UPSC Current Affairs – News Summary of 9 September 2025

News Summary · 4 minutes read

S. Jaishankar speaking at the virtual BRICS summit convened by Brazil on September 8, 2025. Photo – X/@DrSJaishankar

Stay ahead in your UPSC CSE preparation with our daily News Summary. Designed to save time, it highlights key national and international events from leading newspapers and government websites.

Himachal Pradesh becomes 5th State/UT to achieve full functional literacy

• Himachal Pradesh has achieved full functional literacy under the ULLAS scheme.
• Chronological list of States/UTs that have achieved full functional literacy under the ULLAS scheme is as follows:
  • Ladakh (UT) – 1st State/UT to achieve full literacy (2024)
  • Mizoram – 2nd State/UT and 1st State to achieve full literacy (2025)
  • Goa – 3rd State/UT and 2nd State to achieve full literacy (2025)
  • Tripura – 4th State/UT and 3rd State to achieve full literacy (2025)
  • Himachal Pradesh – 5th State/UT and 4th State to achieve full literacy (2025)

Israel signs bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with India

• Signed by Israel’s FM Bezalel Smotrich and India’s FM Nirmala Sitharaman → replaces the previous agreement that was signed in 1996.
• Facilitates reciprocal investments between investors from both countries.
• Israel is the first OECD member to sign BIT with India under its new investment treaty framework.

S. Jaishankar represents India at the extraordinary virtual BRICS summit on trade

• Convened by Brazilian President Lula da Silva to discuss trade disruptions triggered by the USA’s recent tariff policy.
• S. Jaishankar represented PM Modi at the summit. He emphasized:
  • The international trading system is based on the foundational principles of open, fair, transparent, non-discriminatory, inclusive, equitable, and rules-based approaches, with special and differential treatment for developing countries.
  • India strongly believes in the foundational principles of the international trading system, and rules-based norms must be protected.
  • There is a need to create more resilient and reliable supply chains.

PM Modi to inaugurate Combined Commanders’ Conference (CCC) 2025 in Kolkata

• Scheduled from September 15-17 in Kolkata.
• Theme: Year of reforms — transforming for the future. 
• CCC: apex-level forum of the armed forces, bringing together the top civil and military leadership to exchange views and chart the course for India’s defence preparedness.

Assam to celebrate Bhupen Hazarika’s birth centenary

• Bhupen Hazarika was a legendary Indian singer, songwriter, writer, filmmaker, and politician from Assam, widely known as “Sudhakantha” → was born in 1926.
• Famous for his songs, mainly in the Assamese language, that emphasize themes of humanity, universal brotherhood, communal harmony, and social justice.
• Bhupen Hazarika’s notable achievements include:
  • Dadasaheb Phalke Award (1992), India’s highest cinema honour
  • Padma Shri (1977), Padma Bhushan (2001), and posthumously the Padma Vibhushan (2012)
  • Bharat Ratna (2019), India’s highest civilian award.
  • Serving as Chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi (1998-2003)

54th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders Meeting begins in Solomon Islands

• Being held from September 8-12, 2025, in Honiara, Solomon Islands.
• PIF was founded in 1971 → comprises 18 members: Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.

Miscellaneous

1. Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar as the 12th valid document for identity verification in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar → also clarified that Aadhaar is not evidence of Indian citizenship.
2. Primary Amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but fatal brain infection caused by free-living amoebae found in contaminated waters, has emerged as a public health concern in Kerala.
3. French Parliament ousted the government led by PM Francois Bayrou → Mr. Bayrou is the first premier in the history of modern France to be ousted in a confidence vote rather than a no-confidence vote.
4. Bekaa valley: Lebanon
5. Hezbollah: an Iran-backed Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon.
6. Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA): a militant rebel group led by Joseph Kony, aims to establish a Christian state in Uganda → once based in Uganda, is currently active mainly in DR Congo, Central African Republic, and South Sudan → recently, the International Criminal Court has opened a hearing against Joseph Kony for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

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