Daily Current Affairs

According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) (Stockholm, Sweden) annual report, global military spending reached USD 2,718 billion in 2024 — a 9.4% increase in real terms from 2023 — driven by the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts. Military spending rose in all world regions, with particularly rapid growth in Europe and the Middle East.

• Top 5 countries account for 60% (USD 1,635 billion) of total global military spending.
• Over 100 countries raised military spending in 2024.
• Global military expenditure as a share of GDP rose to 2.5% in 2024.

In April 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw (MeitY) launched the guidelines and portal for the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) — India’s first dedicated PLI scheme specifically for electronic components — aimed at promoting domestic manufacturing and connecting Indian firms with Global Value Chains (GVCs).

• Approved with an outlay of Rs 22,919 crore for 6 years (FY26–FY32). Designed for simple, transparent, and unambiguous implementation.
• Separately, GoI selected Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam to build India’s first indigenous AI Large Language Model (LLM) under the Rs 10,370 crore India AI Mission.

On April 28, 2025, the Government of India and the Government of France officially signed a Rs 64,000 crore (~USD 7.4 billion) deal for the purchase of 26 Rafale-Marine (Rafale-M) fighter jets to strengthen the Indian Navy’s maritime power.

In April 2025, the Department of Revenue (DoR), Ministry of Finance authorised the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) (New Delhi) to exchange information with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Section 66 of the PMLA, 2002, to detect money trails and combat cyber fraud.

• Allows I4C to share/receive information with the ED and other law enforcement agencies to identify masterminds behind transnational cyber frauds — fake websites, deceptive social media pages, paid ads on search engines, OTP/link-based phone compromises.
• I4C established: 2018 under MHA as the central node for combating cybercrime in India.
• Public reporting: National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) — cybercrime.gov.in | Helpline: 1930.

In April 2025, the Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) signed an MoU with Swiggy Instamart (Bengaluru, Karnataka) to onboard dairy and other cooperative products on Swiggy’s e-commerce and q-commerce platforms.

• Signed between Amitesh Jha (CEO, Swiggy Instamart) and DK Verma (Joint Secretary, MoC), in the presence of Ashish Kumar Bhutani (Secretary, MoC).
• Products under Bharat Organics and cooperative dairy brands will be listed; Swiggy will create a dedicated ‘Cooperative’ category (organic products, dairy, millets, handicrafts).
• Coincides with the UN’s declaration of 2025 as ‘International Year of Cooperation’.
• Secretary Bhutani also inaugurated NCOL’s (National Cooperative Organics Limited) new packaging facility in Noida, UP (April 24, 2025) — for hygienic packaging of pulses and organic food items.

In April 2025, Bihar set two Guinness World Records (GWR), with certificates presented by GWR officials to CM Nitish Kumar at Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna.

• Madhubani painting (also known as Mithila painting): Originates from the Mithila region of Bihar; uses natural colours (turmeric, beetroot, carbon, flowers).
• Khelo India Youth Games 2025 will be held in Bihar for the first time, across Patna, Rajgir, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Begusarai.

India achieved an outstanding victory at the 2nd Asian Yogasana Sport Championship held at the KD Jadhav Arena, Indira Gandhi Sports Complex, New Delhi (April 25–27, 2025), featuring 21 countries. Organised by the Asian Yogasana Sports Federation (AYSF).

In April 2025, the 11th BRICS Labour and Employment Ministers’ Meeting was held in Brasilia, Brazil under the slogan ‘Strengthening the Cooperation of the Global South for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’, under Brazil’s BRICS Presidency.

• India’s delegation was led by MoS Shobha Karandlaje (Ministry of Labour & Employment). India highlighted its human-centric approach to technological transformation, aligned with PM Modi’s vision: ‘Technology for Empowerment, Not Exclusion’.
• Declaration adopted focusing on two themes: (i) ‘AI and the Future of Work’ and (ii) ‘The Impacts of Climate Change on the World of Work and a Just Transition’.

In April 2025, a new global initiative ‘Revive Our Ocean’ was launched — a first-of-its-kind programme to empower coastal communities in establishing and managing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Led by US-based NGO Dynamic Planet along with the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas programme; supported by renowned British naturalist David Attenborough.

• Built on 3 pillars: Inspire, Enable, and Equip. Created the Revive Our Ocean Collective — bringing together local leaders and community groups.
• Initial focus on 7 countries: UK, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Philippines, Indonesia, and Mexico.

In April 2025, Uganda’s Ministry of Health officially declared the end of the Ebola Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) outbreak — less than 3 months after confirmation in the capital Kampala (confirmed January 30, 2025). The outbreak was declared over following the discharge of the last patient on March 14, 2025 + a 42-day countdown per WHO guidelines.

