NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Cabinet approves ₹1,500 crore scheme under NCMM to
boost recycling of critical minerals: The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM
Narendra Modi, approved a ₹1,500
crore incentive scheme under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) to
boost recycling capacity for critical minerals.The scheme will run for
six years (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31), covering e-waste, lithium-ion battery
scrap, and catalytic converters recycling.Incentives include a 20% capital
subsidy on plant & machinery and operating subsidies (40% in the 2nd year
and 60% in the 5th year) based on incremental sales.Out of the total outlay,
one-third has been earmarked for start-ups and smaller players, with subsidy
caps of ₹50 crore for large entities and ₹25 crore for small entities.
The
scheme aims to create 270 kilo
tonnes recycling capacity, produce 40 kilo tonnes of critical minerals
annually, attract ₹8,000 crore investments, and generate 70,000 jobs.
2. PM Modi launches Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi to empower
rural women with affordable financial support: PM Narendra Modi virtually
launched Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi
Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited, aimed at providing easy access to funds at affordable interest rates for
Jeevika community members.All registered cluster-level federations of
Jeevika will become members of this cooperative society, with financial
contributions from both the Bihar government and the Central government.The
Prime Minister transferred ₹105 crore into the institution’s bank account to
support its functioning and provide immediate financial aid.The scheme will
empower rural women entrepreneurs, helping them access funds easily, grow their
businesses, and contribute to India’s development.
3. Rajit Punhani takes charge as CEO of FSSAI: Rajit Punhani, a
1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has been appointed as the new CEO of the Food Safety
and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). He replaced GKV Rao.He
has previously served as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and
Entrepreneurship, Secretary, Rajya Sabha, CEO of Sansad TV, and Principal
Secretary in Bihar Government.His appointment comes as the Supreme Court
directed the Centre to implement updated food labelling regulations, ensuring
packaged foods display key nutritional information like sugar, salt, and fat
content.
4. Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi: The Government of India
and Bihar have taken a major step to empower rural women entrepreneurs. On 2nd
September 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Bihar Rajya Jeevika
Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited via video conferencing. The event saw the
transfer of Rs. 105 crore into the institution’s bank account. This initiative
aims to provide affordable and timely financial support to women associated
with Jeevika self-help groups in Bihar. It promises to reduce dependence on
costly microfinance loans and promote community-led enterprises. The Jeevika
Nidhi is created to offer easy access to funds at lower interest rates. It
targets members of registered cluster-level federations linked to Jeevika.
Women entrepreneurs often face high interest rates from microfinance
institutions, ranging between 18% and 24%. This new institution aims to provide
larger loans at affordable rates, ensuring financial inclusion and
sustainability for rural women-led businesses.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Tamil Nadu secures 23 more deals in Germany worth more
than ₹3,800 crore: Tamil Nadu signed 23 agreements
with various companies in Düsseldorf, Germany, securing ₹3,819 crore investments and the
potential to create 9,070 jobs, as part of the Tamil Nadu Rising Germany Investment
Conclave attended by CM M.K. Stalin.Including three earlier deals
(Knorr-Bremse, Nordex Group, and ebm-papst), total German investments during
Stalin’s visit reached ₹7,020 crore, expected to generate 15,320 jobs.Major
commitments include Vensys Energy (₹1,068 crore; 5,238 jobs), BASF (₹300 crore;
100 jobs), BellaPremier Happy Hygiene (₹300 crore; 200 jobs), Herrenknecht
India (₹250 crore; 400 jobs), Puls (₹200 crore; 500 jobs), Witzenmann India
(₹200 crore; 450 jobs), and MASH Energy (₹200 crore; 200 jobs).Guidance Tamil
Nadu signed an agreement with Next Mittelstand (Ausbildung) to implement
Germany’s dual vocational training model, which will train 20,000 youth in
global skills over a decade, starting with 120 students.
2. Sharjah to host 18th Inclusion
International World Congress 2025: Sharjah will host the 18th Inclusion International World
Congress 2025 from September 15–17 at Expo Centre, marking the first time the event will be held in the
MENA region, with participants from over 70 countries.The congress will
focus on inclusive education, advocacy, healthcare, legal rights, employment,
and community participation, while showcasing the UAE’s progress in building
80+ specialised facilities for persons with disabilities. Backed by WHO data,
the event aims to tackle global challenges of poverty, discrimination, and
reduced life expectancy among persons with disabilities, reaffirming inclusion
as key to sustainable development.
3. Dr. Deepak Mittal Appointed as India’s New Ambassador
to the UAE: The
Ministry of External Affairs has appointed Deepak Mittal (1998-batch IFS
officer) as India’s next
Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, succeeding Sunjay Sudhir who
retires in September. Mittal has earlier served as Ambassador to Qatar (2020–22),
worked twice in the Prime Minister’s Office, and played a key role in India’s
first formal diplomatic contact with the Taliban. The UAE is a key strategic
partner for India, being a major energy supplier and home to over 3.5 million
Indians; PM Modi has visited the UAE seven times since 2015, including
inaugurating the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi (Feb 2024).
