Current Context : The Haryana government launched the Pandit Lakhmi Chand Kalakar Samajik Samman Yojana to provide monthly financial assistance to senior artists who have devoted decades to traditional arts.

About the Scheme

• Objective: Support aged artists financially and socially.
• Launched by: Department of Art and Cultural Affairs, Haryana
• Monthly Honorarium:
  • ₹10,000 for annual income ≤ ₹1.80 lakh
  • ₹7,000 for income between ₹1.80–3 lakh
• Fields Covered: Singing, dance, drama, theatre, fine arts, etc.
• Eligibility
  • Resident of Haryana
  • Age: 60 years and above
  • Minimum 20 years in respective art field
  • Must possess valid Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP)
  • Evaluated by a state-level committee

Current Context : In a politically sensitive move, Recently, US President Donald Trump announced a proposal to refer to the Persian Gulfas the “Arabian Gulf” during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

About the Naming Dispute

• Historical Usage: ‘Persian Gulf’ has been the internationally recognized name since 16th century, found in all major treaties and atlases.
• Arab Viewpoint: Gulf nations like Saudi Arabia and UAE prefer the term “Arabian Gulf”.
• Iran’s Response: Strongly opposes the change; considers it an attack on historical and cultural sovereignty.
• UN & IHO: Recognize the name “Persian Gulf” officially.

Geographical Facts

• The body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula is historically known as the Persian Gulf.
• Location: Western Asia — bounded by Iran (north) and Arab Peninsula (south).
• Length: ~5,117 km coastline.
• Key Access: Linked to Arabian Sea through the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint for 30% of global oil.
• Important Islands:
  • Qeshm (Iran) – Largest island (~1,491 km²)
  • Bahrain – Archipelago and US naval base location
• Strategic & Economic Importance
  • Central to energy trade, oil exports, and naval security.
  • A critical region for US, Iranian, and Gulf state militaries.
  • Rising geopolitical tension could impact global maritime stability.

Current Context: INS Sharda arrived at Maafilaafushi Atoll, Maldives, for its first-ever HADR exercise from May 4–10, 2025, highlighting India’s regional disaster preparedness role.

• About the Exercise:
  • Part of India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy and MAHASAGAR vision (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
  • Aligned with India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Key Objectives:
  • Enhance interoperability with Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
  • Conduct joint SAR drills, logistics, and medical response
  • Community engagement for disaster awareness and resilience.
• About INS Sharda:
  • Sukanya-class offshore patrol vessel.
  • Awarded in 2024 for rescuing hostages off Somalia—showcasing India’s maritime response capabilities.
• Significance:
  • Reinforces India’s strategic ties with Maldives.

Current Context : Recently, in Operation Sindoor, Indian Air Force deployed SCALP missiles launched from Rafale jets to strike deep terror camps in Pakistan and PoK, following the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians.

About SCALP Missile

• Full Form: Système de Croisière Autonome à Longue Portée (Autonomous Long-Range Cruise Missile System)
• Alternate Name: Known in the UK as Storm Shadow
• Developed By: Jointly by the UK and France (MBDA)

Features

• Type: Air-launched cruise missile (ALCM)
• Range: ~500 km
• Warhead: 450 kg BROACH warhead (Blast/Fragmentation + Penetration)
• Weight: 1,300 kg
• Speed: Subsonic (~Mach 0.8)
• Guidance: INS/GPS + Terrain Matching + IR terminal guidance
• Stealth: Designed for low radar cross-section
• Accuracy: High precision using pre-loaded image-matching software
• Launch Platform: Indian Rafale fighter jets

Significance

• Capable of penetrating hardened targets like bunkers.
• Operates under all-weather, day-night conditions.
• Ideal for deep-strike missions across heavily defended zones.
• Enhances India’s strategic air-to-ground strike capability.

Current Context : Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kiltan participated in the 14th edition of IMDEX Asia held from 6–8 May 2025 in Singapore, marking India’s expanding naval footprint in Indo-Pacific defence forums.

