April 2025 Current Affairs

Enrollment for Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) for the Kharif 2025 season began in April. The scheme provides crop insurance coverage to farmers against natural calamities, pests, and diseases. The premium is subsidised at 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial crops. Farmers can enroll through banks, CSCs, and the PMFBY portal.

Punjab became one of the states to achieve 100% household piped water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (Har Ghar Jal programme). Punjab joined Goa, Telangana, and several north-eastern states that had already achieved this milestone. The Mission provided functional household tap connections (FHTCs) to all rural homes.

Under the Digital India mission, 5G network coverage was extended to additional rural and semi-urban areas across India. India had the world's second-largest 5G rollout, with over 700 districts covered. The PM-WANI (Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) programme expanded public Wi-Fi hotspots in rural areas alongside 5G deployment.

PM MUDRA (Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency) Yojana, launched in 2015, cumulatively crossed 50 crore loan accounts disbursed since inception. MUDRA provides collateral-free loans to micro and small enterprises in three categories: Shishu (up to ₹50,000), Kishore (₹50,001 to ₹5 lakh), and Tarun (₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh).

Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0, launched in 2021 with focus on garbage-free cities and wastewater management, conducted its mid-term review. The mission has achieved 100% ODF (Open Defecation Free) status for urban India and is working toward sustainable solid waste management in all urban local bodies.

A devastating terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam, Baisaran Valley, Jammu & Kashmir on April 22, 2025, killing 26 tourists including Indian nationals and foreign visitors. Gunmen opened fire on tourists at a scenic meadow. The attack, claimed to be linked to Pakistan-backed terrorist groups, triggered strong national outrage and diplomatic responses from India.

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India suspended bilateral talks on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan and downgraded diplomatic relations. India also expelled Pakistani diplomats and suspended visa services. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, divides rights to six rivers of the Indus basin between India and Pakistan.

Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, was celebrated across India on April 6, 2025. The occasion held special significance with the Ram temple at Ayodhya (Shri Ram Janmabhoomi) hosting its first Ram Navami celebrations after consecration in January 2024. The Surya Tilak ceremony at Ayodhya attracted global attention as sunlight illuminated the idol at noon.

India officially became the world's most populous country (confirmed by UN data), surpassing China for the first time. India's population reached approximately 1.44 billion. While a demographic dividend, the government emphasised the importance of channelling this population into a productive workforce through education, skills, and employment.

India observed the 134th birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on April 14, 2025. Dr. Ambedkar, known as the Father of the Indian Constitution, was the chief architect of the Constitution of India (adopted November 26, 1949; came into force January 26, 1950). He was conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1990.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India expelled the Pakistani High Commissioner, suspended all trade, reduced diplomatic staff, and recalled its own ambassador from Islamabad. This represented the sharpest deterioration in India-Pakistan relations since the Pulwama attack (2019) and the Balakot airstrikes. India called upon the international community to designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism.

India summoned the Pakistani chargé d'affaires and issued a strong diplomatic protest (démarche) linking the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan-based terrorist infrastructure. India presented evidence at the UN Security Council and sought international support for action against Pakistan-based groups. Several major powers including the USA, France, and Russia condemned the attack.

India and the European Union held their bilateral summit with discussions on the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (being negotiated since 2022 restart), clean technology cooperation, digital connectivity, and the Indo-Pacific strategy. The EU is India's largest trading partner as a bloc, with bilateral trade exceeding $130 billion annually.

The India-USA 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue, involving Defence and Foreign Ministers from both sides, was convened following regional security developments including the Pahalgam attack. Discussions covered defence cooperation, intelligence sharing, QUAD, and the broader Indo-Pacific security framework under the India-USA Major Defence Partner designation.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers met under China's chairmanship. Despite heightened India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam attack, India participated in the meeting while maintaining its position on cross-border terrorism. SCO provides a framework for regional cooperation despite bilateral disputes among member nations.

Nepal's political landscape shifted with coalition government changes, prompting active diplomatic engagement from India. India remains Nepal's largest trade and investment partner. The Pashupati Area Development Trust and the Raxaul-Kathmandu railway project remained key topics of bilateral cooperation despite periodic political turbulence.

The Reserve Bank of India's Monetary Policy Committee met in April 2025, following the February repo rate cut to 6.25%. With inflation remaining within the 4% (±2%) target band and global uncertainty from the Pahalgam-related geopolitical risks, the MPC deliberated on whether to further cut rates to stimulate economic activity.

India's merchandise trade deficit widened to approximately $22 billion in March 2025 as imports rose, particularly for crude oil and electronics, while export growth moderated. India's top exports include engineering goods, petroleum products, gems and jewellery, and pharma. Major import categories are crude oil, electronic goods, gold, and machinery.

