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
