Daily Current Affairs- 14th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 14th July 2025

President Murmu Appoints New Governors for Haryana, Goa, and Ladakh

In the News: President Droupadi Murmu appointed Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh as Governor of Haryana, Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju as Governor of Goa, and Kavinder Gupta as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. These appointments took effect when each assumed office.

Key Points:

• Haryana – Ashim Kumar Ghosh, former BJP West Bengal president and academician, now serves as the state’s Governor.
• Goa – Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju, ex-Union Civil Aviation Minister and senior TDP leader, appointed Governor.
• Ladakh – Kavinder Gupta, former Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM and J&K BJP leader, assumed the post of Lieutenant Governor.
• Strategic Reshuffle – These appointments, following the resignation of Brigadier B.D. Mishra, reflect a realignment of governance across state and Union Territory leadership.
• Institutional Balance – Bringing leaders from diverse political and bureaucratic backgrounds to key constitutional roles ensures continuity, experienced governance, and regional representation.
• Political Nuance – The inclusion of figures such as Raju (TDP) and Gupta (BJP) underscores the government’s commitment to inclusive, cross-party representation.
• Governance Transition – Fresh leadership in these regions—particularly Ladakh after B.D. Mishra’s resignation—signals a reorientation in administrative focus and execution. 

India Launches World’s First Traditional Knowledge Digital Library

In the News: India launched the world’s first Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL)—a multilingual, AI-powered digital repository of traditional medicinal knowledge from Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy—designed to protect, preserve, and promote this intellectual heritage .

Key Points:

• First-of-Its-Kind Launch: TKDL is the inaugural global digital library focused on traditional medicine, marking a major stride in knowledge preservation .
• AI-Driven Repository: The platform uses artificial intelligence to organize and semantically index ancient texts, making traditional formulations digitally searchable.
• Protection Against Misappropriation: By codifying indigenous knowledge, TKDL aims to prevent biopiracy and unethical patent claims, especially in international patent regimes.
• Global Recognition: The WHO has praised India’s efforts, applauding TKDL as a model for digitally integrating traditional medicine within healthcare innovation.
• Legal Safeguard – TKDL strengthens India’s intellectual property rights by providing prior art access in global patent examination systems, reducing frivolous patents on traditional formulations.
• Research Enabler – The searchable, AI-structured database supports scientific validation and development of new medicines based on centuries-old practices.
• Cultural Preservation – Digitization safeguards knowledge from documents in Sanskrit, Urdu, Arabic, and regional languages, ensuring heritage is accessible and usable
• Global Leadership – India’s initiative sets an international benchmark for responsible digitization and ethical use of traditional knowledge in modern health innovations. 

Gujarat Becomes First State to Support Cruise Bharat Mission

In the News: Gujarat became the first Indian state to officially align with the Union Government’s Cruise Bharat Mission, launching multiple cruise circuits along its 2,340 km western coastline and navigable rivers like the Sabarmati and Narmada .

Key Points:

• Mission Adoption: Gujarat formally joined the Cruise Bharat Mission initiated by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on September 30, 2024, aiming to make India a global cruise tourism hub .
• Cruise Circuits Proposed: Three key circuits announced—Padala Island–Rann of Kutch; Porbandar–Veraval–Diu; and Dwarka–Okha–Jamnagar—covering cultural, natural, and religious destinations within 100 km .
• Infrastructure and Policy Planning: A GMB-led workshop (May 6) engaged stakeholders to draft a cruise shipping policy addressing port readiness, immigration processes, and skill development.
• Ro‑Pax Service Integration: The existing Ghogha–Hazira Roll‑On/Roll‑Off passenger service will complement new cruise operations.
• Tourism & Economic Boost: Gujarat’s move positions it as a pioneer in maritime tourism, expected to generate employment, enhance hospitality services, and increase foreign exchange inflows through enhanced cruise traffic.
• Strategic Coastal Utilization: Leveraging its extensive coastline and river network demonstrates Gujarat’s capacity to convert maritime potential into tourism identity.
• Model for Others: As the first state to adopt the mission, Gujarat sets a blueprint for other coastal states to develop structured cruise tourism ecosystems, supporting India’s goal to increase sea tourism tenfold by 2029. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF (WASH) tracker

In the News: The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF unveiled an updated country progress tracker for water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and waste management in health-care facilities, now covering 107 countries, up from 75 in 2023.

Key Points:

• Expanded Coverage: The tracker now includes progress data from 107 countries, offering a more comprehensive view of global efforts .
• Eight Practical Steps: It tracks countries’ implementation of eight key actions—from setting national standards to workforce training and costed roadmaps.
• Major Gaps Persist: Roughly 50% of global health-care facilities lack basic hygiene services, affecting about 85 billion people, and 688 million receive care with no hygiene infrastructure.
• Link to UN Resolution: The tracker aligns with the 2023 UN General Assembly Resolution on WASH, waste, and electricity in health-care facilities.
• Strengthening Health Systems: WASH services are foundational for infection prevention, maternal‑child healthcare, and achieving quality universal health coverage.
• Data-Driven Action: By monitoring eight actionable steps, the tracker helps countries identify gaps and prioritize improvements in hygiene and waste management.
• Global Accountability: Inclusion of more countries enhances transparency, helping nations, NGOs, and donors align strategies with global health targets.
• Lives at Stake: Poor WASH conditions contribute to millions of preventable deaths—especially from infections like sepsis—highlighting the urgency of closing coverage gaps .

India-Australia Defence Ties Grow Stronger with Joint Military Exercise

In the News: India participated for the first time in Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025—Australia’s largest military drill—alongside 18 other countries, marking a major leap in bilateral defence cooperation with Australia.

