April Flashcards
The union cabinet has approved to release of an additional installment of Dearness Allowance (DA) to Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) to pensioners with immediate effect
(w.e.f.)______.
- This marks an increase of 2% (i.e. to 55%) compared to the existing rate of 53% of the Basic Pay/Pension, to compensate against price rise.
January 1, 2025
The cumulative impact on the exchequer on account of an increase in both DA and DR will be Rs 6,614.04 crore annually. This increase is expected to benefit about 48.6 lakh central government employees and 66.5 lakh pensioners.
This increase in both DA and DR is in accordance with the accepted formula, which is calculated based on the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Delhi (Delhi) based ______ to enhance audit planning, processes, and capacity building in the field of urban development.
i. The MoU aims to jointly develop content and course materials focused on urban sectors from an audit perspective.
ii. The partnership seeks to enhance capacity-building initiatives and equip professionals with specialized skills in urban development, focusing on improving the audit capabilities of Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD) officers and staff.
iii. The partnership focuses on developing urban auditing tools, case studies, and methodologies, shared with CAG officials for enhancement.
National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA)
- The signing ceremony took place in the presence of K. Sanjay Murthy, CAG of India, accompanied by senior officials from both institutions.
The 3rd Universal Acceptance Day (UA Day) 2025 celebration was held in New Delhi on ______.
- The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), hosted a hybrid Universal Acceptance (UA) Day 2025 event on the date at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Delhi.
- Theme of an event – “Connecting the Unconnected – Building a Multilingual Internet for Viksit Bharat,” aimed to promote UA and foster a more inclusive digital ecosystem in India.
28th March 2025
- The event featured discussions on UA’s socio-economic impact, benefits for businesses, and its role in effective public policy, emphasizing the need for multilingual internet and highlighting UA’s importance in providing seamless access to digital services for all.
About Universal Acceptance Day (UA Day)
The first UA Day was established by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) with the support of Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) on _____.
- Universal Acceptance (UA) Day is an opportunity to mobilize local, national, regional, and global communities and organizations to champion UA on a global scale.
- UA is a technical best practice that ensures all valid domain names and email addresses, regardless of script, language or character length, can be equally used by all Internet-enabled applications, devices, and systems.
28 March 2023
In response to the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on 28th March 28, India swiftly initiated ______, aimed at providing urgent humanitarian aid. Within just 24 hours, the Indian Air Force (IAF) dispatched its first relief flight C-130J aircraft to Yangon, Myanmar.
- India has dispatched two naval ships, INS Satpura and INS Savitri, carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Yangon.
- Additionally, INS Karmuk and LCU 52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command departed on March 30, 2025, with 52 tonnes of relief material, including food, water, clothing, medicines, and emergency supplies.
Operation Brahma
- The Indian Navy continues to uphold India’s role as the region’s First Responder in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts.
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) led the mission, emphasizing India’s “neighbourhood first” policy and its commitment to swiftly assisting neighbouring countries.
i. Primary Dealer (PD): It refers to a RBI-registered Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) that is authorised to buy and sell Government Securities (G-Secs), in terms of the ‘Guidelines for Primary Dealer in Government Securities Market’ dated March 29, 1995.
- PDs in India have been classified into two different categories: SPDs and Bank PDs.
ii. SPDs: These entities are either subsidiaries of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) or incorporated abroad or incorporated under the companies act and registered as NBFCs.
iii. Standing Liquidity Facility: It is a window through which SPDs borrow money from RBI at the repo rate.
iv. VRR: It acts as a means to infuse short-term liquidity into the banking system. It is a process through which RBI allows banks to borrow at a rate determined by the market generally lower than Repo rate for a maximum period of 14 days. (Variable Rate Repo)
- SPDs refers to Standalone Primary Dealers
- “Bank PDS” refers to a Protected Disclosure Scheme (PDS) within a bank, which is a whistle-blower policy, as suggested by the RBI.
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Axis Bank Limited, one of India’s largest private sector banks, partnered with _________, a leading global financial services firm, to introduce real-time, 24/7 programmable USD clearing capabilities for its commercial clients.
New York (United States of America, USA)-based J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
- The initiative is powered by Kinexys Digital Payments (KDP), the blockchain and digital assets unit of J.P. Morgan, providing seamless cross-border payment solutions from Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), an International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat, India.
About Axis Bank Limited:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Amitabh Chaudhry
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra
Founded – ____
About J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.:
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Jamie Dimon
Headquarters – New York, the United States of America (USA)
Founded –
1993 ;
1871
the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters announced renowned Japanese mathematician ______ (78 year old), the winner of 2025 Abel Prize in Oslo, Norway. He won this award for his fundamental contributions to algebraic analysis and representation theory, specifically for the development of the theory of D-modules and discovery of crystal bases.
Masaki Kashiwara
Famous Tibetan spiritual leader his Holiness, _____, the 14th Dalai Lama was conferred with Gold Mercury Award for Peace and Visionary Governance 2025, by London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based Gold Mercury International, the global governance think tank and historic award organisation, at his residence at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh (HP).
Tenzin Gyatso
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Tata Sons Limited’s Chairman, _______, was appointed to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Advisory Council on Entrepreneurship and Growth.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran
The Indian freestyle wrestling team concluded the 2025 Senior Asian Wrestling Championship held in Amman, Jordan, from 25 to 30 March 2025, with a tally of 10 Medals, including 1 Gold, 3 Silver, and 6 Bronze. This was the 21st edition of the championship, and the events were organized by Switzerland-based _______.
United World Wrestling (UWW)
- India’s Manisha Bhanwala in the Women’s Wrestling (WW) (62 Kilograms (Kg)) category clinched India’s first and only Gold Medal in the championship by defeating North Korea’s Ok J. Kim by 8-7 points.
- This event marked the 1st time Amman hosted the championships, bringing together over 370 wrestlers from across Asia. Iran dominated the championships, with multiple wrestlers making it to the finals.
________, a 24-year-old sprinter from Patial village, Jalandhar, Punjab, set a new national record in the men’s 100m event at the Indian Grand Prix 1 held at the SAI South Centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Representing the Reliance Foundation High Performance Centre.
Gurindervir Singh
- Gurindervir Singh set a new national record in the men’s 100 meters, clocking 10.20 seconds and surpassing the previous record of 10.23 seconds set by Manikanta Hoblidhar in October 2023.
Race winners:
* Gold: Gurindervir Singh – 10.20 seconds
* Silver: Manikanta Hoblidhar – 10.22 seconds (personal best)
* Bronze: Amlan Borgohain – 10.43 seconds
______, India’s top-ranked women’s squash player, secured the JSW Indian Open women’s singles title, at the Bombay Gymkhana in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The 17-year-old defeated Helen Tang from Hong Kong China with a straight-game victory of 11-9, 11-5, 11-8.
Anahat Singh
- This victory marks Anahat’s sixth consecutive title and her 11th Professional Squash Association (PSA) title overall, underscoring her consistent excellence in the sport.
- The win awarded Anahat 300 ranking points, further solidifying her position at the top of Indian women’s squash.
March 31
International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) is annually observed across the globe on 31 March to celebrate the courage and resilience of transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming persons and honours the contributions, achievements, and bravery of those people in every country and culture worldwide.
Odisha Chief Minister (CM) Mohan Charan Majhi launched the ______, a major housing initiative aimed at improving the living conditions of underprivileged citizens in the state towards the mission of “Housing for All”.
- The scheme is set to spend Rs 7,550 crore over the next three years, to construct over 5 lakh
houses for eligible households
“Antyodaya Gruha Yojana”
Uttarakhand Chief Minister (CM) Pushkar Singh Dhami launched the ______ (app) during a one-day workshop under the Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan 2025 at Mukhya Sevak Sadan in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), enabling users to report water sources in their localities that are at risk or in critical condition.
Theme and Objectives
* The event was held with the theme “Dhara Mera, Naula Mera, Gaon Mera, Prayas Mera” meaning “My Stream, My Water Source, My Village, My Effort.”
- Jal Sanrakshan Abhiyan 2025 conserves water with Dhara Naula Committees and workshops, promoting sustainable management and revitalizing water sources
“Bhagirath Mobile Application”
the Government of ____ signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Noida (Uttar Pradesh)-based National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM) to boost skill development, generate employment, and strengthen the state’s IT ecosystem.
About National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM):
Chairperson – Sindhu Gangadharan
President – Rajesh Nambiar
Headquarters – Noida, Uttar Pradesh
Established – 1988
Chhattisgarh
- The MoU was formalized between the Chhattisgarh Government and NASSCOM, with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai engaging with NASSCOM Vice-President Srikant Srinivasan during the Investors Connect meet in Bengaluru.
- The MoU aims to enhance job opportunities and drive technological advancements across the state through the institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Raipur, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur, and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Raipur.
Exercise Tiger Triumph-25, the 4th edition of bilateral Tri-Service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise between India and ______, commenced on the Eastern Seaboard on April 01, 2025 and will continue till April 13, 2025.
the United States of America (USA)
Background:
i. ‘Tiger Triumph’ is a tri-service military exercise held between India and the USA since 2009.
ii. The exercise is usually held at different locations across India, emphasizing joint training in both land and maritime operations.
iii. The previous edition of the Exercise ‘Tiger Triumph’ was held in November 2023. It took place in the Bay of Bengal, off the eastern coast of India
the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) issued a notification regarding the revised wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26). This notification was issued under sub-section (1) of Section 6 of MNREGA, 2005.
- As per notification, the daily wage for workers under MGNREGA has been raised from existing Rs 349 to _____ a person.
- The revised rates came into effect from the 1st day of FY26 i.e. from April 1, 2025.
The wages under MGNREGA are fixed as per the changes in the Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL), which shows the increase in inflation in rural areas.
- Goa had witnessed the highest hike of 10.56% in FY25 compared to FY23 wage rate; While, Uttar Pradesh (UP), and Uttarakhand registered the lowest wage rate of 3.04%.
