Current Affairs - National

Telangana’s first 24-hour drinking water supply project was launched in Karimnagar Smart City. Inaugurated by Union Minister Manohar Lal, the project cost ₹18 crore and included 6,000 water connections across 5 divisions. Karimnagar also saw the inauguration of a ₹12.35 crore multipurpose building and a ₹22 crore sports school complex, showcasing significant investments in urban infrastructure and development.

India ranks 4th in the Global Firepower Index 2025, maintaining its strong military position globally. This ranking is based on over 60 parameters, including manpower, resources, and geography, reflecting India’s significant military capabilities. India’s score is 0.1184, just behind the United States, Russia, and China. The Global Firepower Index evaluates the military strength of 145 countries, and India's consistent position in the top ranks showcases its military prowess.

In the Edelman Trust Barometer 2025, India slipped to third place globally in terms of public trust in institutions such as government, businesses, media, and NGOs. Despite India’s score remaining unchanged, it lost its second position to Indonesia, which saw an increase in its score. The report highlighted significant disparities in trust levels across various income groups and nations, with China and Indonesia occupying the first and second spots, respectively.

The CSIR Mega Innovation Complex, India’s first facility of its kind, was inaugurated in Mumbai on January 17, 2025, by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. The complex aims to support start-ups, MSMEs, and industries by providing advanced infrastructure such as incubation labs, office spaces, and networking zones. Additionally, it promotes innovation, regulatory compliance, and technology transfers, facilitating collaboration between start-ups, researchers, and innovators. This initiative contributes to India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and aims to enhance growth in sectors like healthcare, chemicals, energy, and materials science.

Piyush Goyal has set an ambitious target of achieving 10,000 Geographical Indication (GI) tags by 2030. Currently, India has 605 GI tags, with authorized users increasing from 365 to 29,000. To support this initiative, a committee will be formed to oversee the expansion of GI tags. Efforts include better branding, collaboration with FSSAI and BIS to combat counterfeit products, and engaging private sector players, e-commerce platforms, and embassies to promote GI products globally.