National Deep Water Exploration Mission
The Prime Minister announced the National Deep Water Exploration Mission on India’s 79th Independence Day. The mission, led by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas with support from the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons, aims to explore untapped oil and gas reserves beneath India’s seabed. It focuses on deep‑water zones such as the Andaman Sea and the Andhra coast, opens over one million square kilometres of previously off‑limits areas, and uses advanced seismic surveys, modern drilling and AI‑enabled tools. The mission seeks to reduce dependence on imported hydrocarbons, boost domestic production and attract public‑private investment.
Mahatma Jyotiba Phule
The year‑long celebration of the 200th birth anniversary of Jyotirao Govindrao Phule was announced in August 2025. Born on 11 April 1827 in Satara, Maharashtra, Phule was a social reformer who fought caste discrimination and championed women’s rights. He and his wife Savitribai opened India’s first school for girls in Pune in 1848. Phule founded the Satyashodhak Samaj in 1873 to challenge Brahmanical dominance and promote equality. He opposed child marriage, supported widow remarriage and wrote Gulamgiri (“Slavery”) to draw parallels between caste oppression and racial slavery. His ideas inspired later leaders like Dr B.R. Ambedkar and continue to influence social justice movements.
Golden Dome Missile Defence System
The United States announced plans in 2025 for a “Golden Dome” missile defence shield. The proposed system would combine space‑based interceptors, upgraded ground‑based midcourse defences and a network of satellites to detect and neutralise ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missiles before they reach American territory. The project envisions a multi‑layered shield similar to Israel’s Iron Dome but on a larger scale, integrating sensors, radars and launch sites across the U.S. and potentially using directed‑energy weapons in space. The ambitious plan aims to protect against emerging threats but faces questions over cost, feasibility and global security implications.
New Type of Supernova Detected
Astronomers reported in 2025 that they had observed a previously unknown type of supernova triggered by a black hole in a binary star system. In this case a massive star and its black‑hole companion each had roughly ten times the mass of the Sun. Over years, the black hole’s gravity stripped material from the star until the star collapsed and exploded. The blast released more energy in a second than the Sun will in its entire lifetime. Artificial intelligence algorithms helped identify the unusual event in real time, allowing telescopes to capture the explosion from start to finish. The discovery sheds light on how black holes can directly cause stellar explosions.
Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo (1872–1950) was honoured on his birth anniversary on 15 August 2025. Born in Calcutta and educated in England, he was a yogi, poet, philosopher and nationalist leader. Early in the freedom struggle he advocated radical nationalism and was involved in revolutionary activities, notably in the Anushilan Samiti. His newspaper Bande Mataram demanded complete independence. After the Alipore Bomb case (1908) he turned to spiritual pursuits, developing the philosophy of Integral Yoga, which seeks the transformation of life through spiritual evolution. He founded the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in 1926 with Mirra Alfassa (“The Mother”) and wrote influential works such as The Life Divine and Savitri. He saw India’s freedom as linked to a cultural and spiritual renaissance.
GST Revamp – Next‑Generation Reform
The government announced in August 2025 that a simplified Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime would be rolled out by Diwali 2025. The proposal reduces the multiple existing slabs to two core rates — 5 % for merit and essential goods and 18 % for standard goods and services — with a special 40 % rate for a handful of sin and luxury items such as tobacco, alcohol and online betting. Most items currently taxed at 12 % would move to 5 %, and many items taxed at 28 % would move to 18 %. Essential food items would remain zero‑rated. The reform aims to lower the tax burden on consumers, simplify compliance for small businesses and stimulate demand. It still requires approval by state governments through the GST Council.
Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal (SYSM)
On the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day the President awarded seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals for the first time since the Kargil war. Instituted in 1980, the SYSM is India’s highest wartime distinguished service decoration, given for exceptional leadership during war, conflict or hostilities. Before 2025 only three officers had received the medal. The 2025 awardees included Air Marshals Narmdeshwar Tiwari, Nagesh Kapoor, Jeetendra Mishra and A.K. Bharti, Lieutenant Generals Rajiv Ghai and Pratik Sharma, and retired Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh. The medal is equivalent to the Param Vishisht Seva Medal in peacetime and features a circular gold disc with the state emblem and a five‑pointed star.