Current Affairs For the Month of January 2025

National and Government News:

• The first ‘Mann Ki Baat’ of 2025 was conducted on January 20, a week earlier than usual due to Republic Day. The broadcast marked the 75th anniversary of the Indian Republic and discussed the Constitution, democracy, space technology advancements, and human-animal harmony.
• The 2025 Republic Day Parade at Kartavya Path showcased India’s military strength and cultural diversity. The Signals Contingent was the Best Marching Contingent among Services (Popular Choice). The CRPF Marching Contingent was the Best Marching Contingent among CAPFs/Other Auxiliary Forces (Popular Choice). Uttar Pradesh’s tableau on Mahakumbh 2025 was selected as the Judges’ Choice for Best Tableaux (States/UTs). The Ministry of Women & Child Development won the Best Tableau from Central Ministries/Departments (Popular Choice).
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, Asia's second-largest ISKCON temple.
• The scared city of Ayodhya marked the first anniversary of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ of Ram Lalla at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir on January 22, 2025.
• NITI Aayog completed 10 years since its establishment on January 1, 2015, replacing the Planning Commission.
• The government is considering introducing honorary senior ranks for retiring Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated India’s first-ever glass bridge in Kanniyakumari.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Pravasi Bharatiya Express, a special tourist train for the Indian diaspora.
• India’s metro rail network surpassed 1,000 kilometers, becoming the third-largest in the world.
• A memorial for former President Pranab Mukherjee will be set up at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in Rajghat, Delhi.
• The Musi River Historic Buildings in Hyderabad were added to the 2025 World Monuments Watch list.
• The Ministry of Railways launched the ‘SwaRail’ SuperApp to integrate multiple railway services into one platform.
• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) launched National Broadband Mission 2.0 (NBM 2.0) and the Sanchar Saathi mobile app.
• The "Hamara Samvidhan – Hamara Swabhiman" campaign, launched on January 24, 2024, commemorated the 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in New Delhi.
• The government launched the “Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan” app and website on January 15, 2025, coinciding with Army Day.
• The CBI developed the BHARATPOL portal for real-time international police assistance and combating transnational crimes. Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the portal.
• The Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) amended the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 to mandate consultations with stakeholders.
• A tragic stampede occurred at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj on January 29, 2025, resulting in 30 deaths and over 60 injuries. A judicial commission was formed to investigate.
• India will host the 28th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CSPOC) in 2026.
• The RBI established a new Standing External Advisory Committee (SEAC) to evaluate bank licensing.

State-Specific News:

• Assam’s Elephant Population Estimate 2024 showed an estimated 5,828 elephants, a rise from 2017. The Assam government launched Gunotsav 2025, an education evaluation program.
• Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel launched the SWAR platform to enhance communication and accessibility for citizens. A state-of-the-art Archaeological Experiential Museum was inaugurated in Vadnagar.
• The Haryana government announced a 25% increase in Death-cum-Retirement Gratuity for employees, effective January 1, 2025. The International Saraswati Mahotsav 2025 will be celebrated in Haryana.
• A rise in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) was observed in Pune, Maharashtra.
• Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura celebrated their Statehood Day on January 21. The Zeliangrong community in Manipur celebrated the Gaan-Ngai Festival.
• The Odisha government announced a monthly pension of ₹20,000 for surviving detainees of the 1975-1977 Emergency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025’ in Bhubaneswar. Odisha joined the Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme as the 34th state.
• The Sambhar Festival began on January 24, 2025, at Sambhar Lake in Rajasthan.
• India’s first organic fisheries cluster was launched in Soreng District, Sikkim. Sikkim also had its inaugural Ramsar site added to the list.
• Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy launched four welfare schemes for farmers and landless laborers on January 26, 2025.
• UP CM Yogi Adityanath launched ‘Kumbhvani’ (103.5 MHz) FM channel for Maha Kumbh 2025. Uttar Pradesh is considering privatizing two power distribution companies. Uttar Pradesh celebrated its 76th Foundation Day on January 24, 2025. Uttar Pradesh won the Judges' Choice for Best Tableaux at the Republic Day parade. Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is being held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
• The Tribal Students' Federation (TSF) in Tripura renewed its protest demanding the adoption of the Roman script for the Kokborok language.
• Jharkhand's Udhwa Lake became the state's first Ramsar site. Jharkhand launched the 'Digi Vidya' digital classrooms initiative .
• Himachal Pradesh celebrated its 54th Statehood Day on January 25, 2025.
• Kerala is implementing localized disaster early warning systems .

