NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Arunachal Pradesh & Tripura

On September 22, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh and Tripura to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple development projects worth over Rs. 5,100 crores.

Key Projects in Arunachal Pradesh

• Yarjep River Hydropower Projects: Laid the foundation stone for two major hydropower projects worth Rs. 3,700 crores in Itanagar. Developed jointly by the state government and NEEPCO.
  • Heo Hydro Electric Project: 240 MW capacity to generate renewable energy.
  • Tato-I Hydro Electric Project: 186 MW capacity to enhance regional energy security.
• Tawang Convention Centre: Laid the foundation stone for a 1,500-delegate capacity convention center located at an altitude of over 9,820 feet to promote cultural tourism and international summits.

Key Projects in Tripura

• Tripura Sundari Temple Redevelopment: Inaugurated the upgraded 524-year-old temple complex at Udaipur (Gomati district) under the central PRASAD scheme. The historical site is one of the 51 sacred Shakti Peethas.

CAG Releases State Finances 2022-23 Report: 16 States Record Revenue Surplus

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India released its decadal analysis report titled “State Finances – 2022-23: A Decadal Analysis”.

Key Financial Highlights (FY23)

• Fiscal Status: 16 States recorded a revenue surplus, while 12 States reported a revenue deficit.
• Total Revenue Receipts: Combined revenue receipts of all 28 states stood at Rs. 35,13,095 crore, accounting for 22.96% of their total Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

• Finance Commission (FC) Grants: A total of Rs. 1,72,849 crore was distributed. Revenue deficit grants held the largest share at 50%, followed by Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) grants at 26%.

CPCB Celebrates 51st Foundation Day; Launches SAMEER 2.0 App

Union Minister Bhupender Yadav presided over the 51st Foundation Day of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at Parivesh Bhawan, New Delhi.

• SAMEER 2.0 App: Launched an upgraded mobile app available on Android and iOS featuring personalized air quality alerts and location-based data tracking.
• Infrastructure Expansion: Announced a new CPCB headquarters building in New Delhi and advanced regional laboratories in Pune and Shillong capable of monitoring up to 70 environmental parameters.
• Environmental Reports: Released the Technical Report on Polluted River Stretches, 2025 and a freshwater biomonitoring manual.
• Regulatory Framework: Highlighted compliance updates via the Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 and the Environment Audit Rules, 2025 aimed at decriminalizing minor environmental infractions.

MoD & Ministry of Culture Sign Pact for Stitched Ship Project 'INSV Kaundinya'

The Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Culture signed an MoU to construct the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya, reviving ancient Indian maritime craftsmanship.

• The Vessel: Named after Kaundinya, the legendary 1st-century Indian mariner who traveled to Southeast Asia. The traditional wooden ship will be built completely without welding or metal riveting, utilizing coir ropes, coconut fibers, and natural resins.
• Maiden Voyage: Managed by the Indian Navy, the vessel will embark on its maiden voyage to Oman, retracing ancient Indian Ocean trade routes.

Ministry of Tribal Affairs & UN Launch Flagship Tribal Youth Programs

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), in partnership with the United Nations in India, rolled out two key initiatives under the ‘Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan’ leadership movement.

• Adi Yuva Fellowship: A 12-month paid fellowship program enabling tribal youth to work directly with UN agencies at national and district levels. The initiative is structurally aligned with national schemes like PMKVY 4.0, NAPS, and PM-VBRY.
• Adi Karmayogi Volunteers Programme: Supported by the UNFPA, deploying 82 volunteers across 13 districts in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to steer the Village Vision 2030 developmental planning.

ICAR Rolls Out ‘Maitri 2.0’ AgTech Incubation with Brazil

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) launched MAITRI 2.0 (Multi-Agency Agritech Innovation and Technology Research Incubation) in New Delhi to strengthen bilateral agritech solutions between India and Brazil.

• Focus Areas: Fostering digital innovation, startup co-incubation, and building resilient food supply chains.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

G20 Chief Science Advisers’ Roundtable (CSAR) 2025 Held in South Africa

The 2025 edition of the G20 CSAR was convened in Pretoria, South Africa, under SA's G20 Presidency.

• Theme: ‘Equity-based Science, Technology and Innovation for Inclusive Human Development and Global Sustainability’.
• Indian Representation: Led by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor (PSA) to the Government of India.
• Outcome: Adoption of the official G20-CSAR 2025 Outcome Statement, focusing on building science and technology advisory capabilities in developing countries.

CSIR-NIScPR Participates in 80th UNGA Science Summit

The CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research virtually attended the Science Summit at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

• Theme: “Women and Girls in Science: Driving Gender-Inclusive Innovation, Gender Equality, and Breaking Barriers”.
• Key Statistical Takeaway: Presentations highlighted that globally, women currently constitute 35% of all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) professionals.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Cancels Registration Certificate of Datta Finance and Trading

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the Certificate of Registration (CoR) of Datta Finance and Trading Private Limited, a Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC), due to serious violations of outsourcing and digital lending norms.

• Associated Third-Party Apps: KinCash, DoLoan, and ZestCash.
• Violation: The firm was found violating the fair practices code concerning customer sourcing, due diligence, and predatory debt recovery mechanisms.

Bank of Baroda Launches Industry-First eRUPI P2P Digital Gifting

Bank of Baroda (BoB) became the first commercial bank to launch a Person-to-Person (P2P) digital gifting facility leveraging NPCI's eRUPI platform via its bob इ(e) Pay UPI application.

