🏛️ National Affairs & Governance
• PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics in New Delhi, showcasing rare Buddhist relics linked to Bhagwan Buddha.
• Delhi PWD made QR codes mandatory on all new road signages (from 1 Jan 2026) to improve transparency, accountability, and quality monitoring.
• Small Savings Scheme (SSS) interest rates were kept unchanged for Q4 FY26 (Jan–Mar 2026) by the DEA, Ministry of Finance .
• States & UTs are expected to borrow around ₹5 lakh crore in Q4 FY26 , higher than Q4 FY25 borrowings.
• Surat (Gujarat) is nearing the status of India’s first slum-free city due to large-scale slum redevelopment initiatives.
• Goa Government announced the creation of a third district , carved out of South Goa, to improve governance outreach.
• MoSPI unveiled a new official logo and mascot to modernise its institutional identity.
• India crossed 100 crore broadband subscribers in November 2025 , highlighting rapid digital penetration.
💰 Economy, Finance & Regulation
• SEBI strengthened capital, compliance, governance, certification and operational norms for Merchant Bankers , effective 3 January 2026 .
• Ashika Group received SEBI in-principle approval to sponsor Ashika Mutual Fund , enabling AMC formation.
• SEBI mandated NISM certification for Compliance Officers of AIF Managers , effective 1 January 2027 .
• Raajmarg Infra Investment Trust (RIIT) received AAA (Stable) rating from CARE Ratings for long-term bank facilities.
• Sagarmala Finance Corporation Ltd (SMFCL) , India’s first maritime NBFC, began lending operations and sanctioned ₹4,300 crore .
• Revised tax framework for sin goods (tobacco, pan masala, gutkha, cigarettes) notified by MoF , effective 1 Feb 2026 .
• ADB granted in-principle approval of ₹4,100 crore loan to Telangana for Phase-I Musi River Development Project .
• E-Bill System for fertiliser subsidies inaugurated by Jagat Prakash Nadda to improve transparency and efficiency.
🌍 International Affairs
• Bulgaria adopted the Euro (€) as its official currency from 1 January 2026 , replacing the Bulgarian lev.
🧑💼 Appointments & Institutions
• Lav Aggarwal appointed Director General of DGFT under Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
• Rabindra Kumar Agarwal appointed CMD of Food Corporation of India (FCI) .
• ESAF Small Finance Bank appointed Karthikeyan Manickam as its Chairman .