01st-02nd January 2026

1. Overview of Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan’s official visit to Puducherry, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu
2. Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 begins from December 2025
3. Western Railways commissions the indigenous Kavach 4.0 safety system on the Bajwa–Ahmedabad section
4. Ministry of Science and Technology signs an agreement with VMSPL under the IC-CIR&D programme
5. Government imposes a final safeguard duty on steel imports for a fixed period
6. NMCG approves a dedicated conservation project for the Indian skimmer and other sandbar-nesting birds in the Ganga basin
7. India Post discontinues select outward international letter mail services
8. RBI grants final Payment Aggregator–Cross Border authorisation to BRISKPE
9. Air India and airBaltic sign a codeshare agreement to enhance connectivity between India and the Baltic region
10. Kaamya Karthikeyan becomes the youngest Indian to ski to the South Pole
11. British-Indian comedian and author Meera Syal is awarded a damehood in the King’s New Year Honours
12. Appointments Committee clears Lav Aggarwal as DGFT, with Rabindra Kumar Agarwal appointed to head FCI
13. ISRO successfully conducts a static test of the third stage of the SSLV at Sriharikota
14. Overview of the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships held in Qatar
15. India and Pakistan complete the annual exchange of information on nuclear facilities
16. Amazon stingless bees are granted legal protection and rights
17. Goa announces the creation of a third district with headquarters at Quepem
18. Magnus Carlsen stages a strong comeback, while Arjun Erigaisi wins bronze at the Blitz World Championships
19. Cabinet approves a six-lane greenfield corridor connecting Nashik, Solapur, and Akkalkot
20. DRDO successfully tests the Pralay missile with consecutive salvo launches
21. Warren Buffett steps down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
22. Major bureaucratic reshuffle places Lav Aggarwal at DGFT and R. K. Agarwal at FCI
23. Finance Ministry notifies revised rules allowing 100% FDI in the insurance sector
24. Banks & NBFCs cautiously optimistic of 2026
25. Deepti Sharma sets a new wicket-taking record in women’s T20 cricket
26. India develops PathGennie, an open-source tool to accelerate drug research
27. India records more than 5.5 lakh trademark registrations in a single financial year
28. RBL Bank revamps top management with the appointment of a new Executive Director and an interim CFO
29. National Test House and NHAI sign an MoU to improve highway quality and safety

National News

1. NMCG approves sandbar-nesting birds conservation project

• What:
  • National Mission for Clean Ganga approved a project to protect breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds, including the Indian Skimmer, in the Ganga basin.
• Tell me more:
  • The project was approved during the 68th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Mission for Clean Ganga in New Delhi under Namami Gange Mission-2.
  • Nest monitoring will continue in the Chambal and Lower Ganga regions, while new monitoring will begin in Bijnor, Narora, and Prayagraj.
  • The project is the first-of-its-kind initiative by NMCG focusing specifically on avifauna.
  • The meeting was chaired by Director General of NMCG, Rajeev Kumar Mittal.

Source: NOA

2. India Post to discontinue select international letter services

• What:
  • Department of Posts will discontinue selected outward international letter mail services from 01 January.
• Why:
  • The move aims to align postal services with Universal Postal Union decisions while improving tracking, security, and service reliability, addressing issues such as limited tracking, long delivery timelines, and stricter customs and security requirements.
• Tell me more:
  • Services to be discontinued include Registered Small Packet and Outward Small Packet services, along with outward letter post items for goods sent by Sea, Surface Air Lifted, and Air Surface Letter Mail Service.
  • Customers are encouraged to use International Tracked Packet Service and other international parcel services.
  • After implementation, only document-only shipments booked in Air mode will be allowed under letter post categories, limited to Letters, Post Cards, Printed Papers, Aerograms, Blind Literature, and M-bags.

Source: ET

State News

1. Vice-President attends Trivandrum Fest 2025 in Kerala

• What:
  • Vice-President of India participated in Trivandrum Fest 2025 held in Thiruvananthapuram.
• Tell me more:
  • Trivandrum Fest is celebrated as the Christmas–New Year Peace Carnival.
  • The Vice-President described Kerala as “God’s Own Country” known for social values and peaceful coexistence.

