Current Affairs 21 January 2025

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs 21 January 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our Current Affairs January 2025 events will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also, try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Monthly Current Affairs 2025 PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Read Current Affairs in CareersCloud APP, Course Name – Learn Current Affairs – Free Course – Click Here to Download the APP

We are Hiring – Subject Matter Expert – English | CA Video Creator | Content Developers(Pondicherry)

Click here for Current Affairs 19 & 20 January 2025

Click here for Affairscloud Hindu Free Vocabs telegram channel

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Startup India Marks 9 Years: 1.59 Lakh Startups Recognised and 16.6 Lakh Jobs CreatedOn January 16 2025, Startup India, a transformative initiative of Government of India (GoI) that started in 2016, has successfully completed 9 years. The initiative aimed to foster innovation and boost the growth of startups across the country. GoI has designated January 16 as National Startup Day to celebrate the nation’s stride in promoting a robust and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

• With over 1.59 lakh startups (from 500 in 2016) recognised by DPIIT (as of January 15, 2025,), India has firmly positioned itself as the world’s 3rd largest startup ecosystem.
• Startup India initiative is being implemented by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry (MoC&I).

i.Union Minister Piyush Goyal, MoC&I launched two key initiatives including the PRABHAAV Factbook (Powering a Resilient and Agile Bharat for the Advancement of Visionary Startups) and Bharat Startup Challenge at the celebration of 9 years of Startup India in New Delhi, Delhi.
ii.In January 2025, Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister (CM) of Maharashtra signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SIDBI to establish a Rs 100 crore fund aimed at strengthening startups and small businesses in the state.
iii.Startup Policy Forum (SPF), with the support of DPIIT and Startup India, launched two flagship initiatives namely, ‘Startup Baithak’ and ‘Startup Baatcheet’ to celebrate National Startup Day 2025.

• The event was held from January 15 to January 16, 2025 at iconic Group-20 (G20) Summit room in Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi (Delhi).

About Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI):
Union Minister- Piyush Goyal (Constituency- Mumbai North, Maharashtra)
Minister of State (MoS)- Jitin Prasada (Constituency- Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
>> Read Full News

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia Launches Sanchar Saathi App, NBM 2.0 and ICR Facility to Boost Telecom ConnectivityIn January 2025, Union Minister Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia, Ministry of Communications (MoC), introduced several citizen-focused initiatives, including the launch of the Sanchar Saathi Mobile Application (App), the unveiling of the National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0, and the inauguration of the Intra Circle Roaming(ICR) facility at Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)-funded 4G (fourth generation) mobile sites in New Delhi, Delhi.

i.The Sanchar Saathi Mobile App is a user-friendly platform aimed at enhancing telecom security and empowering citizens. It enables users to secure their telecom services and protect against fraud.

ii.NBM 2.0, is an expansion of the earlier NBM 1.0 and aims to further develop India’s digital infrastructure.

• Under NBM 2.0, the government intends to connect the remaining 1.7 lakh villages and improve the broadband speed to 100 Mbps (Megabits per second).

iii.With the launch of Intra Circle Roaming (ICR) at Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN)-funded 4G sites, subscribers of multiple Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) can now access 4G services from the same tower, improving connectivity with lower costs.
>> Read Full News

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar Launched the Toolkit for 9th Edition of Swachh SurvekshanIn January 2025, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) launched the toolkit for 9th edition of Swachh Survekshan (SS), the world’s largest urban cleanliness survey, in its new version- simpler, sharper, systematic and all-inclusive.

• A special category- Super Swachh League (SSL) has been introduced for the year 2024, creating a separate league of cities performing well in cleanliness.
• SS which was initially launched by MoHUA in 2016 promotes urban sanitation improvement through citizen participation and 3rd –party validation.

i.Cities have been classified into 5 population categories: Very Small, Small, Medium, Big, and Medium-Plus.

