GROUP DISCUSSION 12-02-2020. NEWS NARRATION FOR 14-FEB(FRIDAY) 1. The 11th edition of Def-Expo was inaugurated by PM Modi on Feb 5, 2020. India has announced that it will work towards increasing its Defence economy to 5 billion USD. It has also announced that it has aimed to develop 25 products based on Artificial Intelligence in the next 5 years.2. The Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and UK India Business Council (UKIBC) have signed MoUs to bring upon closer defence ties between the countries. It will also help in transfer of technologies between the countries. The defence industries of both the countries will work together to form strong economic and industrial cooperation.3. The Sharang Artillery Gun has been inducted in Indian Army recently. The guns are produced at the Kanpur ordnance factory. These guns have been upgraded from 130 mm to 155 mm. Also, the range of the gun system has been increased from 12 kms to 39 kms. It was tested at the Balasore DRDO facility.4. India and Russia have signed 14 MoUs at the India-Russia Industrial Conference held at DefExpo 2020, Lucknow. The Agreements were signed under Make in India initiative. The two countries signed agreements related to ASW rocket launchers, T-72 & T-90 tanks, radar systems & 3D modeling.5. During the Defence Exhibition Uttar Pradesh Govt. signed 23 MoUs. The agreements will bring Rs 50,000 crore of investments to give job opportunities to 3 lakh people. The Exhibition aims at making India a technological power house through initiatives such as Start up India, Skill India and Make in India.6. The most trafficked mammal of Asia, Pangolin was identified as the host of the Corona virus by the researchers of China. According to them, the outbreak that killed around 636 people in China has started from a market in Wuhan city through Pangolin.7. US President Donald Trump has been acquitted from the impeachment at the Senate trial. Mr. Trump was accused of charges that he had sought help from Ukraine to bolster his 2020 re-election.8. The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman presented the bill on “Vivad Se Vishwas” Scheme in the Union Budget 2020. The scheme aims to settle the pending cases on direct taxes. The scheme is very similar to the “Indirect Tax, Sabka Vishwas Scheme” which aims to settle down the disputes related to service tax and excise duty payments. < < Back