4.5/5
Current Affairs 30 & 31 August 2025
1. India's Q1 FY26 GDP hits five-quarter high at 7.8%, beats RBI forecast
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GDP Growth Rate: India's GDP grew at a five-quarter high rate of 7.8% in the April-June quarter of FY26, beating the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) forecast of 6.5% and economists' projections of 6.7%.
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Sectoral Growth: The services sector was a major contributor, expanding at 9.3%, while manufacturing and construction grew by 7.7% and 7.6%, respectively. Agriculture also showed a boost, recording 3.7% growth.
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Government Spending: Public spending played a significant role in driving growth, with the Centre's capital expenditure rising by 52% year-on-year in the first quarter.
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Impact of US Tariffs: Despite concerns about the impact of US tariffs on Indian exports, domestic demand remained resilient, supporting growth. However, economists warn that prolonged tariffs could shave off 0.6 to 0.8 percentage points from India's growth.
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Outlook: India is expected to remain one of the fastest-growing major economies, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projecting 6.4% growth for 2025 and 2026.
2. Abhishek Shukla appointed as the Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia
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Appointment: Abhishek Shukla, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 2006 batch, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Serbia.
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Current Role: Shukla is currently serving as Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Beijing, China, and is expected to take up his new assignment shortly.
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Diplomatic Experience: As a seasoned diplomat, Shukla is likely to play a crucial role in strengthening India's relations with Serbia, building on existing diplomatic ties.
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Previous Ambassador: The previous Ambassador of India to Serbia was Shubhdarshini Tripathi, who presented her credentials to the President of Serbia in October 2023.
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Significance: Shukla's appointment is seen as a step to further enhance cooperation between India and Serbia, with potential opportunities in areas like trade, culture, and technology.
3. India, Saudi Arabia deepen defence ties at 7th JCDC meeting
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Meeting Overview: The 7th JCDC meeting was held in New Delhi on August 28, 2025, co-chaired by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad from India and Staff Maj Gen Saad Mohammed H Alkathiri from Saudi Arabia.
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Defence Cooperation: Both countries discussed ways to strengthen defence ties, exploring new areas of collaboration in training, industrial partnerships, maritime cooperation, and military exercises.
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Training and Partnerships: India offered to provide training to the Saudi Armed Forces and discussed cooperation in areas like cyber security, IT, disaster management, and tactical communication.
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Joint Manufacturing: The Indian side showcased its growing prowess in defence manufacturing, highlighting opportunities for joint manufacturing and partnership in defence equipment with Saudi Arabia.
4. Army & ITBP conclude Achook Prahar exercise in Arunachal Pradesh
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Exercise Overview: The Indian Army's Spear Corps and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) conducted a four-day joint exercise named Achook Prahar in central Arunachal Pradesh from August 25 to 28, 2025.
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Objective: The exercise aimed to validate operational preparedness and test combat readiness in high-altitude environments, simulating real battlefield conditions.
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Key Activities: The forces executed coordinated firepower drills involving mortars, machine guns, rockets, and grenades to assess synergy, accuracy, and battlefield effectiveness.
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Interoperability: The exercise demonstrated high interoperability between the Army and ITBP, showcasing seamless coordination essential for effective defense in Arunachal Pradesh's challenging terrain.
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Significance: Achook Prahar reaffirmed the collective resolve of the Armed Forces and CAPFs to remain combat-ready and responsive in safeguarding the nation's frontiers.
5. India tops 25th Commonwealth Weightlifting C’ship with 13 medals
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Medal Tally: India concluded the championships with a total of 13 senior medals, consisting of 3 gold, 7 silver, and 3 bronze medals.
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Top Performers: Mehak Sharma secured a silver medal in the women's +86kg category, while Lovepreet Singh claimed bronze in the men's +110kg category.
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Notable Wins: Mirabai Chanu secured gold in the women's 48kg category and qualified for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
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Other Medalists: Rishikanta Singh, N. Ajith, and V. Ajaya Babu also booked their spots for the 2026 Glasgow CWG with impressive performances.
