Current Affairs - September 3, 2025 Current Affairs

Morgan Stanley has upgraded India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 6.7%, revising it upward from the earlier estimate of 6.2%. The decision is driven by India’s strong 7.8% GDP growth in Q1, reflecting robust private and government consumption, healthy investment momentum, and supportive agricultural output due to a good monsoon. Additionally, impending GST cuts and the festive season are expected to further boost domestic demand. While external headwinds such as weaker exports and higher US tariffs pose challenges, these are likely to be offset by resilient rural consumption and front-loaded government expenditure, strengthening India’s growth trajectory.

Telangana has announced plans to celebrate the Bathukamma festival on the lines of Brazil’s Rio Carnival, aiming to draw international tourists to the state. Bathukamma is a floral festival dedicated to goddess Gowri, where women create beautiful floral arrangements and participate in vibrant cultural festivities. This year, the celebrations will begin on the 21st at the Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal. The state also aspires to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of women. By promoting Bathukamma globally, Telangana seeks to showcase its rich cultural heritage and boost tourism opportunities.

Rajit Punhani, a 1991-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has been appointed as the new CEO of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) from September 1, 2025. With over three decades of administrative experience, he has served in diverse roles at the Centre, state governments, and international platforms. His contributions include spearheading pension and insurance schemes for unorganised workers, reforming indirect taxes leading to the GST framework, and launching health initiatives such as the world’s largest maternal messaging program. His leadership at FSSAI comes at a crucial time as India focuses on food safety reforms, regulatory modernization, and public health priorities.

Vikram-3201 is India’s first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, developed jointly by ISRO’s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) in Mohali. Fabricated using a 180 nm CMOS process, it marks a leap in India’s semiconductor self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission. The processor succeeds the earlier 16-bit Vikram-1601, bringing enhanced processing power, floating-point computation, and resilience to extreme temperatures, vibration, and radiation. It also supports the Ada programming language, crucial for aerospace systems. Successfully tested onboard the PSLV-C60 mission, this milestone positions India as a rising power in chip design and space-grade semiconductor technology.

Dr. Deepak Mittal has been appointed as India’s new Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), succeeding Sunjay Sudhir, who retires in September 2025. A 1998-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Dr. Mittal has extensive diplomatic experience, including key postings in the Prime Minister’s Office and as India’s Ambassador to Qatar. He was also pivotal in initiating India’s first formal diplomatic contact with the Taliban in 2021. His appointment comes at a crucial time, as the UAE remains one of India’s most important partners in West Asia, with strong ties in energy, trade, diaspora welfare, defence, and strategic cooperation.

Skyscraper Day is celebrated every year on September 3, coinciding with the birth anniversary of Louis H. Sullivan, who is regarded as the “father of skyscrapers.” The day is dedicated to recognizing the innovation, engineering brilliance, and architectural creativity that made these towering structures possible. Skyscrapers symbolise progress, efficient urban planning, and cultural pride by transforming skylines and redefining city identities. Iconic towers like the Petronas Towers, The Shard, and others exemplify this legacy. By celebrating on September 3, the world pays tribute to Sullivan’s architectural vision while also acknowledging the continuing evolution of skyscraper design and urban innovation.

Kohima, the capital of Nagaland, was ranked as the safest city for women in India in the NARI 2025 report released by the National Commission for Women (NCW). The rankings were based on feedback from 12,770 women across 31 major cities and considered parameters like workplace safety, trust in authorities, harassment reporting, and night-time mobility. Kohima’s first-place ranking highlights the strong safety culture, community vigilance, and gender inclusivity present in Nagaland. Along with Aizawl and Gangtok, the Northeast region showcased a dominant presence in the top five, reflecting its positive approach toward women’s security and urban well-being.

India has extended 1,000 e-scholarships to Afghan students for the academic year 2025–26 under the Special Scholarship Scheme for Afghan Nationals (SSSAN). The scholarships will be facilitated through the e-VidyaBharati (e-VB) i-learn portal, allowing Afghan youth to pursue undergraduate and postgraduate courses from Indian universities entirely online. This initiative supports education, capacity building, and long-standing people-to-people ties between India and Afghanistan. It is particularly significant given Afghanistan’s ongoing socio-political challenges that have disrupted its education system. By continuing this scholarship programme for the third consecutive year, India reaffirms its commitment to Afghan human resource development and regional goodwill.

The 14th edition of Exercise MAITREE between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army began on September 1, 2025, at the Joint Training Node (JTN) in Umroi, Meghalaya. This exercise, first initiated in 2006, is aimed at improving interoperability, trust, and joint operational capabilities in counter-terrorism and semi-urban warfare. India is represented by the Madras Regiment, while Thailand has deployed personnel from the 1st Infantry Battalion, 14th Infantry Brigade. With training modules covering tactical drills, arms handling, and UN Charter-based operations, the exercise highlights the deepening defence cooperation between India and Thailand in the Indo-Pacific region.

DGCA granted safety clearance to Air India SATS Airport Services Pvt Ltd, making India only the second country in the Asia Pacific region after Malaysia to adopt this robust ICAO-aligned safety framework. This clearance highlights the country’s commitment to enhancing aviation safety standards by strengthening safety management systems (SMS) and ensuring stricter regulatory oversight in ground handling operations. Such a move ensures operational efficiency, passenger safety, and compliance with global standards, reinforcing Air India SATS’ reputation as a reliable ground-handling service provider in India’s rapidly growing aviation sector.

The Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited was launched with the core aim of providing credit access for rural women entrepreneurs through a digital, transparent, and affordable financial model. With an initial infusion of ₹105 crore, the cooperative seeks to empower over 20 lakh women by enabling them to start or expand income-generating activities in small businesses, agriculture, and rural services. Unlike microfinance institutions that often charge high interest, this initiative offers low-interest loans directly into beneficiaries’ bank accounts. It strengthens Bihar’s self-help group ecosystem, enhances financial inclusion, and aligns with women-led development schemes like Lakhpati Didi and Bank Sakhi.

The Kapas Kisan App was launched to empower cotton farmers by digitizing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement process. It provides farmers with a transparent and farmer-first platform where they can self-register, book delivery slots, and track payments in real time. By cutting out middlemen and reducing paperwork delays, the app ensures timely transactions and prevents distress sales, protecting farmers from volatile market conditions. Supporting multiple Indian languages, the app is designed for inclusivity and ease of use. This initiative not only enhances farmer welfare but also aligns with Digital India and agri-tech innovation goals to modernise the cotton sector.