Are you preparing for exams like SSC, Banking, RRB NTPC, UPSC, or state-level exams? Then you must know about the International Financial Institutions that often appear in current affairs questions.
These include the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB), New Development Bank (NDB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
In this post, we will look at the latest news, reports, and projects related to these global bodies in 2025. This information is very useful for your general awareness and helps you answer questions in the exam quickly.
Let’s explore what these institutions are doing around the world and in India. Stay updated and boost your score with these exam-focused current affairs!
◾Also explore: Loans and Grants: Latest Current Affairs
International Financial Institutions in News 2025
July 2025
◾ The Tamil Nadu government has commenced the restoration of Kariyachalli island in the Gulf of Mannar region under the Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resource (TNSHORE) initiative. The project is jointly funded by the State Government and the World Bank.
◾ The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $200 million for a new Asian Development Bank (ADB)-led programme aimed at unlocking large-scale public and private investment in high-impact and emerging clean energy sectors in India.
◾ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched the Universal Health Coverage Practitioners and Experts Knowledge Exchange and Resources (UHC PEERS) – a regional peer-to-peer learning network to drive Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across Asia and the Pacific region.
◾ The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released a Fintech Note titled “Growing Retail Digital Payments: The Value of Interoperability”, highlighting India’s leadership in digital payments through Unified Payment Interface (UPI).
◾ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its latest report, Asian Development Outlook – July 2025, has revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 6.5%.
◾ The World Bank, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (India), released a report titled “Towards Resilient and Prosperous Cities in India”, estimating that Indian cities will need over USD 2.4 trillion by 2050 to tackle climate risks.
◾ The World Bank Group has signed an agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to support the safe, secure, and responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries.
◾ The World Bank has placed India among the world’s most equal societies, reporting a Gini Index of 25.5, making India the fourth most equal country after the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, and Belarus.
◾ According to the World Bank’s Global Findex Database 2024 titled “Connectivity and Financial Inclusion in the Digital Economy”, financial account ownership globally has reached 79% of the adult population.
June 2025
◾ The World Bank, in its report titled “From Risk to Resilience: Helping People and Firms Adapt in South Asia”, stated that nearly 1.8 billion people in South Asia will face extreme heat risks by 2030.
◾ The World Bank has approved $250 million in financing for the Inga 3 hydropower project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
◾ In its latest Global Economic Prospects report, the World Bank upheld its forecast for India’s GDP growth at 6.3% for FY26.
◾ According to the World Bank report “Global Poverty Revisited Using 2021 PPPs and New Data on Consumption”, India’s extreme poverty rate has dropped from 27.1% in 2011–12 to 5.3% in 2022–23.
◾ The World Bank’s annual report ‘State & Trends of Carbon Pricing 2025’ revealed that operational carbon pricing instruments have increased from 5 in 2005 to 80 in 2025, with India, Brazil, and Türkiye actively developing such mechanisms.
◾ The World Bank has approved the ‘Karnataka Water Security and Resilience Program’ worth USD 426 million, aiming to enhance water security and resilience for over four million residents in Bengaluru.
◾ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a five-year plan to mobilise up to $10 billion, including third-party capital, to enhance India’s urban infrastructure and services.
◾ The International Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation 2025, addressed by the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, was organised by Tajikistan, in association with the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), ADB, and UNESCO.
◾ The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $109.97 million results-based loan to support the Government of Gujarat in building a future-ready industrial workforce as part of its global hub vision.
◾ The ADB, in collaboration with CGIAR and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, has launched an initiative to promote sustainable and low-carbon rice farming across Asia and the Pacific.
◾ The World Economic Forum (WEF) released the ‘Chief Economists Outlook – May 2025’, highlighting a deteriorating global economic outlook due to rising economic nationalism and tariff uncertainties.
◾ According to the European Central Bank (ECB), gold has overtaken the euro to become the second most significant reserve asset after the U.S. dollar.
May 2025
◾Haryana Cabinet approved the Haryana AI Development Project (HAIDP) with support from the World Bank.
◾Uttar Pradesh and the World Bank launched ‘UP AGREES’ and ‘AI Pragya’ to boost agriculture and digital transformation.
◾Uttarakhand secured ₹1910 crore funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) for urban infrastructure development.
◾ADB and Japan jointly launched the ADB Market Acceleration Platform (AMAP) to boost private sector development in Asia-Pacific.
◾India approved three Russian insurers for marine cover; Credit Bank of Moscow is not among them.
◾Telangana CM launched the ‘Women Acceleration Program (WAP)’, supported by the World Bank, to empower women entrepreneurs.
◾Algeria was admitted as a new member of the New Development Bank (NDB).
◾Uttarakhand Forest Department inaugurated the state’s first Cycad Garden in Haldwani, funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
April 2025
◾NaBFID signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the New Development Bank (NDB) to accelerate infrastructure and sustainable development projects in India.
◾Ajay Pandey has been appointed Vice President of Investment Solutions at AIIB (Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank).
◾World Bank’s ‘South Asia Development Update: Taxing Times’ trimmed India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2025-26 to 6.3%.
◾Sunil Bharti Mittal has joined the World Bank Group’s Private Sector Investment Lab (PSIL) to scale private investments and job creation in developing nations.
◾India’s extreme poverty dropped to 2.3% in 2022–23, as per the World Bank’s ‘India Poverty and Equity Brief: April 2025’ report.
March 2025
- World Bank Report on India’s Economic Growth: According to the World Bank’s report titled “Becoming a High-Income Economy in a Generation,” India needs to maintain an average growth rate of 7.8% over the next 22 years to achieve high-income status by 2047.
- IMF’s Financial System Assessment Report: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has released the “India Financial System Stability Assessment” report, highlighting stress in NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Companies) and their potential risks to the stability of India’s financial system.
- ADB’s Frontier Seed Program: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched the ‘Frontier Seed (Pacific) Program’, aimed at developing local capital markets and supporting inclusive and sustainable businesses in frontier markets.
- Dilma Rousseff Re-elected as NDB President: Dilma Vana Rousseff has been re-elected as the President of the New Development Bank (NDB), with her new term extending until 2030.
- Indonesia Joins New Development Bank: Indonesia has recently become a member country of the New Development Bank (NDB), further expanding the institution’s global presence.
February 2025
- The Kerala government approved the Kerala Health System Improvement Programme with a ₹2,424.28 crore loan from the World Bank.
- International Finance Corporation (IFC) invested ₹860 crore in India’s 1st Sustainability-linked Bond (SLB) in the road sector, issued by Cube Highways Trust (Cube InvIT).
- Nagaland Forest Management Project (NFMP) won the SKOCH Award 2024, assisted by Japan International Cooperation Agency.
- Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Uttarakhand government signed the ‘Records of Discussions’ to boost horticulture production in Tehri Garhwal & Nainital.
January 2025
- CCI Approval: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved three organizations to acquire a stake in Fourth Partner Energy Limited (FPEL), excluding the New Development Bank (NDB).
- CCDR Report: The World Bank published the ‘Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR)’, estimating that Cabo Verde needs $842 million (2024-2030) to tackle climate and development challenges.
- PFC Loan Agreement: Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC) signed a ₹6,600 crore (120 billion JPY) loan agreement with Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to support renewable energy projects in India.
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