Monthly Current Affairs & Key Questions for NDA & Competitive Exams – December 2025

For NDA exam and other defence competitive exams, strong current affairs preparation is as important as Maths and GAT practice. Monthly revision helps you connect daily news into clear themes that can be recalled in MCQs, interviews, and SSB discussions. This December 2025 compilation covers national, defence, economic, science–tech, and sports updates that are highly relevant for written exam as well as personal interview and lecturette topics.

Key Monthly Current Affairs Highlights

Politics & governance

Good Governance Day & governance reforms

Good Governance Day 2025 was observed on 25 December to honour former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and promote accountable, transparent and citizen‑centric governance.
A National Workshop on Good Governance Practices was inaugurated in New Delhi, where the government launched multiple digital governance tools, including an AI‑powered recruitment rules generator to speed up cadre and vacancy management.
The government highlighted platforms like UMANG, DigiLocker, GeM, e‑Office, DBT and Mission Karmayogi as key pillars of good governance and civil services capacity building.

Political funding & electoral processes

A report on Electoral Trusts and political funding raised concerns that ruling parties receive a disproportionately higher share of donations, with a large portion coming from “unknown sources”, intensifying demands for transparency in political finance.
Debates around electoral roll revision and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process continued, with critics alleging that the methodology may risk disenfranchising minority communities and affecting democratic inclusiveness.

Parliament, bills and schemes

Media and policy analyses pointed out that several pending or older bills were rapidly brought and passed in Parliament in late December, including the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, raising questions on legislative scrutiny.
December 2025 reviews of economic and governance reforms highlighted a shift from regulation‑heavy frameworks to outcome‑driven governance, with emphasis on simplified tax structures and performance‑linked implementation of schemes.

Centre–State and administrative coordination

The Prime Minister addressed the 5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi (26–28 December 2025), focusing on “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat” and stressing cooperative federalism, Centre–State coordination, and real‑time monitoring of flagship schemes.
Governance analyses flagged persistent issues like project delays, weak Centre–State coordination and bureaucratic silos, and highlighted platforms like PRAGATI for digitally tracking large infrastructure and welfare projects.

Telecom, security and regulatory governance

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia announced three major reforms under the Department of Telecommunications through the National Centre for Communication Security (NCCS) to strengthen India’s telecom security and regulatory oversight.
The DoT released the National Frequency Allocation Plan 2025, effective from 30 December 2025, providing a structured framework for spectrum use across sectors such as telecom, defence and broadcasting.

Key appointments in internal security

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet assigned IPS officer Rakesh Agarwal interim charge as Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), ensuring continuity of leadership in India’s premier counter‑terrorism body until a regular DG is appointed.

State-level governance highlights

Multiple states, including Haryana, marked Good Governance Day with state‑level outreach and administrative reform events, emphasising citizen‑centric service delivery and grievance redressal.

Defence & international relations

Major India–Russia developments

Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a State visit to India on 4–5 December 2025 for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi, reaffirming the “Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership”.
Both sides discussed speeding up delivery of remaining S‑400 air defence system units and even exploring future cooperation on Russia’s next‑generation S‑500 platform.
The summit emphasised shifting from a buyer–seller pattern to co‑production and Make in India, including joint manufacture of spare parts and high‑tech defence systems.
The joint statement highlighted strong convergence on issues like terrorism, multipolar world order, cooperation in BRICS, SCO, G20 and support for India’s bid for a permanent UNSC seat.

India’s defence manufacturing and Atmanirbharta

A year‑end review noted that India’s defence production in FY 2024–25 reached around ₹1.51 lakh crore, an 18% increase over the previous year, showcasing rapid expansion of the domestic defence industrial base.
The government set ambitious goals of ₹3 lakh crore in annual defence manufacturing and ₹50,000 crore in exports by the end of the decade, backed by reforms, defence corridors and greater private‑sector participation.
DRDO, iDEX and the Technology Development Fund were highlighted for enabling indigenous development of drones, EW systems, precision munitions, autonomous vessels and AI‑enabled warfare solutions.

Key defence acquisition & modernisation steps

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared about ₹80,000 crore worth of proposals, including overhaul of T‑90 tanks, upgrades for Mi‑17 helicopters, additional MR‑SAM systems and loitering munitions, reinforcing mechanised and air defence capability.
The Indian Army is considering additional orders of M777 ultra‑light howitzers for improved mobility in high‑altitude areas, while also evaluating major upgrades for existing artillery platforms.
The Indian Air Force and DRDO prepared for testing the Astra Mk‑II BVRAAM (around 200 km range) in 2026 and larger orders of Astra series missiles to strengthen beyond‑visual‑range air combat capability.
India pushed forward with the Super Sukhoi upgrade programme for Su‑30MKI aircraft and finalised timelines for technology transfer of GE F‑414 engines to power the Tejas Mk‑2 from 2029.

Exercises, infrastructure & maritime security

Ministry of Defence recaps underlined major December activities: Navy Day celebrations, global maritime engagements and joint exercises that showcased India’s role as a responsible regional security provider.
Border Roads Organisation (BRO) highlighted completion of several strategic roads and bridges in border areas during late 2025, improving all‑weather connectivity for forward posts.
Indian Coast Guard signed a contract with L&T for rail‑less helicopter traversing systems for ships, and commissioned additional fast patrol vessels, boosting coastal surveillance and maritime law enforcement.

Internal security & anti‑terror measures

The Ministry of Home Affairs finalised India’s first comprehensive Anti‑Terror Policy framework to streamline intelligence sharing, operational coordination and capacity building across central and state agencies.
National Investigation Agency leadership continuity was ensured with an interim Director General appointment as larger internal security reforms and technology upgrades continued.

Wider international relations context

Commentaries on Putin’s India visit stressed that the summit signalled India’s strategic autonomy—maintaining deep ties with Russia while also expanding defence cooperation with the United States, Europe and other partners.
The joint stance on terrorism in the India–Russia statement, including condemnation of attacks in Pahalgam and Moscow and a call for adopting the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, reinforced counter‑terrorism as a core pillar of India’s foreign policy.

These points can be converted directly into NDA‑level one‑liners, 2‑statement questions, or SSB lecturette topics like “India–Russia Relations”, “Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence”, and “India’s Emerging Defence Industrial Power”

Economy & environment

Macroeconomic trends & RBI

RBI’s December 2025 Bulletin reported India’s real GDP growth at 8.2% in Q2 2025‑26, the highest in six quarters, driven by strong domestic demand and festive spending.
Headline inflation fell sharply to about 0.3% in October 2025, slipping below the lower 2% tolerance band of the inflation‑targeting framework for the first time, mainly due to correction in food prices.
The RBI Monetary Policy Committee cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 5.25% in the December 2025 policy to support growth, ease borrowing costs and keep financial conditions accommodative.
Following the cut, FY 2025‑26 GDP growth forecast was revised upwards to around 7.3%, reflecting confidence in domestic momentum despite global headwinds and trade tensions.

India’s growth position & trade strategy

As per 2025 estimates, India with a GDP of about USD 4.18 trillion has moved ahead of Japan to become the world’s fourth‑largest economy and is projected to reach around USD 7.3 trillion by 2030.
A detailed review of India’s post‑RCEP strategy highlighted that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement was concluded in December 2025, giving zero‑duty market access for Indian exports and a planned USD 20 billion investment commitment.
This FTA completes India’s “RCEP minus China” arc (bilateral deals with key RCEP members except China), balancing strategic autonomy with deeper integration into global value chains.

Investment, startups & manufacturing

Analysis of December 2025 data showed a rise in design registrations and a doubling of Geographical Indication (GI) filings, indicating stronger protection of traditional products and value‑added manufacturing.
India now hosts over 1.2 lakh startups and more than 1,100 incubators, reflecting a rapidly expanding innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem that contributes to growth and jobs.

Sectoral and state-level economic moves

Himachal Pradesh legalised and operationalised regulated cultivation of industrial hemp under the “Green to Gold” initiative, aiming to develop a bio‑economy and new income streams for farmers.
Articles on “signals from the Indian economy” in late December pointed to a mixed picture—supportive domestic reforms and trade initiatives alongside external shocks from tariffs and slowing global demand.

Environment, climate & energy

India reiterated at COP‑30 that it will submit revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) for the 2031–2035 period by the end of the year and release its first Biennial Transparency Report.
The Environment Minister highlighted that India’s emissions intensity has already fallen by over 36% from 2005 levels and that non‑fossil sources now account for more than half of installed power capacity, achieving a key NDC target ahead of 2030.
Over 2 billion saplings were reportedly planted in a community‑led initiative within about sixteen months, underlining India’s push to enhance carbon sinks and green cover.
Policy analyses warned that despite progress, India faces intensifying environmental stress due to dilution of safeguards, rapid extraction‑oriented growth and weakening environmental regulations, calling for stronger institutions and community participation.

