National Affairs
- Punjab became the first Indian state to broadcast Legislative Assembly proceedings in sign language. Dr Baljit Kaur, Minister for Social Security, Women, and Child Development, announced the initiative. It aims to make legislative discussions accessible to people with deafness disability. The Governor’s speech at the Budget Session was broadcast in sign language. The initiative was led by the Ministry of Social Security, Women, and Child Development. It follows Section 40 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan approved it for the 16th Punjab Legislative Assembly.
- Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh announced North India’s first nuclear power project in Gorakhpur, Haryana. The project is a key milestone in India’s nuclear energy expansion and clean energy goals. It includes two twin units with Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWR), totaling 2800 MW capacity. PHWR uses Heavy Water (D₂O) as both coolant and moderator, with natural uranium as fuel. Heavy Water contains deuterium instead of regular hydrogen. It slows down neutrons effectively and has a low probability of neutron absorption.
- Delhi became the 28th legislature in India to adopt the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) for a paperless legislative process. Nagaland was the first state to implement National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA) in 2022. Delhi Legislative Assembly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi on 22 March 2025. The MoU was signed in New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister Kiren Rijiju and Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta. NeVA is a digital platform under the Digital India Initiative, developed to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s One Nation One Application vision. It is managed by the Union Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
- The Prime Minister’s Wi-Fi Access Network Interface (PM-WANI) framework aims to expand public Wi-Fi hotspots to build a digital India. Public Data Offices (PDOs) set up and operate WANI-compliant Wi-Fi hotspots and must partner with a Public Data Office Aggregator (PDOA) for internet services. As of March 20, 2025, India has 2,78,439 PM-WANI Wi-Fi hotspots. The scheme was launched by the Department of Telecommunication in December 2020. It aims to boost digital infrastructure, especially in rural areas, and generate employment for small and micro-entrepreneurs. It provides low-cost internet to underserved urban poor and rural households.
- Eminent Hindi poet and writer Vinod Kumar Shukla from Chhattisgarh has been selected for the 59th Jnanpith Award 2024. He is the first from Chhattisgarh and the 12th Hindi writer to receive this prestigious award. The 58th Jnanpith Award 2023 was awarded to Jagadguru Rambhadracharyaji for Sanskrit and Gulzar for Urdu. The Bharatiya Jnanpith Trust administers the Jnanpith and Moorti Devi Awards. The first Jnanpith Award was given to Malayalam writer G. S. Kurup. Vinod Kumar Shukla, born in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, is 88 years old and studied Krishi Vigyan in Jabalpur. His first poetry collection “Lagbhag Jai Hind” was published in 1971.
- Haryana government launched AI-powered chatbot ‘Sarathi’ for easy access to government documents. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini introduced it as part of digital governance efforts. The chatbot provides instant access to over 17,820 official documents spanning 73,622 scanned PDF pages. It retrieves government orders, acts, policies, and circulars using AI-powered search. ‘Sarathi’ eliminates manual searches, improving efficiency and transparency. Features include 24/7 availability, user-friendly interface, and instant document retrieval. The initiative aligns with India’s broader trend of using AI in governance.
- The government of India launched Operation Brahma to assist earthquake victims in Myanmar. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar on 28th March 2025, killing at least 1,000 people, with over 10,000 feared dead, as per the United States Geological Survey. Under the Neighbourhood First policy and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief framework, India sent two Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft from Hindon Air Force Station, Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Navy prepared four ships carrying 50 tonnes of relief materials. India is coordinating aid efforts through Myanmar’s government, as many affected areas are controlled by Ethnic Armed Organisations.
- The Indian Prime Minister will visit Bangkok, Thailand, from 3rd to 4th April 2025 for the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit. He will also hold discussions with the Prime Minister of Thailand. The theme of the 6th BIMSTEC Summit is “BIMSTEC – Prosperous, Resilient and Open.” In November 2019, he attended the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia Summit in Thailand. India and Thailand share strong historical, cultural, and religious ties. BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) connects South and Southeast Asia, promoting regional progress. BIMSTEC members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Thailand.
