources with pipeline network for early monetisation of natural resources in the region.

• Possibility of installing bottling plants for LPG can be explored for reducing transportation cost. Uninterrupted supply of LPG and other valueadded products can be ensured in the region which will bring energy security to the people in the area.

Background:

To usher in Gas based economy and to increase the share of natural gas in country’s primary energy mix, Government is taking focused steps viz. enhancing domestic gas production, expeditious development of gas infrastructure including pipelines, City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks and Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (R-LNG) Terminals as well as development of Gas market by providing open access to gas infrastructure.

Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), a joint venture company of five CPSEs (IOCL, ONGC, GAIL, OIL and NRL) has been incorporated on 10.08.2018 to develop and operate Natural gas pipeline grid in North-East region. Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) has also issued provisional authorization to IGGL on 14.09.2018 for the development of North-East Gas pipeline grid.

 

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Vice-Chancellor, JNU Prof. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar along with Rector-II Prof. Satish Chandra Garkoti met Secretary, MHRD todaymorning and apprised that the situation in the campus is presentlypeaceful. They also informed that the Communication andInformation System has been repaired and is now functional. Thelast date for student registration for the Winter Semester 2020without fine has also been extended up to 12th January, 2020. As partof this registration process about 3300 students have since depositedfee for online registration. University administration has appealedto all the stakeholders to maintain peace in the campus and not toget provoked by any misinformation.

University authorities were advised by the Ministry to make all outefforts for restoration of the normal functioning of the University atthe earliest.

 

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Vice-Chancellor, JNU Prof. Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar along with Rector-II Prof. Satish Chandra Garkoti met Secretary, MHRD todaymorning and apprised that the situation in the campus is presentlypeaceful. They also informed that the Communication andInformation System has been repaired and is now functional. Thelast date for student registration for the Winter Semester 2020without fine has also been extended up to 12th January, 2020. As partof this registration process about 3300 students have since depositedfee for online registration. University administration has appealedto all the stakeholders to maintain peace in the campus and not toget provoked by any misinformation.

University authorities were advised by the Ministry to make all outefforts for restoration of the normal functioning of the University atthe earliest.

 

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An interfaith delegation met the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri G. Kishan Reddy to express solidarity with the government in the times of violent protests and public unrest under the pretext of opposing Citizenship Amendment Act here today.

The delegation members expressed solidarity with the government and faith in the policies of the government led by  Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. The delegation unanimously affirmed that the CAA concerns foreigners and no Indian, from whichever religion, caste, color or creed, has anything to fear. Highlighting the principles of Dharma and Ahimsa, the delegation affirmed their belief that the legislation has been passed on humanitarian grounds for those who fled from the three countries fearing persecution and had migrated to India for solace and safety. The delegation said that India being a land of mutual acceptance and harmony; it is unacceptable that one protests against a decision that aims to alleviate the suffering of those uprooted families. The legislation is based on a perfect rationale and objective premise, the members reiterated.

The delegation further expressed that resilience of Indian democracy lies in the strength of our collectivism, the belief in our principles of non-violence and acceptance and adherence to the principles of the constitution. They reiterated the fact that we all identify ourselves as Indians before anything else and it keeps us together. It is this faith and belief that will keep us together and strong in the face of storm, let loose by forces that do not want to see us united and growing. They urged the people to guard themselves against misinformation meant to destabilize our foundations of mutual respect and acceptance.

As a symbolic gesture of religious harmony and peace, the delegation wished to reach out to the people with this message of Ahimsa and religious harmony. They also expressed their desire to meet the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister with this message of peace and solidarity.

The delegation comprised of prominent spiritual gurus and social reformers from different faiths and sects, including Jain Acharya Dr. Lokeshji, Meditation guru Swami Deepankar ji, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi ji, Sardar Sant Singh ji, Veer Chakra Awardee Col, T.P. Tyagi Ji, Vineet Kumar Ji and Gautam Ji.

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In furtherance to Government of India’s policy of zero tolerance for crime and in an endeavor to fast track the dispensation of justice, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken steps to enhance and streamline the process of international mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. The MHA has issued Revised Guidelines for Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters in December 2019. The revised guidelines can be accessed here.

The revised guidelines provide step-by-step guidance to the investigation agencies for drafting and processing Letters Rogatory / Mutual Legal Assistance Requests and Service of Summons, Notices & other Judicial Documents. By incorporating various legal and technological developments in the recent years, it aims to make the documentation in this regard more precise and focused as well as compliant with International requirements.

The guidelines have also taken into account the concerns raised by various courts for prompt and timely responses in service of documents on persons residing abroad. As an initiative, the revised guidelines have provision for service of documents on authorities of foreign country preferably within 10 days of receipt of request in respect of offences committed against women and children.

