National Current Affairs – 17.07.2025
Government and Administrative Affairs
Parliament Monsoon Session 2025: The Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to begin on July 21, 2025, and will continue until August 21, 2025. The government has listed 16 bills for passage, including 8 new ones covering taxation, mining, shipping, education, and sports.
Odisha Bandh: The Odisha Congress called for a statewide bandh on July 17, 2025, supported by eight political parties including Left parties and NCP. The bandh was called to protest the alleged harassment of 20-year-old student Soumyashree Bisi who attempted self-immolation on July 12 and later died.
Haryana Earthquake: Haryana’s Jhajjar district experienced earthquake tremors with a magnitude of 2.5 on the Richter scale on July 17, 2025.
Cabinet Approvals: The Cabinet approved three flagship initiatives with a combined annual outlay of over Rs 50,000 crore to accelerate agricultural transformation and strengthen renewable energy investments.
Important Launches and Inaugurations
ADEETIE Scheme Launch: Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar launched the ‘Assistance in Deploying Energy Efficient Technologies in Industries & Establishments (ADEETIE)’ scheme with a budget of Rs 1,000 crores in Haryana on July 15, 2025.
Aqua Tech Park: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma inaugurated India’s first water technology park named ‘Aqua Tech Park’ at Bagibari Sonapur in Assam. The park showcases advanced fishery technologies including aquaponics and biofloc systems.
2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
Swachh Survekshan Awards: President Droupadi Murmu conferred the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 Awards on July 17, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Regional Developments
Sikkim Digital Nomad Village: Yakten Village in Sikkim was declared India’s first Digital Nomad Village, promoting remote work and digital infrastructure development.
Gujarat Tribal Genome Project: Gujarat became the first Indian state to launch a Tribal Genome Sequencing Project to build a reference genetic database for improving healthcare access to tribal populations.
Tamil Nadu Spokespersons: The Tamil Nadu government appointed four senior IAS officers as official spokespersons for the first time to streamline public communication.
International Current Affairs – 17.07.2025
Global Political Developments
Syria Military Withdrawal: Syrian government forces began withdrawing from the southern city of Suwayda, implementing a ceasefire agreement with Druze religious leaders.
Ukraine Government Reshuffle: Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced his resignation on July 15, 2025, marking the first step toward a significant government reshuffle under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
NATO Sanctions Warning: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that India, China, and Brazil could face secondary sanctions if they continue trade with Russia.
Canada Trade Policy: Canada announced a shift from US trade reliance amid new steel tariffs, with Prime Minister Mark Carney stating plans to invest in domestic production to protect the steel industry.
International Security and Defense
Iran-Israel Tensions: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that Iran is ready to respond to any renewed military attack, adding that Tehran is capable of delivering a bigger blow to adversaries.
Yemen Houthis Attack: Yemen’s Houthi group announced targeting Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, Eilat port, and military sites in the Negev region through coordinated missile and drone attacks.
Gaza Conflict: At least 21 Palestinians were killed near a US distribution point in southern Gaza, with many suffocating from tear gas fired by Israeli forces.
Economic and Trade Updates
UK Inflation: Britain’s annual consumer price inflation unexpectedly rose to 3.6% in June 2025, its highest in over a year, dampening expectations for Bank of England interest rate cuts.
Germany EU Budget: The German government rejected the European Commission’s proposed €2 trillion EU budget for 2028-2034, describing the suggested increase as “unreasonable.”
US-India Trade: Reports suggest progress in India-US trade deal negotiations, with Trump administration eyeing greater access to Indian markets.
Banking and Financial Current Affairs – 17.07.2025
Banking Sector Updates
SMBC-Yes Bank Deal: Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) applied to RBI for approval to acquire an additional 4.9% stake in Yes Bank, which would increase SMBC’s total ownership to just under 25%.
EximPe License: Cross-border payments startup EximPe received RBI’s in-principle approval for a Payment Aggregator Cross-Border (PA-CB) license covering export and import transactions.
Basel III Norms: RBI amended Basel III norms to expand credit rating choices for scheduled commercial banks, excluding Local Area Banks from the amendment.
PSU Bank Performance: PSU banks showed strong performance with the Nifty PSU Bank index rising 1.8% on reports of potential financial sector reforms.
