Daily GK Update- 9th Jan, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. IBBI Chairperson Ravi Mittal Launches IICA PGIP Programme Website: IBBI Chairperson Shri Ravi Mittal launched the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) PGIP programme website while presiding as Chief Guest at an event on the IICA campus.He encouraged students interested in research to apply for the upcoming IBBI research programme, offering selected candidates an opportunity to work with IBBI.The newly launched website will serve as a digital platform to connect PGIP alumni with current students, promoting interaction, knowledge sharing, problem-solving, and industry exposure through alumni engagement.

 

2. Dharmendra Pradhan Releases 55 Literary Works in Classical Indian Languages: Union Minister for Education Shri Dharmendra Pradhan released 55 literary works in classical Indian languages at an event held in New Delhi.The releases include 41 books prepared by the Centres of Excellence for Classical Languages under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL).Additionally, 13 books and a Tirukkural Sign Language series were brought out by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT), covering Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, and Tamil.

The initiative aims to promote India’s linguistic heritage, strengthen classical language research, and foster cultural pride by integrating traditional knowledge into education.

 

3. NITI Aayog Unveils Fifth Edition of Trade Watch Quarterly: NITI Aayog released the fifth edition of its flagship publication Trade Watch Quarterly, presenting a data-driven assessment of India’s trade performance in Q1 FY 2025–26 (April–June 2025), with a special focus on automotive exports.The report was unveiled in New Delhi on January 6 by Dr. Arvind Virmani, Member, NITI Aayog, and highlights structural shifts in India’s trade, including rising technology-intensive exports and resilient services-led growth.A key thematic section analyses India’s automotive exports, noting strong performance in auto components and select vehicle segments such as motorcycles and tractors, while identifying a large untapped global market worth about USD 2.2 trillion.The publication outlines policy priorities to enhance export competitiveness, including improving quality standards, adopting advanced technologies, strengthening logistics, diversifying markets, and deepening integration into global automotive value chains.

 

4. Siddaramaiah Becomes Longest-Serving Chief Minister of Karnatak: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah created history by becoming the longest-serving Chief Minister of Karnataka, surpassing the record of late Devaraj Urs, a key figure in the state’s social justice and land reform movement.On January 6, during his second term, the 77-year-old leader equalled Urs’ total tenure of 2,792 days in office, combining service across two terms.Siddaramaiah is also the only Chief Minister after Devaraj Urs to complete a full five-year term, having served 1,829 days in his first tenure (2013–2018) and 963 days in his current term since May 2023.

 

5. India’s GDP Projected to Grow 6.9% in FY 2026-27: Ind-Ra: This projected growth is lower than the estimated 7.4% GDP growth for the Financial Year 2025-26.This projected growth is lower than the estimated 7.4% GDP growth for the Financial Year 2025-26.

 

6. Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque Sworn in as 24th Chief Justice of Sikkim High Court: Justice A. Muhamed Mustaque was sworn in as the 24th Chief Justice of the High Court of Sikkim at Ashirwad Hall, Lok Bhawan, with Governor Om Prakash Mathur administering the oath of office.

He succeeds Justice Biswanath Somadder, who recently retired from the post of Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India Launches e-B-4 Visa for Chinese Business Professionals to Boost Industrial and Investment Activities: India has introduced the e-Production Investment Business Visa (e-B-4 Visa) for Chinese business professionals, allowing travel to India for specified industrial and commercial activities as part of measures to stabilise and reset bilateral ties.The e-B-4 Visa, effective from January 1, can be applied for entirely online, permits a stay of up to six months, and is designed to facilitate production-linked and investment-related business operations.Permitted activities under the visa include equipment installation, quality checks, IT system ramp-up, workforce training, supply chain development, plant commissioning, and visits by senior management, with applications processed via the Bureau of Immigration portal for individuals and the NSWS portal for Indian companies.

 

2. World Hindi Day: How a People’s Language Became a Global Voice: Languages do more than facilitate conversation — they preserve memory, carry cultural struggles, and articulate a civilisation’s aspirations. Hindi, today among the world’s most widely spoken languages, is not the product of a single historical moment but the outcome of centuries of cultural exchange, resistance, and renewal. Observed every year on January 10, World Hindi Day commemorates this long journey and marks the First World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975, when Hindi was formally projected as a global language. The origins of Hindi lie in “Sanskrit”, the classical language of ancient India. Over time, Sanskrit interacted with Prakrit and Apabhramsha, gradually giving rise to regional dialects spoken by ordinary people. These vernacular forms, shaped by local cultures and daily use, eventually coalesced into what we recognise today as modern Hindi.Crucially, Hindi did not evolve as a language imposed from royal courts. Its growth was organic — rooted in everyday speech, open to external influences, and continuously adapting to social change.

