CONTENTS
- Exercise Garuda Shakti
- MAARG portal
Exercise Garuda Shakti
Focus: GS III: Security Challenges
Why in News?
As part of military-to-military exchange programs, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops are currently engaged in a bilateral joint training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia.
Exercise Garuda Shakti:
- Exercise Garuda Shakti is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner.
- The exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies.
- The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a comprehensive 13-day training programme has been worked out.
- The joint exercise will facilitate both armies to know each other better, and share their wide experiences and combat experience on countering terrorist operations, Regional Security Operations & Peace Keeping Operations in an international environment.
- The exercise is yet another significant milestone in ensuring cordial relations between the two countries and another step forward towards ensuring regional security.
Scope of the joint exercise
Orientation to advance special forces skills, sharing of information on weapon, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques & procedures and lessons learnt from various operations undertaken, Special Forces Operations in Jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps and a validation exercise integrating basic and advance special forces skills apart from gaining an insight into the lifestyle and culture of both countries to foster military cooperation.
MAARG Portal
Focus: Facts for Prelims
Why in News?
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has launched a call for startup applications for registration on the MAARG portal, the National Mentorship Platform by Startup India.
About MAARG portal
- To further boost the Indian startup ecosystem, currently ranked 3rd largest globally, Startup India is focused on catalysing the startup culture and building a strong and inclusive ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship in India.
- In this context, MAARG portal – Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience and Growth, is a one stop platform to facilitate mentorship for startups across diverse sectors, functions, stages, geographies, and backgrounds.
- Startups can now effectively connect with academicians, industry experts, successful founders, seasoned investors, and other experts from across the globe, through Artificial Intelligence (AI) based matchmaking, to get personalized guidance on growth and strategy.
- The key features of the portal include customizable mentorship programs for ecosystem enablers, mobile-friendly user interface, recognition for contributing mentors, video and audio call options, etc.
The objectives of the MAARG portal are –
- To provide sector focused guidance, handholding, and support to startups throughout their lifecycle
- To establish a formalized and structured platform that facilitates intelligent matchmaking between the mentors and their respective mentees
- To facilitate efficient and expert mentorship for startups and build an outcome-oriented mechanism that allows timely tracking of the mentor-mentee engagements
