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Current Affairs Pocket PDF – March 2025
Table of Contents
NATIONAL AFFAIRS ...................................................................................................................................................... 6
CABINET APPROVALS ............................................................................................................................................... 6
STATEWISE NATIONAL NEWS ................................................................................................................................. 6
LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION ............................................................................................................................... 12
OTHER NATIONAL NEWS ....................................................................................................................................... 17
GOVT SCHEMES ............................................................................................................................................................ 22
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS ......................................................................................................................................... 24
VISITS............................................................................................................................................................................. 26
VISIT TO INDIA......................................................................................................................................................... 26
FOREIGN VISITS ....................................................................................................................................................... 27
BANKING & FINANCE .................................................................................................................................................. 28
RBI IN NEWS ............................................................................................................................................................. 28
SEBI ............................................................................................................................................................................ 30
LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS....................................................................................................................................... 32
AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED.............................................................................................................................. 33
OTHER BANKING NEWS ......................................................................................................................................... 39
FINANCE NEWS......................................................................................................................................................... 41
ECONOMY & BUSINESS ............................................................................................................................................... 42
GDP & GROWTH RATE ............................................................................................................................................ 42
ECONOMY NEWS ...................................................................................................................................................... 44
BUSINESS NEWS ....................................................................................................................................................... 45
MoU’s & AGREEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 47
MoU’s WITH COUNTRY ........................................................................................................................................... 47
MoU’s WITH STATE ................................................................................................................................................. 48
MoU’s BETWEEN ORGANIZATION ........................................................................................................................ 49
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 56
APPOINTMENTS....................................................................................................................................................... 56
NATIONAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 56
INTERNATIONAL ..................................................................................................................................................... 59
BRAND & CAMPAIGN AMBASSADORS ................................................................................................................. 62
AWARDS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 64
OTHER IMPORTANT AWARDS .............................................................................................................................. 64

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SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE.......................................................................................................................... 73
SUMMITS ................................................................................................................................................................... 73
EVENTS ...................................................................................................................................................................... 73
CONFERENCE ............................................................................................................................................................ 76
COMMITTEES & MEETINGS........................................................................................................................................ 77
MEETINGS ................................................................................................................................................................. 77
INDEX ............................................................................................................................................................................. 78
RANKING ................................................................................................................................................................... 78
REPORTS ................................................................................................................................................................... 85
ACQUISITION & MERGERS ......................................................................................................................................... 90
DEFENCE........................................................................................................................................................................ 93
EXERCISE ................................................................................................................................................................... 93
TESTING .................................................................................................................................................................... 95
DEAL & MoU’s ........................................................................................................................................................... 97
ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE NEWS ......................................................................................................................... 97
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 98
SATELLITES LAUNCHES .......................................................................................................................................... 98
NATIONAL ................................................................................................................................................................. 99
INTERNATIONAL ................................................................................................................................................... 100
SPORTS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 102
CRICKET .................................................................................................................................................................. 102
BADMINTON & TENNIS......................................................................................................................................... 104
ARCHERY & SHOOTING ........................................................................................................................................ 104
BOXING, WRESTLING & WEIGHTLIFTING ......................................................................................................... 104
ATHLETIC & FOOTBALL ....................................................................................................................................... 104
BOOKS & AUTHORS ................................................................................................................................................... 109
OBITUARY ................................................................................................................................................................... 110
NATIONAL ............................................................................................................................................................... 110
INTERNATIONAL ................................................................................................................................................... 112
IMPORTANT DAYS ..................................................................................................................................................... 112
APPS & WEB PORTAL ............................................................................................................................................... 126
ENVIRONMENT........................................................................................................................................................... 128

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS
CABINET APPROVALS
Cabinet approvals on March 5 2025
On March 5 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the
following proposals:
✓ Revision of Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP) with a total outlay of Rs.
3,880 crore.
✓ The construction of a 12.4 kilometer (km) ropeway from Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji
in Uttarakhand under the National Ropeways Development Programme (NRDP)–
Parvatmala Pariyojana at a total cost of Rs. 2,730.13 crore.
✓ The construction of a 12.9 km ropeway connecting Sonprayag to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand under
NRDP – Parvatmala Pariyojana, at a total cost of Rs. 4,081.28 crore. Click here to read full News

Cabinet Approvals on March 19, 2025

On March 19 2025, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi has approved the
following proposals/schemes:
✓ Revised National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD), with additional Rs 1,000 crore for the
program, thus bringing the total budget to Rs 2,790 crore for the period of the 15th Finance
Commission (FC) cycle i.e. from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
✓ Incentive Scheme for promotion of low-value Bharat Interface for Money- Unified Payments
Interface (BHIM-UPI) transactions Persons to Merchant (P2M)’, with estimated budget of Rs
1,500 crore for Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25).
✓ Revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), with an additional Rs 1,000 crore, bringing the total
allocation to Rs 3,400 crore during 15th FC cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
✓ Setting up of a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex of 12.7 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) annual
capacity of urea production, at Namrup in Assam, with total estimated cost of Rs 10,601.40 crore.
✓ Construction of a 6-lane access-controlled Greenfield high-speed National Highway (NH) to connect
Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) Port (Pagote) with 29.219 kilometer (km)-long Chowk in
Maharashtra at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500.62 crore. Click here to read full news

STATEWISE NATIONAL NEWS

Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh Government Presents Rs 3.22 Lakh Crore Budget for 2025-26
In February 2025, Payyavula Keshav, the Minister for Finance for the Andhra Pradesh (AP) state government,
presented the Annual budget of AP for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY 26) with a total outlay of Rs 3,22,359
crore. The budget allocations include a Revenue Expenditure of Rs 2,51,162 crore and a Capital Expenditure of
Rs 40,635 crore.

Arunachal Pradesh
Deputy CM of AR Chowna Mein Presents Rs 39,842 Crore Budget for FY 26
In March 2025, Deputy Chief Minister(Dy CM) and Minister -In-Charge of Finance, Planning and Investment of
Arunachal Pradesh (AR) Chowna Mein presented the state budget for the financial year 2025-26 (FY 26) in the
assembly, with a total expenditure of Rs 39,842.23 crore. This budget represents an 11.16% increase from the
previous year estimate of Rs 35,840.79 crore. FY26 has been declared as the ‘Year of Human Capital.’
Revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 34,544.07 crore with the state’s share of central taxes rising 16.61% to
Rs.24,992.35 crore, while capital receipts stand at Rs 5,298.16 crore.

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Assam
Assam FM Ajanta Neog Presented Rs 2.63 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, Ajanta Neog, Finance Minister (FM) of Assam presented the budget worth Rs
2.63 lakh crore for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) in the Assam Legislative Assembly in Dispur, Assam, with
Fiscal Deficit(FD) of Rs 620.27 crore.
✓ The budget expenditure of the state saw an increase of 250% while Capital Expenditure(CapEx) has
increased to Rs 24,964 crore in FY25.
✓ The budget for FY26 has proposed exemption of professional tax for monthly income up to Rs
15,000 for all working people in the state under the Assam Profession, Trades, Callings, and
Employments Taxation Act, 1947.
✓ Total receipts are estimated at Rs 2,62,913.92 crore for Budget Estimates (BE) for FY26, including
state consolidated fund (Rs 1,55,428.75 crore), public account (Rs 1,05,485.17 crore) and from
contingency fund (Rs 2,000 crore).

Assam Designated Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve as 8th National Park & Renamed as
‘Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park’
In February 2025, the Assam government officially designated the Chirang-Ripu Elephant Reserve located in
the Kokrajhar and Chirang districts of Assam as the 8th National Park(NP) in the state. The new NP of Assam is
named after the Bodo legend Sikhna Jwhwlao, also popularly known as Jaolia Dewan, who fought against the
British in the Anglo-Bhutan war in 1865. This naming honors his bravery and contribution to the history and
culture of the Bodo community.

Assam Cabinet Renames Jagiroad Electronic City as ‘Ratan Tata Electronic City’
On March 4, 2025, the Assam Cabinet officially renamed the Northeast India’s first Electronic City in Jagiroad,
Morigaon district, as “Ratan Tata Electronic City”, to honor the contributions of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Tata Group and its late Chairman, Ratan Naval Tata.

Bihar
Bihar FM Samrat Choudhary Presents Rs 3.17 lakh crore State Budget for FY26
On 3 March 2025, Samrat Choudhary, Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM), and Finance Minister (FM)
of Bihar presented a Rs 3.17 lakh crore (Rs 3,16,895.02 crore) state Budget for the Financial Year 2025-
26(FY26). The budget expenditure estimated for 2025-26 is Rs 38,169 crore more than the budget estimate
(Rs 2,78,725.72 crore) for FY25.

Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh FM Om Prakash Choudhary Presents Rs 1.65 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
On 3 March 2025, Finance Minister (FM) of Chhattisgarh, Om Prakash (OP) Choudhary presented the
state budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY 26) in the state assembly with an allocation of Rs 1,65,000
crore which is Rs.17, 554 crore more than the FY25 Budget.
✓ The budget follows the theme ‘GATI’, focusing on Good Governance, Accelerating Infrastructure,
Technology, and Industrial Growth.

Delhi
Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Presents Rs 1 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister (CM) and also holds the charge of Finance Minister(FM) of Delhi,
presented the Rs 1 lakh crore budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY 26), marking a 43.8% increase in
the total budget outlay. The budget focuses on ten key areas, including infrastructure, women’s
empowerment, Yamuna rejuvenation, water supply, and urban connectivity.
✓ The Fiscal Deficit(FD) for FY 26 is estimated at Rs 13,702 crore, marking an 899.67% rise from the
previous year’s revised estimate of Rs 1,523 crore.
✓ The capital expenditure (CapEx) in this year’s budget has been doubled to Rs 28,000 crore, risen to
28% from 20% last year.

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✓ Women’s Welfare and Safety Education and Skill Development: Rs 5,100 crore has been earmarked
for the Mahila Samridhi Yojana, which will provide Rs 2,500 per month to each eligible woman as
financial assistance.
✓ The Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Stipend Scheme will be launched with a Rs 5 crore budget, providing a Rs
1,000 monthly stipend to Scheduled Caste (SC) students pursuing technical and vocational education.

Haryana
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini Presents Rs 2,05,017.29 Cr Budget for FY26
On 17 March 2025, Nayab Singh Saini, the Chief Minister (CM) of Haryana, who also holds the finance
portfolio, presented his maiden Budget of Rs. 2,05,017.29 crore for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26).
This tax-free budget reflects a 13.7% increase over the Revised Estimates (RE) of Rs. 1,80,313.57 crore for
2024-25.
✓ The budget includes the creation of a new authority called “SANKALP” (Substance Abuse & Narcotics
Knowledge, Awareness & Liberation Program Authority) to eliminate both the demand and supply of
drugs in Haryana with an initial allocation of Rs 10 crore.
✓ The creation of a new department the ‘Department of the Future,’ aimed at making Haryana ‘future
capable.’
✓ Haryana Artificial Mission (AI) Mission will be established to train over 50,000 youth and professionals
from Haryana in cutting-edge technologies.
✓ ‘Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme‘ will be launched to award scholarships of up to Rs 1 lakh
per annum to female students pursuing Under-Graduate (UG) and Post-Graduate (PG) degrees in
science and engineering.

Himachal Pradesh
HP CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu Presents Rs 58,514 Crore Budget for FY 26
In March 2025, Chief Minister (CM) Himachal Pradesh (HP) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the
finance portfolio, presented a tax-free budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY 26) of Rs 58,514 crore,
marking an increase of Rs 70 crore from the previous fiscal year’s Rs 58,444 crore.
✓ For FY 26, total revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 42,342.97 crore, while capital receipts will be
Rs 14,602.37 crore, including Rs 13,374.74 crore from public debt and Rs 1,200.00 crore from the
provident fund (PF). This brings total receipts to Rs 56,945.34 crore.
✓ On the expenditure side, revenue expenditure is Rs 48,733.04 crore, while capital expenditure
(CapEx) is Rs 3,941.13 crore. Rs 34.40 crore will be spent on loans, and Rs 5,805.74 crore on public debt
repayments, making total expenditure Rs 58,514.31 crore.

Jammu & Kashmir

J&K CM Omar Abdullah Presented Rs 1.12 lakh Crore Budget for FY26 with Zero-deficit
In March 2025, the Chief Minister (CM) of Union Territory (UT) Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Omar Abdullah who
also holds finance portfolio, presented Rs 1.12 lakh crore (Rs 1,12,310 crore) state budget, excluding
provisions for Ways and Means Advances (WMA) and overdrafts for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), with main
focus on zero-deficit budget, at J&K Assembly in Jammu, J&K.
✓ While presenting the budget, he highlighted that the economy of J&K has been expanding from Rs
1,64,103 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 2,45, 022 crore in 2023-24, due to improved environment in the UT.

Zanskar Winter Sports and Tourism Festival 2024-25 Held in Ladakh

In March 2025, the Department of Youth Services & Sports, Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh,
successfully organized the Zanskar Winter Sports and Tourism Festival 2024-25 at Atting Village, Zanskar
(Ladakh).

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Jharkhand
Jharkhand FM Radhakrishna Kishore Presents Rs 1.45 Lakh Crore Budget for FY 26
On 3 March 2025, Finance Minister (FM) of Jharkhand, Radhakrishna Kishore Jllhas introduced the
state budget for the financial year 2025-26 (FY 26), amounting to Rs.1,45,400 crore. It is called the “Abua
Budget,” symbolizing the state’s commitment to the welfare of all its people. It represents an increase from the
previous year’s budget of Rs 1.28 lakh crore.
✓ To strengthen the agricultural sector and support farmers, the Government of Jharkhand has set
aside Rs 4,587 crore.

Karnataka
Karnataka CM Siddarmaiah Presented Rs 4.09 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, the Chief Minister (CM) of Karnataka Siddaramaiah presented his 16th budget worth Rs
4.09 lakh crore(Rs 4,09,549 crore) for Financial Year 2025-26(FY26) at the Karnataka Legislative Assembly in
Bengaluru, Karnataka. The budget outlay for FY26 marked an increase of 12% i.e. Rs 3.65 lakh crore in Revised
Estimates (RE) for FY25.
✓ The budget has allocated Rs 51,034 crore for the state government’s 5 guarantee schemes, a decrease
from Rs 56,000 crore allocated for the scheme in FY25.

Kerala
Kerala Establishes India’s First Senior Citizens Commission
On March 19 2025, Kerala became the first state in India to pass a dedicated legislation the ‘Kerala State
Senior Citizens Commission Bill, 2025’, after approval by the Kerala Legislative Assembly, for establishing
a Senior Citizens Commission to ensure the protection of rights, welfare, and rehabilitation of the senior
citizens in the state.

Maharashtra
Maharashtra FM Ajit Pawar Presented Rs 7.2 lakh crore State Budget for FY26
On 10 March 2025, Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM) and Finance Minister (FM)
of Maharashtra presented a Rs 7.20 lakh crore State Budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) with key
provisions for industries, infrastructure, agriculture and allied sectors, employment and social welfare.
✓ The total Expenditure for 2025-26 is Rs 7.20 lakh crore with a projected increase in Revenue Receipts
to Rs 5,60,964 crore from Rs 5,36,463 crore (Revised Estimate,RE for 2024-25).
✓ Maharashtra is the 2nd state after Uttar Pradesh (Rs 8.08 trillion) to propose such a large budget.

Madhya Pradesh
MP FM Jagdish Devda Presented Rs 4.21 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, the Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM) and Minister in Charge of Finance, Madhya Pradesh
(MP) Jagdish Devda presented state’s annual budget worth Rs 4.21 lakh crore (Rs 4,21,032 crore) for
Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) at MP Legislative Assembly in Bhopal, MP. This is for the 1st time the budget for
MP has breached the mark of Rs 4 lakh crore.
✓ Total revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 2,90,879 crore for FY26, of which state’s tax revenue (Rs
1,09,157 crore), and state’s share in central government funds (Rs 1,11,662 crore).
✓ The state government has prepared a vision document ‘Viksit Madhya Pradesh 2047’, which aims to
increase the state’s GDP to Rs 250 lakh crore by 2047 and to increase per capita annual income from
Rs 1.42 lakh crore to Rs 22.35 lakh crore.

Manipur
Union FM Nirmala Sitharaman Presents Manipur Budget 2025-26 with Rs 35,103.90
Crore Outlay
In March 2025, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) presented the Manipur
budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) in the Lok Sabha. The total expenditure is set at Rs 35,103.90
crore, marking a 7.5% increase from the Revised Estimate (RE) of Rs 32,656.81 crore for FY25.

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✓ Note: Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13, 2025 following the resignation of
Chief Minister (CM) of Manipur, N. Biren Singh. As per the proclamation issued under Article 356 of the
Constitution, the state legislature’s powers are now exercised by the Parliament.
The estimated total receipts for FY26 stand at Rs 35,368.19 crore, up from Rs 32,471.90 crore in FY 25.
Revenue receipts are projected at Rs 27,231 crore, while capital receipts stand at Rs 8,137 crore.

Yaoshang Festival Celebrated in Manipur after a year

In March 2025, the Yaoshang Festival(the festival of Holi), celebrated in Manipur, reflects the community’s
resilience in preserving cultural traditions despite challenges. Yaoshang, a five-day festival in Manipur, begins
on the full moon day of the Lamta month (February–March).

Meghalaya
7th Act East Business show held in Meghalaya
In March 2025, the 7th Act East Business Show was inaugurated by Meghalaya Chief Minister(CM) Conrad
Sangma in Shillong, Meghalaya.The three-day event was attended by ambassadors and representatives of
different countries. The event, held from March 25th–27th,2025, organized by Kolkata (West Bengal)-based
Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in partnership with the Government of Meghalaya.

Mizoram
Mizoram CM Pu Lalduhoma Presented Rs 15,198.76 Crore State Budget for FY26
In March 2025, the Chief Minister (CM) of Mizoram Pu Lalduhoma presented Rs 15,198.76 crore budget for
the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) in the state legislative assembly in Aizawl, Mizoram. He also announced Rs
350 crore has been allocated for the implementation of state’s flagship, ‘Bana Kaih Scheme (Hand
Holding)’ for FY26, marking a significant increase of 75% in fund allocation for the scheme compared to Rs 200
crore allocated in the current fiscal year.

Mizoram CM Lalduhoma Launches Mizoram Chapter of WEP for Women’s

Empowerment
In February 2025, the Chief Minister (CM) of Mizoram, PU Lalduhoma launched the Mizoram Chapter of the
Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) during a state workshop aimed at promoting women-led
development through entrepreneurship. The event, held at Mizoram University in Aizawl (Mizoram), was
organized under New Delhi(Delhi) based the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) State
Support Mission (SSM).
✓ The initiative aims to enhance women’s participation in entrepreneurship, boost Mizoram’s economic
growth, and support the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
✓ With this, Mizoram became the first state in the Northeast to set up a WEP chapter.

Nagaland
Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio Presented Rs 24,849 Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, the Chief Minister (CM) of Nagaland Neiphiu Rio who also holds the finance
portfolio, presented Rs 24,849 crore state budget for Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) in the Nagaland
Legislative Assembly in Kohima, Nagaland.
✓ The budget estimated the total receipts for FY26 at Rs 24,849.01 crore and total expenditure at Rs
24,699.01 crore.

Puducherry
Puducherry CM N Rangasamy Presents Rs13,600 Crore Budget for FY26
On 12 March 2025, Natesan Krishnasamy Rangasamy (N. Rangasamy), the Chief Minister (CM) of the Union
Territory (UT) of Puducherry, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a Rs 13,600 crore tax-
free Budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26).

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✓ Of the total budget, Rs 11,624.72 crore was allocated for Revenue Expenditure (RevEx), and Rs
1,975.28 crore was allocated for Capital Expenditure (CapEx).
✓ The CapEx is 9.80% of the total expenditure, representing a significant increase from 1.66% in 2021-
22, nearly a ten-fold growth.

Punjab
Punjab Govt Launches ‘Project Hifazat’ to Ensure Women, and Child Safety
In March 2025, the Government of Punjab launched Project Hifazat to protect women from violence on the
eve of International Women’s Day – March 8. The Project was launched by Dr Baljit Kaur, Minister of Social
Security, Women, and Child Development of Punjab in Chandigarh, Punjab.

Punjab FM Harpal Singh Cheema Presents Rs 2.36 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
On 26 March 2025, Harpal Singh Cheema, Finance Minister (FM) of Punjab, presented a Rs 2,36,080
crore Budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) with a special focus on the “Yudh Nashe De Virudh”
(War Against Drugs) anti-drug campaign and Healthcare sector improvements. A unique initiative in the budget
is to carry out the first-ever “Drug Census” in Punjab next year.
✓ The Government of Punjab launched the “Yudh Nashe De Virudh” (War Against Drugs) Campaign on 1
March 2025 to completely eradicate drugs from Punjab by involving all sections of society.

Sikkim
Sikkim CM PS Tamang Presents Rs 16,196 Crore Budget for FY26
In March 2025, Chief Minister (CM) of Sikkim, also the Minister-in-Charge of the Finance Department, Prem
Singh Tamang, presented the Annual General Budget for the Financial Year 2025-26(FY26), amounting to Rs
16,196 crore, focusing on eradicating poverty and achieving total literacy.
✓ For FY26, the state government has planned Rs 11,028 crore for Revenue Expenditure(RE) and Rs
5,168 crore for capital investment.
✓ The state will generate revenue from multiple sources. The Centre’s devolution of taxes is estimated
at Rs 5,519 crore, while grants and aids will add Rs 2,600 crore.
✓ The state aims to collect Rs 2,076 crore from its own tax revenue, while non-tax revenue, including
earnings from government services, is expected to be Rs 1,007 crore.
✓ To meet financial requirements, the government will also raise Rs 2,651 crore through borrowings.

Tamil Nadu
TN FM Thangam Thennarasu Presented a Budget for FY26 with a Total Expenditure of
Rs 4,39,293 Cr
In March 2025, Thangam Thennarasu, Finance
Minister (FM) of Tamil Nadu (TN) presented the
Budget for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) with a total disbursement outlay of Rs 4,39,293 crore, and
a total receipt of Rs 3,32,330 crore, excluding public debt. The total expenditure (Rs 4,39,293 crore) is an
increase of 99.5% over the Revised Estimate (RE) of FY25.
✓ Among major sectoral allocations, Rs 55,261 crore was allocated to education, followed by Urban
Development (Rs 34,396 crore) and Rural Development (Rs 29,465 crore).
✓ Note: In the 2025-26 budget logo, the TN government replaced the Devanagari-scripted rupee symbol (
‘₹’) with the Tamil letter ‘Roo’ (‘ரூ’), representing ‘Roobai’, the Tamil term for the rupee.

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Telangana
Telangana FM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka Presents Rs 3.04 Lakh Crore Budget for FY26
On 19 March 2025, Deputy Chief Minister (Dy CM) and Finance Minister (FM) of Telangana, Mallu Bhatti
Vikramarka, presented the state’s budget for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26) with a total outlay of Rs
3,04,965 crore, marking a 5% increase from the previous year’s budget of Rs 2,91,000 crore for FY25.
✓ A total of Rs 2,26,982 crore has been allocated for revenue expenditure, while Rs 36,504 crore has
been set aside for capital expenditure (CapEx).
✓ The Telangana economy continues to grow steadily, recording a 10.1% increase in the state’s Gross
State Domestic Product (GSDP)
and a 9.6% rise in per capita income compared
to the previous financial year. The state’s per capita income is 1.8% higher than the national average.

Tripura
FM of Tripura, Pranajit Singha Roy Presents State Budget of Rs 32,423.44 Crore for FY
26
In March 2025, Finance Minister (FM) of Tripura, Pranajit Singha Roy presented the state’s budget for the
financial year 2025-26 (FY 26), proposing a total expenditure of Rs 32,423.44 crore. The overall budget size
has increased by Rs 4,618.77 crore compared to the previous year.
✓ Tripura government also announced a 3% Dearness Allowance (DA) hike for state employees, effective
April 2025, raising their DA to 33%.
✓ The Budget Estimates(BE) for FY25 stood at Rs 27,804.67 crore, which was later revised to Rs
30,296.50 crore in FY25 Revised Estimates. The budget deficit is Rs 429.56 crore.

Uttar Pradesh
UP CM Yogi Adityanath Unveils Sify Infinit Spaces’ Data Centre in Noida
On March 11, 2025, Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister (CM) of Uttar Pradesh (UP), inaugurated the Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-ready Sify Noida 02 data centre campus in Noida (UP). The facility is operated by Sify
Infinit Spaces Limited, a leading data centre provider based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
✓ It marks a significant milestone in the development of India’s digital infrastructure, enhancing the
country’s AI capabilities and supporting the growth of its digital economy.
✓ The campus is North India’s largest data centre facility, with a total capacity of 130+ Megawatt
(MW).

LAUNCHES & INAUGURATION

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils New Maritime Initiatives to Boost India’s
Global Trade
On February 27, 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways
(MoPSW), launched several initiatives includes One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP), Bharat Global Ports
Consortium and MAITRI Application(app), aimed at modernizing India’s maritime infrastructure and
enhancing its position in global trade.
✓ ONOP: The One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP) was launched to standardize and streamline
operations across India’s major ports.
✓ Sagar Ankalan -LPPI: The Sagar Ankalan Logistics Port Performance Index (LPPI) for the Financial
Year 2023-24 (FY24) was introduced to enhance port efficiency.
✓ MAITRI App & Digital Integration: The Master Application for International Trade and Regulatory
Interface(MAITRI) App was launched to streamline trade processes, reduce bureaucratic redundancies,
and expedite clearances.
✓ NCoEGPS: A website for the National Centre of Excellence in Green Port and Shipping (NCoEGPS) was
also launched to promote sustainability in the maritime sector.

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‘Sugamya Yatra’ Launched on International Wheelchair Day 2025
In March 2025, Sugamya Yatra was launched Rajiv Chowk Metro Station in New Delhi, Delhi by the
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and
Empowerment (MoSJE) and the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities
(CCPD). Sugamya Yatra was launched on the occasion of International Wheelchair Day, 1 March 2025.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi Launches India’s first AI-Powered Solar Manufacturing
Line in Gujarat
In March 2025, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), inaugurated
India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered solar manufacturing line at Goldi Solar Private Limited’s
newly built facility in Kosamba, Surat, Gujarat.

GoI Launches Pilot projects of Hydrogen-Fuelled Vehicle under NHGM

In March 2025, the Government of India (GoI) launched five pilot projects to use hydrogen-fuelled buses and
trucks as part of the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM). The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
(MNRE) had issued guidelines for implementing Pilot projects in the Transport Sector under NGHM in
February 2025.

GSI Celebrates 175th Foundation Day & Launches Two Significant Digital Initiatives
On 4 March 2025, Geological Survey of India (GSI) celebrated its 175th Foundation Day with a grand
ceremony at its headquarters in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB). The event was graced by Union minister G. Kishan
Reddy, Ministry of Coal (MoC) and Ministry of Mines (MoM).
✓ He unveiled a commemorative plaque and a special postal cover to honour the 175-year journey of
GSI.
✓ During the event, Union minister G. Kishan Reddy, launched two significant digital initiatives: the Field
Data Acquisition Application (App) and the Geo-heritage App ‘Bhuvirasat’.

NITI Aayog Launches NITI-FTH & Releases a Paper on “Quantum Computing: National
Security Implications & Strategic Preparedness”
In March 2025, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog launched the ‘Frontier Tech Hub
(NITI-FTH)’, a pioneering initiative aimed at transforming India into a technology-driven economy and
released a strategic paper on quantum computing titled “Quantum Computing: National Security
Implications & Strategic Preparedness” in partnership with Noida (Uttar Pradesh) based Data Security
Council of India (DSCI).

Union Minister Amit Shah Releases 24 Reprinted Sastu Sahitya Books, Rs 150 Coin in
Ahmedabad
In March 2025, Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) , Ministry of Cooperation
released 24 reprinted books by Ahmedabad (Gujarat)-based Sastu Sahitya Mudranalaya Trust during the
Akhand Anandotsav event in Ahmedabad.
Union Minister Amit Shah also unveiled a Rs 150 commemorative coin in honor of the 150th birth
anniversary of Acharya Bhagwant Shri Buddhi Sagar Surishwar Maharaj.

MoPR Launches ‘MWFGP Initiative’ for Women’s Empowerment

On March 5, 2025, the Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR), Government of India (GoI), launched a ‘Model
Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP)’ initiative at the National Convention at Vigyan Bhawan in New
Delhi (Delhi). It was launched as a key part of the International Women’s Day celebration on March 8, 2025.
✓ MWFGP is a program aimed at increasing women’s participation, safety, and leadership in local
governance.
✓ The objective of the initiative is to establish at least one Model Gram Panchayat in each district in
India, serving as a beacon for gender-sensitive and girl-friendly governance practices.

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Union Finance Minister and MoS of Finance Launched New Credit Assessment Model for
MSMEs
In March 2025, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Corporate
Affairs (MoCA), along with Union Minister of State (MoS) Pankaj Chaudhary, MoF, launched the New Credit
Assessment Model based on the scoring of digital footprints of Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises (MSMEs) in post budget interaction held at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

NITI Aayog and India SME Forum Launch ‘A Million Women Arise’ Initiative for Women
Entrepreneurs
On March 6, 2025, New Delhi(Delhi) based National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog and
Mumbai(Maharashtra) based India Small, and Medium Enterprise (SME) Forum jointly launched the ‘A Million
Women Arise initiative’ to empower women entrepreneurs across India. The initiative aims to address
challenges faced by women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
✓ India SME Forum formalized a partnership with IndiGo Airlines through a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU), offering MSMEs improved travel solutions for enhanced business growth.

PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment & Infrastructure

Summit in Guwahati
In February 2025, Prime Minister (PM) of India, Narendra Modi inaugurated the two-day Advantage Assam
2.0 Investment & Infrastructure Summit at Khanpara locality Guwahati, Assam held from February 25 to 26.
✓ Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Railways (MoR) and Ministry of Electronics &
Information Technology (MoE&IT), announced several new projects aimed at boosting the railway
and Information Technology (IT) sectors in the region during the Advantage Assam 2.0 Summit.
✓ Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), announced
an investment of over Rs 4,800 crore to boost Assam’s inland waterways sector during the Advantage
Assam 2.0 Summit.
✓ Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Vedanta Limited also based in
Mumbai, and the Adani Group based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat have pledged to invest over Rs 1.5 lakh
crore in Assam across various sectors, as announced by their respective leaders at the Advantage
Assam Summit 2.0.

Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah Inaugurated ‘Workshop on Sustainability &

Circularity in Dairy Sector’ in New Delhi
In March 2025, Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) inaugurated the ‘Workshop on
Sustainability and Circularity in the Dairy Sector’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi (Delhi).
✓ The workshop was organised by the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) under the
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoFAH&D) in partnership with National Dairy
Development Board (NDDB).
✓ During the workshop, NDDB signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) aimed at promoting sustainable and inclusive growth in
the dairy sector by using the technical, financial and implementation support.
✓ NDDB has also signed MoUs with 26 Milk Union of 15 states, to establish biogas plants across the
country.

India’s First World Peace Center Inaugurated in Gurugram, Haryana

In March 2025, India’s first World Peace Center was established under the leadership of Ahimsa Vishwa
Bharti founder, Jain Acharya Lokesh Muni and the efforts of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti and inaugurated in
Gurugram, Haryana.

MoE Launches PM-YUVA 3.0 to Nurture Young Authors and Promote Indian Heritage
In March 2025, the Department of Higher Education (DHE) under the Ministry of Education (MoE) has
introduced the 3rd edition of the Prime Minister’s Young, Upcoming, and Versatile Authors (PM-YUVA 3.0)
Scheme for Mentoring Young Authors.

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PM-YUVA 3.0 builds on the participation of young authors in 22 Indian languages and English in its previous
editions.

Union MoS Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma Launches R&D Initiatives under SRTMI
On March 12, 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS) Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Ministry of Steel and
Ministry of Heavy Industries (MoHI) launched three Research and Development (R&D) schemes and the
‘SteelCollab’ web portal under the Steel Research Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) to boost steel sector
innovation.
✓ The launch took place during the event “Catalyzing R&D in the Indian Steel Sector” organized by the
Ministry of Steel in New Delhi (Delhi).
✓ The 3 schemes launched are Challenge Method, Open Innovation Method, and Start-up Accelerator
scheme.
✓ SRTMI is a collaborative platform established by the Ministry of Steel and the domestic steel industry to
promote R&D in steel technology, decarbonization, and digitalization.

Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy Launched India’s 1st Exploration Licence Auction for
Critical Minerals in Goa
In March 2025, Union Minister Gangapuram (G)
Kishan Reddy, Ministry of Mines (MoM) and Ministry of Coal (MoC), launched India’s 1st ever auction of
Exploration Licences (ELs) for 13 exploration blocks for critical minerals, in the presence of Pramod
Sawant, Chief Minister (CM) of Goa during an event held in Dona Paula in Panaji, Goa.
✓ For the initial phase, licenses will be issued for auction of exploration blocks for minerals like: Rare
Earth Elements (REE), Zinc (Zn), Diamond, Copper (Cu), Platinum Group Minerals (PGE), among others,
through a transparent online bidding process.
✓ The event also featured a roadshow on the 5th Tranche of Critical Mineral Blocks and the launch of
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Hackathon 2025, a Mineral Exploration Hackathon focused on ‘Mineral Targeting Using AI’.

ISRO Chairman Dr. V. Narayanan Inaugurates New Research Centre at IIT Madras
In March 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) Chairman Dr. V.
Narayanan inaugurated the ‘Shri S. Ramakrishnan
Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Fluid and Thermal Science Research’ at the Indian Institute of Technology
Madras (IIT-M), Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN).
✓ The centre is named after Sundaram
Ramakrishnan, former Director, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) and Vikram Sarabhai Space
Centre (VSSC) in Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala), ISRO.
✓ Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Railways (MoR) announced development of the longest
hyperloop test track at the IIT Madras, Thaiyur Campus in Chennai. The Hyperloop features the world’s
longest student-run hyperloop infrastructure.

IndiaAI & GSI Launch ‘IndiaAI Hackathon 2025’ to Revolutionize Mineral Targeting with
AI
In March 2025, IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division (IBD) under New Delhi (Delhi) based Digital India
Corporation (DIC), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with
the Geological Survey of India (GSI), Ministry of Mines (MoM), launched the ‘IndiaAI Hackathon 2025’
themed “Mineral Targeting using Artificial Intelligence.”

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✓ As part of the launch, MoM and Goa government launched India’s first-ever Exploration Licence (EL)
auction in Goa and also featured a Roadshow for the fifth tranche of critical mineral block auctions.
✓ On March 18, 2025, Kolkata (West Bengal, WB) based Coal India Limited (CIL),
a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Coal (MoC) signed a non-
binding
✓ Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hyderabad (Telangana) based Non-Ferrous Materials
Technology Development Centre (NFTDC), an autonomous Research and Development (R&D)
institution under MoM.

