Comprehensive National and International Current Affairs Guide 2025-2026
National Constitutional and Legislative Advancements
Santhali Language in the Constitution of India: President Droupadi Murmu launched a new edition of the Constitution of India that incorporates the Santhali language. Santhali was previously included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution via the Constitutional Amendment Act of , along with Bodo, Dogri, and Maithili. It belongs to the Austroasiatic language family and is primarily spoken by the Santhal tribal community. According to the , there are approximately speakers across eastern and central India. The language utilizes the Ol Chiki script, which was created by Raghunath Murmu in and serves as the official script in states such as Jharkhand.
India’s First Standard for Agarbattis: Union Minister Pralhad Joshi released the first dedicated Indian Standard for incense sticks, titled . Launched on National Consumer Day at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, this Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) regulation prohibits specific harmful insecticidal chemicals and synthetic fragrances to improve indoor air quality. It classifies products into three categories: machine-made, hand-made, and traditional masala.
Indian National Congress () Foundation Day: Celebrated on , marking the party's founding in by Allan Octavian Hume. Key historical milestones noted include Mahatma Gandhi transforming it into a mass movement after and the Karachi Resolution of , which established the framework for fundamental rights and economic principles.
Jharkhand Implements PESA Act: After a delay of nearly since its formation in , Jharkhand has implemented the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, . This act empowers Gram Sabhas in Fifth Schedule areas with authority over natural resources, minor forest produce, water bodies, and land alienation prevention.
Judicial Decisions and Legal Developments
High Court Ruling on POCSO Victims: The Delhi High Court upheld a sentence for a stepfather under Section of the POCSO Act, even though the child victim turned hostile. The court ruled that scientific and corroborative evidence can override hostile testimony, acknowledging the pressure child victims face in intra-family abuse cases. It relied on statutory presumptions under Sections and and protection mandates under Section .
Ban on Civilian Awards as Prefixes: The Bombay High Court, through Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan, ruled that awards like Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are not titles and cannot be used as name prefixes or suffixes, citing the case of Balaji Raghavan v. Union of India and Article of the Constitution.
Supreme Court on Unreserved Seats: A landmark judgment clarified that unreserved/general category seats in education and employment are open to all based on merit. Reserved category candidates (SC, ST, OBC, EWS) who qualify on merit for an unreserved seat do not consume a reserved seat; that seat remains available for others in the category.
Expansion of ‘Terrorist Act’ under UAPA: On , the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, expanding the definition of a "terrorist act" under Section of the UAPA. The court held that acts causing economic disruption or systemic instability, using the phrase "by any other means of whatever nature," can qualify as terrorism beyond physical violence.
Supreme Court Split Verdict on Corruption: Judges differed on the definition of "criminal misconduct." One view required proof of corrupt intent, while another accepted circumstantial evidence like disproportionate assets. The matter is referred to a larger Constitution Bench.
Tiger Global Tax Case: The Supreme Court denied a capital gains tax exemption to Tiger Global regarding its exit from Flipkart. The court ruled that tax treaties (India–Mauritius DTAA) do not override domestic liabilities when transactions lack economic substance or involve treaty shopping, affirming General Anti-Avoidance Rules (GAAR).
Governance, Employee Welfare, and Administrative Restructuring
Central Pay Commission: Approved by the Union Cabinet in , it is expected to take effect from . It will benefit approximately employees and pensioners. The commission has an timeline to submit recommendations for the pay matrix (Level-1 to Level-18 Cabinet Secretary).
Assam’s State-Level Pay Commission: Assam became the first state to constitute its own State Pay Commission, chaired by former Additional Chief Secretary Subhas Chandra Das, to synchronize with central revisions.
Creation of Kushavati District in Goa: Notified on , Kushavati becomes Goa’s third district. Named after the Kushavati River, it includes the talukas of Dharbandora, Quepem, Sanguem, and Canacona. Quepem is the headquarters. It is designated an Aspirational District due to its tribal population.
MoSPI Identity Update: The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation unveiled a new mascot named "Sankhyiki" and a logo themed "Data for Development," integrating symbols like the Ashoka Chakra and the Rupee sign.
