March 2025 Current Affairs

1. India’s Green Finance Push

To achieve its Net-Zero emissions target by 2070, India is working to establish a National Green Financing Institution. The nation requires over USD 10 trillion in green investments. Financial institutions are highly vulnerable, with 72% facing climate-related risks. To bridge the USD 28 billion annual green finance gap, tools like Green Bonds, Clean Energy Funds, and Crowdfunding are being emphasized.

2. India-EU Trade Tensions Over CBAM

India raised concerns against the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which will impose tariffs on carbon-intensive imports starting 2026. India argues it violates the Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) principle under climate equity and may negatively impact Indian exports like steel and aluminum.

3. Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024

The Union Cabinet approved 14 amendments to the Waqf Act. Key changes include allowing waqf tribunals to grant extensions for property registration and replacing the District Collector with a senior officer for resolving disputes. It ensures representation in Waqf Boards includes members with expertise in Muslim law.

4. Withdrawal of Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025

Facing strong protests from the legal fraternity, the Centre withdrew the controversial Advocates (Amendment) Bill. Lawyers opposed it due to provisions like banning protests, foreign law firm entry, and undermining Bar Council of India’s autonomy.

5. Wildlife Conservation Initiatives

At the 7th National Board for Wildlife meeting in Gir, PM Modi launched several conservation initiatives. These include India’s first riverine dolphin estimation (6,327 dolphins), plans for the 16th Asiatic Lion Census in 2025, and expanded protection for species like gharials, tigers (outside reserves), and the Great Indian Bustard.

6. 3R Forum & Women Peacekeeping Conference

The 12th 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Forum held in Jaipur adopted the "Jaipur 3R Declaration" promoting circular economy goals. Simultaneously, India hosted its first Women Peacekeepers Conference to mark 25 years of UNSC Resolution 1325, emphasizing women’s role in global peace and security.

7. Space Debris & ISRO's Response

After a 500-kg space debris object crashed in Kenya, ISRO accelerated efforts under Project NETRA and IS4OM to track and mitigate space debris. India aims for "Debris-Free Space Missions by 2030." The event renews focus on global accountability through conventions like the 1972 Space Liability Convention.

8. Semiconductor Growth in India

India's chip manufacturing sector got a major boost as Tata Electronics and Taiwan’s PSMC collaborated on a $11 billion semiconductor plant in Gujarat. Backed by the India Semiconductor Mission, and aided by schemes like PLI, DLI, and C2S, this move is intended to reduce reliance on imports.

9. Tahawwur Rana Extradition

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, was extradited to India from the US on April 10, 2025. Accused of helping Lashkar-e-Taiba, his return is a crucial milestone in India's fight against cross-border terrorism.

10. Rana’s Prior Conviction in US

Rana was convicted in the US in 2013 for supporting a terror plot against a Danish newspaper linked to blasphemy. He served 14 years before being extradited to India, where he now faces a trial for the Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.

11. India-Myanmar Border Fencing

India approved ₹31,000 crore for high-security fencing along the 1,643-km Myanmar border to control smuggling and infiltration. However, it has drawn criticism for affecting ethnic groups and halting the Free Movement Regime, which allowed cross-border tribal exchanges.

12. Aadhaar-Voter ID Linking

The Election Commission is reconsidering Aadhaar-voter ID linkage to prevent voter fraud. Though voluntary, privacy and data misuse concerns persist. Earlier, the Supreme Court had ruled on such matters, emphasizing that consent and transparency must be ensured.

13. Supreme Court & Electoral Transparency

The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission to discuss uploading scanned booth-wise Form 17C data after each polling phase. Petitioners, including MP Mahua Moitra and ADR, argue this would improve transparency and restore public trust in electoral processes.

14. India’s Global Free Speech Ranking

India was ranked 24th out of 33 countries in a global survey by The Future of Free Speech. Despite high public support for freedom of expression, concerns persist due to censorship, legal harassment, and digital clampdowns.

15. India’s Arms Import Position

As per SIPRI (2020–2024), India is the world’s second-largest arms importer, after Ukraine. However, a 9.3% decline is noted compared to previous years. Russia remains the top supplier. India is aiming for self-reliance through reforms like the Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 and positive indigenization lists.

