National Developments:
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has commenced the process for holding the Vice-Presidential election, forming the electoral college comprising Members of Parliament from both Houses. This comes after Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned due to health reasons. The ECI is also finalizing Returning Officers for the poll. Meanwhile, Parliament has faced a deadlock, with Opposition protests disrupting proceedings, demanding discussions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Bihar has notably become the first state in India where each polling station now serves fewer than 1,200 voters, facilitated by the addition of 12,817 new polling stations.
In a significant policy move, the National Cooperative Policy 2025 was unveiled, aiming to modernize and transform India's cooperative sector. This new policy, replacing the 2002 framework, outlines a 20-year roadmap (2025-2045) to promote inclusive, professional, and future-ready cooperatives, with a goal to establish 2 lakh new multi-purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) by 2026. Additionally, the Union Government is set to introduce the National Sports Governance Bill 2025 in Parliament. This bill seeks to enhance transparency, streamline regulatory oversight, and ensure athlete-centric policies within Indian sports bodies, including the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Other national news includes the conclusion of the fortnight-long Kanwar Yatra, with millions of devotees participating. The Indian Army has also received the first batch of three AH-64E Apache attack helicopters from the U.S., significantly enhancing its combat capabilities.
International Relations and Economy:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on a four-day visit to the United Kingdom and the Maldives, aiming to strengthen India's ties with both nations. A major highlight of the visit is the anticipated signing of the India-UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which seeks to boost trade and create new jobs. This agreement is expected to provide India with a zero-tariff deal on 99% of its tariff lines, including textiles, footwear, and food products. In a move signalling improving bilateral ties, India will resume issuing tourist visas for Chinese nationals after a five-year suspension. Furthermore, the 34th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held, with both sides expressing satisfaction over the general prevalence of peace and tranquility along the border.
On the economic front, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) have lowered India's GDP growth projections for the current financial year. The ADB revised its projection to 6.5% from 6.7%, citing expectations of reduced exports due to higher United States tariffs and global trade uncertainty, as well as weaker domestic demand. In other economic news, Maharashtra has permitted ethanol production from food grains. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has lifted restrictions on Religare Finvest Limited, allowing it to resume normal operations. However, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a FEMA case against Myntra for alleged FDI violations.
Science, Technology, and Environment:
Arunachal Pradesh is set to get India's first fully indigenous 50-kw geothermal power plant, a project funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. In space technology, India and NASA are preparing to launch the NISAR satellite on July 30, which will monitor Earth's land, ice, and natural disasters in high detail. A significant global development for environmental protection is the United Nations' top court declaring a clean and sustainable environment as a human right, indicating potential international legal implications for countries failing to protect the planet from climate change. India has also set an ambitious target of achieving 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, a substantial increase from the current 8.18 GW, aligning with its goals of "Viksit Bharat 2047" and net-zero emissions by 2070.