- During FY25, 5.66 crore households have availed the benefits of MGNREGA scheme till March 19, 2025
Rs 370
Key Changes in Wages:
i. The wages under MGNREGA has been hiked in the range of 2.33%-7.48% i.e. wages has witnessed an increase in the range of Rs 7 to Rs 26.
ii. As per MoRD, the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) wages have been raised by Rs 7 in 5 states: Andhra Pradesh (AP), Arunachal Pradesh (AR), Assam, Nagaland, and Telangana.
iii. Among all the Indian states, Haryana recorded the highest increase of Rs 26 in NREGS wages i.e. from existing rate of Rs 374 per day to Rs 400 per day for FY26.
- This will be the time ever the NREGS wages will reach daily wage of Rs 400 in any state.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Clean energy player _____ has launched India’s largest solar cell manufacturing facility in _____, with a 5.4 Gigawatt (GW) capacity and an investment of Rs 2,500 crore.
The plant features advanced Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact (TOPCon) technology, which is known for its high efficiency and improved energy conversion rates.
Waaree Energies Limited (WEL) ;
Chikhli, Gujarat
Gujarat Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel virtually inaugurated India’s largest Chlorotoluene plant at _____, on the foundation day of Vadodara (Gujarat)-based Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL).
- Established with an investment of Rs 350 crore, the plant aims to produce value-added chlorine derivatives, reducing import dependency and boosting exports.
Dahej (Gujarat)
i. The newly inaugurated facility has an annual production capacity of 30,000 tonnes and will manufacture critical chemicals like Benzyl Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, and Benzaldehyde.
ii. These chemicals are widely used in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and dyes. The plant will utilize chlorine, a by-product of caustic soda manufacturing, ensuring efficient resource use.
iii. This aligns with India’s goal to enhance self-reliance in specialty chemicals and expand its global market share.
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi announced _____as the theme for 2025 International Day of Yoga (IDY).
- The 1st ever IDY was observed on June 21, 2015, to raise awareness about the benefits of practicing Yoga, which is a 5,000-year-old ancient practice that originated from India.
‘Yoga for One Earth, One Health’
- New Delhi (Delhi) based The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy), has been tasked with organizing large-scale celebrations for International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025. As part of the preparations, the institute launched the 100-day countdown to IDY 2025 during the Yogamahotsav event at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, on March 13, 2025.
Paris (France)-based United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) published its latest report titled ‘Education and Nutrition: Learn to Eat Well’, which focuses on the quality of meals served at schools worldwide. The report was released on the occasion of the ‘Nutrition for Growth (N4G)’ event, hosted by France from March 27 to 28, 2025 in Paris.
* The report was prepared by the UNESCO in partnership with the Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition.
* The report urged governments to not only expand access to school meals but to also improve their nutritional quality.
- The report revealed that nearly _____ of primary school pupils globally received school meals in 2024. However, it cautioned that the nutritional value of these meals remained a pressing concern.
50%
- The report highlighted that nearly a third (27%) of school meals across the world in 2022, were not developed in consultation with nutritionists.
- The report showed that only 93 countries out of the 187 that were examined had legislation, standards or guidelines on school food and drink. Of these 93 countries, only 65% had standards covering foods sold in cafeterias and vending machines.
- According to the report, nutritious school meals are linked to both improved health and academic outcomes. It showed school meals increased enrolment rates by 9% and attendance by 8% among pupils, and also improved learning.
The report underscored obesity among school-age children had more than doubled in most countries since 1990, while food insecurity continued to increase.
- 418 million children now benefit from school meals worldwide, which is 30 million more than the 388 million children before the pandemic in early 2020
the Indian Air Force (IAF) participated in the 12-day biennial multinational air exercise _______, held from March 31 to April 11, 2025 at Andravida Air Base of Greece. The exercise is hosted by Greece’s Hellenic Air Force, took place in the historic region of Elis.
- This biennial exercise provides an opportunity to train in planning and executing Combined Air operations, refine tactics in complex air warfare scenarios, and exchange operational best practices.
INIOCHOS-25
_______, from Ghana, assumed office as the 7th Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations. With this, she has become the first woman from Africa to hold this office. Also, she is the second woman to take on the position.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
the Government of India (GoI) has approved a proposal to raise its stake in Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) to _____ by converting outstanding spectrum auction dues worth Rs 36,950 crore into equity.
- This move, part of the September 2021 Reforms and Support Package for Telecom Sector, aims to alleviate financial stress on the debt-laden telecom operator
48.99%
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) successfully launched _______, which marks the 1st human spaceflight over Earth’s polar regions. The mission was lifted off aboard a Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule ‘Resilience’, from Launch Complex-39A at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the United States of America (USA).
‘Fram2’ mission
- The mission is named after the Norwegian ‘Fram’ Ship which explored both poles in the early 20th Century.
- The privately funded mission carried 4 astronauts on 3-5 days orbital journey.
_____ unveiled the ‘Zircon’ Hypersonic Missile, a cutting-edge weapon capable of reaching speeds of Mach 9 (over 10,000 kilometers per hour, km/h) at altitudes of 20 km.
Zircon is described as a “strategic asset” representing a significant leap in military technology, capable of striking land, sea, and airborne targets with unmatched precision and speed.
Russia
- The Zircon, also called the 3M22 Zircon, is a Supersonic Combustion Ramjet, or Scramjetpowered, nuclear-capable hypersonic cruise missile.
- It utilises the 3S-14 launch platforms on frigates and submarines, and the missile was first used during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2024.
a newly discovered species of snakehead fish, “Channa nachi” has been identified in a remote stream in South Garo Hills, _____, a biodiversity hotspot in Northeast India.
Meghalaya
a 20-year-old Indian ______, triumphed at the 18th edition of the 2025 Tashkent Open Agzamov Memorial in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He clinched the title with an unbeaten score of 8 out of 10, finishing half a point ahead of the second-place finisher, Russian GM Sanan Sjugirov.
Grandmaster (GM) Nihal Sarin
the historic city of Rajgir in Bihar was designated as the host city for the _____. This decision follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between New Delhi (Delhi) based Hockey India(HI) and the Bihar State Sports Authority (BSSA) in Patna, Bihar.
Hero Asia Cup 2025
The Sagarmala Programme, a flagship initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), launched in March 2015, has completed _____ years of successful implementation.
- The programme aims to revolutionalize port-led development in the country through harnessing India’s 7,500 kilometer (km) long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes.
10
the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) launched _______, a digital platform to monitor the real-time availability of Anti-Rabies Vaccines (ARV) and Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) across India to ensure efficient distribution and prevent shortages in healthcare facilities.
- The platform aligns with the National Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Snakebite Envenoming (NAP-SE), introduced in 2023 to halve snakebite deaths and disabilities by 2030 through a ‘One Health’ approach.
‘ZooWIN’
About ZooWIN:
- It is designed to facilitate real-time stock monitoring, ensuring sufficient vaccine availability in health facilities and preventing shortages.
- It functions similar to Co-WIN (Covid Vaccine Intelligence Network) and U-WIN (Universal Immunization WIN), improving collaboration among healthcare providers, municipal authorities, and veterinary services.
Development and Implementation:
i. Developed by: New Delhi (Delhi)-based National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India.
ii. Pilot Phase: Launched in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Assam, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh (AP).
Droupadi Murmu, the president of India unveiled a special postage stamp of denomination ____ to mark the 90th anniversary of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
- The 90th anniversary of RBI marks a milestone in its journey, reinforcing its dedication to fostering economic stability, financial growth, and trust in India’s financial system.
Rs. 5
About Commemorative Stamp Design:
i. Symbolism: Features the RBI’s original headquarters in Kolkata (West Bengal, WB) and its current headquarters in Mumbai, reflecting its evolution.
ii. Logo: Features the 90th-anniversary emblem with the motto “Stability. Trust. Growth”, highlighting RBI’s foundational principles.
Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF), inaugurated the ______ portal in New Delhi, Delhi.
- The portal has been created by National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog in partnership with New Delhi based National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
‘NITI NCAER States Economic Forum‘
i. The portal will provide a comprehensive repository of data on India’s states, encompassing social, economic, and fiscal parameters spanning over three decades (1990-91 to 2022-23).
ii. The portal serves as a centralized hub, enabling policymakers, researchers, and analysts to compare and benchmark state-wise data against national figures, thereby facilitating informed decision-making and policy debates.
iii. The portal will facilitate an understanding of macro, fiscal, demographic, and socio-economic trends; easily accessible data and user-friendly format and will also address the ongoing need for consolidated sectoral data in one place.
Forbes released its ‘39th Annual World’s Billionaires list’, the definitive ranking of the world’s richest people.
- ______ topped the List with a net worth of USD 342 Billion (bn). He is followed by Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta with a net worth of USD 216 bn and at the 3rd place is Jeff Bezos, chairman and founder of Amazon.
India Scenario:
i. Mukesh Ambani remains India’s richest person and Asia’s wealthiest, ranking _____ globally with a fortune of USD 92.5 billion from Reliance Industries.
ii. Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, follows at 28th place with USD 56.3 billion. He is the fourth richest Asian, behind TikTok’s Zhang Yiming (23rd, USD 65.5 billion) and Nongfu Spring’s Zhong Shanshan (26th, USD 57.7 billion).
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors ;
18th
i. Jensen Huang, the CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, presently positioned at the 10th rank has entered the ranks of the top 10 richest people for the first time.
ii. The US topped the list with a record of 902 billionaires, followed by China with 516 billionaires and India at the 3rd position with 205 billionaires.
iii. The richest woman of all is Walmart heir Alice Walton, whose fortune stands at an estimated USD 101 billion. She reclaims the title from French L’Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who now ranks second, at USD 81.6 billion.
iv. A record of 15 people worldwide is part of the USD 100 Billion club, up from 14 last year and zero in 2017. This elite group is worth USD 2.4 trillion in all, that is 0.5% of the world’s 3,028 billionaires hold approximately 15% of all billionaire wealth.
v. The 2025 ranking features 288 newcomers, and Scale AI cofounder Alexandr Wang is the youngest selfmade billionaire in the world, at the age of 28.
the Embassy of India in Kathmandu (Nepal) in collaboration with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Government of Nepal, and other Project Implementing Agencies, has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) for undertaking ____ High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDPs) in Nepal.
- These projects, supported under the grant assistance of the Government of India (GoI), focus on Education, Health, and Culture sectors, with a total estimated cost of Nepalese Rupees (NRs) 625 million.
