Current Affairs 1 & 2 January 2026

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan’s Visit to Puducherry, Kerala & TN from December 29 to 30, 2025Vice President (VP) of India C.P. Radhakrishnan visited Puducherry, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu (TN) from December 29 to 30, 2025, where he took part in cultural, educational, social, and development-related programmes.
Highlights of VP C.P. Radhakrishnan’s Visits:
Visit to Puducherry:On December 29, 2025, VP Radhakrishnan was welcomed with an official civic reception, marking his first visit to Puducherry as VP of India.

• He inaugurated the Senior Secondary Block at Petit Seminaire Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) School in Puducherry.
• Launched a housing project under the Smart City Mission and distributed the keys of 216 newly constructed tenements to beneficiaries at Kumaragurupallam in Puducherry.

Visit to Kerala: During the visit, VP Radhakrishnan participated in Trivandrum Fest 2025, celebrated as the Christmas-New Year Peace Carnival, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The festival is organized by the South Kerala Diocese of the Church of South India in association with the Assembly of Christian Trust Services.

• During the visit, he also released four books “The Sage Who Re-imagined Hinduism: The Life, Lessons and Legacy of Sree Narayana Guru”; “Sree Narayana Gurudeva Divya Leelamrutham”; “Naam Arivakannu”; and “Empowering Minds and Transforming Lives: Sree Narayana Guru’s Philosophy of Education and Skill Development”

Visit to Tamil Nadu(TN): On December 30, 2025, VP Radhakrishnan addressed the valedictory function of Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0 as Chief Guest in Rameshwarm, TN.
About Tamil Nadu (TN):
Chief Minister (CM) – Muthuvel Karunanidhi(M.K) Stalin
Governor – R.N. Ravi
Capital – Chennai
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) – Kalakad WLS, Vallanadu Black Buck WLS
>>Read Full News

MoJS Launches ‘Jal Seva Aankalan’ to Assess Drinking Water ServicesIn December 2025, the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti(MoJS) launched ‘Jal Seva Aankalan’, a Gram Panchayat (GP)-led digital drinking water service functionality assessment tool on the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) portal.

• The tool was virtually launched by Union Minister C R Patil, Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) in the presence of Union Minister of State(MoS) V. Somanna,MoJS, Union MoS Raj Bhushan Choudhary,MoJS along with senior officials from the DDWS.

About Jal Seva Aankalan:
Overview: It is a community-owned self-assessment process that enables villages to collectively review their water service delivery systems, reducing reliance on infrequent and costly third-party surveys.
Focus : The initiative shifts the focus from infrastructure creation to sustained service delivery, placing GP and village institutions at the centre of monitoring drinking water supply in Har Ghar Jal(HCJ) villages.
Assessment Process: The process starts with structured discussions involving members of the Village Water & Sanitation Committee (VWSC), the Panchayat Secretary, system operators, and a diverse group of water users, including women and vulnerable groups.

• The outcomes are subsequently presented to the Gram Sabha for open discussion and formal endorsement. 

JJM Dashboard: After the approval from the Gram Sabha, the assessment is uploaded to the JJM Panchayat Dashboard and made publicly available on platforms such as eGramSwaraj and the Meri Panchayat Application(app)

• A 30-day window is provided for citizen feedback before the report is finalised.

Timeline: All HGJ Gram Panchayats are expected to complete the Jal Seva Aankalan by 26 January 2026.
>>Read Full News

MoD Signed Rs 4,666 Crore Defence Deals for Carbines and TorpedoesIn December 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed two defence procurement contracts worth Rs 4,666 crore for the purchase of Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Carbines for the Indian Army (IA) and Heavy Weight Torpedoes for the Indian Navy (IN).

• These contracts were signed in the presence of Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary of MoD, at South Block in New Delhi, Delhi.
• This marks a major step towards modernization and operational preparedness of the Armed Forces.

