Daily Current Affairs Update – 08 July 2025

1. Indian Army’s Defence Modernisation Roadmap

Context                                                            

The Indian Army has unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for modernising its defence capabilities, focusing on advanced weapon systems, cyber and electronic warfare, soldier-centric upgrades, and logistics.

Key Points

• Advanced Weapon Systems:
  
  
  • Development of hypersonic glide vehicles, hypersonic air-breathing engines, and new-generation missiles.
  • Transition to smart, precision-guided munitions including loitering munitions.
  • Directed energy weapons (high-energy lasers, microwave systems) for counter-drone, missile defence, and anti-satellite roles.
    
    
• Cyber & Electronic Warfare:
  
  
  • Focus on spectrum dominance, autonomous EW solutions, and resilient satellite systems.
    
    
• Soldier-Centric Modernisation:
  
  
  • Exoskeletons, human augmentation, smart body armour, AR-based battlefield management, AI-powered helmets, and real-time health monitoring.
  •  
• Logistics & Infrastructure:
  
  
  • AI, blockchain, and IoT for sustainable, cyber-resilient logistics.
    
    
• Synergy:
  
  
  • Coordination between military, policymakers, and industry for innovation and operational effectiveness.
    
    
• Initiatives:
  
  
  • 10-Year Integrated Capability Development Plan (ICDP).
  • Defence Space & Cyber Agencies, Special Operations Division.
  • iDEX for startup innovation; Atmanirbharta in defence manufacturing (positive indigenisation lists, SRIJAN portal, liberalised FDI).
    
    

2. 17th BRICS Summit – Rio de Janeiro Declaration

Context

The 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil focused on strengthening Global South cooperation, climate finance, AI governance, and inclusive global governance.

Key Points

• Climate Finance:
  
  
  • BRICS Leaders’ Framework Declaration for accessible, timely, and affordable climate finance for developing countries.

• AI Governance:
  
  
  • Statement on responsible AI development, deployment, and use as per national and UN frameworks.
    
    
• Health:
  
  
  • BRICS Partnership to eliminate socially determined diseases (targeting poverty, social exclusion).
    
    
• Global Governance:
  
  
  • Support for multilateralism; reforms in Bretton Woods institutions and UN Security Council (greater role for India, Brazil).
  • Condemnation of terrorism (including Pahalgam attack); support for “African solutions to African problems.”
  • Emphasis on nuclear-weapon-free zones for non-proliferation.
  • Support for India’s bid to host COP 33 (UNFCCC) in 2028.
    
    

3. New Development Bank (NDB) Expands Membership

Context

The NDB, established by BRICS, admitted Colombia and Uzbekistan as borrowing members.

Key Points

• About NDB:
  
  
  • Multilateral development bank for infrastructure and sustainable development in EMDCs.
  • HQ: Shanghai, China.
  • Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Bangladesh, UAE, Egypt, Algeria, Colombia, Uzbekistan; Uruguay is a prospective member.
    
    

4. AERB Licenses India’s First 700 MWe PHWR

Context

Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) granted operational license for two 700 MW Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) at Kakrapar Atomic Power Station, Gujarat.

Key Points

PHWR Details:

• • Uses natural uranium; produces plutonium-239 for Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs).Heavy water (D2O) as coolant and moderator.
  • Thin-walled pressure tubes reduce rupture risk.
    
    
• History:
  
  
  • Indigenous development post-1974 (after Canada withdrew support).
  • Standardised 220 MWe design (Narora, UP).
    
    
• AERB:
  
  • Set up in 1983 under Atomic Energy Act, 1962.
    
    

5. World Bank: India Among World’s Most Equal Societies

Context

World Bank’s 2025 Poverty and Equity Brief ranks India as the fourth most equal country globally (Gini Index).

Key Points

• Gini Index:
  
  
  • India’s Gini: 25.5 (2022-23), improved from 28.8 (2011-12).
  • Outperforms G7/G20 peers (e.g., China: 35.7, USA: 41.8).
    
