Author name: Ajay Gulia

President Droupadi Murmu has appointed K Sanjay Murthy, an IAS officer of the 1989 batch (Andhra Pradesh cadre), as the new Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India. Murthy, currently the Secretary of the Department of Higher Education, will assume the role once he takes charge, replacing Girish Chandra Murmu, who held office since August 8, 2020.

The CAG of India:

• Audits all Union and State government departments, including railways, defense, India Post, and telecommunications.
• Oversees over 1500 public enterprises, 400 non-commercial bodies, and other entities funded by the government.
• Is empowered by Article 148 of the Constitution and governed by the CAG’s Duties, Powers and Conditions Act, 1971.

The office is supported by the Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD), comprising around 600 managerial officers and a subordinate cadre of approximately 47,000 personnel. The CAG’s mandate extends to inspecting records, transactions, and financial documents to ensure accountability and transparency in public spending.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed the flight tests of the Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of the Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) Validation Trials. According to a statement from the Defence Ministry, these flight tests were conducted across three phases at various field firing ranges.

During the trials, PSQR parameters such as range, accuracy, consistency, and rate of fire in salvo mode for multiple target engagements were thoroughly assessed through extensive testing of rockets. A total of twelve rockets from each production agency were tested using two in-service Pinaka launchers, which had been upgraded by the launcher production agencies.

India has entered the top 10 countries globally in Patents, Trademarks, and Industrial Designs, as per the World Intellectual Property Indicators 2024 report. The report highlights India’s significant growth in intellectual property (IP) activity, showing progress in patent, trademark, and industrial design applications. India ranks sixth globally for patents, with 64,480 applications, more than half from residents.

• 4th in Trademarks (+6.1%) with 90% resident fillings.
• 6th in Patents (+15.7%), driven by 55.2% resident fillings.
• 10th in Industrial Designs (+36.4%), Moving up 1 spot.

The patent office granted 149.4% more patents in 2023 than the previous year, demonstrating a rapidly evolving IP ecosystem. Industrial design applications rose by 36.4%, driven by sectors like Textiles and Accessories, Tools and Machines, and Health and Cosmetics, which contributed to nearly half of all design filings.

On 12 November 2024, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted the first flight test of its Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM) from the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha, using a mobile launcher. The test met all primary mission objectives, with sub-systems performing as expected.

The missile’s performance was monitored by multiple range sensors, including radar, optical tracking, and telemetry systems. Equipped with advanced avionics and software, the LRLACM was developed by DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Establishment in Bengaluru, with support from other labs and Indian industries.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna was sworn in as the 51st Chief Justice of India (CJI) on November 11, 2024, in a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath. Key dignitaries, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other Union Cabinet members, attended the event. Justice Khanna, who joined the Supreme Court in 2019, has contributed to significant rulings, such as upholding the abrogation of Article 370 and overturning the electoral bonds scheme.

Beginning his career in 1983 under the Delhi Bar Council, Justice Khanna has expertise in constitutional law, taxation, arbitration, and environmental law. His judicial experience includes appointments at the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, where he handled influential cases.

The ceremony highlighted respect for judicial continuity, with retired Chief Justices and legal figures in attendance. Justice Khanna succeeds former CJI DY Chandrachud, who reflected on his tenure in a heartfelt farewell. Justice Khanna will serve a six-month term, focusing on key national issues, as outlined by the government’s recent appointment notification under Article 124 of the Indian Constitution.

The third edition of the India-Australia joint military exercise, AUSTRAHIND, began on November 8 at the Foreign Training Node in Pune and will continue until November 21. This exercise aims to strengthen defense cooperation and interoperability between the Indian and Australian armed forces. Started in 2022 in Rajasthan, AUSTRAHIND has become an annual event, alternating between both countries.

This year, the focus is on enhancing joint capabilities for sub-conventional operations in semi-urban and semi-desert environments under a UN mandate. The exercise includes 140 Indian personnel, mainly from the DOGRA Regiment, and 120 Australian soldiers from the 13th Light Horse Regiment. It will be conducted in two phases: combat conditioning/tactical training and a validation phase, featuring counter-terrorism tactics, joint operations, search and destroy missions, and heli-borne operations.

India and Australia’s defense ties also include other exercises like AUSINDEX (maritime) and PITCHBLACK (air force) and regular policy dialogues. The start of AUSTRAHIND follows External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s recent visit to Australia, further strengthening their diplomatic and strategic relationship.

On November 8, 2024, Union Minister of Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya announced the successful pilot of the new Centralised Pension Payments System (CPPS) under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) 1995. Conducted on October 29-30, the pilot disbursed approximately Rs 11 crore to over 49,000 EPS pensioners across Jammu, Srinagar, and Karnal.

The CPPS enables pensioners to receive payments from any bank branch nationwide, eliminating the need for regional transfers and streamlining disbursements. Expected to fully launch by January 2025 as part of EPFO’s Centralised IT Enabled System (CITES 2.01), the CPPS will benefit over 78 lakh pensioners, enhancing the EPFO’s modernization and efficiency in pension services.

The second annual Indian Military Heritage Festival (IMHF) commenced in New Delhi on November 8, 2024. This two-day event aims to engage global and Indian think tanks, corporations, public and private sector organizations, non-profits, academicians, and research scholars focused on India’s national security, foreign policy, military history, and heritage.

The festival was inaugurated by Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan alongside three Service Chiefs. During the inauguration, Project ‘Shaurya Gatha’ was launched, an initiative by the Department of Military Affairs and the United Service Institution (USI) of India to conserve and promote India’s military heritage through education and tourism.