Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 19th December 2025

Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund:

In response to a question asked in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying responded that the amount of loan sanctioned under the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) is ₹ 10,320 Crores.

• Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) is a central sector scheme under the Prime Minister’s “Atma Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” stimulus package.
• It is aimed at boosting investments in animal husbandry infrastructure.
• Implementing Agency: Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying.
• Major Objectives To expand milk and meat processing capacity and help small rural producers connect with organised markets.
• The scheme will incentivize investments for Dairy processing and value addition infrastructure,Meat processing and value addition infrastructure,Animal Feed Plant,Breed multiplication farm,Animal Waste to Wealth Management (Agri-waste management),Veterinary vaccine and drug production
• The eligible beneficiaries under the Scheme would be:
  • Farmer Producer Organization (FPO)
  • Private companies
  • Individual entrepreneurs
  • Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
• The beneficiaries are to contribute a minimum of 10% margin money as investment. The balance 90% would be the loan component to be made available by scheduled banks.
• The Government of India will provide 3% interest subvention to eligible beneficiaries.
• From the Credit Guarantee Fund, Credit guarantee would be provided to those sanctioned projects which are covered under MSME-defined ceilings.
• Credit Guarantee Fund Set up and managed by NABARD.

BharatNet Project : In News

The Minister of State for Communications and Rural Development, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha recently, said that BharatNet is being implemented in a phased manner to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs).

• BharatNet Project is an ambitious project of the Government of India aimed at providing broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats (GPs) in the country.
• It is one of the biggest rural telecom projects in the world.
• The primary objective is to provide unrestricted access to broadband connectivity to all the telecom service providers.
• This enables access providers like mobile operators, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Cable TV operators, and content providers to launch various services such as e-health, e-education, and e-governance in rural and remote India.
• The project is being executed by a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), namely Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL), which was incorporated in 2012 under Indian Companies Act 1956.
• The Telecom Commission approved implementation of the project in three phases. While the Phase I was completed in 2017, Phase II and Phase III are ongoing.
• Amended BharatNet Program (ABP) is a design improvement aiming for:
  • Optical Fibre (OF) connectivity to 2.64 lakh GPs in ring topology (a network design where connected devices form a circular data channel)
  • OF connectivity to the remaining non-GP villages on demand.
• It includes features like IP-MPLS (Internet Protocol Multi-Protocol Label Switching) network with routers at Blocks and GPs, operation and maintenance for 10 years, power backup, and Remote Fibre Monitoring System (RFMS).

Battle of Adwa:

The Prime Minister of India recently laid a wreath at the Adwa Victory Monument in Addis Ababa, paying tribute to Ethiopia’s historic victory in the 1896 Battle of Adwa.

• It was fought by the Ethiopian Empire, which was then known as Abyssinia, and Italy in 1896, near Adwa, Ethiopia, as the concluding battle of the First Italo-Ethiopian War (1895–1896).
• The conflict stemmed from Italy’s ambitions to establish an empire in Africa, which was part of the broader “scramble for Africa” among European powers.
• This battle saw the Ethiopian Empire, led by Emperor Menelik II, successfully defeat an invading Italian force.
• It led to the decisive victory for the Ethiopians and securing their sovereignty.
• The victory had further significance for being the first crushing defeat of a European power by African forces during the colonial era.

India Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarthak:

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship Sarthak, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, recently made a port call at Chabahar, Iran.

• ICGS Sarthak is the fourth in the series of five Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) being built by Goa Shipyard for the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).
• These OPVs are multi-mission platforms capable of undertaking concurrent operations.
• The ship is propelled by diesel engines designed to attain a high speed.
• The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment machinery, sensors, and weapons and has an Integrated Bridge System, and Integrated Machinery Control System.
• That enables it to function as a command platform and undertake mandated Coast Guard charter of duties, including search and rescue, combating maritime crimes, and preserving and protecting the marine environment.
• It will be based at Porbandar, Gujrat, and operate on India’s western seaboard under the operational and administrative control of the commander, Coast Guard Region.

Global Declaration on Non communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health:

World leaders at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a historic global political declaration that jointly addresses non communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health for the first time.

