Daily Current Affairs: 26 December 2025

Anu Garg appointed as Chief Secretary of Odisha

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

• Anu Garg, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary of Odisha.
• She will replace Manoj Ahuja following his superannuation on December 31.
• She is currently serving as the Development Commissioner (DC) and is considered the number two in the state’s bureaucratic hierarchy.
• Garg served as a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from October 2012 to April 2015.
• She previously served as the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare in the Government of Odisha during 2008–12.
• She was a member of the High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) for Universal Health Coverage instituted by the Planning Commission in October 2010.
• Her previous roles include serving as the collector of Sambalpur and Bargarh districts and as the secretary of the water resources department.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) approves NHAI-sponsored Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust as Public InvIT

[Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)]

Key Updates:

• NHAI-sponsored Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) has received approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) as an Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT).
• The Public InvIT aims to unlock the monetisation potential of the National Highway assets while creating a high-quality, long-term investment instrument primarily targeting retail and domestic investors.
• NHAI had incorporated Raajmarg Infra Investment Managers Pvt Ltd (RIIMPL) as the Investment Manager for RIIT.
• RIIMPL has been established as a collaborative venture with equity participation from State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, NaBFID, Axis Bank, Bajaj Finserv Ventures Ltd., HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IDBI Bank, IndusInd Bank, and Yes Bank.
• NRVVMK Rajendra Kumar, Member (Finance), NHAI, will be the Managing Director and CEO (Additional Charge) of the investment manager company.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Announces ₹2 Lakh Crore OMO and $10 Billion USD/INR Swap

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will purchase government securities worth ₹2 lakh crore through Open Market Operations (OMO) to inject liquidity into the banking system.
• The RBI will conduct a USD 10 billion buy/sell dollar-rupee swap auction for a tenor of three years on January 13, 2026.
• The OMO purchase auctions for an aggregate amount of ₹2,00,000 crore will be held in four tranches of ₹50,000 crore each.
• The four OMO tranches are scheduled for December 29, 2025, January 5, 2026, January 12, 2026, and January 22, 2026.
• Under the swap arrangement, a bank will sell US dollars to the RBI and simultaneously agree to buy the same amount back at the end of the three-year period.
• These measures follow a previous RBI action involving ₹1 lakh crore OMO purchase auctions and a USD 5 billion Buy/Sell Swap auction for a tenor of three years.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (UPCM) Yogi Adityanath Schedules Noida International Airport Inauguration for January 2026

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (UPCM) Yogi Adityanath announced that the Noida International Airport at Jewar will be inaugurated in January 2026.
• The facility will be the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh and is expected to be the largest airport in India.
• Uttar Pradesh currently has 16 functional airports, including four international airports.
• The Noida International Airport is a greenfield project being developed in the Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
• The first phase of the airport project is spread over approximately 1,300 hectares.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Postpones Phase 2 of Continuous Cheque Clearing Mechanism

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) postponed the implementation of the second phase of the 'Continuous Clearing and Settlement on Realisation in Cheque Truncation System' to allow banks to streamline operations.
• The second phase of the faster cheque clearance mechanism was originally scheduled for implementation on January 3.
• The first phase of the clearing system implementation commenced on October 4.
• Under the second phase, banks are required to clear cheques within three hours of realisation in the Cheque Truncation System (CTS).
• The RBI modified the presentation session timing to 9 am to 3 pm and the confirmation session timing to 9 am to 7 pm.
• The previous presentation session was scheduled from 10 am to 4 pm, while the confirmation session was from 10 am to 7 pm.
• In Phase 1, drawee banks must confirm cheques by 7 pm, or they are deemed approved and included for settlement.
• The new process replaces the previous cheque clearing cycle of up to two working days with a system that clears cheques within a few hours of presentation.
• The item expiry time for cheques in Phase 2 was set to be changed to T+3 clear hours.

Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) extends Rs 9,821 crore loan to Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)

[Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC), Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL)]

Key Updates:

• Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) provided a Rs 9,821 crore loan to the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Ltd (DFCCIL).
• The rupee-denominated term loan is intended to refinance foreign currency debt taken from the World Bank for the Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor project.
• The refinancing fully covers the existing World Bank loans, shifting the debt to local funding solutions to reduce exchange rate volatility.
• The agreement was signed by Rahul Kapoor, Director (Finance) of DFCCIL, and Deepa Kotnis, Executive Director (Finance) of IRFC.
• The loan execution took place at the Railway Board in the presence of Satish Kumar, Chairman & CEO of the Railway Board.