• Each category will be examined based on population and parameters customised to its specific size and requirements.

ii.The last and final phase of SS- Field Assessment for the 9th edition will start on February 15, 2025 and will be completed by the end of March 2025.
About Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA):
Union Minister- Manohar Lal Khattar (Constituency- Karnal, Haryana)
Minister of State (MoS) – Tokhan Sahu (Constituency- Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh)
>> Read Full News

Indian Armed Forces Conducts ‘Exercise Devil Strike’The Indian Armed Forces conducted ‘Exercise Devil Strike’, a joint exercise involving the elite airborne forces of the Indian Army (IA) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) from January 16-19, 2025 at the training areas and firing ranges, validating critical drills and improving operational preparedness.
About Exercise Devil Strike:
i.Exercise Devil Strike evaluates and improves logistical sustaining plans to ensure troops remain operational and well-equipped under challenging circumstances.
ii.It includes state-of-the-art equipment and advanced technologies that enable the precise and effective delivery of airborne forces to remote locations.
iii.It demonstrates the dedication of the Indian Armed Forces to sustaining operational excellence and flexibility in the constantly changing military environment.
iv.The exercise has improved combined operational capabilities and reaffirmed the readiness of the Indian Armed Forces to protect the interests of the country and respond effectively to any emerging threat.
About Indian Army (IA):
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) – General Upendra Dwivedi
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1895
Motto – Seva Parmo Dharma (Service Before Self)
About Indian Air Force (IAF):
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) – Amar Preet Singh
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi
Established – 1932
Motto – Nabha Sparsham Deeptam(Touch the sky with Glory)

ISM, CG Power and CSPL Sign Fiscal Support AgreementIn January 2025, the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Mumbai(Maharashtra) based CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited(also known as Crompton Greaves Limited), and Ahmedabad , (Gujarat) based CG Semi Private Limited(CSPL) signed a Fiscal Support Agreement (FSA) to advance India’s semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

• The agreement supports CG Power’s Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) facility, which was approved under the Modified Programme for Development of Semiconductor and Display Manufacturing Ecosystem.

Key Points:
i.CG Power will establish its semiconductor OSAT unit in Sanand, Gujarat, in collaboration with Renesas Electronics America Inc. and Stars Microelectronics (Thailand) Public Company Limited with an investment of Rs 7,600 crore.
ii.ISM will provide 50% pari-passu fiscal support for the project’s eligible Capital expenditures(CAPEX), demonstrating the commitment of the Government of India (GoI) to strengthening India’s position as a major participant in the global semiconductor value chain.
iii.CG Power will contribute significantly to India’s goal of reaching the USD 500 billion production target in electronics by 2030.
Note: India has set a target of reaching USD 500 billion worth of electronics production by 2030.
About India Semiconductor Mission (ISM):
i.The ISM was launched in 2021 with a total financial outlay of Rs 76,000 crore under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

• It has been set up as an Independent Business Division within Digital India Corporation(DIC).

ii.It aims to provide financial support to companies investing in semiconductors, display manufacturing and design ecosystems.
iii.The following four schemes have been introduced under the programme:

• Modified Scheme for setting up of Semiconductor Fabs in India.
• Modified Scheme for setting up of Display Fabs in India.
• Modified Scheme for setting up of Compound Semiconductors/Silicon Photonics/ Sensors Fab and Semiconductor Assembly, Testing, Marking and Packaging (ATMP)/OSAT facilities in India.
• Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme.

FIU-IND & NHB ink MOU to enhance coordination and information exchangeIn January 2025, New Delhi (Delhi) based Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) under the Department of Revenue (DoR), Ministry of Finance (MoF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New Delhi (Delhi) based National Housing Bank (NHB), under MoF to collaborate on a range of critical areas, including intelligence sharing, capacity building and risk assessment.

• It aims to strengthen the implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), and its associated rules as part of ongoing efforts.

Signatories:
The MoU was signed by Vivek Aggarwal, Director of FIU-IND, and Sanjay Shukla, Managing Director (MD) of NHB, along with other dignitaries present at the event in New Delhi, Delhi.
FIU-IND and NHB will collaborate in areas of mutual interest, including the following:
i.Each party will appoint a nodal officer and an alternate nodal officer to coordinate with the other.
ii.Sharing relevant intelligence and information from their databases as outlined in the MoU.
iii.Establishing the procedure and manner in which supervised/reporting entities report to FIU-IND under the PML Rules.
iv.Providing outreach and training for supervised/reporting entities.
v.Enhancing Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) skills in supervised/reporting entities.
vi.Assessment of AML/CFT risks and vulnerabilities in Housing Finance Companies in India.
vii.Identifying red flag indicators for Suspicious Transaction Reports HFCs in India.
viii.Supervising and monitoring the compliance of supervised/reporting entities with their obligations under PMLA, PML Rules, and Reserve Bank of India (RBI)/NHB guidelines.
ix.Complying with each other’s obligations under relevant international standards.
x.Conducting quarterly meetings to discuss the above, along with typologies/trends in AML/CFT crimes, cases with imposed sanctions, etc.
About Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND):
It is responsible for receiving, processing, analyzing, and disseminating information related to suspicious financial transactions under the PMLA.
Director – Vivek Aggarwal
Headquarters – New Delhi (Delhi)
Founded – 2004
About National Housing Bank (NHB):
Managing Director (MD) – Sanjay Shukla
Headquarters – New Delhi (Delhi)
Founded – 1988

