The 8th Global Technology Summit, India’s flagship event on geo-technology, will be held from 4-6 December in New Delhi. The theme for this year’s summit is “Geopolitics of Technology.” The event will be co-hosted by the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and Carnegie India. The summit will see the participation of hundreds of policymakers, industry experts, academics, technocrats, ministers, and senior government officials from several countries, including the US, UK, Germany, Singapore, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Lithuania, Brazil, and the EU.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) under Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved capital acquisition proposals worth Rs 2.23 lakh crore (~$27 billion) to enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. The DAC approved the procurement of 156 Light Combat Helicopters and 97 Light Combat Aircraft Mk 1A from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It also gave approval to acquire Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles for the surface platform of the Indian Navy and cleared the Towed Gun System to replace Indian Field Gun. The council additionally approved the upgradation of Su-30 MKI Aircraft indigenously from HAL. Under the decision, over 98% of the acquisition will be sourced from domestic industries in a major boost to ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-dependence) in defence.
On Thursday, the Russian Supreme Court ruled that LGBTQ activists should be labelled as “extremists.” The court ruled on Thursday that “the international LGBT public movement and its subdivisions” were extremist and imposed a “ban on its activities on the territory of Russia.” The judge stated that the decision would take effect immediately but did not specify which individuals or organisations would be affected.
Israel and Hamas on Thursday agreed to extend their temporary ceasefire for another day. The truce, which was already extended by two days earlier this week, was set to expire on Thursday morning but was extended at the last minute. It will now continue until Friday morning. The Qatari foreign ministry said in a statement that the ceasefire was extended “under the existing conditions.”
In a major breakthrough on the first day of the COP28 summit in Dubai on Thursday, delegates agreed to operationalise a fund that would “help compensate vulnerable countries” in dealing with loss and damage caused by climate change. Sultan al-Jaber, the President of the UN climate conference, pledged that his country, the UAE, would commit $100 million to the fund.
During Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s meeting with Vietnam’s Deputy PM Tran Luu Quang in Hanoi on Friday, the two are expected to discuss deeper trade ties and railways connections. The possible upgrade of their rail links will help connect Vietnam’s rare earths heartland and its top port in the north.