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Daily Current Affairs 15th December 2025 Daily GK Update
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National News
UPSC Ensures Preferred Examination Centres for PwBD Candidates to Boost Accessibility
- UPSC will ensure that every Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) candidate is allotted the examination centre of their choice as mentioned in the application form, improving accessibility in its exams.
- The Commission will first use the existing capacity of exam centres for both PwBD and non-PwBD candidates; once a centre reaches full capacity, it will be closed for non-PwBD applicants but remain available for PwBD candidates.
- UPSC will also make additional capacity arrangements so that no PwBD applicant is denied their preferred examination centre under any circumstances.
- UPSC Chairman Dr Ajay Kumar said the move is based on an analysis of examination centre data from the last five years, which showed early saturation at centres like Delhi, Cuttack, Patna and Lucknow, ensuring greater convenience for PwBD candidates.
About UPSC
- Establishment – 1 October 1926
- Headquarters – New Delhi
- Chairman – Ajay Kumar
- UPSC is the central recruitment agency in India for Group ‘A’ officer posts under the Government of India.
- It is established as a constitutional body under Article 315 of the Indian Constitution.
Italy–India Business Forum 2025 Deepens Strategic Economic Partnership and Bilateral Trade Ties
- The India–Italy Business Forum was held in Mumbai during the visit of Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, bringing together senior officials, industry leaders, unicorn founders, and over 150 Indian and Italian companies to deepen bilateral economic cooperation.
- The Forum underscored joint commitment to industrial and technology-driven collaboration in priority sectors such as automotive, renewables and waste-to-energy, sport technologies, agri-food, connectivity, manufacturing, and transportation, along with over 100 B2B business interactions.
- A key outcome was the signing of the Agreed Minutes of the 22nd India–Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC), establishing a concrete roadmap to translate the Strategic Partnership into tangible trade, investment, and industrial outcomes.
- Several major MoUs were signed, including SIMEST–ICC cooperation, SAIL awarding €500 million green steel projects to Italy’s Danieli Group, Prada’s Kolhapuri-inspired collaboration, expansion of Carpisa retail in India, and a €5 million Italian investment by Cavagna Group, reinforcing long-term bilateral trade and investment ties.
FICCI Annapoorna Interfood Exhibition 2025 Showcases India’s Growing Food Processing Ecosystem
- The 17th edition of the FICCI Annapoorna Interfood Exhibition 2025, held in Mumbai, highlighted India’s rapidly expanding food processing ecosystem, with MoFPI Secretary Avinash Joshi calling it a key platform to transform agriculture, livelihoods, and consumer experience.
- The event witnessed wide international participation from 17–18 countries, including stakeholders from India, Africa, the US, Europe, UAE, and Australia, bringing together leading food-processing companies, buyers, and trade professionals.
- Under flagship schemes like PM Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) and PMFME, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries offers capital subsidies, 35%–50% financial support for cold-chain infrastructure, food-testing labs, incubation centres, and special incentives for women-led self-help groups to promote food-processing enterprises.
NIFTEM Collaborates with Karnataka Institutions to Strengthen Food Processing and Cold Chain Infrastructure
- National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) –Kundli (Haryana) and NIFTEM–Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu), under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, have partnered with institutions in Karnataka such as UAS Bengaluru, UAHS Shimoga, CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, and others to strengthen academics, research, capacity building, and skill development, including short-term courses on Cold Chain Management.
- Under demand-driven components like Agro Processing Clusters (APC) and Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition of PMKSY, proposals are invited from across the country, including Bengaluru and Dakshina Kannada, to enhance post-harvest infrastructure, increase shelf life, generate employment, and improve farmers’ incomes.
- Third-party evaluation has endorsed the effectiveness of Cold Chain and APC schemes and recommended their continuation; all entities including farmers and FPOs are eligible, with one approved project in the Bengaluru region already benefiting around 600 farmers.
NIT Rourkela Develops Low-Cost AI-Powered Social Robot for Homes, Schools and Hospitals
- Researchers at NIT Rourkela have developed a low-cost social robot (₹80,000–90,000) that uses AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) to enable human-like interaction through speech, gestures, facial-expression recognition and real-time conversation.
- Unlike pre-programmed machines, the robot can understand everyday language, follow verbal instructions, recognise emotions and gestures, and respond empathetically, making it suitable for homes, classrooms, hospitals and community spaces.
- The system uses Raspberry Pi for voice/text processing, Google Text-to-Speech for natural speech output, and a wheel-based mobility platform with obstacle detection, allowing safe operation in crowded indoor environments.
- The research, published in an Elsevier journal, aligns with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, with future plans including pilot testing, user feedback collection and industry collaboration to support large-scale adoption in India.
Amazon Announces $35 Billion Investment in India by 2030
- Amazon announced a $35 billion investment in India by 2030 at the Smbhav Summit 2025, with funds spread across its retail operations, cloud services and AI arm (AWS), reinforcing its long-term commitment to the Indian market.
- The investment comes amid a broader push by global tech firms to scale AI and data centre infrastructure, following Microsoft’s $17.5 billion commitment, and as Amazon explores growth in quick-commerce, competing with BlinkIt, Zepto and Swiggy.
- The investment will support AI expansion, logistics infrastructure, small businesses and exports, and is expected to create 3.8 million direct and indirect jobs in India by 2030, aligning with national development priorities.
International News
Australia Becomes First Country to Ban Social Media for Children Under 16
- Australia has become the first country to ban social media access for children under 16, effective December 10, 2025, blocking platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook, with companies facing heavy fines for non-compliance.
