Daily Current Affairs: 14 January 2026

Analysis for 14 January 2026

Thierry Sabbagh appointed Divisional Vice-President and President for Middle East, KSA, CIS and India at Nissan

[Nissan]

Key Updates:

Thierry Sabbagh’s responsibilities were expanded to include Nissan India effective January 1, 2026.
He will serve as Divisional Vice-President and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India – Nissan and Infiniti.
Leon Dorssers, Senior Vice President and Chief of Commercial Operations, Nissan AMIEO, is leaving the company.

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Shailesh Chandra elected President of OICA, becomes first Indian to head the global auto body (Mid of November) ▼

Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director & CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd, elected President of OICA effective November 1.
He becomes the first Indian to head the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA), the Paris-based global association of vehicle manufacturers.
Chandra succeeds John Bozzella, President and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation (USA).

Bharat Climate Forum 2026: India Targets Net-Zero by 2070 through Clean-Tech Manufacturing (Start of January) ▼

Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan delivered the inaugural address at the Bharat Climate Forum 2026, stating that climate action can accelerate inclusive growth, strengthen energy security, and power a future-ready Indian economy.
India is pursuing the Panchamrit commitments announced at COP26, which include a "roadmap toward net-zero emissions by 2070" to balance economic growth with future responsibility.
The government aims to transform "Make in India into Make in India for the World" by developing homegrown technologies in Renewable energy systems, Battery storage, Green hydrogen, and Electric mobility.
India is leading global climate collaboration through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) based on partnerships without dependence.
The transition focuses on building a skilled workforce and resilient manufacturing ecosystems to ensure India does not rely on "imported clean technologies or fragile global supply chains.

Vice Admiral B Sivakumar assumes charge as 40th Chief of Materiel-Indian Navy (Start of November) ▼

Vice Admiral B. Sivakumar, AVSM, VSM, assumed the position of the 40th Chief of Materiel on 1 November 2025.
He was commissioned as an Electrical Officer in the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987.
He succeeded Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, AVSM, VSM, who completed over 39 years of service.

Safran Aircraft Engine Services India facility inaugurated to establish India as global MRO hub (End of November) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India facility located at the GMR Aerospace and Industrial Park - SEZ, Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad.
The facility is Safran’s largest Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facility for LEAP engines which power Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
The facility is designed to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually and employ over 1,000 highly skilled Indian technicians and engineers upon achieving full operational capacity by 2035.
The Government of India is developing the country as a strong MRO hub under initiatives such as MRO Guidelines 2021 and the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016.

Abla El Hawary presided over opening session of Egypt’s House of Representatives

[Egypt]

Key Updates:

Abla El Hawary became the first woman to lead parliamentary proceedings in the 160-year history of the Egyptian Parliament.
She presided as the oldest member of the newly constituted House of Representatives during its inaugural session.
El Hawary oversaw the swearing-in of all 596 members and the election of the Speaker before handing over formal leadership.

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Syria publishes first print issue of Al Thawra Al Souriya newspaper 5 years after Assad ban (Start of December) ▼

Syria published the first print issue of the official Al Thawra Al Souriya newspaper for the first time in five years.
Al Thawra Al Souriya means 'the Syrian revolution' in Arabic.
Al Thawra Al Souriya will replace Al Thawra, an Assad-era state newspaper.
Former President Bashar al-Assad stopped printing dailies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Assad was overthrown by Ahmed al-Sharaa, former al-Qaeda commander and current Syrian President, last December.

Constitution Day of India observed on November 26 (End of November) ▼

India celebrates Constitution Day on November 26 to honour the adoption of the Constitution.
Before 2015, November 26 was formally observed as the National Law Day.
In 2015, the government officially notified November 26 as ‘Constitution Day’ (Samvidhan Divas) to promote constitutional values among citizens.
The year 2015 also marked the 125th birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, also called the ‘father’ and ‘chief architect’ of the Indian Constitution.
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution, who was also the first law minister of independent India.
The Indian Constitution was formally adopted on November 26, 1949.
After two months, on January 26, 1950, it came into effect, and the day was declared as Republic Day.
The Constituent Assembly, the body assigned to draft the constitution, took 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days to complete the drafting of the constitution.
In 1934, M.N. Roy proposed the idea to form the Constituent Assembly.
In 1946, the Constituent Assembly was constituted under the Cabinet Mission Plan.
On December 9, 1946, the first session was held with 207 members including 9 women.
On January 22, 1947, the Objectives Resolution was adopted as the Preamble.
On August 29, 1947, the Drafting Committee was formed under BR Ambedkar.
On November 4, 1948, the First Draft Constitution was presented to the Assembly.
The Forty-Second Amendment Act, 1976, introduced ‘socialist’, ‘secular’ and ‘integrity’ in the Preamble.
The Forty-Fourth Amendment Act, 1978, reduced the Right to Property from being a “fundamental right” to a “legal right”.
The Sixty-First Amendment Act, 1989, reduced the voting age in the nation from 21 years to 18 years.
The Eighty-Sixth Amendment Act, 2002, led to the inclusion of the Right to Education as Article 21A.
The One-Hundred First Amendment Act, 2016, led to the introduction of Goods Service Tax (GST).
The Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967) ruling limited Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution for the first time.
The Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) ruling held that the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution is inviolable.
In Indira Nehru Gandhi v. Raj Narain (1975), the Supreme Court of India, applying the basic structure doctrine for the first time, struck down the 39th Amendment clause.
The Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978) ruling established the interconnection between three different provisions of the Constitution, Article 21, 19 and 14.
The Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980) ruling held that the Parliament cannot destroy the basic structure of the Indian constitution.
The Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation (1985) ruling held that the right to livelihood is included in the right to life and personal liberty.
The S. R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) ruling set limits on the President’s power to impose President’s Rule.
The Right to Privacy Judgment (Justice K. S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, 2017) ruled the right to privacy as a fundamental right protected under Article 21 of the Constitution.
The Government of NCT of Delhi v. Union of India (2018) verdict held that Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor (LG) must act on the advice of the Delhi government’s Council of Ministers for matters within the elected government’s authority, except for police, public order and land.
The Associated for Democratic Reforms v. Union of India (2024) ruling struck down the Electoral Bonds Scheme, 2018, finding it unconstitutional.
The electoral bonds scheme allowed corporations and individuals to anonymously donate money to political parties by purchasing electoral bonds from the State Bank of India (SBI).

Khaled El-Enany elected as 12th Director-General of UNESCO (Mid of November) ▼

Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz elected 12th Director-General of UNESCO with 172 votes in his favor.
He will officially take office on 15 November, succeeding Audrey Azoulay for a four-year term.
First Director-General from an Arab nation; previously Egypt’s Minister of Antiquities and Tourism and Special Ambassador for Cultural Tourism with the World Tourism Organization.

Ahmed al-Sharaa Unveiled New Banknotes as Interim President (End of December) ▼

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the interim President of Syria, introduced the country's new banknotes at a ceremony in Damascus to replace political imagery with agricultural symbols.
Abdul Qader Hosriya, the Governor of the Central Bank, announced that the currency exchange process will be completed within 90 days.
The new currency, which enters circulation on 1 January, features denominations of 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, and 500 Syrian pounds following the removal of two zeros.
Bashar al-Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, was ousted and fled to Russia in December 2024.
Hafez al-Assad, the father of the ousted leader, ruled the country from 1971 until his death in 2000.
Syria's official news agency (SANA) reported that the new currency design is an expression of national identity and a move away from the veneration of individuals.

Dinkar Balu Patil to be honoured through naming of Navi Mumbai International Airport

Key Updates:

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced that the Navi Mumbai International Airport will be named after the late Dinkar Balu Patil.
Dinkar Balu Patil, popularly known as DB Patil, was a senior leader from Raigad district and served as an MLA from Panvel between 1957 and 1980.
DB Patil was recognised for his advocacy of farmers’ rights and entered public life after winning the Kolaba district local board election.
Born in Jasai village in Uran taluka of Raigad district, Patil came from a farming family and completed his LLB degree in 1951.

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T M Kaliannan honoured with renaming demand for Salem Railway Junction or airport (Mid of January) ▼

T M Kaliannan served as a member of the Provisional Parliament of India, the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly and the legislative council.
Namakkal MP VS Matheswaran stated he would raise in parliament the demand to rename Salem Railway Junction or the Salem airport after Kaliannan.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee spokesman Dr PV Senthil joined Matheswaran in paying floral tributes to Kaliannan’s portrait during the 105th birth anniversary observance.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (UPCM) Yogi Adityanath Schedules Noida International Airport Inauguration for January 2026 (End of December) ▼

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister (UPCM) Yogi Adityanath announced that the Noida International Airport at Jewar will be inaugurated in January 2026.
The facility will be the fifth international airport in Uttar Pradesh and is expected to be the largest airport in India.
Uttar Pradesh currently has 16 functional airports, including four international airports.
The Noida International Airport is a greenfield project being developed in the Jewar area of Gautam Buddh Nagar district under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.
The first phase of the airport project is spread over approximately 1,300 hectares.

Navi Mumbai Airport To Begin Commercial Flights On Christmas (Mid of November) ▼

Budget airline Akasa Air has announced its first flights from the Navi Mumbai International Airport from December 25, 2025.
The first Akasa flight to Navi Mumbai Airport will commence from the national capital New Delhi.
Akasa Air will operate the maiden flight between Delhi and Navi Mumbai International Airport on 25th December 2025.
Scheduled flights connecting Navi Mumbai with Goa will commence effective 25th December 2025, Delhi and Kochi effective 26th December 2025, and Ahmedabad effective 31st December 2025.
Indigo will also start operations from Navi Mumbai International Airport on December 25 and will connect NMIA to ten cities across India.

105th birth anniversary of T M Kaliyannan observed on January 10, 2026 (Mid of January) ▼

Members of Congress and Kongu organisations observed the 105th birth anniversary of T M Kaliyannan on January 10, 2026.
T M Kaliyannan served as a member of the Provisional Parliament of India, the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly, and the legislative council.
A demand has been raised to rename the Salem Railway Junction or the Salem airport after T M Kaliyannan.
Namakkal Member of Parliament (MP) VS Matheswaran stated he would raise the demand for renaming the junction or airport in parliament.

Aritra Roy summited Mt. Aconcagua in HAL-sponsored solo expedition.

[Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)]

Key Updates:

Aritra Roy is a HAL-sponsored Indian mountaineer.
He summited Mt. Aconcagua, the highest mountain outside Asia, standing at 6,967.15 metres above mean sea level.
The solo expedition was fully sponsored by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Roy reached the summit on January 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM local time.
He completed a 44-kilometre trek and faced temperatures plunging to minus 40 degrees Celsius, snowstorms and blizzards.
HAL Chairman and Managing Director Dr D K Sunil congratulated Roy on the achievement.
Roy dedicated the summit to those who aspire to dream big and pursue their goals with perseverance.

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Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi reached the summit of Mount Vinson (Start of January) ▼

Emirati mountaineer Fatima Abdulrahman Al Awadhi reached the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, on 6 January 2026.
At the age of 18, she became the youngest and first Arab to reach the summit of the 4,892-metre peak.
This ascent marks the third major peak in her quest to conquer the Seven Summits and achieve the Explorer’s Grand Slam.
The expedition was sponsored by Palms Sports and Dar Al Takaful Finance.
Al Awadhi previously became the youngest Emirati to reach the summit of Mount Elbrus, Europe’s highest peak, on 6 July 2025.
She is currently a university student majoring in Economics.

Indian Army achieves first-ever successful ascent of Mount Kangto on December 6, 2025 (Start of December) ▼

an Indian Army mountaineering team from Eastern Command has successfully summited Mount Kangto 7,042-metre--the highest and hitherto unconquered sentinel peak of Arunachal Pradesh--approaching from the challenging Southern route.
This accomplishment marks the first recorded successful ascent of the formidable Mount Kangto, long regarded as an unclimbed guardian of the Kameng Himalayas.
The expedition team was 'Flagged In' by Lt Gen RC Tiwari, Army Commander, Eastern Command, who lauded the mountaineers for their courage, professionalism and perseverance.
Flagged Off on November 3 from a forward base by the General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, the 18-member team undertook a gruelling expedition across rugged Himalayan terrain.
Braving extremely rarefied air, harsh sub-zero conditions, treacherous icy ridgelines, deep crevasses, and near-vertical ice walls, the climbers showcased the hallmark attributes of the Indian Army--unmatched grit, discipline, teamwork and an indomitable spirit.

Kavita Chand Scales Mount Vinson (Mid of December) ▼

Kavita Chand conquered Mount Vinson in Antarctica, the highest peak in that continent, that has a height of 4,892 meters above the sea level.
She had previously conquered Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe.
Kavita Chand won the Delhi and Mumbai HYROX 2025 competitions in her age group.
She has also completed three of the six marathons in the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Challenge.

Golden Jubilee of Sarok Festival celebrated on January 10, 2026 (Mid of January) ▼

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu attended the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the 'Sarok Festival of the Aka Hrusso' community at Bana in Bichom district, marking 50 years of the festival as a symbol of cultural heritage and continuity.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the appointment of four more Special Observers in West Bengal to bring greater transparency to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Director General Gyanendra Pratap Singh IPS took the salute during the Passing Out Parade of CRPF Batch No. 434 at the Recruit Training Centre (RTC), Avadi, in Tiruvallur.
KIIT shines on the global education map, ranking 5th in India for attracting foreign students.

Dina Powell McCormick appointed President and Vice Chairman of Meta

[Meta]

Key Updates:

Dina Powell McCormick has been appointed President and Vice Chairman of Meta Platforms Inc.
She will report to Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Powell McCormick previously served as a Meta board member before resigning to take the executive role.
She served as Deputy National Security Adviser in the Trump administration.
She spent 16 years in senior leadership roles at Goldman Sachs.
She was vice chair, president, and head of global client services at BDT & MSD Partners.
She also served on the board of Exxon Mobil.
She is married to U.S. Senator David McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania.

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Henrique Braun appointed Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company (Mid of December) ▼

Henrique Braun has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Coca-Cola Company.
He will succeed James Quincey as CEO on 31 March 2026.
James Quincey will transition to Executive Chairman of the Board.
Henrique Braun is currently the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company.
James Quincey concluded his nine-year run at the helm as CEO.

India to assume Chairpersonship of Kimberley Process from 1 January 2026 (End of December) ▼

India will take over as Kimberley Process (KP) Vice Chair from 25 December 2025 and assume the chairpersonship on 1 January 2026.
This will be the third time India has been entrusted with the chair of the Kimberley Process.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) came into effect on 1 January 2003 and has 60 participants accounting for over 99 per cent of global rough diamond trade.

Justice Revati Mohite Dere Sworn In as First Woman Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court (Mid of January) ▼

Justice Revati Mohite Dere was sworn in as the first woman Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court.
She succeeded Chief Justice Soumen Sen, who was transferred to the Kerala High Court.
Governor Chandrashekhar H Vijayashankar administered the oath of office at the Durbar Hall of Lok Bhavan in Shillong.
Prior to her appointment, Justice Dere served as a judge at the Bombay High Court.
The Supreme Court (SC) collegium recommended her appointment on December 18.

Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty elected first woman President of Press Club of India (PCI) (Mid of December) ▼

Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty secured 1,019 votes to become the first woman President of PCI.
Her team swept all office-bearers and managing committee positions, winning 21-0 in the elections.
Afzal Imam was elected Secretary General with 948 votes, defeating Gyan Prakash who got 290 votes.
Jatin Gandhi won the vice-president post with 1,029 votes, defeating Prahlad Singh Rajput by over 900 votes.
Aditi Rajput (Treasurer) and PR Sunil (Joint Secretary) were elected unopposed.
The 16-member managing committee was led by Niraj Kumar with 932 votes.

Thomas Kuthiravattam passed away as former MP and senior Kerala Congress (M) leader

[Kerala]

Key Updates:

Thomas Kuthiravattam, senior leader of Kerala Congress (M) and former MP, passed away at his residence in Kallissery near Chengannur in Alappuzha.
He served as working chairman of the undivided Kerala Congress and was a long-time general secretary.
He was a member of Rajya Sabha from 1985 to 1991 and part of the Joint Parliamentary Committee that investigated the Bofors deal.
He was a close aide of late K M Mani and served as a member of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church Managing Committee.

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Kabindra Purkayastha passes away at 95; former Union Minister and BJP stalwart. (Start of January) ▼

Kabindra Purkayastha, former Union Minister and veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, died at Silchar Medical College and Hospital after prolonged illness.
He joined BJP in 1980 and led the party to its first-ever Lok Sabha seats from Assam in 1991.
Born in Kamarkhal village, now in Bangladesh’s Sunamganj district, he migrated to Silchar post-Partition.
He is survived by son Kanad Purkayastha, Rajya Sabha MP, a daughter, and grandchildren.

Kannan Pattambi passes away at 62 (Start of January) ▼

Kannan Pattambi, Malayalam actor and production controller, died while undergoing treatment for a kidney-related ailment at a private hospital in Kozhikode, Kerala.
His elder brother Major Ravi confirmed the news through a Facebook post.
Pattambi worked extensively with Major Ravi and Mohanlal on films including Mission 90 Days, Pulimurugan, Kandahar, Karmayodha and Kurukshetra.
He acted in 23 films including Black, Vettam, Odiyan and 12th Man.

