What is a vaccine-derived polio virus and why is it a threat?

In a vaccine-derived polio virus (VDPV), the source of the virus is the vaccine itself. Here are five things to know about VDPV and the concerns around it

The Telangana government on Tuesday called for a special polio immunisation drive in Hyderabad, as part of preventive action after a surveillance study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) found traces of vaccine-derived polio virus in the city’s Amberpet nala, a major sewage canal in the city.

Here are five things to know about vaccine-derived polio virus (VDPV) and the concerns around it.

What is polio?

Poliomyelitis or polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus. It invades the nervous system, and causes paralysis, medically known as an acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), which is characterised by sudden muscle weakness and pain in the limbs. The disease is transmitted from person to person, mainly through the faecal-oral route, affecting children under five years of age. In the absence of wild polio virus (WPV) transmission, India was declared a polio-free country in March 2014, after years of relentless vaccination.

What does the Hyderabad study reveal?

For maintenance of polio eradication in polio-free countries, WHO conducts surveillance for cases of AFP and collects samples of sewage water to find any traces of polio viruses. In one such study in Hyderabad in April, out of 30 samples collected, one sample from Amberpet nala contained traces of type-2 VDPV. Lab tests have revealed that the virus has passed through human body and has undergone mutation or nucleotide change. Similar virus strains were detected in Delhi, Bihar and Gujarat. The Telangana government asked people not to panic, and called for a one-week special polio immunisation drive in Hyderabad, starting from 20 June, to vaccinate around 300,000 children.

What is a vaccine-derived polio virus?

In VDPV, the source of the virus is the vaccine itself. The oral polio vaccine called polio drops, which India deployed extensively to fight against polio, contain a live, attenuated or weakened polio virus. When a child is vaccinated, the weakened vaccine-virus replicates in the intestine and enters into the bloodstream, triggering a protective immune response in the child. Like wild poliovirus, the child excretes the vaccine-virus for a period of six to eight weeks. Importantly, as it is excreted, some of the vaccine-virus may no longer be the same as the original vaccine-virus as it gets genetically altered during replication. In areas of inadequate sanitation, this excreted vaccine-virus can quickly spread in the community and infect children with low immunity.

Why is VDPV a matter of concern?

The cases of paralysis due to VDPV are rare as the virus has to circulate for a long time in the community of under-immunised population before it can infect and cause paralysis in someone. Vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) occurs in an estimated 1 in 2.7 million children receiving their first dose of oral polio vaccine, according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a public-private partnership of national governments and WHO.

The aspect that is a matter of concern is that India reports high number of non-polio—AFP or paralytic—cases in children who are less than 15 years of age, which the study links to the VDPV. According to WHO, more than 50,000 AFP cases are investigated in India every year as a part of its surveillance system.

OPV vs IPV

The detection of VDPV in Hyderabad and other places has intensified the discussion on replacing oral polio vaccine (OPV) with inactivated polio vaccine (IPV). IPV given through an injection contains inactivated virus, considered to be safer than OPV that contains live virus. WHO has been advocating IPV over OPV as part of its global endgame strategy on polio eradication. India introduced IPV in the mandatory immunization programme on 1 December in six states. For the time being, IPV will be given in addition to the existing OPV. OPV has its strong advocates who believe that the vaccine is best suited for countries such as India due to its low cost, high efficacy and ease of administering, and argue that the safety concerns are overstated compared to the benefits of the vaccine.

India’s strategic gambit in Vietnam New Delhi’s abiding interest in Vietnam is focused on defence and is meant as a pressure point against China

India’s strategic gambit in Vietnam

New Delhi’s abiding interest in Vietnam is focused on defence and is meant as a pressure point against China

India under the Narendra Modi government has made no secret of its desire to play a more assertive role in the larger Indo-Pacific. As Modi himself underlined in his address to the joint session of the US Congress last week: “A strong India-US partnership can anchor peace, prosperity and stability from Asia to Africa and from Indian Ocean to the Pacific. It can also help ensure security of the sea lanes of commerce and freedom of navigation on seas.” Therefore, it should not be surprising that India seems now ready to sell the supersonic BrahMos missile, made by an India-Russian joint venture, to Vietnam after dilly-dallying on Hanoi’s request for this sale since 2011. Though India’s ties with Vietnam have been growing in the past few years, this sale was seen as a step too far that would antagonize China.