    
• Poverty:
  
  
  • Extreme poverty (<$2.15/day) fell from 16.2% (2011-12) to 2.3% (2022-23).
  • 171 million people lifted above extreme poverty.
  • Under $3/day threshold: 5.3% poverty rate.
    
    
• Gini Index Definition:
  
  
  • Measures income/consumption inequality (0 = perfect equality, 100 = perfect inequality).
  • Lorenz curve visually represents distribution.
    
    

 

 

6. National Biobank Launched at CSIR-IGIB

Context

India inaugurated a National Biobank at CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) to build a longitudinal health database.

Key Points

• Purpose:
  
  • Supports precision medicine, AI-based diagnostics, and gene-guided therapies.
  • Will collect genomic, lifestyle, and clinical data from 10,000 individuals.
    
    
• Phenome India Project:
  
  
  • Long-term study tracking health trajectories (PI-CheCK).
  • Phenome = full set of observable traits (phenotypes) of an organism.
    
    

7. India-LAC (Latin America & Caribbean) Relations

Context

PM’s diplomatic tour of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region to boost Global South cooperation.

Key Points

• Economic Ties:
  
  
  • Trade: $35.73 billion (2023-24); target $100 billion by 2027-28.
  • Major imports: crude, petroleum, precious stones, vegetable oils.
  • Major exports: vehicles, chemicals, mineral fuels.
    
    
• Trade Agreements:
  
  
  • PTA with MERCOSUR, CEPA with Chile, FTA with Peru.
    
    

• Critical Minerals:
  
  
  • LAC supplies gold, copper, lithium.
    
    
• Regional Blocs:
  
  
  • CELAC, SICA, CARICOM.
    
    

8. NCLAT: IBC Cannot Override PMLA

Context

NCLAT ruled that the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 cannot override the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Key Points

• NCLAT:
  
  
  • Appellate tribunal for NCLT, IBBI, CCI, and NFRA orders.
  • Principal bench: New Delhi.
    
    
• Legal Principle:
  
  
  • PMLA’s provisions prevail over IBC in matters of money laundering.
    
    

 

9. Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018

Context

A Delhi court declared a UK-based arms consultant a fugitive economic offender under the Act.

 

Key Points

• Definition:
  
  
  • Individual with an arrest warrant for a scheduled offence (≥ ₹100 crore) who has left India or refuses to return.
    
    
• Procedure:
  
  
  • Application to Special Court (designated under PMLA).
    
    
• Purpose:
  
  
  • Prevents evasion of prosecution by economic offenders abroad.
    
    

10. Miscellaneous

Tokara Islands Earthquakes (Japan)

• Over 1,000 earthquakes; region is tectonically active (Pacific Ring of Fire).
• Tokara: Archipelago south of Kyushu, north of Amami Islands.
  
  

National Medical Commission (NMC)

• Notified new faculty qualification regulations.
• NMC: Apex body under NMC Act, 2019 (replaced MCI).
  
  

Seine River (France)

• Opened for public swimming after 100 years due to clean-up for Paris Olympics.
• Second longest river in France; flows through Paris to the English Channel.
  
  

 

 

Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (Uttar Pradesh)

• Leopard population up by 198.91% since 2022.
• Includes Dudhwa NP, Katerniaghat, and Kishanpur sanctuaries; Terai-Bhabar habitat.
  
  

Aadhaar-based Face Authentication in PDS

• Himachal Pradesh: First state to use FaceAuth for ration distribution.
• UIDAI introduced as additional authentication mode (besides OTP, fingerprint, iris).
  
  

Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS

• Discovered by NASA-funded ATLAS telescope in Chile.
  
  
• Only third known interstellar comet after 1I/’Oumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019).
  
  

Personality in News: Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee

• 125th birth anniversary.
• Youngest Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University, President of Hindu Mahasabha, member of Constituent Assembly, Minister for Industry & Supply in interim government.