Daily Current Affairs: 5 January 2026

Analysis for 05 January 2026

J P Nadda released 10th edition of Indian Pharmacopoeia

Key Updates:

J P Nadda, Union Health Minister, released the 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia at Dr Ambedkar International Centre.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia 2026 incorporates 121 new monographs, raising the total to 3,340 monographs.
The compendium is recognised in 19 countries of the Global South.
India improved its rank from 123rd during 2009-2014 to 8th in 2025 in contributions to WHO's pharmacovigilance database.
The 10th edition includes, for the first time, 20 blood component monographs for transfusion medicine.

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Union Minister J P Nadda announces India ranks 8th globally in World Health Organization (WHO) Pharmacovigilance Contributions (Start of January) ▼

India now stands at the 8th position globally in World Health Organization (WHO) Pharmacovigilance Contributions, rising from the 123rd position held ten years ago.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released the 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2026, which serves as the official book of drug standards for India.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) 2026 has incorporated 121 new monographs, increasing the total count to 3,340 monographs.
India has become the first country to include 20 blood component monographs to expand research in blood transfusion, thalassemia, hemophilia, and anaemia.
The new monographs are designed to benefit the National TB Elimination Programme, Anaemia Mukt Bharat, and the Universal Immunisation Programme.
The Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) is currently recognized as a standard in 19 Global South countries.

Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine commences in New Delhi (End of December) ▼

The Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine kicked off on Wednesday, with a focus on 'Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-Being,' at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasised the importance of traditional medicine in global healthcare.
The three-day global scientific gathering is held from December 17th to 19th, 2025.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to grace the closing ceremony of the Summit on December 19th, 2025.
The summit is being jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.

AMRIT Pharmacy Initiative: 10 Years of Affordable Medicines (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) pharmacies, implemented by HLL Lifecare Ltd.
Launch: First outlet opened at AIIMS, Delhi in 2015; network now spans 255 outlets across 24 States and 4 UTs.
Objective: Provide life-saving and essential medicines and implants at 50–90% discount to reduce treatment costs, especially for low-income patients.
Achievement: Over 6.85 crore patients benefited; medicines worth >Rs 17,000 crore (MRP) dispensed, saving patients ~Rs 8,500 crore cumulatively.
Future Plan: Expand network to 500 outlets, aiming to place an AMRIT pharmacy in every medical college and district hospital.

Prime Minister Modi releases commemorative postal stamp on Ashwagandha in New Delhi (End of December) ▼

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi released a commemorative postal stamp on Ashwagandha at the closing ceremony of the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi.
The five-rupee postal stamp on Ashwagandha symbolises the rise of medicinal plants and underscores the use of traditional medicine techniques and philosophies such as Ayurveda.
Prime Minister Modi launched the Traditional Medicine Global Library, a landmark global platform designed to preserve and provide equitable access to scientific data, policy documents and validated knowledge related to traditional medicine.

Abhishek Sharma inaugurates Radio Sangam 88.8 FM at Keri village

[Jammu and Kashmir]

Key Updates:

Abhishek Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri, inaugurated Radio Sangam (88.8 FM) in Keri village.
Radio Sangam is the first community radio station established by the Indian Army along the Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir.
The station aims to counter misinformation, promote hyperlocal content, and bridge the digital divide in forward areas.

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National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 enhances mid-band spectrum for 5G/6G and satellite services (End of December) ▼

Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, released the National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025).
NFAP-2025 allocates radio-frequency spectrum in the range 8.3 kHz to 3000 GHz.
Identifies the 6425-7125 MHz band for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) to boost 5G, 5G Advanced and future 6G networks.
Allocates Ka, Q and V bands for satellite-based services for high-throughput GSO and large non-GSO satellite constellations.
Provides additional spectrum for In-Flight and Maritime Connectivity (IFMC) and emerging technologies like Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication and LEO/MEO satellite services.

Indian Army Social Media Policy 2025: Limited Usage Permitted (End of December) ▼

Indian Army has come out with a new policy that allows limited usage of social media apps for its over 11.5 lakh soldiers.
Soldiers can now access Instagram but only for 'purposes of viewing and monitoring' and will not be allowed to post views or comments.
Exchange of unclassified information of a general nature or content has been permitted on Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram and Signal, but only with known persons.
Only 'passive participation' has been permitted to 'obtain knowledge or information' on YouTube, X, Quora and Instagram, and uploading of user-generated content or messages is not permitted.
LinkedIn can be used only for uploading a resume and obtaining information on potential employees/employers.

India operationalises Nyoma airbase near China border; Army conducts 'Poorvi Prachand Prahar' exercise in Arunachal Pradesh (Mid of November) ▼

Nyoma airbase, located about 35 km from the LAC in eastern Ladakh, was operationalised with a Rs 230 crore upgrade
The upgrade included a 2.7-km rigid-pavement runway, new ATC complex, hangars, crash bay and accommodation
IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A P Singh formally inaugurated the base by flying in a C-130J 'Super Hercules' aircraft
The airbase will facilitate rapid movement of troops, weapons and supplies to Pangong Tso, Demchok and Depsang areas
Concurrently, Indian Army's 3 Spear Corps along with IAF and ITBP elements are conducting 'Poorvi Prachand Prahar' exercise in high-altitude terrain of Mechuka, Arunachal Pradesh

Public Service Broadcasting Day observed on 12 November: Mahatma Gandhi’s sole radio address from AIR Delhi (Mid of November) ▼

Public Service Broadcasting Day is observed on the 12th of November every year to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s historic radio address.
On this day in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi made his first and only visit to the Broadcasting House in New Delhi and addressed displaced Indians in Kurukshetra via a special Deepawali broadcast.
The studio in Broadcasting House was arranged in the style of Gandhi’s daily prayer meetings for the occasion.

S Jaishankar inaugurates IITM Global Research Foundation

[Indian Institute of Technology Madras]

Key Updates:

S Jaishankar launched the IITM Global Research Foundation, positioning Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) as the world’s first multinational university.
He inaugurated the IITM Festival Fortnight, including the Open House, Shaastra technical festival, and Saarang cultural festival.
IIT Madras signed memoranda of understanding with partners in the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Dubai, Asia-Pacific, and under the India-for-Global initiative.

