The first dam to be constructed on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river, as the Brahmaputra was known in Tibet before it flowed into India, was given the green light in China`s new Five-Year Plan (FYP) 2021-2025 draught.
♦ The development of hydropower bases downstream of the river is one of the priority energy projects to be carried out in the next five years, according to the draught outline of the "2025 Five-Year Plan" and the draught long-term target by 2035.
♦ The part of the Tibetan river that flows into India is referred to as downstream.
♦ These projects` inclusion in the draught plan means that the authorities have given their approval for the first phase of excavation downstream.
♦ Other big projects include the construction of nuclear power plants along the coast and power transmission lines.
♦ All of the documents are complete and ready for formal approval.
Defence Acquisition Councils Plans-US:
Under Project-75I, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) will seek multibillion-dollar deals with the United States for armed drones and advanced submarines.
Highlights:
♦ India has been trying to buy 30 armed drones from the US, each serving ten people, but the process has been repeatedly postponed in recent years.
♦ Despite the Navy`s urgent need for High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) drones, the Army and Air Force remain sceptical of the platform`s utility due to its high cost.
♦ The Navy has launched two unarmed MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones that were purchased from the US.
♦ The 75I-class submarine is the Indian Navy`s successor to the 75-class Kalvari-class submarine.
♦ The Defense Procurement Procedure`s Strategic Partnership (SP) model is being used to process this project.
♦ This project was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1999 as part of a 30-year plan to develop indigenous submarines.
About Defence Acquisition Council:
♦ The Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) is the Ministry of Defense`s highest decision-making body, in charge of formulating new strategies and capital acquisitions for the three services (Army, Navy, and Air Force) as well as the Indian Coast Guard.
♦ The Minister of Defence is the chairman of the Defense Acquisition Council.
♦ It was formed in 2001, following the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on "National Security System Reform," i.e., after the Kargil War (1999).