Daily Current Affairs 17th April 2025, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

National News

Ministry of Ayush Organized Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme

• The Ministry of Ayush organized a special session of the Rashtriya Karmayogi Jan Seva Programme on April 16, 2025, at Ayush Bhawan, New Delhi, under the Mission Karmayogi framework in collaboration with the Capacity Building Commission (CBC).
• The programme aimed to enhance service orientation, professional capacity, and public service efficiency among ministry personnel.
• The first phase, inaugurated by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, focused on creating a responsive workforce, while the second phase, led by Dr. Subodh Kumar and facilitated by Ms. Shipra Singh, used interactive learning, team exercises, and problem-solving activities.

SC Issued Guidelines to Child Trafficking

• In a landmark judgment on April 15, 2025, the Supreme Court of India, led by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan, issued strong directives on child trafficking, urging parental vigilance and warning of organized trafficking gangs exploiting children for sexual exploitation, forced labour, illegal adoptions, and child marriage using technology for coordination.
• The court held hospitals accountable for newborn safety, exposed loopholes in the Juvenile Justice Act, cancelled bail of 13 accused, and ordered trial completion within six months, with strict warnings to state authorities and High Courts for any non-compliance.

CPCB Revises Classification of Industries Introduced New Category

• The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has introduced a Blue Category for industries providing Essential Environmental Services (EES), such as waste-to-energy plants, biomining, and compressed biogas (CBG) plants.
• These industries will receive extended consent validity (an additional 2 years, totaling 7 years) to incentivize their role in managing pollution and promoting sustainable practices.
• The Pollution Index (PI) categorizes industries into Red, Orange, Green, and now Blue, with waste-to-energy plants and agro-residue-based CBG plants moved to the Blue Category due to their environmental benefits.
• The revised classification streamlines the approval process and removes the need for dual compliance for industries with environmental clearance (EC).

International News

WHO Pandemic Treaty Proposal Finalised

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has finalized a Pandemic Treaty proposal, set to be presented at the 78th World Health Assembly on May 19, 2025.
• The agreement, drafted by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), aims to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) through a binding international instrument under the WHO Constitution.
• Key provisions include the creation of a Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing System (PABS), adoption of the One Health Approach, promotion of geographically diverse R&D capacities, technology transfer, and a global health supply chain.
• The treaty also emphasizes multidisciplinary workforce development and the establishment of a financial mechanism for pandemic response.

Tanzania Records Hottest Year Ever in 2024 Amid Surging Nighttime Temperatures

• In 2024, Tanzania recorded its hottest year since 1970, with an average national temperature of 24.3°C, 0.7°C above normal, surpassing the previous record set in 2023.
• The year saw a significant rise in nighttime temperatures, with the minimum temperature averaging 19.3°C, 1.1°C above the long-term average. In contrast, the maximum temperature averaged 28.8°C, just 0.4°C above normal.
• The year also became the fourth wettest in history, adding to the climate stress, particularly for the 80% of the population reliant on agriculture.
• Notable anomalies occurred in February (+1.5°C) and March–May, with minimum temperatures exceeding +1°C anomalies.

Military Leader Wins Presidential Election in Gabon

• General Brice Oligui Nguema won Gabon’s 2025 presidential election with over 90% of the vote, following a military coup in 2023 that ended the Bongo family’s 40-year rule. Nguema, previously head of the Republican Guard, ran under a new electoral code allowing military officers to contest elections.
• Despite his promise to relinquish power after the coup, he secured the presidency in a largely peaceful election. Gabon, an oil-rich country, faces significant economic challenges such as youth unemployment (over 40%) and corruption, which Nguema must address during his seven-year term.

State News

Tamil Nadu Forms High-Level Committee To Strengthening State Autonomy

• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the formation of a high-level committee on April 15, 2025, to review Centre-State relations and propose measures to enhance State autonomy.
• The committee, chaired by Justice Kurian Joseph (Retired Supreme Court Judge), includes K. Ashok Vardhan Shetty and M. Naganathan.
• It will review constitutional provisions, laws, and policies, recommend restoring subjects from the State List to Concurrent List, and suggest reforms to improve States’ administrative capacity and autonomy.
• The interim report is due by January 2026, with the final report in two years, incorporating recommendations from past bodies like the Rajamannar Committee and Sarkaria Commission.

