Current Affairs - International

Sri Lanka is the location of the Sampur Solar Power Project, which is situated in the Trincomalee district. The project is being developed as a joint venture between India’s NTPC Limited and the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB). It aims to increase the share of renewable energy in Sri Lanka’s national electricity grid. India and Sri Lanka are also working on an HVDC interconnection project to link their power grids and facilitate the transfer of surplus renewable energy. These initiatives are intended to strengthen bilateral energy cooperation, regional energy security, and the clean energy transition.

Norway is the home country of Noemi Aerospace (Elfly AS), which signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Pawan Hans Limited on August 7, 2026, to collaborate on electric seaplane technology and sustainable aviation. The partnership focuses on technical knowledge sharing, workshops, feasibility studies, skill development, and capacity building for the electric aviation sector. Noemi Aerospace is headquartered in Bergen, Norway, and develops next-generation electric seaplanes. The collaboration aligns with India’s efforts to improve regional and island connectivity under the Make in India initiative. India’s Union Budget 2026 also introduced a Viability Gap Funding scheme to support seaplane operations.

Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov visited New Delhi on August 5, 2026, to deepen the strategic partnership between India and Uzbekistan in critical minerals, mining, trade, and defence. Bilateral trade between the two countries has reached nearly $1 billion, with both sides aiming for further expansion. Cooperation is also being strengthened in infrastructure, energy, defence, and digital technology. Uzbekistan supported India’s BRICS Presidency in 2026, while India backed Uzbekistan’s candidacy to chair the Non-Aligned Movement for 2027–2029. Uzbekistan’s capital is Tashkent, and its currency is the Uzbekistani Soʻm.

The Pacific island nation formerly known as Nauru has officially adopted the name Republic of Naoero to restore its traditional and indigenous identity. The change reflects the native Nauruan spelling and pronunciation and was approved by the country's parliament. Along with the new name, the nation introduced the country code NRO and changed the demonym of its citizens to dei-Naoero. The United Nations and several countries have already updated their official records. The renaming highlights the country's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage, language, and historical identity while strengthening national pride.

Italy temporarily suspended the Schengen border-free travel arrangement with Spain for one month after a large number of migrants entered the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. As part of the measure, Italy reintroduced passport and identity document checks for passengers arriving from Spain by air and sea, while targeted inspections were carried out on non-EU nationals. Italy also coordinated with France to strengthen security along the Franco-Italian land border. Under Schengen rules, member countries are permitted to restore internal border controls temporarily when there is a serious threat to public order or national security.