CURRENT AFFAIRS 28-29 December, 2025

CURRENT AFFAIRS 28-29 December, 2025

1. MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN INDIA –

• Despite beginning the 20th century with conditions comparable to East Asian economies such as China and South Korea, India’s manufacturing sector has remained stuck at around 17% of GDP, failing to emerge as the primary engine of growth and employment.
• This underperformance reflects deep structural, institutional, and political-economy constraints, rather than a lack of policy intent.

Manufacturing Sector

• The manufacturing sector refers to the segment of the economy that is engaged in the conversion of raw materials into finished or semi-finished goods through the use of labour, machines, tools, and chemical or biological processes.
• The share of value addition by manufacturing sector is 15.9% in 2023-24 compared to 16.7% of GDP (in constant price) in 2013-14.

2. WHICH INDIAN STATE IS SURROUNDED BY BANGLADESH ON THREE SIDES ? –

• India shares its borders with several neighboring countries, creating unique geographical features. Some Indian states have long international boundaries, while a few are almost surrounded by another country. One such state in the northeastern region stands out as it is enclosed by a neighboring nation on three sides. This geographical position greatly influences its culture, trade and history, making it an important part of India’s border dynamics.

Neighboring Countries of India

• India shares its borders with seven countries. Here are the names of neighboring countries of India:
• Pakistan
• China
• Nepal
• Bhutan
• Bangladesh
• Myanmar
• Afghanistan

3. INDIA CLEARS TWO NEW AIRLINES AS AVIATION MARKET SEEKS GREATER COMPETITION –

• Ministry of Civil Aviation granted No Objection Certificates (NOCs) to two new airlines Al Hind Air and FlyExpress. The approvals clear the way for their commercial launch in 2026. Along with these two carriers Shankh Air, which has already secured an NOC, is also expected to begin operations next year, signalling increased activity and competition in India’s domestic aviation market.

Background of the New Approvals

• The granting of NOCs is the first major regulatory step for launching an airline in India.
• It indicates that the proposed carrier has met initial requirements related to ownership, financial capability, and security clearances.
• With Al Hind Air and FlyExpress receiving approvals, India’s aviation regulator is opening the door for fresh entrants at a time when the market is witnessing rapid passenger growth alongside rising concerns about concentration and resilience.

India’s Aviation Industry Scenario

• India has emerged as the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, driven by rising incomes, improved regional connectivity, and increasing air travel demand.
• At present, the country has nine scheduled domestic airlines in operation. However, the market structure is highly concentrated.
• IndiGo and the Air India Group together control over 90% of the domestic market.
• IndiGo alone holds more than 65% market share, making it the dominant player.
• Other scheduled carriers include Akasa Air, SpiceJet, Star Air, Fly91, and IndiaOne Air.

4. INDIAN ARMY UPDATES SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY TO REGULATE PLATFORM USAGE –

• Indian Army has amended its social media policy allowing its personnel limited access to platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn under strictly defined conditions. This Announced on 25 December 2025 the revised policy seeks to strike a balance between operational security and the realities of modern information consumption. Defense officials clarified that the changes are aimed at information awareness and monitoring, not unrestricted participation ensuring that national security concerns remain paramount.

What Has Changed in the New Policy?

• The revised guidelines introduce a platform based differentiation, recognizing that messaging apps and public social networks pose different levels of security risk.
• Under the amended policy Army personnel are now permitted to access certain applications.
• This does not mean full freedom to use the platforms but their usage is carefully regulated depending on the nature of the platform.

5. ARAVALLIS GET STRONGER PROTECTION AS CENTRE EXPANDS NO-MINING ZONES –

• To strengthen environmental conservation the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has announced a complete ban on the grant of new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range. The decision applies uniformly from Gujarat to the National Capital Region (NCR) and marks a major step towards protecting one of the world’s oldest mountain systems. The Centre has also ordered the expansion of protected zones within the Aravallis reinforcing its long-term commitment to ecological preservation.

Complete Ban on New Mining Leases

• According to the official directive, no new mining leases will be granted anywhere across the Aravalli landscape.
• The ban is aimed at safeguarding the geological integrity of the Aravalli Range and curbing illegal and unregulated mining, which has severely degraded the region over the years.
• By extending the prohibition across all states covered by the Aravallis.
• The Centre has ensured a uniform conservation approach, preventing regulatory gaps between states.

MCQ QUIZ

Q1.   Kanger Valley National Park is located in which state ?

1. a) Madhya Pradesh
2. b) Jharkhand
3. c) Uttar Pradesh
4. d) Chhattisgarh

Q2.   Which country became the first to formally recognise the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state ?

1. a) Egypt
2. b) United States
3. c) Israel
4. d) India

Q3.   Akash Next Generation (Akash-NG) missile system has been developed by which organisation ?

1. a) Hindustan Aeronautics Limited
2. b) Defence Research and Development Organisation
3. c) Indian Space Research Organisation
4. d) Bharat Electronics Limited

Q4.   Which of the following missions were launched by India as part of deep space exploration ?

1. Chandrayaan-3
2. Mangalyaan
3. NISAR
4. Astrosat

          Select the correct answer using the code below:

1. a) 2 and 3 only
2. b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
3. c) 1, 2 and 3 only
4. d) 1, 2 and 4 only

Explanation-

• Among the options given, only Astrosat, Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), and Chandrayaan-3 qualify as Indian-launched deep space missions.
• Astrosat (launched in 2015) is India’s first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, primarily for astronomical studies beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
• Mangalyaan, launched in 2013, was India’s first interplanetary mission, placing a spacecraft into Mars orbit — a significant feat in deep space exploration.
• Chandrayaan-3, launched in 2023, marked India’s successful soft landing near the Moon’s south pole, establishing the country’s capability in lunar exploration.
• NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) is not yet launched and is a joint mission between NASA and ISRO. While it is a major Earth-observation satellite designed to study ecosystems, ice masses, and natural hazards, it does not qualify as a deep space mission because it will operate in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Q5.   Which of the following indicators are used by the Global Gender Gap Index ?

1. Economic Participation and Opportunity
2. Political Empowerment
3. Educational Attainment
4. Cultural Representation

          Select the correct answer using the code below:

1. a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
2. b) 1, 2 and 3 only
3. c) 1, 3 and 4 only
4. d) 2 and 4 only

Explanation-

• The Global Gender Gap Index considers only four pillars — economic participation, political empowerment, education, and health. Cultural representation is not a parameter in this index.

Answer Key