NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Garuda Aerospace commits ₹100 crore for developing India’s first drone city in Andhra Pradesh: Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace, a drone manufacturer, has announced an investment of ₹100 crore for the development of Andhra Pradesh as India’s first ‘Drone City’.The project aims to foster drone innovation, research, and development, transforming the nation into a global hub for drone technology.Founder & CEO of Garuda Aerospace – Agnishwar Jayaprakash
2. Justice Harsh Kumar to head Judicial Commission on Maha Kumbh Stampede: The Uttar Pradesh government of Yogi Adityanath has set up a three-member judicial committee headed by retired judge of the Allahabad High Court Justice Harsh Kumar, to inquire into the stampede incident in Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj on 29 January 2025.The three-member Inquiry Committee consists of Justice (retd.) Harsh Kumar, former Director General of Police V K Gupta, and retired IAS officer D K Singh.The commission will examine the cause and circumstances that led to the stampede and will recommend measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The commission has to submit its report to the Uttar Pradesh government within one month.According to the Uttar Pradesh Government, 30 people were killed and 60 were injured in the pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh as millions of people rushed to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya (new moon day) on 29 January 2025.
3. Rajesh Nirwan appointed as Director General at BCAS: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the appointment of senior IPS Officer, Rajesh Nirwan as the Director General of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation.Rajesh Nirwan, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Rajasthan cadre from the 1992 batch, brings extensive experience and expertise to his new role.BCAS, functioning under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is responsible for ensuring the security of civil aviation operations across India. The Bureau plays a pivotal role in maintaining and upgrading aviation security standards in line with international protocols, safeguarding civil aviation operations from acts of unlawful interference.
4. Amit Shah releases “Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade” book: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has released “Indian Renaissance: The Modi Decade” book in New Delhi.Amit Shah said that in the past 10 years of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s tenure have marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one. He emphasized that whenever India’s history is rewritten, even Modi Ji’s staunchest critics will acknowledge these 10 years in golden letters.
5. PM-JANMAN Package for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups: The PM-JANMAN package is initiative launched in November 2023 to enhance the living conditions of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India. The programme aims for 100% saturation of essential services like housing, water, and roads across PVTG habitations. It addresses the socio-economic challenges faced by 75 PVTG communities in 18 states and one Union Territory. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs oversees the implementation in collaboration with nine line ministries and state governments. Initially, the process faced delays due to data entry requirements on the PM-GatiShakti portal. However, recent clarifications have expedited the sanctioning of homes, with over 4 lakh homes sanctioned as of November 2024.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. EU Resumes Monitoring at Rafah Border Crossing: The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened for medical evacuations after being closed since May 2024. This reopening comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and is development for humanitarian efforts. The European Union (EU) has reinstated its civilian mission to monitor this critical transit point. The mission aims to support the transfer of individuals needing medical care and to facilitate the movement of injured civilians and Hamas fighters. On the reopening day, the crossing will initially allow 50 injured fighters and 50 wounded civilians to enter Egypt, along with their escorts. An additional 100 individuals, likely students, will also be permitted to cross on humanitarian grounds. The movement will be one-way, from Gaza to Egypt. The EU’s involvement signifies a collaborative effort to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Russian Icebreaker Collision in Kara Sea : The collision of the Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker, 50 Let Pobedy, with a cargo vessel in the Kara Sea on January 26, 2025, has raised concerns about safety and navigation in the Arctic region. The impact caused damage to the icebreaker but did not compromise its seaworthiness or safety systems. This incident puts stress on the strategic importance of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) for Russia amid rising global temperatures and increasing shipping activity. Russia operates a substantial fleet of icebreakers, including nuclear-powered vessels, positioning itself as a leader in Arctic navigation. The country has seven operational nuclear icebreakers and plans to expand its fleet further. The upcoming Rossiya, expected to be the most powerful icebreaker globally, will enhance Russia’s capabilities in the Arctic.
2. Indian Navy Women Officers Cross Point Nemo: Recently, two Indian Navy women officers, Lt. Cdr. Dilna K. and Lt. Cdr. Roopa A., successfully navigated through Point Nemo, the most remote location on Earth, during their expedition aboard the sailing vessel INSV Tarini. This historic journey is part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II initiative, promoting women’s participation in maritime activities. The water samples collected by the officers will be analysed by the National Institute of Oceanography. This research aims to provide vital information about oceanic conditions, including chemical composition and marine biodiversity. Such studies contribute to our understanding of global ocean health.
3. India’s Defence Strategy on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems: India’s Defence Ministry recently conducted a pilot study on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS). This study marks the transformative potential of these technologies. It raises critical questions regarding control, accountability, and ethical deployment. The study was carried out in collaboration with the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses. The Defence Ministry has adopted a framework for evaluating trustworthy AI. This framework is based on five core principles – reliability, transparency, fairness, privacy, and safety. These principles ensure that AI use in defence adheres to humanitarian concerns.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Who is Shubhanshu Shukla?: Recently, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla is poised to make history as the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station (ISS). Selected to pilot the Axiom Mission 4, Shukla represents milestone for India’s participation in human spaceflight. The mission is a collaboration between Axiom Space and NASA, aiming to enhance international cooperation in space exploration. Shubhanshu Shukla is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy in Pune. After joining the Indian Air Force (IAF) in June 2006, he progressed to Group Captain by March 2024. Shukla has accumulated over 2,000 flight hours across various aircraft, including the Su-30 MKI and MiG-29. His journey into space began when the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) selected him for training in 2019 at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Russia.
2. ISRO’s NVS-02 Satellite Faces Orbit Raising Challenges: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) recently encountered a setback with the NVS-02 satellite. Launched on January 29, 2025, this marked ISRO’s 100th launch. The satellite was intended to be positioned in a designated orbital slot. However, a valve malfunction prevented the necessary orbit raising operations. Currently, the NVS-02 satellite remains in an elliptical orbit. The satellite’s systems are reported to be healthy. Communication with ground stations has been established. Solar panels on the satellite have been deployed and are generating power nominally.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IBA honours Karnataka Bank with six awards for banking technology excellence: Karnataka Bank has won awards in six categories at the ‘20th Annual Banking Technology Conference, Expo & Citations, 2024’, instituted by the Indian Banks’ Association, recently.The awards were: ‘Best Tech Talent and Organization’, ‘Best IT Risk Management’, ‘Best Technology Bank’, and ‘Best Fintech and DPI Adoption’ (all runner-ups); and ‘Best Digital Sales, Payments and Engagement’ and ‘Best AI and ML Adoption’ (special mention).
2. The Rise of Card Tokenisation in India: Card tokenisation has rapidly transformed the digital payment landscape in India. As of December 2024, over 91 crore tokens have been issued, facilitating more than 320 crore transactions valued at nearly ₹11 lakh crore. This growth puts stress on the shift towards enhanced security in e-commerce, with 98 per cent of online transactions now processed without actual card data. In October 2022, the RBI mandated that businesses stop storing customer card data. This policy shift aimed to enhance consumer protection and ensure that sensitive information was not exposed on third-party platforms. Tokenisation has become essential for securing digital payments, reducing the risk of data breaches.
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