Current Affairs [Top Questions]

Notes:
President Droupadi Murmu undertook her maiden submarine sortie on December 28. She boarded the Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer at Karwar naval base. With this, she became the second President of India to go on a submarine sortie. The first Indian President to do so was Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. INS Vaghsheer is a Kalvari-class submarine of the Indian Navy. The event highlights civilian leadership’s close engagement with India’s naval forces. It reflects confidence in India’s indigenously built and advanced submarine capabilities

Notes:
The National Statistics Office (NSO), under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, released Know Your Survey: A User Guide to the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE). It is the first user guide specifically designed to engage data users and explain ASUSE processes in a transparent, simple, and user-friendly way. ASUSE provides official statistics on India’s unincorporated non-agricultural sector, crucial for employment, livelihoods, economic output, and value chains. The guide explains survey concepts, coverage, methodology, data collection, processing, validation, estimation, and quality assurance frameworks.

Notes:
The Kerala government has renamed Aralam Wildlife Sanctuary as Aralam Butterfly Sanctuary, making it the first butterfly sanctuary in the state. The sanctuary is located in Kerala and shares boundaries with Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka, Kottiyoor Wildlife Sanctuary, and the North Wayanad forest division. It consists mainly of evergreen and semi-evergreen forest vegetation. The Cheenkanni River, originating from the Brahmagiri ranges, flows through the dense forests of the sanctuary.

Notes:
In 2025, Kerala emerged as a leading state in India for personal electric vehicle (EV) adoption. Around 93.4% of EVs in Kerala were personal vehicles, including two- and four-wheelers, showing strong consumer demand. Total vehicle registrations in the state rose by 12.8% in 2025, with approximately 80,261 EVs sold. Kerala has extensive public and private EV charging infrastructure, supporting widespread adoption. The state’s EV policy, launched in 2019, provided early incentives, charging networks, and subsidies, encouraging consumer uptake.

Notes:
Tripura observed the 48th Kokborok Day, also known as Tripuri Language Day, with state-wide cultural celebrations. Kokborok Day is celebrated on January 19 annually. The day marks January 19, 1979, when Kokborok was recognized as an official state language. The government is introducing Kokborok courses in colleges and universities. Efforts are being made to strengthen harmony between tribal and non-tribal communities. Kokborok belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family and is spoken by the Borok (Tripuri) people.

Notes:
A value-education initiative titled “Young Ambassadors of Change: Values for a Caring Community” was launched at a Government Adi Dravidar Primary School in Kattur, Tamil Nadu. The programme promotes values like honesty, kindness, respect, responsibility, discipline, patience, and gratitude. Teachers use value-based stories, prayers, and reflections during morning assemblies. Students practice values at school and home with parental support through WhatsApp communication. Children are rotated in batches every 15 days for equal participation. Assessment is done through observation, encouragement, badges, and quote walls instead of marks.

Notes:
K. Pajanivel of Puducherry has been awarded the Padma Shri for his contribution to traditional martial arts, specifically Silambam. Born on 30th January 1973 in Pooranankuppam, Puducherry, he trained under Master Rajaram. He has spent decades preserving, promoting, and popularising Silambam in India and abroad. He has previously received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2023), Kalaimamani Award (2012), Best Youth Award (2004), and Silambam International Award (2002). He supports teaching Silambam in schools and aims to further promote it globally.

Notes:
Taiwan completed the first underwater sea trial of its first domestically developed submarine, Narwhal. The submarine programme is part of Taiwan’s effort to strengthen deterrence against China and protect vital sea lanes. Taiwan aims to deploy at least two domestic submarines by 2027, with later models potentially missile-equipped. Taiwan’s military modernisation focuses on asymmetric warfare with mobile systems like submarines, drones, and truck-mounted missiles to counter China’s larger forces.

Notes:
Oil India carried out seismic studies in blocks won under the ninth round to plan bidding for the tenth round. The Open Acreage Licensing Policy was introduced by the Government of India under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy. It replaced the New Exploration and Licensing Policy that operated for over eighteen years. Under this policy, companies can choose and explore oil and gas blocks on their own. Exploration can begin without waiting for government notifications. The policy also allows access to seismic data from the National Data Repository.

Notes:
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the ‘Samikshya’ portal for real-time monitoring of projects funded under State Finance Commission (SFC) and Central Finance Commission (CFC) grants. State Finance Commission (SFC) emphasized equity, regional disparities, and differing needs of rural and urban local bodies, offering financial and non-financial development measures. The portal aims to improve transparency, accountability, timely execution, and better service delivery of SFC- and CFC-funded works at the grassroots level.