CA (Dec 2024-March 2025) by Saurabh Kr Pandey

Global Free Speech Survey 2024

A new global survey by The Future of Free Speech, an independent U.S.-based
think tank, has ranked India 24th out of the 33 countries surveyed on the
question of support for free speech. The survey, conducted in October 2024,
also revealed that “more countries have seen declines rather than improvements
in free speech support since 2021, with some of the biggest drops occurring in
democratic nations like the United States, Israel, and Japan.” India, with a score
of 62.6, was placed 24th, between South Africa (66.9) and Lebanon (61.8).
Scandinavian countries dominated the top rankings, with Norway and Denmark
finishing at the top of the Index with scores of 87.9 and 87.0.
Indonesia (56.8), Malaysia (55.4), and Pakistan (57.0) showed the biggest
improvements, though they remained at the lower end of the ranking.

30th Session of the International Seabed Authority

The 30th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) commenced on
March 17, 2025, in Jamaica. Nearly 170 member states and the European Union
convened to discuss deep-sea mining regulations. This meeting comes amid
increasing pressure from mining industries eager to exploit seabed resources. The
ISA’s primary responsibilities include developing a mining code and protecting
the marine environment from potential damage due to mining activities.
About International Seabed Authority
 The International Seabed Authority (ISA) is an independent organization
formed in 1994. It was created when the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) became effective in 1982.
 Its main role is to manage mining and related activities on the international
seabed, which is the ocean floor beyond any country’s territory. ISA
coordinates and controls all activities related to mining minerals on the
seabed that lies outside national borders. These activities should benefit all
of humanity. ISA also ensures that the marine environment is protected
from any harm caused by these deep-sea activities.
Note:- As of January 2025, the ISA has granted 30 exploration contracts since
2001. India holds two contracts in the Indian Ocean and has submitted
applications for additional contracts.
GRSE Completed Sea Trials for Himgiri and Androth
Recently, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd successfully
completed Sea Trials for two naval vessels, the Himgiri and Androth. These
trials mark milestone in India’s naval shipbuilding efforts. The Himgiri is an
Advanced Frigate, part of Project 17A, while the Androth is an Anti-Submarine
Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
The Himgiri is one of the Advanced Frigates being constructed under Project
17A. This project aims to enhance India’s naval capabilities with modern,
indigenously designed ships. The Androth is the second of eight Anti-Submarine
Warfare vessels being built at GRSE. Both ships feature advanced technology
and improved stealth capabilities.
Project 17 Alpha frigates (P-17A) were launched by the Indian Navy in 2019.
Under Project 17A, a total of seven ships were constructed, four at MDL and
three at Garden Reach Ship Builders Limited (GRSE), Kolkata. The ships have
been named INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Dunagiri, INS
Taragiri, INS Vindhyagiri and INS Mahendragiri after the names of hill ranges
in India. The first stealth ship launched under Project 17A was the Nilgiri,
which was launched in 2019.
Project 17A frigates are the follow-on Class of Project 17 ‘Shivalik Class’
frigates, with improved stealth features, advanced weapons, sensors, and
platform-management systems. This project aligns with India’s vision of
Atmanirbhar Bharat, promoting self-reliance in defence production.
Note:- In Sep 2023, The seventh and last stealth frigate of Project
17A, Mahendragiri, was launched by Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of Vice-President
Jagdeep Dhankhar, at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai
within 2 weeks after launch of Vindhyagiri on August 17, 2023 at GRSE.

‘Scam Se Bacho’ Campaign

In Oct 2024, Government and Meta launched "Scam se Bacho", a
National User Awareness Campaign in New Delhi. This campaign is more than
just an awareness drive. This campaign can be a national movement that can
empower Indian citizens with the tools and knowledge to protect themselves
from these threats. Its goal is simple but powerful to create a culture of digital
safety and vigilance.
This initiative of Meta, being launched in collaboration of key ministries
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the Ministry of
Home Affairs (MHA), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the
Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), aims to combat the growing
menace of scams and cyber frauds, aligning with the government's commitment
to addressing the rising cases of online scams and enhancing cyber safety.
India, with over 900 million internet users, has seen extraordinary digital
growth under the Digital India initiative, becoming a global leader in UPI
transactions in past several years. However, this progress comes with rising
cyber frauds, with 1.1 million cases reported in 2023.
Note:-
In March 2025, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) also collaborates
with WhatsApp to extend ‘Scam Se Bacho,’ Meta’s safety campaign against
online scams and spam. As part of the collaboration, DoT and WhatsApp will
work together to educate citizens on identifying & reporting suspected fraud
communications in an effort to enhance digital safety and awareness.
DoT has taken various Initiatives to prevent misuse of telecom resources in
cybercrime and financial frauds. A citizen centric Sanchar Saathi initiative in
the form of portal & Mobile App has been developed to empower citizens to
report suspect suspected fraud calls/messages, know their mobile connections
and Block & Trace lost/ stolen mobile handsets among other facilities.
In a significant step to enhance digital safety and awareness on ground, the
initiative will include train-the-trainer workshops for DoT officials, Sanchar
Mitras, Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), and field units. WhatsApp will also
work with DoT to explore ways to build citizen centric services of Sanchar
Saathi initiatives through WhatsApp platform for wider reach of Sanchar Saathi.

