NATIONAL AFFAIRS

PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics in Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics, titled “The Light and the Lotus: Relics of the Awakened One”, at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi.

• Organized By: The Ministry of Culture under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav initiative.
• Historical Reunification: The exposition marks the historic reunification and display of the sacred Piprahwa relics of Lord Buddha after 127 years. For the first time since 1898, relics from the original 1898 Kapilavastu excavation, the 1971–75 excavations, and the repatriated Peppé family collection are being showcased together.
• The Repatriation Story: The return of the Peppé family’s collection from abroad was finalized on July 30, 2025, after the Ministry of Culture halted a scheduled auction at Sotheby’s Hong Kong. The recovery was achieved via a unique Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model with the Godrej Industries Group.
• Exhibition Highlights: Features over 80 rare artifacts dating from the 6th century BCE to the present day, including the original monolithic stone coffer, thangkas, and gem relics.
• Discovery Background: The Piprahwa relics were originally unearthed in 1898 by William Claxton Peppé at an ancient stupa identified with Kapilavastu, where Lord Buddha spent his early life.

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Unveils 184 New Crop Varieties

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare) has officially released 184 newly developed crop varieties across 25 different crops at an event in New Delhi.

• Development Partners: The high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties were developed collaboratively by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) (60 varieties), state and central agricultural universities (62 varieties), and private seed companies (62 varieties).
• Crop Categorization:
  • Cereals (122 varieties): Focuses heavily on staples and nutritious millets, including 60 rice, 50 maize, 4 sorghum, and 5 pearl millet varieties.
  • Cotton (24 varieties): Includes 22 Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton varieties approved for commercial cultivation.
  • Oilseeds (13 varieties): Spans mustard, safflower, sesame, groundnut, and castor.
  • Pulses (6 varieties): Covers pigeon pea (arhar), green gram (moong), and black gram (urd) to boost domestic protein availability.
  • Other Crops: Includes 11 fodder crops, 6 sugarcane varieties, 1 jute variety, and 1 tobacco variety.

Global Milestone: During the release, the Union Minister highlighted that in the 2024–25 crop year, India officially became the world’s largest rice producer, achieving a record production of 150.18 million tonnes (MT), surpassing China’s 145.28 MT.

DSIR 42nd Foundation Day: 3-Year Eligibility Norm Relaxed for Deep-Tech Startups

During the 42nd Foundation Day celebrations of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh announced a major policy shift to support early-stage innovation.

• The Big Policy Change: The mandatory 3-year prior existence condition has been completely removed for deep-tech startups. They can now immediately apply for financial assistance of up to Rs 1 crore under the Industrial Research and Development Promotion Program (IRDPP).
• 4 New Initiatives Launched:
  1. New DSIR Guidelines: Operationalizing the relaxed 3-year existence rule for recognizing in-house R&D centers of deep-tech startups.
  2. TOCIC Innovator Pulse: A PRISM network platform designed to monitor and strengthen innovation pipelines.
  3. Creative India 2025: Rolled out under the PRISM scheme to accelerate grassroots entrepreneurship.
  4. DSIR Disaster Management Plan: Formulated to reinforce institutional preparedness and resilience.

Quick National Updates:

• Tropical Trout Farming in South India: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh inaugurated the Smart Green Aquaculture (SGA) Farm and Research Institute in Hyderabad, Telangana. Powered by a state-of-the-art Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS), this is India's first commercial-scale tropical rainbow trout farm, successfully breaking the barrier of farming this cold-water fish outside the Himalayan regions.
• Global Recognition for AYUSH System: The Ministry of Commerce & Industry announced that India's traditional medical system (AYUSH) has been formally integrated into bilateral trade pacts, including the India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Backed by this expanding access, AYUSH exports grew 6.11% to touch USD 688.89 million in 2024–25.
• 35th India-Pakistan Nuclear List Exchange: Continuing a bilateral tradition since January 1, 1992, India and Pakistan simultaneously exchanged their annual lists of Nuclear Installations and Facilities under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities. A list of cross-border prisoners was also exchanged under their bi-annual Consular Access Pact.
• India-Bhutan Judicial Exchange: The Supreme Court of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Supreme Court of Bhutan to facilitate knowledge sharing. Under this judicial cooperation framework, young law clerks from Bhutan will undergo a 3-month practical tenure within the Indian Supreme Court system in New Delhi.

BANKING & FINANCE

TMB Partners with Tech-Fini to Bolster UPI Infrastructure

Tamilnad Mercantile Bank (TMB) has entered into a strategic collaboration with fintech solutions provider TechFini to drastically modernize its UPI ecosystem.

