COP30 and Global Climate Diplomacy: The upcoming 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) to the UNFCCC, scheduled for November 2025 in Belém, Brazil, comes amid heightened climate anxiety — the 1.5°C target slipping away, the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and growing scepticism over multilateral climate processes. COP30 marks a shift from target-setting to implementation […]
Day: October 20, 2025
Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25
Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25: After over a year’s delay, the Synchronous All India Elephant Estimation (SAIEE) 2021–25 results were released in Dehradun by the Union Environment Ministry and Wildlife Institute of India (WII), reporting 22,446 elephants across India. SAIEE is India’s nationwide synchronized census of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) conducted every five […]
United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP)
United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP): India has been elected as the Co-Chair of the United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management for Asia and the Pacific (UN-GGIM-AP) for a three-year term (2025–2028). The UN-GGIM-AP is one of the five regional committees of the United Nations Committee of Experts on […]
Akkai Padmashali becomes the first transgender person from Karnataka to join a Supreme Court-appointed committee
Akkai Padmashali becomes the first transgender person from Karnataka to join a Supreme Court-appointed committee: Trans rights activist Akkai Padmashali has been appointed to a Supreme Court panel tasked with formulating an equal opportunity policy for the protection of transgender rights. She is the first transgender person from Karnataka to serve on such a committee, […]
Nirmal Kumar Minda takes over as President of Assocham, with Axis Bank’s Amitabh Chaudhry named Senior Vice‑President
Nirmal Kumar Minda takes over as President of Assocham, with Axis Bank’s Amitabh Chaudhry named Senior Vice‑President: Nirmal Kumar Minda, the Executive Chairman of Uno Minda Group, assumed the role of President of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham). Alongside him, Amitabh Chaudhry, Managing Director & CEO of Axis Bank, has […]
UIDAI Launches Aadhaar Mascot Design
UIDAI Launches Aadhaar Mascot Design: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced a nationwide Mascot Design Contest aimed at finding an official visual ambassador for Aadhaar. The competition is being hosted on the MyGov platform and is open until 31 October 2025. Participants — either individuals or teams — can submit original mascot […]
Harsh Sanghavi Becomes Gujarat Deputy CM in Cabinet Shake-Up
Harsh Sanghavi Becomes Gujarat Deputy CM in Cabinet Shake-Up: Harsh Sanghavi was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, signaling a significant shift in the state’s political leadership. This move came as part of a massive cabinet reshuffle led by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who inducted 25 ministers in a fresh bid to […]
11th India International Science Festival to Be Held in Chandigarh
11th India International Science Festival to Be Held in Chandigarh: The India International Science Festival (IISF) is India’s flagship science outreach initiative that brings together scientists, students, innovators, and the public. The 11th edition of IISF is scheduled from 6 to 9 December 2025 in Chandigarh, with the theme “Vigyan se Samruddhi: For Atma Nirbhar […]
BLS International to Operate Indian Visa Centres in China
BLS International to Operate Indian Visa Centres in China: BLS International Services Ltd has secured a three-year contract from India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to establish and operate Indian Visa Application Centres (IVACs) in China. The contract, which became effective on October 14, 2025, authorizes BLS to manage visa services in Beijing, Shanghai, and […]
India’s Trade Deficit Hits $32.15 Billion in September 2025
India’s Trade Deficit Hits $32.15 Billion in September 2025: India’s merchandise trade deficit widened sharply to $32.15 billion in September 2025, marking an 11-month high, according to data released by the Commerce Ministry on October 15. This surge, significantly above expectations, reflects a faster rise in imports than exports—compounded by recent US tariff hikes on […]