 

3. Two geographies, one moral mechanism: Violence rarely arrives announcing its true name. It comes disguised as duty, wrapped in law, sanctified by faith, draped in the language of nation and necessity. Before it spills blood, it demands something subtler and more dangerous: moral consent. Only after that inner permission is secured does destruction become acceptable, even virtuous..The actor here is not a state or a mob in isolation, but something far more intimate and portable — the human ego. Long before violence hardens into policy, scripture, or slogans, it germinates in the small, sticky centre called “I”.In early January 2026, Venezuela woke to the grammar of force. Explosions around Caracas, helicopters over secured compounds, and soon after, Nicolás Maduro was no longer in his capital but in American custody, on his way to face charges in New York. Washington called it law executed with resolve. Caracas called it a violation of sovereignty. Flags argued, press releases clashed, and ordinary people swept broken glass and counted bodies. That same week in Bangladesh, a Hindu shopkeeper closed his pharmacy on New Year’s Eve and walked home. He never arrived. Stopped on the road, he was stabbed, beaten, drenched in petrol and set on fire. To survive, he jumped into a pond. He died later. Around the same time, a garment worker was beaten and burned alive over an alleged act of blasphemy that police reportedly found no evidence for. Minority groups say more than 2,400 incidents of violence against minorities have occurred since August 2024.

 

4. Why the US Exit from UN Climate Bodies Could Reshape Global Climate Action: The United States has announced its withdrawal from the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and more than 60 international treaties and organisations, including key climate bodies such as the IPCC, International Solar Alliance, and IRENA. Coming a year after President Donald Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement, this marks a near-total disengagement of the US from the global climate governance architecture — raising questions about the future effectiveness of multilateral climate action. The US decision covers the “UN Framework Convention on Climate Change”, the foundational 1992 treaty that underpins all global climate negotiations. It also includes exit from major scientific and policy platforms such as the “Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change”, the “International Solar Alliance”, and the “International Renewable Energy Agency”.This comes on top of the US withdrawal from the “Paris Agreement”, which will formally take effect on January 20 after the mandatory one-year notice period. Over the past year, the Trump administration has also cut funding and staffing across US climate research agencies, weakening global data collection and monitoring systems.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Uttarakhand Police Tops ICJS 2.0 Rankings, SDRF Lauded for Mahakumbh Role: The Uttarakhand Police has achieved a major milestone by securing first position in the national ICJS 2.0 rankings, reinforcing its leadership in digital policing and criminal justice reforms. At the same time, the Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force has earned national recognition for its exemplary service during Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025. Inspector General of Police Sunil Kumar Meena said Uttarakhand topped the Inter-Operable Criminal Justice System (ICJS) 2.0 rankings as per the latest CCTNS/ICJS Progress Dashboard released by the National Crime Records Bureau. With a score of 93.46, Uttarakhand ranked first nationally, ahead of Haryana and Assam. The achievement reflects rapid adoption of digital platforms, strong inter-departmental coordination, and effective implementation across districts. The Ministry of Home Affairs has set a target to fully operationalise ICJS 2.0 by 2026, integrating police, courts, prosecution, prisons, forensics, and fingerprint databases into a unified digital ecosystem. IG Meena noted that Uttarakhand has completed integration of most ICJS modules ahead of schedule. The system now enables seamless digital handling of case diaries, charge sheets, electronic evidence, and judicial processes, guided by the “One Data, One Entry” principle.

 

2. Oreshnik Missile Escalates Russia-Ukraine Conflict: The Russia-Ukraine war witnessed a sharp escalation after Moscow confirmed the use of its advanced Oreshnik ballistic missile in an overnight strike on Ukraine. The attack, carried out just weeks before the conflict approaches its fourth anniversary, has raised serious concerns about European security and the evolving nature of Russia’s military posture.On January 9, Russia announced that it had deployed the Oreshnik missile as part of a large-scale overnight assault targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure and drone manufacturing facilities. Ukrainian authorities reported multiple casualties in Kyiv, with damage to critical infrastructure. The strike followed Moscow’s claim of a Ukrainian drone attack on the residence of Russian President Vladimir Putin, an allegation rejected by Kyiv and the United States.

