Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 5th April 2025

 International News

 1. Modi reaches Colombo, to discuss key issues with Sri Lankan President 

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Colombo on Friday night for a weekend visit focused on bilateral discussions and the signing of several key agreements between India and Sri Lanka. Mr. Modi travelled to Sri Lanka after attending the BIMSTEC summit in Thailand. 
•  Invited by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Mr. Modi's visit is the first by a foreign head of government since the significant political changes in Sri Lanka last year, which saw President Dissanayake and his National People's Power (NPP) alliance assume office. This follows President Dissanayake's first state visit abroad to New Delhi in December 2024, shortly after his election victory. 
• According to Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Vijitha. Herath, speaking in an interview with The Hindu earlier this week, a total of eight Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during the visit, covering sectors such as energy, digital in-frastructure, health, and defence 
•  Ties 'never been better' Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha remarked to local media that bilateral ties "have never been better". He added that Mr. Modi's visit aims to build upon the "very comprehensive" joint statement adopted during Mr. Dissanayake's trip to New Delhi. 
•  The PM's official engagements begin on Saturday, April 5. Accompanied by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Mr. Modi will receive a ceremonial guard of honour at Independence Square in Colombo. This will be followed by bilateral talks and the signing of agreements at the Presidential Secretariat. 
•  Sources in Colombo in-dicated that Mr. Modi's schedule on Saturday also includes meetings with several opposition political figures, including representatives of the Tamil community. On Sunday, April 6, Mr. Modi is sche-duled to travel to Anurad-hapura in Sri Lanka's North Central Province. 
•  Key topics expected during the discussions include ongoing economic cooperation, Sri Lanka's debt restructuring efforts, potential Indian investments, and the sensitive, longstanding fisheries conflict affecting Tamil fishermen from both Sri Lanka's northern provinces. and Tamil Nadu. 
•  The fisheries issue gains added significance as Mr. Modi is scheduled to travel directly from Sri Lanka to Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on April 6, a coastal town from which many bottom trawlers operate.

 Defence News 

2. CSIR-NAL signs technology transfer deal with firm to make HANSA trainer-planes 

• First, the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) , a Council of Scien-tific and Industrial Research (CSIR) body, has signed a technology transfer agreement with a private company to manufacture trainer airplanes in India. This would be the first time that the aircraft would be manufactured in India based on technology fully designed and developed indigenously. 
•  The HANSA-3 NG aircraft is a two-seater aircraft and is the latest iteration of the HANSA planes that have been made by NAL since 1998. Fourteen HANSA planes have been made over the years by NAL and used by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Indian Institutes of Technology. "We have now managed to seal a partnership with a private company which will manufacture these planes," said N. Kalaiselvi, Director-General, CSIR. 
•  The company, Pioneer Clean AMPS Pvt Limited, is expected to set up manufacturing facilities as well as handle marketing, servicing and aftersales, though NAL would be closely involved in the initial years to help them with various aspects of the manufacturing and operations, said Abhay Pashlikar, Director, CSIR-NAL. 
• The HANSA-NG is powered by a Rotax Digital Control Engine with features such as a composite lightweight airframe, a glass cockpit, a bubble canopy with wide panoramic view, and electrically operated flaps, among other features, a brochure says.

3. The Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024 passed by the Lok Sabha on 3 April.

•  The bill creates a legal framework for coastal trade, while the maritime sector aims to provide an affordable, reliable and sustainable mode of transport, reducing congestion on road and rail networks.
•  The purpose of the bill is to regulate vessels engaged in trade within Indian coastal waters. 
•  Under the Bill, coastal waters mean the territorial waters of India and its adjacent maritime areas.
•  The objective of the bill is to consolidate and amend the law relating to regulation of coastal navigation, promotion of coastal trade and encouragement of domestic participation. 
• This bill will ensure that India is equipped with a coastal fleet for national security and commercial requirements, which is owned and operated by the citizens of the country. 
• The proposed Bill introduced key provisions for licensing and regulating foreign vessels for India's coastal trade. 
• It also provides for the formulation of a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan and setting up of a National Database for Coastal Shipping. 
•  The Bill also provides for regulation of foreign ships hired by Indian entities and prescribes penalties for violations, in line with the Government’s effort to decriminalise the laws. 
•  The key provisions of the Bill include removal of the requirement of General Trading Licence for Indian ships (Section 3), reducing compliance burden and enhancing ease of doing business. 
•  The Bill mandates a National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan (Section 8), which will be revised every two years, to improve route planning and traffic forecasting. 
•  Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said in the last ten years, cargo handling capacity has grown by 103% from 800 million metric tonnes in 2014 to 1,630 MMT now. 
• As per the port ranking performance, the Indian port which was ranked 54th in 2014 has now improved its position to 38th position. 
• Apart from this, nine ports of India have also got place in the top 100 ports of the world. 

4. National Maritime Day: 5 April 

•  National Maritime Day is celebrated every year on 5 April.
•   This is celebrated to create awareness regarding support to intercontinental commerce and the worldwide economy. 
• This day is being observed since 1964.
•   The first ship SS loyalty, introduced by the Scindia steam navigation company, traveled from Mumbai to the United Kingdom in 5 April 1919. 
•  Varuna Award is conferred on this day to recognize the people who made an outstanding contribution to the Indian maritime sector. 
•  World Maritime Day is observed every year on the Thursday of last week in September. 

5. PM Modi announced major initiatives during BIMSTEC summit including Centres of Excellence and Bodhi Programme. 

• The several India-led initiatives towards institution and capacity building in BIMSTEC were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Bangkok
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•  On 4 April, PM Narendra Modi participated in the 6th BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Summit hosted by Thailand.
•   The theme of the Summit was - "BIMSTEC: Prosperous, Resilient and Open”. 
•  He announced that BIMSTEC Centres of Excellence will be set up in India on Disaster Management, Sustainable Maritime Transport, Traditional Medicine, and Research and Training in Agriculture. 
• He also announced a new programme for skilling the youth – BODHI (BIMSTEC for Organized Development of Human Resource Infrastructure). 
•  Under this initiative, training and scholarships would be provided to professionals, students, researchers, diplomats, and others. 
•  A pilot study by India to assess regional needs in Digital Public Infrastructure was also offered, along with a capacity building programme for cancer care in the region. 
•  As part of his call for greater regional economic integration, the Prime Minister proposed setting up a BIMSTEC Chamber of Commerce and holding the BIMSTEC Business Summit every year in India. 
•  On 4 April, the chairmanship of the regional grouping – Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) – was assumed by Bangladesh for the next two years.
•  BIMSTEC includes seven countries in the Bay of Bengal region – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The following were adopted at the summit: 
• Summit Declaration. 
•  BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030 document, which lays out the road map for collective prosperity of the region. 
• Signing of the BIMSTEC Maritime Transport Agreement, which provides for national treatment and assistance for ships, crew and cargo; mutual recognition of certificates/documents; Joint Shipping Coordination Committee; and dispute settlement mechanism.
•  Report of the BIMSTEC Eminent Persons Group constituted to make recommendations for the future of BIMSTEC. 

6. Under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme, the sex ratio at birth increased from 918 to 930. 

•  According to the government, the implementation of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme has contributed to an increase in the national sex ratio at birth from 918 in 2014-15 to 930 in 2023-24.
• According to Women and Child Development Minister Annpurna Devi, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme was launched on 22 January 2015. 
• Its objective is to prevent gender-based selection, ensure the survival and safety of girl children and ensure education of girl children. 
•  This is a 100% funded scheme of the Central Government and is being run in all the districts of the country. 
•  The scheme focuses on bringing about change in mindset and behaviour towards girls by informing, influencing, motivating, engaging and empowering all stakeholders. 
• The gross enrolment ratio of girls in schools at the secondary level is to increase from about 75% in 2014-15 to 78% by 2023-24. 
•  According to the 2011 Census of India, Kerala recorded the highest sex ratio among states with 1,084 females per 1,000 males.
• In contrast, Haryana recorded the lowest sex ratio among states with 879 females per 1,000 males. 
•  Among union territories, Puducherry had the highest sex ratio with 1,037 females per 1,000 males, while Daman and Diu had the lowest with 618 females per 1,000 males.

 

7. On 4 April, veteran actor and filmmaker Manoj Kumar passed away in Mumbai at the age of 87. 

•  The legendary Bollywood actor got the title of 'Bharat Kumar' due to his powerful portrayal of patriotic characters in films. 
•  Kumar played a pivotal role in shaping the genre of patriotic cinema in Bollywood, delivering classics like Upkaar (1967), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), and Kranti (1981). 
•  Some of his other popular movies are Patthar Ke Sanam, Shor, Sanyasi and Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. 
•  In recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema and the arts, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1992 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest cinematic honour, in 2015. 
•  Additionally, he awarded the National Film Award and seven Filmfare Awards in different categories. 

8. On April 3, Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025 passed by Parliament. 

•  The bill aims to reduce risks and costs associated with aircraft leasing for airlines in India, one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets. 
•  On 1 April, the bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha. 
•  The bill will improve cost efficiency for airlines as well as help them in faster expansion of their fleet by leasing aircraft. 
•  It also aims to implement the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Relating to Aircraft Equipment, which were signed in Cape Town in 2001. 
•  The aim of the Convention and Protocols is to bring uniformity in securing rights to high-value assets such as aircraft, helicopters and engines. 
•  The Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules for implementing the provisions of the Convention and Protocols. 
•  The bill designates the Directorate General of Civil Aviation as the Registry Authority for this convention. 
• The Registry Authority is responsible for registration and deregistration of aircraft.
•   Till the year 2014, the total air passenger traffic was only 10 crore 40 lakh, which has doubled in the last ten years. 
• The aviation sector in the country has grown at a CAGR of 12 percent. 
•  The purpose behind bringing this bill is to make the air fares reasonable and increase the aircraft fleet. 

9. The DRDO and Indian Army conducted four successful flight tests of the Army’s Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM).

•   The tests took place from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast. 
•  The tests were designed to evaluate the missile’s capability at long, short, high, and low altitudes. 
• The tests confirmed the missile’s effectiveness at intercepting targets at critical ranges.
•  The trials were conducted by army personnel from the Eastern and Southern Commands under the guidance of DRDO scientists. 
• MRSAM system is developed jointly by DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries. 
•  It includes components like a multi-function radar, a command post, and mobile launcher systems.

 10. Four railway projects with investment of 18,658 crore rupees has been approved by Union Cabinet.

•  These projects will benefit 15 districts in Maharashtra, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh.
•   The railway network will expand by about 1247 kilometers. 
•  The projects include the Sambalpur-Jarpada 3rd and 4th line, Jharsuguda-Sason 3rd and 4th line, Kharsia-Naya Raipur-Parmalkasa 5th and 6th line, and Gondia-Balharshah Doubling. 
•  The aim of these multi-tracking projects is to streamline operations and reduce congestion. 
•  They will also enhance railway infrastructure. 
•  The projects will lead to the construction of 19 new stations. 
•  They will also improve connectivity to the districts of Gadchiroli and Rajnandgaon. 
•  Vibrant Villages Programme-2 has also been approved by Union Cabinet. 
• Vibrant Villages Programme-2 will be fully funded by the central government with an allocation of 6,839 crore rupees.
•   Its focus will be on developing villages along international land borders. 
•  Its objective is to improve living standards and create livelihood opportunities in these areas.
•   It also aims to make sure the security and prosperity of border regions. 
•  It will also promote tourism and preserve the local culture and heritage of these villages. 

11. In 2023, India was ranked 10th globally for private investments in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

•  The 2025 Technology and Innovation Report from UNCTAD ranked India 36th on the Readiness for Frontier Technologies Index for 2024.
•  This is an improvement from India’s 48th position in 2022 on the same index. 
•  The report highlights the scientific strengths of China, Germany, India, the UK, and the US in the field of AI. 
•  The US was the leader in private AI investments, contributing 67 billion US dollars in 2023. 
•  This amount represents 70% of global AI private investment. 
•  China ranked second, with 7.8 billion US dollars in AI investments. 
•  India ranked 10th, with 1.4 billion US dollars invested in AI. 

12. Poonam Gupta has been appointed as the new RBI Deputy Governor by government. 

•  She is RBI’s first female Deputy Governor in 14 years. She took charge as RBI’s Deputy Governor on 1st April 2025 for three years. 
•  The position was vacant after Michael Patra left office in January 2025. She fills this position.
•   Gupta is presently the Director General of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). 
•  She is also on Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.
• She is Convener of Advisory Council to the 16th Finance Commission. 
• Over the past 90 years, only three women have been made RBI Deputy Governor. 
•  These women were KJ Udeshi (2003-2005), Shyamala Gopinath (2004-2009) and Usha Thorat (2005-2010). 

•  No female has been governor at the RBI since its inception 90 years ago. 
•  Gupta will become the fourth woman to be Deputy Governor at the RBI. 
•  She will be the first woman who will lead both RBI's monetary policy and Economic & Policy Research departments.