Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 15th April 2025

 

1. India’s pharmaceutical and medical device sector attracted 11,888 crore rupees in FDI from April to December 2024. 

•  Thirteen FDI proposals for brownfield projects were approved in 2024-25. These proposals were worth 7,246.40 crore rupees. 
•  The total FDI for the sector in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, reached 19,134.4 crore rupees. 
•  These figures were compiled by the Department of Pharmaceuticals. 
•  The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme has been crucial in boosting domestic manufacturing. 
•  It has helped attract investments, reduce dependency on imports, and increase exports. 
•  The PLI scheme surpassed its original investment target of 3,938.57 crore rupees. 
•  By December 2024, the realized investment under the scheme was 4,253.92 crore rupees. 
•  Under the PLI scheme for Bulk Drugs, 48 projects were selected. 
•  As of December 2024, 34 of these projects had been launched for 25 bulk drugs. 

2. Former England fast bowler James Anderson awarded knighthood.

•   Former England fast bowler James Anderson has been awarded knighthood for his services to the field of cricket. 
•  The title was part of the resignation honors list of former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. 
• Anderson is the only player to make it to this list. 
•  After making his Test debut at Lord's in 2003, Anderson retired from his international career in July 2024.
•   He has played 188 Tests over 21 years and taken 704 wickets. 
•  He is third in the all-time list of Test wickets, behind Australia's Shane Warne (708) and Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan (800). 
•  The 42-year-old also has the most Test wickets by any England bowler. 
• Anderson has had a career filled with extraordinary achievements, including winning the Ashes four times and becoming England's all-time leading wicket-taker. 

3. Nagaland launched the Solar Mission to accelerate rooftop solar power systems. 

•  On 14 April, the Nagaland Solar Mission was launched by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to accelerate the adoption of residential rooftop solar power systems across the state. 
•  This initiative is in line with the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme and aims to make clean energy more accessible and affordable for households. 
•  The Government of India subsidy will be supplemented by the state government through additional state subsidies. 
•  Under this scheme, beneficiaries will get a subsidy of up to 96% for systems up to 2 kW and up to 85% for systems up to 3 kW, making solar power installations quite affordable for residents. 
•  He said that Rs 10 crore has been allocated for the mission in the financial year 2025-26. 
•  This is an important step towards advancing green energy, reducing power costs, and promoting environmental protection. 
• This initiative reflects the state government's commitment towards building a sustainable and energy-efficient future. 

4. Several development projects launched by PM Modi in Haryana on the 134th birth anniversary of Dr. BR Ambedkar. 

•  On 14 April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the occasion of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar's birth anniversary, dedicated numerous development projects for the people of Haryana. 
•  The foundation stone of the 800 MW third unit was laid at Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram Thermal Power Plant in Yamunanagar, which will be built at a cost of Rs 8,469 crore. 
•  The project is set to be completed in 52 months, with commercial operations starting within 48 months by March 2029, increasing Haryana's in-house power generation capacity to 3,382 MW. 
•  Apart from this, the foundation stone of Gobar Dhan plant to be built at a cost of Rs 90 crore was laid in Yamunanagar. 
•  Prime Minister Modi inaugurated 14.4 km Rewari Bypass project constructed at a cost of Rs 1069 crore. 
• The Rewari Bypass project, developed under the Bharatmala scheme on Hybrid Annuity Mode, is a four-lane bypass constructed around Rewari city to reduce traffic congestion. 
• The foundation stone for the new terminal of Maharaja Agrasen Airport was laid by the Prime Minister, and the first flight for Ayodhya was flagged off from the airport.

5. For the first time, the all-women space tourist rocket successfully returned to Earth after a short flight.

•   On 14 April, a group of six women, including U.S. singer-songwriter Katy Perry, embarked on a journey to the upper limits of Earth’s atmosphere aboard a Blue Origin rocket and successfully returned after a brief flight.
•  Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, launched the 11th manned flight of New Shepard, the NS-31 spacecraft, from western Texas. 
• This marked the first all-women tourist spaceflight since Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s pioneering solo mission in 1963. 
•  The flight took passengers more than 100 kilometers above the Earth's surface, well beyond the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space. 
•  The flight lasted about 10 minutes. 
• The fully automated vehicle lifted off vertically before separating from the crew capsule in mid-flight, then descended back to the ground by parachutes and braking with a retro rocket in the Texas desert.
•  New Shepard is a fully reusable sub-orbital launch vehicle developed by Blue Origin for space tourism. 
• The spacecraft is named after Alan Shepard, who became the first American in space and the fifth man to walk on the Moon. 

