Current Affairs 24/12/2025

Current Affairs Daily Digest – 24 December 2025

A concise roundup of key national and international developments relevant for competitive exams and general awareness.

NITI Aayog Roadmap for Internationalisation of Higher Education

NITI Aayog released a report titled “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations”, outlining a long-term roadmap to position India as a global hub for higher education and research by 2047. The document was prepared by the Education Division of NITI Aayog in collaboration with IIT Madras, Association of Indian Universities (AIU), and Acumen, with a strong emphasis on the “internationalisation at home” concept under NEP 2020.

The study projects multiple scenarios of international student inflow using global benchmarking and strategic “internationalisation intensity” models, envisaging international enrolment potentially touching several lakh students by 2047. It recommends 22 policy recommendations, 76 action pathways, and 125 performance indicators, supported by about 30 case practices from India and abroad to drive implementation.

India–Netherlands MoU on Maritime Heritage

India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Netherlands to strengthen cooperation in maritime heritage, supporting the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat, under the Sagarmala Programme. The MoU was exchanged in New Delhi between India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel, with the National Maritime Museum in Amsterdam designated as knowledge partner.

Under this collaboration, both countries will share expertise on museum design, conservation, curation, and visitor engagement strategies, including joint exhibitions and research. NMHC, launched in 2022, aims to showcase India’s 4,500‑year‑old maritime legacy through museums, Harappan-era galleries, naval exhibits, research institutes, and tourism-focused spaces.

PFRDA Amends NPS Exit and Withdrawal Rules

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority notified amendments to the NPS Exits and Withdrawals Regulations (2015), primarily impacting the non-government sector while also harmonising provisions across common and multiple scheme frameworks. A major change is the removal of the mandatory five‑year lock‑in period for the All Citizen Model and Corporate sector subscribers.

The revised framework allows up to 80% lump-sum withdrawal (up from 60%), with at least 20% of the corpus to be used for annuity purchase, and extends the maximum age to remain in NPS from 75 to 85 years. Exit rules are now more flexible, permitting multiple withdrawals before and after 60 with defined minimum gaps, and eliminating the earlier requirement of 15‑day prior intimation for continuation.

IOL–Safran Collaboration for Advanced Defence Systems

India Optel Limited (IOL), a Mini Navratna defence PSU, signed a collaboration agreement with France’s Safran Electronics & Defense to locally manufacture the SIGMA 30N Digital Ring Laser Gyro Inertial Navigation System and CM3‑MR Direct Firing Sight. The partnership aims to enhance operational readiness of Indian artillery and air-defence systems while reducing import dependence.

IOL will handle manufacturing, assembly, quality control, and life‑cycle support, whereas Safran will provide technical know‑how in inertial navigation and fire-control technologies. The initiative supports the “Make in India” and defence indigenisation agenda by advancing technology transfer and building a domestic ecosystem for critical defence hardware.

Indian Army Partners NSUT and Enord for AI and Drone Training

The Indian Army signed an MoU with Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), New Delhi, to co-develop software and AI-based solutions for defence applications such as data analytics, operational planning, logistics automation, and threat detection. NSUT will run faculty development programmes and customised training modules for Army personnel in AI, data science, and cybersecurity, while students work on live problem statements.

Separately, AI-on-Edge drone startup Enord secured a multi‑crore contract from the Army’s School of Artillery to supply over 700 virtual‑reality drone training simulators across 19 key establishments. The systems will support FPV flying, ISR rehearsals, emergency drills, and complex tactical scenarios, enabling safe and cost-effective drone operator training and aligning with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision.

NCW Launches ‘SHAKTI Scholars’ Young Research Fellowship

The National Commission for Women launched the ‘SHAKTI Scholars: NCW Young Research Fellowship’, aimed at promoting policy-oriented research on issues impacting women in India. The programme targets Indian citizens and independent researchers aged 21–30 with at least a bachelor’s degree.

Selected fellows will receive a grant of ₹1,00,000 for a six‑month research project covering themes such as gender-based violence, legal and digital safety, women’s leadership, economic empowerment, health, and work–life balance. Applications are to be submitted via email to NCW by 31 December 2025.

IDRBT and IIIT-Hyderabad Join Hands on Banking Technology Research

The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) and IIIT-Hyderabad signed an MoU to collaborate in academics, research, and training in advanced banking technologies. The partnership will focus on digital payments, cybersecurity, AI adoption, cryptography, blockchain, and tokenisation (FTs and NFTs).

The agreement envisions joint PhD-level research, talent development via student exchanges and training programmes, and the creation of standardised frameworks and specialised models for the BFSI sector. This academic–industry linkage aims to strengthen innovation capacity in India’s digital financial ecosystem.

JNCASR and CrisprBits to Set Up CRISPR Centre of Excellence

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) signed a Letter of Intent with CrisprBits to establish a Centre of Excellence for CRISPR Innovation and Translation (CoE‑CIT). This marks one of India’s first major public–private partnerships in gene-editing technologies.

The CoE will function as a specialised hub to translate CRISPR-based discoveries into clinical applications, including the development of lab‑ready therapeutics. It brings together JNCASR’s expertise in biomedical science and CrisprBits’ applied gene-editing platforms to accelerate innovation in precision medicine.

Canara Bank Unveils ‘Canara ai1Pe’ Unified UPI App

Canara Bank launched ‘Canara ai1Pe’, a UPI-based payments app designed to offer secure, fast, and interoperable digital payment services to customers of any bank. Users can link savings or current accounts and perform instant transfers, QR payments, bill payments, and mobile/DTH recharges from a unified interface.

The app incorporates device binding, UPI PIN-based authentication, and features like UPI Autopay, expense insights, reminders, and rewards. A notable feature is the “UPI Delegate” option, which allows primary users to add trusted family members with defined monthly spending limits, supporting shared expense management.

Paytm to Set Up New Subsidiaries in Indonesia and Luxembourg

One97 Communications, through Paytm Cloud Technologies Limited (PCTL), approved the creation of wholly owned subsidiaries in Indonesia and Luxembourg as part of its global expansion in payments and financial services. Up to ₹25 crore will be invested in each entity in one or two tranches, with both remaining indirectly fully owned by One97.

Concurrently, Paytm initiated a restructuring of its UAE arm, Paytm Arab Payments L.L.C., by onboarding Abbar Global Opportunities Holdings Limited as a 49% equity partner. Post-transaction, PAPL will operate as a 51% subsidiary of PCTL, with the deal expected to close by 28 February 2026.

ROHM and Tata Electronics to Manufacture Semiconductors in India

Japanese semiconductor manufacturer ROHM partnered with Tata Electronics Private Limited to build a semiconductor manufacturing supply chain in India, focusing initially on power semiconductors for automotive and industrial applications. The first collaborative product will be an automotive-grade 100V, 300A Si MOSFET in a TOLL package, targeted for mass production in 2026.

ROHM will contribute device design and technology, while TEPL will manage assembly and testing at its facilities. The alliance aligns with the Make in India initiative by fostering localisation, advanced packaging development, and joint marketing of domestically produced chips for global markets.

GRSE Delivers Third Arnala-Class ASW Craft ‘INS Anjadip’

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers delivered INS Anjadip, the third of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC), to the Indian Navy at Chennai Port. The vessel is part of the Arnala class, named after islands, with Anjadip derived from an island off Karwar, Karnataka.

Measuring 77 metres in length and displacing about 900 tonnes, the craft features a shallow draft of 2.7 metres for coastal operations and is powered by three water jets for high manoeuvrability at speeds up to 25 knots. It is equipped with lightweight torpedoes, indigenous ASW rockets, a 30 mm gun, advanced shallow-water sonar, and accommodation for 57 personnel, underscoring GRSE’s growing contribution to indigenous naval shipbuilding.

Pakistan Win ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025

Pakistan’s U19 cricket team clinched the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 title by defeating India by 191 runs in the final at the ICC Academy Ground, Dubai. The tournament, hosted by the UAE from 12–21 December, featured eight teams, including full ACC members and three qualifiers.

Pakistan posted 347/8 in 50 overs, powered by a record 172 off 113 balls by Sameer Minhas, the highest individual score in a U19 Asia Cup final, before bowling India out for 156. Minhas was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament, and Pakistan secured their second U19 Asia Cup title, having earlier shared the trophy with India in 2012.

World War II Veteran Ira ‘Ike’ Schab Passes Away at 105

World War II veteran Ira “Ike” Schab passed away in Oregon at the age of 105. Born on 4 July 1920 in Illinois, he joined the US Navy in 1938 and became one of the last surviving witnesses of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Serving aboard USS Dobbin as a sailor and musician, he assisted in passing ammunition to anti‑aircraft guns during the assault and witnessed the capsizing of USS Utah. His life story is remembered as a testament to resilience and service during a pivotal moment in global history.

National Mathematics Day 2025 – Honouring Srinivasa Ramanujan

National Mathematics Day is observed annually on 22 December to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. The 2025 observance marks his 138th birth anniversary and highlights the importance of mathematics in scientific and societal progress.

The day was instituted in 2011 by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who also declared 2012 as National Mathematics Year. Notable honours associated with Ramanujan include the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, awarded in 2025 to Alexander Smith for work in number theory, and the DST–ICTP–IMU Ramanujan Prize, conferred on Claudio Muñoz for contributions to dispersive partial differential equations.

Uttar Pradesh Presents ₹24,497 Crore Supplementary Budget for FY26

Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna presented supplementary demands of approximately ₹24,497 crore for FY 2025–26 to meet immediate revenue and development requirements. This represents about 3.03% of the original ₹8.08 lakh crore budget, raising the total outlay to about ₹8.33 lakh crore.

The supplementary budget prioritises industrial development, power, health and family welfare, urban development, and the sugarcane sector. Industrial development receives the largest additional allocation (over ₹4,874 crore), followed by power (around ₹4,521 crore) and health & family welfare (over ₹3,500 crore), with the state’s GSDP estimated at about ₹31.14 lakh crore for FY26.

Hansi Notified as 23rd District of Haryana

The Haryana government officially notified Hansi as the state’s 23rd district, carved out of Hisar district to improve administrative efficiency and decentralised governance. The notification was issued under the Haryana Land Revenue Act, 1887 and the Registration Act, 1908, following approval by the Governor of Haryana.

The new district is expected to bring government services closer to citizens, streamline land and revenue administration, and support focused development planning tailored to the region’s socio-economic needs.