25th April, 2025 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Pakistan Suspends Simla Agreement and Closes Border, Airspace, Trade with India

• Pakistan has suspended the 1972 Simla Agreement, closed the Wagah border, halted all trade, and banned Indian airlines from using its airspace.
• This decision follows India’s move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians dead. As relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbors continue to spiral, all existing bilateral mechanisms are now effectively frozen.

What is Simla Agreement?

• Post-1971 War Dynamics: The agreement was a direct consequence of the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War, which resulted in the independence of Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan).
• India's military intervention played a crucial role in this conflict, significantly altering the geopolitical landscape of South Asia.
• Key Negotiators: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Pakistan’s President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
• The agreement aimed to establish peace and normalise relations between the two countries after the intense hostilities.

Objectives of the Simla Agreement: India had several key objectives at Simla.

• Resolution of Kashmir Issue: India aimed for a bilateral resolution to the Kashmir dispute, restraining Pakistan from internationalising the issue.
• Normalisation of Relations: Hoping for improved relations with Pakistan based on the new regional power balance.
• Avoiding Humiliation of Pakistan: India chose not to press for turning the ceasefire line into a permanent boundary to prevent further resentment and potential revanchism in Pakistan.

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INTERNATIONAL
Indian delegation visits South Africa for 2nd India-South Africa JWGTI session

• A nine-member Indian delegation visited Pretoria, South Africa, to participate in the second session of the India-South Africa Joint Working Group on Trade and Investment (JWGTI), held on April 22–23.
• Led by Economic Adviser Priya Nair from the Department of Commerce, the Indian delegation, engaged in wide-ranging discussions with their South African counterparts. The South African side was co-chaired by Malose Letsoalo, Chief Director, Bilateral Trade Relations, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition.
• Key areas of collaboration discussed included pharmaceuticals, healthcare, agriculture, MSMEs, and jewellery manufacturing. The agenda also covered the revival of the CEO Forum, investment cooperation, market access for agricultural products, recognition of Indian Pharmacopoeia, local currency settlement systems, fast payment and unified payment linkages, and discussions on a potential India-Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Preferential Trade Agreement.
• Both sides reviewed recent developments in bilateral trade and investment and acknowledged the significant untapped potential. They agreed to focus on priority sectors for enhancing mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities.
• South Africa remains India’s largest trading partner in the African continent. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached USD 19.25 billion in 2023-24. Indian businesses have invested over USD 1.3 billion in South Africa since April 2000, spanning diverse sectors such as pharmaceuticals, information technology, automotive, banking, and mining.

ECONOMY
India’s Inland Waterways achieve record 145.5 MMT cargo movement in FY25

• India’s inland water transport (IWT) sector has achieved a record cargo movement of 145.5 million metric tonnes (MMT) in FY 2024–25—nearly eight times the 18.10 MMT recorded in FY 2013–14. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced this milestone on Thursday, attributing the achievement to strategic investments, digital tools, and policy reforms led by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• The sector has grown at a CAGR of 20.86% over the last decade, with a 9.34% rise over the previous year alone. Five bulk commodities—coal, iron ore, iron ore fines, sand, and fly ash—accounted for over 68% of the cargo moved. Passenger movement reached 1.61 crore in 2023–24.
• Operational National Waterways increased from 5 in 2014 to 29 today, with the navigable length rising from 2,716 km to 4,894 km. Infrastructure investment over the decade touched Rs. 6,434 crore, with key developments including Multi-Modal Terminals, community jetties, floating terminals, and navigational locks.
• To shift freight from road and rail to waterways, the “Jalvahak” Cargo Promotion Scheme was launched in December 2024 with a Rs. 95.42 crore budget. It provides a 35% reimbursement on operating costs and has introduced scheduled services on major routes such as Kolkata–Patna–Varanasi (NW-1) and Kolkata–Pandu (NW-2).
• The 2025 Budget also extended the tonnage tax regime to inland vessels to ease taxation and promote shipping under the Indian Vessels Act, 2021. Additionally, new regulations notified this year enable private participation in jetty and terminal construction.
• To boost multimodal integration, key terminals at Varanasi, Sahibganj, Haldia, and Kalughat are being transferred to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata. Digital platforms like LADIS, RIS, Car-D, PANI, and MIRS are also improving navigation and logistics efficiency.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Nadda launches national ‘Zero Measles-Rubella’ elimination campaign on World Immunization Week

• Marking the start of World Immunization Week 2025 (April 24–30), Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, virtually launched the National Zero Measles-Rubella (MR) Elimination Campaign 2025–26. The campaign reinforces India’s commitment to eliminate Measles and Rubella by 2026.
• India’s strategy to eliminate Measles and Rubella focuses on achieving and maintaining over 95% vaccination coverage with two doses of the MR vaccine in every district, maintaining a sensitive and timely case-based surveillance system, ensuring preparedness and swift outbreak responses, and building strong inter-departmental linkages. Public awareness remains a central pillar, with targeted campaigns to dispel myths and reduce vaccine hesitancy.
• According to 2024–25 HMIS data, India currently stands at 93.7% coverage for the first dose of the MR vaccine and 92.2% for the second dose. In 2024, the country saw a significant decline in measles and rubella cases, with measles dropping by 73% and rubella by 17% compared to 2023.
• India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), the largest in the world, vaccinates approximately 2.9 crore pregnant women and 2.6 crore newborns annually against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B. The U-WIN digital platform, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is streamlining vaccination services across the country by enabling online registration, appointment booking, and digital certification.

Published date : 26 Apr 2025 10:23AM