Current Affairs 27/08/2025
1.Exercise Maitree is a joint military exercise between India and which country?
Answer : Thailand
Exercise Maitree is a joint military exercise between India and Thailand. It is held regularly to strengthen defense cooperation and friendship between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army.
• It was first conducted in 2006 to strengthen defence cooperation between India and Thailand.
• The main focus of the exercise is counter-terrorism operations, jungle warfare, and urban combat training.
• It helps both armies to learn best practices, improve interoperability, and build trust.
• The word “Maitree” itself means Friendship, which reflects the close relations between India and Thailand.
2. Mirabai Chanu won gold in which category at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 (Ahmedabad)?
Answer : 48 kg
• Event: Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 (Ahmedabad)
• Category: Women’s 48 kg
• Medal: Gold
• Total Lift: 193 kg (84 kg snatch + 109 kg clean & jerk)
• Records Set: New Commonwealth Championship records in snatch, clean & jerk, and total
• Additional Highlights:
1.Made a strong return to international competition.
2.Qualified directly for 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Mirabai Chanu at Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025
• Gold Medal: Mirabai Chanu clinched the gold medal in the women’s 48 kg category at the championships held in Ahmedabad.
• Record-Breaking Performance: She lifted a total of 193 kg (84 kg in snatch + 109 kg in clean and jerk), setting new Commonwealth Championship records in snatch, clean and jerk, and total.
3. Recently, which country expelled the Iranian Ambassador over IRGC’s alleged role in antisemitic attacks?
Answer : Australia
Recently, Australia expelled the Iranian Ambassador and three other diplomats after its intelligence agency (ASIO) found that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was involved in antisemitic arson attacks in Melbourne and Sydney.
• Reason: Alleged orchestration by Iran’s IRGC of antisemitic arson attacks on a synagogue and a kosher eatery, using criminal proxies.
• One attack targeted the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne.
• Another attack was a firebombing at Lewis’s Continental Kitchen, a kosher restaurant in Sydney.
• This is the first time since World War II that Australia has expelled an ambassador.
• Australia also announced plans to designate the IRGC as a terrorist organization, suspended its embassy in Tehran, and advised Australians in Iran to leave.
4. Recently, Palk Strait was in news. It separates India from which country?
Answer : Sri Lanka
The Palk Strait is a narrow stretch of sea that separates India from Sri Lanka.
• It lies between the Tamil Nadu coast (India) and the Jaffna District (Sri Lanka).
• The strait is about 40 to 85 km wide, connecting the Bay of Bengal in the northeast with the Gulf of Mannar in the southwest.
• It is shallow, making navigation for large ships difficult.
• The Adam’s Bridge (Rama’s Bridge or Ram Setu), a chain of limestone shoals, is located across this strait.
• The Palk Strait is important for fishing, trade, and cultural links between India and Sri Lanka, though sometimes it has also been in the news due to fishermen disputes between the two countries.
5. The Indian Air Force recently inducted which indigenous missile system?
Answer : Astra Mk-2
What’s New with Astra Mk-2?
• Induction & Production Phase: The IAF has initiated limited series production (LSP) of the Astra Mk-2 Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), signaling the beginning of its induction process. It is being integrated with platforms like the Su-30MKI.
• Upcoming User Trials: User trials involving the Su-30MKI are slated to continue through 2025 and be completed by 2026. Full-scale induction is expected to follow, likely by 2027.
• Production Initiated: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has commenced production, aimed at meeting demands across various platforms such as Su-30MKI, Tejas Mk-1A, Rafale, and MiG-29K.
Why It Matters
• The Astra Mk-2 heralds a significant leap in India’s air combat capability:
• Offers a longer reach and enhanced manoeuvrability, expanding the no-escape zone for enemy aircraft.
• Reduces reliance on foreign missiles, in line with India’s push for self-reliance in defense technology.