• Tech Service Provider (TSP) Role: TechFini will deploy its cloud-native UPI Switch infrastructure to manage TMB’s digital payment routing. The heavy-duty platform is capable of processing up to 10,000 transactions per second (TPS).
• Automation in Lending: The partnership focuses heavily on scaling UPI use cases for credit collections using the UPI Autopay solution. This allows frictionless, automated deductions of Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs) and loan repayments directly via a customer's UPI handle.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Indian Scientists Develop 3D-Printed Automatic Weather Stations Under Mission Mausam

In a major breakthrough for indigenous meteorology, scientists led by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, have developed India’s first 3D-printed Automatic Weather Stations (AWS).

• The Framework: Developed completely under the Make in India initiative via the government's Rs 2,000 crore Mission Mausam project, which aims to close hyper-local observation gaps across urban and complex terrains.
• Capabilities & Deployment: These solar-powered, lightweight, and low-cost units automatically log and transmit real-time data on temperature, humidity, wind velocity, and rainfall. Fully certified by the IMD Surface Laboratory and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the first batch is being deployed in Delhi, with Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai scheduled next.

DRDO Develops Portable Seawater Desalination System ‘SWaDeS’

The Defence Laboratory Jodhpur (DLJ), operating under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has developed an emergency field device called SWaDeS (SeaWater Desalination System) to aid troops stationed in harsh, water-scarce zones.

• Operational Variants: Available in a manual-operated model (built for 10–12 personnel) and a rapid engine-driven model (built for 20–25 personnel). The engine variant can be set up in under 3 minutes and reduces heavy water salinity from 35,000 mg/L of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) down to safe drinking levels under 500 mg/L.
• CBRN Security: Critically, the tactical system is outfitted with a specialized Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) water purification module to ensure toxin-free drinking water even in high-risk zones.

SPORTS

72nd National Volleyball Tournament Inaugurated in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated the 72nd Senior National Volleyball Championship at the Dr. Sampurnanand Sports Stadium in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

• Tournament Breakdown: Organized by the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) in tandem with the UP Government, the championship hosts 58 distinct state and institutional teams comprising over 1,000 top athletes.
• Dual Mascots Unveiled: The tournament features two distinct mascots: ‘Nandu’ (modeled after the sacred Nandi bull representing raw physical power) and ‘Neera’ (inspired by the Ganga River Dolphin to promote aquatic conservation awareness).

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Siddha Day 2026 – January 6

The 9th National Siddha Day was celebrated across the country, honoring the birth anniversary of Sage Agathiyar, widely revered as the father of the ancient Siddha medical system.

• 2026 Theme: “Siddha for Global Health”
• Key Event: Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the central celebrations at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, where five distinguished practitioners were presented with national institutional awards.

World Day of War Orphans 2026 – January 6

Observed annually on January 6, this day builds global awareness around the structural, physical, and psychological issues faced by children orphaned through active military conflicts or political violence.

• Historical Legacy: First institutionalized on January 6, 1995, by the French humanitarian group SOS Enfants en Detresse.
• Constitutional Angle: In India, key safe-haven frameworks under Article 39(f) explicitly empower the state to create legislative boundaries ensuring children and youth are safely guarded against material abandonment and exploitation.

STATE NEWS

Assam Launches ‘Sanskaar Shaala’ and Pension for Udasin Bhakats

Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya launched Sanskaar Shaala, an interactive, value-based learning initiative aimed at holistic skill development and cultural awareness for children aged 4 to 14.

• Monetary Grant for Monks: Alongside this, the state rolled out a targeted welfare scheme for the Udasin Bhakats—the celibate Vaishnavite monks residing within the historic Satra institutional network founded by 15th-century saint Srimanta Sankardeva. Under this scheme, approximately 620 short-listed spiritual devotees will receive a permanent monthly financial assistance grant of Rs 1,500 directly in their bank accounts.

Quick State Judiciary & Policy Updates:

• Tamil Nadu Assured Pension Scheme (TAPS): Chief Minister M.K. Stalin announced the launch of TAPS for state public servants and school teachers. Combining features of a contributory structure with old-school security, it mandates a 10% basic pay contribution from employees while the government covers all additional liabilities to ensure a post-retirement payout equal to 50% of their last-drawn basic pay, backed by biannual Dearness Allowance (DA) updates.
• New Chief Justice of Sikkim HC: Senior jurist Justice A Muhamed Mustaque (previously the senior-most judge of the Kerala High Court) has been sworn in as the 24th Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court. The oath of office was administered by Sikkim Governor Om Prakash Mathur at Lok Bhawan in Gangtok, succeeding retired Chief Justice Biswanath Somadder.