Demand, rupee to decide India’s Bloomberg bond index entry

About Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index

• Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index (BGAI) is one of the world's most influential bond indices, tracking investment-grade government and corporate bonds across global markets.
• Purpose: Serves as a benchmark for global bond investors and passive investment funds.
• Eligibility: Countries must satisfy criteria related to market accessibility, liquidity, settlement infrastructure, taxation and foreign investor access.
• India's Status: India is currently seeking inclusion in the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Bond Index after already joining major global bond indices such as the JP Morgan GBI-EM (2024) and FTSE Russell EMGBI (2025).

President of India presented Gallantry Awards to Armed Forces and Police Personnel. 

About Gallantry Awards

• Objective: Recognitions given for acts of bravery, valour and self-sacrifice during both wartime and peacetime.
• Conferred By: The President of India, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
  • Officially announced twice a year on the eve of Republic Day (January 26) and Independence Day (August 15).
• Nodal Ministry: The Ministry of Defence invites recommendations twice a year from the Armed Forces and the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Wartime Gallantry Awards: Param Vir Chakra (Highest), Maha Vir Chakra and Vir Chakra.
  • Instituted on 26 January 1950 (with effect from 15 August 1947).
• Peacetime Gallantry Awards: Ashoka Chakra (Highest), Kirti Chakra and Shaurya Chakra.
  • Originally, they were named Ashoka Chakra Class I, Class II, and Class III but were renamed in 1967. 
  • Instituted on 4 January 1952 (with effect from 15 August 1947).

US judge strikes down ‘unlawful’ $100k H-1B visa fee 

About H-1B Visa

• The H-1B Visa is a non-immigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations requiring specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor's degree or equivalent 
• Eligible Sectors: Information Technology, Engineering, Healthcare, Finance, Research, Education, Biotechnology, etc.
• Duration: Initially granted for 3 years, extendable up to 6 years (and longer in some green-card processing cases)
• India's Significance: Indian nationals are the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B programme, accounting for a majority of approvals 

Union Home Minister calls for joint action by Delhi, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to rejuvenate the Yamuna.

About Yamuna 

• Origin: Yamunotri Glacier near Bandarpunch Peak in the Garhwal Himalayas, at an altitude of about 6,387 m.
• Length: 1,376 km, making it the longest tributary of the Ganga.
• Confluence: Joins the Ganga River at Triveni Sangam, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh).
• Himalayan Tributaries: Rishi Ganga, Hanuman Ganga, Tons and Giri.
• Plain Tributaries: Hindon, Chambal, Sind, Betwa and Ken.
• Largest Tributary: Tons River, contributing nearly 60% of Yamuna's water flow.
• Basin States: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
• Unique Feature: Longest river in India that does not directly flow into the sea.

Union Minister to trigger final blast for historic Zojila tunnel breakthrough

About Zojila Tunnel

• Location & Structure: 13.14 km long, horseshoe-shaped, single-tube bi-directional tunnel at 11,578 ft altitude between Ganderbal (Kashmir) and Drass in Kargil district of Ladakh.
• Construction Features: Built using the New Austrian Tunneling Method with Smart Tunnel (SCADA) system.
• Strategic Importance: Part of the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Highway, enhancing civilian and military mobility.
• Significance: Will provide all-weather access to Ladakh and become India’s longest road tunnel and Asia’s longest bi-directional tunnel by 2028.

KABIL acquires five critical mineral blocks in Argentina. 

• Argentina is part of the “Lithium Triangle” along with Chile and Bolivia, which holds more than half of the world’s lithium resources.
• Argentina has the world’s 2nd largest lithium resources, 3rd largest reserves and 4th largest lithium production.

About KABIL

• Establishment: It was incorporated in 2019 under the Ministry of Mines.
• Joint Venture Structure: Formed by NALCO, Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL) and MECL in a 40:30:30 ratios.
• Objective: To secure critical and strategic minerals and ensure India’s mineral security and supply-chain assurance.

AB-PMJAY achieves nationwide coverage with West Bengal joining scheme.

About AB-PMJAY

• Launch: Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in September, 2018 and regarded as the world’s largest health assurance scheme.
• Components: Ayushman Arogya Mandir and Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY).
• Objective: To provide accessible and affordable healthcare from primary to tertiary level while reducing the financial burden on poor and vulnerable families.
• Coverage: Provides cashless hospitalisation cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary healthcare services.

Gyan Bharatam survey maps over one crore manuscripts across India

About Gyan Bharatam Mission

• Objective: National mission to survey, document and conserve over one crore manuscripts across India.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Focus: Digital preservation, cataloguing and sharing of India’s manuscript heritage.
• Manuscripts Covered: Includes palm-leaf, birch bark and paper manuscripts in Sanskrit, Persian and regional languages.
• Five Pillars: Survey & cataloguing, conservation, digitisation, translation and research & outreach.