Current affairs of the Day for 18 April2025
1. A book titled Sanskriti Ka Panchva Adhyay, which is a compilation of speeches delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various occasions, was launched in New Delhi.
2. A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, chaired by BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai, has urged the Ministry of Labour and Employment to finish the first-ever third-party evaluation of the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) by end of 2025. The panel also emphasized revising the minimum pension amount of ₹1,000, considering the sharp rise in the cost of living since the scheme’s inception in November 1995.
3. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is set to collaborate with IIT Bombay to implement a pilot project for integrating Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology into the state’s energy system. This initiative aims to enhance the grid’s stability by allowing electric vehicle batteries.
4. Dr. Mangi Lal Jat appointed Secretary of DARE and Director General of ICAR, notification issued. Internationally renowned scientist and current Deputy Director General (Research) at ICRISAT, Dr. Mangi Lal Jat, has been appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) by the Central Government.
5. Maharashtra government has announced that Hindi will be a compulsory third language from Classes I to V in Marathi and English medium schools. It is based as per line with the National Education Policy, NEP 2020. Currently only Marathi and English are mandatory from Classes I to IV in these schools.
6. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has assured that his government will enact ‘Rohith Vemula Act’. A law to be framed and enacted to eliminate caste and identity-based discrimination in educational institutions.
7. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has forecasted that India will achieve a 6.5% growth rate in 2025. It will continue to lead as the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
8. India is poised to become the world’s fastest-growing large aviation market by 2026. It is based on the report of Airports Council International (ACI). While China remains significantly ahead in overall aviation market size.
9. The Indian naval sailing vessel INSV Tarini, crewed by an all-women team, is now homeward bound after successfully completing a critical phase of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition. The crew has triumphantly crossed the challenging waters of the Southern Ocean. It navigated the three major global capes: Cape of Good Hope (South Africa), Cape Leeuwin (Australia), and Cape Horn (South America).
10 The DRDO in collaboration with L&T has successfully conducted preliminary sea trials of its indigenously developed 651 kW Water-Jet Propulsion System. Which aboard the Indian Navy’s Fast Interceptor Craft.
11. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has announced plans to raise a special Cobra battalion for counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The jungle warfare unit was raised in the paramilitary to undertake operations in Naxal-affected states.
12. Kuwait has publicly expressed its support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
13. US-based terrorist Harpreet Singh, also known as Happy Passia, has been apprehended by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Sacramento, California. Which is a major breakthrough in the fight against cross-border terrorism targeting Punjab. Happy Passia, originally from Passia village in Amritsar, had been among India’s most wanted, with a ₹5 lakh reward on his head.
14. UNESCO has recently recognized India’s intellectual heritage by including the Bhagavad Gita manuscripts and Natyashastra in its prestigious Memory of the World Register. This inclusion highlights India’s enduring cultural and philosophical contributions to global civilization.
15. Sixteen-year-old Nishchay grabbed his second medal silver with a personal best effort of 19.59 meters in the boys’ shot put in Asian Under-18 Athletics Championship in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
16. India Sends 56-Member Squad to Asian U-15 & U-17 Boxing Championships in Jordan.
17. Athletics, India’s Shourya Ambure clinched the bronze medal in the Under-18 Women’s 100 metre Hurdles. Asian Youth Championships held on Dammam of Saudi Arabia. The 15-year-old clocked 13.80 seconds to secure the medal.
18. Union Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the world’s 17th Athlete Passport Management Unit. He inaugurated at the National Dope Testing Laboratory in New Delhi.