6. Ecuador's right-wing President Daniel Noboa has been re-elected in a second round of elections. 

• On 13 April, the National Electoral Council announced that the incumbent, who has pledged to revive the struggling economy and intensify the crackdown on cartel violence, secured victory by a wide margin. 
• After more than 90% of votes were counted, Noboa, received 55.8% of the total votes cast. 
•  Noboa, who was elected in snap elections in 2023, now has a full four-year term left. 
•  He plans to continue his divisive “mano dura” (tough) crackdown on violence linked to cocaine smuggling from neighboring Colombia and Peru. 
•  Smuggling and associated criminality have plagued Ecuador since 2021. 

 Ecuador: 

•  It is a country located in the northwestern part of South America. 
•  It is bordered by Colombia to the north and Peru to the east and south. 
•  The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of Ecuador. 
•  Its capital is Quito, and its currency is the United States dollar (USD). 

7. Logo, mascot of Khelo India Youth Games 2025 unveiled 

•  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar unveiled the official logo of the Khelo India Youth Games 2025 in Patna on Monday. 
•  Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya unveiled the Games mascot during the programme organised at the Samvad hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. Mr. Kumar and Mr. Mandaviya jointly released the theme song of the Youth Games, which will be held in the State for the first time from May 4 to 15. 
• Mr. Kumar said that it was a matter of great happiness that the Khelo India Youth Games is being organised in Bihar and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the event in Patna on May 4. 

8. Russia has once again expressed its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. 

• This message came as the two countries celebrated 78 years of diplomatic relations. 
•  Russia conveyed optimism about the future of its strategic partnership with India. 
•  It stressed the strong mutual trust and respect that define the bilateral relationship. 
•  Both nations share similar views on global and regional issues. 
•  Two major summits were held between Prime Minister Modi and President Putin in 2024. 
•  Russia highlighted the growth in trade, which has exceeded 60 billion US dollars this year. 
•  Nuclear energy cooperation, especially through the Kudankulam project, was emphasized as a key area of collaboration. 
•  Defense, space, technology, and cultural exchanges continue to strengthen the relationship. 
•  India and Russia also support the idea of a multipolar world. 
•  They jointly call for greater representation of the Global South in international decision-making bodies. 

9. Telangana has become the first state in India to implement the Scheduled Caste (SC) Categorisation of Reservations Act, 2025. 

• The announcement was made on Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s birth anniversary. 
•  The state government issued a formal government order to begin the implementation. 
•  This came after the Governor gave approval for the legislation. 
•  The Bill had already been passed by the Telangana State Legislature last month. 
•  The Act reorganizes the 56 Scheduled Caste communities in the state into three distinct categories. 
•  The purpose is to ensure a fairer distribution of reservation benefits among SC sub-groups. 
•  The classification will influence future policies in education, employment, and political representation. 
• It addresses long-standing concerns from certain SC communities that felt left out of past benefits. 

10. The first edition of the International Technology Engagement Strategy for Quantum has been released. 

•  The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India has released it. 
• This marks India’s first strategy aimed at global engagement in Quantum Science, Technology, and Innovation. 
•  The strategy aims to accelerate advancements, drive innovation, and promote the widespread use of quantum technologies in key sectors. 
•  Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood unveiled the strategy during a podcast on World Quantum Day 2025, celebrated on April 14. 
•  The report is particularly significant as 2025 has been designated the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology by the United Nations. 
•  The document provides an initial analysis to guide domestic and international stakeholders in government, academia, and industry. 
•  It helps them create specific action plans that align with India’s National Quantum Mission and other ongoing efforts. 
• The National Quantum Mission is being effectively implemented by the Department of Science and Technology.
•   The mission covers the entire lifecycle of quantum technology, from research and development to commercialization. 
•  The National Quantum Mission operates using a hub-and-spoke model, involving 152 researchers from 43 institutions across 17 states and 2 union territories. 
•  The International Technology Engagement Strategy for Quantum report offers an in-depth overview of both national and global quantum ecosystems. 
•  It includes analysis of investments, research output, talent development, and industrial activities. 
•  The strategy seeks to foster impactful partnerships and support India’s diplomatic missions in strengthening international collaborations in Quantum Science, Technology, and Innovation. 

