Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of May 15th to 21st May 2025. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBIClerk 2025 and other competitive exams can make use of it.

Weekly Current Affairs May 15th to 21st PDF Download

CURRENT AFFAIRS: IMPORTANT DAYS

• International Day of Families is celebrated every year on May 15.
• Starting in 2025, the United Nations General Assembly officially declared May 19 as World Fair Play Day to recognize the role of sports in promoting peace, inclusion, and justice worldwide
• World Metrology Day is celebrated on May 20
• World Bee Day, observed annually on May 20, is a United Nations initiative recognizing the crucial role of bees and other pollinators in maintaining biodiversity and global food security
• World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was observed on May 21.
• Anti-Terrorism Day is celebrated every year on May 21.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL NEWS

• The United States agreed on May 13, 2025, to sell Saudi Arabia an arms package worth nearly $142 billion.

• The World’s first commercial-scale e-methanol plant has begun operations in Denmark.
• The Yala Glacier in Langtang, Nepal has been officially declared dead, marking a significant loss in the global climate crisis.
• Britain (United Kingdom) and the European Union (EU) have agreed on a new deal to restore closer ties post-Brexit, focusing on trade and security.
• Iran and Azerbaijan launched a joint special forces exercise named “Aras-2025” running from May 18 to May 21, 2025.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING, FINANCE& BUSINESS NEWS

• QNB (Qatar National Bank), the largest financial institution in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), has become the first bank from the region to open a branch in India’s GIFT City, Gujarat’s premier international financial hub and special economic zone.
• PayU, backed by Prosus, has received final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as an online payment aggregator.
• Fitch Ratings upgraded Shriram Finance Limited’s (SFL) Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) from ‘BB’ to ‘BB+’ with a stable
• Dvara Solutions has formed a strategic partnership with Kissandhan Agri Financial Services Private Limited (Kissandhan), an RBI-regulated Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) and a subsidiary of Sohan Lal Commodity Management Limited (SLCM).
• India’s retail inflation dropped to 3.16% in April 2025, marking the lowest level since July 2019.
• The number of Systematic Investment Plans (SIP) cancellations more than tripled to 162.3 lakh in April 2025 compared to the previous month.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is set to release $1.3 billion to Bangladesh in June after completing the fourth review of its $4.7-billion loan program.
• Wholesale Price Index (WPI) inflation dropped to a nine-month low of 0.85% in April from 2.05% in March.
• State-owned Canara Bank and Union Bank of India have announced special deposit schemes to boost resource mobilisation amid slowing deposit growth.
• HDFC Bank, India’s leading private sector bank in Current Account deposits, launched the new Biz+ Current Accounts.
• The unemployment rate in India, measured on a monthly basis for the first time, stood at 1% in April 2025.
• Reliance Industries (RIL) has secured a dual-currency loan worth $2.9 billion, the largest offshore loan raised by an Indian company in over a year.
• India remains the fastest-growing large economy as per the United Nations’ World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) Mid-Year Report.
• India’s total trade deficit (merchandise + services) widened to $8.65 billion in April 2025 from $5.77 billion in April 2024.
• Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) has received government approval to raise $1.17 billion through deep-discount bonds.

• India’s outward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) commitments nearly doubled to $6.8 billion in April 2025, compared to $3.58 billion in April 2024.
• India’s Merchandise exports rose by 9% YoY to $38.49 billion in April 2025, marking the highest in six months.

• Bill Gates announced his plan to donate nearly all of his estimated US$200 billion fortune over the next two decades.

• Uber has added Delhi Metro ticket booking within its app, powered by the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted “in-principle” approval to Emirates NBD Bank PJSC to set up a Wholly Owned Subsidiary (WOS) in India.
• SBM Bank India and ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company have entered into a bancassurance partnership.
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has tightened and standardised the internal audit mechanism norms for Market Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) to strengthen governance.
• State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, has cut interest rates on retail domestic term deposits by 20 basis points (bps)across all tenors, effective 16 May 2025.
• The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has amended the import policy and policy conditions for specific Indian Trade Classification (Harmonised System) 2022 [ITC (HS) 2022] codes, including those for precious metals, in line with the Finance Act 2025.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed revised guidelines to ease investment norms for regulated entities (REs) like banks and Non Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) in Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).
• 30-year Treasury bond yield reached its highest level this year at 5.02%, rising by 13 basis points (bps), the biggest one-day increase in over six months.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reviewed its Economic Capital Framework (ECF) and sought the government’s approval to expand the Contingent Risk Buffer (CRB) band.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will soon issue ₹20 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series bearing the signature of the new RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
• The U.S. The House of Representatives introduced a legislative package called ‘The One Big Beautiful Bill’ on May 12, 2025, which includes a proposed 5% tax on remittances sent abroad by non-U.S. citizens.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE & NATIONAL NEWS

