1) India surpasses China to become the world’s 6th most powerful air force – WDMMA 2025 Ranking

• Report: World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft (WDMMA) 2025
• Highlight: India has overtaken China to become the 6th most powerful air force in the world.
• Top-ranked Air Forces: USA, Russia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, and India.
• Basis of Ranking: Fleet strength, modernization programs, pilot training, combat readiness, and technological advancements.
• Significance: This reflects India’s growing aerial capability through platforms like Rafale jets, Tejas Mk1A, C-295 transport aircraft, and indigenous UAV development under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

2) India and European Union conduct first joint counter-terrorism exercise focusing on drones

• Event: First-ever India–EU Joint Counter-Terrorism Exercise held in Haryana.
• Objective: To enhance operational coordination in tackling drone-based terror threats and cross-border infiltration.
• Participants: Elite counter-terrorism and security agencies from India and the European Union.
• Significance: Strengthens India–EU strategic cooperation on security, intelligence sharing, and countering emerging threats in the digital and unmanned domain.

3) Tuvalu becomes the 90th member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

• Country: Tuvalu, a small island nation in the Pacific Ocean.
• Event: Became the 90th member of the IUCN amid rising concerns over the climate crisis and rising sea levels.
• Context: Tuvalu faces severe threats from coastal erosion and submergence, making this membership crucial for global conservation and adaptation efforts.
• About IUCN: Founded in 1948, the International Union for Conservation of Nature is a global body working for sustainable use of natural resources and species conservation.
• Significance: Tuvalu’s inclusion amplifies small island nations’ voices in international environmental policymaking.

4) Shanta Rangaswamy becomes first woman cricketer to be appointed President of the Indian Cricketers’ Association

• Name: Shanta Rangaswamy
• Achievement: Became the first woman cricketer to hold the position of President, Indian Cricketers’ Association (ICA).
• Background:
• Former captain of the Indian women’s cricket team.
• Recipient of the Arjuna Award (1976) and CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award (2017).
• Significance: Marks a milestone for gender representation in cricket administration, promoting women’s leadership in sports governance.

5) India develops its first indigenous antibiotic – Nafithromycin

• Innovation: India has developed its first fully indigenous antibiotic, named Nafithromycin.
• Developed by: Indian scientists in collaboration with CSIR and biotech startups.
• Purpose: Effective against multi-drug resistant bacterial infections and respiratory diseases.
• Significance:
• A major step toward pharmaceutical self-reliance under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Reduces dependency on imported antibiotics.
• Strengthens India’s position in global antimicrobial research.