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NITI Aayog Internationalisation Roadmap: Campus-within-Campus & Vishwa Bandhu Scholarship (End of December) ▼

NITI Aayog proposes allowing foreign higher education institutions to set up campuses in Indian institutions under the ‘campus within a campus’ model with a sunset clause of 10 years.
It calls for easing regulations for mobility of inbound and outbound students by simplifying visa processes, reducing documentation burdens, and addressing regulatory bottlenecks.
The report recommends establishing a National Research Sovereign Wealth Impact Fund named Bharat Vidya Kosh with a suggested $10 billion corpus—50% from diaspora or philanthropy and 50% matched by the Government of India.
It proposes a scholarship programme ‘Vishwa Bandhu Scholarship’ for international students for 2-year master’s programmes offering study-based internships, competitive stipends, tuition support, research grants, accommodation, travel allowance, and health insurance.

Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO) to be set up at GIFT City through PPP model (End of December) ▼

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel gave in-principle approval for the establishment of the Indian AI Research Organisation (IAIRO) to strengthen research and development in artificial intelligence.
The facility will be set up through a tripartite partnership involving the state and Central governments, and the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance under the PPP model.
IAIRO will be constituted as a non-profit institute under Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013.
An estimated budget of approximately ₹300 crore has been earmarked for the first five years, with equal contribution of 33.33% each from the state government, the Centre, and the private partner.
The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) has joined as the anchor private partner and will contribute ₹25 crore for the year 2025-26.
IAIRO will function under a hybrid compute model, integrating on-premise GPU infrastructure along with national platforms such as the IndiaAI Cloud.

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Prof. Jeffrey Ullman, Prof. Subra Suresh, Dr. Vidita Vaidya to deliver Spotlight Lectures at IIT Madras Shaastra 2026 (End of December) ▼

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
Prof. Jeffrey Ullman, Turing Award recipient, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.
Prof. Subra Suresh, former Director of the US National Science Foundation, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.
Dr. Vidita Vaidya, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize awardee, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.

India-UK Science and Technology Partnership Dashboard Unveiled in New Delhi (Start of November) ▼

Event: Pilot version of India-United Kingdom Science and Technology Partnership (IN-UK-STP) Dashboard unveiled
Participants: Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, PSA to GoI and Dr. David Warren Smith, UK National Technology Adviser
Location: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
Coverage: 143 bilateral India-UK projects supported since 2018 mapped by funding value, partners, agencies
Alignment: Projects mapped to India-UK SIC goals, 17 SDGs and broad tech-cooperation areas
Forward actions: Add output/impact metrics (publications, patents, HRD, startups, private partnerships) and ensure real-time data inputs

Karthikeyan Manickam appointed as Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank

[ESAF Small Finance Bank]

Key Updates:

Karthikeyan Manickam has been appointed as the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank.
He formerly served as the Executive Director of Bank of India.
He brings over 36 years of experience in public sector banking.

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Chitra Talwar appointed Part-Time Chairperson of Jana Small Finance Bank (JSFB) (End of November) ▼

Chitra Talwar has been appointed as Part-Time Chairperson of Jana Small Finance Bank effective February 8, 2026.
She succeeds R Ramaseshan who is retiring after completing the maximum tenure of eight years.
Her tenure as Part-Time Chairperson is until January 30, 2028.
The appointment has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India.

B P Kanungo appointed as non-executive chairman of IIFL Finance Ltd (End of December) ▼

B P Kanungo has been appointed as the non-executive chairman of the board of IIFL Finance Ltd.
He served as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India from 2017 to 2021 and was a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.
As chairman, Kanungo will lead the board in setting strategic direction, enhancing governance standards, and safeguarding the interests of shareholders, customers, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Justice Ashok Bhushan Reappointed as NCLAT Chairperson (Start of November) ▼

Justice Ashok Bhushan has been reappointed as the Chairperson of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his re-appointment.
He will hold the office until July 4, 2026.
He is a former Judge of the Supreme Court.
He assumed charge as the NCLAT Chairperson for his first term in November 2021.

Seven Executive Directors Appointed in Public Sector Banks (End of November) ▼

Seven Executive Directors have been appointed to the Boards of various Public Sector Banks.
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) formally notified these appointments.
The appointed Executive Directors include Amit Kumar Srivastava for Punjab National Bank, E. Ratan Kumar for Central Bank of India, Amresh Prasad for Union Bank of India, Pramod Kumar Dwibedi for Bank of India, Sunil Kumar Chugh for Canara Bank, Mini T M for Indian Bank, and Prabhat Kiran for Bank of Maharashtra.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal for these appointments.
The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) conducted the selection process, recommending 11 candidates, from which seven officers received postings.

Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak appointed as Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court

[Jharkhand]

Key Updates:

Justice Mahesh Sharadchandra Sonak was appointed as the chief justice of the Jharkhand High Court.
He will assume charge after incumbent Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan demits office on attaining the age of 62 years.
Justice Sonak was appointed as a judge of the Bombay High Court on June 21, 2013, and is due to retire on November 27, 2026.
His name was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium last month.

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Justice Surya Kant appointed as 53rd Chief Justice of India (Start of November) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed Justice Surya Kant as the 53rd Chief Justice of India.
Justice Kant, who is likely to take oath on November 24, will succeed CJI B R Gavai, who is due to retire on November 23.
Justice Kant will serve as CJI for nearly 15 months until his retirement on February 9, 2027.
He will also be the first CJI from Haryana.
Justice Surya Kant was born on February 10, 1962, in Haryana’s Hisar and obtained a degree in law from Punjab’s Maharshi Dayanand University.
Hegan his legal practice at the Hisar District Court in 1984 and was the youngest Advocate General of Haryana at the age of 38.
At 43, he was elevated a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and served there for 14 years before being appointed Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.
In his nearly six-year tenure in the Supreme Court, he has been part of several significant judgments, including the 2023 ruling on the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution; 2024 verdict on the minority tag to Aligarh Muslim University; the grant of bail to former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in 2024, and the bench that granted bail to Alt-News co-founder Mohammed Zubair in 2022.