 

SPORTS

 

1. Steve Smith Becomes Second-Highest Run-Scorer in Ashes History, Only Behind Don Bradman: Australian batter Steve Smith became the second-highest run-scorer in Ashes history on January 6, 2026, surpassing England’s Jack Hobbs during Day 2 of the fifth Test at Sydney Cricket Ground.Smith has scored 3644 runs in 41 matches and 73 innings at an average of 56.93, including 13 centuries and 15 half-centuries, placing him only behind Australian legend Don Bradman, who scored 5028 runs.Steve Smith notched his 37th Test century and 13th Ashes century, surpassing Jack Hobbs’ record of 12 Ashes hundreds; only Don Bradman’s 19 Ashes centuries remain ahead.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Ministry of I&B’s WaveX Signs MoU with FITT-IIT Delhi to Boost Innovation in Broadcasting and Entertainment: WaveX, the startup accelerator initiative of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, signed an MoU with the Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer (FITT), IIT Delhi, to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in media, entertainment, broadcasting, and communication technologies.Under the collaboration, FITT, IIT Delhi will support the implementation and expansion of the WaveX Programme by helping establish and strengthen incubation centres across the country.FITT will provide strategic and operational guidance, technical expertise, research facilities, mentorship, intellectual property (IP) support, and capacity-building for startups and incubation managers.

 

2. CSIR-NIScPR, IIT Indore and IIT Jodhpur Organise Third Technical Hindi Symposium “Abhyuday-3”: CSIR–NIScPR, IIT Indore, and IIT Jodhpur jointly organised the third Technical Hindi Symposium “Abhyuday-3” at IIT Indore, which concluded as a two-day academic event.The symposium aimed to promote the use of Technical Hindi and enhance the outreach of science and technology to wider sections of society through effective communication.The programme featured invited lectures on science, engineering, digital technologies, and innovation, along with paper presentation sessions where 25 participants presented their research in Hindi.

 

3. NASA Brings Astronauts Home Early Over Medical Concern: In an unprecedented decision, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the early return of four astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a serious medical concern affecting one crew member. The move marks the first such instance in the ISS’s 25-year history of continuous human presence and underscores NASA’s priority on astronaut health and safety. The four-member Crew-11 mission was launched to the ISS in August last year aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. The astronauts were scheduled for a six-month stay in orbit. However, NASA has now decided to bring the entire crew back nearly a month earlier than planned. Officials clarified that the affected astronaut is currently stable and that the return does not constitute an emergency evacuation. Crew-11 comprises NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. Following their return, one American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts will remain aboard the ISS. This arrangement ensures the station retains the minimum crew required to maintain safety, conduct essential operations, and manage critical systems.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. CCI Approves Nippon Steel Corporation’s Acquisition of Krosaki Harima Corporation: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of Krosaki Harima Corporation by Nippon Steel Corporation, Japan.Under the proposed combination, Nippon Steel will acquire 53.4% additional stake in Krosaki through a tender offer and potential squeeze-out, increasing its total shareholding to 100%.Krosaki, a publicly listed Japanese company, operates in India through affiliates, manufacturing and selling refractory products serving industries like iron & steel, lime, aluminium, power, cement, and copper.Nippon Steel, also Japan-based, is engaged in India in manufacturing tubes and pipes, processing automotive cold-rolled steel sheets, crankshafts, auto-parts, and importing and selling various steel products.

 

2. SBI Promotes India-Israel Trade in Rupees as FTA Talks Gain Momentum: SBI, the only Indian bank in Israel, is promoting bilateral trade between India and Israel in Indian rupees (INR) as Free Trade Agreement (FTA) discussions gain momentum.Israeli entities can now make and receive payments in INR through SBI’s Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA) for exports/imports of goods and services.SBI Tel Aviv has organised meetings and webinars with the Israel-India Chamber of Commerce and engaged major Israeli defence entities to facilitate rupee trade and strengthen economic ties.The branch also supports over 40,000 Indian workers in Israel by facilitating remittances to India and opening NRI accounts, while providing trade finance, bank guarantees, and corporate banking services.

 

3. First Meeting of Payments Regulatory Board Held Under RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra: The first meeting of the Payments Regulatory Board (PRB) was held in Mumbai under the chairmanship of RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.The PRB was constituted following amendments to the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, which came into effect on 9 May last year.The meeting reviewed the functioning of the Department of Payment and Settlement Systems and discussed key issues related to domestic and global payment systems, including the draft Payments Vision 2028 and findings of the RBI’s Digital Payments Survey.

 

4. EXIM Bank Raises $1 Billion Through Dual-Tranche U.S. Dollar Bonds in First 2026 Debt Issue: The Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) accepted bids worth $1 billion for its dual-tranche, longer-duration U.S. dollar-denominated bonds, marking India’s first such debt issue of 2026.The bank raised $500 million through 10-year bonds at a 5.00% yield, representing a spread of 85 basis points over the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield.Another $500 million was raised through 30-year bonds at a 5.75% yield, with a spread of 95 basis points over the comparable U.S. Treasury yield.