Daily Current Affairs- 12th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 12th July 2025

Indian Army Launches Operation SHIVA 2025 for Amarnath Yatra Security

In the News: On July 11, 2025, the Indian Army launched Operation SHIVA 2025, a high‑altitude, multi‑agency security initiative to ensure the smooth and secure conduct of the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu & Kashmir. This operation is being executed in close coordination with the civil administration and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) amid heightened threats following the April Pahalgam terror attack.

Key Points

• Troop Deployment & Joint Coordination: Over 8,500 Indian Army troops have been deployed along the Nunwan–Pahalgam and Baltal pilgrimage routes. The operation is integrated with CAPFs and local civil administration teams.
• Multi‑Layered Surveillance & Security Grid: A comprehensive security architecture includes:
  • Deployment of a counter–unmanned aerial system (C‑UAS) grid with more than 50 drone-jamming and electronic warfare systems
  • UAV patrols, PTZ cameras, and real‑time convoy monitoring.
• Infrastructure & Logistics Support: Army engineers are engaged in bridge repairs, track widening, and landslide prevention, supported by medical personnel, quick-reaction teams, and helicopter readiness for emergency evacuations.
• Pilgrims & Duration: The 38‑day pilgrimage (July 3–August 9) has already seen over 140,000 pilgrims, each assigned traceable ID tags and monitored for safety. 

Arthunkal Police Station Becomes India’s First ISO‑Certified Station

In the News: The Arthunkal Police Station in Alappuzha district, Kerala, became the first police station in India to receive the IS/ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The certificate was formally presented at the station in a ceremony attended by senior police and BIS officials.

Key Points

• Certification Details: The ISO 9001:2015 certificate was granted by the Southern Regional Office of BIS on June 24, 2025, recognizing the station’s commitment to improving service delivery, transparency, and operational efficiency.
• Evaluation Criteria: Arthunkal PS underwent a two-stage audit, which assessed its performance in areas such as crime prevention, investigation, law & order, traffic management, emergency response, judicial coordination, public grievance redressal, record-keeping, infrastructure, and officer conduct.
• Ceremonial Presentation: The certificate was handed over by BIS officials including Praveen Khanna (Deputy Director General, Southern Region), in the presence of Kerala DGP Ravada Azad Chandrashekhar, ADGP H. Venkatesh, and other senior officers
• Modernisation Drive: The certification is part of the Modernised Cherthala Police Programme, initiated by ASP Harish Jain, aimed at introducing structured reforms, community policing, and alignment with national and international quality standards.

Maharashtra's Urban Maoism Bill 2024

In the News: The Maharashtra Assembly passed the Maharashtra Special Public Security (MSPS) Bill, 2024, also known as the “Urban Maoism Bill.” Championed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his cabinet, the legislation targets left-wing extremist (Maoist) organisations operating in urban areas. It now awaits clearance from the Legislative Council and the Governor’s assent.

Key Points

• Objective & Background: The Bill addresses the perceived rise of “urban Maoism,” where Maoist cadres allegedly use NGOs, student groups, intellectuals, and media fronts in cities to support rural insurgencies. Existing central laws like UAPA were deemed insufficient for such urban networks.
• Scope & Definitions: It criminalises a wide array of activities—including disrupting public order, encouraging disobedience, intimidating public servants, supporting banned organisations, and fundraising—whether through speech, writing, symbols, or conduct.
• Penalties & Enforcement Powers: Offences are cognisable and non-bailable, carrying 2–7 years of imprisonment and ₹2–5 lakh fines. The government can also declare organisations as “unlawful” and forfeit property (even before conviction) with only a 15-day notice period, though affected parties can appeal in High Court within 30 days.
• Checks, Dilutions & Safeguards: Revisions following 1,200+ public inputs replaced earlier sweeping provisions (like targeting individuals and using derogatory “urban Naxal” terminology). Now the law focuses on organisations, elevates investigative authority to ACP/DSP ranks, and establishes an Advisory Board (headed by a retired High Court judge, plus a district judge and government pleader) to vet bans and investigations.
• Key Concerns: Critics argue that the Bill’s broad/vague definitions risk suppressing dissent, curtailing free speech and protest. They highlight dangers of pre-conviction property seizure, erosion of the presumption of innocence, and potential misuse by police due to expansive powers. 

The ICC issues arrest warrants against Taliban leaders

In the News: During its Pre‑Trial Chamber II session, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants under seal for two senior leaders of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan: Haibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s Supreme Leader, and Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the Taliban’s Chief Justice. The warrants, later unsealed, accuse both figures of committing crimes against humanity—specifically the systematic persecution of women, girls, individuals whose gender identity did not conform to Taliban decrees, and political opponents.

