NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. ECI Revises Guidelines to Enhance Readability of EVM
Ballot Papers with Colour Photos and Uniform Fonts: The Election Commission revised guidelines
under Rule 49B of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, to improve the
design and readability of EVM Ballot Papers.Candidate photographs will now be
printed in colour, with the face occupying three-fourths of the photo space for
better visibility.Serial numbers of candidates/NOTA will be in international
Indian numerals, printed in bold with font size 30 for clarity.Names of
candidates/NOTA will appear in uniform font type and size, ensuring easy
readability across all ballot papers.EVM Ballot Papers will be printed on 70 GSM
paper, with pink-coloured sheets (specified RGB values) for Assembly Elections;
new design will debut in Bihar elections.
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2. National Policy on Geothermal Energy 2025: India has taken step towards clean energy by notifying the National Policy on Geothermal Energy in 2025. This policy aims to tap into the country’s largely unexplored geothermal resources. It aligns with India’s commitment to achieve its Net Zero target by 2070. The policy provides a framework to promote exploration, development, and utilisation of geothermal energy for power generation and direct applications. The policy was notified by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). It focuses on using geothermal energy as a reliable and clean source. The policy encourages research, innovation, and international collaboration. It also promotes inter-ministerial coordination to support geothermal projects. The goal is to integrate geothermal energy with India’s broader renewable energy targets. The policy encourages development of hybrid geothermal-solar plants. It supports retrofitting abandoned oil wells for geothermal use. Advanced technologies like Enhanced and Advanced Geothermal Systems (EGS/AGS) are also promoted. Research and development are key to overcoming technical challenges and improving efficiency.
3. Mission Shakti 5.0: Uttar Pradesh launched the fifth phase of Mission Shakti on 22 September 2025, coinciding with Sharadiya Navratri. The month-long campaign aims to enhance women’s safety, dignity, and empowerment across the state. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised strong interdepartmental coordination and active police presence during the initiative. The campaign increases police foot patrols and activates all PRV-112 vehicles to boost visibility. Senior police officers conduct regular field visits, join patrols, and engage with the public. This hands-on approach aims to deter crime and reassure citizens. The women’s helpline 1090 remains fully operational with prompt response to all calls. Mission Shakti 5.0 deploys 44,177 women police personnel across 57,000 village panchayats and 14,000 urban wards. Female officers visit communities to educate women about their rights and government welfare schemes. Women police are specially assigned to public places during festivals, strengthening the Anti-Romeo Squad to maintain order and safety. INTERNATIONAL UPDATES: 1. MeitY Unveils India-AI Impact Summit 2026 with Key Initiatives to Position India as Global AI Hub: MeitY unveiled the logo and key initiatives for the summit, set to position India as a global hub for responsible and inclusive AI, to be held on February 19-20, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.The logo, inspired by the Ashoka Chakra, symbolises ethical governance, justice, and India’s constitutional values, with neural network flares representing AI’s potential to bridge linguistic, industrial, and geographical divides.570 AI Data Labs are planned nationwide to train students and professionals, with 30 labs launched in phase one, including partnerships with NIELIT and Intel. The IndiaAI Fellowship Program now supports 13,500 scholars across undergraduates, postgraduates, and PhD researchers in multiple disciplines.Eight projects under IndiaAI Foundation Models aim to develop multilingual and domain-specific AI models for sectors like agriculture, healthcare, governance, science, and industry, including India’s first large reasoning model and specialized AI Avatars for Indian languages. 2. 20 September 2025 – International Red Panda Day: International Red Panda Day is observed every third Saturday of September, which falls on 20 September in 2025, to highlight red panda conservation globally.The day aims to raise awareness about the threats facing red pandas, including habitat loss, climate change, and poaching, and promote conservation efforts.Wildlife organisations, zoos, and conservation groups organise educational campaigns, fundraising activities, and habitat protection programs to support red panda survival.The initiative was initially started in 2010 by the Red Panda Network, a Nepalese non-profit organisation. It was with the simple intent of allocating one day each year to raise awareness and make people take action on behalf of the species. 3. 