August 2025 Current Affairs
International Trade & Diplomacy
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U.S. Trade Barriers: In a significant shift, the U.S. has imposed a 25% tariff on Indian exports effective August 1, 2025. This move is expected to heighten trade friction and impact competitive sectors like pharmaceuticals.
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Global Support for India's Wetlands: At the Ramsar CoP15, 172 countries adopted India’s resolution on sustainable wetland management. The move highlights India's leadership in integrating sustainable lifestyles with global conservation efforts.
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Global Food System Reform: At the UNFSS+4 summit, the United Nations issued an urgent call to overhaul global food networks to reduce carbon emissions and eliminate systemic inefficiencies that drive hunger.
Space & Technology
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NISAR Satellite Launch: India and the U.S. have successfully deployed the NISAR satellite. This joint mission will provide global data every 12 days, offering critical insights into climate change, agricultural patterns, and disaster management.
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Starlink Enters Indian Market: Starlink has received official approval to provide satellite broadband services in India. The move is set to transform rural connectivity and boost communication resilience in defense and disaster scenarios.
Legal & Economic Policy
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Right to Roads: In a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court declared safe and motorable roads a fundamental right under Article 21. The ruling places the legal responsibility for infrastructure maintenance directly on state governments.
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Modernized Economic Metrics: MoSPI has updated the base years for GDP, CPI, and IIP. These revisions utilize real-time digital data and advanced methodologies to provide a more accurate reflection of India’s current economic landscape.
Energy & Social Impact
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Green Hydrogen Milestone: Kandla Port has commissioned a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Plant. Part of the National Mission, the facility will produce 140 tonnes of clean fuel annually to decarbonize industrial and transport sectors.
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Empowering Rural Women: Under the DAY-NRLM scheme, over ₹11 lakh crore in loans have been disbursed to women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs), significantly boosting female entrepreneurship and financial independence in rural India.
Medical Discovery
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Rare Blood Group Identified: Medical researchers in Bengaluru have discovered CRIB, a rare antigen belonging to the Cromer blood group. This extremely rare type is estimated to exist in only 0.1% of the global population.