- This initiative is part of India’s ongoing commitment to enhancing infrastructure and community development in Nepal at the grassroots level.
10
the global credit rating agency, Moody’s Ratings released its latest report on Emerging Markets, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will grow at ____ for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), down
from 6.7% in FY25. Despite this slow down in Indian economy growth, it will continue to be
the highest among both advanced and emerging Group-20 (G-20).
- This growth projection for India for FY26 is supported by tax measures and continued monetary easing.
- The report further mentioned that despite growth will remain the highest in Asia-Pacific, the region’s integration in international trade means it is most exposed to global uncertainties like United States of America (USA) tariffs and their potential to slow growth.
About Moody’s Ratings:
President- Michael West
Headquarters- New York, the United States of America (USA)
Founded- 1909
6.5%
Key Points:
i. Moody’s highlighted that large emerging markets like India and Brazil will continue to attract and retain global capital in risk-averse conditions.
- This resilience is due to their large, domestically-oriented economies, robust capital markets, moderate policy credibility and substantial Foreign Exchange Reserves (FER).
ii. The report supported its projection related to India growth by showing that India has a low External Vulnerability Indicator (EVI) of 61%, which reflects its relatively lower susceptibility to external financial shocks.
- This is further supported by India’s relatively modest external debt-to-GDP ratio of 19% and low dependency on the United States of America (USA) i.e. about 2% of GDP.
iii. The report projected that India’s inflation will be at average of 4.5% in FY26 compared to 4.9% in FY25.
iv. The Government of India (GoI) significantly increased the income tax exemption limit (from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 12 lakh) under the new tax regime announced in the Union Budget for FY26. This move is expected to boost consumption and demand in the economy
the Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ______ based in Mumbai, Maharashtra to establish three Artificial Intelligence (AI) Centres of Excellence (CoE) in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.
Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Limited
_______ was appointed as the President of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), headquartered in New Delhi (Delhi), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I).
- He, succeeds Ashwani Kumar, will serve in this role until March 31, 2027.
- Along with him, Ravikant Shyamsunder Kapur has assumed the position of Vice-President (VP) of FIEO. He replaced Israr Ahmed.
Subhash Chander (SC) Ralhan
About Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO):
i. FIEO is an apex body of export promotion councils, commodity boards, and export development authorities in India.
- It is an International Organization for Standardization(ISO) 9001:2015 certified organization.
ii. It aims to promote Indian exports and facilitate international trade by providing services, advocating for favorable policies, and addressing challenges faced by exporters.
President – Subhash Chander (SC) Ralhan
Headquarters – New Delhi (Delhi)
Established – 1965
the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of ______as chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) for period of 5 years with effect from the date of assumption charge of the post or till he attains the age of 65 years, or until further orders, whichever is the earliest.
- He will succeed incumbent chairman Depak Mohanty whose term comes to an end in May 2025.
- At present, Ramann is serving as the Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the CAG of India.
Sivasubramanian Ramann
the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed ______, Director General of New Delhi (Delhi) based National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a term of three years, effective from her date of joining.
- She is the first woman to hold this position in over a decade.
- She succeeds Michael Debabrata (MD) Patra whose tenure is ended in January 2025.
- The deputy governor of the RBI is the second most senior executive of the RBI after its governor. It has 4 Deputy Governors. Other 3 Deputy Governors of RBI are M Rajeshwar Rao, T Rabi Sankar, and Swaminathan Janakiraman.
Poonam Gupta
About National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER):
President – Nanan M. Nilekani
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Founded – 1956
About Reserve Bank of India (RBI):
Governor- Sanjay Malhotra (26th Governor of RBI)
Headquarter- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established- 1935
Hyderabad (Telangana) based _______ collaborated with Tokyo (Japan) based Infostellar to integrate Dhruva Space’s 3.8-meter (m) S&X-band ground station antenna in Hyderabad into Infostellar’s StellarStation platform. This partnership aims to expand Infostellar’s global ground station network and enhance satellite communications interoperability.
- This integration supports Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in inclined orbits, optimizing data downlink efficiency for critical missions.
Dhruva Space Private Limited
the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICARCTCRI), headquartered in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), has developed a new orange-fleshed sweet potato variety (SP-95/4) to strengthen food security programmes in tribal regions.
Key Features of SP-95/4:
* High Beta-carotene content (8 milligram(mg)/100 gram(g)): Helps combat Vitamin A deficiency, prevalent in tribal areas.
- Average tuber weight (300g): Fusiform shape makes it suitable for processing.
- Multi-state adaptability: Successfully tested in Odisha, West Bengal(WB), Karnataka, and Kerala.
Implementation & Expansion:
i. The ‘Rainbow Diet’ programme, launched in 2023 at Attappady, promotes biofortified tubers to tackle malnutrition. Expanded under ‘Punarjeevanam’ programme in 2024.
ii. Currently cultivated on 10-15 acres, with plans to scale up to 100 acres by December 2025.
iii. A processing unit funded by Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives is proposed to enhance economic benefits for farmers.
_______, a legendary figure in Indian women’s hockey, has announced her retirement from international hockey, ending a remarkable 15-year career with the Indian national team. With a career spanning 15 years, she leaves behind an extraordinary legacy as one of India’s most accomplished players.
Vandana Katariya
- Katariya made her international debut in 2009 and went on to become the most-capped player in Indian women’s hockey, with 320 appearances and 158 goals.
- She was a key member of the historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, where she became the first Indian woman to score a hat-trick in Olympic hockey
April 2
-
The United Nations (UN’s) World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is observed annually across the globe on April 2 to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and advocate for the rights and inclusion of autistic individuals.
* April 2, 2025, marks the 18th observance of World Autism Awareness Day.
* The Switzerland-based Institute of Neurodiversity (ION), a neuro minority-founded organization with a presence in 40 countries, is leading the 2025 event in collaboration with the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC).
* 2025 Theme: The theme for WAAD 2025 is “Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. The 2025 theme links neurodiversity to SDG 3 (Good Health), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities). -
International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated worldwide on 2 April annually to commemorate the birth anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author celebrated as the “father of modern fantasy”.
* This day is supported by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) – Body Mind and Wellness (BMW) Club.
- Theme: International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) –Netherlands is the official sponsor of ICBD 2025, under the theme “The freedom of imagination” to inspire young readers.
Assam’s Chief Minister (CM), Himanta Biswa Sarma, inaugurated the ______ in Behali (Assam). At the inaugural event, 23,375 women received their first cheques, marking the commencement of the program’s implementation.
‘Mukhya Mantri
Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan’ (MMMUA)
- The scheme aims to promote self-employment and economic independence among women in the state, marking it as one of the largest efforts of its kind in Assam.
- This initiative, known as the CM Women Entrepreneurship Campaign, is designed to empower women by providing financial assistance to start and grow their own businesses.
- The MMMUA is a structured three-stage financial assistance program to support women entrepreneurs:
i. First Year: Each beneficiary receives a seed capital of Rs.10,000 to initiate or expand micro-enterprises in sectors like agriculture, livestock, and small businesses.
ii. Second Year: Upon demonstrating effective utilization of the initial funds, beneficiaries become eligible for an additional Rs.25,000, comprising Rs.12,500 as a bank loan and an equal amount as government support. The state government will cover the interest on the bank loan.
iii. Third Year: Successful entrepreneurs will qualify for a further Rs.50,000 to scale their ventures.
the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) announced a record-breaking addition of ______ of Renewable Energy (RE) capacity for the Fiscal Year 2024-25 (FY25), marking nearly 35% increase from 18.57 GW in FY24.
25 gigawatts (GW)
- As of March 2025, the total installed power generation capacity in India was 483.26 GW, marking the highest increase in any year.
- As of February 28, 2025, India has installed a total of 222.86 GW of non-fossil fuel-based power capacity. This includes 102.57 GW of solar power, 48.59 GW of wind power, 11.45 GW of biopower, 52.07 GW of hydro power, and 8.18 GW of nuclear power.
Solar Energy Growth:
i. Solar power drove _____ of the renewable capacity addition, rising from 15 GW (FY24) to 21 GW (FY25), a 38% increase.
ii. India crossed 100 GW of cumulative installed solar capacity in 2025, becoming the 4th largest solar power producer in the world.
Domestic Solar Manufacturing:
i. Solar module manufacturing capacity doubled from 38 GW (March 2024) to 74 GW (March 2025).
ii. Solar PV cell capacity tripled from 9 GW to 25 GW, supported by the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme under MNRE for High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules, attracting Rs. 41,000 crore in investments.
iii. India’s first 2 GW ingot-wafer facility in Gujarat began operations in FY25, reducing import dependency.
PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana:
Over 11.01 lakh households benefited by 31 March 2025, with Rs. 5,437.20 crore disbursed as Central Financial Assistance (CFA) to 6.98 lakh beneficiaries.
80%
Green Hydrogen Sector:
i. Electrolyser manufacturing incentives worth Rs. 2,220 crore were allocated for _____ per annum capacity.
ii. Green Hydrogen production incentives of Rs. 2,239 crore targeted 4.5 lakh tons-per-annum (TPA).
iii. Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM), 7 pilot projects (steel sector) received Rs. 454 crore, while 5 transport projects secured Rs. 208 crore to deploy 37 hydrogen vehicles and 9 refueling stations.
1, 500 Megawatt (MW)
PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan) Scheme:
i. Component B: 4.4 lakh solar pumps installed in FY25 (4.2 fold higher than FY24).
ii. Component C: 2.6 lakh pumps solarized (25 times higher than in FY24).
iii. Total solar pumps under PM-KUSUM crossed 10 lakh, with Rs. 2,680 crore spent in FY25 (268% rise).
the Geographical Indications (GI) Registry in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), granted Geographical Indication (GI) Tag to two indigenous products from TN – the Kumbakonam Betel Leaf from Thanjavur and the Thovalai Flower Garland (Manikka Malai) from Kanyakumari.
- With this recognition, TN now has a total of _____ GI-tagged products, including 11 from the Thanjavur district.