Training in mutual legal assistance in criminal matters has also been taken up for investigators, prosecutors and judicial officers.

The transnational nature of crime and digital explosion has blurred geographical boundaries for criminal activities.  Availability of evidence and criminals outside the sovereign jurisdiction of countries has necessitated the transformation of scope and nature of conventional investigation.

India has entered into Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties/ Agreements with 42 countries and is signatory to various international conventions i.e. UNCAC, UNTOC etc. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is the designated ‘Central Authority’ for India. Generally, assistance is sought and received in the form of Mutual Legal Assistance Requests/Letters Rogatory and Service of Summons/Notices/Judicial documents on persons residing abroad.

In order to streamline the process of rendering/ seeking such assistance, MHA had issued  guidelines regarding investigation abroad & issue of Letters Rogatory (LRs) in 2007 & regarding Service of Summons/Notices/ Judicial process on the persons residing abroad in 2009.

Over the decade, there have been substantial changes in International Cooperation based on new legislations, regulations & conventions and amendment in procedural laws all over the world including India.  These changes necessitated the need for comprehensive review of existing guidelines to keep them abreast the modern era requirements.

 

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SNC/VM

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its ex-post-facto approval on the Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between Department of Health & Family Welfare (DOHFW), Government of India and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) on cooperation in the field of Health signed in November, 2019 during the visit of Mr. Bill Gates, Co-Chair and Trustee of BMGF to Delhi.

The Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) covers the following areas of cooperation:-

a)     To reduce maternal, neonatal and child morbidity and mortality, improve key nutrition outcomes, by improving the reach, coverage and quality of essential primary health, immunization and nutrition services.

b)     To increase the basket of choice and quality for family planning methods, specially for reversible methods, and increase access amongst younger women.

c)     To reduce the burden of select infectious diseases [TB, Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), Lymphatic Filariasis(LF)].

d)     To strengthen health systems, including aspects such as budget utilization, management and skills of human resources for health, digital health, strengthening supply chains and monitoring systems.

 

A Program Action Committee (PAC) will be set up to further elaborate the details of cooperation and to oversee the implementation of this Memorandum of Cooperation.

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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has given ‘in principle’ approval for strategic disinvestment of equity shareholding of Minerals & Metals Trading Corporation Limited (MMTC) (49.78%), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) (10.10%), MECON (0.68%) and Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd. (BHEL) (0.68%) and two Odisha State Government PSUs namely; Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha Ltd.(IPICOL) (12.00%) and Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) (20.47%) in Neelachal Ispat Nigam Limited (NINL) to a strategic buyer, identified through a two-stage auction procedure. NINL is a Joint Venture company, in which four CPSEs namely MMTC, NMDC, BHEL and MECON and 2 State PSUs of Odisha Government, namely IPICOL and OMC are shareholders.

The proposed strategic disinvestment of NINL would unlock resources to be used to finance the social sector/developmental programmes of the Government benefiting the public. It is also expected that the successful strategic buyer may bring in new management/technology/investment for the growth of the company and may use innovative methods for the development of the business operations of the company, which may generate more employment opportunities.

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The eight States of the Northern Eastern Region will participate in a big way during the Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat due to be held in the first week of April this year. The annual fair is held at Madhavpur Ghed in Porbandar district and the Mela this year will commence on 2^nd April, a day after the Ram Navami festival. The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh chaired a high level meeting with senior officials of the Gujarat Government here today to review preparations for the mega festival. Secretary, North Eastern Council (NEC), Shri Moses Chalai and senior officers of NEC, besides Resident Commissioners/representatives of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Manipur also participated.

Dr Jitendra Singh directed the officials that besides Madhavpur, events including cultural performances, crafts display and food festivals of the NER region be showcased in other major cities of Gujarat including Ahmedabad to generate wider interest among the local population. He suggested that a logo bringing out the common links between Gujarat and the North-East be designed and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs), Song and Drama Division of Information & Broadcasting Ministry besides the concerned departments of the State Governments be actively involved in various activities. A multimedia publicity campaign will be launched on March 1, 2020 to popularize the Madhavpur Mela. This will mark the cultural integration of Gujarat with the North-East under the Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat announced by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he added.

The Madhavpur Mela of Gujarat shares its connect to the Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. The Mishmi Tribe traces its ancestry to the legendary King Bhishmak and through him to his daughter Rukmini and Lord Krishna. The festival celebrates the immortal journey which Rukmini undertook from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat with Lord Krishna. Bhismaknagar, located near Roing in the lower Dibang Valley district, also finds mention in Kalika Purana.

The week-long ‘Utsav’ will see a vibrant cultural trail of art, dance, music, poetry, story-telling and folk drama from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other North-Eastern States with the aim to integrate the rich cultures of the two regions.

