Current Affairs 19th July 2025 : Daily GK Update in English
1. Which company acquired a 17.8% stake in Jio Payments Bank Ltd in 2025?
a) Reliance Industries Ltd
b) Jio Financial Services Limited
c) State Bank of India
d) Paytm
Answer: b) Jio Financial Services Limited
Explanation: Jio Financial Services Limited acquired a 17.8% stake in Jio Payments Bank Ltd from SBI in 2025, making it a wholly owned subsidiary.
2. Who was appointed as the chairman of the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) in 2025?
a) Brajesh Mishra
b) J. N. Dixit
c) Maheshwar Rao
d) Alok Joshi
Answer: d) Alok Joshi
Explanation: Former intelligence chief Alok Joshi was appointed as the chairman of the National Security Advisory Board in 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, to strengthen national security strategies.
3. Which country hosted the United Nations Day of Vesak 2025?
a) India
b) Thailand
c) Vietnam
d) Sri Lanka
Answer: c) Vietnam
Explanation: Vietnam hosted the United Nations Day of Vesak from May 6 to 8, 2025, in Ho Chi Minh City, marking the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of Lord Buddha. A sacred Buddha Relic from Sarnath, India, was sent to Vietnam for special exposition.
4. Who won the Shakti Bhatt Prize 2025 for her debut memoir ‘The Lucky Ones’?
a) Kiran Desai
b) Shashi Deshpande
c) Geetanjali Shree
d) Zara Chowdhary
Answer: d) Zara Chowdhary
Explanation: Zara Chowdhary won the 2025 Shakti Bhatt Prize for her memoir ‘The Lucky Ones’, about surviving the 2002 Gujarat riots, receiving a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh.
5. Which Indian Naval Ship rescued crew members from a fire on an oil vessel in the Gulf of Oman in 2025?
a) INS Shivalik
b) INS Tabar
c) INS Nilgiri
d) INS Brahmaputra
Answer: b) INS Tabar
Explanation: INS Tabar, a Talwar-class frigate, acted swiftly to rescue crew members from a burning oil vessel in the Gulf of Oman in 2025.
6. Which state hosted the National AYUSH Mission (NAM) Conference 2025?
a) Gujarat
b) Odisha
c) Maharashtra
d) Karnataka
Answer: c) Maharashtra
Explanation: The National AYUSH Mission Conference 2025 was held on May 1-2 in Lonavala, Maharashtra, to integrate traditional Indian medicine into mainstream healthcare.
7. What is the primary focus of the Samudrayaan project under the Deep Ocean Mission?
a) Deep-sea mineral exploration
b) Marine biodiversity conservation
c) Underwater communication networks
d) Coastal erosion prevention
Answer: a) Deep-sea mineral exploration
Explanation: The Samudrayaan project, funded with Rs 600 crore in the 2025-26 Union Budget, aims to develop a manned submersible for deep-sea exploration of minerals like manganese, cobalt, and copper.
8. Which Indian Air Force officer was named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) in 2025?
a) Mohana Singh
b) Narinder Chatrath
c) Aruna Kumar Datta
d) Shubhanshu Shukla
Answer: d) Shubhanshu Shukla
Explanation: Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla was named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4, a private astronaut mission to the ISS, conducting scientific research for up to 14 days.
9. Which state’s vulture population was recorded as the highest in India in 2025?
a) Rajasthan
b) Gujarat
c) Madhya Pradesh
d) Maharashtra
Answer: c) Madhya Pradesh
Explanation: A recent census by the forest department recorded Madhya Pradesh as having the highest vulture population in India, with 12,981 vultures.
10. Who was appointed as the first Indian-origin Director of the FBI in 2025?
a) Ajit Pai
b) Neal Katyal
c) Kash Patel
d) Preet Bharara
Answer: c) Kash Patel
Explanation: Kash Patel was appointed as the 9th Director of the FBI on February 20, 2025, marking the first time an Indian-origin individual held this position.
11. Which Indian state launched the Mukhyamantri Vrindavan Gram Yojana in 2025?
a) Rajasthan
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Uttar Pradesh
d) Gujarat
Answer: b) Madhya Pradesh
Explanation: Madhya Pradesh launched the Mukhyamantri Vrindavan Gram Yojana to develop model rural villages, focusing on sustainable development and infrastructure.
12. What was the primary objective of Exercise Devil Strike conducted by the Indian Army in 2025?
a) Enhancing combat preparedness and operational capabilities
b) Expanding international military alliances
c) Testing new technologies
d) Conducting humanitarian assistance missions
Answer: a) Enhancing combat preparedness and operational capabilities
Explanation: Exercise Devil Strike, conducted in 2025, focused on enhancing the Indian Army’s combat preparedness and operational capabilities.
