Daily Current Affairs: 20 December 2025

Shashwat Sharma appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel India

[Airtel India]

Key Updates:

• Shashwat Sharma has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel India for a five-year term, subject to shareholder approval.
• Gopal Vittal has been appointed as Executive Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel for a five-year term, subject to shareholder approval.
• Soumen Ray has been appointed as Group Chief Financial Officer of Bharti Airtel.
• Akhil Garg has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Airtel India.
• Rohit Krishan Puri has been appointed as Company Secretary and Compliance Officer of Bharti Airtel.

Income Tax Department records 8% rise in net direct tax collections to ₹17.05 lakh crore this FY till Dec 17.

[Income Tax Department]

Key Updates:

• Net direct tax collections between April 1 and December 17, 2025, stood at ₹17,04,725 crore against ₹15,78,433 crore in the same period last year.
• Gross direct tax collections grew 4.16% year-on-year to ₹20,01,794 crore.
• Net corporate tax collections rose to ₹8,17,310 crore from ₹7,39,353 crore a year ago.
• Net non-corporate tax collections increased to ₹8,46,905 crore from ₹7,96,181 crore.
• Refunds issued during the period fell 13.52% to ₹2,97,069 crore from ₹3,43,499 crore last year.
• Total advance tax collections rose 4.27% to ₹7,88,388 crore; corporate advance tax increased nearly 8% to ₹6,07,300 crore while non-corporate advance tax declined 6.49% to ₹1,81,088 crore.
• Securities transaction tax collections remained flat at around ₹40,195 crore.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) relaxes norms allowing issuers to sell zero-coupon debt securities at face value of Rs 10,000.

[Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)]

Key Updates:

• SEBI now permits issuers to offer zero-coupon debt securities with a fixed maturity and no structured obligations at a reduced face value of Rs 10,000.
• The relaxation expands the July 2024 circular that previously allowed only interest-bearing or dividend-paying debt securities to be issued at Rs 10,000 face value.
• Zero-coupon bonds are issued at a discount and redeemed at face value, with returns earned through price appreciation.

Ministry of Railways awards Titagarh Rail Systems ₹273.24 crore order for 62 Rail Borne Maintenance Vehicles.

[Ministry of Railways, Titagarh Rail Systems]

Key Updates:

• The contract covers design, manufacturing, supply, testing, commissioning, training, servicing and breakdown maintenance support for 62 Rail Borne Maintenance Vehicles.
• Supply of the machines is expected to begin within 15 months from the date of order placement.
• Delivery of all 62 vehicles along with the complete set of spares is scheduled to be completed within 48 months.
• Titagarh Rail Systems’ total order book stands at around ₹15,100 crore, translating into a 4.5x book-to-bill ratio.
• Nuvama maintains a Buy rating on Titagarh Rail Systems with a revised target price of ₹1,088, implying a 40.5% upside from the current market price of ₹774.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Issues Guidelines for Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) Licensing and Classification

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued the Urban Co-operative Banks – Licensing, Scheduling and Regulatory Classification Guidelines, 2025.
• The RBI stated that no fresh proposals for the organization of new UCBs or the conversion of cooperative credit societies into UCBs are being considered.
• A four-tiered regulatory framework has been adopted for UCBs based on deposit size as of March 31 of the preceding financial year.
• Tier 1 UCBs include all unit UCBs, salary earners’ UCBs, and other UCBs with deposits up to ₹100 crore.
• Tier 2 UCBs are defined as those with deposits of more than ₹100 crore and up to ₹1000 crore.
• Tier 3 UCBs consist of those with deposits of more than ₹1000 crore and up to ₹10,000 crore.
• Tier 4 UCBs include those with deposits exceeding ₹10,000 crore.
• UCBs transitioning to a higher Tier are allowed a glide path of up to two years to comply with higher regulatory requirements.
• To be included in the Second Schedule to the RBI Act, 1934, a UCB must maintain Tier 3 deposit levels for two consecutive years.
• UCBs seeking scheduling must maintain a Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) of at least three per cent more than the minimum requirement.
• The eligibility for scheduling also requires the absence of major regulatory and supervisory concerns based on the latest RBI inspection or audited financials.

Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025: India targets 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047

Key Updates:

• The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025, which was passed in Parliament Thursday, allows private players to enter the operations side of the tightly-governed nuclear power sector.
• Once notified, the law will replace two key legislations — the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (AE Act) and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 (CLNDA) — and effectively redraw India’s N-power regime.
• The law is a key step towards achieving India’s target of 100 gigawatt of nuclear power capacity by 2047.
• The new law allows public and private companies to set up nuclear power plants and undertake activities related to the transport, storage, import and export of nuclear fuel, technology, equipment and minerals.
• The new law grants statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), which previously depended on the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) for its budget and administration.
• The law omits the provision regarding the 'right of recourse' which previously allowed operators to seek compensation from suppliers for incidents resulting from 'supply of equipment or material with patent or latent defects or sub-standard services'.
• The new law adopts graded liability caps for nuclear power operators based on their size of installation, marking a departure from the previous flat liability limit of Rs 1,500 crore.
• The legislation provides for the establishment of the Atomic Energy Redressal Advisory Council to address grievances and a Nuclear Damage Claims Commission to handle cases involving severe nuclear damage.
• It designates the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity as the appellate authority to hear and dispose of appeals under the bill.

Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 raises guaranteed employment days to 125

Key Updates:

• The Lok Sabha passed the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 which repeals MGNREGA and increases guaranteed employment from 100 to 125 days.
• Centre will now fund 60% of all scheme costs and states 40%; states must bear any expenditure above the centrally fixed normative allocation.
• The Bill removes Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the rural job guarantee scheme and restructures funding so that the Centre no longer covers 90% of wages as under MGNREGA.

PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks: ₹70,000 Crore Industry Investment and 10 Lakh Jobs per Park

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Textiles (MoT) and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC) conducted a stakeholder consultation for three upcoming PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model.
• "DPRs worth ₹5,567 crore have been finalised for the three PPP-mode parks" located in Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Kalaburagi (Karnataka), and Navsari (Gujarat).
• The PM MITRA Parks are "inspired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s 5F vision—Farm to Fibre to Factory to Fashion to Foreign" to create fully integrated, end-to-end textile value chains.
• "Investor interest across the three states has crossed ₹20,054 crore, driven largely by the composite textile segment."
• Seven PM MITRA Parks have been announced across Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
• The projected impact of the scheme includes "₹70,000 crore in industry investments" and "10 lakh employment opportunities per park."

Madhya Pradesh State-Level Multi-National Park Tiger Corridor

[Madhya Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Madhya Pradesh is developing the country's first state-level multi-national park tiger corridor in coordination with NHAI and PWD.
• The corridor will incorporate underpasses in forest areas, slow-traffic zones, and wildlife-safe designs to balance tiger movement, tourism, and local connectivity.
• It will promote eco-tourism and strengthen the local economy.

One State One RRB: Ministry of Finance (MoF) Unveils Unified Brand Identity for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs)

[Ministry of Finance (MoF)]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Finance (MoF) unveiled a new logo for Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to signify a single and unified brand identity.
• On the principle of 'One State One RRB', the Department of Financial Services (DFS), MoF, has consolidated 26 RRBs across 11 states/UTs, effective from May 1, 2025.
• The colours of the RRB logo have been chosen to convey the objectives of the RRBs, where dark blue signifies finance and trust, while green signifies life and growth, reflecting their mission to serve rural India.
• Presently, 28 RRBs continue to serve the nation through an extensive network of over 22,000 branches in more than 700 districts.
• This common branding initiative by the government is expected to give RRBs a distinct, modern and easily recognisable brand identity nationwide, symbolising their collective commitment to financial inclusion and rural development.

Chhattisgarh Supplementary Budget: Rs 35,000 Crore Outlay for Institutional Revival and Infrastructure

[Chhattisgarh]

Key Updates:

• Chhattisgarh Finance Minister, O.P. Chaudhary, tabled the largest supplementary budget in the state's history, proposing an additional outlay of Rs 35,000 crore.
• The supplementary budget is aimed at addressing pending liabilities exceeding Rs 45,000 crore inherited by boards and corporations.
• The budget focuses on reviving institutions such as MARKFED and NAAN, which are described as the backbone of paddy procurement and the public distribution system.
• An additional Rs 2,000 crore has been provided through the supplementary budget for capital expenditure, in addition to the Rs 26,341 crore in the main budget for 2025-26.
• Capital expenditure now accounts for about 4.1 per cent of the total budget, reflecting a shift towards long-term asset creation.

Brazil Hands Over BRICS Chair to India for 2026 Summit

[Brazil]

Key Updates:

• Brazil hosted the 17th BRICS Summit earlier this year.
• India will assume the BRICS chair for 2026.
• Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin stated: "BRICS is not aimed against any country" and "not to replace the US dollar".
• Alckmin confirmed President Lula’s visit to India is scheduled for February 2026.
• Brazil and India are exploring defence cooperation in aerospace, naval projects and joint research.
• Brazil is evaluating India’s Akash missile system; discussions include joint production and technology transfer.
• Brazil and India are working on interoperability between India’s UPI and Brazil’s PIX digital payment systems.
• Brazil has announced a business e-visa for Indian travellers; system launch date not specified.
• Both governments target direct India-Brazil flights by end-2026.
• Brazil became the second BRICS member after India to decline joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

India and Netherlands sign Letter of Intent to strengthen defence cooperation

[Netherlands]

Key Updates:

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel to discuss security and defence topics.
• A Letter of Intent on defence cooperation was signed and exchanged between India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Netherlands' Ambassador to India Marisa Gerards.
• The ministers prioritised co-development and co-production of defence equipment and agreed to craft a Defence Industrial Roadmap.

