Aviation: India opened the IATA 81st Annual General Meeting at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The event is the first time India has hosted this summit in 42 years.
Culture: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar led national commemorations in Agra on the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Ahilyabai Holkar.
Tribal history: The 125th death anniversary of Birsa Munda (died 9 June 1900) drew fresh attention to his Ulgulan movement and its legislative legacy.
Economy: India's GDP crossed an estimated $4.2 trillion in 2025, placing it among the world's top four economies by IMF projection.
1. IATA 81st AGM: India hosts global aviation after 42 years
GS area: Economy (Infrastructure, Aviation), International Relations
The International Air Transport Association held its 81st Annual General Meeting and World Air Transport Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from 1 to 3 June 2025. Over 1,600 participants attended. The last time India hosted this summit was in 1983.
IATA: the International Air Transport Association was established in April 1945 in Havana, Cuba. Its headquarters is in Montreal, Canada with executive offices in Geneva. It represents 317 airlines from over 120 countries, accounting for about 82 per cent of global air traffic.
India's aviation rank: India is the third-largest domestic civil aviation market in the world. The UDAN scheme has provided affordable air travel to over 15 million passengers since its launch.
UDAN scheme: stands for Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik. It is a regional connectivity scheme under the Ministry of Civil Aviation aimed at making air travel affordable for common citizens and connecting underserved airports.
Bharat Mandapam: India's international convention centre in New Delhi used for major global events including the G20 Leaders' Summit in 2023.
Key themes at the AGM: sustainable aviation fuel adoption, safety standards harmonisation, and India's ambition to become a global aviation manufacturing hub.
India is emerging as a significant centre for aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and seeks to attract more global investment in this segment.
Static linkage: Indian economy (transport infrastructure), international organisations.
2. Ahilyabai Holkar: 300th birth anniversary
GS area: History and Culture (Medieval and Early Modern India)
India marked the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi Ahilyabai Holkar on 31 May 2025. National commemorations continued on 1 June. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar led a special event in Agra. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also spoke at the occasion.
Birth: 31 May 1725 in Chondi, Ahmednagar (now Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra).
Reign: Queen of the Malwa kingdom from 1767 to 1795 after her father-in-law Malharrao Holkar identified her administrative ability.
Capital: Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh. She shifted the capital there from Indore.
Temple construction: rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi (1780) after Aurangzeb had demolished it. Also rebuilt the Somnath Temple in Gujarat and several other shrines across India.
Social contributions: established schools, promoted women's property rights, and formed a women's army contingent. She encouraged the Maheshwari weaving tradition, which survives as the Maheshwari saree industry.
Death: 13 August 1795 at Maheshwar.
Maharashtra Cabinet: held its first-ever cabinet meeting outside Mumbai in Chondi to mark the anniversary, and announced a Rs 681 crore memorial project.
Ahilyabai's administration is studied as an example of welfare governance in the pre-colonial period. Her approach combined personal piety with institutional reform.
Static linkage: Medieval and early modern history (Maratha period), Art and Culture (temple architecture).
3. India's GDP milestone: fourth-largest economy
GS area: Economy (Macroeconomics)
IMF projections for 2025 placed India's nominal GDP at approximately $4.187 trillion, ahead of Japan, making India the world's fourth-largest economy by this measure.
Ranking sequence: The top five economies by nominal GDP in 2025 projections: United States, China, Germany, India, Japan.
Context: India was the fifth-largest economy in 2022 when it crossed the UK. This latest move past Japan is based on IMF World Economic Outlook projections.
Purchasing Power Parity (PPP): by PPP, India has been the third-largest economy since around 2011. Nominal GDP and PPP GDP give different rankings because they use different exchange rate bases.
Caveats: India's methodology for measuring GDP was revised in recent years and the precise ranking depends on exchange rates at the time of comparison. The nominal ranking can shift with currency movements.
Growth drivers in FY 2024-25: services exports, domestic consumption, infrastructure investment, and a surge in FDI inflows to $81 billion.
Static linkage: Indian economy (national income accounting, growth), world geography (economic indicators).
4. Briefly noted
Operation Sindoor aftermath: India's military strikes in response to the Pahalgam terror attack continued to shape diplomatic discourse. Several nations backed India's right to self-defence against cross-border terrorism.
Birsa Munda legacy: On 1 June 1900, British authorities reported that Birsa Munda had contracted cholera in jail. He died on 9 June 1900. The 125th death anniversary brought renewed focus on his Ulgulan (Great Tumult) movement and the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, which his rebellion helped inspire. November 15 is declared Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in his honour.
Ethanol blending progress: India's ethanol blending in petrol reached 19.7 per cent in 2025, up from 1.5 per cent in 2013. The government targets 20 per cent blending across the country under the National Biofuel Policy.
Practice MCQs
Check yourself
With reference to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), consider the following statements: 1. It was established in Havana, Cuba in 1945. 2. Its headquarters is in Geneva, Switzerland. 3. It represents airlines accounting for approximately 82 per cent of global air traffic. How many of the statements given above are correct?
Check yourself
Consider the following statements about Devi Ahilyabai Holkar: 1. She was the queen of the Maratha kingdom with capital at Indore. 2. She rebuilt the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi in 1780. 3. The Maheshwari saree tradition is associated with her patronage of weavers at Maheshwar. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Check yourself
The UDAN scheme, launched by the Government of India, stands for:
Check yourself
With reference to India's GDP ranking in 2025, which of the following correctly represents the order of the world's top four economies by nominal GDP according to IMF projections?
Check yourself
The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908, is historically associated with which of the following?