Key Details of Contracts:
Procurement of CQB Carbines:
Signatories: The MoD signed a contract worth Rs 2,770 crore with Bharat Forge Limited and PLR Systems Pvt. Ltd., a Joint Venture (JV) between Adani Defence and Israel Weapon Industries,  for the procurement of over 4.25 lakh battle carbines, along with accessories for IA and IN.
Manufacturers: As per the contract, Bharat Forge will manufacture 60% of the carbines and remaining 40% by PLR Systems.

• Also, the deliveries of these carbines will be completed in around 5 years.

Significance: The CQB Carbines, designed as a key component of the modern infantry arsenal, provide a critical edge in close combat through its compact design, high rate of fire and enhanced lethality.
Procurement of Heavy Weight Torpedoes:
Signatories: The MoD has signed a contract worth approximately Rs 1,896 crore with WASS Submarine Systems S.R.L. (Italy) for the procurement and integration of 48 Heavy Weight Torpedoes along with associated equipment for IN’s Kalvari Class Submarines under Project-75(P-75).

• As per MoD, the delivery of torpedoes is expected to start from April 2028 and will be completed by early 2030.

Significance: These torpedoes are expected to enhance the combat capability of the 06 Kalavari class submarines.

• These torpedoes, equipped with modern technological features and robust operational capabilities will bolster the IN’s underwater prowess.

Total Contracts Signed in FY26: The MoD has signed capital contracts worth Rs 1,82,492 crore in Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26), for the modernisation of the Armed Forces.
About Ministry of Defence (MoD):
Union Minister– Rajnath Singh (Constituency- Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, UP)
Minister of State (MoS)- Sanjay Seth(Constituency- Ranchi, Jharkhand)

Western Railways Commissions Indigenous ‘Kavach 4.0’ on Bajwa-Ahmedabad Section
In December 2025, Vadodara division of Western Railways, Ministry of Railways (MoR), officially commissioned the indigenous ‘Kavach 4.0’ system on the 96 kilometer (km)-long Bajwa(Vadodara)-Ahmedabad section, covering 17 stations, in Gujarat.

• Sankalp Fast (59549/59550) was the 1st Kavach-enabled train on this route.

About Kavach System:
Purpose: Kavach, an indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) of Indian Railways (IR), is  designed to prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), control over-speeding, and avert head-on and rear-end collisions.

Safety Level: The system operates at Safety Integrity Level-4 (SIL-4), the highest safety standard for train control systems.

Key Technologies Used: It uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio communication, enabling real-time exchange of data between track equipment, signals, and locomotives, and providing continuous alerts to loco pilots.

• Till date, IR has implemented Kavach on over 2,200 route km.

About Kavach 4.0:
Advanced Version: In July 2024, Kavach 4.0 received the formal approval from the Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), a technical body of the MoR.
Key Enhancements: The upgraded Kavach system features improved location accuracy, enhanced signal detection in complex yards, seamless interlocking integration, and optical fibre–based station-to-station connectivity.

MoS&T Signs Agreement with VMSPL under the IC-CIR&D Programme
In December 2025, the Technology Development Board (TDB), under Department of Science and Technology (DST), the Ministry of Science & Technology (MoS&T), signed an agreement with Vijai Marine Services Private Limited (VMSPL), Goa for the “Smart Sea Project by Vijai Autonomous Craft for Environment (VACE)”.

About Smart Sea Project by VACE:
Framework: The project is supported under the Indo-Canada Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Programme (IC-CIR&D), a joint initiative of DST and National Research Council (NRC), Canada, and Global Affairs Canada.
Purpose: The project aims to develop and demonstrate a 20-passenger electric boat, supporting Government of India (GOI)’s goals of clean waterways, reduced fossil fuel use, and sustainable tourism.
Features: Under the agreement, VMSPL will build an Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)-certified lightweight Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) electric boat, fitted with electric propulsion, batteries, and a digital control system by ACEL Power Inc.

GOI Imposes Final Safeguard Duty on Steel Imports Till 2028
Government of India(GoI) imposed final safeguard duty on non-alloy and alloy steel flat products imports via Notification No. 02/2025-Customs (SG) dated December 30, 2025, protecting domestic industry from sudden import surge confirmed by DGTR (Director General of Trade Remedies) investigation.

• Provisional duty (April 21, 2025) converted to definitive 3-year measure effective immediately.

About Safeguard Duty: It is a temporary import tax imposed to protect domestic industries from a sudden surge in imports that threatens or causes serious harm. It is time-bound, applied to specific products, and gradually reduced over a few years.
Imposed Safeguard Duty for Imports: 
Duty Structure: 

• 12% from April 21, 2025, to April 20, 2026
• 11.5% from April 21, 2026, to April 20, 2027
• 11% from April 21, 2027, to April 20, 2028

Covered Products: Duty applies to hot rolled coils/sheets/plates, plate mill plates, cold rolled coils/sheets, metallic coated coils/sheets (galvanneal, zinc/aluminium-zinc), colour coated coils/sheets under Customs Tariff headings 7208, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, 7226.
Background: In April 2025, GOI issued the provisional safeguard duty, which was imposed based on the findings of Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I).

NMCG Approves Dedicated Project to Save Indian Skimmer & Other Sandbar-Nesting Birds in Ganga Basin
In December 2025, the Executive Committee (EC) of the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), chaired by Rajeev Kumar Mital, Director General (DG) of NMCG, approved a new project to protect the breeding habitats of sandbar-nesting birds, including the Indian Skimmer (Rynchops albicollis), for the conservation of Endangered (EN) bird species in the Ganga Basin, during its 68th meeting held in New Delhi, Delhi.

• The project, in line with Namami Gange Mission-II, outlines key focus areas like: long-term monitoring, community participation, and evidence-based conservation.

Key Details of Project:
Species Covered: This newly approved project, a first-of–its -kind initiative, mainly focuses on Avifauna. It will complement NMCG’s work on dolphins, fish, and turtles, among others.
Nest Monitoring: It will continue in the Chambal River (Madhya Pradesh, MP/Rajasthan) and the Lower Ganga, while new activities will begin in Bijnor, Narora, and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh(UP).
Community Involvement: Trained local communities will help in protecting sensitive sandbars, reducing human interference and supporting awareness and capacity-building initiatives.

India Post Discontinues Certain Outward International Letter Mail Services from January 1, 2026
On December 30, 2025, India Post, also known as Department of Posts (DoP), under the Ministry of Communications, announced the discontinuation of certain outward international letter mail services to improve reliability, tracking, customs compliance, and security from 1 January 2026.

India Post International Mail Rationalisation:
Discontinuation: India Post will discontinue Registered Small Packet (for goods, with registration limited to document-only items as per Universal Postal Union (UPU) norms; Outward Small Packet services for goods sent via Sea, Surface Air Lifted (SAL), or Air; and Surface Letter Mail and SAL Letter Mail services for outward letter post items.
Unchanged Provisions: Registration will be available for documents such as Letters, Post Cards, Printed Papers, Aerograms, Blind Literature, and Mail(M)-bags sent by air.

• Blind Literature and M-bags will continue under existing UPU rules, with exemptions where applicable.

ITPS: DoP emphasized the use of International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) and other international parcel services for faster delivery, tracking, security, and customs compliance.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI Grants Final PA-CB Authorisation to BRISKPE
In December 2025, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) granted final authorisation to BRISKPE, the Prosus-backed cross-border payments platform, to operate as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (PSS Act, 2007), enabling it to facilitate both inward and outward payment flows.

About BRISKPE PA-CB Operations:
Regulatory Adherence: Robust Know Your Customer (KYC), merchant due diligence, Electronic Foreign Inward Remittance Advice/Electronic Bank Realization Certificate (e-FIRA/e-BRC) enablement.
Banking: Partners with global banks for collections and Authorised Dealer Category-I (AD Category-I) banks in India for settlements, supporting inward export collections and outward import payables up to Rs 25 lakh per transaction.
Cross-Border: Offers Account-to-Account (A2A) and Cross-border Payment Interface (XPI) products to streamline international payments, covering the full trade cycle for exporters and importers.
About BRISKPE:
Platform: Founded in 2023, BRISKPE streamlines payments with real-time tracking, virtual accounts, competitive forex, and digital onboarding.
Technology & Security: BRISKPE holds International Organization for Standardization 27001 (Information Security Management Standard) (ISO 27001); Service Organization Control 2, Type II (security and process controls audit) (SOC-II-Type-II) certifications; General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant, and Data Protection and Digital Accountability(DPDA)-ready.

SEBI Mandates NISM Certification for AIF Compliance Officers from January 2027
In December 2025, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) mandated that compliance officers of Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) managers must obtain certification from the National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) by passing the NISM Series-III-C: Securities Intermediaries Compliance (Fund) Certification Examination, effective from January 1, 2027.

About NISM Certification Mandate for AIFs:
Eligibility: From January 1, 2027, only individuals who have cleared the NISM Series-III-C certification examination will be eligible to be appointed as, or continue to serve as, compliance officers of AIF managers.
Compliance Reporting: SEBI has directed trustees, sponsors, and managers of AIFs to explicitly disclose adherence to the certification mandate in the annual Compliance Test Report.
Implementation: AIF managers and existing compliance officers are advised to proactively register for and complete the NISM Series-III-C certification examination well ahead of the January 1, 2027 deadline.

• In parallel, firms should update their internal compliance frameworks, policies, and reporting systems to incorporate the new certification requirement in compliance records and annual reports.

Growth: AIF assets in India have increased from Rs 28,000 crore to over Rs 15 lakh crore in ten years, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 49%.

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

India Overtakes Japan to Become World’s 4th Largest Economy at USD 4.18 Trillion In December 2025, the Government of India (GoI) announced that India has overtaken Japan to become the world’s 4th largest economy with a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) valued at USD 4.18 trillion.

• With this, India now lags behind only the United States of America (USA) which continues to be the world’s largest economy, followed by China (2nd) and Germany (3rd).

Key Details:
Other Key Projections: The GoI further mentioned that India is on track to surpass Germany and become the world’s third-largest economy within the next 2.5–3 years, with its GDP projected to reach approximately USD 7.3 trillion by 2030.
GDP Growth: As per the GoI’s official data, India’s real GDP has increased by 8.2% in 2nd Quarter(Q2: July-September) of Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26) compared to 7.8% and 7.4% recorded in Q1FY26 and Q4FY25, respectively.
Key Target: India aims to attain the High Middle-Income (HMI) status by 2047, marking the centenary (100th) of the country’s Independence.
Foreign Exchange Reserves: As of November 2025, India’s foreign exchange reserves stood at USD 686.2 billion, providing a strong import cover of over 11 months.
Current Account Deficit (CAD): The CAD moderated from 2.2% of GDP in Q2 FY25 to 1.3% in Q2 FY26. Inward remittances rose by 10.7% year-on-year in Q2 FY 2025-26.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI): The FDI captured strong momentum in H1 FY26. From April to September 2025, Gross FDI grew 19.4% to USD 51.8 billion from USD 43.4 billion a year ago, while Net FDI surged 127.6% to USD 7.7 billion from USD 3.4 billion.
>>Read Full News

Air India & airBaltic Sign Codeshare Agreement to Strengthen Travel Between India and Baltic region
On December 30, 2025, India’s national flag carrier airline Air India and airBaltic, the national airline of Latvia, signed a new unilateral codeshare agreement aimed at enhancing connectivity between India and the Baltic region through European hubs.

• A codeshare enables one airline to sell tickets on flights operated by another airline using its own flight code.

Key Details of Codeshare Agreement:
Arrangement: Under the agreement, Air India will market and sell select airBaltic-operated flights using its “AI” code.
Seamless Travel: The agreement enables passengers to book one single ticket from India to Baltic cities and enjoy smooth connections.
Routes Covered: As part of the agreement, Air India’s code will be placed on airBaltic flights between Riga (Latvia) and European hubs such as Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France), Frankfurt (Germany), Copenhagen (Denmark), Milan (Italy), Vienna (Austria), Zurich (Switzerland), and London (United Kingdom, UK).

