May 2025 Current-Affairs Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarising key people, policies, places and concepts appearing in the May 2025 Law Prep Tutorial lecture notes. Use them to review current-affairs terms for CLAT and other exams.

Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)

China-led global infrastructure programme launched in 2013 to improve land-sea connectivity and expand trade influence across Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America.

Silk Road Economic Belt

Land component of BRI that links China to Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe through rail and road corridors.

21st-Century Maritime Silk Road

Sea component of BRI that connects Chinese ports with South-East Asia, Africa and Europe along key shipping lanes.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

BRI flagship route linking China’s Xinjiang region with Pakistan’s Gwadar Port; passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

New Eurasian Land Bridge

Trans-continental rail corridor under BRI that runs from China through Kazakhstan and Russia to Europe.

Middle Corridor (Trans-Caspian Route)

Rail-sea route launched in 2017 connecting China to the EU via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus.

Debt-trap Diplomacy

Criticism that Chinese BRI loans create unsustainable debt, giving Beijing leverage over recipient countries’ strategic assets.

Extended Fund Facility (EFF)

IMF lending window that provides medium-term support to members facing persistent balance-of-payments problems from structural issues or slow growth.

Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)

IMF financing tool (2022) offering long-term climate and pandemic resilience loans to vulnerable low- and middle-income countries.

Special Drawing Rights (SDR)

IMF-created reserve asset whose value is based on a basket of five major currencies and allocated to members in proportion to quota.

International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC)

7,200-km multimodal trade route linking Indian Ocean ports with Iran, the Caspian Sea, Russia and Northern Europe.

India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)

G20-backed connectivity project (2023) combining sea and rail links from India to Europe via UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.

Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII)

G7 initiative (2022) to mobilise US$600 bn for sustainable infrastructure as a democratic alternative to BRI.

Operation Sindoor

May 2025 Indian tri-service strikes on nine terrorist targets in Pakistan & PoK in response to the Pahalgam attack.

SCALP-EG

French-UK long-range air-launched cruise missile (MBDA) employed by IAF for precision strikes.

BRAHMOS

Indo-Russian supersonic cruise missile named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers; range ~290 km.

HAROP

Israeli loitering munition (kamikaze drone) used by Indian forces for SEAD and precision attack.

Territorial Army (TA)

India’s volunteer reserve force that serves part-time in support of regular army operations; motto “Savdhani va Shoorta”.

Kartarpur Corridor

Visa-free border passage allowing Indian Sikh pilgrims to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan.

Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

1987 export-control arrangement limiting proliferation of missiles and UAVs capable of WMD delivery; India joined 2016.

Australia Group

1985 export-control forum coordinating controls on dual-use chemical and biological items; India joined 2018.

Wassenaar Arrangement

1996 multilateral regime promoting transparency in conventional arms and dual-use exports; India joined 2017.

Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)

Marxist Kurdish militant group seeking autonomy in Turkey; designated terrorist by EU & US.

Non-Refoulement

International law principle prohibiting forced return of refugees to territories where they face persecution, torture or death.

Foreigners Act 1946

Indian law giving the Centre power to regulate entry, stay and expulsion of non-citizens; basis for classifying Rohingya as ‘foreigners’.

States Reorganisation Act 1956

Legislation that reorganised Indian states along linguistic lines, creating 14 states and 6 UTs.

Article 3 (Indian Constitution)

Empowers Parliament to form new states, alter boundaries or names by ordinary law after state legislature views.

Article 371F

Special constitutional provision granting Sikkim political safeguards after its 1975 merger with India.

Presidential Reference (Article 143)

Process by which India’s President seeks Supreme Court advisory opinion on questions of law or public importance.

Economic Capital Framework (ECF)

RBI policy since 2019 (Bimal Jalan panel) on risk provisioning and surplus transfer; CRB target 5.5–7.5 % of balance-sheet.

Contingency Risk Buffer (CRB)

RBI reserve against market, credit and operational risks; surplus transfers occur only after CRB target is met.

