Daily Current Affairs- 26th September 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 26th September 2025

Children in India 2025 Report Released Here You Need To Know

In the News: The Government of India released the Children in India 2025 report during the 29th CoCSSO conference in Chandigarh.

Key Points

• Infant & Under-five Mortality: IMR fell from 44 in 2011 to 25 in 2023. Under-five mortality (U5MR) is 29 in 2023, down from 30 in 2022.
• Sex / Rural-Urban IMR: In 2023, male IMR = 26, female = 25. U5MR is 33 in rural areas, 20 in urban areas.
• Birth Rate: In 2023, overall birth rate = 18.4 per 1,000. In rural areas it is 20.3; urban areas 14.9.
• Dropout Rates / Enrollment: Between 2022–23 and 2024–25, dropouts fell: preparatory level from 8.7% to 2.3%; middle level from 8.1% to 3.5%; secondary from 13.8% to 8.2%.
• Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER): In 2024-25, GER in secondary level = 68.5% (up from 66.5%); in middle level = 90.3% (from 89.5%).
• Child Marriage: Women aged 20–24 married before 18 declined from 26.8% (2015–16) to 23.3% (2019–21).
• Adoption: Total children adopted rose from 3,927 (2017–18) to 4,515 (2024–25).
• Health — Lipid Levels: Over one-third of children aged 5–9 have high triglyceride levels. In West Bengal, 67% affected; Sikkim 64.6%; Assam 57%; Nagaland 55.5%.
• High Cholesterol in Adolescents: In Goa, 15% of children aged 10–19 have high cholesterol—the highest among states.
• Nutrition – Stunting & Underweight: As per NFHS (2019–21), 35.5% of children are stunted; rural: 37.3%, urban: 30.1%. Underweight children share = 32.1% (down from 35.7%).
• Crimes Against Children: Crime rate against children = 36.6 per lakh population (2022). Delhi highest at 134.9 per lakh. Kidnapping & abduction = 45.7% of all cases.
• Publication Structure / New Inclusions: The 2025 edition has 7 chapters: overview, population & vital stats, health & nutrition, education & development, crimes & child protection, policy & legal framework, SDG indicators. It also adds new data on causes of death, adoption trends, device usage, and state comparisons.

Make in India Marks 11 Years of Economic Transformation

In the News: India celebrated 11 years of the Make in India campaign. PM Narendra Modi said it has played a pivotal role in India’s economic transformation.

Key Points:

• Launch & Objective: Make in India began on September 25, 2014, to boost manufacturing, attract investment, and foster self-reliance.
• FDI Inflows: From 2014 to 2024, India attracted USD 667 billion in foreign direct investment, making up a large share of post-liberalisation FDI.
•  Ease of Doing Business: India’s global ranking improved from 142 in 2014 to 63 in the World Bank’s report by 2020.
• Policy Tools & Reforms: The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, logistics data bank, and reduction in compliances have driven investment and efficiency.
• Manufacturing Growth: In July 2025, manufacturing grew by 5.4% year-on-year; IIP rose 3.5%. Exports of goods in April–August 2025 rose 2.52% to USD 184.13 billion.
• Sectoral Gains: India became the world’s second-largest mobile maker. Defence production surged ~225%, with exports to 100+ countries.
• Emerging Focus – Make in India 2.0: The upcoming push will emphasize future sectors like green growth, defence, semiconductors, and global competitiveness.

L&T, BEL Join Race to Build India’s Stealth Fighter Jet

In the News: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) announced a strategic partnership to compete in India’s indigenous stealth fighter jet programme, particularly the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project.

Key Points:

• Strategic Tie-up: L&T and BEL will jointly respond to the Expression of Interest (EoI) by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for prototype development and testing.
• Domain Strengths: L&T brings aerospace and platform development expertise; BEL contributes defence electronics and systems experience.
• Competing Model: The partnership challenges the traditional dominance of HAL by opening the development model to private and public firms.
• Project Scope: The winning consortium must design, build, test, certify prototypes and then scale up to serial production.
• Investment Scale: The AMCA programme is estimated at around ₹15,000 crore.
•  Policy Shift: The Indian MoD has reformed the execution model to allow non-HAL entities to participate in developing advanced fighter aircraft.
• Strategic Implication: The move signals India’s push toward defence indigenisation and reduced dependency on foreign suppliers.

Nuclear Liability Fund

In the News: The Indian government announced plans to create a Nuclear Liability Fund to handle compensation claims beyond the existing operator cap in case of a nuclear accident.

Key Points:

• Purpose: The fund will cover accident compensation exceeding ₹1,500 crore (≈ ₹15 billion) that currently lies beyond the operator’s liability. 
• Current Liability Law: Under the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, the plant operator is liable up to ₹1,500 crore; beyond that, the government steps in. 
• Need for the Fund: Uncertainty about risks beyond the cap has deterred global suppliers and private firms from participating in India’s nuclear expansion.
• Expected Design: The fund would be a structured pool backed by government allocations, and possibly contributions from the industry.
•  Legal Backing: It is likely to be incorporated via a new atomic energy bill, supplementing the operator’s liability cap. 
• Strategic Outcome: The move is aimed at boosting foreign investment, encouraging advanced reactor technology, and accelerating India’s nuclear capacity growth.
• Energy Goals: This reform aligns with India’s plans to scale nuclear power up to support clean energy targets and reduce fossil fuel dependence.

India Nominates IIT-Madras as UN AI Centre of Excellence

In the News: India has nominated IIT-Madras to be a UN Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence, to strengthen AI research, skills development, and global collaboration.

