Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 March 2025

Topic: Defence

1. A 2,500 crore rupees deal has been finalized by Ministry of Defense.

• This deal is for the procurement of Nag Missile System (NAMIS) and 5,000 light vehicles. 
• NAMIS is an anti-tank weapon platform. The procurement aims to boost indigenous production.
• It will also strengthen national defence manufacturing capabilities. 
• The agreements were made under the category of Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured products. 
• The signing ceremony was attended by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The signing ceremony took place in New Delhi. 
• NAMIS (Tr) is an advanced anti-tank missile system.
• It is equipped with a fire-and-forget missile.
• It will improve the anti-tank defense of the Mechanised Infantry.
• The light vehicles are designed to carry an 800 kg load. 
• These vehicles will ensure mobility for the Armed Forces.

Topic: National News 

2. India is now the second largest 5G market globally, as per Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

• Addressing an event in New Delhi, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that nearly 11 lakh crore rupees investments are being made in different industries. 
• He said that Indian Railways is expected to become the second largest carrier, handling 1.6 billion tons this year. 
• He asserted that ports in India are also growing rapidly. 
• Electronic manufacturing in India, which was minimal a decade ago, has now become a major export sector. 
• The number of medical colleges and IITs in India has doubled over the last ten years.  
• He announced that India plans to launch its first domestically produced chip this year.

Topic: Space and IT

3. ISRO successfully completed Rolling Experiment as part of the SpaDeX mission.

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has completed the Rolling experiment as part of its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission.
• The “Rolling” or “Rotating” experiment involves circumnavigation of one of the satellites to verify control over satellite manoeuvring.
• The experiment will help ISRO understand what it takes to bring an object to a desired spot from different orientations for docking.
• This experiment, crucial for future missions like Chandrayaan-4. It will provide valuable data and help ISRO in validating multiple software and ground station controls.
• On March 13, ISRO completed the undocking of two satellites as a part of the SpaDEx mission.
• ISRO will conduct more docking as part of SpaDeX.

Topic: Defence

4. Indian Armed Forces conducted tri-services Exercise Prachand Prahar.

• The Indian Armed Forces participated in a tri-service integrated multi-domain exercise, Prachand Prahar.
• The three-day exercise was held from March 25 to 27. It is focused on coordinated operations involving the Army, Air Force, and Navy.
• It started with the deployment of advanced surveillance assets from all three services.
• Space-based resources and elite Indian Army Special Forces were also mobilized to establish seamless domain awareness and detect simulated targets.
• Eastern Army Commander Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, Eastern Air Commander Air Marshal Surat Singh, and Navy Commodore Ajay Yadav reviewed the exercise.
• Prachand Prahar has been conducted after Exercise Poorvi Prahar, which was held in November 2024.
• The exercise validated integrated planning, command and control, and seamless execution of surveillance and firepower platforms across the three services.

Topic: Indian Polity

5. Lok Sabha passed the Immigration & Foreigners Bill, 2025.

• The Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 will regulate all matters relating to foreigners and immigration.
• On March 11, the bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Union Home Minister of State Nityanand Rai.
• After the passing of bill, anyone found using a forged passport or visa for entering, staying or exiting India will be punished.
• The bill has a provision for up to seven years in jail and a fine up to ₹10 lakh.
• The bill proposed overstaying, visa violations, or trespassing in restricted areas can get up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine up to ₹3 lakh.
• The Bill empowers the central government to exert control over places that are "frequented by any foreigner" and requires the owner to close the premises.
• The Bill also proposed mandatory reporting of information about foreigners by hotels, universities, and other educational institutions.
• According to Union Home Ministry data, 98.40 lakh foreigners visited India between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.
• The bill was passed by a voice vote after various amendments moved by Opposition members were negated.

Topic: Banking/Finance

6. Fines on HDFC Bank and Punjab & Sind Bank has been imposed by RBI.

• RBI has imposed fines as they failed to meet regulatory compliance standards. 
• HDFC Bank was fined ₹75 lakh as it did not follow RBI's Know Your Customer guidelines. 
• Punjab & Sind Bank was fined for ₹68.20 lakh. It did not comply with RBI's guidelines. 
• These guidelines were about the 'Central Repository of Large Common Exposures' and 'Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account (BSBDA)' under financial inclusion. 
• KLM Axiva Finvest was also fined ₹10 lakh as it failed to comply with rules regarding dividend declarations. 

Topic: Reports and Indices

7. Roshni Nadar has become the first Indian woman to enter the world's top 10 richest women list.

• She ranks 5th among the wealthiest women globally, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025. 
• She is chairperson of HCL Technologies. She has a net worth of Rs 3.5 lakh crore (US$40 billion). 
• She is now the third-richest person in India in 2025. 
• In 2023, she was awarded the Schaffner Award for her contributions to society. 
• In 2024, Roshni received France’s Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. 
• She has been featured on Forbes' list of the world’s 100 most powerful women since 2017. 
• The Hurun Global Rich List 2025 includes 561 women. 
• Of these, 224 women are self-made, reflecting the rising influence of women in business. 
• Other women in the top 10 are given below.
  • Alice Walton (USA) is the wealthiest woman, with US$102 billion. Alice Walton is daughter of Walmart’s founder. 
  • Francoise Bettencourt Meyers (France), heiress to L'Oréal, holds US$67 billion and ranked at 2nd. 
  • Julia Koch & Family (USA), heirs of Koch Industries, have US$60 billion and ranked at third. 
  • Jacqueline Mars, heiress to Mars Inc., has wealth of US$53 billion and ranked at fourth. 
  • Roshni Nadar holds 5th place with a net worth of US$40 billion. 
• India is now ranked 3rd in world for number of billionaires. India added 13 new billionaires this year.
• 284 Indians are on the Hurun Global Rich List 2025. Mukesh Ambani remains the richest person in Asia.
• Mumbai (90 billionaires) remains India’s billionaire hub. Shanghai now has 92 billionaires.

