Current Affairs 15 December 2025

PIB Current Affairs

Hornbill Festival 2025

Hornbill Festival of Nagaland was held recently at the Kisama Heritage Village. Switzerland, Ireland and United Kingdom participated as partner countries for Hornbill 2025.

UNESCO’s 20th Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Committee Session

India is hosting the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) from 8–13 December 2025 at the historic Red Fort, New Delhi—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is the first time India is hosting this prestigious global cultural governance meeting.

Key Highlights

• The session will be chaired by H.E. Vishal V. Sharma, India’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
• India has served three terms on the ICH Intergovernmental Committee.
• 15 Indian cultural elements are currently inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of ICH.
• India has nominated Chhath Mahaparva and Diwali for consideration in 2025.

UPI Recognized as the World’s Largest Real-Time Payment System

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) report “Growing Retail Digital Payments (The Value of Interoperability)” released in June 2025 officially recognized India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) as the world’s largest real-time payment system by transaction volume. Additionally, as per ACI Worldwide’s 2024 report “Prime Time for Real-Time”, UPI accounts for 49% of all global real-time payment transactions, placing India far ahead of Brazil, Thailand, China, and South Korea.

Key Highlights

• UPI transaction volume (2024): 129.3 billion
• Global share: 49%
• Brazil stands first excluding India in the real time payment transactions with 14%, followed by Thailand (8%), China (6%), and South Korea (3%).

Operation Sagar Bandhu

As part of Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched to support Sri Lanka after severe cyclone Cyclone Ditwah damage, India has deployed four additional naval ships: INS Gharial, LCU 54, LCU 51, LCU 57. These ships are carrying 1000 tons of Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) supplies. Earlier, the Indian Navy had already deployed INS Vikrant, INS Udaygiri, INS Sukanya.

National Waterways in India

The Government of India, under the National Waterways Act, 2016, has officially declared 111 waterways as National Waterways (NWs).
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways carries out following functions:

• Techno-economic feasibility studies,
• Preparation of Detailed Project Reports (DPRs),
• And development of viable waterways for cargo and passenger transport.

These studies are typically undertaken after receiving proposals from respective State Governments. As of now, 32 National Waterways are operational for cargo and passenger movement across the country.

32 Operational National Waterways (as on 30.11.2025)

Hindu Current Affairs

Demow Model for Snakebite Prevention Selected by ICMR

The Demow Model from Sivasagar district of eastern Assam has been selected as one of the successful community-based systems for snakebite prevention and management to be scientifically studied and potentially scaled up across India. The Demow Model emphasizes community awareness, volunteer participation, and strong referral networks, ensuring timely treatment within the critical golden hour.

Andhra Pradesh Current Affairs

Ponduru Khadi Gets GI Tag

Ponduru Khadi, a traditional hand-spun and handwoven fabric from Ponduru village near Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Ponduru Khadi is renowned for being woven from locally grown indigenous cotton using traditional techniques, making it one of the finest varieties of khadi in India. The GI tag will help protect its uniqueness, prevent misuse of the name, and provide better market opportunities and livelihoods for local artisans.

Sagarmala Projects in Andhra Pradesh

As part of the Sagarmala Programme, aimed at promoting port-led industrialisation and maritime infrastructure, the Government of India has identified 110 projects worth over ₹1 lakh crore in Andhra Pradesh. These projects focus on port modernisation, connectivity enhancement, coastal community development, coastal shipping, and inland waterways, strengthening Andhra Pradesh’s role as a key logistics and maritime hub.

National Energy Conservation Awards 2025

Andhra Pradesh has emerged as a national leader in energy conservation, winning the first prize in Group-II (States with total final energy consumption between 5–15 Million Tonnes of Oil Equivalent) at the National Energy Conservation Awards 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive year the State has secured the top position.In the State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI)-2025, Andhra Pradesh scored 89.25 points, improving upon its 87.25 score in SEEI-2024, thereby retaining its top rank.

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