Source: PIB

2. Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 begins from December 2025

• What:
  • Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 begins on 2 December 2025 to strengthen cultural and linguistic ties between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
• Why:
  • The programme aims to promote Tamil language learning and reinforce civilisational unity under the vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
• Tell me more:
  • The 4.0 edition is based on the theme “Let Us Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam”. KTS 4.0 focuses specifically on language-centred engagement to deepen national unity.
  • Tamil Karkalam will introduce Tamil teaching in 50 schools of Varanasi, covering around 1,500 students with basic spoken Tamil.
  • Tamil Karpom will enable 300 college students from Uttar Pradesh to visit Tamil Nadu for immersive language and cultural learning.
  • A Sage Agastya Vehicle Expedition will trace the route from Tenkasi to Kashi, highlighting ancient civilisational links.
  • The programme will conclude with a Valedictory Function at Rameswaram.

3. Western Railways Commissions the Indigenous Kavach 4.0 Safety System

• What:
  • Indian Railways commissioned Kavach 4.0 on the Bajwa (Vadodara)–Ahmedabad 96-kilometre rail section in Gujarat.
• Why:
  • The system was introduced to enhance rail safety by preventing accidents and improving operational reliability through automatic train protection.
• Tell me more:
  • The headquarters of Western Railway is located in Churchgate, Mumbai.
  • Kavach 4.0 prevents Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD), controls train speed, and protects against head-on and rear-end collisions.
  • Kavach was first launched in practice through field trials in February 2016, when passenger train trials of the system began. In July 2020, Kavach was adopted as the National Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system.
  • It is certified to Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4), one of the highest global safety standards.

Source: PIB PIB

4. Goa to create third district named Kushavati

• What:
  • The Goa government announced the creation of the state’s third district, to be named Kushavati after the Kushavati river flowing through southern Goa.
• Tell me more:
  • The district will include four talukas—Sanguem, Dharbandora, Quepem, and Canacona—currently part of South Goa, with headquarters at Quepem.
  • The Kushavati river flows through all four talukas of the new district.
  • Usgalimal rock engravings on the riverbanks show some of the earliest human settlements in Goa and are thousands of years old.
  • Goa currently has two districts: North Goa and South Goa.

5. Cabinet clears Nashik–Solapur–Akkalkot greenfield corridor

• What:
  • The Union Cabinet approved a six-lane greenfield access-controlled Nashik–Solapur–Akkalkot corridor in Maharashtra and widening of NH-326 in Odisha.
• Why:
  • The approvals aim to strengthen integrated transport infrastructure under the PM Gatishakti National Master Plan and improve regional connectivity.
• Tell me more:
  • The corridor will connect key cities including Nashik, Ahilyanagar, Solapur, and further link to Kurnool.
  • It will connect with the Delhi–Mumbai Expressway near Vadhawan port interchange, the Agra–Mumbai corridor at Nashik (NH-60, Adegaon), and Samruddhi Mahamarg at Pangri.
  • The project will provide connectivity from the west coast to the east coast.

Source: ET

Banking and Economy

1. India imposes three-year safeguard duty on steel imports

• What:
  • India imposed a safeguard import duty of 11%–12% for three years on some steel products.
• Why:
  • The duty aims to protect the domestic steel industry from injury caused by a sharp rise in cheap steel imports.
• Tell me more:
  • The safeguard duty will be 12% in the first year, 11.5% in the second year, and 11% in the third year.
  • The levy follows a temporary 200-day safeguard duty of 12% imposed in April.
  • The Directorate General of Trade Remedies recommended the three-year duty after finding a sudden and significant surge in imports.
  • China, Vietnam, and Nepal are subject to the safeguard duty.
  • Specialty steel products, including stainless steel, are exempt from the levy.

Source: TH

2. RBI grants PA-CB authorisation to BRISKPE

• What:
  • Reserve Bank of India granted final authorisation to BRISKPE to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border.
• Tell me more:
  • The authorisation enables regulated inward and outward cross-border payment flows for Indian businesses and was granted under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
  • BRISKPE is among the youngest fintech firms to receive PA-CB approval in a short time and plans to scale cross-border transactions beyond USD 1 billion by 2026.

3. Air India signs codeshare agreement with airBaltic

• What:
  • Air India entered into a new codeshare agreement with Latvia’s national carrier airBaltic to expand connectivity to the Baltic region.
• Why:
  • The partnership aims to make travel from India to Latvia and the wider Baltic region more seamless and convenient.
• Tell me more:
  • Codeshare flights are available for booking through Air India, airBaltic, and global travel agents.
  • Since privatisation in 2022, Air India has signed 24 codeshare agreements and nearly 100 interline partnerships

4. Insurance FDI rules amended to allow 100% investment

• What:
  • The finance ministry notified the Indian Insurance Companies (Foreign Investment) Amendment Rules, 2025, aligning regulations with the 100% foreign investment limit approved by Parliament.
• Tell me more:
  • The new rules require an insurance company with foreign investment to have at least one among the CEO, Managing Director, or Chairperson as a resident Indian citizen.
  • The earlier foreign investment limit in insurance was 74%, as provided under the Insurance Act, 1938.
  • Parliament passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, in December 2025.

