Current Affairs: August 18, 2025 – Key Updates for Competitive Exams

Important Days

World Never Give Up Day & International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

August 18, 2025, marks World Never Give Up Day, a global movement honoring perseverance and determination. This day was founded by Alain Horoit in 2019 to celebrate the unyielding spirit of individuals facing adversity. Also observed on this day is the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, focusing on the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and commemorating the victims.

National Highlights

Parliament Resumes Amidst Opposition Protests

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha reconvened on August 18, 2025, after a week-long adjournment. The Lok Sabha agenda included a special discussion on India's space program and the introduction of the Jan Vishwas (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to decriminalize minor offenses to promote ease of living and business. The Rajya Sabha listed the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, for discussion. Opposition parties continued protests regarding the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in Bihar, alleging vote theft and demanding a debate.

Judicial Appointments & Governance

The Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions challenging the appointment of the Jharkhand DGP, Anurag Gupta, alleging that proper guidelines were not followed. {Link: The Hindu https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/supreme-court-collegium-cannot-dictate-names-to-high-court-collegiums-cji-gavai/article69936807.ece} noted previously that Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai clarified that the Supreme Court Collegium cannot dictate names to High Court Collegiums for judicial appointments.

Infrastructure & Digital Initiatives

  • PM Modi inaugurated two National Highway projects worth approximately ₹11,000 crore in Delhi, including the Delhi section of the Dwarka Expressway and parts of the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II).
  • {Link: The Financial Express - Epaper https://epaper.financialexpress.com/4046238/Delhi/AUGUST-18-2025} reports that over 70 million unique farmer IDs linked to land records have been generated under the Digital Agriculture Mission, enhancing digital infrastructure for farmers.
  • {Link: Construction Business Today https://constructionbusinesstoday.com/news/beml-breaks-ground-on-rs-1800-crore-brahma-rail-manufacturing-hub-in-madhya-pradesh/} notes that the Defence Minister had previously inaugurated the BRAHMA (BEML Rail Hub for Advanced Manufacturing) facility in Umaria, Madhya Pradesh, a ₹1,800 crore project aimed at boosting rail manufacturing capabilities.

Space & Defence

Parliamentary discussions focused on the impact of Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's space mission on India's goal of becoming a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. The Indian Navy is set to commission two new stealth frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, on August 26, further bolstering indigenous defence capabilities.

International Relations

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's India Visit

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in India on a two-day visit, holding talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and meeting with NSA Ajit Doval for the 24th round of Special Representatives' Talks on the India-China boundary question. Wang Yi is also expected to call on Prime Minister Modi.

Nepal PM Oli's Proposed India Visit

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri concluded a two-day visit to Nepal, preparing the ground for Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli's upcoming trip to India, expected in the third week of September.

US-Ukraine Talks

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in Washington to meet with US President Trump, just before Trump's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

US-India Trade Tensions

{Link: India Shipping News https://indiashippingnews.com/6th-round-of-india-us-trade-talks-likely-to-be-postponed-sources/} reports that the 6th round of India-US trade talks, scheduled for August 25-29, is likely to be postponed amidst ongoing tariff disputes. The US tariffs on certain Indian imports are influencing India's economic strategy.

Economy & Business

Market Performance & Reforms

Indian markets opened significantly higher, buoyed by proposed GST reforms and positive global cues. The rupee also appreciated against the US dollar. {Link: The Economic Times https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/pm-modis-tax-overhaul-to-strain-finances-but-boost-image-amid-us-trade-tensions/articleshow/123354445.cms} mentions that PM Modi's planned GST overhaul, including tax cuts on daily essentials and electronics, could strain government revenues but potentially boost India's economic standing amidst trade tensions. Foxconn began production of the iPhone 17 at its Bengaluru unit.

Science & Technology

Environment & Health

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5.2) negotiations for a global plastics treaty concluded without consensus on key provisions like production cuts and definitions. {Link: Testbook https://testbook.com/current-affairs} reports the Ministry of Ayush is hosting the 30th Ayurveda Seminar focusing on child health using traditional Ayurvedic approaches.

Sports

Recent Achievements & Events

  • Anahat Singh finished runner-up at the NSW Squash Bega Open 2025, reaching her maiden World Events final.
  • Tanya Hemanth won her first International Challenge badminton title at the Saipan International 2025.
  • Neeraj Chopra qualified for the Diamond League 2025 Final.
  • Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar unveiled the logo, mascot, and trophy for the 12th Men's Asia Cup Hockey Championship 2025, which Bihar will host for the first time.

Appointments & Obituaries

  • Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Governor of Manipur, was given additional charge as Governor of Nagaland following the demise of Governor La Ganesan.
  • The passing of Subhas Chandra Bose on August 18, 1945, was commemorated.