Daily Current Affairs- 3rd January 2026

Daily Current Affairs- 3rd January 2026

NATGRID–NPR Integration

In the News: The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the integration of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) with the National Population Register (NPR), allowing authorised law enforcement and intelligence agencies real-time access to family-level demographic data of nearly 119 crore residents, marking a significant expansion of India's intelligence and investigation architecture for counter-terrorism and criminal investigations.

Key Points:

• Integration Announcement: The Ministry of Home Affairs informed the Lok Sabha on December 9, 2025, that NATGRID has been linked with the National Population Register (NPR), which contains family-wise demographic details of approximately 119 crore (1.19 billion) Indian residents.
• NATGRID Background and Origins: The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is a secure, integrated intelligence-sharing platform designed to help law enforcement and security agencies access multiple government and private databases in real time for counter-terrorism and criminal investigations. NATGRID was conceived in 2009 in the aftermath of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks (2008) to overcome information silos among security agencies and enable faster, intelligence-led responses.
• Operational Status and Funding: NATGRID became operational in 2024 after years of development. The Cabinet Committee on Security approved the project with a total fund allocation of ₹3,400 crore (US$402 million). The initial two phases were approved in 2011 and became operational by 2014 at a cost of ₹1,200 crore, with 10 user agencies and 21 service providers connected.
• NPR Integration Details: The National Population Register is a comprehensive database containing demographic and family-wise details of residents in India, first compiled during the 2011 Census and later updated in 2015 through door-to-door enumeration. NPR is prepared under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003.
• Gandiva Advanced Analytics Tool: NATGRID employs an upgraded analytical tool called "Gandiva," which supports advanced capabilities including facial recognition, entity resolution (the process of identifying and linking records related to the same individual across multiple datasets), and multi-source data analysis.
• Organised Crime Network Database (OCND): An Organised Crime Network Database is being developed on NATGRID's IT platform to facilitate secure intelligence-sharing between the National Investigative Agency (NIA) and State Anti-Terror Squads (ATS).

US Strikes Venezuela

In the News: The United States launched "Operation Absolute Resolve"—a large-scale military strike on Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, First Lady Cilia Flores, marking an extraordinary intervention that plunged Venezuela into uncertainty and raised questions about international law, US constitutional authority, and the future of the oil-rich South American nation.

Key Points:

• Operation Absolute Resolve—The Strike: On January 3, 2026, at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time (VET), the United States Armed Forces launched a series of airstrikes on locations across northern Venezuela, particularly around the capital city of Caracas. The operation involved more than 150 aircraft launching from 20 bases across the Western Hemisphere. President Donald Trump gave final approval for the mission at 10:46 p.m. ET on Friday, January 2, 2026.

• Maduro's Capture and Detention: At 5:21 a.m. VET on January 3, 2026, Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and flown out of the country. Trump later posted a photograph on Truth Social showing Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima—the image depicted Maduro blindfolded, wearing noise-cancelling headphones, a flotation device, a gray fleece Nike Tech sweatsuit, and holding a plastic water bottle.

• US Justification and Legal Claims: The Trump administration justified the operation primarily on narcoterrorism charges. A new indictment filed in US District Court for the Southern District of New York alleges that Maduro ran "state-sponsored gangs" and facilitated drug trafficking in Venezuela. The US had announced a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest (increased from $25 million in January 2025 and originally $15 million).

• Trump's Unprecedented Declaration: At a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on January 3, 2026, President Trump stated: "We are going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition." He indicated that the US may send troops to Venezuela as part of this transition and stated that US companies would be "very strongly involved" in the Venezuelan oil industry.

Quadrilateral Security Dialogue

In the News: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), an informal strategic forum comprising the United States, Japan, India, and Australia, continues to strengthen as a key mechanism for promoting a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, with recent high-level meetings in 2025-2026 demonstrating the grouping's resilience and growing importance amid rising geopolitical tensions, particularly concerning China's assertive behavior in the region.

Key Points:

• Formation and Member Countries: The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is an informal strategic forum comprising four democratic nations: the United States of America, Japan, India, and Australia. Known formally as the "Quad" rather than the "Quadrilateral Security Dialogue" the partnership is maintained through summits, ministerial meetings, information exchanges, and military drills.
• Origins—2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami Response: The Quad's origins, also referred to as "Quad 1.0," trace back to December 26, 2004, when a devastating Indian Ocean tsunami killed approximately 228,000 people across 14 countries in the Indo-Pacific region. The United States, Japan, India, and Australia formed an ad-hoc "Tsunami Core Group" to coordinate emergency response, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief efforts
• First Official Meeting (May 2007): The Quad countries held their first official senior officials' meeting on May 25, 2007, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila, Philippines. The Prime Ministers of India, Japan, and Australia met with US Vice President Dick Cheney. The meeting focused on shared interests in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
• Revival of the Quad (2017): The Quad was resurrected in 2017, driven by shared concerns regarding China's assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region and the need to promote cooperation and stability. In November 2017, during the ASEAN Summit in Manila, officials from all four countries—Japan, India, Australia, and the US—met at the working level for the first time in 10 years. During the 2017 ASEAN Summits, all four leaders—Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull, Indian PM Narendra Modi, and US President Donald Trump (represented by VP Mike Pence)—participated in discussions that led to the Quad's renewal.
• 10th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting (July 1, 2025): The 10th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting took place in Washington DC on July 1, 2025, attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Foreign Ministers of Australia, India, and Japan. The ministers announced the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, aimed at strengthening and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals essential to clean energy transition and advanced technology manufacturing.
• Malabar Naval Exercises: The annual Malabar naval exercises serve as a key mechanism for Quad military interoperability and cooperation. The Malabar series began as a bilateral naval exercise between India and the US in 1992. Japan joined the exercises in 2015. In 2020, India, Japan, and the US invited Australia to the coordinated navy exercise, marking Australia's return to Malabar after being dropped in 2008.

