Current Affairs One - Liner : 11th March 2025

National:

• The Glass-Ceiling Index 2025 was released on March 7, 2025, by The Economist. The ranking evaluates working conditions for women across OECD countries. Sweden secured the 1st position, while India is not ranked, as it is not an OECD member.

• PM Narendra Modi launched the Surat Food Security Saturation Campaign on March 7, 2025, in Limbayat, Surat. The campaign ensures food and nutrition security for over 2.3 lakh beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. It focuses on including vulnerable groups like the elderly, widows, and differently-abled persons.
• India's first hydrogen-powered train will launch by March 31, 2025, on the Jind-Sonipat route in Haryana. The train uses hydrogen fuel cells, emitting only water and heat, reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution. It is part of the 'Hydrogen for Railways' initiative, supporting India's net-zero carbon goals. The train has a top speed of 110 km/h and a capacity of 2,638 passengers.

International:

• On March 10, 2025, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed an agreement in Damascus to merge the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) with the national army. This deal integrates the SDF's military and civilian institutions into the Syrian state framework, granting them roles in managing borders, oil fields, and airports.
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) launched the iClimateAction Project on March 7, 2025, at its headquarters and online. This initiative, supported by the Horizon Europe Work Programme, aims to enhance global climate intelligence by improving the collection, standardization, and accessibility of climate data.

Banking:

• SEBI's total income for 2023-24 rose by 48%, reaching ₹2,075 crore, as announced on March 4, 2025. This growth was mainly due to fee and subscription revenue, which contributed ₹1,851.5 crore. Income from investments also increased significantly.
• India's steel imports fell to 0.6 million tonnes in February 2025, a 40% sequential drop and a 29% month-on-month decline, reported on March 9, 2025. This sharp fall is linked to concerns over potential safeguard duties. Steel exports also dropped 60% to 0.4 million tonnes during the same period.
• The report on personal income tax (PIT) collections for FY 2023-24 was released on March 10, 2025, by the Finance Ministry in a Lok Sabha reply. PIT rose to 3.5% of GDP, a 140 basis points increase since FY 2014-15. This growth is attributed to tax reforms like the New Income Tax Regime, better compliance, and economic expansion. Collections reached over ₹10.4 lakh crore in FY24.
• On March 7, 2025, India imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to $986 per tonne on the water treatment chemical 'Trichloro isocyanuric acid' from China and Japan. The measure will be in effect for five years to protect domestic manufacturers from low-cost imports.

Economy:

• Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah presented the ₹4.09 lakh crore budget for FY26 on March 7, 2025. Key allocations include ₹51,034 crore for the state's five guarantee schemes and ₹51,339 crore for agriculture. The budget emphasizes urban development, including Bengaluru metro expansion.
• India's agricultural production reached a record high in 2024-25, as per the Second Advance Estimates released on March 10, 2025. Total Kharif production was 1,663.91 LMT, while Rabi production reached 1,645.27 LMT. Record outputs of rice (1,206.79 LMT) and wheat (1,154.30 LMT) were achieved.

MoUs:

• The Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Adamas University signed an MoU on March 1, 2025, in Kolkata, India. The aim is to advance homoeopathy research through academic and scientific collaboration. It seeks to promote knowledge exchange and joint research initiatives. This partnership marks a milestone in enhancing evidence-based alternative medicine.
• The Coal India Limited (CIL) - IIT Hyderabad MoU to establish the CLEANZ center was signed on March 7, 2025, at the IIT Hyderabad campus in Telangana. The aim is to advance research in clean coal technologies, carbon capture, coal gasification, and AI-based energy solutions, contributing to India's sustainable energy and net-zero goals.
• The Department of Posts (DoP) signed an MoU with the Foundation for Science Innovation and Development (FSID), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), on March 11, 2025, at Dak Bhawan, New Delhi. The aim is to design the technology architecture for Digital Address DPI, creating a standardized, geo-referenced, and interoperable addressing system.

