United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

♦ India’s economy is projected to grow by 6.5% in 2025, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report said.

♦ India was listed among the countries that are propelling growth with higher government expenditure and monetary policy stimulus in the report titled ‘Trade and Development Foresights 2025.

♦The report projected China’s growth rate at 4.4 percent, while the US economy is expected to grow at 1 percent.

♦ The growth for the European Union has also been projected at 1 percent, although France, Germany and Italy are all expected to record below 1 percent growth. 

♦ Similarly, Japan’s economic growth rate is expected to come down to a mere 0.5 percent.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

♦ The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Financial Intelligence Unit-India (FIU-IND) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of continued coordinated efforts in effective implementation of requirements of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and Rules framed under it.

♦ The MoU was signed by Director of FIU-IND Vivek Aggarwal and Executive Director, Department of Regulation of RBI R.L.K. Rao. According to the MoU, FIU-IND and RBI will cooperate with each other in the areas of mutual interest.

♦ It includes sharing of relevant intelligence and information, available in their respective database and upgradation of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Financing of Terrorism skills in the regulated entities. 

Indias total exports of goods and services rose by 5.5

♦ India’s total exports of goods and services rose by 5.5% to a record $820.93 billion in the financial year 2024-25, compared to $773 billion in the previous year (2023-24).

♦ Merchandise exports stood at $437.4 billion, while non-petroleum exports registered a 6% year-on-year increase, reaching $374.08 billion in FY25.

♦ However, India’s trade deficit widened to $21.54 billion in 2025 March, up from $14.05 billion in 2025 February, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

♦ Compared to February, exports in March jumped 13.75%, while imports grew 24.6%.

Indias GDP to grow by 6.5 in fiscal 2026 on 14 April 2025

♦ Global credit rating agency Crisil projected India’s GDP to grow by 6.5% in fiscal 2026 on 14 April 2025, while cautioning that US tariff hikes remain a significant downside risk to the forecast.

♦ Crisil also anticipates that a decline in global crude oil prices, potentially driven by a global slowdown, will provide further support to domestic economic activity.

♦ In its monetary policy announcement the RBI earlier this month (April) lowered India’s GDP growth projection for 2025-26 to 6.5 percent.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

♦ India will provide a funding support of  990,000 dollar to Sierra Leone for the project Enabling Economic Independence For Specially Abled Persons In Sierra Leone (Persons With Disabilities).  

♦ The initiative, titled “Enabling Economic Independence for Specially Abled Persons in Sierra Leone”, is supported under the India-UN Development Partnership Fund and executed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

♦ The project aligns with Sierra Leone’s national priorities and underscores India’s commitment to inclusive development, sustainability, and South-South cooperation.

Indias goods and services

♦ India’s goods and services exports have crossed a record $820 billion in financial year 2024-25, which represents a close to 6 percent increase over the corresponding figure of $778 billion for the previous financial year (2023-24).

♦ The figures were revealed at a meeting held by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal with the Export Promotion Councils and industry bodies in New Delhi to discuss the emerging trade scenario.

♦ The minister complimented the exporters for the all-time high achievement in exports despite multiple headwinds, including the Red Sea crisis, Israel-Hamas conflict spilling over to the Gulf region, continuation of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and slow growth in some developed economies. 

Reserve Bank of India (RBI)

♦ The Monetary Policy Committee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced a reduction of 25 basis points in the policy repo rate, bringing it down to 6 percent on 9 APril 2025.

♦ Consequently, the standing deposit facility -SDF rate under the liquidity adjustment facility shall stand adjusted to 5.75 percent and the marginal standing facility – MSF rate and the Bank Rate to 6.25 percent. 

♦ In 2025 February, the MPC lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points.

♦ It was the first reduction since May 2020 and the first revision after two-and-a-half years.

♦ RBI has projected GDP growth for 2025-26 at 6.5 percent.

♦ RBI has said that this downward revision of its earlier assessment of 6.7 percent essentially reflects the impact of global trade and policy uncertainties.

Nirmala Sitharaman

♦ India and the UK have reaffirmed their commitment to continue collaboration in the financial services sector, FinTech and the digital economy.

♦ India and the UK held the 13th Economic and Financial Dialogue in London on 9 April 2025.

♦ The Indian delegation, led by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, held high-level discussions with the UK delegation led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves.

♦ Both sides look forward to the signing of the ‘India-UK Defence Industrial Roadmap’ to strengthen ties between industrial sectors and support supply chains.

Department of Financial Services (DFS)

♦ The Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance on 2025 April 8 notified the amalgamation of 26 Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) as part of the fourth phase of RRB consolidation.

♦ The move follows the principle of “One State, One RRB” and aims to improve operational efficiency and cost rationalization.

♦ The amalgamation covers RRBs operating across 10 states and one union territory.

♦ According to the Ministry, the consolidation is expected to enhance the scale of operations and optimize resource use, building on the success of previous phases of amalgamation that have improved the performance of RRBs.

♦ Prior to the latest restructuring, 43 RRBs were operational across 26 states and 2 union territories.

♦ Following the merger, the total number of RRBs has been reduced to 28. These banks collectively operate more than 22,000 branches, serving around 700 districts nationwide.

♦ Approximately 92% of these branches are located in rural and semi-urban areas, reaffirming the banks’ core mandate of rural financial inclusion.

♦ This marks the fourth round of RRB amalgamations undertaken by the government.

♦ In the first phase (FY 2006 to FY 2010), the number of RRBs was reduced from 196 to 82.

♦ The second phase (FY 2013 to FY 2015) brought the number down to 56, while the third phase (FY 2019 to FY 2021) further reduced it to 43.

Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP)

♦ According to data from the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), Tamil Nadu has recorded a remarkable real economic growth rate of 9.69% for the financial year 2024-25, making it the top-performing state in India.

♦ This growth is the highest in the last decade for Tamil Nadu. 

♦ As per the MoSPI data, Andhra Pradesh registered the second highest growth rate in the country with 8.21%.

♦ At constant prices (base year: 2011-12), the value of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Tamil Nadu, estimated at Rs.15,71,368 crore for 2023-24, had risen to Rs.17,23,698 crore for 2024-25.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)

♦ The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the 26th edition of its publication 'Women and Men in India 2024:

♦ Selected Indicators and Data' on 6 April 2025.

♦ The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for women aged 15 and above improved significantly, rising from 49.8% in 2017-18 to 60.1% in 2023-2, the report said.

♦ In the financial sector, women own 39.2% of all bank accounts and contribute to 39.7% of total deposits, with their presence most prominent in rural areas, where they account for 42.2% of account holders.

♦ Between March 2021 and November 2024, the number of DEMAT accounts surged from 33.26 million to 143.02 million.

♦ Of these. the number of women account holders rose from 6.67 million in 2021 to 27.71 million in 2024.

♦ The number of male and female voters grew from 173.2 million in 1952 to 978 million in 2024, with an increasing share of females.

♦ In the 2024 general elections, female voter turnout (65.8%) surpassed male turnout, even as it dipped slightly from 67.2% in 2019.

♦ The number of startups recognized by DPIIT with at least one woman director rose sharply from 1,943 in 2017 to 17,405 in 2024.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)

♦ Gross GST collections increased 9.9% to Rs.1.96 lakh crore in March 2025 as against Rs.1.78 lakh crore in the March 2024, according to data from Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) released on 1 April 2025.

♦ This was the highest since April 2024, when gross GST collections were slightly higher at Rs.2.01 lakh crore.

♦ Net GST increased 7.3% to Rs.1.76 lakh crore in the month under review as against Rs.1.64 lakh crore in the year ago period.

♦ On an annual basis, the government collected Rs.22.08 lakh crore in Gross GST in 2024-25, which was 9.4% more than revenue collected in 2023-24.

♦ Net GST collections rose 8.6% to Rs.19.6 lakh crore in the past fiscal against Rs.18.01 lakh crore in the year before.