2025 World Trade Report: The 2025 World Trade Report by the World Trade Organization (WTO) outlines how artificial intelligence (AI) could transform global trade and economic growth by 2040. It predicts a near 40 per cent rise in cross-border trade value driven by productivity gains and reduced trade costs. The report stresses the importance of policies that bridge digital divides and promote inclusive growth. AI can increase global trade by 34-37 per cent and boost global GDP by 12-13 per cent by 2040. These outcomes depend on how well different countries adopt AI and improve digital infrastructure. Low- and middle-income countries stand to gain if they narrow the digital gap with wealthier nations and embrace AI technologies. Trade in AI-enabling goods such as raw materials, semiconductors, and intermediate inputs is vital. In 2023, such trade was worth USD 2.3 trillion. Access to these goods supports AI adoption and economic growth. If developing economies reduce their digital infrastructure gap by half and adopt AI widely, incomes could rise by 14-15 per cent. 4. International Reference Classification of Occupations: The Government of India and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop the International Reference Classification of Occupations. This agreement aims to enhance global employment opportunities for youth. It addresses skill shortages caused by demographic changes and digital transformation worldwide. The MoU aligns with the G20 commitment to create well-managed, skills-based migration pathways. The MoU sets the stage for a feasibility study and pilot projects in green, digital, and care sectors. These areas are critical for future job growth and sustainability. The partnership may expand to include broader workforce development initiatives. It supports India’s vision to become a global skill hub and trusted talent provider. OTHER UPDATES: DEFENCE 1. 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. 2. Pacific Reach 2025 Exercise: The Indian Navy’s newest indigenously-built Diving Support Vessel (DSV), INS Nistar, is actively participating in the multinational Exercise Pacific Reach 2025 held in Singapore. This biennial exercise sees over 40 countries collaborating on submarine rescue operations and maritime safety. India’s involvement marks its growing role in international naval cooperation and underwater emergency preparedness.INS Nistar was commissioned on 18 July 2025. It is a Diving Support Vessel with more than 80% indigenous components, reflecting India’s push for self-reliance in defence. The vessel operates under the Eastern Naval Command. It is equipped with Side Scan Sonar for seabed mapping, Observation-class Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), and advanced deep-sea diving systems. INS Nistar’s primary role is to serve as the mothership for India’s Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRVs). India inducted two DSRVs between 2018 and 2019, one for each coast. These vehicles can conduct rescue missions up to 650 metres underwater. They are designed for rapid deployment, capable of being airlifted or mounted on Vessels of Opportunity (VoO). During Pacific Reach 2025, INS Nistar hosts the Submarine Rescue Unit (East), enhancing India’s underwater rescue response capabilities. SPORTS 1. Marium Fatima becomes Bihar’s first Woman FIDE Master: Marium Fatima of Muzaffarpur has made history by becoming Bihar’s first-ever female FIDE Master in chess.She achieved this milestone at the recently concluded Commonwealth Chess Championship, where she surpassed the 2000 FIDE rating mark required for the prestigious title.This achievement is a significant moment in the 40-year sporting history of her district, as she is the first player to secure such a major international distinction. Mariumm has a consistent record of excellence, having previously won several key tournaments. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1. 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. 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. DBS Bank India becomes the first wholly-owned subsidiary authorised by RBI to collect GST payments: DBS Bank India has become the first and only wholly-owned subsidiary in India to be authorised as an Agency Bank for collecting Goods and Services Tax (GST) payments.Through its digital banking platform DBS IDEAL, customers can make instant GST payments with real-time updates, acknowledgements, and downloadable records, along with options for NEFT/RTGS and branch payments.The platform helps enterprises overcome challenges like manual uploads, fragmented approvals, and time-consuming reconciliations, ensuring a more secure, efficient, and transparent GST payment process. 2. SBI General Insurance and CarePlix launch first-of-its-kind biometric health scanning feature on mobile app: SBI General Insurance, in collaboration with CarePlix, has introduced a biometric health scanning feature on its mobile app, marking a major step towards digital wellness and customer-centric innovation.Using remote potoplethysmography (rPPG) technology, the feature enables contactless face and finger scans to instantly track vital health parameters like heart rate, respiration rate, blood pressure, BMI, stress levels, and more.The feature is available for both existing and new customers on the SBI General app, with added value of up to 5% discounts on standard lab tests through partnered providers. |
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