Current Affairs 10,11 & 12 May 2025

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Operation Sindoor: Indian Armed Forces’ Response to the Pahalgam Terror AttackOn May 7 2025, the Indian Armed Forces carried out ‘Operation Sindoor’, targeting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) which were identified as launchpads for attacks being planned against India. Operation Sindoor was carried out in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) in April 2025.

• The action was named “Operation Sindoor” to honour the women who lost their husbands in the Pahalgam terror attack which was termed as one of the biggest terror attacks after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

About Operation Sindoor:
i.As part of the operation, nine places connected to terrorist activities were struck in Pakistan and PoJK. These strikes were done with care, avoiding any Pakistani military sites, and were launched from Indian airspace.

• The Nine terror locations were targeted.These locations were terror camps operated by groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

ii.The Indian Air Force (IAF) used its frontline fighter jets to target terror camps without crossing the Line of Control (LoC). Rafale, Mirage 2000, and Su-30 MKI aircraft were involved in the operation.
iii..Two women officers Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA), jointly led the official media briefing on Operation Sindoor, marking a significant moment in Indian military history.
>> Read Full News

MoA&FW Data: 97% of Claims Settled under PMFBY; 3 Indian States achieved 100% claim settlementAccording to the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) data presented to the Lok Sabha (the Lower House of the Parliament) in April 2025, 97% i.e. Rs 1,34,353 crore of all reported claims (Rs 1,38,401crore) under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) have been settled across India.

• Top 3 Indian States achieved 100% claim settlement under the schemes: Goa, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu (TN).

Key Findings:
i.Top 3 states filed the highest claims under the schemes in last 6 years (from Financial Year 2018-19 to FY24):  Maharashtra filed claims worth Rs 33,259 crore (approximately 24% of the total claims reported across India), followed by Rajasthan with claims worth Rs 25,284 crore and Madhya Pradesh (MP) at Rs 22,749 crore.
ii.Top 3 states paid highest claims during last 6 years (As of March 31, 2025): Maharashtra (Rs 32,628 crore), MP (Rs 22,274 crore) and Rajasthan (Rs 24,806 crore).
iii.Top 3 states/UTs paid lowest claims during last 6 years: Goa and Andaman & Nicobar Islands (0.1 crore each), Sikkim (0.6 crore) and Manipur (6.2 crore).
>> Read Full News

Atal Pension Yojana: Securing Retirement for India’s Unorganised SectorAtal Pension Yojana (APY), a flagship social security scheme of Government of India (GoI) under Ministry of Finance (MoF) was launched on May 09, 2015 and came into operationalisation on June 01, 2015, designed to provide social security to unorganised sector workers and to ensure financial stability for the poor and underprivileged section of the society.

• The scheme is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). It is managed under the National Pension System (NPS) architecture.

i.It is a voluntary savings scheme for retirement which offers defined pension benefits, linked to the age of joining and amount of contributions.
ii.Initially, APY is open for all citizens of India aged between 18 and 40. Later, individuals paying income tax are not eligible to join the scheme with effect from October 01, 2022.
iii.As per GoI’s data, the APY has witnessed exponential increase in enrolments from 1.54 crore (in March 2019) to 7.65crore (as of April 2025), mobilized a total corpus of Rs 45,974.67 crore.
About Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA):
It was initially established as a regulatory body to promote, develop and regulate pension sector in India. Later, it was granted a statutory body status through PFRDA Act, 2013 passed in September 2013 and the same was officially notified on February 1, 2014.

• It comes under the jurisdiction of Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF).

Chairman- Sivasubramanian Ramann (After May 2025)
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Established in- 2013
>> Read Full News

GoI notifies the expansion of CGSS to increase capital mobilization for startupsIn May 2025, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) has notified the expansion of Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) to increase the capital mobilization for startups in India.

• The notified expansions aim to address the financing needs of innovation-driven startups. This notification replaces the earlier one issued on October 6, 2022, and will be effective from May 8, 2025.

Key Points:
i.The expansion increases the ceiling on guarantee cover per borrower under the scheme from Rs.10 crore to Rs.20 crore.
ii.The extent of guaranteed cover provided also has been increased to 85% of the amount in default for loan up to Rs.10 crore and 75% of the amount in default for loan amount exceeding Rs.10 crore.
iii.The Annual Guarantee Fee (AGF) for startups in 27 Champion Sectors has been reduced to 1% per annum (p.a) from 2% p.a.

• The Champion Sectors have been identified by the GoI under ‘Make in India’.
• The reduction in AGF for Champion Sectors will make funding more attractive and boost innovation in domestic manufacturing and self-reliance.

iv.The expanded scheme will further reduce the risks associated with lending to startups in established financial institutions, enable greater financial flow and runway for startups to undertake Research and Development (R&D), experimentation, and create cutting-edge innovation and technologies.
About Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS):
The Government of India (GoI) established the CGSS scheme on 6th October 2022, with a fixed corpus for providing credit guarantees to loans extended to DPIIT recognized startups by Scheduled Commercial Banks(SCBs), Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs) and Venture Debt Funds (VDFs) under Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), registered under Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

• This scheme is managed by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC) under the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Ministry of Finance(MoF).

About Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I):
Union Minister – Piyush Goyal (Constituency – Mumbai North, Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS) – Jitin Prasada (Constituency – Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, UP)

Coal Ministry signs Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production AgreementOn May 8, 2025, the Ministry of Coal (MoC) signed the Coal Gasification Plant Development and Production Agreement (CGPDPA), with selected applicants under category II of the Coal Gasification Financial Incentive Scheme (FIS), to promote clean and sustainable energy alternatives.

• The applicants chosen under Category II, comprising both private sector firms and government Public Sector Undertakings(PSUs), include New Delhi(Delhi) based Jindal Steel and Power Limited(JSP), Mumbai(Maharashtra) based New Era Cleantech Solution Private Limited and Chennai(Tamil Nadu, TN) based Greta Energy and Metal Private Limited.

Note: Coal gasification is a process that converts carbon-based raw material like coal into fuel gas or synthesis gas (syngas) and is considered a cleaner option as compared to burning coal.
Key People:
The CGPDPA was signed in the presence of Sanoj Kumar Jha, Additional Secretary, MoC, along with Asheesh Kumar, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) (Technical), and BK Thakur, Director (Technical), MoC.
About Financial Incentive Scheme (FIS) for Coal Gasification:
i.The scheme was launched with a total outlay of Rs.8,500 crore in 2024, with an aim to achieve 100 million tonnes of coal gasification by 2030.
ii.It encourages participation from both public and private sector players to establish coal gasification projects across the country.
Categories:
The participants are divided into 3 categories:
i.Category I includes government PSUs, was sanctioned Rs.4050 crore.

• Under this category, up to 3 projects are supported with a grant of Rs.1350 crore for 15% of Capital Expenditure (Capex); whichever is lower.
• The grant will be paid to the selected applicants in two equal installments.

ii.Category II, includes both government PSUs and Private sector companies with a sanction amount of Rs.3850 crore.

• Under this, at least 1 project is bid out on a tariff-based bidding process and its criteria is designed in consultation with NITI(National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog.
• A grant of Rs.1000 crore or 15% of capex, whichever is lower, is provided.
• The selection of applicants is carried out through a transparent bidding process.

iii.Category III, provisioned with Rs600 crore, includes demonstration projects with indigenous technology and/or small-scale product-based Gasification Plants.

• Under this, a grant of Rs100 crore or 15% of capex, whichever is lower, is given to the selected entity, with a minimum capex of Rs100 crore and minimum production of 1500 Nm3/hr Syn gas (Normal Cubic Meter/ hour synthesis Gas)
• The selection of applicants is carried out through a transparent bidding proces.

About the Ministry of Coal (MoC):
Union Minister – G Kishan Reddy (Constituency – Secunderabad, Telangana)
Minister of State (MoS) – Satish Chandra Dubey (Rajya Sabha – Bihar)

AGEL becomes World’s First Renewable Energy IPP to turn Water PositiveOn May 8, 2025, Ahmedabad (Gujarat)-based Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL), a joint venture(JV) between Adani Group and Courbevoie (France)-based Total Energies, became the world’s first Renewable Energy (RE) Independent Power Producer (IPP) with its massive 14 Gigawatt (GW) operational portfolio to turn water positive.

• AGEL achieved water positivity a year ahead of its target year Financial Year 2025-26(FY26) .
• It is the first and only among the top 10 operational RE portfolio companies to reach water positivity.

Key Points of Achievement:
i.The Adani group has been certified water positive by London(England)based Intertek, a global assurance firm, after conducting comprehensive audits and assessments of AGEL’s water accounting data across 103 operational sites, and 85 water conservation sites.

