Current Affairs 18 July 2025

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Highlights of Cabinet Approvals chaired by PM Narendra Modi on July 16, 2025On July 16, 2025, the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi approved the following proposals:
i.Union Cabinet approved the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PM-DDKY) for a period of six years.

• The scheme, with an outlay of Rs.24,000 crores per year, will be implemented through the merged 36 existing schemes across 11 departments, for a period of six years, from 2025-26 to 2031-32.

ii.CCEA approved the Investment Exemption for NLCIL to accelerate the growth of Renewable Energy (RE)

• This exemption enables NLCIL to invest Rs.7,000 crores in its wholly owned subsidiary, NLC India Renewables Limited (NIRL), without requiring prior approval from the government under the existing delegation of powers.
• NLCIL and NIRL are exempted from the 30% net-worth limit, imposed by the Department of Public Enterprises (DPE), Ministry of Finance (MoF) for investments of CPSE in subsidiaries and Joint Ventures (JVs), providing greater operational and financial flexibility.

iii.CCEA approved enhanced delegation of power to NTPC Limited for investing up to Rs.20,000 crores in NTPC Green Energy Limited (NGEL) and its other subsidiaries to set up RE capacity
iv.Union Cabinet Passes Resolution Hailing Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla for the successful completion of Axiom-4 space mission, 18-day mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
>>Read Full News

Union MoS B.L. Verma Launched Helpline Number for Waste Pickers on the Occasion of ‘NAMASTE Day’ in LucknowOn July 16, 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS) B.L. Verma, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE), launched the helpline number 14473 for waste pickers, during a special programme organised on the occasion of the ‘National Action for Mechanized Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Day’ in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP).

• He also distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and Ayushman cards to Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and waste pickers.
• Yogita Swaroop, Senior Financial Advisor, MSJE; Angela Lusigi, India Representative of United Nations Development Programme(UNDP), along with other senior officers from Centre and State Governments.

Key Points:
i.While addressing the programme, Union MoS Verma highlighted that under the NAMASTE Yojana, profiling of 85,067 sewer septic tank workers has been done so far and distributed PPE kits to 45,871 sewer SSWs, while Ayushman cards have been provided to 40,166 workers.
ii.He also launched an Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) training module for occupational safety training of SSWs and also a fashion was organised to explain the significance and utility of PPE kits under the NAMASTE scheme.
iii.Apart from that, safety equipment was also distributed for Emergency Response Sanitation Units (ERSU).
>>Read Full News

Gujarat Launches India’s first Tribal Genome Sequencing Project to Tackle Inherited DiseasesOn July 16, 2025, Government of Gujarat has launched India’s first-ever Tribal Genome Sequencing Project(TGSP), at an event held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, with an aim to create a comprehensive genetic database to understand and tackle inherited diseases among tribal communities.

• The project, named “Creation of Reference Genome Database for Tribal Population in Gujarat” will be carried out by the Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC) with collaboration from multiple state departments and specialists.

About Tribal Genome Sequencing Project:
i.The project aims to build a genetic database, which will enable early identification and better treatment of inherited diseases, such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and certain cancers.

• Additionally, the collected genetic data will be used to identify markers related to natural immunity and support the development of personalized healthcare solutions.

ii.Under this initiative, 2,000 individuals from more than 20 tribal communities across 17 districts of Gujarat will undergo Genome sequencing. The project will ensure 50% participation from women and use the trio-based approach, involving parents and one child to study hereditary patterns.
iii.Communities involved in the study include Bamcha, Garasia Bhil, Dholi Bhil, Chaudhari, Dhanka, Tadvi, Valvi, Dubla, Gamit, Gond, Kathodi, Kukna, Kunbi, Nayaka, Pardhi, Patelia, Rathwa, Warli, Kotwalia, and others.

