Current affairs 19 January 2024

TCS ranked 2nd in world's most valuable IT services brands.

• Brand Finance 2024 report, Accenture maintains its position as the world's most valuable IT services brand with a value of $40.5 billion.
• TCS secures the second spot, registering an impressive 11% rise in brand value to reach $19.2 billion
• Infosys features in the top three, continuing its brand value ascent in the global IT industry.

India records first confirmed sighting of rare Tibetan Brown Bear.

• India achieves a milestone in wildlife conservation with the first-ever confirmed sighting of the rare Tibetan Brown Bear in North Sikkim.
• Joint efforts by the Sikkim Forest Department and WWF-India reveal the bear's presence.
• The discovery adds a new subspecies to India's mammalian diversity, emphasizing the ecological richness of the area and the importance of wildlife preservation.

Global Firepower Rankings 2024: India secured 4th strongest military.

• United States maintains the world's most powerful military in 2024, followed by Russia and China.
• India ranks fourth globally in military strength, according to the Global Firepower index evaluating 145 countries.
• The comprehensive ranking considers factors such as troop numbers, equipment, financial stability, geography, and available resources.

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Google Pay India inks MoU with NPCI to expand UPI.

• GPay India and NPCI collaborate to facilitate convenient transactions for international travelers.
• The MoU aims to serve as a model for other nations to build UPI-like digital payment systems, fostering frictionless financial transactions globally.
• The partnership leverages UPI infrastructure, providing foreign merchants access to Indian customers for seamless digital payments.

DLabs at ISB introduces "Build for Billions" startup accelerator.

• DLabs at ISB introduces Build for Billions startup accelerator in collaboration with RBI Innovation Hub and Union Bank of India.
• The program aims to address financial challenges for gig workers, migrant workers, and various informal sector workers.
• 50-day, equity-free accelerator providing mentorship, capacity building, resources, networking, and a piloting opportunity with Union Bank.