• It is also the only RE company in India of this scale to be certified water positive.

ii.Through this initiative, 85 revitalized ponds benefited over 1,23,000 people including water-scarce communities.
iii.Over 54% of AGEL’s operational capacity employs robotic cleaning technology for solar modules, saving approximately 546 million litres(l) of water annually.
iv.AGEL’s advanced efforts to achieve sustainable solutions include waterless robotic cleaning of solar panels, deepening of traditional water bodies, rainwater harvesting and various pilot projects such as the clean drinking water condensed from humid air.
v.AGEL set out to extend the water positivity goal to the entire operational portfolio by FY26, which was achieved a year ahead in FY25.
About Water positivity:
Water positive refers to a state where an entity restores more freshwater to the environment than the amount it uses in its operations.

• A water-positive framework involves preserving water, optimizing its consumption and contributing to its restoration.

Note: AGEL’s operating portfolio is certified as water positive, single-use plastic free and zero waste-to-landfill.
About Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL):
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Ashish Khanna
Headquarters – Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Incorporated  – 2016

India & Chile sign Term of Reference for CEPAOn 8 May 2025, India and Chile have signed Term of Reference (ToR) for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), marking a significant advancement in the bilateral trade relations between the two countries.

• The ToR was signed by H. E. Juan Angulo, Ambassador of Chile in India and Vimal Anand, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I) and also the Chief Negotiator India-Chile CEPA from the Indian side.
• The first round of negotiations for the CEPA is scheduled to begin on May 26, 2025.

Background:
i.The ToR signed, is a plan to widen the scope for a CEPA between India and Chile, who implemented a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in 2006.
ii.An expanded PTA was subsequently signed in September 2016 and became effective from May 16, 2017.
iii.In April 2019, both countries agreed to pursue a further expansion of the PTA.
iv.Earlier, a Framework Agreement on Economic Cooperation was signed between the two countries in 2005.
Key Points:
i.The CEPA aims to build upon the existing PTA between the two nations.
ii.CEPA seeks to encompass a broader range of sectors, including digital services, investment promotion and cooperation, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), critical minerals etc., to enhance economic integration and cooperation.
iii.India and Chile intends to deepen their economic engagement by unlocking the full potential of their trade and commerce relationship, boosting employment, facilitating investment promotion, and cooperation and exports.
About Chile:
President – Gabriel Boric Font
Capital – Santiago
Currency – Chilean Peso (CLP)

Australia, UK Universities setting up Campuses in Navi Mumbai
In May 2025, Maharashtra Government’s City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) has signed agreements with two leading Universities from Australia and United Kingdom (UK), to set up their campuses in Navi Mumbai.

• The campuses will be set up at Educity, the mega education hub launched by CIDCO in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The investment of the project is expected to be Rs.1500 crores for each campus.
• The agreements were signed with the University of York (the UK) and the University of Western Australia (Australia).

i.The University of York campus is expected to commence operations in 2026, with pending approval from University Grants Commission (UGC). It will offer Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) programmes in computer science with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity, business, economics and creative industries.
ii.Educity is expected to have 10-12 universities which feature in the top 100 global ranking.

Karnataka-based Startup Launches AI-based Agriculture App, SBOF Agrosmart
In April 2025, Belagavi (Karnataka)-based SBOF Agrosmart Private Limited officially launched India’s first AI-powered all-in-one agriculture app,SBOF Agrosmart,aimed at transforming farming practices through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and precision farming tools in the presence of  the Minister of Public Works of Karnataka, Satish Jarkiholi in Belagavi, Karnataka.

• The application, launched with an aim to transform the farming landscape by offering comprehensive support to farmers.

i.Farmers across India face uncertainties like climate change, market price fluctuations, pest and disease outbreaks, lack of timely information, low-quality inputs, and difficulty accessing government schemes and modern tools.
ii.SBOF Agrosmart has bridged the gap through a smart, digital-first approach that delivers real-time, region-specific, and data-driven agricultural solutions.
iii.The application offers 24/7 multlingual chatbot assistance to the farmers.
iv.Real-Time Crop Advisory: Provides farmers with immediate, data-driven recommendations tailored to their specific regional conditions .
v.Government Scheme Updates: Keeps farmers informed about the latest government schemes and subsidies, aiding in better financial planning and support .