62
According to provisional estimates of the Indian Ports Association (IPA), ________, retained the top spot in cargo handling among Indian major ports and has joined the exclusive 150 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) by handling a cargo of 150.41 MMT in Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25). This marks an increase of 3.5%, compared to 145.4 MMT in FY24.
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Mundra Port, India’s biggest commercial port which is owned by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), has become the 1st Indian port to handle over 200 MMT of cargo volume in FY25.
* Mundra Port has registered a growth of 11.5% in cargo handling, to 200.7 MMT (in FY25) over the 180 MMT (in FY24).
(Odisha)-based Paradip Port Authority (PPA), formerly Paradip Port Trust
- It is closely followed by Kandla (Gujarat)-based Deendayal Port saw an increase of over 13%, from 132.MMT (in FY24) to 150.15 MMT (in FY25) and Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) saw a growth of 7.4% in cargo handled to 86 MMT.
- As per the data, the total coastal cargo handling of PPA, which accounts 42.36% of the total volume, has increased by 7.65% to reach 63.71 MMT.
- Also, the port witnessed an exponential growth of 111% in container cargo and flux volume (32%) Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y).
According to the Ministry of Railways (MoR), _____has emerged as a global leader in railway locomotive manufacturing, with a record production of 1,681 locomotives in the financial year 2024-25 (FY25), marking an increase of 19% (209) locomotives over 1,472 locomotives produced in FY24.
- With this, India surpasses the total locomotive production of regions like: the United States of America (USA), Europe, South America, Africa and Australia.
India
the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has introduced two key reforms which will simplify its claim settlement process. These reforms aimed at enhancing the Ease of Living for EPF members and Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) for employers.
- Also, these reforms will significantly simplify the process of claim settlement and alleviate grievances related to claim rejections.
At present, it is mandatory for every member to seed his or her bank account with UAN in order to get their Provident Fund (PF) withdrawals smoothly credited to such account.
- 1.3 crore members have submitted their requests for seeding their bank accounts during Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25).
About Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO):
Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC)- Ramesh Krishnamurthi
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Established- 1952
About Two Key Reforms:
- Eliminating the Requirement of Uploading Image of Cheque Leaf/Attested Bank Passbook:
i. EPFO has completely removed the requirement of uploading an image of a cheque leaf or attested bank passbook while filing for claims through online mode. Initially, this requirement was relaxed on a pilot-basis for certain Know Your Customer (KYC)- updated members. Since its launch on May 28, 2024, 1.7 crore EPF members have already been benefitted.
ii. As the bank account holder’s name is already verified with the details of EPF members at the time of bank account seeding with the Universal Account Number (UAN), EPFO has now done away with this additional documentation requirement. This decision of EPFO is expected to benefit nearly 6 crore EPF members, removing claim rejections due to poor-quality uploads and reducing associated grievances.
Removal of Requirement of Employer Approval for Seeding Bank Account Details with UAN:
EPFO has now eliminated the requirement of employer approval after bank verification. This move aims to streamline the process of seeding bank accounts with UAN.
- It has now dispensed the role of employer to approve the verification of bank account within the seeding process of the members’ bank account.
i. The above simplified process will provide options to those members who want to change their already seeded bank account by registering their new bank account number along with the Indian Financial System (IFSC Code) duly authenticated through Aadhaar One Time Password (OTP).
ii. Also, the members who have not seeded their bank account or change/update their seeded bank account can avail the benefit of the above simplified process to get their bank account at the earliest.
the State Bank of India (SBI) released a report “The PMMY: A Decade of Audacious Dreams: Bolder, Bigger and Indeed Beautiful” on the ten years of Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), which stated that the share of MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinancing Agency) loans in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and the North-east has grown significantly, indicating a more inclusive credit distribution pattern.
Distribution of Mudra Accounts:
i. Out of the 52 crore MUDRA accounts that have been opened in the past 10 years, Shishu constitute 78% of them, 20% are Kishor and the remaining 2% are Tarun/Tarun Plus.
ii. The share of Shishu in total has declined from 93% in FY16 to 51.7% in (Financial Year) FY25, while the Kishor account share has increased to 44.7% in FY25 from 5.9% in FY16, indicating the growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
State-wise women entrepreneurs:
i. Among states, Bihar has the largest number of PMMY women entrepreneurs (4.2 crore), followed by Tamil Nadu (4.0 crore) and West Bengal (3.7 crore).
ii. While, Maharashtra has the largest share of women account holders (79%) in total followed by Jharkhand (75%) and West Bengal (73%)
iii. The report has also highlighted that PMMY is an effective tool for women’s empowerment at the grassroots level, as 68% of account holders are women.
iv. Bihar’s share of PMMY loans has risen from 5.67 percent in FY16 to 10.97 percent in FY2. Uttar Pradesh too has witnessed a rise from 9.27 percent to 11.30 percent, while Odisha’s share in PMMY loans has climbed from 4.24 percent to 4.51 percent.
Mumbai (Maharashtra) based State Bank of India (SBI) and New York (the United States of America, USA) based _______ announced a social loan facility of USD 295 million to support smallholder farmers in India.
About State Bank of India (SBI):
Chairman – Challa Sreenivasulu(C.S) Setty
Headquarters – Mumbai (Maharashtra)
Founded – 1955
Tagline – Pure Banking, Nothing Else
Citibank (Citi)
- The loan aims to enhance agricultural productivity and improve the financial well-being of small and marginal farmers through improved credit access.
- This collaboration builds on Citi’s global commitment of USD 1 trillion towards sustainable finance by 2030, including support for 15 million low-income households worldwide.
Objective of the Social Loan:
i. The loan will be utilized by SBI to finance its Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan portfolio, providing essential credit support to smallholder farmers.
ii. It aims to enhance farmers’ access to credit, enabling them to increase agricultural output and create sustainable livelihoods.
iii. The initiative aligns with the broader goal of economic inclusion for underserved farming communities.
the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), under the Ministry of Communications (MoC), partnered with the _______ of the Ministry of Railways (MoR) to improve the blocking, tracing, and recovery of lost or stolen mobile phones for train passengers.
Railway Protection Force (RPF)
Chennai (TN)-based Geographical Indication (GI) Registry under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to 6 more products from Tamil Nadu (TN) including, the famed Puliyankudi Acid Lime, Panruti Cashew, Virudhunagar Samba Vathal (dried red chillies), among others.
- With this recognition, the total number of GI tag products from TN reaches to _____ which consolidate its position as the 2nd highest Indian state in terms of number of GI-certified products, only after Uttar Pradesh (UP), which leads the county with 79 GI products.
69
- GI registry has also granted GI certificates to 8 more traditional products of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and one each from Telangana, Assam and Kerala
- With this, total number of GI-registered crafts from Kashmir has reached to 15, of which 7 crafts having already been granted GI certificates
i. The Aapda Mitra scheme, run by the NDMA (National Disaster Management Authority), has trained around 100,000 volunteers, including over 20,000 women, to help during disasters.
Note: The scheme was launched in ______, focuses on promoting a culture of volunteerism in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and response.
ii. The state of Odisha is setting an example in tackling these issues. The state has started adding gender focused plans in all its disaster-related policies, with help from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
- Odisha has already formed 21 district-level gender cells and is also training young people in villages to handle disasters. This year, they plan to train 10,000 village volunteers.
iii. In Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) has launched an innovative heat micro-insurance programme to support informal women workers.
2016
the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD), released a scoping study titled “How Does Climate Change Impact Women and Children Across Agroecological Zones in India.” The study highlights that women, especially in poor and rural areas, are more affected by climate change because of their daily responsibilities and social roles. Children are also highly exposed to climate threats.
Key Impacts of Climate Change:
i. The effects of climate change, especially on women and children, are different in each of India’s ______ agroecological zones.
ii. The situation is complex as states like Jharkhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh (AP) have five agroecosystems each, while regions like the North Eastern Hills (Agro-eco region 17 – cover nine states) and Western Coastal Plains (Agro-eco region 19 – cover eight states), requiring inter-state coordination.
iii. Heatwaves have become much more common in India, increasing about 30 times by 2022. This rise in temperature is especially dangerous for certain groups. Pregnant women, older women, outdoor workers, and poor women are at the highest risk
20
- Since many rural women work in agriculture, climate disasters like floods, droughts, and cyclones hit their livelihoods hard.
- India lacks proper gender-specific data on how such disasters affect women, which is essential for creating effective disaster response policies.
iv. Young children, especially those under 5 years old, are at serious risk during extreme weather events like heatwaves. Between 2000 and 2016, India reported over 17,000 child deaths due to natural disasters.
Key Facts:
i. According to researchers, 27 out of 36 Indian states and Union Territories (UTs) are at high risk of disasters caused by changing weather patterns, such as cyclones, floods, and drought Scientists have also warned about future risks like rising sea levels, melting glaciers, and depleting groundwater.
ii. The 2023 ND-GAIN (Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative) index ranked India 138th out of 185 countries, showing that the country is highly vulnerable to climate change and not fully prepared to deal with its effects.
iii. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), women and children are 14 times more likely to die in disasters than men.
iv. In United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)’s 2021 Child-focused Climate Risk Index, India ranked 26th out of 163 countries, which means that children in India face serious dangers from the ongoing impacts of climate change.
Union Minister C.R. Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) launched three key digital initiatives : ____at Shram Shakti Bhavan in New Delhi, Delhi.
- These initiatives are launched to improve water resource management, accessibility and transparency.
- Web based ‘Reservoir Storage Monitoring System (RSMS)’ portal,
- a Water Resource Census Application (app) and
- portal
April 3
Raising Day of the Army Medical Corps 2025 – April 3
Every year, the Indian Army (IA) observes the Raising Day of the Army Medical Corps (AMC) on April 3 to honor the founding of the AMC in 1764 and commemorate the sacrifices made by medical professionals in the line of duty.
- April 3, 2025, marked the 261st Raising Day of the AMC, a specialized corps dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare services to active personnel, veterans, and their families.
a new biography, “The Great Conciliator: Lal Bahadur Shastri and the Transformation of India“, authored by historian and former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer______, has been released. It offers an in-depth look at India’s second Prime Minister (PM), Lal Bahadur Shastri.