Justice Surya Kant, who gave landmark rulings on Article 370 and corruption, takes oath as Chief Justice of India (End of November) ▼

Justice Surya Kant took oath as India's 53rd Chief Justice at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, succeeding Justice B R Gavai.
He is known for landmark rulings on issues such as Article 370, gender equality, free speech, and corruption.
Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar, Haryana, Justice Kant began his journey in law as a small-town lawyer.
His tenure as Chief Justice of India is expected to last nearly 15 months until his retirement on February 9, 2027.
Justice Kant studied law in Haryana and secured the first rank in his Master’s program at Kurukshetra University.
His career included arguing cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, elevation as Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and later to the Supreme Court in 2019.
His name was officially recommended by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai.
Justice Kant has a reputation for balancing legal principles with real-world concerns and has shown interest in issues affecting people directly.
In the landmark Pegasus spyware case, he noted that citing national security cannot prevent legitimate questions from being asked in court.
He has stated that “freedom of speech is not a licence to flout societal norms.”
Justice Kant is seen as a judge who combines firmness with empathy and has repeatedly underlined that corruption is a “serious societal threat.”
He ordered a CBI investigation into 28 cases involving alleged fraud that impacted homebuyers.
He granted bail to former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case, stressing the need for investigative agencies to shed the image of being a “caged parrot.”
His judgments have tried to strike a balance between national interest and citizens’ rights, as seen in the Char Dham highway case.
He was part of the seven-judge bench that reopened the Aligarh Muslim University minority status issue.
Since joining the Supreme Court, Justice Kant has contributed to over 300 benches.
He faces the challenge of guiding the judiciary amid nearly 90,000 pending cases.
Landmark judgments include upholding the Centre’s decision to remove Jammu and Kashmir’s special status (Article 370) and putting the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance.
He was part of the bench that examined allegations of unlawful surveillance through Pegasus and ordered the formation of an independent committee of cyber experts.
He nudged the Election Commission to disclose details of 65 lakh voters excluded from the draft list in the Bihar Electoral Roll Review.
He was part of the presidential reference examining the powers of Governors and the President in clearing or withholding state bills.
He reinstated a woman sarpanch who had been unlawfully removed, calling out gender bias.
Justice Kant directed that one-third of seats in bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, must be reserved for women.
He was part of the bench that appointed a five-member committee to investigate the security lapse during the Prime Minister’s Punjab visit.
He upheld the One Rank, One Pension (OROP) scheme for the defence forces, calling it constitutionally valid.
He continues to hear petitions by women officers seeking parity in permanent commission.

Justice Vikram Nath named NALSA executive chairman (End of November) ▼

Justice Vikram Nath has been nominated as the new executive chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).
The appointment takes effect from November 24.
The nomination was made by the President of India and notified by the ministry of law and justice.
As per convention, the post of executive chairperson of NALSA goes to the second senior-most judge of the Supreme Court.
Justice Nath is currently next in line after Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.
NALSA is tasked with ensuring free and competent legal services for marginalised and economically weaker citizens.
Justice Nath is also in line to serve as the CJI for seven months.
NALSA's constitutional mandate under Article 39A is to ensure that no individual is denied justice due to financial or social constraints.
Before this appointment, Justice Nath served as Chairman of the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee (SCLSC).
Justice Vikram Nath was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2021.
He previously served as chief justice of the Gujarat High Court.
Justice Nath was part of the five-judge Constitution bench that delivered an opinion on the President’s Article 143 reference concerning delays in granting assent to state bills.
This bench held that neither the Governors nor the President could be bound by judicially imposed timelines for granting assent.
Justice Nath led the three-judge bench that modified directions concerning mass capture and non-release of stray dogs in Delhi-NCR.
The larger bench directed all states and Union territories to remove stray dogs from schools, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots, and railway stations, and said they cannot be released back after sterilization.
Justice Nath’s bench sought the Union government’s response on whether individuals acquitted after years on death row are entitled to compensation for wrongful incarceration.
He authored the judgment for the three-judge bench that acquitted Surendra Koli in the sole surviving Nithari killing case.
The bench held that Koli's conviction could not be sustained when he had already been acquitted in other connected cases arising from the same set of facts and evidentiary material.
Justice Nath, along with Justice Sandeep Mehta, issued comprehensive guidelines to address the mental health crisis among students, particularly in coaching hubs.

RBI approves S Krishnan's appointment as J&K Bank Chairman (Mid of November) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of S Krishnan as part-time chairman of J&K Bank.
His appointment is effective from November 13, 2025, till March 26, 2028.
Krishnan previously served as MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank.
He also held the top position as MD & CEO of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in September 2022.
Krishnan is currently an independent director on the board of Srinagar-headquartered bank.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) tightens merchant banker capital and liquidity norms

[Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)]

Key Updates:

Sebi mandates Category I merchant bankers to raise minimum net worth to Rs 25 crore by January 2027 and Rs 50 crore by January 2028.
Category I entities must hold liquid net worth of Rs 6.25 crore in phase-1 and Rs 12.5 crore in phase-2.
Category II merchant bankers require net worth of Rs 7.5 crore and Rs 10 crore across the two phases with liquid buffers of Rs 1.875 crore and Rs 2.5 crore.
Underwriting obligations capped at 20 times liquid net worth with compliance deadline of January 02, 2028.
Half-yearly chartered accountant certification mandated for capital, liquidity and underwriting compliance.
Minimum revenue thresholds set at Rs 25 crore over three years for Category I and Rs 5 crore for Category II with first assessment in FY29.
India raised over $21 billion through IPOs and public issues in 2025 becoming the world’s second-largest equity issuance hub.

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Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) overhauls merchant bankers rule; introduces capital adequacy, liquid networth criteria (Start of December) ▼

Sebi overhauled merchant bankers rule by introducing a capital adequacy framework, requiring a liquid net worth, and mandating minimum revenue from permitted activities.
Sebi allowed merchant bankers to undertake activities falling outside its purview under the same firm, subject to certain conditions.
As per a notification dated December 3, a merchant banker can undertake fee-based, non-fund based activities pertaining to the financial services sector that fall under another Financial Sector Regulator (FSR) or do not fall under Sebi or any other FSB.
Sebi categorized merchant bankers, requiring Category 1 to have a net worth of at least ₹50 crore and allowing them to undertake all permitted activities.
Category 2 merchant bankers must have a net worth of at least ₹10 crore and can undertake all permitted activities except managing equity issues on the main-board.
Merchant bankers must maintain a liquid net worth of at least 25% of the minimum net worth requirement at all times.
Underwriting obligations of merchant bankers are capped at 20 times their liquid net worth.
Category 1 merchant bankers must have cumulative revenues of at least ₹12.5 crore in the three immediately preceding financial years, while Category 2 must have at least ₹2.5 crore.
The revenue criteria do not apply to merchant bankers managing only the issuance of non-convertible securities, securitised debt instruments, security receipts, municipal debt securities, commercial papers, REITs, and InvITs.
Sebi replaced merchant bankers with independent registered valuers for the valuation of Employee Stock Option Plans (ESOP) and Sweat Equity.
Previously, merchant bankers were mandated for valuations related to ESOPs and other share-linked benefits.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) overhauls mutual fund regulations and cuts expense ratio limits (Mid of December) ▼

