Feb 08, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

On February 6, 2025, NITI Aayog organized a high-level conclave titled "Towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Strengthening Economy, National Security, Global Partnerships, and Law" at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.

The event brought together top policymakers, including the Vice Chairman, Members, and CEO of NITI Aayog, along with key government officials such as the Chief Economic Advisor to the Government of India and the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence.

This conclave focused on charting a strategic roadmap for India's development by 2047, emphasizing economic growth, national security, international collaborations, and legal reforms.

The First Training Squadron (1TS) of the Indian Navy, comprising INS Sujata, INS Shardul, and ICGS Veera, arrived at Changi Naval Base, Singapore, on February 6, 2025. This visit is part of the Long-Range Training Deployment to Southeast Asia, aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and fostering mutual understanding.

The squadron had previously visited Singapore in October 2023, highlighting the ongoing naval engagements between India and Singapore in the Indo-Pacific region.

The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) is set to launch the Lord Buddha Trination Triservices Expedition, a historic initiative uniting the armed forces of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

This unique motorcycle expedition will begin from Lumbini, Nepal—the birthplace of Lord Buddha—and conclude in Galle, Sri Lanka, covering key Buddhist heritage sites along the route.

The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), in collaboration with NITI Aayog, has launched Swavalambini – a Women Entrepreneurship Programme in Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram.

This initiative aims to empower female students in select Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the northeastern region by equipping them with the essential entrepreneurial mindset, resources, and mentorship needed for their entrepreneurial journey.

Swavalambini seeks to foster women-led startups, enhance financial independence, and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.

India Featured in UN 'Honour Roll' for Timely Budget Contribution India has once again been included in the 'Honour Roll' of the United Nations (UN) for paying its regular budget assessments in full within the 30-day period specified in the Financial Regulations of the UN.

The Honour Roll includes select Member States that have successfully fulfilled their financial commitments to the UN within 30 days of receiving a payment notice.

This recognition highlights India’s commitment to multilateralism and global governance, reinforcing its role as a responsible UN member state.

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the ‘Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha’ (BGBO) scheme in Jankia, Khordha district. This initiative aims to enhance rural infrastructure development across Odisha.

With a ₹5,000 crore budget allocated for five years, the scheme will focus on:

- Improving road connectivity
- Enhancing civic amenities
- Upgrading educational facilities
- Promoting micro tourism development

Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has partnered with China for the upcoming Chang’e-8 moon mission, scheduled for 2028. As part of this collaboration, Pakistan will contribute an indigenous rover to the mission, which is a segment of the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) project.

The primary objective of Chang’e-8 is to test technologies necessary for the construction of a lunar science base, along with conducting surveys, Earth observation, and lunar sample analysis. The mission also offers 200 kg of payload capacity for international partners, allowing them to contribute landers, rovers, or other robotic instruments.

The Union Cabinet on February 7, 2025, approved a new Income Tax Bill to replace the Income-Tax Act, 1961, which has been in force for over six decades.

The new bill aims to simplify direct tax laws, making them easier to understand while ensuring that no additional tax burden is imposed on taxpayers. It seeks to eliminate complex legal jargon by removing provisos, explanations, and long sentences.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Budget 2025-26, had announced that this tax reform legislation would be introduced in the ongoing session of Parliament.

The Men's Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25 season concluded with an exhilarating final where Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers triumphed over Hyderabad Toofans with a 4-3 victory. The intense match was held at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially unveiled the theme song for the upcoming ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, titled ‘Jeeto Baazi Khel Ke’. The song is sung by renowned Pakistani singer Atif Aslam.

On February 5, 2025, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu laid the foundation stone for North India’s first 1-MW green hydrogen plant at Dabhota in Solan district, Himachal Pradesh.

The project is being developed by Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) in collaboration with Oil India Limited and is set to be established at a cost of ₹9.04 crore.

India has surpassed 100 GW of installed solar power capacity, marking a significant step toward achieving its ambitious goal of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based energy capacity by 2030.

Initiatives such as solar panels, solar parks, and rooftop solar projects have brought about revolutionary changes in the sector.

India’s solar power capacity has witnessed an extraordinary 3,450% increase over the past decade, rising from 2.82 GW in 2014 to 100 GW in 2025.

Solar energy remains the dominant contributor to India’s renewable energy growth, accounting for 47% of the total installed renewable energy capacity.

India is hosting the first-ever BIMSTEC Youth Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from February 7 to 11, 2025. The summit is themed "Youth as a Bridge for Intra-BIMSTEC Exchange."

This three-day congregation of young leaders from BIMSTEC nations aims to discuss challenges and opportunities in various fields, including entrepreneurship, technology, digital connectivity, sustainable development, and, most importantly, forging ties beyond national boundaries.

This initiative reaffirms India's commitment to promoting regional cooperation in line with its 'Neighborhood First' policy, 'Act East' policy, and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.

BIMSTEC consists of seven member countries: India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

Panama has officially withdrawn from China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a major infrastructure and trade project aimed at enhancing global connectivity. This decision comes amid growing pressure from the United States, which seeks to limit China’s expanding influence over the Panama Canal, a strategic waterway crucial for global trade.

Panama had joined the BRI in 2017 after cutting diplomatic ties with Taiwan and establishing formal relations with Beijing. The BRI is a global development strategy launched by China, connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe through extensive land and maritime trade networks to promote regional cooperation, economic growth, and infrastructure development.