March 2025 Current Affairs

The central government released the 19th installment of PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi), transferring ₹2,000 directly to the bank accounts of approximately 9.5 crore eligible farmers across India. The scheme, launched in 2019, provides ₹6,000 annually in three equal installments to small and marginal farmers.

The government's rooftop solar scheme, PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, crossed 1 crore applications since its launch in February 2024. Under this scheme, households can install rooftop solar panels with central government subsidy and receive free electricity up to 300 units per month.

As announced in Budget 2024, the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme was formally extended to all citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of income, providing health insurance coverage of ₹5 lakh per year per family. This expansion brought an estimated 6 crore senior citizens under the scheme.

Jal Jeevan Mission reported that over 15 crore rural households had been provided functional tap water connections since the scheme's launch in August 2019. The mission aims to provide potable piped water to all 19.3 crore rural households in India by 2024.

The PM Vishwakarma scheme, launched in September 2023, recorded over 90 lakh registrations by March 2025. The scheme supports traditional artisans and craftspeople from 18 trades including carpenters, blacksmiths, potters, and weavers with skill training, modern tools, and collateral-free credit up to ₹3 lakh.

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) 2.0, approved with an outlay of ₹10 lakh crore, began its implementation phase targeting 1 crore urban households for affordable housing. The scheme continues from the first phase and focuses on slum rehabilitation, affordable housing partnerships, and beneficiary-led construction.

The second part of the Budget Session of Parliament continued in March 2025, with discussions on Union Budget 2025-26 and passage of Finance Bill. Key legislative matters including the Waqf (Amendment) Bill and discussions on various departmental demands for grants occupied parliamentary proceedings.

Holi, the festival of colours, was celebrated across India on March 14, 2025. Holi marks the arrival of spring and is linked to the legend of Prahlad and Holika. Holika Dahan was observed on the evening of March 13. The festival holds special cultural significance in states like Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Mathura-Vrindavan.

Following the October 2024 patrolling agreement between India and China for the Line of Actual Control (LAC), ground-level implementation of buffer zone clearances and resumed patrolling at friction points including Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh continued into early 2025, marking significant improvement in border relations.

India's total installed renewable energy capacity crossed 220 GW, making it one of the fastest-growing renewable energy markets in the world. Solar energy contributed over 90 GW to this total. India aims to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030 as part of its nationally determined contributions.

National Science Day, observed on February 28 and continuing with events in March, celebrated the discovery of the Raman Effect by C.V. Raman in 1928. The 2025 theme focused on science and technology for inclusive and sustainable development, with emphasis on India's growing AI and innovation ecosystem.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Delhi Legislative Assembly elections held in February 2025, ending the Aam Aadmi Party's over a decade of rule in the national capital. The BJP secured a majority with 48 seats in the 70-member assembly.

India and the United Kingdom resumed advanced-stage negotiations for their bilateral Free Trade Agreement. Key areas under discussion included market access for goods and services, intellectual property rights, and movement of professionals. An FTA between the two countries is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade from the current $36 billion.

Diplomatic relations between India and Maldives, which had seen strain after the new Maldivian government under President Mohamed Muizzu sought withdrawal of Indian military personnel in 2024, moved towards normalization. India and Maldives reached agreements on development assistance and defense cooperation frameworks.

Following political changes in Bangladesh in August 2024, India engaged with the new interim government led by Muhammad Yunus to maintain stable bilateral relations. Issues of water sharing (Teesta river), border management, and economic connectivity remained key agenda items between the two neighbours.

India participated in SCO foreign ministers' meetings and preparatory summits under China's SCO chairmanship. Despite tensions with Pakistan and China, India remained engaged with the SCO framework on counter-terrorism, regional connectivity, and economic cooperation as a full member since 2017.

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, who had been India's Chief Guest at the 76th Republic Day on January 26, 2025, followed up the visit with expanded bilateral agreements covering defence, maritime security, and digital technology. India-Indonesia bilateral trade stands at approximately $30 billion annually.

India continued as a founding member and key leader of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an intergovernmental organisation headquartered in Gurugram, India. ISA now has over 120 member countries and focuses on mobilising $1 trillion in solar investment by 2030 for solar-rich developing nations.

India overtook Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy by nominal GDP in 2025, a milestone reflecting India's sustained high growth rate of 6-7% annually. India's nominal GDP crossed approximately $4 trillion. The US, China, and Germany remain ahead of India in this ranking.

Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections in March 2025 reached a record ₹1.92 lakh crore, reflecting strong economic activity and improved compliance. GST was introduced on July 1, 2017 and replaced multiple central and state indirect taxes. FY2025 showed consistently high monthly collections.

The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), in its February 2025 meeting, cut the benchmark repo rate by 25 basis points to 6.25%, the first rate cut since May 2020. The move aimed to support economic growth while managing inflation within the 4% (±2%) target band.

India's GDP growth rate for Q3 (October-December 2024) of FY2024-25 was recorded at 6.2%, compared to 8.6% in the same period of the previous year. The moderation was attributed to lower government spending and global headwinds, while private consumption remained a key growth driver.

India's foreign exchange reserves crossed $660 billion, positioning the country among the top five forex reserve holders globally. Forex reserves act as a buffer against external shocks and currency volatility. The Reserve Bank of India manages India's foreign exchange reserves.

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions crossed 18 billion per month in value terms as of early 2025, cementing India's position as a global leader in real-time digital payments. India accounts for approximately 46% of the world's real-time digital transactions. NPCI operates the UPI platform.

Sanjay Malhotra took charge as the 26th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in December 2024, succeeding Shaktikanta Das whose term ended after six years. As governor, Malhotra chairs the Monetary Policy Committee and oversees India's monetary and financial stability framework.

The Reserve Bank of India issued a framework requiring commercial banks to assess and disclose climate-related financial risks in their portfolios. Banks were required to classify climate-related risks (physical and transition risks) and factor them into credit assessment processes, aligning India with global sustainable finance standards.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) expanded its T+0 (same-day) settlement system for equity shares, allowing investors to receive funds or shares on the same day of trade. This followed the earlier implementation of T+1 settlement, making India one of the world's fastest equity settlement markets.

State Bank of India (SBI), India's largest public sector bank, reported its highest-ever quarterly net profit driven by improved net interest margins, reduced bad loans (NPAs), and strong credit growth. SBI's total business crossed ₹70 lakh crore, reflecting overall health of the banking sector.

The Reserve Bank of India expanded the UPI credit line feature, allowing more scheduled commercial banks to offer pre-approved credit lines accessible via UPI. This facility enables customers to use bank credit lines directly through UPI for instant payments without a physical credit card.

India Post Payments Bank (IPPB), operating through the postal network with over 1.5 lakh access points, expanded financial inclusion services to unbanked rural areas. IPPB is an initiative to leverage India's vast postal infrastructure to provide banking services to the last mile.

Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who took charge as the 51st Chief Justice of India in November 2024, continued in the role through early 2025. He is known for landmark judgments including the electoral bonds scheme verdict. The Supreme Court under his leadership addressed several constitutional matters of national importance.

Following the passage of the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners Act 2023, appointments to the Election Commission of India followed the new procedure involving a selection committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition, and a Cabinet Minister. The new process replaced the earlier convention.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts civil services, defence services, and other central government recruitment examinations, saw a new Chairman appointment. UPSC Chairperson is appointed by the President of India and can serve a maximum tenure of 6 years or up to age 65, whichever is earlier.

The President of India appointed new Governors to several states as part of periodic gubernatorial appointments. Governors serve as constitutional heads of states, acting as representatives of the President. They are appointed under Article 153 of the Constitution and can be transferred or removed by the central government.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) received a new Director appointment through the High-Level Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha — a procedure established following Supreme Court directions to ensure independence.

India appointed a new Sherpa for multilateral summits including the G20 under South Africa's 2025 presidency. India's Sherpa represents India's negotiating positions on global economic governance, climate finance, and development issues. South Africa hosted the G20 summit in 2025.

The Government of India announced Padma Awards on January 25, 2025 (Republic Day eve). The awards included Padma Vibhushan (second highest civilian honour), Padma Bhushan (third highest), and Padma Shri. Recipients were drawn from diverse fields including arts, science, social work, sports, and public affairs.

The Indian cricket team won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, held in Pakistan with India's matches played at a neutral venue in Dubai under a hybrid model. India, captained by Rohit Sharma, remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. This was India's third ICC Champions Trophy title.

The Sahitya Akademi, India's national academy of letters, announced its annual literary awards recognising outstanding creative writing across 24 Indian languages. These awards promote the finest literary works in scheduled and major Indian languages and are considered India's highest literary honour.

D. Gukesh, an 18-year-old Indian Grandmaster, made history in December 2024 by becoming the youngest-ever World Chess Champion, defeating defending champion Ding Liren of China in the World Chess Championship. His achievement continued to resonate as a landmark for Indian chess in early 2025.

