Current Affairs - March 15, 2025 Current Affairs

World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated annually on March 15 to promote consumer rights globally. This date holds historical significance due to a speech delivered by U.S. President John F. Kennedy on March 15, 1962, where he formally recognized the importance of consumer rights. The day aims to highlight consumer-related issues, raise awareness, and advocate for fair practices in the marketplace. The theme for World Consumer Rights Day 2025 is ‘A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles,’ emphasizing the need for sustainable and healthy lifestyle choices for all consumers.

India launched its first-ever Exploration Licence auction on March 13, 2025, specifically in Goa. This auction aims to unlock deep-seated mineral reserves and covers 13 mineral blocks across 10 states. Goa was chosen as the venue for this significant event. Additionally, the AI Hackathon 2025, focused on "Mineral Targeting using AI," was also held as part of this initiative, further emphasizing the importance of Goa in the event's proceedings.

China will host the SCO defence officials' meeting in Qingdao on March 26-27, 2025. The meeting aims to discuss future security cooperation among the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). In addition to the defence meeting, China will also host the SCO leaders' summit in Tianjin in the autumn of 2025. The country has chosen the theme "Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move" for its SCO presidency in 2025 and declared the year as the "SCO Year of Sustainable Development."

Google has unveiled Gemma 3, the latest addition to its family of lightweight open AI models. Gemma 3 is designed to run efficiently on devices such as smartphones, laptops, and other computing platforms, offering low-latency processing capabilities and multi-modal processing with text-only output. This innovation aims to enhance user experiences and provide developers with a scalable and efficient AI solution.

Indian Railways' participation in Mission Amrit Sarovar focuses primarily on water conservation. The initiative aims to combat water scarcity near railway tracks by digging and rejuvenating ponds. This project is part of the second phase of Mission Amrit Sarovar, which emphasizes both climate resilience and community participation. Additionally, the material excavated from the ponds will be repurposed for railway embankments, contributing to sustainable development and water conservation efforts. The completion of this project is targeted for August 15, 2025.

TVS Motor has extended its partnership with PETRONAS Lubricants International to strengthen the motorsports sector in India. As part of the extended alliance, PETRONAS will continue to be the title sponsor for TVS Racing, the factory racing team, for the next three years. This collaboration builds upon their previous relationship, where PETRONAS Lubricants India held the title sponsorship for TVS Racing during the 2022-23 season. This partnership emphasizes both companies' commitment to motorsports and its growth in the Indian market.

Arun Mammen, the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of MRF Ltd., has been elected as the new Chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA). This leadership transition coincides with ATMA's Golden Jubilee Year in 2025. Arun Mammen has been an influential figure in MRF Ltd., and his leadership is expected to drive India's global competitiveness in the tyre industry. His strong background in business and technology has been crucial in MRF’s market growth, and now as ATMA’s Chairman, he aims to lead the organization towards further advancements in the sector.

China has deployed a Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR) system in Yunnan province, enhancing its surveillance capabilities, especially regarding India’s strategic defence operations. The radar, with a detection range exceeding 5,000 kilometres, can monitor vast areas, including significant portions of Indian territory and the Indian Ocean region. This advanced radar system raises concerns for India due to its ability to track missile tests and monitor maritime activities. India has responded by strengthening its own radar capabilities and exploring counter-surveillance strategies.

NASA successfully launched its SPHEREx space telescope on March 11, 2025, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. This mission, valued at $488 million, aims to map the entire sky using infrared technology to study galaxy evolution, the early universe, and interstellar ice. Unlike other telescopes, SPHEREx will focus on the collective cosmic glow from all galaxies, providing unique insights into the universe's formation and expansion. NASA's role in this mission highlights its ongoing efforts to explore and understand the cosmos.

N Ganapathy Subramaniam (NGS) has been appointed as the Chairman of Tata Communications, effective from March 14, 2025. Before this appointment, NGS had a distinguished 40-year career with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), where he played a key role in its growth and digital transformation. His leadership and experience in the IT industry have led him to hold significant positions in other Tata Group companies. His appointment to Tata Communications is expected to drive the company’s global expansion, particularly in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and next-generation networking solutions.

Pi Day is celebrated annually on March 14, a date that mirrors the first three digits of the mathematical constant Pi (3.14). This day is significant to mathematicians, scientists, and number enthusiasts, as it celebrates the infinite and important nature of Pi. The celebration was first introduced in 1988 by physicist Larry Shaw and has since gained recognition, with the United States House of Representatives officially designating it as National Pi Day in 2009. March 14 is also the birthday of the renowned physicist Albert Einstein, further linking the date to scientific significance.

Moody’s Ratings has projected that India’s GDP growth will exceed 6.5% in the fiscal year 2025-26, an increase from 6.3% in FY 2024-25. This growth is expected to be driven by higher government capital expenditure, tax cuts to stimulate consumption, and monetary easing through interest rate cuts. Moody’s expects these factors will help India achieve robust economic growth despite challenges in the banking sector, including moderate deterioration in asset quality and stress in certain loan categories.