About IMDEX Asia

• Established: 1997
• Organizer: Republic of Singapore Navy
• Venue: Changi Exhibition Centre, Singapore
• Participants: 70+ countries, 20+ navies, maritime industry leaders.

INS Kiltan’s Role

• Showcased India’s anti-submarine warfare
• Participated in multilateral naval drills and exhibitions.

• Significance
  • Strengthens India’s maritime diplomacy and defence ties with Southeast Asia.
  • Enhances visibility of Make in India naval technologies.

Current Context : Quad nations — India, USA, Japan, and Australia — conducted a simulation exercise under the Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN) in Honolulu, Hawaii in May 2025 to boost regional disaster-response capabilities.

About IPLN

• Purpose: To strengthen civilian disaster-response logistics through cooperation among Quad nations.
• Mechanism: Enables sharing of logistics like supply chains, warehousing, and emergency transport across Indo-Pacific.
• Complementary Initiative: Works alongside the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA).
• Focus Areas: Humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and regional logistical resilience.

Observed globally on 10 May.

Objective :  to raise awareness about lupus — a chronic autoimmune disease that is often misdiagnosed due to its wide-ranging symptoms.

• Established: 2004 by the Lupus Foundation of America and other international organizations.

About Lupus

• Nature of Disease: It is a chronic autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks healthy tissues, affecting skin, joints, kidneys, heart, and lungs.
• Symptoms: Fatigue, joint pain, facial rash (butterfly rash), and organ inflammation.
• Types: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common and serious form.
• Global Impact: Over 5 million people worldwide live with lupus.

Current Context: In response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack and heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Indian security forces have initiated “Operation Shiva” to ensure the safety of pilgrims during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.

Key Highlights:

• Duration of Yatra: Scheduled from July 3 to August 9, 2025.
• Security Deployment: Thousands of personnel from the Indian Army, CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other paramilitary forces will be deployed along the pilgrimage routes to provide layered security.

About Shri Amarnath Ji:

• Location: Situated in Anantnag district at an altitude of 13,000 ft.
• Significance: The cave houses a naturally formed ice lingam, symbolizing Lord Shiva. Two smaller ice formations represent Goddess Parvati and Lord Ganesha.
• Pilgrimage Period: Occurs during the Shravan month (July-August), when the ice lingam reaches its full size.

Historical Reference: The origin of the pilgrimage is described in the Sanskrit text “Bringesha Samhita”.

Current Context: Kozhikode has been officially recognized as a member of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities (GNAFCC), becoming the second Indian city after Kochi to join the network.

About GNAFCC:

• Established: 2010
• Members: Over 1,300 cities and communities from 51 countries.
• Aim: To connect cities and communities worldwide with the common vision of making their communities great places to grow older in.

Objectives:

• Inspire change by showing what can be done and how.
• Connect cities and communities worldwide to facilitate the exchange of information, knowledge, and experience.
• Support cities and communities to find appropriate innovative and evidence-based solutions.

Current Context: India and the United Kingdom have successfully concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) after three years of negotiations, aiming to boost bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Key Highlights:

• Tariff Elimination: India will reduce tariffs on 90% of goods, including significant cuts for whisky, gin, cosmetics, and food products.
• Professional Mobility: The agreement includes provisions to ease the mobility of professionals, investors, and intra-corporate transferees, along with their dependents.
• Double Contribution Convention: Indian workers temporarily in the UK and their employers will be exempt from paying UK national insurance contributions for up to three years.
• Export Opportunities: Enhanced market access for sectors like textiles, marine products, leather, footwear, engineering goods, auto parts, and organic chemicals.
• Services Sector: The deal benefits services like IT/ITeS and financial services through new opportunities and job creation.
• Digital Trade: Improved access for UK services in India’s market, particularly for professional services, with mutual qualification recognition and non-discrimination measures.
• About FTA: A Free Trade Agreement is a pact between two or more nations to reduce barriers to imports and exports among them. The purpose of FTAs is to reduce trade barriers and increase trade between the participating countries.