NATIONAL NEWS

India’s 44th UNESCO Heritage Site

The ‘Maratha Military Landscape of India‘ has become the 44th property of India to be inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage List.

In 2024,‘Moidams of Assam, the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty’ was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the 43rd property of India.

The 47th annual session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, which is being held in Paris, France, from 6-16 July, accepted India’s nomination of ‘Maratha Military Landscape of India to be inscribed in the World Heritage List.

The Maratha Military landscape is a network of twelve forts built by the Maratha Empire during the 17th to 19th centuries CE (Common Era, which was earlier known as AD).

It includes 11 forts in Maharashtra and one in Tamil Nadu.

Forts located in Maharashtra - Salher, Lohagad, Shivneri, Khanderi, Raigad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Rajgad,Panhala, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg.

Forts located in Tamil Nadu - Gingee Fort.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Pakistan and Turkiye Pledge to Deepen Ties in Defence, Trade, Energy, and Infrastructure

Pakistan and Turkiye agreed to boost cooperation in defence, trade, energy, and infrastructure during talks on July 9, 2025 in Islamabad.

Both countries aim to increase bilateral trade volume to $5 billion.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar highlighted the desire to benefit from Turkiye’s expertise in defence and strengthen cooperation for regional peace and stability.

The Turkish Foreign Minister called defence industry cooperation a "strategic step" and emphasized strengthening ties further.

Both nations will continue to support each other in counterterrorism efforts.

Discussions included the revival of the Istanbul-Tehran-Islamabad train, with delegations set to finalize the roadmap

Pakistan has allocated land for Turkiye’s Maarif School in Muzaffarabad, with evaluation underway by the Maarif Foundation.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister noted expanding relations in economy, energy, defence, industry, education, and culture.

Turkey praised Pakistan’s "wisdom-oriented attitude" during recent Pakistan-India tensions.

The Turkish delegation met Pakistan’s Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to discuss regional security, ongoing defence cooperation, and future collaboration in emerging warfare domains

 

BANKING

SBI Mutual Fund Launches New Specialised Investment Funds

SBI Mutual Fund (SBI MF) is the largest fund house in India and is entering the Specialised Investment Fund (SIF) space under the ‘Magnum’ brand.

SBI MF recently received the licence to launch SIF products, focusing on equity and hybrid

The name ‘Magnum’ was chosen due to existing brand associations (many SBI MF schemes had Magnum in their names).

SBI MF plans to leverage in-house talent and the experienced investment team for managing SIF strategies.

SBI is the fifth fund house to enter the SIF space after Edelweiss, ITI, Mirae Asset, and Quant. Others like Axis and Nippon also plan to enter.

SIFs are a new product segment within the mutual fund framework providing greater flexibility on investment strategies.

Minimum ticket size for SIF investments is ₹10 lakh.

SIFs can be structured as equity, debt, or hybrid.

SIFs are more suitable for evolved investors who understand market technicalities and prefer advanced investment strategies compared to regular MFs.

 

ECONOMY

Asia Index Introduces BSE Insurance Index

Asia Index, a wholly owned subsidiary of BSE, announced the launch of a new index called the BSE Insurance Index.

The BSE Insurance Index is created from the constituents of the BSE 1000 Index that belong to the insurance industry.

The index is designed to be used for passive investment strategies such as ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) and Index Funds.

It helps in gauging the performance of the insurance sector and various sectors in India.

The index can also be used for benchmarking Portfolio Management Services (PMS) strategies, mutual fund schemes, and fund portfolios.

The index will be reconstituted semi-annually, in June and December.

The weight of individual stocks in the index is capped at 25% to avoid concentration risk.

 

DEFENCE

DRDO and IAF Successfully Test Indigenous Astra BVRAAM from Su-30 Mk-I

In a significant boost to the Indian Air Force's (IAF) capability, the indigenously developed Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), equipped with an indigenously developed Radio Frequency (RF) Seeker, was successfully tested at Chandipur, Odisha, on 11 July 2025.

The trial was conducted jointly by the IAF and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The missile was fired from the IAF Su-30 Mk-I aircraft, and it successfully hit the two high-speed unmanned aerial targets at different ranges.

According to the DRDO, the indigenously developed Radio Frequency Seeker performed flawlessly, and the test has validated the indigenously developed technology.

The DRDO-developed Astra air-to-air missile has been integrated with the Su-30 Mk-I aircraft of the IAF, and it is planned to be integrated with the indigenously developed Tejas Mk-1, the Indian Navy’s MiG-29 K, and the Rafale.

The recently tested Astra missile was equipped with an indigenous Radio Frequency Seeker.

The Radio Frequency Seeker is mounted on a guided missile that is capable of tracking the target.

Indian and Greek Navies Conduct PASSEX

The Indian Navy and the Hellenic (Greek) Navy held a joint PASSEX (passing exercise) near the Mumbai coast in the Arabian Sea on 10 July 2025.

The PASSEX is a type of naval exercise conducted between friendly navies when their ships are in the vicinity.

The PASSEX exercise indicates the growing military ties between India and Greece.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Greece in 2023, both countries upgraded their ties to a Strategic Partnership and agreed to strengthen their military ties.

The Hellenic Air Force (as the Greek Air Force is known) participated in the IAF-organised multinational Air exercise Tarang Shakti in 2024. The Indian Air Force participated in the INIOCHOS exercise organised by the Hellenic Air Force in Greece in 2025.

The Western Naval Command deployed INS Tarkash to conduct a PASSEX exercise with the passing Hellenic Navy Ship HS Psara.

During the PASSEX exercise, both the navies performed tactical manoeuvres, surface firing, cross-deck landings and replenishment at sea.

The PASSEX helped both the navies in enhancing their maritime interoperability and shared their best practices.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Centre Extends Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan’s Tenure to 2026

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has extended the tenure of Home Secretary Govind Mohan until 22 August 2026, or until further order. Govind Mohan was to retire on 30 September 2025.

The Union Ministry of Personnel notified the extension of service for Govind Mohan on 11 July 2025.

According to the ministry, the extension to Govind Mohan has been provided under the provisions of Fundamental Rules or FR 56 (d) and Rule 16 (1A) of the All India Services (Death-Cum-Retirement Benefits) Rules, 1958.

1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Govind Mohan assumed charge as the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on 22 August 2024.

He replaced Ajay Kumar Bhalla, who retired as home secretary on 22 August 2024 after serving for five years.

With the current extension, Govind Mohan will have a tenure of two years as Home Secretary. The post of Home Secretary is considered the most important position after the Cabinet Secretary in the central government bureaucracy.

 

BOOKS & AUTHORS

‘Das Paise ka Postcard’ Book Launched to Revisit Postcard Era of Communication

Retired Army officer S.N. Ahmed launched his book ‘Das Paise ka Postcard’ in Hyderabad, with the release officiated by actor and theatre director Vinay Varma.

The book reflects on the emotional and cultural significance of postcards in the era before digital communication.

The book is authored by S.N. Ahmed, a retired officer of the Indian Army, offering personal insight into the postcard era based on real-life experiences.

The book revives the emotional value and personal connection people had with handwritten postcards, portraying them as carriers of love, longing, and news.

Actor Vinay Varma, known for his contributions to theatre, officially launched the book in Hyderabad and praised it for bridging generational understanding of written communication.

A play adaptation of the book is in the works, aimed at presenting the essence of the postcard era to live audiences through theatre.