Goldman Sachs (GS) forecasts India GDP growth at 6.7% for 2026 and 6.8% for 2027.

[Goldman Sachs]

Key Updates:

• Goldman Sachs projects India’s real GDP growth at around 6.7 per cent in 2026 and 6.8 per cent in 2027.
• Global growth is expected at 2.8 per cent in 2026, above the consensus estimate of 2.5 per cent.
• Emerging markets, including India, are expected to outperform developed peers amid stronger domestic demand and favourable structural trends.
• India’s growth benefits from strong domestic consumption, public infrastructure spending and limited exposure to global trade disruptions.
• Goldman Sachs estimates China to grow at 4.8 per cent in 2026 and 4.7 per cent in 2027.
• Inflation pressures are expected to ease across most economies by end-2026, supporting accommodative monetary stances in several emerging markets.

Shivaji University Raisin Research Centre to boost scientific support for Sangli growers

[Maharashtra]

Key Updates:

• Shivaji University Senate approved in principle the establishment of a dedicated raisin research centre in Sangli district.
• The centre will support raisin growers and processors through scientific research and skill development.
• It aims to help tackle rising export competition and the influx of imported raisins, particularly from China.

National Counter Terrorism Policy and Strategy to provide template for States against terror

Key Updates:

• The Union government is finalising India’s first anti-terror policy which will provide a template for all States to combat and respond to terror-related incidents.
• The policy is being finalised by the Home Ministry with inputs from the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
• Key focus areas include digital radicalisation, misuse of open borders, and foreign-funded conversion networks.

Delhi Metro Phase V(A) Project: Union Cabinet approves Rs 12,014.9-crore expansion

Key Updates:

• The Union Cabinet approved Delhi Metro’s Phase V(A) project, which will add three new corridors spanning 16 kilometres and 13 stations to the network.
• The Rs 12,014.9-crore project, scheduled for completion in three years, will be funded by the Government of India, the Government of Delhi, and international funding agencies.
• The three corridors comprise the 9.91-km stretch between Ramakrishnan Ashram Marg and Indraprastha, the 2.26-km link between Aerocity and Indira Gandhi Airport Terminal 1, and the 3.9-km route connecting Tughlakabad to Kalindi Kunj.
• The expansion will extend the Magenta and Golden lines, taking the total Delhi Metro network to nearly 400 km.
• The project includes 10 underground and three elevated stations to reduce road congestion and boost the economy.

PESA Mahotsav 2025: Celebrating Community-Led Governance under PESA Act

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) is celebrating a two-day PESA Mahotsav: Utsav Lok Sanskriti Ka on December 23 and 24 in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• The Mahotsav marks the anniversary of the Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, which empowers tribal communities by extending Panchayati Raj provisions to their scheduled lands.
• The objective is to spread awareness on the Act and improve capabilities of local bodies in Scheduled Areas.

PPP-Model Medical Colleges in Madhya Pradesh Tribal Districts

[Madhya Pradesh]

Key Updates:

• Madhya Pradesh to set up India’s first PPP-model medical colleges in Dhar and Betul tribal districts.
• State government provides up to 25 acres of land on lease; private partners build academic and clinical infrastructure.
• Associated district hospitals upgraded as per National Medical Commission norms while remaining under State administrative control.
• Two more PPP colleges planned at Katni and Panna; foundation ceremonies for these to follow.
• Chief Minister announces similar PPP medical colleges will also come up in Bhind, Morena, Khargone, Ashoknagar, Guna, Balaghat, Tikamgarh, Sidhi, and Shajapur districts.

Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA) signs MoUs with spiritual organisations to boost mass awareness

Key Updates:

• Department of Social Justice & Empowerment signed MoUs with Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and University of Patanjali under NMBA.
• NMBA launched on 15th August 2020 in 272 vulnerable districts and now covers all districts of India.
• 25.7+ crore people sensitised on substance use including 9.2+ crore youth and 6.3+ crore women.
• 15.98+ lakh educational institutions participated to spread NMBA message among children and youth.
• MoUs signed with 8 spiritual organisations: The Art of Living, Brahma Kumaris, Sant Nirankari Mission, ISKCON, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, All World Gayatri Pariwar, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram and University of Patanjali.

Economic Empowerment of Bharat in the Modi Era highlights GST, Digital India, and Direct Benefit Transfer reforms

Key Updates:

• GST transformed India into a unified national market by simplifying the tax structure, enhancing compliance and strengthening cooperative federalism.
• Digital India, Make in India, Startup India and the rapid expansion of UPI have empowered citizens, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• Over ₹47 lakh crore has been directly transferred into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile).