• The Global Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health is a political declaration adopted by UN Member States to accelerate prevention, control and care of NCDs and mental health conditions through an integrated approach.
• It represents the first UN declaration to treat NCDs and mental health together, recognising their shared risk factors and societal impact.
• Published by United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
• Adopted during the Fourth UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (2025)
• Targets to be achieved by 2030:
  • The declaration introduces first-ever global “fast-track” outcome targets:
    • 150 million fewer tobacco users
    • 150 million more people with hypertension under control
    • 150 million more people with access to mental health care

Annatto:

As informed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the CSIR–Central Food Technological Research Institute (CSIR–CFTRI), Mysuru had undertaken four Grant-in-Aid projects related to the study and development of annatto.

• It is a natural food colouring and flavoring agent obtained from the seeds of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana), native to the tropical regions of the Americas.
• About 70% of natural food colors come from annatto.
• It adds a yellow-orange color to foods like cheese, butter, yogurt, sausage, smoked fish, ice cream, and baked goods.
• The bold color comes from carotenoids, which are plant pigments that are found in the coating of the seed.
• It is most often ground up into a powder or paste form for use.
• Its color can also be extracted from the seed and then added to foods as a dye.
• Some also use annatto to boost the flavor of certain dishes.
• It has a mild, peppery flavor when used in large amounts as well as a nutty and floral scent.
• It is safe for most people when used in normal food amounts. However, it might cause allergic reactions in some sensitive people.
• It has been linked to various benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved eye and heart health, and anticancer properties.
• It is rich in several key antimicrobial compounds, which can limit the growth of bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
• It is rich in antioxidants, or compounds that help neutralize the effects of harmful free radicals that can build up and cause damage to cells.
• It is high in tocotrienol, a form of vitamin E that some studies show could help with keeping bones strong and healthy.
• Annatto seeds are sometimes also ground up and applied topically to help enhance the health of your skin.

Carbon-based Filter for PFAS Removal from Groundwater:

A recent field-based study demonstrates that a specially engineered carbon material can be injected underground to trap and remove PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) from contaminated groundwater, offering a cost-effective, long-term remediation solution for polluted sites

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are a large family of synthetic chemicals, widely known as “Forever Chemicals” due to their extreme environmental persistence.
• PFAS are extensively used in non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothing, food packaging, cosmetics, firefighting foams, metal coatings, and industrial lubricants.
• The carbon–fluorine (C–F) bond, one of the strongest covalent bonds in chemistry, makes PFAS highly resistant to degradation, leading to widespread groundwater contamination, especially near military, industrial, and municipal sites.
• Carbon-Based PFAS Remediation is a novel in-situ groundwater treatment approach, the field study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
• The study evaluated a specially engineered ultra-fine carbon material, known as Colloidal Carbon Product (CCP), designed to adsorb and immobilise PFAS in groundwater.
• The technology uses a “push–pull” testing method, where CCP is injected underground to form an in-situ permeable treatment zone, and groundwater is later extracted to measure PFAS reduction.
• Unlike surface treatment methods, this approach is non-invasive, subsurface-based, and suitable for long-term remediation.

Bhasha Matters: The State of the Education Report for India 2025

UNESCO released its flagship report “Bhasha Matters: The State of the Education Report for India 2025”, strongly advocating mother-tongue based instruction in India.

• The report calls for a national mission on Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) to improve equity, learning outcomes and linguistic inclusion.

Key recommendations of UNESCO (India Education Report 2025):

• Establish a coordinated national framework with strong Centre–State institutional alignment.
• Operationalise clear MTB-MLE policies adapted to local linguistic realities.
• Recruit and train teachers with multilingual competence; reform pre-service and in-service teacher education.
• Design flexible language pathways responsive to students’ linguistic backgrounds.
• Institutionalise community participation and local knowledge systems in schooling.
• Develop quality textbooks, assessments and resources in multiple languages across grades.
• Embed MTB-MLE across middle, secondary and alternative schooling with gender sensitivity.
• Use digital platforms to support multilingual teaching, learning and teacher mentoring.
• Invest in translation tools, speech technologies and AI while bridging the digital divide.
• Ensure equitable funding for multilingual education and language-responsive technologies.

