India’s first wooden gurudwara opens in Fazilka

1 India’s first wooden gurudwara opens in Fazilka

India’s first fully wooden Gurudwara  –  Shri Nanak Niwas – located in  Fazilka district of Punjab state  of India   has emerged as a unique example of devotion and service (seva bhaav). The Gurudwara  is completely constructed of  cedar wood imported from Finland  and is installed inside the Police Line premises. This religious place is not only a symbol of spiritual faith but also an inspiring example of coordination of sustainable architecture and public service. This unique Gurudwara was conceptualized by SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu  , whose personal devotion made it a reality in 2023. Design and Construction:  Iqbal Singh , a skilled carpenter from Ludhiana who has built wooden houses abroad.

2 Ghana joins hands with India to launch climate-resilient wheat farming initiative

Ghana has  partnered with   India’s  Arima Farms  and  Crop Research Institute to launch a climate-resilient wheat farming initiative  . This is a significant step towards food self-sufficiency. Wheat imports cost $400 million annually. The project aims to reduce dependence on imports and promote local farming. Arima Farms Managing Director Salai Manickam explained how South-South cooperation is promoting agricultural innovation.

3 India hosts first ASEAN-India Cruise Dialogue to strengthen maritime ties

On 1 July 2025  , India   hosted  the first ASEAN–India Cruise Dialogue  in  Chennai , a historic initiative. The dialogue  departed from Chennai Port on  the MV Empress cruise ship and was attended by over 30 delegates from 10 ASEAN countries and Timor Leste  . It aims to promote maritime cooperation, sustainable tourism, and economic integration in the Indo-Pacific region. The next phase of the dialogue  will take place at Mahabalipuram  (UNESCO World Heritage Site).

4 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025

 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by all  UN member states in 2015,  aimed  to build a more equitable, greener and inclusive world by 2030.  But the 2025 Sustainable Development Report (SDR)  published  recently  by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)  paints a worrying picture. According to the report,  none of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals  are on track to be fully achieved by 2030, and  only 17% of the goals are progressing as expected  . While there has been some progress in areas such as basic services, infrastructure and healthcare, there has been a global decline in key areas such as media freedom, perception of corruption, nutrition and environmental sustainability. Europe, especially the Nordic countries, continues to be a leader in global efforts towards sustainable development.  Finland has once again retained the top spot  , followed by  Sweden and Denmark in second and third place respectively  . India has secured 99th position in the SDG Index 2025   , with a score of 67.0. This is India’s best ranking till date and is considered a significant achievement.

5 Global Unicorn Index 2025

The Hurun Global Unicorn Index 2025 ,   published by  the Hurun Research Institute , marks a significant milestone for the global startup ecosystem  . This year, the total number of private startups worldwide with valuations of over $1 billion, known as “unicorns,” reached 1,523. These companies have a combined value of $5.6 trillion, putting them at the forefront of global innovation and entrepreneurship. Since 2019, the number of countries with unicorn startups has grown by 120%, to 52 countries. Similarly, unicorns are now spread across 307 cities, representing a 160% year-on-year increase in geographic diversity.  The United States leads the world with 758 unicorns  , nearly half of the global total.  San Francisco remains  the “ unicorn capital of the world ”  with 199 unicorns, followed by  New York (142 unicorns)  . China is in second place  , with 343 unicorns.  India is in third place with 64 unicorns  . Major cities: Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Gurugram. Top 5 countries by number of unicorns in 2025

6 Keshavan Ramachandran becomes the new Executive Director of RBI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed  Keshavan Ramachandran as  the new  Executive Director  . RBI announced his appointment on July 1. Before being promoted as the new Executive Director of RBI, Keshavan Ramachandran was working as Principal Chief General Manager in the Risk Monitoring Department. Keshavan Ramachandran also served as the Principal of the Reserve Bank Staff College during his career. He served as the Reserve Bank of India’s nominee member on the board of Canara Bank for over five years and on the Auditing and Assurance Standards Board of ICAI for two years.