Total Expense Ratio shall now be the sum of BER, brokerage, regulatory levies and statutory levies.
Base expense ratio limits for equity-oriented schemes and other than equity oriented schemes under various AUM slabs have been cut by up to 15 basis points.
Base expense ratio limit for index funds or ETF revised to 0.9 per cent from 1 per cent.
Close-ended equity-oriented schemes BER limit now stands at 1 per cent as against 1.25 per cent.
Maximum brokerage fee that mutual funds pay on cash market transactions halved to 6 bps from 12 bps.
Brokerage cap for derivative transactions revised downwards to 2 bps from 5 bps, excluding applicable levies.
SEBI removed the additional 5 bps expense allowance currently permitted to be charged to schemes with exit loads as a transitory measure.

Bank of Baroda and SIDBI Sign MoU to Boost Credit Access for MSMEs and Startups (Mid of November) ▼

Bank of Baroda and SIDBI Sign MoU to Boost Credit Access for MSMEs and Startups Across India.
Partnership aims to enhance joint financing, streamline digital working capital, and expand global opportunities for small businesses and startups under the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
The MoU was formalised in the presence of Mr. M. Nagaraju, IAS, Secretary, Department of Financial Services DFS, who attended as the Chief Guest.
Both institutions will combine SIDBI’s deep expertise in MSME development with Bank of Baroda’s strong national footprint to enhance credit delivery and expand financial inclusion among small businesses.
Bank of Baroda’s digital Working Capital Platform will be operationalised for SIDBI-approved borrowers, ensuring seamless, technology-driven working capital access.
The partnership will reinforce startup support through SIDBI’s Venture Debt Programme and BOB’s specialised Startup Banking solutions, including advisory services and customised financial products.
Bank of Baroda’s extensive international network will be leveraged to assist MSMEs and startups in exploring export opportunities, gaining market insights, and availing global banking solutions.
The Small Industries Development Bank of India SIDBI is the principal financial institution for the promotion, financing, and development of MSMEs and startups in India.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) eases educational qualification criteria for Investment Advisers, Research Analysts (End of November) ▼

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) relaxed educational qualification criteria for Investment Advisers (IAs) and Research Analysts (RAs).
Previously, applicants were required to hold a graduate or postgraduate degree in finance-related fields such as Finance, Business Management, Commerce, Economics, or Capital Markets.
Under the new framework, graduates from any discipline are eligible to become IAs and RAs.
Applicants must have a graduate degree or equivalent educational qualification from a recognized university or institution, or a CFA Charter from the CFA Institute.
Passing the NISM certification exam or relevant certification from NISM or an NISM-accredited organization remains mandatory.
Sebi eased the corporatisation process for individual IAs, allowing a transition period once an IA crosses the threshold of 300 clients or ₹3 crore in fees.
The IA must immediately notify Sebi and initiate the transition process upon crossing these limits.
The IA has three months to apply for in-principle approval and an additional three months to complete the conversion to a non-individual entity.
During this transition period, the IA is allowed to onboard new clients and continue collecting fees.
Earlier, an individual IA was required to complete the transition to a corporate structure within three months after crossing the prescribed client or fee limits.
Sebi amended norms for investment advisers and research analysts to give these effects.

ICICI Bank launches Capital Gains Account Scheme for resident individuals and HUFs to park uninvested long-term capital gains.

[ICICI Bank]

Key Updates:

ICICI Bank has been authorised to accept deposits under the Capital Gains Account Scheme (CGAS), 1988, a government-notified scheme under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
Customers can deposit un-invested long term capital gains or sale proceeds from the sale of specified capital assets.
Funds can be parked for up to three years in savings or term deposit accounts while earning interest.
Type A (Savings Account) offers flexible withdrawals linked to approved reinvestment purposes.
Type B (Term Deposit Account) is available in cumulative or non-cumulative formats for fixed-tenure deposits.
Savings Account (Type A) is mandatory; Fixed Deposit (Type B) can also be opened.
Cheque Book and Debit Card services are not available under the Capital Gains Account Scheme.
Premature FD closure is allowed in accordance with Capital Gains Account Scheme and ICICI Bank’s FD premature closure policy.

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Approves Risk-Based Pricing for Deposit Insurance (End of December) ▼

The central board of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved a proposal to transition to a risk-based pricing system for deposit insurance.
The new model replaces the uniform premium currently charged to banks under the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) scheme.
Under the existing flat-rate system, banks pay a premium of 12 paise for every Rs 100 of assessable deposits.
The proposed framework will charge lower premia to banks with stronger capital adequacy, better asset quality, and sound governance, while weaker banks will pay higher rates.
The DICGC, established under the DICGC Act, 1961, has operated the deposit insurance framework on a flat-rate basis since 1962.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra introduced the reform measures alongside the October monetary policy decision to help better-rated banks save significantly on premium costs.

RCMS Bank Wins Best Profit-Making Bank Award in Belagavi District (End of November) ▼

Rani Channamma Mahila Sahakari Bank (RCMS Bank) was honoured as the Best Profit-Making Bank in Belagavi District for 2025.
The award was presented during the 72nd All India Cooperative Week celebrations held in Haveri.
The Karnataka State Urban Cooperative Banks Federation, Bengaluru, presented the award.
RCMS Bank is headquartered in Belgaum.
The felicitation was received by the bank’s Chairperson, Preeti Kore Daddwad.
Coop Kumbh 2025 was held in New Delhi.
Coop Kumbh 2025 was inaugurated by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
RCMS Bank’s Professional Director, Ms. Beena Achar, highlighted the bank’s journey during Coop Kumbh 2025.
NAFCUB Chairman Emeritus H. K. Patel was present at the award event.