Indore Launches India’s 1st PPP-Based Green Waste Processing Plant

Indore city in Madhya Pradesh (MP), India’s cleanest city for 7 consecutive years, is set to launch India’s first
green waste processing plant under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U) through a Public-Private
Partnership (PPP) model. This initiative aims to convert green waste into valuable products, supporting
sustainability and economic growth.

IAEA DG Rafael Mariano Inaugurates S N Bose Building at GCNEP

On March 18, 2025, Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General (DG) of Vienna (Austria) based International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), inaugurated the S N Bose Building at the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy
Partnership (GCNEP), a Research and Development (R&D) unit in Haryana under the Department of Atomic
Energy (DAE).
He also launched a Certificate Course in Nuclear Engineering during the event, which was held at
Sushma Swaraj Bhavan in New Delhi (Delhi). The S N Bose Building, named after the
renowned Indian Physicist Dr. Satyendra Nath Bose, will serve as an advanced hub for research and training
in nuclear science and technology.

C-DOT Launches “Samarth” Incubation Program to Support Startups in Telecom and IT

In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi)-based The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), a Telecom
Research and Development (R&D) centre under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) , Ministry of
Communications (MoC) has introduced the first cohort of its incubation program, “Samarth” to promote
innovation in telecommunications and Information Technology (IT).
To implement the program effectively, C-DOT has partnered with New Delhi based Software Technology Parks
of India (STPI), an organization under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

Union MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh Launched Bio-Sarthi & Bioeconomy Report;
India’s Bioeconomy touched USD 165 billion in 2024
On March 21 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS)(Independent Charge,IC) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Ministry of
Science & Technology (MoS&T) launched ‘India Bioeconomy Report 2025(IBER 2025)’ during the celebrations
of 13th anniversary of Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) held at the National Media
Centre in New Delhi, Delhi.
✓ While addressing the event, Union MoS Dr. Jitendra Singh quoted that India’s bioeconomy saw a
significant 16-times increase in 10 years of the last one decade, from USD 10 billion (in 2014) to USD
165 billion (in 2024).
✓ He also launched BioSaarthi, a pioneering international mentorship initiative aimed to nurture biotech
startups, for a period of 6 months. It will provide structured mentor-mentee engagements, offering
personalized assistance to emerging entrepreneurs in the biotech sector.
Also, Assam has become the 1st state in the country to adopt the BioE3 framework.

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MoF Launched BAANKNET, e-Bkray to Enhance PSU Bank E-auctions for Asset Sales
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has launched a revamped e-auction portal ‘BAANKNET (Bank Asset Auction
Network)’ which was originally launched in January 2025, to further streamline the listing and auctioning of
banks’ assets.
✓ The portal is specifically designed to improve transparency and accelerate the process of disposing of
Non-Performing Asset (NPA) cases.
✓ Apart from it, the platform ‘e-Bkray’ was launched in February 2019, to boost the sale value realized
through bank e-auctions. Both the portals developed by the Department of Financial Services, MoF

Union MoS Jayant Chaudhary Launched ‘DBIM-Compliant Website’ to Strengthen India’s

Digital Governance Ecosystem
In March 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS) (Independent Charge, IC) Jayant Chaudhary, Ministry of Skill
Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) launched revamped ‘DBIM-Compliant’ website. This marks a
major step toward strengthening the digital governance ecosystem in India.
✓ The website is developed in alignment with the Digital Brand Identity Manual (DBIM) Version 3.0,
which was introduced by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in February
2025.
✓ The Union MoS highlighted that the DBIM framework bolsters Government of India (GoI)’s vision of
‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’ by creating a unified and citizen-centric digital
ecosystem.

MoE Launches ‘Baalpan ki Kavita’ initiative to Promote Indian Rhymes in Early

Education
On March 25 2025, the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), under the Ministry of
Education (MoE), has launched the “Baalpan ki Kavita” initiative to compile traditional and newly composed
nursery rhymes in Bhartiya Bhasha (Indian languages) and English.

MoL&E Launched India’s Social Protection Data Drive

In March 2025, the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&E) launched Phase-01 of India’s Social
Protection Data Pooling Exercise. For this, it is actively collaborating with Geneva (Switzerland)-based
International Labour Organisation (ILO) and various state governments, to obtain a comprehensive overview
of social protection coverage in India.

Union Minister C.R. Patil Launches a book ‘Ripples of Change’

In March 2025, Union Minister Chandrakant Raghunath (C.R.) Patil, Minister of Jal Shakti (MoJS), launched the
book “Ripples of Change: Gender-transformative rural WASH programmes in India” and an upgraded
website for the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) in New Delhi (Delhi).
✓ The book was published by the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS) under MoJS and
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) India.

OTHER NATIONAL NEWS

Madhav National Park in MP Becomes India’s 58th Tiger Reserve
In March 2025, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEFCC) announced the Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh (MP) as 58th Tiger Reserve (TR) of India
and marking it as the ninth TR in MP.
✓ Note: Tiger Reserves are notified by the State Governments as per provisions of Section 38V of the
Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 on advice of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

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India’s AI Revolution: A Roadmap to Viksit Bharat
India is undergoing a significant transformation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), driven by various initiatives like:
IndiaAI Mission and the establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoE) for AI are bolstering India’s AI ecosystem.
In 2024, the Government of India(GoI) approved the IndiaAI Mission with an outlay of Rs 10,300 crore over five
years to strengthen AI capabilities in India.
✓ The Mission is being implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
through ‘IndiaAI’ Independent Business Division (IBD) under Digital India Corporation (DIC).
✓ GoI announced a new CoE for AI in education (which will be 4th CoE in AI), in the Union Budget for
Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) with an outlay of Rs 500 crore.
✓ BHASHINI: BHASHa INterface for India(BHASHINI) is an AI-led language translation platform,
designed to provide smooth access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, which
includes voice-based access, and support content creation in Indian languages.
✓ Sarvam-1 AI Model: It is a large language model for optimization of Indian languages. It consists of 2
billion parameters and supports 10 major Indian languages.
✓ India Ranks 1st Globally in AI Skill Penetration: As per the Stanford AI Index 2024, India topped in
AI skill penetration globally, with a score of 2.8. It is followed by the United States of America (USA)
(2.2) and Germany (1.9).

GoI Elevated Railways CPSE’s IRCTC and IRFC to Navratna Status

On March 3, 2025, The Department of Public Enterprises (DoPE), Ministry of Finance (MoF) upgraded two
Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSE’s) under the Ministry of Railways (MoR), Indian Railway Catering and
Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) to the
prestigious Navratna status.
✓ With this upgrade, IRCTC and IRFC join 24 existing Navratna companies, becoming
the 25th and 26th respectively.
✓ This upgrade empowers CPSEs with enhanced financial autonomy, enabling them to invest up to Rs
1,000 crore without prior government approval.

India’s EPHL & Belgium’s JCD Form JV in India for Light Tank Program
In March 2025, Seraing (Belgium) based John Cockerill Defence (JCD), the world’s top-turret manufacturer for
battle tanks, and Pune (Maharashtra) based Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics Private Limited (EPHL)
announced a Joint Venture (JV) in India.
The JV primarily focuses on the Indian Army’s (IA’s) Light Tank program, particularly Zorawar, a light tank
jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T),
which is currently undergoing advanced trials.

First Rear Fuselage for LCA Mk1A Handed Over to HAL by Indian Private Industry
In March 2025, the first rear fuselage for Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A, produced by Indian Private
Industry, Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Alpha Tocol Engineering Services Private Limited, was handed over
to Bengaluru based Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the presence of Union Minister Rajnath Singh,
Ministry of Defence (MoD) at Aircraft Division in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Announced USD 1 billion Fund for the Creator
Economy Ahead of WAVES 2025
In March 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) announced
a USD 1 billion fund to give boost to the creator economy, during high-level session on World Audio-Visual
and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, Chanakyapuri in New Delhi
(Delhi).
✓ He also announced that the Government of India(GoI) has allocated Rs 391 crore for India’s 1st Indian
Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) which will be set up in Goregaon Film City, Mumbai
(Maharashtra).
✓ During the event, the MIB and Government of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), which aimed at bolstering collaboration in media, entertainment, and digital outreach.

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BWSSB Becomes India’s First Water Board to Receive BIS Certification
In March 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB)
achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first water board in India to receive certification from the
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
(MoCAF&PD) for its piped drinking water supply
management system.
✓ This certification is valid for three years, from March 6, 2025, to March 5, 2028. During this period,
BWSSB will undergo regular surveillance audits by BIS officials, with the next evaluations scheduled for
December 2025 and September 2026, followed by a renewal audit in November 2027.

DGCA Grants License to Amravati Airport in Maharashtra for Flight Operations

In March 2025, the Amravati Airport in Belora, Maharashtra, was granted an aerodrome license by
the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation(MoCA), officially
designating it as a licensed Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) airport. This license signifies that the airport
is now ready to commence flight operations.
✓ Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Alliance Air Aviation Limited will operate flights on the Mumbai-
Amravati-Mumbai route with an ATR-72 aircraft three times a week. Operations are expected to begin
by the end of March 2025.
✓ Once operational, it will be the third commercial airport under the Maharashtra Airport Development
Company Limited (MADC), after Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport (Nagpur) and Shirdi
Airport (Shirdi).

NAI’s 135th Foundation Day: Exhibition on Indian Architecture, Book Launch & ‘Gyan
Bharatam Mission
On 11 March 2025, the National Archives of India (NAI) based in New Delhi, Delhi celebrated its 135th
Foundation Day by organizing an exhibition titled “Indian Heritage through Architecture.” The event was
inaugurated by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Ministry of Culture(MoC) and Ministry of
Tourism(MoT).
As part of the celebrations, NAI launched a book titled ‘Thumb Printed: Champaran, Indigo Peasants Speak
to Gandhi Volume III,’ documenting 423 testimonies from the Champaran Satyagraha, including accounts
from women and minors.

India’s Total Exports Increased by 6.24%, to USD 750.53 billion during April-February
of FY25: MoC&I
According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I)’s latest data, India’s combined merchandise and
services exports, registered 6.24%
Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth from April to February of Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25), reaching USD 750.53
billion against USD 706.43 billion during the same period of previous FY.
✓ While, India’s combined merchandise and services imports were estimated at USD 839.89
billion during April-February of FY25 compared to USD 782.90 billion for the same period of FY24,
showing a growth of 7.28%.
✓ India’s total exports, including both merchandise and services is estimated at USD 71.95 billion for
February 2025, registering growth of 3.16% compared to 69.74 billion in February 2024.

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Union MoS Jitendra Singh, Announces North India’s First Nuclear Power Plant in
Gorakhpur, Haryana
In March 2025, Union Minister of State (MoS), Independent Charge(I/C), Jitendra Singh, Ministry for
Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) announced that North India’s first nuclear power plant is
being established in Gorakhpur, Haryana. This initiative aligns with India’s strategy to expand nuclear energy
production while cutting down carbon emissions.
✓ The Union Minister also reaffirmed commitment to the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Project (JNPP) in
Maharashtra, which is set to become the largest nuclear power plant in India.
The JNPP will consist of six reactors, each having a capacity of 1,730 megawatts (MW). This will result in a
total power generation of 10,380 MW.

DAC Approves Rs 54,000 Crore Defence Acquisitions; CCS Clears Rs 7,000 Crore ATAGS
Artillery Deal
On 20 March 2025, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), operating under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and
led by Union Minister Rajnath Singh, MoD has approved eight capital acquisition proposals worth over Rs
54,000 crore. These procurements aim to enhance the operational strength of the Indian Army (IA), the Indian
Navy (IN), and the Indian Air Force (IAF).
✓ Indian Army(IA): The DAC has sanctioned the procurement of a 1350 HorsePower
(HP) engine to replace the 1000 HP engine used in T-90 tanks.
✓ Indian Navy(IN): Approval has been granted for the procurement of Varunastra torpedoes, advanced
ship-launched anti-submarine weapons.
✓ Indian Air Force(IAF): The DAC has approved the acquisition of Airborne Early Warning &
Control (AEW&C) Aircraft Systems, which will act as force multipliers, significantly improving aerial
surveillance and combat effectiveness.
✓ The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi, has
approved a Rs 7,000 crore contract for the procurement of 155 millimeter (mm) Advanced Towed
Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS).

GoI Forms IMICF for Fintech Sector Development

In March 2025, the Government of India (GoI) has set up an Inter-Ministerial-Industry Committee on
Fintech (IMICF) to address challenges in the fintech sector and develop strategies for its long-term expansion.
✓ The committee will be chaired by Nagaraju Maddirala, Secretary of the Department of Financial
Services (DFS) and will include representatives from key government and regulatory bodies.

MeitY conducts IWBDC to Develops Indigenous Web Browser

In March 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has conducted the Indian Web
Browser Development Challenge (IWBDC), a competition aimed to develop an indigenous web
browser under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The top winners were:
✓ Zoho Corporation – First Prize (Rs 1 crore)
✓ Team PING – Second Prize (Rs 75 lakh)
✓ Team Ajna – Third Prize (Rs 50 lakh)
✓ Jio Vishwakarma – special mention

Annual Report on the Status of Tigers, Prey, and Other Mammals – 2024: NSTR Records
76 Tigers
According to the Annual Report on the Status of Tigers, Prey, and Other Mammals – 2024, the tiger
population in the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve (NSTR) in Andhra Pradesh (AP) has significantly

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increased, reaching 76 individuals, excluding 11 cubs. The report has been unveiled by Pawan Kalyan, Deputy
Chief Minister (Dy CM) and Minister for Environment and Forests of AP.
✓ He also introduced the official logo of Nagaravanams, a project initiated by the Forest Department of
AP to create urban green spaces resembling natural forests.

GoI Approves Rs 11,440 Crore Revival Package for RINL

In March 2025, the Government of India(GoI) has approved an infusion of Rs 11,440 crore as equity and
preferential capital in Visakhapatnam(Andhra Pradesh, AP) based Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) to
sustain its operations and ensure its continuity.
✓ This decision aligns with the objectives of the National Steel Policy, 2017, aimed at enhancing the
efficiency and competitiveness of the steel sector.

MoMSME Announces New Criteria for MSME from April 2025

In March 2025, the Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) updated the classification
criteria for businesses under the MSME category. These changes will take effect from April 1, 2025. The
revision updates the criteria set in 2020.
The classification of MSMEs is based on investment in plant, machinery, or equipment and annual turnover
(TO). The revised limits are as follows:
✓ Micro Enterprises: Investment limit increased from Rs 1 crore to Rs 2.5 crore.
Turnover limit raised from Rs 5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
✓ Small Enterprises: Investment limit increased from Rs 10 crore to Rs 25 crore.
Turnover limit doubled from Rs 50 crore to Rs 100 crore.
✓ Medium Enterprises: Investment limit raised from Rs 50 crore to Rs 125 crore.
Turnover limit increased from Rs 250 crore to Rs 500 crore.

DPIIT Mandates BIS Certification for Hinges Effective from July 1, 2025
In March 2025, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of
Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) issued the Hinges (Quality Control) Order, 2025, mandating that all hinges
must bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark to ensure quality and curb the import of substandard
goods.
✓ The new guidelines will come into effect from July 1, 2025, giving manufacturers time to comply with
the new standards.

DoP Releases Rs.5 Commemorative Postage Stamp on Mata Karma

In March 2025, the Department of Posts(DoP) under the Ministry of Communications(MoC) , issued a
commemorative postage stamp of denomination Rs.5 to honor Mata Karma, a revered saint, social reformer,
and devoted follower of Lord Krishna, on her 1009th birth anniversary.
✓ Chhattisgarh Chief Minister(CM) Vishnu Deo Sai has released a postage stamp of Mata Karma during
the event held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

Make in India’s Leap in Electronics Manufacturing & Exports

Make in India, a flagship initiative of Government of India (GoI) launched in 2014, has been a cornerstone in
transforming India into a global manufacturing hub. Its key objectives were to enhance industrial capabilities,
foster innovation and to develop world-class infrastructure.
✓ As a result, India’s electronics exports are expanding swiftly, with the country’s electronics production
projected to reach USD 300 billion by 2026.

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✓ India has made significant strides in mobile and electronics manufacturing and become the world’s
2nd largest mobile manufacturing country as the number of mobile manufacturing units in India
increased from 2 (in 2014) to over 300 manufacturing units (at present).

5 Years of National Technical Textile Mission: Weaving the Fabric of Innovation

The National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), a flagship initiative of the Ministry of
Textiles (MoT) launched in 2020, to boost technical textiles in India, has completed 5 years of successful
implementation. The key focus areas of the mission are: research, market growth, exports, and skill
development.
✓ In February 2020, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister (PM)
Narendra Modi had approved the NTTM with an outlay of Rs 1,480 crores for a period from 2020-21
to 2025-26.
✓ Since its inception in 2020, the Government of India (GoI) has allocated Rs 517 crore for NTTM.
✓ India is the world’s 6th largest exporter of textiles, with a 3.9% share in global textile exports. The
textile sector is expected to grow to USD 350 billion by 2030 further strengthening India’s position in
the international market. Also, this growth is estimated to generate 3.5 crore jobs.

NITI FTH, CII & AICTE Launch Dx-EDGE for MSME Digital Transformation
In March 2025, the NITI Frontier Tech Hub (NITI-FTH) of NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming
India), in collaboration with the New Delhi (Delhi)-based Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) under the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) and the New Delhi-based All India Council for Technical
Education (AICTE) under the Ministry of Education (MoE), launched the Digital Excellence for Growth and
Enterprise (Dx-EDGE) initiative.

GOVT SCHEMES
CENTRAL GOVT SCHEMES
Gujarat Leads India with 19,020 Hectares of Mangrove Plantation in Two Years Under
‘MISHTI’ Scheme
In February 2025, Gujarat emerged as the national leader in mangrove afforestation, by planting mangroves
across approximately 19,020 hectares at a cost of over Rs 76 crore under the Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline
Habitats and Tangible Incomes(MISHTI) scheme.
✓ The GoI aims to plant 540 sq km of mangroves in five years under ‘MISHTI’ scheme. The scheme was
implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).

GoI Approves Rs 42,000 Crore Arunachal Frontier Highway along the LAC
In February 2025, the Government of India (GoI) approved the Rs 42,000 crore Arunachal Frontier Highway
project, the first road project in India to be sanctioned on such a large scale. The project is a part of the Act East
Policy, which seeks to expand the region’s air, rail, and road networks while improving connection with
Southeast Asia.

Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana: Ensuring Financial Security for
India’s Unorganised Workforce
Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana, a landmark initiative led by Government of India
(GoI) which aimed to provide financial security to millions of unorganized workers in India. It is a part of the
GoI’s wider social security initiatives and aligns with the vision of universal pension coverage for workers in
the unorganised sector.

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✓ The scheme is monitored by the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoL&E) in partnership with Life
Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Common Services Centres e-Governance Services India
Limited (CSC SPV) for smooth implementation.
✓ The scheme ensures a minimum pension of Rs 3,000 per month after the age of 60 for workers who
are employed in the unorganised sector and have a monthly income of up to Rs 15,000.
✓ As on March 3, 2025, top 5 states with maximum number of PM-SYM card issued: Haryana
(8,26,208); Uttar Pradesh (UP) (6,94,169); Maharashtra (6,21,500); Gujarat (3,91,043); and
Chhattisgarh (2,33,172).

Vigyan Dhara Scheme: Boosting India’s Scientific Research and Innovation

The Government of India (GoI) launched the unified Vigyan Dhara scheme on 16 January 2025 to strengthen
India’s scientific research, innovation, and technological development. It merges three existing umbrella
schemes of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Ministry of Science and
Technology(MoS&T):
✓ Science and Technology (S&T) Institutional and Human Capacity Building
✓ Research and Development (R&D)
✓ Innovation, Technology Development, and Deployment
Total Outlay: Rs. 10,579.84 crore for the 15th Finance Commission(FC) period (2021-22 to 2025-26). Annual
Allocation: 4.31 times Increased from Rs. 330.75 crore (2024-25) to Rs. 1,425 crore (2025-26).

STATE GOVT SCHEMES

Rajasthan Launched SSBY, providing Rs 1.3 lakh accident insurance cover to School
Students
In February 2025, Madan Dilawar, Education and Panchayati Raj Minister of Rajasthan launched the ‘Shiksha
Sanjeevani Bima Yojana (SSBY)’ during a special event held at Residency Girls Higher Secondary School in
Udaipur, Rajasthan.
✓ It is a 1st of-its-kind scheme which aims to provide personal accident insurance coverage of Rs 1 lakh
to Rs 1.30 lakh to students in the government schools. Initially, the scheme will cover schools in the
Udaipur Division of Rajasthan.

Union Minister JP Nadda Announces 2 New Schemes for Girl Child Welfare in Tripura
On March 9, 2025, Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Minister of Health and Family Welfare
(MoH&FW), announced two new welfare schemes for female children in Tripura. The announcement took
place during the two-year celebration of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Tripura Government 2.0 at Swami
Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala (Tripura).
✓ The two welfare schemes are the Mukhyamantri Balika Samridhi Yojana and
the Mukhyamantri Kanya Atmanirbhar Yojana.
✓ The schemes aim to provide financial support and encourage academic success for girls in Tripura.

Government Discontinues MLTGD Under Gold Monetisation Scheme

The Government of India has decided to discontinue the Medium Term and Long Term Government
Deposit (MLTGD) components of the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) effective March 26, 2025. This
decision follows a review of the scheme’s performance and evolving market dynamics. The renewal of MLTGD
has been discontinued with effect from March 26, 2025.
✓ The minimum deposit at any one time shall be 10 grams of raw gold (bars, coins, jewellery excluding
stones and other metals). There is no maximum limit for deposit under the scheme.

MoF Retains Small Savings Scheme Interest Rates for Q1FY26

On March 28, 2025, the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced
that Small Savings Scheme (SSS) interest rates will remain unchanged, for 1st Quarter of Financial Year 2025-

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26 (Q1FY26) i.e. from April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025, maintaining the same rates as Q4FY25 (January 1, 2025
to March 31, 2025).
Interest Rates on Small Savings Schemes for Q1FY26:

Instruments Rate of Interest from April 1, 2025 to June 30, 2025

Post Office Savings Deposit(POSD) 4.0%

1-Year Post Office Time Deposits (POTD) 6.9%

2-Year Post Office Time Deposits (POTD) 7.0%

3-Year Post Office Time Deposits (POTD) 7.1%

5-Year Post Office Time Deposits (POTD) 7.5%

5-Year Post Office Recurring Deposits (PORD) 6.7%

Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) 7.5% (will mature in 115 months)

Public Provident Fund (PPF) 7.1%

Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY) 8.2%

National Savings Certificate (NSC) 7.7%

Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme (SCSS) 8.2%

Post Office Monthly Income Scheme (PO-MIS) 7.4%

Mahila Samman Savings Certificate (MSSC) 7.5%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
WMO Launches iClimate Action Project to Boost Global Climate Intelligence
In March 2025, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in collaboration with the Global Climate
Observing System (GCOS), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), and the European Commission, launched
the iClimateAction project in Geneva, Switzerland.
✓ The initiative is backed by the Horizon Europe Work Programme 2023-2025, which aims to address
critical gaps in Earth observation and enhance global climate resilience.

India-Cambodia Held 3rd FOC to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation in Health and Digital
Tech
On March 10, 2025, India and Cambodia held the 3rd Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Siem Reap,
Cambodia, to review and strengthen their bilateral relations across various sectors with a focus on exploring
new cooperation opportunities in health and digital technologies.

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6 Indian Sites Included in Tentative List of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites 2025
In March 2025, six Indian sites were added to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization’s (UNESCO) Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. This inclusion is a prerequisite for potential
nomination to the World Heritage List. With these additions, India now has 62 sites on the Tentative List.
About Six Newly Added Sites of India:

Site Name Location

Kanger Valley National Park (KVNP) Chhattisgarh

Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs Telangana

Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes Multiple States

Chausath Yogini Temples Multiple States

Gupta Temples in North India Multiple States

Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Uttar Pradesh (UP)

GoI & UN-Women Co-hosted Ministerial Roundtable on Women’s Empowerment at 69th

CSW
In March 2025, the Government of India (GoI) in partnership with United Nations (UN)-Women, hosted a
Ministerial Roundtable which was organised on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Commission on the
Status of Women (CSW) held at UN headquarters in New York, the United States of America (USA). The session
was co-chaired by Union Minister Smt. Annpurna Devi, Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD)
and Sima Bahous Executive Director(ED) of UN Women.

Indonesia Joins BRICS-Backed NDB as Its 11th Member

In March 2025, Indonesia officially became the 11th member of the Shanghai (China) based New
Development Bank (NDB), formerly known as the BRICS Development Bank. This strategic move aims to
enhance Indonesia’s access to funding for infrastructure projects and national development programs.
✓ The decision was approved following a meeting between Dilma Vana Rousseff, President of NDB,
and Prabowo Subianto Djojohadikusumo, President of Indonesia, at the State Palace in Jakarta,
Indonesia.
✓ The other 10 members of NDB are Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Russia, South Africa,
the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Uruguay.

IUCN released 1st Green Status Assessment for Lion in Africa and India
In March 2025, Gland (Switzerland)-based International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN) released its 1st Green Status Assessment for the Lion (Scientific name: Panthera leo). The report has
termed the lion as ‘largely depleted’, while the species remains ‘Vulnerable’ on the International Union for
Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Red list.
✓ The IUCN 1st introduced ‘green status’ in a paper in the journal titled ‘Conservation Biology’ in July
2021. It was developed to tell a ‘species’ full conservation story.
✓ As per 2023 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for the Lions, a population of around 23,000 adult and
sub-adult lions in Africa and nearly 670 adult and sub-adult lions in India (Gujarat Forest Department
2020).

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VISITS
VISIT TO INDIA
Overview of EC President Ursula von der Leyen’s visit to India from 27-28
February 2025
European Commission(EC) President Ursula von der Leyen made a two-day visit along with the European
Union (EU) College of Commissioners to India from 27th February to 28th February 2025.
✓ This was the first visit of the College of Commissioners outside the European continent and also
the first visit in the history of India-EU bilateral ties.
✓ The 2nd meeting of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) took place on 28th February
2025 in New Delhi.
✓ An India-EU S&T Cooperation meeting held at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser(PSA), Vigyan
Bhawan Annexe, New Delhi.

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s 3-day Visit to Gujarat from March 1 to 3, 2025

Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi paid a 3-day visit to Gujarat from March 1 to March 03, 2025 focusing on
wildlife conservation.
✓ During his visit, he inaugurated Vantara, a 3,000-acre animal rescue and rehabilitation center in
Jamnagar, Gujarat and chaired the 7th meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) at Gir
National Park, Gujarat.
✓ During the visit, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated ‘Vantara’ that houses over 1.5 lakh rescued and
endangered animals.
✓ A new Project for Gharials was launched, focusing on their conservation and the National Great
Indian Bustard Conservation Action Plan was unveiled.
Click here to read full News

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, and
Gujarat on March 7 -8, 2025
The Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited the Union Territory (UT) of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and
Daman and Diu (DNHDD), and Gujarat from March 7-8, 2025. During his visit, the PM inaugurated and laid the
foundation stones for multiple development projects for the UT worth over Rs 2580 crore.
✓ Inauguration of NAMO Hospital: On March 7, 2025, PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Narendra
Modi (NAMO) Hospital (Phase I) in Silvassa, DNHDD.
✓ Rozgar Mela: PM Narendra Modi also distributed appointment letters under the ‘Rozgar Mela’ which
provides benefits to beneficiaries under various schemes, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana –
Urban (PMAY-U), Gir Adarsh Aajeevika Yojana(GAAY), and the Sylvan Didi Scheme.
✓ PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Gujarat: He launched 2 key initiatives: Gujarat Scheme for Antyodaya
Families for Augmenting Livelihoods (G-SAFAL) and Gujarat Mentorship and Acceleration of
Individuals for Transforming Rural Income (G-MAITRI).

Overview of New Zealand PM Christopher Luxon’s Official visit to India from March 16
to 20, 2025
Christopher Luxon, Prime Minister (PM) of New Zealand (NZ), was on five-days official visit to India from
March 16 to 20, 2025, following an invitation from PM of India Narendra Modi. The visit aims to enhance India-
New Zealand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including trade, investment, defence, education,
technology, agriculture, space, and sports.
✓ PM Narendra Modi and PM Christopher Luxon jointly inaugurated the 10th Raisina Dialogue in New
Delhi, Delhi with PM Luxon as the Chief Guest (CG).
✓ During NZ PM Christopher Luxon visit to India, New Zealand joined the Coalition for Disaster Resilient
Infrastructure (CDRI), became its 50th member.

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✓ A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) on Horticulture was signed between India’s Ministry of
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW), India and New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries
to enhance research and knowledge exchange.
✓ A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation was signed between the Ministries
of Defence (MoD) of India and Ministry of Defence of New Zealand to strengthen military ties and
establish regular defence dialogues.
✓ India and NZ have strengthened their economic ties with the signing of the Authorized Economic
Operator – Mutual Recognition Agreement (AEO-MRA) between the Central Board of Indirect Taxes
and Customs (CBIC) of India and the New Zealand Customs Service. Click here to read full News

FOREIGN VISITS
Overview of EAM Dr.Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to UK & Ireland from March 4-9,
2025
External Affairs Minister (EAM) of India, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar embarked on a 6-Day visit to the
United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland from March 4 to 9, 2025 to reinforce India’s bilateral engagements with the
UK and Ireland.
EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar Visit to UK:
✓ EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar visited the UK to reinforce the Great British Pound (GBP) 41 billion (around USD
53 billion) bilateral trade relationship.
✓ Economic Investments: The UK has welcomed over GBP 100 million (around USD 130 million) in new
Indian investments, expected to generate jobs and enhance economic growth.
EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar Visit to Ireland:
✓ EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar paid an official visit to Ireland from March 6 to 7, 2025, at the invitation of
Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister (PM) and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Defence, His
Excellency (HE) Simon Harris.
✓ Diplomatic Exchange of Officials: Both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
facilitate the annual exchange of diplomats, enhancing bilateral diplomatic relations.

Overview of PM Narendra Modi’s Visit to Mauritius from March 11-12, 2025

Prime Minister (PM) of India Narendra Modi was on a two-day official visit to the Republic of Mauritius from
March 11 to 12, 2025 to strengthen the long-standing relationship between India and the island nation, at the
invitation of PM of Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam.
✓ PM Narendra Modi received a warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Mauritius, with women
honoring him through Geet Gawai, a traditional Bihari Bhojpuri musical performance.
✓ On March 12 2025, PM Narendra Modi attended Mauritius’ 57th National Day celebrations at Champ
de Mars Racecourse in Port Louis(Mauritius), as the Chief Guest for the second time, following his first
visit in 2015.
✓ India’s Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Bank of Mauritius have signed an agreement to establish
a framework that facilitates cross-border transactions using local currencies, the Indian Rupee (INR)
and the Mauritian Rupee (MUR).
✓ The Government of Mauritius signed a credit facility agreement with India’s State Bank of India (SBI),
allowing it to access financial support as a borrower.
✓ The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) of India and the SME
division of Mauritius’ Ministry of Industry, SME, and Cooperatives signed a MoU to enhance
cooperation in the MSME sector. Click here to read full News

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BANKING & FINANCE
RBI IN NEWS
RBI Imposed Monetary Penalty on Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited and
Two Others
In February 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalty of Rs 33.30 lakh on Mumbai
(Maharashtra)-based Bombay Mercantile Co-operative Bank Limited, for violating certain provisions and
earning more income from business not allowed under the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
✓ It has also imposed monetary penalty of Rs 1 lakh each on two other co-operative Banks: Nashik
(Maharashtra)-based Business Co-operative Bank Limited and Nashik-based Lasalgaon Merchant
Co-operative Bank Limited.

RBI Imposes Rs 76.6 lakh Penalty on 4 NBFCs for Non-Compliance

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed Rs 76.6 lakh penalty on
four Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) for non-compliance with certain sections of its orders regarding
the ‘Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending platform’.
✓ A penalty of Rs 40 lakh has been imposed on Gurugram (Haryana) based Fairassets Technologies
India Private Limited and Rs 10 lakh each has been imposed on Mumbai based Bridge Fintech Solutions
Private Limited and Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Rang De P2P Financial Services Private Limited.
✓ The RBI also imposed a penalty of Rs 16.6 lakh on Mumbai based Visionary Financepeer Private
Limited.

RBI & NCFE Launch Nationwide Financial Literacy Campaign

In March 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Navi Mumbai based National
Centre for Financial Education (NCFE) under the Ministry of Finance (MoF) launched nationwide campaigns to
enhance financial literacy in India.
✓ It aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and skills to manage finances effectively, safeguard
against fraud, and ensure financial inclusion across India.

RBI Introduced Framework for Recognising SROs for AA Ecosystem

In March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) introduced a new framework for the recognition of a Self-
Regulatory Organisations (SROs) for the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem. The framework has outlined the
key characteristics, responsibilities, eligibility criteria, and governance aspects of SRO-AA.
RBI has clarified that SRO-AA will operate within the existing regulatory framework for the AA ecosystem,
while, technical specifications will continue to be framed and published by Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based
Reserve Bank Information Technology Private Limited (ReBIT).

BRISKPE Receives RBI In-Principle Authorisation for Cross-Border Payments

On March 12, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Brisk Payment Exchange (BRISKPE), a global investment
firm Prosus-backed payment aggregator, has obtained in-principle authorisation from the Mumbai
(Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a Payment Aggregator for Cross-Border (PA-
CB) transactions.
✓ This authorization allows BRISKPE to handle both export and import transactions under the Payment
and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.

RBI Imposes Penalties on JM Financial Products and Experian India for Regulatory Non-
Compliance
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed monetary penalties on JM Financial Products
Limited (JMFL) based in Mumbai, Maharashtra and Experian Credit Information Company of India Private
Limited (ECICI) also based in Mumbai for not following regulatory guidelines.

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✓ JM Financial Products Limited has been fined Rs 3.1 lakh for violating specific provisions related to
non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), particularly those concerning systemically important non-
deposit-taking and deposit-taking companies.
✓ Similarly, ECICI has been fined Rs 2 lakh for not adhering to certain provisions of the Credit
Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005 (CICRA) and the Credit Information Companies (CIC)
Rules, 2006.

RBI Data: ECBs Net Inflows Surged Over 2 times to USD 18.4 billion in 10MFY25
According to article titled ‘State of Economy’ published by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its March bulletin, net
inflows from External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) have surged over 2 times, to USD 18.4 billion in 10
Months (from April, 2024 to January, 2025) of Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25), against FY24, amid declining
costs of overseas fund raise.
✓ It further showed that ECB registrations and disbursements reached to USD 47.3 billion and USD 42.3
billion, respectively, in 10MFY25, on a cumulative basis.
✓ Net Outflows: As per the RBI’s data, ECB outflows due to principal repayments reached at USD 23.9
billion in 10MFY25.
✓ Net Inflows in FY24: The data showed that net inflows under ECBs were USD 9.5 billion in FY24,
significantly higher than the levels registered in FY23.

