CURRENT AFFAIRS
01 April, 2025
1. THE LOK SABHA WITNESSED DISCUSSIONS ABOUT 16TH CENTURY RAJPUT KING RANA SANGA –
• Maharana Sangram Singh (1484–1527), popularly known as Rana Sanga, was the Rajput ruler of Mewar and a successor of the Sisodia clan.
• Ruling from 1508 to 1528, he expanded his kingdom across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and parts of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• Rana Sanga defeated Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Khatoli (1517) and Battle of Dholpur (1518), and Sultan Mahmud Khilji II in the Battle of Gagron (1519), establishing Rajput dominance in North India.
• However, his ambitions suffered a major blow at the Battle of Khanwa (1527) against Babur, where Mughal artillery and internal betrayals led to his defeat. His legacy endures as a symbol of Rajput bravery.
2. A MASSIVE 7.7 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK CENTRAL MYANMAR, CAUSING WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION, PARTICULARLY IN THE CITY OF MANDALAY. THIS SEISMIC EVENT IS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES IN RECENT YEARS –
What Caused the Myanmar Earthquake?
• Strike-Slip Faulting: The Myanmar earthquake was caused by a type of faulting known as “strike-slip faulting” along the Sagaing fault.
• The Sagaing Fault, spanning 1,500 km through Myanmar, marks the tectonic plate boundary between the Indian plate to the west and the Eurasian plate to the east. It is one of the world’s longest and most active strike-slip faults.
• Plate Interaction: The earthquake occurred due to the movement between the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates, with the Indian plate moving northward in relation to the Eurasian plate.
• This interaction causes stress to accumulate along the fault line, specifically the Sagaing Fault. When the built-up strain is suddenly released, it triggers an earthquake.
3. INDIA’S EXTERNAL DEBT SURGE –
• In December 2024, India’s external debt reached approximately $718 billion. This marked an increase of 10.7 per cent from the previous year. The surge in debt is attributed mainly to non-financial corporations seeking funds for infrastructure projects. The data shows rise in both short-term and long-term debts.
External Debt
• India’s external debt rose from around $648 billion in December 2023 to $718 billion by December 2024. This increase of over $69 billion occurred despite a decline in general government debt. The external debt-to-GDP ratio was reported at 19.1 per cent, slightly up from 19 per cent in September 2024.
Components of External Debt
• The largest share of external debt is held in US dollars, accounting for 54.8 per cent. Other currencies include the Indian Rupee at 30.6 per cent, Japanese Yen at 6.1 per cent, Special Drawing Rights (SDR) at 4.7 per cent, and Euro at 3 per cent. Loans constitute the largest component of external debt, making up 33.6 per cent.
4. INDIA-U.S. HADR EXERCISE TIGER TRIUMPH –
• The fourth iteration of the India-U.S. tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise, known as Tiger Triumph, is set to take place from 1 to 13 April 2025. This exercise aims to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the Indian and U.S. armed forces in disaster response scenarios.
Objectives
• The primary goal of Tiger Triumph is to enhance interoperability in conducting HADR operations.
• It focuses on developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for establishing a Combined Coordination Centre (CCC).
• This centre will facilitate effective collaboration between Indian and U.S. Joint Task Forces (JTF) during various operations.
5. WHAT IS SEMICRYOGENIC ENGINE ? –
• Recently, ISRO achieved breakthrough in space propulsion technology with the successful hot test of its Semicryogenic engine. This engine is designed to power the Semicryogenic booster stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LVM3) and boasts a thrust of 2,000 kN.
• The test, conducted at the ISRO Propulsion Complex in Mahendragiri, Tamil Nadu, validated various critical subsystems and marked a very important step towards enhancing India’s space capabilities.
• The Semicryogenic engine uses Liquid Oxygen and Kerosene as propellants. These non-toxic and non-hazardous materials provide enhanced performance compared to the existing L110 liquid stage. The new engine, designated SE2000, is expected to increase the payload capacity of LVM3 from 4 tonnes to 5 tonnes in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which institution administers the Abel Prize ?
a) Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
b) Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters
c) International Mathematical Union (IMU)
d) Fields Institute
Q2. What is the name of the Indian Army’s Tri-Service integrated multi-domain warfare exercise conducted in March 2025 ?
a) Vayu Shakti
b) Prachand Prahaar
c) Yudh Abhyas
d) Mitra Shakti
Q3. What was India’s Current Account Deficit (CAD) in Q3 FY25 (Oct-Dec 2024) ?
a) $8.2 billion
b) $9.6 billion
c) $11.5 billion
d) $14.3 billion
Q4. Which of the following best explains why Myanmar is prone to frequent and intense earthquakes ?
a) It lies entirely on a stable continental shield.
b) It is located near the triple junction of the African, Eurasian, and Pacific plates.
c) It is traversed by an active strike-slip fault resulting from Indian-Eurasian plate interaction.
d) It experiences earthquakes due to extensive volcanic activity across its terrain.
Explanation-
• Myanmar experiences frequent earthquakes primarily due to its location at the collision boundary between the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate.
• A prominent geological feature here is the Sagaing Fault, a right-lateral strike-slip fault that accommodates the relative motion between these tectonic plates. This fault extends from the eastern Himalayan syntaxis in northern Myanmar down toward the Andaman Sea.
• The strike-slip nature of the fault means horizontal displacement occurs between blocks of the crust, and stress accumulation over time results in sudden ruptures (earthquakes). The Sagaing Fault has been responsible for major quakes in the region, including those affecting Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw.
• Option a is incorrect because Myanmar is not on a tectonically stable shield like Peninsular India.
• Option b is geographically wrong; the triple junction mentioned is unrelated to Myanmar.
• Option d is misleading because Myanmar is not a volcanically active zone—the earthquakes are tectonic, not volcanic in origin.
Q5. Which of the following best explains why photonic chips are considered superior for future technologies like 6G and quantum computing ?
a) They require no electricity for operation
b) They rely solely on quantum bits (qubits) instead of classical bits
c) They offer ultra-high data transfer speeds and minimal heat generation
d) They can only be used in space applications
Explanation-
• Photonic chips operate using photons—particles of light—rather than electrons, which makes them far more efficient for high-speed data transfer.
• Unlike electronic chips that suffer from resistive heating and limited bandwidth, photonic chips offer ultra-fast transmission, high bandwidth, and very low energy loss. This makes them well-suited for emerging data-intensive domains such as 6G communication, quantum computing, and AI.
• Moreover, photonic chips generate minimal heat and are immune to electromagnetic interference, significantly improving operational stability and efficiency in complex computing environments.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | B | C | C | C |