In Current Affairs for 18 March 2025, we will see the latest national and international current affairs news. These important current affairs will be beneficial for your upcoming NDA, CDS, CDS OTA, AFCAT, TA, Agniveer Army, Agniveer Navy, Agniveer Air Force, Women Military Police, INET, MNS, ACC exams, SCO, PCSL, CAPF, and SSB interviews, and direct entries for Army, Navy, and Air Force like SSC Tech, TGC, JAG, NCC, TES, 10+2 Cadet. Download a PDF file about current events at the end of this article. Let us now see the Current Affairs.
Current Affairs 18 March 2025
India- New Zealand Sign 5 Agreements
- India and New Zealand have signed five agreements in the fields of Defence, Education, Sports, Horticulture, and Forestry. Both sides also exchanged the Authorized Economic Operator Mutual Recognition Agreement. Two countries announced the launch of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement and negotiations on an arrangement facilitating the mobility of professionals and skilled workers.
- New Zealand has joined the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative and has become a member of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his New Zealand counterpart Christopher Luxon in New Delhi yesterday. The discussions covered various aspects of India-New Zealand relations.
- Mr Modi said, they had detailed discussions on various aspects of the bilateral relationship, and both sides decided to strengthen and institutionalize the defence and security partnership. He said that, along with joint exercises, training, and port visits, a roadmap will be prepared for mutual cooperation in the defence industry.
- Mr. Modi said India and New Zealand will continue to cooperate against terrorist, separatist, and radical elements. Prime Minister Modi said both sides support a Free, Open, Secure, and Prosperous Indo-Pacific and believe in the policy of development, not expansionism.
- Mr. Luxon said both sides looking forward to achieving a mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement. He said New Zealand will increase its diplomatic presence in India. Later, briefing media, Secretary (East) in Ministry of External Affairs Jaideep Mazumdar, on a query regarding the discussions on Khalistani elements, said, the issue came up during the talks between the two leaders.
- Prime Minister Modi and Mr Luxon jointly inaugurated the 10th edition of Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi yesterday evening. In his keynote address, Mr Luxon said, India and New Zealand are fortunate to be part of the world’s most economically dynamic region.
India Hosts Three- Day Quad Workshop
- Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Singh Patel inaugurated the QUAD Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region in New Delhi. Under India’s presidency, the three-day workshop is being jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- The workshop aims to strengthen global health emergency frameworks, enhance preparedness and resilience to health threats, and ensure coordinated responses to evolving pandemics. The workshop also focuses on the implementation of One Health approach, addressing human, animal, and environmental health through a multisectoral lens.
- More than 25 delegates from 15 countries across the Indo-Pacific region like Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Mozambique, Palau, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, and international health organizations, are participating in the workshop.
- Mrs. Patel said that the rise of emerging and re-emerging health threats in recent times underscores the critical necessity of strengthened preparedness, enhanced surveillance, and well-coordinated international response mechanisms to safeguard global health security.
- Highlighting India’s commitment to strengthening global pandemic preparedness and response efforts, the Minister informed that India has contributed USD 10 million towards the establishment of the Pandemic Fund which was specially conceptualized for fighting pandemics. She added that India has further pledged an additional USD 12 million to support its sustained functioning.
- He emphasized the need to strengthen regional health networks and prepare for zoonotic diseases, especially for countries with a significant livestock sector.
- She highlighted that the Quad has emerged as a force for health security in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, by leveraging India’s vast vaccine production capacity, the United States’ cutting-edge research, Japan’s technological expertise, and Australia’s strong regional engagement.
Ancient Desert Crossroads
- Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape, Recently Nominated For UNESCO World Heritage Status, Presents Compelling Evidence Of Human Resilience And Adaptation Spanning Over 210,000 Years, While Also Serving As A Crucial Link In Ancient Trade Networks Connecting Arabia With India.
- The 29,085-hectare Site, Located Approximately 55 Kilometers From Both The Arabian Gulf And The Gulf Of Oman, Features The Distinctive Faya Range, A 20-kilometer Stretch Of Limestone Formations. This Natural Ridge Acts As A Barrier Between The Vast Rub’ Al-khali Sand Desert And The Dhaid-madam Plain, Forming What UNESCO Describes As “An Outstanding Example Of A Stone Age Desert Landscape.”
- “The Faya Excavations Are Significant Because We Have Early Evidence For The Out Of Africa Movement Along The Southern Route,” Explains Dr. Knut Bretzke, Head Of The German Archaeological Mission In Sharjah. “People Reached Here About 120,000 Years Ago, Maybe Earlier, And They Adapted To The Desert Environment.”
- What Makes Faya Truly Exceptional Is Its Evidence Of Human Habitation Even During Hyper-arid Climate Phases. “We Have Both Archaeology Saying People Were Here, And Environmental Data Indicating It Was Really Dry At Some Points,” Dr. Bretzke Notes. “This Demonstrates Early Settlement Of The Desert, Which Is Unparalleled Elsewhere.”
- The Site’s Geological Formations Featuring Three Distinct Rock Layers Approximately 93 To 66 Million Years Old—emerged Through Tectonic Collision Of The Arabian And Eurasian Plates. These Formations Are Rich In Flint, A Crucial Raw Material For Tool-making.
- During Periods Of Increased Rainfall, The Hills Acted As Barriers For Water Flowing From The Hajar Mountains, Creating Life-sustaining Springs. “People First Came Here In A Period When It Was More Rainy, More Wet,” Dr. Bretzke Explains. “Sometimes We Even Talk About The ‘Green Arabia’ Phase Because It Was So Wet That Probably The Entire Arabian Peninsula Was Turned Green, With Flowing Rivers.”
- The Climate Fluctuated Dramatically Over Time, With Changes Occurring Approximately Every 20,000 Years. “The Climate Changed About 70,000 Years Ago When The Last Glacial Period Started In The Northern Hemisphere,” Dr. Bretzke Continues. “When It Was Really Arid, People Weren’t Here, But They Came Back After Developing Strategies Including Increased Mobility.”
- The Archaeological Record At Faya Is Uniquely Continuous, With Excavations Revealing 18 Phases Of Human Occupation From The Early Middle Palaeolithic To The Neolithic Period. Seven Excavated Sites Have Yielded Stone Tools, Animal And Human Bones, Jewelry, Hearths, And Burial Practices That Document Humanity’s Evolution From Hunter-gatherers To Pastoral Nomads. Beyond Its Significance For Understanding Early Human Adaptation, Faya Also Represents A Crucial Link In Ancient Trade Networks.
- Eisa Yousif, Director Of The Sharjah Archaeology Authority, Highlights The Region’s Extensive Connections With India: “During The Bronze Age, Sharjah Shared Similarities In Material Culture With Mesopotamia And The Indus Valley, Indicating Strong Trade Links.” Archaeological Discoveries Include Indian Cooking Pots, Ivory Artifacts, And Coins Bearing The Image Of Shiva. “The Presence Of Coin Molds Similar To Those Found In India Underscores The Economic And Political Interactions Between The Two Regions,” Yousif Notes.
- A Comparative Analysis By UNESCO Found That While Other Sites Worldwide Share Some Characteristics With Faya, None Combine Its Unique Features: Continuous Archaeological Record, Desert Landscape Setting, Exceptional Geohydrological Features, And Evidence Of Human Adaptation To Extreme Climatic Conditions.
- As UNESCO Considers Faya’s Nomination, The Site Continues To Yield Invaluable Insights Into Human Evolution And The Ancient Cultural Connections That Linked Civilizations Across Continents, Highlighting Humanity’s Remarkable Ability To Adapt And Thrive In Even The Most Challenging Environments.
India To Become World’s Third-largest Economy
- India will be the world’s third-largest economy by 2028 as it becomes the world’s most sought-after consumer market and gains share in global output, driven by macro stability influenced policy and better infrastructure, Morgan Stanley said.
- In 2028, India will overtake Germany as its economy will expand to $5.7 trillion. From a $3.5 trillion economy in 2023, the Indian economy is projected to expand to $4.7 trillion in 2026, which will make it the fourth largest in the world behind the US, China and Germany. According to Morgan Stanley, India was the 12th largest economy in the world in 1990, slipped to 13th position in 2000 before rising to 9th rank in 2020 and 5th in 2023.
IOC Board Approves Boxing In Olympic Games
- International Olympic Committee (IOC) has approved the inclusion of boxing in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics games. The decision follows the IOC’s granting of provisional recognition to World Boxing last month, effectively sidelining the International Boxing Association (IBA) and transferring authority to the new governing body.
- Welcoming the decision, World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst, said this is a significant decision for Olympic boxing and takes the sport one step closer to being restored to the Olympic programme. Boxing was not included in the 2028 LA Games’ initial sports programme approved by the IOC Session in February 2022 because of the ongoing concerns around the then-international federation, IBA.
- Following the withdrawal of the IBA’s recognition on June 22, 2023, the inclusion of boxing in the 2028 LA Games sports programme remained on hold. Last year, the IOC made it clear that national boxing federations had to reach a consensus around a new international federation for boxing to be included in the sports programme of the 2028 Olympic Games.
- Following an assessment of the various criteria regarding governance and sports integrity, the IOC Executive Board on February 26 decided to provisionally recognise World Boxing, which is currently composed of 84 national federations over the five continents.
Current Affairs 18 March 2025 Question
- Which Organization Released The ‘Handbook On Indian Insurance Statistics
2023-24′ In March 2025
A. SEBI
B. IRDAI
C. RBI
D. LIC
ANSWER: B - Who Has Climbed To The 5th Spot In The ICC Women’s All-rounders Rankings
A. Harmanpreet Kaur
B. Deepti Sharma
C. Mithali Raj
D. Smriti Mandhana
ANSWER: B - On Which Date Is CISF Raising Day Commemorated Annually
A. March 12
B. March 10
C. March 15
D. March 5
ANSWER: B - According To Morgan Stanley, By Which Year Will India Become The World’s
Third-largest Economy
A. 2027
B. 2030
C. 2029
D. 2028
ANSWER: D - Who Was Honoured With The Lifetime Achievement Award For Contributions
To Technology, Innovation, And Entrepreneurship
A. Narayana Murthy
B. Sundar Pichai
C. Ratan Tata
D. Sridhar Mitta
ANSWER: D - When Is The 54th National Safety Week Being Observed In 2025
A. March 1 to March 7
B. March 5 to March 11
C. March 4 to March 10
D. March 3 to March 9
ANSWER: C - What Is India’s Rank In The 2024 Air Pollution Rankings
A. 5th
B. 4th
C. 6th
D. 7th
ANSWER: A - Names Of The Digital Initiatives For Which RBI Won The Digital Transformation
Award 2025
A. UPI and Bharat BillPay
B. e-Rupi and RuPay
C. Pravaah and Sarthi
D. DigiYatra and e-Shakti
ANSWER: C - Name Of The Next-generation AI Model Recently Announced By Google
A. Bard 3
B. Gemini 3
C. Gemma 3
D. AlphaFold 3
ANSWER: C - Where Was The 353rd Governing Body Meeting Of The International Labour
Organisation (ILO) Held
A. New York, USA
B. Geneva, Switzerland
C. Paris, France
D. Vienna, Austria
ANSWER: B - Which team has won the 15th Hockey India Senior Women National
Championship 2025
A. Hockey Haryana
B. Hockey Mizoram
C. Hockey Maharashtra
D. Hockey Jharkhand
ANSWER: D - What Does The OCI Card Allow Holders To Do In India
A. It Allows Them To Live And Work In Mauritius Without A Visa
B. It Allows Them To Live, Work, And Study In India Without A Visa
C. It Allows Them To Travel To India Without A Passport
D. It Allows Them To Invest In Indian Businesses Without Any Restrictions
ANSWER: B - Syed Abid Ali Passed Away Recently At The Age Of 83. Who Was He
A. Politician
B. Cricketer
C. Writer
D. Historian
ANSWER: B - Which Organization Organized “Water Sustainability Conference 2025” Along
With Energy And Resources Institute
A. Central Water Commission (CWC)
B. Bureau of Water Use Efficiency (BWUE)
C. National Green Tribunal (NGT)
D. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
ANSWER: B - Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary Is Located In Which State
A. Maharashtra
B. Gujarat
C. Rajasthan
D. Kerala
ANSWER: A - Where Was 57th Annual Conference Of All Bodo Students’ Union Held
A. Assam
B. Manipur
C. Nagaland
D. Sikkim
ANSWER: A - Which Of The Following Countries Are A Member Of The Five Eyes Alliance
A. Russia, Ukraine, Australia, India and Myanmar
B. United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand
C. China, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar
D. Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia, Russia and China
ANSWER: B - What Is A Menhir
A. Invasive weed
B. Ancient irrigation technique
C. A large upright standing stone
D. Artificial Intelligence tool
ANSWER: C - National Vaccination Day Is Observed On Which Day
A. March 15
B. March 16
C. March 17
D. March 18
ANSWER: B - The Territory Of Porus Who Offered Strong Resistance To Alexander Was
Situated Between The Rivers Of
A. Sutlej and Beas
B. Jhelum and Chenab
C. Ravi and Chenab
D. Ganga and Yamuna
ANSWER: B