RBI’s Survey: US, UK and Singapore Overtake GCC Nations as India’s Top Remittance
Hubs in FY24
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) published a paper titled ‘Changing
Dynamics of India’s Remittances: Insights from the Sixth Round of India’s Remittances Survey’ in its
monthly bulletin. As per the results from the 6th round of India’s remittance survey, there has been gradual
shift in India’s inward remittance patterns as advanced economies (AEs) have replaced the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC) nations as the dominant source of remittances to India.
✓ Total Remittances Received in FY24: The survey revealed that India’s inward remittances have
increased more than twice, from USD 55.6 billion (in 2010-11) to USD 118.7 billion (in 2023-
24), increasing at an annual average rate of 14.3% post-COVID 10.
✓ Top source countries for India’s remittances in FY24: USA emerged as the largest source of
remittances, accounting 27.7% of total inward remittances to India in FY24, increase from 23.4% in
FY21.
o It is followed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) which has retained its position as
the 2nd largest source of India’s remittances. The share of UAE has increased marginally from
18% (FY21) to 19.2% (FY24).

RBI imposes monetary penalty on IDBI Bank & Citibank N.A

In March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed penalties on Mumbai(Maharashtra) based IDBI Bank
Limited, formerly known as Industrial Development Bank of India Limited (IDBI) and New York, the United
States of America(USA) based Citibank N. A for violating rules under the Foreign Exchange Management Act
(FEMA), 1999.

RBI: RRBs Get 5 More Years to Amortise Additional Pension Liabilities

On 20 March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued a directive regarding the Amortisation of
Additional Pension Liability in Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). As per the directive, RRBs are now permitted
to amortise the additional pension liability over 5 years starting from March 31, 2025, with a minimum
of 20% expensed annually. It applies to all the RRBs with effect from financial year 2024-25.

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RBI Revises PSL Norms to Boost Credit Access, Effective from April 1, 2025
On March 24,2025 The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised guidelines on Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to
boost credit access. These guidelines were issued under – ‘Master Directions – Reserve Bank of India (Priority
Sector Lending – Targets and Classification) Directions, 2025’. These Directions shall come into effect on April
01, 2025.
The Reserve Bank of India has, from time to time, issued a number of instructions/ guidelines to banks relating
to PSL. The following are the major changes:
✓ Enhancement of several loan limits, including housing loans for enhanced PSL coverage,
✓ Broadening of the purposes based on which loans may be classified under ‘Renewable Energy’,
✓ Revision of overall PSL target for Urban Co-operative Bank (UCBs) to 60 per cent of Adjusted Net Bank
Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposures (CEOBSE), whichever is higher.
• UCBs are required to achieve an overall PSL target of 75 per cent of ANBC or CEOBSE,
whichever is higher, by FY2025-26, with interim targets of 60 per cent (FY2023-24) and 65
per cent (FY2024-25).
✓ Expansion of the list of eligible borrowers under the category of ‘Weaker Sections’, along with removal
of the existing cap on loans by UCBs to individual women beneficiaries. Click here to read full News

RBI Imposes Penalties on HDFC Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank, and KLM Axiva Finvest
In March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed monetary penalties on Mumbai (Maharashtra)-
based HDFC Bank Limited, New Delhi (Delhi) based Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) and Hyderabad (Telangana)
based KLM Axiva Finvest Limited for failing to comply with RBI regulatory guidelines.
✓ HDFC Bank was fined Rs.75 lakh for non-compliance with RBI’s Know Your Customer (KYC)
regulations.
✓ PSB was fined Rs.68.20 lakh for not reporting of borrowers with non-fund exposures of Rs.5 crore.
✓ KLM Axiva Finvest was fined Rs.10 lakh for not complying with dividend declaration requirements.

RBI Allows Standalone Primary Dealers (SPDs) in Repo Operations

On 26th March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted Standalone
Primary Dealers (SPDs) to participate in all repo operations across tenures, removing previous restrictions
that limited their role primarily to overnight liquidity management., excluding the Marginal Standing Facility
(MSF), and selectively in long-term Variable Rate Repo (VRR) operations.

SEBI
SEBI Introduced Framework for Specialized Investment Funds Effective From April 1,
2025
In February 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced new framework for
Specialized Investment Fund (SIF), the new category of investment product, which aimed to fix gaps between
Mutual Funds (MFs) and Portfolio Management Services (PMS) in terms of portfolio flexibility.
✓ The new framework will come into force with effect from April 1, 2025.
✓ Eligibility Criteria: In order to launch SIFs, Asset Management Companies (AMCs) are required to
have minimum 3 years of operation and an average Asset Under Management (AUM) of Rs 10,000 crore
over the last 3 years.
✓ Appointment of CIO for SIF: AMCs have been mandated by SEBI to appoint a Chief Investment
Officer (CIO) with a fund management experience of 10 years and has managed an average AUM of not
less than Rs 5,000 crore.

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SEBI Allowed All NBFCs, HFCs to Invest in Security Receipts Issued by ARCs
In March 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has allowed all Non-Banking Finance
Companies (NBFCs), including Housing Finance Companies (HFCs) to invest in Security Receipts (SRs) issued
by Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs).
✓ The Net Owned Funds (NOFs) of ARCs should be Rs 100 crore or above and they are require to
maintain a Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 15% of its risk-weighted assets.
As per the circular, SEBI has extended the deadline for reporting differential rights issued by Alternative
Investment Funds (AIFs) to March 31, 2025 (previously, the deadline was February 28, 2025), following
industry representations seeking more time for compliance.

SEBI tightened Rules for SME IPOs with Profitability Mandate

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has notified a
stringent regulatory framework for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Initial Public Offerings (IPOs). It has
introduced a profitability requirement and capped the 20% limit of the total size on Offer-For-Sale (OFS)
component.
✓ Minimum operating profit: As per the new framework, SMEs who are planning to launch an IPO, are
required to show a minimum operating profit (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and
Amortization or EBITDA) of Rs 1 crore in at least two of the previous 3 Financial Years(FY).

SEBI Cuts Rights Issue Timeline to 23 Days for Faster Fundraising

In March 2025, The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra
has reduced the timeline for completing rights issues from 126 days to just 23 days. This is a major
improvement compared to the current average timeline of 317 days. The new rule will be effective from April
7, 2025.
✓ Rights issues must remain open for 7 to 30 days. The verification of application bids and the
finalization of allotments will now be handled by stock exchanges (SE), depositories, and registrars.

Paytm Money Limited Receives SEBI’s Approval as Research Analyst

On March 18 2025, Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Paytm Money Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of One
97 Communications Limited(OCL), received a Certificate of Registration (CoR) as a Research Analyst (RA)
from the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) under the ‘SEBI
(Research Analysts) Regulations, 2014’.

SEBI cuts minimum investment in social stock exchange instruments to Rs 1,000

On March 19 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) revised the
minimum investment threshold for Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) Instruments on the Social Stock
Exchange (SSE) from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1,000.
✓ Investment Reduction: SEBI lowered the minimum investment for ZCZP instruments from Rs 10,000
to Rs 1,000, making it affordable for smaller investors.

SEBI to Constitute High-Level Committee to Review Conflict of Interest in Top Ranks

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based market regulator, Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI)has
approved the setting up of a High-Level Committee (HLC) to review provisions related to governance and
revamp its rules on conflict of interest and disclosure obligations for board members and senior officials.
✓ This decision was taken during SEBI’s 1st meeting under its new chairperson of Tuhin Kanta Pandey.
✓ SEBI has approved a proposal to double Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) investment threshold for
granular beneficial ownership (BO) disclosures from existing Rs 25,000 crore to Rs 50,000 crore.
✓ The Board of SEBI has eased investment restrictions for Category-II Alternative Funds (AIFs) including
private equity and debt funds, enabling them to invest in listed debt securities rated ‘A’ or below. Now,

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such investments will be considered equivalent to investments in unlisted securities for regulatory
compliance.

SEBI Issued New Guidelines for Intraday Index Derivative Monitoring Effective from
April 1, 2025
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based market regulator, Securities Exchange Board of
India (SEBI) issued new guidelines for monitoring of intraday position limits for exchanges and clearing
corporations (CCs).
✓ As per the new norms, stock exchanges will monitor position limits for index derivatives on an intraday
basis, with effect from April 1, 2025.
✓ Also, SEBI has clarified that no penalties will be imposed for breaching existing position limits during
the trading day until further notice.
✓ Sebi proposed new position limits for index derivatives to better reflect actual market risks.
• For index options, the end-of-day limits are set at Rs 500 crore (net) and Rs 1,500 crore (gross),
while intra-day limits are Rs 1,000 crore (net) and Rs 2,500 crore (gross).
• For index futures, the end-of-day limit has been increased from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,500 crore,
with an intra-day limit of Rs 2,500 crore.
✓ In March 2025, SEBI has extended the deadline for Regulated Entities (REs) which comes under its
purview such as Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), depositories, Credit Rating Agencies (CRAs),
among others, to adopt Cybersecurity and Cyber Resilience Framework (CSCRF) until June 30, 2025, a
3-month extension from the original date.
SEBI Grants In-Principle Approval to ASK Group for Mutual Fund Business
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based ASK Asset & Wealth Management Group (ASK Group) backed
by Blackstone Inc. (United States of America, USA) secured in-principle approval from Mumbai(Maharashtra)
based the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch its Mutual Fund (MF) business.

LOANS ISSUED BY BANKS

LOANS RECEIVED BY AMOUNT KEY NOTES
ISSUED BY
IRFC NTPC REL Rs. 5,000 crore In March 2025, New Delhi(Delhi) based
Indian Railway Finance
Corporation (IRFC), a public sector
undertaking under the Ministry of
Railways(MoR), signed a Rupee Term
Loan (RTL) agreement worth Rs. 5,000
crore with New Delhi based NTPC
Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL), a
subsidiary of NTPC Green Energy
Limited(NTPC GEL).
JICA GoI Rs.11,181 crores In March 2025, the Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) of Japan has
signed 6 Official Development
Assistance (ODA) loan agreements with
the Government of India (GoI), totaling
Japanese Yen (JPY) 191,736 million
(around Rs.11,181 crores).

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✓ A substantial sum of Rs.4,649
crores will be allocated to
the Delhi Metro Phase 4 project,
led by the Delhi Metro Rail
Corporation(DMRC), to enhance
urban mobility, reduce traffic
congestion, and decrease air
pollution in the National Capital
Region.
✓ An additional investment
of Rs.3,065 crores has been
earmarked for building seawater
desalination plant(II)
in Chennai(Tamil Nadu, TN).
✓ Assam’s fisheries sector will
receive Rs.209 crores for Assam
State Aquaculture Promotion and
Livelihood Improvement Project to
enhance aquaculture production,
strengthen supply chains, and
improve livelihoods in line with
India’s Act East Policy.
✓ Punjab has been allocated Rs.669
crores for the Punjab Biodiversity
and Natural Resources
Conservation Project.
✓ Rs.483 crores will be allocated to
improve India’s forest
governance and biodiversity
conservation.

AGREEMENTS & MoUs SIGNED

BANKS SIGNED WITH KEY NOTES

City Union Bank CSK In March 2025, the Kumbakonam (Tamil Nadu, TN)
based City Union Bank (CUB) announced a strategic
partnership with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), to
introduce a new co-branded credit card for cricket
fans.
✓ The initiative provides CSK fans with a one-
of-a-kind financial solution that combines
banking privileges with exclusive bonuses
tied to their favourite Indian Premier League
(IPL) franchise.
RBL Bank Paytm In March 2025, Paytm(Pay Through Mobile), a
wholly owned subsidiary of Noida (Uttar Pradesh)
based One97 Communication, has partnered with
Mumbai (Maharashtra) based RBL Bank Limited to
provide its sound box and card machines to RBL

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Banks’s merchants, making transactions easier and
more efficient.
IOB IGBC In March 2025, Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN) based
Public sector Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Hyderabad (Telangana) based Confederation of
Indian Industry (CII) -Indian Green Building Council
(IGBC) to provide accessible and affordable financing
solutions for developers and home buyers.
YES Bank WTC In February 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based YES
Bank, India’s sixth-largest private sector bank, in
collaboration with the World Trade Center
(WTC) Mumbai, the Indian chapter of the World
Trade Centers Association (WTCA), hosted
the Export Conclave 2025 at YES Bank House on 21
February 2025.
A strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
between YES Bank and WTC Mumbai was signed
during the conference.
SIDBI FBL In March 2025, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI)
and Aluva (Kerala) based Federal Bank Limited (FBL)
signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to
provide financial support to Micro, Small, and
Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The MoU was signed by Prakash Kumar, Deputy
Managing Director (DMD), SIDBI and Harsh Dugar,
Executive Director (ED), FBL in the presence of senior
SIDBI and FBL officials.
BoI IA On March 04, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Bank of India (BOI) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Army (IA) to
extend the BOI ‘Rakshak Salary Package’ to Army
Personnel, Veterans, and Agniveers recruited under
the Agnipath Scheme in New Delhi (Delhi).
HDFC Bank Limited Indian Army & CSC Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based HDFC Bank Limited,
Academy the Indian Army’s Directorate of Indian Army
Veterans (DIAV), and Common Service Centres
(CSC) Academy (under CSC e-Governance Services
India Limited) have renewed their Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to expand Project NAMAN.
This initiative aims to support Army veterans, their
families, and next of kin by providing essential
services at their doorstep.
Canara HSBC Life GIC Housing Finance In March 2025, Gurgaon (Haryana)- based Canara
Insurance HSBC Life Insurance Company Limited
partnered with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based GIC
Housing Finance Limited (GICHF), subsidiary of
General Insurance Corporation (GIC) of India to
provide credit life insurance solutions to home loan
borrowers.

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Note: Canara HSBC Life Insurance was a joint
venture (JV) comprising Canara Bank Limited (51%),
HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings Limited
(26%), and Punjab National Bank, PNB (23%).
NABARD J&K Grameen Bank In March 2025, National Bank for Agriculture and
Rural Development (NABARD), Jammu & Kashmir
(J&K) Regional Office based in Jammu, J&K, has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Jammu -based J&K Grameen Bank for the promotion
and financing of 2,000 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs).
✓ The MoU aims to meet the credit needs of
Economically Weaker Sections (EWSs) of
society by constituting and credit-linking
JLGs.
APCRDA HUDCO In March 2025, Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh, AP)
based Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development
Authority (APCRDA) and New Delhi (Delhi) based
Housing and Urban Development Corporation
Limited (HUDCO) under the Ministry of Housing and
Urban Affairs (MoHUA) signed a Rs 11,000 crore
loan agreement for the construction of Amaravati,
the greenfield capital city of AP.
✓ The Rs 11,000 crore loan is part of the Rs
26,000 crore required for Phase-1 of
Amaravati’s construction. The total estimated
cost for Amaravati’s development
is Rs 50,000 crore. The World
Bank (WB) and Asian Development
Bank (ADB) committed
Rs 15,000 crore for the project.
Rural Electrification Energy Management REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification
Corporation Limited Centre (EMC) Corporation Limited), a Maharatna Central Public
Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Power
(MoP), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the Energy Management Centre (EMC),
Government of Kerala for collaboration and financing
of Pumped Storage Projects (PSP) in Kerala.
✓ Under this MoU, REC will finance Rs18,360
crore in the PSP segment in Kerala over the
next 5 years. The MoU was signed during the
Global Green Hydrogen & Renewable Energy
Summit 2025 held in Kochi, Kerala from 12 to
13 March 2025.
Piramal Capital & Punjab & Sind Bank In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Housing Finance Piramal Capital & Housing Finance
Limited (PCHFL) Limited (PCHFL) (Piramal Finance) has entered into
a strategic co-lending partnership with Punjab &
Sind Bank, a public sector bank headquartered in

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New Delhi (Delhi), to enhance credit availability for
middle- and low-income borrowers, focusing
primarily on underserved areas like rural and semi-
urban regions across India.
RBI Central bank of In March 2025, India’s central bank, Reserve Bank of
Mauritius, Bank of India (RBI) and the central bank of Mauritius, Bank of
Mauritius (BOM) Mauritius (BOM) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to establish a framework for
promoting the use of the Indian Rupee (INR) and the
Mauritian Rupee (MUR) in cross-border transactions.
✓ This agreement aims to enhance bilateral
trade by encouraging the use of INR and MUR
for payments in all current account
transactions and permissible capital account
transactions.
Paytm SBI Mutual Fund Paytm, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Noida (Uttar
Pradesh, UP) based One 97 Communications Limited,
has partnered with Mumbai (Maharashtra) SBI
Mutual Fund, a subsidiary of State Bank of India
(SBI) to launch the JanNivesh Rs.250 Systematic
Investment Plan (SIP) initiative.
✓ The scheme was launched by Securities and
Exchange Board of India’s (SEBI) Chairperson
Madhabi Puri Buch on February 17, 2025.
SEBI DigiLocker In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based market
regulator, Securities and Exchange Board of
India (SEBI) announced that it has partnered
with DigiLocker to address the issue of unclaimed
assets in the securities markets.
✓ For this, SEBI issued a circular titled
‘Harnessing DigiLocker as a Digital Public
Infrastructure for Reducing Unclaimed
Assets in the Indian Securities Market’ in
exercise of powers given under Section 11(1)
of the SEBI Act, 1992, to protect the interests
of investors in securities and to promote the
development of, and to regulate the securities
market.
NPCI HitPay On March 19, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL), the
international arm of the National Payments
Corporation of India (NPCI), has partnered with
Singapore-based HitPay, a full-stack payments
infrastructure firm, to facilitate Unified Payments
Interface (UPI) payments in Singapore.
✓ This marks NIPL’s second partnership in
Singapore, following the launch of UPI-

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PayNow in 2023 for cross-border
transactions.
AIBI MBAN In March 2025, Association of Investment Bankers of
India (AIBI), the apex body of investment bankers in
India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Nepal based Merchant Bankers
Association of Nepal (MBAN).
✓ The MoU aims to promote collaboration and
mutual support to enhance capacity building,
professional development, regulatory
knowledge, and best practices among
investment banking professionals in India and
Nepal.
SIDBI CMAI & SICS In March 2025, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh(UP) based
the Small Industries Development Bank of
India (SIDBI) has entered into two significant
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the
Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Clothing
Manufacturers’ Association of India (CMAI) and the
Surat(Gujarat) based Sachin Industrial Co-operative
Society Limited (SICS).
NSDC PayPal The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
and PayPal, California, the United States of America
(USA)-based financial technology (fintech)
company formalised a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) as part of PayPal’s Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) program to launch a
comprehensive skill development initiative targeting
India’s Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance
(BFSI) sector.
CIRL LIC In March 2025, , Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based
Centrico Insurance Repository Limited (CIRL),
subsidiary of Central Depository Services (India)
Limited (CDSL) has entered an agreement with
Mumbai-based Life Insurance Corporation of
India (LIC) to provide Insurance
Repository (IR) services.
ADB Shriram Finance In March 2025, Manila (Philippines) based Asian
Limited Development Bank (ADB) and Chennai (Tamil Nadu,
TN) based Shriram Finance Limited (SFL), (formerly
Shriram Transport Finance Company, STFC) one of
India’s largest Non-Banking Financial Companies
(NBFCs) have signed a USD 150 million loan
agreement to enhance financial access for Micro,
Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India.
✓ The USD 150 million loan is part of USD 306
million financing package led by ADB, which
includes USD 150 million co-financing from

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the Tokyo (Japan) Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).
✓ Additionally, Rs.500 million (USD 5.80
million) from Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank).
BoI NIACL In March 25, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Bank of India (BoI), one of India’s leading Public
Sector Banks (PSUs) has entered into a strategic
partnership with Mumbai based New India Assurance
Company Limited (NIACL), India’s largest
nationalized general insurance company to provide
general insurance products to BoI customers.
✓ BoI also signed its first-ever Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Indian Air Force
(IAF) to extend tailored banking benefits
through the ‘BoI Rakshak Salary Package’ to
IAF personnel, veterans, and
Agniveers recruited under the Agnipath
scheme.
Bandhan Bank IAF In March 2025, Kolkata, West Bengal(WB) based
Private lender Bandhan Bank has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian
Air Force (IAF) to introduce the Bandhan Bank
Shaurya Salary Account, a zero-balance corporate
salary account tailored for IAF personnel, veterans,
and families.
IREDA State Bank of India In March 2025, New Delhi(Delhi) based State-owned
(Tokyo) Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency
Limited (IREDA), ‘Navratna’ Central Public Sector
Enterprise (CPSE) under the control of Ministry of
New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has signed
Japanese Yen (JPY) 26 billion (Rs 1,476 crore)
facility agreement for raising External Commercial
Borrowing (ECB) from India’s largest Public Sector
Bank (PSB), State Bank of India (SBI)’s Tokyo branch
in Japan.
✓ This facility agreement also includes a green
shoe option of JPY 10 billion.
Luminous Power SBI In March 2025, Gurugram (Haryana)-
Technologies Private based Luminous Power Technologies Private
Limited Limited, India’s leading solar energy solutions
company, has signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-
based India’s largest Public Sector Bank (PSB), State
Bank of India (SBI) to expand its access to solar
financing across the country.

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OTHER BANKING NEWS
BoB Launches Merchant Loyalty/Cashback Programme to Boost CBDC
On 27 February 2025, Vadodara (Gujarat) based Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched a pilot for a
“Merchant Loyalty/Cashback Programme” using programmable Central Bank Digital Currency
(CBDC) for their customers using “bob Merchant App”.

Federal Bank Launched ‘Annuity Deposit’ for Resident Customers

Aluva (Kerala) based Federal Bank Limited, one of India’s leading private sector banks, has launched a new
term deposit product “Annuity Deposit”, specifically designed for resident customers offering stable income
for a period of 5 to 20 years.

Yes Bank Tops S&P Global CSA 2024, CDP, & Featured in Sustainability Yearbook 2025
In February 2025, the United States of America (USA) based S&P Global released the S&P
Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) 2024 and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP),
where Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Yes Bank Limited was recognized as India’s highest-rated
bank in sustainability for the third consecutive year.

HDFC Bank Executes 1st gold trade through IIBX

In February 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based HDFC Bank Limited becomes the first domestic bank to
trade 5 kilograms (kg) of gold at the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) in Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gujarat.
✓ The transaction was carried out by HDFC Bank’s GIFT City International Banking Unit (IBU) in
partnership with Mumbai based Hindustan Platinum Private Limited, a global leader in refining and
manufacturing high-purity precious metal products and industrial services.

BoB Introduced “Bob Global Women NRE & NRO Savings Account”
In March 2025, the first amongst public sector banks, Vadodara(Gujarat) based Bank of Baroda (BoB)
introduced ‘bob Global Women Non-Resident External (NRE) and Non-Resident Ordinary (NRO) Savings
Account’, designed exclusively for women Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to fulfill their global aspirations and
unique banking needs.

HDFC Bank Launches ‘Project HAKK’ to Support IAF Veterans and Families
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based HDFC Bank Limited has introduced ‘Project HAKK (Hawai
Anubhavi Kalyan Kendra-Serving those who have served)’ to provide comprehensive support and services to
Indian Air Force (IAF) pensioners, veterans, and their families.
HDFC Bank signed an Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the IAF, represented by the Office
of the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff(ACAS) – Accounts & Air Veterans, and New Delhi(Delhi) based
CSC Academy (promoted by Common Service Centre(CSC) E-Governance Limited).

IRDAI Grants First Private Reinsurance License to Valueattics Reinsurance

On March 12, 2025, Hyderabad (Telangana) based Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
(IRDAI) approved the ‘R2’ license for Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Value Attics Reinsurance
Limited, marking the entry of the first private-sector reinsurer in India.
✓ This approval was given during the 129th meeting of the IRDAI board on March 12, 2025, chaired by
Debasish Panda.
✓ The licence, “R2” category for reinsurers, signifies the company’s authorization to conduct reinsurance
business exclusively.

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ADB Launches Frontier Seed (Pacific) Program to Boost Local Industries and Economic
Growth
On March 17, 2025, Philippines based Asian Development Bank (ADB) introduced the Frontier Seed (Pacific)
program, to strengthen local capital markets, foster entrepreneurship, and support businesses that drive
inclusive and sustainable economic growth in frontier Pacific markets.
Under the ADB Frontier Seed (Pacific) program, ADB has signed two USD 200,000 (approximately Rs.1.73
crore) cost-recoverable technical assistance agreements to support key industries in Fiji. The program’s first
two recipients are:
✓ SeaPAC Pte Ltd: A leading saltwater prawn producer in Fiji was granted USD 200,000 to expand
saltwater prawn production, enhancing food security and reducing reliance on seafood imports.
✓ Kahuto Pacific: An innovative aerial mapping company in Fiji, received USD 200,000 to develop coastal
mapping technologies for climate adaptation and disaster resilience.

IRDAI Appoints 5 New members to Enhance Insurance Advisory Panel

In March 2025, Hyderabad (Telangana) based Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India
(IRDAI) appointed 5 New members of experts from various sectors to improve regulatory decisions and
strengthen the insurance sector’s overall framework in the Insurance Advisory Committee (IAC).
New Appointments to the IAC:
✓ Shri. M. R. Kumar, former Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), Mumbai (Maharashtra)
✓ Shri. Dinesh Kumar Khara, former Chairman of State Bank of India (SBI), Mumbai (Maharashtra)
✓ Ms. Vishakha Mulye, Chief Executive Officer of Aditya Birla Capital Limited, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
✓ Shri. Nilesh Shah, Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Company Limited, Mumbai
(Maharashtra)
✓ Ms. Alice Geevarghese Vaidyan, former Chairman and Managing Director of General Insurance
Corporation Re (GIC Re), Mumbai (Maharashtra).

PSBs’ Dividends Increases 33% to Rs 27,830 crore in FY24: GoI data

According to Government of India (GoI)’s latest data, Public Sector Banks (PSBs) have witness an increase
of 32.7% in dividend payout to Rs 27, 830 crore in the Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24) compared to Rs 20,
964 crore recorded in FY23. This increase reflects a significant improvement in financial health of these PSBs,
compared to record losses of Rs 85,390 crore registered in FY18.
✓ Of the total dividend received, approximately
65% (Rs 18,013 crore) was paid to GoI towards their stake in FY24.
✓ The data further revealed that GoI had received Rs 13,804 crore as dividend from PSBs including
Mumbai(Maharashtra) based State Bank of India (SBI), India’s largest PSB, in FY23.

Poonawalla Fincorp Launches AI-Powered Underwriting Solution with IIT Bombay

In March 2025, Pune (Maharashtra)-based Poonawalla Fincorp Limited (PFL), a Non-Banking Financial
Company (NBFC) under the Cyrus Poonawalla Group, introduced an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Powered
Underwriting Solution in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay),
Mumbai.

HDFC Bank Launches ‘Embassy Fixed Deposit Scheme’

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based HDFC Bank Limited introduced the ‘Embassy Fixed Deposit
(FD) Scheme’, also termed the Diplomat FD Scheme, tailored for diplomatic staff and embassy personnel in
India.

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BluPine Energy secures Rs 1,787 cr funding from NaBFID
In March 2025, Gurugram(Haryana) based BluPine Energy Private Limited, a Renewable Energy(RE) services
company backed by global infrastructure investor Actis, has secured Rs 1,787 crore in funding from
Mumbai(Maharashtra) based National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID).

FINANCE NEWS
India Extends USD 1 Million for Food Fortification Project in Lao PDR
On February 28, 2025, the Government of India (GoI) extended a grant of approximately USD 1 million to the
Government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) under the India-United Nations (UN)
Development Partnership Fund.
✓ The grant will support the project titled ‘Strengthening Large-scale Food Fortification: The Case of
Investing in Rice Fortification.’

Japan and India Renewed Bilateral Swap Arrangement of USD 75 Billion

On February 28, 2025, Japan and India renewed their 2nd Amendment and Restatement Agreement of the
Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA), maintaining the agreement of up to USD 75 billion. The agreement was
signed by the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Tokyo(Japan) based Bank of
Japan (BoJ), acting as the agent for Japan’s Ministry of Finance.

SBI Life Insurance Introduces 2 New Child Insurance Plans: ‘Smart Future Star’ & ‘Smart
Platina Young Achiever’
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based SBI Life Insurance Company Limited (SBI Life), a joint
venture(JV) between the State Bank of India(SBI) and French insurer BNP Paribas Cardif, introduced two new
child focused insurance products: ‘SBI Life – Smart Future Star’ and ‘SBI Life – Smart Platina Young
Achiever’.

Niva Bupa Launches ‘Rise’ to Empower India’s Missing Middle

On March 07, 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Niva Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited (formerly Max
Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited) has introduced ‘Rise’, a health insurance plan to address the
healthcare needs of India’s “Missing Middle”.

CredResolve Secures USD 1.1 Million Funding to Expand AI-Based Debt Recovery
Solutions
In March 2025, Gurugram (Haryana)-based CredResolution India Private Limited (CredResolve), an Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-driven debt collections platform, has secured USD 1.1 million in seed funding from
Bengaluru(Karnataka) Unleash Capital Partners, a Japanese venture capital (VC) firm, along with CDM
Capital based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

India’s Top Life Insurers in 2025: HDFC, Max Life, and LIC Lead in terms of Claim
Settlements
In March 2025, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) released annual data on
Claim Settlement Ratio (CSR) in its latest ‘Handbook on Indian Insurance Statistics 2023-24’. This report
provides comprehensive information on how different insurers handle claims, which helps the policymakers to
make informed decisions.
✓ As per the report, the overall CSR for individual death claims within 30 days, including both private
insurers and Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) stood
at 96.82% for Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24).
✓ Top Life Insurers in terms of number of policies: As per the report, New Delhi(Delhi) based Axis
Max Life Insurance Limited with 99.79% CSR in terms of number of policies (19,569), emerged as the
biggest insurer in India.
✓ Top Life Insurers in terms of numbers of policies settled: LIC, India’s largest public-sector
insurer, topped in terms of most number of policies settled within 30 days.

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✓ Top Insurers in terms of CSR by benefit amount: HDFC Life Insurance topped, with 99.98% of total
benefit amount paid out for claim settlement within 30 days, followed by Axis Max Life Insurance.

Kuhoo Finance Secures NBFC License from RBI to Expand Education Loan Offerings
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Kuhoo Finance Private Limited, a student loan-focused fintech
platform backed by WestBridge Capital India Advisors Private Limited, received a Non-Banking Financial
Company (NBFC) license from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
RBI Guidelines for NBFC License Eligibility:
To secure an NBFC license, entities must meet the following RBI criteria:
✓ Minimum Net Owned Funds(NOF): Rs. 10 Crores (for non-deposit-taking NBFCs).
✓ Company Structure: Registered under the Companies Act, 2013.

Zuno General Insurance become India’s first insurer to Integrates ‘PHYD’ as Standard
Feature in Motor Insurance
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Zuno General Insurance Limited (formerly Edelweiss General
Insurance) has launched ‘Zuno SmartDrive’, making Pay-How-You-Drive (PHYD) a standard feature in its
motor insurance policies.
✓ This makes Zuno the first insurer in India to integrate mobile telematics into car insurance
policies at no additional cost, shifting from traditional fixed pricing to behavior-based premiums.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

GDP & GROWTH RATE
ORGANIZATION YEAR RATE
World Bank 2047 7.8%
In February 2025, the World Bank(WB) released its latest
report titled ‘India Country Economic Memorandum, titled
‘Becoming a High-Income Economy in a Generation’, which
is a comprehensive analysis of economic developments,
prospects, and policy agenda of the country.
✓ As per the report, India will need to grow
by 7.8% on average over the next 22 years to
achieve India’s ambitious target of reaching High-
Income Nation (HIN) status by 2047.
✓ As per the report, India has the potential to take
benefit of its demographic dividend by making
investments in human capital, creating enabling
conditions for more and better jobs and increasing
female LFP rates from 35.6% to 50% by 2047.
NSO FY25 6.5%
Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) released the Second Advance
Estimates (SAE) of Annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
for Financial Year 2024-25 (FY25); Quarterly Estimates of
GDP for Q3 (October-December 2024) of FY25 along with
its expenditure components.
✓ As per the NSO data, India’s Real GDP grew
at 6.2% in Q3FY25, which is higher than 5.6%
(revised estimate) in Q2(July-September) of FY25.
However, this growth rate is significantly lower
than 9.5% registered in Q3FY24.

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✓ Real GDP or GDP at Constant (2011-
12) prices is estimated at 6.5% during 2024-25 as
compared to 9.2% in 2023-24. It is estimated at
Rs.187.95 lakh crore in FY25 compared to
Rs.176.51 lakh crore in FRE of GDP for FY24.
RBI Q3 FY25 3.1%
In February 2025, the Reserve Bank of India
(RBI) released its quarterly House Price Index (HPI) for
the December quarter of 2024-25, showing a 3.1%
increase in the All-India HPI for third quarter of the
Financial Year 2024-25(Q3 FY25) compared to the 4.3%
in Q2 FY25 and a 3.8% growth in the same quarter of the
previous year. On a sequential quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q)
basis, the All-India HPI rose by 0.4% in Q3 FY25.
SBI Q4 FY25 7.6%
According to the State Bank of India (SBI) Research
report released in February 2025, India’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter of the
Financial Year 2024-25 (Q4 FY25) is estimated at 7.6%.
✓ The real GDP growth rate of 9.2% for FY24 is the
highest in the past 12 years, excluding FY22, which
recorded 9.7% growth, the highest since India’s
independence.
CRISIL FY26 6.5%
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based CRISIL
Limited (formerly Credit Rating Information Services of
India Limited), a leading global rating agency, released its
outlook for the Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26). It projects
India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth
at 6.5% for FY26. This forecast indicates a deceleration
from the 9.2% growth achieved in FY25.
ICRA FY26 6.5%
In March 2025, India’s Credit Rating Agency, ICRA
Limited (formerly Investment Information and
Credit Rating Agency of India Limited) released its
latest FY2026 GDP Outlook report. The report has
projected that India’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) will grow at 6.5% in Financial Year
2025-26(FY26) compared to 6.3% expected in FY25.
Moody’s Rating FY26 6.5%
On March 12, 2025, New York, the United States of
America(the USA) based Moody’s Rating released it
report titled ‘Banking System Outlook – India’, revised
India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) forecast for the
Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), projecting it to
exceed 6.5%, up from 6.3% in FY25.
Inflation: Moody’s expects India’s average inflation
rate to decline to 4.5% in FY26 from 4.8% in
FY25, reflecting the positive effects of monetary
easing.

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OECD FY25 On March 17, 2025, Paris (France) based Organisation for
Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adjusted
India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
growth forecast for Financial Year 2024-25(FY25),
to 6.4%, slightly up from 6.3% in FY24.
✓ Economic Outlook: The 6.6% growth projected
for FY26 remains strong despite a slight
downward revision.
✓ Global Economic Projections: The OECD also
revised its global GDP growth forecast for 2025
from 3.3% to 3.1%, largely driven by trade
barriers and geopolitical uncertainties.
Fitch Ratings FY26 In March 2025, New York (the United States of America,
USA)-based credit rating agency, Fitch Ratings released
its March edition of the Global Economic Outlook
(GEO). The report has kept India’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) projection unchanged to 6.5% for Financial
Year 2025-26 (FY26).
✓ While, it has raised India’s GDP forecast for FY27
to 6.3%, from 6.2% in its December 2024 edition
of GEO, amid the United States of America(USA)
instigated global trade war.
✓ Growth Rate for FY25: The report showed that
India’s GDP growth has recovered in 4th Quarter
(Q4: January-March) of FY25 to 6.2% compared to
5.4% in Q3FY25.
S&P Global Ratings FY26 On March 25, 2025, New York, the United States of
America (USA) based S&P Global Ratings (formerly
Standard & Poor’s) released its Economic Outlook for Asia-
Pacific(APAC) 2025. It lowered India’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) growth forecast for the fiscal year 202-
26 (FY26) to 6.5% from the previous projection of 6.7%.

ECONOMY NEWS
India Emerged as Top Source Country for FDI into Dubai with USD 3 billion Investment
According to Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism data, India has emerged as the top source country for
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with investment worth USD
3.018 billion in 2024, which shows a 5-times increase from USD 589 million in 2023.
✓ India accounted 21.5% of total FDI inflow in 2024, followed by the United States of America (USA)
(13.7%); France (11%); the United Kingdom (UK) (10%) and Switzerland (6.9%).

NSO: Retail Inflation declines at 7-month Low of 3.6% in February 2025; IIP Grows by
5% in January 2025
In March 2025, National Statistics Office (NSO) under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme
Implementation (MoSPI) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for rural, urban and combined for the
month of February 2025. As per the official data, Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer
Price Index (CPI) for the month of February, 2025 over February, 2024 is 3.61% down from 4.26% in the
preceding month.

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✓ This decline is driven by a sharp decrease of 222 basis points in food inflation, from 5.97% (in January
2025) compared to 3.75% (February 2025), marking the lowest level since May 2023 (3.19%).
✓ The data further revealed that Industrial Index Production (IIP) witnessed the growth of 5.0% in
January 2025, compared to 3.2% observed in December 2024.

MSME Sector Achieves Growth with Notable Reduction in Non-Performing Assets

On 11th March 2025, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) announced that over the past 5 years, the Micro, Small, and
Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector has seen a steady rise in total advances. At the same time, the sector has
experienced a consistent decline in Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) and the Gross NPA ratio.
✓ Advances Outstanding: As of March 31, 2020, the total advances outstanding to the MSME sector
stood at Rs.16.98 lakh crore. By March 31, 2024, this amount increased to Rs.28.04 lakh
crore, showing a steady increase in financial support for the sector.
✓ Gross NPAs: The Gross NPAs of the MSME sector decreased from Rs.1.87 lakh crore (11% of total
advances) in Financial Year (FY) 2020 to Rs.1.25 lakh crore (4% of total advances) by FY2024. This
represents a significant reduction in the sector’s NPA ratio.

India to Become World’s 3rd Largest Economy by 2028: Morgan Stanley

In March 2025, New York (the United States of America, USA)-based brokerage firm, Morgan Stanley has
projected that India will become the 3rd largest economy in the world by 2028, supported by macro-stability
influenced policy and better infrastructure. India will overtake Germany (which is currently world’s 3rd
largest economy) as its economy is most likely to expand to USD 5.7 trillion in 2028.
✓ It has further projected that the Indian economy will expand from USD 3.5 trillion (in 2023) to USD 4.7
trillion (in 2026), which will make it the world’s 4th largest economy behind the United States of
America (USA), China and Germany.

Amazon, Google & Meta Support Global Nuclear Energy Expansion by 2050
In March 2025, Amazon, Alphabet’s Google, and Meta Platforms signed a pledge to support the global
initiative to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050. The pledge, led by London, the United Kingdom(UK)
based World Nuclear Association (WNA) on the sidelines of the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference in
Houston, the USA.

CBDT Notifies Ten year ZCB of PFC

In March 2025, The Ministry of Finance (MoF), through the New Delhi(Delhi) based Central Board of Direct
Taxes (CBDT) notified the “Ten Year Zero Coupon Bond of Power Finance Corporation Limited (PFC)” as a
Zero Coupon Bond (ZCB) under clause (48) of section 2 of the Income-tax Act, 1961.
Key Details of the Bond:
✓ Name: Ten Year Zero Coupon Bond of PFC.
✓ Life Period: 10 years and 1 month (121 months)
✓ Number of Bonds: 10 lakh bonds will be issued.

BUSINESS NEWS
Rupee112 Launches India’s First Fully Automated WhatsApp Loan Disbursal
In February 2025, Gurugram (Haryana) based fintech startup Rupee112 launched India’s first fully
automated loan disbursal service through WhatsApp, enabling salaried professionals to access unsecured
loans immediately.

Rentokil Initial Hygiene Achieves Carbon Neutrality for 2024 in India

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Rentokil Initial Hygiene Private Limited, (part of United
Kingdom (UK) Based Rentokil Initial Plc.,) a global leader in hygiene services, has announced that it has

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achieved carbon neutrality for the year 2024 through recycling, clean energy, eco-conscious logistics, and
digital efficiency, marking a key step toward its goal of net zero emissions by 2040.

UK’s Prudential plc & HCL Group Announces JV for Health Insurance in India
In March 2025, the London, United Kingdom (UK) based Prudential plc, a global financial services group, has
announced the establishment of a standalone health insurance company in India in partnership with New Delhi
(Delhi) based Vama Sundari Investments Private Limited (Vama Delhi), a firm owned by the HCL Group
promoter.
✓ Subject to regulatory approvals, Prudential Group Holdings, a subsidiary of Prudential plc, will hold
a 70% stake in the joint venture (JV), while Vama Sundari Investments will own the remaining 30%.

Japanese Consortium Signed MoU to Establish Green Ammonia Production Facility

in Odisha
In March 2025, a consortium of 6 leading Japanese companies including, IHI Corporation (formerly known as
Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.); Hokkaido Electric Power Co., Inc. (HEPCO); Mitsubishi Gas
Company, Inc. (MGC), shipping major Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Limited, Inc. (MOL); Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (MHBK),
and Tokyo Century Corporation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore investment
opportunities in a green ammonia production project currently under development in India.
✓ As per the MoU, a new green ammonia production facility will be established in Odisha, by 2030 in
partnership with Gurugram(Haryana) based ACME Cleantech Solutions Private Limited(part of ACME
Group), a leading Renewable Energy (RE) company.

IN-SPACe Appoints SVCL as Fund Manager for Rs. 1000 Crore VC in Space sector
In March 2025, Ahmedabad (Gujarat) based Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (IN-
SPACe) under the Department of Space (DOS) of Government of India (GoI) has appointed Mumbai
(Maharashtra) based SIDBI Venture Capital Limited (SVCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Small Industries
Development Bank of India (SIDBI) as the fund manager for a Rs. 1,000 crore venture capital (VC)
fund aimed at promoting India’s space sector.

JSW Steel becomes world’s most valuable steelmaker with USD 30.3 bn market cap
In March 2025, Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Steel Limited has become the world’s most valuable steel company by
market capitalization, reaching USD 30.3 billion. This milestone places JSW Steel ahead of industry giants like
the United States of America(USA) based Nucor Corporation( USD 29.4 billion) and Luxembourg based
ArcelorMittal S.A(USD 27.1 billion).

MobiKwik Launches MSBPL as Wholly Owned Unit for Stock Broking

In March 2025, Gurugram(Haryana) based One MobiKwik Systems Limited(MobiKwik), a prominent fintech
company expanded its financial services portfolio by incorporating a wholly owned subsidiary, MobiKwik
Securities Broking Private Limited (MSBPL), following approval from the Ministry of Corporate
Affairs(MoCA).

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MoU’s & AGREEMENTS
MoU’s WITH COUNTRY
COUNTRY MoU’s WITH FIELD / PURPOSE
India Nepal On 3 March 2025, the Government of India(GoI) and the
Government of Nepal signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector,
including waste management.

India Thailand A high-level Indian delegation of 18 members from

the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Gem and Jewellery
Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), Jaipur (Rajasthan)
based Jewellers Association Jaipur (JAJ), and Jaipur
(Rajasthan) based Sitapura Gems and Jewellery Industry
Association (SGJIA) visited Thailand from 22 to 24
February 2025.
India Armenia On March 10, 2025, India and the Republic of
Armenia signed two Memoranda of Understanding
(MoUs) during the visit of Ararat Mirzoyan, the Foreign
Minister (FM) of Armenia, to India from March 9 to 11,
2025. The agreements aim to strengthen bilateral
cooperation in medical product regulation and
diplomatic training.
MoU on Medical Product Regulation: Signed between
India’s Central Drugs Standard Control
Organisation (CDSCO) in New Delhi and Armenia’s
Center of Drug and Medical Technology
Expertise (CDMTE).
India South Africa In March 2025, the Administrative Staff College of India
(ASCI) based in Hyderabad (Telangana) and
the National School of Government (NSG), based in
South Africa signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their collaboration
in capacity building, research, consultancy, and
knowledge sharing, aimed at improving governance
and public sector performance.

India’s OTAI Malaysia’s MPOC On March 7, 2025, Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) based Oil
Technologists’ Association of India (OTAI) and Kuala
Lumpur (Malaysia) based Malaysian Palm Oil
Council (MPOC) signed a collaboration agreement to
enhance awareness about the nutritional and health
benefits of Malaysian palm oil in the Indian market.
The collaboration will focus on consumer
education, industry engagement, and scientific
research to highlight palm oil’s benefits.
India Qatar In March 2025, The Government of India (GoI)
granted ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) on financial and economic

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cooperation between India and Qatar. This MoU
was initially established by the Ministry of
Finance (MoF), India and the Ministry of Finance of the
state of Qatar on February 18, 2025, during the visit of
Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani to
India.
India Bolivia In March 2025, External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA), Government of India (GoI) held a
bilateral meeting with Celinda Sosa Lunda,
Foreign Minister of the Plurinational State
of Bolivia to enhance bilateral relations between
India and Bolivia by signing an agreement on Quick
Impact Projects (QIPs) in La Paz, the capital of
Bolivia.

MoU’s WITH STATE

STATE MoU’s WITH FIELD / PURPOSE
J&K IWAI In March 2025, Noida (Uttar Pradesh (UP)) based
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)
has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the Government of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), to
enhance river cruise tourism on three National
Waterways in J&K.
The three national waterways (NW) in the Union
Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir include River
Chenab (NW-26), River Jhelum (NW-49), and River
Ravi (NW-84) out of the 111 recognized national
waterways in India.
Andhra Pradesh Microsoft Corporation In March 2025, the Government of Andhra
India Private Limited Pradesh (AP) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Gurugram (Haryana)
based Microsoft Corporation India Private Limited, the
Indian subsidiary of United States of America (USA)
based Microsoft Corporation, to bolster skill
development in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
advanced technologies among the state’s youth.
✓ The MoU aims to equip 2 lakh
students and youth in AP with foundational
and advanced skills in AI, cloud computing, and
digital productivity.
Gujarat Nayara Energy In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
based Nayara Energy (formerly Essar Oil Limited)
signed two Memorandums of
Understanding (MoUs) with the Forest and
Environment Department of the Government
of Gujarat and

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the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) under the
Department of School Education and Literacy of the
Ministry of Education (MoE) in Gandhinagar (Gujarat).
✓ Under the MoU with the Gujarat Forest and
Environment Department, Nayara Energy will
offer financial support for the conservation and
restoration of the Khijdia Bird Sanctuary, a
Ramsar Site, in Jamnagar district, Gujarat.

MoU’s BETWEEN ORGANIZATION

ORGANIZATION MoU’s WITH FIELD / PURPOSE
TRIFED NIFT & HPMC In February 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based
Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development
Federation of India Limited (TRIFED), under the
Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) has signed
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with New
Delhi based National Institute of Fashion
Technology (NIFT), and Shimla (Himachal
Pradesh, HP) based Himachal Pradesh
Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing
Corporation (HPMC) to promote tribal
businesses.
The MoU between TRIFED and NIFT was signed
and exchanged between TRIFED General
Manager (GM) Sandeep Pahalwan and NIFT
Director Head Office Gaurav Mishra.
GRSE Indian Army Kolkata (West Bengal) based Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Limited has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with the Indian Army (IA) for the construction
of a 130-foot-long Single Lane Modular
(SLM) Steel Bridge (70R) in Arunachal Pradesh
(AR).
The agreement was signed by Natarajan
Partheepan, General Manager (GM) (Bailey
Bridges), representing GRSE with the IA.
Solar Defence Aerospace In March 2025, Nagpur (Maharashtra) based
Solar Industries India Limited (SIIL) announced
that its wholly owned subsidiary, Solar Defence
and Aerospace Limited, has signed a contract
worth Rs 239 crore with the Ministry of
Defence (MoD), Government of India (GoI), for
the supply of multi-mode hand grenade.
ISM TEPL, & TSMPL On 5 March 2025, the India Semiconductor
Mission (ISM), Tata Electronics Private Limited
(TEPL), and Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing
Private Limited (TSMPL) have signed a Fiscal
Support Agreement (FSA) to establish India’s
first commercial semiconductor fabrication unit
in Dholera, Gujarat.

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✓ EPL’s semiconductor fab in Dholera
(SIR) has a total investment of over Rs
91,000 crore with a capacity of 50,000
wafer starts per month (WSPM).

IIFT APEC-Antwerp In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi)-based Indian

Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), autonomous
body under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry (MoC&I) and Antwerp (Belgium)-
based APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training
Center, a leading training institute affiliated
with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges International,
have signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to enhance academic
collaboration and knowledge exchange in the
fields of global trade, logistics, and supply chain
management.
The MoU aims to bolster trade education and
training ties between India and Belgium by
facilitating faculty and student exchanges for
improved cross-culture business learning.
NHLML IWAI On 11 March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based
National Highways Logistics Management
Limited (NHLML) under the Ministry of Road
Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and Noida
(Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Inland Waterways
Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of
Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in
New Delhi for developing a state-of-art Multi-
Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Varanasi, UP.
IWAI, the nodal agency of MoPSW for National
Waterways (NW), signed MoU with multiple
agencies of Delhi government including
Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC) department,
the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the
Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the Delhi Transport
Corporation (DTC) at Asita Park, Delhi.
DBT GoAS On March 12, 2025, the Department of
Biotechnology (DBT) under The Ministry of
Science and Technology (MoS&T), Government
of India (GoI), and the Government of
Assam (GoAS) formalized a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to establish a Centre-
State partnership under
the BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy,
Environment, and Employment) Policy in New
Delhi (Delhi).
It is the 1st Centre-State partnership under
the BioE3 framework, aims to bolster high-
performance bio-manufacturing and cultivate a
sustainable biotechnology ecosystem in Assam.

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DoP FSID, IISc Bengaluru On March 11, 2025, the Department of
Posts (DoP), under the Ministry of
Communications (MoC), signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with Bengaluru
(Karnataka) based the Foundation for Science
Innovation and Development (FSID), Indian
Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru at Dak
Bhawan in New Delhi (Delhi).
The MoU seeks to design the technology
architecture for the Digital Address Digital
Public Infrastructure (DPI) to create a secure,
scalable, and interoperable addressing system.
Infineon Technologies CDIL Munich (Germany) based Infineon
Technologies AG, a global leader in power
systems and Internet of
Things (IoT) semiconductors, signed its first
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
New Delhi (Delhi) based Continental Device
India Limited (CDIL), India’s first
semiconductor manufacturer.
✓ The agreement aims to bolster domestic
production of power semiconductors
critical for sectors like renewable
energy, automotive, and industrial
applications.
✓ This collaboration aligns with India’s
‘Semiconductor Mission’, which
prioritizes reducing import dependency
and achieving self-reliance under the
‘Make in India’ initiative.
DPIIT Mercedes-Benz India The Department for Promotion of Industry and
Private Limited Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce
and Industry (MoC&I) has signed a
Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Mercedes-Benz
India Private Limited based in Pune,
Maharashtra to strengthen India’s
manufacturing sector, road safety, and
environmental sustainability.
CIL IIT Hyderabad In March 2025, Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)
based Coal India Limited (CIL) signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Indian Institute of Technology of Hyderabad
(IIT-Hyderabad), Telangana for establishing a
Centre of Clean Coal Energy and Net Zero
(CLEANZ) in Hyderabad.
SAIPL ACI On 11 March 2025, Sakthi Aircraft Industry
Private Limited (SAIPL) based Coimbatore,
Tamil Nadu (TN) and the Aero Club of
India (ACI) based in New Delhi, Delhi have
signed an agreement to manufacture and
supply 200 Diamond DA40 NG (Next
Generation) trainer aircraft in India.

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Of these, 150 aircraft will be assembled at
SAIPL’s upcoming facility, which is expected to
be established in Haryana.
Starlink Jio & Airtel In March 2025, Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra)
based Jio Platforms Limited (JPL), subsidiary of
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), and New
Delhi (Delhi) based Bharti Airtel
Limited (Airtel) entered into a partnership
with Elon Musk’s United States of America
(USA) based Space Exploration Technologies
Corp. (SpaceX) to introduce Starlink’s satellite
internet services across India.

Lok Sabha (LS)Secretariat Ministry of Electronics and In March 2025, the

Information Lok Sabha (LS)Secretariat has signed a
Technology (MeitY) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with
Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY) to develop an Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-powered solution
named ‘Sansad Bhashini’ which will provide
comprehensive In-House AI solutions for multi-
lingual support and streamlined processes in
parliamentary operations.
✓ As per the MoU, LS will provide
parliamentary data and resources, which
will be used for learning the AI
tools/products
while; Bhashini (BHASHa INterface for
India) will provide translation
capabilities and technical expertise.
In March 2025, the MeitY in partnership with
New Delhi (Delhi)-based Drone Federation
India (DFI) launched the National Innovation
Challenge for Drone Application and
Research (NIDAR) under the ‘SwaYaan–
Capacity Building for Human Resource
Development in Unmanned Aircraft
Systems(UAS)’ initiative, during an event held at
Electronics Niketan in New Delhi, Delhi.

Department of WhatsApp In March 2025, the Department of

Telecommunications (DoT) Telecommunications (DoT) under the Ministry
of Communications (MoC), and Mobile
Messaging Application (app) WhatsApp, a
subsidiary of Meta Platforms, Inc., collaborated
to expand Meta’s safety campaign ‘Scam
Se Bacho,’ (Stay Safe from Scams) to bolster
digital safety in India.
✓ The DoT launched the ‘Sanchar Saathi

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portal’ and mobile app, allowing users to report
suspected fraud calls and messages, track
mobile connections, and block or trace lost or
stolen devices.
Indian Railways (IR) Mission Amrit Sarovar In March 2025, the Indian Railways (IR)
announced the collaboration with the Mission
Amrit Sarovar to address the critical issue of
water scarcity across India. With this
collaboration, the IR will assist in desilting,
excavating, or constructing new Amrit Sarovars
(ponds) near railway lines.
Mission Amrit Sarovar was launched on 24
April 2022, aimed at developing and
rejuvenating 75 water bodies in each district of
India, with a total target of 50,000 ponds
nationwide.

Unique Identification Sarvam Artificial In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Unique
Authority of India (UIDAI) Intelligence (Sarvam AI) Identification Authority of
India (UIDAI) partnered with Bengaluru
(Karnataka) based Sarvam Artificial
Intelligence (Sarvam AI), an indigenous full-
stack Generative AI (GenAI) company, to
enhance the Aadhaar system’s user-friendliness,
security, and accessibility for citizens.

DPIIT YES BANK Limited & On March 20, 2025, the Department for
Kyndryl Solutions Private Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
Limited (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and
Industry (MoC&I), Government of India (GoI)
has signed two Memorandums of
Understanding (MoUs) with Mumbai
(Maharashtra) based YES BANK Limited and
Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Kyndryl
Solutions Private Limited to boost India’s
startup ecosystem.
✓ The DPIIT – YES BANK partnership aims
to promote innovation and offer vital
support to product
startups, innovators, and
entrepreneurs throughout India.
✓ The DPIIT-Kyndryl Solutions
partnership, with its expertise in digital
transformation and Generative Artificial
Intelligence (GenAI), aims to empower
startups in the manufacturing and
Information Technology (IT) sectors.

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Andhra Pradesh (AP) Gates Foundation On March 19, 2025, the government of Andhra
Pradesh (AP) and the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation (Gates Foundation),
headquartered in the United States of America
(USA), signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in New Delhi (Delhi) to
collaborate on public welfare initiatives.
✓ It aims to integrate cost-effective and
scalable solutions in key sectors such
as healthcare, medtech, education, and
agriculture.
✓ The MoU was signed in a meeting
of Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief
Minister (CM) of AP with Bill Gates,
Chairman of the Gates Foundation.

BPCL BluJ Aerospace In March 2025, Bharat Petroleum Corporation

Ltd. (BPCL), a Maharatna Public Sector
Undertaking (PSU) signed
a quadripartite Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Telangana
based BluJ Aerospace Private Limited, Agency
for New and Renewable Energy Research and
Technology (ANERT), and Cochin International
Airport Limited (CIAL) to establish the world’s
1st hydrogen-fueled Vertical Take-off and
Landing (VTOL) aviation ecosystem.
✓ BPCL will establish Hydrogen Refueling
Infrastructure (HRI) for VTOL aircraft
developed by BluJ Aerospace through its
upcoming Hydrogen Refueling Stations
(HRS) in Kochi and
Thiruvananthapuram of Kerala to
support sustainable aviation.
UK Odisha and GRIDCO Limited In March 2025, The Government of United
Kingdom (UK) in partnership with the Energy
Department of Odisha and GRIDCO Limited
(formerly known as Grid Corporation of Odisha)
organized a workshop on ‘Net-Zero Vision for
Bhubaneswar’ in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
✓ The Energy and Resources
Institute (TERI) based in New Delhi,
Delhi participated as the knowledge
partner.
AFMS NIMHANS In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Armed
Forces Medical Services (AFMS), an inter-
services organisation under the Ministry of
Defence(MoD) and Bengaluru (Karnataka)

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based National Institute of Mental Health and
Neurosciences (NIMHANS), operates under the
Ministry of Health and Family
Welfare(MoHFW) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) to improve mental health
care for military personnel and their families.
GRSE PWD of Nagaland In March 2025, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and
Engineers Limited (GRSE), a Defence Public
Sector Undertaking (DPSU) under the Ministry
of Defence (MoD), signed a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the Public Works
Department (PWD) (Roads & Bridges) of the
Northeast Indian state of Nagaland, in Kohima
(Nagaland), for supplying 8 sets of Double
Lane Modular Steel Bridges in Nagaland.
✓ This marks the first-ever
MoU between GRSE and
a Northeastern State, aligning with the
Government of India’s (GoI) “Make In
India” (MII) initiative for regional
development.
MoRD UNICEF On March 26, 2025, the Ministry of Rural
Development (MoRD) of Government of India
(GoI) and the United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF) YuWaah (Generation Unlimited
India) have signed a three-year Statement of
Intent (SOI) to enhance livelihood opportunities
for rural women and youth in India through
skill development, entrepreneurship, and job
linkages.
✓ It aligns with the ‘Rural Prosperity and
Resilience’ Programme from the Union
Budget 2025-26, aimed at reducing
underemployment in agriculture
through skill development, investment,
technology, and strengthening the rural
economy.
CAG BISAG-N In March 2025, New Delhi(Delhi) based The
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India
has entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with Gandhinagar
(Gujarat) the Bhaskaracharya National Institute
of Space Applications and Geo-
informatics (BISAG-N) under the Ministry of
Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
to modernize audit processes using advanced
technologies.

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APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
APPOINTMENTS
NATIONAL
PERSON NAME APPOINTED ENTITY / KEY NOTES
AS PLACE
Dr. Ajit Ratnakar Executive Reserve Bank In March 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based the
Joshi Director of India Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed Dr. Ajit
Ratnakar Joshi as its new Executive Director
(ED) effective from 3rd March 2025, where he
will oversee the Department of Statistics and
Information Management (DSIM) and
the Financial Stability Department.
Tuhin Kanta Pandey Chairman SEBI On 27 February 2025, Tuhin Kanta Pandey,
Finance Secretary and Secretary of Department of
Revenue(DoR), Ministry of Finance (MoF), was
appointed as the 11th Chairman of the Securities
and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
✓ The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet (ACC) has approved his
appointment for an initial term of three
years from the date he assumes charge or
until further orders, whichever is earlier.
✓ He will replace Madhabi Puri Buch,
SEBI’s first woman chairperson, whose
term ends on 1 March 2025.
Ajay Bhadoo CEO GeM In March 2025, the Government of India(GoI) has
appointed Ajay Bhadoo, Additional Secretary in
the Department of Commerce(DoC) under the
Ministry of Commerce and Industry(MoC&I) as
the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) with effect
from March 3, 2025. He will replace L Satya
Srinivas(additional charge), incumbent CEO of
GeM.
Santosh Agarwal CEO Paisabazaar In February 2025, PB Fintech
Limited announced the appointment of Santosh
Agarwal as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
of Paisabazaar, effective March 1, 2025. She
succeeds Naveen Kukreja, co-founder of
Paisabazaar, who is stepping down after 11 years
as CEO. However, he will continue as a Non-
Executive Director (NED) on Paisabazaar’s board.
Dr. Mayank Sharma Controller Defence Dr. Mayank Sharma officially took charge as the
General Accounts Controller General of Defence
Accounts (CGDA), who is responsible for
monitoring the Defence Accounts Departments
(DAD) under the Ministry of Defence(MoD),
which manages the financial aspects of the Indian

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Armed Forces and other defence related
organisations.
Vikas Kaushal CMD HPCL In March 2025, the Government of India (GoI)
appointed Vikas Kaushal, a private-sector
consultant, as Chairman and Managing Director
(CMD) of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
(HPCL) for five years.
✓ He succeeds Rajneesh Narang, Director
(finance), who has had the additional
charge of CMD since September 1, 2024.
✓ The Appointments Committee of the
Cabinet (ACC) has approved the Ministry
of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG)
proposal for the appointment of Vikas
Kaushal as CMD HPCL with relaxation of
the eligibility criteria.
Dr Himanshu DG ICRISAT In March 2025, Renowned agricultural
Pathak scientist Dr Himanshu Pathak assumed charge
as the Director General (DG) of Hyderabad
(Telangana) based International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
The only international agricultural research
center in India. He succeeds Stanford Blade, who
served as the interim DG of ICRISAT.
Takashi Nakajima President & HCIL On 10 March 2025, Tokyo (Japan) based Honda
CEO Motor Company Limited appointed
Takashi Nakajima as the new
President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Noida (Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Honda Cars
India Limited (HCIL) effective from 1 April 2025.
✓ He will succeed Takuya Tsumura, who
moves to Honda’s head office in Japan
after completing his tenure in India.

Atul Kumar Goel Chief IBA On March 11, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
Executive Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)
appointed Atul Kumar Goel, the former
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of Punjab National Bank (PNB), as
its Chief Executive (CE). He succeeds Sunil
Mehta, who served as the CE of IBA from January
2020 to September 2024.
Rahul Bhave MD & CEO IFCI Limited In March 2025, the Government of India (GoI)
appointed Rahul Bhave as the Managing Director
(MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of New
Delhi (Delhi) based IFCI Limited (formerly
Industrial Finance Corporation of India), under
the Ministry of Finance (MoF) for a term of three
years.
✓ He succeeds Manoj Mittal, who served as
MD & CEO from June 2021 to July
2024 and is currently the Chairman &
Managing Director (CMD) of Small

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Industries Development Bank of India
(SIDBI).
Harish Tandon Chief Justice Orissa High In March 2025, the Ministry of Law and Justice
Court (MoL&J) has notified the appointment of Justice
Harish Tandon as the Chief Justice (CJ) of
the Orissa High Court (HC). The appointment
was made under Article 217(1) of
the Constitution of India by Smt. Droupadi
Murmu, President of India.
Ashok Singh Thakur Chairman INTACH In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi)-based Indian
National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage
(INTACH) elected Ashok Singh Thakur as its
new Chairman for a three-year term during its
Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at its
headquarters in New Delhi.
Parminder Chopra CMD REC Limited In March 2025, Parminder Chopra has assumed
additional charge as Chairman and Managing
Director (CMD) of REC Limited (formerly Rural
Electrification Corporation Limited), a
‘Maharatna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise
(CPSE) under the administrative control of
Ministry of Power (MoP), for period of 3
months or until further orders, whichever is
earlier.
✓ She succeeds Vivek Kumar Dewangan,
who completed his tenure on March 20,
2025. She is currently serving as CMD of
state-owned Power Finance Corporation
Limited (PFC).
Sanjay Kumar Singh Bureau UWW - Asia In March 2025, Sanjay Kumar Singh, President
member of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was
elected as a bureau member of United World
Wrestling (UWW)-Asia through elections held
during UWW general assembly in Amman,
Jordan.
Sanjay Kumar member EAC-PM In March 2025, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, former
Mishra Director of the Enforcement Directorate (ED),
was appointed as a full-time member of the
Economic Advisory Council to the Prime
Minister (EAC-PM).
This appointment fills the vacancy created after
the demise of former chairman Bibek Debroy in
November 2024.
Rajiv Gauba member NITI Aayog In March 2025, the Government of India(GoI)
appointed Rajiv Gauba, the former Cabinet
Secretary(CS) of India, as the 5th full-time
member of the New Delhi(Delhi) based National

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Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog)
with immediate effect.
Challa Chairman IBA In March 2025, the managing committee of the
Sreenivasulu(C.S) Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has
Setty elected Challa Sreenivasulu(C.S) Setty,
Chairman of the State Bank of India (SBI),
as Chairman of the IBA for the next fiscal 2025-
26.
✓ He was elected during the 77th Annual
General Meeting (AGM) of the IBA held in
Mumbai, Maharashtra.
✓ He succeeded Matam Venkata Rao,
Managing Director (MD) & Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Central Bank of
India (CBoI), who was appointed as
Chairman of IBA in 2024.
✓ Manimekhalai, Managing Director (MD)
and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of
Union Bank of India (UBI), Mumbai .
✓ Swarup Kumar Saha, MD and CEO of
Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB), New Delhi
(Delhi).
Madhav Nair, Country Head & CEO of Bank of
Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK) headquartered in the
Kingdom of Bahrain.
Ambuj Chandna MD & Head DBS Bank In March 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based DBS
of Consumer India Bank India, a prominent player in the Indian
Banking banking sector, has announced the appointment
Group of Ambuj Chandna as its new Managing Director
(MD) & Head of Consumer Banking Group.He
replaces Prashant Joshi, who joined DBS Bank
India in August 2020.
✓ His appointment comes shortly
after Rajat Verma took over as Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of DBS Bank
India on March 1, 2025, replacing Surojit
Shome.

INTERNATIONAL
PERSON NAME APPOINTED ENTITY / KEY NOTES
AS PLACE
Badra Gunba President Abkhazia In March 2025, Pro-Russian
politician Badra Gunba was declared the
winner of the runoff presidential election
in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia
under de-facto Russian control since the
2008 war between Moscow and Tbilisi.

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Christian Stocker Chancellor Austria In March 2025, Austria has ended five
months of political deadlock with the
swearing-in of Christian Stocker as the
new chancellor, leading a three-party
coalition government. He
replaced Alexander Schallenberg, who
stepped down following political changes.

Mark Joseph Carney Prime Canada In March 2025, Mark Joseph Carney, a
Minister former central banker and Canadian
politician, was appointed as the 24th Prime
Minister (PM) of Canada. He secured the
‘Liberal Party’ leadership with 85.9% of the
vote, succeeding Incumbent PM Justin
Pierre James Trudeau, after his 9 years
tenure as PM.
✓ The swearing-in ceremony was held
at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Canada. He
is the first Canadian PM to reach
this position without having been
elected to a political position.
✓ Prior to his appointment, he served
as the Governor of both the Bank of
Canada (Canada) and the Bank of
England (the United Kingdom, UK).
He served as the 8th Governor of
the Bank of Canada (2008-2013)
and 120th Governor of Bank of
England (2013-2020) managing the
global financial crisis and Brexit’s
economic fallout.
Stuart Richard Young Prime Republic of On 17 March, 2025, Stuart Richard Young,
Minister Trinidad and a Trinidadian Attorney and Politician, was
Tobago sworn-in as the 8th
Prime Minister (PM) of the Republic of
Trinidad and Tobago at a swearing-in
ceremony held at the President’s House in
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. He
succeeds Dr. Keith Rowley, who resigned
on March 16, 2025, ending a 9 year tenure
as PM.
✓ Prior to his appointment, he served
as Minister of Energy and Energy
Industries, and Minister in the Office
of the PM.

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Kirsty Leigh Coventry President International Olympic Champion Kirsty Leigh Coventry
Seward Olympic Seward, a 41-year-old from Zimbabwe, has
Committee been elected as the 10th President of the
International Olympic Committee
(IOC) headquartered in Lausanne,
Switzerland for an eight-year tenure. She
secured the position through a secret ballot
among seven candidates during the 144th
IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece. She
will succeeds Thomas Bach.
✓ She will be the first woman and the
first African to serve as the
President of the IOC.
✓ As IOC President, Coventry will
oversee major global sporting
events, including the 2026 Olympic
Winter Games in Milano Cortina,
Italy.
Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri Prime Tunisia On March 21 2025, Tunisian President
Minister Kais Saied dismissed Prime
Minister(PM) Kamel
Madouri and appointed Sarra
Zaafrani Zenzri as the new head of the
government. This marks the fourth prime
ministerial change since Kais Saied
assumed the presidency in July 2021.
✓ Sarra Zaafrani Zenzri becomes
Tunisia’s second woman PM after
Najla Bouden (October 2021–
August 2023). Prior to this, she
served as the Minister of Public
Works and Housing.
Netumbo Nandi- President Namibia On 21 March 2025, Netumbo Nandi-
Ndaitwah Ndaitwah (72), a veteran politician
was sworn in as Namibia’s first female
and
fifth president in a ceremony held at the
Namibian State House in Windhoek,
Namibia. The ceremony coincided with
Namibia’s 35th independence anniversary.
✓ She succeeds outgoing
President Nangolo Mbumba, who
had been serving as Interim
President following the death of
former President Hage Geingob
(2015-2024) in 2024.
✓ Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who
previously served as country’s 1st

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vice president between 2024-2025
and won the presidential elections
in November 2024, securing 58% of
the vote.
Dilma Vana Rousseff President New On March 23, 2025, Dilma Vana Rousseff,
Development the former President of Brazil, was re-
Bank elected as the President of the New
Development Bank (NDB) (formerly known
as BRICS Development Bank) for a term
extending until 2030, following unanimous
approval by the NDB board. She became the
Chair of the NDB in March 2023, taking over
from Marcos Troyjo.

