During state visit of President of Finland, India and Finland elevated their bilateral relations to "Strategic Partnership in Digitalization and Sustainability”.

Other Key Outcomes 

• Trade: Aim to double bilateral trade to $2.6 billion by 2030 capitalizing on recently concluded India-EU FTA.
• Digital Frontier: Establishment of Joint Task Force on 6G.
• Startups: Greater connectivity of startup ecosystems through Indo-Finland Startup Corridor.
• Circular Economy: India will co-host the World Circular Economy Forum 2026, a Finnish initiative providing circular economy solutions.
• Human Capital: A Migration and Mobility Partnership was signed to facilitate the movement of students and professionals.

The United States conducted a test launch of Minuteman III.

About Minuteman III

• It is an intercontinental ballistic missile part of the US' nuclear triad.
• It is the nuclear missile land-based weapon under the control of US Air Force Global Strike Command.
• It has three solid-propellant rocket motors with speed of approximately Mach 23 at burnout. 
• Range: 6,000-plus miles (5,218 nautical miles).

Astronomers using the MeerKAT telescope discovered the brightest and most distant megamaser.

• MeerKAT located in South Africa is a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope.

About Megamaser

• It is essentially a giant beam of electromagnetic radiation emitted when a pair of galaxies violently merge.
  • During the cosmic collisions, giant clouds of gas are compressed, exciting large reservoirs of hydroxyl (OH) molecules that release high-energy microwaves.
• This is similar to human-made lasers, which work by exciting particles and then amplifying the resulting light waves with mirrors.
  • But for masers, microwaves are amplified instead of visible light.
• These rare objects act as cosmic signposts, revealing critical details about galaxies in the early universe.

The 11^th edition of the Raisina Dialogue is held in India.

• Theme of the 2026 edition: "Saṁskāra – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement”.
• As part of Raisina Dialogue, inaugural edition of the Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI) was launched. 

About Raisina Dialogue

• It is India’s premier conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics held annually in New Delhi since 2016.
• Organized by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.
• Raisina Platforms & Ideas Forum (RPIF) is the entity that administers and manages the Raisina Dialogue.

US said that it would deploy precision gravity bombs in war against Iran.

About Gravity Bombs

• It historically known as a “free-fall” bomb.
• It is an unpowered munition that, unlike cruise missiles, does not have an internal engine.
• Once released, its trajectory is dictated entirely by gravity, aerodynamics and the speed and altitude of the dropping aircraft.
• It can have both conventional as well as nuclear explosives.

The U.S. is increasingly seeking support from Kurdish groups in its conflict with Iran.

About Kurds

• Kurds are one of the world's largest stateless ethnic groups with a population between 30 and 40 million worldwide.
• Region: They live mostly amid the peaks and valleys straddling the borders of Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.
• Culture: The Kurds have a distinct culture, including a Persian-related language with many dialects, traditional dress, music, cuisine, and identity.
• Demand for Separate State: Their nationalism emerged in the late 19th century, but aspirations for a homeland have repeatedly been thwarted.

NITI Ayog and UNICEF India, through IMPAct4Nutrition (I4N) platform signed Statement of Intent to Strengthen Nutrition and Health Outcomes in Aspirational Districts and Blocks. 

About I4N platform

• Serves as a central hub of knowledge and resources on nutrition. 
• Acts as connection between businesses and broader social movement surrounding POSHAN 2.0.
  • POSHAN 2.0 aims to achieve improvement in key nutrition parameters for both children and women. 
• It includes ACE Card initiative (Assets for nutrition, CSR for Nutrition and Employees engagement for Nutrition) to accelerate behaviour change towards improved nutrition literacy and dietary habits in the work ecosystem.

Ministry of Defence signed contracts for acquisition of six ALH Mk-III (Maritime Role) for Indian Coast Guard and Vertical Launch - Shtil missiles for Indian Navy. 

About ALH Mk-III (MR)

• Twin-engine helicopters with state-of-the-art features superior to the currently operated airborne platforms. 
• Capable of undertaking a wide spectrum of maritime security missions from shore-based airfields as well as from ships at sea. 
• Signed withHindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bengaluru under Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) category.

About Shtil missile

• Surface-to-Air missile, providing rapid-reaction, all-weather engagement capability and improved survivability in contested maritime environments.
• Contract signed with JSC Rosoboronexport, Russian Federation.

Iran’s nuclear sites have drawn renewed global attention amid ongoing conflict. 

Key Nuclear Sites of Iran

• Natanz: Main enrichment site, houses two uranium enrichment complexes, the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant and the Fuel Enrichment Plant. 
• Fordow Fuel Enrichment Facility:  Deeply buried enrichment facility near Qom. 
• Bushehr Reactor: Houses Iran’s only operating nuclear power reactor in collaboration with Rosatom, Russia.
• Tehran Research Reactor:  For producing medical isotopes. 
• Esfahan: For processing natural uranium, fabricating fuel, etc. 
• Arak: For medical isotope production and a heavy-water production plant.