Current Affairs 19 August 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 19 August 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

NTPC becomes 1st PSU to Adopt Global Standard for Power Supply Continuity
In August 2025, NTPC Limited(formerly known as National Thermal Power Corporation Limited), India’s largest power producing company, has become the 1st Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) in the Indian power sector to adopt a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan (BCP) aligned with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 22301:2019, global standard for Business Continuity Management Systems (BCMS).

• This move aims to bolster NTPC’s ability to ensure uninterrupted power generation and supply under all circumstances.

About Business Continuity Plan (BCP):
Designed for: It is a formal set of guidelines which help organisations in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disruptions such as: natural disasters, cyberattacks, supply chain issues, or technical breakdowns while protecting employees and assets.
ISO Standard: ISO 22301:2019 outlines internationally accepted requirements for such plans, focusing on prevention, readiness, coordinated response, and continual improvement.
Periodic Risk Assessments/Evaluation: BCP features regular risk assessments, disaster recovery drills, backup communication systems, and coordinated response protocols.

• It also features mechanisms for continuous review and improvement to address emerging risks in energy sector.

India’s First Hydrogen-Powered Train Successfully Completes Load Tests in Chennai, TN
In August 2025, India’s first Hydrogen (H2) powered train has cleared the load tests under the design and oversight of Research Designs & Standards Organization (RDSO), Ministry of Railways (MoR), at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).

About India’s first hydrogen-powered train:
Project Overview: The Indian Railways (IR) is set to launch India’s first hydrogen-powered train, valued at Rs. 136 crores, developed by ICF under the “Hydrogen for Heritage” initiative to reduce emissions on heritage and hill routes.

• The “Hydrogen for Heritage” programme aims to deploy 35 hydrogen trains across the routes of heritage and hills.

Route: The hydrogen-powered train with 3,000 Kilogram (Kg) capacity is slated for trials between Jind and Sonipat in Haryana, spanning 89 Kilometre (Km).
Capacity: The train has a maximum speed of 110 kilometer/hour(km/h) and is designed to carry up to 2,638 passengers.
Technological Advancement: The hydrogen-powered train boasts a 1,200 horsepower engine, positioning India among the leaders in hydrogen train technology.

FAITH Unveiled ‘Tourism Vision 2047’ to Boost India’s Tourism Economy to USD 3 Trillion
The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH), apex body of travel and hospitality industry in India, has unveiled its ‘Tourism Vision 2047’, a roadmap designed to boost India’s tourism economy to USD 3 trillion by 2047.

• It was unveiled at its FAITH Conclave 2025 held under the theme ‘Indian Tourism-Invincible Spirit’, from August 12 to 13, 2025 at Taj Palace in New Delhi, Delhi.

About Tourism Vision 2047:
Key Targets: The newly unveiled roadmap also aims to attract 100 million inbound tourists, generate 20 billion domestic visits, 200 million tourism-related jobs and USD 400 billion in forex earnings.
GDP: The primary objective of the roadmap is to double the tourism sector’s share of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), from existing 5% to 10% over the next 20 years (by 2047).
Global Ranking Target: Position India among the top five countries in the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index.
Key Pillars: The roadmap is based on the 4 main pillars: Policy Reforms, International and Domestic Marketing, Infrastructure Development and Sustainability.

Indian Railways Installs First Removable Solar Panel System Between Tracks
On 15th August 2025, the Ministry of Railways (MoR) announced a major step in green energy innovation as Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)-based Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) commissioned India’s first removable solar panel system installed between railway tracks. The pilot project was inaugurated on Independence Day 2025 at BLW’s Line No. 19.

• This marks a new initiative towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions under Indian Railways (IR).

About the First Removable Solar Panel:
System Details: The 70-metre system consists of 28 panels with an installed capacity of 15 KWp(Kilowatt Peak), offering 220 KWp per kilometre power density and 880 units per kilometre per day energy density.

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI Launches collateral-free Rs.4 lakh loan at 10.5% interest for AgniveersIn August 2025, the State Bank of India (SBI) has launched a special personal loan scheme for Agniveers on the occasion of the 79th Independence day(August 15, 2025).

• This scheme builds on its existing Defence Salary Package (DSP), which provides preferential banking services to armed forces personnel, including Agniveers.

