Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi began his four-day official visit to France on 23 Feb 2025 to strengthen India-France defence cooperation. He will receive a Guard of Honour and meet French Army Chief General Pierre Schill in Paris.

On 24 Feb, he will visit Marseille to discuss the French Army’s 3rd Division, bilateral exercise SHAKTI, and modernisation programme (Scorpion). On 25 Feb, he will visit the Neuve Chapelle Indian War Memorial to honor Indian soldiers of World War I and deliver a talk at Ecole de Guerre on modern warfare and India’s strategic vision.

The Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela 2025 was inaugurated in New Delhi on 22nd February 2025 by Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The three-day fair is themed “Unnat Krishi – Viksit Bharat” and will conclude on 24th February, with Ministers Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary as Chief Guests at the Valedictory Session.

Key attractions include live demonstrations of advanced agricultural technologies developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and exhibitions showcasing innovations from Krishi Vigyan Kendras, Farmers’ Producer Organizations, entrepreneurs, and start-ups.

The event also features technical sessions and farmer-scientist interactions on topics such as climate-resilient agriculture, crop diversification, digital agriculture, and entrepreneurship development for youth and women. On-spot agro-advisory services will also be available for farmers.

The Inland Waterways Transport (IWT) Terminal on the Brahmaputra (National Waterway-2) at Jogighopa in Assam was inaugurated on February 18, 2025. The terminal, inaugurated by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways and AYUSH, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, along with Bhutan’s Minister of Finance, H.E. Lyonpo Namgyal Dorji, is a state-of-the-art facility connected to the Multi-Modal Logistics Park.

This terminal is strategically located to serve as an international port of call for Bhutan and Bangladesh, enhancing logistics and cargo movement in Assam and the North East. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the inauguration, highlighting its role in improving infrastructure and promoting inland waterways for progress and prosperity.

The terminal is expected to handle a cargo of 1.1 million tonnes per annum by 2027, significantly boosting trilateral trade between India, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The foundation stone for the terminal was laid by Prime Minister Modi in February 2021, and the project was implemented by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) at a cost of Rs 82.03 crore.

The eighth edition of Pariksha Pe Charcha achieved significant digital engagement, with over 30 crore views and 1.5 crore engagements on Instagram, along with 3 lakh posts on X. The event adopted a more intimate and conversational format, engaging fewer students, which proved to be a transformational success.

Held on February 10, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacted with 35 students at Sundar Nursery, discussing exam preparation, handling pressure, and leadership. This was followed by seven episodes featuring Deepika Padukone, MC Mary Kom, and Sadhguru, addressing various student concerns.

The Aadi Mahotsav 2025 is an annual tribal festival celebrating the vibrant and diverse culture of India’s indigenous communities. Held from February 16 to 25, 2025, at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi, the festival aims to showcase the rich heritage of tribal arts, crafts, cuisine, and traditions.

Inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu, this year’s edition features over 1,000 tribal artisans, artists, and entrepreneurs from across the country. The festival provides a platform for them to display their unique products and talents, ranging from intricate handicrafts and handloom weaves to traditional music and dance performances.

Key highlights of Aadi Mahotsav 2025 include:

Art and Craft Stalls: Featuring exquisite tribal jewelry, pottery, textiles, and paintings, these stalls offer visitors the chance to purchase authentic tribal products directly from the artisans.

Cultural Performances: Tribal dance troupes and musical groups perform traditional folk dances and songs, bringing the vibrant rhythms and melodies of India’s tribal regions to life.

Gastronomic Delights: The food stalls serve a variety of traditional tribal dishes, providing visitors with a taste of the diverse and flavorful cuisine of India’s indigenous communities.

Workshops and Demonstrations: Hands-on workshops and live demonstrations by tribal artisans offer visitors an opportunity to learn about traditional crafting techniques and the stories behind the art.

India’s fourth-generation deep-ocean submersible, Matsya-6000, has successfully completed wet testing at the harbour, moving closer to shallow-water trials at 500 meters depth by late 2025.

Before wet testing, Matsya-6000 underwent integrated dry tests and was later transported to Kattupalli Port near Chennai for further trials.

Developed under the Samudrayan Project, the submersible is part of India’s Deep Ocean Mission, led by the Ministry of Earth Sciences and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT). It features a 2.1-meter spherical hull designed to accommodate three crew members, enhancing India’s deep-sea exploration capabilities.

The sixth edition of Joint Military Exercise Dharma Guardian between India and Japan will be held at Mount Fuji, Japan, from February 25 to March 9, 2025.

The exercise aims to enhance interoperability in urban warfare and counter-terrorism operations under a UN mandate. It builds on the momentum of the Indian Army Chief’s visit to Japan in October 2024, further strengthening bilateral defence cooperation.