The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD) is a flagship initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
It is originated in the 13th Council of Ministers meeting, held in 2013 in Perth, Australia.
The first IOD was held in Kerala, India in 2014,
Areas of discussion includes economic cooperation, maritime safety and security, blue economy, human assistance and disaster relief, etc.
The 6th Indian Ocean Dialogue will be held in New Delhi on 13th and 14th December 2019.
Delhi Dialogue
Delhi Dialogue is a premier annual track 1.5 event between India and ASEAN.
Track 1.5 diplomacy involves both officials and non officials such as business leaders, business organisations and all possible non diplomats of two states.
Delhi dialogue discusses politico-security, frameworks on economic and socio-cultural engagements.
Delhi Dialogue XI (2019) will be held along with Indian Ocean dialogue VI in New Delhi.
Indian Ocean Rim Association
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an international organisation consisting of 22 coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean.
It is formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
The IORA is a regional forum, tripartite in nature, bringing together representatives of Government, Business and Academia, for promoting co-operation and closer interaction among them.
It is based on the principles of Open Regionalism for strengthening Economic Cooperation particularly on Trade Facilitation and Investment, Promotion as well as Social Development of the region.
The Coordinating Secretariat of IORA is located at Ebene, Mauritius.
Trakea Software
Trakea is an unique barcoding software, adopted by Haryana police department, aimed at ensuring security and a tamperproof tracking system for forensic reports.
It is a forensic evidence management system that helps in automation of the entire procedure, right from the stage when forensic experts collect vital samples from the scene of crime to conducting analysis of the samples, followed by tracking case wise forensic reports electronically through barcodes.
Even the selection of forensic teams is done randomly through this software.
Due to the unique barcoding, only the authorised investigating officers and forensic science experts shall be able to track the crime exhibits and scientific examination reports, reducing the chances of tampering/leakage of the report at any stage.
Also, there will be no case details mentioned on the crime exhibits/samples/parcels except the unique bar code, that can only be read through the biometric system.
Using this software, the judiciary too will be able to track the forensic examination report during the trial, significantly cutting down on delays.
Haryana Police claims it is the country’s first police force to have introduced this unique barcoding for forensic reports.
Atal Bhujal Yojana
Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABY) is piloted by Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation in 2018.
The objective of scheme is to recharge ground water and create sufficient water storage for agricultural purposes.
It also focuses on revival of surface water bodies so that ground water level can be increased, especially in the rural areas.
It will give emphasis to recharging ground water sources and ensure efficient use of water by involving people at local level.
The scheme will be launched in water-stressed states: Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Centre will support half of the total project cost and rest of the budgetary cost will be shared by the World Bank.
Nuad Thai Massage
Nuad Thai massage is 2,000-year-old, it is believed to have originated in India, and has been practised in Thailand for centuries now.
Recently it has been added to the UNESCO’s list of “intangible cultural heritage” practices. .
The massage follows a traditional healing mechanism that folds the body and uses sharp elbow techniques, combining acupressure and Indian ayurvedic principles.
Unlike many other massage techniques, it uses no oils or lotions.
The receiver remains clothed, and is in contact with the masseur throughout, and instead of rubbing the muscles, the masseur stretches and twists the body using thumbs, hands, elbows, knees and feet.
The massage targets and relieves the various acupressure points in the body, thereby improving blood circulation.
E-Plane
Recently “world’s first all-electric commercial aircraft” has completed a short flight.
The ePlane covered a distance of 100 miles (160 km) over 15 minutes.
The “ePlane” is operated by Harbour Air, North America’s largest seaplane operator.
The e-plane claims it is low-cost, and environmentally friendly.
