Daily current affairs: 5 December 2025

Long Description : The RBI’s December 2025 policy has cut the policy repo rate from 5.5% to 5.25%, marking a cumulative reduction of 125 bps in 2025 to stimulate economic activity. The central bank also announced open market purchases of government securities worth ₹1 lakh crore in tranches and a three‑year USD/INR buy–sell swap of about USD 5 billion, together adding roughly ₹1.5 lakh crore to banking system liquidity. The Governor emphasised that easier liquidity will aid monetary transmission, softening lending rates for borrowers while the growth forecast for FY26 has been revised upwards, indicating confidence in macro fundamentals alongside vigilance on inflation and currency movements.

Long Description : The reduction in the repo rate to 5.25% lowers the benchmark cost of funds for banks and will feed into external benchmark–linked loans, including many home loans that are directly pegged to the repo rate. As banks adjust their marginal cost of funds–based lending rates and repo‑linked products, EMIs on housing, personal and MSME loans are expected to decline, improving disposable incomes and potentially boosting housing demand. However, the transmission is often staggered, with state‑owned and private banks adjusting at different speeds, and deposit rates may also be re‑priced downwards, affecting savers. For exam purposes, link this to monetary transmission, consumer demand and growth‑inflation trade‑off.

Long Description : During President Putin’s state visit for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, India and Russia concluded an Economic Cooperation Agreement or “Vision 2030” document to guide bilateral economic ties for the next five years. The framework builds on earlier discussions in the Inter‑Governmental Commission, which focused on removing tariff and non‑tariff barriers, improving logistics, payment mechanisms, and early conclusion of an FTA with the Eurasian Economic Union, as well as achieving a revised trade target of around USD 100 billion by 2030. It also supports cooperation in sectors like energy, agriculture, connectivity corridors and industrial partnerships, reinforcing the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership” narrative important for India’s multi‑alignment and Indo‑Pacific calculus.

Long Description : Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in New Delhi for a state visit to participate in the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The programme includes a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, tributes at Rajghat, restricted and delegation‑level talks at Hyderabad House, a business event with industry leaders, and a state banquet hosted by President Droupadi Murmu. PIB noted the signing of several MoUs, including cooperation in broadcasting between Prasar Bharati and a Russian media entity, and joint initiatives in sectors like agriculture and trade. For exams, this visit exemplifies India’s balancing of major power relations amidst global tensions and its reliance on Russia for defence, energy and strategic coordination.

Long Description : In an official welcome statement, the Prime Minister received President Putin and highlighted the longstanding India–Russia relationship rooted in mutual trust and strategic convergence. As per PIB, Modi presented a copy of the Bhagavad Gita in Russian to Putin, signalling cultural outreach and people‑to‑people connect beyond standard diplomatic protocol. The event is positioned within the broader narrative of a “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”, reinforcing continuity in ties despite shifts in the global order and India’s closer engagement with other major powers. From an exam point of view, such symbolic gestures can be linked to soft power, cultural diplomacy and continuity of foreign policy doctrines.

Long Description : On the margins of the India–Russia summit‑related engagements, the Union Agriculture Minister met a Russian delegation to review and deepen agricultural cooperation. According to PIB, both sides agreed to enhance bilateral trade in agricultural commodities, including foodgrains and horticulture products, and to explore opportunities for collaboration in areas like agri‑technology, storage and processing. The meeting also fits into India’s objective of diversifying export markets for farm products and leveraging strategic partnerships to secure long‑term food and fertiliser supplies. For aspirants, this can be linked to topics like agricultural exports, trade diversification, and the role of sectoral cooperation in foreign policy.

Long Description : The Ministry of Electronics and IT informed Parliament that India’s electronics and semiconductor policy, anchored in Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India, is driving investment across the entire value chain. Under the Production Linked Incentive scheme for large‑scale electronics, the government has attracted over ₹14,000 crore of investment and boosted output in mobiles and components, contributing to a significant rise in exports. The statement noted that ten semiconductor units, including silicon and silicon‑carbide fabs and advanced packaging facilities, have been approved with cumulative investment of about ₹1.6 lakh crore, aimed at serving domestic demand across sectors such as automobiles, telecom and power electronics. For exams, this is key for industry, infrastructure and self‑reliance themes.

Long Description : A prolonged disruption in IndiGo’s operations led to widespread flight cancellations, especially from Delhi, prompting parliamentary attention and ministerial intervention. The Civil Aviation Minister issued an official statement, carried by PIB, addressing the service disruption and outlining coordinated measures with the regulator and airline to normalise schedules. Concurrently, DGCA rolled back new flight duty time limitations that airlines had flagged as operationally challenging, with the government indicating that flight schedules should begin stabilising by late Saturday and fully normalise over the following days. This development is relevant for governance, regulatory oversight, consumer protection and transport infrastructure topics.

