Current Affairs - March 19, 2025 Current Affairs

Canara HSBC Life Insurance has partnered with GIC Housing Finance (GICHF) to provide credit life insurance to home loan customers. Through this collaboration, GICHF customers are offered the 'Group Asset Secure' product, which provides financial protection against loan liabilities. This partnership aims to support India's growing homeownership aspirations by integrating strong insurance solutions into the home loan process, ensuring customers are financially protected in case of unforeseen circumstances.

The Delhi Police has introduced 'Shishtachar' squads across all districts to strengthen women's security in public spaces. These specialized teams are designed to prevent and tackle harassment cases effectively by conducting regular patrols, covert surveillance, and collaboration with the public. The initiative focuses on prevention, intervention, and victim assistance to create a secure environment for women in the capital.

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) has developed two 32-bit microprocessors, Vikram 3201 and Kalpana 3201, for space applications. The Vikram 3201 is India's first fully indigenous 32-bit microprocessor, specifically qualified for use in launch vehicles. This development is a significant advancement from the 16-bit Vikram 1601, which has been operational in ISRO's avionics systems since 2009. These microprocessors will enhance the capabilities of ISRO's space missions and technologies.

VARUNA 2025 is a bilateral naval exercise between India and France, aimed at strengthening their maritime cooperation. It is the 23rd edition of this annual exercise, which has been held since 2001. The exercise showcases various naval capabilities, including aircraft carriers, fighter aircraft, and submarines. It focuses on improving coordination in air defence, anti-submarine warfare, and surface combat. VARUNA 2025 reflects the strong naval partnership between the two nations and their shared commitment to maintaining a free, open, and secure maritime environment in the Indo-Pacific region.

SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has partnered with DigiLocker to help investors store their demat and mutual fund holdings digitally, thus reducing the occurrence of unclaimed assets in the Indian securities market. This initiative includes a nomination facility that allows legal heirs to seamlessly transition assets upon the investor's demise. Additionally, KYC Registration Agencies (KRAs) will verify and notify the nominees, ensuring smooth access to financial information and streamlining the process for asset inheritance.

The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 is being hosted in England, marking a historic milestone as it is the first time the tournament is being held outside of Asia. The event will take place across several venues, including Birmingham, Coventry, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. This decision reflects Kabaddi's growing popularity and global appeal, as the sport traditionally has its strongholds in countries like India, Pakistan, and Iran. Hosting the tournament in England aims to expand the sport’s reach in Europe and other parts of the world.

UIDAI has partnered with Sarvam AI, a Bengaluru-based Generative AI company, to enhance Aadhaar services. This collaboration, starting on March 18, 2025, aims to introduce AI-driven voice interactions, real-time fraud detection, and multilingual support to improve the security, efficiency, and accessibility of Aadhaar services. The partnership focuses on offering AI-powered solutions while ensuring data privacy and sovereignty, with a custom-built GenAI stack operating securely within UIDAI's infrastructure. The initiative is a part of UIDAI's commitment to incorporating cutting-edge technologies for a better user experience.

World Sparrow Day is celebrated annually on March 20th to raise awareness about the declining population of house sparrows and to encourage conservation efforts. The event, first initiated by Nature Forever Society in 2010, has grown in importance and recognition worldwide. It aims to highlight the threats to sparrow populations, promote bird-friendly urban planning, and encourage conservation campaigns. By celebrating this day, people from over 50 countries work together to protect sparrows and ensure their survival in both urban and rural environments.

Paisabazaar launched PBMoney, a platform designed to help users improve their financial wellness by offering a unified view of their financial accounts. It combines data from bank accounts, mutual funds, stocks, and more into a single dashboard. The platform also provides personalized investment advisory services powered by advanced algorithms, helping users make better financial decisions. Built on the Account Aggregator framework, PBMoney will eventually integrate insurance and GST data for a more comprehensive financial overview.

The Bank of Mauritius (BOM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to facilitate trade transactions in Indian Rupees (INR) and Mauritian Rupees (MUR). This agreement is aimed at promoting bilateral trade and financial cooperation between India and Mauritius by enabling transactions in their respective local currencies, reducing costs and improving efficiency in cross-border trade. The MoU is a step toward strengthening the economic and financial ties between the two nations.

Bisleri International has partnered with Observer Research Foundation to launch the book "Trading Blue Gold: A Blueprint for Water Credit Valuation in India". This book focuses on water credits, a market-based mechanism that promotes sustainable water management practices. The publication aims to explore the expansion of the water credit framework beyond the beverage industry, highlighting Bisleri's commitment to environmental sustainability.

Ordnance Factory Day is observed every year on March 18 to commemorate the establishment of the first Ordnance Factory in colonial India near Kolkata in 1801. This day highlights the crucial role of Indian Ordnance Factories in enhancing the country's defence sector. The first-ever Ordnance Factories Day was celebrated on March 15, 1802, marking a significant milestone in India's defence history. The celebration emphasizes the research, development, and production capabilities of the Indian Ordnance Factories, which continue to support the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in New Delhi. This collaboration aims to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and data-driven governance across various sectors like healthcare, education, agriculture, and employment. By leveraging AI and digital solutions, the government intends to enhance service delivery, promote innovation, and drive efficiency in public administration, with a particular focus on healthcare and education reforms to improve outcomes for the state's residents.