11. Govt. frames draft rules for gas meters to ensure transparency 

• The Consumer Affairs Ministry has framed draft rules for gas meters under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011, which make it mandatory for all gas meters used for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes to undergo testing, verification, and stamping prior to their use in trade and commerce. 
•  “The re-verification of these gas meters is also prescribed under the rules to ensure their correctness when these are in use,” the Ministry said in a press release on Monday.
•  The Ministry said the primary objective of these new rules was to ensure accuracy, transparency, and reliability in the measurement of gas. 

12. QNu Labs Unveils World’s First Quantum-Safe Platform ‘Q-Shield’ to Safeguard Critical Infrastructure 

• Startup QNu Labs launches world’s 1st unique platform Q-Shield empowering enterprises to protect critical infrastructure 
• QNu Labs, one of the startups selected by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the National Quantum Mission, has launched the world’s first unique platform, Q-Shield. 
•  It empowers enterprises to protect their critical infrastructure. It also enables seamless cryptography management across any environment, including cloud, on-premises, or hybrid, on the occasion of World Quantum Day. 
• Q-Shield enables various services like Qosmos for key generation, QConnect for secured connectivity and QVerse for secured collaboration. 
•  Selected under the National Quantum Mission and incubated at IIT Madras, QNu Labs is strengthening India’s position in global quantum cybersecurity innovation. 

13. 14 April – World Quantum Day 

•  World Quantum Day is celebrated every year on April 14 to raise awareness about quantum science and its impact on society. 
•  It promotes public understanding of quantum technologies like quantum computing, cryptography, and sensing. 
• Theme 2025 – Every Day in 2025 
• World Quantum Day was first celebrated in 2021 and was originally started as a decentralised initiative by scientists around the world. 

14. 14 April – World Chagas Disease Day 

• World Chagas Disease Day is observed every year on 14 April to raise awareness about Chagas disease, a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite. 
• The disease is mostly found in Latin America, but cases have also been reported in other parts of the world due to global migration. 
•  Theme 2025 – Prevent, Control, Care: Everyone’s role in Chagas disease 
•  The first World Chagas Disease Day was celebrated in 2020, and the date commemorates April 14, 1909, when the disease was first diagnosed in a human by Brazilian doctor Carlos Chagas, after whom the disease is named. 

15. Bajaj Auto non-executive director Madhur Bajaj passes away 

• Former Vice Chairman of Bajaj Auto, Madhur Bajaj, passed away at the age of 73. 
•  Born on August 19, 1952, he also served as Chairman of Maharashtra Scooters and as a Director of Bajaj Electricals, Bajaj Finance, and other companies within the Bajaj Group. 
•  Madhur Bajaj was the grandson of Jamnalal Bajaj, founder of the Bajaj Group, and cousin of the late Rahul Bajaj. 

16. Padma Vibhushan Kathak pioneer Kumudini Lakhia passes away 

•  Eminent Kathak exponent and choreographer Kumudini Lakhia passed away at the age of 95.
•  Lakhia was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award, on the Republic Day this year in recognition of her lifelong dedication to Kathak. 
•  She was honored with Padma Vibhushan in 2025, Padma Bhushan in 2010, Padma Shri in 1987, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1982, and Kalidasa Samman (2022-03) by the Madhya Pradesh government for her contribution to Kathak. 

17. Former Malaysian PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi dies at 85 

•  Former Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi passed away at the age of 85. 
•  Abdullah, Malaysia’s fifth leader, served from 2003 to 2009, when he was pressured to resign to take responsibility for the governing coalition’s dismal results in national elections.