News at a glance
| Topic | GS Paper(s) | Why in News (July 27-28, 2025) |
| India’s G20 2026 Presidency | GS-2 (IR, Governance), GS-3 (Economy, Environment) | India to hold G20 Presidency Dec 2025-Nov 2026; agenda on sustainable development, digital economy, climate action |
| New Space India Limited (NSIL) Commercial Launches | GS-3 (Science & Technology, Economy) | NSIL commercial satellite launches expand private sector role and global space exports |
| India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership | GS-2 (IR, Diplomacy), GS-3 (Economy, Energy) | Enhanced trade, energy cooperation, defense ties, and diaspora linkages under the 2017 CSP and 2022 CEPA |
| World Nature Conservation Day (July 28) | GS-3 (Environment, Ecology) | Global awareness day promoting biodiversity conservation, digital innovation, and India’s afforestation efforts |
| World Hepatitis Day (July 28) | GS-2 (Health), GS-3 (Health Infrastructure) | Global focus on hepatitis elimination by 2030; India’s vaccination, diagnosis, and treatment programs highlighted |
| International Chess Olympiad 2025 – India’s Participation | GS-1 (Culture & Sports), GS-3 (Soft Power) | India’s strong chess presence with grandmasters and youth prodigies; support from government and private sectors |
| National Road Safety Month (July) | GS-1 (Society), GS-3 (Infrastructure, Health) | Month-long campaign to reduce road accidents through awareness, enforcement, and tech integration |
1. India’s G20 2026 Presidency
Context:
India will take over the G20 Presidency from December 2025 to November 2026, only two years after hosting it in 2023. This opportunity lets India shape the global economic and political discourse.
Key Points
- The G20 is a premier forum with 19 countries and the EU, representing 85% of global GDP and two-thirds of the world population.
- G20 Presidency is not permanent; it rotates annually, with the current, previous, and future chair called the “Troika” for continuity
- India’s G20 themes have centered around Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“One Earth, One Family, One Future”), focusing on multilateral solutions, SDGs, financial inclusion, digital public infrastructure, clean energy, climate action, gender equality, and health
- As host, India can influence discussions on international finance, climate commitments (e.g., Paris Agreement), food and energy security, and reforms in multilateral institutions (IMF, WTO, World Bank)
- Extensive internal consultations are held with ministries, think tanks, and civil society (NITI Aayog plays a key role) for policy input.
- The G20 agenda typically includes ministerial meetings (Sherpa Track, Finance Track), working groups, and special engagement groups (Startup20, Women20, etc.).
- India’s successful presidency cements its role as a “Voice of Global South” and furthers its diplomatic profile.
2. New Space India Limited (NSIL) Commercial Launches
Context:
NSIL is ISRO’s commercial arm, established to harness India’s space capabilities and facilitate private participation in the space sector.
Key Points
- Founded in 2019 under the Department of Space, with ₹100 crore authorized capital; its purpose includes satellite launches, tech transfer, and industry interface
- NSIL manages “demand-driven” satellite missions: for example, GSAT-24 was India’s first mission where capacity was leased to Tata Play BEFORE launch, ensuring immediate commercial utilization
- Key responsibilities: production/marketing of launch vehicles (PSLV, SSLV), satellite-based services, and supporting startups through tech transfer programs
- NSIL currently owns and operates nearly 11 communication satellites, supporting DTH, broadband, and VSAT services
- As part of government’s space reforms, NSIL builds, launches, owns, and operates satellites, directly servicing clients — boosting efficiency and export potential
- Strong focus on global customers; partnerships with foreign clients for commercial launches are increasing significantly.
3. India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
Context:
India and UAE share deepening ties across trade, energy, investment, and security, guided by the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2017) and the 2022 CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement).
Key Points
- UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export market; bilateral trade hit USD85bn (2022-23), poised to cross USD100bn soon due to CEPA
- CEPA (2022) provides zero-duty access for 97% of Indian exports, expected to create a million jobs in India, boost bilateral trade by USD100bn in 5 years, and USD15bn in services
- Sectoral cooperation: energy security (oil, renewables, green hydrogen), food corridor initiative (boosting trade, food supply chains), fintech, AI, and logistics
- Defence and security: joint exercises, counterterrorism cooperation, intelligence sharing
- Strong diaspora bond: 3.5 million Indians in UAE, remittance flows, and welfare MOUs signed (including for the COVID-19 pandemic)
- Key MOUs recently: food security corridor, digital payments interoperability (RuPay–UAEPAY), culture, education, and climate action
4. World Nature Conservation Day (July 28, 2025)
Context:
World Nature Conservation Day is observed globally to raise awareness about the need to safeguard the planet’s natural resources and biodiversity.