About SBI Agniveer Loan Scheme:
Borrowers: This personal loan scheme is applicable for Agniveers – young men and women serving in the armed forces under Government’s short-term “Agnipath recruitment programme”.
Loan Amount: The scheme is available to the Agniveer account holders at SBI, offering loans up to Rs. 4 lakhs without collateral and processing fees.
Interest Rate: The bank is offering a flat interest rate of 10.50% to all defence personnel until September 30,2025.
Tenure: The repayment tenure will align with the term of the Agnipath scheme, offering maximum flexibility and convenience for service members transitioning to civilian life.
About Agnipath Programme:
Launch:The Agnipath recruitment programme is a central government scheme launched in 2022.
Agnipath: It is a recruitment scheme for Indian youth to serve in the Armed Forces for four years and the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.
About State Bank of India (SBI):
Chairman – Challa Sreenivasulu(C.S) Setty
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established – 1955
Tagline – Pure Banking, Nothing Else

Kotak Mahindra International Secured UAE Licence to Sell Funds to Retail Investors
In August 2025, Kotak Mahindra (International) Limited, an international arm of India’s 3rd largest Private Sector Bank Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL), has secured a license from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s capital markets regulator, Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), to sell investment funds and portfolios to onshore retail investors.

• Following this approval, Kotak Mahindra (International) became the 1st Indian company to get this license from SCA, marking a major step in the evolution of cross-border financial services.

Significance:
Retail Access: Kotak Mahindra (International) aims to use this license to support the investment fund industry of the UAE by offering retail-focused solutions.
Investment: The funds can be accessed with a minimum investment of approximately USD 500.
Future Plans:The company is also planning to launch funds which are aligned with its successful Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities (UCITS) (Luxembourg-domiciled) and India-domiciled strategies, with subscriptions will be open for UAE investors by the final quarter of Calendar Year 2025 (Q4 CY25).

SBI Report: UPI Transactions Surged in 2025; Maharashtra Emerged as the No.1 State in UPI UsageIn August 2025, India’s largest Public Sector Bank (PSB), State Bank of India (SBI)’s Economic Research Department (ERD) released its latest report on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions. The report highlighted that UPI transactions have expanded significantly in 2025, both in terms of value and volume.

• In terms of value, the report showed that the average daily UPI transactions have increased from Rs 75, 743 crore (in January 2025) to Rs 80, 919 crore (in July 2025) and to Rs 90, 446 crore in August 2025 (so far).
• In terms of volume, the average daily transaction volume has increased by 127 million, to 675 million in August 2025 compared with January 2025.

Key Findings:
State-wise UPI usage: Maharashtra has topped among all Indian states in UPI usage, accounting for 9.8% volume share in July 2025. It is followed by Karnataka (5.5%), Uttar Pradesh (UP) (5.3%), Telangana (4.1%) and Tamil Nadu (TN) (4%).
State-wise share in terms of value: Maharashtra emerged as the number state in terms of transaction value, with 1,905 million UPI transactions worth Rs 2.30 lakh crore (accounting for 9.2% value share in July 2025).

• It is followed by Karnataka with Rs 1.45 lakh crore (5.8%), UP with Rs 1.31lakh crore (5.3%), Telangana (5.1%) and TN (4.7%).

Top Remitter & Beneficiary Bank: As per the report, SBI emerged as the top remitter bank with 5.2 billion transactions, which is 3.4 times higher than HDFC Bank Limited, the 2nd –biggest remitter bank.

• While, Yes Bank Limited emerged as the leading beneficiary bank with nearly 8.0 billion transactions.
  >>Read Full News

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

JSW and POSCO Sign HoA for 6 MTPA Steel Plant in India
On August 18, 2025, JSW Steel Limited, India, and South Korea-based POSCO Group signed a non-binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) to jointly explore setting up a 6 Million Tonnes Per Annum (MTPA) integrated steel plant in India through a 50:50 joint venture (JV).

Project Overview
Capacity & Location: The plant’s capacity was upgraded from 5 MTPA under the October 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to 6 MTPA.

• Odisha is the preferred location due to its iron ore/coal reserves and logistical advantages

Investment: Estimated at Rs. 65,000 crore (USD 7.44 billion), pending feasibility studies.
Scope: Includes exploring opportunities in battery materials for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy
Strategic Objective: Supports India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) initiative by creating a globally competitive manufacturing hub for domestic and export markets.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Ajay Kumar Bhalla Takes Additional Charge as Governor of NagalandIn August 2025, President of India, Droupadi Murmu appointed Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Governor of Manipur, to assume the additional charge as Governor of Nagaland with immediate effect.

• He succeeds La. Ganesan who passed away on August 15, 2025.

Ajay Kumar Bhalla:
Civil Service: He is a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Assam cadre.
Roles: He was appointed as the Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) and Director of Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), MoC&I between 2016 and 2017.

• He served as the Secretary of the Ministry of Power(MoP) from 2017 to 2019.
• He served as the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from 2019 to 2024, making him the longest-serving officer in this position. He held several responsibilities including implementation of changes since the Abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
• He has also served as Additional Secretary in MoC&I and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Coal.