ITER Achieves Major Milestone in World’s Largest Fusion Project with India’s helpIn April 2025, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), the world’s largest nuclear fusion project located in southern France, has achieved a major milestone in the development of its main magnet system, with India playing a key role in building critical infrastructure to confine super-hot plasma particles that combine and fuse to release energy.

• The ITER project, backed by the United States of America(USA), China, Japan, Russia, and the European Union (EU) involves more than 30 countries to assemble the world’s most powerful magnet, Central Solenoid.
• The central solenoid had been completed and tested by the USA and will be assembled in Southern France. The start-up phase of the project will begin in 2033.

Key Points:
i.The final part of the magnet system was the sixth module of the Central Solenoid, the main magnet that will drive the plasma, the superhot gas in which fusion reactions take place, in the reactor.
ii.ITER is expected to produce 500 Megawatts (MW) of energy from just 50 MW of input.
iii.India has designed and manufactured the cryostat, an enormous 30-metre (m) tall and 30 m wide chamber that houses the entire ITER Tokmak, the world’s largest and most powerful fusion device.
iv.India has also built the cryolines that carry liquid helium to cool the magnets to minus 269 degrees Celsius(°C), the temperature needed for superconductivity.
v.India has also delivered the reactor’s in-wall shielding, cooling water systems and key parts of the heating systems that will raise the temperature of the plasma to over 150 °C, 10 times hotter than the Sun’s core.
About Tokamak Reactor:
i.A Tokamak Reactor is an advanced experimental device designed to achieve controlled nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars.

• It uses powerful magnetic fields to confine a superheated plasma in a toroidal (doughnut-shaped) chamber, enabling atomic nuclei to fuse and release energy.

ii.It works on a pulsed superconducting electromagnet system.
iii.Originally developed by Soviet researchers in the late 1960s, the tokamak design was soon embraced globally as the most promising configuration for magnetic confinement fusion devices.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

ADB’s 58th AM of the Board of Governors Held in Milan, ItalyThe 58th Annual Meeting (AM) of the Board of Governors of Manila (The Philippines)-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) was held from May 4 to 7, 2025 at Allianz MiCo-Milano Convention Centre in Milan, Italy.

• Theme of 58th AM of ADB: ‘Sharing Experience, Building Tomorrow’.
• Masato Kanda, President of ADB, inaugurated the 58th AM of Board of Governors of ADB.

Highlights:
i.Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MoCA) led the Indian delegation of officials from the Department of Economic Affairs (DoEA), MoF at the 4-day long AM of board of governors of ADB.
ii.ADB has committed USD 5 billion in the forms of loans, grants, and other assistance to India in 2024.
iii.The Board of Governors of ADB approved its 2024 financial statements and  registered a record-breaking USD 1.539 billion (approximately USD 1.54 billion) allocation from its net income. This marks the Highest Net Income (HNI) allocation ever recorded in nearly 60 year-long history of ADB.
About Asian Development Bank(ADB):
President– Masato Kanda (Japan)
Headquarters– Manila, the Philippines
Members Nations- 69
Established– 1966
>> Read Full News

Quad Partners Conduct Tabletop Exercise in Hawaii to Launch IPLNThe Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) partners :India, Australia, Japan, and the United States of America (USA), conducted a Tabletop Exercise (TTX) at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (APCSS) in Honolulu, Hawaii (USA) from April 28 to May 2, 2025 to simulate the launch of the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN).

• TTX was aimed at simulating real-world maritime scenarios to enhance coordination, interoperability, and information-sharing among the Quad nations and maritime agencies.

About Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN):
i.The IPLN is a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing shared logistics capabilities among Quad nations to support civilian disaster response in the Indo-Pacific region.
ii.It enables faster, coordinated, and efficient deployment of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) by creating a robust, interoperable logistics network.
Key Highlights:
i.Civilian-First Focus: Designed to respond effectively to natural disasters including cyclones, tsunamis, and public health emergencies.
ii.Shared Logistics Framework: Promotes joint resource planning, digital logistics mapping, and real-time tracking systems.
iii.Interoperability: Builds mutual trust and logistical coordination among Quad members to enable flexible and scalable crisis response.
iv.Technology-Driven: Encourages the use of digital tools to enhance supply chain responsiveness.
v.Regional Reach: Covers Indo-Pacific islands, coastal nations, and remote areas that are vulnerable to disasters.
Complementary Initiatives:
i.Quad Pandemic Preparedness Workshop 2025: It was held in New Delhi(Delhi) in India under its Quad presidency from March 17 to 19, 2025.
ii.Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA): Focuses on maritime security and illegal fishing monitoring through satellite technology.
About Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad):
i.Quad is an informal strategic group to strengthen cooperation, ensure maritime security, economic growth, and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific, especially in response to China’s growing influence.
ii.The Quad was initially launched in 2007 by Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Shinzo Abe, with support from Australian PM John Howard, Indian PM Manmohan Singh, and United States of America (USA) Vice President (VP) Dick Cheney, and was later revived in 2017.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Cardinal Robert Prevost elected as New Pope in Vatican CityOn May 8, 2025, the United States of America (USA)-based Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected as the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church. He was elected by the cardinals across the globe on the second day of the Papal conclave held in Sistine Chapel, Vatican City.

