DEFENCE NEWS
- DRDO successfully conducted two consecutive flight tests of the Pralay missile on July 28–29, 2025, from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
– These user evaluation trials validated maximum and minimum range capabilities, confirming high accuracy and reliability.
– The indigenously developed missile, equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems, can carry multiple warhead types, significantly strengthening the Indian Armed Forces’ operational readiness. - India launched the Fast Patrol Vessel ‘Atal’, the sixth in a series of eight vessels designed by Goa Shipyard Limited, on July 29, 2025.
– Measuring 52 metres and weighing 320 tonnes, it is equipped for coastal patrols, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, search and rescue, and offshore protection.
– The launch strengthens India’s maritime security and marks progress toward Atmanirbhar Bharat in shipbuilding. - The Madras Regiment commemorated the 284th anniversary of the Battle of Colachel (1741), where King Marthanda Varma of Travancore defeated the Dutch East India Company.
– Held at Colachel War Memorial, Kanyakumari, it honoured one of the earliest Indian victories over European colonial forces. - On July 31, 2025, the Indian Navy received INS Himgiri, a Nilgiri-class stealth frigate built under Project 17A by GRSE, Kolkata.
– Armed with BrahMos missiles, LR SAM systems, torpedoes, and advanced sensors, it enhances India’s maritime warfare strength and vision for a 175-warship Navy by 2035.
NATIONAL NEWS
- India is finalising a Green Steel Procurement Policy mandating 25% public steel purchases from low-emission sources.
– Key technologies include hydrogen-based DRI, electric arc furnaces, and renewable energy integration.
– The policy aims to position India as a leader in sustainable steel production. - NCERT is introducing new modules for Classes 3–12 covering Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s ISS mission, Operation Sindoor, and Mission LiFE, along with lessons on Partition history.
– Guided by the Ministry of Education, this initiative makes education more contextual, contemporary, and nationally rooted. - Operation Mahadev, launched in J&K’s Dara region, neutralised three Pakistani LeT terrorists after intense combat.
– Jointly conducted by the Indian Army, CRPF, and J&K Police, supported by drones and reinforcements. - PM Narendra Modi launched the ‘Gyan Bharatam Mission’ on July 27, 2025, to digitise and preserve over one crore ancient manuscripts through a National Digital Repository.
– Funded with ₹60 crore, the mission aims to make India’s civilisational knowledge globally accessible. - Remona Evette Pereira, a 20-year-old from Mangalore, set a world record by performing Bharatanatyam for 170 hours, breaking the previous 127-hour record.
– Her feat was hailed as a tribute to Indian dance heritage and cultural unity. - PM Modi celebrated Aadi Thiruvathirai at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, honouring Emperor Rajendra Chola I.
– He released a commemorative coin, performed rituals, and celebrated Rajendra Chola’s naval achievements. - Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the Sanchar Saathi app in Hindi and 21 regional languages.
– The app helps users report cyber fraud, block lost phones, and track unauthorized connections, with 46 lakh downloads already. - According to CRISIL, India’s private sector will invest ₹77,000 crore in thermal power between FY26–FY28, led by Adani, Tata, JSW, and Vedanta.
- The Government of India finalised seven PM MITRA Parks across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra with ₹4,445 crore outlay till 2027–28.
– Aimed at ₹70,000 crore investments and 20 lakh jobs, it will boost India’s textile exports and manufacturing. - Indian Railways launched Kavach 4.0 on the Mathura–Kota section of the Delhi–Mumbai corridor.
– It features automatic braking, train speed monitoring, and cabin signal updates, enhancing safety and precision.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- Syria to hold first parliamentary elections (15–20 Sept 2025) under interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, after Bashar al-Assad’s fall.
- U.S.–EU reached a trade deal, reducing tariffs on EU exports to 15% from 30%, including $600B EU investments and $750B U.S. energy imports.
- Turkey unveiled Gazap, its most powerful non-nuclear bomb, weighing 970 kg, with a 3,000°C thermobaric blast.
