Daily Current Affairs & Key Questions for NDA & Competitive Exams – 19 August 2025

Introduction

Stay ahead in your NDA preparation with today’s comprehensive coverage of essential current affairs from multiple domains. This daily digest highlights the most significant developments across politics, defence, economy, science and sports that are crucial for NDA exam success and interview preparation.

Key Recent Current Affairs Highlights

Politics & Governance

• 18% GST Slab Reform: India’s latest GST reforms prioritize the 18% slab, expected to generate the majority of indirect tax revenue. This major fiscal move aims to streamline tax collection and boost economic growth.
• VP Election 2025: Rajnath Singh has approached DMK for support of NDA’s Vice President nominee, C.P. Radhakrishnan, indicating intense political mobilization in Parliament.
• Impeachment Notice Against CEC: The ‘Vote Chori’ controversy escalates as opposition plans to move an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner, reflecting rising electoral tensions.

Geopolitics Section

Highlight Today’s Hottest Geopolitical Buzz

• India-UK Digital Trade Compact: The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement is advancing global economic ties, with digital trade set to play a pivotal role in 2025.
• Sri Lanka-India SLINEX Naval Exercise: The 12th edition of SLINEX is being conducted off Colombo, strengthening bilateral defence cooperation between India and Sri Lanka.

Defence & International Relations

• Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s India-ISS Mission: Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, pilot of Axiom-4, met PM Modi, underscoring India’s growing achievements in space diplomacy. India’s Lok Sabha highlighted plans for future lunar missions targeting 2040.
• Indian Navy on 15 August: Inducted the indigenous survey ship ‘Ikshak’, furthering the self-reliance drive in defence technology.

Economy & Environment

• Unemployment Rate Drops: India’s unemployment rate declined to 5.2% in July 2025, showing promising economic recovery.
• UPI Usage Leadership: Maharashtra tops UPI transactions, reflecting digital transformation in state economies.
• Red Alert in Mumbai: Heavy rains triggered school and flight shutdowns, with IMD issuing a red alert for Mumbai and nearby regions.

Science & Technology

• All-Women Street Food Hub: India’s first all-women operated clean street food hub opened in Mumbai, promoting women-led entrepreneurship and food safety.
• AI in Governance: The AI tool ‘SabhaSaar’ has been deployed to digitize Gram Sabha proceedings, revolutionizing rural governance transparency.

Sports

• Men’s Asia Cup Hockey: Bihar unveiled the logo, mascot, and trophy for the 12th Men’s Asia Cup Hockey Championship, boosting national enthusiasm for upcoming tournaments.
• India’s Commonwealth Games Bid: The IOA officially approved India’s bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, reflecting growing leadership in hosting global sporting events.

Awards & Recognitions (14–19 August 2025)

• Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group: Won the UNDP Equator Initiative Award for rural sustainability initiatives.
• Gallantry Honours: 127 gallantry awards were announced by the government around Independence Day, honouring bravery in defence services.
• Sansad Ratna Awards: 17 MPs and 2 Committees received Sansad Ratna Awards 2025 for outstanding parliamentary contributions.

Importance for NDA and Other Aspirants

Staying updated with diverse current affairs is pivotal for NDA and SSB aspirants. These topics often feature as critical questions in GK sections, and form the core of interview rounds. Strong daily awareness is a proven way to crack the NDA exam and succeed in elite defence careers.

Repeated Past Important Questions

1. Which award did the Bibi Fatima Women’s Self-Help Group win in 2025?
   • a) Nari Shakti Puraskar
   • b) UNDP Equator Initiative Award
   • c) Padma Shri
   • d) Gandhi Peace Prize
2. What is the main focus of India’s 2025 GST reform?
   • a) Reducing all slabs to 5%
   • b) Prioritizing the 18% slab
   • c) Eliminating GST completely
   • d) Introducing a luxury tax
3. Which state currently ranks #1 in UPI usage?
   • a) Delhi
   • b) Maharashtra
   • c) Karnataka
   • d) Gujarat
4. Who was India’s nominee for Vice President in 2025?
   • a) Rajnath Singh
   • b) C.P. Radhakrishnan
   • c) Nitish Kumar
   • d) Shubhanshu Shukla
5. India’s navy inducted which indigenous vessel on August 15, 2025?
   • a) INS Vikrant
   • b) Ikshak
   • c) Sharda
   • d) Samudra Manthan

Closing Words

Consistent practice with current affairs builds the foundation for NDA success. For expert guidance and comprehensive NDA coaching, Ground Zero Defence Academy provides structured preparation support to transform your military aspirations into reality.

This concise update keeps NDA aspirants well-prepared with relevant and recent developments across multiple fields essential for their success.