H.Y. Meti, former Karnataka minister and senior Congress leader, passes away (Start of November) ▼

H.Y. Meti, former Karnataka excise minister and senior Congress leader, passed away at 79.
He was a five-time MLA and one-time Lok Sabha member.
Meti was a prominent figure in North Karnataka politics.
He was a sitting MLA from Bagalkot at the time of his passing.
He had previously resigned from the cabinet in 2016 following a controversy.

Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Karnataka’s oldest MLA and veteran Congress leader, dies (Mid of December) ▼

Shamanur Shivashankarappa, Karnataka’s oldest MLA and veteran Congress leader, died at 94.
He represented the Davanagere South Assembly constituency.
He was the National president of Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva Mahasabha.
He remained active in politics for around five decades.
He was elected six times as an MLA since 1994 and once to the Lok Sabha.
He was also a former minister and industrialist.
His son, S S Mallikarjun, is a Minister in the state Cabinet.
His daughter-in-law, Prabha Mallikarjun, represents Davangere in the Lok Sabha.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) overhauls FEMA guarantees regime, widens automatic route and mandates quarterly reporting.

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) replaces the 2000 rules with the Foreign Exchange Management (Guarantees) Regulations, 2026.
Guarantees are freely permitted if the underlying transaction is not prohibited under FEMA and parties are eligible to lend or borrow under FEMA borrowing and lending rules.
Guarantees issued, modified or invoked must be reported quarterly within 15 days of quarter-end to authorised dealer banks using Form GRN.
Late submission attracts a fee of Rs 7,500 + 0.025% × amount involved × years of delay (rounded to nearest month and Rs 100).
Exemptions cover guarantees by overseas/IFSC branches of authorised dealer banks, irrevocable payment commitments by custodian banks for FPIs, and guarantees under Overseas Investment Regulations, 2022.

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Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Reports $9.809 Billion Decline in India's Forex Reserves (Mid of January) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data shows India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $9.809 billion to $686.801 billion in the week ended January 02, 2026.
Foreign Currency Assets (FCAs), the largest component of the reserves, decreased by $7.622 billion to stand at $551.99 billion.
Gold reserves decreased by $2.058 billion during the week to reach a total of $111.262 billion.
Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) dropped by $25 million to $18.778 billion.
The country’s reserve position in the IMF decreased by $105 million to $4.771 billion as of December 26.
In the previous week ending December 26, the reserves had increased by $3.293 billion to $696.61 billion.
The RBI intervenes in the foreign exchange market to curb excessive volatility in the rupee without anchoring to any predetermined exchange rate level.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) permits residents and non-residents to undertake rupee IRD transactions (Mid of December) ▼

Residents and non-residents are permitted to undertake transactions in rupee interest-rate derivatives (IRD), according to master directions released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Non-residents can enter these trades through their central treasury or group entities if the market maker is authorized to transact on their behalf.
Market makers include scheduled banks, standalone primary dealers, upper-layer non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), and specified development or specialized banks.
Market makers must classify participants as retail or non-retail users.
Non-retail users include NBFCs (other than market makers) and other institutional entities.
The combined Price Value of a Basis Point (PVBP) of all outstanding IRD trades by non-residents may not exceed ₹1,000 crore.
After reaching the ₹1,000 crore PVBP limit, fresh positions for non-residents can only be taken for hedging purposes.
The rules apply to IRD transactions in both the over-the-counter market and on recognized stock exchanges.
Exchanges are permitted to introduce any IRD product after approval from the RBI.
Floating rates or indices used in exchange-traded products must be benchmarks published by an authorized financial benchmark administrator.
Market makers must report global IRD transactions by their offshore-related parties to the central trade repository, operated by Clearing Corporation of India.
Exchanges offering IRD products must submit reports and documentation to the RBI or designated agencies in specified formats.
Exchanges must ensure that users are informed of the risks associated with IRD products before they enter the market.
Foreign portfolio investors and other non-resident investors are not allowed to hold net long positions exceeding ₹5,000 crore across all interest-rate futures.
Gross short positions for non-residents cannot exceed consolidated long positions in government securities and futures.
Non-resident IRD transactions must be routed through rupee accounts in India or through vostro accounts for settlement.
Foreign currency-settled IRD payments may be made through standard banking channels.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Increases Foreign Exchange Reserves to $696,610 Million (Start of January) ▼

India's Foreign Exchange Reserves increased to $696,610 Million for the week ending December 26 from $693,320 Million in the previous week.
The reserves reached an all-time high of $704,890.00 Million in September 2024 and a record low of $29,048.00 Million in September 1998.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Interest Rate was recorded at 5.25% in December 2025, down from 5.50% in the previous period.
The Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) stood at 3.00% in November 2025, compared to 3.25% in the preceding month.
The Reverse Repo Rate was maintained at 3.35% as of November 2025.
Bank Loan Growth YoY increased to 12.00% in December 2025 from 11.50% in the previous period.
The RBI Central Bank Balance Sheet was valued at 40,873.89 INR Billion in November 2025.
Foreign Exchange Reserves in India are projected to reach $710,000.00 Million by the end of the current quarter and trend around the same level in 2027.
India's Foreign Exchange Reserves averaged $311,804.00 Million from 1998 until 2025.

RBI adds seven more names to alert list of unauthorised forex trading platforms (End of November) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India has expanded its alert list of unauthorised online forex trading platforms by adding seven more names, bringing the total count to 95.
The newly added platforms are Starnet FX, CapPlace, Mirrox, Fusion Markets, Trive, NXG Markets, and Nord FX.
According to the RBI, all entities on the list are neither permitted to conduct foreign exchange transactions under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, nor cleared to run electronic trading platforms for forex dealings.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) records December CPI inflation at 1.33%

[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)]

Key Updates:

India’s headline retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 1.33 per cent in December 2025 from 0.71 per cent in November.
Retail food prices fell 2.71 per cent year-on-year in December after falling by 3.91 per cent the previous month.
The December 2025 retail inflation figure is the last under the existing CPI series; a new series with base year 2024 will be introduced next month.
The October–December CPI inflation averaged ~0.8 per cent, about 20 basis points higher than the Monetary Policy Committee’s Q3FY26 forecast.
Core inflation rose to 4.6 per cent in December from 4.4 per cent the previous month, driven by gold and silver price surges.
Gold inflation hit a record high of 68.66 per cent and silver inflation reached 97.07 per cent in December.
Excluding gold and silver, December CPI inflation would have been 0.26 per cent.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) expects inflation to average around 4 per cent in the first half of 2026-27.

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Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) resets base years for CPI, GDP, and IIP (End of December) ▼

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will release a new series of Consumer Price Index (CPI) data with the base year 2024=100 on February 12, 2026.
MoSPI will roll out revised National Accounts data using 2022-23 as the base year on February 27, 2026.
The new Index of Industrial Production (IIP) series, featuring 2022-23 as the base year, is scheduled for release on May 28, 2026.
MoSPI convened a pre-release consultative workshop to discuss proposed methodological and structural changes in the revised data series with stakeholders.
The revision process involves key officials including NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman K Bery, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran, and MoSPI Secretary Saurabh Garg.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) estimates Real GDP growth at 7.4% for FY 2025-26 (Start of January) ▼

The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the First Advance Estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the Financial Year (FY) 2025-26.
Real GDP is estimated to grow by 7.4% in FY 2025-26, compared to a growth rate of 6.5% in FY 2024-25.
Nominal GDP is projected to grow at 8.0% in FY 2025-26, reaching an estimated level of ₹357.14 lakh crore.
Real Gross Value Added (GVA) is estimated to grow by 7.3% to reach ₹184.50 lakh crore in FY 2025-26.
Nominal GVA is estimated to attain a level of ₹323.48 lakh crore, registering a growth rate of 7.7%.
Financial, Real Estate & Professional Services and Public Administration, Defence & Other Services are estimated to achieve a growth rate of 9.9% at constant prices.
Trade, Hotels, Transport, Communication & Services related to Broadcasting sector is estimated to grow by 7.5% at constant prices.
Manufacturing and Construction sectors in the secondary sector are estimated to achieve a growth rate of 7.0% at constant prices.
Agriculture & Allied Sector is estimated to grow by 3.1%, while Electricity, Gas, Water Supply & Other Utility Services is estimated at 2.1%.
Real Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) is estimated to attain a growth rate of 7.0% during FY 2025-26.
Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) is estimated to grow by 7.8% at constant prices, compared to 7.1% in the previous financial year.
MoSPI is currently revising the base year of National Accounts from FY 2011-12 to FY 2022-23.
The Second Advance Estimates of GDP for FY 2025-26 under the new base year are scheduled for release on 27.02.2026.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) to release new series of CPI, GDP, IIP data (End of December) ▼

MoSPI will release a new Consumer Price Index (CPI) series with 2024 as the base year on 12 February 2026.
National Accounts data using 2022-23 as the base year will be released on 27 February 2026.
The updated Index of Industrial Production (IIP) series with 2022-23 as the base year is scheduled for release on 28 May 2026.
A pre-release consultative workshop on the base revision will be held on Tuesday following the first session on 26 November in Mumbai.
The workshop will present proposed methodological and structural changes in GDP, CPI, and IIP and seek stakeholder feedback.

Government of India (GoI) updates national accounts base year to 2022-23 (Start of December) ▼

Government of India (GoI) will revise the base year for national accounts from 2011-12 to 2022-23.
The new base year will come into effect from February 26-27 next year.
The update aims to ensure national account statistics better reflect the present structure of the economy.
The IMF assigned a C grade to India’s national accounts data due to the outdated base year of 2011-12.
India’s real GDP rose 8.2% during the July-September quarter.

Government of India net direct tax kitty swells 8.82% to ₹18,37,898.32 crore by January 11 2026.

Key Updates:

Gross direct tax collections for FY 2025-26 stood at ₹21,49,831.89 crore as on January 11 2026, up 4.14% from ₹20,64,350.94 crore in the corresponding period of FY 2024-25.
Gross corporate tax collections rose to ₹10,46,574.28 crore from ₹9,71,851.07 crore a year earlier.
Gross non-corporate tax collections increased to ₹10,58,046.13 crore from ₹10,45,093.86 crore in the same period last year.
Refunds issued during FY 2025-26 up to January 11 2026 totaled ₹3,11,933.57 crore, 16.92% lower than ₹3,75,441.27 crore in the corresponding period of FY 2024-25.
Net corporate tax collections after refunds reached ₹8,63,038.88 crore.
Net non-corporate tax collections after refunds stood at ₹9,29,671.69 crore.

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Income Tax Department records 8% rise in net direct tax collections to ₹17.05 lakh crore this FY till Dec 17. (Mid of December) ▼

Net direct tax collections between April 1 and December 17, 2025, stood at ₹17,04,725 crore against ₹15,78,433 crore in the same period last year.
Gross direct tax collections grew 4.16% year-on-year to ₹20,01,794 crore.
Net corporate tax collections rose to ₹8,17,310 crore from ₹7,39,353 crore a year ago.
Net non-corporate tax collections increased to ₹8,46,905 crore from ₹7,96,181 crore.
Refunds issued during the period fell 13.52% to ₹2,97,069 crore from ₹3,43,499 crore last year.
Total advance tax collections rose 4.27% to ₹7,88,388 crore; corporate advance tax increased nearly 8% to ₹6,07,300 crore while non-corporate advance tax declined 6.49% to ₹1,81,088 crore.
Securities transaction tax collections remained flat at around ₹40,195 crore.

GST collections rise 4.6% to Rs 1.96 lakh crore in October despite tax cuts (Start of November) ▼

GST collection rose 4.6% in October to Rs 1.96 lakh crore compared to Rs 1.97 lakh crore in October 2024.
After deducting refunds, the government's net tax collections stood at Rs 1.69 lakh crore, 0.6% more than in October 2024.
Out of the total gross collection, CGST amounted to Rs 36,547 crore, SGST to Rs 45,134 crore, IGST to Rs 1,06,443 crore, and cess to Rs 7,812 crore.
In the April-October period of FY26, GST collections rose 9.0% to about Rs 13.89 lakh crore versus Rs 12.74 lakh crore in the same period last fiscal.
Gross GST revenue rose 12.84% yoy in October amounting to Rs 50,884 crore, while domestic revenue increased by only 2% at Rs 1.45 lakh crore.
Net GST revenue from domestic transactions stayed flat at Rs 1.31 lakh crore after refunds, while net customs revenue increased by 2.5% to Rs 37,210 crore.
Under GST 2.0 effective from September 22, the Ministry of Finance reduced the multi-layered tax structure to effectively two broad slabs of 5% and 18%, plus a special 40% rate for select items.

Economic Empowerment of Bharat in the Modi Era highlights GST, Digital India, and Direct Benefit Transfer reforms (End of December) ▼

GST transformed India into a unified national market by simplifying the tax structure, enhancing compliance and strengthening cooperative federalism.
Digital India, Make in India, Startup India and the rapid expansion of UPI have empowered citizens, entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Over ₹47 lakh crore has been directly transferred into beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the JAM trinity (Jan Dhan–Aadhaar–Mobile).

India’s Net Direct Tax Collection Rises 7% to ₹12.92 Trillion in Apr-Nov 2025 (Mid of November) ▼

Net direct tax collection grew 7% year-on-year to ₹12.92 trillion between April 1 and November 10.
Refund issuances declined by 18% to ₹2.42 trillion during the same period.
Net corporate tax collections stood at ₹5.37 trillion, up from ₹5.08 trillion in the corresponding period of FY 2024-25.
Non-corporate tax receipts, including personal income tax, rose to ₹7.19 trillion from ₹6.62 trillion a year ago.
Gross direct tax collections before refunds amounted to ₹15.35 trillion, reflecting a 2.15% increase from the previous year.
The government has set a target of ₹25.20 trillion in direct tax collections for FY 2025-26, representing a 12.7% increase over the previous year.

Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) records India slipping to third rank in Russian fossil fuel imports

[Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA)]

Key Updates:

India’s Russian hydrocarbon imports fell to €2.3 billion in December from €3.3 billion in November.
Turkiye replaced India as the second-largest buyer, importing €2.6 billion of Russian hydrocarbons in December.
China retained the top position, accounting for 48% (€6 billion) of Russia’s export revenues from the top five importers.
Russian crude constituted 78% of India’s purchases, totalling €1.8 billion in December.
Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery halved its Russian crude imports in December.
State-owned refiners cut Russian crude imports by 15% month-on-month in December.
Russia’s share in India’s total crude imports dropped to 25% in December from 35% in November.

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Poland Backs India Amid Trump Tariff Threats Over Russian Oil (Mid of January) ▼

Poland expressed satisfaction that India has reduced Russian oil imports.
EAM S Jaishankar participated in India’s first-ever engagement in the Weimar Triangle format.
Weimar Triangle consists of France, Germany, and Poland.

United States Warns India of Higher Tariffs Over Continued Russian Oil Imports (Start of January) ▼

United States (U.S.) president Donald Trump warned on January 4 that Washington could raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not stop buying Russian oil.
At present, Indian shipments face a cumulative 50% import tariff, with half of that directly linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude.
U.S. senator Lindsey Graham is pushing legislation that would impose sweeping secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas if Moscow refuses to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days.
Indian exports to the U.S. fell 20.7% between May and November 2025, and a further escalation in tariffs could deepen the decline.
As tariff threats harden into policy, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) says India can no longer afford strategic ambiguity.

Russia Becomes India's Top Sunflower Oil Supplier, Capturing 56% Market Share in 2024 (Start of November) ▼

Imports of sunflower oil from Russia have shot up twelvefold in the last four years, making it India’s largest supplier, displacing Ukraine.
The share of Russian oil in India’s total sunflower oil imports was around 10% in 2021, which rose to 56% in 2024.
India imported 2.09 million tonnes of sunflower oil from Russia in calendar 2024, up 12 times from about 175,000 tonnes in 2021.
Less than 5% of the sunflower oil consumed in India is produced locally.
India meets nearly 60% of its total cooking oil requirement through imports.
Palm oil accounts for nearly 50% of the total cooking oil consumption, with soyabean and sunflower oils having the second and third largest share.
Sunflower oil imports rose significantly as it became cheaper than palm oil for the first time ever during 2023 and 2024.
Sunflower oil imports are expected to fall by about 13% this year due to a steep price rise.
There is a premium of $150 per tonne on sunflower oil over the palm oil and soyabean oil.
The share of Russia in sunflower oil imports is expected to remain around 55-60% this year.

India and Russia target $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030 (Mid of November) ▼

India and Russia aim to raise bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
India urged Russia to expedite the approval of domestic establishments and registration of marine and pharmaceutical products.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal attended the 26th Meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Moscow.
A comprehensive protocol for trade and economic collaboration across various sectors was finalised and signed.
Potential areas for trade expansion identified include engineering goods, chemicals and plastics, electronics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, leather, and textiles.
India showcased its Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem as a platform for Russian firms.

Government sources assess minimal impact of US tariff on Iran partners for India

[United States]

Key Updates:

India's trade with Iran stood at USD 1.6 billion, approximately 0.15% of India's total trade.
Iran does not figure in India's top 50 global trading partners.
India's share in Iran's total imports is USD 1.2 billion, accounting for 2.3%.
US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran.
FIEO CEO stated Indian industry and banks deal with Iran only in goods outside US OFAC sanctions.
KRBL exported approximately 250,000 tonnes of basmati rice to Iran when trade was fully open.

