UPSC Current Affairs Pointers brings you essential current affairs of the past week, every Monday, to aid you in your Prelims and Mains preparation of UPSC, State PCS, and other competitive examinations. If you missed the UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | January 6 to January 12, 2025, from the Indian Express, read it here. Report (FYI: The data provided in these reports can be used to substantiate your Mains answer and create a broad understanding of the topic.) QS World Future Skills Index 2025 — According to the QS World Future Skills Index 2025, India has been ranked second in terms of preparedness for jobs of the future including artificial intelligence (AI) and green skills, only behind the United States. — The QS World Future Skills Index uses specific indicators to evaluate how well countries are equipped to meet the evolving demands of the international job market. — Overall, India ranked 25th across all indicators, which also includes the alignment between skills and employer needs, academic readiness, and economic transformation. — This overall ranking makes India a “future skills contender”, the report said. Countries in the top 10, including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Canada, have been categorised as “future skills pioneers”. The index uses four indicators to measure the country's readiness to meet the jobs of the future: skill fit, academic readiness, economic transformation, and the future of work. Events Indian Army Day 2025 — Indian Army Day is observed every year on January 15 to honour the bravery and sacrifices of soldiers who dedicated their lives to protecting the country. — The theme for the 77th Army Day 2025 is ‘Samarth Bharat, Saksham Sena’ (Capable India, Empowered Army), reflecting the Indian Army’s commitment to national strength and defence capabilities. — This is the first time the all-women Agniveer contingent participated in the Army Day parade. — Also, Pune hosted the Army Day parade for the first time. This is the third occasion on which a city other than New Delhi has hosted the Army Day Parade, keeping in line with the Union government’s decision to hold events of national importance outside the national capital. — The day commemorates the occasion when General (later Field Marshal) K M Cariappa took over the command of the Indian Army from General Sir F R R Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief, in 1949 and became the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of Independent India. Armed Forces Veterans’ Day — The Armed Forces Veterans’ Day is celebrated every year on January 14 across India to pay respects to the armed forces veterans for their selfless duty and sacrifices and to reinforce solidarity towards the next of kin of the Bravehearts. — The first Armed Forces Veterans Day was organised on January 14, 2017, as a pan-India event under the purview of the Ministry of Defence. The aim was to salute the unwavering dedication and sacrifices of tri-services veterans while standing in solidarity with their families. — January 14 was chosen to be celebrated as Veterans’ Day as it was on this day in 1953 when Field Marshal KM Cariappa, the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army post-independence, retired after glorious service to the nation and became a veteran. Kashi Tamil Sangamam — The main theme of the third edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a cultural exchange programme scheduled to be held from February 14 to 25, will be Rishi Agastya. — The first edition of the programme, which is organised by the Ministry of Education, was held in 2022, and it is meant to mark the bond in terms of civilisation and culture between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu. — Participants will visit Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, and with the event coinciding with the Maha Kumbh, they will also visit the Kumbh. National Startup Day — National Startup Day is an annual observance in India on January 16, dedicated to recognising and promoting the vibrant startup ecosystem. — During the inaugural Startup India Innovation Week, on January 15, 2016, PM Modi announced the commemoration of Startup Day on January 16, to recognise the economic contributions made by entrepreneurs in India during the first Startup India Innovation Week. — As a result, since 2022, National Startup Day has been commemorated every year on January 16. — National Startup Day aims to create a supportive environment for entrepreneurial ventures while celebrating startups’ crucial role in stimulating economic development and job creation. — To commemorate the day, Udyamotsav 2025 is organised. It is a platform designed to empower student entrepreneurs by facilitating their engagement with the investor community, organised by the Ministry of Education. — It will enable student entrepreneurs to pitch their startups, seek funding, and receive mentorship on business models and scaling strategies, taking place across 14 Indian cities. Polity Fast Track Immigration – Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) — Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the FTI-TTP at Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, and Ahmedabad airports on January 16 from Ahmedabad. — FTI-TTP is one of the key agendas set by the Centre for ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ – India becoming a developed nation by the centenary of its independence. — It was first deployed in June 2024 at Terminal 3 of the IGI Airport to facilitate international mobility with faster, smoother and more secure immigration clearance for Indian Nationals and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) passengers arriving from other countries. — The Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Home Affairs is the nodal agency for programme implementation. 