Staying updated with current affairs is crucial for UPSC aspirants, as it forms a significant part of the Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages. The period from February 10 to February 18, 2025, witnessed several important national and international events that are highly relevant for the UPSC exam. In this blog, we’ll cover the major current affairs pointers from this week to help you stay ahead in your preparation.
National News
1. Union Budget 2025-26 Highlights
- The Union Finance Minister presented the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2025-26 on February 12, 2025.
- Key focus areas included:
- Increased allocation for healthcare and education.
- Boost to infrastructure projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP).
- Tax reforms to promote digital economy and startups.
- Emphasis on renewable energy and green initiatives.
2. Launch of National Green Hydrogen Mission Phase-II
- The government launched the second phase of the National Green Hydrogen Mission on February 14, 2025.
- Aim: To make India a global hub for green hydrogen production and export.
- Budget allocation: ₹20,000 crore for the next five years.
3. India’s GDP Growth Rate for Q3 FY 2024-25
- India’s GDP growth rate for the third quarter of FY 2024-25 stood at 6.8%, as reported by the National Statistical Office (NSO) on February 15, 2025.
- Key contributors: Manufacturing, services, and agriculture sectors.
4. New Education Policy (NEP) Implementation Update
- The Ministry of Education announced the successful implementation of NEP 2020 in 75% of states and UTs as of February 16, 2025.
- Focus areas: Multidisciplinary education, vocational training, and digital learning.
International News
1. India Signs Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the European Union
- India and the European Union signed a comprehensive FTA on February 11, 2025.
- Expected to boost bilateral trade by 30% and create new opportunities for Indian exporters.
2. Global Climate Summit 2025
- The Global Climate Summit 2025 was held in Paris, France, from February 13 to February 15, 2025.
- India pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and announced new initiatives for solar energy and afforestation.
3. India Elected to UN Security Council
- India was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the term 2025-2026 on February 17, 2025.
- This marks India’s 8th term on the UNSC.
Science and Technology
1. ISRO’s Gaganyaan Mission Update
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted the second unmanned flight of the Gaganyaan mission on February 14, 2025.
- The mission is on track for its first manned flight in late 2025.
2. Launch of India’s First Quantum Computing Lab
- India’s first Quantum Computing Lab was inaugurated in Bengaluru on February 16, 2025.
- The lab aims to advance research in quantum technologies and develop applications for defense, healthcare, and finance.
Economy and Business
1. RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Meeting
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept the repo rate unchanged at 6.5% during its MPC meeting on February 13, 2025.
- The decision was taken to balance inflation control and economic growth.
2. India’s Forex Reserves Cross $700 Billion
- India’s foreign exchange reserves reached a record high of $702 billion on February 18, 2025.
- This marks a significant milestone in India’s economic stability.
Environment and Ecology
1. Tiger Population Census 2025
- The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) released the 2025 Tiger Census report on February 15, 2025.
- India’s tiger population increased to 4,000, reflecting successful conservation efforts.
2. Cyclone Preparedness Drill in Coastal States
- The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) conducted a cyclone preparedness drill in coastal states on February 17, 2025.
- Aim: To enhance disaster response mechanisms and community awareness.
Awards and Honors
1. Padma Awards 2025
- The Government of India announced the Padma Awards 2025 on February 12, 2025.
- Notable awardees include:
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award for Science and Technology: Dr. Ramesh Chand, a renowned agricultural scientist.
- Padma Vibhushan: Shri Anupam Kher, for his contribution to Indian cinema.
Sports
1. India Wins ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2025
- The Indian U-19 cricket team clinched the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2025 on February 18, 2025.
- This marks India’s 6th title in the tournament’s history.
2. Paris Olympics 2025 Preparations
- Indian athletes began their final preparations for the Paris Olympics 2025, scheduled to start in July 2025.
- Focus areas: Athletics, wrestling, and shooting.
