Daily Current Affairs 17th April 2025: Your guide for daily General Knowledge Preparation
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This post contains daily current affairs 17th April 2025. It includes all National, International, Business & Sports related current affairs 17th April 2025. A brief explanation of every current affair is provided to further enhance your general knowledge. Once you have gone through these current affairs we would recommend to you to try 17th April, 2025 Current affairs test.
National News
India Introduces ITES-Q Strategy on World Quantum Day
On April 14, 2025, the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) to the Government of India unveiled the first edition of the International Technology Engagement Strategy for Quantum (ITES-Q).
The release was timed to coincide with both World Quantum Day and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQST 2025), as declared by the United Nations.
The primary aim of the strategy is to foster global collaboration and drive innovation in the field of quantum science, technology, and innovation (QSTI).
ITES-Q is aligned with India’s National Quantum Mission (NQM), seeking to strengthen India’s global leadership position in the quantum sector.
Kalam & Kavach 2.0 Held in Delhi
The Defence Literature Festival ‘Kalam & Kavach 2.0’ took place on April 15, 2025, at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
Organized by CENJOWS and HQ IDS, the event revolved around the theme: “Securing India’s Rise through Defence Reforms”.
Key topics included AI, cyber security, quantum computing, drone systems, space technology, and semiconductors.
The festival emphasized self-reliance in defence (Aatmanirbhar Bharat), reforming procurement policies, and operational readiness.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh designated 2025 as the “Year of Reforms” to modernize the armed forces technologically.
NITI Aayog’s Export Report on Hand & Power Tools Sector
NITI Aayog released a detailed report titled Unlocking $25+ Billion Export Potential – India’s Hand & Power Tools Sector.
It outlines how India can scale its exports in a global market projected to grow from $100 billion to $190 billion by 2035.
The report sets an export target of $25 billion over the next 10 years and aims to create approximately 35 lakh jobs.
Key challenges include high costs in raw materials and logistics that reduce competitiveness.
International News
Daniel Noboa Wins Ecuador’s Presidential Run-off
Incumbent president Daniel Noboa won a full four-year term in Ecuador’s 2025 presidential run-off, securing 55.8% of the votes.
He defeated his opponent, Luisa Gonzalez, who garnered 44.2% and later alleged electoral fraud, demanding a recount.
Noboa’s victory was largely attributed to his firm approach against crime, including the deployment of military forces and partnerships with the U.S. for anti-drug operations.
His administration intends to prioritize security, economic development, and restoring citizen trust in governance.
Banking News
CRISIL Forecasts 12-13% Credit Growth for FY26
CRISIL has projected that India’s banking sector will witness credit growth of around 12-13% in the financial year 2025-26.
This growth outlook is slightly higher than the 11-11.5% credit growth seen in FY25.
Major contributors to this rise include supportive regulatory reforms, tax reductions, and a trend of declining interest rates.
Key regulatory actions like the withdrawal of higher risk weights for loans to NBFCs and the postponement of stricter Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR) norms are expected to support increased NBFC lending.
Corporate credit is forecasted to grow by 9-10%, while NBFC loans are likely to continue seeing double-digit growth, albeit slower than in the past two years.
Business News
WPI Data for March 2025 Released
The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) released Wholesale Price Index (WPI) statistics for March 2025.
Annual WPI inflation stood at 2.05% (provisional), when compared to March 2024 levels.
The rise in inflation was mainly due to increased prices in sectors such as food manufacturing, textiles, electricity, and other manufactured products.
Defence News
India-Italy Boost Defence Ties During Rome Visit
Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh visited Rome from April 14–15, 2025.
He held a key bilateral meeting with Italy’s Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, to enhance cooperation in defence.
As part of his visit, Singh also co-chaired the 11th annual India-Italy Joint Defence Committee meeting with Luisa Riccardi, the Secretary General of Defence of Italy.
The discussions reaffirmed defence as a core aspect of the broader India-Italy strategic partnership.
Science & Technology News
QpiAI Unveils India’s First 25-Qubit Quantum Computer
Bengaluru-based firm QpiAI, supported under the National Quantum Mission by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), launched one of India’s most advanced quantum systems.
Named QpiAI-Indus, the system features 25 superconducting qubits.
It is India’s first full-stack quantum computer, integrating quantum hardware, scalable control mechanisms, and efficient software for hybrid quantum-classical computing solutions.
Economy News
March 2025 WPI Index Highlights
DPIIT reported a 2.05% annual increase in the Wholesale Price Index for March 2025, slightly down from February’s 2.38%.
The overall WPI index for all commodities was recorded at 154.5.
Price hikes in food products, electricity, and textiles contributed significantly to this rise.
Inflation for primary articles notably fell to 0.76%, while manufactured goods experienced a comparatively higher inflation rate.
Appointments News
Mirabai Chanu Named Chairperson of IWLF Athletes Commission
Renowned weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has been appointed Chairperson of the Athletes Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF).
An Olympic silver medallist and Commonwealth Games champion, Chanu hails from Manipur.
Her role will include representing athlete concerns, promoting gender inclusivity, and strengthening player-administrator coordination.
Her appointment is a milestone for athlete-led leadership in Indian sports.
Cashfree Payments Appoints New CFO
Cashfree Payments appointed Piyush Anchliya as its new Chief Financial Officer.
He replaces Vikas Guru, who had a key role in steering the company’s financial progress and will support the transition.
Anchliya brings over 15 years of experience in investment banking, strategy, M&A, and corporate finance from stints at Barclays and IDFC/Bandhan Group in both India and the USA.
Awards News
6th National Highways Excellence Awards 2023 Recognize Best Performers
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways held the NHEA 2023 on April 15, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Awards celebrated excellence in highway planning, execution, and sustainability.
Top winners included:
H.G. Infra Engineering (PPP),
Bhartia Infra Projects (EPC),
Ashoka Buildcon (Green Highways Gold).
Individual awards were given to engineers Navratan, Devender Kumar, and Subhash Chandra.
Special Recognition was awarded to ULCCS for high standards in transparency and quality.
Minister Nitin Gadkari emphasized global competitiveness and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Winners of the “पथ चिंतन Hackathon” were also honored for their innovative ideas.
Sports News
Saurabh Chaudhary Bags Bronze at ISSF World Cup 2025
Saurabh Chaudhary, a 22-year-old shooter from Uttar Pradesh, secured a bronze medal in the 10m Air Pistol event at the 2025 ISSF World Cup in Lima, Peru.
Competing after over two years, he made a remarkable return by outperforming several Olympic medalists in a tense final.
With a score of 219.1, this marked his first World Cup medal since his comeback, underlining a strong resurgence in form.
Important Days
World Hemophilia Day Observed on April 17, 2025
World Hemophilia Day is celebrated annually on April 17 to promote awareness about hemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders.
Established by the World Federation of Hemophilia in 1989, this day honors the birth anniversary of its founder, Frank Schnabel.
The occasion is marked globally to unify the bleeding disorder community and advocate for better diagnosis and care.
