Current affairs 21 October 2024

Vedanta to Invest Over ₹1 Lakh Crore in Rajasthan.

• Vedanta plans to invest over ₹1 lakh crore in Rajasthan across sectors like zinc, oil and gas, and renewable energy.
• Hindustan Zinc will invest ₹30,000 crore to double zinc capacity and set up a fertilizer plant; Cairn Oil & Gas will invest ₹35,000 crore to increase production capacity.
• The investment will create 200,000 jobs and develop over 500 downstream industries.

India Secures Leadership in ITU's WTSA-2024 Study Groups.

• India’s candidates were elected to leadership roles in all 10 Study Groups of the International Telecommunication Union’s Standardization Sector during WTSA-2024 in New Delhi.
• India retained a Chair position and secured 9 Vice-Chair positions, enhancing its leadership from 7 to 11 positions.
• WTSA-2024, the first in the Asia-Pacific region, hosts over 3,700 delegates from 160+ countries.

India-Oman Naval Exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr Strengthens Ties.

• INS Trikand and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft participated in the Indo-Oman bilateral naval exercise Naseem-Al-Bahr with the Royal Navy of Oman Vessel Al Seeb off Goa from 13 to 18 October.
• Exercises included gun firings, anti-aircraft drills, and replenishment maneuvers, improving interoperability.
• The exercise reinforced India's strategic partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region.

Economic Freedom of the World: 2024 Annual Report.

• According to the Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World report, Hong Kong has regained its title as the freest economy, scoring 8.58.
• India at 84th among 165 countries, marking a notable improvement from last year's 87th position.
• Following them, Switzerland ranked third, New Zealand fourth, and the United States fifth.
• At 165th place, Venezuela ranked last with a score of 3.02.

Nikita Porwal Wins Femina Miss India World 2024 Crown.

• Nikita Porwal from Madhya Pradesh crowned Femina Miss India World 2024, will represent India at Miss World.
• Rekha Pandey (Dadra and Nagar Haveli) and Aayushi Dholakia (Gujarat) were named 1st and 2nd runners-up.
• The event marked the 60th edition, featuring a celebrity jury, including Sangeeta Bijlani, Nikita Mhaisalkar, Anees Bazmee, Neha Dhupia, Bosco Martis, and Madhur Bhandarkar.