Source: ET

5. Banking and NBFC sector outlook remains stable

• What:
  • The banking and NBFC sectors are expected to witness stable growth with moderate expansion in credit and deposits through CY2026.
• Why:
  • The outlook reflects the impact of rate cuts, asset quality trends, regulatory changes, and funding conditions on financial sector performance.
• Tell me more:
  • Banking sector credit and deposit growth is expected at around 12% in CY2026, compared to 11.4% estimated in CY2025, with asset quality remaining under control despite higher slippages in unsecured retail loans.
  • Net interest margins declined in 2025 due to benchmark rate cuts and are expected to remain under pressure till Q1 CY2026 before improving.
  • Banking sector capitalisation remains comfortable, with core equity levels at about 14.5% as of September 2025, supporting bond issuances and growth.
  • NBFC sector AUM crossed ₹50 trillion in CY2024 and accounted for about 30% of banking system advances as of September 2025.
  • Retail loans form around 60% of NBFC credit and are expected to cross ₹40 trillion in CY2026.
  • NBFC growth is expected to remain at 13–15% in CY2025–26, with the retail segment growing at 16–18%.

Source: ET

Defence News

1. TDB supports electric boat project under Indo-Canada programme

• What:
  • Technology Development Board signed an agreement with Vijai Marine Services Pvt. Ltd. for developing a 20-passenger electric boat under the Smart Sea Project by VACE.
• Why:
  • The project aims to promote clean waterways, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and support sustainable and environment-friendly water transport.
• Tell me more:
  • The project is supported under a bilateral programme between the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, and National Research Council Canada with Global Affairs Canada.
  • Vijai Marine Services Pvt. Ltd. will design and build a high-strength, low-weight FRP vessel meeting Indian Register of Shipping standards.
  • The project supports development of electric boats for water taxis, eco-tourism, and river-based passenger transport.

Source: PIB

2. India, Pakistan exchange nuclear installations lists

• What:
  • India and Pakistan exchanged the list of nuclear installations and facilities under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities.
• Why:
  • The exchange is carried out annually to comply with the bilateral agreement that mandates mutual sharing of information on nuclear installations.
• Tell me more:
  • As per the agreement, India and Pakistan exchange information on 1 January every year, marking the 35th consecutive exchange of nuclear installation lists this time, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
  • The Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities was signed on 31 December 1988 and entered into force on 27 January 1991.

Source: NOA

3. DRDO conducts successful Pralay missile salvo launch

• What:
  • DRDO successfully conducted a salvo launch of two indigenously developed Pralay quasi-ballistic missiles off the coast of Odisha as part of user evaluation trials.
• Tell me more:
  • Pralay is a solid-propellant, quasi-ballistic missile with advanced guidance and navigation systems, capable of carrying multiple types of warheads against varied targets.
  • The missile was first tested in December 2021, with additional user evaluation trials conducted earlier in July this year.
  • Both missiles followed the intended trajectory and met all flight objectives, confirmed by tracking sensors of the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, and onboard ship-based telemetry.
  • Pralay has a lower trajectory than ballistic missiles and can manoeuvre during flight.
  • The system was developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad, with support from multiple laboratories, including three Pune-based units.
  • Industry partners include Bharat Dynamics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, and other industries and MSMEs.

Source: IE

Science and Technology

1. ISRO tests improved third stage of SSLV

• What:
  • ISRO successfully conducted a static test of the improved third stage (SS3) of the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle at the Solid Motor Static Test Facility, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.
• Tell me more:
  • The improved SS3 makes India’s small satellite launches lighter, more reliable, and more capable, allowing heavier payloads at lower cost.
  • This strengthens India’s commercial launch competitiveness, attracts global customers, boosts private participation, and expands India’s role in the growing small-satellite space economy.