The Prime Minister of India presented the National Bravery Awards to children who displayed exceptional courage and bravery in the face of danger. The awards, instituted by the Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW) since 1957, honour children up to 18 years of age and are presented on Republic Day.

Indian musicians and music composers celebrated achievements at the 67th Grammy Awards held in February 2025 in Los Angeles. Shakti, the collaborative ensemble of John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain, received recognition for their fusion music, continuing India's global music presence.

ISRO launched the NVS-02 (Navigation with Indian Constellation) satellite aboard GSLV-F15, strengthening India's NavIC regional navigation system. NavIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation) provides accurate positioning services across India and 1,500 km beyond its borders, competing with GPS for regional applications.

The National Quantum Mission, approved in 2023 with a budget of ₹6,003 crore over 8 years, continued Phase 1 implementation with the establishment of quantum computing hubs at premier research institutions. The mission aims to develop intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50-1,000 physical qubits by 2031.

India Semiconductor Mission, established with $10 billion incentive scheme, saw further investment commitments from global semiconductor companies including Micron (already began construction in Gujarat), and Tata Electronics. India's goal is to establish a domestic semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem to reduce import dependency.

ISRO's Gaganyaan human spaceflight programme continued uncrewed test flights and qualification of life support systems. Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla was selected for a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA-ISRO cooperation. Gaganyaan aims to send Indian astronauts (Gagannauts) to space.

IndiaAI Mission, launched with ₹10,372 crore allocation, progressed with the establishment of compute infrastructure through 10,000+ GPU cloud resources available to startups and researchers. The mission aims to democratise AI access, build an AI innovation ecosystem, and train AI talent across India.

BharatNet Phase 3 aimed to provide optical fibre-based high-speed internet (minimum 100 Mbps) to all 6.4 lakh villages across India, including gram panchayats that were left out in earlier phases. The project uses dark fibre, Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL) infrastructure, and PPP model for last-mile delivery.

The annual joint military exercise Yudh Abhyas between India and the United States Army was conducted in early 2025, focusing on counter-terrorism operations, jungle and mountain warfare, and interoperability. The exercise strengthens the strategic partnership between India and the USA under the Major Defence Partner framework.

INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the Project 17A stealth frigate programme built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, was commissioned into the Indian Navy. Project 17A frigates are advanced warships featuring improved stealth, automation, and weapon systems — designed and built indigenously under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.

HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) and the Indian Air Force finalised the design configuration of the Tejas MkII, a more powerful variant of India's indigenous light combat aircraft. The Tejas MkII will feature the GE-F414 engine and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, with production expected from the late 2020s.

India finalised its procurement of 31 MQ-9B (16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian) high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles from General Atomics, USA. These drones will significantly enhance India's surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities across land and maritime domains.

India and France conducted Exercise Shakti, their bilateral army exercise, focusing on joint operations in semi-desert terrain, counter-terrorism, and rapid deployment. India-France defence relations are a strategic partnership including the Rafale aircraft purchase and cooperation on naval shipbuilding.

India's defence exports reached a record ₹21,083 crore in FY2024-25, growing from a negligible base a decade ago. India exports to over 85 countries, with key exports including artillery guns, radar systems, ammunition, and Brahmos cruise missiles. The government targets ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.

World Water Day, observed on March 22, 2025, was celebrated globally with the theme focusing on glacier preservation and the water cycle. India, which hosts the Hindu Kush Himalayan glaciers — the "third pole" of the world — faces significant challenges as glaciers recede due to climate change, threatening water supply to billions downstream.

The International Day of Forests, observed on March 21, highlighted the role of forests in climate regulation, biodiversity conservation, and human livelihood. India has over 7 lakh sq km of forest cover (about 21% of geographical area) and aims to increase forest and tree cover to 33% as per National Forest Policy.

The National Green Hydrogen Mission, launched with ₹19,744 crore budget, progressed with competitive bidding for green hydrogen and green ammonia production. India aims to produce 5 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum) of green hydrogen by 2030, positioning India as a global green hydrogen hub.

The LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) movement, proposed by PM Modi at COP26 in 2021 and officially launched in October 2022, continued its campaign to promote environmentally conscious individual choices. India advocated this concept at international forums as an alternative to environmentally harmful consumption patterns.

India added new sites to the Ramsar list of wetlands of international importance, bringing the total number of Ramsar sites in India to 85 — the highest number in Asia. These wetlands support migratory bird habitats, freshwater ecosystems, and traditional fishing communities.

