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Daily Current Affairs: 18 July 2025

Current affairs of 18 July 2025: Swachh Survekshan 2024-25: Rankings, Categories and Best Practices; Akash Prime Missile Tested at High Altitude in Ladakh; CSR Rules: MCA’s Revised Form CSR-1 for Non-Profits, and 12 more topics. Key facts for every exam, with a quiz.

Take the quiz (15 questions)July 2025

In this issue: 15 topics

National Affairs

CSR Rules: MCA’s Revised Form CSR-1 for Non-Profits

Banking & Finance

SEBI Warns on Expiry-Day F&O Trading Boom and Retail Losses
Active Factor Funds: Mutual Fund Quant Shift in 2025
ELSS Funds: Tax Saving, Lock-in and Why Interest Is Falling
RBI Climate Risk Disclosure Norms for Banks Near Final
13 More Indian Banks Join the UPI-PayNow Link With Singapore
IRDAI Okays 26% Allianz Stake Transfer in Bajaj Insurers

International Affairs

UK-Germany Friendship Treaty: Defence, Transport, Migration
Yuliia Svyrydenko Named Ukraine’s New Prime Minister
UK to lower voting age to 16 for general elections

Agriculture & Rural

Cooperative Sugar Mills Move to Grain-Based Ethanol

Environment & Ecology

Long-Billed Bush Warbler Rediscovered in Ladakh

Defence & Security

Akash Prime Missile Tested at High Altitude in Ladakh
Akash Prime High-Altitude Trial and Prithvi-II, Agni-I Test-Firing

Reports & Indexes

Swachh Survekshan 2024-25: Rankings, Categories and Best Practices

National Affairs

Polity & Governance

1. CSR Rules: MCA’s Revised Form CSR-1 for Non-Profits

MCA's revised Form CSR-1 applies from 14 July 2025 to trusts, societies and Section 8 companies executing CSR projects.
It aims to block bogus or shell entities and align CSR funding with Sections 12A, 80G and 10(23C).
Universities and hospitals exempt under Section 10(23C) are now eligible implementing agencies.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

2. SEBI Warns on Expiry-Day F&O Trading Boom and Retail Losses

SEBI study: 91% of retail F&O traders lost money in FY25, over ₹1 lakh crore in total.
Derivatives turnover reached about 350 times cash equity on some days.
SEBI plans longer-tenure contracts and a deeper cash market.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

3. Active Factor Funds: Mutual Fund Quant Shift in 2025

Indian mutual funds are moving from passive to active factor funds in 2025.
Factors: momentum, quality, value, size and low volatility.
ICICI Pru Active Momentum Fund blends price and earnings momentum.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

4. ELSS Funds: Tax Saving, Lock-in and Why Interest Is Falling

ELSS funds are tax-saving mutual funds investing mainly in equities, with a Section 80C deduction.
ELSS has the shortest lock-in among 80C options: 3 years.
LTCG above ₹1 lakh a year is taxed at 10% without indexation.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

5. RBI Climate Risk Disclosure Norms for Banks Near Final

RBI was finalising rules for banks to disclose climate-related risks in lending.
Voluntary disclosure starts FY 2026-27; mandatory compliance from FY 2027-28.
The move supports India's Net Zero by 2070 goal.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

6. 13 More Indian Banks Join the UPI-PayNow Link With Singapore

NIPL added 13 Indian banks to the UPI-PayNow link from 17 July 2025.
Participating Indian banks now total 19.
The link joins UPI with Singapore's PayNow.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Banking & Finance

7. IRDAI Okays 26% Allianz Stake Transfer in Bajaj Insurers

IRDAI approved the transfer of Allianz SE's 26% equity on 15 July 2025.
The stake sits in Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance.
Buyers are Indian shareholders of the Bajaj group.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

International Affairs

International Relations

8. UK-Germany Friendship Treaty: Defence, Transport, Migration

Britain and Germany signed a wide-ranging friendship treaty, deepening cooperation in defence, transport and migration.
It includes joint weapons exports and a new AI defence factory in Britain.
A mutual assistance clause is part of the pact.
The deal reflects closer ties amid uncertainty over U.S. policy.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

International Relations

9. Yuliia Svyrydenko Named Ukraine’s New Prime Minister

Yuliia Svyrydenko was appointed Ukraine's new Prime Minister.
She had been Economy Minister and a key negotiator of the mineral deal with the United States.
She is the first new head of government since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Polity & Governance

10. UK to lower voting age to 16 for general elections

The UK government announced it will lower the voting age from 18 to 16.
The plan was part of Labour's 2024 manifesto.
It applies from the next general election, expected in 2029.
Scotland and Wales already allow 16-year-olds to vote in some elections.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Agriculture & Rural

11. Cooperative Sugar Mills Move to Grain-Based Ethanol

Cooperative sugar mills plan to turn molasses-based ethanol units into grain-based or multi-feedstock ones.
Molasses is available only 4-5 months a year, so distilleries run about 200 days.
The shift supports E20, the 20% ethanol blending target.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Environment & Ecology

Environment & Ecology

12. Long-Billed Bush Warbler Rediscovered in Ladakh

Birders found the long-billed bush warbler again in Ladakh's Suru Valley; its scientific name is Locustella major.
The species had not been confirmed in the region since 1979.
It is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
It was observed sitting on a willow for the first time.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Defence & Security

Science & Technology

13. Akash Prime Missile Tested at High Altitude in Ladakh

India tested the Akash Prime surface-to-air missile at high altitude in Ladakh.
DRDO developed it; BDL and BEL are partners.
It targets drones, aircraft and cruise missiles.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Defence & Security

14. Akash Prime High-Altitude Trial and Prithvi-II, Agni-I Test-Firing

Indian Army trialled the Akash Prime air defence system successfully at high altitude in Ladakh.
Strategic Forces Command test-fired Prithvi-II and Agni-I ballistic missiles in Odisha.
Both events were reported as boosts to India's defence preparedness.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Reports & Indexes

Government Schemes

15. Swachh Survekshan 2024-25: Rankings, Categories and Best Practices

The ninth Swachh Survekshan (2024-25) covered over 4,500 cities and 140 million residents' feedback.
The new Super Swachh League has 20 cities; cities are now ranked in five population categories instead of two.
The 2025 theme is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (RRR), replacing waste to wealth.

Full notes and 3 MCQs ›

Test yourself

15 questions from the news of 18 July 2025, with answers and explanations.