Submarine Vagsheer
Handed Over by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited to the Indian Navy.
- Naming: Named after the sand fish, a deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean.
- Series: Last of six Kalvari-class Scorpene submarines.
- Other Submarines: Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj, Vela, Vagir.
Conductive Ink
Silver nanowire-based conductive ink transferred to two Indian startups.
- Composition: Paint containing silver or carbon particles, making it electrically conductive.
- Applications:
- Circuit Repair: Used to repair or enhance circuits on printed circuit boards.
- Flexible Electronics: Used in foldable screens, keyboards, defrosters.
- RFID Tags, Wearables, Sensors: Applications in RFID tags, wearable devices, sensors, displays, solar panels.
- Interactive Marketing: Potential for interactive marketing or signage through touch.
UN World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025
Published by UN DESA in partnership with UNCTAD and five UN regional commissions.
- Key Findings:
- Global Growth: Trade tensions, high debt burdens, and geopolitical risks have subdued growth despite falling inflation and monetary easing.
- Forecast: Global economic growth forecast at 2.8% for 2025 and 2.9% for 2026.
- India-specific Findings:
- Fastest Growing: India is the fastest-growing large economy.
- Growth Rate: Indian economy forecast to expand by 6.6% in 2025.
- Labour Market: Robust labour market with strong employment indicators and high labour force participation.
Interest Coverage Ratio (ICR)
ICR of unlisted companies at a 30-year high.
- Definition: Financial ratio indicating a firm’s ability to service its outstanding debt.
- Formula: Operating Profit (EBIT) / Interest Expense.
- Usage: Used by lenders, creditors, investors to determine lending risk.
- Indication: Reflects the short-term financial health and stability of the firm.
- Lower ICR: Indicates greater debt and higher bankruptcy risk, and vice versa.
Rakhigarhi
Discovery of Mud-brick stadium with precise engineering and a marketplace from the Mature Harappan phase.
- One of the largest and oldest known Harappan sites.
- Located in Hisar district, Haryana in the Ghaggar-Hakra river plain.
- Three layers of Early, Mature, and Late phases of the Indus Valley civilization.
- Only site yielding DNA evidence from the Harappan era.