Key Points

• Charges & Context: The ICC found "reasonable grounds" to believe these two men orchestrated persecution—including murder, torture, rape, enforced disappearances, and denial of basic freedoms—based on gender and political affiliation, violating Article 7(1)(h) of the Rome Statute (“persecution”) since the Taliban seized control in August 2021 through January 2025.
• Historic Gender-Persecution Warrant: This marks the first time the ICC has issued arrest warrants specifically citing gender persecution, extending protection to women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals under international law for such crimes.
• Taliban’s Rejection: Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed the ICC’s authority, denouncing the warrants as "baseless rhetoric" and asserting that their policies align with Islamic Sharia law, declaring non-recognition of the court.
• ICC Enforceability: As of July 2025, 125 ICC member states are legally mandated to arrest the named individuals if they enter their territory. However, enforcement remains rare—high-ranking individuals with ICC warrants have evaded capture in the past.
• Human Rights Community Response: Human Rights Watch and feminist groups have praised this action as a vital step towards justice, urging ICC members to enforce the warrants and support broader investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan, including those committed by ISIS-K and former Afghan or foreign forces.

 UNESCO Names New World Heritage Sites

In the News: During the 47th Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (July 6–16, 2025), held in Paris, UNESCO officially inscribed several new World Heritage Sites, including culturally and historically significant places in Germany, Australia, Mexico, India, Cambodia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Maratha Military Landscapes of India

Key Notes

• Designation & Scope: Inscribed as India’s 44th UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 47th Session in Paris, the Maratha Military Landscapes comprise 12 forts (11 in Maharashtra, 1 in Tamil Nadu) built between the 17th and 19th centuries, exemplifying the Maratha Empire's strategic military architecture.
• Forts Included: The sites include Salher, Shivneri, Lohgad, Khanderi, Raigad, Rajgad, Pratapgad, Suvarnadurg, Panhala, Vijaydurg, Sindhudurg, and Gingee Fort in Tamil Nadu.
• Criteria & Extent: Recognised under UNESCO Criteria (iv) for architectural significance and (vi) for historical value; the site covers approx. 1,577 ha with a 96,500 ha buffer zone.
• Evaluation Process: Following an 18-month review—entailing ICOMOS evaluation and on-site assessments—the site was approved in July 2025.
• Cultural Importance: These forts exemplify defensive prowess and administrative planning, significantly tied to figures like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, with forts such as Shivneri being his birthplace.
• Conservation Steps: Maharashtra has initiated 10-year conservation programs—for example, around Salher Fort, including infrastructure, tourism regulation, and heritage interpretation.

DRDO, IAF Successfully Test Astra Missile from Su-30 MKI

In the News: DRDO and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully carried out two flight-tests of the Astra Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), equipped with an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, launched from a Su-30 MKI fighter jet over the coast of Odisha ([turn0news10], [turn0search2]).

Key Points

• Dual Successful Test Launches: Two Astra missiles were fired at high-speed unmanned aerial targets from varying ranges and flight conditions. In both cases, the missiles achieved pin-point accuracy, validating the missile’s tracking and engagement capabilities.
• Homegrown RF Seeker Technology: The indigenous RF seeker, designed and developed by DRDO, functioned flawlessly in-flight and is a significant breakthrough in Indian missile autonomy.
• All-Systems Validation: Flight performance and data from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur confirmed the operation of all subsystems, including guidance, navigation, and tracking equipment—attesting to the Astra system's maturity.
• Range & Design: Equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems, Astra BVRAAM has a strike range exceeding 100 km and is compatible with the Su‑30 MKI platform.
• Indigenous Collaboration Ecosystem: Over 50 public and private industry partners, including HAL and major DRDO labs, contributed in design, development, and integration, reflecting built‑in domestic capacity under the Make‑in‑India defence initiative.
• National Endorsement: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the successful test and the indigenous RF seeker progress as a “major milestone in critical defence technology,” a sentiment echoed by DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V. Kamat. 

Varsha Deshpande Wins 2025 UN Population Award

In the News: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) announced that Varsha Deshpande, founder of the Dalit Mahila Vikas Mandal in Maharashtra, received the 2025 UN Population Award in the individual category. This annual honour, established in 1981, recognizes exceptional contributions to population and reproductive health including gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Key Points

• Grassroots Impact: Over 35 years, Varsha Deshpande has spearheaded initiatives to combat gender-based violence, child marriage, and sex-selective abortion. Through vocational training, advocacy for joint property ownership, and protections for informal-sector women workers, her work has empowered thousands of grassroots women.
• Pioneering Anti-Sex-Selection Campaign: Deshpande conducted sting operations and mobilized communities around preventing gender-biased sex selection. She served on government bodies including under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, playing a central role in policy implementation to curb this social evil.
• Historic Recognition for India: She joins Indira Gandhi (1983) and JRD Tata (1992) as the third Indian to receive the prestigious individual award.
• UN Tribute: In her UN acceptance speech on World Population Day, Deshpande emphasized that the award reflects collective grassroots efforts and renewed focus on the vital issue of gender equality and reproductive health