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

QS World Future Skills Index 2025: USA topped; India ranked 25thIn January 2025, London(the United Kingdom, UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) released its first ‘World Future Skills Index 2025’. India secured 25th position globally earning a score of 76.6, which classifies it as a “future skills contender.”

• India secured the 2nd position globally, behind the United States of America (USA) in the ‘Future of Work’ category indicating its strong readiness for technology-driven roles and industries of the future, especially in digital skills, artificial intelligence (AI), and green technologies.
• The USA leads the rankings with a score of 97.6, followed by the UK (97.1), Germany (94.6), Australia (93.3), and Canada (91.0) in the top 5 positions, categorized as “future skills pioneers.”

Overall Ranking:

ILO’s WESO Report 2025: Global unemployment slow down at 5% On January 18 2025, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released its flagship report titled ‘World Employment and Social Outlook : Trends 2025(WESO Trends 2025)’, highlighting the current state of global labour markets and the social outlook. The report provides an in-depth analysis of global employment trends, challenges, and prospects for the near future.

• According to the report, the global unemployment rate slowed down at 5% in 2024 and is projected to tick lower again in 2026 to 4.9%. However,  Youth unemployment remain high at 12.6% in 2024.
• The unemployment rates for the overall number of jobs missing, stood around 402.4 million in 2024 globally.

Highlights of the Report:
i.According to the report, Global growth rates remain stable, hovering around 3.2% in 2024 and 2025.

• Inflation rates have come down from 6.7% in 2023 to 5.9% in 2024 and are expected to decelerate further in 2025.

ii.The global Labour Force Participation Rate(LFPR) remained at 61% in 2024.
iii.According to the report, the unemployment rate in India is projected to grow by 6.2% in 2024 and 5.8% in 2025.
About International Labour Organization (ILO):
Director- General (DG)- Gilbert Fossoun Houngbo
Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland
Established- 1919
>> Read Full News

Highlights of EAM S.Jaishankar’s Visit to Spain from 13th to 14th January 2025Union Minister S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) made a 2-day visit to Spain from January 13th to 14th,  2025 which marks his second visit to Spain and first visit as External Affairs Minister(EAM).

• During his visit to Spain, Union Minister Jaishankar met the Spanish King Felipe VI and President Pedro Sanchez.

i.India and Spain signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) that focused on cooperation in sports and sustainable urban development.
iii.Addressing the Indian diaspora in Spain, Union Minister Jaishankar highlighted that 2026 has been designated as a ‘Dual Year’ to celebrate cultural exchange, tourism, and advancements in AI between the two nations
iii.On January 13 2025, Union Minister Jaishankar was addressed at the 9th Annual Conference of Spanish Ambassadors held in Madrid, Spain . The theme of the Conference was ‘A Foreign Policy with Our Own Identity’.
About Spain:
Prime Minister(PM)– Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón
Capital– Madrid
Currency– Euro(EUR)
>> Read Full News

Nigeria Joined BRICS as the 9th Partner CountryIn January 2025, the government of Brazil, which holds the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) bloc presidency in 2025, announced that Nigeria, the world’s 6th largest population and Africa’s largest country, has officially joined BRICS as the 9th Partner Country,

• Other Partner countries of BRICS bloc are: Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

About BRICS:
i.BRIC, as a formal grouping, initiated following the meeting of the leaders of Russia, India, and China held in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2006.
ii.The grouping was formalized during the 1st meeting of foreign ministers of BRIC (Brazil, Russia,India China) countries held on the sidelines of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the United States of America (USA) in 2006.

