1st August 2025 Daily Current Affairs

🌐 National & International Affairs

• U.S. imposes 25% tariff on Indian goods effective August 1, 2025, citing India’s high import tariffs and its continued trade ties with Russia. The move sends shockwaves through bilateral trade relations

• India reacts swiftly. While exploring continued negotiations, Indian policymakers have decided to potentially decline a proposed U.S. F‑35 fighter jet deal—signaling a stronger push for domestic defence production under “Make in India”

• Harsh Goenka suggests leveraging the situation by pivoting toward stronger engagement with ASEAN and European markets to reduce dependency on the U.S. trade corridor

💳 Payments & Consumer Finance

• NPCI implements major UPI rule changes from August 1: revised balance‑check limits, new auto-pay timing, mandatory fraud protection enhancements, improved payment status visibility across UPI apps like Paytm and PhonePe

• Additional consumer and banking updates:

  • SBI ends complimentary air‑accident insurance on select credit cards.

  • PNB mandates customer KYC updates by August 8.

  • RBI extends money market trading hours.

  • New FASTag annual pass rolled out starting August 15.

  • Fuel prices (LPG, CNG, ATF) subject to immediate revisions

🛰 Science & Space

• ISRO launches a 10‑day analogue space mission in Ladakh, in collaboration with a Bengaluru-based firm, at 14,000 ft altitude.

  • The mission begins August 1 and isolates two crew members to study physical and psychological effects akin to long-duration spaceflight

🧑‍⚖️ Governance & Policy

• Supreme Court orders Telangana Speaker to decide on anti‑defection cases within 3 months, reinforcing the disqualification process under the Tenth Schedule

• India–UAE defence cooperation strengthened during the 13th JDCC meeting in New Delhi.

  • MoU signed between India Coast Guard and UAE National Guard focused on maritime security.

  • Agreement between ICOMM (India) and CARACAL (UAE) to co‑manufacture small arms locally

🎓 Current Affairs for UPSC Aspirants

• Key UPSC‑relevant updates include:

  • Challenges in NALSA’s reach, funding, and legal‑aid delivery despite constitutional mandates (Article 39A), including suggestions to allocate 2–3% of justice budget to improve outcomes

  • Coastal mangrove restoration programmes under GS‑Paper 3 themes.

  • New indigenous 1 MW green‑hydrogen plant commissioned in India.

  • Modi and India’s legal‑aid / cooperative / outer planetary data developments explained in detail

• One‑liner facts from UPSC sources:

  • Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan appointed Vice Chief of Naval Staff.

  • Third ship of Nilgiri‑class handed over to Indian Navy in Kolkata.

  • World Lung Cancer Day is observed on August 1.

  • A. Rajarajan is new head of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.

  • Seven Centres of Excellence recognized under National Critical Mineral Mission

🏏 Sports: India vs England – 5th Test at The Oval

• On Day 2, England posted 109/1 at lunch chasing India’s 224, with Zak Crawley unbeaten on 52 and Ben Duckett scoring 43 before dismissal.

• England’s bowlers dominated later, with Gus Atkinson (4/33) and Josh Tongue dismantling the Indian tail.

• Key absence: Chris Woakes may miss the rest of the match due to shoulder injury. Fans honored late Graham Thorpe with “Thorpey’s Bat and Chat” fundraiser accessories on-field.

  • India is without Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah, while England is missing captain Ben Stokes. Ollie Pope leads the side for this final match of the series

📌 Summary Table