10 PM Current Affairs Quiz #16 September 19, 2019

Explanation: India and the United States have signed the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA), the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Association (LEMOA). The two countries now conduct more bilateral exercises with each other than they do with any other country. Bilateral exercises held annually include Malabar (naval exercise that also includes Japan), Cope-India (Air Force), Yudh Abhyas (Army) and Vajra Prahar (Special Forces). India also participates in the annual RIMPAC exercises as well as in Red Flag exercises which are US-led multinational exercises. Indian defense procurements from the US have also seen a tremendous growth. “We have also instituted the 2+2 Dialogue-a joint meeting between the Foreign and Defense Ministers of the two countries”.

Explanation: India has emerged as the leading country of origin for immigrants across the world, with 17.5 million international migrants in 2019 coming from India, up from 15.9 million in 2015, according to a dataset released by the Union Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York. The International Migrant Stock 2019, released by the UN DESA’s Population Division, said the number of international migrants in the world had reached an estimated 272 million 2019-51 million more than in 2010. The percentage of international migrants of the total global population has increased to 3.5% from 2.8% in 2000. While India remained as the top source of international migrants, the number of migrants living in India saw a slight decline from 5.24 million in 2015 to an estimated 5.15 million in 2019-both 0.4% of the total population of the country.

Explanation: A Teaser loan is nothing, but, a special loan that is offered for a fixed duration and could then be withdrawn. It generally offers a low interest rate in the initial years or some special offer and then gets back to the normal interest rates. In India the State Bank of India had two Teaser home Loans including the SBI Easy Home Loan and SBI Advantage Home Loan, but, they were later withdrawn. These loans offered a lower interest rate for the first three years and then the normal rate. The Reserve Bank of India had insisted that there be a higher provisioning for such loans as they carry a higher risk of default. However, banks have been insisting that these loans are given based on thorough scrutiny and the risk remains just as with other loans.

Explanation: Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group on Saturday attacked two plants at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry, including the world’s biggest petroleum processing facility, in a strike that three sources said had disrupted output and exports. Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq and Khurais plants were hit by drone attacks on Saturday, severely curtailing their production capacity. Global oil prices shot up by about 20% following the attack.

Explanation: Defense Minister Rajnath Singh flew in the Tejas fighter aircraft from the HAL airport in Bengaluru, becoming the first defence minister to fly in the indigenously-built light combat aircraft (LCA) The IAF has already inducted a batch of Tejas aircraft. The naval version of the LCA is in development stageInitially, the IAF had placed an order with the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 40 Tejas aircraft. Last year, the IAF issued the request for proposal (RFP) to HAL for the procurement of another batch of 83 Tejas at a cost of over ₹50,000 crore. The Tejas is an indigenous light weight, multi role supersonic aircraft developed in both fighter and trainer versions. Advanced materials like composites are used in the manufacture of the Tejas to reduce weight and increase the component life. The Tejas is designed to carry a veritable plethora of air-to-air, air-to- surface, precision guided and standoff weaponry.