August 2025 Global Developments India US Tariff UPI Reforms: Key updates on trade, aviation, space, education and protests
August opens with high-impact developments across sectors—from global trade to digital payments and space exploration, The United States has imposed a 25% tariff on Indian goods, while Air India cautiously resumes international flights after June’s crash.
India’s astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla is set to speak on his return from the ISS via Axiom Mission 4, domestic reforms also take effect: Punjab rolls out India’s first anti-drug school curriculum, and UPI payment rules see a major reset. Meanwhile, US consumers launch boycotts against Walmart and McDonald’s.
President Donald Trump has enforced a 25% tariff on imports from India starting August 1. Months of failed negotiations led to the decision, largely over India’s reluctance to open its agriculture sector to US exports like corn, wheat, rice, and GM soybeans. Trump also flagged India’s Russian energy and defence ties as “ALL THINGS NOT GOOD”.
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed that the August 1 deadline for the tariff was final, with no scope for delay. India’s annual exports to the US stand at $87 billion, covering labour-intensive sectors like apparel, pharma, gemstones and petrochemicals. The tariff raises concerns over India’s export competitiveness. The US trade deficit with India sits at $45.7 billion. This move threatens to derail both nations’ goal of hitting $500 billion in bilateral trade by 2030.
Air India will partially restart its international services from today. The airline had paused flights after the tragic June 12 crash of flight AI171 in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. A post-crash review revealed fuel-switch malfunctions.
The resumed network includes over 525 weekly flights across 63 international routes. Some routes like Amritsar–London and Bengaluru–Singapore will run with reduced frequencies. A new route between Ahmedabad and London will also launch. Full services will resume by October 1. Passengers impacted by the pause are receiving rebooking and refund options.
Axiom Space will host a post-mission briefing today for the Ax-4 mission crew, including Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla. He flew aboard SpaceX’s Dragon “Grace” and reached the ISS on June 26. Shukla, now NASA Astronaut No. 634, worked with the crew on 60+ experiments related to microgravity and human health during the two-week mission. This marks India’s return to human spaceflight nearly four decades after Rakesh Sharma. The briefing will cover mission outcomes and the private sector’s growing space role.
Starting today, the National Payments Corporation of India has implemented structural reforms in UPI services and these changes aim to reduce system failures and fraud risks amid growing usage.
Key reforms include:
Punjab has rolled out the first-of-its-kind, evidence-based anti-drug curriculum in India targeted at Classes IX to XII, the programmed spans 27 weeks with 35-minute biweekly sessions. It uses interactive formats such as documentaries, role-plays and group discussions to counter peer pressure and drug myths.
Developed with J-PAL South Asia under Nobel laureate Prof. Abhijit Banerjee, the curriculum reaches 800,000 students across 3,658 schools. A pilot programme in Amritsar and Tarn Taran showed promising results. Over 6,500 teachers have received training to implement it under the “Yudh Nashian De Virudh” mission.
Consumer group People’s Union USA, led by John Schwarz, has initiated coordinated boycotts targeting Walmart and McDonald’s. The protests are in response to tax avoidance, low wages, poor labor policies, and cuts in DEI efforts.
Organisers urge consumers to avoid these brands—especially on designated “blackout” days—and support local businesses instead. The campaign coincides with major shopping seasons like back-to-school and holiday sales to maximize impact.