• Voucher Limits: Users can generate digital vouchers valued between Rs. 1 to Rs. 10,000.
• Mechanics: Vouchers are non-transferable, purpose-specific (launched initially for food retail), and automatically refunded to the sender if unredeemed.

Quant MF Launches India’s First SIF Equity Long-Short Fund

Quant Mutual Fund introduced India’s first Specialized Investment Fund (SIF) named the ‘QSIF Equity Long-Short Fund’.

• Strategy: Utilizes derivatives to take limited short positions, allowing investors to capitalize on both bullish (rising) and bearish (falling) market phases.
• Minimum Investment: Rs. 10 Lakhs.
• Benchmark: Nifty 500 Total Return Index.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

CPI and Inflation Figures Released for Agricultural & Rural Labourers (August 2025)

The Labour Bureau, under the Ministry of Labour & Employment, released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) numbers using the base year 2019=100.

• CPI Index Values:
  • Agricultural Labourers (AL): Rose to 136.34 points.
  • Rural Labourers (RL): Rose to 136.60 points.
• Annual Retail Inflation: Remained low, tracking at 1.07% for AL and 1.26% for RL. Food inflation dipped into negative territory at -0.55% (AL) and -0.28% (RL).

GRSE Bags USD 62.44 Million International Contract for Hybrid Multi-Purpose Vessels

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd (GRSE) signed a landmark contract worth USD 62.44 Million with German shipping firm Carsten Rehder Schiffsmakler und Reederei.

• The Project: Construction of four eco-friendly Hybrid Multi-Purpose Vessels (120 meters long, 7,500 DWT), with provisions for two additional vessels.
• Green Tech: Features battery-assisted hybrid propulsion to meet the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) strict decarbonization mandates.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

69th Ballon d’Or Awards (2025)

The prestigious football awards ceremony took place at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.

• Men’s Ballon d’Or: Won by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) forward Ousmane Dembele, making him the 6th French player in history to win the award.
• Women’s Ballon d’Or: Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí secured the trophy for the third consecutive year (2023-2025), matching a rare historical hat-trick.
• Kopa Trophy (Best Under-21 Player): Barcelona's Lamine Yamal won the Men's trophy, while Barcelona Femeni's Vicky Lopez claimed the inaugural Women’s Kopa Trophy.
• Socrates Award: Conferred to the Xana Foundation (Spain) for supporting pediatric healthcare.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

B Sairam Recommended as Next CMD of Coal India Limited (CIL)

The Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) has recommended B Sairam to take over as the next Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of the Maharatna PSU Coal India Limited.

• Sairam currently serves as the CMD of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and will succeed PM Prasad, who superannuates on October 31, 2025.

ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS

Piramal Enterprises Completes Merger with Piramal Finance

Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL) successfully finalized its corporate merger with Piramal Finance Limited (PFL) following a composite layout approved by the National Law Company Tribunal (NCLT) Mumbai Bench.

• Share Exchange Ratio: Shares will be allotted to eligible equity holders on a 1:1 share swap ratio.
• Regulatory Goal: Streamlines the group's massive credit business into a unified entity, strictly complying with the RBI's scale-based NBFC listing guidelines.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DRDO & L&T Unveil 'Zorawar' Light Tank for High-Altitude Warfare

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) alongside partner Larsen & Toubro (L&T) showcased the indigenous 'Zorawar' Light Tank, which is undergoing rigorous trials by the Indian Army.

• Combat Profile: Weighs 25 tonnes with an optimal 3-person crew capacity. It is specifically designed to navigate narrow mountain passes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to match China’s deployed Type-15 light tanks.
• Mobility & Power: Integrated with a 760 hp Cummins diesel engine and composite rubber-band tracks, allowing top speeds of 70 km/h at extreme high-altitude areas surpassing 4,200 meters. It is easily transportable via C-17 Globemaster military aircraft.
• Weaponry: Features a 105mm main gun, integrated drone surveillance links, and 3rd-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) installations. Full operational induction into service is targeted for 2027.

SPORTS

Team World Triumphs Over Team Europe to Win Laver Cup 2025

The 8th edition of the premium men's indoor hardcourt tennis championship concluded at the Chase Center in San Francisco, USA.

• The Winner: Team World defeated Team Europe with a commanding scoreline of 15-9, capturing their 3rd tournament title in four years.
• Key Standout: Top-ranked American star Taylor Fritz secured decisive wins over World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. The win also marked a stellar coaching debut for legendary captain Andre Agassi.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Rose Day 2025 — September 22

• Significance: Observed annually as the Day for the Welfare of Cancer Patients, dedicated to giving hope and comfort to cancer survivors and their caregivers.
• History: Commemorates the memory of 12-year-old Canadian patient Melinda Rose, who bravely inspired fellow cancer patients through personal writings before passing away in 1996 from blood cancer.
• Global & Domestic Estimates: The WHO projects global cancer incidences to cross 35 million annually by 2050. According to the ICMR National Cancer Registry, India’s annual load is estimated to hit 1.57 million cases by the end of 2025, with Uttar Pradesh reporting the highest numbers.

World Rhino Day 2025 — September 22

• Significance: Celebrated globally to build public awareness and support conservation operations protecting the world's remaining rhinoceros populations.
• Species Check: Only 5 surviving species remain globally: Black and White rhinos (Africa), and the Indian, Javan, and Sumatran rhinos (Asia).
• History: Conceived originally in 2010 by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - South Africa, spearheaded by grassroots conservationists Lisa Jane Campbell and Rhishja Cota-Larson.