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🔆 India–UK Naval Drill in Arabian Sea 📍 Exercise Details ✅ Conducted on June 9–10 in the North Arabian Sea. ✅ India: INS Tabar (stealth frigate), submarine, P-8I patrol aircraft. ✅ UK: HMS Prince of Wales (aircraft carrier), HMS Richmond (frigate). 📍 Objective ✅ Strengthening bilateral naval cooperation. ✅ Included integral helicopters, tactical manoeuvres, and anti-submarine operations.

🔆 West Asia Crisis: Israel-Iran Conflict Escalates 📍 Conflict Trigger ✅ Israel struck Iran’s nuclear sites, including Natanz, targeting scientists and missile factories. ✅ Iran retaliated with drones, raising fears of a broader regional war. 📍 Implications ✅ Prolonged conflict could destabilize West Asia and trigger global economic fallout. ✅ India is vulnerable due to millions of migrant workers in the Gulf. 📍 Background ✅ Iran denies building nuclear weapons; IAEA found enriched uranium but no bomb intent. ✅ 2015 nuclear deal was scrapped by Trump, reigniting tensions. 📍 Urgent Need ✅ Immediate global diplomatic intervention is vital to restore stability.

🟢 UK Assisted Dying Bill Passed by Commons The UK House of Commons narrowly passed the Assisted Dying Bill, allowing terminally ill patients in England and Wales (with <6 months to live) to legally end their lives. It now heads to the House of Lords. While backed as a matter of dignity and choice, concerns remain over potential pressure on disabled people and strain on NHS resources.

🔆 India Joins ‘Khaan Quest’ in Mongolia 📍 Exercise Details ✅ Indian Army reached Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia for Khaan Quest, a multinational military exercise. ✅ Held from June 14–28; hosted annually by U.S. & Mongolia (since 2003). 📍 Participation ✅ India sent 40 personnel, mainly from Kumaon Regiment. ✅ Includes 1 woman officer and 2 women soldiers. 📍 Objective ✅ Aims to boost global military cooperation and peacekeeping skills.

🔆 UK-India Cultural Ties Deepen Post-FTA 📍 A new Programme of Cultural Cooperation strengthens UK-India cultural links across five areas: digital culture, sustainability, IP, performances, and exhibitions. ✅ Focus: AI, AR/VR, heritage preservation, creative economy, and skilling. ✅ Examples: Royal Enfield–UNESCO project, Himalayan Knot. ✅ Outcome: Cultural diplomacy now supports economic goals, soft power, and global creative leadership through inclusive, tech-driven storytelling. #IR

🔆 India Abstains from UNGA Gaza Ceasefire Vote 📍 What Happened India abstained from the UNGA resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza — for the 4th time in 3 years, signaling a shift from its December 2024 vote in favour. 📍 Key Highlights ✅ 55,000+ killed in Gaza due to Israeli bombardment ✅ India recognised Palestine in 1988 ✅ Among 147 of 193 countries that do ✅ Yet, India was the only country in South Asia, BRICS & SCO to abstain ✅ Resolution backed by 149 countries 📍 India’s Stand India cited “deep concern” over humanitarian crisis but supported continuation of past voting stance. The MEA avoided public comment. 📍 What’s Next All eyes on the French-Saudi UNGA meet on June 17, where India is expected to engage on a two-state solution for peace. #IR

🔆 Trump’s Tariffs & U.S.–India Trade Tensions 📍 Key Issue ✅ Trump-era tariffs (10–135%) disrupted global trade norms. ✅ U.S. cited $44 billion trade deficit with India; India actually has a $35–$40B surplus. 📍 India’s Response ✅ Opposed U.S. unilateralism; raised duties on U.S. goods. ✅ Emphasized mutual trade solutions under WTO rules. 📍 Way Forward ✅ Future deals must protect India’s interests in tariffs, digital services, and remittances. ✅ India urged to push for multilateralism and WTO compliance amid U.S. unpredictability. #IR