• The Sidi community, known for its African ancestry, from Amreli, Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Rajkot, and Surendranagar will also be part of the initiative.

iv.The study design mandates that each tribe include at least one genetic trio, samples collected from both parents and a child, to analyze inherited genetic traits. Participation is limited to healthy individuals aged 18 and above, with no visible blood disorders.
v.The initiative will feature cutting-edge facilities throughout the process, from physical sample collection to the interpretation of genetic data.
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister(CM) – Bhupendra Patel
Governor – Acharya Devvrat
Capital – Gandhinagar
National Park (NP) – Marine NP, Vansda NP

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Inaugurates India Campus of University of Southampton in Gurugram
On July 16, 2025, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of Education (MoE), and Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana, Nayab Singh Saini, the India campus of the United Kingdom(UK)-based University of Southampton(UOS) in Gurugram, Haryana.

• UoS becomes the first fully foreign university campus to open in India under the University Grants Commission(UGC’s) (Setting up and Operation of Campuses of Foreign Higher Educational Institutions in India) Regulations 2023.

i.The Gurugram campus, situated within the International Tech Park, is scheduled to commence classes in August 2025.
ii.The campus will offer six degree programmes, including four Undergraduate (UG) courses, Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Business Management, Accounting and Finance, Computer Science, Economics, and two Postgraduate (PG) courses, Master of Science (MSc) in Finance and International Management.
iii.The courses offered are aligned with the academic standards of the UK.

India & Kuwait Signed MoU to boost flight capacity
In July 2025, India and Kuwait signed a revised Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expand their bilateral flying rights, increasing the weekly seat quota by 50%, from 12,000 to 18,000 seats for each side.

• The revised agreement was formally signed by Samir Kumar Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on behalf of the Government of India (GoI) and Sheikh Hamoud Al-Mubarak, President, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of Kuwait, in New Delhi, Delhi.

i.As part of this revised agreement, Indian Airlines will get priority access to landing and parking slots at Kuwaiti airports.
ii.This marked the 1st capacity enhancement since 2006, when weekly capacity entitlements of each side were raised from 8,320 to 12,000 seats.
iii.Currently, Indian Airlines such as: Air India Express, Akasa Air, and IndiGo, operate nearly 40 flights daily between India and Kuwait.

• Kuwait Airways leads with 54 weekly flights, making it the largest operator on the route, followed by IndiGo with 36 flights per week.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034: Biofuel Demand to Consume 27% of Global Cereal Production by 2034On July 15, 2025, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) jointly released the 21st edition of the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025–2034 report.

• As per the report, by 2034, only 40% of global cereal production will be consumed directly by humans, while 33% will be used for animal feed and 27% for biofuel and industrial uses.

Highlights:
i.The report forecasts that global biofuel demand will grow at an average rate of 0.9% annually through 2034, up from the earlier estimate of 0.6%.

• India, along with Brazil and Indonesia, will be the key drivers of this accelerated growth, due to policy support, energy security goals, and rising energy demand in emerging economies.

ii.Global cereal production is projected to grow at 1.1% per year, driven primarily by yield improvements (0.9% annually).
iii.Global average per capita daily calorie intake from animal and fish products will increase by 6% over the next decade.

• In lower-middle-income countries, this increase will be significantly higher at 24%, with average intake reaching 364 kilocalories (kcal) per day by 2034, surpassing the FAO’s benchmark of 300 kcal per day for a healthy diet.

>>Read Full News

India Co-Chairs UN GoF Meeting on Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers
In July 2025, India co-chaired a high-level meeting of the Group of Friends (GoF) for Accountability for Crimes Against Peacekeepers along with Bangladesh, Egypt, France, Morocco, and Nepal at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, United States of America (USA), to reaffirm global commitment towards ensuring accountability for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers.

• The meeting was co-chaired by India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, and attended by representatives from around 40 UN Member States, senior UN officials, and field experts.

i.The meeting focused on strategies to combat impunity, strengthen legal frameworks, and improve international cooperation to bring offenders to justice.
ii.It reiterated that accountability is essential not only for justice but also for the effectiveness, safety, and credibility of UN peacekeeping operations.
iii.India, the largest cumulative troop-contributing country to UN peacekeeping missions, has deployed over 3,00,000 personnel over the past 70 years, with 182 Indian peacekeepers sacrificing their lives in service across nearly every major UN mission worldwide.
Note: The GoF was established in December 2022 during India’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council( UNSC), building upon Security Council Resolution 2589 (2021).