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United States (US) President Donald Trump Threatens New Tariffs on Indian Rice Imports (Start of December) ▼

United States (US) President Donald Trump hinted at potential new tariffs on Indian rice imports, citing 'dumping' as damaging domestic growers.
Indian rice exporters on Dalal Street faced a significant downturn following the US President's remarks.
Kohinoor Foods stock fell 9.9% to Rs 24.41, reaching its intraday and 52-week low on the BSE.
LT Foods stock dropped 6.5% to Rs 368, while KRBL stock retreated 2.7% to Rs 370.05.
The US had previously imposed a 50% tariff on Indian goods in August, consisting of an already levied 25% tariff and an additional 25% duties.
The US alleged the additional duties were due to India's continued purchase of Russian oil.
US President Donald Trump also hinted that Canadian fertiliser imports could face higher duties, with earlier proposals suggesting a rise of up to 10%, potentially reaching 45%.

United States Warns India of Higher Tariffs Over Continued Russian Oil Imports (Start of January) ▼

United States (U.S.) president Donald Trump warned on January 4 that Washington could raise tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not stop buying Russian oil.
At present, Indian shipments face a cumulative 50% import tariff, with half of that directly linked to India’s continued purchases of Russian crude.
U.S. senator Lindsey Graham is pushing legislation that would impose sweeping secondary tariffs on countries buying Russian oil and gas if Moscow refuses to agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine within 50 days.
Indian exports to the U.S. fell 20.7% between May and November 2025, and a further escalation in tariffs could deepen the decline.
As tariff threats harden into policy, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) says India can no longer afford strategic ambiguity.

GTRI Recommends India Halt Sanctioned Oil Imports and Seek Tariff Relief from US (Start of November) ▼

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) outlined a three-step plan for India to protect its trade interests under the ongoing bilateral trade agreement negotiation with America.
On October 24, government officials stated that India and the US are "very near" to finalising the first tranche of the ambitious Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
Washington imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil on October 22, which together account for 57 per cent of Russia's crude output.
Since the introduction of the 25 per cent "Russian oil" tariff on July 31, total duties on Indian goods have doubled to 50 per cent.
The introduction of the "Russian oil" tariff led to a 37 per cent fall in Indian exports between May and September.
GTRI argues that removing the "Russian oil" tariff would halve India's US duty burden from 50 per cent back to 25 per cent.
GTRI suggests India seek average industrial tariffs of around 15 per cent and duty-free access for select export sectors, including textiles, gems and jewellery, and pharmaceuticals, to achieve parity with major partners like the European Union.

Government of India (GoI) doubles fish production and creates 74.66 lakh jobs in a decade.

Key Updates:

India’s fish production surged 106 percent to 197.75 lakh tonnes in FY 2024–25 from 95.79 lakh tonnes in FY 2013–14.
Average aquaculture productivity improved to 4.77 tonnes per hectare.
India is now the world’s second-largest fish producer and leads in shrimp production and exports.
Seafood exports reached 16.98 lakh tonnes worth Rs 62,408 crore in 2023–24.
Government approved projects worth Rs 32,723 crore under PMMSY, PMMKSSY, FIDF and Blue Revolution since 2014–15, with total investments of Rs 38,572 crore.
74.66 lakh direct and indirect jobs created under various fisheries schemes since 2014–15.
34.71 lakh fishers covered under group accident insurance.
4.49 lakh Kisan Credit Cards worth Rs 3,569.60 crore issued to fishers.
4.33 lakh fisher families receive nutritional support during lean fishing periods.

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PMMSY, PMMKSSY, FIDF and Blue Revolution Schemes Generate 74.66 Lakh Jobs with Rs 38,572 Crore Investment (Mid of January) ▼

Government of India approved projects worth Rs 32,723 crore under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PMMKSSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Blue Revolution schemes since 2014–15, with total investments announced at Rs 38,572 crore.
74.66 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities have been created under these fisheries schemes since 2014–15.
34.71 lakh fishers are covered under group accident insurance and 4.49 lakh Kisan Credit Cards worth Rs 3,569.60 crore have been issued to fishers.

SmartGreen Aquaculture produces food-grade rainbow trout inland near Hyderabad using closed-loop RAS (Start of January) ▼

The integrated aquaculture facility uses a closed-loop recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) to grow trout in a biosecure indoor environment.
RAS allows precise control of temperature, oxygen levels and water quality, enabling cold-water species production on the warm Deccan Plateau.
The project includes plans for a microalgae biorefinery to support feed and sustainability beyond aquaculture.

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying releases Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2025 in New Delhi (End of November) ▼

The ‘Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics 2025’ was released by Prof. S.P. Singh Baghel, Minister of State, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, on National Milk Day at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.
The publication provides comprehensive data on livestock and dairy sector trends based on the Integrated Sample Survey conducted from 1st March 2024 to 29th February 2025.
India ranks 1st globally in milk production with 247.87 million tonnes in 2024-25, and 2nd in egg production with 149.11 billion eggs.
The top five milk-producing states are Uttar Pradesh (15.66%), Rajasthan (14.82%), Madhya Pradesh (9.12%), Gujarat (7.78%), and Maharashtra (6.71%).
Andhra Pradesh leads egg production with 18.37% of national output, followed by Tamil Nadu (15.63%) and Telangana (12.98%).

National Marine Fisheries Census 2025: India’s First Fully Digitised Census (Start of November) ▼

Scheme Name: National Marine Fisheries Census 2025, inaugurated by Union Minister George Kurian at ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
Objective: Ensure registration of fishermen on the National Fisheries Digital Platform to access benefits under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana.
Key Features: First completely digital marine fisheries census; utilises VyAS Bharat and VyAS Sutra mobile apps for real-time data collection; spans 45 days across 1.2 million fisher households nationwide.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) widens Payment Aggregator authorization for Innoviti Technologies to cover physical in-store payments.

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

Innoviti Technologies received RBI Certificate of Authorization to operate as a Payment Aggregator under the Payments and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
The authorization now covers both online and physical in-store payment transactions.
Innoviti already processes over ₹80,000 crore annually across 2,000+ cities and 50,000+ merchants.

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National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) grants TPAP licence to RediffPay for UPI launch. (End of December) ▼

Rediff.com India has received final approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for its Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license.
RediffPay positions itself as India’s first UPI app focused on financial wellness.
The app will support Credit Line on UPI, allowing users to make merchant payments up to ₹1 lakh per day and withdraw up to ₹10,000 in cash via pre-approved credit lines.
Axis Bank will serve as the Payment System Provider (PSP) bank for the platform.
Infibeam Avenues reported processing transactions worth ₹8.67 lakh crore across payments and platform services in FY25.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB) license to Skydo (Start of January) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has granted final authorisation to Bengaluru-based Skydo to operate as a Payment Aggregator–Cross Border (PA-CB).
The license enables the company to offer cross-border payment services to Indian MSMEs, freelancers, and startups across multiple currencies and markets.
Skydo currently serves over 30,000 Indian MSMEs, freelancers, and startups across more than 50 cities.
The platform supports payment collections in over 32 currencies.
The company recently raised USD 10Mn in Series A funding led by Susquehanna Asia Venture Capital, with participation from Elevation Capital.
The total funding raised by Skydo to date stands at USD 20Mn.

ASK Private Wealth and Hurun India recognize Innoviti as a Cheetah in India Cheetah-Gazelle-Unicorn Index 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Innoviti Technologies was recognized by ASK Private Wealth and Hurun India as a Cheetah in their India Cheetah-Gazelle-Unicorn Index for the year 2025.
The recognition for Innoviti Technologies was for Excellence in SaaS-Based Payment Solutions.
Innoviti unipay powers 18 of top 20 retail enterprises in the country.
Innoviti genie helps more than 4000 local mobile merchants.
Innoviti link is India's highest rated payment links app with 50,000+ downloads and a 4.7-star rating on Play Store and App Store.
Innoviti achieved operating profitability in May 2025.
Innoviti's payments-centric SaaS software processes over Rs. 80,000 Crore annually from across 2000 cities and over 20,000 merchants.
The company processes more than 50% of all purchases in enterprise retailers across food & grocery, lifestyle, and healthcare categories.
Innoviti is backed by Bessemer Venture Partners (USA), FMO (Netherlands), Catamaran Ventures (India), and the Patni Family Office (India).
Innoviti is the recipient of the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) final authorization to operate as an online payment aggregator.
Innoviti won the 50 fastest growing companies in Asia award from Deloitte four times.
Innoviti has 14 patents awarded, with 11 more in the pipeline.
Innoviti received the award on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Fintech firm Easebuzz receives RBI nod for full-service payment aggregator operations (End of November) ▼

Fintech firm Easebuzz has secured authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a full-service Payment Aggregator.
The authorisation covers online, offline, and cross-border transactions.
Easebuzz is now among only three Indian payment fintechs to hold all three key licenses.
This approval enables Easebuzz to provide merchants with end-to-end payment capabilities, including online payment acceptance, in-person payments through POS devices and UPI soundboxes, and cross-border inward and outward transactions.
Rohit Prasad, MD & CEO of Easebuzz, stated that the move stresses the RBI’s “progressive approach” in enabling innovation across integrated payment ecosystems.
Easebuzz currently serves more than 2.5 lakh merchants.
It processes around 3 million transactions per day.
Its annualised Gross Transaction Value stands at over $50 billion.
For FY2024-25, the company reported revenue of ₹656 crore and a net profit of ₹19 crore.
Easebuzz continues to focus on sector-specific SaaS integrations as part of its long-term strategy.
Its verticalised solutions cater to sectors such as education, insurance, NBFCs, travel, e-commerce, retail, government and real estate, embedding payment capabilities via SaaS APIs to digitise and streamline financial workflows.

National Statistical Office (NSO) records India retail inflation at 1.33% for December 2025.

Key Updates:

India’s retail inflation accelerated to 1.33% in December 2025, nearly doubling from 0.71% in November and marking a three-month high.
Food inflation remained in negative territory for the seventh consecutive month at -2.71%, though it improved slightly from -3.91% in November.
The Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation rate in December stood below the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lower tolerance band of 2% for the fourth straight month.
The central bank is mandated to keep inflation at 4%, with a margin of ±2% (2%-6% range).

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Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) records CPI inflation at 0.71% for November 2025. (Mid of December) ▼

Headline inflation rose to 0.71% in November 2025, up from 0.25% in October.
The All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) shows a year-on-year inflation rate of -3.91% for November 2025.
Rural headline inflation reached 0.10% in November 2025, up from -0.25% in October.
Urban headline inflation increased to 1.40% in November 2025 from 0.88% in October.
Fuel and light inflation stood at 2.32% year-on-year in November 2025, rising from 1.98% in October.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) estimates Real GDP growth at 7.4% for FY 2025-26 (Start of January) ▼

The National Statistics Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has released the First Advance Estimates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the Financial Year (FY) 2025-26.
Real GDP is estimated to grow by 7.4% in FY 2025-26, compared to a growth rate of 6.5% in FY 2024-25.
Nominal GDP is projected to grow at 8.0% in FY 2025-26, reaching an estimated level of ₹357.14 lakh crore.
Real Gross Value Added (GVA) is estimated to grow by 7.3% to reach ₹184.50 lakh crore in FY 2025-26.
Nominal GVA is estimated to attain a level of ₹323.48 lakh crore, registering a growth rate of 7.7%.
Financial, Real Estate & Professional Services and Public Administration, Defence & Other Services are estimated to achieve a growth rate of 9.9% at constant prices.
Trade, Hotels, Transport, Communication & Services related to Broadcasting sector is estimated to grow by 7.5% at constant prices.
Manufacturing and Construction sectors in the secondary sector are estimated to achieve a growth rate of 7.0% at constant prices.
Agriculture & Allied Sector is estimated to grow by 3.1%, while Electricity, Gas, Water Supply & Other Utility Services is estimated at 2.1%.
Real Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE) is estimated to attain a growth rate of 7.0% during FY 2025-26.
Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) is estimated to grow by 7.8% at constant prices, compared to 7.1% in the previous financial year.
MoSPI is currently revising the base year of National Accounts from FY 2011-12 to FY 2022-23.
The Second Advance Estimates of GDP for FY 2025-26 under the new base year are scheduled for release on 27.02.2026.

WPI Inflation Hits 27-Month Low of (-)1.21% in Oct 2025 on GST Cuts, Favourable Base (Mid of November) ▼

Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation stood at (-)1.21 per cent in October 2025, down from 0.13 per cent in September and 2.75 per cent in October last year.
Deflation in food articles was 8.31 per cent in October, with vegetables at 34.97 per cent, pulses at 16.50 per cent, potato at 39.88 per cent and onion at 65.43 per cent.
Fuel and power recorded deflation of 2.55 per cent in October, marking seven consecutive months of decline.
Manufactured products inflation eased to 1.54 per cent in October from 2.33 per cent in September.
Retail inflation fell to an all-time low of 0.25 per cent in October, down from 1.44 per cent in September.
The Reserve Bank of India kept the benchmark policy repo rate unchanged at 5.5 per cent in its last review.
India Ratings and Research expects wholesale deflation in November 2025 to be under 1 per cent.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) highlights strengthening economic momentum and record low inflation (End of November) ▼

India’s economy gathered further pace in October.
Demand conditions exhibited signs of improvement with the revival of urban demand and continued strength in rural demand.
Manufacturing and services activity showed further resilience.
Digital payments moderated in both value and volume in October 2025.
Headline inflation plunged to its lowest level in the current CPI series (2012 base year).
Retail inflation fell to 0.3 per cent in October from 1.4 per cent in September.
Fuel and light inflation remained steady at 2.0 per cent in October.
Core inflation moderated to 4.3 per cent in October from 4.4 per cent in September.
The core basket, excluding precious metals, posted a 0.1 per cent month-on-month decline.
Macroeconomic policy measures undertaken in 2025 are expected to reinforce a positive investment cycle and strengthen long-term growth.
Inflation moderated to a historic low and remained well below the target rate.
International uncertainty remains elevated.

Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR) ID creation in Chhattisgarh achieves 88.63% coverage

[Chhattisgarh]

Key Updates:

Chhattisgarh has generated 50,60,941 APAAR IDs for students, covering 88.63% of the 57,10,207 students enrolled in 57,045 schools across the state.
Bemetara district recorded the highest coverage at 96.40%, followed by Rajnandgaon at 96.38%.
The central government has directed that APAAR IDs for all students must be generated by January 31.

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Arunachal Pradesh climbs to 17th in Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 (Mid of December) ▼

Parakh Rashtriya Sarvekshan 4 national education standings place Arunachal Pradesh at 17th out of 36 states and Union territories.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu hailed the state's 'remarkable improvement in learning outcomes' and called the jump 'a clear sign that education reforms are delivering results'.
The state's Grade 6 and Grade 9 language scores 'have surpassed national averages and outperformed our own past records'.

New Policy: Aadhaar Card No Longer Accepted as Proof of Birth in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra (End of November) ▼

Uttar Pradesh has declared Aadhaar cards invalid as proof of birth date.
The Planning Department in Uttar Pradesh issued a directive to all state departments regarding this decision.
The Maharashtra government also issued a similar order, stating that Aadhaar cards will not be considered as a document for making a delayed birth certificate.
In Maharashtra, all birth certificates made only through the Aadhaar card after the Births and Deaths Registration (Amendment) Act, 2023, will be cancelled.
The Birth and Death Registration Act, 1969, was amended on August 11, 2023.

Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill to establish commission for independent higher education institutions (Mid of December) ▼

The Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill proposes to establish a commission to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutions to become independent self-governing institutions.
The commission aims to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy in higher education.
It will formulate and suggest schemes to improve the quality of education and advise the Centre and states for the holistic development of higher education in the country.
The proposed Commission will comprise three wings: the Regulatory Council, Accreditation Council, and the Standards Council.
The legislation will cover all Institutions of National Importance, other institutions established by Parliament, Universities in India, colleges, and institutions regulated under the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
The bill proposes to develop a roadmap for integration and promotion of Bharatiya knowledge, languages, and arts across the multi-disciplinary higher education system.
A steep fine of minimum ₹10 lakhs to ₹30 lakhs is proposed if an educational institution contravenes the provisions of the new law, with higher penalties or suspension for repeated offences.

UIDAI's New Behavioural Insights Initiative for Children's Aadhaar Biometric Updates (Mid of November) ▼

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has announced a new behavioural insights initiative to boost Mandatory Biometric Updates (MBU) among children.
The move aims to make Aadhaar updation smoother and more accessible for young Aadhaar holders.
UIDAI has waived all charges for biometric updates in Aadhaar for children.
The free update policy is effective from October 1, 2025, and will remain in force for one year.
UIDAI has partnered with Behavioural Insights Limited (BIT) to identify and remove behavioural, logistical, and awareness barriers that prevent children and parents from completing Aadhaar updates on time.
Children must update their fingerprints, iris, and photo when they turn 5 years and again at 15 years of age.
Parents or guardians can visit any Aadhaar Enrolment Centre with the child’s Aadhaar number to complete the biometric update.
The list of authorised centres is available on the Bhuvan Aadhaar portal.

