Daily Current Affairs and GK | 6 December 2025

Topic: Banking/Finance

1. On 5 December 2025, RBI lowered the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25 percent (new repo rate).

• RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra informed the decision after Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held from December 3 to 5.
• The committee unanimously decided to cut the rate with immediate effect.
• The rate cut comes after GDP growth of 8.2% in the second quarter of the current financial year.
• India's retail inflation levels stood at record-low of 0.25 percent in October 2025.
• In the previous monetary policy review on October 1, MPC decided to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.5 percent.
• The MPC meetings were held between September 29 and October 1.
• The rate cut would increase liquidity and support continued economic momentum.

Topic: State News/ Gujarat

2. Union Home Minister Amit Shah started a three-day visit to Gujarat on 5 December 2025.

• He will attend programmes in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Vav Tharad, and Banaskantha.
• He is expected to inaugurate several key infrastructure projects.
• He is also expected to inaugurate public amenity projects under the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
• Mr Shah's day will start with the inauguration of Swadeshotsav.
• Swadeshotsav is a event organized by Swadeshi Jagaran Manch at GMDC Ground in Ahmedabad.
• After this event, Union Home Minister will address NABARD-IAMAI Earth Summit 2025-26.
• This summit is being organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) & Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
• This is a two-day summit focused on theme of ‘Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change’.
• The Summit also highlights the role of cooperative societies in rural growth of India.
• In Gandhinagar, he will dedicate a newly constructed Railway Overbridge and an Underbridge Sports Complex.
• He will inaugurate a Primary Health Centre and other public welfare projects in his Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
• He will attend the closing ceremony of the Sansad Sports Festival. This will be followed by inauguration of Ahmedabad Shopping Festival.
• He will also release the Gujarati edition of “Challenges Inspire Me”. This is a book on Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel.

Topic: Banking/Finance

3. India’s GDP growth forecast raised to 7.3% by RBI.

• The GDP growth forecast for India was raised to 7.3% for 2025-26 by the Reserve Bank of India, up from the earlier 6.8%.
• The revision was attributed to strong agricultural prospects, GST rate cuts, low inflation, and healthy corporate and banking balance sheets.
• RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said that the economy experienced a rare “Goldilocks period” due to Q2 growth of 8.2% and inflation at 1.7%.
• Domestic factors such as benign inflation, continued GST rationalisation, and conducive monetary conditions are expected to support sustained growth.
• Services exports are likely to remain robust, while merchandise exports face certain headwinds.
• Real GDP growth projections for Q3 and Q4 of 2025-26 were set at 7.0% and 6.5%, respectively, while Q1 and Q2 of 2026-27 are projected at 6.7% and 6.8%.
• The first half of 2025-26 benefited from income tax and GST rationalisation, softer crude oil prices, government capital expenditure, and healthy domestic demand.
• High-frequency indicators suggest that domestic economic activity is holding up in Q3, supported by festival spending, GST benefits, and steady rural and recovering urban demand.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. Passport verification records made available on DigiLocker for citizen convenience.

• Passport Verification Records (PVR) were enabled on DigiLocker by the National e-Governance Division in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs.
• DigiLocker, a cloud-based platform under Digital India, allows citizens to store, access, share, and digitally verify documents.
• This integration was introduced to reduce reliance on physical records and promote paperless governance.
• Verified PVRs can now be accessed in the “Issued Documents” section of a citizen’s DigiLocker account.
• Citizens will be able to digitally share their PVR with authorised requesters, ensuring consent-based verification.
• The initiative is expected to simplify processes in travel, employment, and compliance, while saving time and reducing paperwork.
• PVRs issued digitally are tamper-proof, authentic, and secure in line with DigiLocker architecture.
• Both web portal and mobile application access will enable anytime convenience for citizens.
• The initiative supports environmentally responsible governance by promoting paperless workflows.
• MEA and NeGD collaboration reinforces a citizen-first approach, strengthening trust and transparency in government services.

Topic: Miscellaneous

5. The foundation stone of Australia's Victoria University India Campus laid in Gurugram.

• On 5 December, Victoria University (VU) laid the foundation for its first India campus in Gurugram, Haryana.
• Once operational, it will be India’s first international campus to offer education through VU’s Block Model.
• VU was among the first Australian universities to receive approval under India’s National Education Policy (NEP), and the campus is expected to open by mid-2026.
• Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in business, IT, and research will be offered at the new campus.
• The campus is designed to provide affordable Australian education to Indian students, reducing the need for overseas travel.
• A traditional lamp lighting ceremony, mango tree planting, and foundation laying were conducted with officials from India and Australia present.
• Federal Assistant Minister Julian Hill highlighted that the campus will connect Indian students with VU’s innovative teaching and learning approaches.
• VU Chancellor Steve Bracks stated that the campus will open doors to opportunity and provide global education access at lower costs.
• The initiative aims to deliver inclusive, industry-connected, and future-oriented education pathways.

