CURRENT AFFAIRS 10 December, 2025

CURRENT AFFAIRS 10 December, 2025

1. BENIN WITNESSED A FAILED MILITARY COUP ATTEMPT BY A GROUP OF SOLDIERS (MILITARY COMMITTEE FOR REFOUNDATION (CMR)) WHO BRIEFLY CLAIMED TO REMOVE PRESIDENT PATRICE TALON FROM OFFICE –

• The coup attempt comes amid a wave of military takeovers in West Africa, including Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau, heightening regional instability
• Benin and its Borders: Benin is situated in West Africa, it shares borders with Togo (west), Nigeria (east), Burkina Faso (northwest), and Niger (north).
• Benin has a coastline along the Bight of Benin, part of the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Rivers: The Niger River forms part of Benin’s northern boundary.
• Mountains: Benin is dominated by the Atakora Mountains in the northwest, a continuation of the Togo Mountains.
• Political Structure: Benin is a Presidential Republic with a multi-party democratic system

2. PM SURYA GHAR: MUFT BIJLI YOJANA –

• The Parliamentary Standing Committee highlighted the slow progress of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, aimed at installing rooftop solar systems in one crore households by FY27.
• As per the committee, as of June 2025, 16 lakh rooftop solar units (16% of the target) were installed, though the government claims 24 lakh households (24% of the target) have benefited.

What is PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana?

• About: Launched in February 2024 by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), it is the world’s largest domestic rooftop solar initiative, aiming to provide free electricity to households by installing rooftop solar panels.
• Implementation is done by the National Programme Implementation Agency (NPIA) at the national level and by State Implementation Agencies (SIA) at the state level.
• Objectives: The scheme offers up to 300 units of free electricity per month, targeting 1 crore households by March 2027. Installation milestones include 10 lakh by March 2025, 20 lakh by October 2025, and 40 lakh by March 2026.

3. AMAZON ANNOUNCES $35 BILLION INDIA INVESTMENT PLAN BY 2030 –

• Amazon has unveiled a major expansion strategy for India, committing USD 35 billion by 2030 to accelerate AI-driven digitalisation, export growth and large-scale job creation. The announcement signals the company’s intent to deepen its long-term presence in one of its fastest-growing global markets.

Massive Investment to Boost Digital Infrastructure

• The new commitment builds on Amazon’s cumulative USD 40 billion investment in India since 2010. The planned funding will support infrastructure development across fulfilment, data centres, payments systems and logistics networks. The company aims to strengthen its cloud and AI capabilities through previously outlined investments in Telangana and Maharashtra.

4. INDIA TO HOST GLOBAL SUMMIT ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE –

• New Delhi will welcome representatives from more than 100 countries as India hosts the second edition of the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. The event underscores rising global interest in holistic, preventive and culturally rooted healthcare systems.

International Participation and Agenda

• Delegations of experts, researchers and policymakers will gather at Bharat Mandapam from 17–19 December. The summit aims to strengthen cooperation on integrating traditional, complementary and Indigenous medicine within national health frameworks. Discussions will explore evidence-driven approaches and regulatory standards to enhance credibility and safe adoption worldwide.

Focus on Holistic Health and the 2025 Theme

• This year’s theme, “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being,” draws attention to the global shift towards people-centred and affordable healthcare. Organisers emphasise that traditional medicine offers accessible solutions for populations seeking preventive care and culturally familiar treatment options.

5. RBI’S $5 BILLION DOLLAR/RUPEE SWAP: A STRATEGIC MOVE TO STABILISE RUPEE AGAINST DOLLARS –

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced a $5 billion dollar/rupee Buy–Sell swap auction scheduled for December 16, 2025, intended to strengthen its ability to stabilise the rupee without drawing down India’s foreign exchange reserves. The rupee recently breached the psychologically crucial ₹90-per-dollar mark, prompting the central bank to deploy a strategy previously used in early 2025 to curb volatility.

Rupee Weakness and Market Conditions

• The Indian rupee has faced persistent downward pressure throughout 2025 due to,
• Global uncertainty
• Strong US dollar cycles
• Declining energy prices but high geopolitical risk
• Investors shifting into safe-haven assets

Rupee Movement Snapshot

• Closed at: 89.8750 per dollar on December 9
• Appreciation: 20 paise from the previous close
• Year-to-date weakening: ~5% (426 paise)
• Forex reserves drop: $28.136 billion in 2025, standing at $686.227 billion as of November 28

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.   C-130J Super Hercules aircraft is developed by which country ?

1. a) United States
2. b) France
3. c) Germany
4. d) Australia

Q2.   Which state hosted the ‘Charaichung Festival’ to revive Asia’s first protected royal bird sanctuary ?

1. a) Sikkim
2. b) Assam
3. c) Tripura
4. d) Mizoram

Q3.   Which festival has India officially nominated for inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) list during the 20th ICH Committee session to be hosted in New Delhi in December 2025 ?

1. a) Diwali
2. b) Pongal
3. c) Holi
4. d) Navratri

Q4.   Which among the following Indian cities have been included in the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) ?

1. Kochi (Kerala)
2. Bhubaneswar (Odisha)
3. Mysuru (Karnataka)

          Select the correct answer using the code below:

1. a) 1 only
2. b) 2 and 3 only
3. c) 1, 2 and 3
4. d) None

Explanation-

• The GNLC is an international network promoting lifelong learning in cities. The inclusion of these cities signifies their efforts to mobilize resources in every sector to promote inclusive learning.

India and the Global Learning Cities Network:

• India has three GNLC cities (2022 cohort):
• Warangal (Telangana)
• Thrissur (Kerala)
• Nilambur (Kerala)

History:

• Established in 2013, GNLC has grown rapidly and today includes 425 cities from 91 countries, supporting lifelong learning opportunities for nearly 500 million people.
• It forms part of UNESCO’s Education 2030 agenda and the SDG-4 mandate.

Q5.   With regard to the practice of Dumping in international trade, consider the following statements:

1. Dumping occurs when a firm sells goods in a foreign country at a price that is less than its domestic selling price or cost of production.
2. The Government of India imposes Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) on products to protect domestic consumers from foreign-made goods priced artificially low.
3. The imposition of ADD is a multilateral decision taken collectively by the member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

          How many of the statements given above is/are correct ?

1. a) Only one
2. b) Only two
3. c) All three
4. d) None

Explanation-

• Criteria to Determine Dumping – A product is considered dumped if:
• Export price < domestic market price of the exporting country; or
• Domestic price unavailable, then compare export price with:
• Price in a third-country market, or
• Exporter’s average production cost.
• Statement 1 is correct: Dumping is defined as an unfair trade practice where a company exports a product at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its own home market, or lower than its cost of production.
• Statement 2 is incorrect: The primary purpose of Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) is not to protect consumers, but to protect the domestic industry from injury caused by predatory pricing by foreign competitors.
• Statement 3 is incorrect: The authority to impose ADD rests with the individual importing country (such as India, through the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, DGTR), provided the action complies with the legal framework established under the WTO Anti-Dumping Agreement. It is a unilateral defensive action, not a multilateral decision.
• Thus, only one statement is correct.

Answer Key