Long Description : In view of President Putin’s visit and summit‑level engagements across the capital, Delhi Police and security agencies implemented layered security arrangements and temporary traffic restrictions on important corridors such as Rajpath‑adjacent avenues and ceremonial routes. Reports indicated restrictions on parking and stopping of vehicles on certain stretches during specific time windows, alongside advisory notices to commuters about diversions and potential congestion. These measures accompany typical VVIP visit protocols involving convoy routes to Rashtrapati Bhavan, Rajghat and Hyderabad House. For exam context, such coverage ties into internal security management, urban policing and logistical aspects of high‑level diplomacy.

Long Description : In its statement to the Rajya Sabha, the Ministry of Electronics and IT cited Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics data to highlight the electronics trade scenario. Electronic goods imports in FY 2024–25 were approximately USD 98.6 billion, whereas exports were around USD 38.5 billion, indicating a sizable trade deficit despite notable export gains. The government linked these numbers to ongoing policy interventions such as PLI schemes, infrastructure support and approvals for semiconductor projects aimed at shifting more value‑addition to India. For prelims and mains, such figures support answers on external sector vulnerabilities, industrial policy and the push towards becoming a global electronics hub.

Long Description : An official communication highlighted that the Prime Minister will participate in India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, where he will address a Maritime Leaders’ Conclave and lead a Global Maritime CEO Forum. The event is positioned as a platform to showcase India’s strategic vision of becoming a global maritime hub, integrating port‑led development, shipping reforms and logistics efficiency under initiatives like Sagarmala and PM Gati Shakti. Such summits typically bring together policymakers, port authorities, ship‑owners and investors to discuss investments, green shipping and digitalisation in maritime trade. For exams, this links to infrastructure, Blue Economy, trade facilitation and coastal development policies.

Long Description : The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation recently issued a press release detailing CPI inflation for October 2025, offering disaggregated data by rural–urban and commodity groups, which continues to inform the macroeconomic backdrop for December policy discussions. Another MOSPI press note summarised key findings of a national survey on migration patterns, including reasons for migration and labour‑market linkages, useful for understanding urbanisation, employment and social protection issues. Although these releases pre‑date 5 December, they remain exam‑relevant for framing recent trends in inflation management and migration policy and can be connected to debates on employment, urban infrastructure and welfare schemes.

Long Description : A set of opinion pieces and analyses discussed recent moves towards stricter cyber regulation and enforcement, described as a “cyber crackdown”, and questioned whether institutional safeguards adequately protect civil liberties and due process. Parallelly, the postal department’s exploration of a UPI‑like digital addressing system using standardized labels for physical addresses was examined for its potential to improve delivery efficiency while raising data protection and inclusion concerns. These debates are important for GS‑II topics on governance, transparency and accountability, as well as GS‑III themes on cyber security, data protection and digital public infrastructure.youtube​

Long Description : On the occasion of a historical anniversary, commentary explained how the Mahad Satyagraha led by Dr Ambedkar in the 1920s challenged caste‑based exclusion from public water sources and asserted the civic equality of Dalits. The piece connected these agitations to later constitutional provisions such as Articles 14, 15 and 17, as well as subsequent anti‑discrimination jurisprudence. It emphasised that the satyagraha was not just about physical access to resources but about redefining citizenship and dignity, themes that continue to influence debates on reservation, social justice and substantive equality. This is highly useful for Ethics, Modern History and Polity answers.youtube​

Long Description : Hindustan Times reported that DGCA withdrew newly issued pilot rest and flight duty limitations after they contributed to major scheduling disruptions and cancellations at IndiGo, especially from Delhi. The rollback came alongside government instructions to airlines to restore normal operations quickly, highlighting how regulatory changes must be calibrated with operational realities and stakeholder consultation. This incident offers a case study in balancing aviation safety, labour welfare and consumer interest, and can be linked to broader themes in GS‑III on infrastructure, internal transport, and the design of independent regulators.

Long Description : In a statement cited in national dailies, the External Affairs Minister told the Rajya Sabha that data available with authorities indicate Punjab as the state with the maximum number of human trafficking cases, particularly involving irregular migration. The remarks highlighted the need for stronger cooperation between central and state agencies, better regulation of travel and placement agents, and awareness among potential migrants about fraudulent promises. This issue is linked to international migration, consular protection, law‑and‑order challenges and socio‑economic push factors in source regions, making it relevant for GS‑II and internal security questions.​