Sanjeev Chopra
a group of scientists have discovered a new species of damselfly
named ‘Euphaea Wayanadensis’ in the ______. The discovery of
new species was published in the peer-reviewed journal ENTOMON
Wayanad landscape of the Western Ghats, Kerala
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based ______, a real-time travel assistance service platform, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the authorities of United Arab Emirates (UAE) to launch its international arm, ‘UAE Assist’.
India Assist
- Through this initiative, the company will provide complimentary travel assistance to every UAE visa applicant upon arrival, including real-time support, emergency advice, and on-ground help.
i. The initiative aims to cover more than 40 million in-bound visitors to the UAE annually.
ii. With this initiative, India Assist marks its debut into the international travel assistance space.
iii. Previously, India Assist had supported large-scale events like 2025 Mahakumbh held in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and was an official assistance partner to MotoGP
_______ was conferred with the prestigious SKOCH 2025 Award for Gold category in ‘infrastructure’.
the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Limited (MSRDC)
- MSRDC won this award in recognition of successful implementation of its flagship project named ‘Hindu Hrudaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg’.
_______, Chairman of Lahore (Pakistan)-based Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was appointed as the new Chairman of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC), during the ACC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) held virtually
Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi
- He will hold the position for two years, starting April 3, 2025.
Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based _______ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Israel-based MicroCon Vision Limited (MicroCon), a company under Controp and Rafael Group, to supply advanced drone camera technology in India.
Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited
Chagwon (South Korea)-based defense manufacturing company _______ has signed USD 253.6 million or 371.4 billion South Korean won (KRW) agreement with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) to export components of K9 Vajra-T, a 155 millimeter (mm), 52-caliber tracked self-propelled howitzers to the Indian Army (IA).
Hanwha Aerospace Company Limited
The agreement was signed at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi, Delhi, marking a major milestone in the defense partnership between South Korea.
- As per the agreement, the company will supply 100 K9 Vajra-T Howtizers to IA by September 2030
Veteran Indian actor and filmmaker ______ passed away at the age of 87 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was born in July 24, 1937 in Abbottabad, then part of British India (now in Pakistan).
- He was fondly called ‘Bharat Kumar’ for his contribution to acting and filmmaking with patriotic themes.
- In 1992, he was honored with Padma Shri award, India’s fourth highest civilian award in the field of Arts.
Manoj Kumar
eminent malayalam linguist and writer ______ passed away at the age of 80 in Kozhikode, Kerala. He was born on August 2, 1945 in Ernakulam (Kerala).
- In 2005, he was honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award for translating Tamil novel ‘Koonanthoppu’ by Thoppil Mohammed Meeran into Malayalam.
Venugopala Panikkar
April 4
The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is annually observed across the globe on 4th April to raise awareness about the dangers of landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERW) and to promote efforts for their elimination.
The annual observance promotes the development of national mine-action capacities in conflictaffected countries, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- 4th April 2025 marks the observance of the 20th International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
- Theme: The theme for International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 2025 is “Safe Futures Start Here”, emphasizing the importance of mine clearance in creating safer environments for communities.
Stand up India Scheme, a transformative initiative of Government of India (GoI), has completed ____ years of successful implementation. It was launched on April 05, 2016, to promote entrepreneurship at grassroot level focusing on economic empowerment and job creation.
9
Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN)-based Geographical Indication (GI) Registry under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I), granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag to _____ more products from West Bengal (WB) including ‘Nolen Gurer Sandesh’, Baruipur guavas, and Kamarpukur’s White Bonde.
- With these additions, WB now has 32 products with GI tags. This move is expected to boost the identity and market value of these local items.
- Several organisations helped in securing the GI tags. Misti Udyog, well-known group of sweet makers in WB, applied for the Traditional sweets, Baruipur Farmers Producer Company Limited for the Baruipur guavas, and the State Agricultural Management and Extension Training Institute at WB for Radhunipagal rice.
7
Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge (IC)), Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry for Science & Technology (MoS&T), launched indigenous _______ aircraft at the National Media Centre (NMC) in New Delhi (Delhi). He also announced the plan to involve the private sector to collaborate in the manufacture of this aircraft.
‘HANSA-3 (Next Generation, NG)’
- A two-seater trainer aircraft is indigenously designed and developed by Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL).
- This marks the 1st time aircraft will be manufactured in India using fully indigenous design and technology.
Indian Railways (IR) under the Ministry of Railways (MoR) and New Delhi (Delhi) based Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the procurement and installation of ________ at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi.
Automatic Wheel Profile Measurement Systems (AWPMS)
- This collaboration aims to enhance the automation and efficiency of rolling stock maintenance, improving overall operational safety.
- This initiative aligns withIR’s Mission Raftar and Kavach initiatives for safer, faster travel.
New Delhi (Delhi) based Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated a first-of-its kind inter-ministerial scientific study titled “Building a surveillance model for detecting zoonotic spillover in increased bird-human interaction settings using the One Health approach”.
- The project, launched under the _______, aims to identify zoonotic disease risks at the intersection of human, bird, and environmental health.
National One Health Mission (NOHM)
- It seeks to establish India’s first Early Warning System (EWS) for zoonotic spillovers, enhancing preparedness against future outbreaks.
The study will focus on selected bird sanctuaries and wetlands in Sikkim, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu (TN), targeting migratory birds, sanctuary workers, and nearby residents.
- In TN, the study will be conducted at the Point Calimere bird sanctuary in Nagapattinam and Vaduvur bird sanctuary in Tiruvarur from May 2025.
______, India’s largest and fastest-growing integrated infrastructure conglomerate based in Ahmedabad (Gujarat), secured 4 gold awards across different categories at the International Advertising Association (IAA) Olive Crown Awards 2025 held in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- The Adani Group was honoured with the Awards for Corporate Social Crusader of the Year and the Green Advertiser of the Year. The Pankha film was crowned with 2 gold awards for being the best film in the categories Televison (TV)/Cinema (Corporate) and Digital.
the Adani Group
______ took over as the 20th Chairman of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Manmade and Technical Textiles Export Promotion Council (MATEXIL), an organization dedicated to
promoting the export of fibres, yarns, fabrics, made-ups, and technical textiles.
Shaleen Toshniwal
New Delhi (Delhi)-based Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Army (IA) successfully conducted four flight tests over two days of the Army version of the ______ from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, located off the coast of Odisha.
- These trials were carried out by the army units from the Eastern and Southern Commands under DRDO’s guidance.
Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM)
April 5
- National Maritime Day (NMD) is observed annually in India on 5th April to recognize the maritime sector’s contributions to the economy, global trade, and international relations. In 2025, India celebrates its 62nd NMD.
-
The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Conscience (IDC) is annually observed across the globe on 5 April to promote a culture of peace guided by love, ethical reflection, and collective responsibility. This day encourages individuals and communities to reflect on their moral compass and promote actions that contribute to global harmony and understanding.
* 5 April 2025 marks the observance of the 6th IDC.
the Haryana Heritage and Tourism Department, the Government of Haryana has declared that two Harappan sites, which are over 4,400 years old and part of the Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation, located in _____ and _______ villages in Bhiwani district of Haryana as protected
monuments and archaeological sites.
- This announcement has been made under the Haryana Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
Tighrana ; Mitathal
Dr. K. Ponmudy, Minister for Forests, Government of Tamil Nadu (TN), released the ‘Synchronised Vulture Survey-2025’ in TN, a census report revealing a steady rise in vulture numbers, with an estimated population of _____ vultures over the landscapes of TN, Kerala, and Karnataka in 2024-2025, up from 320 in 2023-24.
390
Conrad Kongkal Sangma, the Chief Minister (CM) of Meghalaya, officially launched the _______, a digital platform aimed at streamlining disaster reporting, relief processing, and fund disbursement in Meghalaya.
- The platform aims to build a transparent, efficient, and paperless disaster response mechanism in Meghalaya, ensuring timely relief to the people and reaching affected communities without delays or bureaucratic hurdles.
- Developed by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department with the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Meghalaya, DRMS is now the mandatory platform for managing relief applications under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Disaster and Relief Monitoring System (DRMS)
Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence (MoD), flagged off the Indian Navy (IN)’s Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) _______ as part of the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) mission from Karwar Naval Base, Karnataka.
Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sunayna
The flag-off took place on the 10th anniversary of SAGAR which was launched in 2015 and National Maritime Day(on April 5, 2025).
- Union Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted PM Modi’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) initiative, stating it will take SAGAR’s vision forward with wider and stronger cooperation.
Union Minister Rajnath Singh also inaugurated important parts of _____, which is India’s biggest naval infrastructure project and valued at over Rs 2,000 crore.
- The project is being developed over nearly 11,000 acres and is set to become the largest naval base in Asia once completed.
Project Seabird
i. The minister opened key facilities including seven piers, around 400 residential units, and main infrastructure such as roads and bridges that will link different sections of the base.
ii. He also took part in the Phase 1 of the Naval Commanders’ Conference in Karwar, Karnataka and reviewed the newly developed facilities at the site.
the President of India, Draupadi Murmu gave assent to ‘Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025’ which deals with issues related to foreigner and immigration and it was subsequently notified through a gazette notification, with this, the bill has now become a new law.
- The primary objective of this new act is to enhance national security, control immigration procedures, and introduce stringent penalties on foreigners who violate entry and stay
conditions. - The new act has repealed 4 British- colonial era laws, including the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; the Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000.
PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the ______, India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, connecting Rameswaram Island with Mandapam on the mainland in TN, replacing the old British-era bridge.
- The bridge is considered a technological marvel and aims to boost both trade and tourism, enhancing ease of travel and ease of doing business.
New Pamban Rail Bridge
- The 2.07 kilometer (km) long bridge was built by New Delhi (Delhi) based Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a Navratna Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Ministry of Railways (MoR), at an estimated cost of Rs 700 crore.
- The bridge comprises 99 spans and a 72.5-metre (m) vertical lift span over the Palk Strait, which elevates up to 17 m to enable smooth ship passage.
Built using stainless steel reinforcement, fully welded joints, high-grade protective paint, and polysiloxane coating, it ensures durability and resistance to corrosion.
the National Statistical Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has introduced transformative digital initiatives – revamped Microdata Portal, the web site of NSSTA (National Statistical System Training Academy) and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Based Classification Tool to ________.
modernize India’s statistical infrastructure
the Indian Army (IA) successfully demonstrated the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUMT) capability during Exercise _______, conducted by the Trishakti Corps in India’s Eastern Theatre.
