Daily Current Affairs and GK | 14 and 15 March 2025

Topic: National News

1. India’s first-ever auction of Exploration Licences has been launched by Ministry of Mines, in collaboration with the Government of Goa.

• The initiative was launched by Union Minister for Coal and Mines, G. Kishan Reddy, and Goa’s Chief Minister, Dr. Pramod Sawant.
• The focus of the auction will be on 13 Exploration Licence blocks.
• Critical minerals such as Rare Earth Elements, Zinc, Copper, and Diamond will be covered.
• The aim of bidding is to accelerate systematic exploration as well as to reduce India’s dependence on mineral imports.
• AI Hackathon 2025 has also been inaugurated. AI Hackathon 2025 will explore mineral targeting through artificial intelligence.

Topic: State News/ Assam

2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached Golaghat, Assam on 14 March 2025. 

• He inaugurated the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Golaghat district. 
• He also laid the foundation for police housing projects. 
• Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal attended the event. 
• From Assam, Shah will go to Mizoram and attend a ceremony marking the relocation of the Assam Rifles base. 
• The base will be moved from Aizawl to Zokhawsang. 
• The Mizo people have long called for the base to be relocated. The demand for relocation dates back to 1988. 
• An agreement for the relocation was signed last October. The relocation will take effect in April. 
• On 16 March 2025, Shah will address the 57th Annual Conference of the All Bodo Students Union. 
• The conference will be held in Dotma, Kokrajhar district of Assam. 
• He will meet with the Chief Ministers of the eight North Eastern states.

Topic: Space and IT

3. SpaceX & NASA launched a crew mission to bring astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from ISS.

• The lift-off took place with a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft on the Crew-10 mission.
• The mission also took four crew members to the ISS: NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos astronaut Kirill Peskov to the International Space Station.
• Crew-10 is the 10th crew rotation mission under SpaceX’s human space transportation system.
• Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck on the ISS for nine months.
• A series of helium leaks and thruster failures marred their trip to the space station.

Topic: Indian Economy

4. India’s foreign exchange reserve crossed the 653 billion dollar mark.

• India’s foreign exchange reserves surged by 15.26 billion dollars and crossed the 653.96 billion dollar mark.
• Foreign currency assets rise by over 13.93 billion dollars to over 557.28 billion dollars.
• Foreign currency assets are a major component of the reserves.
• Gold reserves rose by 1 billion dollars, totalling over 74.32 billion dollars.
• Special Drawing Rights increased by 212 million dollars, reaching 18.21 billion dollars.

Topic: National News

5. Indian Railways will dig ponds under the Amrit Sarovar mission to fight water scarcity.

• As part of the Union government’s Mission Amrit Sarovar, the Indian railways will dig ponds to address the critical issue of water scarcity.
• Amrit Sarovar's mission was launched in April 2022 with an ambitious goal of constructing or rejuvenating 75 ponds in each district.
• As of October 2024, more than 68,000 ponds have been completed.
• Phase two of the mission was launched with a renewed focus on ensuring water availability.
• Its main aim is to strengthen climate resilience, foster ecological balance, and deliver lasting benefits for future generations.
• As part of these initiatives, the government inked a pact with the Railways for desilting, excavating identified waterbodies or constructing new ones at suitable sites near railway lines.
• Railway authorities will identify possible sites for the creation of new waterbodies near railway worksites.
• The excavated material would be used in railway embankments.
• The Railways would work in close coordination with the Rural Development Ministry.

Topic: Personality in News

6. Veteran actor-filmmaker Deb Mukherjee passed away at the age of 83.

• Deb Mukherjee, veteran actor and filmmaker, died on March 14 in Mumbai.
• He is a key figure in the North Bombay Durga Puja celebrations. He is also the father of Ayan Mukerji.
• Deb Mukherjee began his career as an actor and made his debut with ‘Sambandh’ film.
• He acted in over a dozen films like Adhikar, Ek Bar Mooskura Do, Do Aankhen, Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Baaton Baaton Mein and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander.
• He played a crucial role in the cultural and artistic landscape of Bollywood.