• The 1st BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia in 2009.

iii.BRIC group was renamed as BRICS after South Africa was accepted as full member of BRIC in 2010.
iv.16th BRICS Summit was held under the chairmanship of Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, in Kazan (Russia) from October 22 to 24, 2024.

• Theme: “Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security”.

New Member Countries of BRICS Bloc:
i.In January 2024, countries namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran,  and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) officially joined BRICS bloc.
ii.In January 2025, Indonesia formally became the full member of the BRICS bloc. With this, it has become the 1st SouthEast (SE) Asian country to join this bloc.
About Nigeria:
Capital- Abuja
President- Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Adekunle Tinubu
Currency- Nigeria Naira (NGN)

USA Removed BARC, IGCAR and IREL From Restrictive Entity ListIn January 2025, the United States of America (USA)’s Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS) has removed 3 prominent Indian nuclear entities from its restrictive Entity List. This move aims to strengthen bilateral ties between India and USA and also focus on promoting advanced energy cooperation.

• The entities removed from the USA entity list are: Trombay, Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC), Department of Atomic Energy(DAE); Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based IREL (India) Limited(formerly Indian Rare Earths Ltd); and Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu, TN)-based Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR).
• The updated listing also includes modifications to one existing entry of India.

Note: The USA has imposed restrictions on more than 200 Indian entities following India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan in 1998.
About US Entity List:
i.The list is prepared by USA’s BIS which publishes the names of certain foreign persons, including businesses, research organisations that are subject to specific license requirements for the export, re-export and/or transfer (in-country) of specified items.
ii.The persons whose names are included on the list are subject to individual licensing requirements and policies.
iii.The entities on the list indicate that the USA government suspected them engaging in activities contrary to US national security or foreign policy interests.
iv.The inclusion of name on the Entity list imposes stringent licensing requirements that complicate international business dealings.
About United States of America (USA):
President- Donald John Trump
Capital- Washington, D.C.
Currency- United States Dollar (USD)

BANKING & FINANCE

Shriram Life Insurance Launches Sunishchit Laabh Savings Plan
In January 2025, Shriram Life Insurance launched Shriram Life Sunishchit Laabh, a non-participating individual savings plan that guarantees high returns of up to 668% of the total premium paid.
i.The plan offers a combination of savings and life insurance benefits for people looking for long-term payout options and financial security.
ii.Individuals aged 30 days to 60 years are eligible for the plan with an annual premium starting at Rs 30,000.
iii.This premium can be made on a Rs 15,500 half-yearly, Rs 8,000 quarterly, or Rs 3,000 monthly basis, and the plan offers tax-free maturity payouts for periods between 10 to 40 years, up to the maximum age of 101 years.
iv.It offers death benefits up to 160 times the annualized premium by providing additional financial security for the families of policyholders.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India’s GDP Growth Likely to Reach 6.7% in FY26: CRISILAccording to the CRISIL Ratings Limited’s (formerly Credit Rating and Information Services of India Limited)Report, India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth is likely to improve to 6.7% in Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26).

• The report has outlined 3 main drivers i.e. the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rate cuts, lower crude oil prices and a normal monsoon, that are expected to support this growth projection.

Key Findings:
i.The report cited that a sustained decrease in food inflation, along with stable non-food inflation, could possibly lead to rate cut by the RBI in the next months.
ii.As per the report, headline inflation is making progress towards the RBI’s 4% inflation target as Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation has decreased from 5.5% (in November) to 5.2% (in December).

• Similarly, food inflation has declined from 9% to 8.4%, while non-food inflation remained stable at 3.1%.

iii.As per the report, CPI inflation is projected to average 4.6% for the current fiscal year (FY25), with a slight upward bias in the forecast.
iv.The report revealed that the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) has increased to 5.2% in November, up from 3.7% in October (revised from previous estimate of 3.5%).

• This growth was mainly attributed to strong performance in investment goods and consumer durables, supported by a low base effect.

v.The report has estimated that agricultural growth is likely to increase, as high reservoir levels bode well for rabi crop output, which is further expected to boost farm incomes and rural consumption.

• Additionally, increased agricultural production is expected to reduce pressure on food inflation during the remainder of the current fiscal year, which could further boost discretionary consumption.