Stock Market and Investments
Market Performance: Nifty50 opened flat near 25,200 while BSE Sensex was around 82,600. Market experts anticipate consolidation with upward trends backed by better rural and healthcare performance.
SBI QIP Launch: State Bank of India may launch a Rs 25,000 crore Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP) with pricing at a slight discount to current market levels.
Quarterly Results: Several companies including Axis Bank, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, and HDFC AMC are scheduled to announce Q1 results.
Economic Indicators
Trade Deficit: India’s trade deficit narrowed sharply to USD 3.51 billion in June 2025 compared to the previous year.
Retail Inflation: India’s retail inflation declined to 2.10% in June 2025 according to NSO reports.
SEBI Scheme: SEBI unveiled the ‘VCF Settlement Scheme 2025’ for venture capital funds whose liquidation periods have expired, effective from July 21, 2025.
Sports Current Affairs – 17.07.2025
International Sports
ESPY Awards 2025: The 2025 ESPY Awards were held on July 16 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won Best Male Athlete while Simone Biles won Best Female Athlete and Best Championship Performance.
Cricket Updates: Joe Root returned to No.1 in Test rankings while Australians dominated bowling charts. England was docked 2 points for slow over rate in Lord’s Test and fined 10% of match fees.
Pakistan Cricket Audit: An audit report found financial irregularities worth over Rs 6 billion (USD 21 million) in Pakistan Cricket Board dating back two years.
Flag Football Olympics: Flag football will make its primetime Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with medal matches scheduled in primetime slots.
Indian Sports
Hockey Achievement: Deepika Sehrawat became the first Indian to win the Poligras Magic Skill Award 2024-25 in hockey.
Indian Super League: Former captain Sunil Chhetri expressed concerns about the current state of uncertainty in Indian football and the ISL being put on hold indefinitely.
Cricket Legend: West Indies legends Brian Lara and Viv Richards will help the beleaguered West Indies cricket team.
Important Appointments and Personnel Changes – 17.07.2025
Corporate Appointments
LIC CEO: R Doraiswamy officially took charge as CEO and Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) for a three-year term or until he turns 62, whichever is earlier.
Coca-Cola India: Hemant Rupani will join Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCB) as CEO, effective September 8, 2025.
Meta India: Arun Shrinivas was appointed as Meta’s new Managing Director and India Head in June 2025.
Government and Judicial Appointments
Haryana Governor: Professor Aseem Kumar Ghosh was appointed as the new Governor of Haryana in July 2025.
Goa Governor: Pusapati Ashok Gajapati Raju was appointed as the new Governor of Goa.
Ladakh L-G: Kavinder Gupta became the new Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh.
Chief Justices: The Government approved transfers of four Chief Justices and appointments of five new Chief Justices across various High Courts, along with transfer of 19 High Court judges.
Other Key Appointments
Railway Board: Satish Kumar was appointed as the new Chairman and CEO of Railway Board.
NHAI Chairman: Santosh Kumar Yadav was appointed as the new Chairman of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
RBI Executive Director: Keshavan Ramachandran was appointed as Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India.
Awards and Recognition – 17.07.2025
National Awards
Swachh Survekshan 2024-25: President Droupadi Murmu conferred awards recognizing top-performing cities and states across four major categories in the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey.
GCC Workplace Awards: Illumina India won the 2025 GCC Workplace Awards hosted by Zyoin Group, recognizing it as the leading Global Capability Center in India.
Rare Gandhi Portrait: A rare Mahatma Gandhi portrait was sold at auction in London for Rs 1.67 crore.
International Recognition
World’s Oldest Marathon Runner: Fauja Singh, the world’s oldest marathon runner, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of athletic achievement and inspiration.
BRICS Commerce: Harivnash Chawla was appointed as Chairman of BRICS Commerce and Industry Chamber.
Government Schemes and Policies – 17.07.2025
New Scheme Launches
ADEETIE Scheme: Launched with Rs 1,000 crore budget to accelerate adoption of energy-efficient technologies among MSMEs. The scheme includes an ADEETIE Portal for facilitating financing processes.
PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana: Cabinet cleared the scheme with annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for agricultural transformation.
TALASH Initiative: NESTS & UNICEF India jointly launched the initiative for EMRS tribal students to improve educational outcomes.
Policy Updates
Drug Price Control: Government capped prices of 71 key drugs including those for cancer, period pain, and diabetes to ensure affordable healthcare.
CBSE Directive: CBSE directed schools to install ‘Oil boards’ and promote healthy meals in educational institutions.
Himachal Pradesh Digital System: ‘My Deed’ National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) pilot project launched covering ten tehsils.
Science and Technology Updates – 17.07.2025
Space and Defense
GE-404 Engine: India received the second GE-404 engine from the United States for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-1A fighter jet programme.
DRDO Handover: DRDO handed over six indigenously developed radiation detection systems to the Indian Navy.
Space Achievement: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian to visit the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4.
Innovation and Research
New Species Discovery: Scientists discovered a new dragonfly species ‘Lyriothemis abrahami’ in the Western Ghats, adding to India’s biodiversity.
Gecko Discovery: A new gecko species named Cnemaspis brahmaputra was discovered in Assam near the Brahmaputra River.
Missing Satellite: China’s missing satellite Shiyan-28B was found in a strange low orbit, raising questions about space debris management.
Important Days and Observances – 17.07.2025
World Day for International Justice
Date: July 17, 2025 (observed annually)
Theme 2025: “Empowering Inclusion: Bridging Gaps for Social Justice”
Significance: The day commemorates the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). It promotes global accountability for crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide.
Observance: Various organizations worldwide conduct awareness campaigns, panel discussions, and educational programs to highlight the importance of international justice.
AI Appreciation Day
Date: July 16, 2025
Background: Established in May 2021 by US-based A.I. Heart LLC to promote awareness of ethical AI use and its potential in addressing complex human challenges.
India’s Journey: India’s AI development began in the 1960s with the Knowledge-Based Computer Systems (KBCS) Project launched in 1986.
Economic and Business Updates – 17.07.2025
Corporate Developments
Maruti Suzuki: Announced standardization of six airbags in Ertiga and Baleno models, leading to increased ex-showroom prices.
GST Revamp: Prime Minister’s Office gave in-principle approval for a significant recast of the GST framework, setting the stage for the first major overhaul since its introduction.
Wealth Management: SMFG and SBI jointly announced plans to launch a wealth management venture in Japan.
Infrastructure and Manufacturing
Renewable Energy: Cabinet approved initiatives with Rs 50,000 crore outlay for renewable energy investments and agricultural transformation.
Manufacturing Focus: Emphasis on bridging the ‘missing middle’ with capital support and empowering the National Manufacturing Mission.
Green Energy: Focus on Green Energy Corridor for storage and transmission with significant budget allocation.
Regional and State News – 17.07.2025
North-Eastern States
Assam Aqua Tech Park: India’s first water technology park inaugurated, showcasing advanced fishery technologies and modern fish production methods.
Sikkim Digital Village: Yakten Village declared as India’s first Digital Nomad Village, promoting remote work infrastructure.
Other States
Gujarat Innovation: First state to launch Tribal Genome Sequencing Project for improving tribal healthcare through genetic database.
Odisha Protest: Statewide bandh called by Congress over student harassment case, affecting normal life and transportation.
Madhya Pradesh: CM Mohan Yadav continues Spain visit for industrial collaboration and investment opportunities.
Environmental and Climate Updates – 17.07.2025
Natural Disasters
Alaska Earthquake: A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck off the southern coast of Alaska according to the US Geological Survey.
Iceland Volcano: Iceland volcano erupted for the 12th time since 2021, continuing the pattern of increased volcanic activity.
Weather Warnings: Heavy to very heavy rainfall warnings issued for Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Eastern UP, J&K, and Uttarakhand.
Environmental Initiatives
Water Technology: India’s first Aqua Tech Park focuses on sustainable fishery technologies and water conservation.
Green Energy: Significant budget allocation for renewable energy projects and environmental protection measures.
This comprehensive daily current affairs update for July 17, 2025, covers all major national and international developments relevant for banking and competitive examinations. The information is presented in a structured format with key points highlighted for easy revision and memorization.
