UPSC Daily Current Affairs by Vignan IAS Academy

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May 29th Current Affairs

1. DG NCC Mobile Training App 2.0 IN NEWS: Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar launched Directorate General National Cadet Corps (NCC) Mobile Training App Version 2.0 in New Delhi on May 28, 2021. KEY POINTS: The app will assist in conducting countrywide online training to NCC cadets during the COVID-19 pandemic conditions. It is aimed at providing NCC-related basic information and entire training material (Syllabus, Précis, Training Videos, Frequently Asked Questions) on one platform. It provides the NCC cadets easy access to training material and assists in carrying out training during the pandemic. NCC Training App Version 2.0 will be useful to the cadets in digital learning, overcoming the difficulties posed by COVID-19 restrictions on physical contact. Using this app, the cadets will be able to attend online training, appear in certificate exams and prevent loss of academic year. DG NCC Mobile Training App Version 2.0 will be bilingual (Hindi and English). SOURCE:PIB 2. Critical Near Isothermal Forging Technology for aeroengines IN NEWS: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has established the near isothermal forging technology to produce all the five stages of high-pressure compressors (HPC) discs out of difficult-to-deform titanium alloy using its unique 2000 MT isothermal forge press. Key POINTS: The technology has been developed by Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), a premier metallurgical laboratory of DRDO at Hyderabad.This Read the full article

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May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS

May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS- Online IAS Coaching in Bangalore DIGITAL FINANCIAL INCLUSIONNITI Aayog and Mastercard released a report titled ‘Connected Commerce: Creating a Roadmap for a Digitally Inclusive Bharat’.About:The report identifies challenges in accelerating digital financial inclusion in India and provides recommendations for making digital services accessible to its 1.3 billion citizens.Key recommendations in the report include:Strengthening the payment infrastructure to promote a level playing field for NBFCs and banks.Digitizing registration and compliance processes and diversifying credit sources to enable growth opportunities for MSMEs.Building information sharing systems, including a ‘fraud repository’, and ensuring that online digital commerce platforms carry warnings to alert consumers to the risk of frauds.Enabling agricultural NBFCs to access low-cost capital and deploy a ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) model for achieving better long-term digital outcomes. Digitizing land records will also provide a major boost to the sector.To make city transit seamlessly accessible to all with minimal crowding and queues, leveraging existing smartphones and contactless cards, and aim for an inclusive, interoperable, and fully open system such as that of the London ‘Tube’.Source : PIB (May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS)Economy MOUNT SINABUNGIndonesia’s Mount Sinabung, located in the North Sumatra province, erupted in May 2021 belching a massive column of Read the full article

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May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS

May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS- Online IAS Coaching in Bangalore DIGITAL FINANCIAL INCLUSIONNITI Aayog and Mastercard released a report titled ‘Connected Commerce: Creating a Roadmap for a Digitally Inclusive Bharat’.About:The report identifies challenges in accelerating digital financial inclusion in India and provides recommendations for making digital services accessible to its 1.3 billion citizens.Key recommendations in the report include:Strengthening the payment infrastructure to promote a level playing field for NBFCs and banks.Digitizing registration and compliance processes and diversifying credit sources to enable growth opportunities for MSMEs.Building information sharing systems, including a ‘fraud repository’, and ensuring that online digital commerce platforms carry warnings to alert consumers to the risk of frauds.Enabling agricultural NBFCs to access low-cost capital and deploy a ‘phygital’ (physical + digital) model for achieving better long-term digital outcomes. Digitizing land records will also provide a major boost to the sector.To make city transit seamlessly accessible to all with minimal crowding and queues, leveraging existing smartphones and contactless cards, and aim for an inclusive, interoperable, and fully open system such as that of the London ‘Tube’.Source : PIB (May 12th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS)Economy MOUNT SINABUNGIndonesia’s Mount Sinabung, located in the North Sumatra province, erupted in May 2021 belching a massive column of Read the full article

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April 21st Current Affairs - Vignan IAS