- The exercise showcased the integration of drones, autonomous systems, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled platforms in tactical-level military operations.
- It aims to enhance interoperability, rapid decision-making, and battlefield awareness for Multi-Domain Operations (MDO).
SARVSHAKTI
- Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) refers to the integration and coordination of manned platforms (such as helicopters and ground vehicles) with unmanned systems (such as drones and autonomous platforms).
- It enables real-time surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and battlefield awareness.
_____, the current chair, hosted the 6th Summit of the Heads of State/Government of the member States of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) was held in Bangkok under the theme “Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC” (PRO BIMSTEC).
About the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC):
Secretary General (SG)- Ambassador Indra Mani Pandey (India)
Secretariat– Dhaka, Bangladesh
Established– 1997
Member States– 7
Thailand
- The summit was chaired by Thailand Prime Minister(PM) Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
- It focused on strengthening collaboration among the 7 member States, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
- The summit was attended by the Heads of State/Government of the member States to address their shared security and developmental challenges through institutional reform, strategic cooperation, and sustainable development.
the Government of ______ has announced to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands. This decision came after Prime Minister (PM) of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu visited the country.
Hungary
- According to Article 127 of the Rome Statute (the treaty that set up the ICC), the withdrawal will become official one year after the notice is sent.
- Hungary became a member of the ICC in 1999 when it signed the Rome Statute. It is now set to become the first European Union (EU) country to leave the court.
About International Criminal Court (ICC): The ICC is the world’s first permanent court to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.
President– Tomoko Akane (Japan)
Headquarters – The Hague, Netherlands
Members– 125 countries
Established – 2002
About Hungary:
President– Tamás Sulyok
Prime Minister (PM)– Viktor Mihály Orbán
Capital– Budapest
Currency– Forint
a team of researchers from India and the United Kingdom (UK) discovered a new species of land snail, ‘Theobaldius konkanensis’, in _____. The findings were published in the international journal Molluscan Research (MR) from New Zealand, underscoring the ecological significance of this unexplored biodiversity hotspot.
the Konkan region of Maharashtra
4-time World Champion _______, Belgian-Dutch driver of Red Bull won the Formula 1 (F1) Japanese Grand Prix 2025 held at Suzuka Circuit, in Suzuka, Japan. This marked his 1st victory of F1 2025 season and 4th consecutive Japanese GP title (2022, 2023 and 2024).
- He crossed the finish line almost 1.5 seconds (s) in his Red Bull for his 64th Grand Prix (GP) victory and got 25 points,
Max Verstappen
- McLaren’s Lando Norris secured 2nd position (18 points). Currently tops championship leader board.
- While, Australian F1 driver, Oscar Piastri of McLaren, who won China GP in March, secured 3rd position (15 points).
Himachal Pradesh(HP) Chief Minister(CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu unveiled the poetry collection ‘Buransh: The Fragrance of Words’, authored by ______, an educator and poetess.
Anupama Sharma
April 6
The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed annually across the globe on April 6 to acknowledge the role of sport in promoting human rights, fostering social inclusion, and advancing economic development.
- April 6, 2025, observance marks the 12th anniversary of IDSDP.
- The theme for IDSDP 2025 is “Leveling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion”
April 7
-
The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda is observed globally on 7th April each year to honor over 1 million victims who perished during the 100-day mass slaughter in Rwanda. The day also acknowledges the suffering of Hutus and others who opposed the genocide.
* April 7 2025, marked the 31st anniversary of this tragic event, emphasizing remembrance, education, and prevention of future atrocities. -
The United Nations (UN’s) World Health Day is observed annually across the globe on April 7, to raise awareness about a specific health issue that is of global concern.
* April 7, 2025, marks the observance of the 77th anniversary of the founding of World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948.
- The theme for World Health Day 2025 is “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures,”.
* It highlights the importance of maternal and newborn health, urging nations to eliminate preventable deaths and prioritize the well-being of women and infants.
the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the ____ edition of its publication titled ‘Women and Men in India 2024: Selected Indicators and Data’.
26th
- The publications offer comprehensive insights of the gender scenario in India, presenting selected indicators and data across key areas such as population, education, health, economic participation, and decision-making.
- All data sourced from different ministries/departments/organizations
_______ (sapodilla), a horticultural fruit from South Gujarat, became the first agricultural product from the region to receive the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, granted by the Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN) based GI Registry, under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I).
“Amalsad Chikoo”
- The GI tag was granted to the Valsad Navsari Jilla Fal Ane Shakhbhaji Sahakari Sangh Limited (Gujarat) following a joint application submitted by the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology (GUJCOST), Gandhinagar, and Navsari Agricultural University (NAU), Navsari.
- It is the 3rd fruit in Gujarat to get the GI tag after the Gir Kesar Mango and Kutchhi Kharek (date).
During his visit to Sri Lanka, PM Narendra Modi was honoured with the SL’s highest civilian award, the ‘Mithra Vibhushana’ in a ceremony held in Colombo, SL.
- This marks the ______ International award conferred by a foreign nation to PM Modi.
- The award includes a citation and a silver medal worn around the neck, decorated with nine Sri Lankan gems and symbols like a lotus, globe, sun, moon, and rice sheaves.
22nd
the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations (UN) announced that India has been elected by acclamation as a member of the UN Intergovernmental Working Group (IWG) of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting (ISAR) for a _______.
3 year term i.e. from 2025-2027.
- India in its capacity as an ISAR member is positioned to significantly influence the development of financial reporting structures that promote transparency, responsibility and uniformity across various countries.
the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted a Certificate of Registration (CoR) to Mumbai (Maharashtra) based _______, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Piramal Enterprises Limited (PEL), to operate as a Non-Banking Financial Company – Investment and Credit Company (NBFCICC) without accepting public deposits. The approval was granted under Section 45 IA of the RBI Act, 1934.
Piramal Finance Limited (PFL)
- With this approval, PFL will cease its operations as a Housing Finance Company (HFC) and
surrender its HFC registration
Renowned Indian sand artist and Padma Shri awardee, ______ has become the 1st Indian to win the Fred Darrington Sand Master Award for Excellence in Art and Culture in recognition of his exceptional contributions to sand art.
Sudarshan Pattnaik
- The Mayor of Weymouth Cllr Jon Orell presented the award and medal to Sudarshan Pattnaik during the Sandworld 2025 International Sand Art Festival held at Weymouth in the United Kingdom (UK).
Zurich (Switzerland)-based Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) President Gianni Infantino announced that the United States America (USA) is the sole bidder to host the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, while ______ will host the 2035 edition.
the United Kingdom (UK)
- The announcement was made during the 49th Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Congress in Belgrade, Serbia.
- FIFA plans to expand the 2031 Women’s World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, aligning it with the men’s tournament format.
- This marks the first time the tournament will be held in the UK and the third time in the USA, reinforcing efforts to amplify women’s football globally.
i. The USA, potentially in collaboration with other Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) members, is set to host the 11th edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, scheduled for 2031.
ii. The UK’s bid, involving England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, is currently the only valid submission.
iii. The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup (10th edition), featuring 32 teams, will be hosted by Brazil, the first Women’s World Cup in South America.
iv. The USA, along with Canada and Mexico, is also set to co-host the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup (23rd edition).
v. The UEFA European Football Championship 2028 (18th edition), co-hosted by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales
April 1 - 7
The Government of India (GoI) annually observes Prevention of Blindness Week from 1st to 7th April (the first week of April) to create awareness about blindness prevention, promote regular eye checkups, and encourage healthy eye care practices.
- In 2025, Prevention of Blindness Week was observed from April 1 to April 7.
- The observance is spearheaded by the National Society for the Prevention of Blindness (NSPB) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India (GoI).
9 - 15 March
The World Glaucoma Week 2025 was observed annually across the globe from 9th to 15th March 2025 under the theme “Uniting for a Glaucoma-Free World”, emphasizes early detection and global collaboration to prevent irreversible vision loss.
April 8
The International Romani Day is observed annually across the globe on April 8 to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness the social, political, and economic issues faced by the Roma community, Europe’s largest ethnic minority.
The Palna Scheme, integrated into the Samarthya sub-scheme of ______, is a significant initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD) aimed at providing comprehensive day-care facilities for children aged six months to six years.
Mission Shakti
- To address the difficulties faced by the working mothers in giving due child care and protection to their children, day-care crèche facilities are being provided through this Palna Scheme.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal, announced the approval of a Second Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS) with a corpus of _______ (USD 1.17 billion).
- An initial disbursement of Rs. 2,000 crore (USD 234.4 million) is slated for the _______ within this year.
- This fund aims to provide seed support, particularly targeting startups in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning, quantum computing, biotechnology, and semiconductor design.
Rs. 10,000 crore ;
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) ;
- He also introduced the formation of a dedicated Startup India Desk within the MoC&I. This initiative will serve as a helpline for startups across India, accessible via a simple four-digit toll-free number in regional languages, facilitating support and addressing concerns of entrepreneurs nationwide.
At Startup Mahakumbh 2025, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, presented the Startup Maharathi Challenge 2025, recognising the remarkable efforts of startups that are shaping India’s innovation journey.
- The event saw participation, with 2,400 challengers and 3,000 exhibitors showcasing their ideas and products.
- The challenge disbursed a total of_____ in non-dilutive grants, promoting innovation by supporting startups without requiring equity dilution.
Rs. 20 crore
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) inaugurated the 2nd edition of Startup Mahakumbh which was held from April 3 to 5, 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, Delhi.
The India Fintech Foundation (IFF), has been officially launched as a proposed ______for India’s fintech sector. The logo of IFF was unveiled by Amitabh Kant, India’s G20 (Group of 20) Sherpa.
- Former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), ______, will head the IFF Board.