International Affairs
- Gunter Bloschl, a renowned hydrologist, won the 2025 Stockholm Water Prize for his research on flood risks and climate change impacts. The Stockholm Water Prize is a prestigious global award recognizing achievements in water science, management, and protection. It is presented by the Stockholm Water Foundation in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Established in 1991 during the Stockholm Water Festival, it highlights Sweden’s commitment to clean water. The award honors individuals or organizations contributing to water conservation, management, and sustainability across science, engineering, policy, and environmental advocacy.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin launched Perm, a Project 885M Yasen-class nuclear-powered submarine, from Murmansk. Perm is a fourth-generation nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Yasen-M class (Project 885M). Named after the city of Perm in the Urals, it is the sixth vessel in the Yasen/Yasen-M series. It is the first Russian nuclear submarine officially equipped with the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic cruise missile as a standard feature. Perm is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy in 2026.
Defense and Security
- The Indian Navy recently took part in the Sea Dragon 2025 exercise, a multinational anti-submarine warfare (ASW) drill in the Indo-Pacific region. Exercise Sea Dragon 2025 was hosted by the United States Navy’s 7th Fleet, with the exercise taking place at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The drill involves maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) with advanced sensors and sonobuoys. Initially bilateral between the US and Australia in 2019, it expanded to include allies like India from 2021. Participating Nations are United States, Australia, India, Japan, and South Korea.
- The Indian Navy will participate in the ‘Africa-India Key Maritime Engagement’ (AIKEYME) with African nations. AIKEYME means ‘Unity’ in Sanskrit and aims to improve naval interoperability. The maiden edition is co-hosted by the Indian Navy and the Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the event in mid-April 2025. The six-day exercise involves 10 nations, including Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, India, and Tanzania. The Indian Navy emphasized maritime security, combating piracy, illegal trafficking, and unreported fishing. India’s partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) align with its ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR) vision.
- The Indian Air Force (IAF) joined the INIOCHOS-25 exercise in Greece at the Andravida air base. This biennial multinational exercise, hosted by Greece’s Hellenic Air Force, simulates modern air warfare. The IAF deploys Su-30 MKI fighters, IL-78, and C-17 aircraft. Fifteen countries, including France, Israel, Italy, the UAE, and the US, participates. The exercise focuses on refining tactics in complex air operations and enhancing military cooperation. It offers an opportunity to improve skills, exchange knowledge, and share best practices in air combat.
- India successfully flight-tested the Vertically Launched Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (VL-SRSAM) off the Odisha coast. VL-SRSAM is an indigenously developed Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SRSAM). It is developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a quick reaction missile that neutralises aerial threats, including sea-skimming targets. Initially designed for the Indian Navy with a 40 km range, it can now strike targets up to 80 km. The missile is also being developed for the Indian Air Force to protect air bases.
Science and Technology
Scientists discovered new species on the seafloor exposed by the A-84 iceberg, which broke off the George VI Ice Shelf on January 13, 2025. An ice shelf is a floating mass of ice, fed by glaciers from land, extending over the sea. Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets hold two-thirds of Earth’s freshwater, with the West Antarctic Ice Sheet being one of the largest. When ice sheets gain mass, sea levels fall, and when they lose mass, sea levels rise. The discovery was part of the Challenger 150, a UNESCO-endorsed global deep-sea research initiative. Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) SuBastian explored the seabed 1,300 meters deep.
Sports
- The second edition of the Khelo India Para Games (KIPG) concluded on 27 March, 2025. Haryana topped the medal tally with 34 gold medals. Tamil Nadu secured second place with 28 golds, while Uttar Pradesh came third with 23 golds. Around 1,300 athletes participated in six sports across three venues in New Delhi. Events were held at Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, and Karni Singh Shooting Range. The games showcased remarkable endurance, resilience, and the spirit of overcoming challenges.