World Press Freedom Index

Reporters Without Borders annual ranking of 180 countries on media freedom; India placed 151st in 2025.

Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC)

UN-backed annual assessment by GNFC & FSIN tracking acute food insecurity; 295 million people affected in 2024.

Human Development Index (HDI)

UNDP composite measuring life expectancy, education and GNI per capita; India scored 0.685 (rank 130) in 2025 report.

Planetary-Pressures Adjusted HDI (PHDI)

UNDP index that modifies HDI by deducting penalties for per-capita CO₂ emissions and material footprint.

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC)

IMO body that sets global rules on ship pollution; MEPC-83 adopted hybrid levy & fuel-standard plan for net-zero shipping by 2050.

MARPOL Annex VI

1997 protocol controlling air pollution and GHG emissions from ships; basis for forthcoming IMO carbon levy amendments.

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

COP-15 CBD accord (2022) with 4 goals & 23 targets, including conserving 30 % of land & sea by 2030 (‘30×30’).

Digital Sequence Information (DSI)

Electronic genetic-code data (DNA/RNA sequences) now included under India’s 2025 Access-and-Benefit-Sharing rules.

National Security Advisory Board (NSAB)

Non-statutory Indian body of experts providing strategic advice to the National Security Council; reconstituted 2025 under ex-RAW chief Alok Joshi.

ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram

Centrally sponsored ‘Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society’ literacy scheme (2022-27) targeting adults’ basic, digital and vocational skills.

Khelo India Youth Games

Annual national multi-sport event for U-17 & U-21 athletes; 7th edition (2025) hosted by Bihar.

Regional Rural Bank (RRB) Consolidation

Ongoing merger drive moving toward ‘One State – One RRB’; number reduced to 28 after 4th phase (2025).

Special 301 Report

USTR yearly review classifying trading partners’ IP regimes; India remains on ‘Priority Watch List’ (2025).

World Food Prize

Annual award (US$250 000) recognising contributions to global food security; 2025 laureate Mariangela Hungria (Brazil) for bio-fertiliser research.

International Booker Prize

£50 000 award for fiction translated into English; 2025 winner ‘Heart Lamp’ by Banu Mushtaq, trans. Deepa Bhasthi (first Kannada recipient).

Climate Finance Taxonomy (India, 2024 draft)

MoF framework classifying activities as ‘climate-supportive’ or ‘transition’ to guide green investment and prevent greenwashing.

Ideas4LiFE

MoEFCC-UNICEF crowdsourcing campaign (2024) seeking youth proposals for Mission LiFE sustainable-lifestyle actions.

Mission LiFE

Indian global movement (COP 26, 2021) promoting ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ to nudge individual climate-conscious behaviour.

Cashless Treatment Scheme for Road Accident Victims (2025)

Indian plan providing up-to ₹1.5 lakh coverage for emergency care within 7 days of any road accident.

Global Methane Tracker

IEA annual database monitoring anthropogenic CH₄ emissions; 2025 edition shows 145 Mt from energy sector in 2024.

Bagram Airfield

Largest former US base in Afghanistan; 2025 allegation of Chinese control highlighted regional security concerns.

Sagarmatha Sambaad

Nepal’s high-level dialogue platform; 1st edition (2024) issued five-point plan to protect the Himalayas.

Megasatellite ‘The Snake’ (G359.13-0.17)

Galactic centre radio filament analysed by MeerKAT revealing break cause and cosmic-ray dynamics.

Chandra X-ray Observatory

NASA flagship telescope (1999) observing high-energy universe; replacement concept ‘AXIS’ eight-times more sensitive approved 2025.

Nice Ocean Agreement (draft)

Expected outcome document of 3rd UN Ocean Conference (2025), aiming to accelerate SDG-14 implementation.

Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network

US-Japan-Australia-India mechanism (2024) coordinating military-humanitarian logistics across Indo-Pacific.

Functional Literacy

Ability to read, write and perform basic numeracy with understanding for daily life; Mizoram declared India’s first fully functional-literate state (2024-25).