- ______, previously the Head of FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) for APAC (Asia-Pacific) at Invest India, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
self-regulatory organisation (SRO) ;
NS Viswanathan ;
Sai Sudha Chandrasekaran
On ______, President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. The Bill was passed by Parliament after three days of intense debate in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
April 05, 2025
- The objective of the Waqf (Amendment) Act,2025, is to amend the Waqf Act, 1995, to redress the issues and challenges in regulating and managing Waqf properties. The Amendment Act seeks to improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India.
the Supreme Court (SC) of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the SC of ______ to strengthen judicial cooperation between the two nations in New Delhi (Delhi).
- The MoU aims to enhance mutual judicial cooperation through structured interactions, exchange visits, short- and long-term training, and academic initiatives among judges and judicial officers of both countries
Nepal
the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced ‘One State, One RRB’ through official notification for amalgamation of ____ Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) across 11 States which include 10 states and 1 Union Territory (UT), effective from May 01, 2025.
- The merger of these RRBs is in line with the powers granted under Section 23A (1) of RRB Act, 1976. This also marks the 4th round of consolidation of RRBs, thereby reducing the number of RRBs from existing 43 to 28.
26
- Among states that will see consolidation of RRBs include Andhra Pradesh (AP), which has the maximum number of RRBs (4), Uttar Pradesh(UP) and West Bengal (WB) (3 each), and Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh(MP), Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan (2 each).
Key Points:
i. As per the notification, with the merger of these RRBs into a single entity, will inherit their respective properties, powers, rights, obligations, and duties.
ii. This large-scale level consolidation of RRBs aimed at improving the efficiency of these RRBs and minimizing competition among the public sector banks (PSBs) that sponsor them, as part of ‘One State-One RRB’.
iii. Each new RRB will function under the sponsorship of a major PSB and will have an authorised capital of Rs 2,000 crore.
About RRBs:
i. These banks were constituted under the RRB Act, 1976, with an objective to facilitate credit and other facilities to small farmers, agricultural labourers and artisans in rural areas of the country.
- These RRBs are regulated by RBI under RRB Act 1976 and the Banking Regulation Act, 1949; and are supervised by Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
ii. The Act was amended in 2015, which had allowed RRBs to raise capital from sources other Government of India (GoI), states and sponsor banks.
iii. At present, 3 entities hold shareholding in RRBs: GoI (___), sponsor PSBs (35%) and concerned state government (15%).
- As per RRB Amended Act, the combined shareholding of the GoI and the sponsor PSBs cannot be less than 51%, even after stake dilution.
50%
Key Facts about RRB:
i. During FY24, RRBs reported the highest ever consolidated net profit of Rs 7,571 crore and their consolidated Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was at an all-time high of 14.2% (as on March 31, 2024).
- While, their Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) at 6.1% was the lowest in the last 10 years.
ii. The structural consolidation of RRBs was initiated by GoI in 2004-05, which resulted in reduction of such banks from 196 to 43 till 2020-21, through 3 phases of amalgamation.
iii. As of March 2025, 43 RRBs are currently operating across 26 states and 3 UTs (Puducherry, J&K, and Ladakh) of the country.
the Government of India (GoI) and the Government of _____ signed key agreements to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture, aiming to boost agricultural productivity, innovation, and sustainability.
Israel
- The agreements were signed in New Delhi (Delhi) between Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare(MoA&FW), and Avi Dichter, Israel’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, who is on his first official visit to India in his current role.
- Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan invited the Israeli delegation to participate in the World Food India 2025 which is scheduled to take place from September 25th to 28th in New Delhi.
Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) AK Ramesh, Commandant of the Pune (Maharashtra) based College of Military Engineering (CME), flagged off India’s first all-women tri-services circumnavigation sailing expedition, ________, from the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (NWTC) in Colaba, Mumbai (Maharashtra).
- This initiative aims to promote gender parity in maritime endeavors and showcases the indomitable spirit of Nari Shakti (women power). It also serves as a preparatory phase for a more ambitious global circumnavigation sailing expedition planned for 2026.
“Samudra Pradakshina”
About the Expedition:
i. The expedition will cover a 55-day voyage sailing approximately 4,000 nautical miles from Mumbai to Seychelles and back aboard the Indian Armed Services Vessel (IASV) Triveni, and will conclude with a Flag-In Ceremony scheduled in Mumbai on 30th May 2025.
ii. It involves a 12-member all-women crew from 41 volunteers across the Indian Army (IA), Indian Navy (IN), and Indian Air Force (AIF) and underwent two years of rigorous ocean sailing training.
iii. The initiative is launched by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to demonstrate the resilience, courage, and determination of women officers while encouraging their participation in maritime and defence activities.
Geneva (Switzerland)-based United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its latest ‘2025 Technology and Innovation Report’. As per the report, India ranked at
_____ spot (in 2024) among 170 countries on the ‘Readiness for Frontier Technologies’ index, up from 48th spot secured in 2022.
36th
- The index has combined key indicators for: Information and Communications Technology (ICT) deployment, skills, Research and Development (R&D) activity, industrial capacity, and access to finance.
- India rank on different parameters: ICT deployment (99th), skills (113th), R&D activity (3rd), industrial capacity (10th) and access to finance (70th)
the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) released the “Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2025: Understanding the Macroeconomic Implications of Climate Change,” emphasizing the profound economic challenges the Asia-Pacific region faces due to climate change.
- The UN warns that climate disasters could cause annual economic losses of at least _____ of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in one-third of Asia-Pacific countries.
- Despite contributing 60% to global economic growth in 2024, many countries in Asia-Pacific region are inadequately prepared for climate-induced shocks and the transition to greener economies
6%
India’s Outlook:
i. Real GDP growth is forecast to rise to 6.5% in 2025 (up from 6.2% in 2024), with inflation easing to 4.3%.
ii. By 2026, GDP growth is projected to reach 6.6%, supported by sound macroeconomic fundamentals, while inflation is expected to drop further to 4%.
Bengaluru (Karnataka) based payments infrastructure company, _____ became India’s 1st Unicorn of 2025 and has successfully raised USD 60 million in a Series D funding round through a combination of primary and secondary investments.
Note: Unicorn refers to startups whose valuation is more than USD 1 billion
Juspay
- This round was led by Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Kedaara Capital, with participation from existing investors like: Tokyo (Japan)-based SoftBank Group Corporation and Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN)-based Accel Limited.
- Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Avendus Capital Private Limited acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Juspay for the transaction.
_________, Founder of Singapore-based Synergy Marine Group, was awarded the National Maritime Varuna Award, the highest individual honour in India’s maritime sector by the Government of India (GoI) during the 62nd National Maritime Day (April 5) celebrations held in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
- He was recognised for over two decades of transformative work in reshaping the global ship management and boosting India’s global maritime presence.
Captain Rajesh Unni
Mumbai (Maharashtra) based ______ was recognized as a Steel Sustainability Champion 2025 by Brussels, Belgium based World Steel Association (worldsteel) for the eighth consecutive year since 2018.
Tata Steel Limited (TSL)
- This accolade, announced during Worldsteel’s Special General Meeting (SGM) in Sydney, Australia, highlights Tata Steel’s leadership in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) excellence and sustainable steelmaking.
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) astronaut Jonathan Yong Jonny Kim and Roscosmos (Russian Space Agency) cosmonauts Sergey Viktorovich Ryzhikov and Alexey Vitalyevich Zubritsky successfully launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the ______, a Russian spacecraft.
- The launch took place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, a launch facility leased by Russia.
Soyuz MS27
The World Boxing Cup Brazil 2025, the first leg of the World Boxing Cup 2025 was held from 31st March to 5th April 2025 at ______, where India secured 6 medals and finished 2nd in the overall men’s medal tally.
- ______ secured the top position in the overall men’s medal tally with a total of 7 medals (5 Gold, 1 Silver, and 1 Bronze), followed by India in second place with 6 medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver, and 4 Bronze), while Brazil finished third with 5 medals (2 Gold, 2 Silver, and 1 Bronze).
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil ;
Uzbekistan
renowned folk dance artist ______, passed away at the age of 92 in Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh (MP). He was born in Sagar district (MP) on March 11, 1933.
- In 2022, he was honored with Padma Shri award, India’s fourth highest civilian award in the field of Arts, for his contributions to Indian art and culture, particularly for preserving and popularising Rai dance.
Ram Sahay Panday
______, the Chief Administrator of Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya, passed away at the age of 101 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She was born in 1925 in Hyderabad, Sindh (now in Pakistan).
- She was one of the most prominent spiritual figures in India and served as a guiding light for millions through her association with the Brahma Kumaris, which is regarded as the world’s largest women-led spiritual organisation.
- She was the second chief of the Brahma Kumaris to reach the age of 100, following Dadi Janki, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 104.
Dadi Ratan Mohini
April 9
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Valour Day, also known as Shaurya Diwas, is observed annually across India on April 9 to commemorate the bravery of CRPF personnel during the 1965 Battle of Sardar Post in Gujarat.
- In 2025, India marked the 60th anniversary of this historic event, paying tribute to the sacrifices of CRPF soldiers
On the occasion of World Health Day (April 7, 2025), Madhya Pradesh (MP) Chief Minister (CM) Dr. Mohan Yadav launched the _______ app, web portal and the Maternal & Child Sanjeevan Mission Strategy Document in Bhopal, MP.
- The ANMOL 2.0 platform aims to ensure 100% registration and real-time monitoring of pregnant women and infants to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR).
Auxiliary Nurse Midwife Online 2.0 (ANMOL 2.0)
i. Approximately 20,000 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) have been mapped and trained to utilize the ANMOL 2.0 system effectively.
ii. Future plans include integrating Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi workers into the platform to ensure a holistic approach to maternal and child healthcare.
iii. The Government of MP has set specific targets to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) to below 100 and the Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) to below 20 by the year 2030
the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the following proposals/schemes:
Approved ______ new sub-scheme named ‘Modernisation of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM)’ under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) for the period 2025-2026.
Rs 1,600 crore
Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC), Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) inaugurated India’s first-ever and world’s second Himalayan High Altitude Atmospheric and Climate Research Centre at Nathatop, located at an altitude of 2,250 meters (m) at Mandlote village in ______.
Udhampur district, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K)
- The centre will focus on climate forecasting, aerosol studies, cloud microphysics, and weather pattern analysis in the North-Western Himalayas.
- The centre aligns with India’s net-zero commitments and strengthens its role in global climate science.
