Business, Economy & Banking Current Affairs MCQs

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The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) launched the STELLAR Model, a new software tool for planning power generation, transmission, and storage with demand response. STELLAR stands for State-of-the-art, Totally indigenously developed Resource adequacy model. It helps Indian states and power distribution companies (discoms) create resource adequacy plans as per Ministry of Power’s June 2023 guidelines. The model ensures reliable electricity supply through smart planning of power resources. It supports integrated planning with demand response and meets changing yearly requirements. The tool is transparent, user-friendly, and made in India under CEA’s guidance. It is available free of cost to all states and discoms. It was developed with support from The Lantau Group (TLG) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

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Maharashtra has topped the CareEdge State Ranking Report 2025, released by CARE Ratings Ltd (CareEdge Ratings). This is the second edition of the CareEdge State Rankings. The rankings evaluate state performance across seven key pillars: economic performance, fiscal management, infrastructure development, financial sector growth, social development, governance quality, and environmental sustainability. The evaluation uses 50 measurable indicators. The primary aim is to provide a data-driven assessment of state performance. The rankings help identify strengths, gaps, and opportunities for policy improvement. This report offers valuable insights for improving state governance and development strategies.

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At the recent World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, the Prime Minister highlighted India’s growing Orange Economy driven by content, creativity and culture. The Orange Economy, also called the creative economy, covers sectors that are based on cultural and creative ideas. As per the United Nations Economic Network, it focuses on using creative assets to boost economic growth and development. It combines economic, cultural and social factors while linking with technology, intellectual property and tourism. It includes industries based on individual talent, skill and innovation that can generate jobs, income and cultural value.

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Tunnel No. 8 (T-8) is set to become India’s longest railway tunnel at 14.57 km, overtaking Tunnel No. 50 (T-50), which is 12.77 km long on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link. It is part of the Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project in Uttarakhand. T-8 is a twin tunnel located on the Devprayag–Janasu stretch of this 125-km rail line. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Link Project is being implemented by Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Railways.

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Reliance NU Suntech recently signed a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement with the Solar Energy Corporation of India Limited (SECI) to build Asia’s largest single-location integrated solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project. SECI is a Central Public Sector Undertaking (CPSU) under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), dedicated to expanding Renewable Energy (RE) in India. SECI was formed in 2011 as a not-for-profit company and later became a commercial entity in 2015. It was established to support the National Solar Mission and has Miniratna Category-I status. SECI acts as the main agency for implementing solar, wind, and hybrid energy projects across India. It also helps fulfill India’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by inviting developers through tenders for RE projects.

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The Government of India has recently updated its import policy for gold and silver to match customs tariffs with trade rules. This change was officially notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is responsible for creating and carrying out India’s Foreign Trade Policy (FTP). DGFT is based in New Delhi and has 24 regional offices across India. Earlier known as the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports (CCI&E), it was renamed DGFT after the 1991 economic reforms to promote trade.

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The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has launched the Financial Fraud Risk Indicator (FRI) to help detect mobile numbers linked to fraud. FRI is a risk-based system that classifies mobile numbers as Medium, High, or Very High risk based on fraud-related activity. It gathers data from multiple sources like the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) by the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), DoT’s Chakshu platform, and alerts from banks, Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs), and Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platforms. When a number is flagged, FRI uses advanced analysis to assess its fraud risk. This data is shared with financial institutions through the Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP). It helps banks and UPI providers take extra steps to protect customers or block risky transactions.

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As per the latest World Economic Outlook by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy with a nominal Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of around USD 4.18 trillion. This was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog, B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, during the 10th NITI Aayog Governing Council Meeting. Only the United States, China, and Germany are currently ahead of India in global rankings. IMF projects India will become the third-largest economy by 2028 with a GDP of USD 5.584 trillion. India remains the fastest-growing major economy, expected to grow above 6% over the next two years.

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India attracted a record USD 81.04 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the fiscal year 2024–25, a 14% rise from the previous year. This growth was supported by liberalized policies and strong inflows in services and manufacturing. The services sector received the highest FDI equity at 19%, followed by computer software and hardware at 16%, and trading at 8%. FDI in services rose by 40.77% to USD 9.35 billion from USD 6.64 billion. Maharashtra received the highest share of FDI at 39%, followed by Karnataka at 13% and Delhi at 12%. From 2014 to 2025, India attracted USD 748.78 billion in FDI, 143% more than the USD 308.38 billion received from 2003 to 2014.

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Recently, India’s first Artificial Intelligence-focused Special Economic Zone (AI SEZ) was announced in Nava Raipur, Chhattisgarh. It will be developed by RackBank Datacenters Private Limited with an investment of ₹1,000 crore. The AI SEZ will span six acres and include a 1.5 lakh square foot facility with high-end servers for large-scale AI operations. It will house four high-density data centres with a total capacity of 80 megawatts to support national digital infrastructure. For the first time, India will not just consume but also host and deliver Artificial Intelligence services globally. It will offer jobs to youth from remote areas like Kanker, Sukma, Bilaspur, and Dantewada in roles such as IT engineers and cybersecurity officers.