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI issues revised rules for agriculture, small business loans against gold, silverIn July 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued new directions, allowing voluntary pledge of gold and silver as collateral for agriculture and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) loans.

• These norms will be applicable to all Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs), Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks (SFBs) and all State Co-operative Banks(SCBs) and District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs).

Key Updates:
i.The RBI stated that banks can sanction loans under the collateral-free limit in the agriculture and MSME sectors even if borrowers voluntarily pledge gold or silver.

• This practice does not breach existing guidelines, as the pledge is not mandatory, but initiated by the borrower.
• However, the collateral-free loan rules for MSMEs are not applicable to RRB and co-operative banks.

ii.This change is expected to enhance financial inclusion, as gold/silver backed loans are easier and faster to disburse, hence reducing the dependence on informal moneylenders.
iii.Collateral-free limits:

• For Micro and Small Enterprises (MSE) and Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), the collateral-free loan limit is Rs.10 Lakhs
• For agricultural and allied activities, the limit is Rs. 2 lakhs. This limit was increased by the RBI from Rs.1.6 lakhs to Rs.2 lakhs in December, 2024.

iv.LTV Caps for Loans Against Gold and Silver:
As per the revised guidelines issued by the RBI, tiered Loan-to-Value (LTV) ratio caps have been introduced for loans secured against gold and silver.

• For loans up to Rs.2.5 lakh, the LTV is capped at 85%; for loans between Rs.2.5 lakh and Rs.5 lakh, the cap is set at 80%; and for loans above Rs.5 lakh, the maximum permissible LTV is 75%, with no appraisal required for small-ticket loans.

About Priority Sector Lending (PSL):
Priority Sectors are those sectors which the Government and RBI consider important for the country’s development and are to be given priority over other sectors. The PSL target for:

• Domestic commercial banks and foreign banks (FB) with 20 branches and above is 40%.
• FB with less than 20 branches is 40%.
• RRB – 75%
• SFB – 75%
• Primary Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) – 60%

NIPL adds 13 banks to UPI-PayNow linkage to boost India-Singapore remittancesIn July 2025, the NPCI International Payments Limited(NIPL), the international arm of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has announced the inclusion of 13 additional Indian banks into the Unified Payment Interface (UPI)-PayNow, payment linkage between India and Singapore.

• This addition, effective from July 17, 2025, takes the total number of participating Indian banks to 19, significantly easing cross-border remittances for individuals, including migrant workers and students in Singapore.

About UPI-PayNow:
i.The UPI-PayNow service was launched as a joint initiative between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
ii.This initiative enables the account-holders of the participating banks and financial institutions in India and Singapore to perform cross-border remittance transactions through the UPI-PayNow linkage.
iii.UPI-PayNow is the world’s first cloud-based, real-time cross-border payment system, meaning that it uses cloud technology, instead of physical servers or traditional banking infrastructure.
>>Read Full News

Taiwan’s CTBC Bank Proposed to Set Up IBU at GIFT City
In July 2025, CTBC bank, a Taiwanese commercial bank, has proposed to the International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) to set up an International Financial Services Centre(IFSC) Banking Unit (IBU) at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

• With this move, CTBC will become the second Taiwanese bank to establish an IBU at GIFT City, following Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank.

i.In January 2025, CTBC bank received approval from Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC), Taiwan, to establish IBU in GIFT City.
ii.An IBU is a branch of a domestic or foreign bank, established at the IFSC (GIFT City). It operates only in foreign currencies.
iii.IBUs can offer services such as External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs), Syndicated loans to foreign entities, Foreign Exchange (Forex) services, Trade finance for export and import transactions, Capital market operations.
Note: Yes Bank was the first bank to set up an IBU in GIFT City in 2015.

IRDAI Panel Recommends Ban on Mergers between Insurers and Non-Insurers
On July 17, 2025, a committee set by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has recommended a prohibition on mergers between insurance and non-insurance companies. The panel, led by Dinesh Kumar Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India (SBI), highlighted the potential risks to policy holders.

