INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India and Nepal Sign MoU On Cross-Border Transmission Infrastructure

India and Nepal have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop cross-border power transmission infrastructure, which will facilitate the evacuation of power from Nepal and its supply to India.

The MoU was signed during the visit of the Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, to Nepal.

He also visited the Arun 3 hydropower project, which is financed by India, and inaugurated the commencement of electromechanical works at the project site.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (Power Grid) and the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

Under the MoU, two joint venture companies will be established. One will be in Nepal and one in India.

Under the MoU, two transmission projects will be developed. These projects are :

400 kv transmission line connecting Inaruwa (Nepal) to New Purnea (India) and

400 kV double-circuit transmission system connecting Dododhara (Nepal) to Bareilly (India).

EU (GSP+) Monitoring Mission Arrives In Sri Lanka

A European Union (EU) GSP+ Monitoring Mission is scheduled to reach Sri Lanka for a biannual review of the country’s compliance with Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade requirements.

The team will stay until May 7, meeting government officials, businesses, civil society, and trade unions, and conducting site visits.

Sri Lanka is one of 8 countries benefiting from GSP+, a special EU scheme granting duty-free access for countries implementing 27 international conventions on human rights, labour rights, environmental protection, and good governance.

The EU, a single market of 450 million people, is Sri Lanka’s second-largest export destination, accounting for €2.7 billion in 2024 exports – 85% of which entered duty-free under GSP+.

The mission’s visit coincides with Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen its fragile economic recovery, amid talks of new U.S. tariffs and an ambitious target of $18.2 billion in exports for 2025.

The GSP+ is a preferential trade scheme offered by the European Union (EU) to 8 developing countries: Bolivia, Cape Verde, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Uzbekistan.

 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Sarvam To Build India’s 1st AI Large Language Model Under AI Mission

The Government of India has selected Bengaluru-based startup Sarvam AI to develop India’s first foundational large language model (LLM) under the India AI Mission.

Sarvam AI was selected from among 67 applications received by the Government of India for developing the country’s first large language model.

The Indian government's effort to develop indigenous LLM comes in the background of the success of the Chinese startup DeepSeek.

The government has given Sarvam AI six months to develop the LLM model. The LLM model will be built in India using local infrastructure and engineers. It will use the vast data of various Indian languages and cultures.

The LLM developed by Sarvam will handle voice-based tasks in Indian languages and excel in advanced reasoning.

The model developed by Sarvam AI will have 70 billion parameters and incorporate numerous innovations in programming as well as engineering.

The model is expected to be as good as Openai’s Chat GPT-3 and GPT-4, Meta’s Llama models, etc.

To support Sarvam, the Government of India will provide 4,000 high-end GPUS (Graphics Processing Units) for six months.

These GPUs will be critical in building the indigenous LLM. Yotta D

China Launches Shenzhou-20 Mission To Chinese Space Station

China sent three astronauts to its permanently inhabited space station on 24th April 2025.

This marks the 15th crewed spaceflight and the 20th overall mission in the Shenzhou program, which started over three decades ago.

The spacecraft Shenzhou-20 and the crew lifted off atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China.

State news agency Xinhua confirmed soon after that the launch was successful.

This launch reflects China’s growing advances in lunar and space exploration, attracting more international interest.

Pakistan is currently carrying out a preliminary selection of astronauts.

One selected Pakistani astronaut will eventually join a future Shenzhou spaceflight, becoming the first foreign astronaut to enter China’s Tiangong space station.

 

BANKING

Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) and The World Bank Host Seminar

The Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE), Government of India, in collaboration with the World Bank, organized a powerful and thought-provoking seminar with the theme - ‘Hard to Reach Population – SMILE (Beggary)’ - on 25th April, 2025, in New Delhi.

The seminar focused on strategies and knowledge sharing for the rehabilitation of beggars, homeless, and destitute populations as part of a broader series to strengthen India's social protection systems.

The seminar, held in hybrid mode, featured vibrant discussions on creating structured frameworks for social protection, with the DoSJE reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation and building a just, inclusive society.

The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects.

 

DEFENCE

IOS SAGAR Arrives in Mauritius, Strengthening Regional Maritime Ties

Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sunayna, designated IOS SAGAR for the mission, arrived at Port Louis Harbour after completing Phase I of Joint Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) surveillance with Mauritius’s National Coast Guard (NCG).

The visit highlights India’s commitment to enhancing regional maritime security and fostering capacity-building partnerships with friendly foreign nations.

Sunayna, which set sail from Karwar on April 5, is currently hosting 44 naval personnel from nine Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations, including two officers and six sailors from Mauritius.

This multinational deployment emphasizes the Indian Navy’s efforts to enhance interoperability, promote mutual learning, and strengthen collective maritime growth.

The ship and crew received a warm welcome at Port Louis, showcasing the close ties between India and Mauritius.

The Commanding Officer of Sunayna will hold courtesy calls with the Commandant of the National Coast Guard, the Commissioner of Police, and the High Commissioner of India.

 

AWARDS & PRIZES

Madhusudan Sai Conferred with Fiji's Highest Honor for Humanitarian Contributions

Madhusudan Sai, a renowned humanitarian leader, was awarded the ‘Companion of the Order of Fiji’, the highest honor in Fiji.

This prestigious recognition acknowledges his immense contributions to healthcare and social welfare, particularly through the establishment of the Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital in Fiji.

Madhusudan Sai was honored by President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu at a special ceremony held at the State House of Fiji.

The award is a testament to his tireless efforts to improve healthcare accessibility for children in need, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

Fiji’s highest recognition, conferred to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the nation’s well-being.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Chief Electoral Officer of Bihar

Vinod Kumar Gunjiyal has been appointed as the new Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Bihar by the Election Commission of India.

He is a 2007-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre.

Gunjiyal succeeds H R Srinivas, a 1996-batch IAS officer.

He is a Mechanical Engineering graduate.

Gunjiyal has extensive administrative experience in the Bihar government.

He served as Secretary of the Prohibition, Excise & Registration Department, where he strengthened regulatory frameworks and improved departmental efficiency.

He also served as Director of the Animal Husbandry Department and the Fisheries Directorate.

He has been promoted to the Super Time Scale in the Bihar government, recognizing his consistent performance and dedication.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Dance Day

Every year April 29th is celebrated as International Dance Day also known as World Dance Day.

International Dance Day or World Dance Day is celebrated for those who can see the value and importance of dance.

International Dance Day or World Dance Day is celebrated through promotion by the International Dance Council.

The day was first introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.

The French Ballet master and a great reformer of dance Jean-Georges Novrre were born in 1727.

So the day is observed as International Dance Day or World Dance Day.