Urea produced through coal gasification by Talcher Fertilizers Limited (TFL). IN NEWS: (April 21st Current Affairs - Vignan IAS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has given its approvalfor the proposal of the Department of Fertilizers for the formulation of exclusive subsidy policy for Urea produced through coal gasification route by Talcher Fertilizers Limited (TFL). KEY POINTS: About the Plant - (April 21st Current Affairs - Vignan IAS) The TFL is to commission a new fertilizer plant in Odisha. This plant will produce urea through coal gasification. The Government of India is to provide subsidy to establish the plant. It will be the only plant in India to produce nitrogenous soil nutrient through coal gasification process.Talcher Fertilizers is a joint venture of Fertilizer Corporation of India, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers, GAIL and Coal India.Talcher Fertilizer will establish a urea plant base on coal gasification technology at an estimated investment of Rs 13,277 crores.The annual capacity of the plant is 1.27 million tonnes per year.The plant is expected to be completed by 2023. It is currently facing delays due to COVID-19 pandemic.The tender to construct the TFL project has been provided to China-based Wuhan Engineering. This has been done to promote the innovative coal gasification technology. Current Scenario of Fertilizer consumption in India India consumed 61 million tonnes of fertilizers in 2 Read the full article

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April 9th Current Affairs

1.Meeting of International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) IN NEWS: Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman here today attended the Plenary Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) at the virtual Spring Meetings 2021.The meeting was attended by Governors/Alternate Governors representing 190 member countries of the IMF. Key highlights: The discussions at the meeting were based on IMF Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda (GPA) titled, “Bolstering the Recovery, Countering Divergence”.The IMFC was updated by the members on the actions and measures taken by the member countries to combat Covid-19.India emphasised that the GPA’s suggestion to hasten the transition to a low-carbon economy for promoting growth that benefits all needs to be viewed in the context of its implications for the Emerging Market and Developing Economies and low-income economies.The burden of economic transformation to a low carbon economy would disproportionately be higher for these countries, and positive benefits may not accrue in the short run.The focus needs to remain on the agreed principles of equity and differentiated responsibility of climate action. Important value addition: International Monetary and Financial Committee It is the Ministerial-level committee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).It meets twice a year, once during the Fund-Bank Annual Meetings i Read the full article

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April 7th current affairs

1.National Dialogue on 'Manufacturing Excellence & Innovation for Competitiveness & Sustainability of Chemicals Manufacturing'. In News: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda virtually addressed at National Dialogue on Manufacturing Excellence and Innovation for Competitiveness and Sustainability of Chemicals Manufacturing in New Delhi . Key takeaways: Union minister said that the Chemicals and Petrochemicals sector will play an important role in achieving the goal of 5 trillion-dollar economy.The Indian chemicals industry stood at 178 billion dollar in 2019 and is expected to reach 304 billion dollar by 2025 and the demand for chemicals is expected to expand by 9% per annum by 2025.The Minister hoped that United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will support domestic industry with international best practices and policy & technical assistance.The Minister thanked UNIDO for taking the initiative for raising dialogue on transforming the chemical industry sector of India into a more efficient, effective and competitive ‘growth engine’.UNIDO organised a dialogue under ‘Clean Manufacturing in India’ (Swachh Udyog) and hosted National Dialogue on ‘Excellence and Innovation for Competitive and Sustainable Chemicals Manufacturing in India’. The dialogue discussed opportunities and challenges for chemical manufacturing growth and garner momentum among policy makers, industry sector and other stakeholders on need for knowledge and Read the full article

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April 7th current affairs

1.National Dialogue on 'Manufacturing Excellence & Innovation for Competitiveness & Sustainability of Chemicals Manufacturing'. In News: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Shri D.V. Sadananda Gowda virtually addressed at National Dialogue on Manufacturing Excellence and Innovation for Competitiveness and Sustainability of Chemicals Manufacturing in New Delhi . Key takeaways: Union minister said that the Chemicals and Petrochemicals sector will play an important role in achieving the goal of 5 trillion-dollar economy.The Indian chemicals industry stood at 178 billion dollar in 2019 and is expected to reach 304 billion dollar by 2025 and the demand for chemicals is expected to expand by 9% per annum by 2025.The Minister hoped that United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) will support domestic industry with international best practices and policy & technical assistance.The Minister thanked UNIDO for taking the initiative for raising dialogue on transforming the chemical industry sector of India into a more efficient, effective and competitive ‘growth engine’.UNIDO organised a dialogue under ‘Clean Manufacturing in India’ (Swachh Udyog) and hosted National Dialogue on ‘Excellence and Innovation for Competitive and Sustainable Chemicals Manufacturing in India’. The dialogue discussed opportunities and challenges for chemical manufacturing growth and garner momentum among policy makers, industry sector and other stakeholders on need for knowledge and Read the full article