Former US President Jimmy Carter Dies

Recently, former US President Jimmy Carter passed away at the age of 100 in
his Georgia home. Carter, who was widely praised for his moral character and
humanitarian endeavours, was the 39th president of the United States from 1977
to 1981. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 in recognition of his efforts
to advance democracy and human rights across the globe.
A former engineer and Georgia governor, he was relatively unknown when he
entered the 1976 presidential race. Carter's campaign emphasized transparency
and relied on public funding, which helped him narrowly defeat incumbent
Gerald Ford. However, his presidency was marked by a mix of achievements
and challenges. In his 2020 memoir, White House Diary, Carter candidly
examined his presidency.
Some CA Points:-
 Tulsi Gabbard: She is an American politician and military officer
serving since 2025 as the 8th US director of national intelligence. She
held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2021.
 James David Vance: He is an American politician serving as the
50th vice president of the United States, under President Donald Trump.
 Marco Rubio: He is an American politician serving since 2025 as the
72nd United States secretary of state, acting administrator of USAID, and
acting archivist of the United States.
 Kash Patel: He is serving as the ninth director of the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI)
 TIME Magazine has recently announced its 2025 list of 'World's Greatest
Places'. Two hotel properties and a restaurant from India have made it to
the prestigious list this year. Raffles Jaipur and Oberoi Vindhyavilas
Wildlife Resort in Bandhavgarh (M.P) were featured in the list.
 World Happiness Report 2025: India ranked 118 out of 147 countries in
this year report, published on 20th March, 2025 by the Wellbeing
Research Centre, University of Oxford, in partnership the UN Sustainable
Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN). Among India's
neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka was ranked at 133, Bangladesh at 134,
Pakistan at 109, Nepal at 92 and China at 68.
Finland emerged as the ‘happiest’ country yet again, followed closely by
Denmark and Iceland. Afghanistan ranked the lowest followed by Sierra
Leone and Lebanon. The study considers 6 explanatory factors for
happiness: social support, GDP per capita, health life expectancy,
freedom, generosity and perception of corruption.
Note:- In the 2024 report, India had ranked 126th
 On December 1, 2024, Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi became the second
Indian after legendary Viswanathan Anand and 16th worldwide to reach the
gold-standard ELO rating of 2800, while also occupying the fourth spot in
the latest rankings. In September 2024, he also became India's top rated
player. Erigaisi now has fourth sport, just below Hikaru Nakamura (2802) of
the USA. Norwegian Magnus Carlsen continued to be at the top spot with
2831 ratings, followed by Fabiano Caruana (2805) of the USA. Another
Indian chess prodigy, the 18-year-old D. Gukesh, is one place below Erigaisi
at fifth with 2783 ratings.
 Syed Modi India International Badminton Championship 2024: PV
Sindhu & Lakshya Sen won finals in their respective Women’s & Men’s
Singles category.
 UNESCO has recognized West Bengal as a leading destination for heritage
tourism, highlighting the state's progress in developing religious, heritage,
and tea tourism.
 Uber has launched its first water transport service in Asia, allowing tourists
to book traditional Kashmiri shikaras on Dal Lake through its app.
 World Maritime Technology conference (WMTC):- A global event was held
in Chennai from December 4 to 6, 2024. Some of the key topics were
discussed at the conference includes climate change, sustainability and
geopolitical dynamics, and their implications for the maritime industry.
 Proba-3 mission: In Dec, 2024 ISRO's successful launch of European
Space Agency's (ESA) Proba-3 satellites onboard PSLV-C59 rocket is a
'groundbreaking mission'. This mission is a collaborative effort between the
European Space Agency (ESA) and the Indian Space Research
Organisation. Proba-3 is a pioneering mission designed to explore the Sun's
corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun" & it aims to study the Corona,
which is hotter than the Sun's surface, and explore the solar wind which is a
stream of charged particles emanating from the Sun.
 In Dec 2024, the 4th edition of India- Malaysia Joint Military Exercise
HARIMAU SHAKTI commenced at Pahang district, Malaysia. HARIMAU
SHAKTI is an annual training event conducted alternatively in India and
Malaysia. Last edition was conducted in Nov 2023 at Umroi Cantonment in
Meghalaya. Aim of the Joint Exercise is to enhance joint military capability
of both sides to undertake counter insurgency operations in jungle terrain.