RBI’s Financial Stability Report 2025 Highlights Strong Capital Buffers, Rising Risks

In the News: The Reserve Bank of India released its biannual Financial Stability Report for December 2025, affirming that India's financial system remains robust and resilient despite global uncertainties, with scheduled commercial banks maintaining strong capital buffers and asset quality reaching multi-decadal lows, while cautioning against emerging risks from unsecured retail lending, fintech expansion, stablecoins, and external vulnerabilities.

Key Points:

• Report Release and Assessment Body: The Reserve Bank of India released the December 2025 edition of its half-yearly Financial Stability Report (FSR) on Wednesday, December 31, 2025. The report reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC), which includes all major financial sector regulators in India. The FSR is a biannual publication (released in June and December) that evaluates systemic risks, banking sector resilience, and emerging threats to India's financial stability.
• Strong GDP Growth Performance: India's real GDP growth has consistently surprised on the upside in the first half of FY 2025-26, registering 7.8% in Q1 (April-June 2025) and 8.2% in Q2 (July-September 2025). Growth was primarily driven by strong private consumption and sustained public capital expenditure.
• Improved Asset Quality—Multi-Decadal Low in NPAs: The asset quality of Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) has improved significantly, with the Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPA) ratio declining to 2.1% in September 2025 (some sources cite 2.2%), marking a multi-decadal low. The Net NPA ratio stood at a record low of 0.5%, reflecting rigorous credit discipline and high provisioning. This represents a dramatic improvement from the GNPA ratio of 6.9% in September 2021 and 5.0% in September 2022.
• Strong Capital Adequacy—Robust Capital Buffers: Banks in India continue to maintain adequate capital buffers well above regulatory minimums. The Capital to Risk-Weighted Assets Ratio (CRAR) remained strong as of September 2025. Public sector banks reported a CRAR of 16%, while private sector banks stood higher at 18.1%. Strong capital adequacy ensures that banks can absorb potential shocks and continue lending even during periods of stress.
• Sectors Exposed to US Tariff Risks: The RBI analyzed sectors potentially exposed to higher US tariffs, noting that the share of banks' lending to these sectors remained steady at 12.6% as of end-September 2025, with advances to the textiles sector forming the largest share. In terms of asset quality, while the Special Mention Account (SMA) ratio in these sectors remained broadly stable, the GNPA ratio remained higher than the overall banking system average.

Hyderabad Start-ups Build Mini Satellite for ISRO’s PSLV Launch

In the News: Hyderabad-based space-tech startups, particularly TakeMe2Space and EON Space Labs, are pioneering India's private satellite development sector, with multiple mini satellites scheduled for launch on ISRO's PSLV missions in late 2025 and 2026, demonstrating the rapid growth of India's commercial space ecosystem and the city's emergence as a major hub for space technology innovation alongside established players like Skyroot Aerospace and Dhruva Space.

Key Points:

• TakeMe2Space—India's First 'Thinking' Satellite: Hyderabad-based startup TakeMe2Space, founded by software engineer Ronak Samantray, launched India's first 'thinking' satellite named MOI-TD (Mission: Orbital Infrastructure – Technology Demonstrator) on ISRO's SSLV (Small Satellite Launch Vehicle) 30^th December 2025. Just over a year old, TakeMe2Space is creating a stir in India's space tech ecosystem by introducing AI-inference capabilities that allow satellites to not just collect data but also make sense of it while in space.

• Company Background and Vision: TakeMe2Space was founded by Ronak Samantray, a software professional who started with Microsoft in Hyderabad in 2008 and co-founded NowFloats Technologies in 2011, which was later acquired by Reliance Strategic Business Ventures Limited (RSBVL) in December 2019. Samantray's vision is to "put a brain in space," democratizing satellite access which has historically been limited to those who could write scientific papers.
• Building Satellites from Scratch: TakeMe2Space's vast office space in IIIT Hyderabad thrums with activity in what is essentially an engineer's workshop. The company claims it is making building satellites as easy as putting together a Lego set, with plans to deploy a "Satellite Playground" in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) serving satellites up to 30 kg payload with a "pay per use" revenue model. Interestingly, none of the core team members comes from a space background, demonstrating the democratization of space technology.