Government Notifies Amendments to the Capital Gains Accounts Scheme, 1988 to Enable Electronic Payments and Digital Processes (End of November) ▼

The CBDT vide Notification No. 161/2025 dated November 19, 2025 has notified the Capital Gains Accounts (Second Amendment) Scheme, 2025.
The Scheme now formally incorporates section 54GA, allowing depositors claiming exemption on account of shifting of industrial undertakings from urban areas to Special Economy Zones to use CGAS accounts.
A detailed definition of “electronic mode” has been inserted, enabling deposits through Credit/Debit Cards, Net Banking, IMPS, UPI, RTGS, NEFT and BHIM Aadhaar Pay.
All earlier references to “cheque or draft” have been expanded to include electronic mode of payment across application and deposit processes.
The effective date of deposit for exemption purposes will now be the date on which the electronic payment is received by the deposit office, subject to realization.
Depositors may now use electronic statements of account in place of physical passbooks for operations such as withdrawals, transfers, or account closure.
Closure of CGAS accounts shall only be executed electronically using digital signature or electronic verification code (EVC) starting 1 April 2027.
The Principal Director General of Income-tax (Systems) is assigned responsibility for prescribing procedures for Form G and Form H filing, forwarding digitally filed forms to jurisdictional Assessing Officers, specifying the standards for EVC generation, and ensuring secure storage, archival, and retrieval of electronically submitted forms.
Forms A and C have been updated to include section 54GA, provide fields for transactions made via electronic modes, and insert new fields for RTGS/IMPS/NEFT transaction details under the deposit office section.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) authorizes Aryaman Finance (India) Limited as Type II NBFC-ND-ICC. (End of December) ▼

Aryaman Finance (India) Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Aryaman Financial Services, received the Certificate of Registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on December 24, 2025.
The certificate authorizes the company to operate as a Type II NBFC-ND-ICC (Non-Deposit taking - Investment and Credit Company).
The subsidiary was incorporated on January 31, 2025, and received additional capital infusion on April 01, 2025.
The company has complied with SEBI Listing Regulations disclosure requirements under Regulation 30.

Market Access Support Scheme Rs 4,531-cr for Exporters

[Government of India]

Key Updates:

The government launched Rs 4,531 crore market access support for exporters under which financial support will be provided to participate in activities such as international fairs and exhibitions.
Rs 4,531 crore will be allocated over six years (2025-31) and Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for 2025-26.
Structured financial and institutional support will be provided for Buyer-Seller Meets, participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions, and Mega Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets organised in India.
A minimum participation of 35 per cent MSMEs has been mandated for supported events, with special prioritisation for new geographies and smaller markets.
Small exporters with export turnover of up to Rs 75 lakh in the preceding year will be provided partial airfare support.

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National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH) Scheme to Ensure 4% Public Procurement for SC/ST MSMEs (End of December) ▼

The Government of India announced the implementation of the National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH) Scheme under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) in December 2025.
The NSSH Scheme aims to enhance the competitiveness of SC/ST-owned enterprises by ensuring a minimum of 4% procurement from these businesses is fulfilled under the Public Procurement Policy.
The scheme provides structured support through vendor development programmes, special marketing assistance, and capacity building to help SC/ST MSMEs compete for government contracts.
To access benefits, entrepreneurs must complete Udyam Registration and register under the Single Point Registration Scheme (SPRS) to ensure visibility in government procurement databases.
The initiative supports participation in national and international exhibitions to broaden market reach and expand networks for underserved entrepreneurs.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) grants in-principle approval to Ashika Group to sponsor Ashika Mutual Fund. (Start of January) ▼

Ashika Group has received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to act as sponsor and set up Ashika Mutual Fund.
The approval allows the company to proceed with establishing an Asset Management Company (AMC) and preparing for the launch of mutual fund schemes, subject to fulfilling SEBI’s final registration requirements and conditions.
Ashika Group’s financial services portfolio includes retail and institutional broking, investment banking, research advisory, global family office services, alternative asset management and private equity.
The Group has a retail broking client base exceeding 125,000 and a presence across more than 20 states.

New Trade Intelligence & Analytics Portal Launched by Commerce Ministry (Mid of November) ▼

The Trade Intelligence & Analytics (TIA) portal was launched by Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal.
The portal aims to empower Indian businesses to understand global trade patterns, spot emerging opportunities, and make informed decisions.
It will open up new insights for importers, exporters, startups, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Smaller businesses, even in the remotest regions, will now have access to data that was previously available only to larger enterprises.
The Department of Commerce initiated the development of the TIA portal in March 2024.
The portal offers more than 270 interactive visualisations across over 28 dashboards.
Database collation has been automated via APIs for convenient user access, and a seamless data extraction capability has been developed.
The TIA portal replaces legacy trade information dissemination portals such as the Department of Commerce Monitoring Dashboard, Niryat Portal, and Tradestat Portal.

Export Promotion Mission (EPM) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE): Key Features and Objectives (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with two sub-schemes—Niryat Protsahan (finance) and Niryat Disha (non-finance enablers); implementing agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Objective: Strengthen India’s export competitiveness, sustain export orders, protect jobs, and support diversification into new geographies, especially for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.
Financial Outlay: Total approval of Rs 45,060 crore—Rs 25,060 crore for EPM (FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31) and Rs 20,000 crore for expanding the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE).
CGSE Feature: 100% credit guarantee coverage by NCGTC to Member Lending Institutions for extending additional collateral-free credit up to Rs 20,000 crore to eligible exporters including MSMEs.

Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) approves 22 projects with Rs 41,863 crore investment

Key Updates:

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) approved 22 proposals under the Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with projected investments of Rs 41,863 crore and estimated production of Rs 2.58 lakh crore.
The approved proposals include applications from Dixon, Samsung Display Noida Pvt Ltd, Foxconn’s Yuzhan Technology India Pvt Ltd, Hindalco Industries, Tata Electronics, Amara Raja-ATL, Motherson and Vital Electronics, among others.
Together, the projects are expected to generate 33,791 direct jobs.
The Union Cabinet approved the scheme in March 2025 with an outlay of Rs 22,919 crore as part of the government’s broader push to make India self-reliant in electronics manufacturing and reach $500 billion in electronics production by 2030-31.

