National News and Economic Updates
RBI Monetary Policy Developments
Reserve Bank of India maintains repo rate at 5.50% following August 2025 Monetary Policy Committee meeting
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra adopts neutral stance indicating readiness to adjust rates based on evolving economic conditions
Standing Deposit Facility rate held steady at 5.25% while Marginal Standing Facility rate remains at 5.75%
Inflation forecast for FY26 revised downward from 3.7% to 3.1% reflecting favorable inflation environment
GDP growth projection for FY26 maintained at 6.5% despite global economic uncertainties
Central bank examining measures to expand bank credit across sectors
Three consecutive rate cuts totaling 100 basis points implemented since February 2025
Banking Sector Transformations
Banking Laws Amendment Act 2025 takes effect from August 1 introducing comprehensive reforms
Substantial interest threshold redefined from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 2 crore updating limit unchanged since 1968
Cooperative bank director tenure extended from 8 to 10 years aligning with 97th Constitutional Amendment
Public sector banks now permitted to transfer unclaimed shares and interest to Investor Education Protection Fund
Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation receives RBI approval to acquire up to 24.99% stake in Yes Bank
SEBI introduces new regulatory framework for retail algorithmic trading effective August 2025
Investment Advisers and Research Analysts can now meet deposit requirements through liquid mutual funds
Government Schemes and Infrastructure Projects
Prime Minister launches Rs 11,000 crore highway projects in Delhi including Dwarka Expressway and Urban Extension Road-II
10.1 km Delhi section of Dwarka Expressway completed at cost of Rs 5,360 crore providing multi-modal connectivity
PM Jan Dhan Yojana achieves significant milestone with 6.6 lakh new accounts opened in July 2025
Three-month nationwide saturation campaign running from July to September 2025 for financial inclusion schemes
Over 22.65 lakh new enrollments recorded under Jan Suraksha Schemes during campaign period
Infrastructure Ministry announces Rs 28,602 crores allocation for 12 smart city projects under NICDC
Delhi-Mumbai Expressway project nears completion scheduled for October 2025 reducing travel time by 50%
Economic Performance Indicators
India maintains position as fastest-growing major economy with 6.5% GDP growth in 2024-25
International Monetary Fund revises India’s growth forecast upward to 6.4% for both 2025 and 2026
Manufacturing sector shows resilient performance despite global economic headwinds
Private consumption strengthens supported by improving rural demand and urban spending
Fixed investment receives boost from government capital expenditure and business expansion
Services sector demonstrates steady growth momentum across multiple segments
International Developments
Global Trade and Diplomatic Relations
Trump Administration implements additional 25% tariffs on Indian exports bringing total levy to 50%
New tariffs target goods entered for consumption effective from August 27, 2025 12:01 AM EDT
White House signals mixed approach toward future bilateral relationships with mixed signals
Denmark summons US envoy over alleged influence operations in Greenland raising diplomatic concerns
European leaders visit Moldova to mark Independence Day ahead of key parliamentary elections
France faces potential political crisis following Prime Minister’s confidence vote gamble
Regional Security and Geopolitical Updates
AUKUS partnership continues reshaping Indo-Pacific security architecture with nuclear submarine cooperation
Agreement enables UK and US to transfer submarine-specific materials and equipment to Australia
Virginia-class nuclear submarines transfer from US to Australia progresses under trilateral framework
China expresses concerns about western alliance building in region through AUKUS and Quad formations
Pope Francis makes strong appeal for end to Israel-Hamas conflict amid ongoing tensions
Ukrainian forces conduct drone attacks sparking evacuations in Russia’s Rostov region
International Economic Developments
Private equity investors target $20-25 billion investment in India’s digital infrastructure by 2030
Focus areas include edge data centers, AI-ready hyperscale campuses, and scalable fiber networks
Goldman Sachs appointed sole adviser for phased equity stake sales in four public sector banks
Global growth outlook receives modest upward revision to 3.0% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026
China forecast to grow at 4.8% in 2025 and 4.2% in 2026 while US expected to expand 1.9% and 2.0%
ISRO and Space Technology Updates
Chandrayaan-4 Mission Announcement
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan formally announces Chandrayaan-4 lunar sample return mission
Mission expected to launch around 2028 following completion of design phase
Plan includes collection of up to 3 kg lunar regolith from near Shiv Shakti point
Five-module mission design requiring two separate launches for complex operations
Cabinet approval received for Rs 2,104.06 crore budget with 36-month completion timeline
Mission will demonstrate docking and undocking capabilities in lunar orbit
Sample collection, containerization, and Earth return technologies to be validated
National Space Day Celebrations and Future Roadmap
India celebrates second National Space Day on August 23, 2025 with theme “Aryabhatta to Gaganyaan Ancient Wisdom to Infinite Possibilities”
Venus Orbiter Mission announced as part of expanding interplanetary exploration program
Bharatiya Antriksh Station planned for establishment by 2035 with first module launch in 2028
Next Generation Launcher receives Prime Minister approval for heavy payload capacity
Indian astronaut lunar landing mission planned for 2040 bringing samples back to Earth
