National Affairs

Red Fort Hosts 20th Session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding ICH

The 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) was hosted at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi, Delhi, from December 8–13, 2025. This marked the first time India hosted the prestigious global event, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of India's ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.

• Organizers: Jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and the Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA).
• Session Leadership: Chaired by Vishal V. Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of India to UNESCO.
• Major Inscription: Deepavali, one of India's most widely celebrated festivals, was officially added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in the presence of Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.

About the Venue:

The 17th-century Red Fort, commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan (built 1638–1648), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 2007) managed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

About UNESCO:

• Director-General: Khaled El-Enany
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Established: 1945

India Unveils First Indigenous 64-bit Dual-Core Microprocessor ‘DHRUV64’

In a major boost to India's semiconductor ecosystem, the Government of India unveiled DHRUV64, the country’s first indigenously built 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor.

• Developer: Formulated by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
• Lineage & Framework: Launched under the Digital India RISC-V (DIR-V) programme. DHRUV64 is the third processor fabricated under this initiative, following THEJAS32 (fabricated at Silterra, Malaysia) and THEJAS64 (manufactured locally at SCL, Mohali).
• Applications: Engineered for 5G systems, automotive electronics, industrial automation, consumer goods, and Internet of Things (IoT) integrations.

University of Patanjali Designated as India’s First Yoga-Ayurveda Cluster Centre

The University of Patanjali in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, has officially become India's first dedicated Yoga and Ayurveda 'Cluster Center' under the Ministry of Culture’s flagship Gyan Bharatam Mission (GBM).

• The Partnership: Formalized via an MoU signed by Chancellor Swami Ramdev and GBM Project Director Dr. Anirban Dash.
• Mission Mandate: GBM aims to preserve ancient Indian manuscripts and knowledge systems. Under this agreement, the University of Patanjali—which has already digitized over 42 lakh pages and preserved 50,000+ texts—will serve as an institutional mentor to 20 associated grassroots organizations.

Indian Army Partners with Raghu Vamsi Par East to Advance Drone Systems

The Indian Army signed a tactical MoU with Raghu Vamsi Par East Automation Private Limited (a joint venture coordinated via the 515 Army Base Workshop in Secunderabad) to fast-track the induction of land-system drones.

• Technical Focus: Focuses primarily on developing Internal Combustion (IC) engine-based drones and unmanned platforms capable of navigating efficiently in GPS-denied tactical environments.
• Operational Flow: The 515 Army Base Workshop will lead field validation, interoperability testing, and certification, while the joint venture provides technical subsystem architecture to shorten procurement cycles.

International Affairs

Russia Ratifies Key Military Logistics Support Pact (RELOS) with India

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into federal law the Reciprocal Exchange of Logistics Support (RELOS) pact with India, following unanimous ratification by the State Duma and the Federation Council.

• Operational Framework: The RELOS agreement outlines a reciprocal protocol for the movement of military formations, allowing warship docking, airfield infrastructure access, and mutual airspace usage during joint military drills, training, and humanitarian relief actions.
• Final Enactment: The treaty will officially come into effect once India and Russia finish the formal exchange of their ratification instruments.

GVT 2025: India Ranks 3rd Globally in Artificial Intelligence Vibrancy

The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) released its Global AI Vibrancy Tool (GVT) 2025 report. India secured the 3rd spot globally, jumping from its 7th-place position in the previous iteration.

Indian Navy Chief Signs Tripartite Scorpene Maintenance Submarine Pact in Brazil

During an official visit to Brazil, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi finalized an expansive maritime framework to boost South Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security cooperation.

• The Submarine MoU: A crucial 10-year tripartite MoU was executed between the Indian Navy, the Brazilian Navy, and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to exchange technical information, maintenance philosophies, spare parts allocation, and training for Scorpene-class submarines.
• Strategic Inspections: Admiral Tripathi inspected the Itaguai Naval Complex and the amphibious helicopter carrier NAM Atlantico, while also attending the midshipmen passing-out parade at the Brazilian Naval Academy in Rio de Janeiro.

Banking & Finance

ADB Approves USD 846 Million Loan to Modernize Indian Skilling Platforms

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved a USD 846 million (approx. ₹7,000 crore) Results-Based Lending (RBL) package to support India's national skilling frameworks.

• Project Pipeline: Operates under the "Supporting Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs Program" (PM-SETU).
• Infrastructure Upgrades: The capital will modernize 650 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across 12 states via a hub-and-spoke model and upgrade 5 National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) into high-tech Centres of Excellence.
• Focus Segments: Targets training expansion across high-growth areas like renewable energy, electric mobility, and advanced manufacturing for 1.3 million youth, co-financed by the World Bank.

HDFC Bank Group Secures RBI Nod to Acquire 9.5% Stake in IndusInd Bank

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted regulatory approval to HDFC Bank Limited and its associated group entities to buy an aggregate shareholding of up to 9.5% in IndusInd Bank Limited.

• Regulatory Compliance: Approved under the RBI Acquisition and Holding of Shares Directions, effective for one year (valid until December 14, 2026).
• Covered Units: Includes HDFC Mutual Fund, HDFC Life Insurance, HDFC ERGO General Insurance, HDFC Pension Fund, and HDFC Securities.

SEBI Grants NCDEX Approval to Launch Mutual Fund Transaction Engine

The National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange Limited (NCDEX) received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to roll out its dedicated Mutual Fund transaction engine.

• Settlement Engine: The National Commodity Clearing Limited (NCCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NCDEX, will govern back-end processing, clearing verification, and asset unit allocations.
• Structural Design: Operating completely separate from the core NCDEX commodity and stock futures infrastructure, this platform allows investors to transact mutual fund units independently.

Economy & Business

NIRL and PTC India Form Joint Venture for 2,000 MW Green Energy Infrastructure

NLC India Renewables Limited (NIRL), a subsidiary of NLC India Limited, signed a definitive Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with PTC India Limited in Neyveli, Tamil Nadu.

• Capacity Scope: Establishes a joint venture company targeting up to 2,000 MW of clean energy assets, deploying an initial 500 MW phase focusing on solar, wind, hydro, and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
• Corporate Structure: The equity configuration is divided into 74% NIRL and 26% PTC India, utilizing NLCIL's power generation capabilities alongside PTC’s corporate energy trading networks.

Awards & Recognitions

Traditional 'Ponduru Khadi' from Andhra Pradesh Secures GI Protection

Ponduru Khadi, an ultra-fine, handspun cotton fabric from Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, was officially granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the DPIIT Registry under Classes 23, 24, and 25.

• Historical Background: Celebrated during the Swadeshi movement, Mahatma Gandhi famously lauded this fabric in Young India in 1921.
• Artisanal Craftsmanship: It uses indigenous hill cotton variants. The manual processing requires fish jawbones (from the Valuga fish) for cleaning raw cotton and single-spindle 24-spoke Gandhi Charkhas to spin thin yarn counts reaching 100–120.

C-DoT Honored with Prestigious IEEE SA Corporate Award 2025

The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), working under the Ministry of Communications, became the first Indian institution to win the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE SA) Corporate Award.

• The Achievement: This places C-DoT among only five organizations globally to win the award, recognizing its breakthroughs in rural 5G standardizations and high-speed wireless broadband.
• Individual Honors: C-DoT scientist Sandeep Agarwal was also awarded the IEEE Standards Medallion for his technical contributions to global rural broadband frameworks.

Appointments & Resignations

Raj Kumar Goyal Sworn In as 13th Chief Information Commissioner

Former IAS Officer Raj Kumar Goyal (1990 batch, AGMUT cadre) was sworn in as the 13th Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India. The oath of office was administered by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• Full Bench Activation: Goyal subsequently administered the oath to 8 newly designated Information Commissioners (ICs), successfully filling the CIC's complete bench (1 Chief, 10 ICs) for the first time since 2016.
• Selection Panel: The selection was recommended by a high-level legislative committee comprising PM Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

Far-Right Conservative José Antonio Kast Rist Wins Chile Presidency

José Antonio Kast Rist, leader of the hard-line Republican Party, won Chile’s presidential runoff election with 58% of the vote, defeating left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara.

• Executive Change: He will assume office as the 38th President of Chile on March 11, 2026, succeeding out-going President Gabriel Boric. Kast's political platform centers around border defense infrastructure and increased police authorities.

About Chile:

• Capital: Santiago
• Currency: Chilean Peso (CLP)

ACC Approves Rajiv Ranjan as Managing Director of State Bank of India

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the Department of Financial Services (DFS) proposal to appoint Rajiv Ranjan as the Managing Director (MD) of the State Bank of India (SBI).

• Tenure Details: Ranjan, who previously served as the Deputy MD for Global Markets, succeeds Vinay M. Tonse. His appointment is effective from December 15, 2025, lasting until his superannuation on September 30, 2028.
• Core Duties: In his new executive role, Ranjan will oversee SBI's Risk Management, Compliance, and the Stressed Assets Resolution Group (SARG).

Obituary

Ram Janmabhoomi Movement Leader Ram Vilas Das Vedanti Passes Away

Former two-time Lok Sabha MP and prominent spiritual leader Dr. Ram Vilas Das Vedanti passed away in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh, at the age of 67.

• Key Positions: Served as the Executive President of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas and led the Vashishth Bhawan ashram in Ayodhya.
• Political Tenure: Represented Uttar Pradesh's Machhlishahr (1996) and Pratapgarh (1998) constituencies in the Lok Sabha.