1 India receives ‘Prince Michael Decade of Action Road Safety Award’ for progress in vehicle safety and infrastructure
In February 2025, the Government of India (GoI) was conferred with the region’s highest award ‘ Prince Michael Decade of Action Road Safety Award’ at the 4th Ministerial Conference on Road Safety held in Marrakech , Morocco . India shared the honour with the Kingdom of Morocco , as both countries were recognised for their efforts to improve road safety. The conference was organised by the Kingdom of Morocco and the World Health Organisation (WHO) . The theme of the conference is “ Commitment to Life ”. The ministerial conference brought together transport leaders from several countries to create a strategic plan focused on reducing global road fatalities by 50% by 2030, with an emphasis on global cooperation to enhance road safety.
2 USA: President Trump announces a new Gold Card Investor Visa program to replace the existing EB-5 visa for wealthy immigrants
US President Donald Trump has announced a new Gold Card Investor Visa programme to replace the existing EB-5 visa for wealthy immigrants . Trump said companies can buy immigration Gold Cards for highly talented employees by paying $5 million to help them overcome the uncertainties of work visas and Green Cards . He described the programme as an enhanced Green Card system with privileges. Mr Trump said the Gold Card Investor Visa will help professionals overcome the uncertainty of H-1B work visas and the agony of waiting for decades for a Green Card. The Gold Card Visa will replace the current EB-5 programme. EB-5 gives immigration privileges to those who invest between $800,000 and $1 million to create jobs in their respective fields. The Gold Card Visa programme is expected to be rolled out in two weeks.
On February 22, 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) licensed Datia Airport located in Datia (Madhya Pradesh, MP) as a public airport under the 3C/Visual Flight Rules (VFR) category . With this approval, Datia Airport is now the 8th public airport in Madhya Pradesh , open for public use. It will improve regional connectivity and support economic development in the Datia region. Other licensed public airports in Madhya Pradesh are Raja Bhoj International Airport in Bhopal (Bhopal Airport), Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport in Indore (Indore), Rajmata Vijaya Raje Scindia Air Terminal in Gwalior (Gwalior Airport), Dumna Airport in Jabalpur (Jabalpur Airport), Khajuraho Airport in Khajuraho, Rewa Airport in Rewa and Satna Airport in Satna.
4 NITI Aayog forms committee to develop plan to transform AIIMS
In February 2025, the New Delhi -based government think tank National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog formed a committee to develop a plan aimed at transforming the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) , New Delhi into a premier institution for medical practice and research. The committee, headed by its member Dr V K Paul, will evaluate existing systems and propose comprehensive reforms with set timelines.
5 Darjeeling Zoo unveils India’s first bio-bank and animal museum
In February 2025 , Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) located in Darjeeling (West Bengal, WB) , popularly known as Darjeeling Zoo , opened India’s first bio-bank (frozen zoo) and an animal museum . It has been opened as part of the National Conservation Plan in collaboration with Darjeeling Zoo under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoS&T) and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) located in Hyderabad (Telangana) . It was established in July 2024 and since then DNA and tissue samples have been collected from 60 animals of 23 species, giving priority to endangered species.
6 Mines Ministry classifies Barytes, Feldspar, Mica and Quartz as major minerals
In February 2025, the Ministry of Mines (MoM) announced the reclassification of barytes, feldspar, mica and quartz as major minerals to enhance exploration and scientific mining of these resources , which are the major sources of several critical minerals. Subsequently, mining of these minerals will be regulated under Section 8A of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957. This classification is based on the recommendation of an inter-ministerial committee on mines and minerals, headed by Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, member, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog. The move comes after the Union Cabinet on January 29, 2025 approved the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) with a budget of Rs 34,300 crore over seven years. The mission aims to explore and mine critical minerals in the country, including recovery of minerals from other mineral mines, overburden and tailings.
In February 2025, India and Bangladesh have agreed to launch a new ‘ hotline ‘ or communication link for effective communication between border forces. The link will be established between the Additional Director General (ADG) of the Eastern Command of the Border Security Force (BSF) based in Kolkata , West Bengal (WB) and his Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) counterpart based in Dhaka , Bangladesh . The decision was finalised during the 55th Director General (DG)-level Border Coordination Conference, a bi-annual meeting held at BSF Headquarters in New Delhi, Delhi from February 18 to 20, 2025. The Indian delegation was led by BSF Director General Daljit Singh and BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui.
8 Indusind Bank partners with PGTI as official banking partner
In February 2025, IndusInd Bank Limited announced its partnership with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) as its official banking partner . The partnership reflects the Bank’s dedication to providing an exceptional experience to Ultra High Net Worth Individuals (UHNIs) and High Net Worth Individuals (HNIs) under the guidance of Pioneer Banking . This collaboration is a continuation of the many initiatives that IndusInd Bank has undertaken over the years to create value-added premium experiences tailored to the various banking needs of UHNIs and HNIs, especially in the field of sports. The Bank will actively support PGTI tournaments during the competition, helping to expand the reach of the sport and strengthen the professional golf landscape in India.
9 Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal awarded ‘Honorary Knighthood Medal’
On 22nd February 2025, Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman of New Delhi (Delhi) based Bharti Enterprises was conferred with ‘ Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE) ’ for his contribution in strengthening business ties between the United Kingdom (UK) and India . The KBE medal was presented by the BHC to India, Lindy Cameron, at an investiture ceremony held at the residence of the British High Commissioner (BHC) in New Delhi. The ceremony comes after the announcement made in 2024 declaring Sunil Bharti Mittal as the first Indian national to receive the KBE under King Charles III.
10 AMTZ wins award for solar-powered tricycle in BRICS Industrial Innovation Competition 2024
In February 2025, the solar-powered tricycle of Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) located in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh, AP) won the Outstanding Project Award at the BRICS Industrial Innovation Competition 2024. This mobility solution was developed by the Assistive Technology Centre (ATC) at AMTZ. The solar-powered tricycle was officially launched in August 2024 by Union Minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH).
