Wednesday, Dec 17
Daily current affairs for 17 December 2025 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.
Today at a glance
[Coal India Ltd]
Key Updates:
The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Policy for Auction of Coal Linkage for Seamless, Efficient & Transparent Utilisation (CoalSETU). The government…
The Ministry of Coal notified 18 private agencies accredited by Quality Council of India–National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (QCI-NABET) as prospecting agencies. The notification allows coal block…
Coal India Limited is the world’s single-largest coal-producing company. SECL's Gevra Mine is the largest coal mine in Asia.
Name: Koyla Shakti – Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard (SCAD) developed by Ministry of Coal Launch: Unveiled on October 29, 2025 at The Oberoi, New Delhi by G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal and Mines
[National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER)]
Key Updates:
Vishvajit Sahay, 1990-batch IDAS officer, took over as Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA) Alumnus of St. Stephen's College, Delhi; previously served as Additional Secretary & FA, Dept of Science & Technology…
Bajaj Alternate Investment Management Ltd hired Jitendra Gohil as chief investment officer from Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Ltd. India’s alternative asset industry has a committed capital of 15 trillion rupees ($169…
Piyush Gupta has been appointed as Temasek Holdings India chairman in an advisory capacity effective December 1, 2025. He will work with Ravi Lambah, Temasek's head of India and strategic initiatives, to shape investment…
Praveer Ranjan, a 1993-batch IPS officer of AGMUT cadre, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Praveer Ranjan was presently working as Special DG, CISF before his…
Key Updates:
The 'Darjeeling Mandarin Orange' has officially been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The GI status was formalised by the GI Registry on November 24, 2025.
The government is reviewing India’s performance on 26 global indices through inter-ministerial coordination to identify gaps and address them, thereby supporting country's growth. The Development Monitoring and…
Tamil Nadu has added five new products to its Geographical Indication list, including Woraiyur cotton sarees, Ambasamudram wooden toys, Thooyamalli rice, Namakkal soapstone utensils, and Kavindapadi country sugar. The…
The Arunachal Pradesh 'dao', a traditional handcrafted blade, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein announced the development.
[Central Information Commission]
Key Updates:
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "milestone" of having taken oath as chief minister for the 10th time was recognised. The World Book of Records, London, recognised this extraordinary milestone.
Amit Agrawal has been appointed as the new secretary in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). Prior to this appointment, he was serving as the Pharmaceutical Secretary.
Bajaj Alternate Investment Management Ltd hired Jitendra Gohil as chief investment officer from Kotak Alternate Asset Managers Ltd. India’s alternative asset industry has a committed capital of 15 trillion rupees ($169…
Praveer Ranjan, a 1993-batch IPS officer of AGMUT cadre, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Praveer Ranjan was presently working as Special DG, CISF before his…
[Chile]
Key Updates:
Jose Antonio Kast defeated Jeannette Jara in run-off to become Chile's 38th president. Kast won nearly 58 percent of vote, marking third attempt and first successful bid.
Rodrigo Paz of the centre-right Christian Democratic Party (PDC) was elected President of Bolivia. Paz won 54.5 percent of the vote in Sunday’s run-off race, defeating Jorge 'Tuto' Quiroga who received 45.4 percent.
Patrick Herminie has been officially sworn in as the sixth president. He is the sixth president of Seychelles.
Michelle Bachelet is the first and only woman President of Chile. She is a former Chief of UN Human Rights and served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022.
[State Bank of India (SBI)]
Key Updates:
Vikram Sahu has been approved by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Bank of America NA (BoFA) in India. He will assume the charge in addition to his current responsibilities as India…
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of certain businesses from ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited by ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited. The Acquirer is a…
CA Usha Janakiraman appointed Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with effect from December 1, 2025. Prior to the promotion, Usha Janakiraman served as Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of…
Govt appoints IRS officer Sandip Pradhan as member Sebi The government on Thursday appointed Indian Revenue Service officer Sandip Pradhan as a whole-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India ( Sebi ) for…
[Bharatiya Janata Party]
Key Updates:
Veteran socialist leader Baba Adhav passed away at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Shilatai, sons Aseem and Amber, and grandchildren.
Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Karnataka’s oldest MLA and veteran Congress leader, died at 94. He represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency.
Shivraj Patil, former Union Home Minister and senior Congress leader, passed away at the age of 90 in Latur, Maharashtra. He served as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha between 1991 and 1996.
Mahantesh Bilagi, IAS, was the Managing Director of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL). He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayats and as District Collector in multiple districts.
[Maharashtra, Brookfield Corporation]
Key Updates:
Brookfield Asset Management will invest more than $1 billion to create a 2 million sq ft global capability centre (GCC) facility in Maharashtra. The facility will be the largest in Asia and will create over 15,000 direct…
The Asia Power Index 2025, published by the Lowy Institute in November, evaluates the resources and influence of countries to rank their relative power. India holds the No. 3 position in the Asia Power Index 2025, with a…
India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement in August this year Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that the JCM aligns with…
Co-chairs: Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Agenda includes review of India-UAE CEPA, Double Taxation Treaty, and…
[Government of India, Asian Development Bank (ADB)]
Key Updates:
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)…
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved the Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agri-Based Livelihood Development in Meghalaya Project. The project involves a $77 million loan and an additional $1 million technical…
ADB signs $500 million loan for Maharashtra Power Distribution Enhancement Programme. ADB signs ¥27,147,200,000 ($190.6 million) loan for Indore Metro Rail Project in Madhya Pradesh.
Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 460 million results-based loan that aims to modernise rural power infrastructure, promote distributed renewable energy generation, and improve agricultural productivity by…
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI), HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank]
Key Updates:
ICICI Bank executed a share purchase agreement with Prudential Corporation Holdings Ltd to purchase an additional 2% shareholding in ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Ltd. The purchase price is fixed at ₹2,140…
RBI granted approval to foreign portfolio investor 1729 Capital to hold a total stake of 7.14% in Suryoday Small Finance Bank. As of September 30, the foreign portfolio investor held a 3.81% stake in the bank.
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed acquisition of Jaiprakash Associates Limited by PNC Infratech Limited. The acquisition covers a minimum 95% and maximum up to 100% of Jaiprakash Associates…
India Inc’s M&A deal value in H1 2025 stood at USD 50.5 billion, according to EY data cited in the article. Under the draft RBI norms, Indian banks can extend acquisition-finance ECBs only up to 10% of their Tier-1…
[National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Madhya Pradesh]
Key Updates:
The Supreme Court ruled that "the stray dogs removed should not be released back to their original locations and placed responsibility for their relocation on the respective municipal authorities." The Supreme Court "put…
The Mohan Yadav cabinet accorded approval to develop the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, Nauradehi, in Sagar district as the third cheetah habitat in the state. Kuno National Park in Sheopur district is the first…
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSV) in 23 states covering 20,933 km. The deployment is for "collection, processing and analysing road inventory and pavement condition…
**Parties Involved:** The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, and senior officials from the Government of Madhya Pradesh. **Objective:** To explore collaborative opportunities in tourism, with a special focus on…
[Ethiopia]
Key Updates:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The tour focuses on diplomacy, trade expansion, and partnerships with the Global South.
President Droupadi Murmu has commenced a historic state visit to Angola. She received a ceremonial welcome in Luanda.
President Droupadi Murmu's ongoing visit is the first-ever state visit by an Indian head of state to Botswana. India and Botswana will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
The G20 Summit, hosted for the first time on African soil, took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from November 21 to 23. The 2025 summit opened under the theme 'Solidarity, Equality and Sustainability'.
[Ethiopia]
Key Updates:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The tour focuses on diplomacy, trade expansion, and partnerships with the Global South.