But now, the Modi government has directed BrahMos Aerospace, which produces the missiles, to expedite this sale to Vietnam along with four other countries—Indonesia, South Africa, Chile and Brazil. India is already providing a concessional line of credit of $100 million for the procurement of defence equipment and in a first of its kind has sold four offshore patrol vessels to Vietnam, which are likely to be used to strengthen the nation’s defences in the energy-rich South China Sea. India’s latest move comes at a time when the US has also lifted its longstanding ban on sales of lethal military equipment to Vietnam. New Delhi’s abiding interest in Vietnam too remains in the defence realm. It wants to build relations with states like Vietnam that can act as pressure points against China. With this in mind, it has been helping Hanoi beef up its naval and air capabilities.

The two nations also have stakes in ensuring sea-lane security, as well as shared concerns about Chinese access to the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. Hence, India is helping Vietnam build capacity for repair and maintenance of its defence platforms. At the same time, the armed forces of the two states have started cooperation in areas like IT and English-language training of Vietnamese army personnel. The two countries potentially share a common friend—the US. New Delhi has steadily built relations with Washington in the past decade, while Vietnam has been courting America as the South China Sea becomes a flashpoint. As these three countries ponder how to manage China’s rise, they have been drawn closer together.

It is instructive that India entered the fraught region of the South China Sea via Vietnam. India signed an agreement with Vietnam in October 2011 to expand and promote oil exploration in the South China Sea and then reconfirmed its decision to carry on despite the Chinese challenge to the legality of the Indian presence. Beijing told New Delhi that its permission was needed for India’s state-owned oil and gas firm to explore for energy in the two Vietnamese blocks in those waters. But Vietnam quickly cited the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to claim its sovereign rights over the two blocks in question. Hanoi has been publicly sparring with Beijing over the South China Sea for the past few years, so such a response was expected.

What was new, however, was New Delhi’s new-found aggression in taking on China. It immediately decided to support Hanoi’s claims. By accepting the Vietnamese invitation to explore oil and gas in blocks 127 and 128, India’s state-owned oil company ONGC Videsh Ltd not only expressed New Delhi’s desire to deepen its friendship with Vietnam, but ignored China’s warning to stay away. This display of backbone helped India strengthen its relationship with Vietnam. If China wants to expand its presence in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region, New Delhi’s thinking goes, India can do the same thing in East Asia. And if China can have a strategic partnership with Pakistan ignoring Indian concerns, India can develop robust ties with states like Vietnam on China’s periphery without giving China a veto on such relationships.

Hanoi is gradually becoming the linchpin of this eastward move by New Delhi. Hanoi fought a brief war with Beijing in 1979 and has grown wary of the Middle Kingdom’s increasing economic and military weight. That’s why in some quarters of New Delhi, Vietnam is already seen as a counterweight in the same way Pakistan has been for China.

The Modi government’s decision to sell BrahMos missiles to Vietnam underscores the evolution in India’s policy towards the Indo-Pacific. New Delhi seems to be ready to challenge Beijing on its own turf. And for the moment at least, this stance is being welcomed by states like Vietnam, which fear the growing aggression of China. A more engaged India will also lead to a more stable balance of power in the region.

New elements on the periodic table are named

New elements on the periodic table are named

Names for four new elements, formerly known by their respective atomic numbers 113, 115, 117 and 118, have been proposed by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC).

The proposed names are- nihonium (Nh), moscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts) and oganesson (Og).
The names are on a five-month probation before things are made official.
Background:

The elements were recognized by IUPAC on December 30, 2015. Their addition completed the seventh row of the periodic table.

All four elements are not found in nature, and were synthetically created in laboratories. They are super-heavy elements.
Tennessee is the second US state to be recognized with an element; California was the first.
oganesson, symbol Og, for element 118. The name honors Russian physicist Yuri Oganessian.
nihonium, symbol Nh, for element 113. The element was discovered in Japan, and Nihon is one way to say the country’s name in Japanese. It’s the first element to be discovered in an Asian country.
Moscovium has been named after Russia’s capital Mosow.

Cabinet clears civil aviation policy allowing new airlines to fly overseas

The new civil aviation policy will allow airlines to fly on foreign routes without completing 5 years of domestic operations, and boost regional flying, among other things

The Union cabinet on Wednesday cleared the civil aviation policy that aims to propel growth and allow new airlines like Vistara and AirAsia to fly abroad.

“The policy has been cleared with small changes,” an aviation ministry official said.

The policy will allow airlines to fly on foreign routes without completing 5 years of domestic operations, and boost regional flying, among other things.

Details of the policy are expected to be announced later in the day.

The policy was first presented in November 2014 and revised in October 2015 before being put up for public comments. Its introduction was delayed because of disagreements in several key areas.

With 80 million passengers already and growing at 20% annually, India is expected to become the third largest aviation market by 2020.