• On National Technology Day 2025, the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, launched the first-ever cluster of five Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU) testbeds aimed at reducing emissions in the cement sector, a major contributor to industrial CO₂ emissions
• The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment hosted the Inclusive India Summit 2025 on May 15 at the India International Centre, New Delhi, in hybrid format to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD).
• At the Bharat 6G 2025 conference in New Delhi, Union MoS Dr. Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani announced that India has secured a place among the top six nations globally for filing 6G technology patents, underscoring the country’s dedication to next-generation telecom innovation
• The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of a sixth semiconductor fabrication unit—a joint venture between HCL and Foxconn—near Jewar airport in the YEIDA region
• ReNew Power announced a ₹22,000 crore investment to develop the country’s largest single-site Renewable Energy (RE) complex at Bethapalle village, Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh

• India has renewed its commitment to regional economic stability by rolling over a $50 million treasury bill held with the Maldives for one more year.
• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated India’s inaugural 3nm chip design centres, established by Renesas Electronics India, marking a pivotal advance in the country’s semiconductor journey.
• The Indian government has officially designated 23rd September as Ayurveda Day, moving away from its previous celebration linked to Dhanteras.
• India was recognized as a Country Champion at the 2025 World Bank Land Conference for its groundbreaking work in digital land governance.

• The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹3,706 crore joint venture between HCL and Foxconn to establish a semiconductor assembly and packaging plant in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh.

• To strengthen its clean energy agenda, the Indian government has approved an additional allocation of 2.8 million tonnes of Food Corporation of India(FCI) rice for ethanol production during the 2024–25 ethanol supply year.

• The Maharashtra government has introduced a new policy mandating the use of manufactured sand (m-sand) in all government and semi-government construction projects.

• In a significant development aimed at enhancing water-based transportation, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has opened a regional office in Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir.

• The Cabinet granted administrative sanction for the Wayanad township project aimed at the rehabilitation of landslide survivors of July 30, 2024.
• The global price of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) has risen over 13% since April, currently at $652/tonne.

• India and the European Union (EU)launched two major research and innovation initiatives under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) established in 2022 by PM Narendra Modi and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

• President Droupadi Murmu invoked Article 143 of the Indian Constitution to seek the Supreme Court’s advisory opinion.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled the modernised Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) in New Delhi.
• The Republic of Honduras officially opened its Embassy in New Delhi, with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his Honduran counterpart Eduardo Enrique Reina García presiding over the ceremony.
• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects worth ₹708 crore in Gandhinagar alongside a benefit-distribution programme of the Department of Posts
• Hon’ble Union Minister of Power and Housing & Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal will represent India at the BRICS Energy Ministers’ Meeting in Brasília on 19 May 2025, under the theme “Empowering Global South Cooperation for Inclusive and Sustainable Global Governance.”
• Government of Nagaland released a Coffee Table Book titled “Transforming Lives: A Glance of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) Mission in Nagaland”.
• Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh (MoFAH&D& Panchayati Raj) will inaugurate a one-day Fish Festival at Agartala and lay the foundation for a ₹42.4 crore Integrated Aquapark in Kailashahar, Tripura—both under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY).
• The Government e-Marketplace (GeM), India’s digital public procurement portal, celebrated its 8th Incorporation Day on May 19, 2025.
• India achieved a major public health milestone by receiving the WHO Certificate of Elimination of Trachoma as a public health problem during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva.
• The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has reassigned management of its ₹50 crore Endangered Species Conservation Fund to the Advanced Institute of Wildlife Conservation (AIWC), Vandalur
• The Tripura government has launched the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan from May 29 to June 12, 2025, as part of a central initiative led by the Union Ministry of Agriculture
• Tamil Nadu has emerged as the largest recipient of funds from the Central government under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in the current fiscal year (FY26), followed by Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (which is poll-bound).

• KeralaChief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the ambitious ₹200 crore CIAL 2.0 project aimed at fully digitising operations at Cochin International Airport (CIAL), focusing on artificial intelligence, automation, and enhanced cybersecurity

• Department of Posts released a commemorative postage stamp to mark 125 years of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory
• The Indian government is set to introduce a landmark reform allowing private companies to operate nuclear power plants for the first time.
• Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the Sagar Mein Samman (SMS) initiative on International Day for Women in Maritime in Mumbai, aiming to build a future-ready, gender-equitable maritime workforce by boosting women’s participation across all seafaring and shore-based roles
• Chief Minister Revanth Reddy will inaugurate the “Indira Soura Giri Jala Vikasam” scheme at Macharam village, Nagarukurnool district, to empower 2.1 lakh tribal farmers by providing solar-powered irrigation and developing six lakh acres of RoFR lands over the next five years

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

• Dr Manoj Kumar Jhawar has officially taken over as the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of PTC India Limited, effective May 13.
• Anita Anand, 58, has been sworn in as Canada’s new Foreign Minister in a Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Mark Carney.
• ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) has appointed Vibhor Jain as the acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with immediate effect.
• M N Srinivasu, co-founder of BillDesk, was appointed as the chairperson of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) following the governing council elections.
• On May 14, 2025, Russia sentenced Grigory Melkonyants, a high-profile election monitor, to five years in a general regime prison colony.
• Ajay Kumar, former Defence Secretary, has been appointed as Chairman of the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission).
• Harvansh Chawla appointed as Chairman of BRICS Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
• Anurag Bhushan, a 1995 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Sweden.
• Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has appointed Bhawna Agarwal as the Senior Vice President (SVP) and Managing Director (MD) of HPE India, effective immediately.
• HCL Technologies (HCLTech) has appointed Kiran Cherukuri as the Global GCC Practice Leader.
• Raj Kumar, the LIC Nominee Director, has ceased to hold his position on the Board of IDBI Bank with effect from May 18, 2025.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOUs & AGREEMENTS

• The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in India’s clean energy and manufacturing sectors.

