Daily Current Affairs News: 18th December, 2025

National News

Who Is Sai Jadhav? India’s First Woman Officer from IMA

• Sai Jadhav (23) has created history by becoming the first woman officer to pass out from the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun, ending a 93-year male-only tradition.
• Commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army, her achievement marks a major milestone in gender inclusion in the Indian Army, symbolising changing military norms and inspiring future women aspirants.

Unemployment Falls to New Low; LFPR and WPR Continue Upward Trend

• India’s labour market showed notable improvement in November 2025, with the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rising to 55.8%, the Worker Population Ratio (WPR) increasing to 53.2%, and the Unemployment Rate (UR) declining to 4.7%, its lowest since April 2025, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS).
• Notable gains were seen in female participation, especially in rural areas, reflecting more inclusive and gender-equal employment growth.

Bharat Taxi to Roll Out in January 2026 Here you Need To Know

• Bharat Taxi, a driver-owned ride-hailing platform operated by Sahkar Taxi Cooperative Limited, is set for a full rollout in January 2026.
• Aiming to challenge Ola, Uber, and Rapido with a zero-commission model, no surge pricing, and transparent fares
• Launched as a home-grown cooperative mobility service, it prioritises driver welfare, fair earnings, and affordable, predictable rides, marking a potential shift in India’s ride-hailing market.

International News

India and Saudi Arabia Sign Visa Waiver Agreement to Facilitate Official Travel

• India and Saudi Arabia have signed a bilateral visa waiver agreement in Riyadh, granting mutual exemption from short-stay visas for diplomatic, special, and official passport holders.
• A move aimed at easing official travel, enhancing high-level coordination, and strengthening cooperation under the India–Saudi Arabia Strategic Partnership Council.

Banking News

Amazon Pay Launches Fingerprint and Face Recognition for UPI Transactions

• Amazon Pay has launched biometric authentication for UPI payments in India, enabling Android users to approve transactions up to ₹5,000 using fingerprint or facial recognition, removing the need for a UPI PIN for smaller payments.
• The feature leverages secure on-device storage of biometric data, enhances payment convenience and security, and has seen over 90% adoption among eligible users, positioning Amazon Pay as a pioneer in password-less UPI authentication.

Awards News

Air India Bags Best Domestic Airline Title at Travel + Leisure Awards 2025

• Air India has been named Best Domestic Airline at the Travel + Leisure India & South Asia Awards 2025 for the second consecutive year, based entirely on reader (passenger) votes, reflecting rising customer trust, improved service quality, and stronger operational reliability amid the airline’s large-scale fleet modernisation, including orders for 570 new aircraft as part of its ongoing Tata Group–led transformation.

Singapore Changi Airport Wins World’s Best Airport Title 2025

• Singapore’s Changi Airport has been named the World’s Best International Airport 2025 by Travel + Leisure India’s Best Awards.
• Based on reader votes, highlighting its passenger comfort, innovative design, and world-class facilities.
• Known for sky-lit terminals, indoor gardens, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, and seamless transit experiences, Changi combines operational efficiency, leisure zones, and premium dining and shopping, making it a global benchmark in airport excellence.

Agreements News

India and Argentina Sign ICAR–INTA Work Plan 2025–27

• India and Argentina have signed the ICAR–INTA Work Plan 2025–27 to boost agricultural research cooperation, technology exchange, and capacity building, with a strong focus on sustainable farming, biotechnology, digital agriculture, germplasm exchange, and climate-resilient practices, strengthening science-led collaboration for food security and modern agriculture.

Defense News

Army Achieves Major Logistics Milestone With Induction of Tanks into Kashmir Valley

• The Indian Army achieved a major logistics milestone by inducting tanks and artillery guns into the Kashmir Valley via a special military train, demonstrating enhanced rail-based mobility, rapid deployment capability, and improved operational readiness in a strategically sensitive region.

Ranks & Reports News

BofA Report: India Tops Global Charts in AI App Active Users

• India has become the world’s largest market for AI apps in terms of daily and monthly active users, according to a Bank of America (BofA) report, driven by high smartphone penetration, affordable data, and a young tech-savvy population.
• The surge in usage of platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity is expected to boost telecom monetisation for Jio and Airtel through higher data consumption and ARPU growth.

Summits & Conferences News

2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine Kick Off in New Delhi

• The 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine began in New Delhi on 17th December 2025, co-hosted by WHO and India’s Ministry of Ayush, focusing on “Restoring balance The science and practice of health and well-being.”
• The three-day summit aims to advance integration of traditional medicine—including Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy—into modern health systems, emphasizing scientific validation, policy implementation, regulation, and protection of Indigenous knowledge, in line with the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

Sports News

J&K Set for International Indian Style Wrestling, Rustam-e-Jammu Kashmir Title

• Jammu and Kashmir is hosting its first International Indian Style Wrestling (Dangal) event along with the Rustam-e-Jammu Kashmir Title 2025 at Maulana Azad Stadium, Jammu, featuring over 100 national and international wrestlers.
• The championship promotes traditional wrestling, fitness, cultural pride, and sports tourism, with the new Rustam-e-JK Title awarding winners ₹50,000 plus traditional honours.
• The event is free for spectators and marks a major milestone in reviving India’s wrestling heritage.

Important Days News

Minorities Rights Day 2025: Constitution, Policies, and Awareness in India

• Minorities Rights Day 2025 is observed in India on 18 December to commemorate the UN Declaration on Minority Rights (1992) and highlight constitutional safeguards, socio-economic conditions, and government efforts to protect religious, linguistic, and cultural minorities.
• The day emphasizes equality, inclusion, and participation of communities like Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Parsis, reinforced by Articles 29, 30, 350A, and 350B of the Indian Constitution, while also drawing attention to socio-economic disparities and the need for targeted inclusive policies.

International Migrants Day 2025: Meaning, Significance, Challenges, and Global Response

• International Migrants Day 2025, observed on 18 December, highlights the contributions of migrants to global economies, societies, and cultures while drawing attention to key challenges of migration such as exploitation, discrimination, unsafe migration routes, and lack of basic services.
• Marking the UN Convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers (1990), the day promotes migrant rights, humane and orderly migration, and stronger international cooperation in an increasingly complex global environment.

Obituaries News

Sculptor Ram Sutar, Designer of Statue of Unity, Passes Away at 100

• India mourned the loss of legendary sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, creator of the Statue of Unity (world’s tallest statue), who passed away on 17 December 2025 at the age of 100.
• A Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awardee, his iconic works—including statues of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Mahatma Gandhi, and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj—defined India’s public art and left an enduring legacy of national unity, leadership, and artistic excellence.