The aviation ministry has seen strong reactions and lobbying from older airlines such as IndiGo (InterGlobe Aviation Ltd), Jet Airways (India) Ltd, SpiceJet Ltd and GoAir and new entrants such as Vistara and AirAsia. The latter wanted the 5/20 rule scrapped, while older airlines wanted it to stay.

Under the 5/20 rule, airlines in India are permitted to fly abroad only if they have 5 years of domestic flying experience and at least 20 aircraft in their fleet.

The established airlines have threatened to move court if the government relaxes this provision. They want new airlines to also complete their term of five years of domestic flying before being allowed to fly abroad.

India ‘clears final hurdle to join Missile Technology Control Regime’

India ‘clears final hurdle to join Missile Technology Control Regime’

The members of the Missile Technology Control Regime, a key anti-proliferation grouping, have agreed to admit India.

• This breakthrough comes days after India announced that it is subscribing to ‘The Hague Code of Conduct’ against ballistic missile proliferation, which is considered to be complementary to the missile technology control regime (MTCR).

Background:

India, had applied for its membership last year. A deadline for the members of the group to object to India’s admission had expired recently. Under this so-called ‘silent procedure’, India’s admission follows automatically.

Benefits for India:

• India’s entry into the MTCR is a step closer to its Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership.
• The entry into this group will shape the future of India’s engagement with not just the MTCR but also the broader global non-proliferation community.
• Admission to the MTCR would open the way for India to buy high-end missile technology.

About MTCR:

Established in April 1987, the voluntary MTCR aims to limit the spread of ballistic missiles and other unmanned delivery systems that could be used for chemical, biological, and nuclear attacks.

• The MTCR regime urges its 34 members, which include most of the world’s key missile manufacturers, to restrict their exports of missiles and related technologies capable of carrying a 500-kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers or delivering any type of weapon of mass destruction.
• Since 2008 India has been one of the five countries that are unilateral adherents to the MTCR.

Exercise Malabar – 2016

Exercise Malabar – 2016

In consonance with India’s ‘Act East Policy’ and growing relations among India, US and Japan, IN ships Satpura, Sahyadri, Shakti and Kirch are participating in the 20th edition of Ex MALABAR-16 with the USN and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF).

IN and USN have regularly conducted the annual bilateral exercise named ‘MALABAR’ since 1992. Since 2007, MALABAR has been held alternatively off India and in the Western Pacific. The 19th edition of the exercise, Ex MALABAR-15, was conducted off Chennai and included participation by the JMSDF.

The 20th edition of the exercise, Ex MALABAR-16, is being conducted from 14 to 17 June 16 with the harbour phase at Sasebo from 10 to 13 June 16 and the sea phase in the Pacific Ocean from 14 to 17 June 16. The primary aim of this exercise is to increase interoperability amongst the three navies and develop common understanding of procedures for Maritime Security Operations. The scope of MALABAR-16 includes professional interactions in harbour and a diverse range of activities at sea, including complex surface, sub-surface and air operations.

The IN ships participating in the exercise are from the Eastern Fleet and include INS Sahyadri and INS Satpura, indigenously built guided missile stealth frigates, INS Shakti, a modern fleet tanker and support ship and INS Kirch an indigenous guided missile corvette. The ships have embarked one Sea King 42B ASW helicopter and two Chetak utility helicopters.

The US Navy will be represented by ships from CTF 70 of the USN 7th fleet, which is based at Yokosuka, Japan. The CTF will include the aircraft carrier USS John C Stennis (CVN 74), Ticonderoga class Cruiser USS Mobile Bay and Arleigh Burke class destroyers USS Stockdale and USS Chung Hoon, all with embarked helicopters. In addition, one nuclear powered submarine, carrier wing aircraft and Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft will also participate in the exercise.

The JMSDF will be represented by JS Hyuga, a helicopter carrier with SH 60 K integral helicopters and Long Range Maritime Patrol aircraft, besides other advanced warships for specific parts of the exercise. Additionally, the Special Forces (SF) of the three navies will also interact during the exercise.

MALABAR–16 will be another significant step in strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing of best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US Navies. The exercise will support maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, and benefit the global maritime community. 

‪#‎UPSC2017CALENDER‬

‪#‎UPSC2017CALENDER‬

UPSC has released the Annual Calender for the year 2017. Important changes has been made in the dates of Prelims and Main Examination for 2017.

Prelims Examination to be conducted on- --18th June 2017
Main Examination to be conducted from- --28th October 2017
Notification to be released- --22nd February 2017

CENTRAL ARMED POLICE FORCES (AC) EXAM - 23rd July 2017