Current Affairs - Places

The 16th International Railway Equipment Exhibition-2025 was inaugurated by Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Recognised as Asia’s largest and the world’s second-largest railway exhibition, it featured over 450 exhibitors from more than 15 countries. The event showcased cutting-edge innovations, sustainable solutions, and advanced railway and metro products. Hosting the exhibition in New Delhi highlights India’s strategic focus on modernizing its railway infrastructure, promoting international collaboration, and positioning itself as a hub for technological advancements in the global rail industry.

The 10th anniversary edition of Expand North Star 2025 was launched at Dubai Harbour, organised under the umbrella of GITEX GLOBAL — the world’s largest technology and AI gathering. Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event serves as a global hub for collaboration among emerging AI-driven economies. Since its founding in 2016, Expand North Star has evolved into a premier platform connecting startups, investors, and tech innovators. The 2025 edition in Dubai underscores the city’s growing influence as a leading international center for technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Mumbai One’, India’s first unified mobility app, to integrate ticketing across 11 public transport services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The app allows commuters to book a single digital ticket for metro, buses, suburban trains, monorail, and taxis, supporting a trilingual interface in Marathi, Hindi, and English. It provides real-time journey planning, QR-based cashless payments, and safety features like emergency support. Hosted on Google Cloud Platform using Kubernetes Engine, the app is designed to handle up to 50 lakh transactions daily, significantly enhancing convenience, accessibility, and efficiency for Mumbai’s public transport users.

India will host the 8th International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly from October 27–30, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The summit will bring together leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from 124 countries to discuss strategies for global solar energy collaboration, affordable access, and scaling adoption across sectors like agriculture, transport, and healthcare. Hosting the ISA Assembly underscores India’s leadership in renewable energy, as it continues to expand its non-fossil fuel electricity capacity and position itself as a global hub for clean energy innovation. The event also aligns with India’s vision of a carbon-neutral future.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the ‘Namo Van’ project in Manesar to mark the beginning of Wildlife Week 2025 celebrations. The initiative aligns with the year’s theme, ‘Sewa Parv,’ emphasizing service toward nature and environmental preservation. As part of the event, a large-scale plantation drive was organised under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, encouraging citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers. The ‘Namo Van’ project aims to promote biodiversity conservation, enhance green cover, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and preserving India’s rich ecological heritage.