Current affairs 20 October 2023

Indian Army wins gold medal in Cambrian Patrol 2023 military.

• The Indian Army won a gold medal at the Cambrian Patrol Exercise 2023 held in the UK while competing against 96 teams representing special forces and regiments from around the world.
• The 4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) represented the Indian Army at the drill held at Brecon, Wales, during October 13-15.
• The Cambrian Patrol Exercise is considered the ultimate test of human endurance and team spirit and is considered the Olympics of military patrolling.

India’s rank on Global Pension Index falls to 45 out of 47 countries.

• India dropped from the 41st position out of 44 countries in the 2022 Global Pension Index to the 45th spot out of 47 countries in 2023.
• India’s retirement system has improved to some extent from 2022, according to Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index (MCGPI) survey 2023.
• The Netherlands had the highest overall index value (85.0), closely followed by Iceland (83.5) and Denmark (81.3). Argentina had the lowest index value (42.3).

Sberbank becomes 1st Russian bank to register with Sebi as FPI.

• Sberbank of Russia has become the first Russian bank to register with the Indian markets regulator as a foreign portfolio investor (FPI), according to data available on the website of National Stock Depository (NSDL).
• Sberbank of Russia, a state-owned bank which already has a presence in India, registered with the Indian markets regulator for a Category I FPI licence.
• FPIs with category I licence have to follow less lenient beneficial ownership disclosures.

PM to launch India’s 1st Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS).

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the priority section of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) Corridor.
• This historic event takes place at the Sahibabad RapidX Station in Uttar Pradesh.
Key Highlights
• The priority section spans 17 kilometers, connecting Sahibabad to Duhai Depot and includes stations at Ghaziabad, Guldhar, and Duhai.
• The average speed of RAPIDX trains on the RRTS will be 100 kmph, surpassing metro trains.

Global Remote Work Index, India among world’s worst countries.

• India has been ranked 64th out of 108 countries for remote work, marking a significant drop of 15 places compared to the 2022.
• The top 10 countries are Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Estonia, Lithuania, Ireland, and Slovakia.
• The Global Remote Work Index (GRWI), published by cybersecurity firm NordLayer, assessed countries based on four key criteria: cyber safety, economic safety, digital and physical infrastructure, and social safety.