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) launched a new dedicated digital portal developed by Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP)- based ______.
- The portal aimed to facilitate Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) and encourage private sector participation in Inland Water Transport (IWT) across India.
- Vijay Kumar, Chairman of IWAI, and other senior officials from IWAI and MoPSW were present at the event
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), inaugurated the Digital Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder (DFDR & CVR) Laboratory at the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), located in Udaan Bhawan, New Delhi (Delhi).
- The lab, also known as the _____, is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and was established with an investment of Rs. 9 crore.
‘Black Box Lab,’
About DFDR & CVR Laboratory:
i. The facility has been established with support from Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
ii. The facility helps improve aviation safety in India by allowing AAIB to investigate accidents, repair black boxes, recover data, and support safer aircraft and helicopter designs.
iii. It is designed to meet global benchmarks, and supports India in fulfilling its responsibilities as a member of Montreal, Canada based International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Switzerland based World Economic Forum (WEF) co-hosted a high-level roundtable at Kaushal Bhawan, New Delhi (Delhi), to launch the ________, a public-private collaboration platform aimed at addressing India’s skilling challenges.
- The initiative seeks to bridge skill gaps (cited by 65% of Indian organizations as a critical barrier) through cross-sectoral collaboration and systemic reforms
“India Skills Accelerator”
About India Skills Accelerator initiative: The India Skills Accelerator platform brings together multiple sectors to promote innovative ideas and drive systemic solutions to complex skill development challenges through collaborative efforts from various stakeholders. It includes:
i. Awareness & Mindset Shift: Highlight future skills needs in high-growth sectors like Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, energy, cybersecurity, and cloud computing.
ii. Stakeholder Collaboration: Strengthen government-industry partnerships for upskilling/reskilling and lifelong learning.
iii. Policy Upgrades: Modernize institutional frameworks to create an adaptive skilling ecosystem.
New Delhi (Delhi) based Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA), under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA), signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with New Delhi based _______ under the Department of Posts (DoP), Ministry of Communications (MoC) to launch Phase 2 of the “Niveshak Didi” initiative.
- The aim is to promote financial literacy among women in rural, semi-urban, and underserved
areas across India.
India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)
Niveshak Didi:
i. The “Niveshak Didi” initiative is a community-led financial literacy programme that trains women postal workers and community leaders to serve as financial educators in their local areas.
ii. It promotes responsible investing, fraud prevention, savings habits, and the use of digital banking tools.
Phase 1 Highlights:
i. More than 55,000 people participated in IPPB Financial Literacy Camps across India
ii. 60% of participants were women, primarily from the youth and economically active age group.
iii. Every 2 out of 3 beneficiaries belonged to deep rural areas, ensuring strong grassroots impact.
Phase 2 Objectives:
i. Under Phase 2, over 4,000 financial literacy camps will be conducted across India.
ii. Nearly 40,000 women postal workers will be trained as Niveshak Didis to lead these camps at the community level
The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the first-ever ‘Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) baseline report’ for the Financial Year 2022-23 (FY23) toward localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The PAI data for 2022-23 reveals that out of 2,55,699 GPs, 2,16,285 submitted validated data, and 699 (0.3%) Panchayats emerged as Front Runners.
i. Of the 699 panchayats that have been ranked as Front Runners, Gujarat led the pack with 346 GPs as Front Runners, followed by Telangana with 270 Front Runners.
ii. States with a high number of Performers include Gujarat (13,781), Maharashtra (12,242), Telangana (10,099), Madhya Pradesh (MP) (7,912), and Uttar Pradesh (UP) (6593).
iii. States with higher Aspirant GPs include Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh (AP)
- This transformative tool evaluates the performance of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats (GPs) across India using a comprehensive, evidence-based framework aligned with the SDG 2030 Agenda.
the Indo-Swiss Joint Research Project titled ‘Ice Nucleating Particles and Cloud Condensation Nuclei Properties in the North-Western Himalayas (ICE-CRUNCH)’ was flagged off in the _____ district.
- The centre’s first measurements will be conducted under ICE-CRUNCH and will focus on studying ice-nucleating particles and cloud condensation nuclei, which are important for understanding how aerosols affect clouds, rainfall patterns, and climate changes in the Himalayan region.
- It is a collaborative study between Indian scientists and researchers from ETH Zürich (Switzerland), supported by the SNSF headquartered in Bern, Switzerland.
Udhampur
PM Modi announced the launch of the ______, under Ministry of Culture (MoC) aimed at surveying and digitizing ancient Indian manuscripts to preserve knowledge and heritage.
The Government of India (GoI) granted classical language status to Prakrit and Pali to facilitate research on Jain literature.
Over 20 idols of Tirthankaras, returned from abroad, have been restored in India, reflecting the government’s commitment to preserving the nation’s spiritual legacy
“Gyan Bharatam Mission”
- Gujarat Chief Minister (CM) Bhupendra Patel unveiled a special philatelic cover at the Gujarat Mineral Development Council (GMDC) Ground, Ahmedabad (Gujarat), to mark World Navkar Mahamantra Day
Manila (the Philippines)-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) released its latest ‘Asian Development Outlook (ADO) April 2025: Trade Uncertainty Challenges Resilience in Asia and the Pacific’.
The report has revised India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) to _____, from its previous estimate of 7%.
- This growth projection for FY26 is mainly driven by higher domestic demand, rising rural incomes, and moderating inflation.
- The report has further projected that India’s GDP will marginally increase by 10 basis points (bps) to 6.8% in FY27, supported by favorable monetary and fiscal policies.
6.7%
India-Specific:
i. The report highlighted that India’s growth remains resilient despite global risks, driven by infrastructure development and job creation initiatives by the Government of India (GoI).
- It has outlined some of the factors that will support India’s economic growth momentum: strengthening of manufacturing sector, regulatory reforms, robust services sector, and agriculture, and along with the newly announced tax incentives in the Union Budget for FY26.
ii. As per the report, India’s inflation rate is projected to decrease in the next two financial years i.e. to 4.3 (FY26) and 4.0% (FY27).
iii. Investment in urban infrastructure is expected to increase, supported by a new government fund with an initial allocation of Rs 100 billion (USD 1.17 billion).
- While global economic uncertainties may obstruct private investment prospects in the shortterm, but, they are expected to improve with gradual lowering of borrowing costs and planned regulatory reforms could spur investment over time.
iv. The report highlighted some of near-term growth risks like: the impact of recent increase in the USA tariffs on Indian exports and global economic developments that could possibly lead to higher commodity prices
Kolkata (West Bengal)-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gujarat-based ________ to enhance collaboration in commercial shipbuilding and offshore infrastructure, reinforcing India’s maritime self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI)
- The MoU aims to build an efficient and expandable commercial shipbuilding model by using the strengths of GRSE and SDHI in design, infrastructure, and project management to serve both Indian and global markets for ships and offshore structures.
Goa based Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) and Hyderabad (Telangana) based _______ signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Twin technologies into India’s maritime sector.
- The collaboration includes Hyderabad-based Neer Interactive Solutions Pvt. Ltd. and Andhra Mahila Sabha (AMS) Arts and Science College, aiming to enhance efficiency, security, and sustainability in shipbuilding.
- This initiative, Asia’s first AI-driven maritime security project, aims to streamline decisionmaking and promote eco-friendly practices.
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H)
i. The MoU leverages Geospatial AI, Object Detection AI, Generative AI, and Digital Twin solutions to optimize vessel design, improve shipyard security, and implement 360-degree surveillance systems. It aligns with Industry 4.0 principles and Quality 4.0 (QA 4.0) strategies to modernize shipbuilding processes, reduce operational costs, and set global benchmarks.
ii. The Center for Geospatial AI and Digital Twins (CGDT) at IIT-H, led by Director Prof. BS Murty, will develop advanced Geospatial Digital Twin models to create virtual replicas of shipbuilding environments.
iii. This collaboration positions India as a leader in AI-aided maritime innovation, boosting domestic technological capabilities and aligning with global advancements
New Delhi (Delhi)-based Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the _____ government to establish a state-of-the-art petrochemical complex at Paradip, Odisha, with an investment of Rs 61,077 crore. The agreement was finalized during the Odisha Investors’ Meet in New Delhi, marking IOC’s largest single-location investment to date.
- The proposed petrochemical complex will include a dual-feed cracker and downstream units to produce critical chemicals like Phenol, Polypropylene (PP), and Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA).
Odisha
i. Additionally, New Delhi-based Petronet LNG Limited(PLL), India’s largest Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) importer, will invest Rs 6,500 crore to set up an LNG import terminal at Gopalpur port, Odisha.
- Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd (ISRPL), the special purpose vehicle(SPV) ,will invest Rs 8,743 crore to build a 4-million-tonne(Mt) underground oil storage facility in Chandikhol, Odisha.
ii. These projects aim to enhance domestic production capacity, reduce import dependency, and boost Odisha’s industrial growth.
Note: India’s petrochemical demand is projected to surge from 30–35 million tonnes (Mt) (current) to 80 Mt by 2040.
April 10
World Homeopathy Day (WHD) is observed annually on April 10 to raise awareness about homeopathy, its foundational principles, and its contributions to global healthcare.
- This day also marks the birth anniversary of Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, the founder of homeopathy. In 2025, we celebrate his 270th birth anniversary.
Background:
Since 2016, the Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) has been commemorating WHD by organizing a series of significant events that underscore the pivotal role of research in the global advancement and acceptance of homoeopathy.
Maharashtra’s Social Justice Minister, Sanjay Shirsat, announced plans to rename the town of Khuldabad, located in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, to its historical name, ______.
This initiative is part of the government’s broader effort to restore the original names of places that were altered during the Mughal era.
- In addition to the renaming, the Maharashtra government plans to develop a memorial in Khuldabad to honor the history and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Ratnapur
i. The decision to revert to the name Ratnapur aligns with the Maharashtra government’s initiative to restore pre-Mughal names of places that were renamed during Mughal rule
ii. Khuldabad, situated approximately 25 kilometers (km) from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, is historically significant as the burial site of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The town also houses the graves of his son, Azam Shah, and Asaf Jah I, the founder of the Hyderabad Nizam dynasty.
