Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released new data indicating significant shifts in global arms transfers between 2020 and 2024.

• SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament.

Key Findings: 

• India:
  • India is now second-largest arms importer, overtaken by Ukraine.
  • Arms imports fell 9.3% between 2015–19 and 2020–24, driven by domestic production growth.
  • Russia remains a key supplier, but India is diversifying with France, Israel, and the U.S.
• U.S. increased its global arms export share to 43%.
• Russia’s arms exports fell 64%, dropping it to third place behind France. 

An actor was recently arrested for allegedly smuggling of gold. 

• Smuggling of gold is linked to money laundering and it strengthens organized crime syndicates while depleting the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
• India has become a major destination for illicit gold imports with gold and silver predominantly originating from Gulf states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where these metals are sourced and available at lower prices (due to lower tax).
  • It is estimated that up to one-fourth of the total volume of gold entering India arrives here through illicit trade.
• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is the apex anti-smuggling body of the Government of India. 

The Laws Prohibiting Smuggling of Gold in India

• The Customs Act, 1962: It prohibits the illegal import of gold without proper declaration and payment of applicable duties, subjecting offenders to penalties including confiscation of goods, fines, and imprisonment.
  • Baggage Rules, 2016: Customs duty for the gold ranges from 3-10%, depending upon the weight of gold and whether carried by a man or woman.
• Bhartiya Nyaya Samhita, 2023: Smuggling is punishable under Organized Crime which punishes “trafficking illicit goods” with imprisonment of at least five years, extendable to life imprisonment. 
• The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA): It carries the punishment for smuggling as a “terrorist act”, if it causes “damage to the monetary stability of India”.

Advanced Cybersecurity Operations Centre (SOC) has been launched for Kerala Police to strengthen digital security.

• It is based on the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)’s TRINETRA platform.
• C-DOT is an autonomous Telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.

About C-DOT’s TRINETRA

• An AI-powered, indigenous, integrated cybersecurity platform, tailored to meet the cyber security defence of enterprises and critical sectors. 
• It helps in monitoring endpoints, network traffic, and user behaviour, while proactively identifying vulnerabilities, detecting anomalies, and mitigating cyber risk. 

The DRDO has officially designated its air-to-air missile technology as “Gandiva.”

Key Features of Gandiva/Astra MK-3

• It is next in line of the Astra series, building upon the success of its predecessors, the Astra MK-1 and MK-2.
• Propulsion System: It is powered by a Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet propulsion system, a cutting-edge technology that utilizes atmospheric oxygen as an oxidizer.
• Speed: It can sustain supersonic speeds, reportedly up to Mach 4.5, over extended ranges of 300–350 kilometres.

The Ministry of Defence inked a capital acquisition contract with Bharat Electronics Limited for Low Level Transportable Radar (LLTR) ‘Ashwini’ for the Indian Air Force.

About Ashwini

• An active electronically scanned phased array radar based on state-of-the-art solid state technology. 
• Indigenously developed by Electronics & Radar Development Establishment, DRDO.
• Key Features: 
  • Capable of tracking aerial targets from high-speed fighter aircraft to slow moving targets such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and helicopters. 
  • Having an instrumented range of 200 Km

Serbia denied using a banned ‘sonic weapon’ to disperse protesters in Belgrade.

About Sonic Weapon

• Also known as Acoustic weapons are devices that deliver very loud sounds over long distances. 
  • They can also be used to act like voice amplifiers to deliver voice messages/other sounds.
• Working: Usually comprise hundreds of modern transducers, an electronic device that converts energy from one form to another to create highly concentrated and amplified sound, narrowing beams to focus on specific targeted areas. 
• Impact: Tinnitus (perception of ringing, buzzing, or other sounds in ears without an external source); hearing loss etc.

The United States has proposed to construct a Golden Dome missile defence system. 

About Golden Dome 

• A missile defence programme of the USA aimed to protect it from the threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks.
• Inspired from Israel's 'Iron Dome' missile defence system. 
  • Iron Dome is a multi-layered missile defence system developed to protect against short-range threats. 

Lithuania withdrew from Convention on Cluster Munitions citing security concerns over neighbouring Russia.

• Cluster munitions are weapons designed to disperse numerous smaller explosive submunitions, or "bomblets," over a wide area when deployed.

About Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)

• The CCM is an international treaty that prohibits all use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of cluster munitions.
  • CCM was the outcome of Oslo Declaration on Cluster Munitions (2007).
  • Adopted in 2008 and entered into force in 2010.
• Legal Status: Legally binding international instrument under international humanitarian law.
• India’s Status: India is NOT a signatory to the CCM.
  • Countries like Russia, China, US, etc. are also not party of it.