8th Pay Commission — The Union government announced the constitution of the 8th Pay Commission on the 16th of January 2025. — A Pay Commission, set up by the government of India, decides the salary and compensation of Central government staffers and allowances of pensioners. The 8th Pay Commission will recommend revisions in the salary and pension structure of the beneficiaries, resulting in a hike in the remuneration and allowances. — The implementation of the pay commission’s recommendations results in increased consumption and economic growth, with an improved quality of life for government employees. Generally, every 10 years, the central government implements a pay commission to revise employee remuneration. — There is no obligation on the government to accept the recommendations of the pay commission. — Since 1947, seven Pay Commissions have been constituted, with the last one constituted in 2014 and implemented on January 1, 2016. The chairman of the 7th Pay Commission is Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur. It's tenure will end in 2026. Mission Mausam — Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched “Mission Mausam”, which aims to make the country a “weather-ready” and “climate-smart” nation, in Delhi on 14th January as part of the events marking the 150th foundation day of the India Meteorological Department (IMD). — In September 2024, the Union Cabinet approved “Mission Mausam”, with a budget of Rs. 2000 crores, to enhance India’s ability to predict and respond to extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change. — It will be primarily implemented by three key institutions under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES): the India Meteorological Department, the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, and the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting. — Critical elements of “Mission Mausam” include- the deployment of next-generation radars and satellite systems with advanced sensors, high-performance supercomputers, the development of enhanced Earth system models, and a GIS-based automated decision support system for real-time data sharing. Data Localisation — During an IT Ministry organised consultation with the tech industry on the recently released draft data protection rules 2025, a few concerns stood out: apprehensions over data localisation, consent verification and behavioural tracking of children, and worries over cross-border data flows to foreign jurisdictions. — Under data localisation, the companies are required to store a copy of certain sensitive personal data – like health and financial data – within India, and the export of undefined “critical” personal data from the country is prohibited. Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan — On the occasion of the 77th Army Day (15th January), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the “Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan” which is a dedicated website for visitors, including information on the 77 sites, their stories, and how to get there. — The Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan website will be a one-stop destination for visitors to make all necessary arrangements for their travel planning, including how to apply for permits for some of these places, officials add. — The website will feature details on various battlefields and border areas, offering virtual tours, historical narratives, and interactive content. The sites will also be highlighted by the Tourism Ministry as part of the Incredible India campaign. International Cooperation Israel-Hamas deal — Mediators in Doha, Qatar, have agreed on a phased ceasefire deal in Gaza on the following terms: — During a 42-day first phase beginning Sunday, Hamas will release 33 hostages and Israel will release between 900 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including all of those detained since October 7, 2023. — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw from central Gaza and the Netzarim Corridor — a 2-4-km-wide security clearing that it has created, cutting Gaza in half up to the Mediterranean — and eventually from the Philadelphi Corridor, the buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border. — Negotiations for a second phase will begin on the 16th day after the ceasefire comes into effect, and is expected to produce almost a full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, and the release of all remaining hostages by Hamas in return for a yet-to-be-decided number of Palestinian detainees. — In the third phase, border crossings will be reopened fully, and reconstruction will begin in Gaza. UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics — India has joined the UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics (UN-CEBD), which underscores the country's growing stature in the global statistical community and highlights its commitment to leveraging data and technology for informed decision-making. — The UN-CEBD was created to further investigate the benefits and challenges of Big Data, including the potential for monitoring and reporting on sustainable development goals. — India will contribute to shaping global standards and practices in harnessing Big Data and data science for official statistical purposes. India's engagement will highlight its pioneering initiatives, including the establishment of the Data Innovation Lab. International Year of Glaciers' Preservation (IYGP) 2025 — The United Nations declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation. It has also proclaimed the 21st March of each year as the World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025. — The objective is to raise global awareness about the critical role of glaciers, snow, and ice in the climate system and the hydrological cycle, and the economic, social, and environmental impacts of the impending changes in the Earth’s cryosphere. Environment Pink fire retardant — As multiple wildfires continue to torch Southern California, authorities are using planes to drop a large amount of bright pink fire retardant to curb the blaze. — Fire retardant is a mix of chemicals used to extinguish or slow down the spread of fires. There are different types of fire retardant but to tackle wildfires in the US, authorities most commonly use Phos-Chek — a brand of fire retardant — which