NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Centre Releases ₹342 Crore XV Finance Commission
Grants for Rural Local Bodies in Tamil Nadu and Assam: The Union Government
released Rs. 127.586 crores as the first instalment of untied XV
Finance Commission grants for Tamil Nadu in FY 2025–26, covering 2,901
Gram Panchayats, 74 Block Panchayats, and 9 District Panchayats.Assam received
Rs. 214.542 crores under FY 2024–25, benefiting all 2192 Gram Panchayats, 156
Block Panchayats, and 27 Zilla Parishads.The grants are recommended by the
Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti, and released by the
Ministry of Finance in two installments annually for Rural Local Bodies (RLBs)/
Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).Untied grants can be used for local needs
under the 29 subjects of the Eleventh Schedule (excluding
salaries/establishment costs), while tied grants focus on sanitation, ODF
maintenance, waste management, drinking water supply, rainwater harvesting, and
water recycling.
2. CCI Approves PNC Infratech’s Acquisition of up to 100%
Stake in Jaiprakash Associates Limited: The Competition Commission of India
(CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates
Limited (JAL) by PNC Infratech Limited.The deal involves acquiring
a minimum of 95% and up to 100% stake in JAL, either directly by PNC
Infratech or through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) as its wholly owned
subsidiary.Jaiprakash Associates Limited is currently undergoing the corporate
insolvency resolution process under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016.
3. IRDAI Chairman Launches Bima Sugam India Federation
Website to Boost Digital Insurance Infrastructure: Ajay Seth, Chairman of
IRDAI, launched the official website of Bima Sugam India Federation (BSIF),
marking a major step in building India’s digital public infrastructure for
insurance.The initiative aims to empower policyholders, deepen insurance
penetration, and ensure transparency & fairness, aligning with the vision
of “Insurance for All by 2047” under the Viksit Bharat 2047 mission.Bima Sugam
is part of the Bima Trinity Model, which also includes Bima Vistar (affordable
all-in-one insurance product) and Bima Vahak (women-led distribution
channel).The platform will follow a phased approach with high levels of
security, compliance, and scalability, progressively going live with real
transactions as insurers and partners integrate into the system.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India, ILO Sign MoU to Adopt Global Occupation
Classification System and Boost Indian Workers’ Employability: The Union government
signed an MoU with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in
Geneva to advance the International Reference Classification of Occupations
(IRCO), aiming to boost the global employability of Indian workers.The
agreement was signed by Ambassador Arindam Bagchi and ILO Director-General
Gilbert F. Houngbo, with Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attending
virtually.By adopting the IRCO framework, India seeks to align domestic
occupational data with international standards, streamline the skill ecosystem,
enable mutual recognition of qualifications, and improve Indian workers’
competitiveness in global job markets.
2. India Rises to 38th Rank in Global Innovation Index
2025: India ranks 38th in
the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, improving from 39th last
year and making a 10-place jump since 2020 (48th); it leads among lower
middle-income economies (37) and Central & Southern Asia (10
economies).Strong policy support, rising R&D investment, and a vibrant
startup ecosystem have boosted India’s status as a global innovation hub, as
captured by the GII’s 80 indicators of innovation inputs and outputs.India
performed better in innovation outputs than inputs, with R&D investments
falling to 7.8% in 2019–20, but showing a 3.1% rise over 2010–20.Robust digital
infrastructure, AI adoption, and government initiatives have accelerated
India’s innovation journey, propelling its ranking from 81st in 2015 to 39th in
2025.
3. 18 September – World Bamboo Day: World Bamboo Day is observed annually on
18 September to raise awareness about the importance of bamboo as a
sustainable resource.Theme 2025 – Next Generation Bamboo: Solution, Innovation,
and DesignThe day was officially declared in 2009 by the World Bamboo
Organisation (WBO) during the 8th World Bamboo Congress in Bangkok,
Thailand.Bamboo is called the “Green Gold” as it plays a vital role in
combating climate change, promoting biodiversity, and supporting rural
economies.India is home to the largest bamboo resources outside China, spread
across the North-East, Central, and Southern regions.
4. Global Innovation Index 2025: The Global Innovation
Index (GII) 2025 reveals a dynamic shift in global innovation patterns. While
advances in AI and quantum computing accelerate, overall R&D growth has
slowed sharply. India’s innovation ranking has improved, reflecting its
evolving research and technology landscape. Global R&D growth declined to
2.9% in 2024 and is expected to drop further to 2.3% in 2025. This slowdown
marks the lowest rate since the 2010 financial crisis. Despite this, innovation
hubs in Europe, North America, and Asia continue to lead. Europe dominates with
15 countries in the top 25, including six in the top 10. Switzerland holds the
top position, followed by Sweden and the United States. Emerging economies in
Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania also gain prominence. The top 10
countries in the GII 2025 are Switzerland, Sweden, the USA, South Korea,
Singapore, the UK, Finland, the Netherlands, Denmark, and China. China ranks
10th and excels in patent filings and R&D expenditure, surpassing
Switzerland in knowledge and technology outputs. These countries lead through
strong innovation ecosystems and investment in technology.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. INS Kadmatt Reaches Fiji to Strengthen Maritime
Cooperation and Indo-Pacific Friendship: The Indian Naval Ship Kadmatt, an
anti-submarine warfare corvette, has reached Suva, Fiji, as part of its
overseas deployment. The visit reflects the strong cultural and historical
bonds between the two nations.During the visit, the ship’s crew will engage in
professional exchanges, cultural activities and community outreach
programmes.Joint exercises with the Republic of Fiji Navy are also planned to
enhance interoperability and strengthen maritime cooperation. The three-month
deployment underlines the country’s commitment to fostering friendship and
security in the Indo-Pacific region while promoting people-to-people ties with
Fiji.
