Monday, Dec 29
Daily current affairs for 29 December 2025 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.
Today at a glance
Key Updates:
Vinod Kumar Shukla, a renowned Hindi writer, poet, and novelist, passed away at the age of 88 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. He was the first person from Chhattisgarh to receive the Jnanpith Award, which is the highest…
The 10th Film Preservation and Restoration Workshop India 2025 was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Legendary actress Waheeda Rehman praised the Film Heritage Foundation's preservation efforts at the opening ceremony.
A seven-member jury, chaired by veteran actor Prakash Raj, selected the winners for the Kerala State Film Awards 2025. The Kerala State Film Awards are presented by the Kerala State Chalachitra Academy (KSCA).
Akhil Vishwanath, a State Award-winning actor, was found dead at his home. He was discovered by his mother while she was getting ready to leave for work.
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
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…
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 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 Reserve Bank of India (RBI) final guidelines allow banks and their group entities to continue overlapping lending activities, preventing restructuring for 12 large bank groups. The draft guidelines would have…
[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]
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…
Seven Executive Directors have been appointed to the Boards of various Public Sector Banks. The Department of Financial Services (DFS) formally notified these appointments.
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…
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.
[Delhi]
Key Updates:
Federal Decree-Law No. 12 of 2025 fundamentally reshaping who can foster and how fostering works across the country. Fostering in the UAE is open not only to Muslim nationals but also to expatriate families of any…
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order 2025 on September 1 this year. The order exempts Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and…
Senior forest officials, including the PCCF Wildlife, appeared before the Odisha Human Rights Commission regarding alleged inadequate compensation for families relocated from Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Complainants alleged…
The World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence is marked every year on November 18. This observance was established in 2022 by the UN General Assembly.
Key Updates:
The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) clarified rules regarding the inclusion of daughters' names in family details for central government employees and pensioners. As per the rule, every government…
J&K refers to Jammu and Kashmir, as seen in 'J&K's Kishtwar'. TOI refers to Times of India, indicated by 'TOI News Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM'.
Dinesh Khatak, second-in-command (2-IC) of the 196 Battalion, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), was honoured with the “Kendriya Grah Mantri Dakshata Padak” (Union Home Minister’s Efficiency Medal). The award was given…
The National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025 are announced by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The NGRA is one of the highest national honours…
[Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)]
Key Updates:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the 'Lost, Looted and Recovered Firearm' database prepared by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The database will centrally record…
India is establishing the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) to bolster maritime safety, mirroring aviation security models. The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be…
India is moving towards deploying its own home grown integrated air defence system to protect the Delhi National Capital Region from enemy aerial threats like missiles, drones and fast moving aircraft. The multilayered…
The Indian Army has signed a contract for the procurement of its first indigenously designed and manufactured Software Defined Radios (SDR). These SDRs were developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation…
[China]
Key Updates:
India has imposed an anti-dumping duty of USD 121.55 per tonne on imports of hot rolled flat steel products from Vietnam for five years. Steel imports stood at 4.90 million tonnes in April-September FY26, with Vietnam…
China's November trade surplus hit $111.68 billion, the highest since June and up from $90.07 billion the previous month. Exports to the United States dropped 29% year-on-year in November despite a tariff-truce…
Mexico Senate passed new tariffs of up to 50% on over 1,400 products including metals, cars, clothing and appliances. The levies will take effect on 1 January 2026 and apply to countries without a free trade agreement…
China filed a petition with the World Trade Organisation (WTO), requesting consultations with India over New Delhi's tariffs on information and communication technology (ICT) products and solar sector subsidies. India's…
Key Updates:
The World Bank has approved $599.66 million in financing for two major clean air programs in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. These initiatives aim to improve air quality, reduce health impacts, and strengthen both states as…
The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed GRAP-3 curbs after the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 400 mark and entered the 'Severe' category. The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decided to invoke all actions…
Ghaziabad emerged as the most polluted city in India in November 2025, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 µg/m³. Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak joined…
Delhi's air quality has entered the 'red zone' with AQI crossing 400, making it the country's second most polluted city. With a 24-hour average AQI of 361, Delhi became the country’s second most polluted city, according…
[Indian Institute of Technology Patna (IIT Patna)]
Key Updates:
India has developed its first indigenous 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor, DHRUV64, by C-DAC. The semiconductor is developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Microprocessor…
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…
The NITI Aayog’s Frontier Tech Hub, in partnership with International Business Machines-IBM, has released a national roadmap to transform India into one of the world’s top-three quantum economies by 2047. The plan aims…
The plan for India’s first Quantum City or Q-city was unveiled at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025 by Minister for Minor Irrigation, Science and Technology NS Boseraju. The Q-city is proposed to be established over 6 acres…
Key Updates:
Former Australian winger Ryan Williams has renounced his previous citizenships and is now an Indian citizen, set to join the Indian national team setup. His eligibility for Indian citizenship comes from his mother, born…
Vaibhav Suryavanshi was honored with the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu presented the award, which is India’s highest civilian honor for children between the…
Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, became the youngest FIDE-rated chess player in history at the age of three years, seven months and 20 days. He holds a rapid rating of 1,572, surpassing the previous…
Ayush Mhatre became the youngest man to score a hundred across all three formats – First-class, List A, and T20, at 18 years and 135 days. He surpassed Rohit Sharma, who had scored a First-Class, List A and T20 century…
Key Updates:
Vande Mataram was conceived on Sunday, 7 November 1875, at Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's home in Kantalpada. The song Vande Mataram appeared in Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Anandamath in 1882.
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…
Ravi Deecee, the Publisher and Managing Director of DC Books, was conferred with the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters). The Ambassador of France to India…
C.P. Radhakrishnan, Vice-President of India, released the book 'Sanatan Sanskriti Ki Atal Drishti' authored by Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. The release event took place at the…