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April 6th Current Affairs

April 6th current affairs INS VIRAATINS Viraat, the Navy’s decommissioned aircraft carrier, has become the “private property” of a ship-breaker who has already torn down 40% of its body, chiefly for scrap, the Supreme Court told a private company, that wants to turn the vessel into a maritime museum-cum-adventure centre.About:On February 10, the court had ordered a stay on the process of dismantling the ship.The carrier was bought by the Gujarat-based Shree Ram Group, a ship-breaking firm, in a bid. The 67-year-old iconic warship was towed to the breaking yard after over three decades’ service in the Navy.Important Info :Do you know?INS Viraat was a Centaur-class aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy.INS Viraat was the flagship of the Indian Navy before INS Vikramaditya was commissioned in 2013.The ship was completed and commissioned in 1959 as the Royal Navy's HMS Hermes, and decommissioned in 1984. It was sold to India in 1987. INS Viraat was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1987 served till 2016 when it was decommissioned.Source : The HinduDefence & Security   (April 6th current affairs) CHENAB BRIDGE The Prime Minister has lauded the completion of Arch closure of the Chenab Bridge, World's highest Railway Bridge in Jammu & Kashmir by Indian Railways.About:The length of the Chenab bridge will be 1,315 metres with 17 spans, of which the span of the main arch across Chenab river will be 467m.The bridge is part of an ambitious 272-km rail link project and is being constr Read the full article

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April 5th - Current Affairs - Vignan IAS

 JORDANIn a marked flare-up in tensions within Jordan’s royal household, Prince Hamzah bin Al Hussein, the former crown prince and half-brother of ruling monarch Abdullah, has reportedly been placed under house arrest as part of a crackdown on critics.About:Jordan is an Arab country in the Levant region of Western Asia, on the East Bank of the Jordan River.Jordan is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, Israel and Palestine (West Bank).The Dead Sea is located along its western borders and the country has a 26-kilometre coastline on the Red Sea in its extreme south-west.Its capital city is Amman.The sovereign state is a constitutional monarchy, but the king holds wide executive and legislative powers.Sunni Islam, practised by around 95% of the population, is the dominant religion and coexists with an indigenous Christian minority.Source : Indian ExpressGeography(April 5th - Current Affairs - Vignan IAS)RAFALEIndia will receive another 8 to 9 Rafale jets from France by mid-May, with some expected later this month, completing the first squadron of the fighters in the Indian Air Force (IAF), according to a defence official.About:With the inductions this month set to complete the first squadron, which currently has 14 jets, the IAF is all set to operationalise the second Rafale squadron at Hasimara in West Bengal later this month.Last September, the IAF inducted the batch of five Rafales, of the 36 contracted from France under a €7.87 billion Inter-Governmental Agreement signed i Read the full article

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April 4th Current Affairs - Vignan IAS

April 4th Current Affairs -Vignan IAS NAXALISM Five security personnel were killed and more than 12 injured in an encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. About: Two of the dead were from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). One of them belonged to the elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) of the CRPF, a unit specially trained for operations in areas affected by left-wing extremism. a 400-strong team of security forces came under attack by a People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA) platoon in the Tarrem area near the Sukma-Bijapur border. The attack comes close on the heels of the March 23 incident when five DRG personnel were killed as Maoists blew up a bus carrying security personnel with an IED in Narayanpur district. Important Info : Sukma district? Sukma district is the southernmost district in Chhattisgarh. It is located in the Bastar region, known for its tribal culture. It is mainly inhabited by Gonds and other tribals. The district was carved out of Dantewada in 2012. Sukma district borders with Odisha (Malkangiri district), Telangana (Bhadradri Kothagudem district) and Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari district). One major river that flows through the district is Sabari. The district is one of the least developed districts of India and is severely affected by Naxalism or Maoism. Source : The Hindu Defence & Security    DECISION REVIEW SYSTEM (DRS) The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) cricket committee has made changes to the Read the full article

