Current Affairs 8th July And Practice Quiz

Stay updated with important developments in finance, economy, governance, awards, and appointments – designed in simple language for students and aspirants preparing for competitive exams. Here is the complete Current affairs 8th July 2025 for you.

Banking, Business & Finance News

SEBI Bans US-Based Jane Street from Indian Markets

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has barred the US-based trading firm Jane Street and its related companies from operating in Indian securities markets.
Why? Jane Street was found guilty of unfair trading in Bank Nifty options, especially on expiry days.

  • SEBI found that Jane Street earned ₹4,844 crore through unfair means.

  • This amount has been ordered to be held in a special science.

  • SEBI also froze Jane Street’s bank accounts in India.

This move comes as part of SEBI’s efforts to ensure fair trading practices and protect retail investors.

Colombia & Uzbekistan Join BRICS’ New Development Bank (NDB)

Ahead of the 17th BRICS Summit, Colombia and Uzbekistan officially joined the New Development Bank (NDB).

  • The bank now has 11 members including India, Brazil, China, South Africa, UAE, Bangladesh, Egypt, and Algeria.

  • NDB funds large infrastructure and development projects in member countries.

  • The bank is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and has an authorized capital of USD 100 billion.

23% of NSE Owned by Three Indian Public Sector Units

Three Indian PSUs – LIC, SBI Group, and SHCIL – together own 23% stake in the National Stock Exchange (NSE), worth over ₹1.3 lakh crore.

  • LIC holds the largest chunk at 10.7%.

  • SEBI confirmed that NSE’s long-pending IPO plan is in progress, awaiting final approval.

Post Offices to Accept UPI Payments by August 2025

The Department of Posts is rolling out UPI-based payments across all post office counters in India by August 2025.

  • Pilot program has already begun in Karnataka.

  • This will make postal transactions faster and more convenient.

  • It is part of a broader IT reform under the IT 2.0 initiative.

Pension Scheme Deadline Extended

The Finance Ministry has extended the deadline to choose between Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and National Pension System (NPS) to 30 September 2025.

  • UPS was launched in April 2025 and offers guaranteed pension.

  • Central government employees can now take more time to decide whether to switch or continue with NPS.

Gujarat Crosses 1 Crore Stock Investors

Gujarat has become the third Indian state to cross 1 crore registered stock market investors, after Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

  • India now has nearly 11.5 crore investors in total.

  • Growth has slowed in recent months, but West India remains a major investor hub.

National & State News

Rajasthan Launches Poverty-Free Village Scheme

The Rajasthan government has launched the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Poverty-Free Village Scheme, aiming to uplift 5,000 villages.

  • Families Below Poverty Line (BPL) will receive up to ₹1 lakh to start small businesses.

  • Self-Help Group (SHG) women will get ₹15,000 to improve livelihoods.

  • ‘Atmanirbhar Parivar Cards’ will be given to self-reliant families.

  • Over 17,000 families have already been verified for benefits.

India Launches First National Biobank for Health Research

India’s first National Biobank was launched in New Delhi by CSIR-IGIB.

  • It will collect health and genetic data from 10,000 people.

  • The goal is to improve personalised and precision healthcare in India.

  • The biobank is expected to help detect diseases early and improve treatment based on genetics and lifestyle.

Himachal Pradesh Uses Face Recognition for Ration Distribution

Himachal Pradesh has become the first Indian state to implement Aadhaar-based face authentication for ration distribution under PDS.

  • This system replaces older fingerprint or OTP-based systems.

  • It is especially helpful in remote or hilly areas with poor network.

  • Developed by the state’s Digital Technology department, the system ensures faster and more accurate delivery of ration.

India Ranked 4th Most Equal Country by World Bank

India has been ranked as the 4th most income-equal country in the world by the World Bank.

  • India’s Gini Index score is 25.5, better than the US (41.8) and China (35.7).

  • Poverty has also dropped significantly – extreme poverty now stands at 2.3%, down from 16.2% a decade ago.

  • Government schemes like Jan Dhan, Ayushman Bharat, DBT, and Stand-Up India played a big role.

India Becomes World’s 4th Largest Biofuel Consumer

India has overtaken China to become the 4th largest biofuel user globally in 2024.

  • Biofuel usage increased by 40% in one year.

  • However, India still imports more biofuels than it produces.

  • The growth supports India’s commitment to cleaner energy and reduced carbon emissions.

International News

PM Modi Attends BRICS Summit in Brazil

PM Narendra Modi attended the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil.

  • He urged for reforms in global institutions like the UN, IMF, and WTO.

  • He condemned terrorism and highlighted India’s role in peace efforts.

  • He also pushed for responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).

  • The summit ended with the Rio Declaration, supporting sustainable growth and inclusive governance.

