The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zepto Private Limited to support and scale early-stage startups in the manufacturing sector through its ‘Zepto Nova’ innovation challenge.
The collaboration aims to discover and mentor startups through a focused six-month programme. It will support startups developing technologies in hardware, IoT, packaging and sustainable manufacturing, enabling them to progress from prototype to market-ready solutions using Zepto’s delivery and digital infrastructure.
The partnership will provide support through mentorship and capacity building via expert-led workshops and Startup India assistance, with a focus on women-led and Tier II/III startups. In addition, Zepto will integrate upwards of 100 Indian startups into its supply chain, offering them a platform to showcase products, gain market access and expand their presence.
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hero MotoCorp Limited to support and scale early-stage startups and entrepreneurs through its innovation accelerator programme ‘Hero For Startups’.
Under the Startup India initiative, DPIIT and Hero MotoCorp will jointly support startups working in areas related to the future of mobility, clean technology and deep technology. The partnership will provide selected startups with exclusive access to Hero MotoCorp’s world-class research and development facilities in Germany and India,
the company’s extensive network of dealers, suppliers and partners, along with mentorship. Shortlisted startups will also have the opportunity to work on paid Proofs of Concept (PoCs), enabling successful pilots and unlocking valuable market exposure to accelerate the growth and visibility of their innovations.
In a significant move towards creating industry-ready skilled manpower, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) signed strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four global technology leaders: Ericsson India Pvt. Ltd., Qualcomm Technologies Inc., Cisco Systems, and Nokia Solutions and Networks India Pvt. Ltd.
Aimed at accelerating India’s digital transformation and strengthening the skilling ecosystem, these partnerships will roll out advance training initiatives in 5G, AI/ML, networking, and digital technologies at BSNL’s apex training institute, Bharat Ratna Bhim Rao Ambedkar Institute of Telecom Training (BRBRAITT) in Jabalpur.
This development is a step towards a broader plan by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, to establish a Telecom Innovation, Research and Training Centre (TIRTC) at BRBRAITT. Envisioned as an industry-led national hub, TIRTC will focus on developing telecom-specific R&D talent and a future-ready workforce.
Indian Navy is preparing for the simultaneous commissioning of two advanced frontline frigates - Udaygiri (F35) and Himgiri (F34) on 26 Aug 25.
This will be the first time that two major surface combatants from two prestigious Indian Shipyards are being commissioned at the same time at Visakhapatnam.
This milestone showcases the success of the Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiatives in the defence sector. Udaygiri, the second ship of the Project 17A stealth frigates, has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, while Himgiri is the first of P17A ships being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) Kolkata.
In another major milestone for the Indian Navy, Udaygiri is the 100th ship designed by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau.
Udaygiri and Himgiri represent a generational leap over earlier designs. Displacing about 6,700 tons, the P17A frigates are roughly five percent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates and yet incorporate a sleeker form,
with a reduced radar cross section.
They are powered by Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants using diesel engines and gas turbines that drive controllable-pitch propellers and are managed through an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
The weapon suite includes supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missiles, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles, 76 mm MR Gun and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm Close-in Weapon Systems and the Anti-submarine/ Underwater weapon systems.
The 8th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was held in New Delhi on August 11, 2025, marking another milestone in the strong and enduring maritime partnership between the two countries.
The discussions centered on strengthening cooperative engagements in the fields of marine pollution response, maritime search & rescue, and maritime law enforcement, along with enhanced capacity building & technical assistance initiatives.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Director General SLCG Rear Admiral Y.R. Serasinghe and the Indian delegation headed by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to work closely in addressing contemporary maritime challenges, ensuring safety, security, and environmental stewardship in the shared maritime domain.
IDFC FIRST Bank announces the launch of RemitFIRST2India, a next-generation digital remittance platform that allows Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to send money to their families in India quickly, securely, and with zero transfer fees. NRI customers of IDFC FIRST Bank can simply log-in to the Mobile Banking App and make the transaction.
