Current Affairs 16, 17 & 18 August 2025

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Highlights of 79th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2025On 15 August 2025, The Government of India (GoI) organised the 79th Independence Day (I-Day) celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi, Delhi. Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi addressed the nation and delivered his 12th consecutive Independence Day speech which lasted for 103 minute, the longest by any PM in India’s history.

• This year’s Independence Day theme is centered on ‘Naya Bharat’, signifying the GoI’s vision of achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Highlights of I-Day Celebrations :
Coordinating Service: Indian Air Force (IAF) was the coordinating officer service for this year’s national event, featured a ceremonial Guard of Honour, a 21-gun salute, and special flypast which carried the national flag and the Operation Sindoor flag.
Key Announcements: launch of PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY), Sudarshan Mission by 2035; National High-Powered Demography Mission; Introducing GST Reforms by October 2025; ‘made-in-India’ semiconductor chips will be available in Indian market by end of 2025, among others.
Total Gallantry/Service Medals: As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a total of 1,090 personnel of Police, Fire, Home Guard and Civil Defence (HG&CD) and Correctional Services have been awarded Gallantry and Service Medals on the occasion of 79th Independence Day.
Total Gallantry Awards: On the occasion of Independence Day, President of India Droupadi Murmu approved 127 Gallantry Awards and 40 distinguished service awards to the Armed Forces and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel.
Tatrakshak Medal to ICG: On the occasion of 79th Independence Day celebration, President of India Droupadi Murmu has approved 3 Tatrakshak Medal(TM) (Gallantry) and 2 TM (Meritorious Service) to Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Personnel.
>>Read Full News

PM Modi Marks Six Years of Jal Jeevan MissionOn 14 August 2025, Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi marked the completion of six years of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), a nationwide initiative that has transformed access to drinking water in rural India.

• The Government of India (GoI) has proposed to extend the JJM till 2028 with higher funding as announced in the Union Budget for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26).

About Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM):
Launches: The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) launched the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) on 15 August 2019 with an aim to provide every rural household with a Functional Household Tap Connection (FHTC) by 2024.
Technology: The JJM uses modern technology to make its work more open and reliable.
Key Achievements:
Expansion: As of July 2025, more than 15.69 crore rural households have been connected to tap water, covering 81% of rural India. Till now, over 2.63 lakh villages and 191 districts have been declared Har Ghar Jal.
Coverage: Tap water has now reached more than 9.5 lakh schools and 10 lakh Anganwadi centres, ensuring safe drinking water for children. In the 112 Aspirational Districts, tap water coverage has gone up to 79.32%.
Reduction in fluoride-affected areas: The number of fluoride-affected habitations has dropped sharply from 7,996 in 2019 to only 248 in 2025, protecting people from serious health risks.
>>Read Full News

MoPR Launched AI-Powered Tool ‘SabhaSaar’ to Accelerate Gram Sabha Meeting SummariesIn August 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), launched ‘SabhaSaar’, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered summarisation tool designed to automatically generate structured Minutes of Meeting (MoM) from Audio/Video (AV) recordings of Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings in New Delhi, Delhi.

• All states and Union Territories (UTs) have been urged to utilise the SabhaSaar tool for generating MoMs.

Note: A Gram Sabha is supposed to meet at least four days (January 26, May 1, August 15, and October 2) in a year.

Key Details of Launch:
Key People: The event was attended by Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh (alias Lalan Singh), MoPR and Union Minister of State (MoS)Professor Satya Pal Singh Baghel, MoPR.
Initial Implementation: As a first step, all the 1194 Gram Panchayats (GP) of Tripura (including traditional local bodies) used the tool to generate the MoMs for Special Gram Sabhas on 15th August 2025 (79th Independence Day).
About SabhaSaar:
NLP: SabhaSaar uses advanced AI and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies to:

• Transcribe spoken discussions
• Identify key decisions and action points
• Produce well-formatted summaries

Integration: The tool is integrated with Bhashini, the Government of India’s (GoI) National Language Translation Mission (NLTM), and an AI-powered language translation platform.

• Bhashini was launched in July 2022 to provide language technology solutions as a digital public resource.

Multilingual Support: It currently supports 13 Indian languages (more will be added in the future) to ensure inclusivity and accessibility for Panchayat functionaries across different linguistic backgrounds.

Objectives: Strengthen participatory democracy through digital innovation

• Enhance efficiency, ensure greater transparency and accountability in local governance
• Significantly reduce the time and effort required for manual documentation
• Enable Panchayat officials to focus more on governance and service delivery

NHA & C-DAC Signed MoU to Launch ‘e-Sushrut@Clinic’ for Digital Healthcare Infrastructure
In August 2025, the National Health Authority (NHA) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) and the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch ‘e-Sushrut@Clinic’, a lightweight, cloud-based Hospital Management Information System (HMIS) for Outpatient (OP) clinics in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The MoU was signed in the presence of Punya Salila Srivastava, Secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare(DoHFW),, MoHFW.

About e-Sushrut@Clinic:
Accessibility: This affordable, government-backed HMIS is designed specifically for small and medium healthcare providers.
Integration: The system represents a crucial expansion of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), launched in September 2021, creating an interoperable digital health ecosystem in India.
Key Features: The eSushrut@Clinic is tailored for OP management, pharmacy, and nursing modules, facilitates digital patient records, offers telemedicine services, etc.

• Healthcare providers can easily onboard through their Health Facility Registry (HFR) and Health Professionals Registry (HPR).
• It also enables free All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) for hypertension and diabetes.

Status: Currently, 17 AIIMS and over 4000 health facilities already use C-DAC’s e-Sushrut software.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

SLINEX-2025: Indian Navy-Sri Lanka Navy Maritime Exercise Held in ColomboThe 12th edition of the annual Indian Navy (IN)–Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) bilateral maritime exercise ‘Sri Lanka–India Exercise’ (SLINEX 2025) was conducted in Colombo, Sri Lanka, from 14 to 18 August 2025.

• The exercise is being conducted in two phases: the Harbour Phase (from August 14 to 16) at Colombo, followed by the Sea Phase (from August 17 to 18) off the coast of Colombo.

About SLINEX 2025:
Aim: SLINEX 2025, hosted by the SLN, aims to deepen maritime cooperation, build mutual trust, and enhance tactical interoperability of the multi-faceted maritime operations between the two forces.
Significance: It represents the deep maritime engagement between India and Sri Lanka, supporting India’s MAHASAGAR policy (Mutual And Holistic Advancement for Security And Growth Across Regions).
Participating Naval Assets:

• IN: Indian Naval Ship (INS) Jyoti (Fleet Tanker) and INS Rana (a Guided Missile Destroyer)
• SLN: SLN Ship SLNS Gajabahu and Vijayabahu (both Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPV)) and SLNS Sayura (Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV))
  >>Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

NSIC Signs MoUs with Private Banks to Boost Credit Access for MSMEs
In August 2025, National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC)  operating under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with several private sector banks under its MSME Credit Facilitation Programme to streamline financing, improve last-mile connectivity, and support the growth and formalization of the MSME sector.

Highlights of NSIC’s MoU:
Key People: The MoUs were exchanged by Gaurav Gulati, Director (Finance) of NSIC, along with senior representatives of the participating banks, in the presence of  Dr. S. S. Acharya, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NSIC, and other senior officials from both NSIC and the banks.

• The event was attended by Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, MoMSME and S.C.L. Das, Secretary of MoMSME.

Participating Banks: The NSIC signed MoUs with five private sector banks to enhance MSME credit access:

• Axis Bank Limited, headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Dhanlaxmi Bank Limited, headquartered in Thrissur, Kerala
• Karnataka Bank Limited, headquartered in Mangalore, Karnataka
• AU Small Finance Bank Limited, headquartered in Jaipur, Rajasthan
• IndusInd Bank Limited, also headquartered in Mumbai

Objective:  This initiative is expected to strengthen the overall efforts of banks in supporting small enterprises and boosting their growth
Benefits: Through this collaboration, MSMEs will be supported in accessing the formal financial system while banks expand their outreach to micro and small businesses for last-mile credit delivery.
About National Small Industries Corporation Limited (NSIC):
Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) – Dr. S. S. Acharya
Headquarters –  New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1955

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Navy received the 3rd SVL Ship ‘Ikshak’ from GRSE in KolkataOn 14 August 2025, the Indian Navy (IN) received ‘Indian Naval Ship(INS) Ikshak (Guide) (Yard 3027)’, the 3rd in a series of 4 Survey Vessel (Large) (SVL) ships, built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE),  a defence Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Defence (MoD), in Kolkata, West Bengal(WB).
About INS Ikshak:
Background: The contract for 4 SVLs was signed in 2018. The 1st ship of the class, INS Sandhayak, was commissioned in February 2024, followed by INS Nirdeshak in December 2024.
Significance: Built under the supervision of the Warship Overseeing Team (WOT) (Kolkata), Ikshak is the 102nd ship designed by the IN’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB).

• Ikshak is the first SVL Ship to be delivered with accommodation for women officers and sailors.
• The Ikshak is the 802nd ship and the 113th warship to be built by GRSE.
• It is the 75th warship handed over to the IN by GRSE, the only Indian shipyard to achieve this milestone.