16. TB Elimination Efforts

India’s 100-Day TB-Mukt Bharat campaign identified over 6.1 lakh cases. Advanced diagnostics like handheld X-rays, NAATs, and the BPaLM regimen are transforming TB treatment, aiding the nation’s goal to eliminate tuberculosis by 2025.

17. Maoist Setback in Chhattisgarh

In a massive crackdown, security forces killed at least 30 Maoists in Chhattisgarh, including 16 women cadres. DRG, CoBRA, CRPF, and BSF were involved. The operation also led to the recovery of high-grade weapons, underlining the state’s aggressive anti-insurgency strategy.

18. Andhra Pradesh SC Sub-Categorisation

The Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a bill to divide 59 Scheduled Caste sub-groups into three categories. This aims to address intra-caste inequality in reservations. Implementation is expected post the 2026 Census and is based on the 2011 socio-economic data.

19. Defence Procurement Reforms

India’s Defence Acquisition Council approved proposals worth ₹54,000 crore. These include procurement of 307 indigenous ATAGS artillery guns. New guidelines are set to reduce procurement time by 10–15%, boosting efficiency and Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence.

20. CJI Orders Probe Against Justice Varma

After the discovery of a large cache of cash during a fire at Justice Yashwant Varma's residence, CJI Sanjiv Khanna formed a three-member inquiry committee. The judge’s work has been halted pending investigation to maintain judicial integrity.

21. Anti-Dumping Duties on Chinese Goods

India imposed anti-dumping duties on five Chinese products like aluminum foil and vacuum flasks. The duties—up to 35%—aim to protect domestic industries from unfair pricing and reduce dependence on cheap Chinese imports.

22. Justice Varma Transferred

Following the allegations of cash recovery, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended transferring Justice Varma from the Delhi HC to Allahabad HC. A high-level inquiry committee has been tasked with further investigation to uphold transparency in the judiciary.

23. 10,000 TB Genomes Sequenced

India sequenced 10,000 genomes of the TB-causing bacteria under its Dare2eraD TB initiative. This will aid early detection, anticipate drug resistance, and improve personalized treatments—key to India’s TB elimination goal by 2025.

24. Judicial Reform Demands Grow

Following the Justice Varma incident, international and domestic bodies have called for reforming the judicial appointment process. The ICJ suggested forming a statutory Judicial Council. Both the government and opposition are now discussing reforms to the opaque Collegium system.

25. Strategic Diplomacy with China and Singapore

India and China resumed border dialogue through the 33rd WMCC meeting to resolve LAC tensions. Concurrently, India and Singapore signed an LoI for a Green & Digital Shipping Corridor to promote maritime decarbonization and digitization.

26. Supreme Court Stay on Flawed Ruling

The SC stayed an Allahabad High Court ruling that said serious sexual assault didn’t qualify as an attempt to rape. Calling it "legally flawed," the SC emphasized victim-centric justice. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Governor returned the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, citing constitutional conflicts.

27. USCIRF Criticism & Indigenous Defence Boost

The USCIRF recommended sanctions against R&AW over alleged assassination plots, drawing a strong rebuke from India. On the other hand, GE Aerospace delivered the first F404 engine to HAL for the Tejas Mk-1A fighter jet, supporting India’s indigenous defence production.

28. Kunal Kamra Granted Interim Bail

Comedian Kunal Kamra was granted interim anticipatory bail by the Madras HC over alleged defamatory remarks against Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The court upheld his right to bail and asked him to appear before the magistrate.

29. Myanmar Earthquake Tragedy

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar, killing over 140 people. Tremors were felt in India, China, and Thailand. India responded with aid and international rescue missions were launched, showing regional solidarity in disaster response.

30. ₹62,700 Cr Deal with HAL for Helicopters

India signed a ₹62,700 crore deal with HAL for 156 indigenous Light Combat Helicopters. This strengthens India’s air defence and supports over 250 domestic suppliers—boosting Make-in-India and reducing reliance on foreign defence imports.