🔆 Key Takeaways: India-Africa Digital Collaboration ✅ Significance of Africa Day: • Celebrated on May 25 to mark the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (1963). • Symbolizes Africa’s journey toward unity, independence, and socio-economic development. ✅ Africa’s Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030): • Emphasizes digital innovation as central to development. • Encourages governments to adopt digital solutions for inclusive growth. ✅ India’s Evolving Africa Strategy: • Blends state-led financing with socially embedded solutions. • Social enterprises delivering low-cost, high-impact innovations are increasingly part of New Delhi’s engagement, reflecting inclusive, adaptable partnerships. ✅ Technology-Driven Partnerships: • Marked by integrated, technology-driven cooperation. • Builds on India’s success with Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems: Aadhaar, UPI, CoWIN, DIKSHA. • Focus on sharing and co-creating digital solutions to improve governance and service delivery. • Aligns with Africa’s continental digital agendas, including Policy and Regulatory Initiative for Digital Africa and Smart Africa Alliance. ✅ Key India-Africa Collaborations: • MoUs with Togo and Zambia for digital ID and governance systems. • Partnership with Ghana to implement India’s UPI for faster transactions. • Bank of Namibia pact with India’s National Payments Corporation to develop a UPI-like system. ✅ Educational and Capacity-Building Initiatives: • IIT Madras campus established in Zanzibar focusing on data science and AI. • Public-private partnerships fund scholarships and foster talent. ✅ Strategic Importance: • India’s DPI model is framed as a digital public good, open-source and adaptable. • Offers a public-oriented alternative to surveillance-driven or proprietary systems. • Emphasizes adapting tools to local contexts through state-led collaboration beyond technology transfer. ✅ Challenges to Digital Adoption in Africa: • Africa faces the world’s largest digital divide due to high data/device costs, rural-urban connectivity gaps, and gender disparities in digital access. • Digital infrastructure expansion depends on reliable energy, a bottleneck in many countries. • Sustainable power generation and grid investments are essential. ✅ Global Competition and Future Roadmap: • India competes with China, EU, and US in Africa. • About 85% of African countries have national ID systems with digital capabilities; over 70% collect biometric data. • A new India-Africa digital compact could be a scalable model for inclusive global digital governance. #IR #globalpartnerships

✅India's "new normal" post-Pahalgam refers to a shift in India's approach to India-Pakistan relations, emphasizing self-reliance and decisive responses to terrorism. ✅This "new normal" involves precision strikes against terrorist groups, a more assertive stance in confronting Pakistan's nuclear bluff, and prioritizing India's security and unity over external pressures. ✅Self-Reliance: The "new normal" signifies a move away from relying solely on international mediation and towards independent action by India. ✅Decisive Response to Terrorism: India is now adopting a more proactive and forceful approach in addressing terrorism, particularly in the context of its relations with Pakistan. ✅Precision Strikes: The strategy includes carrying out targeted operations against terrorist groups and infrastructure. ✅Calling Pakistan's Nuclear Bluff: India is asserting itself in a way that challenges Pakistan's nuclear capabilities and intimidation tactics. ✅Prioritizing National Security #gs2 #ir

🔆Golden Dragon 2025 ✅The Golden Dragon military exercise is a bilateral annual drill between China and Cambodia, first initiated in late 2016 to strengthen military cooperation and strategic ties. ✅The official theme of Golden Dragon 2025 is joint counter-terrorism operations and humanitarian relief, portraying the exercise as a peace-building and capacity-building initiative. ✅The 2025 edition is being held at the Ream Naval Base, located in Sihanoukville, on Cambodia’s southern coast. ✅The base was officially inaugurated in April 2025 with the docking of Chinese warships, highlighting China’s expanding naval presence in the Gulf of Thailand. ✅The Golden Dragon drills coincide with the S. -Philippines-led ‘Balikatan’ exercise involving troops from the U.S, Philippines, Australia, and Japan.