- At the World AI Conference 2025 (Shanghai), China’s Premier Li Qiang called for global AI governance to avoid tech monopolies.
- A massive 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, triggering tsunami alerts across the Pacific, including Japan and Hawaii.
- UK PM Keir Starmer announced the UK will recognize Palestine unless Israel halts military actions and commits to a peace process.
- U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on India effective Aug 1, 2025, citing India’s Russian ties and trade barriers.
- India sent 5 MT of humanitarian aid to Syria, including anti-cancer and essential medicines.
- Australia included YouTube in its under-16 social media ban, mandating age verification and penalties for noncompliance.
- Russia’s Kamchatka also witnessed the eruption of the Klyuchevskoy volcano, following a 8.8-magnitude quake, with lava and ash emissions.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
- Anuradha Thakur, Secretary of Dept. of Economic Affairs, appointed Director, RBI Central Board, replacing Ajay Seth.
- Utpal Kumar Singh, Lok Sabha Secretary-General, appointed CEO, Sansad TV.
- Shailesh Jejurikar named Global CEO of P&G, effective Jan 1, 2026, becoming the first Indian to hold this post.
- Nikhil Ravishankar, Indian-origin tech executive, appointed CEO, Air New Zealand, from Oct 20, 2025.
- Anant Ambani appointed Executive Director, Reliance Industries, for a five-year term from May 1, 2025.
- Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh to assume Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) on Aug 1, 2025.
- Commodore Varghese Mathew became Naval Officer-in-Charge (Kerala), succeeding Commodore Jose Vikas.
- Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan appointed Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) on Aug 1, 2025.
- Vice Admiral Manish Chadha assumed command of Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala, on Aug 1, 2025.
- Shashi Prakash Goyal appointed Chief Secretary, Uttar Pradesh, effective July 31, 2025.
AWARDS & HONOURS
• The Sansad Ratna Awards 2025 (July 26) honoured 17 MPs, including Supriya Sule, Ravi Kishan, Nishikant Dubey, and Arvind Sawant.
– Special Jury Awards went to Bhartruhari Mahtab, N.K. Premachandran, Supriya Sule, and Shrirang Barne.
SPORTS NEWS
• England Women’s Football Team won UEFA Euro 2025, defeating Spain in penalties — their first major title abroad.
• Oscar Piastri won the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix, extending his Drivers’ Championship lead.
• Divyanshi Bhowmick, 14, won U-15 Girls’ Singles gold at the Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships (Tashkent) — India’s first in 36 years.
• Hockey India, on its 100th anniversary, increased grants to ₹70L for seniors, ₹30L for juniors, and ₹25L per state.
• India ranked 20th at the FISU World University Games 2025 (Germany) with 12 medals — 2 gold, 5 silver, 5 bronze.
• World Athletics Council to enforce SRY gene testing for female athletes from Sept 1, 2025, ensuring fair competition.
• AIFF appointed Khalid Jamil as Head Coach, Indian Men’s Football Team, on Aug 1, 2025.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
• ISRO to launch NVS-03, 04, and 05 by 2026, strengthening NavIC, India’s regional navigation system, with indigenous atomic clocks and L1 support.
• Latam-GPT, Latin America’s first regional AI model, to launch Sept 2025, promoting cultural diversity and indigenous language preservation.
• ISRO–NASA NISAR Mission launched via GSLV-F16, operating at 747 km orbit, using dual-band radar to monitor climate, disasters, and resources.
• On Aug 1, 2025, SpaceX’s Crew-11 mission launched two NASA astronauts, one Russian, and one Japanese astronaut to the ISS, continuing global cooperation in space.
AUGUST 2ND WEEK CURRENT AFFAIRS – CDSE/OTA
DEFENCE NEWS
- India received the final Airbus C-295MW transport aircraft from Spain, completing delivery of the first 16 planes under the 2021 contract.
– The aircraft, capable of carrying 5–10 tonnes with 11-hour endurance, will replace the ageing Avro fleet of the IAF.
– The remaining 40 aircraft will be manufactured in India at the TATA Aircraft Complex, Vadodara — India’s first private Final Assembly Line for military aircraft.
– This programme strengthens India’s defence self-reliance under Make in India, marking a historic milestone in aviation manufacturing. - The Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy concluded SIMBEX 2025, held from July 28 to August 1, with joint exercises in the South China Sea.
– Featuring ships, aircraft, and professional exchanges, this 32nd edition strengthened maritime security cooperation as both nations marked 60 years of diplomatic relations. - The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved proposals worth ₹67,000 crore to bolster India’s military capabilities.
– For the Indian Army, Thermal Imager-based Driver Night Sights for BMPs were cleared.
– The Indian Navy will procure Compact Autonomous Surface Craft, BrahMos Fire Control Systems, and upgrade the BARAK-1 Missile System.
– The Indian Air Force will get Mountain Radars and upgrades to SAKSHAM and SPYDER Weapon Systems.
NATIONAL NEWS
- The Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) commissioned India’s first indigenous 1MW green hydrogen plant at Kandla, marking a milestone in clean energy.
– Expansion to 10MW is planned by next fiscal year.
– The plant will initially power buses and lighting at the port, eventually fueling all port operations, promoting maritime decarbonization. - India secured the second rank globally in fish production, announced by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh in Kolkata, after meetings with states to enhance output.
- The Western Railway restarted heritage train services on the 155-year-old Patalpani–Kalakund line in Madhya Pradesh, built in 1878 under Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II.
– The 9.5 km metre-gauge route is both a tourism hotspot and a historical landmark. - The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare amended the Cosmetics Rules, 2020, effective July 29, 2025.
– Mandates include clear distinction between “use before” and “expiry date”, batch-wise testing, and a Central Cosmetics Laboratory (CDL) designation.
– Exporters may comply with importing nations’ norms, improving consumer safety and regulatory transparency. - The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas launched ‘Apna Ghar’, offering truck drivers safe resting spaces across highways.
– As of July 2025, 368 units with 4,611 beds have been set up, featuring clean toilets, dorms, dhabas, cooking facilities, and drinking water, supported by a mobile app. - PM Narendra Modi’s Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) set a Guinness World Record with 3.53 crore registrations on MyGov, marking the highest-ever citizen engagement in a month.
– With 21 crore viewership, it promotes stress-free exams and experiential education under NEP 2020. - The Ministry of Textiles is promoting Geographical Indications (GI) registration for handloom and handicrafts via schemes like HMA, NHDP, and National Handicrafts Development Programme.
- PM Modi inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan, the first Common Central Secretariat (CCS) building under the Central Vista Project.
– CCS-03 will house key ministries including Home Affairs, External Affairs, MSME, and Rural Development.
– A total of 10 CCS buildings are planned, with completion expected by April 2026. - Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, SECI conducted its first auction for Green Ammonia, discovering a record-low price of ₹55.75/kg.
– The auction covers 75,000 MT/year for Paradeep Phosphates, Odisha, under the SIGHT Scheme.
– It positions India as a global hub for Green Hydrogen. - The eSAKSHI portal, launched by MoSPI and SBI, revolutionized the MPLAD Scheme, enabling real-time project tracking and fund transparency.
– Now integrated with a mobile app, MPs can recommend and monitor projects seamlessly. - The Delhi Legislative Assembly became India’s first solar-powered legislature, with a 500 kW rooftop plant reducing costs by ₹1.75 crore annually.
– It also implemented the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) for paperless sessions. - Punjab became the first state to empanel sign language interpreters, translators, and special educators under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and POCSO Act, 2012.
- Deccan Gold Mining Ltd discovered a Nickel–Copper–Platinum Group (Ni–Cu–PGE) sulphide deposit in Bhalukona–Jamnidih, Chhattisgarh, advancing India’s critical mineral strategy.
- PM Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ generated ₹34.13 crore in revenue since 2014, produced by Akashvani and broadcast across radio, TV, and digital platforms.
- In six months of 2025, over 29,000 deaths occurred on national highways, highlighting road safety challenges.
– The government is adopting ATMS, improved road design, and consultant oversight to halve fatalities by 2030.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
- The Krasheninnikov Volcano in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula erupted for the first time in 600 years, sending an ash plume 4 km high after the recent 8.7-magnitude earthquake.
- Hong Kong launched a stablecoin regulatory framework, mandating full reserves and selective licensing, aiming to be a global digital finance hub.
- A Philippine delegation, led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., met APEDA and IREF to expand food imports from India — rice, buffalo meat, fruits, and peanuts — while easing Basmati import restrictions.
- Moldova became the 107th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), joining India and France’s COP21 initiative for global solar adoption.
- India and Russia signed a protocol for industrial cooperation, co-chaired by Amardeep Singh Bhatia and Alexey Gruzdev, covering aluminium, fertilizers, mining, and 3D printing.
- Illinois (USA) became the first U.S. state to ban AI therapy without human supervision under the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, signed by Governor JB Pritzker.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) officially classified Hepatitis D (HDV) as a cancer-causing virus, urging expanded Hepatitis B vaccination.
- In a White House-brokered peace deal, Azerbaijan and Armenia ended the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, reopening trade and transport routes.
- Aadhaar face authentication recorded 19.36 crore transactions in July 2025, a 22% monthly rise, led by AI-driven systems used in banking, telecom, and recruitment.
- The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) celebrated its 9th anniversary, achieving ₹5.4 trillion GMV in FY25, onboarding 1.5 lakh women-led and MSME enterprises.
- Cambodia and Thailand signed a border ceasefire agreement in Kuala Lumpur, witnessed by U.S., China, and Malaysia.
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
- PB Balaji, Group CFO of Tata Motors, appointed CEO of Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) effective Nov 17, 2025.
- Rajiv Anand became MD & CEO of IndusInd Bank (Aug 25, 2025–Aug 24, 2028).
- Jürgen Westermeier appointed President & MD, Airbus India and South Asia (effective Sept 1, 2025).
AWARDS & HONOURS
- At the M.S. Swaminathan Centenary International Conference (New Delhi), PM Modi launched the M.S. Swaminathan Global Award for Food and Peace.
– The first recipient: Dr. Arenare (Nigeria) for combating hunger.
SPORTS NEWS
- Lando Norris won the Hungarian GP 2025, his fifth victory, narrowing the championship gap to 9 points over Oscar Piastri.
- Magnus Carlsen won the Chess Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, defeating Alireza Firouzja (4–2–1) for $250,000.
- AB de Villiers scored a century (58 balls) to lead South Africa Champions to victory over Pakistan Champions in the World Championship of Legends Final.
- India’s first FIFA Talent Academy for Girls launched in Hyderabad, under AIFF–FIFA–Telangana collaboration, training 30 girls and 30 boys.
- The Archery Association of India announced the first Archery League (Oct 2025) with six franchise teams in Delhi.
- Annu Rani won gold (62.59m) in javelin at Wiesław Maniak Memorial (Poland), ranking among the world’s top 15.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
- After NISAR, ISRO to launch BlueBird communications satellite (6500 kg) aboard LVM3, strengthening Indo–U.S. space ties.
- India identified the world’s rarest blood group (CRIB) in a 38-year-old Bengaluru woman, a discovery with global medical implications.
- ICRISAT–ICAR launched an AI-powered climate advisory for farmers using WhatsApp bots, under Monsoon Mission III.
- India & CIP introduced iron-rich biofortified potatoes to combat hidden hunger.
- Under Gaganyaan, ISRO conducted a 10-day space mission simulation in Ladakh (14,000 ft) at the HOPE facility, with biological and mental health monitoring.
- The government will make BharatGen AI multilingual across 22 Indian languages by June 2026, ensuring digital inclusivity.
- IndiaAI and the National Cancer Grid (NCG) launched the CATCH Grant Program, funding AI solutions for cancer care (₹50L–₹1Cr).
