Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

India has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth largest economy

♦ India has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth largest economy, the government said in a statement on 31 December 2025. India is also the world's fastest-growing major economy with a size of USD 4.18 trillion, and is poised to overtake Germany to become the third-largest economy by 2028. ♦ The United States is the world's largest economy, followed by China which occupies the second position. ♦ The government statement said the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country has increased by 8.2 percent in Q2 of FY 2025-26. This is an increase from 7.8 percent growth in Q1, and 7.4 percent growth in Q4 of FY 2024-25.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Arjun Erigaisi

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi won the bronze medal at the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025 in Doha on 30 December 2025. He had won the bronze in the Rapid Championship as well, making him the first since Vishwanathan Anand (2017) to secure two medals at the World Championship.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Meera Syal

♦ British Indian artist Meera Syal was awarded a Damehood among some of the highest awards in King Charles III's New Year Honours list released in London on 30 December 2025. The London-based comedian, writer, actor and filmmaker has been made Dame Meera for "services to literature, drama and charity". ♦ 1,157 recipients have been awarded this year from every part of the UK, with a particular focus this year on those who have gone above and beyond for their communities. ♦ Syal, born in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region of England to Punjabi parents who migrated from Delhi, is best known for popular comedies such as 'Goodness Gracious Me' and 'The Kumars at No. 42'. ♦ Among some of the other prominent British Indians to be named on the 2025 honours list are Paavan Popat, CEO of TLC Group, who has been awarded as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year Honours List for his leadership around intergenerational housing, inclusive healthy placemaking and care for older people.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Israel Prize for Peace

♦ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the country's highest civilian honour, the Israel Prize for Peace', to U.S. President Donald Trump, following high-level bilateral talks in Florida. In the 80-year history of the prize, it has never before been awarded to a non-Israeli citizen, nor has the Peace category ever been formally conferred. ♦ The decision follows a rule amendment approved in July 2025, enabling foreign nationals to receive the honour under exceptional circumstances.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Begum Khaleda Zia

♦ Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia has died in Dhaka on 30 December 2025. She was 80. Zia is the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). She was born on August 15, 1946, in Dinajpur, then part of India’s East Bengal, now Northern Bangladesh. ♦ In 1991, becoming the first woman to serve as Bangladesh prime minister. She held the office from 1991 to 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

DHRUV-NG

♦ Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu inaugurated DHRUV-NG, the next-generation civil helicopter, at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru on 30 December 2025. The helicopter received civil certification from Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for its indigenous Shakti engine. ♦ The DHRUV-NG is a 5.5-tonne light twin-engine, multi-role helicopter designed to meet the diverse and demanding operational requirements of Indian terrain. It has been significantly upgraded to cater to the stringent needs of the global civil aviation market.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City

♦ Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Khalifa Medical City has become the first hospital globally to administer ITVISMA, a one-time gene therapy for spinal muscular atrophy, marking a milestone in precision medicine. The treatment was delivered under the supervision of the Department of Health, Abu Dhabi, following the UAE’s regulatory approval on November 25, making the country the second in the world after the United States to authorise the therapy. ♦ Developed by Novartis, ITVISMA targets the genetic root of spinal muscular atrophy by replacing the defective SMN1 gene, enabling the production of the survival motor neuron protein.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary

♦ The Government has declared the Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary of Uttar Pradesh as an Eco sensitive zone. The move is aimed at providing an added layer of ecological protection to the wetland ecosystem by regulating developmental and human activities in areas surrounding the sanctuary. ♦ The sanctuary, spread across 1,084 hectares, is an important habitat that welcomes migratory birds from Central Asia and Tibet. ♦ Wetlands like Parvati–Arga are important for biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, ground water recharging and flood mitigation. ♦ Parvati–Arga Bird Sanctuary is located in Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh, represents a typical Indo-Gangetic floodplain ecosystem. It is a permanent freshwater wetland system comprising two oxbow lakes, Parvati Lake and Arga Lake. These lakes are formed from abandoned river channels and are characteristic features of floodplain landscapes, and they support rich biological diversity as well.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket

♦ The maiden flight test of the Pinaka Long Range Guided Rocket (LRGR-120) was successfully conducted on 29 December 2025 at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. The maiden trial of the 120-km-range rocket was carried out on the same day the project received clearance for induction into the Indian Army by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which met earlier in the afternoon. ♦ During the test, the rocket was fired to its maximum range of 120 km and successfully executed all planned in-flight manoeuvres. The LRGR impacted the designated target with textbook precision. ♦ All deployed range instrumentation tracked the rocket throughout its flight trajectory. The LRGR has been designed by the Armament Research and Development Establishment in collaboration with the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory, with support from the Defence Research and Development Laboratory and the Research Centre Imarat.

Jan 2, 2026 Current Affairs

INSV Kaundinya

♦ Traditionally-built stitched ship INSV Kaundinya, embarked on her maiden overseas voyage, from Gujarat to Oman on 29 December 2025. This is a recreation of a fifth-century vessel, and inspired by a painting from the ancient Ajanta Caves. ♦ Named after the legendary mariner Kaundinya, who is believed to have sailed from India to Southeast Asia in ancient times, the ship embodies India’s historic role as a maritime nation. ♦ Its design and construction had posed “unique technical challenges”. ♦ The Indian Navy had formally inducted and named the vessel as Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Kaundinya at a ceremonial event held at the Karwar naval base on May 21, in the presence of Union Minister of Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. ♦ The project of building a stitched ship with an ancient technique was initiated through a tripartite agreement signed in July 2023 between the Ministry of Culture, the Indian Navy, and Hodi Innovations, with funding from the Ministry of Culture.

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