• He adopted the name Pope Leo XIV and is the first pope from the USA.
• He succeeds Pope Francis, who died on 21st April 2025.

Selection of a new Pope:
i.Following the death of Pope Francis, 133 red-robed cardinals across the globe were brought together at the Papal Conclave in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, to select the new successor.
ii.Robert Francis Pervost, was elected at the fourth ballot, held on the second day of the conclave.

• He had secured at least 89, two-thirds majority of the votes.

Colour Smoke tradition:
Black and White smoke is used to signal about the election of the new pope.

• Black indicates no pope is selected and the voting is restarted.
• White smoke indicates the selection of a new pope.

About Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost:
i.He joined the Order of Saint Augustine and was ordained as priest in Rome in 1982.
ii.In 1985, he began his missionary work in Peru, serving in various capacities including parish pastor, seminary teacher, and diocesan official.
iii.From 2001 to 2013, he served as the Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine. In 2015, he was appointed Bishop of Chiclayo, Peru.
iii.Robert Prevost, holds dual citizenship of USA and Peru, where he spent several years, initially as a missionary and later as Bishop.
iv.In 2023, Former Pope Francis appointed Prevost as the Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and the President of Pontifical Commission for Latin America and was promoted as Cardinal.
iv.Former Pope Francis appointed him to lead the curia’s influential department for Bishop appointments.

CBI Director Praveen Sood Granted One-Year Tenure Extension
In May 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved a one-year extension in the tenure of Praveen Sood a 1986-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Karnataka cadre as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). His term, originally set to end on 24th May 2025, has now been extended till May 2026.

• The extension was approved based on recommendations by the high-level selection committee, chaired by Prime Minister(PM) Narendra Modi, and comprising Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court of India(SCI), and Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha.

i.He began his service as Assistant Superintendent of Police in Mysuru, Karnataka in 1989.
ii.He served as Director General of Police (DGP) in Karnataka before his appointment as CBI Director.

• He also held various key positions, including Police Commissioner of Bengaluru and Mysuru, and Police Advisor to the Government of Mauritius .

iii. He contributed to the implementation of key policing digital initiatives like the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) and Interoperable Criminal Justice System (ICJS).
iv.He has been recognized with several awards, including the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2011), Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2002), Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Service (1996), and the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award (2006).

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

GRSE Delivered ‘Arnala’, India’s 1st ASW SWC to INIn May 2025, Kolkata (West Bengal, WB)-based Indian Defence Public Sector Unit (PSU) Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) has delivered indigenously developed ‘Arnala’, the 1st of the eight Anti-Submarine Warfare – Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) to the Indian Navy (IN) at M/s L&T Shipyard in Kattupalli, Tamil Nadu (TN).

• This new ASW SWC is named after an island with the historic fort ‘Arnala’ located off Vasai, Maharashtra.
• The newly inducted warship, INS Arnala, boasts nearly 88% indigenous content, marking a significant milestone in the IN’s pursuit of self-reliance in shipbuilding and aligning with the Government of India(GoI)’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.

About Arnala:
i.The 77.6 metre (m) long and 10.5 m broad warship, is the largest Indian Naval warship propelled by a Diesel Engine-Waterjet combination and capable of full-scale sub-surface surveillance of coastal waters as well as search and attack.
ii.The warship has been indigenously designed and constructed in accordance with the Classification Rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) of GRSE with Kattupalli (TN)-based L&T Shipyard, a unit of Larsen & Toubro.
iii.It will be used for underwater surveillance, search & rescue operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
About Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE):
In 2022, GRSE was honoured with the Raksha Mantri Award for designing the Arnala, described as the ‘most silent ship’.

