NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Tata Electronics partners with Merck to boost India’s
semiconductor ecosystem: Tata
Electronics Private Limited and Merck signed an MoU for a strategic collaboration to boost India’s semiconductor and
electronics manufacturing capabilities, focusing on materials,
fabrication infrastructure, and specialty chemicals.Merck will provide
high-purity electronic materials, advanced gas and chemical delivery systems,
AI-powered Material Intelligence™ solutions, and support Tata Electronics’
upcoming Fab in Dholera, Gujarat.The partnership includes local warehousing,
raw material supply chain development, talent cultivation, and industry
standards, aligning with the India Semiconductor Mission and Tata Electronics’
Rs 91,000 crore investment in India’s first semiconductor Fab.
2. Department of Posts Partners with ESRI India to
Strengthen DIGIPIN Initiative with Advanced GIS Solutions: Department of Posts (DoP) signed an MoU with
ESRI India to strengthen the DIGIPIN initiative using advanced Geographic Information System
(GIS) solutions.The collaboration will allow DoP to use high-resolution
imagery, street basemaps, and Esri India’s Living Atlas portal, enhancing
accessibility for the larger GIS community.ESRI India will provide technical
support for seamless integration, making the DIGIPIN system more robust,
efficient, and citizen-friendly.
3. Giriraj Singh Launches Kapas Kisan App to Aid Cotton
Farmers: Union Minister of Textiles
Giriraj Singh launched the Kapas
Kisan app to enable seamless
cotton procurement from farmers under the Minimum Support Price
(MSP) scheme.The app provides self-registration, slot booking, and payment
tracking, ensuring transparency, speed, and protection against distress sales
for cotton growers.It features a user-friendly interface with support for
multiple Indian languages, reducing manual paperwork and saving time at
procurement centres.
4. Vishakha Mulye Reappointed as MD & CEO of Aditya
Birla Capital for Five Years:
Vishakha Mulye has been reappointed
as Managing Director & CEO of Aditya Birla Capital for a period
of five years, effective from September 1, 2025.Under her leadership since
2022, the company expanded across Loans, Investments, Insurance, and Payments,
with the vision of ‘One ABC, One P&L’ strategy.The company also appointed
Rakesh Singh as Executive Director & CEO (NBFC) for five years, who
previously worked with Standard Chartered Bank for 16 years.
5. Gandhi Reappointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Yes
Bank by RBI: The Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) has approved the reappointment
of former Deputy Governor R. Gandhi as non-executive chairman of Yes Bank.His
tenure will be from September 20, 2025, to May 13, 2027, with remuneration
approved by the RBI.Gandhi served as RBI Deputy Governor from 2014 to 2017 and
has 37 years of experience as a seasoned central banker.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Announces 1,000 E-Scholarships for Afghan
Students for Academic Year 2025-26 under SSSAN: India has announced 1,000 e-scholarships for Afghan
nationals for the academic year 2025-26 under the Special
Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN) via ICCR.The scholarships
enable Afghan students aged 18–35 years to pursue online undergraduate and
postgraduate courses through the e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-learn portal.Nine
Indian universities, including Jamia Millia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National
Open University, Anna University, and Kurukshetra University, are offering a
wide range of online programmes under this scheme.
2. SMBC’s $1.6 Billion Stake in Yes Bank Gets Approval: India’s competition regulator has approved Japanese company
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation’s stake purchase in Indian lender Yes
Bank.SMBC in May had inked a deal to take a 20% stake in Yes Bank for $1.6
billion, making it the largest cross-border merger and acquisition deal in
India’s financial sector.
3. 3 September – Skyscraper Day: Skyscraper Day is observed every year on September 3 to
celebrate the world’s tallest architectural marvels and their creators.The day
honors the achievements of architects, engineers, and workers who design and
construct skyscrapers, symbolising progress and innovation.It also raises
awareness about urbanisation, modern infrastructure, and the impact of tall
buildings on city life and the environment.
4. SCO Condemns Pahalgam Terror Attack: The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
(SCO) leaders issued a joint declaration in September 2025 strongly condemning
terrorism. The statement explicitly mentioned the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26
people. This marks development as earlier defence minister-level meetings had
avoided mentioning the attack. The declaration also condemned terrorist attacks
in Pakistan’s Balochistan region. The move reflects evolving geopolitics and
China’s tentative shift in its stance towards terrorism-related issues
involving India and Pakistan. The SCO leaders’ statement condemned terrorism in
all forms. It expressed condolences to victims of the Pahalgam attack. The
declaration also mentioned the Jaffer Express hijacking and the Khuzdar school
bus bombing in Pakistan. Earlier, India had pushed for explicit references to
terrorism and cross-border threats in SCO documents. Defence Minister Rajnath
Singh had refused to sign the June 2025 defence ministers’ statement due to
Pakistan’s objections. The leaders’ summit in Tianjin marked a breakthrough
with the clear mention of Pahalgam.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. 21st Edition of India–US Joint Exercise Yudh Abhyas
Underway in Alaska: 21st edition of India-US Joint Military
Exercise Yudh Abhyas 2025 is being held at Fort Wainwright, Alaska (USA) from 1st
to 14th September 2025, with the Indian Army’s Madras Regiment battalion
participating alongside the US 5th Infantry Regiment “Bobcats” of the 11th
Airborne Division.The exercise includes heliborne operations, UAV deployment,
mountain warfare, artillery-aviation integration, and electronic warfare
systems, aimed at enhancing tactical interoperability.Experts from both armies
will lead working groups on UAS & Counter-UAS, information warfare,
communications, and logistics, culminating in joint tactical manoeuvres,
live-fire drills, and high-altitude warfare to strengthen UN peacekeeping and
multi-domain preparedness.