• Previous Space Validation Success: On January 1, 2024, TakeMe2Space's prototype product called the Radiation Shielding Experimental Module (RSEM) was validated by ISRO on its POEM platform (PSLV Orbital Experimental Module), which allows in-orbit scientific experiments. The PSLV C58 had placed the XPoSat (X-ray Polarimeter Satellite) and 10 other payloads into Low Earth Orbit from Sriharikota.

• EON Space Labs—India's Lightest Space Telescope: Another Hyderabad startup, EON Space Labs, has successfully developed MIRA—India's first indigenously developed miniaturized space telescope weighing just 502 grams. MIRA successfully completed NASA-standard thermo-vacuum testing in Ahmedabad this year, where technicians drained air to 10⁻⁵ torr (emptier than the space between stars) and swung temperatures between −20°C and +60°C, mimicking conditions 400 km above Earth.

• Hyderabad's Space Startup Ecosystem: Hyderabad is emerging as a major hub for India's private space sector. Skyroot Aerospace, founded in 2018 by former ISRO scientists Pawan Kumar Chandana and Naga Bharath Daka, became the first Indian private company to successfully launch its own rocket (Vikram-1) in 2022, and in 2023 inaugurated a 60,000 square-foot headquarters at GMR Hyderabad Aviation SEZ. Dhruva Space, founded in 2012 by Sanjay Nekkanti, provides end-to-end solutions from building small satellites to ground sensors, launching and monitoring, working with ISRO and European Space Agency.

Savitribai Phule 195th Birth Anniversary: Life and Legacy of India’s First Woman Teacher

In the News: India commemorated the 195th birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule, widely celebrated as India's first female teacher and a pioneering social reformer who dedicated her life to women's education and social equality. The day is observed as Women's Education Day nationwide, with Telangana becoming the first Indian state to officially declare January 3 as Women Teachers' Day through a government order dated January 2, 2025.

Key Points:

• Birth and Early Life: Savitribai Phule was born on January 3, 1831, in the village of Naigaon in Satara District, Maharashtra, located about 15 km from Shirval and 50 km from Pune. At the age of 9 or 10, she was married to Jyotirao Phule (then 13 years old), a fellow social reformer who would become her lifelong partner in revolutionary social work. At the time of her marriage, Savitribai was completely illiterate, which was typical for girls of her time and social background.
• Educational Transformation:. After completing her primary education under Jyotirao's guidance, she pursued further studies with his friends Sakharam Yeshwant Paranjpe and Keshav Shivram Bhavalkar. She received formal teacher training at two institutions: one run by American missionary Cynthia Farrar in Ahmednagar, and another at a Normal School in Pune. Through this rigorous training, Savitribai became India's first professionally trained female teacher and headmistress, transforming from an illiterate child bride to the nation's pioneering woman educator.
• India's First Girls' School—Bhidewada (1848): In January 1848, Savitribai and Jyotirao Phule, along with Sagunabai Kshirsagar (Jyotirao's sister, herself a revolutionary feminist and mentor), opened India's first girls' school at Bhidewada in Pune, with a progressive curriculum of mathematics, science, and social studies—revolutionary subjects that defied traditional expectations for female education. Bhidewada was the home of Tatya Saheb Bhide, who was inspired by the trio's work and provided them space.
• Mahila Seva Mandal (1851-1852): In 1851-1852, Savitribai founded the Mahila Seva Mandal, a platform aimed at empowering women and challenging oppressive societal norms. The organization welcomed members from all castes, fostering a sense of unity and breaking the chains of caste-based discrimination at a time when caste segregation was rigidly enforced.
• Balhatya Pratibandhak Griha—Preventing Infanticide (1853-1863): Savitribai's vision extended far beyond literacy to dismantling multiple oppressive structures simultaneously. In 1853, the Phule couple transformed their Pune home into a shelter for Brahmin widows who had been sexually exploited by men, providing them with safe space and dignity. In 1854, she opened a larger shelter for widows, destitute women, and child brides rejected by their families, offering them not just refuge but also education. The shelter offered safe space for pregnant widows and rape victims to deliver their children, saving countless lives that would otherwise have been lost to infanticide.
• Satyashodhak Samaj—Society of Truth Seekers (1873): Savitribai played a key role in the Satyashodhak Samaj ("Society of Truth Seekers"), founded by her husband Jyotirao Phule in 1873 to promote social equality and unite lower castes and marginalized communities against Brahminical oppression. The organization advocated for Satyashodhak marriages where dowries were abolished, ceremonies were conducted without Brahmin priests, and equality in relationships was emphasized.
• Telangana's Historic Recognition—Women Teachers' Day: On January 2, 2025, the Government of Telangana issued G.O.Rt. No.9, officially declaring January 3 as "Women Teachers' Day" throughout the state, making Telangana the first state in India to celebrate Savitribai Phule's birth anniversary as an official state function.