International Affairs:

• South Korea faced a political crisis with the impeachment of Acting President Han Duck-soo after President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment.
• China introduced the CR450, the world's fastest high-speed train prototype. China is also facing a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) cases. China completed the construction of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest tunnel. Alibaba launched a new AI model claiming it outperforms competitors.
• Pakistan began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on January 1, 2025. China launched Pakistan’s first indigenous Electro-Optical (EO-1) satellite.
• Hanoi, Vietnam, was reported as the world’s most polluted city on January 3, 2025.
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party.
• Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas, from Brazil, was confirmed as the world's oldest living person at 116 years old.
• General Joseph Aoun was elected Lebanon's new president, ending a two-year political vacuum.
• Mount Ibu in Indonesia erupted on January 11, 2025.
• A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck southwestern Japan on January 13, 2025.
• The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) removed three Indian organizations (Indian Rare Earths, IGCAR, and BARC) from its Entity List. TikTok faced a brief shutdown in the U.S. due to a law mandating ByteDance to sell the app, but was restored by an executive order. Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the U.S. on January 20, 2025. A U.S. executive order on birthright citizenship was temporarily blocked. The United States withdrew from the Paris Climate Agreement in January 2025.
• Nigeria was admitted as a partner country of the BRICS bloc.
• Usha Vance made history as the first Indian-American and Hindu Second Lady of the United States. Her husband, J.D. Vance, was sworn in as the 50th Vice President.
• UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan declared 2025 as the “Year of Community”.
• Niger became the first African country to eliminate onchocerciasis (river blindness) as a public health threat.
• Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto was the chief guest at India’s 2025 Republic Day parade.
• Union Minister S. Jaishankar made a visit to Spain from January 13-14, 2025, and signed two MoUs on cooperation in sports and sustainable urban development. India and Spain declared 2026 as a 'Dual Year' focusing on culture and AI.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed a 20-year “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty”.

Appointments and Resignations:

• Gyanendra Pratap Singh was appointed Director General (DG) of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
• Sanjiv Ranjan was appointed Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
• Alok Kumar Agarwal became MD & CEO of Zurich Kotak General Insurance.
• Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.
• Justice Alok Aradhe was appointed Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
• Justice V Ramasubramanian was appointed Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
• Hisashi Takeuchi's term as MD & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd was re-appointed for three years from April 1, 2025.
• Bahadur Singh Sagoo was elected as the new President of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI).
• Prabhtej Singh Bhatia was appointed as the Treasurer of the BCCI effective January 12, 2025.
• Jitender Pal Singh was appointed as India's Ambassador to Israel.
• Deshnee Naidoo was appointed as Vedanta's first-ever CEO.
• Geoff Allardice resigned as ICC CEO before the Champions Trophy 2025 .
• Amrit Mohan Prasad was given additional charge as DG of BCAS .

Other Notable Events:

• The Sci-Fi Science Film Festival of India was inaugurated in Panaji, Goa, on January 30, 2025. The theme was “Green Revolution”.
• India added four new sites to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, bringing the total to 89.
• The 813th Urs of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti began in Ajmer.
• Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest female to conquer the Seven Summits.
• Blinkit CEO announced the launch of an instant ambulance service in Gurgaon.
• The New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 is scheduled from February 1-9, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam.
• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of Indo-Burmese pangolin, Manis indoburmanica.
• India became an Observer State in the Eurodrone programme.
• The Indian Navy’s guided-missile destroyer, INS Mumbai, participated in the multinational exercise La Perouse. The Border Security Force (BSF) launched Operation Sard Hawa to secure the India-Pakistan border during fog.
• Sarla Aviation unveiled ‘Shunya,’ India’s first electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) air taxi prototype.
• Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla will become the first Indian astronaut to pilot a space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) in spring 2025.
• The World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day was observed on January 30th. International Customs Day was on January 26, with the theme "Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity".
• The RBI issued guidelines for lenders participating in Government Debt Relief Schemes (DRS). RBI also came up with new guidelines for Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs).
• The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is launching the Integrated SEBI Portal for Technical Glitches (iSPOT) on February 3, 2025. On January 26, 2025, SEBI launched “Dharohar – Milestones in the Indian Securities Market”, a digital repository. SEBI has partnered with NISM to launch an e-learning course on municipal bonds.
• A committee was constituted to revise the base year of the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) to 2022-23 and develop a transition roadmap to a Producer Price Index (PPI).
• The Union Cabinet approved changes to the Waqf Act, including greater government oversight.

Important Days in January 2025 and their themes 

• January 1: Global Family Day promotes peace, unity, and the importance of families in fostering joy and stability.
• January 4: World Braille Day honors the birth anniversary of Louis Braille and highlights Braille's importance for literacy, independence, and inclusivity for the visually impaired.
• January 5: National Bird Day aims to raise awareness about bird conservation and their ecological importance.
• January 6: World Day of War Orphans raises awareness about children who lose their parents due to war and violence. The 2025 observance focuses on the struggles of these children, including displacement, poverty, and climate change, and calls for global action to provide care, education, and protection.
• January 8: Earth's Rotation Day honors Léon Foucault's 1851 experiment that proved Earth's rotation using a pendulum.
• January 10: World Hindi Day promotes Hindi as a widely spoken global language. The 2025 theme is “A Global Voice of Unity and Cultural Pride,” emphasizing Hindi's role in global unity and cultural exchange.
• January 12: National Youth Day is celebrated to honor the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, recognizing his contributions to spiritual growth, national integration, and youth empowerment.
• January 14: Armed Forces Veterans’ Day honors the sacrifices and service of India's armed forces veterans. It fosters solidarity with the families of those who served and focuses on addressing the welfare and concerns of veterans.
• January 15: Indian Army Day honors the foundation of the Indian Army and the transfer of power to Indian leadership, paying tribute to the valor and sacrifices of soldiers.
• January 23: Parakram Diwas, or the “Day of Valor,” is celebrated to honor the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a tribute to his courage, determination, and contributions to India’s independence struggle.
• January 24: National Girl Child Day is observed to highlight the issues faced by girls in India and to advocate for their rights and welfare.
• January 24: International Day of Education. The theme for the seventh International Day of Education this year is ‘AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation’.
• January 25: National Tourism Day. The theme for this year’s National Tourism Day is “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.
• January 25: National Voters’ Day. This year’s theme is “Nothing Like Voting, I Vote for Sure,” which continues to emphasize participatory democracy.
• January 26: International Day of Clean Energy highlights the need for a just and inclusive transition to clean energy. It aims to raise awareness about socio-economic inequalities and the need to protect the planet through clean energy solutions.
• January 26: International Customs Day honors the vital role of customs officials in facilitating trade, ensuring security, and preventing illegal trade. The 2025 theme is "Customs Delivering on its Commitment to Efficiency, Security, and Prosperity.".
• January 26: World Leprosy Day 2025. The theme is “Unite. Act. Eliminate.”. The day focuses on raising awareness about leprosy, reducing stigma, promoting early diagnosis and treatment, and encouraging compassion and inclusion.
• January 27: International Day of Commemoration for Holocaust victims marks 80 years since the end of World War II and the Holocaust. The theme for 2025 is "Holocaust remembrance and education for dignity and human rights," highlighting the importance of remembering the Holocaust to promote dignity, human rights, and collective responsibility.
• January 27: National Geographic Day honors the founding of the National Geographic Society, known for its contributions to science, exploration, and environmental conservation.
• January 29: Indian Newspaper Day commemorates the introduction of the first newspaper in pre-Independence India and highlights the role of newspapers in shaping India’s socio-political landscape.
• January 30th: World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day. The theme for this year is "Unite, Act, and Eliminate NTDs", calling for collective action and progress toward eliminating NTDs.

