1 PM Modi and Indonesian President launch Prambanan Temple restoration project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Wednesday jointly launched the conservation and restoration project of the world-famous Prambanan Temple complex in Yogyakarta . This UNESCO World Heritage-listed temple complex is Indonesia’s largest Hindu temple . This historic site, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is considered a symbol of the deep cultural ties between India and Indonesia. PM Modi expressed confidence that the restoration project will be completed before 2029 and will subsequently attract a large number of Indian pilgrims and tourists. He prayed to Lord Shiva to further strengthen the India-Indonesia friendship and for the well-being of both countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Melbourne, Australia, on the second leg of his three-nation visit . Australian Minister Claire O’Neill received Prime Minister Modi at the airport. He was also given a ceremonial guard of honour. During the visit, the Prime Minister will participate in the third India-Australia Annual Summit . He will also address the India-Australia CEO Forum, which will be attended by leading industry representatives from both countries.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully completed the Integrated Main Parachute Airdrop Test (IMAT) for the Gaganyaan mission in Sheopur , Madhya Pradesh . The test was conducted at the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment ‘s drop zone . The primary objective of this test was to validate the parachute system for the upcoming first unmanned Gaganyaan G-1 mission. During the test, the main parachute was subjected to the maximum possible load to verify its structural integrity and design accuracy. These main parachutes will be responsible for safely landing the crew module on the sea or land when the astronauts return to Earth during the Gaganyaan mission. With this successful test, ISRO has taken a significant step forward towards the safe return of the astronauts.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal distributed the prizes of the 17th National Youth Parliament Competition for Universities and Colleges 2024-25 at Parliament House in New Delhi . Students from the University of Kashmir have secured the first position in the competition. The competition was organised with the participation of 51 universities and colleges from across the country. The award winning students expressed their happiness on receiving the awards in an interaction with All India Radio News. The Ministry has been organising Youth Parliament Competitions for Universities and Colleges for the last 29 years to increase awareness among students about parliamentary processes and democratic values.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has congratulated the National Aerospace Laboratories (NASPACE Laboratories) on successfully completing the design phase of the 19-seater Saras Mk-II . In a post on social media, Mr Naidu said Saras furthers Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and is the country’s first indigenously designed light transport aircraft. The Minister said this breakthrough in domestic aerospace manufacturing will strengthen the vision of UDAN (UDAN) to connect remote and high-altitude airports with Indian-made aircraft.
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi have developed a fully functional ” Landslide Early Warning System ” for the Indian Himalayan region. The system aims to improve disaster preparedness by providing daily predictions of landslide risks during the monsoon season through a web-based platform . The Indian Himalayan region is one of the most landslide-prone areas in the country, with changing climate patterns increasing the rate of slope failure, leading to significant loss of life and property. The research was led by Derix Prez Shukla, Professor at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at IIT Mandi, along with research scholars Ankit Singh and Nitesh Dhiman. The Landslide Early Warning System combines terrain vulnerability information with real-time rainfall data to predict and monitor landslide potential. It issues location-specific warnings to help authorities and disaster management agencies take timely mitigation measures.
Indian scientists have developed a new technique to accurately map the upper ionosphere over the Indian region for the first time. This technique has been developed by combining data obtained from ground and space. The Ministry of Science and Technology has stated that this will help improve satellite operations, communication systems, and navigation services . The ionosphere is the ionized portion of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which is crucial for communication and satellite-based navigation systems. Daily variations in electron density in the ionosphere affect the signals of systems like GPS and India’s NavIC. According to the Ministry, this technique will better understand the structure and behavior of the upper ionosphere and provide more accurate estimates for the Indian region. This technique is particularly important for regions along the geomagnetic equator, where ionospheric movements are highly complex due to the Earth’s magnetic field.
On July 8th , a uniform khaki uniform was finalized for police across the country under the “One Nation, One Uniform” initiative . This decision was made after a process involving the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) . Following this decision, police uniforms in all states will be khaki in color and feature a uniform design. The idea of ”One Nation, One Uniform” was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 28 , 2022. Its purpose is to establish a uniform identity for police across the country. Currently, the color, design, and badges of police uniforms vary across each state. According to BPR&D, instead of the many colors available in khaki, a specific color and design will be established. This will ensure that all police officers wear khaki uniforms with the same color and design. This rule will apply to all states, but the proposal will not be imposed on them; rather, it will be implemented based on consensus. In India, “Police” is part of the State List , so the final decision will be made with the consent of the states . Additionally, police uniforms in Kolkata used to be white . This is changing there as well. In 1847, British Indian Army officer Sir Harry Burnett Lumsden first introduced khaki as the official uniform in the then Punjab region (present-day Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan) . Following the 1857 rebellion, the British government reorganized the police system throughout India. The Police Act was enacted in 1861. This Act led to the formation of organized police forces in most of India’s provinces. Following the Police Act, the khaki uniform was widely adopted as the standard police uniform.