Key Points:

• Historic Debut: India debuted at Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, reinforcing its commitment to Indo-Pacific security and interoperability with partner nations.
• Multinational Scale: The exercise involved over 30,000 personnel from 19 countries, including key allies like the US, UK, Japan, and Canada, conducted across Australia and Papua New Guinea.
• Comprehensive Operations: Drills featured air, sea, land, space, and live-fire components—highlighting multi-domain coordination and joint readiness.
• Undersea Surveillance Tie-Up: Concurrently, India and Australia launched a joint research initiative to enhance undersea surveillance, underscoring their growing technological alignment.
• Strategic Significance: India’s inclusion in Talisman Sabre signals a deeper alignment with Australia and its Indo-Pacific partners, strengthening regional deterrence and operational cohesion.
• Operational Interoperability: Coordinated exercises—ranging from amphibious landings to space coordination—validate India’s evolving capability to seamlessly collaborate in multi-domain military operations.
• Technology Collaboration: The launch of an undersea surveillance research project complements exercise drills, demonstrating a holistic defense partnership that spans both field operations and technological innovation.
• Quad & Beyond: Participation in missions like Talisman Sabre reinforces India and Australia’s joint leadership within the Quad framework and expands the sphere of collective security initiatives in the Indo-Pacific. 

Byrnihat, Delhi Most Polluted Cities in First Half of 2025

In the News: According to an analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), Byrnihat (on the Assam–Meghalaya border) recorded the highest average PM2.5 concentration of 133 µg/m³, making it India's most polluted city in the first half of 2025. The National Capital Region (Delhi) followed in second position with an average PM2.5 level of 87 µg/m³—well above both WHO guidelines and national standards.

Key Points:

• 5 Levels: Byrnihat averaged 133 µg/m³, while Delhi recorded 87 µg/m³—exceeding the WHO safe limit of 5 µg/m³ by January in both cities.
• National Overshoot: By June, more than 88% of 293 Indian cities had already breached WHO’s annual PM2.5 limit, reflecting widespread air pollution.
• Delhi's Drivers: Pollution sources include vehicles, seasonal biomass burning, industrial emissions, and under‑controlled thermal plants lacking scrubbers.
• Other Hotspots: Cities like Hajipur, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Sasaram, Patna, Talcher, Rourkela, and Rajgir also featured among India’s top polluted places in the same period.
• Health Threats: Prolonged exposure to elevated PM2.5 levels leads to respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and premature death—raising critical public health alarms.
• Policy Implications: The findings expose enforcement lapses—such as missing flue‑gas desulfurization systems—highlighting urgent need for stricter regulations and implementation across industrial and vehicular sectors.
• Geographic Surprise: Byrnihat’s industrial activity and its "bowl" topography highlight pollution risks outside urban centers, calling for broader surveillance and remediation measures.
• Public Awareness: With Delhi breaching standards as early as January and Byrnihat leading pollution charts, public pressure may rise on policymakers to address air quality through sustainable interventions. 

IN-SPACe Clearance for Starlink Satellites

In the News: India’s space regulator IN‑SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre) granted final five‑year authorization to Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited (a SpaceX subsidiary) to deploy and operate its Gen‑1 low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellation and offer broadband-from-space services across India .

Key Points:

• Licensing Details: The authorization to operate the Gen‑1 LEO constellation (4,408 satellites at 540–570 km altitude) remains valid for five years or until end-of-life of that system.
• Service Capabilities: Starlink aims to deliver up to 600 Gbps of aggregate throughput, targeting enhanced internet access in remote, rural, and urban locations.
• Regulatory Context: This approval reflects India’s evolving space policy to encourage private participation and aligns with its ‘Digital India’ vision.
• Next Steps: Starlink must still secure spectrum from the Department of Telecommunications and complete Ground infrastructure setup before rolling out services.
• Bridge Digital Divide: The authorization could revolutionize internet connectivity by delivering reliable broadband to underserved and geographically remote regions in India.
• Policy Milestone: India becomes the third country in South Asia to embrace LEO satellite internet services after Sri Lanka and underscores a policy shift favoring private and international satellite operators.
• Tech & Security Assurance: IN‑SPACe will monitor compliance with national security, space safety, and spectrum regulations as services scale up.
• Global Innovation Trend: This move signals India’s readiness to integrate into global satellite internet ecosystems, supporting future collaboration, consumer choice, and domestic digital resilience. 

Sierra Leone's First UNESCO Site Gola-Tiwai Complex

In the News: In July 2025, Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, received final approval from India's space regulator, IN-SPACe (Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center), to launch satellite-based communication services in India. This marks a major milestone for global connectivity and India’s space-tech sector.

Key Points:

• Final Clearance Granted: Starlink secured the final regulatory nod from IN-SPACe in July 2025, paving the way for operational satellite internet services in India.
• Regulatory Process: The approval followed clearance from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), ensuring national security compliance.
• Operational Model: Starlink will operate through a wholly owned Indian subsidiary and begin beta services after setting up ground infrastructure and local gateway stations.
• Broadband Outreach: Starlink aims to deliver high-speed internet to remote and underserved regions, supporting India’s Digital Inclusion vision under the “Digital India” mission.
• Strategic Significance: The approval reinforces India’s commitment to open private participation in the space economy and aligns with its growing satellite communication policy framework.
• Global Connectivity Impact: India becomes one of the first Asian nations to grant full regulatory approval to Starlink, placing it alongside countries like the US, UK, and Australia.