Current Affairs Quiz – August 2025

Notes:
Infrastructure work on Bhutan’s 1125 MW Dorjilung Hydropower Project began recently. This marks deeper India-Bhutan economic diplomacy with private sector involvement. Tata Power Company Limited from India is partnering with Bhutan’s Druk Green Power Corporation (DGPC) in a joint venture. Dorjilung is a run-of-river project located in Lhuentse and Mongar districts of Bhutan on the Kurichhu River. It houses six Francis turbines to produce 4.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) annually.

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Recently, Assam’s successful ‘Hargila Army’ model was introduced in Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve for stork conservation. The model is led by Purnima Devi Barman, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Champion of the Earth and biologist at Aaranyak. A training was held on July 28 for 20 Cambodian women conservationists and park rangers at Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary. The training focused on protecting the endangered greater adjutant stork using community-led, women-centric strategies.

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Recently, Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) commissioned India’s first Make-in-India 1 megawatt (MW) green hydrogen plant at Kandla Port, Gujarat. This is the first green hydrogen project at any Indian port and part of a planned 10MW facility. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the plant, calling it a “new benchmark” in green hydrogen execution. The plant was completed in just 4 months using fully indigenous technology and Indian engineers. The electrolyzer used is made in India, producing 140 metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually.

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Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced that its Digital Payments Index (RBI-DPI) rose to 493.22 in March 2025. This is a sharp increase from 465.33 recorded in September 2024, showing rapid growth in digital transactions. The Digital Payments Index is a tool created by RBI to measure the extent of digitisation of payments across India. It was first launched in January 2021 to track and encourage the adoption of digital payment systems. It is the first-of-its-kind index to map the nationwide spread of digital transactions. The base year for the index is March 2018, with the score for that year set at 100.

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Recently, the United States (US) President announced a 25% tariff on all imports from India, effective from August 1, 2025. A separate penalty has also been imposed due to India’s continued purchase of Russian oil and military equipment. The US cited India’s high tariffs on American goods, calling them “among the highest in the world.” The US currently has a $40.8 billion trade deficit with India. India’s membership in BRICS, seen by the US as an anti-dollar group, is also a concern. A proposed Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) failed to materialize before the August 2025 deadline. The tariff move is viewed as a pressure tactic to speed up trade negotiations with India.

Notes:
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans to launch the Block 2 BlueBird communication satellite in 3–4 months. BlueBird is developed by U.S.-based AST SpaceMobile. The launch will take place from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, using Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), formerly GSLV-Mk III. This follows ISRO’s successful launch of NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission on July 30 using GSLV. BlueBird is an advanced American satellite designed for direct smartphone-to-satellite communication. It enables users to make calls and access internet directly from space without ground towers.

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Recently, Telangana Police rescued over 7,600 children under the nationwide Operation Muskaan-XI initiative. The month-long drive ended on 31st July and was led by the Women Safety Wing. It was conducted in coordination with the Women Development and Child Welfare Department, Labour Department, health officials, NGOs, and child protection units. Out of the rescued children, 529 were girls.

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Himachal Pradesh launched the ‘Him Bus Plus’ scheme to promote cashless travel and identity-linked ticketing in Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses. Passengers will get 5% discount on fares and monthly loyalty cashback benefits. Digital bus inspection scheduling introduced with SMS alerts for timely checks and staff monitoring. GPS-based tracking system launched in 82 Shimla buses, to cover full fleet soon. ‘Him Access HRTC’ portal launched for 9000+ employees to view salary and personal details.

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The first-ever Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Traditional Music Festival was held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event was inaugurated by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. It was organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the theme ‘SaptaSur: Seven Nations, One Melody’. Artists from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand performed. The festival celebrated the unique traditional music of all seven BIMSTEC countries.

Notes:
CLOVES Syndrome Awareness Day is observed every year on 3rd August to support affected individuals and promote early diagnosis and treatment. CLOVES stands for Congenital Lipomatous Overgrowth, Vascular malformations, Epidermal nevi, and Spinal/Skeletal anomalies. CLOVES Syndrome is a rare overgrowth genetic disorder caused by mutations in the PIK3CA gene. The PIK3CA gene affects the PI3K enzyme, which regulates cell functions and may cause cancer if mutated. It belongs to a group of disorders called PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS). The syndrome was formally classified in 2007–2009 but may have been first documented in 1867.