9 India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy, with the IMF projecting 7 percent GDP growth in 2026.
Despite global economic uncertainties, India remains the world’s fastest-growing major economy , and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) update has projected a growth rate of 7 percent for the current calendar year 2026. The IMF also estimates that India’s GDP growth rate may decline slightly to 6.4 percent in the next calendar year. The report states that India’s strong economic growth is driven by continued robust private consumption and service sector activity. The IMF report provides projections for India on two different bases: one based on India’s fiscal year (April to March) and the other based on the calendar year.
10 Historic settlement on Narmada Award payment dispute, decades-old issue between four states resolved: Amit Shah
A historic agreement was reached between Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh regarding pending payments under the Narmada Award in the presence of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah . The agreement was signed by the Chief Ministers of the four states in New Delhi on Tuesday in the presence of Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil . This agreement resolves a decades-old dispute over cost sharing and pending dues for the Sardar Sarovar Project through a one-time settlement. The agreement was signed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. Senior officials from the central government and the four states were also present. This agreement is considered a significant milestone in resolving inter-state financial disputes related to the Sardar Sarovar Project.
11. Indo-Pacific security gains new ground: US, Japan and South Korea sign SMR agreement
The United States, Japan, and South Korea on Tuesday signed a trilateral agreement to accelerate the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) in third countries . The initial focus will be on the Indo-Pacific region . This move marks a significant step toward their growing strategic cooperation in energy security and civil nuclear technology. During the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC). Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced nuclear reactors designed to generate reliable, low-carbon electricity with less space and lower initial costs than conventional nuclear plants. Many countries are investing heavily in this technology, seeking a safe, clean, and reliable energy source while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
12. Import of medicines approved through Navi Mumbai International Airport
On July 8 , the Central Government approved the import of medicines through Navi Mumbai International Airport . The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a notification approving this approval. Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945 , was amended to allow the import of medicines through the airport. This decision increases the number of ports/airports approved for the import of medicines into India to 42. This decision aims to strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain and improve logistics. The approval of Navi Mumbai International Airport is crucial for promoting business and ensuring the rapid and smooth availability of medicines. This government move will also reduce transportation costs for pharmaceutical companies. Special customs and health offices will also be established at the airport to ensure the quality of medicines. Navi Mumbai International Airport was inaugurated on July 5, 2026. Following domestic flights, international passenger services will commence on July 15, 2026.
13 RBI to sell government securities worth Rs 32,000 crore to raise funds
On July 8 , the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will auction government securities worth ₹32,000 crore to raise funds for the Government of India . The auction will be held on July 10 , with settlement scheduled for July 13. The government issues government securities and treasury bills to fund its borrowings. The RBI conducts these auctions as the government’s banker and debt manager. According to the RBI, the auction will be conducted from its Mumbai office using the multiple price method. Both competitive and non-competitive bids will be submitted electronically through the RBI’s e-Kuber platform on July 10. Individual investors can participate through the RBI’s Retail Direct portal. This auction is part of the government’s market borrowing program to fund its expenses by issuing sovereign debt instruments.
14 Tennis player Novak Djokovic played the longest match at Wimbledon.
On July 8 , Novak Djokovic became the player to win the longest men’s singles quarterfinal in Wimbledon history . Djokovic defeated Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 14 years his junior, in 5 hours and 15 minutes on Centre Court at the All England Club . The previous quarterfinal between Rainer Schüttler and Arno Clement in 2008 lasted 5 hours and 12 minutes. With this, Djokovic also became the player to play the most five-set Grand Slam matches in the Open Era. Djokovic also broke Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka’s record (49 times) by playing his 50th five-set singles match in his Grand Slam career. Djokovic also became the third player in the Open Era to play 15 men’s singles semifinals in a single Grand Slam. Roger Federer achieved this feat at the Australian Open and Rafael Nadal at the French Open.
15 Telangana to host 8th Khelo India Youth Games
Telangana will host the 8th Khelo India Youth Games , announced by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. The multi-sport competition is expected to be held in November . The event will provide a platform for young athletes from across the country to showcase their talents.