18th World Congress of Inclusion International

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Recently, the 18th World Congress of Inclusion International was conducted in Sharjah (UAE) to address global disability inclusion challenges. 

18th World Congress of Inclusion International

• The congress was hosted under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Honorary President of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, the Emirate of Sharjah.
• The three-day gathering, themed “We Are Inclusion,” brought together over 500 participants from 74 countries to address global disability inclusion challenges.
• The congress addressed global disability inclusion challenges with emphasis on rights, employability, and climate vulnerabilities.
• Inclusion International is collaborating with Indian partners, including Keystone International to share learnings globally while supporting local initiatives
• India’s Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, aligns with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and has expanded recognised disability categories from 7 to 21. It mandates reservations in jobs and higher education.

India to Establish First Joint Military Stations 

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India has decided to set up three joint military stations and merge the education branches of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into a single tri-services Education Corps.

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• The decisions were announced on the final day of the Combined Commanders’ Conference 2025 in Kolkata.

• The Combined Commanders’ Conference is a biennial apex forum of India’s Armed Forces that unites civilian and military leadership to review security, assess preparedness, and shape strategies for jointness, modernisation, and integration.

• The creation of joint military stations will combine logistics, repair, maintenance, infrastructure, and supplies of all three services under a common lead service.

• The locations for these stations are yet to be finalised, but cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Gwalior, Pune, and Secunderabad are under consideration.

• The establishment of a tri-services Education Corps will merge the education wings of the Army, Navy, and Air Force to enhance integration and optimise manpower and resources.

• This move reflects the broader goal of theaterisation, which seeks to create unified theatre commands for operational deployment across geographical regions.

India’s first overseas Defence factory in Africa

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The Defence Minister, during his visit to Morocco, inaugurated India’s first overseas defence plant to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.

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• The visit is the first-ever by an Indian Defence Minister to Morocco, highlighting strategic convergence between the two nations.
• A key highlight of the visit will be the inauguration of Tata Advanced Systems Maroc’s new manufacturing facility for the Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) 8x8 at Berrechid.
• The factory will strengthen India’s defence industrial base abroad while showcasing its capacity for technology transfer and global partnerships.
• India and Morocco are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the field of Defence. 
• Defence Minister will also meet Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade to expand industrial collaboration and engage with the Indian diaspora in Rabat.
• The initiative is aligned with India’s broader reforms in defence, emphasised at the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference in Kolkata, where the Prime Minister called for greater jointness, Atmanirbhar innovations, and enhanced operational readiness of the Armed Forces.

India-AI Impact Summit 2026

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Recently, the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, unveiled the logo and key flagship initiatives for the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.

India-AI Impact Summit 2026

• The summit will be hosted by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on February 19-20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. 
• This is the first summit of its kind hosted by a Global South nation, guided by three principles: People, Planet, and Progress.
• The event focuses on seven thematic areas or Chakras: Human Capital, Inclusion, Safe & Trusted AI, Resilience, Science, Democratizing AI Resources, and AI for Social Good.
• The official logo features the Ashoka Chakra with neural network flares, representing AI’s transformative impact across languages, industries, and geographies.

Key Initiatives and Infrastructure

• Flagship initiatives include UDAAN – Global AI Pitch Fest, YuvaAI Innovation Challenge, AI by HER, Global Innovation Challenge for All, Research Symposium, and AI Expo.
• Eight Indigenous Foundational Model Projects were launched to develop AI capabilities in multilingual, healthcare, scientific, industrial, governance, and agriculture sectors.
• 30 IndiaAI Data & AI Labs were inaugurated across Tier 2 and 3 cities, forming the first wave of a planned 570-lab network to provide foundational AI and data training.

MOIL Marks First-Ever Manganese Ore Export from India

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Manganese Ore (India) Limited (MOIL) dispatched 54,600 tonnes of low-grade manganese ore from Visakhapatnam to Indonesia, enhancing India’s global trade footprint.

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• The Government of India has appointed MOIL as the State Trading Enterprise (STE) for manganese ore below 46% Mn grade.
• All exports of manganese ore from India are mandated to be routed through MOIL as per Trade Policy.
• The first consignment was shipped on 22nd August 2025 under a back-to-back arrangement with domestic suppliers.
• The export of low-grade manganese ore (Mn 25%) is significant for India, due to surplus production beyond domestic demand.
• The move enhances India’s presence in the global manganese market and boosts foreign exchange earnings.

Manganese Ore (India) Limited (MOIL) 

• It was originally incorporated as Manganese Ore (India) Limited in 1962. Subsequently, the name of the Company was changed from Manganese Ore (India) Limited to MOIL Limited during the financial year 2010-11. 
• MOIL's key role is serving as India's leading producer of manganese ore, a vital raw material for the steel, chemical, and dry battery industries, thereby ensuring national mineral security.
• MOIL is a Schedule “A” Miniratna Category-I Company.
• MOIL is headquartered in Nagpur, India.