2. STAR Supersonic Target Missile: India’s indigenous
supersonic target missile STAR is transforming military training and readiness.
Developed to simulate modern cruise missile threats, STAR flies at speeds
between Mach 1.8 and 2.5. It replicates hostile missile attacks with realistic
flight profiles, enabling the armed forces to sharpen their reflexes and
tactical responses. This missile marks step in India’s self-reliance in defence
technology. As of mid-2025, STAR has entered Phase-III of development. Full
prototypes are being tested with integrated propulsion, guidance, and control
systems. Combat-style flight trials are underway, indicating imminent
operational deployment. STAR’s deployment will enhance joint exercises for the
Army, Navy, and Air Force, improving their preparedness against supersonic
threats. STAR uses a two-stage propulsion system. A solid booster rocket
provides rapid lift-off. This is followed by a Liquid Fuel Ramjet (LFRJ) engine
that sustains supersonic speeds. It can perform sea-skimming runs at just 12
feet above waves, steep dives from 10 km altitude, and varied ranges from 55 to
175 km. Flight duration ranges from 50 to 200 seconds, offering diverse
training scenarios.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Jitendra Singh
Inaugurates Centre of Excellence for AI and Skill Development at Graphic Era
University, Dehradun: Union Minister Jitendra
Singh inaugurated a Centre of Excellence for AI, Skill Development,
and Innovation at Graphic Era University, Dehradun, spread over 1.5 lakh sq.
ft. and housing Uttarakhand’s first NVIDIA AI & HPC hub with a DGX B200
system.Built at a cost of over ₹10 crore, the centre will promote research in
healthcare, agriculture, environment, smart cities, and advanced industries,
along with an Apple iOS Development Centre set up in collaboration with Apple
and Infosys.Graphic Era University, ranked 48th in NIRF 2025 with NAAC A+
accreditation, has become India’s first Generative AI-ready campus powered by
AWS, linking academic research with industry and startups.
2. Portable Ion
Chromatography Aquamonitrix: Recent advances have brought ion chromatography out of expensive
laboratories and into the field. Scientists at the University of Tasmania have
developed a portable ion chromatograph named Aquamonitrix. This device enables
real-time analysis of soil pore water, making environmental monitoring and
chemistry education more accessible and practical. Ion chromatography separates
ions in a sample by passing it through a column. Traditional systems are costly
and require complex equipment. Aquamonitrix simplifies this by using a short
column and low-pressure pump. It operates on a sodium chloride solution, which
is environmentally friendly. The device uses a UV light absorbance detector to
identify nitrate and nitrite ions, which absorb UV light distinctly, allowing
clear detection without interference from other ions. Students collect soil
pore water using a portable vacuum pump. The water is filtered on-site and
injected directly into Aquamonitrix. The device quickly produces chromatograms
showing peaks for nitrate and nitrite concentrations. This immediate analysis
helps monitor environmental pollutants, as these ions are harmful in excess.
Samples are later analysed in the lab using conventional ion chromatography to
verify accuracy.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Razorpay Becomes First Indian Payment Aggregator to
Integrate Apple Pay for International Transactions: Razorpay has become
the first Indian online payment aggregator to enable Apple Pay for
international transactions, supporting merchants such as Mokobara, Akasa Air,
Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop, Sabyasachi, Nish Hair, and House of Masaba.Early pilots
of Apple Pay on Razorpay showed a 58% increase in conversion rates, 45% faster
checkout, and a 12% rise in average order value.Apple Pay, with over 500
million global users and acceptance by more than 90% of US merchants, is
integrated on Razorpay in compliance with India’s cross-border payment
regulations and is available for eligible Indian merchants.
2. RBI forms committee for periodic review of regulations: The Reserve Bank of
India (RBI) has constituted a Regulatory Review Cell (RRC) to
strengthen the institutional mechanism for reviewing regulations, ensuring a
systematic internal review every 5–7 years.The RRC, effective from October 1, 2025,
will function under the Department of Regulation and undertake regulation
reviews in a phased manner.Alongside the RRC, an independent Advisory Group on
Regulation (AGR) has been formed, comprising external experts to provide
industry feedback and strengthen stakeholder engagement.The AGR will initially
serve for three years, with the option to extend for two more years, and may
also co-opt additional experts as needed.The AGR will be chaired by Rana
Ashutosh Kumar Singh, MD of SBI, and include eminent members such as T.T.
Srinivasaraghavan (Sundaram Finance), Gautam Thakur (Saraswat Co-op Bank),
Shyam Srinivasan (Federal Bank), Ravi Duvvur (Jana Small Finance Bank), and
N.S. Kannan (ICICI Prudential Life Insurance).
3. South Indian Bank Launches UPI-Based GST Payment Facility for Seamless Tax Transactions”: South Indian Bank (SIB) has launched a UPI-based GST payment facility on its portal, allowing taxpayers to pay GST seamlessly using QR codes and VPA IDs.The service enables both customers and non-customers to make secure and convenient GST payments via UPI, enhancing accessibility across India.Authorised as an Agency Bank by RBI and recognised by CBIC for indirect tax collection, South Indian Bank can now facilitate government business transactions effectively.
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