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. PRYMA Aerospace’s Arjuna drone gets DGCA certification
for agriculture: PRYMA Aerospace’s
Arjuna drone certified by
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for agriculture use,
marking a major step in India’s indigenous drone technology development and
deployment.The certification follows DGCA’s earlier approval of PRYM Group’s
Drone School of Excellence as a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO),
creating India’s first end-to-end pathway for drone manufacturing, training,
and nationwide deployment via Salam Kisan. Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM)
Devendra Fadnavis presented the certificate; earlier this year, PRYM Group also
signed a ₹300 crore Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government
at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos to promote drone adoption and skill
development.
2. India–Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XIV
begins in Meghalaya to boost defence cooperation: The 14th edition of
India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XIV began at the
Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi,
Meghalaya, from 1st to 14th September 2025. The exercise is part of the
military-to-military exchange programme, aimed at enhancing cooperation,
interoperability, and mutual understanding between the Indian Army and the
Royal Thai Army. The Indian Army contingent of 120 personnel is represented by
a Battalion of the Madras Regiment, while the Royal Thai Army contingent of 53
personnel is represented by the 1st Infantry Battalion, 14th Infantry Brigade. Exercise
Maitree, started in 2006, is one of the key joint training exercises between
India and Thailand, with the 13th edition held in Tak Province, Thailand.
SPORTS
1. Pakistan’s Asif Ali announces retirement from
international cricket: Pakistan middle-order batter Asif
Ali announced his retirement from international cricket. Since his
debut in 2018, he played 21 ODIs and 58 T20Is, scoring a total of 959 runs in
white-ball formats. Asif Ali called wearing the Pakistan jersey the greatest
honour of his life and said serving his country on the cricket field was his
proudest chapter.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. BHARATI to Support 100 Agri-Food Startups, Target $50
Billion Exports by 2030: The Agricultural and
Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) launched
its new initiative, BHARATI, to boost India’s agri-food exports. BHARATI
has been designed to support 100 agri-food startups, promote innovation and
boost exports to 50 billion dollars by 2030. BHARATI stands for Bharat’s Hub
for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement.
Aligned with the government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Startup India,
APEDA aims to accelerate export, foster innovation and strengthen India’s
position in global agri-food trade.
2. Boston Brahmins: Recent discussions around
the term “Brahmins” have sparked confusion due to its different meanings in
India and the United States. Recently, a controversy arose when a US political
figure linked Indian Brahmins to profiteering, drawing criticism for
misunderstanding caste and social structures. This has renewed interest in the
historical and social context of the Boston Brahmins, a prominent American
elite group. The Boston Brahmins were a wealthy, well-educated Protestant elite
in Boston during the 1800s and early 1900s. The term was coined by Oliver
Wendell Holmes in 1861 to describe the city’s upper-class families. They
descended mostly from English colonisers and established themselves as a
dominant social group through trade, education, and marriage alliances. Boston
Brahmins embraced a lifestyle similar to that of English aristocrats. They
valued education, arts, and culture, founding prestigious schools like Harvard
University and elite preparatory institutions such as Choate and Phillips
Exeter. Their mannerisms included a distinctive accent and preppy fashion.
Marriages were usually within their community, maintaining social exclusivity
and an inbred social circle.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. IndiaBonds partners with Upstox to boost retail
participation in bond investments: IndiaBonds and Upstox formed
a strategic alliance to provide
retail investors access to a wide range of bond investment options
through Upstox’s brokerage platform. With this integration, over 1.3 crore
retail investors of Upstox can now invest in bonds, enhancing retail
participation in the Indian bond market. All transactions will be executed on
IndiaBonds in compliance with SEBI’s Online Bond Platform Provider norms,
ensuring transparency and regulatory adherence.
2. SBI raises $500 million via dollar bonds at
record-tight spreads after India’s S&P rating upgrade: State Bank of India (SBI) raised
$500 million through five-year dollar
bonds from international investors at the tightest-ever spread of
T+75 bps over US Treasuries, following India’s sovereign rating upgrade by
S&P from BBB- to BBB. The bond issue carries a coupon rate of 4.5%, tighter
than the T+82 bps spread at which SBI had raised $500 million in November 2024.
SBI successfully compressed spreads by 30 bps from the initial guidance of
T+105 bps, with the issuance order book crossing $1.1 billion across 85
accounts. The bonds are expected to carry ratings of ‘BBB’ from S&P and
‘BBB-’ from Fitch, highlighting investor confidence after India’s recent
sovereign rating upgrade.
3. Suryoday Small Finance Bank
launches two FD-backed RuPay credit cards to boost financial inclusion: Suryoday Small Finance Bank launched
two FD-backed secured credit cards
– RuPay Select and RuPay Platinum – offering 0.5% cashback on all
transactions with lifetime free benefits. The cards require minimum fixed
deposits of ₹1,000 (Platinum) and ₹1,11,500 (Select), with deposit interest up
to 8.40%, and provide instant virtual issuance with UPI integration. Targeted
at first-time users and low-income households, the move aims to bridge India’s
low credit card penetration (111 million cards for 1.4 billion population) by
enabling access without conventional income proof.
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