29th August 2025

1. Dinesh K Patnaik Appointed India’s Envoy to Canada
2. NALCO to Invest $3.43 Billion in Smelter and Power Plant
3. Delhi CM Launches ‘U-Special’ Buses for College Students
4. India and Bhutan Sign MoU for Agricultural Cooperation
5. Minerva Academy Wins Historic European Treble in Youth Football
6. Urjit Patel Appointed IMF Executive Director for 3-Year Term
7. India’s IIP (Index of Industrial Production) Grows 3.5% in July 2025
8. Cotton Import Duty Exemption Extended Till December 2025
9. India Launches Major OSAT Facility For Semi-Conductor in Gujarat
10. Sanjay Seth Inaugurates MILMEDICON 2025 in New Delhi
11. National Sports Day 2025
12. C-DOT Celebrates 42nd Foundation Day in Delhi Campus
13. PNB Unveils its First Startup-Centric Branch in New Delhi
14. ABCDL Receives In-Principle Payment Aggregator License from RBI
15. Akash Tripathi Appointed as MD of SECI Limited
16. Israel Launches JUPITER Space Camera on NAOS Satellite

National News

1. India Inaugurates First Semiconductor OSAT Pilot Line Facility

• What
  • Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel inaugurated India’s first end-to-end Semiconductor OSAT Pilot Line Facility of CG Power at Sanand, Gujarat.
• Why
  • The step aims to strengthen India’s semiconductor design, manufacturing, and testing ecosystem while supporting the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
• Tell me more
  • The G1 facility will handle chip assembly, packaging, testing, and post-test services with a capacity of 0.5 million units per day, starting commercial production in 2026.
  • A second plant (G2) is under construction and will scale up to 14.5 million units per day by end of 2026.
  • CG Semi is investing ₹7,600 crore over five years to build two advanced facilities in Sanand.
  • Together, the plants are expected to create over 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

Source: PIB

2. C-DOT Celebrates 42nd Foundation Day in Delhi

• What
  • Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) celebrated its 42nd Foundation Day at its Delhi campus, marking 41 years since its establishment in 1984.
• Why
  • The celebration aimed to highlight C-DOT’s role in advancing telecom R&D, promoting Atmanirbhar Bharat, and positioning India as a global leader in digital technologies.
• Tell me more
  • The event was inaugurated by Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani, Minister of State for Communications, with Dr. Neeraj Mittal, Secretary (Telecom), as Guest of Honour.
  • C-DOT showcased its achievements like delivering 4G core for BSNL, AI-based disconnection of 5 crore fraud connections, and research in 6G and quantum communication.
  • Ten women-led entrepreneurs were awarded grants under NIDHI, an initiative to empower ICT-sector startups.
  • Eminent experts from IIT Delhi, IIT Hyderabad, IISc, and industry spoke on AI, cybersecurity, 6G, and quantum communication.

Source: PIB

State News

1. Delhi CM Relaunches U-Special Bus Service for DU Students

• What
  • Delhi CM Rekha Gupta relaunched the U-Special bus service for Delhi University students with 25 electric buses on 25 routes.
• Why
  • The service was restarted to provide students with a safe and student-friendly travel option.
• Tell me more
  • The buses will cover 67 DU colleges and other educational institutions.
  • Rekha Gupta rode the bus from Delhi University Sports Complex to Daulat Ram College, her alma mater.
  • Delhi University Vice-Chancellor Yogesh Singh and Transport Minister Pankaj Singh also joined the launch event.
  • The U-Special bus service was first launched in 1971.

Source: ET

International News

1. Elbit Systems Launches Advanced JUPITER Space Camera

• What
  • Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems launched its advanced JUPITER space camera aboard the NAOS satellite from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
• Why
  • The camera will support military missions, environmental monitoring, scientific research, and high-resolution observation tasks.
• Tell me more
  • JUPITER is one of the world’s most advanced space cameras with a large aperture and lightweight design.
  • It provides high-resolution black-and-white imaging across the visible spectrum and also offers RGB and near-infrared channels.
  • The system can capture long continuous image strips covering large regions in one orbital pass.
  • The camera integrates with AI engines and advanced image-processing platforms for enhanced ground analysis.
  • The satellite launch used the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, ensuring global orbital coverage.

Source: JP

Banking and Economy

1. NALCO to Invest ₹30,000 Crore for Expansion

• What
  • NALCO will invest ₹30,000 crore in the next five years for capacity expansion in smelting and power generation.
• Why
  • The investment aims to increase aluminium refining capacity and strengthen power generation.
• Tell me more
  • The company will fund the investment through loans and internal accruals.
  • NALCO plans to add 1 million tonnes of aluminium refining capacity at Angul by June next year, raising total capacity to 3.1 million tonnes.
  • Around ₹18,000 crore will be used for setting up an aluminium smelter in Odisha.
  • The remaining ₹12,000 crore is earmarked for a coal-fired power plant in collaboration discussions with Coal India and NTPC.

Source: ET

2. IIP Growth Rises to 3.5% in July 2025

• What
  • The Quick Estimate of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) for July 2025 showed a growth of 3.5% compared to 1.5% in June 2025.
• Why
  • The rise highlights improved performance in key manufacturing sectors and infrastructure-related goods.
• Tell me more
  • The IIP index stood at 155.0 in July 2025 against 149.8 in July 2024.
  • Growth rates in July 2025 were (-)7.2% in Mining, 5.4% in Manufacturing, and 0.6% in Electricity.
  • “Basic metals” (12.7%), “Electrical equipment” (15.9%), and “Other non-metallic mineral products” (9.5%) were the top contributors within manufacturing.
  • Based on use classification, Infrastructure/Construction goods (11.9%), Intermediate goods (5.8%), and Consumer durables (7.7%) drove growth.

