07th April 2025 Current Affairs | Daily GK Update & Top News for Exams

National News

Haryana Declares Two Harappan Sites as Protected Archaeological Monuments

• The Haryana government has declared the Harappan sites of Mitathal and Tighrana in Bhiwani district as protected archaeological sites, highlighting their 4,400-year-old historical significance.
• A notification issued on March 13, 2025, by Kala Ramachandran, Principal Secretary of Haryana Heritage and Tourism, ensures legal protection under the Haryana Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.
• The move aims to prevent encroachment and damage, with plans for fencing and security, especially for the 10-acre Mitathal site.

Excise Duty Hiked on Petrol and Diesel

• Central Government of India announced a ₹2 per litre hike in excise duties on petrol (₹13/litre) and diesel (₹10/litre), effective from April 8, 2025.
• Despite the increase, the Ministry of Petroleum confirmed that retail prices will remain unchanged as public sector oil marketing companies (OMCs) like IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL will absorb the cost.
• The hike comes amid global oil price fluctuations caused by US tariff policies and increased OPEC+ output.

International News

Saudi Arabia Ban 14 Countries For Temporaray Visa

• Saudi Arabia has imposed a temporary visa ban on individuals from 14 countries, including India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, to control overcrowding during the Hajj pilgrimage.
• The ban affects Umrah visas, business visit visas, and family visit visas and aims to regulate the flow of visitors, prevent illegal overstaying, and ensure a smooth and secure Hajj season.
• The ban will remain in place until the end of the Hajj pilgrimage in mid-June 2025.

Kazakhstan’s Major Rare Earth Elements Are Discovered

• Kazakhstan has discovered its largest-ever reserve of rare earth metals at the Kuirektykol site in the Karaganda region
• With an estimated reserve of 1 million tons and potential reserves exceeding 20 million tons in the broader Zhana Kazakhstan zone.
• This discovery, located about 300 km southeast of Astana, positions Kazakhstan as a potential major player in the global critical minerals sector.
• Especially as the world shifts toward green technology and aims to reduce reliance on suppliers like China.

State News

Pondicherry Heritage Festival 2025

• The 11th edition of the Pondicherry Heritage Festival kicked off with the vibrant ‘Veedhi Vilayattu’ (Street Games) in Puducherry’s Tamil Quarter, attracting over 250 children and numerous residents.
• Held between Easwaran Koil and Anna Salai, the festival celebrated the city’s culture and history, featuring traditional games like Pallanguzhi, Pambaram, Dhayam, and Pacha Kuthirai.
• Co-hosted by People for Pondicherry’s Heritage and PondyCAN, the event successfully engaged the community, with the streets coming alive with traditional activities, food, and fun.

PM Modi Inaugurates and Lays Foundation for ₹8,300 Crore Development Projects in Tamil Nadu

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, inaugurating and laying the foundation for infrastructure projects worth ₹8,300 crore.
• Highlights included the inauguration of India’s first vertical lift sea bridge, the New Pamban Rail Bridge (₹700+ crore, 2.08 km), enhancing both ship navigation and train movement.
• The PM also launched a new train service between Rameswaram and Tambaram (Chennai) and dedicated several National Highway projects (NH-40, NH-332, NH-32, NH-36) to improve access to pilgrimage sites, ports, and markets.
• He began his visit with prayers at the Ramanathaswamy Temple, celebrating Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage and its crucial role in India’s development.

Banking News

Government Set To Implement “One State, One RRB”

• The Indian government is launching the “One State, One RRB” policy to enhance operational efficiency and reduce competition by consolidating the existing 43 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) into 28.
• This move aims to improve credit flow and service delivery, particularly in rural areas, by merging smaller, less efficient banks.
• The consolidation builds on previous efforts that reduced the number of RRBs from 196 to 43, with states like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal most affected by the restructuring.
• The policy focuses on cost rationalisation and strengthening the financial and operational frameworks of RRBs.

Agreement News

India-Sri Lanka Sign Historic Defense Pacts For The Future

• India and Sri Lanka have signed a historic defence cooperation pact, the first-ever framework MoU between the two nations, during PM Modi’s visit to Colombo and talks with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
• Coming nearly 40 years after the IPKF deployment, the pact emphasizes joint military exercises, training, and high-level exchanges, reinforcing the notion that the security of both nations is interconnected.
• Part of a broader set of ten key agreements on defence, energy, digital cooperation, and health, the move marks a major step in deepening bilateral ties, with Sri Lanka assuring its territory won’t be used against India.