Science & Technology:

• The Assam government announced ASSAMSAT, its own satellite, on March 10, 2025, during the state budget. Developed with IN-SPACe and ISRO, it aims to support socio-economic projects, agriculture, disaster management, and border surveillance.

Sports:

• On Commonwealth Day 2025 (March 10), the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) rebranded itself as Commonwealth Sport. This reflects its evolution from a governing body to a global sports movement. The rebranding coincided with the launch of the Commonwealth Sport King's Baton Relay for the Glasgow 2026 Games.

Defence:

• Alpha Tocol Engineering handed over the first rear fuselage for the LCA Mk1A to HAL on March 9, 2025. This marks a major step in India's defense self-reliance, with private-public collaboration at its core. HAL plans to use these to fulfill Indian Air Force orders from 2025-26.

Committees:

• The 29th SAC meeting on MSME credit flow, held on March 3, 2025, in Ahmedabad and chaired by RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J, focused on addressing MSME challenges like financial literacy gaps and delayed payments. Key discussions included enhancing platforms like ULI, TReDS, and the Account Aggregator framework for improved credit access, promoting fair practices, and boosting credit guarantee schemes.

Summits & Conferences:

• Gujarat SemiConnect Conference 2025 held from March 5-7, 2025, at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, with the theme "Silicon Gujarat: Powering India's Semiconductor Revolution." Its aim was to position Gujarat as a global semiconductor hub through investments and innovation. It featured 1,500+ delegates, 250 exhibitors, and MoUs worth ₹1.04 lakh crore, including a ₹91,526 crore fab unit by Tata Electronics.
• 19th IESA Vision Summit Co-located with Gujarat SemiConnect, it took place from March 5-7, 2025, at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, with the theme "Powering India's Semiconductor Revolution." The summit aimed to enhance India's semiconductor ecosystem through global collaborations and workforce development. It signed MoUs worth ₹1.5 lakh crore, focusing on silicon photonics and optoelectronics.

Important Days:

• The International Day of Women Judges 2025, observed on March 10, celebrates the role of women in the judiciary and promotes gender equality. Established by the UNGA in 2021, it emphasizes inclusivity and equal opportunities in judicial systems.
• CISF Raising Day 2025 was celebrated on March 10, marking its 56th anniversary since its establishment in 1969. The theme was "Securing the Nation with Resilience and Dedication," emphasizing its evolving roles like cyber protection and disaster management.
• Commonwealth Day 2025, celebrated on March 10, united 56 member nations under the theme "Together We Thrive." It highlighted shared values of democracy, peace, and sustainable development. Activities included cultural events, flag-raising ceremonies, and a multi-faith service at Westminster Abbey, attended by King Charles III.

Appointments:

• On March 10, 2025, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced the appointment of Takashi Nakajima as the new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Honda Cars India Ltd. (HCIL), effective April 1, 2025. This change is part of the company’s annual management reshuffle.
• Justice Joymalya Bagchi was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on March 10, 2025, following the Supreme Court collegium's recommendation on March 6, 2025. His appointment fills one of the two vacancies in the court.

Obituaries:

• Renowned Carnatic classical singer Garimella Balakrishna Prasad passed away at 76 on March 9, 2025, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. A former Asthana Vidwan of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), he composed over 1,000 Annamacharya Sankeerthanas.

Questions:

Q.1 Which major sporting body rebranded itself as "Commonwealth Sport" on March 10, 2025?
a) International Olympic Committee
b) Asian Games Federation
c) Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF)
d) FIFA

Answer: c) Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF)
Explanation: The rebranding aligns with CGF’s evolution into a global sports movement.

Q.2 Which country topped the Glass-Ceiling Index 2025, released by The Economist on March 7, 2025?
a) Denmark
b) Norway
c) Germany
d) Sweden

Answer: d) The Glass-Ceiling Index 2025 evaluates working conditions for women across OECD countries. Sweden secured the top position in the ranking.