Integrated Air Defence Weapon System
News-DRDO Tests Indigenous Integrated Air Defence System.
- Event – DRDO successfully conducted maiden flight-tests of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS).
- Date – 23 August 2025.
- Location – Off the Odisha coast.
- System Features – Multi-layered air defence system.
– QRSAM – Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missiles.
– VSHORADS – Advanced Very Short-Range Air Defence System missiles.
– DEW – High-power laser-based Directed Energy Weapon. - Mission Link – Part of Mission Sudarshan Chakra (aim – nationwide security shield by 2035).
- Significance – Boost towards indigenous, multi-domain national defence shield.
Asia’s Widest Six-Lane Bridge
News- PM Modi Inaugurates Asia’s Widest Six-Lane Bridge Over Ganga in Bihar.
- Structure – Widest extradosed cable-stayed bridge in Asia.
- Dimensions – 1.86 km long, 34 m wide.
- Location – Built on NH-31; connects Aunta Ghat (Mokama) with Simaria (Begusarai).
- Features –
– Length: 1.86 km.
– Width: 34 m.
– Technology: Extradosed cable-stayed design.
– Built on NH-31, parallel to Rajendra Setu. - Impact – Saves nearly 100 km of detours for vehicles, especially freight carriers, due to closure of Rajendra Setu for heavy vehicles.
- Significance – Major infrastructure project to transform road connectivity in Bihar.
Digitally Literate State
News Kerala became India’s first 100% digitally literate state
- Event – Kerala becomes India’s first 100% Digitally Literate State.
- Announcement By – CM Pinarayi Vijayan on 21 August 2025.
- Digital Literacy (Definition) – Ability of individuals/communities to understand & use digital technologies for meaningful actions.
- Digitally Literate Household – At least one member (5 years or older) can operate a computer & use the internet.
- Programme Behind Success – Digi Keralam (launched in 2023).
- Foundation – Built on Kerala’s earlier Akshaya Project, which made Malappuram India’s first e-literate district.
- Survey Details – Covered 83.45 lakh families including 1.51 crore people to identify digitally illiterate households.
- Goal of Programme – Extend digital revolution & e-services to all residents, irrespective of age.
Lunar Module Launch Vehicle
News-ISRO to build its heaviest rocket ever, named LMLV.
- Event – ISRO to build its heaviest rocket named Lunar Module Launch Vehicle (LMLV).
- Size – As tall as a 40-storey building; larger than LMV-3 (current most powerful rocket).
- Payload Capacity – Can place 75,000 kg satellites in low Earth orbit.
- Timeline – To be ready by 2035.
- Purpose: Lunar missions, including India’s first human mission to the Moon planned by 2040.
- Additional Info – ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan: India currently has 55 satellites in orbit and the number going to be increase to three times in another three to four years.
- About ISRO:
- Founded – 1969 (superseding INCOSPAR, formed in 1962).
- Founder – Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (known as the Father of the Indian Space Programme).
- Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka.
- Current Chairman (2025) – V Narayanan.
- Primary Launch Site – Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.
Ajay Singh
News- Ajay Singh Re-elected as President of Boxing Federation of India.
- Term – Third consecutive time.
- Opponent Defeated – Olympian boxer Jaslal Pradhan.
- Other Office Bearers –
- Pramod Kumar – elected General Secretary.
- Pon Bhaskaran – elected Treasurer.
World Competitiveness Ranking
News- India ranked 41st in the World Competitiveness Ranking 2025.
- Report – World Competitiveness Ranking (WCR) 2025 by IMD (International Institute for Management Development).
- Top Performer – Switzerland (100 points, retains 1st place).
- India’s Overall Rank – 41st among 69 countries (down from 39th in 2024).
- India’s Sub-Rankings –
- Economic Performance – 27th (down from 20th in 2024).
- Government Efficiency – 45th (unchanged).
- Business Efficiency – 25th (unchanged).
- Top 3 – Switzerland (1st), Singapore (2nd), Hong Kong (3rd).
MCQs
Q1. DRDO recently conducted the maiden flight-tests of the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS). It is a part of which mission?
A) Mission Shakti
B) Mission Sudarshan Chakra
C) Mission Agni-V
D) Mission Netra
Q2. Asia’s widest six-lane bridge, inaugurated in Bihar in 2025, connects which two places?
A) Patna – Gaya
B) Aunta Ghat – Simaria
C) Bhagalpur – Munger
D) Muzaffarpur – Darbhanga
Q3. Kerala was declared India’s first 100% digitally literate state in August 2025 under which programme?
A) Akshaya Yojana
B) Digital India Mission
C) Digi Keralam
D) e-Kerala Mission
Q4. By which year is ISRO planning to send its first human mission to the Moon?
A) 2030
B) 2035
C) 2040
D) 2045
Q5. Ajay Singh was re-elected as the President of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) for the third time after defeating whom?
A) Vijender Singh
B) Jaslal Pradhan
C) Shiva Thapa
D) Mary Kom
Q6. What is India’s rank in the World Competitiveness Ranking 2025 released by IMD?
A) 39th
B) 41st
C) 45th
D) 47th