Current Affairs Capsule 22nd and 23rd September

1. PM Modi Meets President Biden Ahead of Quad Leader’s Summit 2024

Key Points of Meeting Between Modi and Joe Biden:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi met U.S. President Joe Biden in Wilmington, Delaware, for bilateral talks ahead of the Quad summit. This meeting is described as personal and focused on strengthening of the India-U.S. partnership.
• Biden emphasized that the relationship between the U.S. and India is stronger, closer, and more dynamic than ever. He expressed admiration for Modi’s ability to identify new cooperation areas.

2024Quad Leader’s Summit Overview:

• The Quad summit also includes leaders from Australia (Prime Minister Anthony Albanese) and Japan (Prime Minister Fumio Kishida).
• Topics for the bilateral meeting included India’s stance on Russia and China, especially regarding the ongoing Ukraine war and maintaining sovereignty and territorial integrity. The U.S. urged India to play a more significant role in supporting these principles.

Key Priorities of Quad Leader’s Summit 2024:

• China and Russia were highlighted as critical priorities in the bilateral meeting. Jake Sullivan, U.S. National Security Adviser, stressed that countries should refrain from supporting Russia’s war machine.
• China’s relationship with India and the other Quad members, including discussions on the South China Sea and North Korea, were major topics of concern. There was an emphasis that the Quad is not intended as a military alliance but a partnership for reinforcing regional peace and stability.

Quad Leader’s Summit 2024 Initiatives:

• The U.S. Coast Guard will collaborate with India, Australia, and Japan in joint exercises in the Indo-Pacific to combat piracy and expand maritime security.
• The Quad fellowship program will be expanded to include students from Southeast Asia.

2. Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh is Set to BecomeTheChief of Indian Air Force 

• Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh has been appointed as the next Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force (IAF). He will assume the role on September 30, 2024, following the retirement of Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari.

Current Role of Air Marshal A.P. Singh:

• Air Marshal A.P. Singh is currently serving as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff. The Government of India confirmed his elevation to the top post in a statement issued by the Defence Ministry.

Background and Experience of Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh:

• Education: Amar Preet Singh is an alumnus of prestigious military institutions, including the National Defence Academy (NDA), Defence Services Staff College, and National Defence College.
• Commission and Flying Experience: He was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in December 1984 and is a qualified flying instructor. He has over 5,000 flying hours on various fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.
• Test Pilot Experience: Singh is also an experimental test pilot, having led significant projects, including the MiG-29 upgrade in Moscow and the flight testing of the Tejas light combat aircraft.

Awards Received By Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh:

• Air Marshal A.P. Singh has been awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal and the AtiVishishtSeva Medal for his distinguished service.

3. Left Leader Dissanayake is the New President of Sri Lanka

Type of Election Held in Sri Lanka:

• Sri Lanka elects its president through direct popular voting.
• The president is the head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

Eligibility of Candidates for President of Sri Lanka:

• To contest the presidential election, a candidate must:
  • Be a citizen of Sri Lanka.
  • Be at least 35 years old.
  • Be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament.
  • Not be holding any other paid office except as a Member of Parliament or an office for which the constitution allows dual holding.

Voting System for Electing President:

• The election uses the absolute majority system under the second-past-the-post (instant runoff voting) system.
  • If no candidate achieves over 50% of the votes in the first round, the second preferences marked by voters on the ballot are considered.
  • Votes of the candidate who placed last are redistributed according to second preferences until a candidate obtains the majority.

Term of Office for Sri Lankan President:

• The Sri Lankan President is elected for a term of five years.
• A person can serve as president for a maximum of two terms.

Election Timing:

• Elections must be held at least one month before the end of the sitting president’s term.
• If the president’s office becomes vacant due to resignation, death, or removal, a fresh election must be held within three months.

Sri Lanka 2024 Election Outcome:

• Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the National People’s Power (NPP) alliance, won the presidential election with 42.31% of the votes.
• Sajith Premadasa, his main challenger and leader of the opposition, came second with 32.76%.
• Ranil Wickremesinghe, the incumbent, finished third with under 20% of the vote share.

Significance of the Victory:

• Dissanayake’s victory marks a historic break from the dominance of Sri Lanka’s two major political parties: the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP), which have held power for over seven decades.
• It reflects widespread discontent with the country’s political establishment, following the 2022 economic crisis and massive public protests demanding a change in leadership and governance.

Challenges Ahead for President Dissanayake:

• Dissanayake acknowledged the “humongous challenges” ahead as the President-elect, emphasizing the need for unity among all communities in Sri Lanka—Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims—to rebuild the nation.

Political Context:

• The election was necessitated due to the fallout from the 2022 economic crisis and was seen as a referendum on the existing political order.

4. India Makes Historyby Winning Goldin Chess Olympiad 2024

India Dominated throughout the Chess Olympiad Tournament :

• The Indian men’s team was dominant throughout the tournament, securing the gold medal with a round to spare. In the 11th and final round, India easily defeated Slovenia with a 3.5-0.5 victory.
• The women’s team also claimed gold, winning 3.5-0.5 in their final match against Azerbaijan.

Top Performers for India in Chess Olympiad 2024:

• In the Open section, D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi won individual gold medals for their performances on the first and third boards. Gukesh scored 9 points in 10 games, while Arjun scored 10 points in 11 games. Both players are now ranked among the top in the world, with Gukesh ranked 3rd and Arjun 5th in live ratings.
• P. Harikrishna and ViditGujrathi also contributed to the men’s success. Harikrishna played on the reserve board.
• For the women’s team, Divya Deshmukh won the individual gold on the third board, finishing with 9.5 points in 11 games. Vantika Agrawal, on the fourth board, secured an individual gold as well with 7.5 points in 9 games.
• Tania Sachdev played on the reserve board for the Indian women, helping the team secure 19 points—one more than Kazakhstan, the runner-up.

Historic Achievement:

• India’s gold medals mark the first time the country has won team golds at the Chess Olympiad. The United States finished as the runner-up in the Open section with 17 points.

5. CMRL’s first driverless train is ready to be delivered by mid October.

Driverless Train Progress:

• CMRL has manufactured its first driverless train as part of the Phase II project.
• The train will run between Poonamallee and Porur, on corridor 4 of the project.
• Operations are expected to start next year.

Cost and Delays:

• The project cost is estimated at ₹63,246 crore, with the contract for the driverless train awarded for ₹1,125.92 crore.
• Though the manufacturing process began seven months ago, delays occurred in procuring components, pushing back the original delivery target from August to mid-October.

Testing Process:

• The train will undergo a “static testing” process at Sri City before being transported to the Poonamallee depot by mid-October.
• Once delivered, the train will be linked, and critical systems (e.g., passenger information, brakes, ventilation) will be tested.

India’s First Driverless Train Operations:

• Initial trials will begin with the train running at 10 km/h, with speeds gradually increasing to 90 km/h.
• The viaduct work between Poonamallee and Porur will be completed within five months, allowing trials to commence.

No Major Delays in the Schedule:

• CMRL officials anticipate no further significant delays, with the overall project remaining on schedule.