National Affairs

11th Anniversary of 'Make in India' Initiative

• The Milestone: On September 25, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi marked the 11th anniversary of the 'Make in India' initiative, highlighting its transformative role in boosting the domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
• Core Framework: Launched in 2014, the scheme operates on four key pillars: New Processes, New Infrastructure, New Sectors, and a New Mindset. It is managed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Commemorative Release: To mark the occasion, Union Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled a special ₹100 commemorative coin on September 20, 2025.

Cabinet Approves Massive ₹69,725-Crore Maritime & Shipbuilding Strategy

The Union Cabinet approved a comprehensive four-pillar investment plan aimed at transforming India into a global shipbuilding and maritime leader by 2047:

• Pillar 1 (Domestic Capacity): Launch of the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) with a ₹19,989 crore allocation to scale domestic production capacity to 4.5 million Gross Tonnage (GT) per year.
• Pillar 2 (Financing): Setting up the Maritime Development Fund (MDF) with a ₹25,000 crore corpus to extend long-term credit.
• Pillar 3 (Extended Subsidies): Extension of the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) until March 31, 2036, with an outlay of ₹24,736 crore (including a ₹4,001 crore Shipbreaking Credit Note framework). The National Shipbuilding Mission (NSM) will act as the apex governing body.
• Pillar 4 (Reforms & Skilling): Targeted policy, legal, and tax restructuring to streamline foreign investments alongside specialized workforce training.

MoD Signs ₹62,370-Crore Deal with HAL for 97 Tejas Mk1A Fighter Jets

• The Procurement: The Ministry of Defence (MoD) finalized a major contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for 97 indigenously designed and manufactured Tejas Mark-1A fighter aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• The Fleet Composition: The order comprises 68 single-seat operational fighters and 29 twin-seat trainer variants. This marks the second bulk order following 2021's procurement of 83 jets, pushing total IAF Tejas orders beyond 180 units.
• Technical Parameters: Categorized under Buy India-IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured), the Tejas Mk1A features over 64% indigenous content. Upgrades include the integration of the UTTAM AESA Radar, the Swayam Raksha Kavach electronic warfare defensive suite, and extended stand-off weapon delivery capabilities. Deliveries will commence in 2027–28 spanning a 6-year period.

India and Australia Sign Organic Products Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA)

• The Trade Pact: India and Australia signed an MRA for organic products at Vanijya Bhavan, New Delhi, under the aegis of the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Arrangement (ECTA).
• Implementation: The pact will be executed by India’s APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) and Australia’s DAFF (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry).
• Trade Profile: Designed to slash duplicate compliance checks for bilateral trade, the agreement covers unprocessed plant products (excluding seaweed, greenhouse crops, and aquatic plants), processed foods made from plant-based ingredients, and wine. India's organic exports to Australia stood at USD 8.96 million (2,781.58 Metric Tonnes) in FY 2024–25.

India’s First Central Tissue Bank & Cashless 'V-Office' Opened at MAIDS

• Healthcare Infrastructure: Delhi Health Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh inaugurated the nation's premier Central Tissue Bank and a completely digital 'V-Office' for the Delhi Dental Council (DDC) at the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS) in New Delhi.
• Patient Impact: Operating within the Department of Periodontology, the bank will supply allografts, tissue grafts, and bone grafts directly to patients, reducing advanced dental surgery material costs by 25% to 30%.
• Digital Milestone: The DDC has become the first state dental council in India to deploy a fully cashless, virtual administrative setup to handle licensing, registrations, and renewals transparently.

Inter-Ministerial and Institutional Partnerships

• Cyber & Financial Fraud Prevention: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) signed an MoU with the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND). The partnership enables real-time sharing of Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) data and the Mobile Number Revocation List (MNRL), linking DoT's Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) with FIU-IND's Finnex 2.0 system.
• Traditional Medicine Global Summit: The Ministry of Ayush signed a formal host-pact with the World Health Organization (WHO) to co-organize the 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi from December 17–19, 2025, under the theme: "Restoring balance for people and planet: The science and practice of well-being".
• Semiconductor Academic Pathway: The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand, and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Tamil Nadu, signed a 5-year MoU to set up joint Centers of Excellence (CoE) and launch a Graduate Pathway Programme in Semiconductors. VIT engineering students will undergo bridge semesters in India before moving to advanced chip manufacturing studies at AIT and Taipei Tech, Taiwan.
• Sustainable Palm Oil Supply Chain: A 3-year tripartite MoU was inked in Mumbai between the Asian Palm Oil Alliance (APOA), the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), and Solidaridad Network Asia Limited (SNAL). The agreement creates a Joint Working Group to align the sustainability frameworks of Indonesia (ISPO), Malaysia (MSPO), and India (IPOS) while deploying SoliTrace digital tracking tools for regional compliance.

