Daily Current Affairs and GK | 12 March 2025

Topic: Defense

1. India is the second-largest arms importer after Ukraine in the world.

• As per the data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Ukraine was the largest importer of major arms in the world in the 2020-24 period.
• In this period, India was the second-largest arms importer.
• India mainly imported the arms from both Russia and France.
• The largest share of Indian arms imports (36%) came from Russia. It has declined from 55% in 2015-19 and 72% in 2010-14.
• For the first time since 1990-94, China is out of the list of top 10 arms importers.
• Arms imports by Pakistan grew by 61% between 2015-19 and 2020-24.
• European arms import overall grew by 155% in this period.
• US share in global arms exports reached 43% while Russia’s exports fell by 64%.
• Russia delivered major arms to 33 countries in 2020-24, of which two-thirds went to India (38%), China (17%), and Kazakhstan (11%).
• France exported arms to 65 countries. The second largest recipient of major arms from France was Qatar (9.7%).
• So far, India received the largest share of French arms exports (28%).
• The overall volume of arms transfers globally remained at the same level as in 2015-19 and 2010-14.
• Italy, with a 4.8% share in arms sales, moved from 10th to sixth place on the exporter's list.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

2. PM Modi has become the first Indian to be honored with Mauritius' highest civilian award. 

• He was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, the highest civilian award of Mauritius. 
• The recognition was announced by Mauritius Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam during an Indian diaspora event in Port Louis. 
• This award brings Prime Minister Modi's total international honors to 21. 
• In his address, Modi expressed his gratitude to the people and government of Mauritius. 
• Modi also revealed that Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards would be issued to Mauritius Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam and his wife, Veena Ramgoolam. 
• Prime Minister Ramgoolam thanked Modi and the Indian government for granting OCI cards to the seventh generation of Indian descent. 

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

3. Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) and Adamas University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

• MoU aims to advance collaboration in Homoeopathy research and academics. 
• The agreement was finalized on 1st March 2025 by Dr. Subhash Kaushik, Director General of CCRH, and Prof. Suranjan Das, Vice-Chancellor of Adamas University. 
• The signing ceremony was attended by Nobel Laureate Sir Gregory Paul Winter and Dr. Samit Ray, Chancellor of Adamas University. 
• This MoU marks a key development in interdisciplinary research.
• It will promote scientific progress in Homoeopathy through joint efforts and knowledge sharing. 
• The partnership shows a shared commitment to driving innovation in alternative medicine.
• It also focuses on evidence-based practices. 
• The collaboration is expected to strengthen academic partnerships.
• It will enable joint research and enhance the integration of Homoeopathy into mainstream healthcare. 
• CCRH is a leading research body under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
• The council conducts vital research in Homoeopathy. It collaborates with global institutions on various projects.
• The Headquarters of the Council is situated in New Delhi.

Topic: MoUs and Agreements

4. Airtel and Musk's SpaceX have partnered to bring Starlink high-speed internet to India.

• On 11 March, an agreement has been signed by telecom major Airtel with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet services to its customers in India.
• This is the first agreement to be signed in India, subject to SpaceX receiving authorization to sell Starlink in India.
• Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores and providing Starlink services via Airtel to business customers.
• They will also look for opportunities to connect communities, schools, and health centers, among others, even in the most rural parts of India.
• This collaboration enhances the ability to bring world-class, high-speed broadband to even the most remote parts of India, ensuring that every individual, business and community has reliable internet.
• Starlink provides high-speed, low-latency internet to users all over the world.
• As the world's first and largest satellite constellation using low Earth orbit, Starlink provides broadband internet capable of supporting streaming, online gaming, video calls, and more.
• Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceX.
• In 2019, SpaceX began launching Starlink satellites.

Topic: India and its Neighborhood

5. INS Imphal participated in the Mauritius National Day celebrations in 2025.

• On March 10, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Imphal arrived at Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, for its first port arrival ahead of the country's 57th National Day celebrations on March 12.
• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the function as the chief guest.
• The visit of the warship continues the long-standing tradition of participation of Indian naval ships and aircraft in the National Day events of Mauritius, further strengthening the strong maritime ties between the two countries.
• During the celebrations, Imphal contributed a marching contingent, a naval band, and a helicopter for the ceremonial flypast in the National Day Parade at the Champs de Mars.
• Apart from its role in the National Day celebrations, Imphal's stay in Port Louis from March 10 to 14 includes several bilateral programmes aimed at enhancing defence cooperation.
• Imphal, the third of the four Project 15B (Visakhapatnam-class) indigenous destroyers, was commissioned in December 2023.

Topic: Reports and Indices

6. India ranked fifth globally for air pollution in 2024, as reported by IQAir. 

• India follows Chad, Congo, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. India's latest ranking is a slight improvement from its third spot in 2023.
• India saw a 7% reduction in PM2.5 levels in 2024, with an average concentration of 50.6 µg/m³, down from 54.4 µg/m³ the previous year. 
• Six of the top ten most polluted cities in the world are located in India. 
• New Delhi's PM2.5 levels remained almost the same in 2024, averaging 91.6 µg/m³ compared to 92.7 µg/m³ in 2023. 
• IQAir reviewed data from 40,000 air quality monitoring stations across 138 nations. 
• Only 12 countries, regions, and territories met the WHO’s annual PM2.5 guideline of 5.0 µg/m³. 
• In 2024, 17% of cities met the WHO PM2.5 guideline, a rise from 9% in 2023. 
• Air pollution in India cuts life expectancy by an estimated 5.2 years. 
• Severe pollution was particularly bad in northern India, especially in January and October 2024. 
• Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, reported a monthly average of 165 µg/m³ for PM2.5 in January. 
• Air quality in Manipur sharply worsened in October 2024. 
• In November, pollution levels were extremely high in Delhi, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, largely due to stubble burning. 
• 35% of cities in India had PM2.5 levels more than 10 times the WHO guideline for annual exposure. 
• Major sources of pollution in India include vehicle emissions, industrial pollutants, construction dust, and burning of crop residues. 
• In urban areas like Delhi, vehicle emissions are a key source of PM2.5, worsened by traffic congestion and fuel adulteration. 

