Daily Current Affairs- 25th July 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 25th July 2025

PM Modi Makes History: Breaks Indira Gandhi’s Record as India’s 2nd Longest Serving PM!

In the News: Prime Minister Narendra Modi completed 4,078 consecutive days in office, surpassing Indira Gandhi’s record of 4,077 days (from January 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977), thereby becoming India’s second-longest continuously serving Prime Minister.

Key Points:

• Record‑breaking Tenure: On July 25, 2025, Narendra Modi marked his 4,078th day in office, exceeding Indira Gandhi’s previous streak of 4,077 days in uninterrupted service, making him the second-longest continuously serving PM in Indian history.
• Historical Context: Indira Gandhi served from January 24, 1966, to March 24, 1977, during which she maintained an unbroken tenure of 4,077 days.
• Nehru Remains #1: The all-time record for continuous service is still held by Jawaharlal Nehru, who served as Prime Minister for 16 years, 286 days, from August 15, 1947, to May 27, 1964.
• Modi’s Total Tenure: Since first assuming office on May 26, 2014, Modi has now completed over 11 years and 60 days, and is the only PM to win three consecutive Lok Sabha elections with a majority, as well as the longest-serving non‑Congress Prime Minister and the first born after independence.
• Combined State + National Leadership: His combined record of heading governments in Gujarat and at the Centre now amounts to 24 years of continuous leadership, unprecedented for any Indian Prime Minister. 

PESA Gets a Power Boost: What the New Centre in Amarkantak Means for India’s Tribals

In the News The Ministry of Panchayati Raj, in partnership with the Madhya Pradesh government and Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) Amarkantak, signed an MoU to establish a Centre of Excellence on PESA at IGNTU. The centre aims to strengthen the implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) and boost tribal self-governance across India's Fifth Schedule Areas .

Key Points:

• Centre Launch & Stakeholders: The MoU was signed on July 24, 2025, in Bhopal with key dignitaries including Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj (MoPR), Madhya Pradesh’s Principal Secretary, and IGNTU’s Vice‑Chancellor, marking IGNTU, Amarkantak as a strategic tribal empowerment hub
• Vision & Mandate: The Centre of Excellence is designed to address longstanding PESA implementation gaps by building institutional capacity, facilitating awareness, and promoting participatory governance rooted in tribal traditions and constitutional rights.
• Core Functions: Dissemination of PESA rights and provisions via community outreach and IEC campaigns. Training Gram Sabha members, tribal leaders (especially women), and officials. Facilitating participatory Gram Panchayat Development Planning. Documenting indigenous governance models, customary laws, and cultural knowledge. Supporting State- and District-level PESA resource centres.
• Resource Publication: Launch of the compendium “PESA in Action: Stories of Strength and Self-Governance”, featuring field innovations and best practices from PESA‑implementing states to serve as a learning resource.
• Geographic Reach: The initiative spans all major Scheduled Areas across states such as Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh.
• Expected Impact: The Centre is expected to catalyse: Improved grassroots implementation of PESA, Community-led governance and resource control,Institutional support for indigenous research,Policy feedback and national-level best practices for replication.
• Constitutional Context: The PESA Act mandates devolution of powers on issues like land, forests, water, and minor minerals to gram sabhas in Scheduled Areas—a key tool for tribal autonomy that has faced implementation challenges due to lack of state-level rule framing. 

India-UK Vision 2035 Explained

In the News: Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Keir Starmer formally endorsed India‑UK Vision 2035 during a summit in London, coinciding with the signing of the long-awaited Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)—a landmark free trade deal expected to boost bilateral trade by ~£25.5 billion (US $34 billion) annually by 2040 .

Key Points:

• Strategic Roadmap Launch: India‑UK Vision 2035 establishes a future-focused bilateral agenda spanning trade, technology, defence, climate, and education, setting clear goals and time-bound milestones reviewed annually by India’s External Affairs Minister and the UK Foreign Secretary.
• Growth & Trade: The initiative builds on the new FTA (CETA), aiming to unlock jobs, enhance market access, and deepen economic integration via strengthened platforms such as JETCO, Economic & Financial Dialogue, and Financial Markets Dialogue.
• Technology & Innovation: Through the Technology Security Initiative and creation of frameworks like a UK‑India Research & Innovation Corridor, collaboration will expand in AI, semiconductors, quantum, biotech, critical minerals, and advanced materials .
• Defence & Security: A 10‑year Defence Industrial Roadmap will guide cooperation in jet engines, maritime security, underwater systems, cybersecurity and shared efforts to counter terrorism, cybercrime, migration, and illicit finance.
• Climate & Clean Energy: The Vision outlines joint action on offshore wind, small modular reactors, hydrogen energy, green finance, carbon credits, and partnerships through International Solar Alliance and disaster resilience bodies like CDRI and OSOWOG.
• Education & People-to-People Links: The agreement encourages UK university campuses in India, a shared Green Skills Partnership, mutual recognition of qualifications, expanded youth mobility schemes, and deepened intercultural engagement.
• Economic Impact Estimates: The trade deal is projected to increase UK GDP by ~£4.8 billion and boost wages by ~£2.2 billion annually, while slashing tariffs on nearly 99% of Indian exports and British imports like whisky and vehicles
  .Institutional Mechanisms & Governance: Vision 2035 includes annual ministerial reviews, upgraded 2+2 dialogues, and dedicated joint mechanisms for technology, investment, and security cooperation to ensure measurable progress and alignment.
• Global & Multilateral Aspirations: The Vision reaffirms commitment to upholding a rules-based international order, advocating for UN Security Council reform, and promoting cooperation within institutions like WTO, IMF, WHO, and Commonwealth frameworks . 

Brazil Joins South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel

In the News : Brazil announced it is finalizing formal submission to join South Africa’s genocide lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa had initiated the case on 29 December 2023 under the Genocide Convention, alleging Israel’s military actions in Gaza constituted genocide. Brazil’s decision marks a significant escalation in international legal pressure on Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

Key Points:

• Legal Move by Brazil: Brazil, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, is in the final stages of formally joining the ICJ proceedings initiated by South Africa, citing “serious violations of Palestinian rights,” including civilian massacres, starvation as a weapon, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and illegal settlements.
• Bolstered Coalition: Several countries have already joined or sought to join South Africa’s case, including Spain, Turkey, Colombia, Ireland, Chile, Cuba, Egypt, and Palestine. Brazil’s participation adds another key Latin American voice to the coalition.
• Legal Basis & Context: South Africa’s ICJ application, filed on 29 December 2023, accuses Israel of breaching its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention by targeting civilians and essential infrastructure in Gaza beyond military operations against Hamas. In January 2024, the ICJ issued provisional measures—ordering Israel to prevent genocidal acts such as civilian harm and obstructing humanitarian aid access—but stopped short of mandating a ceasefire.
• Brazil’s Diplomatic Messaging: In its public statements, Brazil warned the international community cannot remain silent regarding atrocities in Gaza, condemning “massacres of civilians,” use of deliberate starvation, attacks on religious sites, and settler violence in the West Bank. Officials explicitly referenced terms like "genocide" and "massacre," aligning with South Africa’s framing.
• Impact on Brazil–Israel Relations: President Lula compared Israeli actions in Gaza to the Holocaust, prompting Israel to declare him persona non grata and leading to a serious diplomatic fallout. Bilateral relations have since deteriorated significantly.
• Broader International Landscape: Over 50 countries and several multilateral bodies have expressed support for South Africa’s case, while key Western nations such as the US, UK, Germany, and Italy strongly oppose it, calling it meritless. Brazil’s move underscores increasing polarization in global responses, and its joining may influence other Latin American and Global South states considering intervention. 

Russian Rouble’s Sharp Rise

In the News:  Reports highlighted that the Russian rouble has climbed approximately 45% against the US dollar in 2025, making it one of the top-performing global currencies this year.

