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- A group of scientists in the United States, led by astrophysicist Raga Deepika Pucha of Indian descent, recently made a groundbreaking discovery of the largest known samples of intermediate-mass black holes and active black hole-hosting dwarf galaxies.
- About Dwarf Galaxies:
- Dwarf galaxies are small cosmic structures containing only a few billion stars, in stark contrast to their massive counterparts, which can house hundreds of billions of stars.
- Despite being the most common type of galaxy in the universe, they are hard to detect due to their faint light, small size, and low mass.
- These galaxies are often found in clusters, frequently orbiting larger galaxies.
- The Milky Way is accompanied by over 20 dwarf galaxies in its cosmic neighborhood.
- Dwarf galaxies are believed to have formed through gravitational interactions during the early stages of larger galaxy formation or as a result of galaxy collisions, which caused streams of material and dark matter to be ejected from the parent galaxies.
- Due to their origins in galactic collisions, many dwarf galaxies have irregular, distorted shapes.
However, some display spiral arms or resemble miniature elliptical galaxies.
- The Indian Navy crew designated to operate INS Tamal, the stealth frigate currently under construction in Russia, recently arrived in St. Petersburg to prepare for its upcoming commissioning.
- About INS Tamal:
- INS Tamal is a cutting-edge stealth guided missile frigate.
- It is an upgraded version of the Krivak-III class frigate and forms part of a major $2.5 billion agreement between India and Russia, involving four stealth frigates—two of which are being constructed in Russia, while the other two will be built at Goa Shipyard Limited in India.
- The first of these frigates, INS Tushil, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in December 2024.
- INS Tamal will be the last warship commissioned outside of India or imported, marking the nation’s shift to designing and constructing its own warships.
- After the delivery of INS Tamal, the Indian Navy will receive two more frigates being built at Goa Shipyard Limited.
- Key Features of INS Tamal:
- INS Tamal is built for blue-water operations, designed to excel in various naval warfare domains, including air, surface, underwater, and electronic warfare.
- The ship measures 125 meters in length and displaces 3,900 tonnes, combining Russian design principles with Indian technological expertise.
- About 26% of its components are sourced from Indian manufacturers.
- Armament:
- The frigate is equipped with a 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM), enhancing its naval artillery capabilities.
- It also features two Indigenous Triple Torpedo Launchers (ITTL) designed for 324mm torpedoes, enabling superior anti-submarine warfare.
- Missile Systems:
- INS Tamal boasts an impressive array of missile systems, including BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and vertically launched Shtil surface-to-air missiles, ensuring strong offensive and defensive capabilities.
- Shareholders of the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Ltd. (IREDA) recently gave their approval for the company’s proposal to raise up to ₹5,000 crore through a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) of equity shares in one or more tranches.
- About Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP):
- A Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) is a method for publicly listed companies to raise capital by issuing equity shares or convertible securities solely to Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs).
- QIBs include institutional investors like mutual funds, pension funds, venture capital funds, and other financial entities.
- The primary advantage of a QIP is that it allows companies to raise funds without needing to submit extensive paperwork to market regulators, making it a faster and more efficient process compared to traditional fundraising methods.
- QIPs are particularly common in India and other Southeast Asian nations.
- This mechanism offers a quicker and more cost-effective alternative to traditional public offerings (IPOs and FPOs) while minimizing the dilution of management control.
- Why Was QIP Introduced in India?
- Previously, raising funds in the domestic market was a complicated process, leading Indian companies to turn to foreign markets for capital.
- To address this challenge, SEBI introduced the QIP process in 2006, streamlining the process of raising funds domestically and reducing the need for foreign market instruments like American Depository Receipts (ADRs), Global Depository Receipts (GDRs), or Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds (FCCBs).
- The introduction of QIP has made it easier for Indian companies to raise funds within the domestic market, reducing reliance on foreign investors.