India's net direct tax collections for FY2024-25 crossed ₹22 lakh crore, exceeding the revised estimates. This reflected improved compliance from the Faceless Assessment Scheme, TDS expansion, and widening of the tax base. The Income Tax return filing hit a record 8.75 crore returns for AY 2024-25.

Securities and Exchange Board of India tightened norms for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) IPOs after several SME companies saw their stock prices manipulated post-listing. SEBI introduced minimum operational history requirements, enhanced disclosure norms, and restrictions on SME promoters from selling shares immediately after listing.

India achieved a milestone by becoming a net exporter of defence equipment in the context of small arms, ammunition, and military vehicles, with defence exports crossing ₹21,000 crore while imports in those categories began reducing. This reflects progress under the Defence Production Policy 2020 and Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence.

The Reserve Bank of India cancelled the licences of several small cooperative banks found to be in violation of banking regulations, insufficient capital, and unable to repay depositors. RBI has been cleaning up the cooperative banking sector, which has faced issues of mismanagement, fraud, and regulatory non-compliance, particularly following the PMC Bank crisis.

National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), established in 2021 as India's new Development Finance Institution, disbursed significant loans for infrastructure projects in FY2025. NaBFID provides long-term finance for infrastructure projects in roads, ports, railways, and energy — filling the gap left by IDBI and IFCI.

The National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), set up in 2021 to acquire bad loans from banks, continued transferring Non-Performing Assets from public sector banks. NARCL works alongside India Debt Resolution Company (IDRCL) for resolving these stressed assets. This initiative aims to clean up bank balance sheets.

India Post Payments Bank launched new digital lending products and expanded its micro-insurance offerings through the postal network. IPPB, with over 1.5 lakh access points through post offices, introduced doorstep banking services for senior citizens and specially-abled persons, fulfilling the financial inclusion mandate.

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), India's first International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), continued to attract new financial institutions including global investment banks, insurance companies, and fund houses. GIFT City competes with Singapore and Dubai as a global financial hub offering tax incentives and regulatory ease.

The Indian Army saw appointment movements in its senior command structure. The Chief of Army Staff is the highest-ranking officer of the Indian Army, appointed by the President of India on the recommendation of the Defence Minister. The COAS serves a fixed tenure of 3 years or up to age 62, whichever is earlier.

The Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India, who heads the Central Information Commission under the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005, received a new appointment. The CIC is appointed by the President of India on recommendation of a committee comprising the PM, LoP, and a Cabinet Minister nominated by PM.

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations presented India's position on Pakistan-sponsored terrorism at the UN Security Council following the Pahalgam attack. India sought designation of Pakistan-based groups and their leaders under UNSC Resolution 1267 sanctions regime (counter-terrorism sanctions list).

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), India's premier defence R&D body, saw leadership changes in its senior management. DRDO is responsible for developing advanced defence technologies including missiles (BrahMos, Agni, Prithvi), fighter jets (LCA Tejas), submarines, and advanced electronic warfare systems.

The Pulitzer Prize 2025 winners were announced in April. India-related recognition included coverage of the Pahalgam attack and its aftermath by international media. The Pulitzer Prizes, established in 1917, are administered by Columbia University and are among the most prestigious awards in journalism and arts in the USA.

The Abel Prize 2025, often called the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics," was awarded to a distinguished mathematician for lifetime contributions to mathematical sciences. The prize is awarded annually by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and carries a prize money of NOK 7.5 million.

The BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Film Awards 2025 ceremony recognised outstanding films and performances. Indian cinema, particularly diaspora films and co-productions, showed growing presence at international film awards, reflecting the global reach of Indian storytelling.

The National Film Awards, presented by the Directorate of Film Festivals (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting), announced the 72nd National Film Awards for films of 2024. The Best Feature Film (Golden Lotus/Swarna Kamal) and Best Director awards highlighted excellence in Indian cinema across 26 languages.

NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), a joint NASA-ISRO Earth observation satellite, moved closer to its planned launch. NISAR is the world's most expensive Earth observation satellite at $1.5 billion and will use L-band and S-band SAR to monitor changes in Earth's land surface, glaciers, and sea ice globally.

Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) published significant research on using Artificial Intelligence for drug discovery, particularly for neglected tropical diseases prevalent in India. AI-based molecular screening tools reduced drug discovery timelines significantly. India's pharma sector stands to benefit from domestic AI drug discovery research.

ISRO continued testing its Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV-TD) technology, demonstrating autonomous landing capabilities at Challakere test facility. RLV technology aims to drastically reduce satellite launch costs by recovering and reusing rocket stages, similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster recovery system.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), India's premier telecom R&D centre, developed an indigenous 5G core network technology — making India one of few countries with domestically developed 5G core network capabilities. This reduces dependency on foreign vendors like Huawei, Nokia, and Ericsson for critical telecom infrastructure.

As part of the National Quantum Mission, India launched a pilot quantum key distribution (QKD) network between select government offices in Delhi, providing theoretically unbreakable encrypted communications. Quantum secure communication is critical for defence and sensitive government data protection.

Following the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22, the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy were placed on high operational alert along the Line of Control and international border with Pakistan. The Indian Army increased counter-infiltration operations in Jammu & Kashmir, and additional CRPF and BSF forces were deployed to key installations.

India and Australia conducted joint naval exercises as part of deepening bilateral defence ties under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The exercises focused on anti-submarine warfare, maritime patrol, and logistics interoperability. Australia is a key partner in the QUAD grouping alongside India, USA, and Japan.

BrahMos Aerospace, the India-Russia joint venture that manufactures the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, received new export orders from Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Following the Philippines (2022, first export), several other countries expressed interest in the land-attack and anti-ship versions of BrahMos.

The Indian Air Force inductioned the first batch of domestically developed advanced jet trainer aircraft, reducing reliance on imported Hawk trainers. HAL's advanced trainer aircraft programme supports India's make-in-India defence manufacturing goal and helps train IAF pilots on domestically built platforms.

India experienced an early onset of severe heat waves in April 2025, with temperatures exceeding 45°C in parts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. IMD (India Meteorological Department) issued red alerts. Heat waves in India are defined as temperatures 4.5°C+ above normal for 2+ consecutive days.

India launched the Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) pilot, creating a domestic carbon market as part of India's commitment to reach net-zero by 2070. The scheme initially covers energy-intensive industries and will eventually cover nine sectors. Carbon credits allow companies to trade emission permits — companies emitting less can sell credits to higher emitters.

Earth Day 2025, observed on April 22 (ironically the same day as the Pahalgam attack), had a global theme focused on ending plastics pollution. India has implemented a ban on single-use plastics (items below 75 microns) since July 2022 as part of its commitment to reduce plastic waste and protect marine ecosystems.

The Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) released funds to states for compensatory afforestation projects. CAMPA collects money from industries using forest land for non-forest purposes and mandates that they fund equivalent afforestation elsewhere. India targets 33% forest cover under the National Forest Policy.

The Indian Premier League 2025 season progressed with exciting matches across 10 franchise teams. IPL 2025 saw several record-breaking performances. The tournament is scheduled from late March to late May, with playoffs in May. IPL media rights (2023-27) were sold for ₹48,390 crore, with Star Sports/Disney+ Hotstar (TV) and Viacom18 (digital streaming).

Indian athletes competed at the World Athletics Relay Championships in May 2025. India's 4x400m relay teams (men's, women's, and mixed) are among the stronger relay units in Asia and have been targeting Olympic qualification and continental medals. Track and field is gaining momentum in India after Neeraj Chopra's Olympic success.

The Indian Women's Cricket team performed strongly in bilateral series, continuing the growth of women's cricket in India. The BCCI has significantly invested in women's cricket with the Women's Premier League (WPL), launched in 2023, significantly raising the profile and earnings of Indian women cricketers.

India's badminton players, including Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty, and PV Sindhu, participated in the prestigious All England Open Championships. India's doubles pair Satwik-Chirag has been among the world's top doubles pairs and has won multiple tournaments in the BWF World Tour.

The World Bank released its India Country Report, projecting India's GDP growth at 6.7% for FY2025-26, maintaining the outlook for India as the fastest-growing major economy. The report highlighted infrastructure investment, digital public infrastructure (India Stack), and manufacturing expansion as growth drivers, while flagging the need for more quality job creation.

The Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, reported on terrorism trends globally. Following the Pahalgam attack, India's terrorism-related data was updated. Pakistan consistently features among high-risk countries due to transnational terrorism infrastructure. India has improved its counter-terrorism capabilities significantly since 2001.

The IMF Fiscal Monitor 2025 analysed government fiscal positions globally, noting India's fiscal consolidation path with the fiscal deficit targeted at 4.5% of GDP for FY2025-26 (reducing from 4.9% in FY2024-25). India's debt-to-GDP ratio remains elevated at around 82% but is on a declining trajectory.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency session following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, with India presenting evidence of Pakistan-based terrorist involvement. India was supported by several UNSC members including France and the USA, while China (a UNSC permanent member and Pakistan ally) sought to moderate the response.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, reviewed Pakistan's compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards following the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan was previously on the FATF grey list from 2018 to 2022 and was removed after undertaking reforms.

The International Energy Agency released a mid-year update on global energy markets. India featured prominently as the world's third-largest energy consumer and a key driver of global oil demand growth. India's renewable energy transition was noted as a bright spot in global decarbonisation efforts.

Following the Pahalgam attack, NATO member countries expressed solidarity with India and discussed deepening cooperation on counter-terrorism intelligence sharing. While India is not a NATO member, the alliance has Individual Partnership programmes and increasingly engages with India on security matters in the broader Indo-Pacific context.