NRI customers of IDFC FIRST Bank can simply log-in to the Mobile Banking App and make the transaction. For non-IDFC FIRST Bank NRI users, the platform offers a simple, paperless onboarding journey through a dedicated web-portal.
Currently, the platform supports transfers from Singapore and Hong Kong, with expansion plan across other countries. It also keeps the customer updated on each step of a transaction with live transaction tracking. The platform has been designed with a strong focus on speed, transparency, and easy access.
The Lok Sabha (August 11, 2025) passed the revised Income Tax Bill, 2025 without any debate.
The Bill seeks to simplify, rationalise, and shorten the existing Income Tax Act, 1961. It also broadens the powers of income tax officials, allowing them to forcibly break into personal emails and social media accounts of assessees during search operations.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had introduced the previous version of the Bill in the Lok Sabha in February, following which it was sent to a Select Committee chaired by Baijayant Panda for a review. The Select Committee submitted its recommendations on July 21.
Following this, the government (August 8, 2025) withdrew the Bill to incorporate the suggestions made by the committee.
Public sector banks (PSBs), led by the State Bank of India (SBI), posted a record combined profit of Rs 44,218 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, marking an 11% year-on-year growth.
According to figures disclosed to the stock exchanges, the 12 PSBs had together earned Rs 39,974 crore in the June quarter of FY25,
meaning profits rose by Rs 4,244 crore in absolute terms.
SBI alone accounted for 43% of the sector’s earnings, reporting a net profit of ₹19,160 crore in Q1 FY26 — a 12% rise over the same quarter last year.
Kerala State Financial Enterprises has become the first miscellaneous non-banking financial company in India to achieve a business turnover of Rs. 1 lakh crore, the company said.
The firm reached this milestone in record time, a statement added.
To mark the historic achievement, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate celebrations at Central Stadium.
The event, chaired by Finance Minister K N Balagopal, will feature the launch of the “KSFE Onam Samriddhi Gift Card” by Food and Civil Supplies Minister G R Anil.
During the ceremony, Chief Minister Vijayan will also unveil the company’s new tagline: “KSFE: The Courage of Kerala,” the statement added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Kenya as having eliminated human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) or sleeping sickness as a public health problem, making it the tenth country to reach this important milestone. HAT is the second neglected tropical disease (NTD) to be eliminated in Kenya: the country was certified free of Guinea worm disease in 2018.
HAT is a vector-borne disease caused by the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of tsetse flies that have acquired the parasites from infected humans or animals. Rural populations dependent on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or hunting are most at risk of exposure.
As the name indicates, HAT is transmitted only on the African continent. The disease exists in two forms, gambiense and rhodesiense. The rhodesiense form (r-HAT), which is found in eastern and southern Africa, is the only one present in Kenya. It is caused by Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and progresses rapidly, invading multiple organs including the brain.
A total of 57 countries have eliminated at least one NTD. Of these, 10 (including Kenya) have successfully eliminated HAT as a public health problem. The other countries that have reached this milestone are Benin, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) released the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) 36th monthly report for States/UTs for July, 2025. The said report provides a detailed analysis of types and categories of public grievances and the nature of disposal by the States/UTs.
A total of 1,22,915 grievances were redressed by the States and Union Territories in July, 2025. The pendency of grievances on the CPGRAMS portal stands at 1,59,835 grievances across the States/UTs for the month of July, 2025.
On 10 August 2025, UIDAI celebrated a landmark 200 crore transactions of Face Authentication, showcasing India’s rapid move towards seamless, secure, and paperless authentication.
The pace of adoption has been exponential. 50 crore transactions were recorded by mid-2024. The number doubled to 100 crore transactions in January 2025 in just about five months.
The swift rise from 100 crore to 200 crore Aadhaar Face Authentication transactions in just six months reflects the core vision of Digital India, transforming the country into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.
