Current Affairs - July 2, 2025 Current Affairs

The Union Cabinet has approved the development of a 46.7 km four-lane highway between Paramakudi and Ramanathapuram in the state of Tamil Nadu, under the National Highway-87 (NH-87). The project, with an outlay of ₹1,853 crore, is set to be executed through the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). This initiative aims to reduce traffic congestion, improve safety standards, and promote socio-economic development in the region. With rising traffic volume and increased tourism towards Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, the infrastructure upgrade is critical. It will also generate significant employment—over 18 lakh person-days—contributing to regional and national development goals.

INS Tamal, a stealth-guided missile frigate under the Project 1135.6 Talwar-class, was commissioned at the Yantar Shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia, on July 1, 2025. This commissioning represents a significant moment in India’s naval modernization and its transition toward defence self-reliance. INS Tamal is the last major foreign-built warship for the Indian Navy, reflecting the shift toward indigenous warship production under initiatives like Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India. The ship’s inclusion in the Western Fleet enhances India’s blue-water naval capabilities. Kaliningrad, as the commissioning site, continues its legacy in Indo-Russian naval cooperation, marking the delivery of the 51st ship in their 65-year partnership.

INS Udaygiri was commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 2025, as the second stealth frigate under the Project 17A initiative. Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) in Mumbai and designed by the Warship Design Bureau, the frigate was delivered in a record time of 37 months. It features advanced stealth capabilities, an indigenous weapons suite including supersonic and surface-to-air missiles, and cutting-edge radar-evading technology. The ship’s construction involved over 200 Indian MSMEs, underscoring India’s commitment to self-reliant defence manufacturing. Named after a decommissioned warship, INS Udaygiri represents a fusion of naval tradition and modern maritime strength.

Teghbir Singh, a six-year-old from Punjab, made history by becoming the youngest mountaineer to scale Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in both Russia and Europe, standing at 18,510 feet (5,642 metres). His achievement marks a significant milestone in mountaineering, given the physical and mental challenges posed by such an elevation. Teghbir’s accomplishment not only set a world record but also followed his earlier success in August 2024, when he became the youngest Asian to scale Mt Kilimanjaro. His achievements at such a young age showcase exceptional determination, preparation, and endurance in extreme conditions.

Nandan Nilekani has been appointed as the Chief Mentor for the India Energy Stack, a major digital initiative launched by the Ministry of Power. The India Energy Stack aims to create a unified digital public infrastructure for the power sector, addressing the current fragmentation across energy producers, consumers, grid operators, regulators, and financial institutions. As a digital framework, it will enable real-time coordination and data exchange across the energy ecosystem. With his expertise in building large-scale digital platforms like Aadhaar, Nilekani’s leadership is expected to guide the successful development and implementation of this transformative national infrastructure.

The Indian Railways launched the RailOne App on July 2, 2025, as a comprehensive digital platform aimed at consolidating various passenger and freight services into one unified system. Introduced by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during the 40th Foundation Day of the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS), the app offers a wide range of features, including ticket booking, PNR enquiry, meal ordering, journey planning, and freight services. It integrates existing platforms like RailConnect and UTSonMobile for single sign-on access, enhances security through biometric and mPIN login, and simplifies the user experience with a clean interface and reduced app clutter on devices.

The Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme is designed to enhance job creation, employability, and social security across sectors, with a significant emphasis on the manufacturing sector. This focus aims to drive large-scale employment generation by incentivizing industries to hire, particularly benefiting first-time employees who will receive a wage benefit of up to Rs 15,000 in two installments. With an ambitious goal of generating over 3.5 crore jobs in just two years, supported by a financial outlay of Rs one lakh crore, the scheme positions the manufacturing sector as a central pillar for economic growth and employment expansion.

Kesavan Ramachandran was appointed as the Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on July 1, 2025. With over three decades of experience in banking supervision, risk monitoring, currency management, and central banking training, his elevation is a strategic move to bolster the RBI’s regulatory framework. He previously served as the Principal Chief General Manager in the Risk Monitoring Department and as Principal of the RBI Staff College. His leadership is especially crucial as the central bank strengthens prudential regulation to enhance financial stability amid increasing global financial complexities and evolving non-banking sector dynamics.

World Sports Journalists Day is observed every year on July 2, and in 2025, it continues this tradition by falling on a Wednesday. The day honours the contributions of sports media professionals—reporters, commentators, writers, and photographers—who bring the spirit of sports to life for global audiences. The 2025 theme, “Championing Fair Play: Reporting with Integrity and Impact,” emphasizes the ethical responsibilities of sports journalists in delivering accurate, unbiased coverage. First celebrated in 1994 on the 70th anniversary of the International Sports Press Association, July 2 has since become a globally recognized day to appreciate the crucial role of sports journalism.

The Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) team participated in the 2025 International Rocket Engineering Competition held in Midland, Texas. In this prestigious event, they competed in the SDL Payload Challenge category. The team's rocket, named "Vayu Vega", not only met all safety requirements but also impressed the judges with its overall performance. As a result, the team achieved second place and received a monetary prize of USD 750. This success highlights the team's engineering skills and their ability to perform at an international level.

India has entered into a strategic partnership with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to enhance cooperation in green steel and high-grade aluminium production. This collaboration is part of the India-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and focuses on sustainable metallurgy, clean energy integration, and supply chain resilience. Key public sector enterprises such as SAIL, NMDC, and MECON are involved in facilitating trade, engineering, and material sourcing, with operational offices already established in Dubai. The UAE’s clean energy infrastructure and strategic trade location make it an ideal partner for India’s ambition to scale sustainable industrial growth and meet its 2030 steel production targets.

Beginning July 1, 2025, New Delhi will enforce a ban on the refuelling of petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years. This regulation is part of a broader strategy to improve air quality in the capital city. The Delhi government has implemented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) requiring petrol pumps to log all instances where fuel is denied to such outdated vehicles. The initiative is aimed at reducing vehicular emissions, which contribute significantly to air pollution levels, and ensuring that only environmentally compliant vehicles are allowed access to fuel in the city.