Current Affairs - April 20, 2025 Current Affairs

The Registration of Births and Deaths (RBD) Act was enacted in 1969 to provide a uniform law for the compulsory registration of births and deaths across India. The Act lays out a clear framework, assigning responsibilities to national, state, district, and local-level registrars to ensure timely and accurate registration. It has since undergone amendments, including a significant one in 2023 that mandates digital registration through the Civil Registration System (CRS). The Act also stipulates a 21-day reporting window, penalties for delays, and provisions for Indian citizens residing abroad. The year 1969 marks the beginning of formal, centralized registration of vital events in India.

In March 2025, India’s pharmaceutical exports experienced a remarkable YoY surge of 31.21%, reaching $3.68 billion compared to $2.80 billion in March 2024. This made March the strongest-performing month of FY25 in terms of export growth. The impressive increase was driven by a shortage of generic prescription drugs in the US, strategic diversification into new markets, and urgency to ship ahead of a proposed US tariff hike, which was later paused. Despite global economic and logistical challenges, this surge contributed significantly to India surpassing its annual pharmaceutical export target.

Dwarka and Beyt Dwarka, located in Gujarat, are rich in cultural, religious, and archaeological significance. Dwarka is revered as the kingdom of Lord Krishna and is one of the Char Dham pilgrimage sites. It is believed that Krishna established the city by reclaiming land from the sea, making it Gujarat's first capital. The region is home to historic structures like the Dwarkadhish Temple and Sharada Peeth. Beyt Dwarka, situated off the coast, has archaeological layers dating back to the Harappan and Mauryan periods. The ASI's underwater study aims to uncover ancient maritime heritage at these significant coastal sites in Gujarat.

The Ironwood chip is the latest innovation from Google, representing its 7th generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU). Purpose-built to run cutting-edge AI workloads like Large Language Models (LLMs) and Mixture of Experts (MoEs), Ironwood exemplifies the shift toward proactive AI that generates insights autonomously. It boasts remarkable performance, with the ability to support over 9,000 chips per pod and deliver 42.5 Exaflops—far surpassing traditional supercomputers. The chip also doubles the performance per watt compared to its predecessor, thanks to energy-efficient liquid cooling. As part of Google Cloud’s Hypercomputer architecture, Ironwood is pivotal in scaling AI applications across platforms like Search, YouTube, and DeepMind.

The new frog species Leptobrachium aryatium was discovered in the Garbhanga Reserve Forest near Guwahati in Assam. Named after Arya Vidyapeeth College, this species stands out for its vivid orange-and-black eyes, unique throat pattern, and rhythmic dusk calls. Although initially mistaken for Leptobrachium smithi, molecular and morphological studies confirmed it as a distinct species. The Garbhanga Reserve Forest, located on the Assam-Meghalaya border, plays a vital role in regulating local climate and water systems while supporting rich biodiversity. However, increasing urbanization poses significant threats to its fragile ecosystem and the newly identified species.

The World Trade Organization has projected a 0.2% decline in global merchandise trade for 2025, reflecting heightened trade tensions and increasing uncertainty in global trade policy. This figure contrasts with the 2.9% growth seen in 2024 and underscores a troubling shift driven largely by tariff measures and ongoing disputes, particularly between the US and China. The WTO warns that if these tensions worsen, the contraction could deepen significantly. While global services trade is expected to grow modestly at 4.0%, the slowdown in merchandise trade affects key service sectors like transport and investment. Least-developed countries are especially vulnerable due to their dependence on exports.

Tamil Nadu leads in employing women in the formal manufacturing sector, accounting for 41% of the total female workforce in this space. This significant share highlights the state's relatively inclusive industrial environment, especially when compared to other states with low female representation. Tamil Nadu, along with other southern states like Karnataka and Kerala, showcases better gender participation, which is largely driven by industries such as textiles, apparel, and food processing. These sectors not only form the backbone of female employment but also demonstrate the regional disparities in gender inclusion across India's manufacturing landscape.

Japan is gifting India two Shinkansen train sets, specifically the E5 and E3 series, in 2026 as part of bilateral cooperation in high-speed rail technology. The E5 series, known for its speed of 320 km/h and cutting-edge features, was selected for India’s Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The initiative is being executed by the National High-Speed Rail Corporation Ltd. (NHSRCL) and is heavily funded (about 80%) by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The project embodies deep Indo-Japanese collaboration in infrastructure, with an emphasis on adopting best-in-class railway systems from Japan under the National Rail Plan 2030.

India’s prison system is experiencing critical levels of overcrowding, with the national average occupancy rate exceeding 131%. This means that the number of inmates far surpasses the official capacity of the prisons, contributing to a host of issues including deteriorating mental and physical health conditions. Overcrowding hampers the delivery of basic healthcare, increases the spread of communicable diseases, and puts additional strain on an already understaffed medical system. The severity of the overcrowding, combined with a lack of mental health professionals and an unfulfilled prisoner–doctor ratio, underlines a systemic crisis in India’s prison infrastructure.

In 2005, approximately 50,000 Gond tribals were displaced from Chhattisgarh as part of a counter-insurgency measure called the ‘strategic hamleting’ programme, aimed at combating Maoist insurgents. This policy involved relocating the tribal population to roadside camps in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Despite playing a crucial role in security operations due to their local knowledge, these tribals have received no proper rehabilitation or recognition. The Chhattisgarh government has not processed their Forest Rights Act claims or advocated for their rights with the central government, making Chhattisgarh the state of origin for this significant and unresolved displacement.