Topic: Banking/Finance

6. Single Window Access introduced by SEBI for low-risk foreign investors.

• Markets regulator SEBI introduced a single-window framework, Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors (SWAGAT-FI), for low-risk foreign investors in the Indian securities market.
• The system will simplify registration, compliance, and documentation for identified low-risk investors.
• SWAGAT-FI applies to government funds, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, multilateral entities, regulated insurance companies, and pension funds.
• The framework was notified on December 1 for FPIs and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) and will come into force from June 1, 2026.
• SWAGAT-FIs applying for registration can also register under FVCI without additional documentation.
• Registration under both FPI and FVCI regulations will enable investments in listed equities, debt securities, and unlisted companies in specified sectors.
• The periodicity for continuance of registration, including KYC and fees, was increased from 3–5 years to 10 years.
• Retail schemes in IFSCs with Indian sponsors will now be allowed to register as FPIs to ease operations.
• Sponsor contribution limits were amended to 10% of fund corpus to align with IFSCA regulations and avoid non-compliance risks.
• As of June 30, 2025, India had 11,913 registered FPIs with Rs 80.83 lakh crore assets, and SWAGAT-FIs are estimated to hold over 70% of these assets.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. Sixteen agreements have been exchanged between India and Russia across defence, trade, economy, healthcare, academics, culture and media.

• PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit in New Delhi.
• Modi emphasised that global unity is the strongest response to extremist violence.
• Both countries are working to quickly finalize the Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
• India will soon launch a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day Group Tourist Visa for Russian citizens.
• Russia agreed to adopt the Framework Agreement to join the International Big Cat Alliance.
• PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir and in Russia at the Crocus City Hall.
• Both sides agreed to accelerate FTA negotiations.
• PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin also co-chaired the India-Russia Business Forum.

Topic: Personality in News

8. India observed the 70th Mahaparinirvan Diwas or death anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar on 6 December 2025.

• Dr. Ambedkar Foundation under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment every year observes the Mahaparinirvan Diwas.
• This day marks seventy years since his passing.
• Dr. Ambedkar is remembered as the chief architect of the Constitution.
• The tribute recognizes Ambedkar as a reformer, jurist and political leader.
• National leaders offered floral tributes at Prerna Sthal in the Parliament complex.
• Ambedkar’s ideas on justice, equality and democracy continue to guide the nation.
• The government’s motto of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas” echoes his philosophy.
• Dr B R Ambedkar served as chairman of drafting committee of the Indian Constitution.
• He also served as Minister of Law and Justice from 1947-1951. He was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna in 1990.
• Chaitya Bhoomi is the cremation place of Dr B R Ambedkar. He died on 6 December 1956.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

9. EARTH Summit 2025 in Gandhinagar inaugurated by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

• He also launched over thirteen new services under the Sahakar Sarathi initiative.
• The new launches include Digi KCC and Campaign Sarathi.
• They also include Website Sarathi and the Cooperative Governance Index, ePACS, the World’s Largest Grain Storage Application, Shiksha Sarathi and Sarathi Technology Forum.
• This second edition is part of a series of three EARTH Summits.
• EARTH Summits aim at strengthening the rural economy and finding result-oriented solutions for rural development.
• He stated that issues related to four key rural ministries will be addressed through deliberations held across the summits.
• A final policy framework will be drafted at the third summit in Delhi in 2026.
• A plan has been formed to set up a cooperative institution in every Panchayat.
• The government intends to raise cooperative membership to over fifty crore people.
• He announced the launch of the Sahakar Taxi service. Over fifty-one thousand drivers enrolled during its trial phase.
• Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said the goal is to create the India’s largest cooperative taxi enterprise.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Union Minister of Communications & Development of North East Region Jyotiraditya M Scindia virtually inaugurated several projects in the Northeast.

• He virtually inaugurated five completed projects in the Northeast. He also laid the foundation stone of 11 projects.
• The total value of these projects is over ₹645 crore. These initiatives come under the Ministry of DoNER.
• Two of the five completed projects is Chendang Saddle–Kohima Road (Phase-II, 12.57 km) and AT Road Upgrade, Tssurang to Impur (26.335 km, 3 bridges).
• Ten new projects include Multispeciality Hospital (Chümoukedima), 50-Bed Hospital (Peren HQ), Nagaland Innovation Hub and Khonomo–NH-29 Road via Dzudza River.
• Scindia said the Centre is working with Chief Ministers of the Northeastern states to advance the “Ashtalaxmi” vision.
• He noted that eight high-level task forces have been created for this purpose.
• Each task force is chaired by a Chief Minister. Each task force has a specific developmental responsibility.
• Scindia said the government will execute all recommendations made by these task forces.