Topic: National News

7. A five year ban on the Awami Action Committee (AAC) and Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad Ul Muslimeen (JKIM) has been imposed by the central government.

• Awami Action Committee (AAC) is led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Jammu and Kashmir Ittihad Ul Muslimeen (JKIM) is led by Masroor Abbas Ansari.
• Central government has imposed the ban under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967.
• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) linked both AAC and JKIM to actions that threaten India’s sovereignty, integrity, and security. 
• AAC members are accused of backing terrorist actions, spreading anti-India propaganda, and raising funds for secessionist movements in Jammu and Kashmir. 
• The NIA has filed charges against AAC spokesperson Aftab Ahmad Shah and others for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities. 
• The government has imposed an immediate five-year ban on AAC under Section 3 of the UAPA to prevent harm to national security. 
• Members of JKIM are accused of supporting terrorism, spreading anti-India narratives, and raising funds for separatist causes in Jammu and Kashmir. 
• A five-year ban has been placed on JKIM under Section 3 of the UAPA.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. India to become the world’s largest web3 developer hub by 2028.

• The ‘India Web3 Landscape’ report has been released by the Hashed Emergent.
• As per the report, India will emerge as a global leader in Web3 developers by 2028.
• India has registered rapid growth in this field, with over 4.7 million developers joined GitHub in 2024.
• India has emerged as the second-largest base for crypto developers globally.
• As per the report, 45.3 per cent of Indian Web3 developers are actively contributing to coding, 29.7 per cent focus on bug fixes, and 22.4 percent are engaged in the documentation.
• The main field of development for Indian Web3 talent includes gaming, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), decentralized finance (DeFi), and real-world assets (RWAs).
• Hackathons remain a popular entry point for these developers.
• The number of Web3 firms is increasing with partnerships with universities.
• India also ranks third globally in Web3 startup founders. More than 1,200 startups are operating in this sector.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Jayshree Vencatesan became the first Indian to win the Ramsar Award for ‘Wetland Wise Use’.

• Jayshree Vencatesan is the first Indian to be honoured with the Ramsar Award for 'Wetland Wise Use'.
• She is one of the 12 women changemakers in the world of wetlands.
• Jayashree is famous for her dedication to preserving India’s wetlands, particularly the Pallikaranai Marsh in Chennai.
• Jayashree has been recognised under the 'wise use of wetlands' category.
• She has not only safeguarded wetlands but also mentored a new generation of female conservationists.

Topic: Sports

10. The name of the CWG was changed to Commonwealth Sports.

• The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has changed its name to Commonwealth Sports as part of the 'More in Common' brand campaign.
• The announcement was made on the occasion of Commonwealth Day, an annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations on the second Monday of March.
• Commonwealth Day also marks the day when we are transforming from a Sports Federation to a Sport Movement, and Commonwealth Games has become our public name.
• The Commonwealth Sport is evolving as a movement, allowing a stronger, more unified purpose to be displayed, which connects with audiences on a deeper level.
• The Commonwealth Games logo reflects the values of humanity, equality, and destiny, represented by three colored V shapes.
• It represents the six regions of Africa, America, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania, uniting diverse cultures through the power of sport.
• The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will be the first edition of the Games to include this logo in the event mark.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

11. The Amrut Biodiversity Park along NH-24 in the Yamuna floodplains inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

• The newly developed biodiversity park, earlier occupied by agricultural land, nurseries, and settlements, is now equipped with six water bodies with a total capacity of 225 million liters.
• The park's landscape is designed to manage stormwater, reduce flood risk, and enhance groundwater recharge through natural filtration.
• Authorities have introduced jute-reinforced slopes and riverbank grass communities to stabilize flood-prone lands.
• As part of the restoration efforts, around 14,500 trees of diverse species, including neem, peepal, mango, and ashoka, have been planted, along with 18,000 shrubs and over 3.21 lakh river grasses.
• The Amrut Biodiversity Park is in line with other DDA projects to revitalise the Yamuna banks.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. ‘Laapataa Ladies’ won the Best Picture Award at 25th edition of IIFA.

• The two-day International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) 2025 was organized in Jaipur on March 8 and March 9.
• Kartik Aaryan won the Best Performance in a Leading Role (Male) for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, while Laapataa Ladies' Nitanshi Goel won Best Performance in a Leading Role (Female).
• Kiran Rao has been named Best Director for the film ‘Laapataa Ladies’.
• List of others winners are given below:

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

13. NHLML and IWAI inked a MoU for the development of a Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Varanasi.

• National Highways Logistics Management Limited (NHLML) and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) will develop a state-of-the-art Multi-Modal Logistics Park (MMLP) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.
• The MMLP will be spread over 150-acres and will be strategically connected to National Highway 7 (NH7) via a 650-meter access road.
• This park will seamlessly integrate with the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor through a 5.1 km railway line from Jeonathpur Station.
• This location is also well connected to National Waterway-1. It is only 30 kilometers from Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport.
• The project is expected to create significant investment opportunities and generate employment.
• It will be a major boost to the India’s logistics sector. It will also improve trade efficiency and infrastructure.