These points can be converted into NDA‑level one‑liners (repo rate, GDP rank, NDC targets), 2‑statement questions, and SSB topics like “India’s Growth Story vs Global Headwinds” or “Balancing Development and Environment in India”

Science & technology

Space & ISRO updates

On 24 December 2025, ISRO successfully launched the LVM3‑M6 heavy‑lift mission from Sriharikota, placing the 6,100‑kg BlueBird Block‑2 communication satellite into orbit, the heaviest commercial satellite launched by India so far.
ISRO announced plans for a third launch pad at Sriharikota to support upcoming Gaganyaan human spaceflight missions and heavier launch vehicles in the coming years.
The Gaganyaan G1 uncrewed test flight, scheduled for December 2025, will carry the Vyommitra humanoid to validate life‑support systems, avionics and crew‑safety protocols before crewed missions.

Medical & biotech innovations

India developed an open‑source computational tool named PathGennie to accelerate drug discovery by predicting potential drug molecules and optimising their properties using AI and modelling.
The world’s first ITVISMA gene therapy for a rare genetic disorder was administered in Abu Dhabi, marking a global milestone in personalised gene‑based treatment, important as a science GK fact.
A Zoho‑supported Indian startup, VoxelGrids, unveiled the first indigenously developed MRI scanner, reducing dependence on imported high‑end medical imaging systems and supporting Atmanirbhar Bharat in healthcare technology.

Supercomputing & AI research

IIT Patna commissioned a new high‑performance supercomputer to support advanced research in AI, climate modelling, materials science and data analytics, strengthening India’s research infrastructure.
IIT Delhi introduced an AI agent called AILA (AI Lab Assistant) for smart and autonomous lab research, designed to automate routine experiments, data collection and optimisation in laboratories.
Policy reviews highlighted India’s AI Mission and IndiaAI programme, aimed at building indigenous AI compute, foundation models, and safe‑and‑trusted AI development through seven mission pillars.

Semiconductors, quantum & deep‑tech

India marked a key milestone in its semiconductor journey with Vikram 3201, the first indigenous semiconductor chip to reach fabrication‑ready status, moving the country closer to reducing chip import dependence.
Under the ₹76,000‑crore India Semiconductor Mission, ten semiconductor manufacturing projects with a total investment of over ₹1.6 lakh crore were approved across six states, with commercial production expected in the next 1–5 years.
India’s National Quantum Mission advanced plans to set up four quantum fabrication hubs across IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bengaluru, with an outlay of around ₹720 crore to support quantum devices and research.

India’s S&T ecosystem in 2025

India secured 38th rank in the Global Innovation Index 2025 and became the world’s 6th‑largest patent filer, reflecting a fast‑growing but still capability‑gapped innovation ecosystem.
The government operationalised a ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, with an initial ₹20,000 crore to support deep‑tech R&D and private‑sector innovation, alongside the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).
Analyses stressed that despite progress, challenges remain in commercialising research, academia–industry linkage, and reversing brain drain, making structural reforms in S&T critical for “Viksit Bharat 2047”.

These points can directly feed your NDA notes as one‑liners, matching‑type questions (projects vs ministries), and SSB topics like “India’s Semiconductor Push”, “ISRO and Human Spaceflight”, or “AI & Quantum Missions in India”.

Sports

India’s 2025 sports year-ender highlights

Year‑ender reviews described 2025 as a landmark year for Indian sports, with historic achievements across cricket, athletics, boxing, para‑sports and traditional games.
India’s sporting story in 2025 was defined by women athletes and para‑athletes, who delivered multiple first‑ever world titles and record medal hauls at global events.

Cricket: World titles and transitions

India’s women’s cricket team won the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, giving the country its maiden women’s ODI world title and boosting visibility of women’s cricket globally.
The Indian men’s team won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, remaining unbeaten through the tournament and underlining India’s dominance in white‑ball cricket.
Senior legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli announced retirement from Test cricket in late 2025, marking the end of an era and opening doors for a new leadership core.

Athletics and multi-sport achievements

Neeraj Chopra breached the long‑awaited 90‑metre barrier with a 90.23 m throw at the Doha Diamond League, creating a national record and joining the elite 90m javelin club.
India recorded its best‑ever performance at the Asian Youth Games 2025 in Manama, winning 48 medals (13 gold, 18 silver, 17 bronze), led by gold in girls’ kabaddi and a youth world record by Priteesmita Bhoi in weightlifting clean & jerk.
At the World Games 2025 in Chengdu, India won three medals (1 silver, 2 bronze), including its first‑ever wushu medal and first roller speed skating medal, signalling diversification into new Olympic and non‑Olympic sports.

