Sea Defenders 2024

• The maritime security exercise Sea Defenders 2024 between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) & United States Coast Guard (USCG) culminated at Port Blair.
• The exercise was aimed at enhancing maritime cooperation and interoperability between the two forces.
• It included a Pollution Response Demonstration in which Indian Coast Guard ships and aircraft showcased their expertise in responding to oil spills and other environmental hazards at sea.
• It also simulated Visit Board Search and Seizure (VBSS) Operations for inspecting vessels suspected of illegal activity.

Union Minister Inaugurated Agriculture Integrated Command and Control Center

• Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda inaugurated the Agriculture Integrated Command and Control Center established at Krishi Bhawan, Delhi.
• The Centre aims to empower the farmers of the country by equipping them with information, services and facilities using digital technology.

Bichom Becomes Arunachal Pradesh’s 27th District

• Bichom becomes the 27th district in Arunachal Pradesh and was formed from the parts of West and East Kameng.
• Chief Minister Pema Khandu inaugurated the district and laid the foundation of its headquarters at Napangphung.

NPCI and Fonepay Collaborated for Cross-Border UPI Transactions between India and Nepal

• NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) collaborated with Nepal’s leading payment network Fonepay Payment Service Ltd to enable cross-border UPI transactions between India and Nepal.
• The initiative aims to facilitate QR-code-based person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI transactions, enhancing ease of payments for Indian tourists in Nepal.

DST and T-Hub Launched AI-ML Hub

• The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and T-Hub launched the Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Technology Hub (MATH) in Hyderabad.
• This initiative aims to accelerate AI innovation, facilitate job creation, and foster a supportive ecosystem for AI and ML startups.
• It also aims to generate over 500 AI-related jobs by 2025 and nurture more than 150 start-ups annually.
• The facility houses a mini data centre with GPU capabilities, a learning management system (LMS) tailored for AI education, and data infrastructure to support diverse AI applications.