Current Affairs 16 December 2025

Union Cabinet Clears India’s First Digital Census in 2027.

• The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Census of India 2027 with an outlay of ₹11,718.24 crore.
• This will be India’s 16th national census and the first completely digital census.
• The census will be conducted in two phases: Houselisting Census (April–September 2026) and Population Enumeration (February 2027).

India’s Resolution on Wildfire Management Adopted at UNEA-7.

• India's resolution on Strengthening the Global Management of Wildfires was adopted at the 7th Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, Kenya.
• India highlighted the UNEP’s global report Spreading Like Wildfire.
• The Global Fire Management Hub, established in 2023 by FAO and UNEP, was acknowledged as a key mechanism supporting international wildfire.

India Ranks Third Globally in Stanford’s AI Vibrancy Index.

• India achieved a major milestone by ranking third globally in artificial intelligence, after the USA and China.
• The ranking marks a sharp rise for India, which stood at seventh position in 2023 and advanced to third in 2024.
• The Global AI Vibrancy Index, prepared by Stanford University, measures how competitive countries are in the AI domain.

National Makhana Board Launched with ₹476 Cr Development Scheme.

• A ₹476.03 crore Central Sector Scheme for holistic makhana development was announced during the first meeting of the National Makhana Board.
• The Union Government formally established the National Makhana Board, as announced in the Union Budget 2025–26.
• The headquarters of the National Makhana Board is located in Purnea, Bihar.
• In 2022, Mithila Makhana received a GI tag.

India’s Exports Surge, Trade Deficit Shrinks.

• Export Growth: India’s total exports rose 15.5% to USD 73.99 bn in November 2025, led by strong merchandise and services performance.
• Trade Balance: Imports eased to USD 80.63 bn, narrowing the trade deficit sharply to USD 6.64 bn from USD 17.06 bn last year.
• April–Nov Trend: Cumulative exports touched USD 562 bn, with steady non-petroleum export growth signalling diversification.