Governor: In December 2024, he was appointed as the Governor of Manipur. He assumed office on January 3, 2025.

• Following the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur in February 2025, he oversees the administration of Manipur.

About Nagaland:
Chief Minister (CM) – Neiphuio Rio
Governor – Ajay Kumar Bhalla
Capital – Kohima
National Park (NP) – Ntangki NP

TCL Appoints Olympic Ski Champion Eileen Gu as its Global Brand AmbassadorOn August 18, 2025, TCL, a global technology company, appointed Eileen Gu, a freestyle skier, as its global brand ambassador.This collaboration underscores TCL’s dedication to advancing the Olympic Movement as a Worldwide Olympic Partner, ahead of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.

About Global Ambassador:
Initiative: The appointment aligns with the “TCLforHer” initiative of TCL, which supports women empowerment through technology and culture.
Role: As the brand ambassador, She will represent TCL globally, embodying the motto “Inspire Greatness”, and participate in marketing campaigns, product launches, and global events.
Eileen Gu: She became the youngest Olympic champion in freestyle skiing by winning three medals (2 Gold, 1 Silver) in the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, China.

• She was the first person to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics.

SPORTS

German GM Vincent Keymer wins Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025In August 2025, Vincent Keymer, Chess Grandmaster (GM) from Germany, won the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 held from August 6–15, 2025 at the Hyatt Regency in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN). He became the first sole champion in the tournament’s history, securing the title with a round to spare.

• The tournament featured two separate 10-player round-robin sections, a masters and a challengers section.

About Chennai Grand Masters 2025 – Masters Section:
Vincent Keymer: He scored 1.5 points ahead in Round 8 with a draw against GM Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands).

• His performance rating stood at an impressive 2917, earning 20.9 Elo points and propelling him above 2750 live rating, now ranked World No. 10.

Anish Giri (Netherlands): He staged a dramatic final-round win over Jorden van Foreest, which elevated him to solo second place.
Arjun Erigaisi: He finished third after a calm draw with Murali, who ended fourth, having lost only to Keymer.
About Chennai Grand Masters 2025 – Challengers Section:
Top Performances: GM M. Pranesh(India) triumphed with 6.5/9 points, earning a spot in the 2026 Masters after beating GM Harika Dronavalli(India). Despite losing his final game, he held his lead as rivals faltered.
>>Read Full News

Marc Marquez Won 2025 Austrian GP for the 1st time to Extend MotoGP Championship LeadIn August 2025, 6-time MotoGP champion Marc Marquez (Ducati Lenovo team), from Spain, won his career’s 1st ever Austrian Grand Prix (GP) title ‘MotoGP 2025 Austrian GP’ at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria.

• Following this victory, he took a 142-point lead over his brother Álex Márquez in the championship.

About 2025 Austrian GP:
Significance: This GP marked the 1,000th premier class race in history. This was also Marquez’s 6th consecutive GP victory.
Other Notable Performances: Spanish moto-rider Fermin Aldeguer, representing the Gresini Racing team finished at the 2nd place.

• While, Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi, representing the Aprilia, has secured the 3rd position at the podium.

Top 3 Positions of 2025 MotoGP Austrian GP:

Top 5 Drivers- Championship Standing After Austrian GP 2025:

Recent Related News:
On July 27, 2025, Australian Oscar Piastri, Formula One (F1) driver representing the United Kingdom (UK)-based team, McLaren, delivered a commanding performance to win the 70th edition of the Belgian Grand Prix at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Stavelot, Belgium.

• This was his sixth win in 13 races this season, extending his title lead in F1 world championship with 16 points over teammate Lando Norris.

OBITUARY

Former Australia Cricket Captain and Coach Bob Simpson Passed Away
On August 16, 2025, Bob Simpson, former Australian captain and coach, passed away at the age of 89 in Sydney, Australia. He was born on 3 February 1936 in Marrickville, Australia.

About Bob Simpson:
Career: He played 62 Test matches from 1957 to 1978, scoring 4,869 runs with 10 centuries and 27 fifties, and taking 71 wickets.

• He made his debut against South Africa in 1957 and captained Australia in 39 tests.
• He led Australia in 39 out of his 62 Test matches.
• He initially retired in 1968, made a comeback as Australia’s Test captain in 1977, and was subsequently appointed full-time head coach in 1986.

Achievement: He is one of the few Test players to score a triple century as his first-ever Test century.

• Under his guidance, Australia won the 1987 World Cup and regained the Ashes in 1989.

Awards: He was made as a Member of the Order of Australia in 1978 and an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2007.

• He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2005 and International Cricket Council (ICC) Hall of Fame in 2013.

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