Atal Canteens Scheme offers Rs 5 nutritious meals

[Delhi]

Key Updates:

• The Delhi government has allocated Rs 104.24 crore for the operation and management of Atal Canteens.
• Each Atal Canteen will serve approximately 1,000 meals per day, benefiting over 1,00,000 people daily across Delhi.
• 100 Atal Canteens are being established across Delhi; 45 were virtually inaugurated and the remaining 55 will become operational within the next 15 to 20 days.
• Each beneficiary is provided freshly cooked meals at a nominal cost of Rs 5 per plate, while the Delhi government bears Rs 25 per meal.
• Approximately 700 people will gain employment under this scheme.

Kuwait and China sign $4.1 billion deal for Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port construction

[Kuwait, China]

Key Updates:

• The Kuwaiti Ministry of Public Works and China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC) signed a construction contract for the first phase of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Port project on December 22, 2025.
• The engineering, procurement, and construction contract to complete the project is valued at $4.164 billion.
• The State Audit Bureau is the government oversight body responsible for monitoring public funds that confirmed the project cost.
• The project is intended to help Kuwait diversify its economy and play a larger role in global trade.

India External Affairs Minister Jaishankar visits Sri Lanka to follow up on Cyclone Ditwah reconstruction efforts

[Sri Lanka]

Key Updates:

• External affairs minister S Jaishankar travelled to Sri Lanka as a special envoy of the Prime Minister for meetings with the leadership in Colombo to follow up on relief and reconstruction efforts in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah.
• India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu on November 28 and delivered hundreds of tonnes of relief supplies and critical early-recovery capabilities across Sri Lanka.
• Within the first three days of Cyclone Ditwah, 53 tonnes of emergency relief materials were delivered by Indian Navy warships and heavy-lift aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
• An IAF C-17 Globemaster airlifted a modular Indian Army field hospital, including ambulances, trauma care units, operating theatres, and 73 personnel, on December 2.
• On December 6, another 997 tonnes of dry rations and other relief materials were transported by warships from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka.
• India was the first country to deploy trained disaster responders in Sri Lanka, and more than 450 people were rescued and assisted by these teams.
• The Indian Army’s field hospital, located in the Badulla district, has treated nearly 3,400 people.

Tata Advanced Systems Limited hands over first lot of WhAP 8x8 armoured vehicles to Royal Moroccan Army

[Tata Advanced Systems Limited, Morocco]

Key Updates:

• Tata Advanced Systems Limited announced the handover of the first lot of WhAP 8x8 armoured vehicles to the Royal Moroccan Army.
• The WhAP 8x8 platform has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
• TASL will manufacture 150 Wheeled Armoured Platform combat vehicles for the Moroccan defence forces under the contract.
• Deliveries are to be completed within three years.
• The deal is described as the largest contract for Indian-made armoured vehicles, both within India and overseas.
• The Berrechid facility, spread over 20,000 square metres, was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Moroccan Minister Abdelatif Loudyi.
• The facility became operational three months ahead of schedule and is the first defence manufacturing plant established by an Indian private company in Africa.
• Approximately one-third of the components and sub-systems will be sourced and assembled locally from the outset, with the share of local value addition rising to 50 percent in the coming years.
• The WhAP 8x8 is a modular combat vehicle configurable for roles including infantry fighting vehicle, armoured personnel carrier, reconnaissance vehicle, command post, mortar carrier, and ambulance.
• The platform features a survivable monocoque hull, scalable ballistic and mine protection, independent suspension, central tyre inflation system, and amphibious capability.

Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) leads 40th Asian Waterbird Census in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary

[Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS)]

Key Updates:

• The 40th Asian Waterbird Census and the 60th International Waterbird Census will take place in Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary and its nearby wetlands.
• The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department is working with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to count the bird species.
• The main focus will be on four special bird species: the endangered Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis), endangered Great Knot (Calidris tenuirostris), Near Threatened Eurasian Curlew (Numenius arquata), and Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus).

Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovers Neelus sikkimensis, first Neelus genus Collembola in India

[Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Sikkim]

Key Updates:

• Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have identified a new species of Collembola named Neelus sikkimensis in Sikkim's high-altitude regions.
• Neelus sikkimensis is the first of its genus to be recorded in India, expanding the global genus count to eight.
• The ZSI's Apterygota Section, led by Gurupada Mandal and Kusumendra Kumar Suman, conducted the research and published findings in the Journal of the Entomological Research Society.
• The species possesses unique biological traits suited for life in deep soil and moss, and Collembola play a crucial role in maintaining terrestrial ecosystem health.

