Daily Current Affairs 18th January 2023: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation
Dear Readers,
This post contains important current affairs of 18th January 2023. It includes all Major National, International, Business and Sports related current affairs of 18th January 2023. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 18th January 2023 Current affairs test.
National & International Appointments
1. Promotion of Pankaj Kumar Singh to Deputy National Security Consultant
- Pankaj Kumar Singh, former head of the Border Security Force (BSF), has been promoted to the post of Deputy National Security Adviser.
- For the subsequent two years, Singh will serve as the Deputy National Security Adviser within the National Security Secretariat. His previous role was the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF).
- He relinquished his role as the BSF chief on December 31, 2022. An IPS officer of the 1988 batch from the Rajasthan cadre, Singh has had extensive experience with the Rajasthan Police, Central Bureau of Investigation, and as the Inspector General of the Central Reserve Police in Chhattisgarh.
International News
2. Decline in China’s Population
- For the first time since 1961, notably during the Great Famine under leader Mao Zedong, China’s population has witnessed a decline. As per the National Statistics Bureau, the population decreased from 1.42 billion at the end of 2020 to 1.41 billion by the end of 2018.
- China recorded its lowest birth rate since at least 1978, at 6.77 births per 1,000 individuals last year. The one-child policy, active from 1980 to 2015, coupled with the rising education costs, has played a significant role in this population decline.
Banking and Financial
3. Drop in India’s Exports in December 2022
- In December 2022, India’s merchandise exports experienced a decline of 12.2%, amounting to $34.48 billion as compared to $39.27 billion during the same month the previous year.
- Imports in December stood at $58.24 billion, marking a decrease from $60.33 billion year-on-year.
- The goods trade deficit witnessed a further reduction in December, plummeting to a new low of $23.76 billion.
State Affairs
4. Introduction of “Schools of Eminence” Program by Punjab
- Punjab’s government is all set to unveil its major educational initiative, “Schools of Eminence,” on January 21, 2023, at the ISB in Mohali.
- This initiative aims to transform existing public high schools into “Schools of Eminence”. Approximately 110 public schools will be bestowed with this title in the first phase of the initiative.
- A budget of around Rs 200 crore (approximately $300 million) has been allocated by the Punjab government for this endeavor.
Defence
5. Inaugural Joint Military Exercise Between India and Egypt
- The Special Forces of India and Egypt are set to conduct their first-ever joint military drills in Udaipur, Jaipur, and Jodhpur.
- This exercise commemorates the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two nations.
- With Egypt being invited to the G20 summit in 2023, the significance of India in the Indian Ocean and the safety of the Red Sea and the Suez Canal for Egypt were highlighted.
6. Military Exercises and Collaborations
- The joint military exercise between India and Malaysia, “Harimau Shakti-2022,” has commenced in Pulai Klang, Malaysia.
- “Naseem Al Bahr-2022” marks the 13th bilateral exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Oman Navy.
- India and Indonesia have initiated their joint exercise, “Garuda,” in Karawang, Indonesia.
- The “Pan-India” Coastal Defence Exercise, “Sea Vigil-22,” has concluded its third iteration.
- The 18th iteration of the joint military exercise between India and the USA, “Yudh Abhyas” 2018, has begun in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
Science & Tech
7. Delay in ISRO’s “Shukrayaan” Mission to Venus
- The launch of ISRO’s Venus mission, Shukrayaan I, may face a delay until 2031. Initially planned for December 2024, the mission’s conception dates back to 2012.
- After a 23% increase in the space department’s budget over five years, ISRO has started preliminary investigations. Approximately every 19 months is considered the optimal period for a launch from Earth to Venus.
- Should ISRO miss the 2024 launch window, it has set “backup” launch dates for 2026 and 2028.