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April 3rd current affairs – Vignan IAS

 April 3rd Current Affairs - Vignan IAS MATERNAL DEATHS The failure of the health system to cope with COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an increase in maternal deaths and stillbirths, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health journal. About: Overall, there was a 28% increase in the odds of stillbirth, and the risk of mothers dying during pregnancy or childbirth increased by about one-third. There was also a rise in maternal depression. COVID-19 impact on pregnancy outcomes was disproportionately high on poorer countries. The report is an analysis of 40 studies across 17 countries including Brazil, Mexico, the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, India, China and Nepal. The study attributes the worsening trend to the failure of the “inefficiency of the healthcare system and their inability to cope with the pandemic” instead of strict lockdown measures. This resulted in reduced access to care. In India, during the months of national lockdown last year between April and June, compared to the same period in 2019, there was a 27% drop in pregnant women receiving four or more ante-natal check-ups, a 28% decline in institutional deliveries and 22% decline in prenatal services. Source : The Hindu  Health JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF ACTION (JCPOA) The U.S. and Iran said that they would begin negotiations through intermediaries next week to try to get both countries back into an accord limiting Iran’s nuclear programme, nearly three years after Preside Read the full article

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April 2nd current affairs – Vignan IAS

APRIL 2ND CURRENT AFFAIRS – VIGNAN IAS   DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Rajinikanth after he has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2019. About: Dadasaheb Phalke award is India's highest award in cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals (an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting). The award prize consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a shawl. The award is given to people for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema". It was first presented in 1969. The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, “the first lady of Indian cinema.” Important Info : Dadasaheb Phalke? Dadasaheb Phalke (1870–1944), was an Indian film-maker who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). He is regarded as "the father of Indian cinema." Source : The Hindu Awards and Recognitions     APRIL 2ND CURRENT AFFAIRS – VIGNAN IAS LIGHT WEIGHT BULLET PROOF JACKET Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and DMSRDE Kanpur for developing a Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket. About: Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur, a DRDO laboratory has developed a Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket weighing 9 kg meeting the qualitative requirements of Indian Army. The Front Hard Armour Panel jacket was tested Read the full article

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April 2nd current affairs – Vignan IAS

APRIL 2ND CURRENT AFFAIRS – VIGNAN IAS   DADASAHEB PHALKE AWARD The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Rajinikanth after he has been conferred with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2019. About: Dadasaheb Phalke award is India's highest award in cinema. It is presented annually at the National Film Awards ceremony by the Directorate of Film Festivals (an organisation set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting). The award prize consists of a golden lotus, a cash prize of ₹10 lakh and a shawl. The award is given to people for their "outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema". It was first presented in 1969. The first recipient of the award was actress Devika Rani, “the first lady of Indian cinema.” Important Info : Dadasaheb Phalke? Dadasaheb Phalke (1870–1944), was an Indian film-maker who directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913). He is regarded as "the father of Indian cinema." Source : The Hindu Awards and Recognitions     APRIL 2ND CURRENT AFFAIRS – VIGNAN IAS LIGHT WEIGHT BULLET PROOF JACKET Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated DRDO and DMSRDE Kanpur for developing a Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket. About: Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur, a DRDO laboratory has developed a Light Weight Bullet Proof Jacket weighing 9 kg meeting the qualitative requirements of Indian Army. The Front Hard Armour Panel jacket was tested Read the full article

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April 1st current affairs - Vignan IAS

April 1st current affairs – vignan ias India-Mauritius Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement. Context: India and Mauritius signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) on 22 February 2021. The CECPA is the first trade Agreement signed by India with a country in Africa. Both sides have completed their internal legal procedures and the India-Mauritius CECPA will enter into force on Thursday, 01 April 2021. Key takeaways: ·        It is a limited agreement, which will cover Trade in Goods, Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) measures, Dispute Settlement, Movement of Natural Persons, Telecom, Financial services, Customs Procedures and Cooperation in other Areas. ·        CECPA providesfor an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries. ·         The CECPA between India and Mauritius covers 310 export items for India.  ·      Indian exporters have to obtain a Certificate of Origin (CoO) from the authorised Indian agencies to avail the preferential benefits under the CECPA.  Important value addition: CECPA(Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement.) v It is a kind of free trade pact that aims to provide an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries. v Under this agreement, countries reduce or eliminate the duties on the products. The countries also give re Read the full article

