Current Affairs One - Liner : 12th July 2025

National:

• On July 10, 2025, Union Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia inaugurated the VTU–VRIF–TCOE Hub & Spoke Centre of Excellence (CoE) at VTU Bengaluru. It focuses on 5G/6G, AI/ML, quantum computing, and frontier tech through a network of 228 colleges and 400,000+ students.

• On July 10, 2025, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) launched the first Regional Process Lab (RPL) in Bengaluru under the Aadi KARMAYOGI Abhiyan. It aims to train 20 lakh tribal grassroots leaders through bottom-up governance and multi-ministry convergence. State Master Trainers from southern states will lead cascading training via State and District Process Labs. Supported by CSOs and local infrastructure, it marks a key step toward Viksit Bharat @2047.
• Kerala’s Arthunkal Police Station in Alappuzha became India’s first to get IS/ISO 9001:2015 certification from BIS. Awarded on July 10, 2025, the recognition followed a two-stage quality audit. It assessed key areas like crime prevention, emergency response, and grievance redressal.
• Carnac Bridge in Mumbai was renamed Sindoor Bridge on July 10, 2025, after Operation Sindoor's success. The original 1868 colonial-era bridge was dismantled in 2022 due to safety concerns. The new 328-metre structure has four vehicular lanes, improving South Mumbai traffic flow.
• On July 10, 2025, Maharashtra declared Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav a State Festival to honor its cultural legacy. Announced by Minister Ashish Shelar, it celebrates social unity, nationalism, and pride in Marathi identity. The state will support celebrations with infrastructure, security, and financial aid across major cities.
• Microsoft launched BioEmu-1 (Biomolecular Emulator-1) on July 11, 2025, to accelerate protein research and drug discovery. This AI model predicts structural ensembles of proteins from amino acid sequences at high speed using deep learning. Trained on AlphaFold, molecular simulations, and experimental datasets, it offers rich insight into protein behavior.

Banking:

• On July 11, 2025, Union Bank of India released its report Data Preview – WPI June’25, projecting wholesale inflation at 0.80% YoY in June, up from 0.39% in May. Core inflation rose to 1.63%, food inflation eased to 0.60%, and fuel inflation remained negative at –1.82%. The report, led by Chief Economic Advisor Kanika Pasricha,
• On July 10, 2025, Muthoot FinCorp launched the SPARK Awards to celebrate India’s small business owners. It features seven categories like Women Entrepreneur, Tech Trailblazer, and Social Impact Leader, with free nominations nationwide. 28 winners will receive mentorship, national recognition, and a sponsored trip to an award ceremony with Shah Rukh Khan.
• On July 10, 2025, Asia Index Pvt. Ltd., a BSE subsidiary, launched the BSE Insurance Index to track listed insurance firms. It includes 12 companies from the BSE 1000, capped at 25% weight per stock, with semi-annual rebalancing. The base value is 1000, backdated to June 18, 2018, with a 1-year return of 21.92%. It supports ETFs, mutual funds, and PMS, enhancing sector-focused investment strategies.
• On July 11, 2025, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) committed USD 100 million to IIFL Home Finance Limited (IIFL HFL) to expand access to affordable and green housing in India. The funding targets Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low-Income Groups (LIG) through home loans and eco-certified housing projects, supporting PMAY-U 2.0 and India’s climate goals.
• On July 9, 2025, CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) notified that IREDA (Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency) bonds qualify as long-term assets under Section 54EC. Investors can claim LTCG (Long-Term Capital Gains) exemption by investing up to ₹50 lakh within six months of sale. The 5-year redeemable bonds will fund renewable energy projects without state support.
• On July 8, 2025, CAMS launched the new CAMSPay Payment Gateway, built to handle over 5,000 transactions per second for high-volume enterprises. It supports sectors like mutual funds, BFSI, NBFCs, and fintech, with features like real-time analytics, fraud prevention, and banking integration. Developed with Mylapay and RBL Bank, it complies with RBI mandates on tokenization and data localization.
• On July 12, 2025, Kotak Mahindra Bank (KMBL) and IndiGo Airlines relaunched co-branded credit cards under the BluChip Rewards Program. Two variants—Standard and Premium—offer up to 30,000 and 70,000 BluChips/year for spends of ₹6 lakh and ₹12 lakh, respectively. Perks include free flights, milestone bonuses, and lounge access, with higher rewards on IndiGo bookings.

Sports:

• On July 11, 2025, Italy and the Netherlands qualified for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Italy made history by qualifying for the first time, edging out Jersey on net run rate, despite losing to the Netherlands. The Dutch chased 134/7 in the 17th over, helping both teams secure spots. A total of 15 teams are confirmed, with five more to qualify through upcoming regional events.
• On July 11, 2025, Harikrishnan A Ra became India’s 87th Grandmaster in chess after earning his final GM norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival held in France. He secured the title by drawing his final round against P. Iniyan, completing a seven-year journey from International Master to Grandmaster.

Defence:

• On July 11, 2025, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested the Astra BVRAAM off Odisha, launching it from a Su-30 Mk-I at unmanned aerial targets. Its indigenous RF seeker and 100+ km range validated precision and reliability. The test marked a major step in India's self-reliant defence capabilities.

Govt. Schemes:

• On July 11, 2025, India announced a ₹1,345 crore scheme to promote domestic rare earth magnet manufacturing. It aims to cut 80% import dependence on China and support end-to-end processing by eligible firms. Target: Produce 4,000 tonnes of magnets over 7 years, with rising domestic sourcing requirements. Key players like Mahindra, Uno Minda, and Sona Comstar have shown interest amidst global supply concerns.

Important Days:

• World Paper Bag Day is observed on 12 July to promote eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. It commemorates Francis Wolle's 1852 invention of the paper bag machine. Paper bags are biodegradable, recyclable, and reusable, supporting green living. The 2025 theme is “Sustainable Choices for a Greener Future”, with Gen Z leading creative reuse.
• On 11 July 2025, the world observed the first official International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica. The day honors over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys killed in July 1995. It aims to preserve historical truth, promote justice, and combat hate speech and genocide denial.
• NABARD celebrated its 44th Foundation Day on 12 July 2025 with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World”. Launches included RuralTech CoLab, GRIP livelihoods, and the NIVARAN grievance portal. A climate-focused documentary titled “Green Roots” premiered to highlight NABARD’s journey.

Questions:

Q.1 Who became India’s 87th Chess Grandmaster in July 2025?
a) R. Praggnanandhaa
b) Arjun Erigaisi
c) Harikrishnan A Ra
d) P. Iniyan

Answer: c) On July 11, 2025, Harikrishnan A Ra became India’s 87th Grandmaster in chess after earning his final GM norm at the La Plagne International Chess Festival held in France.

Q.2 What is the amount committed by AIIB to IIFL Home Finance for green housing initiatives in July 2025?
a) $75 million
b) $80 million
c) $100 million
d) $120 million

Answer: b) On July 11, 2025, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) committed USD 100 million to IIFL Home Finance Limited (IIFL HFL) to expand access to affordable and green housing in India.