Surat Declared Slum-Free: Surat, with a population over , reduced its slum population from in to roughly . This was achieved via the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and local schemes like Mukhya Mantri GRUH Yojana.
Telangana Abolishes Two-Child Norm: The State Assembly passed the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, , removing the rule that disqualified persons with more than two children from contesting local elections, citing a decline in the Total Fertility Rate to .
UPSC Cadre Allocation Policy 2026: The Department of Personnel and Training replaced the zonal system with four alphabetical groups to enhance national integration. Insider allocation is now based strictly on merit and vacancy.
Internal Security, Defense Modernization, and Strategic Capability
Lost, Looted and Recovered Firearm Database: Launched by Home Minister Amit Shah to track government-owned weapons. It serves as a centralized digital repository for police and CAPFs to curb terrorism and organized crime.
Year of Networking & Data Centricity: The Indian Army declared as a year focused on digital transformation and integrating data flow from drones and satellites to improve operational tempo.
Integrated Security Hub in Andaman and Nicobar: A Integrated Command and Control Centre was inaugurated in Sri Vijaya Puram. It supports the Great Nicobar Project, which includes a trans-shipment terminal and international airport.
‘Bhairav’ Modern Warfare Force: The Army raised technology-driven Bhairav battalions (targeting ) featuring over drone operatives. They are deployed on the northern (China) and western (Pakistan) borders.
Suryastra Rocket Launcher: The Army signed a contract with NIBE Limited for this multi-calibre system capable of engagement ranges up to and potentially .
NATGRID–NPR Integration: NATGRID is now integrated with the National Population Register, allowing real-time access to demographic data of residents. It uses the "Gandiva" analytical tool for facial recognition and entity resolution.
Environmental Conservation and Wildlife Protection
Gujarat’s Tiger-Present Status: Officially declared a tiger-present state on , after tigers became locally extinct in . A resident tiger is confirmed in the Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary. Gujarat is now the only state where lions, leopards, and tigers coexist.
Tiger Mortality 2025: India recorded tiger deaths in (up from in ). Madhya Pradesh had the highest fatalities. Approximately of deaths occurred outside protected areas.
New Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ): Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary ( in Gonda, UP) and Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary (Rajasthan) were declared ESZs to restrict unregulated industrial activity.
Aravalli Hills Suo Motu Case: The Supreme Court registered a case to examine the definition of the Aravalli ranges following concerns that elevation-based definitions might permit expanded mining.
Asian Waterbird Census: The census will be held at the Godavari Estuary () to monitor migratory waterbirds.
International Diplomacy and Global Conflict
Israel Recognizes Somaliland: On , Israel became the first UN member state to recognize Somaliland as independent from Somalia.
US Strikes in Nigeria and Venezuela: US Africa Command targeted ISWAP in Borno State. In Venezuela, the US launched "Operation Absolute Resolve" on , capturing President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores on narcoterrorism charges. Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as Interim President of Venezuela.
The ‘Donroe’ Doctrine: US President Donald Trump invoked a reimagined Monroe Doctrine (dubbed "Donroe") to justify the Venezuelan intervention, asserting American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
Bulgaria Joins the Eurozone: Adopted the Euro on , at a rate of .
India and Pakistan Stability Measures: The two nations exchanged lists of nuclear installations (for the consecutive year) and civilian prisoners/fishermen. India shared details of prisoners and fishermen; Pakistan shared details of prisoners and fishermen.
BRICS Presidency 2026: India unveiled the logo and website for its upcoming chairship. This follows the expansion including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
Greenland Crisis: President Trump renewed calls for US control over Greenland, threatening tariffs on NATO allies (Denmark, Germany, UK) if a deal is not reached.
Space Technology and Scientific Innovation
ISRO SSLV and PSLV Updates: ISRO tested the upgraded third stage () for its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle, featuring a carbon-epoxy motor casing and increasing payload by . However, the mission suffered a failure, though one satellite briefly transmitted data post-malfunction.
Iran Satellite Launch: Three satellites (Paya, Zafar-2, Kowsar-1.5) were launched into orbit using a Russian Soyuz rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
Hyderabad Space Startups: TakeMe2Space launched the AI-enabled satellite "MOI-TD." EON Space Labs developed "MIRA," the lightest indigenous space telescope weighing .
Commercial Bio-Bitumen: India became the first country to produce bio-bitumen at a commercial scale, using agricultural wastes like rice husk and sugarcane bagasse instead of crude oil.
International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists: The UN declared as this celebratory year to highlight the importance of ecosystems covering of the Earth’s surface.
High-Level Appointments and Institutional Leadership
Judicial Transitions: Justice Soumen Sen (Kerala HC), Justice Revati Prashant Mohite Dere (Meghalaya HC), Justice Sangam Kumar Sahoo (Patna HC), and Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque (Sikkim HC) were appointed as Chief Justices.
Security and Regulatory Heads: Rakesh Aggarwal was given additional charge as NIA Director General. Shatrujeet Singh Kapoor (ITBP) and Praveen Kumar (BSF) were appointed as DGs. A.K. Balasubrahmanian was appointed Chairman of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Praveen Vashista was appointed Vigilance Commissioner.
International Nominations: PV Sindhu was elected Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission (). Indian diplomat DB Venkatesh Varma will chair the UN Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters ().
Sports Achievements and Commercial Trends in Cricket
Smriti Mandhana’s 10,000 Runs: Mandhana became the second Indian woman to cross international runs, achieving the feat in a record-fastest .
Deepti Sharma’s Wicket Record: Became the highest wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is with wickets. She is the first player to achieve the double of and in the format.
Women’s Hockey Asia Cup: The Indian team ended with a silver medal after a loss to China in the final.
BCCI–Gemini Deal: The BCCI signed a sponsorship deal with Google’s AI platform Gemini for the IPL ahead of the season.
Commemorative Days, Books, and Cultural Heritage
Important Anniversaries: Parakram Diwas (, birth of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose), National Youth Day (, birth of Swami Vivekananda), Somnath Swabhiman Parv ( since the on Somnath Temple), and the birth anniversary of Udham Singh.
Literature: "History That India Ignored" (second edition) by Prem Prakash; "Palanivelu GUTS" (autobiography of surgeon C. Palanivelu); "Agni Sarassulo Vikasinchina Kamalam" (book on President Droupadi Murmu released by a sanitation worker).
Padma Awards 2026: Five Padma Vibhushan awards were approved, including posthumous awards for Dharmendra Singh Deol and V.S. Achuthanandhan. Notable Padma Bhushan awardees include Mammootty and Alka Yagnik.
Vande Mataram Sesquicentenary: The Republic Day Parade marked of the national song with historical installations and the themes "Swatantrata ka Mantra" and "Samriddhi ka Mantra."
National and Global Economic Rankings
World’s Fourth Largest Economy: India surpassed Japan in with a GDP of approximately . Real GDP growth hit in Q2 FY .
Export Preparedness Index 2024: Maharashtra ranked first among large states, followed by Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Uttarakhand led the small states category.
Hurun India Rich List 2025: Jayshree Ullal (Arista Networks) is the richest Indian professional manager with a net worth of . Satya Nadella () and Sundar Pichai () rank lower.
Henley Passport Index 2026: India moved to rank (from ) with access to .
Numbeo Safety Index: Abu Dhabi remained the world's safest city for the year. Mangaluru is India's safest city (ranked globally).
WEF Global Risks Report 2026: Geoeconomic confrontation is the top short-term risk. Misinformation is second.
Global Summits, Collaborative Frameworks, and Strategic MoUs
Davos 2026: Focused on "A Spirit of Dialogue." Key discussions included AI regulation and the Greenland de-escalation.
India-Germany Strategic Talks: Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited India. Agreements included Global Skills Partnership for mobility and a visa-free transit facility for Indians in German airports.
IICDEM 2026: Election Commission of India to host the International Conference on Democracy and Election Management in New Delhi.
Raisina Science Diplomacy: A new initiative to merge science and foreign policy, led by the Principal Scientific Adviser.
National Economic Policies and Financial Outlook
Delhi Government–RBI MoU: Delhi's public finances are now under the RBI's banking and debt management framework. This allows Delhi to raise State Development Loans at around interest.
Silver Price Surge: Silver reached a historic peak of in , a annual rise driven by industrial demand for solar and AI tech.
Kimberley Process: India is appointed Vice Chair for and will assume the Chair in .