Key Current Affairs – 14 August 2025

Stay updated with the most important developments in India across finance, banking, government initiatives, and more. Here’s a concise, professionally curated blog post summarizing all major current affairs for 14 August 2025.

Economic and Financial Updates

• Retail Inflation: July 2025 retail inflation declined to 1.55%, marking the lowest level since June 2017.
• RBI Directives and Approvals:
  • Paytm Payment Services Ltd received in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an online payment aggregator.
  • RBI has mandated all banks to migrate to the bank.b.in domain by 31 October 2025.
  • The PRAVA Portal (Platform for Regulatory Application Validation Authorization) will be compulsory for all regulated entities starting 1 May 2025.
  • The deadline for using only BIS-compliant note sorting machines has been extended to 1 November 2025.
• ATM Charges Revised:
  • ATM cash withdrawal charges beyond free limits will increase to ₹23 (from ₹21) effective 1 May 2025.
  • The ATM interchange fee is set at ₹19.
• Regulatory and Anti-Money Laundering Efforts: RBI and the Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen anti–money laundering initiatives.

Banking and Partnerships

• Education and Infrastructure Loan Leaders: State Bank of India (SBI) retained its position as top lender for student loans for the past three years.
• Key Agreements and Collaborations:
  • Investor Education: The Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) and Kotak Mahindra Bank have partnered to enhance investor awareness.
  • Banking Services at Land Ports: SBI has signed an MoU with the Land Ports Authority of India to improve services across 26 land ports.
  • Infrastructure Financing: NAFED and the New Development Bank are collaborating to finance infrastructure projects.
  • Insurance for MSMEs: United India Insurance Co. Ltd and SIDBI have joined forces to offer general insurance products to the MSME sector.
  • B2B Solutions: Axis Bank is the first to provide a B2B collection solution to a Fortune 500 company via the “Bharat Connect” platform by NPCI Bharat Bill Payment Ltd.
  • Pension Disbursement: IDFC First Bank has been authorized by the Central Pension Accounting Office to disburse pensions.

Industry & Innovation

• Support for Startups and Manufacturing:
  • Hero MotoCorp and the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) have formed an agreement to back early-stage manufacturing startups.
  • Zepto has also partnered with DPIIT to support such startups.
• Hydroelectric Power: Investment of ₹8,146 crore has been sanctioned for the Tato II hydroelectric project in Arunachal Pradesh.
• Aadhaar Security: The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has entered a partnership with the Indian Statistical Institute to enhance the security of Aadhaar.

Education & Rankings

• University Accolades: Delhi University has secured an A++ grade in its second cycle of NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) assessment.
• New Educational Facilities: Approval has been granted for a new veterinary college, Kamdhenu Veterinary College, in Himmatnagar, Gujarat. This will be the fifth veterinary college under Kamdhenu University in the state.
• Health Regulation Index Launched: The SHRESHTA Index (State Health Regulatory Excellence Index), developed by the Union Health Ministry, aims to rank states in drug regulation and medical device oversight.
  • Developed with input from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and state agencies.
  • States are divided into two categories: Manufacturing (assessed on 27 parameters) and Distribution (assessed on 23 parameters).
  • Focuses on improving human resources, infrastructure, licensing, surveillance, and regulatory responsiveness.

Sports & National Events

• Achievements & Awards:
  • Cricket: Shubman Gill named ICC Men’s Player of the Month (July 2025).
  • World Games 2025: Rishabh Yadav becomes the first Indian to win a medal.
  • Subroto Cup: The 64th edition of this major football tournament remains a highlight for sports enthusiasts.
• Space and Satellite Initiatives: Pixxel Space has been selected by IN-SPACe for an indigenous Earth Observation satellite project worth ₹10 crore.

National Security and Anti-Piracy

• The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has established a task force against piracy to address an estimated $2.5 billion annual loss to the media and entertainment industry.

Independence Day 2025

• 79th Independence Day will be celebrated with the theme: “Naya Bharat – Viksit Bharat by 2047”.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag at the Red Fort, accompanied by Flying Officer Rashika Sharma, with the 21-gun salute ceremony observing tradition.

Stay tuned for further updates and more detailed analysis of these key developments!