Daily Current Affairs – 30-07-2025
National News
’NISAR’ Satellite to be Launched Today
The ‘NISAR’ Earth observation satellite, jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the American space agency NASA, is scheduled for launch on July 30 evening. It is designed to monitor changes on Earth’s surface. This project was developed at a cost of ₹12,000 crore. The launch will take place from the second launch pad at Sriharikota. The 27-hour countdown for the launch began on July 29. The satellite will be placed in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 743 km from Earth. It weighs 2,392 kg and has a lifespan of 3 to 5 years. It will provide information on various aspects including Earth’s ecosystems, glacier changes, and disaster management. NISAR will completely orbit the Earth’s surface once every 12 days. It uses two frequency band radar instruments: P-band and S-band. For this project, NASA has provided the P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, a GPS receiver, a high-capacity solid-state recorder, and a payload data system.
‘Pralay’ Missile Test Success
The Ministry of Defence announced that two successful tests of the indigenously developed ‘Pralay’ missile have been conducted. This missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is capable of carrying payloads weighing 500 kg to 1,000 kg and precisely striking targets at ranges from 150 km to 500 km. The Pralay missile is a ballistic missile. Both tests of this missile were successfully conducted on July 28 and 29 at the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Kulakalavov, Odisha. The missile, which has the capability to precisely hit targets, performed excellently in all aspects. This missile has been jointly developed by DRDO, Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, and other DRDO laboratories.
Economy News
Smartphone Exports to America: India Overtakes China to First Place
India has taken the lead in smartphone exports to the US, surpassing China for the first time. In the current year, from April to June, America’s total smartphone imports increased by 1%. India’s smartphone exports to the US have increased by 61%. Overall exports of India-manufactured smartphones increased by 240% compared to the previous year. 44% of smartphones imported by America come from India. Due to the trade war between the US and China, Apple began shifting its manufacturing base to India, which is a major reason for the increase in Indian exports. China’s smartphone exports to India have decreased by 25%. Samsung’s product exports increased by 38%, totaling 8.3 million units. Motorola’s product exports to America increased by 2%. Google’s Pixel product exports have secured a place in the top 5.
Personalities, Awards and Events
Renowned Economist Meghnad Desai Passes Away
Meghnad Desai (85), a renowned British economist of Indian origin and a member of the House of Lords, passed away on Friday. He had been admitted to a hospital in Gurugram, Haryana, due to health complications and succumbed to his illness. Born in Gujarat, Meghnad Desai served as a professor at the London School of Economics from 1965 to 2003. He joined the Labour Party in Britain in 1971. He received the Padma Bhushan, a high civilian award from the Indian government, in 2008.
Sports News
World Swimming: O’Ledecky is Champion
In the World Swimming Championship held in Singapore, American swimmer Robert O’Ledecky won the gold medal in the 1,500-meter event. He completed the race in 15 minutes, 26.44 seconds. Italy’s Gregorio (15:31.79) won the silver, and Australia’s Vani Popsti (15:41.18) won the bronze. This is O’Ledecky’s second gold medal; he had previously won a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle. O’Ledecky now has 22 gold medals in the World Championship. He is the swimmer with the most gold medals in the 1,500-meter event.
Reports and Indices
India Ranks 2nd in World University Rankings!
According to the ‘Times Higher Education’ rankings, India has emerged as the second-best country for higher education institutions globally, following the United States. For the 2024 World University Rankings, the number of Indian universities has increased fivefold from the previous year, reaching 128. This constitutes almost 6% of the total universities included in the global rankings. This growth follows the completion of five years since the introduction of the National Education Policy. Prior to the National Education Policy’s introduction in 2019, only 49 Indian universities were featured in the rankings. Starting this year, Times Higher Education rankings are assessed based on universities’ contributions to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
International News
Recognition for Palestine in September: Britain Announces
Britain has announced that it will recognize Palestine as a separate state in September if Israel accepts certain conditions. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized that Israel must take immediate steps for a ceasefire and long-term peace in Gaza. If Israel fails to do so, Britain will recognize Palestine as a separate state at the upcoming UN General Assembly meeting in September. Britain’s objective is to create “a secure and stable Israel and a viable and independent Palestinian state.” While France has already announced its recognition of Palestine as a separate state, Britain has now made a similar announcement. Currently, about 140 countries, including India, recognize Palestine.