Russia and India on Monday began the second phase of a joint naval exercise INDRA on Monday( 31 March 2025), according to officials.

The 14th edition of the Indian - Russia bilateral naval exercise, INDRA, is being conducted in two phases: The harbour phase, which was held from March 28 to 30, and the sea phase begins from Monday and will continue until April 2 in the Bay of Bengal.

• The exercise, which originally started in 2003, epitomizes the long-term strategic relationship between the two navies, according to the Indian Defense Ministry.
• The port of Chennai in southern India hosted an opening ceremony of the joint exercise.
• The event took place on board the Indian Navy’s destroyer Rana.
• The Indian Defense Ministry said the sea phase will witness advanced naval drills, including tactical maneuvers, live weapon firings, anti-air operations, and underway replenishment.

The Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) is introduced by the Central Government as an option under the National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government employees with effect from 1st April 2025.

The Unified Pension Scheme is designed to enhance retirement benefits for Central Government employees. Below are its key features:?

Eligibility:

• Applicable Employees: Central Government employees covered under the National Pension System (NPS) are eligible to opt for UPS. ?

Contributions:

• Government Contribution: The government contributes 18.5% of the employee's basic salary plus dearness allowance to the pension fund.?
• Employee Contribution: Employees contribute 10% of their basic salary plus dearness allowance monthly. ?

Pension Benefits:

• Assured Pension: Employees with at least 25 years of service receive 50% of their average basic pay from the last 12 months before retirement
• Proportional Pension: Those with service between 10 and 25 years receive a proportional pension, with a minimum of Rs.10,000 per month for at least 10 years of service.

Family Pension:

• In the event of the pensioner's death, the spouse receives 60% of the pension amount that was being drawn by the retiree.

Lump Sum Payment:

• At retirement, employees receive a lump sum equal to one-tenth of the monthly emoluments (pay plus dearness allowance) for every six months of completed service, in addition to their gratuity. This does not reduce the assured pension amount.

Inflation Adjustment:

• Pension amounts are indexed to inflation, ensuring they keep pace with the cost of living.

The UPS integrates features from both the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the National Pension System (NPS), aiming to provide comprehensive financial security to government employees post-retirement.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be participating in biennial multinational air exercise INIOCHOS-25, starting in Greece from Monday( 30 March), an official said.

• The IAF contingent, including Su-30 MKI fighters along with combat enabler IL-78 and C-17 aircraft, will join the prestigious multinational air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force at Andravida Air Base from March 31 to April 11, 2025.
• INIOCHOS is a biennial multinational air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force.
• It serves as a platform for air forces to hone their skills, exchange tactical knowledge, and strengthen military ties.

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday( 29 March) stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the first Vande Bharat train from Katra to Srinagar in Kashmir on April 19.

• The event marks the accomplishment of the 272-km Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail stretch project.
• PM will also inspect the world's highest railway bridge, the Chenab Bridge.
• Initially, the Vande Bharat train will run from Katra due to the renovation work at the Jammu railway station. Once it is completed, around August, the train will start operating from Jammu.

The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has unveiled plans to boost tourism and wildlife conservation in the state:

Nangal's Development as a Tourist Hub:

• An initial allocation of Rs.10 crore has been earmarked to transform Nangal into a prominent tourist destination.
• The initiative aims to enhance facilities, promote local attractions, and create employment opportunities in the hospitality sector.

Jhajjar Bachauli Wildlife Sanctuary's Transformation:

• Located in Sri Anandpur Sahib, the sanctuary will be developed into Punjab's first leopard safari destination.
• Visitors will have the opportunity to observe leopards and other wildlife in their natural habitat, promoting eco-tourism.

Commemoration of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji's 350th Martyrdom Anniversary:

• A special budget has been allocated for the preparations of this significant event.
• Sri Anandpur Sahib will receive focused attention for infrastructure and cultural development to honor the occasion.

These initiatives reflect the government's commitment to promoting tourism, preserving heritage, and fostering economic growth in Punjab.

A sudden tragedy occurred in the Red Sea off the coast of Hurghada on Thursday( 27 March), when the Sindbad submarine with Russian tourists, sank after it was on a 40-minute journey to view a reef - a major attraction in the area.

• Six people, all Russian, died after the tourist vessel sank around one kilometre from the coast. The local governor said 39 tourists were rescued, and nobody is missing.
• The 45 tourists were from Russia, Norway, Sweden and India, the governor said, along with five Egyptian crew members.
• The company in charge, Sindbad, has cancelled upcoming trips and authorities are investigating.

Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar will host it’s second international tournament as Hockey India awarded the Bihar State Sports Authority the hosting rights for the Men’s Asia Cup 2025.

• The tournament comprising of eight teams will be played from 29th August to 7th September at the newly developed Sports Complex in Rajgir.
• Pakistan, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, China along with hosts India will make the six teams in the 12th edition of the continental tournament. 
• The remaining two teams will secure their berth in the tournament via qualifying tournament, the AHF Cup.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced "Yoga for One Earth, One Health" as the theme of this year's International Day of Yoga and said the day had taken "the shape of a grand festival".

• The United Nations proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga with an aim to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga. 
• It was first celebrated in 2015.
• The prime minister noted that, alongside fitness, keeping a count was also becoming a habit, citing examples of people keeping tabs on the number of steps taken, calories consumed and burnt in a day.
• The prime minister also appealed to everyone to incorporate yoga into their routines and take pride in the country's traditional wisdom for overall wellbeing.

Indian teenager Anahat Singh secured the women’s squash title at the Indian Open 2025 PSA Copper event in Mumbai on Friday ( 28 March 2025).

• Anahat Singh, the recently crowned India No. 1 women’s squash player, won the final against Helen Tang of Hong Kong China with a 3-0 (11-9, 11-5, 11-8) scoreline.
• The 17-year-old Anahat, seeded third in India’s first-ever PSA Copper squash event, had Helen fighting hard in the other corner during the first game but did enough to clinch a 1-0 lead.
• Anahat then began to dominate her opponent from Hong Kong China and sealed the contest in 24 minutes. The win also gave Anahat Singh 300 ranking points.
• Anahat Singh, who won the SRFI Indian Tour PSA Challenger tournament in Chennai last week, has been in terrific form since winning bronze medals in the women’s team and mixed doubles at the Asian Games 2023.

India and the US on Tuesday( 01 April 2025) will kick off their major tri-service exercise called 'Tiger Triumph' in the Bay of Bengal, with a focus on enhancing military interoperability for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) and crisis situations.

The two week-long exercise, with a harbour phase at Visakhapatnam and then massive maritime and amphibious operations off Kakinada, will also see the two sides formulate standard operating procedures to establish a combined coordination centre to enable rapid and smooth coordination between the task-forces during exercises and contingencies, officials said.

India will be represented by warships INS Jalashwa, INS Gharial, INS Mumbai and INS Shakti, with their integral helicopters and landing crafts, and P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft.

The Army will deploy troops from the 91 Infantry Brigade and 12 Mechanised Infantry battalion, while the IAF will have C-130J 'Super Hercules' aircraft and Mi-17 helicopters, along with a rapid action medical team (RAMT).