Content :
- India to Build First-Ever Polar Research Vessel (PRV) as GRSE Signs MoU with Norway’s Kongsberg
- Election Commission to upgrade VTR sharing process
India to Build First-Ever Polar Research Vessel (PRV) as GRSE Signs MoU with Norway’s Kongsberg
Context : India’s First-Ever Polar Research Vessel (PRV)
- MoU Signed: GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd., Kolkata) signed an MoU with Norway’s Kongsberg for building India’s first indigenously developed PRV.
- Significance:
- Enhances India’s polar and ocean research capabilities.
- Boosts ‘Make in India’ by constructing a high-tech vessel domestically.
- Designed in line with the requirements of the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCOPR).
- Capabilities:
- Equipped with advanced scientific equipment for oceanographic, climatological, and polar studies.
- Enables deep-sea and polar ecosystem exploration.
- Strategic Relevance:
- Contributes to climate change research, Antarctica policy goals.
- Showcases India’s rise as a shipbuilding and scientific research power.
Relevance : GS 2(International Relations) , GS 3(Infrastructure)
MAHASAGAR Vision & Maritime Diplomacy
- From SAGAR to MAHASAGAR:
- SAGAR: Security and Growth for All in the Region.
- MAHASAGAR: Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions – an expanded vision to enhance international maritime cooperation.
- Key Pillars:
- Economic cooperation & regional connectivity.
- Disaster response and maritime security.
- Environmental sustainability and green shipping.
- Sagarmala 2.0:
- Focuses on infrastructure gaps, shipbuilding, ship repair, recycling, and boosting maritime trade capacity.
Bilateral Engagement with Norway
- Roundtable with Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA):
- India invited greater investment in ports, shipbuilding, and logistics.
- Highlighted India’s role as a trusted, sustainable, and cost-effective shipbuilding hub.
- Strategic Highlights:
- Indian shipyards account for 11% of NSA’s global order book.
- India ranks second in seafarer supply to NSA fleet.
- Proposed expansion in shipbreaking (HKC-compliant yards) and recruitment partnerships.
- Green Maritime Vision:
- Push for green fuels (hydrogen), green ports, IMO-compliance, and digital shipping platforms like ONOP and MAITRI.
- Proposed India–Norway green shipping corridors.
Global Maritime Leadership
- Ministerial Discussion on Shipping & Ocean Business:
- India aligned with global goals for decarbonised, inclusive, and future-proof ocean trade.
- Participating countries included Brazil, Japan, US, China, Norway, and UN reps.
- India’s Position:
- Emerging as a maritime power with innovation-driven growth and regional leadership.
- Strong commitment to sustainability, shipbuilding, and global maritime governance.
Overall Impact
- Reinforces India’s scientific, strategic, and diplomatic outreach in the maritime domain.
- Showcases synergy between indigenous capacity-building and international cooperation.
- Enhances India’s preparedness to address climate change, Arctic geopolitics, and maritime trade realignment.
- Strengthens India-Norway relations based on shared sustainability and innovation goals.
Election Commission to upgrade VTR sharing process
Objective & Context
- Election Commission of India (ECI) is upgrading the Voter Turnout Reporting (VTR) mechanism to ensure faster, more accurate, and transparent communication of voter turnout trends.
- Aligns with ECI’s broader goal of real-time public communication and technological integration into election management.
Relevance : GS 2(Elections Reformers)
Key Features of the New System
- ECINET App Introduction:
- Presiding Officers (PROs) will enter voter turnout data directly into the new ECINET App every 2 hours on polling day.
- After polls close, PROs will enter final turnout data before leaving the polling station.
- Automatic Aggregation:
- Data auto-aggregated at the constituency level.
- Real-time update visible on updated VTR App.
- Offline Support:
- App allows offline data entry, which syncs once network connectivity is restored.
- Ensures inclusion of remote/rural polling stations.
Improvements Over Old System
- Previous System:
- Relied on manual data collection by Sector Officers, transmitted via phone/SMS/messaging apps.
- Approximate turnout often delayed by 4–5 hours or more.
- Final data sometimes arrived late night or next day.
- New System Advantages:
- Reduces delay, boosts accuracy.
- Eliminates scope for misinformation or speculation due to delayed updates.
- Strengthens data transparency and voter trust.
Legal Compliance
- Rule 49S, Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961:
- Legal mandate for PROs to furnish Form 17C to polling agents remains unchanged.
- VTR update remains a non-statutory, facilitative measure for public information.
Rollout Timeline & Pilot
- Expected to be fully integrated with ECINET before Bihar elections.
- Aimed at becoming a standard protocol for all future elections.
Significance
- Enhances electoral transparency, improves public confidence.
- Aligns with Digital India mission and e-Governance practices.
- Reinforces ECI’s role as a technologically adaptive and citizen-centric institution.
