INDO-US NUCLEAR DEAL

• Also called as Henry Hyde US-India Nuclear Cooperation Act after US Congressman Henry Hyde

INDO - CHINA BORDER DISPUTE

• About 3500 km land boundary disputed
• India want Aksai Chin back and China has not given up its claim over Arunachal Pradesh
• For trade Nathu La has been opened recently. Shipki La (H.P) and Lipu Lekh (Uttaranchal) passes were opened up in 1991

INDO-JAPAN TIES

• PM Manmohan Singh visited Japan in December
• India had sought help from Japan in setting up Hi-speed railway freight corridor between Mumbai and Delhi
• Negotiations have been initiated for a broad Economic Partnership Agreement
• JETRO (Japan External Trade Organization)

INDO-RUSSIA DEFENCE TIES

• India to sign a bilateral deal with Russia to upgrade MiG-29 fighters in Indian Air Force

MOU with UAE

• Government Signed, to protect the interests of Indian emigrants. Indian emigrants constitute 60% workforce in UAE. There are 14 million Indians in UAE.

MISCELLANEOUS

• IOC (Indian oil company) has bought 12.5% stake in Trans-Anatolian pipeline company, which is building a pipeline from Turkey's Black Sea port of Samsun to Ceyhan.
• Friendship 2006: Joint military exercise between China and Pakistan in NWFP
• Agalega Island (Indian Ocean): Mauritius has offered Agalega islands to India for a long term lease
• UNITAID: France along with 18 other countries to levy tax on airline tickets to raise money for fighting deadly diseases like AIDS, malaria and T.B.
• Muslim Brotherhood: banned extremist organization in Egypt
• Tamil Nadu has also switched over to VAT. Now Uttar Pradesh is the only major state to stay out of VAT regime.
• New chief minister of Jharkhand: Madhu Koda, an independent M.L.A is the youngest person to hold office of chief minister in India
• Haryana has maximum per capita income in the country
• Salwa Judum - Counter naxal movement in the Dantewada and Bastar districts of Chattisgarh
• VIJAY DIWAS was celebrated on 16th December to commemorate the Indian victory over Pakistan in 1971. The codename of 1971 war was Operation Cactus Lily.
• Kamakhya Temple: Famous temple in Guwahati
• India tops SAARC nations in human rights protection. Bangladesh is worst violator of human rights
• Chenchus are the main tribal group of Andhra Pradesh. Andhra govt. has recently taken various steps for the upliftment of Chenchus.
• Keredagada (Orrisa) was in news due to tension of dalits over entry into 300-year-old temple