International Affairs

Highlights of the IAEA 69th General Conference

• The Event: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held its 69th General Conference from September 15–19, 2025, in Vienna, Austria, focused on the theme: "Leveraging Science, Technology, and Innovation for Sustainable Development".
• Leadership & Composition: Peter Burian (Ambassador of Slovakia) was elected President of the Conference. The Indian delegation was led by Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).
• Expansion: Maldives was officially inducted as the latest member state of the IAEA, bringing the total global membership to 181 countries.
• Science Forum: The event hosted a parallel technical forum themed "Atoms for Water", showcasing the utilization of nuclear and isotopic techniques in solving global water security and conservation crises.

Banking, Finance & Economy

RBI Mandates Dynamic Digital Payment Authentication from April 1, 2026

• New Directives: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued the Authentication Mechanisms for Digital Payment Transactions Directions, 2025, set to take effect on April 1, 2026.
• Key Rules: For all digital transactions (excluding physical card-present transactions), at least one factor of the mandatory Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) must be dynamically created or validated at the time of payment initiation.
• Cross-Border Updates: Payment system operators must establish risk-based fraud mitigation mechanisms specifically tailored for handling cross-border Card-Not-Present (CNP) transactions by October 1, 2026.

Finance Minister Launches Goods and Services Tax Appellate Tribunal (GSTAT)

• The Launch: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman officially operationalized the GSTAT in New Delhi along with its dedicated electronic e-Courts Portal.
• Tribunal Framework: Mandated under Section 109 of the CGST Act, 2017, GSTAT will act as the definitive forum for resolving pending GST disputes. The framework comprises a Principal Bench in New Delhi and 31 State Benches operating across 45 decentralized locations. Each individual bench will function with 4 members: 2 judicial members and 2 technical experts (one representation each from the Center and States).

Digital Modernization Plan for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs)

• The Pact: The National Urban Cooperation Finance and Development Corporation Limited (NUCFDC) signed an infrastructure modernization MoU with the Common Services Centres (CSC) SPV.
• Phased Rollout: The transition platform will provision smaller UCBs with secure cloud hosting, digital signatures, DigiLocker integration, e-stamp services, and cybersecurity support. The initial launch phases will focus on integrating a standardized system for identity verification.

[System Update Note]
The digital infrastructure rollout for Urban Cooperative Banks begins with the integration of:
- eSign & Digital Signature Certificates
- DigiLocker Ecosystem Access
- e-Stamp Services
- Cloud Hosting & Advanced Cybersecurity

Strategic Offshore Shipbuilding MoUs

• Swan Defense & Royal IHC: Swan Defense and Heavy Industries (SDHI - formerly Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited) signed an agreement with Netherlands-based offshore specialist Royal IHC and Alar Infrastructure. The firms will collaborate to design, build, and retrofit heavy-duty offshore construction, pipe-laying, and multi-purpose support vessels at SDHI’s Pipavav Port shipyard in Gujarat.
• SOT & Cochin Shipyard: Singapore's Seatrium Offshore Technology Pte Ltd (SOT) partnered with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). Building upon their late 2024 jack-up rig design framework, this MoU expands joint engineering operations into regional Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) projects across Asian energy sectors.

Science & Technology

NASA-NOAA Launch Tri-Mission SpaceX Payload to Study Space Weather

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, deploying three interconnected helio-atmospheric research platforms:

Sports

FIFA Unveils Official Mascots for the 2026 World Cup

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) revealed a trio of country-specific characters representing each host nation for the upcoming 23rd edition of the World Cup (scheduled from June 26 to July 19, 2026):

Important Days

World Maritime Day 2025 – September 25

• Timeline: Observed globally on the last Thursday of September under the guidance of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
• 2025 Theme: "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity".
• Key Events: The global parallel event was hosted in Dubai, UAE, focusing on maritime decarbonization and sustainable high-seas logistics.

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons – September 26

• Background: Established via UNGA Resolution A/RES/68/32 following the first high-level assembly on nuclear disarmament in 2013, with the inaugural observance held in 2014.
• Global Situation: Current monitoring frameworks estimate active global stockpiles sit at approximately 12,241 warheads. The UN highlights the institutional scaling of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones (NWFZs) and the legal enforceability of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) to completely mitigate proliferation risks.