Current Affairs – May 28, 2025

CrackTarget Daily

At CrackTarget, we ensure comprehensive coverage of current affairs to help aspirants excel in competitive exams. Below is a curated summary of key events from May 28, 2025, designed to keep you informed and exam-ready.

MoPR Unveils Panchayat Advancement Index (PAI) 2.0 Portal

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched the PAI 2.0 portal in May 2025 during a National Writeshop in New Delhi, led by Secretary Vivek Bharadwaj. Alongside, the Local Indicator Framework (LIF) Booklet and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for FY 2023-24 were released.

Objective: Empower Gram Panchayats with data-driven tools for planning and monitoring.
PAI 2.0 Features: Tracks performance of over 2.5 lakh Gram Panchayats across 9 themes aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It reduces indicators from 516 to 147 and data points from 794 to 227 compared to PAI 1.0.
MoPR Leadership:
Union Minister: Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Munger, Bihar)
Minister of State: S P Singh Baghel (Agra, Uttar Pradesh)

NITI Aayog’s Report on Medium Enterprises

NITI Aayog released the “Designing a Policy for Medium Enterprises” report in May 2025, launched by Vice Chairman Suman Bery.

Focus: Transforming medium enterprises into growth drivers for India’s economy through targeted interventions.
MSME Sector Insights: Contributes 29% to GDP, 40% to exports, and employs over 60% of the workforce. However, 97% of MSMEs are micro, 7% small, and only 0.3% medium enterprises.
Key Attendees: Dr. V.K. Saraswat and Dr. Arvind Virmani (NITI Aayog Members).

India Launches Bharat Forecast System (BFS)

On May 26, 2025, Union Minister Jitendra Singh (MoES) introduced the Bharat Forecast System (BFS), the world’s first 6 km resolution weather model, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Developed by IITM Pune and handed to IMD, BFS enhances weather prediction accuracy.

Key Features:
- 6 km resolution in tropics, 7-8 km at poles.
- Powered by supercomputer ‘Arka’ (11.77 petaflops, 33 PB storage), reducing model runtime to 3-4 hours.
- Covers 30°S to 30°N, aiding agriculture, disaster management, and aviation.
Attendees: Dr. M. Ravichandran (MoES Secretary), Dr. M. Mohapatra (IMD DG).

EPFO Maintains 8.25% Interest Rate for FY25

The Ministry of Finance approved an 8.25% interest rate on EPF deposits for FY 2024-25, as recommended by EPFO’s Central Board of Trustees (CBT) in February 2025, chaired by Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya.

Key Details:
- Second consecutive year at 8.25%, up from 8.15% in FY23.
- EPFO administers EPF, EPS (1995), and EDLI (1976) schemes.
- Employees and employers contribute 12% of basic salary + DA; interest is tax-free up to ₹5 lakh annually.
EPFO Leadership: Ramesh Krishnamurthi (CPFC), headquartered in New Delhi.

36% Stipend Hike Proposed for NAPS and NATS

The 38th Central Apprenticeship Council (CAC) meeting, chaired by Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary (MSDE), recommended a 36% stipend hike for NAPS and NATS, increasing the range from ₹5,000-₹9,000 to ₹6,800-₹12,300.

Other Decisions:
- Biennial stipend revisions based on CPI.
- Policy streamlining under Apprenticeship Rules, 1992.
- Adoption of NIC 2008 for industry classification.

NIBE Limited Secures $17.52M Export Order

Pune-based NIBE Limited won a $17.52 million order from an Israeli firm to supply Universal Rocket Launchers with a 300 km range, to be executed by November 2027.

Significance: Bolsters India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and defence exports (₹23,622 crore in FY25).
Launcher Features: Comparable to Elbit’s PULS, supports diverse munitions, including SkyStriker drones.

UGC Greenlights 5 Foreign University Campuses

The UGC approved campuses for five foreign universities in India, aligning with NEP 2020:

Illinois Institute of Technology (USA) – Mumbai, Maharashtra (2026-27).
University of Liverpool (UK) – Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Victoria University (Australia) – Location TBD.
Western Sydney University (Australia) – Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Istituto Europeo di Design (Italy) – Fashion and Visual Arts focus.

UGC Chairman: Vineet Joshi.

Indian Army’s First Community Radio Station

‘Panchshul Pulse’ (88.4 FM), the Indian Army’s first CRS, was launched in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, under Operation Sadbhavana.

Features: Covers 12 km, promotes local culture, and provides weather and welfare updates.
Tagline: “Hill Se Dil Tak.”

Wings India 2026 Curtain Raiser

Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu (MoCA) launched the preparatory event for Wings India 2026 in New Delhi. The main event is set for January 28-31, 2026, in Hyderabad.

Theme: “Indian Aviation: Paving the Future – Design to Sustainability.”
Key Attendees: Murlidhar Mohol (MoS, MoCA), Samir Kumar Sinha (MoCA Secretary).

India at 9th BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting

India attended the 9th BRICS Industry Ministers’ Meeting in Brasilia, Brazil, themed “Strengthening Global South Cooperation.”

Highlights: Adoption of Joint Declaration and presentation of BRICS Startup Knowledge Hub.

Kotak Mahindra Bank Revamps Kotak811

KMBL relaunched its Kotak811 digital platform, offering zero-balance accounts, UPI, FDs, and cashback rewards.

Account Types: Digital Savings, Edge, and Super Savings accounts.

AM Green-Port of Rotterdam $1B Green Energy MoU

AM Green (Hyderabad) and Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands) signed an MoU for a $1 billion green fuel trade, focusing on green ammonia and SAF from Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, starting 2026.

78th Cannes Film Festival Highlights

Palme d’Or: Jafar Panahi (Iran) for It Was Just an Accident.
Indian Recognition: Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound featured in Un Certain Regard.
Other Awards: Joachim Trier (Grand Prix), Hasan Hadi (Caméra d’Or).

Sumeet Tappoo Honored in Fiji

Fiji-born singer Sumeet Tappoo received the Companion of the Order of Fiji for his music and humanitarian work, including chairing Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital.

Neeraj Chopra Named Audi India Ambassador

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra was appointed Audi India’s brand ambassador on May 26, 2025, announced by JSW Sports.

ADTL Delivers Surya VHF Radar to IAF

Bengaluru-based ADTL delivered the indigenous Surya VHF radar to the IAF, capable of detecting stealth aircraft up to 360 km.

Features: Mobile, 3D radar with 15 km altitude coverage, integrated with C4ISR systems.

Indrajaal’s AI-Powered Anti-Drone System

Hyderabad-based Indrajaal launched Indrajaal Infra, an AI-driven anti-drone solution protecting critical infrastructure across 4,000 sq km.

Malaysia Masters 2025

Men’s Singles: Li Shifeng (China) defeated Kidambi Srikanth (India).
Other Winners: Wang Zhiyi (Women’s Singles), Liu Shengshu/Tan Ning (Women’s Doubles), and more.

Neeraj Chopra’s Silver in Poland

Neeraj Chopra won silver at the Janusz Kusociński Memorial 2025 in Poland with an 84.14m javelin throw.

Pat Cummins’ Book Launch

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins released Tested: The Remarkable Power of Resolve, published by HarperCollins, exploring leadership through expert interviews.

Kozhikode’s Biodiversity Symbols

Kozhikode, Kerala, became the first district to declare biodiversity symbols, including Athirani (flower), Menipponman (bird), and Indian Pangolin (animal), led by KSBB.

Why Choose CrackTarget for Current Affairs?
At CrackTarget, we ensure all critical topics for competitive exams are covered in our daily current affairs and quizzes. Our content is meticulously curated to provide accurate, exam-relevant information.

Why the Delay in Some News?
To deliver comprehensive and accurate data, we wait for reliable sources to publish complete details, ensuring no critical information is missed. For instance, international reports or rankings are often released late, so we include them the next day to maintain quality.

This version is tailored for CrackTarget, rephrased to avoid plagiarism, and formatted for clarity and exam relevance. Let me know if you need further customization!