NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Launches First-Ever Guidelines for Animal Blood
Transfusion and Veterinary Blood Banks: The Department
of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) released India’s first-ever
Guidelines and SOPs for Blood Transfusion and Blood Banks for
Animals, creating a structured framework for veterinary transfusion
medicine.The guidelines cover donor selection, blood collection, storage,
transfusion procedures, safety measures, and emphasize ethical blood donation,
mandatory blood typing, cross-matching, and a Donor Rights Charter.Developed
with inputs from the Veterinary Council of India, ICAR institutes, universities,
and experts, the framework aligns with global standards, integrates One Health
principles, and proposes a National Veterinary Blood Bank Network with digital
registries and emergency helplines.The move is seen as a milestone in
veterinary healthcare, strengthening clinical care, animal welfare, rural
livelihoods, and research, while supporting India’s livestock sector that
contributes 5.5% to national GDP and over 30% to agricultural GDP.
2. NHAI launches Project Aarohan to support education of
toll plaza workers’ families:
NHAI launched Project Aarohan to support the educational
aspirations of toll plaza employees’ children, focusing on students from
economically weaker sections.The scheme will cover 500 students from Class 11
to graduation, each receiving an annual scholarship of ₹12,000 in FY
2025-26.Additionally, 50 meritorious students aspiring for postgraduate and
higher studies will receive ₹50,000 scholarships each.Applications will be
accepted via an online portal, requiring documents such as academic records,
income proof, caste certificate, and ID proof.
3. India’s National Designated Authority for
Carbon Trading: India has
recently established a National Designated Authority (NDA) to manage carbon
emissions trading under the 2015 Paris
Agreement. This move follows the
finalisation of Article 6 at the 29th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties
(COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan in November 2024. The NDA is important step
towards operationalising a carbon market to meet India’s climate commitments. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement outlines
the framework for international carbon emissions trading. It enables countries
to cooperate in achieving their emission reduction targets through market
mechanisms. The article was a contentious issue for years and was only resolved
in late 2024. The agreement ensures transparency and credibility in carbon
credit generation and trading.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Nepal officially joins India-led International Big Cat
Alliance: Nepal has officially become
a member of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led
global initiative launched in April 2023 for the conservation of seven big cat
species — tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard, cheetah, jaguar, and puma.With
snow leopard, tiger, and common leopard in its landscape, Nepal’s participation
will strengthen global cooperation in big cat conservation. The IBCA praised
Nepal for this ecologically significant step.Nepal has achieved remarkable
success in wildlife conservation by tripling its tiger population from 121 in
2009 to 355 in 2022, showcasing its strong commitment to protecting endangered
species.
2. India-China Collaboration on Global AI
Governance: Recent
developments in 2025 mark a very important moment in India-China relations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai
Cooperation Organisation (SCO)
summit in Tianjin is the first since the Galwan Valley clash. Beyond
diplomatic recalibration, this visit aims to encourage cooperation on
artificial intelligence (AI) governance. Both nations seek to influence global
AI rules, reflecting the interests of the Global South rather than just the
Western world. India and China have faced geopolitical tensions, especially
after border conflicts. Despite mistrust, both countries recognise the
strategic value of working together. The SCO summit offers a platform to
prioritise economic ties and emerging technologies over disputes. AI is a key
area of focus given its growing global importance.
3. Shipki-La Pass: Recent developments indicate a positive
shift in India-China border trade relations. China has agreed in principle to
reopen the Shipki-La trade route in Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district. This
follows diplomatic engagement during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit
to India. The route’s reopening is part of broader discussions to resume trade
through all three designated border points between the two countries. Shipki-La
is a historic trade pass located in the Himalayas. It has served as a
traditional link between India and Tibet. The route was officially designated for
border trade under the 1994 India-China bilateral agreement. Trade through
Shipki-La was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, halting
centuries-old economic and cultural exchanges.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Indian Navy Commissions Stealth Frigates Udaygiri and
Himgiri at Visakhapatnam’: The Indian Navy commissioned two Project 17A stealth frigates, Udaygiri and Himgiri, at Naval Base
Visakhapatnam with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh presiding over the ceremony.This
marks the first-ever simultaneous commissioning of two frontline warships built
at different shipyards — Udaygiri by MDL (Mumbai) and Himgiri by GRSE
(Kolkata).Both frigates, designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) as
advanced variants of the Shivalik-class, feature enhanced stealth, modern
sensors, advanced weaponry, and 75% indigenous content, highlighting
Aatmanirbhar Bharat.With their induction into the Eastern Fleet, Udaygiri and
Himgiri will boost India’s maritime strength in the Indian Ocean Region,
symbolizing India’s shipbuilding expertise and inter-yard collaboration.
2. India, Japan to Co-Develop Advanced UNICORN Naval
Antenna System for Indian Navy Platforms: India and Japan are co-developing
the Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN), also
known as Nora-50, for Indian Navy platforms, marking a major boost to bilateral
defence collaboration.UNICORN is one of the world’s most advanced weapon-grade
composite radar masts, currently deployed on Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, and
is designed to house multiple antennas and sensors in a single composite mast
for improved stealth and efficiency.Under the Memorandum of Implementation
(MoI) signed in November 2024, Japan will provide design and engineering
support, while India, through Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), will handle
integration, adaptation, and co-production.The project is seen as a milestone
in India’s naval indigenisation efforts, with BEL’s existing Advanced Composite
Communication System (ACCS) already in use, facilitating smooth incorporation
of UNICORN into future Indian naval platforms.
3. Sudarshan Chakra Air Defence Mission: The Sudarshan Chakra
mission was announced as India’s indigenous multi-layered air defence system.
