National News
15th India-Japan Annual Summit Joint Statement
- India and Japan held the 15th Annual Summit in Tokyo (August 2025), where PM Narendra Modi and PM Ishiba Shigeru agreed to deepen their Special Strategic and Global Partnership across defense, clean energy, AI & digital tech, economic security, and people-to-people exchanges.
- Key announcements included the India-Japan Economic Security Initiative, Digital Partnership 2.0, AI Cooperation Initiative, and a plan for 500,000 personnel exchanges in 5 years.
- They reaffirmed support for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific, UNSC reforms, and stronger ties through supply chains, startup collaborations, and infrastructure projects like the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train.
List of Outcomes of PM Modi’s Visit to Japan 2025
- India and Japan announced a 10-year Joint Vision, a Security Cooperation Declaration, and an Action Plan for Human Resource Exchange targeting 500,000 personnel movements.
- New agreements were signed on clean energy (hydrogen, ammonia), critical minerals, AI collaboration, space (Chandrayaan-5), digital innovation, environment, and wastewater management.
- A private investment target of JPY 10 trillion, launch of the Economic Security Initiative, SME Forum, and Next-Gen Mobility Partnership were also key highlights, along with efforts to deepen state-prefecture ties and cultural cooperation.
PM Modi Receives Auspicious Daruma Doll in Japan Visit
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a symbolic Daruma doll from Rev Seishi Hirose, Chief Priest of Shorinzan Daruma-Ji temple, during his Japan visit — a gesture that underscores the deep civilizational and spiritual ties between India and Japan.
- The Daruma doll, a symbol of good luck, traces its origins to Bodhidharma, an Indian monk from Kancheepuram, revered in Japan as Daruma Daishi.
State News
Nuakhai Festival 2025: Odisha’s Harvest Celebration
- Nuakhai Festival 2025 will be celebrated on 28 August (Thursday) in Odisha and nearby Odia-cultural regions. It’s a major agricultural festival marking the harvest of new rice (‘nua’ = new, ‘khai’ = food), symbolizing hope and prosperity for farmers.
- The festival follows a rich tradition with nine ritual stages like date-setting, invitations, cleanliness, and offering the new crop to deities before sharing it among family and community.
- People wear traditional clothes, perform Sambalpuri dances (Rasakeli, Dalkhai), seek elders’ blessings, and celebrate with joy, even those who have migrated out of Odisha.
Bihar Cabinet Clears Mahila Rojgar Yojana for Women’s Jobs
- Bihar government launches ‘Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana’, offering ₹10,000 initial aid to one woman per family to start employment activities, with potential support up to ₹2 lakh after six months.
- The scheme aims to boost women’s employment, self-reliance, and income, while reducing out-migration.
- Plans include setting up haat bazaars to help women entrepreneurs market products. This move continues CM Nitish Kumar’s focus on women’s empowerment.
Economy News
India’s Economy Grows Robust 7.8% in Q1 FY26
- India’s economy grew a strong 7.8% in Q1 FY26, exceeding expectations and up from 6.5% last year. Key drivers included a rebound in agriculture (3.7%), robust manufacturing (7.7%), construction (7.6%), and booming services (9.3%).
- Public investment, strong rural demand, and infrastructure spending boosted momentum, surpassing the RBI’s 6.5% forecast.
- With low inflation, a good monsoon, and global confidence, India remains a top-performing major economy.
India’s Forex Reserves Dip $4.38 Billion to $690.72B
- India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $4.38 billion to $690.72 billion for the week ending August 22, 2025, after a previous rise, per RBI data.
- The decline was driven mainly by a $3.65 billion drop in foreign currency assets, while gold reserves rose by $665 million.
- Reserves with the IMF and Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) also slightly decreased.
- The RBI often intervenes in forex markets to stabilize the rupee, focusing on market orderliness rather than specific exchange rates.
Business News
Reliance to Build Solar Project Three Times the Size of Singapore
- At the 48th AGM of Reliance Industries, Anant Ambani announced that Jamnagar and Kutch will become major clean energy hubs, with massive projects like the Dhirubhai Ambani Giga Energy Complex and a 5.5 lakh-acre solar site in Kutch—three times the size of Singapore.
- The projects include solar, battery storage, and green hydrogen production, aiming to supply 10% of India’s electricity in the next decade.
- By 2026, Reliance will operationalize battery (100 GWh) and electrolyser gigafactories (3 GW), producing green ammonia, green methanol, and sustainable aviation fuel, establishing India as a global clean energy leader.
Dept. Posts Partners With MapmyIndia To Implement DIGIPIN
- The Department of Posts signed an MoU with MapmyIndia – Mappls to boost India’s Digital Addressing System by developing and integrating DIGIPIN, a standardized digital address code.
- The partnership enables accurate location-based services, DIGIPIN search/navigation via Mappls app, and promotes Address as a Service (AaaS), advancing India’s digital infrastructure for efficient service delivery.
Appointments News
TCS Launches AI Unit, Appoints Amit Kapur as Head
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has formed a dedicated AI and services transformation unit, appointing Amit Kapur—a two-decade insider—as its head, starting September 2025.
- This move comes as Indian IT firms ramp up AI adoption to counter weak client spending caused by global economic uncertainties. The unit will consolidate TCS’s AI capabilities, aiming to accelerate innovation and deepen domain solutions.
- The initiative follows TCS’s recent layoff of 12,000 employees and mirrors a similar strategy by Accenture, marking a shift towards AI-led transformation as a key growth lever.
Awards News
President Presents SCOPE Eminence Awards
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the SCOPE Eminence Awards 2022–23 on 29 August 2025, recognizing the contributions of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) in economic development, sustainable growth, and nation-building.
- She emphasized that Public Sector Enterprises are key pillars of inclusive growth, self-reliance under Aatmanirbhar Bharat, and critical players in sectors like defence, agriculture, mining, and infrastructure.
Ranks & Reports News
Maharashtra, AP Lead in Energy Efficiency: SEEI 2024
- The Ministry of Power released the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI) 2024, ranking Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, and Tripura as top performers in energy efficiency.
- The index uses 66 indicators across seven sectors like buildings, industry, transport, and agriculture to assess 36 states and UTs, promoting data-driven energy management and best practices for 2023-24.
Sports News
Ajaya Babu Valluri Wins Gold at Commonwealth Weightlifting
- Ajaya Babu Valluri won gold in the men’s 79kg category at the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships by lifting 335 kg, securing his spot for the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow.
- Indian lifters performed strongly overall, with Harjinder Kaur winning bronze in women’s 69kg and Mirabai Chanu starting India’s campaign with gold in women’s 48kg.
Important Days News
International Day of Enforced Disappearances 2025
- Enforced disappearance is a grave human rights violation where individuals are abducted with state involvement or support and hidden outside legal protection. Originally used by military dictatorships, it’s now a global problem, often deployed during internal conflicts or as political repression.
- The UN designated 30 August as the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances to raise awareness and demand truth and justice.
National Small Industry Day 2025: Significance & Objectives
- Observed on 30 August, National Small Industry Day celebrates the vital role of small-scale industries (SSIs) in India’s economic growth, employment generation, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
- First celebrated in 2001, it stems from a 2000 government policy package to boost the sector. The day emphasizes inclusive development, support for artisans, rural upliftment, and preservation of cultural heritage.
- Current Affairs Today | 30 August Current Affairs 2025 | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam
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