Key Points
- Theme for 2025: “Connecting People and Plants, Exploring Digital Innovation in Wildlife Conservation”
- Focuses on digital innovations—satellites, drones, apps—for conservation monitoring and community engagement; support for India’s LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) campaign
- Highlights importance of restoring degraded ecosystems, protecting species at risk, and tackling climate change impacts
- Key global problems: deforestation, habitat loss, urbanization, pollution, extinction crises. Mahatma Gandhi’s quote, “The planet has enough for everyone’s need, but not everyone’s greed,” is widely invoked on this day
- Indian government programs: Project Tiger, Project Elephant, National Mission for Clean Ganga, CAMPA, with active roles for NGOs and student initiatives
- Attended by schools, universities, and civil society groups with online campaigns, plantation drives, and waste reduction initiatives
5. World Hepatitis Day (July 28, 2025)
Context:
World Hepatitis Day, led by WHO, aims to boost global awareness about hepatitis viruses, drive prevention and treatment, and advocate elimination by 2030.
Key Points
- Theme for 2025: “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down”—focuses on breaking down social, financial, and systemic barriers to hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention
- Hepatitis A, B, C, D, E types; B and C responsible for 95% of global hepatitis mortality. India carries a heavy burden, especially chronic HBV and HCV infections
- WHO’s 2030 targets: 90% reduction in new HBV/HCV cases, 65% reduction in deaths, 90% diagnosis, and 80% eligible people to get care
- India’s “National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme” launched in 2018; free diagnosis, vaccination (esp. at birth), treatment centers at district and medical college levels
- Acute hepatitis can affect children (recent outbreaks of unknown origin reported); chronic hepatitis causes silent, long-term liver damage, cirrhosis, cancer, and is often asymptomatic
- Activities on this day focus on vaccination drives, awareness camps, free liver screenings, policy push for universal birth dose of Hep-B vaccine, and eliminating stigma
6. International Chess Olympiad 2025 – India’s Participation
Context:
India is among the top nations in global chess, and the 2025 Chess Olympiad further cements this, especially after successful hosting in 2022.
Key Points
- 2025 FIDE World Cup will again be hosted in India with 206 players in knockout format, providing slots for 2026 Candidates Tournament
- In previous Olympiads (including 2022), India fielded three teams in Open and Women’s sections due to record participation. Top grandmasters like Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and prodigies like D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa feature in top teams
- India’s Women’s team often seeded at the top; regular medal contenders, and a showcase for Indian chess depth—including legends (Anand, Humpy) and rising stars
- Chess enjoys robust support: Chess in Schools program, government and sponsors (ONGC, IndianOil, airports) back chess promotion and training
- The Olympiad boosts India’s international sporting profile and soft power; crucial for aspirants tracking India’s growth in intellectual sports.
7. National Road Safety Month (July 2025)
Context:
Observed annually, Road Safety Month targets awareness, enforcement, and technological improvement to reduce India’s high rate of road accidents.
Key Points
- National Road Safety Month 2025 is from January 18 to February 17, theme: “Be a Road Safety Hero”—emphasizing collective responsibility for safer roads
- Around 1.5 lakh deaths annually on Indian roads; causes include speeding, drunk driving, lack of helmet/seatbelt use, poor road engineering
- Government initiatives: Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety (speed cameras, e-challans), incentives for NCAP-rated cars, and amendment to Motor Vehicles Act (2019) for stricter penalties
- Public engagement involves schools, transport companies, NGOs, and police with workshops, rallies, quizzes, and digital campaigns
- Special focus on vulnerable users: pedestrians, cyclists, schoolchildren. Road safety education, first-aid training, and street audits encouraged
- Integration of technology via Intelligent Traffic Management Systems and the expansion of digital highway boards and emergency response apps