13. Which Indian women’s cricket player was appointed as DSP in UP Police in 2025?
a) Harmanpreet Kaur
b) Smriti Mandhana
c) Richa Ghosh
d) Deepti Sharma
Answer: d) Deepti Sharma
Explanation: Deepti Sharma, a prominent Indian women’s cricket player, was appointed as Deputy Superintendent of Police in Uttar Pradesh in 2025.
14. Which state inaugurated the International Saraswati Mahotsav in 2025?
a) Andhra Pradesh
b) Haryana
c) Karnataka
d) Uttar Pradesh
Answer: b) Haryana
Explanation: Haryana inaugurated the International Saraswati Mahotsav in 2025 to celebrate cultural heritage and promote tourism.
15. Which scheme was launched by the government to provide loan guarantees for MSMEs in 2025?
a) Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs
b) Credit-Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme
c) Stand-Up India Scheme
d) Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana
Answer: a) Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs
Explanation: The Mutual Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs was launched in 2025 to provide loan guarantees, supporting small and medium enterprises.
16. What is the name of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) launched in 2025?
a) National Animation Academy
b) Mumbai Media School
c) Indian Institute of Creative Technology
d) Creative Arts Academy
Answer: c) Indian Institute of Creative Technology
Explanation: The IICT, launched in Mumbai during WAVES 2025, focuses on Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC).
17. What was the focus of the Automotive Mission Plan 2047 announced in 2025?
a) Electric vehicle production
b) Making India a global automotive power
c) Reducing vehicle emissions
d) Promoting public transport
Answer: b) Making India a global automotive power
Explanation: The Automotive Mission Plan 2047, announced in 2025, aims to position India as a global leader in the automotive industry.
18. Who was the renowned taxonomist who passed away in Kerala on January 1, 2025?
a) K S Manilal
b) M S Swaminathan
c) C R Rao
d) Verghese Kurien
Answer: a) K S Manilal
Explanation: K S Manilal, a Padma Shri awardee, passed away on January 1, 2025, known for translating Hortus Malabaricus and conserving Kerala’s Silent Valley rainforest.
19. Which community demanded a separate ‘Bhil Pradesh’ state in 2025?
a) Gond tribe
b) Munda tribe
c) Santhal tribe
d) Bhil tribe
Answer: d) Bhil tribe
Explanation: The Bhil tribe renewed their demand for a separate ‘Bhil Pradesh’ state, proposing 49 districts from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.
20. Which country conducted the ‘Ekuverin’ joint military exercise with India in 2025?
a) Maldives
b) Sri Lanka
c) Bangladesh
d) Nepal
Answer: a) Maldives
Explanation: The 13th edition of the India-Maldives ‘Ekuverin’ military exercise was held in the Maldives from February 2-15, 2025.
21. What was the record GST collection for India in 2024-2025?
a) ₹18.5 lakh crore
b) ₹20.08 lakh crore
c) ₹22.08 lakh crore
d) ₹24.5 lakh crore
Answer: c) ₹22.08 lakh crore
Explanation: India’s GST collections reached a record ₹22.08 lakh crore in 2024-2025, reflecting a 9.4% growth due to better compliance and economic formalization.
22. What was the Supervisory Data Quality Index (sDQI) of Scheduled Commercial Banks in March 2025?
a) 86.8
b) 89.3
c) 85.5
d) 90.1
Answer: b) 89.3
Explanation: The sDQI of Scheduled Commercial Banks improved to 89.3 in March 2025 from 86.8 in March 2024, reflecting better data quality.
23. Which Indian ministry launched the ‘Project Elephant’ review meeting in 2025?
a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
b) Ministry of Agriculture
c) Ministry of Rural Development
d) Ministry of Tourism
Answer: a) Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Explanation: The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change held a review meeting for ‘Project Elephant’ in 2025 to enhance elephant conservation efforts.
24. Which Indian bank fully migrated to the ISO 20022 SWIFT messaging standard in 2025?
a) State Bank of India
b) HDFC Bank
c) ICICI Bank
d) Axis Bank
Answer: a) State Bank of India
Explanation: State Bank of India fully migrated to the ISO 20022 SWIFT messaging standard in 2025, ahead of the November 2025 deadline.
25. What is the name of the centrally sponsored initiative to reduce drug abuse in India?
a) National Drug Awareness Programme
b) Prohibition of Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products
c) Anti-Narcotics and Recovery Scheme
d) National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction
Answer: d) National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction
Explanation: The National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction (NAPDDR) is a centrally sponsored initiative to reduce drug abuse through education, de-addiction, and rehabilitation.