mostly contains an ammonium phosphate-based slurry. — Typically, it is made of salts such as ammonium polyphosphate, which does not evaporate easily like water and stays for longer. Colour is usually added to the fire retardant to ensure that firefighters can see it against the landscape. — Environmental experts have said that spraying fire retardants using planes is ineffective, expensive and a growing source of pollution for rivers and streams. — These toxic metals include chromium and cadmium which can cause cancer, and kidney and liver diseases in humans. However, their adverse impact on the environment is of more concern, especially when retardants enter waterways. Ring of fire — A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.9 hit the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan on January 13. Japan’s position along the “Ring of Fire” makes it vulnerable to frequent earthquakes. — The Ring of Fire is a string of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake sites that runs along the Pacific Ocean. It is shaped like a semicircle or horseshoe and stretches nearly 40,250 kilometres. — The Ring of Fire traces the meeting points of numerous tectonic plates, including the Eurasian, North American, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, Philippine, and other smaller plates, which all encircle the large Pacific Plate, according to a report by National Geographic. — Japan experiences earthquakes due to the interactions of four tectonic plates — the Pacific Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, the Okhotsk Plate and the Eurasian Plate. — The existence of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire is also due to the movement of tectonic plates. Many of the volcanoes have been formed through a process known as subduction. It takes place when two plates collide with each other and the heavier plate is shoved under another, creating a deep trench. Science and Technology Firefly — India’s space tech startup Pixxel has launched the country’s first private satellite constellation, named Firefly, marking a major milestone in the country’s space exploration journey. — Firefly is Pixxel’s flagship hyperspectral imaging satellite constellation, featuring six of the highest-resolution commercial hyperspectral satellites to date. It has launched three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket from California. — The satellites aim to use hyperspectral imaging, a technology that captures highly detailed data across hundreds of light bands to serve industries such as agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defence. Third Launch pad — The Union Cabinet on January 16 approved the setting up of a third launchpad at the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota — a spindle-shaped island on the east coast of Andhra Pradesh. — The new launchpad will help the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) to become future ready to use the heavier Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) that it is currently developing. — The SDSC is the country’s only spaceport from which spacecraft and satellites are launched. Defence INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer — Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned three pivotal naval assets — INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer — at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on 15th January 2025. INS Surat — The final and fourth ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, is recognised as one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated destroyers. The other three are INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, and INS Imphal. These are named after the major cities in the four corners of the country. — A contract for the construction of four guided missile destroyers under the project codenamed 15B was signed in January 2011. — INS Surat is the Indian Navy’s first Al (artificial intelligence) enabled warship, which will utilise indigenously developed Al solutions to enhance its operational efficiency manifold. — Destroyers are a category of warships that have high speed and manoeuvrability, greater strike capability, and longer endurance, because of which they are a key asset in various types of naval operations, mainly offensive. INS Nilgiri — The Nilgiri-class stealth frigate, built under the codename Project 17A, is a follow-on vessel of the Shivalik class or Project 17 frigates that are currently in service. — INS Nilgiri is the first of seven frigates in Project 17A being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. — The multi-mission frigates are capable of operating in a “blue water” environment — in the deep seas far from the coast — and deal with both conventional and non-conventional threats. — The ships are fitted with a supersonic surface-to-surface missile system, a Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) system, a 76 millimetre upgraded gun, and a combination of rapid-fire close-in weapon systems. — The other six ships of this class — Himgiri, Taragiri, Udaygiri, Dunagiri, Mahendragiri, and Vindhyagiri — are at various stages of construction at MDL, Mumbai, and GRSE, Kolkata. They are named after hill ranges in India. INS Vaghsheer — INS Vaghsheer is the sixth and final submarine of the modern stealthy Kalvari class built under Project 75. — The design of the Kalvari class of submarines is based on the Scorpene class designed and developed by the French defence major Naval Group (formerly DCNS), and the Spanish state-owned entity Navantia. — They have diesel electric transmission systems and are primarily “attack” or “hunter-killer” submarines — which means they are designed to target and sink adversary naval vessels. — The submarines are armed with wire-guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and advanced sonar systems, and feature modular construction that allows for future upgrades such as the integration of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology. — The submarines in the current Kalvari class take their names from now-decommissioned