• Key Economic and Financial Highlights:

  • The Union Budget 2025-26 was presented by Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt Nirmala Sitharaman. Key sources of government revenue include Borrowings & Other Liabilities (24%), Income Tax (22%), and Goods & Services Tax (GST) & Other Taxes (18%). Major expenditures are allocated to Interest Payments (₹12,76,338 crore), Defence (₹4,91,732 crore), and Pensions (₹2,76,618 crore). Significant allocations were made for Transport Infrastructure (₹5,48,649 crore), Rural Development (₹2,66,817 crore), and transfers to States & UTs (₹25,01,284 crore).
  • The Economic Survey of India 2025 provided an overview of the Indian economy. India's real GDP growth is estimated at 6.4% in FY25. Capital expenditure (CAPEX) showed continuous improvement and grew year-on-year by 8.2% during July–November 2024. India’s current account deficit (CAD) was 1.2% of GDP in Q2 of FY25. Gross Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows increased by 17.9% to USD 55.6 billion in the first eight months of FY25. India's FOREX reserves stood at USD 640.3 billion as of December 2024. Retail inflation in India decreased to 4.9% in FY25 (April-December 2024), down from 5.4% in FY24. Wholesale price inflation rose to 2.37% in December 2024. Moody’s downgraded India’s economic growth forecast for FY 2024-2025 to 7%.
  • Banking Sector: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) released its Financial Stability Report (FSR) for December 2024. The gross non-performing assets (NPAs) ratio of Indian banks declined to a 12-year low of 2.6% as of September 2024. The RBI projected the gross bad loan ratio might rise to 3% by March 2026 under a baseline scenario. The RBI also released its Report on Trend and Progress of Banking in India 2023-24, noting the gross NPA ratio fell to 2.5% in September 2024. Three Indian banks, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and State Bank of India (SBI), ranked in the top 25 global banks by market capitalization for Q4 2024. India is considering reducing its ownership in 5 public sector banks to meet minimum public holding norms. SBI launched a TAB-based digital onboarding process for NRIs. ICICI Prudential Life partnered with RGA to launch a health insurance product for women. Federal Bank launched FedOne, a digital transaction banking platform. Bank of Baroda (BoB) raised ₹5,000 crore through an infrastructure bond and partnered with Truworth Wellness for an employee wellness program. RBI authorized overseas branches of authorized banks to open Indian Rupee (INR) accounts for non-residents. RBI mandated Authorized Dealer Category-I Banks to report gold derivative transactions to the Clearing Corporation of India Limited trade repository from February 1, 2025.
  • Other Economic/Business News: India's net direct tax collection reached ₹16.90 lakh crore by January 12, 2025, a 15.88% increase year-on-year. The Indian rupee hit an all-time low of ₹86 against the US dollar on January 10, 2025. E-way bills reached 8.8 crore in December 2024, showing a 9.3% increase from the previous month. The RBI conducted Variable Rate Repo (VRR) auctions, infusing ₹76,000 crore to address liquidity constraints. The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) is facing a slowdown, with recovery rates for banks dropping. Jio launched JioSoundPay, a free feature on the JioBharat phone for UPI payments for small businesses. The IRDAI capped annual health premium increases for senior citizens at 10%.
  • Government Schemes: A National Manufacturing Mission was announced to further "Make in India". Enhancements were announced for Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. 50,000 Atal Tinkering Labs are to be set up in government schools in the next 5 years. Broadband connectivity will be provided to all Government Secondary Schools and PHCs. PM SVANidhi scheme is to be revamped with enhanced loans and UPI linked credit cards. A Social Security Scheme for Welfare of Online Platform Workers was announced. The Cabinet approved the extension of a One-Time Special Package on DAP. The Cabinet approved the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for Raw Jute for the 2025-26 Marketing season at ₹5,650 per quintal, ensuring a return of 66.8%. The Cabinet approved achievements under the National Health Mission (2021-24). Under Phase II of the Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen, 1.92 lakh villages were incrementally declared ODF Plus during April-November 2024. The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana has completed over 89 lakh houses in urban areas. To provide equity funding to MSMEs, the government launched the Self-Reliant India Fund with a corpus of ₹50,000 crore. The SVAMITVA scheme, launched in 2020, uses drone-based surveys to provide property cards as legal documents, benefiting over 65 lakh families across 12 states and UTs. The 10th anniversary of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) scheme was commemorated.
  • Indexes and Reports: India’s ranking in the Henley Passport Index for 2025 dropped to 85th. NITI Aayog launched the “Fiscal Health Index 2025”, with Odisha ranking first among 18 Indian states. India submitted its 4th Biennial Update Report (BUR-4) to the UNFCCC, showing a 7.93% decrease in total GHG emissions in 2020 compared to 2019. India is now the world’s seventh-largest coffee producer. According to a CloudSEK report, India ranked 2nd globally in cyberattacks in 2024.