Current Affairs - December 3, 2025 Current Affairs

DRDO successfully carried out a high-speed rocket-sled trial of an indigenous fighter jet escape system at the Rail Track Rocket Sled facility in Chandigarh. This system is crucial for safeguarding pilots during emergencies, and the test validated essential components such as canopy separation, ejection sequencing, and safe recovery. The trial involved collaboration with HAL and ADA, reinforcing the coordinated effort behind India’s aviation safety advancements. Dynamic tests like these replicate real-world flight conditions more accurately than static trials, enabling engineers to ensure the system’s reliability. The achievement strengthens India’s defence self-reliance and places the country among a select group capable of testing such advanced escape technologies.

Jio has partnered with NHAI to introduce a telecom-based highway safety alert system designed to improve real-time communication for road users. The system will send warnings through SMS, WhatsApp, or voice calls about accident-prone areas, fog-affected stretches, and cattle-frequent zones. Using Jio’s existing 4G and 5G infrastructure, the initiative avoids the need for additional roadside hardware, making it efficient and quickly scalable. It also integrates seamlessly with platforms such as Rajmargyatra and the 1033 emergency helpline. A pilot is being launched in select regions, with an ambition to expand nationwide by including more telecom operators for broader coverage.

Sudan granted Russia permission to establish its first naval base on the African continent, marking a significant geopolitical shift in the Red Sea region. The base, positioned near Port Sudan, gives Russia strategic access to one of the world’s most crucial maritime corridors, connecting the Red Sea to the Suez Canal—an area handling nearly 12% of global shipping. The agreement allows Russia to station personnel, deploy naval vessels including nuclear-powered ships, and maintain a long-term presence through a 25-year pact with automatic renewals. Despite Sudan’s internal political instability, both nations view the arrangement as mutually advantageous for military cooperation and regional influence.

Punjab National Bank selected Harmanpreet Kaur, captain of the Indian women’s cricket team, as its first female brand ambassador, marking a significant milestone in the bank’s branding and customer outreach efforts. The announcement was made at the bank’s New Delhi corporate office during an event symbolically titled “Banking On Champions.” Senior leadership attended the ceremony, highlighting the importance of the collaboration. Harmanpreet unveiled several new products, including PNB’s first metal credit card, an upgraded digital platform, and initiatives promoting solar solutions and bullion trading. This partnership reflects PNB’s broader focus on empowerment, modernisation, and innovation-driven financial services.

The anti-tunnelling system has been deployed along the Punjab–Jammu Border, an area known for challenges such as weapon and drug smuggling, as well as attempts at terrorist infiltration. The system’s ability to generate real-time alerts strengthens surveillance and enhances the BSF’s operational effectiveness. This deployment forms part of a broader security strategy demonstrated during the BSF’s Diamond Jubilee, which highlighted several major operations, including anti-drone measures, large-scale seizures, and the arrest of intruders. By integrating advanced detection technologies, the BSF aims to create a more secure and better-monitored border environment.

Ramakrishnan Chander took over as the Managing Director of LIC, bringing with him decades of experience since joining the organisation in 1990. Over the years, he has contributed to several major segments including marketing, pensions, and group schemes, which helped shape his leadership abilities. LIC, being India’s largest insurer and its most influential institutional investor, plays a crucial role in the nation’s financial ecosystem. With its headquarters in Mumbai and administrative oversight under the Ministry of Finance, the organisation continues to be significant in the insurance and investment landscape, making leadership transitions like this highly noteworthy.

The FDI inflow during the first half of FY 2025-26 reached $50.36 billion, marking a 16% increase over the $43.37 billion received in the same period the previous year. This growth represents the highest-ever FDI recorded for the first half of any fiscal year in India. Alongside this rise, the government also pointed to stronger repatriation patterns, an increase in outward direct investment, and the expansion of India’s network of free trade and preferential trade agreements. Major pacts such as the EFTA agreement, which promises large investment commitments and job creation, further reflect the country’s expanding global economic engagement.

The ‘Ekuverin’ exercise involves military personnel from India and the Maldives, reflecting a long-standing defence partnership built over years of collaboration. This edition includes 45 participants from India’s Garhwal Rifles and an equal number from the Maldives National Defence Force, working together to strengthen coordination in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations. The training covers diverse terrains such as jungles, semi-urban zones, and coastal regions. Conducted alternately in both countries since 2009, the exercise highlights mutual trust, operational cooperation, and India’s continued commitment to its “Neighbourhood First” policy, ensuring regional stability and stronger bilateral ties.

The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed annually on December 3, a date dedicated to promoting equality, dignity, and opportunities for persons with disabilities across the world. The focus of the 2025 observance is on fostering disability-inclusive societies, underscoring that genuine social progress cannot be achieved without ensuring full participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of life. The day encourages reflection on longstanding challenges such as poverty, employment discrimination, limited social protection, and lack of accessible care systems. It also highlights global efforts like the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy, which seeks to integrate disability rights into every level of UN action and policymaking.

The figure 8.5% represents the year-on-year growth in Aadhaar authentications during November 2025, marking the highest monthly authentication volume of the fiscal year at 231 crore. This growth reflects the increasing reliance on Aadhaar-based digital infrastructure across various sectors. A major factor in this surge was the rapid adoption of face authentication, which accounted for nearly 60% of pensioners’ Digital Life Certificates, demonstrating how technology is aiding service delivery. Additionally, the rise in e-KYC usage to 47.19 crore transactions underlines Aadhaar’s expanding role in banking and financial services, further contributing to the overall growth momentum.

Tamil Nadu has expanded its GI portfolio to 74 by securing GI tags for five culturally significant products—Woraiyur cotton sari, Kavindapadi jaggery powder, Namakkal soapstone cookware, Thooyamalli rice, and Ambasamudram wooden toys. Each of these products reflects the state’s deep-rooted heritage across textiles, agriculture, traditional crafts, and artisanal skills. GI recognition plays a crucial role in protecting unique regional identities, enhancing market value, and supporting rural livelihoods. By obtaining these tags, Tamil Nadu strengthens its position as one of India’s leading states in preserving traditional knowledge, promoting cultural diversity, and empowering artisan and farmer communities through legal and economic recognition.

Usha Janakiraman has taken charge as the Executive Director of the Reserve Bank of India, bringing with her more than thirty years of diverse experience within the central bank. Her background spans crucial departments such as regulation, public debt management, external investments, banking supervision, and currency management. This broad exposure equips her to lead the Department of Supervision, where she will focus on strengthening risk assessment, analytical frameworks, and vulnerability evaluation across regulated financial entities. Her appointment reflects RBI’s continuous effort to bolster supervisory systems, enhance risk governance, and adopt data-driven regulatory strategies, making this update especially important for those preparing for banking and regulatory examinations.