🚆📈 1. Indian Railways Plans Fare Hike from July 1

📅 Effective Date: July 1, 2025

💸 Fare Increase:

• 🧍‍♂️ Non-AC Mail & Express: ⬆️ ₹0.01/km
• ❄️ AC Coaches: ⬆️ ₹0.02/km
• 🚇 No change: Suburban & Monthly Season Tickets
• 🪑 Ordinary Second Class (up to 500 km): No hike
• 📏 Above 500 km (Ordinary 2nd class): Proposed hike of ₹0.005/km

📌 Why it matters:

This first fare adjustment in years is aimed at improving service quality while maintaining affordability for short-distance and suburban commuters.

🛠️ Context:

Railways has faced increased operational costs post-COVID, while also investing in modernization projects like Vande Bharat trains, electrification, and track renewal.

🛣️🚧 2. ₹20,787-Cr Shaktipeeth Expressway to Transform Maharashtra Travel

📍 Project Name: Shaktipeeth Expressway

📏 Length: 802 km

💰 Budget Approved: ₹20,787 crore

🛤️ Route: Connects 12 districts from Wardha to Sindhudurg (Maharashtra–Goa border)

🕐 Impact: Reduces Nagpur–Goa travel time from 18 hours to 8 hours!

📌 Context:

This expressway supports the Maharashtra Prosperity Corridor initiative, easing freight movement, boosting religious tourism, and catalyzing rural economic growth in interior Maharashtra.

🔗 Named after: The many Shakti Peethas (sacred temples) along the route—connecting spirituality with infrastructure.

🌏🤝 3. SCO Summit 2025 in Qingdao, China: June 25–26

🛡️ Organisation: Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

🗓️ Date: June 25–26

📍 Venue: Qingdao, China

🎯 Theme: "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move"

👥 Members:

🇮🇳 India, 🇨🇳 China, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇵🇰 Pakistan, 🇮🇷 Iran, 🇧🇾 Belarus, 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan, 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan, 🇹🇯 Tajikistan, 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

📌 India's Role:

• Became a full member in 2017
• Chaired the SCO in 2023, promoting digital inclusion, connectivity, and counter-terrorism

🌐 Why important?

SCO represents 40% of the world's population and over 30% of global GDP, becoming a major bloc shaping Eurasian geopolitics.

📞🇲🇺 4. PM Modi Invites Mauritius PM Ramgoolam to India

📞 Call Between: PM Narendra Modi 🇮🇳 and PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam 🇲🇺

🤝 Purpose: Reaffirm commitment to development partnership, capacity building, and defence cooperation with Mauritius.

📌 Background:

India and Mauritius share a special bond rooted in history, culture, diaspora, and strategic cooperation. Mauritius is often India’s gateway to Africa and the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

🌍 Ongoing Projects:

• Metro Express Project
• Digital governance platforms
• Defence ship donations

🏏🔥 5. England Stuns India in Test Thriller; Duckett Leads the Charge

📝 Match: 1st Test, India vs England

🏆 Result: England won by 5 wickets, leading the series 1–0

🏟️ Next Test: July 2–6 in Birmingham

💯 Key Highlight: Ben Duckett dazzled with his aggressive century, helping England chase a tough target

📌 Context:

Despite five Indian players scoring centuries, England’s “Bazball” strategy triumphed with fearless batting and smart tactics.

🧠 Trivia:

England’s current Test strategy under coach Brendon McCullum focuses on aggression, redefining how the game is played.

🌱📊 6. India Breaks Into UN SDG Top 100 for the First Time!

🌍 Report: UN Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025

📊 India’s Rank: 99th (Score: 67)

🇨🇳 China: 49th (74.4)

🇺🇸 USA: 44th (75.2)

✅ SDG Progress Areas for India:

• Clean energy and rural electrification
• Sanitation and Swachh Bharat
• Financial inclusion (Jan Dhan, UPI)
• Access to education and healthcare

📌 Context:

India has made significant gains in SDG goals despite population and development challenges. However, challenges remain in climate action, gender equality, and sustainable urbanisation.

💣🛰️ 7. Indian Army Orders 450 Indigenous Nagastra-1R Loitering Munitions

📦 Placed By: Indian Army

🏭 Manufacturer: Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited

🔧 Quantity: ~450 units

🧠 Features:

• 🔭 360° gimbal camera
• 🌒 Thermal vision for night operations
• 🔒 Encrypted video & telemetry
• 🎯 High-precision targeting: 2m CEP
• 🇮🇳 80%+ indigenisation
• 🔁 Reusable launcher system

📌 Context:

These kamikaze drones will strengthen India’s tactical strike and surveillance capabilities, especially in mountain warfare zones like Ladakh.

🧪 Tested at: High-altitude terrain in Ladakh and plains in Babina (UP)

🔋 Suitable for both offensive & reconnaissance missions

🌐 Strategic Edge: Boosts India's self-reliance in advanced warfare systems under Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence.