Current affairs 15 March 2025

China to Host Shanghai Corporation Organisation Defence Meet.

• SCO defence officials will meet in Qingdao, China, on March 26-27, 2025, to discuss future security cooperation among member states.
• China plans to host the SCO leaders' summit in Tianjin in autumn.
• For the 2025 SCO presidency, China has chosen the theme Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move, and has also declared 2025 as the SCO Year of Sustainable Development.

India Launches First Exploration Licence Auction & AI Hackathon.

• India began its first-ever Exploration Licence (EL) auction on March 13, 2025, in Goa to unlock deep-seated mineral reserves.
• The AI Hackathon 2025 focused on Mineral Targeting using AI to enhance sustainable mining practices.
• The auction covers 13 mineral blocks across 10 states, featuring gold, copper, diamonds, REEs, and vanadium.

INS Ranvir Participates in Exercise Bongosagar 2025.

• India-Bangladesh Naval Drills: INS Ranvir and BNS Abu Ubaidah participated in Bongosagar 2025 and CORPAT in the Bay of Bengal.
• Key Operations: The exercise featured surface firing, VBSS drills, tactical maneuvers, and communication drills.
• Strategic Impact: Strengthened coordination, tactical planning, and information sharing, improving joint naval responses to emerging maritime threats.

TVS Motor & PETRONAS Extend Motorsports Partnership.

• TVS Motor has strengthened its alliance with PETRONAS Lubricants International to boost motorsports in India.
• PETRONAS will remain the title sponsor for TVS Racing, the factory racing team, for the next three years.
• PETRONAS Lubricants India previously held the title sponsorship for TVS Racing during the 2022-23 season.

IIFL Finance Launches All-Women "Shakti" Branches.

• IIFL Finance rebranded seven branches into all-women staffed Shakti branches on Women's Day to promote financial inclusion and gender diversity.
• Located in Delhi NCR and Mumbai, these branches provide employment, financial literacy, and skill development for women entrepreneurs.
• The initiative supports small, unbanked borrowers, reinforcing IIFL's commitment to women's empowerment.