Gujarat Police’s GP-DRASTI Drone Program: Enhancing Public Safety

• The GP-DRASTI (Drone Response and Aerial Surveillance Tactical Interventions) program by Gujarat Police introduces quadcopters for real-time surveillance, quick crime response, and evidence gathering across 33 police stations in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Surat, and Vadodara.
• Equipped with HD cameras, night vision, and 1 km zoom, drones can track targets, provide live footage, and assist in facial recognition during criminal events.
• Operating within a 4 km range at 120 meters altitude and 45-minute flight time, the initiative enhances policing in violence-prone areas, with 16 personnel initially trained for drone operations.

Economy News

India’s Exports Rise Marginally by 0.7% in March 2025

• In March 2025, India’s exports grew marginally by 0.7% to $41.97 billion, while imports surged by 11.3% to $63.51 billion, widening the trade deficit to $21.54 billion.
• For the fiscal year 2024–25, merchandise exports saw a slight 0.08% increase to $437.42 billion, while imports rose by 6.62% to $720.24 billion.
• Overall exports (goods + services) grew by 5.5% to $820.93 billion, indicating resilience in service exports, despite a growing trade deficit driven by rising import demand.

India’s Trade Dynamics in FY25 Surplus with US Widens, Deficit with China Deepens

• India’s foreign trade for FY2024–25 showed contrasting trends with key global partners. Exports to the United States rose by 11.59% to $86.5 billion, leading to a trade surplus of $41.2 billion.
• Meanwhile, exports to China fell by 14.49% to $14.25 billion, while imports from China grew by 11.52% to $113.45 billion, deepening the trade deficit with China to $99.2 billion.
• Key import drivers from China included electronics, EV batteries, solar cells, and industrial inputs, with PLI schemes boosting demand for imported components.

Awards News

5 Military Personals Honored With Prestigious MacGregor Memorial Medal

• The MacGregor Memorial Medal was awarded to five distinguished military personnel for 2023 and 2024 in recognition of their exceptional contributions to military reconnaissance, exploration, and adventure.
• The awards, conferred by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan at a ceremony hosted by the United Service Institution of India (USI), honored Wing Commander D. Panda and Electrical Artificer Rahul Kumar Pandey for 2023, and Chief Electrical Aircraft Artificer Ram Ratan Jat, Sergeant Jhumar Ram Poonia, and Colonel Ranvir Singh Jamwal (Director, NIMAS) for 2024.
• The medal, instituted in 1888 and named after Major General Sir Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, recognizes outstanding military expeditions and adventure activities.

Defense News

Indian Navy Hosted 3rd Edition Of Meghayan-25

• The Indian Navy hosted the 3rd edition of Meghayan-25 on April 14, 2025, at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi, to celebrate World Meteorological Day 2025 under the theme “Closing the Early Warning Gap Together.”
• The symposium aimed to enhance awareness and collaboration in Marine Meteorology and Oceanology.
• It was virtually inaugurated by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, and presided over by Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, with participation from leading scientific and defence institutions.

India-Uzbekistan Joint Military Exercise DUSTLIK-VI Begins at Aundh, Pune

• The 6th edition of Exercise DUSTLIK (DUSTLIK-VI) between India and Uzbekistan commenced on April 16, 2025, at the Foreign Training Node, Aundh, Pune, and will run until April 28, 2025.
• The exercise focuses on enhancing bilateral military cooperation, tactical interoperability, and coordination between the armed forces of both nations.
• With 60 Indian personnel (mainly from the JAT Regiment and Indian Air Force) and Uzbekistan Army troops participating, the exercise involves joint multi-domain sub-conventional operations in a semi-urban scenario, simulating a terrorist attack and territory seizure.
• It alternates annually between India and Uzbekistan.

Summits & Conferences News

UAE Assumes Chair of INTERPOL’s Committee on Governance

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been elected as Chair of INTERPOL’s Committee on Governance, with Lt. Col. Dana Humaid Al Marzouqi securing 67% of member state votes during the election held at INTERPOL HQ, Lyon on April 11, 2025.
• This marks the UAE’s first leadership role on this key platform, enhancing its global influence in policing and law enforcement diplomacy.
• The Committee on Governance, established in late 2024, oversees INTERPOL’s internal processes, with the UAE chairing it for a two-year term, promoting transparency, inclusivity, and strategic cooperation.

Current Affairs Today | 17 April Current Affairs 2025 | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam