Today Headlines

🇮🇳 India – National Affairs

1. RailOne App Launch

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveiled RailOne, a unified mobile app merging ticket booking, PNR checks, onboard meal ordering, and freight inquiries. It offers biometric login and a dedicated R‑Wallet, streamlining travel services under India’s Digital India initiative  .

2. Highway Boost in Tamil Nadu

The Union Cabinet approved a ₹1,853-cr four-lane upgrade of NH‑87 (Paramakudi–Ramanathapuram) under the Hybrid Annuity Mode. The work aims to improve road connectivity, ease traffic, enhance safety, and generate around 1.8 million job-days  .

3. Bihar's Youth & Culture Schemes

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launched multiple welfare initiatives: an internship program offering ₹6,000/month and a cultural pension of ₹3,000/month for senior artists. A ₹882 crore fund was also sanctioned for the development of Sitamarhi’s Punaura Dham, alongside factory rule amendments for female workers  .

4. Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme

The Union Cabinet approved the ELI scheme, encouraging job creation by offering incentives to employers for hiring target groups such as women and youth  .

5. Defence Export & INS Guldar Project

India’s defence exports surged to ₹24,000 crore in FY ’25. Additionally, plans were unveiled for an underwater museum and artificial coral reef around the decommissioned INS Guldar near Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg coast  .

6. Monsoon Outlook

The IMD forecasts above-normal rainfall in July—expecting over 106% of the long-term average—benefiting key agricultural states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh  .

7. Civil Defence Drill Review

A report highlighted Operation Abhyaas, a massive nationwide civil-defence mock drill conducted on May 7 across 244 districts. It included blackout simulations, evacuation exercises, and air‑raid siren tests  .

8. Indian Coming Out Day

July 2 marks Indian Coming Out Day, observing the anniversary of the 2009 Delhi High Court judgment that struck down parts of Section 377, decriminalizing homosexual acts. First celebrated in 2010, it remains a significant day for LGBTQ+ advocacy  .

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🌐 International Affairs

1. Modi’s Eight-Day Global Tour

PM Narendra Modi began his longest diplomatic tour in a decade—spanning July 2–9 across Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. He’ll attend the BRICS Summit in Brazil, receive Trinidad’s highest honour, and engage in high-level bilateral talks  .

2. U.S.–India Trade Talks

Negotiations continue on a potential U.S.–India trade deal ahead of the July 9 tariff deadline. Sticking points include GM crop imports, but progress involves reduced tariffs on walnuts, cranberries, autos, and medical devices  .

3. Rupee Edges Down

On July 2, the Indian rupee fell 0.2% to 85.7025 per U.S. dollar. Despite strengthening dollar and impending trade deadline, volatility remained tame. Analysts expect range-bound behaviour over the next year  .

4. England–India Second Test at Edgbaston

The high-stakes 2nd Test of the Anderson‑Tendulkar Trophy began on July 2 at Edgbaston. England, buoyed by Ben Stokes and Ben Duckett, opted to field first. India aims to recover after heavy first-innings pressure  .

5. QUAD Maritime Initiative Launch

The QUAD countries (India, U.S., Japan, Australia) launched their first joint maritime mission—At Sea Observer Mission—to strengthen Indo-Pacific naval coordination  .

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💡 Other Highlights

New National Sports Policy approved by the Union Cabinet to strengthen India’s sports framework  .

Top-tier international chess spotlight: R. Praggnanandhaa clinched the UzChess Cup, becoming India’s highest-rated player  .

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✅ Summary

July 2, 2025 saw major strides in national infrastructure and digital services with RailOne and highway projects; economic initiatives via ELI; environmental readiness through monsoon forecasts; and heightened national security drills. Diplomatically, PM Modi began his landmark foreign visit, while trade talks progressed and the rupee showed stable performance. In sports, cricket and maritime collaborations underscored global cooperation.