Daily Current Affairs News: 26th December, 2025

National News

Santhali Joins the Constitutional Languages as President Launches New Edition

• President Droupadi Murmu released the Constitution of India in the Santhali language written in the Ol Chiki script at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 25, 2025. She said it would help Santhali people read and understand the Constitution in their own language and called it a moment of pride.
• The release coincides with the centenary of the Ol Chiki script, and she appreciated the Law Ministry for this effort.
• The event was attended by the Vice President and the Minister of State for Law and Justice, highlighting the importance of Santhali, an ancient language included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

25 Years of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana: A Milestone in Rural Development

• The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) completed 25 years on 25 December 2025, transforming rural India by providing all-weather road connectivity to villages, improving access to markets, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. Since 2000, a total of 8,25,114 km of roads have been sanctioned, with 7,87,520 km completed, reflecting nearly 95% progress.
• PMGSY has progressed through four phases, focusing on unconnected habitations, upgrading networks, enhancing security in LWE-affected areas, and linking major rural routes, with Phase IV aiming to connect 25,000 unconnected habitations.

Government Set to Introduce India’s First Anti-Terror Policy

• India is set to introduce its first comprehensive anti-terror policy, aiming to provide a unified framework for preventing, investigating, and responding to terror-related incidents.
• The policy emphasizes emerging threats such as digital radicalization, misuse of open borders, and foreign-funded conversion networks, while promoting stronger coordination among intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
• Consultations with state police chiefs and central agencies, along with lessons from recent attacks in Pahalgam and near the Red Fort, are shaping the policy.

Godavari Estuary to Witness 40th Asian Waterbird Census on January 10–11

• The 40th Asian Waterbird Census and 60th International Waterbird Census will be held on January 10–11, 2026, at the Godavari estuary, including the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh.
• The census, organized by the AP Forest Department, BNHS, WII, and WWF, will monitor key migratory species such as the Indian Skimmer and Great Knot (both Endangered), Eurasian Curlew (Near Threatened), and Eurasian Oystercatcher.
• The Godavari estuary’s rich mangroves, mudflats, and sandbars provide critical feeding and breeding grounds, making it globally significant for waterbird conservation.

Rashtra Prerna Sthal Inaugurated in Lucknow to Honour Atal Bihari Vajpayee

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on 26 December 2025, marking the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• The 65-acre national memorial in Vasant Kunj features 65-foot-tall bronze statues of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and Deendayal Upadhyaya, symbolising ideals of nationalism and public service.
• A major highlight is the 98,000 sq ft lotus-shaped museum showcasing India’s democratic journey and the contributions of these leaders.

Aravallis Get Stronger Protection as Centre Expands No-Mining Zones

• The Centre has imposed a complete ban on new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range from Gujarat to the NCR to protect one of the world’s oldest mountain systems.
• The decision also mandates expansion of protected zones, with ICFRE tasked to identify ecologically and geologically sensitive areas and prepare a science-based management plan.
• Existing mining operations will continue under stricter environmental oversight and Supreme Court guidelines. The move aims to curb illegal mining, prevent desertification, protect biodiversity, and strengthen groundwater recharge through landscape-level conservation.

State News

Gujarat Became a Tiger State After 33 Years NTCA Declares

• Gujarat has been reinstated as a tiger-bearing state after 33 years following confirmed camera-trap evidence of a resident tiger in the Ratanmahal Sanctuary along the Gujarat–Madhya Pradesh border.
• The National Tiger Conservation Authority has included the state in the All India Tiger Estimation 2026, marking Gujarat’s return to the national tiger census after its exclusion since 1989 due to lack of confirmed sightings.

International News

India to Lead the Prestigious Kimberley Process Beginning January 2026

• India will assume the Chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process from 1 January 2026, marking its third time leading this global initiative on ethical diamond trade.
• The decision reflects India’s growing role in promoting transparency, sustainable sourcing, and responsible international trade, with India first becoming Vice Chair on 25 December 2025.
• The Kimberley Process aims to prevent the trade in conflict or blood diamonds through the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme established in 2003 under a UN mandate.
• As Chair, India will focus on strengthening governance, digital certification, traceability, transparency, and making the Kimberley Process more inclusive and effective.

Defense News

Indian Army Updates Social Media Policy to Regulate Platform Usage

• The Indian Army amended its social media policy on 25 December 2025, permitting personnel limited access to messaging apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Skype for unclassified communication with known contacts, while public platforms such as X, Instagram, Quora, and YouTube are restricted to passive viewing.
• LinkedIn use is allowed only for résumé uploads and professional information. Posting, commenting, or sharing opinions remains strictly prohibited, reflecting a balance between digital awareness and operational security.

Science & Technology News

IIT Delhi Introduces AI Agent AILA for Smart and Autonomous Lab Research

• IIT Delhi has developed AILA, an Artificially Intelligent Lab Assistant, using an Agentic AI framework to autonomously design, conduct, and analyse real laboratory experiments.
• AILA can understand experimental goals, plan steps, control sophisticated instruments like Atomic Force Microscopes, and adjust parameters in real time, all with minimal human intervention.
• By reducing experimental times from hours or days to minutes, it accelerates research cycles, boosts equipment efficiency, and increases productivity, marking a major advancement in AI-driven scientific research in India.

Sports News

R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri Clinch Global Chess League 2025 Title

• Indian Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and Anish Giri led Alpine SG Pipers to their first Global Chess League 2025 (Season 3) title by defeating defending champions Triveni Continental Kings in the Mumbai finals.
• Anish Giri earned the Finals MVP for his tactical brilliance, while Praggnanandhaa’s decisive win over Vidit Gujrathi secured the championship.
• The victory highlights India’s growing influence in elite international chess and showcases the strength of young Indian talent in high-pressure, rapid-format team competitions.

Summits & Conferences News

Armenia Introduces Official Butterfly Logo for COP17 Conference

• Armenia unveiled the COP17 logo featuring the Erivan Anomalous Blue butterfly, endemic to Yerevan, symbolising local biodiversity and global action ahead of the October 2026 summit.
• The logo, with 23 blended colours representing the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets, highlights ecosystem fragility, species interdependence, and the need for effective implementation. COP17 will host the first global review of progress under the framework, linking Armenia’s unique species with broader international biodiversity goals.

Prime Minister to Chair Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi on December 27–28, 2025, under the theme “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat”.
• The conference will focus on strengthening Centre–State cooperation in areas such as education, skilling, higher education, and sports, along with policy discussions on deregulation, technology in governance, AgriStack, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
• The event aims to promote cooperative federalism and align national and state efforts toward building a skilled, future-ready workforce for India’s long-term development.

Important Days News

Veer Bal Diwas 2025: Why India Remembers the Brave Sahibzadas

• Veer Bal Diwas is observed annually on 26 December to honor the courage and sacrifice of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s sons, particularly the younger Sahibzadas Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, who were executed by the Mughal authorities in 1705 for refusing to abandon their faith.
• The day, officially declared by the Government of India in 2022, celebrates their bravery and teaches values of righteousness, courage, and sacrifice.
• It also recalls the martyrdom of the elder Sahibzadas Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh during the Battle of Chamkaur, highlighting the extraordinary valor of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s family in defending Sikhism and resisting tyranny.

126th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Udham Singh

• Sardar Udham Singh (26 Dec 1899 – 31 July 1940), born in Sunam, Punjab, witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, which inspired him to join the Ghadar Party and fight British oppression.
• In 1940, he assassinated Michael O’Dwyer in London to avenge the massacre and was executed, becoming Shaheed-i-Azam and a symbol of courage and justice in India’s freedom struggle