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya Director National In March 2025, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, an
Institutes of Indian-origin professor at Stanford School
Health of Medicine, was confirmed as the 18th
Director of Maryland(the United States of
America, USA) based National Institutes of
Health (NIH) by the United States(US)
Senate.
✓ The appointment followed a 53-47
roll-call vote during the first
session of the 119th Congress. He
succeeded Dr. Monica M.
Bertagnolli, whose tenure
concluded on 17 January 2025.

BRAND & CAMPAIGN AMBASSADORS

PERSON NAME BRAND / CAMPAIGN KEY NOTES
Koneru Humpy Brand Ambassador In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi)-based Skillhub
Online Games Federation (SOGF) appointed
Padma Shri awardee Koneru Humpy, India’s
youngest-ever woman Chess Grandmaster (GM)
as Brand Ambassador
of SOGF Grandmaster series.

Shubman Gill Brand Ambassador In March 2025, Chennai (Tamil Nadu, TN)
based MRF(Madras Rubber Factory) Limited,
India’s largest tyre manufacturer, announced the
appointment of Shubman Gill, the Indian
cricketer and vice-captain of Team India for the
2025 International Cricket Council (ICC)
Champions Trophy, as its new brand
ambassador.

Vidya Balan Brand Ambassador On March 6, 2025, Aluva (Kerala) based Federal
Bank Limited (FBL), one of India’s leading

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private sector banks, appointed Indian Actress
and Padma Shree Awardee Vidya Balan as its
First-Ever Brand Ambassador. The
announcement took place at a special ceremony
in Mumbai (Maharashtra) where Vidya Balan
was honored with a commemorative memento
by KVS Manian, Managing Director (MD) & Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of Federal Bank Limited.

Jasprit Bumrah Brand Ambassador On March 17, 2025, United States of America
(USA) based Skechers, a footwear brand
appointed Indian cricketer Jasprit Bumrah as
its brand ambassador, reinforcing its
commitment to combining comfort, innovation,
and performance in sports footwear.
✓ With this appointment, Jasprit Bumrah
joins fellow Indian cricketers Ishan
Kishan and Yastika Bhatia, who have
been representing Skechers for over a
year.

Krishnamachari Srikkanth Goodwill Ambassador former captain of the Indian national cricket
team, has been appointed as the Goodwill
Ambassador for ‘VISION 2020 India’, a national
initiative focused on eliminating avoidable
blindness and visual impairment across India.
✓ On March 18, 2025, Gurugram (Haryana)
based online travel platform Goibibo,
owned by MakeMyTrip Limited,
announced the appointment of Indian
cricketer Rishabh Rajendra Pant as its
new brand ambassador.
Ayushmann Khurrana Fit India Icon In March 2025, Bollywood Actor Ayushmann
Khurrana was named the official ‘Fit India Icon’
by Union Minister Mansukh
Laxmanbhai Mandaviya, Ministry of Youth
Affairs and Sports (MYAS) during the inaugural
ceremony of the first-of-its-kind Fit India
Carnival event, a 3-day event emphasized the
importance of fitness, held in New Delhi, Delhi.

Rohit Sharma SRMB Srijan Steel Private In March 2025, Kolkata (West Bengal, WB) based
Limited SRMB Srijan Steel Private Limited (SRMB Steel),
a leading manufacturer and supplier of Thermo-
Mechanically Treated (TMT) bars in India,
announced the appointment of Indian cricket
team captain Rohit Sharma as its brand
ambassador.

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✓ Rohit Sharma joins former Indian World
Cup-winning captains Mahendra Singh
Dhoni and Kapil Dev as part of SRMB
Steel’s celebrity endorser lineup.
✓ In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
based Larsen & Toubro Finance Limited
(L & T Finance(LTF)) (formerly L & T
Finance Holdings Limited(LTFH)), a
leading Non-Banking Financial Company
(NBFC), appointed Indian
cricketer Jasprit Bumrah as its brand
ambassador. This collaboration aims to
strengthen LTF’s brand presence and
engage its diverse customer base across
India.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS IN CONTENT FORMAT

RBI Approves One-Year Extension for Sumant Kathpalia CEO of IndusInd Bank
In March 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted only a one-year extension to Sumant Kathpalia,
Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mumbai(Maharashtra) based IndusInd Bank,
effective from March 24, 2025, to March 23, 2026.

BCCI Appoints Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar for ACC Leadership Roles
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has appointed its
vice-president Rajeev Shukla as India’s representative on the Board of Directors (BoD) of the Asian Cricket
Council (ACC). Former BCCI treasurer Ashish Shelar will serve as an Executive Board Member of the ACC.

AWARDS
OTHER IMPORTANT AWARDS
AWARD NAME AWARD FIELD KEY NOTES
WINNER
97th Edition of the - 23 The 97th Edition of the Academy Awards –
Academy Awards – categories Oscars 2025 was held on March 2, 2025, at the
Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles,
Oscars 2025 California, United States of America (USA). The
Academy Awards annually hosted by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
(AMPAS).
✓ The 97th Academy Awards recognized
outstanding achievements in 23
categories, honoring films released
in 2024. Comedian Conan
O’Brien hosted the ceremony, marking
his first time in this role.
✓ Anora emerged as the biggest winner,
securing 5 Oscars, including Best Picture,
Best Director (Sean Baker), Best Actress

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(Mikey Madison), Best Film Editing, and
Best Writing (Original Screenplay).
✓ The Brutalist won 3 awards, including
Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Best
Cinematography (Dávid Jancsó), and Best
Original Score (Daniel Blumberg).
✓ Emilia Pérez, a French musical crime
comedy, earned 2 awards, including Best
Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña) and
Best Original Song (“El Mal”)
✓ Dune: Part Two won 2 awards,
including Best Sound and Best Visual
Effects. Click here to read full news
UNESCO’s TWAS Suman - In March 2025, Suman Chakraborty, Professor
Award Chakraborty of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of
Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP), West
Bengal(WB) has been awarded the 2026 The
World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Award in
Engineering and Computer Sciences(CS) by the
United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
2024 ACM A.M. Andrew Barto - In March 2025, Dr. Andrew Barto from the
Turing Award & Richard United States of America(USA) and Richard
S.Sutton from Canada, two pioneers of
Sutton Reinforcement Learning (RL), named as
recipients of the 2024 ACM A.M. Turing Award,
which is often considered as the ‘Nobel Prize of
Computing’ by New York, the USA-based
Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
✓ The two have been bestowed with this
award in recognition of their exceptional
work on RL, a machine learning
technique which enables Artificial
Intelligence (AI) systems to optimize
decision-making through trial and error.
✓ The recipients of the award will share the
prize money USD 1 million, which is
sponsored by Google Inc.
✓ Both Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton,
co-authored the book titled
‘Reinforcement Learning: An
Introduction’ in 1998.
Ramsar Award Dr. Jayashree Wetland In March 2025, Dr. Jayshree Vencatesan, the
Vencatesan Conservation Co-founder of Chennai (Tamil Nadu,TN) based
Care Earth Trust, has became the first Indian to
receive the ‘Ramsar Women Change Makers in
the World Wetlands Award 2025’ in the ‘Wise
Use of Wetland’ category for Wetland
Conservation. The award recognises her efforts
in protecting India’s wetlands, particularly the
famous Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai.
✓ On the eve of International Women’s Day
(IWD on 8th March 2025), the Ramsar
Secretariat based in Gland, Switzerland

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announced her name as one of 12
women recognized in the 2nd edition of
‘Women changemakers in the world of
wetlands’.
2025 Pritzker Liu Jiakun Architect Chinese architect Liu Jiakun was named as
Architecture the ‘2025 Pritzker Architecture
Prize Laureate’, the highest accolade in the field
Prize Laureate of Architecture. He will be honoured at a
celebration in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
(UAE) in May 2025.
✓ Liu Jiakun, becomes the 54th
laureate and the 2nd Chinese
architect to receive this distinction,
following Wang Shu in 2012.
✓ It is often referred to as “architecture’s
Nobel” and “the profession’s highest
honor.” The prize includes a USD
100,000 grant and a bronze medallion.
EY Entrepreneur Of Nithin Kamath - Nithin Kamath, Founder and Chief Executive
The Year 2024 Officer (CEO) of Bengaluru (Karnataka) based
Zerodha, was named the Ernst and Young
(EY) Entrepreneur Of The Year (EOY)
2024. Union Minister Bhupender Yadav,
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
Change (MoEFCC) felicitated awards to EOY
2024 winners at an event held in New Delhi,
Delhi.
Digital RBI - In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based
Transformation India’s central bank, Reserve Bank of
Award 2025 India (RBI) has been selected as the recipient
of Digital Transformation Award 2025 by
London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based Central
Banking Publications.
✓ The RBI received this award in
recognition of its technology driven
initiatives, specifically ‘Sarthi’
and ‘PRAVAAH (Platform for Regulatory
Application, Validation and
AutHorisation)’ systems, which were
developed by the in-house developer
team.
iDEX Award VEER Electric In March 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka)
Vehicle (EV) based Pravaig Dynamics Private Limited, an
startup Electric Vehicle (EV) startup
unveiled VEER Electric Tactical All-Terrain
Vehicle (E-TATV), the world’s first operational
EV designed for tactical defence use,
including forward patrolling, reconnaissance,
and Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance (ISR) operations.

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Holberg Prize Gayatri literary In March 2025, Indian literary theorist and
Chakravorty postcolonial scholar Gayatri Chakravorty
Spivak Spivak was named the recipient of
the 2025 Holberg Prize. The award recognizes
her groundbreaking work in postcolonial
studies, feminist theory, and literary criticism.
✓ The prize, valued at USD 540,000 (Rs.4.6
crore), will be presented on June 5, 2025,
at the University of Bergen, Norway,
by Crown Prince Haakon of Norway.
She is renowned for her translation of Jacques
Derrida’s French book “De
La Grammatologie” and her influential
essay “Can the Subaltern Speak?”
Ramnath Goenka 27 journalists 20 categories On March 19, 2025, the 19th edition of the
‘Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism
Awards’ was held in, New Delhi (Delhi). The
event honored 27 journalists across 20
categories, including investigative journalism,
sports, politics and government, books, feature
writing and regional languages.
✓ The award was established by the Noida
(Uttar Pradesh, UP) based Indian
Express Group in 2005 to honor its
founder Ramnath Goenka on his birth
centenary. The recipients were honored
with a citation, a trophy, and a cash prize
of Rs.1 lakh. Click here to read full News
Knight’s Cross of Vijay Sankar Consular In March 2025, Chairman of Chennai (Tamil
the Order services Nadu, TN)-based Sanmar Group,
of Dannebrog Vijay Sankar who is also the Honorary Consul
General of Denmark for Southern India, has been
conferred with ‘Knight’s Cross of the Order
of Dannebrog’ by his Majesty the King of
Denmark, Frederik André Henrik Christian. He
received this award in recognition of his
distinguished consular services.
Lifetime Konidela Public Service In March 2025, Veteran Indian Actor and Padma
Achievement (K) Chiranjeevi through awardee, Konidela (K) Chiranjeevi conferred
Award for Cultural with the Lifetime Achievement Award for
Excellence Leadership Excellence in Public Service through Cultural
Leadership from Bridge India during a ceremony
held at the United Kingdom (UK)’s Parliament
known as House of the Commons, in London, the
UK.
Stockholm Water Günter Blösch Water In March 2025, renowned Austrian hydrologist,
Prize Resource Günter Blöschl has been named as the recipient
Management of Stockholm Water Prize for year 2025 by the

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Prize Committee. He won this award in
recognition of his world-renowned work on
flood risk reduction, water resource
management, flood scaling, and regional process
hydrology.
✓ He will officially receive this prize by His
Majesty (HM) King Carl XVI Gustaf of
Sweden, during World Water Week
(WWW) observed annually in the month
of August at Stockholm City Hall in
Sweden.
✓ The award is considered as the ‘Nobel
Prize of Water’, established in 1991 by
the Stockholm Water Foundation.

59th Jnanpith Vinod Kumar Hindi In March 2025, Renowned Hindi poet and
Award(2024) Shukla literature novelist Vinod Kumar Shukla has been selected
for the 59th Jnanpith Award(2024) for his
remarkable contribution to Hindi literature. The
announcement was made by a distinguished
selection committee, chaired by Pratibha Rai, a
previous Jnanpith awardee.
✓ With this award, he becomes the first
writer from Chhattisgarh and the 12th
Hindi author to receive this honor. The
recipient is awarded Rs 11 lakh, a
bronze statue of Goddess Vagdevi, and a
citation.
Excellence in Tamil Water In March 2025, the Tamil Nadu (TN)
Integrated Water Nadu (TN) Resource government’s Water Resources
Resources Management Department (WRD) was awarded
Management, 2024 the “Excellence in Integrated Water
Resources Management, 2024” by the Central
Board of Irrigation and Power (CBIP), a body
under the Union government.
✓ This recognition acknowledges WRD for
its exemplary efforts in managing water
resources through the implementation of
the Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture
Modernisation Project (TNIAMP),
funded by the World Bank.
✓ Launched in 2017, TNIAMP is a
significant project designed to enhance
the productivity
and climate resilience of irrigated agriculture
across 47 river sub-basin areas in TN.

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Sangita Kalanidhi RK The Music In March 2025, eminent Carnatic violinist R K
award Shriramkumar Academy Shriramkumar has been conferred with
the Sangita Kalanidhi award for 2025 by Chennai
(Tamil Nadu, TN) based The Music Academy,
Madras to recognizes his exceptional
contributions to Carnatic music.
✓ The Sangita Kalanidhi award includes a
cash prize of Rs.1 lakh, in addition to a
gold medal and a birudu patra (citation).
2025 Windham Rana Dagupta non-fiction In March 2025, Rana Dagupta, renowned British
Campbell Prize author of Indian origin has been named the
winner of 2025 Windham Campbell Prize in
the ‘non-fiction category’ by (United States of
America, USA)-based Yale University.
✓ He received this award in recognition of
his insightful critique of global
hypercapitalism, industrialization,
politics, and class, as demonstrated in his
book ‘Capital: A Portrait of Twenty-First
Century Delhi’.
✓ Each recipient will receive a citation,
award and monetary prize of USD
175,000 to support their literary work.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS IN CONTENT FORMAT

ASQ Award 2024: CSMIA Bags Best Airport in Asia-Pacific for 8th consecutive year
On March 11, 2025, the Airports Council International (ACI) in partnership with Madrid(Spain) based travel
technology company Amadeus, presented Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj
International Airport (CSMIA) with the 2024 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Award for Best Airport over 40
Million Passengers in the Asia-Pacific region, marking its eighth consecutive win.
Winning Airports from India (Asia-Pacific) at the 2024 ASQ Awards:

Awards(Size) Airports Location

Best Airport under 2 Million

Kannur International Airport (CNN) Kannur (Kerala)
Passengers in Asia-Pacific

Best Airport of 2 to 5 Million Chandigarh

Chandigarh International Airport (IXC)
Passengers in Asia-Pacific (Punjab)

Best Airport of 15 to 25 Million Hyderabad

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (HYD)
Passengers in Asia-Pacific (Telangana)

Best Airport over 40 Million Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Mumbai

Passengers in Asia-Pacific Airport(BOM) (Maharashtra)

Best Airport over 40 Million

Indira Gandhi International Airport(DEL) New Delhi (Delhi)
Passengers in Asia-Pacific

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Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
Best Airport at Arrivals Globally
Limited(BLR) (Karnataka)

Mangaluru
Best Airport at Arrivals Globally Mangaluru International Airport(IXE)
(Karnataka)
Brand Finance Insurance 100 – 2025: LIC Ranks 3rd Among World’s Strongest
Insurance Brands
According to the Brand Finance Insurance 100 – 2025 report, the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC),
headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has been ranked third among the world’s strongest insurance
brands, achieving a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 88 out of 100. In terms of overall brand value, LIC
holds the 12th position globally among the most valuable insurance brands.
✓ State Bank of India (SBI) Life Insurance (Indian insurer) ranks 76th on the list of the most valuable
insurance brands in the Brand Finance Insurance 100 report.
Top Five Strongest Insurance Brands

Rank Brand BSI score Country

1 PZU 94.4 Poland

2 China Life Insurance 93.5 China

3 Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) 88.0 India

4 NRMA Insurance 87.2 Australia

5 UnipolSai Assicurazioni (S.p.A) 86.8 Italy

Top five most valuable insurance brands of 2025

Brand Value
Rank Brand Country
(USD billions)

1 Ping An China 33.6

2 Allianz Germany 26.7

3 AXA France 19.8

4 China Life China 18.3

5 Generali Group Italy 17.0

YouGov India Value Rankings 2025: Amazon, Flipkart, and Amul Rank as India’s Top
Brands
In March 2025, London, the United Kingdom(UK) based YouGov, an international online research data and
analytics technology group released the ‘India Value Rankings 2025’. Amazon based in Washington, United
States of America (USA), Flipkart Private Limited based in Bengaluru, Karnataka and Anand Milk Union
Limited(Amul) based in Anand, Gujarat are the top three most valued brands in India.
List of Top 5 Brands in YouGov India Value Rankings 2025 :

Rank Name of Brand Score

1 Amazon 56.5

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2 Flipkart 53.0

3 Amul 52.8

4 Tanishq 48.4

5 MakeMyTrip 45.4

AWBI Confers “Prani Mitra” & “Jeev Daya” Awards 2025 for Animal Welfare and
Protection
On 27 February 2025, the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) conferred the Prani Mitra and Jeev Daya
Award Ceremony, held in New Delhi, Delhi. AWBI was established under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(PCA) Act of 1960 to ensure that animals are not subjected to undue pain or suffering.
✓ The awards will be presented under two major categories: Prani Mitra Award and Jeev Daya Award.
The Prani Mitra Award was introduced in 1966 and the Jeev Daya Award in 2001.

Muthoot Microfin Bags Two Golds at the SKOCH Awards 2025

In March 2025, Kochi (Kerala) based Muthoot Microfin Limited, a leading Microfinance Institution (MFI) in
India, secured two Gold Awards at the SKOCH Awards 2025 in New Delhi(Delhi). The company was
recognized for its excellence in digital financial inclusion and insurance solutions

Dr. Uma Sharma Honored at the 5th BRICS CCI WE Annual Women’s Summit &
Felicitations
In March 2025, Dr. Uma Sharma, Chairperson of Kailash Group of Hospitals, received a National Award at the
‘5th Annual Summit of BRICS Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Women’s Entrepreneurship &
Empowerment(WEE) and Felicitations 2025’ in New Delhi, Delhi. The theme of the Summit was ‘Women
Changemakers: Transforming the World, Shaping the Future’.

PM Narendra Modi Conferred ‘Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados’

On 6 March 2025, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi conferred the prestigious ‘Honorary Order of
Freedom of Barbados’,one of the highest national honors awarded by the Government of Barbados. Union
Minister of State (MoS) Pabitra Margherita, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) received the prestigious award
on behalf of PM Modi.
The award was presented by Barbados President Dame Sandra Mason in recognition of PM Modi’s strategic
leadership and critical assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hockey India 7th Annual Awards:
Harmanpreet Singh & Savita Punia Won Hockey India Player of the Year Award
In March 2025, Indian Men’s hockey team captain, Harmanpreet Singh was honoured with the Hockey India
Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year 2024 in the men’s category, at the Hockey India 7th Annual
Awards held at Le Meridien, Connaught Palace in New Delhi, Delhi. This marked his 2nd Hockey India Player of
the Year award (2021).
Winners of Hockey India Annual Awards 2024:

Cash
Name of the Award Winner
Prize

1975 Men’s World Cup- Rs 50

Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award
winning team lakh

Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for the Player of the Rs 25
Harmanpreet Singh
Year (Men) lakh

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Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for the Player of the Rs 25
Savita Punia
Year (Women) lakh

Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year Savita Punia Rs 5 lakh

Hockey India Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the

Amit Rohidas Rs 5 lakh
Year

Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the

Abhishek Nain Rs 5 lakh
Year

Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the

Hardik Singh Rs 5 lakh
Year

Winners of Sahitya Translation Prize 2024: Total 22 Indian Languages have been Selected
In March 2025, the Executive Board of the Sahitya Akademi under the Chairmanship of its
President, Madhav Kaushik approved the selection of 22 books in 22 languages for the
Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize 2024, during the meeting held at Rabindra Bhavan in New Delhi, Delhi.
✓ The prize relates, to translations 1st published during the 5 years before to the year immediately
preceding the year of Prize for Translation i.e. between January, 2018 and December 31, 2022.
✓ The recipient of the prize will receive an amount of Rs 50,000 and a copper plaque. Click here to read
full News

Córdoba, Fortaleza & Greater Manchester Honored at 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in
France
On 21st March 2025, the three cities Córdoba (Argentina), Fortaleza (Brazil), and Greater Manchester (the
United Kingdom, UK) were honoured at the 2025 Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit held in Paris,
France for their significant efforts in preventing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and injuries.
✓ The awards recognised measurable improvements made by the three cities in tackling NCDs such
as heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, and injuries which cause over 80% of global deaths, as per the the
World Health Organization (WHO).

Union Minister Piyush Goyal Conferred National IP Awards 2024

On March 26, 2025, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) conferred
the National Intellectual Property (IP) Awards 2024
at the award function held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (Delhi).
✓ The awards were conferred annually to recognize and reward individuals, institutions, organizations,
and enterprises for their outstanding contributions to IP creation and commercialization.
✓ It underscores India’s commitment to fostering innovation and strengthening its IP ecosystem, aligning
with the vision of a Viksit Bharat.
✓ The National IP Awards 2024, presented across 13 categories, recognised outstanding contributions
from individuals, academic institutions, startups, and corporations, further strengthening India’s
position as a global innovation leader.
Click here to read full News

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SUMMITS, EVENTS & CONFERENCE
SUMMITS
SUMMIT VENUE KEY POINTS
8th Invest Madhya Madhya Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi inaugurated
Pradesh – Global Pradesh the 8th edition of the premier biennial event, Invest
Madhya Pradesh – Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025
Investors Summit which was held on 24 and 25 February 2025, at Indira
Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) in Bhopal,
MP. The summit was organized by the Department of
Industrial Policy and Investment Promotion (DIPIP),
Government of MP.
✓ During the GIS- 2025, MP secured investment
commitments through Memoranda of
Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 30.77 lakh crore,
and the proposals were expected to generate 21.36
lakh employment opportunities.
✓ New Delhi (Delhi) based NTPC Limited (formerly
National Thermal Power Corporation), India’s
largest integrated energy company and its
subsidiary NTPC Green Energy Ltd (NGEL) have
signed multiple MoUs with the MP government
during the GIS 2025. Click here to read full News

EVENTS
EVENTS VENUE KEY POINTS
NXT Conclave New Delhi In March 2025, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi participated in the NXT Conclave in New Delhi,
Delhi. During the event, he launched the NewsX
World channel. He highlighted that the network includes
channels in Hindi, English, and various regional languages.

12th Regional 3R and Rajasthan The 12th Regional 3R and Circular Economy Forum in the
Circular Economy Forum Asia & the Pacific was held from March 3 to March 5,
2025 at Rajasthan International Centre in Jaipur,
in the Asia & the Pacific Rajasthan. The theme of the 2025 forum is ‘Realizing
Circular Societies Towards Achieving Sustainable
Development Goals(SDGs) and Carbon Neutrality in Asia-
Pacific’.
✓ The 3-day conference was organised by the
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA),
the Government of India(GoI) in collaboration with
United Nations Centre for Regional
Development (UNCRD), and Institute for Global
Environment Strategies (IGES).
A key Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for
City Investments to Innovate, Integrate and
Sustain (CITIIS 2.0), a flagship initiative of MoHUA
which aimed to promote integrated waste
management and climate action, was signed, which

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marked a major milestone in urban sustainability
initiatives.
Lineman Diwas New Delhi In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Central Electricity
Authority (CEA), a statutory body under the Ministry of
Power (MoP), in collaboration with Tata Power Delhi
Distribution Limited (TPDDL) organized the 5th Edition
of ‘Lineman Diwas’, in New Delhi, Delhi. Lineman Diwas
is annually observed on March 4th across India.
Fisheries Startup Telangana In March 2025, the Department of Fisheries (DoF),
Conclave 2.0 under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and
Dairying (MoFAH&D) hosted the Fisheries Startup
Conclave 2.0 held in Hyderabad, Telangana.
The event witnessed the launch of two key
initiatives: Fisheries Startup Grand Challenge 2.0
and National Fisheries Development
Platform (NFDP) mobile application (app). This
mobile application is developed under the
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-
MKSSY).
Mobile World Spain The Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025, a major global
Congress 2025 event, was held from March 3 to 6, 2025, at Fira Gran Via
in Barcelona, Spain, bringing together over 101,000
attendees, more than 2,700 exhibitors, and
representatives from over 200 countries to showcase
advancements in technology. Union Minister Jyotiraditya
Scindia, Ministry of Communication (MoC) represented
India at the event.
Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia officially inaugurated
the Bharat Pavilion at the MWC 2025 in Spain. He
announced that the 9th edition of the India Mobile
Congress (IMC), Asia’s largest digital technology forum is
set to take place in New Delhi(Delhi) from 8th – 11th
October 2025.
Internationale Tourismus- Germany Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin (ITB Berlin
Börse Berlin 2025 2025), one of world’s largest travel fairs was held from
March 4 to 6, 2025 at Berlin Expo Center City at
Messedamm in Berlin, Germany. The motto of this year’s
convention is ‘The Power of Transition Lives Here’.
✓ In March 2025, the 25th edition of the Pacific Area
Travel Writers Association (PATWA), World
Tourism and Aviation Leaders Summit was held at
ITB Berlin 2025. This year’s summit was hosted by
PATWA in partnership with the Ministry of
Tourism, Goa (India).
✓ The PATWA, an affiliate member of United Nations
(UN) Tourism, announced the winners of
prestigious ‘25th PATWA International Travel
Awards’ during the ITB Berlin 2025.
✓ Indian state, Goa made a significant mark at ITB
Berlin 2025, as it has won two awards at PATWA
International Awards. This has elevated the status
of Goa as India’s premier tourism destination.

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• Goa was conferred with the ‘Destination of the
Year-India’ award under the Destinations
category.
In Addition to that, Rohan Khaunte, Tourism
Minister of Goa, was bestowed with the ‘Tourism
Minister of the Year-India’ award, in recognition
of his leadership and in promoting the state’s
tourism sector.

United Nations Commission Austria India has been elected to chair the 68th session of the
on Narcotic Drugs United Nations (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs
(CND). Ambassador Shambhu S. Kumaran, India’s
Permanent Representative to the UN in Vienna, assumes
the Chairmanship at the United Nations Office in
Vienna,Austria from March 10 to 14, 2025.
✓ This marks the first time India holds this position,
underscoring its commitment to global leadership
in addressing international drug policy issues.
✓ Mr. Andranik Hovhannisyan, Ambassador and the
Permanent Representative of the Republic of
Armenia to the Vienna International Organization,
was elected First Vice-Chairman at the 68th
session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs
(CND).

28th Convocation New Delhi, Delhi In March 2025, Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth (RAV),
& Shishyopanayaniya under the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga &
Samskara Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy), hosted
its 28th Convocation & Shishyopanayaniya
Samskara ceremony in New Delhi, Delhi. The event aimed
at enhancing the quality of education and globalizing
Ayurveda.

✓ Award: The Fellow of RAV (FRAV) Award was

conferred upon 13 distinguished Vaidyas and
scholars, for their contributions in research,
clinical practice, education, and propagation of
Ayurveda across India and beyond.
10th edition of Raisina New Delhi, Delhi The 10th edition of Raisina Dialogue, India’s flagship
Dialogue conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, took place
from March 17 to 19, 2025 in New Delhi, Delhi . The event
was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister (PM) of
India Narendra Modi and PM of New Zealand
(NZ) Christopher Luxon who attended the event as the
Chief Guest (CG).
✓ The theme of the 2025 edition of the Raisina
Dialogue is “Kālachakra – People, Peace, and
Planet”.
✓ He also discussed strengthening bilateral and
multilateral ties with Peruvian Foreign Minister,
Elmer Schialer Salcedo, and witnessed

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an agreement exchange between the National
Archives of India(NAI) and the General Archives
of Peru.
During the Dialogue, Bisleri International Private Limited
based in Mumbai(Maharashtra) in partnership with the
Observer Research Foundation (ORF), based in New Delhi
introduced a book titled ‘Trading Blue Gold: A Blueprint
for Water Credit Valuation in India’ in New Delhi.
19th SMW Singapore In March 2025, the 19th edition of the Singapore Maritime
Week (SMW) 2025 was held from March 24 to 28,
2025 at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition
Centre in Singapore. Organized by the Maritime and Port
Authority of Singapore (MPA), this annual event
celebrated Singapore’s maritime contributions as part of
the SG60 festivities, commemorating 60 years of nation-
building.
✓ The theme for SMW 2025 is ‘Actions Meet
Ambition’, emphasizes decarbonization,
digitalization, maritime services, and talent
development.
✓ SMW 2025 was launched by Murali Pillai,
Minister of State for Ministry of Law and Ministry
of Transport of Singapore, and Lee Hsien Loong,
Senior Minister of Singapore.
✓ Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of
Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) of
Government of India (GoI) led India’s delegation at
SMW 2025, inaugurated the ‘India Pavilion’ and
IRClass Pavilion to highlight India’s emergence as a
global maritime hub driven by sustainability and
digital innovation.
✓ During SMW 2025, India and Singapore signed a
Letter of Intent (LoI) to collaborate on a Green and
Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC).

CONFERENCE
CONFERENCE VENUE KEY POINTS
International Spice Karnataka Ernakulam (Kerala)-based All India Spices Exporters
Conference (ISC) Forum (AISEF) organised International Spice
Conference (ISC) 2025 which was held from February 24
2025 to February 27, 2025 at Leela Bhartiya City in Bengaluru,
Karnataka.
✓ Theme of ISC 2025: ‘Building Trust Beyond
Borders: Transparency, Sustainability, Conference’.
The AISEF signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with the American Spice Trade Association
(ASTA) during ISC 2025, to improve collaboration in
the international spice trade.

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6th meeting of the Italy The 16th meeting of the Conference of the
Conference of the Parties (COP16.2) to the Convention on Biological
Diversity (CBD) resumed from February 25 to 27, 2025 at
Parties (COP16.2) the headquarters of Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO) in Rome, Italy.
✓ Earlier, the COP 16 held in Cali, Columbia in
October 2024, which was paused due to lack of
quorum required for biodiversity finance related
agreements. Later, it was resumed virtually in
December 2024 but again it was ended abruptly.
✓ Susana Muhamad, the COP16 President from
Colombia, stressed the need for urgent action and
highlighted that ambitious plans require adequate
funding to succeed.
✓ The key outcome of the resumed CBD COP16 was
the launch of a new international fund, ‘Cali
Fund’, aimed to help protect biodiversity as well as
boost the biodiversity funds.
Note: Armenia will host the 17th COP (COP17) to
the CBD in 2026.
Gujarat SemiConnect Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, the Chief Minister (CM) of Gujarat
Conference 2025 inaugurated the Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2025,
a 3-day event with the theme “Gujarat Silicon Gujarat:
Powering India’s Semiconductor Revolution”, held
from March 5-7, 2025 at Mahatma Mandir Convention and
Exhibition Centre (MMCEC) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
✓ The Gujarat Government signed over 30 MoUs
amounting to over Rs. 1.04 lakh crore at the Gujarat
Semiconnect Conference 2025 to bolster
semiconductor and electronics manufacturing in
Gujarat.
✓ An MoU was signed with Sanand(Gujarat)-
based Micron Technology on Environment, Health
& Safety (EHS) initiatives, Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education,
and skilled manpower development.
✓ The IESA and the Japan External Trade
Organization (JETRO) signed a strategic MoU to
strengthen global collaboration in the
semiconductor and electronics sectors. Click here
to read full News

COMMITTEES & MEETINGS

MEETINGS
MEETINGS VENUE KEY POINTS
237th Meeting of CBT of EPF New Delhi In February 2025, Union
Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Labour
& Employment (MoL&E) chaired the 237th meeting of
the Central Board of Trustees (CBT), Employees’
Provident Fund (EPF) in New Delhi, Delhi.

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✓ During the meeting, CBT recommended to
retain an annual rate of interest of 8.25% to
be credited on EPF subscribers for Financial
Year 2024-25 (FY25), as provided in last fiscal
year.
✓ Minimum Life Insurance for death within 1
year of service: CBT introduced a minimum
life insurance of Rs 50,000 for EPF members
who die within the 1st year of service.
4th National Sagarmala Apex New Delhi,Delhi In March 2025, the 4th National Sagarmala Apex
Committee (NSAC) Committee (NSAC) meeting was held under the
Chairmanship of the Union Minister Sarbananda
Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways
(MoPSW) at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi,Delhi to
review the progress of key projects under Sagarmala,
the flagship programme of the MoPSW.
✓ He launched the Sagarmala Startup Innovation
Initiative (S212), a forward-looking program
aimed at accelerating innovation and
entrepreneurship in the maritime sector. With
a budgetary support of Rs.40,000 crore,
Sagarmala 2.0 seeks to catalyse investments
worth Rs.12 lakh crore over the next decade.
14th meeting of Association of New Delhi, Delhi The 14th meeting of Association of South East
South East Nations (ASEAN) Defence Ministers’ Meeting-
Nations (ASEAN) Defence Plus (ADMM-Plus) Experts Working Group (EWG) on
Ministers Counter-Terrorism (EWG on CT) was held from March
19 to March 20, 2025, in New Delhi, Delhi. India
and Malaysia, co-chaired this latest edition of ADMM-
Plus EWG on CT for cycle 2024-27.
✓ During the conference, both India and
Malaysia announced work plans for the
activities planned for the cycle 2024-27and
also, announced the conduct of Table-Top
Exercise for EWG on CT in Malaysia in 2026
and Field Training Exercise in India in 2027.

INDEX
RANKING
INDEX / SURVEY NAME RELEASED BY / KEY NOTES
CONDUCTED BY
The highest-paid actors Forbes Forbes released its annual list of ‘The highest-paid actors
of 2024 of 2024’, showcasing the immense earnings of
Hollywood’s top stars across various platforms.
✓ American Actor Dwayne Douglas Johnson has
secured the top position globally with a
staggering estimated income of USD 88 million.

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✓ Canadian-American
Actor Ryan Rodney Reynolds claimed the 2nd
spot, with earnings of USD 85 million, followed by
American Actor Kevin Darnell Hart, who ranked
third, with USD 81 million.
✓ American Actress Nicole Mary Kidman was the
highest-paid actress 2024, ranking 8th overall
with USD 31 million.
Lists of Top 5 Highest-Paid Actors of 2024:

Earning
R
s (in
an Actor Country
million
k
USD)

United
Dwayne States
1 Douglas USD 88 of
Johnson America
(USA)

Ryan
2 Rodney USD 85 Canada
Reynolds

Kevin
3 Darnell USD 81 USA
Hart

Jerome
(Jerry)
4 USD 60 USA
Allen
Seinfeld

Hugh
Australi
5 Michael USD 50
a
Jackman
IT Services 25 2025 Brand Finance Brand Finance released its annual IT Services 25
rankings 2025 rankings, highlighting the most valuable
Information Technology (IT) services brands worldwide
based on their financial performance, market position,
and brand perception.
✓ American multinational Accenture PLC (Public
Limited Company) has secured the top
position globally, with a brand value of USD 41.50
billion.
✓ Indian IT firms Tata Consultancy
Services (TCS) Limited and Infosys
Limited ranked 2nd and 3rd, respectively,
reflecting India’s strong presence in the industry.
✓ For the first time,
India’s Hexaware Technologies Limited has
entered the Brand Finance IT Services rankings
2025 at Rank 24th, showcasing its growing
influence and market presence.