Awards & Honours

PM Modi Honoured in Argentina

PM Modi was awarded the ‘Key to the City of Buenos Aires’ during his visit to Argentina – the first by an Indian PM in 57 years.

  • This symbolic gesture was to honour India-Argentina ties.

  • Modi also held talks with President Milei on defence, energy, and education.

Deepika Padukone Gets Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

Actress Deepika Padukone has become the first Indian actress to be selected for a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

  • She joins the Class of 2026, alongside stars like Miley Cyrus and Emily Blunt.

  • Deepika’s global presence and contributions to cinema were key reasons for this honour.

Appointments

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons Elected First Female President of Suriname

Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has become the first woman President of Suriname, elected unopposed.

  • She will take office on July 16, 2025.

  • Suriname is a small country in South America, and the new leadership hopes to revive its economy through oil exploration and tax reforms.

Defence News

8th Indo-French Military Exercise ‘Shakti’ Concludes

The two-week joint army exercise took place from 18 June to 1 July 2025 in France, involving 500 personnel from France and 90 from India (including a J&K Rifles battalion). It focused on sub-conventional operations in semi-urban terrain under UNSC Chapter VII preparedness.

Safran to Open Rafale M88 Engine Facility in Hyderabad

Safran Aerospace will set up its Safran Aircraft Engine Services India in Hyderabad to maintain M88 engines for Rafale jets. The project will initially create ~150 jobs, with potential expansion later.

Science & Technology

India’s First Equine Disease‑Free Zone in Meerut

On 3 July 2025, India declared its first Equine Disease‑Free Compartment (EDFC) at Meerut’s RVC Centre, certified by WOAH. The facility enables export of Indian sport horses meeting global biosecurity norms and boosts equestrian credibility and trade.

National Biobank Launched at CSIR‑IGIB, New Delhi

India’s first health and genomic biobank will house genetic, lifestyle, and clinical data of 10,000 volunteers. Named under the Phenome India project, it supports precision and personalised medicine research tailored to India.

DoSE&L Launches PARAKH Portal & Learning Initiatives

The Ministry of Education hosted a national conference to promote assessment equivalence across boards. The PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan Portal, Holistic Progress Cards, and support videos have been launched to improve learning outcomes and evaluation quality in schools.

Ananth Technologies to Launch India’s First Private Satellite Broadband by 2028

Authorised by IN‑SPACe, Ananth Technologies plans a geostationary satellite broadband service by 2028. With ₹3,000 crore investment, the service aims for 100 Gbps bandwidth, competing with Starlink and OneWeb, while supporting India’s growing space economy.

IISc Bengaluru Launches ‘BHARAT’ Healthy Aging Initiative

Under Longevity India, IISc launched BHARAT to map ageing biomarkers across Indian populations. The study seeks genomic, proteomic, metabolic, and environmental data for building India’s baseline on healthy ageing.

Sports Highlights

Record Performance at World Boxing Cup 2025

Indian women boxers won 11 medals (3 gold — Sakshi, Jaismine, Nupur) at Astana, Kazakhstan — marking India’s highest-ever haul at this event. The Boxing Federation congratulated the athletes and coaches.

Norris Wins Rainy British Grand Prix

Lando Norris claimed victory at a wet Silverstone, overtook Max Verstappen mid-race, and closed the points gap with teammate Oscar Piastri. Nico Hülkenberg scored his first podium in 239 races by finishing third.

India’s Historic Test Win at Edgbaston

India defeated England by 336 runs—their largest away Test win and first at Edgbaston. Akash Deep took a ten-wicket haul; India levelled the series. Over 1,692 runs were scored across both Tests—a new bilateral record.

India Eyes 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships

With Olympic hosting ambitions, India plans to bid for either the 2029 or 2031 World Athletics Championships. Timeline: expression of interest by October 2025, detailed bid by April 2026, final submission by August 2026.

Current Affairs Quiz 8th July 2025

  1. Which US-based firm was barred by SEBI for unfair trades in India?
    Answer: Jane Street

  2. Which two countries recently joined the BRICS New Development Bank?
    Answer: Colombia and Uzbekistan

  3. Which state launched the Poverty-Free Village Scheme?
    Answer: Rajasthan

  4. Which bank is India’s stock exchange regulator SEBI planning to clear for IPO soon?
    Answer: National Stock Exchange (NSE)

  5. What new system did Himachal Pradesh implement for ration delivery?
    Answer: Aadhaar-linked Face Authentication

  6. India’s Gini Index score, according to World Bank’s 2025 report?
    Answer: 25.5

  7. India’s global rank in biofuel consumption in 2024?
    Answer: 4th

  8. Who was awarded the ‘Key to the City of Buenos Aires’?
    Answer: PM Narendra Modi

  9. Who became the first Indian actress to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame?
    Answer: Deepika Padukone

  10. Who became Suriname’s first female President in 2025?
    Answer: Jennifer Geerlings-Simons

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