On January 15, 2025, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched two lunar landers: Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 and ispace’s RESILIENCE.

Blue Ghost Mission 1:

• Objective:Deliver 10 science and technology instruments to the Moon’s surface as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative.
• Payloads:Includes instruments for regolith sample collection, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) testing, radiation-tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation.
• Landing Site:Mare Crisium, a large basin on the Moon’s near side.
• Mission Duration:Approximately 60 days, including 45 days in transit and 14 days on the lunar surface.

RESILIENCE:

• Objective:Deliver commercial and cultural payloads to the Moon’s surface.
• Payloads:Includes water electrolyzer equipment and a deep space radiation probe.
• Mission Status:As of January 17, 2025, RESILIENCE completed its first orbital maneuver and is en route to the Moon.

Reliance Jio, in partnership with the Indian Army, has deployed 4G and 5G services at the Siachen Glacier, providing high-speed internet connectivity to soldiers stationed in this remote region.

• The Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range in the Himalayas, within the union territory of Ladakh, India.
• It is approximately 76 kilometers long, making it the second-longest non-polar glacier in the world, after Tajikistan’s Fedchenko Glacier.
• The glacier’s altitude ranges from 3,620 meters (11,875 feet) at its terminus to 5,753 meters (18,875 feet) at its head near Indira Col on the India–China border.
• Siachen serves as the source for the Nubra River, a tributary of the Shyok River, which is part of the Indus River system.
• Known as the highest and coldest battlefield in the world, India has maintained control over the Siachen Glacier since 1984 through Operation Meghdoot.
• The region experiences extreme weather conditions, with temperatures dropping to -50°C and average winter snowfall exceeding 1,000 centimeters (35 feet).

The Government of India has designated areas surrounding the Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh, as Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) to mitigate the effects of urbanization and developmental activities on the protected regions.

• The Shikari Devi Wildlife Sanctuary, established in 1962, covers an area of 29.94 square kilometers.
• The ESZ encompasses 43 villages: 34 in the Nachan Forest Division and 9 in the Karsog Forest Division.
• The ESZ boundaries extend from 50 meters to 2 kilometers around the sanctuary.
• The sanctuary is named after the goddess Shikari Devi, with a temple dedicated to her within its confines.
• The sanctuary’s vegetation includes Alpine Pastures, Sub-alpine Forest, Moist Temperate Deciduous Forest, West Himalayan Upper Oak/Fir forest, Kharsu Oak Forest, Western Mixed Coniferous Forest, and Ban Oak Forest.
• The sanctuary is recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.

US removed three Indian entities from its restrictive Entity List. These entities are  Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Indira Gandhi Atomic Research Centre (IGCAR), and Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL)—from its Entity List.

• The Entity List, maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), includes foreign persons, businesses, and organizations subject to specific license requirements for the export, reexport, and/or transfer of specified items.
• Entities are added to the list for activities that pose significant risks to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, such as involvement in weapons of mass destruction programs or supporting terrorism.

The removal of BARC, IGCAR, and IREL from the Entity List is expected to enhance U.S.-India relations and energy cooperation, potentially revitalizing the Indo-U.S. Nuclear Cooperation Agreement of 2008.

On January 15, 2025, during the 77^th  Army Day celebrations in Pune, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan App. 

• The app enables users to virtually visit historical war zones and learn about them.
• The initiative is part of the Ministry of Defence’s ‘Battlefield Tourism’ plan, aiming to provide a one-stop destination for information and clearances for battlefield visits, featuring virtual tours and historical narratives.
• The Indian Army, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, has shortlisted several border sites that have witnessed military action in the past, including Kibithoo and Bum La Pass in Arunachal Pradesh, Rezang La and Pangong Tso in Ladakh, and Doklam, the site of the 2017 conflict.

Penguin Awareness Day is observed on January 20th to raise awareness about the decline in penguin populations.

• Many penguin species face significant population declines, such as the little penguin near Perth, Australia, which has decreased by 94% since 2007.
• Climate change, particularly rising temperatures and reduced sea ice, impacts penguin breeding and feeding.

Kokborok Day is observed on January 19th in Tripura to celebrate the official recognition of the Kokborok language in 1979.

• Kokborok, also called Tripuri, is the indigenous language of Tripura, spoken by the Tripuri people.
• The day is marked by cultural programs and literary activities that highlight the heritage of the Tripuri community.
• Kokborok has been taught in schools across Tripura since the 1980s, with higher education institutions offering related courses.

India successfully docked two satellites in space, becoming the fourth country to achieve this feat.

• The mission, called Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), was conducted by ISRO.
• The satellites, weighing 220 kg each, were launched on December 30, 2024, and docked on January 16, 2025.
• This docking was done with high precision, demonstrating India’s growing space capabilities.
• The mission’s goal was to showcase autonomous rendezvous and docking for future satellite servicing and space station operations.
• The docking process brought the satellites within 3 meters of each other, allowing them to function as a single unit.
• This achievement enables India to join the S., Russia, and China in the group of nations capable of in-space satellite docking.

Recently, the Gangasagar Mela, held at Sagar Island in West Bengal, attracted lakhs of devotees who took a dip in the confluence of the Ganges River and the Bay of Bengal on Makar Sankranti.

• Gangasagar Mela takes place annually at Sagar Island, where the Ganges River meets the Bay of Bengal.
• The mela involves taking a dip in the waters at sunrise, particularly on Makar Sankranti.
• The Kapil Muni Temple is a key pilgrimage site during the mela.

It is the second-largest human gathering after Kumbh Mela, attracting millions of devotees each year.

India has successfully tested its first indigenous micro-missile system, Bhargavastra, designed to counter swarm drones.

• The system can detect small incoming drones from distances over 6 kilometers.
• It is designed for rapid deployment on mobile platforms, allowing quick adaptation to various operational scenarios.
• Bhargavastra can simultaneously detect, track, and engage up to 64 targets, making it highly effective against large drone attacks.
• It uses guided micro munitions to precisely neutralize identified drone threats.