This is the current affairs of 5 December 2025. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Russian President Putin received a guard of honour with how many gun salutes at Rashtrapati Bhavan?
a. 15
b. 21
c. 25
d. 31
Answer: b. 21
– Russian President Vladimir Putin visited India on 4 and 5 December 2025.
– On 5 December, he was given a guard of honour with a 21-gun salute at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
What is a gun salute?
– Firing cannons as a salute is a way of showing respect in the military.
– Gun salutes are given on different occasions (welcome, celebration or final farewell).
– There is a protocol on who receives how many gun salutes.
– A 21-gun salute is the highest and most prestigious military honour given in India.
Who receives the 21-gun salute?
– President of India
– Prime Minister of India (on certain special state occasions)
– Foreign Heads of State (President/King/Monarch)
– During flag hoisting on Republic Day
19-gun salute
– Vice President
– Governors (in some cases)
– Foreign Vice Presidents or equivalent dignitaries
17-gun salute
– Governors (standard protocol)
– Chief Ministers – on certain ceremonial events
15-gun, 13-gun, 11-gun salutes
– Senior Union Ministers
– Foreign Ministers
– Senior military officers (such as Generals)
– Important embassy-level guests
Since when does the tradition exist?
– Many countries including the US, UK, Germany, France, China and India give 21-gun salutes on national days.
– The tradition in India comes from the British Empire.
– Before independence, even 101-gun salutes were given — only to the British Crown.
– 31-gun salutes were for the Royal Family.
– The Viceroy and Governor-General of India also received a 31-gun salute.
– Heads of State received 21 guns, and 19-gun and 17-gun salutes also existed.
– After independence, India continued the tradition but with reduced numbers.
Putin and Modi leaving the airport together in a Fortuner
– When Putin arrived in Delhi on Thursday evening, PM Narendra Modi broke protocol and went to the airport to receive him.
– What caught the most public attention was the white Toyota Fortuner in which both rode together.
– They left their armoured vehicles and chose a common Indian-made car.
– There is no official explanation yet, but it is being interpreted as a symbolic gesture—possibly a message to Western nations that they prefer riding in a “Made in India” vehicle.
– Although Toyota is a Japanese company, the Fortuner is manufactured in India, at Bidadi in Karnataka.
– The Fortuner is widely used in India for VIP movement.
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2. RBI reduced the repo rate by how many basis points to 5.25% in the bi-monthly monetary policy review (December 2025)?
a. 75
b. 50
c. 25
d. 5
Answer: c. 25
– The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the RBI was held on 5 December 2025.
– After the meeting, the RBI cut the repo rate by 25 basis points, from 5.50% to 5.25%.
– This announcement was made by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra.
– In 2025, the repo rate has been cut by a total of 125 basis points (1.25%).
– The cut was made to balance a weak rupee with strong growth and falling inflation.
– This will allow banks to reduce interest rates on loans such as housing, personal and MSME loans.
– The GDP growth projection for 2025–26 has been raised by 50 basis points to 7.3%.
When was the repo rate last reduced?
– In June 2025, the MPC cut it by 50 bps (from 6% to 5.50%).
– In April 2025, it was reduced by 25 bps (from 6.25% to 6%).
What is the repo rate?
– Just as banks give loans to people and charge interest, banks themselves sometimes need large funds for daily operations and borrow from the RBI.
– The interest rate the RBI charges on this loan is called the repo rate.
Impact of repo rate on the common man
– Repo rate is a powerful tool for RBI to fight inflation.
– When inflation rises, RBI increases the repo rate to reduce money flow.
– When the repo rate falls, banks get cheaper loans and can offer cheaper loans to customers.
– When the repo rate rises, loans become costlier.
Reverse repo rate
– This is the opposite of repo rate.
– When banks have surplus funds at the end of the day, they deposit them with the RBI and receive interest.
– The rate at which RBI pays them interest is the reverse repo rate.
Note: The RBI Governor (Sanjay Malhotra) is the ex-officio chairperson of the 6-member MPC.
Major reasons for reducing the repo rate
– Sharp fall in inflation: Retail inflation has declined significantly; RBI cut its forecast to 2% for FY 2025–26.
– Strong economic growth: The economy is performing well, providing room for rate cuts.
– Relief to borrowers and boosting growth: The aim is to reduce EMIs and stimulate economic activity amid global challenges such as US tariffs.
Impact of rupee depreciation on policy
– The decision came at a time when the rupee fell below the psychologically important ₹90 per USD.
– A weaker rupee increases risks of imported inflation.
– Even though inflation is currently comfortable, future inflation could rise, making RBI cautious.
– Dollar outflows and delays in finalising a trade deal with the US have added to uncertainty.
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3. What is India’s rank in the Women, Peace and Security Index (WPS) 2025-26?
a. 128
b. 129
c. 131
d. 130
Answer: c. 131
– Released by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the Peace Research Institute Oslo.
– The index ranks 181 countries based on three dimensions: inclusion, justice and security.
– India ranks 131 with a score of 0.607, indicating steady but uneven progress.
– Challenges remain in women’s safety, political leadership, labour-force participation and legal outcomes.
– India was also ranked 131 in 2024.