Azim Premji was honoured with the Research Catalyst Award. He is the founder-chairman of Wipro Ltd.
The Government of India has approved the Scheme for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, 2025. The scheme will confer 5 awards under Category 1: Holistic Development of Districts under 11…
PM Modi proposed six initiatives: G20 Global Traditional Knowledge Repository, G20-Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative, G20 Global Healthcare Response Team, G20 Initiative on Countering the Drug-Terror Nexus, G20 Open…
[Jordan]
Key Updates:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. The tour focuses on diplomacy, trade expansion, and partnerships with the Global South.
Agreement Name: Bilateral Haj Agreement. Parties: India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
State visit by Mauritius PM Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam and spouse Veena Ramgoolam, 9-16 September Cities covered: Mumbai, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Dehradun, Tirupati, Delhi
MoU signed during 17th Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Israeli Ministry of Defense Maj Gen (Res) Amir Baram in Tel Aviv MoU…
[UNESCO, Delhi]
Key Updates:
UNESCO added the Philippine artisanal sea-salt craft Asin Tibuok to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Viet Nam’s Đông Hồ folk woodblock printing, carved wooden blocks, natural…
Diwali was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage…
World Heritage Week is celebrated each year from November 19 to 25. Alexander Cunningham became the first Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in 1871.
India will host the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) from 8 to 13 December 2025 at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi. The announcement was…
[Russia]
Key Updates:
Russia ratified the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) military logistics pact with India. The RELOS pact aims to streamline mutual support for troop movements, equipment, and military platforms.
Ukraine will get up to 100 of France's Rafale F4 fighter jets as well as advanced air defence systems in a major deal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the letter of intent with his French counterpart…
At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay a State visit to India from December 4 to 5 for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit. India is looking at…
Russian President Vladimir Putin was welcomed by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Putin inspected the Guard of Honour following the ceremonial welcome…
Key Updates:
ISRO Chairman V Narayanan: "the government has approved the Chandrayaan-4 mission, designed as a lunar sample-return mission" Chandrayaan-4 objective: "will attempt to bring back samples from the moon — a capability…
Antarctic Day is observed globally on Dec 1. Antarctic Day recalls the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
The 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit was held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled an ambitious Economic Cooperation Programme aimed at expanding…
India will host three major international maritime events in Visakhapatnam from 15 to 25 February 2026: International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, Exercise MILAN 2026, and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of…
Key Updates:
The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on December 14 since 1991. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, spearheads the celebrations every year.
Andhra Pradesh secured the National Energy Conservation Award for the fourth consecutive year. Andhra Pradesh secured the First Prize in the Group II category at the National Energy Conservation Award–2025.
Adani Group (AG) will invest over $75 billion in energy transition space over 5 years. The AG is building the world's largest renewable energy park at Khavda in Gujarat, spread across 520 square kilometres.
Indian Railways has completed manufacturing its first hydrogen-powered train on a pilot basis, designed and developed entirely in India. The 10-coach train is the world’s longest hydrogen train on Broad Gauge and…
[Indian Army, 515 Army Base Workshop]
Key Updates:
India is procuring additional advanced satellite-linked Heron Mark II unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel under emergency provisions invoked after Operation Sindoor. Emergency procurement allows the armed forces to…
AVPL International will offer its ‘Viraj UAS’ agri drones, spare parts, and training programmes via CSC’s network of over five lakh village level entrepreneurs. CSC SPV will facilitate the onboarding of AVPL’s products…
Technology: Vehicle-mounted Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) high-energy laser weapon system Entities: Indian engineering firm Axiscades and French laser specialist Cilas S.A.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered into a strategic partnership with US-headquartered General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for manufacturing MALE RPAS in India. The partnership aims to produce Medium…
[NLC India Renewable Limited, PTC India Limited]
Key Updates:
NTPC Green Energy has been categorized as a Schedule ‘A’ Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) by the Government of India. The decision was conveyed through an official communication dated October 28, 2025.
NLC India Limited (NLCIL) has received the Letter of Acceptance (LoA) for the development of its 110MW grid-connected solar photovoltaic power project. The solar power project is located in Uttar Pradesh.
Joint venture between Oil India Limited (OIL) and Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RVUNL) to develop 1.2 GW renewable projects—1000 MW solar and 200 MW wind—within RVUNL’s Renewable Energy Park in Rajasthan.…
GSH India Private Ltd (Indian arm of US-based GSH Group UK) signed a Memorandum of Agreement with IIIT Manipur to collaborate on facility management, IoT, sustainability and smart building systems. The partnership will…
Key Updates:
The Norwegian film ‘Safe House’ won the ICFT-Unesco Gandhi Medal. The ICFT-Unesco Gandhi Medal was instituted in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television, and Audiovisual Communication (ICFT) and…
Neeraj Ghaywan is the director and co-writer of Homebound, India’s official entry for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature category. Homebound premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 under the Un…
KIFF stands for the Kolkata International Film Festival. The 31st Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) is set to take place from November 6 to 13.
The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is held in Goa. The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) runs from November 20 to 28.
[Chennai Super Kings]
Key Updates:
Deepti Sharma was picked by UP Warriorz for Rs 3.20 crore. Amelia Kerr was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 3 crore.
India’s 100 most valuable brands are worth a combined $523.5 billion, equal to roughly 13% of the nation’s GDP. HDFC Bank retained the top rank with a brand value of $44.99 billion after an 18% year-on-year increase.
India wins Women’s World Cup. BCCI announce Rs 51 crore cash reward boost for Harmanpreet Kaur’s team.
Paradeep Phosphates has unveiled a partnership with cricket superstar Rahul Dravid as their new brand ambassador. The collaboration aims to forge an association between two names that represent trust, discipline…
[International Cricket Council (ICC)]
Key Updates:
Shafali Verma scored 87 off 78 balls in the Women's World Cup final against South Africa. India posted 298 for 7 and won the final by 52 runs in Navi Mumbai.
Jannik Sinner defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to win the Paris Masters. The victory marks Sinner's first Paris Masters title and his fifth title of the season, including the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
🇭🇰 Jason Gunawan won the Men’s Singles by defeating 🇮🇳 Srikanth Kidambi 21–16, 8–21, 22–20. 🇯🇵 Hina Akechi won the Women’s Singles by defeating 🇹🇷 Neslihan Arın 21–16, 21–14.
Daryl Mitchell overtook Rohit Sharma by one rating point to claim the ICC No.1 ODI batting ranking. Mitchell’s match-winning 119 off 118 balls against the West Indies in Christchurch earned him the top spot.
[Italy, UNESCO]
Key Updates:
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Network of Learning Cities now totals 425 cities from 91 countries. 12 countries are joining the Global Network of Learning Cities for…
Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for his second visit to India this year. He will meet External Affairs…
Lucknow was officially recognised by UNESCO as a 'City of Gastronomy' on World Cities Day, October 31. It is the second Indian city, after Hyderabad, to receive the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) City of…
Diwali was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage…
[C-DoT, IEEE SA]
Key Updates:
CSIR-NIIST Principal Scientist Dr Achu Chandran won Category 1 for his ‘Nano Electricity Generator’ research. NTPC R&D wing NETRA bagged Category 2 for advancing ‘Green Use of Coal Technologies’.
Innoviti Technologies was recognized by ASK Private Wealth and Hurun India as a Cheetah in their India Cheetah-Gazelle-Unicorn Index for the year 2025. The recognition for Innoviti Technologies was for Excellence in…
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company, received the CII Quality Ratna Award. The award was presented at the 33rd CII Excellence Summit organised by the CII Institute of Quality in Kolkata.
The Union Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, chaired the Apex Council meeting under the Bharat 6G Mission and reviewed the progress of the Bharat 6G Alliance. The Government has approved a ₹1-lakh-crore…