It aims to protect strategic, civilian, and national sites from enemy aerial
threats. The project integrates advanced technologies and a
whole-of-nation approach to ensure robust national security. Sudarshan Chakra
is designed as India’s equivalent to Israel’s Iron Dome. It combines detection,
acquisition, and neutralisation of enemy air vectors. The system uses both soft
kills—electronic and cyber measures that disable threats—and hard kills such as
missiles and lasers. The goal is to create a shield and sword to defend against
missiles, aircraft, and drones.
SPORTS
1. Mirabai Clinches Gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting
Championships 2025: Star Indian weightlifter and Tokyo Olympics
silver medallist Mirabai Chanu clinched Gold at the 2025 Commonwealth Weightlifting
Championships in Ahmedabad.She lifted a total of 193kg (84kg in snatch
& 109kg in clean and jerk), setting new Commonwealth Championship records
in all categories.With this victory, Mirabai secured direct qualification for
the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
2. Sharvari Somnath Shende Wins U18 Gold at World Youth
Archery Championships in Canada: Sharvari Somnath Shende (16-year-old) won the U18 women’s individual recurve gold
medal at the 2025 World Youth Archery Championships held in
Winnipeg, Canada.She defeated South Korea’s Kim Yewon 6-5 in a thrilling final,
clinching the title with a perfect 10 in the shoot-off.Shende became the second
Indian woman to win gold in the tournament after Chikitha Taniparthi, who
earlier won the U21 women’s compound individual title.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Bloom Syndrome: Bloom Syndrome is a rare
genetic disorder with fewer than 300 cases reported worldwide. Recently, a
12-year-old girl in Chennai underwent a bone marrow transplant using stem cells
from her younger brother, marking medical intervention in India. This disorder
affects DNA repair mechanisms, leading to multiple health challenges and a high
risk of cancer. Bloom Syndrome is caused by mutations in the BLM gene. This
gene produces a protein essential for maintaining DNA structure during
replication and repair. When mutated, cells lose the ability to fix damaged
DNA, causing abnormal cell growth. The condition is inherited in an autosomal
recessive pattern. Both parents must carry the mutation for a child to be
affected. It is most common among the Ashkenazi Jewish population but occurs
worldwide.
2. Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1): The Indian Space Research
Organisation (ISRO) achieved milestone on 24 August 2025 by successfully
conducting its first Integrated Air Drop Test (IADT-1). This test is crucial
for the Gaganyaan
mission, India’s maiden human
spaceflight programme. The trial demonstrated the reliability of the
parachute-based deceleration system designed to safely return astronauts to
Earth. This achievement marks a key step towards human-rating India’s
spaceflight launch and recovery systems. The IADT-1 involved dropping a dummy
crew capsule weighing around five tonnes from a Chinook helicopter. The capsule
descended several kilometres while its parachutes deployed in a precise
sequence. This sequence slowed the capsule to a safe splashdown speed. The test
validated the parachute system’s performance under real-world conditions.
During actual missions, the parachutes will deploy after atmospheric re-entry
and initial deceleration by heat shields and drogue parachutes.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Fitch Affirms India’s Sovereign Rating at ‘BBB-’ with
Stable Outlook, Citing Strong Growth Prospects: Fitch Ratings reaffirmed India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-’
with a stable outlook, highlighting robust growth and improving fiscal
credibility as key drivers.Fitch projected India’s GDP growth at 6.5% in FY26, unchanged from FY25 and
significantly higher than the ‘BBB’ median of 2.5%, supported by strong
external finances.Proposed GST reforms with a simplified two-tier structure (5%
and 18%) and a 40% rate for select goods could boost consumption and help
mitigate growth risks.On August 14, S&P Global Ratings upgraded India’s
sovereign rating by a notch to ‘BBB’, from ‘BBB-‘, with a stable outlook — its
first upgrade for India in over 18 years.
2. IREDA Signs MoU with MNRE, Sets ₹8,200 Crore Revenue
Target for FY 2025-26: IREDA signed
a performance-based MoU with the
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), setting a Revenue from
Operations target of ₹8,200 crore for FY 2025-26.In FY 2024-25, IREDA had
exceeded its revenue target, achieving ₹6,743.32 crore against the set target
of ₹5,957 crore.The MoU outlines key performance parameters including Return on
Net Worth, Return on Capital Employed, NPA to Total Loans, Asset Turnover
Ratio, and EBTDA.
3. Sundaram Home Finance launches special affordable
housing finance under ‘Anugraha’ brand: Sundaram Home Finance, a subsidiary of
Sundaram Finance Ltd, launched an affordable
housing finance product named ‘Anugraha’, targeting lower to mid-income
aspiring homeowners.The initiative aims to expand deeper into Tier 2 and Tier 3
towns, promoting inclusivity and accessibility in home ownership alongside
small business loans as key growth drivers.The company operates with 50+
branches in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, and disbursed over ₹200 crore in the
previous year.
4. CCPA slaps ₹3 lakh fine on VLCC for misleading ads on slimming treatments: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a fine of ₹3 lakh on VLCC Ltd for publishing misleading advertisements about slimming treatments using the US-FDA-approved CoolSculpting machine.VLCC was found making exaggerated claims such as “Lose up to 600g and 7 cm in 1 session” and “Drop 1 size permanently,” which went far beyond the actual medical approval for the machine.The investigation revealed that CoolSculpting is approved only for localized fat reduction in specific body areas (like arms, thighs, abdomen, back fat, etc.) for individuals with a BMI of 30 or less, not for permanent weight loss. Along with the penalty, CCPA issued advisories to VLCC to ensure future ads and disclaimers strictly adhere to accurate information, avoiding misleading claims.
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