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March 31st Current Affairs – Vignan IAS Academy

Vignan IAS current affairs March 31st 1.NACADUBA SINHALA RAMASWAMII SADASIVAN A group of lepidopterists have found a new butterfly species in India. IN News: The discovery of the species Nacaduba sinhala ramaswamii Sadasivan, 2021 in the Agasthyamalais in the Western Ghats a decade ago has now found place in the Journal of Threatened Taxa. The new taxon of Lycaenid butterflies belongs to the Nacaduba genus. Line Blues are small butterflies belonging to the subfamily Lycaenidae and their distribution ranges from India and Sri Lanka to the whole of south-eastern Asia, Australia and Samoa. It is the first time that a butterfly species was discovered by an all-Indian research team from the Western Ghats. Important Info : Do you know? Lepidopterology is a branch of entomology concerning the scientific study of moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies. Someone who studies in this field is a lepidopterist or, archaically, an aurelian. Source : The Hindu Environment March 31st current affairs - vignan ias 2.CULEX MOSQUITOES With the change in season and rise in temperature, culex or common house mosquitoes have made a reappearance across Delhi. IN News: Warmer temperatures are the main reason for the appearance of these mosquitoes. Their presence is especially felt more in areas around floodplains in East and South Delhi as it is an ideal condition of breeding. Culex mosquitoes are known carriers of Japanese encephalitis, a potentially life-threatening but rare viral diseas Read the full article

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March 30th Current Affairs – Vignan IAS Academy

March 30th Current Affairs – Vignan IAS Academy JUDICIAL REVIEW: A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court by Wasim Rizvi seeking declaration of 26 verses of the Quran as unconstitutional, non-effective and non- functional on the ground that these promote extremism and terrorism. Power of judicial review: Under Indian law, only a “law” can be challenged as unconstitutional. Article 13(3) defines law, which includes any ordinance, order, by-law, rule, regulations, notification, custom or usage having in the territory the force of law. “Laws in force” on the commencement of the Constitution include laws enacted by a legislature or other competent authority. This definition certain does not cover any religious scripture including the Quran. Similarly, neither the Vedas nor the Gita, nor the Bible, nor the Guru Granth Sahib can be said to be “law” under Article 13 and thus challenged in a court of law. The divine books can be sources of law but not law in themselves. Thus, Quran in itself is not “law” for the purposes of Article 13. It is the paramount source of Islamic law and Muslim jurists extract laws from it through interpretation and also taking into account other sources of law such as Hadees (Prophet’s sayings), Ijma (juristic consensus), Qiyas (analogical deductions), Urf ( customs), Istihsan (juristic preference) and Istisilah (public interest). Important Info : Reaction to the petition The petition has led to protests among Muslims, and several Read the full article

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March 28th Current Affairs – Vignan IAS Academy

March 28th Current Affairs – Vignan IAS Academy UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING: India delivered on its promise of 2,00,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines for the United Nations Peacekeeping Force (UNPKF) worldwide, sending a shipment bound for Copenhagen. UN Peacekeeping: UN peacekeepers provide security and the political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. Principles: UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles: Consent of the parties; Impartiality; Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. Role of Security Council: The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the responsibility to maintain international peace. For this reason, the international community usually looks to the Security Council to authorize peacekeeping operations through Chapter VII authorizations. Present status: There are currently 12 UN peacekeeping operations deployed. For its services, UN Peacekeeping has also received the Nobel Peace Prize. UN peacekeepers are often referred to as Blue Berets or Blue Helmets because of their light blue berets or helmets. Source : The Hindu International HYPNEA INDICA; HYPNEA BULLATA: Two new species of seaweed have been discovered by a group of marine biologists from Central University of Punjab, Bathinda. About: Named Hypnea indica (after India) and Hypnea bullata (because of the blisterlike marks on its body – bullate), the seaweeds are part of the Read the full article