For aspirants preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, staying updated with current affairs and understanding their relevance to the syllabus is crucial. The Indian Express UPSC Key for December 17, 2025, provides a detailed analysis of several significant developments. This article breaks down the key topics, their implications, and their importance for both the Preliminary and Main stages of the exam.
Nuclear Energy Reforms: The SHANTI Bill 2025
A major legislative development is the introduction of the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025. Tabled in Parliament, this proposed law aims to repeal and replace two existing acts: the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010.
The primary objective is to align India's nuclear regulatory framework with global standards to attract private and foreign investment. A key focus is on diluting Section 17(b) of the CLNDA, which has been a significant barrier. This clause allows nuclear plant operators to seek recourse from suppliers for latent defects, a provision foreign vendors have cited as an impediment to entering the Indian market.
The Bill is driven by India's twin needs: finding reliable base-load power alternatives to coal and scaling up nuclear capacity, which requires substantial capital. The rules following the Bill's passage are expected to facilitate foreign funding, including interest from West Asian sovereign funds. The move also aims to boost India's position in developing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs)—advanced reactors with a capacity of 30-300 MWe—which are seen as the future of cost-effective and flexible nuclear power.
Relevance for UPSC
Prelims: Current events of national and international importance.
Mains GS-II & III: Government policies and interventions, Science and Technology developments, and their applications.
Strengthening India-Jordan Strategic Partnership
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jordan highlighted the deepening bilateral ties. In a notable gesture, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II personally drove PM Modi, underscoring the warmth in relations. The leaders addressed the India-Jordan Business Forum, where PM Modi pitched for collaboration in IT, infrastructure, and agriculture.
He highlighted India's Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)—including UPI, Aadhaar, and DigiLocker—as a model for inclusion and efficiency that could benefit Jordan. Other promising areas include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and agriculture, where India's expertise in dryland farming and micro-irrigation could be valuable.
The economic partnership is already strong, with Jordan being a key supplier of fertilisers to India. The Jordan India Fertilizer Company, a $860 million joint venture, is a major source of phosphoric acid, crucial for India's food security. The joint statement from the visit notably focused on bilateral cooperation without explicit mention of terrorism or the Gaza situation, indicating a concentrated effort on economic and strategic ties.
Relevance for UPSC
Prelims: Current events.
Mains GS-II: Bilateral, regional, and global groupings involving India.
IRDAI Gets Enhanced Search and Seizure Powers
The proposed Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025 seeks to significantly bolster the regulatory powers of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI). The amendments aim to give IRDAI wider authority to crack down on violations by insurers and intermediaries like agents, brokers, and third-party administrators.
A key provision empowers the IRDAI Chairperson to order searches, seizures, and inspections if there is suspicion of document withholding, tampering, or violations such as illegal commission payments. This brings IRDAI's enforcement powers in line with market regulator SEBI. The regulator will also gain the power to disgorge wrongful gains and issue binding directions to insurers in the public interest.
Parallelly, the Lok Sabha passed amendments to increase the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in the insurance sector from 74% to 100%. This move aims to attract capital, facilitate technology transfer, and increase insurance penetration in line with the goal of 'Insurance for All by 2047'.
Relevance for UPSC
Prelims: Current events of national importance.
Mains GS-II & III: Government policies, Indian Economy, and resource mobilization.
Climate Change and Deforestation Worsen SE Asia Cyclones
A study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group analyzed the devastating floods triggered by Cyclones Ditwah and Senyar in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand in November 2025, which killed over 1,600 people. The research concluded that rising global temperatures, rapid urbanization, and deforestation exacerbated the impact.
Climate change, with the world already about 1.3°C warmer since pre-industrial times, increases atmospheric moisture, leading to more intense rainfall. While the precise contribution of climate change to these specific events was hard to quantify due to factors like El Niño, the trend is clear. Deforestation for plantations and infrastructure increased surface runoff, worsening floods. Simultaneously, rapid urbanization has placed more people and critical infrastructure in high-risk flood zones, magnifying economic losses, which were estimated at $4.13 billion in Indonesia alone.
Relevance for UPSC
Prelims: Indian and World Geography.
Mains GS-I & III: Important Geophysical phenomena, Disaster Management, Environmental impact.
Other Key Developments for UPSC Aspirants
The Winter Session also saw the Lok Sabha pass The Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025, aimed at repealing 71 obsolete laws. The government stated that since 2014, a total of 1,562 archaic laws have been revoked.
In a significant legal development, the Supreme Court issued a notice on a petition by Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma. He challenged the Lok Sabha Speaker's unilateral constitution of a committee to probe corruption charges against him, arguing it violated the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.
Additionally, with Delhi's air quality turning 'severe', focus has shifted back to vehicular pollution. Data shows that in Delhi-NCR, 37% of the vehicle fleet comprises older BS-III or below standards, which are major polluters, highlighting the need for stricter measures.
