In a major political development, India's Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, tendered his resignation on July 22, 2025, citing health reasons. His resignation, submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, invokes Article 67(a) of the Constitution and necessitates an immediate re-election for the Vice President's office as per Article 68(1).
Concurrently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a significant diplomatic tour, commencing an official visit to the United Kingdom from July 23-24, 2025, at the invitation of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The visit aims to strengthen India-UK bilateral relations across various sectors, including trade, economy, technology, defence, climate, and education. Following this, PM Modi will undertake a State Visit to the Maldives from July 25-26, 2025, where he will be the 'Guest of Honour' at the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of Maldivian Independence.
On the economic front, India's robust growth trajectory continues, with projections placing it as the world's fastest-growing major economy at 6.3-6.8% in FY 2025-26. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) report highlighted India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as a global leader in fast payments, processing over 18 billion transactions monthly. Furthermore, the State Bank of India (SBI) successfully executed a Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) of ā¹25,000 crore, which was oversubscribed 4.5 times, bolstering its capital adequacy. India's electronics exports showcased remarkable growth, soaring by 47% in the first quarter (April-June) of the current fiscal year to reach $12.41 billion. Significant agricultural news includes record high rice stocks (55.66 million metric tons) and a four-year peak in wheat stocks (35.9 million tons) in government warehouses, driven by increased farmer procurement, which could support exports and price stability.
In terms of policy and governance, the Union Cabinet approved the 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY)', a landmark agricultural initiative with an outlay of Rs. 24,000 crores over six years, targeting growth in 100 agri-districts. The "Meri Panchayat" App received international acclaim, winning the WSIS Prizes 2025 Champion Award for its innovative approach to grassroots digital governance. The Ministry of Tourism also released operational guidelines for the SASCI scheme, aimed at developing iconic tourist sites into globally benchmarked destinations. A new nationwide youth-led anti-drug campaign, 'Nasha Mukt Yuva for Viksit Bharat', was launched in Varanasi under the MY Bharat initiative.
India's space endeavors continue to advance with the upcoming launch of the NISAR satellite, a joint project by NASA and ISRO, scheduled for July 30, 2025, from Sriharikota using GSLV-F16. The ISRO Chief also outlined ambitious future plans, including the establishment of a space station by 2035 and a Moon mission by 2040. In defence, India achieved successful trials of its Akash Prime missile at high altitude, alongside tests of Prithvi-II and Agni-I ballistic missiles in Odisha.
Other notable events include the observation of World Brain Day on July 22nd, with the theme "Brain Health for All Ages," and the 78th anniversary of National Flag Adoption Day. The Tamil Nadu government approved a Centre of Excellence for Hornbill Conservation at the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, emphasizing environmental conservation efforts.