• From these European cities, Indian passengers can easily connect to Riga, Tallinn (Estonia), and Vilnius (Lithuania).

Baltic Region: This region consists of three Northern European nations: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, situated along the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea.

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Kaamya Karthikeyan Becomes the Youngest Indian to Ski to South PoleEighteen-year-old Kaamya Karthikeyan, Skier from Mumbai (Maharashtra), became the youngest Indian and second-youngest woman in the world to ski to the South Pole of 2,385 meter (m), on December 27, 2025, after trekking 115 Kilometer(km) in -30°C(degree Celsius) temperatures and gale-force winds while pulling a sled with expedition load.

• The Indian Navy(IN) congratulated her historic achievement.

About Kaamya Karthikeyan:
Overview: Kaamya Karthikeyan is an adventurer, mountaineer, and is the daughter of an Indian Navy (IN) officer.
Expedition Details: Started from 89° South, covered 60 nautical miles (~115 km) over 11 days across featureless Antarctic ice. Continuous daylight, extreme cold tested endurance.
Achievements: In 2019, she became the youngest girl to scale Aconcagua (Argentina) of 6,962 m, the highest peak in South Africa. In 2023, she became the youngest Indian to summit Mount (Mt) Everest (Nepal and China) from the Nepal side.

• In 2024 and 2025, she completed the seven summits challenge, finishing with Mt. Vinson in Antarctica, becoming one of the youngest climbers globally to achieve it.

About Seven Summits Challenge: It is one of the most prestigious mountaineering achievements in the world. It involves climbing to the highest peak on each of the seven continents, including:

• Mt Everest (8,849 m), Asia
• Aconcagua (6,692 m), South America
• Mt McKinley (6,194 m), North America (Alaska, United States of America, USA)
• Mt Elbrus (5,642 m), Europe (Russia)
• Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m), Africa (Tanzania)
• Mt Vinson (4,892 m), Antarctica
• Mt Kosciuszko (2,228 m), Oceania (Australia)

About Explorers Grand Slam: It is one of the toughest adventure challenges in the world. It involves the completion of the Seven Summits and skiing to both the North Pole and the South Pole.

British-Indian Comedian, Author Meera Syal Awarded Damehood in King’s New Year Honours
In December 2025, renowned British‑Indian comedian, actress, and writer Meera Syal was awarded a Damehood(DBE) in King Charles III’s New Year Honours List 2026 in recognition of her outstanding contributions to literature, drama, and charity.

• Earlier, she was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in 1997 and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2015.

About King Charles III’s New Year Honours list:
Total Recipients: This year, a total of 1,157 recipients have been recognised for their exceptional contributions in arts, sports, community service, and politics.

• They have been honoured with various titles such as MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire), OBE (Officer), CBE (Commander), and DBE/KBE (Dame/Knight Commander).

Prominent Personalities: Renowned British actor Idris Elba, singer and actor Cynthia Erivo, and 1984 Winter Olympics gold medallists Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
Oldest and Youngest Recipient: The oldest recipient is 102-year-old John Hearn (BEM), and the youngest is 20-year-old Toby Roberts (MBE), Britain’s first Olympic gold medallist at Paris 2024.
Other British Indians: Other British Indians honoured include Upadhaya (Damehood), Dhruv Patel and Neeta Akhtar (CBE), and Pavan Popat (OBE).

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

ACC Appoints Lav Aggarwal as DG of DGFT; Rabindra Kumar Agarwal to Head FCI In December 2025, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, appointed Lav Aggarwal as Director General (DG) of Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) and Rabindra Kumar Agarwal as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

• This move was part of a bureaucratic reshuffle, which also involved in-situ promotions and the reassignment of 25 senior civil servants to key positions across various central government departments.

