Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh inaugrated (GS Paper 3, Internal Security)
Why in news?
- Prime Minister recently inaugurated the strategically significant and world's longest twin-lane tunnel, 'Sela Tunnel' during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh.
- Built at a cost of Rs 825 crore, it will provide an all weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela pass on the Balipara-Chariduar-Tawang road in Arunachal Pradesh.
- Situated at an elevation of 13,000 feet, the tunnel is strategically important due to its proximity to the Line of actual control (LAC).
Key Highlights:
- It has been constructed using the new Austrian tunnelling method and incorporates safety features of the highest standards.
- The project will not only provide a faster and more efficient transport route in the region but is of strategic importance to the country.
- The foundation stone of Sela Tunnel was laid by the Prime Minister in February 2019.
- The project comprises two tunnels. The first is a single-tube tunnel of 980 metres in length, and the second one is 1.5 km long with an escape tube for emergencies.
Way Forward:
- The Sela Tunnel will strengthen the Indian Army's capabilities along the Line of Actual Control by allowing for the rapid movement of troops, weaponry, and machinery to forward regions along the Sino-India border.
Why has government issued an AI advisory?
(GS Paper 3, Science and Technology)
Why in news?
- Recently, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an advisory to the Artificial Intelligence industry.
- It said that all generative AI products, like large language models on the lines of ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, would have to be made available “with the explicit permission of the Government of India” if they are “under-testing/ unreliable”.
How has it been received?
- The advisory has divided industry and observers on a key question: was this an ‘advisory’ in the classic sense that was reminding companies of existing legal obligations, or was this a mandate?
- The document, sent to large tech platforms, including Google, instructed recipients to submit an “action taken-cum-status Report to the Ministry within 15 days.
- He insisted that there were “legal consequences under existing laws (both criminal and tech laws) for platforms that enable or directly output unlawful content,” and that the advisory was put out for firms “to be aware that, platforms have clear existing obligations under IT and criminal law.
- He referred to rule 3(1)(b) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which prohibits unlawful content like defamation, pornography, disinformation and anything that “threatens the unity … and sovereignty of India.” He added that the rules were intended for large tech firms and wouldn’t apply to startups.
- The advisory also included a requirement for AI-generated imagery to be labelled as such, something that the industry has vacillated between taking serious efforts on doing. Amazon Web Services has tried implementing an ‘invisible’ watermark, but has expressed concern that such a move would be of little use as watermarks can be edited out fairly easily.
What has been the government’s approach to the AI industry?
- Until recently, the government itself shared optimism on AI, where Big Tech firms have often struck a balance between seeking regulation and seeking to control the direction these regulations take.
- The IT Ministry in April 2023 categorically said that “the government is not considering bringing a law or regulating the growth of artificial intelligence in the country”.