Altermagnetism in RuO₂:

The Japanese researchers have experimentally confirmed ruthenium dioxide as an altermagnet, a third fundamental magnetic class distinct from ferromagnets and antiferromagnets.

• Altermagnetism is recognised as the third fundamental class of magnetism, distinct from ferromagnetism and antiferromagnetism.
• In altermagnetic materials, magnetic moments alternate, but their arrangement follows complex symmetry operations such as rotation and reflection, rather than simple up–down cancellation.
• This leads to a net-zero external magnetic field, similar to antiferromagnets, but with internal electronic spin splitting comparable to ferromagnets.
• Ruthenium dioxide (RuO₂) thin films have been experimentally demonstrated to exhibit true altermagnetism, resolving long-standing global inconsistencies.
• The discovery was made by a joint research team from National Institute for Materials Science (Japan), University of Tokyo, Kyoto Institute of Technology, and Tohoku University, and published in Nature Communications.
• The team fabricated single-orientation (single-variant) RuO₂ thin films on sapphire substrates, ensuring uniform crystallographic orientation, which was crucial for conclusive verification.
• Using X-ray Magnetic Linear Dichroism (XMLD), researchers confirmed spin arrangements where net magnetisation cancels (no N–S poles).
• The study also observed spin-split magnetoresistance, electrically verifying the spin-splitting electronic structure, a key signature of altermagnetism.
• The experimental results were found to be consistent with first-principles calculations of magneto-crystalline anisotropy, strengthening theoretical validation.

Exercise “Desert Cyclone II”:

The Ministry of Defence informed that an Indian Army contingent has departed for the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to participate in the second edition of the Joint Military Exercise Desert Cyclone II, scheduled to be conducted at Abu Dhabi from 18–30 December 2025.

• Desert Cyclone II is the second edition of the India–U.A.E. Joint Military Exercise, following the inaugural edition held in 2024.
• The Indian contingent comprises personnel primarily drawn from a Mechanised Infantry Regiment battalion of the Indian Army.
• The A.E. Land Forces are represented by a contingent of similar strength from the Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
• The core objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability and strengthen defence cooperation between the Indian Army and the U.A.E. Land Forces.
• The exercise focuses on sub-conventional operations in urban environments under a United Nations mandate, preparing forces for peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and stability operations.
• Joint training includes fighting in built-up areas, heliborne operations, and detailed joint mission planning.
• A key feature is the integration of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and counter-UAS techniques for conducting urban military operations.
• The conduct of Desert Cyclone II reflects deepening military diplomacy, shared strategic interests, and growing operational synergy between India and the U.A.E.

INS Hansa: In News

The Indian Navy commissioned its second MH-60R helicopter squadron, INAS 335, also known as the ‘Ospreys’, at INS Hansa, Vasco da Gama, Goa.

• INS Hansa is an Indian Naval Air Station located near Dabolim, Goa.
• It is the largest naval airbase in India and houses some of the Indian Navy’s premier air squadrons.
• The base includes a civil enclave, which functions as Dabolim Airport, handling domestic and international flights round-the-clock.
• The station was originally commissioned on at Sulur near Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, and was initially co-located with the Indian Air Force’s Sulur Air Force Station.
• Following the liberation of Goa, the Navy took over Dabolim airfield in 1962, and INS Hansa was relocated to Dabolim in 1964.
• INS Hansa has earlier witnessed key capability additions, including the commissioning of the second P-8I maritime patrol aircraft squadron in 2022, strengthening shore-based fixed-wing naval operations.
• The Navy is also progressing the acquisition of 15 MQ-9B Sea Guardian remotely piloted aircraft, which will enable persistent maritime surveillance and enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).
• Although formally commissioned at Goa, the MH-60R helicopters have already demonstrated operational effectiveness in Operation Sindoor, TROPEX-25, and the Tri-Services Exercise 2025.

Viksit Bharat- Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025:

The Ministry of Rural Development introduced the Viksit Bharat- Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha as an upgrade to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 (MGNREGA).The proposed law marks a fundamental shift from a rights-based, demand-driven rural employment scheme to a budget-capped, supply-driven framework aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.Rural poverty has declined sharply from 25.7% in 2011–12 to nearly 5% in 2023–24, reducing the need for MGNREGA as a pure distress-relief programme and warranting a shift towards productivity-linked employment.

Raj Kumar Goyal as Chief Information Commissioner:

The President appointed Raj Kumar Goyal as Chief Information Commissioner and 8 new Information Commissioners, thereby fully constituting the Central Information Commission (CIC) for the first time in 9 years. Central Information Commission (CIC) is a statutory body constituted under provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005 and functions as a quasi-judicial body to handle complaints and appeals regarding information access.Comprises one Chief Information Commissioner and up to 10 Information Commissioners (ICs). Appointed by the President of India on recommendation of a committee consisting of:

• Prime Minister (Chairperson)
• Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha
• Union Cabinet Minister (currently Home Minister) nominated by the Prime Minister.

Google’s Project Suncatcher:

Google has announced Project Suncatcher, a long-term research initiative to test solar-powered data centres in space, with the first experimental launches planned for 2027.The project aims to test solar-powered data centres in space by deploying small computing racks on satellites, with Google planning to launch two prototype satellites by early 2027 as part of a learning mission in partnership with Planet Labs, an Earth imaging company.
It will rely on Tensor Processing Units (TPUs), Google’s patented custom chips designed for high-volume, low-precision Artificial Intelligence (AI) processing, and use laser-based optical links to interconnect satellites into a constellation capable of data centre–level computation. Satellites will use continuous solar radiation to power computing systems, reducing dependence on Earth-based electricity.

Diving Support Craft A20:

The Indian Navy commissioned the first indigenous Diving Support Craft (DSC), DSC A20, at Naval Base Kochi (Southern Naval Command), marking a significant enhancement of its underwater operational capabilities.A Diving Support Craft (DSC) is a specialised vessel designed to facilitate underwater diving operations, primarily in coastal and harbour environments.The craft is equipped with advanced diving gear for critical missions like underwater repairs, harbour clearance, inspections, and diving operations in coastal waters.The vessel is designed as per the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) classification rules, ensuring safety and performance standards.It is a catamaran-hull ship with a displacement of approximately 390 tonnes, optimized for stability and underwater operations.It significantly augments the Navy’s operational flexibility and self-sufficiency in conducting vital underwater and salvage missions.The project aligns with the national Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, aiming to reduce dependency on defence imports and build domestic industrial expertise.

Supreme Court Guidelines on Dowry-Related Violence:

In State of Uttar Pradesh vs Ajmal Beg (2025), the Supreme Court set aside an acquittal in a dowry death case and issued comprehensive guidelines to strengthen enforcement against dowry-related violence and deaths.The Supreme Court delivered a landmark ruling addressing the social, constitutional and criminal dimensions of dowry-related violence. It emphasised that dowry, even when disguised as “gifts”, violates women’s dignity, equality and right to life.The Court set aside the Allahabad High Court’s acquittal and restored trial court convictions under Sections 304B & 498A IPC, read with Section 113B, Indian Evidence Act.Dowry has evolved from voluntary gifts to a coercive, institutionalised system linked to hypergamy and patriarchy.The practice cuts across communities; even Islamic mehr has been diluted by parallel dowry demands. Dowry violates Articles 14, 15 and 21, making its eradication a constitutional imperative.

India’s BRICS presidency 2026:

Brazil has formally handed over the BRICS (18th) presidency to India for 2026, amid global trade frictions and geopolitical tensions.India will serve as the rotating (pro tempore) Chair of BRICS in 2026. As Chair, India will set priorities, convene meetings, and host the annual summit for the year.
Established in Political dialogue began with the BRIC Foreign Ministers’ meeting in 2006 (UNGA sidelines).The first summit of heads of state/government took place in 2009 (Yekaterinburg).South Africa joined in 2011, turning BRIC into BRICS.No permanent HQ and it works as an informal coordination platform with a rotating presidency.The New Development Bank (NDB) is headquartered in Shanghai, China.Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia.