Current affairs 19 February 2023

India ranks 47th in OECD's services trade restrictiveness index.

• According to the services trade restrictiveness index (STRI), conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), India ranked 47 out of 50 countries.
• As per the report, India had been progressively introducing reforms over the past years, contributing to a slight liberalization of services trade in some sectors.
• Top 5: Japan (1), UK, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Chile (5)
• Bottom: Indonesia (50), Thailand(49), and Russia (48)

Lt General MV Suchindra Kumar appointed as Vice Chief of Army.

• Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff.
• He is currently serving as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) in the Army Headquarters.
• He will succeed Lt Gen B S Raju, who has been appointed as the Jaipur- headquartered South Western Army Commander.
• While Lt Gen NSR Subramani has been appointed as the next Central Army Commander in Lucknow.
• All the new appointments will come into effect on March 1.

IAF develops indigenous "Vayulink" platform for jammer-proof communication.

• The Indian Air Force has developed an innovative solution named Vayulink to send radio communication to the base station when the signals are low.
• It would help pilots to deal with bad weather and also provide them with jammer-proof uninterrupted communication with the base station.
• It is an ad-hoc data link communication system.
• It will be installed in an aircraft and provide information about other aircraft close by, encrypted traffic data over a secured channel.

Vertiplane X3 Drone delivers TB medicines.

• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-Rishikesh conducted a trial to test the feasibility of drones supplying medicines to primary health centers or smaller hospitals by Vertiplane X3 drone.
• This drone was used to deliver a 2kg package of anti-tubercular drugs to a district hospital in Tehri Garhwal during the trial.
• The aerial distance of nearly 40 kilometers between the helipad at AIIMS and the hospital was covered in 30 minutes.

K.K. Shailaja selected for 32nd Ramashramam Unneerikkutty Award.

• Former Health Minister, K.K. Shailaja has been selected for the 32nd Ramashramam Unneerikkutty Award.
• Reason: For her services as a minister during the times of the Nipah outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic, and her services to the State.
• This is an annual award, which is given to individuals who have made a mark in the fields of art, literature, culture, politics, or social service.
• She is the fourth woman to win the award ever since its inception in 1985.