IIT Delhi-led team creates AILA, an AI agent that autonomously operates Atomic Force Microscope

Key Updates:

• The AI system can operate scientific instruments, make decisions during experiments, and analyse data without human involvement.
• AILA was trained to operate an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), a highly sensitive instrument used to study materials at the nanoscale.
• With AILA, optimising microscope parameters for high-resolution, noise-free images that earlier took an entire day is now completed in just seven to ten minutes.
• AI systems that perform well in theoretical or quiz-based assessments often struggle in dynamic laboratory environments that require rapid adaptation.
• The AI agent occasionally deviated from instructions, underscoring the need for robust safeguards to prevent equipment damage or accidents.

Maharashtra grassland labyrinth hints at Indo-Roman trade links

Key Updates:

• Archaeologists have discovered a remarkable circular stone labyrinth in the Boramani grasslands of Solapur, Maharashtra, identified as the largest of its kind ever recorded in India.
• The labyrinth consists of 15 concentric stone circuits, each carved with meticulous precision.
• The structure's patterns are reminiscent of those found on ancient Roman coins, suggesting possible connections to trade routes.
• The site’s location along historic Indo-Roman trade routes points to potential cultural exchanges between ancient India and distant empires.
• The discovery emerged when a wildlife NGO, monitoring Great Indian Bustards and local wolf populations, noticed the stone arrangement in the tall grass.

Coforge launches EvolveOps.AI for autonomous IT operations

[Coforge]

Key Updates:

• Coforge has introduced EvolveOps.AI, an agentic AI platform built to push enterprises into AI-first operations across hybrid cloud.
• The platform uses a mix of fine-tuned Small Language Models (SLMs) and deterministic models for reliability and cost control.
• Coforge has built 28 agent personas-covering SRE, Infrastructure, Cloud, Network, Kubernetes, Command Center, Service Management, and FinOps-so the system can analyze, reason, decide, and act across real IT scenarios.
• Reported outcomes from early adopters include a 25% reduction in system downtime and a 40% reduction in IT operational expenses.
• Mission Zero-Zero Disruption, Zero Touch, Zero Friction-anchors Coforge's approach.

State Space Corporation Roscosmos (Roscosmos) plans nuclear power plant on the moon by 2036

[Roscosmos]

Key Updates:

• State Space Corporation Roscosmos (Roscosmos) planned to build a lunar power plant by 2036 and signed a contract with the Lavochkin Association aerospace company to do it.
• The purpose of the plant is to power the infrastructure of the joint Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), including rovers and an observatory.
• Project participants include the Russian State Nuclear Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom) and the Kurchatov Institute, Russia's leading nuclear research institute.
• The moon, which is 384,400 km (238,855 miles) from our planet, moderates the earth's wobble on its axis, which ensures a more stable climate.
• The moon also causes tides in the world's oceans.
• Russia's ambitions suffered a massive blow in August 2023 when its unmanned Luna-25 mission smashed into the surface of the moon while attempting to land.

Shaheedi Week 2025 observed from 21 to 29 December

Key Updates:

• Shaheedi Week is observed every year in December to remember the great sacrifices (Shaheedi) made by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Mata Gujri Ji, and the four Sahibzade.
• Shaheedi Week 2025 is observed from 21 to 29 December.
• The week teaches lessons of bravery, faith, truth, and standing against injustice.

Bargarh Dhanu Yatra Inaugurated at Bargarh in Odisha

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

• Recognised as the largest open-air theatre in the world, the festival recreates episodes from the Dwapar Yuga, centring on the reign of King Kansa.
• Over an 8 km radius, the spectacle unfolds across three royal courts—Raj Darbar, Rang Mahal, and Nanda Raja’s Darbar—and 18 open-air stages, where artists bring mythology to life.
• The festivities will feature cultural processions, temple rituals, and dramatic performances, including a grand procession from Gandhi Chowk to Samaleswari Temple.
• The inaugural ceremony will be graced by MP Pradeep Purohit and MLA Ashwini Sarangi.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee birth anniversary commemorated as National Good Governance Day

Key Updates:

• December 25 is celebrated every year as National Good Governance Day to honour former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
• He served three terms as Prime Minister and delivered landmark speeches during the Pokhran nuclear tests, 1996 resignation, 2000 US Congress address, 1977 UN speech, and 2002 Independence Day.