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Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with ₹41,863 Crore Investment Approval (Start of January) ▼

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has approved 22 new proposals, including from Dixon Technologies, Samsung Display Noida, Foxconn, and Hindalco Industries, under the third tranche of the ambitious Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS).
The newly approved projects under the ECMS involve a projected investment of ₹41,863-crore and a production value of ₹2,58,152-crore.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had notified the ECMS on April 8, 2025, with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore.
These new approved projects are expected to generate 33,791 jobs directly.
The projects span eight states -- Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan -- aligned with the Centre's vision on ensuring 'geographically-balanced' industrial growth.
The ECMS will run for six years, with one year as a gestation period, and offers investment, turnover-linked, and capital expenditure (capex)-linked incentives across sub-assemblies, supply chain ecosystem, and telecom sub-assembly.
The scheme aims to develop a robust component manufacturing ecosystem to increase domestic value addition (DVA) and increase India’s share of exports in global electronic trade.

Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) approved with an outlay of ₹7,280 crore (End of December) ▼

The Government has approved the ‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet’ (REPM) with a financial outlay of ₹7,280 crore.
The scheme aims to establish 6,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of integrated REPM manufacturing capacity in India, covering the full chain from rare-earth oxides to finished magnets.
The total capacity will be distributed among up to five beneficiaries through a global competitive bidding process, with each beneficiary eligible for up to 1,200 MTPA, ensuring diversification along with adequate scale.
The scheme includes a strong incentive structure, with ₹6,450 crore earmarked as sales-linked incentives for REPM production over five years.
A ₹750 crore capital subsidy will support the establishment of advanced, integrated REPM manufacturing facilities.
The scheme will be implemented over seven years, comprising a two-year gestation period for setting up the integrated REPM facilities followed by five years of incentive disbursement linked to REPM sales.
This also complements India’s broader focus on strengthening its critical mineral value chain through the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), which aims to improve availability and processing capabilities for key minerals, including rare-earth elements utilised across advanced sectors.
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) has been reformed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 to strengthen India’s critical minerals ecosystem by opening private participation in all spheres of mineral exploration.

Export Promotion Mission (EPM) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE): Key Features and Objectives (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with two sub-schemes—Niryat Protsahan (finance) and Niryat Disha (non-finance enablers); implementing agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Objective: Strengthen India’s export competitiveness, sustain export orders, protect jobs, and support diversification into new geographies, especially for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.
Financial Outlay: Total approval of Rs 45,060 crore—Rs 25,060 crore for EPM (FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31) and Rs 20,000 crore for expanding the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE).
CGSE Feature: 100% credit guarantee coverage by NCGTC to Member Lending Institutions for extending additional collateral-free credit up to Rs 20,000 crore to eligible exporters including MSMEs.

Cabinet clears Rs 7,280 cr rare earth magnet manufacturing scheme. (End of November) ▼

The Union Cabinet cleared a Rs 7,280-crore incentive scheme to build domestic rare earth magnet capacity.
The program will run for seven years and aims to create 6,000 metric tons per annum capacity.
India will set up 5 units of 1,200 tons per annum capacity within three years.
The scheme focuses on integrated manufacturing facilities to reduce dependence on China.

Niryat Protsahan Sub-Scheme: Interest Subvention & Collateral Support to Boost MSME Exports

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Commerce announced two interventions under the Niryat Protsahan sub-scheme of the Export Promotion Mission.
A base interest subvention of 2.75 per cent on pre- and post-shipment rupee export credit has been provided.
Guarantee coverage of up to 85 per cent for micro and small exporters and up to 65 per cent for medium exporters, with a maximum outstanding guaranteed exposure of Rs 10 crore per exporter in a financial year, is being introduced in partnership with CGTMSE.
An exporter-wise annual cap of Rs 50 lakh for each firm has been prescribed for FY 2025-26 under the interest subvention intervention.

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Trade Enablement and Marketing (TEAM) Scheme with Rs. 277.35 Cr. outlay (Start of December) ▼

The TEAM Scheme is implemented by Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises as a sub-scheme of ‘Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance’ (RAMP), a Central Sector Scheme.
The outlay of MSME TEAM Initiative is Rs. 277.35 Cr. for the duration of 3 years from 2024 to 2027.
The TEAM Scheme provides MSMEs direct access to Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) which offers ready-made online storefronts, integrated digital payment solutions, and logistics support.
MSME TEAM Initiative envisages to benefit 5 lakh Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) of which 50% are to be women owned MSEs.

Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with ₹41,863 Crore Investment Approval (Start of January) ▼

The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has approved 22 new proposals, including from Dixon Technologies, Samsung Display Noida, Foxconn, and Hindalco Industries, under the third tranche of the ambitious Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS).
The newly approved projects under the ECMS involve a projected investment of ₹41,863-crore and a production value of ₹2,58,152-crore.
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had notified the ECMS on April 8, 2025, with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore.
These new approved projects are expected to generate 33,791 jobs directly.
The projects span eight states -- Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan -- aligned with the Centre's vision on ensuring 'geographically-balanced' industrial growth.
The ECMS will run for six years, with one year as a gestation period, and offers investment, turnover-linked, and capital expenditure (capex)-linked incentives across sub-assemblies, supply chain ecosystem, and telecom sub-assembly.
The scheme aims to develop a robust component manufacturing ecosystem to increase domestic value addition (DVA) and increase India’s share of exports in global electronic trade.

Export Promotion Mission (EPM) and Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE): Key Features and Objectives (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with two sub-schemes—Niryat Protsahan (finance) and Niryat Disha (non-finance enablers); implementing agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Objective: Strengthen India’s export competitiveness, sustain export orders, protect jobs, and support diversification into new geographies, especially for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.
Financial Outlay: Total approval of Rs 45,060 crore—Rs 25,060 crore for EPM (FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31) and Rs 20,000 crore for expanding the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE).
CGSE Feature: 100% credit guarantee coverage by NCGTC to Member Lending Institutions for extending additional collateral-free credit up to Rs 20,000 crore to eligible exporters including MSMEs.

Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS): Key Features and Objectives (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS); Notified on April 8 this year with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore.
Objective: Bolster India’s push into producing high-value components and integrating into global value chains (GVCs).
Key Features: Offers investment, turnover-linked, and capital expenditure (capex)-linked incentives across sub-assemblies (electronics), supply chain ecosystem, and sub-assembly (telecom); six-year duration with one-year gestation period.
Latest Approval: 17 new projects worth ₹7,172 crore approved, taking the cumulative tally to 24 approved projects.
Investment & Production: Total proposed investment under ECMS stands at ₹1.15 lakh crore against a target of ₹59,000 crore; projects are expected to yield production worth ₹65,111 crore cumulatively.
Employment: Applicants propose to create employment for nearly 1.41 lakh people compared to a target of 91,600.
Categories Covered: Camera module, connectors, multi-layer PCB, oscillators, enclosures, among others, spread across nine states.

Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Textiles Deadline Extended to March 31 2026

Key Updates:

Ministry of Textiles (MoT) extended the last date for filing fresh applications under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for textiles up to March 31, 2026.
The scheme has a budgetary outlay of Rs 10,683 crore for a five-year period to boost production of Man-Made Fibre (MMF) apparel, MMF fabrics, and technical textiles.
As on September 9, 2025, 91 companies have been selected with investment of Rs 7,731 crore, exports of Rs 733 crore, turnover of Rs 7,290 crore, and around 30,838 jobs created.

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National Strategy for India’s Textiles: Target of USD 350 Billion Industry and USD 100 Billion Exports by 2030 (Start of January) ▼

The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) is organizing a national conference to deliberate on a coordinated national strategy for positioning India as a global textiles manufacturing hub.
The MoT deliberations align with the national vision of developing a USD 350 billion textile industry and achieving USD 100 billion in textile exports by 2030.
A conclave on "‘Strengthening and Empowering the Textiles Sector of the North-Eastern Region of India’" will focus on silk, handloom, and bamboo-based textiles.
The initiative focuses on revitalising traditional textiles with emphasis on handloom and handicrafts for modern markets and the promotion of women-led enterprises.

India’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Blending Mandate for International Flights (Start of December) ▼

The Ministry of Civil Aviation announced indicative SAF blending targets of 1% by 2027, 2% by 2028 and 5% by 2030 for international flights.
Public sector oil marketing companies are actively engaged in achieving the stated blending targets.
Indian Oil Corp became the first Indian firm to obtain ISCC CORSIA certification for commercial SAF production at its Panipat Refinery.

PLI 1.2 Scheme for Speciality Steel: Third Round Launched to Boost High-Grade Steel Production (Start of November) ▼

Scheme Name: PLI 1.2 (third round of the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for speciality steel) launched by Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy.
Objective: "to encourage production of high-value, high-grade steels used in sectors such as defence, aerospace, energy, automobiles, and infrastructure" and "accelerate India's journey towards becoming a global hub for high-grade steel production."
Financial Outlay: Total scheme outlay of Rs 6,322 crore with incentive rates "range from 4 per cent to 15 per cent, applicable for five years starting 2025-26."
Coverage: Covers 22 product sub-categories including "super alloys, CRGO, alloy forgings, stainless steel (long and flat), titanium alloys, and coated steels."
Capacity Target: Aims "to add about 26 million tonnes of speciality steel capacity over the next few years."
Investment Attracted: "So far, the PLI scheme has attracted investment commitments worth Rs 43,874 crore...and is expected to add 14.3 million tonnes of new specialty steel capacity in India."

Tex-RAMPS Scheme Approved with an Outlay of ₹305 Crore (Start of December) ▼

The Union government has approved the 'Textiles Focused Research, Assessment, Monitoring, Planning and Start-up (Tex-RAMPS) Scheme', as announced by Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh.
The Tex-RAMPS Scheme has an outlay of ₹305 crore.
The Tex-RAMPS Scheme will be effective from 2025-2026 to 2030-2031.
It aims to strengthen research, innovation, and competitiveness in the textiles sector and empower India’s textile sector.
The Tex-RAMPS Scheme is designed to address critical gaps in research, data systems, innovation support, and capacity development to future-proof India’s textiles and apparel ecosystem.
It will promote advanced research, create robust data systems, strengthen State-level planning, and support incubators, hackathons, and academia-industry collaborations to nurture high-value textile start-ups and entrepreneurship.

Musi River Development Project gets Rs 4,100 crore ADB in-principle loan

[Asian Development Bank (ADB), Telangana]

Key Updates:

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has in-principle agreed to extend Rs 4,100 crore (USD 500 million) to the Telangana Government for parts of phase-I of Musi River Development Project.
The state government has submitted a preliminary project report to the Ministry of Jal Shakti seeking Rs 3,188 crore under the National River Conservation Plan for the Musi river project.
The entire project is divided into five zones; the Detailed Project Report for Zone I is in progress and 21 km of the total 55 km in Zone-I is being undertaken by Musi Riverfront Development Corporation (MRDCL).

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Asian Development Bank (ADB) commits USD 4.26 billion sovereign lending to India in 2025 (End of December) ▼

ADB committed USD 4.258 billion in sovereign lending to India in 2025.
Nearly 32 per cent of ADB's 16 newly committed projects focus on the human and social development sector.
26 per cent of the projects are in the energy sector, primarily advancing renewable energy.
Over 18 per cent of the projects are in urban development.
USD 846 million financing is allocated for PM-SETU, India's flagship skilling programme.
USD 650 million is provided to support PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for rooftop solar adoption.
USD 775 million is committed for five urban projects in Assam, Kerala, Sikkim, and West Bengal.
USD 729 million is committed to expand regional rapid rail in Delhi-Meerut and metro networks in Chennai and Indore.
USD 460 million loan is provided to Maharashtra to modernise rural power infrastructure and improve solar electricity for irrigation.
USD 398.8 million loan is provided to Assam to modernise its healthcare and medical education systems.
Over USD 200 million in loans is provided to Meghalaya and Uttarakhand for ecotourism development.

Dulhasti Stage-II Hydropower Project receives environmental clearance (End of December) ▼

The Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment accorded environmental clearance to the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on Chenab river in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir.
The project is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore and will be implemented as a run-of-the-river scheme.
The clearance was granted during the 45th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee on hydel projects.

Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) sign loans worth over $2.2 billion (Mid of December) ▼

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank signed agreements for five loans totaling over $2.2 billion.
Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded Industrial Training Institutes Programme receives $846 million.
Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Programme Subprogramme 1 receives $650 million.
Assam State Tertiary Health Care Augmentation Project ASTHA receives $398.8 million.
Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project Tranche 2 receives $240 million.
Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project receives $77 million.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) approves USD 448 million for Chennai Metro, Mizoram Healthcare, and Women-led MSME Finance. (Mid of December) ▼

ADB approved USD 240 million as the second tranche under the USD 780 million facility sanctioned in 2022 for Chennai Metro Expansion Phase 2.
Chennai Metro Phase 2 spans 118.9 km across Lines 3 (45.8 km), 4 (26.1 km), and 5 (47 km).
ADB sanctioned USD 108 million results-based loan to strengthen Mizoram’s public healthcare through the Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS) offering Rs 5 lakh per family annually.
ADB provided USD 100 million to Five-Star Business Finance Limited for MSME credit access to over 400,000 women borrowers via 700+ branches.

