6th March, 2025 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
PM Modi Announces Asiatic Lion Population Estimation

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the seventh meeting of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) at Sasan, Junagadh, Gujarat. The meeting, attended by Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and other NBWL members, focused on critical wildlife conservation efforts, including the upcoming Asiatic lion population estimation and the launch of various conservation initiatives.
• One of the key highlights of the meeting was the announcement of the 16th Asiatic Lion Population Estimation, scheduled for May 2024. The estimation will provide crucial insights into the current status of Asiatic lions, their population growth, habitat conditions, and conservation challenges.
• The National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) is a statutory advisory body that plays a pivotal role in shaping India’s wildlife conservation policies. The NBWL consists of 47 members, including:
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the ex-officio chairperson.
• Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav as the vice-chairperson.
• Representatives from various states.
• NGOs, chief wildlife wardens, and secretaries from different states.
• The Chief of Army Staff.
• The central government has approved over ₹2,900 crore under Project Lion, aimed at ensuring the long-term conservation of Asiatic lions, which are exclusively found in Gujarat.

First Population Estimation of Riverine Dolphins in India: Key Findings and Significance

• India has conducted its first-ever population estimation of riverine dolphins, revealing a total of 6,327 dolphins across the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Indus river systems. This significant study, conducted as part of ‘Project Dolphin’, provides crucial insights into the status and distribution of these endangered freshwater species. The findings, published in a government report, highlight the ecological importance of river dolphins and the need for conservation efforts.
• The Ganges river dolphin (Platanista gangetica gangetica) is an endangered freshwater dolphin species found primarily in the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna river system and its tributaries. These dolphins are also found in the waters of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. Known for their unique adaptations, such as near-total blindness and reliance on echolocation, these dolphins are essential indicators of healthy freshwater ecosystems.
• The Indus river dolphin (Platanista gangetica minor), a close relative of the Ganges river dolphin, is primarily found in the Indus river system in Pakistan. However, a small population of three dolphins has been identified in the Beas River in Punjab, India. The presence of this species in India is extremely rare, making its conservation even more critical.
• The first-ever comprehensive river dolphin population survey was conducted from 2021 to 2023, covering a vast area of over 8,000 km across eight states.

These states included:

• Uttar Pradesh
• Bihar
• Jharkhand
• Rajasthan
• Madhya Pradesh
• West Bengal
• Assam
• Punjab
• This survey marks one of the largest freshwater dolphin assessments ever undertaken.

INTERNATIONAL
Trump’s Imposed Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China

• The Trump administration has imposed sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, significantly altering trade relations and increasing economic tensions. These tariffs, effective from March 4, 2025, have raised import duties to levels unseen in decades, affecting key industries, supply chains, and diplomatic ties. While the move aims to encourage domestic manufacturing and reduce trade imbalances, it has drawn backlash from trading partners and business groups, citing higher consumer costs and economic instability.
• PM Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs of 25% on $155 billion of U.S. goods.
• First phase ($30 billion) effective immediately, rest in 21 days.
• Canada strengthened border security, including leasing Black Hawk helicopters for patrols.

Yamandú Orsi Sworn in as Uruguay’s President

• Yamandú Orsi was sworn in as Uruguay’s President on March 1, 2025, marking the return of the leftist Broad Front coalition after a five-year conservative rule. A former history teacher and mayor, Orsi has pledged to strengthen Uruguay’s social safety net while addressing economic stagnation.
• His presidency presents a challenge in balancing the demands of his leftist supporters with economic growth and investor confidence. His leadership will be closely watched as he navigates labor disputes, fiscal constraints, and international expectations.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
India’s AI Revolution
India is undergoing a remarkable transformation in Artificial Intelligence, driven by the visionary leadership of PM Modi. For the first time in India’s history, the government is actively shaping an AI ecosystem where computing power, GPUs, and research opportunities are accessible at an affordable cost.

• Unlike in the past, AI in India is no longer confined to a privileged few or dominated by global tech giants. Through forward-looking policies, the Modi government is empowering students, startups, and innovators with world-class AI infrastructure, fostering a truly level playing field. Initiatives such as the IndiaAI Mission and the establishment of Centres of Excellence for AI are strengthening the country’s AI ecosystem, paving the way for innovation and self-reliance in this critical sector.
• These efforts align with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, where India aspires to become a global AI powerhouse, leveraging cutting-edge technology for economic growth, governance, and societal progress.

 AI Compute and Semiconductor Infrastructure

• India is rapidly building a strong AI computing and semiconductor infrastructure to support its growing digital economy. With the approval of the IndiaAI Mission in 2024, the government allocated ₹10,300 crore over five years to strengthen AI capabilities.
• A key focus of this mission is the development of a high-end common computing facility equipped with 18,693 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), making it one of the most extensive AI compute infrastructures globally. This capacity is nearly nine times that of the open-source AI model DeepSeek and about two-thirds of what ChatGPT operates on.

Here are the key developments:

• Scaling AI Compute Infrastructure: The initial phase of the mission has already made 10,000 GPUs available, with the remaining units to be added soon. This will enable the creation of indigenous AI solutions tailored to Indian languages and contexts.
• Opening Access to High-Performance Computing: India has also pioneered the launch of an open GPU marketplace, making high-performance computing accessible to startups, researchers, and students. Unlike many countries where AI infrastructure is controlled by large corporations, this initiative ensures that small players have an opportunity to innovate.
• Robust GPU Supply Chain: The government has selected 10 companies to supply the GPUs, ensuring a robust and diversified supply chain.
• Indigenous GPU Capabilities: To further strengthen domestic capabilities, India aims to develop its own GPU within the next three to five years, reducing reliance on imported technology.
• Affordable Compute Access: A new common compute facility will soon be launched, allowing researchers and startups to access GPU power at a highly subsidised rate of ₹100 per hour, compared to the global cost of $2.5 to $3 per hour.
• Strengthening Semiconductor Manufacturing: In parallel, India is advancing semiconductor manufacturing, with five semiconductor plants under construction. These developments will not only support AI innovation but also reinforce India’s position in the global electronics sector.

 India’s AI Models & Language Technologies

• The government is facilitating the development of India’s own foundational models, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and problem-specific AI solutions tailored to Indian needs. To foster AI research, multiple Centres of Excellence have also been set up.
• India’s Foundational Large Language Models: IndiaAI has launched an initiative to develop indigenous foundational AI models, including LLMs and Small Language Models (SLMs), through a call for proposals.
• Digital India BHASHINI: An AI-led language translation platform designed to enable easy access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages, including voice-based access, and support content creation in Indian languages.
• BharatGen: The world’s first government-funded multimodal LLM initiative, BharatGen was launched in 2024 in Delhi. It aims to enhance public service delivery and citizen engagement through foundational models in language, speech, and computer vision. BharatGen involves a consortium of AI researchers from premier academic institutions in India.
• Sarvam-1 AI Model: A large language model optimised for Indian languages, Sarvam-1 has 2 billion parameters and supports ten major Indian languages. It is designed for applications such as language translation, text summarisation, and content generation.
• Chitralekha: An open-source video transcreation platform developed by AI4Bhārat, Chitralekha enables users to generate and edit audio transcripts in various Indic languages.
• Hanooman’s Everest 1.0: A multilingual AI system developed by SML, Everest 1.0 supports 35 Indian languages, with plans to expand to 90.

Published date : 07 Mar 2025 11:24AM