As only three months are left to UPSC Prelims 2025, is your Current Affairs prep on point? Don’t miss out on important weekly pointers — Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), BRICS, Paris AI Summit, Sovereign Green Bond, and more. You can also test your knowledge by solving MCQs.
Every Monday, UPSC Current Affairs Pointers in UPSC Essentials aim to go beyond the headlines and provide content relevant to your UPSC Prelims, State PCS, and other competitive examinations.
Index
(FYI: The data provided in these reports can be used to substantiate your Mains answer and create a broad understanding of the topic.)
-India, with a score of 38, ranked 96 out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2024, according to the Transparency International report.
The index, which lists countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, ranked Denmark at the top, followed by Finland, and Singapore.
— The index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is corruption clean. The rank tells the country’s position relative to other countries in the index.
— In 2023, India’s overall score was 39 while in 2022, it was 40. There is a decline in the score of India on CPI.
— The report has highlighted that corruption is strongly intertwined with climate change. The funds intended to help those suffering from the consequences of global heating are stolen or misused due to corruption in the system.
— Denmark held on to first place with an unchanged 90 points, followed by Finland with 88 and Singapore with 84. New Zealand dropped from third to fourth, shedding two points to 83. South Sudan slid to the bottom of the index with just eight points, displacing Somalia although the latter country’s score dropped to nine
Events
Paris AI Summit
—The Artificial Intelligence Action Summit, co-chaired by India and France, was held in Paris on 10 and 11 February 2025.
— The Paris AI Action Summit builds on the AI Safety Summit held in the United Kingdom in 2023 and a smaller gathering in Seoul, South Korea, last year.
— The UK Summit led to the Bletchley Declaration on AI Safety which was signed by all 29 participating nations, including the US, China, and India.
— The Seoul Summit, co-hosted by the UK, was attended by 27 nations. The Seoul Declaration reaffirmed their commitment to international cooperation on AI, and to addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by the new technology.
— The Paris Summit focussed on five major themes, including public service AI, future of work, innovation and culture, trust in AI, and global governance of AI.
Aero India 2025
— The 15th edition of Aero India 2025 was held from February 10th to 14th February at Yelahanka Air base in Bengaluru.
— It is a biennial event that was first held at Yelahanka Air Force Station, Bengaluru, in 1996.
— The theme of this year is ‘The Runway to a Billion Opportunities‘.
International
Belt and Road Initiative
— Recently, Panama did not renew the Memorandum of Understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), marking its exit from the initiative. In 2017, Panama became the first Latin American country to officially join the BRI.
— BRI was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. The ‘Belt’ plan was to revitalise a series of trading and infrastructure routes between Asia and Europe. Connectivity through Central Asia was a key element of the initiative. Subsequently, a sea road infrastructure was also initiated.
— For some time, together these initiatives were referred to as the One Belt One Road Initiative (OBOR). Since 2015, it has been mostly referred to as the BRI.
United Kingdom-India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS)
— The ballot for this year’s United Kingdom-India Young Professionals Scheme (YPS) will open next week. The scheme offers both British and Indian nationals the opportunity to live, study, travel, and work in the other country for up to two years.
— The scheme was launched in February 2023 and provides for UK and Indian nationals aged from 18 to 30 to live, study, travel, and work in another country for up to two years. It is part of the Migration and Mobility Agreement that the two countries signed in 2021, capping the number of young professionals admitted to either country at 3,000 per year.
— YPS is not extendable unless the regular work visas which are valid for five years can be extended. The scheme also does not allow any dependent children to accompany the applicant.
Conclusion
The week from February 10 to February 18, 2025, was packed with significant events across various domains. For UPSC aspirants, staying updated with these developments is essential for both Prelims and Mains. Make sure to integrate these current affairs pointers into your study plan and revise them regularly.
Stay tuned for more weekly current affairs updates to ace your UPSC preparation! Good luck!