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Top 5 IT Services Brands in 2025:

Brand
Ra Brand Coun Value
Rating
nk Name try (USD
Billion)

Accentu
1 USA 41.50 AAA
re plc

TCS
Indi
2 Limited 21.27 AAA-
a

Infosys Indi
3 16.34 AAA-
Limited a

Internat
ional
Busines
s
4 Machin USA 10.20 AAA
es
(IBM)
Consulti
ng

NTT
DATA
Japa
5 Group 10.01 AA
n
Corpora
tion
The Wealth Report 2025 Knight Frank In March 2025, London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based
global property consultant firm Knight Frank released
the 19th edition of ‘The Wealth Report 2025’. As per the
report, India ranked at 4th position globally with
estimated 85,698 High Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs) in
2024, marking an increase of 6% compared to 80,686
HNWIs in 2024.
Top 5 Countries with highest number of HNWIs in
2024:

Numb
Name of
Ran er of Percentag
the
k HNWI e increase
Country
s

The
United
905,4
1 States of 38.7%
13
America
(USA)

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Chinese 471,6
2 20.1%
Mainland 34

122,1
3 Japan 5.2%
19

85,69
4 India 3.7%
8

69,79
5 Germany 3.0%
8
Glass-Ceiling Index The London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based The
Economist Group Economist Group, a media company released its annual
edition of ‘Glass-Ceiling Index (GCI)’ on the occasion of
International Women’s Day (IWD) which is celebrated
annually on March 8 worldwide. As per the
index, Sweden secured 1st position globally, and has
replaced Iceland which topped the index for the last two
consecutive years.
✓ Now, Iceland witnessed dropped in its ranking by
one place i.e. from 1st spot (in 2024) to 2nd spot
(in 2025).
✓ Among top 10 best countries for working women
in 2025, 5 are Nordic countries: Sweden, Iceland,
Finland (3rd), Norway (4th) and Denmark (9th).
Top 5 best countries for working women in 2025:

Ran Name of the Regio

k Country n

Europ
1 Sweden
e

Europ
2 Iceland
e

Europ
3 Finland
e

Europ
4 Norway
e

Europ
5 Portugal
e
World Air Quality IQAir In March 2025, Switzerland based air quality technology
Report 2024 company IQAir released its 7th edition of “World Air
Quality Report 2024”, a comprehensive global survey of
air quality, Chad tops the list in the most polluted
countries with an average concentration of 91.8
µg/m³(micrograms per cubic
meter). India ranks 5th after Chad, Bangladesh, Pakistan
and Congo.

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Top 5 most polluted countries in 2024:

Ran Average PM2.5

Country
k (µg/m³)

1 Chad 91.8

Banglades
2 78.0
h

3 Pakistan 73.7

4 Congo 58.2

5 India 50.6
Trends in International SIPRI According to the report titled ‘Trends in International
Arms Transfers, 2024 Arms Transfers, 2024′ released by Swedish think tank,
Stockholm International Peace Research
Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine emerged as the top world’s
leading importer of major arms between 2020 and 2024,
with its imports skyrocketing nearly 100-fold compared
to the 2015–19 period.
Top 5 Importers & Their Main Suppliers (2020–24):

Impo Main Suppliers (Share of

rter Importer’s Total Imports
Ra (Glo %)
nk bal
Shar
e %) 1st 2nd 3rd

Ukrai
Pola
ne USA Germa
1 nd
(8.8 (45) ny (12)
(11)
%)

Indi Rus
Israe
a sia France
2 l
(8.3 (36 (33)
(13)
%) )

Unite
Qata d
r USA Italy King
3
(6.8 (48) (20) dom
%) (UK)
(15)

Saud
i
Fran
Arabi USA Spain
4 ce
a (74) (10)
(6.2)
(6.8
%)

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Pakis
Chi Netherl Turk
tan
5 na ands ey
(4.6
(81) (5.5) (3.8)
%)
7th annual ranking of Financial Times In March 2025, the United Kingdom (UK) based Financial
500 high-growth Asia- (FT) and Statista Times (FT) and Germany based Statista jointly released
Pacific companies their 7th annual ranking of 500 high-growth Asia-
Pacific companies. New Delhi (Delhi)-based Peer-to-Peer
(P2P) Non Banking Financial Company
(NBFC), Lendbox has topped the latest rankings and has
registered Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
of 536.64%, with its revenues increasing to USD 51.13
million in 2023. This year total 81 Indian firms featured
on the list.
✓ As per the report, Malaysia-based Borong and The
Philippines-based Etaily secured 2nd and 3rd
spots, respectively.
✓ Countries highest representation of
companies: Singapore with 108 companies, has
topped among all cities as well as countries
featured on the list. It is followed by Japan and
South Korea, each contributing 91 companies.
✓ Indian Companies in top 10: Among top 10
companies on the list, 5 were from India such as:
Lendbox; BluSmart ; BigHaat (7th); Zypp Electric
(8th); and Kuku FM (10th).
2025 Hurun Global Rich Hurun Research In March 2025, China based Hurun Research Institute
List Institute released the “2025 Hurun Global Rich List“, Mukesh
Ambani, Chairman & Managing Director(CMD) of
Reliance Industries Limited(RIL), emerged as the India’s
Richest Person with a total net worth of USD 100 billion
and ranked as the World’s 17th richest Person (10th in
2024). This is the 14th edition of Hurun Global Rich List.
The rankings are based on wealth calculations as of
January 15, 2025.
✓ Elon Musk, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla
and SpaceX reclaim the title of the world’s richest
person for the fourth time with total net worth
of USD 420 billion, followed by founder of
Amazon, Jeff Bezos (USD 266 billion, CEO of Meta
(formerly Facebook) Mark Zuckerberg at (USD
242 billion), co-founder of Oracle, Larry Ellison
(USD 203 billion).
✓ India’s Roshni Nadar & family of HCL
Technologies Limited, Ranks 5 with 40 billion in
Top 5 Women billionaires in the world.

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Top five billionaires in India:

Tota
l Net
Wort
Ra
Name Company h
nk
(USD
Billi
on)

Mukes Reliance
h Industries
1 Amba Limited(RIL), 100
ni & Mumbai(Mahar
family ashtra)

Gauta
m Adani Group,
2 Adani Ahmedabad(Gu 97
& jarat)
family

Roshn HCL
i Technologies
3 Nadar Limited, Noida, 40
& Uttar
family Pradesh(UP)

Sun
Dilip
Pharmaceutical
Shang
4 Industries 29
hvi &
Limited,
family
Mumbai

Azim
Wipro Limited,
Premji
5 Bengaluru, 25
&
Karnataka
family

37th edition of the Global CDI & Z/Yen Par In March 2025, the China Development Institute (CDI) in
Financial Centres Index Shenzhen (China) and Z/Yen Partners in London (the
(GFCI 37) United Kingdom, UK) released the 37th edition of the
Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI 37).
✓ According to the index, Gujarat International
Finance Tec-City (Gift City) in Gujarat, has
achieved the top rank in the ‘reputational
advantage’ category and improved its position
from 45th to 40th in the fintech ranking.
✓ In GFCI 37, New York City (United States of
America, USA) continues to hold the top

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position with a rating of 769, followed
by London (United Kingdom, UK) in second
place with 762 points. Hong Kong (China)
secures the third spot with a rating of 760.

REPORTS
REPORT NAME SUBMITTED BY KEY NOTES
2nd edition all-India Time MoSPI In February 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and
Use Survey (TUS) Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released
the 2nd edition all-India Time Use
Survey (TUS) conducted during January-December,
2024 by the National Statistics Office (NSO) under
MoSPI.
✓ As per TUS 2024, the amount of time spent by
women in ‘employment-related activities’
was 71 minutes per day in 2024, which is 10
minutes more compared to TUS 2019.
✓ While, the amount of time spent by men in
‘employment-related activities’ has increased
from 263 minutes per day (in TUS, 2019) to
287 minutes per day (in TUS, 2024).
Annual State of India’s CSE and DTE In February 2025, The Centre for Science and
Environment Report 2025 Environment (CSE) based in New Delhi, Delhi and
Down To Earth (DTE) Magazine released the 12th
edition of Annual State of India’s Environment Report
2025. The report was launched at the Anil Agarwal
Dialogue 2025 held at the Anil Agarwal Environment
Training Institute in Nimli, Rajasthan.
✓ A special focus has been placed on the 40th
anniversary of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy,
reflecting on its long-term effects.

From Borrowers to Builders: NITI Aayog On March 3, 2025, the Women Entrepreneurship
Women’s Role in India’s Platform (WEP) of the National Institution for
Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, in partnership
Financial Growth Story with TransUnion CIBIL Limited (formerly Credit
Information Bureau (India) Limited) and Lucknow
(Uttar Pradesh, UP) based MicroSave Consulting
(MSC), unveiled a new report titled “From Borrowers
to Builders: Women’s Role in India’s Financial
Growth Story.”
The report, launched by B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO
of NITI Aayog, highlights a significant increase in
financial awareness among women, with 27 million
actively monitoring their credit as of December 2024,
marking a 42% growth compared to the previous
year.
1st ever riverine dolphin Narendra Mod In March 2025, Prime Minister
estimation report i (PM) Narendra Modi released
India’s 1st ever riverine dolphin estimation
report during his visit to Gir National Park (NP) in
Gujarat, where he chaired the 7th meeting of the
National Board for Wildlife (NBWL). The report was

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released on the eve of World Wildlife
Day (WWD) observed annually on March 3 worldwide.
✓ As per the report, India
has 6,327 riverine dolphins across 28 rivers
in 8 states. 6,324 dolphins found across the
Ganga and Brahamputra river basins and
remaining 3 Indus river dolphins in the Beas
river basin in Punjab.
UP with 2,397 dolphins, has topped among the 8
states with highest number of dolphins in the country,
followed by Bihar (2,220); WB (815) and Assam (635).
India Philanthropy Report Dasra & Bain & In February 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
(IPR) 2025 Company, Inc. based Dasra, a venture philanthropy firm, and the
United States of America (USA) based Bain &
Company, Inc. released the 15th edition of the India
Philanthropy Report (IPR) 2025.
✓ The report highlighted that private funding in
India’s social sector is projected to grow
by 10% to 12% annually over the next five
years, primarily driven by family philanthropy
from Ultra-High-Net-Worth Individuals
(UHNIs), High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNIs),
and affluent individuals.
Closing the Gender Gap in Coursera Inc. In March 2025, the United States of America(USA)
GenAI Skills based Coursera Inc., a leading online learning platform,
published its report titled “Closing the Gender Gap in
GenAI Skills” , offering a strategic roadmap to bridge
the gender disparity in Generative Artificial
Intelligence (AI) (GenAI) enrollments. India has
emerged as a global leader in GenAI adoption,
recording 1.3 million enrollments in 2024.
Gender Disparity: Globally, women account
for 32% of total GenAI enrollments, yet in India, their
participation is significantly lower at 29.6%, despite
making up a larger share (40%) of Coursera’s total
learners.
World Sustainable - Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Ministry of
Development Summit Environment, Forest, and Climate Change(MoEFCC)
inaugurated the 24th edition of the World Sustainable
(WSDS) 2025 Development Summit (WSDS) 2025, held from March 5
to 7, 2025 in New Delhi, Delhi. The theme for WSDS
2025 is “Partnerships for Accelerating Sustainable
Development and Climate Solutions.”
During WSDS 2025, the TERI presented
the SDLA 2025 to Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, Vice President
of Guyana, and Marina Silva, Minister of Environment
and Climate Change, Brazil.
Second Advance Estimates MoA&FW On March 10, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and
for the production of major Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) released the ‘Second
Advance Estimates for the production of major
agricultural crops (Kharif and agricultural crops (Kharif and Rabi) for 2024-25’,
Rabi) for 2024-25’ highlighting record outputs in key crops like rice,
wheat, maize, groundnut, and soybean.

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✓ Union
Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, MoA&FW,
approved the data, confirming that under the
leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra
Modi, the Government of India(GoI) aims to
develop the agricultural sector.
✓ Foodgrains Production for Kharif is estimated
at 1,663.91 Lakh Metric Tons (LMT),
while Rabi production (excluding summer
crops) is projected at 1,645.27 LMT.
✓ Rice: Kharif rice production is anticipated to
reach a record 1,206.79 LMT, an increase of
74.20 LMT compared to the 1,132.59 LMT
produced in 2023-24 and Rabi rice (excluding
summer) is estimated at 157.58 LMT.
✓ Wheat production is projected at a
record 1,154.30 LMT, showing an increase of
21.38 LMT compared to 2023-24 (1,132.92
LMT).
Maize: Kharif maize production is projected at
a record 248.11 LMT, with Rabi maize
(excluding summer) estimated at 124.38 LMT.
Report on Trends and NHB In March 2025, New Delhi (Delhi)-based National
Progress of Housing in India, Housing Bank (NHB), apex financial institution for
housing, released the Report on Trends and Progress
2024 of Housing in India, 2024 in accordance to provisions
of Section 42 of NHB Act, 1987.
✓ Increase in individual housing loan: As on
September 30 2024, individual housing loans
stood at Rs 33.53 lakh crore, reflecting
growth of 14% during the same period of last
year.
✓ Distribution of housing loans among
different income groups: Middle-Income
Group (MIG) accounted 44% of the total
housing loans, as on September 30, 2024.
• It is followed by Economically Weaker
Section & Lower Income Group (EWS &
LIG) and Higher Income
Group (HIG), accounted 39% and 17%
of outstanding individual housing
loans, respectively.
• Regional Distribution in
Finance: Southern (35%), Western
(30%), Northern (28%), Eastern
(5.4%) , North Eastern States (0.68%).
Banks account for 81% whereas Housing Finance
Companies (HFCs) account for 19% of housing loans.
‘Cereal Supply and Demand FAO In March 2025, the United Nations (UN) Food and
Brief’ and the ‘Crop Prospects Agriculture Organization (FAO) released two key
reports: the ‘Cereal Supply and Demand Brief’ and the
and Food Situation Report’ ‘Crop Prospects and Food Situation Report’.
✓ The report on global grain production predicts
that wheat production may reach 796 million
tonnes (Mt) in 2025, marking a 1% increase
from the previous year. This growth is driven

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by expanded wheat planting in the European
Union, particularly France and Germany.
✓ FAO expects world grain reserves to shrink
by 1.9%, bringing the total to 869.3 Mt in
2025. While Russia and Ukraine may see an
increase in stocks, other regions might
experience a decline.
QS World University Rankings Quacquarelli On March 11, 2025, United Kingdom (UK) based
by Subject Symonds Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released the 15th edition
of the QS World University Rankings by Subject.
Among Indian institutions, the Indian Institute of
Technology, IIT(Indian School of Mines, ISM) Dhanbad,
(Jharkhand) achieved the highest global ranking, for
the first time securing the 20th position worldwide in
the Engineering – Mineral and Mining subject area.
✓ The United States of America (USA) based
universities dominated in 32 academic
disciplines, with Harvard
University(USA) leading in 15 subjects and
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
MIT(USA) in 11.
The UK secured the top position in 18 subjects, with
the University of Cambridge(UK) excelling in four.
Click here to read full News
Women-Led Startups Tracxn According to a report by Bengaluru(Karnataka) based
Technologies Indian tech startup research and analytics firm Tracxn
Technologies Limited, India ranks second globally,
after the United States of America (USA) in terms of
total funding raised by companies with women
founders.
✓ The global tech sector has over 69,000
women-founded tech companies, which have
collectively raised USD 309 billion in funding.
However, in 2024, only 11.7% of total funding
went to women-led startups due to economic
challenges.
✓ Globally, women-led tech companies
secured USD 29.6 billion in funding in 2024,
reflecting an 11% decline from USD 33.1 billion
in 2023 and a 21% drop from USD 37.5 billion
in 2022.
✓ Among Indian cities, Bengaluru leads in both
the number of women-led startups and the
amount of funding raised.
Mumbai(Maharashtra) and Delhi NCR
(National Capital Region) follow in second and
third place, respectively.
Global Trade Update: March United Nations In March 2025, Geneva (Switzerland)-based United
2025 report. Conference on Nations Conference on Trade and
Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its latest Global
Trade Update: March 2025 report. As per the report,

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Development ( developing countries, specifically China and India saw
UNCTAD) better than average trade expansion in the 4th Quarter
(Q4) of 2024. In contrast to it, many developed
countries experienced contractions during the same
period.
✓ The report showed that global trade saw
significant expansion to USD 33 trillion in
2024, an increase of 3.7% (USD 1.2
trillion) from 2023, driven by developing
economies and strong services trade, except for
regions like: Europe and Central Asia.
The report showed that India registered
an 8% quarterly imports growth in goods trade in
Q4 2024 compared to last quarter and Y-O-
Y imports growth of 6%.
State of the Global Climate World In March 2025, Geneva (Switzerland)-based World
Report 2024 Meteorological Meteorological Organisation (WMO) released its
Organisation ( report titled ‘State of the Global Climate Report 2024’,
WMO) It states that atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels
reached at 420 parts per million (ppm) in 2023,
which is the highest in the last 8 lakh years. As per
WMO, 420 ppm of CO2 is equivalent to 3,276
Gigatonnes (Gt) or 3.276 trillion of CO2 in the
atmosphere.
✓ Also, the CO2 levels in 2023
were 2.3 ppm higher than in 2022 and 151%
of the pre-industrial level (1750).
✓ The report mentioned that long-term global
warming is currently projected to be between
1.34 degree Celsius (°C) and 1.41°C compared
to the 1850-1900 baseline.
Global Average Temperature: The report showed
that the year 2024 was probably the 1st Calendar Year
(CY) to be over 1.5 °C above the pre-industrial era,
with global average temperature of 1.55 °C ±0.13 °C
above the 1850-1990 average, which is the warmest
year in 175-year observational record.
Third Report on the State of UN FAO In March 2025, the United Nations Food and
the World’s (SoW3) Plant Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) based in Rome,
Genetic Resources for Food Italy published the Third Report on the State of the
and Agriculture (PGRFA) World’s (SoW3) Plant Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture (PGRFA), raising concerns about the
declining diversity of plant genetic resources.
✓ The report was released on the 20th meeting
of the Commission on Genetic Resources for
Food and Agriculture (CGRFA-20) in Rome.
✓ The report states that despite the cultivation of
around 6,000 plant species, the report revealed
that 60% of global crop production depends

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on just nine crops, sugarcane, maize, rice,
wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil palm fruit, sugar
beet, and cassava.
Energy Statistics India 2025 MoSPI In March 2025, the Ministry of Statistics and
Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released
the Energy Statistics India 2025 report, detailing
India’s energy consumption, production, and efficiency
trends for the Financial Year 2023-24 (FY24).
✓ India’s energy intensity improved to
0.2180 Mega Joules (MJ) in FY24, down from
0.2192 MJ in FY23. The industrial sector
contributed by reducing its energy use from
361.5 MJ to 284.2 MJ.
✓ RE (excluding hydropower) in electricity
generation rose to 12.1% (FY24) from 6%
(FY15).
✓ RE potential reached 21,09,655 Megawatt
(MW) by March 31, 2024:
• Wind (55.17%): 11,63,856 MW,
• Solar (35.5%): 7,48,990 MW,
• Large Hydro (6.32%): 1,33,410 MW.
Trade Watch Quarterly NITI Aayog In March 2025, Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member of the
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI)
Aayog released the second edition of the “Trade Watch
Quarterly” (TWQ) publication for the Second Quarter
of the Financial Year 2024-25(Q2 FY25 : July to
September) in New Delhi, Delhi.
✓ India’s total trade grew by 5.67% to USD 839
billion, during April–September 2024
compared to the same period in 2023, with
exports rising 5.23% to reach USD 395 billion
and imports increasing 6.07% Year-on-Year (Y-
o-Y), reached USD 445 billion.

ACQUISITION & MERGERS

ARCIL Acquires Ujjivan SFB’s Stressed Loan Portfolio for Rs. 34 Crore
On March 3, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited (ARCIL),
backed by United States of America (USA) based Avenue Capital Group and the Mumbai (Maharashtra) based
State Bank of India (SBI), acquired Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Ujjivan Small Finance Bank’s (SFB) non-
performing microfinance loan portfolio worth Rs.365.5 crore for Rs.34.26 crore.

Mintoak Acquires Digiledge in India’s First E-Rupee Deal Worth USD 3.5 Million
On March 3, 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Mintoak Innovations Private Limited, an Indian startup
backed by PayPal and Mumbai (Maharashtra) based HDFC (formerly Housing Development Finance
Corporation Bank) Bank Limited, acquired Bengaluru (Karnataka) based ‘Digiledge’ for, marking
the first acquisition in the nascent Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) sector worth USD 3.5 million.

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CCI approvals on March 4th 2025
On March 4, 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following proposals:
✓ Singapore based TPG Scion Singapore Private Limited acquired a stake in Pune (Maharashtra)
based Schott Poonawalla Private Limited (SPPL) by a secondary purchase from Pune (Maharashtra)
based Serum Institute of India (SII) Private Limited.
✓ Ahmedabad (Gujarat) based Adani Infra (India) Limited (AIIL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises
Limited, acquired a 30.07% equity stake in Ahmedabad (Gujarat) based PSP Projects Limited (PSP
Projects) for Rs. 685.36 crore.
✓ Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Ambuja Cements Limited (ACL), acquired up to 72.8% stake in New
Delhi (Delhi) based Orient Cement Limited (OCL).
✓ Shell Deutschland GmbH, a subsidiary of the global energy company Shell Plc, based in the
Netherlands and Shell Overseas Investments B.V. acquired 100% of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Raj
Petro Specialities Private Limited.
✓ France based Roquette Frères S.A acquired the Pharma Solutions and specific product lines from the
Nourish segment of the United States of America (USA) based International Flavors & Fragrances
Inc. (IFF)
✓ Florida(the USA) based Alpha Wave Ventures II, LP acquired a 12.44% stake in Mumbai
(Maharashtra) based Advanta Enterprises Limited.
✓ Mumbai (Maharashtra) based JSW (Jindal South West) Energy Limited (JSWEL)acquired
a 100% shareholding in Hyderabad (Telangana) based KSK Mahanadi Power Company Limited for
nearly Rs. 16,000 crore.

JFSL buys out SBI’s stake in JPBL for Rs 104.5 Crore

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL), the fintech arm of Reliance
Group, announced the acquisition of remaining 17.8% stake in Jio Payments Bank Limited (JPBL) from the
State Bank of India (SBI) for Rs 104.5 crore

CCI approvals on March 11 2025

On March 11, 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following proposals:
✓ New Delhi (Delhi) based ONGC NTPC Green Private Limited (ONGPL) acquired 100% equity share
capital of Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Ayana Renewable Power Private Limited.
The Netherlands based Asset Management Group (AMG) Green Power BV’s acquired a stake in
Hyderabad (Telangana) based Greenko Energy Holdings (GEH) from Japan based ORIX Corporation, a
Japanese diversified financial services group.

Patanjali & DS Group Acquire Magma Insurance; Temasek to Invest in Haldiram Snacks
In March 2025, Baba Ramdev-owned Patanjali Ayurved Limited (PAL) based in Haridwar, Uttarakhand along
with Dharampal Satyapal Group Limited (DS Group), based in Noida , Uttar Pradesh (UP) has secured a
majority stake in Magma HDI General Insurance Company Limited headquartered at Mumbai, Maharashtra,
in a deal valuing the company at Rs 4,500 crore.
✓ The agreement involves the transfer of equity shares from existing shareholders, including Sanoti
Properties LLP, Celica Developers, and Jaguar Advisory Services. With this transaction, Patanjali and DS
Group will hold a 98% stake.
Temasek to Acquire 10% Stake in Haldiram Snacks:
Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited, an investment firm, based in Singapore has signed an agreement to
acquire a 10% stake in Noida based Haldiram Snacks Food Private Limited(Haldiram’s) (HSFPL) for over
Rs.8,000 crore (around USD 1 billion).

CCI Approvals on March 17, 2025

On March 17 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following proposals:
✓ Acquisition of London (the United Kingdom, UK)-based global mining company, Anglo American
plc’s steel-making coal portfolio in Australia by Peabody MNG Pty Ltd. and Peabody SMC Pty Ltd.

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✓ Acquisition of 100% shareholding each of O2 Power Midco Holdings Pte. Ltd. and O2 Energy SG Pte. Ltd
by JSW Neo Energy Limited which is100% owned subsidiary of JSW Energy Limited (JEL) which
belongs to the JSW Group.
✓ Acquisition of a shareholding Aurangabad (Maharashtra)-based Dhoot Transmission Private Limited
(DTPL) by BC Asia Investments XV Limited and BC Asia Investments XVI Limited.
✓ Acquisition of Jaipur (Rajasthan)-based Uprising Science Private Limited, by Mumbai (Maharashtra)-
based Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), a leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) company.
✓ Tata Sons proposal to acquire additional 10% stake in Direct-to-Home (DTH) provider Tata Play from
Baytree Investments (Mauritius) Pte Limited.

Bajaj Finserv to Acquire Allianz SE’s 26% Stake in Insurance JVs for Rs 24,180 Cr
In March 2025, Pune (Maharashtra)-based Bajaj Finserv Limited (BFS), India’s most diversified Non-Banking
Finance Company (NBFC) will acquire Munich (Germany)-based Allianz SE’s 26% stake in their Indian non-
life and life insurance Joint Ventures (JVs) for Rs 24,180 crore.
The agreed consideration for acquiring a 26% stake in Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Company Limited
(BAGIC) and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance Company Limited(BALIC) is Rs 13,780 crore and Rs 10,400 crore,
respectively.

IIHL Completes Acquisition of RCAP for Rs.9,650 Crore

In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra) based IndusInd International Holdings Limited (IIHL) has successfully
acquired the debt-ridden of Mumbai (Maharashtra) based Reliance Capital Limited (RCAP). The acquisition
was completed by transferring the bid amount of Rs.9,650 crore to lenders under the Insolvency and
Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The business value is estimated to be approximately Rs.20,000 crore, based on
conservative assessments.
✓ IIHL has secured the necessary regulatory approvals from the RBI, the Insurance Regulatory and
Development Authority of India (IRDAI), and relevant stock exchanges.
Bain Capital to Acquire 18% Stake in Manappuram Finance for Rs 4,385 Crore
In March 2025, Boston, Massachusetts(the United States of America (USA)-based global private investment
firm, Bain Capital,LP announced that it has signed definitive agreements to acquire joint control in Thrissur
(Kerala)-based Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Manapurram Finance Limited(MFL), which is also
India’s 2nd largest gold loan company.
✓ As per the deal, Bain Capital (Acquirer) will acquire 18% stake on a fully diluted basis through
preferential allotment of equity worth Rs 4,385 crore and warrants at Rs 236 per share.

CCI Approvals on March 25, 2025

On March 25 2025, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the following proposals:
✓ Acquisition of Athaang Devanahalli Tollway Private Limited (ADTPL), Athanng Jammu Udhampur
Highway Private Limited (AJUHPL) and Quazigund Expressway Private Limited (QEPL) by Cube
Highways Trust (Cube Trust) and Cube Highways and Infrastructure V Pte. Ltd. (Cube V).
✓ Proposed combination which involves inter-alia, Maple Infrastructure Trust (MIT); CDPQ
Infrastructures Asia III Inc. (CPDQ Asia); Maple Highways Pte Ltd; 360 ONE Private Equity
Fund; and certain road assets of Ashoka Buildcon Group.
✓ Acquisition of 100% equity shareholding in 11 road SPVs from Ashoka Group by Epic Concesiones 2
Private Limited (ECP2PL).

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Authum Investment to Acquire SIDBI’s ARC Arm for Rs.260 Crore
In March 2025, Mumbai(Maharashtra) based Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) Authum Investment &
Infrastructure Ltd, has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to acquire a 79.28% stake
in India SME Asset Reconstruction Company Ltd (ISARC), an Asset Reconstruction Company(ARC) sponsored
by the Lucknow, UttarPradesh (UP) based Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for Rs.260
crore.

DEFENCE
EXERCISE
EXERCISE NAME VENUE KEY NOTES

Desert Hunt 2025 Rajasthan The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted the
integrated Tri-Service Special Forces exercise
named Exercise ‘Desert Hunt 2025’ at Air Force
Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan from 24 to 28 February
2025.
The exercise brought together elite Special Forces
units from the Indian Army (IA), the Indian Navy
(IN), and the IAF to practice interoperability,
coordination, and combat efficiency in simulated
real-world scenarios.
Sea Dragon 2025 Off the Guam coast The Sea Dragon 2025 naval exercise, a key
multilateral maritime warfare drill, commenced off
the Guam coast in the western Pacific Ocean and
will be held from March 4 to March 19, 2025. This
high-intensity Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW)
exercise is hosted by the United States(US) Navy’s
7th Fleet and involves the Indian Navy (IN), Japan
Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), Royal
Australian Air Force (RAAF), and the Republic of
Korea Navy (ROKN).
Khanjar-XII Kyrgyzstan In March 2025, the 12th edition of the India-
Kyrgyzstan Joint Military Exercise ‘Khanjar-
XII’ commenced
in Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan.
Participating Forces: The IA contingent is
represented by troops from the Parachute
Regiment (Special Forces), while the Kyrgyzstan
Army contingent includes soldiers from the Kyrgyz
Scorpion Brigade.
BONGOSAGAR - On March 10, 2025, the 6th edition of the joint
patrol ‘Coordinated Patrol’ (CORPAT) and
the 4th bilateral exercise ‘BONGOSAGAR’ were
begin for the 6th time, under the supervision of
Commander Flotilla West, and was scheduled to
conclude on March 12, 2025. These operations are
taking place in the designated areas along
the Bangladesh and Indian maritime borders in
the Bay of Bengal.

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The Bangladesh Navy (BN) is represented by the
warship Bangladesh Naval Ship
(BNS) Abu Ubaidah and a maritime patrol aircraft,
while the Indian Navy (IN) has deployed the
warship Indian Naval Ship (INS) Ranvir and a
helicopter for the patrol and exercise.
7th Maritime Security Gulf of Oman In March 2025, Iran, Russia,
Belt and China commenced the 7th Maritime Security
Belt joint naval drills in the Gulf of Oman, near
the Strait of Hormuz. This marks the 5th
consecutive year of such exercises, aimed at
enhancing maritime security and military
cooperation among the participating nations.
VARUNA Arabian Sea, India The 23rd edition of the bilateral naval exercise
‘VARUNA’ between Indian Navy(IN) and France
Navy commenced on March 19, 2025, in the
Arabian Sea, India and will conclude on March 22,
2025. The exercise is being conducted in two
phases: the Harbour Phase (March 19-20) and
the Sea Phase (March 21-22).
✓ The naval exercise VARUNA, initiated in
1993 and formally named ‘VARUNA’ in
2001, has become a crucial element of Indo-
French maritime cooperation.
The 22nd edition of Varuna Exercise held in the
Mediterranean Sea from September 2 to 4, 2024.
INDRA Chennai, Tamil In March 2025, the 14th edition of the bilateral
Nadu (TN) naval exercise ‘INDRA’ between India and Russia
commenced off the coast of Chennai, Tamil
Nadu (TN). This six-day exercise, running until
April 2, 2025, underscores the enduring maritime
partnership and strategic cooperation between the
two nations.
✓ Harbour phase is being organised from
March 28 to 30, 2025 at Chennai. Sea
phase will be conducted from March 31 to
April 2, 2025 in the Bay of Bengal.
Ex Prachand Prahaar Arunachal Pradesh In March 2025, the Indian Army(IA), in partnership
with the Indian Air Force(IAF) and other branches
of the Indian Armed Forces, carried out a high-
intensity, integrated multi-domain warfare
exercise, ‘Ex Prachand Prahaar’, in the high-
altitude terrain of Arunachal Pradesh(AR). The
exercise, conducted from March 25 to 27, 2025
under the Eastern Command, to enhance the joint
operational capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

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TESTING
MISSILES NAME TESTING FEATURES
LOCATION
Indigenous Life Support - On March 4 2025, The Defence Bio-Engineering
System & ElectroMedical Laboratory (DEBEL), a
Bengaluru(Karnataka)-based laboratory under the Defence
Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry
of Defence (MoD) conducted the high-altitude trials of
the On-Board Oxygen Generating System (OBOGS)-
based Integrated Life Support System (ILSS) for the
Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
✓ Design & Testing: DEBEL, specialized in aerospace
life-support systems, designed and developed the
OBOGS-ILSS and conducted its high-altitude trials
on the Tejas Prototype Vehicle-3.
✓ Trials: Tests included extreme conditions like
altitudes up to 50,000 feet and high-G maneuvers,
validated by the Centre for Military
Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC).
✓ Manufacturing: Larsen & Toubro (L&T) was
responsible for production of the system under
DRDO’s guidance, ensuring adherence to technical
specifications.
F-35B - United States of America (USA) based defence and
aerospace manufacturer Lockheed Martin
Corporation has completed an initial flight test integrating
the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) onto the F-35B
Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
The test was conducted in partnership with USA-
based F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force (ITF),
marking a significant step in enhancing the fighter jet’s
capabilities.
Tejas AF MK1 Odisha On 12th March 2025, India’s indigenously developed Light
Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas AF MK1 successfully test-fired
the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air
Missile (BVRAAM) Astra off the coast of Chandipur, Odisha.
✓ The test was conducted by the Bengaluru
(Karnataka) based Aeronautical Development
Agency (ADA), demonstrating the missile’s ability
to achieve a direct hit on a flying target, validating
its precision and operational readiness.
✓ The Astra missile, designed by the Defence
Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO), is capable of engaging aerial targets at
distances exceeding 100 kilometers (km) and
features advanced guidance systems for high
accuracy.
VL–SRSAM Odisha In March 2025, Defence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy (IN) successfully
conducted the flight-test of indigenously-developed
Vertically-Launched Short Range Surface-to-Air

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Missile (VL–SRSAM) from the Integrated Test Range (ITR)
in Chandipur, off the Odisha coast.
✓ The test was conducted with all weapon system
elements which include: missile with indigenous
Radio Frequency(RF) seeker, Multi-Function
Radar(MFR) and Weapon Control
System(WCS) deployed in combat configuration,
have performed as per expectations.
✓ It is a next-generation SAM, indigenously designed
and developed by the contribution of various
DRDO’s facilities such as: Hyderabad (Telangana)-
based Defence Research and Development
Laboratory (DRDL); Hyderabad (Telangana)-based
Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and Pune
(Maharashtra)-based Research & Development
Establishment (Engineers).
✓ It is manufactured by Hyderabad (Telangana)-
based Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a Central
Public Enterprise (CPSE) under the control of
Ministry of Defence (MoD).
FPV drone Punjab In March 2025, the Indian Army’s (IA) Fleur-De-Lis
Brigade (2nd Independent Armoured Brigade), in
partnership with Chandigarh (Punjab) based Terminal
Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), a unit under
the Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO), successfully tested a First Person View (FPV)
drone equipped with an impact-based kamikaze-role
anti-tank munition in Pathankot, Punjab. It is a first-of-
its-kind project, designed for precision strikes against
armored vehicles.
✓ The drone has been developed by Major
Cephas Chetan of IA and the TBRL team, led by
Dr Raghvendra.
Liquid Mahendragiri In March 2025, the Indian Space Research
Oxygen (LOX)/Kerosene (Tamil Nadu) Organisation (ISRO) achieved a milestone by conducting a
200T thrust semi- successful Engine Power Head Test Article (PHTA) for
cryogenic engine its Liquid Oxygen (LOX)/Kerosene 200T thrust semi-
cryogenic engine at the Semi Cryo Integrated Engine Test
Facility (SIET) at ISRO Propulsion Complex
(IPRC) in Mahendragiri (Tamil Nadu, TN).
✓ This successful test paves the way for enhancing
Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3), increasing its
payload capacity.
✓ Conducted by ISRO’s Liquid Propulsion Systems
Centre (LPSC), the test lasted 2.5 seconds and
validated critical subsystems like the pre-burner,
turbo pumps, start system, and control components.