Project Tiger, launched on April 1, 1973, completed over 50 years of successful tiger conservation in India. India's tiger population increased from approximately 1,827 in 2014 to 3,682 in the 2022 census — hosting over 70% of the world's wild tigers. India has 55 tiger reserves across the country.

India won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 held in Pakistan, with India's matches played at the neutral venue of Dubai under a hybrid model due to security concerns. Captain Rohit Sharma led the team to an unbeaten campaign. This was India's third Champions Trophy title after joint-wins in 2002 and a full win in 2013.

D. Gukesh, who won the World Chess Championship in December 2024, received a grand welcome and numerous awards including an honorary doctorate. At just 18, he became the youngest world chess champion in history, surpassing the record set by Garry Kasparov. Indian chess continues to produce world-class players.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 commenced in late March 2025, featuring all 10 franchise teams. IPL is the world's most valuable cricket league, owned by BCCI. The tournament format includes league stage matches followed by playoffs. IPL 2025 introduced new playing conditions and DRS updates.

The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) underwent significant governance reform following controversies in 2023-24. India's wrestlers, including Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, had raised concerns about federation management. A new election to WFI executive committee was conducted under court oversight.

Olympic gold and silver medallist Neeraj Chopra continued to be India's top javelin thrower, with preparations for the 2025 athletics season underway. His Paris Olympics 2024 silver medal performance with 89.45m was followed by competitive preparations. India's athletics programme gained momentum from his success.

Indian athletes participated in regional and continental athletics championships, building on the momentum of Paris Olympics 2024 where India won 6 medals (1 silver — Neeraj Chopra, 5 bronze). The Athletics Federation of India focused on talent development through Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).

The World Happiness Report 2025, published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranked Finland as the world's happiest country for the eighth consecutive year. India's ranking reflected ongoing challenges in health outcomes and social support, though the country's subjective well-being scores showed gradual improvement.

The International Monetary Fund projected India's GDP growth at 6.5% for FY2025-26, maintaining India's position as the fastest-growing major economy. The IMF highlighted infrastructure investment, digital economy growth, and strong domestic consumption as key growth drivers, while flagging global uncertainties as downside risks.

India ranked 4th in the Global Firepower Index 2025, measuring overall military strength based on manpower, equipment, resources, and geographic factors. India's military capabilities include the world's second-largest army by active personnel, significant naval power, and growing air force modernisation.

India moved up in the Henley Passport Index, which ranks passports by the number of countries accessible without a prior visa. The Indian passport allows visa-free access to approximately 58-60 countries, with Indian citizens enjoying growing geopolitical leverage as the country's economic and diplomatic standing rises.

NITI Aayog released the SDG India Index tracking progress on Sustainable Development Goals across Indian states and Union Territories. The index scores states on 16 SDGs covering health, education, clean energy, gender equality, and climate action, identifying frontrunners and aspirants among Indian states.

The Hurun India Rich List 2025 tracked India's growing billionaire class, with India having the third-highest number of billionaires in the world after the USA and China. The list reflected the rise of new-age technology entrepreneurs alongside traditional industrial houses like Reliance, Tata, and Adani.

South Africa assumed the G20 presidency for 2025 with the theme "Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability." As a G20 member, India participated actively in working groups and sherpa meetings. The G20 Leaders' Summit was scheduled for November 2025 in Johannesburg. India's own G20 presidency had been in 2023.

India served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2021-22 term and continues to advocate for UNSC reform, including a permanent seat for India. India is part of G4 (India, Germany, Brazil, Japan) pushing for expansion of permanent membership.

The World Health Organization's World Health Assembly met in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2025. Key agenda items included pandemic treaty negotiations, antimicrobial resistance strategy, and universal health coverage. India, as a major pharmaceutical producer (world's pharmacy), played a significant role in discussions on access to medicines.

World Trade Organization member countries participated in preparatory discussions for the MC14 ministerial conference. India consistently advocates for WTO reform including the right to food security subsidies for developing nations, agriculture negotiations, and special and differential treatment for developing countries.

The expanded BRICS+ grouping, which added Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia (pending), and UAE as new members from January 2024, held its first set of meetings in the expanded format. India engaged actively within BRICS while maintaining its strategic autonomy, participating in discussions on a common payment system.

India and ASEAN member nations held discussions at the India-ASEAN Digital Economy Summit, exploring digital payment interoperability (extending UPI to ASEAN countries), cybersecurity cooperation, and digital skill development. Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand showed strong interest in adopting India's UPI model.