classes of submarines named Kalvari — including Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj — and the Vela class, which included Vela, Vagir, Vagshir. — Vaghsheer is named after a type of sandfish found in the Indian Ocean. Persons in News Tarun Das — President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam bestowed the highest honour of the city-state on Tarun Das, the former director general of the Confederation of the Indian Industry (CII). — He is the second Indian to receive the honour with the late Ratan Tata being the only other Indian recipient of the award before this. The award has been given for his contributions to promoting bilateral relations between Singapore and India. — Singapore is Indiaʼs largest trade partner in ASEAN and a leading source of FDI. There is active collaboration between India and Singapore to establish skill development centres in various sectors. Prabowo Subianto — Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest of India’s 76th Republic Day celebrations on January 26. — While this will be President Prabowo’s first visit to India in his capacity as president after assuming office in October 2024, this is the fourth time that an Indonesian leader has been invited as the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations. Places in News (Just FYI: The location of the place is important, considering that UPSC has asked several questions about places that were in the news, such as Aleppo and Kirkuk, in the 2018 UPSC Prelims. The best way to remember them is to plot them on a world map.) Z-Morh Tunnel — Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Z-Morh tunnel, which is renamed as Sonmarg tunnel, on 13th January, a strategically significant infrastructure project located in the Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. — The name “Z-Morh” derives from the Z-shaped roadway that existed before the tunnel’s construction, which was situated at an elevation of over 8,500 feet and was susceptible to snow avalanches during winter, which led to the closure of access to Sonamarg throughout the cold months. — The Z-Morh tunnel is part of the Zojila tunnel project that aims to provide all weather connectivity from Srinagar to Ladakh throughout the year. Concurrently, the construction of the Zoji-la Tunnel—linking Sonamarg in Kashmir to Drass in Ladakh—is in progress, with completion slated for December 2026. — A 6.4-km bi-directional tunnel with an approach road of 5.6 km, Z-Morh joins Gagangir in Ganderbal with Sonamarg health resort, which will help to boost winter tourism. It will provide safe connectivity between Srinagar, Dras, Kargil and Leh regions. — It is developed by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). Read more. Kerch Strait — An emergency task force arrived in Russia’s southern Krasnodar region as an oil spill in the Kerch Strait from two storm-stricken tankers continues to spread a month after it was first detected, officials said. — Kerch Strait separates the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula from the Krasnodar region. — The Kerch Strait is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the inland Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula in 2014. Panama Canal — US President-elect Donald Trump’s remark that he would not rule out the use of military force to secure control over the Panama Canal has sparked a fresh debate. — The United States built the canal in early 1914 as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. The canal is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world alongside the Suez Canal. — It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the narrow Isthmus of Panama. — Washington relinquished control of the waterway to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. Terms making buzz — Nanoship: According to a dating app, nanoship is small, yet meaningful interactions. It is a connection that is pregnant with all sorts of possibilities but not weighed down by any of them. — Planet parade: A ‘planet parade’ refers to a situation when several planets in our solar system are visible in the night sky, at the same time. It is not a technical term in astronomy. Test Your Knowledge (Note: The best way to remember facts for UPSC and other competitive exams is to recall them through MCQs. Try to solve the following questions on your own.) A. Consider the following statements about the Kashi Tamil Sangamam: 1. The main theme of the third edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam is Rishi Jaimini. 2. The program's first edition was held in 2022 to mark the bond in terms of civilisation and culture between Varanasi and Tamil Nadu. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 B. It is the Indian Navy’s first Al (artificial intelligence) enabled warship, which will utilise indigenously developed Al solutions to enhance its operational efficiency manifold. It is the final and fourth ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project and is recognised as one of the world’s largest and most sophisticated destroyers. The above description is about which of the following Navy ships? (a) INS Nilgiri (b) NS Vaghsheer (c) INS Vindhyagiri (d) INS Surat C. Kerch Strait provides passage between which of the following water bodies? (a) The Sea of Azov and the Black Sea (b) The Indian Ocean and the South China Sea (c) The Yucatán Basin of the Caribbean Sea (d) The English Channel and the North Sea Previous Articles UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | January 6 to January 12, 2025 UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | December 30, 2024 to January 5, 2025 UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | December 23 to December 29, 2024 UPSC Current Affairs Pointers of the past week | December 16 to December 22, 2024 For your answers, queries and suggestions write at khushboo.kumari@indianexpress.com Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨New Year Special: Click Here to read the January 2025 issue of the UPSC Essentials monthly magazine. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨