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DEAL & MoU’s
India’s MoD Signs USD 248 Million Contract with Russia’s RoE for Procurement of
Engines for T-72 Tanks for IA
On 7 March 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Government of India(GoI) signed a contract with Moscow
(Russia) based Rosoboronexport (RoE), Russian Federation, worth USD 248 million for procurement of
1000 Horsepower(HP) Engines for T-72 Tanks. These engines will be delivered in fully formed, completely
knocked down, and semi-knocked down conditions.
✓ The agreement includes Transfer of Technology (ToT) from RoE to Avadi (Chennai, Tamil Nadu, TN)
based Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (Heavy Vehicle Factory) for integration and eventual licensed
manufacturing of engines.

MoD Signs Rs 2,906 Crore Radar Contract with BEL for IAF
On 12 March 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed a Rs 2,906 crore capital acquisition contract with
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh (UP) (a leading defence electronics
manufacturing facility) for the procurement of Low-level Transportable Radar (LLTR), known as “Ashwini” for
the Indian Air Force (IAF).

MoD signs contracts for procurement of HMV 6×6 Gun Towing Vehicles for IA
In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed contracts with Tata Advanced Systems
Limited (TASL) for the procurement of High Mobility Vehicle (HMV) 6×6 Gun Towing Vehicles for the Indian
Army(IA). The agreement was formalized in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh at South
Block, New Delhi(Delhi).

MoD Signs Rs 2,500 Crore Contracts for Anti-Tank Missiles and Light Vehicles
In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed two major contracts worth Rs 2,500 crore under the Buy
(Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured, IDDM) category to bolster the operational
capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces. The agreements, finalized in the presence of Rajesh Kumar
Singh,Secretary of MoD.
✓ The MoD signed contract with Chennai (Tamil Nadu)-based Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited
(AVNL) for the Nag Missile System (NAMIS) Tracked Version and with Pune (Maharashtra)-
based Force Motors Limited & Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Mahindra and Mahindra Limited for
the supply of light vehicles.

MoD Signed Two Contracts worth Rs 62,700 Crore with HAL for Supply of 156
LCH, Prachand to the Armed Force
In March 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed two contracts with Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), ‘Navratna’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under MoD,
for supply of 156 indigenous Light Combat Helicopters (LCH), Prachand, as well as training an associated
equipment, for a total cost of Rs 62,700 crore, excluding taxes.
✓ As per MoD, the 1st contract is for supply of 66 LCHs to the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 2nd is for supply
of 90 LCHs to the Indian Army (IA).
✓ The 156 LCHs will be manufactured at HAL helicopter factories based in Bengaluru and Tumkur in
Karnataka, with 30 LCHs to be built annually. It is indigenously designed and developed by HAL in
collaboration with French engine-maker Safran.

ARMY, NAVY & AIR FORCE NEWS

IAF Conducts Combat Training at Umiam Lake in Meghalaya
In March 2025, the Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted a combat operations training exercise at Umiam
Lake, located in Shillong, Meghalaya, to strengthen interoperability with the Indian Army Special
Forces and the Indian Navy.

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IN inducts 9th ACTCM Barge LSAM 23 to strengthen maritime logistics
On 12 March 2025, the induction ceremony of the 9th Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile (ACTCM)
Barge, Landing Ship Ammunition (LSAM) 23 (Yard 133), was held at the Naval Dockyard
in Mumbai (Maharashtra). The Chief Guest for the event was Commodore Manish Vig, General Manager
(Quality Assurance), Naval Dockyard (Mumbai).
In 2021, the IN signed a contract with Thane (Maharashtra)-based M/s Suryadipta Projects Private Limited,
a Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) shipyard for the construction and delivery of 11 ACTCM
Barges.

Indian Navy’s 1st Training Squadron Completes Thailand Visit

In March 2025, the Indian Navy’s (IN) First Training Squadron (1TS), consisting of Indian Naval Ship (INS)
Sujata, INS Shardul, and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Veera, successfully concluded its visit to Phuket Deep
Sea Port in Thailand. The visit concluded on a high note with coordinated tactical maneuvers and an exchange
of sea riders during a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with His Thai Majesty’s Ship (HTMS) Huahin, a patrol gunboat
of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN).

DRDO Unveils BM-04 SRBM to Enhance India’s Defense Capabilities

In March 2025, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) unveiled a full-scale model of its
new Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM), the BM-04, at the Vigyan Vaibhav 2025 defence exhibition in
Hyderabad (Telangana). The missile is designed to strengthen India’s defence capabilities with advanced
technologies.
✓ The BM-04 missile is a canister-launched SRBM with a two-stage solid-fuel propulsion system.
✓ It has a range of 400-1,500 kilometers (km) and a conventional warhead weighing 500 kilograms (kg).

BEML unveils indigenous 12×12 High Mobility Vehicle for Defence

In March 2025, Bengaluru(Karnataka) based Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) BEML Limited (formerly Bharat
Earth Movers Limited) , launched its indigenously designed and manufactured High Mobility
Vehicle (HMV) 12×12 at its Palakkad (Kerala) complex. Developed for the Vehicles Research and Development
Establishment (VRDE), a unit of New Delhi(Delhi) based Defence Research and Development Organisation
(DRDO).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

SATELLITES LAUNCHES
SATELLITE NAME COUNTRY PURPOSE
‘Siwei Gaojing-1 China In February 2025, China successfully launched two new
03’ and ‘Siwei Gaojing- satellites named ‘Siwei Gaojing-1 03’ and ‘Siwei Gaojing-1
04’ through Long March-2C carrier rocket into sun-
1 04’ synchronous orbit about 500 kilometers (km) above the
land. The rocket was lifted off from Jiuquan Satellite Launch
Center in Northwest China, China.
The two satellites consist of high-resolution optical imagers
and will be used to collect data for the management of
natural resources, city construction planning, and other
commercial operations.
CSO-3 reconnaissance Europe In March 2025, Arianespace SA has successfully launched
satellite the CSO(Optical Space Component )-3 reconnaissance
satellite for the French Armed Forces aboard the Europe’s
next-generation heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 from the Guiana
Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, France. This
mission marks Europe’s first successful commercial launch,

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marking an important milestone in European space
exploration.
✓ The Ariane 6 upper stage safely re-entered Earth’s
atmosphere in a controlled way, fixing issues seen
during its test flight in July 2024.

NATIONAL
ISRO successfully completes SpaDeX De-Docking, a key milestone for upcoming
missions like Chandrayaan – 4
In March 2025, the Bengaluru (Karnataka)- based Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) reached an
important milestone in space technology by successfully de-docking its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX)
satellites.
✓ This achievement makes India the fourth country, after China, Russia, and the United States of
America (USA), to demonstrate space docking technology.

ISRO Conducted Flight Acceptance Hot Test of Cryogenic Engine for LVM3-M6 Mission
In March 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka)-based Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully
conducted the flight acceptance hot testing of the indigenous cryogenic engine(CE20) identified for the 6th
operational mission of the LVM3 launch vehicle (LVM3-M6) at the ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC) in
Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu (TN).
✓ In March 2025, V. Narayanan, chairman of ISRO announced that the Government of India (GoI) has
approved the ‘Chandrayaan-5/ Lunar Polar Exploration Mission(LuPEX)’ mission at an event held
in Chennai, TN. For this mission, GoI has collaborated with Japan.
o The mission will be launched as part of building capability towards achieving the target of an
Indian landing on Moon by 2040.
o He further announced that India will have its own space station, ‘Bharatiya Antriksh
Station’ by 2035.

ISRO and SCL Develop 32-bit Microprocessors for Space Applications

In March 2025, the Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Chandigarh
(Punjab) based Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) handed over the first production of two 32-bit
microprocessors,’VIKRAM3201’ and ‘KALPANA3201’, for space applications.
✓ These microprocessors were designed and developed by the Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) based
Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of the ISRO in partnership with the SCL.
✓ Development: VIKRAM3201 is India’s first fully “Make-in-India” 32-bit microprocessor, designed for
the extreme environmental conditions of launch vehicles.
✓ Kalpana 3201 is a 32-bit microprocessor based on the SPARC V8 (Scalable Processor Architecture,
version 8) Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor and is based on the IEEE 1754
Instruction Set Architecture.

GSL Launches 2nd Frigate ‘Tavasya‘ of Project 1135.6 for Indian Navy
On March 22, 2025, Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a leading defence shipyard based in Goa, India,
launched ‘Tavasya’, the second frigate of Project 1135.6 (Yard 1259). This frigate was built 56%
indigenously in India, marking a significant leap from the 25% indigenization seen in its foreign-built
counterparts.
✓ It aligns with India’s goal of achieving Rs. 50,000 crores in defence exports by 2029.

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✓ Tavasya, derived from the mace of Bhima in the Mahabharata, symbolizes the strength of the Indian
Navy. The frigate measures 124.8 meters (m) in length, 15.2 m in width, and has a draught of 4.5 m and
a top speed of 28 knots.
✓ It is equipped with stealth capabilities, BrahMos missile systems, torpedo launchers, and advanced
sonar and sensor systems.
✓ In October 2016, India and Russia signed a contract under an India-Russia Inter-Governmental
Agreement (IGA) for four Krivak-class stealth frigates.

Liquid Robotics & Sagar Defence Engineering Sign MoU to Manufacture ASVs
In March 2025, the United States of America (USA) based Liquid Robotics, a Boeing company, signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Sagar Defence Engineering
Private Limited, an Indian unmanned systems startup, to co-develop and co-produce Autonomous Surface
Vessels (ASVs).

Paras Defence Secures Rs.142 crore Contract from CHESS to Develop Anti-Drone Laser
System
In March 2025, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Paras Defence and Space Technologies Limited has secured a
contract worth Rs.142.31 crores from the Hyderabad (Telangana) based Centre for High Energy Systems &
Sciences (CHESS), a division of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under
the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Bellatrix Aerospace & Astroscale Japan Partner for Space Debris Removal and In-Orbit
Mobility
In March 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Bellatrix Aerospace Private Limited has signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with Aerospace Japan, a subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. based in Tokyo, Japan
to enhance efforts in active debris removal, satellite servicing, and in-orbit mobility.

IN Launches 10th Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barge ‘LSAM 24 (Yard 134)’ in
Maharashtra
On March 26, 2025, the Indian Navy (IN) successfully launched its ‘10th Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum
Missile (ACTCM) Barge’, Large Scale Additive Manufacturing (LSAM 24) (Yard 134) was launched
at M/s Suryadipta Projects Private Limited based in Thane, Maharashtra.
✓ The launch Ceremony was attended by Commodore Rahul Jagat, SPS, Submarine Overseeing Team
(SOT), Mumbai (Maharashtra) as the Chief Guest.
✓ These Barges have been indigenously designed and built by the Shipyard in collaboration with
an Indian Ship Design firm and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) respectively.

INTERNATIONAL
Indian-origin Tushar Mehta joins Blue Origin crew on 10th space tourism mission
In February 2025, Indian-origin Tushar Mehta was among the six crew members to be included in
the 10th space tourism mission of billionaire Jeff Bezos’ space company Blue Origin Enterprises,
L.P, Washington(USA).
✓ Tushar Mehta is a partner and the co-head of research at a quantitative hedge fund in New York,
United States of America (USA).

Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander Landed on the Moon

On 2 March 2025, Texas (United States of America, USA) based Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its
uncrewed Blue Ghost lander on the lunar surface in an upright, stable posture on the company’s first attempt.

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✓ Blue Ghost Mission 1, also known as Ghost Riders in the Sky, is the first commercial firm to
accomplish a successful soft-landing on the Moon and sets the standard for future exploration across
cislunar space as part of Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

NASA & Nokia Launch the First Mobile Network on Moon

In February 2025, Washington, D.C., (United States of America, USA) based National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) and Espoo (Finland) based Nokia are set to use the first mobile network on
the Moon as part of the Intuitive Machines’ (IM)-2 mission. The project is part of NASA’s Artemis program,
aiming to return humans to the lunar surface by 2027.
✓ As part of the IM-2 mission, the Athena lander will launch to deploy Nokia’s Lunar Surface
Communication System (LSCS), which will use Earth-based cellular technology to establish
connectivity on the Moon.

Foxconn Launches Its First Large Language Model, FoxBrain

On March 10, 2025, Taiwan-based Foxconn, the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer, launched
“FoxBrain,” Taiwan’s first large language model (LLM) designed to optimize manufacturing processes and
supply chain management.

NASA Launches SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions to Explore Universe’s Origins and Solar
Wind
On March 11, 2025, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched two
missions Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices
Explorer (SPHEREx) and Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9
rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, the United States America (USA). The missions aim to
study cosmic evolution and solar phenomena.
✓ SPHEREx is a space telescope managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena,
California to survey the entire sky in 102 wavelengths of infrared light, invisible to the human eye.
✓ PUNCH, led by Texas(the USA) based Southwest Research Institute(SwRI), comprises four suitcase-
sized satellites to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona) and solar wind.

NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Return to Earth After 9 Months in ISS
On March 19, 2025, Indian-American astronaut Sunita Lyn Williams and an American astronaut Barry Butch
E. Wilmore from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) successfully returned to the Earth
after spending an extended period (9months) aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
✓ As part of NASA’s Crew-9 rotation mission, the 4-person crew, along with American Astronaut Nick
Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, concluded their journey with a safe splashdown
off the coast of Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle, the United States of America (USA).
✓ Their return was facilitated by the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, following the arrival of Crew-10,
which was launched on March 14, 2025, to relieve Crew-9.

World’s First ‘Supersolid‘ Created from Light

An international team of scientists led by researchers at the Institute of Nanotechnology of the National
Research Council (CNR Nanotec) in Lecce, Italy has transformed light into a “Supersolid” for the 1st
time globally. A supersolid is a rare and counterintuitive phase of matter that uniquely combines the rigidity of
a crystal with the frictionless flow of a superfluid.

GE Aerospace Delivers First F404-IN20 Engine to HAL for Tejas LCA-Mk1A Fighter Jet
On March 26, 2025, the United States of America (USA) based General Electric Company (GE Aerospace), a
leading engine manufacturer, announced the delivery of the first of 99 F404-IN20 engines to Bengaluru

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(Karnataka)-based aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), for the Tejas Light Combat
Aircraft (LCA) Mk 1A fighter jet program.
✓ In 2023, GE Aerospace signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HAL to explore joint
production of the F414 engines in India.

SpaceX Launched HEX20’s ‘Nila‘ Satellite into Space

In March 2025, Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) based HEX20 India, a small satellite manufacturing startup,
achieved a significant milestone by launching its maiden satellite, ‘Nila,’ aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-13
mission, a service offered by SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, to provide dedicated rideshare opportunities for
small satellites.
✓ The ‘Nila’ mission is designed to test and validate HEX20’s indigenously developed subsystems.
✓ The satellite is named after Kerala’s Nila River, highlighting its cultural importance.
✓ ‘Nila’ was developed in just four months and launched with the support of Berlin (Germany) based
satellite deployer Exolaunch GmbH.

SPORTS
CRICKET
2024-25 Ranji Trophy: Vidarbha defeated Kerala to Clinch 3rd Title
On March 2 2025, The Vidarbha cricket team won the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy by defeating Kerala cricket
team based on a first-innings lead in the final at the Vidarbha Cricket Association(VCA) Stadium in Nagpur,
Maharashtra.
✓ This victory marks Vidarbha’s 3rd Ranji Trophy title, having previously won in the 2017-18 and 2018-
19 seasons.

Australian Cricketer & Former Captain Steve Smith Announces Retirement from ODI
Cricket
On March 5, 2025, Steven Peter Devereux Smith, the stand-in captain of Australia, announced his retirement
from One Day International (ODI) cricket following the team’s semi-final loss to India in the ‘International
Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2025’ in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
✓ He played pivotal roles in Australia’s 2015 and 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup victories and was the first
player to record 5 consecutive 50-plus scores in a World Cup.
✓ ICC Cricket World Cup Player of the Tournament (2015) : Named for his contributions to Australia’s
World Cup victory, including scoring 402 runs, with a memorable century in the semi-final.
✓ Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year (2015): A recognition of his overall
excellence across all formats during 2015. And also ICC Test Player of the Year (2015).

Veteran Bangladeshi Cricketer Mushfiqur Rahim Announced Retirement from ODIs

In March 2025, Mushfiqur Rahim, veteran wicket-keeper batsman from Bangladesh announced his retirement
from One Day International (ODI) cricket with immediate effect. He made his debut in ODI cricket almost 20
years ago. He is the only 2nd highest run-scorer from Bangladesh (after Tamim Iqbal with 8357 runs) who
scored 7795 runs in 274 ODIs, at an average of 36.42 with 9 centuries and 49 half-centuries.

Bangladesh All-Rounder Mahmudullah Retires From International Cricket

On March 12, 2025, Veteran Bangladeshi cricketer, Mahmudullah Riyad, an all-rounder for the Bangladesh
National Cricket team, announced his retirement from International Cricket, ending an 18-year career. He
previously retired from Test cricket in 2021 and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) in 2024.
✓ He represented Bangladesh in 50 Tests, 239 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 141 T20Is, totaling 430
international matches.
✓ Throughout his career, he scored a total of 11,047 runs across all formats, including 9 centuries.

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ICC Champions Trophy 2025: India beat New Zealand by 4 wickets, Claims 3rd
Champions Trophy title
On March 9, 2025, India won the 9th Edition of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy title
by defeating New Zealand with 4 wickets in the final held at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates (UAE). This victory marks India’s 3rd win in the history of the tournament, having
previously won in 2002 and 2013.
✓ India successfully chased the target of 252 runs, scoring 254/6 in 49 overs. Rohit Sharma, the captain
top-scored with 76 runs, and Shreyas Iyer added 48 runs to the total.
✓ Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand) emerged as a standout performer in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy,
earning both the ‘Golden Bat’ and ‘Player of the Tournament’ honors for his exceptional all-round
contributions.
✓ Virat Kohli became the fastest player to reach 14,000 One-Day International (ODI) runs in just 287
innings. He achieved this in the Champions Trophy 2025 match against Pakistan.
✓ Shikhar Dhawan, India’s highest run-scorer in Champions Trophy history with 701 runs across two
editions, has been appointed as one of the four Event Ambassadors for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy,
alongside former Pakistani cricketer Sarfaraz Ahmed, an Australian all-rounder, Shane Watson, and
New Zealand cricketer, Tim Southee

India Masters clinch Inaugural IML 2025 Title, beat West Indies Masters by 6 wickets
In March 2025, India Masters Cricket Team clinched the inaugural International Masters League (IML) 2025
by defeating West Indies Masters Cricket Team by 6 wickets in the final at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh
International Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. This victory marked India Masters’ first title in the tournament,
successfully chasing down a target of 149 runs with 17 balls to spare.
✓ India Masters was led by Captain Sachin
Ramesh Tendulkar and the West Indies Masters was led by Captain Brian Charles Lara.

Mumbai Indians Clinch ‘WPL Title 2025’ for the 2nd Time by Defeating Delhi Capitals
In March 2025, Mumbai Indians Women cricket team
(MI-W) clinched their Women’s Premier League (WPL) title 2025 by defeating Delhi Capitals Women cricket
team(DC-W) by 8 runs in the final held at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai (Maharashtra). This victory marks
Mumbai Indians (MI) to become the first team in WPL history to clinch the title twice, following their debut win
in 2023.
✓ Mumbai Indians (MI) were captained by
Harmanpreet Kaur, while Delhi Capitals (DC) were led by Captain Meghann Moira Lanning.
✓ The winners ‘MI-W’ received a cash prize of Rs 6 crore, while the runner-up ‘DC-W’ received
Rs. 3 crore.
WPL 2025 Award Winners:

Cash
Award Player Team
Reward

Natalie Ruth Sciver- Mumbai Indians-Women cricket team

Orange Cap
Brunt (MI-W)

Purple Cap Amelia Charlotte Kerr MI-W Rs. 5 lakh

Player of the
Harmanpreet Kaur MI-W
Match

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Delhi Capitals -Women cricket

Emerging Player Shafali Verma
team(DC-W)

BADMINTON & TENNIS

Indian Table Tennis Champion Achanta Sharath Kamal Announces Retirement
On March 4, 2025, Indian Table Tennis (TT) Champion and Padma Shri Awardee, Achanta Sharath
Kamal announced his retirement from Professional TT at the age of 42, marking the end of an illustrious career
that spanned over 2 decades. His final competition will be the World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender in
Chennai, (Tamil Nadu, TN) starting on March 25, 2025.
✓ Sharath Kamal holds the record for winning the ‘Senior National Champion’ title 10 times.
✓ He won 13 Commonwealth Games medals, including 7 golds, 3 silver and 3 bronze , along with 2
bronze medals at the Asian Games 2018.
Awards and Honors:
i.Arjuna Award (2004): Received the award for his outstanding contribution to sports.
ii.Padma Shri (2019): Received India’s fourth-highest civilian award, for his exceptional achievements in TT..
iii.Khel Ratna Award (2022): Received this award, ‘now Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award’, India’s
highest sporting honor, further cementing his legacy in Indian sports for TT

CWG medalist B Sumeeth Reddy Announces Retirement from Badminton

In March 2025, India’s doubles badminton specialist B. Sumeeth Reddy, a 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG)
mixed team silver medalist, announced his retirement from professional badminton to focus on coaching. At
the time of his retirement, he held the world badminton ranking of 25.

ARCHERY & SHOOTING

BOXING, WRESTLING & WEIGHTLIFTING
IOC Grants Provisional Recognition to World Boxing
In February 2025, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board (EB) granted provisional
recognition to World Boxing (WB) as the International Federation (IF) governing global boxing within the
Olympic Movement.

ATHLETIC & FOOTBALL

FIFA Banned Russia, Congo from 2026 World Cup
In March 2025, Zurich(Switzerland)-based international governing body of football International Federation of
Association Football (FIFA) has banned Russia and Congo from 2026 FIFA World Cup which is set to be
hosted jointly by the United States of America (USA), Canada and Mexico.
✓ The 23rd edition of FIFA World Cup will feature 104 matches being played across 16 cities in the 3
countries from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

OTHER SPORTS NEWS

Aleksandra Goryachkina Wins Monaco GP 2025: Tops FIDE Women’s Grand Prix
Standings
Russian Grandmaster(GM) Aleksandra Goryachkina
clinched victory at the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (International Chess Federation, FIDE) Monaco
Grand Prix (GP) 2025, held from February 18–28 2025 in Monte Carlo, Monaco.

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Monaco GP 2025: Top 3 Players & Prize Money

Rank Player Country Points Prize Money (Euro)

1 (Gold) Aleksandra Goryachkina FIDE 5.5 13833

2 (Silver) Humpy Koneru India 5.5 13833

3 (Bronze) Batkhuyag Munguntuul Mongolia 5.5 13833

Indian Grandmaster Pa Iniyan Wins 38th ‘Cannes International Open Chess

Tournament’
On March 3, 2025, Indian Grandmaster(GM) Panneerselvam (Pa) Iniyan won the 38th ‘Cannes International
Open Chess Tournament 2025’ title, by defeating compatriot V Pranesh in the ninth and final round held in
Cannes, France.
Winners of Cannes International Open Chess Tournament:

Rank Name Earned Points Medal

1 Pa Iniyan 7.5 Gold

2 Aradhya Garg 7 Silver

3 Kazybek Noderbek 7 Bronze

PCI launches logo of World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025

In March 2025, the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) revealed the logo for the World Para Athletics Grand
Prix 2025, which will take place from March 11 to 13, 2025, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi (Delhi).
he official logo of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix New Delhi 2025 is a vibrant symbol of India’s
rich cultural heritage and sporting excellence.

Indian GM Pranav Venkatesh Won ‘FIDE World Junior U20 Championship 2025’
On March 7, 2025, Indian Chess Grandmaster (GM) Pranav Venkatesh from Bengaluru (Karnataka) won
the ‘International Chess Federation(FIDE) World Junior U20 (Under-20) Championship 2025’ title, held
from February 26 to March 7, 2025, in Petrovac, Montenegro.
Winners of FIDE World Junior U20 Championship 2025:
Open Category:

Rank Name Country Earned Points

1 GM Pranav Venkatesh India 9

2 FM Matic Lavrencic Slovenia 8.5

3 GM Elham Amar Norway 8.5

Girls Category:

Rank Name Country Earned Points

1 WIM Anna Shukhman FIDE 9

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2 IM Ayan Allahverdiyeva Azerbaijan 8

3 IM Lu Miaoyi China 8

Indian GM Aravindh Chithambaram Wins Prague Chess Masters 2025 title

Indian Chess Grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram won the Masters Section of the Prague International
Chess Festival in Prague, the Czech Republic. He secured the title with a score of 6 points, concluding the
tournament with a draw against Gurel Ediz of Turkey in the ninth and final round.

India Clinches ‘2025 Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championship Title’ for the 5th time, by
Defeating Iran
On March 8, 2025, the Indian women’s Kabaddi team won the ‘6th Edition of Asian Women’s Kabaddi
Championship title’ by defeating Iran women’s Kabaddi team 32-25 in the final held in Tehran, Iran. The
victory marked India’s 5th win in the history of the tournament, having previously won in 2005, 2007, 2008,
and 2017 except in 2016 where South Korea claimed the title.
List of winners of the Asian Women’s Kabaddi Championships:

Medal Country Score

Gold India 213

Silver Iran 111

Bronze Bangladesh 117

Bronze Nepal 82

KIWG 2025: Fifth Edition Takes Place in Ladakh and J&K, IA Tops Medal Tally
The fifth edition of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) started on January 23, 2025, in Leh, Ladakh. This
event, funded by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), is part of Government of India’s (GoI) Khelo
India initiative, which promotes sports across the country.
✓ In the 2025 edition of KIWG, more than 400 athletes from states, Union Territories (UTs), and
institutions, participated as 19 teams in six winter sports.
Medal tally table for the top five positions in KIWG 2025:

Rank State/ UT/ Institution Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 Indian Army 7 5 6 18

2 Himachal Pradesh 6 5 7 18

3 Ladakh (UT) 4 2 1 7

4 Maharashtra 3 5 5 13

5 Tamil Nadu 3 2 0 5

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Lando Norris wins F1’s season-opening Australian Grand Prix 2025
On 16 March 2025, British Formula one (F1) driver Lando Norris of McLaren claimed victory at the
2025 season opener Australian Grand Prix, held at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Australia.

Rank Name Country

1 Lando Norris (McLaren) United Kingdom

2 Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) Dutch-Belgian

3 George Russell (Mercedes) United Kingdom

World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025: India Tops Medal Tally with 134 Medals
India concluded the 2025 World Para Athletics Grand Prix held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi
(Delhi), securing the top spot on the medal table with 134 medals, including 45 Gold, 40 Silver, and 49 Bronze.
✓ The Neutral Para Athletes contingent finished 2nd with 26 medals, comprising 13 gold, 9 silver, and 4
bronze. Uzbekistan claimed 3rd place with 4 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze medals.
✓ Indian Para Javelin Thrower Rinku Hooda clinched a gold medal in the javelin throw F46 category
with a throw of 60.26 meters (m).

India Concludes Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 With 33 Medals
India concluded the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2025 in Turin, Italy, with an impressive total of 33
medals: 8 gold, 18 silver, and 7 bronze. India recorded 10 medals each in Snowshoeing and Alpine
Skiing, 6 in Snowboarding, 4 in Short-track speed Skating, 2 in Cross-Country Skiing, and 1 in Floor ball.
India’s Medal Tally:

Category Medals

Gold 8

Silver 18

Bronze 7

Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya Released Anthem,Mascot and Logo for
Khelo India Para Games 2025
In March 2025, Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) released
the Mascot, Logo and anthem for 2nd Khelo India Para Games (KIPG 2025) during an event held at Jawaharlal
Nehru Stadium Complex in New Delhi, Delhi.
✓ Mascot: During the event, Union Minister of State (MoS) Raksha Nikhil Khadse, MYAS unveiled
the mascot for KIPG 2025 named ‘Ujjwala’, inspired from Delhi’s house sparrow, demonstrates
perseverance and resilience in light of the bird which was on the verge of extinction.
✓ Logo:The logo for KIPG 2025 was jointly launched by Devendra Jhajaria, President of Paralympic
Committee of India (PCI) and Sminu Jindal, founder of Svayam.

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McLaren’s Oscar Piastri Claims First F1 Chinese Grand Prix Win
Australia’s Oscar Jack Piastri, a Formula One (F1) driver for McLaren, claimed his first Chinese Grand Prix
(GP) 2025 victory at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, China, by leading the race from pole
position to the finish.
✓ British racing driver Lando Norris (McLaren)
claimed second place, making it a strong one-two result for McLaren. It also marks 50th such
achievement for the team in F1 history.

Kabaddi World Cup 2025: India Clinches both Men’s and Women’s title in UK
In March 2025, India emerged victorious in both the Men’s and Women’s Kabaddi World Cup (KWC) 2025,
held in Wolverhampton, the United Kingdom (UK). Captain Ritu Negi led the Indian women’s squad.
Captain Pawan Sehrawat led the Men’s team.
✓ The Indian Men’s team clinched the title in a closely contested final, defeating England 44-41, while the
Indian Women’s team delivered a dominant performance, securing a 57-34 victory over the same
opponent.

Indian Gymnast Pranati Nayak Wins Bronze in Vault Final at FIG World Cup 2025 in
Turkey
Indian gymnast Pranati Nayak, a 29-year-old Olympian, secured a bronze medal in the vault final at the
Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) World Cup (WC) in Antalya, Turkey. This marks Pranati
Nayak’s second medal at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup, following her bronze in the vault
event at Cairo in 2024.

AFA Partners with HSBC for 2025 Season in India and Singapore
In March 2025, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and London (the United Kingdom, UK)
based HSBC Holdings plc., announced a one-year partnership to promote football-related activities in
both India and Singapore.

Khelo India Para Games 2025: Haryana Topped the Medal Tally with 34 Golds.
Haryana topped the medal tally with 104 medals (34 Gold, 39 Silver, 31 Bronze) in the 2nd edition of the
Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) 2025, a multi-sport para event under the Government of India’s (GoI) Khelo
India initiative held in New Delhi, Delhi from 20 to 27 March 2025.
Top 5 States in the Medal Tally

Rank State Gold Silver Bronze Total

1 Haryana 34 39 31 104

2 Tamil Nadu (TN) 28 19 27 74

3 Uttar Pradesh (UP) 23 21 20 64

4 Rajasthan 22 18 24 64

5 Maharashtra 18 13 12 43

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BOOKS & AUTHORS
BOOK NAME AUTHOR KEY NOTES
Diyasalaai Kailash Satyarthi Nobel laureate and social reformer Kailash
Satyarthi launched his autobiography
‘Diyasalaai’ during the Jaipur Literature Festival in
Jaipur, Rajasthan. The book was published
by Rajkamal Prakashan and launched by former
President of India Ram Nath Kovind, who
attended the event as Chief Guest.

Prapancha Charitra Daggubati In March 2025, the book titled ‘Prapancha

Venkateswara Rao Charitra’ (World History) authored by former
minister and Member of
Parliament(MP) Daggubati Venkateswara
Rao was released in Visakhapatnam, Andhra
Pradesh (AP). The book launch event was attended
by Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister (CM) of
AP
Leo - The Untold Story P.S. Raman A new book titled “Leo — The Untold Story”,
written by senior advocate and former Tamil Nadu
Cricket Association (TNCA) vice-president P.S.
Raman was officially unveiled in Chennai(Tamil
Nadu) by the former Indian Test
Cricketer Chingleput Doraikannu “C.D.”
Gopinath at a star-studded event, with former
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Mahendra Singh
(M.S.) Dhoni graced the occasion.

Memories and V. Sriram and Lashman On March 15, 2025, Justice P.N. Prakash, former
Milestones judge of the Madras High Court (HC), and former
Special Public Prosecutor of the National
Investigation Agency (NIA), Government of India
(GoI) released the book ‘Memories and
Milestones’ in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN). The
book, authored by
historian V. Sriram and Lashman, documents
the 60-year journey of the Blue Cross of India.
March to Glory: The K. Arumugam In March 2025, the book titled ‘March to Glory:
Story of India’s 1975 The Story of India’s 1975 World Cup
World Cup triumph’ triumph’ was released to celebrate Golden Jubilee
of India’s maiden victory in Hockey World Cup
against Pakistan in 1975 held in Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia. The book was published by Hockey
Citizen Group.
✓ The book has been co-authored by hockey
historian, K. Arumugam, who is also the co-

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founder of Non-Government Organisation
(NGO), One Thousand Hockey Legs (OTHL);
and eminent journalist Errol D’Cruz.

