CONTENTS
- Women 20 (W20) Summit
- National Internet Exchange of India
- Exercise Khaan Quest 2023
Women 20 (W20) Summit
Focus: GS II: International Relations
Why in News?
Recently, as a part of India’s G20 Presidency, the Women 20 (W20) Summit with the theme ‘Women-Led Development- Transform, Thrive and Transcend’ held in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu.
Key Highlights of the W20 Summit:
- Objective: The summit focused on celebrating the power of women empowerment and addressing key issues related to economic empowerment, trade and investment, and care economy.
- Breaking Barriers: Discussions were held on breaking invisible barriers and biases that hinder women from reaching higher positions and leadership roles in various fields.
- Government Initiatives: Government initiatives such as Self Help Groups (SHGs), PM Mudra Scheme, and GeM portal were highlighted as ways to provide women access to markets and finance.
- Gender Disparities: The summit shed light on gender disparities in economic participation, emphasizing the inequalities women face in accessing economic opportunities, including financial resources, markets, and trade networks.
- Systemic Barriers: Participants discussed systemic barriers that hinder women’s economic empowerment, such as limited access to credit, restricted property rights, and discriminatory practices.
- Celebration of Empowerment: The summit witnessed the celebration of strength, resilience, and progress in women’s empowerment, showcasing success stories and achievements in various fields.
About W20:
- W20 is an official engagement group under the G20, established in 2015.
- It focuses on gender equity and women’s empowerment.
- The group aims to mainstream gender considerations into G20 discussions and translate them into policies and commitments.
- W20 influences the G20 agenda and promotes gender-sensitive approaches to global challenges.
Priorities:
- W20’s priorities include women’s entrepreneurship, grassroots women leadership, bridging the gender digital divide, education and skill development, and climate change.
Composition:
- W20 comprises a transnational network of delegates.
- Delegates represent non-government women’s organizations, civil society, female entrepreneurs, businesses, and think tanks.
- The network spans across G20 member states.
W20 India Presidency:
- W20 India assumed the presidency from W20 Indonesia on December 12, 2022.
- As the current presidency, W20 India leads the efforts to advance gender equity and women’s empowerment within the G20 framework.
National Internet Exchange of India
Focus: GS III- Science and Technology
Why in News?
Recently, the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th Foundation Day, reaffirming its unwavering dedication towards building India’s internet infrastructure.
About NIXI
- The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) is a non-profit company incorporated under Section 25 of the India Companies Act, 1956 (now section 8 under Companies Act 2013) with an objective of facilitating improved internet services in the country.
- It was registered on 19 June 2003.
- Its Primary purpose is to facilitate exchange of domestic Internet traffic between the peering Internet service provider (ISP), Content players and any other organizations with their own Autonomous system (AS) number.
- This enables more efficient use of international bandwidth, saving foreign exchange and also improves the Quality of Services (QoS) for Internet users by avoiding multiple international hops and thus reducing latency.
- NIXI is managed and operated on a neutral basis and currently has eight operational NOC located in Delhi (Noida), Mumbai (Vashi), Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Guwahati .
- NIXI is India’s First and Only Neutral Internet Exchange
- Since 2005, NIXI has also created INRegistry (.in domain) as its autonomous body for maintenance of .IN domain.
- Since December 2012, NIXI also manages the National Internet Registry of the country delegation Internet Protocol addresses (IPv4 and IPv6) and Autonomous System numbers to its Affiliates.
Mission of NIXI
- To Promote Internet.
- To set up, when needed, in select location(s)/parts/regions of India Internet Exchanges/Peering Points.
- To enable effective and efficient routing, peering, transit and exchange of the Internet traffic within India.
- To continuously work for enhancing and improving the quality of Internet and Broadband services.
- Set up Internet Domain Name Operations and related activities.
Benefits:
- The launch of these new NIXI internet exchanges will contribute to the enhancement and improvement of Internet and Broadband services at local level and in neighbouring regions.
- The internet service providers connecting at these points will benefit as their broadband services to their end users will improve, bringing about a change in the lives of the people of the region.
- It will benefit every sector of the state ranging from health, education, agriculture, startup, and ecosystem to MSMEs & other business verticals.
- Accessibility and convenience will increase for citizens in terms of availing government benefits and improving quality of life.
Exercise Khaan Quest 2023
Focus: GS III: Security Challeges
Why in News?
Recently, the multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” commenced in Mongolia.
About Exercise Khaan Quest 2023:
- Exercise Khaan Quest 2023 involves military contingents and observers from over 20 countries.
- The exercise is co-sponsored by the Mongolian Armed Forces (MAF) and the United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC).
- The Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the GARHWAL RIFLES.
Objectives:
- The 14-day exercise aims to enhance the interoperability among participating nations.
- It focuses on sharing experiences and training uniformed personnel for United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO).
- The exercise helps prepare participants for future UN Peacekeeping missions, develop peace operations capabilities, and enhance military readiness.
Activities:
- Exercise Khaan Quest 2023 includes various activities such as Command Post Exercise (CPX), Field Training Exercises (FTX), combat discussions, lectures, and demonstrations.
Purpose:
- The exercise aims to improve the coordination and cooperation between international military forces.
- It facilitates the exchange of best practices, strategies, and techniques in peacekeeping operations.
- Through joint training and exercises, participants enhance their skills, knowledge, and capabilities in UNPKO scenarios.
