đźđłđŠ 1) India Joins Australiaâs Largest Defence Exercise â Talisman Sabre
- What: India participated in the 2025 edition of Exercise Talisman SabreâAustraliaâs largest bilateral military exercise.
- Where: Conducted across Australia and its northern coastal waters.
- Why It Matters: First time India joined as a full participant alongside Australia, the U.S., Japan, UK, South Korea, Canada, and other allies.
- Focus: Amphibious landings, combat drills, logistics, and multinational coordination.
- Historical Insight: Started in 2005 as a USâAustralia drill, now a key Indo-Pacific multilateral exercise reflecting growing regional ties and Indiaâs active Act East & Quad defence cooperation.
đđ« 2) India Ranked 8th Among Worldâs Top 10 Tourism Economies
- By: World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC)
- Report Year: 2024â2025
- Ranking: India jumped to 8th position globally in terms of tourism economy size.
- Economic Impact: Travel & tourism contributed over $250 billion to Indiaâs GDP, supported by domestic mobility and foreign arrivals.
- Significance: Reflects the booming recovery post-COVID and key government campaigns like Dekho Apna Desh and Vibrant Villages Tourism.
đ€đŸ 3) India Signs Long-Term Fertiliser Deal with Saudi Arabia
- What: Strategic multi-year agreement between India and Saudi Arabia to ensure uninterrupted supply of fertilisers like urea and DAP.
- Why It Matters: Secures agricultural resilience, combats global price volatility, and boosts Indiaâs food security goals.
- Background: India is the worldâs second-largest consumer of fertilisers, and this deal aligns with PM's vision of âAatmanirbhar Krishiâ (Self-Reliant Agriculture).
đ«ïžâ ïž 4) Burnihat Becomes India's Most Polluted City (JanâJune 2025)
- Study By: Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)
- Location: Burnihat, an industrial town in MeghalayaâAssam border, topped the list of Indiaâs most polluted cities in the first half of 2025.
- Pollution Level: PM2.5 concentrations exceeded safe limits by over 4 times.
- Reason: Unregulated industrial emissions, biomass burning, and stagnant air during early months.
- Context: Raises questions about pollution control beyond metro cities, especially in lesser-known industrial hubs.
đđ 5) Worldâs Largest Digital Camera Begins Operations in Chile
- Facility: Vera C. Rubin Observatory, Chile
- Milestone: World's largest digital camera with 3.2-gigapixel resolution began observing the cosmos in July 2025.
- Purpose: Designed to map the entire southern sky every few nights for the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).
- Why It Matters: Helps astronomers detect supernovae, study dark matter/dark energy, and monitor asteroidsârevolutionizing space observation.
đâ 6) Arthunkal Police Station (Kerala) Gets ISO Certification First in India
- Certification: IS/ISO 9001:2015 for quality management
- Awarded By: Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- Location: Arthunkal, Alappuzha District, Kerala
- Significance: First police station in India to receive this certification, recognizing excellence in public service, transparency, and citizen engagement.
- Why It Stands Out: Sets a benchmark for smart policing, part of Indiaâs push towards tech-enabled and citizen-friendly law enforcement.
đđ© 7) Sonal Mishra Becomes First Woman to Head RPF
- Position: Director General, Railway Protection Force (RPF)
- Historic First: First-ever woman officer to lead the 152-year-old RPF, which was established in 1872.
- Cadre: 1988-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre.
- Why It Matters: A major stride in gender inclusivity in Indian paramilitary forces, her leadership sets precedent for women in top defence/security roles.