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Championship Highlights: Tushar Chaudhary won gold in the youth men's +94kg category, lifting a total of 285kg, and India's weightlifters showed exceptional strength and skill throughout the competition.
6. Ajaya Babu Valluri Wins Gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting
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Gold Medal Win: Ajaya Babu Valluri won a gold medal in the men's 79kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships 2025 in Ahmedabad, India.
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Record-Breaking Performance: He lifted a total of 335kg, setting a championship record in the snatch with 152kg and impressing in the clean and jerk with 183kg.
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Competition Highlights: Valluri narrowly edged past Malaysia's Muhammad Erry, who lifted 333kg, while Nigeria's Adedapo Adeleke secured bronze with 306kg.
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Qualification for Commonwealth Games: This victory not only earned Valluri a gold medal but also secured his spot for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
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Significance for Indian Weightlifting: Ajaya Babu's win is a boost for Indian weightlifting, showcasing the country's growing talent and medal prospects in international competitions.
7. President Murmu confers SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022–23 in New Delhi
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Award Ceremony: President Murmu presented the SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022-23 to Public Sector Enterprises in New Delhi on August 29, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan.
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Award Significance: The SCOPE Eminence Awards recognize outstanding performance across governance, innovation, and sustainability in public sector enterprises, celebrating their significant contribution to India's development.
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President's Address: President Murmu emphasized that Public Sector Enterprises have been instrumental in driving economic growth and social inclusion since India's independence.
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Awardee: One notable recipient of the award was A Manimekhalai, former Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India, who received the Outstanding Women Leadership award.
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Role of PSEs: The President highlighted that Public Sector Enterprises are powerful instruments of economic growth and social inclusion, underscoring their importance in India's development journey.
8. Educate Girls Wins 2025 Ramon Magsaysay Award
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First Indian Organization to Win: Educate Girls has become the first Indian organization to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered Asia's equivalent of the Nobel Prize.
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Commitment to Girls' Education: The award recognizes Educate Girls' commitment to addressing cultural stereotyping through education, liberating girls from illiteracy, and empowering them with skills and courage to achieve their potential.
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Impactful Work: Founded in 2007 by Safeena Husain, Educate Girls has reached over 30,000 villages across India's underserved regions, benefiting more than two million girls with a retention rate exceeding 90%.
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Innovative Initiatives: The organization launched the world's first Development Impact Bond in education in 2015 and introduced Pragati, an open-schooling program enabling young women to complete their education and access lifelong opportunities.
9. TCS Launches AI Unit, Appoints Amit Kapur as Head
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New AI Unit: Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has formed a new unit dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) and services transformation to accelerate innovation and digital transformation.
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Amit Kapur's Appointment: Amit Kapur, a 26-year veteran of TCS, has been appointed as the Chief AI & Services Transformation Officer to lead this new unit, effective September 1.
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Unit's Objectives: The unit will integrate TCS's existing AI capabilities, deepen domain-specific AI solutions, and establish new partnerships to expand its global footprint.
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Reporting Structure: Amit Kapur will report to Aarti Subramanian, Executive Director, President, and Chief Operating Officer at TCS, and will work closely with horizontal service lines and industry groups.
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Strategic Move: This move is part of TCS's strategy to adapt to changing client needs and a rapidly shifting technology landscape, investing in new technologies and expanding into fresh markets.
10. International Day of Enforced Disappearances observed on 30th August
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Purpose: The day aims to raise awareness about the crime of enforced disappearance and honor the victims and their families, highlighting the urgent need to address this grave issue that affects countless families globally.
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History: The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed August 30 as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances in 2010, with the first observance taking place in 2011.
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Significance: Enforced disappearances involve abduction or detention by authorities or groups, followed by a refusal to disclose the person's whereabouts, violating human rights and leaving families without closure.
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Global Impact: Hundreds of thousands of people have vanished during conflicts or periods of repression in at least 85 countries, with enforced disappearances used as a strategy to spread terror within societies.
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