Key Points:

• Sharp Appreciation: The rouble gained around 45% against the US dollar since early 2025, marking it as one of the strongest currencies in the world this year.
• Core Drivers:
  • Tight monetary policy, with interest rates held above 20% throughout 2025, making ruble‑denominated assets attractive.
  • Capital controls such as mandatory conversion of export earnings into rubles and restrictions on capital outflows increased domestic demand for the currency.
  • Optimism around U.S.–Russia diplomacy, particularly peace talks in February, encouraged investor sentiment and speculative inflows.
• Export and Budget Disadvantages: The stronger rouble reduces ruble‑equivalent revenues from dollar-denominated exports, hurting energy and commodities income for the state. Analysts estimate the 2025 budget could see up to a 4% revenue shortfall if the rouble stays stronger than assumed (budget had assumed ~94 RUB/USD).
• Regional Ripple Effects: Central Asian migrant workers in Russia have seen remittances in local currency windfalls as the stronger rouble boosts foreign exchange value for recipients.
• Outlook & Policy Adjustments: On July 25, 2025, the Bank of Russia cut the key rate from 20% to 18%, continuing its cautious approach to inflation while anticipating softer currency appreciation ahead . While inflation appears to be cooling, the central bank remains vigilant, stating that future rate cuts will depend on inflation trends and risks from global shocks.
• Global Comparison:The rouble outperformed gold and most G10 currencies in the first half of 2025—e.g., up around 31% vs USD and double-digit gains vs. EUR, GBP, JPY, CAD, CHF. 

ICJ Climate Change Ruling

In the News : The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion declaring that countries have a legal obligation under international law to combat climate change, framing it as an "urgent and existential" threat. The ruling emphasized that failure to reduce emissions may constitute an internationally wrongful act and paved the way for affected states to seek reparations and legal redress for climate harm.

Key Points:

• Legal Duty to Act: The ICJ unanimously affirmed that states must act with due diligence to limit greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate system, grounded in treaties, customary international law, and human rights law. States must regulate not only their own emissions but also those of private actors, including fossil fuel companies
• Human Rights Reaffirmed: The court recognized the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as fundamental to human rights and essential for the enjoyment of rights to water, food, health, and housing.
• International Law Violations: Failure to prevent climate harm—including support for fossil fuel production, subsidies, or inaction—can be considered an "internationally wrongful act," triggering legal responsibility under state responsibility doctrine.
• Compensation & Reparations: The ICJ held that states found in breach must undertake obligations such as cessation and non-repetition, and provide full reparation through restitution, compensation for economic loss, and moral or non-material satisfaction
• Historical Emissions Addressed: The court emphasized that legal responsibility may extend to past emissions and long-term negligence, enabling vulnerable states to seek damages for historical contributions to climate degradation by wealthier nations.
• Catalyst for Climate Litigation: While advisory opinions are non‑binding, the ruling is expected to fuel future lawsuits—both international and domestic—and strengthen advocacy and accountability during climate negotiations, including at COP30 in Brazil.
• Small Island States’ Vindication: Caribbean and Pacific island nations welcomed the outcome as historic validation of their claims, offering legal leverage to hold major emitters responsible for the devastation wrought by disasters like hurricanes and sea-level rise.

DRDO Successfully Test-Fires Drone-Launched Missile ULPGM-V3

In the News: The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted flight trials of the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM‑V3) at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the milestone as a major boost to India’s defence capabilities, lauding DRDO and its partners for advancing indigenous precision strike technology.

Key Points:

• Missile & Launch Platform: The ULPGM‑V3 is an upgraded version of the ULPGM‑V2, designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), enabling precise strikes while ensuring operator safety. The drone used for launch is indigenously built by Newspace Research Technologies, Bengaluru .
• Advanced Guidance & Sensors: The missile is equipped with a high-definition dual‑channel seeker, supporting day‑and‑night operations and a two‑way data link for in-flight target updates and aim‑point corrections.
• Modular Warhead Options: Three interchangeable warhead types include:
  • Anti-armour (defeats modern armoured vehicles with RHA and ERA),
  • Penetration‑cum‑blast (for bunker-busting), and
  • Pre‑fragmentation (creates a high‑lethality fragmentation zone).
• Operational Flexibility: Engineered for diverse environments, the ULPGM‑V3 performs in plain and high‑altitude areas, and adapts to both day and night conditions.
• Collaborative Development: The project saw joint involvement from DRDO labs—including Research Centre Imarat, Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, High-Energy Materials Research Laboratory, Integrated Test Range, and Defence Electronics Research Laboratory—as well as collaboration with Adani Defence, Bharat Dynamics Ltd., and over 30 MSMEs and startups.
• Technology Trajectory: The ULPGM‑V3 represents a key advancement in India’s unmanned precision warfare capability, anticipated to be integrated with higher‑endurance UAVs for increased operational reach and strategic deployment flexibility .