About Lav Aggarwal:
Succession: Lav Aggarwal succeeded Ajay Bhadoo as DG of DGFT, who had been holding additional charge after Santosh Kumar Sarangi was transferred to Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) in the early 2025 reshuffle.
Cadre: He is a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Andhra Pradesh (AP) cadre.
Key Role: He served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) from August 2016 to August 2022.
Previous Role: He previously held the position of Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).
About Rabindra Kumar Agarwal:
Succession: He replaces incumbent Ashutosh Agnihotri, who has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
Cadre: Rabindra Kumar Agarwal is a 1997-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre.
Key Role: He previously served as Deputy Director (Administration) at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi (Delhi).

• He also served as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW).

Previous Role: Prior to heading the FCI, he served as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation and as the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS).
About Food Corporation of India (FCI):
Establishment: FCI was set up in 1965 under the Food Corporation Act, 1964.
Role: FCI, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (MoCAF&PD), ensures food security and a stable supply of food grains in India.
Headquarters – New Delhi, Delhi

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO Successfully Conducted Static Test of 3rd Stage of SSLV in Sriharikota, AP
On December 30, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully conducted a static ground test of an enhanced version of the 3rd stage (SS3) of its Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) at the Solid Motor Static Test Facility of the Satish Dhawan Space Center (SDSC) in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (AP).

• SSLV is a three-stage, all-solid ISRO launch vehicle designed for quick, on-demand missions and industrial production support.

Key Details of Test:
Test Trial: During the test, the enhanced SS3 motor was fired for 108 seconds (s), closely matching the pre-test predictions for all parameters.

• The motor was instrumented with around 233 sensors to monitor pressure, thrust, temperature, vibration and the behaviour of control electronics.

Impact: Following the success of this test, an enhanced version of SS3 now qualifies for induction in flight.
Enhanced SS3 Performance: The upgrades, including a new carbon-epoxy motor case, have boosted SSLV’s payload capacity by about 90 kilogram (kg) and enhanced efficiency and reliability with an improved igniter and nozzle system.

SPORTS

Overview of 2025 World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships Held in QatarThe 27th edition of the International Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship 2025 held at Sports and Events Complex, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar from 25-30 December 2025.

• Norwegian chess Grandmaster (GM) Magnus Carlsen clinched his sixth World Rapid championship title in the Open category, while Russian GM Aleksandra Goryachkina from Russia took the maiden FIDE Women’s World Rapid Championship .
• GM Magnus Carlsen clinched his ninth World Blitz Championship title in the Open category, while in the women’s section, Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan won the FIDE Women’s World Blitz Championship 2025.

Highlights of 2025 FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship: 
Event: Annual rapid & Blitz chess championship organized by FIDE, featuring top global players.
Rapid Open Section:
Champion: Magnus Carlsen of Norway secured his sixth World Rapid title (2014, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025) with a score of 10.5 out of 13 points.
Indian Players: Aravindh Chithambaram (16th), Nihal Sarin (19th), D. Gukesh (20th), all with 8.5 points.
Rapid Women’s Section:
Champion: GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (Russia) scored 8.5/11 points and claimed the title by defeating Zhu Jiner (China) 1.5–0.5 in a blitz playoff.
Indian Players: B. Savitha Shri – 4th, R. Vaishali – 5th, Divya Deshmukh – 8th.
Blitz Open Section:
Champion: GM Magnus Carlsen defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) 2.5–1.5 in the final to win his ninth World Blitz title, marking his 20th World Championship crown across Rapid, Classical, and Blitz, and completing the 2025 Rapid–Blitz Double Crown.
Blitz Women’s Section:
Champion: GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) won her third World Blitz title by defeating GM Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine) 2.5–1.5 in the final, also earning qualification for the 2026 FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament.
About Federation Internationale des Echecs/International Chess Federation (FIDE):
President – Arkady Dvorkovich
Headquarters – Lausanne, Switzerland
Established – 1924
>>Read Full News

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