• Currently, GRSE is constructing 16 more warships, including three P17A advanced stealth frigates, 7 ASW AWCs, 2 survey vessels, and 4 next-generation offshore patrol vessels.

Chairman and Managing Director (CMD)- Commodore (Cmde) PR Hari
Headquarter- Kolkata, West Bengal (WB)
Established- 1884
About Indian Navy (IN):
Chief of Naval Staff (CoNS)- Admiral Dinesh Kumar (DK) Tripathi
Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
Founded- 1950

Sarvam AI Launches ‘Bulbul v2’ Text-to-Speech Model with 11 Indian Languages
In May 2025, Bengaluru (Karnataka) based Sarvam Artificial Intelligence (Sarvam AI) Private Limited launched ‘Bulbul v2’, an advanced AI based Text-To-Speech (TTS) model that supports 11 Indian languages, enhancing digital voice applications with natural-sounding speech and authentic Indian accents.

• The model supports the following 11 Indian languages: Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, and English.

i.Bulbul v2 is Sarvam AI’s flagship TTS model designed to synthesize natural, human-like speech from textual input in multiple Indian languages. It is an upgraded version of Bulbul v1, which was released in August 2024.
ii.It is cost-efficient and offers India-first pricing for Application Programming Interface (API) access, making AI speech services more accessible across India.
iii.The model offers fine-grained control over pitch, pace, and loudness, while also supporting multiple sample rates ranging from 8 kilohertz(kHz) to 24kHz. Additionally, it includes smart normalization for numbers, dates, and mixed-language text, ensuring more accurate and natural speech synthesis.

OBITUARY

Former F1 Driver & Le Mans Champion Jochen Richard Mass Passed Away
In May 2025, renowned German racing driver Jochen Richard Mass, former Formula One (F1) driver & Le Mans Champion, passed away at the age of 78 in Cannes, France. He was born on 30th September 1946 in Dorfen, Bavaria (Germany).
About Jachen Richard Mass:
i.He won the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) and the Spa 24 Hours race in 1972.
ii.He made his F1 debut with Team Surtees in 1973 and raced in 105 Grands Prix between 1974 and 1982, securing his only victory at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.
iii.In total, Mass made 105 F1 starts, securing 1 win and 7 podiums.
iv.He recorded 32 wins in the World Sportscar Championship, placing second in the all-time winners list behind Jacky Ickx.
v.After several attempts, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1989 with the Sauber C9, partnered by Manuel Reuter and Stanley Dickens.
vi.He drove for Surtees, McLaren, Automobil Technik Schmid (ATS), Arrows, and March, before retiring from F1 in 1982 following a crash at the French Grand Prix.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Kaunain Sheriff M’s Book “The Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant” Released
In May 2025, Kaunain Sheriff M, National Health Editor at The Indian Express, has released his book “The Johnson & Johnson Files: The Indian Secrets of a Global Giant”, a comprehensive investigation into one of India’s significant medical device controversies. The book was published by New Delhi based Juggernaut Books.

• The book delves into the Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) hip implant scandal involving the United States of America (USA) based pharmaceutical company Johnson & Johnson (J&J).

i.In 2003, J&J’s subsidiary, DePuy Orthopaedics, introduced the ASR hip implants, marketed for their durability.

• By 2010, the implants were globally recalled for high failure and metal toxicity, but about 4,700 Indian patients had already received them, unaware of risks.

ii.Sheriff’s book builds upon investigative reports published by The Indian Express in 2018-2019, uncovering how corporate negligence and regulatory oversights compromised patient safety.
iii.The narrative emphasizes the long battle of Indian patients for justice and compensation, in contrast to the USD 2.5 billion settlement Johnson & Johnson provided in the USA.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War 2025 – 8-9 May The United Nations (UN)’s Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War is annually observed across the globe on 8th and 9th of May to honour all victims of the Second World War (WWII) (1939–1945) including around 40 million civilians and 20 million soldiers.

• 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War (WWII).

Background:
i.On 22 November 2004, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/59/26 and proclaimed 8-9 May as Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War.
ii.The resolution encourages UN Member States, organizations, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals to observe one or both days annually to pay tribute to all victims of WWII.
iii.The first observance of the day was held in 2005, marking the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII and the 60th anniversary of the UN.
About United Nations (UN):
Secretary-General – António Guterres
Headquarters – New York, the United States of America (USA)
Established – 1945
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