Awards News

Sudarsan Pattnaik Wins Fred Darrington Award for Excellence in Art and Culture

• Sudarsan Pattnaik made history by winning the inaugural Fred Darrington Award for Excellence in Art and Culture for his Lord Ganesha sand sculpture, which conveys the message of “World Peace”.
• The sculpture, standing 10 feet tall, is on display at SandWorld in Weymouth, Dorset, until November 2025. Pattnaik, a Padma Shri awardee, is the first Indian sculptor to exhibit at SandWorld.
• The award, launched to mark 100 years since Fred Darrington’s first sand sculpture in 1925, includes a gold medal with Darrington’s caricature and a glass wave containing sand from Pattnaik’s sculpture.

Ranks & Reports News

India’s Position in Global AI Investments Rank 10th Globally

• India ranks 10th globally with a private AI investment of Rs. 11,943 crore (US$ 1.4 billion) in 2023, marking significant progress in the global AI landscape.
• It improved its position in the UNCTAD ‘Readiness for Frontier Technologies’ Index, moving from 48th in 2022 to 36th in 2024.
• India faces competition from nations like Germany in wind energy, Japan in electric vehicles, and South Korea in 5G. With 13 million software developers.
• India is a leader in AI research and nanotechnology, but to maintain its position, continued investment in R&D and workforce skill development is essential.
• The economic impact of AI is projected at Rs. 4,09,48,800 crore (US$ 4.8 trillion) by 2033.

Schemes News

Delhi Implements Ayushman Bharat Scheme & Became 35th State

• Delhi became the 35th state or Union Territory to implement the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), providing healthcare coverage to economically disadvantaged residents.
• Chief Minister Rekha Gupta hailed the move as historic, while Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh criticized the previous government’s delays, announcing that registrations would begin on April 10, 2025.
• The scheme, already operational in 34 states, covers 50 crore people and includes 36 lakh frontline workers. An MoU between the National Health Authority (NHA) and the Delhi government formalized the implementation.

Sports News

Hitesh Gulia First Indian Boxer to Win Gold at the World Boxing Cup

• India made a historic debut at the 2025 World Boxing Cup in Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil, with Hitesh Gulia becoming the first-ever Indian boxer to win a gold medal.
• His victory came after his opponent, Odel Kamara from England, withdrew due to an injury. Abhinash Jamwal secured a silver medal in the 65kg category, while Jadumani Singh Mandengbam, Manish Rathore, Sachin, and Vishal each won bronze medals.
• India finished with a total of six medals, marking a strong performance in their first participation at the World Boxing Cup, providing a significant boost ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

Science & Technology News

Meta Launches Llama-4 AI Suite: Scout, Maverick & Behemoth to Rival ChatGPT, Gemini

• On April 6, 2025, Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, launched its next-gen Llama-4 AI suite, featuring three cutting-edge models — Scout (a top-tier multimodal model), Maverick (Meta’s flagship AI assistant), and Behemoth (its most powerful LLM, designed as a teacher model).
• This strategic move intensifies Meta’s position in the global AI race, directly challenging OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and rising players like China’s DeepSeek.

Important Days News

World Health Day 2025: Date, Theme, History and Significance

• World Health Day 2025, observed globally on April 7, commemorates the founding of the WHO in 1948 and focuses on the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.”
• This year’s theme highlights the urgent need to improve maternal and newborn health, launching a year-long WHO campaign aimed at reducing preventable deaths and enhancing health outcomes for women and infants.
• While raising awareness on global health issues and promoting international action and policy change.

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda

• The International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda is observed annually on April 7th, commemorating the systematic murder of over 1 million Tutsi, alongside moderate Hutu and others, by the extremist Hutu-led government.
• Established by the UN General Assembly in 2003, the day serves to honor the victims, reflect on the horrific events, and educate the world on the causes and impact of genocides.
• UNESCO plays a key role in promoting education to prevent such atrocities in the future and raise awareness about the consequences of hatred, discrimination, and violence.

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) 2025

Miscellaneous News

West Bengal Secures GI Tags for Nolen Gurer Sandesh

• West Bengal has achieved a milestone by securing Geographical Indication (GI) tags for seven new products, including the iconic Nolen Gurer Sandesh and Baruipur guavas.
• These GI tags will provide global recognition to traditional items, boosting the local economy and enhancing the state’s cultural identity.
• The tagged products span food items like Kamarpukur’s White ‘Bonde’, Murshidabad’s ‘Chhanabora’, and Bishnupur’s ‘Motichur Laddoo’, as well as agricultural products like Radhunipagal Rice and Malda’s Nistari Silk Yarn.
• This recognition safeguards traditional products and opens up new market opportunities, though challenges like the short shelf life of sweets remain. West Bengal now boasts 33 GI-tagged items.

Current Affairs Today | 06-07 April Current Affairs 2025 | Daily Current Affairs By Ashish Gautam