News in Shorts: 18 May 2026

18 May 2026

Undersea Cable Threat in Strait of Hormuz

Context: Rising tensions around the Strait of Hormuz undersea cables highlight risks to India’s internet, cloud services and digital infrastructure security.

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What are Undersea Cables

Undersea cables, also called submarine cables, are fibre-optic communication cables laid on the ocean floor to transmit internet and telecommunication data between countries and continents.
Significance: They form the backbone of global digital connectivity and carry more than 95% of international internet traffic.
- Modern global services such as cloud computing, online banking, stock markets, video streaming and international communication depend heavily on undersea cables.
Working Mechanism: These cables transmit data using light signals through ultra-thin fibre-optic strands at very high speeds and low latency.
- Submarine cables connect cable landing stations located along coastlines across the world.
- Compared to satellites, submarine cables provide faster, cheaper and higher-capacity data transmission.
Vulnerabilities: Undersea cables can be damaged by earthquakes, ship anchors, fishing activities, sabotage or geopolitical conflicts, affecting internet services globally.

Significance of Strait of Hormuz for Global Internet

Digital Connectivity Route: Several critical submarine internet cables connecting India, Europe and West Asia pass through the Strait of Hormuz region.
Important Cable Systems: Key cable networks such as FALCON, Gulf Bridge International (GBI) and Tata-TGN Gulf pass through this route.
Vulnerability to Geopolitical Tensions: Any conflict, sabotage or restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz can disrupt internet services and digital infrastructure globally.

India’s Strategic Concerns

India relies heavily on submarine cable networks passing through West Asia for international internet and data connectivity.
Digital Infrastructure Risk: Geopolitical tensions, conflicts or sabotage in critical maritime chokepoints can disrupt India’s internet, cloud and financial services.

Million Minds Tech Park & GREMI City Campus

Context: The Union Home Minister has inaugurated the newly built Million Minds Tech Park and GREMI City Campus in Ahmedabad.

About Million Minds Tech Park

Objective: The Tech Park aims to create a world-class ecosystem for emerging technologies, innovation, entrepreneurship and Global Capability Centres (GCCs).
Integrated Development Model: The project includes commercial spaces, residential areas, malls and hotels, reflecting an integrated tech ecosystem approach.
Focus Sectors: Special focus has been laid on AI, robotics, quantum computing, semiconductors, cybersecurity, automation, defence technology and space technology.
Investment & Scale: The project is being developed over 65 acres and is expected to generate over 63,000 high-value jobs in the next five years.

GREMI City Campus

GREMI (Ganesh Real Estate Management Institute) has been established to promote modern thinking, leadership and professional education in the real estate and urban planning sectors.
Importance: The institute aims to strengthen expertise in urban planning, environmental management and sustainable real estate development.

Significance of Million Minds Tech Park and GREMI City Campus

Economic Significance: The projects aim to position Ahmedabad alongside major Indian technology hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and Gurugram.
Employment & Innovation: The initiatives are expected to boost high-skill employment, innovation ecosystems and startup-led economic growth.
National Technology Mission: The projects align with India’s broader push towards becoming a global hub for advanced technologies and knowledge-based industries.

Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo

Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

Virus Strain: The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, for which no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists.

What is Ebola Virus Disease?

Ebola is a severe zoonotic viral disease that spreads from animals to humans and can later spread between humans.
First Discovery: Ebola was first identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Cause: It is caused by viruses belonging to the Orthoebolavirus genus of the Filoviridae family.
Origin: The virus is believed to originate from infected wild animals, especially fruit bats.
Symptoms: Symptoms include fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bleeding in severe cases.
Transmission: Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected blood, body fluids, contaminated materials or infected animals such as fruit bats and primates.
Incubation Period: Symptoms usually appear between 2 and 21 days after infection.
Vaccine Status: Vaccines are available for some Ebola strains such as the Zaire strain, but not for all variants like Bundibugyo Ebola.

Public Health Emergency of International Concern

A Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is a serious public health event declared by the WHO under the International Health Regulations (IHR), 2005.
Purpose: It is declared when an outbreak or health event poses a risk of international disease spread and requires coordinated global action.
Authority: The declaration is made by the WHO Director-General based on recommendations from an emergency committee of experts.

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AMCA Programme

Context: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme facility at Puttaparthi in Sri Sathya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh.

About Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

AMCA is India’s indigenous fifth-generation medium-weight stealth multirole fighter aircraft.
Developed by: It is being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
Features of AMCA Aircraft: The fighter aircraft will feature stealth technology, twin-engine supercruise capability and advanced avionics.
Variants:
- AMCA Mk1: Will be powered by GE-F414 engines imported from the United States.
- AMCA Mk2: Planned to use indigenous engines currently under development.

Key Points about the Facility

AMCA Programme Facility: The facility is being developed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for India’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter aircraft programme.
- It will be spread across nearly 650 acres with an estimated investment of ₹15,803 crore.
Strategic Significance: The complex will support aircraft integration, testing, validation and certification.
- It will enhance self-reliance in defence manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Economic Impact: The project is expected to create around 7,500 direct jobs.
- Ancillary industries linked to the programme may attract investments worth nearly ₹1 lakh crore.
Additional Defence Projects: Foundation stones for four additional defence projects and eight drone projects will also be laid.
- These projects are expected to bring investments worth ₹4,145 crore and generate over 6,000 jobs in Andhra Pradesh.

Committee on Empowerment of Women (2026-27)

Context: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted the Committee on Empowerment of Women for the year 2026-27.

About the Committee on Empowerment of Women

Establishment: It was constituted for the first time on 29 April 1997 during the 11th Lok Sabha.
Composition: The committee consists of 30 members.
- 20 members are nominated by the Speaker from Lok Sabha members.
- 10 members are nominated by the Chairman from Rajya Sabha members.
Term: The term of the committee does not exceed one year and is reconstituted every year.
Working: Members of the committee work collectively beyond party affiliations for women’s empowerment.
- The committee examines government policies, programmes and measures related to welfare, development and empowerment of women.
Significance: It acts as a parliamentary mechanism for ensuring gender justice, women’s welfare and effective policy implementation.

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Key Points about the recent Committee for the year 2026-27

Chairperson: BJP MP Daggubati Purandeswari has been appointed as the Chairperson of the committee.
Composition of the Committee: The committee comprises 28 members, including 18 from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha.
Members from Lok Sabha: Prominent members include Hema Malini, Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Iqra Choudhary.
Members from Rajya Sabha: Members include Sudha Murty, P. T. Usha and Swati Maliwal.