2. Peru grants legal rights to Amazonian stingless bees

• What:
  • Two municipalities in Peru, Satipo and Nauta, passed an ordinance granting legal rights to Amazonian stingless bees, making them the first insect in the world to receive such recognition.
• Tell me more:
  • The legal rights include the right to exist, maintain healthy populations, restore habitats, and live in a pollution-free environment.
  • Stingless bees are the oldest bee species on the planet and have sustained tropical forests for about 80 million years.
  • About 50% of the nearly 500 known stingless bee species live in the Amazon, with more than 170 species found in Peru.
  • These bees pollinate over 80% of Amazonian flora, including crops like cacao, coffee, and avocados.
  • Stingless bees are culturally important to Indigenous Asháninka and Kukama-Kukamiria communities, who use their honey for medicinal purposes.

Source: IE

3. PathGennie software to speed up drug discovery

• What:
  • The Ministry of Science and Technology developed PathGennie, an open-source software to fast track drug discovery by predicting how drugs unbind from protein targets.
• Tell me more:
  • PathGennie predicts drug “residence time”, which shows how long a drug remains attached to its target protein.
  • PathGennie was developed by scientists at S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, under the Department of Science and Technology.
  • The research was published in the Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation.
  • The software successfully mapped drug exit pathways for benzene and the anti-cancer drug imatinib.

Source: DST

Awards

1. Kaamya Karthikeyan skis to South Pole

• What:
  • Kaamya Karthikeyan became the youngest Indian and second-youngest woman to ski to the South Pole.
• Tell me more:
  • The expedition was flagged off from the Penguin Enclosure at Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Botanical Garden and Zoo, Byculla, South Mumbai.
  • Kaamya Karthikeyan is the daughter of Indian Navy officer Commander S. Karthikeyan.
  • She is the youngest Indian and second-youngest woman to climb Mount Everest from the Nepal side.

2. Meera Syal awarded Damehood in UK honours

• What:
  • Meera Syal was awarded a Damehood in King Charles III’s New Year Honours list, released by the United Kingdom Cabinet Office, recognising her services to literature, drama, and charity.
• Tell me more:
  • Meera Syal is a London-based comedian, writer, actor, and filmmaker, best known for Goodness Gracious Me, The Kumars at No. 42, and Anita and Me, and a recipient of MBE (1997) and CBE (2015).
  • A total of 1,157 recipients were honoured in the 2025 New Year Honours list.
  • Professor Meena Upadhyaya received a Damehood for services to community cohesion and medical genetics.
  • Paavan Popat, CEO of TLC Group, was awarded OBE for leadership in intergenerational housing and elder care.

Source: ET

Sports

1. Carlsen and Assaubayeva win 2025 World Blitz titles

• Magnus Carlsen won his ninth World Blitz title and Bibisara Assaubayeva won her third Women’s World Blitz title at the 2025 World Blitz Championships in Doha.
• The event was hosted by the Chess Federation of Qatar and marked the return of the championships to Doha after 2016.

2. Deepti Sharma becomes top Women’s T20I wicket-taker

• Deepti Sharma became the leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is, surpassing Megan Schutt with her 152nd wicket at Greenfield Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram.

Source: BS

Memorandum of Understanding

1. NTH–NHAI MoU for highway quality testing

• What:
  • National Test House and National Highways Authority of India signed an MoU to strengthen quality control and third-party testing for national highway and infrastructure projects.
• Tell me more:
  • The MoU will help enhance the safety, durability and performance of national highways and support the Government of India’s vision of strong, reliable and world-class infrastructure.
  • National Test House was established in 1912. It is a leading scientific testing and quality assurance organisation.
  • NTH functions under the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, with a pan-India presence.

Source: PIB

Appointments

1. Lav Aggarwal appointed Director General of Foreign Trade

• What:
  • A total of 25 civil servants were appointed to various central government posts by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.
• Tell me more:

2. Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire CEO

• What:
  • Warren Buffett has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway, ending nearly six decades as the company’s leader.
• Tell me more:
  • Buffett took control of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 and transformed it from a textile firm into a diversified conglomerate valued at over USD 1 trillion.
  • Greg Abel, vice chairman overseeing non-insurance operations, will become CEO from January 1, 2026.
  • Buffett is widely known as the “Oracle of Omaha” for his long-term value-investing approach.

Source: DD

3. RBL Bank announces senior leadership reshuffle

• RBL Bank announced senior leadership changes, including the retirement of Executive Director Rajeev Ahuja and new appointments, subject to regulatory and shareholder approvals.
• The Reserve Bank of India approved the appointment of Jaideep Iyer as Executive Director for a three-year term starting 21 February, subject to shareholder approval.

Source: BW

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