In Current Affairs for 14 May 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 14 May 2025
C-DOT Signs MoU With Synergy Quantum
- Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) has signed an MoU with Synergy Quantum India Pvt. Ltd. to jointly develop drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems, advancing India’s quantum-secure communication capabilities.
- The collaboration will use the decoy-based BB84 protocol with polarization encoding, aiming for a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 or higher, in alignment with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision for indigenous innovation.
- The partnership includes joint R&D, research proposal creation, and organizing symposia to promote India’s leadership in quantum-secure telecom technologies, with key officials from both organizations present at the MoU signing ceremony.
- Objectives of the MoU
- To develop drone-based QKD systems using the BB84 protocol with polarization encoding.
- To achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6 or above.
- To enable quantum-safe communication over airborne platforms.
- To promote indigenous R&D under the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
India’s First 3nm Chip Design Centre
- Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated new state-of-the-art design facilities located in Noida and Bengaluru.
- Highlighting the uniqueness of the new facility, Mr. Vaishnaw stated that this is India’s first design centre to work on cutting-edge 3-nanometer chip design, a milestone that firmly places India in the global league of semiconductor innovation.
- Emphasising the growing momentum in India’s semiconductor ecosystem, Mr Vaishnaw announced that the inauguration of the major Semiconductor Design Centre in Uttar Pradesh is a critical step toward developing a pan-India ecosystem that harnesses the rich talent available across the country.
- During his interaction with the media, Mr. Vaishnaw asserted that the semiconductor ecosystem in India is progressing well, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of establishing a comprehensive semiconductor ecosystem in the country.
- The Minister highlighted that a key feature of this centre is its capability to design 3-nanometer chips, among the most advanced in the world, end-to-end within India, marking a first for the nation.
- Mr Vaishnaw also announced the launch of a new semiconductor learning kit aimed at enhancing practical hardware skills among engineering students. He also stated that 270+ academic institutions that have already received advanced EDA Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software tools under the India Semiconductor Mission will also receive these hands-on hardware kits.
Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai
- Justice Bhushan Ramkrishna Gavai will take oath as the 52nd Chief Justice of India. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Justice Gavai at a special ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in the morning.
- Justice B R Gavai will succeed Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, who demitted office yesterday.
- Born on 24th November 1960 at Amravati, Justice B R Gavai joined the Bar in 1985. He worked with former Advocate General and Judge of the High Court, late Barrister Raja S. Bhonsale, till 1987.
- Justice Gavai practised independently as an advocate at the Bombay High Court from 1987 to 1990. Justice Gavai was elevated as Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2003 and appointed as permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court in November 2005.
- In May 2019, Justice Gavai was elevated as a Judge of the Supreme Court. In the last six years, he was a part of around 700 Benches dealing with matters about a variety of subjects including constitutional and administrative law, civil law, criminal law, and commercial disputes.
- He will be the second Chief Justice of India from the scheduled caste community after former CJI K G Balakrishnan. The tenure of Justice Gavai will end in November this year.
Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Sign $142 Billion Arms Deal
- US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a wide-ranging strategic economic partnership agreement in Jeddah yesterday. The deal covers multiple sectors, including a huge arms deal worth nearly 142 billion dollars.
- Agreements also include significant Saudi investments in artificial intelligence, energy production, and healthcare. President Trump began a four-day tour of the Middle East, starting with a visit to Saudi Arabia yesterday. Trump also reaffirmed his commitment to expanding the Abraham Accords, an initiative he launched during his first term to normalise diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries.
- The US President also announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria that were imposed during the rule of ousted President Bashar al-Assad. He described the move as a step toward giving the war-torn nation a renewed opportunity for peace.
Bhutan Becomes To Integrate Crypto Payments In Tourism
- Royal Government of Bhutan has taken a major step toward digital innovation in tourism by launching a cryptocurrency-based payment system through a strategic partnership with Binance Pay and DK Bank.
- This move makes Bhutan the first sovereign country to officially integrate crypto payments into its national tourism policy, offering global travellers a seamless, cashless experience while enhancing financial inclusion within the kingdom.
- This initiative is currently making headlines as it marks a historic first in sovereign adoption of crypto payments for public tourism services. By allowing international visitors to pay using over 100 cryptocurrencies, Bhutan is setting a global precedent in the blockchain and travel sectors while also enhancing accessibility for rural vendors.
- Enables Binance users to pay for,: Flight tickets, Hotel bookings, Visa and Sustainable Development Fee (SDF), Monument entry, Local shopping
- Payments accepted via QR codes (static & dynamic), eliminating the need for card terminals.
- Aim and Objectives
- Promote cashless travel for global tourists.
- Encourage financial inclusion, especially in rural Bhutan.
- Reduce foreign exchange friction and transaction costs.
- Position Bhutan as a technological leader in sustainable and smart tourism.
- Background and Static Facts
- Fiat currency: Bhutanese Ngultrum (BTN).
- Crypto auto-conversion: All crypto payments convert instantly to BTN to ensure stable payouts.
- Bhutan is already known for its crypto mining industry, holding 12,062 BTC worth approximately $1.17 billion.
- Over 100 businesses, including rural ones, have integrated with Binance Pay.
- Significance of the Initiative
- Pioneers the use of cryptocurrencies in tourism at a national scale.
- Makes tourism in Bhutan more accessible, efficient, and tech-driven.
- Promotes Bhutan’s vision of innovation, inclusion, and economic diversification.
- Taps into the $3 trillion global crypto market.
- Binance CEO Richard Teng emphasized that the move sets a model for using technology to connect cultures.
- Damcho Rinzin, Director of Bhutan’s Department of Tourism, called it a symbol of the country’s commitment to digital convenience and innovation.
Piprahwa Relics
- India is currently engaged in a diplomatic and legal effort to halt the auction of ancient Buddhist relics that hold immense historical, religious, and cultural significance.
- These relics, dating back over 2,500 years, were excavated during the British colonial period and are now being put up for sale by Sotheby’s, one of the world’s leading auction houses. The Indian government has raised strong objections, calling the sale a violation of national and international laws, and a desecration of sacred Buddhist heritage.
- The relics in question were unearthed in 1898 by William Claxton Peppé, a British landowner and engineer, while conducting an excavation on his estate in Piprahwa, located in present-day Uttar Pradesh, just south of Lumbini — believed to be the birthplace of Lord Buddha.
- During this excavation, Peppé discovered a large stupa, and within it, a massive stone coffer containing:
- Bone fragments, believed to be the cremated remains of the Historical Buddha
- Precious gemstones including rubies, pearls, topaz, and sapphires
- Gold ornaments and decorative sheets
- Soapstone and crystal reliquaries
- These findings were identified as having been buried together with the corporeal relics of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha, making them one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Buddhist history.
- Piprahwa is widely accepted by historians and archaeologists as the site of ancient Kapilavastu, the capital of the Shakya Republic during the 5th–6th centuries BCE.
- This is where Prince Siddhartha spent the early years of his life before renouncing royal life to seek spiritual enlightenment. The items discovered at the site are not only religious relics but also form an essential part of India’s ancient civilizational legacy.
- Under the colonial-era 1878 Indian Treasure Trove Act, the British Crown claimed ownership of the relics discovered by Peppé. While the majority of the relics, including the bone fragments and a large portion of the gemstones, were sent to what is now the Indian Museum in Kolkata, a fifth of the find was retained by Peppé as “duplicates of the main collection.”
- It is this privately held collection — passed down through generations of the Peppé family — that is now scheduled to be auctioned by Sotheby’s, drawing sharp objections from India and the global Buddhist community.
Bhuwan Ribhu
- In a historic recognition of India’s fight for child justice, renowned lawyer and child rights activist Bhuwan Ribhu has become the first Indian lawyer to receive the Medal of Honour from the World Jurist Association. Awarded during the World Law Congress 2025 held in the Dominican Republic, the accolade acknowledges Ribhu’s two-decade-long commitment to eradicating child exploitation through legal reforms, court interventions, and advocacy. His leadership has transformed child protection from a welfare issue into a matter of criminal justice.
- Bhuwan Ribhu was awarded the World Jurist Association’s Medal of Honour on May 5, 2025, marking the first time an Indian lawyer has been bestowed with this global recognition. The award celebrates his lifelong legal work addressing child labour, trafficking, child marriage, and sexual abuse, and recognises his pivotal role in reforming India’s child protection laws.
- Bhuwan Ribhu is a lawyer and human rights advocate who has worked for over 20 years to protect children from systemic exploitation.
- He founded Just Rights for Children (JRC)—a global legal intervention network with 250+ partner organisations in India, Nepal, Kenya, and the USA.
- Ribhu has led over 60 Public Interest Litigations (PILs) on child rights in Indian courts.
Current Affairs 14 May 2025 Question
- When is International Nurses Day observed
A. 10th May
B. 11th May
C. 12th May
D. 13th May
ANSWER: C - Which organization released the State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report
A. United Nations
B. Red Cross
C. World Health Organization
D. International Council of Nurses
ANSWER: C - Which is the second-longest west-flowing river in India after the Narmada
A. Godavari
B. Tapti
C. Mahanadi
D. Yamuna
ANSWER: B - The Tapti River flows through which of the following states
A. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana
B. Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh
C. Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Odisha
D. Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh
ANSWER: B - Koraput Kalajeera Rice Got GI Status, Is Cultivated In Which State
A. Punjab
B. Odisha
C. Andhra Pradesh
D. Uttar Pradesh
ANSWER: B - The Tapti Basin Mega Recharge Project is a joint initiative of which two Indian
states
A. Gujarat and Rajasthan
B. Odisha and West Bengal
C. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra
D. Punjab and Haryana
ANSWER: C - What percentage of BrahMos Aerospace joint venture is owned by India’s
DRDO
A. 49.5%
B. 50%
C. 51%
D. 50.5%
ANSWER: D - Where does the Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT) provide training?
A. Nepal
B. Bhutan
C. Sri Lanka
D. Bangladesh
ANSWER: B - Kirkuk Which Was Seen In The News, Is Located In Which Country
A. Israel
B. Iraq
C. Australia
D. Greece
ANSWER: B - Umiam Lake Seen In The News, Is Located In Which State
A. West Bengal
B. Arunachal Pradesh
C. Sikkim
D. Meghalaya
ANSWER: D - Which organization is responsible for building most of the roads in Bhutan
under Project ‘DANTAK’?
A. Indian Railways
B. NHAI
C. BRO
D. CPWD
ANSWER: C - The Royal Government of Bhutan launched a crypto-based tourism payment
system in partnership with
A. PayPal and SBI
B. Binance Pay and DK Bank
C. Mastercard and Axis Bank
D. Coin Base and HDFC Bank
ANSWER: B - What is the name of the high-intensity counter-terror operation launched by
the Indian Army in Shopian, South Kashmir
A. Operation Vijay
B. Operation Thunderbolt
C. Operation Keller
D. Operation Shakti
ANSWER: C - Which country received a $50 million Government Treasury Bill from India to
aid its fiscal reform efforts
A. Sri Lanka
B. Nepal
C. Bangladesh
D. Maldives
ANSWER: D - In which city was the ‘Nayi Disha’ initiative launched by the police to
reintegrate school dropouts into the education system
A. Mumbai
B. Kolkata
C. New Delhi
D. Bengaluru
ANSWER: C - Which company has partnered with C-DOT to develop drone-based Quantum
Key Distribution technology
A. Tata Communications
B. Infosys
C. Synergy Quantum
D. HCL Technologies
ANSWER: C - Which organization is supporting the UP AGREES and AI Pragya initiatives
launched in Uttar Pradesh
A. World Bank
B. Asian Development Bank
C. IMF
D. United Nations
ANSWER: A - Which State Will Receive 1500 MW Of Thermal Power From Adani Power
Under A New DBFOO Model Project
A. Gujarat
B. Uttar Pradesh
C. Maharashtra
D. Rajasthan
ANSWER: B - Which Country Has Recently Suspended The Game Of Chess Due To Concerns
Over Its Compatibility With Law
A. Afghanistan
B. Iraq
C. Turkey
D. Iran
ANSWER: A - ‘Nouka Baich’, Is The Traditional Boat Race Of Which State
A. Odisha
B. West Bengal
C. Assam
D. Manipur
ANSWER: B
