World Organisations – Pacts and Summits
OPEC+
▪ Context : Brazil has officially announced its decision to join the OPEC+ group of oil-producing nations as an observer.
About OPEC +
▪ Formation – Formed in late 2016 as an extension of OPEC
▪ Members – 12 OPEC countries (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, UAE, Venezuela, Nigeria, Libya, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo, Gabon) plus 10 non-OPEC countries(Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Malaysia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Oman)
▪ Headquarters – Vienna, Austria ( OPEC Headquarters)
▪ Goals – Regulate oil supply to stabilize global oil prices and ensure profitability for member countries
▪ Influence – Controls over 80% of oil reserves with OPEC+ nations.
Defence, National Security and Terrorism
Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR)
▪ Developed by DRDO & Industry Partners
▪ DRDO & Indian Navy conducted successful trials of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile (NASM-SR) on February 25, 2025, at ITR, Chandipur.
▪ The missile was launched from an Indian Naval Seaking Helicopter, demonstrated its Man-inLoop capability, allowing pilots to change targets mid-flight.
▪ The system integrates indigenous navigation, propulsion, and avionics technologies.
Appointments – Who is who?
▪ Retired IAS officer R. Balakrishnan has been appointed as the head of the International Institute of Tamil Studies.
▪ He is the first Tamil student to have written and passed the civil service examinations in Tamil.
▪ He was selected for the Indian Administrative Service in 1984.
▪ His activities and contributions are notable in the areas of the spread of Dravidian language family, Indus Valley civilization, ancient Tamil legends, Sangam literature, and Thirukkural.
▪ International Institute of Tamil Studies
▪ Established: 1968
