📚 *Current affairs* *February 17, 2025* - *Government and Politics*: The Indian government plans to establish a Deregulation Commission to reduce the state's role in governance and promote ease of doing business ¹. - *Tribal Festival*: President Droupama Murmu inaugurated the National Tribal Festival 'Aadi Mahotsav' in New Delhi, celebrating India's rich tribal heritage and culture ¹. - *Defense*: The Philippines is set to acquire the Akash missile system from India in a $200 million deal, strengthening India's presence in the global defense market ¹. - *Banking*: The Reserve Bank of India granted permission to Bank of Maharashtra to establish a branch in GIFT City, enhancing offshore banking operations ¹. - *Corporate Governance*: SEBI launched a dedicated portal for Related Party Transactions to ensure transparency and accountability in the Indian securities market ¹. - *Economy*: Indian banks' margins are expected to drop by 10 basis points in FY26 due to the RBI's rate cut, according to Fitch Ratings ¹. - *Business*: Axis Bank pledged ₹104 crore to Ashoka University for research growth, focusing on interdisciplinary research in neurosciences, behavioral studies, and physics ¹. - *Sports*: Campa Cola replaced Thums Up as the co-presenter of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 in a Rs 200 crore deal ¹. - *Environment*: India ranks seventh in the Climate Risk Index 2025, highlighting the need for climate resilience and adaptation measures ². - *International Relations*: The World Government Summit (WGS) 2025 was held in Dubai under the theme "Building the Governments of the Future" ². - *Women's Empowerment*: The 10th International Women's Conference was recently held in Hyderabad ². - *Textiles*: BHARAT TEX 2025, a premier global textiles event, showcased India's textile industry from February 14 to 17, 2025 ¹. - *Obituaries*: C Krishnaveni, a pioneer of Telugu cinema, passed away at 102, and renowned Bengali vocalist Pratul Mukhopadhyay passed away at 83 ¹.