• Adani Defence & Aerospace has signed a binding collaboration agreement with Sparton (DeLeon Springs LLC)—a subsidiary of Elbit Systems specialising in advanced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) systems—to assemble sophisticated electronic sonobuoy solutions domestically for the Indian Navy and global markets

CURRENT AFFAIRS: ACQUISITION & MERGER

• Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has increased its stake in Bank of India (BoI) to 8.38% as of May 9, 2025.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed acquisition of shareholding in EPL Limited by Indorama Netherlands B.V.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the proposed combination involving an investment of approximately 13% limited partnership interests by AIPCF VIII A-TE Funding L.P. in Perseus Parent L.P.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved a combination involving the demerger of the MDO Business of Thriveni Earthmovers Private Limited (TEMPL) into Thriveni Earthmovers and Infra Private Limited (TEIPL).
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition by Knowledge Realty Trust (Acquirer REIT) of certain entities belonging to the Blackstone Group and/or Sattva Group.
• Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed an agreement to sell its entire stake in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (Isarc) for ₹34.04 crore.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS& HONOURS

• Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria was awarded the 2025 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking work in developing biological seed and soil treatments that significantly boost crop yields while reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers.

• Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra has been honoured with the Honorary Lieutenant Colonel title in the Territorial Army by the Indian Government
• Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz was named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for April 2025, following a series of standout performances in the Test series against Zimbabwe
• In a grand celebration of India’s literary legacy, President Droupadi Murmu presented the 58th Jnanpith Award, the nation’s highest literary honour, to Gulzar and Rambhadracharya at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY

• Subbanna Ayyappan, renowned fisheries expertand Padma Shri awardee, was found dead in the Cauvery river on May 10, three days after going missing from his Mysuru residence.

• Dr. Saroj Ghose, the founding Director General of the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), passed away on May 17, 2025, in Seattle, USA, at the age of 89.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

• Google’s new ‘G’ logo appears nearly identical to its previous version, but with a subtle change: the four primary colors — red, yellow, green, and blue — now blend into each other in a soft gradient.
• Chandrayaan-5 (LUPEX) is a joint lunar exploration mission by ISRO (India) and JAXA (Japan) focusing on deep exploration of the Moon’s surface, especially for water and water-ice.
• Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth will lead the Indian delegation at the 17th Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2025).
• Samudrayaan is India’s first manned deep ocean mission, scheduled for launch by 2026.
• Baby KJ Muldoon, a nine-month-old infant in the United States, became the first person to receive a personalised CRISPR-based gene-editing therapy tailored to his unique genetic mutation.
• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) attempted to launch the earth observation satellite EOS-09 on PSLV-C61 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPS& PORTALS

• Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, launched the new Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Portal in New Delhi.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE NEWS

• Cambodia and China began their largest-ever joint military exercises on May 14, 2025, which will continue until May 28, 2025.
• India has strengthened its ground-based space surveillance systems through a strategic partnership between the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully developed an indigenous nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane for high-pressure sea water desalination.
• DG, Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin and DG, Medical Services (Army) Lt Gen Sadhna S Nair inaugurated the state-of-the-art Femto-LASIK Suite at Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi Cantt.
• Operation Olivia is an annual mission by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) focused on marine conservation, especially protecting Olive Ridley turtles.

CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS NEWS

• The National Federationis awaiting a government advisory, but Pakistan’s spot at the Hero Asia Cup (Rajgir, Bihar | Aug 27–Sep 7, 2025) is uncertain due to heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor retaliatory strikes
• The Khelo India Youth Games 2025 concluded with a closing ceremony at the Pataliputra Sports Complex, Patna, Bihar.
• Bologna ended a 51-year wait for a major trophy by beating AC Milan 1-0 to win the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia).
• Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar inaugurated a new boardroom named “10000 Gavaskar” at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• In a landmark performance, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian and only the third Asian to breach the 90 m barrier in men’s javelin, recording 90.23 m at the Doha leg of the Diamond League.
• Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa won his first-ever Grand Chess Tour event by taking the Superbet Classic 2025 crown in Bucharest, Romania.
• Eliise Randmaa of Estonia clinched gold at the Miss World 2025 Sports Challenge at Hyderabad’s Gachibowli Indoor Stadium, becoming the first Estonian delegate to reach the quarter-finals since 1999.
• India won the SAFF U-19 Championship 2025 by defeating Bangladesh 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation time
• Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner 7-6 (5), 6-1 in the 2025 Italian Open final, securing his first Italian Open and 7th ATP Masters 1000 title.
• KL Rahul achieved a remarkable milestone during the IPL 2025 match between Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi, becoming the fastest Indian to reach 8000 runs in T20 cricket