Over 100 satellites scheduled for launch in next 15 years combining government and private sector projects
Ongoing Space Missions Progress
NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite operational since July 2025 for Earth observation
Axiom Mission 4 successfully completed with Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla conducting experiments
18-day International Space Station stay includes studies on cognitive effects and microbial adaptation
Gaganyaan program advances with Q4 2025 timeline for first unmanned orbital flight
Space Docking Experiment planned to demonstrate critical technologies for future missions
Sports and Cultural Events
Cricket Season Developments
Indian Cricket Season 2025-26 commences August 28 with Duleep Trophy tournament
Star players including Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal participate in domestic competitions
Shubman Gill ruled out due to dengue fever but expected to recover for Asia Cup selection
Mohammed Shami dismisses retirement rumors emphasizing commitment to World Cup ambitions
R Ashwin announces retirement from IPL to explore opportunities in overseas leagues
FIFA threatens ban on All India Football Federation if constitution not ratified by October 30
International Sports Updates
Neeraj Chopra competes in Diamond League Final as premier athletics event continues
PV Sindhu, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, and Chirag Shetty advance in BWF World Championships Paris
Indian badminton contingent shows strong performance in straight-game victories
Diamond League Final presents significant opportunity for Indian javelin thrower
Asian Shooting Championships continues in Kazakhstan with Indian participation
Anish Bhanwala wins silver medal in 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event
Festival Celebrations Across India
Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations begin across India marking birth of Lord Ganesha
Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaugcha Raja becomes center of 10-day festivities drawing millions
Hyderabad installs 69-foot tall Lord Ganesh idol in Khairatabad area
Chennai features unique idol made from 7,500 books for distribution after celebrations
Assam organizes grand two-day Ganesh Jan Mahotsav with elaborate arrangements
Festival concludes September 6 with Ganesh Visarjan immersion ceremonies nationwide
Key Government Policy Updates
Financial Inclusion Initiatives
Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana completes 11 successful years of banking the unbanked
Comprehensive coverage campaign targets all Gram Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies
99,753 camps organized in first month facilitating beneficiary enrollment across districts
KYC verification completed for over 4.73 lakh inactive PMJDY accounts nationwide
Atal Pension Yojana and insurance schemes receive significant enrollment boost
Financial literacy programs expanded through community engagement initiatives
Infrastructure Development Programs
Smart Cities Mission receives Rs 28,602 crore allocation for 12 projects under NICDC
Industrial corridors encompass 32 development nodes across 11 corridor projects
Manufacturing competitiveness enhanced through state-of-the-art infrastructure provision
Logistics costs reduction targeted through integrated economic engine approach
MSME growth facilitation through technology transfer and job creation opportunities
Climate goals alignment maintained across all major infrastructure initiatives
Technology and Innovation Policies
Digital India initiatives continue strengthening technology backbone infrastructure
Algorithmic trading regulations introduced for retail investor protection and market integrity
Green debt securities framework strengthened with third-party reviewer requirements
Investment adviser deposit requirements modernized through mutual fund options
Related party transaction thresholds revised for listed entities promoting business ease
Strategic investor definitions modified for REITs and InvITs regulatory framework
Banking and Financial Services Sector
Regulatory Framework Updates
SEBI allows Investment Advisers to meet deposit requirements through liquid mutual funds
Compliance deadline set for September 30, 2025 for new deposit requirement methods
Green debt securities receive strengthened third-party review mechanisms
Related party transaction materiality thresholds undergo scale-based revisions
Corporate funding patterns show movement away from traditional banking channels
FICCI-IBA reports highlight evolving corporate finance landscape trends
Market Performance Indicators
Stock markets show mixed signals with GIFT Nifty indicating cautious opening sentiment
Nifty 50 trades below 20-day moving average amid global trade tension concerns
Banking stocks face pressure from tariff-hit sector exposure including textiles and gems
InterGlobe Aviation prepares for potential block deal transactions
RVNL and Texmaco Rail respond to joint venture announcements
Private equity investments target digital infrastructure development opportunities
Credit and Lending Trends
Non-food credit grows 10.2% year-on-year as of June 27, 2025 across select banks
Agriculture and allied activities credit increases 6.8% supporting rural economy
Industry credit expansion of 5.5% with steady MSME sector growth
Services sector credit moderates to 9.6% partly due to slower NBFC lending
Weighted Average Lending Rate declines to 8.62% in June from 9.2% in May
UPI transaction value reaches Rs 25.08 lakh crore in July 2025 showing digital payment growth
This comprehensive current affairs update covers major developments across national and international spheres, providing essential information for banking and competitive examination preparation. The updates reflect significant policy changes, economic developments, and strategic initiatives that impact India’s growth trajectory and global standing.