Boxing, badminton and other sports

At the World Boxing Championships 2025 in Liverpool, Indian women boxers claimed four medals—two gold (Jaismine Lamboria, 57 kg; Minakshi Hooda, 48 kg), one silver (Nupur Sheoran, +80 kg) and one bronze (Pooja Rani, 80 kg), one of India’s strongest campaigns.
PV Sindhu was chosen Athlete of the Year in several year‑end lists and had earlier been elected Chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission, reflecting her continued influence in world badminton.
Lakshya Sen won the Australian Open Super 500 badminton title in 2025, consolidating his status as one of India’s leading men’s singles shuttlers.

Para-sports, traditional games and university sports

India delivered a record‑breaking performance at the Asian Youth Para Games 2025 in Dubai, securing 102 medals (36 gold, 33 silver, 33 bronze), highlighting the depth of India’s para‑sports ecosystem.
Traditional sport kho‑kho drew global attention as India’s men’s and women’s teams won the Kho Kho World Cup, showcasing indigenous games on an international platform.
The 5th Khelo India University Games concluded in Jaipur in early December 2025, with Chandigarh University topping the medal tally, underlining the role of university‑level competition in talent identification.

These points can be converted into one‑liners (tournaments and hosts), match‑the‑following (event vs medal), and SSB topics like “Rise of Indian Women in Sports” or “India as an Emerging Sports Power”.

Importance for NDA and other aspirants

Monthly current affairs revision turns scattered daily news into clear themes—governance, defence, economy, and science—that can be directly applied in NDA written exam MCQs and statement-based questions. Regular follow-up of such compilations also strengthens content for SSB topics like Group Discussion, Lecturette, and Personal Interview, where awareness of defence procurements, summits, and social schemes reflects officer-like qualities.

For NDA aspirants, linking current events like India–Russia summits, defence deals, RBI frameworks, ISRO launches, and major sports achievements with static GK (constitutions, committees, schemes, geography) helps build integrated understanding instead of rote facts. This holistic approach is exactly what UPSC and SSB assess—clarity, awareness, and balanced viewpoints on national and international issues.

Important Questions Section

The “Atmanirbhar Bharat” initiative is primarily associated with which of the following?
a) Only agricultural reforms
b) Self-reliance in all key sectors including defence and manufacturing
c) Only digital payments promotion
d) Only education reforms
Answer: b)
The Kimberley Process, often seen in current affairs, is related to the trade of which commodity?
a) Gold
b) Crude oil
c) Rough diamonds
d) Uranium
Answer: c)
Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) mainly focuses on:
a) Rural housing for BPL families
b) Rural road connectivity
c) Rural electrification
d) Rural health insurance
Answer: b)
Which organisation is primarily responsible for launching India’s communication and remote sensing satellites?
a) DRDO
b) ISRO
c) BARC
d) HAL
Answer: b)
The headquarters of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), where PV Sindhu now heads the Athletes’ Commission, is located in:
a) New Delhi
b) Kuala Lumpur
c) London
d) Geneva
Answer: b)
Neeraj Chopra, often in news for javelin throw records, won his first Olympic gold medal in which Olympic Games edition?
a) Rio 2016
b) Tokyo 2020
c) Paris 2024
d) Los Angeles 2028
Answer: b)
EPFO, commonly referred to in economic current affairs, stands for:
a) Employees Pension Finance Organisation
b) Employees Provident Fund Organisation
c) Employment Promotion Fund Office
d) Employees Professional Fund Organisation
Answer: b)
The India–Russia annual summit mechanism is primarily aimed at:
a) Only cultural exchanges
b) Only student exchange programmes
c) Comprehensive strategic partnership including defence, energy and trade
d) Only space cooperation
Answer: c)

Closing words & coaching mention

Consistent monthly current affairs revision is one of the smartest habits for serious NDA aspirants, because it directly improves GAT score, builds content for SSB discussion, and trains you to think like a future officer. Staying updated on defence deals, international summits, government schemes, ISRO missions, RBI moves and sports milestones will give you a clear edge over other candidates in every stage of the NDA selection process.

For students looking for focused NDA coaching in Dehradun, Ground Zero Defence Academy is widely regarded as one of the best institutes for NDA preparation, combining concept clarity with daily current affairs and defence-oriented guidance. Ground Zero’s team regularly updates students with national, international, and defence news—exactly the kind of preparation needed to crack NDA exam and perform confidently in SSB interviews.

Monthly Current Affairs & Key Questions for NDA & Competitive Exams – December 2025​