• In February 2025, IRDAI constituted a seven-member committee to assess the proposed amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938.

i.The committee submitted its confidential report at the 132nd meeting of IRDAI held in Hyderabad, Telangana.
ii.Mergers between insurers and non-insurers could lead to a moral hazard, increasing the conflict of interest, undermining the protection of the policyholders and the stability of the sector.
iii.During the meeting, IRDAI constituted panels consisting of its whole-time members to adjudicate violations committed by insurance companies and intermediaries.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

NABARD Unveils NIVARAN, RuralTech CoLab & Other Major Initiatives on its 44th Foundation DayOn July 12, 2025, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) commemorated its 44th Foundation Day with the launch of several key initiatives, including NIVARAN and RuralTech CoLab, during a celebratory event held at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).

• The celebrations highlighted NABARD’s pivotal role in reshaping India’s rural development landscape through innovation, infrastructure, and financial inclusion.

Key Points:
Key Initiatives Launched:
i..RuralTech CoLab: It is an open digital innovation platform which enables startups, research institutes, and tech developers to co-create, test, and scale rural-centric technologies.
ii.NIVARAN: It is a dedicated Internal Grievance Redressal System, designed for rural Co-operative Banks. It offers 24×7 digital access for complaint resolution and governance enhancement.
iii.Sub Office: NABARD inaugurated its Sub-office in Leh, Union Territory (UT) Ladakh. This reinforces its commitment to reach the remotest regions of the country, with credit, capacity building, and development finance.
iv.NABARD official Whatsapp Channel: It was launched to improve real-time communication and provide direct access of market advisories, FPO information, and product updates to rural stakeholders.
>>Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Zepto’s Aadit Palicha & Kaivalya Vohra Top the Avendus Wealth–Hurun India U30 Entrepreneurs List 2025In July 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Avendus Wealth Management Private Limited, in collaboration with Hurun India, released the inaugural Avendus Wealth–Hurun India U30 List 2025, recognising 79 entrepreneurs aged 30 and under who are driving innovation and reshaping the future of Indian enterprise across multiple sectors.

• Aadit Palicha andKaivalya Vohra, both 22 years old and co-founders of the quick commerce platform Zepto, topped the list as India’s youngest entrepreneurs, having secured USD 1.95 billion in funding over 10 rounds and building a workforce of around 3,000 employees.

Key Highlights of the U30 List 2025:
i.The list features 66 first-generation entrepreneurs who have built ventures valued at USD 25 million or more, and 13 next-generation leaders managing family-owned businesses with valuations of USD 50 million or above.
ii.The average age of the entrepreneurs featured is 28 years. Notably, only 6 women entrepreneurs made it to the list, including Devika Gholap (28) of OptraSCAN, the youngest among them, and Ananyashree Birla (30) of Svatantra Microfin.
iii.Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani (Rajasthan) emerged as the top contributor with 8 alumni on the list, followed by Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee (Uttarakhand) and IIT Delhi (Delhi), with 6 alumni each.
About Hurun India:
Founder and Chief Researcher – Anas Rahman Junaid
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – 2012
>>Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

IGPL Launches with Yuvraj Singh as Co-owner & Brand Ambassador
In July 2025, the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), India’s first city-based franchise golf league, appointed former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh as its co-owner and brand ambassador.

• The initiative has been supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS).

i.The league will be a four-week golfing extravaganza, featuring a franchise format, scheduled to take place in January–February 2026..
ii.IGPL is a professional golf league featuring six franchise teams representing major Indian cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai, with each team consisting of 10 male and female professionals.
iii.IGPL signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the official governing body for men’s amateur golf in India, and partnered with the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) to encourage and promote greater participation of women in golf.

ACC Approved the Extension of Gurmeet Singh as CMD of NTPC Ltd. by Year till July 2026
In July 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the proposal of Ministry of Power (MoP) to extend the tenure of Gurdeep Singh as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NTPC (India) Limited (formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation) by another 1 year till July 31, 2026.

• His current term is set to conclude on July 31, 2025.

i.This marks the second extension of Gurdeep Singh since he first assumed charge as CMD of NTPC Ltd. in February 2016.
ii.His initial five-year tenure was extended by the Government of India (GoI) in 2021, extending his term until July 2025.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX Launched 24 Amazon Kuiper Internet Satellites into OrbitOn 16th July 2025, California (United States of America, USA)-based Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), led by Elon Musk, successfully launched 24 Kuiper broadband internet satellites for Amazon.com, Inc., Washington (USA), under the KF-01 (Kuiper Falcon 1) mission using its Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, USA.

• This marks the third operational launch of Amazon’s Project Kuiper, aimed at providing global broadband internet through a planned constellation of over 3,200 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, bringing the total number of deployed Kuiper satellites to 78.
• The liftoff aligned with the 56th anniversary of the launch of the Apollo 11 mission, which was launched on July 16, 1969, marking the beginning of humanity’s first journey to the Moon.

Key Highlights:
i.Following the launch, all satellites were deployed successfully into a 465 kilometer (km) high orbit, with plans to raise them to around 630 km altitude for full operation.
ii.The satellites are managed by Kuiper’s mission control centre located in Redmond, Washington.
iii.SpaceX’s satellite internet arm, Starlink, currently operates around 8,000 LEO satellites and serves over 6 million users globally. In contrast, Amazon is in the early stages of deployment and aims to begin services by late 2025.
>>Read Full News

IMPORTANT DAYS

Day of International Criminal Justice 2025 – 17 JulyDay of International Criminal Justice, (also known as International Justice Day or World Day for International Justice), is observed annually on 17 July to commemorate the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in 1998.

• The day promotes accountability for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and aggression.
• July 17, 2025 marked the 27th anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute.

Background:
i.The Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, was adopted on 17 July 1998 during the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries (UNDCP) held in Rome, Italy.
ii.The treaty, adopted by 120 countries, laid the legal foundation for the ICC and came into effect on 1 July 2002, officially making the Court operational.

• The ICC does not have the authority to investigate incidents that occurred prior to 1 July 2002.

iii.In 2010, during the first Review Conference of the Rome Statute held in Kampala, Uganda, 17 July was declared as the Day of International Criminal Justice to commemorate the adoption of the statute.
>>Read Full News

World Snake Day 2025 – July 16
World Snake Day is celebrated annually across the world on July 16, to raise awareness about the over 3,000 snake species around the world and also to recognise the significance of snakes and also burst myths related to snakes.

• Theme for World Snake Day 2025: ‘Respect, Don’t Fear: Protecting Nature’s Silent Guardians’, which focuses on compassion and conservation of snakes.

i.On the occasion of World Snake Day 2025, the National Zoological Park, New Delhi (Delhi) organised a comprehensive public awareness programme aimed to educate visitors about the ecological significance of snakes.
ii.Bannerghatta Biological Park(Karnataka) also celebrated World Snake Day. During the event, a set of specially designed postcards featuring details about the ‘Big Four’ snakes of India: common krait, Indian cobra, Russell’s viper, and saw-scaled viper, were released.
Note: India is home to approximately 270 to 300 snake species, with nearly 70% to 80% of them being non-venomous and harmless to humans.

STATE NEWS

Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel Appointed as Chief Secretary of Manipur
On July 16, 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by the Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal of Department of Personnel and Training (DPT), Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances and Pensions (MoPP&P) to appoint Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel as the Chief Secretary (CS) of Manipur with effect from July 16, 2025. He will serve until his superannuation on August 31, 2025.

• He will succeed Prashant Kumar Singh, 1993-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Manipur Cadre.

i.Dr. Puneet Kumar Goel is a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Arunachala Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre.
ii.Previously, he served as CS of Goa and Secretary, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST).

• He has held significant roles in urban development, transport, and welfare sectors at both the state and central levels.

iii.He is the fourth officer to lead Manipur since the violence erupted in 2023.
iv.Prashant Kumar Singh has been appointed as Secretary, NCST.
Note: Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 2025.

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