7 MethaneSat, a satellite monitoring global methane emissions, has disappeared in space after losing contact with Earth

MethaneSat, a satellite  monitoring  global methane emissions ,  has disappeared   in space after losing contact with Earth . Launched in March 2024,  the satellite was facing persistent technical problems. The  MethaneSat satellite, developed by the US Environmental Defense Fund with funding from Jeff Bezos  , was part of a global effort to monitor methane emissions and reduce emissions. According to EDF, the satellite cost $88 million to build and launch. The organization  received a   $100 million  grant  from the Bezos Earth Fund in 2020 and  other major financial support from  Arnold Ventures, the Robertson Foundation and the Ted Audacious Project and EDF donors. The project also partnered with the New Zealand Space Agency  . Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with an incubation potential 80 times greater than that of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

8 Iran suspends cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency

Iran  ‘s President  Masoud Pezeshkian  has signed a bill  suspending cooperation with the UN  nuclear watchdog  International Atomic Energy Agency , one of the toughest steps taken by Iran in a standoff with international powers over its nuclear activities. The suspension comes soon after Iran’s parliament approved the bill by an overwhelming majority. Iranian officials accused the atomic energy agency of keeping silent during the military campaign against Iran, further fuelling tensions between Iran and the nuclear agency over nuclear access and transparency.

9 Construction of more than 66 km long four-lane Greenfield Bandikui road, built at a cost of more than two thousand crore rupees, has been successfully completed

Road Transport and Highways Minister  Nitin Gadkari  has said that  the construction of  over  66 km long four-lane Greenfield Bandikui Road,  built at a cost of over  Rs 2,000 crore,  has been successfully completed. In a social media post, Mr Gadkari said that the project  provides  direct connectivity between  the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway  and  Jaipur. The construction of this road will reduce the travel time between Delhi and Jaipur from three hours 45 minutes to just three hours  . This 67-km long four-lane modern access-controlled expressway  stretches from Bandikui in Dausa district of Rajasthan to Jaipur  . Vehicles have been allowed to run at a speed of 120 kmph on this road.

10 Maharashtra government launches hedging desk for cotton, turmeric, maize farmers

The Maharashtra government  has   taken a major step in the development of the state’s agriculture sector by launching  a hedging desk  in  Pune . The hedging desk has been set up under the Balasaheb Thackeray Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) project  . The hedging desk will help farmers get a fair price for their agricultural produce and increase their income. Hedging is a risk management tool used to reduce risk and protect the value of financial assets like shares, bonds, commodities, currencies, etc. from adverse changes in value in the future.  The hedging desk has been set up on the recommendation of the World Bank  . The Maharashtra government has  set up the hedging desk in collaboration with the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX)  and its research arm,  the NCDEX Institute of Commodity Markets and Research (NICR)  .

11 CBDT Chairman Ravi Aggarwal’s term extended till June 2026

The central government  has  extended the tenure  of  Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)  Chairman  Ravi Agarwal for one year  . Now he will remain in this post on contract basis  from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.  This decision was taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Saturday. Ravi Agarwal is a 1988 batch officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).

12 First Astro Festival in Ladakh, you will get a unique experience of science and wonder

Ladakh  has   taken a historic step towards promoting  science-based tourism . Recently,  the first “ Astro Tourism Festival ” organized in Leh concluded successfully. This two-day event was organized in collaboration with the Ladakh Tourism Department and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, with the aim of making Ladakh one of the major destinations for astro tourism.

13 SBI will light up 40 lakh homes with solar energy in the next two years

 Giving a new impetus to  India’s clean energy transition journey , State Bank of India (SBI)  has  announced an ambitious target of installing solar rooftops in 40 lakh homes by FY 2026–27  . The initiative is part of SBI’s broader sustainable development vision, in line with India’s Net Zero 2070 goal. The announcement was made public on the occasion of the bank’s 70th anniversary, underlining SBI’s role from financial services to national development. The initiative is a significant step towards achieving India’s climate goals committed at the Paris Agreement and COP26.

14 Reliance Defence signs MoU with Coastal Mechanics

 In a major boost to  India ’s defence sector, Reliance Defence  —a   subsidiary of  Reliance Infrastructure — has partnered with  US  -based defence contractor  Coastal Mechanics Inc.  (CMI) to set up  a state-of-the-art  MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility  at MIHAN (Multi-Modal International Cargo Hub & Airport)  in  Nagpur, Maharashtra . The joint venture will focus on upgrading air and land defence platforms for the Indian armed forces and international customers, in line with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” campaign. CMI’s strong partnership with the US Department of Defence could open doors for FMS (Foreign Military Sales) contracts in the future.