- Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced a USD 1 billion fund for the creator economy on March 14, 2025, in New Delhi. This initiative aims to empower digital content creators with funding, skills, and global market access. It also includes establishing India's first Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) near Mumbai's Film City.
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- On March 13, 2025, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy launched India's first Exploration Licence Auction for Critical Minerals in Goa. The auction featured 13 exploration blocks for Rare Earth Elements (REE), Zinc, Diamond, Copper, and PGEs. This aims to reduce import dependency and promote private sector participation.
- On March 13, 2025, BWSSB became the first water board in India to receive BIS certification for its piped drinking water supply system. This recognition highlights its adherence to international quality standards and commitment to providing safe drinking water.
- On March 12, 2025, Amazon, Google, and Meta pledged to support tripling global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Led by the World Nuclear Association, this initiative aims to enhance energy security and cut carbon emissions.
- On March 13, 2025, Patanjali and DS Group acquired Magma Insurance for ₹4,500 crore, entering the financial services sector. Meanwhile, Temasek Holdings invested $1 billion for a 10% stake in Haldiram Snacks, valuing the company at $10 billion. The acquisition strengthens India's insurance market, while the investment fuels Haldiram's expansion and global reach.
- On March 15, 2025, SpaceX and NASA launched the Crew-10 mission from the Kennedy Space Center. The mission aims to return astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) after a nine-month extended stay.
- On March 13, 2025, the Indian Railways joined the Amrit Sarovar Mission to address water scarcity. This initiative aims to construct or rejuvenate ponds near railway sites, fostering groundwater recharge. The mission's goal is to rejuvenate over 68,000 ponds by August 15, 2025, promoting sustainable water management.
- On March 13, 2025, IRDAI granted a Certificate of Registration to Valueattics Reinsurance Ltd, India's first private reinsurer. Backed by GoDigit promoters and Fairfax Financial Holdings, it begins operations with an initial capital of ₹210 crore.
- On March 12, 2025, BRISKPE (Bharat Resilient Integrated System for Key Payment Ecosystem), backed by Prosus, received the RBI's (Reserve Bank of India) in-principle authorisation to operate as a Payment Aggregator for Cross-Border (PA-CB) transactions.
- On March 13, 2025, the RBI imposed penalties on JM Financial Products Ltd and Experian India for regulatory non-compliance. JM Financial Products was fined ₹3.1 lakh for NBFC-related violations, and Experian India faced a ₹2 lakh penalty under the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Act, 2005.
- On March 14, 2025, the MSME sector's growth was highlighted with a reduction in Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) from 11% in 2020 to 4% in 2024. Initiatives like CGTMSE, ECLGS, and the Udyam Registration portal played a key role in this improvement.
- India's foreign exchange reserves reached $653.97 billion as of March 7, 2025, marking a significant $15.26 billion increase in one week. This growth was driven by the RBI's $10 billion forex swap on February 28, 2025, alongside rises in foreign currency assets and gold reserves.
- Morgan Stanley projects India to become the world's third-largest economy by 2028, overtaking Germany. The economy is expected to grow from $3.5 trillion in 2023 to $5.7 trillion in 2028, driven by policy reforms, infrastructure, and macro stability. India's share in global GDP may rise to 4.5% by 2029, making it a major consumer market.
- India's coal imports declined for the sixth consecutive month in February 2025, as reported on March 12, 2025. Thermal coal imports dropped by 18.5% year-on-year to 11.36 million tonnes, driven by increased domestic coal production.
- On March 12, 2025, NABARD signed an MoU with J&K Grameen Bank in Jammu, aiming to promote and finance 2,000 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) across Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. This initiative focuses on enhancing credit access for tenant farmers, sharecroppers, landless farmers, and weaker sections.
- On March 13, 2025, ISRO completed the SpaDeX (Space Docking Experiment) De-Docking, showcasing its advanced docking and undocking capabilities. The experiment involved separating satellites SDX-01 and SDX-02 in a 460-km orbit. This milestone supports future missions like Chandrayaan-4 and Gaganyaan.
- On March 15, 2025, the Mumbai Indians won the Women's Premier League 2025 Final, defeating the Delhi Capitals by 8 runs at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur starred with a crucial 66 off 44 balls, leading her team to a total of 149/7.
- On March 12, 2025, Bangladesh all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyad retired from international cricket. He played 430 matches, scored 11,047 runs, and took 166 wickets in an 18-year career, including three ODI World Cup centuries.
- Iran, Russia, and China conducted the 'Maritime Security Belt 2025' joint naval drills on March 10–11, 2025, near Chabahar Port in the Gulf of Oman. The drills focused on enhancing maritime security and included live-fire exercises, anti-piracy training, and search-and-rescue operations.
- World Consumer Rights Day 2025 was observed on March 15, 2025, with the theme "A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles". It aims to promote consumer rights and fair trade practices globally. The theme focuses on making sustainable lifestyles accessible and equitable for all.
- World Sleep Day is celebrated on March 15 to raise awareness about the importance of sleep for overall health and well-being. The 2025 theme, "Make Sleep Health a Priority", emphasizes adopting healthier sleep habits to prevent sleep disorders.
- The International Day to Combat Islamophobia is observed on March 15 to raise awareness about Islamophobia and promote tolerance and inclusion. Established by the United Nations in 2022.
- Arun Mammen, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Madras Rubber Factory Limited (MRF Ltd), was elected as the Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers' Association (ATMA) on March 12, 2025. He succeeds Arnab Banerjee of Cavi Elettrici e Affini Torino (CEAT Ltd), with Hiroshi Yoshizane of Bridgestone India Private Limited as Vice Chairman.
- N Ganapathy Subramaniam was appointed as the Chairman of Tata Communications effective March 14, 2025. He brings over 40 years of experience and previously served as the COO and Executive Director of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) until May 2024.
- Veteran actor-filmmaker Deb Mukherjee passed away on March 14, 2025, at the age of 83, in Mumbai. Known for films like "Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar" and "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki", he was a prominent figure in Indian cinema.
Questions:
Q.1 Which countries participated in the ‘Maritime Security Belt 2025’ joint naval drill?a) India, France, Japan
b) USA, UK, Australia
c) Iran, Russia, China
d) South Korea, USA, Japan
Answer: c) Iran, Russia, and China conducted the 'Maritime Security Belt 2025' joint naval drills on March 10–11, 2025, near Chabahar Port in the Gulf of Oman.
Q.2 Who was appointed as the Chairman of Tata Communications on March 14, 2025?
a) N Chandrasekaran
b) N Ganapathy Subramaniam
c) Rajesh Gopinathan
d) Mukesh Ambani
a) N Chandrasekaran
b) N Ganapathy Subramaniam
c) Rajesh Gopinathan
d) Mukesh Ambani
Answer: b) N Ganapathy Subramaniam was appointed as the Chairman of Tata Communications effective March 14, 2025.