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4. Which country ranks worst in the WPS Index 2025–26?
a. Syria
b. Yemen
c. Myanmar
d. Afghanistan
Answer: d. Afghanistan
– Afghanistan ranks 181 with a score of 0.279, the worst for women.
– Yemen ranks second-worst, and the Central African Republic third.
– These countries remain affected by conflict, instability or weak governance.
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5. Which country has topped the WPS Index 2025–26?
a. Norway
b. Denmark
c. India
d. China
Answer: b. Denmark
– In 2024, around 676 million women worldwide experienced conflict, a 74% rise since 2010.
– The index ranks 181 countries on inclusion, justice and security, with scores between 0 and 1 (1 = best environment).
– Denmark retains the top position for the third consecutive year.
– Followed by Iceland and Norway.
– The US jumped from rank 37 to 31 due to improved maternal mortality statistics.
– Notably, the biggest improvements were in conflict-affected countries.
Reasons for strong performance
– High participation of women in decision-making
– Strong legal protections
– Safe public spaces
– Excellent health and education outcomes
– Five of the top ten most-improved countries are in Sub-Saharan Africa, and four in the Middle East and North Africa.
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6. When is International Cheetah Day observed?
a. 4 December
b. 5 December
c. 6 December
d. 7 December
Answer: a. 4 December
– The day is dedicated to raising awareness about preventing cheetah extinction and promoting conservation.
– Under the Cheetah Reintroduction Project, cheetahs were brought to India from Namibia and South Africa in 2022–23.
– In 2025, more cheetahs were brought from Botswana.
– They were placed in Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
– Cheetahs can run up to 70 miles per hour (112 km/h).
International Big Cat Alliance
– India established the alliance in February 2024 to secure the future of big cats: lion, tiger, leopard, snow leopard, puma, jaguar and cheetah.
– Cheetah became extinct in India in 1952
– The last Indian cheetah died in 1947 in Chhattisgarh.
– Cheetah extinction happened mainly due to:
Using cheetahs for hunting
– Cheetahs not breeding in captivity
– Ease of domestication due to their mild temperament
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7. Swaraj Kaushal passed away on 4 December 2025. He was the Governor of which state?
a. Assam
b. Arunachal Pradesh
c. Sikkim
d. Mizoram
Answer: d. Mizoram
– Swaraj Kaushal was the husband of former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and father of BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj.
– At age 37, he was the youngest person ever to become a Governor in India.
– He served as the Governor of Mizoram in 1990.
– He was also a Rajya Sabha MP from Haryana (1998–2004).
– He was a Senior Advocate in the Supreme Court. During this period, he fought many high-profile cases.
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8. Which became India’s first water positive airport?
a. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport
b. Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI)
c. Kempegowda International Airport
d. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport
Answer: b. Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI)
– Delhi’s IGI Airport has achieved the status of being water positive.
– Water positive means the airport returns much more water to nature than it consumes.
– At the Water Innovation Summit 2025, the airport operator DIAL was formally honoured for this achievement.
– Water positive status means conserving rainwater, fully recycling wastewater, and keeping consumption minimal.
– Together, these measures significantly reduce pressure on local water sources.
– The IGI Airport model has now become an example for airports, industrial zones, and large urban complexes worldwide.
– This airport is not only India’s busiest but also the country’s greenest airport.
– It is already the first airport in Asia in its category to receive Level-5 accreditation under the Airports Council International (ACI) carbon accreditation programme.
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9. Who has been appointed as the Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC)?
a. Vivek Ranjan
b. Sanjay Agarwal
c. Vivek Chaturvedi
d. Rajneesh Kumar Tomar
Answer: c. Vivek Chaturvedi
– Vivek Chaturvedi is a 1990-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer.
– His appointment has been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
– He replaced 1988-batch IRS officer Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, who retired on 28 November 2025.
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10. The joint military exercise Ekuverin between the armies of India and which country was held in Thiruvananthapuram?
a. Bangladesh
b. Maldives
c. Sri Lanka
d. China
Answer: b. Maldives
– The 14th edition of the joint military exercise Ekuverin between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) began in December 2025 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
– A 45-member Indian Army contingent from the Garhwal Rifles Battalion and a similar-strength MNDF contingent participated.
– The exercise includes tactical drills, joint mission planning, and exchange of best practices aimed at improving cooperation in shared security challenges.
Maldives
– Capital – Malé
– President – Mohamed Muizzu
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11. Woraiyur cotton saree from which state was given the Geographical Indication (GI) tag?
a. Telangana
b. Andhra Pradesh
c. Tamil Nadu
d. Kerala
Answer: c. Tamil Nadu
– The famous Woraiyur cotton saree from the Tiruchi region of Tamil Nadu received the GI tag on 2 December 2025 in Chennai.
– The tag was granted three years after the Woraiyur Devanga Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society applied for recognition.
– Woraiyur cotton sarees are lightweight, fine cotton sarees.
– Their speciality lies in their gentle designs and traditional weaving style.
– They feature motifs such as mango, bangles, geometric patterns and pearl designs on the body and border.
GI Tag
– A GI tag is given to products associated with a specific geographical region, based on the qualities or skills of that region, and representing traditional knowledge or craft techniques.
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