04/09/2025
International Scenario
Q1: Amid tariff disputes with the U.S., with which countries has India decided to conduct trade entirely in rupees?
Answer: After U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff, the RBI instructed banks to allow traders to conduct exports and imports with BRICS countries entirely in Indian currency, the rupee. This step is considered crucial for strengthening the rupee’s international role and reducing dependence on the U.S. dollar. Currently, Indian traders conduct nearly 85% of foreign trade in U.S. dollars.
Q2: Why was the SCO Summit held in Tianjin, China, instead of Beijing or Shanghai?
Answer: The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit began last Sunday in Tianjin, China. With a population of about 15 million, Tianjin is China’s third-largest city after Beijing and Shanghai. According to officials, Tianjin’s advanced infrastructure, rich experience in hosting international events, and open policy make it a “super-hub.” It is also a strategic center of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Q3: Where does India rank in the list of the world’s most peaceful countries?
Answer: According to the Global Peace Index 2025, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world, followed by Ireland, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Portugal, Denmark, Slovenia, and Finland. India ranks 115th on the list, while Bhutan is 21st, Nepal 76th, Sri Lanka 97th, China 98th, Pakistan 144th, Myanmar 153rd, and Afghanistan 158th. Japan ranks 12th.
Q4: What is the status of countries on the list of the world’s 10 most turbulent nations?
Answer: According to the Global Peace Index 2025, Russia is the world’s most turbulent country, ranked 163rd. It is followed by Ukraine, Sudan, Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, Israel, Mali, and Myanmar. The U.K. is ranked 30th, France 74th, the U.S. 128th, Iran 142nd, and Türkiye 146th. The list has a total of 163 places, with some countries sharing positions. North Korea is ranked 149th.
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National Scenario
Q1: Which Indian organization has been awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award?
Answer: The Indian non-profit organization Educate Girls, which works for the education of out-of-school girls in remote villages, has received the Ramon Magsaysay Award 2025. Started by Safeena Husain in 2007, the organization has brought over 2 million girls into education in rural areas, with a continuation rate of over 90%. The award ceremony will be held in the Philippines on 7th November.
Q2: If India stops buying Russian oil, by how many times would oil prices rise?
Answer: According to government estimates cited by Reuters, if India stops buying Russian oil due to U.S. tariffs, crude oil prices may triple to about $200 per barrel. India currently imports 2 million barrels of Russian oil per day.
Q3: How many kilometers of bullet train network has India agreed to develop with Japan?
Answer: Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a large-scale bullet train expansion in partnership with Japan. Speaking in Japan on Friday, he highlighted the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project as a flagship project between India and Japan. Additionally, India aims to develop a 7,000-km high-speed rail network across the country.
Q4: India blocked the full SCO membership of which country?
Answer: India blocked Azerbaijan’s attempt to gain full SCO membership, citing its close ties with Pakistan. Reports suggest that China, however, has supported Azerbaijan’s membership. During India’s Operation Sindoor, Azerbaijan had sided with Pakistan.
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Economic Scenario
Q1: What was India’s growth rate in the first quarter of FY 2025–26?
Answer: In the first quarter (April–June) of FY 2025–26, India’s real GDP growth rate was 7.8%, compared to 6.5% in the same quarter of the previous year. This exceeded expectations, as most analysts predicted growth between 6.5% and 7%. Nominal GDP grew by 8.8% in the same period.
Q2: Which Indian state has the highest per capita income?
Answer: As per available data for FY 2024–25, Karnataka has the highest per capita income at ₹2,04,605. It is followed by Tamil Nadu (₹1,96,309), Haryana (₹1,94,285), Telangana (₹1,87,912), Maharashtra (₹1,76,678), Himachal Pradesh (₹1,63,465), and Uttarakhand (₹1,58,819). Some states’ data are unavailable.
Q3: Instead of U.S. Treasury bills, what is India investing in?
Answer: According to RBI data, India is now showing greater confidence in gold over U.S. Treasury bills. As of June 2025, India’s gold reserves rose to 879.98 metric tons, compared to 840.76 metric tons in June last year. Meanwhile, India’s U.S. Treasury holdings fell to $227 billion, down from $242 billion a year ago. Experts say this reflects a global trend of diversification away from dollar-based assets.
Q4: How much has GST collection increased currently?
Answer: According to Finance Ministry data released on Monday, GST collection in August 2025 rose 6.5% year-on-year to ₹1,86,315 crore. After refunds, net GST revenue was ₹1,66,956 crore, up 10.7% from ₹1,50,791 crore in August 2024. In July 2025, GST collection was ₹1.96 lakh crore.
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Sports Scenario
Q1: In which championship did India create history by winning 50 gold medals?
Answer: India created history by winning 50 gold medals at the Asian Shooting Championship 2025 held in Shymkent, Kazakhstan, topping the overall medal tally for the first time. India won across senior and junior categories. Host Kazakhstan came second, while China ranked third. Manu Bhaker won 3 bronze medals.
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Defense, Environment, Science & Technology Scenario
Q1: Amid tariff tensions, where will the Indian Army and the U.S. Army conduct joint military exercises?
Answer: The armies of India and the U.S. will hold joint exercises from 1–14 September at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The Indian Army’s Madras Regiment will train with the U.S. Army’s “Bobcats” in helicopter operations, mountain warfare, rock climbing, and anti-drone technologies. The goal is better preparedness for UN peace missions and major challenges. This comes despite strained relations after the U.S. imposed a 50% tariff on India.
Q2: For Chandrayaan-5, with which country is India collaborating?
Answer: Prime Minister Modi announced that ISRO and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) will jointly work on the Chandrayaan-5 mission. The mission will study the lunar south polar region and is also called the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) mission. It will be launched in 2027–28 using Japan’s H3 rocket.
Q3: Which country will invest in India’s semiconductor sector?
Answer: Japanese company Tokyo Electron may invest in India’s semiconductor sector. Senior Vice President Fumihiko “Ray” Kaminaga said at Semicon India that India offers excellent opportunities and will become one of the world’s leading semiconductor hubs. The company already has offices in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.
Q4: Which company will mass-produce the first made-in-India semiconductor chip?
Answer: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that Crompton Greaves (CG) in Gujarat will mass-produce the first made-in-India semiconductor chip. At the inauguration of the plant’s pilot line (G1 facility), he said the plant will produce 500,000 chips per day. Other companies like Micron, Kaynes Tech, and Tata (Assam) are also building pilot facilities.
Q5: What is special about the first made-in-India chip?
Answer: Developed at ISRO’s Semiconductor Lab, India’s first chip—the Vikram 32-bit processor—is designed to withstand extreme space conditions (very high and low temperatures). It can process 32 bits of data at once, reflecting its speed and capacity. The day is not far when India’s smallest chip will drive the world’s biggest change.
Dr Jagmohan Dwivedi
