CURRENT AFFAIRS
24 June, 2025
1. NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY (NPT) –
• Iran’s Parliament is drafting a bill to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty due to escalating tensions with Israel and IAEA scrutiny over its nuclear program.
About Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)
• The NPT is an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons, promoting peaceful nuclear energy, and encouraging disarmament.
• It was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970.
• As of 2025, 191 countries are signatories.
• Four states—India, Israel, Pakistan, and South Sudan—have never signed the treaty.
• The U.N. nuclear watchdog, IAEA, polices the global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Objectives of the NPT
• Non-Proliferation: Prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.
• Disarmament: Work toward nuclear disarmament.
• Peaceful Use: Promote nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under safeguards.
Structure of the NPT
• Nuclear Weapon States (NWS): The treaty defines nuclear-weapon states as those that have built and tested a nuclear explosive device before 1 January 1967;
• These are the United States (1945), Russia (1949), the United Kingdom (1952), France (1960), and China (1964) but must work toward disarmament.
• Non-Nuclear Weapon States (NNWS): Countries that agree not to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.
• They can use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes under IAEA safeguards.
• NNWS must conclude a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement (CSA) with the IAEA, which ensures that their nuclear programs are used exclusively for peaceful purposes.
2. SHAKTIPEETH EXPRESSWAY –
• The Shaktipeeth Expressway is infrastructure project in Maharashtra. Approved by the Maharashtra Cabinet on June 24, 2025, it aims to connect 12 districts from Pawnar in Wardha to Patradevi on the Maharashtra-Goa border.
• The project has a budget of ₹20,787 crore, with ₹12,000 crore earmarked for land acquisition. However, it faces strong opposition from farmers in the proposed corridor.
Project Overview
• The Shaktipeeth Expressway spans 802 kilometres. It is designed to reduce travel time between Nagpur and Goa from 18 hours to 8 hours. The expressway will connect key pilgrimage sites known as Shakti Peethas, enhancing religious tourism. It will link 18 religious shrines across Maharashtra and Goa.
3. INDIA’S PROGRESS TOWARDS SDG 3 –
• India has made strides in health under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3). This goal focuses on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages.
• Recent reports indicate that India is on track to achieve several health targets. Key indicators show improvements in maternal and child health, immunisation rates, and disease control.
Human Development Index Growth
• India’s Human Development Index (HDI) has risen by over 53 per cent since 1990. This increase surpasses both global and South Asian averages. Economic growth and welfare initiatives like the National Rural Health Mission and Ayushman Bharat have driven this progress. As of 2023, life expectancy in India reached 72 years, the highest recorded since the HDI’s inception.
4. GLOBAL TOBACCO EPIDEMIC REPORT –
• India has emerged as a leader in tobacco control, as brought into light by the World Health Organisation’s Global Tobacco Epidemic report. The report identifies India’s graphic health warnings on tobacco products as among the most effective globally. This reflects commitment to public health and the fight against tobacco-related illnesses.
Overview of Tobacco Control Measures
• The WHO’s MPOWER framework outlines six essential measures to combat tobacco use. These include monitoring tobacco use, protecting people from tobacco smoke, offering help to quit, warning about the dangers of tobacco, enforcing bans on advertising, and raising taxes on tobacco products. India has made notable progress in several of these areas.
5. STRAIT OF HORMUZ –
• The Strait of Hormuz is important maritime route. It connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman. Recent tensions between Iran and the United States have raised concerns about the possibility of Iran blocking this vital waterway. This action could have implications for global oil and gas markets, particularly affecting countries dependent on energy supplies from the region.
Geographical Importance of the Strait of Hormuz
• The Strait of Hormuz is only 33 kilometres wide at its narrowest point. It serves as a vital shipping lane for oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
• Approximately 20 million barrels of oil flow through the strait each day. This represents over one-quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade. The strait is bordered by Iran and Oman, making its control strategically.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. What is the objective of ISRO’s SpaDeX-2 mission ?
a) To test a reusable launch vehicle landing
b) To dock two satellites in an elliptical orbit
c) To launch India’s first crewed mission
d) To demonstrate lunar sample return
Q2. Which of the following statements is correct about INS Tamal, the Indian Navy’s new stealth frigate to be commissioned in July 2025 ?
a) It will be commissioned at the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai.
b) It is the sixth Krivak-class frigate inducted from Russia.
c) INS Tamal is the first ship of the Tushil class.
d) It is equipped with indigenous BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
Q3. Who has become the first woman officer from the Indian Navy to be appointed as an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to the President of India ?
a) Yashasvi Solanki
b) Tanya Shergill
c) Shivangi Singh
d) Shubhangi Swaroop
Q4. Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
1. Census data is used for delimitation of constituencies.
2. Ministries like Health and Rural Development use Census data for planning services.
3. The Census plays significant role in the reservation of seats for SCs and STs.
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) Only 1 and 3
d) All of the above
Explanation-
• Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Census data supports delimitation (Article 82) and helps Ministries decide where schools, clinics, and other services are needed.
• Statement 3 is correct — Census data does play a significant role in the reservation of seats for SCs/STs under Articles 330 and 332.
Q5. Which of the following statements is correct about the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ?
a) IMF provides loans only to developing countries in the form of grants.
b) The main objective of IMF is to maintain stability in international trade and deal with the problems of Balance of Payments.
c) IMF only fixes the currency exchange rates of member countries.
d) The headquarters of IMF is located in Geneva, Switzerland.
Explanation-
• The main objective of IMF is to promote global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, encourage high employment and sustainable economic growth and assist member countries in balance of payments problems. Its headquarters is located in Washington, D.C., USA.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | D | A | D | B |