Current Affairs - December 26, 2025 Current Affairs

INSV Kaundinya has been chosen by the Indian Navy to symbolize and revive India’s rich ancient maritime traditions. The vessel is named after Kaundinya, a legendary Indian mariner associated with historic sea voyages to Southeast Asia. The planned journey will commence from Porbandar in Gujarat and conclude at Muscat in Oman, highlighting India’s long-standing seafaring links with the region. The initiative reflects a blend of cultural revival and naval outreach and has been developed through a tripartite memorandum of understanding involving the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and M/s Hodi Innovations.

Armenia introduced the official logo for the COP17 Conference on Biological Diversity, highlighting its role as the host nation for the global event. The logo features the endemic Erivan Anomalous Blue butterfly, a species native to the region, symbolizing the fragility of ecosystems and the interconnectedness of biodiversity. Designed with 23 blended colours, the logo represents the 23 global biodiversity targets outlined under international commitments. COP17 is scheduled to be held in Yerevan in October 2026 and will focus on reviewing the implementation of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, emphasizing collective global action.

Chhattisgarh has been selected to host the inaugural edition of the Khelo India Tribal Games, scheduled to begin on February 14, 2026. The event aims to promote sports among tribal communities and showcase indigenous talent from across the country. The mascot for the games will be Morveer, symbolizing tribal bravery and cultural heritage. Seven competitive sports including archery, athletics, football, hockey, wrestling, swimming, and weightlifting will be part of the event, along with two demonstration sports highlighting traditional games. Outstanding athletes will be supported through annual scholarships of ₹5 lakh for eight years, encouraging long-term development.

India is set to take over the Chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process beginning January 1, 2026, marking a significant step in its global economic and diplomatic engagement. This will be the third time India has been entrusted with leading this international mechanism aimed at preventing the trade of conflict diamonds. Prior to assuming the chair, India will serve as Vice Chair from December 25, 2025, ensuring continuity in leadership. The Kimberley Process plays a crucial role in regulating the global rough diamond trade, covering over 99% of it, and India’s leadership will focus on transparency, digital certification, traceability, and stronger governance mechanisms.

Mumbai achieved the 5th position in the World’s Best Food Cities list released under the TasteAtlas World Food Awards 2025–26. This recognition highlights Mumbai’s rich and diverse culinary landscape, which blends street food traditions with regional and global cuisines. Although Italian cities dominated the top ranks, Mumbai’s placement reflects its growing international reputation as a major food destination. The presence of six Indian cities in the top 100 further underscores India’s expanding influence in global food tourism. These rankings also indicate how gastronomy is playing an increasingly important role in shaping travel choices worldwide.

The Rashtra Prerna Sthal was inaugurated in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, as a national memorial dedicated to the ideals and legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The inauguration took place on December 26, 2025, marking Vajpayee’s 101st birth anniversary. Developed over 65 acres in the Vasant Kunj area of the city, the memorial serves as a space to inspire future generations by highlighting Indian nationalism, governance, and selfless leadership. It features towering bronze statues of Vajpayee, Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and Deendayal Upadhyaya, along with a lotus-shaped museum using modern digital exhibits to present India’s democratic and political journey.

IIT Delhi developed AILA, an advanced AI-powered laboratory assistant designed to transform the way scientific experiments are conducted. AILA uses agentic AI, enabling it to plan, decide, and adapt in a manner similar to a human researcher. It can independently design experiments, carry them out, and analyze results without continuous human intervention. The system was successfully demonstrated by controlling an Atomic Force Microscope in real time, highlighting its practical capabilities. One of its most significant advantages is efficiency, as it can reduce experiment durations from hours or even days to just a few minutes, accelerating research outcomes.

The Constitution of India was released in the Santhali language to enhance constitutional awareness and inclusion among Santhali-speaking tribal communities. The release was carried out by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan and holds special significance as it uses the Ol Chiki script, the traditional writing system of Santhali, whose centenary was marked in 2025. This initiative enables millions of citizens to access and understand the Constitution in their mother tongue, strengthening democratic participation. Santhali is one of India’s most ancient tribal languages and has been included in the Eighth Schedule since 2003, reflecting its cultural and constitutional importance.

The 40th Asian and 60th International Waterbird Census is scheduled to take place on January 10–11, 2026. This important biodiversity monitoring exercise will be conducted at the Godavari estuary, including the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh. The site is notable for hosting rare and endangered species such as the Indian Skimmer and the Great Knot. The census is being jointly organized by the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department along with BNHS, WII, and WWF, with active citizen participation. The data collected will support wetland health assessments, bird conservation efforts, and informed global biodiversity policy-making.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi made history at just 14 years and 272 days by delivering a remarkable performance in men’s List A cricket. Playing for Bihar against Arunachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy at Ranchi, he scored 190 runs from only 84 balls. His explosive innings featured 16 fours and 15 sixes, showcasing extraordinary batting power and skill at a very young age. He reached his century in just 36 balls, contributing to Bihar’s massive total of 574/6, the highest ever recorded in List A cricket.