• This was Uganda’s 2nd Ebola outbreak in less than 3 years.
• SVD is caused by the Sudan Virus (SUDV) — same family as the Ebola Virus (EBOV). SUDV first identified in southern Sudan in June 1976; historically kills 4 in 10 infected people.
• Prior to this, there had been 8 previous SVD outbreaks (5 in Uganda, 3 in Sudan). Uganda’s last SVD outbreak before this was in 2022.

On April 26, 2025, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul (Thailand) was elected as the new President of the Badminton World Federation (BWF) for the 2025–2029 term at the 86th BWF AGM held in Xiamen, China.

• She becomes the 2nd woman to serve as BWF President, after China’s Lu Shengrong (1993–2001).
• Succeeds Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen (Denmark), whose 12-year tenure ended (honoured as Honorary Life Vice President).
• President of Badminton Association of Thailand since 2013; under her leadership, Thailand won its first-ever Olympic medal in badminton — Kunlavut Vitidsarn (silver, Paris 2024 men’s singles).

In April 2025, NSE International Exchange (NSE IX) (GIFT City, Gujarat) — a wholly owned subsidiary of NSE (Mumbai) — appointed Neeraj Kumar Gupta as its Chairman and Public Interest Director, approved by IFSCA, effective April 1, 2025 (assumed charge: April 19, 2025).

• Former IAS officer (1982 batch, UP cadre); retired as Secretary, DIPAM (Department of Investment and Public Asset Management), MoF in 2018.
• Shaped 3 Union Budgets (2016–2018); chaired the National Taskforce for Promotion of Digital and Cashless Economy.
• NSE IX operates within India’s first IFSC at GIFT City.

In April 2025, two states appointed new Chief Secretaries following retirements.

• Dr. A. Jayathilak: Previously Additional CS (Finance), Kerala; District Collector of Kollam and Kozhikode; Chairman, Spice Board. Term until June 2026.
• K. Ramakrishna Rao: Previously Finance Secretary of Telangana for over a decade; prepared 14 state Budgets (12 full + 2 vote-on-account); also served as DG, Centre for Good Governance (CGG), Hyderabad. Will also hold FAC as Special CS (Finance).

On April 27, 2025, China successfully launched the Tianlian-2 (05) satellite — a second-generation geostationary orbit (GEO) data relay satellite — aboard a Long March-3B rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Sichuan Province. This marked the 572nd flight of the Long March rocket series and China’s 22nd orbital launch of 2025.

• Developed by CAST (China Academy of Space Technology) (Beijing), a subsidiary of CASC.
• Will provide data relay and TT&C (Telemetry, Tracking & Command) services for manned spacecraft/space stations, LEO resource satellites, and spacecraft launches.
• Uses the Dong Fang Hong 4 (DFH-4) platform; operational lifespan: up to 15 years. Orbits at ~35,786 km (GEO).
• China’s first Tianlian satellite (Tianlian-1 01) launched in 2008. Active: Tianlian-1 (04 & 05) and Tianlian-2 (01–05).

In April 2025, Axis Max Life Insurance Limited (Gurugram, Haryana) — India’s largest non-bank private-sector life insurer — launched ‘Bandhan 2.0’, an AI-enabled Augmented Reality (AR) platform to transform new hire onboarding through immersive storytelling, interactive gamification, and real-time leadership engagement.

• Accessible in English and Hindi via mobile and desktop. Provides virtual leadership interactions and gamified modules on company history, values, and culture.
• Modules accessible for 60 days post-joining; real-time HR dashboards track progress.
• Axis Max Life Insurance: JV between Max Financial Services Limited (MFSL) and Axis Bank Limited.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work is observed annually on April 28 — led by the ILO (International Labour Organization) — to promote safe workplaces, reduce work-related accidents and diseases, and advocate for OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) standards globally.

• Theme for 2025: ‘Revolutionising Health and Safety: The Role of AI and Digitalisation at Work’
• Established by ILO during the International Labour Conference (ILC) in 2003, coinciding with the adoption of the Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health. First observed: April 28, 2003.

In April 2025, Lieutenant General Sundararajan Pattabhiraman — former Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) — passed away at the Military Hospital, Wellington, Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, at the age of 78 (born 1946).

• Served a 40-year career in the Indian Army; commissioned into the Corps of Engineers (Bombay Sappers); served as Colonel Commandant of the Bombay Sappers.
• Key roles: first Director General of Information Systems of the Indian Army; Army Commander of the Western Command (largest operational command of the Indian Army).
• VCOAS from 2005 until retirement in December 2006.