Daily Current Affairs and GK | 30 December 2025

Topic: International News

1. 100% Australian tariff lines will be zero-duty for Indian exports from 1st January 2026.

• Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal made this announcement and said that this will bring new opportunities for labour-intensive sectors.
• Indian exports will face zero import duty on all Australian tariff lines from January 1.
• He talked about benefits of India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement on its third anniversary.
• He said the agreement has led to sustained export growth, deeper market access, and stronger supply-chain resilience during the past three years.
• He said that India's exports to Australia increased by eight per cent in 2024-25.
• He highlighted that the agreement is benefiting Indian exporters, MSMEs, farmers, and workers. 
• He said gains were seen across manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, and the gems and jewellery sector.
• He also said that Gems and Jewellery exports increased 16 between April and November 2025.
• India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement was signed on April 2, 2022.
• A tariff line refers to a specific product classification in customs schedule of a country.
• It is identified by a unique code used to apply duties and taxes for international trade.
• India-Australia diplomatic relations:
  • India and Australia established diplomatic relations with setting up of India Trade Office in Sydney in 1941.
  • Bilateral relationship between India and Australia was upgraded from ‘Strategic Partnership’ in 2009 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in 2020.
  • 1st India-Australia Annual Summit was held in New Delhi on 10 March 2023.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

2. Centenary celebrations of the Ol Chiki script of the Santhali Language attended by President Murmu at  Dishom Jaherthan in the Karandih area of Jamshedpur, Jharkhand.

• President Murmu also performed traditional worship at Jaherthan during the programme.
• The President also garlanded the statue of Pandit Raghunath Murmu, considered the father of Ol Chiki script.
• The President spoke at the 22nd Parsi Maha Santhali Sammelan in her mother language Santhali.
• The President said she would welcome the development of translation tools and AI applications in Ol Chiki script.
• During the event, President sang the Jaher Aayo Nehor song in the Santhali language on this occasion.
• Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangawar appreciated efforts to promote the Santhali language.
• Chief Minister Hemant Soren also praised the work of the All India Santhali Writers Association.
• Ol Chiki is the official script for the Santhali language. It was developed by Pandit Raghunath Murmu in 1925.
• Santhali language is an Austroasiatic language recognized as an official language in India.