SpaceX Falcon 9 launches second-generation Italian COSMO-SkyMed CSG-FM3 satellite

[Italy, SpaceX]

Key Updates:

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and deployed COSMO-SkyMed CSG-FM3 into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 618 kilometers.
COSMO-SkyMed is a dual-use synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system operating in low Earth orbit, supporting civilian and military applications including natural-disaster monitoring under all weather conditions, day and night.
CSG-FM3, with a launch mass of about 2,207 kilograms and a deployed span of 16.66 meters, features a new antenna that ‘is more flexible and efficient, allowing a single pass to observe multiple areas and respond to multiple user requests at the same time.’
The satellite carries a new laser reflector array that ‘enables millimeter-level accuracy in georeferencing SAR imagery.’
Thales Alenia Space builds the satellites and handles the overall mission, Telespazio develops the ground segment and manages civilian operations, e-GEOS distributes commercial data, and Leonardo supplies additional onboard technologies; the Italian Ministry of Defense manages security and defense signal processing.

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Falcon 9 launches Sentinel-6B satellite to extend 30-year sea-level record (End of November) ▼

Sentinel-6B satellite launched by Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California
Joint U.S.-European mission involving NASA, ESA, European Commission, NOAA, Eumetsat, CNES
Spacecraft will operate in 1,336-kilometer orbit at 66-degree inclination, weighing 1,190 kilograms
Extends unbroken sea-level record dating to 1992 TOPEX-Poseidon mission; current rise rate ~4 mm/year
Data improves hurricane forecasts and supports SpaceX booster recovery weather models

TakeMe2Space and EON Space Labs ship 14-kg MOI-1 satellite to ISRO’s Sriharikota for PSLV-C62 launch (Start of January) ▼

Two Hyderabad start-ups — TakeMe2Space and EON Space Labs — completed testing and integration of the 14-kilogram Earth observation satellite MOI-1 at Azista BST Aerospace in Ahmedabad.
MOI-1 will ride as a co-passenger on ISRO’s PSLV-C62 mission slated for early January 2026 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
The satellite carries MIRA, a miniaturised space telescope and imaging hardware developed by EON Space Labs to NASA-equivalent thermal-vacuum standards.
Once in 500-km low Earth orbit, MOI-1 will deliver multispectral imagery with 9.2-metre resolution and 18.7-kilometre swath across nine spectral bands for agriculture, urban mapping, ship detection and construction monitoring.
An on-board Nvidia GPU enables in-orbit AI processing, sending processed actionable data instead of raw images to cut downlink costs and serve commercial and defence users.

Russia launches 52 satellites in one mission, puts 3 Iranian spacecraft into orbit (End of December) ▼

Russia lifted a Soyuz-2.1b from Vostochny with 52 satellites and separately placed three Iranian communications payloads in orbit.
Roscosmos said the payload includes two Aist-2T satellites and 50 smaller spacecraft.
The Aist-2T satellites are designed to photograph the Earth’s surface and produce stereoscopic images to build digital terrain models.
Some smaller satellites are CubeSats under the Universat program and will study climate change and “space weather” in low Earth orbit for the Russian Hydrometeorological Service.
A Russian rocket placed the Iranian satellites — Paya, Kowsar, and Zafar-2 — into a 500-kilometre orbit from Vostochny.
The satellites can capture images with up to three-meter resolution for management of water resources, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

Ariane 6 launches Sentinel-1D radar imaging satellite for Copernicus program (Start of November) ▼

Sentinel-1D, a 2,184-kg C-band synthetic aperture radar satellite built by Thales Alenia Space, launched on Ariane 6 from Kourou, French Guiana.
The satellite separated 33½ minutes after liftoff and operates in a 693-km sun-synchronous orbit.
Sentinel-1D carries an Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload to detect non-transmitting vessels for maritime security.
It replaces the 11-year-old Sentinel-1A, which is still operating but in a degraded propulsion mode.
ESA plans to lower Sentinel-1A’s orbit within 25 years after end-of-mission to meet responsible-space guidelines.

World Braille Day observed on January 4

Key Updates:

World Braille Day marks the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the French educator who developed the six-dot code that bears his name.
Braille is a tactile writing system of raised dots arranged in cells of six, enabling representation of letters, numbers, punctuation, and even musical and mathematical notation through touch.
India is home to one of the largest populations of visually impaired individuals in the world, with millions living with partial or complete vision loss.

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Carli Cronk establishes record for most gold medals at Summer Deaflympics (End of November) ▼

USA swimmer Carli Cronk won 12 gold medals at the 2022 Summer Deaflympics in Brazil.
Carli Cronk set multiple deaf world records and established the record for the most golds by an athlete at a single Summer Deaflympics.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar won silver when golf made its Deaflympics debut at Samsun 2017.
Diksha Dagar upgraded to gold at the next edition in Caxias do Sul in 2021, becoming the first and so far only golfer with two Deaflympics medals in the sport.
Diksha Dagar became the first golfer in history to compete at both the Olympics and the Deaflympics, having represented India at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 25th Summer Deaflympics will be held in Tokyo, Japan.
Main venues for the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics include Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium and Komazawa Olympic Park.
The Deaflympics are organised by the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) and recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

International Stuttering Awareness Day observed on October 22 (End of October) ▼

International Stuttering Awareness Day is celebrated every year on October 22.
International Stuttering Awareness Day 2025 shines a light on the power of speech, acceptance, and resilience.
The day inspires others to embrace their voice and helps break the stigma around speech disorders.
Awareness campaigns are run to understand and accept people living in society with stuttering.

World Usability Day 2025 Theme: Emerging Technologies and the Human Experience (Mid of November) ▼

World Usability Day hosted on, November 13, 2025.
The theme for this year's World Usability Day is Emerging Technologies and the Human Experience.
The event will share practical insights on creating digital government services that are not only compliant with accessibility requirements, but usable by all.

Srikant Bolla receives Ramoji Excellence Award 2025 in Youth Icon category (Mid of November) ▼

Srikant Bolla was awarded the Ramoji Award of Excellence in the Youth Icon category at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad.
Bolla is the founder of Bollant Industries, which employs over 500 people including a quarter who are specially-abled.
He was the first international blind student admitted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).