Daily Current Affairs

The IMD Smart City Index 2025, published by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD), ranks global cities on smart infrastructure.

A smart city is described as one that applies technology to improve citizens’ quality of life.

Parameters: Health & Safety, Mobility, Activities, Opportunities, and Governance.

Bengaluru’s Whitefield has become the venue for the 3GPP Radio Access Networks (RAN) Working Group meetings (RAN1–RAN5), which will continue till 29th August 2025.

The event is backed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, and hosted by the Telecommunications Standards Development Society, India (TSDSI).

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka undertook a 3-day official visit to India, marking a significant step in India–Fiji relations.

The visit led to the signing of several MoUs and agreements across diverse areas like healthcare, infrastructure, mobility, defence, standards, culture, and capacity building.

The spirit of the partnership has been emphasized under the phrase “Veilomani Dosti” (affectionate friendship).

Government e Marketplace (GeM) has crossed a milestone of ₹15 lakh crore (US$ 171.3 billion) in cumulative Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) since its inception in 2016.

GeM serves as a digital procurement platform connecting government departments with MSEs, startups, women-led enterprises, SC/ST units, and Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

The Finance Ministry has launched a one-time, one-way option for central government employees to shift from the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) to the National Pension System (NPS).

Implications: Employees switching to NPS lose assured payouts of UPS. Instead, the government’s 4% differential contribution will be added to their NPS corpus.

Background: UPS was introduced on April 1, 2025. As of July 20, 2025, about 31,555 employees had opted for UPS. Final date to enroll in UPS: September 30, 2025.

Fitch Ratings has reaffirmed India’s sovereign credit rating at ‘BBB-‘ with a stable outlook, which is the lowest investment grade rating.

The rating reflects India’s strong economic growth and solid external financial position.

Fitch projects India’s GDP growth at 6.5% in FY26 (ending March 2026), unchanged from FY25’s forecast.

India and Japan have deepened cooperation under the Japan-India Clean Energy Partnership, focusing on clean energy transition, climate mitigation, and energy security.

The collaboration is institutionalized via the India-Japan Energy Dialogue and sectoral Joint Working Groups (JWGs).

A ministerial-level dialogue was recently held through video conferencing.

The Government of India and the World Food Programme (WFP) have signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) to boost global food security.

India will supply fortified rice via the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) to address nutrition needs in vulnerable regions worldwide.

This partnership highlights India’s role as a global humanitarian contributor and a surplus agricultural producer.

Nepal has officially joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), an India-led initiative dedicated to the conservation of seven major big cat species.

India launched the IBCA on April 9, 2023, in Mysuru, Karnataka, inspired by its success with Project Tiger.

The alliance acts as a platform for collaboration, where over 90 member countries exchange experiences, pool resources, and strengthen conservation strategies.

Rajiv Ranjan, an Executive Director of the RBI, has been appointed as Vice President and Chief Risk Officer of the New Development Bank (NDB), a BRICS-founded multilateral bank.

He will serve a five-year term starting September 2025.

Rajiv Ranjan has been part of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) since May 2022, and earlier served as Head of the Monetary Policy Department and Secretary to the MPC.

The IndusInd Bank board has appointed Rajiv Anand as its new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

His three-year tenure began on 25th August 2025.

Anish Dayal Singh, a retired 1988-batch IPS officer (Manipur cadre), has been named as the new Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA).

His primary role includes overseeing internal security matters such as Jammu & Kashmir, Naxal issues, and insurgencies in the Northeast.

He will work alongside Additional NSA Rajinder Khanna and Deputy NSAs T.V. Ravichandran and Pawan Kapoor.

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kadmatt, an indigenously built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, completed a 3-day port call in Surabaya, Indonesia.

The visit reinforced India–Indonesia maritime cooperation and strengthened naval partnership between the two countries.

India will celebrate National Sports Day 2025 from August 29 to 31 as a three-day fitness movement led by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya under the Fit India Mission to honour hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.