Top 10 Current Affairs April 2025

The Waqf Amendment Bill 2025, Pahalgam terror attack, and many more! We're back with our April 2025 current affairs roundup, bringing you the most important events and developments from the past month.

This comprehensive current affairs update will boost your General Knowledge and help you stay ahead in UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, Defence, State PSC, Teaching Exams, and other competitive exams. Stay informed. Keep reading! 💯

1. List of New Appointments in April 2025

2. April 2025 National News

2.1 Parliament Passed The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025

• Aim: To streamline the functioning of Waqf properties and improve transparency and accountability.

• Two Bills Introduced: 

1. Waqf (Amendment) Bill

2. Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill

• Objectives of the bills: 

1. Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025

• Amend the Waqf Act of 1995 to address challenges in managing Waqf properties.

• Improve the administration and efficiency of Waqf boards.

2. Mussalman Wakf (Repeal) Bill, 2024

• Repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923.

• Ensure uniformity, transparency, & accountability in Waqf property management under the Waqf Act 1995.

DYK? Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 renamed as Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency, and Development (UMEED) Bill.

2.2 Pahalgam Terror Attack

• A deadly terrorist attack in Baisaran, Pahalgam.

• Kashmir Valley observed a shutdown against a terror attack for the first time in 35 years on 23 April 2025.

• Measures taken by the Indian Government: 

1. Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, 1960.

2. Closing the Integrated Check Post Attari with immediate effect.

3. Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas.

4. The Foreign Secretary informed that the Defence/Military, Naval and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi had been declared Persona Non-Grata.

5. By 1 May, the overall strength of the High Commissions will be reduced to 30 from 55.

• Retaliatory steps by Pakistan: 

1. Suspension of the Simla Agreement (1972)

2. Closure of Wagah Border Crossing with immediate effect.

3. Suspension of All Trade with India

4. Closure of Pakistani airspace for Indian airlines.

• Present status: India & Pakistan have agreed on an immediate ceasefire.

Know about the Pahalgam attack and all major India-Pakistan attacks and wars since 1947, explained in a clear format. Click here.

2.3 Inauguration of the New Pamban Bridge

• Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi

• It is India's first-ever vertical-lift sea bridge.

•  Replaces the century-old Pamban Bridge.

• It connects Rameswaram Island to Mandapam on the mainland, is designed for both durability and technological excellence.

• Built by: Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL)

• Total length of the bridge: 2.07 km

3. April 2025 International News

3.1 Two Indian manuscripts added to UNESCO's Memory of the World Register

• Name of the manuscripts: Bhagavad Gita & Natyashastra

• About UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme

1. Established in 1992

2. Aim: To preserve and provide access to the documentary heritage of global significance

• India's total entries in the list now stand at 14.

• Total collections in UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW): 570

3.2 World's First 3D-Printed Train Station

• Built-in Japan

• Station Name: Hatsushima Station.

• Constructed By: West Japan Railway Company (JR West).

3.3  Agreement Signed As India to Host International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Headquarters

• The government of India signed a formal agreement with the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) to host its headquarters and secretariat.

• The IBCA was launched on 9 April 2023, during the event 'Commemorating 50 years of Project Tiger'.

• It was launched to conserve seven big cats: the Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Cheetah, Jaguar and Puma.

4. April 2025 States/UTs News

4.1 Two Harappan Sites as Protected Archaeological Monuments

• State: Haryana

• Name of the sites: Mitathal & Tighrana

• Both sites are located in Bhiwani.

• Brought under legal protection under the Haryana Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1964.

• Aim: To safeguard these ancient settlements from encroachment and damage, with fencing and security arrangements to be implemented.

• About the sites: 

1. Mitathal : 

• First discovered in 1913.

• Excavated in 1968, revealing the Copper-Bronze Age culture of the Indo-Gangetic divide (3rd–2nd millennia BCE).

• Had a hoard of coins belonging to Samudra Gupta (Gupta dynasty).

2. Tighrana

• A settlement dates back to around 2,400 BCE.

• Inhabited by Chalcolithic agricultural communities called Sothians.

4.2 State to Implement SC Sub-Categorisation

• State: Telangana

• Enforced the Telangana Scheduled Castes (Rationalisation of Reservations) Act, 2025.

• Aim: To rationalise the existing 15% SC reservation by dividing 59 SC sub-castes into three groups based on inter-se backwardness.

• Total SC Reservation: 15% (based on 2011 Census).

4.3 Zero Poverty Scheme 

• State: Uttar Pradesh

• Aim: To uplift every underprivileged and deprived individual above the poverty line.

• Seeks to provide basic amenities to all underprivileged families in a comprehensive manner.

4.4  New Jagannath Temple in Digha

• State: West Bengal

5. Defence Current Affairs 2025

5.1 Exercise Tiger Triumph 2025

• Edition: 4th

• Bilateral India-US Tri-Service exercise

• Exercise is focused on enhancing cooperation in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.

5.2 Successfully Release Trials of LRGB 'Gaurav'

• Test conducted by DRDO

• Aircraft used: Indian Air Force's Su-30 MKI

• Range Achieved: Approximately 100 km

5.3 1st nuclear submarine equipped with the Zircon hypersonic cruise missile

• Launched by Russia

• Perm is a Yasen-M class

• First Yasen-class submarine to carry hypersonic missiles.

• Replaces: Akula and Oscar-class submarines.

• Key details about "Zircon Hypersonic Missile":

1. Speed: Mach 8 (9,900 km/h or 6,138 mph).

2. Range: 500 – 1,000 km (311 – 621 miles).

6. Sports Current Affairs April 2025

6.1 First Indian Boxer to Win Gold at the World Boxing Cup

• Host of World Boxing Cup: Brazil

• Name: Hitesh Gulia

• Beat Odel Kamara from England

• Weight category: 70kg

6.2 FIFA Women's World Cup 2035

• Host: United Kingdom (UK)

• About FIFA Women's World Cup: 

1. 1st edition: China (Hosted by India)

2. Current champions: Spain

3. Most successful team: USA ( 4 titles)

4. FIFA 2023 Host: Australia & New Zealand ( 9th edition)

6.3 Youngest to Smash IPL's Second-Fastest Century

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi (14 years old & 32 days) 

• Represented: Rajasthan Royals

• Scored his century in just 35 balls against the Gujarat Titans.

DYK? Chris Gayle has the record of scoring the fastest century in IPL in 2013. He took only 30 balls to score this century.

7. Awards & Honours April 2025

7.1 National Maritime Varuna Award

• India's highest individual recognition in the maritime sector (founder of Synergy Marine Group)

• Awarded to Rajesh Unni 

• Conferred by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS).

7.2 Payal Kapadia Receives Prestigious French Honour

• Payal Kapadia is a Mumbai-based filmmaker.

• Has received the prestigious 'Officier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres' (Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters) from the French government.

DYK? Kapadia became the first Indian director in 30 years to win this prestigious Grand Prix award for her film ‘All We Imagine As Light’ at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.

7.3 Laureus World Sports Awards 2025

• Often dubbed the "Oscars of Sports"

• World Sportsman of the Year: Mondo Duplantis (Sweden)

• World Sportswoman of the Year Award: Simon Biles (USA)

8. Reports and Rankings April 2025

8.1 Women and Men in India 2024

• Report Released by MoSPI

• Offers valuable insights into the progress made and the persistent challenges women face.

• Key finding: 

1. The GPI across education levels remains above 1.00.

2. Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 49.8% in 2017-18 to 60.1% in 2023-24.

3. Women hold 39.2% of total bank accounts and contribute to 39.7% of aggregate deposits in 2023-24.

4. Total DEMAT accounts surged from 33.26 million in 2021 to 143.02 million in 2024.

5. Female voter turnout reached 65.8% in the 2024 elections, nearly matching the male turnout of 65.5%

6. Startups with at least one woman director rose from 1,943 in 2017 to 17,405 in 2024, a growth of over 800%.

7. Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declined to 2.0 in 2023, signaling a decrease in birth rates.

8.2 Network Readiness Index

• Technology and Innovation Report by UNCTAD

• India rank: 36th (out of 170 nations)

• Factors considered: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) deployment, skills, R&D, industrial capacity, & access to finance.

• India ranking across various sectors: 

1. ICT: 99th 

2. Skills: 113th 

3. R&D: 3rd 

4. Industrial Capacity: 10th 

5. Finance: 70th 

8.3 Times Higher Education Asia Rankings 2025

• Top University in Asia: Tsinghua University (China)

• Top university in India: IISC, Bangalore (38th in Asia)

9. April 2025 Obituaries

9.1 K. Kasturirangan

• Former ISRO Chairman

• As Project Director, he led India’s first two experimental earth observation satellites, BHASKARA-I and BHASKARA-II.

• Under his guidance, ISRO launched its first operational remote sensing satellite, IRS-1A.

• He chaired the drafting committee for the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020).

• Awards won: Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan.

9.2 Manoj Kumar 

• Bollywood actor

• Awards & accolades: 

1. Padma Shri (1992) – India's fourth-highest civilian award.

2. Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2015) – The highest honour in Indian cinema.

9.3 Pope Francis

• First Latin American and Jesuit pope in history

• He was the 1st pope from the Americas & the 1st non-European pope in over 1,200 years.

10. April 2025 Important Books

10.1 The India I Saw: A Glimpse into the Life of S. Ambujammal

• Biography of S. Ambujammal “Naan Kanda Bharatham” translated into English

• Presents her profound journey through India’s socio-political landscape.

10.2 Ramanujan: Journey of a Great Mathematician

• Released by: The National Archives of India

• Authors: Arun Singhal & Devendra Kumar Sharma

• It provides insights into his life through rare documents and letters, showcasing his extraordinary genius, struggles, and contributions to mathematics.

Here's the BONUS! Special Days in April 2025 | List of National & International Important Days 

Want to read the March 2025 Top Current Affairs? Click the link to read.