National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026 Establishes Statutory Framework for Sports Bodies

Key Updates:

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) notified the 'National Sports Governance (National Sports Bodies) Rules, 2026' on 'January 13, 2026,' under the 'National Sports Governance Act, 2025.'
The rules provide a framework for 'National Sports Bodies and Regional Sports Federations' regarding the inclusion of sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs), composition of the general body and executive committee, election procedures, and disqualification criteria.
The rules mandate the inclusion of at least four sportspersons of outstanding merit (SOMs) in the General Bodies of National Sports Bodies, with fifty per cent of women SOMs in the General Body.
To ensure the representation of at least four women in the Executive Committee, the rules provide that every National Sports Body may reserve specific posts for women in the Executive Committee, through its bye-laws.
Sportspersons applying as SOMs should not be less than twenty-five years of age, must have retired from active sports, and should not have participated in competitive events for at least one year prior to the date of application.
A 'tiered criteria' featuring '10 tiers' has been prescribed for SOMs, ranging from medalists in the 'Summer Olympic Games, Paralympic Games or Winter Olympic Games' to those who won a medal in the National Games or a National Championship.
The rules specify that the roster of the National Sports Election Panel shall at all times contain at least twenty members who satisfy statutory qualifications.
The fee for the electoral officer is subject to a maximum amount of Rs. 5 lakh, with additional fees permitted for a mutually agreed assistant.
The rules require that every National Sports Body shall amend its bye-laws in conformity with the provisions of the act, within a period of six months.
The Central Government is authorized to relax the provisions of the Rules for a period of twelve months upon receiving an application from a National Sports Body, provided reasons are recorded in writing.

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PV Sindhu elected chair of BWF Athletes’ Commission to serve as BWF Council Member (End of December) ▼

PV Sindhu was elected chair of the BWF Athletes’ Commission for the 2026-29 term.
She will also serve as a BWF Council Member, giving players a voice in governance.
Chan Ho Yuen Daniel of Hong Kong China elected to similar role in Para Badminton wing.

National Sports Governance Act: Establishment of National Sports Board and Tribunal (Start of January) ▼

The Sports Ministry (SM) announced that the "Central Government has appointed 1st January, 2026 as the date on which the provisions" of the National Sports Governance Act shall partially come into force.
The Act paves the way for the "institution of an all-powerful National Sports Board (NSB) and a Tribunal to handle sporting disputes."
Under the new framework, National Sports Federations (NSFs) "will be required to have Executive Committees of no more than 15 members with at least two Sportspersons of Merit in them."
The NSB is proposed to be a "three-member body" with the power to "grant affiliation to the National Sports Federations (NSFs)," monitor financial operations, and penalize wrongdoing.
The "age cap for all members of the NSB has been fixed at 65," while members of the National Sports Tribunal (NST) will "hold office for four years with an age cap of 67 years."
It is mandatory for NSFs "to take NSB affiliation to be eligible for government funding."

Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) with Rs 5.30 Crore Annual Outlay (End of December) ▼

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has unveiled a 'Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and its Autonomous Bodies' to create a pipeline of young professionals in sports governance.
The programme will offer 452 internship positions every year, with selected candidates receiving a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000.
The government has earmarked a total annual budget allocation of Rs 5.30 crore to fund the internship initiative.
College and university students will be the primary beneficiaries of the scheme, which aligns with the National Sports Policy and Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.
The internship programme will follow two recruitment cycles every year, scheduled in January and July.
Interns will be deployed across MYAS and its autonomous bodies, including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), and National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).
The policy seeks to build capacity in areas such as sports governance, administration, sports science, anti-doping, event management and athlete support services.
Interns will contribute directly to flagship programmes such as Khelo India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG).

SAI launches four-day Sports Sciences Workshop for combat sports coaches (Start of January) ▼

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has launched a four-day Sports Sciences Workshop for combat sports coaches at its Sports Science Division in New Delhi.
The workshop is being attended by SAI coaches from Boxing, Wrestling and Judo disciplines.
The inaugural session was addressed by Prof. (Dr.) Deepak Joshi, Director, Sports Injury Centre (SIC), Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
SAI and the Sports Injury Centre (SIC) are set to sign a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) following in-principle approval from the Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports.

Split verdict on Section 17A prior-approval clause in Prevention of Corruption Act

Key Updates:

Section 17A inserted by 2018 amendment mandates prior approval before probing a public servant for acts done in discharge of his official functions or duties.
Justice B V Nagarathna: unconstitutional and ought to be struck down protects the corrupt.
Justice K V Viswanathan: valid provided the sanction is decided by the Lokpal or the Lokayukta.

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Supreme Court stays 100-metre Aravalli definition, forms new expert panel (End of December) ▼

Supreme Court stays its November 20 order accepting the Centre’s 100-metre height definition for Aravalli Hills.
A new High-Powered Expert Committee will be constituted to resolve critical ambiguities.
The stay will remain in effect till the new committee is constituted.
The Court issued notice on the suo motu case returnable on January 21.

Uttar Pradesh State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (UP-SEIAA) cancels Environmental Clearance for sand mining in Jhansi (End of December) ▼

The Uttar Pradesh State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority (UP-SEIAA) cancelled the environmental clearance (EC) for sand mining on river Dhasan in Jhansi district.
The EC was previously cancelled after gross irregularities were discovered during the excavation of sand from the riverbed.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) bench stated in their judgment dated Dec 24 that the appeal was barred by the limitation of the appeal time, which is a maximum period of 90 days.
The court fined Saxena Rs 25,000 for his false claim of not receiving the order of cancellation of the EC.

Supreme Court Rules No Timelines for Governors on Bills (End of November) ▼

The Supreme Court held that the Court cannot impose any timelines for decisions of the President and the Governor on granting assent to Bills under the Constitution.
A Constitutional bench led by Chief Justice BR Gavai issued its opinion while answering 13 questions referred to it by the President Droupadi Murmu under Article 143 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court refused to accept the preliminary objections raised by opposition-ruled states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala to maintainability of Presidential Reference.

Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order 2025 allows persecuted minorities entry till December 31 2024 (Start of December) ▼

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order 2025 on September 1 this year.
The order exempts Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31 2024 due to religious persecution to stay without valid travel documents.
The Supreme Court has sought the Centre’s response on whether this order violates the Assam Accord’s March 25 1971 deadline.

Odisha Integrated Secretariat & Assembly Complex: Rs 3,623 crore outlay for 50-year administrative needs

[Odisha]

Key Updates:

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi laid the foundation for a Rs 3,623 crore integrated Lok Seva Bhawan and assembly complex spread over 71 acres.
The complex is designed to meet the state’s administrative and legislative needs for the next 50 years, anticipating an increase in assembly seats from 147 to about 196 after delimitation.
The new assembly hall will have seating capacity for 300 members and include basement parking, modern amenities and advanced security systems.

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Swadesh Darshan Yojana (SDY): Rs 148 Crore Sanctioned for Bhoramdev Corridor Project (Start of January) ▼

The Bhoramdev Corridor project has been approved under the Central Government's Swadesh Darshan Yojana.
An amount of Rs 148 crore has been sanctioned for the project to develop the 1,000-year-old Bhoramdev Temple corridor.
Development work will be carried out here for Rs 148 crore, which includes the launch of a tribal corridor and a convention centre.
Chhattisgarh has 219 projects worth Rs 7.83 lakh crore across 18 sectors now advancing rapidly since November 2024.
These initiatives are poised to generate over 1.5 lakh jobs across 26 of the state's 33 districts.
Of the total investment, nine marquee projects valued at Rs 6,063 crore are already operational, while 109 projects, representing Rs 2.10 lakh crore and 87,132 jobs, are in advanced stages of construction.

Anu Garg appointed as Chief Secretary of Odisha (End of December) ▼

Anu Garg, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, was appointed as the first woman Chief Secretary of Odisha.
She will replace Manoj Ahuja following his superannuation on December 31.
She is currently serving as the Development Commissioner (DC) and is considered the number two in the state’s bureaucratic hierarchy.
Garg served as a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from October 2012 to April 2015.
She previously served as the commissioner-cum-secretary of the Department of Health and Family Welfare in the Government of Odisha during 2008–12.
She was a member of the High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) for Universal Health Coverage instituted by the Planning Commission in October 2010.
Her previous roles include serving as the collector of Sambalpur and Bargarh districts and as the secretary of the water resources department.

Batadrava Than Redevelopment and ₹177-Crore Smart Surveillance System Launched in Assam (End of December) ▼

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the redeveloped Batadrava Than at the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardev in Assam on 29 Dec 2025.
A Smart Surveillance System (ICSS) was launched in Assam with an outlay of ₹177-crore.
The Batadrava Cultural Project at the birthplace of Srimanta Sankardeva was inaugurated with a budget of ₹227-Crore.
The infrastructure projects also included the launch of a mega auditorium and the guwahati auditorium inauguration.

Vibha Chahal Appointed Director of Food and Public Distribution Department (Start of January) ▼

Vibha Chahal was appointed as the Director of the Food and Public Distribution Department.
Shubha Sarma took additional charge as the Principal Secretary of the Water Resources Department in Odisha.
Bakki Karthikeyan and Geetika Sharma were promoted to the position of Director in the Ministry of Mines.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) cleared the extension of central deputation for Nirupama J. Dange and Pooja Pandey.
Ajay Kumar Shukla was elevated to the post of Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department in Uttar Pradesh.
Karthikeyan Manickam was appointed as the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank.

Allahabad HC clarifies wife’s degrees no ground to deny maintenance under Section 125 CrPC

Key Updates:

Allahabad High Court ruled that a wife cannot be denied maintenance solely because she is highly educated or holds professional qualifications.
The court set aside the family court’s order that had rejected the woman’s maintenance plea on the basis of her educational background.
The High Court emphasized that potential to earn is not the same as actual earning, and many educated women are unable to work due to household responsibilities.
The case has been sent back to the Family Court in Bulandshahr to pass a fresh, well-reasoned order within one month.

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Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma rules wife's earning capacity cannot be presumed for interim maintenance. (Start of January) ▼

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court enhanced a woman's interim maintenance from ₹2,500 to ₹3,500 per month.
The court held that a wife cannot be presumed to be earning or capable of maintaining herself without prima facie evidence.
The husband's claim that the woman worked as a nursery teacher was rejected for lack of documented proof.
The court assessed the husband's income on the basis of minimum wages for a graduate skilled worker in Uttar Pradesh.

Goa Bill bars land sale till mundkar rights settled (Start of January) ▼

The Goa government will introduce a bill to stop landlords from selling land until mundkars’ rights are settled.
The bill is likely to be introduced in the winter session of the Goa legislative assembly beginning from Jan 12.
CM Pramod Sawant said the move protects mundkars who live in landlords’ properties but are yet to be officially declared mundkars.

Karnataka Wellbeing Leave Bill 2025 to offer menstrual leaves and WFH flexibility (Mid of December) ▼

Karnataka government has readied the Karnataka Wellbeing Leave Bill 2025 a first of its kind legislation on the subject.
The proposed bill provides menstrual leave not only for working women in the formal sector but also for menstruating students in educational institutions, transgenders ASHAs, anganwadi, and midday meal personnel, and those working in mines.
While the working women will get one day leave per month, the menstrual leave for students is capped at two days in a month and will be supported by a 2% relaxation in overall attendance requirements for menstruating students in schools, colleges and universities both government and private.
As per the proposed bill, if the employee does not choose to avail of the leave, they will be entitled for work from home if the facility is available.
Not mandating a doctor’s certificate, the leave can be availed through a request on e-mail.
The Bill proposes to institute the Karnataka Women Wellbeing Authority to carry out purposes of the Bill.
A penalty of upto ₹5,000 for each contravention of the provision has been proposed for those who deny menstrual leave, ill treat or discriminate against menstruating individuals.

Karnataka Approves Paid Menstrual Leave Policy (Start of November) ▼

Karnataka has become the first state in India to approve 12 days of paid menstrual leave annually for women employees.
This progressive policy is applicable to both government and private sectors, granting one day of leave per month.
The policy aims to support women’s health, dignity, and productivity in the workplace, reflecting a growing recognition of menstrual health as a legitimate workplace issue.
Under the new guidelines, all female employees across Karnataka — including those in the private sector — will be eligible for one paid day of leave each month due to menstruation-related discomfort or health challenges.
The decision sends a powerful message of empathy, equity, and realism in workplace policymaking by recognizing biological realities and boosting productivity and morale.

ICEGATE–LPMS Integration at Agartala ICP enables real-time two-way data exchange for unified digital cross-border trade

[Government of India]

Key Updates:

The integration enables real-time, two-way data exchange between customs systems and land port operations, creating a unified digital ecosystem for cross-border trade.
Critical customs data elements—including Bill of Entry, Shipping Bill, Out of Charge (OOC), and Let Export Order (LEO)—are seamlessly synchronised between the two platforms.
The initiative strengthens risk-based targeting by allowing early risk assessment, anomaly detection, and selective intervention while minimising disruption to legitimate trade.

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Viksit Bharat, Viksit Ports: Union Minister flags off ₹235 crore port infrastructure and digital projects (Start of January) ▼

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off the projects during the “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Ports” programme in Chennai.
The Centre rolled out port infrastructure and digital governance projects worth ₹235 crore at Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited, aimed at improving safety, resilience and port operations ('The Centre on Thursday rolled out port infrastructure and digital governance projects worth ₹235 crore at Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Limited').
Of the total outlay, ₹129.36 crore has been allocated to projects at Chennai Port Authority, while ₹105.64 crore will support initiatives at Kamarajar Port Limited ('Of the total outlay, ₹129.36 crore has been allocated to projects at Chennai Port Authority, while ₹105.64 crore will support initiatives at Kamarajar Port Limited').
The MoPSW launched an e-port clearance portal aligned with the One Nation–One Port Process to allow online submission and issuance of port clearance certificates ('The minister also launched an e-port clearance portal aligned with the One Nation–One Port Process').
The MoPSW inaugurated the Enterprise Business System, a SAP-based digital platform developed at a cost of ₹45 crore to integrate finance, port operations, and human resources ('Sonowal also inaugurated the Enterprise Business System, a SAP-based digital platform developed at a cost of ₹45 crore').
The projects were officially announced on January 9, 2026, as part of efforts to modernise ports and improve ease of doing business ('Published On Jan 9, 2026 at 08:46 AM IST').

Digital Connexion JV to build 1 GW AI-ready data hub in Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) (End of November) ▼

Digital Connexion, a Reliance-Brookfield-Digital Realty joint venture, will invest Rs 98,000 crore ($11 billion) to create a 1 GW data-centre cluster in Visakhapatnam by 2030.
The 400-acre campus will run on an integrated 6 GW solar plant with battery energy storage and use Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling for AI servers.
Water-cooled chillers, on-site water recycling and CPCB-compliant standby generators will meet environmental norms.

Jal Shakti Hackathon–2025 and Bharat-WIN Portal launched to support water innovation with grants-in-aid (Mid of December) ▼

The Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) launched the Jal Shakti Hackathon–2025 and the Bharat-WIN Portal under the National Water Mission.
Winning participants will receive a ₹1 lakh grant for developing a Proof-of-Concept (PoC).
The portal is open to startups, MSMEs, research institutions, young innovators, rural youth, women-led enterprises, academia, and global collaborators.
The National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee, is the designated Project Implementation Agency (PIA).

DRDO's Samanvay 2025 Meet in Bengaluru Sees Tech Transfer Agreements (Start of November) ▼

The event, Samanvay 2025, is a two-day industry synergy meet organised by the Electronics and Communication Systems (ECS) cluster of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Proof: "The handover took place during the inaugural session of Samanvay 2025 , a two-day industry synergy meet being organised by the Electronics and Communication Systems (ECS) cluster of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru."
The meet took place in Bengaluru.
Proof: "The handover took place during the inaugural session of Samanvay 2025 , a two-day industry synergy meet being organised by the Electronics and Communication Systems (ECS) cluster of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Bengaluru."
The DRDO handed over 12 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LATOTs) for eight products to industry partners.
Proof: "the DRDO handed over 12 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LATOTs) for eight products to industry partners on Wednesday, the defence ministry said."
The event is being attended by representatives of more than 150 industry partners.
Proof: "The event, being attended by the representatives of more than 150 industry partners, has been organised to apprise and update industries, especially the MSMEs and start-ups, about various industry-friendly initiatives and policies of the DRDO in line with the vision of 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'."

Government Revokes Quality Control Order on Flux Cored Solder Wire

Key Updates:

The government has officially canceled the quality control order for Flux Cored Solder Wire.
The original order was implemented in September 2023 under the authority of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
This decision follows consultations with the Bureau of Indian Standards and is part of a broader deregulatory trend.

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Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) relaxes norms allowing issuers to sell zero-coupon debt securities at face value of Rs 10,000. (Mid of December) ▼

SEBI now permits issuers to offer zero-coupon debt securities with a fixed maturity and no structured obligations at a reduced face value of Rs 10,000.
The relaxation expands the July 2024 circular that previously allowed only interest-bearing or dividend-paying debt securities to be issued at Rs 10,000 face value.
Zero-coupon bonds are issued at a discount and redeemed at face value, with returns earned through price appreciation.

Market Access Support Scheme Rs 4,531-cr for Exporters (Start of January) ▼

The government launched Rs 4,531 crore market access support for exporters under which financial support will be provided to participate in activities such as international fairs and exhibitions.
Rs 4,531 crore will be allocated over six years (2025-31) and Rs 500 crore has been earmarked for 2025-26.
Structured financial and institutional support will be provided for Buyer-Seller Meets, participation in international trade fairs and exhibitions, and Mega Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets organised in India.
A minimum participation of 35 per cent MSMEs has been mandated for supported events, with special prioritisation for new geographies and smaller markets.
Small exporters with export turnover of up to Rs 75 lakh in the preceding year will be provided partial airfare support.

Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) System: Strengthening Consumer Trust and India's Quality Ecosystem (Start of January) ▼

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MoCA) through the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has expanded Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID)-based gold and silver hallmarking, with more than 20 lakh silver articles already hallmarked.
India's standards regime has achieved significant global alignment, with about 94% of Indian Standards harmonised with ISO and IEC to help products gain wider acceptance in international markets.
BIS standards now cover renewable energy, electric mobility, energy storage and electric agricultural tractors, reflecting India's transition towards clean energy and sustainable growth.
The MoCA is focusing on modernising laboratories, expanding digital platforms, and empowering women through initiatives such as Manak Mitra.
The implementation of hallmarking has brought a significant change in the bullion market, protecting consumers in rural areas from the sale of substandard gold.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancels registration of 35 NBFCs and accepts surrender from 16 others. (Start of January) ▼

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the Certificate of Registration of 35 NBFCs including Satya Prakash Capital Investment Limited and Sunlife Securities Private Limited for regulatory non-compliance.
The cancellations were effective between December 9, 2025, and December 31, 2025, under Section 45-IA(6) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The affected companies are no longer permitted to carry out the business of non-banking financial institutions.
16 NBFCs voluntarily surrendered their Certificate of Registration to RBI leading to its cancellation for reasons including exit from NBFC business, meeting criteria for unregistered Core Investment Companies (CICs), and ceasing to be a legal entity due to merger, amalgamation, dissolution, or voluntary strike-off.

Swachh Jal Abhiyan launched to ensure clean drinking water and prevent contamination

Key Updates:

Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav launched the 'Swachh Jal Abhiyan' to conduct comprehensive testing of drinking water quality in all urban and rural areas.
A weekly public hearing named 'Jal Sunwai' will be held every Tuesday at the district level for citizens to raise water-related complaints.
A mobile application will be developed for a water pipeline asset survey involving residents to identify leakages and contaminated sources.
The campaign will be implemented in two phases: Phase I from January 10 to February 28 and Phase II from March 1 to May 31.
All drinking water sources will undergo quality testing, and STPs will be regularly monitored to ensure clean water supply.

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Jal Seva Aankalan empowers villages to judge their own water services (Start of January) ▼

Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation (DDWS), Ministry of Jal Shakti, e-launched Jal Seva Aankalan, a Gram Panchayat-led digital drinking water service functionality assessment tool on the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) portal.
The assessment is a structured, community-led self-review process enabling villages to evaluate regularity, adequacy, quality and sustainability of drinking water supply.
All Har Ghar Jal Gram Panchayats are expected to complete Jal Seva Aankalan by 26th January 2026.

Sujalam Bharat App Launched to Build Digital Backbone for Viksit Bharat 2047 (Mid of December) ▼

The Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the Sujalam Bharat App.
The Sujalam Bharat App was launched on December 10, 2025.
The app integrates every rural water scheme into a Unified System.
It aims to provide villages with real-time access to rural drinking water supply assets.
The app is designed to transform rural drinking water governance.

6th National Water Awards 2024: Winners Announced Across 10 Categories (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: 6th National Water Awards (NWA) 2024, launched by Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti
Launch Year: Awards announced for 2024; application process opened on 23 October 2024 on Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of Ministry of Home Affairs
Objective: "creating awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivating them to adopt best water usage practices" and recognising efforts towards "Jal Samridh Bharat"
Key Feature: 46 winners (including joint winners) selected across 10 categories—Best State, District, Village Panchayat, Urban Local Body, School/College, Industry, Water User Association, Institution, Civil Society, and Individual
Implementing Agency: Evaluation by Jury Committee; ground-truthing by Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)
Award Ceremony: To be held on 18 November 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu as Chief Guest

Watershed Mission: Revival of 150-Year-Old Waterbody in Andhra Pradesh (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Watershed Mission (under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana); Implementing Ministry: Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India
Objective: “Conservation of both water and soil” and “save water and ensure water security for future generations”
Key Features: 21-acre tank revived at cost of Rs 1.20 crore; 5-acre plantation with 250 coconut trees, walking track, open-air theatre, open gym for multipurpose community use

India and Germany sign bilateral logistics cooperation agreement

[Germany]

Key Updates:

India and Germany have signed a bilateral agreement to enhance cooperation in postal, express, and logistics services focusing on cross-border e-commerce and time-definite deliveries.
The collaboration aims to boost Indian export volumes, improve service quality, and integrate Indian businesses into global value chains.
During a key ceremony in Ahmedabad on January 12, 2026, attended by Germany's Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz, two important instruments were exchanged, detailing joint international express products and expanding last-mile reach through cooperation between India Post and Deutsche Post–DHL Group.

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India and Germany to unveil defence and security roadmap during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first bilateral visit to India (Mid of January) ▼

India and Germany will unveil a defence and security roadmap that will strengthen the defence manufacturing network base in India.
German technology for India’s defence preparedness will be part of the bilateral conversation.
Chancellor Merz is accompanied by a 25-member delegation of CEOs, including top executives of a leading submarine manufacturer, signalling strong defence ties on the agenda.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to visit India on January 12–13 (Start of January) ▼

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India from January 12 to 13, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The Chancellor will be received by PM Modi in Ahmedabad on January 12 for the former's first visit to the country.
During his two-day visit, Chancellor Merz will also be travelling to Bengaluru.
Discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation across trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility.
Leaders are expected to advance collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties.

Department of Posts discontinues select outward international letter mail services (Start of January) ▼

The Department of Posts under the Ministry of Communications will discontinue selected outward international letter mail services starting January 1 to keep in line with Universal Postal Union (UPU)'s decisions.
Discontinued services include Registered Small Packet service, Outward Small Packet service sent by Sea/SAL/Air, and Surface Air Lifted (SAL) Letter Mail Service for outward letter post items.
Customers are encouraged to use International Tracked Packet Service (ITPS) and other international parcel services that provide end-to-end tracking, faster delivery, better customs compliance, and security.

India and Russia target $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030 (Mid of November) ▼

India and Russia aim to raise bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030.
India urged Russia to expedite the approval of domestic establishments and registration of marine and pharmaceutical products.
Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal attended the 26th Meeting of the India-Russia Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation in Moscow.
A comprehensive protocol for trade and economic collaboration across various sectors was finalised and signed.
Potential areas for trade expansion identified include engineering goods, chemicals and plastics, electronics, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, leather, and textiles.
India showcased its Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem as a platform for Russian firms.

India to host 28th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of Commonwealth (CSPOC) in January 2026

Key Updates:

42 of 56 Commonwealth countries have confirmed participation, marking the highest turnout in CSPOC history.
61 Speakers and Presiding Officers are expected to attend the conference hosted by the Parliament of India.
Pakistan will not participate; Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom are among the confirming nations.
Conference agenda focuses on the future of parliamentary democracy, including use of artificial intelligence and technology-driven legislative processes.
A web-based and mobile application is being developed to facilitate interaction between participating countries and their media.

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United States hosts G7 finance-minister session on critical minerals (Mid of January) ▼

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened finance ministers to discuss critical minerals.
Australia invited to Washington meeting alongside G7 members.
India invited; acceptance status unclear.

Ahmedabad confirmed as host city for 2030 Commonwealth Games (End of November) ▼

Ahmedabad has been officially confirmed as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games as the delegates of 74 Commonwealth member nations ratified India’s bid at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow.
India edged out Abuja, Nigeria, as the other bidder for the hosting.
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and the Narendra Modi Stadium are going to be the prime venues for the Games.
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, currently under construction, will stage multiple sporting events and serve as the athletes’ village, accommodating up to 3,000 people.

5th National Conference of Chief Secretaries: Human Capital for Viksit Bharat (End of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries from December 26 to December 28 in the national capital.
The conference theme is 'Human Capital for Viksit Bharat', focusing on leveraging India's demographic strengths for economic and social progress.
Key discussion pillars include education and schooling, health and wellness, economic hubs, and frontier technologies.

India to host inaugural Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship (Mid of December) ▼

Over 24 countries will compete in the inaugural Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship from March 9 to 14 next year, for which the venue is yet to be finalised in India.
The event will see 16 men's and as many women's teams competing.
Ahmedabad was recently officially confirmed as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

India launches BRICS India 2026 logo featuring lotus and Namaste gesture

[BRICS]

Key Updates:

India formally launched the logo and official website for its BRICS Presidency 2026 in New Delhi.
The logo is inspired by the lotus, India’s national flower, with inner petals forming two hands in a Namaste gesture.
Five petals are coloured to represent the founding BRICS members: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar stated the theme underscores strengthening capacities, promoting innovation and ensuring sustainable development.
India’s 2026 BRICS chairship priorities are resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability across political-security, economic-financial and cultural-people-to-people pillars.

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Brazil Hands Over BRICS Chair to India for 2026 Summit (Mid of December) ▼

Brazil hosted the 17th BRICS Summit earlier this year.
India will assume the BRICS chair for 2026.
Brazilian Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin stated: "BRICS is not aimed against any country" and "not to replace the US dollar".
Alckmin confirmed President Lula’s visit to India is scheduled for February 2026.
Brazil and India are exploring defence cooperation in aerospace, naval projects and joint research.
Brazil is evaluating India’s Akash missile system; discussions include joint production and technology transfer.
Brazil and India are working on interoperability between India’s UPI and Brazil’s PIX digital payment systems.
Brazil has announced a business e-visa for Indian travellers; system launch date not specified.
Both governments target direct India-Brazil flights by end-2026.
Brazil became the second BRICS member after India to decline joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 Launched; Logo, Mascots, Torch, Jerseys and Anthem Unveiled (Mid of November) ▼

In a grand event at the historical Amer Fort here on Wednesday, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), in association with the Government of Rajasthan and the Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC), launched the official logo, mascots, torch, jerseys and anthem for the Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025 (KIUG Rajasthan 2025).
The Games' mascots, Khamma and Ghani, were unveiled by the Rajasthan sports minister Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.
The Khelo India University Games Rajasthan 2025, scheduled to take place from November 24 to December 5, 2025, will be held across seven cities -- Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, Ajmer, Bharatpur and Bikaner.
This marks the first time Rajasthan will host the Khelo India University Games, a flagship event of the ministry of youth affairs and sports that showcases India's finest university athletes.
Over 7,000 athletes from nearly 200 universities will compete in 24 disciplines, including 23 medal sports and one demonstration event.
New inclusions this year are canoeing, kayaking, cycling, and beach volleyball -- reflecting the growing diversity and ambition of Indian university sport.

Finance Ministry (FinMin) unveils common logo for 28 Regional Rural Banks. (End of December) ▼

The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, consolidated 26 Regional Rural Banks across 11 states/UTs under the 'One State One RRB' principle effective May 1, 2025.
A new common logo introduced for the 28 Regional Rural Banks aims to create a single, unified brand identity nationwide.
The logo's dark blue colour signifies finance and trust, while green signifies life and growth, reflecting the RRBs' mission to serve rural India.
The branding initiative seeks to strengthen the identity and visibility of RRBs, symbolizing their collective commitment to financial inclusion and rural development.

Rohit Sharma named Brand Ambassador for Men's T20 World Cup 2026 (End of November) ▼

Rohit Sharma was named the brand ambassador of the 2026 T20 Men’s World Cup.
The announcement was made in Mumbai.
Rohit Sharma stated that no one has been announced as an ambassador while still playing.
Rohit Sharma was India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain.
The 2026 T20 Men’s World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
India will play Pakistan in Colombo on February 15 during the 2026 T20 World Cup.
India's opener in the 2026 T20 World Cup will be against the Americans at the Wankhede.
Rohit Sharma stated he has been fortunate to win two International Cricket Council (ICC) events recently in his 18 years.
India was placed in a group with Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

India and Germany Strengthen Bilateral Economic Cooperation During Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Official Visit on 12-13 January 2026

[Germany]

Key Updates:

Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Friedrich Merz, paid an official visit to India from 12-13 January 2026, marking his first visit to Asia as Chancellor.
The visit follows the completion of 25 years of the India-Germany Strategic Partnership in 2025 and the commemoration of 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
The 7th India-Germany Inter-Governmental Consultations (IGC) were previously held in New Delhi on 25 October 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chancellor Merz addressed the India-Germany CEOs Forum and held delegation-level talks in Ahmedabad on 12 January 2026.
India-Germany bilateral trade in goods and services surpassed USD 50 billion in 2024, accounting for over 25% of India's trade with the European Union (EU).
The Ministry of Finance (FinMin) is in discussions with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regarding cryptocurrency exchange regulations for the Budget 2026-27.
Bloomberg has decided not to include Indian bonds in its Global Aggregate Index for the current period.
The Bharat Coking Coal Initial Public Offering (IPO) was booked 147 times, drawing bids worth ₹1.2 trillion.

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India and Germany to unveil defence and security roadmap during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first bilateral visit to India (Mid of January) ▼

India and Germany will unveil a defence and security roadmap that will strengthen the defence manufacturing network base in India.
German technology for India’s defence preparedness will be part of the bilateral conversation.
Chancellor Merz is accompanied by a 25-member delegation of CEOs, including top executives of a leading submarine manufacturer, signalling strong defence ties on the agenda.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to visit India on January 12–13 (Start of January) ▼

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India from January 12 to 13, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The Chancellor will be received by PM Modi in Ahmedabad on January 12 for the former's first visit to the country.
During his two-day visit, Chancellor Merz will also be travelling to Bengaluru.
Discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation across trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility.
Leaders are expected to advance collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties.

Bharat Climate Forum 2026: India Targets Net-Zero by 2070 through Clean-Tech Manufacturing (Start of January) ▼

Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan delivered the inaugural address at the Bharat Climate Forum 2026, stating that climate action can accelerate inclusive growth, strengthen energy security, and power a future-ready Indian economy.
India is pursuing the Panchamrit commitments announced at COP26, which include a "roadmap toward net-zero emissions by 2070" to balance economic growth with future responsibility.
The government aims to transform "Make in India into Make in India for the World" by developing homegrown technologies in Renewable energy systems, Battery storage, Green hydrogen, and Electric mobility.
India is leading global climate collaboration through the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) based on partnerships without dependence.
The transition focuses on building a skilled workforce and resilient manufacturing ecosystems to ensure India does not rely on "imported clean technologies or fragile global supply chains.

India and Russia hold 23rd Annual Summit, unveil Economic Cooperation Programme (Start of December) ▼

The 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit was held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin unveiled an ambitious Economic Cooperation Programme aimed at expanding bilateral trade and investment till 2030.
The two nations are pursuing an early conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Targets include $50 billion in mutual investments by 2025 and $100 billion in annual trade by 2030.
Russia is set to build India’s largest nuclear power plant at Kudankulam.
Russia assured India of uninterrupted fuel shipments for its growing economy.
Multiple agreements were signed across sectors including fertilisers, food safety, health, migration, maritime logistics, and energy.
India and Russia are working towards the early conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
Agreements were signed for a urea plant in Russia with URALCHEM, and MoUs in fertilisers, food safety, medical sciences, shipping, and consumer protection.
Collaboration in Arctic operations was stressed, with India training seafarers for polar waters.
India will introduce a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian citizens.
Russia agreed to join the International Big Cat Alliance.
India reiterated its position on the Ukraine conflict, stating it is 'not neutral' but 'stands for peace'.

India and Germany to unveil defence and security roadmap during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first bilateral visit to India

[Germany]

Key Updates:

India and Germany will unveil a defence and security roadmap that will strengthen the defence manufacturing network base in India.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is accompanied by a 25-member delegation of CEOs, including the top executives of a leading submarine manufacturer.
German technology being made available to India for its defence preparedness will be part of the bilateral talks.

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India and Germany to unveil defence and security roadmap during Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s first bilateral visit to India (Mid of January) ▼

India and Germany will unveil a defence and security roadmap that will strengthen the defence manufacturing network base in India.
German technology for India’s defence preparedness will be part of the bilateral conversation.
Chancellor Merz is accompanied by a 25-member delegation of CEOs, including top executives of a leading submarine manufacturer, signalling strong defence ties on the agenda.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to visit India on January 12–13 (Start of January) ▼

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India from January 12 to 13, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The Chancellor will be received by PM Modi in Ahmedabad on January 12 for the former's first visit to the country.
During his two-day visit, Chancellor Merz will also be travelling to Bengaluru.
Discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation across trade and investment, technology, education, skilling and mobility.
Leaders are expected to advance collaboration in defence and security, science, innovation and research, green and sustainable development, and people-to-people ties.

India to host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in third week of January (Start of December) ▼

India will host German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for his first visit to the country after assuming office.
Merz is expected to visit India in the third week of Jan for a summit with PM Narendra Modi.
This engagement follows President Putin's visit and precedes the India-EU summit scheduled for Jan 27.
Discussions will focus on trade, technology, and sustainable development, building on existing partnerships.
Germany's support for Ukraine and shared concerns over the Indo-Pacific will also be key topics.
The leaders had earlier met on the margins of the G7 summit in Canada where they agreed to diversify the strategic partnership.
Germany is also a key partner for India in maintaining a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific.

Italy's Deputy PM Tajani calls India a 'long-trusted friend' and 'priority' during visit (Mid of December) ▼

Italy's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani is on a three-day visit to India.
The visit aims to further reinvigorate the economic partnership between the two countries.
India is described as a 'long-trusted friend' and a 'priority' for Italy.
The Italian foreign ministry has launched a dedicated financing line to India of Euro 500 million to support Italian companies.
Italy and India unveiled an ambitious five-year strategic action plan in November last year.
The volume of annual bilateral trade between Italy and India is around Euro 14 billion.
Italy fully backs the India-European Union (EU) free trade agreement (FTA).

India nominated to chair United Nations Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters for 2026–27 term

[United Nations]

Key Updates:

Senior Indian diplomat DB Venkatesh Varma has been nominated by the UN Secretary General to chair the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters for the 2026–27 term.
This marks the first time an Indian will hold the position of chair of the Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters.
The Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters was established in 1978 pursuant to paragraph 124 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly.
The Board advises the Secretary-General on issues related to arms limitation and disarmament, including studies and research carried out under the auspices of the United Nations or institutions within the UN system.
The Board also serves as the Board of Trustees of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research.
Members of the Advisory Board are chosen by the Secretary General from all regions of the world based on their knowledge and experience in disarmament and international security.

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Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) launch Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative 2026 (Start of January) ▼

OPSA and ORF partner to create a dedicated global platform on science, technology, and geopolitics at Raisina Dialogue.
The inaugural Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI) 2026 will be held alongside the Raisina Dialogue from 5–7 March 2026 in New Delhi.
SDI 2026 will focus on science and technology diplomacy in an era of strategic autonomy, governance of disruptive technologies, and evolving models of scientific partnerships in a multipolar world.
The initiative will engage emerging scientific leaders, researchers, and deep-tech innovators with global policymakers and diplomats to foster cross-border collaboration and innovation partnerships.
Insights from SDI 2026 are expected to add fresh perspectives from India and the Global South to global debates on governance of science and technology.

Major Swathi Shanthakumar won the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General's Award 2025 (Mid of January) ▼

Major Swathi Shanthakumar, an Indian Army officer serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), won the UN Secretary-General's Award 2025 in the Gender Category.
She was recognized for her project titled ‘Equal Partners, Lasting Peace’, which focused on strengthening gender-responsive peacekeeping and improving grassroots outreach in Malakal.
She leads India's first all-woman military engagement team deployed to the UNMISS, conducting foot, river, and air patrols to reach remote and conflict-affected communities.
The initiative was selected through a UN-wide voting process involving personnel globally and helped create a safer environment for over 5,000 women.
Major Swathi Shanthakumar is an officer of the Indian Army's Corps of Electronics & Mechanical Engineers and is currently serving with the 3rd Battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles (3 JAK Rif).
She is a resident of Bengaluru and completed her engineering in electrical and electronics from New Horizon before joining the Indian Army.

Stefan Priesner appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator in India (Start of December) ▼

Stefan Priesner of Austria assumed the post of United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in India on 1 December 2025.
He previously served as UN Resident Coordinator in Iran from 2021 to 2025.
He was UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore from 2017 to 2021.
He holds a master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a master’s degree in law from the University of Vienna.

Rajnath Singh at ADMM-Plus: Indo-Pacific must stay open and free from coercion (Start of November) ▼

Event: ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Participants: ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners — Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Russia and the US
India currently co-chairs the ADMM-Plus Expert Working Group on Counter-Terrorism with Malaysia for the 2024–2027 cycle

India participates in Second Global Summit on Blue Food Security in Eilat, Israel

[Israel]

Key Updates:

Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh arrived in Eilat, Israel, on Monday to partake in a global summit dedicated to blue food security.
The 'Second Global Summit on Blue Food Security: Sea the Future' is set against the backdrop of the southern coastal city from January 13 to 15.
The event focuses on enhancing food production in harsh climates through innovative technologies and highlights the surge in strategic ties between India and Israel.

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India and Jordan agree 8-point vision to lift bilateral trade to USD 5 billion in five years (Mid of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed doubling India–Jordan bilateral trade to USD 5 billion over the next five years.
Modi and King Abdullah II addressed the India–Jordan Business Forum in Amman, urging industry to convert potential into growth.
King Abdullah II said Jordan’s free trade agreements and India’s economic strength can create an economic corridor linking South Asia and West Asia.
Modi invited Jordanian companies to partner in India’s digital public infrastructure, IT, fintech, health-tech and agri-tech sectors.
India and Jordan will collaborate on renewable energy, green financing, desalination and water recycling.
Ficci and the Jordan Chamber of Commerce have an MoU to promote trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

India, Israel ink pact on defence cooperation during 17th JWG meeting (Start of November) ▼

India and Israel Tuesday signed a pact on defence cooperation.
The MoU was signed during the 17th meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Israeli Ministry of Defense Maj Gen (Res) Amir Baram in Tel Aviv.
The MoU will enable the sharing of advanced technology and would promote co-development and co-production.
A wide range of areas for cooperation have been identified in the MoU, which include strategic dialogues of mutual interest, training, defence industrial cooperation, and capabilities including science and technology, research & development, and technological innovation, artificial intelligence and cyber security cooperation.

India-Sri Lanka Hold First Joint Working Group Meet on Agriculture (Start of November) ▼

The first Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Agriculture between India and Sri Lanka was held.
The deliberations between the two sides focused on deepening collaboration across a wide spectrum of themes critical to sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.
The meeting marked a milestone in India-Sri Lanka relations by setting a framework for structured dialogue and collaboration in the agriculture and allied sectors.
The session was co-chaired by Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi , Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) , Government of India, and Mr. D. P. Wickramasinghe , Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation , Government of Sri Lanka.
Key themes for collaboration included: Farm mechanization and technology transfer, Seed sector development and genetic resource exchange, Promotion of organic and natural farming systems, Agri-entrepreneurship development, Soil health management and precision agriculture, Climate-resilient agriculture and drought-mitigation practices, Market access and trade facilitation for agri-products, and Agricultural education and skill development.
The JWG also explored frontier areas of cooperation such as: Digital agriculture platforms, Crop insurance schemes, Support for agri-startups and innovation hubs, and Development of rural value chains and supply chain infrastructure.
Both nations underscored the importance of joint research programs , scientific exchange , and capacity-building initiatives to promote innovation-led growth.
It was agreed that the JWG mechanism would convene regularly to monitor progress, share updates, and identify new areas of cooperation.

India-Israel sign MoU on defence cooperation during 17th JWG meeting in Tel Aviv (Start of November) ▼

MoU signed during 17th Joint Working Group (JWG) on defence cooperation co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Director General of Israeli Ministry of Defense Maj Gen (Res) Amir Baram in Tel Aviv
MoU covers strategic dialogues, training, defence industrial cooperation, R&D, AI, cyber security, and promotes co-development and co-production
JWG reviewed ongoing initiatives and discussed future tech collaboration and shared challenges like terrorism

India Reaffirms 500 GW Non-Fossil Target and 266 GW Renewable Milestone at 16th IRENA Assembly

[United States]

Key Updates:

India’s Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, delivered the national statement at the 16th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on January 12, 2026.
Joshi reaffirmed India’s target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and Net Zero emissions by 2070.
India achieved 50 percent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil fuel sources in 2025, five years ahead of its Paris Agreement NDC target.
India’s renewable energy capacity now exceeds 266 GW, with nearly 50 GW added in 2025 alone.
Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, 2.5 million households gained rooftop solar in under two years, targeting 10 million by March 2027.
PM-KUSUM has been deployed for 2.17 million farmers via diesel pump replacements and solarised agricultural feeders.
India requires USD 300 billion by 2030 for renewables, storage, green hydrogen, grids, and manufacturing.
Joshi urged international collaboration on technology transfer, low-cost finance, capacity building, and standards harmonisation, especially for developing nations.
In a bilateral meeting, Joshi discussed with the UAE's Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, ways to deepen ties in renewables, decentralised energy, manufacturing, storage, and blended finance.

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Panchamrit Commitments: National Pathway to Net-Zero Emissions by 2070 (Mid of January) ▼

India has committed to a pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2070 as part of the Panchamrit commitments announced at COP-26. "Referring to the Panchamrit commitments announced at COP-26, he observed that India’s pathway towards net-zero emissions by 2070 is both ambitious and realistic."
The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is a global leadership initiative by India to mobilise countries of the Global South for affordable solar solutions. "He highlighted India’s leadership in the International Solar Alliance, which has mobilised countries of the Global South around affordable and scalable solar solutions."
The Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) focuses on strengthening global infrastructure systems against climate-induced shocks. "the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, which focuses on strengthening infrastructure systems against climate-induced shocks."
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) integrates civilisational ethics of environmental stewardship into India's urbanisation and infrastructure strategies. "Manohar Lal Khattar, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs... situating contemporary climate policy within a broader civilisational ethic... values that continue to inform India’s urbanisation and infrastructure strategies."
India is transitioning towards domestic clean-technology manufacturing to ensure energy security and a future-ready economy. "It must rest on homegrown clean technologies, resilient manufacturing and a future-ready workforce."

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Announces Record 266.78 GW Clean Energy Capacity (Mid of January) ▼

India marked a record-breaking year in its clean energy journey in 2025, with non-fossil fuel installed capacity rising to 266.78 GW, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Shri Pralhad Joshi said.
Solar power led the expansion, with installed capacity increasing from 97.86 GW in 2024 to 135.81 GW in 2025, registering a growth of 38.8 per cent.
Wind energy capacity also witnessed steady growth, rising from 48.16 GW to 54.51 GW, marking an increase of 13.2 per cent.
Bioenergy installed capacity reached 11.61 GW, including 0.55 GW from waste-to-energy off-grid projects, reflecting steady progress in clean fuel generation and waste management.
Small hydro power capacity increased to 5.16 GW, supporting decentralised and region-specific renewable energy development.
Large hydro power capacity stood at 50.91 GW, including 7,175.6 MW of pumped storage, strengthening grid stability and renewable energy integration.
The progress strengthens India’s pathway towards energy security, climate responsibility and a self-reliant green economy, while moving steadily towards the national target of 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030.
The Minister added that MNRE will continue to work closely with States and stakeholders to further accelerate renewable energy deployment across the country.

Odisha hosts Global Energy Leaders’ Summit 2025 to advance India’s renewable energy transition (Start of December) ▼

Odisha is hosting the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 at Puri from 5 to 7 December.
GELS 2025 is positioned as a cooperative federalism platform for states to share replicable clean-energy innovations.
Odisha’s Vision 2047 targets at least 33% of the state’s power from renewables by 2036, rising to 50% by 2047.
The summit focuses on execution-oriented themes such as grid management, energy storage, financing mechanisms and demand-side models.

Global Energy Leaders' Summit 2025 to be held in Puri with experts from 7 countries (Mid of November) ▼

Summit Name: Global Energy Leaders' Summit 2025, organised by Department of Energy, Government of Odisha in partnership with Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and IIT Kanpur
Location: Puri, Odisha
Participating Countries: Experts and stakeholders from over seven countries including Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Bhutan, Singapore and Malaysia
Theme: 'Powering India: Sufficiency, Balance, Innovation'
Key Objective: Sharing best practices in energy sector to help states learn from one another and turn innovation into progress

United States invites India into Pax Silica initiative

[United States]

Key Updates:

Pax Silica is a US-led initiative focused on securing AI and tech supply chains, aimed at bringing 'friendly and trusted' countries together to ensure that key technologies are safe, reliable, and not controlled by hostile play.
The initiative was launched on December 12 to 'reduce coercive dependencies' and build a 'secure, prosperous, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain'.
India was initially left out of the initiative, which included countries such as Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel, UAE and Australia.
US Ambassador-designate to India Sergio Gor announced that India will be invited to join Pax Silica as a full member next month.
The initiative includes measures such as 'pursuing new joint ventures and strategic co-investment opportunities'.
India stands to gain from likely investments and partnerships under the initiative, as it currently lacks global-scale AI infrastructure.
US companies Microsoft and Google announced major AI infrastructure investments in India in December, with Microsoft planning to spend $17.5 billion and Google over $15 billion.

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Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) launch Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative 2026 (Start of January) ▼

OPSA and ORF partner to create a dedicated global platform on science, technology, and geopolitics at Raisina Dialogue.
The inaugural Raisina Science Diplomacy Initiative (SDI) 2026 will be held alongside the Raisina Dialogue from 5–7 March 2026 in New Delhi.
SDI 2026 will focus on science and technology diplomacy in an era of strategic autonomy, governance of disruptive technologies, and evolving models of scientific partnerships in a multipolar world.
The initiative will engage emerging scientific leaders, researchers, and deep-tech innovators with global policymakers and diplomats to foster cross-border collaboration and innovation partnerships.
Insights from SDI 2026 are expected to add fresh perspectives from India and the Global South to global debates on governance of science and technology.

India, Australia, and Canada Form New Trilateral Technology and Innovation Alliance (End of November) ▼

India, Australia and Canada agreed to form a new trilateral technology and innovation alliance called the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership.
The three sides agreed to strengthen their ambition in cooperation on critical and emerging technologies, to complement existing bilateral initiatives.
The initiative will draw on the natural strengths of the three countries and have an emphasis on green energy innovation and building resilient supply chains, including in critical minerals, said the Ministry of External Affairs in a statement.
It will deepen their respective ambition and strategic collaboration towards net zero and drive further diversification of supply chains towards a secure, sustainable, and resilient future.
The Partnership will also examine the development and mass adoption of artificial intelligence to improve the lives of our citizens.
They agreed that officials should convene in the first quarter of 2026 to take the initiative forward.
Separately, Modi met his British counterpart Keir Starmer and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Addressing the opening session of the G20 Leaders’ Meeting, Modi called for a profound rethink of the global development parameters and proposed setting up of a G20 initiative to counter the drug-terror nexus and a global healthcare response team.

IN-SPACe and SVCL operationalise Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for Indian spacetech (Mid of November) ▼

IN-SPACe and SIDBI Venture Capital Ltd (SVCL) signed a contribution agreement to operationalise a Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for the Indian space sector.
The fund received SEBI approval on 31 October.
The Union cabinet approved the VC fund for the space sector in October 2024, and SIDBI was appointed fund manager in March 2025.
The fund targets early-stage and growth capital for startups in launch technologies, satellites, payload systems, in-space services, earth observation, communication platforms, and downstream applications.

IN-SPACe and SVCL Sign Agreement to Operationalise Rs 1,000 Crore Spacetech VC Fund (Mid of November) ▼

The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and the Small Industries Development Bank of India Venture Capital Ltd (SVCL) signed a contribution agreement.
The agreement is to operationalise a Rs 1,000 crore venture capital fund for the Indian space sector.
SVCL is a 100% subsidiary of SIDBI.
The fund received SEBI approval on Oct 31.
The Union cabinet approved the VC fund for the space sector in Oct 2024.
In March 2025, SIDBI was appointed as the fund manager.
The fund is designed to provide critical early-stage and growth capital to startups working across launch technologies, satellites, payload systems, in-space services, earth observation, communication platforms, and downstream applications.

ICAR–NDDB MoU Targets Climate-Resilient, High-Productivity Dairy Value Chain

[ICAR, NDDB]

Key Updates:

ICAR and NDDB signed an MoU to deepen multidisciplinary research, innovation and capacity building across the entire dairy value chain.
Partnership focuses on translating science into impact for millions of small and marginal dairy farmers.
Key technical areas include integrated farming systems, climate resilience, low livestock productivity and value chain development.
Initiatives will deploy modern technologies emerging from ICAR institutes for fodder, manure management, biogas utilisation and gaushala-based stray cattle management.
NDDB and ICAR will jointly develop, validate and deploy technologies, share knowledge, run training programmes and create scalable, replicable models across diverse agro-climatic zones.

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Banas Dairy commissions bio-CNG plant, adopts circular-economy model (Start of December) ▼

Union home and cooperation minister Amit Shah inaugurated a bio CNG plant by Banas Dairy.
Shah stated the dairy will be turned into a circular economy system, directly benefiting cattle rearers.
The cooperative model implemented by Banas Dairy has become an inspiration for the country and the world.

BHARATI Initiative: APEDA-led Hub to Enable Export-Ready Agri-Food & Agri-Tech Startups (Mid of January) ▼

APEDA launched BHARATI—Bharat’s Hub for Agritech, Resilience, Advancement and Incubation for Export Enablement—to support agri-food and agri-tech startups.
BHARATI will provide mentorship, incubation, and policy facilitation to create direct pathways to global markets.
The initiative positions startups as core enablers of India’s agri-export strategy.

Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) and International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad sign MoU for BFSI research (End of December) ▼

The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad to collaborate in academics, research, training, student exchange and skill development in the banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) sector.
Joint PhD programmes will be offered to researchers in areas such as digital payments, cyber security, vulnerability management, adoption of AI for customer ease, cryptography, blockchain, and fungible and non-fungible tokens.
Other areas of collaboration between IDRBT and IIIT-Hyderabad include standardisation and validation of technology in BFSI, development of domain-specific SLMs, cyber security initiatives, and improving user experience.
Osmania University (OU) hosted the International Conference on Biotechnological Innovations for Sustainable Development 2025 (ICBISD 2025), featuring over 200 research presentations on biotechnological innovations.

National Milk Day observed on November 26 (End of November) ▼

National Milk Day is celebrated on November 26 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr Verghese Kurien who is known as the ‘Father of the White Revolution in India.’
The decision to commemorate Dr. Verghese Kurien’s birthday was taken collectively by The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the Indian Dairy Association (IDA), and 22 state-level milk federations.
NDDB had launched “Operation Flood" on January 13, 1970, to make India self-sufficient in milk production.

Ola Electric launches Shakti residential energy storage system

[Ola Electric]

Key Updates:

Ola Electric has launched Shakti, a residential and small commercial battery energy storage system, from its battery gigafactory in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu.
The energy storage system is powered by the company’s indigenously developed 4680 Bharat Cell.
Shakti is offered in four configurations with storage capacities ranging from 1.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) to 9.1 kWh.
The system provides a power output between 1 kilowatt (kW) and 6 kW with charging times of up to two hours.
The storage solution is designed to support household appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners, as well as agricultural equipment like farm pumps.

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Toshiba India delivers first indigenous 220 kV Mobile GIS to POWERGRID (Start of November) ▼

Technology: India’s first indigenously manufactured 220 kV Mobile Gas-Insulated Switchgear (m-GIS) system
Developer/Supplier: Toshiba Transmission & Distribution Systems (India) Pvt Ltd (TTDI)
Recipient: Power Grid Corporation of India (POWERGRID)
Manufacturing & Flag-off Location: TTDI facility in Telangana
Intended Applications: Utilities, renewable energy projects, disaster recovery operations requiring mobile, fast, and reliable power evacuation solutions
Upcoming Delivery: Indigenous 132 kV m-GIS solution scheduled for delivery to POWERGRID in November

Adani Group (AG) invests over $75 billion in energy transition space over 5 years (Mid of December) ▼

Adani Group (AG) will invest over $75 billion in energy transition space over 5 years.
The AG is building the world's largest renewable energy park at Khavda in Gujarat, spread across 520 square kilometres.
The park will generate 30 GW of green energy by 2030, enough to power more than 60 million Indian homes every year.
India is the world's third-largest electricity user.
India has a per person electricity consumption of less than 1,400 kilowatt-hours a year.
India contributed 4 per cent of cumulative global emissions over 200 years of industrial activity.
Europe contributed 13 per cent, the US 19 per cent, and China 20 per cent of cumulative global emissions.
The AG announced Adani Annual Internships, offering 50 paid positions each year for third-year students.
A minimum of 25 per cent of these interns will receive pre-employment offers for joining.
The AG announced the Adani 3S Mining Excellence Centre with TEXMiN.

Hinduja Group to Invest Rs 20,000 Crore in Andhra Pradesh Across Energy and EV Sectors (Start of November) ▼

Hinduja Group has agreed to invest Rs 20,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh in phases.
An agreement of Rs 20,000 crore investment in phases was signed between the Andhra Pradesh government and the Hinduja Group.
The Hinduja Group will enhance the capacity of the Visakhapatnam power plant by 1,600 MW.
The group will also establish an electric bus and light commercial vehicle manufacturing plant at Mallavalli in Krishna district.
Additionally, an agreement was reached to create a statewide network of electric charging stations in collaboration with the government.

ADB approves $460 million loan for agricultural solarisation and rural power infrastructure modernisation in Maharashtra (End of October) ▼

Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD 460 million results-based loan that aims to modernise rural power infrastructure, promote distributed renewable energy generation, and improve agricultural productivity by providing farmers with reliable daytime solar electricity for irrigation in Maharashtra.
An additional USD 40 million concessional loan from the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), administered by ADB, will complement the programme.
The programme will solarise agricultural feeders, upgrade rural distribution networks, deploy battery energy storage systems (BESS), and promote green jobs and entrepreneurship, particularly for women.
By 2028, the programme aims to provide daytime electricity to at least 9,00,000 agricultural consumers and reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 3 million tons.
The grid modernisation includes upgrading 180 distribution substations, installing 4,500 distribution transformers, developing 3,000 circuit kilometres of high-tension and 1,200 circuit kilometres of low-tension lines and deploying 500 MWh of distributed battery storage.
It will also digitise system operations through agriculture solarisation dashboards and modern monitoring solutions covering at least 2,500 substations, while advancing green skilling by training 5,000 individuals, including 1,500 women, and creating opportunities for green livelihoods and entrepreneurship.
The programme is expected to lower power purchase costs and distribution losses, reduce transformer failure rates by 25 per cent, and enhance the overall financial sustainability of the power sector.

Reliance Industries (RIL) announces people-first Artificial Intelligence (AI) platform and global clean energy hub

[Reliance Industries (RIL)]

Key Updates:

Jio will launch a people-first artificial intelligence platform built in India, for India, and the world.
In Jamnagar, we are building India's largest artificial intelligence-ready data centre with a single goal -- affordable AI for every Indian.
At Jamnagar, we are building the world's largest integrated clean energy ecosystem, spanning solar, battery energy storage, green hydrogen, green fertilizer, sustainable aviation fuel, and maritime fuels, and advanced materials.
Our multi-gigawatt utility scale solar project, among the world's largest, will deliver round-the-clock clean power through advanced storage and modern grid integration.
Jamnagar, once the largest hydrocarbon energy exporter, will in the coming years become India's largest exporter of green energy and material, from Gujarat.

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Karnataka launches KEO, an AI-ready, open-source PC developed in-state to bridge digital divide (Mid of November) ▼

KEO (Knowledge-driven, Economical, Open-source) is an AI-ready personal computer designed and developed entirely within Karnataka by the Department of Electronics, IT & BT in collaboration with KEONICS.
The device runs on an open-source RISC-V processor with a Linux-based operating system and includes an on-device AI core enabling local AI applications without internet access.
KEO comes preloaded with BUDDH, an AI agent trained on the DSERT syllabus to assist students in low-connectivity regions.
It features 4G, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, USB-A and USB-C ports, HDMI, and audio support, and is preloaded with learning, programming, and productivity tools.
KEO will be formally unveiled by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2025, with pricing to be announced during the event.

India Becomes World’s Largest Market for Large Language Model (LLM) Adoption (Mid of December) ▼

India has emerged as the world’s largest and most active market for large language model (LLM) adoption, according to an analysis by Bank of America (BofA).
The country now leads globally in the number of users for popular AI apps such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, both in terms of monthly active users (MAUs) and daily active users (DAUs).
India has the second-largest online population in the world, with more than 700-750 million mobile internet users who consume 20-30 GB of data a month at around $2.
Telcos such as Jio and Bharti Airtel are offering complimentary subscriptions to paid versions of AI apps like Gemini and Perplexity.
India could emerge as a testing ground for the next phase of AI, known as agentic AI, which are applications that can reason, plan and execute tasks independently.

Reliance and Google Partner to Bring Free AI Pro Access and Build AI Infrastructure in India (Start of November) ▼

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited RIL, through its subsidiary Reliance Intelligence Limited, has entered into a strategic partnership with Google to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence AI across India.
The tie-up, aligned with Reliance’s AI for All vision, will see the rollout of Google AI Pro featuring the latest Gemini model for eligible Jio users, free of charge for 18 months.
Valued at ₹35,100, the offer includes access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, expanded image and video generation through Nano Banana and Veo 3.1, enhanced Notebook LM features, and 2 TB of cloud storage.
The rollout will begin with early access for 18- to 25-year-olds on unlimited 5G plans and will soon extend to all Jio customers nationwide.
Reliance will also partner with Google Cloud to expand access to its advanced AI hardware accelerators -- Tensor Processing Units TPUs -- as part of its plan to build clean energy-powered, sovereign compute infrastructure in India.
The initiative will allow organisations to train and deploy large AI models and improve performance for complex projects.
The collaboration also makes Reliance Intelligence a key go-to-market partner for Google Cloud’s Gemini Enterprise, a unified platform that allows businesses to create, share, and deploy AI agents securely.

India's Atomesus AI, a Hybrid System, Set to Launch Soon (Start of November) ▼

Atomesus AI, developed under the leadership of Indus Valley Group, is gearing up for its official launch.
The initiative is led by a group of passionate college innovators with research exposure to ISRO-linked projects.
The team has created a hybrid AI system that merges the precision of machine learning with the adaptability of contextual reasoning.
Atomesus AI has built a proprietary integration layer combining in-house development with select global AI systems.
Its mission is to become the world’s most affordable AI platform for everyone.
The founders envision launching a fully indigenous AI model, trained and deployed entirely in India using localized data.
Atomesus AI is part of Indus Valley Group, a conglomerate engaged in AI, space technology, Web3, and citizen-security.
All systems are compliant with global data-protection and ethical-AI standards.
The headquarters of Atomesus AI PVT LTD are in New Delhi, India.

Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to organise BHASHINI Samudaye Workshop

[Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)]

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology will organise the BHASHINI Samudaye workshop, Strengthening India’s Language AI Ecosystem, in New Delhi.
BHASHINI Samudaye is a BHASHINI-led collaborative initiative that brings together language experts, academic institutions, civil society organisations, and data practitioners to co-create, govern, and scale language AI solutions for India.
The workshop will feature focused sessions on scaling BHASHINI, including discussions on platform capabilities, strategic priorities, and pathways for collaboration with stakeholders and implementation partners.

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YUVA AI for ALL foundational course launched to equip 10 million citizens with essential AI skills (Start of January) ▼

Simplilearn has teamed up with the IndiaAI Mission, operating under India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, to launch the national 'YUVA AI for ALL' foundational course.
This collaborative effort endeavors to foster AI literacy across India, targeting 10 million citizens for vital AI education.
The educational program is free and widely accessible, seeking to democratize AI knowledge.

OpenAI Introduces IndQA Benchmark for Indian Languages and Cultural Context (Start of November) ▼

OpenAI has introduced a new benchmark evaluation, known as IndQA, designed to test a model’s linguistic ability and its grasp of Indian cultural context across domains.
The IndQA benchmark test comprises 2,278 questions across 12 languages and 10 cultural domains, compiled in partnership with 261 experts from across India, as announced by OpenAI on Monday, November 3.
The questions span various topics such as Architecture & Design, Arts & Culture, Everyday Life, Food & Cuisine, History, Law & Ethics, Literature & Linguistics, Media & Entertainment, Religion & Spirituality, and Sports & Recreation.
Questions are written natively in Bengali, English, Hindi, Hinglish, Kannada, Marathi, Odia, Telugu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Tamil, with Hinglish specifically added due to the prevalence of code-switching in conversations.
As part of the benchmark test, AI models are asked questions in the form of a culturally grounded prompt in an Indian language, each accompanied by an English translation for auditability and an ideal answer.
The model’s response is graded against criteria written by domain experts for that specific question, using a rubric-based approach where each criterion is given a weighted point value.
IndQA has not been designed as an LLM leaderboard that ranks models based on their scores; instead, scores are meant to measure improvement over time within a model family or configuration.

Indian Institute of Technology, Indore (IIT-I) promotes Hindi as functional language for science and technology (Start of January) ▼

The Indian Institute of Technology, Indore (IIT-I) is positioning Hindi as a functional language for scientific and technological learning to improve comprehension and widen access to knowledge.
The initiative is being driven through Abhyuday-3, a two-day National Technical Hindi Seminar organized by IIT-I in collaboration with IIT Jodhpur and the CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research.
At the institute, select first-year lectures are being delivered in Hindi and research abstracts are being compiled in accordance with prescribed official language standards.
The seminar resulted in the release of Smarika, a compilation of 26 peer-reviewed research papers written in Hindi covering science, engineering, digital technology, and innovation.
The program aims to strengthen technical Hindi to ensure wider dissemination of knowledge and reinforce the linguistic diversity of India.

SabhaSaar AI Tool Provides Multilingual Meeting Summaries for Gram Panchayats (Mid of December) ▼

Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) launched SabhaSaar, an AI-powered meeting-summarization tool that generates structured Minutes of Meetings from Gram Sabha and other Panchayat meetings using audio/video recordings.
SabhaSaar is integrated with BHASHINI, the National Language Translation Mission of MeitY, supporting 22 Indian languages for text-to-text translation and 13 Indian languages for voice-to-text transcription.
As of 28.11.2025, a total of 92,034 Gram Panchayats have used the SabhaSaar tool for automated meeting summarization.

xTerra Robotics Unveils SCORP, India’s First Legged Mobile Manipulator

Key Updates:

SCORP is India’s first legged mobile manipulator, developed by deep-tech startup xTerra Robotics incubated at IIT Kanpur.
The robot merges legged locomotion with a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm to navigate and manipulate in complex environments.
SCORP performs intricate pipe network inspections using a high-resolution camera mounted on its robotic arm for close-range visual analysis.
It uses a RealSense D435 stereo depth camera for automated crack detection by capturing precise 3D depth information.
SCORP can autonomously patrol, detect threats, and physically interact with objects using its robotic arm for tasks like waste pickup and fire extinguisher pressure checks.

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Bharat Forge (BF) Inks MoU with Agile Robots (AR) for AI-Led Industrial Automation (Mid of January) ▼

Pune-based Bharat Forge (BF) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Germany-headquartered Agile Robots (AR) to explore a strategic collaboration in artificial intelligence-driven robotics and industrial automation.
The partnership will focus on co-developing intelligent automation and robotic solutions for civilian manufacturing applications, including automotive, consumer electronics, healthcare, industrial goods and logistics.
The two companies plan to jointly develop and deploy vision- and AI-based robotic systems, including solutions that support highly autonomous manufacturing environments, often referred to as “dark factories”.
The collaboration is aimed at India and Southeast Asia markets and will not extend to defence-related applications.
BF will contribute its manufacturing and sectoral expertise, while AR will bring its capabilities in AI-enabled robotics and automation.

SS Innovations unveils MantrAsana, world’s first portable telesurgery console (Start of November) ▼

MantrAsana is described as "the world’s first fully integrated, ergonomic and portable telesurgery console" designed for remote precision operations.
The system is "designed and manufactured entirely in India" by SS Innovations International, Inc.
Surgeons operate via "magnetic sensor-based controls" and "lightweight 3D glasses" that provide a "magnified 3D view" for real-time remote surgery.
The compact console can be "installed in a surgeon’s office" without needing an operating theatre, enabling "telesurgery from their offices".
Commercial availability in India is expected "by December 2025, followed by global expansion".

Tata Advanced Systems Limited hands over first lot of WhAP 8x8 armoured vehicles to Royal Moroccan Army (End of December) ▼

Tata Advanced Systems Limited announced the handover of the first lot of WhAP 8x8 armoured vehicles to the Royal Moroccan Army.
The WhAP 8x8 platform has been jointly developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
TASL will manufacture 150 Wheeled Armoured Platform combat vehicles for the Moroccan defence forces under the contract.
Deliveries are to be completed within three years.
The deal is described as the largest contract for Indian-made armoured vehicles, both within India and overseas.
The Berrechid facility, spread over 20,000 square metres, was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Moroccan Minister Abdelatif Loudyi.
The facility became operational three months ahead of schedule and is the first defence manufacturing plant established by an Indian private company in Africa.
Approximately one-third of the components and sub-systems will be sourced and assembled locally from the outset, with the share of local value addition rising to 50 percent in the coming years.
The WhAP 8x8 is a modular combat vehicle configurable for roles including infantry fighting vehicle, armoured personnel carrier, reconnaissance vehicle, command post, mortar carrier, and ambulance.
The platform features a survivable monocoque hull, scalable ballistic and mine protection, independent suspension, central tyre inflation system, and amphibious capability.

India's first all-electric green tug flagged off under Green Tug Transition Programme (Mid of December) ▼

The green tugboat, designed for Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) in Kandla, is being developed under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways' Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).
The new green tug for DPA will feature a 60-ton bollard pull capacity, ensuring silent operations, zero carbon emissions and optimised energy efficiency.
The GTTP, launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, aims to induct 50 green tugs by 2030, with 16 to be deployed in the first phase between 2024 and 2027.

IndiaAI Mission and UPDESCO ink MoU to build Uttar Pradesh AI ecosystem

[IndiaAI Mission]

Key Updates:

The MoU was exchanged during the Uttar Pradesh AI and Health Innovation Conference between Anurag Yadav, Principal Secretary, IT and Electronics Department, Uttar Pradesh, and Abhishek Singh, Chief Executive Officer of the IndiaAI Mission.
UPDESCO will act as the state nodal agency for implementation.
A total of 65 Data and AI Labs are proposed to be set up across the state under the IndiaAI Mission.
At present, two such labs are operational at National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) centres in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, while another has been established in Pilibhit with industry support.
The state government has already approved the establishment of 49 additional Data and AI Labs, with implementation currently underway.
The labs will be equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced technical resources to support hands-on AI training.

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SOAR – Skilling for AI Readiness: AI certificates & national campaign launch (Start of January) ▼

Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) organises SOAR – Skilling for AI Readiness programme at Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, New Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer Artificial Intelligence certificates on learners including students and Members of Parliament.
President will launch the national awareness campaign #SkillTheNation Challenge to boost youth participation in future-ready skilling.

Microsoft Boosts AI Deployment and Renewable Energy Infrastructure in India (Mid of December) ▼

Tata Consultancy Services, Cognizant, Infosys and Wipro have emerged as “frontier firms”, with each deploying more than 50,000 Microsoft Copilot licences and building “AI factories” that create industry-specific digital agents and experiences.
Companies are already integrating Fabric, Foundry and Copilot Studio to reimagine software development, data intelligence and customer operations.
Microsoft views GitHub as the “agent HQ” where developers issue daily tasks to AI agents as part of their coding workflow.
The company will open a new Azure data centre region in South Central India in 2026, its most sustainable facility in Asia, powered entirely by renewable energy.
Microsoft’s new Agent 365 runtime enables organisations to choose between public, sovereign and private cloud configurations while maintaining cybersecurity and compliance, ensuring observability and governance in a world of autonomous agents.
Microsoft’s AI stack now extends from Copilot to Copilot Studio, which lets enterprise developers create their own AI agents using natural language prompts, down to Microsoft Foundry, a toolchain for building multi-agent, multi-model solutions using over 11,000 available AI models.
This investment of $17.5 billion is part of what Nadella described as Microsoft’s largest in Asia, following its previous $3 billion commitment to India.
Microsoft will train 20 million people across India in AI and digital technologies.