About CRISIL Ratings Limited:
Managing Director (MD)– Subodh Rai
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established– 1987

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

DoT Extends Robert Jerard Ravi’s Tenure as CMD of BSNL and MTNL until April 2025

In January 2025, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications (MoC) has extended the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of BSNL (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) and MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited) assigned to Robert Jerard Ravi for another three months with effect from January 15, 2025, till April 14, 2025, or until further orders, whichever is earlier, subject to approval by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
i.Ravi is currently serving as Deputy Director General (Standards Research and Innovation) and was assigned additional charge of telecom public sector undertakings as their CMD on July 13, 2024.
ii.He has played a vital role in finalizing the tender for the third phase of the BharatNet project and boosting BSNL’s 4G network rollout during his tenure as CMD.

• BharatNet Phase 3 aims to provide broadband connectivity to 6.4 lakh villages and all 2.64 lakh Gram panchayats across India.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

VP Jagdeep Dhankhar launched the book “Parliament: Powers, Functions & Privileges; A Comparative Constitutional Perspective” 
In January 2025, the Vice-President (VP) of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar launched the book “Parliament: Powers, Functions & Privileges; A Comparative Constitutional Perspective” in New Delhi (Delhi). The book was authored by Dr. KS Chauhan, Senior Advocate, at VP’s Enclave, New Delhi(Delhi).
i.The book consists of two volumes and was published by Mohan Law House (MLH) Publishing Private Limited.
ii.The book explains about the functions of Parliament, its special rights, and its important role in holding the government accountable, especially in shaping the India’s democracy.

Amitav Ghosh’s new book, “Wild Fictions” addressing climate change & societal issues
On January 10 2025, A new book named ‘Wild Fictions’ authored by Amitav Ghosh was published by the Fourth Estate India at the 41st Dr CD Deshmukh Memorial Lecture at the India International Centre (IIC) in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The book explores climate change, societal issues, and political instability in “time of monsters” addressing urgent global crises like biodiversity loss, climate change, and emerging diseases.

i.He is the author of several acclaimed works of fiction and non-fiction including The Shadow Lines, The Glass Palace, The Hungry Tide, the Ibis Trilogy (comprising the novels Sea of Poppies, River of Smoke and Flood of Fire), Gun Island, The Great Derangement, The Nutmeg’s Curse, Jungle Nama and The Living Mountain.
ii.In 2019  he was the 1st English-language writer to receive the ‘Jnanpith Award’, India’s highest literary honour for his writings on the planetary crisis and climate change.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Disaster Response Force Raising Day 2025 – January 19National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Raising Day is observed annually across India on January 19 to mark the founding of the NDRF, a special force under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

• January 19, 2025 marks the observance of the 20th NDRF Raising Day.

Note:The NDRF, is a ‘Specialist Force’  to handle emergencies, trained to respond to both natural disasters like floods, cyclones, and earthquakes, and man-made disasters like chemical spills and terrorist attacks.
2025 Events: 
The 20th Raising Day ceremony of the NDRF was held at the 10th Battalion of NDRF located in Kondapavuluru, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh (AP) with Union Minister Amit Shah, MoHA as the Chief Guest.

• During the event, Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated several projects and laid foundation stones for various initiatives worth approximately Rs 220 crore. The projects include:

i.Inaugurated the National South Campus of the Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), AP.
ii.Inaugurated the 10th Battalion of NDRF.
iii.Inaugurated the Regional Response Centre (RRC) at Supaul (9th Battalion) Campus, AP.
iv.Laid foundation stone for ‘Integrated Indoor Shooting Range’ at the National Police Academy (NPA) in Hyderabad, Telangana worth Rs. 27 crore.
v.Regional Forensic Science Laboratory(RFSL) Building in Tirupati, AP.
About National Disaster Response Force (NDRF): 
Director-General (DG)– Piyush Anand
Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi
Established– 2006
>> Read Full News

*******

Current Affairs Today (AffairsCloud Today)

Aspirant: Does Affairscloud covers all the Current affairs topics related to examinations?
Affairscloud: We Guaranteed All the Important topics related to examination are covered in Our Daily CA content and Daily CA Quizzes.
Aspirant: Why is there a delayal in news?
Affairscloud: As some of the major news sites doesn’t provide the required data on the exact day, we take extra time for important data to be presented to the aspirants on the examination basis to ensure nothing is missed.
Example:  In ‘Important Days’ topics the International Organisations publish their reports and Rankings in the evenings, to make sure every data is covered, we delay the topics to the next day.