📊 Index & Rankings
India is ranked 38th among 139 economies in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2025, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
- 81st in 2015 → 48th in 2020 → 38th in 2025
- #1 in Central & Southern Asia
- #1 among lower-middle-income economies
- Recognized as long-standing overperformer for 15 consecutive years
| Rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 66 |
| 2 | Sweden | 62.6 |
| 3 | USA | 61.7 |
| 4 | Republic of Korea | 60 |
| 5 | Singapore | 59.8 |
| 10 | China | 56.6 |
| 38 | India | – |
India’s Strengths: Knowledge & Technology Outputs (Rank 22), Market Sophistication (Rank 38). Weak Areas: Business Sophistication (64), Infrastructure (61).
Top Indian Innovation Clusters: Bengaluru (21), Delhi (26), Mumbai (46), Chennai (84).
🇮🇳 National News
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has rolled out the National Geothermal Energy Policy, India’s first dedicated framework for tapping geothermal energy — energy derived from Earth’s internal heat.
- Supports India’s target of Net Zero emissions by 2070
- Geothermal energy is a round-the-clock renewable resource
- Applications: Power generation, heating/cooling, greenhouse farming, desalination
- MNRE positioned as nodal authority
- Promotes repurposing abandoned oil wells for geothermal use
Geothermal Potential: 10 major provinces identified with ~10 GW capacity across Himalayas, Cambay Basin, Aravalli Range, and others.
The Election Commission (EC) has introduced an updated ballot paper format for EVMs to improve readability and voter convenience.
- Candidate photos to cover three-fourths of allotted photo space
- Names in uniform font type
- Maximum 15 candidates per sheet with NOTA listed last
- Part of 28 reform measures for better election management
Revised design to be implemented first in the upcoming Bihar elections.
To mark PM Narendra Modi’s birthday on September 17, the NaMo App launched a 15-day Seva Parv 2025 running until October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti).
- Nine interactive activities including:
- Sabka Saath, Sabki Seva (tree plantation, blood donation drives)
- AI-generated birthday greetings
- Virtual exhibitions and quizzes
- NaMo merchandise and “Selfie with PM” engagement
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power has added a new award category in NECA 2025 aimed at content creators and influencers promoting energy efficiency.
- Must have 10,000+ followers
- Submit a 90-second original video on themes like:
- Energy-saving at home, 5-star appliances
- Efficient lighting, eco-friendly celebrations
💼 Business & Economy
UPI has enhanced the daily Person-to-Merchant (P2M) limit to ₹10 lakh for verified merchants in specific sectors.
| Transaction Type | New Limit |
|---|---|
| P2M Daily Limit | ₹10 lakh |
| Per-Transaction Limit | ₹5 lakh |
| P2P Daily Limit | ₹1 lakh (unchanged) |
Applicable sectors: Insurance payments, capital markets, travel services, Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and collections.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has launched SWAGAT-FI, a framework to encourage long-term foreign investment.
- Registration validity extended from 3 years to 10 years
- New digital onboarding portal reduces setup time to one week
- Investors can operate with single demat account
- Focus on sovereign wealth funds and pension funds
Aims to improve ease of investment, transparency, and global capital inflows.
State Bank of India (SBI) has sold 13.18% stake in Yes Bank to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) for ₹8,889 crore.
- SBI sold 413.44 crore shares at ₹21.50/share
- Part of larger ₹13,483 crore deal
- SMBC seeks to acquire up to 24.99% stake in Yes Bank
- Among largest cross-border banking deals in India
- Approvals from RBI and CCI
SBI continues to remain a shareholder in Yes Bank.
🌐 International News
South Korea and the United States reaffirmed their commitment to denuclearising the Korean Peninsula.
South Korea’s National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac emphasized this remains the ultimate goal, regardless of North Korea’s stance.
- Step 1: Halt North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs
- Step 2: Balance tension reduction with security assurance
- Step 3: Continue deterrence while pursuing long-term denuclearisation
🔬 Science & Technology
Indian AI startup Sentient has launched an open-source AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) network for 2 million users.
- Access to 40+ AI agents and 50+ data sources
- Operates as an open, decentralized AI ecosystem
- Built on token-based incentive model rewarding developers
- Founders: Sandip Nailwal and Himanshu Tyagi
Objective: Compete with global giants like OpenAI and AWS, while enabling India to take a leadership role in AI innovation.
🕊️ Obituaries
Legendary actor, director, and producer Robert Redford has died at 89 at his residence in Sundance, Utah.
- Oscar-winning performances in classics like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Ordinary People
- Pioneer of independent cinema through the Sundance Film Festival
- Bridged mainstream Hollywood success with independent film innovation
- Lifelong advocate of environmental causes and progressive politics
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