OBITUARY
NATIONAL
PERSON NAME FIELD BORN PLACE KEY NOTES
Padmakar Shivalkar Indian Maharashtra Indian cricketer Padmakar
cricketer Shivalkar passed away at the age of 84 in
Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was born on 14
September, 1940 in Mumbai. He was
known as ‘Paddy’ and renowned for his
achievements in the Ranji Trophy as the
best left-arm spinner of India and as
Bombay’s prominent player
Dr. Meena Prabhu Marathi writer Maharashtra Veteran Marathi writer and renowned
travelogue author Dr. Meena Prabhu passed
away on March 1, 2025. Born on 27th August
1939, in Pune (Maharashtra), she was well
known in Maharashtra for her travel writings,
novels, and poetry.
✓ In 2023, she received
the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad’s
Lifetime Achievement Award for her
significant contribution to literature.
Garimella Classical singer Andhra In March 2025, Renowned classical singer and
Balakrishna Prasad Pradesh former Asthana Vidwan of the Tirumala
Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Garimella
Balakrishna Prasad passed away in Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh (AP). He was born on 9
November 1948 in Rajahmundry, AP.
He was awarded the prestigious Sangeet
Natak Akademi Award in 2020 for his
outstanding contributions to Indian classical
music.
Syed Abid Ali Former Indian Andhra On 12 March 2025, Syed Abid Ali, a former
cricketer Pradesh Indian cricketer, passed away at the age of
83 in California, the United States of America
(USA). He was born on 9 September 1941, in
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh,AP (now
Telangana).
Syed Abid Ali represented India in 29 Test
Matches from 1967 to 1974 and 5 One-Day
Internationals (ODIs) between 1974 and 1975.
Ramakanta Rath Odia poet Bihar In March 2025, Ramakanta Rath, renowned
Odia poet and Padma Bhushan
awardee passed away at the age of 90 in
Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. He was born on 13

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December 1934 in Cuttack, Bihar and Orissa
Province, British India (now Odisha). He has
won numerous awards
including the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award.
✓ He received the Sahitya Akademi
Award in 1977 for “Saptama Ritu,” the
Sarala Award in 1984, the
Bishuva Samman in 1990, and the
Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2009
for his significant contributions to Odia
literature.
✓ In 2006, he was honored with the
‘Padma Bhushan’, India’s 3rd-highest
civilian award, in the field of Literature
and Education for his exceptional
contributions to Literature.
Arvind Singh Mewar Royal family of Udaipur In March 2025, Arvind Singh Mewar,
Mewar a member of the erstwhile royal family of
Mewar and a descendant of the Rajput king
Maharana Pratap, died at the City Palace
in Udaipur, Rajasthan at 81. He was born on
13 December 1944, in Udaipur. He was
the Chairman of the Historic Resort Hotels
(HRH) group of hotels in Udaipur and the
Chairman and Managing Trustee of the
Maharana of Mewar Charitable
Foundation (MMCF), Udaipur.
Debendra Pradhan Union Minister Orissa In March 2025, Former Union
Minister Debendra Pradhan, Father of Union
Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, Ministry of
Skill Development and Entrepreneurship
(MSDE) passed away at the age of 84 in New
Delhi (Delhi). He was born on 16 July 1941 in
Nalam, Dhenkanal district, Orissa Province,
British India (present day Odisha, India)
✓ He served as a Member of Parliament
(MoP) for 2 consecutive terms from
1998 to 2004, representing the
Deogarh constituency in Odisha.
✓ During his tenure, he held the position
of Minister of State(MoS) for Surface
Transport from 1998 to 1999, and
subsequently, MoS for Agriculture
from 1999 to 2001.

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INTERNATIONAL
PERSON NAME FIELD BORN PLACE KEY NOTES
Boris Spassky Chess Russia Russian chess grandmaster Boris
grandmaster Spassky passed away at the age of 88 in
Moscow, Russia. He was born on 30 January
1937 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg),
Russia. He became the 10th World Chess
Champion in 1969 and held the title from
1969-1972.

Frederick Australian Tennis Australia On 06 March 2025, Australian Tennis Icon

Sydney Stolle Icon and Dual Grand Champion Frederick
Sydney Stolle, nicknamed “Fiery Fred” or
“Fiery” passed away at the age of 86. He
was born on 8 October 1938 at Hornsby,
New South Wales, Australia.
He reached world No. 1 in 1966 after
defeating Australian former tennis
player, John Newcombe in the final of the
United States Open Championship (US
Open).

IMPORTANT DAYS
OBSERVED DATE / DAYS KEY NOTES
WEEK
February 28 Rare Disease Day Observed annually across the globe on the last day
of February, either 28 or 29 in leap years (the rarest
day of the year), to raise awareness for the people
impacted by rare diseases and unite individuals from
over 100 nations. This day also aims to build a
community and promote the need for healthcare
equity, better access to treatments, and enhanced
medical research for those living with rare conditions.
✓ Rare Disease Day 2025, observed on 28
February 2025, marks the observance
of 18th Rare Disease Day.
✓ The 2025 theme of Rare Disease Day, “More
than you can imagine; an anthology of rare
experiences,” highlights the challenges,
resilience, and experiences of people living
with rare diseases.
February 28 National Science Day Observed annually on February 28 across India to
honor the groundbreaking discovery of the ‘Raman
Effect‘ by Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman (CV
Raman), a pioneering Indian physicist, in 1928. This
day serves to highlight the importance of science in
everyday life and acknowledges the invaluable
contributions of scientists in shaping the progress of
India.
✓ 28th February 2025 marks the observance of
the 39th NSD.

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✓ The theme of NSD 2025, “Empowering
Indian Youth for Global Leadership in
Science and Innovation for Viksit Bharat,”
✓ In 1930, he received the ‘Nobel Prize’ in
Physics for his groundbreaking discovery of
the “Raman Effect” and became the first Asian
to receive a Nobel Prize in a scientific field.
March 1 Zero Discrimination Day The United Nations (UN’s) ‘Zero Discrimination Day’
is observed annually on March 1st across the globe to
promote equality, inclusion, peace, and diversity. The
day serves to raise awareness about the damaging
effects of discrimination and emphasizes the right of
every individual to live a fulfilling and dignified life.
✓ March 01, 2025, marks the observance of
the 11th Zero Discrimination Day.
✓ The theme for Zero Discrimination Day 2025
is “We Stand Together,” highlighting a
particular aspect of discrimination.
March 1 World Civil Defence Day World Civil Defence Day (WCDD), also known as
World Civil Protection Day, is observed annually
on March 1 across the globe to raise awareness about
civil defence and highlight its crucial role in
protecting communities and individuals during
emergencies and disasters. This day also honors the
efforts and sacrifices of civil defence personnel who
have worked tirelessly to safeguard lives.
✓ 1st March 2025 marks the observance of
the 36th WCDD.
✓ The theme for WCDD 2025, “Civil Defence,
Guarantee of Security for the
Population”, emphasizes the essential role
that civil defence organizations play in
safeguarding public security.
March 1 World Seagrass Day The United Nations (UN)’s World Seagrass Day is
annually observed on 1 March across the globe to
raise awareness of the importance of seagrasses as a
fundamental element of marine biodiversity, the
challenges they face, and their role in sustainable
development and climate change mitigation and
adaptation. 1 March 2025 marks the observance of
the 3rd World Seagrass Day.
March 1 Civil Accounts Day Celebrated every year on 1st March in India to
commemorate the Foundation Day of the Indian Civil
Accounts Service (ICAS), which operates under the
Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance
(MoF). 1st March 2025 marks the 49th Civil
Accounts Day.
March 3 World Wildlife Day The United Nations (UN’s) World Wildlife
Day (WWD) is observed annually on 3rd
March across the globe to honor and raise awareness
about the diverse array of the world’s wild fauna
(animals) and flora (plants). This day emphasizes the
importance of conserving wildlife and the critical role
that conservation plays in preserving our ecosystems.

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✓ The theme for World Wildlife Day
2025, “Wildlife Conservation Finance:
Investing in People and Planet,” focuses on
the importance of improving and making
current financial efforts more effective and
sustainable.
✓ Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the 7th
meeting of the National Board for Wildlife
(NBWL) in Junagadh, Gujarat. Minister of
Environment, Forest, and Climate Change
(MoEFCC) Bhupender Yadav, along with other
board members, also attended the meeting.
✓ Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone
for the National Referral Centre for
Wildlife in Junagadh and announced the 16th
Asiatic Lion Population Estimation set for
May 2025.
March 3 World Hearing Day Observed annually on 3rd March across the globe to
raise awareness about hearing loss and to promote
ear and hearing care. The day also serves as a call to
action to address hearing loss and its associated
challenges. 3rd March 2025 marks the observance of
the 19th WHD.
The theme of WHD 2025 is “Changing mindsets:
Empower yourself to make ear and hearing care a
reality for all!”.
March 4 National Security Day National Security Day (NSD), also known
as Rashtriya Suraksha Diwas, is observed annually
across India to honor and show gratitude to the
Indian Security Forces including the Police, Military,
Para-Military, Guards, Commandos, and other forces
who are involved in maintaining the peace and
security of the people of India.
March 4 World Day Against Observed globally each year to raise awareness about
Sexual Exploitation sexual exploitation and offer support to victims of
sexual abuse. The International Labor
Organization (ILO) reports that nearly 5 million
women are victims of forced sexual exploitation each
year.
March 4 National Safety Day Observed annually across India to emphasize the
importance of safety measures in preventing
workplace accidents. The day also promotes a culture
of safety in workplaces, encouraging strict adherence
to safety guidelines.
✓ 4 March also marks the commencement of
the ‘National Safety Week Campaign’, which
is annually observed across India from 4-10
March.
✓ 4 March 2025 marks the observance of
the 54th National Safety Day/National Safety
Week Campaign.
✓ The theme for NSD 2025 is “Safety & Well-
being Crucial for Viksit Bharat,” aligns with

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the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ underscoring
the role of safety in India’s developmental
goals.
March 4 World Obesity Day Annually observed across the globe on 4th March to
create awareness about the risks of obesity and to
promote practical solutions to end the growing global
obesity crisis. The WOD was organised by the World
Obesity Federation (WOF).
✓ 4th March 2025 marks the observance of
the 11th WOD.
✓ The theme of WOD 2025 is “Changing
Systems, Healthier Lives.”
March 4 World Engineering Day United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)’s World Engineering
Day (WED) for Sustainable Development is observed
annually on 4th March across the globe to highlight
the critical role of engineering in modern life.
The UNESCO’s theme for World Engineering Day 2025
is “Unleashing the power of engineers to advance
the Sustainable Development Goals’’.
March 5 International Day for The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for
Disarmament and Non- Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness is
observed annually on March 5th worldwide to raise
Proliferation Awareness public awareness and understanding of disarmament
issues, especially among young people.
March 5, 2025, marks the 3rd observance of the
International Day for Disarmament and Non-
Proliferation Awareness
March 7 Jan Aushadhi Diwas Jan Aushadhi Diwas (Generic Medicine Day) is
annually observed on 7th March across India to raise
awareness about the importance of Generic Medicines
and to highlight the benefits of Pradhan Mantri
Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). 7th March
2025 marks the observance of 7th
Jan Aushadhi Diwas.
✓ Jan Aushadhi Diwas Week is observed
from March 1st to 7th . Last day of the Jan
Aushadhi Diwas Week is observed as Jan
Aushadhi Diwas.
March 8 International Women’s The United Nations (UN’s) International Women’s
Day Day (IWD) is annually observed across the globe on 8
March to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and
political achievements of women. IWD aims to
recognise women for their achievements without
regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic,
linguistic, cultural, economic, or political. 8 March
2025 marks 50 years of the UN’s official
commemoration of IWD.
✓ The 2025 theme of the IWD is “For ALL
Women and Girls: Rights. Equality.
Empowerment”.
✓ On March 3, 2025, ahead of the IWD 2025,
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi invited
women to share their life journeys on
the NaMo Application(app) Open Forum.

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✓ The Indian Computer Emergency Response
Team (CERT-In), a functional organisation
under the Ministry of Electronics and
Information Technology (MeitY), observed
IWD on 8th March 2025 and released the
“Cyber Security Handbook for Mahila
Suraksha,” a comprehensive guide aimed at
empowering women across India with
essential cyber hygiene practices.
✓ On the eve of IWD 2025, Mumbai
(Maharashtra)- based State Bank of India
(SBI) has launched a collateral-free digital
MSME (Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises) loan product ‘SBI Asmita’ for
women entrepreneurs, offering additional
interest benefits to help them expand their
business.
Gujarat-based Bank of Baroda (BoB) launched “BoB
Global Women Non-Resident Externa (NRE) & Non-
Resident (Ordinary) Accounts (NRO) Savings
Account,” designed exclusively for women Non-
Resident Indian (NRIs). Click here to read full News
March 10 International Day of Women The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of
Judges Women Judges (IDWJ) is observed annually on 10
March across the globe to highlight the vital role of
women in the judiciary and to advocate for gender
equality within judicial systems. 10 March 2025
marks the observance of the 4th IDWJ.
March 10 CISF Raising Day The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) Raising
Day is observed annually on 10th March across India
to commemorate the establishment of the CISF in
1969 and to honour the commitment and sacrifices of
its personnel in protecting critical infrastructure and
ensuring public safety throughout the country. 10th
March 2025 marks the observance of the 56th CISF
Raising Day.
Union Minister Amit Shah, Ministry of Home Affairs
(MHA) flagged off the 1st Great Indian
Coastal Cyclothon 2025 to raise awareness about
national security in coastal areas, emphasizing the
threats posed by smuggling, including drugs,
weapons, and explosives.
March 13 World Kidney Day Global campaign observed annually across the
globe on the 2nd Thursday of March to highlight the
critical role of kidneys in overall health and to
advocate for equal access to healthcare and
medication worldwide. The day aims to raise
awareness about kidney disease, its impact, and the
associated health challenges.
✓ WKD 2025 is observed on 13 March 2025.
WKD 2024 was observed on 14 March 2024; WKD
2026 will be observed on 12 March 2026.

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March 13 World Rotaract Day Celebrated annually to honor the contributions
of Rotaractors, young adults aged 18 and above who
are part of Rotary International (RI), a global
organization dedicated to community service and
leadership development. The day also highlights the
impactful work of Rotaract clubs worldwide.
13th March 2025 marks the 57th anniversary of the
establishment of the first Rotaract club in 1968
March 14 International Day of International Day of Mathematics (IDM) is observed
Mathematics annually on 14th March across the globe to highlight
the significance of mathematics in various fields,
including Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate change,
energy, and sustainable development. This date was
chosen as it aligns with Pi Day, representing the
mathematical constant π (pi) approximately equal to
3.14.
✓ 14th March 2025 marks the observance of
the 6th IDM.
✓ The theme of IDM 2025, “Mathematics, Art,
and Creativity” celebrates the intersection of
mathematical discovery and artistic
expression, showcasing how mathematics
inspires and enhances creative endeavours.
March 14 International Day of The International Day of Action for Rivers is
Action for Rivers annually observed on 14 March worldwide to raise
awareness about the importance of rivers and the
need to protect them. This Day highlights the
significance of rivers in sustaining life and
ecosystems, recognises the tireless efforts of
communities that protect and restore rivers, and
promotes the sustainable management of water
resources.
✓ 14 March 2025 marks the observance of
the 28th International Day of Action for
Rivers.
✓ The 2025 theme of the International Day of
Action for Rivers is, “Our Rivers, Our
Future“, which emphasises the crucial role
rivers play in supporting planetary health and
maintaining all life on Earth.
March 14 World Sleep Day World Sleep Day (WSD) is an international campaign
annually observed across the globe on the Friday
before Spring Vernal Equinox to raise awareness
about the importance of sleep health, the impact of
good sleep on overall well-being, and promote the
management and prevention of sleep disorders and
treatment options.
✓ WSD 2025, the 18th annual Sleep Day was
observed on 14 March 2025.

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✓ WSD 2024 was observed on 15 March 2024;
WSD 2026 will be observed on 13 March
2026.
✓ The theme and slogan for the WSD 2025 is,
“Make Sleep Health a Priority“.
Note: WSD is annually organized by the World Sleep
Day Committee of the World Sleep Society (WSS),
aiming to lessen the burden of sleep problems on
society.

March 15 World Consumer Rights World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is observed
Day annually across the globe on March 15 to raise global
awareness about consumer rights, protection, and
empowerment. Consumers are the economy’s
backbone; safeguarding their rights ensures ethical
practices and empowers informed choices.
✓ The theme for WCRD 2025 is “A Just
Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles”
emphasizes the necessity of making
sustainable and healthy lifestyle choices
accessible, affordable, and equitable for all
consumers.
✓ In 1962, former USA President John F.
Kennedy articulated four fundamental
consumer rights, which are: The Right to
Safety, The Right to Be Informed, The Right to
Choose, and The Right to Be Heard.
March 15 International Day to Combat The United Nations (UN) annually observes
Islamophobia International Day to Combat Islamophobia
On March 15 to raise awareness and combat hate
crimes, discrimination, and intolerance against
Muslims. March 15, 2025, marks
the 3rd International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
March 16 National Vaccination Day National Vaccination Day (also known as National
Immunisation Day, NID) is annually observed
across India on 16 March to raise awareness about
the importance of timely vaccinations, highlight the
significance of vaccines in public health, and focus on
immunization as a critical measure to prevent life-
threatening diseases.
✓ National Vaccination Day commemorates
the 1st dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV)
administered in India in 1995.
March 18 Ordnance Factory Day Ordnance Factory Day is observed annually on 18
March across India by the Ordnance Factory
Board (OFB) to commemorate the establishment of
the 1st Ordnance Factory in India at Cossipore near
Kolkata, West Bengal (WB) in 1801.

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✓ This Day honors the significant contributions
of the Indian Ordnance Factories (IOFs) in
strengthening India’s defence capabilities.
✓ The Indian Ordnance Factories (IOFs) is a
conglomerate of 41 Factories, 9 Training
Institutes, 3 Regional Marketing Centres
and 4 Regional Controllers of Safety under the
Department of Defence Production (DDP),
Ministry of Defence (MoD).
March 18 Global Recycling Day Global Recycling Day is observed annually on 18th
March across the globe to highlight the significance of
recycling and motivate individuals to take steps in
reducing waste and safeguarding the environment.
18th March 2025 marks the observance of
the 8th Global Recycling Day.
March 20 International Day of The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of
Happiness Happiness is observed annually on 20 March across
the globe to highlight the importance of well-being
and happiness in people’s lives. The day advocates for
inclusive, equitable, and balanced economic growth,
while also promoting sustainable development and
poverty eradication.
✓ The theme of International Day of Happiness
2025 is “Caring and Sharing” highlighting
that true, lasting happiness comes from caring
for one another, fostering meaningful
connections, and being part of something
greater than ourselves.
✓ According to the World Happiness Report
(WHR) 2025, Finland remains the happiest
country in the world for the 8th consecutive
time followed by its Nordic neighbor
countries Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.
o India has improved its ranking
to 118th (up from 126th in 2024) in
the World Happiness Report 2025.
Also India ranked high on scores of
social support and scored the lowest
on the freedom factor.
o Among the least happy
countries, Afghanistan ranks (147) at
the very bottom, while Sierra
Leone and Lebanon also register
extremely low life evaluations. Click
here to read full News
March 20 French Language Day The United Nations (UN) French Language Day is
annually observed across the globe on 20 March to
celebrate multilingualism, cultural diversity, and the

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equal recognition of the six official languages of the
UN.
✓ The day is also acknowledged by the
International Organization of La Francophonie
(OIF) as the International Day of La
Francophonie or International
Francophonie Day.
✓ 2025 Theme: ‘I educate myself, therefore I
act’.
March 20 World Oral Health Day World Oral Health Day (WOHD) is observed annually
on March 20 across the globe to raise awareness
about the significance of oral health and to support
efforts aimed at reducing the burden of oral diseases
on individuals, health systems, and economies. The
day also empowers individuals with knowledge and
tools to prevent and control oral diseases
affecting 3.5 billion people worldwide.
✓ The WOHD campaign theme for 2024–
2026 is “A Happy Mouth is…A Happy
Mind”, emphasizes the relationship between
oral health and overall well-being,
highlighting how prioritizing oral health can
lead to better mental health.
March 20 World Day of Theatre for World Day of Theatre for Children and Young
Children and Young People is annually observed across the globe on 20
People March to raise awareness about the art of theatre for
children and young people and highlight its
importance and impact in communities.
✓ ‘World Day of Theatre for Children and Young
People’ was established by the International
Association of Theatre for Children and Young
People (ASSITEJ) (French: Association
Internationale du Théâtre de l’Enfance et la
Jeunesse) in 2001.
The first-ever World Day of Theatre for Children
and Young People was observed on 20th March
2001.
March 20 World Sparrow Day World Sparrow Day (WSD) is celebrated every year
on March 20 to raise awareness about the declining
population of house sparrows (Passer domesticus)
and the urgent need for their conservation. The event
is now observed in over 50 countries.
✓ The theme for WSD 2025 is “A Tribute to
Nature’s Tiny Messengers”. WSD was
Initiated by the Nature Forever Society (NFS)
of India, founded by Indian conservationist
Mohammed Dilawar; Eco-Sys Action

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Foundation (France); and other national and
international entities.
March 21 International Day for the The United Nations (UN) International Day for the
Elimination of Racial Elimination of Racial Discrimination is annually
Discrimination observed across the globe on 21 March to raise
awareness about the challenges faced by people of
African descent and all those affected by racism and
racial discrimination and exclusion.
✓ The 2025 theme of the International Day for
the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is,
“60th anniversary of the International
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms
Racial of Discrimination (ICERD)”.
✓ For the 2025 observance, the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR), also known as UN Human Rights,
launched the campaign “ICERD60: Towards a
world without racism” to strengthen the
implementation of ICERD.
March 21 World Poetry Day The United Nations (UN’s) World Poetry Day is
annually observed across the globe on 21 March to
promote linguistic diversity and support endangered
languages through poetry, a form of art that connects
different cultures, languages, and generations. 21
March 2025 marks the observance of the 26th World
Poetry Day.
✓ The 2025 theme for World Poetry Day is:
“Poetry as a Bridge for Peace and
Inclusion”. The first-ever World Poetry Day
was observed on 21 March 2000.
March 21 International Nowruz Day The United Nations (UN’s) International Nowruz
Day is celebrated annually on March 21 to promote
cultural exchange, peace, solidarity, and good
neighbourliness. The day aims to foster cultural
diversity and friendship among people and
communities worldwide.
March 21 World Down Syndrome The United Nations (UN’s) World Down Syndrome
Day Day (WDSD) is a global awareness day observed
annually across the globe on 21 March to raise public
awareness of Down syndrome and advocate for the
rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down
syndrome.
WDSD aims to help people understand and support
those with Down syndrome better. 21 March 2025
marks the observance of the 14th WDSD. The theme
of World Down Syndrome Day 2025 is ‘Improve Our
Support Systems’.

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March 21 International Day of The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of
Forests Forests (IDF) is observed annually across the globe
on
March 21 to celebrate all kinds of forests, emphasize
the significance of trees and forests, and encourage
efforts to safeguard them.
✓ The theme for IDF 2025 is “Forest and
Foods,” highlighting the essential role forests
play in food security, nutrition, and
livelihoods.
✓ A report titled “Transforming Forest
Finance,” released ahead of the International
Day of Forests(on March 21), by the Forest
Declaration Assessment, supported by
the United Nations Development
Programme (UNDP) and the Climate and
Land Use Alliance, highlights the inadequate
financial support for forest conservation.
✓ An estimated USD 460 billion annually is
required to stop deforestation, but current
funding falls short. Developing countries are
facing a massive debt burden, which totals
USD 11 trillion.
March 21 World Glacier Day The first World Glacier Day was celebrated on
March 21,2025, and it will be observed annually on
the same date to raise awareness about glacier
protection. It was established by the United Nations
(UN) to highlight the immediate need to protect
glaciers and address climate change. This day
highlights the critical role glaciers play in sustaining
ecosystems, freshwater supplies, and global climate
stability.
✓ According to reports “State of the Global
Climate 2024”, published by the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) with the
support of the World Glacier Monitoring
Service (WGMS), the years 2022 to 2024 saw
the biggest loss of glacier ice ever recorded
over a three-year period. During this time, all
19 glacier regions around the world lost ice.
✓ As part of the International Year of Glaciers’
Preservation 2025, a joint celebration of the
first World Day for Glaciers and World
Water Day was organized to address the
urgent challenges posed by accelerating
glacier melt and its impact on water security,
communities, and ecosystems. This high-level

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event took place on March 21, 2025, at the
United Nations Headquarters in New York.
✓ The “State of the Global Climate 2024”
report was prepared and released by the
World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
March 21 World Puppetry Day World Puppetry Day (WPD) is annually observed
on 21 March worldwide to promote and honour the
ancient art of puppetry as an educational tool and
global art form and recognise puppeteers from across
the globe. The theme of the WPD 2025 is, “Robots,
AI, and the Dream of the Puppet?“
✓ The annual observance of the WPD is led by
the oldest international theatre organisation
in the world, UNIMA (Union Internationale de
la Marionnette), a Non-Governmental
Organization (NGO) affiliated with the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO).
March 22 Earth Hour The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) organizes
Earth Hour, which is observed globally every year on
the last Saturday of March. It encourages
individuals, communities, and businesses to switch off
non-essential electric lights for one hour, from 8:30
pm to 9:30 pm, as a symbol of commitment to the
planet.
✓ Earth Hour 2025 was observed on 22nd
March 2025 and marks observance
of 19th year of
Earth Hour. Earth Hour 2026 will be
observed on the 28th of March 2026.
✓ Earth Hour was first launched by the WWF
(formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund)
and its partners in Australia in 2007 as a
“lights off” initiative.
March 22 World Water Day The United Nations (UN’s) World Water Day is
observed annually across the globe on 22 March to
highlight the importance of freshwater and address
the global water crisis.
✓ The theme for World Water Day 2025
is ‘Glacier Preservation’, emphasizes the
critical role of glaciers in freshwater supply
and the urgent need for conservation amid
climate change.
✓ In 2025, the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) and the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) are the

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leading UN agencies responsible for the
celebration.
✓ The 2025 World Water Development Report
(WWDR), titled ‘Water Towers: Mountains
and Glaciers’, is published by
the UNESCO under UN-Water.
✓ On World Water Day 2025, the Ministry of Jal
Shakti (MoJS), in collaboration with
the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate
Change (MoEFCC) and the Government
of Haryana, launched Jal Shakti Abhiyan:
Catch the Rain (JSA:CTR)
– 2025 in Panchkula, Haryana.
March 23 Shaheed Diwas or Shaheed Diwas or Martyrs’ Day is observed
Martyrs’ Day annually across India on 23rd March to
commemorate the martyrdom of three iconic
revolutionaries : Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru,
and Sukhdev Thapar, who were executed by the
British government in 1931 for their pivotal role in
India’s freedom struggle.
March 23 World Meteorological Day The United Nations (UN’s) World Meteorological Day
(WMD) is annually observed on 23 March worldwide
to raise awareness about the significance of
understanding weather and climate patterns in
tackling global challenges like climate change and
extreme weather.
✓ Every 23 March, the WMD commemorates the
coming into force of
the Convention establishing the World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) on 23
March 1950.
✓ The theme for World Meteorological Day 2025
is “Closing the Early Warning Gap
Together“.
March 24 World Tuberculosis Day World Tuberculosis (TB) Day is annually observed
across the globe on 24th March to raise global
awareness about TB and mobilize efforts to eliminate
the disease.
✓ The theme for World Tuberculosis Day 2025
is ‘Yes! We Can End TB: Commit,
Invest, Deliver’, emphasizes urgency,
accountability, and collective action.
✓ Note: The United Nations (UN’s) Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) aims to end TB
by 2030.
✓ On World TB Day 2025, Union Minister of
State (MoS) Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of
Science and Technology (MoS&T) announced

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the completion of 10,000 genome
sequences of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis isolates, marking progress
toward India’s goal to eliminate TB by 2025—
five years ahead of the World Health
Organization (WHO)’s 2030 target.
March 24 International Day for the The United Nations (UN’s) International Day for the
Right to the Truth Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims,
Rights Violations and for observed annually across the globe on March 24, is
dedicated to honoring the victims of serious human
the Dignity of Victims
rights violations and advocating for justice.
✓ The day also commemorates the legacy
of Monsignor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, a
prominent human rights activist from El
Salvador, who was assassinated on March 24,
1980, for speaking against oppression and
violence.
March 25 International Day of The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of
Remembrance of the Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is observed globally
Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March each year to honor the millions who
suffered under the transatlantic slave trade, regarded
as one of the most severe human rights violations in
history.
✓ The theme for 2025 International Day of
Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and
the Transatlantic Slave Trade is
“Acknowledge the past. Repair the present.
Build a future of dignity and justice.”
March 25 International Day of The United Nations (UN’s) International Day of
Solidarity with Detained Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff
and Missing Staff Members is observed worldwide every year
Members on March 25 to honor those who face detention,
abduction, or violence while serving in global peace
and humanitarian missions.
✓ The day commemorates the anniversary of
the abduction of Alec Collett, a journalist
working for the United Nations Relief and
Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the
Near East (UNRWA) in 1985 by a gunman
from the Palestinian Abu Nidal group in
Lebanon.
March 27 World Theatre Day World Theatre Day is observed annually across the
globe on 27th March to honor theatre’s cultural
significance and its role in fostering global unity. The
day underscores theatre’s power to bridge cultural

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divides, inspire dialogue, and promote peace. March
27, 2025, marks the 63rd World Theatre Day.
✓ World Theatre Day was initiated in 1961 by
the International Theatre Institute ITI, the
World Organization for the Performing Arts,
which was founded in 1948 by the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization(UNESCO) and the International
Council for Theatre.
March 29 World Piano Day World Piano Day is observed annually across the
globe on the 88th day of the year (typically March
28 or 29) to symbolize the 88 keys of a standard
piano. World Piano Day 2025 was observed on March
29, 2025, marking the 10th anniversary of its
establishment in 2015.
✓ In 2015, World Piano Day was established by
Nils Frahm, German pianist and composer.
World Piano Day 2026 will be observed
on March 29, 2026.
March 30 International Day of Zero The United Nations (UN)’s International Day of Zero
Waste Waste also known as Zero Waste Day is annually
observed across the globe on 30 March to underscore
the significance of bolstering global waste
management and the need to promote sustainable
consumption and production patterns to combat the
waste pollution crisis.
✓ 30 March 2025 marks the observance of
the 3rd International Day of Zero Waste.
✓ In 2025, for the first time, the International
Day of Zero Waste was observed under
the theme, “Towards Zero Waste in Fashion
and Textiles”.
✓ The observance of the Day is facilitated jointly
by the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), the leading global
authority in the UN system, and the UN
Human Settlements Programme (UN-
Habitat).

APPS & WEB PORTAL

APP & WEB NAME LAUNCHED BY PURPOSE
Aadhaar Good MeitY In February 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and
Governance portal Information Technology (MeitY) launched the
‘Aadhaar Good Governance portal’ to streamline
the approval process for Aadhaar authentication
requests. This initiative highlights the government’s

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dedication to improving the quality of life for
citizens by increasing access to services, and
strengthening the overall citizen-centric approach
to service delivery
AI Compute Portal Ashwini Vaishnaw In March 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw,
Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology
(MeitY) launched several key
initiatives under IndiaAI mission during the
celebration of 1 year anniversary of IndiaAI
mission held in New Delhi, Delhi.
The newly launched initiatives are the AI Compute
Portal, IKosha: IndiaAI Datasets Platform, the AI
Competency Framework for Public Sector Officials,
iGOT-AI Mission Karmayogi, the IndiaAI Startups
Global Acceleration Program with Station F, the
IndiaAI Application Development Initiative and
IndiaAI FutureSkills all aimed at strengthening AI-
driven research, innovation, and skill development.
Prime Minister’s Union Minister Nirmala On March 17, 2025, Union Minister Nirmala
Internship Sitharaman, the Ministry Sitharaman, the Ministry of Finance (MoF), and the
Scheme (PMIS) of Finance (MoF) Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) launched a
dedicated mobile application (App) for the Prime
Minister’s Internship Scheme (PMIS) in New Delhi
(Delhi).
✓ Furthermore, Union Minister Nirmala
Sitharaman also inaugurated the first
facilitation center for PMIS in Kolkata, West
Bengal(WB). This center has been
established through a collaboration
between the MoCA and New Delhi(Delhi)
based Confederation of Indian Industry
(CII).
✓ The PMIS was announced in the Union
Budget 2024-25 to provide 1 crore
youth with internship opportunities in the
top 500 companies in India over five years,
helping them develop skills, gain
professional experience, and advance their
careers.
Baroda mDigiNext Bank of Baroda In March 2025, Vadodara (Gujarat) based Bank of
Baroda (BoB), one of India’s leading Public Sector
Bank (PSB), launched the’ Baroda mDigiNext’
mobile application (App), a dedicated cash
management services app for its corporate
customers using Baroda Cash Management
Services (BCMS).

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ENVIRONMENT
Two New Species of Jumping Spiders Discovered in Western Ghats
In March 2025, Researchers from the University of Kerala discovered two new species of jumping spiders,
‘Epidelaxia falciformis sp. nov’ and ‘Epidelaxia palustris sp. nov’ from Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in
Kerala. This marks the first record of the Epidelaxia genus in India.

ZSI Scientists Discover Soil Nematode ‘Crassolabium dhritiae’ in Odisha

In March 2025, Scientists from Kolkata (West Bengal) based Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered the
species of soil-dwelling nematode ‘Crassolabium dhritiae’ in the Deccan Peninsula biogeographic zone in
Keonjhar, Odisha.

Uniyala keralensis: A Newly Plant Species Identified in Kerala’s Agasthyamala

Biosphere Reserve
In March 2025, Researchers have found a new plant species ‘Uniyala keralensis’ (family Asteraceae), in the
Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve (ABR) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. It is a dense shrub with light purple
flowers and has been confirmed as a distinct species of the genus Uniyala, separating it from Vernonia.
The species has been named after the State of Kerala. The finding of this plant was published in the
journal Phytotaxa.

New Eel Species Discovered of Thoothukudi Coast Named After Tamil Language
In March 2025, researchers at Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, UP)-based Indian Council of Agricultural Research-
National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (ICAR-NBFGR) have discovered a new species of Congrid eel, found
off the Thoothukudi coast in Tamil Nadu (TN).
✓ It belongs to the genus ‘Ariosoma’ and was named Tamilicum after the world’s oldest language,
‘Tamil’.

New Freshwater Algae Species ‘Sheathia Rosemalayensis’ Discovered in Western

Ghats
In March 2025, researchers from Kothamangalam
(Kerala) based Mar Athanasius College have discovered a new species of freshwater algae,
“Sheathia rosemalayensis”, in the Western Ghats of Kerala. The research on Sheathia rosemalayensis was
published in Phycologia, an international journal dedicated to the study of algae.
✓ The species Sheathia rosemalayensis was discovered in Rosemala, located in the Kollam district of
Kerala. It is named after the region, as the Western Ghats, also known as Sahyadri.

BU Researchers & ZSI Discovered New Marine Parasitic Isopod Species

‘Lobothorax Bharat’
In March 2025, Researchers of department of zoology, Berhampur University (BU) based in Odisha, in
collaboration with Ganjam (Odisha)-based Estuarine Biology Regional Centre (EBRC) of Zoological Survey of
India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of marine parasitic isopod. The species has been named
‘Lobothorax Bharat’ in honor of India, the homeland of the scientists behind the discovery.
✓ The Researchers from Baripada (Odisha)-based Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja
Deo University (MSCB University) have found a new species of wild ginger from Similipal Biosphere
Reserve (SBR) located In Mayurbhanj district of Odisha.

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