Mar 15, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

World Consumer Rights Day is observed annually on March 15. The theme for 2025 is "A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles."

Google has introduced Gemma 3, the latest addition to its family of lightweight open AI models, designed to run efficiently on devices such as smartphones, laptops, and other computing platforms.

Built on the same cutting-edge research and technology that powers Google's Gemini 2.0 models, Gemma 3 aims to enhance user experiences with low-latency processing capabilities, optimized to function on a single GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) or TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) host.

The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) has successfully conducted the test launch of the indigenous ASTRA Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) from the LCA AF MK1 prototype fighter aircraft.

The test was carried out on March 12, 2025, off the coast of Chandipur, Odisha. Designed and developed by DRDO, the ASTRA missile is capable of engaging targets beyond 100 km and is equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems, ensuring greater accuracy in target destruction.

The missile has already been inducted into the Indian Air Force.

India's central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has been selected for the Central Banking Digital Transformation Award 2025 in London, United Kingdom, on March 14, 2025.

The RBI received this recognition for its in-house digital initiatives, Pravaah and Sarthi. The Sarthi system, launched in January 2023, is a digital initiative aimed at streamlining the organization's internal workflow.

The Pravaah system, introduced in May 2024, facilitates the digital submission of regulatory applications by external users to the banking regulator.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj has launched two key initiatives—Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan and Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP)—to promote gender-sensitive governance and empower Women Elected Representatives (WERs) in Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan aims to eliminate the “Mukhiya Pati” or “Sarpanch Pati” culture, ensuring that WERs exercise their authority independently, while MWFGP seeks to establish at least one Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayat in each district.

Currently, over 1.4 million women have been elected to PRIs, with states like Bihar achieving 50% representation, surpassing the 33% reservation quota.

On March 7, 2025, India has added six new properties to its UNESCO Tentative List, bringing the total number of tentative sites in the country to 62. The newly added sites include:

1) Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh),
2) Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana),
3) Ashokan Edict Sites along the Mauryan Routes (Multiple States),
4) Chausath Yogini Temples (Multiple States),
5) Gupta Temples of North India (Multiple States), and
6) Palace-Fortresses of the Bundelas (Madhya Pradesh & Uttar Pradesh).

Currently, India has 43 properties inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, categorized as 35 Cultural Sites, 7 Natural Sites, and 1 Mixed Site.

India finished at the top of the medal tally at the World Para Athletics Grand Prix 2025, held in New Delhi, winning a total of 134 medals, including 45 gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze.

This event marked India's first time hosting an international para-athletics competition, which will now be held annually until 2028.

The 12th season of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix, hosted at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, featured 150 Indian athletes competing across 90 medal events. After stops in Dubai and New Delhi, the Grand Prix will next move to Marrakech, Morocco, from April 24 to 26.

Following India in the medal tally were Neutral Para Athletes, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Philippines.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has announced a new initiative aimed at improving efficiencies within the 80-year-old organization and making it more cost-effective. He expressed concerns over shrinking resources and a liquidity crisis amid an environment of "uncertainty and unpredictability.

The UN80 Initiative will develop proposals focused on rapidly identifying efficiencies and improvements in UN operations, conducting a thorough review of the implementation of all mandates assigned by member states— which have significantly increased in recent years— and undertaking a strategic assessment of deeper structural changes and program realignment within the UN system.

Guterres has appointed a dedicated internal task force, led by Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder, and composed of key representatives from across the UN system.

China has reportedly deployed a new Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR) in Yunnan province, near the Myanmar border, significantly enhancing its surveillance capabilities over India.

With a range exceeding 5,000 km, the radar can monitor deep into Indian territory and track missile tests.

Unlike traditional radars that rely on mechanical rotation, LPARs use electronically controlled antennas, allowing them to scan vast areas almost instantly and track multiple targets, including ballistic missiles, with high precision.

These radars play a critical role in early warning systems and air defense networks.

Besides China, only the United States and Russia operate LPAR systems. China's LPAR capabilities are being compared to the US PAVE PAWS (Precision Acquisition Vehicle Entry Phased Array Warning System), a Cold War-era radar with a detection range of approximately 5,600 km, capable of tracking multiple projectiles, including submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

In 2022, China used two large phased-array radars in Shandong province to monitor missile threats from North Korea, South Korea, and Japan.

China's new LPAR can monitor missile tests from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, off India's eastern coast. This real-time surveillance provides Beijing with a significant intelligence advantage, enabling it to analyze launch patterns, missile speeds, and flight trajectories.

Additionally, the radar enhances China's surveillance over the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait, strengthening its strategic positioning in the region.

On March 14, the world observes the International Day of Action for Rivers, a global event dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of rivers and advocating for their protection.

The theme for 2024 is "Our Rivers, Our Future", emphasizing the vital role rivers play in sustaining ecosystems, communities, and economies while highlighting the need for sustainable water management and conservation efforts.