Current Affairs: August 05, 2025 – Key Updates for Competitive Exams

National Highlights

Defence Acquisition Council Approves ₹67,000 Crore Proposals

On August 5, 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, approved a significant set of capital acquisition proposals worth approximately ₹67,000 crore. These acquisitions are aimed at bolstering India's military capabilities across the Army, Navy, and Air Force, with a strong focus on indigenous systems to enhance operational readiness and self-reliance. The approvals span various sectors, including enhancing surveillance, mobility, air defense, and long-endurance strike capabilities. This move aligns with the government's push towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' (self-reliant India) in the defense sector, supported by initiatives like the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, iDEX, ADITI scheme, and the SRIJAN Portal, all designed to facilitate domestic development and procurement of defense technologies.

PM Modi Inaugurates Highway Projects in Delhi

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated two major National Highway projects worth nearly ₹11,000 crore in Rohini, Delhi, on August 5, 2025. These projects, which include the Delhi stretch of the Dwarka Expressway and the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II), are aimed at enhancing road connectivity between Delhi and Haryana and decongesting the national capital. The Prime Minister highlighted the ongoing commitment to transform Delhi into a world-class city and noted the unprecedented improvement in Delhi-NCR's connectivity over the last decade.

Economy & Finance

RBI Maintains Repo Rate and Neutral Stance

The Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) unanimously decided to keep the benchmark interest rate (repo rate) unchanged at 5.5% on August 5, 2025. The MPC also maintained its "Neutral" stance, following a cumulative 100 bps rate cut earlier in the year. This decision reflects a wait-and-watch approach to assess the full impact of previous rate cuts and evolving macroeconomic conditions. The RBI retained its GDP growth forecast for FY26 at 6.5% and lowered the inflation forecast to 3.1%. The MPC noted that domestic growth remains resilient, supported by above-normal monsoon and rising capacity utilization. However, uncertainties regarding tariffs and potential weather shocks remain risks to the outlook. The RBI also announced plans to standardize claim settlement procedures for deceased bank customers' accounts and lockers.

Indian Markets Witness Volatility Amid US Tariff Threat

Indian stock markets experienced volatility on August 5, 2025, amidst concerns over potential higher tariffs threatened by US President Donald Trump on Indian exports. {Link: Ventura Securities https://www.venturasecurities.com/news/daily-market-updates/market-predictions-for-today-aug-05-2025-nifty-sensex-likely-to-witness-volatile-opening-amid-trumps-threat-of-substantially-higher-tariffs-on-india-over-russia/} notes that the Nifty and Sensex were predicted for a turbulent start. These concerns stemmed from US accusations regarding India's imports of discounted Russian oil and re-exporting it. Despite this, global market cues were generally positive, with Asian and US markets showing gains, driven partly by expectations of a US interest rate cut following a softer jobs report. The Nifty closed higher on August 4, supported by Q1FY26 corporate results and ahead of the RBI MPC meeting. Several companies, including Bharti Airtel and Adani Ports, were scheduled to announce their Q1 earnings on August 5. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued to be net sellers, offloading equities worth ₹2,566.51 crore on August 4, extending a ten-day selling streak.

Science & Technology

Indian Aquanauts Achieve Deep Ocean Feat

Indian aquanauts Cdr. Jatinder Pal Singh and Raju Ramesh successfully conducted deep ocean expeditions to depths of 4,025 meters and 5,002 meters in the Atlantic Ocean on August 5 and 6, 2025. This marks the first time India has achieved such deep dives and serves as a preparatory step for the indigenous Samudrayaan project, which aims to send three people to 6,000 meters in the indigenously built Matsya 6000 by December 2027. The aquanauts tested life-support systems, collected samples, and practiced emergency ascent procedures during their nearly 10-hour mission, also placing the Indian flag on the ocean floor.

Asteroid 2025 OT7 to Fly Past Earth

NASA reported that a 170-foot asteroid named 2025 OT7 was set to fly past Earth on August 5, 2025. While not posing a threat, its close approach (2.7 million miles) highlights the importance of monitoring such objects. Scientists continue to track space rocks to assess potential risks, as even small shifts in orbit can be significant. India's ISRO plans to study larger asteroids like Apophis, which will pass by Earth in 2029.

Sports

Army Red Wins Durand Cup Match

Army Red defeated Tribhuvan Army FC 1-0 in a tightly contested match during the Durand Cup 2025 group stage on August 5, 2025. This win secured a crucial three points for Army Red in the tournament, which continues in Kolkata until August 23.

Kho Kho Federation of India Re-elects President

Sudhanshu Mittal was re-elected as President of the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), with Upkar Singh Virk elected as the new General Secretary. A new Governing Body was also elected. The KKFI aims to further promote Kho Kho, hoping for its inclusion in future Asian Games and Olympics.