📊 Index & Rankings
India has slipped to 85th position in the Henley Passport Index 2025, down from 80th in 2024. The index, which measures visa-free access for passport holders, is compiled using data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Singapore retained the top spot for the second consecutive year, while Japan ranked second after dominating the index from 2018 to 2023.
| Rank | Country |
|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore |
| 2 | Japan |
| 85 | India |
The Henley Passport Index is based on IATA data and ranks passports by the number of destinations their holders can access without a prior visa. Don’t confuse it with the Henley & Partners wealth migration reports.
🇮🇳 National News
The Pravasi Bharatiya Express was inaugurated in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, coinciding with the 110th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa. The initiative is part of the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana (PTDY).
It is a fully sponsored train journey designed for Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) living abroad, aimed at reconnecting the Indian diaspora with India’s cultural and religious heritage.
PIO stands for Persons of Indian Origin — individuals of Indian ancestry living abroad. The PTDY is a government initiative focused on diaspora engagement through cultural and spiritual tourism.
British-Somali long-distance runner Sir Mo Farah has been appointed as the International Event Ambassador for the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2025. The marathon’s 20th edition is scheduled for January 19, 2025, with an expected participation of 60,000 runners.
The Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of India’s premier long-distance running events and is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors candidate races. Appointing global sports personalities as ambassadors boosts international recognition.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav launched the PARTH Yojana — Police Army Recruitment Training & Hunar — during the State Level Youth Festival.
The scheme aims to prepare youth for recruitment into the Army, Police, and Para-Military services, with a focus on:
- Physical training – fitness and endurance building
- Mental preparation – aptitude and exam readiness
- Patriotism & discipline – values-based training
Remember the full form: PARTH = Police Army Recruitment Training & Hunar. State-level skill development schemes targeting defence and security sector employment are frequently asked in exams.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has partnered with Google Cloud to launch the Uttar Pradesh Open Network for Agriculture (UPONA). The initiative leverages Gemini AI and Beacon technology to transform the agricultural ecosystem.
Key services under UPONA include:
- Advisory services – AI-driven crop and weather guidance
- Credit access – streamlined agricultural financing
- Mechanization – connecting farmers with modern equipment
- Market access – direct linkage to buyers and mandis
- Climate data – real-time environmental insights
The initiative aims to double farmers’ income and promote digital empowerment in rural UP.
UPONA = Uttar Pradesh Open Network for Agriculture. It uses Gemini AI (Google’s AI model) and Beacon technology. State-private tech collaborations in agriculture are a growing trend in digital governance.
💼 Business & Economy
Bank of Baroda (BoB) has forecast India’s GDP growth between 6.6% and 6.8% for FY2025-26, highlighting India’s economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
GDP projections are key macroeconomic indicators. India’s financial year runs from April to March. BoB is a major public sector bank headquartered in Vadodara, Gujarat.
The United Nations released its World Economic Situation and Prospects 2025 report, projecting India’s economic growth at 6.6% in 2025 and 6.7% in 2026, driven by private consumption and investment.
| Year | Projected GDP Growth |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 6.6% |
| 2026 | 6.7% |
The UN WESP report is an annual publication tracking global macroeconomic trends. Compare with projections from IMF (World Economic Outlook), World Bank (Global Economic Prospects), and RBI for comprehensive exam preparation.
Food delivery platform Swiggy has launched a dedicated app called ‘Snacc’ for snacks, beverages, and meals, promising delivery within 15 minutes. The move reflects the growing trend of ultra-fast food delivery and quick-commerce in India.
Quick-commerce (q-commerce) is an emerging segment in India’s e-commerce ecosystem, focused on instant delivery of essentials. Major players include Swiggy Instamart, Blinkit (Zomato), and Zepto.
🌐 International News
Lebanon’s parliament elected General Joseph Aoun as the country’s new President, ending a two-year political deadlock. The presidential vacancy began after Michel Aoun’s term ended in October 2022.
Joseph Aoun has served as Lebanese Armed Forces Chief since 2017 and secured 99 out of 128 votes in the second round of parliamentary voting.
Lebanon follows a parliamentary system with a unique confessional power-sharing arrangement — the President must be a Maronite Christian, the PM a Sunni Muslim, and the Speaker a Shia Muslim. Presidential elections require a majority in parliament.
Severe wildfires swept through Los Angeles County in January 2025, making them among the most destructive in the region’s history. The fires caused widespread destruction, multiple fatalities, mass evacuations, and significant disruptions to daily life.
Climate change has been cited as a key factor intensifying wildfire conditions, with high temperatures, dry winds, and prolonged drought creating ideal conditions for fire spread.
Wildfires are aggravated by high temperatures, dry winds (Santa Ana winds in California), and drought conditions. California faces seasonal wildfire risks, especially during its dry autumn-winter period. This topic links to climate change and disaster management in UPSC syllabus.
👔 Appointments
Retired Justice B.N. Srikrishna has been appointed Chairman of the Advisory Board of Equal (a data-sharing platform) and OneMoney (an account aggregator). The appointment is linked to the draft rules under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act.
The DPDP Act governs data protection in India and was enacted in 2023. Account aggregators facilitate secure financial data sharing between institutions with user consent, regulated by the RBI. Justice Srikrishna also chaired the earlier Committee on Data Protection that recommended India’s first data privacy framework.
🔬 Science & Technology
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, is set to launch its New Glenn rocket on January 10, 2025. This marks the inaugural mission of the New Glenn vehicle, designed to demonstrate commercial space capabilities and compete with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 in the launch services market.
Blue Origin is founded by Jeff Bezos. The New Glenn rocket is named after astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. Key commercial space players: SpaceX (Elon Musk), Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos), Virgin Galactic (Richard Branson).
📅 Important Days
World Hindi Day is celebrated annually on January 10 to promote Hindi as a global language and highlight its cultural and literary significance. The day commemorates the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975.
Don’t confuse World Hindi Day (January 10) with Hindi Diwas (September 14). Hindi Diwas marks the adoption of Hindi in Devanagari script as an official language by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. World Hindi Day promotes Hindi at the international level.
🕊️ Obituaries
Veteran playback singer P. Jayachandran, popularly known as “Bhava Gayakan” (Singer of Emotions), passed away at the age of 80 after a prolonged illness. His illustrious career spanned six decades during which he sang over 16,000 songs.
He performed in multiple languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Hindi, leaving an indelible mark on Indian playback singing.
Notable personalities from arts and culture are frequently asked in exams. Remember: P. Jayachandran = “Bhava Gayakan”, 16,000+ songs, primarily known for Malayalam music.
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