India and Oman sign Joint Vision Document and four MoUs during PM Modi visit

[Oman]

Key Updates:

• A Joint Vision Document and Executive Programme were signed, outlining strategic cooperation, including innovation in agriculture and food industries.
• Four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were inked, covering cooperation in maritime heritage and museums, scientific research and innovation, skills development, agriculture, and trade cooperation between Oman’s Chamber of Commerce and India’s Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Both countries are on track to finalize a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a trade pact expected to boost bilateral commerce, investment and strategic economic alignment across sectors such as energy, logistics, and manufacturing.

Chennai-based Photonics Odyssey wins NASA Space Apps 2025 Most Inspirational Award with sovereign phased-array satellite internet concept

[United States]

Key Updates:

• An Indian team’s satellite internet concept emerged as a global winner of NASA’s 2025 International Space Apps Challenge.
• The Chennai-based team, Photonics Odyssey, proposed a sovereign, phased-array satellite internet infrastructure to expand broadband access across remote regions and won the Most Inspirational Award.
• The project aims to reduce ground dependency and help connect more than 700 million people in India who currently lack access to broadband connectivity.
• NASA said the 2025 edition of its flagship global hackathon brought together more than 1 lakh 14 thousand participants across 5 hundred and 51 local events in 1 hundred and 67 countries and territories.

Odisha hosts two-day Regional AI Impact Summit 2025 to advance sustainable AI solutions

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

• Odisha is hosting a two-day Regional AI Impact Summit 2025 in Bhubaneswar organised by the Electronics and Information Technology Department, Government of Odisha.
• The summit focuses on scalable public AI solutions centred on the 3Ps - People, Planet, and Progress.
• Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling stated that the outcomes of this summit will inform how AI can be used to monitor governance modules.
• Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation Secretary Saurabh Garg said the objective is to ensure AI is available for the benefit of all without requiring users to know the technology.
• Principal Secretary Vishal Kumar Dev noted that Odisha is the first state in the country to bring out an AI policy.
• The Odisha government launched the Odisha AI mission aligned with the India AI mission to democratise AI through access, affordability, equity, and inclusivity.

Armenia unveils Erivan Anomalous Blue butterfly as logo for COP17

[Armenia]

Key Updates:

• Armenia has unveiled the logo for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• At its centre is Polyommatus eriwanensis, a blue butterfly found only in and around Yerevan.
• COP17, scheduled for October 2026, will host the first global review of how countries are implementing the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
• The framework has 23 targets, from protecting habitats to reforming subsidies that harm biodiversity.
• The logo uses 23 blended colours, reflecting the idea that progress on one target depends on action across all.
• The species inhabits calcareous grasslands in Armenia but the host plant of the species is still not known.
• The species is not included in the Global and European Red Lists.
• The choice builds on a precedent from COP16 in Colombia. That conference featured the Inirida flower, endemic to the Guaviare region.

Google commits $8 million to India’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem

[Google]

Key Updates:

• Google on Tuesday announced fresh collaborations and funding commitments worth $8 million to strengthen India’s artificial intelligence ecosystem.
• Research funding will go to TANUH at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru for non-communicable disease treatment.
• The Airawat Research Foundation at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur will receive funding for AI-driven urban governance.
• Google is working with the National Health Authority (NHA) to use AI to convert millions of unstructured medical records into the international FHIR standard.
• Google announced a $2 million founding contribution to set up an Indic Language Technologies Research Hub at IIT Bombay.
• Google said it is partnering with ReNew Energy on a 150 MW solar project in Rajasthan, extending its push to power AI growth with clean energy and support India’s non-fossil fuel goals.
• The company said it would provide $400,000 to support collaborations using its MedGemma models to build India-specific health foundation models.
• Google announced separate Google.org funding of $2 million to develop Garuda, an AI language model for agriculture.

Jharkhand defeats Haryana to win Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

[Jharkhand]

Key Updates:

• Jharkhand clinched their first-ever Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy SMAT title at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, defeating Haryana by 69 runs.
• Jharkhand posted a massive 262/3 - the highest-ever total in a T20 tournament final.
• Ishan Kishan became the first captain to score a hundred in a SMAT final, finishing with 101 runs.

Goa Liberation Day observed on December 19

[Goa]

Key Updates:

• Goa Liberation Day is observed on December 19 to commemorate Goa’s liberation from Portuguese rule and its formal integration into India in 1961.
• The day marks the end of 451 years of Portuguese dominance in Goa.
• Purushottam Kakodkar led the newly established Goa branch of the Indian National Congress after liberation and served as a member of parliament for North Goa in the Lok Sabha.

Nnena Kalu becomes first artist with learning disability to win Turner Prize

Key Updates:

• Nnena Kalu is the first artist with a learning disability to win the Turner Prize.
• The prize ceremony was held in Bradford.
• Kalu has been a resident artist with ActionSpace for more than 25 years.
• The Turner Prize is named after artist JMW Turner.