Current Affairs 01 January 2026

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Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia Passes Away

Khaleda Zia, the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh and a towering figure in the country’s politics, passed away at the age of 80. Her long-standing rivalry with Sheikh Hasina shaped Bangladesh’s political landscape for decades. She served as Prime Minister multiple times and was the chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

HAL enters civil aviation with Dhruv NG helicopter

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has formally entered India’s civil helicopter market with the successful maiden flight of the Dhruv New Generation (NG) helicopter at its Helicopter Division in Bengaluru. The Dhruv NG is a 5.5-tonne, light, twin-engine, multi-role helicopter, fully designed and manufactured in India, and engineered to operate across diverse and challenging terrains.

Guntur chilli named mascot for SARAS Expo

Guntur chilli has been selected as the official mascot for the SARAS Exhibition (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society), scheduled to be held in Guntur from January 6 to January 18. The SARAS exhibition is a national-level programme organised by the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) with support from the State Poverty Eradication Organisation. The event aims to promote handlooms, handicrafts, and rural artisanal products from across India.

Department of Posts – SIDBI MoU for Udyam Assist Platform

The Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications and the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 31 December 2025 to strengthen verification and credit enablement for Informal Micro Enterprises (IMEs) registered on the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP).

Under this agreement, India Post will carry out Contact Point Verification (CPV) of IMEs using its extensive nationwide postal network of over 1.64 lakh post offices. Verification will include confirmation of business details, demographics, and location-based validation using geo-tagged evidence through a dedicated SIDBI-developed CPV mobile application.

Department of Food & Public Distribution – Key Initiatives (2025)

In 2025, the Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD) undertook major reforms to strengthen food security, supply-chain efficiency, farmer support, and sustainability.

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY):

PMGKAY, launched during the COVID-19 crisis to provide free foodgrains, has been extended for five years from 1 January 2024. Currently, around 80 crore beneficiaries receive foodgrains free of cost, ensuring nationwide food security under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).

TPDS & One Nation One Ration Card (ONORC):

• 100% digitisation of ration cards and near-universal Aadhaar seeding achieved.
• ONORC is now operational across all 36 States/UTs, enabling portability for migrant beneficiaries.
• Over 195 crore portability transactions have been recorded since inception.

Technology & Governance Reforms:

• ASHA, an AI-driven grievance redressal platform using Bhashini, WhatsApp, and IVRS, was launched for citizen feedback in PDS.
• Anna Chakra (Route Optimisation) reduced logistics costs by about ₹250 crore annually, cut average transport distance by up to 50%, and lowered CO₂ emissions by up to 35%.
• Depot Darpan Portal introduced star ratings for FCI and CWC depots using IoT, AI, and geo-tagged monitoring.
• Bhandaran 360, a new ERP system, integrated warehouse operations nationwide.

Support to Farmers & Ethanol Blending Programme:

• MSP-based procurement of paddy and wheat continued to ensure remunerative prices for farmers.
• Under the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, India achieved 19.24% ethanol blending in 2024–25 and aims for 20% blending by ESY 2025–26, boosting farmer incomes, reducing oil imports, and promoting green energy.

Ministry of Defence – Year End Review 2025

In 2025, India’s defence sector witnessed major operational, technological and strategic milestones, reinforcing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat @2047.

A key highlight was Operation Sindoor, launched on the night of 6–7 May 2025 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. Indian Armed Forces conducted precise strikes on nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoK, eliminating over 100 terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen, while minimising civilian harm. The Government clarified that the action was purely defensive.

The Prime Minister also announced Mission Sudarshan Chakra, aimed at neutralising enemy defence infiltrations and enhancing India’s rapid and precise offensive capabilities, with a long-term goal of expanding a nationwide security shield by 2035.

India achieved record defence production of ₹1.51 lakh crore in FY 2024–25, with a target of ₹3 lakh crore by 2029, and all-time high defence exports of ₹23,622 crore, targeting ₹50,000 crore by 2029. The Union Defence Budget 2025–26 stood at ₹6.81 lakh crore, the highest among all ministries.

Other major milestones included:

• Inauguration of the BrahMos Integration & Testing Facility in Lucknow
• Successful conduct of Aero India 2025, at Yelahanka in Bengaluru.
• Gp Capt Shubhanshu Shukla becoming the first Indian astronaut to visit the ISS.
• President Droupadi Murmu taking sorties in both a Rafale fighter jet and a submarine (INS Vaghsheer).
• Decommissioning of the MiG-21 fighter aircraft
• Operation Sagar Bandhu for humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka
• Expansion of SPARSH, India’s largest digital pension platform
• Extensive joint military exercises with global partners across 2025

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