Topic: National News

8. National guidelines on medical oxygen management released by the Centre.

• On 27 March, the National Guidelines on Medical Oxygen Management were released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
• The aim of the guidelines is to enhance medical oxygen infrastructure and establish standardized best practices across healthcare facilities.
• Protocols for the procurement, storage, and administration of medical oxygen are covered in the guidelines, with a strong emphasis on patient safety, capacity building, and emergency preparedness.
• The Ministry has launched the guidelines at a workshop held at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.
• The National Capacity Building Program on Oxygen Management was also launched at the event and will be led by the Department of Hospital Administration at AIIMS, Delhi.
• The National Capacity Building Programme on Oxygen Management is an initiative of Disaster Management Cell, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, launched in collaboration with AIIMS Delhi.
• It aims to train 200 master trainers across the country.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. 'Sahkar' taxi is set to be launched by the government to benefit cab drivers.

• On March 26, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah announced that the government is planning to launch 'Sahakar' taxis, a cooperatively run ride-hailing service on the lines of Uber and Ola.
• This initiative is in line with the Prime Minister's slogan, “Sahkar se Samriddhi” (prosperity through cooperation).
• The profit generated from this cooperative society will not go to the businessmen but directly to the drivers.
• This ride-hailing platform will cover two-wheeler taxis, autorickshaws, and four-wheelers.
• In June 2022, the National Tourism and Transport Cooperative Federation, an apex cooperative organization under the central government, had also announced a similar cab-hailing service.
• The announcement comes at a time when the ride-hailing giant is facing criticism not just from drivers but also from consumers who are alleging differential pricing.
• Recently, cab drivers in Hyderabad launched a 'No AC' campaign to protest against the low fares offered by ride-hailing platforms like Ola, Uber and Rapido.

Topic: National News

10. 12th tranche of commercial coal mine auctions launched by the Coal Ministry.

• On March 27, the Ministry of Coal launched the 12th round of Commercial Coal Mine Auctions, building on the first-ever Commercial Coal Mine Auctions initiated by PM Narendra Modi on June 18, 2020.
• This initiative is another important step towards increasing domestic coal production, reducing imports and ensuring long-term energy security for the nation.
• A total of 25 coal mines will be offered under this auction, out of which 7 mines fall under Coal CMSP [Coal Mines (Special Provisions) Act, 2015] and 18 mines fall under the Minerals and Mines (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR).
• These include 2 lignite mines, which will help meet various energy requirements.
• Further, 13 coal mines have been fully explored while 12 are partially explored, providing opportunities for both immediate and future growth.
• The aim of the 12th tranche of commercial coal mine auctions is to attract significant interest from domestic and international investors, reinforcing India’s commitment to self-reliance in energy and industrial growth.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

11. World Theatre Day 2025: 27 March

• Every year on March 27, World Theatre Day is celebrated.
• It is celebrated with an aim to recognize and celebrate the value and importance of the art form "theater."
• The theme of the World Theatre Day 2025 is "Theatre and a Culture of Peace."
• In 1961, the International Theatre Institute (ITI) established World Theatre Day.
• The proposal for World Theater Day was made by ITI founder Arvi Kivima at the organization's ninth global congress in Helsinki, Finland.
• The proposal was unanimously approved, and the first World Theater Day was celebrated on March 27, 1962.
• Since 1962, ITI Centres and the international theatrical community have been commemorating World Theatre Day.
• On World Theatre Day, French playwright Jean Cocteau wrote the first message in 1962.
• The first ITI conference was held in Helsinki, Finland, and the second in Vienna, Austria.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

12. India became world’s second-largest exporter of tea in 2024.

• In 2024, India became the world's second largest tea exporter, surpassing Sri Lanka.
• Kenya remained on the top spot in the export of tea.
• India exported 255 million kilograms of tea last year, marking a substantial growth in its export figures.
• India registered a 10 percent growth in tea exports compared to 231.69 million kilograms recorded in 2023.
• India exports tea to more than 25 countries inlcuding UAE, Iraq, Iran, Russia, USA and the UK.
• India’s Assam, Darjeeling, and Nilgiri tea are considered one of the finest in the world.
• Black tea accounted for 96 percent of the country’s tea exports, while other varieties such as green tea, herbal tea, masala tea, and lemon tea also contributed in export.
• Tea Board has undertaken several initiatives to boost production of Tea in India.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Banking System

13. ATM withdrawals to get costlier from May 1.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has raised interchange fees.
• Withdrawing cash from ATMs in India will become costlier from May 1.
• Customers will have to pay an additional Rs 2 for each financial transaction beyond the free limit. Withdrawing cash from an ATM will cost Rs 19 per transaction
• For non-financial transactions, the fee will increase by Rs 1. Checking account balances will now cost Rs 7 per transaction
• An ATM interchange fee is a charge that one bank pays another for providing ATM services.
• RBI has taken this decision after requests from white-label ATM operators.