Current Affairs - August 9, 2025 Current Affairs

Mission Poshan 2.0, launched to improve maternal and child nutrition in India, has achieved significant coverage. By July 2025, 72.22 lakh pregnant women had been registered as beneficiaries through the Poshan Tracker system. This initiative works alongside the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which focuses on providing financial assistance to mothers. Mission Poshan 2.0 integrates Anganwadi services, nutritional supplementation, and health monitoring, targeting not just pregnant women but also lactating mothers, children, and adolescent girls. The use of technology, such as the Poshan Tracker and Facial Recognition System, ensures transparency and efficient delivery of services to registered beneficiaries.

The 4.5 km long ‘Rudrastra’, Asia’s longest freight train, was developed by Indian Railways with the key aim of boosting goods transport efficiency. Its design allows for the movement of large cargo volumes in fewer trips, leading to reduced congestion on freight corridors, lower fuel consumption per tonne of goods, and faster delivery times. With a load capacity of 72 tonnes per wagon and an average speed of 40.5 km/h during trials, the train can significantly improve logistics and cost efficiency for industries dependent on bulk transport. This milestone also showcases engineering innovation in coupling and engine distribution.

Annu Rani, India’s reigning Asian Games champion, won the women’s javelin throw event at the International Wiesław Maniak Memorial in Poland with a season-best throw of 62.59 metres. Her performance outclassed Turkey’s Eda Tugsuz and Australia’s Lianna Davidson, who took silver and bronze, respectively. Rani’s first throw of 60.96m had already secured her the lead, and her second throw extended it to a new season-best. This victory places her among the world’s top 15 female javelin throwers in 2025 and boosts her chances of qualifying for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Indian Railways has launched a special Round Trip Festival Package for 2025 to manage passenger flow during the busy festive season and encourage advance planning. The scheme offers a 20% rebate on the base fare of the return journey, provided the same set of passengers travels both ways in the same class and between the same origin-destination pair. It applies to confirmed tickets in all train classes except Flexi fare trains. Bookings open on August 14, 2025, for onward journeys between October 13–26, 2025, and return trips from November 17–December 1, 2025. The offer aims to reduce congestion and improve train utilisation.

India’s electronics exports surged by 47% year-on-year in Q1 FY26, reaching $12.4 billion compared to $8.43 billion in the same quarter of the previous year. This remarkable growth was primarily driven by mobile phone exports, which alone rose 55% to $7.6 billion, supported by production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes and global manufacturers increasingly using India as an export hub. Non-mobile electronics also showed strong performance with a 37% increase, driven by solar modules, networking equipment, and electronic components. This robust momentum underscores India’s growing position as a global electronics manufacturing powerhouse with diversified export strengths.

Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) recorded a 5% year-on-year increase in net profit for Q1 FY26, reaching ₹10,987 crore compared to ₹10,461 crore in the same quarter last year. This growth came despite a slowdown in new policy sales due to regulatory changes, with strong renewal premiums supporting income stability. LIC also reported a 5% rise in net premium income and a significant improvement in asset quality, with gross NPAs falling by 21% and net NPAs by 36%. The solvency ratio rose to 2.17%, underscoring LIC’s enhanced financial strength and its dominant market position in both retail and group segments.

Illinois made history by becoming the first U.S. state to prohibit artificial intelligence platforms, such as ChatGPT, from delivering therapy services without human oversight. The law, known as the Wellness and Oversight for Psychological Resources Act, was signed by Governor JB Pritzker. It prevents AI from performing core therapeutic tasks like creating treatment plans, assessing mental health, or offering advice without a licensed professional involved. Violations can lead to fines of up to $10,000. This legislation aims to safeguard mental health care quality and follows concerns raised by organisations such as the American Psychological Association regarding AI misuse in therapy.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a landmark peace deal at the White House, formally ending decades of conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The agreement, hosted by US President Donald Trump, includes a permanent cessation of hostilities, the reopening of critical transport links such as a new corridor between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, and commitments to expand trade, travel, and diplomatic relations. This US-brokered deal marks a significant geopolitical shift, reducing Russia’s role as the primary mediator in the Caucasus and positioning Washington as a key player in fostering stability and cooperation between the two historically antagonistic nations.

The Government e Marketplace (GeM), launched in 2016, is India’s flagship digital procurement platform aimed at ensuring transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity in government purchases. In FY 2024–25, GeM reached a remarkable ₹5.4 lakh crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) and celebrated its 9th anniversary with the theme “Ease, Access and Inclusion.” Over its nine years, GeM has onboarded women-led enterprises, startups, self-help groups, artisans, and MSEs. Reforms announced included removing caution money for sellers, reducing vendor assessment fees, and exempting 97% of orders from transaction charges, reinforcing its role in modernising public procurement.

Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd, a leading Indian auto components manufacturer, has announced plans to acquire Slovakia-based IAC Group through its British subsidiary, Artifex Interior Systems Ltd. This strategic acquisition will enhance Tata AutoComp’s presence in Europe, particularly in the automotive interiors segment. The IAC Group is well-known for producing interior components such as instrument panels, door trims, and consoles for leading global automotive brands. By integrating IAC Slovakia into its operations, Tata AutoComp will gain deeper access to European OEM supply chains, strengthen its manufacturing capabilities, and align itself with emerging industry trends like EVs and smart interiors.