Key Points:

• Global South Focus: The centre will especially support AI capacity building in developing countries.
• Core Activities: Research, training, model development, and collaborative projects are expected to be led from IIT-Madras.
• Institutional Strengths: IIT-Madras already has strong AI and data science infrastructure, making it a logical candidate. 
• Policy Alignment: This nomination fits with India’s broader AI goals under the IndiaAI mission and national tech strategy.
• Strategic Recognition: The move signals international acknowledgment of India’s growing role in AI and highlights IIT-Madras’s leadership.
• Next Steps: Formal UN approval, setting of mandate, and resource allocation will define the centre’s shape and reach.

India’s Role in Palestine Statehood Recognition

In the News: India’s longstanding supportive stance toward Palestine has drawn renewed attention amid recent diplomatic shifts and heightened global momentum for Palestinian statehood recognition.

Key Points:

• Recognition Since 1988: India formally recognised the State of Palestine in November 1988, following its declaration of independence.
•  Early Backing of PLO: In 1974, India became the first non-Arab nation to recognise the Palestine Liberation Organisation as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
• Diplomatic Presence: India opened a Representative Office in Gaza in 1996, later relocated to Ramallah, strengthening bilateral presence.
• UN & Resolutions: India has consistently backed UN resolutions favouring Palestinian rights, and in 2025 voted with 142 nations for a UN General Assembly declaration supporting a sovereign Palestinian state.
• Balanced Approach: Despite its Palestine support, India also maintains diplomatic and strategic ties with Israel, advocating a two-state solution and peaceful coexistence.
• Recent Diplomatic Activity: India is participating in a UN conference aimed at resolving the Palestine question via a two-state path.
• Voice in Global Debate: With over 150 UN members now recognising Palestine, India’s position remains influential in shaping consensus and regional diplomacy.

India’s SDG 3 Progress

In the News: India’s progress on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) has come under scrutiny in 2025 as strong gains in some health indicators contrast with persistent gaps in maternal, workforce, and non-communicable disease arenas.

Key Points:

• Health Index Gains: India’s SDG 3 score saw improvement of ~22 points between 2018 and 2021.
• Maternal Health Lag: With current trajectories, India is unlikely to meet target MMR reductions by 2030.
• Child & Neonatal Deaths: Declines are observed, but the rate of improvement must accelerate.
• Health Worker Density Decline: Between 1991 and 2019, density of health personnel fell (from ~1.22 to ~0.73 per 1,000), hurting service delivery.
• Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Rising share of disease burden from NCDs and injuries poses a major risk to target achievement.
• Inequalities & State Variations: Some states show much better outcomes (for maternal mortality, child health) than others.
• Policy & Planning Gaps: Weak implementation, limited resources, and fragmentation in health systems hamper acceleration.

Qatar Becomes 8th Country to Adopt UPI

In the News: Qatar has become the 8th country to adopt India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI), allowing Indian travellers to make seamless digital payments while in Qatar.

Key Points:

• Partnership Deal: NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) has teamed up with Qatar National Bank (QNB) to enable QR-based UPI payments across QNB merchant outlets.
• First Merchant Live: Qatar Duty Free became the first merchant in Qatar to accept UPI payments.
• Convenience for Tourists: Indian visitors in Qatar can now avoid carrying cash or dealing with currency exchange for many purchases.
• Global Reach of UPI: With Qatar on board, UPI is accepted in countries like Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, UAE, and now Qatar.
• Technical Enablement: The payments are enabled via point-of-sale terminals with QR codes powered by a solution from NETSTARS. S
• oft Power & Digital Diplomacy: This expansion reflects India’s growing digital influence and supports bilateral ties via technological integration.

Ravichandran Ashwin Becomes First Indian to Join BBL

In the News : Ravichandran Ashwin became the first male Indian cricketer to join Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) by signing with the Sydney Thunder.

Key Points:

• Historic Move: Ashwin’s signing breaks the barrier that previously barred Indian male players from overseas T20 leagues.
• Team & Timing: He will join Sydney Thunder in early January 2026 after his stint in ILT20 ends. 
• Recent Retirements: His retirement from international cricket in December 2024 and from the IPL opened the door to this opportunity.
• Role in Thunder: He joins a spin-rich squad, expected to bolster the team’s all-round balance. 
• BCCI Policy Context: Former policy prevented active Indian men cricketers from participating in foreign leagues; Ashwin’s prior retirements enabled this move. 
• Fan & Team Reaction: Thunder call it their biggest overseas signing. Ashwin praised the leadership and cultural fit.
• Cricketing Legacy: Ashwin leaves behind a storied record — over 500 Test wickets, significant contributions in all formats.

Ahmedabad to Host 11th Asian Aquatics Championship 2025

In the News: Ahmedabad will host the 11th Asian Aquatics Championship 2025 from September 28 to October 11, marking the first time India hosts the continental aquatic event.

Key Points:

• Dates & Venue: September 28 to October 11, 2025, at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad. 
• Disciplines: Will include swimming, diving, artistic swimming, and water polo.
• First in India: This is the first edition of the Asian Aquatics Championship held in India. 
• Mascot & Logo: The mascot Jalveer and the event logo were launched by Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya in early September.
• Participation: Over 30 nations expected to send athletes. More than 1,000 participants anticipated.
•  Qualifying Event: Performances here will help qualify Indian athletes for the 2026 Asian Games
• Strategic Importance: Hosting this event strengthens Ahmedabad’s credentials in India’s bid for the 2036 Olympics and showcases its capacity to host major international sport events.
• Infrastructure Upgrade: The sports complex is built to Olympic standards.