Topic: Indian Economy

7. India’s GDP growth is projected to surpass 6.5% in FY26: Moody’s Ratings.

• Moody’s Ratings in its latest Banking System Outlook – India report projected that India’s GDP growth will surpass 6.5% in FY26.
• Moody’s report highlighted that India’s economy is set to recover from a cyclical slowdown.
• The tax relief under the new tax regime is expected to boost consumption and contribute to overall economic expansion.
• Finance ministry’s Economic Survey has projected GDP growth in the 6.3%-6.8% range for the next fiscal.
• India’s real GDP growth had slowed to 5.6% in the July-September 2024.
• Loan growth across the banking sector is expected to moderate to 11-13% in FY26.
• Moody’s stated that India’s average inflation rate will decline to 4.5% in FY26 from 4.8% in the previous fiscal year.

Topic: Defence

8. India and Bangladesh carried out joint naval exercise Bongosagar 2025.

• The exercise was carried out in Bay of Bengal to improve interoperability.
• INS Ranvir participated from the Indian Navy and BNS Abu Ubaidah took part from the Bangladesh Navy.
• The exercise involved operations like surface firing, tactical manoeuvres, and underway replenishment.
• The exercise was an opportunity for both navies to develop closer links in tactical planning and coordination for undertaking seamless maritime operations.
• First edition of Exercise Bongosagar was held in 2019. Its 4th edition (Bongosagar 23) was held in November 2023.

Topic:  Awards and Prizes

9. Muthoot Microfin won double gold at the SKOCH Awards 2025.

• A remarkable double victory has been achieved by Muthoot Microfin at the SKOCH Awards 2025, with two prestigious Gold Awards being secured.
• Muthoot Microfin is a leading microfinance institution committed to empowering women entrepreneurs.
• The honors were presented to Sadaf Saeed, CEO, Muthoot Microfin, by Sameer Kochhar, Chairman, Skoch Group, at a prestigious ceremony held in New Delhi.
• The company was recognized for excellence in digital financial inclusion and insurance solutions, including:
  • Corporate Excellence – “Best Customer Application on Digital Financial Inclusion” for its groundbreaking Mahila Mitra initiative.
  • With 1.73 million downloads and an impressive 4.2-star rating, Mahila Mitra has transformed the way women in rural India access financial services, making digital transactions seamless and secure.
  • BFSI Awards – “Best Insurance Plan” for its Griha Raksha Insurance Plan which provided coverage to 2.66 million beneficiaries. This reinforces Muthoot Microfin’s commitment to financial security and social empowerment.

Topic: Indian Polity

10. India has emerged as the top source of FDI in Dubai.

• India has emerged as the leading source country for foreign direct investment (FDI) in Dubai as the desert city regains its top spot as a global FDI destination in 2024.
• Dubai has been ranked the world's No. 1 destination for greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) projects for the fourth consecutive year, according to Financial Times Ltd.'s 'FDI Markets' data.
• India has become the top source country for FDI in Dubai for the year 2024, surpassing the US, France, and the UK.
• According to the Dubai FDI Monitor of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, India contributed 21.5% to FDI inflows, followed by the United States (13.7%), France (11%), the United Kingdom (10%), and Switzerland (6.9%).
• During the year, Dubai attracted 1,117 greenfield FDI projects, the most in its history.
• Dubai also achieved a historic milestone in FDI attraction with 1,826 announced FDI projects, up 11% from 1,650 projects in 2023.
• A total of 58,680 projected jobs were created through FDI in 2024, an increase of 31% from 44,745 jobs in 2023.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

11. South Africa will host the first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group (TWGW) meeting.

• The first G20 Trade and Investment Working Group (TWGW) meeting will be organized under the presidency from March 18 to March 20.
• The TIWG meeting will bring together senior officials from G20 member countries as well as the European Union and the African Union.
• This would be the first of the four proposed meetings of the TIWG.
• This session will be attended by international organisations, such as the World Trade Organisation, the United Nations Trade and Development, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and African regional communities.
• South Africa officially assumed the presidency of the G20 for the year 2025 under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability”.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

12. India took part in the 69th Session of UN Commission on Status of Women.

• A delegation of the Government of India led by Annpurna Devi participated in the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
• This session was dedicated for the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women.
• Annpurna Devi, Union Minister, Women and Child Development (WCD), highlighted the progress of India on gender equality.
• She highlighted the transformative impact of flagship schemes to improve health, nutrition, education, and economic opportunities for women and children.
• A functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will also held from March 10- 21.
• All UN member states, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector, philanthropists, academia, civil society, women's collectives, and UN agencies participated in the meeting.