SPORTS
1. Australian Fast Bowler Mitchell Starc Retires from
T20Is: Mitchell Starc announced his retirement
from T20 International cricket to focus on his Test and ODI career,
finishing as Australia’s second-highest T20I wicket-taker.In his 65-match T20I
career (2012–2025), Starc claimed 79 wickets with an economy rate of 7.74.He
played in five of six T20 World Cups, missing only 2016 due to injury, and was
a key member of Australia’s 2021 T20 World Cup-winning team in Dubai.
2. World Junior Champion Pranav Venkatesh Clinches
Fujairah Global Superstars Title: World Junior Champion Pranav Venkatesh won the Fujairah Global
Superstars chess tournament in the UAE, defeating Grandmaster Alan
Pichot of Spain.Pranav scored 7 points out of 9, finishing one point ahead of
closest competitors Brandon Jacobson (USA), Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara
(Mexico), and Amin Tabatabai (Iran), who all had 6 points.Despite needing only
a draw in the final round, Pranav played aggressively with white pieces and
secured a resounding victory to claim the top prize.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Jarosite Discovery in Kutch: Recent research has
identified the village of Matanomadh in Gujarat’s Kutch district as a key
terrestrial analogue for Mars. The discovery of jarosite, a rare iron-rich
sulphate mineral, dating back 55 million years, links Earth’s geological past
with Martian conditions. This finding opens new avenues for planetary science
and future Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) missions, including Mangalyaan-2.
ISRO is expanding its planetary research with multiple analogue sites.
Alongside Matanomadh, the Himalayan Outpost for Planetary Exploration (HOPE) in
Ladakh simulates Mars’ atmospheric and temperature conditions. Recently, two
crew members spent 10 days in a Mars habitat replica at 4,500 metres altitude,
experiencing low oxygen and sub-zero temperatures. Together, these sites
support ISRO’s Mangalyaan-2 mission by providing practical testing grounds for
instruments and human factors.
2. What is CEREBO?: Recent advances in brain
injury diagnosis have introduced CEREBO, a novel hand-held device designed to
detect traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) quickly and safely. Developed by leading
Indian research institutions, CEREBO offers a portable, non-invasive, and
cost-effective alternative to traditional imaging tools. This innovation aims
to improve early detection and treatment outcomes, especially in
resource-limited settings. CEREBO was created through a partnership involving
the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Medical Device & Diagnostics
Mission Secretariat (MDMS), AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan
Research. The device utilises advanced near-infrared spectroscopy combined with
machine learning to identify intracranial bleeding and brain swelling. It has
undergone rigorous clinical validation and regulatory approval, confirming its
accuracy and safety.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. SEBI Announces New Rules to Monitor Intraday Positions
in Equity Derivatives from October 1, 2025: SEBI issued new rules (September 1, 2025) for monitoring intraday positions in equity derivatives,
effective from October 1, 2025.The intraday net position limit has been
set at ₹5,000 crore per entity, compared to the earlier end-of-day limit of
₹1,500 crore.Gross intraday exposure has been capped at ₹10,000 crore, applied
separately to long and short positions.Stock exchanges will monitor compliance
using at least 4 random snapshots, and any breach on the expiry day will
attract penalties.
2. UPI transactions first time cross 20bn mark in this
August: Unified Payments
Interface, UPI has achieved a new
milestone with first time ever crossing twenty billion transactions in the
month of August this year.According to the National Payments Corporation
of India, the total number of transactions stood at 20.01 billion, marking a 34
per cent year-on-year increase from 14.9 billion in August last year.UPI has
also registered transactions of 24.85 lakh crore rupees in August this year,
which represents a 24 per cent increase year-over-year. The average daily
transaction count in August has reached 645 million.
3. IEPFA Launches “Niveshak Didi – Phase II” to Boost Financial Literacy and Women-Led Empowerment: The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs launched Phase II of “Niveshak Didi” in Hyderabad to promote financial literacy.The initiative focuses on women-led financial empowerment, covering savings, safe investments, fraud prevention, and digital financial awareness.Phase II expands on the first phase with greater outreach, interactive training modules, and collaboration with grassroots organizations to maximize impact.
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