IndiaAI Mission Releases First National AI Governance Guidelines (Start of November) ▼

Issued by Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under IndiaAI Mission; no stand-alone AI law proposed, existing IT Act & Digital Personal Data Protection Act to be used
Seven guiding 'sutras': Trust is Fundamental, People First, Fairness and Equity, Innovation over Restraints, Accountability, Understandable by Design, Safety/Resilience/Sustainability
Six governance pillars: Infrastructure (38,000 GPUs, 3,000-unit secure cluster, AI Kosh repository), Capacity Building, Policy & Regulation, Risk Mitigation, Accountability, Institutions
Key institutions proposed: AI Governance Group (AIGG), Technology and Policy Expert Committee (TPEC), AI Safety Institute (AISI) for testing/certification and global coordination
Short-term actions (0-2 years): create AIGG & TPEC, finalize liability & grievance redress, build sectoral regulatory capacity; Long-term (5+ years): institutionalize safety testing, align with global standards, lead 'AI for Global South' diplomacy

Stanford University AI Index ranks India third in Global AI Vibrancy (Mid of December) ▼

India climbed four steps to rank third in the 2024 Global AI Vibrancy Index with a score of 21.59.
The United States leads with 78.6 and China follows with 36.95, while India surpasses South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, Canada, Germany, and France.
India’s improvement is measured across seven pillars: R&D, responsible AI, economy, talent, policy and governance, public opinion, and infrastructure.
India pledged USD 1.25 billion toward AI initiatives, part of global government investments including China’s USD 47.5 billion semiconductor fund and France’s 109 billion euro commitment.
The country slipped five positions on the policy and governance pillar according to the report.

Coromandel International and IIT Madras Research Park sign MoU for Corporate Research Centre

[Coromandel International, IIT Madras Research Park]

Key Updates:

Coromandel International Ltd signed an MoU with the IIT Madras Research Park to establish a Corporate Research Centre.
The centre will foster advanced collaboration in agriculture, sustainability and emerging technologies.
It will act as a hub for joint research programmes, technology incubation, talent development and international collaboration.

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NITI Aayog and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham workshop advances R&D integration in state institutions (Mid of January) ▼

NITI Aayog convened a two-day national workshop titled "Sustaining Innovation: Embedding R&D in State Institutions" at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore.
The workshop was organised in collaboration with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology.
Tamil Nadu is currently at the forefront of patent filings in India, with nearly 5,000 to 6,000 applications filed annually.
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR-NIScPR) signed an MoU to facilitate collaboration on research and science-and-technology-related initiatives.

Indo-Taiwan Industrial Technology Innovation Park (ITIP): ₹1,000 crore Taiwanese investment for electronics & semiconductor hub in Karnataka (Start of December) ▼

Karnataka government signed an MoU with Allegiance International Co Ltd of Taiwan to establish the Indo-Taiwan Industrial Technology Innovation Park (ITIP) with a proposed investment of around ₹1,000 crore.
The project is expected to create about 800 direct jobs as companies set up operations in ITIP over a period of 5 years.
ITIP will serve as a dedicated hub for Taiwanese companies in electronics and semiconductors, fostering advanced manufacturing, R&D, and innovation.

United Economic Forum (UEF) and United Nations Sustainable Development Council (UNSDC) Sign MoU at UEF Trade Summit 2025 (End of December) ▼

The United Economic Forum (UEF) Trade Summit 2025, scheduled for 12th–14th December at the Chennai Trade Centre, had a grand inauguration by Thiru TRB Rajaa, Honourable Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion & Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu.
A historic MoU was signed between UEF and the United Nations Sustainable Development Council (UNSDC) to transform 17 of UN's SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
The UNSDC will lead the execution of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across 45 UEF-associated Educational Institutions, including colleges and schools.
A 100 crore fund is being set up for entrepreneurs, startups and to scale up businesses, with an initial MoU of 50 crores signed between UEF and Anicut Capital.
The overarching theme, 'Unnatha Tamilagam – 4Tn for TN,' emphasizes the commitment to empowering 4,500 startups, enabling partnerships, and fostering inclusive economic development.
A total of 10 MoUs will be signed during the Summit to strengthen strategic partnerships aimed at enabling 10X business growth through advisory support and market access.

IIT Madras launches IITM Global Research Foundation to become world’s first multinational university (Start of January) ▼

IIT Madras launched the IITM Global Research Foundation aimed at positioning the institute as the world’s first multinational university.
The initiative will operate through four pillars: technology transfer to global markets, joint international research projects, overseas business opportunities for IIT Madras startups, and attracting foreign investment into the institute’s innovation ecosystem.
Initial centres will be set up in the US, Dubai, Malaysia and Germany, with plans for expansion.

Tripura Gramin Bank Deploys India’s First Solar-Powered ATM Van

[Tripura Gramin Bank]

Key Updates:

Tripura Gramin Bank has introduced India’s first solar-powered ATM van, strengthening rural financial inclusion.
The initiative earned the bank the SKOCH Silver Award for excellence in governance and innovation.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the pioneering ATM van on July 21, 2023.
Currently, three solar-powered ATM vans provide eco-friendly, uninterrupted banking services in areas with limited electricity supply.

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India Inaugurates First 3 MWh Vanadium Flow Battery at NTPC NETRA (Mid of November) ▼

India’s largest Vanadium Redox Flow Battery system was inaugurated at NTPC NETRA, Greater Noida.
The 3 MWh system represents India’s largest vanadium flow battery installation and was developed in-house by NTPC NETRA.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, vanadium flow batteries use liquid electrolytes, allowing them to store energy for extended durations with enhanced safety, longer life cycles, and scalability.
The project marks a major step forward in the nation’s journey towards long-duration energy storage solutions, enhancing renewable energy integration and grid resilience.
The adoption of vanadium flow battery technology aims to diversify India’s energy storage materials beyond lithium and strengthen supply chain resilience by reducing dependence on imported components.
NTPC NETRA has positioned itself at the forefront of India’s long-duration energy storage innovation.
NTPC Ltd.’s clean energy research portfolio now spans green hydrogen, carbon capture, waste-to-energy, and energy storage technologies, in alignment with India’s target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030.

India signs Rs 168 crore contract for first solar-powered surveillance drone on January 11, 2026 (Mid of January) ▼

The Indian Army has signed a Rs 168 crore deal with a Bengaluru-based startup for solar-powered spy drones.
The system, called the Medium Altitude Persistent Surveillance System (MAPSS), has been developed by Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research & Technologies under the Defence Ministry’s iDEX innovation programme.
MAPSS changes that by using solar energy to keep flying for extended periods, making it useful for watching long stretches of the border without interruption.
Because it runs on electric power, it is quieter and produces less heat, making it harder to detect.
The company has already tested similar platforms that stayed in the air for more than 24 hours at heights above 26,000 feet.
Those trials were carried out at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga.
Since Operation Sindoor, the force has added a range of unmanned systems, including loitering munitions and surveillance drones, in deals worth over Rs 5,000 crore.

PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana enables Gujarat to cross 5 lakh rooftop solar installations with 1,879 MW capacity (End of December) ▼

Gujarat has installed over 5 lakh rooftop solar systems under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojna, achieving 1,879 MW aggregate capacity.
Residential consumers have availed subsidies worth Rs 3,778 crore under the scheme.
Subsidy rates: Rs 30,000 per kW up to 2 kW, Rs 18,000 per kW above 2 kW up to 3 kW, and maximum Rs 78,000 for systems above 3 kW.
State provides Rs 2,950 assistance towards regulatory charges for systems up to 6 kW and waives network strengthening charges for the same category.
No net metering agreement required, no load limit for residential solar installations, no banking charges on residential consumers, and households can sell surplus electricity.

IWMI and SDC launch SoLAR Phase II to scale climate-resilient solar irrigation across South Asia and East Africa (Start of December) ▼

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) launched SoLAR Phase II to expand climate-resilient solar irrigation across India, Bangladesh, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Studies under Gujarat’s Suryashakti Kisan Yojana found that grid-connected solar irrigation pumps did not increase groundwater extraction while delivering about 12.3 tCO2 offset per farmer per year.
IWMI trained more than 2,000 farmers, enabling a 23 per cent rise in net energy evacuation and an average additional income of Rs 14,000 per farmer.
Off-grid solar irrigation pilots reduced diesel dependence and strengthened livelihoods.
SolaReady, a spatial decision-support platform, was launched to map solar irrigation opportunities aligned with climate adaptation, mitigation and groundwater sustainability.

IOA launches NOEDP and reactivates National Olympic Academy

[Indian Olympic Association (IOA)]

Key Updates:

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has launched the National Olympic Education and Development Programme (NOEDP) and formally revived the National Olympic Academy (NOA).
PT Usha, IOA chief, was confirmed as president of the National Olympic Academy.
Olympic medallist and IOA vice president Gagan Narang was appointed director of the academy.

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National Sports Governance Act: Establishment of National Sports Board and Tribunal (Start of January) ▼

The Sports Ministry (SM) announced that the "Central Government has appointed 1st January, 2026 as the date on which the provisions" of the National Sports Governance Act shall partially come into force.
The Act paves the way for the "institution of an all-powerful National Sports Board (NSB) and a Tribunal to handle sporting disputes."
Under the new framework, National Sports Federations (NSFs) "will be required to have Executive Committees of no more than 15 members with at least two Sportspersons of Merit in them."
The NSB is proposed to be a "three-member body" with the power to "grant affiliation to the National Sports Federations (NSFs)," monitor financial operations, and penalize wrongdoing.
The "age cap for all members of the NSB has been fixed at 65," while members of the National Sports Tribunal (NST) will "hold office for four years with an age cap of 67 years."
It is mandatory for NSFs "to take NSB affiliation to be eligible for government funding."

Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) with Rs 5.30 Crore Annual Outlay (End of December) ▼

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) has unveiled a 'Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and its Autonomous Bodies' to create a pipeline of young professionals in sports governance.
The programme will offer 452 internship positions every year, with selected candidates receiving a monthly stipend of Rs 20,000.
The government has earmarked a total annual budget allocation of Rs 5.30 crore to fund the internship initiative.
College and university students will be the primary beneficiaries of the scheme, which aligns with the National Sports Policy and Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.
The internship programme will follow two recruitment cycles every year, scheduled in January and July.
Interns will be deployed across MYAS and its autonomous bodies, including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), and National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).
The policy seeks to build capacity in areas such as sports governance, administration, sports science, anti-doping, event management and athlete support services.
Interns will contribute directly to flagship programmes such as Khelo India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG).

Alyssa Healy announces retirement from all forms of cricket

[Australia]

Key Updates:

Australia captain Alyssa Healy will retire after the upcoming home series against India.
Healy has played almost 300 matches, scored more than 7,000 runs and taken 275 dismissals.
She led Australia to a historic 16-0 whitewash of England and has been part of eight World Cup titles.
The India series features three T20s, two ODIs and a one-off Test in Perth; Healy will play only the ODIs and the Test.

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Australia wins Sydney test to seal Ashes 2025-26 series (Start of January) ▼

Usman Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket, stating the upcoming New Year’s Ashes Test in Sydney will be his final one.
In his career of 87 Tests, Khawaja scored 6206 runs at an average of 43.39 with 16 tons and 28 half-centuries to his name.
In the Ashes 2025-26 tournament, Australia wins Sydney test by 5 wickets, seal series by 4-1.
In the Hockey India League (HIL), Ranchi Royals come alive in a dead rubber to beat final-bound SG Pipers 5-2.
PV Sindhu progressed at the Malaysia Open after defeating World No 9 Tomoka Miyazaki.

Hugh Morris, former England and Glamorgan batter and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chief executive, passes away at 62 (End of December) ▼

Hugh Morris captained England A as well as leading Glamorgan over two spells.
He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in January 2022 and left his role as Glamorgan chief executive in September 2023.
Morris led Glamorgan to the Sunday League title in 1993 and won three full England caps.
He spent 16 years in various senior roles at the ECB and oversaw three consecutive Ashes series wins for the England men's Test team.
He was appointed MBE in 2022 for services to cricket and charity and was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in September 2024.

Shafali Verma Honoured by Haryana CM with Cash Prize and Brand Ambassador Role (Mid of November) ▼

India's Women's World Cup-winning team member Shafali Verma was felicitated by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
She was honoured with a shawl and a cheque of Rs 1.50 crore and a 'Grade A' sports gradation certificate.
Shafali was appointed as the brand ambassador by the Haryana State Women's Commission.
The 21-year-old Shafali was named 'player of the final' for her 87 runs with the bat and 2/36 with the ball in the team's 52-run win against South Africa.
She was picked as a replacement for the injured Pratika Rawal and called into the India squad on the eve of the semifinal against Australia.

CAB to honour Richa Ghosh for Women's World Cup performance (Start of November) ▼

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will present India wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh with a specially crafted gold-plated bat and ball.
The felicitation is for her stellar performance in the Women’s World Cup.
Richa Ghosh scored 235 runs from eight innings at a strike rate of 133.52, which was the highest in the tournament.
The bat and ball, signed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly and pace legend Jhulan Goswami, will be presented to Richa Ghosh.
The ceremony will take place at Eden Gardens on Saturday.
Richa Ghosh smashed 12 sixes in the tournament, equalling Deandra Dottin’s record for the most sixes in a single Women’s World Cup.
India defeated Laura Wolvaardt’s side by 52 runs in the final against South Africa at the DY Patil Stadium.
Richa Ghosh's trophy cabinet includes the Women’s World Cup, U-19 World Cup, Women’s Premier League title, Asian Games gold, and Commonwealth Games silver.

Boda Tyohar festival of Hati tribe commenced on January 9

Key Updates:

Boda Tyohar, the biggest annual festival of the Hati tribe, commenced on the eve of Posh Dwadashi which was on January 9 this year.
The festival is also called Magho ko Tyohar and is celebrated by over three lakh community members living in 154 panchayats of Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh.
The Government of India declared the Hati community as Scheduled Tribe after a constitutional amendment on August 4, 2023.

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Bison Horn Maria dance of Dandami Madia community in Bastar, Chhattisgarh (Mid of December) ▼

The Bison Horn Maria dance is performed by the Dandami Madia tribe in southern Chhattisgarh.
Men wear horn-shaped headgear made from bamboo, adorned with bison horns, feathers, and bright cloth strips.
Women wear handwoven saris, heavy silver and brass ornaments, and headgear with coins from ₹1 to ₹10 worked into their jewellery.
The dance is performed during the Madia festival, invoking deities such as Budhadev and Danteshwari Mai.

Tripura to host 2nd Prabashi Tripurabasi Summit 2025-26 (End of December) ▼

Tripura is scheduled to host the second Prabashi Tripurabasi Summit 2025-26 to reconnect with natives of the state residing beyond its borders.
The summit is organized by the Tripura Institution for Transformation (TIFT).
The initiative aims to nurture emotional, cultural, and developmental bonds with Prabashi Tripurabasi, who are individuals originally from Tripura now spread across India and abroad.
The gathering seeks to foster dialogue, collaboration, and shared participation in the progress of Tripura by integrating the diaspora into the state's social, economic, and cultural advancement framework.

UNESCO adds endangered living traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage lists (Mid of December) ▼

UNESCO added the Philippine artisanal sea-salt craft Asin Tibuok to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
Viet Nam’s Đông Hồ folk woodblock printing, carved wooden blocks, natural pigments and scallop-powder paper, was inscribed on the Urgent Safeguarding List.
Kenya’s Mwazindika spiritual dance of the Daida community, combining dance, ritual, music and storytelling, joined the Urgent Safeguarding List.
Pakistan’s Boreendo clay musical instrument, Panama’s quincha mud-house construction, Paraguay’s Ñai’ũpo ceramic craft, Portugal’s moliceiro wooden boats, Uzbekistan’s Kobyz string instrument, Albania’s lahuta epic singing, Barbados landships traditions and Belarus’s Negliubka textile tradition were all added to the Urgent Safeguarding List.
UNESCO placed the Bisht ceremonial men’s garment shared by Qatar, Iraq, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Venezuela’s Joropo music-dance-poetry tradition, Bolivia’s Festivity of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Sucre, Argentina’s cuarteto dance-music, Bangladesh’s Tangail saree weaving, Afghanistan’s Behzad-style miniature art, Belgian rod marionette theatre, Belize’s Christmas Bram and Sambai, Bulgarian bagpipe traditions and the Zaffa wedding procession across parts of Africa and the Middle East were also inscribed on the Representative List.

Paliyar tribe petitions Dindigul Collector for separate houses aligned with cultural practices (End of December) ▼

Seventeen Paliyar families from Shanmugam Parai Paliyarkudi village in Periyammapatti panchayat, Palani taluk, Dindigul district, submitted a petition to the Dindigul Collector.
The Paliyar are a forest-dependent nomadic community traditionally engaged in collecting minor forest produce, goat rearing, and agricultural labour.
House site pattas were issued three years ago, yet the families continue to live in individual hut houses on about one acre of government poramboke land.
They oppose closely built concrete houses in dense colonies as such layouts contradict their customary lifestyle that requires space for livestock sheds and scattered housing.
The petition requests a survey and demarcation of the patta land already allotted, followed by construction of separate concrete houses under the Tholkudi scheme in a layout respecting their cultural practices and ancestral lifestyle.