Source: PIB

3. Govt Extends Cotton Import Duty Exemption Till Dec 2025

• What
  • The government has extended the import duty exemption on cotton till 31st December 2025.
• Why
  • The step is aimed at stabilising input costs in the textile industry and keeping it globally competitive while protecting farmers’ interests.
• Tell me more
  • The exemption covers all varieties of cotton and was notified by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
  • The textile sector employs over 45 million people, and stable cotton supply helps prevent job losses and supports growth.
  • Imported cotton is mainly used for specialised industrial requirements or brand-linked export contracts without replacing domestic cotton.
  • Cotton textile exports contributed 33% of total textile and apparel exports during April–October 2024–25, valued at USD 7.08 billion.

Source: PIB

4. PNB Opens First Startup-Centric Branch in New Delhi

• What
  • Punjab National Bank (PNB) inaugurated its first startup-focused branch in New Delhi to support entrepreneurs and innovation.
• Why
  • The branch aims to provide tailored banking solutions to startups and boost the startup ecosystem under the Startup India initiative.
• Tell me more
  • The branch was inaugurated in the presence of Arvind Kumar, DG of STPI, and Ashok Chandra, MD & CEO of PNB.
  • An MoU was signed between PNB and Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) to extend financial support to eligible startups.
  • STPI will share a curated list of incubated and graduated startups with PNB, acting as a bridge between startups and financial institutions.
  • The branch is designed as a one-stop solution for startups, providing complete banking support.

Source: ET

5. Aditya Birla Capital Gets RBI Nod for Payment Aggregator

• What
  • RBI has granted in-principle authorisation to Aditya Birla Capital Digital, a subsidiary of Aditya Birla Capital, to operate as an online payment aggregator.
• Why
  • The approval will help the company expand its presence in the digital payments market and provide seamless services to merchants and consumers.
• Tell me more
  • The authorisation was granted under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
  • RBI’s stricter compliance norms ensure that only financially strong and well-governed entities remain in this market.

Source: ET

Defence News

1. Defence Minister Inaugurates MILMEDICON-2025 in New Delhi

• What
  • Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth inaugurated the International Conference on Physical and Mental Trauma in Military Settings (MILMEDICON-2025) in New Delhi.
• Why
  • The conference aims to strengthen international cooperation and enhance trauma care capabilities in military operational settings.
• Tell me more
  • The two-day event is organised by the Directorate General of Medical Services (Army).
  • The focus is on innovations, challenges, and reforms in global military medicine.
  • Representatives from over 15 foreign countries are participating.

Source: NOA

Important Days

1. National Sports Day 2025 – August 29

• Theme: Ek Ghanta, Khel ke Maidan Main
• The day commemorates the birth anniversary of Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on August 29, 1905.
• Dhyan Chand won India’s first Olympic gold medals in field hockey from 1929 to 1936.
• Olympians Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award in May 2025.

Source: IE PIB

Sports

1. Minerva Academy FC Creates History with European Treble

• What
  • Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya felicitated Minerva Academy Football Club’s U-14/15 team for winning three major youth football tournaments in Europe.
• Tell me more
  • The 22-member squad won the Gothia Cup in Sweden, the Dana Cup in Denmark, and the Norway Cup in Norway.
  • The team remained unbeaten in 26 international matches, scoring 295 goals while conceding only a few.
  • Minerva Academy FC is a Khelo India Accredited Academy and one of the six Indian clubs that played in the U-14 Boys category of Gothia Cup 2025.
  • Players Konthoujam Yohenba Singh (Best Player at Gothia Cup) and Huidrom Tony (Best Player at Dana Cup) received individual honours.

Source: PIB

Memorandum of Understanding

1. India and Bhutan Sign MoU on Agriculture Cooperation

• What
  • India and Bhutan signed an MoU in Thimphu to strengthen cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors, including livestock.
• Why
  • It provides a framework for collaboration in research, livestock health, post-harvest management, value chain development, and knowledge exchange.
• Tell me more
  • The MoU was signed by Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, and Thinley Namgyel, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Bhutan.
  • The first meeting of the Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) was held, where both sides set terms of reference and identified priority areas.
  • India shared initiatives like digital solutions, climate-resilient farming practices, risk mitigation, and credit support for farmers.
  • The next JTWG meeting will take place in India on a mutually agreed date.

Source: DD

Appointments

1. India and Canada Appoint New High Commissioners

• India appointed Dinesh K Patnaik as its High Commissioner to Canada, and Canada appointed Christopher Cooter as High Commissioner to India, filling posts vacant for nearly 10 months.

Source: HT

2. Urjit Patel Appointed Executive Director at IMF

• What
  • The government appointed former RBI Governor Urjit Patel as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for three years.
• Why
  • The appointment fills the vacancy left after Krishnamurthy Subramanian’s early removal and ensures India’s representation in the IMF executive board.
• Tell me more
  • The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and takes effect from the date of Patel’s assumption of charge.
  • As Executive Director, Patel will serve on IMF’s executive board, which reviews member countries’ policies, approves financing, and oversees capacity development.
  • Patel is currently Chairman of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, a role he took in June 2020.
  • His tenure as RBI Governor (2016–2018) saw the adoption of a flexible inflation targeting framework and achievement of 4% medium-term inflation target.

Source: IE

3. Akash Tripathi Appointed MD of SECI

• What
  • IAS officer Akash Tripathi has been appointed as the Managing Director of Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
• Tell me more
  • Santosh Sarangi, Secretary, MNRE, will continue as Chairman of SECI.
  • SECI works under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).

Source: ET

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