National Developments & Governance:
India's commitment to enhancing its civil services training has been reinforced with the launch of the NSCSTI 2.0 Framework on July 18, 2025, by Dr. Jitendra Singh. This revamped framework, developed under Mission Karmayogi, integrates digital tools and AI for outcome-based assessments and cross-learning, aiming to position India as a leader in civil services reform. Additionally, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurated the Mahila Aarogyam Kaksh in July 2025, a dedicated women-exclusive wellness space at Shastri Bhawan, promoting fitness and mental well-being under the Fit India Movement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated infrastructure projects worth ₹7,200 crore in Motihari, Bihar, under the Viksit Bharat Mission, which aim to transform Bihar into a growth hub and ensure urban parity. In a move to bolster agricultural prosperity and rural development, the Union Cabinet approved the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana in July 2025, merging 36 schemes across 11 ministries with an annual outlay of ₹24,000 crore over six years. This scheme targets 100 low-performing districts, focusing on irrigation, post-harvest infrastructure, and organic farming.
July 19, 2025, marked the anniversary of the Nationalization of Banks in India, a pivotal event from 1969 that aimed to align banking with socialist and developmental goals, significantly expanding banking access in rural areas. Furthermore, the India-EFTA trade pact is set to be implemented from October 1, 2025, following its signing on March 10, 2024, with a commitment of $100 billion in investment over 15 years from the European Free Trade Association.
Economic Outlook:
India's economic outlook remains highly encouraging, with Morgan Stanley forecasting India to be the fastest-growing economy globally in 2025 and 2026, projecting real GDP growth at 5.9% in 2025 and 6.4% in 2026. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects real GDP to grow by 6.5% in FY 2025-26, supported by strong domestic demand and government capital expenditures. India also recorded the highest year-on-year growth in business investment confidence among 32 economies for Q3 2025, registering a strong 12.6% increase according to the Dun & Bradstreet Global Business Investment Confidence Index.
Several new financial rules came into effect on July 1, 2025, including tightened GST return filing rules, a three-year time limit for filing past GST returns, and an extended Income Tax Return (ITR) deadline to September 15. Aadhaar has also been made mandatory for new PAN cards.
Science & Technology:
In a significant scientific milestone, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla safely returned to Earth on July 17, 2025, after becoming the first Indian to enter the International Space Station (ISS) as part of the Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). In defense technology, the Indian Army successfully tested the Akash Prime Air Defence System in Ladakh, an advanced version of the Akash system with indigenous technology for accurate threat targeting in all conditions. The DRDO has also developed a 5.56x45 mm CQB Carbine, which emerged as the lowest bidder in an Indian Army tender, significantly boosting self-reliance in critical technology.
Further advancements include the expected take-off of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission by the end of July. Researchers at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) in Thiruvananthapuram have detected circularly polarized radio emission from a young protostar about 4,500 light-years away. A new lichen species, Allographa effusosoredica, was also discovered in the Western Ghats on July 19, 2025.
Other Key Highlights:
The Indian Navy is participating in SIMBEX 2025, the 32nd edition of a bilateral naval drill with Singapore, aimed at improving maritime cooperation and interoperability. In sports, Indian students achieved remarkable success at the 57th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) 2025 in Dubai, securing two gold and two silver medals, with India ranking 6th globally among 90 countries. In the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25, Ahmedabad was declared India's cleanest large city in the category of cities with a population of over 10 lakh. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was honored with the Kalinga Ratna Award 2024 on July 15, 2025.