 In Dec 2024, India’s first hyperloop test track of 410 m has been completed
at the Discovery Campus of the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, at
Thaiyur. The track is all set to host the global, college level hyperloop
competition to be held in February 2025. This 410-meter-long Hyperloop
test tube located at IIT Chennai is the longest Hyperloop test facility in Asia.
The hyperloop project is a joint initiative of Indian Railways, IIT-Madras’
Avishkar Hyperloop team and TuTr (startup).Hyperloop involves an
electromagnetically levitating pod in a vacuum tube, eliminating friction and
air drag, potentially allowing the pod to reach high speeds of over 400 kmph.
 Asia’s first international hyperloop competition got under way at Discovery,
the satellite campus of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) at
Thaiyur. The competition on the future of high-speed travel, being held till
February 25, comprises 10 teams. It will involve participation of around 150
 industry delegates from across the world, representing sectors such as
mobility, research and hyperloop. The global hyperloop competition (GHC)
2025 is aimed at uniting global talent, industry leaders and researchers;
fostering collaboration and innovation; and bringing forth a real-world
implementation of the hyperloop technology.
 India has surpassed the US and Canada to become the world leader in mobile
malware attacks. India is currently responsible for 28% of all mobile
malware attacks worldwide, up from third position the previous year
 In Dec 2024, Stealth frigate INS Tushil commissioned into Indian Navy in
Russia. INS Tushil is an upgraded Krivak III class frigate of the Project
1135.6 of which, six are already in service – three Talwar class ships, and
three follow-on Teg class ships. In October 2016, India and Russia signed a
deal for four stealth frigates, two to be built in Russia and two to be
constructed at Goa Shipyard Limited under technology transfer. The second
frigate Tamal is expected to be delivered to Indian Navy in Russia in the first
quarter of next year.
It is armed with a range of advanced weapons, including the jointly-
developed Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, vertically-launched Shtil
Surface-to-Air missiles with enhanced ranges, upgraded medium-range anti-
air and surface gun with advanced stealth features, optically-controlled
close-range rapid fire gun system, anti-submarine torpedoes and rockets and
advanced electronic warfare and communication suite. The ship is also
capable of embarking the upgraded anti-submarine and airborne early
warning helicopters, the Kamov 28 and Kamov 31.
 Present Governor of Manipur: Ajay Kumar Bhalla
 Current president of Ghana: John Mahama
 Present CJI: Sanjiv Khanna
 The United Nations on December 10, 2024 recognised ecologist Madhav
Gadgil with the annual Champions of the Earth award, the UN's
highest environmental honour, for his seminal work in the Western Ghats,
a global biodiversity hotspot. Mr. Gadgil is the only Indian on the list of
this year's award recipients. Earlier, Mr Gadgil chaired the government-
constituted Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel (WGEEP) to study the
impact of population pressure, climate change, and development activities
on the ecologically fragile region in India. The panel recommended in
2011 that the entire hill range be declared an Ecologically Sensitive Area
(ESA) and divided into three Ecologically Sensitive Zones (ESZ 1, 2, and
3) based on their environmental sensitivity. It also recommended a ban on
mining, quarrying, new thermal power plants, hydropower projects, and
 large-scale wind energy projects in ESZ 1. However, these
recommendations faced opposition from State governments, industries,
and local communities.
UNESCO declared the Western Ghats a World Heritage Site in July 2012
and in 2013, the Centre formed a High-Level Working Group led by
rocket scientist K Kasturirangan to propose measures for the ecological
protection and sustainable development of the region. This group
identified 37% of the Western Ghats as ecologically sensitive. Since
March 2014, the Union environment ministry has issued five draft
notifications, including one in July 2024, to declare the Western Ghats as
ecologically sensitive, but the final notification is still pending due to
objections from the States.
Note:-The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
established Champions of the Earth in 2005 as an annual awards programme to
honours individuals and organizations whose actions have a transformative
impact on the environment.
 Ang Lee, the celebrated Taiwanese American filmmaker, has been named
the recipient of the Directors Guild of America (DGA) 2025 Lifetime
Achievement Award. This prestigious honour recognizes Lee's
remarkable contributions to cinema, spanning over three decades.
 First female cricketer to score 4 ODI centuries in a calendar year- Smriti
Mandhana