Current Affairs 31 December 2025

Supreme Court Pauses Aravalli Definition Ruling

The Supreme Court of India has kept in abeyance its November 20, 2025 judgment that upheld a government-appointed expert panel’s restrictive definition of the Aravalli Range. The earlier definition limited the Aravallis to hills 100 metres or above in elevation and hill clusters, slopes, or hillocks located within 500 metres of each other.

A three-judge Bench led by Surya Kant took suo motu cognisance of public and environmental concerns that this definition would drastically reduce protection, as only 1,048 out of 12,081 hills in Rajasthan would qualify. The Court observed that such a narrowing could create a regulatory lacuna, exposing ecologically sensitive areas to unregulated mining.

Pending final adjudication, the Court barred fresh or renewed mining leases without its prior permission and proposed setting up a high-powered expert committee to examine whether even “regulated or sustainable mining” could harm the ecological integrity of the Aravallis, which act as a natural barrier against the eastward expansion of the Thar Desert and help mitigate pollution in cities like Delhi.

The Court stressed that any definition of the Aravalli Range must be based on exhaustive scientific and geological assessment, ensuring long-term environmental protection across Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

₹7,387.7 crore loan from NABARD to Infrastructure in Amaravati

Andhra Pradesh cabinet approved a ₹7,387.7 crore loan from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) under the NIDA (NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance) scheme. The funds will be used for large-scale infrastructure projects in the capital city Amaravati, supporting long-term urban and capital development.

The Cabinet also approved the introduction of a 10% Road Safety Cess on motor vehicles that are subject to life tax. The cess aims to generate dedicated funds for improving road safety infrastructure, accident prevention measures, and traffic management systems across Andhra Pradesh.

India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

• India and New Zealand concluded a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in December 2025, marking a significant step in India’s trade diversification strategy.
• Under the agreement, New Zealand will provide zero-duty access to 100% of Indian exports, while India will liberalise tariffs on 95% of New Zealand’s imports (with 57% becoming duty-free immediately).
• New Zealand has also committed to $20 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India by 2030, aimed at services, skill mobility, and employment generation across 118 sectors.
• The FTA benefits India’s labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, engineering goods, and processed foods, while also easing student and skilled worker mobility.
• India has protected sensitive sectors by excluding dairy and key agricultural products.
• The agreement reflects India’s broader push to accelerate FTAs to diversify trade partners, reduce dependence on traditional markets, and integrate more deeply into global value chains.

National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025)

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications, has released the National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025 (NFAP-2025), a key policy framework governing the allocation and management of radio-frequency spectrum in India.

Highlights:

• The plan will come into force from 30 December 2025 and covers the entire frequency range from 8.3 kHz to 3000 GHz.
• The plan identified the 6425–7125 MHz mid-band spectrum for International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT).
• The plan also allocates Ka, Q, and V bands for satellite communications.

Jal Seva Aankalan Launched under Jal Jeevan Mission

The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has launched Jal Seva Aankalan, a Gram Panchayat–led digital self-assessment tool to evaluate the functionality of rural drinking water services under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM). Jal Seva Aankalan empowers Village Water & Sanitation Committees (VWSCs) and Gram Sabhas to assess parameters such as regularity, adequacy, water quality, operation & maintenance, and source sustainability, with results publicly disclosed through platforms like eGramSwaraj and Meri Panchayat App.

IndiaAI Mission

• Under the IndiaAI Mission, the government has allocated over ₹10,300 crore over five years and expanded national AI computing capacity to 38,000 GPUs, offering affordable access to startups, researchers, and institutions.
• AI is projected to add $1.7 trillion to India’s economy by 2035, while the tech and AI ecosystem already employs over 6 million people and contributes to a technology sector worth more than $280 billion annually.
• India now ranks 3rd globally in AI competitiveness, according to Stanford University’s 2025 Global AI Vibrancy Tool.
• Key initiatives include IndiaAI Compute, AIKosh (national dataset platform), IndiaAI Foundation Models, BharatGen (multilingual AI model), Bhashini (language AI platform), FutureSkills AI skilling programmes, and a strong focus on Safe and Trusted AI.

Disclaimer: This article is prepared for competitive exam preparation using publicly available information.