NATIONAL NEWS

Coconut Development Board Celebrates World Coconut Day

The Coconut Development Board (CDB) celebrated World Coconut Day at the Adlux Convention Centre, Angamaly, Kerala, launching newly revised schemes and presenting the Export Excellence Awards.

Shri M. K. Raghavan, Member of Parliament (MP) and CDB Board Member, stressed the need for processing, product diversification, and productivity improvement in coconut farming.

Area Expansion Programme raised from ₹6,500 per hectare to ₹56,000 per hectare; Seedling production subsidy enhanced from ₹8 to ₹45.

Export Excellence Awards 2025:

Best Coconut Shell-Based Product Exporter – Gold: United Carbon Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Tirupur, Tamil Nadu; Silver: Nova Carbons India Pvt. Ltd., Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu; Bronze: Jacobi Carbons India Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Best Coconut Kernel-Based Product Exporter – Gold: Marico Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra; Silver: Mezhukkattil Mills, Aluva, Kerala; Bronze: Fair Exports India Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Best Coconut Water-Based Product Exporter – Gold: Sakthi Coco Products, Pollachi, Tamil Nadu.

Best Women Exporter – Carbure Activated Carbon Pvt. Ltd., Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

Best Farmer Producer Organization (FPO) Exporter – Global Coconut Farmers Producer Company Ltd., Tirupur, Tamil Nadu.

India Announces 1,000 e-Scholarships for Afghan Nationals for Academic Year 2025-26

Government of India has announced 1,000 e-Scholarships for Afghan nationals under the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN) for the academic year 2025-26.

The initiative will be implemented through the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).

The scholarships will enable Afghan students to pursue online undergraduate and postgraduate courses via the government’s e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-Learn portal.

The announcement was extensively reported by Afghan media, highlighting India’s continued commitment to the education of Afghan youths.

This follows similar scholarship grants extended by India in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

 Afghan nationals aged 18 to 35 years can apply.

Universities offering programmes under the scheme include:Jamia Millia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Anna University and Kurukshetra University

The scheme provides Afghan students access to a wide range of online programmes, thereby promoting higher education and skill development

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS   

Prime Minister Attends 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit held in Tianjin, China from August 31 to September 1, 2025.

The Summit focused on the SCO Development Strategy, Global Governance Reform, Counter-Terrorism, Peace and Security, Economic and Financial Cooperation, and Sustainable Development.

PM Modi highlighted India’s cooperation pillars under SCO: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity.

The theme of the Summit was "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move."

SCO represents 23% of global GDP and 42% of the world’s population, expanding beyond its Central Asian roots.

The Summit concluded with the Tianjin Declaration, the adoption of the SCO Development Strategy (2026–2035), and the approval of a Cooperation Programme (2026–2030) to counter extremism.

SCO was granted observer status in the CIS, and Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyz Republic) was named the SCO tourist and cultural capital (2025–2026).

A new SCO Development Bank was approved to finance infrastructure, promote growth, and support social development.

Institutional reform merged observer states and dialogue partners into one category: SCO Partners. Laos was granted partner status, expanding the SCO community to 25 nations (10 full members + 15 partners).

South Korea Passes Law Banning Mobile Phone Use in Schools from March 2026

South Korea has passed a bill that bans the use of mobile phones and smart devices during class hours in schools, with the law set to take effect in March 2026.

The legislation, a bi-partisan initiative, aims to address smartphone addiction, which research indicates has a negative impact on academic performance.

The bill was approved by 115 votes out of 163 in the country's parliament.

While most schools in South Korea already have some form of a phone ban, this new law makes the country one of the few to legally enshrine such a ban.

Similar bans exist in countries such as France, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, and China, although they are often limited to younger children or specific schools.

A 2024 government survey found that 43% of South Koreans aged 10–19 are excessively dependent on smartphones, which is nearly double the 25% of the overall population.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Directorate General of Civil Aviation Grants First-Ever Safety Clearance to Air India SATS

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted safety clearance to Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited (AISATS) for the first time.

With this clearance, India has become the second country in Asia-Pacific after Malaysia to implement a comprehensive safety framework that is aligned with ICAO guidance.

This move strengthens Safety Management Systems (SMS) and enhances regulatory oversight in ground handling operations across India.

The safety certificate was officially handed over at the DGCA Headquarters, New Delhi, marking a milestone in the aviation safety ecosystem.

The DGCA is a statutory body under the Government of India that is responsible for regulating civil aviation in the country.

 

BANKING

SEBI Tightens Intraday Derivatives Rules

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has tightened rules for intraday positions in equity derivatives to curb excessive speculation and market manipulation, particularly on options expiry days.

Under the revised framework, the intraday net position limit for index options has been increased to ₹5,000 crore per entity from the earlier ₹1,500 crore, using the Futures-Equivalent (FutEq) methodology after offsetting long and short trades.

SEBI has directed stock exchanges to strengthen real-time surveillance and monitoring to detect large speculative positions.

Exchanges and clearing corporations have been instructed to publish a joint Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) within 15 days to provide guidance to market participants.

 

FINANCE

Unified Payments Interface Transactions Surpass 20 Billion in August 2025

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions crossed 20 billion in August 2025, according to data from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).

The transaction value for August 2025 was ₹24.85 lakh crore, a slight decrease from ₹25.08 lakh crore in July 2025, with the highest ever value being ₹25.14 lakh crore in May 2025.

The previous highest transaction volume was 19.47 billion in July 2025.

The average daily transaction value in August 2025 was ₹80,177 crore, with an average daily count of 645 million transactions.

UPI currently lives in 7 countries — the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, and Mauritius, with France marking its first entry into Europe.

India’s Goods and Services Tax Collections Jump 6.5% year-on-year

India’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections rose 6.5% year-on-year to ₹1.86 lakh crore in August 2025, according to government data.

This marks the eighth consecutive month with revenues above ₹1.8 lakh crore, reflecting robust domestic consumption and steady economic activity.

GST revenues peaked at ₹2.37 lakh crore in April 2025, which is the highest collection since the implementation of GST.

The August GST data release precedes the GST Council meeting scheduled for September 3–4, 2025, in New Delhi, where rationalisation will be discussed.

The rationalisation proposal includes a two-slab rate structure (5% and 18%), with a 40% rate on sin goods such as tobacco, cigarettes, and sugary drinks.

 

DEFENCE

14th Edition Of India-Thailand Joint Military Exercise MAITREE-XIV

The 14th edition of Exercise MAITREE-XIV between India and Thailand commenced on September 1, 2025, at Joint Training Node (JTN), Umroi, Meghalaya, and will conclude on September 14, 2025.

The exercise is a component of the military-to-military exchange program aimed at enhancing cooperation, interoperability, and mutual understanding between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army.

The Indian Army contingent consists of 120 personnel from a Battalion of the Madras Regiment.

The Royal Thai Army contingent is represented by 53 personnel from the 1st Infantry Battalion, 14th Infantry Brigade.

The primary focus is on company-level counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban terrain as outlined under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

The activities include tactical drills, joint planning, special arms skills, physical fitness, raiding operations, and a culminating 48-hour validation exercise that simulates realistic operational scenarios.

Exercise MAITREE was first instituted in 2006 and is one of the key bilateral defence cooperation exercises between the two countries.

This current edition emphasizes the shared commitment to peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Chief Executive Officer of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

Rajit Punhani has taken charge as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

He is a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre.

Previously, he served as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

He also worked as Secretary, Rajya Sabha, CEO of Sansad TV, and Principal Secretary in the Government of Bihar.

At FSSAI, he succeeded Ganji Kamala V. Rao, whose tenure ended on August 31, 2025.

Chairman of Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India

Ajay Seth, former Finance Secretary, has assumed charge as Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

He is a 1987-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, who retired in June 2025 as Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, after a four-year tenure.

His appointment was cleared on July 25, 2025, for a three-year term or until he turns 65 years of age.

He succeeds Debasish Panda, whose term ended on March 13, 2025.