Madhavpur Ghed, a small but culturally significant village, is the place where, according to folklore, Lord Krishna married Rukmini, the daughter of King Bhishmaka. Madhavpur lies on the seashore, close to Porbandar. A 15^th century Madhavrai temple marks the site. This event is commemorated by a cultural fair held every year, commencing on Ram Navami. A colourful chariot carrying the idol of Lord Krishna circumnavigates the village and the festivities usually continue for five days.

Madhavpur Mela this year will witness magnificent folk cultural performances from the North-East, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Troupes from Assam will perform Rukmini-Haran, a popular folk theatre of the region. Musical troupe from Manipur will sing songs related to Rukmini in the Khullong Ishei and Nat genŕe.  Dance-dramas based on Rukmini-Krishna legends from Arunachal and Manipur and folk dance of the Idu Mishmi tribe from Arunachal will be part of the varied repertoire.

An exposition and sale of art and crafts of Gujarat and handloom and handicrafts products from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and other North-Eastern states will be part of the event. A Visual Art Exhibition on Krishna and Rukmini put together by different institutions of Ministry of Culture like the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya highlighting the variegated legends of Krishna and Rukmini will be the main attraction.

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INS Sumedha, presently on Anti Piracy Patrol in Gulf of Aden, came to the rescue of the crew of the dhow Al-Hamid on 06 Jan 20. A traditional wooden vessel known as “Dhow”, Al-Hamid was detected by an IN Helicopter launched from the deck of INS Sumedha, which confirmed that the vessel was in distress and drifting near the coast of Somalia.

A boarding team along with a naval technical team embarked Al-Hamid for routine checks onboard and render assistance. The crew of Al-Hamid comprised 13 Indian Citizens. The technical team assessment revealed that the dhow had suffered a broken main engine shaft, which was not repairable at sea. The dhow was then towed to safety away from the Somali coast.

Meanwhile, the owner of the dhow Al-Hamid  has sent another vessel for towing the dhow to port for repairs. Before departure, Indian Naval Ship Sumedha provided fresh water and medical supplies to the crew of the dhow.

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The tableau of the Indian Navy, to be showcased at the Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2020 at Rajpath, was unveiled here today.The tableau is in pursuance of the Navy Week theme ‘Indian Navy – Silent, Strong, and Swift’.

The forward part of the tableau showcases the might and fire power of Navy in all three dimensions viz surface, sub-surface and air. This is portrayed through models of state-of-the-art assets like Boeing P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft with Harpoon missiles, Kolkata class Stealth Destroyer displaying a Brahmos launch and Kalvari Class Submarine launching the Exocet missile.

On the trailer, the tableau showcases the indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant under construction at Cochin Shipyard Limited, along with its complement of MiG 29K Fighter Aircraft. This not only depicts the strength of the Indian Navy but is representative of the Navy’s total commitment to the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government.

The benign role of the Navy in terms of safeguarding offshore economic assets as well as rendering Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) is portrayed through the murals on the sides. These depict flood relief operation undertaken in Maharashtra on Mahalaxml Express (Op Varsha Rahat) in July2019, escort operations undertaken in Persian Gulf (Op Sankalp) and defence of our oil platforms by Fast Attack Craft and employment of MARCOS.

Overall, the tableau aims to showcase the Navy as a credible and combat ready military force, which in service of the nation, protects its economic assets and providessuccour to its populace in times of crisis and natural calamities.

The officers who would be leading the Naval contingent as Contingent Commander, Platoon Commanders and the Naval Tableaux during the parade and the Drum Major who would be leading the Indian Naval Band were also introduced during the press preview.

ABB/SS/Nampi/DK/Savvy/MTJ/ADA

In the backdrop of the deteriorating security situation in the Gulf region, post attacks on merchant ships in the Gulf of Oman in Jun 19, Indian Navy had commenced Maritime Security Operations, code named Op SANKALP, in the Gulf Region on 19 Jun 19 to ensure safe passage of Indian Flag Vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

Indian Navy warships and aircraft were deployed to establish presence, provide a sense of reassurance to the Indian merchantmen, monitor the ongoing situation and respond to any emergent crises. One war ship is presently deployed for Operation SANKALP.

The operation is being progressed in close coordination with all stakeholders including Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas and DG, Shipping. Regular Inter-Ministerial meetings have been held to review the evolving Maritime Security Situation in the Gulf region.

Indian Navy continues to monitor the situation in the Gulf region and is maintaining presence in the region to ensure security of our sea borne trade and the safety of Indian Flag Merchant Vessels transiting through the region. The Indian Navy stands committed to protection of the

nation’s maritime interests.