Features: With a displacement of about 3,400 tons and an overall length of 110 meters (m), Ikshak is fitted with state-of-the-art hydrographic equipment, such as:

• Data Acquisition and Processing System (DAPS), Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) long-range positioning systems, Digital Side Scan Sonar (DSSS), etc.
  >>Read Full News

ISRO-Supported Space Laboratory Inaugurated in Shi-Yomi District  of AR
In August 2025, Pasang Dorjee Sona, Education Minister of Arunachal Pradesh (AR), inaugurated a state-of-the-art space laboratory at Mechuka Government Higher Secondary School at Mechuka in Shi-Yomi district of AR.

• Dedication: The facility has been named the ‘Pasang Wangchuk Sona ISRO Space Laboratory’, in memory of the minister’s father, honouring his strong belief in the power of education .

About Space Laboratory:
Collaboration: The lab has been set up jointly by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Katihar (Bihar) based Muskaan Foundation to give students practical exposure to space science and technology, encouraging innovation, curiosity, and scientific learning among young minds.
NE-SPARKS: Under the North East Student Programme for Awareness, Reach and Knowledge on Space (NE-SPARKS), around 100 science students from each of the eight Northeastern states will get a chance to visit the ISRO headquarters in Bengaluru.

• The visit will be organised in batches and aims to spark curiosity, inspire young minds, and build awareness about space science and technology (S&T) among talented students from the region.

SPORTS

Mascot, Logo and Anthem of 1st Khelo India Water Sports Festival UnveiledIn August 2025, Satish Sharma, Minister of Youth Services & Sports of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, unveiled the official mascot, logo, anthem, jingle, and jerseys for the inaugural Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF 2025) at an event in Srinagar, J&K.

• The KIWSF 2025 was scheduled to be held at Dal Lake in Srinagar, the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) from August 21 to 23, 2025, marking a significant expansion of the Khelo India calendar.

About Mascot, Logo and Anthem:
Mascot: The colourful Himalayan Kingfisher mascot features bold orange and blue colours, symbolising adventure, energy, and Kashmir’s natural beauty.

• It also serves as the festival’s ambassador for promoting eco-friendly sports, tourism, and youth engagement nationwide.

Logo: The KIWSF 2025 Logo features a Shikara gliding on Dal Lake, with snow-capped mountains and pine trees.
About KIWSF 2025 :
Collaboration: The KIWSF 2025 events will be hosted by the Jammu & Kashmir Sports Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Events: The KIWSF 2025 will feature rowing, canoeing, and kayaking as medal events. The demonstration events will be water skiing, shikara race, and dragon boat race.

OBITUARY

Nagaland Governor La. Ganesan Passed Away at 80On 15 August 2025, La. Ganesan, the Governor of Nagaland passed away at the age of 80 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN). He was born in 1945 in Thanjavur, TN.

• He served as the 21st Governor of Nagaland from February 2023 until his demise.

About La. Ganesan: 
Early Life: He began his professional journey as a Revenue Settlement Inspector in the TN Revenue Department

• However, in 1970, he resigned from his government position to become a full-time pracharak (campaigner) for the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), dedicating himself entirely to the organization’s activities.

Political Journey: In 1991, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as organising secretary of the TN unit and later served as the party’s national secretary and vice president.

• Between 2006 and 2009, he held the position of President of the BJP in TN.
• In 2016, he became a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament(MP) from Madhya Pradesh (MP).

Tenure as Governor: From August 2021 to February 2023, he served as the Governor of Manipur, and during this period, he also held additional charge as the Governor of West Bengal (WB) from July 2022 to November 2022.

• Following his tenure in Manipur, he was appointed as the Governor of Nagaland on February 20, 2023.

Role in Tamil Literature: Apart from politics, he had a deep interest in Tamil literature and culture. For nearly 20 years, he led Pottramarai (Golden Lotus), an organisation that brought together well-known personalities to speak on literary subjects.

• He was also the editor of the party’s Tamil magazine Ore Naadu (One Nation).

About Nagaland :
Chief Minister (CM)- Neiphiu Ri
Capital- Kohima
National Park (NP)- Ntangki NP

STATE NEWS

IBM Signs LoI with Maharashtra Government on Quantum Computing
In August 2025, International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the Government of Maharashtra to advance the state’s quantum computing ecosystem.

• The LoI was signed during the inauguration of IBM’s India Client Experience Centre in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

About Letter of Intent(LoI):
Quantum Vision: IBM will provide technical expertise to help Maharashtra design and implement its quantum computing initiative, aligning with India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM).
Ecosystem: The collaboration includes workshops and skills development programmes aimed at creating a talent pool in quantum technologies and fostering a vibrant state-level quantum ecosystem.
IBM India Client Experience Centre: The newly inaugurated centre, will focus on AI through the watsonx platform, data and automation, cybersecurity, hybrid cloud, and consulting-led transformation solutions tailored to India’s business challenges.

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