Staying updated with daily national and international events is essential for cracking competitive exams like Banking, SSC, Railways, and UPSC. Here is a curated breakdown of the most significant developments from across the nation today.Daily Current Affairs: September 11, 2025

1. National & International Affairs

iDEX-DIO Signs MoU with EdCIL to Develop Dual-Use Technologies under ASPIRE

The Innovations for Defence Excellence–Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EdCIL (India) Limited, a Mini Ratna CPSE under the Ministry of Education (MoE).

• The Mission: The partnership aims to jointly develop dual-use, cutting-edge technologies under the newly introduced ASPIRE (Accelerating Strategic Progress in Research and Education) programme.
• The Impact: It bridges defence expertise with emerging educational technology solutions, ensuring newly innovated products serve both military and civilian domains efficiently.

Coal India Partners with NSTFDC to Empower 30,000+ Tribal Students

Coal India Limited (CIL) has partnered with the National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC) to launch a mega student welfare project.

• Scope and Budget: CIL has sanctioned ₹10 crores for a project covering 76 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across four states: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.
• Key Targets: The project focuses on providing digital access (1,200 computers/UPS, 110 tablets), structured career mentorship for 6,200 senior students, menstrual hygiene management (420 vending machines and incinerators), and teacher capacity building.

India & Sri Lanka to Build Accident & Emergency Unit in Mannar

India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement for the construction of a state-of-the-art Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit at the District General Hospital in Mannar, Sri Lanka.

• Financial Assistance: The project is entirely backed by a grant of Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) 600 million (approximately ₹15.5 crore) from the Government of India.
• Capabilities: The two-storey facility will introduce advanced critical care, trauma management, and disaster medical response infrastructure to the northern province.

2. Banking, Finance & Regulatory Frameworks

SEBI Relaxes Delisting Rules for Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs)

In a major reform, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced special relaxations to ease the voluntary delisting process for state-owned companies.

• The Relaxation: For non-financial PSUs where the government already holds 90% or more equity, SEBI has dropped the traditional Reverse Book-Building (RBB) mechanism.
• New Pricing Model: PSUs can now delist at a fixed price, provided it is set at least 15% above the calculated floor price. (Note: This is not applicable to PSU banks, NBFCs, or insurance companies).
• InvITs Lot Size: Concurrently, SEBI reduced the minimum allotment lot size in the primary market for privately placed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to ₹25 lakh to align it with secondary market norms.

Bank of Baroda Launches 'bob Aspire' for NRIs & Green MSE Scheme with SIDBI

• 'bob Aspire' NRE Account: Bank of Baroda (BoB) introduced a specialized savings account enabling Indian citizens to open an NRE account pre-departure before moving abroad. It offers zero minimum balance charges for the first two quarters, an IT tax exemption on interest, and an automatic operational switch once overseas proof is submitted.
• MSE Spice Circular Economy Scheme: BoB also partnered with SIDBI to launch the 'BoB Earth Circular Economy Scheme (MSE Spice)'. Eligible Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) adopting green technology, waste reduction, and energy efficiency can avail of a 25% subsidy along with collateral-free loans under the CGTMSE framework.

Jio Financial Services & Allianz Form Reinsurance Joint Venture

Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL) executed an equal 50:50 joint venture agreement with Germany’s Allianz Europe B.V. to establish Allianz Jio Reinsurance Limited (AJRL) in India. The JV received its Certificate of Incorporation on September 8, 2025, and will combine Allianz's global pricing and risk-selection models with Jio’s deep digital distribution reach.

South Indian Bank (SIB) Launches Digital Loan Against Mutual Funds

South Indian Bank rolled out a completely paperless Digital Loan Against Mutual Funds (LAMF) facility via the DhanLAP platform in partnership with Ark Neo. Customers aged 18–75 can pledge their mutual fund assets as collateral to get quick overdrafts up to 50% of the value for Equity MFs and 70% for Debt MFs.

15 One-Liner Question & Answers (Exam Oriented)

Q1. The iDEX-DIO signed an MoU with EdCIL (India) Limited to develop dual-use technologies under which new programme?

Ans: ASPIRE (Accelerating Strategic Progress in Research and Education) programme.

Q2. EdCIL (India) Limited, which signed an MoU with the Ministry of Defence for the ASPIRE programme, functions under which union ministry?

Ans: Ministry of Education (MoE).

Q3. Coal India Limited (CIL) sanctioned ₹10 crores to empower tribal students across how many Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS)?

Ans: 76 Eklavya Model Residential Schools.

Q4. Which implementation agency is partnering with Coal India Limited to deploy computers, menstrual hygiene equipment, and career mentorship in EMRS schools?

Ans: National Scheduled Tribes Finance and Development Corporation (NSTFDC).

Q5. India has extended a grant of LKR 600 million to build a new Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit in which district of Sri Lanka?

Ans: Mannar.

Q6. What is the new minimum allotment lot size set by SEBI in the primary market for privately placed Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs)?

Ans: ₹25 lakh.

Q7. Under SEBI's newly relaxed delisting framework, what is the minimum required government equity stake for a PSU to bypass the reverse book-building mechanism?

Ans: 90% or more equity.

Q8. According to the relaxed SEBI norms, at what fixed price can a qualifying PSU voluntarily delist from stock exchanges?

Ans: At least 15% above the calculated floor price.

Q9. Which categories of public sector undertakings are explicitly excluded from SEBI’s new relaxed fixed-price delisting framework?

Ans: PSU Banks, NBFCs, and Insurance Companies.

Q10. Which commercial bank introduced the 'bob Aspire' savings account allowing individuals to open an NRE account pre-departure from India?

Ans: Bank of Baroda (BoB).

Q11. What is the Quarterly Average Balance (QAB) requirement for the 'bob Aspire NRE Savings Account' after the first two quarters of exemption?

Ans: ₹10,000.

– Q12. What is the name of the green and sustainable product scheme launched jointly by Bank of Baroda and SIDBI to help MSEs transition to a circular economy?

Ans: BoB Earth Circular Economy Scheme (MSE Spice).

Q13. What percentage of subsidy can an eligible Micro and Small Enterprise (MSE) receive for investments in green technologies under the MSE Spice scheme?

Ans: 25% subsidy.

Q14. Jio Financial Services Limited partnered with which global insurance giant to establish a reinsurance joint venture in India?

Ans: Allianz Europe B.V. (Allianz Group).

Q15. Under South Indian Bank’s new digital LAMF scheme, what is the maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio allowed for pledging Debt Mutual Funds?

Ans: Up to 70% of the current fund value (and up to 50% for Equity MFs).