Daily Current Affairs - 25-12-2021

India’s first indigenously built missile corvettes, INS Khukri (P49), was decommissioned after 32 years of service at Visakhapatnam on December 24, 2021.

Highlights

About INS Khukri (F149)

INS Khukri was a Type 14 (Blackwood-class) frigate, serving into the Indian Navy. The ship was sunk off the coast of Diu in Gujarat in December 1971, by the Pakistan’s Daphne-class submarine Hangor during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. INS Khukri was the first warship sunk by a submarine since World War II. It is the only warship of Indian Navy, to be lost in war till date.

INS Khukri (P49)

INS Khukri (P49) was named after INS Khukri (F149), which was lost in combat. It was the lead vessel of her class of corvettes, giving service to the Indian Navy.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) of Australia, recently spotted a rare pink handfish near Tasmanian coast, after 22 years. The fish was last spotted in 1999.

Highlights

About Handfish

Why has the species named handfish?

The species has been named ‘handfish’ because of their little hand like structure, which they use to walk on the sea bed.

Population of Handfishes

Handfishes have small population sizes and their distributions are restricted. Thus, they are highly vulnerable to disturbance. Some species are classified as critically endangered.

Characteristics of Handfish

Handfishes grow up to 15 cm long. They have skin covered with denticles, which give then an alternate name ‘warty anglers’. They are slow-moving fish.

The Indian Army launched a contemporary messaging application named, ASIGMA, which is dubbed as “Army Secure IndiGeneous Messaging Application”.

Background

It will replace the AWAN (Army Wide Area Network) messaging application. AWAN has been in service for last 15 years.

Who has developed the ASIGMA App?

About ASIGMA App

Significance of the App

The Indian Army has braced for automation in a major way, post COVID-19 pandemic. It is taking several steps towards paperless functioning. ASIGMA App will further boost these efforts by the Army and will add to the host of other applications which have been employed by the Army over its network.