- Under the new law, major platforms must enforce age restrictions or face penalties of up to A$49.5 million, a move welcomed by parents and child advocates but criticised by tech companies and free-speech groups.
- The ban is a step to protect children from online harms and reclaim control from big tech, positioning Australia as a global test case that other countries may study or follow.
About Australia
- Capital – Canberra
- Currency – Dollar
- President – Anthony Albanese
Trump Launches ‘Gold Card’ Visa Offering Fast-Track US Residency for $1 Million Investors
- US President Donald Trump has launched the “Trump Gold Card” scheme, offering fast-tracked US visas to wealthy foreigners who can pay at least $1 million, promising a direct and expedited path to residency and eventual citizenship for vetted applicants.
- The scheme requires applicants to demonstrate a “substantial benefit” to the United States, with higher tiers including a $2 million employer-sponsored option and a forthcoming $5 million “platinum” card offering special tax benefits, alongside additional processing fees.
- The move comes amid a broader immigration crackdown, including higher visa fees, deportations and pauses on asylum and certain country-based applications, and has drawn criticism for favouring wealthy individuals over broader immigration pathways.
Banking & Financial News
DBS Named Global Bank of the Year 2025 by The Banker
- DBS, the Singapore-based lender, was recognised by The Banker, part of the Financial Times Group, as Global Bank of the Year 2025, marking its third win in this category after 2018 and 2021.
- The bank also secured multiple awards, including Asia Bank of the Year, Singapore Bank of the Year, Investment Bank of the Year – Asia, and Investment Bank of the Year for Financial Institutions Group, chosen from 294 global banks.
- DBS crossed $100 billion in market capitalisation in 2024, becoming the first Singapore-listed company to achieve this milestone, and reported 11% growth in net profit and Tier-1 capital for FY24, with a return on equity of 18% and a cost-to-income ratio of 39.9%.
About Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) Bank
- Founded – 1968
- Headquarters – Singapore
- DBS Bank India’ CEO- Rajat Verma (replace Surojit Shome)
Wise Enters Indian Market with Multi-Currency Travel Card to Cut Hidden Forex Fees
- Global money movement company Wise introduced its multi-currency travel card in India, targeting the growing outbound travel market, which saw 3.89 crore departures in 2024 and an increase in overseas spending to an average of $17 billion annually.
- Unlike traditional forex cards that charge 2–4% conversion margins, Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate with a transparent conversion fee, potentially saving thousands on transactions.
- The card supports 40+ currencies, offers instant digital onboarding via DigiLocker and video KYC, allows online and ATM use globally (Visa network in 160+ countries), and comes with free ATM withdrawals up to $200/month and no annual or inactivity fees.
Sports
Punjab CM Felicitates 2025 Women’s World Cup-Winning Players and Inaugurates Stadium Stands
- Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann felicitated the members of the 2025 ICC Women’s World Cup-winning Team India from Punjab, including skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, and Amanjot Kaur, ahead of the second T20I against South Africa.
- Monetary rewards were given to the players and coaching staff: Rs 11 lakhs each to Harmanpreet Kaur, Harleen Deol, and Amanjot Kaur, and Rs 5 lakhs to Indian fielding coach Munish Bali.
- Stadium stands were inaugurated in honour of cricket legends, naming one after World Cup-winning skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and another after 2011 World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium.
Awards
Supriya Sahu Wins UNEP 2025 Champions of the Earth Award for Climate Leadership in Tamil Nadu
- Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Forests, Tamil Nadu, has been awarded the UN Environment Programme’s 2025 Champions of the Earth for her outstanding contributions to climate action.
- She has positioned Tamil Nadu as a global leader in climate mitigation, adaptation, and heat resilience through integrated governance and innovative initiatives over the past four years.
- Her work demonstrates how nature-based solutions combined with low- and high-tech interventions can protect vulnerable communities while effectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Recent Awards
- PETA India’s 2025 Person of the Year for Wildlife and Animal Advocacy – Raveena Tandon
- Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare – Anant Ambani
- TIME’s 2025 CEO of the Year for Shaping Global Digital Culture – Neal Mohan
- 1st FIFA Peace Prize – Donald Trump
- Rum Brand of the Year Award 2025 – Camikara Rum (India)
- Miss Universe 2025 crown – Miss Fatima Bosch (Mexico)
Defence
Indian Navy to Commission First Indigenous Diving Support Craft ‘DSC A20’ at Kochi
- The Indian Navy will commission DSC A20, the first indigenously designed and built Diving Support Craft, at Kochi under the Southern Naval Command, enhancing the Navy’s diving and underwater operational capabilities.
- Built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata, DSC A20 is the lead ship of a five-vessel series and features a catamaran hull, advanced diving systems, and a displacement of about 390 tonnes, ensuring superior stability, safety, and operational efficiency.
- The commissioning marks a major milestone for Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the Make in India initiative, showcasing successful collaboration between the Indian Navy, indigenous shipbuilding industry, and national research institutions.
Important Days
13 December – National Horse Day
- National Horse Day is observed on 13 December every year to celebrate the contributions of horses in human history, culture, and transportation.
- The day highlights the importance of horses in agriculture, sports, policing, and recreational activities across the world.
14 December – National Energy Conservation Day
- National Energy Conservation Day is observed on 14 December every year to raise awareness about the importance of saving energy and promoting sustainable energy use.
- Theme 2025 – Saving Energy, Securing Future
- The day emphasizes efficient use of electricity, fuel, and other energy resources to reduce wastage and environmental impact.
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